Hardwick Select Board Meeting: Minutes, Warrant, and Budget

[00:00:07] Oh, visitor comments.
[00:00:13] >> Okay, we're going to go through some
[00:00:15] meeting minutes.
[00:00:19] Executive session minutes. There you go.
[00:00:22] >> And then there were some that uh Mr.
[00:00:24] Tinker brought in today. Let
[00:00:26] >> me put your
[00:00:31] But July 15th, November 24th, and
[00:00:33] January 28th are in your packet.
[00:00:44] July 15th.
[00:00:52] >> You want me to make a motion like this
[00:00:54] when you type them?
[00:00:55] >> Yep.
[00:00:56] >> Okay. We move to uh approve July 5th
[00:00:59] executive session meeting minutes for
[00:01:01] July 15th, 2025.
[00:01:04] >> Second,
[00:01:06] discussion.
[00:01:10] All in favor?
[00:01:11] >> I I
[00:01:13] Bill,
[00:01:15] >> you you can't vote on this one.
[00:01:18] >> Okay. Then why did I comment in it?
[00:01:22] >> I don't know. Uh, you were present, but
[00:01:26] you
[00:01:27] >> What do you mean I can't comment on it?
[00:01:29] If I'm in the meeting minutes,
[00:01:31] >> he can he can do this one.
[00:01:32] >> Oh, he can. Oh, this one.
[00:01:33] >> We're good. Ask.
[00:01:38] >> It's November the 24th. The next one.
[00:01:42] >> Yeah. I'll move to approve November
[00:01:45] 24th, 2025 executive session meeting
[00:01:48] minutes.
[00:01:50] This is the one he's not. This is the
[00:01:52] one I recuse myself from both of them.
[00:01:54] >> Okay. So, it's just me and Jeff.
[00:01:58] >> Okay. Make the motion.
[00:02:00] >> I'll second. All in favor?
[00:02:02] >> I.
[00:02:03] >> And Philly, you abstain.
[00:02:05] >> I
[00:02:13] There was another
[00:02:13] >> January 2024 one, didn't I?
[00:02:16] >> We already did it last week.
[00:02:17] >> We did it. Yeah.
[00:02:18] >> Okay.
[00:02:22] Okay, I'll make a motion to approve the
[00:02:25] January 28,
[00:02:28] 2026 executive session meeting minutes.
[00:02:32] >> Second.
[00:02:34] All
[00:02:34] >> in favor?
[00:02:35] >> I
[00:02:37] You're abstaining.
[00:02:38] >> Yes.
[00:02:42] >> April 30th.
[00:02:46] Is that the one where I recuse myself in
[00:02:48] the meeting?
[00:02:52] 30.
[00:02:54] >> The one that we just did, the 28th.
[00:02:57] >> That's the one you from voting.
[00:03:02] >> I wasn't in the executive session.
[00:03:04] >> You were present, but you abstained.
[00:03:16] That was the when we talked about the
[00:03:18] report.
[00:03:19] >> I wasn't in that.
[00:03:20] >> Oh, he wasn't.
[00:03:21] >> I wasn't in that.
[00:03:22] >> It was just you and me.
[00:03:23] >> And that happened on
[00:03:25] >> November 24th.
[00:03:27] >> There were two of them.
[00:03:28] >> And so this if this is the second
[00:03:31] version of that,
[00:03:33] then I I recused myself and I left the
[00:03:37] building or whatever. I No, I wasn't in
[00:03:39] when you read this report. I wasn't in
[00:03:41] the meeting.
[00:03:43] I recuse myself from this whole meeting.
[00:03:44] >> We had to hold the second we had to hold
[00:03:47] the second meeting
[00:03:50] to uh uh
[00:03:52] >> agree that there was no further
[00:03:53] >> agree that there was no further action
[00:03:55] required that you had to be
[00:03:57] >> I was not there. You were not there. You
[00:03:58] weren't there.
[00:03:59] >> No, I was not there. You were not there.
[00:04:01] >> Can't state it any clearer. Bill, you
[00:04:03] weren't there. Good. Okay. Put it in the
[00:04:04] record.
[00:04:05] >> Uh
[00:04:07] what date was that? That's the
[00:04:09] >> That's
[00:04:11] January,
[00:04:12] >> right?
[00:04:12] >> Thanksgiving Eve.
[00:04:15] >> This is They're talking January 12th.
[00:04:17] >> January 28th.
[00:04:18] >> So, just amen. Um,
[00:04:20] >> just amend.
[00:04:21] >> Get rid of him.
[00:04:23] >> Yeah. Yes. But amend the meeting minutes
[00:04:26] and then just revote.
[00:04:28] >> So, make a motion to amend the meeting
[00:04:30] minutes.
[00:04:31] >> So, move. Okay. I'll second.
[00:04:35] All
[00:04:35] >> in favor?
[00:04:36] >> I I can I abstain?
[00:04:40] Thank you.
[00:04:47] >> Is that it?
[00:04:48] >> Nope. I gave you some today.
[00:04:50] >> Yeah. A couple more.
[00:04:57] >> This is April 28th,
[00:05:02] >> uh, 2005. And you were not there?
[00:05:04] >> I was not there. That's what I was going
[00:05:06] to say. I wasn't on the
[00:05:08] >> That has to be amended to Kelly County.
[00:05:12] >> The 24th.
[00:05:13] >> Yeah,
[00:05:14] >> the 428
[00:05:17] >> building 428. Okay.
[00:05:19] >> But why don't we start in order? There
[00:05:22] was 7224
[00:05:25] 7224.
[00:05:27] >> Yep.
[00:05:28] >> Yep. Right here. Looks like this.
[00:05:33] >> We're all shuffled around all of a
[00:05:34] sudden here. 7:22 24.
[00:05:37] >> Okay.
[00:05:38] >> I wasn't there anyway,
[00:05:40] >> right? You weren't there.
[00:05:41] >> There it is.
[00:05:42] >> It's just basically saying we did I
[00:05:45] don't have this in front of me, Sarah.
[00:05:47] So, I can't read
[00:05:48] >> this strategy sessions and stuff.
[00:05:51] >> Okay. I move that we accept.
[00:05:53] >> Okay. I'll second the motion.
[00:05:55] >> All in favor?
[00:05:56] >> I
[00:05:57] >> abstain.
[00:05:59] Okay.
[00:06:00] Next one is August 26th, 2024 at 6 p.m.
[00:06:04] And well, that one
[00:06:07] that one you weren't there, sir, so it
[00:06:10] doesn't matter.
[00:06:13] >> H
[00:06:13] >> he he was absent from that one.
[00:06:16] >> The the uh April 28th one is on there
[00:06:21] for attend August 26th.
[00:06:24] >> August 26th
[00:06:27] >> and Eric was absent that day. So,
[00:06:29] >> yeah.
[00:06:30] >> Moving on.
[00:06:30] >> And I can't vote on it anyway.
[00:06:33] >> January 27th.
[00:06:34] >> Yeah.
[00:06:35] >> January 27th, 2025 at 6 p.m.
[00:06:42] >> Bill, can you say that one more time?
[00:06:43] >> January 27th,
[00:06:46] >> 2025.
[00:06:48] >> We already had that one. Um, the two
[00:06:51] that I have are the February 18th, 2025
[00:06:54] and then the the 428 2025. You you had
[00:06:58] the February because I went on the
[00:07:00] website and they weren't there. So
[00:07:01] that's why I did them.
[00:07:03] >> All right. So then you have January.
[00:07:06] >> Yep.
[00:07:06] >> And you have February 18.
[00:07:09] >> No, I it's in front. It's um if you have
[00:07:11] a copy of it somewhere. Yeah.
[00:07:14] >> Ever does. I do not.
[00:07:16] >> Yeah. Use mine. I wasn't there.
[00:07:17] >> Okay.
[00:07:20] Okay. This is for executive session to
[00:07:24] discuss the reputation, character,
[00:07:25] physical condition or mental health
[00:07:27] rather than professional competence of
[00:07:29] an individual or to discuss discipline
[00:07:31] or dismissal of or complaints or charges
[00:07:34] brought against an employee.
[00:07:37] And that was us.
[00:07:39] >> That was um
[00:07:40] >> Yep.
[00:07:41] >> But this is wrong. It wasn't against the
[00:07:44] highway superintendent.
[00:07:47] >> Yeah, it seems to be some kind of tag
[00:07:49] off. It wouldn't be against Marty Kazu.
[00:07:53] >> It was a discussion there
[00:07:55] whether this is the correct one or the
[00:07:57] correct date. It was
[00:07:59] >> this was about the uh you were
[00:08:01] discussing the situation in the
[00:08:03] treasur's office and um
[00:08:08] complaints were not found of
[00:08:10] substantiating no action was taken. We
[00:08:11] ended up remember we ended up doing um
[00:08:15] manager training for the highway
[00:08:16] superintendent,
[00:08:18] >> right?
[00:08:19] >> Yeah. But it they weren't against the
[00:08:20] highway superintendent. It was to
[00:08:23] discuss the issue in the treasurer's
[00:08:24] office.
[00:08:27] >> But we remember we ended up doing the
[00:08:29] training for the highway superintendent.
[00:08:30] Anyways, that's what was Do you remember
[00:08:32] that?
[00:08:33] >> I remember that. Yes.
[00:08:36] >> Care to make a motion?
[00:08:38] >> Make a motion to amend this.
[00:08:40] >> Okay. And we add manager training,
[00:08:42] management training for the DPW
[00:08:46] and
[00:08:50] to discuss the treasurer.
[00:08:57] >> Got that? Okay.
[00:09:02] >> Well, I'll make a motion to approve it
[00:09:04] with the amendments for the February
[00:09:06] 18th, 2025.
[00:09:11] >> You're right there. I'm not there. I'll
[00:09:13] second it. All
[00:09:15] >> in favor? I I stand.
[00:09:24] That's it.
[00:09:25] >> No, there's more.
[00:09:27] >> March 24th
[00:09:29] >> or March 24th.
[00:09:32] You have that one.
[00:09:34] >> Yeah, look. I The next one I have is
[00:09:36] 42825. Let me look at the March one.
[00:09:38] >> Yeah, I got 42825.
[00:09:41] >> So, let's do it from Pass, please. Mhm.
[00:09:48] Yeah. Yeah, you can have mine. I wasn't
[00:09:50] really there even though it says I was.
[00:09:53] >> Right. We amend that with Kelly Camp.
[00:09:58] >> Um,
[00:10:03] >> can you do the next one while this
[00:10:07] >> Well, these these are actually select
[00:10:09] agencies on executive session.
[00:10:11] >> Do we want to deal with them or would
[00:10:14] you like to deal with them next week?
[00:10:17] No, Jeff wasn't here. So, it's you and
[00:10:19] I. So, yeah, I'd like to just approve
[00:10:22] it. Good.
[00:10:22] >> Okay.
[00:10:23] >> So, I approve the minutes for or I make
[00:10:26] a motion to approve the minutes from
[00:10:28] April 28th, 2025.
[00:10:31] >> I'll second it.
[00:10:32] >> Okay.
[00:10:33] >> In favor?
[00:10:34] >> I abstain.
[00:10:36] >> Okay.
[00:10:38] >> You voted.
[00:10:39] >> Yep.
[00:10:40] >> To change it to Kelly and you two to one
[00:10:42] and you abstain. I
[00:10:43] >> abstain.
[00:10:50] This is another one before my time.
[00:10:52] >> Yep.
[00:10:53] >> March 24.
[00:10:55] >> Yes. At 5:30 p.m. uh this was executive
[00:10:59] session to discuss
[00:11:01] >> to discuss strategy with respect to
[00:11:03] collective bargaining or litigation in
[00:11:05] an open meeting may have a detrimental
[00:11:08] effect on the bargaining or litigation
[00:11:10] position.
[00:11:10] >> Police discuss strategy.
[00:11:13] >> Yes.
[00:11:14] Okay.
[00:11:15] >> And basically, we just discussed changes
[00:11:18] to the union contract.
[00:11:20] >> It's just you and me. So,
[00:11:23] >> let's seek a motion to accept the
[00:11:24] minutes.
[00:11:25] >> Okay. I'll make a motion to approve the
[00:11:27] executive session for March 24th, 2025.
[00:11:30] >> Second. All in favor?
[00:11:32] >> I stayain.
[00:11:36] >> Okay.
[00:11:37] >> That makes business for you.
[00:11:40] That's it. Um,
[00:11:43] and then the April 14th, 2025.
[00:11:50] >> Uh, I think we did that one. Let me
[00:11:51] double check.
[00:11:52] >> Okay.
[00:11:53] >> If it was the building inspector, that
[00:11:55] long one.
[00:11:55] >> No, it was police chief and police
[00:11:57] lieutenant,
[00:11:59] but it could be the DPW and building
[00:12:01] commissioner as well. Sorry, it's
[00:12:05] >> We just got to get this. Wait,
[00:12:08] >> it's his last meeting.
[00:12:11] lucky.
[00:12:20] >> You're stuck with it.
[00:12:23] >> I'm almost in tears.
[00:12:24] >> Yeah,
[00:12:25] >> almost.
[00:12:27] >> I'm having separation anxiety.
[00:12:30] >> Oh, that'll be next week when you miss
[00:12:32] coming to these meetings when you're at
[00:12:35] home relaxing.
[00:12:37] >> You can still come.
[00:12:38] >> Oh, yeah. He can still come and watch it
[00:12:40] on TV.
[00:12:42] >> Oh, yeah. Even better.
[00:12:43] >> Do that
[00:12:45] having snacks.
[00:12:49] Napping through the boring parts.
[00:12:53] We could record fast.
[00:12:58] >> You set that up, right?
[00:13:00] >> T
[00:13:02] I don't even know how you do it today. I
[00:13:04] had to chuck enough time on VHS to try
[00:13:06] to figure it out. It's It's all on
[00:13:07] YouTube.
[00:13:11] >> It's all on YouTube.
[00:13:13] >> Yeah. Catch me.
[00:13:16] >> My son's taking watching some of it.
[00:13:19] >> Would you mind passing this down?
[00:13:22] >> Here we go.
[00:13:25] I really didn't need it.
[00:13:28] >> I wasn't there.
[00:13:29] >> That's okay.
[00:13:31] >> I know. All right. It's just you and me
[00:13:33] again.
[00:13:34] >> Okay. This is April 14th, 2025 at 5:30
[00:13:37] p.m. The purpose was um to get uh to
[00:13:42] conduct contract negotiations with
[00:13:43] non-inum personnel, highway
[00:13:45] superintendent, fire chief, police
[00:13:47] lieutenant, police chief. And the other
[00:13:50] one was to consider purchase and
[00:13:51] exchange and lease of value of real
[00:13:54] property if the chair declares that an
[00:13:56] open session meeting has a detrimental
[00:13:58] effect on the negotiating position of
[00:14:00] the public body on the Calvin Page
[00:14:02] Building.
[00:14:04] And I would seek a motion to accept
[00:14:06] these minutes.
[00:14:07] >> Okay. I will make a motion to uh approve
[00:14:11] the April 14th, 2025 uh executive
[00:14:14] session meeting minutes as written.
[00:14:18] >> All in favor? Second.
[00:14:20] >> Okay.
[00:14:20] >> All in favor?
[00:14:21] >> I abstain.
[00:14:24] >> Okay. You pass this bill, please.
[00:14:37] Okay. So, that takes care of all the
[00:14:38] executive sessions.
[00:14:40] >> Good. We have to vote and close and sign
[00:14:43] the annual town meeting order.
[00:14:46] >> Um, so you have a draft a copy in front
[00:14:49] of you. The three things that were
[00:14:51] added, one of them is a just in case
[00:14:53] snow and ice and two were brought uh
[00:14:56] from sleman tanker article number
[00:15:02] articles number
[00:15:05] 24
[00:15:07] and 16. Do you want to look at this?
[00:15:13] >> Let's see which one's which.
[00:15:15] >> Yeah.
[00:15:15] >> Article number 16
[00:15:18] I think is unnecessary. This is part of
[00:15:20] our budgeting
[00:15:22] what we're doing right now. It
[00:15:24] >> It's not, Jeff.
[00:15:25] >> Yes, it is. It very much is. That's
[00:15:27] We've been discussing it during our
[00:15:29] discussions here.
[00:15:30] >> Discuss it.
[00:15:32] >> And we've been discussing it during our
[00:15:34] uh during our talks with the finance
[00:15:36] committee
[00:15:39] to put a dollar figure on it. Right now,
[00:15:41] we don't know if we have the money,
[00:15:43] where the money is coming from. doing it
[00:15:46] in the budget session.
[00:15:49] I I think we can find the money to do
[00:15:52] this,
[00:15:53] but to put it on a town meeting warrant
[00:15:57] is unnecessary.
[00:15:59] And
[00:16:00] >> Mr. Chair, through the chair,
[00:16:04] >> um Chris, do you want to call our
[00:16:05] >> No, we can call Yeah,
[00:16:07] >> you should call the meeting order.
[00:16:08] >> We need to call our meeting to order.
[00:16:10] >> Thank you. Um
[00:16:12] the time
[00:16:13] >> um
[00:16:15] >> 16 minutes
[00:16:17] >> so on your
[00:16:19] >> I don't have a copy of these articles.
[00:16:21] >> Yes, you do.
[00:16:22] >> Where
[00:16:24] >> on the left hand side right over there?
[00:16:30] Yeah.
[00:16:33] Sorry. So, right now, um, looking at the
[00:16:36] budget, we're we have a $200,000 deficit
[00:16:40] >> and you're looking to utilize another
[00:16:42] $50,000.
[00:16:44] >> Mhm.
[00:16:45] >> Do you know where you're going to fund
[00:16:46] that from?
[00:16:47] >> Yeah, onetime revenue.
[00:16:48] >> What's the onetime revenue?
[00:16:50] >> Uh, we have two sources. We have solar
[00:16:53] of 100 grand
[00:16:54] >> and we also have sand and gravel.
[00:16:57] >> Okay.
[00:16:57] >> And sand and gravel is anywhere from 100
[00:16:59] grand to 2 to 300 grand. Okay. Um, Mr.
[00:17:04] Chair.
[00:17:05] >> Yes, ma'am.
[00:17:06] >> Um, you cannot fund
[00:17:08] articles with money we don't have yet.
[00:17:11] That would be something for next year.
[00:17:12] You know what I mean? Like when we
[00:17:14] actually have the money for the solar
[00:17:15] and we actually have money from the
[00:17:16] gravel, but we don't have we can't fund
[00:17:18] things with anticipated revenue.
[00:17:21] Makes
[00:17:21] >> sense. Well, we're doing it without
[00:17:24] budget. So, why can't we do it with
[00:17:25] this?
[00:17:26] >> That,
[00:17:27] >> Mr. Chair.
[00:17:28] >> I'm sorry. Did you want me to answer?
[00:17:30] >> Yes.
[00:17:30] >> Oh, sorry. Um, so that would be
[00:17:33] something that's on page three of our
[00:17:34] recap. We have to put we put something
[00:17:36] in from miscellaneous non-reoccurring
[00:17:38] every single year. Um, that it's
[00:17:40] anticipating that we plan on getting it
[00:17:42] and we have to sign something from do
[00:17:44] especially the assessor every year that
[00:17:46] says yes, that's something that we're
[00:17:47] actually anticipating.
[00:17:49] >> We have a letter here from uh
[00:17:50] >> the assessor. Yes,
[00:17:53] >> from the assessor.
[00:17:56] >> Can I read that?
[00:17:57] >> Yes.
[00:18:03] I was actually asking these guys.
[00:18:07] >> The anticipated revenue on page three of
[00:18:10] the recap is determined by conservative
[00:18:12] estimates of money coming into the town
[00:18:15] in the next fiscal year. Often it is
[00:18:18] essential to modify these numbers to
[00:18:20] enable us to get under two and a half.
[00:18:22] We do this annually. If not, we would
[00:18:24] have to go back to town meeting to make
[00:18:26] cuts to the already bare bones budget.
[00:18:29] Cutting budgets further would be
[00:18:31] inadvisable as precash is mainly
[00:18:33] generated from any unspent monies
[00:18:36] already raised in taxation. Also, it
[00:18:39] would hold up the tax rate being
[00:18:41] approved and the ability to issue the
[00:18:43] tax bills on time. We cannot set our
[00:18:46] budget on anticipated monies coming in.
[00:18:49] We can only appropriate money already
[00:18:51] available to offset the tax rate if
[00:18:54] necessary. For example, a couple of
[00:18:57] years ago, we used overlay surplus to
[00:18:59] balance our budget money we already had
[00:19:02] in hand. And in the past, we have used
[00:19:04] free cash, too. That's Jen Kenda, the
[00:19:07] assessor.
[00:19:10] Um, I agree with Mr. Sha. I think this
[00:19:13] is premature.
[00:19:25] All right. The other one was which one?
[00:19:28] >> 24.
[00:19:31] Um, this one
[00:19:34] about the uh recording all men all the
[00:19:38] many all the meetings
[00:19:41] that we have. Um I
[00:19:45] I don't think I think this is premature.
[00:19:48] We don't have How many rooms are set up
[00:19:51] with video? Just standing.
[00:19:53] >> Just this one.
[00:19:55] >> We have
[00:19:57] committees and boards meeting in various
[00:20:00] locations throughout the town.
[00:20:03] There is an opportunity to make
[00:20:06] exceptions to that, but it it's it's not
[00:20:09] feasible for us to do that for every
[00:20:11] single meeting that happens.
[00:20:14] >> Well, Jeeoff, that's why the language
[00:20:15] says to the extent practic uh
[00:20:18] practicable and subject to available
[00:20:21] resources, right? So, that means you
[00:20:23] schedule the room.
[00:20:25] >> Have you brought this up to all these
[00:20:26] committees and commissions and
[00:20:28] >> No, I'm not making them do it, sir. It's
[00:20:30] a suggestion because there
[00:20:33] >> it
[00:20:33] >> says shall
[00:20:35] >> well
[00:20:36] >> with with this language
[00:20:38] >> that says practical.
[00:20:40] >> So if this is the only room that has
[00:20:42] video recordings and stuff like that and
[00:20:45] something big or very important like say
[00:20:47] board of health has a meeting or the
[00:20:49] planning board has something to discuss
[00:20:51] their bylaws, they would schedule this
[00:20:53] room because not just the select board
[00:20:56] affects the people in this I think that
[00:20:58] any of those committees or commissions
[00:21:01] or boards could elect to have it here
[00:21:04] and record that meeting if they felt
[00:21:06] that it was important.
[00:21:07] >> And this isn't an additional cost to the
[00:21:09] town. Even on these articles, we're
[00:21:12] asking about the Comcast money
[00:21:14] >> to buy future equipment and stuff like
[00:21:16] that.
[00:21:18] >> So, it's not a burden, sir.
[00:21:20] >> And it's called transparency.
[00:21:22] >> No. Yeah. And and I think I think it's
[00:21:25] an admira admirable goal to be able to
[00:21:30] do this, but I don't think we're set up
[00:21:32] for it yet.
[00:21:33] >> Really
[00:21:34] >> where we're just in one room in one
[00:21:37] building,
[00:21:37] >> right?
[00:21:40] >> One little town.
[00:21:40] >> In one little town. Yeah. It's it's it
[00:21:43] it would be a good goal to shoot for,
[00:21:46] but until we get more rooms set up like
[00:21:50] this,
[00:21:51] >> this is this is jumping the guns.
[00:21:53] >> Mr. Chair.
[00:21:54] >> Yes, sir.
[00:21:55] >> We have meeting what? One day a week
[00:21:58] >> lately.
[00:21:58] >> Lately, we only two
[00:22:00] >> one, right? But the last time I checked,
[00:22:02] there's what? Five days in a work week.
[00:22:04] >> I I don't think this is a good idea. I
[00:22:06] don't think it's been
[00:22:07] >> because you don't care about
[00:22:08] transparency, sir.
[00:22:09] >> Well, thank you very much.
[00:22:10] >> No problem. Would you like to make your
[00:22:12] radar?
[00:22:13] >> Yeah, I'd like to keep this to have this
[00:22:15] in here.
[00:22:16] >> Okay. Is that a motion?
[00:22:17] >> No. I'll make a motion to keep this in
[00:22:21] the article. Which one was it? Article
[00:22:25] 24.
[00:22:28] As a as written.
[00:22:29] >> Thank you.
[00:22:32] >> No second.
[00:22:34] >> Motion dies for lack of a second.
[00:22:36] >> No problem, sir.
[00:22:37] >> No problem.
[00:22:39] >> Mr. Chair.
[00:22:40] >> Yes, sir. I'd like to add an article to
[00:22:42] this.
[00:22:42] >> Yeah.
[00:22:43] >> So, I was thinking about our discussion
[00:22:45] last week about the uh highway truck
[00:22:48] lease payments.
[00:22:49] >> Yep.
[00:22:49] >> I'd like to move that to an article and
[00:22:51] have capital pay for it,
[00:22:56] >> which is where it belongs.
[00:22:57] >> There's money to do that.
[00:22:59] >> Yeah. 50 somehat thousand.
[00:23:01] >> Yep. And then if we add that 14, too.
[00:23:04] So, yeah.
[00:23:05] >> Does that break the lease?
[00:23:07] No, we're just the the the funding
[00:23:09] source will be will be capital, not the
[00:23:11] budget.
[00:23:14] >> Right. But you got a four-year lease,
[00:23:15] right?
[00:23:15] >> Yes.
[00:23:16] >> Yeah. So, next year's payments will be
[00:23:18] paid through
[00:23:19] >> capital. Each each year will be
[00:23:21] >> each year we'll make
[00:23:22] >> Oh, I thought you were just saying pay
[00:23:23] it off.
[00:23:24] >> No,
[00:23:28] >> that's
[00:23:29] I would be
[00:23:31] >> congratulations, men. You just balanced
[00:23:32] your budget.
[00:23:33] >> No, we did not balance the budget. We
[00:23:35] just found with other voters.
[00:23:39] >> Um,
[00:23:40] so do we want to table this and have
[00:23:42] that article added to?
[00:23:44] >> Um, so you can um
[00:23:46] >> We can you can still vote tonight. You
[00:23:48] just have to say with um
[00:23:51] with the two that you're striking and
[00:23:52] then include the the one that Chris just
[00:23:54] mentioned and um I can I can do it
[00:23:56] tomorrow and you can sign it later this
[00:23:58] week.
[00:23:58] >> Do it now.
[00:23:59] >> Or Ryan can do it now.
[00:24:00] >> I can do it now.
[00:24:01] >> Thank you, Ryan. Okay. So, whatever you
[00:24:02] decide to whatever you move, just state
[00:24:04] what articles you're including, not
[00:24:06] including, and what you're adding. All
[00:24:08] right.
[00:24:09] >> I'll make a motion to
[00:24:12] approve the town meeting warrant
[00:24:16] with the exception of articles 16 and 24
[00:24:21] and to add uh Chris's Chris Colross's
[00:24:24] article to whatever article it ends up
[00:24:28] being.
[00:24:29] >> Okay. Clear enough?
[00:24:32] Second. All in favor?
[00:24:34] >> I
[00:24:35] >> All right. So that So just just for
[00:24:37] clarification, so we're going to take
[00:24:38] we're going to transfer a sum of money
[00:24:40] from the capital stabilization fund for
[00:24:42] the highway
[00:24:44] >> lease on the truck.
[00:24:46] >> Lease on the highway truck. Is that
[00:24:48] >> Yeah,
[00:24:48] >> we don't need the year or anything like
[00:24:49] that.
[00:24:50] >> Well, you should have the terms of the
[00:24:52] lease spelled out correctly. Is it four
[00:24:54] years, 5 years?
[00:24:55] >> Yes, it is
[00:24:57] each subsequent year. So we don't have
[00:25:00] issues going forward.
[00:25:02] >> Well, we have to we have to vote this
[00:25:03] every year. There's not enough money in
[00:25:05] capital to pay off four years or 5
[00:25:07] years.
[00:25:07] >> So this is going to be for one year.
[00:25:09] >> For one year.
[00:25:09] >> For one year. Okay.
[00:25:12] >> And we'll have to refund capital
[00:25:14] stabilization and next year we can do a
[00:25:15] little vote.
[00:25:16] >> Okay, that's fine. As long as it's all
[00:25:18] written that way, Chris, that's all
[00:25:20] that's all I'm looking for. with we said
[00:25:21] with your permission I'm going to go
[00:25:23] take care of this reinsert it have you
[00:25:26] and like we do
[00:25:27] >> and we can sign off
[00:25:29] >> so you can sign off on it so we can get
[00:25:31] it all done great
[00:25:32] >> but make certain that you know I'll take
[00:25:34] those two off add this one reumber
[00:25:36] everything
[00:25:37] >> and you can get the information on the
[00:25:39] truck
[00:25:39] >> I just did
[00:25:40] >> okay thank you
[00:25:41] >> I just did
[00:25:42] >> thank you Ryan you're welcome gentlemen
[00:25:46] may Mr. Chair, I'd just like to discuss
[00:25:50] for the people out there in this town
[00:25:52] that watch YouTube. Article 16 was for
[00:25:55] the fire truck to pay down the debt of
[00:25:58] 50,000 toward the principal. And by
[00:26:00] making a $50,000 principal payment this
[00:26:03] year would reduce that interest expense
[00:26:07] roughly by 35,000 and compound the loan
[00:26:10] and reduce that expense. Yeah. So
[00:26:14] for every dollar we we spend towards
[00:26:16] that applying towards a principal, it's
[00:26:19] going to yield savings for everybody in
[00:26:21] this town.
[00:26:22] >> And that would be true of any borrowing
[00:26:24] that we do.
[00:26:24] >> No, we don't, sir.
[00:26:26] >> It's true if it was true of my mortgage.
[00:26:28] >> Well, we're talking about personal
[00:26:30] personal stuff. We're talking about
[00:26:32] municipality
[00:26:34] >> budget, right? There's a little bit of
[00:26:35] the difference, but it's like buying a
[00:26:37] credit like taking a credit card, buying
[00:26:39] a car, and then just deciding to pay the
[00:26:42] interest without paying any principle.
[00:26:45] >> That's what we chose to do.
[00:26:46] >> Yeah.
[00:26:47] >> Okay.
[00:26:49] >> Thank you. You're welcome. Thank you.
[00:26:53] >> Um there's two on the agenda.
[00:27:04] Um these are two Gilbertville properties
[00:27:08] uh where one of their units has been
[00:27:11] vacant. Um therefore
[00:27:14] they qualify for inabatement. So that's
[00:27:16] before you tonight both in Gilbertville.
[00:27:19] >> Both have that same sub
[00:27:21] >> both the same situation.
[00:27:22] >> Okay.
[00:27:25] >> And they provided all the appropriate
[00:27:27] documentation and provided um everything
[00:27:30] to us.
[00:27:31] I'll make a um motion to approve the
[00:27:34] sewer abatement for
[00:27:37] 18
[00:27:39] Dunham Court in Gilbertville
[00:27:44] >> or 18 and 20 to 20 Dunham Court.
[00:27:47] >> Real quick, that doesn't have a a dollar
[00:27:49] amount to it.
[00:27:51] >> That's what I'm looking for here.
[00:27:54] >> The other one does.
[00:27:55] >> The other one does, but that's
[00:27:56] >> Which one does?
[00:27:57] >> This one does not.
[00:27:59] >> Ruth here. included beer.
[00:28:02] >> This one does.
[00:28:03] >> This one does. This one does not. Um, so
[00:28:05] the it is for $5008.
[00:28:08] >> For $5008.
[00:28:16] >> I'll second that motion.
[00:28:20] Okay.
[00:28:21] All in favor?
[00:28:23] >> I.
[00:28:25] >> And then are you going to do the motion
[00:28:26] for this this?
[00:28:27] >> I'll do that.
[00:28:28] >> Okay. Uh make a motion uh to approve the
[00:28:31] sewer abatement for
[00:28:34] um corner of Barry Road and Pine Street.
[00:28:39] Uh Joseph uh Peter Joseph Miller
[00:28:44] for $1,199.75.
[00:28:50] >> I'll second the motion.
[00:28:53] >> Uh discussion.
[00:28:54] >> Um I got a question. And is this just
[00:28:56] for 6 months, sir, or is this for a
[00:28:58] whole year?
[00:29:02] >> Are you Which one are you asking?
[00:29:03] >> As far as the $1,199.75,
[00:29:07] >> we do a full year look back of their
[00:29:09] bills,
[00:29:10] >> right?
[00:29:11] >> But is it so
[00:29:14] for 6 months or
[00:29:15] >> This is only for 2.5 months.
[00:29:17] >> Oh, 2.5.
[00:29:22] >> Over a thousand. Uh, no. Because you
[00:29:24] read it backwards. There are the 500 do
[00:29:27] balance.
[00:29:28] >> This one is the 2001.
[00:29:30] >> You mean 1,000?
[00:29:32] >> Yep.
[00:29:34] >> Oh, so this one is for how long a period
[00:29:37] of time?
[00:29:39] >> This is one year.
[00:29:40] >> Yep.
[00:29:41] >> The one we approved is a partial year.
[00:29:45] >> Okay.
[00:29:46] >> The one we have not voted on yet is a
[00:29:49] full year.
[00:29:52] >> Okay. Well, just question. Um,
[00:29:56] >> do we give an abatement for a full year
[00:29:58] or is it just half a year?
[00:30:00] >> They can only
[00:30:01] >> the regulations
[00:30:02] >> they can only qualify for one abatement,
[00:30:04] >> right? Per year. But it didn't say for
[00:30:07] the I I'm just trying to ask for
[00:30:09] clarification. Is it for 6 months or is
[00:30:12] it for the entire year?
[00:30:14] >> For the abatement or for the t like
[00:30:18] >> Yeah. So
[00:30:22] 1820 to 1822 is for 2.5 months, but they
[00:30:25] only qualify for an abatement once once
[00:30:28] a year,
[00:30:28] >> right?
[00:30:30] >> And and the 1820 is for the full year
[00:30:33] and they only same they only qualify for
[00:30:35] one one year
[00:30:37] >> depending there different situations,
[00:30:39] different
[00:30:40] >> Right. So, out of that $1,800, would it
[00:30:42] or would it be cut in half and it be
[00:30:44] $900 that they actually, you know, they
[00:30:47] can have payment of $900, but they still
[00:30:48] have to pay $900 to the sewer.
[00:30:51] >> Yep. That Yeah. Yeah.
[00:30:53] >> Okay. So, their total bill is $2,200.
[00:30:58] Then
[00:30:58] >> I don't have their total bill in front
[00:31:00] of me. I
[00:31:01] >> That's what I'm trying to
[00:31:04] find out. Yeah, we're going to learn.
[00:31:07] Well, they are. They want their
[00:31:08] baitment.
[00:31:10] I mean, these people are they kind of
[00:31:12] want their abatement.
[00:31:14] >> Well, well, we can wait. I mean, I'm
[00:31:16] confused how how it's
[00:31:18] >> the same abatements I've always brought
[00:31:20] to you. I mean, if there was different
[00:31:22] information, I would have brought it and
[00:31:23] had it prepared, but it's the same
[00:31:25] information that I've provided you all
[00:31:27] year,
[00:31:28] >> right?
[00:31:29] I'm just grat
[00:31:31] >> and I can understand Bill's question as
[00:31:34] to the period time period we're talking
[00:31:37] about here. But if it's a full year that
[00:31:41] this this one for 1822 Barry Road
[00:31:45] appears to be for a full year.
[00:31:48] >> So, and I'm just clarifying, do we
[00:31:51] payment? Is it 6 months out of that
[00:31:52] whole year? Cuz it's you're still, you
[00:31:56] know, you're still hooked up to the
[00:31:57] sewer. So,
[00:31:58] >> so it's a yearly bill, isn't it?
[00:32:01] >> No, it's it's it's it's every six months
[00:32:03] or quarterly.
[00:32:04] >> Correct. But they only qualify for an
[00:32:06] abatement once per year,
[00:32:09] >> right? So, we sent So, you're saying
[00:32:11] this is just one quarter. That's it.
[00:32:13] >> No, I'm saying for it's for the one of
[00:32:15] them is for 2.5 months of being
[00:32:17] completely vacant and the other one is
[00:32:19] for one year being completely vacant.
[00:32:21] >> But that's four bills, right?
[00:32:25] Two bills. So that means half of that
[00:32:28] bill would still be paid.
[00:32:30] >> Yes, they still have they still have a
[00:32:31] bill they have to pay. This is just for
[00:32:33] the portion of their unit that's vacant.
[00:32:36] >> Okay.
[00:32:36] >> Yes.
[00:32:37] >> All right. My motion stands.
[00:32:40] >> Second it.
[00:32:42] >> All in favor?
[00:32:43] >> I
[00:32:49] >> So just in going forward, can we clarify
[00:32:52] this? get an answer to the board like is
[00:32:55] it they get a payment for the entire
[00:32:57] year or is it six months?
[00:32:59] >> It depends on what what is actually
[00:33:01] vacant. It depends on every it's every
[00:33:03] situation is different.
[00:33:04] >> So if they were gone to Florida for 2
[00:33:05] and a half months they're looking to not
[00:33:07] pay their water and sew it because they
[00:33:08] didn't use it. And if the other people
[00:33:09] gone for 6 months or a year they're
[00:33:12] looking for that portion
[00:33:13] >> and in this case the individual. So, if
[00:33:16] somebody was to go to Florida for 6
[00:33:17] months and say, "I wasn't in my
[00:33:19] apartment. I don't feel I need to pay
[00:33:20] for my water and sewer because none of
[00:33:22] it was used." And the other one was only
[00:33:24] gone for 2 and 1/2 months. They say,
[00:33:26] "I'm only looking for relief for 2 and
[00:33:27] 1/2 months." But that's the way I
[00:33:30] spanned uh fiscal years.
[00:33:33] >> Are you spanning a fiscal year? No. Two
[00:33:35] fiscal years?
[00:33:36] >> No. It's one
[00:33:37] >> This fiscal year is not over yet.
[00:33:40] >> They've already prepaid.
[00:33:43] >> I mean, it's just it's a it's
[00:33:44] interesting question. Right. I'm trying
[00:33:45] to understand it.
[00:33:47] >> I'm assuming it's in the rear. They're
[00:33:48] looking in a rear and then it's from a
[00:33:51] previous year.
[00:33:52] >> Yeah. Right.
[00:33:52] >> No.
[00:33:53] >> Yeah. It would have to be.
[00:33:54] >> It would have to be.
[00:33:54] >> It would have to be because they haven't
[00:33:56] been built for that.
[00:33:59] >> Well, we'd like clarification.
[00:34:00] >> No. I don't know how to be more clear.
[00:34:02] It's It's
[00:34:03] >> Well, well, clearly not that clear if
[00:34:06] we're
[00:34:07] >> He understood it.
[00:34:08] >> Well, and it also is for a year, Mr.
[00:34:10] Chair. So I would you please direct the
[00:34:14] town administrator to clarify this in
[00:34:15] the future. Mr. Chair,
[00:34:17] >> Bill, what you can do is you can look at
[00:34:20] what we're about to sign. It it lays out
[00:34:24] the total invoice amount, the exemption,
[00:34:29] and then the adjusted amount.
[00:34:31] >> Thank you, Jeff.
[00:34:38] >> Okay.
[00:34:40] I'd like to turn it over to the finan
[00:34:48] Okay. Um,
[00:34:52] thank you Jesse for sending this out
[00:34:53] yesterday so we can at least get some
[00:34:55] quick eyes on it. The the one thing that
[00:34:58] stands out to me is that we we discussed
[00:35:00] local receipts last last week
[00:35:02] >> uh of reducing that number I think to 86
[00:35:06] from the 200,000
[00:35:07] >> to 687. Yeah, whatever it was. And uh we
[00:35:11] haven't done that yet. So
[00:35:12] >> we're still looking at a roughly
[00:35:14] $200,000
[00:35:16] and somehat thousand deficit.
[00:35:19] >> Um
[00:35:19] >> and that's onetime revenue at 200,000.
[00:35:23] Correct.
[00:35:23] >> Yeah. And that onetime revenue, we
[00:35:25] cannot use that for budgeting purposes.
[00:35:27] I mean, it's just it's not something
[00:35:29] that that this board will um will get
[00:35:32] behind. It's only going to make next
[00:35:34] year even worse. Uh these onetime
[00:35:37] revenues really should be used for uh
[00:35:40] funding capital stabilization, funding
[00:35:42] articles, funding the snow and ice, um
[00:35:45] funding stabilization itself that we
[00:35:48] need to continue to put into um we we we
[00:35:52] continue to
[00:35:54] um we've really got to get around
[00:35:56] spending and we've been talking about
[00:35:57] this now for over a year. We're not
[00:36:00] making any progress here. So until we
[00:36:03] can really get a good handle of what our
[00:36:04] spending is, uh we have a budget here
[00:36:07] that's going to be uh out of balance and
[00:36:10] until we can come to that conclusion of
[00:36:13] what we need to reduce, we're kind of at
[00:36:16] an impass, I think, right now.
[00:36:18] >> Mr. Chair,
[00:36:20] >> yes, ma'am.
[00:36:21] >> Um I just want to start by saying that
[00:36:23] we did get the new brain tree numbers,
[00:36:24] so that is reflective in the document
[00:36:27] that you have before you. We also got
[00:36:29] the final school numbers that is
[00:36:30] reflected in the document you have in
[00:36:32] front of you. Um
[00:36:34] the budget presented in front of you is
[00:36:36] only over proposition 2 and a half by
[00:36:39] $14,162.
[00:36:42] Given the size of the community, we and
[00:36:44] you have the letter from the assessor.
[00:36:46] the town has budgeted with onetime
[00:36:47] revenue every single year because
[00:36:49] unfortunately
[00:36:51] >> being Hardwick we don't have consistent
[00:36:55] like streams of revenue and we have to
[00:36:56] we do have we have to figure that out
[00:36:58] but we but we manage to balance the
[00:37:00] budget every year getting creative with
[00:37:03] streams of different streams of money.
[00:37:05] The assessor has also said we cannot
[00:37:07] afford to cut off the operating budget.
[00:37:08] We will have no free cash and we'll end
[00:37:10] up having we'll have more overspend
[00:37:12] accounts. We'll have more we have to
[00:37:15] operate. you have to run you have to run
[00:37:16] the operation. Um so again to the
[00:37:19] assessor's point, we have a very bare
[00:37:21] bones budget. The one before you is only
[00:37:23] 14,000 over proposition two and a half.
[00:37:25] I can get it to a balanced budget. What
[00:37:27] you guys want to do with that is up to
[00:37:28] you. You'll have to tell me what what to
[00:37:30] cut, what positions you want to cut
[00:37:32] because right now you're very close to a
[00:37:33] balanced budget. And with Mr. Kas's um
[00:37:36] amendment to the budget with the warrant
[00:37:38] article, you're balanced right now.
[00:37:40] We're under Proposition 2 and a half.
[00:37:42] You have a balanced budget that we can
[00:37:43] confidently go to town meeting with. So,
[00:37:45] what the three of you want to do is you
[00:37:47] have to decide, but this would mean
[00:37:49] cutting positions and cutting
[00:37:50] departments. We just we're down to one
[00:37:52] person departments. Right now, you have
[00:37:54] a balanced budget with Mr. Corus's
[00:37:56] amendment to the warrant. You can
[00:37:58] confidently go to town meeting with a
[00:37:59] balanced budget. Can
[00:38:00] >> Can I Can I just for discussion purposes
[00:38:03] just a couple observations? When you
[00:38:05] talk about that nonre reoccurring, we
[00:38:08] got to be very specific on what
[00:38:10] non-reoccurring items you're talking
[00:38:12] about because non-reoccurring are part
[00:38:14] of the budget. But this breaks with
[00:38:17] tradition. This is a 20% increase in
[00:38:21] local receipts over the previous year.
[00:38:25] It's been normally flat.
[00:38:27] So, so the question becomes, you know,
[00:38:30] what part of the local receipts are you
[00:38:32] specifically referring to? So that I
[00:38:35] just want to make sure we fully
[00:38:36] understand that this is we're addressing
[00:38:39] this budget with the revenue stream, not
[00:38:43] from the cost side. But you say reoccur
[00:38:46] non-reoccurring is the big is the big
[00:38:48] issue. So let's just call out which
[00:38:51] non-reoccurring items are the problem
[00:38:54] that we have so that we all have the
[00:38:57] same understanding the same numbers.
[00:39:00] So that would be the gravel
[00:39:04] >> and the solar
[00:39:04] >> and the solar. Okay. So those just two
[00:39:07] items
[00:39:08] >> those are those two and the value of
[00:39:10] those two items are just for the
[00:39:12] purposes of this group to have full
[00:39:14] understanding of what we're talking
[00:39:15] about. Those values are what in in the
[00:39:18] budget?
[00:39:18] >> What are those values?
[00:39:20] >> Um so the solar agreement in December we
[00:39:23] get $100,000.
[00:39:26] >> Is that is that that is an exact number?
[00:39:29] Exactly. Contracted number contracted
[00:39:30] number
[00:39:31] >> $100,000 $100,000.
[00:39:33] >> Okay.
[00:39:34] >> Which is an upfront payment of a
[00:39:36] reoccurring expense once they start
[00:39:38] construction which will be
[00:39:40] >> four or five years.
[00:39:41] >> Yes. That will be a that will be
[00:39:43] >> that would be payable when
[00:39:46] >> contractually payable when?
[00:39:47] >> December 17th of 2026.
[00:39:50] >> 12 17. Yes.
[00:39:52] >> 2026. Okay.
[00:39:54] >> Okay.
[00:39:54] >> Now you said that that's a real re
[00:39:58] The $100,000 is a onetime upfront
[00:40:03] payment of a big of a of the lease. So
[00:40:05] the lease and once they start
[00:40:07] construction, which we're thinking is to
[00:40:09] Mr.
[00:40:09] >> Yeah. 5 years.
[00:40:11] >> Yes.
[00:40:12] >> So we're going to be getting
[00:40:13] >> So not to get let's not get down to the
[00:40:16] debate at least. Let's answer my
[00:40:17] question.
[00:40:18] >> All right. The second non-reoccurring
[00:40:20] cost that Chris is referring to
[00:40:22] >> is the gravel.
[00:40:22] >> Is the gravel. So how much is that? We
[00:40:25] are projecting upwards of $300,000 worth
[00:40:29] of gravel. I only conservatively
[00:40:31] budgeted $100,000 in the revenue.
[00:40:36] >> And that $100,000 is what time in the
[00:40:40] year in the fiscal year would you
[00:40:42] expect?
[00:40:42] >> We're working we're working on the
[00:40:45] bidding process right now. The select
[00:40:47] board um approved it as as surplus. So
[00:40:50] we're it's going to be at some point in
[00:40:51] 27. I believe it's going to be July. So
[00:40:54] we can have it all done by December.
[00:40:57] >> Say it again. 20. You said 27 or
[00:41:00] >> FY 27. So July 1st.
[00:41:01] >> July.
[00:41:02] >> So I don't say July 1. Just say the
[00:41:04] month of July.
[00:41:05] >> Well, let's just go July 30th or
[00:41:07] whatever whatever the last day of July
[00:41:09] is. So we
[00:41:10] >> Okay. So So that that's the $200,000
[00:41:14] Chris that you're referring to, right?
[00:41:16] So when we when we talk about this
[00:41:18] particular topic, that's the focus
[00:41:20] because non-reoccurring
[00:41:21] has always been part of the budget. But
[00:41:23] this is a 20% increase over last year
[00:41:26] and that 20% of those two items
[00:41:29] predominantly those two items. Okay.
[00:41:31] Just so we have an understanding what
[00:41:32] we're about.
[00:41:33] >> And my question my this 100,000
[00:41:37] >> yes
[00:41:37] >> I want to confirm it's a one-time
[00:41:39] payment
[00:41:41] >> that covers four to five years. 100,000
[00:41:45] >> solar.
[00:41:45] >> Solar.
[00:41:47] >> Yes. It's a it's an upfront payment for
[00:41:49] entering a lease with them in four and
[00:41:50] five. So for the next four years
[00:41:53] >> for four years. So this is a onetime
[00:41:55] payment until four or five years
[00:41:57] >> until they hit the they actually break
[00:41:59] ground and then we act we get a lease
[00:42:00] payment.
[00:42:01] >> Let me just Excuse me, Mr. Chair. One
[00:42:03] sec. It it's once they break ground.
[00:42:06] >> Yeah.
[00:42:07] >> They start with a regular payment.
[00:42:09] >> Yeah.
[00:42:10] >> Okay. Thank you. My understanding sir on
[00:42:13] the solar agreement that 100 grand was
[00:42:15] for the developmental rights. Okay. And
[00:42:18] it's based off of the substation work
[00:42:20] and they mentioned 3 to four years to
[00:42:22] they do that substation work. Um and
[00:42:25] they still have the option to just say
[00:42:28] no we're not doing it
[00:42:29] >> right.
[00:42:30] And do we return the money?
[00:42:32] >> No.
[00:42:32] >> No. if they give us the money. But let's
[00:42:34] say we're expecting this payment cuz we
[00:42:36] signed a one-year lease in December and
[00:42:38] the term is by that one-year lease
[00:42:41] execution, we will have a payment of 100
[00:42:43] grand. But if they choose to pull this
[00:42:46] >> before they pay it, that's it. There is
[00:42:49] no under
[00:42:51] want to make sure I understand that
[00:42:52] though when we break ground.
[00:42:55] >> No, it's not. Well, somebody said that.
[00:42:57] That's why I'm trying to
[00:42:58] >> I did.
[00:42:58] >> Yeah. It's Is it when we break ground?
[00:43:02] >> No. We get the $100,000 in December.
[00:43:05] That is guaranteed.
[00:43:06] >> I know the following payments.
[00:43:07] >> No, that's not Mr. Chair. That's not
[00:43:09] accurate.
[00:43:10] >> Okay.
[00:43:10] >> If they if they break, sorry. Go ahead.
[00:43:13] >> I But I just want to make sure I
[00:43:14] understand this. It's a $100,000 payment
[00:43:17] and the next payment comes. Someone said
[00:43:19] when we break ground.
[00:43:20] >> When they Yes. Once they start
[00:43:23] excavating whatever they need to do to
[00:43:24] start.
[00:43:25] >> And what is that payment?
[00:43:26] >> I can look that up for you. Do you have
[00:43:28] Well, my understanding of it is when the
[00:43:31] actual solar
[00:43:34] producer
[00:43:38] operations become operational, right?
[00:43:40] Exactly. Let's get it clear. So, she's
[00:43:42] going to she's going to grab the
[00:43:43] agreement so we can confirm. You're
[00:43:45] going to call them anyway and ask them
[00:43:46] that
[00:43:49] >> I would find it hard to believe they
[00:43:50] were paying money before they were
[00:43:53] making any
[00:43:53] >> Mr. Cole 100 time.
[00:43:55] >> Thank you. um appreciate the chance to
[00:43:58] comment here. I had um seen the contract
[00:44:01] uh and if I recall, I guess it's easily
[00:44:04] brought before you now if if need be,
[00:44:06] but um the payment
[00:44:09] uh of $100,000 in December is uh the
[00:44:13] first of the series of contractual
[00:44:16] payments. It is, I believe, guaranteed.
[00:44:18] >> Yes.
[00:44:19] >> Um it is not a h 100,000 we wouldn't
[00:44:21] have gotten otherwise. It's to be
[00:44:24] deducted eventually from the from the
[00:44:26] from the payments when the regular
[00:44:28] payments start. Now, I may be wrong
[00:44:30] here, but I thought that was when the
[00:44:31] when the megawatt started, you know,
[00:44:33] after construction. So, maybe that would
[00:44:35] be four years. But my point is it it's a
[00:44:38] $100,000 now. That's an advance of the
[00:44:42] payments in contract. To me, this makes
[00:44:45] this not even non-recurring income. It's
[00:44:48] it's the first payment in a in a
[00:44:50] contract that the town and Kiraarch have
[00:44:54] signed.
[00:44:55] Um if something went wrong with the
[00:44:58] project, it's still owed to 100. The
[00:45:01] rest if they pulled out of the whole
[00:45:02] thing, the the the income that we're
[00:45:06] thinking is going to happen but not
[00:45:07] budgeting at this point wouldn't happen.
[00:45:10] But right now, this is the first payment
[00:45:14] timed for December 17th. And the second
[00:45:17] payment would be when either grounds
[00:45:19] broken or when it turns on. We don't
[00:45:21] know when that is, but I don't think
[00:45:23] this is a non-recurring item that would
[00:45:26] be inappropriate
[00:45:28] to use in the budget.
[00:45:30] >> Okay. We just want to get it clear on
[00:45:32] the table because I I thought it was
[00:45:34] when we started producing
[00:45:37] >> here the second beyond payments. Yes, I
[00:45:40] believe that's
[00:45:41] >> Mr. Chair.
[00:45:42] >> Yes.
[00:45:42] >> Based off of his comment saying
[00:45:46] >> bills.
[00:45:46] >> Yes, Mr. Coz.
[00:45:48] He's saying it's not re he wouldn't deem
[00:45:51] it as non-reoccurring. But if we take a
[00:45:53] 100 grand to fund our budget and come
[00:45:56] next year, where's that 100 grand going
[00:45:58] to come from?
[00:45:59] >> Right. where there is no replacement
[00:46:01] payment,
[00:46:02] >> right?
[00:46:03] >> And and they're already telling us the
[00:46:05] substation work's going to be three to
[00:46:06] four years,
[00:46:07] >> right?
[00:46:09] >> So, if we fund a budget with 100 grand
[00:46:11] next year, we're guaranteed to start
[00:46:13] that budget a negative 100 grand in the
[00:46:16] hole,
[00:46:17] >> right? It's like hiring a full-time
[00:46:20] employee on a grant.
[00:46:22] >> However you want to Yeah, we're in the
[00:46:25] hole. 100 grand. So we're all clear.
[00:46:30] >> Then we have the gravel component.
[00:46:32] Another 100 grand,
[00:46:33] >> right? But potentially there's an upside
[00:46:35] to that where it's 2 to 300,000.
[00:46:39] >> Okay.
[00:46:41] >> That's going to happen every year.
[00:46:42] >> No, it's a one time deal.
[00:46:43] >> It's called one time. Yeah.
[00:46:44] >> Right.
[00:46:45] >> Yeah. So that should go earmarked for
[00:46:47] capital stabilization stabilization
[00:46:50] warrant articles. But we're going to
[00:46:52] need snow and ice next year. We're going
[00:46:54] to need um we're going to need to fund
[00:46:57] uh uh uh our reserve account.
[00:47:01] >> I I I have a question and maybe because
[00:47:03] I don't understand where does snow and
[00:47:06] ice come from this year at a negative
[00:47:08] 220,000.
[00:47:11] >> Could you answer it?
[00:47:12] >> Um so yes, I can. Um which I kind of
[00:47:15] touched upon before. This is not
[00:47:17] guaranteed, but the legislature, the
[00:47:19] Senate has proposed a supplemental
[00:47:21] budget. Um, I had talked to Senator
[00:47:23] Durant and you had heard me probably ask
[00:47:25] him about this at the last meeting. Um,
[00:47:27] the House just has to debate it, but
[00:47:29] they are trying to come up with some
[00:47:30] sort of winter relief recovery. Um, so
[00:47:33] they took they took a look at what every
[00:47:34] town is overdrawn. Um, we were somewhere
[00:47:37] kind of in the middle in terms of
[00:47:39] Senator Durant's district. I think that
[00:47:42] they're taking it up next week, so it's
[00:47:43] not a guarantee. Um, right now we only
[00:47:45] have about $74,000 in free cash and we
[00:47:49] are about $224,000 over in Snow and Ice.
[00:47:56] >> So my my question is this, Mr. Chair,
[00:47:58] where does that money come from?
[00:48:02] >> So I I'm sorry,
[00:48:03] >> Mr. Chair. Go ahead. Um, so what we're
[00:48:06] going to do is we're going to take a
[00:48:07] look at when we go to the select board
[00:48:10] during year end when you guys do your
[00:48:11] year end transfers going to see what we
[00:48:13] have left over. Um, you know, you know,
[00:48:15] Marty's department has been down selling
[00:48:17] all year and you know, last year as
[00:48:19] well, so we were able to come up with
[00:48:21] some of the difference. Um, so you'll
[00:48:22] see that when you do your year end
[00:48:25] transfers. Um, we'll take a look at and
[00:48:27] see if we can come up with some of it.
[00:48:29] Um, but I can't I can't give you that
[00:48:32] information now until we get to year
[00:48:33] end. Um, that's why there's an article
[00:48:36] on this the annual town meeting just in
[00:48:37] case um if we need to appropriate the
[00:48:39] free cash. So, I'm really not going to
[00:48:41] know until you guys the select board
[00:48:44] does their year-end transfers how much
[00:48:46] we're going to be able to cover the snow
[00:48:47] and ice deficit out of some unused um
[00:48:50] money in the operating budget.
[00:48:52] >> Okay.
[00:48:52] >> Which might include employee that
[00:48:55] doesn't exist at the house.
[00:48:56] >> Exactly. Exactly. Yep.
[00:48:59] I understand that's the the leftover
[00:49:01] money, the free money that they find in
[00:49:03] the budget, but where is the balance of
[00:49:05] it going to come from? I mean, if it
[00:49:08] were 150 in the hole or 100 grand in the
[00:49:10] hole,
[00:49:10] >> where would you suggest? I
[00:49:12] >> I have no idea. I'm I'm asking the
[00:49:13] question cuz I don't know where does
[00:49:15] that money come from.
[00:49:16] >> I don't either.
[00:49:17] >> Well, I thought I just answered some of
[00:49:18] it. We're going to try to cover it
[00:49:20] within the operating budget the best we
[00:49:22] can.
[00:49:23] >> What is left over is going to have to
[00:49:24] come from free cash or someplace else.
[00:49:26] Chapter 90 doesn't apply.
[00:49:28] >> No. Um if and that's if we don't get any
[00:49:30] winter recovery money. We may we might
[00:49:32] get something from the state which would
[00:49:33] be a huge help. I don't I don't know. I
[00:49:35] can't say they're going to cover all of
[00:49:36] it, but they are looking at what every
[00:49:38] town is over. Every town is overspent.
[00:49:40] Like we're not unique. Um they are
[00:49:42] taking a look at what every single town
[00:49:44] is overspent to come up with some sort
[00:49:46] of plan. So hopefully we'll get some
[00:49:48] sort of
[00:49:49] >> compensate. Exactly. And but I just
[00:49:51] don't know what it is because the house
[00:49:52] hasn't debated it yet.
[00:49:53] >> Right. So through the chair, wouldn't it
[00:49:56] be smart to start looking at what
[00:49:57] expenses we have today we can start to
[00:50:00] pull back on? So at the end of the year,
[00:50:01] we do have that
[00:50:03] >> little wiggle room
[00:50:04] >> that wiggle room.
[00:50:05] >> We can see if it's how we how we going
[00:50:06] to balance a budget knowing that snow
[00:50:08] and ice is going to be on the budget in
[00:50:11] June as an article. How are we going to
[00:50:13] fund it? So
[00:50:16] >> I'll have a um way better look in a few
[00:50:19] week I'll have a way better um idea in a
[00:50:21] few weeks. It's just too soon right now.
[00:50:23] But as we get closer to your end, I'll
[00:50:25] have a way better idea.
[00:50:26] >> Mr. Sher, uh, what is a few weeks? Two,
[00:50:30] three, four.
[00:50:31] >> Yeah, probably by the middle of May.
[00:50:33] >> Middle of May.
[00:50:34] >> I'll have a better look.
[00:50:36] >> That be in time, too.
[00:50:37] >> I can't give you any Tuesday at 3:00. I
[00:50:39] can't give you a date.
[00:50:40] >> How about May 15th?
[00:50:41] >> I don't know. I'm going to see again.
[00:50:43] I'm going to look and see what the
[00:50:44] legislaturator is doing. I'm going to
[00:50:46] look and see our balances in the budget.
[00:50:48] I can probably come up with a if you
[00:50:49] want like more of an approximate I can
[00:50:50] probably do that by May 15th.
[00:50:52] >> Almost sounds as if we have to revisit
[00:50:54] this whole thing.
[00:50:55] >> We do.
[00:50:56] We're not even close. So
[00:50:58] >> I can probably get you an idea by May
[00:51:00] 15th.
[00:51:01] >> I have a question for the the clerk.
[00:51:03] It's okay.
[00:51:05] >> Okay.
[00:51:05] >> Ryan, how much time do you need for the
[00:51:07] annual town meeting? Is it 7 days we
[00:51:09] need this?
[00:51:10] >> Mhm.
[00:51:10] >> Okay.
[00:51:11] >> So as long as we're done before 7 days
[00:51:13] before that meeting?
[00:51:14] >> Yeah.
[00:51:15] >> Okay.
[00:51:15] >> Well, I mean what do
[00:51:16] >> you mean? Well, in the middle of May and
[00:51:19] in our annual town meeting, June 6th.
[00:51:22] June 6th. So, the thing is is that, you
[00:51:24] know, you've already voted to approve
[00:51:25] the warrant. Um, you'd have to do a
[00:51:28] special if you want to add other things
[00:51:30] to be discussed on that day. The good
[00:51:32] thing about that now is the fact that
[00:51:34] you don't have to worry about different
[00:51:36] registration days. It used to be 20 days
[00:51:38] and 10 days. It's it can still fall into
[00:51:40] the same thing. So, there's no extra
[00:51:42] burden on my office. It's just
[00:51:44] >> it's just it's a matter of different
[00:51:46] check-ins and things like that. It's
[00:51:47] just a a logistical
[00:51:49] >> piece. So if you do So here's the thing.
[00:51:52] So if there are, you know, in my
[00:51:54] opinion, you voted already to approve
[00:51:56] the warrant based upon what I gave her.
[00:51:58] >> So if you want to do anything else on
[00:52:01] June the 6, you're going to have to call
[00:52:02] a special town meeting, which is going
[00:52:04] to require 14 days notice of posting. So
[00:52:06] we're going to have to post that by I
[00:52:09] don't know my calendar. Um,
[00:52:13] >> Mr. Chairman, he's looking
[00:52:14] >> that'll be the 20. So, you'd have to
[00:52:16] you'd have to come up with something by
[00:52:17] the 23rd.
[00:52:18] >> 23rd of May.
[00:52:21] >> As it stands, if the numbers can be
[00:52:26] finalized the night before.
[00:52:28] >> Yes.
[00:52:30] >> I I guess I'm misunderstanding what
[00:52:32] you're
[00:52:32] >> Can I just Ryan, do you mind?
[00:52:34] >> No, I just want to make sure.
[00:52:35] >> Um, question. I put a snow and ice
[00:52:38] article on the town meeting warrant as a
[00:52:40] just in case. Right.
[00:52:41] >> So, a placeholder.
[00:52:42] >> Exactly. At town meeting, you guys can
[00:52:44] choose to table it or pass it over. Um,
[00:52:47] the warrant is been voted and will be
[00:52:49] signed tonight. So, that's that's good
[00:52:51] to go. The motions for town meeting that
[00:52:53] I've prepared for the board, I can
[00:52:55] literally do the night before.
[00:52:57] >> So, we don't need a like a special or
[00:52:59] anything because we don't have dollar
[00:53:00] amounts in the warrant like you will in
[00:53:03] the motions for town meeting. So,
[00:53:05] >> those can be. Does that answer?
[00:53:07] >> Yes, it does.
[00:53:08] >> Okay. I just want to make sure that I'm
[00:53:09] not not leaving anything hanging. Okay.
[00:53:12] >> But we also want to make Oh, I'm sorry.
[00:53:14] >> Go ahead.
[00:53:15] >> We also want to make sure that in this
[00:53:18] case, the finance committee is also on
[00:53:21] board with whatever numbers we have at
[00:53:23] the last minute because we don't want to
[00:53:25] go through what we went through at our
[00:53:27] last town meeting.
[00:53:28] >> Can I add one thing if you don't mind?
[00:53:30] >> Sure. Um I also mentioned previously too
[00:53:33] that the the Senate will be doing will
[00:53:36] take be taking up the budget in the
[00:53:37] middle of May also. So our or if you
[00:53:40] look at the last page the the state
[00:53:41] number
[00:53:42] >> cherry sheets
[00:53:43] >> yeah the state number for our estimated
[00:53:45] state receipts that will probably go up
[00:53:46] a little as well. Um but obviously I
[00:53:49] only I'm only going off the governor's
[00:53:50] numbers cuz that's all we have on the
[00:53:52] cherry sheet right now. That number
[00:53:53] could go up too.
[00:53:54] >> The school numbers are
[00:53:55] >> set in stone.
[00:53:56] >> They're set in stone.
[00:53:57] >> Yep.
[00:54:04] So where do we want to cut? You tell us
[00:54:09] your budget.
[00:54:14] >> And we we have presently some uh open
[00:54:19] positions that are in the budget.
[00:54:23] >> Yes. Like like the highway position.
[00:54:25] >> Mhm. Um
[00:54:28] there was vacant sewer, but that's in
[00:54:30] that's in their budget. Um we need a van
[00:54:32] driver, but that wouldn't show up
[00:54:33] because that's paid for by the state.
[00:54:36] >> And then uh oh, I'm sorry. We just have
[00:54:38] a vacancy now for a laborer in the
[00:54:40] recycling.
[00:54:42] >> So can we put a hold on all hires until
[00:54:46] for the no year?
[00:54:48] >> Yeah. So that
[00:54:49] >> well with the exception Chris anything
[00:54:51] that's funded through the state
[00:54:53] >> should be there shouldn't be a freeze on
[00:54:55] hiring
[00:54:55] >> like mart
[00:54:58] van drivers we don't pay for that
[00:55:00] >> pay for it it's 100% reimbursement
[00:55:02] >> anything that the town would put a hold
[00:55:05] on on any hiring
[00:55:06] >> until we know the numbers and
[00:55:08] >> yeah and and
[00:55:09] >> until we can pay for it
[00:55:10] >> yeah and also I think this I think the
[00:55:13] select board I'd like to I'd like to see
[00:55:16] that we get some control over the
[00:55:18] spending of, you know, anything that's
[00:55:20] over budget now, we shouldn't be
[00:55:21] spending any money on,
[00:55:23] >> right?
[00:55:24] >> And we need to get a better handle on,
[00:55:26] you know, what these what what is what
[00:55:28] we're spending in these accounts and and
[00:55:31] do a better job at budgeting these
[00:55:33] accounts so that we're not running into
[00:55:36] these overspending.
[00:55:36] >> Mr. Chairman, I think
[00:55:39] I think some of our uh where we're going
[00:55:43] over on budget uh we didn't appropriate
[00:55:46] enough money last year or this year to
[00:55:51] cover them. I I think we found at least
[00:55:54] two or three different instances
[00:55:57] >> where we were overly optimistic
[00:56:00] on uh where that budget would be. And I
[00:56:03] don't want to have that happen again
[00:56:05] because then you end up with an
[00:56:06] overspent budget again.
[00:56:08] >> Mr. Chair, can I add to Chev's point?
[00:56:11] Um, so I think I told you last time we
[00:56:13] did an RFP for IT services. The current
[00:56:16] provider that we have came in as the
[00:56:18] lowest bidder. Um, approximately
[00:56:20] $38,000,
[00:56:21] just under $38,000.
[00:56:23] Um, we only budget $38,000 and there's
[00:56:26] about nine things that get paid for out
[00:56:27] of that account. Um, I know I shared in
[00:56:30] prior meetings going back the last four
[00:56:31] years. I probably could could have gone
[00:56:33] back more where we've been 20 25 $30,000
[00:56:36] over in that account, but we're paying
[00:56:39] for eight or nine things out of that
[00:56:41] account, but we're only budgeting 38
[00:56:42] when it is about just just under that.
[00:56:46] So, to your point, I think we need to
[00:56:48] take a look at that and gradually get to
[00:56:49] a a place that is more appropriate with
[00:56:52] what we're actually spending.
[00:56:55] >> Right. I guess you're putting it on the
[00:56:57] other part of it. Where are we going to
[00:56:59] generate the revenue? How do we generate
[00:57:00] the revenue? It's one thing to say we're
[00:57:02] going to do stuff that point, but where
[00:57:03] do we generate the revenue?
[00:57:04] >> You got to look at what you're spending.
[00:57:06] I mean,
[00:57:06] >> basically, let's go back to the copier
[00:57:08] situation. You spend $300,000 for a
[00:57:11] copier that we should have spent $10,000
[00:57:13] on.
[00:57:14] >> So, I think there's probably other
[00:57:16] issues like that in the budget that we
[00:57:19] need to Someone needs to ask the
[00:57:20] questions like, why are we spending
[00:57:21] money on this? Why are we why do we have
[00:57:22] $38,000 in it? Can we cut that down? Is
[00:57:25] there something else we can do? Other
[00:57:27] other things that we're over and if
[00:57:29] we're under spending, why are we
[00:57:30] spending in those accounts? I there's we
[00:57:33] have to get a handle on the spending
[00:57:34] piece.
[00:57:35] >> I could add one thing to that. Um
[00:57:37] something that we're moving we're moving
[00:57:38] over to um 100% direct deposit and we're
[00:57:43] using a system called Payroll Forward.
[00:57:44] So, we're not printing payubs anymore.
[00:57:46] Um we're implementing that uh in the new
[00:57:49] fiscal year. We talked about that today
[00:57:50] at the department meeting. And that will
[00:57:52] save us approximately $40 a month or $45
[00:57:54] a month that we won't be printing we
[00:57:56] won't be having to print the payubs cuz
[00:57:58] every time we do that which you know is
[00:58:00] so at least once a month we're
[00:58:04] spending $45 when if we move to direct
[00:58:06] deposit we we do everything online. Yeah
[00:58:08] I can point to you a payub if you need
[00:58:10] one but um we'll be saving money that
[00:58:12] way. So we are looking for ways to cut
[00:58:14] costs and that's just one of them.
[00:58:15] little bit at a time.
[00:58:17] >> Yeah.
[00:58:17] >> Little by little.
[00:58:18] >> Has the U sewer commissioners approved
[00:58:20] the sewer budget yet?
[00:58:22] >> So, we're all set with the revenue
[00:58:24] stream coming from that they're
[00:58:25] absorbing of ours.
[00:58:27] >> Yes.
[00:58:27] >> Clear. Okay. That's really good. That's
[00:58:30] great.
[00:58:31] >> Mr. Chair.
[00:58:32] >> Sure.
[00:58:33] >> Um like questions to ask it and the IT
[00:58:38] services. we should conduct an IT audit
[00:58:41] and an IT audit of services to say,
[00:58:44] "Hey, if people can't log into their
[00:58:46] computer because the password's sticking
[00:58:48] and they call in September and then they
[00:58:51] have the same reoccurring problem in
[00:58:53] October, November, December, and and are
[00:58:57] we getting build every single month for
[00:58:59] the same reoccurring thing that was
[00:59:01] supposedly serviced and paid for one
[00:59:04] time in September and treated correctly?
[00:59:07] And are we using antiquated software or
[00:59:10] something that's causing these problems,
[00:59:11] causing delay, causing people to sign
[00:59:13] up, causing people having issues working
[00:59:16] remotely? All that require an IT
[00:59:18] specialist to log in and figure it out
[00:59:20] and unlock the doors for them so they
[00:59:23] can get in.
[00:59:24] >> Okay.
[00:59:26] >> So, we need an audit.
[00:59:27] >> We should on services just to say, you
[00:59:29] know, what what are these issues and
[00:59:31] what's going on? So, I make a motion. We
[00:59:34] have an audit on IT services.
[00:59:37] >> How much are these IT services going to
[00:59:40] cost?
[00:59:41] >> Well, right now you got a price of
[00:59:42] 38,000.
[00:59:43] >> But I the audit I mean
[00:59:45] >> the audit they actually should have all
[00:59:47] this paperwork. It's required. It's a
[00:59:49] log.
[00:59:50] >> Okay.
[00:59:51] >> Per for per for public records. So, they
[00:59:53] should be giving that right over. They
[00:59:56] should have this. If they don't have it
[00:59:58] and that's up
[01:00:00] >> I would volunteer to help with that
[01:00:02] audit. Thank you.
[01:00:05] >> So, it it shouldn't as far as cost goes,
[01:00:07] if you want to cap it, let's cap it at
[01:00:08] $3,000 or $2,000 because it shouldn't
[01:00:11] cost us. It should be records.
[01:00:14] >> And you think it'll save as much as
[01:00:16] we're paying for it. That's the point
[01:00:18] I'm trying.
[01:00:19] >> Well, when we asked about our copier, we
[01:00:21] found out, you know, a $24,000 savings.
[01:00:24] So, you want to ask a question. This is
[01:00:25] a question point to ask them.
[01:00:28] >> Okay.
[01:00:28] >> What What are we paying? Like, what what
[01:00:30] are your reoccurring services every
[01:00:31] month? Like what are the issues? Why?
[01:00:33] And are we having the same issues,
[01:00:35] >> you know? Yeah.
[01:00:36] >> And what how can it can easily be fixed?
[01:00:39] Like if we pay to have it fixed in
[01:00:41] September, we shouldn't have to pay
[01:00:43] >> to have it fixed again.
[01:00:45] >> Exactly.
[01:00:46] >> All right.
[01:00:47] >> And we'll cap it at say 2,000.
[01:00:50] >> $2,000 just in case there's a cost.
[01:00:54] >> I don't have it in front of me tonight,
[01:00:55] but I do have a list of like what we
[01:00:57] what our IT provider provides and what
[01:00:59] we're actually paying for. Um, I can
[01:01:01] send that out to the board. I just don't
[01:01:02] have it in front of me. I didn't know
[01:01:03] we're going to get that into the depth.
[01:01:05] Okay.
[01:01:07] >> Is that a motion?
[01:01:09] >> Yeah. Make a motion to do conduct an IT
[01:01:11] audit on services.
[01:01:13] >> I'll second that.
[01:01:14] >> Do we have a
[01:01:14] >> with a with a capital,000?
[01:01:17] Yeah.
[01:01:17] >> Okay.
[01:01:18] >> Can we wait till FY27 when we have money
[01:01:20] again?
[01:01:22] >> Where are we going to pay for it?
[01:01:24] >> I I'll rephrase the motion. So, we do
[01:01:26] the audit in fiscal year 2027,
[01:01:29] >> but it's based on 2026 services.
[01:01:33] >> Yeah, that makes sense. I'll second.
[01:01:36] >> Okay.
[01:01:36] >> All right.
[01:01:36] >> With a cap of 2000.
[01:01:38] >> With cap of 20,000.
[01:01:40] >> All in favor?
[01:01:41] >> I
[01:01:41] >> I thank you.
[01:01:44] >> Is this a start? Start.
[01:01:45] >> No,
[01:01:45] >> I don't think we're going to find
[01:01:47] anything, but it's a start.
[01:01:48] >> Low hanging fruit. We were
[01:01:50] >> we we were talking about the uh
[01:01:52] hardwicks water
[01:01:55] and that it costs the town more than
[01:01:59] what we have coming in for the uh
[01:02:02] Hardwick's water district.
[01:02:03] >> Yeah, we have to look at rates.
[01:02:04] >> We have to sit down and look at the
[01:02:07] rates. I know we write I'm I'm chairman
[01:02:10] of the Wheelright Water District. We
[01:02:13] keep on having to raise our rates
[01:02:16] and uh it's just a cost of doing
[01:02:18] business because everything's going up.
[01:02:22] We should be taking a look at that.
[01:02:25] >> Uh they're uh metered water.
[01:02:29] >> Metered water. Yes. Not really sewer.
[01:02:32] >> It's based on
[01:02:35] >> it. It's
[01:02:38] >> so I get edu and adu.
[01:02:40] >> It's not metered sewage. It's metered
[01:02:42] water.
[01:02:43] >> It's metered water because ours is
[01:02:45] >> more hookups. Maybe something like that,
[01:02:47] >> right?
[01:02:48] >> Yeah, we can take a look at that. That's
[01:02:51] low hanging fruit.
[01:02:52] >> Mhm.
[01:02:52] >> Bring in a little more revenue.
[01:02:54] >> We should definitely look at the edus on
[01:02:56] the sore in the sore billing this year
[01:03:00] cuz that hasn't been touched in years,
[01:03:02] my understanding.
[01:03:04] >> Mr. Cole and I also drafted that article
[01:03:06] for the AOL town meeting for the
[01:03:08] occupancy tax. So that would bring in a
[01:03:10] little bit too. if passed that time.
[01:03:13] Okay,
[01:03:14] >> Mr. Chair. Yes, sir. Um, if I may, uh,
[01:03:18] the treasurer collector expense of
[01:03:20] 19,500.
[01:03:22] >> Yep.
[01:03:22] >> We have what? That's what is that? We
[01:03:26] asked this before at the previous
[01:03:27] meeting.
[01:03:28] >> Yep.
[01:03:28] >> And the numbers didn't add up. We
[01:03:30] reduced it at a previous meeting to
[01:03:32] 9,500.
[01:03:34] >> So,
[01:03:35] >> but it's in this at 19,500.
[01:03:39] >> Please. Um, so I met with the accountant
[01:03:41] today because I had some questions on on
[01:03:43] that because I, as I told you, we're
[01:03:45] we're combining the treasure collector
[01:03:46] into one department because it is one
[01:03:48] department. It's not two separate ones.
[01:03:50] So I I did meet with Holly and we went
[01:03:52] through this and the treasure collector
[01:03:56] expense, you'll see on the new one is at
[01:03:59] zero and the tre
[01:04:02] collector tax title is at the 6,500. So,
[01:04:06] I switched those um cuz they were in the
[01:04:08] wrong spot. Um but that 195 is the
[01:04:14] treasure expense,
[01:04:16] the payroll expense and the collector
[01:04:20] expense and that equals very very close
[01:04:23] to the 19,000. Um
[01:04:26] so that's why I left it there because
[01:04:28] it's we're combining. So why would we
[01:04:30] cut it in half when we're it's accounts
[01:04:32] that we were already funding. We're just
[01:04:34] combining them.
[01:04:36] Mr. Chair, if I may, please. At
[01:04:39] >> the last meeting, we discussed this and
[01:04:41] the numbers didn't add up and we reduced
[01:04:43] it to 9,500,
[01:04:45] but in this budget, it's back at 19,500.
[01:04:48] >> I just explained,
[01:04:49] >> but the board the board at our last
[01:04:52] meeting,
[01:04:53] >> right, we could let the Well, I I we
[01:04:56] could let Justine explain it.
[01:04:58] >> So, what numbers are you combining,
[01:05:00] Justine?
[01:05:01] >> Want me to look at your sheet or no?
[01:05:08] So, treasure expense
[01:05:09] >> right here.
[01:05:10] >> Yep.
[01:05:11] >> Right here.
[01:05:12] >> Yep. Those two.
[01:05:13] >> We don't We don't need the longevity
[01:05:15] anymore.
[01:05:17] >> The 9,000 right there.
[01:05:18] >> Yeah.
[01:05:23] And then Yeah. So, the pay treasure
[01:05:26] expense payable expense
[01:05:29] and the 9,000. Yes.
[01:05:32] >> That doesn't equal 19,000. No, I didn't.
[01:05:36] It equals under it, but it's very close
[01:05:38] to the 19. And like I said, we're are we
[01:05:41] are making changes. We are not only are
[01:05:44] we like um looking for ways to save
[01:05:47] money, but we're also bringing hardick
[01:05:48] into the 21st century. Um so we are
[01:05:52] making um
[01:05:53] >> So could that 19,000 go down because
[01:05:56] it's not quite equaling it?
[01:05:58] >> So 16 16950.
[01:06:02] Yes, I think so.
[01:06:03] >> I've round it up to 17. Yes. But
[01:06:09] >> 16950.
[01:06:10] >> I think it's 15 950.
[01:06:14] >> 3500 3500 and 900.
[01:06:18] >> Do you want to just say 16,000?
[01:06:20] >> Oh, and then that 250.
[01:06:22] >> No, the 250 is gone because we don't
[01:06:24] need the longevity anymore.
[01:06:25] >> Okay. Yep.
[01:06:26] >> So, that isn't part of that.
[01:06:27] >> No, we got we got to come up with
[01:06:28] $200,000. So, let's start. So, we'll
[01:06:30] make it n um change it. Make a motion to
[01:06:33] change the treasury collector expense
[01:06:35] from 19,500
[01:06:37] to 16,200.
[01:06:41] I'll second it.
[01:06:43] >> All in favor?
[01:06:44] >> I
[01:06:49] guess.
[01:06:53] >> I had a boss that once said raindrops
[01:06:55] filled buckets. I hated that comment.
[01:07:00] What do we do? A lot of raindrops. So,
[01:07:04] >> it's going to take a lot more than that.
[01:07:06] >> That's a start.
[01:07:10] And we had talked about not those
[01:07:12] salaries, whatever.
[01:07:13] >> Yeah. Weird. Let's see.
[01:07:17] Truck driver, laborer is already not in
[01:07:21] there.
[01:07:27] the positions the positions that we
[01:07:29] budgeted that were not paying.
[01:07:31] >> Uh
[01:07:32] >> that's already in your numbers.
[01:07:33] >> Oh,
[01:07:34] >> yes.
[01:07:36] >> I think I'm between lines here. Maybe
[01:07:39] foreman is not there. So, one of these
[01:07:41] truck driver laborer positions is not
[01:07:44] there.
[01:07:45] >> Has not been filled. Correct.
[01:07:47] >> Correct.
[01:07:48] >> Okay. So, let's take uh truck driver
[01:07:52] laborer two out of there.
[01:07:58] I hate to sorry Marty but
[01:08:01] >> I mean you're going to end up with a
[01:08:03] huge snow and ice
[01:08:04] >> I I I understand that but they've been
[01:08:06] doing that last they've been doing that.
[01:08:08] >> Yeah we have we have uh onetime revenue
[01:08:10] coming in that can support that through
[01:08:12] articles. That's what the free cash is
[01:08:14] for and that's what the one time revenue
[01:08:16] support.
[01:08:17] >> Okay.
[01:08:17] >> I just fear you're going to be looking
[01:08:18] for a highway superintendent as well.
[01:08:21] >> He hasn't filled the position in how
[01:08:22] many years. I mean, as long
[01:08:29] >> I understand, but we have if it doesn't
[01:08:30] get filled. So,
[01:08:31] >> you know, Marty can't do it all by
[01:08:32] himself,
[01:08:33] >> right? I understand that. I I don't
[01:08:36] think you want to make cuts.
[01:08:38] >> We're going to eventually have to make
[01:08:40] cuts off and work our way down if you
[01:08:42] want to make cuts. So, we want to start
[01:08:43] at line item number one, moderate a
[01:08:46] salary, and we'll move right down the
[01:08:47] sheet.
[01:08:49] >> We're already bare bones. I mean Marty
[01:08:51] Marty has what chapter 90 money that he
[01:08:54] you know he has projects and if he
[01:08:56] doesn't have labor and help to do it
[01:08:59] >> it only hurts the town because we lose
[01:09:00] that money.
[01:09:01] >> Yeah.
[01:09:02] >> And then we lose that infrastructure.
[01:09:03] >> How long have they been unfilled?
[01:09:05] >> That I don't know because they they come
[01:09:07] and go and then they split.
[01:09:11] >> So it hasn't been full in several years.
[01:09:17] Um, yeah, we're we're actually we do
[01:09:19] have an interview.
[01:09:21] >> I don't know what's going to come of it.
[01:09:22] We do have one scheduled.
[01:09:24] >> Um,
[01:09:26] some place else. I doesn't matter.
[01:09:28] >> I mean, well, there's there's state
[01:09:30] money there. I mean, you know, the town
[01:09:31] gets
[01:09:32] >> All right. Chapter 90.
[01:09:34] >> Yeah, but you got to have the guys that
[01:09:35] do it.
[01:09:36] >> Start from the top then.
[01:09:38] >> Okay. Start from the top. Go right down.
[01:09:40] >> All right. Selectman's salary. We're at
[01:09:42] 3,200.
[01:09:46] I mean that's pretty bare palm. We were
[01:09:48] at 1,000 bucks for expense. I mean you
[01:09:52] want to take the 200 off of the
[01:09:55] >> 3,200. So
[01:09:57] >> 3,000
[01:09:58] >> Mr. Chair.
[01:09:59] >> Yes ma'am.
[01:10:00] >> I just want to say that we have a
[01:10:02] balanced budget right now and if you're
[01:10:03] doing this is you're hurting the town by
[01:10:06] cutting the very bare bones that we
[01:10:08] already have. You're going to be way
[01:10:09] over in accounts next year and you're
[01:10:11] going to be and this is hurt this is
[01:10:12] going to hurt the departments
[01:10:14] >> and you're going to be hurting the town
[01:10:15] and you're hurting staff
[01:10:17] >> and we'll also be hurting the town by
[01:10:19] funding a budget with onetime revenue
[01:10:21] and setting them up for failure next
[01:10:23] year
[01:10:23] >> at 100 grand 200 grand whatever you want
[01:10:26] to put for a number
[01:10:27] >> whether it's $10, $100 or $1,000 or 50.
[01:10:30] Pick a number.
[01:10:33] I mean, I'm not going to be part of
[01:10:36] this. You know, if you want to fire
[01:10:37] people and cut people, that's what
[01:10:39] you're going to be doing. I mean, I
[01:10:40] don't want to be part of this.
[01:10:41] >> There was no discussion of firing
[01:10:42] anybody.
[01:10:43] >> You're not going to have people to to
[01:10:44] work here, if you're going to not give
[01:10:46] them the tools to be successful.
[01:10:47] >> Well, aren't we given the tools to be
[01:10:49] given to be successful through software
[01:10:52] integration? We gave you a high-speed
[01:10:54] copier, scanner, all these things to
[01:10:57] increase efficiency.
[01:11:00] I mean, you're not going to have any
[01:11:01] bodies to do the work. M
[01:11:03] >> Mr. Chair,
[01:11:04] >> Mr. Vice Chair.
[01:11:05] >> Yes.
[01:11:07] >> Actually, I'm feeling aggression here.
[01:11:09] >> No, it's not aggression, sir. I'm just
[01:11:11] asking,
[01:11:12] >> sir.
[01:11:12] >> I'm going through the chair. So, my
[01:11:14] comments are through you.
[01:11:15] >> Polite. Correct. Yes. Very nice. And I
[01:11:18] believe in in efficiency.
[01:11:21] I like the idea of it. I don't know
[01:11:23] where to go without cutting departments.
[01:11:28] So
[01:11:29] >> on record, we have a balanced budget
[01:11:31] right now.
[01:11:32] >> Is that true?
[01:11:33] >> Funded by onetime revenue.
[01:11:34] >> It's not true.
[01:11:35] >> It is true.
[01:11:36] >> True.
[01:11:37] >> Funded by onetime revenue.
[01:11:39] >> You have a letter from her that we have
[01:11:41] a very bare bones budget as it is. And
[01:11:43] right now in and with to his his warrant
[01:11:46] article. Right now we have a balanced
[01:11:48] budget until the right in front of you
[01:11:51] is balanced.
[01:11:53] You're and cut further cuts are going to
[01:11:55] be hurting the town's employees. and not
[01:11:58] setting them up for success. We already
[01:12:00] have a very bare bones operation. We
[01:12:02] have one person departments, two if
[01:12:03] we're very lucky.
[01:12:11] >> So,
[01:12:15] >> do we want to hear from other uh
[01:12:19] uh finance committee members?
[01:12:23] >> Well, any idea
[01:12:25] >> any ideas? table's open.
[01:12:29] >> I'm I'm uh just still reading this
[01:12:31] contract on this, but we should I
[01:12:33] recommend that everybody look at the
[01:12:35] cure contract so there's no guesses as
[01:12:38] to what the terms are.
[01:12:40] >> They signed it
[01:12:41] >> section
[01:12:43] nobody remembers what we were just
[01:12:45] talking about. So, I'm just bringing
[01:12:46] this clearly up here. Section three and
[01:12:50] section four
[01:12:52] gives you what your risks are. Okay?
[01:12:54] Section three is you're going to get
[01:12:55] $100,000 on the on this on December 17th
[01:13:00] unless they decide to terminate it,
[01:13:02] which is what section 4 says. They can
[01:13:04] terminate this thing before it starts.
[01:13:07] >> So, so I didn't speak out of turn or
[01:13:10] provide misinformation.
[01:13:11] >> I'm just reading this here and you know,
[01:13:14] you can read it contract
[01:13:15] >> and and it it it's just it it's
[01:13:18] $100,000.
[01:13:20] We don't know when the next payment is.
[01:13:22] As a matter of fact, it it can be
[01:13:24] cancelled between now and year five.
[01:13:27] >> No, it absolutely can, but we get the
[01:13:29] $100,000.
[01:13:30] >> Yeah, potentially. Well, there's there
[01:13:32] is there is kind of a weasel clause
[01:13:34] here, but I I I'd have to study it for
[01:13:36] some while, but it says something to the
[01:13:38] effect that um and I don't think this
[01:13:42] really relevant to it just needs to be
[01:13:44] read. Just read it really carefully. So,
[01:13:47] does it say in there when I read it, it
[01:13:49] says that you get the 100,000, but
[01:13:50] they're going to take that back as soon
[01:13:52] as they start producing money.
[01:13:53] >> Yes, it slowly comes out, but not all of
[01:13:56] it.
[01:13:56] >> Not all of it, but it's going to be it's
[01:13:58] it's staged,
[01:14:00] >> if I remember right, it's
[01:14:01] >> the first year 100,000 upfront payments
[01:14:03] subtracted from the pilot year payment
[01:14:06] as Bill Cole had said and any future
[01:14:08] years payments is if necessary based on
[01:14:12] a asbuilt system size. leaser may
[01:14:17] terminate
[01:14:18] the lease on the 5th anniversary of the
[01:14:22] effective date of this of this sign
[01:14:25] signing December 17th.
[01:14:28] >> Um
[01:14:30] if commencement date has not been
[01:14:32] achieved
[01:14:35] and there's a whole bunch of ways out
[01:14:37] like every contract has. So just just
[01:14:40] read it to be sure what your exposure is
[01:14:42] but it's $100,000
[01:14:44] >> right? Technically, if they do give us
[01:14:46] the 100,000 in December and then they
[01:14:48] decide to terminate this year in year
[01:14:50] five, the town doesn't owe them that 100
[01:14:52] grand.
[01:14:54] >> 100 grand is non-refundable.
[01:14:55] >> It appears that is the case.
[01:14:57] >> But if if we do take the 100,000 and
[01:15:00] they continue on,
[01:15:01] >> the pilot payment can be affected be
[01:15:05] reduced,
[01:15:05] >> right? And it's it's a first year,
[01:15:07] right? because the combined two pilot uh
[01:15:11] payments, one's 200,000, one's 100,000.
[01:15:14] So, if if it's a little shy and it comes
[01:15:17] up at 80,000, the next year they'll take
[01:15:20] 20,000 to get their 100 grand back and
[01:15:23] and then it's it's 300 grand annually
[01:15:26] from that point on. If everything goes
[01:15:29] according to the contract, then
[01:15:31] >> I'd like to jump in here. I think
[01:15:36] we're back to
[01:15:38] back to not putting this 200,000 in.
[01:15:42] All right.
[01:15:44] So, where do we cut?
[01:15:47] >> Uh, yes.
[01:15:48] >> I want to move beyond this. What I'm
[01:15:50] trying to do, I'm trying to move beyond
[01:15:51] this.
[01:15:52] >> Well, it's we keep on getting stuck on
[01:15:54] it.
[01:15:54] >> Yeah, we we might have to get stuck on
[01:15:56] it because there's two sides to that
[01:15:58] equation. The the expense side and the
[01:16:00] revenue side. What I'm trying to do is
[01:16:02] say if you're going to pick one or the
[01:16:04] other category and exclusively focus on
[01:16:07] it, then you you're saying this is the
[01:16:10] way it's going to be. And all I'm saying
[01:16:12] is if you go back and you're short by a
[01:16:14] $100,000,
[01:16:16] there may be one of those two that are
[01:16:18] of least risk on the revenue side. It's
[01:16:21] the risk that I'm looking at. So what's
[01:16:23] riskier? selling the gravel and at at
[01:16:26] whatever price and getting the 100,000
[01:16:28] by the same time that you'll get the
[01:16:29] 100,000 this December from Kir which is
[01:16:33] the bigger risk
[01:16:35] >> in my mind
[01:16:35] >> the gravel is the bigger risk
[01:16:37] >> is it bigger
[01:16:39] >> it's not contractual this right
[01:16:40] >> this 100,000 is contractual
[01:16:42] >> that that 100,000 is contractual but
[01:16:47] we own the gravel there's nobody that's
[01:16:49] going to back out of being able to sell
[01:16:52] that
[01:16:53] correct act.
[01:16:55] >> Well, what if uh the environmental
[01:16:56] people say there's some mud shrimp
[01:16:58] there?
[01:16:59] >> Okay, we've seen that happen before,
[01:17:01] haven't we? Okay, I'm just saying look
[01:17:04] at the risk.
[01:17:05] >> Okay,
[01:17:05] >> it's a ma ma matter of managing risk.
[01:17:08] >> So, there still is a risk there.
[01:17:10] >> Well,
[01:17:12] >> yeah, maybe nobody
[01:17:14] >> now we're back to where we were. We have
[01:17:18] to figure out how to get this balanced
[01:17:20] budget done without the 200,000,
[01:17:23] >> right?
[01:17:24] >> How do we do it?
[01:17:26] >> I guess I would say I don't know how
[01:17:28] we're going to get there.
[01:17:29] >> That that I don't know how we're going
[01:17:31] to do it.
[01:17:32] >> You close the library and you close the
[01:17:33] recycling center. That's what you're
[01:17:34] that's what you're looking at. You're
[01:17:36] not going to
[01:17:37] >> 200,000.
[01:17:37] >> I don't know. But you're not going to be
[01:17:39] able to nickel and dime enough for
[01:17:40] 200,000 without seriously jeopardizing.
[01:17:43] >> Well, why do you say no? Wait a minute.
[01:17:45] That's a little extreme.
[01:17:47] center is a a a revolving fund. It's
[01:17:51] probably generating more money. It's not
[01:17:53] going to need to be closed. You don't
[01:17:55] close something for all their salaries.
[01:17:57] >> I understand. I understand that. But
[01:18:00] that's not being closing it.
[01:18:02] >> Let's just be careful.
[01:18:04] >> So, it's paying for itself and it's
[01:18:05] generating a small amount of money
[01:18:07] >> or breaking even.
[01:18:08] >> So, here's a question, Mr. Chair.
[01:18:12] They have what? Four employees at the
[01:18:14] recycling center roughly budgeted.
[01:18:16] >> Yes.
[01:18:17] >> And they have money in their revolving
[01:18:19] fund account. Roughly 25,000.
[01:18:21] >> So why don't we make a motion where they
[01:18:23] fund two of those employees this year. I
[01:18:25] only take two out of the budget.
[01:18:27] >> I have to check to see if the purpose of
[01:18:29] the revolving fund because
[01:18:30] >> I don't think the revolving fund can
[01:18:32] fund payrolls.
[01:18:34] >> That's what you're saying.
[01:18:35] >> That's what I'm saying.
[01:18:36] >> That I think there's a schedule. I will
[01:18:37] tell you that.
[01:18:39] Thanks.
[01:18:40] >> We have one vacancy there right now.
[01:18:43] >> Good.
[01:18:43] >> That's only about a little over $8,000.
[01:18:46] Maybe $8,600.
[01:18:47] >> We're back to trying to fill
[01:18:50] >> Maybe maybe another approach. I mean, is
[01:18:53] to go back to all department head T
[01:18:54] heads. Say,
[01:18:56] >> please
[01:18:57] >> take another look.
[01:18:58] >> Yeah, that couldn't hurt.
[01:18:59] >> That wouldn't hurt.
[01:19:00] >> Take 10%.
[01:19:01] >> You know, just, you know, sometimes
[01:19:03] you've got to push. You know, you wanna
[01:19:06] you wanna everybody has to exist and
[01:19:08] everybody should have a say in their
[01:19:10] budget. Why not let the departments bear
[01:19:14] the burden of this thing instead of
[01:19:15] arbitrarily closing down the the
[01:19:18] recycling center or a library
[01:19:20] >> library or eliminating positions that
[01:19:23] aren't necessarily filled? Is
[01:19:25] >> that the way we want to portray this to
[01:19:26] our town people?
[01:19:27] >> That's a good idea. But that's I mean it
[01:19:30] also spreads the misery.
[01:19:33] >> The shares the responsibility of coming
[01:19:36] up with a balanced budget. Yeah.
[01:19:38] >> That's all.
[01:19:38] >> Yeah.
[01:19:39] >> And we could argue the the the the
[01:19:42] 200,000 in in non-reoccurring or or
[01:19:45] local revenues. It's a big number. It's
[01:19:48] a big number that's supporting this.
[01:19:49] Like I said, it's 20% more than last
[01:19:51] year. So the question becomes, can you
[01:19:54] take that much of a cut out of out of
[01:19:57] expenses to offset that is neutral
[01:20:00] territory? I don't know if you can. I
[01:20:02] think it's going to have to be some kind
[01:20:04] of a balance.
[01:20:04] >> Charlie Low used to say you could take
[01:20:06] 10% out of any contract, any deal, but I
[01:20:10] don't think that's true.
[01:20:13] >> So do maybe five, maybe 10.
[01:20:16] >> So Mr. Chairman, do we go back to our
[01:20:19] department heads and ask them to see if
[01:20:21] they can cut?
[01:20:22] >> Yes, we make a motion.
[01:20:23] >> We've I've already done that. So, I
[01:20:25] don't
[01:20:26] >> Sorry, I didn't I didn't mean to speak
[01:20:27] out.
[01:20:27] >> Hang on. Make a motion though. We send
[01:20:30] this We asked all the department heads
[01:20:33] to um cut their budget by 10%.
[01:20:37] >> Will that will that be will that be
[01:20:39] reach of 200,000?
[01:20:40] >> No, it probably won't. But I mean or or
[01:20:43] do you want to say 20%? You're saying
[01:20:44] the number is 20? Well, I don't I don't
[01:20:45] know.
[01:20:47] >> How about How about this?
[01:20:48] >> 10% gets you there.
[01:20:49] >> 10% gets you there. All right. So, 10%.
[01:20:52] >> Um, but Mr. Chair, I have another
[01:20:54] question.
[01:20:55] >> I have a question on the sand and gravel
[01:20:57] in this contract. Any motion here?
[01:21:00] >> Well, all right.
[01:21:03] >> I'll table my question for now. All
[01:21:05] right. The motion is
[01:21:08] we asked all the department heads to cut
[01:21:10] their budgets by 10%. asking me if they
[01:21:14] can cut their budget by 10%.
[01:21:16] >> All right. If they can cut their budget
[01:21:18] by 10%, sir.
[01:21:20] >> Yes.
[01:21:21] >> I'll second that.
[01:21:22] >> Okay. All in favor?
[01:21:24] >> I'd like to word it.
[01:21:25] >> I
[01:21:27] >> I Yes, sir. Mr. Spencer,
[01:21:31] >> I don't see that happening. I was here
[01:21:34] when Marty was here presenting his
[01:21:36] budget and Mr. Tinker asked him a very
[01:21:39] direct question. if you could, it was a
[01:21:41] very small number and Marty said
[01:21:43] absolutely not. I don't think that we
[01:21:46] level this budget by cutting anything.
[01:21:50] Um, and I know that's an unpopular
[01:21:53] opinion. I think the only way that this
[01:21:55] budget, the way that you guys are
[01:21:56] presenting it, is going to be cut is if
[01:21:58] there are serious cuts to departments
[01:22:01] where people are going to either lose
[01:22:03] their job or we're going to lose
[01:22:04] services in this town. I don't have an
[01:22:07] answer on how we move forward because I
[01:22:10] see both sides of funding it with the
[01:22:13] the non-g guaranteed expenses. However,
[01:22:17] if Justine and the assessor are saying
[01:22:19] that that's how we have funded the
[01:22:20] budget previously, then that sets a pass
[01:22:23] precedence on how this budget has been
[01:22:25] funded. Moving forward, we do need to
[01:22:28] cut expenses and we need to we need to
[01:22:31] be fiscally responsible on what we are
[01:22:33] spending our money on. But right now,
[01:22:36] we're we're heading to town meeting. You
[01:22:39] you guys already voted on the the
[01:22:40] warrants for town meeting. Uh I I don't
[01:22:45] know the $100,000. Uh like Mr. Corsick
[01:22:49] was saying, that is the safest bet on
[01:22:53] any sort of funding that's coming in. I
[01:22:55] understand the gravel is town owned.
[01:22:57] That's going to be auctioned off. Um I I
[01:23:00] just don't see any department cutting
[01:23:02] 10% without losing serious services
[01:23:04] here. That's that's my two cents.
[01:23:07] >> Thank you. Thank you, sir.
[01:23:10] >> Mr. Cole,
[01:23:11] >> if I may, thank you. In general, I was
[01:23:14] glad to see and hear that we're
[01:23:17] very close to a balanced budget. I mean
[01:23:20] really there if with with Chris's
[01:23:23] suggestion about the about the truck
[01:23:25] funding and um if the town chooses you
[01:23:30] all choose to include the two $100,000
[01:23:33] components that you've been seeing as
[01:23:36] non-recurring. As I said a while ago, I
[01:23:38] don't see the solar lease contract that
[01:23:40] way. The other one, um, while it may not
[01:23:44] be sound strategy in general for a town
[01:23:46] over and over to use recurring,
[01:23:49] um, funds, the non-recurring funds,
[01:23:52] sorry, to meet the operating budget. We
[01:23:54] have done that on occasion. You're we're
[01:23:57] in a position right now where that has
[01:23:59] to happen if we're not going to have
[01:24:02] major cuts. That just seems to be where
[01:24:03] it is. And I would say that the odds of
[01:24:08] with the RFP out, the odds of bringing
[01:24:10] in $100,000
[01:24:12] are are excellent. I mean, that money
[01:24:14] that that thing's going to happen. It it
[01:24:17] has to happen soon. The gravel's worth
[01:24:19] something. There's interested parties. I
[01:24:21] think we'll find out that whether it's
[01:24:23] over one year or two that that money
[01:24:25] will come in. And I personally would
[01:24:27] think you were irresponsible if you
[01:24:30] factored that in there in order to keep
[01:24:32] this reduced barebones kind of budget in
[01:24:35] place for the coming year. As to what it
[01:24:37] does in future years, yeah, don't budget
[01:24:40] don't budget in there for for the year
[01:24:42] after that until we see how fast the
[01:24:44] solar's coming along and how much the
[01:24:45] gravel brings in over its entire
[01:24:48] operation. Another couple years perhaps.
[01:24:51] That's that's what I'd say about that.
[01:24:53] It seems encouraging to me now.
[01:24:56] specifically you talk about snow and ice
[01:24:58] and it was good news to hear that this
[01:24:59] that the state may come through with
[01:25:01] this winter relief program with what
[01:25:03] 226,000 for for Hardwick. Um two things
[01:25:07] about that as I've looked at it. It's
[01:25:10] one is that recognize that if we had
[01:25:13] been say not too up if we hadn't been
[01:25:15] optimistic last year we'd known somehow
[01:25:17] it was going to be a big winner and
[01:25:18] instead of 75,000 you'd had 175,000 in
[01:25:22] the budget. didn't quite cover it, but
[01:25:24] you know what we'd be up for right now
[01:25:26] is a $50,000 or excuse me $126,000,
[01:25:31] not $226
[01:25:33] in line for relief. That's how the
[01:25:35] state's working this thing. Um, and if
[01:25:38] you go if we this year say, "Well, let's
[01:25:40] go to 100 because it's probably going to
[01:25:41] be something more like than the 75."
[01:25:44] Okay, maybe that makes sense, but I
[01:25:47] don't believe you can go backwards on
[01:25:49] that in the future years. So you can't
[01:25:51] then say, "Well, we were high that year
[01:25:53] and it looked good, but now global
[01:25:55] warming, whatever, we're going to pay
[01:25:57] less fuel costs." I don't know. You
[01:25:58] can't go backwards, I think, on that
[01:26:00] line item in the future. So the town has
[01:26:02] not suffered except for having to deal
[01:26:05] with these things from having a snow and
[01:26:07] ice budget that was low and ended up not
[01:26:11] funding that line item. So I I I hope
[01:26:15] you think of that as you figure out
[01:26:16] whether that's where that should be in
[01:26:18] the budget. Also, last thing, sorry, is
[01:26:21] is I wonder if the Quabin watershed
[01:26:23] efforts that have led to some success
[01:26:25] about right now that we I think we heard
[01:26:28] Mr. Zenny talking the other day about
[01:26:30] this and go window $50,000 placeholder
[01:26:34] in the budget
[01:26:35] >> for the next couple years each of is
[01:26:37] that money on the revenue side now? Are
[01:26:39] we confident enough to put it in there
[01:26:41] or not?
[01:26:42] >> I did not.
[01:26:42] >> No, it's not on the revenue.
[01:26:44] >> But so it's not set,
[01:26:45] >> right?
[01:26:46] >> But it's
[01:26:46] >> it's a what if it's a possibility,
[01:26:49] right? That that's good. I'm glad it's
[01:26:50] not in there, but I think it's good to
[01:26:52] recognize that it could be some good
[01:26:54] news along the way. There is room in the
[01:26:56] budget
[01:26:56] >> for that as well. The bad news,
[01:26:58] >> right, sir,
[01:27:01] >> Mr. Chair, two points I just want to
[01:27:02] bring up. One of them is along the lines
[01:27:05] of the snow and ice. if there's some way
[01:27:08] to examine had Marty had proper
[01:27:13] people in place, what would that have
[01:27:16] saved us from having to pay contractors
[01:27:18] and everything else? So, the idea here
[01:27:20] is that we're not attracting people
[01:27:23] because we're paying them too little.
[01:27:25] Mhm.
[01:27:25] >> So if we end up paying them a little bit
[01:27:27] more to to retain these people, is that
[01:27:32] a savings on the snow and ice where
[01:27:34] these people are working, they're doing
[01:27:36] that overtime and we're not having to
[01:27:37] pay the contractor. So that's something
[01:27:39] to look at right there, you know, and
[01:27:41] that's, you know, we can't lose by we
[01:27:43] can't lose anybody in that position. I
[01:27:44] mean, it's it it's critical. So that's
[01:27:46] that's one thought that I had regarding
[01:27:48] it. And the second thing is just
[01:27:51] procedural town moderator, town
[01:27:53] selectman. You guys are charged with
[01:27:56] presenting the budget. They're charged
[01:27:58] with making a recommendation. And I
[01:28:00] think it's absolutely fantastic that
[01:28:02] everybody's trying to come to an
[01:28:03] agreement, but let's not forget that at
[01:28:06] the end of the day, it's going to be
[01:28:08] your budget. It's going to be their
[01:28:09] recommendation. And if there's a
[01:28:10] difference, the voters are going to sort
[01:28:12] it out.
[01:28:12] >> Exactly. Okay.
[01:28:13] >> But I think that I I think the voters
[01:28:16] will be happy to know that we
[01:28:18] >> Oh, absolutely. cover all the stones to
[01:28:21] make sure that we're confident that the
[01:28:23] budget we got is doable and if if the
[01:28:27] >> other departments come back and say it's
[01:28:29] impossible then we've got to go back to
[01:28:31] work again.
[01:28:32] >> Okay to ask it's it's at that stage of
[01:28:35] the game we we were obligated to ask the
[01:28:38] question
[01:28:39] >> that's all
[01:28:40] >> I agree Mr. Smith,
[01:28:43] >> your committee handbook says that this
[01:28:45] process of budgeting should have
[01:28:47] happened back in January. You're months
[01:28:49] and months behind right now and the
[01:28:51] oversight on the even this year's budget
[01:28:54] has been virtually non-existent. You're
[01:28:56] overspent on the budget this year that's
[01:28:59] still going to cascade into next year.
[01:29:00] And we haven't even discussed in these
[01:29:02] meetings what the ramifications of that
[01:29:05] is going to be. And uh this this finance
[01:29:10] committee hasn't met by themselves once
[01:29:12] this year since July last year. None of
[01:29:15] these things have happened the way
[01:29:17] they're supposed to. And now you're at
[01:29:19] the last minute in a budget crisis
[01:29:21] because there's been no oversight from
[01:29:23] you guys.
[01:29:25] >> Thank you for your observation.
[01:29:26] >> Mr. Chair.
[01:29:27] >> Yes, ma'am.
[01:29:28] >> I'd like to um just remind you that you
[01:29:30] did start the budget process in January
[01:29:32] when I you know I came before the select
[01:29:33] board and I said that we I was meeting
[01:29:35] with the departments on their budget.
[01:29:36] The budget process did start in January
[01:29:38] for the handbook.
[01:29:39] >> Well,
[01:29:41] we're there. We're here now.
[01:29:44] >> And we really don't know that many of
[01:29:45] the numbers. In fact, there's still some
[01:29:46] numbers that are uncertain.
[01:29:48] >> That's right.
[01:29:48] >> We still we're down to the wire. So, I
[01:29:51] mean, yeah, we could we can we could
[01:29:53] beat this to death, but there's a
[01:29:55] certain timeline and when final numbers
[01:29:57] finally come to us, school only came to
[01:29:59] us this week.
[01:30:00] >> Yesterday. Is that what I
[01:30:01] >> yesterday? Yesterday the school finally
[01:30:03] gave us the same. We're in the right
[01:30:05] chair. Where is at?
[01:30:06] >> Hold it.
[01:30:09] Are we going to go to the department
[01:30:11] heads ourselves? We're going to talk to
[01:30:13] these people.
[01:30:17] Are we going to go to these people
[01:30:19] ourselves or do we
[01:30:22] have we pulled
[01:30:24] uh lowhanging fruit?
[01:30:27] Uh how do we go backwards?
[01:30:30] >> Mr. Chair.
[01:30:31] >> Yes, ma'am. Um so after the initial
[01:30:35] draft of the budget that was presented
[01:30:36] to the select board you know you'll see
[01:30:38] if you remember the prior budget that
[01:30:40] you received had those blue those blue
[01:30:42] sections of changes
[01:30:44] >> I had gone back to each department I had
[01:30:47] department
[01:30:47] >> I understand but there could be other
[01:30:52] >> relationships so that's all I'm
[01:30:55] suggesting I don't know if anybody's
[01:30:57] willing to do
[01:31:02] Do you have something to say?
[01:31:04] >> Well, Mr. Chair, I've been trying to ask
[01:31:05] my question now for a little while. So,
[01:31:08] may I ask my question,
[01:31:09] >> please?
[01:31:10] >> Okay. My question is this. On the gravel
[01:31:12] contract or RFP, has that even gone out
[01:31:17] yet?
[01:31:18] >> I can tell you.
[01:31:19] >> Okay. So, all right. So, I'm looking for
[01:31:22] has it gone out? Is it going to go
[01:31:24] through this board? Um, also is there
[01:31:27] going to be a time frame to it? Like,
[01:31:29] hey, you got to get this gravel out of
[01:31:31] there by XYZ date and and can we put a
[01:31:35] rush on it or can we say if if they do a
[01:31:38] value of, hey, we can excavate so much,
[01:31:41] whatever that is, and can we split it
[01:31:44] and say, okay, you can only take half of
[01:31:46] that this year and half of it next year.
[01:31:48] And would that help as far as revenue
[01:31:50] goes?
[01:31:51] >> Mr. Chair, I know the answer to all
[01:31:53] those questions.
[01:31:53] >> No, why don't we have them?
[01:31:54] >> Why don't Why don't you ask me? I'm
[01:31:57] >> Because I am asking through the chair.
[01:31:59] >> He's putting me on the spot. Could you
[01:32:01] answer proper process by the way?
[01:32:03] >> Um,
[01:32:04] >> thank you.
[01:32:05] >> Yes, I can tell you. Uh, we are aiming
[01:32:07] for January to put up so we're using um
[01:32:10] a company kind of like municipal.
[01:32:12] That's the company that Marty prefers.
[01:32:14] Um, we are aiming for January. We want
[01:32:16] it we want to see the revenue come in
[01:32:17] FY27. We are looking to have the gravel,
[01:32:21] you know, whether it be a different
[01:32:22] different people that come that want it
[01:32:25] through the month of December, which I
[01:32:26] also said at the beginning of this
[01:32:28] meeting. Um, so we're like a six-month
[01:32:30] period of um
[01:32:32] >> answer. Mr. Chair, when's the pay
[01:32:34] billing out? Is it going to go out in
[01:32:35] October?
[01:32:36] >> I just said it's July.
[01:32:37] >> July. Okay.
[01:32:38] >> Are there any permits required?
[01:32:40] >> Possibly.
[01:32:43] >> There's a whole planning board process.
[01:32:44] >> Kind of. Yeah, I would imagine there are
[01:32:47] permit permits required which put public
[01:32:49] hearings and all
[01:32:51] we do is
[01:32:54] >> Mr. Cmerford uh from the planning board
[01:32:56] is also involved in this process. So he
[01:32:58] is handling the planning board part of
[01:32:59] of all this. So um
[01:33:02] >> it's we are covering all our bases.
[01:33:03] That's all I'm saying.
[01:33:04] >> And also Mr. Chair, I have contacted
[01:33:06] BLS. I'm waiting for an answer on
[01:33:09] non-recurring revenue. What is the best
[01:33:11] practice? What should we do? Thank you.
[01:33:13] and I gave them the issue or the
[01:33:16] question the problem we have.
[01:33:18] >> Okay.
[01:33:18] >> Of the 200,000.
[01:33:19] >> That'll be a help.
[01:33:22] >> Anything else? I'm looking for a
[01:33:26] >> motion to adjourn. Before I make that
[01:33:30] motion,
[01:33:31] are we all on board to get together
[01:33:34] again once we have a better handle on
[01:33:39] all the it some of these outstanding
[01:33:44] figures that we don't know the state
[01:33:46] figure for instance that comes pretty
[01:33:48] late
[01:33:49] >> but that but that could come in our
[01:33:50] favor too.
[01:33:51] >> Yeah.
[01:33:52] >> Oh yeah,
[01:33:52] >> exactly.
[01:33:53] >> I'm pretty confident it's going to be a
[01:33:55] little bit better than the number you
[01:33:56] see before you. Not I'm I'm guessing not
[01:33:58] significantly, but I I'm I have a good
[01:33:59] feeling about it.
[01:34:00] >> But you were also saying like the middle
[01:34:02] of May.
[01:34:03] >> Yeah, that's that's when the Senate
[01:34:05] debates the budget.
[01:34:06] >> So, do we want to uh talk about meeting
[01:34:08] again?
[01:34:10] >> Mr. Ulus, do you have something to say
[01:34:13] to that?
[01:34:13] >> Uh only the fact that don't forget that
[01:34:16] you know the annual meeting set for June
[01:34:18] 6,
[01:34:19] >> right?
[01:34:19] >> You can technically vote to postpone
[01:34:21] that.
[01:34:21] >> Okay.
[01:34:22] >> At the same time, you can all we can
[01:34:23] also go to the meeting. We have until
[01:34:25] June 30th to solve this. Okay. So, don't
[01:34:28] think that June 6th is the drop
[01:34:30] deadline. The drop deadline is June 30.
[01:34:32] I mean, I know we don't want to go that
[01:34:34] far, but
[01:34:34] >> Yeah.
[01:34:35] >> So, but you know, if you are going to
[01:34:38] consider that, be it, you know, in the
[01:34:40] coming weeks.
[01:34:41] >> Mhm.
[01:34:41] >> If you're going to postpone it, I'd
[01:34:42] recommend just getting it out there
[01:34:44] sooner than later.
[01:34:45] >> Um, you are allowed to do that. So, and
[01:34:48] then I just want to say congratulations.
[01:34:50] It's been a pleasure serving with you as
[01:34:52] constable justice of the peace and I'll
[01:34:54] see you on Saturday and uh I wish you a
[01:34:57] good retirement. Thank you for
[01:34:58] everything that you've done for us.
[01:34:59] >> Thank you.
[01:35:01] >> I have one one other question. I just
[01:35:03] wonder about the procedure for going
[01:35:06] back to all the boards. You know some
[01:35:08] boards their budget is made by the
[01:35:10] manager, some boards are made by
[01:35:13] committee. I mean that do we have a
[01:35:17] expectation of of when we could get some
[01:35:20] kind of a response back?
[01:35:22] >> I think it's just a good idea if we go
[01:35:24] first on it.
[01:35:26] >> Yeah. Go go go to if you know the
[01:35:28] chairman go engage him in a conversation
[01:35:32] >> and that way at least everybody knows.
[01:35:34] >> But who's the you go to the
[01:35:36] >> Yeah, that's I think that's what Eric
[01:35:38] was getting at earlier.
[01:35:40] Who's going to go to
[01:35:41] >> Who's going to go and have that
[01:35:42] conversation?
[01:35:44] >> Well, pick somebody.
[01:35:51] >> Well, all right.
[01:35:52] >> Sorry, Bill.
[01:35:53] >> I got too much going on here.
[01:35:55] >> Justine and I.
[01:35:57] >> Yeah, there you go. There's a That'd be
[01:35:59] good.
[01:36:00] >> Yeah, we can go to East department head
[01:36:02] together and sit down and meet with them
[01:36:05] and report back. So through the chair,
[01:36:09] who is going to be responsible for
[01:36:10] looking at the total general government,
[01:36:12] which is $750,000?
[01:36:15] Who's who's responsible for looking at
[01:36:16] that?
[01:36:17] >> They're looking at her.
[01:36:18] >> Yeah, that would be Justine.
[01:36:21] >> Yeah. And you you had something else. I
[01:36:24] I wanted to add one more thing myself.
[01:36:26] Um and if there are any positions that
[01:36:29] are eliminated, have we agreed on a um
[01:36:33] benefits value that would be associated
[01:36:35] with that? It's not just salary, it's
[01:36:37] benefits, too.
[01:36:38] >> Isn't that in the figures that we see on
[01:36:40] this?
[01:36:41] >> It's built into the insurance and all.
[01:36:44] >> Oh, that too. Yeah,
[01:36:45] >> that's what I'm talking about. The
[01:36:46] benefit package.
[01:36:48] >> Yeah, just just remember that.
[01:36:49] >> Yeah, there's more than to to
[01:36:51] >> there's more to that iceberg than you
[01:36:53] think.
[01:36:53] >> Paycheck, right?
[01:36:56] >> Which year? I remember last year we we
[01:36:59] we tried taking an approach of maybe
[01:37:01] hiring a position half, you know,
[01:37:04] >> half through the year,
[01:37:05] >> you know, in January instead of July
[01:37:07] >> that may save 45 or $50,000. I mean,
[01:37:11] there's some definitely some open
[01:37:12] positions there that could if we could
[01:37:14] make up $100,000 in SA in cost savings
[01:37:19] and then look at revenue coming in and
[01:37:22] maybe we
[01:37:23] >> Yeah, that's where I'm maybe we use just
[01:37:26] the one time. That's what I'm looking at
[01:37:28] is I would say, you know, I I we need to
[01:37:31] make an earnest attempt
[01:37:33] >> so that when we stand up in front of the
[01:37:35] the town's people, we really g this is
[01:37:38] this process that we went through is
[01:37:40] probably one of the best ones I've seen
[01:37:41] so far. We've been we've done much
[01:37:44] better. We're getting there.
[01:37:46] >> This is the way to do it every year.
[01:37:47] >> I mean, to get everyone together and
[01:37:49] talk through it.
[01:37:49] >> Yeah.
[01:37:50] >> Understanding the budget's the big the
[01:37:52] first thing and then understanding where
[01:37:53] it's fat and where it isn't.
[01:37:55] >> Yeah. Yeah.
[01:37:58] I think we have one more meeting ahead
[01:38:00] of us. And
[01:38:02] >> do we want to set that date like May
[01:38:07] 13th?
[01:38:08] >> Away.
[01:38:09] >> Year away. Yeah, that's why I think we
[01:38:12] got to
[01:38:14] >> figure out when we're going to meet
[01:38:16] here.
[01:38:16] >> Yeah, we really need to meet. Chris, you
[01:38:18] got to tell us what that schedule yours
[01:38:20] is.
[01:38:21] >> Yeah, I'm in Chicago that week. So,
[01:38:23] >> what about the following week? I'll um
[01:38:27] coordinate with Justine from the May 4th
[01:38:29] through the 7th to meet with department
[01:38:31] heads.
[01:38:33] >> Um
[01:38:36] >> we'reth
[01:38:38] in Boston. Um
[01:38:40] >> but like say the fourth, the 6th, the
[01:38:41] 7th, and even the 11th just
[01:38:43] >> I would probably want to do it the 11th,
[01:38:45] the week of the 11th only because um my
[01:38:47] assistant's off next week. So I'm going
[01:38:48] to be holding down the fork.
[01:38:52] So, we probably would want to meet like
[01:38:55] >> I can do the 11th uh bill.
[01:38:57] >> All right.
[01:38:57] >> The week of May 20th if they're doing
[01:38:59] their
[01:39:03] their meetings uh the week of May 11th
[01:39:07] to the 15th.
[01:39:09] >> Is that okay?
[01:39:10] >> We're looking at them.
[01:39:11] >> Yeah. May May 11th.
[01:39:13] >> Okay.
[01:39:13] >> We're looking at May 20th.
[01:39:15] >> The 12th just
[01:39:16] >> Is that okay with you? I don't know when
[01:39:17] you
[01:39:18] >> how many when they get in.
[01:39:21] >> 21st.
[01:39:22] >> I just 21st. I've got uh conf.
[01:39:27] >> Okay.
[01:39:28] >> 21st works for you.
[01:39:29] >> 21st.
[01:39:32] >> May 21st.
[01:39:33] >> I'm sure it'll be a a good day.
[01:39:38] >> How about you, Bill? 21st of May.
[01:39:42] >> Yeah, I'm good. I'm open.
[01:39:44] >> Glenn. Is there when did you think of
[01:39:47] >> you know I don't even have to worry
[01:39:48] about you? Yeah.
[01:39:50] >> No, I don't have to ask. I won't tell
[01:39:51] you anything.
[01:39:52] >> 20th.
[01:39:53] >> May 20th.
[01:39:54] >> May 21st.
[01:39:55] >> 21st. Thursday.
[01:39:56] >> Thursday. May 21st.
[01:39:58] >> I'm open.
[01:39:59] >> All right.
[01:40:00] >> Okay. Agreed.
[01:40:01] >> Agreed.
[01:40:02] >> 6:00.
[01:40:03] >> Yeah.
[01:40:04] >> 6 o'clock.
[01:40:05] >> Perfect.
[01:40:06] >> You notice how enthusiastic I am about
[01:40:08] six o'clock.
[01:40:09] >> Yeah, we all are.
[01:40:12] >> Mr. Cole, thank you. I just wanted to
[01:40:15] add this. Um, I've heard many people in
[01:40:16] this room and quite a few outside of
[01:40:18] this room in town talk about the
[01:40:21] possible benefits of I guess you'd call
[01:40:23] it capital equipment stabilization
[01:40:27] account.
[01:40:28] >> That sort of thing. Um, rather than like
[01:40:32] committing ourselves to repaying
[01:40:34] principal that we just borrowed or doing
[01:40:37] anything else. Uh, as we address the
[01:40:40] importance of maintenance and figure out
[01:40:43] maybe when we can make a major principal
[01:40:46] repayment down the road or buy new
[01:40:48] equipment if we have to do that. I think
[01:40:50] that there's there's a purpose for an
[01:40:52] account like that. I believe that we
[01:40:54] maybe should be doing even if it's not
[01:40:56] to fund it in this year's budget, but to
[01:40:58] plan on doing it so we get some money in
[01:41:01] there that can earn some interest in the
[01:41:03] general account while it grows and then
[01:41:06] have it to to expend for purposes you
[01:41:09] would have to authorize or down. Isn't
[01:41:11] that capital
[01:41:13] >> capital
[01:41:14] >> stabilization?
[01:41:15] >> Yeah.
[01:41:15] >> Yeah. I thought it I thought but I was
[01:41:17] thinking it was more limited to Well,
[01:41:18] maybe it's capital stabilization. Maybe
[01:41:20] it doesn't have to be any different. for
[01:41:22] capital equipment and the repayment of
[01:41:24] debt when that account balance builds up
[01:41:27] or emergencies if we have more I guess.
[01:41:29] But I think that would be a great goal
[01:41:34] to have for the town to get more money
[01:41:37] in there and then to use it wisely when
[01:41:40] the time comes. like, you know, the
[01:41:43] debt's going to roll over at too high an
[01:41:44] interest rate or we we have the amount
[01:41:47] we could do something then and we don't
[01:41:49] have more maintenance problems which
[01:41:50] we've seen 50 million. My might I add,
[01:41:53] Bill, that it's selling an asset like
[01:41:55] the gravel would be best spent wisely
[01:41:59] towards what you're talking about and
[01:42:01] because that's an asset and you only
[01:42:03] have it once and once you get rid of it,
[01:42:05] it's gone and we don't need to, you
[01:42:07] know, waste it. Good. You need to put it
[01:42:10] aside for important things.
[01:42:12] >> And and if I may piggyback on that,
[01:42:14] Mark, a principal payment on the fire
[01:42:17] truck will pay dividends.
[01:42:20] It will reduce the debt. It will it will
[01:42:23] for every dollar we spend 50,000, we're
[01:42:25] going to save 30 35,000 just in interest
[01:42:28] payment. So So versus having these
[01:42:32] >> Excuse me. Could I answer? Could I
[01:42:34] >> please? Um, Bill, in in in great times,
[01:42:39] you are absolutely right. That's a wise
[01:42:41] use of funding when we're flush, budgets
[01:42:44] balanced, and the capital and we don't
[01:42:46] have any capital issues.
[01:42:49] All of our cash, all of our one-time
[01:42:51] funding should be put towards capital
[01:42:52] stabilization, and some should be every
[01:42:55] year going into our stabilization
[01:42:56] account.
[01:42:58] Um, and what's going to happen is is
[01:43:01] instead of us having to spend a million
[01:43:05] dollars for a fire truck, we've got
[01:43:06] money in that account to buy the fire
[01:43:08] truck. Um, and if you're going to pay
[01:43:11] down debt, we'll never have an
[01:43:12] opportunity to have that cash to to fund
[01:43:16] the capital equipment. the the real
[01:43:19] prudent thing this town should do
[01:43:20] because of our you know our cash
[01:43:23] situation and in the in the decades of
[01:43:26] improper management, financial
[01:43:28] management in this town is that we
[01:43:31] borrow money for that capital, use the
[01:43:33] capital stabilization, account pay,
[01:43:35] principle and interest and then we can
[01:43:37] leverage that working capital 10, 20, 30
[01:43:41] times and get all the stuff done that we
[01:43:44] need to get done. And that's how we
[01:43:46] leverage that piece of it. You want to
[01:43:49] take money and start paying down debt,
[01:43:51] you're going to just all you're going to
[01:43:52] kick the can down the road and you're
[01:43:54] going to end up causing bigger problems
[01:43:56] down the road
[01:43:57] >> versus just paying interest only.
[01:44:00] >> Down the road.
[01:44:00] >> I'll pay I'd rather pay interest in
[01:44:02] principal. And
[01:44:03] >> No, no, not principal. Just interest
[01:44:06] we're paying. I so I'd rather pay the
[01:44:08] interest and take that money and and put
[01:44:10] it towards capital equipment so we're
[01:44:13] not taking out more loans.
[01:44:16] >> I mean you got to look at you got to
[01:44:17] look at the bigger picture.
[01:44:19] >> Okay.
[01:44:22] >> That's a great question was that that is
[01:44:24] the most we've been through this
[01:44:26] already.
[01:44:27] >> I look forward to working with FOMO and
[01:44:30] >> you didn't hear us
[01:44:31] >> solving these issues for the top.
[01:44:33] >> That's what we're trying this year. It's
[01:44:35] working pretty good. I have a motion to
[01:44:37] adjurnn.
[01:44:38] >> Well, it's been a pleasure, sir.
[01:44:40] >> And I second.
[01:44:41] >> No, we got a vote.
[01:44:44] >> I made the motion to adjurnn. He second
[01:44:46] it.
[01:44:46] >> All in favor? I
[01:44:47] >> I
[01:44:49] >> now we can shake your head