This government meeting is brought to you by Eastworks and our local cable subscribers. All right, let us begin. So, we're calling to order the meeting of the Southampton Select Board for March 7, sorry, February 17th,
2026 at 6:00. Uh, let us stand and say the pledge of allegiance. >> I pledge allegiance to the flag >> 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. Very good. Okay. So, tonight uh we are live but also we are doing a hybrid meeting. Stephen is uh joining us via Zoom but we have John, myself and Ellen
>> present >> and uh we will proceed. Do we have anybody here for citizens speak? No. All right. Seeing none, I think we'll jump right into Scott and a town administrator report, please.
>> Um thanks. Uh so just a few quick updates. Mostly the last two weeks have been budget and zero college. So we had the zero college presentation last week at the uh council on aging. Um I did put the slides and the presentation up online. We're just waiting for ECM media
to uh do their editing uh to put the presentation online. Then we'll do additional stuff later on. Um and then uh PVPC is uh currently working on the final report. Uh so we'll have that shortly. So if any any basic questions I
think the the uh presentation should answer most of those. So >> and the on the on the website is that on the land use planning page or Okay. So the page that we had started way back when. We're just going to be adding to that. >> Yep. >> Okay. Fine. >> Yep. Um free cash. We've been working on
free cash as well. Schools hopefully we'll wrap it up this week. Um the last things that they need to do is just figure out the the rural aid and the school choice and then we would finally be able to close out their portion and then our side should be relatively quick
um on the municipal side. So it took a little bit took a little bit of while but they the schools u central office has been working pretty hard at it. Um it also helps us to close out last year as well and and um uh for chapter 70 funding too. So that's a good step in
the right direction. Um we also had the first meeting of the budget task force. Uh it was well attended by a lot of uh stakeholders. Um a lot of good discussion, a lot of introductions. There's definitely a definitely a um going to be a challenging next couple of months uh depending on what revenues
look like, what the state looks like, what the budgets look like, and I'll go into a little bit more detail in the FY27 budget update. >> Okay, good. Any select board reports? Uh, Ellen, anything from your end? >> Quiet. The the board of health did meet
on the 5th of February. I was wasn't able to attend contact at my house, but I did go over the minutes and correspondent in the meantime and uh looked like the um could have been movement on the blue wave project, the Pleasant Street project. >> Okay.
>> And look next step for that would be um a possible site assessment um with the board of health. I think that's what Caitlyn had uh proposed. >> Okay. That would be next. >> All right. >> Okay, good. Yeah, I haven't heard much
more about that. I know, uh, Concom has got to have another hearing at some point. I haven't >> followed to see if that was already scheduled or not, but I know >> it's coming up on March 2nd. >> Okay. March 2nd. Okay. So, Board of Health was trying to weigh in too from their concerns as well. >> So, Okay. Uh, Stephen, any meetings from
your end? uh board of assessors, but that was the same day as the select board review of the budget. Um so I just underscore again um connectivity and um connecting to our new IT system of permit track,
>> right? Um I I don't want to go into the details, but it it was um a poignant ex firsthand experience of uh several municipal authorities having different
theories about what to do and what the facts were. um which is being reconciled but permit track and additional attention to administrative process is going to help that. Everybody is focused
on getting it right legal and providing good customer service but um it was a challenge last week. Um the other one is Zero College and um Scott gave that um an introduction but I'd say that it was
it was great. We had 30 people present. It was the um sort of local involved crew or local stakeholders. And so this is very important step. And the next step as Scott outlined is to
put it into a little more um professional or efficient or engaging package for the rest of the community to get up to speed. >> That's all. Okay. >> Thank Thank you. Um All right. Um the
permit link I think is is online already though for the assessors. Is that correct though? >> It is. Okay. >> All right. Um John, >> uh same thing. I mean it's it's budget time. So the schools are meeting um at the local level and at the regional
level and central office did their or Hampshire regional school committee took their initial vote to set the uh the limit or how high the budget could potentially go and now they'll work backwards from that. So I haven't seen
it yet, but I would imagine that the Norris budget should be forthcoming in the next few weeks >> now that they've gotten through this first deadline. >> Right. Okay. All right. And remind us that Hampshire Regional has another couple of votes to go. >> They have to take the first vote by Valentine, by February 14th, which they
did, >> which they did. >> And so now there's a clock. I think it's 30 days there. It's I'd have to refresh my memory, but >> the first vote has to be taken by their then and then I actually thinking backwards, they have to give the towns x number of days. And I think we're the
first town meeting to go. So it takes our vote day backs it up 45 days >> and start and has to work within that count. >> Right. Okay. Good. All right. I'm sure we'll be having more details from both schools uh in the coming weeks in terms
of where their budget priorities are and some of the challenges that they're facing as well as as us. Um from my end uh just a couple meetings. We did have a meeting of the uh master plan implementation committee. our quarterly sort of quarterly or by by annual meeting. Uh we just had a brief meeting
last last week. We will be having a bylaws committee meeting on um I believe it's Wednesday next week. Uh and that's still we're working on another iteration of the scenic roads bylaw in particular and then a couple of small things that will be added to that and hopefully
we'll get them all ready for the uh annual town meeting. That's the goal. Um grant meeting uh nothing new. We've got some things that are in the hopper that we need to be talking about. The onetop for community growth grant um expressions of interest are open. Uh the
application is not due until May, but we need to talk about what would um qualify for those kind of uh grants. And then also the echo one stop which was taking a look at the possibility of some level of cooling improvement up at Norris. And
it looks like um the first iteration of a study anyway looks like it's possible to improve the HVAC uh up at Norris either in the cafeteria or the gym. Uh and so they were going to be looking at uh a further further studying on that. I
mean it's not a not a project to do yet. It's still got to have more more detailed um specs and all that kind of stuff to see what's possible. But that was a little bit encouraging. And then the two two uh surveys that are going on, one for um our older residents as
well as for a separate one for youth and youth athletes in particular students and student athletes are ongoing. They're all posted on the town website under the grants page. Uh and if you haven't seen them, please do check them out. And I think that's it from my end.
Okay. All right. New business. Scott, let's uh see where we are with FY27 budget. >> So, as John had mentioned, the um the Hampshire Regional uh first shot at the budget had uh had come in and it would mean a little bit more than a 5%
increase for uh Southampton and it would be about 250 $275,000 over the assessment over last year. Um this is obviously a big piece of our budget. It's it's nearly a third um when you look at it. Um, so this is a I mean at least now we have a little bit of
guidance to move forward with with how how we're going to address everything. Uh, just just as a from a perspective. Um, so even though it's under a little under 300,000, if you look at the estimated revenues from next year, um, I mean that alone is
going to look like it's probably going to be taking up all of our uh, Proposition 2 and a half increase. Um, and all the other revenues are going to relatively stay level outside of our our cherry sheet. Um, so I would encourage all the the select members just to take a look and review all the revenues. Um,
because that's going to be a driving factor in what's going to shape our re our our budget moving forward. Um, a lot of it's kind of out of our hands when you talk about, you know, chapter 70 money and in the cherry sheets. We we still have to wait for what the House and the Senate and what the conference
committee is going to be. Um, but I don't think there's any there's there's not going to be a major change that will save most municipalities this year. Um, so I'm not expecting much much difference, you know, many differences. And then, you know, obviously our property tax that's
going to be in um our overlay and new growth. We're being very conservative in that this year as well. Um, and if you review everything, mostly everything's going to be the same or equal to or less than um last year. Um, so there's not a lot of actual new revenue sources for
this upcoming uh fiscal year. >> Did you said at one point that the the cannabis revenue had increased or did I misunderstand that? >> Mhm. Yeah, I think it's at it's trending to be like 160,000. >> Uhhuh. Okay. >> Yeah. Right here. So I have a question, Chris. >> So that is one that Huh.
>> I just have a question when you're done. >> Sure. Go ahead, Jeff. Sure, >> Scott. On this up up on the top section, it just caught my eye. Dead exclusion. the uh the historical numbers, have those been um updated or adjusted based
on what do us do when they moved line items? >> Um I'm going to have to double check those. >> Yeah, I know this debt excl I mean this this is not going to be going against the the general revenue because the debt exclusion from the taxes will go directly into to pay for those things.
Um but yeah, this has to be updated this number. Yeah. All right, >> Madam Chair. >> Yes, sir. Yeah, Stephen. Yeah. Um to Scott, um if he could speak to the significance of the highlighted cells. I
would guess they're the ones that are uncertain, subject to change, out of our hands. Um or we'd been forced down by um DLS. Um, oh, there are a lot more of them. Um, so if you could address that, please. Thank you.
>> Yep. The yellow is essentially question marks that, you know, it's still being developed or, you know, we need a little bit more information. Um, the biggest biggest question obviously is going to be state revenue and what we're going to get for that. Um, ambulance fees like you, like the chief said last um last
week, you know, they are starting to slow down a little bit, but I think we're going to be okay with that for at least this year. building permits are again same number but less value. Um so that's probably going to be less than last year as well. And then u motor vehicle excise
taxes I just have to work cuz we're waiting to see everything that comes in for this year. So that's going to be at least a little bit while longer before we have a a better picture for next year. >> Okay. And do we have any sense from the treasur's office and given the um the
tax bills went out late and we've got essentially a double double quarter people could pay just February or they could pay February and May together. Do we have a sense of how those are coming in at all? Are we >> um I haven't talked to Megan yet specifically on that. So I know it's been very busy this week.
>> Yeah, I'm sure. I I know a couple people had talked to me that they had not received their tax bill, but that was over a week ago. So, I'm assuming everybody has received their tax bills by now. They definitely took a while to get here because I think they went the long way through Hartford. Um, and took a long time to get back up combination
with weather and holiday and whatever else. But everyone should have their tax bills not and if not if not um please contact the the treasur's office and get get her to print out a copy or someone to print a copy for you. Okay. All right. Anything else on on that
department? I know you've got some budget hearings coming up and >> um so we have a task force meeting this uh Thursday and then after that we have the library council on aging highway and board of health uh for the next budget presentations and then next week we'll be more on the internal stuff the uh the
benefits you know debt exclusions the treasur's office things like that >> so slowly coming into uh into focus. >> Yeah. All right. But there's really no no um no other reality than that we will be
going for some level of an override at this point >> to to have level services. Yes. >> At level services. Yeah. Okay. Even though we don't have any figures that are that pinned down yet from the state. We we don't expect a big
>> there's not going to be any magic bullet or anything like that that's going to fix it. >> I mean the figures that came out already don't seem like they were much better than last year. There were very minimal. >> So on that point, there's a isn't there a timeline that we we should be working? Isn't there like a vote notice that we have to give for the override?
>> Doesn't that add an extra component >> for >> I think notification. >> We have to take a formal vote. >> It's >> I'm sure we need the number in order to do it, but >> Oh. Oh, for the election. Yeah, we will. >> Yeah, because it's the 30-day rule. >> Yeah. Yeah. Yeah, we'll definitely Yeah, absolutely. So, we'll try and get
through these the many of these budget hearings first as we can do that and uh get that done. But yeah, we should be in time to do that. >> But that'll have to be done probably in sometime in March, I would think. Yeah. >> So, okay. >> Mhm. >> Madam Chair, >> March, >> March is in a week.
>> I know March is around the corner. I know that. Yeah. But we'll have a few more >> budgets. Madam Chair, >> send it to us so we can hear what they're talking about anyway for their level services. >> I think Stephen has a question. >> Stephen. Yeah. >> To be sure I understand the summary. Um
yeah, of course I just lost it like that. Um it is absolutely foreseeable that for level services we will have to have a substantial Prop 2 and a half override.
I just wanted to make sure that that that I understood that correctly. The amount is still I I see very much in flux, but there's no reasonable expectation that we could continue
level services without an override. Is that correct? >> Yes. If you were to take the Hampshire regional increase and the Norris increase alone, that's going to exceed any new revenue that we have for this year. And then the reductions in revenues that we're going to have is going to put us even further in the
hole. And then the health insurance is a big question mark as well. Um, you know, GIC will they the GIC had their meeting last week and they they're going to vote on it again. I think in a week or two to actually establish the rates. Um that's going to be one step, but then for the
entire month of April, it's going to be open enrollment and we won't know until um May 1st, which is the day before um town meeting where people will end up. So it could be a swing of several hundred,000 one way or another. It could save us two three or two $300 two
$300,000 or it could cost us, you know, level funded at best >> on one line item >> on. Yep. >> Right. >> Yep. So there's also the added layer that we may be amending the budget on the floor. >> I mean, if if we're overconervative,
that's one thing, but if we're upside down once the final enrollment numbers come in, >> it Yeah, it's I mean, I think, you know, we're to this point, and, you know, I'm being conservative with everything so it goes more in the positive direction, but
yeah, I mean, it is a a chance, a small chance, but Yeah. >> Mhm. Mhm. Yeah. Depending on what plans people choose. Mhm. >> Mhm. Yeah. Okay. >> Timing is always a challenge, right? There's nothing much. >> So, that line item is a big slimming
factor. And there are many other um issues that won't get, you know, pinned down uh to a specific number until the day before town meeting. I hope I didn't hear that right. Um but at
least one. And so this is work in progress. But I I just want to telegraph to the community that um given a whole cornucopia of bad breaks um to continue
to offer level services will require an override. >> Mhm. Okay. >> Scott, anything on that? >> I'm done. Thanks. >> Yep. Thanks, Stephen. Anything else? Okay. Any other questions on budget issues?
>> Okay. So, we'll keep going with our budget hearings. We had some good presentations this past week um with the assessors and the building uh commissioner and the police and fire departments. Uh they were quite thorough. The police department was very
very detailed. Uh and so you'll be able to I believe all those were recorded. They should be up already. I'm not sure. I haven't looked on the um on East Hampton Media, but I imagine they have already been transcribed. So, they're going to be visible for everybody to take a look at, listen to.
>> Um next up, uh Zero College Highway update. Just a few more >> comments about our next next steps there. What's what's the plan? >> So, obviously, you know, everything's on online right now. Everything's, uh for public review. The next big step would be to get some funding for the technical
drawings and engineering drawings um to kind of move forward to start really thinking about maybe doing RFPs um for some of the different parcels. Uh I mean it's going to be a multi-year process to even get to that. So we're we're not look using any general funds or anything like that for this project right now. Um
I know Steven's been aggressively pursuing some different types of grants, some one-stop grants with the grant committee. Um, and I think now that we have a vision for the place, that's going to really help um with with the ability to apply for those types of things. >> Yeah. >> No, I think that's where that's got to
go is focusing on the grant money. And and these are timing timing wise is good on these. I mean, especially the one stop for community growth. That's the one that does allow for a lot of site planning and some construction level stuff as well. But, um, again, it's the expressions of interest that go in now.
And then the actual application I believe is in beginning of May, May through June to actually apply for the actual grant. But um at least there's a lot of thought and I'm assuming Dodson and Flinker can help us with some of this work as well. So that's good. Okay. So Stephen, we'll keep you in in touch
with the um next grant meeting. >> Yes. Thank you very much. Um, in fact, I'm in touch with Doug and Flinker to support the, uh, second expression of interest to the, you know, original
one-stop community growth program and to develop the full proposal for the eco onetop and >> perhaps eventually the uh, >> yeah, >> community growth one stop because you're right, they have different components.
um with Scott Dodson, Flinker and others will be uh putting together sort of list of deliverables. It'd be a variety of things like survey with elevation,
additional site planning in terms of um storm water management, etc. And so we'll try and get itemized costs for that and we'll go forward getting support from um state grants >> and our local engineering partners to
continue to understand the site. >> Good. >> And and as Scott said, prepare it uh for sale because parts of this will go out to the community for economic development. >> Mhm. Okay. Good. All right. If nothing else, we'll
move on. Uh, next agenda up is just the town hall space modification. Um, and this I think just is just an update. We we had talked about it at our I think it was our last meeting or the um end of January meeting I think it was um that the folks from the COA and
senior center building committee had come and talked about the need to look at reconfiguring space and adding additional space so that they could you know have an interim solution um while they're thinking about what they could do for a future build of a senior
center. they realize that that's not today's priority, but uh they're they're hoping it can happen at some point in time. They came in and gave us a um an idea of just, you know, wanting to collaborate and we had talked about Scott, you connecting with East Hampton Media to talk about probably thinking
about making this wireless down here, I think, and then maybe even reconfiguring things so that our meetings were more upstairs if that could be more televised rather than just recorded. So, have we had further discussions on that or can we or >> Mhm. No, I I still have to reach out to
East the media on that. >> All right. And I know you had said just as a piece of this because I was at the last senior center building committee meeting. You had said that depending on what East Hampton Media would do, they would probably have their consultant come in and take a look at things and see what's possible.
>> Mhm. to reconfigure whether it's moving the podium like some have suggested or doing other kind of you know different wiring and so forth and make this a more of a multi-purpose room and not just you know kind of a select board room that is empty most of the most of the time um
but that there would need to be some money towards that is that correct >> yeah at least an identified funding source to get a real quote on that and I think we've we've had that with the um senior uh center building committee >> okay so the last I knew just to make it public the senior center building committee did vote uh at their last
meeting that if there were some funds that were needed to make this study happen or some sort of a plan, I think they would want to see a plan happen, but there is, as you know, the Parsons estate money has been invested. Um there is some money that has been put aside in
terms of the interest on that account and so there's some interest on the account that could be available and the senior center building committee um has um put forth a motion and and recommended that that could be uh a possible source for funding uh if it's
needed at this point which would be definitely needed I think and uh so very very grateful that they have taken that stand and made that known to us. So, I think with that, I will have you go ahead with East Hampton Media and see what we can um come up with for some plans. Maybe there's a couple of
different ideas of how to how to rearrange this room or how to rearrange upstairs. But, uh I think that's the the goal of making these much more workable spaces and not a lot of empty space. So, whatever we can do to make that happen. Yeah. I mean I mean the last week's zero
college presentation was good but I would you know it's it's difficult to find a good meeting space in town for you know we have nor school which is fits several hundred people but you can't really have it for a smaller 30 40 50 person group and library is great too but again that's a little bit too small
so >> um and this room just really isn't very workable >> when you have that so >> yeah so I think it's you know would be a good good initiative to see what we can do to get creative and make make the space better for for everyone to use. Okay.
All right. Uh next up on the agenda, uh something I added on here. Um the performance appraisal process. Uh this is uh our annual performance appraisal for town administrator for Scott. Um usually we I'm not sure John, you can correct me if I'm wrong, but we usually
have been doing these on the anniversary of the contract rather than a fiscal year. I believe we did this last year in February, February, March. And so, um, I'm just initiating the process, um, with this meeting. And just to say for Ellen's benefit especially, who has never done this before, um, I've put it
around in the packet, we've got a copy of, um, the job description for the town administrator. Um, and then basically the, um, performance appraisal, uh, template itself. There are, just for the public, uh, there are 10 different um,
topics. um job performance, job knowledge, personnel management, fiscal management, time management, communications, teamwork, problem solving, creativity and initiative, and above and beyond as well as individual goals. And all of those are scored on a
uh one to five um rating. And what we've done in the past is allow for half point ratings, nothing less than that. So if you wanted a three and a half, that would be a possibility. I'd recommend that we do that again. That is that is um seemed to be workable. Uh but we
don't need to get into, you know, 2.25 or something like that. I think that's a little bit not helpful. The main thing that's helpful though will be to not only give a score, but then to give some examples of why you've come up with your rating. >> Um so this that um people can take a
look at and get started on that. And then uh just to say that one of the things that has to sort of kick off the process though is for Scott also to do his own self-evaluation. And so we'll be talking through that and u once once we have that I think we'll be a couple weeks out most likely with other things
going on but we'll um get the self-evaluation done and then share that with you all as well. >> Right. So this self-evaluation isn't in the packet. It's not >> but but does the self because the only question in here that I can't answer without seeing the evaluation is number 11. >> Uhhuh. The individual goals. Okay.
>> So as as long as we have that >> I can I can share that one from last year but we don't have um >> well no but >> yeah we don't have the current one. Yeah. >> If he does the self evaluation answers that question and then we build upon that. >> Okay. >> Into here. >> Mhm.
>> Almost like that's the cart. But then the um my next qu because that the evaluation was done in March of created in March of 2017. But my question is on the job description. >> Mhm. >> It's dated January 25th, 2024.
>> Mhm. That would have been the time when we went out to recruit for the town administrator. So that is the job description we used when we hired the consultant to help do the job search for a town administrator. So, I would suggest that that needs that we should
update that at this point because a few things have changed. >> Okay. >> Specifically, the section in there um we've already done away with PPQB, right? >> Well, we um I guess we will by this town meeting if we haven't formally done it already. Yes.
>> Right. And and I realize that this evaluation is looking backwards, but if we're setting goals going forward >> going forward. Yeah. >> To meet, you know, that would be an area that >> Yeah. We perhaps either want to add into the job or maybe modify the language. >> Sure. Okay. >> But other than that, everything looks
fine. >> Yeah. Okay. Yeah. And as you'll see, I think uh you know, I mean, there's, you know, so many many different hats in terms of, you know, chief administrative officer, procurement person, personnel director, etc., etc. Um, so there's lots
and lots of uh different duties here. So basically the process just to recap and Stephen I'll come to you in a second is that we'll get uh a self-evaluation from Scott but at the same time if you've got some thoughts you can be jotting those down. We won't be collecting these for probably another couple meetings I'm
sure um but we will um get your scores into me and what I end up doing is averaging everybody's scores and then I sit down with Scott and discuss those uh and then we bring it to the full meeting after that. Okay. So that's what happens is that your individual scores come in
and then we are averaging them all together. Okay. >> So there's no there's no time. You're the only one that works in collaboration with all our results. >> Yes. >> Okay. >> Yep. Stephen question. Um I'm not sure what attracted your
attention, but um Oh, I thought it was one to go back to the um question of >> narrative examples of things that are going well, not so well, right? >> Ideas for growth and improvement. Correct.
>> Um and then beyond that, um >> yeah, John's point is right on. We need to understand Scott's goals for the coming period, differentiate our evaluation between past and our
enthusiasm for the future. >> Mhm. >> But um I'm having trouble formulating Scott's own self evaluation and to that extent ours will be based on the job description as we have it right now. But John's point is well taken that now is
the time uh in discussion with Scott to take a look at what's changed and what needs to be tweaked a little bit that's no longer as high a priority or it's maybe not in his Bailey wick anymore um or something >> right and the only I regained my
consciousness um it's there are however many hours in the work week even for a salaried employee with a family so we have to be realistic two years in between the um clearly good goals set
and the inevitable pitfalls along the way um in a you know in a working year. >> Okay. >> Right. I think we'll have a chance to discuss that once we get, you know,
further into the process. I just wanted to introduce the process tonight so it's on our radar and we can start start working on that. But yeah, absolutely. And your goal is to complete substantially complete this by the end of March. >> I think by the end of March would be our goal to try and get this done. Yes. Yep. Sure.
>> Okay. So, we've got a little bit of time, but at least we'll get the ball rolling on this. Okay. >> Good. All right. Um any other business that can't wait until the next regular meeting on March 3rd?
Hearing none. Uh we will have a meeting on March 3rd and March 17th I believe and also maybe on March 31. I believe there's three meetings I think in March. Uh and uh we'll have obviously in between time two or three budget hearings um at the same time. So those
will be um a busy busy time for us and I much appreciate both income and select board being available for the budget hearings in particular. I think it's really useful to have us all together and hear it all at once and um you know people are taking their budget seriously and understanding what it what a
challenge it is this year in particular amongst all the years we've had but this one is proving to be a little bit more ownorous than usual. Um we have one set of minutes for approval from January 20th 2026.
>> Move to approve. >> All right. Can I have a second? >> Second. >> All right. Second by Stephen. Okay. There's just a few, as usual, a few typos here and there. Uh, I'll just mention a couple. There's a reference to a Steven Baker, uh, which we'll go back and change. I assume that means Steven
Johnson because I don't believe we have a Steven Baker that's ever been to one of our meetings, so I think that was a typo. Um, there were a couple >> Thank you, Madam Chair. >> Sorry. >> Thank you. >> There were a couple of others where um, some of the meeting uh, some of the
sentences were kind of stopped. um part way and and just need to be completed with a final final thought. There was one on um um I think on um Ellen there was one about uh from CPC they talked about public engagement to promote and
I'm assuming it's to promote involvement and understanding of CPC for example. So there's there's a couple of sentences that never quite got uh finished. Uh I think Scott had mentioned the malfunctions in the building from HVAC to the outside sprinkler system. So, I'd
like that, you know, put down on paper. Um, and a couple things like that. And Stephen, you talked about I think the assessors and the confusion there is between valuations and taxation. So, I think I had made the suggestion that the assessors update something on their town
website page that talked about what valuation does, what its purpose is, how it hand how it happens, and how that relates to taxation. So between you and I, we can maybe follow up with the assessors to get that put up on their um on their web page.
>> Yeah. >> Okay. And then I think the only other thing was under the senior center u presentation uh that they had asked to collaborate with the select board to come up with ideas to find additional space in the interim. So you know knowing that we couldn't do anything with building a senior center at this
point in time. So those are just some clarifications and again with that I can work with Judy to make these corrections before before we post them, but I think uh I don't believe any of them actually are on that last page. So, Ellen, you might be able to go ahead and sign. Oh, I
know. One other thing. Um FY24 audit work fieldwork has been completed. I don't know that that was true, Scott. >> No, that is not true. So, >> oh yeah, the field work. Yeah, >> the field work has been completed. Okay. >> In person. Yeah, >> the inerson fieldwork meaning that when they come here to Okay, perfect. Okay.
So, that is okay. All right. So, that that one is fine. All right. Good. So just with those changes, if everybody would be okay, I'll work with Judy to again u modify these slightly and just make those few changes if that's okay. >> Period. >> All right. U then I will take a vote on
this. Uh we'll do a roll call. Steven >> Johnson I >> ruin I. >> Lumber I. >> Falls eye. Okay. The minutes for January 20th, 2026 are approved. And uh given uh Stephen being uh a little bit remote tonight, John has so graciously offered
to read the warrants. So we'll uh turn it over to John. >> The following warrant warrants have been uh prepared and signed off by the town accountant, town treasurer, and uh the signer from the select board. >> Warrant W26-27A, $551.70.
Warrant W26-29, $411,5527. Payroll warrant 26-30 $357,518.37 payroll deductions 58,40067 that was warrant 26-30 PD26-30A
$299,130.91 PD26-30B $6162 warrant 26 26-31 $133,64 even payroll warrant 26-32
$355,340.16 and PD26-3257,479.68. >> Okay. Thank you very much. All right. Um any other pending business? just maybe just a bit of an update in terms of the FY24 audit where where things stand there if anything. >> Um so most of the resources have been on
the um certifying free cash and closing out the year but we have been doing a little few little minor things such as getting like the um the town council letter um the fraud to the public officials things like that. So the the bulk of it will still have to come from the treasurer collector.
>> Okay. Do they have any kind of a timeline for us on that what we should be expecting or >> not yet. Um once we submit a few more I think they'll >> their their field worker is complete but we have to get a few more things going in. >> Okay. >> So that'll be the the priority after we get free cash certified.
>> Right. Okay. Sounds good. Okay. And anything else on East Street or on the tip or anything along those lines? Any big projects that >> um we did have a meeting uh with PVPC and DOT to talk about land acquisitions as well as some legal costs that we're going to have to talk about and to get
some estimates for next year. uh the town's responsible for a lot of the takings, the legal work, um things like that. So, um it's not as much on on the safe streets of schools. It's not as big of a deal. You know, it's a shorter route, but when you start looking at the East Street, there could be like 50 60
different individual um parcels and small takings and um rightaways and all that stuff that we have to we have to come up with the funding for. >> Yeah. I don't know that there's any grants for legal fees. I'm not aware of any.
I don't think so. Yikes. Okay, that's going to be a big one. Y Okay. Um don't think there's anything else. I will just mention uh Judy's put out the request for the various committees and departments to submit their their input
for the annual town report. Um I will be drafting some thoughts from the select board, but if you guys have got something to share that you'd like me to add, be sure to let me know. But I will circulate a draft before I submit it to Judy. So hopefully by our next meeting I'll have a draft for everybody to look
at. It's just uh usually a page or two that we put into the annual town report from select board as well as the various departments and committees. Um so we'll keep working on that. Okay. Other than that I think uh we have our next select board meetings as mentioned on March 3rd 17 and 31 and we've got budget hearings
on the 19th, 25th and 26. So we will be very present in town hall over the next couple weeks. Okay. So thanks everybody again for your time and involvement in this. It's really really important to be here and understand what everybody's thinking and asking about. So with that
I think we are done with business and we can take a motion to adjourn tonight. >> So moved. >> All right. John Ellen second. >> Ellen second. All right. All those in favor roll call. Stephen >> Johnson I. >> De Bruan I. >> Lumber I. >> Follows I. Okay. We are adjourned at
6:40. This record time tonight. >> Good job, chair. >> All right. Thanks. Thank you, Stephen. Hope you feel better.