Hardwick Select Board FY27 Budget Review and Financial Planning

[00:00:04] So the way I understand it, we have two
[00:00:06] budgets
[00:00:09] and uh
[00:00:12] >> one against the other.
[00:00:14] >> Yeah. We're going to call this to
[00:00:22] >> if you would carry on again. Well, we're
[00:00:25] now at the stage where we we should
[00:00:27] start looking at something that could be
[00:00:31] um
[00:00:32] close enough so that we can move ahead.
[00:00:34] And I'm sure Chris is going to be here
[00:00:36] for this meeting, too. But uh
[00:00:38] >> we should look at um some of the
[00:00:41] assumptions that were made and uh then
[00:00:44] go down the list and see how far we are.
[00:00:46] I I guess
[00:00:47] >> you're passing out something here,
[00:00:48] right?
[00:00:49] >> Yes. Yeah.
[00:00:51] Well, on what time's a financial advisor
[00:00:53] get
[00:00:58] a financial advisor? We were talking
[00:01:01] about
[00:01:01] >> We did talk about that. Yeah, we did
[00:01:03] talk about that last week.
[00:01:04] >> We set it up at our last meeting.
[00:01:06] >> He was going to be here to talk about
[00:01:08] principal and interest on the fire
[00:01:10] truck. We don't have
[00:01:12] >> So, no. So, you did reach out to the
[00:01:14] assessor. She did try to call you back
[00:01:16] today.
[00:01:17] >> Um, she said she would be available by
[00:01:18] phone if you had any questions.
[00:01:20] I didn't get the answer that I wanted
[00:01:22] from the assessor or a full answer,
[00:01:25] >> but she called you.
[00:01:27] >> Well, I work during the day and and I'm
[00:01:30] available through the
[00:01:31] >> Well, she also said we could call her
[00:01:32] during the meeting if you had any
[00:01:34] questions.
[00:01:34] >> The assessor has nothing to do with
[00:01:35] this. Financial adviser is supposed to
[00:01:37] be here.
[00:01:38] >> No, he's not supposed to be here. It's
[00:01:40] not part of the contract with the town,
[00:01:42] but if you have any questions, you can
[00:01:43] get them to me and I'll be happy to the
[00:01:45] financial adviser. Why do we agree to do
[00:01:47] stuff in meetings and we don't follow?
[00:01:50] >> I don't remember agreeing to have the
[00:01:53] financial discussed.
[00:01:54] >> We did discuss.
[00:01:55] >> It was talked about
[00:01:57] >> and it was said he'll be at the next
[00:01:59] meeting. This is our next meeting.
[00:02:00] >> So what do we do now?
[00:02:02] >> I guess we punted for another meeting.
[00:02:05] >> Um and we'll continue discussing but we
[00:02:08] we really need to have a conversation
[00:02:09] about the fire truck the principal and
[00:02:12] interest.
[00:02:13] >> All right. So we'll generate a list in
[00:02:15] the next meeting.
[00:02:19] >> Okay.
[00:02:20] >> Just along those lines, can we just did
[00:02:23] in the assumptions that we make on the
[00:02:27] on the revenue side, the debt exclusion
[00:02:30] should did you change that so that we
[00:02:33] could pay a principal?
[00:02:36] >> So
[00:02:37] no. So
[00:02:38] >> So we didn't do that.
[00:02:40] So, in the packet that the select board
[00:02:42] had in the in the two documents I just
[00:02:44] passed out to you, one of them is with
[00:02:46] all the changes that the select board
[00:02:48] had added to the U budget, including the
[00:02:51] 30,000.
[00:02:53] And the one in blue is the one I
[00:02:56] prepared, which the board knew about.
[00:02:57] That gets us closer to under two and a
[00:02:59] half. Cuz right now, with the first one,
[00:03:02] the second one I passed out, we're
[00:03:04] 230,000 over budget, and with the one
[00:03:06] first one I passed out, we're only 46.
[00:03:09] No, I'm sorry.
[00:03:11] >> Answer your question. I the answer I did
[00:03:13] get from the assessor in the email and
[00:03:15] I'll I'll forward it to everybody was
[00:03:18] she only did interest only on the fire
[00:03:20] truck.
[00:03:21] >> There is no when we had that when we
[00:03:23] discussed it, right,
[00:03:24] >> we talked about putting it back in.
[00:03:27] Right. And so
[00:03:28] >> in this one,
[00:03:28] >> that assessment can still go out to
[00:03:30] include principal.
[00:03:32] >> Correct.
[00:03:33] >> Right. So whatever we agree upon, it's
[00:03:36] not like it's going to be added to this
[00:03:37] budget. that's going to be added to the
[00:03:38] revenue side and it'll off you know yeah
[00:03:42] absolutely y right you're you're 100%
[00:03:45] spot on
[00:03:47] >> but that's something
[00:03:48] >> but that was something I thought we had
[00:03:50] we said we were going to make the
[00:03:52] assumption that we could do that
[00:03:54] >> again
[00:03:55] >> and we were going to I thought the
[00:03:57] arbitrary numbered
[00:03:58] >> 30,000
[00:03:59] >> 30 thou yeah $30,000 so it's not in
[00:04:02] there
[00:04:03] >> it's in the second document that I
[00:04:04] passed out
[00:04:05] >> but which is which document What do I
[00:04:07] have here?
[00:04:08] >> That's the second document.
[00:04:10] >> And so that's
[00:04:11] >> there's a Yeah, there's a blue
[00:04:12] highlighted and a non blue.
[00:04:15] >> We all just recommendations as far as
[00:04:18] the line items.
[00:04:19] >> Yeah. To get to a balanced budget
[00:04:22] because
[00:04:23] >> and we're still off by
[00:04:26] >> 46 and doesn't
[00:04:29] comparison is
[00:04:30] >> but that principle will be offset. It's
[00:04:31] not going to add to that. Correct.
[00:04:34] >> What do you mean?
[00:04:36] So if we put what I'm trying to say is
[00:04:39] the principal right now there's no
[00:04:40] principal in here so there's no revenue
[00:04:43] to offset it. Jen's uh assessment is
[00:04:46] only for interest only of 35,000 and
[00:04:48] some change.
[00:04:50] >> Okay. So if that assessment changes
[00:04:52] because we agree to pay principal this
[00:04:55] year and that 35,000 will go to say
[00:04:57] 70,000. Correct.
[00:04:59] >> It's still offset because 35 in revenue
[00:05:02] >> doesn't affect 35 will go out on the
[00:05:04] principal and balance out. Correct.
[00:05:07] >> I thought we decided to do that at the
[00:05:09] last meeting.
[00:05:10] >> I don't know what you mean by it shows
[00:05:11] up in the revenue.
[00:05:13] >> It doesn't show up in the revenue.
[00:05:14] >> Well, it's not
[00:05:15] >> Well, it's it's in the debt exclusion
[00:05:17] number which is subtracted or added in.
[00:05:20] So, you can subtract it.
[00:05:21] >> All I know is it balances it out.
[00:05:23] >> Yeah, it does. Yes, it does.
[00:05:25] >> So, it's not going to add to the bottom
[00:05:26] line.
[00:05:27] >> It does add to the bottom line.
[00:05:29] >> No, it does.
[00:05:30] >> You don't have the It doesn't Justine.
[00:05:32] It's real. It's very direct right now.
[00:05:34] Her interest is 35,000 and we're saying
[00:05:37] instead of 35,000 it's going to be
[00:05:39] 70,000. So 35 goes to principal.
[00:05:42] >> So that 30 that extra 35,000 is going to
[00:05:46] offset the principal.
[00:05:48] >> No, it will show up as it will increase
[00:05:50] the the deficit over proposition. It
[00:05:53] will it will no
[00:05:55] >> it it does override.
[00:05:58] So all that, no, all that means is we
[00:06:02] are allowed to go over our levy limit
[00:06:03] and our levy ceiling is what includes
[00:06:06] the debt exclusion. It's still going to
[00:06:08] show up as a negative in the bottom
[00:06:10] line. That absolutely is not true.
[00:06:15] >> Oh, I'm sorry, Chris.
[00:06:18] >> You want to give I'm not going to argue
[00:06:19] this time. Just we'll move on. We'll get
[00:06:21] information,
[00:06:22] >> but I'm giving you the information. Like
[00:06:25] I said, I'll reach out to DLS,
[00:06:27] >> get information.
[00:06:28] >> You'll get the exact same response.
[00:06:30] >> I don't see how,
[00:06:35] >> but that's that's the way it is. That's
[00:06:37] fine. Like I said, a couple things. Did
[00:06:42] we decide to do the $30,000?
[00:06:45] >> At our last meeting, we did, but we
[00:06:46] didn't take a formal vote. Let's take a
[00:06:49] formal vote.
[00:06:52] >> Should we just do It it's yeah
[00:06:55] >> I think at our last starting point now
[00:06:57] obviously if we if it
[00:07:00] >> but you have to change the the debt the
[00:07:03] debt ceiling
[00:07:05] >> to make that happen. You got to do it on
[00:07:07] both sides.
[00:07:08] >> At our last meeting we used the 30,000
[00:07:12] just as a placeholder. We were going to
[00:07:14] figure try to figure out
[00:07:16] >> a better figure
[00:07:18] >> that was affordable.
[00:07:19] >> Yeah.
[00:07:20] >> Correct.
[00:07:22] >> Well, not affordable so much. I mean,
[00:07:24] well, it is affordable because on her
[00:07:27] numbers, the 35,000, and I'm talking the
[00:07:30] assessors, that's um average property
[00:07:34] tax increase of $25.
[00:07:37] So, it's not a whole lot of impact.
[00:07:40] >> Mr. Chair,
[00:07:41] >> the assessor um is available to So, she
[00:07:45] said that we could call her. So, if you
[00:07:47] have any questions, like, do you want me
[00:07:48] to get on the phone?
[00:07:48] >> Call the uh financial advisor who was
[00:07:51] supposed to be here. It's not supposed
[00:07:52] to be here.
[00:07:54] >> Okay.
[00:07:55] >> Do you want me to call Jennifer so she
[00:07:56] can explain this?
[00:07:57] >> I don't have a question for her. Does
[00:07:59] anybody have
[00:08:00] >> probably something aside table?
[00:08:02] >> Yeah, that's exactly. We'll move on.
[00:08:07] >> Again, do you want to uh
[00:08:10] hold the place for $30,000,
[00:08:13] pin this down, and be forced to deal
[00:08:15] with it?
[00:08:16] >> Yeah. Yeah.
[00:08:18] >> Motion to do that.
[00:08:20] I'll make a motion that we add $30,000
[00:08:22] to the principal payment of the fire
[00:08:24] truck.
[00:08:25] >> You're going to have to make this
[00:08:26] elsewhere because you don't have a
[00:08:27] balance. Can
[00:08:28] >> I just Why would we do that?
[00:08:31] >> Why?
[00:08:32] >> So it saves us some cost on the long run
[00:08:34] as far as interest and payments.
[00:08:36] >> It's not true.
[00:08:37] >> And how you going to find it?
[00:08:38] >> Exactly.
[00:08:40] >> Through through the debt override.
[00:08:42] >> That's not
[00:08:43] >> right now. She's only adding 35,000 just
[00:08:46] to cover the interest payment only. It's
[00:08:49] principal and interest.
[00:08:53] >> But when we have no interest or
[00:08:55] principal added to our rate,
[00:08:57] >> as as I understand it,
[00:09:00] the the um note matures
[00:09:03] for the fire truck in September.
[00:09:05] >> Yes.
[00:09:06] >> And at that point in time,
[00:09:08] we can opt to pay the principal, but we
[00:09:12] can't opt out of the uh the interest.
[00:09:15] >> Correct.
[00:09:16] two years we get that pass. We can pass
[00:09:20] on interest for two years. On the third
[00:09:23] year we have to pay the principal
[00:09:27] down but we we have the option
[00:09:29] >> to pay down the principal
[00:09:32] >> for one more year or is this next
[00:09:35] >> well you have to get another it's a
[00:09:36] one-year note. So your note ex matures
[00:09:39] now you're going to have to do it again.
[00:09:41] So the question is do you just borrow
[00:09:42] another $860,000?
[00:09:44] >> We can't do it forever. Two years. Two
[00:09:46] years. Two years. What year is
[00:09:49] >> this? Number two. This number two.
[00:09:50] >> No, this is number one.
[00:09:53] >> No, it's maturing this year,
[00:09:54] >> right? But we we don't have to pay the
[00:09:57] principal down for two years.
[00:10:00] >> On which note?
[00:10:01] >> You're talking about the fire truck.
[00:10:03] >> No, no, I mean the note matures this
[00:10:06] September
[00:10:07] >> and we are we have to pay the $35,000 in
[00:10:09] interest.
[00:10:10] >> Correct. And then you're going to get
[00:10:11] another note
[00:10:12] >> for $35,000.
[00:10:14] We're not responsible for any principal
[00:10:16] until year three.
[00:10:17] >> We can opt to do that.
[00:10:18] >> Yeah, that is correct. You can opt to
[00:10:20] >> That's all that's all.
[00:10:21] >> Yeah, that's bare minimum. We can kick
[00:10:22] it down the road for two years
[00:10:24] >> and then we have to pay. And that wasn't
[00:10:26] what it was the special town meeting
[00:10:28] >> and that's over the useful life of the
[00:10:31] fire truck.
[00:10:32] >> Yes. Which is a 20 year
[00:10:34] >> which means that we would have to take a
[00:10:36] $860,000
[00:10:38] loan
[00:10:40] for 20. Is that 20 years? 20 years. the
[00:10:42] useful life that they use for fire 20
[00:10:45] years.
[00:10:45] >> Yeah.
[00:10:47] >> Yeah. You look at the
[00:10:48] >> schedule and year three we pay no
[00:10:51] interest for the first two years of
[00:10:53] principal. Year three, we got to pay
[00:10:55] roughly 80,000 in principal plus the
[00:10:57] interest.
[00:10:58] >> It's not to our benefit to
[00:11:00] >> Can we back up a minute? So at this at
[00:11:02] the town meeting, we did a a debt
[00:11:03] exclusion.
[00:11:04] >> Yes.
[00:11:05] >> All right. And that debt exclusion is
[00:11:06] how much? So at the time of town
[00:11:10] meeting, town meeting just authorizes a
[00:11:12] debt exclusion. Um and then it goes to
[00:11:15] the ballot. The same thing at that point
[00:11:17] once it's approved, then the borrowing
[00:11:19] goes to the financial team, which is the
[00:11:21] treasur, collector, accountant, and
[00:11:22] myself who who takes care of the
[00:11:24] authorization and the borrowing. Um the
[00:11:27] it was for $860,000 for the fire truck
[00:11:30] over the useful life, which is 20 years.
[00:11:32] Um this year we off this year the
[00:11:36] decision that would be made was to pay
[00:11:37] down completely an old loan. There was a
[00:11:41] loan taken out in
[00:11:42] >> 20. Mr. Chair, who authorized that? She
[00:11:44] shouldn't have authorization to do that
[00:11:46] at all.
[00:11:47] >> We'll figure it out. Thank you.
[00:11:49] >> Actually, state statute. The treasurer
[00:11:50] does have authority to do that. Um
[00:11:53] anyways, we paid off the 2014 planning
[00:11:56] of this building. So we paid off the
[00:11:58] principal and the interest flat out in
[00:11:59] FY26. We rolled the wastewater and the
[00:12:03] police land into a new loan which which
[00:12:06] also um gave us a better interest rate
[00:12:08] to pay and it gave us a 5-year schedule.
[00:12:11] So in 5 years those loans for 2014 and
[00:12:13] 2015 are going to be completely gone. We
[00:12:15] also did the did the borrowing from the
[00:12:17] fire truck. So we are not responsible
[00:12:19] for paying down any principle on the
[00:12:21] fire truck till year three. We have to
[00:12:22] pay the interest which is approximately
[00:12:24] $35,000. But at that point, we only have
[00:12:27] two years left to pay the old the old
[00:12:30] debt that we have, the police land and
[00:12:33] the wastewater.
[00:12:35] >> When does the taxation for the debt
[00:12:36] exclusion kick in for tax?
[00:12:40] >> So, it doesn't mature until September.
[00:12:46] >> Doesn't that doesn't that answer to that
[00:12:49] question when you decide to pay it?
[00:12:52] >> Well, I'm trying to understand. So
[00:12:54] >> yeah, that's what I
[00:12:55] >> have have have the residents been
[00:12:57] assessed
[00:12:58] tax assessments.
[00:12:59] >> They can't they aren't until you until
[00:13:01] you put it into the into the equation.
[00:13:04] >> Right.
[00:13:06] >> That's how I understand it. Right.
[00:13:08] Education in this otherwise.
[00:13:09] >> So again, the assessor is on standby for
[00:13:11] a phone call if you'd like cuz she would
[00:13:13] be the person to ask this question to
[00:13:15] >> sir. I I think we should review the
[00:13:18] article that was presented at the
[00:13:19] special town meeting how this 860,000
[00:13:22] was supposed to be financed and who
[00:13:24] would have agreed that the town
[00:13:26] administrator and the financial team is
[00:13:28] responsible for all the terms and
[00:13:30] deciding what this town is doing.
[00:13:32] >> It's the state it's state mass general
[00:13:33] law. It's state statute. It's based off
[00:13:35] of what we were told at a special town
[00:13:38] meeting to the voters is this fire truck
[00:13:41] was going to be funded not for 20 years
[00:13:44] short terms and it was 8 to 10 years.
[00:13:46] >> That's not true. And the assessor told
[00:13:48] you that today.
[00:13:49] >> All right. Look, so what we had we're
[00:13:51] responsible for it right now.
[00:13:53] >> Well, and this board is responsible for
[00:13:55] deciding this.
[00:13:56] >> Correct. So I think what we need to do
[00:13:59] is climb out of this hole and figure it
[00:14:04] so that we don't get stuck like this
[00:14:05] again
[00:14:07] to find what my point is that we can
[00:14:10] spend forever trying to figure out how
[00:14:13] this happens. But we should review the
[00:14:15] documents at least sir
[00:14:17] >> so that we don't make the same mistake.
[00:14:19] >> Not make the same mistake so we can
[00:14:22] correct and decide the paid principle on
[00:14:24] this fire truck. You don't want to be
[00:14:27] financing a fire truck for 20 years and
[00:14:29] hoping that it makes it. For sure. For
[00:14:32] sure.
[00:14:32] >> That's what New Brain Tree does. That's
[00:14:34] what other tenants.
[00:14:34] >> No, they do not. New Brain Tree finances
[00:14:37] their trucks for 10 years.
[00:14:39] >> No, they have a replacement. Call Dennis
[00:14:40] if you like.
[00:14:41] >> I would I already talked to him. They
[00:14:42] have a replacement. I talked to him as
[00:14:44] well. They replace their trucks every 10
[00:14:45] years. That's right.
[00:14:46] >> But they do the same borrowing for 20
[00:14:48] years.
[00:14:49] >> And it's not what New Brainree decided
[00:14:50] to do. It's what Hardwood residents
[00:14:52] voted for this fire truck.
[00:14:55] You can absolutely look at the article.
[00:14:56] It's public record. But but you cannot
[00:14:58] go to town meeting the terms of
[00:15:00] borrowing when you haven't done the
[00:15:01] borrowing.
[00:15:04] >> Mr. Cole Ross,
[00:15:09] >> I guess the to to close this out. So the
[00:15:13] debt exclusion assessment to the
[00:15:16] taxpayers won't take place until we get
[00:15:18] the final loan in place. Is that what
[00:15:20] you're telling me?
[00:15:22] So, it's FY27 with and again like the
[00:15:26] principal payments what we absolutely
[00:15:27] have to make um because that's the way
[00:15:30] it was set up but it's not it hasn't
[00:15:31] affected the taxpayers right now.
[00:15:32] >> Okay. So,
[00:15:35] >> but again I would I would feel better if
[00:15:36] the if the assesser is the one that
[00:15:38] answered these questions. Again, she's
[00:15:40] waiting by the phone to answer this
[00:15:42] question. So why don't
[00:15:45] >> be great to get it writing because then
[00:15:47] then we'd have it.
[00:15:50] >> Yeah, it would be better to try to make
[00:15:52] some progress on the budget and
[00:15:54] >> and put this one aside.
[00:15:58] >> Next meeting and actually have the
[00:15:59] information otherwise we'll we'll spend
[00:16:02] an hour on this.
[00:16:04] I've already spent 15 minutes on so it's
[00:16:06] an important subject to your point. I
[00:16:09] wouldn't make any any principal payment.
[00:16:11] you don't have the cash to do it,
[00:16:13] >> right?
[00:16:13] >> Let this thing mature in in what
[00:16:16] September or
[00:16:17] >> and then it gets assessed and then the
[00:16:19] taxpayer the tax assessment pays the
[00:16:22] principal and interest as it should.
[00:16:25] >> But there's no principal in that tax
[00:16:27] assessment is what I'm telling you. No,
[00:16:29] there's only principal
[00:16:31] >> interest
[00:16:35] for the first two years. We don't have
[00:16:36] to pay principal till year
[00:16:38] >> and we should pay
[00:16:40] >> but
[00:16:40] >> but in the asset
[00:16:42] >> we don't have to
[00:16:43] >> when we get when the taxpayers so a debt
[00:16:45] solution says the taxpayers are going to
[00:16:48] pay that debt debt service we can make
[00:16:50] that whatever we want
[00:16:51] >> right
[00:16:51] >> so is it a tax rate
[00:16:53] >> so you you in September we finance it we
[00:16:56] go out 10 or 15 years whatever we decide
[00:16:58] to do and then that's the that gets
[00:17:00] assessed to the taxpayers and we move on
[00:17:02] from it why are we going to kick it down
[00:17:03] the road for another two or three months
[00:17:05] Why are we kicking it down even a year?
[00:17:07] >> Because we haven't assessed it yet. So
[00:17:09] why are we going to spend
[00:17:10] >> it's going to be set in the tax rate if
[00:17:12] we agree to put principal in this
[00:17:14] because it's for 2027. If
[00:17:16] >> I put you on speaker for a second,
[00:17:20] >> Mr. Chair, I have a assessor on the
[00:17:22] phone.
[00:17:23] >> Hi, Jen.
[00:17:25] >> Hello. Oh, would you please explain cuz
[00:17:27] apparently I'm not doing a great job at
[00:17:29] explaining the debt exclusion and the
[00:17:32] assessment to the taxpayers and how it
[00:17:34] matures in September and how we don't
[00:17:36] have to pay interest. I mean, we don't
[00:17:38] have to pay principal for the first two
[00:17:39] years,
[00:17:41] >> which specifically fire.
[00:17:45] >> I know that, but I believe that's four
[00:17:47] questions at once. So,
[00:17:50] >> maybe one at a time.
[00:17:52] >> Chris, do you want to start with yours?
[00:17:54] >> Yeah. Hi, Jen. This is uh Chris. So,
[00:17:56] what we're trying to understand is um
[00:18:00] when in September when this gets
[00:18:03] refinanced
[00:18:04] um when does the debt exclusion kick in
[00:18:07] and the assessment goes to the
[00:18:08] taxpayers?
[00:18:11] >> So, if we're paying for it in September,
[00:18:15] we have to have it on to this budget.
[00:18:18] >> Yeah.
[00:18:20] >> So, within the fiscal year.
[00:18:23] >> Okay. All
[00:18:25] right. But do we know do we know what
[00:18:26] the fin do we know what the finance
[00:18:28] financing is going to look like?
[00:18:29] >> Yeah, I have it for the next 20 years of
[00:18:31] everything.
[00:18:32] >> Yeah, she had the schedule there. Um,
[00:18:36] and that comes from the banker and the
[00:18:39] treasurer
[00:18:40] actually, you know, is the one who
[00:18:42] borrows the money and obtained the
[00:18:45] schedule and passed it on to just
[00:18:50] >> Okay. because it's mass general law
[00:18:52] state statute that the treasures are
[00:18:53] aware of.
[00:18:54] >> You want to ask Jen a question?
[00:18:56] >> Yeah.
[00:18:57] >> I' I've asked questions in the house.
[00:18:59] >> So,
[00:19:00] >> anyone else have anything for the
[00:19:01] assessor?
[00:19:04] >> I'm good.
[00:19:05] >> Thanks.
[00:19:05] >> Thanks, Jen.
[00:19:06] >> You're welcome. Bye-bye, everyone.
[00:19:09] >> Bye.
[00:19:11] >> So, whatever that schedule says is what
[00:19:12] we're going to put in the budget.
[00:19:16] That's only then this,
[00:19:18] >> you know, and who decided this,
[00:19:21] >> but it wasn't this board. This board
[00:19:23] didn't take the vote on your
[00:19:24] responsible.
[00:19:25] >> Exactly. So So
[00:19:27] >> where's the vote?
[00:19:30] >> It's not.
[00:19:31] >> No, it's the it's town meeting and the
[00:19:34] votes on the terms of the borrowing,
[00:19:38] it's up to the treasurer.
[00:19:39] >> That mature. I'll note that. I guess
[00:19:41] we're going to need clarification. And
[00:19:43] what the discussion here is we want to
[00:19:46] make we want to make a
[00:19:48] >> what
[00:19:49] >> we want to take another note out for
[00:19:51] $830,000
[00:19:55] >> paying off the note $30,000 in the debt
[00:19:58] expense
[00:20:08] >> because last time I understood this the
[00:20:10] treasurer does what this liquid decides.
[00:20:13] and directs for the long run financing.
[00:20:16] She doesn't act independently of the
[00:20:18] select board and decide to finance this
[00:20:21] thing for 20 plus years cuz it suits it.
[00:20:24] >> It's actually it was up to the taxpayers
[00:20:26] who voted at town meeting and the
[00:20:27] >> right and it wasn't it wasn't decided in
[00:20:29] that financing to say we're going to
[00:20:31] finance this fire for 20 plus years. But
[00:20:34] the but the article didn't the article
[00:20:38] uh address
[00:20:41] the the uh the treasurer to take
[00:20:43] whatever action is necessary. That's how
[00:20:48] the treasury that's what they that's how
[00:20:50] that article is written
[00:20:52] >> authorizes the treasures
[00:20:57] >> because who's making decisions that are
[00:20:59] going to impact the taxpayers
[00:21:01] of that copy of that
[00:21:03] >> because we decide to kick the road two
[00:21:06] years and then the third year we're
[00:21:08] going to come up with 80,000 in
[00:21:09] principal plus interest. It's not a
[00:21:12] smart business plan.
[00:21:16] Chris, what does the schedule say that
[00:21:18] you're looking at?
[00:21:20] >> So, it says in 2027 there's a $35,000
[00:21:22] interest payment. In 2028, there's a
[00:21:25] $30,000 interest payment. And then in
[00:21:26] 2029, there's a fixed uh principal
[00:21:30] payment of 47,778
[00:21:33] and then the interest is calculated uh
[00:21:36] to $32,000 and
[00:21:39] it goes down from there.
[00:21:41] So, starting in
[00:21:43] 2027
[00:21:45] there would be a small assessment to the
[00:21:47] taxpayers
[00:21:50] >> to cover the interest
[00:21:52] and then in 2029
[00:21:54] that assessment would go up based on
[00:21:57] >> Yeah, you get it.
[00:21:58] >> Yeah, you have it.
[00:21:59] >> 47 and the 32
[00:22:02] and then in 2037 it jumps to 95.
[00:22:06] >> But at that point we will have paid off
[00:22:08] our old loans. will have some
[00:22:12] room available and we can start paying
[00:22:13] it down. That's the plan. We have a We
[00:22:16] finally have a debt plan which
[00:22:21] >> and who authorized this plan because I
[00:22:23] don't recall this board voting on it.
[00:22:26] >> I don't know how I feel.
[00:22:26] >> It wasn't represented to this board.
[00:22:31] >> Mr. Chair,
[00:22:32] >> you recall? No.
[00:22:37] >> Mr. call. Take one short, please.
[00:22:40] >> Thank you. I will be short. Appreciate
[00:22:42] it. Um I've looked at this from the
[00:22:43] beginning and I do know a little about
[00:22:45] it. I hope um when the town authorized
[00:22:49] uh borrowing
[00:22:51] um for the purpose of the fire truck. It
[00:22:54] did not, it does not, it never does
[00:22:57] dictate the particulars of the
[00:22:59] borrowing. It does leave that to the
[00:23:00] professionals, the treasurer, the town
[00:23:04] administrator, the financial advisor. it
[00:23:07] does it for the particulars they don't
[00:23:08] come back to the board but maybe more
[00:23:10] importantly that I'd like to suggest
[00:23:11] that there seems to be some
[00:23:13] misunderstanding about what it means to
[00:23:15] pay some principal down if you put
[00:23:17] 30,000 and manage to squeeze 30,000
[00:23:20] additional principal payment in in a
[00:23:23] principal payment in this first year or
[00:23:25] two
[00:23:27] that makes everything else in the budget
[00:23:28] more difficult. That's why part of the
[00:23:30] reason you're at a $230,000
[00:23:32] draft deficit at this point already. The
[00:23:36] town has through the maneuverings of the
[00:23:39] financial team has brought down the
[00:23:42] total debt. They've already paid down
[00:23:44] principle by by rewrapping those couple
[00:23:47] of those loans, paying one of them off
[00:23:50] and in 5 years it will be zero principal
[00:23:52] from those several sources that right
[00:23:54] now you otherwise would be left on the
[00:23:57] books. Correct. So you're already paying
[00:23:59] principal now over the next five years.
[00:24:00] >> This one right here.
[00:24:02] >> The other thing I just want to say is if
[00:24:03] if indeed you put the 30 in, you've got
[00:24:06] to be careful.
[00:24:06] >> Settle down a little so I can hear.
[00:24:08] >> You don't know what there doesn't seem
[00:24:10] to be an understanding here of what will
[00:24:12] happen to the payments in the following
[00:24:14] years. If you choose to pay off
[00:24:17] $30,000 now or in the coming year,
[00:24:21] $30,000 that would um uh otherwise that
[00:24:25] that that has been borrowed. the will
[00:24:27] have been borrowed. If you pay that now,
[00:24:29] it's not going to reduce your payments
[00:24:31] by any $30,000 in the first year or two,
[00:24:33] it's going to mean basically that you
[00:24:35] are taking, you know, uh a loan for
[00:24:38] instead of if it was $860, you'd be
[00:24:41] taking one for $830. And your payments
[00:24:43] are going to only be adjusted over the
[00:24:45] full 20 years anyway from that point on
[00:24:48] slightly. But I would suggest the town
[00:24:50] be better off to wait until they see
[00:24:53] what the budget looks like in a in a in
[00:24:55] a year, two years, three years, and then
[00:24:57] if the 4% rate, which is very good by
[00:25:00] the way, that this is all being
[00:25:01] refinanced. If that rate looks at that
[00:25:04] time to be a high rate and something
[00:25:07] good to pay off, then you can consider
[00:25:09] doing it and it will reduce all the
[00:25:10] future payments on that loan if it's
[00:25:12] refinanced at that time. But to do it at
[00:25:14] this time, I think you're you're wrong
[00:25:16] about borrowing it in order to pay some
[00:25:19] of it off real quick at a good 4% rate
[00:25:21] and try to squeeze it into the budget.
[00:25:24] >> Thank you.
[00:25:26] >> Mr. Paul,
[00:25:26] >> thank you, Mr. Chair. I'd like to read
[00:25:28] the actual article.
[00:25:31] >> Okay.
[00:25:32] This was article one on October 17th,
[00:25:35] 2024 at the Hardwick Elementary School.
[00:25:38] Article one voted 71-7
[00:25:41] for the town to borrow the sum of
[00:25:42] 860,000 to pay the cost of purchasing
[00:25:45] and equipping a new fire pumper truck
[00:25:49] for the use of the fire department
[00:25:51] including the payment of all costs
[00:25:53] incidental and re related there to and
[00:25:56] further the treasurer with the approval
[00:25:58] of the select board is authorized to
[00:26:01] borrow said sum pursuant to chapter 44
[00:26:05] section 7
[00:26:07] uh subsection one of the Massachusetts
[00:26:10] General Laws or any other enabling
[00:26:13] authority and to issue bonds or notes of
[00:26:16] the town. Therefore, no amount shall be
[00:26:19] borrowed or expended pursuant to this
[00:26:21] vote unless unless the town shall have
[00:26:25] voted to exempt the payment of any
[00:26:28] borrowing authorized by this vote from
[00:26:31] the prop uh from the prop property tax
[00:26:34] levy
[00:26:36] imitations of proposition 2 and a half
[00:26:38] FCA CP CPCA.
[00:26:42] That's that's what it says. So per
[00:26:44] approval of the select.
[00:26:47] >> Thank you.
[00:26:48] >> Yeah. Yeah. You actually
[00:26:49] >> and I don't recall a vote by this board
[00:26:51] on the financing.
[00:26:52] >> Yes. You uh there was a majority of the
[00:26:54] vote that signed the financing and I can
[00:26:56] get that for the next meeting if you'd
[00:26:58] like to see it. But it was a majority of
[00:26:59] this board that voted on the financing.
[00:27:02] I mean not voted that signed the
[00:27:03] document for the financing and I would
[00:27:05] be happy to to give it to you.
[00:27:08] >> Okay. Um,
[00:27:11] I'd like to take a break.
[00:27:13] >> Sunday, you need a break.
[00:27:14] >> This is ironic, but uh I would like to
[00:27:18] present Representative Donnie Berth
[00:27:23] to present to you
[00:27:27] guys. Sorry, I'm running late. It's a
[00:27:29] busy busy spring this year.
[00:27:33] >> And I can't make it Monday cuz we're
[00:27:34] doing the state budget all next week.
[00:27:36] So,
[00:27:37] >> what's Monday? Monday and thanks for
[00:27:39] coming
[00:27:40] >> every day 10 to 9 and 10 at night for me
[00:27:42] next week. So, but I came in for you.
[00:27:45] Let me get out of there because of your
[00:27:47] 30 years. So, you're not a quitter. So,
[00:27:50] I know a lot of people in town
[00:27:52] government and they do two, three, maybe
[00:27:54] a few. They don't do 30. So, it's
[00:27:57] roughly 30 plus overall for various town
[00:27:59] boards. Am I correct?
[00:28:01] >> Yeah, it's something like that.
[00:28:02] >> You're not a quitter. So, I am here
[00:28:05] today to present you a citation from the
[00:28:06] House of Representatives honoring your
[00:28:09] 30 years of service and your retirement
[00:28:11] from town business boards and committees
[00:28:15] and want to thank you for your service.
[00:28:17] >> Thank you, sir.
[00:28:18] >> All right.
[00:28:24] Kind of kind of obligatory.
[00:28:31] >> Oh, my pleasure. I wish I could come
[00:28:32] Monday, but I can't.
[00:28:34] >> All right.
[00:28:35] >> Pour in Boston all week. So,
[00:28:36] >> well, you can stay here and help us get
[00:28:38] this crazy spring. I appreciate you
[00:28:42] guys.
[00:28:43] >> Thanks a lot.
[00:28:44] >> Congratulations, Anthony. Just text me.
[00:28:46] >> Okay. All right.
[00:28:47] >> All right. Thank you.
[00:28:50] >> Thanks for the boilers.
[00:28:52] >> Yeah. Thank you for the
[00:28:58] boiler.
[00:28:59] >> Yeah, we got us um
[00:29:02] They are marked for 120,000 Peter Durant
[00:29:05] to the budget to replace the boilers at
[00:29:07] the elementary school.
[00:29:08] >> Okay. Both of them.
[00:29:09] >> Yeah.
[00:29:14] That'll save us some money.
[00:29:17] Save
[00:29:19] the kids some heat. So they have to do
[00:29:21] the two oils.
[00:29:23] >> Yeah.
[00:29:27] One of those tables.
[00:29:29] >> I do.
[00:29:29] >> Okay. I do. Let's move on.
[00:29:32] You want to move on? Sure.
[00:29:37] It's up to you.
[00:29:38] >> Let's move on.
[00:29:53] Do we have numbers from
[00:29:55] schools or
[00:29:58] stuff or any of that?
[00:30:01] I believe that's in the
[00:30:04] >> place
[00:30:09] ambulance but nothing from battery. We
[00:30:12] have battery council in here
[00:30:17] >> and I believe we have the school.
[00:30:19] >> Yeah, we have a reduced number on
[00:30:21] >> number school I believe.
[00:30:36] So council of aging for from the town of
[00:30:40] Barry that number didn't get changed
[00:30:43] from this budget was 20,000 and it needs
[00:30:45] to be 23,000
[00:30:49] >> which senior center incre
[00:30:53] Are we going to be going?
[00:30:57] >> I'm just I'm not sure. You give me
[00:30:59] >> I have my own. I think what she said is
[00:31:01] this is what the old budget was and
[00:31:03] something
[00:31:08] we came up with last
[00:31:15] we're working on or we're working on the
[00:31:16] other recommendations of the 230.
[00:31:19] >> Right.
[00:31:21] So I believe it's this one
[00:31:23] recommendation,000.
[00:31:28] >> Yes, that's correct.
[00:31:29] >> So one, two,
[00:31:33] three, four. So on the fourth page,
[00:31:36] you'll see senior center intermunicable
[00:31:39] agreement and it says 20,000 in yellow.
[00:31:43] That number needs to be 23.
[00:31:48] >> Where did that that come from? that just
[00:31:51] >> that's I met with uh the chair of the
[00:31:53] town of Barry, Dr. Marshall, and
[00:31:56] discussed it and it was that's what we
[00:32:00] funded last year. Barry's in a deficit.
[00:32:03] They really can't take,
[00:32:05] >> you know, us cutting it $3,000.
[00:32:08] >> So,
[00:32:09] >> so we're sharing whatever that cost was
[00:32:11] >> Well, we're just doing level funding
[00:32:13] what it was last year. Ours was 23,000
[00:32:15] plus a grant.
[00:32:16] >> Oh, okay. And so
[00:32:19] I said I present it to this board
[00:32:22] whatever this board decides to do.
[00:32:24] The grant is uh in the wind cuz that
[00:32:28] position has been closed down.
[00:32:31] >> Okay.
[00:32:31] >> Right. I mean I I believe we were paying
[00:32:36] we still did a senior grant for the
[00:32:38] senior people in our town and that would
[00:32:41] go to the senior center to help fund
[00:32:43] this.
[00:32:43] >> Okay. But we were paying somebody's
[00:32:46] salary.
[00:32:47] >> Yes. Right. She does she.
[00:32:49] >> Right.
[00:32:50] >> Right. Okay. And and now Barry's hiring
[00:32:53] somebody.
[00:32:55] So it's a Barry employee and all we're
[00:32:57] going to be doing is absorb that.
[00:32:58] >> Yes. Okay. So it would be
[00:33:03] >> just we're just talking about the
[00:33:04] council on aging number from 20,000 to
[00:33:07] 23,000.
[00:33:08] >> When did that happen? We met at uh I
[00:33:11] mentioned it at the last select board
[00:33:13] meeting that I met with Dr. Marshall.
[00:33:18] >> That's interesting because we were
[00:33:20] meeting we were doing actually doing
[00:33:21] that together. I thought
[00:33:22] >> well they you know she reached out to me
[00:33:26] asked if I could meet with her
[00:33:28] >> and I texted the chair. I told him I was
[00:33:30] meeting with her and I present this to
[00:33:32] the board and I presented it at the last
[00:33:34] select board meeting too.
[00:33:36] >> So you undermined two town
[00:33:37] administrators. Okay, I got Mhm.
[00:33:39] >> Well, when the town administrators don't
[00:33:41] seem to get along and they, you know,
[00:33:43] fight more than they get along, it
[00:33:45] becomes a problem
[00:33:47] >> and it wasn't my decision, wasn't my
[00:33:50] request.
[00:33:51] >> So, I don't it was Dr. Marshall's
[00:33:53] request to meet without the town
[00:33:55] administrators to resolve this
[00:33:56] >> and it was their request to
[00:33:58] >> to ask if we could level fund it. So, if
[00:34:00] you want to cut 3,000, be my guest.
[00:34:07] Warren,
[00:34:08] >> the $2,000 on the expense that is zeroed
[00:34:12] out. Does that discuss as well?
[00:34:14] >> Because we don't have a nutrition
[00:34:15] contract anymore.
[00:34:16] >> Keep showing us how professional you
[00:34:18] are.
[00:34:20] >> Could you stop jumping in? Could you
[00:34:24] stop?
[00:34:24] >> Maybe ask. Keep control of hers.
[00:34:28] >> You can you can run this when it's your
[00:34:31] turn to run this.
[00:34:33] >> Okay. Until then, you have to be polite.
[00:34:37] Sorry.
[00:34:37] >> Well, then ask her to be polite.
[00:34:40] >> It's not quit proquo. Just the way it
[00:34:42] is.
[00:34:45] >> We'll get through this.
[00:34:47] >> Let's keep our eye on. The goal here is
[00:34:48] to get our budget balanced, guys.
[00:34:50] >> I think at each other until, you know,
[00:34:53] >> Exactly.
[00:35:00] >> So, all the numbers in blue, Justin, are
[00:35:03] >> cuts. cuts or additions based on last
[00:35:06] meeting where we
[00:35:07] >> all cut.
[00:35:08] >> All everything in blue is a cut
[00:35:10] >> except for highway fuel went from 40 to
[00:35:12] 45.
[00:35:13] >> Nope. That is um an increase but it's a
[00:35:15] decrease over what uh was decided at the
[00:35:17] last meeting.
[00:35:19] So everything is a cupboard
[00:35:20] >> because I know I know Jeff was talking
[00:35:21] about the cost of fuel and we jump it
[00:35:24] up. So you jumped it up.
[00:35:27] >> It's still more
[00:35:31] than what we
[00:35:33] didn't last.
[00:35:38] What's the
[00:35:39] >> Excuse me.
[00:35:42] >> We're going to start on page one. We're
[00:35:44] going to just work our way down through
[00:35:46] these sentences. Okay.
[00:35:51] So,
[00:35:52] first change
[00:35:56] it services and equipment.
[00:35:58] >> No. Uh finance committee expense. Uh
[00:36:01] they didn't have any they didn't go to
[00:36:03] any trainings this year. So, they cut
[00:36:05] the $500 from the budget.
[00:36:07] Um the finance committee reserve, which
[00:36:09] is the next line, that historically has
[00:36:12] been a warrant article. Um, I look back
[00:36:14] at old town meetings, so that's why that
[00:36:16] is out. So, it's not cut. It's just
[00:36:18] historically been a warrant article. So,
[00:36:19] you'll see that in the draft warrant on
[00:36:21] Monday.
[00:36:23] >> So, it's not
[00:36:23] >> correct. It needs to go on the budget.
[00:36:26] >> Yep. So, did that.
[00:36:27] >> And how much are we going to fund that?
[00:36:30] >> Well, we got to we got to look at what
[00:36:32] the budget is, what our free cash is,
[00:36:35] what snow and ice is, and what available
[00:36:37] funds we have to fund the reserve
[00:36:39] account. I don't think we have anything
[00:36:40] right now. Now, we didn't get anything
[00:36:41] for 2025.
[00:36:44] So, we're at zero. Okay.
[00:36:50] >> I brought the account in expense down by
[00:36:52] $500 to level fund from last year.
[00:36:55] >> So, you're recommending $1,000
[00:36:57] >> instead of $1,500,
[00:36:59] >> right? Um, is there any reason why we
[00:37:03] can't cut that to $500?
[00:37:06] Uh yeah, cuz she uses a uses all of that
[00:37:10] and then some.
[00:37:12] >> Well, last year she bought a laptop and
[00:37:14] she needed that for the beginning of
[00:37:15] this
[00:37:17] laptop
[00:37:17] >> that came out of it.
[00:37:20] Come out of that.
[00:37:21] >> Maybe I had the wrong information.
[00:37:23] >> Well, as we asked in other meetings, is
[00:37:26] the the year to date number is is that
[00:37:29] way over $1,000
[00:37:31] here this year.
[00:37:34] We keep talking about we're at 71% of
[00:37:35] the year or 78.
[00:37:37] >> Did you get my text about your question
[00:37:39] at the last meeting? I wanted to make
[00:37:40] sure you saw that.
[00:37:41] >> I believe I did.
[00:37:43] >> Was that this answer?
[00:37:45] >> Um I can look it up.
[00:37:48] >> You know, we had
[00:37:50] >> we talked about we kept pulling up year
[00:37:53] to date this year. Oh
[00:37:55] >> looking at a lot of places were only at
[00:37:57] 50% but that's because they pay twice a
[00:37:59] year or whatever it is. There are some
[00:38:00] places that were at 200% of the yearly.
[00:38:03] >> We didn't know where we were.
[00:38:05] >> Yeah. So, I guess we're
[00:38:08] is $1,000
[00:38:11] a safe number or should it be 500 or has
[00:38:13] she already spent 1,200 year to date?
[00:38:16] I'm just trying to get a sense of your
[00:38:18] question or whoever has to go to 500.
[00:38:20] >> 500 if she's only spent 300 a year this
[00:38:23] year,
[00:38:25] >> right? How much has she spent?
[00:38:26] >> And again, I get asked that question
[00:38:28] almost every time. Oh, she's she's maxed
[00:38:31] out that.
[00:38:32] >> All right.
[00:38:32] >> Yeah.
[00:38:36] >> So, a question. If she's maxed that out,
[00:38:37] we're not going to let her spend any
[00:38:38] more of that. There's no more expense
[00:38:40] right now.
[00:38:40] >> No.
[00:38:41] >> No. No.
[00:38:42] >> No. She's I mean, no. She's She doesn't
[00:38:44] have anything left for the rest of the
[00:38:45] year.
[00:38:45] >> And she's not going to spend any more?
[00:38:46] >> No.
[00:38:47] >> Okay.
[00:38:50] But we should leave it the way it is.
[00:38:53] >> Yeah.
[00:38:54] >> Okay.
[00:38:56] So, moving down, we agreed at 2% raises
[00:39:00] across the board. So, treasurer
[00:39:02] collector salary is listed $76,000,
[00:39:06] $5,000 increase. A 2% increase to that
[00:39:09] line item is $72,420.
[00:39:13] >> Um, but if you remember from prior
[00:39:15] meetings, and actually she met with you
[00:39:16] individually.
[00:39:17] >> She requested it.
[00:39:18] >> Yep. And I and and I I've stated that
[00:39:20] other times that that's the number
[00:39:22] that's in there. It's in between what
[00:39:24] she asked for and
[00:39:26] >> what
[00:39:27] >> what she's currently making. And that's
[00:39:29] up to the board to decide if that's
[00:39:30] worth it because
[00:39:32] >> she's she's cleaned up a [ __ ] show. And
[00:39:34] I'm going to say that publicly. She's
[00:39:35] cleaned up a disaster.
[00:39:37] >> It's great. We appreciate what she does.
[00:39:39] But money is tight throughout this whole
[00:39:41] town and everybody, you know, all the
[00:39:43] clerks are getting 2% 2% increase. So I
[00:39:46] don't know. I How do we justify a person
[00:39:49] getting a $5,000 increase? um because
[00:39:51] she's putting in 50 to 60 hour weeks to
[00:39:54] make up for prior administrations
[00:39:57] because she's
[00:39:59] she's you saw the the draft audit where
[00:40:02] they where they she mapped out
[00:40:05] everything that she's cleaned up
[00:40:07] >> and I went over it at the last meeting
[00:40:09] and that's why you hire professionals
[00:40:11] because you were
[00:40:12] >> wasting it.
[00:40:14] >> Yeah.
[00:40:15] Well, sir, it it sets a bad precedent
[00:40:17] taking care of one person and not taking
[00:40:20] care of everybody who's worked here for
[00:40:22] 20 plus 10 plus years, right?
[00:40:24] >> I mean, it's just a bad precedent.
[00:40:26] >> Wasn't there a personnel plan? I mean,
[00:40:28] don't be
[00:40:28] >> Well, we we haven't had a personnel
[00:40:29] leaning all year. So,
[00:40:31] >> but there is a personnel plan and
[00:40:33] >> it's all none of it makes any sense.
[00:40:36] >> Well, I mean, he makes a good point. You
[00:40:37] give her a $5,000 raise. Why Why
[00:40:39] shouldn't we give Margaret $5,000 raise?
[00:40:43] >> What about me? I donated hours
[00:40:46] >> and there was one year that I put in
[00:40:48] over a hundred hours because there was
[00:40:50] no town administrator and I cleaned up
[00:40:52] all the bills and I got zero dollars and
[00:40:55] not even a thank you.
[00:40:57] >> So sorry I'm still hurt by that. I just
[00:41:00] had to say it publicly.
[00:41:02] >> Thank you for listening.
[00:41:03] >> Well, every position is important. Um,
[00:41:05] but there are certain things like you
[00:41:07] need a you need a treasurer, you need a
[00:41:09] qualified one and we have one finally
[00:41:12] and the town has not had one in the
[00:41:13] past.
[00:41:14] >> So, we're buying consultants.
[00:41:15] >> I would I would like to uh move on. Keep
[00:41:19] that. I I put a mark by it. Let's move
[00:41:22] on. See how we're doing with the rest of
[00:41:24] the budget. If there's money there,
[00:41:27] there's money there. But I
[00:41:30] >> I'm willing to entertain uh keeping it
[00:41:33] at 2%. 2% is 72,420.
[00:41:37] >> Yeah. So,
[00:41:43] >> um and then the treasurer collector
[00:41:45] expense 19,500.
[00:41:47] How much is that is going to
[00:41:49] consultants?
[00:41:50] >> Um probably none of that. That money So
[00:41:53] I which I've also explained before. Um
[00:41:56] the treasure collector, yes I have. The
[00:41:58] treasure collector has been two separate
[00:42:00] departments in the past, but I don't
[00:42:02] know, five, six years ago, the town
[00:42:04] combined the positions. So instead of
[00:42:06] having two separate departments, we're
[00:42:08] combining them into one. So that's not
[00:42:10] an increase that is just line items
[00:42:12] moved around.
[00:42:13] >> Well, right below further down town
[00:42:16] collector expense 6,600 6,500 for tax
[00:42:19] title. I mean 19,500. What's in that
[00:42:22] number? What's coming out of that
[00:42:24] number?
[00:42:24] >> What is Yeah. What is what what what
[00:42:27] did you reduce to where did that 19,000
[00:42:30] come from?
[00:42:30] >> Um it came from I mean you can see the
[00:42:32] the vacant expenses payroll expenses
[00:42:36] um
[00:42:38] >> where you I'm sorry let me show you.
[00:42:40] >> Yeah it's 35 34 and 250
[00:42:44] >> CVS are these are empty
[00:42:46] >> right
[00:42:47] >> that one that one and that one.
[00:42:49] >> So this one
[00:42:50] >> this one this is where they hide the
[00:42:52] consultants that they hide. So this one,
[00:42:54] this one,
[00:42:55] >> and that one. Yep.
[00:42:56] >> 250.
[00:43:01] >> So that's that's six,
[00:43:04] >> seven.
[00:43:05] >> So we obviously Yeah, we don't have that
[00:43:07] one anymore.
[00:43:08] >> We pay a premium plus.
[00:43:10] >> We don't have this anymore. We don't
[00:43:11] have this anymore.
[00:43:12] >> That's seven grand.
[00:43:16] >> And then there was
[00:43:18] >> good to be certain. It's good.
[00:43:20] >> The documents.
[00:43:20] >> Thank you. I'm sure you collect a lot of
[00:43:23] data.
[00:43:24] >> So, it pays for like our um Harper's
[00:43:27] payroll system. It pays for all the um
[00:43:30] paper and envelopes it takes to mail out
[00:43:31] bills.
[00:43:32] >> But but that should be coming out of a
[00:43:34] an existing budget item.
[00:43:36] >> Yep. But
[00:43:38] >> yes,
[00:43:38] >> I'm just trying to I'm just trying to
[00:43:40] connect the dots here. So, I got 7,000.
[00:43:43] >> Yep. But then this was one that I don't
[00:43:45] know I don't know where it would happen
[00:43:46] here, but this was one too. It was there
[00:43:49] was treasure expense and there was
[00:43:50] collector expense. We combined them into
[00:43:52] treasure collector expense one
[00:43:54] department
[00:43:55] >> only went down by a couple thousand
[00:43:56] bucks.
[00:43:59] >> I went from 9,000 to 66
[00:44:00] >> 6600. Great.
[00:44:02] >> Mhm.
[00:44:03] >> You only have about
[00:44:04] >> So you're
[00:44:05] >> $8,000
[00:44:07] 19.
[00:44:08] >> You're not close to 19 yet.
[00:44:10] >> No, I wouldn't be close to 19 because
[00:44:12] that was a that was a line two and I
[00:44:14] just I don't know why it's not there.
[00:44:16] two.
[00:44:18] >> So it's not 19, right?
[00:44:21] >> So what is the number?
[00:44:22] >> No, no, it is 19.
[00:44:24] >> But if if we're combining
[00:44:27] the treasurer and collector into that
[00:44:29] 195,
[00:44:31] >> yeah,
[00:44:32] >> why do we have 6,600 by uh collector
[00:44:35] >> and then
[00:44:37] >> for tax
[00:44:39] like
[00:44:41] that's different. And then why do we
[00:44:42] also have 3,475
[00:44:45] the treasurer taking expense because
[00:44:47] that's also that's also different.
[00:44:50] >> So what is in the 19,500?
[00:44:53] >> So I said it is our Harper's payroll
[00:44:55] system. It is all of the envelopes for
[00:44:58] billing all the
[00:45:00] >> where did those come from last year or
[00:45:02] the year before the Harper's thing. Is
[00:45:05] that regular treasury to expect?
[00:45:07] >> I'd have to I'd have to look at that
[00:45:08] more and then I can get back to that
[00:45:10] complicated. you only see $7,000 worth
[00:45:13] of other expenses that don't add up to
[00:45:16] 19. So, they either got to be a big
[00:45:17] chunk or something somewhere else.
[00:45:19] >> Billing paper, it's different than
[00:45:20] obviously regular printer paper, all but
[00:45:22] all printer paper, all the envelopes,
[00:45:24] all the all everything it takes to send
[00:45:26] out bills and collect them,
[00:45:27] >> but it's still
[00:45:28] >> but it's not an item that existed in
[00:45:31] previous years.
[00:45:32] >> I can get some more details on that if
[00:45:34] you would like me to. I can get her to
[00:45:35] put together a breakdown.
[00:45:37] >> I want to say click on that. We'll show
[00:45:39] all the expenses on that or show you the
[00:45:42] expense.
[00:45:42] >> Now, in this current year, it's it's
[00:45:44] different because they've again they're
[00:45:46] two separate departments and we're
[00:45:47] combining them to one because they are
[00:45:48] operationally they're one department
[00:45:50] now. They have been for six years.
[00:45:53] >> Excuse me, Mr. Chair. I have a question
[00:45:55] for just
[00:45:56] >> Sure. Um question on the Hopper's
[00:45:58] payroll software.
[00:46:00] >> Yeah.
[00:46:01] >> So, why isn't that in it under software
[00:46:03] expenses?
[00:46:05] >> Radar and everything else.
[00:46:06] >> It's specifically for pay. It's spec
[00:46:08] specifically for payroll. It's
[00:46:10] specifically for the treasure collector,
[00:46:11] >> right? Just Vadar is specific for the
[00:46:14] accountant. Stuff like that. No, Vadar
[00:46:17] is for the accountant. It's for the
[00:46:19] treasur. It's for me. It's for Sandy.
[00:46:21] >> But it's my point is it's under it under
[00:46:23] software in the IT budget. Correct.
[00:46:26] >> Yes.
[00:46:27] >> So why isn't Hopper's payroll in the IT
[00:46:29] budget?
[00:46:30] >> Historically, it's been in the treasure
[00:46:31] collector's budget. That's that's the
[00:46:34] answer. Every year it's been that the
[00:46:36] town has had Harpers. that's been paid
[00:46:37] for out of the treasure collector.
[00:46:39] >> Okay. All right.
[00:46:40] >> Also too, like for example, if we need
[00:46:42] to if we have an emergency warrant or if
[00:46:44] we have to that also there's a fee for
[00:46:47] all those things. So that also goes into
[00:46:50] calculating the 19 is when we have to do
[00:46:53] a warrant or if someone doesn't put in
[00:46:55] payroll on time or
[00:46:58] that all that costs money. It's not we
[00:47:00] can't we don't just cut checks.
[00:47:01] >> Who's Louisis and Costello Condon and
[00:47:03] PAF LLP?
[00:47:06] Thanks. Um,
[00:47:08] >> so that 195
[00:47:11] includes more than just treasur and
[00:47:13] click or expenses then,
[00:47:15] >> right?
[00:47:15] >> Well, it includes all of their expenses,
[00:47:17] >> but the 195 doesn't have an account
[00:47:19] number, which kind of makes me
[00:47:21] suspicious right there. You know,
[00:47:24] >> I can and I can provide you with more
[00:47:26] information on it.
[00:47:26] >> Well, it should be assigned an account
[00:47:28] number
[00:47:29] >> because it's a new
[00:47:30] >> Absolutely. Absolutely. eventually will
[00:47:32] >> it will
[00:47:33] >> but but it didn't exist before
[00:47:35] >> it didn't exist before right
[00:47:36] >> I can't fall I can't trace back the
[00:47:40] reductions or how you move
[00:47:42] >> the 19,000 from other accounts to the
[00:47:45] $19,000 cuz we're only coming up with
[00:47:47] like $8,000
[00:47:48] >> I came up with nine
[00:47:50] >> right so we're $9,000 we're short 10
[00:47:52] >> so what I can do is I can have her make
[00:47:54] an itemized list of what that what that
[00:47:56] entails both
[00:47:59] >> maybe maybe you want to make Knock off
[00:48:01] 10. See if you can come up with a with a
[00:48:04] good explanation for it.
[00:48:05] >> Sure.
[00:48:06] >> We'll put it back in.
[00:48:08] >> Might be it's
[00:48:11] >> suspect. It's suspect. Yeah. I mean, we
[00:48:14] >> can't It's If it's not defensible,
[00:48:18] >> let's let's flag it. Take it out.
[00:48:21] >> Somebody
[00:48:21] >> get something reasonable that that wants
[00:48:23] to fight for it.
[00:48:24] >> Right. So,
[00:48:25] >> can't be it can't be explained. D
[00:48:27] >> for now. We'll make it 95.
[00:48:30] >> Yeah. 9,500
[00:48:31] >> and uh
[00:48:34] and and unless we find out that that
[00:48:36] $10,000 came from somewhere,
[00:48:38] >> I'll put together a memo and send it out
[00:48:40] to both boards tomorrow.
[00:48:46] >> So, the treasury tax taking expense.
[00:48:48] That's for what exact
[00:48:50] >> exactly what it says.
[00:48:52] >> Well, what are they taking?
[00:48:53] >> Houses and land.
[00:48:54] >> Houses and land and our tax title.
[00:48:56] >> How many times do we do that a year?
[00:48:59] >> I don't know. It be it it really varies
[00:49:01] on
[00:49:01] >> what are we waiting year to date? Let's
[00:49:02] just look at the actual. What is the
[00:49:04] actual?
[00:49:04] >> I'll get that to you.
[00:49:06] >> Guess it's been that same.
[00:49:09] >> Every year has been different. I can
[00:49:10] tell you that.
[00:49:11] >> Okay. Now, I'm still questioning that
[00:49:13] there's a 6,600 under town collector
[00:49:16] expense. Now, that's supposed to be in
[00:49:19] part of that,
[00:49:21] but now 9500.
[00:49:25] And that's how I came to the 9500 was
[00:49:28] adding that back in.
[00:49:29] >> I'll get you on my mom.
[00:49:31] >> Okay. All right. Let's Let's move on.
[00:49:34] Okay.
[00:49:38] >> Oh. Um, so town clerk is the next one. I
[00:49:40] cut that by $500 for expense.
[00:49:44] Um,
[00:49:46] so
[00:49:49] 4500 is our what do you
[00:49:53] cuz I have my own numbers and I didn't
[00:49:54] print out your the I couldn't read that.
[00:49:59] >> Well, some of these I can't read these
[00:50:00] numbers here. So,
[00:50:03] I apologize, but
[00:50:05] >> So,
[00:50:05] >> so you're right 4,000
[00:50:08] up and then we
[00:50:10] >> It looks like it's been level funded.
[00:50:12] Well, it was4500 and I cut it in FY27
[00:50:16] the recommendation and I cut it by 500
[00:50:18] bucks.
[00:50:18] >> Which one? Which which one we
[00:50:20] >> clerk? It's the next one.
[00:50:21] >> Clerk expense.
[00:50:22] >> And what are we here to date actual?
[00:50:23] >> What happened to legal services? Why is
[00:50:25] legal going up?
[00:50:28] >> Um, so prior to
[00:50:31] >> I didn't know we skipped over that. We
[00:50:34] did. All right. Well, I I recommend we
[00:50:36] cut it to 20,000.
[00:50:38] >> What do we spend legal? Well, that's a
[00:50:40] good question because we don't follow a
[00:50:41] policy that was adopted in this town in
[00:50:43] 2010 where the select votes to engage
[00:50:46] legal.
[00:50:46] >> No, that is
[00:50:47] >> okay. And please let me finish and and
[00:50:50] it was adopted in 2010
[00:50:53] and the chair told me that the chair is
[00:50:56] allowed to engage with council and same
[00:50:58] with the town administrator but no one
[00:51:00] from this board. And the actual policy
[00:51:02] says it's supposed to come before the
[00:51:04] board and the board engage legally.
[00:51:07] >> Yeah.
[00:51:07] >> Through a board vote. Mhm.
[00:51:08] >> before any legal is engaged.
[00:51:11] >> That's what the policy says.
[00:51:13] >> And from my understanding, I have not
[00:51:15] been able to find anything through Ryan
[00:51:18] that has modified that policy since. So
[00:51:21] that policy exists.
[00:51:24] >> And so I think we should cut legal to
[00:51:26] 20,000 and follow the policy.
[00:51:29] >> So what do we spend in legal? So, I can
[00:51:30] tell you um this past year um and I can
[00:51:33] send you every single legal bill, we've
[00:51:34] had an absolute influx of public records
[00:51:37] requests and appeals and open meeting
[00:51:39] law complaints. So, unfortunately,
[00:51:42] >> government required legally.
[00:51:43] >> Um that's what's been that spent a lot
[00:51:46] of time and a lot of legal time. And
[00:51:48] also, I do have a contract and a job
[00:51:50] description that that actually states
[00:51:51] that,
[00:51:52] >> right? And it and it says per the board.
[00:51:54] We can get your contract.
[00:51:55] >> No, I have it with me actually.
[00:51:57] >> Okay. Look out for legal. Okay. Jeff,
[00:52:00] what do you think about that for going
[00:52:01] forward to next year that that you could
[00:52:05] control that cost by doing what
[00:52:07] >> I I I the bill says Justin's correct
[00:52:10] that there had been a lot of
[00:52:13] >> Mhm.
[00:52:13] >> legal expenses
[00:52:16] and uh we
[00:52:20] maybe bring it down to 25 just
[00:52:23] >> be on the safe side. If you guys did the
[00:52:24] oversight, YOU WERE SUPPOSED TO BE LIKE
[00:52:26] THAT. WOULD YOU BE LIKE THAT? IF YOU DID
[00:52:28] YOUR OVERSIGHT,
[00:52:29] >> could you leave, please?
[00:52:30] >> No. Could you leave?
[00:52:31] >> I will not leave.
[00:52:32] >> You're disturbing the meeting.
[00:52:34] >> I won't sit here and listen to you BS
[00:52:36] about this.
[00:52:37] >> Please go sit somewhere else.
[00:52:39] >> I'm not moving.
[00:52:40] >> Well, can actually
[00:52:42] formally asking you to leave.
[00:52:43] >> Let's Let's focus on getting a budget,
[00:52:46] am I? Let's work on I I say we could try
[00:52:49] to reduce it, but
[00:52:51] >> Yeah. I mean you you one of the people
[00:52:53] that will budget and that's why I'm
[00:52:56] asking you he's willing to go lower
[00:52:59] >> right I can't talk about available right
[00:53:02] exactly I can I can't talk about it
[00:53:05] either
[00:53:05] >> well you can is a matter open is it
[00:53:07] closed
[00:53:08] >> it's done
[00:53:10] >> is it done
[00:53:11] >> well it's never been addressed in public
[00:53:13] >> well it's never been
[00:53:14] >> okay so what do you think we we should
[00:53:16] move that number to
[00:53:17] >> I think we should move it to 20 and
[00:53:19] follow the policy
[00:53:20] >> if next year is like this year
[00:53:22] >> it may go up again.
[00:53:25] >> What I want to do is I want to have a
[00:53:27] number in there
[00:53:28] >> that
[00:53:30] I mean we overrun it.
[00:53:32] >> Yeah. Because
[00:53:34] >> I want to understand why we put
[00:53:36] >> because anybody right now Chris can pick
[00:53:38] up the phone and it's called legal and
[00:53:40] it's right on their bills and that's
[00:53:41] exactly what they're doing.
[00:53:42] >> They won't accept questions.
[00:53:44] >> They certainly will. They won't accept
[00:53:45] questions from me sir. Yeah. Right.
[00:53:49] Right. because of your verbal policy.
[00:53:51] Everything goes through the chair. Well,
[00:53:52] that's not the policy. It goes through
[00:53:54] the select board.
[00:53:57] >> So, that's the policy. And the policy is
[00:54:00] from 2010
[00:54:01] >> and you signed it. You were on the board
[00:54:03] at the time. It's
[00:54:05] >> But
[00:54:07] the point is the board controls legal.
[00:54:10] >> So, we're going to control expenses in
[00:54:12] this town. We have a spending problem.
[00:54:13] >> Exactly.
[00:54:14] >> And if we're overspending on legal,
[00:54:16] that's an easy one to overspend. This is
[00:54:18] this is absurd. I mean, I I don't spend
[00:54:21] this much money in my business. And I
[00:54:23] bet
[00:54:24] >> when the phone in your business and call
[00:54:27] legal,
[00:54:27] >> they charge by the minute.
[00:54:29] >> Yeah. Yeah. And Justine just uh told me
[00:54:32] before she went out there that they're
[00:54:34] going up
[00:54:35] >> $10 an hour.
[00:54:37] >> It's ridiculous.
[00:54:38] >> But ridiculous or not,
[00:54:41] >> uh that there's
[00:54:42] >> it's going to be controlled though. We
[00:54:43] got you guys.
[00:54:45] >> And look, if you if you if you trend
[00:54:47] halfway through the year, you'll have
[00:54:49] enough at 20. Even at 20, you would have
[00:54:52] enough to take you through six or seven
[00:54:54] months.
[00:54:55] >> If you if you follow the trend and
[00:54:57] you're getting out of control, that's
[00:54:58] when we started looking for more money.
[00:55:01] >> And I think the only way to identify
[00:55:04] is to kind
[00:55:08] of
[00:55:09] Yes, sir.
[00:55:10] >> I had I just had a question. So you are
[00:55:13] proposing cutting it to 20,000 from from
[00:55:16] what what is it right now?
[00:55:17] >> 28,000.
[00:55:18] >> Gotcha.
[00:55:18] >> And so and just because we're cutting it
[00:55:21] doesn't mean that that money vanishes.
[00:55:24] >> And over the course of next year if we
[00:55:26] have to do a transfer or we have to fund
[00:55:28] legal because something comes up, the
[00:55:30] board can decide to do a transfer and
[00:55:32] fund it.
[00:55:33] >> But we're trying to control the expense.
[00:55:36] >> That's the goal.
[00:55:37] >> I'm just looking to level fund it. It
[00:55:39] was funded at 25 last year.
[00:55:42] >> What did we spend last year?
[00:55:43] >> We're not done spending. So,
[00:55:46] >> and I think we've already overrun it.
[00:55:48] Correct.
[00:55:48] >> Um, incredibly. Yes.
[00:55:50] >> Yes.
[00:55:52] >> So, we're we Yeah. And it wasn't it it
[00:55:56] was uh a lot of the um the sale of the
[00:56:01] uh Page property
[00:56:04] up in the center of Hardwick.
[00:56:08] There were a lot of extra legal
[00:56:10] expenses.
[00:56:12] >> I'd rather level fund it for now.
[00:56:17] >> 25
[00:56:19] >> Make it 24.
[00:56:21] >> I I say 20 because
[00:56:25] you see Wait a minute. What I'm trying
[00:56:28] to do is we put appropriations into this
[00:56:33] that
[00:56:36] >> could we go down on these things if we
[00:56:39] went over 25 this year? Chances are we
[00:56:43] might do it again this year. Why not
[00:56:45] level fund it
[00:56:46] >> because
[00:56:47] >> to make sure that we're under
[00:56:48] >> Jeeoff we didn't control anything as far
[00:56:51] as legal goes. Anybody could pick up the
[00:56:53] phone and have a conversation with that.
[00:56:55] That's where I disagree with you, Bill.
[00:56:59] >> It's in the bills, Jeffrey. The bills.
[00:57:01] >> Bill,
[00:57:03] >> I disagree with you there, but that is
[00:57:05] not a matter for this what we're doing
[00:57:07] right now.
[00:57:08] >> Well, we're talking about budgets and
[00:57:10] we're saying, "Hey, cut it to 20 because
[00:57:12] we're going to control the process next
[00:57:14] year."
[00:57:15] >> Because we're going to follow the policy
[00:57:17] that's in place that we don't follow.
[00:57:19] >> Level fund it.
[00:57:21] We'll fund it.
[00:57:24] that way we're covered.
[00:57:25] >> Why don't you guys vote that cuz you you
[00:57:26] guys can do that. You can vote. Like I
[00:57:29] mean that's your recommendation, not
[00:57:30] telling you what to do.
[00:57:32] >> I I ran up the bill.
[00:57:35] >> Uh I did a lot of talking to
[00:57:37] >> town council.
[00:57:39] >> All right.
[00:57:39] >> And I I'm sure that it was necessary.
[00:57:43] So, you know, some stuff, whatever.
[00:57:48] I would level fund it,
[00:57:51] but I won't be here.
[00:57:54] >> I'll make a motion that we uh at least
[00:57:56] have the placeholder of level funding
[00:57:59] it.
[00:58:01] >> I'll second it.
[00:58:04] All
[00:58:04] >> in favor? I I No.
[00:58:09] >> All right. So, we 25 now. Mhm.
[00:58:15] Okay, so moving on two pages
[00:58:28] um town clerk expense with 4,000. I
[00:58:31] recommend we cut it to 2,000.
[00:58:35] And one of the reasons why the LL data
[00:58:38] which he uses for software um it pays
[00:58:41] for that that's $1,100 or $1,200 a year.
[00:58:45] And I'm not sure what else expense
[00:58:47] that's in there. So
[00:58:49] >> the town clerk has used 78% of his
[00:58:51] budget for expenses here.
[00:58:54] >> That's for 4,000.
[00:58:56] >> You know what they are? You know what he
[00:58:57] used?
[00:58:58] >> I can get you that.
[00:59:00] >> Is it what Bill said half of it? Not
[00:59:03] half of it. One thousand.
[00:59:05] >> I'd like I'd like to know
[00:59:08] >> where that figure comes from. The 4,000.
[00:59:10] >> Yeah, I can get
[00:59:11] >> before we go and cut anything.
[00:59:13] >> Well, we asked um Holly for an updated
[00:59:16] expense report, detailed expenses with
[00:59:19] per these accounts.
[00:59:20] >> I'm going to get that all to you. I'm
[00:59:22] taking notes to get that to both boards.
[00:59:24] >> Well, we can do it for all these expense
[00:59:26] accounts. Detailed transactions. So, it
[00:59:28] will tell you what is being spent.
[00:59:36] So for now, what do you want to do? Just
[00:59:38] put a mark by it.
[00:59:39] >> That's what I did. Yeah.
[00:59:40] >> Okay.
[00:59:42] >> Town clerk certified salary thousand
[00:59:44] bucks.
[00:59:45] >> That's also state statute. It's a mass
[00:59:47] general law. The town opted into that.
[00:59:49] It's required by law.
[00:59:50] >> Um what is this chapter and section?
[00:59:53] >> Um I can get it for you.
[00:59:54] >> Okay, great.
[01:00:00] uh conservation clerk salary that got 2%
[01:00:03] correct.
[01:00:06] >> You skipped over election registration.
[01:00:07] >> Yeah. Yeah. That's 62. That's been level
[01:00:09] funded. I mean was 4500
[01:00:12] >> 45 62
[01:00:14] >> in the budget.
[01:00:15] >> We have we have a
[01:00:17] we have a
[01:00:19] is it midterms this year that we have a
[01:00:21] couple elections this year?
[01:00:23] >> Yeah.
[01:00:24] >> Oh yeah.
[01:00:24] >> In November. Yeah.
[01:00:26] >> November. So,
[01:00:29] >> but it was 45 last.
[01:00:31] >> So, every year that's going to fluctuate
[01:00:33] based on how many elections.
[01:00:35] >> Okay.
[01:00:36] >> Yeah.
[01:00:37] >> And that's where that figure's arrived
[01:00:38] at.
[01:00:38] >> Yes.
[01:00:39] >> Okay.
[01:00:41] >> That number back down.
[01:00:43] >> Yeah, it has been. If you look back
[01:00:44] years,
[01:00:49] >> moving on.
[01:00:50] >> That's chapter 41, section 19K. Chapter
[01:00:53] 41, section 19.
[01:00:56] >> Okay.
[01:00:57] >> Okay. Okay. Thank you.
[01:01:00] >> What's the uh conservation agent looking
[01:01:02] for?
[01:01:04] >> The conservation
[01:01:06] um asked to see if we would find an
[01:01:08] agent for them because they're working
[01:01:10] around the clock,
[01:01:12] more requests, stuff like that. Um so
[01:01:15] they, you know, they can't possibly do
[01:01:17] it all themselves and eventually they're
[01:01:20] not going to be there. So, they asked if
[01:01:22] we could fund an agent at least, you
[01:01:24] know, start an agent for say 10,000 a
[01:01:27] year.
[01:01:29] >> Um, it's actually 19F, not 19K. I'm
[01:01:32] sorry.
[01:01:32] >> Okay.
[01:01:33] >> Well, I mean, is is this the year to do
[01:01:35] it? It doesn't sound like it.
[01:01:37] >> No, but what if we cut it to to five so
[01:01:41] they can at least find somebody who
[01:01:43] would work part-time on the five and
[01:01:45] help them out with any way we can? 500.
[01:01:48] >> Oh, no. 5,000. 5,000.
[01:01:52] Yeah, I think that I think we could do
[01:01:54] that
[01:01:56] >> and
[01:01:57] >> and see
[01:02:00] >> I mean I know it's not an ideal year but
[01:02:03] when is
[01:02:07] >> yeah don't cut it down to five.
[01:02:11] >> Yeah,
[01:02:11] >> I recommend it.
[01:02:12] >> Where is it?
[01:02:13] >> Yeah. Agreeable.
[01:02:14] >> Agreeable.
[01:02:15] >> Yep.
[01:02:16] >> And it has no number either.
[01:02:17] >> Yeah. If I had a problem, I let you keep
[01:02:21] going.
[01:02:21] >> Okay.
[01:02:25] And moving along.
[01:02:27] >> So that's it for this page. Unless
[01:02:29] anybody has questions board salary went
[01:02:32] up a,000 bucks.
[01:02:34] >> Oh,
[01:02:35] that should be 2%. So
[01:02:38] >> that was the request of the planning
[01:02:40] board chair.
[01:02:42] >> Okay.
[01:02:44] >> Yeah, I thought we agreed to it.
[01:02:48] Well, we agree to 2% raise for everybody
[01:02:50] who is 2%.
[01:02:52] >> So 2% is 8,160.
[01:02:58] >> So you want to change it to that number?
[01:03:04] >> I refuse. I know. I know. But I would
[01:03:08] just keep it fair.
[01:03:21] on page two.
[01:03:24] >> Wait a minute.
[01:03:25] >> Town building,
[01:03:28] >> town building, townhouse 10,000
[01:03:31] >> and municipal building expense 38,000.
[01:03:34] Um, so the Gio Gilbert building expense,
[01:03:37] I removed that um because at the next
[01:03:40] step board meeting they're going to be
[01:03:41] um approving an RFP for that building.
[01:03:44] So we most likely will not have that in
[01:03:46] the winter. We're not heating it
[01:03:47] anyways. So I took out the $1,000 we're
[01:03:50] not spending.
[01:03:50] >> Okay.
[01:03:54] >> So what's what are we spending here at
[01:03:57] the municipal building went from 30,
[01:04:00] 2025 to 38?
[01:04:03] Um cuz remember if last year we got rid
[01:04:06] of the all boards. So remember I split
[01:04:07] it up into different accounts because
[01:04:09] remember I called it like Yeah. So
[01:04:11] that's why it's not Yeah.
[01:04:21] >> The fuel expense for this building the
[01:04:23] actual is are we anywhere close to that?
[01:04:27] Um so fortunately so um that contract
[01:04:32] Marty had does on a basis
[01:04:34] >> it's the same fuel he's got for the
[01:04:36] stuff right
[01:04:39] >> but
[01:04:40] yeah it doesn't carry us through to
[01:04:42] >> 27 27
[01:04:50] >> municipal building repairs 5,000
[01:04:56] >> it's level funed
[01:05:00] What's the actual on that one?
[01:05:06] >> Is that like service calls to the
[01:05:09] furnace and
[01:05:10] >> uh yeah could broken door or broken
[01:05:13] anything? We have issues with the front
[01:05:15] door things like that. Why is that?
[01:05:21] It would be custodian if we had
[01:05:29] >> skill in the front.
[01:05:30] >> Well, I'm not saying I'm saying this.
[01:05:42] >> So, what what what she doesn't have the
[01:05:45] actual
[01:05:45] >> right. Yeah, she's going to have to get
[01:05:47] that to us.
[01:05:48] >> Okay. So,
[01:05:50] >> town report expense, that's
[01:05:51] >> town report expense, 1,500. Do we really
[01:05:53] need to allocate $1,500?
[01:05:56] I mean, most of it, why why don't we
[01:05:57] digitize it, put it online?
[01:05:59] >> It helped me today, Bill.
[01:06:00] >> It certainly did cuz it was
[01:06:02] I think I I think we're required to
[01:06:05] actually have a printed.
[01:06:06] >> Oh, I know. A printed. But is it 1,500
[01:06:09] bucks to print one book?
[01:06:11] >> I don't think so.
[01:06:13] You're getting you're getting a couple
[01:06:15] hundred.
[01:06:15] >> Oh, you're getting warmed.
[01:06:17] >> Yeah.
[01:06:19] >> Excuse me. Then I misspoke.
[01:06:20] >> I'm sure it's probably 100 books.
[01:06:22] >> Oh, you think it is something like that?
[01:06:24] >> Yeah.
[01:06:24] >> Is there a required number books? That
[01:06:27] seemed right to you, Warren.
[01:06:28] >> Well,
[01:06:30] it was 100 books, but do you need 100
[01:06:32] books? Do 20 to do them on a copy or
[01:06:38] I don't know. Legally, do we have to
[01:06:39] have 20 or we have to have
[01:06:43] >> we don't direct it. So that would cost
[01:06:45] $30,000 if you send that to
[01:06:49] a lot of them. Leave them here
[01:06:51] >> for people to look at
[01:06:55] usually
[01:06:58] print every year.
[01:07:00] >> Then let's just leave it and move on.
[01:07:01] >> Yeah, I would say leave it. I tell you
[01:07:04] what, it's
[01:07:05] >> it gives you everything you have.
[01:07:08] terms are up. It gives you a whole bunch
[01:07:11] articles and stuff.
[01:07:12] >> Okay.
[01:07:12] >> I I go do it constantly.
[01:07:17] >> So I like to collect
[01:07:19] >> police salary, pensions, the police
[01:07:22] budget.
[01:07:27] >> Yeah.
[01:07:29] >> Oh, so if you see um so I did have a
[01:07:31] conversation with the police chief. He
[01:07:33] could not be here tonight. Um the police
[01:07:35] officer reserve salary. Um
[01:07:38] he said he could do without that. So we
[01:07:40] made some concessions.
[01:07:42] >> Okay.
[01:07:42] >> And we level funded police expense from
[01:07:44] this year.
[01:07:46] >> The 27th.
[01:07:47] >> Yes.
[01:07:48] >> Okay.
[01:07:49] >> And I have gone through the list
[01:07:51] compared to his notes and these numbers
[01:07:53] are correct.
[01:07:54] >> Okay.
[01:07:55] >> These are the changes he requested.
[01:07:57] >> All right. Thank you.
[01:08:00] >> Um
[01:08:02] >> we still don't know about the new brain
[01:08:04] tree budget side. So all those numbers
[01:08:06] change for the police. Um however that's
[01:08:11] an in and out. So we don't have to worry
[01:08:13] about that section for our budget.
[01:08:15] >> Right. That's not going to affect us.
[01:08:19] >> Now to ask an obvious question. We're
[01:08:21] being reimbured 100% from rebrand.
[01:08:24] >> Yes. In
[01:08:25] >> Yeah. But we we actually receive the
[01:08:27] money.
[01:08:27] >> Yes, we do. Lori Lori makes sure that we
[01:08:30] get a refund.
[01:08:31] >> Okay.
[01:08:31] >> Lori does the char.
[01:08:33] >> Okay.
[01:08:34] And that number hasn't been set, has it?
[01:08:37] >> No, she just said they haven't finalized
[01:08:38] their new brain has not finalized their
[01:08:41] numbers yet.
[01:08:41] >> Okay.
[01:08:43] >> So, that section will change, but has
[01:08:45] nothing to do with our budget.
[01:08:47] >> Right. Just out of curiosity, when do
[01:08:50] they expect to have it?
[01:08:51] >> That I don't know. I think they have a
[01:08:54] finance meeting on Tuesday.
[01:08:56] Next week.
[01:08:57] >> Yeah.
[01:08:57] >> Okay.
[01:09:02] >> Good with that section. Everybody's
[01:09:03] already done.
[01:09:04] >> Yeah. Yeah.
[01:09:05] >> All right, moving on.
[01:09:06] >> Thank you.
[01:09:07] >> 52 salary.
[01:09:09] >> Um, it's contracted.
[01:09:11] >> Um, I just took off $100. Uh,
[01:09:16] >> firefighter training expense.
[01:09:18] >> No. Yeah, fire training expense. Yes.
[01:09:20] >> Okay.
[01:09:27] But the maintenance went up only by
[01:09:29] 2,000. So, I can see,
[01:09:31] >> right?
[01:09:32] >> But we got a brand new truck.
[01:09:34] >> Yeah.
[01:09:34] >> We don't need a lot of maintenance
[01:09:36] compared to previous years.
[01:09:38] >> Correct. But we definitely want to do
[01:09:39] preventative maintenance and keep up
[01:09:40] with our equipment. So,
[01:09:45] >> that was supposed to go down, not
[01:09:47] >> Yeah,
[01:09:48] >> that was part of the deal. Get
[01:09:50] >> Right. Right. Last year it was supposed
[01:09:51] to go to 25.
[01:09:52] >> Yeah. So, and that was that was the the
[01:09:56] deal with everybody. So I say we we cut
[01:09:59] it to 25.
[01:10:01] >> Okay. I mean,
[01:10:02] >> do we know
[01:10:04] what we bring down to 25
[01:10:06] >> on the equipment? It's it's a budget
[01:10:08] line item right now at 30,000, but since
[01:10:10] they have a new truck,
[01:10:13] >> they talked to them last year. They said
[01:10:14] they reduce it by 5,000
[01:10:16] >> year to date. Yeah.
[01:10:17] >> That 92%.
[01:10:18] >> That makes sense.
[01:10:18] >> They're at 92%.
[01:10:19] >> They're at 92% of 201.
[01:10:22] But now they have a standard. What are
[01:10:24] they What are they spending the money
[01:10:25] on?
[01:10:28] He was he was here at the last meeting.
[01:10:30] I think um I don't know if you touched
[01:10:32] on it, but I think I can take that
[01:10:34] later.
[01:10:34] >> Yeah, I think he was talking about
[01:10:37] different a lot of older equipment that
[01:10:40] they're having to
[01:10:43] do work on.
[01:10:44] >> So you can we'll have to stop any
[01:10:47] maintenance until July 1st and then
[01:10:49] $25,000 to spend again.
[01:10:52] >> So close. You're talking about 25 now.
[01:10:57] >> They were supposed to bring that budget
[01:10:58] down. They'll bring it up.
[01:10:59] >> Yeah.
[01:11:00] >> 25,000.
[01:11:01] >> 25.
[01:11:02] >> We all agree with 25. Okay. All right.
[01:11:06] Moving on.
[01:11:11] >> Okay.
[01:11:12] Building inspector salary. That's what
[01:11:15] per his contract.
[01:11:16] >> Yep.
[01:11:17] >> Right.
[01:11:18] >> Uh building inspector expense 1,200.
[01:11:21] >> Yep. I had a conversation with him and I
[01:11:23] he was comfortable with shaving uh $200
[01:11:26] off his budget.
[01:11:27] >> Would he shave another 200 and just
[01:11:28] go,000?
[01:11:31] >> No. Um
[01:11:32] >> you got to ask. I mean,
[01:11:34] >> there's different certifications you
[01:11:36] need every year. There's
[01:11:37] >> a dull razor or a sharp does doesn't
[01:11:39] matter.
[01:11:42] >> No,
[01:11:44] I I'm good with the 12.
[01:11:45] >> Okay. All right. It's only 200. Moving
[01:11:49] on. emergency management director salary
[01:11:52] 1 1500.
[01:11:53] >> Um that was is different from the
[01:11:55] version that's in yours. So um obviously
[01:11:57] do that as you wish. I think at the last
[01:12:00] meeting you raised it.
[01:12:02] >> Okay.
[01:12:02] >> 250.
[01:12:03] >> No raised. If you look at the
[01:12:05] >> what was it? For some reason I um my pay
[01:12:09] was cut in half two years ago
[01:12:13] >> but I would have expected that it would
[01:12:15] be something like 24.
[01:12:17] >> Okay.
[01:12:18] >> Excuse me. Yes, Lori.
[01:12:21] >> According to the warrant that was
[01:12:24] approved at town meeting last year, that
[01:12:27] line should be, I believe, 2244,
[01:12:31] not the 1144 in fiscal 26.
[01:12:35] >> 2244. And is that retroactive?
[01:12:38] >> Absolutely.
[01:12:39] >> Can I claw back?
[01:12:40] >> Yeah,
[01:12:42] >> my nation.
[01:12:44] >> Yeah, absolutely. Put in the invoice
[01:12:46] along. Yeah, I'm in the
[01:12:49] >> check will be in the mail.
[01:12:50] >> I'm EMD
[01:12:52] after May 6. Just not a select number
[01:12:58] until May.
[01:12:59] >> Yeah. 2244 for uh FY26.
[01:13:03] >> Okay.
[01:13:05] >> So, we're we're still going down to the
[01:13:07] 1,500 for FY27.
[01:13:11] >> Why?
[01:13:14] >> To reduce our budget. I was hoping to
[01:13:16] keep your paid,
[01:13:18] >> but I I believe that um I wanted to keep
[01:13:22] the money up so that I could either
[01:13:24] split it or give it to my replacement.
[01:13:28] >> Any question?
[01:13:28] >> All right. So,
[01:13:30] >> so why don't we round it up to 2400?
[01:13:32] That way you covering the 1,200. We're
[01:13:34] only adding the 156
[01:13:37] >> 24 now.
[01:13:38] >> Okay. For me,
[01:13:41] >> what was the number?
[01:13:42] >> 2400 even. 2400
[01:13:43] >> instead of 2244 you round it up to 2400.
[01:13:47] >> Well, instead of the 1500 then proposed
[01:13:52] to
[01:13:54] >> No,
[01:13:56] 2400.
[01:13:57] >> Okay.
[01:13:58] >> 400.
[01:13:58] >> I got to say that usually I make $2,700
[01:14:02] at least every year in grants for this
[01:14:04] town and this year FEMA has run and hid.
[01:14:09] So there's no grant this year. on a dead
[01:14:12] loss to the town here.
[01:14:14] >> Well, don't let it happen again next
[01:14:16] year.
[01:14:17] >> I'm going to Washington to straighten
[01:14:19] [ __ ] out.
[01:14:20] >> Okay.
[01:14:20] >> Oh, yeah.
[01:14:22] >> Now, the emergency management expense,
[01:14:25] >> emergency management expense is code
[01:14:29] red. Uh, and that's for us about a
[01:14:33] dollar
[01:14:35] for the year.
[01:14:36] >> Okay. Uh we also we also pay new brain
[01:14:40] trees and they kick back their part of
[01:14:42] it.
[01:14:42] >> But that just confuses the issue.
[01:14:46] >> So we're looking at 4,000.
[01:14:48] >> What do we actually spend on that?
[01:14:50] >> That's a single item that that's for us,
[01:14:53] right?
[01:14:53] >> Yeah. We still
[01:14:55] >> Yeah, the money is right. It's probably
[01:14:58] about 4,000 people between the two
[01:15:00] counts. Pretty close.
[01:15:06] That's fine.
[01:15:10] >> Well, yes. No, hold it. The uh
[01:15:14] >> the expense
[01:15:16] code red, I believe, is the $3500
[01:15:19] figure.
[01:15:20] >> And then uh they've added
[01:15:25] 500. That would be good. So now I have
[01:15:27] an expense account. Again,
[01:15:29] >> Mr. Chair, your year to date is 83%.
[01:15:32] paid paid up.
[01:15:35] >> All right. Sorry.
[01:15:38] >> Oh, yeah. Well, that's the code red.
[01:15:39] >> 4,000 then.
[01:15:41] >> Okay. Okay.
[01:15:43] >> Let's move on so that we're not here all
[01:15:45] night.
[01:15:47] >> You already have been here all night.
[01:15:50] >> We're
[01:15:54] the school.
[01:15:55] >> Yeah.
[01:15:56] >> That's a new number for the school.
[01:15:57] >> Uh, yes. The final number came in from
[01:15:59] the school at 9.5%
[01:16:02] um sorry
[01:16:03] >> 3.276
[01:16:06] million.
[01:16:07] >> Yep. Uh
[01:16:12] >> 3.2
[01:16:12] >> 3.2. Yeah.
[01:16:14] >> What?
[01:16:14] >> Yeah.
[01:16:14] >> 3.27. Yeah,
[01:16:17] >> that is the final number.
[01:16:18] >> Yeah, that is the final number.
[01:16:22] >> Pathfinders is the same.
[01:16:26] My number is different.
[01:16:28] >> That number um
[01:16:30] for Pathfinder has been confirmed for a
[01:16:32] while.
[01:16:34] >> $330,100.
[01:16:36] >> Yep.
[01:16:37] >> Okay. Yep. I I got it.
[01:16:39] >> I'm looking I was looking at the total
[01:16:41] 36.
[01:16:43] >> And there uh
[01:16:45] and then there's the what?
[01:16:47] >> Atrium Green Repair Project and Chiller,
[01:16:51] >> right?
[01:16:53] paid off.
[01:16:53] >> I thought that was paid off,
[01:16:55] >> right?
[01:16:56] >> It is. It's zero on this budget.
[01:16:58] >> No, you're reading it wrong. Sorry. I
[01:17:00] want to say everything again.
[01:17:03] >> The the chiller the green repair chiller
[01:17:05] project. We have two more years left of
[01:17:07] it. And right this year, it's
[01:17:08] $29,214.19.
[01:17:12] >> The atrium and HVAC's all set.
[01:17:15] >> It's 32 out of 32.
[01:17:18] >> So, one, two, three, four, five. But the
[01:17:21] chiller was all done.
[01:17:23] >> Chiller's all done.
[01:17:24] >> No, it's just the atrium portion.
[01:17:27] >> Oh, okay. That's all that's the atrium
[01:17:30] portion.
[01:17:30] >> Okay.
[01:17:31] >> Remaining.
[01:17:32] >> It's just under one line item. That's
[01:17:34] all.
[01:17:37] I
[01:17:37] >> think the atri started before the chum
[01:17:40] was done and then the children.
[01:17:42] >> So, it was p it was um voted several
[01:17:44] years ago to be paid off like a in I
[01:17:46] think it was like five years or
[01:17:47] something. So that's why I got
[01:17:49] >> every town voted. No, it's the
[01:17:52] >> No, I have a different question.
[01:17:55] >> All right. Nobody.
[01:17:56] >> All right. So the total for that section
[01:17:58] is 3,635,669.83.
[01:18:05] >> I have a question.
[01:18:06] >> Yes, ma'am.
[01:18:08] >> I just want to make sure we don't need
[01:18:09] to put anything in the transportation
[01:18:11] for the children that go to Smith
[01:18:13] Vocationals.
[01:18:14] >> We don't have any.
[01:18:16] >> Okay, good. Thank you.
[01:18:17] >> And no tantas.
[01:18:18] >> Nope.
[01:18:20] >> Thank you.
[01:18:21] >> So, it's just the mere kittens.
[01:18:24] >> Okay. All right. All right. Moving on.
[01:18:27] Moving on. Highway heavy heavy duty now.
[01:18:30] >> Contracted.
[01:18:33] >> Okay.
[01:18:34] >> So, highway surveyor 106,49.
[01:18:41] That's that's contract.
[01:18:43] >> Right. Now, my recollection was when we
[01:18:45] met with Marty that these numbers were
[01:18:48] all corrected because he said the
[01:18:50] numbers were old.
[01:18:51] >> Oh, him and I met. We're good.
[01:18:52] Everything's fixed.
[01:18:53] >> Are these numbers correct, Marty? Are
[01:18:55] you good with these numbers?
[01:18:56] >> Yeah.
[01:18:57] >> Okay, cool. So, your total for this
[01:19:00] whole section $672,4718.
[01:19:05] >> However, I made and you'll see in blue I
[01:19:07] made two cuts to what was proposed at
[01:19:11] the last meeting. So, but there's still
[01:19:12] increases over the prior year, but they
[01:19:14] are decreases over what was discussed at
[01:19:17] the last meeting. So, I just want to
[01:19:18] make that clear. That's why they're in
[01:19:20] blue.
[01:19:21] >> And uh
[01:19:23] >> equipment maintenance,
[01:19:25] >> right? So, one's 45,000, highway fuel,
[01:19:28] and highway road m um machine
[01:19:30] maintenance 48,000. Okay. So, we're up
[01:19:33] 2,000.
[01:19:34] >> What's the truck and equipment
[01:19:36] replacement?
[01:19:38] Uh Marty, the truck
[01:19:40] >> that's on the um the one ton.
[01:19:42] >> Yeah, the lease for the one ton.
[01:19:44] >> The lease
[01:19:45] >> it's one year or two of that.
[01:19:46] >> So what we we just we agreed not to do
[01:19:49] leases through operating budgets and the
[01:19:52] truck was supposed to go through
[01:19:53] capital.
[01:19:55] >> I don't it was approved last year. And I
[01:19:58] know it was a it was a discussion we had
[01:19:59] last year that um finance was uh was
[01:20:05] dead set against recommend recommending
[01:20:07] going for capital and this somehow got
[01:20:08] pushed through.
[01:20:10] >> So Marty, do you want to say anything
[01:20:12] about that?
[01:20:13] >> It was on the budget and when it got
[01:20:16] approved it was
[01:20:17] >> Yeah, it uh it got through the budget
[01:20:19] through the select board. This is one of
[01:20:21] the issues that we had and this was
[01:20:23] supposed to go through capital. We
[01:20:24] talked about it all year long
[01:20:26] >> and now we're putting leases through an
[01:20:28] operating budget. This is a capital
[01:20:30] item. This is wrong.
[01:20:33] >> How do you want to correct it?
[01:20:34] >> I want to go I want it should it should
[01:20:36] be a capital item.
[01:20:39] >> So, how do we correct it? Can we
[01:20:41] >> I don't know. How do you correct it now?
[01:20:43] >> Can we kill the lease?
[01:20:44] >> You're stuck with it. You're stuck
[01:20:45] paying the lease.
[01:20:46] >> How many years is it?
[01:20:49] There is four more uh
[01:20:53] four.
[01:20:56] So we have four year lease.
[01:21:00] >> Then at the end we got nothing though.
[01:21:02] We don't own the vehicle.
[01:21:03] >> Yeah. It's it's least to buy.
[01:21:07] >> We own it at the end of the lease.
[01:21:09] >> It didn't go through the capital
[01:21:10] procedures. Didn't go through his
[01:21:13] department. I mean it just it's all
[01:21:15] wrong and we we can talk about it and
[01:21:20] it got through. So
[01:21:23] yeah,
[01:21:25] >> this can't happen. This can't happen.
[01:21:27] Took leases off of the operating budget
[01:21:29] years ago.
[01:21:30] >> Why is that?
[01:21:32] >> You don't finance capital through an
[01:21:33] operating budget. That's insane.
[01:21:36] I I'm just I'm just trying to understand
[01:21:39] your rationale for not leasing to own
[01:21:40] when we can't afford to buy a lot of
[01:21:42] things outright. Why we wouldn't lease
[01:21:43] to own. So I just want to know your
[01:21:44] rational you borrow from the truck.
[01:21:46] >> Stay within your budget. Whatever you
[01:21:48] make and if you want to spend you don't
[01:21:49] want to overspend what you make. I mean
[01:21:51] you're buying like a house.
[01:21:52] >> Yeah. You're buying capital. You're
[01:21:53] buying capital through an operating
[01:21:54] budget.
[01:21:55] >> I mean in every other town I've been in
[01:21:57] that's how it's been done.
[01:21:58] >> No let's be different.
[01:22:00] >> Well right. That's no that's why I'm
[01:22:01] trying to understand his rationale.
[01:22:02] Right.
[01:22:03] >> Let's stay with try to stay within our
[01:22:04] budget. the money we make, the money we
[01:22:06] spend.
[01:22:06] >> Only going forward we can do that. Right
[01:22:08] now we're stuck with this.
[01:22:09] >> I know. I know. We We've had these
[01:22:11] conversations and they they keep getting
[01:22:13] >> Yeah. I wasn't on the board last time
[01:22:15] around. So I don't
[01:22:18] >> Well, there was a bunch of issues and
[01:22:20] you guys haven't met since August
[01:22:23] >> with the budget. You guys are didn't
[01:22:24] meet
[01:22:26] >> go over the budget and all the things
[01:22:28] that were mishandled or reallocated or
[01:22:31] changed.
[01:22:32] >> That never happened.
[01:22:37] Mr. Chair,
[01:22:39] >> I just want to ask why this has to be so
[01:22:41] adversarial. Like we all want to do
[01:22:42] what's right for the town of Harbick and
[01:22:44] I think we should all be working
[01:22:45] together.
[01:22:46] >> We are.
[01:22:47] >> And I'd like to just move on.
[01:22:49] >> Yeah, let's move on. Just
[01:22:50] >> Yeah. That there's nothing we can do
[01:22:52] about it.
[01:22:53] >> Right.
[01:22:56] All right.
[01:22:58] Cemetery.
[01:23:00] Cemetery. Cemetery contract service
[01:23:03] 25,000.
[01:23:06] >> That's a contract.
[01:23:07] >> Yep. And cemetery expense $700. Total 27
[01:23:13] $25,700.
[01:23:15] >> It's the same as it was last year.
[01:23:17] >> Yep. So funny.
[01:23:18] >> And it was something we went through
[01:23:19] lately when Paula was here.
[01:23:22] >> That was her
[01:23:24] >> revolving
[01:23:24] >> revolving fund account to increase it so
[01:23:27] she could buy.
[01:23:28] >> So it doesn't show up here. My my
[01:23:30] understanding is the cemetery commission
[01:23:32] will no long does not want to take care
[01:23:35] of the common anymore. So we've got to
[01:23:39] find a placeholder for the common.
[01:23:42] >> So that yeah, we're not quite there.
[01:23:44] We're trying to figure out the whole
[01:23:45] logistics.
[01:23:46] >> They don't want it though. Let's make it
[01:23:48] Let's make it clear for you guys that
[01:23:49] they don't want to be responsible for
[01:23:51] taking care of the downtown.
[01:23:53] >> Well, we can take that up on another
[01:23:54] night, but
[01:23:55] >> Well, it's going to affect our budget.
[01:23:57] >> Okay.
[01:23:57] >> Yeah. Morning. Do you have any room in
[01:23:59] your budget?
[01:24:00] >> Absolutely not.
[01:24:04] >> Just asking you come right along on
[01:24:08] created by the fact that
[01:24:10] trees.
[01:24:11] >> They don't realize how many fields we
[01:24:12] have in this town. How many town home
[01:24:14] owners we take care of?
[01:24:17] >> And even
[01:24:19] this building
[01:24:23] we don't want
[01:24:26] to go through.
[01:24:26] >> Okay.
[01:24:27] >> If if I had a full crew, it probably be
[01:24:29] a different story,
[01:24:30] >> right? I only ask cuz you're sitting
[01:24:32] right there. I know.
[01:24:34] >> I usually know where it usually falls
[01:24:36] down
[01:24:38] at the bottom.
[01:24:41] >> What happens when you're at the bottom
[01:24:42] of the hill? You needed a good laugh,
[01:24:45] Marty. Sorry.
[01:24:47] >> All right.
[01:24:49] >> Council on aging. We already did.
[01:24:53] >> We're health.
[01:24:56] I skipped over. Oh, we did.
[01:24:57] >> I recuse myself from this part. So, you
[01:25:00] guys take it up.
[01:25:02] >> I noticed that the salaries are not 2%
[01:25:06] increases.
[01:25:07] >> Um, there was a surplus in the budget
[01:25:09] last year. The board of health clerk is
[01:25:12] getting her 2% but there was a surplus
[01:25:14] in the budget last year because we
[01:25:15] remember we started defining people's
[01:25:17] hours and what they're actually required
[01:25:19] to work. The board of health clerk is
[01:25:21] getting a 2%. Okay.
[01:25:26] >> Some with the the hours
[01:25:30] for everybody. They were just working
[01:25:31] whatever they wanted
[01:25:33] >> and they and they have a robust
[01:25:36] revolving
[01:25:38] is that and that's where the agents
[01:25:39] getting paid out.
[01:25:40] >> Yes, correct.
[01:25:46] >> Okay. So, what's why is that going up?
[01:25:49] >> How do we go?
[01:25:50] >> Because now we have to monitor PAS. to
[01:25:53] the y
[01:25:54] >> the monitoring space went up.
[01:25:56] >> Yes.
[01:25:56] >> Yep. Cuz yeah,
[01:25:59] which is required.
[01:26:02] >> And the clerk's salary doubled.
[01:26:05] >> It doubled be last year because uh
[01:26:07] before she was getting paid out of too
[01:26:09] many places. Um so now it's she's
[01:26:11] getting paid 100% out of the budget.
[01:26:17] >> So she had other incomes that aren't
[01:26:19] showing up here. Um there was some
[01:26:22] issues with the revolving funds last
[01:26:23] year and getting paid out of both
[01:26:25] places. So we corrected that last year.
[01:26:30] >> All right. That's um a little like uh
[01:26:34] the planning board clerk thing, but
[01:26:37] that's my wife. So a cat.
[01:26:41] >> Never mind.
[01:26:43] Speak freely, sir.
[01:26:47] So,
[01:26:48] >> so we're an animal now.
[01:26:50] >> Animal inspector salary.
[01:26:53] >> Yeah. So, was that two different people?
[01:26:56] There's an inspector and then there's a
[01:26:57] control.
[01:26:58] >> Yes.
[01:26:59] >> Okay.
[01:27:05] >> Hardwork only or is there a region? They
[01:27:07] these both regional.
[01:27:08] >> They work other places but this is just
[01:27:10] hard.
[01:27:12] >> This is a portion from
[01:27:14] >> Yes. Council
[01:27:21] on aging is the
[01:27:23] >> yes 20,000.
[01:27:26] >> So
[01:27:27] >> we're asking to go to 23,000 which was
[01:27:29] the level funding from last year.
[01:27:37] >> But the expenses
[01:27:40] the nutrition contract we don't have
[01:27:42] anymore.
[01:27:42] >> All right.
[01:27:44] And also whatever we get for a grant,
[01:27:47] whatever that number is, that's going to
[01:27:49] be part of that. It's 12,000 and some
[01:27:52] change. So that that number is 35,000.
[01:27:58] >> So we cut into the 23 paid.
[01:28:01] >> No, no, it's the 23 plus
[01:28:03] >> plus whatever grant is.
[01:28:06] >> Okay. Right.
[01:28:07] >> Which isn't part of the budget,
[01:28:08] >> right?
[01:28:13] The grant goes directly to them.
[01:28:15] >> No, I think it comes to the town.
[01:28:17] >> It comes so it's the council on aging
[01:28:18] formula grant um which we get that's per
[01:28:22] um senior.
[01:28:23] >> Yeah.
[01:28:23] >> Um and that comes to us and then
[01:28:26] >> count as income and then
[01:28:27] >> correct and then we pay Barry
[01:28:38] specials
[01:28:40] 100 years.
[01:28:41] >> Okay. Next we're at director coordinator
[01:28:43] salary
[01:28:45] uh $12,795
[01:28:49] and it's level from last year.
[01:28:50] >> So that's another one that um they've
[01:28:53] never
[01:28:54] I mean I'm going to say that and now
[01:28:56] they're going to spend the amount that
[01:28:57] they have but they've never spent the
[01:28:58] full amount. I'm going to say that now
[01:29:00] they're actually going to do it but no
[01:29:01] they've never spent their full budget
[01:29:03] and we did just give her an increase um
[01:29:05] in the halfway through FY26.
[01:29:07] >> Okay. which is included in what?
[01:29:10] >> Okay.
[01:29:13] >> And then uh the assistant coordinator
[01:29:15] salary which is $6,285.
[01:29:20] >> What was the question? I'm sorry.
[01:29:21] >> No, I was just reading it.
[01:29:23] >> Assistant coordinator salary $6,285
[01:29:27] >> and they've never spent that
[01:29:29] >> they work between three and six hours a
[01:29:31] week.
[01:29:32] >> So does it make sense to fun stuff that
[01:29:35] doesn't need funding? Well, I can tell
[01:29:37] you where they are year today if you'd
[01:29:38] like them to.
[01:29:39] >> I mean, if they're not spending it year
[01:29:41] after year,
[01:29:42] >> I mean,
[01:29:43] >> or do we?
[01:29:45] >> Yeah.
[01:29:46] >> Just leave it that way and they spend
[01:29:47] it.
[01:29:48] >> I I re the same
[01:29:52] level funded and that's
[01:29:56] >> youth center expense $1,000.
[01:29:58] >> Yeah,
[01:29:59] >> that's more.
[01:30:00] >> Okay. So, total for the total youth is
[01:30:03] $20,80.
[01:30:06] which is
[01:30:07] >> what we did last year.
[01:30:09] >> Yeah.
[01:30:10] >> Moving on. Veteran agent salary $2,185.
[01:30:14] >> I level funded that.
[01:30:16] >> I cut his expenses by 200 bucks. And
[01:30:20] unfortunately, but fortunately for the
[01:30:22] budget, we've had some deaths. So that's
[01:30:24] why it is a decrease from last year.
[01:30:26] >> The veteran benefits.
[01:30:28] >> Yes.
[01:30:30] >> Okay. So, veterans benefits 20,000
[01:30:34] and total veterans is 22,685.
[01:30:40] Okay.
[01:30:42] Now, moving on to the page library
[01:30:45] director salary, $23,59710.
[01:30:49] >> That's a 2%.
[01:30:50] >> Yep. And so is the assistant. And then
[01:30:53] the library expenses um keeps them
[01:30:56] compliant with um CW Mars and their
[01:30:59] certification.
[01:31:02] Okay. So, the page library expense is
[01:31:05] 33,600.
[01:31:07] >> Yep. That's a 2.5% increase over last
[01:31:09] year. That's required.
[01:31:12] >> And the same thing with the Gilbert
[01:31:14] bill.
[01:31:15] >> Yep.
[01:31:17] >> Okay.
[01:31:19] >> That's possible change.
[01:31:22] >> Yeah.
[01:31:23] >> Yeah. Isn't Isn't Gville a private?
[01:31:26] >> Yes, it is. I've never understood why we
[01:31:29] pay their expenses. Uh we are legally
[01:31:31] it's we are we cannot pay for salaries
[01:31:33] for a private entity. I I his as you can
[01:31:36] see in the budget the town has always
[01:31:38] covered their expenses. I don't know the
[01:31:40] backstory.
[01:31:40] >> The backstory is that at town meetings
[01:31:44] they swamp the vote.
[01:31:46] >> Yep.
[01:31:46] >> And they come in and it's you know tears
[01:31:48] and every other thing and it just gets
[01:31:51] voted in. We've complained about it.
[01:31:53] We're not supposed to be spending
[01:31:55] anything for salary, but it's been going
[01:31:58] on for a long time.
[01:32:00] >> So why are we doing an increase?
[01:32:02] >> Because they So my understanding is that
[01:32:05] the page and the Gilbert bill when they
[01:32:07] they get their certification together
[01:32:09] because the state sees them as one
[01:32:10] library even though they're two, public
[01:32:12] and private.
[01:32:14] So they have to have the 2.5 increase.
[01:32:17] >> They both have to have the same percent
[01:32:19] increase otherwise they're out of
[01:32:20] compliance. But we didn't do it increase
[01:32:23] from 25 to 26 was level fun to build a
[01:32:27] bill.
[01:32:29] >> I don't know. I can't answer that. I can
[01:32:31] I just know how this the state is off
[01:32:33] the state operates. Um and that was the
[01:32:35] request. So to keep them complying, I
[01:32:38] put it in there. I don't agree that we
[01:32:40] should be paying a private entity. Um
[01:32:42] but historically the town has done so.
[01:32:44] Eventually that'll
[01:32:47] >> they're fading out guard
[01:32:50] >> been kind of waiting for them today. So
[01:32:53] >> it's a beautiful building. I will say
[01:32:55] that it's a beautiful.
[01:32:57] So total libraries is $11,660.37.
[01:33:04] >> Yep.
[01:33:06] >> Okay.
[01:33:07] Moving on. Parks and recreation expense
[01:33:11] >> level funded
[01:33:12] >> $800.
[01:33:15] Memorial Day expense, $800.
[01:33:20] Um, GV pump station principal is
[01:33:23] nothing. I'm just going to move down. GV
[01:33:26] WPCF
[01:33:28] upgrade split principal $11,744.
[01:33:33] >> It's supposed to say split. Sorry, I
[01:33:34] forgot to pay.
[01:33:35] >> Oh, all right. So, is this is this the
[01:33:37] uh debt exclusion for the sewer?
[01:33:40] >> Yeah. Yeah. Um,
[01:33:41] >> not this one. The next one is
[01:33:44] >> Oh, I'm sorry. Yes. The the the split
[01:33:47] the way treatment plant upgrade split
[01:33:50] principal and interest. Yes.
[01:33:52] >> That's the old one of $2,277.3.
[01:33:57] >> Mhm.
[01:33:57] >> Okay.
[01:33:59] >> That is the town's portion of it.
[01:34:01] >> Okay.
[01:34:02] >> Cuz it's half and half.
[01:34:03] >> But that's through a debt exclusion.
[01:34:05] >> Yeah. But it's half on the sewer, half
[01:34:07] on the town. Remember?
[01:34:08] >> Yeah.
[01:34:09] >> But the the uh the the the um the tax
[01:34:13] rate will pay is the income.
[01:34:15] >> The big one, the big one's the next one,
[01:34:17] Chris. It's the USDA.
[01:34:19] >> Yeah, the principal and interest
[01:34:21] >> thing here is a debt exclusion except
[01:34:23] the PD land acquisition principle and
[01:34:26] interest. That's the old loan that the
[01:34:28] old debt we new loan that we've been
[01:34:29] talking about.
[01:34:30] >> All right. So, that should be that
[01:34:32] should be an article, not going to be an
[01:34:34] article.
[01:34:35] >> What's the question? What's
[01:34:36] >> the PD land?
[01:34:37] >> No, that's that's debt that we've been
[01:34:38] paying since 2015. Remember I we we
[01:34:41] didn't It's an old putting this into the
[01:34:44] debt.
[01:34:45] >> It's a fivey year to pay it off because
[01:34:46] the town's been paying it off for 10
[01:34:48] years. 11 years.
[01:34:49] >> Okay.
[01:34:50] >> Yeah. It's It's been there for a while.
[01:34:53] >> Yeah. It's not new.
[01:34:54] >> Okay. Right.
[01:34:56] >> I'll show you a little paper if you want
[01:34:57] to see.
[01:34:58] >> Trying I'm trying to look at what we
[01:34:59] were what what it was last year.
[01:35:01] >> So, I got rid of all the random lines to
[01:35:03] make this look cleaner.
[01:35:04] >> Yeah, I see.
[01:35:04] >> Yeah. This is much cleaner the way it
[01:35:06] is. And that way she did it here now.
[01:35:08] much much easier to understand
[01:35:10] >> cuz before everything was like all
[01:35:12] mumped together like maturing debt,
[01:35:14] maturing interest. I was like, "Well,
[01:35:15] what does that actually go to?"
[01:35:16] >> Right. Right. Right. We always had
[01:35:18] >> So, police department land acquisition
[01:35:20] principle is $24,998.
[01:35:25] >> Then police department land acquisition
[01:35:27] interest is $4,846.83.
[01:35:32] And then the USDA 2024 split interest
[01:35:37] $38,239.80.
[01:35:40] >> Is that tax?
[01:35:42] >> Yes, that's part of the
[01:35:44] >> that's a just the tams
[01:35:46] >> and and and that is shared equally with
[01:35:49] the with the water treatment. And then
[01:35:52] we wrap it up with firet truck interest
[01:35:55] $35,1626
[01:36:00] and fire truck principal right now we
[01:36:02] have zero.
[01:36:03] >> So those are all so the only thing not
[01:36:06] exclusion is the PD
[01:36:07] >> correct.
[01:36:07] >> Okay. Thank you.
[01:36:10] >> Then moving on. Worester County
[01:36:12] Retirement Assessment $318,727.
[01:36:17] Um yes, as I explained at the at a pre
[01:36:19] prior meeting, um we actually have been
[01:36:22] splitting it up appropriately between
[01:36:23] the sewer employees and the town. So
[01:36:26] that's why that number looks like it's
[01:36:27] decreased from last year, but it's just
[01:36:28] no, the sewer is actually carrying the
[01:36:30] burden of their own employees.
[01:36:32] >> We have not nobody's approved the budget
[01:36:35] for the sewer yet.
[01:36:36] >> It's on the select board agenda for
[01:36:38] Monday night.
[01:36:38] >> Okay.
[01:36:41] Oh, speaking of which, um, that came up
[01:36:44] in the draft audit as far as what we're
[01:36:46] using for overhead
[01:36:48] to charge for the wastewater sewer.
[01:36:52] >> Those numbers have to be more fixed.
[01:36:53] They have to be more accurate, not like
[01:36:55] a guess.
[01:36:55] >> Nope. Um, so again, that's the FY25
[01:36:58] audit. In FY26, we've actually taken
[01:37:00] actual data and notes and stuff and it
[01:37:03] we're more comfortable with that 10,000.
[01:37:04] We actually have information, but in
[01:37:06] FY25, you're right. There was just it
[01:37:09] was just a guess, but it's been fixed in
[01:37:11] 26.
[01:37:11] >> So, we have a like a legit accurate
[01:37:14] number we can use.
[01:37:15] >> We can use that number because we have
[01:37:17] information from my executive assistant
[01:37:19] and the treasur collector as to how much
[01:37:21] time they've actually been spending on
[01:37:23] on the wastewater treatment plant.
[01:37:25] >> Okay.
[01:37:25] >> Yeah.
[01:37:26] >> All right. Thank you.
[01:37:28] >> Health insurance town share $253,393.16.
[01:37:34] >> Yes.
[01:37:36] So,
[01:37:39] what was the increase?
[01:37:42] >> Oh, it was 14.5.
[01:37:46] Don't get me on the point.
[01:37:47] >> Sorry, we're we're double digit
[01:37:49] increases.
[01:37:50] >> Yeah.
[01:37:52] >> Again, we've actually again when you see
[01:37:54] the sewer budget,
[01:37:56] the sewer is going to is taking the
[01:37:58] burden of their own people.
[01:38:01] >> I'm sure they said that it doesn't
[01:38:04] like to do that number. It doesn't look
[01:38:06] like 14%, but maybe it is.
[01:38:09] >> Um, it's 14 point something. I
[01:38:11] apologize. I don't know the point
[01:38:13] percentage.
[01:38:15] So maybe do 15 to save because I don't
[01:38:17] know if it's 14.9.
[01:38:22] >> Okay. Then
[01:38:23] >> the same thing doesn't happen there
[01:38:24] where it goes down because part of it's
[01:38:27] the um sewer. Um like the 318 was lower
[01:38:34] because of the yeah
[01:38:35] >> retirement. The same thing with health
[01:38:37] care.
[01:38:39] it doesn't drop for the same reason or
[01:38:41] is it
[01:38:42] >> there's that sheet that we gave out at
[01:38:44] another meeting that you can take a look
[01:38:46] at. It takes the percentage of the last
[01:38:48] three years and and the full it's just
[01:38:50] full-time employees benefit eligible
[01:38:52] employees. Um so you do have the
[01:38:55] assessment information um that we did
[01:38:57] hand out at a prior meeting and if you
[01:38:59] need a copy of it I can make you one.
[01:39:01] >> Yeah. And I can get you one too if you
[01:39:03] want.
[01:39:03] >> Okay. Are you did you are we are we
[01:39:05] looking at any plan designs on health
[01:39:07] insurance to get some of these these
[01:39:09] increases under control?
[01:39:10] >> So we did that last year. We did a plan
[01:39:12] design and and Ryan can speak to that.
[01:39:14] He was very unhappy. Um but the thing is
[01:39:18] is because we have such a small pool and
[01:39:21] last year as you know I was talking to
[01:39:22] the school but they had such an obscene
[01:39:24] in um increase as well that they didn't
[01:39:26] want to take us on at this at this
[01:39:28] point. um our best bet is eventually
[01:39:31] either combining with a with a with a
[01:39:35] other towns or another pool, but because
[01:39:37] we don't have that many employees, like
[01:39:38] our rate is going to be astronomical. We
[01:39:40] have an older workforce.
[01:39:42] >> Um we don't we have like 16 people on
[01:39:44] health insurance. I'm sorry, 19 people
[01:39:46] on health insurance right now
[01:39:48] >> and it's everywhere. It's in every
[01:39:50] municipality. I go to all my manager
[01:39:52] trainings and my HR conferences and
[01:39:54] every town administrator and manager is
[01:39:56] complaining about the health insurance
[01:39:57] increase. And I'm sure Zach can speak to
[01:39:58] Bellingham because he works in
[01:39:59] Bellingham.
[01:40:00] >> Yeah, we just uh our company just hit us
[01:40:03] hit the town with a Oh, you owe us a
[01:40:05] million dollar.
[01:40:06] >> Bellingham right now is going for a $3
[01:40:08] million override.
[01:40:12] >> Yeah, they did the health insurance
[01:40:16] >> 7525 which is which is pretty standard
[01:40:20] split between town and employee. So, the
[01:40:22] Worcester County retirement assessment,
[01:40:25] >> yes.
[01:40:25] >> That jumped over the last couple years.
[01:40:29] Is that what we got surprised with and
[01:40:31] now we're kind of catching up?
[01:40:33] >> Yes.
[01:40:33] >> Last year. Yes.
[01:40:41] >> Township life insurance 7,000.
[01:40:45] >> Yep.
[01:40:45] >> Okay. And then town share Medicare
[01:40:48] 22,000.
[01:40:49] >> Yep.
[01:40:53] And that that went up a lot from the
[01:40:56] prior years for a reason. I mean
[01:41:00] it was 12 1212 and then 22.
[01:41:03] >> Well, now we actually have retirees.
[01:41:05] >> Okay.
[01:41:08] Okay. So, next I have sewer share
[01:41:10] Medicare and it's it's just zero.
[01:41:13] >> Um, yep. Because we're putting you'll
[01:41:16] see on Monday what we did with the with
[01:41:17] the sewer budget. They're paying their
[01:41:20] own insurance that went into the sewer
[01:41:22] budget.
[01:41:23] >> Okay.
[01:41:25] >> Workers compensation insurance $15,869.
[01:41:29] >> Yep.
[01:41:31] >> And that's for all the employees
[01:41:33] throughout the entire town or just the
[01:41:35] sewer?
[01:41:36] >> That's for everyone except police and
[01:41:37] fire because they have their on. It's
[01:41:39] 111F.
[01:41:40] >> Okay.
[01:41:41] >> And the sewer is not picked up in sewer.
[01:41:43] >> We're covered too.
[01:41:45] >> Okay.
[01:41:45] >> We're covered.
[01:41:49] comp work. I don't think
[01:41:52] >> I'll double check, but I'm pretty sure
[01:41:53] we put all the indirect cost. I can
[01:41:55] double check.
[01:41:56] >> Yeah, I just workman's comp is if
[01:41:59] there's the should be shared equally
[01:42:01] with with
[01:42:04] >> the 1.8 down to 15.
[01:42:10] >> Then general insurance $73,335.
[01:42:14] Yeah, if it went up 2.1 or 2.3 or
[01:42:17] something over last year.
[01:42:22] >> Do you know?
[01:42:23] >> Yeah, I do. Um, so several years ago, as
[01:42:27] you know, that this building was flooded
[01:42:28] twice.
[01:42:29] >> Um, those are huge claims. Those are
[01:42:32] actually going to drop off next year.
[01:42:33] So, won't Yeah, we won't be penalized,
[01:42:34] but it's it's still affecting our rates
[01:42:36] right now.
[01:42:44] So, out of the $73,335,
[01:42:47] is that all just town and none none of
[01:42:50] it's the sore?
[01:42:51] >> That's everything. That's absolutely
[01:42:53] everything. Yep.
[01:42:54] >> So, do you know what percentage the
[01:42:56] source is?
[01:42:58] >> Um, I'd have to count their trucks,
[01:43:00] their buildings,
[01:43:02] general liabilities, like all the stuff,
[01:43:05] >> right?
[01:43:05] >> They won't break it down for you, the
[01:43:08] insurance company.
[01:43:09] >> No, they won't.
[01:43:10] Well, you can do an I could sit there
[01:43:13] and do it.
[01:43:14] >> You could do the allocation. That's not
[01:43:16] hard.
[01:43:16] >> In my free time.
[01:43:17] >> Well, I mean, if we can if we can take
[01:43:20] we should, right?
[01:43:20] >> Any dollar we transfer to the sewer is
[01:43:22] going to be
[01:43:24] >> that's something we're starting to pay
[01:43:26] more attention to. It's a really
[01:43:29] >> I mean, they're probably more hold than
[01:43:31] the town is.
[01:43:32] >> Mr. here.
[01:43:33] >> Yeah.
[01:43:34] >> Um I just I want to make a
[01:43:35] recommendation that the board take a
[01:43:37] wait and take a look at the sewer budget
[01:43:38] on Monday night because they're have
[01:43:41] they have a really big increase over the
[01:43:43] over last year as well. I just think
[01:43:45] that the conversation should hold off
[01:43:46] until you actually see the massive
[01:43:48] increase to the sewer budget
[01:43:51] >> and what they have in the back.
[01:43:52] >> Did you say massive?
[01:43:53] >> It is pretty massive over last year.
[01:43:58] >> I mean that's your use your own
[01:44:00] definition. I think it's pretty pretty
[01:44:02] >> well percentage wise
[01:44:04] >> it's
[01:44:06] >> 10 20 15
[01:44:09] >> I thought you already saw the budget.
[01:44:11] >> Yes.
[01:44:12] >> Budget correct a while back. Yeah.
[01:44:13] >> I mean not a while back like a month
[01:44:15] ago.
[01:44:16] >> Month and a
[01:44:17] >> Yeah, it was a little while ago.
[01:44:18] >> It's changed
[01:44:20] >> because massively
[01:44:21] >> because we did what I just talked about.
[01:44:24] We did a better job of allocating those
[01:44:25] indirect costs and taking them.
[01:44:27] >> So they're taking them. So that's the
[01:44:28] increases them taking on their own
[01:44:30] responsibility.
[01:44:32] >> Correct. And they gone.
[01:44:33] >> So we're not seeing them here. We'll be
[01:44:35] seeing them in the sewer budget.
[01:44:37] >> Correct.
[01:44:37] >> Again, they should be covering that.
[01:44:39] >> Yeah. But we're we're still in deficit.
[01:44:42] >> Right.
[01:44:43] >> Right. Right.
[01:44:45] Maybe we should look at
[01:44:47] >> Well, that's why it's very very
[01:44:49] important that the sewer budget gets
[01:44:51] approved because if you've got a problem
[01:44:53] with doing if there's a problem there,
[01:44:57] it's going to it's going to ricochet
[01:44:58] back to us. So,
[01:45:05] police and fire insurance $21,540.
[01:45:09] >> Yep. That's the 111 F insurance that I
[01:45:11] was talking about.
[01:45:14] Okay.
[01:45:16] >> How much you can do about the insurance
[01:45:18] increases?
[01:45:19] >> They're fixed cost.
[01:45:21] >> Okay. Uh total unclassified is
[01:45:24] $95,972.58.
[01:45:29] >> Yep.
[01:45:31] >> Okay. Moving on. Recycling.
[01:45:34] Recycling coordinator salary $8,633.
[01:45:39] >> 2%.
[01:45:40] >> Yes. All of them.
[01:45:41] >> All of them. Right down the line,
[01:45:42] >> laborer one, two, three, and four,
[01:45:45] they're all $5,087.
[01:45:51] >> Yes.
[01:45:52] >> And now, do they pay anything for their
[01:45:54] liability or workers comp or anything?
[01:45:56] >> It's all
[01:45:58] included up here.
[01:46:01] >> All right.
[01:46:02] But okay.
[01:46:04] >> Now, how come their expense went down by
[01:46:06] 4,000?
[01:46:07] >> Because they have a pretty robust
[01:46:09] revolving fund.
[01:46:10] >> Their revolving And we talked about
[01:46:11] that.
[01:46:12] >> That's right. That's right.
[01:46:13] >> Right.
[01:46:14] >> So totally res total recycling is
[01:46:17] $29,981.
[01:46:21] Good.
[01:46:22] >> Okay.
[01:46:24] And moving on, water payroll, I have
[01:46:27] nothing. And then water expense 20,000.
[01:46:31] >> Yep.
[01:46:31] >> Now, does that cover the water like our
[01:46:34] actual expenses like those and stuff?
[01:46:36] Because you had mentioned that a lot.
[01:46:37] >> Yeah. There's a there's a disparity
[01:46:39] between the revenue for water and the
[01:46:42] expenses for water. It's it's off.
[01:46:45] >> Okay.
[01:46:45] >> This is hardwick water only. Yeah.
[01:46:47] >> Right.
[01:46:50] >> Yeah.
[01:46:51] >> Yeah. This is And this this water
[01:46:54] expense is for real right too.
[01:46:56] >> No.
[01:46:59] >> Yeah. You just need to
[01:47:02] balance the two. So it's a break even.
[01:47:04] That's all. You may you may pick up $500
[01:47:06] in the budget if you do that.
[01:47:08] >> Okay. So,
[01:47:10] >> but is should now
[01:47:14] people pay into pay for the water here?
[01:47:19] >> Yeah. You So, it's it's you get the
[01:47:22] income on the income side
[01:47:24] >> and it's less than the expense that you
[01:47:26] budget for.
[01:47:28] >> So, you either increase the rates or cut
[01:47:30] the cut the expense to balance it.
[01:47:32] Should uh uh the water commissioners, us
[01:47:37] be uh talking about raising the rates?
[01:47:39] >> Yes.
[01:47:40] >> Yeah.
[01:47:44] >> You're not you're not pumping oil, but
[01:47:45] you sure pumping something that's, you
[01:47:47] know,
[01:47:48] >> I don't know what their present rates
[01:47:49] are.
[01:47:50] >> Yeah, I don't either, but um obviously
[01:47:53] >> is it metered watered? Does anybody
[01:47:55] know?
[01:47:55] >> It is metered. And I I wanted it
[01:47:57] metered. Just Marty does all the meter
[01:47:59] readings and my assistant Sandy does all
[01:48:01] the billing and I just it's important. I
[01:48:03] want you guys to know that it's their
[01:48:05] time that they spend doing this.
[01:48:07] >> Yeah.
[01:48:07] >> Y
[01:48:08] >> and we hire a company to cover that to
[01:48:11] maintain the well essentially
[01:48:14] >> for maintenance and Yeah. And that's
[01:48:15] what that's it's paid out of this this
[01:48:17] >> and the generator craps out and we get
[01:48:19] Marty to get down there and start it up
[01:48:21] again.
[01:48:22] >> Mhm.
[01:48:23] And people complain about how the water
[01:48:26] stopped flowing.
[01:48:29] >> That's correct.
[01:48:30] >> So there is there is a person
[01:48:32] responsible for the water other than
[01:48:36] >> we contract a company to do that.
[01:48:38] >> There is a company that
[01:48:40] >> otherwise it's the three of us.
[01:48:45] >> Okay. So, we have grand total of budgets
[01:48:48] 7,359,898.70.
[01:48:56] >> Oh, wrong. Sorry. 73,342
[01:49:00] thou. Yeah. 7 million 342,700.
[01:49:06] Well, no, my number is not going to be
[01:49:07] correct. I have to make these changes to
[01:49:09] whatever
[01:49:11] >> 7 million 359 898 is what we have on
[01:49:14] >> more cuts and
[01:49:16] when I have to make these changes
[01:49:18] >> we have changes to be made to this. So
[01:49:21] >> so the changes that you guys made I've
[01:49:23] been adding and subtracting from that
[01:49:25] 46,756
[01:49:27] at the bottom
[01:49:29] >> and if I was keeping up that negative
[01:49:31] number now is down to -26,796.
[01:49:37] getting better.
[01:49:39] >> It's getting better. However, you have
[01:49:40] no money in your IT department.
[01:49:43] >> Yeah.
[01:49:44] >> What do you mean?
[01:49:45] >> No. We have 40,000 allocated for it.
[01:49:49] >> I thought it was zero at the moment. No,
[01:49:53] >> no, no.
[01:49:54] >> Oh, 40,000.
[01:49:56] >> Oh, I see that. Okay. Finance.
[01:49:58] >> Oh, I did the same mistake you did. I I
[01:50:00] looked at the online.
[01:50:02] >> Sorry. Could we talk um what the local
[01:50:06] receipts are cuz that's the huge jump.
[01:50:09] >> Sure. Can I um can I just bring up one
[01:50:11] thing quick? Um so you heard
[01:50:14] Representative Berthium say next week
[01:50:16] the House is going to be debating the
[01:50:18] budget. The Senate probably won't start
[01:50:20] debating the budget till midMay. So the
[01:50:22] the state receipts I won't know until
[01:50:25] midMay. So the number that's still in
[01:50:27] here is still the governor's numbers.
[01:50:30] Um, so I just want that to be clear. I
[01:50:33] have every reason to believe it's going
[01:50:34] to go up a little bit uh in our favor,
[01:50:36] but I just wanted to be transparent and
[01:50:38] let you know that I won't have the state
[01:50:40] numbers until the middle of May.
[01:50:42] >> And that's usually like
[01:50:45] a dozen thousands of dollars, $20,000.
[01:50:48] >> But the assumption you made for this for
[01:50:51] this calculation
[01:50:52] >> is I just took the governor's number
[01:50:55] it just did her budget her and then it
[01:50:57] goes to the house and it goes to the
[01:50:58] Senate.
[01:50:59] >> Okay.
[01:51:00] So, is that the estimated state
[01:51:01] receipts?
[01:51:02] >> Yeah, right. That's state receipts.
[01:51:04] >> Okay.
[01:51:05] >> Now, let's look at the local receipts.
[01:51:08] >> Okay.
[01:51:10] >> So, what are the big ticket items on
[01:51:12] that?
[01:51:12] >> Hold on a second.
[01:51:15] >> Talking estimated local.
[01:51:17] >> Yeah.
[01:51:18] >> All right.
[01:51:19] >> That's the 1.21 $1,294,41.
[01:51:25] >> Do you want to pass this around?
[01:51:26] >> Sure.
[01:51:28] that went up since your last meeting.
[01:51:50] >> I'll take all the
[01:51:56] >> not Nice
[01:51:59] guy.
[01:52:01] >> Whatever you get, that's fine.
[01:52:06] >> So, these are my revenue estimates.
[01:52:11] >> Thank you, Lori.
[01:52:13] >> You're welcome.
[01:52:14] >> Bye, Lori.
[01:52:15] >> Um, so these are my revenue estimates
[01:52:17] for FY27
[01:52:19] based on year to date and some um
[01:52:23] some big I can go over some big changes.
[01:52:26] one, we're actually
[01:52:29] going to be seeing some investment
[01:52:31] income for the first time in a in as far
[01:52:34] back as I can see um with the treasurer.
[01:52:36] Um she's actually that's a very
[01:52:38] conservative number. I have reason to
[01:52:40] believe that that number is probably
[01:52:41] going to double in FY27.
[01:52:43] >> Which number is this?
[01:52:44] >> The investment income.
[01:52:46] >> Okay.
[01:52:48] >> We've had a very good year with building
[01:52:49] permits. Um
[01:52:53] it's it and and I sound like a broken
[01:52:55] record when I say this, but it really
[01:52:56] goes back to actually hiring qualified
[01:52:57] people to doing to doing these jobs.
[01:53:00] We're we've actually seen some some
[01:53:02] really positive things in terms of
[01:53:03] revenue, which is what we really want.
[01:53:05] So,
[01:53:06] um that number is the new Brainree
[01:53:10] Police number, but that's an in-n-out
[01:53:11] and obviously that's going to change.
[01:53:12] That's just um the number I put in as a
[01:53:16] hold.
[01:53:18] miscellaneous non-reoccurring. I adjust
[01:53:20] that every year.
[01:53:22] Um
[01:53:24] last year I had estimated selling of the
[01:53:26] three buildings that that fell through.
[01:53:28] But um this year I'm we have the Kard
[01:53:32] solar. We're getting a $100,000 payment
[01:53:34] from them in December per their
[01:53:35] contract. Um we're going to be selling
[01:53:37] some gravel. We're going to be um
[01:53:40] hopefully get us you know
[01:53:43] >> one or two buildings
[01:53:44] >> offloading some other property, some
[01:53:46] other vacant land. we're going to be
[01:53:48] losing the mass DOT rent that we've been
[01:53:51] getting this year and part of last year.
[01:53:53] Um, again, it's just I take a look at
[01:53:56] where we are year to date. I take a look
[01:53:57] at the last couple years and I make
[01:54:00] assumptions based on votes of the select
[01:54:02] board and and things that we have going
[01:54:03] on and down the pipeline. So, I'm very
[01:54:06] comfortable and any questions that do
[01:54:08] has will go to the assessor and then
[01:54:10] come to me. And last year, they were
[01:54:11] very happy with the numbers. So, I'm
[01:54:13] very confident that if they have any
[01:54:15] questions for us this year that we'll be
[01:54:17] able to answer them and we'll be all set
[01:54:18] with DO.
[01:54:20] >> Okay.
[01:54:20] >> All right. So, solar was 100 out of the
[01:54:22] $200,000. What's the What's You selling
[01:54:26] some gravel?
[01:54:27] >> Um, we're estimating, which is not
[01:54:29] reflective in here. I picked a very
[01:54:30] conservative number, but we're um
[01:54:32] estimating about $260,000
[01:54:34] >> in gravel.
[01:54:35] >> In gravel. Yes.
[01:54:36] >> All right. And that's going to be not in
[01:54:39] here. You're not in here. I just again
[01:54:41] to be to be very conservative I only put
[01:54:43] 100
[01:54:44] >> 100 in that of that 200 100 is gravel.
[01:54:47] >> I'm very careful when I even though I am
[01:54:49] anticipating more I don't want to I I
[01:54:52] try to keep the number very
[01:54:54] conservative.
[01:54:54] >> Okay.
[01:54:57] >> One thing about the gravel you know we
[01:54:59] mentioned at the select board meeting as
[01:55:01] far as using like drone technology to
[01:55:04] scan the area
[01:55:06] and figure out what the actual gravel is
[01:55:08] going to be taken out.
[01:55:10] So, I actually met with Marty and Harry
[01:55:12] about this the other day and they're
[01:55:13] they're working on getting an actual
[01:55:16] >> right now. We're estimating 102 square.
[01:55:22] >> Yes. So, um but they're working on
[01:55:24] getting a more accurate number.
[01:55:25] >> Take what you can get when we get it.
[01:55:27] >> Okay. So if you want information on the
[01:55:30] drone,
[01:55:31] >> I'll take anything
[01:55:31] >> because John Sam brought it up in a
[01:55:33] planning board where this they can
[01:55:36] literally go over an area, scan it in
[01:55:38] the very beginning.
[01:55:39] >> 200,000.
[01:55:40] >> You got it.
[01:55:41] >> Take out the gravel or you take out
[01:55:42] whatever fill. They fly it over again.
[01:55:45] It calculates it. It's all math and they
[01:55:47] know the exact amount.
[01:55:50] >> Yeah. I'll send me anything else. Yeah.
[01:55:53] Um, another thing that was positive this
[01:55:55] year is at the last select board
[01:55:56] meeting, the select board voted to raise
[01:55:57] some of the building um the building
[01:56:00] inspector permitting fees. I that's not
[01:56:02] really reflective in here. Again, I just
[01:56:04] tried to be really conservative um with
[01:56:06] these numbers.
[01:56:08] >> All right. So, we've got some one-time
[01:56:10] payments coming in.
[01:56:11] >> Yeah.
[01:56:12] >> Uh those onetime payments cannot go to
[01:56:14] fund the budget.
[01:56:16] >> So, they go into miscellaneous
[01:56:17] non-reoccurring. I I have to put
[01:56:19] something in there. How much was in
[01:56:20] miscellaneous non-reoccurring last year?
[01:56:23] >> 50 + 18
[01:56:25] >> looks like 18.
[01:56:25] >> Nope. 50 plus 18.
[01:56:27] >> Oh, 50 plus.
[01:56:28] >> Yeah.
[01:56:28] >> So, 68,000,
[01:56:29] >> right?
[01:56:30] >> Okay.
[01:56:32] >> So, we, you know,
[01:56:33] >> so we put that in
[01:56:36] very unusual, very unusual,
[01:56:38] non-reoccurring.
[01:56:40] However, um in thinking beyond FY27,
[01:56:44] thinking about FY28, um and beyond FY28,
[01:56:48] we're going to be negotiating a pilot
[01:56:50] with Kier Sarge. So, every year there's
[01:56:52] going to be something is that's going to
[01:56:54] be there's no every year.
[01:56:56] >> No, no, you're right.
[01:56:57] >> At the select board meeting the other
[01:56:58] night, Harry Harry Cford mentioned that
[01:57:02] National Bridge isn't going to have be
[01:57:04] done with the work for four or five
[01:57:06] years. So the pilot doesn't kick in
[01:57:10] until after the solar goes in. So you're
[01:57:12] looking at five or six years before the
[01:57:14] other pilot.
[01:57:16] >> I don't think it's I don't think it's
[01:57:17] going to be quite quite quite that long.
[01:57:19] Um again, you know,
[01:57:21] >> I hope it's not, but that's what he's he
[01:57:23] he said in the meeting.
[01:57:24] >> Yeah, I'm a little concerned about the
[01:57:26] windfall of of the solar and and the
[01:57:29] gravel, which is obviously conservative,
[01:57:31] but what happens to the money when we do
[01:57:34] that? I mean every year
[01:57:36] >> we we had a windfall of ARPA at one
[01:57:38] time. You guys remember how that worked
[01:57:40] out?
[01:57:40] >> Yeah. But the whole thing is that
[01:57:41] 100,000 we're getting from the solar.
[01:57:43] You can't you can't fund a budget with
[01:57:45] it.
[01:57:45] >> No.
[01:57:46] >> So we have to say we got to put it off
[01:57:49] to the side whether it's capital
[01:57:51] stabilization.
[01:57:52] >> Yeah. So
[01:57:53] >> that's an opinion. It doesn't have to
[01:57:55] that's just so I just want to be clear
[01:57:57] that's not it doesn't h it has to go
[01:57:59] into it can go it has to go into
[01:58:00] drawable receipts. cannot go into fund a
[01:58:03] budget a one one time recurring in
[01:58:05] charge. We cannot fund budgets because
[01:58:07] the next year that $100,000 is not
[01:58:09] there.
[01:58:10] >> That's how I feel about funding budgets
[01:58:11] with free cash, which I'm glad we don't
[01:58:13] do. Um but every year we have something
[01:58:15] miscellaneous on reoccurring like I mean
[01:58:17] it's not as much money.
[01:58:18] >> But last year was 58,000. This year it's
[01:58:20] 200,000. So the question becomes would
[01:58:23] is that is that by itself a dangerous
[01:58:27] precedent towards that
[01:58:31] >> and in 2024 we had $27,000.
[01:58:34] >> Exactly. Applying to the fire truck and
[01:58:37] solve our issues
[01:58:39] >> like hiring a full-time employee on a
[01:58:42] grant truck.
[01:58:43] >> Right. You can't the gravel and pay off
[01:58:45] the fire.
[01:58:46] >> You can't have one time
[01:58:50] doesn't bring in a lot of revenue. We do
[01:58:54] >> we ought to be looking back at our data.
[01:58:56] We do do that.
[01:58:57] >> Since I've been on the finance
[01:58:58] committee, we've not done that.
[01:59:00] >> That's interesting because I can show
[01:59:01] you. I don't have I don't have it. I can
[01:59:04] show you too.
[01:59:05] >> I can show you too. and speaking with
[01:59:06] the former chair and how she and she was
[01:59:08] involved in the budget.
[01:59:09] >> You can see where you depending on how
[01:59:11] you look at at the income side, you're
[01:59:14] you're either 26 in the whole
[01:59:16] >> or 220 226.
[01:59:20] >> So which is it
[01:59:23] >> because your size is a onetime fee one
[01:59:26] time fee? No, no, we'll get money from
[01:59:27] them yearly, but it's not it's not like
[01:59:30] added to it's like we're getting up
[01:59:32] front. It's $100,000
[01:59:34] from Pier.
[01:59:35] >> Yeah,
[01:59:36] >> that's 100,000 developmental rights.
[01:59:38] >> Next year it'll be how much?
[01:59:41] >> Nothing.
[01:59:41] >> Have to take a look after they don't put
[01:59:44] in any solar.
[01:59:45] >> I'm just asking the question
[01:59:46] rhetorically so we get an answer. It's
[01:59:48] that's So what what happens each year
[01:59:51] after that?
[01:59:53] >> So
[01:59:53] >> what's the revenue stream? I'll have to
[01:59:56] look more closely at the cure solar
[01:59:59] entire lease that the board signed um
[02:00:01] because I was only worried about FY27,
[02:00:03] but there is um financing in in that
[02:00:07] lease that talks about the subsequent
[02:00:09] years. I don't know if the board you
[02:00:11] guys remember the subsequent years and
[02:00:13] the
[02:00:13] >> Yeah, it's zero until the actual power
[02:00:16] goes on and the solar goes in and they
[02:00:18] turn it on. the 100 grand was just
[02:00:21] enough to, you know, tie up that land to
[02:00:24] hold it for 18 months. They said roughly
[02:00:26] 18 20 months. Now they're saying five
[02:00:28] years.
[02:00:29] >> Definitely. It's not nonreoccurring.
[02:00:32] It's nonreoccurring. Let just that
[02:00:34] 200,000 is is a windfall
[02:00:38] and a conservative estimate, no less.
[02:00:40] >> So, we got to be real careful because
[02:00:43] next year when we're all sitting around
[02:00:44] this table or most of us.
[02:00:46] >> So, here's a question. And is that
[02:00:48] 200,000 offsetting this budget? So if we
[02:00:50] do that 200,000
[02:00:52] >> So the 200,000 that's
[02:00:55] >> out of whack then.
[02:00:56] >> Yeah,
[02:00:56] >> that's the non-reoccurring line that you
[02:00:58] I mean the estimated local line of 1.294
[02:01:02] and that's how the 1.294 comes out.
[02:01:05] >> That's my point about understanding that
[02:01:08] if we look at expenses but forget about
[02:01:10] the revenue side, we can get caught with
[02:01:12] a
[02:01:12] >> Well, we talked about this in the very
[02:01:14] beginning of the budget. This solar
[02:01:16] money cannot be used for revenue.
[02:01:20] >> Period. It can't cuz it's a one time
[02:01:22] thing on your budget. Next year you're
[02:01:24] 100 grand.
[02:01:26] >> So what's a what's a conservative?
[02:01:28] >> What's a conservative nonreoccurring? So
[02:01:31] it's up for 27
[02:01:32] >> income
[02:01:33] >> that everybody feels comfortable
[02:01:35] >> because it was 58,000 last year and we
[02:01:37] actually
[02:01:39] >> if I get that right.
[02:01:40] >> Yeah. It was 18,000
[02:01:43] 68 68,000 and we did better and we
[02:01:46] actually did better
[02:01:47] >> but it wasn't 200,000.
[02:01:50] >> No,
[02:01:52] >> where did that 68,000 go last year?
[02:01:55] >> That went into that went into the we
[02:01:57] offset the budget.
[02:01:58] >> Question on the gravel. Harry Harry
[02:02:01] mentioned that it was going to be he
[02:02:03] mentioned this in the planning board the
[02:02:04] other night. I wasn't there. it was that
[02:02:08] the gravel could turn out to be like
[02:02:10] $300,000
[02:02:11] surplus. You throw out numbers like that
[02:02:14] >> and I did not account for that.
[02:02:15] >> Okay. So, my question is this. If if
[02:02:18] they take that gravel this year and we
[02:02:21] get that 300,000, that's 300,000 of
[02:02:23] revenue that the town sees.
[02:02:26] >> Mhm.
[02:02:26] >> Yes.
[02:02:27] >> But it it is it but it's not like
[02:02:30] reoccurring. Like once it's gone, it's
[02:02:32] gone. You take that 300,000, you put in
[02:02:34] a stabilization account or you put in a
[02:02:36] capital account and you go and you fix a
[02:02:38] bunch of the capital.
[02:02:40] >> You don't you don't put it in a checking
[02:02:42] account and spend it.
[02:02:47] >> That's what I'm saying.
[02:02:48] >> So the question is how's the gravel
[02:02:50] being sold? Is it being sold in one lump
[02:02:52] sum?
[02:02:53] >> It is.
[02:02:54] >> It has been
[02:02:56] taking 40%. We're selling 60%.
[02:02:59] >> Yeah.
[02:03:00] >> That's the deal.
[02:03:01] >> Annual rents. Yeah, annual
[02:03:04] >> once it's commercially viable.
[02:03:05] >> That 60% coming in, they're paying for
[02:03:08] it and that's it. It's there
[02:03:15] on every
[02:03:23] >> that's why I gave that whole talk about
[02:03:27] the revenue side. You got to treat that
[02:03:29] as importantly as you do once.
[02:03:39] >> But but you could put it towards
[02:03:42] >> something like the principle of the fire
[02:03:44] truck.
[02:03:45] >> Well, that's what
[02:03:46] >> that's another but that's you could put
[02:03:49] your capital and then you could pay down
[02:03:52] pay down your capital purchases
[02:03:56] and your debt. Mhm.
[02:03:58] >> One way you might do that,
[02:04:00] >> but if it goes in that pot into the
[02:04:02] side,
[02:04:02] >> but then it's it's better than it's
[02:04:06] locked up once you put it. There's a
[02:04:08] there's a little bit of
[02:04:11] discussion among responsible parties
[02:04:15] before you before you spend that money.
[02:04:17] If you put in stabilization ins
[02:04:24] treasury then you know who knows where
[02:04:26] it goes in right
[02:04:28] >> it's not a charge card
[02:04:31] >> it's it's I always say it's a
[02:04:35] >> what do we do
[02:04:37] >> that
[02:04:38] >> I would I would put that to fund
[02:04:40] articles
[02:04:41] andor stabilization or or capital
[02:04:44] stabilization
[02:04:45] >> okay
[02:04:46] >> so You can't with it. This is just an
[02:04:48] estimate. So this this is a conversation
[02:04:51] for a year from now. This is again this
[02:04:53] is just
[02:04:54] >> So take that out, make it zero.
[02:04:56] >> No, make it make something reasonable.
[02:04:58] >> Hold on.
[02:04:58] >> Yeah,
[02:04:59] >> you make it zero and then it falls into
[02:05:01] free cash and then the free cash then we
[02:05:03] can use the uh we can fund
[02:05:05] stabilization.
[02:05:07] We can fund articles as needed. Right.
[02:05:11] >> So if if that's built into the budget
[02:05:14] and
[02:05:16] it's not spent, it falls to free cash.
[02:05:19] >> Wait, you're you're already spent.
[02:05:21] You're already in a negative situation.
[02:05:23] >> How so?
[02:05:24] >> Well, by looking for
[02:05:27] >> the bottom line here, you're you're
[02:05:29] spending more than you're taking in.
[02:05:31] >> You have negative 26,000
[02:05:33] >> with $200,000 of non-recurring. So, if
[02:05:35] we let's say we said, "Okay, we're going
[02:05:38] to we're going to we come up with enough
[02:05:41] cuts to make this zero." Next year,
[02:05:44] we're automatically $200,000.
[02:05:46] >> Right. Exactly.
[02:05:48] >> So, we're at $200,000,
[02:05:50] >> we're really going to be in a problem
[02:05:51] next year.
[02:05:53] >> Well,
[02:05:53] >> if if we keep this money the way it is
[02:05:56] right now,
[02:05:56] >> correct,
[02:05:57] >> to fund the budget,
[02:05:58] >> right?
[02:05:58] >> I mean, I can argue that 68 board sold
[02:06:02] no buildings.
[02:06:03] >> Well, I'd say you could make a
[02:06:05] non-recurring happens every year. So,
[02:06:07] make it 50,000,
[02:06:09] >> okay?
[02:06:09] >> Something like that.
[02:06:10] >> You what you want to do is you want to
[02:06:12] you want to do a conservative estimate
[02:06:13] on your local receipts, whatever that
[02:06:15] is. And if you go back and look at the
[02:06:17] last five years of trending, we're about
[02:06:20] a million million one in local receipts.
[02:06:23] We know what the categories are. We're
[02:06:25] the same categories every year. It's the
[02:06:27] norm occurring that's jumping out. So
[02:06:30] you you do that and then whatever
[02:06:32] funding we get, whatever cash we get in
[02:06:35] that falls to free cash and now we've
[02:06:37] got something to utilize to work
[02:06:39] towards.
[02:06:39] >> So that means you have to cut the
[02:06:40] operating budget.
[02:06:41] >> Hold on. Hold on. So exactly.
[02:06:42] >> So what you're but what you you're
[02:06:44] suggesting though then is to be more
[02:06:46] more aggressive on the upper the other.
[02:06:49] No. Why not? You said we're running low.
[02:06:52] I mean we're running we do better than
[02:06:54] what we forecast.
[02:06:55] >> I didn't say that. I said we we we're
[02:06:58] trending. We do a million million one.
[02:06:59] Look at what the trend is.
[02:07:01] >> Well, if we do a million million one,
[02:07:03] we're at a million, let's call it three,
[02:07:06] >> we're $200,000 over.
[02:07:08] >> So, the question is, are any of these
[02:07:11] underestimated?
[02:07:12] >> Yes. Building in building inspector
[02:07:14] permits and I I mean, I did a lot of
[02:07:16] that. I did a lot of conservative guess
[02:07:18] or I don't want to call them guess
[02:07:19] estimating.
[02:07:20] >> But if we if if we take the $200,000 up,
[02:07:24] would that change your conservative
[02:07:25] estimate? It
[02:07:26] >> doesn't ma I mean, it matters. I don't
[02:07:27] want to say that it matters where I put
[02:07:30] the money, but it doesn't matter as long
[02:07:32] as this number
[02:07:33] >> I I I understand how that that's why I
[02:07:36] keep saying, you know, you can talk
[02:07:37] about and argue about expenses, but if
[02:07:40] you don't understand the the revenue
[02:07:42] side, you can get caught real short,
[02:07:44] >> right? So, I think to be to be the the
[02:07:47] proper way to do this would be to
[02:07:49] estimate what our recurring receipts are
[02:07:51] on an annual basis
[02:07:52] >> and that's what we put into over
[02:07:54] receipts.
[02:07:54] >> Okay? Anything that we're going to come
[02:07:56] in in onetime charges, you put down
[02:07:58] below.
[02:08:00] Uh we don't we don't put that in the
[02:08:02] revenue in the revenue source because
[02:08:03] that's going to fund the budgets
[02:08:06] and then let that come in as free cash
[02:08:09] in
[02:08:10] in in that year.
[02:08:12] >> But if you under your operating budget,
[02:08:14] you're not going to have any free cash
[02:08:17] cuz you're going to go over and then the
[02:08:19] select word is going to have to do
[02:08:20] you're in transfers and it's just
[02:08:21] there's going to be no free cash. Well,
[02:08:23] we've got to get a handle with the
[02:08:24] spending and that's that's the part that
[02:08:26] I think
[02:08:27] >> so essentially we're 26,000 in the
[02:08:30] negative or we're 22 226,000
[02:08:34] exactly
[02:08:34] >> that's that's the way should be looked
[02:08:36] at
[02:08:37] >> or somewhere in between there if you
[02:08:39] want to throw something in for
[02:08:40] reoccurring
[02:08:41] >> and like I said investment income
[02:08:43] >> very very very conservative I'm
[02:08:45] confident that number is even going to
[02:08:47] be double next year so it doesn't it
[02:08:50] where these numbers lie I mean And the
[02:08:52] other sections of the revenue are very
[02:08:57] conservative.
[02:08:58] >> Question on the pilot. Have we changed
[02:09:01] the what we're taking in pilots?
[02:09:02] >> No.
[02:09:03] >> Three years in a row is exactly
[02:09:05] >> take another stab at what you think what
[02:09:08] you think realistically
[02:09:10] you're going to come in at. And then
[02:09:13] >> realistically what I'm going to come in
[02:09:14] at is going to be more than what I put
[02:09:15] here.
[02:09:16] >> Take out the onetime charges.
[02:09:19] So that's a $200,000 line. Yeah.
[02:09:22] >> Right.
[02:09:23] >> Take the nonrecurring.
[02:09:24] >> Yeah.
[02:09:24] >> Fix the other ones. See what you're
[02:09:26] coming out with. Then you can see where
[02:09:29] and then make a note a footnote.
[02:09:32] >> I need to put something into
[02:09:33] miscellaneous nonreoccurring.
[02:09:34] >> When did you have
[02:09:35] >> They're going to ask me. They're going
[02:09:36] to be like, "Why did you put
[02:09:40] 68
[02:09:41] >> 68 again?"
[02:09:43] >> 68,000.
[02:09:44] >> How much did you You said you had You
[02:09:45] had anticipated selling the buildings.
[02:09:48] Yep.
[02:09:48] >> And how much did you and that was built
[02:09:51] into the budget last year. How much was
[02:09:53] that?
[02:09:54] >> I again very conservative. I estimated
[02:09:56] 30,000 to sell all three properties.
[02:09:58] >> Okay.
[02:10:00] >> Yeah. You remember that?
[02:10:01] >> It was Yeah, it was nothing,
[02:10:02] >> right? That that Yeah, but it came in
[02:10:06] non-reoccurring came in.
[02:10:08] >> But I also I'm sorry. I also So, not
[02:10:11] only the three properties, you also
[02:10:12] probably heard me say this. I also the
[02:10:14] mass DOT rent went into that too. the um
[02:10:18] charging the sewer enterprise fund for
[02:10:20] the work that the town does that also
[02:10:22] went into that. So that's that's what
[02:10:23] went into the 68.
[02:10:25] >> So we can do that.
[02:10:26] >> We can do around 68 this year or even
[02:10:29] round up say just say 70,000.
[02:10:31] >> Yeah, that that's a that's a responsible
[02:10:34] number to put in there thinking
[02:10:37] >> we sell the white building this year. We
[02:10:39] sell the rebel school or whatever,
[02:10:41] right? I mean, we're not going to get,
[02:10:42] >> but let's not let's not let's not look
[02:10:44] at the at the solar and the and the
[02:10:47] gravel as being our savior on our
[02:10:49] budget. It shouldn't be.
[02:10:51] >> And the buildings have to go to against
[02:10:53] debt.
[02:10:54] >> Yeah. But another thing I just I I'm not
[02:10:57] to bring up
[02:11:00] until recently we the town was not doing
[02:11:02] a great job with tax title and
[02:11:04] auctioning off the properties and
[02:11:06] everything. And that's something again
[02:11:07] that we're turning around. So in FY27,
[02:11:09] we're going to see an increase in
[02:11:11] actually
[02:11:13] tax title and actually selling property
[02:11:18] goes
[02:11:19] away. Find out
[02:11:21] >> that's how you pay for fire trucks.
[02:11:23] That's how you pay for Marty's truck
[02:11:25] that he needs. You know,
[02:11:26] >> that's how you pay for equipment. It's
[02:11:27] how you fix roofs.
[02:11:29] >> If you don't do that and you fund it for
[02:11:32] budgets, it's going to be
[02:11:34] >> hand to mouth,
[02:11:34] >> right?
[02:11:35] >> Yeah.
[02:11:36] You just you just kick you're giving it
[02:11:38] to another board
[02:11:40] >> next year to worry about it,
[02:11:42] >> right?
[02:11:44] >> Yeah.
[02:11:46] >> There's your gift.
[02:11:48] >> Yeah.
[02:11:48] >> With a nice hole in the bottom.
[02:11:49] >> Happy 2027.
[02:11:52] >> So, if you put in the 70, we'll probably
[02:11:55] technically be
[02:11:56] >> 13. Oh, yeah. About
[02:11:59] >> 157,000.
[02:12:01] >> Shy.
[02:12:02] >> So, yeah. But we're we're doing okay.
[02:12:06] This was this was a couple of things.
[02:12:07] This was a couple of things. Just if you
[02:12:09] reach out to Harry and and and the the
[02:12:11] solar company and find out what is the
[02:12:14] actual number from national grid. Is it
[02:12:16] four years? Is it 5 years?
[02:12:19] Because they're going to do the
[02:12:20] substation upgrades and that's what's
[02:12:22] holding this project up.
[02:12:24] >> I can give us a better idea when we
[02:12:27] start revenue again.
[02:12:30] >> Well, then it becomes recurring. That's
[02:12:32] right. When it's avoiding
[02:12:36] dependency actually,
[02:12:40] >> I don't think they'll have an actual I
[02:12:41] think they'll have like a guess.
[02:12:42] >> Well, no, they'll have an educated
[02:12:44] guess.
[02:12:45] >> Is it two years? Is it three years? But
[02:12:47] Harry said it was like four years.
[02:12:51] >> Well, we got a thousand get 100,000 next
[02:12:54] year and that's it.
[02:12:55] >> The first shot till it's energy starts
[02:12:58] flowing
[02:12:59] >> and and the cannabis facilities. Forget
[02:13:02] about making making any money out of
[02:13:05] that.
[02:13:05] >> We just changed the rules again at the
[02:13:06] state level.
[02:13:07] >> Yeah, I know. I know.
[02:13:10] >> So, we don't get anything from that yet.
[02:13:12] >> Nope. Nothing from that. Nothing from
[02:13:14] the solar
[02:13:15] >> even though they're planning on opening
[02:13:18] it in 4 months.
[02:13:21] >> That's what the guy told me on Monday.
[02:13:26] And
[02:13:26] >> I didn't laugh at all these.
[02:13:29] You're keeping a straight face right
[02:13:31] now.
[02:13:33] >> All right. So, just to wrap this thing
[02:13:35] up,
[02:13:36] >> come in back there.
[02:13:37] >> Yeah. Um,
[02:13:38] >> so this is the budget side of the
[02:13:40] information. How are we going to fund
[02:13:43] what we have?
[02:13:45] >> Um, I did a draft of the warrant. I can
[02:13:47] send out the draft, the slept, taking it
[02:13:49] up Monday night.
[02:13:51] >> This obviously the stabilization,
[02:13:52] capital stabilization, yours, uh,
[02:13:54] finance committee. You have to talk
[02:13:56] about this at capital, but I think with
[02:13:58] the feasibility study on there.
[02:14:00] >> Yeah, we're gonna we're going to take
[02:14:01] that up on um Monday.
[02:14:03] >> Yeah.
[02:14:05] >> Did you get did you get the um
[02:14:08] the bid on
[02:14:09] >> I haven't had a response or I don't know
[02:14:11] since I
[02:14:12] >> Yeah. Okay. How much is snow ice?
[02:14:16] >> 221.
[02:14:17] >> All right. So, how are we going to fund
[02:14:18] that?
[02:14:19] >> So, again, this is not guaranteed, but I
[02:14:21] think it's worth mentioning that the
[02:14:22] Senate um put forward it. They didn't
[02:14:25] call it snow and ice. They called it a
[02:14:26] winter recovery bill where they're
[02:14:27] taking a look at what every town is
[02:14:29] overspent in snow and ice.
[02:14:31] >> Isn't that your percentage?
[02:14:33] >> So, it's what every town and I looked at
[02:14:35] all of Peter Durant's um district and
[02:14:37] see where we felt. We were actually
[02:14:38] right in the middle of overspending for
[02:14:40] snow and ice. I don't know how that
[02:14:41] makes you feel, but um I think it's
[02:14:44] going to be debated next week at the
[02:14:45] house. We'll have some more information.
[02:14:46] So, if we can get it covered this year
[02:14:48] by the legislature, I'm not saying it's
[02:14:49] a definite, but I'm saying they are
[02:14:51] taking that up.
[02:14:52] >> That's fantastic. Okay. Great. That's
[02:14:54] fantastic news if that happens.
[02:14:55] >> Yeah.
[02:14:57] >> What other articles do we have?
[02:15:00] >> Um
[02:15:01] >> really it's funny. Let's just
[02:15:02] >> I just moneywise.
[02:15:04] >> Yeah.
[02:15:05] >> I just I kind of I gave I just mentioned
[02:15:07] the money ones. I mean obviously the
[02:15:08] budget but then there's just some um
[02:15:10] adopting certain
[02:15:17] bills.
[02:15:18] >> Okay. So there'll be some sort of
[02:15:20] reserve fund transfer maybe. They will
[02:15:23] be um obviously Paula Paula wants to
[02:15:27] raise her revolving fund and I think um
[02:15:30] planning more but the money once it's
[02:15:32] just stabilization capital stabilization
[02:15:34] you're revolving and then we have almost
[02:15:37] $15,000 left over and some old articles.
[02:15:40] So I want I have an article on there to
[02:15:42] transfer that back.
[02:15:44] >> Okay.
[02:15:46] >> Okay. So there's not a lot that we need
[02:15:48] to find.
[02:15:48] >> Right. Right.
[02:15:49] >> Okay.
[02:15:51] >> Yeah. We can get there.
[02:15:53] >> We have $71,000 in
[02:15:55] >> free cash executive session.
[02:15:57] >> Yeah, I know. Okay. So,
[02:16:01] >> okay.
[02:16:05] >> So, you're going to do another turn of
[02:16:07] this to to us?
[02:16:08] >> Yeah.
[02:16:09] >> See what this looks like.
[02:16:12] >> Okay. So, what what what's the goal
[02:16:14] here? What
[02:16:16] >> what are we going to be looking at next
[02:16:19] time? Can I bring up one thing quick if
[02:16:21] that's okay?
[02:16:23] Is it true? Go
[02:16:24] >> ahead. Um, so I know some of you know
[02:16:28] this, but we put out an RFP for IT
[02:16:29] services and the bids are due tomorrow
[02:16:31] at 10:00. So far, we've had three um
[02:16:34] people drop off um proposals. So, we're
[02:16:36] opening those tomorrow just to see if
[02:16:38] we're getting a good bang for our buck
[02:16:39] and see what else is out there. So, um
[02:16:41] those are due tomorrow. So, I'll have
[02:16:43] more information next week.
[02:16:44] >> Okay.
[02:16:47] So, uh, when do we meet again and when
[02:16:49] do we have to have some common ground
[02:16:52] and when can we expect to have enough
[02:16:54] information to feel comfortable that the
[02:16:56] numbers we got are
[02:17:00] something we can bring to the town and
[02:17:01] say,
[02:17:03] >> what are we looking for at this point?
[02:17:06] >> Well, take some of these conservative
[02:17:08] figures on the revenue side and
[02:17:12] >> well, that's the next thing. We got to
[02:17:13] really take a look at the revenue.
[02:17:15] >> Uh take out the 200,000. Put some
[02:17:18] nonrecurring amount that that's that you
[02:17:20] feel comfortable with. You look at all
[02:17:22] the other numbers and make sure that you
[02:17:24] feel comfortable or that they're that
[02:17:26] they could be improved because that
[02:17:28] every time you add a dollar here, it
[02:17:31] >> takes
[02:17:31] >> it's one less dollar you have to take
[02:17:33] out of the out of the expense side.
[02:17:36] >> Yeah. But my point is
[02:17:39] we we should have something that what's
[02:17:43] what's going to be the difference? We're
[02:17:45] going to have more conserv uh less
[02:17:46] conservative figures on the revenue
[02:17:49] chop. Again,
[02:17:49] >> we got all these little
[02:17:52] >> notes,
[02:17:53] >> right?
[02:17:53] >> So, we just don't want to have somebody
[02:17:55] walk in as the gavl says the meeting
[02:17:58] comes to order and we get our our
[02:18:01] budget. Can't do that again.
[02:18:03] >> That's the way it always has been.
[02:18:04] >> Yeah. But we can't do that. We can't do
[02:18:07] that.
[02:18:08] >> Yeah.
[02:18:09] >> We got to go in feeling like we all work
[02:18:11] together like we did today. Yep.
[02:18:13] >> And come up with something that that we
[02:18:15] can say
[02:18:17] >> we we agree agreement.
[02:18:19] >> Over the years it's doing what we're
[02:18:21] doing now this year.
[02:18:23] >> This is new.
[02:18:24] >> Yeah.
[02:18:25] >> I mean these meetings together
[02:18:29] last year was
[02:18:30] >> put it bluntly.
[02:18:31] >> Yeah.
[02:18:32] I think that was about as fair as you
[02:18:34] can for something that's being
[02:18:36] >> for someone who's new to the whole
[02:18:38] process.
[02:18:39] >> Oh my
[02:18:39] >> I was sitting there I turned to Eric
[02:18:42] always go like this
[02:18:45] remarkably
[02:18:46] >> I don't want to talk about last year
[02:18:48] right now
[02:18:49] >> once we make a vote.
[02:18:51] >> So when these two board when our two
[02:18:52] boards vote that budget it doesn't
[02:18:54] change.
[02:18:55] >> Right.
[02:18:56] >> No surprises.
[02:18:57] >> That's it. We each get a copy. This is
[02:19:00] what's going
[02:19:01] >> right. Exactly.
[02:19:02] >> And and we go in and if it's if if we go
[02:19:04] in and it's changed,
[02:19:07] >> you know,
[02:19:08] >> then we end up with a mess again.
[02:19:09] >> Well, we we just walk out and make just
[02:19:12] let the town decide whether they they
[02:19:14] don't want our opinion, obviously. So
[02:19:16] for us to do it,
[02:19:18] >> y it's all in half.
[02:19:22] >> You know,
[02:19:23] >> no, it's this this was very productive.
[02:19:28] >> Everything we did led up to this point,
[02:19:29] which is which is very beneficial for
[02:19:32] the town.
[02:19:33] >> When do you want to be in the next
[02:19:34] meeting?
[02:19:36] >> When can you have this turn around and
[02:19:38] additional cuts on this?
[02:19:40] >> Not tomorrow.
[02:19:43] >> Well, I won't.
[02:19:46] The
[02:19:46] >> 29th,
[02:19:47] >> is that
[02:19:48] >> I have a commitment that night.
[02:19:51] >> Yeah, I can't do the 29th either.
[02:19:52] >> All right. 28th.
[02:19:54] >> Uh,
[02:19:56] >> no.
[02:19:58] First week of May.
[02:20:01] I'll take a break and
[02:20:02] >> No. How about May 1st?
[02:20:05] >> Friday, May 1st.
[02:20:06] >> Friday, May 1st. I could I would be
[02:20:08] late, but
[02:20:10] >> be
[02:20:10] >> I can do the 30th.
[02:20:12] >> 30th.
[02:20:14] >> Thursday.
[02:20:15] >> Yeah, I can do the 30th. I can't do
[02:20:16] 31st.
[02:20:17] >> I can do the 30th.
[02:20:20] >> Okay.
[02:20:21] >> Oh, yeah. That'll be kind of like your
[02:20:22] last one after.
[02:20:24] >> No,
[02:20:24] >> I thought I was going to skate after
[02:20:26] next Monday, but now it's coming. I'll
[02:20:29] come in on Thursday.
[02:20:30] >> What about Friday?
[02:20:31] >> No, I can't
[02:20:31] >> Friday I'll have 50 people camping.
[02:20:34] >> Justine can't do it on Friday.
[02:20:36] >> I can't do it.
[02:20:37] >> I would have to do it uh like uh 6:30ish
[02:20:41] at least because I have an appointment
[02:20:43] tomorrow.
[02:20:44] >> What day?
[02:20:45] >> You can do Thursday.
[02:20:46] >> I can do Thursday.
[02:20:47] >> I can do Thursday. Everybody
[02:20:50] >> Thursday, April 30th.
[02:20:51] >> Yeah.
[02:20:51] >> Yeah. 6.
[02:20:54] >> Okay.
[02:20:54] >> It's about Pergus. It's a high holy day.
[02:20:58] It's like Halloween. It's the other
[02:21:00] joint of the year.
[02:21:02] >> Be very afraid.
[02:21:05] >> You do realize you're on camera, Eric.
[02:21:08] >> That's okay.
[02:21:08] >> Hold on.
[02:21:12] >> So 30th.
[02:21:13] >> What time?
[02:21:15] >> 6.
[02:21:15] >> Okay.
[02:21:16] >> Stick to it at 6.
[02:21:18] >> I hate six, but I'll do it.
[02:21:20] >> No.
[02:21:20] >> I make that sac sacrifice.
[02:21:24] Now, as far as the meeting minutes go,
[02:21:27] >> when are we going to handle that?
[02:21:29] >> 5:30 on Monday.
[02:21:30] >> 5:30.
[02:21:31] >> Yeah.
[02:21:31] >> 5:30.
[02:21:32] >> We'll post 5:30 on Monday. We're going
[02:21:34] to come in and handle all the minutes
[02:21:36] instead of doing them now.
[02:21:39] >> Okay.
[02:21:40] >> So,
[02:21:40] >> so instead of 6:30, you want to be at
[02:21:42] 5:30?
[02:21:42] >> Yeah. We're going to come in an hour
[02:21:43] early. Can you post that? Of course, I
[02:21:46] can.
[02:21:46] >> Okay.
[02:21:48] Okay. But any
[02:21:51] have all the meetings minutes?
[02:21:54] >> We'll see. Hopefully,
[02:21:56] >> at least the ones that you have to be
[02:21:58] here for,
[02:21:59] >> right?
[02:22:00] >> So, we're not doing any of the ones
[02:22:01] tonight.
[02:22:04] >> No, I don't want. It's like a doomman
[02:22:08] for the giver. Come on.
[02:22:11] >> No.
[02:22:12] >> What time are you What time are you
[02:22:14] getting up in the morning?
[02:22:16] >> I get 4:30. I do get a motion to
[02:22:19] adjurnn. I'll second
[02:22:22] >> a motion to adjurnn. Okay. Do we have a
[02:22:23] second?
[02:22:24] >> Second. Second. All in
[02:22:25] >> favor.
[02:22:27] Excellent.
[02:22:28] >> Thank you very much.
[02:22:29] >> Thank you.
[02:22:30] >> Thank you. Thank