This government meeting is brought to you by Eastworks and our local cable subscribers. I think Okay. I'm going to call to order the meeting of the Southampton Select Board for January 20th, 2026 at 6:01 p.m. If we could start by standing and saying the pledge of
allegiance. >> I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America and to the republic for which it stands, one nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all.
Okay. All right, we have a quorum tonight. I'm not positive whether John is joining us or not, but we have the three of us, so that allows us to keep on going. Uh, anyone here for citizen speak? Something that's not on the agenda? Yeah, come on
up. >> Uh, Bruce Bowman, 202 Pomeroy Meadow Road. I have two items for the select board and uh Scott to consider. um being new to Massachusetts still and new to how things work here. Um uh one item is
the process of when the warrants come out and the amount of information that is available to the public when a warrant is available. The warrant comes out uh with all its articles uh well in advance with no substantiating documents as to why something may have entered
into a warrant to be voted on at a town meeting. uh that engenders a lot of speculation and uh potential confusion amongst the residents and I was just wondering about the appropriateness of um at the time that a warrant is
published that there's a town meeting coming up if some supporting documentation could be there for each article that is being presented so that uh the residents can in advance know a little bit more as to the reasoning as to why something is showing up. So
that's item number one just uh for consideration. Number two um because we live in a small town and there isn't a town newspaper and communication is an issue. Um uh I was talking with some friends about the feasibility of putting
up signs in and strategic places in town analogous to a real estate sign. Uh different uh residents could potentially volunteer to post a sign when there's a town meeting coming up. Um, and that way, uh, you know, I see on social media that there are a lot of people that are
disinterested or upset that communication isn't better, but if signs could go up in strategic places in town saying town meeting this Saturday or whatever it is and then it's up for a week and the resident brings it in and
uh, that would be another way to get the word out and get more people engaged. Thank you. >> Thank you. >> All right. Both interesting ideas. have to take those under consideration. Thank you. All right. Anybody else? Okay. All right. So, with our agenda, we
have a presentation tonight. However, unless anyone objects, I would like to move up uh one item on the agenda, and that's our PCF for our interim director for the library, Andrea Clair, because I know she has to go back to work tonight at
the library. Um, so given that she popped over here, um, Andrea, would you like to come on up and just say a few words about your background? And >> I so move. >> Yes. Thank you. Sorry about that. Yes. Do we all agree? Yes. Okay. Thanks. We we just put you up a little bit quicker
in the order of the agenda. So, give us a little bit of background and then we'll take a look at the um the personnel action. >> Sure. Um, thank you for having me. Um, I have been the youth librarian at the Edwards Public Library for, uh, about two and a half years now. Uh, and I've
been working with Johanna Douglas, our, um, previous director who just retired and who we miss, um, to hopefully follow in her footsteps and continue taking the library to some wonderful new places. >> And how about a little bit about your background before coming here?
>> Sure. Um uh I have been in uh public libraries for uh over 10 years. I have a master's degree from Simmons uh in library science. Um I attended Mount Holio low so many years ago. Um and got
my bachelor's degree. Uh I worked at the um Long Meadow Library. Uh and when I moved to Western Massachusetts from Boston, that was a wonderful public library and a a much bigger community. I've worked in all aspects of library work from uh youth reference desk to
circulation uh and it's really a wonderful field and I'm so excited to be landing here in Southampton. >> Great. Okay. Thank you very much. >> How long have you been on board? >> Yeah. >> Uh I started in April of 2023. >> Great.
>> So, so for three summers is the way that I think of it in terms of summer reading for the youth department. Yes. >> Right. >> Very good. Okay. Thank you. We just want have a chance for people to meet you that may not have met you before. So, >> anybody have the PCF handy in front of you or if not?
>> Um, I don't yet. >> It's coming. >> Would you like to make a move? >> Ellen can make a motion. We got >> I move that we act on PCF, but I don't think details. >> Yeah. >> Okay. What am I doing? >> You're just gonna read that. um to uh we
want to appoint move to appoint uh Andrea Clair uh to full-time there's the >> interim director >> interim director of the Southampton library. >> Mhm. Okay. And this would take effect uh as of the 19th. So right now take effect
immediately as Johanna has basically already retired. Um and this just uh I lost one thing here. Sorry. Um, right. So, this would be uh interim director 35 hours a week uh at uh 3154
an hourly rate. Okay. All those in favor? >> Oh. >> Oh, second. Sorry. >> I think you've got a motion and a second if you flex. Yeah, >> my second. >> But however, um discussion. >> I Yep. Go ahead. Discussion. Okay. Um,
the citizenry is very focused on the fact that there's a hiring freeze and we're in fiscal peril. And so I would like to have an explanation I understand, but I'd like for the
record about how this is a fiscally prudent step and not a aberration from a hiring freeze. >> Okay. Thank you. >> Sure, Scott. >> So, the 3154 is a step I1, which is generally the next highest step of a
person performing out of rank duty. So, um, Andrew is going to be working as interim director for the next several months, while also the pre position she previously held is going to be vacant for the time being. >> So, we're not back filling behind her right at this point in time. We've got to get through this fiscal year right
now. And so, she'll be filling in as the interim director. >> Wanted that on the record. >> Okay. Very good. Anything else? >> No. >> All right. Okay. So, we have a motion and a second on the floor to appoint AndreaLlair as the interim library director. All those in favor? >> I
>> I All right. Thank you. Welcome, John. Thanks. All right. So, so be it. It is. Yeah. Okay. So, we'll we'll let you go back to the uh duties at the library. Yes, indeed. >> Don't buy anytime. >> Thank you.
Okay. Uh I think uh let's see next up we have a presentation tonight from the basically the senior center building committee with support maybe from the COA board or whomever else is around. So I'll call on Janet I guess. Come on up.
>> We'll start here anyway. Um sorry. Good evening. I'm Janet Kaine 83 Glendale Road. I'm the co-chair of the senior center building committee and the vice chair of the COA board. Um, thank
you to the building committee members and the COA board members for coming. I I think I'd just like to call a joint meeting to order for both the senior center building committee and the COA board. Okay. >> Okay. Officially. And again, thank you to the select board
for um adding us to your agenda tonight. It's been a while since we've been in front of you. So, or maybe never. Um it's it's been 5 months since the senior center building committee decided to withdraw um from the special town
meeting warrant our article requesting a debt exclusion to build a new senior center. The main reason for this change was a clear understanding of the challenges facing our town especially the rising cost of insurance and knowing that the general fund could not support
another standalone building at this time. However, the building committee will continue to explore all options in town, including potential buildings that are or may be on the market in the future. We know we know that the funding needed plus the taxpayers's appetite to
support a debt exclusion for a new center is not feasible this year and perhaps over many the next years. The committee members do understand that the police and the fire department have major challenges within their current facilities as well.
We hope to continue to meet as a committee as we help explore interim solutions for senior center. The current space in the center is not sustainable considering the growing numbers of participants. A need for a larger senior center still exists and will only
continue to grow over the upcoming years. We will continue to explore through the friends of council on aging and the grant committee fundraising and grant opportunities. We are not here this evening to ask you for more money, but to collaborate with
you on a viable solution for better space utilization within town hall and to help bridge the time between today's current challenges and a future standalone senior center. For example, we know that this room that we are all in right now sits empty most of the time
during open hours of town hall. The senior center staff does take advantage of the space but are faced with many restrictions due to the wiring and the large tables being tethered by the microphones to the microphones. Hopefully you've had a chance to read
our letter from December outlining some of the challenges and I would like to ask Kate Danto direct director of the senior center to share some of those with you and to the public at large. Kate, >> thank you Jan. Thank you, Janet. Hi, everyone. My name
is Kate Danto. I'm the director of the senior center and resident on Fulmer Road. Thank you for your time this evening. As Janet mentioned, we are requesting to work with you to identify additional space within the town hall so we can better support the Southampton Senior Center community.
I am proud to say that in 2025, we had a 20% increase in attendance and requests for new programming opportunities have also grown. Several measures have been implemented and projects have been completed to alleviate some of the space challenges we face on a regular basis.
These projects were which were completely grant-f funded through the Massachusetts Councils on Aging and the Executive Office of Aging and Independence have allowed us to purchase a storage shed, convert an electrical closet in the senior center to create a private meeting space, as well as
purchase ADA accessible furniture to expand our outdoor footprint at our main entrance located at the back of the town hall. Despite these improvements, we still experience challenges within our space. Our regularly scheduled program offerings do not allow overlap with the
potential events as many programs cannot share space within the current senior center footprint. Room turnover is also becoming increasingly strenuous for our staff as we try to accommodate as much as we can within our business hours while changing over the senior center
room multiple times per day. That often includes stacking chairs, unstacking chairs, flipping tables, and setting up for additional events. Class sizes for programs such as healthy bones and balance, chair yoga, line dancing, card making, and friends of the
Southampton Council on Aging lunchons have reached capacity on a regular basis, and we need room to grow. Our exercise equipment does not have a dedicated space for regular private use. It's currently located in the recently converted closet as space was needed in
the senior center. Having an additional dedicated space regularly available for seen for the senior center would allow us to host additional exercise and strength classes, information and educational programming along with a private space to host caregiver support
groups, bereavement support groups, and opportunities for private counseling. Our goal with this request is to work with you all for the creation of a more flexible space not only for the senior center but also for the community. Figuring out the feasibility of a space
would allow us to apply for additional grants or look for additional funding to support the flexibility of the room. We are here today to start the brainstorming process on interim planning to expand the senior center within town hall space while we wait to build a new senior center in town. Thank
you for your time and we would like to know if you have any questions or thoughts on how we can accomplish this interim plan. I would like to invite Janet and Dennis Fogle, co-chair of the senior center building committee and member of our council on aging board up to the podium to assist with any questions if there are any.
>> Thank you. >> Thank you. >> Thanks. Thanks, Jenn. Anyone have some questions or ideas or >> um we reviewed the letter in our last meeting and we encourage town administrator to continue work with um
East Hampton Medium to perhaps make this room more usable to all but especially with your needs in mind. That's only the first step, but right out of the shoot, I was adamant that we take at least that this room can
certainly be multi-purpose. Beyond that, >> yes, we need guidance. >> Mhm. >> So, with that, if I can turn to Scott, I don't know if you've had a chance to talk to Media at all and just give us any thoughts. I mean, I'll just say for one, people can't see this, but I sit
with a >> I'm not even sure it's more than an octopus. It's like 20 octtopi of cords under my feet and I a miracle that I have not fallen down somewhere in the last few years or gotten tripped up. I've >> been electrocuted. Well, >> thank you. I don't want to go there.
Anyway, just to say that the there's a there's a lot of wiring in this room that is in the way to make this even much more movable. But Scott, I don't know what you had a chance to talk to, if anything, with with Jeff East media. >> Yep. So, I was able to meet with Jeff about a week and a half, two weeks ago
and tour the the different spaces. And I think it's really a matter of making the space more usable. If you look at where the podium is, you can't move the podium. There's wires that lead to that. So, basically, half the room is just not usable um as a big space. As I'll talk
about with the zero college, I'm looking for a place to do the presentation. And you know, if you're going to have a big presentation here with the PowerPoint, it's kind of it's awkward >> at this point because you can't set up chairs going this way to view the screen. >> Um Jeff did say, I mean, this was all,
you know, back to the envelope type of things. Like he did say it's it's definitely feasible to, you know, do wireless and and redo the cameras. A lot of the equipment can be used. Um, so this room would still be used, you know, it would still be available to all the departments and select board for meetings and things like that obviously,
but um, if you're going to use the upstairs room a little bit more and put set cameras, it it would probably be upward upwards of, you know, anywhere from $40 to $50,000. >> And that would be to dismantle part of this >> and and make this wireless and then reconfigure something upstairs cuz right
now that's just recorded upstairs, right? So, >> right. A lot of it has to do with wiring and and I suspect it's the signal that has to go through charter is probably the the biggest thing. >> Okay. Yeah. Because I think we have to keep in mind too that it's not >> obviously during the day this is usually
fairly empty. There's an occasional meeting but we've got school committee we've got planning board at least those two that meet in person usually here along with us. um concom I think used to I think they're meeting more by zoom now but and uh community preservation does
and so forth. So there's a few meetings that happen still at here that I think we'd still want to make this room a viable room for people committees to meet with but meet in but yeah any other comment thoughts down there John any thoughts?
>> No I'm I'm I'm open to it. I just need to see a plan. Yeah, I know. I'm figuring out how we do that. I mean, I think the challenge here, I mean, I think I'll I'm probably just speaking for myself, but maybe not. The the acoustics in this room in general and just the configuration of these tables,
I think, is a challenge whenever we have meetings in this room. I think personally, I found it much more conducive to have room a meeting upstairs in that room because we're a little bit closer together and it it opens up the sort of the possibility of more dialogue. The only the only problem with that room is when you get a big
turnout, >> right? When you get a big turnout, that's that's could be a challenge up there, too. So, but I mean that's that's rare for the most part. I mean, uh I know the concom hearing the other night filled this place to capacity, if not more. Um so, there are times when that happens, but it's the rare occasion
rather than than a regular one. So, um I think the challenge is just trying to figure out what would make sense. I mean, you know, the podium's kind of in the way. If that were to go somewhere with all this wiring, that would be a start. But I think even these tables would have to be a
some sort of a more dismantled or movable situation. No, >> I something like the library has where has those is more of a portable um table setup where they can move for different functions. And if we had to have a select board meeting down here, then it could would be easy to set more, you
know, set up where we can do the five table configuration. >> I see. get the tables similar to the lunch tables that well but put but somewhere where they fold up and can be rolled over. >> Um >> they can go up in the big triangle instead of the side by side. >> It's more in like the um like the training room tables that you might see
at like different like police stations and professional places where it's um you know a little skinnier. Um maybe something like that could work rather than these these types of tables so that you can we can configure it differently for different events. Um if there's like a fire department training or select
board or school committee >> um or you know a joint meeting that has you know a lot of people we could definitely do it that way. >> I mean I I think even if we had tables that this council on aging could use you know for some of the card games or
something. I mean we are we're bringing tables in and out when there's tables sitting here but because of the wiring and the tethering of the microphone and we're always afraid we're being recorded. No. Um, >> but >> you are >> you never know. >> Never know.
>> Can I just make a statement too? We've been talking about large spaces, >> but Kate can tell you that many of there's just a need for her to have private spaces. Many times she's with her shine responsibilities. These are all HIPPA related issues that require.
So when we're thinking about big spaces, are there some small spaces that people can use within the building? >> Right. And it sounds like that reconfiguration of the closet to an office was the intent for that, but that's not really been able to be that
usable at this point in time. >> Correct. Um, we needed to move the um the equipment into the closet. So, we cuz for many of our programming, especially for our friends lunchon, we are at capacity. And so, to be able to host and not have to
turn folks away, we had to be a little bit more creative with the space. Um, I will say the heat was not working in that space. So, it was easier to move the electric or the equipment in there for a period of time while the HVAC was getting worked on in the building, but um, it's it's hard because even within
that space, the acoustics, we need to put in more soundproofing for the panels to it to even meet in there so that there is that HIPPA >> um, and the confidentiality needed within that space. It's we we're working the best for with what we have. I will say um I meet in here fairly regularly
with folks but again it's not dedicated space so it's checking to see somebody comes in unfortunately a lot of times they they walk in and they are just in a panic we kind of come down to this room see if it's available if not we check the upstairs conference room we thankfully have a outreach worker who has her own office in the building
because of her VSO role but if they're if she's meeting with somebody it's figuring out where that logistical space cuz right now we have five staff members sharing one office so we're trying to be creative with where where we're at once One thing I will say specific with this space, having the cameras and the live
streaming would be such a huge benefit for us to be able to use, especially as we're trying to bridge the gap with our folks that can't make it to the senior center for added programming. So, it would be a huge asset for us to also be able to utilize this space for things like that for memory cafe, educational
programming, um book talks that we have. So, we're looking to expand not only within the town hall, but even just with the resources that we're able to bring in through a live stream. So, or a recording. Yeah. >> Yeah. >> Is that what you thought that? >> Yeah. Just like these types of tables
that are just easier to configure. You can either do like a big square or depending if you have 20 people or 10 or, you know, five and want to do a U-shape or a square and then they just fold away. So, this was the type of tables I was just talking about. >> Yeah. >> And that we don't need our custodian to always move either. You know, we'd be
able to kind of move them ourselves too. >> Right. Right. >> Yeah. Well, and obviously here what's happening is not the custodian on these cases. I mean, you guys, you and your staff, sometimes you're one, sometimes you're three, but you're you're dismantling tables and chairs and >> and moving furniture around. Yep. A couple times a day. So,
>> which I don't think is at least >> necessarily ideal. For sure. Yeah. I'm thinking, too, that there's there's a lot of wasted space in the hallway here, too. So, I you know, I know at some point we we had looked at looking at the um the big weights cabinet, weights and measures cabinet there, which I don't
know what could go there. If an if if you had one of those equipment items, say the treadmill or something out in the hallway, would people use it? >> I honestly don't know. I think you may have noticed the blue tape on the floor out there. >> Tape. I was wondering what that was. >> They will fit.
>> We did measure it out, >> but we weren't sure how many people would be, you know, crawling all over it as they're voting, waiting to go in to vote or, you know, but we could also >> safety wise, >> you know, take move that for that purpose. But I think getting it into the
hallway through the doorway, um, we probably have to remove the door from the hinges and hope that it gets through cuz they're >> I mean, we had a treadmill that was donated, right? Yes. >> And an incumbent bike sort of >> that I believe was purchased by >> that was purchased by the senior center. >> And um
>> it's people like to do that, but they don't necessarily want to be, >> you know, amongst everybody else when you're sweating on the treadmill or something, >> waving hi to the folks at the front door when >> Yeah. There's a way to kind of
>> close in somehow so that somehow that people aren't um >> gawking. But I I'd just also like to say that I mean the good news is that Kate has done a great job as a director >> and she has expanded the programming.
The welcoming, the warmth of the senior center. I think people just have started to really really embrace coming here. >> Never in my life did I think I would go to a senior center when I moved to Southampton and now it's my passion. So
um but I it's her fault. Yeah, >> that we're doing >> Well, that's a good >> expanding. That's a good >> sales job. >> But I think, you know, I think, you know, obviously you're you're getting to a point where you're you're really stretching the stretching the walls here
in terms of what you can offer and the increased interest. I mean, if you've been able to increase 20% of attendance, is that what you're saying? >> Yeah. >> Yeah. That's individual one time attendance. I mean, it's not how many times they come or multiple attendants. It's the number of people that actually >> are participating.
>> Yeah. Yeah. Wow. That's pretty impressive. And I know I was at one of the lunchons recently and you were easily what 75 people thereabouts. >> So that's really tight to fit into that room as well. >> Yeah. And we had uh roughly 70 new members last year, too. >> So I mean it's it speaks to our staff.
It speaks to even just like the shine counseling and the outreach work that we're doing. It's fantastic that we have this many people knowing that we're a resource, but it'd be great to be able to expand to do additional programming. And I think too, especially with some of the the topics, whether it's the bereavement counseling or the caregiver support group we want to bring in, you
can't have that in such an open space where folks are walking through the senior center to get to the parking lot and the accessible parking. You know what I mean? So, having something where you can shut the door, have it feel like a more private space and more intimate setting would be hugely beneficial, especially on a more regular basis. this fall you did a lot I know with Medicare
and insurance enrollment and you had all of your you whatever fuel assistance and whatever programs that you were helping generate there or respond to any sense of how many people you were able to serve during that time >> so that's a great question so with open enrollment between Michelle and I I we
had over probably 150 people that we met with whether it be joint appointments um or individual appointments folks that returned um a lot of times we try and wrap up our SNAP benefits counsel along with fuel assistance. It's kind of just like a whole public benefits overview.
Um this was Michelle's first year. She took the deep dive into Shine um within weeks of her starting in the position um which has been fantastic and it's been such a huge benefit. There was a lot of changes with Medicare and with the insurance landscape um unfortunately many companies canceled their plans. So
there were folks scrambling um come Jan or December 31st for July 1st. So, we received we had a huge increase um of individuals that came through our door that we've never seen. People coming from Agawam who and folks calling asking if they could have their family come
here that are from Southampton. It was nice because it's kind of like the word of mouth like my friend that lives down the street let us know that you were here. We've been getting a lot of word of mouth individuals just folks looking for information and the folks I mentioned from Awam they came for a Blue Cross Blue Shield presentation which is
great because it's it's here. it's in the area, but the amount of additional Southampton residents that we have seen in the past, it was over 100 >> in comparison to 2024. So, >> I think what's interesting is that the senior center as such is providing so many different kinds of services. I
mean, I think a lot of people don't think of it >> in in those terms. More people think of it probably a bit more socially than than anything else, but in in reality, these kinds of services where people can't get anywhere else. Um, we've definitely grown into that role in the
last couple years. So, >> and there's a lot of programs out there that are eager to help support senior center programming like the local YMCA. They want to get into the senior centers to be able to provide especially exercise and balance and strength training and that type of thing, but we just don't have the space to to bring
them in yet. So, >> well, I think as as you know, John was saying, we kind of need a plan. >> Yeah. >> I think we need to get an idea of what's possible. I mean, I'm glad to hear that we've got some ideas maybe on on some wiring and Wi-Fi, but we got to figure out what that really would look like and
what it might cost if we have to reconfigure this and how we how we would deal with that. Um, and that may not be totally decidable. I don't know until as we get into the budget cycle if we've got cost implications there. But it sounds like there's also need for
something as quickly as possible, you know, in the interim to between now and June. So I think that's our challenge is to figure out what can be done when um and I don't know if anybody has any other bright ideas on that but I think we need to just you know take this as a
as a serious request and figure out if we've got other ideas that might >> yes >> might work on that too. >> I I think there are huge number of things we can do creatively for the smaller spaces. >> Obviously it gets harder for the maximum
space. Um, you've got my curiosity working and uh I don't think we need to work the nuts and bolts in this meeting, >> but we'll circle up with town administrator and figure out how we can
accommodate everyone's needs. >> Yeah. And I think the more we can try to make the rooms here more multi-purpose in general so that they're more fully utilized during the day. I mean, I would think that that would be a goal that we ought to try to strive for, whether it's down here or even upstairs because that room upstairs is great, but it's the
go-to room when this one is occupied, but it can be, you know, more fully fully programmed and used, I think, in many ways, too, if we put our heads to to the wall here. >> I think there could be some simple things, too. I'm just looking at this podium that cannot be moved. >> It's not glued to the It's just the
wiring going from here to there. If we could move this podium up there, it would give them so much more room in this room to to do some of the obvious little things like that. It's not it's not uh nailed to the floor there. >> Yeah. No, the podium stop. It's all the
wiring. That's right. That's the problem. >> Shove it up under with you. You take >> We can look down at you. >> Keep on going back. >> Very good. >> I think if if everybody in the room could take a chair, make a circle and put your arms out. That's our yoga class
and there's just not enough room. So, this is about the number of people that would be in our yoga class and we sit in a chair and we try to figure out how I mean it's a great balance. It's great, you know, it's a great um exercise for, you know, for us as we age and it just
gives you kind of a concept of the limitations. And we we were guilty of trying to move the podium a few times >> and >> hence the signs now here >> the rogues in the group, right? >> The signs. Yes. One thing I will say is if there's any like tangible financial
like if Eastampton Media provides any additional information as to what it might cost, I'm always looking for grant opportunities to apply for. So, I'm happy to keep that open. We've been lucky, especially with our MCOA grants. We've received a little over $40,000 in the past two years that we've been applying. So, um hopefully the
opportunities are there again this spring. Um but I don't want to >> show the dollars. >> Miss an opportunity to apply for something that might be nonofficial for the town. >> So, sounds good. >> Thank you. I think our mission was accomplished tonight. Thank you. Because I just wanted to open up the discussion and >> yeah, I think this is the beginning of a
dialogue and um maybe we've got a a beginning of an idea at least starting with some of the wiring issues and that may be a big chunk of it to sort of think about what what can be done and how soon and what it might entail and costwise etc. So let us keep that in mind and we'll I know Stephen will be
doing some continual brainstorming here. I can I can attest to that already. Yeah. Um we will uh we will uh take that under under consideration here and then uh maybe figure out another time when we can get together another Thank you. Okay. >> We appreciate Thanks for coming in. Appreciate that. >> Thank you. >> Yep. >> Thanks for having us.
>> Thanks for enlightening us into the situation. I'm had an idea but didn't have an idea of how much. So, >> okay. Next up, uh town administrator report. Scott, you want to >> So, um, so just let everyone know that
the central office did post their budget. Um, >> do I have >> Oh, I'm sorry. Sorry. I'm sorry. Yes. Sorry. Sorry. >> Do I have a motion to adjurnn? >> Motion to adjurnn. >> Do I have a second? >> Thank you. Nobody wants to >> favor.
>> You can still stay. >> I guess. Okay. Yeah. Sorry. Thanks. >> The u the central office has posted their budget. did a presentation about a week and a half ago. I'll be putting up the um I just got the revised presentation um a couple hours ago, but I'll be putting that onto the budget
page. Uh it's going to be about $650,000 towards Norris for this year and I forget what the assessment would probably be a little bit more for the Hampshire regional. Um so some of the cost the forensic accounting is going to go down a little bit but obviously the
benefits salaries are going to go up. So um the other thing is tax bills are set to go out this week. Um town does accept online payments and there's also a dropbox at the bottom of the stairs out front for people to uh drop off um by submitting a check. No cash in the dropbox, please. >> And when are the tax bills due? People
have been asking that. >> Uh encouraging people to do it as regular, but they're technically not due until May, I believe. Yeah. The next one. >> So, we changed the deadline on that because they're going out late. So, for those that didn't catch that, we we had >> we didn't change it. Our failure to meet
the the date obligation says taxpayers don't have to pay it to the fourth quarter. Now >> that's a penalty imposed by us because >> of what happened. >> Yeah. Okay. I mean but the date is not not what people are usually >> correct. Correct. I just want to make sure this select board did not change
the date. No, no, no. That wrong had been assuming like to underline the severity of this issue because um real estate valuations just went out not so long ago and
I'm not going to jump ahead. The assessors are dealing with that. We were late because of our own um town accounting in getting the tax rate certified and that put us into this situation where we can ask but not
demand thirdarter payments in the usual manner and that presents a potential impact to town finances if citizens see an offsetting benefit to their finances.
In any case, they have a tax bill with a different amount due this year and they're confused. And I have great empathy for the fact that people are confused about the difference between
valuation and rate and taxes due and when they're due and when we get reminded because I'm one of those people who gets really confused and it seems like I'm always paying taxes.
That's how we feel and that cannot be denied. So the onus is on us to do a hell of a lot of education and some of this is on us for back years of poor accounting. >> Mhm.
>> So just want to underscore that. >> Well, and I would just underscore too that accounting that goes back a number of years, >> a number of years. >> It's not recent accounting necessarily. So it goes back for things that could have been should have been caught maybe earlier on. But I think too we can do more with on the uh I was looking today
on the assessor's website page. Yes. >> There can be more there to explain some of that difference that you were talking about of of you know valuations versus taxes and all how all that gets set >> and on the collector's side for the due dates. >> Mhm.
>> I checked that particularly and it's not >> so all those kind of things can be updated and again each of the departments has the wherewithal to update their own web page. So hopefully they will do that. Okay. Anything? Yeah, John, >> if I could just continue the pontification a little bit because I
really want to make sure this is clear because it's been a hot topic about the bills and that and I haven't heard anything yet. I'm assuming we're not going out to borrow that we're going to be all right with our cash flows, but I haven't seen the cash flow because that usually comes along with this. But yes, and when they say our town accounting, I
want to be clear, it's not the town accountant who is 100% responsible for this. You know, I would put a lot of blame on our outside auditors who are collecting somewhere between 50 and $80,000 a year that year after year after year they failed to notice that
our debt obligations were recorded incorrectly that caused this. So, it's yes, ultimately the town owns this, but we pay a lot of money to avoid this and it didn't happen and now we're off to a fresh start and we're going to do better. >> Mhm. >> And there's open seats on select board
so feel free to pull nomination papers. >> There we go. you. >> All right, >> you're ahead of me, brother. >> Okay, John. All right, Scott, go ahead. >> Um, so we've had a lot of building malfunctions the last couple weeks just to keep you up besides um the septic issue in the bathroom overflowing, the
septic issue of the pipe in the council on aging. We had our heat break for several days and uh we also had uh the sprinkler. So, um it's getting costly to say the least. Um so, hopefully nothing else breaks for the rest of the year.
So, we do have to do some capital planning on this building very soon. >> Definitely on the HVAC. I think we have to that, you know, the the uh we we've learned our lesson, I think, in terms of the odors and so forth that have come through this building, especially from here down the hallway into the senior
center. I mean, that was such that they had to actually close down because it was such a terrible smell in there. And now we've figured out where it comes from at least. But it's a building fix that has to >> figure out who's responsible. >> Yeah, we have to figure out who's responsible on that one. goes back 20 years. But anyway,
>> question about sprinklers, having had a business um lose all of its capital equipment due to a sprinkler failure. >> Was it one head or something systemic? >> Uh it was the one head underneath the canopy and the council on aging >> the outside
>> and then the one that leaked on the outside. Yeah. >> Lucky. Um if there's deferred maintenance um it could be catastrophic. Mhm. >> Insurance is there, but it doesn't account really for the downtime. Okay.
>> Absolutely. Yeah. Y >> insurance. >> Okay. Scott, >> um we're starting up the FY27 budget and I I started the web page uh for that. So, if anyone that's that's interested in following the process, um I would encourage them to to look on that page where everything's posted, the
documents, the videos, uh everything will be posted there. So, >> be the FY27 budget. >> Yep. Uh, the new fire department utility pickup truck was delivered. >> Oh, >> just let everyone know. Took a little while, but >> um I did distribute. >> Is Is the old one gone?
>> Uh, I think it's rusting in place. >> Okay. But we're going to get rid of it. Take the plates and >> I think it's strong. >> Get it off the insurance roll. >> Make it disintegrated. >> Judy might be able to get 20 bucks for the scraps. >> We might be able to sell it for scraps. >> Oh, we should take it off the insurance
roll for sure. Yeah, exactly. Um, so I did send out the the Excel sheets just for the budget for everyone's FYI. So, we need we're starting to work on that. Um, the next big date is going to be Governor Healey is going to be um posting her budget probably in the next
week or two and that's obviously going to impact where we're going to be with Cherry Sheets. Um, growth for the state is looking to be like I think they they quoted about 2.7 uh percent with millionaires tax. Without that, it' be like a 2.4 2.5% increase. So, the
state's going to be looking at um not a lot of growth on their side. So, um we're just going to have to hold a breath wait and see. Um but that'll be kind of the first indicator of where things are going to be going, especially with our our chapter our cherry sheets or chapter 70 money, rural aid, all that
stuff. So, unrestricted government aid, we're going to get a better picture where that where that's going to go. >> Um and then if uh we're trying to schedule this the um the meetings for the department. So, if you just uh remind Judy, let her know what's uh your best availability. And today also, I
just want to throw in that um in preparation with the GIC, we met with the um flexible spending account provider uh uh CPA 125 um just to start, you know, that process to get them on board and start working with the treasures office to uh transition to the
GIC on July 1st. And then um I did just get done with Novvice, our annual uh meeting. I'm just waiting for them to send over the spreadsheet. So spend a couple hours with them just going over cyber security, AI integration, uh hardware, network issues, um FY27 costs
and things like that. So okay, all right. Any questions? All right. If not, uh how about any meetings that anybody's had over the last couple weeks? Um John, anything on your end?
Select board liaison meetings? I don't I don't think so. Last one was the central budget >> hearing. So, no, I haven't had any last two weeks. >> Okay, Stephen. >> Um I'll summarize and take questions. Um assessors is uh
very busy and stress department right now. We've discussed the issues around valuations and when and how often revaluations are done and whether we're up to date or not.
U the tax rate is outside of the assessor's um purview but it funnels into generating a bill. Uh then the bill is payable to the treasurer collector but people still need a hell of a lot of
guidance on each step of the way. Um that's the current wave of ordinary work. But as we're trying to make sure that we're doing equitable taxation and that every taxpayer is our
every landowner is paying their due. Um, we have complex questions about taxing personal property, taxing the Holy Oak water supply, watershed lands, and whether we have more opportunities to gain revenue from
their operations and uh just generally making sure that we don't lose track of ownership of various properties. And of course, if you've got so many thousands of parcels, there will
be a percent or two of error, but we're trying to track that down. And some of those puzzles are complex and actually really important. So I've stirred the pot pretty hard with the assessors on some of these special projects just when
they're actually overwhelmed with the ordinary business of tech assessing green white committee. Um no business postponed to February 25. So that's an update on mytowngovernment.org.
Everyone knows how to find agendas and minutes. Mytowngovernment.org. Um, housing authority and trust uh meet this week or next week. Um, nothing to report. Open Space Committee met last week and had an extremely comprehensive
meeting about um what we've accomplished with the Mountain Raters project, what was left undone, um what we're committed to working through based on the special town meeting votes and new opportunities
um in partnership with Keral land trust. again, you know, uh it may not be the most active real estate market, but there are opportunities out there and we're trying to figure out um what's best.
Finally, the water commission. Uh I'm not liazison. I'm elected, but since we seldom get a update, I must confess again that I've been too much on public media. Um I actually responded to a commenter on public media and the
question in this regard was around hiring freeze and so um yes there's commissioners meeting this week Thursday night the 22nd I believe it starts at 6 check my towngovernment.org
and the public of course is welcome and will take any questions. Uh, finally, bridges and roads. Another confession. I u made a comment on Facebook that maybe was more helpful than the prior mention
um about the situation we have with the u Pomeray Meadow West Street, East Hampton to Southampton debacle. And um it's going to take time to figure out the way forward. Scott's been uh
diligent reporting on that, but not everybody watches these meetings and it might be a bulletin under special projects or somewhere on our homepage um just to deflect these annoying questions. Um but we just got a report
on two bridges and since we're on television, I want the public to know that the state is responsible for inspecting any bridge with a clear span of 20 ft or more. And they do this on a rotating basis and they provide us extremely detailed reports. You think
Arlo Guthrie had 8 by10 color photographs with arrows and notations. These are really complex. Um and generally we're in good shape and the road department is keeping track of this and in fact using chapter 90 chapter 90
funds uh are being applied where they're needed. But the need on um Pomeroy Meadow is of a different magnitude and we certainly are on top of it. Thank you. >> Thank you, Stephen. Okay, Ellen.
>> I met with uh CPC and the board of health last week. Um CPC set their annual meeting um in the public hearing for February 25th coming up. Um started soliciting some ideas for outreach for
CPA funding. Um uh we worked on try to come up with some more ideas for a little bit more public engagement and try to get the word out that uh the money is there and uh it's it's if people have projects that they think might be uh might be eligible for it
that uh that that's the time for the meeting is the place to be and that's the time to uh to bring that in. So, uh, we talked about, uh, using some of the signs around town. Um, the one, the women's club sign, um, >> mother's club, >> mother's club, sorry, the mother's club sign. It's weathers to, uh, to, uh, to,
um, promote that a little bit. >> Um, Sierra was, let's say, Sierra's excited. She was admitted to the housing leadership academy. So, more ideas on for the uh, the housing trust. And, uh, so she's she's working hard on that. Pretty excited about it. and um for the
uh the board of health um to uh come back down. Um we have some new there's a new septic regulations kicking in on February 1st um to uh mandate direct access for any new uh septic systems
going in so that um doesn't require excavation for the uh inspections. Um and the rest of that meeting we uh had quite a few updates on some distressed properties around town and status of those and was it was really interesting
to to find out what those folks face and and some of the solutions that we're coming up with. >> Okay, sounds about it. >> Yeah, I know they've had their their hands full with a couple of the properties and around town. >> Yes, they have >> indeed. Okay. Uh on my end, not too much. We have a master plan
implementation committee meeting coming up in the next couple weeks. Uh we've had a um a bylaws committee meeting scheduled for uh next Wednesday, so a week out from Wednesday. And we're still working on the scenic roads bylaw uh which is one that we hope to have ready
for the annual town meeting. Um and then the grants committee has met and we've been working with um greenway committee basically um on the u mass trails grant which is due very soon. Uh and we'll be meeting again one more time before that
application has to go in in the hopper. Uh we did find out that we did not receive the assistance to firefighters grant that we had applied for. This is the FEMA grant we applied for basically a year ago now. Uh and that would have been for some uh updated
um breathing apparatus for the firefighters. But more importantly, the second grant request was for our pumper tanker truck. And in spite of the money that FEMA finally gave out in October, November, um we were not among the awardees. Uh there was a second thing
that I think people saw on the news about uh congressionally directed spending. Uh there's money that came out through the uh state legislature I believe through uh this is where the senators and and congressmen can put forth a request for various towns about funding requests. Um we were not lucky
on that one. We have provided uh requests to the CDC sorry CDS uh funding requests for the last three years uh and we have not been successful yet. So, we need to re rethink our strategy on that and have more contact, I think, with
Congressman Neil, Congressman uh Marky, u sorry, Senator Marky, and Senator Warren, um to and their staff in particular to help lobby some of that, and they will probably announce those being open again sometime early in the spring. Um they put out a request to say, "Do you have anything you'd like us
to support?" And um so we were not among the lucky ones this time, but at least they're trying to do something, I guess, uh to get money out to the community. So, we will keep trying. Um, grant money is it's there, but it's gotten tighter to to try and get a get a handle on. So,
that's it, I think, from my end. Uh, anybody have any comments, questions about reports? If not, okay, let's move on to new business then. Uh, Scott, I'm going to turn this one over to you. I think, uh, budget task force. >> So, one of the things that I mentioned at the last meeting with the FINCOM was,
um, developing a budget task force moving forward with FY27. If you looked at the budgets I sent out, there's a lot of yellow, which was things that are big question marks both on our revenues and our expenditures. And this year, I think we're going to have to be very flexible and how we kind of move forward. Um, we don't know what
the state is going to be providing for us and for revenue. Um, you know, we still have to do our analysis on the other things. Although, you know, building permits are part of it. It's not as much as it is like our cherry sheets and chapter 70 money, rural aid, and things like that. Um, on the other side with our expenditures, there's
still going to be a lot of question marks. On the expenditure side, health insurance is a big one. Uh, open enrollment for the GIC is going to be in April. It's going to last until May and that's just, you know, a few weeks before town meeting at that point. So, you know, that can swing a couple
hundred,000. Um, so same thing with Hampshire Regional School and a lot of our other costs. Um, so in previous years we kind of waited for the schools to give us the budget and kind of reacted and I think that we need to really start working with all the
different stakeholders to get together and forming a lot of different scenarios. So at least we're prepared for prepared for the worst and hoping for the best. But I I think it's, you know, we need to start looking at scenarios and, you know, doing four, five, six,
seven different options about um where we could go and what our priorities are and where we where we would put the funding if we do receive funding and where we would make the cuts if we did have to make cuts. >> So, how will we go about this task force idea then?
>> Um, I mean, we can do it informally. We just have to be obviously be careful with the quorums. uh school committee is obviously the biggest one, select board and a few stakeholders and then maybe even a few members of the public um that we can invite to kind of work with us and get priorities and and get some
input. But um just to kind of solidify if the board wants to go that route or not. >> Are you thinking of a charge us creating a charge for this task force? And here's why I asked that, Scott. Because in the past when we've done
charges, we've been very methodical on how we make up the membership >> Mhm. >> of the group or what we're kind of looking for. Um, if on the other hand, this is a think tank to support you. >> Yeah.
>> I don't know how deep we need to get into the weeds, but >> yeah, >> I don't know. >> It sounds like it's a little bit less formal even than our ad hoc committees. I mean it sounds like more of a a working group rather than a committee. Am I hearing that right or >> Yeah. I mean I think there would be meetings almost every week. I mean
because things are going to be changing week by week. The governor's budget, the Senate, the houses, the the funding, the health insurance, uh Hampshire regional. Um I mean all that stuff is going to be our collective parting agreements. Those are all major cost drivers. So, it's at
least getting a group together that can at least help guide what each um school committee and and the select board and department heads are kind of thinking on what what could be possible. What I hear is beneficial is the cross
communication in real time especially in light of a rapidly changing situation with late occurring deadlines. So I think it's going to be dynamic and writing a precise charter as opposed to
would you say a think tank. I think that's great and I hear the town administrator being thoughtful and inclusive about membership. So I'm not worried except what I think we need to do is bless it and figure out who represents the select board.
>> Yeah. And I I would just advocate again in the past however many years I've been sitting here five years here and eight years on the school board um that we try to get the and I don't know who it is
who whoever the senior elected Southampton resident on Hampshire regional school board and work our way down um not just focus on the north school board although it's important >> but you know we have less insight into
that and our membership if we're fully staffed up there, which I don't believe we are, >> is is 54% of the weighted vote and it takes a majority >> to pass something. So, >> if our voting block is united,
>> Mhm. >> we should have a little bit more sway. >> So, maybe we should try to look for somebody from the Hampshire Regional Committee and somebody from the Norris Committee. >> Yeah. >> At least one of at least one of each of those, right? Yeah. And I just and I just the way and
remember one of the north school committee members sits on the Hampshire. So you don't want it to be that person, >> right? You want there are five elected people at Hampshire Regional. There are five seats. I don't know if they're all full filled. So it should be one of those five. So they have nothing to do
with Norse and they're not the representative going back and forth. >> Right. >> Yeah. But I think this will be different though than the select board fincom joint >> committee though too. But it >> doesn't doesn't preclude somebody from
each select board and fin or or would you rather not do that? No, I I think at least one person from each of them, but obviously quorum I think just, you know, I would have it one person fin, one person from Select Board, one person from Hampshire Regional, one person from Norris, uh
myself, Superintendent Alisa, and maybe a couple citizens. So, we're looking at maybe about nine people. >> Yeah. And it'd be great to get citizens that don't sit on any board or any commission whatsoever because if they like it, maybe they'll get involved. >> Mhm. >> How true. if we can find them.
>> How would you like to >> 6,270 of them out there? >> Um well, I mean, if it's okay, I mean, I can send a formal letter to all the different groups with that and I can do a call for action for any citizens that might be um >> interested in. >> Yeah. >> Um present them to the sex board next
meeting um >> and go from there. Would your idea be to have them also be around for the budget hearings that we're doing or >> um not necessarily the budget hearings because I think that's that's more of a fin complex boardroom role as the
ultimate decision makers on that. I think it's more for recommendations and coming up with the 6 7 8 9 10 scenarios. Got it. >> Um and then maybe use once we get further down the project then we can present you know and the picture becomes clear then we can present that to the finance select board as a whole. Right.
Well, I think it would be helpful as you put out a call for action or whatever you want to call this that that you put out a paragraph of what's intended. You know, what's the not only what's the purpose, but what would be what's the goal of you guys getting together? So, whatever that is, I think commitment.
>> Exactly. That's what I meant when he's >> implied um willingness to bring information to the table >> is. So, I think that's important. >> That's, you know, imperative to put that out. So with that, would you like us to make a motion to have you create a a budget task force as kind of a working
group to guide us through this process this year for a change? Try something new. All right. Would somebody make a motion for that? >> So moved. >> All right. >> Second. >> Second. >> Yes. >> All right. Second by Ellen. All right. All those in favor? >> I >> I All right. Okay. We'll let you take
the lead on that and then get back to us in terms of what that's starting to look like. Okay. All right. uh insurance broker discussion. >> Uh so with joining the GIC uh it does mean that we have to look for an insurance broker. In the past uh
Hampshire County Group Insurance Trust were our providers for dental insurance, long-term disability, um flexible spending house, which we didn't take advantage of. Um but uh with us going to GIC, GIC is just does is just going to do the health insurance part for the
town, which means we have to look um on our own for dental insurance and all of our other insuranceances. Um so that means we uh the town has to appoint a broker um to go out to market for us. Uh one of the things I'm I'm looking at doing is besides you know besides going
out for dental obviously um but also our insuranceances. So, you know, instead of having Geico and Boston Mutual and uh the standard, you know, I would like to have this one insurance company for the entire town to provide all of our non our nonp voluntary insuranceances. So,
long-term, short-term, um cancer, accident, all those types of insuranceances. And hopefully, we can get a better rate by doing it that way instead of having just a bunch of different insurance companies reaching in and trying to get our employees. Um so, that would be part of it. There's also vision insurance, which I would
probably look at doing as well. Uh, but ultimately, um, we need a broker to kind of go forward with that. There is there's a lot of brokers out there. Um, I've heard a lot of horror stories um that you're nothing but a number and that they come in, they get your claims data, they send it out, they send you an
email, and you never hear from them again. Uh, so that that's what I really want to avoid. And, um, so I I want to just talk about the process of appointing uh, a broker. Uh, so you don't have to do an RFP um for a broker. It's not it's an appointment by the by
the select board or mayor or appointing authority. Um, so I I I would recommend uh you know someone that people that we've worked with before that we have a a proven track record. Um, personally I've worked with uh Pete Roth uh in
Chickenbe Wley and Lawrence in the past. Um, he's extremely um hands-on. I would get texts from him every second day just seeing if there's any problems. Um I would think that he, you know, he might be an option. Another person I worked with before was Steve
Corbin who's now with Dow Insurance. Uh Steve was the Blue Cross rep with the city of Chabe. Uh he's a local person, very involved. He helped us with uh going out the bid. Um previously to joining the GIC, um so I I do I just got
the letter from D today. Um but uh I mean that that would be my recommendation is is looking you know going that route and we certainly can open it up. Um but time is also of the essence as well because we have to get this done uh in the next 60 days.
>> And would you have any of the candidates come in and present something to us so that we could meet them and give a have a set of questions and answers you know back and forth and dialogue with them. >> Yep. >> Do that. Makes sense. >> So Chris,
>> yeah, go ahead. >> I I understand Scott spot and and you don't have to go to the RFP, but for this purposes, I'm just going to abstain from it when you have the meeting, >> right? >> I won't partake in it. >> Right. >> So, >> I'm just Yep. >> In general, if I can ask though, you you think a broker is the a way to go in
terms of having somebody we know though? >> You're asking me? >> Yeah. >> Oh, it's better than calling the 1-800 number. >> Okay. That's kind of what I was thinking, too. >> Yeah. and you know not just Stephen but on on Peter's side the both people that he's mentioned >> they tend to have an experience with
municipalities which is a unique beast in itself. >> I mean I think that's that's our challenge is is well not a challenge but our requirement would be that they've got decent experience with a municipality and know what what we're facing and the kinds of insuranceances and and things that our employees would most likely you know need to get. We've
been pretty lucky I think on on disability insurance for the most part. I don't think that we've had that many claims that I'm aware of. We've had a little bit on short-term at one point in time, but at one point we had looked at going into a whole different, you know, short-term, long-term disability plan.
And it it was just a nightmare when John Martin was on the board. We were trying to figure that out. It was just it was very complex um to try and do it ourselves. So having somebody as that intermediary is probably a good idea. Um, I would just suggest if there's a
third person that we have maybe three, but I mean if we've got at least two, I would say that um I would think that could be a good idea. I would uh entertain a motion to uh have you proceed with uh moving forward with identifying a couple of these brokers and then figuring out when we could get
them on the schedule to come in and talk to us. So, I'll make that motion. Could I have a second? >> All right. Second by Ellen. Any further discussion? Stephen Anthony. Um, I just wanted to u pick up on something I thought Scott opened with that it's a
requirement of the program going forward that we have a broker. >> The question before us is how do we select a broker? Is that correct? >> Mhm. >> Yeah. Uh I mean the broker works on our behalf to represent the town and the employees. >> Understood. >> Most insurance companies won't I mean we
can certainly I'm not a licensed broker so >> No, I I get it. I just wanted that foundational thing established, reestablished. Um, I'm okay. We don't have to go out to bid. We have relationships. We need a good
>> relationship running forward. So, >> and this would be somebody when we took somebody on, they would be with us for a number of years or something. We'd end up leaving a contract with them of some sort or how does that work? >> Um, well, they'd be the broker, the the letter of record for the town until the
town appoints someone. changed. I see. Okay. >> It usually runs concurrent with your expiration dates. >> Uh-huh. Okay. Okay. Uh All right, then. I think we have a motion and a second. All those in favor? >> I
>> I All right. And one extension from John. Thank you. Okay. Next up, uh just on ARPA. So, this is our ARPA time. We're still uh we're not awarding any grants. Obviously, we can't do that, but we still have probably I
believe we actually have four four ongoing projects. I'm not positive if I know I think the fifth one with Brendle's um grant is finished now. So, we have one with the um the software here at Town Hall. We've got the uh wildflower wild meadow garden,
wildflower meadow garden on Pomeroy Meadow Road. Um we've just finished up with um the 250th anniversary and we're essentially finished with the public safety building committee ARPA money at this point in time from what I'm understanding. So we're winding down on
the reports you guys have got the reports from the committees in your package. Um and then um Bradley sent out and I forwarded around to you all the um the ARPA um financial report. Um, so he's keeping track of how much has been drawn down on the various awards we've
made. Uh, we do have some funds that are left over. Not every award has spent all of the money. And so part of it will be a reconciliation which I'm hoping we can kind of do as we go, not have to wait, you know, years from now to try and remember what we did, but to go back and
just double check and reconcile that yes indeed that grant uh that project was awarded for x amount and they spent all of it or they didn't spend all of it and there's this much left. I think our challenge is not knowing what we do with the money that's left because ARPA
technically finishes at the end of this uh this calendar year. Um, and so like with the CARES Act, at some point in time, ARPA will come calling. The feds will come calling and want their money back, I'm assuming. So, we've got to be very careful that this sits somewhere
unspent, untouched until we know. >> Preferably making some interest. >> Huh. >> Making some interest. >> I don't know. I don't think it is. I think it's I don't know where it is. I don't think we can. >> Can I back you up a bit? >> So, I think at this point in time, we we right now just uh looks like we've got
about 150,000 thereabouts. that's still kind of in play that is still to be accounted for but uh we've expended over a million8 out of the um the ARPA money that we were awarded by the government. Okay. Yeah, Stephen.
>> So in each of the grants previously awarded >> Mhm. >> where the total award has not been expended. Are you still still accepting? No >> cannot. No, we had to stop. No more going. Yeah. No, we had to stop awarding
those. Um, uh, >> so this is, >> but you're just accounting now. >> This is just accounting now. This is just finishing the projects and like I said, >> can't go buy more seeds for the >> wild. Can't do it. No. All right. Nope. So, this is the the end of that. So, that process is uh is coming out and I
will do some updating on the website to show the um the tracking and so forth. But, we've been doing a good job. I think Judy's been doing the application tracking, the quarterly report tracking. Um, and we'll get some of these facts and figures up on the U web page under the select board page so people can take
a look at them. Okay, that's all we have on that. Um, next up, canal bowling fees. We have a an email in our in our packages from um
Canal Bowling um Lucy Yamakowski um who's the trustee for the Canal Bowling Lanes Trust and um so we have a request I think the way I understand
this we've we've um well we have a request to take a look at the fees that are being charged um to the bowling alley. So, one um she would like to know if there's a rationale for a bowling alley fee. Right now, we're charging them $200 for an
annual permit, and they're the only bowling alley in town. So, it's kind of a question mark in my mind as to how and why that ever became a necessity, but it's on our books right now as one of our select board fees. Um, she's also
asking um on here they have um they have no more pool tables, but they turned their pool table area in the canal bowling lanes into a video arcade. And when she wrote this, they were somewhere around the 15
or so games, I think. I'm going to lose my voice. Um, >> they don't pay per >> and we we charge $75 per per >> establishment. >> No, no, no, >> no. It's per unit per game per
>> per coin operated whatever. Um, and I've got to find that fee. I had it up here a minute. >> Yeah. So, it's a um coin operated device. $75 per machine. And that could be a jukebox. It could be a coin operated pool table. And it's these arcades. So, she's actually paid
already. We just renewed these licenses under the alcohol and beverage license. So, they've paid that. They've paid this $200 bowling fee, bowling alley fee, and then they've paid for four um arcade machines that we've paid for now, but they're
they've they're making it a real a real arcade destination, I I guess I would say, at the bowling alley. So, she's asking if we would cap this at at $500 for the arcade fees going forward. And the rationale here is, if you recall,
the bowling alley had been up for sale for a number of months, if not over a year, I think, for a while, and then they took it down and the trustees have decided to make a go of it. And honestly, as I drive by on certainly on the weekends and even on Mondays, um they do have a pretty full parking lot. So, it's good to see that that is really
coming coming alive again. Um, in order to make it functional, however, they had to do a huge septic project. Uh, which cost lots and lots of dollars. Uh, I think about a I think it was around a quarter of a million dollars that they had to do for septic work behind the bowling alley tin can alley. Uh, and so
she's asking for a little bit of a breather until um they get really up and running. So, I guess I'm a little bit confused because they've already paid the fees for this coming year, right? >> Um, and I don't know
whether we want to just take a look at that for the future coming year. Whether we want to talk about she's not really I guess this this was after she'd paid the money. She's not really asking us for a refund the way I'm understanding this though, but I'm I'm I don't know
maybe you've talked to her directly. I I have not gone into detail about this, but I the one that seems a little bit odd to me would be the $200 bowling alley fee, which I don't see a real rationale for given that it's the only one in town. if there were many of them. >> But well, >> you do that. But other these I mean I
don't know. We've got we've got things on the books already in terms of our fee schedule. >> Um so right now the the bowling alley is 200. The jukebox type thing. The coin ops are 75. Um they don't have a common VIC. So they've got the all the alcohol
on the um on the premises license as well. So that's what they are right now. So they've they've paid their license for 26. So, I'm not quite sure >> what the real ask is of us right now. Um, but go ahead, anybody. John, go ahead. >> Well, that I I don't know what the ask
is either, but what I will say is that we charge the fee because Mass General Law Chapter 140 specifically allows it because back in the day, bowling alleys were associated with noise complaints and increased calls for service and a gathering point for kids. So whether we have one bowling alley or we have 50, it
doesn't matter. The law says that we can charge it. we have charged it. >> Um, going forward, should we charge that? I don't know. But I think because we're doing it under Mass General law, there should be a special vote of the citizens >> to drop that section of the law, not just the select board to do it.
>> As far as the uh vending machines, I call them vinnie machines, but machines that take quarters. >> Yeah. >> Um, there are plenty of other establishments in town that each machine that takes quarters, whether it be a pool table, a dart board, they get charged per unit. I'm not saying it's right or wrong. Mhm.
>> or what my position is on it. >> Um but short of us putting something before the voters and the voters saying yes, we're going to cap it at X or whatever the case may be. And again, I'm not opposed to these things, >> but to go back and do it retro for this
one if that's what's being asked >> means it tells me we're being unfair to the whole group and we shouldn't do that. >> Yeah. No, I I hear you. And I think that's where I'm not totally clear what the real ask is for now. She's talking about
uh the fees being capped for the arcade going being capped at 500 going forward. So I would take that for next year. >> Yeah. But right but right now the law says it's per unit. So we we can amend it right >> and and change it by a bylaw. >> All in favor if if we're going down the
road of a bylaw that will apply equally to future applicants. I support that. just nothing retro. >> Yeah, >> I would not consider anything retro and I don't read the request as such. >> It's a question about what is um good
policy going forward, >> but it >> I want context. Thank you, John. >> It's MGL context that >> for rationale >> and I don't recall us I don't recall ever having an arcade of size in town.
So I I don't think the town's ever had to deal with this before. Her request seems very reasonable. >> Yeah. There's two other establishments I think that we gave coinop licenses to. One was Camp John and one was Pyanos. >> And they each have two >> the pool tables. >> Two units. Yeah. They have two units each.
>> And we had a diner with a jukebox on every table. >> Yep. >> East. >> Yeah. So there's a question on the table whether it's reasonable going forward, >> but there's nothing to be done about the
license paid and issued >> and valid including what they had as the moment that they renewed. I don't know if there's any obligation to >> revisit it as a tool alone, but >> Right. No, I think they were asking for
our consideration given that they did decide to stay in town, did decide to keep it as an entertainment center bigger than just the bowling alley and >> had to invest a whole lot more money than they ever imagined they would have to invest to keep it there. So, I think that was the >> the request. If if anything, I I don't
see us doing much for now given that it's already been paid, but I think we could take a look at it going forward >> and have have some thoughts about how we could amend anything. Good for committee. >> She's saying the cap at 500. So, >> they they've added So, they've made the the arcade now. So, they've got more
than the four now because they they've taken out they had a couple pool tables in the area and they've taken out those pool tables and made an arcade instead. So, >> for a motion. >> So, I guess yeah, >> we refer this to the bylaw committee. >> Second. >> I'm not sure what bylaw this falls
under. Um, okay. I hear a second. you h happen to know the I will send it to you top of your ear 140 >> 140 okay um >> help is available I'm sure but >> I think this actually came out and it may not be a bylaw because this comes
under select board fees so it might be a fee modification someday in the future or something like that that would have to go you know we would but I think your recommendation John would be that it would go normally we would do that and I don't believe that goes to town meeting but you're recommending that in this case we would make it go to town meeting
is what I'm thinking. I heard >> well I I believe bylaws have stronger teeth than select board whims >> of fee schedules. Today the four of us agree and tomorrow we're replaced and right >> versus if the citiz if the citizens vot it. >> Yeah. >> Then I'm not going to deny it.
>> Especially if we're customizing what tools are available to us under MGL. >> Yeah. And that's I need to just research MGL 140 if that's what it is. I I'm not that familiar with it. So okay. Well, anyway, it came before us to discuss and just let us know what what they're
asking and thinking and and not a total not a total ask by any means. >> So glad that they wrote to us rather than just grumbling, >> right? >> Yeah. So, I think that's that's fine and I I hope that they can make a go of it with this arcade. Uh it sounds like
quite a quite an investment in that regard, but I think they're hoping to draw in a a broader crowd and a different um different demographic. Maybe uh some some younger folks go and do that change down there now. >> So, I'll let Lisa know that retroactive,
but we're going to look not retroactive, but we're going to look forward to potentially. >> Yeah, we'll take a look and see how we can whether it's a bylaw or how we can abide by mass general law. Um because one of her questions was, you know, why is there a fee for a bowling alley and not a country club? It's like, well, I don't know. Without looking at Mass
General Law, I >> I don't know. >> That's it >> that we can answer that yet. So, we'll we'll take a look at that and we may have to expand that a little bit, but okay. Um, next up, 250th anniversary. Uh, next to nothing. We're done.
We're going to have a wrap-up meeting uh just to see where we are. There's some desire to do some sort of a time capsule, which I haven't figured out with people yet, but we'll have have a meeting and discuss that. Um, >> having a close out sale on the merchandise. >> Uh, yeah, we may have a fire sale on the
merchandise. We got some merchandise left, too. Um, so if people still need some merchandise, I'm sure we're going to have a meeting and do a discounted price. But we have some um glassware, wine glasses in particular, I think we have left. Um, and uh, we've got a Lucy's just taken an
inventory of what we have left. So, we'll have a meeting and talk about that. Um, we have the 250th of the country obviously this year. So, 250 is on some of the the uh the items, but it does say Southampton 250th in many of them. So it may not may not translate
but it might translate to the uh anniversary of the country as well. Who knows? Um but just to say that if anybody's interested in doing some celebration for that um this committee will be dissolving and so this would be a new committee that would have to form itself to take on any kind of
celebration in that regard. Okay. Uh zero college highway update. Scott, >> so it looks like we have a date that is going to be set. Um, Eastan Media is on board for doing the production of the meeting, uh, as well as a promotional
video. Um, I did want to maybe just brainstorm briefly about where we might be able to have this. Uh, one of the things is it's not just really an unveiling, but it's also going to serve as a promotional video for potential, you know, housing partners, for commercial people, you know, commercial interests that might be
interested in the land, uh, for the state. When we submit grants, we can use the video as a promotional tool as well. So, I really want it to look look good. >> Um, so I one of the concerns is, you know, it's going to be a PowerPoint presentation with Dodson, Flinker, and PVPC. Um, with maybe about 30 or 40
people. We're going to try to get into attendance. Um, but I I was just thinking where we might be able to have it. You know, library is would be a nice place, but it's a little bit too small. Um, this room we talked about the wiring not probably because we're going to need not probably the
best um thing. I mean, there could be nor school potentially uh in a classroom or I think a gymnasium might be a little bit too big. Um, so I just wanted to I mean throw it out there about potential places that we could
have it. >> Well, from New Kid in Town Church or Country Club. >> Oh, think of that. >> Southampton Country Club. Yeah, I have no idea whether it's available for such
purposes, but in some towns they are. >> Yeah, I don't know on church wise. Do we have to worry about things like church and state? >> Um I think it's just hosting a program. I think that's okay. >> Mhm. >> There wasn't an issue when we paid to repave the parking lot.
>> That's cuz the community covered it. >> There you go. in the community >> air conditioning >> possibilities I guess and both I mean there is the downstairs downstairs room at the congregational church for sure >> I don't know what >> I think both both would charge a fee for
room use um so yeah I guess they could be explored um so you're thinking uh a limited crowd 30 maybe >> elected officials. We'll invite the
congressman, the state senators, state reps, um >> okay, >> the economic development team from the state, um all the stakeholders from the town, you know, open space, cemetery commission, green communities, um planning board, EBA, select board, school committee, everyone. So, yeah,
it'll probably be about 30 to 40 people >> be at least that I would think. >> Yeah, it could >> could be more. >> Go more. Yeah. wide standard deviation >> you know COA and the you know the the building committees >> public safety >> public safety I mean >> oh yeah both of those for sure yeah and
perhaps the whole committee would be wanting to come >> I would otherwise serve you know inviting chairs but you know not to exclude people >> no I think you I think you need to be broader than just the chairs >> I do
and do you have a rough idea of timing on this Okay. >> Um before the middle of February. >> Okay. >> So in the next couple weeks I want to I >> You want to say the one date that emerged today? >> Yeah. I think it was probably February 10th. >> February 10th in the evening. >> Quickest. >> Mhm. >> In evening. Yep.
>> Evening. >> So that is not confirmed but it is uh the front running candidate for sure. >> Okay. >> Um with the meeting space the variable got to get that confirmed. If it was warmer weather, I'd have it on
the property, but uh we want to do that this this time. >> A heated tent would be expensive. >> Okay. Well, those would be that's our problem in town. There's not very many meeting venues that, you know, hold hold
a good population of people. Yeah. Can't think of either anything else, actually. Okay. Okay. Well, you want to explore that and then get back to us on that and >> Yeah. I'll I'll check with the country club and church at my >> Wouldn't it be nice to do it upstairs at
the old town hall? >> Oh, yeah. >> Not right now. >> That one day. That would be quite a filming job. One day. Yeah. I'm going to need a a clean out first. Uh get the get the recycle truck over there. >> Octopus out of there.
>> Yeah. Okay. Um All right. So, does that give you enough information to go? Okay. And then we'll wait to hear from you. Okay. Um, any other business? I can't wait for the next regular select board on February 3rd. >> Anything out there for anybody? >> Nope.
>> Okay. Uh, then we have some minutes to approve. >> Madam Chair, I move to approve without exception the minutes of June 16, 2025, November 10th, 2025, December 6th, 2020, December 9th, 2025, and December 23rd, 2025. >> Second. All right. I have a second. Uh I
just have a couple that had some spelling errors which I can work on with duty. It's just spelling of names uh people's names that were mentioned uh that were guests at the meeting. So uh that was on the November 10th and the December 9th meeting I believe. Uh and if everybody's okay with that, I will
work with Judy just to correct a couple spelling spelling changes on those. Um so if we can do that with those changes, then I would take a vote. All those in favor? I I >> I All right. Thank you. Thank you.
Glad to see we're getting caught up on the minutes. Um and we have warrants. Stephen, it's up to you. >> I'm sure I've read some of these previously. Here we go again. Uh P26-26.
The amount is $383,8.33. P D26-26. The amount is $68,896.72. PD26-26A. The amount is $346. No, $346,29121. W26-27.
The amount is $141,432.75. P26-28, the amount is $342,7918. PD26-28, the amount is $54,86143. >> Mhm. >> Okay.
>> Amen. And it looks like with the uh the information that Bradley put out, we've got um expenditures through January 15th and revenues through November 30th, I believe. I saw >> November 30th is what I saw. >> All right. So, if anybody has any
comments or questions on those, um take a look through them. Uh there's lots of lots of detail in there. Uh we got obviously the payroll and the vendor warrants, but then a lot of those were insurance related ones, I believe, as well. Okay. Uh, old business, just uh,
probably anything on the FY24 audit. How are we doing, Scott, with getting information into them? I know they they've finished their field work here, I assume, at this point, or are they coming back? >> Still plugging away. So, all the field work has been completed. >> Yeah. >> So, >> are we doing better at getting all the
information from the treasur's office up to them or? >> Mhm. Yep. Every couple days I I get the notification that things are being submitted. >> Mhm. Okay. don't have an idea of when they might be done with their work at this point though. >> Um as soon as possible.
>> Yeah, I know that. >> Yeah, it's just a lot of uncovering and we were talking two years ago. So um with the record keeping everything, it's just a matter of pulling it out like um like today we just the Bank of Western Mass came up >> uh which hasn't been in business for
like 15 years. >> Wow. >> Um so we have to decipher u where the money's been going. So that's just like one example. >> So Megan's got her her job cut out for her, >> I guess. >> Like a good example. Hopefully the
money's coming into us from the Bank of Western Mass and not going out somewhere in the >> Exactly. So okay. And while we're on the subject of finances, how are we doing on uh free cash? >> Scarier than >> uh free cash. Um hopefully best case scenario the 30th. Uh worst case February 6th.
>> Okay. >> That'll be a lot earlier than we've ever had. free cash. >> Oh, that's probably for an update. So, uh best case if we can get uh just a few of the reconciliations with the treasures department and there's a few school things that we need to clean up.
Um so, the biggest hurdle was was a miscalculation from a year and a half, two years ago. Um Megan was able to reconcile the treasures department to to balance the books with Bradley. So, that was the biggest uh biggest one. So, that's been done. So hopefully there if
there's no speed bumps, it should be January 30th. >> Great. All right. Glad to hear that. Okay. Um nothing else I believe. So we have our next select board meetings on February 3rd and February 17th. >> Ju just a reminder February 3rd I will
be out of state but I can participate via Zoom. >> Okay, good. Thanks for reminding me on that one. Yep. >> Perfect. Okay, so with that I will take a motion to adjurnn. >> So moved. >> Second. >> I I >> Everybody's in favor already ahead of
time. All right, we are >> Are we signing >> adjourned at 7:30 p.m. >> We can sign the minutes. I can correct the um