Hardwick Select Board Organizational Meeting and Budget Discussion

[00:00:00] Uh, the chair, vice chair, and clerk.
[00:00:07] Nominations? Mhm.
[00:00:11] I have something to read.
[00:00:12] Point of order, Mr. Chair. Maybe you can
[00:00:14] introduce the new member. Oh, yeah.
[00:00:15] That's a good point, then. I'd like to
[00:00:16] welcome Zach Spencer as our new select
[00:00:19] board member.
[00:00:22] >> [applause]
[00:00:28] >> Okay.
[00:00:29] Uh, I'm going to keep this
[00:00:29] straightforward. Uh, we are not in a
[00:00:32] position where we can afford
[00:00:33] instability, conflict, or the loss of
[00:00:35] key personnel.
[00:00:37] I have heard through my campaign for
[00:00:39] this position, uh, consistent concerns
[00:00:41] from individuals across multiple
[00:00:43] departments in this town that the
[00:00:45] current environment is a serious issue,
[00:00:47] and I am not going to ignore that.
[00:00:49] While employees report to this board,
[00:00:51] our role is not just oversight, it's
[00:00:53] leadership, and that means ensuring a
[00:00:55] professional, stable environment where
[00:00:56] people can do their jobs effectively.
[00:00:59] These are the people who keep this town
[00:01:01] running, and they are incredibly
[00:01:02] valuable to this community. The The
[00:01:05] decision tonight that we make for chair
[00:01:07] is not symbolic, and it will directly
[00:01:09] impact whether this board functions
[00:01:11] effectively or continues down a path
[00:01:13] that risks further division and
[00:01:15] potential staff loss.
[00:01:16] I am not interested in contributing to
[00:01:19] that, and I'm interested in stabilizing
[00:01:21] this town and moving it forward.
[00:01:23] This was not an easy easy decision for
[00:01:25] me to make. I did not arrive at it
[00:01:26] lightly. This is not about personalities
[00:01:29] or egos to me. This is about what the
[00:01:31] town needs right now.
[00:01:32] For those reasons, I am nominating Jeff
[00:01:34] Shay for chair of this board.
[00:01:38] I'm sorry, Bill.
[00:01:40] Well, I'd like to address his comments
[00:01:41] as far as
[00:01:43] employees' concerns, cuz the board acts,
[00:01:46] not the chair. Correct.
[00:01:47] >> does not act unilaterally, nor does any
[00:01:50] member of this board.
[00:01:52] So,
[00:01:54] unlike our previous chair.
[00:01:57] Okay.
[00:01:59] Um,
[00:02:00] anything like that has to go through a
[00:02:02] board vote.
[00:02:06] I'm sorry, Bill. I am going to second
[00:02:10] my nomination for as chair.
[00:02:13] I
[00:02:15] Again, it's nothing personal. You don't
[00:02:17] have to explain anything, Jeff. Yeah.
[00:02:19] No, you don't.
[00:02:21] I feel like I like I do.
[00:02:24] >> Okay.
[00:02:28] Call for a vote.
[00:02:30] Aye. Aye. No.
[00:02:34] Moving on. I will, uh, nominate Bill
[00:02:38] Tinker, uh, William Tinker as vice
[00:02:40] chairman.
[00:02:43] Second.
[00:02:44] All in favor? Aye. Aye. Aye.
[00:02:48] Nominate, uh,
[00:02:51] Zach, uh, Spencer as
[00:02:55] vice,
[00:02:56] uh, as, uh, clerk. I'll second that.
[00:02:59] This is some [ __ ] right here. I just
[00:03:01] wanted to say that. Bill, please.
[00:03:03] Please. Look, this is part of the issue,
[00:03:06] Jeff.
[00:03:08] It's the interruptions
[00:03:10] and the, uh, insults and the insulting
[00:03:14] language that is being used. You have
[00:03:17] been more out of decorum than any of
[00:03:19] these other select board members, Jeff,
[00:03:21] yourself. [clears throat]
[00:03:22] You've screamed at me to shut up, and
[00:03:24] you were correct. And let me tell you
[00:03:25] Let me tell you something right now.
[00:03:27] Moving forward, this board and this and
[00:03:29] this room and the people in this room,
[00:03:31] we're going to be respectful. We're here
[00:03:32] to do business. And let me tell you
[00:03:34] something right now, and you and I have
[00:03:35] had conversations about this. The people
[00:03:37] in this town
[00:03:38] think that this is a clown show, okay?
[00:03:41] They're sick of the They're sick of the
[00:03:42] disrespect that's going on. They're sick
[00:03:45] of the infighting, and we are going to
[00:03:48] move forward in this town, and we're
[00:03:50] going to do it respectfully. And if
[00:03:53] if my decision tonight did not come on a
[00:03:56] personality, I like everyone in this
[00:03:58] room, frankly.
[00:03:59] It came from the concern,
[00:04:01] not from people in this building, okay?
[00:04:04] It came from the people on the fire
[00:04:05] department, the people on the DPW, and
[00:04:07] the people on the police department.
[00:04:08] Those are three of the most essential
[00:04:11] parts of this town
[00:04:12] that are voicing concerns to me about a
[00:04:15] member of this board. And granted, I've
[00:04:17] not been on this board for more than 2
[00:04:19] seconds, okay?
[00:04:21] But I can't risk instability of the town
[00:04:24] of what I consider what some of the most
[00:04:26] vital services
[00:04:27] in this town based on past
[00:04:31] feelings and bad and past bad blood.
[00:04:34] We're not doing that. We are moving
[00:04:35] forward
[00:04:37] as this board,
[00:04:38] and we're not going to like decisions
[00:04:40] that we make. There's going to be times
[00:04:42] I agree with Bill. There's going to be
[00:04:43] times I agree with Justine. There's
[00:04:45] going to be times I agree with Jeff. And
[00:04:47] there's going to be times when I'm on an
[00:04:49] island by myself, and no one agrees with
[00:04:51] me. And that's totally fine.
[00:04:53] But we're not coming in here, and we're
[00:04:55] not going to yell at each other. We're
[00:04:57] not going to continue the infighting
[00:04:58] that we're doing. We're not doing it.
[00:05:00] And And you are correct. We are a board.
[00:05:03] We're going to make decisions as a
[00:05:04] board, and that's what we're going to
[00:05:05] do. And this And we'll follow the law
[00:05:07] like a board.
[00:05:08] >> to follow the law like a board. We're
[00:05:10] not going to The The past is the past.
[00:05:13] We're not doing the past anymore.
[00:05:14] So, we're not going to yell out in
[00:05:15] meetings anymore. If you If you want to
[00:05:17] say something, by all means. That's your
[00:05:19] right as a citizen. But we're not None
[00:05:20] of us are going to be screaming at
[00:05:22] anyone. That it's That those days are
[00:05:24] done. I'm all done with that. The
[00:05:26] citizens of this town are done with it,
[00:05:28] and we're not doing anymore. We have We
[00:05:30] have serious things that we need to
[00:05:32] discuss, and we need to fix, and we're
[00:05:34] going to do it. And that's it. That
[00:05:37] That's That's where we are.
[00:05:39] I mean, the fact that there is There is
[00:05:41] $200,000 that we're going to have to
[00:05:44] figure out, maybe not this year, but
[00:05:47] moving forward, we're going to have to
[00:05:48] figure out what we're doing with that.
[00:05:50] So,
[00:05:52] and that's something we're going to do.
[00:05:54] And we're going to come together, and I
[00:05:56] know he's I know he's mad, but I'm going
[00:05:58] to tell you something right now. We're
[00:06:00] going to come together as a board,
[00:06:01] Exactly. I've been nothing but
[00:06:02] professional through this entire time
[00:06:05] serving as a board member. I Listen.
[00:06:07] >> And And I don't speculate. I don't go to
[00:06:09] the rumor mill. I don't go to the poison
[00:06:11] well.
[00:06:12] You know, I I act very professional in
[00:06:14] these meetings.
[00:06:15] Just look at the tapes. Well, that
[00:06:18] That's the problem, Bill, is I have, and
[00:06:19] so have the other people in this in this
[00:06:21] town. And the right And that shows it.
[00:06:23] >> There is There is a lot
[00:06:25] There is a lot of disrespect going on,
[00:06:27] not just from you, but from the entirety
[00:06:30] of what has been here. And people don't
[00:06:32] want to see it anymore. So, we're not
[00:06:34] going to We're not doing it right.
[00:06:35] >> and follow the law, and we won't have
[00:06:37] any issues with me. Let's bring the tone
[00:06:39] down. Yes. Please.
[00:06:41] Please. Are we done
[00:06:44] Yes. Bill, I'd like you to take this
[00:06:45] seat. Zack, you can sit over here. I'll
[00:06:48] sit in my spot.
[00:06:51] >> Thank you.
[00:06:56] Do you want the seat
[00:06:57] >> No. No, it's all right.
[00:07:00] >> [clears throat]
[00:07:01] >> All right.
[00:07:03] Well, I don't like this seating.
[00:07:07] All right.
[00:07:09] Um,
[00:07:11] there is, uh, second agenda item here,
[00:07:14] discussion and vote on fiscal year 2027
[00:07:17] budget. We, at our last meeting,
[00:07:22] we
[00:07:24] decided that we were going to meet one
[00:07:26] more time with the finance committee. I
[00:07:28] would like to
[00:07:30] entertain a motion that we table this
[00:07:32] item. Mr. Chair, can I give one update
[00:07:35] about this item before you
[00:07:36] >> move on? Um, so after our Thursday's
[00:07:39] meeting, I did get a call from a few
[00:07:40] different departments,
[00:07:42] um,
[00:07:43] who had watched the meeting, and they
[00:07:45] were asking
[00:07:46] about
[00:07:48] the conversation around the cutting 10%,
[00:07:50] and the reason why they were reaching
[00:07:52] out to me is because we had already done
[00:07:54] that. Like I had already met with them a
[00:07:55] second time.
[00:07:56] So, I just wanted to bring that to the
[00:07:58] board, um, that there was a lot of
[00:07:59] concern and a lot of fear among the the
[00:08:03] different, uh,
[00:08:04] departments that reached out to me,
[00:08:05] wondering if they were going to have to
[00:08:06] cut staff or not. So, I just wanted to,
[00:08:08] um, let the board know, um, the
[00:08:10] feedback, and maybe we can give them a
[00:08:11] little peace of mind or something. I
[00:08:13] just wanted you to be aware.
[00:08:15] All right. Um,
[00:08:19] you know, there was talked about cutting
[00:08:21] back or, uh, not filling positions and
[00:08:24] everything during that last meeting.
[00:08:26] And
[00:08:27] it was just that, talk.
[00:08:29] >> Yeah. And as anybody can see from that
[00:08:32] last meeting,
[00:08:33] >> a board vote, Mr. Chair.
[00:08:34] Oh, yeah. I We're We're
[00:08:37] We're still going to ask for a
[00:08:40] 10% see if they are able to find 10%. I
[00:08:46] think that figure is a little high,
[00:08:48] myself, but
[00:08:50] see if we can cut further.
[00:08:53] The three departments that reached out
[00:08:54] to me had felt like they couldn't do
[00:08:56] that.
[00:08:57] >> Okay. And like cuz like I said, we had
[00:08:58] met a second time when you had those
[00:09:00] Remember when you had the spreadsheet
[00:09:01] with the blue? That was like me going
[00:09:03] back to the departments and like like
[00:09:05] nickel and diming them almost. Like,
[00:09:06] "Hey, can you What can we do here?" Um,
[00:09:09] so I think the three departments were
[00:09:10] just a little worried because they had
[00:09:11] already felt like they couldn't go
[00:09:13] beyond that.
[00:09:15] Mr. Chair, Yes, sir.
[00:09:17] >> what three departments?
[00:09:20] I don't want to
[00:09:22] I I mean, I I mean, it it was highway,
[00:09:23] police, and fire. Okay. Thank you.
[00:09:30] All right.
[00:09:32] Mr. Chair, what um, if I may. One other
[00:09:35] thing. Um, at our last meeting, we
[00:09:37] discussed that I I and Justine go and
[00:09:40] speak to these department heads, and I
[00:09:42] think we'd be better
[00:09:43] if this entire board had the department
[00:09:46] heads come to a select board meeting and
[00:09:48] discuss it publicly.
[00:09:51] I agree with that.
[00:09:55] Do you think we can the department heads
[00:09:58] to
[00:09:59] a select board meeting? So, all of them
[00:10:02] again. I just want to make sure All of
[00:10:03] them, yeah. You do understand that uh
[00:10:06] We'll set a time limit, 15 minutes.
[00:10:08] Yeah. Each department head. Okay.
[00:10:11] >> We'll set the agenda that way. We'll
[00:10:12] move through the meeting and we'll be
[00:10:14] direct 15 minutes. And in the meantime,
[00:10:16] we'll ask them to review their budgets
[00:10:18] to see where they can make cuts.
[00:10:23] All right. Which meeting? And if they
[00:10:25] can, they can. And if they can't,
[00:10:27] they can't. I I don't I don't want to
[00:10:29] cut any staffing. That's not
[00:10:33] I don't think that's feasible, but
[00:10:36] Which meeting?
[00:10:39] Whichever one they can make, maybe our
[00:10:41] next meeting.
[00:10:43] A week from tonight? A week from
[00:10:46] tonight.
[00:10:48] If they can make it. If they if
[00:10:50] we are running up against the deadline
[00:10:52] right now.
[00:10:54] Right.
[00:10:55] And that that is going to cause an
[00:10:58] issue.
[00:10:59] I will invite all the departments. Um I
[00:11:02] also want to remind the board that the
[00:11:04] budget is balanced as as of right now,
[00:11:06] so All right.
[00:11:08] Um
[00:11:08] >> Mr. Chair, for clarity, the board the
[00:11:10] balance, it's not balanced. You cannot
[00:11:13] use one-time revenue to fund a budget.
[00:11:16] And right now, we have two one-time
[00:11:17] revenues of $100,000 each that will
[00:11:20] leave us in a $200,000 deficit starting
[00:11:23] the beginning of next year's
[00:11:25] >> budget.
[00:11:26] We do the same thing we do it every
[00:11:27] single year.
[00:11:27] >> running out please let me finish what
[00:11:29] Yeah, Bill finish. So,
[00:11:32] just for clarity, for the record, that's
[00:11:34] where we stand. It's one-time revenue.
[00:11:36] It cannot be used to fund a budget. All
[00:11:38] right. Point
[00:11:40] Thank you. You had something to say.
[00:11:42] Yeah, it's definitely not best practice,
[00:11:44] but
[00:11:44] >> [music]
[00:11:44] >> unfortunately, we do it every single
[00:11:47] year. We have to. Last year, we used
[00:11:48] surplus overlay [clears throat] and
[00:11:50] one-time revenue as well. And this year,
[00:11:52] we're using one-time revenue. We have
[00:11:53] some things in the works for next year.
[00:11:55] Unfortunately, with a town that doesn't
[00:11:56] have consistent streams of consistent
[00:11:58] revenue, that's what it takes to balance
[00:12:00] the budget. So, I want to say on record
[00:12:02] that currently the budget is balanced.
[00:12:04] Okay. Zach, you had something to say.
[00:12:07] You So, I looked into the law on this
[00:12:09] after the last select board meeting. You
[00:12:11] can use it. However, it is not
[00:12:14] fiscally sound practice as you have
[00:12:16] pointed out. Right. And moving forward,
[00:12:19] we need to figure it out. Basically, is
[00:12:22] what the
[00:12:23] the law states. So,
[00:12:26] your assumption your
[00:12:28] your interpretation is correct. Your
[00:12:30] interpretation is correct. We we can
[00:12:32] balance the budget this year with it,
[00:12:33] but moving forward, we need to find what
[00:12:35] we're going to do. I think I'm hoping
[00:12:38] that in the next couple of years with
[00:12:40] some of the projects that are happening,
[00:12:41] we're going to be in a little bit better
[00:12:43] spot. Um hopefully, some of the stuff
[00:12:45] that we've talked about in here is going
[00:12:47] to come to fruition. I just saw
[00:12:48] something today
[00:12:50] uh that the senators all are getting
[00:12:53] together and hoping to release more
[00:12:55] money to the town to all the
[00:12:58] uh municipalities because as everybody
[00:12:59] knows,
[00:13:00] pretty much every town in Massachusetts
[00:13:03] right now is experiencing some level of
[00:13:05] what we are dealing with. Um
[00:13:08] and it starts, in my opinion, at the
[00:13:10] state level. Um so, I'm hoping that
[00:13:13] moving forward,
[00:13:14] we are in a little bit better position
[00:13:17] position than we are currently because I
[00:13:21] don't feel comfortable
[00:13:22] using the one-time revenue um
[00:13:25] to balance the budget, but
[00:13:27] that's the position that we are in right
[00:13:29] now.
[00:13:32] So,
[00:13:33] Anything further? No, that's all I got
[00:13:35] to say. All right. The way I am seeing
[00:13:38] it
[00:13:40] is we have
[00:13:41] three options.
[00:13:45] One, we use the one-time revenue.
[00:13:49] Two,
[00:13:50] we cut
[00:13:52] positions. I I don't see any other way
[00:13:54] around it.
[00:13:56] Or three, we pass an override.
[00:14:00] I don't like any of those options.
[00:14:03] You can make combinations of the two.
[00:14:05] You can find enough cuts and use part of
[00:14:08] the one-time revenue.
[00:14:11] But, those are the three options.
[00:14:14] You
[00:14:15] You can't get around it.
[00:14:17] We right now and I agree with Bill. We
[00:14:20] don't have a balanced budget. Nobody's
[00:14:22] agreed to it yet.
[00:14:25] We don't.
[00:14:28] I want to continue. We have one more
[00:14:30] meeting with the Finance Committee.
[00:14:33] Mhm.
[00:14:34] And we've got to think in terms of that
[00:14:36] uh
[00:14:37] how we're going to do this.
[00:14:40] I'm not completely averse to using the
[00:14:43] one-time.
[00:14:44] I mean, if it comes right down to it,
[00:14:46] I'd rather do that.
[00:14:48] If if it came down to
[00:14:50] a two and a half override, I would not
[00:14:53] be in favor of it myself.
[00:14:56] But, we have to we have to look beyond
[00:15:00] Well, Mr. Chair, an option is you could
[00:15:03] cut roughly 100 grand from the budget
[00:15:05] this year
[00:15:06] and use 100 grand of the one-time
[00:15:08] revenue to balance the budget. So, we're
[00:15:10] not staring 200 grand in the face next
[00:15:12] year. That would be wonderful, but where
[00:15:14] are you going to cut it? There's plenty
[00:15:16] of places, sir.
[00:15:18] Okay.
[00:15:19] Would you
[00:15:20] Do you have a list of
[00:15:23] I I have a list of recommendations.
[00:15:25] Okay.
[00:15:26] Maybe when we meet with the Finance
[00:15:28] Committee, we can go through those.
[00:15:30] Right. And we're going to meet with
[00:15:31] department heads as well, so Yes. Okay.
[00:15:35] All right. Mhm.
[00:15:37] Anything further, Zach?
[00:15:39] No, that's all.
[00:15:40] Okay.
[00:15:42] Um
[00:15:43] there being nothing more, I'd entertain
[00:15:45] a motion to adjourn. Our next meeting,
[00:15:47] just real quick, is what, May 11th?
[00:15:49] May 11th, yeah.
[00:15:50] >> 6:00 p.m. or 6:30? It was 6:30, but
[00:15:53] >> 6:30?
[00:15:55] 6:30. Okay.
[00:15:57] Thank you.
[00:15:59] I'll tell you I'll make a motion to
[00:16:00] adjourn.
[00:16:02] Second.
[00:16:03] All those in favor? Aye. Aye. All those
[00:16:06] opposed?