WEBVTT METADATA Video-Count: 1 Video-1: youtube.com/watch?v=_ecqt4kANUY Part: 1 1 00:00:21.359 --> 00:00:38.640 That's >> Oh, we are getting into that season, right? So, >> is it already? >> It's a little early, but see August 1st and um well, August 1st and November 1st or 30th, but it's really when mother nature says it is. 2 00:00:38.640 --> 00:00:55.120 >> Yeah. Right. There's got some apparently really mother never know what mother nature's going these days. >> No, nothing's coming that will interfere with us. So good. All right. Um shall we call this the meeting to order? Um 3 00:00:55.120 --> 00:01:10.400 are we ready? Yeah. >> Okay. All right. So to review the agenda, we have first um our general business to approve meeting minutes for July 7th, 2026. Um, and then we have appointments of 4 00:01:10.400 --> 00:01:26.320 Nico Jacobs to recreation committee, Frank McInn as finance committee rep on the capital improvement planning committee, uh, Tom Seaffort as planning board rep on the community preservation committee. Um, 5 00:01:26.320 --> 00:01:41.040 sign letter of support for three town land protection earmark in the environmental bond bill. uh special event permit on the town common for townwide birthday party on October 4th, 6 00:01:41.040 --> 00:01:56.320 2026. Discuss options and next steps for 56 Wendell and um H127 must be the lot number um and Wendell Road H26. Uh sign 7 00:01:56.320 --> 00:02:13.520 dry hydrant license agreement with Mako Voy Pond LLC. review and vote on two proposed policies. Policies on hybrid public meetings and policy on um employment employee membership and committee voting and then time 8 00:02:13.520 --> 00:02:30.319 administrator report. Does any if anything pop up in the last 48 hours that we need to think or worry about? Do either of you have anything that's popped up in the last 48 hours? Sorry. >> All right. >> Nothing. >> So, let's start with public comment. So, 9 00:02:30.319 --> 00:02:46.080 if you're in the room or online in both places, please use your raised hand feature. Amanda, >> thank you. Amanda Alex here. Um, I'm I'm disappointed with how the new fire 10 00:02:46.080 --> 00:03:01.680 engine purchase was presented at this year's annual town meeting. And I'll tell you why. [clears throat] When I first saw the warrant, I researched the issue to see when it first came up. The first mention of a new fire engine occurred at the November 2025 11 00:03:01.680 --> 00:03:17.519 classification hearing when the assessor's consultant noted that the town's increased levy capacity could allow it to buy equipment such as a fire engine without an override or debt exclusion vote. The purchase was then discussed at the February 18th 26 CAP 12 00:03:17.519 --> 00:03:32.480 planning meeting where the fire chief said that the 1997 truck was running great, but you never know when an issue might arise. When I asked the chief at ATM how long this purchase had been planned, he said he had submitted cap 13 00:03:32.480 --> 00:03:47.680 planning documents about it to the FINCOM for fiscal years 25, 26, and 27. When asked the FINCOM chair agreed with the statement, I asked about the repair estimate for the 1997 truck, and he said 14 00:03:47.680 --> 00:04:02.720 it was a verbal quote over the phone. I then asked if the truck had ever been [clears throat] out of service or stopped the department from doing its job. He said no. I filed a public records request for the capital planning documents and received 15 00:04:02.720 --> 00:04:18.799 a document dated December 5th, 2025 that indicated that the 1997 engine had quote unquote less than 5 years of service life remaining. The three fiscal year capital planning documents mentioned at 16 00:04:18.799 --> 00:04:36.240 ATM I was told do not exist and there is no five-year capital plan. I also received a capital planning form submitted by the chief on February 3rd requesting the new truck. I think it was disingenuous of town officials to respond inaccurately to questions posed 17 00:04:36.240 --> 00:04:52.320 at town meeting in an effort to sway the vote, which their answers may have done. This purchase was pushed through in a year when the library loan is hitting the tax rate and raising people's tax bills, something the FINCOM tried to ameliate by using reserve funds in 18 00:04:52.320 --> 00:05:08.160 certain areas of the fiscal year 27 budget. Notably, the select board agreed at its April 28th meeting that they could not support buying this new truck based on the information available. They noted the lack of a five-year capital 19 00:05:08.160 --> 00:05:23.759 plan and the many many pressing needs of the town. One member even spoke against the article as a private citizen at ATM. Soon we'll see another big tax hike when this milliondoll truck is financed. I worry that when the next recession hits 20 00:05:23.759 --> 00:05:39.520 and values drop, the extra levy capacity will vanish and officials will be forced to use overrides to fund ordinary town expenses. Thank you. Thank you, Amanda. Um, would you mind did did you have that written? Could you 21 00:05:39.520 --> 00:05:59.280 email that to us just for followup? There was a lot there. >> I surely will. Thanks for asking. >> Okay. Uh, does anyone else have a public comment? >> Okay. All right. Um, let's move on to 22 00:05:59.280 --> 00:06:18.720 approve minutes for July 7th, 20206. Um, do I hear a motion? >> So move. >> Okay. >> Okay. Um, were there any edits or things that jumped out at anyone? 23 00:06:18.720 --> 00:06:37.120 >> Well, it looked clear. I don't think so. >> Captured captured the meeting. I thought >> that was a hard meeting to do minutes for Brennan. Uh, thank you. >> Yeah, >> if you're on somewhere there. >> Yeah. [laughter] >> All right. Um, all those in favor 24 00:06:37.120 --> 00:06:52.560 >> stalker I wal >> make peace. I um the next one is to approve the several appointments. um to first the speaker of Jacobs to the recreation committee over here or 25 00:06:52.560 --> 00:07:10.120 someone from recreation committee. >> No. Right. Um I hear a motion >> you so moved. I'm sorry. Yeah, we should have pointed >> that. Okay. All those in favor >> start. 26 00:07:10.639 --> 00:07:25.520 Um excuse me. The next one is uh Frank McInn as the finance committee representative on capital improvement plan and I see Frank here. Um 27 00:07:25.520 --> 00:07:43.440 >> so moved [laughter] >> I'll second that. >> All right. Um Frank, did you want to give us any comments and no? Okay. >> You don't have a [laughter] >> All right. So all those in favor of um 28 00:07:43.440 --> 00:07:59.360 appointing Frank for the finance committee rep >> start I >> make peace I um and the next one is um Tom Seafford as the planning board rep on the community preservation committee. 29 00:07:59.360 --> 00:08:19.199 Um do I hear a motion? >> So moved. >> Okay. A second. Okay. Tom, did you want to say anything? All right. Um, so all those in favor >> start. >> Walton I >> make peace and I 30 00:08:19.199 --> 00:08:36.640 >> uh next is sign a letter of support for the three town land protection earmarf and environmental bond bill. Haley, do you want to give us just a little bit of a rundown? Yeah. So I was emailed by the town planner in Beluretown um about would the he had asked Futbury and Palum 31 00:08:36.640 --> 00:08:52.720 select boards to sign a letter of support for this environmental bond bill. Um, so basically we're trying to go as a regional partnership for some land conservation efforts and the amount that would be put into the bond bill for Shootsberry would be not less than 410 32 00:08:52.720 --> 00:09:08.000 no sorry yeah not less than $410,000 um to be used for conservation work and this is going to be included in the environmental bond bill that also contains parts of the quin equity legislation 33 00:09:08.000 --> 00:09:25.279 is before the conference committee item. >> Okay. Do I hear a motion to sign? >> So, our motion is to sign to uh >> to sign a support letter. >> Time to sign a support letter. I'm in favor of move that we sign a support letter. 34 00:09:25.279 --> 00:09:42.080 >> A second. >> Y. Okay. Um all those in favor. >> Pace O'Neal. I >> Okay, perfect. Um one second to catch up. I was trying to catch up and Haley went faster than I did. 35 00:09:42.080 --> 00:10:01.200 >> Sorry, >> the appointment letters. >> Um, Haley, do you want to tell us about the permit, the special permit? >> So, Susie Moer put forth another application for a townwide birthday party in October. Um, consistent with 36 00:10:01.200 --> 00:10:17.200 the ones that she's done in the past. It's a nice communitywide effort in different departments page along the vomit. You'll see that is before you for Sunday, October 4th. There's always cake and ice cream. There is or something of that nature. Um 37 00:10:17.200 --> 00:10:31.760 >> I move we support that. >> And she's gotten everybody like the fire chief and the police chief and they're all >> Okay. Just want to make sure. Okay. >> I second. But I >> I have a question because you talked about invitations like to the different 38 00:10:31.760 --> 00:10:48.079 committees and lead town leads and whatnot. What about the how would the communication go to the town itself? >> Um, usually what we did last year, that was my first one. I think there was a sign up on the common and we did like a town announce. There might have been some maybe some like cross promotion at 39 00:10:48.079 --> 00:11:04.560 like the library or something. Yeah, there was a little bit of all that >> just so you can just make sure it's adequate. >> I think in advance >> and they did put they did put a sign on the common like right now the the the sign right there for the barbecue. They did have the sign on the thing and that 40 00:11:04.560 --> 00:11:21.279 went up fairly early I think. Yeah, it was pretty good. Yeah, >> cool. >> It was a great question. >> Thanks for the people who put this together initiative. >> That's something fun. That's something fun. So all those in favor of approving 41 00:11:21.279 --> 00:11:47.839 the special permit event permit >> start I [clears throat] >> today is the 21st. >> Yes. on that comment. >> Um and 42 00:11:47.839 --> 00:12:04.959 the next is the uh discuss the next the options and next steps for 56 Wendell H127 and Wendell H26. Yes. So this is really just to put on your radar. There's no expectation that you would do anything with this information at this 43 00:12:04.959 --> 00:12:21.279 time, but I received an email from our treasurer that the two properties Lendal Road um basically they're they're in the process of foreclosure and that once once the properties are foreclosed upon, we would have 60 days in which to 44 00:12:21.279 --> 00:12:37.760 act. So, there's a number of things that we could do during that process. You could sell or retain the property. So, this is just to put on your radar that that decision should be coming out fairly soon and that once it does, we have a short window of time in which to do anything. Um, and so this would be 45 00:12:37.760 --> 00:12:57.360 the property that is burnt down and the u the vacant lot. >> I was just check to see which that other was. I knew >> which July 29th when it's a two when it's year and how does that come coincide with our next meeting? That would be the next 46 00:12:57.360 --> 00:13:14.000 meeting would be August 4th. So there would be time to find out the decision from the court and come back here and obviously you'll have some some time and >> so that matches up okay with our timing our next meeting timing. >> We can we always can schedule a special meeting too, you know, as with 48 hours 47 00:13:14.000 --> 00:13:29.680 and all of that. So >> and we've done that with um similar situations in the past if we had to. Yeah. >> Right. And so >> the people that own the land can in fact get out of this by paying by >> whatever you said July >> 29th, right? 48 00:13:29.680 --> 00:13:44.959 >> 29th of July. >> Yeah. And it I mean there could also be other extenduating factors that could push the court date out. So it's not you know it's just >> Yeah. >> Yeah. May change. >> But I just you know for certainly Ryan and myself wanted the board to be aware 49 00:13:44.959 --> 00:14:05.519 that this is coming and that we should be prepared to act when it when it for sure. >> Yeah. Thanks. Um I know all right so um let's see son the drying hydrant 50 00:14:05.519 --> 00:14:24.160 license agreement for mako pond. >> Oh our lawyers talked and then their lawyer talked and then now we have a new a new draft document before you. Okay. This is to allow um for anyone who hasn't followed this allows our 51 00:14:24.160 --> 00:14:40.720 fire department to drop to use the pond for fire for firefighting water for firefighting. It's something we've had going for a long time. >> Yeah. >> So, we have another option. >> A new Yeah. Yes. Awesome. Um 52 00:14:40.720 --> 00:14:56.000 >> like a renewal type of the thing then or what? >> I don't know. I think it's the first time it's been like maybe like this. There's always been an understanding. >> Okay. Right. >> This formalizes the >> this is more of a formalization. >> Yes. >> Okay. >> Um [clears throat] 53 00:14:56.000 --> 00:15:13.760 >> All right. So, do I hear a motion to sign the dry hydrant license agreement for Makavoy Pond LLC? >> You do. Just one quick question beforehand. I assume Don has reviewed this. That's the question from what you said. >> Okay. I move the lease sign that stem 54 00:15:13.760 --> 00:15:31.000 therapy from Makavoy Pond from um hydrant license agreement. >> Okay. >> All those in second. Okay. All those in favor >> start I >> make piece of nei and I will send this down the line to her signature. 55 00:15:35.040 --> 00:15:52.800 >> There you go. All right. Um now our polic Yeah. >> So before you those policies, the first one is on hybrid public meetings. And I I do need to make a friend amendment to 56 00:15:52.800 --> 00:16:08.880 my own draft, which is that it should read that if it's not already all virtual, right? Because I don't know that the town necessarily wants to mandate that every meeting be held hybrid. There you that might be practically difficult. >> Hybrid or >> hybrid or remote? Yeah. >> Yeah. Yeah. 57 00:16:08.880 --> 00:16:24.160 >> So, that was my brain typed faster than that's exactly where was that statement. >> Okay. So, let's see. >> All public meetings >> that first part >> remote in a remote or hybrid fashion. 58 00:16:24.160 --> 00:16:44.399 Yes. >> But then everything else is pretty consistent. So, you know, it would just codify some things from the open meeting law that we would, you know, want to make sure, you know, that all public meetings have the physical address and the instruction for and some of these 59 00:16:44.399 --> 00:17:00.639 are things we're already doing, right? So, it's just to solidify that. Um, it talks about when you have to do a roll call vote. Um, you know, your meeting minutes, having a over quality. >> Oh, nice. Thank you, Brandon. Um, having a recording. >> I thought the electricity had just gone 60 00:17:00.639 --> 00:17:15.839 out for a second. Sorry, blank screen grief. Okay. Yeah, the recording doesn't supplant having minutes. Um it's really inadvisable to do chat features on public meetings for a variety of reasons. Um and it would talk about, you know, when when could we not do that? 61 00:17:15.839 --> 00:17:31.760 You know, if we lack a staff person to help do the technology or if there was a you know, if we had a meeting in admin, that might not be feasible to make that hybrid. And then open meeting law compliance. So making sure that people understand that there is a technical 62 00:17:31.760 --> 00:17:48.240 difficulty and you've posted them hybrid you have to cease the meeting entirely if there's if you can't resume the live stream. Yeah. Um so some of those things just making sure that it's there for people to know. Um, and yeah, I I I 63 00:17:48.240 --> 00:18:03.120 looked at other communities like Greenfield and like Amoris because they have some similar policies, but the thinking was just kind of to to take what we're already doing, make sure it has makes it easy for people to be able to post a meeting. You can look at this and know, oh, okay, I have to do X, Y, 64 00:18:03.120 --> 00:18:20.799 and Z, and just codify. Yep. >> So, I had two questions. One is, do we have enough space? some enough um what should I say >> or storage space? >> No, no, just like I mean let's say let's say we have three meetings going on at 65 00:18:20.799 --> 00:18:36.080 once in town. >> Yeah, we've handled that with Gabe. We got in a license that has 10 licenses, you know, 10 meetings going on at the same time. >> But how would we physically do that in the town hall? We can't I mean let's say someone's using this room like how where are we using it? Nobody else. 66 00:18:36.080 --> 00:18:52.960 >> Well, one, two, and three upstairs in in the conference room. Okay. >> Since only the chair needs to be in person, >> right? I guess that would work. >> And then nobility for some chairs. There's some meetings that pull more people um from from the public and those 67 00:18:52.960 --> 00:19:07.760 committees will know. Yeah. >> And I and I I looked at like our Mindtown gov posting and I didn't see like there's very rarely occasions where like two meetings overlap, >> right? >> We also have the library as an option. 68 00:19:07.760 --> 00:19:22.640 >> That's a good point. Um the the other point I made but I can't remember what it was. Um it'll come to me. Hold on a second. Uh >> I also have the library but we also have 69 00:19:22.640 --> 00:19:38.080 a library um team room too. >> So we technically have five spaces if we >> ever hit that >> quite a bit. >> Yeah. Which is nice. can't remember the other the other thing was not a big thing looking >> the hybrid 70 00:19:38.080 --> 00:19:53.039 the lead is that our current policy the chair chair to be physically >> I don't know that we have such a policy >> yeah and I I guess then the question why is that why does the chair need to physically be here if it's a hybrid >> that is okay 71 00:19:53.039 --> 00:20:09.679 >> that's still all okay so there is not I guess all >> while they changed some of the some of it for >> you had a a hybrid meeting, but the chair there's a law that says that person needs to be physically >> Yes. >> Okay. >> And um 72 00:20:09.679 --> 00:20:25.760 >> on the last page [clears throat] there, it also talks about um you know, up until next June um you don't have to have a quorum physically present, but unless the governor extends that guidance. >> So, this would have that in there. So, 73 00:20:25.760 --> 00:20:40.960 people could like Yeah. Oh, okay. So if it's passed June 30th, 2027 and it didn't get extended, then we know that people have to have a physical form. >> Prior to right now, we're just following the the state >> policy. Yeah. 74 00:20:40.960 --> 00:20:57.360 >> Prior to COVID and the advent of all this technology, invent of all this technology, um the state had a rule where one person could be on phone, but you had to have the quorum in the room. So they must be following that same 75 00:20:57.360 --> 00:21:14.000 standard with with quorum in the room. And then you know >> I just thought of the other thing I was going to say that um I'm I'm just sort of hearing some complaints from some people like I still have people complaining about I couldn't hear you guys last night or whatever. 76 00:21:14.000 --> 00:21:29.760 >> It was probably hard with the last meeting because there was so many. >> The last meeting is a good example that we're here our back is a bunch of people over there. They're talking here and this microphone right here is supposed to be doing all the picking up. >> Well, I thought about that. So, I'm 77 00:21:29.760 --> 00:21:45.360 thinking the next time we're going to next time, my thought was have all of us go this way cuz the screen is helpful, but it's easy to turn to the screen. >> Right. >> Right. And then pull the microphone out more into the middle of the room because that is pretty sensitive microphone just 78 00:21:45.360 --> 00:22:01.600 out into the middle of the room. >> Yeah. I I I wonder whether or not we need microphones like a town meeting, >> a town meeting stuff where >> also once we determine because so so part of um we have the sound panels that we never installed, right? We have we weren't sure what was going to come of 79 00:22:01.600 --> 00:22:18.000 the M and Spear and we still had all those files, but once we get a chance to digitize, we don't need as many physical copies. we can actually put the sound panels on the wall and then that'll help cushion the sound like that background noise that people are bearing. Um 80 00:22:18.000 --> 00:22:33.360 because you like when I watch the videos on YouTube and I I try to like pick and choose different meetings to get a sample but I I don't usually for me I don't hear any like >> and it might it could be user error too. Um 81 00:22:33.360 --> 00:22:49.360 >> well we can always try to troubleshoot that but >> so that was just my thought. we have a bigger one kind of move it toward the center even if we have to bring that table over a small table just to put it in the center of the room because I think the cord is pretty long um or get an extended >> well sometimes sometimes I know have 82 00:22:49.360 --> 00:23:05.360 like you know they have a a more complex microphone system or like does a micro >> there may be one that works with this an antiquated one would probably would not the one that we have >> that Becky had had for us which worked 83 00:23:05.360 --> 00:23:21.520 we never hooked it to technology And I don't know that it it was a pretty big >> K's got a question. >> Yes. Yeah. >> Speaking. >> You you also speak very fast. >> Oh, >> well that'll do it. 84 00:23:21.520 --> 00:23:39.039 >> And and and even with the the closed caption is is lag. So if you try to hear and read at the same time, it throws off the attention. >> The the one thing that can happen, and I don't know if YouTube does it. I know the the video platform I watch sometimes 85 00:23:39.039 --> 00:23:56.080 I have to take one of my podcasters and I have to say do it slower than they're speaking to be able to catch everything. So there I don't know if >> Yeah. >> Yeah. I don't know if that's available on YouTube or not. I I um I'm not that versed in YouTube. Um but it's something 86 00:23:56.080 --> 00:24:12.240 to think about. Even the lipstick mics, >> they look like they about the size of lipstick. You just set it in front of you and >> Right. Yeah. >> Well, there's all kinds of different Yes. There's a million different ways to do it. >> Yeah. >> But I mean like some like the town meeting, 87 00:24:12.240 --> 00:24:28.159 >> if there's a place where somebody from the audience, for example, has to go stand in front of the microphone. >> Wonder, you know what I mean? >> If the owl could be used as a microphone only with this system, >> maybe >> not as a speaker, but can it be used as 88 00:24:28.159 --> 00:24:44.880 a microphone only? Then that could be set up on a tripod even in the center of the room to pick up. >> Yeah, that's a possibility. >> It's just that >> I'll try to look I'll try to I'll try to look at this is kind >> Yeah, you're the you're the audio visual 89 00:24:44.880 --> 00:25:00.000 guy. >> Well, I'm just I'm not sure what the gazinta is for this. I don't know where this goes. >> USB port. >> USB ports. Yeah. So, I mean, I think theoretically you could have like a really small mixer the size of that computer that had three or 90 00:25:00.000 --> 00:25:16.000 four microphones on it, let's just say. Um, and then it would just go down that same kind of pl that same kind of wire out of the mixer >> into that and you'd have four or five inputs >> into the into it. >> I don't know. I don't know that for sure 91 00:25:16.000 --> 00:25:32.480 without looking at the system, but that wouldn't be a lot a lot of money to set that up. be money, but it wouldn't be a lot of money. Thousand bucks or something like that to do that if you have to buy everything new. I can I'll look into it, see what we can figure out. 92 00:25:32.480 --> 00:25:47.782 >> But that's the feedback I've got from people that sometimes they can't hear that. It's enough that that's that's defeats the purpose of the whole thing. You know what I And there is like even the curtains have done a great job in cutting, but there's that slight 93 00:25:47.782 --> 00:26:01.840 [clears throat] >> which may be the delay that that Gail's talking about is that the computers like what did they just say? Like the half second um [snorts] you know >> Yeah, cuz we could do if we got enhanced microphones and if we did the sound 94 00:26:01.840 --> 00:26:19.440 panels and maybe carpeting too like carpeting can be a way to cushion sound, >> right? >> Those things. Yeah, it being subterranean wool, it would have to be wool, just so you know. >> Oh, yeah. And if it's mold, >> go ahead, Tom. >> Thank you. Um, is it okay if I just pose 95 00:26:19.440 --> 00:26:37.080 a few questions on the policy? >> Thanks. Um, uh, do we have an expectation of whether the state will go back to the old or is it just up in the air to July7? Yeah. 96 00:26:37.679 --> 00:26:54.000 >> My my expectation would be that they can't really backtrack too far because everybody's gotten so used to [laughter] >> so they can't backtrack too far. Yeah. >> My sense is that's one of the silver linings of co is >> sort of >> propelled right 97 00:26:54.000 --> 00:27:10.000 >> everybody at the same speed. Yeah. >> To the modern era of >> Absolutely. >> Absolutely. say they still could go backwards [laughter] that like all for still be 98 00:27:10.000 --> 00:27:26.400 circumstances. Oh yeah yeah yeah. This doesn't subvert state. >> Yeah, we would always default to the >> um is it in the [clears throat] policy that the chair has to be present physically? Because I just find that 99 00:27:26.400 --> 00:27:45.840 particular statement >> theorum. It's on the last page. >> Yeah, it says a physical quum of the next rules. >> Correct. That's post theoretical July 127 and I thought that in the field I 100 00:27:45.840 --> 00:28:02.520 just wasn't sure if it really was required or not but I I didn't see it in the policy. I wouldn't saw it. >> No, no, that's a good >> put it. So a suggestion for that might be that um first the um 101 00:28:03.120 --> 00:28:18.880 horrible language this is going to come out but I think the intent comes um so you know current currently the um as of and maybe put today's date um the chair must be present inside the designated room and then give the date 102 00:28:18.880 --> 00:28:36.399 of when they expect that that um change after this date um fiscal quorum and we can always revisit this at that point. >> Okay. That just kind of cleans it up. So you kind of have the warning that it could change. >> Yeah. >> That kind of that makes it a little 103 00:28:36.399 --> 00:28:53.760 >> And then just two other things. Um one the way is displayed here very audience friendly and depending on certain meetings like they have in this room sometimes the people on camera are displayed. anything can be confusing because you're not sure unless it's 104 00:28:53.760 --> 00:29:08.960 there. >> That's a that's So that's a >> that's how the person has their thing set. >> Yeah. And it seems >> so it's um >> they weren't sure if this controller might be >> this can. Yeah, it can. But if they plug 105 00:29:08.960 --> 00:29:25.760 in directly >> because communicating all of my us >> Yeah. It's it's so yeah it's a um setting for all or just camera off. >> Okay. >> Right. [clears throat] In in 106 00:29:25.760 --> 00:29:40.559 >> we can both. >> So this right here this right here show the way it is now show nine pictures only. Right. >> It'll it can show more than that too. She has the ability to change >> to more. The last thing was >> up to a certain point 107 00:29:40.559 --> 00:29:57.279 >> specifically address come up before and um it was considered a violation once when before the meeting starts there are technical difficulties people changed the link >> and there were instances where it changed almost like at the minute that 108 00:29:57.279 --> 00:30:12.320 the meeting started. But some people were stuck in a dead waiting room because that thing was no longer being used because it wasn't functioning for the host and so then the host scraping change blank and posted on a calendar but minute or five minutes. Yeah. >> And we also 109 00:30:12.320 --> 00:30:27.679 >> Yeah, that would be I think I think that goes with the the thing of having a different don't do that schedule reschedule the meeting. Yeah, you might want to if your link is not functioning 15 minutes or fewer before the meeting, 110 00:30:27.679 --> 00:30:43.919 >> it might be most advisable to post the meeting. >> Rather than change the link because some people will not have the link. >> Yes. >> But it wasn't exactly the same as waiting 10 minutes for you know. 111 00:30:43.919 --> 00:31:00.799 >> Oh, that makes sense. And I know like I I was watching a meeting from another town and like they had a meeting it was set at one location and then they had to change at the last minute so somebody had to physically be there to like direct. >> Yeah. >> It's the same thing. Um so from a tech 112 00:31:00.799 --> 00:31:16.159 point of view might be good for people to test the link the day before because you can still start the meeting and then just close it if you're not sure. >> And you could definitely do like just a really quick one sheet. This is how you 113 00:31:16.159 --> 00:31:32.640 manipulate this. Yeah, good idea. Thank you, Tom. >> Yes, >> I learn the other night. You see the balance heating here, the air intake fan. We're going to label the circuit breaker to turn that fan off, which will 114 00:31:32.640 --> 00:31:48.240 also help this when this fan here is on. There's a switch in that one so you can turn all the fans off. the background. >> No, good. >> Thank you. >> Very very thank um very appreciated 115 00:31:48.240 --> 00:32:04.240 >> for anyone who has trouble hearing or easily distracted by white noise. Um which has been my case a couple of times. Um okay, >> good more procedural question, but since this impacts a lot of committees, a lot of volunteers do a lot of work for this 116 00:32:04.240 --> 00:32:21.039 town, would it be worth getting some feedback? have them look at look at what we're proposing here and just >> because they're the ones that gonna have to implement all this. So they might have some concepts thought about. 117 00:32:21.039 --> 00:32:37.840 >> So do you want to send this um I want to say >> I think all like finance you all the the personnel boards the all these these teams that are having >> I could probably do like a five question survey like you know >> have them read it. Yes. Yeah. 118 00:32:37.840 --> 00:32:52.880 >> What's your comfort comfortability with light tech and like how do you just to get some background because I like I can send them this too. >> What are your problems with the present system? That's the >> that's if there if there are any. That's the other question I'd ask. >> Yeah. Oh, that's actually that's a great 119 00:32:52.880 --> 00:33:08.799 way to give them this, have them read over any feedback they might have, but also that survey, Haley, because we might identify um the five questions or even 10 questions and identify what other people are experiencing. We may not know. 120 00:33:08.799 --> 00:33:25.720 >> That's true. >> So having this might not might um cause well this won't cause more problems but it might cause to identify that some people have problems. So probably good to just do hand in hand. Yeah. 121 00:33:25.919 --> 00:33:42.480 >> And then have this on our next agenda to >> Yes. >> I won't say next because I don't know how quick I'll hear from people but >> next agenda. Yes. in the future agenda. >> Don't be too many. It might not be meeting for another month or so. >> Yeah. Right. It's kind of rendering that 122 00:33:42.480 --> 00:33:59.279 >> crazy time of year and people aren't around so forth. >> All right. So, we'll vote on that at the when when we have more feedback and um another >> nice to see this all in a policy documented and all following something. 123 00:33:59.279 --> 00:34:17.520 you all all of us and our >> fellow committees are all on the same page. So >> how we conduct how we conduct meetings. >> We've come a long way from when we had to put remote meetings together. >> Oh yeah. >> And carry TV in under my arm. 124 00:34:17.520 --> 00:34:33.839 >> So now with that everybody just everybody can just hook right into it. It's great. >> Um all right. And so the next one is a policy on employment me employee membership and committee voting. >> Yes. So kind of in tandem to what we 125 00:34:33.839 --> 00:34:48.720 talked about at the last meetings, you know, I was thinking about the town kind of how I've seen things work. And so what I wanted to do was just develop a framework and here's basically just about what we're already doing, but just 126 00:34:48.720 --> 00:35:06.000 puts it into writing so everyone's on the same page. Um, and the way that I kind of look at our current committee structures is I think about it in three kind of just buckets. So, we have this operational bucket, right, where we have something like the emergency management committee where people are 127 00:35:06.000 --> 00:35:22.560 meeting about something that's a day-to-day task about their about their job. And then we have advisory boards. We have regulatory boards. And so that's really, you know, somebody's offering input on a specific item. They're making proposals. And then we have committees 128 00:35:22.560 --> 00:35:39.119 where um you know they're they're just open to the public, right? So like we may have a staff member on a the council on aging, right? But they might not be on the council of aging because that's their job or it's related to their job. They just do it because 129 00:35:39.119 --> 00:35:55.680 they live in town and they really like what the council does. >> Um so that's where I thought of these things. And so [clears throat] also in this policy is you know talks about independent service. So you know special municipal employee designation you know 130 00:35:55.680 --> 00:36:12.320 when is definition >> yeah when is something at conflict when is when should something be you know when does somebody not need to act on someone and they can just perform their work as normal. Um, and so I mirrored this off of just simple municipal best 131 00:36:12.320 --> 00:36:29.119 practice in which if it's an operational or emergency management type meeting, right, with staffer on a recommendation that, you know, like the warming and cooling center discussion, you know, how do we, you know, do we want to vote to use one specific 132 00:36:29.119 --> 00:36:46.160 um message notification platform versus another? And then we have advisory boards which traditionally you would like like I serve on the personnel um the capital planning and the finance committee where I am on the board because I am a staff member but I am 133 00:36:46.160 --> 00:37:02.480 there to offer guidance and there >> yeah professional opinion. I'm there in that capacity and so that would be an instance where I don't vote on any of those committees. It would be inappropriate for me to do so. Um and then we have again those committees where they somebody just lives in town 134 00:37:02.480 --> 00:37:21.760 and they want to be a part of the board and they would be a voting member um on that. So that's what I propose. That's that's what's on the table before you. >> Um thank you. I appreciate this. I just 135 00:37:21.760 --> 00:37:37.440 appreciate adding the independent volunteer piece because I think we have a lot of people that >> could do that or already do that. So, >> we wouldn't want to see a case that just because you live in and you work for the town that you can't be supportive and 136 00:37:37.440 --> 00:37:55.200 then we wouldn't want that. Um, you know, everyone knows everyone wears a lot of different hats in this town. >> Yes, multiples. Um, so I uh I don't have anything Just a question on I'm just wondering 137 00:37:55.200 --> 00:38:12.160 would this impact voting current voting on any current currently active committees? >> Not no not that I'm aware of right now. I looked through and you know the ones that jump out like our collectors on the 138 00:38:12.160 --> 00:38:28.720 capital planning committee that wouldn't necessarily change. What we would ask our staff to do that I don't that you know that's not really new but we would just formalize it is just have to fill out a document with the town clerk. I am serving on this committee and I also 139 00:38:28.720 --> 00:38:45.040 work in this capacity. >> Yeah. Just to the the disclosure agreement. Um >> yeah because she's a tax collector but she But she's not on that committee because she's a tax collector. No, she serves on it. She just serves on it because Yeah. 140 00:38:45.040 --> 00:39:03.920 >> Yeah. Um you know, same with something like um community. >> She only collects the money. She doesn't pay the bills. >> So from there's no >> What category would that be in? The three category, you know, or somebody like you. So our our land use clerk, he serves in an 141 00:39:03.920 --> 00:39:20.160 advisory capacity to the planning board to the conservation commission and can I think of >> Yes, that's right. He also serves on the community preservation act. He's not on that committee because he was passionate about >> and he was there prior. 142 00:39:20.160 --> 00:39:36.880 >> Yeah, he's been around for a while. So th those are kind of the examples that I I was thinking about when I made this and just trying to, you know, trying to flesh out what we've been doing already, why we're doing it this particular way, and just making sure that we outline, you know, what we expect staff to do, 143 00:39:36.880 --> 00:39:59.200 like fill out the form, what this >> makes sense to me. >> Yes, I'm good. And it looks fine. Did anyone have any edits or anything? questions. >> Yeah, I think I support I think that's good. I just the communication piece making sure all the committees and anybody involved with this are all aware 144 00:39:59.200 --> 00:40:17.440 of this has been policy >> and now we have a new town clerk so he can >> he can take all the letters be a good one to put in. This one might be a good one to put in when when we appoint people. >> Yeah, >> that might be a good one to stick in that patchet that people get. 145 00:40:17.440 --> 00:40:33.119 >> Yeah. >> If we decide to vote on it. Sure. So what is the slip mot? Do I hear a motion? >> So moved to to to u support this. Yes. So moved. >> Do second. 146 00:40:33.119 --> 00:40:50.480 >> Okay. Um all those in favor >> stalker I >> make you. >> Yeah. I think this in the category of of being clear. >> Yeah. catching >> how things are and then how things Yes. 147 00:40:50.480 --> 00:41:06.720 Make sure everybody's on the same page and >> absolutely >> absolutely absolutely. Um okay, town administrator report. >> Got a couple things on my list. Um number one, um if folks also tuned into 148 00:41:06.720 --> 00:41:21.920 emergency management meeting, they know that where we could write arrow instead of code red. Code red's had a data leak. We decided that we wanted to go with provider. Um, so it's a very similar process and I think it it actually offers more choice because you can 149 00:41:21.920 --> 00:41:38.079 select do I want to get every kind of emergency notification or do I just want roads or do I just want to [laughter] school >> versus the you know do I not have children there, 150 00:41:38.079 --> 00:41:53.839 >> you know, so you can really customize it to what it is that you want. And so I'm working with um their technical rep to set the platform up for us. We will be able to migrate some of the data that we didn't lose in the data breach. It was not the full list, but you can basically 151 00:41:53.839 --> 00:42:09.599 just upload like an Excel file of emails and it'll do the same function. Um so what we will need to do and um I'll be working on in the coming weeks is doing you know flyers and a mailer. Um we had also um Chief Pelletier and Chief 152 00:42:09.599 --> 00:42:26.160 Sirwanka and I had talked about doing it tied into like the house number program and the lockbox program. If you're doing these things, you may also want to sign up. So, um it'll take a little bit of time to get, you know, as many names as we want. Um but we're certainly going to 153 00:42:26.160 --> 00:42:42.480 make sure that people know about it and it'll be really helpful obviously as we head into the stormy, you know, fall winter season. So, that'll be coming. You can watch out for that. Um, I had gotten an email I well and other um Bob and community 154 00:42:42.480 --> 00:42:57.359 folks had gotten an email from Senator Cmerford. She had asked that we submit our resolution and the speeches that we did at the M MWR board meeting last two Fridays ago. Um, and submit those to the 155 00:42:57.359 --> 00:43:16.960 conference committee and like I was talking about with the environmental bond bill. So, they are meeting now. They are finalizing the piece of legislation to go before the governor. So, we sent that in so they could consider that during their deliberations. >> That's going on. Okay. 156 00:43:16.960 --> 00:43:34.160 >> Um and then so um you we had talked about warming and cooling centers also at emergency management and so I launched a survey last Friday um just asking folks some basic questions. you know, if you lost power for x amount of hours, how prepared are you? You do you 157 00:43:34.160 --> 00:43:50.640 live alone? Would you use a town schooling center if you offered one? You know, what are the barriers to access? Um, we got 53 responses so far. So, that's about >> how did it take How many days was it up? >> It was up since Friday. >> Oh, that's pretty impressive. >> Yeah, that was good. 158 00:43:50.640 --> 00:44:06.560 >> People are reading your emails, Haley. >> Yeah. Um, so that's about 8% of households if you roughly do the math. Um, and so people can still fill it out. It's going to be live for a couple more weeks. I mean, we really want the data because it it helps us make plans, you know, >> find that. 159 00:44:06.560 --> 00:44:22.640 >> Um, it's up on the homepage um, right up there. It's a Google form and I'm going to do a probably another email blast too separately. Um, but one of the interesting things that I found in just looking at the very initial data is that um, we're a really resilient 160 00:44:22.640 --> 00:44:38.560 community. So 66% of the people who responded said that they are capable of staying safe in their house for up to 48 hours or more. >> Yeah. >> Um and that 91% have have had no need to evacuate their home for any reason uh heating or cooling related over the past 161 00:44:38.560 --> 00:44:55.200 3 years. Um [laughter] >> 68% respondents said they would be unlikely to use a daytime cooling or warming center. Um so if we offered it, a good amount of people said they just wouldn't even bother. Um and that that >> that means 32% would. 162 00:44:55.200 --> 00:45:12.560 >> Yes. Um and 30 well 32 would consider it as a last resort if they didn't have a friend or a loved one they could stay with. Um and so the the biggest obstacle is not surprising road conditions. How would I get from my house to anywhere else? Makes a lot of sense. Um, so, so 163 00:45:12.560 --> 00:45:29.680 yeah, we're still we still absolutely want to collect some information, but I think what that initially says to me is that we just want to make sure that when we have storm events, we're doing targeted outreach and Yep. And that maybe what we should focus our resources on is how do we get like um, you know, 164 00:45:29.680 --> 00:45:45.200 like a good neighbor database, right? So, okay, like Mrs. Jones lives alone. She has a CPAP machine. She needs insulin. if the power goes out, do we have someone who can call her or go to her house? >> Yep. And check in. And that would probably be a more effective use of our 165 00:45:45.200 --> 00:46:00.800 resources. Um, you know, because we we don't have a ton of staff. And like you said, it does show how resilient people are here. If you've lived here for 20 years, you've been through several power outages for days on end, [laughter] >> you know. So, um, once you go through 166 00:46:00.800 --> 00:46:17.520 one, you're prepared for the next. this recent you talk about eating cooling or warming cooling. Um this recent hot spell, what what kind of was there much was there was there demand or >> Well, we had gotten a couple emails 167 00:46:17.520 --> 00:46:33.520 asking if we were going to do it and that was kind of like oh okay well but what what's the need? I whenever I get a request like that I always think well what's what's the real need >> that might have been somewhat triggered what >> and so I was like well how do you find out what the need is? You just ask people. 168 00:46:33.520 --> 00:46:49.599 >> Yeah. hopefully they fill out the survey. But um but yeah, I think that's a good response to to start after a couple of days and that you know it does really help. So when people say, "Well, why aren't you doing it?" You can say, "Well, we surveyed and we we decided that actually we would go this course of action because it better meets who is 169 00:46:49.599 --> 00:47:04.720 actually living in our community, what our needs are." >> So thank you very much for that. And my last bit of items, so my my goal as your town administrator is over the next year is to do succession planning is become very clear 170 00:47:04.720 --> 00:47:20.480 to me in the time that I've been here that we just don't write things down. And so my goal is to start writing things down. Um so I sent a survey to all the department heads and just asking just basic questions like what are the top five things that you do that no one 171 00:47:20.480 --> 00:47:35.920 else can do? How much of that is written down? where is it written down? How would you teach somebody to do this? You know, would you mentor someone? Would you just document it? Would you record yourself doing something? Um, and just kind of getting a pulse point on where 172 00:47:35.920 --> 00:47:51.119 are you with that and what challenges are you facing and what's working well because we don't be all negative. Um, so I've gotten a couple of those back and then once I get them all back going to go through them and kind of try to come up with some like action plans, you 173 00:47:51.119 --> 00:48:07.680 know, like, okay, so over the next one to two years, how many policies can we write down? If you are the only person in your department who knows how to do payroll, how do we get that written down so that if something happened to you or maybe >> you win the lottery? >> Yeah. And you won the lottery, we're not 174 00:48:07.680 --> 00:48:23.760 scrambling every time somebody leaves. And I think the nice thing that I've seen um of the responses I've gotten so far is that no one anticipates any changes because I said you know within you know do you have a planned change or you know within a year or more than that and everyone has said that they don't 175 00:48:23.760 --> 00:48:38.000 expect that which is good people don't want to leave that's nice um but we want to make sure we can capture what's in their mind right >> um put that into paper so that's my goal and um I started on that and we're going to definitely keep 176 00:48:38.000 --> 00:48:56.880 rolling with that over the And >> is there anything else? I mean, that was a lot, isn't it? >> No, that's funny. >> Funny for today. >> It was something where Michael was asking us to write a letter to somebody. Michael to Kiara. 177 00:48:56.880 --> 00:49:12.720 >> That's something Michael would ask, >> doesn't it? >> And if I can find it, I'll tell you what it is. related. >> I think it was quab related or or um >> it might be energy related. Um and I will try to find out where 178 00:49:12.720 --> 00:49:29.839 >> today I wouldn't go by Melissa's memory. >> Okay. All right. Well, Mine's always >> I'm not sure, but we can >> I'll try to find it. >> Yeah. So, you want us to to um >> just I'll try to I'll talk I'll figure it out. I'll I'll find it. I did I 179 00:49:29.839 --> 00:49:45.680 actually highlighted it somewhere. I know I did. But where I did, I can't tell you. >> From the last week or so. >> Yeah. Just there's something that um Joe Cmerford did and Michael was saying we should just write a letter thanking her. Blah blah blah. >> Oh yeah, that sounds Yeah. 180 00:49:45.680 --> 00:50:23.920 >> Wasn't there something about that? Like >> Yes. Um, >> that's correct. That's what it is. I have it right in front of me. >> Um, >> I'll be able to find Yeah, thank you. Yeah, she was he was talking about the clean energy regulations and that went 181 00:50:23.920 --> 00:50:44.000 into effect and so forth and that um Joe Cmerford and her staff chief of staff did a lot to make it happen. He is suggesting that we write her a letter saying what a wonderful job she did or something. You said they write that letter. 182 00:50:44.000 --> 00:51:08.640 >> Yeah, right. >> I see. >> I even had Haley's name written right next to it like tell Haley. >> Haley. Pass on Haley. Uh was there anything else that we um 183 00:51:08.640 --> 00:51:26.240 needed to our next meeting August? >> That's that circle part is >> um our next meeting is August 4th. >> August 4th. >> That's hard to believe, but >> August August is already coming. >> I know. >> I swear to God, August is 10 10 days 184 00:51:26.240 --> 00:51:42.319 long. It's a whole month and next thing you know it's >> Thanks. Here we go again. I think we're ready to adjourn unless someone wants to oppose that. >> No. Then uh do I hear a motion to adjurnn? >> So moved. >> Second. >> Okay. All those in favor? 185 00:51:42.319 --> 00:51:45.319 Altern.