This government meeting is brought to you by Eastworks and our local cable subscribers. So this will be for whatever day this is the 25th of February >> at around 6:05. And because we don't have quorums, we'll just start having a discussion with Lucy presenting to us
from the town clerk's perspective. So go ahead, Lucy. >> Well, my budget hasn't changed much. It's just getting more expensive. Um the FY25 actual usage is not up there.
Um 24 is but as you can see in 24 I used a lot of money. There was a lot of elections that year. There's a lot of elections this year and there's going to be a lot of elections in 2028. So, um I
want to see if I can have the election expenses raised, >> okay, >> to 9,500 just because of all the elections we have. >> So, just to clarify, we've got we've got a town election, we've got we have a
primary. >> Yeah. And then we have the general election in Oh, but that's in November. Oh, they're both in next year's. Yeah. So 27. Yes. >> Yeah. So the local election is >> this local election is already budgeted
for >> is already budgeted for >> for now for this year. >> Yes. For the September though and the November one. We're that's what I'm going to need money for. And >> so those two next year's town election. So >> I mean this year I wasn't budgeted for
two special town meetings. >> So and I have to pay people for that. So, whatever comes up out of the blue, we have to cover for um >> and do you have a rough idea and I know
postage is blown up. Do you have a rough idea what you're spending on postage on cruise? >> Um cuz we're mailing out. >> Last time I did I did I think $1850 was the amount. Um, postage is 74 cents. >> Yeah.
>> Each envelope without that's not including the ballots. So the that's regular mail, >> right? >> The ballots it goes up to it's up to 102 dollar two per ballot. So
you know that's that's like $3,000. Um, we have to mail out confirmation cards in June. Those are about $1,000 to have printed and they have to have a return uh form on them. We have to uh order
special paper for vital records, certifications, certified death record, certified marriage certificates, certified birth certificates. We have to have clear sleeves to hold them in. We have to have um binders to keep them in. And they're
permanent records. They cannot be just recycled. They're permanent. Um, we have to have envelopes for regular mail. Um, whenever we register a new person by law, we have to send them a letter. It's
state mailing. We have to send them a letter acknowledging that they're registering to vote or they've done something at an agency where they've either changed their name or changed their party and the state requires us to send them a letter acknowledging that
fact. Even if they move, we still have to send them a letter. >> So, um, the people who vote by mail, is that something you have to opt into? So every year people have to fill out an application to vote by mail. And yes, it
is something that our office has to opt into. If we don't want to opt into it, we have to have the select board. I have to write them a letter, tell them why, and they decide. >> There's a vote. There have been a vote at some point that we decided to. >> Yeah. And you usually mailed out like is
it a thousand or so? I mean, >> oh yeah, we've mailed out over a thousand. We mailed out >> for the for various elections. So, do you have to as a c as a voter, do you have to opt in each year? >> Yes, you have to fill out an application every single year. Okay. In that's the same thing for absentee voting, which is
early voting. Same exact kind of thing. Um, absentee voting used to be you would have to um prove that you couldn't come in and vote because of medical reasons or um but now the state is
looking at early voting and a lot of people just want to do it because they don't want to come in and vote. So, >> and so they but they check off. They check off for the year essentially. So, if you say there's three elections this year, >> yeah, they check off. >> Okay. cuz we were we were voting by mail and then we stopped because we weren't
getting the things anymore. >> Okay. >> Probably because we didn't apply, >> right? So the the years that >> um there are state elections, >> the state usually mails out those cards, >> okay, >> about 2 months before the election. So
they're going to be mailing out those cards to registered voters in July. And we have been telling people if you want to vote by mail for the local election, send us your address and we'll mail you the application or stop in our office.
So, but we have to have it on record. And they keep track, the state keeps track of everyone who signs up to vote, everyone who votes and returns a ballot. And we have, you know, a program where
they get three op three chances to vote and we keep track of every single ballot. So if you say you lost your ballot or didn't turn in your ballot, we will know the day we mailed it out, the day we got it in. And if you say, "Well,
I didn't want to vote by mail," then we have to report that to the state that >> you know, we gave them another one, but here's the reason why. So yeah, >> well and I think you know just you know with your costs I mean certainly with the postage it's increased now but
>> so just looking at last year this is I think somewhat a final figure um election registration expenses so about 79 >> almost $7950. So >> that's what you actually spent Yeah. for FY25
>> and that's so that doesn't include the price increases of stuff. So, um, the post office does give us a break for postage, but not for ballots. There because there's when we mail a ballot, there's four things in there. There's the ballot, the envelope, the return
envelope, and the out outside envelope. So, they're a dollar two a piece. >> Um, so that's a lot of money. Um, and you know, general office supplies, we have to, you know, we have to order paper, we have to order pens.
So that e-code thing, we've gotten this is our our online >> um general and zoning bylaws. It's all codified under EC code 360. >> So that's about 1,200 a year. >> Yep. That's $11.95 for the maintenance,
but it they keep track of everything. They get them online. They send us three paper copies uh so that we have them in our office and online. people are people can look online and I think that's
working out very well but um it's going to get more expensive you know so because we want to them to do more they're going to have to charge us
more and they gave us an estimate it depends on how many bylaws too if we you know they won't we pass seven bylaws that's a lot of work for them to go through everything. They have to edit everything they and then they will
process it and put it online. So, and it does cost money. Um, the dog licensing program I just got on permit link, the system that building is on and highway is on. I'm not sure the cost, but that's
included in the >> the shared expense. >> The shared expense and it's working out great. I've already processed 389 dog licenses. >> Um dogs. >> Yeah. Well, that's just the people that
>> we have over,00 people with dogs. >> Yeah. So, um, and then I I know and um I do want to possibly
buy pole pads for this year. Um, whole pads are Apple pads that, um, a lot of municipalities are using instead of the paper checklist that when you come in to vote, you give them your name. Um, the
poll pads are much easier for people to uh, use. They state your name, their name, you give, you type it in, that the worker types it in, and all of their information is in the system. So if they
are a registered voter, we will know automatically that they're a registered voter in the system and then all of that goes right to the state. So the state keeps track of everything. We don't have to uh do any counts because the pole
pads will count for us and we'll get accurate counts. We I mean we do have accurate counts. We've been here sometimes till like midnight, you know, because I like to do my checks and balances. I used to um do bookkeeping and I
reconciled accounts and I had to get it down to the penny. So um >> would these poll pads be per election worker or >> No. So, the pole pads will be will would be there's three pole pads, one per precinct and then extra one. And um I
did get a quote. It was for 5,000 300 me. But that includes two three pole pads, their containers, their setup equipment, and um
that's about it. So, but I did have a demonstration and she's willing to come back and show you all if if needed. But it's amazing resource. It's it's just saves so much paper and so I really would like to
purchase those. But like I said, those are 5,000. And >> is that something that the select board would have to sign off on at some point? >> No, the select board does not have to sign off on it. Um, >> I use them and I work in Westfield at
the election and I we got the poll pads like 2 years ago and they're incredible. >> Like if somebody comes in, it will tell you if they requested a ballot by mail so nobody's like looking on their list, if they're inactive, whatever. They're really helpful. >> Yeah, very helpful. >> Yeah, it will tell us if someone is not
a registered voter because >> their name won't come up. >> But that's not included in this budget. >> What? That's not included in this budget. 5,000. >> Did you put that in your No. >> No. Not. >> So, that's on your wish list. >> That is on my wish list. Yes. Yeah. >> So, I just wonder maybe can answer this,
but um are people uncomfortable that they're not seeing their name on the list and getting scratched out. I >> was thinking the same thing. >> Yeah. Maybe like a a handful of people at most. But it's nice and especially if you have um we have a lot of like Russian and Ukrainian speakers and you
can if they bring their license there's like a little the camera on the back of the iPad scan the license and it pulls up their name that way kind of too if you have like a junior and a senior it like really differentiates between those >> Yeah. >> And at the end of the night it saves so
much time. >> And it also prints out um receipts. So, it prints out a receipt with that voter's name and address and where they're from. So, that way we we can have it right there if we need to. So,
>> I threw it in there. >> What? >> I put it up there. >> Oh, thank you. >> Thanks in in parenthesis. >> Yeah. Do you want to put in >> whatever? >> I also would like to do >> Sorry. You want to put pads in
parenthesis? just for those that aren't here tonight. >> Um, I would also I would like to buy some new signage because I've been told that I don't put
enough of word out there for people to know that there's an election. But, um, if you lived in Southampton long enough, you know that the local ones are always in May. You know, third week in May. We don't
control the state's dates. The state just went two years ago from possibly having it September 20th to early se this year. It's the day after No, it's the week before Labor Day. So, the state
controls that. We don't. So, I would like to get some more signage to put out there to make things a little bit easier for people because some people say they don't see the sign. It is a small sign, but I try to get the word out there in
the newspaper or on Facebook or on the community page. So, I would like to purchase that. I haven't priced out any signage yet. So, um the sign we have is old. It's from the board of health and the letters are miss. It's missing
numbers and letters and that kind of stuff. So, um I don't really want a lot, but I just want to be able to run my office, you know, as easily as possible. You know, we have a lot of paper in there, which
we have to have. It's permanent records. We cannot recycle anything without you know first of all looking at the retention schedule to see if it is not um if it's okay to recycle without permission from the state cuz state
sometimes has to get permission and um so I would like to possibly get some more storage areas. >> Okay. Anything else on and you've got a position and a half for you?
>> So I have me who >> I do work 32 hours sometimes. I work 50 sometimes. So um there are nights I mean during the elections I'm here 17 hours
sometimes. So um the assistant does actually work 19 and 12 hours. Um she is very part-time. So um so yeah. >> So just say election wages last year
were 6,700. >> Yep. >> I'm just that because we got a less one less election maybe or something >> last year. >> No, I mean what it's less you you've got 6,000 in there now rather than
>> I'm asking now 67. >> Huh? Okay. Yeah. Oh, wait. No, go down. Sorry. >> Election wages, registration wages. >> I don't think I put that number in there. So, I would ask for
>> 67. Again, we do get a um a reimbursement from the state. >> Well, that's what I was going to ask. I mean, you get something reimbured, right? So, is that really >> is it something that we we upfront and then you get reimbured? Is that how that works or how does that work? Yeah, we
have to I have to fill out a uh survey. >> Okay. >> And it gets reported to the department of revenue. So Okay. >> Um and they are the ones that make the decision of if they want to give us the money back or not. And I have to report
everything from police chief uh police personnel that's working, all the election workers. Um, they don't cover for food for the election workers, which is fine, but you know, they do get hungry. Some of them work all day from
8:00 in the morning until 10:00 at night sometimes. And I do cover for them morning, afternoon, and evening for for meals. But >> But you've got enough election workers on your roster to jivvy up and make a schedule. Somebody doesn't have to spend
12 hours. >> Yeah. Some some people don't want to do it. >> Um the minimum they can do is 4 hours. >> Okay. >> So and the maximum is eight. >> So yeah >> is aside from like the incidentals
what's the reimbursement from the state is it 100% or is it you know some share >> some? It's not. Yeah it's not 100%. I was looking at the FY26 expenses and I think last year we budgeted 5,500
>> and I only see 300 in >> so far which is interesting. >> Okay. Well, I you know what I'm looking at? I'm looking at okay by 25 ended June of 25, right? Okay. So that's in terms of what was
well on these expenditure reports I'm seeing for June of 25. >> I'm not I was looking at what 26. >> Yeah. Okay. >> Well, maybe it's because of the timing of >> Yeah, >> because you you're not are you paying much in wages like for the election
workers for like the town meetings? >> Oh yeah. >> Okay. That's interesting because we had the special time meetings that would have fallen within April 26. >> Yeah, >> that's not reimburseable. >> But no, that's not reimburseable. They're only working 3 hours at the most. >> Mhm. That almost makes me question more
why we only have 300 recorded so far that >> I'm not sure. >> We haven't had any state elections. >> Not yet. No. Oh, well, yeah. No, not not in the past year. We haven't had any state. No. So, but >> but the the special time meetings,
you're paying some amount of wages for the >> Yeah. But they're only three hours. They're we're not paying for food or anything or, you know, that kind of stuff. >> Okay. >> And I have to at least have six people at each meeting because of the counting.
>> Yep. So, and two have to be at the door making sure that every voter gets the chance to come in and not be turned away. So, when they when those two people are there, the rest if there's a count going on, then they have to count. So,
>> okay. I take it back. So, you're right. I'm looking at the um >> whatever the December report, it's 5,500. I'm sorry. Yeah. So, I'm sorry. I don't know what I was looking at. It was on I was looking at the June expenses I thought but that would be FY 25 rather
than 26. So maybe you were closer you could get back to your 6,000 that you had there was closer because if we only did 5500 last year. >> Yeah. Put it back. >> Oh, sorry. >> Sorry. >> My group I was looking at the end of
last year's actual expenses which is what I was trying to do but they just confused life. So that's good. That's about it. >> All right. Very good. >> If anybody has any questions, you can ask me, whatever. Email me, you know, or stop in my office.
>> Okay. >> But >> thank you very much. >> All right. Appreciate it. >> Thank you guys. I will just say we got last year we got um the state reimbursement for the elections in May and June of 2025. So, it's like the end
of the fiscal year when we actually got the reimbursement in for the >> election wages, >> right? >> We got a total of 7,400. >> Yep. >> I have that right here. Yeah. >> Okay. >> Good.
>> So, that goes back into the general fund. Where does that go? >> Yeah. Where? >> Yeah. >> Got it. >> Okay. >> Thanks. Appreciate it. >> Thank you. >> All right. Come on up, Megan. No problem. Can I just say one more thing? The reason why this probably wasn't
spent was because um and I had to ask Megan about it because it came in, but it was around the time when the previous treasurer was here and she didn't record it. So, >> right. >> Yeah. Yeah.
>> I mean, yeah, let's be transparent. >> Megan was very helpful with that. of finance has ever met Megan. We're missing two members of finance. Megan is our treasurer. >> This is Doug and Reggie. >> Hi, nice to meet you. >> Megan has been able to save us and do three times the work in half the amount
of time. >> And keep us on track. So, um, >> we're working on it. >> So, this is the treasur's budget. Um, right here. Pretty straightforward. >> Yeah. Um, nothing too exciting.
Expenses. Um the biggest success is the mailing of all our bills. Um we did have Arthur Jones mail out our bills for us for the first time for quarter 3. Um that was kind of like a perfect storm of events. We had a snowstorm the day we sent him out. So everybody's the bills went out late anyways and then we had a
snowstorm and all of our mail goes like to Hartford to Springfield to Southampton. So but everybody's bills are out now. Um the Arthur Jones gets a discount on the postage rate because they do bulk mailing. Um, so the charge to the town is essentially 22 cents per
bill. Um, but we don't have to buy paper, we don't have to buy envelopes, and we also don't have people doing it. Um, so it saves us a ton of time. Um, software support um is for like Harpers and Vader. um tax title expense is um
primarily just to pay our attorneys that help us with all of the legal filings associated with our tax title um properties which we don't have too many of them but they are there. >> One thing I just want to point out so Megan is appointed.
>> We have an elected treasurer. So, this town meeting we're going to be proposing to make uh the transition from elected to appointed unless I can convince Megan to keep moving to Southampton over the border. Uh >> you're not too far away. Yeah.
>> So, um if that goes through town meeting and then has to go to the ballot and then so we got to do it that way and um uh so this might change a little bit. Um then I expect Megan would be a contractual employee uh like myself and you know Bradley, Randall and and Ian. So,
Yeah. So, that's what we have budgeted in here is 30 hours a week um if we had a contractual um appointed treasure collector and then my assistant treasur collector and my admin assistant. So, um as you can see, the assistant works 35 hours a week. She comes in for a half
day on Friday. Um and then my admin assistant works um kind of like the typical town hall hours um 8:30 to 4. Just back up on the on the expenses for you had Harper's up there. You said Vader's in that. >> Yeah, I think there must previously I
think maybe Vadar Bradley, you can correct me if I'm wrong, was like split between departments. >> Oh, we consolidated. >> Am I correct? And this is the consolidated. >> No, we have the under >> Oh, it's on a different side. >> This is This is just Harper. This just payroll. >> Oh, yeah. W2 is ACA reporting.
>> Yeah. So they print Harper's prints our W2 forms for us, our ACA forms for us. >> Okay. >> Um Yeah. >> Okay. So this idea with Arthur Jones, you this is something new. You started to to do the mailing out. This is the first time we've tried this.
>> Yes. So they've done um our motor vehicle bills for us and so we decided to move the real estate and personal property tax over there as well. >> Okay. >> Um it's pretty efficient. I mean they're a professional company. They do it for a ton of municipalities. Um, and like I said, they get a discount
on the mailing and I think I mean it must have taken them at least three full days I would say to, you know, printing them out, stuffing them. >> Y, >> you know, >> so instead of us stuffing them, that's what they're a little more efficient. >> Usually does. I mean, that's that takes
up a lot of time and downstairs. And the only way that can go any faster is if Where's Arthur Jones? But where are they looking at? >> They're in East Hampton. >> Oh, >> yeah. if they were so inclined. The only way that anything goes directly in Southampton is if you deliver it to the >> to the Yeah. >> Yeah. Otherwise, everything goes to
Hartford. But we usually take trays of mail to to the counter here in Southampton. It gets in the mail the next day. So, that is something, but I doubt they would do that. But >> yeah, >> they are they're close enough. Maybe we can ask. >> It does have to go through the bulk mailing if you're going to get the discount. >> Oh, that's right. Yeah. So, it doesn't Yeah.
>> Yeah. So, anyway. >> Yeah. Like I said, I think we mailed it out. >> You take the discount and just deliver a form. >> Yeah. save a lot of money that way. >> Yeah, really. >> No, but I think that's a good a good initiative to try and improve some efficiency and also just, you know, just
>> Yeah. I mean, it frees up their time to show, you know, >> absolutely the other more kind of valuable work than, >> right, >> the the online um property tax payments, is it like unipay? >> Unipay. Yeah. >> Are they just making, you know, are they charging the town or is that all from your service fee?
>> It's all passed through to the person who's um making the payment. So, I don't know if you've done it online. They um there's I think it's a flat fee for debit card and the credit card fee is structured based on the amount of the payment. Um I know a lot of people kind of b that because if you're paying real estate with a credit card, it can get
pretty expensive. Um but it is there as an option, but there's no cost to the town um for any of that. >> And we couldn't do like a regular credit card cuz then we'd be paying credit card fees and we'd be taking less than what we should, right? >> Yeah. Can't we can't eat the things unless we set off a separate
>> merchant account for stuff. >> Yeah, >> I was going to do it and then I sent a check. >> Yeah, exactly. >> If it's like your $5 excise tax bill on your old car, then maybe. >> Okay. >> All right. So, this is our long-term
debt that's under the general fund. Um there's nothing new on it, so it's just kind of the amortization. We did have there's one um MWPAT bond that was paid off in fiscal year 2026. So that's why we went from 175 to 10. Um and as you
can see the layer B and dump truck are consistent. That's the principal payments for those >> and we label them debt exclusions so that you know what we're paying from uh debt. So taxes above and beyond the 2 and a half% and then we only have a few that are not debt exclusions but you do it that way.
>> Lar be going off pretty soon off the rolls. Um, let me You know what? I have >> They've been around for quite a while now. >> Let's see. >> Feels like they should be getting close to the end. >> Yeah. Did I highlight it here? Lar
is I don't know. It's at least I only have it printed out to fiscal year 2030 and it's still on there for there, but I have the uh let's see. Uh oh. 2030 is the last. Yep. 2030.
>> Now, are there still a number of borrowings that we're just rolling over as short-term borrowings? >> Yes, that will be on like the next Yeah, there's a separate spreadsheet for that. Um, so these are principal payments as you were saying. These are notes that we
have out short term. Um we've had them out once you have notes out short-term for longer than two years, you need to make principal payowns on it. Um so we've been making payowns on it. So this is just kind of they estimate the amount that your principal payment would be had you gone longterm. Um
>> who's they have a financial adviser, Uni Bank financial advisory services, and they work um with the Commonwealth to make sure that all the borrowing is in line with u Mass General Law and all our statutory. Who's the who's the actual lender though?
>> Um so Uni Bank puts it out to bid. So our current note is out. It's with Oenheimer um purchased our debt. Um it's coming due actually next month. So we're going out to bid um for for the for the short-term. >> So they they do the kind of shopping
around. You're not calling >> I'm not calling. No. Un does that for us. So they kind of broadcast out kind of a bid package to um >> they do it to bigger banks kind of like Oenheimer. They do it to local banks like East. They'll do it to East Hampton, Westfield Bank. People Greenfield in their
>> Greenfield. Yeah. Yep. >> So, one one entity would take on all three of these, for example, or is that >> Yeah, we package it up as one note. Yeah. With um one because this is a short-term note, so there's just one due date. So, um >> the local banks kind of can do it more
because we usually do it for less than a year. So, they can kind of take that on. >> Are we incurring Sorry, go ahead. I was going to ask, are we incurring like um debt issuance costs each time we roll that over? >> Yes, but when the uh when Uni Bank puts it out to bid, we ask for like a premium to cover the issuance costs. So, we have
to pay Uni Bank, which is a fairly small fee. Um but we don't have to pay for any of the other like DTC costs or any of the other um issuance costs associated with that. >> So, so are we paying more than we would if we had a credit rating? Because we
don't have a credit rating. Um, it's negligible, I would say, just based on the interest rate market currently. Um, the interest rates aren't bad. Um, for short-term versus long-term, the the rates are starting to come down a bit. Um, but the long-term rates had been
kind of at four 4 and a half. Um, and I think our interest rate on this note is 3.25 if I remember off the top of my head. So, >> So, if it hasn't made a big difference on the short-term notes, >> no. If if the town came to you and said, "We're doing a major project and we need $15 million."
What would you do? >> So, the we can like privately place the debt without getting a credit rating. Usually, um, you pay a little bit more. And I did I did speak with our financial advisor. I personally never privately placed a bond that size. Um, but I think
she said it was maybe like a 15 basis point difference. 15 to 25, which is, you know, 0.15%. 0.25%. So it's not um it's not as high as I would expect it to have. >> It's not what I would have expected either. >> Yeah. I was thinking like one entire
basis point or something. Um so it's not >> and then it would be long term that you could borrow long term. >> Yeah. Yep. >> Yeah. >> So that is an option um for us our financial adviser and that this would be my recommendation too is to wait until we have our audits caught up in our
credit rating just because we can take advantage of the market. It'll be with our FY24 audit that then we can get our credit rating back >> hopefully. >> Cuz then we'll be on once we have 24 done, we'll be online with 25, which is last year. >> Yeah.
>> Scott, the version of the budget that I'm looking at also had the highway heating system. >> Mhm. >> That's in the short uh short-term interest. >> Okay. >> Not there's no principal that's assoc associated with that. >> You had it at one point, Scott, on the principal tab. I don't know if that's
changed since. Yep. So, just the interest part right now. >> Yep. Because that's a new borrowing. We haven't borrowed for that yet. So, we don't have to make a principal payown on that. >> Um so, that's the only new one that's on there. Um and Zero College Highway
um are ones that we hadn't borrowed for previously. The other three are the same that you saw on the principal payown tab. Um, so these are interest cost estimates based on kind of what the interest rates are in the market and what we as a town um experienced for interest rates on
short-term notes. >> Do do you know is there any rule of thumb as to how much debt a municipal municipality might typically have like a percent of revenue or anything? >> Yeah, there are guidelines kind of based on like what how much you can't go over.
There is a debt um limit. I don't know off the top of my head what our debt limit is here. We're not >> doesn't seem like we're approaching it. No, >> we've looked at it in the past. I think certain borrowings are excluded as well. >> Exactly. Yeah. >> So, some of the bigger projects like if we had to borrow to replace like
something happened at Norris or we just needed to put a big school and I think it's exempted from the the cap. >> Yeah. Yeah. >> Mhm. >> So, what's your time frame for borrowing on these? you think? >> Um, >> the three that we currently have outstanding, it's in like 3 weeks
probably that we'll have the new amounts. So, I will have like actual interest numbers for those amounts shortly. And then I'm planning on borrowing for the newer amounts. Um, like 3 to 4 weeks after that one settles. So, >> so this won't affect the budget too much because that's already been debt excluded. So, that'll just go towards
the tax rate. And then the only one that would affect it is the >> high and that's a fairly small borrowing. them. >> So somewhere by April, those would be >> Yep. We'll have act I'll have actual numbers for those by April. Um yeah, hopefully they come in better than that,
you know. >> So do you mind if I do employee benefits? >> Me? >> No. Do you mind if I do? >> No. >> Okay. >> Um so just to talk about employee benefits, now we're going to transition to the townwide expenses. Um so we're
still a lot of yellow here. Um one thing that came in was our retirement contri contribute contributotory um which went from 11 you know 1.15 last year to 1.2 uh so that goes to our Hampshire County group um Hampshire County retirement group and
they handle all of our our retirement things. So we give them the amount and they send us the the bill. Uh workers comp will probably be the same. I mean unemployment comp. C can I ask a question about the um retirement? Aren't we on some kind of schedule to zero out
the underfunded piece of it? Is that the one by 2030 or something? Is it is that the category? >> Yes, that goes towards it. >> So, we're paying extra. So, in theory, it we'll get to a year and I thought it was like 20. We'll be paying less each
year because we'll have caught up. Does that any of that sound like a >> Are you talking about the the payout plan for the Hampshire County? >> Not the OPE. So the OPE we we don't we don't preund um but the the pension obligations we do. >> Okay. >> So it's part of getting all caught up
over I 40 or something like that. Yeah. >> Is that the line though? >> Okay. Yep. >> So So that should go down at some point. It's also I mean it's also like as the salaries increase you know is it gonna I
don't know >> I'm sorry. So going from this point or when we did that we're are we fully funding the pension obligations >> and then and then the catch up so that it doesn't happen again. >> Yeah. >> So so yes
>> we'll be we'll be 100% funded once this thing is paid off. That's good. And does that include not only the town employees but the school um the Hampshire regional? >> Mhm. >> Well, not Hampshire Regional, but the teachers are Norris teachers. >> Norris teachers, but not Hampshire
regional teachers. Yeah. Just Nor. >> Yeah. Okay. >> Um so we have unemployment compensation for self-insured. Obviously that could change. Um group health retirey is still going to be a question mark until um GIC enrollment. It's not as big of a number
as our activives obviously. Um the big one is our group health active. And as I mentioned last time, we're not going to know until probably May 1st, May 2nd, the day of town meeting what our um actual numbers are going to be. Just to give you an idea. So I did uh 1,475.
Um so these are just some quick estimates. So the first one is GIC is probably going to be about 10% this year. I'm going to know tomorrow morning. They're going to have their rate setting meeting. Hopefully they postponed it. Um on their average is going to be a 10%. So we don't know if it could be 8% or 12%. Um, but if
everything stayed the same currently and we took our most popular, moved that into H& we took our higher, more expensive, move that into like the Harvard program explorer, um, that would be about 1,471.
If we were able to move more people to H& like I'm hoping and what most other municipalities are like around 90%. Um the total would be 1,351 and that's with a 10% increase. If we were to stay in the Hampshire County
Group Insurance Trust Oops. >> It'd be free. Um, >> it's such a big number we couldn't print it. >> There's some litigation in that free amount that we're going to have to >> There you go. 1 81 84.
So, and that's with the 16% increase that they're going to probably have this year. So, >> wow. >> So, where So, the budget amount here, Scott, prior FY26 budget, the 1.1, does
that did that also um incorporate the midyear billings? So, that's all right. So, where were we with that? So, we were at 1 point I'm just trying to track my we were like 1.1 then it was 380,000. How much? >> Um, it was like 325.
>> We had an even number. So, we're right around like 1.4 a little over 1.4 million. So, you know, best case scenario, we go down a little bit. Worst case scenario, this could actually go over 1.5. Still better than 1.8.
>> Yeah, for sure. So I questioned this last year too, but you've got all the benefits in this one category rather than allocating them to the individual departments. >> Is that just because that's the way we do it or >> if I'm seeing the school I think I'd like to see the school all in and know
what the school's costing. >> Oh, we we can get those numbers for you. That's easy. Yeah. But if we Yeah. If we were going to do it individually just be like so much so much more lines and stuff. you might though because I mean I think that's is that what you're saying that you know we just see >> I don't know how much information would be gleaned if we broke it down by
>> still big numbers >> um but but yeah it's like the school the school costs the town a certain amount of money which includes the insurance benefits for all the employees there and that's where most of them are. >> Yeah. Yeah. >> And I think that's that's always been the challenge to try and present that >> clearly to people so that they
understand that yeah okay the the salaries are on the school budget whatever but the town is absorbing all the benefits whether that's retirement, unemployment, >> whatever, whatever. That's that's all of on on our side somehow. So, >> I mean, we could get a census kind of of
>> the school employees that are uh benefits eligible and just kind of apply that percentage to each of those costs and say like, you know, 65% of this cost is >> you know, allocated to Norris School or >> in terms of the total employees, I mean, there are obviously the number of employees.
>> You don't even need to say the numbers. kind of figure in your head. >> Yeah, what what the reality is >> a large number of employees there compared to town offices, >> right? I I've been really and this is I know appropriate to say this meeting but I'm really disappointed in the discussion at the state level
>> about changing I mean Scott was a little vocal about it on the old insurance group but they're they're not talking about making any changes to the plan such that costs are going to be >> well status the state is a little bit um
if you look so this is not a huge amount of changes but um if you look at the this is Hampshire County. They're actually trying to actually finally make changes too. >> Um but yeah, some of the things with the state there, it's not going to be major changes, but they are looking to change
some things like increasing the ER co-pay. A lot of the stuff probably wouldn't impact our active employees as much because it's things like durable medical equipment. >> Um things like that. So it's uh increase ER co-ay, urgent care co-pay. Um this actually wouldn't impact a lot of Health
New England people because it's not tiered. So it's just one. So that be the more popular plans and same thing with specialists. So >> it's just it's just nibbling around the edges. I mean the cost of pharmaceuticals. >> Yeah. >> And the fact that our property taxes are being used to pay for other people's
>> So when you actually look look at it when you you think oh you're going to increase the $20 or $50 or $100. It actually if you look in that one column the rate reduction actually doesn't make a huge impact on the things like this is from the GIC. And then if you look at what the Hampshire County Group
Insurance Trust is doing, where's the uh so it don't doesn't make a huge believe it or not when you where'd it go? Yeah. So factoring it might be a little bit less than 1%. So adding a deductible would only decrease the Hampshire County
group insurance rates by 1%. Going from zero to 25500. >> You had said before that they were thinking of dropping the weight loss drugs. Are they going to is a H is Hampshire County going to do it? >> Uh Hampshire County already did. The GIC the governor wants to the GIC is pushing
back, but they've in instituted a new program, the the veto program where it's more regulated. So you have to do special weight loss counseling, things like that. You have to be a certain BMI. You have to have like a legitimate thing. So >> multiple diagnosis for it.
>> Yep. Exactly. So there's it's a much more controlled um prescription. And um they are coming down in cost. >> Yes. >> Pretty significant, >> which is another reason that you could argue that someone who wants to buy them could afford to buy them themselves.
>> Low how low the deductibles are plans. >> But I mean on the other hand, you know, if you spend $10,000 and someone doesn't get a heart attack, that would cost $150,000. >> That's a theory that never comes out and you can't you can't track it. So you'll never know.
>> Well, and same thing with workers comp. So, if we do all these programs to reduce our workers comp from a million to 500,000, they can how do you really know it's just not luck versus what you've done? >> Yeah. >> Okay.
>> So, um I was just getting ready for tomorrow's meeting with the GIC. >> Uh let me just bring it back here. Um, so group life, again, you know, we're out the bid on that stuff, so we don't know what's going to be, but it's it's not a lot of money. It'll probably be
similar. Um, the two things I do want to point out is the mitigation fund. So, this is part of what we owe for the GIC. So, so it' be about 3,2500 for the next two years, and then whatever is remaining out of that $90,000 will be split evenly. >> The other thing is, >> what is that, Scott?
>> So, we had to we had to give 25% of our first year savings to the unions. >> Okay. So, um, that's going towards their FSAs and administrative costs. Um, the other thing is our runout claims. So, leaving the Hampshire Group Insurance Trust, never mind whatever potential
legal options that we have. So, if we don't pick legal options, then we do owe our runout claims. So, that's another story. But, um, the state has allowed us to, uh, more I always say >> amortize >> amortize that over five years. The one
thing I want to make sure though is that we don't we won't know what that's going to be for probably about four, five, six months what it actually is going to be. I don't want to wait 5 years and get a bill for $300,000. But, you know, I don't want to put too much in, but I think we need to start
building up at least something to start paying for it. Um, whatever that could be. I mean, it could be 100,000, it could be 300, we don't know. It could be 50, >> could be zero, could be 500. just start by having a budget line and put some money in reserve for them. >> So, I put 25,000. That's just a
guesstimate of it's just something to get started. >> So, so in hindsight, do you still think it's a good idea to move to the uh the new insurance? >> Um, >> yes. >> 18%. >> Yeah.
>> Or 16% change. Yeah. From million eight down to maybe a million future as well. I also think too the GIC is backed by the Commonwealth. So >> the Commonwealth will bail out the GIC, which is kind of what Hampshire County
was looking for and >> the Commonwealth's not going to do that for, you know, individual trusts. But >> the reality though is it's our tax dollars either way. >> Yeah. >> We're paying it through property taxes or we're going to pay it through income taxes. >> All right. Anything else on employee
benefits? That's >> No, that's that's it for that. It's a big still a big question mark. >> Yeah. >> Um the other big uh so the other items that we have is our town shared expenses.
So that we have our employment advertising, our postage. I I wrote I raised about $2,000. Obviously things are going to go up. That stamps always go up. So, is that some of Lucy's postage or No, >> no, that's just town postage. >> Oh, town postage. Okay. >> Yeah. Uh, our legal expenses, which is
going to be a big question mark. So, we have the Hampshire County Insurance Trust. I mentioned we have the bridge issue, which I I've been talking to board. We have a lot of solar issues that are coming up. We have a lot of health cases, quality of life cases that we
have coming up. We have I mean things like a right to carry um lawsuit coming up. Um so we have a lot of stuff coming up next year. um we can certainly lower that and you know move things out but
um going into next year I I mean this is again it's a guesstimate but um I think we need some money coming up especially with like the solar stuff and all the things coming up. Um, our legal budget's always been like 25
$26,000 and we've always been kind of >> squeeze out of it. But >> is is this going to cover, you'd mentioned it, I think at our select board meeting about eventually with the um East Street renovation and eventually the greenway that we'll be involved with some of those >> takings or whatever. >> It's going to be much more than this.
>> It wouldn't cover that. >> Okay. It' be a separate thing. >> Separate. >> I mean, yeah. And other lane acquisitions would Yeah. >> Yeah. >> I don't know. 50 seems high but okay. >> Um land taking sounds really expensive.
>> It's going to be >> um weights and measures. We get that through the state. Um this is actually going to be deleted. That's our state assessments and towns and I redid the revenue. So that's just going to be a reduction from our uh cherry sheet money. Um Pioneer Valley Planning
Commission our contribution. Um this is our insurance. So, we've gotten a um 0% increase for this year and a guaranteed 2 and a half% no more than 2 and a half% for next year. But this also includes things that uh don't include that. So, our CH insurance,
which is like our um our 111F for police and fire and also our storage tank for the um the for highway department. So, that could go up. That's a separate outside of that. Um so, that's I put a little I built in a little bit more money in case we got a big increase for
that. And then peg programming. We'll probably probably delete this one as well. Um since that's a direct cost from the money that we get in back to Eastampton Media. So we'll probably just delete that. Um >> well or to show it as an in and then out or something. So that I mean >> yeah positive and a negative. Yep.
>> I wouldn't get rid of it all together. I would just show that >> doesn't stay with us. >> Um so the town IT budget so IT capital and equipment. Um there's some things that we want to work on. Um, obviously laptops are basic things of switching
things out. Uh, one of the projects, unfortunately, the grant's not going to be available for another year, is connecting the fire station to our network, which which will cost a couple thousand dollars, but it would also balance out because then we could use the one internet and they wouldn't have to do a separate charter account. Um,
currently the police department and fire department are all joining Microsoft 365 through a grant that we receive. Um, Novas is doing that as well. So there's, you know, it's about a $50,000 uh changeover. Um but that's going to move forward. Um our communications, we did
switch over to VoIP on the police and fire um about a month ago. So that's still in yellow. We have to toss that out. Um our webpage hosting, I did increase it just because uh we do contract with someone to clean it up every once in a while. So, it's more a little bit more than our hosting, but we
have a professional uh person that comes in uh who who eventually who actually built the website comes in and cleans things up. So, it's a couple hundred a month that that we would try to do. Um our managed services that went up by about $10,000. Um that's with our
Novvice. Uh so, Novvice does all of our security, our firewall, they do our tech support. Um they're basically an IT department that we contract out for. Um so they're doing the project over there. They do our infrastructure, our uh Wi-Fi, uh things like that.
Um the software licensing, uh so that's primarily made up of three big sources. The first one is our Microsoft 365 licenses. Um we're expanding that a little bit because of the police and the fire are going to be on it as well this year. So they have their own domain names. That's going to be expanding to Microsoft. So we have to absorb the cost
for um those. Um, that's going to be anywhere from 20 to $25,000 for those licenses. Uh, our Vader license is a little over $17,000. Um, I am exploring potentially some additional modules that they have. I'm trying to get some
quotes. So, right now, our VDAR system is very basic. It doesn't have a purchase order system. It doesn't have a budgeting system, >> which is why we do it in Excel. >> Um, so there's a few options. So if if they're cost effective, I I want
to, you know, it's a few thousand a year just to save it on budgeting where we can actually pull out the actual numbers from Vadar into the spreadsheet and you can actually not spreadsheet but the the print out and actually see it. It would save a significant amount of time. Um and then our near map uh licenses for like the assessors and building and
health department. They use that. Um one thing is our new e- permitting that we instituted. Um so this is at it rose. So before it was just the cost for the building department. So, with the uh additional four or five departments coming on, it's going to increase. However, we can reduce that by $4,000.
Um the amount of money that we pay that the the traffic that we get on our building software could eliminate the $4,000 for the building software part of it. So, we would add tack on a small fee um for that and then that would go into the building department and that would just pay directly for that, which is our
biggest part of it. Um, but that would have to be into approved by the select board and then uh put onto the fees. I >> mean, one would hope that those would eventually cover their costs, right? >> I mean, whether that's the fees that are charged for >> um permits, >> the building department could be self-sufficient, but there's not enough
traffic for like the um like the dog licenses or health department to make that self-sufficient. >> Well, Lucy sounded like there's a lot of dogs. >> I think the license is only like $10 or something. So, >> I mean, we don't want to make a $100 license. True. >> The fire department is using it now
also. >> Yeah. >> And then highway has yet to start using it right there. >> Right now health is finishing up and then yeah highway will be the last. >> Good. >> Um and then finally we have >> pretty good off Scott. Um so the the
managed IT services like that's increasing at you know 20 to almost 30% a year. Mhm. >> Um I I don't you know I don't know what's in that kind of that bid, but it's a pretty big run rate year-over-year. So
what is the is the main driver additional systems we're adding? Like what's their justification for each year, you know, jacking up the contract 20%. >> This is notice comes in what? every two weeks. Got it. >> Y
>> So, this is their budget plan. A lot of it is um the um $900, so about $1,800 for implementation of the new um the Huntress and the Harmony Advanced email system, >> which is what
>> um better security for email. >> I'm still not 100, you know, but they're recommending that as well as our uh firewall. So replacement the water department will pay for their own that. So
>> So they're coming up with above their managed services kind of out of scope that they are proposing each year. >> It's good to be at it. >> Yeah. >> And you said so is none of that is able to be covered through a grant process.
Really? So, I mean, if if we could, but we used the the last grant that we got was for the um uh the transition from MS 3 uh to 365. >> We can get grants, but they're only like every couple years >> for the IT community compact one.
>> Mhm. >> But we've got a cyber security one now, right, that's going to be implemented, >> right? >> Yeah. Okay. >> Working on that one. >> Mhm. I mean, do you think the the Novas I mean the 525 I mean is that are you comfortable with that or is that
>> are we using all that? I mean is it really >> Yeah, I think I mean we can not do the additional security. I mean we can not do that. Um we'd have to talk a little bit in Novvis to see how much we get but I mean I
think we do need a new firewall in in town hall so that's pretty much something that we have to do. Our firewall currently is no longer in service or in support um or being updated or anything like that. >> And is everything in terms of a server, do we have we have a physical server now
or is everything in the cloud? >> We do have a physical server which you don't really need cuz everything's in the cloud. So um for our maintenance budget, um so for town hall, we have our utilities. We would just do a cost. We have to finish out the cost analysis, but everything's
pretty much going up. Um, we have our waste management. So, I'm waiting for Randall to give me the estimate, but it's probably going to go up a little bit from the 26,000. So, what we did was we combined all the departments from paying their own waste management. So, the library would pay it, the police would pay it, the fire would pay it, the hall would pay it, um, the substate, you
know, water would pay it. So, we just said, Randall, give us one bill for the transfer station, which is an enterprise fund. We'll just do it that way. So, it makes it a little bit easier. And then town hall expenses. So, last year it was $35,000. Um, we have some things we have
to do like we have a quote for putting a cap on the sewer pipe in the wall um for $5,000. Um, things are starting to fall apart. We've had our second sprinkler, which is another $2,000 each time it pops. We had our heating system, which
was $4,000. Uh the second time it broke down was probably helped the shrinker pop because there's no longer heat in the vestibule for the council on aging. So um yeah, this I mean we have to we're going to have to
do um some significant capital improvements uh on this. So it is starting to I don't even talk about the roofing above us, but yeah. and Dave Dave our our custodian who's part-time at 19 hours um has done an amazing job
um saving us a ton of money. Um things like you know um so when we have a power outage, no one knew about it, but if you flick the switch to reset it, I was ready to call Johnson Controls to come out and and do it and that's another 500 $600 $700 and he's I'll look at it. He found the switch, he reset it, it's back
on on plan. So um he does all the plumbing, all that stuff. So he's um Dave's a very valuable asset and he does more than just custodial work. He's he's really a facilities manager. >> But that 19 hours for Dave, is that just town hall or that's everything? So he's doing library and police too, right?
>> Library, police, and town hall. >> Yep. And it's not really enough. >> So >> is he able to do more? >> Uh does he want to do more? >> We have a second hours. >> Yeah. But what about a second part
sometime? Maybe not this year, but >> um >> if there's enough work to be done, >> what I would my my goal is to start discussions with the different departments, especially with uh the school department and seeing if we can do combined facilities maintenance plan,
>> which makes a lot more sense because now we would have a team of custodians that go to the school during, you know, the end of the summer, end of the school year to clean and then beginning to get ready, but then when there's no kids, come here, do a deep clean for town hall, deep clean, you know, so there's a better shared resources right Now it's
just compartmentalized. >> So it doesn't make sense to me. >> Mhm. >> So, you know, Johanna had to order her own boiler door, >> you know, things like that. And, you know, I'm not a facilities maintenance manager, but if we had, you know, someone to manage, and we do have a lot of assets. We have Norris School, we
have Town Hall, we have two fire departments, one's, well, one and a half, whatever you count that as. Um, the library, we have the parks pavilion. We have a lot of facilities out there. Um so if we had you know a professional person with some experience to actually you know oversee everything and dedicate
resources and actually have a cleaning schedule for all the facilities you know toilets on this day and this has to be certain standard and you know things like that maintenance with air filters that's a long longer term longer term goal cemetery that's another big asset that
we we're struggling to maintain by the way. though >> for G our um electric utilities bills um any thoughts about ways to do some reduction there? I mean way back when there had been talk about looking for
grants for a solar thing out behind the fire station to see if that could power town hall. >> Um >> would that be of any use? I mean it's I mean >> not in the short term. >> That'd be a bigger project. So um so that's our townwide expenses
>> quite a bit >> questions anybody >> and there's a I mean we can always you know we can take a little bit off of it but I mean these are really our it's almost like oneird of one quarter of our budget is set expenses
Are there any other kind of like uh I don't know equipment maintenance contracts or anything like that that are coming up that could be >> I'm not sure how much the how long the Johnson Controls one is but I'll check that out like our HVAC guys or whoever or is or maybe is Dave doing some of
that now with the the filters and stuff. So maybe we're not using >> Well, he's he's trying to >> Yeah. >> There was who's the other one? BG mechanical or whoever they were. There we are. >> And then the elevator is another big problem. That's why I use it. You pay so much for it. I might as well get some
use out of it. >> Yeah. >> You have no idea the cost is tens of thousands of dollars. >> I hope they'll change your healthcare funding later if you're not taking qualified for. >> Okay.
Guess anybody else have any thoughts, questions, Doug? Anything? >> No. Thank you. >> Okay. Well, thanks. Appreciate >> it. Thank you so much. >> Yeah. Nice to meet you. >> Nice to meet you. Yeah, I know. We don't cross paths very often. >> I know.
>> Trying to just keep my head down in my office. >> There you go. That was a smart idea. >> Especially as a collector. >> Exactly. >> It's better not living in the town you're the collector as. When I was in Westfield, everyone's like, you know, I went to school with your dad. I'm like,
great. >> Thanks. Bye, guys. >> I think you're next. take a look at the account budget. >> So, one thing I do want to just mention mostly it's actually gone down a little bit. We do want to go out to bid for our independent audit. So, currently we use
CBiz um or actually she actually was one of the leading that. So, there's there's some other auditors out there that we want to explore. Um scan a few others that um we're not going to transition till after we get the FI24 done. But for the FI25, we want to go out and probably bid and think about maybe transition.
Don't know how much that's going to be yet. Um, >> yeah, we had been at a reasonable rate. We were in the high 20s maybe for a long time. >> Mhm. >> And then all of a sudden we did a gigantic jump. >> But um yeah,
>> um Bradley runs I think you run a pretty lean operation there. >> So I broke out last year the $1,50 estimate. So, I had $150 for miscellaneous expenses. So, that was office supplies or any
uh yeah, office supplies, but also I was planning on using uh shredding service, which I never got around to doing. Uh $200 was for our copier lease agreement that every few months they contact me
and ask me how much printing how much how many pages I printed on my printer and then they give me a bill. >> You said zero, right? >> No, I >> So that's the printer in your copier in your office. >> So it could be 20 to $40 each bill. So I
estimate four per fiscal year. So, it was $200. Uh, $350 was for my MMA classes at UMass, which is the Massachusetts Municipal Accounting and Auditors Association Education Program.
I did not attend last year. I don't believe I'm attending this year. So, but I keep a budget just in case if I do go. There's $300 budgeted for or 1099. So every calendar year I need to send out
1099 to the IRS and to our vendors who qualify who are non corporate entities as in partners and sole proprietors, lawyers, anything that over $600 we need to report to the government. >> So that's
another charge I need to budget for and then $50 for my membership to the MMA. So that's,50. I would be fine with that. If you want to argue any more, I can go down $50,
make a hundred. >> Budget crisis solved. >> I would like to big project would be to shred a bunch of paper in my office. I have big piles of paper that I need to get rid of. >> I think that we we need to do some serious house cleaning in that regard. I
I would think that's well worth I know Lucy said she's got to do a lot of permanent records, but there's definitely records that we've used um where the Valley Valley Green out of Westfield usually have been our go-to entity. And we still got a whole upstairs in the old town hall that's full of
>> old tech stuff, old stuff. It's just >> I wish I could open a window up there and throw it out be shredded. But >> can't just get an open bird permit. >> Yeah, you just got to carry it down three floors. That was my point that too. >> But anyway, >> I'm going to slide out the window.
>> I know. I I would like to do that. Anyway, go ahead. Sorry. >> Yeah. Currently, this fiscal year, I've spent $399.40, so about 40% of my budget. >> I don't expect any big expenses remaining fiscal year. So, it's another
source of transfer of departmental transfers at the end. But yeah, that's my main uh expense line other than my two wage lines. Myself and my assistant will be returning in April.
Assistant has taken a long winter break. >> Mhm. >> Are you finding, you know, having that assistant though as as a help? I know we went for a long time with you solo before we even got an assistant. So, He's very uh qualified. He didn't have
any municipal experience, but he's willing to listen and he has accounting experience or at least CPA and any task I assign him, he can do quite well. He helps me with warrants, reviewing revenue postings, and he has been a big
help with uh our uh procurement projects. He's helped me draft uh big documents and review things with me and cuz he's done it in the past and I appreciate his help with that. >> Okay.
>> So the the amount budgeted for audit though. So we're that isn't our actual cost for now for the current contract we have is it's not 55 for this coming year, is it? >> No. No. U so 49 um this year and then uh we don't know what it's going to be. >> We don't know what it's going to be. So
that's >> Yeah. We haven't got out to bid yet. >> Right. Right. >> We're going to try to get some quotes, >> right? >> And then we can, you know, get a little more. >> Yeah. >> Scott was saying earlier that it sounds like we have a we're on track to get the
audits done, get it to where we need them to be to get a credit rating. >> Uh, yeah, Bradley, you just submitted like 30 documents over the weekend. >> That was one vendor warrant inquiry. >> Scan a bunch of things to them. Yeah, we're hoping to get free cash. Uh the
school just finished up last week, so we're work the next priority is getting free cash certified. >> Okay. >> So, this this we're getting the information from the school that we schools that we need. >> Yes. >> Now, we are okay. >> Yeah. >> I won't say anything more about that. >> Mhm.
>> Yeah. But I think the the notion will be once we get everything in and actually complete the 24 audit or get information, we got to have the audit done right before we can really get our credit rating back. Is that correct? >> That's great. >> Closer than we've been.
>> Yeah, >> for sure. >> Yeah. >> Unfortunate. >> Well, we been without >> a long time. We just And when I started, we were on FY22. >> Yeah. probably about four years probably.
Pretty close to having Yeah. And that was because why? I think because we just got way behind. I think we were right. I think Yeah. At the time we had a we had a time period where we didn't we didn't have an accountant for quite a while. We had a attempt service
in before Bradley came >> and the schools as well. when the schools were in their >> right >> their chaos mode and just we just we couldn't get anything done on on a deadline that made any sense. Um so making making good progress >> slow and steady that's great. It's
>> yeah do >> as long as we can do it. >> Do you uh you want to wait and just do your regular town administrator budget later a different night or >> um yeah I can whenever it's >> for select board I mean I don't know we we were going to do it the other night and then we didn't do it right. I think John just kind of brushed over it.
>> Oh, do Well, do you want to talk about that the capital line thing though or is that is that >> the capital or >> where is that where that is in your >> um No. So, I did do this the separate capital budget but that had I haven't given the presentation yet. >> Then no then let's not No, I thought you
were putting in something else. Okay, never mind. So, basically just in your budget there was just you and you and Judy basically and then >> and land use planner. Yeah. >> And the land use planner. >> Yeah. And then uh select board is just minutes and dues.
>> So we have somebody taking our minutes, transcribing our minutes basically. >> Yeah, I'll talk I missed the capital plan. I'll talk about that later. >> Okay. >> Is the land use planner new or is that something? >> It was budgeted last year. We were supposed to do a transition for 3 months from the current concom that we pay
part-time to a full-time position. So that the concom position wouldn't wouldn't have existed in 3 months. But unfortunately with the health care costs that happened in in July and then again in October that was it was just too much money to um go forward with that position. So we were going to do a
transition but um it just wasn't feasible. But it would be a combination >> for the planning board. >> Um planning board, conservation, zoning board of appeals, open space, greenway, um highway department as well, um
economic development. So it's it's a position that we sorely need. Um just because we have so much stuff. I mean, even just the solar stuff alone, we're all kind of, you know, it's a difficult thing. So >> Mhm. >> So yeah. so that as we get down to the
the final presentations and where we are, we'll be looking at that one, I'm sure. But, you know, it's it's a challenge because I think planning board has been asking for somebody for help for a long time, too. And then our our currently our compound person works two days >> uh 16 hours.
>> 16 hours a week. But again with with all these there's so many regulatory things that they have to manage you know from from the state that they have to publicize hearings and you hold public hearings and all these crazy things that they have to do for
permitting etc. But >> I mean even just like the solar field just someone to do an inventory of you know where are our planning and you know what's the appropriate way to go you know is the solar >> sure >> place good here or not or >> right okay
>> and then you also manage our chapter and things like that. >> Yeah the um one thing if if I can ask Bradley on our famous utilities for town hall Bradley knows what I'm going to ask. our famous cow power account. Have we ever really
figured out? So we we pay into is it Belden aggregate? Is that right? Up in Hatfield I believe. So it's it's basically um um a bio gas entity. We we pay into it but then we get credits on our Eversource and I guess on our gas bill too. No.
>> Just just Eversource. Okay. >> And so it always looks like we're paying into this thing. It's like and we're getting these credits but I know at one point you were trying to analyze it. Do you feel like we're are we at least breaking even or are we are we ahead of the game because we're part of this or is it do you have a sense of that anymore? It
>> doesn't really feel that way. >> Yeah. >> But like when I look at the libraryies Eversource bill, it says they have an $12,000 credit on their bill. So they'll never be paying the Eversource for very long time. >> Wow. >> It's just they get charged $600 a month
for this uh uh credit. And then there's the LSDP which is the same type of program. So we have two vendors that are charging us each month and it really adds up to and it strains the libraries budget. It strains the police budget. It
strains the town hall lectures budget. So it really doesn't feel like we're saving a lot of money. But I don't have any concrete numbers. >> How would we It feels I'd like to someday I mean I've been asking this for like three years now at least. Someday I'd like to have a presentation of
somebody that could talk to us about this and show us why. >> Yeah. >> I mean, philosophically, philosophically, I'm fine with the idea, but >> you know, are we really, you know, gaining anything, you know, you know, are the credits that we're getting on the average bill really?
>> Yeah. Yeah. Um, that's why we call it cow power. >> I guess >> you got it. But, um, um, yeah, it' be nice. So maybe once we get through >> budget season, but I think it would be nice to have a explanation about this just to see where we
>> where we stand with this because it's it's >> it's confusing. I mean to say the least and and for you to sit down the time it takes I mean I don't know. You got to obviously look at every source bill that comes in for all the different departments and figure out what all the credits are, right? And then apply them.
Well, they would be getting zero dollar bills and they would be handing it to me and I would see a big credit on their uh Eversource bill, but every month I get two bills. I charge the town hall electrical account and then we process the warrant and then I have to do a
journal entry to separate the charge out to each department individually. >> And a little bit of time. >> Yeah. >> Well, that too. So I mean if if there's anything you know so we're talking about other things with I know our IT costs are not not staying static but you
mentioned another module or something with Var I would at least like to get some ideas about that because I think not having a purchase were system and not you know having a system where I know you've been frustrated about budgets and you know it's like you can't quite match you know income and expense
easily and there's got to be budget modules that make this a whole lot easier and and maybe would save some time on Bradley's end, too. So, I don't know what what they cost, but I'm sure we, you know, we just didn't take advantage of them when we were ordering VR way back when, but um I think it
might be good to explore that going forward, too. Okay. Well, I think that's all we can talk about tonight pretty much. So, thanks everybody for your attendance and discussion and questions. And um we will
call this one quits at about 7:20. And uh >> this government meeting is brought to you by Eastworks and our local cable subscribers.