Sorry about that. Welcome folks. It's January 6, Tuesday. It's 5:30, I assume. Uh, in attendance tonight is the finance committee uh meeting. On the agenda, there's a few things we got to go over. In attendance is Joe Di chair. Vice chair is Robert Herrochek, Paul
Connelly, Karen Deo, Alita Di Maria, David Meth, and Sher Nolton. How you guys doing tonight? >> Doing good. Happy New Year. >> Happy New Year. And if I get cut out or something, just continue the meeting.
The reception's been good, but you never know. All right. Up first is the minutes. We need to approve. Oh, public comment. Anyone for public comment? >> Nicole Parker. >> Hello. >> Hi, Bill. Can you hear me? It's Nicole. >> I can. I can.
>> Can you see me? >> Yeah. >> Okay. >> Um, no. I see the No. Looks like the last supper from there. >> Maybe when I um speak it'll come over to me. I don't know if this is public comment. I just wanted to um talk to you
guys about something I talked to the board with last night. >> Sure. >> And it's about um changing up the budget process a little bit. last year. It's been about a year and a half and I kind of observed last year and just watched what was going on and and reached out to
the departments and just to try to get um a a handle on how they feel it goes and how we might be able to streamline things or make things more efficient. And so what we did this year is I've been meeting with each of the departments first for them to go over
their budgets and then we and then they get to submit them to accounting after we meet who will then put them into the budget model and once they're all distributed once the the full budget gets distributed to you then you will
review it and then we can meet and if you have any questions immediately that I can answer then I can then I can relieve all of those concerns uh rather than having each and every department come in on a Saturday morning. So I
fully anticipate you'll have questions I cannot answer and we will have uh departments come in and go over their budgets with you probably the bigger departments or somebody who has a a much bigger request. Um,
so for the most part, everybody's level or even reduced. Nobody's really asking for too much. There might be a a a um capital request or maybe um a little more funding in one of the supply lines for some reason. Um that I could
probably answer, but we don't know that. Um uh but I just wanted to switch it up a little bit this year to make it um to me a little bit more efficient and and and not be so timeconuming especially for the department heads. So I'm hoping
to be like a liaison between them and the board and then also my board. Um and then hopefully you know it'll be less questions. we won't even have somebody to come in for maybe 3 minutes and they have waited for 2 and 1 half hours on a
Saturday just for them to come in for one line item. And I just thought um maybe we just need one Saturday, maybe we don't need any Saturdays, you know, maybe we could meet on a Monday or Wednesday, bring a department in at a time or you know the department head if I can get answers questions ahead
questions answered ahead of time for you all. But um just mixing it up a little bit this year. see if we can make things a little bit more efficient um in the budget process because I as as much thorough I think that we could just
shore things up a little bit faster with just me meeting with the department heads and and a lot of the smaller departments that I don't really feel need to come in front of you guys especially if there's really no changes. >> Okay. So is this still the finance committee's budget?
Well, it's the town of Southwick's budget and it's certainly going to go to I'm going to submit it to you as soon as it's completed. Um, instead of getting, you know, having every single department come in front of you. I think
that, you know, I I I don't think it's that necessary and I I'm trying to help the department heads and I would be the liazison. If you have a question, I've already met with them. Um, if it's a question that I can't answer, then you can request that the board the bud the
department come in front of you. [clears throat] >> Well, it we review it, right? We question everything and and we listen to them. So, we just can't take all that away. Um, it's the town's people's money and yeah, the finance committee brings
that budget to town meeting with the selectman. It's not the selectman's budget that the finance committee, you know, goes along with. Um I I I'm I'm agree with you as far as the Saturdays go. Sure. Probably one Saturday would be efficient and you are correct. There's probably 20 of them that it's a oneline
item, especially on the boards and commissions, and it's it's not a big dollar value. So, so I do agree with that. But, um yeah, we we're we're still going to be involved. Um and we we can >> of course you are. >> We'll take everything you're saying on our advisement tonight. That's great.
and when I get back in town, we'll um we'll go a little further with it. But um yeah, it definitely could use a few changes, that's for sure. But at the end of the day, it's the finance committee that brings the budget to town meeting. >> Yeah. So, I fully expect to have a full
budget to you when we have revenue projections and expenses balanced out and then you will have that full budget that you always get just like [clears throat] you typically get.
But I will have already had a meeting at least with the departments to go over their requests. So that if you get this budget in early February or whenever you're going to get it um and then you go over it and you have questions and I
come to the meeting and I can resolve some of these questions that you have and then if I can't or if you you know regardless you just want to meet with DPW you want to meet with police then we'll schedule that. But I think that us
putting this budget together and giving just like you get it. It's going to be just like you usually get it. We have a department request. So we have a um a level and we have a reduced line items. And you know as long as we can get that balanced and get it to you and then you
and then you formulate your questions from that budget just like you would except I would be that liaison instead of the departments coming into in front of you. But the finance committee has leaison to all these departments. >> Yes.
>> Right. So, you know what? That's not We're not going to answer everything tonight. So, >> yeah, >> appreciate um what you're trying to do. Um and we as a a committee will talk a little more about it later tonight, maybe or our next meeting.
>> Yeah. So, I just I had just brought it up to my board last night. So I want I didn't I will never bring anything up to anybody before I bring it up to my own board and get permission from my own board. So um you know this was a way to streamline this process which we are
constantly trying to do in every facet of of our business on a daily basis and this was just uh one of the ways. So I I know I just wanted to bring it to you so you can digest it. you can come back with comments and questions and
suggestions or other ways that you think might work better, maybe more efficiently than I'm bringing it to you. Um, or if you, you know, agree with me. If you don't agree with me, um, you know, we can also discuss that for sure. Of course, by any means. I'm I'm all
just point of comment. I'm all for reforming the way that we do it. I think there's always ways to improve what we're doing. My concern is that by trying to unbburden the department heads, you may be adding additional burden. And I just heard this for the
first time, so I haven't had time to digest. This is just um you know head tomouth because if we as a finance committee you know essentially sign our names to you know this on the the annual uh town budget saying that we're making the we're we're proposing the budget
that we think is the most responsible for the town and we don't have a chance to talk to the department heads the big you know not all of them the bigger ones. So, if you sit with them and then you talk to them and then we have the same exact conversations with them to make sure that we're comfortable putting
our names on the annual town budget, that may be an additional meeting for them. Do you see what I'm saying? I I see what you're saying, of course. But when I met with I met with um cultural council yesterday, they have one line item >> and they literally waited for three hours last year.
>> I totally get it. >> It was a lot of waste of time. I >> I don't disagree with you. So I think that maybe there is a way that we can kind of innovate the way that we do this that would make it so that we are still getting touch points with all of the
department heads to make sure that when we put our names on this that we are >> doing it with that. Yep. I have no I have no guilt on my conscience that I am putting you know regardless of how small that budget is. But I think there's just further conversation. I do appreciate
that you are looking to innovate it cuz I do think it needs to change but just what that looks like I think we need further conversation on and maybe it does land the way exactly you're saying it. It's just we're all hearing it for the first time >> of course and um you know I I've been on the finance committee in my town. I
clearly was very close with finance committees in all of the towns that I've run and um for the most part you know for my Lello budget of $80 million that's how we did it. We don't meet with everybody. We We rely on the town administrator and the town accountant to
formulate, you know, the the bones of it. >> Sure. >> And then whenever, you know, if the senior center that just opened wanted, you know, another $300,000, well, you're going to have to come in front of the finance committee and, >> um, >> advocate for that, something like that. So, uh, bringing in just my own past
experiences here. >> And I think it's I think it's going to be change is is going to be good. Just >> digestible. Excuse me. Um, did you I don't know if you caught what Joe said that we have the >> kind of divide and conquer and meet with them too. So we shouldn't both do that.
So we need to decide >> you know uh or together. >> Have you historically been doing that? >> We have every year >> you meet with each department. I I'm getting mixed signals from departments then. >> Sure we do. Yeah we divide right. Everybody has a sign.
>> I know you have a leazison but I I didn't know that it was actively happening. >> Yeah. depending on the department >> depends on the department because I have health and they I always touch base with them and library and there's I'll set thank you for >> touching base with me so >> DPW >> so what I do is
>> I have yeah and DPW and police and fire I kind of like out of this conversation because they are the largest budgets and they require the most things and they have the most capital etc. Um but I am sitting with the department head and I I have Munice which is our
financial software up and I go over each line item with them and we go over the past three years and I say well you've spent this and you know either you've gone on over you've gone under. I think over the past couple years um it's been really reduced greatly. It's been to the
point where it's getting almost too reduced. you know, [clears throat] you're getting really close. If you need one thing throughout the year, your budget line is is, you know, too too low. And I and I don't think that we we have to be that, you know, >> completely accurate. We have to give a
little bit of cushion for something that we might, you know, a department might need throughout the year. Not like you you only spent $880 for the past two years, so we're giving you $880. you know, we have to have a little bit of leeway, but that's what I did with
these departments that I've met with so far. So, um, you know, I'm delving deep into history before they submit this to accounting. >> So, like Alita, I feel um I think there's some value. I I think it's a good idea generally, you know, that we
streamline it. When it comes to those big departments, I'm glad you said that. I when I think about the meetings that we have on Saturdays, most of the questions that I at least have, speaking for myself, I wouldn't have known to ask them until they're there in front of me telling their story about uh what it is
they need and why they need it. And then we can say, well, did you think about this or why, you know, can you wait on that one in favor of this? And those conversations are really valuable. So I wouldn't want to give up those particularly for the larger departments but even some of the smaller ones
they've got some you know they've got some pet things that they want to put forward and you know library you know might be an example where they have some ideas about things that they need and want and you know then we have the ability to say well you know compared to
towns our size you know maybe not so much but that's what I wouldn't want to give up. Sure, I don't blame you at all. And I I am hoping to alleviate that a little bit in the sense that um you know, if I've had this conversation with them already where I will take my time
to come to your meetings and not necessarily make a department come on a Saturday and if you have extra questions or if you really want to see somebody, it's entirely your purview. But if I'm able to answer that question for you, then I' I've done I've helped Yeah. what
I had intended to. Um, and anything that's outside of the regular budget. Even somebody asked for a weed whacker. And I, you know, it's for 27. It's not even $400, but it's, it's something that
they only buy this time. They're not going to put it in their regular budget. They're going to put it in the 27 capital, you know, instead of adding it into their supply line when they're just going to buy it this one time. And then, you know, that's where you'll see anything different that's coming out of their budgets. Anything new or planning,
you know, they he asked for more money for conference. Well, he is a full-time planner, a professional college degree planner. He's going to use more professional development than our part-time person who was also a storm water coordinator where we're building up our planner department. So,
>> so you'll see that increase and then I answered that, right? And so if if you insist or you really want to see Alvin for Alvin to tell you that he is going to also go to, you know, some conferences for for the planners in Massachusetts, you know, that's fine,
too. But this it's maybe, you know, just the beginning of of starting to think about doing it a different way. >> Thanks for listening. >> Thanks for trying to change. Okay.
So, first up is the uh minutes. I need a motion to approve the minutes from 11:18 2025. >> I'll make a motion. >> Second. >> All right. All those in favor? Joe D. I >> Karen Deive.
>> Robert Roch. >> Mo Connley. Sharon, >> do you have the eye >> and Alita D Maria? >> All right, you guys can hear me? Okay. >> Yep. >> Yeah. >> Okay. Thank you. All right. Up after that will be um pros and cons for the
upcoming special town meeting. Who will not be making that meeting? >> Joe Dei will not be there. Who else? >> Mar will not be there. >> Okay, that's we are we on stage again? Yep. It's in the gym, I believe. So, we will
be on something in front of, you know, that area. Probably not up high, though. >> All right. So, up first is article one, authorized to make payment of subsidiary or additional rate for insurance for employees.
Ah, statute of acceptance. It says so to see if the town will vote to accept the the provisions of MGLC 32B 7A permitting the town in addition to the payment of 50% of a premium for I should have read this ahead of time
contriburial group life and health insurance for employees and the service of the town and their dependent pay a subsidi subsidiary of subsidy or additional rate if approved MGLC C 32B7
shall not apply or take any other action relative therefore. So the pro and con for that actually I probably don't even have to read them. Do you guys have them? >> Yeah. >> Yeah. Somebody somebody did a good job
on these. So kudos to whoever drafted them. Um I want to just understand the fourth pro. Uh it would be so any subsidy including this one would be subject to a budget approval.
So in other words, the town approves the the matter the article and then it's negotiated that they're going to get a x% increase that still has to go to uh budget. Who does that work?
>> I'm so sorry. I was reading. Oh, okay. Talking to them. Okay. >> Talking to anybody. My my I'll I'll try to answer it real quickly. Um my understanding is you're voting there the town is voting to open up that door. >> Okay. So that whatever chapter that is
is automatic 50/50. That's how it's been probably since it's been created. Um so by getting permission to open that door, they have a PowerPoint for it. I wish they had brought it out ahead of time so the town could see that even online and get a real big better understanding of
all this. Um, >> we don't have a PowerPoint though, Joe. >> No, now we don't have it. Okay, we did. >> We just have a brochure. >> All right. So, no more PowerPoint. Um, so the thought process is they'll get permission to open that door. The union
and selectman Nicole Parker will then negotiate that out. We don't vote on that later, but we it does go through town meeting on the budget side. So, when the budget gets approved, whatever the new rates are or aren't also get
approved. Was that close enough, Nicole? >> Yes, exactly. You don't get to vote on the percentage, just whether or not it can go up more than 50. Yep. >> Yep. So, that's [clears throat] basically what it is. We we kind of grab it grab it a little bit here with the pros and cons because
>> technically it is money. You're not really voting on that dollar at that meeting. You're voting to start the process of that dollar. >> Okay. So, if this passes >> Yep. Does that allow for every time a
contract comes up it gets negotiated and it can keep going up >> or is it just a specific okay instead of 50% now it's 70% and that's where it stays. Yeah, we're not >> you don't typic it's it opens it up to be able to change it, right? So it does,
but you just need to hope and rely that you have elected very financially responsible people to negotiate those things and not cost you out of your budget. I mean that's, >> you know, I guess you can technically somebody could go up and go, "Yeah,
let's play 100% or 99%." And um I don't know who would ever do that, but um it it all it does is open it up for more percentage. >> So for going forward >> going forward, but every I think opening up a percentage of health insurance
every time you open up a negotiation >> is is absolutely not responsible and I don't know any man anybody that would do that. >> So the s the uh existing bylaw or whatever it is says it's locked at 50%. >> Yeah, that's the minimum that you that you write.
It's what is it minimum? >> Yeah, minimum 50% minimum minimum. >> You have to pay at least 50. Yes, >> you have. That's all it says. You have to pay. Then why does the town have to vote to increase it beyond 50? >> That's a it's a it's a state law statute that the town has to adopt to be able to
go above 50. >> Oh >> yeah. >> But you're you're already have the ability to pay you >> 50, >> right? >> You said minimum 50. Minimum 50. >> What's the maximum? It's both. Right now, >> it's both.
>> 50. >> Exactly 50. Okay, that makes sense. I'm I'm wondering why the 50 just couldn't be changed to, >> you know, >> 60 or something. But >> well, once you open the door, it could actually go to 100. >> Well, that's what I'm saying. >> If you change the 50 to a certain
amount, then you then you avoid the risk of future pushing it too high. So that where the statute doesn't allow you to vote on the on the Yeah. doesn't allow you to vote on the percentage. But again, I um you know, you >> you hope you have fiscally responsible
people in place or they shouldn't be in the place that they're in if they're going to start being completely irresponsible and cost you right out of your budget. That's the other side, right? You have to be, you know, that I'm constantly thinking about. Of course, I think the employee shouldn't pay 50% because nobody else does and
it's extremely expensive. On the other side, we have a budget that we need to adhere to and we need to be fiscally responsible with our public money. It's a very delicate line. One more question. >> Sorry, Joe. At the time that this is
presented, uh are you or is the board or somebody that's putting it forward going to have examples of what it might mean? Like a certain rate change might mean this in terms of the overall budget or to the tax rate or something. Mhm.
>> Is that all part of the package that's going to be presented? Cuz that would be >> It's not really part of the package because we It's such an unknown. >> But we What we do know, what I do know is each percentage point, it would go up
$22,000. $22,000 on our budget is negligible. It's nothing. Okay. >> When you start compounding the percentage, like if we have if we went up 10%. >> That would be about $4 a month on on the average household. >> Okay. too. >> That's what we have. But I but it's it's
so I I I >> hesitate and of course if anybody asks I mean I'm on camera and whatever it can be it's public >> but it's today's right. I don't know I can't I can't promise you that today's insurance cost is going to be tomorrow's
insurance costs and I can only know what we pay today. I don't know what insurance companies negotiate into the future. And I just think the people who are there to vote need some reference to say I'm in I'm in favor. But if I say yes, >> you know what is it going to mean? Do I have to?
>> So that's that's my only >> my stocks is >> sell my 401k. >> I knew what 1% would be and then if I went up to 10% and I put it on all the households, it it was about $4 a month or a little like 50 a year. A little less than that. >> 10%. Good to know. Yeah.
>> Yeah. If it went up 10%. >> Was it go up 1%? Does it go up 11%? Does it go up 6%. >> Right. >> I don't know. >> And you were able to figure out what the actual dollar for the health insurance was to figure out the 1%. >> Yeah. >> Well, you should share that with
everybody, too, so we actually know what that number is. >> $22,000. >> 1%'s $22,000. So if it went up 10% it would be >> I understand. >> So what did our health So what does the health care cost the town of South?
>> I don't have that exact figure in front of me. It's on a spreadsheet. >> So if you get time email it to the finance committee if you don't mind just would because it's great to know we actually have a number of what healthc care actually cost us. That's what I'm getting at because in the line item there's several things in there as you
know. So it's very hard to just pull that out. So that's wonderful if you were able to accomplish that and we'd love to see it. Thank you. So the other question I think what they're asking is as you as they vote say they vote yes which is fine and you guys come up with a percentage and it all works everything
passes passes town meeting. Technically we're not locking that number in year to year. Like right now it's 50/50 and it's locked in because that's state's minimum. So realistically every year that could be a a roll of the dice should someone pursue
going after the healthcare again. >> Hypothetically, yes. Realistically, no. >> Yeah, we don't lock it in, unfortunately. Like like now it's locked in. >> We will lock it in. When we lock it in, it's going to be locked in >> for that >> when we do this negotiation. >> Sure. I highly doubt we're ever going to
negotiate health insurance again over 50%. I mean people I hypothetically >> hypothetically so many things could happen right but realistically what happens in our municipal world for us to consider >> to be considered professionals and to
know what we are doing and being fiscally responsible with public money >> um it's our careers and I don't think we would ever be as irresponsible as that is to just constantly willy-nilly raise health insurance breaks breakouts.
>> Yeah. And I don't I don't mean it I don't mean it that way. I I mean if if another union or someone else got a little agitated and wanted to bump it again. I don't I don't mean the select board or you I mean in general it's still going to come in front of us. That's all. It's not a yes or no. Just Yeah, technically it's still open and
it's out there. That's all. >> I was just going to ask >> is the the one rate set for all municipal employees besides schools? They do their their own. Yeah. So it's just what? So like if the budget or the
contract for police comes up or fire comes up, >> they can't make you adjust that if Okay. That's what I was curious about. >> Once it's adjusted, it is adjusted for everyone. >> Yeah. >> However it's done through the contracts,
whether it phases, whether it's face [laughter] one eyebrow up. Um [clears throat] yeah, it doesn't contracts don't come up and then just keeps going. I want to go to 80. I want to go to 85. I want to go to 90. That's really not how
>> the police can't say I have one and the fire says they have one. >> Everybody gets the same. >> It would be everybody the same. Okay. So, you don't have to worry about all the different contract negotiations. >> Absolutely not. >> Okay. >> So, back to the pros and cons. So, what's the third con limits future budget flexibility as benefit
expectations increase? Well, if if the benefits increase, you're absorbing some more money out of the budget. Correct. >> So, you're not as flexible. >> Okay. So, in other words, the money's got to come from somewhere. So, you may not have >> enough money for something else, another
raetball court or whatever because >> Yeah. >> There you go. >> And we don't have to leave all these in here. You you can pick and choose [clears throat] too much. So the cons, not to jump ahead for article two, but they should almost
align. >> Yeah, they probably should. >> There should be different uh at least in see flexibility. >> Can we stick to article one? >> Sure. Sorry.
>> He's an overachiever. >> All right. So article one. >> Are we in agreement with article one? >> Yes. >> Yep. Okay, >> Laura, how do you want us to do that? >> Approve as written. >> Um, the pros and cons you're talking
about. >> Yes. >> Yeah, you can. >> I I would almost suggest we >> because if you read article two and you like something there, >> I typed up for you >> worded better than article one, you might want to make motions that follow
the agenda. >> Hold on. You probably do. Oh yeah, >> because again they should pretty much align. >> Yeah. >> Is there something that you see in
article two? >> Yeah. >> That did be an article. >> I I don't know. I want to ask about it. Do I have permission to ask about article two yet? >> Well, I mean, you have a point. So, [clears throat]
>> all right. Are we Do you want to look at article two now because they're both on the same deal realistically except they're for the retired folks and then we'll make a motion for both of them separately. >> I don't want to make a motion to then change something that we should have
changed. So, let's look at article two. All right. To authorize to make payment of subsidiary or additional rate for insurance for retired employees. The provides flexibility to assist retirees with rising insurance costs. Long-term service for retired employees
may improve moral and long-term work workforce stability. >> I don't know that that one >> that can go. That can go. That does nothing to do. Well, it doesn't. It doesn't, but that can go. any subseries would require future appropriation. We're not sure about
that. I think that >> it worded a little differently than it four on article one, but it's supposed to say the same thing, I guess, right? >> Yeah. I would leave one and two on that
and get rid of three and four. No. Yeah. Three and four. Which one? On the pros. >> Pros. >> Yeah. >> On the pros. >> Yeah. >> Okay. The con. Create a long-term financial obligation. Yep. That's going to happen.
Define cost at the time of acceptance. That's where we're at. Increase future operating budget pressures. Yep. >> I don't know about the the last one, the the um the OPED. That's there regardless. And it's going to increase
just because of the way this world is. We could probably take that out. >> Well, would this directly increase the OPED liability or No, >> it does. It's the the percentage that for health insurance doesn't >> No,
it >> I mean every year it goes up >> but not directly related to this particular thing. >> No, no, no. as they have insurance. >> Yes, they have health insurance, >> right? >> It's I mean again fundamentally yes. Uh
retirees health insurance is a fraction of what like half pennies on the dollar on for OPED but does it affect OPED if they are on their health insurance? Yes. >> But it's not
>> I would take it out. >> Yeah. undercons take it out only because that's going to open the door that someone's going to be asking questions about OPED. >> Yeah. >> I think it, you know what I mean? It just dilutes the the reason they're there. Yes. >> And she's right. Pennies on the dollar, but it's but
>> I mean, you've already said there's a school budget, right? Yeah. Pretty. >> Yeah. >> So, the con one and two and then I mean sorry on the pros one and two and on the cons one, two, and three. >> Yeah. >> Yep. >> Okay. All right,
let's go back to the first one. Need a motion to approve as discussed the pros and cons of article one on the special town meeting. >> Motion. >> Seconded. >> Say your names, please. >> Robert Rocher. Motion.
>> Deo. Second. >> Thank you. All those in favor? Joe Diddy I >> I Maria I >> Robert Roch I >> Paul Connley I >> Sharon I >> David Matthew
>> Thank you. Up next a motion to recommend article. A motion to recommend article one of the special town meeting. Are we going to recommend it or not? That should be the question actually. I'm sorry about that.
You want to take a vote? >> Sure. >> Is there anybody against it? I >> think we we talked about it. >> Yeah, we talked about it. >> All right. So, I need a motion to recommend article one of the special town meeting. >> I'll make a motion.
>> Name >> article one. >> Article one. Yeah. >> Thank you. >> Okay. I'll second. Karen de Mayo. Second. >> Thank you. All those in favor? Joe DD. May I de Maria I >> Robert Rochek I >> Paul Conley I >> Sherry Nolton I
>> David Murphy I >> thank you. >> Okay. This will now be pros for article two. Motion to approve as discussed the pros and cons of article two of the special town meeting. Is there a motion?
>> Uh Robert motion second. >> Thank you. All those in favor? Joe Diddy. >> I Alita D Maria I. >> Robert Rochek I >> Paul Connley I >> Sharon Alton I >> David Mi.
>> Thank you. And so anyone against recommending article two? >> No. >> No. >> Okay. So I need a motion to recommend article two of the special town meeting. >> Robert Rodri. Motion.
>> Baron Deo second. All those in favor? Joseph DD I >> I Lita D Maria I >> Robert Rochek I >> Bill Conley I >> Sher Nolton I >> David I >> All right now we're going to move to article three dispatch communication
tower funding. So, it's pretty much explained. They um we got a ton of grants out of Westfield when we merged and they fell short 220,000 it appears. And the bigger issue is I
think we would have been okay to town meeting but Verizon has decided not to support the existing product we have which is a I'm going to say a copper cable throughout town or through these um telephone poles. They're going to
maintain it, I guess, till late summer, but it kind of just goes away. So, this became a priority one that has to get accomplished and done so we do not lose our communication with all our departments when it comes to public safety.
>> The only thing I see in this in the bullet is as of X2026. Do you remember the actual month? I I don't and I I've been told, you know, I think we were told one thing and then we may have a leeway of a couple months in there. I don't think they're
going to turn the key off, but they're going to stop supporting it. And this is going to take a while to do and maybe Verizon works because >> I'd say late. >> Yeah. >> Yeah. >> So then let's change that to Verizon will no longer support our current radio
infrastructure as of late 2026. There you go. >> Because they're going to stop supporting it and it's still going to work, but if it breaks, it's broken. >> Fix it. >> Correct. [clears throat] >> Just in
>> in >> So, can I ask a couple questions about the radio system before we get to pros and cons? So, is this what the police use day in and day out? >> Yes. >> Yep. 100%. Police and fire and EMS.
>> Okay. >> Does DPW on something else? >> So, they so they do, which believe it or not becomes another headache because they could never all communicate. So, the thought process is when this is accomplished and done, some of our older
equipment that police and fire have is going to DPW. So they will be able to somehow I think actually through dispatch and Westfield communicate with everyone. So in the in the end it will upgrade um our DPW stuff not with new
but with existing stuff that will then work through our dispatch center. >> Okay. >> And this it's all separate from our emergency FEMA >> Yep. radio >> equipment and stuff. Okay, that's
totally separate. >> That's backup standalone. >> Okay, >> so what's happening is we've upgraded radios through this process. They still work on the old system, but they're ready to go with the new system. Um, and when it switches over, the guys and girls at home that have scanners, they
will no longer work on our frequencies because it's believe it all going digital for the most part. Maybe your cell phone will work when you pick up a scanner, you know, uh, app, but um, the old stuff's just completely going away.
And we have dead zones. I believe there's a tower by my business in town and there's a few others I um throughout town, but there's dead zones here and there. So, that's our other bigger problem. I'm receiving a phone call. I'm
going to hit decline. is the 220 does that include the annual support? >> Nope. That's just to have everything installed and finished >> and then there's cost for annual support, right? Because Doug, you said
it was the support was ending. >> Yes, the Verizon support was ending. That's on the polls. I don't know if it's a dollar value. I think it's an equipment issue. the equipment is basically retiring that we we're currently using.
>> Okay. So, the new infrastructure will be supported, you know, de facto by by >> it's going to my understanding. Sorry to jump in. It will be in the budget >> as part of public safety and dispatch. >> Okay.
>> Thanks. >> All right. Go back to the pros. So, the pros are complete the town's public safety radio system, leverage substantial grant funding, town share is
220,000 of the 1.7 million project. Number three, allows full utilization of previously replaced mobile radios. Improved reliability of police, fire, and EMS communications. It's a one-time capital expense
can be well, that's yeah, the I guess it's a pro. We can our free cash is available to use for this instead of using the stabilization fund. >> Yeah, maybe we should word it that way. Um, free cash
uh is available to absorb this cost or something. >> It says can be funded through available free cash avoiding use of stabilization funds or an increase to the tax levy. >> All right, that's good. [clears throat] >> That's all right.
>> Yeah. Then last >> last Verizon will no longer support our current radio infrastructure as of >> we're going to change that to in 2026. >> Yeah. >> Um I I think I'd reword that to say it
will continue support which will be ending or you know what I mean? It'll it's almost like you're saying you know yeah we want to get rid of Verizon. Um who doesn't? But it really it's going to it's going to provide support beyond
the contract end date for the current Verizon support. >> It's saying it's not going to support our current infrastructure though, which is >> which is a fact. >> Oh, I missed that. Yeah, thank you. Okay, I got you now. >> Yeah. >> So, support is ending for our current
radio infrastructure is >> allow support to continue things. Okay. All right. And then the cons require appropriation of 220,000. Use of free CR use of free cash reduces
funds available for other capital needs. Future system maintenance or upgrades may require additional appropriations. Those are just all facts. >> Well done. >> Yeah. >> Nobody knows what the future will bring. So
Okay. Any [clears throat] questions? >> No. >> Wonderful. >> All right. So, I need a motion to recommend article
three of the special town meeting as written. Robert, >> I take a motion. >> Second. All those in favor Joe DD I >> Alita Di Maria I >> Robert Connley I
>> Sherry I >> thank you and is there anyone that's not in favor of approving it? >> I see no one. >> All right. A motion to approve as discussed the submission. Oh, I'm so
sorry. Motion to recommend article three for the special town meeting. We did that. Motion to approve and discuss the submission of the 2020. No, I'm missing it. >> I don't have it. >> The vote was to approve the
>> Now we need to do recommendation for >> Yeah, I need a motion to recommend >> uh Robert motion. >> Thank you. >> All right. All those in favor? Joe DD I >> may have Alita G. Maria I >> checkly I
>> Sharon I >> David I just redo the vote for the pros and >> conso it >> okay >> for this one right for number three >> article three pros and
>> cons I'm sorry a motion to approve as discussed the pros and cons for article three of the special town meeting. >> Raaric motion. Second. >> All those in favor? Joe Dei. I
>> I lead Lita G. Maria. I >> Roach. I >> Paul Connley. I >> Sharon Alton I. >> Dave Miy. >> Wonderful. >> I'm going to excuse myself, you guys. Thank you. >> Okay. >> Okay. And then we need a motion to approve as
discussed the submission of the 2025 annual town budget. The finance committee's >> not our version of it. Yeah, >> our version of it. >> Wait, are we doing the budget or the
annual town report? What are you doing? >> I'm sorry. I'm just the budget. >> Okay. >> Just approved, >> right? Yeah. >> And you increase the dues. >> That's coming up next. Okay, that's after then. >> Yeah,
that's all I have. I have motion to approve as discussed the submission of the 2025 annual town budget. >> I think it's supposed to say report. >> Yeah. >> Oh, >> yep. That's my typo. I apologize.
>> That's fine. I can't see. It's dark. [laughter] >> Um, well, I didn't want to go in the sunset. then you would have lost me all night. So, um All right. So, our annual time report, has everyone read it? >> Yeah, there were no changes made to
this, right? >> Stuff some >> We're comfortable with it. >> Yeah. >> All right. And I need a motion to approve our annual town report. >> Uh Robert motion. >> Okay. All those in favor? Joe D. I
>> may I Maria? I >> member I >> Conley I >> Sherry Nolton I >> Okay, next up we have our budget. We've increased one line item. >> Sunshine, where are you? Um which was
the the dues went from 195 to 215. >> Other than that it's all the same. Any discussion on it? >> No. >> No. Okay, >> I need a motion
and Robert Hick motion >> here. Do I have a second? >> Great. Um, Joe Diddy I >> do I do I >> Robert Rok I >> Connley I >> Sher Nolan I >> all right and that is for the 2027
finance committee budget. >> Okay. Um the liaison list we'll discuss another time. Yeah, >> sorry. It is getting dark. Um,
>> we think those only thing really we have left is Sherry Nol and if you're interested, we have an opening. >> Yes. >> Yes. [laughter] >> I don't think we make a motion for that.
I think it's um it is what it is. I believe it actually I don't think it goes to the town moderator let me know that you know um the doctor had resigned so that creates a position and uh welcome aboard
>> and if and if anyone else has any folks that are interested in the finance committee um I think we should fill that position of the associate so please send a letter to our town moderator and she will uh look into it from
Is there anything else on the agenda tonight? >> No. Any old business? Any new business? >> No. >> All right, everyone's good and I'll take a motion. >> Okay, I'll take a motion to adjourn.
>> Reject motion. >> You made a second. I'm just wondering should Laura, are you comfortable with everything we did tonight? Do we need to make a motion to fix things later if need be by the chair? >> I think we're we're good. If you work
with Betsy on the budget, we're >> Yep, we're fine. Okay. Motion was made, seconded. All those in favor? Joe DD I >> Alita Maria I >> Robert. >> Paul Connley. Sharon. >> All right, guys. Have a great night.