call the meeting of the Towns and Finance Committee to order at 6:03 p.m. Um, I don't see any members online, but I always keep with power. That was my roll call attendance,
please. Hopsis present. Grant present. Mary Jane Churchville present. Walker present. Don Hayes present with five members present. We have a quorum. We are good to continue. This meeting is being recorded. It will be played back on
channel 9. It's available on the towns and YouTube channel. Um at this point, is anybody else recording? None being heard. We are the only people recording. Um additions or deletions at this point. I
I will just add one item um between the reviews and setting the next dates um is correspondence. We did see receive a couple of emails that I need to rec I'll recognize them and then we'll
discuss them. Okay. Um that was the only thing I had. Um we're ready to move into the work session. Um the uh
I don't I I see Carol has the um transfers in front of us. Do we want to just go over it where I had sent them out as an attachment to the email? Do we just discuss them or do you want me to call them up and share them on the screen? I don't know.
Oh, my screen. Okay. Get in. I will get into it and then ask to be shared. And I'm not sure who's here. Um, would you allow me to share when I come in, please?
Is TCam here? TAM is um you should be good to share. Okay, thank you. sharing out the way. There we go.
Let me see if I can get him on the screen. Yep. I know it's kind of big. You should be able to minimize the cipher window there if you hit that little Oh, button up. That's on the other
Oh, yeah. That's okay. We'll get it. I forgot there's two different There you go. That must be one you don't have. I think your friend
Yeah. So that's that's down that's down ways. Okay. So um Okay. Um the first one. Um
and back up here. Um and that's where I don't want this. want the word version of it. I was using that to copy copy and paste.
Okay. Open it up again. See, now we need to go a little bigger, right? How's that? Can you see it? Oh, we need more. Okay. So, um the first
first one um and and again this is the first one we came to. Um what I do I'm just going to switch over. I keep a log and I give them I assign numbers to them. So the first one we see we're going to um the FY25-m1
um is going to be the number assigned to this one. Again, this for tracking is something I did um in document control and quality control in a past life is it's if there's anybody that has a question, you're not talking about a single piece of document. You're talking
about a document that has a number. Yeah. And should be trackable. And that's what the log is for. So, we're um moving money that to to be transferred um is going to be to the um the the health
insurance for the town share. Um it's going to come from two different accounts. The um order selectment wages, human resources, and then veterans benefits. And it's going to take 20,000 from human
resources and it's going to take 961 04 from the veteran benefits. And so the total being transferred is $20,9614 to the uh health insurance line. Right now the health insurance line is
overdone. has been totally paid for FY25, but it's in the negative balance. So, this this is transferring money in the budget from from lines that have money available in into the line that needs it.
Can I ask a question? Yes. This is the first time most everybody's seen it. So, it's okay. So the health insurance for the employees, the staff, right? Mhm.
If we lost employees during FY 2025. Yep. Is that accounted for in this request? I mean, it is it this this is the auto attribute, the ads of people um and the subtracting of people and the change of
status. If somebody had a baby coming in, there's a change of status from to a to a family plan. Um, if somebody was not taking the insurance and signed up, um, then, you know, or
do we get to know what that is? Because I mean, insurance is an issue. I Well, for me it is. I think it's a huge number. It doesn't get shocked and I understand why, but it seems that we shouldn't be that far off.
Um, I will tell you this this was the best guess coming in because you don't know what your health insurance activity is going to be. Some years we've had a significant balance in this account and used it to transfer out to other accounts um on the lock, you know. So,
it's kind of like this one just happens to be a year. Is the is the enrollment period at the end of the calendar year? When do when do people need to decide? They I what is open enrollment? Do we know? I I don't know. Typically an open
enrollment goes into a new calendar year even into fiscal year. That's typically what No, I know. That's why that's why I'm at because that could account for some of the change. Right. Right. If the open enrollment is at the end of this calendar year and you change the people might like you said, people might say, "Oh, I
think I'm going to take the insurance this year." If that's what it is, that's what makes But sometimes you can change if you have a life qualifying event allows you to like if you have if someone has a child, they can they can change right then when that happens. Yeah. If someone gets married,
they can change. If someone gets divorced and now they need the insurance, they can change. So there are qualifying events outside the enrollment period. And then you have the enrollment period where you can change where you can change if nothing if none of your circumstances have changed, you can change.
But I I think that you can change types of plans. We have I believe there's three or four offered. So if you were if you were on high deductible and you wanted to go to say a plan, right? That's typically though done. So they do more than one plan.
Yes. Oh, okay. Because when I well then cuz when I asked Nelson about you know going out and bidding the life insurance it's too disruptive and he told me it was too disruptive. I got I guess I got the inclination that
there was only one one carrier one carrier but the carrier may have different oh levels that same carrier might have different levels. Okay. So is this typical? Is this the typical every year they it they go over budget by this much
or this is not typical. This is as I said we've we've had overages in here for as much as 75,000 in some years in the past. Um this is this is just a year that the um
this this budget line is needing needing money, right? But I think that we should be told what I mean that's not a drop in the bucket and we're in the financial crisis that we're in. I think we should be allowed to know why it changed so high or why it
changed at all. I'm not saying did moving forward like next year or something. I I think we should have more information before they just say okay we want to just take this money and put it over here. Why did that occur? Is was there something that wasn't tracked?
I mean, we have a record in this town of money going wherever wherever and nobody knows until later. It I just think we should have more specific information. I think we're just learning this year so
that we can have better questions. Yeah. Well, yes. But I also think we have had a lot of issues with money, right? Oh well, money is not going to the proper account. Wrong information, wrong amounts, wrong wrong money is like not um addressed.
Well, it's not and going to wrong accounts for a period of years and you know different things like that etc. etc. Yes. So this this I would feel comfortable having more information but not not for can I no no no wait but we um if I jump back
it's kind of like I'll jump to the spreadsheet um that is sort of way out here I have my notes a notes column so we want to um 26 with Um
um watch BBA trending. Where's the what trending? Um the the you we're going to watch the BBA which is that monthly report of how much money we've spent. Um
are we going to get a monthly report in a timely fashion? Um again they usually do 12 of the month. Um no we'll see we'll we'll put it in we with with the change in assistant treasurer leaving and now we're
the person that had been um the accountant is is now going to be taking over doing those those functions that Katie had been doing. Who's going to do them? Um that company. Yeah. see his um Elizabeth
Briaka I think something I just think that if we're the watchdog commission I think we should know what we're watching we're watching. Yeah. So that's that's why I say um um and I think we should be sending a
message to the people who take care of the money that we are going to be watching. Yep. That's on my this time. Okay. Yeah. And and again, this is we we may not have done this, but by recording it in here and and recording it, we've got
a record of what transfer we do at the end of the year so that we can go back in watch it during the year um or watch as we do the next um next budget to make sure. Um Okay. So, what so how much they want?
They're looking for a total of $20,9614 to take this account line to zero to zero in the Where are they taking it out of? They're taking it from 20,000 from human from Oh, right. HR the HR position that had been
Oh, because a girl left. No, this is the HR position where we where they were building up the funding. We were building up the funding at 20,000. So last year we had 20,000 for um human resources. Okay. So this is the 20,000 we're taking out of that that we're taking. Yeah. So that brings that account to zero.
That takes that account to zero. The account Yep. And the other one is the 961 is coming from the veterans benefits. This is all the same department. The board of selectment budget department, right? Um
or whatever you call it. Yeah. because it because it's a um an insurance this isn't the HeroAct tax. No, this is not the Hero Act. This is the regular veterans benefit line. Um and there was a sign they that one you never know where it's going
to be, right? Yeah. Exactly. And and this was I mean in order to to make a budget for them you blindfold yourself and grab a card. I we started at 50,000 and from veterans benefit it was 36,700
in the end years been way over. So how so there's still money in there's still money in in the veterans benefits. Yep. And again we're close we're closing out the 25. So we voting on each one of these. We we vote on each one. Yeah.
Individually so that we can Okay. So, I'll make a motion to transfer $20,96146 into the insurance account. Um, being $20,000 from the HR account and
$96,146 from the vet department account. And sorry, it's kind of like I heard 46 cents. It's four four cents. Oh, four cents. Okay. No worries. All so I guess the only question I have on the motion is
does the motion need to be that specific or can we make the motion to just approve the transfer request? We can we can make the motion to I mean it's fine that we made the motion that I'm just curious specific. I I think we can say with with the amount specified in the document. Yeah. Oh, so you want to make motion but you
don't want to say all those words. I get it. Yeah. Okay. All right. All right. Okay. Yeah. All right. Because we can say to approve the transfer request is documented in yeah this is number one cliff note cliff note
well I face that way she doesn't have to write down as yeah I'm sorry we do it no I already wrote it I already got do we want to just say the the total dollar for this one I think we keep what she said
keep what she said for this one okay and for the next one we move forward with okay I'll second the motion cuz cuz the motion was made. We don't need to alter the motion that was made. Okay. Thank you, J. That maybe helps us moving forward.
Okay. So, the mo the motion to approve the um request FY25-m001 to move money from human services and veterans benefit into the health insurance line. um in the affirmative
for the voting to um make make that happen. Any other questions before we vote? None being heard for a roll call vote. David Walker, yes.
Mayor Jane Churchley, yes. Grand Yes. Approve. I'll sign it out of out of the meeting and then Okay. No. Well, we don't Oh, we don't each one
sign these, right? No, I think No, this is not one. It just the form just has um the chairman of the finance. He's the only one has to sign. Oh, okay. Yeah. But I we do record the
vote and and Okay. Um, so this is also um just just let me because it's mineral. So Oh, you're not? No, I'm not.
Okay. So the second one um is going to be and FY uh the FY25 MTR O2. Um this is to trans the requested amount is400 and it's going to be transferred to um
tax collect professional technical services and it's coming from the land use wages for the land use coordinator and again use coordinator figuring out the money. There was a position that was not filled last year. So there's money in the land use
coordinator position um to to cover this. So I think to Mary Jane's point for the last one I think we need to tell people going forward they need to fill that box out um more.
Yes. There's a box there that says what's that request to be used for the following reasons. Right. and and to say to balance yes this line right is not good enough and and again there's maybe we have to
do training the other the other part and the I just noticed that I didn't pick up on it um on the forms there there are check marks at the top and it says check all that apply um it does
it does in reviewing your request there's one too um and just kind of put an X in the box for all that apply. And because you have to make sure that these transfers are are recurring in the last two months of
a fiscal year on the first 15 days of the following and it's not what water department or light department or school department. So both of them need to be checked off, right? And they're and they're not. So it's been like so we'll we'll check them off
because they are not well I guess so so oh so you're saying both should be checked off. Both should be checked off. The question then becomes do these forms need to be kicked back and say they're not properly filled out.
Um I mean I realize it's a little late to do that. It is David. I agree with you a thousand. It's a training it's a training issue. Um well them out um I my guess is in this the department head um department heads normally Nelson and
this is the first time he's filled them out but that's his job for decades it it don't know what it want the money from there to here I mean we we're getting better
um in the past they've had bad accounts on these forms transfer money from from here to here and they have the wrong accounts. Am I surprised? No, but we're better. These accounts are the right accounts and that all works.
We just missed a little X in the box. Yeah. Well, and we also missed filling out filling out the Y the reason for important that we know. Yeah. I mean, the reason a reason to say to resolve a minor deficit Yeah. doesn't really
doesn't really answer the doesn't really answer the question. doesn't really it it's for 3 cents I'm not or for 8 cents I'm not worried about it but for $20,960 right or for this one for $4,500
yeah we should know the really I mean if it's like okay we had an invoice to right we have an invoice that we didn't ne that that that came in that has to be paid okay fine just tell us that correct yeah I think we need to know
that it's little more more. So I think I think um we need to put out guidance. We need a little more instructions maybe if I mean by to balance the tax collector professional services line. Um the
training training the the professional professional services for the tax collector could uh could be unipe could be um telly Ryan could be any of the other pieces of software that she needs
and professional services more than her mind would be from right well if it was software or something with you I would say Mhm. Right. We bought software, upgraded software.
We we did something. We should know that. Yeah, we should know that. We should know that. This is the reason why the the account is over here. It needs to be come from over there. Yep. I mean, I'm not I'm not worried about a reason why I'm taking it from this
account. This account has money. Fine. Take it from wherever there's money. But there should be more explanation as to why it needs to go into the account. Yes. Exactly. And and I think unfortunately it's probably too late to kick these forms back and say
fill them out more and then we'll approve it. Yeah. Because we're already in the next fiscal year, right? I'm assuming that there's a deadline for this to get done. Yeah. So we can't we don't really have time to say and Monday. Yeah. So I don't So we don't have time
to to to kick it back and say do it over um pass this year. We give them a pass for this year. I think we should put out the guidance that says this is not sufficient reasoning for the future. One of one of the things that um we've
done in the past is is a review of the prior fiscal year and the budget and it's kind of like so again this is the first time people are here are hitting it so that we can say how do we get how do we get better going going forward. Um
so the the with the notes uh more detail um on the information and said no um we have and we've gone back um there have been times that somebody took and paid another bill out of an account
that they were transferring before seeing the so there wasn't enough in the account. So, we do we do double check and um make make sure that there's money in those accounts um in order to be able to transfer because we can't approve a
transfer if there's not enough money in that account. So, and so and in a lot of cases, and we'll see a way later on with Town Park for who happen to stay here um with us, um I like the one for one transfers um
because you can approve a single single line to a single line. Um in the in the past, we have had multiple from lines going to a single two like we did on the first one, right? 20,000 from 20,000 for one line. So, There might be
a case if if the other account didn't have the 961 in it, we would have to reject the whole thing and and and not have it and and not be able to Oh, I see. If they took another one, okay. Yeah. So, if you do a one for one, it's it's a little easier.
Yes. But I think that we can't um we can't be too diligent. No, we can't. We can't not anymore. I mean, the horses are on the bottom, right? in that, you know, just willy-nilly. Yep. Yep. Understood. It's kind of like
it it's much like when we when we do the reserve transfers, we're looking for more details, invoices and things like that to go with it. Same same thing here. What's the what's the root basically? What's the root cause? And again, we can go back and do root cause analysis. Why did this account, you
know, ask ask the department head to the bank and say, why didn't why didn't we need 4,500? What's the root cause of of going over and then we we get that opportunity to look at it. Um we've already budgeted for next year. Um but
have we FY26 is where we're started FY26. So when I say next year, I mean the FY26. So we've already budgeted FY26. So if we were 4,500 this year in FY25,
is it going to have the same impact next year? Did we miss Did we miss They're doing it the same thing every year. Mhm. Right. And and this is not familiar, but we can go back in the previous year logs that we have and see
and see uh but this one is not familiar to me that we're transferring into um the the tax collector professional services on any kind of regular basis that it all seems to be one time. Where is it coming from again? I
um that's okay. It's kind of like if I go back to the form, it's coming from land use wages. That's right. Said it was a it was a position that was not filled. It was not filled for a lot of the year. And so it has said had extra funds. It had extra funds. This year we're
going to a contracted um use coordinator position and or stipen position and that salary line has dropped. So next year there won't be money. Sure. Coordinator position to uh to pay it. Okay. Well, I guess I'll I'll make the
motion that we approve request to transfer. And this this is going to be second one. So it's FY25 for the fiscal year. FY25 FMTR MTR-2
00200. Yeah. I hope we never have 100, but All right. Um either Yeah. So, what was the FY25 and what was the MTR? Uh there.
It's it's it's I I do the fiscal year. So, it's always starts with FY25 this year. Then I do a dash and MTR MTR. Yep. For municipal transfer request. And then I do the number of 002 02.
Okay. Um and the the difference between that and the reserve fund transfer is the initials in the middle so that we can identify which ones are municipal transfers which are reserve fund. Okay. Okay. So we had a motion to
transfer the 40 4500 requested on this NTR. Do we have a second? Second it. you Mary and Jane, any additional questions? I did add to the notes that uh we want we want to go back and do root cause analysis and find
out if we can identify what caused that trans. Um with no questions, a roll call vote. Walker, yes. Mary George, yes. Stan Grant, yes. A sports,
yes. unanimous continue to sign that of the meeting. Um again, this is coming from Nelson and has a date of fresh on it. Um we will
we will check on you municipal wider school department because we don't have necessarily either one of those and so we I suppose we've been um so this is moving an additional
$3,000 into the building commissioner line salary and it's moving from land use coordinator. Why? Um um we have a lot of questions about the building the commission
office department whatever because it was not clear and then he had to go fix something and then I don't know what happened but this 17,000 keeps popping up. Well, it this this this that's the balance
remaining after. This is a $3,000 overall. So, where are we taking it from? We're we're taking it from the land use coordinator. We're giving it to the commissioner. We're We're taking $3,000 and giving it to the building commissioner. We probably did more hours than what I I think you should know why. So,
again, we we'll get we'll look for the Yeah, same note. I mean I think say no on all of it. This one I feel uncomfortable about. Why? The salary salary.
Yeah. That's it in the building commissioner salary line. So wasn't it right budgeted for last year? It it was budgeted but I think it's budgeted based on a certain number of hours per week. And if he put in more hours, then he gets his hourly rate um for the
additional hours. I I would really like to see that, but I will go along with the pass, but again, we'll ask we'll ask for followup or like
why why did it happen? like, "Oh, we should should have been able to." That's one of the weird That's one of the weird apartments where you've got a part-time full-time building commissioner and then you got to GM
person that comes in. So, who's right? Who's over this? This is the building commissioner line itself because the actual person not the not Yeah. Not the site position. What I don't understand I think is if
you're on a salary, how do you go over? Well, he he's he's on a contract for a certain number of hours per week. And if you go and not on a salary, per se, but an hourly rate. He's on an hourly rate for a certain number of hours per week. is he's he's
not he's not like other department heads that are are assigned to have a contract to be the department head for the full full-time hours. Um because he he he does certain number of hours to towns
and and certain number of hours to other towns. Oh, I know. I know. And it's not incredible, but I was pretty right. And and again we you know if he works more than the the contracted hours for towns for towns you know
and again I don't know this year would have been out building we don't know so what we're doing is we are saying okay take the money we have no idea what for or why but go ahead and we feel that that's fiscally respond
well it's not but it's too late we too we're we don't have enough time to what if we what happens if we don't approve any of these then what happens like if we went back like if we went back and sent
money doesn't transfer and we can't necessarily close our books and do the reports and and validate the precache and all those things. This this is part of that whole process where we're trying to close the books. Um should we be closing them properly with
the due diligence? I mean the timeline I get it that that the state says you have to do it within the 15 days but we had two weeks. I mean um when do they decide that they can know what this is? Is this based on the
town meeting or is this just based on something that comes at the on June 30th? This this is the report the the BBA report. they're looking at it and and say if the the line for the building measure is 3,000.
So, let me just ask the structure. So, if they say they look at the VBA in in May and they already can predict that there's a $3,000 overage. Can they submit one of these then? Yes. The last two months.
So, I I think because we should have this in April then, right? Right. May and June. June, right? This year that we should have the two months to look at it, right? Rather than have it stuck, you got to do it and we're under pressure and we this not
we were doing other things this year. This is not fiscally responsible. I mean, part of me is like, yeah, but reject them because it's not information to vote on them, but they've had two months to give it to us. I know, but I know we're under the
gun, but why don't they know put themselves under the gun instead of us? So, this let me ask so we disapprove everything. Just say you go back say we disapproved everything because
we don't have enough information to make an honest decision in favor of the taxpayer. These funds need to be redone with the appropriate information in there. Yes. And if he's over by so many hours, he
should put down however many hours he's over, whatever. So, you're saying he can't close the books, he can't get the free cash, but okay. So, he can't close the books, but you can still pay the must pay bills,
right? Can you still I mean does the whole town come to a screeching halt and nothing gets done be a good thing I think but um I mean yeah the answer is no you you because we're now in FY26 the bills that are
coming in are going to be FY26 bills and payroll is going to be FY26 payroll so it's going to be paid out of the FY26 limited and this oh I see what you're saying so this would just delay the free cash certification for 25 Right. And it's
kind of like so I I mean that's that's a piece of it because the lines are out of balance. If your budget's not in balance when you close the year, much like you have to have a balanced budget when when you close down meeting this kind of this
there's a potential actually I believe the way it was written the bal the budget is balanced. If the override passes, it's with if the override doesn't pass, it's without the So, with the
So, so the only thing we're really if we reject all these, make everybody do them correctly and give us the right information, additional information, then then the only thing we're really not having is the free cash delaying, I
should say, delaying the free cash. and our tires will probably leave me splashed. Well, I'm going I'm leaving Sunday for 10 days. So, um All right. So, in other words,
they're they're not doing their job. Created an emergency for us pretty much. Yeah, pretty much. Which is which is the normal business practice and that could be a piece. They they approved them on July 1st. We and so we
had the opportunity to to scale opportunity. We had Fourth of July in there. Okay. That was that's why we stay we stayed away from I just think I didn't answer any of the emails that were going through but constantly checking when this meeting
was going to happen. And I didn't know until 3:30 this afternoon that I could possibly that I could be able to make it. Um the option was in my head to uh if you have a quorum problem call. Otherwise, I can't make it. Y, you know,
I agree. It's kind of like I mean, even if you had a chance to look at it, you wouldn't be able to answer the questions. I don't I'm used to this. I've seen this every year for so many years. But I don't like it either. Oh, at all. I got another problem that we
will talk about someday when it was brought up by the auditors that it always bothered me. And now that somebody's brought it up at that auditor meeting, I we'll talk about it later. Well, let's get these things done and make sure the Well, we're just going to we're just going to pass them just like that. Why don't we just make a motion to just pass
all of them and be done with it? But what what's I mean, are we kidding? I mean, I mean, I know at this point it's probably Yeah, it's going to take us an hour to go through all 11 of them. And if we're going to just pass them anyway, what's the point? Just let we just bump them
and pass them. Can we do that? We can. It is kind of late. Oh, wait. Someone wants to speak. If I may, the the selectman inquired about that at their meeting, and I I don't recall the exact reference. I do believe it was to a Mass General law
that they had to view them individually. They did. They did do them. They do. Okay. Oh, yeah. They So, they never asked any questions because if they had asked questions, would we have known what the answers were? Well, I think they updated the added it to the form.
There's no additional notes in here. Every department had to get a memo from this committee. Yeah. Following the 15th saying this is the last time this kind of bull's going through. You got June and May and June to find find out these problems and
submit them early enough for us to say that's not enough information. detailed make that motion it in the past we've had and split them we we have done some in June and then just the last couple in July and so it's kind of like it reduces the amount of work at the end
um but it's about the knowledge not so much the work right yeah it's really about the knowledge the work is the work you got to know what you're doing I feel like I'm just like yeah I mean how did somebody go $3,000
over his salary without you know any explanation. The explanation is probably very reasonable. The the select board is watching you know and and town administrator should be watching the VBA watching watching
those and they're signing the warrants for the payroll. It's kind of like so they're the ones really signing them. So once once they get they're getting close to that they should know they've gone over. Yeah. It was even when I used to do payroll. I mean, I would watch it once
they started getting close to the end of their hours, you know, so many hours before they were going to be, you know, you could calculate how many hours out and you notify them right away and say, "Hey, you're almost out of hours and there's, you know, unless more money is
put into that account from there should be that kind of accounted." Somebody's going to be willing to What's that? Why is he keeping? Could be somebody with a microphone. Oh,
open it. That's That's what it sounds like. All right. So, we're going to make a motion, I guess. All right. So, we got to approve this. We just got to go ahead and approve them all. We can't do it like that. No. No. No. I mean,
one at a time. It's not what they are. and that would sign them all. Well, I mean, if there were any taxpayers watching, which there probably aren't, but if there are, they should know that this is going on, right? And and this is the kind of thing that when the override, maybe we don't need
an override. It's just kind of step overseeing if it's overseen properly properly. Um um yeah, because somebody should be looking at his hours and say, "Okay,
either you can't do the work or you need to come back and we need to find the money somewhere before you continue to do the work." Right. Right. Um but that obviously is not happening. So, right. So, how just out of curiosity,
all of these, what did that equal? Oh, yeah. All of the requests. Okay. All of the requests. Um here request for miles. The total is $43,73612. Um just to stay up so people in the room
can see where I'm getting at. So when I highlight the lines here, there's a little number that pops up down here. 43,73612. So $43,700 total was over budget.
It is depending on what department it was. It Yes. Yep. Yeah. So, we we will get we we can get to some of the others, but the the biggest is and we'll
call it 21,000 for the health insurance. That's that's 50% of Yeah. Well, we already tried to address the house insurance that was so next. So, yeah, we'll be keeping keeping an eye on that from the BBA going forward.
So this one is uh but shouldn't the department has to be keeping an eye on their old BBA? You would think. Yeah, they should be. Yeah. So Sure. Sure. They should be. They should be. Yes, they are. And it's kind of like why don't we meet with them at the end
of April next year and say, "Okay, we're right. We're right." Mhm. We can we can we should be able to do that. I think we should do that. I didn't know that last year. Yeah. No, no. We had been looking at certain lines of the BVA and
I remember all the way up through the final third town meeting from when this slush was still on the ground. We've been fighting the departments all the way through and what they need and where they're going to get it and what they're going to cut and etc etc.
And so um we've got a pretty busy teach in this building in comparison to years past. We we we have we're put in a lot of lot of hours in that. Um so a lot of financial issues. Yeah. A lot of serious ones. Yeah.
Yeah. Yeah. I think people accountable. I mean that but yeah. So I think basically personally I think this kind of stuff should be sent to every department head and saying keep an eye on it and let us know in May. We're going to have to meet with them. We're
just going to because they're not going to do it. No. We'll just call them in one at a time. Yeah. Two at a time. Five at a time. Yeah. We can set up a meeting in in and maybe we need to do it a couple of times.
April and I don't know September some every every 3 months or I'm saying that's not a bad idea. Well, yeah. Or Yeah. And just say where are you? Mhm. Right. That you budget
because there's obviously no oversight. No. And then I'd be happy for this stuff to come in in June 1st or second or third. I agree. Um because you know they give them you know the notice of for month one and month two. We got the information before months
two and a half showed up. Okay. So I to make a motion. Okay. So I'll make a motion to approve the request of transfer for FY25 MTR 20003. Yeah. At $3,000.
a second. Okay, I have a motion in a second. Um, any additional questions? I I know we do want there a discussion before, but I throw it out there before we vote. So,
we're voting to approve MDR 003 vote. David Walker, yes. Fresh guns. Yes. Are you going to hit it again? I don't care about it. I can have it removed. Oh, okay. Um,
and this is going to general property and liability and vehicle insurance. This is another insurance. This is another It is. it the amount being requested is $31564. So it was it was over but what it's coming from the community
services coordinator the community services coordinator position again that she left she left well we budgeted $20,000 in her she had salary paid by opera so there was $20,000 in this in this slide when I
the same one that would We zeroed it out. Well, no, but remember they were doing 20,000 for each of the positions. For each of those positions that were proper funded. Yeah. This this is the second of those positions and it hasn't hasn't been filled that
I'm aware of. I hope this is a little bit more of an explanation here. Is it? Oh my. Let me see. Well, yeah. I mean, again, it's pretty much the same thing, but it it's it Oh, because it says general property and vehicle liability information, right?
Yeah. So, the Yeah, it's the three insuranceances um that are in one line um in the in the budget and it was overdrawn by $31,564. It's it's a it's a oneline budget and so
you have to z you have to come to zero on that on that one. And so that that's what this is doing and it's taking the 360 $31564 from you know we really don't know anything. This is insane. So this could be a
numerical math issue that somebody made a mistake. Insurance could be some somebody underpaid or or didn't write the check number right on here. Does anybody do a reconciliation of all
the checks? Probably not. I don't know. But it could also be the New Year's insurance bill was higher than Well, that's the thing. The the best Yeah. I mean, as we do these, it's it's early on and they haven't got the annual rates yet.
So, they do the best. Yes. And if it's really over during the year, if it is, we should come back and adjust the line and move move money to it if we have free cash. We're not going to have Well, but that has to be done in a town
vote. It's got to be done in a town meeting. So, we usually have a special town meeting in the fall. So after after the free patch certified but again this one this one is there's still not enough detail though. That's horrible. Hard.
Yep. Horrible. Yep. So So again, it's almost like an insult that we have to say yes. Any refer to what insuranceances? Mhm. Don't come in until after the budget is set for the following year.
Correct. We should change our physical year. Well, we can't do that. But what but what they can say is they can say this insurance was budgeted for this amount. When the rate came in, it came
in for this amount for Yeah, I understand. And that would make that then. Yeah. Right here. You know, same thing with the the contracts for labor. We can't make a budget on it, but we can guess maybe it'll be this. And but
that's all they need to put in the explanation. That's all I need, right? Is say, you know, this is what we thought it was going to be. And when the actual bill, this is what we budgeted. When the actual bill came in, it came in. Maybe they could come to this meeting and answer it. Like we have one person
here. He's going to Yeah. America. Yeah. They're grill. But maybe they should come and so we can say we we ask them to to be in attendance so that they can answer the questions.
Yeah, I think they should be. Okay. Then maybe they'll learn how to hand writing and be getting and and we can get back to them and we'll see if we have to modify the form. This was just simply put together by
taking Y form running it through PDF converter into Word to create it kind of like um because I I didn't have a master. The master used to be at um No, it's every town has their own and how they put it together.
Um and they don't have a state. And you would think they would just have a form 25 standardiz and again the the old form didn't didn't
have the numbering scheme on it. It's kind of like so I that's why the I I added that on on the bottom so we can um get it because again if if if you don't have a number and you're just looking you're trying the details of where's the money coming from and number
two to try to identify the form if the number is lower left hand on every form you can look and see if I have the right one or reference it. Um, and having having a log, you've got a got a track tracking of it and so it can be sent to the treasurer and she can
confirm that she got them all and got them entered. Okay. Well, I guess I'll make a motion to approve FY25 MTR-004 as presented. Okay. For 315
315 64 64. Um, and I'll second it. Okay. Any additional questions? Roll caller. Yes. Yes. Grant. Yes. Carol. Yes.
Yes. I'll bring a baseball. Okay. Now the next move to the next one. Item five. We're checking off that is not like department or school on the tenant.
This is accounting salary town accountant. Um that line was paid to um 80 um and we saw the line when we were reviewing budget that it was over budget at the time. So it turned out it's $8,700
total for the year. And so the transfer is coming from the we we're moving again from the community services where it was 20,000. See now there's that's not that's a pretty good explanation right there. Y right it that's
accountant received agreed upon wasn't originally budgeted in the regular budgeting. Perfect. Yeah. Now we know what we're doing. Yep. So that person could say a and of course she's gone now. Right. Right. Y like Yeah. Is this her last week or today?
Yeah, I think today was our last day. And so I will I will make a motion to approve MTR or FYI25-m005. Right. I 005. Make sure your Yes. 005.
I'll second it. Okay. Thank you. So we had a motion and a second. Any additional questions? None being heard. W Hall Walker. Yes. Churchville. Yes. Yes. Yes.
Yes. Sorry. Moving on to the next. So, we only have seven more. Um, we're getting it. Yes. This one that that's kind of what we're looking for. Yeah. We should use that as an example.
Yeah. This is Right. Yeah. And that's the thing. It's kind of like if you have examples, you put it in here and say this is what we're looking for. This is Yeah, this is a good example to if you're not in the meeting, the the questions we might have are answers. Um, okay. So, this is an older one that I
did not get on the list. So, I'm going to have to put them with the last one. Okay. Okay. Um, so just moving to the next one that was in the packet that we got. Um, which one is it?
Is this number six then? This this is the number six. Yeah. So, I have the Is that 4500? Uh, that is 4500. Yep. So, that's the from multiple accounts.
Um, no. It's coming from a single account. It's going to building inspector professional services line and it's coming from the veteran benefit line. No, no, no, no. Okay. So, another 4,500 to the building
inspector. This is going to the professional services line. Yes. Well, there's actually an explanation there. There's an explanation. Permit link software and copier expenses resulted in a deficit. Okay. Okay. I'll make a motion to move that money for MT FT
FY25 FY25- MTR-006. Yep. Okay. Second. Okay, we had a motion and a second. Any additional questions? None being heard. Roll call vote.
Hey Walker, yes. Churchill, yes. Grant, yes. Yes. Don Hayes, yes. Yeah. So, this one's it's got it's got an explanation. So both from veterans and whereabouts
just from the veterans to the professional services. Yep. Yep. So one one in one moving one one amount from one but it's really permanent like you said that makes sense. thermolink and I
believe they transferred the cost of the contract on the copier to building spectrum um office rather rather than paying out like okay number seven okay number seven first one um
um the being transferred to town clerk um election the election wages for the operating staff. Um, okay. Wages. Okay. Election wages. I don't think we can vote on this, can we?
Um, we have all of us that have done this have filed a form that for for the um conflict of interest. Yeah. Because we pay a stipen. Um, and this
and again, this is not for the budget. When we vote the budget, that's that's when it is. This is moving money to cover elections that happened. Um, well, it it we have been paid. This is to zero out the the account.
We're allowed to vote on it because Yeah. We've already been paid. Yeah. We we've been paid. the account went negative and so this is now if I may the the primary sources of these increased costs are are more
likely um you know because I I inherited this account with a certain level of deficit already present um and I believe it had primarily to do with the town meeting um staff members um but also you know anytime there's either a special town meeting or special election held um
there are deadlines that are typically 5:00 p.m. on a Friday. And so those are additional hours of overtime for um the what the assistant town clerk. Um so the majority if and I can certainly identify particular invoices if you uh folks
would like. Um but the my inclination is that these are directly related to personnel for town meeting more than elections cuz the elections have already occurred in those who were budgeted before and other transfers have been done. Well, could it also be the fact that
there was an extra vote required also because didn't we have a second vote that that town failed at after one of the town meetings? Um, we have a second override vote or not? No. So, the the special there's there is a special town election coming up for
July 29th. That'll be hitting that'll be hitting next year. Yeah, that'll be FY. Okay. So, we didn't have a we didn't have between the town election and the special one and coming up at the end of July. We didn't have another vote. That's correct. Okay. Yeah. any additional town meeting nights. And
then also, you know, there was a special town um election uh towards the beginning of fiscal 25 um that could have had some increased costs that came out of the levy as opposed to other Right. Right. There was the one in the fall that we had to do that would have generated that probably
created the deficit that then got covered. Sure. Okay. And and the other piece just so we're clear when we had like on was it June 24th or 28th whatever the last the final meeting
there was a special town election which means you can register to vote again and that's additional hours in the clerk's office to be open to handle that. That's what he was talking about. Yeah. Not the last day to register the last state of registration. You know, so it's kind of like when you when you
you have to have that available so that you got to pay the person to do that, right? And then you'll see this is one transfer. There are a couple line items uh where there were available funds that are being transferred to that same personnel account. So this uh I believe
I heard $600 is for one of the transfers. Um a couple additional ones. um to also speak briefly on the the 3 cents and 8 cents ones that you'll you'll see later on. Um I can certainly you know perform a root cause analysis on those if the committee is interested.
I I don't have that prepared for when I'm on the air cent so inclined I'd be happy to but I was deleting the penny. Well, I I I mean I I have If the numbers are that, then I think whatever whatever you put down in there
is sufficient for for three cents. I I don't Fair enough. You'd spend more time you'd spend more money digging in to find the root cause than you would just putting down what you did. Fair enough. I figure I'd offer for the Yeah. No, we appreciate that. I I think it's more we get into
the large number the larger numbers that explanation over $5. Yeah. when we watch different things, you're supposed to round up in the budgets when you give them to the treasurer to do it and and sometimes
they don't. It's kind of like and so when they squeeze it just to get the the round number, it rounds down and they put a wrong number in there. I mean, kind of like because you don't put dollars and cents in, you just put whole dollars into the into the accounting system. Right.
And so there there are opportunities that um to do that. So um and here is to defer the cost associated with elections for the registration. And then but $200 will be this this one is the amount this is 600
and the balance remaining is $279. Usually what we're seeing is the balance be before the $600 is taken out. Again, um there's no instructions to tell you which number. What do you hear? So,
there's actually $879.93 in the account. So, what we're seeing here is the balance after it goes away. This is this is number seven, right? This is number seven. All right. So, you're good. I'll make a motion to approve FY25-mount
listed on the form. And I'll second it. Okay. We had a motion and a second by Cal. Any additional questions? Roll call vote. Walker. Yes. Mary Churchman. Yes. Dan Grant. Yes. Carol. Yes.
H. Yes. Eight. Number eight. Oh, yep. Okay. Get down to number eight. Okay. Um, it's another request and going to the same account,
same account to cover the same deficit. Well, the deficit was more than $600. You just filed separate forms for each transfer to the different Nothing wrong with that. Okay. And and after this, so the balance in this account is $500 and it's going to be zero when we're done with
um this is number eight. This is number eight. So, I will make a motion to approve FY25-m the amount listed on the floor. Okay, we have a motion in a second. Any additional questions.
None being heard, a roll call vote. Hey, Walker. Yes. Mary Jane Churchley. Yes. Hey, Grant. Yes. Yes. Yes. Okay. Yeah. So that's I mean you being here and able to speak to it
says that there's enough information in the box. Mhm. So that's Yeah. If you weren't here to speak for it, we probably would ask for more information in the box. But either way works for the box. How the box work? Well, the box just says to cover the deficit of
Oh, I said voter registration benefits and tell me Oh, staffing. Yep. Hey again this this is no this is covering the same deficit now from a third different okay y I believe there's one or two more again
for from other accounts bringing them to zero to bring to finish off separate and you're saying this is different where some in the past someone might have filed a form with one number and listed all the accounts in one form I actually like I like this I like this
better I like this better thank Yeah, absolutely. Yep. That's kind of like it's easier to understand on the on the one one. Um, and so this one is for $34.85. And this is number nine.
This is number nine. So I will make a motion to approve F525-m the amount listed on the form. I'll second it. Okay, we got a motion and a second. Any additional
questions, comments? None being heard. Roll call vote. Hey Walker. Yes. Mary Jane Churchley. Yes. Grant. Yes. Yes. Don Hayes. Yes. My number 10. It's going to be
Oh, look what they're calling out once again. Yes. So 10. Okay. You defer the cost associated with election voter registration. Same same exclamation as the other one. I'll go into the spreadsheet and show
and show you those things. So this this is going to be $354.56. Um this is number and go to zero. So this is number black. What's that? Typewriter use black. Well, that that came right out of the word processor.
the word processor out back and talk to it. It came from me. It's just kind of like if we we want colors, we'll do colors and All right. I will make a motion to
approve FY25 MTR-010. Yep. All right. I'll second and a second by Mary Jane. So this is any additional questions on the $354.56 from coming from the town clerk salary
line to the to the wages. None being heard. A roll call vote. Walker. Yes. Mary Jane Church. Yes. Says yes. Gay. Yes. Oh, this one.
Okay. So, this this one is to be transferred to the town clerk registars's other statement coming from the town clerk professional street list. Which account? So, this this is this is
this is three cents. Okay. Okay. Does this make that account zero? That's correct. I don't It takes the registars's line to go to zero because there's only one expense line in the registars's account. You have stipens for the for
the registars and there's only one line and that line has to be zero. Oh, that's that's why some of these transfers look a little because as you as you have an account number, the account number has to be zero, right? And so there was three cents overdrawn. So this three cents going in makes that
zero. This is 11, right? This is 11. I will I move that we approve FY25-m11 the amount listed on the on the form. Second. Okay, we had a motion in a second.
We ready to vote? Yes. Jane Churchville. Yes. Dan Grant. Yes. Yes. Dave, yes. Now 12. Is this 12? The one you gave us 10. The one I gave her tonight we'll do is
12. The real money we're talking about now. Yeah. Really? Yeah. Um we don't have it to share um because it wasn't part of this. Okay. So this this amount um
8 cents we're doing this is 8 cents. It's coming it's going to the uh parking cl. So I'll close this down just because we don't have it. Yeah. from the parking clerk to the street to the to the from the street list to the parking clerk from the street
list. Oh, it is. Do I not have that one? Um, well, that's the one that he just passed out. Cents from the parking clerk to the profession to the street list. From the street list to the parking the two
is the first one. The second problem is the second. Okay. 8 cents. 8 cents going to the parking clerk from the street. Okay. Who's the parking clerk? Town clerk has that function also.
The parking clerk. He's the register. He's a very fine. Yeah. Yep. Okay. Okay. And this is number 11. Number 12. What happened to 11?
Yeah. Yep. That's the three. This is I'll fill most of this in later um and get it. Um so I'll make a motion that we approve
FY25-N12 for the amount listed on the form. I'll second it if Okay, we had a motion in a second. And this is going to move 8 cents from the street list into the parking part.
Um, no questions. Yes. Roll call vote. Walker. Yes. Mayor James. Yes. Grant. Yes. Hopes. Yes. Yes. That was 12. Yes.
No. We We have one more. They had a June 17th date. Um, and a month ago, we have not. It was, but I uh haven't seen it before. Real quick,
you need to read it. It has a June 17th date. Well, he's got a copy. So, who was on top of things in June? Somebody, I guess. Can't wait to see. like and then the June was a very
acceptably busy month. Everything after, you know, the whole bloody spring. Now we have another election coming up. July 29th. Oh, did you get your big trash pad? No, not yet. I didn't get it.
But yeah, we got it. Oh, you mean the green one in the mail? The first thing my wife did. What is this typo? I look like a typo. I promise this cost. Oh, I don't know. What? I said my first thought was how much does this cost?
I was wondering how they were going to get the information out. Got to go to everybody's mail. Well, this this was the fairly warning. That's fine. Um I thought it came in, but I I couldn't
read it and I requested it. I got it. So, this one um is going to be 01212. So, here's your answer. So this is the boarding house for the
this is um this is Asia throw coming from board of selectment wages community services coordinator um to buy the bags. No make the posters in everybody's mailbox.
No well that's not it says pay to procure some paid throw bags during implementation of the rape. Yes. Where are you reading that? Where are you reading that? Hold on. There was It's actually very well spaced where like a whole paragraph just above. Yeah, just above the amount requested to be used for the
following reasons. The board of health had to prepare some bags during the implementation. The balance remaining. It's not kind of like it's up here. There's no box. Oh,
buding process. Oh, is this the one where they had to buy extra bags that they stopped the production of the bags? No, this this is before that. Um, this is when we initially started last September.
Border health had been ordering the bags as part of the for the overflow bags. Yeah. So, they were the ones with the contract with wa zero. Yeah. They had so order health ordered extra bags so that we could start the program on October 1st. So it's because
there was no money anywhere else to pay. So this is a repayment from the board by helping the town out by helping the town out by putting it in. So this this put money into their account so it it would come. So they helped this program get off the
ground last year and they were treated so badly this year. That's where Okay. Is this going to be instead of It's all 12. Yeah. So, it's going to be 13. That doesn't bother me at all because Yes, it's 13. You're right. 13 though. I'm very glad with what they've done.
I am too. I think they've been a house. Then they took it away from the one selectman. Well, it's no longer part of your taxes. So it's now well it is in a sense in the same sense but it's the only way we were able to get the count raise like I said in I
don't know what uh the um 2020 I don't know what the salary was for the town administrator but I do know that way back in '08 there was a big uproar about raising this the salary for
a new. Mhm. Replacement count administrator from 70ome,000 to 80 some thousand. That was a long time ago. Yes, I know. But the town is only getting 10% increase in their income
every four years. Right. So something and the inflation has been a lot worse than that. I use it. Yep. Yep. Okay. So, so we have to the one reason I'm on this committee is making sure
that the town like young lady here has been saying is using every penny properly and wisely. So, I would make a motion that we approve FY25-m the amount listed on the sheet 13. Yeah, it's this is number 13. It kind of
be it just it didn't make the list. I numbered them based on what was in that file and fine. I'll second it. This one is okay. We had a motion and a second. So, this is $1,800 for health from the community service
coordinator position. Um, roll call vote. Walker. Yes. Mayor James. Yes. Granny, yes. Carol says, yes. G, yes. Okay. I ask one question which I should ask before Rachel. So now this account which is the
community service person's account is that balance 9,18436 um is that what it is now because we took it from No, I I um Okay. So let me let me get that 18. You know what I'm trying
to make it because we took it to two other places. Okay. So this this is also yeah do it doesn't say I do a spreadsheet and you'll see over here I say I I have a column that says
related knock that thing down I promise related to MTR because um and you'll see that like when we looked at the town clerk and and they were going so I wanted to see um you know what what all was happening
when when I say related you'll see that um in the in the from accounts um where it's coming oh there's services that where's the services open oh from from accounts it's kind of like
so um if I put filters on here and this this one is coming from uh community services community services I'll put that in there so 20,000 right so when when we take a look at it.
Um and look at community service. Just look at that one line. It had 20,000 in it. And if we add up the three lines that we transferred out of there, that number is 10,815.
So that 9,000 that you see is is the number 9,84 left. That's what's left and that will go to free cash when this when things get certified. Correct. Correct. Y Okay. Y So, okay. But I So I I have a different question.
Yep. Who determines the transfer from? Um I'm assuming that like Harrison determined that himself by looking at was he did it with all all within his department. So he said, "Okay, I could
take it from here, here, and here." Yeah, but like in the cases where in this one where the board of health was getting repaid, they got repaid from the board of selectman. So who determined that they were going to take it from the board of select? Um I'd say Nelson because it it this one was submitted by
Nelson. So when when we look at the others, the town clerk's office, we can see Okay. Right. Town clerk's office submitted it, right? And most almost all the other ones were submitted by Nelson. Correct. Yes. Okay. So he also makes a decision on where the money comes from.
He he would work with department if it goes from one department to another. He have conversations with both department heads if it's coming from him. Um if if and generally so I've seen them come from department heads and I've seen them come from
Yeah. That's fine. I just I just curious about that. it it's going to generally come from a department head or that where Harrison was doing it within within his department right he doesn't need to go ask anybody he can just say well this is my budget so if
if I may there are a couple of different types of transfer mechanisms while the the offices while it's under one physical office the town clerk's functions the election office functions and you know registars parking clerk and
street listing those are separate um budget sections like they were approved separately at town meeting. They technically do require the uh transfer to go to the select board and finance committee as opposed to you know if I was transferring from one line within
the 160 town clerk category that could be done administratively. Okay. Whereas the inter you know even though they're under the purview of one. Right. Right. Okay. So you're saying these were done these had to be done this way because you were taking from one department and going to a different department. They just happen to be
departments under your control. So you didn't have to go talk to Nelson about it. That's correct. Yeah. Okay. Make sense. Yeah. And so if they were within your town clerk department, you could have made the transfer without coming to us. Yeah. There's a different form that goes through accounting and the town administrator, but it's it's a slightly
different process than us. Okay. All right. Fair enough. Good. Okay. So that we learned a lot tonight. Yeah, it is. We really did. I I mean this is this is the the end of a fiscal year
trying to get starting a new fiscal year and now we now we have the new fiscal year but this is closing out the old fiscal year and so I want to go like to go over in the future not tonight have it on the calendar someday talk about cash check
receipts no no no that that's something that I mean I think it's very I knew no I'm not going to name any department but I do know one department in this town got a check from me. I carried it months to months and months
until the end of the year. I deleted it from my bookkeeping system and then moved on and um uh and I am worried about other departments when cash comes in. Mhm. Um, I'm not going to say I
don't trust anybody, but I like to say trust but verify. Right. That's the thing. So, here's the movie for you. All the Queen's Horses. All the Queen's Voices. Yeah. I'm not going to say anymore cuz I want you to watch it. I can't watch it unless I write it down.
Want me to write it down for you? You could. Yeah. So, the the auditor has pointed that out in the past. Um this is the this this was his third year. Um and it's been there all three years and it needs to be
it. Yeah. The checks the checks and balances and and it needs to be on the top of somebody's list. The the check I gave that department that many years several years ago. Yeah. Now see and if you lost my check Yep. Yeah. It's kind of like
how many other checks got lost? Yeah. So, and that's that's why he, you know, one of the scripting was go away from accepting cash. You can't do that. You can't totally get away from it. Um, but there's ways to automate it. I don't know how many people like me,
but that form that the health department sent out has a QR code. Mhm. Right. Well, I don't belong I don't believe in the Kings Queens Rangers. Okay. No, I'm I'm with you. It's kind of like they were longer than the crown. I I've never been able to figure out the
QR codes. I don't I had a phone that didn't operate it and I when I would change that to a Pixel 9.0 I didn't want to learn. Mhm. Right. And again, everything is there. It's a QR code.
I'd prefer text. I've got enough. I need a link, not a not a QR code. It's kind of like well I suppose I can copy and paste it but I guess we'll just come down was there's that but so now that we've approved these they
should be able to close the budget and we should be able to go over a BVA the the year final BVA for the year the BVA will show the adjustments of these addition all of them yeah these sitting out there waiting for the meeting to be over to give it another one
they they shouldn't be it's kind of like I would say based on where we Unless they find a new notice that's been lost. Yeah, that happens. If where we are and you've seen it show up, if an invoice happens to come in at this point,
the um and the books are closed for FY25, you'll see that at a special town meeting, we come up and say, "Can we pay these old invoices?" And the town meeting votes it. What if they said no? Well, if town meeting says no, then then
we have bills outstanding and and maybe we're not, you know, if it was with the nor. It's kind of like So, yeah, we they do what they can. they at the at the beginning or mid of May, they they
the accountant comes out and says, "Please limit your June purchases and make sure all outstanding purchase orders are build so that we have the invoices and can pay them before the end of June." That makes sense. So, they're they they do try in their in their practices to to get all the bills
if there's a vendor that doesn't get the bill in and we and we do see it. Last year, I think it was down to only two that we had we had to do. Other than that, we've we've had more than that in in the past, but um it is it is somewhat limited.
Um okay, now we're we're all set on them. Um I did have a couple of correspondences come in. Um I and I will reach back again. and I was out of town on vacation and and so I didn't get the opportunity and I made my
notes about who would wear unless it out of town. So I didn't have any um we had two people that wanted to get on on an agenda and discuss the budget. Um one one was an email and one's a phone call. So I just need to do that. So we
schedule our next meeting it will be there. So it's kind of late. So just so are these folks that have been looking to discuss the budget before or these new folks? Um first time I've seen them. I they don't I um I didn't recognize them. Okay. What do they want to do? But they they said they wanted to
discuss the budget. It's kind of like with the board with with finance committee. Yeah. I think that's a great idea. Yeah. Do that for the override vote or draft. I Well, that gets to our next which is setting our next vote. Do we want to
meet before we override vote or do we want Well, I I'm gone till the 22nd, right? Yep. Um, so you can't be I've been gone for a while. The next the votes the 29th. Is that right? It's the 29th. We just have this week and next week.
You're gone to the 22nd. You said you're gone when? No. No. It was Sam's gone. Sam's Sam got a busy summer. I will be available all summer and just a few day trips uh with me.
So I guess I most of my problem is weather related. Sure. I mean uh like it was a nice very stuffy but a decent day to get some work done outside today compared to the last few weeks when it's morning by noon you're
in the oven turned on. I I guess I can meet before the 29th, but if we don't have enough to do that, I'm fine with pushing it out after that. I just want to meet before they didn't say they didn't really they didn't specify. They didn't specify. They just said
budget. So, I don't know if it's at 425 budget or 426 or the or the overwrite. So, I can motion be available. I may not be able to guarantee I'll be available because it's like I said, it's a dayto day. It's a it's a thing. I will probably be
available. They you will Carol after the 22nd. After the 22nd and if we were trying to do it before evening is definitely is the better shot for me. That's what I So I I guess I'd say if we're going to do it, we'll try to schedule the 28th.
If not, we're end up August. So or the 24th. I mean, I could do the Thursday the 24th. I don't know if that would be a Okay, be a good day. But see, we don't have anything to talk about until after the
Well, that that that could be too if you want to I mean, I don't know if you want to contact these individuals and ask them that question. Yeah. If but yeah. Okay. So, let's let's set a date if they want to meet before and then if not I'm thinking we want to meet
beginning sometime in August. Sometime in August. Let's let's say the Thursday after um Thursday the 7th. Sure. 7th or the 24th? August 7th.
Yeah. If they if they want to discuss the override, we meet we possibly meet the 24th. If they're not worried about that, then we'd say 7th. Okay. So, tenatively one of those two depending on depending on what these people are looking to discuss.
So, And then I have a closeout question. So on this exercise that we just went through tonight, Yeah. Um the board selectman go first or should go first.
Um in in there's no set because on the 8 cents we went first. The board of selectman went first on all the others. It's kind of like so it's okay either way. Both boards have to sign on. I see on it. So, it's kind of it there's no
set, you know, who goes first. Who goes first? It's just like approving the override. It's got to be approved at a town meeting and a vote, but no, it doesn't matter who goes first, right? Yep. Okay. So, but it it's typically has been
select board and then finance committee. But again, the the last one is we we went first and they'll do it uh things the meeting. Yeah. July 15th, they have the meeting set. So, when we meet at our next meeting or do we want to table how we're going
to move forward for the next year? Um, I would like to verify with um Valerie Gage and have her in a meeting and discuss how we
move forward since she's our liaison. Yeah. But we don't have to ask her, do we? We no but if if we want to discuss moving forward you know they she's our leazison with you know we person with the with the select for it so we can
um set it up and make sure we're you know and she can bring it to the board and say you know what this is what we want to do. We have to ask permission of the board of no no he's saying we just want we just we want to meet regarding it. Oh, no,
no, no. I don't want to meet with the board select one. I not at all. I I want to meet with us to get a plan. Like, for example, for the new forms, how are we going to meet the with the department heads? Do we want to do some kind of an educational
meet and greet with the town people that kind of like an overview of what we want to do next year. Yeah. Plus those remember the those forms when the department heads came in with their thing to be they filled those forms out either halfway or
that's all differently we want to standardize those forms from every department every department submits the same couldn't follow because they're all so different so yeah we that's one thing we do want is I think there's a lot of work
to be done okay I budget, right? But I was thinking it in relation to moving forward with the select board because we're again we're going to want the multiple year thing. I mean I'm still on the multiple year thing. It's kind of like
we're Yeah. What you want? We can't even get a budget for this year. Five years, three years. It's super six months. and and then you know the contracts come to an end at the end of the next year.
I've never seen anything like it in my life. It is like you know it's embarrassing. That's what it is. Did they There was what was there was there was contracts that were up at the end of June. Were those that was the Was it the police and the fire or just the police?
I think it was police. And so did that contract get that negotiation occur and get finalized? Haven't haven't heard yet. I'm not sure there's any negotiation. They asked if we did those meetings. We did. And would they say no?
Well, they said no at the meeting, but when they were discussing, we they said at the meeting with the unions, the answer was no. But I thought it was a yes to have the discussions back what the impact of race. I thought the unions
told us we could come. What? I thought the union people told us the ones that we did talk to said that we're more than welcome. Okay. Well, the unions aren't going to want us there. And then they say they didn't want Yeah. Because we're going to because
we're not going to be looking to exceed their demand. We're going to be telling them they can't have it. I don't think we should be talking. I think we should be there to know what's going on because Oh, bite my tongue as well. Yeah. No, no. I I thought that was the conversation we had was they were going
to have the negotiations come back and discuss the contract on administrative select board and we were going to be part of that so that we would know how what what their Well, I wanted input to it as well. Yeah, exactly. Before they present
before they Well, I'd like Yeah. I mean, who's who's ever if it's Nelson negotiating, I'd like to at least give him a nudge and say, you know, this is where we feel that you should right, you know, need to hold some hold some lines here.
Yeah. You know, like my clothing allows, which this just But anyways, yeah, they again, that's what you Well, if they're going to come and talk to us after they make all the decisions, what's the point, right? No, it wasn't supposed to be after the
decisions. It was after the initial meeting with the with the unions come back and negot and and have that discussion. What do you think the input to the contract should be? Where where the rate are they going to negotiate with the unions? I mean at some point
well we have to understand they have to but they brilliant in delaying it. Yes question just I know that they said but legal well you'd have to ask a lawyer but just say the override doesn't pass. And then they have to go back to the meeting
and negotiate, right? What's the even though they say, you know, we have to cut this out. What's What's the union What if the union just comes and said, "No, we're not negotiating. Go cut it someplace
else. Find that money somewhere else. We have another year in our contract. You honor it." And um I'm sure that's a possibility. And I'm sure the way that they've been the use has been treated this whole session. I mean I I would say that
yeah I I don't have an answer for that but that's a good one to Well we don't know what's written into the contract about hiring and firing right. Yeah exactly. It's kind of like those contracts aren't private. No we I have to read my Oh
you can get you're supposed to be able to get them online. I do I administrator page. They're on there actually online on the under cal down website on there. No, fire and police. I couldn't find
police was on. Was police on there? I know. But I do have all the tongue the other ones. I'll read I'll have to go read it more in depth and see if there's an outlause in there for that they have to see if they have to negotiate or
don't expect what they have for the work to say we don't have any money when the town has a a school budget that that shows less money available I'll have to come out my understanding was that if first time
is presented the contract is presented a new contract is presented That's when the town's people vote to say yes, we agree with this contract and we'll fund it for all those years. So the town has to vote on the new contracts.
So it it it's it's not and maybe we need to put it out out there a little bit more explicitly that this is a new contract. If you vote now to accept this these raises with the unions at this point, this is saying you accept the
terms of this contract. Oh, sorry. But do we do they know what it is? I I don't think there's ever been a presentation that says this is the first time you're voting on the on the budget. Jeez. So, we we we have voted on the budget,
but by default it says if you funded in the first year, it's funded for the three years. Oh, that was not disclosed. That was not I I've never That was clearly not disclosed. That's at least that's my understanding of the some of the conversations that have gone on since. See, this is
so we don't vote on a contract explicitly. You're saying it's implicitly voted when you when you vote to when you vote to approve a town. Oh, so that was like a move that they made. Oh, it's kind of like But that's that's the
piece. We have to go back and double check that with the new contracts coming in so that it's very clear to people that you vote you vote this it's it's voting in and these these are the terms because they don't present they've never presented the terms of a contract at a
town meeting. They've just pretty much gotten the the budget in in there for for it. Yeah. So again, I need to go back and double check it and and clarify that what I what I thought I heard and
understood is is what So we don't know yet if the police contract has been negotiated, right? And if it is, it would be part of next year has not hasn't been hasn't been yet. So it would So are they operating on So what are they operating on? it the budget for
FY26. It's it's probably the end of the three-year firm on the on the last contract. So they they'd be negotiating the FY27 budget. Oh, okay. So you're saying FY26 is covered. It expires at the end of FY26. So
they're starting to negotiate the FY27 now, right? Okay. So we're not too late to influence that negotiation cuz that's what that's what that's what I want to be a part of. Yeah. Well, how do you get to be a part of it if they say no? I mean, my goodness, they don't want us to know anything. You think they're going to let
you sit at the table and negotiator? No. But again, it it's kind of like we're we're asked to be part of it. we and what they said like I my understanding was that they said that we wouldn't be at the table negotiating the
contract with the union but we would be part of the conversation of putting it together and seeing how it impacted the means I believe what they tell us happened in the room but that's what they what happened in the room should be what they're putting
into the contract as as we put it together and that's That's where the rubber meets the road is in that room that says we're going to get a step and a cola or just a step. It's kind of like those those are the question, you know,
I I just think one of us should be in the room, Dave Walker. I really do. I really think this because I my my trust is like flatlined because of the way we've been treated and the answers we get and the
snarky little remarks. I I really think we the fin represents the people. We should be in the room. We don't have to talk. We don't have to make any moves, but I think we should Well, that can't be me. You're the quietest one in the whole commission.
Yeah, but I may not be when it comes to negotiating a union contract. We trust that you could do it. like that's that's the Yeah, it's kind of like but I do think we should basically we we need to be part of part of it that
puts it together and puts how it fits into the town budget. It's kind of like because but that means we have to rely on what they will tell us and we have a history of them either not telling us and telling us we don't need to know remember that one or
you know slight of hand slight of mouth you know right there needs to be the semantics and and I don't think we can get it any other way unless one of us well so Dave's the one yeah Dave's the one I think Dave's a good one for
the starting point the starting point the last contract, right? Or or before they go into negotiation. That's what I was gonna That's what I was just going to say. We need to get a copy of the last contract so we can have an input into this is what needs to get this is what
needs to get presented for the next prepare it to to the budget what it looks like going forward. If you and say this this is what the proposal should include in order to make a balanced budget going more than One budget at a
time. One union at a time. Well, one budget. One budget at a time. Because once once we have it set up and you can you can plug in percentages very easily and see what the impact on the budget is. It's kind of Oh, you mean for the raised step and all
that? Exactly. It's kind of like we we get an additional 2 and a half% a year. If somehow this is when you throw in the new steps and coal, there's only a certain number that
but there's going to be a point where it can keep going up and going up and there's only so much money coming in, you know, and you know, how does that work? Well, I think those are the pieces we have. My first suggestion would be no colas on the next contract or tie it to that.
I think that's a great idea. Yeah. I mean, they already get they get step they get step increases. Yeah. Right. We're going to have we need to have a threeyear freeze on coals and and that's that based on where we are then. Yeah.
Looks like it looks like the negotiators in the past have just said, "Okay, okay, whatever we want, whatever you want." I don't see I don't see where there was any tough negotiation or any protection for the town. It was almost like Yeah. Okay. Okay. Yeah. Sure.
We're on board. I don't mind that they if we could put a three-year moratorum on colas that might give us a chance to catch up to catch up. And and again this this year in addition to where we
are with salaries, we had a second year in a row of trying to freeze expenses right at 0%. Right. It's kind of like so now and and in addition there were lines that were cut from say $10,000 to zero out of this
budget this year. Is that going to come back in FY27's budget? Right. Say no. Well, those those are the pieces. But if if if we start putting things in, you you've got to have the picture. You've got to have the FY27 column and and
start plugging it in and in and the FY28 plug in what's the what if scenarios. If you give if you give a 2% step and a 2% co-work, this is what it's going to be. You don't have two and a half%. You don't have enough money in your two and a half increase to cover these.
Well, I mean, if if you if you do two and two, that's four. Mhm. You already know that that's not covered by the duel. Well, but then how do you cover it? Right. Well, that's what I'm saying. You cover it by saying no cola no cola of 2%. You can have a 2% step in that
or half half% cola to get to two and a half. But we need we need to retrench. We need that half%. We need the half percent to cover the expenses. And then clothing allowance. just cut everybody down or make them buy a uniform shirt and not
Well, that's again those those are proper than Oh, yeah. With a logo where the town logo should be. But the other thing is guess what? There'll be no ARPA money that they can pull out of now. So, where are we going to find the money that we've been finding over the last three years?
Well, the ARPA money is going away. We we used 200,000 in free cash to fund the budget this year. Oh, yeah. Whoops. So, there there's that. Um it you keep you you keep going with all these things we've done when we'll get to next year there's going to be a bigap right and
that's why we need right we need to we need to no coal in this next next we need but that won't happen with the negotiators that we have for the town that's not going to happen well that's what I'm saying we need to
instruct them that way in that's the kind of like and That's it if it's kind of like they need to if they need to see it then we need to work with them and say you know do that number put it in here and tell me
how that that's going to work in the budget is kind basically I mean reality is reality well don't they do that and and just like I don't think so I I I I have I think they do exactly what you do okay whatever you want we'll give it to you
that's how it looks again so No, thank you. So, where are we with the state with the uh DLS? Have they made any promotions? They want to meet with us. Um, they want to help us there. I I get I think they're waiting
waiting for me and I wanted to have that conversation with with the group. It's kind of like um they were willing to meet with me as finance committee chair and and with one-on-one
with them. No, not with the board. Not with the board. So, um we can gather all input um and I can take it or we can Is there a reason I don't want to meet with the board? I mean, tell them.
No, there was there was nothing. It was It was either it was um just came back to me as as that I I know there was another request put in but I have I I wasn't part of that request so I don't know
request to me with who? um the DOSDR that we we have a representative from the Department of Revenue or Department of Local Services. There's so it's DLS is under the DOR umbrella, so it's all um but we do have a town
representative through there for for the help. She she's come in before. Um but it will we when I reached out who who asked um he said that uh she and her supervisor
said they would meet meet just one one with with the like I said with me. So that's interesting. Yeah. Again, I think it it was unprecedented for reach out. Um, they
didn't. So, where do we go for help though? Um, isn't that their job to help us? Maybe they don't get many requests for help, right? So, so yeah, or guidance. Maybe and maybe they they're trying to understand what the help and guidance is. That's why I want to
Well, I guess you could say the finance committee has a has a lack of we don't really believe that the money is being actually appropriated correctly. Absolutely. It's an accounting and I
think it's also management. I mean, and mismanagement issue for years, not not recently, but for for some period of time. Yeah. And we've, you know, the counts being properly put into the right appropriation and um
and you just it's just lack of confidence that absolute lack of confidence. And that's why we'd like a a real audit, not just a cursor. I I mean like a deep dive real deep dive
because when we did that audit with the Roselli remember Rio whatever was so he said that they only audit which I didn't catch they only audit certain accounts what about the other small accounts that they don't audit I mean what happens to them
I know what I want to ask you one of your emails I had scene this is a while ago was about buying mass money on how money or whatever it was. And you said there was three there. There were three
three town of Townsen account in in town in Townsen and there was one town of Townsen in Reading which is where we sent our so real estate taxes. So is it Nelson that has to go to the state to get the money? Treasurer treasurer was reaching out. Um
so we do we know how much money was I I don't know yet. Um it it would um um Melissa said Rebecca was looking at it. I mean whatever penny we can get is a penny.
Exactly. I mean I was at the big E at the Massachusetts house there. They had mass money lottery and I just jokingly went up to him and said find me some money. He says what's your name? I looked at my name. He says
you you your name popped up. Here's the paperwork, right? It was like two three accounts in 200 bucks. But do Exactly. So that's that's why I I So I'm saying maybe there's thousands out there we don't know about.
Right. Exactly. So there could be something. It's kind of like So that's that's why I uncovered it. I happen to be It could be three cents, but it's more than a dollar. They don't they they don't publish anything under a dollar on the website. It's kind of like
Well, yeah, that makes sense. It's kind of like so they they there's just way too many records so that so we could get $3 at least could could be kind of like so it it's out there. Um but so it's been put down for next next
meeting's agenda. Yeah. Um I want to preemptively discuss providing guidance to the town administrator for negotiating the police contract. Yeah. And actually any any and all future contracts that are negotiated over the next several years
cuz I think we should provide that guidance of no colas. Mhm. And say that we should not have colas on the next contracts because the town can't afford it. I it might help a lot if we would find out who's responsible
or who what we are doing as a David Massachusetts community and getting the bloody Beacon Hill to stand up and help us with half of our budget. The school system they um
well somebody I did see something where some amount of money I did the governor still need to sign that one. I think the governor needs to sign it but or it was passed. There were in the recent budgets Margar sent out an email that was
posted. I don't know if it was on the town website or somewhere else. I saw it. Um but um there were there was a an increase in transportation information. It was there were some increases for the schools, right? There was a total number, but it
wasn't broken down by town in there. So, we'd have to go back and see if we can get it broken down by town. And that's money that So, that's money that's going to come to the school next year for this for this current fiscal year. Now, right.
And I'm assuming that that means the amount that we have to provide would be reduced by that amount. Is that true or is that not true? I don't know. What does a school board have to do with what the school does?
Well, we elect a school board officials, right? Yep. Yep. And somehow the school management seems to cut the meat and leave the fat at top of the puddle. Um well the um the
the school committee has a um budget committee subcommittee in it um that goes over the budget and works with the um controller or the accountant for the school system and and they put together the budget. So, so it's a collaborative
effort between this the school and the school school should have something to say about you know the amount of administrative assistance we need in this town really
versus what we should pay for because you know they're our friends. Yeah. And I thought I saw another thing where there was some supplemental money supplemental budget towns as well, not just the schools. Um, oh, that was in the fire for the um the
fire because of the shovel closing. There was that, but I thought there was one other there was there was another one and and I think it was already accounted for somewhere um in the fair share amendment or millionaires they called it the millionaire's tax
amendment. Uh but it was the official name was the fair share act. Um the revenues for that came in and they did um allocate additional money to towns for the roads um for that aid. That fair share is supposed to help fund some do some school funding and it's supposed to
fund some infrastructure. And so I believe we had an increase in our chapter 90 money for roads which I think is is what definitely came in for that. Yeah. They again we're not funding roads through our budget. It's kind of many
things that we don't you know we that should be in our budget that that we just can't afford. If we were to bring in the the roads if we were bringing some of the other things it's kind of like this budget would really get Yeah. No, I understand I guess. And it's kind of like I think we don't realize
what we're not what we're not funding and how we're starting to break down on things. It's kind of like the the roads are in really tough shape and with chapter 90 money you can only fix so many miles roads in a year. It's kind of like so we had put together like
pavement plan but never funded the pavement plan. So it's kind of like so that that continues to to be something that there to be a problem we're yeah we're patching instead of fixing and repairing was kind of like and the patching it gets pretty it it wears on your car because it's all the
potholes and and well that's the other thing it's not only attached all your own right I'm not understanding why that's not under safety highway I thought I thought it was
Um, it's highways under public safety along with the building inspectors. I believe here was in Yeah, it's in that section. It's in that section of It's in that section. Yeah. It just doesn't say public safety. If we break if we brought public safety
down on every line that was covered by public safety, you'd see this that they wouldn't Well, I mean, when they talk about no cuts to fire and police, I there should be no cuts to highway either. I mean that right it's the same for me same it it was
safety safety yeah that was that was where they were saying that they were I think yeah I mean yeah okay um so okay so we have how do I put the budget or for the uh uh yeah for the contract so the
thing for next time yep the agenda the agenda that's so it's either going to be on the 7th of August or the 24th of July right I reach out 24th of July. I guess I will move that close the
meeting the meeting time second to let us go with voice. All in favor of adjournment. I the white
we stand adjourned.