Raw transcript
[00:00:00] appoint Larry Buchet to the Council on
[00:00:02] Aging. I'll second the motion. All in
[00:00:05] favor? I I uh discussion and vote on
[00:00:09] annual town meeting articles and closing
[00:00:12] the
[00:00:17] warrant. Um so you'll see on the draft
[00:00:21] in your packet
[00:00:24] um there is 18 articles. Um any if you
[00:00:29] guys have any questions or um if you
[00:00:31] want to go through them, whatever you're
[00:00:33] comfortable with, um after if you make a
[00:00:37] motion to approve the warrant, I will
[00:00:39] make sure that council takes a peek at
[00:00:41] it and then um go forward with, you
[00:00:45] know, a warrant with council's
[00:00:47] recommendations. Um and then we can go
[00:00:49] to the printer. Y So that's that's the
[00:00:51] goal. And have it posted. Exactly. Yep.
[00:00:54] Okay. In all the articles, some of the
[00:00:57] articles like article two, you have
[00:00:58] required majority vote, majority vote.
[00:01:01] You're going to do that for all the
[00:01:02] articles listed. Okay. Okay.
[00:01:05] Yep. Does anybody have any issues with
[00:01:08] it or questions or it's pretty
[00:01:10] boilerplate with the exception of a
[00:01:11] couple of different ones that Yep. Okay.
[00:01:14] I'm good. Is Excuse me. Is the townhouse
[00:01:19] revolving account on air?
[00:01:22] I needed that. So the increase to it,
[00:01:25] you know. Yep. It's on there. Thank you.
[00:01:27] After we met, I it went in. Thank you.
[00:01:33] Make a motion to approve the town of
[00:01:35] Hardworking for annual town meeting held
[00:01:38] June 7th, 2025 at 9:00 a.m.
[00:01:42] May I just make a little subject to
[00:01:45] council's recommendations?
[00:01:48] Okay. Is that all right? Yeah. Subject
[00:01:49] to council's approval. That's Yeah. Yep.
[00:01:53] seconded. Okay. Uh all those in favor I
[00:01:57] I and that would conclude that the
[00:01:59] warrant is now closed. Thank you for
[00:02:01] that. Yep. Thank you. Discussion and
[00:02:04] vote on contract for FY 2024 CB CDBG
[00:02:09] uh park planning consult. Um so as you
[00:02:13] guys know back in FY um 24 the town um
[00:02:18] was awarded a CDBG grant um done by the
[00:02:21] prior administration for Highland
[00:02:23] Terrace and the Memorial Park study. Um
[00:02:26] so we did meet um you'll see everything
[00:02:28] in your packet. Uh we formed a review
[00:02:31] committee made up of CMRPC
[00:02:33] um Angie Brousard and Eric Fleming and
[00:02:36] myself reviewed all the um proposals
[00:02:38] that we received. Um, and we did uh pick
[00:02:42] a GZA as the successful um contract. So,
[00:02:49] I'm just looking for you to approve the
[00:02:50] contract um and move forward with the
[00:02:52] park planning consultant.
[00:02:55] And I'm
[00:02:57] sweating. It's not It's not just me
[00:02:59] then. No, I'm becoming a flash or
[00:03:01] something. Want to make a motion? Uh, I
[00:03:04] move that we uh approve the CDBG
[00:03:08] uh hiring of
[00:03:11] GZA. GZA. Thank you. As the consultant,
[00:03:14] I'll second the motion. Okay. All those
[00:03:16] in favor? I I Okay. Now, I I sorry, I
[00:03:21] just realized that I forgot to go back
[00:03:22] to visitor comments if anyone has a
[00:03:24] visitor comment.
[00:03:27] I'm good. Okay. Thank you. Um discussion
[00:03:30] and vote. This is old business now on
[00:03:33] host community agreement with the
[00:03:34] Hardwick Mill Greenery. So we had done a
[00:03:39] um HCA with them initially and it
[00:03:43] because their construction has taken so
[00:03:45] long. It has it was expiring and the
[00:03:48] cannabis commission stepped in and said
[00:03:51] you can't do this, you can't do that,
[00:03:52] you can't do this now. So it had to be
[00:03:55] revised so that they could reapply for
[00:03:58] their license um under those provisions.
[00:04:01] So, it's gone back and forth between our
[00:04:03] town councils.
[00:04:05] Yes, it has. Um, and everyone has looked
[00:04:08] at it and approved it. I know Ezra's
[00:04:10] here um as Okay. Hi. Um, but it's just
[00:04:15] missing some signatures. I didn't know
[00:04:16] if you do you want to do you want to
[00:04:19] speak on
[00:04:21] um the consultant for for the company
[00:04:24] and we're all just pleased that it's
[00:04:26] moved forward and we appreciate your
[00:04:27] your work on it. So, if you have any
[00:04:29] questions, I'm happy to answer them.
[00:04:32] No, it's good to have it going on. Yeah.
[00:04:35] And I will say as far as signatures, I
[00:04:37] believe it was George Lang signed it, so
[00:04:39] his on his side. So, we I we were
[00:04:42] assuming it was just from you guys. Are
[00:04:44] you missing a signature? I'm missing
[00:04:45] George's, but we can figure that out. I
[00:04:48] didn't I kept asking him and he said he
[00:04:50] did it and I I thought he did it
[00:04:52] electronically. Was that not an option?
[00:04:54] Oh, no. Um, so I sent I sent it to all
[00:04:57] of you and then I just I haven't then
[00:04:58] ever heard back. Okay. So if you if we
[00:05:01] could get a copy back for our records,
[00:05:02] that would be great. Oh, and it was
[00:05:04] signed on your end. I can't remember.
[00:05:06] No, it was not. We need to do That's
[00:05:07] what we were voting on tonight.
[00:05:12] Yeah. Okay.
[00:05:15] Make a motion to approve the host
[00:05:17] community agreement between Hardwick and
[00:05:20] the Hardwick Mill Greenery, Inc. second
[00:05:23] it. All in favor? I.
[00:05:27] Okay. Uh, meeting minute approvals for
[00:05:29] February 24th, 2025.
[00:05:37] Has everybody reviewed those? Yeah, I've
[00:05:39] reviewed them. I don't have any issues.
[00:05:40] No issues. Good. No questions, no
[00:05:42] comments or amendments. Okay. I would
[00:05:45] take a motion to accept those. Okay.
[00:05:47] Make a motion to approve the Hardwick
[00:05:49] Select Board meeting for February 24th,
[00:05:52] 2025. Second. All in favor? I
[00:05:57] I Madam Chair, would you mind just um
[00:06:00] saying for the record that the joint
[00:06:01] meeting with the finance committee has
[00:06:03] been postponed? Oh, yes. Um yep, I
[00:06:06] skipped right over that. Sorry. So, um
[00:06:07] the finance committee didn't feel that
[00:06:09] they were ready to meet again this
[00:06:10] evening. So, that joint meeting has been
[00:06:13] postponed. Okay. So, happen to know when
[00:06:17] or That's a good question. That's a
[00:06:19] great question. I don't know. Okay.
[00:06:22] Justine will work on all getting them
[00:06:24] back in order for you guys. Well, I'll
[00:06:27] ask you, sir.
[00:06:30] Okay. Uh, town administrator report. Um,
[00:06:33] so Guaranty Glass was here fixing the
[00:06:35] front door of the municipal office
[00:06:36] building. Great. Um, I'm working with
[00:06:39] Mr. Corors on the tree removal behind
[00:06:41] town hall. Um, to be honest, it's mostly
[00:06:43] Mr. Cororsk. Um we placed an order for
[00:06:47] two security cameras here at town hall
[00:06:49] that the um employees will have access
[00:06:51] to on their computer um that will focus
[00:06:53] on both of the doors um that are open to
[00:06:55] the
[00:06:57] public. Um I had a call with town
[00:07:00] council select board chair on the next
[00:07:02] steps in the Calvin Page building
[00:07:04] purchase and sale. So that's moving
[00:07:05] forward. Um it's in town council's hands
[00:07:07] right now. Um they have to drop the
[00:07:09] purchase and sale agreement, the land
[00:07:11] development agreement, everything they
[00:07:12] have to do on their end. Mhm. Um
[00:07:15] Madam Chair did ask how long it would
[00:07:18] be. Probably be a few weeks before um we
[00:07:20] have anything. So um just to keep you
[00:07:22] guys apprised. Okay. Um working to get
[00:07:25] the library set up with Adobe so they
[00:07:27] can submit their wards electronically
[00:07:28] and everything. Um so working with CM
[00:07:30] Geeks on that.
[00:07:33] um met with the treasurer's executive
[00:07:36] assistant and treasurer I mean and
[00:07:38] assessor on putting together a billing
[00:07:40] schedule
[00:07:42] um for all all the bills in every you
[00:07:44] know everything from sewer to x. Yes.
[00:07:47] When they go out when demands are due um
[00:07:49] so they stay consistent. Exactly. And
[00:07:51] that way we can also post it and then
[00:07:52] also you guys can you know take a look
[00:07:55] at it too. Um I attended a zoom
[00:07:58] demonstration with gov with Dr. Vermont
[00:08:02] um talking about townwide online
[00:08:04] permitting. Um so that's a conversation
[00:08:06] we're going to continue to have. I'm
[00:08:08] actually going to mention it to the
[00:08:10] departments at the department head
[00:08:11] meeting on Wednesday and kind of get
[00:08:12] their feedback. Um I want to be able to
[00:08:15] present something to the board, but it
[00:08:16] won't be for the beginning of FY26. I'm
[00:08:18] assuming um it'll be probably halfway
[00:08:21] through FY26. Um, just to put that on
[00:08:24] your
[00:08:25] radar, I attended a finance committee
[00:08:27] meeting and I met with the finance
[00:08:29] committee chair on ongoing financial
[00:08:31] issues. Had a call CMRPC on the 2024
[00:08:34] CDBG project that you just um approved.
[00:08:38] Met with the treasure collector and the
[00:08:39] treasure collector from Rutland on
[00:08:41] ongoing issues and concerns.
[00:08:44] Um, the treasure collector from Rutland
[00:08:46] came in and helped train our new
[00:08:48] treasurer. Um, and there's just been a
[00:08:51] couple things that have come up, but
[00:08:52] it's really good that we're um, working
[00:08:54] to address these issues. So then going
[00:08:56] forward, we have a clean
[00:08:58] slate. Going over department performance
[00:09:01] valuations with department heads, as you
[00:09:02] know, I met with the highway
[00:09:04] superintendent on a part-time seasonal
[00:09:06] helper and met with the treasure
[00:09:09] collector on health insurance. Um, it
[00:09:10] looks like we are staying with Maya and
[00:09:12] she was able to redesign the plan to
[00:09:15] bring down our increase this year. Um,
[00:09:17] so I wanted you guys all to know that
[00:09:19] she's a hero. Yeah. Um, so we still have
[00:09:22] an increase but not as Yeah. Yes. She
[00:09:25] cut it less. Not 18% like they were
[00:09:29] right. That was like 8.38 or something.
[00:09:32] So they cut 10% which is huge.
[00:09:36] Um, we probably will start continue
[00:09:38] having conversations with the school um
[00:09:40] for the for future years and then be
[00:09:43] able to come with up with a you know an
[00:09:46] option of what's going to be the best
[00:09:47] long term, not just year to year, but
[00:09:49] what is going to be the best just go
[00:09:50] with the flow, the increases that they
[00:09:52] throw at. I'm continuing um my
[00:09:56] reertification for the Massachusetts um
[00:09:59] certification on public purchasing. Um
[00:10:02] that has to be done every 3 years. I'm
[00:10:03] halfway done. And I've been getting 90s
[00:10:05] on all my quizzes. I just felt like
[00:10:07] Justine knows how to have fun over the
[00:10:08] weekend, let me tell you. I I sent Kelly
[00:10:11] a picture of my dog and then the
[00:10:13] computer screen procurement laws. I'm
[00:10:15] like, "Wow, you really know how to whoop
[00:10:17] it up on a Saturday afternoon."
[00:10:20] Yep.
[00:10:22] Very studious. Yep. So, when I get my
[00:10:25] certification, I'll make sure to share
[00:10:27] it with you guys. Um, I was able to
[00:10:30] brief the capital planning committee on
[00:10:31] ongoing projects. Um, and I've been
[00:10:34] working on the annual town meeting
[00:10:35] warrant and annual report. Um, and Sy's
[00:10:38] actually doing a big bulk of that. Um,
[00:10:40] you know, harassing town departments to
[00:10:42] get their reports in. And so Sy's been
[00:10:44] doing that.
[00:10:47] I want to recognize Scott Potter because
[00:10:49] he achieved his D1 and T1 distribution
[00:10:52] treatment, two water licenses. He passed
[00:10:55] the test, so now he just has to actually
[00:10:57] get the He don't have the license yet,
[00:10:58] but he did pass the test. That's great.
[00:11:00] So, um, in honor of that, we will be,
[00:11:04] um, transitioning water, um, billing
[00:11:06] over to him soon. So, instead of Marty
[00:11:09] going out there with a gun,
[00:11:11] um, Scott's reward is he will be going
[00:11:14] out there with a gun. Okay. I bet he's
[00:11:17] excited about that. Oh, I'm sure.
[00:11:19] Perfect.
[00:11:21] Um, important dates, annual town meeting
[00:11:24] is June 7th. Um, and then just my
[00:11:27] upcoming days off. And I also
[00:11:32] um want to thank the chair. Um this is
[00:11:35] the first job that I've been the number
[00:11:36] one. I've only ever been the number two.
[00:11:38] And I couldn't have asked for a better
[00:11:41] chair. And the only silver lining in all
[00:11:43] of this of her not being on the board
[00:11:46] anymore is I won't be able to call her
[00:11:48] my board chair, but I'll be able to call
[00:11:49] her my friend.
[00:11:53] I was holding on to her, Justin.
[00:11:59] Thank you, Justine. Great.
[00:12:02] Okay. Um, select round table. I do
[00:12:04] actually have a couple of um maybe you
[00:12:06] want to call them housekeeping things
[00:12:08] that I've been thinking about as I exit.
[00:12:12] Y um the USDA project. I know you and I
[00:12:16] have been on those calls and Eric and I
[00:12:18] have had, you know, we were speaking and
[00:12:21] um I think it would be good for you to
[00:12:25] I've kind of kept good tabs on that
[00:12:28] project since, you know, having the
[00:12:30] money, not having the money, having the
[00:12:32] money back, and you know, seeing those
[00:12:34] projects really get rolling out. Um I
[00:12:37] know they're in good standings. We're
[00:12:38] going to have, you know, excess money to
[00:12:40] that we need to spend. Um, I know there
[00:12:43] are some change orders that are out
[00:12:45] there right now pending. So, um, would
[00:12:47] you be willing to really keep tabs on
[00:12:50] that, you know, and keep everyone
[00:12:52] updated as need be? I know the capital
[00:12:55] planning sometimes questions it and so
[00:12:57] I've been kind of the liaison I guess if
[00:13:00] you want to say between those those um
[00:13:03] those committees and s such. So, thank
[00:13:06] you. If you would be willing to do that,
[00:13:07] that would be great. Um, another thing I
[00:13:10] wanted to mention that um, I think Bill,
[00:13:14] you had a question at our last meeting
[00:13:15] about the Eagle Hill sewer line and the
[00:13:18] project and um, it was brought to our
[00:13:21] attention that the town clerk actually
[00:13:23] did have that big binder with everything
[00:13:25] in it. Okay. Do you did were you um,
[00:13:28] Justine didn't mention I haven't seen it
[00:13:30] or they glad somebody. It's huge. It's
[00:13:34] in there. That's why I didn't send it to
[00:13:35] you electronically cuz it's like Yeah,
[00:13:37] you have to just peruse through it. So,
[00:13:39] that was discovered and we do have it
[00:13:40] and everything's in there. Um, and Scott
[00:13:43] has as Okay. So, that would come at the
[00:13:46] at the finish of a job, you know, as I'm
[00:13:48] sure you're aware of. Yeah. So, he does
[00:13:51] have a copy of those as well. So, I
[00:13:52] wanted to mention that. Okay.
[00:13:58] Is there anything else? I don't
[00:14:00] know. I feel I think Huh. Email. Oh,
[00:14:05] yes. The talent the the select board
[00:14:08] email. Okay. Um, we have an email that
[00:14:11] selectboard at townahhidework.com and I
[00:14:14] check that and I think I think you
[00:14:16] questioned that at the beginning and I
[00:14:17] said I check it and I forward to whoever
[00:14:19] it needs to go to. On Saturday that
[00:14:21] password will be reset. Okay. And I am
[00:14:25] going to whoever wants to keep tabs on
[00:14:27] that. I I mean it can be any I don't
[00:14:30] care who it is, but I'm going to have CM
[00:14:32] Geeks forward that information to at
[00:14:34] least I can have them send it to
[00:14:36] everybody if you want, but you'll have
[00:14:38] to I don't even want to know the
[00:14:40] password. You know what? Like I just I
[00:14:41] want it reset because then I'll be
[00:14:42] tempted to like check in and what you
[00:14:44] know what I mean? Like I I don't need to
[00:14:45] do that. So it's I'm just going to have
[00:14:48] them do a hard reset. You all can reset
[00:14:51] it to whatever you want. And um I guess
[00:14:53] I'll just have him send it to everybody
[00:14:55] so that you know that you can decide
[00:14:58] with the new board who wants to keep
[00:14:59] tabs on that. Okay. Always calling. Good
[00:15:02] enough.
[00:15:05] No, I'm not going to know it.
[00:15:08] They normally reset it to like, you
[00:15:09] know, question mark hardwick 123 or
[00:15:12] something. Well, no. Like just as a, you
[00:15:15] know, they random password. Just
[00:15:16] Exactly. But then you go in and you
[00:15:18] change it the first time you sign in.
[00:15:20] Yeah. Okay. All right. Good. Yeah, I
[00:15:22] know. Don't reset it to that if you're
[00:15:24] listening.
[00:15:26] Yes, that was the other thing. I think
[00:15:28] that's it.
[00:15:31] Yeah. Right. Your tablet if you want. I
[00:15:34] have it. I'm ready. As soon as I'm here,
[00:15:36] we're resetting it to factory set. I
[00:15:37] even have the box, the charger, and the
[00:15:40] cord. I want it. I'm in denial.
[00:15:42] [Music]
[00:15:44] I don't think there was anything else.
[00:15:45] You sure you don't want to hold on to it
[00:15:46] till Saturday? Yeah, until Saturday. You
[00:15:48] might need it. I'm gonna call you with
[00:15:49] an emergency at 11:59 on Saturday. My
[00:15:52] phone will be off. I'll be in
[00:15:55] bed. Oh, good. You really don't want to
[00:15:58] poke that damn
[00:16:03] payback from the stories this morning.
[00:16:08] All right.
[00:16:09] Anyone take a motion? Round paper. No.
[00:16:12] Yes, we're still under. If you have
[00:16:13] something, yes, by all means. I got
[00:16:15] together with um Ray Farren who's my
[00:16:19] handler from MIMA and we finished the uh
[00:16:23] comprehensive emergency management plan
[00:16:26] for Hartwick. So that'll be on your
[00:16:30] shelf. No, that's continuation of
[00:16:32] operating procedure. This is Kemp. This
[00:16:35] is Kemp. Comprehensive emergency
[00:16:38] management plan. So, so that'll be as
[00:16:41] soon as he prints it up, that'll be in
[00:16:44] something we're supposed to be
[00:16:46] doing. I go I go back I've got a dozen
[00:16:49] of them going back over the years. So,
[00:16:52] it's mostly just
[00:16:53] a compendium of contacts and where
[00:16:57] things are,
[00:17:00] but every year was supposed to update
[00:17:02] it. So, we did that.
[00:17:05] So, it's all good. Hi. Okay. Excellent.
[00:17:11] I'm I'm good. You got nothing? I got
[00:17:13] nothing. Okay. All right.
[00:17:16] I'm good. Thank you, Kelly.
[00:17:19] Thank you both. It's been an
[00:17:21] honor. It's been a It's been a ride.
[00:17:24] It's been fun. It has been. Yeah.
[00:17:27] Yeah. I I mean, I'll see you at the
[00:17:31] polls. Yeah. Then we'll see you around
[00:17:32] town. I hope so.
[00:17:37] Okay.
[00:17:39] Yeah. I move we adjourn. I'll second.
[00:17:42] All in favor? I
[00:17:45] Thank you, Kelly. Thank you, Kelly.
[00:17:46] Thank you. Thank you, Kelly.
