This government meeting is brought to you by Eastworks and our local cable subscribers. All right, let us call to order the meeting of the Southampton Select Board for December 9th. 2025 at 6:01 p.m. Uh we will be
recording tonight. Uh we don't have a live stream uh being up in this room. Um but uh so we'll be recording tonight and it'll be posted up on our website within a day or so. Uh and we chose to come up here tonight um largely because we have
a Zoom presentation and we had some Zoom technical difficulties at our room downstairs at our last meeting. So we didn't want to take that chance. So here we are. So, we're getting in order. Let us stand and say 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. Thank you. So, do we have anybody here for citizen speak for anything that's not on the actual agenda tonight? >> Uh, yes. >> Okay. You want to come on up >> just to just or stand up and say your
name and address, please, or >> Jeff Boater, 46 Pleasant Street. >> Okay. >> I'm here about uh a proposed solar facility. I don't know if anybody's heard about it, but there's a big commercial solar facility that's going to be proposed on Bon Street coming up.
I guess uh it's my understanding they've already uh apply it to the conservation commission. And that is supposed to be I've heard going to be on the upcoming agenda for the Monday meeting. >> So I don't know. I I looked on the
agenda for Monday for the conservation commission and it actually lists something from March. >> So that's not a good day, I guess. Um then after that it'll be you know go through planning and building.
>> Okay. So what I'm here basically to request is uh any of these meetings upcoming for this solar facility I would like them to be not just zoom
u it appears to me that any meeting for planning or conservation are just zoom meetings but it really you know it's it kind of eliminates people who either can't or won't attend the Zoom meeting,
although they might have some input or concerns or just want to be there. >> So, I don't know how to go about doing that, but I mean, at least have it in person, but ideally have it both Zoom and in person. That
would cover everybody, >> right? I mean, here I'm just looking at this looks like it's going to be a Zoom and inerson meeting, >> but to have it just Zoom, >> I just don't see how that's accessible to the public or, you know, quote unquote accessible. >> Okay.
>> No, thanks for those comments. Um, we can certainly share that information with with Concom and Planning Board. I know for a long time planning board had been meeting in person downstairs, >> but I I don't know what they've done lately. uh if they've been more on Zoom or not. Concom I know has been on Zoom
quite a bit lately. Um that tends to be their their way of operating and a lot of that came into play pretty much I think at the as of the end of COVID we had the dispensation where we didn't have to have in-person meetings. It was all Zoom >> so people you know were able to continue
those meetings. But I I get your point. We can share that information with those two committees. >> Okay. for this. I don't know if I'm right or or not, but again, I hear that the meeting on Monday is going to have it on the agenda. It's always >> Well, if what's posted is not if it's
not on the agenda, they can't have it. >> What's on the agenda? What's posted is not the agenda for Monday. It's the agenda for something in March. >> Oh, okay. >> So, it's not up to date. But all I'm saying is is my understanding we're all a butters of the area. >> Okay.
>> So, we should be notified somehow some way. uh I guess by certified mail. I don't know. >> Okay. >> Which we haven't yet. So I'm I'm just hoping that we get enough >> information up front or you know notification before the fact. That's all.
>> Okay. No, I think I think those are those are valid points. I I would tend to think that the butters list happens when there's a planning board meeting. I'm not positive about a KTO meeting, but we can I think it should be both. and we'll we'll relay that and we'll check on whatever the agenda is for the 15th.
>> If if it's not posted for the 15th, then it shouldn't be discussed. >> Okay. >> Okay. It should be on a different a different night, a different agenda. >> Okay. >> If it's not a subject on the agenda that's been posted. >> Okay. >> Okay. We'll pass that information. Thank you for your comments. Okay. Appreciate that.
>> Thank you. >> Okay. Anybody else for open time? Well, yes. Cassandra Adams, 40 Pleasant Street. Um, we only found out about this in September about this whole proposed solar arrays coming agotic.
If someone doesn't know that's they put them up like 10 ft plus high. Um, so we're very concerned and we would like to have it in person just like Jeff said >> because there's a lot of people it's very daunting to do this whole some of some of our neighbors don't even have
computers >> so it's very daunting and they would probably even if it's cold they would come out to voice their opinion so yeah we'd appreciate it if somehow we would be able to do that. >> All right thank you.
>> Okay anyone else? >> Yes. Jeda King Gladial Road. I I did look it up and the 17th is a planning board meeting. It looks like it's scheduled for the first floor unless something changes between now and the 17th. There's no agenda posted.
>> Just is my understanding that the planning board they're going to apply to planning and zoning, but that hasn't even happened yet. But they did apply already for a notice of intent to compound. That's Monday the 5th.
>> Right. So >> that's coming up quick. >> Yeah. Okay. >> If there's a way that even someone either select or or something could get a hold of us. >> Certainly can do that. >> That would be great.
>> No, we'll pass the information on. Absolutely. So, thank you guys for showing up. Much appreciate your uh bringing the issue to our attention and uh we will >> we love our street. >> Indeed. All right. Thank you very much. All right. If there's nothing,
>> you're tracking just right on the order of activity. We don't actually have a vote on this issue. >> Right. >> We have no vote on this. >> We're not involved at all in if we get approved or not. It has to go to >> We appreciate that you are bringing it
to our attention and that Zoom only is a problem. Um, but everything I've heard you report is tracking, you know, normal process and permitting. And those specialty boards, commissions have the
expertise and the authority to those. >> Yeah, we're all new to this. So, you could help us. >> Sure. >> I don't mean to pass the buck, but it never does come to us. >> Well, we're all citizens of Southampton, right? We all Southampton. So, it may be
our street, you know, 2026, 2027, but it's going to be other streets, too, cuz >> they're hitting Western Mass really, really hard. >> Okay. Thank you very much. All right. Good. Uh, we'll proceed with the agenda if that's it. Uh, I would like to make a
motion here. I have a motion to um just swap the order a little bit. >> Yeah, just to swap the order. So, if we do that, Stephen, you want to make that motion? >> Yeah. Uh, I'd like to move that we take up appointments out of order on the agenda this evening and take them up. >> Okay, I'll second that.
>> Second. >> Second. >> All right. All those in favor? I >> I thanks. Okay. Thank you. Yeah, we have uh at least one person here I know who's involved in the appointments, so we'll we'll do that. Uh we have two appointments this evening. Um and I I
will speak on one of them because I was part of the um group that was I was at the meeting. So, this is for um Kathleen Caputo of Mountain View Circle. Uh an appointment to the Affordable Housing Trust. This is a new appointment. Um
this will be a one-year term to expire June 30th, 2026. Um these are staggered appointments. We've already appointed people for two-year terms, so this is a staggered appointment. Um um Kathy couldn't be here tonight, but
she has had some 44 years of banking concentrating in residential lending and she's been a 10-year volunteer with Habitat for Humanity. Uh she moved into Southampton in 1984 uh and uh has been very busy with her
career. Uh she's been involved in underwriting and uh originating residential mortgages. Uh and so she's always helped people, enjoyed helping people get into new homes. Uh and so uh this is a chance that she feels that she would like to give back to the community that she's called home. So um we thank
her for stepping up and I would like to take a motion to accept Kathy Kaputo as a new appointment to the affordable housing trust. I'll >> make a motion to uh appoint Kathy Kaputo to the one-year term of the affordable housing trusts to expire June 30th, 2026.
>> Okay. >> Second. >> All right. Okay. All those in favor? >> I >> I All right. Very good. Thank you. >> All right. >> You want a motion or did you >> uh second one we have a person to speak on it. So the second one um is for the
board of assessors and the uh candidate uh would be Joanne Griffin and this is a new appointment until the next election. Uh this is normally an elected position. Uh so it' be till the next election on May 19th, 2026. Um, and we have the chair of the board
of assessors here, Linda. Would you like to say a few words? >> Sure. Linda Green, 25 Pomeroy Meadow Road. Um, Janine Griffin's been a resident of the town for 50 years and she would be appointed filling the seat
of Cindy Palmer, um, who used to be the chair of the board. Joanne has, um, as I said, she's lived in Southampton for 50 years. She has a bachelor's of science in business administration. She also has
an associates in um medical radiology. I'm sure I said that incorrectly. She was a technician. Um and also did medical coding. In that time, she also for 12 years was
the owner and operator of a restaurant and bar in Springfield. So, she comes with a lot of finance background. She knows how to manage and run a business. She knows about state regulations and
guidelines and she's also attended several of our meetings so far. Um, I think she'd be a great fit. She brings some good basic knowledge and she's very eager to learn more about the board and its operations. >> Okay.
>> Very good. Thank you. All right. Do we have a motion then? >> Yeah. I move that we appoint Joanne Griffin to the board of assessors. This is the new appointment until the next election on May 19th, 2026.
>> Second. >> Second. All right. All those in favor? >> I >> I All right. Motion passes. >> Congratulations. >> All right. Very good. So the next step will be that they will get a letter uh from uh the um assistant town ad um the assistant to the town administrator Judy
Zonas um will send them a letter of appointment um and they would need to make an appointment with uh the town clerk next week to get sworn in. >> Okay. >> Okay. >> Thank you. >> Sounds good. And just a just a comment. So, thank you um Linda for being here and also just to reiterate part of one of our general bylaws in terms of just
committee organization and how committees should function in town was that when people do want to volunteer, there is the application online for people to fill out and to add in either a resume or a CV about their experience and and why they would like to serve.
But we do encourage them to certainly make contact with that committee or board first, make themselves known, attend a couple meetings or so and kind of get familiar with what the work of that committee is and the time commitment. So I'm very pleased to hear that and I know that also happened with um with Kathy Caputo who attended the
last affordable housing trust meeting. So glad to see that that process is is happening. So we try to um make sure that everybody's informed so if a letter comes in directly to Scott's assistant Judy that we get it out to the board chair. So that's our process and we will keep on doing it that way. So thank you
for >> just a note and I spoke with Judy today. Um when I was appointed to fill the remainder of a term I was unaware of all of this. All I know is I put in the application a resume and then I got a call. Um and one of the things I
appreciated was you let me know that she was going to be on the agenda for this week. You not having known that we had spoken or that she'd attended meetings. Um, in talking with Judy about that, we talked about maybe a minor change to the
form, the application itself. >> Okay. >> And I took the liberty of taking a stab at it and just adding a line at the bottom that says >> uh reviewed by whatever board, committee, commission they are interested in serving on. Okay. Okay.
>> So, I can pass that on to later to take a look at. >> We probably need a couple of addition, you know, edits on that form anyway. I wouldn't be surprised. So that would be a good idea. All right. Thanks, Linda. Appreciate the time. All right. Very good. Thank you. >> Okay. Um let's go back up to the presentation tonight, which is our main
focus. >> Jen, do you want to come up? >> And we will have um James Masik from the AICP consulting service >> and Mike Kennedy from the Center for Living and Working. Is that right?
>> So that's right. >> Perfect. All right. Well, we'll let you. >> Yeah, we'll start with introductions and actually Mike because the contract that Southampton had was with Center Living Working Inc. and actually we work as a partnership, but the the prime was with them. So, let Mike introduce himself,
the background, and then I'll do the same and go through the format of presentation tonight. >> All right, sounds uh great. Uh first foremost uh thank you uh Scott and the uh town of uh Southampton for enabling
me to uh participate in this meeting via zoom and um I would also like to on behalf of center for living and working uh thank the town of self hamping for uh choosing center for living and working
uh in partnership with Jim Masik to uh administer your ADA self evaluation. plan and to thank all the town um you know staff who uh helped Jim and I along the way when we were doing our site
surveys. So uh so that being said um I will uh turn it over to uh Jim to let him uh introduce himself then um I'll be back uh to uh talk about the uh self-evaluation portion of the plan
results. Go ahead, Jeff. >> Okay. Thanks, Mike. So, I'm a uh it's a seasoned or grizzled uh 40 plus year uh professional planner by trade. Worked in city glouester, town of whale and town of Belchtown. And it's my in my public
sector. And then the past 32 years prior to my retirement in 2020 from public sector uh with the pine valley planning commission, I was deputy director there and oversight human development department as well. We did hundreds of million dollars of construction projects and other projects throughout our region
in central Mass. Um we did a lot of work consulting years years ago. Did a lot of work with Collie and and some of the past you know board of select when you were in that building over there. >> Many meetings over there I think at that time a lot that Dave Silverdale might
have been the chief for quite a while some projects too. um involved with this building here where we got funding to do a feasibility study to make it into town offices. Uh we had a committee that was in place. Uh we used to meet at Norris School. >> Um
worked in getting uh oh the the um >> tire dump cleanup project years ago. Is that familiar with folks? And then the it was very controversial. I know. >> Um >> waterline project to I think it was this elderly housing on college highway. a
couple of fire hydrants and we also did some uh housing rehab around the lakes and we did some other work with head on on um streets and roads and that sort of stuff. So very familiar with the town. Um so I want to go through just a little
background about the ADA about 520 and CMR about the difference between the two. Um and then the plan content. Uh the mic's going to go back and then and talk about the self evaluation piece and then when he's done I'm going to go in and just do a quick overview of the
general findings >> and then uh maybe hit upon a couple things and and open up for for any kind of question. >> Can I just ask everybody hearing okay back there with hard back? >> Yeah. Could you maybe a little bit? >> Yeah, that would be good. Maybe on the outside if that's okay. >> Then your then your voice projects a
little differently. This room is a little strange sometimes. I should have brought my megaphone >> and I don't know if you have closed caption on the Zoom or not. >> Do we have a closed caption thing? I don't know. >> I don't know. >> I didn't see anyone who's speaking.
>> May not >> post tools >> captions. Oh, I think you just barely missed it. testing. One, two, three. >> Yes. Okay. Beautiful. Okay. Good. >> Right. Perfect. >> So, that'll pick me up as well.
>> Uh, it should we're still working on all the all the stuff, so >> it's not fine tuned. >> Okay. I'll speak loud. Uh, so the ADA, American Disability Act, was signed into law u o over 35 years ago. was back in 1990 by President George W. Bush. Um the
ADA is civil rights law. It's it's intended to be equal access to programs and services uh regardless of mental or physical um impairment. There are five titles under the ADA. Uh two titles directly um relate to municipalities, local jurisdictions. Title one is
employment, so equal employment. Um and title two is state and local government's accessibility, so access to programs and services. And also that's the requirement of your your ADA plan comes comes in into play. Um the current standards of the ADA are the 2010
standards went into effect in March of 2012 and there have not been any changes since then. Uh Massachusetts also has its own specialized section of the state building code. It's called 521 521 CMR. It is a building code. It is not civil
rights. So requirements for modifications in buildings is only triggered by construction and it's basically it depends upon the value of the work um as a percentage of the value of the building. So it's either just the work that's being done must be ADA
accessible compliant the work entrance bathrooms a couple other things or the whole building must be brought in compliance and I have more detail in the planets on how that works. Um, we look at the higher. So, in these plans, a lot of, uh, couple entities out there that
do these, they just look at ADA. Um, we look at both ADA and 521 CMR because you're governed by both. And when we do the plans, and I'll get to this later on, how the format is, we look at the higher standard of the two. And then that's what we write in that needs to be adhered to when you do your
modifications when you get to those. So, the plan content and format. So, um, basically there's four sections of the plan. Uh, there's what we call the front end. I'll get into that in a second. Then there's a self valve piece, which Mike's going to talk about. Uh, the transition plan, the individual
building, the facility assessments themselves, and then the appendices, which includes any recommended policies, procedures, uh, we have funding sources, and we have some other things in here. So the front end piece um we have 10 chapters and we'd like to use that um
and as a reference guide for um you know town staff for town uh elected officials so that you can go into that that that um those chapters if as things might come up. So for example we have more information about the ADA and the five titles. We have uh another chapter on
other federal accessibility regulations and contact information. We have a much detailed section on the 521 CMR. We go see what the percentages are and how that applies. We have another chapter on alterations to historic properties because there are exceptions on historic properties and what you may uh may not
have to do. Uh we also have a section or chapter on EV charging station guidance. Now when the ADA rates went in effect 2010, I mean EV charging stations I don't think they even thought of. Um but there are guidelines or regulations on
parking uh places uh um parking on accessible routes on on reach range. So we have guidance in here on terms if you put in EV charging station. I don't think you have any on any municipal properties today >> then you need to look at that and that
that's what you must or should adhere to. We have a another chapter on emergency um preparedness for person with disabilities. So police and fire if you are looking to do emergency preparedness plan you can look at and the information is I think three or four
or five pages and incorporate some of that because it's very useful and helpful. Um we have another chapter on ADA uh service animals versus emotional support animals and then in terms of what qualifies action 22 which is working dog mentor horse or service animals um and then what you may or may
not be able to do when when a situation arises. Um, we have another section, a chapter on ADA compliant portable toilets. We've done 60 some odd plans all throughout the state from Birksher to Boston. We've never come across a compliant portable accessible toilet
because they don't have adequate clearance on the side, clearance in the front or things, their dispensers are over the grab bars and all sorts of stuff. So, we have a chapter on that with some photographic examples. We have another chapter on emergency eyewash emergency eyewash stations which would
apply to police, fire and schools in their laboratories. Um and we do this we come across things all the time. It's like okay gez we should have a chapter on this cuz then keep going look at that's what's going to be done. We had another chapter which a lot of municipalities have found very useful on accessible routes of travel and
playground surface materials. So that's specific. We have a number of different types of examples of materials and then we we have um in there um I'll just quickly just show you this here. So we'll have we have like 11 different
examples and we show um an we have a pros of that material, the cons and a rough cost and a photographic example. So you could look at different options. I want to put a accessible route from parking lot to uh a ball field. Well, if
I want to use um stone dust, do I want to use asphalt? Do I want to concrete? Do I want to do stone dust with an emulsification over it? Do there's a new material out there. It's a wood chip fiber with an emulsion on. So, so it's compacted. So, there's all sorts of options and you can use that um in the
future if you have to make any of those improvements. Uh so, I said Mike's going to go with self valve. We we we look at there only five areas you're required to look at. We look at 11 different areas. Um, and then I mention I'm going to go over the trans transition plan assessments and dependencies. So, I'm
going to turn over to Mike. Mike's going to talk about the selfal piece. That's the piece where we look at your policies, your procedures, your job descriptions, and to make recommendations on um on things that may need to be improved upon. So, Mike, I'll turn it over to you.
>> Great. Uh, thanks, uh, Jim. Yeah. So uh uh so Jim had uh given you an outline of uh you know what's uh in the plan and I'm boldly assuming that you've all uh had a chance to review the plan. So uh
so the uh self- evaluation piece uh you know comes right after uh the front end that uh Jim was referring to and then um after the uh self-evaluation that's when uh Jim gets into uh the
actual uh transition plans. This is uh uh you know the uh modifications uh and uh recommended uh work uh to be uh done to uh uh you know make uh uh the
buildings and the rec facilities more accessible. So you know we'll start uh right at the top uh you know regarding commissions on uh disabilities. So the uh you know town of Southampton uh
through annual town uh meeting action uh should accept the provision of mass dental law uh uh chapter 40 section 8J to uh establish a commission on disability and allow the um select board
to appoint a minimum of five members to serve on this uh commission. Um the uh next uh regards the ADA coordinator. We uh know who that is. So it's recommended that we uh post the
name and contact uh information of the ADA coordinator on the town's website and in the uh town hall. And that's for um you know uh uh people uh in town that have a disability or uh or uh
uh new uh people uh that move to town. So uh they could look up on your website and uh see who they can uh contact if they have anything uh ADA uh uh related uh questions.
Uh next, adopt a uh public notice of nondiscrimination and uh post it on the uh town's uh website and in the town hall. Now again um in the uh plan uh this is much more
detailed. I'm I'm kind of uh giving you folks uh bullet points. Um the uh next uh would be uh you know to post the
uh ADA uh grievance procedure on uh the town's website and in the town hall and uh make it available to all staff, departments, committees and uh boards. Um and uh
next uh is to uh adopt a uh formal uh reasonable accommodation policy and develop a reasonable uh accommodation uh request form. And um
and these uh forms that I'm referring to are actually in the uh at the um end of uh the ADA plan under uh appendices. Um the uh next uh is to uh incorporate uh
non-discrimination uh language, essential uh function requirements, reasonable accommodation language and physical requirements uh and employment postings and uh job uh
descriptions. had and what I did uh I uh reviewed I don't know maybe uh 10 or 12 uh job descriptions that were either sent to me or available on uh Southampton's uh website and uh came up
with the uh uh suggestions and recommendations that I did uh when it comes to uh effective uh communication. Um, kudos to the town of uh Southampton
uh because I, you know, we learned that uh uh you folks uh purchased an uh assisted uh listening uh device that can uh you know, be used at uh meetings uh such as what we're on now or annual town
meetings or any other town uh uh related meeting that uh Somebody may need uh some kind of effective uh communication uh accommodation. And you know, these are for folks that uh you know may be um
hard of hearing or um or actually um you know, deaf and uh may need uh uh the assistance of a uh American Sign Language uh interpreter. So um what to
do there is uh you know to um uh adopt uh auxiliary aid and uh and accommodation request uh uh language in all uh meeting uh notices and
actually uh post the uh availability of assisted uh living you know living assisted listening systems. uh uh devices on the town's uh web page. And even uh in places where uh you hold uh
you know maybe uh uh meetings like uh where uh the select board uh usually has their uh meetings and uh where you would have your uh annual uh trial meetings. uh then then um
then otherwise the um when it comes to uh emergency preparedness uh incorporate the uh guidance uh provided in uh chapter 7 of the um
self-evaluation transition plan um when developing a uh an emergency uh management plan and more specifically that notification and assistance to uh persons with disabilities be included in
the uh emergency uh management plan. Like I say, that's one of the many um you know great uh documents that are in the front end of the um um ADA plan and
I believe that uh covers um most everything. So the uh yeah u and I know uh you know uh in speaking with the uh town clerk um
uh the town of Southampton u um has uh automach uh has an automach uh voter assistance terminal that's available for uh uh voters with uh either visual
impairments or um physical uh uh disabilities that um that make them unable to mark the ballot. Uh you know, you know, with the uh with their uh pen or the uh or the magic uh
marker and um you know, so that the automark uh uh assistance terminal uh can uh help address that through the use of u keyboards. So um so that's uh it I
know it's a very very a bridged uh uh summary of the uh self-evaluation. Um like I say there's uh much more uh detail in the actual uh self-evaluation
uh itself in the final plan. So, um, if there's, uh, no, uh, questions, uh, I can turn, uh, this presentation back over to, uh, Jim. >> All right. >> Yeah, you're right. There's We would
spend 3 days going over the details. So, this is a real real real quick. I mean, there's so much detail. Report itself is this is actually one of our smaller ones cuz 186 pages. We've had almost as much as 40 pages of length. So, but okay. So,
I want to go and quickly show the format of the plan. And >> so, yeah, I was going to say, can you do that? >> Yeah, you can do that on page 67. I'm going to look uh and use the library as
an example, but also um Oh, there you are. Right there. >> Okay. >> Okay. >> So, um what we each each building, each facility has its own >> a little bit bigger. >> Zoom it a little bit more.
Yeah, I'm not going to go into all the detail, just the format part of it. Scroll up a little bit. Okay. Okay. A little more. All right. Right there. So, what we'd like to do, and again, each facility has its own separate uh report.
So, if uh you know, police just want to look at police and fire just fire, they can have their own. So anyway, we like to have a a general description paragraph of the function, description of the facility and the program. So uh you know when was the light, when was the building built,
is it one story, two stories, is masonry, is it wooden framed, um what is it served? So that's in that first introductory paragraph, a representative photo, who the responsible parties are. And then we find this very useful is a general description and narrative format
of what the original compliance cuz you don't want to you'll see in a few minutes the detail you want a quick read of what it is and you quickly go like oh this is great or you say oh my god we have so much so um so this is a couple like two and a half pages for the
library go to the next page you'll know >> could we just make given that this is not going to be that visible to people listening eventually on this we just read a couple of the the comments that up there before like parking for example and >> whatever. >> Yeah. Okay. Parking >> couple things like that. >> The designated parking design accessible
parking space is wide enough solely for passenger vehicles. The signage is severely faded and it's 13 in wide. And in the report I'll go I'll read a couple of specifics on this too. >> Sure. Okay. >> Um >> building signage interior doors lack tactical designation signage. The bathroom signage is located on the door
and not the last side of the door. So again, this is a real quick you can read and see. It's not meant to be. The details are going to be the next part we go to drinking fountain. The drinking fountain fountain near the conference room is low only. Um right there the circulation computer. This I want to point this out because we did go in
there and this is something where we see this a lot in some of the libraries where this was actually too high for wheelchair user to use um the um the dedicated circles computer because it was too again it's 40 in above his floor. Not within retrain. There's no
knee clearance. I put this because I had to go back and take some additional photos which my camera failed and went back to the librarian was very proud to say, "Well, we already we took care of this already." So, I took a picture and it sat on there as a notice that the um
the accessible uh dedicated computer is located and there's some tables adjacent. So, um but I felt important that we noted it. We wanted to put show that it was already action done on it. Very good. >> So if you go down to then the um
page 69 right there. Let's go down a little bit. So then this is where this is really the nuts and bolts. This is where your facilities person and um others would would be interested in what needs to be done. And a lot of folks we work with um we just actually we
finished the LLO 88 plan in June. We had a meeting with the board of select and we just had another meeting a couple nights ago with the disability commission and um we we informed them that some of the so some of these we're working with the facilities person for the all town buildings and the
facilities person for the schools >> and they were in the middle of some projects. So we would just take what we had here and lift it and then center them and they just actually use that to send up to get quotes on because everything was right there in detail. So this is I'll just use the parking lot for example. Um so parking the I said
before the design of the parking space is only 14 uh ft wide um which is wide enough solely for passenger vehicles. The signage is severely faded and it's 13 in too high. So I have we have in here the what the code is uh the federal
code for ADA the uh code under 520c mark. So you can actually go and reference those. You can find those online. You can see exactly. But then we have what needs to be done. Widen existing space such as the asphalt accessible parking spaces 16 ft wide 11t
parking space with a 5ft access aisle or 8ft parking space with a 8ft accessile so that can accommodate a van. Restrike the parking space and access. Provide new signage. Signage must be set set to the signage height to be a minimal of six inches high at the bottom um of the
sign and a max of 96 inches at the top of the sign and located no more than 10 ft in front of the space. The van accessible space would also be provided. So that's very specific and you can exactly so everything through here that you go along um we have that level of
detail. I mean I'll give you another quick example. So we talk here about um building signage and in the building A number of doors lacked lacked tactile designation signage and we cite this federal code, the state code. And then
the requirement is which is a little bit lengthy um for signage. Uh install and relocate accessible compliant signage so is located on the left side of each door where allowable with the appropriate finish and contrast and character type proportions. Raise and bail character should also be included on a 520 CMR.
Signage should be 60 inches AF above finish floor to the center line of the sign. Tackle characters on sign should be 40 inches minimum AF above finish floor from baseline lowest character at 60 in maximum above finish to the baseline highest character. Characters must meet the ADA standards for
character height finish and contrast accompanied by grade true braille according to 7 section 703 ADA standards and accessible bathrooms also include the universal symbol of accessibility. So then Marie, you know, if you went and want some install signs, take this.
Okay, we need 20 signs in these buildings and this is where you this is going to be this year. Um so so we have that we have so we also have in here on this detail piece um we went we have the description we have the state
federal code the state code the action be taken we have a priority we have a feasibility and time frame priority is 1 through four one anyone could do it um let's say this protruding object protruding object is anything that's more than four inches out into route of
travel I have 27 7 to 80 in above finished floor. So let's say there was a defibrillator mounted right here. Um and that would be a protruding object. It's going to go apart about 8 n 10 inches from the wall. So any one of us could maybe take a
and now my cane is going to pick up cane detection on that and I'm going to go around that um that object on the wall. I mean that's a simple example but so um if it's something more let's say you had to relocate it. So your facilities person that would be priority um that be feas excuse me that'd be feasibility
two. Um if it had to be something more of a construction nature you had to rebuild a set of stairs that would be a feasibility three and if needed some kind of design and and uh engineering that would be feasibility four. Priority we use priority one is access into the building. Two is goods and services.
Three is bathrooms as four is anything else. Then we have a time frame of immediate near or or longterm. And then we also put a rough um cost estimate for each um item. Now one thing that I said we mentioned the higher standards of the two ADA 520
CMR. Uh there also are tolerances that are allowed and we we include the tolerances in these plans. Um if it's 0 to 2 in there's a 1/8 in tolerance. If it's 2 to 36 in there's a/ inch tolerance. If it's more than 36 in there's an inch tolerance. So let's say
the reach range is um uh 42 in uh I'll be in the bathroom here. So let's say 42 in but it is now 42 1/2 in that where the item is we within a tolerance of a/ inch because it's more to 36 you got an inch tolerance get the reach range and
I'll say for a dispenser in a bathroom and the operating mechanism let's say it's at 45 in and it should be at 42 you're 3 in high it's above tolerance it's got to be brought in. So we have that when we do the report. We we don't I mean so in our notes we'll say okay
it's 42 and 3/4 inches. It's okay. We're not going to write up even though it's within tolerance. But tolerances do not apply to a range of dimensions or to slopes. Slopes would be for your ramps uh or for your parking spaces. So 2% max is on parking spaces. If it's 2.4%
technically it's not compliant. We have to note in the report. I mean are you going to redo it for for 4%? Probably not. But we just write it up. We typically say was, "Well, when you get to repaving the parking lot, you know, in in year 256,
um, you know, make sure it's level." Um, so, but that does apply on on running slopes for ramps. Um, if it's, let's say the ramp is 8% and it's concrete technically and your max is 8.3%.
We'll know. But we also say that the benefit gained versus the cost to redo that ramp is not there >> and we recommend that it not be changed and if necessary secret bearings to retain the existing. However, if it's something like 10.8% that that's that's
different that's involving. Um I also mentioned on um the range of dimensions. So let's say a uh for an adult grab bar in a bathroom, it's 33 to 36 in above finish floor to top of the gripping surface and that is your tolerance. So
technically the 36 and 1/4 in is too high. Well, right it up. I I mean to be honest that quarter inch, you know, but if it was now if it was like 42 in, yeah, it would be that's really way too high or it's only 28 in. It's it's too
low. Um um we address reasonable accommodations in police, fire and uh and you can have your report. Bless you. Um so they must meet certain strict physical um requires for
the position. So and in those areas, most areas like the garage and open to public. So we know do it right in the narrative but we say unless these areas are made open to the public or unless um this reasonable accommodation press you don't take action in those areas which are work areas only. Um however work
areas um which don't require certain physical requirements for the position such as an employee break room um those are governed under ADA. They're not governed 520 and CMR but they are in the ADA. So you do have some areas here. If
there's a break room and the sink counter is 36 in and there's no knee clearance for the sink, that's technically not compliant. Needs to have knee clearance needs no more than 34 in. So that would have to be modified cuz someone could be a wheelchair user have
an office job and they go in they can't access the thing. Um I'll one of the things this does involve and I'll get this I'm going to move it along after this. So schools are problematic. Uh the standards vary different between
521 CMR and ADA. One is age level, one is grade level. Also the standards aren't the same between the two. And then the standards different between preK K to 3, 4 to 6, and 7 to 12. So when you're like like a Norris school which I'll a little bit I'll talk about
that briefly um is prek to six. So individual classrooms and it mostly applies to uh a lot of it applies in the bathrooms. So if it's a prek classroom with a prek bathroom it must be meet prek standards. If it's a K bathroom and a K classroom it must be K standards. But what if you got a hallway and it
serves the whole school which is prek to six. So what we do is there are common standards. Well, we've developed this phrase common standard. So, um, a gra, let's I'll just use a grab bar. So, a grab bar for grades, um, K through
three, I believe, is 20 in to 25 in above finish floor. A grab bar for, um, 4 to 6, I believe, is 25 to 27 in. So, we say, so that over overlap, I'm sorry, overlap. So, the overlap there is 25 in.
So if you set that grab bar at 25 in, now you can beat both K23 and 426. So we write it up in the Supreme Court, we have that addressing the um at Norris Elementary for those type of circumstances. >> All right, I'm going to go real quick. Um
>> Jim, can I ask you one quick question on Norris for a second? So what do you do like with common areas like the library or the cafeteria or the gym? Do they have specific different kind of qualifications? >> Yeah, so it depends upon the user. So if it's a user, if it's an adult user, it's the adult standard. If it's intended to
be for a child, then it's a child standard. So um there are certain and and so one thing boy have close up here. So in the narrative portion, we have guidance. So here's a guidance on reach range in the classroom. Here's a guidance on we'll talk about this in a
second. Classroom synchron with bubblers and it goes in quite length because it gets pretty complicated on the state and federal standards. Um, so if it is intended to be a reach range for a child, it's going to be different than
it is for an adult. So it depends upon what the intention >> got to accommodate both in the com. >> Yeah. Yeah. We try to cut and that's where it gets kind of tough. We're using a judgment call following the standard in terms of okay, who is it serving and what's the best way to address the service most folks that are they supposed to serve.
>> Yeah. So general these are just general findings of non-compliance. Um and I will go I'll go quickly. Um so parking in some cases there there was no designated accessible parking the signage was too low or was too high and the running slopes exceeded 2% or there
was no van accessible spaces. Uh some cases the exteriors of travel to building entrances had abrupt changes level service of greater than 1/4 in unbe um or beveled greater than 1/2 in. So, they don't think that means a lot, but that 1/2 inch if you're um a
wheelchair uh sight up here, it's that's a bit of a tripping hazard or it's a little bit of obstruction with your chair. Um doors, so the maximum operating force um for an interior door is 5 lb, 15 lbs for an exterior, and closing speeds of at least 6 seconds.
And we see this all the time, and they're using these doors, and I mean, they're they're out of whack. I mean, they close too fast, they're too heavy. So, um that's that's very common that they just need to be adjusted and looked at, especially those ones that are used quite often. Um stair railings uh are
typically not rounded oval oval in shape and they lack top and bottom extensions 12 in parallel to the ground at at the top. Uh the slope distance of one tread and then 12 in parallel to the ground or floor at the bottom. Um some of the sterilers are not at the correct height.
Um the police I know the front is not used but if we're were to be used the police ramp the running slopes are 8.8 to 9.4%. They're they're quite excessive and and the railings were not rather roal in
shape and they weren't paired. Um there's a little section of when when you go the parking to the library, there's about a six foot section of concrete uh that is sloped at 6.1 to 78%.
Um a a walkway a walkway is up to 5.0%. 5.0% to 8.3% is now considered to be a ramp. So 6.1 to 78 considered a ramp. So it either needs to be it's in the report either modified so it's at 5% or less or
railings for that six foot segment which the 4G buildings are expensive. Um in many of the buildings we found non-compliant uh hardware um knob hardware must be lever style so it's oper operable with a closed fist or loose grip so I can just do that. I
don't do this and pinch and twist. Um lack of tactile designation sign as I mentioned before improper height or has to be on a lat side of the door. I mentioned about reach range things being too high. Um so reach range in a bathroom for dispensers is 48 should be
42 inches and under 521 CMR in hallways and common areas and rooms like this it's 48 in. I don't know why but that's what the code it's going to be changed I think. Um so that'd be like light switches defibrillators. Uh a lot of brchure holders were too high but folks couldn't access you can't access the
brures because they're up to seven inches high. Um, again I mentioned about the office and staff sinks um being too high and lacking a knee clearance and in some cases a couple of the buildings the faucets were required of the pinching and twisting. They weren't lever style. You'd have to go like this. Um doors
were glass panes. Uh I think this building was okay but in the school so under the ADA they have a little nuance where doors were glass panes. Uh that can be no more than 43 in above finish floor. So if again if I'm in a chair I can also see through that visually like uric is if it's up too high then you
know I don't have that visual. Um most of the drinking fountains were not high low and then the low if there was just a low fountain they didn't have the proper knee height clearance at least 27 in. >> Um uh we had protruding obvious kind of mentioned that that 27 8 in. So it was
eight defibrillators. There was some signage um I forget which building that was in the signage. uh off top I can't recall uh in a school there was a trophy case a couple trophy cases that were treating objects so again visually impaired I might walk
into that and um injure myself to some degree uh number of tables and desk lacks knee clearance and this was throughout building looked at again doorway thresholds having that abrupt change level surface um and then a lot of areas the lack of compliant clear
with and also abrupt changes within I mean obviously excuse Excuse me. Obviously, fire, uh, if that's you can't get into the building, you can't get up into the back. You know that. Um, police, same thing. You can't once you're in, you can't go anywhere. Uh, nothing. No excessive roof of travel
there. And, and the library has some issues with some of the stacks and some of the furniture placement as well. Need a 36-in clear with travel. You need to have no abrupt changes on the accessible roof. Moving right along. Uh, bathroom. So, I mentioned about Codex being too high. 48
in max. Dispensers being too high, 42 in for adults. In many cases, the sink piping wasn't wrapped, guarded, or insulated. I mentioned about grabbars being um too high or too low. That 33 to 36 in. Uh toilet toilet paper dispensers, this is for adults, must be
no more than 7 in to 9 in in front of the toilet, the water closet. So, many cases they were too far. So, you know, I got to reach and I can't get to it. Or maybe it's behind the toilet and I got to kind of get like this. It's got to be that area like I mentioned and in many cases the water closet flush controls
were on the wall side not the wide or the approach side. Um and then were inadequate clearances. You need 18 in on center from the near wall to the water closet, 42 in to the far wall and 40 to the front. So you get adequate wheelchair maneuverability and the
ability to transfer to those toilets. Um and again it's all very detail specific in the report itself. uh wreck areas and it's North Elementary, Corner Park, the Brief Field and Town Common. Uh again, in general, the lack of access to travel fully to and around within the
facilities. Um lack of level wheel, lack of levels area for level areas for a wheelchair at the benches and bleacher seating. Uh the picking tables didn't typically meet knee height and uh and depth, although I think uh a brie on at
the playground there did. Uh, another little nuance for ADA, uh, chain link gates, and I think this was at the elementary school. Um, they must be smooth at the from ground floor to to, um, 10 in up on the push side of the
gate. Um, and I again, we assume the rationale is that if you are in a wheelchair, you using your chair to push the gate open, you don't want anything to be caught on the the chain link piece or whatever. That's um a mention about
portable toilets not being accessible. Um so playgrounds there is a source for accessible ones >> to be honest. You never saw one. >> We've got a photographic
example of one here what it should be. But uh there's one we saw. >> God I forget which community and it was close close. But you know, you see here, you see the see the space. You've got adequate space. It's much bigger than
the ones you see. And there's two versions. This one probably closer to see it. There it's page uh 23. Um two different variations. This is more linear. This and this is another thing here with this with a lot of these ones. We find the operating mechanisms are such that they're difficult and the way
they're placed with the locking mix and so you really can't you got to twist it and and these are the better locking mixes. We we've seen a lot of problem with the with those as well. Um uh where was I here? Playgrounds. Okay. So, there's really no equipment
accessible at at Conadet or or at Norris. Uh there was limited accessible equipment. I I'm sorry to say at at Leb with the U >> Matt Maddy's um there was a ramp. There's really nothing up there. And there was there was some ground components, but the ground components
weren't on the Tesla group. And there were two swings which were were which were quote unquote accessible sent to be but they were weren't on accessible route. It was all wood chips. >> 23 >> wood chips are not an accessible route because if you're in a wheelchair, if you're in arm braces, if you're in whatever there's there's too much drag
and there's no there's friction and you're just not stable. So um let's see. And then uh oh the gazebo here. So obviously you know there's no excessive travel into the gazebo with steers only. The nosings aren't beveled. railings are too low. They're not round
and roll over. They're too wide and they lack top and bottom extensions. Um that's just quick overview on the recaries. Last one. Norris Elementary School. A couple of just key things to point out. Um the lift at a stage is not in service uh in service. Um I forget the gentleman's name. Who is the um head
maintenance facilities? >> Tom. Tom. >> Tom. >> Tom. Tom. Yes. Tom. Yeah. Great. He was great. He was he was great. Um the parts they can't get the parts for it. So that that's an issue because you need to have access to the stage. There are no accessible hallway lockers. Everything
was too high and and not designated. The cap through stage has risers that are too high. Um paper towel dispenses throughout the building all required. Um pinching and twisting there. None of lever style and that's that's an issue. Even with arthritis, it's an issue
trying to turn those things. Um adult bathrooms have numerous areas non-compliant. We there's a lot of information on the bathrooms here. It's probably the multiple multiple pages probably 10 pages or more and very detailed of what the areas are. And the same thing with the the bathrooms for the students. They just don't meet the
standards. It was a m mix mission mash mix and mash mission mash whatever you want to call it of standards. In some cases, you had adult standards mixed in with children's standards. Uh so that you might have a toilet which was set for a child, but then the grab bar set for an adult. And you know, it's like
monkey bars for grab bars trying to get off and off those toilets. So um but very detailed court to seal that. But the other thing which to point out which we see this unfortunately way too much and in and brand new school buildings um
recently constructed within two years or reconstructed within 6 months. Um classroom uh sinks with bubblers. So the same standards apply to those bubblers as it would for a drinking fountain.
So the maximum setback on a bubbler and if this you see this here let's say this is the sink um is 5 in and then 3 in then but it's also set
back. So the water flow is is is no more than 3 in to the front. And we what was in in Norris as well as 99% of the ones we see is there's a stainless steel cutout which you buy it's all pre-done and this is set back perfectly at 5 in
and you got the water flow there. Unfortunately, when it's installed, it's installed at in the case in in Norris 7 to 9 in back from the leading edge.
So, it's no longer 5 in, which is what that standing. If it was if it was cut out right to the leading edge of that frame, you'd be fine. It's set that another four or five in. So now it's 79 inches back and it's not usable for ch
for a person in a wheelchair and even I mean me there um you know and Mike even you know tried Mike's being an adult obviously couldn't couldn't get to set so far back so that so you know we have that in the report and there's a couple options on how to uh to address that or
or not to address it. Um so that's you know a quick overview in summary. Um this I know it seems like a lot but you're not unlike any other community. You have this plan now in place um that offers protection on the federal level uh because you have a plan and it's
intended that um as the jurisdiction has the funds to do so you try to build this mini capital plan a little bit at a time. Um it also opens you up to be eligible for other sources of funding to make these improvements. the next round
of mod grants for the actual um physical you can physical improvements I think there the next funding round there is June uh is June of 2026 so you can apply for I don't know whatever let's say you want to apply for signage you want to play to replace some bubblers or
whatever drinking fountains um also CDBG funds um are eligible for ADA uh disability uh sorry improvements um and there might be some other sources out there as Well, so that's, you know, it gives you that and it also gives you that you've done the effort to um at
least recognize and try to move forward as best as you can. What we tell folks is the things that >> would most affect would be ability to get the most use and that would affect the most individuals typically for communities. It's your
municipal office building, your library, might be a recly. So those are things you know not as much so much would be your with your highway garage or your water department building or your um even your fire you know um
although fire is needed because it's but you know anyway. >> Mhm. Yeah. >> So that is it in a in a relative quick nutshell. >> Great. Mike have any more to tell us here or is he are we all set?
Mike, you set? >> Um, I am. Yes. Thank you. >> Really good. Thank you. >> Wow. Well, >> so I'm sorry. I don't think we have given you the hard copy. I think you do title.
>> No, just virtual so far. >> Okay. So, what we typically ask um I don't know if you posted this on the website. >> It's on the website. Okay. So, you know, if you want to give it a week or two, a few folks more and then uh make sure there are any other little extra changes, modifications, we can make them
and then so we don't print out the plans and then have to go and do it again. Um give it a couple weeks and maybe by the first of the year or so, um let us know if you're all good and then we can just print out the plans and um get them get them over to you. I'd probably just drop them off sometimes post
>> cheaper than by mail. >> That's fine. Yeah. Great. Well, any comments or thoughts from select board people here to start with? >> I'll just start out and just say this has been an incredible amount of work and and thank you for doing it both Jim
and Mike. I think this has been long overdue given the ADA act and so forth. It's been in in uh in uh in force maybe not totally in Southampton, but it's been in place anyway uh federally and and statewide
with the CMR for more than 20 years now. Um, so this is long overdue and I think it really does open our eyes to certain things. It looks, as you know, I've tried to go through it as best I can and I definitely need another read on it, but I highlighted a few things and I think there are certain things, as you
said, that are fairly easy fixes. Some of the policy things and posting things are not hard to do. Getting stuff on the website. >> Um, we've tried to be very accessible also on the website when we created this website a couple years ago. And I noted there were comments about PDF is good
but should also be HTML. So we've been intentionally putting everything on PDF because we were under the impression that that was the way that that was going to be more accessible >> but it's not manipulated. Yeah. For anybody else that needs to do it. So we'll take a look at that. But other
things that are are in here are some of them might be easy fixes like a couple of inches of a movement of a >> of a paper towel dispenser or something like that. There's other ones that are obviously going to take time and and thought on that. Um, one I appreciate a
lot is is with the recreation areas though because we do have two things happening. Um, well, two actually. So, with the old town hall, the former police station or current police station, sorry, former town hall, we actually have a grant from um the Brun historical uh group to actually redo the
pointing of the mortar on the town hall. And part of that process though is taking off that ADA ramp that is not compliant at all. >> So that ramp is going to be gone. >> Um and that's happening by the spring. Um and then we have a grant just
recently through uh the park program to put in an um uh accessible walkway in Conan Park from the library out to Route 10. So that will be probably a stone dust is what we're thinking. >> Look at that chapter. >> Exactly. So there there are some things that are immediately relevant to a
couple of projects that we have >> ready to go which is great. So >> thank you for for all that. So >> oh I'm sorry. >> Yeah, >> very impressed with a super technical summary. Um >> we should go out for a beer.
>> There are a lot of things. >> There are a lot of things to share. >> Yeah. >> Um >> you your tape measure must be like >> my what? Your tape measure must be like just like glued to your hand. >> I've gone through I've gone through so many tape measures. Oh my god, I did so many cameras too. I have to actually and
a computer. I had to buy a new computer, new camera cuz >> So I was going to say uh Mike and I um we're available. I mean, um, so if there any comments, questions, and we still get from we did Southampton, not Southampton, South Burrow, I think it was 5 years ago, and still guy still
calls us, you know, and, um, on the phone. I say, I'm not going to drive out to South, >> but, you know, take a photo, describe what you need, you know, and we'll get back to you. Um, and the same thing. I mean, I mean, it's not far from me, but it is from Mike from Milbury, but it was close by, you know, because Mike does a
lot of stuff in his neck of the woods where he's had to go out like to, um, oh, I think up up to Hawkbridge and others because he lives in Milbury, but in here um, if I'm in the area, which we are working, we'll be working here some, you know, a quick something to look at or take a photo or whatever it is, a
spec, shoot it off in an email, we look at it, we can get back to you. We and we just do it. I mean, no charges. We just we just do that. Just give advice. And >> that's great. Good. Yeah. No, that's very good. I think um just out of curiosity, I don't know how many other small towns, especially here in Western
Mass, have done this self survey if we're are we one of the early ones or are we late to the game or >> Well, we've done I can't remember them all. We've done close to 60. Um so, I'm trying to the ones around here and my memory is getting older is getting worse and worse. So, uh small town. So I know
we've done well you know not necessarily right here but small towns uh Petersham new malboro >> um Hadley wearin Wales >> Southwork's bigger
Palmer Palmer's bigger um um uh Brook Brook uh Brookfield >> now we go into central Mass and there's a lot out there that's I was just curious a lot and then what I guess where leading into is that you know being a small town and having budget constraints as we do how have you found
I mean how long do >> I don't know if that's the right question how many years does it take for most towns to actually try to implement some of this stuff >> well I'm going to I'm going to >> do you ever get finished I mean there's the question I guess maybe >> so I'm going to give a unfortunate answer in some cases some cases some
communities are very good and they try to do what they can do >> and Mike and I have gone back and redone some plans that were done maybe that we did 10 or 12 years ago. >> Uhhuh. >> And now they're gotten old and they want to, you know, they're not considered to be current anymore.
>> And we've done maybe two or three or four of those. >> Nothing has changed. >> They haven't done anything. >> No. >> No. So, it's, you know, some towns do and it's great and some towns just >> sheld it. Is there any kind of a
reporting requirement like some some plans have like every couple years you need to update it or you need to file an annual report about what you have done? Is there any requirement like that for this? >> So you Oh not no typically it should be filed with
the town clerk if someone's on so it's kept somewhere on file obviously administrator's office. Um, so there are entities out there that will require you to have a current plan on 10 years is what's kind of the >> okay >> assumption of what's current. Okay.
>> Um, so if you're going to go for an open space and wreck plan um, uh, certified by the state, >> they'd want to have ensure that you and some municipalities just do their their rec areas have it done by the checklist, which doesn't do justice, but um, it
gets it it gets it um, approved by the state, >> but the state wants to have an 88 plan at least for the wreck areas done. And if you're going to I think what the what the open space plans they didn't have it >> 10 years I think it was as well >> uh I think it was like seven years and we just had it extended actually it goes
to 2031 now. >> Okay. >> All right. So 2031 >> um you need to have your current you know ADA or at least the things you know deemed to be current. Um there are some federal funding sources which you might may not be eligible for may not have the
best rate. USDA if you're going to go for funding for a public safety complex. Um if you had water sewer um we towns we we've had to do the plan because they could not get the financing
until they had the ADA plan in place in um similarly for you cannot apply for C CDG >> CDBG funds um you can't apply for ADA related work barrier rule work unless
you have the plan but if If you apply for CDBG funds and you don't have an ADA plan, the states would require you to have one done within the next 5 years. >> So, I mean, there's a lot of these, you know, it really better to have it there and current and that sort of thing.
>> Yeah, that's probably the same with the Office on Disability as well that you got to have some level of a plan. I mean, that's that's what we found, I think, with a lot of the grants is that you need some level of a plan in place in order to be eligible for some of these grants. So, you could you can apply next year for physical
improvements through the MOD grants. >> Okay. >> Um because you have the plan, but if you didn't have the plan, >> you couldn't do that. You'd have to apply for the plan first. So, >> Got it. Yeah. >> And you may want to even just send your plan off to this mod to have it on file. >> That would be good.
>> Sure. Okay. Good. Any thoughts, comments? All right. If not, we thank you both very much for both all the work you did coming out here and >> making use of all your your knowledge and your measurements and uh taking a tour of every building here in town that
uh needed to be looked at and our open space as well. So, thank you very much for getting us done and for coming in tonight and being being remote. Mike, thank you for joining us and uh much appreciate it. >> Oh, very much uh my pleasure. And again,
thanks for having us. And uh Jim's right uh you know if uh questions uh come up uh we're available and uh Jim's right we've uh uh 5 years uh or more later we
still will uh hear from uh uh towns that we've worked with uh before. So, uh, so, uh, hey, uh, have a great, uh, holidays and customers >> and have a good rest of, uh, your meeting.
>> Good. Thank you very much. All right. >> Take care, Mike. >> All right. Thanks. >> All right. You, too. >> All right. Good. Well, we'll continue with our regular business. Thank you. I appreciate it. >> All right. >> Whan. >> Whan. Yes. >> And the origins of all this back in the
50s and 60s. So maybe you want to cut cough. >> All right. So let's move on to other business that we've got. Let's um >> for a second. We'll let you get situated here. We'll tune into
the town administrators report. Uh you might need to look down. I think it's over here. >> Well, there's not much really to report on in between Thanksgiving and special town meeting. >> I know. really public, but um one of the big things that did come up last week
was uh our our thing for um our first major project under the Southampton Housing Authority >> and uh we had one bidder um and that was open and this is for the property over at >> 330 354
>> 354 College Highway, >> I believe. So >> um so we will be uh moving forward with that. So, okay. So, we have one bidder on that and then that's the winning bid obviously. >> Yeah. Yeah. RFP. Yeah. >> Yeah. RP. Yeah. >> So, do we >> did we formally accept it or
>> No, that'll be on the 17th with the housing authority meeting. >> Oh, nice. Okay. Very good. >> Get it all from them. >> Okay, that sounds good. All right. Good to hear on that one. All right. Good. Um All right. And we'll get down to other things. I don't know what's happening.
Uh if we have this on the agenda, maybe we don't. just give us a little update in terms of um how things are going with uh anything else. I know you mentioned that the we were working on the tax recap. We were talking about that just to give us a heads up in terms of where that is. >> Um probably do it offline.
>> Okay. All right. We're we we're still working on it. We don't have the actual tax rate yet. Okay. Perfect. >> All right. Uh nothing else. How about uh any select board leazison reports? Anybody had a meeting lately over the last week or two of anything?
I see it further down on the agenda. So, >> okay. All right. Yeah, I think they'll just keep an eye on on things coming up. I know there are some getting scheduled. I've seen a couple things on my town go that get scheduled. So, >> and just keep an eye on your your liazison committees. Um, and I know there's
>> both I think board of health and then the assessors and a few others like that coming up. Okay. Nothing uh I think on my end either. have a >> we may we're trying to get a grant meeting organized and maybe a master plan meeting organized uh in the next couple weeks, but we haven't got anything totally set yet, but we'll be
working on that. Okay, so let's go into new business. We have a couple of things here. Uh this is picking up from something that we were going to act on last time and we didn't because we didn't have the information. This is for a an adjustment to our plumbing and gas
fees. Uh, this is coming to us from the building department. And I guess maybe the summary page, Scott, um, somewhere, is that up in there? There's a There we go.
So, basically, just because I don't know how easy it is for people to see this when it's being recorded, but um, so this is basically a summary for recommended updates for the town's plumbing and gas permit fees. Current fee structures remain largely unchanged since 2015,
while operational, training, and regulatory costs have steadily increased. The proposed uh updates the um and align the inspection fees with the actual service costs and brings the plumbing and gas fees in line with adjustments already made to the
electrical fees last year. Um so the plumbing fee has not been adjusted in 10 years. And uh that was the first one here. So um I think um I don't know how we want to
handle this just to give the summary here. Um >> well this is what I asked for at the last meeting and I think it's >> wonderful. It's beyond uh my expectations. it's um clear as to what the current fee
is, the proposed fee, all these things, what you get for your money, and the overview really explains how we got here. So, I'm completely satisfied that this is a reasonable and maybe in a
percentage sense a large increase, but um reflects reality at this time. So, um I'm yes vote on this. Yeah, I think I think basically the um the fees have gone the basic inspection fee I think is from $60 to $80 is the way I'm seeing
this. Um and then some of these other fees uh it includes like this first one's new residential one for plumbing includes four inspections and all the fixtures. So it's an $80 increase. So basically these are about a 30% increase all the way through. Um but again they
have not been adjusted in more than 10 years um in some cases. So they seem fairly reasonable I think from what we've seen in the adjustments. Um >> I don't think >> slow down growth in term
and I think uh the gas fees follow very similarly as well >> in terms of that adjustment all the way across. So I think what we'd end up doing is on the u probably on the building department page these fees would show up um there like the electrical fees do now and we get this
so that people can see why you know what they get for it. So this the notes and so forth >> and also updating to our online permitting >> okay which I would encourage people to use. >> Good. Yeah. What online permitting so all of these are able to be done online.
So far, the last one, last major department, we're just waiting on health. But fire, um, fire is all set, building's all set, um, health is all set. They just have to get the link on, and town clerk is pretty
much all set. It's just a timing issue. >> Mhm. >> And then the last one, last pieces will be highway. >> Highway >> and then um, planning in conco. >> Okay, good. >> Tougher. So, and are we finding people using the uh online permitting? Pretty much >> uh I haven't looked at the stats yet.
Okay, >> be good. So, we do have >> a little bit too new to roll out. So, I don't want to roll out of just two >> Yeah. >> department, but >> but a couple are at least starting to >> get it set up anyway. At least that's good. Okay. Okay. So, I think if if nobody has any other questions about
this, um it looks like it's related to, you know, all the costs that have been involved for transportation, certification, insurance, all the administrative support that goes along with this. Um it's mentioned here that statemandated training and licensing for inspectors is expanded and basically the
current fees no longer cover the cost delivery that we have. So, I would take a motion to act upon the building department recommendation. >> I'll make a motion to approve the um
to approve the uh plumbing and gas per fees as outlined. >> Mhm. Second. >> All right. All right. If no further discussion, all those in favor >> I >> I >> I All right. So, be it. that's approved and we will get that uh notified to the
building commissioner and get it up on their on the website on their their web page as well. Very good. Okay. Um special town meeting wrap up. We had the special town meeting. Scott, you want to say a couple words?
>> Yeah. Um well, I I I think it was a a it was the first town meeting that we've had on a Saturday special town meeting, I believe, >> for a while. Yeah. >> So, and given the uh you know, given the subject matter, which was kind of dry to be honest with a lot of just financial
and it was a snowy Saturday morning in the middle of December, I actually thought our attendance was uh pretty good. Um we had 115 people attended and when you look at the averages, the average attendance for a special time meeting is 118. We've had over the last 11 years, we have some as low as 66. Uh
66. Um Lucy actually provided me the statistics here. 66 78 76 102 113 >> 147 >> What year's got was it? >> Oh, I didn't I didn't have time here. These are um the newest to the oldest. >> Okay. >> Uh this one was obviously the big one
for the um public safety complex. >> Uh no, I'm sorry. The land purchase >> was a special town meeting. So um yeah, we were definitely on average, but we're doing a lot more to try to encourage um participation town meetings, changing it
to Saturdays. Uh the other thing that I'm working on for annual town meeting uh would be a daycare option for people. So if they have kids um that they could be able to attend town meeting and have them uh be watched um by some of our volunteers. >> So >> that would be great.
>> No guarantee, but we're we're working on it. >> That's that would be a great idea. And I think one thing just to just to respond to a couple comments. I know that we had heard that we had tried very hard to do the code red. Um, you know, we do agree that, you know, it is primarily used for
emergencies, but we have made a decision to go ahead with at least using it for special town and annual town meetings, but we haven't hit a time where whatever happened, it was out nationwide from what I'm understanding. It wasn't just us. So, we were unable to get code red
information out um to let people know. So, people, >> you know, had to have been relying on various information that had been put out. We, you know, we started talking about this in October at every select board meeting. You know, it's had, we'd had an article in the newspaper. It had been posted out in front of the uh the
sign board, in front of the town hall. So, various ways we've tried to get the word out and we'll keep on trying more. Um, we try to get it out as best we can through various newsletters in town and however we can do that. So, we'll keep on going, but the May town meeting is one that's pretty much a set date. I
believe it's May 19th annual town meeting. Um, oh, sorry. That's the town election. Sorry. So, it's got to be May. >> Early early May, right? >> May look it up. >> Let me look that up. Now that I just said that, let me look that up and not
>> look it up at town southampton.org. >> Right. >> Anybody with a computer or a phone should be able to get there. >> So, anyways, >> if you have comments about how it could be better arranged, send them. But I find
an endless set of resources online. I'm constantly finding stuff >> that is >> important, relevant, and >> perhaps forgotten, but it is available to anyone with lap, computer or phone. >> Right. Yeah. Robert, you push.
>> I'd like to share some Robert Floyd College Highway moderator speaking. I'd like to share some thoughts. Three aspects of the meeting. I was thrilled. That is democracy in action on pro and cons. They were beautiful presentations
and uh the deputy moderator did a fantastic job. I sat near the mic and for 45 minutes I was right there feeling the energy of each person coming up to the mic. That was a highlight. I was very proud of >> the um and I think it signify too it's
the quality of the presentation not the quantity of the numbers of the people who come to the meeting. And the second aspect I'd like to address is the maintenance failed uh on two aspects at the school. One is no one was there to
open up the room for Wi-Fi. So people were not able to see it live. That's terrible. The second one is there wasn't enough rooms. People sat in those little kitty um tables and hurting their back with no back rest. And after the second
article, at least 20 people left in in droves. And because of it, I had a lot of feedback on that. So that was unfortunate. >> Um, a third one is on the vote. Uh, there is no um
no recount. That's only for an election. If somebody if the moderator has his vote challenged the vote count challenged by a voice phone then he can have a show of cards and if that's challenged then we can have a count but we had two people actually counting each
section. So and then all those people left so even if we did have a recount it wouldn't have been the same number of people and the vote could have been different. So those my three aspects I share. >> Okay good. Yeah, I know. Definitely Wi-Fi and more more seating if we can do
that. That would be definitely a couple things to watch out for. Good. All right. If nothing else, um we got through it. Just a reminder the um anything that we did rel related to bylaws, um the town clerk when she
finishes her meeting minutes, which should be sometime this week. >> Was this afternoon? >> Oh, was it? Okay. Um then she sends off the um the bylaw and the vote information and the town meeting minutes to the attorney general's office. And usually the attorney general takes about 90 days to go over the um the vote on
that before the um before the bylaw can be effective. >> I think we waited substantially longer last time >> we did there were but there were there are documents that they felt were missing. So that was part of the problem with that. So, okay. Um,
next up, um, just briefly, a 250th anniversary. Um, we're we're winding down, guys. Believe it or not, the year is coming to an end. We had a meeting last night of the anniversary committee, and we were all kind of like, my gosh, we we were here a year ago, and it's hard to believe that
a whole year's gone by. Um, but, um, the main thing is the, uh, tree lighting and Santa arrival will be this coming Saturday. Uh we're going to gather here at the gazebo about 5:00. We'll have some cookies and maybe some cocoa uh and some music. And then Santa will be
arriving uh courtesy of the fire department with the fire trucks at around 5:30 and we'll get the tree lit. And then Santa will go over to the fire station with the kids and uh listen to their their requests. Um and then um we
are working on a bonfire to celebrate the end of this 250th year. And at this point in time, that's going to be at Conan Park, most likely on the pavilion side, so parking in on the library side. Uh, and that will be New Year's Eve. And we're looking at that probably starting
at about 4:00 because we want to make the announcements for the winners of the holiday decorating contest and the scavenger hunt at that point in time. And the bonfire then to start probably probably about 5:00, right after it gets dark. uh we'd light up the bonfire and we're planning on having the um the
church bells ring us out 250 times as well. >> So that's kind of the plan. The holiday decorating contest is going well. Um we'll get another updated list of where they are being uh considered. There's uh 18, I believe Lucy told me that have
entered into the contest and so we we put out a brief list of streets where they're located, but we'll update that as we um get a couple more. So on this weekend, we'll update that list. And then um the scavenger hunt is also happening. We've uncovered all the all the hidden areas that were buried by
snow, so you can get to the eight points on the scavenger hunt. >> Does that happen at a particular time? >> Scavenger hunt is anytime throughout the month. So >> and you get information about it where >> uh you get the map at the town clerk's office with the instructions and the and the map itself. The map and the um the
eight points itself. Yeah. >> Thank you. >> Okay. So, we're we're winding down, but we're getting there. And thank you to everybody that's been participating in it. I think we've had a great great year with lots of different activities. And um I think we'll all be glad to kind of retire this year. >> Um >> decorating your house?
>> Uh no, probably not. Not much. >> I am, but I won't say I'm not entering the contest. No, no. >> So, anyway, um >> we're not eligible to win. >> That's true. >> And we will have prizes. Uh so we, you know, we will have some nice prizes for
the first, second, and third place winners on the holiday decorating and then um we will probably uh be doing some sort of a raffle for New Year's Eve as well. So we'll we'll work out some of those things. And we do have merchandise available. So still come come grab your
pint glasses, your camper mugs, your wine glasses. We have uh some of those left. So don't hesitate for nice Christmas presents. >> Okay. Uh other than that, um any other business I can't wait until our next regular meeting, which will be Tuesday, December 23,
not knowing of any upand. All right. So, we do have a whole slew. This is the time of year where we renew all of our licenses and permits. And my fellow colleagues, please do not leave tonight until we sign all of these. Um so we have licenses and
permits for alcohol uh licenses and then common victer licenses. So >> madam chair >> please >> if you would entertain one motion for alcohol and other annual license renewals. Right. >> I'll read the ros
>> please. Now, these are annual license renewals for Camp Jean, alcohol, entertainment, and coin op devices. Paisano's restaurant and pub alcohol common victual entertainment and coin
hop devices. Southampton Country Club. Alcohol Common Victual Entertainment and Coin Op Lounge. Alcohol common victual entertainment coin off devices and a bowling alley.
West Lake Gourmet alcohol. Common Victer. Pure Food Market. Alcohol. Yay. Common Vuler. Glendale Ridge Vineyard. Alcohol. Common. Victual. Entertainment. County
Liquor. Alcohol. Smitty's Package Store. Alcohol. Southampton Beer and Wine. Alcohol. >> Okay. Have a second. Please. >> Second that. >> All right. All those in favor? I >> I All right. And just to note, folks, um
people have to put in a significant amount of paperwork um that they submit into, uh Judy, um our assistant to Scott. Uh and she gathers all this paperwork for the state, but they have to provide a whole lot of information and obviously make their payment. So, I
think we've got just about everybody in. We have maybe one or two missing at the most, and we'll pick them up at our next meeting if we are indeed missing anybody. Uh, next one is the common victual license renewals. Um, yellow, do you want to read those out? >> We have read off list. What are the
common Victer license renewals? We have Anytime Nutrition, Mista Orchards, Big Y, Cumberland Farms, Dunkin Donuts, Good Eats to Go, Sheldon's Ice Cream, Sit and Spin Laundromat and Cafe, Subway, and
Walgreens. >> Okay. Second. >> All right. All those in favor? >> I. >> All right. I All right. Those are all approved. So, we will sign all of those tonight. Um, so this gets everybody licensed for another year until this
time next year. Again, they have to go through a pretty strenuous process with paperwork for Judy. And uh, thanks everybody for getting them in on time as she had required. >> We're here. We like our local business. >> Yes, indeed. So, thank you. >> Want them to thrive.
>> Indeed. Madam Chair, if you would accept a motion to approve three sets of minutes, those from October 8th, October 28th, and November 25th in the year 2025. >> Thank you for getting them out to us.
I've reviewed them. I have no >> Okay. All right. There's a second, too. >> Okay. >> Well, I'll second them. >> All right. Okay. Good. Thanks. Yeah. Okay. So, then all in favor of approving these three sets of minutes, please say I. >> I. I All right. Uh motions to approve
for October 8, October 28, and November 25th minutes. Thank you. All right. Old pending visits. Uh maybe just an update, Scott, on the main thing is just on the FY24 audit, how we're doing on that off hand. >> So, uh our auditors were here yesterday
and today, uh doing the field work. Uh Megan's been diligently getting all the documents as well as Bradley and Dave doing a few other things. We're probably about 50% on on the way there. Um, so we will hopefully in the next month or two we'll be able to wrap it up, get the management letter squared away.
>> That's great. >> We'll be a little bit we'll be almost fully caught up for everything for all of our audits. So >> good. >> Wait, wait, wait. We still have FY25, >> right? Well, that that that's supposed to get
we'll just be late for FY25, basically. >> Yeah. So 24 week. So they've got a little bit more field work to do here. I >> No, they're all done with it. They're done with fieldwork. Okay, great. Good. Good to know. Okay. >> Um, is there a simple explanation about
how indirect costs are in theory applied to enterprise accounts or in particular because there is some continuing confusion? >> No, we use the DLS standard on what's
charged to uh indirect costs for all of our enterprise ones. uh division of local services publishes a pretty uh straightforward manual on that. In the past we we it was more of a guesstimate but uh in the last two years we've gone by what the uh best practices are. >> Okay.
>> Okay. >> All right. Um >> I'm sorry. >> Anything else here? >> It's complicated and I don't really understand all that well. >> Okay. We can talk it up at another another meeting if you want to. Um,
okay. I don't think we have any updates on anything yet. We we definitely have just these were put out as as holding patterns and we've obviously got a a few other items that we just want to not lose track of or to do items on our on our list. Namely, the this prudent
investor role is one, but there's other things that we want to do. And I know Scott, maybe just a quick question. Um, what are we talking about in terms of budget call? You've put out a budget call already to the departments, have you not? Uh just a preliminary to get an idea. >> Okay. So you're getting some rough ideas of what they're asking for and this was
basically a level services request or >> Yeah. Uh excuse me. Um yeah, basically a level service level funded technic I asked for all three originally and I found out that our our level service is essentially level funded. We are very
>> to the bone. There's no fat on anything. So to ask for anything different would have been, you know, $50 off of an office supply type of thing. So um I I just revised that to have, you know, level funded services and then if there
was an option for additional um I guess responsible services to provide additional services for, you know, the citizens, um that that's what I would go off of. >> I see. Okay. All right. Good. So, we'll eventually after the holidays, we'll be dealing with >> budget meetings and obviously we're
going to have our quarterly meeting with FINCOM at some point in early January. Um, and we'll start off with that, too. So, >> sounds good. Okay. Um, our next select board meeting will be September. Yeah, I wish September December December 23rd and then hopefully into the new year.
Uh, January 6th and January 20th as it stands right now. So, uh, if there is nothing else, I'll take a motion to adjourn. I make the motion to adjourn the time. >> Second. >> All right. All those in favor? >> I. All right. We are adjourned at 7:38
p.m. Thank you. >> This government meeting is brought to you by Eastworks and our local cable subscribers.