Hi there. Good evening. This is the finance committee. This is it's Tuesday, October 14, 2025 at 6:30 p.m. I'd like to call the meeting to an or to order with a pledge of allegiance. I pledge allegiance to the flag
>> of the United States of America and to theublic one nation >> under God, indivisible for all. for all >> under Mass General Law Chapter 3A
section 20F. This meeting is being recorded. On March 28th, Governor H 2025, Governor Healey signed into law a bill which extends the temporary provisions pertaining to the open meeting law to June 30th, 2027.
Specifically, this further extension allows the public bodies to continue holding meetings remotely without a quorum of public body physically present at a meeting location and to provide adequate alternative access to remote meetings. The language does not make any
substantive changes to the open meeting law other than extending the expiration date of the temporary provisions regarding remote meetings from March 31st, 2025 to June 30th, 2027. All right. Uh well, hello everyone.
Um so tonight, so I need to do just announce who's here, who's present. So we have um Hugh Morton is with us tonight, Duncan Law, Cindy Brown, Zach Lew, and myself, Karen Rouse. Um not
present at the meeting are Nancy Stanton Cross, Gary Carrero, and El Le. And I have not yet heard from Christopher. I'm not sure if he has joined us. Let me just check. Nope. So, I've not heard from
Christopher Thrasher, but at this time, he's not at the meeting at this time. So, uh we can start the meeting. Well, hello everyone. Nice to see you. It's been a um it's been a nice nice summer fall break. So, here here we go again. We'll be seeing each other a lot
more uh as we come up. So, um hope everyone's doing well. All right. So, the first item on the agenda tonight is the Council on Aging has made a request to for reserve funds
in the amount of $5,74342 for some repair vehicle uh and maintenance that was unanticipated. And I'm not sure I don't see Nicole here. Um but the um
so the and and Cindy, I don't know with your being the leas on to the council if you have any additional information other than what's on the the um on the reserve, but it bev um keep
missing each other. Uh I tried to reach her over the last couple of weeks. Um, this is a van that they rely on uh all the time and it escapes me right off the top of my head what the major uh problem
was. Do you have a copy of the transfer request? >> I do. I can go into the drive. I can grab that. >> Okay. All right. Sorry. >> I'll read everything that it says. So just >> Lindy, while Karen's looking for that, I know there are several fans. Is this one
in particular? My question is, and Karen's digging it out, I expect there are several. Why can't one take the place of another, at least on a short-term basis? But I guess Karen's going to give us the background information. >> Yeah.
Uh just uh FYI, oh Nicole's uh Nicole's with us now too, Karen. >> Oh, perfect. Perfect. >> Um they had also submitted a second re request uh for um a repair that needed
to be done at the Klon Aging building for a grease trap repair. And I was I was pretty surprised when I saw how much it was. And then I did a little bit of digging about it. The initial request was for $10,000 and I thought, my
goodness, a grease trap repaired, does it really cost that much? And I guess depending on the uh issue involved, um to make a long story short, she was able to get a grant for that and that's been fully covered by other other
sources. Um if you know, if nothing else, uh Beverly Bish is one of the most resourceful people that I've ever met. I mean, she always manages to find other ways to um get financing for projects that she knows that we may have a hard
time um doing. Nicole has her hand up. Maybe she has some additional information. >> Yeah. And just to to further So, we So, that was an initial request, but it was rescended before I posted the meeting, so I didn't post that because that had already been taken care of, but that it does deserve a nice shout out that uh
with with the attempt and and managed to get a grant. That's great. >> Go ahead, Nicole. Hi. >> Uh, hi. Can you hear me? >> Yes. >> Can't see you, but we can hear you. >> Well, I'm on my phone, that's why. Um,
she actually got insurance money. She put it through the insurance company. >> Oh, that's the insurance the insurance is going to pay for it. Um, but she did pay the bill, so her, you know, her budget's negative. But the other repair for the van, she does not have the money
for and she has not found any funding for it yet. So that's why the other the other reserve fund transfer still needs to be um >> Oh, we're losing you, Nicole. Karen, were you able to find the request? I can't get into the drive right now.
Um, I do have it. Um, let's see. It says uh so the amount of the request is as I mentioned the 5,7 and it says it to be used for be
specific it says lift system bumper lights mirror use spring rear spring for inspection two invoices which he has attached and then uh asked to describe so in order to use the reserve it needs
to either would be extraordinary and or unforeseen. Uh those are the conditions of of the finance committee being able to um approve a reserve. And so her the response is that the van inspection have the the van inspections have passed up
to this point and never had any issues. We need to keep the van on the road until we receive a new van in June 2026. >> Okay. So, this is a more special one of the more specialized vans. Some of the vans that they use um you know, just
have regular steps. This is one that has the lift on it. So, if um you know, if that's been out of commission, like I said, she and I keep trading uh phone calls and I never know when she's in the office at um
excuse me, at the center. Um, you know, I'm sure she has money in her current budget, but it's not for that. I mean, could it wait until I'd like to think that she had had the repair done pending this and then if she ran out of
money at the end of the year, but maybe she did not. So, um, because I know that she doesn't like to spend money that she doesn't have. So, if she didn't have the funding for it, I'm not sure that the repair has been done. Um, you know, I'm
inclined to approve it. I mean, I'm sure that she could get it through her budget until maybe, you know, April or so of this year and then she might run out of funds or February or March, she might run out of funds to head heading towards the end of the year. Um, but I don't
think that she likes to backpedal and explain later in the year, well, I had these repairs early in the year and you know, now I ran out of money. She ran out of money for this reason and she wants to get it covered now. Um, >> yeah, >> I'm not against the idea, but I think
with that background, we can get more details and deal with it our next meeting. That would be my suggestion. Uh yeah, I mean that that would be fine. Nicole has do you know if she has had the had the repair done?
>> Uh I do not. >> Okay. So you haven't seen a a bill this was a quote for the work to be done. Is that correct? >> Yes. >> Yeah. Okay. All right. Uh I'll try again to um reach her. She's very elusive
because she spends so much time running around and meetings. She doesn't keep regular office hours, so um it's hard for me to always catch her, but I will I will try to catch her. Um >> is there any reason why we're we're deferring this? I mean, why why don't we
just approve it? I I I I I don't get it. >> Well, we don't know exactly what's going on. I don't like to approve things without knowing the details. >> It's $5,000. I mean, come on. Yeah, but it's we got a $50,000 reserve, I think, and every dollar counts. So,
>> what do we have? The 100,000 count for a long time. >> Yeah. Right. >> To me, the the only question and and I agree with your sentiment, Duncan. It's it's if if I were to if I knew that this
van was needed and people were were not being transported because of it, that would be a very very different situation. And without knowing the urgency, I mean, and it could be urgent. I don't know. But >> the it is early in the season to start
using the reserve in in one sense. So, if they have repair dollars, they can they can go ahead and repair that van with um with the dollars that they have in their budget and then this can then come later and supplement it. >> Well, I think
>> that's fine. I just I think we're wasting a lot of time, >> right? I mean, >> we don't want people to think that that this is a supplement to the budget if they need some money. I'm on the same page with Karen. if it were an emergency
to get it going and there's no other source, it's different. But there's funds if there are funds that will be available on a temporary basis subject to being [Music] putting put back in again at some point. I don't see the urgency. That's
basically and if I did, I would agree. >> I I I I think and you know, she's not here to defend it. Now, I'm not saying defend herself, but >> yeah, >> I think that she just wants at least to be on record that she's requested this money. if she
runs out of money come, like I said, March or April and she needs to come to us and and it's like, well, I had this bill back in September, you know, we chastised the the the the beach committee because they showed up late with the request even though they knew
they needed the money back in October and we and they didn't request it until, you know, April or May. And it's like, well, why didn't you request it then? She's requesting it now because she knows she doesn't have $5,700 extra in her budget to be able to pay for that.
>> So, I'll make sure that she gets the repairs done. If she runs short $5,700 at the end of the year, >> I hope we don't spend 10 seconds on this again. >> I would agree. >> I'm with you. I just want
>> We want people to be auster. >> Absolutely. I get it. ground you get out of somewhere then that's if you can't then we got to deal with it as an emergency but we don't really know if it's brand new so >> we need I think to develop the scenario
and if it is something that is short I'm not against the idea it's a matter of the timing and if there are other funds that can be scr even short term later on it turns out there seem to be some extra money in one account we get later in the year it isn't there anymore okay
>> I'll make sure that she gets that message here. >> Okay. >> All right. Great. Thank you. All right. Thanks, everyone. So, we're gonna um do we need to do we need to vote that we're >> deferring it? I don't think so. >> No. Okay. >> All right. Great. >> Part of it's part of the minutes. So, it's
>> all right. Perfect. Okay. >> All right. So, item number two on the agenda is to uh wrap up our committee and department leasons. Um so, for committee purposes, we had done most of
that. Um at our earlier meeting there was one committee that uh Cindy had the audit committee that that we didn't uh reappoint because Cindy had suggested a possibility that Nancy Stanton Cross, our newest member, um could have the
opportunity to be on a committee and that would be one that Cindy would be willing to roll off on. Um, so NY's not here again, but she did we did email and she would be fine joining the audit committee if that is uh the place that
is available for her. Um, Cindy, are you okay rolling off the >> uh Yes, but we have one meeting scheduled in October um and uh October 27th and which is just a couple of weeks from now. My
appointment goes through the June of 2026. So I will attend this next meeting and announce to the committee that I will be rolling off. And now NY's term uh her initial term will only go through
June of 2026. Uh the way the select board set up the terms, they are three-year rolling terms, >> right? >> We can interchange them, but they're not going to change the term dates. Mhm. >> Just so you know.
>> So she would take over the remainder of the finance committee seat term which is you're holding so through6 >> or or I can just finish out the term and we can reappoint someone who would be have a term of three years. It doesn't
matter to me. I'm I'm happy to step aside. You know Karen, you and I both know we started that committee some time ago. I've been on it probably I don't know four or five years now. So I'm more than happy to um move on from that. But
I will attend the next meeting. >> Okay. Well, we could um we can ask we can always ask the select board to make the appointment after November 1st. So this way >> this way you can attend and just in case things are late in their process. We
don't want to nobody on Right. >> Yep. >> Okay. Okay. So that would be we'll ask the select board to appoint Nancy Stanross effective November 1st and that would be through the expiring term of the current finance committee which is
through June 2026. >> Correct. >> Okay. All right. That's our official info. Um All right. So then the other items were our department leans. So I think everybody had um assignments and I
hadn't heard anybody expressing a desire to take new things or swap things. Um so in my suggestion would be the easiest thing to um we had several departments which were previously held by um
Michelle Orlando, a previous member um and then those could roll right into Nancy taking those over. Um this way we don't have to do a lot of um geography and moving things around. And Nancy said she would be acceptable to any committee
that we felt. Um Nancy also did offer to um be a leasison to the school committee if that is what uh we wanted to do but um I know Duncan is uh currently the leasison unless Duncan you would. No, I I I
definitely again I'm I'm in the school two days a week. I I think I should stay on with that. >> Okay, great. And I think it I think, you know, in my opinion, I think it'd be great for Nancy, who who was a former school committee member years ago and and probably understands the budget very
very well. Uh it's a good opportunity for for Nancy to learn other departments that the finance committee um is responsible for. So, I think that's a that's a good good fit. So, and she was fine withever whatever. So um so then we'll um we don't need a vote on it but
in the so Nancy would take the there's a schedule in our Google drive. So Nancy would take over the veterans grave veteran services recreation library town beach town clerk and election and uh registar.
>> Everyone okay uh with their assignments? Anything else we'd want to shift around or are we all good with with what we have? Good. >> Great. All right. We will uh move on. All right. So, the next item on the
agenda is the budget fiscal 27 timeline, the review of the town administrator timeline in our own schedule. So, Jim um has always done a terrific job and put together a timeline and all
of this is in the Google Google Drive. Um I can share it if uh let me see. All right. Can you guys see that? >> Yes. >> Yes. >> Okay. Great. Okay. So, every year Jim puts together um this timeline for the
whole board uh for the budget and warrant articles right up to town meeting. So Jim is So Jim is still um a technically a consultant now, right? He's not the he resigned as the town
administrator as of I think September 30th, but now is on a consultant basis. So he's still he's still with the town until uh the committee until the select board hires the new town administrator. So Jim feels he's
he's uh helping helping the town continuing this process while uh so we're we're not uh so we can continue. So Jim is as per schedule December 15th is the approx is the
timetable that the town administrator would present its first draft of the budget to the select board. So Jim should be right as we're speaking meeting with the departments and working on budgets now. Uh so December 15th
would be the rollup and then November 20th uh February 20th that's the town bylaw that the select board would need to submit its version of the budget to the finance committee. Uh I would think by then we'd probably have a different
town administrator by then. So um but that is our schedule. And then our annual town meeting is May 5th, 2026. So that's uh Jim has always done a fantastic job going right along and
adhering to this calendar. So um I would hope that uh as Jim transitions to the next town administrator, we'd be able to stay in sync uh similar to this. So, with that, um, I'll share, well, I don't need to share it, but our our own
finance committee meeting. What we've done in the past is had one one meeting in December to to get through some of the earlier or smaller budgets that we can, and then we kick it into gear in January and and and have four meetings
in a row u, and get through most of the budgets. And so, um, let me put that I can put that up. Uh, one second. Let me share that screen. >> Can you see that one now?
>> Yes. >> All right. So, that might be a little small, but okay. So, our next meeting um our our next scheduled meeting would be the second Tuesday in November, but that's uh a holiday. So, let's skip over
that one for now. So, then our next meeting in December would be December n December 9th. And so, we could do some budgets there. And then in January, we'd have January 6th, January 11th, January 20th, and January 27th. And our focus
would be on the budgets. Uh and then as we've done in the past, we've skipped a week just to make in case something else happens with the schedule. And then on February 10th is usually it's the last date before um the
select board needs to submit their budgets budget to us so we so we can get through the school budget on the 10th. Uh we need to confirm that with the school committee to make sure that date works for them. So did So this is very similar to what
we've done every year. So I just want to make sure that those dates work for everyone and everyone's going to do that. Go ahead. >> Yeah, I just want to chime in, Sharon, on that. In the December one, I have the South Coast annual meeting. So I would not be available >> on the December 9th one.
>> Correct. >> Okay. Is everyone else good with um the schedule as we have? >> Yeah. >> No, I'm I'm I'm going to have a problem with February 10th. >> Okay. Oh, okay.
>> I hadn't gotten that far ahead. >> I just I just know I'm going to be away. So So we'll have to figure that out. But hopefully hopefully we'll be done. So, >> Right. You never know. >> You won't need my my uh
my input at that point. >> Right. Right. That's that's true. So, okay. Well, we'll uh we'll we'll check with the school to see if the 10th is fine. If if if they're able to do the third, we can try to change it to February 3rd to kind of get it a little
earlier. I wouldn't I would be reluctant to move to the 17th because the select board needs to approve their final budget by the 20th. So we should all have reviewed the had a chance to review the um school's budget before the select board is >> absolutely
>> you know sending it over. So okay. Okay. All right. Great. So I'm going to unshare this. Um, and so what I've done in the past and I can do again is I sent uh all the department heads a um a Google calendar with the dates and let them pick the
dates that are work best for their schedule and then I can uh help build that schedule so I can uh send that out next week to get it all uh scheduled up. Okay. Anything on that?
No. Good. Okay. Um, next item is committee and leison updates. Does anyone have any committee updates to share? >> Well, let's see. So, uh, even though Christopher is the chair, I believe I am
the finance committee rep for the long-term building committee. Um, I was notified, I shouldn't say that notified, I was told today by a third party that there is a meeting of the long-term building committee on Thursday of this
week. Uh, but to my knowledge, no members have been told of such meeting, myself included, nor one other member, two other members have no knowledge of a meeting on Thursday. It was posted this afternoon um because the long-term building
committee evidently has been asked to go before the select board on Monday. Also, not to my knowledge firsthand from my committee chair, but through uh a different party. I was told that's why we have to have a meeting on
Thursday because we've been asked to go before the select board. So, I that's my update. That's that's it. I don't know what the meeting is for. I don't know uh I don't know what the agenda of the meeting is. I we have not met uh since
uh sometime in early August I believe just be prior to the last time the select board was updated with such. So, um, and in in all fairness to the committee,
um, we delivered the report to the select board. So, we're we're a little bit back to this game of is it a long-term building committee issue or is it a select board issue. The select board controls where this is going. The long-term building committee does not. However,
the chairman at that last meeting indicated he wanted to control how the course of events took place and I think that's why it's been sitting there doing nothing for the last six weeks. So anyway, that's my update. I don't really
have one other than there's a meeting, two meetings coming up, but I know nothing about why they're there. And there is an audit committee meeting coming up just getting ready for um making sure all of the items are
ready uh for the uh audit that will take place in the coming weeks. >> Okay. Well, and just to to to reiterate, so when our committee when the finance committee had met and reviewed the
uh report by the consultants, we at all uh hadn't talked about it in any detail, but had suggested that we have a joint meeting with the select board so we can discuss it. I did reach out to the select board at that time and uh they
were absolutely um in favor of having a joint meeting, but we just didn't know at what point when it should be and so I think we've been in a little bit of a a stall pattern for the like six the last six or eight weeks. So,
so maybe maybe there'll be a little resolution after this said meeting happens this week. >> Hopefully in next meeting I'll have something to report. >> Right. Right. And then and then if if the committee is then going in front of the select board, then we may have
something more than we we know what direction we're going and then we can try to arrange another meeting a meeting that we can then talk about it. Yeah, I've been uh I've been involved with the uh infrastructure oversight committee and uh we've had a couple of
meetings this summer. U it's all grant-based so you know there's no uh impact on the town budget. Um you know we're figuring out where the you know which loops they're going to do off of Route Six. Um you know there's a
consultant involved that's driving the process. Uh it seems pretty highly organized. Uh you know, one of the things we're looking at is making sure that we get uh the MC Mcumber school and the fire department covered uh so that
uh you know, particularly for the kids, you know, to make sure that the water's uh better than what they typically are getting. But anyway, so I continue to be involved with that um that group of people. >> Great. Thanks, Duncan.
The only committee that I serve on is the the new high school building committee as the um they're haven't closed out the final spending and haven't closed it out. I unfortunately must inadvertently was not
invited to the last meeting and I read about in the newspaper that there was a meeting. So, I don't really kind of >> I don't have anything to report on that. Um, but I will see if I can get back on their um email so I know when there is a
me meeting, but I think they're trying to I read the newspaper article. That's all I can share was they're um trying to finish up spending. Um, go ahead, Hugh. >> Yeah, I suppose I should report. The CPC
at this point is waiting for requests. We have a meeting. We've had a couple of meetings, but nothing's come down the pike yet. So, the next meeting is, I think, in December, and we'll see what there is to talk about. And as far as the police are concerned, they're well aware of the budgeting sequence. Chris
is now his second year. So, it's not as if it didn't have a problem last year, but having gone through the cycle makes it easier, I think, the next time. And they're well aware of it. >> Great. Thank you. >> Thank you. Anything for you, Zach? any
exciting committee meetings? >> No, I'm actually the conservation committee meeting is going on right now. It started at 7. Um I was sworn into the other ones, but I haven't had any meetings scheduled for those yet. >> Okay. >> So, >> great. Thank you. All right. Well,
thanks everyone for the updates. It's it's always helpful. Um All right. So, the next item on the agenda is the August 12th, 2025 minutes. Uh if everyone's had a chance to review them
and if someone wants to make a motion to um approve. >> So moved. >> I'll second it. >> Thank you. Any discussion on those minutes? Uh no discussion. So I'll do a roll call. Q. >> Q. Martin. I. >> Thank you. Duncan.
>> Duncan Law. I >> Cindy. >> Cindy Brown. I >> Zack. >> Zach Lew. I. >> Thank you. And Karen Rose. I thank you. All right. So, >> by the way, I just want to say one thing. Yeah, >> Duncan, it's so great to hear your
voice. I just realized that we can hear you >> tonight. It's no more. >> You know, as somebody that spent 40 years in technology, the fact that I couldn't make my microphone work is really >> Oh, well then and I I hope my you
weren't insulted when I offered to do anything to help you. So y didn't need my help. >> No, but that just that just shamed me into fixing it. >> Oh, well, thanks. Thanks. It is good to hear your voice. So great. Um, all right. The next item is correspondence.
I really don't have uh I put a couple of things in the Google Drive and I didn't put it on the the agenda to discuss, but Bristol Aggie had their annual budget and was finalized and so um it it's there if somebody wants to see the
Bristol Aggie budget and then the uh Nicole the town accountant sent to us the fiscal 25 budget turnbacks. So, I figure it's in there. We can talk about that at a future meeting when we're really starting to talk about the
budget. Might be a good time to to discuss that a little more. So, that's all I had for correspondence. Um, and item the next item was the meeting schedule and topics for next meeting. So, again, if anybody has anything for
the next meeting, um, just let me know. Um, back to that, the the second Tuesday in November is a holiday. So, uh, would we want to move it to the
first Tuesday or the third t Tuesday? >> Will we have any budgets by then? I don't think so. Right. >> I don't think so. Um, I don't believe >> um, we can just wait and see if there are any items that need to be addressed
prior to our December meeting. >> Do we want to pick a tentative date and then if we don't have anything, we can cancel, but this way we have something reserved. >> Doesn't matter to me. Same day before
works for me. Okay. All right. So, let's um Okay. So, either the the meeting before, which is the >> the 10th >> um the 10th.
One second. Am I on the wrong calendar here? >> The 11th is the holiday. That's >> Oh, so you're saying Monday the 10th or would we go >> Yeah, we could we could go Wednesday or we could go to the 17th. Yep. Or >> or the 18th rather, >> right? Either the 4th or the 18th if we
wanted to stick to Tuesdays or we could certainly do the 10th. Either one. >> Well, just by ear. >> Yeah, I'm a different >> Okay. And since we're we're missing four committee members tonight anyway, so it' probably be good to I could send an
email to see what schedule works for everybody. Okay. Okay. Uh I don't have any topics that uh were not anticipated within 48 hours and so I have nothing else on the agenda. Does anyone have anything else? If not,
we can do a motion to adjurnn. >> So moved. >> Second. >> All right. I got a motion in a second. I don't think we need a deliberation discussion. So I will do a roll call. Hugh. >> Hugh Morton. >> Duncan.
>> Duncan L. Hi >> Cindy. >> Cindy Brown. I >> Zack >> Zach Lew. >> And Karen R's eye.