that we're good. >> iPad. There's >> Rita's iPad right there. Okay. All right. That is that Haley, too. Is that Bren? >> I think that's Brennan. Yeah.
>> Brennon, I have a quick thank you for you. Thank you for printing the budgetable form. Maybe he wants to. All right. We good good to start. I call the Shootsbury SL board to order
for March 31st. >> Yes. Okay. Um so to review our agenda, we first have public comment and then our general business for the evening is uh to approve minutes from
March 17th. Uh approve an appointment of Gail Fleer to the board of registars. Uh approve the appointment of Jay Wellahan for administrative assessor. Sign Town of Ammerst and Town Shbury agreement for the provision of ambulance
service. um vote to sign the life path grant for contract for lockbox program pilgrims issue spray. Um review and sign the May 9th local election warrant. Um and at 6 p.m. we will meet with the
fincom to review the May 9th um annual town meeting warrant and then any unparticipated business and the town administrator report. How does that sound? Was there anything that popped up? I think we can start. We can look at the
like um Well, I you can move me up if we have dead air. >> Okay, we do that. >> All right, that sounds like a plan. Okay, so first off, public comment. Anyone here in the room that has public comment, please use your
raised hand feature. Anyone on screen who has public comment, please use your raised hand feature. Okay, not seeing any public comment. Um, let's move on to approve the minutes for March 17, 2026. Do I hear a motion to approve the
minutes? >> So moved. >> Oh, we can't hear you, Rita. >> Okay. Can you hear me now? >> Yeah. >> All right. All right. Good. Um, >> a second. >> Okay. Yes, that's a second.
>> Great. Um, was there any edits or clarifications at all? I didn't explain any. >> I don't think so. >> No, I was good. >> They were good. Thank you, Brandon. >> Yes. Thanks. >> Yes. Um, all those in favor?
>> I make eye. >> Um, now to approve the appointment of Gail Fleiger to the board of registars. This is an annual uh well yeah annual appointment or when there when there's a seat that's up on the board of registars
and um thank you for volunteering Gail to do that. We appreciate that. Um do I hear an um motion to appoint um Gail Fuker to the board of registars. >> So moved. >> Second.
>> All those in favor? Any questions? First >> no. Um all those in favor >> Carol I >> Docker I >> make peace O'Neal I and we also have the um appointment of Jay Wellahan to administrative assessor.
>> Yes. Yeah. >> Um his offer letter is in the signing packet. >> Okay. >> Um so he's slated to start in April but there's a cooling off period after you retire about 30 days or something like that.
>> Yeah. So he retired in um on St. Patrick's Day, March 17th. And so it'll his start date will be in about 30 days from then. I'll check in with him. But he is right. >> Um but he's been helping us. He did the recap. He's been working as a consultant
and this will solidify him as an actual employee. >> Okay. >> Great that he can get started. >> Very good. >> How many hours will he be working, Haley? Um I think other
>> 16 >> 16 was what he has signed on to do. >> Great. Okay. I'll um make the motion that that he be appointed as our administrative assessor. >> Second. >> Okay. All those in favor? >> Daryl I.
>> Stalker. I >> make peace O'Neal. I am going to sign it right now before it gets away from us. >> Okay. Um I'm not in town. I'm not back in town until next week, so I don't know if it can just go out without my signature.
>> This only had mine on it. >> Okay, perfect. >> What's today's date? Oh, 31st. >> And there's two to sign. I'll send him one and then keep one. He already knows. I mean, I've shared that with him. We met in my office to
kind of go over the details. So, >> I see he had signed it. Yeah. >> Yay. We are on a on a um path with the assessment. >> Hey Leslie. >> Hello. >> We just approved Jay's appointment.
>> Oh, you did? >> Yes, you did. Did did you describe any of the uh responsibilities for him versus me or is that just something we'll work out? >> So, I wrote a cover I mean an offer letter just based on the job description
and so I think that'll probably just be a you and him thing >> how how it'll work out dayto day. >> I noticed it was 16 hours and previously the assessor had been 20. >> He was not interested in that many
hours. Okay. All right. He will be very fast. >> I just spent two hours doing something that he probably you'll just approve and say that was right. >> He he does work very very fast. I'm very >> I'm thrilled about that and I I was
joining because I want to make sure Donna answers the questions that I have when it comes to the warrant articles. So, I'll probably be down or I'll be sitting up here spending another two hours doing something Jake can do in a
minute. >> I doubt that, Leslie. >> Oh, don't don't doubt it, Rita. >> Okay. All right. So, you may see me here, but I may be on my phone. >> I'm gonna mute myself till I hear you're getting near my stuff.
>> Thanks. Bye. >> Sounds good. >> Bye. Um so the next is to sign the town of Ammerst and town of Shbury agreement uh for the provision of ambulance. And I think this is our yearly thing. Yes. Here where um we signed an agreement for
ambulance service to town. Um doesn't have an amount but I think that's because Oh yeah. So it does have the amount of 38,784 for um fiscal year 27 then 39,947
for fiscal 28 and 4146 for fiscal 29. >> Um >> yeah I think that boils down to to like 6% increase from the first one to the last one so >> which seems totally reasonable to me. It does
>> given the price of fuel and so forth. I say sign it before we can. >> Um, and so this does require three signatures. We'll sign it tonight, Rita, and then next week. >> Yeah. Okay. I can just email Sean, too, and just say they we're waiting for one
signature. Suspects. Okay. So, do I hear um a motion to sign the agreement for the provision of ambulance? >> So moved. >> Second. >> All those in favor? >> Frell I. >> Do I? Make pe.
on there now sitting there. There you go. Um, Eric. All right. Um, the next one is to sign a life path grant contract for the lockbox. vote to sign um life grant um
contract for lockbox program or uh shootsberry. Um so this was this was a grant that the COA had applied for with um the chief of
police and fire supporting. Um and so this is a retroactive vote because it had to be signed last Tuesday. Um and so I signed it. It only needed the one signature. So we will vote now to to sign it. It had to be executed fairly
quickly. Um doc not docu sign but electronically. So it was done electronically. >> And what is it to just to sound ignorant because I am >> so uh you know when you go to buy a house there's a lock box on the door. >> Yeah. This is a lock box that the
emergency um either uh police or fire can use to get in to someone's home if they need to. Um and anyone else that might need to caregiver or someone I think too can get the home >> because then they won't break down your door to get in, >> right? Yeah. Yeah. Seems
>> or window or a stupid open window, you know, which which all have been done. >> Yeah, I'm sure they have. >> Yes, they have. >> Um in various ways. So I forget the amount of the grant. >> Uh 2800 >> the grants were up to 3,000. So it's
under that under that. Um so any questions related? No. No. So it's a service for our seniors which is >> Yeah. No, it's great. >> Um and it pays for the black box and the installation
>> I believe. Um so I guess in that case all those in favor for um re uh voting to sign the life path grant for lockbox program. >> Uh Frell I >> shocker I >> make peace with me life.
Uh next is to review and sign May uh 9's local election warrant. That's Oh that's okay. All right, >> we do this annually. >> Um,
just anything out here that we need to know. >> Um, there so I guess there are a couple of things on it. First of all, the pole hours I have said at 8:30 to 3:30. >> Um, so they'll be open for half an hour before town meeting starts. Obviously during town meeting people can vote. Um,
and based on our average 10 minutes per article >> with 32 articles, that means that we would be ending sometime between 2 and 3:00. Polls will remain open for another half hour after that. Um, and then we would tally votes immediately following
polls closing at 3:30. Um, the other two things that are of note on this are um, uh, the opposite concept, two years um because of the unpleted term. And then there's the situation with the town
clerk. Um the language that is there for the ballot question about town clerk comes out of Mass General law. Um it's stilted and in articulate and I hate it, but that's what the law says the language has to be. So there it is. Um we are in this weird
situation of having town clerk on the ballot as an office. Uh, master law chapter 41, section 1D specifies what happens when there is an office that is on the ballot that is also being changed on the same ballot to appointed, which
is that if someone gets elected town clerk, they serve in that position until the select board makes appointment and then their term ends. >> And if there is no appointment, that person continues to serve the regular three-year town. >> So either way, we could have a town clerk. >> Well,
>> of various degrees. >> Yes. And I and I can also say that um >> okay >> you know the the certification of the nomination papers is done. The candidates have been have been notified. Nobody has taken nobody has provided papers for town clerk or constable >> or one of the planning board seats or
one of the school committee seats. >> So there'll be a lot of guidance. >> Oh boy. >> Say that. So can you tell me can you say that again? Um Matteo around the the town clerk. So, nobody's taken out papers.
>> Well, nobody's nobody's returned papers for for those offices. >> So, we have three open seats. Well, we have three seats on the planning board. One of which is an open seat. >> Yeah. >> Only return papers um in our running for planning board. There are two seats on
the school committee and only one person returned papers for that as an open seat. And then uh nobody took nobody returned papers for constable or clerk. H. Okay. Well, the clerk, I could understand, constable. Yeah. Okay.
All right. >> Here's a question. You may or may not know the answer, and it may not be an appropriate point to ask it. So, we can certainly defer. If if no one writes in for the constable, and we don't have one, does the does the select board appoint that one?
We've always been lucky to have a constable serve for many many years, right? Each time it went to a different person that was many, many years, right, that they were on. So, >> that's a, you know, >> Melissa. >> Yes. >> Um, you could appoint a deputy constable.
>> Okay. Thank you. That's great. That answers my question. Thank you, Brennan. Um so >> could it be could it be a town employee? I >> think it could be anyone. Yeah, I think you just have to check
against if you have a bylaw prohibiting non-residents from serving. >> Oh, okay. Yeah. Would I don't know that it'd be a non I Yeah, it wouldn't be a non-resident, but if you're employee, maybe there's the right. Not. >> And all they have to do literally is is
nail the warrants up and the whatever >> they post the warrants post >> and then they often are during an election they're at they're here voting place. >> Yeah. >> And do they get paid for that? They do. >> I think they do. There is a there's a
stipen. >> Not a lot but >> no. >> Oh no. >> They might over be counting too but I'm not I not oversee. They might be present counting, but I'm not exactly sure of that. >> They get paid $23 for the year.
>> Okay. Sorry. They're also an optional office. Not required to have them. >> Oh. >> Oh, it is. Oh, it is an optional office. >> Yeah. Yeah. I mean, I would want to check with Donna on that, but the way it's written down in jail is the town may constable may serve,
>> but we do have to post the warrant, right? Is that true? >> Yeah. So, I don't know what the process would be for >> But if you can appoint a deputy, maybe you just do that until the next year. >> May I speak up from 10 years? >> Yes. Yes. >> Absolutely.
>> And that is that uh state elections that would be September and November. Uh the secretary of the Commonwealth called on me once because I did not have a a constable sitting at the election.
So at that point I made sure that Marilyn Tibbitz was the constable at made sure she sat there for the election at the minimum rate of pay which was what the election workers were getting for the local elections. I don't know
that the Secretary of the Commonwealth can tell you what to do at at those uh elections. Typically, it was at town meeting and there were police officers
available. So, I never did hire someone to sit and oversee the election. But there could at any point theoretically from the Secretary of the Commonwealth say that a ruckus or a you know a
problem could occur. Our people at least 150 ft from the entrance to the building that sort of thing. And they at that time required me to have a constable on duty. And at that point it was two
police officers, Paul Vash and Jim Stiva who were our constables and would have required a lot more pay. So we went I chose to ask Marilyn if she would be willing to do it because she was willing to do it for the same rate as the other
election workers. So there is a cost. It's not just checking up the uh >> notices at the appointed pla places >> and and uh Leslie that when you did pay um the minimum hourly rate for poll
workers to the constable that came out of the registars board of registars's um budget line. >> I took it right out of the elections budget line. >> Okay. All right. Thank you. >> Thank you. I there's also there are wardens for the election too um who
serve in the function of making sure that the voting area is sort of orderly. >> So we'll want to see if we have to have a a constable or deputy just you know sounds like we can at least have a deputy if no one >> we can appoint a deputy. I think you
better check with the secretary of the com eliminating it from the state elections if you want to be safe but for local for sure you could get by. >> Okay, that answers that. Um any other information we need to know?
Uh so far we have 13 vote by mail applications, >> but I've had a number of people in response to the um the last Friday five that went out and um reach out and ask about it. So I expect more will come in and I'm going to be doing an announcement to the whole town soon about
>> we're still a little bit away. So >> well not that. Yeah, still >> coming right up. >> They have until May 4th to apply to vote by uh by mail. >> Okay. All right. Do I hear a motion to sign the warrant for annual town
elections? >> So moved. >> Second. >> Right. All those in favor? >> Carol I. >> Starker I. >> Make peace O'Neal I. And this does have the costable signature for it.
Maybe the maybe um clerk can or assistant counselor slash elections. I don't know. We'll want to check and see who Yeah. And double check. >> Yeah, those questions are probably good to to ask Donna.
Lesie, appreciate that institutional knowledge. Okay. Well, we are certainly earlier than 6. Yes. So, why don't we do town administrator report? >> It's good because I prepared a nice long
time. >> Oh, good. >> Oh, good. >> Hopefully fill up sometime. Um, I wanted to start just by giving a really comprehensive update about the school oil tank kind of from the beginning. So, please ask questions. We have 40
minutes. Um, So, we did respond quickly um to the a localized release, that's what our experts call it, of number two fuel oil at the elementary school. Um so, basically, there was a failed gasket on
the fuel supply pump inside the vault. Right. So, as they're trying to get pump the water out of the vault, that's where the spill happened. But it was quickly contained. Um you know, we did notify D right away. Uh we have two licensed site
professionals, one from Thai and Bond and um one that Maya has um is using. So basically our insurance company has this like third party layer that's also overseeing all of this. >> Um and our remediation companies were
Western Mass Environmental and Royal Steam. So they did the actual um you know the experts they've confirmed that the that the school environment is safe and operations have been as normal. Um there hasn't been any disruption at the school but um
what was so the initial response actions included a vacuum extraction of oil water mixture. They excavate and remove petroleum contaminated soils and deploy absorbent booms. Those are like some people call them like oil socks. Looks
like a giant sock that soops up oil. Um you know they cleaned up the catch basins and the affected brook uh for any residual oil. So that was like the first phase of the cleanup project. And so I it's important to know that this past
last week on the 27th um we did an a tightness test for the underground storage tank and we did pass. So that's good. Um so that confirms the integrity of that that unit. Oh, so they did they they tested with air pressure?
>> They did the tight test. Okay. So there's some pressure involved underground storage test. >> So um what else? So, they let us know that um the oil impacts are not likely to represent a current threat to the drinking water. You know, they have to be cautious in the language that they
use, but we're fairly confident that there's no risk. And it's even though it's deemed low, we did work with both um our rep from Maya and Tai Bon. So, we're going to do some additional proactive testing for Abu Properties and
those letters are going out within the next day or two. So we'll be able to engage with folks and let them know that we'll do this test and even though we think we don't need it, we're going to do this anyway as a good faith measure, but as we look to the long term, so um
we're looking at like a temporary fix. Um so Lenny, our fire chief, implemented an immediate temporary measure with like a rubber membrane over the tank to kind of prevent any more water from getting in. So thank you Lenny for that. Um, and then we are going to be looking
at long-term preventative maintenance and, you know, uh, mitigating water infiltration and possibly moving to a different tank system. I know that Frank on the buildings committee is looking at like above ground rather than in ground. Um, and then, you know, we continue to
do all the environmental reporting to the state. Um, but we don't have their their test results yet. They haven't sent us any reports on it. That's where we're at with that. Um, the barrels are still at the school site.
They It seems there seems to be some delay in picking them up. So, I reached out to our LSPs just to ask them where are we at with that. Yeah, they were supposed to be removed like the week after, but um we'll see what the delay is there. And, you know, we continue to
keep pretty close conversation with them. Um, I'm actually going to be meeting with Gregory who's our um who works at uh the behest of our insurance company uh tomorrow to kind of go over some questions and see um you know what we need to do going forward. And that's
that's kind of a complete picture look at what happened. So we started with all this basically like March 13th and then here we are a little over two weeks later um with the initial containment and then doing additional testing and looking at long-term fixes. So, it's pretty good.
>> Do you have any sense of what this has cost us to date? And then >> No, that's a question for Greg for Shamara. Um, you know, and I don't know to what extent, you know, the the additional testing is going to cost. So, I' I've got a list of things to go over with him, get some more information.
>> Are they determined how many gallons I've >> No, because I haven't got any of the the reported back. Um, but hopefully that'll be soon. I can check in with D. In terms of ongoing expenses, the biggest one would be if we had to do the
t the other above ground tank, right? >> Yeah. So, you know, we can repair it and I think that'll be fine for now, but I I the state is probably going to want to see us work towards a more permanent solution so that this doesn't happen
again. And you know, we're at the same time we're looking at um bring the parking lot over, but maybe it's possible to bundle in that upgrade while we're doing that. You know, certainly, as I'll mention later, now that we got the climate leader status, maybe there's
more opportunities for something with the stable. So, yeah. Any more questions? Not on that. I was very thorough. Thank you. Thanks. >> No. Yeah. Thank you. So, the next thing is I I did go back
and I looked at the storm water erosion committee. It has a longer name, but I'm not saying it all. Right. >> As we talked about, we were going to move it down to five seats. So, um, what I'm proposing for your approval is one
concom member, one Lake Wyola advisory committee member, that that's two fingers, one climate action committee member, um, highway super or whoever he wants to delegate. Yep. Um, and then one member with civil engineering uh, or
similar experience who I I would certainly hope we would Jennifer. That's um that's the more slim down composition of the committee hopefully. That really just leaves us with trying to fill I think two seats.
>> So you have one for which two are open? >> So um Concom and LWAC membership would be the open seats. We have Greg from um ECAC and then Jennifer Wallace for our >> highway person as was Dave.
>> No, but I can I'll check in with him. I think that one's a little easier. >> That at least should better our odds. I hope. >> Okay. Yeah. Um Yeah, we can see if that works. >> I'm willing to try it and see if we get a full committee.
>> I mean, if we don't, we'll have to think >> Yeah. about it differently. Differently differently. Um which hopefully we do because we just put in a grant application that deals with storm water. Um, we do have the distinction of being the only community in Franklin County
being this proactive about storm water. So, that's something I'm setting. >> I know it's really great. >> Even though we can't get anybody to be on the committee, >> we're trying. >> We're trying. >> All right. >> Um, but yeah. So, I don't know if you
want to make a vote. Yeah. Um, do I hear a motion to alter the storm water? Um it was mitigation mitigation and implementation committee. Um down to the
five members that Haley listed to us. >> So moved. >> Second. >> Uh all those in favor? >> Daryl I. >> Do I? >> Pil. Okay. Okay. >> Okay. Um let me see. So, uh, as promised
after our last meeting, I did go ahead and do the the Friday Five brand. Um, >> yeah, thank you, Haley. There it's I meant to mention to you. I think it's excellent. >> Yeah, it's fun. >> It seems like Yeah, it's a lot of a lot of a lot of work. I'm not sure if you're
getting um feedback from the community, but I think >> I've never gotten so much good feedback >> really. Yeah. No, it's a lot. It's a lot of information. And um I do recall when I first started on the on the board um
suggesting this and >> was told >> was told it was not such a good idea because it created more work. But I I think it's uh it's really wonderful. So, thank you for doing it. >> It's it's a fun way to end the week, you
know. >> Good vibes. So, We just um in the interest of time management, I'll recap um what I talked about with the last post. So just so if folks are watching and didn't read um May 29th >> in this case
um May April 29th is the deadline to register to vote um before the annual town meeting. So you have to get it in by then. Uh and May May 4th I say April 29th is the day deadline to register to vote. May 4th is the deadline to submit
vote by mail applications. Don't get confused by that. So, those are coming up pretty quick. It's already April tomorrow. No joke. >> They're in there. Um, so let me see what else. Um, I thought
it was really interesting to point out that for the 602 households that have enrolled in the community choice aggregation program, they've saved a collective $7,200. >> Yeah, that's good. >> Amazing. Yeah.
>> So, that that information is all up on Colonial Power Group's website, so you can check it out. Um, maybe that'll sway some folks into joining. Um, and as I mentioned earlier, we did get the climate leader designation. So, I think that's a big thank you to Michael Dier
um because he did a lot of the leg work. >> How many of us could be in that? What's the maximum number? >> Um there's not a cap, but we are one of 28 and only a handful in Franklin County. >> That would mean of the 600. >> How many would be? >> Oh. Oh, >> I know. >> Yeah.
>> Oh, that I don't know. >> That would be the 800. And there's like >> well subscribed to as if it >> significant majority of the household. >> Yeah. Yeah. Okay. That's my point. I guess >> it's like it's like it's like the internet, >> right?
>> You know. Yeah. Rewire. >> Yeah. It's a popular thing. And then usually like for something like that, you're going to get that big rush of people or not always a big rush, but people who are right on board and then some people will be on the fence and they'll see information like this and then that might steer them.
>> I think it was opt out though. It wasn't opt in, it was opt out. Yeah. Right. So, >> but also if you had like I had done some green energy thing. I had opted in I don't know a few years ago and so I had to go through a different process.
>> Um yeah, which you know took a little bit of um >> yeah I had that same thing you greening up so >> greening up. I already had a greening up thing. So and it took me it took me two or three weeks to like say wait a second did I forget to do this? And so I
finally did it. But some people might might have forgotten to do that. Um, so anyway, >> I didn't do the greening up and mine just went very easily. >> Yeah. Yeah. >> Yeah. I didn't realize it that had there was a more difficult uh process for
>> it. It it was only if you had had cho chosen this other path earlier on. Um, you had to >> Yeah. So, just an FYI for anybody that did that, pay attention.
>> Oh, Gail has her hand up. >> Uh, people who are there are very few, but there's a handful of folks who are on um the other utility. >> Oh, ever so >> and the rate at this point is lower than what we can offer on the
um CAC CCA. if that changes, if their uh Eversource rate changes, they're always free to to sign up on the CCA. So, you can do that at any time. >> Yeah, they are pretty volatile the rates
at least this time of year. >> Um, so yes, we got climate leaders. So, some of the grants you can apply to now that we have this designation are up to a million dollars. So, these are pretty significant pots of money. And so, uh, I'll be meeting with Frank McInn and
Michael, um, I think next week to go over, you know, how do we want to tackle this because we'll want to be kind of smart and if we can bundle things together to make it a bigger application, we definitely want to do that. Um, we're keenly aware of that.
And then in terms of other grants, so that that storm water one I alluded to earlier. So, um, we recently applied last Friday for funds. It was about $80,000, um, to do education, advocacy, and outreach on storm water erosion around
the lake in particular. Um so you know the grant talks about working with the lake association with Furcog to do like dirt road walks do um water table events like at the school and at the library and just trying to build a network of
people who are informed on this topic so that we can kind of keep building on that. you know, the the grant that we applied to was the MVP >> and that is a grant where they really like if you can show kind of that you're building like if we can apply every year and we have the different project and
we're phasing in more things, it looks really good um to the granter. So hopefully that gives us an edge for further applications. Um but this one will be really exciting and that also was Jennifer Wallace helped tremendously and so did Tams and Flanders at the Ferg and putting all the information
together. So um the second grant that we applied to was under the dam and seaw wall program. So this is the same program for which we had the 41,000 to do well what is now the work of the engineering and permitting for the dam repairs. So this is kind of looking
ahead um we're seeking funding to address the unsafe condition of the dam. Um you know how do we stabilize it? How do we help it be um more comprehensive in the design and planning for like the final repair? So
that will help us because as I've said before, even once we do these emergency repairs, we're still going to have a second step after that. And dam grant is another one where they kind of like to see you continuing to build and certainly having an unsafe designation
is makes us pretty competitive for the grant. Um you know, all things considered and that one was much more substantial. I I want to say we did like a $200,000 grant. So, you know, we're talking big bucks here. Um, and what I was going to say something else about
that. Oh, um, so I I was just in touch with the contractor today just to confirm that they want to go ahead with the permitting. So, once I get that from him, um, I'll be reaching out to Beth Wilson for an emergency order so that then they can get started on the work. Um, you know, we're trying again to do
it within a twoe time frame. So, something that I I do want to say because I don't want it to shock people later is that even when they do this repair work, they're still going to need to assess the conditions at the dam. So, once that happens, there's still not a
guarantee of how much water we can put back in. So, you know, if folks are hoping for a specific day and time where it's going to be the full lake threshold, that may or may not be reality, and we really won't know until the construction work is done.
Certainly something to keep in mind for the future. >> One thing about this whole damn thing that's got that's got me a little bit is like it seems to me we spent a lot of money. Not you not you were here. Not >> Oh yeah. The town >> over time. Yeah. >> Yeah. And having it rebuilt fairly
completely fairly recently and now here we are fixing it. It's like something's wrong somewhere. I would think >> I think it was well I you know it's age. It's age, but also like there there was reason to Well, I'll put it this way. One of the engineers said, "I've never
seen someone fix a dam that way about the the previous project." >> Oh, there you go. >> I rest my case. >> Yeah. And and it is one of the the the elements that you can't control. Wind, fire, water is a natural element that is uncontrollable.
>> Yeah. And you know, the trash rack is helpful, but it's going to it's going to get clogged and that you know, that doesn't go away. >> Right. Right. >> If you got rid of the trash rack, you still have similar problems. So, you're really there's not a whole lot of great options for that. But keeping in mind of
safety, I'll reiterate, uh, Lenny's sent out a really nice email last week about just talking about how to stay safe around the dam. You know, if it says it's >> don't go on it, >> just leave it alone. >> You know, don't wear sandals. Wear like boots that are sturdy so that you don't
like slip into the mud and all, you know, all that kind of stuff. So, just kind of be thinking safely and smartly. You know, it is kind of cool because you can see more than you normally could if the water level was higher, but you don't want to like fall in the lake. But also, that that that dirt is not solid
cuz it's always water. >> It doesn't have the freezing and the drying and all of those things that make dirt sturdy. >> Yes. And I, as I just learned about uh mud season in Shootsberry, uh I went into my calf walking along the side of
the road, just sunk right into the mud. >> Okay. So, >> yes. So, I would definitely say uh you know, wear good shoes, wear uh pants that you want to throw away if they get covered up. >> Well, that was good. And um looking
ahead, so you know, we've been talking a lot about high rates. Um, so we do have National Grid customer advocates coming to the Shootes Town Hall on Monday the April 13th from 11:00 a.m. to 2 PM. So essentially what this program does is they'll sit down with you. You obviously
want to bring a bill, probably your most recent bill, and they'll look and see, you know, is there any like irregularities? Maybe you're being overcharged. Are there payment plan options for you? Um, and certainly if you get SNAP, Mass Health, SSI, or WIC,
you know, bring your benefit cards because you get automatically enrolled into savings programs and you don't necessarily need to live in Chesbury. So if your friend is on the town line, they can still Yeah. >> And take advantage of that. And then uh
the last thing I just wanted to say, >> could you nudge the CLA for that? There may be some members of their their >> Oh, I sent them the flyer. >> Oh, did you? Yeah. Okay. I was just thinking there may be some members of their their demographic sure that may
>> So um yeah I gave the flyers to COA the school and the library to kind of promote and see and then the last thing I just wanted to talk about you know we were talking about Friday 5 so and I I did do the next posting some people did comment it says in our bio we don't
respond um but the first post we did had 820 views and the second post had as of today 486 >> so that's a lot of engagement you don't necessarily know if it's like if it's unique people. I'm assuming it's
just page views, so you don't know how many people are seeing it, but that's still pretty significant. And um like Matteo said, I I got more feedback in the last two weeks from that than I I've ever gotten. Um and some of from folks who were like, oh, you know, can you check on my mail and voting or can you
please now add me to town announce emails because I I wasn't getting them, but this is some good information. Um, >> yeah, if that if anything happens from that, that that's one of the best things, >> Haley, because the the town now like
we've wanted to get more people and and that, you know, getting people to to sign up for that is is a really great outcome. >> Yeah. >> Yeah. So, >> it's really fun and I would say for me the the ultimate goal kind of with something like that is that you build a
reputation with a program that is such that if people hear a rumor, they're going to think to themselves, well, let me just wait until Friday, maybe before I I get online or send an email or make a phone call, let me just wait and see >> what the town has for an update. And I think once you do that, you you
>> Yeah, once you have that routine, people's in the routine. >> Yeah. >> No, smart idea. So, I did my best. I got us 20 minutes. >> Pretty good. >> So, can I can I just ask um because I um
Melissa and Eric, I told um Haley that we have uh tickets tonight and I I need to leave at 6:30. So, unfortunately, I won't be able to stay beyond that. But, um so, we're going through just the the
monetary articles with the finance committee. Is that correct? Tonight on the warrant and then any other warrant articles. Um >> we do our usual voting that they're on the warrant, right? Just our usual
rundown. >> So are we doing that tonight or are we doing that at our next meeting? >> You certainly can. There are not many that aren't financial. Most of them are. >> Do you want to wait? Are you asking to wait on us? Well, I mean, we could do
them. We could do them now or we could um Is there any non-financial ones that we do now? I don't I don't know. That's what I'm asking. I guess >> one moment. So, the
>> Yeah, we could do that. >> Budgets. Let's see that. It starts on article 22. Do or do you not count fifth testers once finance? >> Um, hold on. Uh 22. That's the low and low
rate made of property value. >> I'm staying here for the assessor's ones. You may have seen it ones that you got. >> That's true. >> I have read questions for Don. >> My guess is that finance committee might have something to say about that one maybe. Would you say that, Leslie?
>> But we have George and April on the board. >> Okay. Okay. >> But but still, um, as I say, if unless somebody knows the answers to the questions that I put there for Donna, those were assessor questions that I'm
hoping she'll answer. But if tonight's I'm like, Rita, if tonight's not the right night, if we don't, when do we have to vote on them before town meeting? Was it tonight was our deadline? Well, we were hoping to do it tonight just to have like a a buffer window. So if you like 24 on are
ones that the finance committee didn't touch. So finance committee recommends is one through 23. Uh starting with data centers that's nothing that they recommended and then there's only handful until you get to the um citizens
petition. Excuse me. >> Typically we've had two meetings where we've done the warrant. So this is unusual just to do it all in one meeting. But um you know we we can do it all in one meeting. Um I'm just not going to be here for part of it.
>> Yeah. Um >> but it's up to you guys. I mean I'm I'm fine. I trust you, Eric, and Melissa. And I don't see anything here. You know, I've been through I've been through it. I don't see anything that I have
>> questions about. Um, so, >> so how many? It's 24. I mean, through >> only have the one citizen petition. We didn't get more than 33. Yep. Just the ones. >> Um, >> I'd say I'd say we should try to do those now and knock them off if we can.
>> Yeah, if we can knock off the non-financial ones cuz the um, we can Yeah, we can do them. I don't see why not. You want to just do it? Sure. while you're here. >> Yeah. >> Okay. >> And we have 15 minutes. >> Can you put them up?
>> One person with the computer. >> And I just want to note that for article 24 on the data centers, the language is going to stay the same. Um but there there'll be different support there might be different supporting documents pending the outcome of ECAC's meeting on
April. So, we have in the past had to have the language in the warrant. >> So, we have >> we have a question for Donna and I believe the answer is that you can have them on a separate handout because it's going to be 10 pages, >> okay,
>> of information. >> Okay. Well, and and the ones we've had in the past, so maybe this is a little different. Maybe the information we had in prior county town mystery was a little different. So, um, as but as long as we tell people it's a
>> long. So, part of the reason al I'd like personally would just like to get some of them done is because I'd like to do more like I got like oh the warrants are blank. I'm like, oh. >> So, are you saying that the warrant
article is going to be 10 pages? >> No, the umation for the data center article is 10 pages. all the information. Oh, that's in of I meant I was thinking that the >> they should run through AI and like cut it down to two, three pages.
>> Well, you know, we're not doing we're not doing the final we're not doing the final vote on the on the warrant anyway until Donna has reviewed it and we get it back. >> Right. This is just to get some things on the
>> We're just We're just reviewing >> right >> the warrant now. >> Yeah. and and and voting to to add them to the warrant for review for Donna. Right. >> Right. That's the first step that we do. >> And then >> Donna will be here tonight. Just a heads up as well.
>> Okay. She's coming cuz usually she gets this warrant and then Okay, that's unusual. All right. So, she's gonna she's going to review this on the spot.
No, we would send it to her and have her look at it, not on the spot. We always do that, Rita. We would always have her do that. >> Okay. >> Yeah, I think she's just going to answer some of the the questions we have in red and underlined tonight.
>> Okay. She get it ahead of time. >> All right. So, um the non-financials you said started at 24 with the data center. the data centers. That's a planning board. So, we don't need to worry about that one unless we um
we we don't vote on that one to add to it. >> No, just >> and so the next one is um the community preservation one that we don't vote either. Right.
>> Right. We just >> get added through their committee. Right. >> Yeah. are included. And then we have the one that we should vote on is the article 31 which is the Quabin watershed resolution. >> Right. >> Um so do I hear a motion to the select
board to add article 31 Quabin watershed resolution to the annual town meeting warrant for May 9th. >> So moved. >> Second. >> Okay. Um then the next one is the
agreement establishing a regional school district. Um so do I hear a motion to add article 32 amendment agreement establishing a regional school district to the town meeting warrant for April 9th. Uh sorry
May 9th. >> So moved. >> Second. >> Okay. All those in favor? >> Farrell I. >> Stark. I >> make peace. O'Neal. I >> We didn't vote on that one, right? One before this, did we? >> Oh, I didn't pull the vote. I'm sorry.
Um, I'll say for article 31. All those in favor, >> Carol. I >> may peace. O'Neal. Thank you, Eric. Um, and then the bylaw
that was sponsored by the select board >> uh 33 personnel bylaw >> that was sponsored by Well, I guess sponsored by personnel board. >> Okay. It does say um select board here on it.
>> Oh, did I just not turn it over? Yeah. >> Well, it could be select board and it can be personnel board. You could add our Do you feel comfortable with that, Rita? >> Um, I haven't reviewed this. So,
>> I have a little bit of trouble saying that it's sponsored by us because I haven't I haven't >> Okay, that's fine. We can have the personnel board. It's the personnel bylaw and personnel board usually does it. Um, I can explain what they are because I helped them draft that. >> Yeah, I understand. But I would rather I
feel like this is a little rushed to be honest with you. Okay. >> Um so uh I I don't feel like I want to endorse it without >> understanding it. You know again I I
think in the past you know we we the select board reviewed the warrant before it was sent to Donna and we went through it then it was sent to Donna then. So it was kind of >> there was like a little bit of a
different process this year. Um so >> we we just we had we had more >> you want us to go through here's here's maybe something that will be a little bit of both worlds. We go through
tonight this with fin. Um then for us, why don't we schedule a meeting for next week to vote go through it ourselves and then have Donna does that give enough buffer? >> Yeah. So we also were so um and maybe something got lost in translation
because we had emailed this out earlier. But so our thought was to to do the review tonight, you know, sign off if you need to and I might not have explained that part because remember how much involved I was with that last year, but and then so we need to >> halfway through. Yeah, we need to move
and sign on April 14th because then we have to get it to the constable to Donna and then if we if you so we can do next week I'm assigned especially and then just kind of like in do that as a thing
>> right just a one topic meeting just to get that you know >> because there may there could I there could be changes tonight you know So, we could do that. I mean, I can't do Tuesday and
I could do other days that week. Let's see. >> That's next week. >> My only So, my only thing is Thursday um is out for me. Other than that, I'm pretty flexible even even early enough in the daytime.
But you wanted us to vote on it and sign it by the >> It has to be done on the 14th because we have to post it by the third 23rd at the latest. >> Yeah, I'm I'm voc. >> Wednesday. How's Wednesday? >> Wednesday's fine for me.
>> Wednesday. Let me get >> 8th. >> ETH. Yeah. >> Yeah. I should be fine that day, too. Yeah. >> And then then we do that and then it gives Donna up until, you know, the morning of the 14th to to look at it if she >> Right. And she's already looked at it
once right? >> I'm just thinking with her questions here that might change language and stuff. >> Do we do we want to do five o'clock or do we want to do it earlier? >> Uh, that can be earlier. The only time I can do only 5:30 is on Thursdays.
Everything else is earlier. Okay. So, what time do we want? What time we go? want to do four >> four Wednesday >> 44 at four. How's that? >> Yeah. >> Sounds like a TV news thing or
something. 44. >> Perfect. It's on there. and put that right on there. Way we go. Okay. Okay. Are there any other articles that >> No, that's it. Um the other one is the citizen petition, but we don't vote on
supporting those. Those are already on the warrant based on number of signatures, >> right? >> Yeah. So I think that was it, right? That was all of us. We only have a couple. >> When's that? Next meeting. Next meeting was
>> uh the 8th for next week for the 14th for our usual meetings. Got it. >> Our usual What's up? Yeah, I'm thinking that with all the questions that are in red, there could
be some significant changes from >> Awesome. >> Yeah, you came right in the middle of the SL. Yeah. >> Jumped in right at I think we had finalized it already or we did that one of your first meetings. >> Yeah. >> So, probably just went a little over. >> Yeah. Yep.
>> That's okay. >> Are we close to six? Oh, we got five minutes. >> Yes. >> Four. Four minutes. >> We did it. >> We did. I think you can. Oh, wait. No, we'll need that more
likely to the budget unless AJ's but will share his screen if he comes in. clarification. This isn't the meeting when you want to talk about orders of the like the order the um
ready. >> No, I guess later. >> I just want to do each. So, when should I come back? >> The 8th of April. >> 8th of April. But it's at 4, so we should probably change that because you'll be teaching. >> Yeah. Well, is that doable for you all?
>> I think so. >> My students leave it be, but I'm in war, so it takes me a bit to get >> like five is good. >> That would be great. >> Okay, we can do that. >> Is that okay for everyone else? >> Nick, that's Wednesday. Wednesday. >> Wednesday the 8th.
>> Wednesday the 8th. >> What did you I didn't hear what you just said. the >> uh Netty Netty um can't get here for 4, so um we're gonna change it to five on that Wednesday. >> Oh, okay. >> Yep.
>> Thank you all for being with us. >> No problem. >> Thanks for coming. >> Yeah, >> you can still take some of the info home with you if you want to warn it. I do. Yeah. have a few minutes. May I ask about it
being a a duty um of the 45day bylaw saying that things need to be in place submitted for the warrant 45 days before the um
meeting and I'm wondering >> if that's something in the past when we've talked about the potential of having fall a regular special meeting if that was way that we can make sure that people have a couple of days they can shoot for. So if they don't make that deadline,
there is the possibility that they don't have to wait tired here. >> Oh, are you just you're not talking about like for spring, right? You're talking >> I'm talking about Well, I'm talking about if someone misses the 45day deadline to post on spring annual town
meeting. >> Okay. >> Potentially still be there for the fall. >> Yes. Is that something that >> that's actually the plan for like the personnel board? >> Okay. >> They have things that they they weren't able to get to for spring, so they were
like, "We'll just do fall." >> So that's fall. >> And we've done that, too. We've had a fall special town meeting. We've added things that weren't related to whatever triggered it. So, you know, there's there's something that, you know, is there anything we need to if someone doesn't meet the deadline, they
automatically go to >> I don't know about automatic, but it's >> they want to like remind us. >> Yeah. But um but there's no reason that like we couldn't just start a file of like if someone knows I I definitely missed it, but I have it ready to go.
So, it sended early and we can just make a Google doc. Okay. I mentioned it because in the past we talked about it um having fun when I spoke with um my mentor moderator who's
in front of mom was fabulous she's amazing she said that when they made that switch it really wasn't something that Tony wasn't it was something that made the decision and then eventually when it like started >> workingcame
policy. They didn't start by making a policy, but when they saw that it was really effective, >> that makes sense. That's a good way to go, I think. >> Yeah. >> Just waiting for the I did see Donna pop up on the >> Did you? >> Yeah. >> Oh, she's in.
>> So, there is a way there is a way you can see the faces of people that are on um and that at the same time. See what I got here? Yeah, >> you're not gonna something.
>> There you go. Salty speaker. I just like to see the the more people. Shall we? Are they watching that? Is there a clock in there that >> somebody knock on the door? >> I think so.
>> They're still waiting for you, basically. >> Yes. We might need more chairs, though. >> Yeah, possibly. They're ready. They think they're ready. I can slide it around a little. paper cuts. Maybe there
was a last one copy that I just >> sure. >> Okay. How are you? Good. Thank you for joining us everyone. >> Is on um >> that is on screen. She's zooming in and
uh she has a hard stop so she will >> I'll be leaving. >> Yeah, she'll duck off um when she needs to. Um so thank you for coming and getting all this information together for us. >> Um so how would you like to work the
review? So, um I guess uh so I guess there's a couple of things we can do. One is we could do just kind of a high level kind of budget summary. Um and then if you had any questions
about the budget or any of the warrant articles um because we didn't just got as well. Um uh so uh I guess I'll just I so I I did I have
this little cheat sheet. Um I'm sorry that we don't have it to share with those folks that are online, but I'll just kind of talk through it. So um we've got a proposed budget for FY27 of 8,338,475.
That represents um 7.45% increase over FY26. In terms of dollars, that's an increase of 578,188. Um, so this is kind of the second year
in a row that I think we've we've had we've come in with a budget that is a pretty significant increase um over the prior year. Um, we've really struggled to try to
find strategies to kind of mitigate the impact of that increase on um taxpayers. We'll talk about that in in a minute. Um that there's a um in terms of kind of
what this proposed budget is going to mean for um for residents. Um, we're estimating and this I think we should probably talk about this as kind of the low end of a
of a of a uh like a range in terms of um impact on taxpayers. Um, but we're right now we're estimating a tax rate of $1740
per uh,000 of uh assessed valuation. Um, there's a typo in that box. It should read estimated FY27 average single family tax bill and then the instead of FY25 average, it's say FY26 average.
Sorry about that. Um, so the the we're estimating the average single family tax bill to be on the low end of $7,267. for FY26 it was $6,770.
So we're basically talking about a $500 increase. Um and the reason I I I've said this a couple of times now that this is like represents the low end of what we're probably going to communicate as a range um when it comes time to annual town meeting. is there's kind of
a complicated uh mathematical reason why that number is probably underestimating the impact by maybe as much as $50. I don't want to kind of get into it too much now, but it basically
has to do with the share of our total tax levy that corresponds to personal property versus residential property. and that the there's kind of ongoing
depreciation with um the assessed personal property that happens every year. And so as those telephone polls depreciate in value from one year to the next, a larger portion of our tax base
is being covered by residential property versus personal property. So, um I think so just I I I I just want to make sure that the information in that box there is understood as probably for now being
on the kind of low side that we're probably going to have to boost those estimates by as much as 50 $60 some. >> Yeah. 60 is what it was last year. >> Yeah. Um, and we're we're kind of we're going to clean that up before town meeting so that we can we can make a um
a kind of yeah a responsible more accurate um uh estimate of what the impact for on taxpayers is going to be. So >> um you know there's a bunch of of of lines that are seeing um you know
significant operating increases. Uh, believe it or not, this I think could be could be a lot worse um than it is this year. It feels really hard and really challenging this year, but there actually are a couple of items that
ended up playing out much better than than I might have guessed at the beginning of the year. I maybe I'll mention those really quickly. One is our health insurance increase is 8.8% 8% um over FY26, which is a big increase, but
you know, at points this earlier in this year, we we've been in meetings with you guys, we were at at one point anticipating a 20% increase to that line. So, that ended up not being quite as uh significant uh as we once thought
it would be. Um the other I think significant u piece here is that our assessment for the regional schools is only increasing by 0.7% about $13,000. Um you guys know that we are kind of the
outlier among the four towns. um the other towns are seeing much more significant increases and I think it's just a function of the modified statutory method that we've we advocated for years and this was a year in which I
think benefited our our town. So we are not seeing I mean you'll recall last year we had quite a significant increase >> in our regional budget and it was good to see that this year that increase was less than 1%. Um, and then I guess we're
our we have a new police chief. So that salary for that position I think was significantly lower than previous. I think that was about a $10,000 reduction. So there were a few things that I think actually did um help uh us
I think avoid what what was at one point feeling like a potentially catastrophic uh budget. Um that said there are significant increases. We have a pretty significant increase for the elementary school 6.3%
$164,000 increase. The thing to keep in mind about that number is that a very large portion of that increase is the function of an out of district placement that was
in our budget last year but is an even more significant cost this year because it has transitioned to a private school tuition. Um so I think uh so that so quite a large portion of that increase
is just a function of a single out of district placement. >> Do we get any of that back with circuit breaking stuff? >> We do. Um so uh what can we say about >> so they specific um are using
130 out of cash reserves >> to meet that because the towns have to upfront it and circuit breaker comes a year later. So even though we're using more cash reserves than than we did last year, some of it is planned to be met
with the circuit breaker next year. >> And that's expected number right above 30 to 130. >> Yeah. >> Um so what else can I say? Um we have uh um
I think in terms of department budgets, other department budgets, there is a fairly significant increase for the highway department. It's about 10.2%. Um, and I think that I I would describe that as us kind of catching up to
something that we've observed for several fiscal years in a row now, which is that several lines for the high it's just it's just gotten a lot more expensive to run the highway department, the machine uh machinery, maintenance costs, um, the
materials, those those budget lines have been getting over spent kind of consistently the last few years. So, we recognize that and tried to make some adjustments this year to get get the budget to be more in line with what we
think will be the actual costs the department. Um, along the same lines, there's a increase in the snow removal line of about $10,000, which is about 12%. Um, what else can I talk about? Uh,
>> cost of materials, CJ. Yeah, >> that's the cost of materials, >> correct? >> Increase. >> Yep. Yep. Um, we have a significant increase in our debt service portion of our of our budget. This is this was not uh this was
anticipated because of the obviously the new library um borrowing cost >> $78,000 principal payment that we budgeted for $43,000 interest payment on that loan that we
budgeted for. We have a PAS um loan that we've had that um has a $19,000 cost. So, um, all in all, our our debt service, um, represents about $127,000
increase or 91%. Um, we talked about health insurance. Last year, you'll recall that we actually zeroed out our OPE, our contribution to the OPE trust fund. Um we did that because of the challenges
we were um concerned about in last year's budget plan was always for us to um to to return to the practice of contributing to that um fund out of our operating budget. So we've done that this year at
a cost of $25,000. Uh so um I guess what I'll mention I'm going to skip around a little bit. What I'll mention next is that we have
um identified about $200,000 worth of expenses in our budget that we've we're planning on funding with free cash. Um again as a strategy to kind of mitigate the impact on taxpayers. And in the
past, the way we've approached this is we've used sort of two different rationale for applying cash reserves to fund um you know portions of an operating budget. One of those is if we feel like
there's a cost in our budget that is temporary in nature and not something that we're going to expect to see on an ongoing basis year after year. And then the second justification we've used is if we have a budget line that is
increasing by a dramatic amount like for health insurance. Last year we observed a 40% increase in our health insurance costs and we felt like that was a a significant burden to place on taxpayers in one
year. And so we use some cash reserves to essentially um uh offset and and kind of phase in the impact of that increase over a couple of fiscal years as opposed to one. So um so we've we've here's what
we're planning on doing or what we've done in this proposed budget. We've applied $130,000 of cash reserves for this for the elementary school line. Again, that corresponds to that out of district placement. Um, and we've
applied uh $25,000 to um offset is that uh the health insurance um yeah uh the health insurance increase, $25,000 to offset the OPED contribution that we're
making getting back to making this year. $5,000 for some of the new kind of miscellaneous library operating expenses and $15,000 to offset um a significant increase in um school transportation
costs, elementary school transportation costs that we uh are realizing this year. So, in all, we've applied $200,000 worth of cash reserves to help support the budget. Um
there's uh nine different there are nine different capital items at the top of page two on this document. Um these all have uh warrant articles that you know uh corresponding warrant articles that you you've already seen uh in the materials
I sent you. Um you can see them listed here. 64,000 and change for a tractor for the highway department, $10,630 for a sprayer for the highway department $15,800
for an engineering study for the SCES parking lot um repairs that are anticipated for FY28. um $15,000 for some mechanical repairs slashreplacement
for the s the elementary school cafeterium. I like that word. Uh $800,000 for a new fire truck, which we are recommending um using borrowing for. Um $5,700 for
clickers, $15,725. Those are clickers for town meeting. Um $15,725 for um data digitization of paper
records here at the town hall and then $83,845 of um stabilization funds for the dam repair project. Uh
so I think if all warrant articles pass our total cash reserves would be around $1,60,000. That does not include the addition of free cash that we expect to be generated
at the end of FY26 when you know unspent lines in the budget will um will of free cash. So, all right. That's a lot of details. I don't know if you had any questions about that or >> anything else in the budget.
>> You have to go. Do you have one? Toss your questions in first. >> Um, yeah. I I guess the only question I have um on the fire truck, when does that
when do you anticipate that the debt hits on the fire truck? Is that a year out? >> Yes. You want you want to share? Yeah. >> Yeah. FY28. >> FY28. >> Okay. >> First principle and interest payments. And depending on when it's purchased,
whether it's a full principal and a full year's interest or when I say purchased because it there's a timeline for the manufacturer to complete the truck and so we don't know the exact date, but it wouldn't be before it wouldn't be in FY27. >> Okay. And and what is the what is the
term of the loan typically? >> Well, I would say stretch. >> Yeah. Well, just to step up one step on all this, we we met with Ryan >> um at our last meeting to talk about how we're going to manage the debt service
that we're anticipating in the next few years because we have a number of things going on. >> Yeah. >> And we have some debt items like the Culbert. It's probably the largest one that are in there and they're using up a lot of the capacity. Typically we did uh we fund 2% of the operating budget. We try to always keep that there for debt
service but now it's getting pushed pushed up. So we plan on working with Ryan and yes one of the questions with Ryan is how far out can we take the fire truck. All equipment has in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts has a set period a term for each for loans for
those specific items. In firet trucks he wasn't sure what it was. might be five, six, seven years, but a lot of towns have been getting approval to go 15 years on fire trucks because they're so expensive. I'm not sure that's what we're going to do, but our plan is to work with is to work with Ryan. We've
got a lot of debt coming and we really need to figure out how we're going to manage it. >> Yeah. I guess I guess my concern is is that, you know, we've been talking about a bunch of other really expensive items like paving the elementary school parking lot, which I heard a figure of a million dollars for that. I've heard,
you know, other other major capital expenses at the elementary school and at at some of the other buildings. So, you know, I'm wondering had have all of those things been taken into
consideration in terms of prioritization when we're going to town meeting asking for $800,000 for a firet truck and we have these other potential major capital items coming forward.
>> Yeah, that's why we need to talk to the treasurer. Well, it's not only the treasure. It it's it's you know what who's who's on who's making the you know who's making the decisions about what what is the highest priority because you
know when you start adding up millions of dollars it it gets um >> well the capital items all come from the capital planning committee. >> Yeah. No, I I understand. I'm I'm just Yeah. Um, >> and our we get we basically have to figure out how to fund the things that
they approve, >> right? >> But we also we also talked about with capital planning about a long range plan to lay out over 10 years and that would help support what you're talking about when we put that plan together. >> Then you can look at okay are we going
to spend we going to make 10 major projects three years from now or we going to spread them out over three or four years? >> Yeah. I mean that's part of >> is anybody asking a question about what else is on >> what else is in the lineup here just because I've heard these
>> other planning is doing in fact that's going to be our summer project is under that schedule today because that schedule has become stale and some of the prices on some of the assets were clearly too low and that needs to be fixed and so >> and the s um the money for the
engineering study for the parking lot is a way of addressing what is the real number that So there's a there's a step before we even start putting out that number. It's to have that assessment by the engineering stud. >> Yeah. >> I mean I the only thing I would add,
Rita, is that I do think you're you're pointing out um something about the capital planning process which which I think is about to change a little bit because of the long range planning that George and Jim just
alluded to that that's going to be happening this summer. I think historically it's like these things get take considered on an annual basis by capital planning like >> who's requesting >> you know what for in a given year and
then those those requests get discussed and evaluated by the capital planning committee in essentially in a vacuum about sort of you know what is the merit of that that request but not not in the context >> it's been reactive it's reactive and not proactive. So,
>> I think I think that's fair to say. Yeah. >> Yeah. And and and because there's no kind of visioning, there's there's discussion and and not a not a a
proactive visioning. Um then we don't Yeah. We just we we have a reaction and then suddenly we're saying well we can't afford to do it. It's just a you know just an observation.
>> The long range planning is something we just need to get better at. >> Yeah. >> Starting to tackle it like we're doing the five-year plan. So >> yeah, >> you know, I think we all know it's an issue. >> Yeah. Well, it's also actually report now that we look at these free cash levels and they're getting down to where
we don't want to go lower free cash wise or capital stabilization, those numbers are getting relatively low. Um, so that's another thing to consider. >> Um, would follow up with that comment and say that and we really have no plan for fun stabilizations at this point. So
those balances are down there and we really have in the past when debt service went low to save space in the budget for debt service, we would take the the decrease to debt service and we would transfer that to the cabinet stabilization account. And we lost that
capacity and given all these large ticket items, we're not going to have that capacity for a number of years. Yeah, >> unless we make it. >> Yeah, there's other ways to fund it, but it's not going to be through the operating management unless we want to have large increases in the operating
budget. >> We we didn't um have the CPC items. We gave a vote on those. Um I don't know if they have been written up. Um but otherwise, we endorsed all of the FINCOM ones um that are that we needed to
approve. >> Yeah. And we also um I think I don't know if we're looking so the the MLP um there are three Warrant articles related to their >> budget um which I think we we
technically need to vote on. We did that just before joining you guys tonight and unanimously recommended approval of three of those. I'm I'm assuming you have the updated this. Yeah, this looks like the
updated information here. Yeah. So, on articles 19 through 21 here that we're seeing on the screen, those were all recommended by the FINCOM by SE votes of seven to zero. Yeah. For all three of
those things. >> Okay. Okay, I don't have any other questions and sorry I um my family calls. >> No, that's fine. >> Thank Thank you for all your hard uh work finance committee. >> Appreciate it.
>> Good night everybody. >> Good night. >> Um Eric, did you have any questions? No, I just sort of reiterate um just not that the finance committee is making these decisions, but it's just just I would just re reiterate with the fire
truck. It just, you know, a week ago we met in this room, we're talking about like basically rebuilding the MX Sphere building. Now we're talking building buying a firetruck for $800,000. I mean, okay, these are all great ideas. Um but I'm just not sure what the priority should be and on I think that's really going to get straightened out.
>> Yeah. Well, you know, the capital planning has these conversations with department heads and the our highway our fire truck number one >> is 15 years old, right? >> And that's past the useful life. The repair costs for that were more than 50%
of the purchase of the new one and that's just repair the existing problems. Then you're going to have to continue to spend to keep it running and that's a safety issue for the firemen >> and the homeowners for that matter. We ask these questions in the capital planning. >> I think the other thing that's happening
in this town is there was a capital plan that is going to get updated, but there's items that aren't on that dam repair and then there's things that aren't in that normal track. And so, do we have a way of uh slowing that down or prioritizing it? It will be part of the
discussion, but it's not that they weren't looking at some of the issues. it's that at this time it feels like there's a lot on the stove and um people will people will continue to work on that. I mean I think the trash contract's going to be a big thing and
that's coming and so there's pieces that we health insurance went berserk. I I don't know if we have a locked in fuel contract but right now we can be looking at how that's going to go >> for next year. We are doing the competitive bidding with the furcog
>> for heating oil. >> We get economies of scale. >> We get economists of scale all the >> Oh yeah. >> Almost everyone in the fur cog does it. >> Yeah. >> And the personnel board is looking at one of our most important assets are our employees and we're going to meet with
everyone to figure right more accurate job descriptions. Find out how many hours people are actually working. I mean, in the scope of the budget, it's a relatively small amount, but it's incredibly worth it.
>> Everything feels a little more intimidating before you make the plan. We just have to make the plan and then we're going to feel a lot better in one year's time. >> Right. >> Right. That's true. That's true. >> We are also keeping our paid counsel
here. Maybe you would like to address some questions. Not that we don't love working with you on that. >> Evening everybody. Long time no see. >> That's a good thing, right? >> Yeah. >> Yeah. Right.
>> Yeah. >> So, Donna, the questions we have are the ones that are in red on the screen and I think there's just three of them for right now. And then, um, we're going to meet next week to finalize and review. And then
we'll send you another draft. Okay. But send me this one for any research I have to do on the questions that are already on here. >> Okay. >> I don't know them right off the top of my head tonight. >> Um, so I can read the first one. So I don't know if you may need to research
this, but is there an approved way to change a previous town meeting vote or should the new vote be taken first and then the old vote rescended? This is in regards to raising the minimum value of personal property,
>> right? So um the actual legal question is there is there a way to resend adopting a statute because that there's a >> um more complex process or you have to follow more stricter rules in resending
the do adopting of a statute than you do in just changing a town meeting vote for say an appropriation where you just you know make it a termination you want it to go into another account or something. So, it all depend. I just want to put that caveat in the beginning of this
that it depends on what the T vote was for and what it did on how you change it. Um, for adopting a statute, you unadopt a statute the same way you
adopted it. So, um I don't know, are you adopting um another statute for this? one that are you replacing it with another section or are you replacing it
with the same section with an amendment? >> It looks Oh, yes. Leslie, please. >> Uh, the amount that was used for the minimum value of personal property to tax in 2001 is well out of date,
>> right? And the the assessors understand that we can go up to $10,000 by statute, but I cannot answer that technical question, how to do it. >> All right. So, um I don't know. I'm
assuming that but this is what I want to check is the chapter 54 section um clause 54 section five of 59 has changed
>> and that's what's changed in the law. And so if that statute's been amended, there may be a fairly simple way to sort of adopt the amendment and set the amount. If in fact there's a a newer
clause or something else, that's what I really want to look into to see how this very specific clause has been changed and then we can figure out how to do it on the warrant. >> Thank you. Excellent. And then the next one
>> and somebody make sure I get this warrant so I can >> reference and look these things up. >> These two from the assessors that Haley's pointing out right away. Thankfully, >> I just wrote based on what the assessors
feel should happen. And we're leaning on you, Donna, to tell me if I'm doing it the right way. We voted, >> it was on page seven, I think, was the next. >> Yeah. >> We voted the means tested
uh exemption in a local option into existence in 2021 and the wording says it can be renewed by town meeting vote every 3 years. So the first the first change was just
to delete the last article which said that uh the petition uh the town select board will go to the legis petition the legislature to allow us to ex to create
this local option. So, I eliminated that. And the second part was just do we have to write the whole two pages out into the warrant? >> Um,
so what I'm gathering from your question, Leslie, is that in 2001 you asked for special legislation. >> Oh, I'm sorry. >> Yeah, I I'm sorry. I thought Haley had moved on to I thought the 2001 minimum
value of personal property was done. You're going to do some research and get back to us. The second question was renewing the means tested exemption which was first approved by town meeting in 2021 and had to be sent to the
legislature. So in the two 2021 warrant article, it said the last article of the means tested by law or statute, I guess local option said petition the select board to go or
ask the select board to petition the legislature. Well, we don't have to do that. That's done. Town meeting has to renew it every three years if they if they want it to continue. So, >> so what's in the warrant now is is the
special legislation you did in 2001, >> correct? Without um >> section seven without section seven. >> Well, >> well, section 8 actually I guess to
petition the legislature. Wait, >> but you're not doing more special legislation, right? So, this whole thing, >> correct? Yes. So why is this whole thing in the warrant now? >> It has to be renewed every three years. >> Yeah, the legislation or just
>> No, just the town has to revote. Um, >> so that's why I'm saying why is the special legislation in the warrant rather than just a warrant article saying pursuant to the special legislation of 2001. >> Yeah.
>> To see if the town will vote to renew >> Yeah. >> the means. Yes. You understand what I'm saying? >> 2021. So >> 21, sorry. >> Section six says shall expire in 3 years after the effective date provided,
however, that the town of Shootsberry may reauthorize the exemption for additional three-year intervals. So this is our first three-year interval. And I don't know. I Okay, we agree. Let's just uh delete
section seven. No, no. So, let's talk about this. You've got the whole special legislation in there. Do you have it in there for information purposes so that the voters can see what they voted three years ago?
>> I just put it in >> because it was in in 2021, >> right? But you aren't you aren't filing the special legislation. And you've already done that. It's been approved. >> That's correct. >> So all you're doing is pursuant,
>> excuse me, to the special legislation >> section six. You're renewing and reauthorizing the exemption for an additional three years. >> Yes. And I don't believe that's you don't
file that with the general court as special legislation. You've already given yourself the authority to do that with the 2021 legislation. >> Right? We're filing, but we just want to know what needs to be on the warrant.
>> Right? So, I'm thinking and I want I'll check into it a little clo more closely, but I think what needs to be on the warrant is to see if the town will vote pursuant to the 2021 legislation filed
authorizing the town of Shootsberry to um means test senior citizen property um tax exemption to reauthorize senior citizen um
um tested property tax exemptions for an additional three years commencing in fiscal 2027 to you know for three years. So I think that's all you need on the warrant >> because you already filed the special
legislation. You're already authorized to renew it for three years. So you want the town to vote to renew it for three years. >> Correct. >> Okay. Thank you. Well, we we >> leave that in there for now and I'll get the language to you when you get me this. I'll get you the specific language.
>> Thank you. And these are the town meeting, not the assessors. Whatever town meeting says is what the assessors, >> right? >> Could I ask a question on this that Donna might need to weigh in on? Article
17 is the dam um payment transferring the money from uh stabilization. But what I was a little confused about is this is the bill. Um the safety order was issued in December of 25 and the
costs are now accumulating and we need to pay for it. Um, and so if we are paying these costs that are in FY26 in a warrant article that's for FY27,
is there any paying attention to language there? Like whether it's just going to be a simple majority as stabilization is, or is it a prior year bill? But you can sort that out. I don't need to know the answer. >> Well, it's coming from stabilization. So why wouldn't it be a twothirds?
>> That's what I was saying. as capital stabilization is too long. >> It doesn't say that though. It should if it's from the capital stabilization account which is a majority rather than the general stabilization which is 2/3.
It needs to specify the special stabilization account it's coming out of >> stabilization which is two accounts stabilization and capital stabilization. So, it's coming from the stabilization account.
>> If it's coming from the general stabilization account, it's 2/3. >> Oh, this should change. >> Donna, does that change at all if like we were mandated to do these repairs from the state? >> No. >> So, wait a minute. Where did we get that
information? The capital stabilization was 23. >> Municipal modernization act change stabilization accounts. It's the act that said you instead of having to vote twothirds to put into stabilization, you only needed a majority.
>> It also said special stabilization accounts, equipment, capital purchases, towns have all different names for specialized stabilization accounts. Taking money out of those accounts can be a majority vote. but it left that
taking it out of your general stabilization, your general savings vote. >> So, it's up to you which account you want to take it out of, but knowing there's two different votes at town meeting. >> And does it matter that the cost is a
FY26 cost and we're doing this in FY27's budget? >> Well, I mean, you can't pay it until after July 1st. Right. Well, >> yeah, we won't incur the cost till after this.
>> Why can't we pay in FY26 if we approve it on April? >> This is the because this is the >> FY27 budget and the votes at town meeting, annual town meeting are for July 1st. Um, and
but if you want them to be paid before July 1st, they need to be a special before the annual. >> So that's true for all warrant articles. >> Okay. >> Yeah. >> Okay. Okay. >> All right. So then this it sounds like this needs to be changed. Yeah. Right
there to 2/3. >> Correct. >> Requires twothirds majority. >> Well, we need to figure out what year we have to pay it in. And if it turns out to be a preamble to the annual town meeting to have an FY26 expenditure, we can do that. We've done that before. And
and it's also then it has to be posted as a meeting for >> that's a special town meeting. It needs the 14-day posting, but it can lots of towns precede their annuals with, you know, cleanup um budgetary items for the
current fiscal year. So procedurally we need to put that into the mix. >> You need to address that now, right? >> So do you see any concern, Haley, with this being paid after July 1?
>> And I can check in with our contractors and see. So basically, we have to declare a state of emergency so that we could deficit spend. and the contractor hasn't started work yet, but they expect to within maybe a week and then it should take two weeks to clean up. So
that if they do net 30 terms, maybe we would get the bill sometime in May. I can definitely ask them if they >> I'm sure they they they work with a lot of towns, right? >> So So since you you you're already authorized to deficit spend to pay those bills. So you could
>> you could pay those bills. >> Yeah. out of the FY26 budget overspending a line and then >> that line gets reimbursed >> the vote >> from this action. >> Could it be like a prior not like a prior year bill? >> No, that would be one that you find from
later. Okay. >> Yeah. Yeah, that's a little different. Those we do put on. >> Was that all we had? >> I think you had one on zoning. >> Yes. So on if Brennan, if you can scroll down to article 20 before.
>> Do sorry to interrupt, but do you need the fincom for anything else? We had a couple of other items that we could just address on our own at certain point, but >> I think we were I think we're good. I think we were good. >> Okay. >> But thank you for all your work.
>> All right. Thanks a lot. >> Yeah, you passed the data center one. >> What's that? >> Got it. >> Yeah. Yeah, I got Yeah, definitely better. Better all the time. It's pretty hard. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah, this one we discussed earlier,
>> right? But this Warren article isn't adequate. >> Brennan, >> this warrant article has to have some more. I mean, it doesn't even say in the body of the warrant article to see if the town of Shootsbury
um will amend its zoning bylaws by amending section 311, use table to add data centers, section 813, a provision for data centers, and 16132, definitions of I mean, it's got to have
some more warning to the public than just that you're changing those three sections of the zoning bylaw. So, um I don't know if that's the only zoning bylaw change this year, but it it's got to have some meat in it so that
people if they care about data centers, they know to come to town meeting. >> Okay. But then we we probably don't need the the full 10 pages if they could be reduced. >> No. Now, let's I mean, just basic um rule of thumb, your warrant articles
have to warn what's going to be discussed and voted on. Once you don't need the full amended bylaw in the warrant, but you do have to reference in the warrant where a copy
can be located, >> okay, >> prior to town meeting and that there will be full copies at town meeting. So, you know, to see if the town will amend the town of Shesbury zoning bylaw, blah blah blah. Um, the full text of the
amendment to the zoning bylaw um may be picked up at town hall at the town administrator or town clerk's office prior to town meeting. And there will be full copies of the amendment at town meeting. And you have to have
enough copies at town meeting for anybody that wants one can pick one up and review it. So, as long as the warrant article warns enough that you're going to be voting on use table definitions and a full section
on data centers and then bon zoning bylaw and you have the um text of the amendment available in town hall at one office, I don't care which office. And that full copies will be available at town meeting. Then you've fairly warned
the public. >> Okay? and you've had it available for them to review so they can vote on it with, you know, knowledge of what it says. >> That makes sense. >> Yeah. And then I think that was the only
question we had for right now. >> All right. >> We will get this over to you, Donna, but you can have fun. >> Okay. I'll I'll finish up those two and then just make any other general comments. But it looks good. I was reading it while I was sitting here. So, you know, it it looks pretty standard
outside of these few minor things. >> Yeah, we we have under so far we have under 40 whatever we had last week. >> That's good to hear. >> So, we might we likely might finish by five o'clock. >> Yeah, there you go.
>> I'm hoping it would be ideal. >> Great. >> Childcare ends at one. and Melissa Bren Brennan's Brennan's asked me to attend um um conditioned on you guys wanting me there. So I've got
it on my >> Well, it's always helpful to have you there and we know everyone likes to see your smiling face and you help it run a little bit more smoothly. Um so yes, we would appreciate you. >> Okay. All right. I shall
>> I actually um I'm the slide. Did we want >> Yes. moderator would like you there too. >> Yes. Yeah. >> All right. So, I Yeah, get that to me and I'll finish reviewing it and then
um and make sure I have recommendations for those questions. >> Okay, perfect. Appreciate your time. >> All right, good seeing everybody. >> Thank you, Donna. >> Awesome. All right. I think was that the
last thing? Was there anything unanticipated? >> Well, I have one thing that is um >> I was talking to Maryanne the other day and they want to they want to change it so the library pays for their own snowblowing guy or gal or whatever.
>> I think they probably could do that. >> But right now that money now lives in I didn't ask because it was going to be like 20 people. It would mean that somehow the budget slash the money has to come out of the highway account eventually.
>> Well, what I remember because we we did actually talk about this a little bit too. >> Okay. >> Was that not No, it actually was for this fiscal year. >> I forget the dollar amount. A couple thousand was put in for sidewalks. >> That money is already kind of in there
>> in there meaning >> in the snow and ice budget, the snow snow removal budget. But what Marian saying it's a well technically speaking I guess it it should come out it it should come out of the snow and ice budget because highway department won't
be spending at the library. >> Yes. And if they go over or anything then they would be able to deficit spend right >> you know if we had a crazy sidewalk winter or something. What should we do? Should we bother to make that change on this budget thing here in front of us or just
>> I I mean I ultimately for you open the door so I'm going to walk through it here. I would like to see each department's full um expenses under their like so the library also has other expenses and other lines too that aren't
accounted for as library but they've doubled a couple of lines or some of them have almost doubled because of that. And I think with the if it's not in the libraries lines itself, it should at least be under that line item designated as library services because
there's some hidden things that are I think voters are going to push >> like custodial costs or >> Well, yeah, it doubled the custodial cost. It's like it doubled it and it hasn't doubled. It's added the library and it it doesn't appear to have that explanation. Um
that's one of them that there's some some building supplier or some toilet paper and other supplies are added to building supplies and they're really for the library which is its own independent building now like you know so should we >> but
>> is it worth trying to straighten all that out now if you just let this year slide >> like I don't know I'm just I don't play devil's advocate um so if you change that. It changes the amount of
money that the like it can there's a certain proportion a certain ratio that the library has to hit in order to maintain state funding. So if you then add more money under the library it would affect that reach. I'm just ask noting them. I'm additely
department actually cost us. >> I think that um you know I think that this budget doesn't really have a lot of clarity and perhaps that's best evidenced by there was a line item that we thought was one thing and it was totally something different but nobody knew that. Um so I I think we could
certainly do a better job of making it clear what these expenses are or what category they're in. you know, it's we have um scrolling down. So, like under miscellaneous, we have retirement and
health insurance, but really those should be lumped under like employee benefits or like the treasures since he's with that information. So, I Yeah, I think to your point could definitely be clearer. >> Yeah, it does have under theirs, but you know, um it would be helpful. Yeah. know
like you know well here like on this page if you go to um not numbered >> uh six actually there are um but like they're starting to do that because if you look under water quality so that's
line 172 um that also includes water quality testing for ELWAC and the library because that that's an additional maintenance cost that will come with the library for >> and and maybe it's as much as noting this in some way on the side for people to know. >> Yeah.
>> Like we're in a budget year where where things are going up so dramatically and >> and >> Oh, yeah. Cuz if there's no expution >> or like a line that doubles and it's like, well, why did it double, you know? Um
>> No, cuz that's >> or if you take out, you know, for this someone to snowb blow or or sh. >> Yeah. I think she I think she thought I wanted to say the number was 4,600 bucks was in her mind. I believe >> I do know Dave was keeping it separate to know how much it was actually costing
him. So I don't know if >> he may have a number that he could he was charting that >> right >> for the snow removal hour >> because yeah that's true because if you look at like 86 so that's our supply line like that went up 84% which you're right might look crazy.
>> It looks crazy and then people start cutting it on the floor because they can't. >> Yeah. So but understand what's in it. Right. >> Yeah. If you don't know that that includes the library, then you you know then we're all kind of screwed because we don't have enough. We need
right because any line can be >> definitely don't want the library running out of toilet paper. >> No. >> Yeah. No, but those are just the things that you know I think screw >> but but for right now that snowblowing
businesses is in the as as we now are looking at >> it's in the um fire department budget. >> Yeah. If you look at um on our website where it has all the budget docs, if you pull up the one for this fiscal year, you you'll see on the snow and ice line,
it says I want to say it's like four grand for Well, it says for sidewalks, but there's not a lot of sidewalks. >> Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. >> That may be the only one. >> All right. >> Yeah. It is hard to keep track of all those things. I mean, if we're just
basing it off of notes in the budget, how are you going to know from year to year if you're not paying attention to that? >> Right. >> Right. >> But I think that goes back to the other conversation where like how do we plan and structure things so that we're not losing track of these little bits and
thinking about the future. >> Right. >> Right. And I and I do it do admit there's there's benefit to having some things that are like just general you know just fix highway expenses or whatever department we're looking at you know there's a benefit in that so that
that person has the department has have some flexibility in what they can spend it on that's when it's you know departments are covering for other departments they you know >> right >> all right well Hello. Yeah. >> So, did you want to see that separated out like
>> Well, I'm only think I'm only think I just want to make as much as anything just so it can get spent that way. If if Dave and Maryanne work it out with Maryanne's in charge of them doing the the snowblowing, which is what she would like. I know that. I mean, there was question about whether or not things
were done the way you know. >> It was a unique winter. Yeah. So much snow. >> Yeah, I know. It's not so much snow. anything. >> Yeah, >> I don't want to get into that, but that but uh >> if they want to be in charge of their own snow thing, they're over there, which makes sense to me. It's their they're building their people, if you
will, are walking on the you know, they want it done the way they want it done. I get that. >> It definitely would have to have I think coordination though because technically he is responsible for that budget line item, >> right? >> But maybe that's just really >> Maybe we move it over to the library. Put it under the library. >> I guess that's my question. should that
would like I said affect the ratio. But one other thing we could do is just like have a that might be something where select board guidance is helpful. >> Well, but if you look at other libraries because I've looked at other library budgets, they have it really like specific
>> had to do with like did is the town spending enough money? So the town spending more money. >> It's like I'll see if I can find an email. I mean obviously Mary >> definitely was it you need to ask the >> it was based on the proportion that it
spends. So like if you Yeah. Okay. I think I have like I could generally explain that she could do a much better job but so if if the budget for like the library increases that increases the amount of money that she has to spend on new materials. >> Yeah. >> So and that's not always something I
see. I don't I don't know. You are right about that. That's right. So, if she wants control of that, then she should have it on her under her budget then. And a percentage of 4,000 is not going to be a huge amount of money and a percentage of adding to to more books or whatever. >> Well, maybe that's
>> it's a small amount. Like if you,000 I could understand, you know, you don't want to do that, but this is 4,000 with the trustee though. >> Yeah. Like to be honest, if we we should know how much each department is actually costing us, right? And so you
know but 4 thou percentage of 4,000 I remember the percentage it was it was said in a meeting and it wasn't a huge amount it's five or percent or 10% or something like that. >> So looking at that 4,000 it's not much >> trying to see if I can find any >> well a general question would be how
would we how do we go about that? Should we talk to the >> right >> finance committee about that? Changing the budget lines a little bit or so it's all going to be the same. Well, there well there's also I mean you could think of it this way. So said earlier there's different ways that you can structure
your budget, right? So you could be really specific with the line items that you have. But then that's going to create more like rigidity so you don't have the ease. You know, if I just have supplies, well, if I need to buy toilet paper and then I need to buy like new carpeting,
>> have a little bit more flexibility. Right. Right. >> So there there's benefits to both. But one other thing we could think about because I I agree. I mean I think timing wise it's kind of tough to make big changes but one thing we might want to do is just independent of this document keep an internal record that more
adequately shows because even like AJ said line some lines are yeah like are routinely over spent like you can go back several fiscal years and you'll see like snow and ice uh highway maintenance those are consistently overrun. So if you want to look at the true cost of what it takes to operate the town, you
might maybe just want to make like an internal document and kind of look at this year and say, "All right, now we know this. How do we apply that in like the next fiscal year?" Because you can also look at grants too, right? Like if you have a department
like um like I know if like when as senior center director I always I always tried to include they didn't always let me um the revenue that was generated by the grants that I did you know here I'm getting this much town appropriation but I'm matching that with grant >> right because you're pulling it in.
>> Yeah. And it's it's interesting to see stuff like that cuz then you get a sense of, you know, well, like in Ammeris, it's like, okay, so you're funding maybe like 40% of my operating costs, but I'm bringing in, you know, 30 some odd percent in grants, so
>> you're offsetting. >> Yeah. Like significant. >> You're saving. >> Yes. You know, so, you know, it just might be interesting to kind of look at it that way. >> Right. >> Right. have a general I I I like that a general budget and then you know what
maybe a definition for the lines or something like that. This is >> yeah I think we can >> this is what that's going toward like here's the >> I'm always more in favor of like a incremental thing. >> I think it's just people >> get bought in. >> So for this year are we saying we should
try to change the >> I think we definitely could. I mean especially right now it's fresh in like my mind like >> what we had to put in there. So you can look at that and say, okay, like you know the the real cost of running a library is whatever grants that she gets right?
>> Plus whatever money that they spend from donations, >> right? >> Um and then you know your your water testing that maybe not might not be directly in the budget but that still costs. So that that way you the the building so restroom cleaning supplies and then custodial and then snow
removal, right? Because it is self-contained. In the same way you can do that for the highway department and say well you know you were you know it's like when you do the actuals at the end of the budget or what did you actually spend to run apartment and can be a lot more you know same with like Lenny or Devon. >> Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Each each one.
>> Yeah. It's a little different slightly with Devon because he's not in his own building, >> right? So he doesn't have his own electrical and his own heating and all that. probably guesstimate that, you know, that might be important to, you know, if we're talking about prioritization, you know, if they want to move over
there, well, you have to have some rough idea of what it's going to cost to like run the electricity and the internet and you could know that from probably the library was there had their prior electric bills and >> yeah, probably just increase them a little bit. >> It could be more 24hour, not 24, but much more,
>> you know. I think that and I mean obviously this is a fincom a bunch. It's like we, you know, we just really need to like understand what are our costs and start planning for the future because yeah, we have big capital projects, but like the oil tank, nobody expected that. >> Nobody expected dam to have holes.
>> No. And like can we make an inspection made inspection inspection like every once a week the custodian opens that door and looks in to see where the water is? You know, if we hit a year where we we've already committed to some major capital expenses and then we get some big surprises, what
is that going to look like in the fallout years? >> You know, you want to have >> That's I guess what I was trying to make about the fire ranges like wait a minute. >> Yeah. >> Talking about spending 800 grand over here and like we've already we're talking about payund,000 to fix that spear and you know and like something
like that happens like oh yeah we got to build a new thing at the school. Yeah. Well, I think with the MM Spear re redo, we could like we did the library, we could do a donation drive and say, "Hey, does anyone want Right." just because maybe there's people who didn't didn't give to the library would give to
something like that, you know. So, yeah. >> And I would say, you know, probably I'm I'm not >> however the town wants to work, but I would say that's probably not the highest priority is turning over that building. >> Oh, no. I'm not whatever. I'm just saying. >> But, but there are other things. I think
there are a lot of capital capital items and just budget items in general. Things getting weirder and weirder at the regional union regional schools all >> there's been a lot >> budgets work. >> How did deferred maintenance you know >> but I I am but I mean like um like George was saying they're they're going
to redo the capital plan. We're working on a fiveyear plan. So I feel better about that stuff. >> Oh yeah. No it's just that's good. >> Yeah. But if you don't have a plan to go to a plan it feels like dead >> can feel really intimidating. feels overwhelming, intimidating, chaos like it, you know.
>> Yeah. >> But once you get the clarity, >> Yeah. once it's on paper, >> it just routine to update it. >> Yeah. >> Yeah. I wanted to ask um article 14 that's about um the center dividing curtains in the gym and cate.
>> Yes. >> Glad to see it on there. in my communications with an atbury, >> she could not guarantee that that would be open for annual meeting. >> It was kind of hooked, but to be honest, >> I
>> So, we talked about this about because we were there looking for the clickers meeting. Um, and and we and the head custodian were very clear that like they would not open. >> Okay. >> So, I just wanted to know. I didn't know. >> Okay.
>> Obvious. It was absolutely fine for the the first meeting. It wouldn't be fine for anyone. >> Oh, you're right. >> Difficult. >> So, I just want to put that out there. >> Okay. >> at at that. >> So, what you're saying is the item on
this budget on this warrant article is won't allow that thing to open. >> She said it's on its last leg saying it cannot be opened. >> Yeah. But I think the curtain is hooked into it. I wonder if the curtain grommets will be unhooked. the curtain removed rather than touching the the the
mechanism because if it has slot filled, you don't want to. >> Yeah. >> But that wonder if the curtain could be unhooked because it's only held up with hooks and grommets and stuff. >> You're you're talking about the curtain for the stage or the curtain for the >> the one. Yeah. The one that was up for the pancake breakfast. The one that's always
up for >> Right. Right. >> It's not usually up for the pancake breakfast. Usually the whole thing. >> Oh, no. It's uh No. Most of the years I've been to pancake breakfast has been closed. >> Does the kids play on the other side and one of your balls were coming over so
they had to they decided to put it they >> right. So if it could be unhooked. I wonder if Matt could unhook it >> not touch the mechanism right because you don't want to stress that out. Yeah. >> But like I said it's just it's hooked with grommets from what I remember.
>> But I or they'll say well there's a classic case. The real answer is you should be building it right. That mean you should >> Well, yeah, but you got to get to 14 14. >> Yes. Yes. >> Right. >> Like there's no curtain in the middle where they could just kind of like tie
it back, you know? It's not like that those curtains on the stage could be tied back. >> We had to or we could be in front of them. Right. >> Right. This one you if the room is filled >> Yeah. >> a little more difficult. I suppose voting would certainly be um
>> Yeah. But >> yeah, well maybe we want to invite her to a future meeting just kind of cuz we'll have to come up with some kind of game plan. >> Yeah. Yeah. I go pick up trails tomorrow. Maybe I'll
pick my head in the gym while I'm there. >> So is the is the curtain closed now? >> It's open. >> Yeah. Well, >> it's permanently open. >> Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. when I was there. >> Are we talking about closed meaning like
it's across the area? >> Oh, I maybe you're talking about Yes. So, it's it's open. Yes. So, you mean the curtain itself closing off the two, >> right? >> Right. >> I was a brain teaser for a second there.
>> Yeah. So, it's currently dividing the two. >> Yes. >> Which I think is the setup because they have that student with they have a student with allerg food allergy. I remember going into that gym. There wasn't a coating. Never. >> And the tables folded up into the side of the wall
>> and they were benches. They weren't the stool thingies. >> Yeah. That >> Yeah, they were nice tables that folded up. You pushed them. The kids got into it, too. You pushed them and they folded in the middle and they stacked against there was like four against each wall and then they had a um something that
went across them and then Yeah. But there was never a divider. >> Interesting. That's relatively new. >> Basketball. >> So, okay. Um, and also, you know, the the people sign on to the internet for a
town meeting. >> Oh, yeah. Well, get that always because it is a dead zone. Although one day I did have something that I was waiting parking lot. It was weird. Then the next day not.
>> So you're So you talk to them about the budget thing that stool thing we're talking about. >> Yeah. I get um just about labeling. >> Yeah. How we're going to do that? How we're going to take the I would I would suggest talking to Maryanne saying what does she want to do about the snowblown thing? She'll tell you she'll give you
the rap. Then you can just whatever. adjust the budgets, >> but it needs to be noted if she's in charge of it just either in the snow removal line, right? You know, for library, >> right? >> The biggest thing is I don't want to have like a middle of a of a snow seed
and fight about who's going to do the sidewalks. I can I can already hear it coming to that conversation the other day. >> Awesome. Are we ready to adjourn? >> I think so. Okay. All those in favor to adjourn.
>> That's you with me, right? Start. >> Well, you have to sec. You have to make the motion. >> Second. >> Okay. All in favor? >> Stalker. >> Make peace on your line. >> Thank you everyone. Bye.