Good evening everyone. My name is Laura Shiffren and I'm calling the meeting of the select board of August 5th, 2025 at 6 PM. May I have a roll call, please? Veronica Cow present.
Good present present. Please join me in the pledge of allegiance. I pledge of allegiance to the to the flag of the United States of America and to the republic for which it stands, one nation under God, indivisible, with
liberty and justice for all. I'd like to thank all of our veterans as well as all of our military currently serving here and abroad and our emergency response family and individuals along with their
families. We owe the debt of gratitude. The meeting is being recorded and will be uploaded to YouTube. Is there anyone else recording? Hearing none. Uh chairman's additions or deletions.
Maybe I'm just going to do it in the agenda, right? Okay. Um 1.5. Did you approve the meeting minutes of August 6th? May, excuse me, May 6,
2025. Is there a motion? Um, I make a motion to approve the meeting minutes for May 6, 2025. Is there a second? Second. Any discussion? I mean, I've reviewed them. First ones I
can review. They look to me and they do to me as well. Roll call vote. uh Veronica Kell I and Lorisha. Okay. So we have no appointments or uh hearings under number two. Number three
3.1 appoint Cindy King to the commission on disability commission on disability effective August 5th 2025 until June 30th 2028. Um now many of you have not not heard
about this. This has not been a seated um commission, but it is in our is it in our charter or our bylaws? One or the other. I think it is in our bylaws.
Yeah, there's there's a there's a mention of it. I'm trying to see if there's any further mention of it. It's not in a lot of places. I just if if we could confirm it and how many are on it and because it will be the first seating
and there's been a posting for it for a while. Um, oh, and I know that when I was formerly a selectman, I advertised in the COA newsletter, uh, for many months trying
to get someone on it because we were trying to get the ADA document written and it was one of the things that the grant was looking for. Yeah, this is from received the public nurse vacancy is from the 20 20th of May 2024, which is over a year ago.
Uhhuh. So it's been um has five vacancies one, two or three year terms staggered. Shall research local problems and people disabilities advise and assist municipal employees and employees in certain ensuring compliance with state federal laws regulations
coordinate with mass office disability guidance technical assistance to individuals not less than five members and not more than 13 members. Okay, so we have some work to do. Me, too. Um, okay. You better get started.
Real Deal has a hand up. That's uh Cindy King is Real Deal. Thank you. Um, yeah, I just wanted to say I was going to I figured you guys would know because I was assuming it's in the charter, but I haven't checked, but I I know it was voted on at town meeting
probably in 2018 time frame, 2017, 2018, because I'm the one that got it put on there. Uh it's never it's never been staffed. Uh there's never been, you know, after I got off the board, there was no effort. Um and I'm not complaining, but there was just no effort to really get this going. And um
I'd really like I I Well, I didn't know that. I didn't know what you were doing, but I'm not I'm not complaining. I don't want to put it out that way. But I mean, I'm saying like back then, you mean it's it's it's one of those things. And I know that there are a lot of grants that well not tons but there are some grants that come
through and there's other funding other than grants that we can access and um this is in my wheelhouse. It's something I've been very interested in and I've been following the Massachusetts Office on Disability ever since. So, um I I think this is a good opportunity for me
to do something uh positive and um rather than sitting out there and complaining about things, I can actually put uh put some work to to the grindstone. And uh I think I have a I have some good connections, maybe I can be more productive on getting some
recruits. I'm very familiar with what the committee's requirements are, so I think I can really do the the recruiting and Okay. And as um so Val just mentioned and uh so did Veronica that the posting has been up since May of 2024. Correct.
Um we're thrilled to have your Excuse me. Yeah. So posting as a reposting that posting has been up prior to that. There was another posting. Yeah. Oh yeah. Okay. So now do we repost again since we will be um seating somebody? So there
will be a little different description. Um actually you you guys what I'd like to do is it assuming you know if you'll appoint me um I would like to post appointment work with uh Nelson Sabrina and and the board if I need to to
rewrite that posting. There's some issues like it's required that most of the members be disabled and I think there is a charter change that we need to we need to pick a number between five and 13 not just have a wishy-washy what's the quorum today. We we need to
pick a number and I mean that's a for later but um the requirement is the majority of the members must be disabled. So um and that needs to be in a posting. So I I mean if assuming you'll appoint me I'd like to work you know with the powers that be to to get
this a functional a really good posting and then start a recruitment drive and then work with everybody on what the opportunities are with this commission. Okay. Yes, one thing to mention is it might um
operate under the outlines of the MGL as well. That commission I think it does. I was actually I was looking at the uh the annual town meeting in 2017 which is when this was uh voted on to be adopted. It does um
reference Yeah, that's that's what we need to follow. Yeah. Section 8J. Okay. So, um, thank you, Cindy, for your I don't see it. It used to be in the charter.
Okay. But it's in our bylaws now. I don't see it in the bylaws. What did you just read? This was just the that's supposed to notice agency, but it was voted at a meeting. Yeah. I it was um I mean the charter
review committee met sense and I wonder if it was absent something happened. So if I'm looking at E code correctly under section A195 um acceptance of general laws that was
one of them that we accepted the the chapter 40 section 8J. So, it is in our bylaws. I can't find it. That could be in the charter. Actually, it I thought it was in the charter.
I think 145. That might be the charter. I I believe it was, but I'm not seeing it in the new charter. Um, it could be there and I'm missing it. Um, if it's not, we have a special coming
up. We can redo it. I'm not finding it in the charter either. It's It's not there. I wonder that they would have dropped it when they were because they were trying to clean house and it's something we never did. But we could put it since it was voted at a town meeting. It's my
humble opinion that we could since we have an SDM coming up that we could just do a an article for charter change to put it back on based on the vote of the town meeting in 2017. So, do we um seat
a committee that a person on a committee that we don't have a mention of it in the charter or the bylaws even though I'm certain it was and the trick is if it we couldn't remove it without a vote. Well, the charter was rewritten
um and passed through the legislature and reading accepted it. Um, was it an oversight? It appears that it was. Um, I'm I'm just not seeing it.
I mean, we could we could I know it was there. You know what? If we accepted HJ, then it that should be legal, I would think, because that means we've created a COOD, right? I think it's something that we have to make sure we could we could appoint pending
review. Yeah, we could do that. I'll entertain that motion. Yeah. I make a motion that we appoint Cindy King to the committee on disability effective 85 2025 until 6:30 2028 pending review by town council. Second.
All right. Any further discussion? Hearing none. Roll call. Veronica I Gage I and Lisha Fern. Thank you Cindy. I I see only positive things coming from that. I hope so.
Okay. And then we have 3.2. Is there a motion? I move that we reappoint Mary Lou Best to the Council on Aging Board effective 701 2025 until 6:30 2022.
Second. Okay. Any discussion? Just uh she's a reappointment to the clerk position on that. What do you mean to the clerk position? It says the appointment.
I think it's just that's probably the current position because they'll have to re they elect to reord Right. Okay. That's their decision who gets what the reappointment form. We're going to talk about this. Reappoint form is different than the volunteer form. So we we do have to have discussion about
that. Um any further discussion on this motion hearing? None. Roll call. Veronica Cal I Valer Gooditch I and I congratulations to both um 4.1
okay uh 4.1 review of open meeting law complaint alleged violation July 1st 2025 I can report to you that um that was I'm really learning my job
guys. So, it was disseminated to the board once I the chair got it. Um, and it also was sent to town council. Now, the Do you have any other information on this one for an
extension? I do not. We haven't received we haven't received we haven't received a response from town council today regarding this because we had a couple followup questions and we haven't received the response yet. Okay. So, what I what I do want to say
is that we're working on it and um given the date given that we don't meet until the 19th, which is the date that it has to be responded to by, um I believe we're going to have town
council handle it and hopefully get an extension um to answer that one, but we are working on it. Um 4.2, Review of Law. Do we need to vote on that? I don't know.
To agree to have it go to town council. Oh, okay. For consideration. I would make a motion for town council to consider the open meeting complaint um from July. Sorry, I'm just looking at it. Make sure I got it right. July 1st, 2025.
I will second that. Okay. Any further discussion? Hearing none. Roll call. Veronica Cali Laura Sheper 4.2 again on one of my bads.
Um and also before I took the 13th June 13th class for new select board members um which both D and I did in separate tables. Um, so I did not answer.
I did not disseminate and I did not answer. Um, and this one, this one has not gone to town council because we didn't answer and it's an old one.
It would have to be to Yeah. So I I would entertain a motion that that go to town council, please. Um I move that the opening law complaint from 523 20225 um preview by town
council. I will second that. Okay. Any further discussion? Hearing none call Veronica how to get a check Laura Fernai uh 4.3
uh open meeting law complaint alleged on January 9th 2025. Um, we believe that this was in conjunction with another board.
Uh, but two two of us. I never answered it. Um, however, it did go to town council and we believe that that was incorporated in
another well the housing trust also. There were two open meeting law complaints. One was against the housing trust, one was against the select board. I never saw the select board one. That one never came to me, but I did see the housing trust blank
because at the time I was the chair of the housing trust and we did address it and we did respond to it. Um, apparently I I am guessing on this. I am guessing that there was an appeal that the uh board of selectmen one had never been
responded to, but it was the same open meeting law complaint just with different boards and people. And uh no, town council um responded to um
the the housing trust voted to work with town council to respond to that. Apparently, it was appealed and the um uh AG's office has taken it upon themselves to respond
to um both and there is no open meeting law violation. So, uh we have the letter that I received yesterday. Yeah. And um and I uh will
just get um for the re conclusion. For the reasons stated above, we find that the select board in the trust did not violate the open meeting law as alleged. We now consider the complaints plural addressed by this determination to be
resolved. This determination does not address any other complaints that may be pending with the select board, the trust, or our office. Please feel free to contact our office if you have any questions regarding this letter. And this letter also went to Cindy King who was the complainant. And I assume it's
the correct Cindy King. So I think we're all set on this one. Yeah. And town council reiterated that to me today that they were both addressed. So this one will come off the books. Thanks.
4 uh 4.4 4 review of open meeting law complaint alleged violation May 13, 2025. Okay. Um I don't have a report on this one. So uh can I entertain a motion to
to have council review this because again I did not end up doing my job and disseminating or answering and I am not going to do anything like this again. Well, I I'm just going to make
one statement. I'm just going to make um the statement that it's really hard to figure out when an addition is silly and when it is valid. Um and I know that um so the first complaint is that something
was added that shouldn't have been the and it also references some long ago thing. The the second one was um the police chief came in and gave his presentation about the um uh blood hound
that the department was getting and that was under TA reports. And given that that was already in the works, you can look at the um Facebook page for the police chief. I I don't I guess the objection is that it wasn't a regular agenda item that it was addressed under
the TA reports but actually the TA is the one that um determines this not the board of select you know with um the chief executives he is the chief executive
and that is a department head and so if it's to be handled that way I don't see any issue but I would be happy to have town council review Yes. Okay. So, I'll entertain a motion for that to review the open meeting law complaint alleged violation of May 13th,
2025. Um, I move that we have town council review the open meeting law complaint dated 513, 2025. Is there a second? Second. Any further discussion? Um, yes. So, all of these will come back to our next meeting then for us to
review and vote on except for 109 except for 4.3. Yeah, 4.3 is done. Um, but the other the all three of these will come back on an agenda. Correct. Yes. Okay.
With town council recommend response. Okay. Thank you. Thank you. So that uh roll call please. End of discussion. Veronica I and Laura Sheper I. 4.5. Did you discuss
CBiz contract? Excellent. Um, so after sending uh the the contract over to town council to review, they suggested that you know it be put on our
um you know um forms you know our boiler plate forms. So, we made those changes um sent them off to CBiz and uh I sent it to them on July 24th if I have yet to hear back from them. So, I will
for those listening who may not know, would you explain what CBIS is? CBiz is the um company that we contract with to provide our accounting services. Um they've been our official town accountant for a few years now. Um,
prior to the assistant town accountant leaving, um, the assistant town accountant would be here in person, um, assisting with, you know, day-to-day accounting needs. Um, but, uh, we needed a, you know, a certified
town accountant to do a lot of the, um, um, you know, submitts to the state, you know, closing the books each month, each quarter, you know, year end closing. So we kind of need we needed someone with that skill set and certification.
And they have been assisting the town for how long? um for at least f four years I would say since um uh 2021 I believe it was 2021 2022
um from when um uh Terry was our interim in June of 2021 and so she stayed until May or so of 2022.
So that is when Markham came in. I believe it was Markham was their name. It's the same company. They've just changed changed names several times. It's still the same company. Okay. So they're very familiar with so three years. I would say two or three
years. They're very familiar with our you know accounting software you know all the accounts and you know um all the departments. So, um I think things have been going okay since the assistant town
council's departure. Um I I think that's something maybe we should put on the next agenda item. What the select board wants to do long term for that position. Do you want to um develop a job description for a
full-blown town accountant? Do you want to go back to the uh previous um arrangement where we have a assistant town accountant here in person but with CBI is kind of um you know working on
the the bigger picture items. Um, so I think there's pros and cons to both ways of um, um, I do think it's nice at some I think it's like at a town meeting to have an accountant who can answer questions
there sometimes. So I think that's my like biggest concern is occasionally having that person who, you know, can stand up when there's a conversation. That's I mean that's just my how we get there. Obviously there's
lots of ways but I also understand that getting a full-time account maybe outside our budgetary means. Mhm. Well, um well, that that's one of the the the concerns is uh we can only
afford to pay an a full accountant, town accountant so much money. Um given it's a pretty niche skill set and um I I think there's actually a shortage of um qualified um fulltime accountants out
there. Um, so it kind of puts us in competition with other towns that might pay more. I think it's also maybe part of the conversations we have with PEL and Ashby. Just throwing it out there. I've I've had I've had conversations
with uh uh Pepro um because Ashby actually uses the same company as us. So I don't think there's really much um synergy there ideas. Um on the Prol side, their full town account is only part-time. but their assistant town accountant is
full-time. Now, their full accountant um is actually not looking for additional hours. So, I kind of had that conversation with the purple TA. Um I thought they had a posting for joint with Dunstable or some such thing
earlier this year. That was I think that was a might have been a treasure collector. Could be. Yeah, it was not. It wasn't the account. didn't count. Um, I think how you might be able to, and this is just an idea of how we could
attract a a full-blown talent accountant is make it a little bit more part-time. So, you know, the pay is the same, but, you know, they're working less hours that might be more you might um attract more people. Um,
but how do we um determine the work to determine what hours? Yeah, maybe that's a conversation we could have with CEOs and see what they think is reasonable if they know the I mean they their their contract seem very open to whatever we decided best.
So I mean I think it's I personally wouldn't have a problem discussing that with them and I know it's again their financial interest but I mean they so I think CB biz they are willing to uh assist us in any capacity for as long as
we want. Um, we have a good relationship with them, but they also know that we could go down the path of a full town coun, which would mean we wouldn't need their services anymore, and they're okay with that. Um, they they know we want
someone here in person. Um, you know, so this arrangement is just a stop gap. Yeah. And it says for until October 31st is what their contract is for. So yeah, it gives us time to figure out and maybe work with them to figure out what's best too.
Yeah. And uh you know they they the the contract for um certainly for October um you know they can continue with that uh with that um rate through the end of the year and we would still be um at or
below budget for the accounting office. But I don't I don't think it's ideal for for us to have um a virtual town accountant for the entire fiscal year. I I really would like someone um in person,
whatever that may look like, whether it's a an assistant town accountant or a full town account. Any thoughts? Um, I thought it was Elizabeth Braia who was going to be our person. This looks like it's Tanya Campbell or is there
Tanya is sort of the It is Elizabeth. Tanya is the person that's like on the back end. Okay. Yeah. All right. That's that's good. And Elizabeth has been great to work with and a few times I've had questions. So,
yeah. She very responsive. if you have a question or you need to run a report, she's readily available. We know she remote. Um yeah, very responsive. Um like I said, it's it's been um not too many hiccups, you know, since
I do agree with you though, it is nice to have someone who can be present even in one of these meetings or I know one of our goals is for having that financial team regularly. Yeah. And that would I mean you could have somebody on Zoom
and that's kind of normal these days but that is good. Um I think though that we have to put a a time limit on it. If we you know if we post and we don't get anybody within the three months. I I
think we just have to I want consistency is what I would like. So August 19th is our next meeting. um you want to put it on the agenda for that and continue the discussion. Um
have we posted yet or will we post after that? We have not posted yet. Um it we would have to decide uh do you want to post for a assistant town accountant or do you want to get the No, I think we try.
Okay. It's a full full-fledged town. already went this way that and we should look at the MMA website and see what the going rate is, you know, any postings that are there, what are compare that to.
Yeah. Um and see what what's out there and what people are paying. Well, given our the approved budget already for the accounting department, um I don't think
will have much wiggle room in terms of upward mobility. You mean you mean pay? Yeah. Paying, you know, a candidate more if they either we're requesting more or
we find that we're not getting any applicants whatsoever, at least not any qualified applicants because um the the pay scale is just too low. That's where we were before. That's how we wound up with an assistant town accountant that was being trained.
Um, you never know. We could get lucky. We could get lucky. Especially the I say that economics and job market are different right now, too. True. Might be right. That is true. And you never know if you're going to get someone who, you know, down and
doesn't want as high stress of a job as they used to have or something somewhere else. I'm being optimistic. Very optimistic. Um what I can I never know without trying. So okay what I can do is um at least start the the process of um see if there's an old
job description that we can at least for a foundation of what the new job description might look like. Um and then we can can you also do the investigating like Veronica had mentioned MMA? Yeah. and see what the going rate is and
if and figure out how much we could afford. If they give if do they give an hourly? Usually it's a range a salary range. Okay. So fine. Yeah. Yep. Then we figure out where we are with that. I'll see if there's any um active
postings on MMA. Once they um expire, they kind of disappear off the website. So it's hard to Right. That's true. But yeah. So, but I'll see if there's any towns uh looking for an accountant and what the um hiring salary range is
currently. So, how quickly do you would you like to do this? I mean, would you It will take a little while. Um and so to post I I would let's discuss at the next meeting and then we should post
and it also probably would need to be discussed in relation to the hiring phrase. Um, correct. Well, our hiring freeze ended at It did. I just wanted to make sure. So, it's more of a can we get somebody
in to overlap this contract. It would be nice if the start date were October 1st and there was an overlap for the month of October and the person that we hire is a certified accountant, town accountant. That those would be what I
would want. But we can discuss this at the next meeting. Think about it, get the information, prepare say a posting and what you would do and then we'll approve that because it will take if we want it's already August and if we want someone to
start October 1st. This only goes to October. It sounds like it could be extended on a month-by-month basis, too. It can be start um again. So, yeah. Okay. I'll I'll work on those details on
I'll report back at the next uh select board meeting. Okay. Knowing that we would like to have something to vote on and post. Mhm. Okay. Thank you.
4.6 contract or Oh, yeah. We need that. We need a motion, don't we? um contingent on town formatting and review by town council. Yeah, I I think that you you guys actually did I think you actually did
vote on it previously. Do it again, but you can do it again. It's not um I move that the board sign the CIS contract pending um town council review and formatting um to be signed out of session.
Do we need and agreement with CBIS or do we already have their agreement on this? We do not cis's agreement. So add that um to so last time it was just C business and town council came back with our template. Oh okay.
And they have no idea to um I move that we um sign the CBZ contract pending town council review and formatting and CBZ review to be signed out of session. Second. Any further discussion? Hearing none.
Roll call. I Veronica Kell I 4.6 review discuss alcoholic beverages policy. Somebody want to read the current and I don't think you need
I don't think we need to read it one four never mind six pages we need to do the regular updates board of selectment to select board that is the obvious
um and then under it's down towards the bottom um the one day special liquor licenses this would be page five. Yeah. Um under there I guess we could directly state that um tip certification must be
provided by the um lency or whatever the person who gets licensed with the application um provider with the application. Yeah. um what other comments were made with our
last um the other thing we could put in here is something about um but I I don't know that it actually has to go in the policy but consideration of a detail if if the um if the alcohol
during if it is an outdoor uh public event I guess is what I'm detail might not be as important if it were an indoor venue, but if it's an outdoor space and people
are crossing roads, I don't know. And kids, I mean, this, you know, families and stuff like that, it's not The other one that we had talked about discussing was is um setting a limit on sales per person day. That's Yeah, we could do that as well.
I think the TE is doing four. I think it was Teo was four. The wristband that they had had five. Yeah, it's just the picture. I I don't know that we've always set a limit on number of drinks for other events. Um so I I think
you know I think you have to have some um ability to adjust based on what's in front of you. Yeah. and the individual at hand and the current occasion and what how long it's for, right? You know, a half an hour event is different than a five hour
event, right? So, you probably want to put that in there. So, do you want to have that be part of the policy that that is part of the um parameters set at the time of the permit depending on length of hours and all of
that? I don't know if we can or should. Is that overstepping? How is that overstepping? Well, I don't know. We don't I'm just curious, you know, just for safety and whatever else. It's a public event. Oh, yeah. Yeah. But, you know, I don't know if a different sideboard if they're always vote one just one just one. You
know what I mean? Or whatever. Um, we we could say something like um uh you know a a drink cap per person could be imposed or may be imposed or something
like that so that people aren't surprised when you ask. Um, but I I don't know. We Well, we seem to be fine with the four that they were doing for their was
it 4 about a 4 hour event. Was it the 5:30 9? Yeah. So, I I you know, I'm looking at this. It says the board of selectman shall consider each application on its
individual merit. The licensing agent may impose other regulations and conditions upon the license holder. Yeah. Such as requiring a police detail or evidence of insurance depending on the event. So I I think you have to leave some things open because you don't know.
I mean what works in one place like you can situation event with a toast at the end and so that's going to be one drink. right? Whatever it is, you know, but then something else like this is a casual occurrence. So I a decision on one request shall not
be binding on any other request. And I think that covers it. Does it? Um so so the biggest thing was that we didn't ask for the tip certification up front in the policy. Well, apparently section five.
Yeah. Did it in any place in this policy? I don't think it's anywhere. No, I don't. Should it be for not just the one day but for other? Yeah, absolutely. Well, it depends
because some of these are for um liquor licenses and etc etc. So, um, it's not a business. It's just an event that Sabrina has a question. Yes, Sabrina. I
believe it came up that um what was asked separately was not in the policy which was the vendors used um this certification uh on transportation permit coverage if
there's any rain dates um a schematic or map of the where alcohol contact information of the person in charge and a booking detail.
Those should be in there if you're going to ask them. Well, because they can be the police details in there. The police details in there. Evidence of insurance. Um we could uh we could list it becomes the when you list too much
then it it you you lose leeway for other things. So the question we could you know put a comma and add tip cert the licensing agent may impose other regulations and conditions upon the
license holder such as so do we want to list a whole lot of things such as depending upon the event and so asking for tips certification although it is not explicitly listed it is permitted to
ask for it so It's not a deficit in the policy. Now, if we want to extend add, we could such as require evidence of insurance, evidence of tip
certification of servers. I mean, how long do we want to make this? But I guess the question is, is this a issue? They made it an issue. It's never been an issue, right? It's never been before, but it was at the last. Well, I don't even know if it was just it was just that we requested it, which
is fine according to that policy. It is. Well, my my thing was going to be can we make it open-ended? Can can we say or more or it is that? Okay.
They impose other regulations and conditions upon the license holder. Okay. And then it says such as. So it's just that that isn't listed there, but it doesn't mean that we cannot require. Can you just say this is not the complete list. It depends on the event.
That is implied. Okay. I'm just trying to be Yeah, you can't be all things to all people and leaving it open allows for more. Sabrina
off the insurance put in there. What the board could do is something they be different for different events and different date. I mean it could be that in five years the limits that our liability insurance requires are
different from what it is today. And of the governing elements of that there might be there's a lot of involved things but I would recommend maybe to have what you think should be going in
the policy and then have some council and you can check what kind of um different things should be going in policy like this the sample And he may he may suggest other things, but maybe just run it by we need to
change the SLboard and then ask if there's any this this is 2014. Just ask to review if there's if there's current regulation changes that were missing 10 years, right? That's fair. Definitely. Yeah, definitely. Okay. look for anything.
So, we'll propose that and we would uh wait to hear from him and then have a reading of the updated. Yeah. Do we need a motion for that? Yeah. Is there a motion? I make a motion that we um have a review
of the alcohol beverage policy for current changes. The last policy was 2014. Um and then all instances of select be changed to select board for review at a future meeting.
Second. Okay. Uh further discussion. So then everything is it okay with the board that we add those Sabrina adds those things into a draft along with the SL board change and have town council review. I don't think we have to add I don't think we have to add those. I
think we just ask for what is updated what was mentioned. Yeah. Yeah. Okay. All right. We're good. Uh, so we're good. Roll call Veronica
and Laura. Okay. 4.7. Uh, select board goals. I popped mine into the um 730. Um I think they're all in this mine there. There too.
Um not up to date here. I I think that some of these are overall goals. goals, you know, that we we can discuss the overall goals. These are for things that the TA would be um would be.
Have you weighed in on this at all, Nelson? Um I don't think because you might have other things that we haven't put in here. Um I think I have. Let me just look through the the summary. Um
and so these would be longer term year-long goals and um later when we look at the selectman's policies and procedures there are some short-term goals that I would like to see but
I think that list is pretty good. Um I I can't I don't know how if we'll hit every single thing. We will certainly try. I was I was thinking like having like four from I've looked at some other towns and they're like kind of like this big process for
getting the goals that other towns have really involved in the month of you know May June May June once that the town meetings are ended and it seems like having like just a couple primary goals because they're going to be so involved like you know
something like looking at a department of public works that's that's not like little goal. No, that's a pretty um But I I but we can break that down into smaller pieces. Absolutely. Um so I'm just wondering how many like
primary goals we want to set and then we can kind of have a four. That's start with four and let's see where we get with those four. So I I would think and I would like to see them written up in a a little different manner than what they are
here. But um uh for me, I said this last time, it's budget and financials to get that under um you know, to get that settled. Yeah. I
mean I think the the you know communicating on the budget process what that looks like with the entire financial team and reviewing that entire process with you know a member of pinkcom site board administrator
accountant I think that's my primary goal so we have so we're all on the same page for our schedule for next FY 27 right so that would be our number one so do you want to write that one up. Sure.
My number two is and DPW creation might not be the the right way to put it, but um restructuring of the town organization chart to be um for for more
efficiency. Yeah. And I have a kind of a first take at stuff like this which we can I'll upload and we can run with it if you want to do that one just based on what other towns have and they there's other Do you have that? Do you do you have that already?
Yep. Yes. Send it to me and I'll play with it. Yeah. So I think the trick with this is lots of towns have done this process before. So just looking out there you can kind of see especially if you take it as like a multi-year thing. The first year you kind of get this, then the second year this is the goal and then
onward to the third. And I guess my my trick with this is if any of it we wanted to do for this budget season, you have to get it voted on prior to the budget at town meeting. Yes. So there's some
behind the sales on it. Okay. Um, do we want to include I guess we could the human resources position the looking at how the TA's office is that all part of it or is that a separate thing?
I would just keep the DPW for that goal. All right, that's me. Um, so do we want to go to human resources or do we want to go to regionalization? I mean that regionalization would be my third one, but I'm I'm good with that actually.
And then my fourth one is human resources because I think removing human resources is not a good plan. Um and that just to figure out even what our plan is no matter what our budget and situation allows.
Right. Right. And so I think but I I think the function is still needed. Yeah. How that's distributed well and taken care of. taken care of. I don't know about the but you know that number four could actually relate to number three.
It could just throw it out there, but I would want it as number four and maybe it morphs, you know. I mean, those seem like four pretty big things, especially because we're already into August. So, yes.
So, these are primary goals. Secondary goals. I think we're kind of already working on policies. Policies. Exactly. I mean, I'm fine. I'm just keeping policies and communication are all I'd say are secondary goals in my
Okay. Policies and communication. And let's stop with that. The five-year financial plan. I see that under the budget process timing. Um and I think we have it and I think if we give the basics to TA
then yes so this should go back if if you want to send me the restructuring of the town stuff that you have it's just you know notes and drafts and stuff like that that's good and there's lots of like the state has
information out there present ations. You can Google them and find other towns that have proposed this exact same thing. So, and number two was remind me it's specific to public works.
Well, not just well facilities, trash, everything. Yeah. Okay. Not water. It's its own separate thing, right? So, have you heard from either town about meeting?
Um, there was some chatter last week, but I think that kind of died down. I'll have to Well, we sent a letter of invitation, so there's been no response. I wonder if they've had meetings since then. They might not be meeting as frequently. I'll need to check in to see if there's
been any progress in terms of getting a meeting together. Um I know Pepples Ples select for they're fairly flexible. I think most of them are retirees. Um so they can sort of accommodate our
schedules. I don't know about Ashley. I haven't had many conversations about that yet. So I'll I'll try to work something out. Try to um throw maybe two dates out there that would work for everybody. Um I do know they meet on
different days. I think had it down here somewhere. Um I think PBO they the select board meets the second and fourth Wednesday of the month.
So they're kind of not in sync with our schedule which that's not surprising. Um, but like I said, like I said, they're they're willing to have an offcycle meeting, you know, if uh to accommodate us.
And when does that be? Um, no. Too much discussion at the moment. Well, looks like they Well, they say every other Wednesday.
Let me just see which Wednesday it is. They're right on the It looks like this. Look like it's the second and fourth Wednesday. Oh, that's the same as Peppa. It's maybe a Thursday or something.
Yeah, Thursdays are usually pretty busy, but yeah, it looks like they are in sync with second and fourth Wednesday. Okay. So, so if the two or the three meet on
Wednesday, maybe that's what we accommodate to that's fine. get something together. And I think we can probably host here. Um it's kind of in the middle. That would be fun.
Yeah. So I'll uh I'll suggest um a second or fourth Wednesday to me. And isn't that one thing already neat for their own towns? Is that is that what you said or did I miss that? Yeah, that is.
You could do the off weeks. Yeah. Yeah. If they're all meeting on Wednesdays already. Yeah. Yeah, it's true. Yeah. We wouldn't want to intrude them there because they have business to work to work on as well. Okay. So good with goals.
Yeah, I think we'll submit the next meeting maybe. Yeah, I think so. So, send me stuff and I'll work on my piece of it. Okay. 4 So that's next meeting. 4.7 is next meeting, please.
Uh 4.8 8 setting date opening and closing of special town meeting. Is that supposed to be warrant? Did we confirm the 24th? Uh so yeah, I did kind of confirm with
town council, town moderator, TCAM. Um I think uh we're going to do it on the 25th. Thursday. Yeah. Okay. And we meet the day before.
Correct. And we can always change that. So, you know, we kind of meet right before town meeting starts that, you know, it's still over a month and a half away. So, we can we can uh we can tweak your meeting schedule.
Is this um high school or here? Uh, I was thinking here because I'm not anticipating hundreds and hundreds of people showing up. So, I um I do like the high school. Um, so what's better about the high school is
it's accessible. You can hear um it's if it's possible I mean if it's possible I I would if if it's okay with everybody else. Public seems to like it a lot better from what I've heard. That's just what me too. Certainly the parking is a lot better.
You can fit So this parking lot fills up pretty I mean I know that this it could be a small meeting but I know other towns have had rather large surprising turnouts about MBTA community community. So that's true. Depends on how our town is feeling it I think.
Yeah. Um I will work on the venue. Um but it's the 25th. Yeah. I think everyone I've spoken to 25th is the first day. Okay. Not. So, that's a special time. Correct.
That's good. There's a chance I could be back depending on number of days it takes to dry. So, we need to open and close the warrant. Did we set the dates last time? I thought we did. I thought we did, too. I don't have my notes if you need to
know. It's to open on the 19th, I thought. Is that right? Yeah. The night of the meeting. On the 19th and to close on September 2nd. Oh, no. Right. Second. And we we meet.
So, we meet on the 19th and we also meet on the second. Mhm. So, that's the closing. Does it close like at noon and we review or does it close after the meeting? We can set any time we want. We said close warrant at noon. Yeah, I believe it was.
So that way we can um review it and and then um send it to town council for review. So it opens on the 19th and it closes on September 2nd. What time is 19th it open at?
probably at the meeting. Okay. So, 6:00 p.m. August 19th to noon. Do you need a motion? Yes. Yes. I move that we um open the form for
the September 25th, 2025 special town meeting on August 19th at 6 p.m. and close on September 2nd at noon second. Any discussion hearing? None. Roll call.
Veronica Cal I check. Do we need to set the date vote on the date for the special town meeting or no? Might as well. We can for So that would be um I understand a motion to set the date.
I move that we set this a special town meeting for September 25th, 2025 at 7 p.m. location to be determined. Um second. Okay. And it's Thursday, September. Wednesday. I thought it was Wednesday. It's a Thursday. Oh, it's a Thursday.
25th is a Thursday. So, in the motion, it's Thursday, September 25th at 7 p.m. Uh, location to be determined. Any further discussion? Hearing none, roll call
Okay, we probably just want to reiterate that the purpose of that is primarily for the MBTA. MBTA. Yeah. Although something could come in, something could put on. The main purpose of the special town meeting is to uh
vote on the uh adoption of the MBTA communities act and there will be bylaw that the planning board will have a a hearing prior prior to okay so people should look for that over the next few weeks
that's been uh discussed like potential dates for the hearing I didn't I have not heard a date they meet on the 11th Okay. So, so they'll probably set it then. Okay. That's what I think. Understood.
Um, okay. 4.9 first read of the public comment policy. Ready? If you are, of course I am. I have a comment. I don't have a Okay. Um,
short note. Um the wording that was discussed in last meeting I don't know council remember it was the one word I didn't I didn't get the word out
maybe we just leave it in as an English lesson I think so that's fine with me do that what it means means I didn't look it up. I did, but what does it mean?
Um, how do I describe it? Okay, I I can look it up. Definition. Well, there is there is um how do I say it? Having or incur?
Yeah. See, even you're like laughing so I don't want to say it. Well, then then why are we using it? Well, the the the the phrases right before that in that same sentence is sexually explicit statement made to appeal to peran interest. So, it's it's
of that nature. Ah yes, anybody who's interested can look it up. I think that's perfect. Okay, ladies. There was another question about the 48 hour notification application.
So this is like verbatim what council said initially. So Oh, this is the old one. I don't want to read the old one. No, you want to read the new one? Yeah. That if I read the old one,
you have the new one to read. Yes, I do. Okay, thank you. Go for it. Okay. Um policy. Do we have the right number here? 07 2025. Yes. Replace policy 02 2018.
Public comment policy. The town of Towns and welcomes everyone to the meetings of its many public bodies. All such meetings are held in accordance with common open law and state and federal free speech laws. We are your local elected and appointed public officials and believe that public participation is crucial to town
government. Town officials do their best to inform and to listen to the public, but must also ensure that they are efficiently and effectively promptly performing their respective duties to serve the committee. To this end, the following rules govern public participation at the meetings of all town public bodies.
Number one, the chair or his or her design shall devote a period at each meeting to public comment. The public comment period to the extent that doing so does not interfere with the public body's ability to perform its duties in an orderly, efficient and timely manner.
The point of the meeting at which the public comment period takes place. The duration of the public comment period. The number of individuals and/or entities who are permitted to speak. Which individuals and or entities are permitted to speak. And the time for which such individuals or andor entities
are permitted to speak shall be in the sole discretion of the chair or his or her design. provided, however, that the chair shall to the best of his her ability ensure that each individual and/or entity is who is permitted to speak is allowed an equal amount of time
in which to do so. Number two, while public comments are not required to pertain to an agenda item for that particular meeting, such comments must pertain to a matter within the public body's jurisdiction. Public comments on matters outside the public bias jurisdiction will not be permitted
because they are not constitutionally protected. The following comments shall likewise not be permitted. True threats, incitement to imminent lawless conduct, statements that were found by a court of law to be defamatory, defamatory, and sexually explicit statements made to
appeal to Korean interests. Number three, individuals and/or entities who are permitted to speak during the public comment period shall begin their remarks by stating their name and address, including their town or city of residence. Number four,
individuals and or entities who are permitted to speak during the public comment period shall do so only through the chair. Number five, entities who are permitted to speak during the public comment period must select a single spokesperson through which to do so. The spokesperson must identify themselves
and the entity for which he she is speaking including his her official position within said entity as well as the entity's physical address. Number six, individuals and/or entities who are permitted to speak during the public comment period shall not be permitted to assign their time to
another entity or individual unless such assignment is required as a reasonable accommodation for such individuals and or spokespersons because they have a disability. Number seven, if an individual and or spokesperson's for an entity permitted to speak during the
public comment period requires a reasonable accommodation to speak because of his her disability, he she must contact the chair at least 48 hours prior to the meeting to arrange for such accommodation, which may include permitting said individual or spokesperson to be speak for a longer
time than the other individuals and/or entities permitted to speak during the public comment period. Any discussion? I have nothing to add or subtract. I think it looks good.
Okay. Is there a motion? Well, I I would say to put a second reading. I move that we put a second reading of the public comment policy on our next meeting. Sounds good. Okay. Motion to put a public comment
policy for second reading at our next meeting. Do we need to vote? Did I second? Discussion. Second. Yeah. All right. Any further discussion? No. Roll call. Veronica. I
Okay. Um. It just ends. She got you there. What? I don't know. That was just automatic. Um, we're at 4.10 10 volunteer respon
volunteer response form process board and committee posting process and swearing into the office notification process and Harrison has joined us perfect timing basically for this I I was thinking to
myself I was here early but then I looked down and you're here on time. No, this this worked out good. I wasn't sure how long I was going to move over at the fire department for, so I was just wearing everyone in at their department meeting. Oh, that was nice. Okay. Um,
any questions um while um Harrison is here? Well, I think I would like to see a bylaw put in place um that these forms are part of. I I think it might be a good or a policy. Maybe not a bylaw
policy. I'm not sure which is best, but um just to I think it's a good idea to make it clear, you know, everything. I think we should also add a training requirement for people who are appointed
to boards um to encourage them to understand what the board that they are on does. Um I think that's a good idea. So I I think maybe um all all of this is good. Certainly the board and committee
handbook needs updated but I think it's more than that. I think the board and committee handbook would be part of the bylaw. So when someone gets appointed they are you know given this they receive a letter. They know that they need to be sworn in. they know that the
um training entities for their committee or you know MMA or the um you know whatever the you know training organization is for that board and um
and maybe also to have uh something that requires a um verification that training has happened. I know if you're on conservation and you do those training. I think it took me a year to get certified as a conservation commissioner
when I was on the board. This was 2014 or some sort of thing. So, um, and I I forget the name of the citizen planner. Is that it for planning board? I know there's a lot of citizen planner workshops because I've gone to a
few over my time on the planning board. There are different entities for different boards for finance committee. It would be wonderful to have them take the DLS courses. Um they they're pretty
informal. Anybody can do them at any time. So I think it's kind of dictated by the boards themselves. Yeah. But I think there needs to be a policy in place that states that. So Harrison is saying they're doing this. I wholeheartedly agree and I
have talked a lot about this. Yeah. I I think that number one, anything that we can do to make the process more clear is welcome in my book. Um the other thing, you know, as it relates to volunteer response forms in particular. You know, a lot of the
appointing authority comes from this board. It's not downstairs. So, as far as volunteer response forms in particular, um, you know, I I honestly I would be comfortable with if that gets stamped in up here and you guys put it on file, he shouldn't even I don't know that the office needs to be part of that.
It's just one more step, right? I I agree. I really do agree. And then we can disseminate it to boards. We used to do that. I thought that's what it was, but then we did used to do that, but it changed at some point. Maybe that that was like
a co era change like something happened. I was a selectman during all of co when it was declared No. Okay. It might have happened after. It might have been an Eric thing or I don't know. Do you know Sabrina?
It was before you could have been when there was a gap. You have it right before that could have been also gotten. It could have been the gap and I was a selectman then. So it it could very well been the gap.
Um I don't know where the form actually came from. It came from our office. It was a select board office form and it's been around a long long time. Yeah. So do we want to make a committee to
look at this and come up with something as opposed to us right here on the fly? um doing things. I I'd be happy to be a part of that. The other thing if you know if you guys I understand you guys are busy and Sabrina and Nelson are also busy um I'm happy to
look at options and bring information back to you and then you know forming a committee or if you guys are comfortable making a decision then. But I'm happy to information gather and bring that to you whatever you guys prefer. I think it would be good to have a
information gathering is always good. Yes. So, but I think a threeperson committee, I wouldn't want to make it too big. The town clerk, a representative from here, and an atlarge, we could throw it out to the community for an atlarge person.
I'm going to let you do that with you. Absolutely. Considering that. Okay. So, I if it pleases the board, if I can from the board to work with Harrison and are we going to post? We would post for an atlarge person. Um,
we could post today and hopefully have this is on you, Sabrina. You're the one doing the posting, but to post it and have responses for our next meeting like on the 19th. So, have a timeline, not something that opens up. And if nobody
comes forward, have a qu um two out of three we can accomplish, right? I I would do something like that as opposed to Okay. you know, dragging this out forever.
Yeah. I'd like to see it today to create the committee. Yes. Okay. What's the name of the committee? Um let's see what um I move that we create a um
a volunteer coordination volunteer board coordination committee. Okay. that because that is appointed and elected, right? Okay. Is that a horrible horrible name? Is that a horrible name? No, it's fine. The BBC.
Um, sorry. Board Coordination Committee. BBC. I'm so sorry. Work for me. Well, the more important thing and that might not be what and I I would want you to look at
can be revised. Um, is this a policy? Is this a bylaw? Is this something that we have to put on the warrant for the special town meeting? Um, it also seems like something that could be discussed at December September 4th training to get feedback from members.
We have a date 4th. Yes, that was going to be part of my team. Okay. Yeah, we can we can determine in short order at least what form it should be and then get the motion. Oh, okay.
I I make a motion to create a volunteer volunteer board coordination committee. volunteer board coordination committee to consist of a the town clerk, a member of select board and a member of large community. I will second that to to perform duties
as the name suggests. Mhm. Um the discussion. Um all I'll say is it's to tighten up our process for volunteer. I mean in all honesty there shouldn't be surprises but it never occurred to me that a
regulatory board would also someone on a regulatory board would also be someone on the the remedy for that you know board. But those things need to be stated apparently and so okay you
know if we do something like that we'll be but also the other question that has been coming up or been some confusion about is the process of once they're sworn in I feel like there should be a confirmation to someone
we we can certainly do that right now we enter it in our database and that's where it ends. Um, but I mean for like the person is being sworn in to the historic district commission. Okay. The chair should be notified that so and so has been in and sworn in
so they're now legal to vote at your meetings or something like a template form like you're used to. Couldn't that be when you send the notification? Again, this goes back to Sabrina that when you send the the appointment form, you send it to the
town clerk, to the person, and to the chair of whatever the board is. Yeah, I think I think that's the current practice. What's not the current practice is when they're sworn in, who gets notified? Yeah, that's the part that we we Well, I guess we could make that formal,
but I would have just thought the person would go to a meeting. people. That's what I think has been Yeah. I mean to me it's understood but apparently it should not but it could be I think formalizing it isn't bad just to have it as a written step.
Absolutely because you could have people who have gotten their letter never been sworn in but they got their letter they're appointed they go to the meeting they vote they were never sworn in. So I I really think there should be a
process where it's confirmed. Okay. I I don't disagree. I think having I mean that's something that the committee can do. you know, it's another step, but it you know, I think it's important because
it may not be that monumental for um a lot of the boards, but certain boards have uh they vote on permits, they vote on subdivisions, they absolutely regulatory for conservation. I mean, there's so many things that are actually
voted on by the board that go into practice or become policy or become somebody's permit. I think it's just a step that okay, it can't hurt. So, we should have a committee seated by the um 19th and then
um go from there. The question if I may, was the part of the motion tonight to appoint me and Lori so discussions could start right away or are we waiting to Oh, why don't we have it? Did we vote already? Let's vote to create. Did we vote?
You can you can finish your motion. I I You didn't vote yet? No. Well, let's vote to create and then let's vote to appoint. Um, so we're on create. We have discussed. Yep. Okay. Is that an open meeting law
violation? Because we didn't say that we were going to create a committee. Um I think we need to appoint next time, but I don't think that precludes you from talking to each other or doing the Yeah.
Yeah. So, so let's just do the one motion that we have on the floor and then let's do appointments to the committee on the 19th. Someone may want to come to that meeting. So never know. All right.
I seconded yes if I haven't already. All right. Is there any further discussion on the creation of the committee? Hearing none. Well, yes. You don't mind? I'm gonna Well, maybe. Anyway, should I bring this to my first
meeting tomorrow to put Mrs. certainities that have been sworn in. This is the official doc memorandum of me being sworn in. Um I I mean I Is this important? Did you give them memorandum? I don't know. Did Jack write that up for
you? Correct. Okay. If you have that then that's perfectly Is this something maybe you should put into a standard operating procedure a new commissioner? Well, that's a commission. We'll take it on as a bad for the future.
Thank you. That we'll we'll take that under adisement. Can I also say one more thing? Since I'm just got sworn into three different boards, I wouldn't mind being the one volunteer to get you're in in a full
free stage. To be honest with you, I had to Yeah, we have to post. Um, I had to hunt down all my own information for the Society, everything from the state. Okay, that's what I wasn't aware of any
offered it to me. So, I'm about to make a decision to go into that first meeting very uninformed or hit the streets, create the package, get all the information, get up to speed. So tomorrow when I go to the meeting
I'm there. So I think it is important just like Veronica said I've gone through all these MACC classes on and on it goes that is a really important part of conservation also with agriculture also
as I'm learning with the historical society very there's a lot of language there's a there's quite a bit to it. Okay. Yeah. I know. Thank you for your comments. I know. I know. When I was chair of the trustees, I would send out like there's
state rules, you know, nationwide rules and those I would send to. We had basically I had a two-page document that new trustees would get when they came on. So, for the library trustee. Yeah. But I created that. There wasn't one before. So
I kind of was on my own when I drank. I think a lot of people are and don't really know and it depends on the chair whether or not you get information on but we have not voted. So are uh are we done with the discussion on that? I think so.
Okay. Hearing no more discussion. Roll call. Veronica Cal I and Marishia Fernai. So that's 410. Thank you very much. Thank you. Someday someone is gonna be like, "How was that commission named?" And we're gonna point at you.
I came to say, "Did you watch the meeting?" Yeah. Okay. It's on video. All right. 4.11 discussion of town administrator position with the town administrator. Y
um this is me. I wanted to go over the um the It's hot in here. All right. Thank you. I closed my share point there accidentally. Oh, no. I'm on the wrong one again. Again, this is so uncooperative.
Um, discussion of the town administrator position. Um, this board of selectment operating policies is something that was put in place in 2017. This is the wrong one. This is the wrong operating policies.
Um, I I thought we updated that. What's in the packet is not the correct policy. This was updated in 2021 or thereabouts. And I thought we got that policy posted, Sabrina, way back. It was
one of the first things that I said, "This is the wrong thing." Um, and so let me go to policies and see what we've got there on the website. It's a select board operating policies.
I know it's not accurate. Um, I don't think here it is. The one that's on the website is correct. It's dated 824 2021. Um, which one is it, Veronica? Um, operating policies. Yes.
Board of selectment operating policies is what it says. Um, and so there are some things in here that I don't know if when you came on board, anybody went over it with you. I've looked at it here and there. I
um I wouldn't say I've gone through a comb. What I wanted to talk about was um uh meetings um with staff responsibilities. So, chairman, let me get to where I want to go.
Do you want anything to move forward? Yeah. Um one of the things that we used to get from every department was a So, here we go. department. It's 16-27 and it is the I don't see a page number
here but it's 16-27 departmental meetings and we um reporting I know that we do liaons but I would like to see these reports because I always found them useful. It's how I
knew what was going on in departments and the liaison. Um I don't know if you guys have read the liaison policy but that's just to go to meetings and sit and listen. The way I also take it too is is that
um and this is related to TA is that we are not involved in the day-to-day running. That is correct. that those boards and committees should first go to the TA if then like for day staff then they can come to us as liaison or they can come to us and
then we can talk to the TA. All right. Either I I've seen it done either way. I don't know that it specifies but it's um so but what I would like to see is the is these monthly written reports. Second
paragraph, the town administrators shall coordinate and schedule monthly department meetings on the first Tuesday of the month. Um, and those were held regularly back when I was a selectman. They had agendas and there were minutes
written afterwards. And so I don't know how anybody else feels, but I would like to see this policy um more in place than what it is. And and when's the fourth? That's a
Thursday, right? I I would really like to see it starting in September. Um with the day of the training. Um well, it's the Tuesday before the training. So the training is the 4th and I think that's a Thursday. It' be September 2nd.
So it would be September 2nd. And I I mean I really do think the board the department head should know what is going to be covered in the department meeting. So I know it sounds like more work for you Nelson, but I think it
might um help to get things back on pace especially given that we do need to do um salary adjustments and things like that. I think it's just important to have so everybody knows what's going to happen
and when it's going to happen and what the expectations are. So that I would like to see that's my first thing but discussion what do you guys think?
Um certainly with the department head meetings I I do feel like they should be on a more regular basis. Certainly having them truly monthly is not a big deal. Um to get that up and running um you know I'm coming up on a year now
here in towns and you know in the beginning I was so um I was just trying to keep above water. There was so much stuff going on that you know I was barely keeping up with things. Well, now that I'm a little bit more seasoned, I have a little bit more
breathing room, so to speak, to um you know, have these meetings on a more regular basis. Certainly in the in recent months, we've been having them pretty Yeah. because we've had chaos. Yeah. Um, but I think going to a it wasn't I think that the meetings that
I've attended have been because we had budget issues versus teamwork. Yeah. You know, well, and I think on the teamwork front, the the reports got turned in the day of the
department meeting or the day before. I don't know what it says in here, but anyway, it it allows every department to know what every other department is doing. I mean, you could make them do the last day of the preceding month. If the if the meeting is the first Tuesday,
you know, or the Friday before the meeting, then people can the department heads know what the other departments are doing. and if there's any collaboration opportunities or just knowing what the other departments are doing could be beneficial,
right? Um and we do hope that all the departments are collaborating and working together. I I I think they are. Um I don't want the department head meeting to be uh you
know like a five hour endeavor where no so we're talk we're we're like hitting the high level things or certain um big projects that a department might have coming up which honestly most department heads if they if there's
something big coming up and other departments are involved I know I I have full confidence they are collaborating other department heads you know certainly you know, say highway or, you know, the water department for example, you know,
things of that nature. It's just kind of uh understood that department heads, you know, collaborate with each other. But I can also see, you know, certain things, you know, um are minor enough that we just gloss over. But if we mention it at
some of these different head meetings, um you might get different ideas, you know, collaborative um opportunities potentially. So I think that's that's a great idea to um start having that kind of discussion. the department head you
to Lor's point thus far have been very much geared towards budgetary issues um versus you know operational um progress that departments might be working I think some departments it may be
easier like to come up with that report than others because like say planning um the administrator there is used to every meeting there's an administrative report so it says what basically what goes on that month and whether that's the stor
the storm water permits or whatever there's there are reports and I think that that would be interesting to everybody the officers the building the zoning you know they're all related land use what they're seeing and not
everybody sees everything at the same time because they're not actually doing it so I I think the more communication um the So, and and then too I I mean it would be good for us to know what the what the
agendas items are and then the minutes from that meeting and I don't expect these meetings to be longer than an hour really and we don't want to spend forever right they have been an hour so that's
right you know then it goes quickly but and the reports most of the department heads were here, you know, two years ago when these reports were common. I don't know when they went out of fashion, but we used to get
the library director still does it and presents it to the trustees. Yeah. So, actually, I get them. I get Stacy. So, various departments do send them to me. Um, I bet Jim Smith sends you one. He has to be really good at it. He does. Very consistent.
Yep. Um I typically do get the reports from um a handful of departmenties. Unfortunately, not every department does send one. So I need to reiterate that they need to start doing that moving forward.
And there are examples for every department. you know, land use might be a little bit different now that we don't have a land use coordinator and that's who would normally have I mean there's there also could be this also could be a case for a set format from the right because there might be
like what someone reports to their board might be way more in depth than what they would want to report. So it could be like here's your I want to know like three or four bullet points, right? However, like you know, current biggest win, current biggest challenge, whatever
is like a shout out or something, you know, just Yep. Y So, so there that's that piece. Um the other Hi, it's Melissa. Can I can I make a comment?
No. In reference to our discussion? Yeah. No. Um, okay. Well, oh, I'm sorry. Am I out of order? We're discussing we're discussing reports from department heads. Yes.
To be meetings with the TA. Yeah. And I just wanted to make a comment as a department head. Okay. I think it's an absolutely fabulous idea. all the things and I agree with everything that you guys all said about
you know department heads learning about what other departments are doing and the communication and um all of that that's all thank you thank you thank you for thanks Melissa um okay and so the second part
um the second part is the TA report I think it would and this kind of falls into one of the open meeting things, but it would be good. I know that it would be good. I don't want you to be writing all the time, but it would be good to
know on the agenda if there are items that you know you're going to report on what they are. You know, like the one that you said, I'm going to talk about that in the TA report. Y you know to just put it on the agenda if you know about it at that time or it's
something that you expect to have just so that um people um don't say oh I didn't know you were going to talk about the you know the police dog or whatever um that sort of thing. Should should the
chair be doing that as far as like or asking for a report because I in going over the minutes of the May meeting, let's say this this will be a point I promise you. Um I there was a
number of items in the minutes and I'm like wow what happened after July 1? Something was to happen. Okay. Or I don't know there was three or four things I wrote to Sabrina. What's the update? So, we have we have a meeting. We do
action items. We don't get minutes. It's going to change. We're going to get them quicker now, but we have we're going over minutes that are two months old. Okay. But in the meantime, we've had all these other meetings and we
forget what it was that we acted on. Well, where are we on what we acted on? So, I would like to see a process. I write yeah my notes but I would like to see a process whereby okay after this meeting we had so many action items so when the
next meeting comes where are we on those items right because it shouldn't be up to us to remember everything that we have voted on you know and we can't and again yes we've had chaos with the budgets and
whatever but we have to that's we have to move forward and get some stuff done And I feel like um I don't know what we missed in the other unless I'm re-watching the meetings and we spend enough time just
being here and listening doing the emails and answering phone calls. And I mean I'm doing this every single day and I don't know how many you guys get, but 50% of my time is for the town. I'm answering somebody's question or trying
to look up something and they're just have we just have to have better feedback and information. But I think I think that's relating I think that's related to the fact that like the select board is not supposed to be involved in the daytoday running of
the town and I think we have to be careful that that doesn't start to creep up and you wind up realizing that's what you're doing. But but I don't we're not supposed to be doing it, but I think that my my take on this was
I volunteered to do this job and to run for this job because of all the things I've already done in town hall thinking that because I had knowledge of so many boards, I could be helpful to the new TA
and the new board as each of you have different experience with things in town, but I never knew what this seat was like or how many moving parts there were to this seat and responsibilities
and and we have a new TA. I can't be the one I'm realizing I can't be the one that is the TA for the town. You're not you and you shouldn't be. But
I I think it will help to have um things spelled out more. I mean, Eric wrote reports that he handed out to us most meetings. I mean, it was a rare event. And um it wasn't always itemized
on the on the agenda, but if he knew about it, it was um and it it would help to keep us on track of where things stand. That's all. Um, so,
so at least I I would like to see the meetings starting with the 1st of September and I would like to see agendas and minutes from those meetings as well as the reports from the department heads. I
would like that. And then whatever you can do on the TA report, like if you know that um CBIS, you know, you're going to report on the CBIS contract, put that down there. Or what did we talk about earlier today? I'm going to talk
about that in the TA report, you know, the training session. The training session. So, just, you know, Yep. and and I and I do feel like I need to start um bulleting certain things throughout throughout the course of a
day, a week, you know, leading up to the select board meeting and you know, it's something I need to start getting in the habit of doing because there are so many things going on and I just kind of it's been this. Yeah. And so, you know, I put out a fire
and then I work on something else. And, you know, then I just keep going and then before you know it, it's like the next select board meeting and, you know, there's probably 10 little things I can report on, maybe a couple bigger items, that type of stuff. So, I agree. So I I
will certainly start working on that, coming up with more of a report slashlist to to run through when it's um my turn to to discuss things. So So that was what I had to say, but
you guys, you know, go ahead. Yeah. under the same thing. What what was supposed to be on the agenda was a continuation of our discussion last week about the contract and the one year being in August of your contract. So I
would like to see the review still done on the 19th for the first year, but what are we reviewing on? Because we have no goals or objectives unless there are goals and objectives that are measurable. I mean when you do a review
you have measurable goals and objectives that you are um at least that has been my experience with reviews in my professional life and so the way I read the contract is you do that the last
quarter of the year. Now why they picked that for the contract I don't know probably because that was what was there before and it's been typical that we reviewed at least typical in the time that I was a selectman before we
reviewed in the fourth quarter and then we set goals after town meeting by the end of June we had the goals that we were going to work towards and that we would write the review of the TA the following year and if I read We have
done a review. It's up online and I think Calie gave us the questions. So, um, so I guess were they applicable to the job description I set for? I thought it wasn't. Yeah. Um,
well, it was I would say that we really it it was just entire chaos from the time we were elected and um so he Nelson had been here not
quite two months. So that was time we didn't we didn't have with him. So, and then so we basically had a review in the first quarter, but it was what were the do you feel that you didn't have enough information to do an
absolutely not what you not with experience? Because I'm wondering what you're saying is is that you went into that review with a limited amount of experience and now you have X experience and you have and like reviewing now is it would be an easier thing for you to
do if that's is I think it's an easier thing to do even though and and now it's three of us for a couple of months where it was a just us for a couple of months. Um
there is some experience with how things have gone and yes there were no goals but we were doing stuff every single day. So I think that there is we would have some kind of
um I think a better ability I would say to answer questions with more insight maybe not related bless you maybe not related to goals but related to the town how things have been going
the uh roles and responsibilities the roles and responsibilities Yeah, I guess. Um anyway, it's I'm looking at what the other board I I am looking at. Um Cali gave us the the we were not involved with setting
the goals for our new TA, you and I. No, there was a whole completely different board. Cali gave us because the contract said the the fourth quarter of the fiscal year is when you review. So Cali
gave us uh it was character and capacity infrastructure and energy union contract negotiations regarding the budget process and regarding the future. Um uh and that was
did we do that? Pardon me. What month did we do that? um April very lingering April and we went into the year because we were elected on the 16th. Our first meeting was November 19th,
right? So what what last quarter did we have? Six weeks. It it is the last quarter of the fiscal year and not our last quarter. It is the quart last quarter of the fiscal year that we review the TA because the goals
are set for the fiscal year. That is correct. And we did it in a we signed this April 29th, 2025. We might have had a bigger picture in June. Well, we could have done we might have, but that's not the
contract. So I'm not No, that's that would be June 30th would be the last quarter, right? The end of the last quarter. Yeah. So Q Q4 would be April 1st to June 30th. So
what are you saying? That we should have done it June 30th. Well, we did it when Cali requested us to. I didn't go in saying maybe you did because I didn't know what I was doing. I I don't know. I mean, but if but there there I believe and you'd have to talk
to Italian um labor council about it. You you as chair could call for a periodic or something. I'm sure if you feel that it's prudent now I'm sure you could call for some periodic I think you need to talk to Labor Council about that.
Okay. Well, anyway, I mean that's fine. I'm fine talk to them about it. And so I I guess for me my immediate goals are to see that we have monthly um department head meetings that we have
monthly reports from the departments that there are agendas and minutes for those department meetings um and that we see the um the the TA report a more robust Sure. Um
and and then we set the goals that that we work towards that the TA works towards. I mean we do not do dayto day. We do not um this is why you know why I do not go
around talking to department heads. Um they have to come to me and that's a different story but that's Nelson's job. Yeah. Nelson's the one that negotiated for, you know, how can we cut expenses? What can we do to get our budget in line?
I mean, some towns have really explicit some towns have really explicit policies like I think Littleton specifically says that select board members are not too in to to initiate conversations with department heads. That's the TA. A department head can initiate with the
select board member but not the opposite way. Right? So, um, and we get started. Yeah. But, but the goals that we set, the ones that we're working on for the 19th are the ones that then we have to
work with Nelson to figure out what the measures are going to be, how we're going to get this done, what's the timeline, um, what's reasonable to expect because he's not going to get started until September and April's going to come
away. Seriously. Um, so anyway, that's um I don't know. I I don't know why Kelly thinks there's an annual.
No, I do. I And I said that last week. I did because I took it as a three-year contract that was signed in July and began in August. It is. Okay. To me, a year of that contract is August. But did you read the contract
the um evaluation piece? Is there a discrepancy in the two things? Do they not? Maybe you should talk to labor council about it. Okay. And maybe I missed that point. We were talking about them. Talk to them about it.
All right. um 4.12 and and as we start that for roundabout I want to apologize because once I saw the maps it's like
it was when we when we were just discussing about it and I didn't picture in my mind where the lots were. I'm thinking you say meadow to me I think about West Meadow. You know what I mean? Yeah. And once I saw them,
go ahead. So, I just want to um know if we can set a send a letter. This is what I would like to do. The CR committee isn't meeting until next week, Thursday.
But I I'm looking for my notes. Sorry, I keep notes in all sorts of places. June Um we need to send a letter um you know requesting that they um
move that the trust does um well the trust is not the owner of the property. This is the CR committee and it's for the TASA fields um to make sure that those are always
there for TAS of Fields. Um so it's under who is it under in the he town of Townson? Okay. So it's not in conservation. It is not in conservation. So the the idea is that um okay
number one it it's a um it's a letter a notice letter that we send first and saying hey um this is on property town property uh would you please um take a look at
this and take care of it. That's number one. Um, so it's typically a friendly letter and just to start the conversation need to be written by town council. Well, town council does
write those typically, but I would want in the past it's always been land use the land use department that has handled these things for the town. Um, so all I want is a motion to move forward
with um noticing with notice to the homeowner. Homeowner um regarding the structures that are on town that appear to be on town property. Yes. You see those two right there? You
see them, Nelson? It's those two. Um object. Um I move that the select board issue a letter to the homeowners um regarding encroachment on span meadows.
I will second that. Any discussion? Any further discussion? No. Hearing none. Roll call. Uh, Veronica ke I g I need right now. So, because we don't have a language
school here, it should be console. Well, I it or should it come from the TA? I I think that that you can decide if you're going to delegate it or take it upon yourself. Yeah, I guess is what it comes down to.
I might be able to uh um utilize some resources in the current land use office. You know, I I know they probably have draft letters. Yeah, I think and Beth have have a lot of experience. Kieran may have
because Kieran actually Kieran is doing a notice of trespass for us for um Hes Road Poverty. Um and he worked with Adam on that. Okay. Um it was a cutting Well, a little bit
different. It was the um butter cut trees on the land that the town owns that the trust owns. They they cut a bunch of trees. So we've been working with the land owner. So Kieran does have experience with that if you want to talk
to him, too. Um and he's working with Adam now on the remedy. press. All right, sounds good. But that's up to you. And again, I'm sorry that was delayed a
meeting. Okay. Um Okay, I'm looking for my documents. No, that was 4.12. Is it actually um Deadly Meadows
4.13? That's fine. Um so we had voted previously for everybody assumed Deadly Meadows was in conservation and it turns out on the deed it is not. I guess apparently most people just thought it was. It's because it's an open space
preservation development. It's the open space for an OSPD and typically that well it I don't think there's anything typical about anything but one option is that it goes to um conservation and
apparently this one didn't. Yeah. And so we voted to have conservation work with the encroachment that was on deadly meadows. And I know that's been OB's been very successful with good results. And so I think we had said that we would like to transfer that to conservation. And in order to do
that, we need to do it at the special meeting in September. Yes, there is a process to that. So I just want to know if we would like to start that process to get that on the special town meeting or I'm good with that. Um, is there an example of one that we've done recently
in terms of language or there's example that has or you know transferring it to the housing trust in May of 22. I'm sure there's one on the exist recent and Kobe might know which he might be able to see which one was more recent so
we don't have to reinvent the is there a motion? Yeah, I would move that we um place a article on the special town meeting to transfer the Deadly Meadows um town property in question to the conservation commission.
Is there a second? Um I will second that. Any further discussion? We have done things like this before. Yeah, we have uh hearing none. Roll call
Veronica count on that motion for I and it's I mean it's county vote to accept the count. Yep. 414 discussion of a media relations consultant.
So Nelson um I put I did put into the SharePoint something that we got from CSS today. It's a workshop. Avoid the no comment. Learn what to say instead. I just did it today because it just came in email funny
and it it came to all of us today from CSS and it did get me thinking. um CSS they are you know they are are reporting for the ARPA but they do a lot more they do
you know so it did get me thinking oh maybe they can potentially provide us with you know uh as needed uh PR related services I did get confirmation from John
Giloy they can they do not provide um as needed services. So we they couldn't give us like a hourly quote and then we utilize their services as needed
throughout the year. Um their business model does not work like that. Um do you want to check with CSS then? I can. I think that would be a good idea. Um another possibility that I hadn't thought of till I saw this email today.
Um, and I I I thought that I just thought we should look at this and consider it because should we have somebody go to this or Well, my thought is to have um Nelson check with them and see what sort of
services they provide over and above this. Okay. Um, you know, this might be something. When is this? Oh, September 16th. This might be something that Nelson could attend, but really I think it would be good to have some a professional that we
can go to when we need a statement regarding anything. And um and so I would start there first. Um and we have a meeting next week. I'm sure they'll take people up until is
this a you go to it or is this a Zoom? It's virtual Zoom. So, um, so it's over a month away. Yeah. So, let's talk about it next time, but ask Nelson to um find out about
services that could be um utilized. Okay. So, we'll get an update at our next meeting. Correct. Yep. I'll uh I should have um I should have uh touched base with CSS by then. Okay. No motion required.
I don't think so. All right. Okay. 4:15. Uh update on contract for solid waste with GW SH beginning September 1st, 2025.
Um Sabrina, we talked about the timeline. Um I think the last we heard was July 16th was the last uh legal council update on it.
Yeah, there's um we got another update today because we asked town council. They don't have anything more to add. It really is in the uh board of health court at the moment to uh to you know make progress on it.
There's two um contracts that needs to be uh worked on is the contract of GW Shaw as well as the contract of way zero. Yeah. Who produces the bags. Um
and they're both for starting September 1st. Correct. The new program I think the GW Shaw one is essentially buttoned up. There are some issues with the waste zero contract that town council um has a
few issues with and those are unresolved at the moment. Um now I just want to say uh town council is always um very conservative in their advice. you know, the town can always
choose to, you know, um, you know, go against that advice, so to speak, you know, um, and, you know, the town being the select board or town meeting. Um, to both,
you know, uh, again, you know, they're there just to provide advice. They're not telling us what what to do. Oh, but I mean, in this case, we're looking at September 1st. We're not looking at a town meeting or No, no, this does not involve town meeting. What I'm saying is um you know,
town council is providing um legal advice on these matters. Whether we choose to um you know uh follow follow their advice is up to you know the select board. Um in this circumstance, is there a
difference in what the contracts are proposing and what they're advising? Correct. And it's really the waste zero one that um there there's there's a gap that you know at the moment we haven't been able to come to a compromise on.
A gap in what respect? Um so the waist zero contract that they propose uh there's a couple things that the town council had an issue with. um one the way zero uh
um services is under a state contract. So technically we should just be following that um and not signing a separate contract. Um one of the bigger issues is the uh the custodial bank um
custody. Um you know the way zero works in case you weren't aware is you know they collect all the money from the various stores in town that um sell the bags. So you know they do the backend collecting the
money. um they take their fee and you know their cost for manufacturing the bags and then um the rest is um you know given to us. But there's a separate bank account that handles sort of a you know
weekly or daily you know activity and then at the end of the month at a you know prescribed day or time that money is you know sent to us downstairs in a treasurer's office and that's when we book the revenue. So it's that bank
account that uh town council has an issue with and what is the issue? Well, uh, that way zero has access to that bank account, but in theory, they they have to because they are collecting the money and then they're putting it in there.
Now, I don't necessarily have an issue with that. Way zero does business with dozens of municipalities in Massachusetts and and it's the same arrangement. um same bank account. Well, the the the same framework of of
how it's um how the money is, you know, uh moved around, you know, they collect the money, they uh from the vendors, they they take out their fees and their cost and then they send us the money, you know, once a month.
Now, do they directly put those funds in that account or do they send a check to the treasurer? Uh, no. They wire us the money to a an account, a bank account that you know that So they wire it directly into the
account. Correct. I see the problem. So the so the wiring of it it's now an enterprise fund. Is there a separate account for the enterprise fund and that's where they wire it to?
Um it it now being an enterprise fund wouldn't change the the makeup or of the type of bank account that's being used because nothing has really changed on on that end of things. You know, people are still buying the purple bags from the
stores and this the process is is exactly the same. So I there's no need for uh not quite exactly. I mean, I understand it's exactly the same as far as they collect the money,
take their fees, send it to us, but how how does the enterprise fund interact with the fund that the pay as you throw funds are going into? I agree with Lori is what I'm saying.
Shouldn't it be going into the enterprise fund? Um well, but that's on the the really back end in terms of way zero and you know the bank account where they you know collect the money from the vendors and
then send it to us. You know that process even though it's now an an enterprise fund that process you know inherently doesn't need to change. So, let me go back one year because we started selling
purple bags last October. October. Yeah. Is this the same process as it's been since last October? Yes. So, he's having contract was that?
It was the same one. And uh you know I given everything I've seen with way zero um sort of operating the same way in other municipalities I made the decision. Was that contract that contractor
reviewed I'm sure right by town council was it I don't know they it may not have been no so they did look at it and is that done while there was no board? No. Um, or there was two. It was done prior.
Uh, trying to think. Oh, maybe it was August. It was August, but the bags weren't available. So, it wasn't What was the date of that contract, I guess, is the question. Yeah, because now I'm wondering if if
I mean, who was it reviewed by? Right. They they did look at it. Um, council did, but the select board did not. Um, probably I don't I don't think there was, but it's I made a decision at that point. I we had to get the program up
and running. It was either that or we're at a standstill. I made the decision to sign it. Um I I took into account um town council's uh concerns, but I also weigh it with
the fact that way zero is doing business with multiple municipalities. I guess my only question is is do they have is are they doing it the same way with all those municipalities or is this just their preferred way? Do they have
other ways they're doing with other municipalities? That's my only question is this just because I guess the question whenever you're dealing with a vendor there's a way they'd like to have it done and I can understand for their ease and their business that makes total sense. I'm just wondering is it is that the exact way they do with all their
municipalities or is there right um when I was uh working for the town of Arlington you know public works you know we have a you know trash pickup program and uh I I vividly remember
seeing the same statements um from waist zero Arlington also use waist zero but for us it was um it was the commercial side of things. So, um certain businesses along the main thoroughway in
Arlington used the their the trash bag program and it was the same thing. um you know they would buy the bags um from certain stores in town and then way Sarah would do all the accounting collecting the money manufacturing the
bags delivering it and then uh at the end of each month we would get a statement from them exact same statement that we're currently getting um detailing all the transactions and basically at the end is how much money they would send the town so so for me I
I had the experience to you know to know that you know it's been done in other mun municipalities and you know that's not a problem I wonder if you're saying though those towns run by sometimes by not but mayor
different forms of governance I don't know well I whatever you know composition it might be you know I think the the the process is the same. So, but
I I made a decision back then because, you know, we had to get it up and running. We couldn't be without a program. So, I think it's worked out. Way zero has been a great partner and you know, they have been for years. You know, before this, they were the purple
bags was just the overflow program. Right. Right. So, um this is just on a much larger scale essentially is what it is. So, I would say that's really the hiccup with um uh the
the getting everything up and running for the September 1st start date. Well, we haven't seen the shock contract yet. Um I thought we I thought we did. I thought there's there's been no not
for the September 1st forward. We did the July August but not that. Yes, Sabrina. I a question. Do you know if has to use the same template or contract template
as well or do they use their own? They have their own. Yes. signature lines for um so I don't think it would be needed anyways because there's actually no um
there's no cost to us. You know, accounting certifies that there's money available to execute this contract, but um we're actually not paying for anything. Everything is done. Um, yeah. There's there's no up on the bags because they collect it all
and they pay the difference to the town. Yeah, correct. So, there's no there's no upfront cost to us which uh is great for our financial situation um because you you know we're not sort of
on the hook for for the inventory. So, what happens? Is there a um I I have several questions. Um is there a uh time period on the contract? In other
words, if hopefully this doesn't happen. I thought it's 30 days. Is it 30 days for for cancellation of the waist zero contract? Um I need to look at it.
What are we committing to? I guess is what I want to know. Cancellation with Shaws. Um, if they don't Yeah. Shaw was 15 or I forget it was 14 days. 14 days. I'm sorry. I was thinking of Shaw, not wast. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah.
I don't But is there a commitment there that we need to be concerned about? Um, that's all I need to take a look at a little bit further, but um
well, can we have an update then for the 19 uh our next meeting? Uh well if there's anything any movement in the meantime you can update the board. We'll do um I I I also need to ping uh
the board health that they they kind of need to make a decision uh on both contracts how they want to proceed because it's kind of uh with them at the moment. Exactly. and and we would I would think
they would be asking for a joint meeting if they were all set expecting a contract to be signed. If you're pinging them, I would also like to see numbers for the year. They say they have a three-year plan, but I
would actually like to see actual numbers. the plan numbers. I I would like to see revenue and expenses, anticipated revenue and expenses. And maybe just an update on current.
Yeah, they're over,000. I think it's approaching,00. I saw someone with a sticker and it said 1085. So we're approaching,00 which is great. Um, but
I think 1,800 was kind of like the the number everyone was shooting for. Um, so that's, you know, but then again, you know, there could be a a lot of people who have paid for but haven't picked it up yet. But,00 is is
promising, but it's still 700 households from the from the uh goal. Uh, I talked to Carla yesterday and um, she
I don't know how this happened. I'm not sure because I don't know the numbers, but she said that break even is going to be 1,200. They make 1,200. They're break evens. I don't know. I don't know. I want to see the numbers. Okay, maybe that's true. I want to see the numbers.
We should have an update. Okay. Okay. We've been on 415. I think so. Okay. Uh 416 review approved permit for TEO for event on 1025 at 491 Main
Street, Townsen. Is there a motion? I move that we approve the legal permit for a to event on 1029 sorry 1025 2025 at 491 Main Street count. Is there a second?
Second. Remember this was brought up last meeting but it was not on the agenda. So well amended on the other thing but so there was no reason to do this as a chair's privilege. Uh, any other
discussion? I don't think so. None. Roll call. Veronica. I'll sign this one. You want me to um David Sabrina today being
like um where due date. I don't get this. No, that's not it. That those are the hours of operation. Yeah. So here the date. It's down at the bottom. Did you sign it?
I did below this line for municipal authorities. She signed it. Can you print off another copy? Oh, yeah. Sorry about that. Should have put my glasses on me.
Okay. And uh did I do the roll call? Yes, I did because I signed it. You did? Yeah. Okay. All right. Senator 16. And now work session.
Nelson, you're on 5.1. So I spoke to Adam about the uh old and the various trainings that um him and his office can provide. Um I kind of uh
have landed on Thursday, September 4th. Um, first is Is there any um sort of uh issues with having it then? I'm good. Is Is he offering the during And it's
going to be like an hour. So, is he offering during the day and at night? Are we going to do them both on the same day? Same day. Yeah. Two sessions. An hour actually is not probably too short. We're probably looking at an hour and a half. Yeah. You know, maybe
if people have questions, yeah, closer to two hours. I would just say to get that to the board members as soon as possible. The employees are here, but board members have Yes. Well, they can come to either session. Yeah. After tonight, I will start, you know, circulating this information. Um,
Adam also did request since it's early September and he typically has office hours um the last Tuesday of the of the month that um his August office hours be blended in on the same day as this. That
way he he's here he's here for a long day but at least he gets it with me because I won't be in town that day. Um, so he needs training though. I'll if I need him, I will use him.
Okay. Yeah, just so I typically meet with him during office hours. We have an RFP that we're working on for THT and I I saw that from Karen. Right. So, um, anyway,
and we meet next week. So um when when do you need him? Uh we may need time with him then. Um which day his it's better for his to do it on his
office hours, but maybe Kieran and Dave can do it without me. So let's let's go with it. Okay. And you'll look into what you need then. Okay. No. Does it make sense to set the like board hours like maybe like 7 o'clock?
I'm thinking people get home. I don't know. Is that too late? You can set it up, but just uh it probably either be 6 or 7, I think. Well, if he's going to do his hours that day, he'll probably do it at 7 because
his hours are 4 to 7 for to meet people, right? So then he'll do that one at 7 and the other one he may do at 2:30. And I would do it so that it's at the end of the day for staff.
Probably 2 to 4, something like that. Yeah. And then from 47 he has his office hours and then 7 to 9 he has the second session. It's a long day for him, but he kind of gets everything out of the way in one day. I'm good with that. I'm going to try to
do the whole day. I'm gonna try to do both. Okay. Sit down. I mean, you always hear something different. You know, you can see the same presentation, but you're going to pick up something different. And I'm hoping that everybody else does as well. That's pretty good.
Huh? 2 to 479 on September 4th. everyone who is listening will be the training for municipal employees and elected and
appointed officials. We hope to have all of you participate in that. I think that's something neat. Our new group should make sure all board members are aware. Yes, that's something
to put in there. The new group will do that. whatever it's called. What's it called again? VCC. VBCC. VBER boarding committee coordination committee.
Okay. So, sorry to everybody. I liked it. Okay. Okay. Um, you're on your report. Yes. um
see uh September 9th. Um so you guys have met um Michelle Zelanka, you know, she's the regional energy manager. Yeah. Um we were going to have that um climate
action public forum late July. Um didn't really get a lot of um uh responses for you know attending. So, we're gonna kind of pivot, wait until uh the summer's over, but also um start them
here at town hall and then seeing what we learn and maybe expanding from there. So, we're thinking more like a a focus group type of setting. So, we are proposing um two focus groups on September 9th, which is a Tuesday. Um
the first one would be uh just town staff, you know, ideas on climate action, um you know, ideas, initiatives, things like that. Um so that's one session and then that's during the day.
Tuesday are the late days for most staff. So we were thinking maybe like uh you know 4 to 6 or 3 to 5 maybe at Maybe actually it's only going to be about an hour. So maybe like three or four or
four or five and then the evening session would be for um any boards or committees that wants to be part of that conversation. So I think um certain committees it's kind of a natural fit for them. Um
the energy committee maybe conservation um planning uh what else? And I'm not thinking of maybe the recycling committee potentially. So we're opening up invite them all.
Yeah, we are. We're gonna invite them all. Some are just more natural in terms of the conversation about climate action and you know how to get a a plan um you know in place. See what you get for registrance. Yeah. So, I think between those two
focus groups, we'll have enough data and maybe feedback of how we can then push it out to the to the wider community. Um, you know, maybe there's some suggestions on how to promote it better.
Uh, you know, maybe those boards or committees knows, you know, a subset of the population that, you know, we can target, you know, advertising this to. So, okay, that's kind of what we're pivoting towards since the uh the public forum in
July um you know didn't happen. Okay. So, that will be on September 9th. So, I'll start pushing that out to the employees as well as the various boards and committees as well if there are no objections to that.
Anything else from the board? No. Next. Um two other things. Uh we talked about the special town meeting September 25th. I will see if the high school is available
for the auditorium. Um I believe I blind CC you guys on the chapter 90. I was just going to ask about the two funding things. Yep. Um so I am happy to report that you know our chapter 90 funding um for this
fiscal year is um above and beyond what we were expecting. So um we are now expecting um $887,000 and chapter 90. Yep. Nelson, can you just for people listening tell them what the chapter 90
funding is for and what it's not for? Yeah. So the chapter 90 there's some confusion I think about that. That's a big one. Chapter 90 funding comes from the state and um you know there's there's a whole formula of um
how much you know each city or county get. Um that's kind of a formula that we can't really change. Um so what those funds are designed for typically is for paving of any kind. So it could be you
you're paving a complete uh neighborhood. Um, you could be um doing pothole repairs. Um, even even uh paving. There's many uh uh ways of doing it. You could just be uh you could be tearing it up completely
and laying new stuff down. Even what you lay down has different thicknesses and different methods of doing it. But nonetheless, it's all within the paving umbrella, if you want to call it that. Um striping that's part of it too. So
the double line, double yellow, single yellow one. Is that contracted out or we bid it out? Oh, you bid it out. Yeah. And and so there's been some questions like that is not for highway department
staffing. It is for Right. I just want you to clarify that because there's been some questions on the increased chapter 19 funding and what it could be used no it could be used for so um highway staffing can we do have highway
staffing that fills you know does patching yeah um so the materials uh is paid for by chapter 90 but their time is not yeah otherwise we contract it out and And at that point you know it is for you know
the third the third parties labor and materials but uh no it is not for um labor within who does the RFPs for that the highway super does y yep thank you for the clarification
of course and you know we recently um I think it was last meeting we decided to pave Apple drive right so you know with this extra money. Um I think we're all kind of all set for this
fall, but coming the spring, you know, with this extra money, we might be able to add another neighborhood or two, um, you know, to the mix. So, but I just want to caution that increases like this, um, it doesn't happen that often.
You know, it's the cadence is usually once every few years you you see a bump in it. you know, it really depends on the governor and and you know, the state legislature, how you know, what kind of um pressure they're getting from the local cities
and towns. Um, but you know, any increase is welcome, but you know, it's typically not um you're not going to see sustained increases like this year and it's specific. Yeah. So, um I'm excited that we got a
little bit more money. You know, we we'll certainly put it to to use. Um but, you know, honestly, it's never enough. Um you know, I hate to say it, but every road that we are paving, there's another 30 that are undone. You
know, it's just the nature of things. And I think it's always been like that whole time I've lived here. And the increases year-over-year, it's only, you know, a couple percentage points. while you know materials are going up more than that. So what that
means is you're actually doing you're able to do less right every year and that's with everything. Yep. And unfortunately the only way to actually catch up is devoting more money into it which means either increasing
the tax levy or you know um doing something you know you're doing less of something else to be able to pay for which um typically is that how you need a larger chat space, right? Yeah. And and that's a bigger
conversation for another day. Did you also want to address the other funding that we got information on? Oh, yes. Um the the NSHOVA Yeah. Um, we did get word that, uh,
with the NOVA closing, uh, I think 13 communities got together, um, and, you know, almost formed like a coalition and, you know, um, sort of lobbyed their, you know, their It was all the fire chiefs. Was that
it was all the fire chiefs, correct? Yeah. and the 13 communities um lobbying for um additional funding because with the closing um the travel times for you know the various EMS departments significantly increased
which means uh you know you're taking less calls um travel times longer you know that increases um labor expenses so um and less gets done. Yep. So, uh, you know, the the governor
listened and I think, uh, you know, the 13 communities are getting them, uh, at the moment it's 350,000 each for the next two years. Um, it's not 350 each year, right? No, it's divided over.
It's total total two years. Has the governor signed it? I believe it's pretty much a I I don't know if she's I haven't seen where it's been signed. I saw where it was voted. I think it's on her desk and I see no reason why she would not sign it. I
think the question becomes is because we got a notice from Senator Carman about it. Yeah. And Marc voted last Thursday, but the governor has to sign. Yeah. Um I think the bigger question is um what can we use that money for? that
is unknown at the moment. I don't know if there's uh stipulations attached to it. Um we haven't seen the fine print yet. So, we're still trying to figure that out. And depending on what those uh limitations might be, it may help with
the budget or it may just mean um you know the fire department is going to be able to upfit you know their vehicles and equipment because usually some of these grants are um equipment based. You can only spend it on capital equipment,
but you'll let us know as soon as you know. Yep. And I'm sure the fire chief is, you know, he has the pulse on it. So as soon as they find out, they'll they'll relay that message to us and we can start planning accordingly. Um
but it's not the survey knows it's not the 350 for each year. It's divided over the two years. Yeah. And and the funds have to be applied for and it may not be evenly. There's a process of getting the funds.
I saw that terminology somewhere, but there's a process just doesn't they don't send you a check. Yeah, correct. Yep. And so we don't know what that looks like at the moment. So once we know more, we can start playing uh you know things out.
Okay. Anything else? Go ahead. Any questions for the DA? No. I'm pretty sure that that is managed through the fire department though, I believe. So yes, correct. Thanks for the clarification. I know there's a lot
of people asking questions about it, so general. Oh, that's me. I have to think. Um, do we have it updated on this? No, I have a recent. No, that's okay. Okay.
Um it's uh it needs to be updated from the votes that we took for um the MJTC and whatever. It was still under me and um I'm not there anymore. You you are it. Let me see. I have
it's the second page in the back on the assignments. Have those all been sent to MRPC or MJTC or M. Okay. So, if we are the assigned person, we should be receiving the agendas. Yeah.
Cuz I'm not receiving much of anything from anybody right now. March is where I am. You're in March. Yeah. Um I think they might not be meeting for the summer. Sometimes they could be. A lot of them aren't
meeting in August after that. But I've gotten notices. I know. I'm the M person. I haven't gotten much at all. um about me. I don't think I don't think I've got anything. I used to I was Yeah. But come July 1 and I'm thinking I don't
have anything that I'm uh flagging on my calendar. Did you Did you get something? No. But I wanted to add something to that. Um there was a piece of paper I vaguely remember. It's actually still in my office. It had your name on it and it
was like assigning you to Mark, I believe. Yes. I'm assigned to March, but I think there was a section that had to be signed and we had to sign one, too. Oh, that was sent to them. Okay. I just wanted to make sure I didn't.
Okay. All right. So, maybe they haven't. You'll have the last MJTC thing I got was for a meeting on May 14th. Yeah. So, it's But maybe it's just it's a summer thing.
So, okay. So, I'm not crazy that I have I think they I really do think they took off for August. I know that they always took off at least one month in the summer and it sometimes varied depending um so general government. Yeah.
Um I don't have a lot of specific things. There was the conservation thing from Ky um budget. I will ask for more report from the different groups for next month. I mean, it would be good if it was just
with the um stockings kind of refer to that. Would be nice in this in this section here. Wouldn't be bad. And then um I also have the school which I believe their next meeting is next
week. I'll have to double check on it. Their next they haven't had disclosing in a while so that'll be next week. Oh, speaking of schools, um the Brad Morgan's office um was looking at dates for um I forget what the term
they call it was it basically like a budget meetings with the various towns. Um what do they call it? They do. Who is on that email? Was it just the TAs or It was just the TAs, but um what I was
planning on because this literally just happened today. Um uh it's it's pretty typical for at least one select board member and possibly uh a finance committee member. I I I haven't seen a finance committee
member from Ash Prep last year, but it was always at least one select board member. I can as long as I'm available, I can go some depending when it is, I would be interested in going as well. They scheduled them out through like
January. Um because they took a poll of who was available when and then as of today they started sending out invites and the first one isn't until early September uh midepptember. Um I don't need to go to every single one of them, but I want to go to the end.
There's usually one in September that's worth going to, one around November time frame, and then the one that they have with everybody more in the January, February time frame. So, the first one is September 15th. We were trying to have one in August, but
none of the dates worked. So, the very first one is September 15th. Um, it's a Monday. Um, and then there's one late October. When's the 15th one?
It's a Monday at 10:00 a.m. I can go to that one. I'm leaving it to you guys. I can also listen after I might as well tell you the date now. That way you can have it on your
calendar. Um, so there's one in September 15th. Where are they? Are they all They're at the high school. Okay. Uh, the next one is October 27th. And then November 10 a.m. also. Yeah, they're all 10 a.m.
Um, November 17th, December 15th. November 17th. That's December 15th and January 21st
and that's all we have scheduled. January 21st is uh Wednesday. Wednesday. Okay. So they're all Monday except for that one. Yep. 21st, 15th of December, 17th of November, and 15th of September. Not in October.
October 27th. Oh, yeah. Sorry. It's there. Okay. Awesome. So, yeah, that we were literally getting like today. And um
um I think I I mentioned it in an email. Um last year all three TAs sent a letter to the Brad Morgan. We're going to send out a similar letter as well. I will circulate it for your your you guys
feedback and comments. Um there'll probably, excuse me, be a rough draft ready uh in later this week. Uh we're working on it as we speak. Um it's kind of the same
um general idea. You know, the the town really, all three towns can't afford more than you know, two and a half, 3% above. I would say two and a half. um you know, but they've been coming in at five, six, seven
I know%. I know, but we can't afford that. No. And you know, the the letter helps um you know, it certainly um it didn't help this year. It Well, at least it puts on paper that you know, we've as a town or the three
towns as a collaborative are united in sort of um what our request is. Yeah. Yeah. Nobody's fault, just the situation. Yeah. But what you know, nonetheless, I think
um drafting a letter um you know, uh at least let them know that we are united and serious about uh you know our financial constraints. Well, please don't go above two and a half to the schools.
Yeah. Yeah. So, I'll I'll circulate the letter um when it's ready uh later this week. Okay. Elected boards, that's me. Were you done? Um,
I don't have any reports other than what we already discussed tonight between the board of health and uh, and another thing was water and the last meeting I was with them. They just did some transfer or they closed three counts. I don't think I've bothered
that. Um, but I don't have anything else. Public safety. Uh the only thing I have is I think there's a general request and this probably goes beyond public safety uh to have a um a memorandum with
exactly what needs to be cut by what department. So or what um board um not board union. So we'll have that hopefully at the end of the evening.
Oh, okay. Um, announcements, communication, and volunteer response forms. Um, I this is this we got we received this and I think
it was nice and would you like to read it? Um, this is from William May 2011 Page Hill Road. Who's a former police chief? New York switch New Hampshire July 4th. and it's um directed to police chief James Sartell Towns and Police
Department. It goes, "Dear Chief Sartell, I drove by the police station last night on the way to band concert and must tell you the police station looks better than the day it was built 35 years ago. The darker shade of gray of the building. The new sign colors out front coupled with the Fourth of July
bird hunt bunting is quite impressive. You and those who work closely with you with respect to building maintenance are to be commended on doing such excellent work. Nice job. All the best, Bill May. Very nice. Thank you. It's nice that you come to the band
concerts so we know that. Um and again, as always, uh we still have a lot of positions available. Well, I would under this I would like to announce that um it came
to my attention today that the posting for the properties committee that's on the board is for three positions, but there's only two positions available and one already has a volunteer form in. So, there's one position still available for
atlarge member for um town properties committee. Uh, also I know I don't I don't think we have one yet, but I know that the historical district commission is looking for uh an architect, somebody
with an architectural background uh to also fill a seat for the charter um on that board and there are many others I'm sure. So, we will welcome
people who are interested in serving. Our next meeting is August 19th, 2025 at 6:00 p.m. and 5.5. I'll entertain a motion. Um, I move that we review and sign
payroll and bills payable warrants out of session. Second. Any discussion? Mo Kelly. Yes. Yes. Yes. Six. Executive session. Votes may be
taken. 6.1. Executive Executive session pursuant pursuant to open meeting law chapter 30 section 21A3 to discuss strategy with respect to collective bargaining if an open meeting
may have a detrimental effect on the bargaining position of the public body and the chair so declares clerical unions super supervisors union highway water union police union fire
6.2 two executive session pursuant to open meeting law chapter 30 section 21 A2 to consider excuse me to conduct strategy sessions in prepare in preparation for
negotiations with non-UN personnel or to conduct collective bargaining sessions or contract negotiations with non-UN personnel. Now, treasurer, collector,
um, I will entertain a motion that we close our general meeting and go into exe. No, we don't adjourn. We just we're
going to adjourn from executive session. Correct. Yeah. So, I need a motion that we're entering into executive session. Don't we have to do a motion for the executive sessions, which is what you just did? And we seconded that.
Okay. And so, we can just amend it to adjourn from executive session. Okay. I'll take that as a friendly amendment. Yeah. You enter it into and then you from I'll entertain a friendly amendment to
adjourn from executive session. So moved. Second. Okay. Roll call. Veronica Kelly. Yes. Good. Yes. And Laura Shiffren. Yes. We are going into executive session at 8:53