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Good evening and welcome to the select board meeting for the town of Southwick for Monday, June 8th, 2026. Time is 6 o'clock. We're here in the land use hearing room at town hall at 454 College Highway. This meeting is being held in hybrid fashion, both in

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person and remote, and all meetings of the select board are recorded except for our executive session. If anyone else is recording the meeting, please make it known to the clerk. Uh we'll start off with the pledge of allegiance. So Chief Stfanitz, can you lead the

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pledge tonight? >> Thank you, sir. >> To the flag of the United States of America, to the republic for which it stands, one nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice

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for all. Why don't we do a quick roll call? Nicole Parker, >> Doug Mglin, >> Russ Anderson, Joseph, >> Dean Sony. >> Thank you. And we'll start off with some uh public comments. Does anyone in the audience have any public comments that

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they'd like to address this to the select board that is not on the agenda this evening? Seeing none, is there anyone online? Terry Putnham. >> Hello, Mrs. Putnham. How are you? >> I'm doing well. How are you?

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>> Excellent. The floor is yours. >> Oh, no. I I thought you were just asking if anyone was online. Yes, I'm online. >> No, we're just looking for public comments. >> Uh, I I may have some, but it may be reserved for another meeting. Thank you.

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>> No problem. And Cliff, we saw your request to record the meeting. No problem. >> Thank you very much. >> You're welcome. Okay. New business interview and discuss

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uh park and recreation director applicant Kristen Gibson. Kristen, you want to come up? >> Hello. Welcome. >> Thank you. >> How are you? How are you? >> Great.

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>> Did you catch everybody's names during the introductions? >> Yes. >> Okay. >> Your name tags are very helpful >> and observant. >> Yeah. >> Reading. >> What's a test? Okay. Uh we have a short

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list of 94 questions for you. >> Ready? >> And uh we'll go around. We'll each ask a question of you and you'll at the end you'll have an opportunity to add anything else that you'd like to add or answer any questions that may that you may have or may come out of these

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questions. >> All righty. >> All right. >> Yeah. >> Oh, I'm ready. >> Fantastic. Russell, you want to ask the first one? >> Sure. What interest you in the park and director position with the town of South? >> So, I have two kids. I've attended quite a few events that have been put on. um

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the trunk or treat, the Easter egg hunt. Um so I kind of know firsthand, you know, experience-wise how it goes with the kids and everything. So, um knowing that they handled that, I was kind of interested in being able to run

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those type of events, knowing, you know, the pros, the cons, the Easter egg hunt. There wasn't one this year, but the year before, and it was a little chaotic. Um, I saw a lot of kids, you know, saw a couple get tripled, some lost some shoes. Um, my son was pretty little at the time, so it would have been nice to

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have a section for younger kids, which they did try to do, but it wasn't like segregated enough, so a lot of the little kids didn't get Easter eggs and that kind of stuff. So, I'm also really good at planning. So, I would love to plan big events like that. Um, it's just

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so stuff like that really kind of sparks interest cuz again, I have kids. I've been to all these kind of events and we love it. We love this kind of stuff. >> Good. >> Do you have any prior experience with like event planning or anything to do with park and wreck?

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>> Um I I've volunteered at a few um events like this. I have not like personally planned a big event like I haven't been like the head person to do it, but I also I don't know if you read on my resume or anything. Okay. Um, so I am a travel agent as well. It's my what I

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call my side hustle. Um, so I plan all day long. It's just I've always been this way. I've always been a planner. Even when I worked at Wall-E, I had a big massive planner on my desk. It's just who I am by nature. I've been this way my whole life. My mom has always

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called me Monica from friends. Um, so it's just it just comes very naturally for me. >> Thank you. Joseph, you want to get the second one? >> This position works under the park and recck board. While coordinating with town administration and other

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departments, how do you navigate multiple reporting relationships with different priorities? >> Could you Yep. Thank you. Y >> I'm so sorry. I'm extremely nervous. >> Don't be. >> We don't know the answers. Just >> Great. Okay. >> Okay. So, this position falls under the

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park and wreck board. All right. And that board is volunteers. I believe they're they're elected they're elected officials, right? >> Okay. >> So you as much as it says you're a director, you are on a ship by yourself 110%. Um so what they're trying to figure out is without whatever with all

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the hoopla and all the the powers to be, how do you navigate multiple reporting relationships with different priorities? How do you master keeping all the queens and kings happy? How's that? Um, it's hard to say because I've never

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positioned. However, I will say, um, I I don't know. I always do managed to find a way to put out fires very quickly. Um, I will say my number one compliment I have always gotten is I'm extremely communicative. I'm very fast at responding. Um, so I'd probably take the

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most priority report or complaint or whatever it is and I would start from there and work my way down as quickly and as efficiently as possible. >> Sure. Thank you. >> You're welcome. >> Kristen, how do you balance offering

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affordable community programming while controlling operational costs? >> It's a great question. Um, I don't really know what budget and everything looks like obviously. So, um I do know that I work with personal budgets for people on a daily basis and I manage to

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find what fits their life and what they can afford for their trips and everything. So, I would find I'm pretty savvy. So, I would like to think I'd be able to work with what I can with what I'm given for a budget. I know that's a really big topic for parks and wreck is

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the budget and being able to fit the events within said budget. Thank you. >> How would you manage scheduling conflicts between sports leagues, community groups, and public use requests? >> Oh, my favorite. I love conflict with

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sports. Um, we was just dealing with this yesterday with lacrosse. >> Um, I assume you were referring to Wally Park and their schedule. >> Yeah. >> Um, >> I was so so sorry. Um, they do scheduling of the baseball fields and

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everything, correct? So there's multiple seasons and everything. >> So I would say it's hard because I don't know what the scheduling system looks like. >> Um >> let me do a followup to it.

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>> Are you experienced with anything softwares or programs that could help in sk in scheduling conflicts? >> Probably. I h I use um I use like three different calendars myself personally. So, >> um, do you what what do you use right now? Do you know?

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>> I I don't know. >> I do. >> I do know. >> That's probably a David question. >> Yep. >> There is a there is a I've seen I've seen it. I can't think of the name of it, but I have seen it is

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a shared calendar and there's an app name for it, but it's it's pretty standard calendaring. >> I'm a big fan of color coding. So, I don't know. I might maybe color code on each different organization and

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everything. Um, and like I said, I know a couple different calendar systems myself, so I might be able to work something in to have a better system for them. >> Okay. >> I just would really need to actually see what they're using. >> Thanks. >> So, realistically, over the winter time,

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the bigger folks will call you because they probably rent that field for 10 events or games. So they usually come first, right? And then the sports leagues are the high school and whatnot from the baseball >> and they try to chip away at it. Then you have the public that thinks it's their fields all the time

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>> and are very frustrated because the town's done what they've had to do to keep that place rolling. So that's really where they're talking about how do you manage? You're going to have a lot of balls to juggle and and everyone's got their own wants and needs of course. So >> yeah, for sure. >> That's what that's what they're talking about, I believe.

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>> Okay. This position coordinates facilities, athletic fields, beaches, events, and scheduling. How do you stay organized when managing competing priorities? >> I personally make a task list. I put my top priorities at the top and I work my

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way down to the least um priority one. I always start with my biggest, most important task and I will just keep chipping away. I usually kind of a flaw of my own, but I do not stop typically until I'm finished. I do not like having

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to-dos left on my list. Um, I did have a question about the beaches to forget about. >> Go ahead and ask. >> Oh, okay. Um, I think when I was talking to David, he said that the parks and wreck is in charge of the town beach. Correct. Okay.

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>> That was my So many lifeguards, so many everything over there. It's a lot of fun. >> That's what I've heard. >> How would you handle community feedback when a popular program must be changed, reduced, or even cancelled?

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I would just try to communicate as best I could, you know, as to I know we probably can't give a reason why if it was canceled, but if we are able to at least communicate, you know, due to weather, due to funding or lack of volunteers, um, I would at least try to communicate it the best I could to try

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and make people understand why it was needed to be changed or cancelled and answer any questions I could for them if they had any. What if the program wasn't popular and the feedback was negative? >> I would try and promote it as best I

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could on social media to get it popular >> or at least to gain interest in it or find or try and change the program to make it to something that people would be interested in maybe. >> Good. Good. >> So, you did have a chance to meet with Mr. D. Delorey, the the chair of Farre.

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>> David. >> David. Sorry, I only know his first name. >> David. >> We have not met in person. I talked to him on the phone. >> Perfect. >> And he asked me to follow up with her and I did and brought her.

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>> Excellent. Thank you, Naen. >> Kristen, do you have any questions for us? >> Um, I don't think so. I think David and Naen answered most of my questions already. >> Excellent. What are the hours of the show? >> Actually, that is one question that

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nobody could answer. >> Yeah, I I know that. Um, it's kind of work when you have to work, right? >> That's what I'm saying. It was posted for >> 20 hours a week roughly or something. >> It's not like it's not like 9 to

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>> Right. You have your highs and lows, right? Your seasons, >> right? The park's closed in the winter. >> Yes. >> You know, other than kids going in and destroying things. there's not much happening up there and the same with the rail trail, the snowmobiles and whatnot, but you don't really your issue there is trees down if anything.

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>> Um but yeah, it does get quiet in the winter time, but in the but they do phone does start ringing or people that want to book for the spring. >> People that do come in in the winter um you know hoping for some kind of you know something to do in the winter. Um so >> you definitely the Christmas stuff that

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happens. There's stuff happening. just not so much at Wally Park or the rail trail, right downstairs here in more or less. >> There's always something, but yeah, I don't know. I don't know if your hours are actually >> they're not set in they're not set in stone because you may have, you know, morning activities, you may have evening

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activities like we're not that's between you and you and your board basically. I mean, we like to know how to reach you if there's something that comes up and we need you help. Um, but other than that, you know, you just work um in the same building as

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us and you know um you have to make your hours work or you and the programs that you're administering >> there's highs and lows there's you know cuz really you're walking into a program that doesn't it exists there's I'm sure

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there's something downstairs in the final cabinet but it's what you make of it so if you want to see more activities in the summer you go find those grants and you push push push and depending on who ran it with a year for the past few a lot of activity and like you said the Easter egg comes down cancelled.

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>> Yeah. >> Um >> literally I think because of timing of employment what it came down to unfortunately. >> Um so it's it's it's your game in the end if they if they these guys decide to choose you >> and it's what you make of it. >> Same with the hours I guess you come

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back another year and say I'm doing 60 hours a week. This is crazy you know. >> Well I did I did say that to Naen when we were chatting too. I was like this the job description alone does not sound like a 20our a week job. >> But it's true. We have to put everything in there just in case. Right.

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>> Right. Exactly. >> Just like these questions. >> Yeah. >> How would you know conflicts from the support you there? >> Exactly. I'm not >> We don't even know. You hear about it when someone gets canceled or someone's upset, right? Of course, the phone rings, but other than that, >> you know, we don't know, right?

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>> So, and and no question here about lighting at at Wally Park. That would have been a good question, right? cost a lot of money to turn on the light of all. >> You got to make sure you get paid. >> Yeah. >> Yep. Which I did learn that's done through an app. >> Yep. >> So, there you go.

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>> Yep. >> Little button. You can turn them off. >> All set for now. >> Thank you. >> You're probably going to come right back to this under old business in a little bit. >> But that's it. You can leave and I'll call you

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tomorrow. Whatever feels better for you. >> Right. I will sit. >> Next is to vote and execute the Sutpen fire engine contract. I see the chief is here. >> Can I say something? Of course, Mr.

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Chair. Um the the contract that's in here isn't the final contract that I sent over. I don't know how this got in here with all these crossouts, but I've reviewed it and I have the final contract and all we're if you see any strikethroughs,

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those have been removed by council and this was all reviewed by council and um agreed upon between all the parties. So um at this point it was just needing your execution.

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Not seeing any straight through there. >> Um there are >> Oh, a couple little ones. >> Yeah, there's a couple. I mean, there shouldn't be. So, that's all I'll say. I have this clean one that I just uh compared and just the strikers have been

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removed. You didn't notice that till now? >> Yes. Well, a little while ago. >> Today? >> Yes, today. Cuz I really went fast when I was going through it earlier. Um, well, when it was first

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sent out because it was just the contract that I had sent over, but I didn't. >> The town approval is 1.1. >> Yeah. Yes. >> So, and it's written. So, the others for loose equipment or whatever bracketing or whatever is needed. >> Yep. Yeah. So, right now, um there are

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some modifications that are already included in the construction documents for the truck itself. It's included in the list price. >> The only thing that's not included in there right now is if there was additional equipment mounting or anything else we wanted to add to the truck. Um there's a little bit of a buffer there knowing that there's a few

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things that we do need, right? um specifically like for example where the hydraulic tools get mounted and what we end up set up for that. That's not a low price mounting device. It's it's pretty but it's it's very practical but it's probably something that we have to look

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at when we get the truck to the dealership. So it's going to be doing most of the mail. There are a couple of changes that are already scheduled at Sutfin for the truck but they're included in that price. Right. >> So you have a little room to >> a little bit of room. Yeah. Yeah. And

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there's still radio mounting things like that, but that's all done as now the lower small cost >> and did we execute to get a discount on the chassis or because of the short window did it not matter? >> So the discount is applied towards how

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much you put down on the down payment. Right? Right now we have not offered the down payment. This is the contracted price for the truck. If we offer the down payment, that would bring this down. Down payment works on based on the amount that we're providing. We need to let them know they look weekly at what

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that percentage would be in the reduction. So there was $200,000 set aside for a down payment and go towards that. That would lower this price typically about 4% on the actual down payment made. >> So it' be 4% of 200,000. But that that's

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just an average number. It could be slightly lower. It could be slightly higher. would be 3.9, could be 4.1. It's based on a monthly weekly basis, >> but that money is not available till after July 1. Is that too late for this or is it >> um we had the money that we moved to it? >> Yeah, but we didn't move it in a

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special, so it's not available to July 1st. >> It's true. >> Um question I'd have to ask >> Sen. >> Right now, Sin is is holding this truck for us. This contract needs to get signed and we >> No, I understand that. Yeah. Um, I'm

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sure we could negotiate the the down payment. >> Just explore it if it saves 4% on >> right >> million bucks. >> Especially if they send us a bill for that now with net30 with a deposit.

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>> Today's June 8th. >> Jim could do something fancy maybe. >> I'm sure he's been willing to work with us on just about everything. I'm sure we could figure something out. So this price doesn't include the deposit. It's just the price of the truck >> as the truck delivered. That's good.

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>> Is there anything else we need to decide to vote for the board? There's a bunch of motions and whatnot in here. We need to vote in according with those motions that are written. >> No, that's for >> that was for something else.

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>> The exhibits. Yeah, the >> Oh, it's going so fast. Um, >> that's for sen, right? >> Yeah, the exhibits are for set. That's what I just wanted to make sure. Yeah, >> they're board. They're they're

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>> how they're board. Yeah. Yeah. Yep. There's just a signature page for the board for the board for for the chair. >> And we didn't need a bid bond or anything because it's a an existing unit

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>> and it's um >> that was asked by our council on, you know, is it on state bid list is, you know, >> right? There's that that that's fine. A lot of times they'll want a performance bond if you're if it's four years out and you're custom ordering it and the company could go out of business. You know, this is sitting

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there. >> Yeah. Not being >> I would think you sidestep that. So good. >> It's another five grand you say. >> So you're comfortable with the contract as it is? >> Yes, I am. >> And you are? >> The council is

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there. I am. This is also the same manufacturer as the the tower. It would worked out great. So, >> I'd entertain someone wants to send a motion to the chair to execute that

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contract and have the chair sign. >> So, move. >> Second. >> Roll call vote. Doug Mglin, yes. >> Russ Anderson, yes. >> Joseph TD, yes. Does that mean now that it's a stock vehicle, it's going to be here in a

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little less time than three years? >> That's correct. >> Yeah. What are you thinking? >> Um, as quickly as I go over. >> Wow. >> Again, modifications um decaling things like that. >> Not yellow, right?

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It's >> purple. Yellow. over it. >> Okay. >> Thank you to the committee too because I know this is a daunting task and it was kind of accelerated. >> Very good, very good meetings, very

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constructive meetings. In the end, everybody was very supportive of the final decision >> and >> agreement is a big word. >> Yeah. Very supportive. >> Well, that's a negotiation, right? No one's happy, right? Exactly. >> Everyone loses.

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>> Exactly. Perfect. participating into the decision that we're beyond our control >> and uh you just kind of have to understand that that's part of the process and >> you know the truck industry is an indust very interesting industry and it's going to change dramatically in the years to come. It' be interesting to see what it

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looks like in 10 years but right now this is what we have was very fortunate to work with people and I'm such is expecting a signed contract as soon as possible. And so if we can get that tonight and get that over to them by tomorrow, that would be

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appreciated as well. Thank you. >> We have it here, right? >> Do you have a meeting? >> Yep. Get it done at the end of the meeting tonight. >> Uh IMC discuss contracts for department heads policy.

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So sometime in the last year or so, we had there was a change in policy from the town itself as to certain employees had letters of understanding or um agreements with the town and that had

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changed to where those employ most other than those that were statutoily required to have a contract have transitioned to um what's the word I'm looking for >> at will >> at will employees. And so we ask to have

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that brought back in front of the board to understand the why and the how and if we should reconsider that change in policy. >> Sure. Um first and foremost, we're very happy to entertain whatever you guys

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want to do. We want to go back. We certainly can. It was really um in the spirit of transparency and um just uh everybody kind of being under the same blanket, right? So, we're all instead of you you're you're um governed by this

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document and you're governed by this document. It was more everybody's going to be under the town policy and we're just going to have, you know, basically what will be different is a salary, a salary for the individual and instead of um, you know, a $90,000 stat salary and

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then in the letter of understanding you get maybe 30% in a different category like a um deferred comp or some other compensation that we just es especially for the noncontractual

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employees that we just make, you know, kind of get to where everybody's on the same playing field just with a salary and then we all go by the personal handbook. That was just a simple understanding that it was just just easier to work with that way instead of having everybody as a letter of

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understanding. Um that was literally the thought process behind it was just having people all of us be under the same umbrella. So um but if you would like to resume you know the letter of understanding and the different the

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different concepts and um terms then we are more than happy to go back with that for you >> discussion. When did the select board change it to this? They got rid of that. Did the

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select board change the policy? >> Well I don't exactly know if we we don't have a policy. So, it's just like pass. >> You decided not to start taking contracts or or letters of understanding. It didn't. I don't I never remember it coming through this board.

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>> I don't remember. I mean, if it was just the chair and us in the office, if it did come through informally, I don't necessarily remember. I mean, some had a letter of understanding, some didn't have a letter of understanding, >> some had existing ones that started

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expiring out and then and then that new process took over, right? I don't think any that are existing expired, but as we gotten as >> well, they left. The ones that were existing that might have expired, those folks have gone on anyway. So, >> well, so we didn't if something expired,

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we didn't say you're not getting another one. It was just like as people got into the position, instead of having a letter of understanding, it was um okay, we're how about we're just going to do this for your salary. You're going to go under the town um personnel policy like

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the other employees. And this is, you know, I mean, >> but really most of the employees are under a union contract, aren't they? There's very few that aren't. >> Um, none of the department heads are. None of the assistant department heads are. >> They say employees. >> Yeah. >> You look at the package, I would say 80%

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of our town employees are under a union contract of some sort other than the department head short or the assistant department head. Right. >> That's it. Those are that's it. Those are >> you want to keep. And the other thing is like the letter of understandings aren't a contractual

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obligation. So it's not something that in the event I don't know something transpired or they want to sue over it or something like that. It's not a binding contract agreement that we have. It's just a note a letter that sits in a

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personnel file. would it would be beneficial at times for if you were recruiting an employee and you wanted to if you wanted to offer something that might be not in the handbook as standard that's what that letter would accomplish right

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>> yes >> whether I think you brought up deferred comp it could be something like that or or something else other than >> what's in what's standard in the in the contract >> yes car allowance or any other kind of stipened. >> Sure. Insurancees, different

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insuranceances. >> Yeah. Different splits, different insuranceances, all of that. And I think if that was the case, then there would be something in writing if if there was an agreement that there would be something other than what everybody else kind of abides by. And

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even the most recent contracts are saying, excuse me, allergies. um you can you'll receive the same benefits as other employees in the personnel handbook kind of thing. So

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I think we were just trying to get them all more aligned. Um so that's all thoughts. >> Well, I think it can come back. I I think it gives that employee too knowing he's got three years of a letter of interest or letter whatever you want to

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call it makes him comfortable too. You know I we have it for some and not for others but I understand statutoily why we have it for some but it you know nothing went wrong by doing it before. I don't understand why we

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just decided to get rid of it and it never really came in front of this board as a discussion. So by contract or by either by um MGL or by other statute, what employees are

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required to have a contract? >> Town administrator, the fire chief, the police chief, and then it's not required, but there is an MGL that allows the accountant to have one. There is an actual MGL statute for accountants.

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And which do you know which positions we've filled that used to have LOAS that no longer do? >> I know at the top of my head the DPW director because that's new. >> John Card. >> Yep. John Card.

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Is there assistant DPW building inspector? >> Doug, let me know if I'm out of if I'm out of compliance, but but I could speak to a contract as well. You you let me know if I if open meeting and public

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comment um if I'm violating that >> board can also contract. I think I don't find that positive, but there is one in >> Go ahead, Mrs. Putnham. you the I I'd just like to explain the board of health covers a lot of things that Nicole just

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spoke. She has a shared uh shared services contract that allows a $10,000 stipend. she's been having um uh a a she gets a a mileage aotment as as well as

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uh the following Tom Hibberts, she had a a three-year what we had built into the letter of employment that I called it, but she was told she would no longer have that. she would be put into um into

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a a um higher fire at will um process. I don't know who told her that. We did not tell her that. Um we had a meeting, a very brief meeting, Naen and I and Kaine today. And I do apologize. Uh >> we have to be careful too with personnel matters.

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>> They can have a contract and they are considered a special municipal employee. I apologize for leaving that out. It was um basically just an omission on my part and I was just thinking about um about the contractual that we have to

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have contracts. They can generally have a contract and there is one here. Um but that's all I have to say. There is one here for the board of health agent. Yes. >> Is that different than health director? The technical term is board of health

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agent. She's the health director at what? She was the interim health director now and and going for the health director position permanent. And now I'll shut up. Further discussion.

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I I see both sides of it. Um, when you have a three-year contract, it's it's nice to know that I have my three years here. There are also a lot of the contracts, and not all of them, but some of them have a technicality that you can just decide that we're not going to renew your contract next year,

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whereas under a letter of understanding, you have to go by progressive discipline, do you know, due cause and everything else through a normal employment process. So, it's kind of like two different paths for the employment. the the deputy chief has a letter. I think the lieutenant has a

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letter of understanding and they're in high stress positions that could go any direction >> and exposed to questions a lot. So, it works for them. I'm not sure why it wouldn't work for for others, but I I do

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see the the comfort in having a three-year contract or whatever the contract is. Okay. Do you want to carry this to next week and take a vote as a board to see what we want to do here? And I kind of

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want to think through a couple more of the positions. I had thought of, you know, I know the lieutenant on the police department has a what does he have? Letter of understanding, right? The deputy chief of the fire department also has one, right? >> So, >> sure. Come up with a list. >> Yeah.

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>> Yeah. Do we know what other towns do? >> No. Do >> you need a motion to table or do you >> No, it was carried under old business to continue this motion. >> Okay. Um, item E is to vote signatory authority for select board members.

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>> I did, didn't I? Thank you. Just checking to see if you're all paying attention down there. >> I did that last week. I know >> you have a >> I'm good at that. So the item D is to vote to permit the chair or the CEO for employment matters below department heads. This has been a policy

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since about 2020 um to give the chair and the CEO um the ability to act on employment matters for employees of the town below department heads. and that's been kind

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of customary for the last uh five plus years. So, um I carried this on the agenda here to to vote as a board um I proposed to vote as a board to continue that policy um through this year and it's something that we generally had

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renewed each year. So, um I'm asking for a motion to allow that that policy to continue. >> So, talk us through it. So, you actually get notified or you're part of it though. Yes, the chair. So, whoever is the chair at the time. So, it's always been the chair.

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>> And um you know, when there's an issue with an employee, if employees being >> hired or fired below a department head, there's usually a a an offer letter or salary sheet, term sheet, whatever you want to call it, they sign it. Or if someone's leaving our employee, same thing, >> right?

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>> Um and as long as it's below a department head, obviously, if it's a department head, it's going to come in front of this board for um vetting and interview and hiring. So, does it when does it get brought back up? So, when does Russ or Joe find out that we hired someone or we didn't hire someone other than a new name tag at the parking

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garage spot? >> It's a good question that >> I don't care. I mean, >> no, I mean, there should be a communication, right? And >> last year, last year's went silent as all hell. It did. >> So, used to be there was a communication from from the office that said this

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person's starting at this role at this time or whatever the date is. We can certainly make sure that we're continue to do that or resume doing that. Absolutely. >> Thank you. >> Um, as an aside, one thing I have talked to Naen and um, Mrs. Parker about was

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kind of an onboarding offboarding procedure, right? Just >> comes and goes with the wind, doesn't it? >> Well, just, you know, >> yeah, >> I have some experience with that outside of here and we have a policy that we follow. when someone comes on board, there's like an email box so that certain people are notified. And then there's certain things that each person

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has a role to play in um or a role to do. And then when you offboard someone, you basically follow it in reverse, right? If they had an email account, it gets, you know, you enable it and then if they leave, you disable it. And there's all those other things that go with it, right? And you have like a little check sheet that you follow

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through. So you make sure that you you do all those steps. Um so that's something to work on. And part of that is kind of a notification that you know if one of the steps in that onboarding policy and off-boarding policy is notify could be notify the select board that

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this person has joined the firm or this person has left the firm. >> Wonderful. >> All right. Now, now sorry. >> Do you want to add the HR director to that or to your vote or do you just going to keep it as me and the office

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and the chair? >> I have no objection. I think it should be the um I have no objection to it being the three >> as a concerted group. So I need a the motion would be to permit the chair, the

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CEO and the assistant CEO for employment matters below department heads. >> So I need a motion for that. I'll make that motion. >> Is there a second? >> Second. >> Roll call vote. Doug Mglin, yes. >> Russ Anderson, yes. >> Joseph TD, yes.

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>> Okay. Now on to E vote signatory authority for select board members. This is also going to be a little bit different this year. Um, normally the there's a document filed with the state to allow the chair to sign certain documents. Um, I asked

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uh Mrs. Barker to have all three of us by on file this year. Um, just because of the nature of the business that we each any one of us could have a conflict on any one given contract. So, I just had all three of us put on there. So, we

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can each sign um if if I if I'm unable to sign something, then one of you can do it. So >> in the past Carl was a signator. >> She and she is as well. Okay. >> But it sometimes this it asks for the top elected official and so

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>> so am I right about that. >> You're not. >> No, I don't have a castle. >> The only reason was because I'm designated as the CEO, but I don't feel I feel like that's obscure the law and I think that there

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should be a castle always. So in the future if you want me to do that I would be happy to sign a castle but I think that whoever signs like Joe I mean sorry John and Rich are both signitories now they signed a castle so that you do

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regardless unless you're designated CIO which is typically the select board unless there's somebody specifically designated as CIO. So they always want to see a parole the states always the form that you have in front of you is what they always want to see. So I've

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had experiences where I've gone and enacted gone into temporary positions before where somebody has signed under a castle for a grant that was two years ago. >> Yeah. >> Signed every year. >> It's just being implemented or just being closed out and the signatory is no longer there.

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>> So it always went back to the town administrator. Yeah. When it where it was consistent. So, if our names are on an application and it's 5 years from now the grants coming in or whatever, that could be problematic without you being available to sign it.

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>> Well, and I think that's why it's important to do that every year. So, there's a new there's an updated castle every year for what I just had to do it for the grant for um the OSRP. So Diane was still the

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>> perfect example, >> but as an updated castle, you'll still be able to sign it, >> right? No, I know. But if you don't that when those things fall through the cracks, that become >> Yeah. >> Yeah. >> I think put everybody on it, then you you got the best chance. >> So, and we I I looked at it from I guess

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a little different. It's a good good point of view, too, is just this way if all three of us are on there and there's let's say there's a contract that comes up that I'm conflicted on. Well, now I've got you got two other people that can sign, >> right? >> And you know, I guess put it in the

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file, if you will, for you know, the first meeting or the second meeting after a board reorganizes the >> This should be one of them that that department had one should have been on that last agenda, too. So, >> there was also a long agenda, so I just carried it to this week. So,

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>> um, is there a motion to what are those things called? Castles. Castles for Doug Mowglin, Russell Anderson, and Joe Dei. >> And do you want to add Nicole?

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>> Should you have a castle? >> Well, you can't do it on this one, >> right? Cuz Okay. Correct. >> Because there's three there. Oh. Oh, >> it says >> there is there is another line, isn't there? But I'm signing for it. So, >> I'll second. >> So, motion.

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>> Yes. >> Second. >> Roll call vote. Doug Mogan. Yes. >> Russ Anderson. Yes. Joseph TDS. >> Okay, I'm not going to skip this one. Discuss vote. Yeah, we are going to we're going to table item God darn it. We are going to table uh item F because

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uh Mr. Bozac could not be with us tonight. And for item G, I am going to step away from the room and I'm going to turn the meeting over to you, Mr. Anderson, as the vice chair, acting as chair until you conclude item G.

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So >> you you have the managed service contract for this year. >> This year we were working under last year's. We are just coming to an agreement now. We've been working under last year's and last year's price for this entire year.

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>> So this is for this year or next year? >> Next year. >> Okay, >> we're done with this year. >> All right. >> We had to really negotiate um a better price and better services. And I did seek other quotes

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um through other managed service um contractors and um Wall-E has come up with the lowest. Okay. They're the only ones on the state contract. So, I didn't go out for an

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RFP, um an um an official RFP. Um I just kind of solicited what would a ballpark be um for for this type of service and they they came back um higher than Wall-E

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because I was concerned about the cost always, right? were always concerned and I think you remember on the finance committee we were constantly going back like what are we paying for managed services, what are we going to budget for and it it seemed excessive and I think over the past 5 years it's

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really with all of the cyber security and stuff just the prices jumped to it was a little bit of a sticker shock for me but it seems to be kind of common place around now that that's just what it is. >> Has the service improved from

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what it was? know there was a lot of complaints prior to not speedy results or not speedy return on calls and some of that >> it's sporadic and there's a lot of followup

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>> I know they used to have a habit of calling when you're walking out the door which frustrating >> um so I don't know if we ever got it but when we when we got the grants for the IT and the security. >> I think I'm going back five years maybe

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now. I don't It's been a while. >> Um I remember them talking about that we would have a network map of where how our system is laid out, where it'll work. >> Okay. >> Um God forbid, you know, while it gets sold and right,

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>> goes down the road, we have no clue what we got. >> So, >> okay, >> that to me that should be part of the service is a network map of >> what do we have and where is it? Yes, absolutely. I understand that completely. >> I didn't see it in here, but it

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>> it's like equipment is listed, but as far as you know, >> the the chain, how it works and where it is, etc., I agree. Um, I wholeheartedly agree on that.

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>> Those were those were my only question. >> Well, and I could have I could, you know, you could do it contingent upon us receiving that as well. questions. >> The finance committee wasn't involved with this. I know we talked in the hallway one at one shot. What was last year's number?

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>> It was >> the last couple years. Let me say that >> a little more than that >> per month. >> So they went down. >> Mhm. >> So like it was like almost 14 because they added the cyber security. So when they did that IT grant, they there was

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an agreement and it was sort of I think just a little before Carl was leaving because I ended up uh reporting on that grant. So it ended right when I got here just before I got here and there was an agreement that they would pay separately

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monthly for the cyber as for as well as the managed services and they were >> because it was added up >> a little bit equal in price and and I and I just couldn't fathom that and the other companies were less than that. So I said we have to work on this or we're

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going to have to you know go to open market. >> So you got them down. >> Excuse me. by the finance. >> Excuse me. >> Somebody needs to talk about the numbers. I mean, you're just throwing things out, but you're not saying what the numbers are.

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>> I don't know. He should be just >> Thank you. >> asserting himself. >> Um, but we were talking, you know, is with the whole budget line item. That's what we talked about. >> Gotcha. >> That's all. >> And Russ, page 25 does break down how quick their responses are for you,

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>> right? Yeah. It's a matter if they if the metric meets that, you know. Did we >> Gotcha. >> Gotcha. >> So, um, >> so monthly is $11,71.50. >> There's not a total.

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Just got to do the math. >> That's not the total. >> Well, that is that's a monthly. Oh, yeah. >> But not 140. >> Yeah, it's not the one on the last. >> It's 11:05. monthly. Yeah. Yeah. >> To include cyber plus

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managed services. >> Yeah. Just right. Just shows up monthly. >> Like a entertain motion or >> Yep. second. So Motion to accept Wally Computer Societ as presented at 11.

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>> Did you want to do contingent on a network map? I >> I would. Okay. >> Contingent on a network map. Um so a motion. You need a second. >> I will. Yeah, I'll second that motion. It does include a $2,000 discount though. Credit for the second uh year.

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>> Well, that matters or not. >> It's there. >> Um All right. We'll call vote. >> Seconded yet. >> We'll call vote. Anderson. Yes. >> Joseph DDI. >> So moved.

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>> Douglas. You're safe. Thank you. Acknowledge conservation commission recommendation for open space, land management, open space and recreation plan committee appointment Jennifer Dietro. So last week when we all were

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here, we might have made an error. >> Hello. >> How are you again? >> Great. How are you? Great to see everybody again. It's >> like Groundhog Day. >> So we made an appointment last week that to a position that doesn't technically

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exist. Um >> I was just made aware of that today. So >> yeah, we got a we got a nice letter from uh Sabrina and uh we got and and also from the town clerk that we need to relook at that. So I

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carried it on the agenda again this week um with your name on it uh subject to these two committee appointments. So there are two sub there are two committees or two subcommittees. one is the open space land management committee

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and then there's the open space and recreation plan committee. They're two separate ones. There are members of the open space land management committee that are appointed to the OSRP committee. Um and then and the OSRP

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committee has a member a resident member appointment that's made by the select board and then the open space land management committee also has a vacancy for an associate member. So

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based on that and my notes from earlier and our discussion prior to the meeting was I think we should have the the appointment should be to the open space land management subcommittee as the associate and then and a separate motion

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and vote for the open space recreation plan committee as a as the select board appointee as a resident member. >> If you're okay with that, I'll ask for those two motions and votes. >> Sure.

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>> I don't know if anyone had any questions for me regarding why I'm going after I'm still part of the agricultural commission as well because I >> love that group and they're amazing. >> With that planning that we do, it helps me. It taught me a lot to actually um be

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ready to start planning other things for the town and and I'm very interested in being in as graduating from the environmental science program at SNHU. I'm interested in learning more and I've already learned so much from Sabrina and all the documents that she sends me to

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review. So, um but that's my interest in both of those. Um definitely looking forward to looking at recreation on the open space that we have, you know, hiking, everything like that. So, um

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so thank you. >> Any questions for me? >> Uh I was just I'm sorry. I was looking real quick just to see what we should do for term seeing that it's June 8th. um the associate member on open space land

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management. It's a one-year term. So, we could we could make that appointment now for till June 30th. >> Till June 30th >> of next year. >> Okay. >> I believe that's because it's vacant. So, or if just to keep it easy for the

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town clerk and others, we could make it through June 30th and then have it on the list for reappoint when we do the, you know, there's a bunch of of reappoints that are coming soon. So, it's pleasure of the board really >> put it on the list that way we don't start screwing it up for everybody else

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on until we reappoint. >> So, let's let's do this one first then. So, this is the Open Space Land Management Committee as the appointer to one of the vacant associate member positions until June 30th of this year.

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Is it Do I have that motion? >> So, move. >> Is there a second? >> There's a second. >> Roll call vote. Doug Mglin, yes. >> Russ Anderson, yes. >> Joseph TD, yes. >> Okay. And then don't go anywhere. Okay. that and then the open space

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recreation plan committee. This is a select board appointment as a resident member also through the period till June 30th of this year. Do I have that motion? >> So move. >> Is there a second? >> Yes. >> Roll call vote again. Doug Mglin, yes.

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>> Rose Anderson, yes. TV, yes. >> Perfect. >> Thank you. >> Now I think we got it right. >> I'll come back and visit you again. So, we're going to now >> and I'm assuming you'll want to be reappointed to those two positions. Correct.

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>> In 23 days or so. >> Does she have to go to the portal and redo it? >> I we're going to be sending out a correspondence about that. But if you go on the select board page, there is a form you can online form you can click and fill out for those. You have to fill it out twice. Perfect.

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>> One for each of those. And I'm not even 100% positive that OSRP is even on there yet. >> Okay. So, I will email you when >> when that's live. Okay. >> Fair enough. Oh, thank you. >> Thank you. >> Appreciate it. Thank you. >> Thank you. >> Thank you.

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>> Thanks. >> Thank you. >> Thank you. >> Appreciate it. >> And that's last week's. Bear with me one second.

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Okay. Item I, discuss vote chapter 7, section 175 of the acts of 2025, deficit amortization. Parker. >> Um I don't know if Naen would like to discuss this but we have um you know

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this is regarding our insurance and the runoffs from our former insurance company. So because we withdrew from county um you're eligible for the amortization um

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and you have to you have to sign um but we can only take it for fiscal year 26 or fiscal year 27. So we have a um we have funds um on deposit with the trust and we have 18 months of runout. So

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should our funds on deposit not cover the run out for the 18 months, we have the ability to amortize what may be left. But this is to choose for fiscal year 26. But if it's 18 months, do we

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choose fill year 27? You know, but we can only choose one year. It's a one time deal. So, and we have until June 30th to decide to get the paperwork back. So you have some time to think about it. But um and also

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learn Rothka group we're working with um is adamant that they will question any kind of you know money they choose to collect from us because the trust of bookkeeping is not stellar. So

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there's not just, you know, they have that first $111,000 and they'll probably take it, but if they try to get any more, but we'll ask for documentation, make sure that, but we're not confident that we'll get the documentation because the record

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keeping isn't >> But amortization is five years, right? >> So I think this is what the state passed. So if we do have to pay, we have we can do this fiveyear schedule. Um, and I think 26, I think the reason it

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came out for 26 were for the people that left a company that has very good books written, so they know what their runup is. By the time we know, it might be the end of next year if we know. So, you know, we were talking not sure that we

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want to really do 26. We don't have an answer. We may want to wait until 27 so we can actually, you know, they can they can get their numbers in order. And um

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the runout is, if I recall from the discussions we had prior, the runout is for claims that come in for costs incurred before we left the plan. And that's what that >> cost incurred through June 30th of this year. So,

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>> so if I go to the doctor today, it's still on >> correct >> then. >> Correct. So, food for thought, it would seem to make sense that that deficit would be in fiscal year 2027 that they're going to even let

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us know if there is one >> even though technically it might have been incurred in fiscal year 26 because fiscal year 27 will be on the new insurance, right? So those should be for claims that happened in fiscal year 26. But it

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>> yeah, like I said, >> is there a downside to pick picking fiscal year 27 as the start of the five-year amortization? >> Again, I just think it's the companies that um left that have their numbers up

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to date. Mhm. >> So if you know out east if somebody has le left um a different trust or something like that that say here's your run out. Well the state's allowing us to pay over 5 years. But if we don't have our numbers I don't see the benefit in

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signing right now. >> But we wouldn't have our numbers because they >> we don't have the numbers but >> but if six of us went to the do you know the claims are still going to come in the claims are still >> 90 days behind at least. So, we're not

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going to get a solid number anytime soon. >> Well, we have significant monies on >> we >> on account with the Hampshire trust for just this, right? >> Yeah. Well, that was our deposit to join

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correct size of our group. >> Yeah. >> So, yes, they keep that >> until Right. >> 18 months. So they'll use it to pay our claims for 18 months if they run out of money prior to the end of 18 months.

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>> Right? That's when this comes in, right? >> So what action, if any, should we take on this now or do we just carry this under old business till we decide what we're going to do? >> We have to turn it in by June 30th of this year. Um, and so there's there's a form where you actually have to choose

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and sign. So, and it's a select for that has to sign it. >> And this form from DLS doesn't say the benefit of 20 because I didn't I didn't read the again

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>> that says why 26 or 27. I'm happy to go through it. I just wouldn't have an answer for you tonight and I'm happy to reach out to Dev Wagner as well. Yeah, we're going to carry it until next week. >> Okay, >> we do know our balance though.

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>> We do. Maybe it would be helpful if we just had an agenda here. >> Yeah, another >> keep doing the same thing. >> I have it. I just keep flipping back and forth. So, I had to get to the document. So, the next item is to uh

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acknowledge a gift to the Southwick Animal Control Shelter in the amount of 1,300 >> $375. Sir, >> I was going to give you the names in a second. Up.

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>> Is that right? Uh Deian. >> Oh, >> you're in the right week. >> Yep. Am I in the wrong I think it's wrong. >> Yeah, I think it's wrong in the agenda. >> 12350. It's

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>> You're there. >> The memo has >> You're right there. >> Yeah, the agenda is incorrect. >> So, we're going to go with the with the letter. So, it's CNM Aken from Parkton, Maryland for $250. Jay Lahan and G. Bernier from Southwick, Mass, $100. CNF

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Springfield, Mass, $100. A and C Chase Awan, Mass, $25. S Hallmark, Westfield, Mass, $150. D M McCobri, Blandford Mass, $200. W and R Lawrence Edgartown Mass

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$100. K&J Mori Feeding Hills mass $250. S Npalitano South Mass $100. and P. Normandon Southwick mask $100. >> One question on the on J or the the

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numbers are wrong, but it says South animal control gift and medical fund. Is that the same or they're two different? >> They're two different accounts >> from the below name so that it can be placed in the Southwick animal control medical gift fund and into the Southwick animal control gift fund account blah

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blah blah. So, she didn't give us a split matter. I guess >> it does not. So, one of them is going to go in for the vet and one's going to go into >> operations. A motion would approve. >> Second.

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Thank you. Roll call vote. Doug Mglin, yes. >> Russ Anderson, yes. >> Rose DD, yes. Great. And then the next one is acknowledge donation of 200 the 250 banners. It's not 250 of them. It's the

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250th birthday of our country. >> 250 would be a lot of banners. Um they're at town hall and other locations around town. Um from former select board member Diane Gail. So with our thanks Okay.

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Any other new business that we want to bring to the board tonight for quick discussion andor carrying to a future agenda? Nothing I >> no >> Joseph uh I want to put on the agenda for next

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week is to uh for summer schedule. So, take a look at your schedules for the rest of the summer through end August and we'll see what we can come up with next week. And if you have any dates that you're going to be out of town or unavailable,

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if you could send them uh to Nicole so we can kind of coordinate that schedule what it's going to look like. Old business discuss vote Wally Park pickle ball courts bid. >> Yeah, we'll get to that one next.

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>> Okay. >> Yes. So, I apologize that the bid list was not in there. Um, but you'll see the summary of the sideways for me. um of all the bids and there is one

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highlighted and it is because they would have been rejected because they didn't acknowledge an addendum. However, um our LEC who um conducted the entire RFP has recommended Masta. They are the lowest bidder, the lowest and most

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responsible and responsive bidder. >> Say that again. >> Okay. Um, I apologize that the bid list >> Yeah. >> Um, >> he can turn it easier than we can. >> I can't. What? What? What the back to

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the addendum? What was that? >> Um, so there's one highlighted. Yeah. >> That did not acknowledge an addendum and that is potentially usually a reason for rejection. Uh, but they weren't >> the lowest by any means anyway. So, it

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was just like a a notification. >> Um, So, they're asking to approve the contract for 478,898 alternate 3. Is that >> Yes. >> Do you guys actually see the contract? See what it was all about.

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>> It's in the office. It's huge, but if you want to take a look at it, it's in the office. >> Was there a um date to finish? like they have to finish by XYZ or do you remember

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>> what was the start date >> or that? Well, the start has to be after it's awarded, but um um I don't see that like completion date. >> And did they go in? And while you're looking that up, did they go in for

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alternate one, two, and three or >> Oh, wait. >> So, according to the bid document, there's a proposed base contract price plus there was alternate one, two, and three, >> right? So, yes, they were I'm sorry, I'm

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looking at this. They um they were choosing because there was enough money allocated to go with all alternates which was lighting. Um not gazebo wouldn't um u yeah pavilion.

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>> Pavilion. Yeah. >> So is there a and would this be LC? Is there a negotiation once it it starts and with these alternates or is it you know unless there's a change order of some kind is that >> yeah I don't think there's any more

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negotiation you know once the contract's awarded there just be change orders. So just for the listening audience it was 300 the base proposed contract was awarded bid was would be 337300. Alternate one was 92,848.

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Alternate 2 was 48750 for a total of 478898. That's the final contract, right? They're doing all three alternates. >> Yes. Or two alternates. And we was what 600 approved. >> Yeah.

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>> I think it was I'd have to >> they went back for more, right? >> 600 was the main in the end. >> Was it exactly 600? >> No, I think >> I think it was a little It was >> close. >> So, we have what we need. >> Yes.

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>> Yeah. And the rest can't be spent unless they come in front of someone. >> The difference. >> That's right. They need to have change orders, right? >> Yeah. >> Yeah. Because we're only approving the 478. >> Yes. >> Understood. >> I'll make a motion to approve.

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>> I'll second that motion. >> Roll call vote. Doug Mglin, yes. >> Russ Anderson, yes. >> Joseph DD, yes. Okay, let's go back to item 4 a the discuss vote park and wreck

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director applicant Kristen Gibson since she's been so patient. >> She didn't resign yet, right? >> Well, she didn't run out of here screaming. That was the test. >> I'll make a motion to move forward with the director's position. Are there any yada yatas with this?

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>> Yeah, all the yada yada. >> There you go. >> Where's your office going to be >> for the office? Where is the office? >> Downstairs. >> Downstairs. >> So, it's downstairs in the corner still. >> Okay. >> Was that a second? >> A second. Yeah. Well, since they don't know where she's working, I guess I

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should ask if she even knows where she's in the building. >> Wait till she sees it. Let's get her in here for her sign >> before we show her where the office is. >> That's right. >> The beautiful windows that I'm not even >> But it's hard to like you can't pin her

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you can't pin that girl down. She's going to be at the beach. She's going to be here. She's going to be there like >> Doug Mglin. Yes. >> Russ Anderson. Yes. >> Joseph TD. Yes. >> Congratulations. Thank you. >> Subject to the yiatis. >> Be in touch with you tomorrow. Sounds good.

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>> So who should go to Dave? Realistically, I mean, there's a lot of catching up to speed. >> Park and wreck meets Wednesday night at 6:30 right here in town hall >> downstairs in the cellar next to your room. >> So, I'm in the basement. I love it.

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>> But they are meet for real. They are meeting 6:30 I think Wednesday. >> Yeah. It would be it would be awesome if you were to introduce yourself to the rest of the board. Okay, back to old business. Discuss vote pro-rated stickers for transfer station.

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When we last met, >> thank you. >> You're welcome. >> Thank you. When we last met, we talked about uh having the ability to have pr-rated um stickers for folks that don't take the

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sticker by a certain date. Um and then we had a couple of questions and a couple thoughts. Then we agreed to carry it back to this week to resolve it because they really do have to go to print on their books and whatnot for the stickers for fiscal year 2027.

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discussion. The DPW director said he would hold off on that for a week. >> I thought he said he wanted to stay with prorated as this >> his email today feeling well that he said we'll just leave it like it is. >> Leave it like it was this past year. >> Yeah.

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>> Okay. >> Do we need to vote on that or we're good on that? Then if we're not changing it, we're good. Okay. Um, I am still looking through all these documentation, but I did reach out to Rob and there is a substantial completion date that may need to be adjusted because of when we're awarding it, but there is there is

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definitely a date >> which was pickable. >> Oh, he's going to look I'm looking we can't the docs are I don't know if it's like >> 6 months 12. It's there's a date and so we don't go on for 20 years.

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But we're both looking right now. Need some more eyes on those hundreds of pages. Okay. Um, one thing to think about um is and maybe this is for a future meeting when when Mr. Bozac is here is maybe we need a

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town um some kind of local bylaw on enforcement at the transfer station. Um cuz right now the only way that the only thing you can do is trespass someone from the transfer station if they don't have a sticker. There's no local civil

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penalty for not having a sticker and disposing of trash transfer station. And one of the one of the other penalties for that would also be uh potentially would be you can't get a pro-rated sticker after you showed up at the

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transfer station without a sticker. So um there's been more than a few people through uh the office that came in to get their sticker when they got stopped at the transfer station and go, "Oh, I made it to October." And then they buy a

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prrated sticker. So that might curb that behavior but discussion in the future. Um department head reports are in the in your packet. Um minutes need to acknowledge and

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approve uh do we have the executive session minutes? Carry those to next week. Warrants acknowledged payables warrant number 2627B dated May 27th in the amount of 39,968.74 and acknowledged payroll warrant number

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2628 dated June 1st 2026 in the amount of 39,439.7. Coincidentally they were both $39,000. Any other uh old business for the board tonight? >> Joseph, uh two matters that I want to just

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mention. Uh one, uh want to thank the South Poll and Granville Regional School District for extending an invitation to the select board members from the three member towns to attend graduation. Um, it was a very well done ceremony.

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Um, and also I want to add a note for ourselves for next year when the motocross submits their dates for events that we widely circulate that calendar to park and wreck schools,

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uh, the rec center, you name it, just to make sure that we don't have conflicts. Um, in all honesty, this year we didn't do that and we conflicted with the motocross and a fairly large event and graduation. Um,

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Mr. Johnson, I spoke with Mr. Johnson and the superintendent earlier in the year when we realized that we had made a conflict and we had a gentleman's agreement as to uh kind of pausing some operations at the track for a period of time um while

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graduation was ongoing and um unfortunately this the uh the track didn't hold up their end for the whole time but some quick communication and it was resolved amicably. So, but just we shouldn't have an event at the motocross

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on the date of graduation um or have it start at a later time so that we can accommodate um both events on the same day. The the uh the schools actually moved the graduation earlier in the morning to give the the track more time to run their event. So, we were hopeful

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that we were going to be able to pull that magic trick off and we almost did. Um and then also we had a pretty successful third or fourth iron man race through the town yesterday. Um traffic

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was a bit messy for a little while about an hour and a half or so while they crossed College Highway going west and then when they were coming back east he's crossing College Highway, but um unfortunately they had to cancel the swim in Springfield again. We should reach out to them. They should do that

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swim in Kong. go around like >> it's not you probably get a It's only a mile and a half. I'm pretty sure it's a pretty good size lap or two. That would be awesome. >> Um I don't know the logistics of how you would get 1,200 swimmers to the lake and

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in the lake, but it would be neat because they haven't been able to pull off the swim in two years now in a row for the same reason. Um anyway, but I digress. We are going into executive session. Correct. for old business. >> Old business.

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>> Old business. Oh, yeah. We have Sorry, I went here and here. I go here and here. Sorry, that's just Mrs. Park. >> Um, so Alvin Allen reached out because we had another zoning update meeting tomorrow and asked if Diane would still

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be willing. You know, she's willing, but would she still be allowed to be on this committee? Um, you know, if not as a select board member, more as a resident citizen.

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Um, you know, she's she's on the all the master plan committees and has done extensive work on that and continues to bring that into this zoning update. um very thorough with her suggestions

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and with reading all of the documents as they become available and giving her suggestions. What >> about 90 days she couldn't do anything? >> I think she what

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>> that's interesting. I think it's a um it's a it's a conundrum. I I don't I don't think she's actually her term on that committee would have expired with her leaving the select board itself. >> Correct. >> I I I personally see no harm in having a

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citizen attend the meeting um and providing input. It's gonna, you know, as as a member of the public um you know, I made my feeling very clear about that in the first place. I I wasn't I'll be honest, I was not happy with the fact

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that that committee existed in in relative obscurity for a long period of time until it came out that you know I I honestly don't think a select board member should have been within 500 ft of chapter 185 because that's an elected select board. I understand some of it

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with a new planner and a new economic development director, same person. Um, but you know, I' I've always been a big swim lane guy and having, you know, chapter 185 is the purview of an elected um, planning board.

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You know, out of respect, I would have no objection to having her attend a last meeting as a um, you know, a citizen to to finish up the work that was started there. That that's my opinion. So the the question is if she can become

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a member of the board. >> Well, you know, I don't even know if she was officially a member. I she may have even have just been asked by Jessica or >> No, she was on this on these meetings. It came out that she was on that board. Let's not >> It's not on the board. It was like a a

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group to review the the >> she was the select boards member. She she was an elected select board me select board member and she was >> on that >> I want to call it a subcommittee because it was never a designated subcommittee a

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working group to review the chapter 185 for grammar and tables and a use table that was as it was explained during the select board meeting and like I said I remember at the meeting I was taken aback by the fact that I didn't think it was appropriate at the time for a select board member to be even involved with it

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as that's an elected board that owns that and town meeting is it's going to be a town meeting article >> y >> that would come in front of the the planning board for >> um a public hearing for a proposed bylaw amendment. So, but like I said, there's

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work that they've done. I have no objection to her attending as a resident to a meeting in town hall to to finish up the work that's going on there because they do have to get that in front of the next a future town meeting whenever that's going to be.

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>> When your role is done when you're unelected, everything stops. How many million things going on? >> Switch. >> That's how it works. So

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>> this I think will probably be the last meeting. All the funding has to be spent by June 30. So uh there won't be much more going for this. >> Alvin was requesting him or

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>> he asked me. I don't know if he specifically requested it and wanted it. He just said, "Can she still do it?" and asked her specifically if she was available. But I said, "I think I should ask." Um, I understand the close out part of it,

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especially if there's money involved. >> She doesn't control the money. She was on the on >> Yeah, we're we pay we're paying that. It's a grant that John Goddard got when he was top planner, >> right? So our office is paying it

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to make sure it's done because you know it's grants and if they don't get completed and they don't get reported it'll hit our free cash and I just with him knew I just said let's just uh >> do you know where they're at? I mean we haven't we've never seen anything come back because it really is the planning

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board's deal. So I don't know what I don't know where they are as far as I mean if they got to be done by June 30th they got to be done by June 30th. today's the 8th, but >> I don't know exactly where they are. I haven't even been at every meeting. Um I was, you know, observing and a little

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bit participating, but not a lot. Um so I don't know where they are exactly. PVPC is doing all the work and they did the survey and you know, this was a very minor update to the to the uh zoning. It was really just cleaning it up before anything substantial can happen. They

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needed to clean it up and get some definitions in there and get some, you know, bullets where they belong. That's there was nothing substantial going in it. Like no new bylaws and things like that. And it was $67,000. So there's not a lot can be done with that.

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>> How much? >> 67. >> So the folks that sit in those positions today weren't able to do it? >> No. Well, I mean they do that the EVPC does this update for every town that I know

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of >> to what is the role of this working group >> at this point >> just to um give their input. The working group consists of Alvin, Jessica,

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Diane, sometimes me and PVPC Are you sure that's it? >> And John Gddard. >> Oh, and John Gddard. >> Yes, John Gutdard was very, very

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helpful. Should remember that. He did the most. Uh, I can get a better update tomorrow when I see them. >> Yeah. >> What? Yeah. to update you guys on, you

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know, what's happening. >> Um, >> any other old business? >> No, but I could go back to the pickle ball courts because I found it here and um it says substantial completion is Tuesday, July 28th, and full completion

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will be Tuesday, August 25th. However, this bid was done in the winter, >> and we kept extending, which I wasn't a big fan of doing it in the winter. Anyway, I even though we don't haven't historically gotten a lot of snow, we did this year. So, there's zero reason

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there were zero site visits, you know, to to have any of that. So, this was extended so much that it's it's essentially three months, Rob said, for the most part. Three months of substantial completion. So, if we issue the contract on June

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15th, then September 15th would be good substantial date. And then there's some um you have to wait a month to let asphalt sit before you can put sports coats coating on. >> So that's not in that in that three

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months. It's three months plus a month. >> No, I think it's I think it's including September would be a good substantial completion date. >> Unfortunately, you have to wait a month to let the asphalt sit before you can just force coating them. >> Yeah. And if it gets to October, they won't put it on cuz it's too cold. It's >> plus they got to build

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>> November. Oh, November 15th is paving. So, >> yeah. But it doesn't matter cuz when we did it here, we got to >> Oh, really? >> They wouldn't put it down. >> Is that quote for the original piece, not with the third? Because now you're going to build a pavilion in 3 months.

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>> No, this is everything. This is all of it. >> So, they said it'd be done in August for all of it. >> Well, now I think July, but the contract was >> I I completely guess. >> Guessing it's three months. >> Our existing pavilion was bought as a

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kit, wasn't it? >> That's about Wall-E was ordered and then installed. >> Yeah. Yeah. It was an erector set. Yeah. >> So, >> pretty sure this would be the same thing. You have to order it. >> That's I'm getting >> I get it. Yeah. I don't know. Window. >> Yeah. I don't know. >> Works. And as Russ would say, probably

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in the spring they would put the mat down if it went that late in the season. Anyways, >> we'll have to see. I mean, but we got to put a steak in the ground, no pun intended, to get it so that it's ready for either late fall or early spring. >> Um, no, as a note to that for buildings and

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grounds next year. I don't know when it is, but we should pull the the nets and stuff from the pickle ball court. Not to discourage people from using it, but once you got a snow load on it, it actually pulled the poles right out of the ground from the weight

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of the snow or whatever. There's around where the poles go in is actually kind of a a bit of a hazard. >> So, >> okay. Any other old business? >> No, thank you. >> You all right? >> I'm just It's Naen. Old business.

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>> Yeah. >> Okay. So we're going to go into an executive session pursuant to Mass General Law Chapter 3A section 21 number three to discuss strategy with respect to collective bargaining or litigation if an open meeting may have a detrimental effect on the bargaining or

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litigating position of the public body and the chair so declares number four to discuss the deployment of security personnel or devices or strategies with respect there too and we will not be reconvening in open session. That is a

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roll call vote. Doug Mowglin, yes. >> Russ Anderson, yes. >> Joseph DD, yes. >> Okay, thank you.