I will hereby call to order this regularly scheduled meeting of the Sunderland Select Board and Finance Committee. The time is 6:32 p.m. Would you like to call your board to order also? >> This is the um Monday meeting of July um February 20.
>> What day is it? February 9th. Thank you. Of the Sunland Finance Committee. >> Does feel like February feel like you're not wrong. >> January 45th. >> All righty. Uh thank you very much. are we're going to skip over approving minutes um and go straight to new
business. Our first order of new business is going to be to review the library budget. So, thank you very much for coming in um and go ahead and let us know what you got. >> Great. Thank you so much for having us. So, I'm Katherine. I'm the library director here. Um our request this year
is fairly similar to past years. Um the main area where we're um requesting an increase is in our library expense line. um that is the line that we use to be um part of the CWM consortium and then um also is what we use to purchase library
materials. Um and so we've kept the formula the same where we're asking for exactly what we need in order to meet the materials expenditure requirements set by the Massachusetts Board of Library Commissioners. Um and so the amount that we spend to be part of the
CW Mars consortium um that the funds that are needed to make up the materials expenditure requirement the fund the Sunderland Public Library can provide for us. So um we're asking for an increase in that mostly just to to make sure that we can meet the materials
expenditure requirement. Also materials are a lot more expensive these days than they used to be. um changing needs make it even more challenging. Um it's very difficult to get. Um ebooks are quite expensive. We were very lucky that we've
got some folks at the state house who are working to ensure that equity for libraries and purchasing ebooks um goes through because right now we pay about three times the cost for an ebook as we do for a print book and the usage is limited to two years or 20 uses
something like that. um whereas a library book can be in your collection for ever as long as it's you know wellmaintained. Um we're also experiencing huge issues with our suppliers. Um one of the main book suppliers that we used to purchase materials and that gave us wonderful
discounts um went out of business. Um so everyone's been scrambling to find new sources to get their books and the sources that are already functioning are inundated with new customers. So, um, you know, we're waiting months to get new books where we used to have them
well before the publication date. So, we're keeping up with it all. Um, we're certainly, you know, meeting the material expenditure requirement. It's just a lot more difficult. We're also spending more because we don't get those great discounts anymore. So, we're spending a lot more for less. Um, so
anything the town can do to kind of supplement that, allow us to continue to um, offer materials that our patrons need, but also allow us to um, maintain our state certification is really crucial for us. The other main area where we're asking for um, an increase
is in the library support wages. I know that the personnel committee will um, will be making their recommendations in terms of what cost of living increases and other wages increases should be. So, I did not include that, but we are asking for an additional $8,000
um in that line to fund um our sensory friendly hours. And so, that funding is exclusively for a staff member, a non-bened staff member who would have seven hours of regular um time. And that allows us to open the library for an
extra day for um every year on Thursdays. And so we received a grant last year um we're very lucky for is the libraries transforming communities grant um from the American Library Association and that has funded um our ability to open up on Thursdays and that um that
grant goes through April 30th. Um and it's been a huge success opening for sensory friendly hours. Um we're seeing you know probably about 90 people per day. Our average on a day where we're also open seven hours is about 120. Um,
and it's steadily increasing. Um, you know, besides dips here and there for the weather being cold. But, um, people love it. Um, I have had very, very few complaints about it. We've been doing a survey to the town. 100% of survey respondents say, "Yes, please keep these
hours. They're so important to us." Um, sensory friendly hours. We we call it same library enhance accessibility. I mean, everything that you love about the library for the most part is the same. It's just the environment is slightly different. So, our lights are lowered.
We don't have any special meetings and programs and other stuff to kind of limit activity. And we also have designated quiet areas as well as designated active areas. Um, so this really allows a lot of flexibility for folks. um does not matter what your
neurotype is to to come in the library and just experience a slightly different environment than what we normally offer. Um I love that our library is busy and active and noisy. It's, you know, one of the best things. You don't want to have a a quiet silent library anymore. But
we're also finding that people are seeking the library as a space where they can have quiet time to study. Um, a lot of people are working from home and such and sometimes the home environment is not as calm and quiet as you need it to be. Um, we're seeing a lot of
students who will come for a place to study. We see a lot of people who work from home or working, you know, remote, hybrid, however, um, are coming into the library for a space where they can get some work done. And we're finding a lot of them love coming on the Thursday hours just because it's slightly
quieter. Um, and they're just happy to have an extra day. Um, anytime we do a survey to the community, what do you want to see from your library? Everyone says more hours. Um, more morning hours in particular. So, opening up on a Thursday really allows us to to meet
those needs of providing more hours. Um, providing more morning hours, also providing after school, evening hours a little bit, um, for folks who, you know, do attend school or have work and things like that. Um, but really, um, it's just
providing that flexibility for folks to be like, "Okay, I know I can go to the library on this day. It's going to be calmer. I'm going to be able to sit down and focus or I'm going to be able to go to the library on Thursday. I'm not going to have to worry about staff and
patrons and other people not necessarily understanding my behaviors and why I may present in a way that is different from what folks expect." Um, I think that's really been the most meaningful thing is just hearing from patrons how important
and meaningful it is to just to have these hours. Not necessarily being able to go to them, but just knowing that there is a place in Sunderland in our community where um, you know, neurode divergent people are recognized and are appreciated and are invited to be
themselves and to grow just like everyone else is in the library. So very meaningful hours for me. Well, thank you very much and I hope you remember when you came in and talked to us last year. Um, we committed to try doing our best to maintain that once you
guys's grant has has passed. So, um, I I also think it's a wonderful thing. I've gotten feedback myself from families in town who've used the hours. U, my own kids have gone there during those hours and and appreciated it. Um, my daughter wears know she's canceling headphones everywhere she goes for very obvious
reasons. Um, and so I appreciate I appreciate what it means to the town and what it means to the patrons who patronize it. So, thank you very much. Um, now is this this is the these are the two line items here just for people who are in person or on Zoom. Um, thank
you Becky for sharing the sharing the budget. Um, so we're talking about the support wages here for an increase of 6,846 or a 5.46% increase. That's the line for the the Thursday hours. Um and this second one that's just the overall expenses
increasing because of the cost of everything. >> Yes. >> Yes. Wonderful. >> Maintaining our certification is always the priority. We are required to spend a certain amount of money on materials. >> Okay. Great. >> Crystal Dan, any questions on what we've seen so far?
>> Just how many how many part-time employees are there? >> So, there are um four regular part-time employees. um this we and then we have the grant funded um additional so it would bring us up to five um which is really beneficial for us to have another
part-time employee who's not necessarily benefited but gives us that flexibility to call someone else in when we need extra support when someone is out sick just having another set of hands is hugely important and beneficial for us so um it's just such a small cost for
the town I know money is tight for everyone but it's really not it's you about $8,000, $6,000 that we're asking for here. And the benefits are huge. I mean, it's another 364 hours of library service that we're able to offer. It's
um creating a reputation of accessibility in our community. I mean, there's so many benefits to it for $8,000. >> Nice. Wonderful. Uh finance committee, any questions on the budget estimate so far?
>> Yeah, I I got two. Yeah, >> sure can. >> Yeah. So, no, I love the library. Our kids love the library. I'm glad you're doing the Thursday um quiet hours. It's really a great program. Um just two quick questions. So, with Heather
leaving and then we re we hired someone to replace her, was that is that equal salary or was that person less experienced? Do we make up any money there? >> Um yes, he made up a small amount of money there. um just because this is a new person coming in um and Heather had
worked with us for 5 years. So slightly less um in the terms of the salary but I kept it at a level where Heather would have started had she been starting this year. So in terms of inflation and things like that. >> Okay. Yeah. Keep it comp.
And the second one was the grant runs out in March. So we're taking we're going to So this is this amount that you're ask for would cover um a 12 month or a 9 month a 12 month is what we're asking for. Um
right now the grant is it was for um for the you know the one-year period but we weren't able to start the sensory friendly hours. um we needed to do some research and things until July 1st made the most sense or July 10th made the most sense for us
>> um to be able to start it. Um but so our plan right now is if I have the money left over in my salaries budget, I would love to stay open, but we're we're saying that we're going to take a break um you know in May and June until we can
restart them in July when the funding comes through from the town. >> Right. And that's too I wish we could do something cuz especially June when they get out of school, those kids might want that quiet space on Thursday. So, >> I know, knock on wood, right now we're
okay. And so, I always build in enough um you know, wiggle room in terms of salaries to cover any sick time and vacations that our employees are entitled to. So, not everyone's going to take all of their sick hours. I recognize that and you know, extra money would go back to the town. I'm hoping
that there is enough of that left over that we can continue to operate at least on a a small level even if it's abbreviated hours or something for those two months. But um but yeah, I'm not widely advertising it because I can't promise it right now.
>> Okay. All right. Thank you. Keep up the great work. It's a great place. >> Thank you, Joe. Question. >> Yeah. So, um, sorry, just one one more thing is that if we do know that they're going to be funded for next year, we would certainly do everything in our
power to make sure that the consistency in the hours is is maintained. Um, you know, we wouldn't want to take a break and then have to restart everything all over again and readvertise and, you know, add that kind of confusion to the hours. Um, but again, it just depends on if we have the funding in there. And
>> I'm sorry, when did you say that the current funding ends? >> April 30th. >> April 30th. Okay. Sorry. So May June is what we're looking at. >> Yeah. >> All right. Any other questions from plants? >> I mean, I would just say like, you know, thank you for the presentation of the
materials. You know, the the expanded hours for taking over the grant, you know, for me, you know, will compete with other new things we want to do, right? It's not really level services, but it seems like it has been working. I guess what I would say is if we do find a way to make that work, I would very
much like to not have there be a pause for two months and then go back on. So like very much supportive of that. Um I had a couple other questions not related to that. One was I know we're not here to discuss capital in detail, but I know HVAC has been a a focus every year and I
just inevitably know there were some issues more recently. Is there any update that we should be thinking of as we consider both capital as a whole and just the budget as a whole and the library as a whole? >> Yeah, the HBAC system is having a lot of problems right now, especially keeping
up with the cold. Um, I came in this morning and it's 54 degrees in the whole children's room. I've got to set up space heaters, flipping the circuit breakers. Um, we have our HVAC folks on it. Um, but it takes a long time to schedule things, to get the parts, to
figure out what the problem is within our extremely complicated system. Um, so far this year, I've spent, I think about $9,000 on HVAC repairs. That includes um a
single um a single compressor replacement in one of the more difficult spaces. So, that was a large part of it. um it wasn't a whole unit, but it was the main component of it. Um plus all these little repairs too coming in and just kind of figuring out what the
problem is as well as the maintenance. Then we have it's going to be based on repairing. We've got I think it's a fan or a tube broken in another unit in the young adult room that is going to be a little more than $3,000. So we're
getting to $11,000 that we've spent so far this year. And that's not even a full replacement. So what I have asked for in the capital is the replacement cost of a full unit, the most expensive unit that we would have to completely replace. Um however,
I know there's a little bit of question about how the capital money is is going to be carried over from year to year. Is it going to be carried over? How that works? Um, it's really important for the library to have flexibility within the HBAC system because you have bad years
where you're spending 20,000 plus on it and you have good years where you're spending maybe you know a couple thousand. So, um, I I would really like there to be I mean ideally $30,000 available for library HBAC at any given
time in case we have a horrible emergency. Um, but right now I know we um we just went back we had the um I believe we got 30,000 last year to kind of give us a little bit of wiggle room this year um after many years of not
being sure what was carried over. Um I would hope that this year's could be carried over but if not if we can have you know >> but that's in the capital budget. >> Yeah, in the capital budget. Yes. I'm also on capital because we do try to um >> we do try to kind of leave I mean it's
just going to what do we have 16 air handlers? >> Yeah. 16 >> you know it's just going to be it's a 20some year old system. There's just constant >> one every year and then you start over. >> Yeah. Yeah. So it's not you know it's never going to be it's never going to be
at 100%. >> Okay. Thanks. And sorry, I didn't mean to get too deep into capital, but I just I wanted to make sure I understood where we were. So, thank you for that. One last question, and this is I guess I'm just thinking about
if and how do you anticipate um the Deerfield Library coming online impacting in any positive, negative, whatever usage of the Sun Library? You know, it's a big space coming online. I would expect there'd be some changes. So, if we're sitting here a year from now and we're looking at us in like what
should we think about? What should we be? What should we >> Yeah, I mean um this past year was the busiest year in the library's history. A lot of that does have to do with Tilton being closed for a significant period of time as well as Ammerst being closed, moved to a secondary location. Um but I,
you know, January after Tilton had reopened was our busiest January ever as well. Um, I don't see it necessarily slowing down in a significant way. It may not be quite as busy as, you know, this past year, but I think we are
getting a lot of patrons coming to our library maybe for the first time and seeing, wow, there's something very different here than what we see in Tilton. And that I mean that's a good thing. What Tilton has is different from us in a wonderful way um necessarily. And that's the beauty of our library system is that there are 190 libraries
in our consortium. Your library card works at any of them. you're entitled to library services at any of them. Um, and we do have a lot of library hoppers, which I think is fantastic. Um, but yeah, I think we've had a lot of comments from Tilted patrons who are being like, "I love this library. We're not going to stop coming here just
because Tilton is open." So, um, I think it's been a good kind of marketing thing for us in a way. Um, and same thing when Hadley um, had their new building a several years ago. Um, it didn't take away many of our patrons. I we have a lot of patrons from Hadley who still
come to Sunderland even though they have their beautiful new library there as well. >> Gota thank you. >> Any more questions from anyone on finance or >> I think I think I have a clarification question that that I just wanted to the
way you said it and the way I understand it was slightly different. So I just want to make sure that >> everybody who's listening gets this. Um, when you talked about the expense category covering the MEA, you mean almost covering the ME. Okay. >> Yeah. Because it's we take our our CWMR
construction payment out of that and then the friends of the library make up the remainder. Um, but being a part of CWRS is a huge part of our ability to be a a good successful library. >> But the CW Mars doesn't count as a play a little musical chair.
>> So, it's just that Yeah, it's just um we have that money July 1st. that's when the CW Mars payment is due and it just makes the most sense for us um because we can fund raise for books and other things. We have more flexibility in terms of timing there, but the CW Mars payment we do need to pay right away in
July first. We have the town money so you pay for it. >> I'm going to think two things that are one is that the ME is the state materials expenditure requirement. So there's a baseline number that we have to spend in order to maintain our certification. And the second is a call
out a shout out to the friends of the library because we would not make that any the town is not the town budget does not provide the money to make that um for us to make that goal. So without the many of you get a letter in the in
December um you know if without that honestly without that um the effort of the friends of the library and that support um we would not be certified and the board or the town would have to contribute more money. Absolutely. Yeah. >> I have a question about any if if there
were not a requirement and there was the same amount of money, would you still spend the same amount on materials or would you redirect that more towards services or people or hours or anything else? Like how do you feel about how your bud budget is aortioned due to the requirement?
>> Yeah, I mean it's it's difficult to say. Um, if I really had to sit down and think about how I would like to divvy it up, of course I would love to be able to offer sensory friendly hours and have, you know, full-time staff and all of that. Um, however, we we always spend slightly more than the me. Um, and
that's not necessarily because I'm like going up, oh, we got to meet the M, we got to meet the ME. It's because these are the items that our patrons are borrowing, are using, are requesting. Um, and so I I think it would be about the same no matter what. Um, one nice thing about the MER is that they do
allow us to use um, some of those um, purchases of technology that is for direct patrons to use can also be included in there. Um, which is fantastic too. So if we need public computers or something like that, we can we can spend that and that does count towards the materials expenditure
requirement because that is seen as an essential library service that we need to be able to offer as well as technology. Do you want to ask that question to the probably five or six library directors that I've worked with and they all would spend more if they could >> on materials? Yeah.
>> Yeah. On materials. >> Yeah. Yeah. >> When the books are more expensive, right? >> I know. I So, literally I I do an ebook order like once a month. I all I do is I go through what items people have on hold and if there's more than three I
purchase it and that's like and then I still have to take some away because it's like $900 $1,200 and I you know I don't have that kind of money to spend and it's just what people are requesting to use. >> So the supplier the supply chain thing was for physical books though not
ebooks. >> No, it's physical books, DVDs, audio books, everything. So it's everything physical. Yeah. A lot of people are we need to go back to books on tape because then they can't limit how often you use them. >> Yeah. Well, that that's the benefit of
of checking out an actual book and >> Yeah. Then you have Yeah. You have to know what a tape is. >> Yeah. >> Yeah. Or you have to have a CD player. People don't have, you know, they don't know. Well, that too, but like Yeah. All right.
>> Yeah. >> I don't have a question, but I just like to add a little bit on what Katherine said in her very thorough presentation. As the person who's staffed the Century Friendly Hours on Thursday, I just want to give you a little picture of what it's like when people walk into the
library and experience this different type of environment. We have a big sign by the front entrance explaining exactly what sensory friendly hours mean. But people tend to walk right by it. They don't read it. They don't see it. They walk into the building and they say, "Are you open? Are you having a power
outage or something?" And then we explain to them, "No, this is sensory friendly. We're trying to make the library more welcoming to all sorts of people, neurody divergent people, people who have sensitivities to white and noise or whatever." And uh we want to make this space accessible to everybody.
And when they hear that, a big smile, a big grin comes on their faces and they say that's just wonderful. And that's not because they themselves have these needs, but they just like the idea of the library offering that experience.
And uh that has been almost universal in the reception that we've gotten during Thursday hours. >> Thank you for that feedback. I mean, and I I fully believe that when we make spaces accessible to people with disabilities, we make them more accessible to everybody and we just
improve like for everybody in ways that we may not even realize for extended period of time. So, it's it's a wonderful thing and and I'm fully in supportive of having those hours available. Any last comments before we move on? >> I just wanted to just double down on
this. This will change because it doesn't have the personnel committee recommended increases. Exactly. Yeah. Um >> which is typical that we >> that's what we asked for. So I just wanted to >> Yeah, that was at at your request. >> Y
>> So hopefully you'll have a raise. >> We'll see. And also just for for um for clarification, the request this year to the capital is for $37,000 for the for the ongoing maintenance of the >> um No, the capital request for the HBAC
is um $18,500 and that is for the cost of one unit. Um last year it was I think about 35,000 was what we received because we didn't have any funds carry over from previous years. there. >> So 8050 gets you up to that 30 30,000.
>> Exactly. That's where that's where we want to be in case of a horribly rainy day >> and we are meeting on Thursday to discuss the capital budget. So we will have >> more then. Okay. Perfect. Thank you for that clarification. >> All right. Uh Becky, anything from you while we are on library?
Um, we did find some pockets of money last year um that that were used for the capital item, the um mini splits. Um but um like she said, I think I think this is a good plan because it the different
pots have um there's still a couple small pots left, but um for it to be a comfort level, um I think her plan is good. >> Okay, great. >> Yeah, I just don't want to have to call a special meeting because our heat is
out, you know. No, I would I would love to find a a way of making it just simpler all around and more available to you without having to put like a whole pile of money over there just in case. You know, it'd be great if we had some mechanism for that. But if I find one
>> um Nathaniel, >> yes, >> Nathaniel, um to follow up on that suggestion, if that money was put in the final instead, it would it doesn't matter. It doesn't it it
would help but it doesn't give them the carryover to the next year and it doesn't give them the immediiacy to to get the repairs done because they'd have to wait for a meeting. But it could give it give them access without having to
budget as much. >> Okay. >> If the finance committee um were to consider that. >> Yeah. I mean, we're happy to do what whatever works for the town as long as we can maintain our our HV. >> We we will discuss options and >> otherwise we're going to meet in the
cold library to try to get heat. This is my uniform now. >> If we come up with a better option, what we have does work, so we will we will keep doing that if we don't come up with a better option. But cool, we'll probably find possibly. All right. Um, any last thing? >> Burn the used books. >> Well,
>> just kidding. >> Well, couple connotations there. Um, We need an official licensed legal book burner. >> I mean, we do have the fire chief here. >> I don't think there's enough
to >> do much. >> All righty. Um, any last questions for library while we're on the subject? >> Thank you so much for coming in. We appreciate everything you do. Our library is an absolute gem and we love it. So, thank you. >> Thank you.
All right, moving on to our next guest and that would be Chief Benjamin with our fire department. Hey >> everybody, >> thank you for being here. >> Happy to be here. Thanks for having me. >> Absolutely. >> I just realized I don't have the public
safety complex spreadsheet in my packet. So, um, if we could put that up on the board eventually, that would be helpful. doesn't have to be right now, but um I don't have it to refer to and explain. Um but what I will do, we can certainly
>> um >> go ahead, >> Steve. Could it be in what you submitted to me? >> Oh, yes. It would be in there. I just don't have it printed. >> I can put it up on the screen though. >> Okay, >> that'd be great. Thank you. >> Yeah, if you'll just let me know when you're in that section.
>> Okay, we can do that last. >> And Becky, do we all have copies of this? It was in a different email than the >> It's there's tabs. >> I did that for expediency. >> You should know that it >> there's tabs. Thank you.
>> No problem. Took me a minute. >> Yeah. >> Thank you. >> It's in there. So, one thing. >> One thing that I'll mention about the fire department budget at the very bottom, it's got fire department expense and then replacement equipment. Uh there
have always been two uh you might say sub accounts for those two purposes. Um we don't keep track of our spending that way. It's all in the total fire department general expense line item. >> So and it's funny over the years it's
sort of some years it's been broken out, some years it hasn't been. So what I did is I listed for the sake of um having it all there a small increase for uh fire department expense and then a larger increase for replacement equipment which
is really where most of our costs are. And at the bottom um that account is sort of the catchall for both. So it's not three different accounts, it's actually one broken out. Um everything up above with the exception of fire
department wages um I did not put a figure in so we could rely on uh personnel committee but I did want to put a request in for fire department wages and that did um generate some good conversation with the personnel committee about the hourly wages that
our firefighters are paid. And um right now it sits at $17 an hour. And while nobody's really in this for the money, um it's been there for quite a while. So, we're we're having conversations
about a uh a larger, more graduated increase for the firefighters. Um and really over the last couple of years, the general increase in minimum wage and some of the other um jobs in the area uh has some of the firefighters saying,
"Hey, wait a minute. We're pretty well trained. got some some good skills yet, you know, we've got a certain a certain wage. So, that's being handled. Um, not really much to talk about there. Certainly, we'll entertain any questions on that, but uh, principally the fire
department expense. We're finding uh, like everybody else is more and more costs when it comes to um, everything from fuel to batteries for the air packs to our office supplies. And then for the
replacement equipment, I asked for that larger figure um because over the years that has been uh has been bled out a little bit and what we're finding now with the uh the PAS free gear um the poly floral alals are legislated to come
out of firefighting turnout gear and that's a very good thing for firefighters uh because they are likely a contributor to um uh occupational related cancer. They're also a lot more expensive. Uh we we are trying a set of
that gear with one of our lieutenants who's notoriously hard on gear. Um he's an instructor at the fire academy. Uh does not use our gear there, but um he's finding that it is uh acceptable. So,
um, talking with Deputy Zoli and my officers now about switching all of our gear over to PAS free gear. Um, it's about another $1,500 a set. A set of gear with boots, helmets, full ends, about $4,000. So, we're looking at about
5,500 bucks. Um, in last year's money, I haven't gotten a quote yet for 26. Um, and that combined with just about everything else has gone up. Um, I went and bought bar and chain oil and two cycle oil for our small engines. It was
over 100 bucks. You know, could just carry that out with two hands uh from the uh from the dealer. So, um, I've put those requests up there and, uh, I guess we could go spreadsheet by spreadsheet. If there's any questions on this
particular one, happy to entertain now. >> A quick question. the the equipment line one is increasing by the 5,000. Um the replacement line. >> Yes. >> That's looks like that's been 21,000 for the last couple years. Do you know if it's been 21,000 for a bunch of years or did it change a couple years ago?
>> It changed I should know this. I should have the paper with me. It changed about 3 years ago. >> Okay. >> It was reduced. Uh it was close to 30. >> Okay. >> For uh for a handful of years and then >> that was that was my recollection is
that we come down on that line. So I just wanted that to be part of the context we're talking about it because this isn't so much an increase as it is a rebalancing. >> You might say that Nathaniel and what happened was we certainly things have to balance and we used capital for turnout
here for a year. >> Mhm. >> And that you know we're trying to recover that position again. >> Okay. Crystal you have any questions on that part? >> Okay me. Is there a time when you need to
have this one new PAS gear or is it as you need new gear that you just have to have this new kind? >> It's going to be um like all laws there's a little bit of wiggle room, but you know within three years we're going
to have to have PAS free gear. I I want to switch over now. >> Yeah, I wouldn't be buying anything. >> And where do you want to go, Steve? We're going to uh we're going to move to uh PAS free turnout gear.
Um it's been legislated, but it's not something that we we have to do right now, but I'm choosing to provide the officers want to go that route with the way that it fits. It's a the challenge is it's a different brand than the brand that we have been using and everybody
knows and is comfortable with. So, there's a little bit of a a curve to get used to a different fit, different pocket and clip locations, things like that um to accommodate that that technology. But, >> and one of the things we want to also avoid is waiting too long until we have
to and then having to refit the entire >> well entire swaffle at once. I'd rather start doing it now. And >> and well, very true. and we're we are uh yolked into a scenario of 10-year expiration for that turnout year. Um
that's somewhat of an arbitrary number, but unfortunately that's in the NFPA standard which is referenced in a lot of legislation. So, um, we do use older gear for probationary members, members
that are not interior firefighters, but, um, it's wise to keep everybody that could be in harm's way in that that current gear. >> Um, just so if anything, God forbid, does happen, we don't have that to uh to defend.
>> Y So, how many sets of gear will you be buying over how many years? >> We try to buy two sets of gear a year. >> Okay. And the the number of firefighters fluctuates. Right now we've got about 18. And I say about because we got one that's on their way out and one that's
on their way in. But it works out kind of nice for the size of department that we have. We got two sets of gear. Uh if we have a little extra money, sometimes we go for three. I'm trying to go for three this year. Uh just based on our own allocations internally and um that usually works out really well.
>> Great. So let's say just throwing those out there that that legislation did give us three years to be compliant. That would mean that we'd be replacing somewhere between six and nine of those sets organically and then be looking at the other half or so when that went into >> well and the the thing is it's it's
based on gear that you purchase. There's no way that the entirety of the Commonwealth could replace all of its gear >> in a couple of years. But >> we're trying to stay ahead of that. And it is specifically with uh with coats uh
the hoods that we put on that seal around the face piece. I mean that's right up under your neck, your lymph nodes. Uh it's a very vulnerable spot. So um we've for several years we've been toying with the non-past
hoods. Um but now we're going to switch the entire ensemble over. And just to be clear, all other conversation aside, if it's what's if it's if it's we shouldn't be talking about it, you don't mean like we should just be doing that because that's that's what's right for the for the male part of your community.
>> Absolutely. and the whole the whole um firefighting um community business, however way you want to refer to it. Um it's always been a little bit of a a a historically a cavalier organization
because you are actively seeking a hazardous environment. But what what has >> counterintuitive to run into a >> it's for for better for worse. But what's happened is um when we got our
new fire truck several years back, right when CO broke out, we made the decision that's going to be a clean cab truck. Meaning, if we go to a structure fire, everybody strips out of their turnout gear, strips out of their street clothes, puts on spare clothes,
sweatpants, scrubs that we have on the truck. All that gear goes either into the back of my pickup truck or into our Humvey or something and is transported back to the station to be washed outside of the truck. So that truck when you're in there um it still smells new which is great versus other departments trucks
you go into and it smells like an ashtray >> because all of the gear and everything has the smoke in it. Those particulates are everywhere. >> Um so we've really started to to ingrain that into our culture and it's it seems to be working. There's
a lot of um you know there's a lot of uh self-p policing with the other members and and it works really well. No, it's not it's not every day that that you're given an opportunity to make a good choice that 20 years from now
could be a bunch of sick >> firefighters, you know, like that. That's not something that there's so many times where we look back and go, "Well, if only someone 20 years ago had made a different choice." Like, this is one of those opportunities for a choice. >> It absolutely is. And you've got, you know, we've got a
21-year-old firefighter. We've got another one that's um in the early 20s. You know, it's important to make sure that we're um providing a good example. And it's not really a cliche. It is true. The fires these days are a lot dirtier than they used to be. You don't
have just cotton and wood and everything else. Now you got plastic uh highly engineered materials that are also highly carcinogenic when they get absorbed into your body. >> Everything about every days. >> Let's not get started on that. >> That's a different meaning. Yeah, but
it's a very good point. Um, the next one that I've got, so if if we're I don't want to jump if I >> question on this one. Just um there was a couple lines and I remember why we're running over in FY25. How are you looking on your budgets this year? You feeling good with where things are
landing for FY26? I know there's still some time to go, but >> I I feel good about the expenditure side, the payroll side, it's a crapshoot. It always is. Um, for better, for worse, we've had some fire watches that we generate revenue from.
>> Um, the the payroll u firefighter pay is a wash that's a pass through. However, we are able to bill for the equipment that's used and that gives us a little bit of a cushion. So, um, >> can't really find any wood that's within
reach, but as long as we have a normal type year in terms of calls and, you know, going July to July, June, July, whatever is a little different than December to December, how well the software calculates it, but we seem to be in good shape now that we're halfway
through a little bit more. >> Great. Thank you. >> Yeah. >> Any other questions from either board before we move on next part? All right. >> Okay. >> Um the uh the other protection tab
that's down there um involves three three specific line items. Two of the three are under my purview. Uh the civil defense and the radio system. Um, it's always hard to know what to ask for
these uh because the civil defense is our reverse 911 system and they don't send us a new bill till like April. So, I have no idea what they're going to ask for this year. Um, and you ask them and
they don't know. So, I asked for another $200 um with that. And the same with the radio system. um the fees that covers both police and fire another $200. Eventually, that expense is going to
sunset. Um the radio system is a at the chief's meetings, everybody groans when the radio system is brought up because it is uh it's a blessing that the Commonwealth brought us onto their uh digital system, but it is um requiring an awful lot of finetuning specifically
for paging. Um, the pagers that we wear now are absolutely horrendous. I mean, this looks like something you'd see on the Dukes of Hazard in the 80s. Um, it's really, they work okay, but they're very bulky. We've had one get wrecked just cuz it
was so big, got slammed down the door. It's what happens. So, um, the figure that's up there reflects the old analog system that's being maintained just because the new digital system is not completely covering the
the uh the county. So, those there isn't much wiggle room with those. Whatever the bill is, we'll submit, but fortunately, they're usually not an awful lot larger. Uh, any questions on that one from anybody? And just for you're saying that one of these
line items is the old system and one of them is the new system. >> The civil defense is our reverse 911 system. The code red the telephone system. >> Yeah. Yeah. >> And the radio system is the old analog radio system. >> Okay. Got you. Okay. Thank you.
>> And then the animal control item. I'm sorry. Go ahead. >> I'm sorry. Question. Uh Steve. So you're saying that the new radios that were the gift from the state, you have them, you use them, but you have to supplement
them with these old radios. >> That's that's exactly right. The new radios have the ability to function between digital and analog, the two different u let's just say operating systems um for the radios. Yeah,
>> the new system is the digital, but it's not reaching every place in the county. So, we have to toggle behind between digital and analog to get full coverage. For instance, at the Route 116 flats, really since they were built, we've
never had um digital radio coverage. So, whenever we go over the bridge by the Hoverard Well and Plum Road, we're going to switch over to analog so we can talk to people. um that so that as the
Commonwealth plugs all the holes in the digital system, we should eventually be able to get rid of that analog system. Um but it's a very slow process. And 10 years ago, they said we'd only be able to find parts for another five
years for the radio system, but the thing's still kicking. So, um I don't think it's in good health, but it's it's functioning, and that's what the that's what the money goes to support. there. >> And then the >> Sorry. And then the animal control line
item, that's the um what we used to have an animal control officer for and is now going to be handled by the Franklin Sheriff's Department. >> Okay. >> Correct. >> And this number here is the number for them for this coming year. >> It's me.
>> Got you. >> I'll take the money though if it's available. Fair enough. >> All right. Okay. Um, any other questions from finest? >> Dan, Crystal. >> All right. >> Okay. >> I think you're good. >> Uh, town park. This one will go quick.
Um, not asking for any changes for the town park. the um the funds that we're able to to bring in, we more or less put back into um either maintenance at the park that's
over and above what's budgeted or um the fireman's association collects it and we are before I end I I've got one thing to bring up with you about perhaps future capital but um the fireman's association does get a little bit of money every year from the proceeds of renting the
town park and maintaining that we're getting prepared um to make a proposal for a purchase, not this year, but perhaps next year >> and ask for a little bit of help from the town, but all that money is it's accumulating. It's accumulating.
>> So, anything on the town park? >> Okay. >> And Becky, could you kindly bring up the um public safety complex tab? >> I think it's Just give me a second.
It's the PSC. >> Yep. >> PSC. >> He's under town buildings. And then buildings. >> Huh. >> Can you scroll up? That look like the list is longer than just >> Yeah,
>> that's a good idea. There we go. Town >> buildings. PSC PCs. bird. >> Yes. >> Can everyone see it? Okay. >> Yep.
>> The energy. So, it's broken out a couple different ways. Could you slide over to the right, Becky? >> Oops. Too far. No. >> Do you want the reasons? >> That's That's good right there.
Okay. >> Primarily um looking for a little bit more money um for annual floor waxing and other maintenance. We found that over the years the u the floors are holding up well, but especially years like this with a lot of
sand and salt, they take a beating. It's nice to have them waxed every year and that figure there is about what we paid last year. So asked for um asked for that to be rolled into the budget just so uh year like this I think we're okay with oil and our our spend as far as
heating but um we'll find out if it warms up like it's supposed to next week it won't be that bad. But if we keep getting nights around zero uh building uses a lot of energy to keep the trucks at 50°. So, it looks like we have an increase of
a little under $1,400 for the the floor um >> floor maintenance. >> Floor maintenance. >> Yeah. >> And that's the only increase you're looking at there. >> Uh tough spend. I asked for a little bit more money up top just for general um I
want to say energy. Could you slide back to the left, Becky? >> No, the first one's operation. The second one's energy. >> Operations and energy. All right. >> Yeah. >> Yeah. >> The operations. So that's okay. That's why there's a total there as well. So similar as our our fire department
budget. >> Y >> yeah just that whatever that is 1300400 that was asked um is just for the floor waxing all the other operational expenses I anticipate to be flat for next year. >> Okay great.
>> So could you just clarify? So if I look at this so the using the total row so FY24 budget was 33,000 FY sorry FY25 budget was 34,000 26 was 289 and now we're back to 328.
Okay, for FY25, it says 33,275 total spend for FY25 over on the notes column, >> but then looking at the FY25 expendit 25555 at least on the one I'm >> Becky, could you artic is there a
>> I think missing in that 25 >> the 33 would make more sense given the >> for FY25 on the total public safety complex expense the budget was $34,000. just trying to verify what the expended was. If it was the 25555 in there or
over in cell L9 where it says 33275 was the spend. >> I'm sorry. I'm looking over at L. He's saying >> the top right >> up two from there. If you go up two, you'll see it says 337. >> Okay. So, it says 33275
in the up corner. 2075. Yeah. So, that note would have been written during the budget and I would have put um we put in the 25,000. >> Yeah. 25,000 seems more accurate given what time of we where we are in the time
of year. >> I would I wouldn't see you having spent the whole budget at this point in the year. >> Right. But what they're saying is that >> 26 maybe get left over. Oh, right. >> Right. >> Yeah. I do that all the time.
>> Why can't it all just be right here? >> All right. Okay. >> 3327. >> There. Any other questions from finance? >> Well, I guess if if it was 33275 in 25,
then what are we not doing in 26 that we have a budget of 29,000 and we're going to meet it? Just less floor stripping. Like I'm just trying to understand like what got moved around. >> Yeah. And again, I apologize. I don't have that one sheet that's got I added another column on mine over to the right
to explain. I could check into that over >> the year that the um exhaust stuff. >> Uh we did that through a grant. >> All of it though was through grants. >> Yeah. Now there is also >> took care of a lot of it.
>> Yeah. There's also uh spend that could be included in that for just general HVAC because there was the project, but we've also had we still have um a handful of smaller projects to do. I think we may still have a little bit of
money left in some of the uh uh the accounts there. >> Okay. >> PSC um HVAC, what acronym? >> Yes. and Chief Eric and I arm wrestle over how we're going to spend that money. Um,
>> sounds like >> Yeah, you could raise money. It's a different revenue generating. >> Could have it at the town park. >> All right. Anyone else have any questions before we finish up with fire?
All righty. Thank you very much. We appreciate it. >> All right. >> Thank you, Steve. >> You're welcome, Becky. Thank you. >> Next up, we have building inspector. >> Thank you for coming in. >> Short and sweet. You haven't changed anything.
the same just if there's a colo available asking you know like it so >> yep >> everything the same the only thing we brought up last time and this might not be the board um I don't think finance would have anything to do with it but we had mentioned or I had mentioned and we never followed up on it or I didn't um
we went up the um percentage for the online fee so we went from $10 permit to 12 >> and any other community will add that to $2 permit just to cover our expenses, you know, of what it's costing us for the program. So, I didn't know if it has
to be a different meeting or we could get the okay on that since I forgot to come back last year or we just overlooked it to get that $2 um how that works >> procedurally. I'm not sure, Becky. Do we have to have that be a line item on a
agenda in order to do that or is that something we can approve? >> I think we should. I'm sorry, but well, let's discuss it and then you can make your decision at the next meeting after you get all your information. >> Okay, great. So, yeah, we'll put that as
a as a line item for a future meeting. >> So, it's all permits though, not just building. It would be wiring and plumbing and >> gas. Every permit, >> yes, >> would go up $2 to just
>> basically break even on the cost of what that software cost us. >> Yes. >> Okay. >> Y >> how does it compare to other towns? It seems really low. >> It's the same um just did the same thing in Graanby, the same uh program and
that's what they did. Added the $12. Yep. >> Hadley, Southampton, all of them just, you know, break even with that. Okay. It made total sense. So, we'll make sure we put that one on discuss it. >> And we didn't do it for a year, but it's still 12. It's not like it's 13 now.
>> We haven't heard it. The bad thing was it went up in the middle of the year, you know, after the budget was all out >> and um Beck Becky caught her payment and said, "What's going on here? Why is it, you know, the extra $800 or whatever." So, we um you know, guess we should have come sooner with it, but if we could get that on sooner than later, it's not a
big deal, but it's every little bit helps. So, >> yeah. I mean, it's it should be budget neutral. So, >> yep. Make sure it is. >> All right. And then other than that, your cola is aside, your your budget is flat from last year. >> Yes. Everything.
>> Okay. Well, that's wonderful news on my end. Any questions on that from >> any place you can cut it back? >> Should be lower than zero. >> We got a wish list. >> Any questions? >> She teaches early wise.
Wonderful. Well, thank you very much and we'll discuss the the improving the increase in the fees and get back to you on that SAP. >> Sounds good. >> Wonderful. Thank you for coming in. >> Thank you. >> Have yourself a great day. >> Yeah. I'm going to hang out just in case anything discussed with the uh one of the things in the agenda earlier. So,
>> sounds good. Um, all right. Up last for new business is discussing the Roy Bishop contract with the assessors or more quickly. >> Is this still funny? I believe. >> Yeah. I don't believe the assessors are
there tonight. >> Um the what they're requesting is >> Did you want to complete with finance committee first? >> Yeah, that that's a good point. I was >> in my head it was all part of the same thing, but if you guys would like to adjourn, please do. >> Before we complete and and sorry I
missed the last meeting, is there any like 30,000 foot things about the budget cycle this year that you have been thinking about that we should talk about? any major concerns or positives in any things that Becky's seeing and you guys are seeing >> in so much as the presentations we've
had so far? Not so much. >> Right. >> Um the school budgets are going to be the big things those are coming up soon. >> So before we um leave, there's two meetings coming up. Well, there will be will be finance committee, select board
and other groups. So on um >> March 23rd, >> sorry, on March 23rd, February March 23rd, this group will also be meeting with both the Frontier School Committee and the Sunland School Committee. >> Tenative tenative they're trying that.
So that is our regular meeting time. So easy enough for us. the other time it's a regular meeting time for us where we'll be meeting with the three towns to talk about South County >> Senior Center and South County um em >> EMS thank you em something um is Monday
March 30th again pretty late in our cycle but still in our cycle also one of the regular meeting times that we meet but we'll meet at Deerfield >> okay >> at the conference room there or on Zoom >> and we'll we'll revisit that two weeks prior in the meeting >> just to announce those two things are
coming up that We're still on our cycle, but kind of odd. >> Yeah. And we will confirm the 23rd, which is 2 weeks from today. >> Um, we'll confirm once we get confirmation that Darius and at least some people from the school committees are
>> you said March 23rd. February. >> That's February 23rd. >> And then March 30th is the South County. >> Y got. >> Um, so we'll confirm that one via email because we're able to do that via open emails. Um and then we'll get that
posted once we have a confirmation from all parties involved >> and that and we're thinking the same time too. >> Yeah. >> Yeah. >> So unless somebody on the school board >> unless Darius and the school committee aren't available at that time in which case we'll look at another one of our meeting times probably two weeks after that. Um and we'll we'll figure that out from there.
>> Okay. Awesome. Thank you. >> And uh just one other topic from last year. >> I I have a question too. When you ask it, um, >> I was just going to ask about health insurance because last year that was another I didn't know if there was any visibility on. >> I I have an answer on health insurance. >> Great.
>> All right. >> Go ahead, Becky. Um, we heard from U. Maya this week and after the MMA conference where they voted to uh eliminate their GPL1,
um, our our rate for this year is going to be 8.5. >> Okay. >> 8.5% up from last year. >> Yeah. >> Which is still a little >> up from last year, but we were facing threats of 15% >> and 18 and 14. I mean, yeah, 15 was like
the good news after the even worse news. So that's >> single digits. >> Doesn't sound like great news, but they really managed expectations very thrilled with >> it was 100% and then it was 50%. Okay. All right. >> That GP1 shift is happening in a lot of
places. >> Yes, that is a big issue um industrywide. >> Okay. Thank you. >> Absolutely. Yeah. Any other questions before you all dissolve for the day? All right. Joe has one.
>> Yep. >> Hello. >> Hello. >> Hello. Oh, yeah. Okay. I'm good. Sorry. I lost. So, just I put it out last week and then a lot of neighbors are asking me. So, I'm asking you all about the the increased
uh taxes based on the reassessment. And it looks like because we didn't put the override in last year, there's a double override. Is that why the increase looks so high? And also in terms of the budget, are we using the accurate
increase with those increases in taxes as our revenue? Are we still using the ones for the increase? >> So, I can I think I can answer all your questions. Um I'm going go backwards starting with so the the capital line item is a separate tax item than the
budget line item that each of them increase by 2 and a half% or up two and a half% per approximate two and a half. Um but the increase or decrease in one or the other doesn't affect the other one. So our budget is up 2 and a half% over what it was last year or two and a half% of
the year before that but unrelated to the capital expenditure. Um, in terms of people's tax bills, what happened is last year their tax bill went down because we made a mistake and this year it's both going back up by the amount it should have been last year and then also increasing by the normal 2 and a half%
that it would increase this year. >> Um, and so as much as it's not it's it's harder to do that, what I would tell people is look at your tax bill two years ago, compare that to this year, don't compare last year's to this year because last year's was artificially substantially lower than it should have been. Um, and
so yes, it does look like it's a double increase, but really it's a it's a recuperation and then an increase from previous years. >> Does that make sense? >> Yeah, that's right. Yeah, I've been telling them go back to your 3 four years of tax, follow that trend and you
know that's what they're advising them to do. But does that mean we have more income or is that income from the last one that didn't get on the back? So, in terms of the operating budget, it has no effect. It didn't last year. It doesn't this year. In terms of our capital budget, man, last year was a real fun
year for capital because we didn't have any money. Um, and this year, and and and >> to be clear, it's not that we're collecting two years worth of capital money. We're still only getting this year's how much we should have gotten all along. This year, had it increased by 2 and a half% last year and had increased by 2 and 12% this year.
>> So, we still missed a year. >> We missed an entire year. We never are making that money up. That money is just gone. It was a gift to the gift to the members of town who got to have a nice little tax break for a year. Um, what it did for full visibility to everybody. What it did is it it tightened a lot of our belts for the capital side of things
because we had to find this money here and this money there and this money here and this money here. And doing that was allowed us through but also closed all those doors for having that money be there to find two years from now or four years from now. Um, and we also spent
more free cash into the capital stabilization fund than we would have normally liked to had we not had that happen. >> Um, so yeah, there's no no impact on the on the operating budget, but the capital stabilization budget is in a lot better shape this year than was last year.
>> Okay, that's I appreciate that. Will make it easier for me to explain that some of the dangers. Thank you. >> Oh, yes. I've heard quite a bit about it myself for sure. All righty. >> Yeah. >> I will turn it over to Val to >> I'm accepting a motion to adjourn from the finance committee.
>> So moved. Second. >> All in favor? >> I Joe >> I Joe >> I Joe Elias. >> All righty. >> All right. Approved. >> See you guys in two weeks. >> See you all later. Have a nice >> Yep. And we will be in touch via email
about confirming two weeks from now. Um including the the schools. >> All righty. Come in. >> Moving back on over to the Ward Bishop contract. >> And Tom, just so you know that um I believe the agenda item you're probably
waiting here for is not going to happen. >> Not going to happen. Becky just said that maybe I should um in case you had a question. >> Okay, perfect. >> Perfect. >> We'll be done that one momentarily. We're just >> I have nothing better to do, right? >> There you go. Hang out.
>> They're fun. Meetings are fun. So, Becky, for the Roy Bishop contract, is that something we want to just push off until the sessions are here, or is that something that we can look at now ourselves without them? >> I I believe we can look at it without them. They um this is an annual
contract. We've been contracting with Roy Bishop. I know at least 10 years. I'm not sure >> what the history is before that. Well, about I'm assuming it's about 10 years. He's been around for a long time. Um
he does uh he's been very thorough. He's gone through all the valuations for us. Um and I believe his rate is quite reasonable um for you know having a skilled assessor
um to consult with your town in this day in this time period is a very one. It's it's a rare resource that we greatly appreciate um having Roy to assist the assessor's department.
>> Okay. >> And I'm looking at the >> we wouldn't have gotten he's been handling all the valuations and we need to work with him more to make sure um we're covering everything just because
he's giving us very good deals. on, but it's he's came back when I asked for more questions. He's been very responsive and I very much appreciate his work. >> Okay. And I'm looking at the the um agreement and it looks like it's $9,500
and then additional services for $25 per partial inspection. Is that the document I'm looking at? >> Yeah. >> Okay. Dan, Crystal, any questions on that? Just what was the last?
>> I think we I'm sorry. I had misread the amount. >> I did it quickly. I think we need to hold off on that contract till we discuss it further. I'm sorry. >> Do we know what it was last year or is that that what we need to check on it? >> I think it was 3500.
>> Oh, okay. So, yeah, we we'll definitely want to check into that and get back to that one. >> Yeah. And I just looked quickly at I thought it was the same. So I got to review that very clearly. >> All right, we will next week when we're having a nonfincom meeting, we can re
readress that item. >> All right, which brings us to that's the last piece of new business brings us to old business. Um the first item of old business is a review of the greenhouse concerns. As we have discussed in the past, we have a member of town who um
abuts a farm who recently put in a greenhouse and that greenhouse moves quite a bit in the wind. >> Three green houses. >> Three green houses, sorry. Three green houses um that are made out of that flexible plastic material. Um and the wind apparently makes them move quite a
bit which is um causing sound levels that are beyond minor nuisance. Um and the the a budding property owner has reached out to the select board to request some kind of um relief to their their concerns.
>> Crystal, do you have any more details on that one? >> Uh Becky, were you able to get in touch with anyone today regarding Okay. So, why don't you >> Yeah. Um so a a a suggestion has come up um in uh
regarding the green houses that it would be beneficial if um I think it was Atlas Farm has called uh the homeowner and suggested that maybe a mediation
would be helpful. And um I have um so the select board representative would be Crystal and then Tom Quinnland, our building commissioner, and myself. I'm proposing the three town officials sit
down with these two parties and listen and and help them come to an agreement that could satisfy their the problem that is occurring. So I've checked with town council. There was a concern that we should not get involved. But I think
if we um make no promises, this group of people has no authority to make promises to um engage the town. So we just be clear with them at the outset that the the the rules of the game are we're here
to listen, support, and help you find a solution. We are not here in an official uh capacity with authority, but we are very much interested in helping you resolve this issue. >> And if the select board is agreeable to
that approach. >> Yeah. No, that that sounds good. I I appreciate Crystal you having taken >> and that's the thing. I want to give both of you the opportunity if either one of you would prefer to >> mediate on this. I am open to letting
you do it. I do not mind doing it. I just didn't know if >> No, I appreciate I I always appreciate >> I always want to be asked to dance. You know what I mean? I always want the invitation. I'm not always going to say yes, but I always want the invitation. Um, no. I I appreciate you taking care of it. Um, I appreciated from the beginning that you had the interest in
taking care of it and I would be happy to have you do so. Um, I agree with the concern of not having it be an official duty of the town to not put ourselves in a position where we either make promises that the town legally or otherwise can't fulfill. Um, nor get ourselves sort of
in the middle of something that is inherently a dispute between two property owners. Um, I guess my big question, and this is just for my own my own peace of mind or or my own brain, is what would the steps like if if if if
there was a a good conversation and they met in the middle, what would that look like? Is are there steps that being can be taken by Atlas farms to lessen the noise that they're >> And so that's what we don't know. Because that's part of my question is if there is nothing other than they stay up
and it's horrible, they tear them down and they're no longer there. If there's no middle ground, I guess my question is what what can be found, right? >> We'd have to know that there's some remediation efforts, >> windshields they can put up, >> right? So, and that's again, this is a
very different winter than other winters we've had, right? So, >> again, I know nothing about greenhouse construction. Nothing. I'm not even going to try to pretend I do, but like it appears right now the noise is
lessened because of the snow buildup around them. >> So again, us not knowing, you know, is there something they can do? You know, some type of barrier or padding around
those in the wind. I don't know the answer to that. Hopefully the farmer does. Yep. >> And if he doesn't know the answer, you know, we're there to >> just, you know, encourage him to look
into it, encourage >> the homeowner, you know, I mean, we're just there to grease the process and >> to try to be the person who takes the deep breath and go, you know, because >> Yeah. No, I'm sure that both sides are are passionate about the the the
situation. It's livelihood versus, you know, being able to utilize one's home and, you know, peace of mind in one home, right? >> So, yeah. No, I I think it it makes a lot of sense to have the town, as you said, just be the the cool, calm, collected, you know, voice of reason and and whatnot,
>> you know, and would like town there in case there's any um discussions, you know, because it's ARPA. I keep saying ARPA. It's APR, >> APR, APR. >> So, there's different rules for
permitting, you know, for farmland, things like that. So, you know, we need Tom's input, you know, also or, you know, to be able to possibly take away and look into something. >> Mhm.
>> You know, cuz I cannot tell you anything about a building regulation, nor would I even know who to suggest they go to other than call Tom. So instead of me sitting there and saying call Tom, >> Tom is willing to, you know, sit down
and be part of this too. >> Obviously, it's going to be tricky scheduling a time because >> many of us have day jobs, including the homeowners. >> Y >> um you know, so >> Yes. So I deal with it all the time.
Chickens first time with a greenhouse but fences and property lines. So it you know to explain to people somehow it went to the boss the boss's level and I'm very appreciative that you know you'll be there but I deal a lot of times I'm deal with this and it's you know I'm the mediator just trying to
cool it off because otherwise it's going to get civil and you know two neighbors like I said a lot of times it's a fence you know is it on the property where it's property line and I can't determine that. I can't, but to get them together and get them to cooperate at the end or get along is what I do dealing with, you
know, >> with whatever town it be. So, I'm just lucky that you're volunteering to help too at a higher level and wish you didn't have to get involved because this usually I try not to get to this point. I'll just let the administrator know in case you hear about it that, you know,
we're working on this and it gets taken care of. But, so I think it'll be fine. It'll go well. >> Wonderful. I appreciate you being willing to to do that. Um, wonder do you have any questions on that one? >> I'm sure it's not the first time it's ever happened in the world. So, oh yeah,
hopefully there'll be a solution. >> Yeah, I think it's the first time in Sund. >> Yeah, for sure. >> Well, thank you very much, Crystal, for being willing. >> Yes. >> Yep. >> Appreciate it. >> Wonderful. And thank you, Tom. >> Yep. Thank you. >> All righty.
>> Going over the pleasure. >> Absolutely. Thank you for making it easy for us. We already mentioned that. >> Have a great one. >> All right. Uh, next up for old business board updates. Um, I, uh, don't have anything this week. Crystal, do you have anything? >> So, we had South County EMS. Um,
obviously um, I think we're not doing this until the end of March. So, it's still just working on the budget in process. that new I knew that I know last time I said as far as I knew the new ambulance was here but it definitely
is here. Um it's still in the process of you know all the paperwork to actually get it on the road. >> Um but it's moving along. >> Did the I forget the name of them but the the power lift systems that we needed did those come in also or
>> so that I I do not know. Um the update was that you know it's in the process of getting fully equipped to be ready for inspection. >> So essentially that would be part of the >> of the equipment. I did not ask specifically on the
>> I'm just curious that's fine. Yeah. Okay. Anything else Crystal? >> Good. >> Wonderful. >> We met personnel committee tonight too. Um, but it was just, you know, discussions on we're not sure what to re start
recommending for cola. So, >> of course not. You have to figure it out. That's the fun of it. >> Yep. >> All right. Uh, Dan, anything for us today? >> Just a reminder of the community forums for the South County Sheni Center. Yep. >> Tomorrow, 1:30 at the Sunderland Public Library and next Wednesday the 18th at 1
p.m. at the Weightley Town Hall. Wonderful. looking forward to those. Thank you very much again. All right. Uh Becky, town ministry updates. What do you got for us? >> Um I'm going to just leave you with one.
I am very excited. Um I will be seeing you all in person at our next meeting. And I just want to confirm with you that due to the holiday next Monday, we will be meeting on the 17th. instead of Monday the 16th. We will be meeting on
Tuesday. >> Yep. >> Is that all right for everyone? >> That was my understanding also. Crystal, Dan, you guys are good with that? >> Yeah. >> Yeah. >> All righty. Indeed. We will see you on Tuesday the 17th. Um and we're excited about having you back. That's going to be wonderful to see you.
>> Thank you so much. And you guys are all looking good on Zoom. >> Wonderful. All right. Um, in that case, at this time, there's no one waiting in Zoom or in person for public comment. We don't have any correspondents today. No get session. So, I would entertain a
motion to adjurnn. >> Motion to adjurnn. >> Second. >> All right, we have a motion made and seconded to adjurnn. All those in favor? >> I I three nothing. The time is 7:50. Thank you all. We will see you next Tuesday.