Hello. >> You ready to go? >> We're ready. >> Someone sit >> ready to ref and roll. No, you want to sit here. >> Just some old bag. Not me, but my old bag. >> Good evening. I'm Eric Stalker. We're going to be chairing tonight. Melissa
Mis O'Neal cannot be here. Um, traditionally we uh well it's February 17th, we all know that I guess um we read over the agenda and then next thing will be to take uh comments if people
have their have comments. So at 5:00 we're calling ourselves to order. We have now done that officially. Um we're now reviewing the agenda. We have public comment as I mentioned right after this. Then we go into general business review and approve 124 towns meeting minutes
and 2326 meeting minutes. Continuation of 12026 national grid poll hearing. I see they're here. That's great. Police department check-in Devon Pelier discuss on the create discussion of the creation
of a facilities manager position. Both disband the police chief search committee. discussion. Revise policy number 01 0925 plowing of public ways. Um we will not resolve that I don't think but we just discuss it. review and
sign resolution for the town of Shoots regarding Quab and Rep Whed um which will be self-explanatory when we get to it and sign the CI cardic associates incorporated tax map maintenance proposal contract from the
assessors and then down administrative report public comment anybody event. >> Seeing none, we're going to get right rolling with um review and approve the minutes of the 110 Fort Towns meeting. I'm not sure we
can do that. I wasn't here. Melissa isn't here. >> I know. Well, I know. Well, can approve them if you believe that they were written in good faith. Even if you weren't there, you can actually approve minutes that you weren't physically. I I thought that was the case, but I wasn't sure what the what the qualifier was. So
that if you believe that they were done in good faith. Okay. I'll make a motion to approve the um minutes of January 10th, 2026 for town meeting. >> Second. >> All those in favor? >> Farrell I. >> Stalker I.
>> All right, we've done that. And um 2326 meeting for our minutes. >> Right. So, I wasn't there, but I did read through the minutes, and they seem pretty thorough. Um, so I'll make a motion to approve the minutes of
February 3rd, 2026 full board meeting. >> Um, I will second, but of course, I'd have my little corrections if I can find the sheet that has it, and they're very small. You're not. >> Well, let's just we're okay. We can just
approve them where they are. It's fine. And if I see what they are, I'll if I find that sheet that I have >> always bring it back. >> I'll talk to Brennan. >> Just point out. Anyway, there we go. Um, all those in favor, >> Barl I. >> Stalker. I
>> So weird not to make me. >> Oh, I know. >> I'm like waiting for you, Melissa. >> Really? Um, and now we're moving on to continuation of the 1226 National Grid poll hearing. I see National Grids here in the room. >> Yes.
>> Um, we're all set with it, I believe. Is that your sense? >> So, yeah. Brennan, do you have um Is Brennan here? >> Yes. >> Yes, I'm here. >> Oh, Matteo. Um, can you read us the Matteo said that um he sent an email
regarding the Conservation Commission's review of the um of the polls that we're going to go in. >> Um I believe ma uh Matteo is in here. If not, I can always read it.
>> So yeah. So or Matteo, are you comfortable just relating what you just told me on the phone about the review by the Conservation Commission? >> Yeah. So after the um after the previous um after the previous hearing, the um
applicant did submit a request for determination of applicability and there was a site visit and a public hearing and a vote by the commission to uh issue the permit with a few minor um conditions on the work. Um the permit hasn't been drafted at this moment, but
it was voted and approved at the conservation commission's meeting last week. >> Okay, great. That's that's really what we wanted to make sure before we went ahead and approved this. So, um >> so
>> do I hear a motion? >> Yes. I'll I'll move that we approve the grid pole um request from the national grid for this is for Pratt Corner Road, correct? >> Yes.
>> As amended and I guess right by >> right. Yeah. Second. All those in favor. >> Barl. I >> start right. All set. >> Great. Thank you. >> Thank you. >> Thanks for your time.
>> Thank you. Yeah. >> Sorry for the double billing. >> We We need to go through our process. >> Police department checkin. Devin, you're on. >> Okay. We're still looking for a full-time officer. um had 14 applicants
so far. None of them really meet the qualifications. So that's that's the status on that. Been working on some IT related matters uh with a a new IT team that we have
who are CJ certified and all of that. They're they've been very good. Um all the police logs for all previous years have been uploaded to the website. Right. >> Uh, and we're uploading a monthly now. Uh, at the end of the year, we'll condense them all to just the one file
so that we don't have like this a ton to look through. Um, also I'm looking the a lot of things about the uh police page have been fixed, links that didn't work and things of that sort. Um, but uh I'm
still looking at potentially ways to make it a little bit easier to look at. Um certain important things like uh for our licensing page um people are now able to submit um their applications
online but they still have to come in to the station to get their picture taken. So there's directions on that on the um on the website but I'm afraid not many people read it. So and we don't like necessarily get a notification when a new application comes in. So, that's one
of the things that I'm looking at having be a little bit more accessible. >> Can I ask you a question just going back to your um to your first um statement and that is if you've had 14 applicants
like what is the what is the issue? >> No policemies. >> So, oh so, so they're applying but they haven't been to the police academy. So their thinking was that they would be hired and then we would send them to the
police academy. Is that the issue? >> Yeah. >> So um you know I there was uh one with a police academy but didn't meet the qualifications in other aspects. So but um yes out of the 14 none of them or
sorry 13 of them didn't have a police academy. Um so yeah, the expectation is that um you would hire them and send them through a police academy. Um >> and and my um recollection is is that
other departments, other municipalities like ours are also having trouble recruiting. >> Yeah, they're having trouble rec Well, there's a shortage of um police officers to start. Um, everybody's looking for police officers and there's
towns that pay a lot more. Um, also, um, you know, there's towns that put a lot of people through the policemies, too. That's that's a normal thing, but in the smaller communities, uh, sometimes they get out of the academy, as you
know, they go to >> take another job, right? Um, so yeah, I mean I I'm confident we'll find the right person. Uh, it's just going to take time. Yeah. You know, um, and I don't want to uh settle for, you know, anyone who's not going to be a good fit
with the department. So, I'm not although I really want to get the position filled, I'm not going to rush it for the sake of filling it. >> Good. Good. Thank you. Sorry for backtracking. Um, other than that, the just community
policing updates. Um, we'll be helping fund uh the I believe it's called a little voters's lounge. Um, if I know it's still in the works. Um, but that's something we're looking into. It's or we're going to be we've committed to um
and everything is in place for the women's self-defense class. We just have to pick a date for it which will be in this fiscal year. Uh hoping for March or April and other than that just working on
reorganizing different files and getting some more stuff electronically um organized and that sort of thing. So >> is that classy? Is that a one day deal or one night or one >> for women's? Yeah, it's going to be one.
Uh, but I did talk to the the Ammerst chief because they have a program that continues on. Uh, I think a couple of their female detectives uh teach it and I asked if that would be able to be available to our residents as well. Um,
as kind of like maybe if they get interested in this class, they have a a place to go and he said that they could absolutely join that if they'd like to. So that's kind of uh how yeah because I was looking at you know the the really
uh you know the benefits of having one class uh and then people get interested in it and so that's why I was looking for other ways that they could get involved in something that was also community based. So
>> good. That's it. That's all I got. I don't think I have any other any >> other Sorry I missed your Sorry I missed your swearing and ceremony. I heard it was very well attended. >> It was very nice. Yes, it's very very nice. Thanks to Haley
>> in our new library. >> I know. Beautiful building >> on the phone. So >> good. Good. >> Okay. Well, thanks for uh sticking around. Would you like to hear say to hear us disband your search?
>> Just to be sure. just need going backward. >> Oh, well, we'll skip to that one then. How about that? Yeah. >> How about a vote? How about moving on to the vote to disband the police chief search committee? >> I will make a motion to disband the police chief search committee.
>> Second. >> All those in favor? >> Daryl I. >> Stalker I. >> Got nervous. >> Thanks Darren. >> Okay. Um let's go back then to discussion of the
creation of the facilities manager position. >> So I was been thinking a lot about buildings. Um so I have some figures in front of you and then I also thought back in our you know budget year is very tight. So instead of just giving you a
full-time position I did some quick math and just did like a part what a part-time might call. >> Oh yeah. And so I kind of envision this as being really similar to like the land use clerk where you're, you know, you're working at the under the town umbrella, but you're working really closely with
in this case it would be the buildings committee. And so the first thing I wanted to do was just make sure it was something that people even wanted to go forward with like the fincom and the personnel board and the select board. But what really got me thinking about this is how much how much aging infrastructure we have and then that
like the issue with the boiler at the school and like I'm not a professional and I I think I can speak for Ann and say neither is she and now we have a brand new library with like a brand new HVAC system and I know Maryanne also that's not quite her forte. So just
thinking about, you know, what we could do to try to set ourselves up for success in the years to come and really just have someone who can do the scheduling, do some of the bookkeeping, do some of the long-range planning, maybe do some grant research, um, prep
some applications and work with our buildings committee. Um, you know, I it was funny after I had me first mentioned it, Ellen clipped me out because somebody had asked, "Well, do any other towns have this? Leverit has it. Um, in Montu they're hiring for a building maintenance person. So, it's
>> it's not atypical even small community. Um, and it's just nice sometimes to have like that one that one point person, >> right? >> It all can get funneled through there. And even if you didn't want to do it this year, you know, it's something to think about, you know, that we might want to incorporate into the town's
operating system as, you know, as we try to prioritize fixing some of these buildings up and especially working on our decarbonization roadmap and um, you know, all the great work that the buildings committee did to kind of look at, you know, what needs to be repaired and when. So
>> um, what is lever is leverits a full-time position or time? So is it do we have the potential to share a person? >> I can ask I um the information that I got about the
individual I'm not sure if they are looking for that but I could certainly ask them that's an option. >> It just seems like trying to add a full-time position and you know our our town finances are not going to improve.
If anything, they're going to get harder. So, you know, I think um that yes, having a point person, I mean, in the past, I think our town
administrator did a lot of it and didn't have the skill set, you know, it it's it takes a lot. Yeah, it's a lot to um to to manage on top of um >> I think we have a much more building
committee that is >> we have a yeah we have a building committee that's right that's you know if if they could play an integral role too the with the person you know working with him with them and
with uh the town administrator it would seem to make some sense you know one thing that I just always thinking about how could we save some money um is I was you know wondering whether or not
if there was an existing somebody who was existing on on staff let's say the a custodian who whose job could be enhanced >> because it's not a it's not a full-time
you know it's not an everyday things. So if you had somebody who had this in addition to what they were already doing um but you know had a you know brought a
level of of skill to it >> um and knowledge then you know maybe it would just work for everybody. >> Um >> what are your thoughts on this? You're you're you are the building. >> Yeah. Yeah. >> We did talk about this and six, seven
months ago >> mainly because of the new library. The >> library committee hired Royal Steam to do maintenance for a year. You asked us to look at making a super one person. I've interviewed one person to take over
care of all the heating systems and HC's in order to >> Right. Right. >> Um and that doing something like that's going to help with us because it's just having someone coordinate that. I'm way over my head in boiler we
think all of us are. Yeah. >> And the thing is I don't know if replacing it you do you want to spend $150,000 replacing something that we're going to have to get rid of by 2050. I don't know. So that's what we're looking at. Um
>> so you are moving towards getting we had talked about you know just having like one cont one contractor >> contract >> right instead of this kind of Yeah. >> Yeah. The um yeah, Royal Steam is out of the gardener that's taking care of the library. >> Uhhuh.
>> Um there's two others, Western does also plumbing. So >> Western Mass Heating and Cooling. >> Yes. >> Yeah. >> Also doing plumbing. >> I think maybe the other one might be plumbing. >> Yeah. >> And then because of the uh
solar, not the solar, the uh energy we're going through. >> Oh yeah. Uh, I met another company that would like to be involved and it's interesting. He pointed out things he knew who the contractor is which, you know, because they stuck out.
Um, so, um, that's what we're looking forward to is getting someone to someone to coordinate. That would be great. But, yeah, it's just we really like to have one person be in charge of all the buildings, >> right? >> And take care of anything. And if something happens, they fall in. I don't
know which costume you're talking about. Matt doesn't think Matt doesn't want. He just, you know, it's he's over his head, too. He just, you know, all he cares about is heat like three weeks ago is that heat >> in just those little things. And um in
the past, I don't think they've done enough maintenance or preemptive maintenance, yearly maintenance. I know the heating system here. I know people who have houses once a year they come in before in September and they >> they pay $100 whatever it is and they take and they look at I don't know if
we've done that something we need to do and you know that would be incorporated in one of these things. So you had like a schedule. >> Yes, we had a schedule. Give you an example. Talked to Graeme at the um the Broadway bill. Phenomenal building. Got to see the inside for the first time. Um
he's very impressed with TOK because Ptoic's son comes around once a year several time. I don't know how many times a year and maintains our generators >> and they hadn't been done before. Uhhuh. >> So they get low on oil, they get low on things, make sure that testing is not at
the right times and all that. So I was impressed with that >> batteries and stuff, >> batteries. Thor's done a whole job in upgrading this building and a couple others recently. So having giving that you trying to get that coordination of,
you know, who do we want to do what, >> ask them if we can get a deal because money's an issue, >> right? >> Um and then I think that'll work forward to the town. in a really positive way just takes time. >> Yeah. Yeah. >> Yeah. >> It almost seems like if you had a
heating, you know, guru or whatever, um that would almost solve more than half of this problem. You know what I mean? Like it's it's really those are that's the expensive stuff that people don't know anything. Not that we don't know anything about it, but >> it's comp it's complicated.
>> Yeah. >> You look at the library here. I mean, I don't know if you've been around that side of the corner, all your system is going. >> Well, yeah, it's it's energy, you know, it's energy free and all this, but oh my god, if this thing ever goes bad. >> Yeah. The coordination of I started
calling them thiefum because everyone had their own thief. >> To coordinate those specifically like um problems we had with the tank this summer. >> Yeah. I had a wonderful conversation with the old uh custodian
was unshore was put in 35 30 35 plus years ago. It's going to be need to replace within the next five >> 10 years. The parking lot wants to be done. So we're trying to get keep these things all coordinated. >> So know you don't want to put a brand
new parking lot in because and then dig it up. >> Yeah. Right. Sorry. Those things would be great something like this part-time or something just to make sure everything's everyone's coordinated. >> Yeah. >> You know, so that's my our field. We did
talk about that specifically the library. A lot of this is over ahead. >> Yeah. >> We can call and contact. >> Oh, Bill. >> Hey, uh Phil Parker, I'm also in the building on the committee. Sorry to interrupt you, Frank, but just wanted to
give um uh my thoughts on the matter. Um I I see kind of like two needs shoots. I'm I'm the newest member of the building commissioner, so just kind of have more of like an outsiders or a newcomer's perspective. Um the two needs I see, one is um for like handson
maintenance where a person has a lot of different like handyman type skills where they're doing a bunch of work. uh you know everything from troubleshooting oilers or fixing leaking plumbing or you know changing filters on HVAC systems.
And then the other need I think is more like an administrative need where somebody is negotiating preferred vendors uh managing and coordinating the vendors and um running some sort of a maintenance work order system um so that
um work orders can be you know properly you know maintained and things are getting done and and uh and it's and where things are being kept track of. So I'm I from my that's my perspective is that there's there's these two sort of needs that the town Yeah. So, we got what is that?
>> Bombed. >> Bombed. Yes. >> Yeah. >> Anybody who's listening, we got bombed, so we had to shut down and restart. >> Yeah. >> So, was Phil still he was Phil still? >> Yeah. Phil, he he had talked about
>> I think I finished before the bombing started, but um if you guys I can say stuff again if you guys think >> I think we got it. The hand hands hands-on maintenance and then administrative need like the two the two major functions.
>> Yeah. So I I I don't know if Frank agrees or disagrees, but that those are that was just my two cents. Mhm. And the person would work closely again with the building committee. >> Definitely not to get rid of you. >> Yeah, exactly. >> So maybe help with one word.
>> Um well, I I guess we could have a discussion. >> I think this is I know this is a very hard time to do it. One thing you should think about >> is the royal contracts for a year. So you have to start thinking about it for
maybe And that so that is a year >> from now >> from now >> from when the opening. So that's >> okay. >> So I know you get a year to do that over a year to do this but at that point >> at least maybe well >> but is for next year. >> Yeah.
>> Do you know what I mean? >> Yeah. So it's for next year. So on that >> could be one of the special meetings but we can still go ahead and >> try to get the super vendors the preferred vendors >> and work that out before then. >> Yeah. But it'll still Yeah.
>> So I don't think for this to get I don't think Well, >> I don't I see what you're saying. I don't think it be on April because it's >> Well, but it would start July 1st of 2026 and go to June 30th of 2027 and the royal would have expired during that
time. >> But I think at that time I don't know who we'll hire, but we'll have some we'll have some end time for that and then you can think about it after that. That's what I would suggest. >> Yeah. So, and I I guess it, you know, it could be special town meeting if we
chose to go that route after we see how everything shakes out after this budget process. I think to add it to this >> current budget process, >> I can already hear the finance constraint. >> Yeah. But but I think we should raise it
with them. >> Yes. um we've had the discussion >> um and then >> contemplates whether or not you know if there's a we assume there'll be a fall town meeting if that would be a time but once the dust settles from this year
>> that makes sense >> because I I you know I think it's a good idea I think if you can also um just sort of scope out lever what the job description is what the um what the pay rate is the person's qualific ification.
So it would be good to is there you know you like another small town for compability. >> Yeah and that's perfect because mostly I just wanted to get the idea out there. >> Yeah. No I I think it's very good and thank you for
>> working with the yeah that's great. >> I think in general the building the building committee's you know just been better than what we have here in the past. Yeah, I think very helpful. >> See, but I'm just um
>> I'm impressed with the people we have, >> right? >> Um because they're dedicated and they're focused and they they have a great background. >> Yeah. >> And the uh the spreadsheet or the uh the assessment never could have been done without Steven Dus, >> right?
>> And because he's and he's very focused on I would use another word, but and he's just it's the way he is. And it's really nice because you get everything. >> Yeah. >> From the little things. >> Yeah. >> You know, and that's what's really good to have.
>> Um, and some things have been fixed. >> See, in the annual report, the fence out front. Did you notice that? >> The fence out. >> I noticed someone working on it. So, I guess I >> years ago. Yeah. What happened was it was three of them were falling off a six. >> Yeah. >> I didn't notice it. Well, I've been gone for a couple of weeks.
>> Yeah. This was done a while. It was >> months ago, but it's little things like that. Little things we do. And if u >> we didn't want to put the spreadsheet online because then we'd have people calling all the time saying, "Can you fix that?" >> Um, but we should up I'll probably update and send the the spreadsheet out
again because you'll see stuff that has from one to the other. >> Yeah. >> Been fixed and updated. And you'll see before and after pictures, which is really nice. >> Yes. No, that's great. >> Great. >> Well, we really appreciate your >> Thank you. your work and your hands-on work because I know it's both been that
you know you've done a lot of research but then you've also been out there. >> So that's wonderful. Thank you. >> All right. So I guess we've um we've discussed this
sufficiently we've decided. >> Yeah, I think so. >> Yeah. And I think you have followup stuff. >> Yeah. >> Yeah. >> But I think keeping it on the radar is a really good idea. >> Yes. Yeah, I do too. >> Um, okay. Discussion revised policy to plow
private ways. >> Yes. So, this is just a keep on the radar thing. So, I was, you know, there's been some issues um at the lake and so I have spent a lot of time looking at our current policy and um I
think I well I handed this out at the emergency management meeting. I'll pass it down to you. There's some other communities in mass that do different things. They have different things in their policies. They some places charge, some places don't. So there's a whole host of options that are out there. And
I think the biggest thing that the our policy would benefit from is I think more clarity. C can we make it more specific so that um you know there's less ambiguity in terms of what what constitutes decision
making. So there's something more concrete to fall back on. And then that was my big one and I think you if you take a look at that and my thoughts that's the biggest one I'd like to see
us tackle I think in the immediacy um >> is this po is this policy or >> Yeah. Well just that portion of the policy to bring in that clarity level. >> Yeah. Um >> yeah, I I I agree 100%. I think we um
you know, I happen to live on a on a private way. So, kind of I know the I know the history and I know what was done. Um, and you know, we did we'd get an annual letter just saying trim this tree or trim that tree or you fill a
pothole and then we're willing to, you know, we're willing to plow, but having kind of more definitive standards about what the expectation is around just, you know, for access for equipment. So having heights trimmed to a level of 14
feet or whatever, you know, so that it's it doesn't hit the >> Yeah. >> Um so that there's that there's clear guidelines for anybody who's on one of these private ways. If if you can't comply with the with the policy, then
the town can't um >> can't plow sand. >> And it's exactly stuff like that. Like I I don't I'm not proposing any particular change for like in some communities they do 14 ft width has to have that it has to have a turnaround. You know there's
all kinds of different ways you can go about the problem. And so I guess my question mostly for you is is this something that you you want me to propose? Should we try to do like a roads committee and just look at some of these factors? Um, you know, I also see like in this policy, there's no there's
no way to say, well, what if the condition changes between now and between September and now? You know, a lot of things can happen between that that might change the geography of where you're working. So, you know, there's more considerations here than I think
this policy articulates. And um, so I think it would be good to have a draft policy. I don't think we need a committee per se, but I think it would be good to have a public hearing like
not a formal public hearing, but a a um you know a a public discussion to invite people to towns people to come and those who live on private ways will be particularly interested um to hear what
the changes might be. >> Okay. and what you know what the what how the policy would read. I don't know. What do you think? Do you think we need to >> Yeah. No, I No, I No, I don't. Um and I I would just say in the past that this has been a very volatile issue in town.
I don't know if you remember those meetings way back about down toward uh in uh >> oh down by the reservoir. Yeah. >> Well, way back when when we first when the town first adopted the private ways.
Um, that's when that that that grew out of that meeting, those meetings because there were folks down on Kettle Hill Road and some of the other roads down off January Hills. Um, so yeah, I mean I think >> I'm not sure we do anything down there.
Do we do anything down? >> I don't I have no idea. I don't know if it's >> I do the name of the room. >> Um Kettle Hill. >> Kettle Hill is the big one. Um >> and there's another >> I don't believe. >> No. >> No. >> Yeah. >> But what I can do I mean I can put
together just like a PowerPoint of options. >> Yeah. >> You know, and maybe not frame it as >> you we can hear what the options are first, get public feedback and then maybe come to you with a proposed draft or do you >> Okay. Yeah, that's that's fine. >> Okay. Yeah. if you so so do the draft
after we have a um like a public information session or something. Okay, that's >> do that just like the previous uh discussion like it money's tight >> and anything that do that says let's add this and add that to the people the finance is going to be going can't do
that you know >> and again that's just some of the options like there are and I looked a lot too at like communities on the Cape because they also have the same problem right >> yeah right >> what you know what do they do they do a little bit of everything so >> so do we um do you think we could set
aside like half an hour, 45 minutes at a select board meeting where we don't have a super heavy agenda or we just go a little bit later rather than trying to do a separate meeting because it's just there's so many meetings now and I know you have a lot. >> I would appreciate that.
>> Yeah. Yeah. So, I think if we could couple it with and it could be after town meeting if you think that makes sense just there's a lot going on. So mid mid May before the snow season. >> Yeah. >> Yeah.
>> So how about right after like Yeah. Right after um town meeting. >> Okay. Because we can advertise that town meeting. >> Right. Right. >> Right. >> Excellent. >> Okay. So are we okay with that one?
>> Yes. >> All right. The next thing is the uh review and sign resol if we want to sign the resolution for the town of Chesbury regarding the far wershed. Let me just give you a little background on this from what I know. Um I'm on a committee
that's a loosely established committee I guess you'd say whatever. Um it's Joe Comfort had a lot to do with setting it up. Um just general the general concept is that the quavan towns don't get enough money and
support from the state and that there's there's an opportunity I mean we basically take all our water our pristine water and send it to Boston and they pay virtually nothing for it and there's no there's nothing addressed in the pilot assessments and all the things
that just so let's just straighten this out a little bit what all this really says and that's what the resolution basically says is the resolution that um she or her office basically wrote. >> Um >> I did read it. Yeah. No, it's it was it
was great. >> Um anyway, so >> it's it's basically saying, you know, we want our fair share, right? and the MWR, the Massachusetts Water Resource Authority, um even if they were to put a
very small increment in increase in water rates for the millions of gallons of water that go to the eastern part of the state that we're protecting with by preserving all this land >> for which we don't even get adequate
>> pilot payments, right? um that uh that that we we want a voice. We want a voice and we want um to be compensated. >> Correct. So I think Joe has really taken Joe Cmerford has really taken the
leadership on this and all the I don't are there seven or eight quabin towns >> I want to say there eight >> eight eight that are involved and I think everybody's been working together and been working >> I think the the immediate idea is to have all the eight towns sign something
like this at the select board or at the town meeting annual town meeting or both and I would advocate we want to do both like, >> "Yeah, I think we should put it on the wall." >> To do it right now and just say, "Hey, we've done this." Yeah, >> we're behind it, but to have the town meeting endorse it as well
>> as a warrant article or as a what you do. >> That's a great idea. >> Um >> Okay. Well, I'll I'll make a motion that we um sign the resolution for the town of Shootsberry regarding um the Quabin
reservoir and um asking for increased regional representation on the MWR board, establishment of a community or a Quabin community trust fund and reconfiguration of the payment in lie of taxes structure to much better recognize
the value of shoots. another watershed town stewardship. >> All right. Um, so you've moved. I will second that. >> All those in favor? >> Frell. I >> stalker I.
All right. So we will I'll we should sign it. I guess we'll see if we'll give it to Melissa to sign if she wants to sign it. >> And I'm not exactly sure where we want to send this first one. I'll talk I can talk to Joe and see where we want to send it. >> Yeah. >> I'll tell her we signed it. >> So I think she's compiling them, right? >> Yeah. I think because I mean some towns
in Palo's eighth town I mean I just know from the zoom meeting some of them some of them are saying well our town will never do this unless the select board does it or our our town won't there's all this so that's where that whole thing of like the select board andor the u meetings have come into play
>> are you keeping a master list for town meeting of things that articles that we want to um yeah so they should have a rough draft going >> oh okay great So today it's >> not that long. No, I know. >> Date is 217.
>> All right. Well, I'll call Joe and see how she wants us to u >> Okay. >> Actually, you know what? Brennan told me he had one of these that has a >> Oh, seal on it. >> Seal on it. >> Okay. Um >> this just >> Yeah, it would be good to have a seal. Uh
>> there should be one in the folder for the meeting. Oh, okay. Oh, one in the folder for the meeting. >> Oh, okay. >> Oh, oh, yes, I have them. I have a stack waiting for you. >> Of all the things you've agreed tonight,
>> I just remembered that there were other things we needed to sign, too. Okay. >> So, we'll sign that one and then we'll get Melissa to sign as well. >> Yes. Thank you. >> Um, thanks, Brandon. That's good. and then I'll see where um I'll talk to Joe and see where she wants us to send
these, you know, this one. Anyway, >> excellent. Um well, we'll do that and then we will move on to sign the cardographic associates uh tap mate >> tax
>> tax map maintenance proposal contract. >> Yes. I don't know if Leslie if you want to add anything. I think that this is just fairly routine assessor business. It is it's just that because it's a contract. It's my understanding that this gets signed by the select board,
not the assessors. Uh there's two parts to our map. One is the GIS hosting online and the other is the tax map maintenance and they go together. You can't put maps online unless the all the
changes in the previous year are available. So select men boards have in the past have signed them. Um and I'm hoping you will too. >> Well, I'm going to make a motion that we
sign the Cardographic Associates Inc. tax map maintenance contract. >> Thank you. >> Second. All those in favor. All those in favor. Yeah. >> Frell. I >> stalker. I >> It does seem we waiting. Keep waiting for Melissa.
>> I know. Where's the voice of Melissa? >> So, uh, Haley, listen to your voice. So, minister is for us. >> Um, so first little bit of news. So Gail Flightcheer and I attended a really interesting webinar on the AI foundation. >> I was hoping you guys went to that.
>> It was really interesting. They have a video. They're they're doing a whole series now and I think I sent you both the links if you want to sign up too. Um because there's some they talked about ways you can use it for like financial modeling and forecasting. Um but the good news is that because we have a
private Google account, our information stays local. So it's not being used to help the system learn. It's just on our own individual things and they don't go out into the ether. >> And that's their policy, Google's policy. >> Um, it's if you have a paid account like if you have a free account then the
currency is your data. >> If you pay for the account then you retain more >> information. Okay. Well, that was that was good to know. >> Yeah. >> So, that was really helpful. Um, which is good cuz definitely been >> doing quite a few things um to get
together. So, the other big topic, Lake Wyola dam repairs. So, I have uh I put out a request for responses last week. I heard back from a couple contractors and they should have some uh quotes sent to me by next week. So, then we can select
our contractor and then proceed with the work. Um, we are slightly behind schedule, but I did explain to the office of dam safety that, you know, it's partially weather, it's partially the delays where, you know, we thought we would have to do more, um, water testing.
So, um, so yeah, so it's still trucking along and still can certainly be completed by the spring, right? And we can get the water level back up. Um I did want to ask so
part of the holdup was um I forget the exact term but so MEPA the one of their representatives had reached out. So essentially what they were asking us to do is to conduct like an assessment survey for like wetlands and water
impact. And there was some disagreement between our contractor GZA and the state office about well if we have a dam safety order it says to just proceed with repairs. It doesn't say to do anything else. Um but they really they
being GZA they need support from the select board if you know if we want to push that advocacy forward essentially you know what it means is either we we do this testing now and we do it again later when we have to do the full dam repairs cuz we're not out of the woods
once we do the emergency repairs. There's more to come. But what we would hope to do is to bypass that process this time to save time and money and then do it when we know that we're going to have to do more repairs down the line. Um and so GCA was looking for some guidance from you know myself and the
select board on you know how should they handle that. Um I have plans to reach out to um Rep. Saunders and Joe um and see if that's something that they could also maybe support us on. You know, I think that the argument to the to the state is
not that we don't want to do it at all. It's just that we want to get these emergency repairs done, >> right? >> And plan for that expense later on. >> And what exactly were they asking us to do? >> They were pull up my email because it probably be easier
like a specific test. So that's very technical. So, I'm trying to parse out what >> um >> what is absolutely needed. >> I'm just wondering if it was anything that we did when we did the culvert
>> because there was so much work done when we did the culvert and so much permitting that >> probably a very similar process. So, >> but I'm just saying we just did that. So I'm wondering like are are we replicating something that
was done within the last couple of years that there not going to be anything >> not quite different. So I think the crux of it from GCA's perspective is that what what is a permit and what is like a a safety order and so if you have the
safety order then that should mean we do one set of things versus if we have um we only have to do the permitting then that would involve the MEPA filings >> right >> that would involve the additional cost.
Um, so it's it's um >> well it seems like if we're going to have to do it a second time that this is an emergency. >> Emergency means you do things quickly, right? Rather >> Yes. And it, you know, if you read the
documents and I can send them all out again, but it doesn't say anything about this particular kind of testing in the safety order itself. >> It just about remediating the emergency work, right? and then getting back up to a certain status, >> right?
>> Um, so I I think we pursue it without doing the full, you know, the full work that we would be required to do with a with a permit and and emphasize that we're going to need a we are going to be doing a permit because we're going to have to
do more permanent repairs to the dam. >> Yes. So at such time as as we're going through the permit process, then we will happily comply with their expensive requirements.
>> Yes. Okay. So that's that's good. Um I will communicate that. And then um just another quick note, unfortunately, I think I may have already said this, but we cannot use the CPA funds because the work is happening and not the year. Um, but we do have
through I think like mid-Marchch to submit another grant opportunity through the office of dam safety to try to mitigate our costs and hopefully >> How much was the um CPA going to be? >> Um well the the projected cost that we
got from the engineer and obviously that's barring the actual work that's going to happen if anything changes was almost $73,000. >> Okay. And we have one grant to cover >> we we had a grant and it covered the
engineering and so it doesn't cover the construction costs, >> right? >> So, and where are the construction costs being covered? How are they going to be covered? >> Well, that's the thing. That's what we have to declare. >> Oh, see. >> So, we're we're hopeful that we can get the grant to help back fill, but otherwise it would have to go before
annual town meeting and come out. >> Oh, this this town meeting. Okay. >> Yeah. And how much money we talking about for that for the actual >> um Well, they they have like a like a legal ease for it. It's like a projection cost and that was almost
$73,000. >> Oh, that's the same. Yeah. So, we spent the other money that we had or the grant money we had. >> And I might be able to fine-tune those numbers when I get quotes back from the contractors next week. >> Okay.
>> Okay. Yeah. I mean to add time and more money onto this just crazy, >> very expensive. Yeah. Um and then my last bit of news, you know, obviously we've been plugging along at the budget process. We did a first draft um last week at the FinCon meeting. I have to
clean up some particularly um personnel numbers related to like the salary alignment study. And then there's a few things we're just waiting to have come in um before we can before we'll be ready for the fiscal summit which will be happening on Monday, February 23rd at 3 p.m. at the Shootsberry Public
Library. Um we did notify boards and committees and reminded them to, you know, anyone listening, please post your committee meeting if you'll have a quorum in attendance. Um and then town staff are obviously invited. And so the the goal is basically just to
um present these initial figures and kind of >> brains that's going to be next Monday at 3 p.m. at the library. >> Is it going to be on Zoom? >> Yeah, we can make >> Okay. I might have to supposed to be out of town that day. So I might have to
participate via Zoom. >> But um so they'll go over where we're at. You know, can we look at any cost-saving measures? And you know, >> are we posting that as a select board meeting or not? >> We Okay. >> Well, just better safe than sorry.
>> Yeah. Yeah. >> 23rd >> 23rd >> and this is the the presentation is being done by the finance committee. >> Yes. Okay. would be recorded. >> Yeah. >> Yeah. The system there is really easy to
learn. >> Yeah. And I just think for people who can't come that it would be great to have >> Yeah. >> You know say that this is available before town meeting and >> used to have several of these right. The fincom >> Yeah. We did one >> oh jeez I don't know. several months
ago, right? >> They done the first one and so this is the continuation of that >> and the fincom's meeting Thursday night to kind of go over the specifics of the presentation. So >> that then great cool.
>> That's it. Is that all she wrote >> for now? >> Okay. So you have stuff you need us to sign which we saved for. >> Um so I'll make a motion to during the meeting. I will second the motion. Favor.
>> Frell. I >> ster I. >> Thank you all.