Key Municipal Initiatives, Infrastructure Updates, and Administrative Oversight

[00:00:00] All right, we have a
[00:00:03] start with a guest presentation.
[00:00:06] Superintendent Colleen Musha is here and
[00:00:10] I'd like to give her the floor.
[00:00:12] >> Thanks. Um, so our regional agreement um
[00:00:17] was 20 years old. So, we formed a little
[00:00:20] task force to review the regional
[00:00:22] agreement and make any you can just pass
[00:00:25] those down updates or changes to the
[00:00:28] regional agreement. So, Mr. Tinker was
[00:00:31] your representative from Harvick along
[00:00:33] with Crystal Kelly who's our school
[00:00:35] committee member. And this handout just
[00:00:38] has any of the changes uh that were made
[00:00:41] in the regional agreement. So
[00:00:45] >> the uh first change was we had to
[00:00:47] expand. Do you not have this?
[00:00:50] >> I I'm sure
[00:00:51] >> bring them up to you.
[00:00:53] >> All right.
[00:00:53] >> Um the first change was we had to expand
[00:00:56] our organization to include preschool
[00:00:59] because 20 years ago we didn't uh have
[00:01:02] preschool in the Quad district. And now
[00:01:05] I'm pleased to say that we have a
[00:01:07] preschool in every one of our buildings
[00:01:09] and one full day prek over in New
[00:01:12] Brainree. And also it includes our
[00:01:15] postgraduates which are students that
[00:01:17] are 18 years to 22 with disabilities. Um
[00:01:20] and they have really what is considered
[00:01:23] a transitional program to help students
[00:01:25] with disabilities [clears throat] learn
[00:01:27] life skills and have job experiences
[00:01:30] outside the school. So a lot of their
[00:01:32] time is actually spent in the
[00:01:33] communities working so they can make
[00:01:35] that transition to adulthood. So that
[00:01:38] was our first change. The other change
[00:01:40] was required by the department of
[00:01:42] elementary and secondary education and
[00:01:45] uh as you read in the papers if you sort
[00:01:47] of stay up on schools
[00:01:49] um sometimes municipalities want to
[00:01:53] maybe pull out of an a regional
[00:01:55] agreement. So there is language now
[00:01:58] required by DESIE that a community
[00:02:01] cannot just pull out of a regional
[00:02:03] agreement without submitting what is
[00:02:04] considered a long range plan. And that
[00:02:07] is a plan that has to be approved by
[00:02:09] Desi that says how they are going to
[00:02:11] fund and educate their students as being
[00:02:14] the sole back to a soul town.
[00:02:17] >> What's good? Desi
[00:02:18] >> Department of Elementary and Secondary
[00:02:20] Education. Sorry, a lot of acronyms. Um
[00:02:25] there's no change and I hope this uh
[00:02:28] might resonate with some of you but over
[00:02:31] the years there have been times where uh
[00:02:34] we'll take New Brinree for an example.
[00:02:36] So the town of New Branchry was uh very
[00:02:39] concerned at one point that we had moved
[00:02:42] the students to Oakam. There is language
[00:02:45] that says um all of our town schools
[00:02:47] must be occupied by at least some
[00:02:50] students from Hardwick or New Branch so
[00:02:52] on and so forth. We didn't change the
[00:02:54] language um to anything about where the
[00:02:57] students are educated uh the threshold
[00:03:00] for e emergency repairs or moving
[00:03:03] students different things like that.
[00:03:04] That all stayed the same. We had a lot
[00:03:06] of discussion about those things but we
[00:03:08] kept it the way it was. Um, what the
[00:03:11] Department of Elementary and Secondary
[00:03:12] Education did for us though is they
[00:03:14] really cleaned up our language about
[00:03:17] processes for district-owned schools
[00:03:20] versus town owned schools. So, for
[00:03:22] example, when we make a repair or we
[00:03:25] have a capital project up at the middle
[00:03:28] high school that goes out to all of the
[00:03:31] towns and the funds uh the cost is a
[00:03:34] portioned to each of the towns. when we
[00:03:37] do the elementary school that comes
[00:03:39] right to you here in Hardwick. Um, and
[00:03:43] the last thing we did was we had to
[00:03:44] adjust our weighted votes based on
[00:03:46] updates to population and each of our
[00:03:49] five five towns. Any questions on any of
[00:03:52] the changes?
[00:03:55] >> Sure.
[00:03:56] >> Is the waiting population based or um
[00:03:58] student contribution?
[00:04:00] >> Population based.
[00:04:01] >> Population based. Yep. Yep. Um
[00:04:05] and any other questions? Is the
[00:04:08] population up or down?
[00:04:10] >> Oh, um I I don't want the population of
[00:04:13] students is definitely decreasing, but I
[00:04:15] don't want to speak to the town
[00:04:17] populations because I don't
[00:04:20] >> Yes. Yeah. Yeah. No, we're definitely
[00:04:22] experiencing declining enrollment. It's
[00:04:24] a national trend, I'm sure.
[00:04:26] >> Many countries.
[00:04:27] >> Yeah. I think uh la this past year was
[00:04:29] the lowest birth rate in forever. Yeah.
[00:04:34] So it's really
[00:04:35] >> tired.
[00:04:38] >> It's expensive maybe you know right.
[00:04:41] >> Um any other questions?
[00:04:44] So the reason I wanted to go over it
[00:04:45] with you now is because our next step
[00:04:48] Desi has given initial approve approval
[00:04:51] of the regional agreement. But the next
[00:04:53] step is that we would need um this to be
[00:04:57] brought to a town meeting and I think
[00:04:58] most of the towns are going to bring it
[00:05:00] to their annual town meeting to be voted
[00:05:02] and then we still have to submit it back
[00:05:05] to Desi for final review. The
[00:05:06] commissioner actually makes the final
[00:05:08] decision. Um, and so in between that
[00:05:12] time, our current regional agreement
[00:05:14] kind of stays in place.
[00:05:18] >> Thank you.
[00:05:18] >> Any questions?
[00:05:21] >> Awesome. Thanks for having me.
[00:05:29] >> There's more time before we go on to the
[00:05:32] poll hearing. So you could keep uh
[00:05:38] >> I don't know if I have any other updates
[00:05:39] for you. Do you want me to update you on
[00:05:41] the roof
[00:05:42] >> or is that out of order?
[00:05:43] >> No, that'd be fine.
[00:05:44] >> I know your rules. Um so Justine and I
[00:05:47] have been back and forth. So as you
[00:05:48] know, you have uh you've been entered
[00:05:50] into the Massachusetts School Building
[00:05:54] Authority or MSBA for a roof upgrade for
[00:05:57] Hardwick Elementary School. So the next
[00:06:00] steps on that are we've been assigned a
[00:06:03] project coordinator who we will meet
[00:06:05] with um probably sometime in April or
[00:06:08] May. We have to and I'm not
[00:06:12] [clears throat] language right on this
[00:06:13] um
[00:06:15] we have to vote at town meeting about
[00:06:19] funding a
[00:06:21] schematic design.
[00:06:23] So we will have to make that uh for
[00:06:26] either annual town meeting or you have
[00:06:28] up until September to call a special
[00:06:30] town meeting if you want to do it then.
[00:06:33] And we will know sometime between July
[00:06:37] in September what your reimbursement
[00:06:39] rate will be. So that again is based off
[00:06:42] of the town's ability to pay.
[00:06:46] And if your project gets full approval,
[00:06:49] then you get reimbursement on that
[00:06:51] schematic design funding and things like
[00:06:54] that. Initially when we put in for it,
[00:06:57] they had promised like 72 to 85%
[00:07:01] reimbursement. I'm hearing from some
[00:07:02] other towns that were in the last
[00:07:04] goround that, you know, they ended about
[00:07:06] 58%. So we're going to want to get a
[00:07:09] closer number on that because it'll be a
[00:07:11] pretty significant cost. And I did
[00:07:13] mention earlier in our meeting that when
[00:07:16] you put that roof on, because it's
[00:07:18] funded through the Massachusetts school
[00:07:20] building um project, that we have to
[00:07:24] agree to keep that as a school for for
[00:07:26] 20 years.
[00:07:28] >> And the u uh there's a municipal
[00:07:31] vulnerabilities preparedness grant that
[00:07:34] we've put in for to put photovoltaics on
[00:07:38] that roof to power air conditioning in
[00:07:41] the building. and that grant has
[00:07:44] proceeded and is now going out to bid,
[00:07:47] but only the um permitting and uh
[00:07:51] design. So, it's still I doubt that
[00:07:54] they're going to there's going to be any
[00:07:55] conflict.
[00:07:56] >> No, as a matter of fact, um the MSBA
[00:08:01] now all of their roofs need to be what
[00:08:03] they call solar ready,
[00:08:05] >> right?
[00:08:05] >> Because they're they're encouraging
[00:08:06] that. But I'm anticipating the soonest
[00:08:10] construction would start on the Harbick
[00:08:12] Elementary School for the roof would be
[00:08:14] summer of 2027,
[00:08:16] the soonest, depending how the cycle
[00:08:19] goes. They're now only giving these
[00:08:21] grants out um every other year, but what
[00:08:24] they're doing is taking more schools
[00:08:28] uh so they have a a long line of people.
[00:08:30] They used to take maybe 75, now they're
[00:08:32] [snorts] almost doubling that. So that's
[00:08:34] why it's two-year process.
[00:08:37] Thanks. Thank [clears throat] you.
[00:08:42] >> Yes, ma'am.
[00:08:43] >> Can I ask a question about your grant
[00:08:45] for um the air conditioning for the
[00:08:47] school?
[00:08:48] >> Yeah.
[00:08:48] >> Do you happen to know if the air
[00:08:49] conditioning units that they would um
[00:08:53] allow you to put in would also have some
[00:08:54] kind of a heat pump option?
[00:08:57] >> We have to look at that. It's still down
[00:09:00] the road. But my first impulse was to
[00:09:03] have a cooling center. Um, it's for
[00:09:07] public shelter.
[00:09:08] >> Mhm.
[00:09:09] >> Uh, at need and uh this past summer it
[00:09:13] got a little warm. So, I started
[00:09:16] thinking maybe that would be a thing a
[00:09:19] way to go.
[00:09:20] >> The heat pump as long as you know Grand
[00:09:23] says it's okay.
[00:09:26] >> We do need
[00:09:27] >> most likely would be that way.
[00:09:29] >> Yeah.
[00:09:30] >> Okay.
[00:09:31] >> Excuse me, sir.
[00:09:32] >> We do need new heaters. So,
[00:09:34] >> yeah. So that's kind of why I'm asking
[00:09:36] because it's usually a similar system
[00:09:38] like the heat pump
[00:09:39] >> or can be inserted
[00:09:43] in the same either the same unit or you
[00:09:45] can sometimes get a plug-and-play
[00:09:47] system. That's my understanding. You can
[00:09:49] buy the the component to turn it into a
[00:09:51] heat pump after the fact. So
[00:09:53] >> just something to put on your radar. So
[00:09:55] >> thank you.
[00:09:56] >> Can I can I ask a question kind of off
[00:09:58] that? Would it be the entire school or
[00:10:00] would it be focused on the areas that
[00:10:03] would be used for emergency shelter
[00:10:05] given what the
[00:10:07] >> Again, we're not we're still early
[00:10:09] stages. I don't know.
[00:10:11] >> The big rooms would be
[00:10:14] >> most likely used most for bedding people
[00:10:18] down.
[00:10:18] >> Yeah, that's
[00:10:19] >> and then the other rooms, one whole wing
[00:10:22] is for pets.
[00:10:24] have to be able to accommodate all pets
[00:10:27] if it's a public shelter.
[00:10:30] >> It would be interesting.
[00:10:32] >> Snakes [laughter]
[00:10:35] >> really gerbles.
[00:10:38] >> The snakes and the gerbles away from
[00:10:39] each other.
[00:10:41] >> It was likely for so like the gym and
[00:10:44] I'm assuming that means the cashier are
[00:10:46] kind of like where the
[00:10:49] >> but I'm guessing I'm not a I'm not that
[00:10:51] kind of spect. But everything that comes
[00:10:54] up in this grant so far is when they
[00:10:57] talk about it, they talk about HVAC. So
[00:11:00] it is heating, ventilation, and cooling.
[00:11:02] So
[00:11:11] >> now what you want to do?
[00:11:15] >> Well, okay. We'll we'll start we'll put
[00:11:18] the post I can't do the poll hearing
[00:11:21] before 6:30, [clears throat] but we
[00:11:23] could go into uh visitors comments.
[00:11:27] Yes, sir. Uh Jeffrey Smith for Church
[00:11:30] Street. [clears throat] Two meetings
[00:11:31] ago, uh I uh brought up the issue of
[00:11:35] meeting minutes and in reviewing the
[00:11:37] last meeting and then this meeting,
[00:11:40] it really appears not much is being
[00:11:42] done. I mean, you're approving January
[00:11:44] meeting minutes and then you've got an
[00:11:46] April meeting that's already been
[00:11:48] written and just needs to be voted on.
[00:11:51] This isn't really the kind of progress I
[00:11:52] was hoping for and I haven't heard
[00:11:54] anything from the board since that
[00:11:55] meeting. So, I'd like to hear something
[00:11:58] tonight. I committed to not going to the
[00:12:00] attorney general because I was under the
[00:12:02] impression you guys were going to start
[00:12:03] acting upon this, but it's not an
[00:12:06] open-ended blank check. I will go to the
[00:12:08] attorney general if nothing's going to
[00:12:10] be done.
[00:12:12] Mr. Chair, you have an update. Yes,
[00:12:13] >> ma'am.
[00:12:14] >> Um, this is the spreadsheet that Mr.
[00:12:15] Tinker did at the last meeting. Uh, the
[00:12:17] ones in yellow were actually there all
[00:12:19] along and are not missing. Um, so we've
[00:12:21] been going through the other colors um
[00:12:23] on the spreadsheet. So, we are on it.
[00:12:26] >> You want to explain since September
[00:12:28] where all the meeting minutes for
[00:12:29] October, November, and December are?
[00:12:34] >> Um, two of them are pending. I mean,
[00:12:38] like I said, we are working on it.
[00:12:40] Here's the color coded. Um
[00:12:44] the one in red is the one that um we
[00:12:46] didn't have camera for, but the other
[00:12:48] ones were working on it. So,
[00:12:51] >> thank you.
[00:12:51] >> You're welcome.
[00:13:00] >> That's the answer.
[00:13:01] >> I don't know where the minutes are as
[00:13:04] far as being transcribed and put before
[00:13:07] us for voting on. I can't tell you. I'm
[00:13:10] not going to make something up. So,
[00:13:13] >> okay.
[00:13:14] >> I I appreciate your interest,
[00:13:16] >> Mr. Chair.
[00:13:17] >> Yes, sir.
[00:13:18] >> Um, the meeting minutes tonight, for
[00:13:20] example, we have January 12th and April
[00:13:23] 8th, but the last meeting we were
[00:13:25] discussing the omissions on September
[00:13:27] 29th. And why why is that not on this
[00:13:32] agenda to be approved tonight?
[00:13:35] >> Well, we'll have to ask the
[00:13:37] administrator. Um, so the minutes were
[00:13:39] provided at the last two meetings as it
[00:13:41] was transcribed based on the footage of
[00:13:43] what actually transpired at the meeting.
[00:13:45] I'm waiting for direction from you to
[00:13:48] whether because you were remember you
[00:13:49] were going to take a look at them
[00:13:50] because there was some question about
[00:13:52] omitting something that I actually said
[00:13:53] at the meeting.
[00:13:54] >> Yep. I screwed that up. I did not do
[00:13:56] that.
[00:13:56] >> So just you can put it on the next one.
[00:13:59] >> Okay. Please do so. And if you could uh
[00:14:02] do me my homework.
[00:14:04] >> Okay.
[00:14:06] >> Question. Mr. Chair. Another question
[00:14:08] just who is responsible for creating
[00:14:11] these minutes? Is it the town
[00:14:13] administrator? Is it the assistant
[00:14:15] administrator? Who's who's responsible
[00:14:17] for this?
[00:14:18] >> As far as I know, it's the assistant to
[00:14:20] the town administrator that transcribes
[00:14:22] what happens on the uh YouTube
[00:14:26] >> Yes.
[00:14:27] >> feed. Okay. All right. So I recommend we
[00:14:32] give a director as a board is
[00:14:36] do the next five meetings and have them
[00:14:38] have them ready and start with the
[00:14:41] oldest one on that list and we should be
[00:14:44] working from the oldest to the to the
[00:14:47] current date. We shouldn't be jumping
[00:14:49] around like January 12th shouldn't even
[00:14:51] be on yet because we're working out of
[00:14:54] chronological order. Okay. Well, uh, if
[00:14:58] you're not doing the more recent ones,
[00:15:02] they're liable to, uh, get left aside
[00:15:04] for longer period of time. So,
[00:15:07] >> I I don't see a problem with I mean,
[00:15:12] there are only two for tonight, but I
[00:15:15] can't see a problem with doing more than
[00:15:18] one and keeping up to date on the more
[00:15:20] recent meetings.
[00:15:23] >> Mr. chair. Um
[00:15:25] that these minutes are supposed to be
[00:15:27] done in a chronological order. We're not
[00:15:29] supposed to be jumping out, jumping
[00:15:31] around, approving this, approving that.
[00:15:33] It's supposed to be a record of what
[00:15:35] this board does and how it does it. So
[00:15:38] that's why we should just table January
[00:15:41] 12th tonight and and give a directive to
[00:15:44] the town administrator that you
[00:15:45] coordinate that these meeting minutes
[00:15:47] are a priority and they need to get done
[00:15:50] and at our next meeting have at least
[00:15:52] five of these ready for approval.
[00:15:55] >> Mr. Chair,
[00:15:56] >> yes, ma'am.
[00:15:57] >> I think minutes that are done should
[00:15:58] just be approved because they're done
[00:16:00] and that's just going to confuse things
[00:16:01] even more.
[00:16:02] >> No, we need to review these as a board
[00:16:05] >> just like September 29th. There was
[00:16:08] omissions in that meeting. We were very
[00:16:10] clear about it. I mentioned it. We
[00:16:13] mentioned it at two meetings and and now
[00:16:16] it's not even on this meeting. It's a
[00:16:19] record of what we do and what happens in
[00:16:22] these meetings and it should be accurate
[00:16:23] and it should reflect that and we
[00:16:26] shouldn't just be approving something
[00:16:27] without reviewing it.
[00:16:30] >> Okay.
[00:16:33] I can get the town clerk who's the
[00:16:34] public records access officer if you
[00:16:36] want to hear it from him. But you should
[00:16:37] just approve them.
[00:16:39] >> Approve what?
[00:16:40] >> The minutes that are on the agenda
[00:16:42] unless there's something that you guys
[00:16:43] want to amend.
[00:16:44] >> Well, the way I've always done it, you
[00:16:45] read through the minutes and
[00:16:48] >> see if they go with your memory of what
[00:16:50] happened.
[00:16:51] >> Sure. Yeah. I'm just saying that you
[00:16:52] shouldn't skip them. You should just
[00:16:53] review them and decide either you want
[00:16:55] to amend them or you want to approve
[00:16:56] them
[00:16:57] >> as presented on the agenda.
[00:16:59] >> You have a recommendation? Well, if it's
[00:17:01] okay with Mr. chair, since we're talking
[00:17:03] about these meeting minutes, like
[00:17:05] January 12th, in those meeting minutes,
[00:17:08] it says very clearly that I said
[00:17:10] something in the record and I did not
[00:17:12] say that and it's not in the
[00:17:14] transcription or anything,
[00:17:16] >> right?
[00:17:16] >> And so that should be amended to be
[00:17:18] omitted.
[00:17:19] >> Okay?
[00:17:20] >> And just like previous minutes where
[00:17:23] things happened and they weren't
[00:17:25] recorded, they were omitted.
[00:17:29] We need to check this. We need to do
[00:17:31] this. We need to build a proper record.
[00:17:33] >> Mr. Chair.
[00:17:34] >> Yes, ma'am.
[00:17:35] >> Meeting minutes are not trans
[00:17:37] transcriptions. They are meeting
[00:17:38] minutes. So, yes, to Mr. Tanker's point,
[00:17:40] they should be what actually transpired
[00:17:42] at the meeting, but it's not word for
[00:17:44] word.
[00:17:44] >> Right. Exactly. But when the chair asks
[00:17:46] the town administrator a direct question
[00:17:49] and that town administrator answers it
[00:17:50] for the record, that should be in the
[00:17:52] record, sir. Shouldn't be omitted.
[00:17:54] >> Correct.
[00:17:55] >> Okay. That's my understanding of it.
[00:17:57] >> All right.
[00:17:58] >> Per the open meeting law. So, you want
[00:18:00] to table January 12th?
[00:18:02] >> Yes. And I'll gladly mention which
[00:18:04] amendment or where where it should be
[00:18:06] stricken from the record, what page,
[00:18:08] what number, what section.
[00:18:10] >> Okay. Okay. Thank you.
[00:18:16] And hopefully, so I say we give the town
[00:18:18] administrator a directive to coordinate
[00:18:20] with the administrative assistant to get
[00:18:23] at least five minutes, five meeting
[00:18:26] minutes transcribed in front of us for
[00:18:29] approval.
[00:18:30] >> Ma'am, I'd like to ask you to do that to
[00:18:33] put uh four of these pending minutes
[00:18:37] together and have them ready in two
[00:18:39] weeks when we gather again.
[00:18:42] Okay, I will just I will bring that up
[00:18:44] with the administrative assistant. That
[00:18:46] means other things that she's doing is
[00:18:48] are going to be put on the back.
[00:18:49] >> It's going to cost one way or the other,
[00:18:50] >> like paying bills. So,
[00:18:52] >> okay. Whatever she can do.
[00:18:55] >> Thank you.
[00:18:56] >> You can gladly help her as well.
[00:18:59] >> I do have No, I'm saying the town
[00:19:01] administrator can help the
[00:19:02] administrative assistant if need be.
[00:19:05] >> I mean, because clearly
[00:19:06] >> if this man over here, this resident is
[00:19:09] not happy with this, he'll go to the
[00:19:10] attorney general. Would you rather do
[00:19:12] that?
[00:19:13] >> Uh, no, not at all. I've been in touch
[00:19:16] with the attorney general just recently.
[00:19:18] >> That's
[00:19:20] >> fine. We'll try to keep this resident
[00:19:22] happy.
[00:19:25] >> It affects every resident,
[00:19:27] >> right?
[00:19:27] >> Not just a resident. Every resident in
[00:19:30] this town has a right to complaint from
[00:19:32] I get complaints from a single resident.
[00:19:35] So, things do fall through the cracks.
[00:19:38] I'm real sorry.
[00:19:40] You don't have to apologize, sir. You
[00:19:42] just have to
[00:19:42] >> No, I have to apologize. If it's my job
[00:19:44] to do something and I screw it up, then
[00:19:47] I have to apologize. It's part of the
[00:19:48] job. It reflects on this entire board,
[00:19:51] sir.
[00:19:51] >> Right. I'm sorry.
[00:19:53] >> It refer.
[00:19:55] And I'm sorry to that making you look
[00:19:58] bad.
[00:19:58] >> No, it's all on me. [laughter] I'm
[00:20:00] saying
[00:20:01] Liz, I'd like to move on actually.
[00:20:05] >> Is there anybody here with anything
[00:20:06] else? [clears throat] Liz,
[00:20:09] >> um I need to bring up um something that
[00:20:12] was discussed in the last meeting uh
[00:20:15] which was regarding um charges for uh
[00:20:20] records.
[00:20:21] >> Great.
[00:20:22] >> Um
[00:20:23] back in August of last year, I put in a
[00:20:27] records request myself and I got a um
[00:20:32] response and a bill for $112.50 50 cents
[00:20:36] from Ryan and he cited
[00:20:39] >> Ryan is the town clerk. You mean
[00:20:41] >> right? Ryan the town clerk. He cited the
[00:20:43] guy to Massachusetts public records the
[00:20:46] chapter whatever. Okay. Uh now I went to
[00:20:51] that chapter and um his
[00:20:59] estimation
[00:21:01] of how he was charging
[00:21:06] for the public records access was
[00:21:10] completely totally wrong.
[00:21:12] Um he was charging for um
[00:21:17] time to gather the records which you
[00:21:19] cannot do. He was charging for various
[00:21:23] other things. And when I responded to
[00:21:25] him I said Ryan and I pointed this this
[00:21:28] this and this and I says no you don't
[00:21:31] you can't charge me $11250 because it is
[00:21:34] not justified and I did not pay $11250
[00:21:37] for these records. So, uh, my thought is
[00:21:42] that if I was mischarged,
[00:21:45] how many other people are getting
[00:21:47] mischarged? And I tend to believe that a
[00:21:50] lot of people are. And um there's
[00:21:55] there's a certain amount of where you
[00:21:57] can't even if it's under four hours, you
[00:21:59] can't charge. and he's charging at $25
[00:22:02] an hour, which is the highest rate
[00:22:06] um uh that you can charge, but the law
[00:22:10] states that it's supposed to be paid at
[00:22:13] the lowest person who does certain
[00:22:18] things like this. And we've had senior
[00:22:20] work off people working in the clerk's
[00:22:21] office for years, and they get paid
[00:22:23] minimum wage. So, why is he charging $25
[00:22:28] an hour when he can have senior work off
[00:22:30] people do this at $12 an hour?
[00:22:33] >> Well, I don't know. Um, from what I
[00:22:36] understand,
[00:22:38] uh, the request for records and
[00:22:40] everything around it isn't in the
[00:22:42] selectman's purview.
[00:22:44] It's in the town clerk's perview. So,
[00:22:46] he'd have to take it up with him. Well,
[00:22:49] you are the governing body of this town
[00:22:51] and everybody
[00:22:54] the buck stops with you guys, okay? And
[00:22:57] you you everybody has to answer to you.
[00:23:00] So, what I'm saying is that and the
[00:23:02] money he collects goes into the public
[00:23:05] coffers and if he's charging people for
[00:23:08] things that he he cannot legally do,
[00:23:11] then that's on you.
[00:23:13] >> Mr. Chairman,
[00:23:16] may I speak?
[00:23:16] >> Mr. Click yes, please. For
[00:23:19] >> those of you who don't know me, I'm Ryan
[00:23:20] Gos, the town clerk. Been town clerk
[00:23:23] since 2020.
[00:23:25] And uh as far as this specific request
[00:23:27] here, I have to go back and and look at
[00:23:29] it, Liz, because there's just been so
[00:23:31] many. So, well, I mean, I don't want to
[00:23:33] say I'm being blindsided, but I'm coming
[00:23:35] into something that happened months ago.
[00:23:37] First of all, um the assertion that I
[00:23:41] can't charge for the 4 hours is
[00:23:43] incorrect. We're below 20,000 people. I
[00:23:46] can charge from minute one. Okay. A lot
[00:23:49] of times I'm not going to do that. Now,
[00:23:51] in this specific, you can shake your
[00:23:52] head and smirk all you want. I know what
[00:23:54] I'm talking. Okay. So,
[00:23:57] >> I can charge for minute one. Now, as far
[00:24:00] as that specific request, I'd have to
[00:24:04] look at it again because I think it was
[00:24:05] one simultaneously with Jeff and I can't
[00:24:08] recall the specifics as to what was
[00:24:11] done. If someone paid and then the other
[00:24:12] didn't, I I really don't know. But as
[00:24:15] far as overcharging other people and
[00:24:17] stuff, no, I haven't been. Okay. I have
[00:24:20] I've charged for records when it's going
[00:24:23] to cost the town time and resources.
[00:24:26] That's the only time that I'm going to
[00:24:28] do that. All right. So, the assertion
[00:24:31] that I am overcharging people and I
[00:24:33] don't know what I'm doing is false.
[00:24:37] Okay. So, if you'd like to have a
[00:24:39] conversation with me, my office is
[00:24:41] always open. I'm very responsive. I'll
[00:24:44] be more than glad to answer any
[00:24:45] questions. Okay.
[00:24:48] >> Can I pick back?
[00:24:48] >> Thank you, Mr. Chair.
[00:24:50] >> Can I pick you back on that, please?
[00:24:52] >> Go ahead.
[00:24:53] >> Um, and if you are unhappy with that,
[00:24:55] there is a recourse to reach out to the
[00:24:57] supervisor of record. So, um
[00:24:59] >> I know,
[00:25:00] >> but that is ultimately up up to the town
[00:25:03] clerk.
[00:25:03] >> She actually did dare you to do that.
[00:25:06] >> I like winning.
[00:25:08] >> Yeah. Oh, yeah.
[00:25:10] See
[00:25:12] all that?
[00:25:15] >> Would you like to speak, sir?
[00:25:18] >> Okay. Anybody else want to speak?
[00:25:21] >> Yes, sir.
[00:25:22] >> Hello. My name is David Flick. I come to
[00:25:24] you tonight from the town of Barry,
[00:25:26] representing the Council on Aging, the
[00:25:30] Barry and Hardwick Council on Aging.
[00:25:33] We've had an agreement since 2017. And I
[00:25:36] almost found it ironic that you were
[00:25:38] talking about a contract that hadn't
[00:25:40] been updated in 20 years because we're
[00:25:43] in that same space. I'm here at the
[00:25:45] request of the board. The board is made
[00:25:48] up of Hardwick members and Barry members
[00:25:52] because uh two select board meetings ago
[00:25:54] in Barry there was discussion around
[00:25:57] whether or not that agreement should be
[00:26:00] severed whether the uh senior center
[00:26:04] should go back to being only a berry
[00:26:06] only senior center. The Council on Aging
[00:26:10] Board wants to express emphatically that
[00:26:12] they feel strongly this relationship
[00:26:15] should be sustained, that we should
[00:26:18] continue as is. I will tell you last
[00:26:21] Monday we met with the Barry uh select
[00:26:25] board as well. We're not a
[00:26:27] decision-making body. word advisory
[00:26:29] board, but we wanted to let them know
[00:26:32] from both the Barry and the Hardwick
[00:26:34] position with regard to the senior
[00:26:35] center that we wanted to to continue.
[00:26:38] This, by the way, is Betty Joe O'Brien.
[00:26:41] She is our senior center director, uh,
[00:26:44] one of our team members. Now,
[00:26:48] that's essentially what I wanted to say.
[00:26:50] But what I want to challenge you with is
[00:26:54] what precipitated this agreement
[00:26:58] almost having been terminated, putting
[00:27:02] Hardwick Seniors not in jeopardy because
[00:27:04] they could use our senior center any
[00:27:06] time. But certainly there are services
[00:27:09] most of which um uh were funded by
[00:27:13] Hardwick which is the outreach
[00:27:15] coordinator. A large portion of that
[00:27:17] salary was funded and the t the outreach
[00:27:20] coordinator would spend time twice a
[00:27:23] month as I recall here in Hardwick
[00:27:25] servicing senior needs. What I want you
[00:27:28] to do is is try and figure out what got
[00:27:32] it to this point of discussing severing
[00:27:35] that agreement. It has to do with money.
[00:27:38] It doesn't have anything to do with what
[00:27:39] goes on at the senior center. It has
[00:27:42] everything to do with how the agreement
[00:27:44] is administered there. Even at uh my
[00:27:48] last board meeting or our last board
[00:27:50] meeting at the senior center, there was
[00:27:52] disagreement as to whether that uh that
[00:27:55] outreach coordinator is should be a
[00:27:58] Barry Town employee or Hardwick town
[00:28:00] employee. So, I'm very encouraged to
[00:28:03] note that uh Justine and our town
[00:28:07] administrator already have a date by
[00:28:10] which to begin to look and update this
[00:28:12] agreement.
[00:28:13] So, two things. One, I just wanted to
[00:28:15] make sure I'm I'm uh fulfilling the
[00:28:18] request made to me by my board, which is
[00:28:21] to come in here and let you know what
[00:28:22] our our position is. But more
[00:28:25] importantly is is not to let this just
[00:28:29] slide but to understand what got us here
[00:28:32] so that steps can be taken so that this
[00:28:37] relationship is not put in jeopardy
[00:28:39] again.
[00:28:41] >> Thank you.
[00:28:42] >> Thank you Mr. Chair. You don't mind Yes
[00:28:44] sir. I can comment on this.
[00:28:46] >> Um is when I heard speculation of this
[00:28:50] going around. It never came to the
[00:28:51] select board or anything. I reached out
[00:28:53] directly to one of your select board
[00:28:55] members and asked him was it Barry's
[00:28:58] intent to cancel this contract and he
[00:29:02] said absolutely not. That's not their
[00:29:05] intent at all. And
[00:29:08] we share municipal services and they
[00:29:11] were he was open for our boards to
[00:29:13] discuss more of sharing municipal
[00:29:16] services between neighboring towns being
[00:29:19] good neighbors. So, how it got to the
[00:29:22] point it got to, I don't have an answer
[00:29:24] for you, but I knew right away that it
[00:29:26] wasn't true and it wasn't going to
[00:29:28] happen.
[00:29:29] >> Good.
[00:29:30] >> And that's the way we'd like it.
[00:29:31] >> Yeah.
[00:29:33] >> Yes.
[00:29:34] >> And I and I think we should open up
[00:29:35] communication with the battery select
[00:29:37] board.
[00:29:37] >> Sure.
[00:29:38] >> And have a conversation, have a joint
[00:29:40] meeting with them.
[00:29:41] >> Well, you're going to be involved with
[00:29:43] some of this around the school, so Okay.
[00:29:45] All right. I assume.
[00:29:47] >> Yeah. Good. and we would like to see you
[00:29:50] at home senior center. Um to come and
[00:29:54] and see the senior center.
[00:29:56] >> It's where the fun begins.
[00:29:57] >> It's where the fun begins. That's our
[00:29:58] theme this year.
[00:29:59] >> That's right. [laughter]
[00:30:02] >> And also 55 and older now.
[00:30:04] >> Yes.
[00:30:05] >> Yes. So we can go to the club.
[00:30:09] [laughter]
[00:30:10] When do you start getting your ap
[00:30:13] [laughter]
[00:30:14] right?
[00:30:18] Flick F is in friend LC.
[00:30:21] >> All right. Thank you all very much.
[00:30:23] >> Thank you.
[00:30:24] >> Before you people leave, could I ask a
[00:30:26] question?
[00:30:26] >> Sure.
[00:30:27] >> Just so that everybody knows this.
[00:30:31] Where does the money come to support
[00:30:34] your building and the services? Because
[00:30:36] I'm assuming that some is federal grant
[00:30:39] money or am I assuming wrong?
[00:30:41] >> There's a formula. There's a formula
[00:30:43] grant
[00:30:43] >> that comes from the state. It comes from
[00:30:45] the state. Okay. and a percentage comes
[00:30:48] from Barry and a percentage comes from
[00:30:50] Hardwood.
[00:30:51] >> So the formula grant how it how it runs
[00:30:54] is the state gives us $16
[00:30:57] per 60 and older based on the town's
[00:31:01] 2020 census. So Hardwick has 811 seniors
[00:31:07] on record as of the 2020 census and you
[00:31:10] receive $16 a senior times 811. Barry
[00:31:15] has 1 211. So we get $16 for that. So
[00:31:20] that's what comes from the state
[00:31:23] every
[00:31:24] >> that money is supposed to come from
[00:31:26] Hardwick over to the Berry budget to
[00:31:28] support the operation.
[00:31:29] >> Is it going there?
[00:31:30] >> It has not been going there. That that
[00:31:32] was one of the
[00:31:33] >> I want to
[00:31:35] just I just want to make a
[00:31:37] clarification. The money has been going
[00:31:40] there through the funding of the
[00:31:43] outreach position.
[00:31:45] >> Okay. So you get this formula grant. We
[00:31:48] had an outreach worker and we submitted
[00:31:51] time sheets and those um and she was
[00:31:54] paid through Hardwick through those
[00:31:56] funds.
[00:31:57] >> Okay.
[00:31:58] >> Okay. And is that's the only money that
[00:32:01] Hardwick is putting into
[00:32:03] for the upkeep of the senior center?
[00:32:06] >> Yes.
[00:32:07] >> Okay.
[00:32:08] >> All right. All right. Stupid question.
[00:32:10] You said was
[00:32:12] >> is it covering
[00:32:14] the upkeep of the same center?
[00:32:18] >> So I'm not in a position to talk about
[00:32:21] the agreement. That is something that
[00:32:23] the town administrators and and select
[00:32:25] boards have to work out. So, I'm not in
[00:32:27] a position to really
[00:32:28] >> I'm just wondering if that 12 $16 time
[00:32:32] 800 and whatever is
[00:32:35] really paying for our, you know, 40% or
[00:32:39] whatever of the upkeep of the
[00:32:43] whole facility.
[00:32:44] >> And that's something that the town
[00:32:46] administrators will
[00:32:47] >> We can find that out for you now.
[00:32:49] >> Okay. Well, I'm just curious. I mean
[00:32:51] because
[00:32:51] >> obviously you're
[00:32:52] >> that could be a reason why things
[00:32:56] started falling apart because you know
[00:32:59] there are outstanding
[00:33:02] bills and the portion that is coming
[00:33:06] from the state for hard work is not
[00:33:08] covered.
[00:33:08] >> Well, I wouldn't want to make any
[00:33:10] blanket assumptions or lead anybody down
[00:33:13] any roads. So I don't want to start a
[00:33:17] storm a firestorm of speculation. So I
[00:33:20] would really forum for that.
[00:33:22] >> So right, so I would really like it to
[00:33:25] stay between the town administrators and
[00:33:28] the select boards to to iron,
[00:33:31] >> you [laughter] know. I mean, everything
[00:33:32] comes down to dollars and cents. Let's
[00:33:34] face it, you know, it's all about that.
[00:33:36] So I was just trying to get some fun. I
[00:33:38] mean, are we deficient? I mean, are we
[00:33:40] not giving, you know, our fair share?
[00:33:42] Whatever. I mean that is just
[00:33:44] >> you know citizen and taxpayer
[00:33:48] >> you know
[00:33:49] >> I'd like to have a poll hearing now
[00:33:51] >> in your in your budget I should probably
[00:33:53] see that as a line item also right
[00:33:55] >> yes it's a line item in the budget right
[00:33:57] >> and we go by yes we will discuss at a
[00:34:00] later time
[00:34:01] >> thank you thanks for
[00:34:03] >> thank you thank you hope to see you all
[00:34:06] at the senior center [laughter]
[00:34:09] >> as soon
[00:34:11] Yeah. Right. In accordance with the
[00:34:13] provisions of section 22, chapter 166 of
[00:34:18] the Massachusetts General Laws, you are
[00:34:21] hereby notified that a public hearing
[00:34:23] will be held at the Hardwood Municipal
[00:34:25] Office Building, 307 Main Street,
[00:34:28] Gilbertville on Monday, February 9th,
[00:34:31] 2026
[00:34:33] at 6:30 p.m. The Hardwick Select Board
[00:34:36] will consider a request to give
[00:34:38] permission to a Massachusetts electric
[00:34:40] company doing business as National Grid
[00:34:43] and Verizon New England, Inc. to locate
[00:34:47] poles, wires, and fixtures, including
[00:34:49] the necessary
[00:34:51] sustaining and protecting fixtures along
[00:34:54] and across the following public way,
[00:34:57] Barry Road and Cleveland Road. Yeah, you
[00:35:01] will see in your packets that these were
[00:35:02] posted in accordance with the mass
[00:35:04] general law and the butters were
[00:35:05] notified.
[00:35:07] >> Thank you. And Mr. H is from Oh, thank
[00:35:10] you. Go ahead.
[00:35:10] >> Uh my name is Ren Hoffman. I'm with
[00:35:12] National Grid U.
[00:35:17] >> So this is uh a result of a larger
[00:35:20] project that's ongoing in Barry where
[00:35:22] they'll be doing some new work at the
[00:35:24] Barry substation on South Berry Road.
[00:35:26] They're introducing a new feeder. Um
[00:35:29] there's some underground work that's
[00:35:30] going to be coming out of the Barry
[00:35:31] substation going down Main Street in
[00:35:34] Barry until we hit uh Wheelright Road
[00:35:37] and that's when we'll continue that new
[00:35:39] feeder down Wheelright till we hit the
[00:35:41] Hardwick Town line. And then this is the
[00:35:43] result of the lack of primary that
[00:35:46] exists right around the self gun and
[00:35:49] fishing club. I believe that's what it
[00:35:50] is. So, we're looking to close that gap
[00:35:52] with new poles overtaking the existing
[00:35:54] Verizon poles, introducing the new
[00:35:57] feeder, which will be a three-phase
[00:35:59] spacer. It'll go down till the Cleveland
[00:36:02] Road intersection, and then it will
[00:36:04] terminate around pole 190 on Barry Road.
[00:36:07] So, these adjustments or these new poles
[00:36:10] that you see are due to the ruling span
[00:36:12] that we have for Spacer. There's some
[00:36:14] crazy spans over 200 ft that we can't
[00:36:16] make up. So we have to break it up into
[00:36:19] workable spans so that we put a new pole
[00:36:22] about every 150 to 175 ft.
[00:36:27] So that's the general of the project. I
[00:36:29] don't know.
[00:36:30] >> Do I open up to questions there?
[00:36:32] >> Questions, sir.
[00:36:33] >> So will this I'm I'm I'm looking at the
[00:36:36] Google map street view here. Um, so you
[00:36:40] are saying that you're going to be
[00:36:41] putting in bigger poles that along the
[00:36:44] route that exists now and transferring
[00:36:46] the existing lines to the new poles in
[00:36:49] place for the Verizon items. Yes.
[00:36:53] >> But that'd be the goal would be it's not
[00:36:56] a perfect one for one match. We we would
[00:36:58] be just trying to overtake the existing
[00:37:00] uh path of the overhead line.
[00:37:02] >> So excuse me, but I'm just trying to for
[00:37:05] clarity.
[00:37:05] >> Yep.
[00:37:07] you are replacing existing poles where
[00:37:11] an existing pole fits into the spacing
[00:37:15] or are you adding a new set of poles
[00:37:18] with new wires along the right of way or
[00:37:20] a new right of way? So, I guess a better
[00:37:22] way to explain it in this situation, we
[00:37:25] would be setting new poles based on the
[00:37:27] ruling span for the electric and then
[00:37:29] taking the Verizon off of those poles or
[00:37:31] whatever the uh communication that's
[00:37:33] currently on there. Now we'll be putting
[00:37:35] it on to our new pole locations and
[00:37:36] removing those old poles
[00:37:38] >> and removing those old poles at the time
[00:37:41] of placement of the new poles.
[00:37:43] >> That would be ideally when it occurs. I
[00:37:45] know that
[00:37:45] >> they have to transfer in order. It works
[00:37:48] from the top down. The phone company is
[00:37:50] last. The TV company has to come on
[00:37:52] there and transfer as well.
[00:37:54] >> They all get notified after each
[00:37:55] activity is done. They done at the same
[00:37:57] time. One of the ongoing problems around
[00:38:00] the state are orphan poles, double
[00:38:02] polls. I would ask the select board that
[00:38:06] any approval include some sort of
[00:38:09] binding time limit to remove double
[00:38:11] polls. Um they are a hazard and an
[00:38:14] eyesore
[00:38:15] >> and they're everywhere.
[00:38:17] >> Yes, we we agree. I believe
[00:38:20] >> we we uh if you have a list, we're happy
[00:38:23] to take the list to Verizon and to the
[00:38:26] state. There are laws on timelines.
[00:38:28] >> Yes.
[00:38:28] >> It is very unacceptable. Uh we share
[00:38:30] ownership. Verizon removes them. We are
[00:38:32] installing them.
[00:38:34] >> Um because they're the last person to
[00:38:36] remove their wires.
[00:38:38] >> Um any notifications from the town tends
[00:38:40] to push them a little faster than we can
[00:38:42] push them.
[00:38:42] >> Could you uh make a list? Well, if you
[00:38:45] have any concerning I'm
[00:38:47] >> I I could drive around town, but I'm I I
[00:38:51] concerned about we are having an open
[00:38:54] meeting about authorizing a new pole
[00:38:57] venture and I would ex ask that this be
[00:39:01] part of at least this process for the
[00:39:03] new polls so that we do not create any
[00:39:06] new orphans because
[00:39:09] honestly Verizon gets around to moving
[00:39:13] their
[00:39:15] years later and there should be some
[00:39:18] pressure from the select board to
[00:39:20] complete this in a timely manner in
[00:39:22] compliance with the law. We'd be happy.
[00:39:24] >> I believe starting this year there is a
[00:39:26] bigger push from the state. I don't know
[00:39:27] if it's finalized but they were also
[00:39:30] looking into it. There is a bigger push
[00:39:32] but any specific polls [clears throat]
[00:39:34] and areas we can get that to rise a
[00:39:36] little bit faster. It does seem to help.
[00:39:38] >> It's helped in a few other towns.
[00:39:39] >> What type of time period would we be
[00:39:41] talking about? What does the law say?
[00:39:45] >> I would have to check the most
[00:39:46] up-to-date law. Last time I looked, if
[00:39:48] it was only a couple polls, it was as
[00:39:50] short as a few months and larger
[00:39:52] projects was up to a year, which I have
[00:39:54] one at the end of my street and it's
[00:39:55] been longer than a year. I agree with
[00:39:57] them.
[00:39:58] >> So, in that contingency on anything we
[00:40:02] >> Mr. Chair, if we approve this, we can
[00:40:04] have National Grid coordinate with the
[00:40:07] town administrator and give her project
[00:40:09] updates like phase one is done, the new
[00:40:11] poles in the the high voltage lines in
[00:40:14] and Verizon give her an update. Hey,
[00:40:16] Verizon should be starting next month.
[00:40:18] So, or whenever your timeline is, you
[00:40:21] know what I mean?
[00:40:21] >> Yeah. And at this point, the community
[00:40:23] liaison has a bigger push because he's
[00:40:25] already doing this in several other
[00:40:26] towns. I can get his info.
[00:40:28] >> That would be fantastic. Vinnie.
[00:40:29] >> Uh, no. Vinnie's our clerk for
[00:40:31] petitions. Um, it's Naani.
[00:40:33] >> Oh, right.
[00:40:34] >> I can get that info sent over from
[00:40:36] Vinnie though for you. He's got we have
[00:40:40] >> Let's get some communication.
[00:40:42] >> Yeah.
[00:40:43] >> And if there's an issue down the road,
[00:40:44] we'll take it up front. Is
[00:40:46] >> this a three-phase?
[00:40:48] >> Yep. This will be three-phase. Just a
[00:40:50] brand new feeder coming at the
[00:40:51] substation. and kind of to loop back on
[00:40:53] his concern as well. I have to do a
[00:40:55] pre-construction walkthrough with the
[00:40:57] overhead supervisor once these petitions
[00:40:59] get
[00:41:01] >> um if and when they get approved. So I
[00:41:03] can generate a list and I think it will
[00:41:05] help if I generate a list and if I don't
[00:41:07] want to put any responsibility anyone
[00:41:09] else but if you also generate a list too
[00:41:11] just having dual pressure could also
[00:41:12] just aid with this.
[00:41:14] >> Good.
[00:41:17] >> Anybody else?
[00:41:19] Bill, [clears throat]
[00:41:19] >> thank you. Um I wonder given the
[00:41:22] proximity to the existing solar and
[00:41:26] Cleveland there and also very
[00:41:28] >> and down the road to where as you
[00:41:30] probably know there's a very possible um
[00:41:34] solar installation going in at Roach
[00:41:37] Field in a couple years. I'm wondering
[00:41:39] if this proposed elective work you're
[00:41:41] doing is consistent with that and you
[00:41:44] know in tandem with that expectation or
[00:41:46] if you're going to find yourself likely
[00:41:48] needing to do something else in a little
[00:41:50] bit. I would I'm not sure I'm sorry that
[00:41:53] the second field that you had mentioned
[00:41:54] I wasn't aware of that one but this you
[00:41:58] are correct this is to assist with those
[00:42:00] solar sites to incorporate their load.
[00:42:03] It's just to upgrade the system. I think
[00:42:05] you have there's three phase existing on
[00:42:08] Cleveland I'm sorry on Barry road right
[00:42:10] now believe it gets to single phase at
[00:42:13] one point at Cleveland and then in the
[00:42:15] opposite direction going back to Barry
[00:42:17] it's also singlephase to a point then it
[00:42:19] switches back to three-phase so this is
[00:42:21] just to make it all three-phase just
[00:42:24] more reliability to so that the feeder
[00:42:27] can take on more of a load while also
[00:42:28] incorporating those solar sites without
[00:42:30] affecting your home power
[00:42:33] >> okay but if I may the site that's very
[00:42:36] possibly going to go in just further
[00:42:37] down the road, a mile or so, um, is
[00:42:41] going to need obviously. In fact, that
[00:42:43] proponent had talked about that it had
[00:42:45] been delayed for quite a while because
[00:42:47] the new upgraded electric all had to be
[00:42:49] worked out and so forth. And I'm just
[00:42:51] hoping that what they would be needing
[00:42:53] and you would be doing and would be in
[00:42:56] the future, assuming that happens, would
[00:42:58] be consistent with what you're talking
[00:43:00] about. Now,
[00:43:00] >> I can we can ask the question. I do I'm
[00:43:03] limited on what I can see because I'm
[00:43:05] coming from the Barry substation and
[00:43:07] extending it down into this area. That
[00:43:09] existing feeder comes out of a different
[00:43:11] substation. I understand your question.
[00:43:13] I just don't have a specific answer for
[00:43:15] you, but I can bring that up to my
[00:43:17] liazison and have them
[00:43:20] at least give me some background as to
[00:43:22] what they may be doing for that area.
[00:43:23] >> Justine certainly knows the particulars
[00:43:25] of that that proposed facility. South.
[00:43:31] >> So when a when a solar project comes
[00:43:33] along like this project, they keep in
[00:43:35] mind what they need to build this
[00:43:36] project as long as repair everything
[00:43:38] along that route. The solar company is
[00:43:41] generally paying for that. To go beyond
[00:43:43] that is typically viewed. They have
[00:43:46] visibility of upcoming solar projects to
[00:43:48] make sure the feeder has the strength,
[00:43:50] but they're not going to go any further
[00:43:51] because no one's paying for it. We can't
[00:43:53] spend money that we don't have,
[00:43:56] >> right? But nobody would want you to put
[00:43:58] the new level of service in and then
[00:44:00] have to redo it.
[00:44:06] >> The largest most consistent one we put
[00:44:09] in the area.
[00:44:18] [clears throat]
[00:44:19] >> This is why he's asking if you're
[00:44:21] upgrading service to here
[00:44:23] >> and this is going to be
[00:44:27] Okay.
[00:44:27] >> So that's that's why I just so you can
[00:44:30] see what what
[00:44:31] >> and that's right around the 190 bar road
[00:44:35] where
[00:44:37] that's very access.
[00:44:41] >> Okay.
[00:44:44] >> So yeah, we can make sure our solar and
[00:44:48] other project managers are aware of that
[00:44:50] upcoming project to keep it in mind. But
[00:44:53] we're not going to build any further
[00:44:54] pass projects until theirs goes through.
[00:44:57] There's a lot of projects that get shut
[00:44:58] down.
[00:44:59] >> I think just to clarify what was said,
[00:45:02] so the solar site when they eventually
[00:45:04] go in, they will have to pay for the
[00:45:05] upgrades to that circuit. So it will
[00:45:09] eventually it will probably be upgraded
[00:45:11] once that solar field does go in if it
[00:45:13] does, but that will be on the on the
[00:45:16] behalf of the solar company. They'll
[00:45:17] have to front all that cost for the
[00:45:19] upgrades for that circuit.
[00:45:22] That's the agreement that we
[00:45:26] >> Anybody else?
[00:45:29] >> I'll make a motion to uh
[00:45:32] approve the new poles along Barry Road
[00:45:37] and Cleveland Road as uh as presented
[00:45:42] tonight.
[00:45:43] >> Second.
[00:45:45] All
[00:45:45] >> in favor? I
[00:45:47] >> I
[00:45:48] >> thank you guys. Thank you. this for you
[00:45:50] guys to sign at the end of the night and
[00:45:51] I'll get that back over to you tomorrow.
[00:45:56] >> Sure. Be great.
[00:45:58] >> Should we uh table both these dates of
[00:46:02] minutes and table?
[00:46:05] Okay. Well, if I can't do anything,
[00:46:07] that's fine.
[00:46:15] >> Make a motion to approve April 8, 2025
[00:46:18] meeting minutes. I'll second it. All in
[00:46:21] favor? I
[00:46:22] >> I
[00:46:24] recused.
[00:46:25] >> Okay. Now, if I could uh get
[00:46:30] on the table January 12th, 26.
[00:46:34] >> Okay. We'll look into that.
[00:46:40] >> Okay.
[00:46:41] >> Cors and Neil.
[00:46:44] >> Sounds fine. You want me to start?
[00:46:46] >> Yeah.
[00:46:46] >> All right. All right. I'll start. All
[00:46:49] right. It's been a long journey. We've
[00:46:51] been uh talking to you guys for a long
[00:46:53] time about healthcare. Um there's been
[00:46:55] um a lot of things happening behind the
[00:46:57] scenes that we haven't really been able
[00:46:59] to bring forward yet. Uh because a lot
[00:47:02] of federal legislation came into play
[00:47:04] last year. So, I'm going to give you a
[00:47:07] quick rundown of what that is. I'm also
[00:47:09] going to give you a quick rundown of
[00:47:10] what happened in where last week um and
[00:47:14] what's going on with or without the the
[00:47:16] trust. Um and then Neil will give you an
[00:47:19] update of kind of what our go forward
[00:47:21] is. How does that work?
[00:47:22] >> Okay. So, um where we started two years
[00:47:27] ago was we were trying to bring some
[00:47:29] form of healthcare back to our
[00:47:31] communities. Um it was very difficult
[00:47:34] because u there were a lot of moving
[00:47:36] parts, a lot of it being Mary Lane. Um
[00:47:39] I'm going to cut to the chase on the
[00:47:40] Mary Lane piece. um which is probably
[00:47:43] going to I don't know if you guys read
[00:47:45] the newspaper lately, but the most
[00:47:47] recent um
[00:47:50] press release by Bay State just last
[00:47:52] week basically said the trust is no
[00:47:55] longer yours. It was um it was given to
[00:47:59] back [cough] state um by our attorney
[00:48:02] general
[00:48:04] um as part of a community care or
[00:48:07] primary care center that they project
[00:48:10] that they could build or put into where
[00:48:14] um giving you an understanding of what
[00:48:16] that means. It's not urgent care. It it
[00:48:19] matter of fact probably can't even
[00:48:21] service most you people in this room.
[00:48:23] you have to be a Bay State patient in
[00:48:25] order to even use this facility.
[00:48:28] They don't know where it's going to be.
[00:48:29] Um but the whole play was for them to
[00:48:32] get control of the monies and they did
[00:48:34] do it. So the actual statement um just
[00:48:38] so
[00:48:40] and you guys can find my email Justine
[00:48:42] has it if you need a lot of detail. I
[00:48:44] could forward all of this on. Um, but
[00:48:46] they said that they needed this trust in
[00:48:49] order to pay for this facility.
[00:48:52] And um, even though they're sucking our
[00:48:55] trust away, there's still going to be
[00:48:57] hundreds of thousands of dollars
[00:49:00] in the red every year.
[00:49:03] So, the court appointed a petition to
[00:49:06] modify the Gilbert Trust designating
[00:49:08] base as the beneficiary and that is
[00:49:11] spir. Okay. So
[00:49:14] >> done.
[00:49:15] >> Everybody looks real sad. It's done.
[00:49:18] >> It It's not going to change. I I just
[00:49:21] want to let you guys know it's not going
[00:49:23] to change. This has been a big mess for
[00:49:25] several years and not going to change.
[00:49:27] So wanted to make sure everybody knew
[00:49:29] that. Next step is that Bay State said,
[00:49:32] "Well, we're going to go put this
[00:49:33] community care center in. I've told you
[00:49:35] this is not this is just a provider
[00:49:37] location. This was a placeholder for
[00:49:39] them." The other thing that they
[00:49:41] mentioned in here is something where I'm
[00:49:42] going to now lean into a little bit of
[00:49:45] what where where we're at. There's
[00:49:48] something legislation that came out with
[00:49:51] the big beautiful bill and I know no
[00:49:55] political affiliations here. Part of the
[00:49:57] big beautiful bill though was um a rural
[00:50:02] health transformation transformation
[00:50:05] program. What that was is $50 billion
[00:50:09] was given offer provided grants to the
[00:50:14] states over five years. $50 billion to
[00:50:16] build out a rural health program.
[00:50:20] [clears throat] Lots of rules around
[00:50:21] these programs, but one of them being
[00:50:23] you can't build a building with it.
[00:50:25] Okay? So, whatever you hear from Mary
[00:50:27] from Bay State or whatever they're going
[00:50:28] to build a new building, they're not
[00:50:29] building a new building. It's it's not
[00:50:31] even their durables, but they say
[00:50:32] they're going to. So just again ignore
[00:50:34] that. Um so what we decided to do so
[00:50:38] Neil and I took a step back said what
[00:50:39] are we going to do about this? Um
[00:50:42] because uh when the state there were $50
[00:50:46] billion $10 billion over five years that
[00:50:50] $10 billion every state then put in a
[00:50:52] big application and they tried to get
[00:50:54] their portion of it. Our state got 162
[00:50:57] million for the first year. Okay. But
[00:51:00] for every year thereafter 2 through 5 we
[00:51:02] have to gu we have to fight for that
[00:51:04] next year's worth of millions of
[00:51:05] dollars. It's not like you get the 162
[00:51:08] over 5 years. You get 162 and then at
[00:51:12] the middle of the year you got to fight
[00:51:14] for the next year and the next year and
[00:51:15] the next year. Okay. So just know that
[00:51:18] whatever we put in place we have to have
[00:51:20] measurements and all those things to
[00:51:22] make sure that it works. Um so the who's
[00:51:26] making the decisions? Who gets the
[00:51:28] money? Well, now you go down the next
[00:51:29] level of legislation. Um the the HHS DHS
[00:51:34] group, five people u member board um was
[00:51:37] given the uh responsibility to dole this
[00:51:40] money out to different entities within
[00:51:43] the state. That was one that was a group
[00:51:45] that Neil and I met with last week with
[00:51:48] where um and where unfortunately didn't
[00:51:52] get the memo. um they brought a
[00:51:54] presentation that they thought they
[00:51:56] could use the money to build a building
[00:51:57] and guess what you can't do? You can't
[00:52:00] build a building. Um but we came with a
[00:52:02] a a set a basic rundown of kind of what
[00:52:07] we thought we could do for our
[00:52:08] communities.
[00:52:10] Um we kind of let it lay like that. Um,
[00:52:13] but there's a the way that this program
[00:52:16] works is all of these different entities
[00:52:19] are vying for this $162 million. In
[00:52:23] general, the people that are going to
[00:52:24] get the bulk of it are the big health
[00:52:26] systems. Bay State, UMass,
[00:52:29] a little bit of Mass Gen, not much.
[00:52:32] >> BU is going to get some because they
[00:52:33] serve underserved. Tough's going to get
[00:52:35] some because they serve underserved.
[00:52:36] Maybe some of the Southshore
[00:52:37] communities. It's a c there have to be
[00:52:40] organizations that exist with buildings
[00:52:43] that exist and infrastructure that
[00:52:44] exist. So the town of hardware can't
[00:52:46] apply for
[00:52:47] >> we can't apply as ourselves
[00:52:49] >> ours ourselves.
[00:52:50] >> Okay.
[00:52:51] >> So the other thing that the state did is
[00:52:53] they mapped the whole state and they
[00:52:55] they referenced what they call clusters.
[00:52:58] And what they mean by that there's towns
[00:53:00] that they cluster together and said this
[00:53:02] is a cluster. So if somebody wants to do
[00:53:05] a program to support that uh cluster,
[00:53:07] they have to do the cluster. Um so we're
[00:53:11] in a cluster and we're also ranked and
[00:53:14] we're ranked as either rural one or
[00:53:16] rural two. Role one meaning pretty
[00:53:18] remote, rural two meaning very remote.
[00:53:21] Hmck itself is a two. So we're really
[00:53:24] remote. But what Neil and I decided to
[00:53:26] do, and I'm going to um let him talk
[00:53:29] about that is we were going to try to
[00:53:30] pull a few together. But just uh last
[00:53:33] couple I'm just going to read just the
[00:53:35] last couple things that happened at the
[00:53:36] meeting. So when we attended the meeting
[00:53:38] it's 162 for 2026
[00:53:41] must apply over the five years. Um
[00:53:45] there's seven initiatives for 2026
[00:53:48] including EMS
[00:53:51] innovation chronic disease and with
[00:53:54] emphasis including cardiac maternal and
[00:53:57] diabetes. Uh 15% of this grant is
[00:54:00] intended to fund providers participating
[00:54:02] in the programs. Facilities and new
[00:54:04] construction is not fundable. However,
[00:54:06] certain renovation in existing buildings
[00:54:09] may be allowed if aligned with the
[00:54:11] program. Transportation communication
[00:54:14] can be funded. So if you don't have
[00:54:16] Wi-Fi, that can be funded. Um
[00:54:18] transportation uh [cough] no federal
[00:54:20] reporting um was identified as of this
[00:54:24] meeting. But I can tell you right now
[00:54:25] that's not true. The question I asked
[00:54:27] during that meeting was to our own
[00:54:29] state, do you know the CMS requirements
[00:54:31] on what we need to report in order to
[00:54:33] get the validation for the next year?
[00:54:34] They said, "Oh, we don't have any." Yes,
[00:54:36] we do. It's absolutely written out in
[00:54:37] the bill. So there are requirements. Um
[00:54:40] so Neil, what did we decide to do? Well,
[00:54:42] just just so people understand when we
[00:54:44] say we met with people on uh Monday and
[00:54:47] where um there were representatives
[00:54:50] there from um the governor's office, uh
[00:54:55] multiple of our legislators offices,
[00:54:58] USDA,
[00:54:59] uh committees on rural health,
[00:55:02] committees on EMS. It was a very well
[00:55:04] represented meeting. People were
[00:55:06] listening. So we are looking to I just
[00:55:11] don't understand it's we're not
[00:55:12] including where so when we speak about
[00:55:14] us it's it's us and we include our
[00:55:18] cluster of some of the underserved
[00:55:20] surrounding communities. So what our
[00:55:22] thought is is and what our our practice
[00:55:24] is going on here is we're reaching out
[00:55:27] to the small towns that surround us. Um
[00:55:30] we sort of have a seven families um of
[00:55:34] small towns who have as poor resources
[00:55:36] as we do, some worse. Um, and we're
[00:55:40] building a consensus
[00:55:43] to come up with what our needs are that
[00:55:46] we could make an ask for and a realistic
[00:55:50] ask for nurse nurse services for um tele
[00:55:56] medicine for services that could be
[00:55:59] provided to our towns in a van. Um and
[00:56:03] we are speaking with uh not Bay State
[00:56:07] but with UMass because UMass is number
[00:56:10] one. It's in our county. Um it is um
[00:56:15] within the kind of the circle of
[00:56:18] influence for us and they have programs
[00:56:22] that are already existing that we are
[00:56:24] they are interested and we we are
[00:56:26] interested in bringing together to
[00:56:29] provide some uh services out here. They
[00:56:33] being a big academic medical center can
[00:56:36] ask for the grants. So they can ask for
[00:56:39] millions of dollars for our communities
[00:56:43] to provide services. And when we talk
[00:56:45] about spending money on a building, we
[00:56:47] can't build a building, but we could
[00:56:49] rent ask for funds to renovate in an
[00:56:51] office to build a control center for our
[00:56:55] nurse navigators or our our
[00:56:57] communications needs. So that kind of
[00:57:01] thing you can get funded. um we can't
[00:57:03] build a urgent care center, but we can
[00:57:06] hopefully build out enough
[00:57:08] infrastructure that will support what we
[00:57:10] want to do. And so our next immediate
[00:57:12] step is we're planning on meeting with
[00:57:14] boards of health and select boards in
[00:57:17] some towns um around us to get buy in to
[00:57:21] get community support and we're meeting
[00:57:24] with UMass to see how they can mesh up
[00:57:28] with what we want. They're excited
[00:57:30] because they can apply for millions in
[00:57:32] grants.
[00:57:33] >> And we are ready, willing, and able,
[00:57:36] right? Yes.
[00:57:36] >> And and um so that's where we are right
[00:57:40] now. This is a project that was sort of
[00:57:41] dead a year ago that is now very much
[00:57:45] not dead. It is moving very quickly. Uh
[00:57:48] because we we really there's a time
[00:57:50] limit on when you can apply for these
[00:57:51] grants.
[00:57:52] >> Correct. Everything has to be in by a
[00:57:54] certain time. And I just want to add one
[00:57:56] thing you said. It's not that we're
[00:57:57] excluding wear. Where is not in our
[00:57:59] cluster?
[00:58:00] >> So remember everything. That's why I was
[00:58:02] very specific that the way they state
[00:58:04] wrote this out. It's clusters. So we're
[00:58:06] actually clustered with new brain tree
[00:58:11] >> Warren.
[00:58:12] >> Warren
[00:58:13] North Brookfield.
[00:58:14] >> The Brookfields. Yeah.
[00:58:15] >> Yeah.
[00:58:16] >> So okay. And so that's that's who we're
[00:58:19] working with right now.
[00:58:20] >> And we will help. I'm actually meeting
[00:58:22] with Cynthia. [clears throat] you if if
[00:58:24] people don't know who she is, she she
[00:58:25] did the whole Mary Lane thing was trying
[00:58:27] to fight to get the buildings back, etc.
[00:58:29] I'm actually meeting her with her this
[00:58:31] week because before we met with UMass,
[00:58:33] we met with Bay State and Bay State was
[00:58:34] actually willing to do these programs
[00:58:36] even be I talked to them before
[00:58:39] um before all the yeah the bill got done
[00:58:42] and they were willing to do it. So they
[00:58:45] could actually then go to Bay State.
[00:58:46] They're in their cluster and they could
[00:58:48] have similar type programs and we will
[00:58:50] certainly support them in any efforts
[00:58:51] that they want. But we've really got to
[00:58:53] focus on our communities that we can get
[00:58:56] working with these millions of dollars
[00:58:57] to bring healthcare to our communities.
[00:59:00] Does that make sense?
[00:59:02] >> It's a weird little cluster. I could
[00:59:04] show you a big map, but I didn't print
[00:59:05] it out.
[00:59:07] >> Question.
[00:59:08] >> Excellent.
[00:59:09] >> That's all you have to say.
[00:59:11] >> That was a lot of work for
[00:59:12] >> Barry's part of our cluster.
[00:59:14] >> It is. Okay. So guys, we really need to
[00:59:17] be nice to Barry right now because um
[00:59:20] Barry has a couple things that will be
[00:59:22] really helpful for us. Number one, they
[00:59:24] do have a Berry Health Center which will
[00:59:26] be an integral part of the solution for
[00:59:28] UMass. They are a UMass. The senior
[00:59:31] center could be a really awesome outpost
[00:59:35] for some of these programs. I mean, so
[00:59:37] we really got to think about now uh our
[00:59:39] communities, you know, and we're
[00:59:41] bringing pediatrics, we're bringing
[00:59:42] senior care, we're bringing all this and
[00:59:44] this maternal program. It it has a doula
[00:59:47] issue that's we have to bring doulas in.
[00:59:50] We have to really think about how we're
[00:59:53] all this cluster community now and how
[00:59:55] can we get the very most out of this as
[00:59:58] humanly possible. And I can't even it
[01:00:01] would take me all night to describe if I
[01:00:03] had posters I would what UMass can bring
[01:00:05] to this. And I will tell you we're not
[01:00:07] just talking to lowlevels at UMass.
[01:00:10] >> We are talking to the CEO. So, it's
[01:00:14] super important that we all row the boat
[01:00:16] together on this and just try to do what
[01:00:18] we can to pull this together at this
[01:00:20] very very incredible time on rural
[01:00:23] healthcare. So, any questions?
[01:00:25] >> Now, are the other cluster towns already
[01:00:29] involved or is it just
[01:00:33] we're the nose? We're doing this. Yeah,
[01:00:36] we're the lead.
[01:00:37] >> They're super excited
[01:00:40] fields. Um,
[01:00:42] >> we are talking to West Brookfield and
[01:00:44] North Brookfield right now.
[01:00:45] >> Yeah,
[01:00:46] >> it was a great question because believe
[01:00:48] it or not, the Brook Brookfield is
[01:00:50] actually part of the cluster. I just
[01:00:52] didn't reach out to them. I reached out
[01:00:53] to seven. Well, we're one of seven. The
[01:00:56] other six I will tell you Warren reached
[01:00:58] out to us. So, they came on as a tail.
[01:01:01] We didn't even but they
[01:01:04] >> they're very much interested in
[01:01:05] participating
[01:01:06] >> big time. Yeah. So are in this cluster
[01:01:11] >> is UMass talking about uh to for lack of
[01:01:16] better words an emergency center.
[01:01:18] >> They can't build a building. No, but I'm
[01:01:20] just saying a you know
[01:01:22] >> not yet.
[01:01:23] >> Not yet.
[01:01:24] >> Some kind of facility that in an
[01:01:26] emergency somebody can go to
[01:01:29] transport.
[01:01:30] >> They can do whatever they want to do,
[01:01:32] right? But they can't build a building,
[01:01:33] but what they could do is extend on the
[01:01:35] Barry Health Center, right? So
[01:01:38] >> hope they build an addition. They can't
[01:01:40] build a building.
[01:01:40] >> Well, they can't. No, they can't even
[01:01:41] build an addition. But just again, we're
[01:01:44] we're just at that at that tip of that
[01:01:46] nose right now. And we would we have
[01:01:50] ideas of pilot projects that will that
[01:01:53] are something that could be put on the
[01:01:55] ground right away to serve our
[01:01:59] communities
[01:02:01] and work towards cementing this
[01:02:04] relationship with UMass so that if we
[01:02:07] show that we have both a need and the
[01:02:10] ability to cooperate then they have more
[01:02:14] may have more interest in committing
[01:02:15] capital that's theirs not not the
[01:02:17] federal
[01:02:18] And as part of that, are they are they
[01:02:21] talking about building up a better
[01:02:23] ambulance structure? There's an
[01:02:26] interesting way that they're thinking
[01:02:27] about doing this. Um, and it is through
[01:02:30] innovative
[01:02:32] triage,
[01:02:34] through mobile veas, rapid response,
[01:02:37] various other things. So when it's
[01:02:38] coming through on the call, do you, you
[01:02:40] know, if you have a fall, does that
[01:02:42] really require an ambulance or can that
[01:02:44] require an emergency response? You got
[01:02:45] to think really different rural health
[01:02:48] here. This is not we are not tight
[01:02:50] downtown Boston here. So they have built
[01:02:52] infrastructures. They by the way UMass
[01:02:54] had built a two 22,000 square foot
[01:02:57] facility um in Worcester just to support
[01:03:00] rural health. So it's up and running and
[01:03:05] um this will be a
[01:03:06] >> we're pretty excited.
[01:03:07] >> We are super excited. The big thing that
[01:03:10] we have to do though and we're going to
[01:03:11] help you guys with is that reporting. If
[01:03:14] we put programs in, we have to make them
[01:03:16] a hero because they got to report back
[01:03:18] to the state, report back to the feds
[01:03:20] and say, "Look, our program is working."
[01:03:22] So, we're not going to bite off more
[01:03:23] than we can chew. We're going to bite
[01:03:24] off the programs we know we can
[01:03:25] implement, we can monitor, we can report
[01:03:27] and move forward because this is going
[01:03:30] to be a lot of work and it will likely
[01:03:32] bring jobs and so that's good.
[01:03:34] >> And and services, I mean, really
[01:03:37] services is what we're we're looking at
[01:03:39] here.
[01:03:40] >> So, what can we do?
[01:03:41] You can you can say yay we the town of
[01:03:45] Hardwick support this venture and we can
[01:03:47] go to UMass and say the select board
[01:03:50] stands behind this and
[01:03:52] >> support us.
[01:03:54] >> Absolutely.
[01:03:55] >> Yeah. Um is Warner and this is just a
[01:03:59] suggestion because they have these in
[01:04:01] the Springfield area. They have clinics
[01:04:04] okay that are everything from general
[01:04:07] medicine dent dental maternity. They and
[01:04:11] then they they send people off to the
[01:04:13] hospitals for MRIs and whatever, but
[01:04:16] they are a you know like a general
[01:04:19] practice, but they're not just medicine.
[01:04:21] They're also a dental. They're also
[01:04:23] maternity. Is that going to be something
[01:04:27] they began they're beginning with? What
[01:04:30] remember they get 100? Let's say they
[01:04:32] got 162 million per year because they
[01:04:34] qualified the state qualified for that
[01:04:36] and UMass did a great job. So they'll
[01:04:38] get the lion share for the next year. As
[01:04:41] these programs build out, then you start
[01:04:43] to build infrastructure around that. But
[01:04:45] we still have a very health center and
[01:04:46] there it can be utilized in very
[01:04:48] different ways than it is used today. Um
[01:04:51] and if you look where Warren's at,
[01:04:52] they're actually near Carrington
[01:04:54] Hospital as well in some of those
[01:04:55] clinics that is also.
[01:04:58] >> So just think of it differently. Instead
[01:05:00] of looking west, you're you know, it's
[01:05:02] an opportunity to look east. And we're
[01:05:04] not saying people that are in the Bay
[01:05:06] State program have to do any of this,
[01:05:09] but we got to bring something here. We
[01:05:11] could still go use your Bay State
[01:05:12] programs or whatever you want. The funny
[01:05:14] thing about it is more than half of
[01:05:17] these clinics are not affiliated with
[01:05:19] basicated
[01:05:21] with Holio Hospital and Kulie Dickinson
[01:05:24] which is
[01:05:27] >> the problem with the pro and I don't
[01:05:28] want to take up too much but the problem
[01:05:29] with Koulie Dickinson is of course Mass
[01:05:32] General Brigham now and their only
[01:05:35] presence in the area of any usefulness
[01:05:37] is Kulie Dickinson and when we start we
[01:05:40] talk about who do we want to go pitch
[01:05:42] our our pitch to Kulie Dickinson is
[01:05:46] small. I mean it's it's Wayne West.
[01:05:50] >> Um but they Mass General has told Kulie
[01:05:53] they need to financially stand on their
[01:05:55] own feet. So for us to get a large
[01:05:59] amount of money and support, we'd be
[01:06:02] looking very far east to Mass General
[01:06:04] and they really have I don't think would
[01:06:06] be a good partner right now. I I think
[01:06:08] UMass is a much better partner. They're
[01:06:10] interested in in this. They've already
[01:06:12] started down that lane and they're
[01:06:14] closer.
[01:06:15] >> Yeah. and and so um and to the other
[01:06:19] question you know if we could leverage
[01:06:21] UMass projects in Barry in Harrington
[01:06:25] and you know just a little project if
[01:06:27] they only close at 5 if we could get
[01:06:29] funding to run the clinics until 7 or
[01:06:31] 9:00 I mean that's these are little
[01:06:34] projects that you start to build
[01:06:36] momentum with and and we have we would
[01:06:38] love to build to a project where we
[01:06:40] bring into our town vanbased vision um
[01:06:44] vanbased mimography, van- based, maybe
[01:06:47] even dental. Um, things that so people
[01:06:50] don't have to travel an hour somewhere
[01:06:52] to get services they might not even be
[01:06:54] able might not even be doing right now.
[01:06:56] >> Remote pharmacy, things like that.
[01:07:00] >> Me?
[01:07:01] >> Yes.
[01:07:02] >> Thank you. Well, congrats on all you've
[01:07:05] been doing. It's a ton of work and it
[01:07:06] sounds very promising. Thank you for
[01:07:09] that. Um, back to where though for a
[01:07:11] second and and they stayed very lame
[01:07:14] lane originally in Gilbert and all that.
[01:07:16] I mean, very recently we've had
[01:07:18] petitions being circulated here. We've
[01:07:20] had requests for the board of selection
[01:07:23] to support, you know, uh the Mary Lane
[01:07:26] effort in in where we've had requests
[01:07:30] for people to show up to the select
[01:07:32] board meeting in where in order to get
[01:07:35] them to revisit the vote that I guess is
[01:07:37] the one that helped the AG decide that
[01:07:40] no, it's it's all gone. Correct. So my
[01:07:42] question I guess is um have they
[01:07:45] accepted that or is this really is this
[01:07:48] really the end of of our interest and
[01:07:52] their interest in the Maryland property?
[01:07:54] >> So so I've been attending many of those
[01:07:56] select board meetings.
[01:07:58] >> It's interesting. Um
[01:08:02] h there have they accepted it in their
[01:08:05] core and their genes and their DNA? No.
[01:08:08] Has the Supreme Judicial Court ruled in
[01:08:12] another lawsuit that this is going to
[01:08:14] happen? Yes. So, as far as we can
[01:08:19] foresee reasonably, there's a 0% chance
[01:08:23] that the courts are going to overturn
[01:08:25] this and release this money. and the
[01:08:28] group in where while we support them
[01:08:31] building whatever they need uh we we've
[01:08:34] been to their meetings I go to their
[01:08:35] meetings we support their efforts to
[01:08:38] bring healthcare to wear um it's sort of
[01:08:41] time to move on from the trust because
[01:08:43] what and I just two seconds based is
[01:08:46] that for us to bring this convenient
[01:08:49] care system to where we are budgeting a
[01:08:53] line item loss of $625,000
[01:08:56] a We are budgeting a deficit of $625,000
[01:09:01] a year to build this out. And the only
[01:09:04] way we can do this is to take the
[01:09:06] Gilbert Trust interest to make that a
[01:09:10] smaller number each year. I have grave
[01:09:12] concerns. Judy has grave concerns about
[01:09:15] how you build a project that is budgeted
[01:09:18] to lose that amount of money a year. I
[01:09:21] don't understand how that can work. And
[01:09:22] I'm very concerned. Jews very concerned
[01:09:24] that there's only a limited number of
[01:09:26] years they're willing to I mean they
[01:09:27] closed their freaking cafeteria. Um how
[01:09:30] long will they fund this deficit
[01:09:32] project? So, you know, maybe they'll be
[01:09:34] able to sell it. Don't know, but they're
[01:09:36] they're planning on losing their shirt
[01:09:39] on this project as it is. I may just one
[01:09:42] one related question there. Is it just a
[01:09:44] sad irony perhaps that that the
[01:09:47] destruction of Mary Lane Hospital,
[01:09:51] physical destruction of that takes them
[01:09:52] out of the running for for having the uh
[01:09:55] big beautiful bill of funding for rural
[01:09:57] >> if they had left the build the ER
[01:10:00] >> if they had left that building there
[01:10:03] they then there could have been a
[01:10:04] request for funding to support whatever
[01:10:06] was going on in there. Yes.
[01:10:08] >> Well,
[01:10:09] >> Mhm. Once they took it down, that was
[01:10:10] it.
[01:10:10] >> That was it.
[01:10:12] >> Thank you, Short. Thanks very much.
[01:10:15] >> Do we want to make a uh official vote of
[01:10:18] support for what the uh tax
[01:10:22] >> that would be great?
[01:10:23] >> Okay. I'll move that we uh express our
[01:10:27] uh support for what the health task
[01:10:30] force healthcare task force has updated
[01:10:33] us on.
[01:10:34] >> I'll second it.
[01:10:36] >> Okay. All in favor?
[01:10:37] >> I
[01:10:39] try to craft something beautiful. But
[01:10:42] thank you very much. [laughter]
[01:10:46] >> Not my mealy mouth thing.
[01:10:49] >> It was It was wonderful.
[01:10:53] >> Okay. Um
[01:10:58] >> Alex Man. Alex man. He's not here, is
[01:11:02] he?
[01:11:02] >> No.
[01:11:04] >> Okay. We're going to appoint a truck
[01:11:06] driver laborer
[01:11:07] >> to work with our highway superintendent.
[01:11:11] So, um, our highway superintendent is
[01:11:14] emphatic about having a body. Um, and
[01:11:18] so, um, he is requesting that the board
[01:11:22] appoint man. Uh, we interviewed him, did
[01:11:24] the background check, reference check,
[01:11:26] everything came back right. Awesome.
[01:11:28] >> Okay. I'll make a motion to appoint Alex
[01:11:30] Man for truck driver laborer. I'll
[01:11:33] second a motion.
[01:11:34] >> All in favor? I
[01:11:37] discussion and vote on Quabin Regional
[01:11:40] School District Select Board Collective
[01:11:43] Bargaining Representative.
[01:11:50] Mr. Tinker, you will do this?
[01:11:52] >> Yes, I'll I'll take this on.
[01:11:54] >> Anybody else?
[01:12:00] >> Well, two of us on it.
[01:12:02] >> Would you like to do this? No,
[01:12:03] >> I could do it.
[01:12:05] Do you uh split the job? You want to go
[01:12:08] together?
[01:12:09] >> We could go together.
[01:12:11] >> I take it up with the superintendent.
[01:12:14] >> I'll just have to check if we have
[01:12:16] specific wording on that. I think it's
[01:12:19] one representative.
[01:12:21] >> Okay.
[01:12:22] >> Well,
[01:12:24] well,
[01:12:25] >> being that I I I kind of run into time
[01:12:28] constraints at times, I I'll let Bill do
[01:12:31] it.
[01:12:32] >> Well, I've been doing it, so it kind of
[01:12:33] makes sense.
[01:12:35] continue time constraints too. So
[01:12:38] >> I know but it's it's in the evening
[01:12:39] usually when I need
[01:12:40] >> Yeah. So you've already started. So
[01:12:43] >> all right move to uh have Bill continue
[01:12:48] as the collective bargaining
[01:12:51] representative for to the Quinland
[01:12:54] Regional School District.
[01:12:56] >> I'll second the motion. All in favor?
[01:12:59] >> I I
[01:13:01] >> Okay. discussion and vote on Paige
[01:13:04] Memorial Library Trustees Independent
[01:13:07] Council.
[01:13:10] >> So, hi everyone. I'm Jenna Garvey. I'm
[01:13:12] the chair of the Page Memorial Library
[01:13:14] Board of Trustees and I'm really excited
[01:13:16] to announce that we are collaborating
[01:13:19] with the Gilbertville Board of Directors
[01:13:22] um to explore the potential of maybe
[01:13:26] merging the two libraries. It's a long
[01:13:28] time coming. Um, but there's a lot we
[01:13:31] need to unpack with this. And so the
[01:13:35] page is coming to you guys today to ask
[01:13:37] for permission to hire an independent
[01:13:40] attorney um so that we can do our due
[01:13:44] diligence and explore,
[01:13:47] you know, potential risks um and
[01:13:50] everything else that needs to be known.
[01:13:53] Um, the reason we're not asking you guys
[01:13:57] to um, use KP law is because we don't
[01:14:01] want to burden the town with the
[01:14:03] expense. Um, we've decided that we're
[01:14:06] willing to cover that and we also, it's
[01:14:09] an issue of access. Um, we want to be
[01:14:11] able to access the attorney when they
[01:14:13] have a question because that will move
[01:14:15] things along a lot quicker. Um, so
[01:14:19] technically, um, we need to ask you, and
[01:14:23] this is where the attorney came in
[01:14:24] because I had no idea. Not only do you
[01:14:26] have to give us permission to do this,
[01:14:29] to spend our money to do this, but um
[01:14:33] we're asking that you make a motion to
[01:14:36] classify the position of special counsel
[01:14:39] to the Page Memorial Library Board of
[01:14:41] Trustees as a special municipal employee
[01:14:44] of the town of Hardwick for the purposes
[01:14:46] of Massachusetts General Laws chapter
[01:14:48] 268A.
[01:14:50] That motion needs to be made before we
[01:14:52] can proceed. and I'm happy to answer any
[01:14:55] questions.
[01:14:57] >> We're in the very very very beginning
[01:14:59] stages of this.
[01:15:01] >> Um,
[01:15:03] >> so move.
[01:15:04] >> Good. I'll second.
[01:15:07] >> All in favor?
[01:15:08] >> I I
[01:15:10] >> That was easy.
[01:15:10] >> Super easy. [laughter]
[01:15:13] >> Um, if you don't mind, I have two
[01:15:16] originals here. I figured that would be
[01:15:18] easier. I'll leave you guys with one for
[01:15:20] one. Okay. Um, but there's a signature
[01:15:22] on this page and then on the second page
[01:15:27] is a signature regarding the motion
[01:15:37] >> and I will copy Justine on all
[01:15:39] correspondences to keep you guys in the
[01:15:41] loop.
[01:15:53] I'm excited. This is a really
[01:15:57] >> Yes, it's an exciting opportunity.
[01:15:59] >> Yes.
[01:16:00] >> Okay. The motion was made by
[01:16:03] >> Phil.
[01:16:17] Seconded by Jeff Shaw.
[01:16:20] >> There's more space for that.
[01:16:21] >> Yes, there is right there.
[01:16:23] >> Okay.
[01:16:26] Get through this way.
[01:16:29] But we'll we'll help you out there.
[01:16:34] >> Make sure the
[01:16:35] >> I can have that. This is your copy one
[01:16:37] of your page.
[01:16:39] >> You can do that on your own time if you
[01:16:41] want. Thank you.
[01:16:42] >> Okay. Thank you,
[01:16:44] >> Mr. Chairman.
[01:16:45] >> Yes, sir.
[01:16:45] >> On behalf of the Gilbertville Library
[01:16:48] Trustees, we'd like to thank you for
[01:16:49] your support this issue.
[01:16:51] >> It's a great project idea. It's long
[01:16:54] time.
[01:16:56] >> Thank you.
[01:16:56] >> Beautiful building.
[01:16:58] >> Yeah.
[01:16:59] Thank you.
[01:17:09] >> All right.
[01:17:12] Fiscal year 2027 budget select board
[01:17:17] review and update from town
[01:17:19] administrator.
[01:17:19] >> I have your budget books here for FY27.
[01:17:22] >> Anybody else particular one or
[01:17:24] >> it does all the same.
[01:17:28] Um, so I figured I would just go through
[01:17:30] a couple things or more than a couple
[01:17:32] things and then you guys can go home and
[01:17:34] look at them and then I can go on a
[01:17:36] subsequent agenda to discuss further.
[01:17:38] Um, you'll see the master sheet that's
[01:17:41] in your packet. Um, but you have your
[01:17:43] budget books for each individual
[01:17:44] department.
[01:17:46] Um,
[01:17:47] some of these numbers are not
[01:17:51] 100%. As you know, insurance when I was
[01:17:53] at my MMA conference, I got the health
[01:17:55] insurance range. we're always at the
[01:17:57] very top of the range. So, that's the
[01:17:58] number I put in. Same with property and
[01:18:00] casualties. So, I don't have those
[01:18:01] numbers finalized. Um,
[01:18:04] but I put in worst case scenarios. For
[01:18:07] the Pathfinder assessment, I I did speak
[01:18:10] to the superintendent to get an estimate
[01:18:12] on what that was going to look like for
[01:18:13] us this year. And as far as Quabin, I
[01:18:16] we're they're going to have 17
[01:18:18] additional students this year. Um, so I
[01:18:20] just did the math, but those numbers are
[01:18:22] fluid and are probably going to change.
[01:18:26] Um,
[01:18:27] in terms of revenue, we're actually
[01:18:30] doing pretty well with revenue and local
[01:18:31] receipts this year, but I put a very
[01:18:33] conservative number in there thinking
[01:18:35] that in a few months I'll take a look
[01:18:36] back and see if we can adjust that. Um,
[01:18:39] we did have our department meetings
[01:18:40] where they did come in and meet with me.
[01:18:42] So, in your budget books, you'll see
[01:18:43] their request and then my recommendation
[01:18:46] and then a swap for um the select board.
[01:18:49] Um, trying to think if there's anything
[01:18:50] else. We did get the governor's budget.
[01:18:53] We're only looking at a 2.5 increase
[01:18:54] according to her for our unrestrict
[01:18:56] unrestricted general government aid, but
[01:18:58] it still has to go through the house and
[01:18:59] senate. I did make it very clear to both
[01:19:01] the state rep and the state senator that
[01:19:03] we need um that 2.5% increase in
[01:19:07] unrestricted general government aid is
[01:19:09] just not adequate just like it is for
[01:19:12] all the towns around us. So, I'm hoping
[01:19:13] that they're going to advocate at their
[01:19:15] level and hopefully by the end of their
[01:19:17] budget cycle, we'll see a bigger
[01:19:18] increase.
[01:19:20] Um,
[01:19:22] same with debt. Um, we did get those
[01:19:26] numbers from the financial advisor. So,
[01:19:28] that you'll see the parts that are 50/50
[01:19:31] split. This is just the town's split of
[01:19:34] the USDA project. Um,
[01:19:37] unemployments and and oped and
[01:19:40] insurance. You'll see that, too. The
[01:19:41] Worester Regional Retirement number is
[01:19:43] accurate. That did come from Wester
[01:19:45] Regional Retirement.
[01:19:46] And, um, yeah. So, take it home and look
[01:19:50] at it and I'll be happy to answer any of
[01:19:52] your questions or comments, but um
[01:19:54] here's the start of the here's the start
[01:19:56] of the budget.
[01:19:58] >> Thank you.
[01:19:58] >> You're welcome.
[01:19:59] >> I know a lot of work went into this. Um
[01:20:02] my intent is that we'll be looking at
[01:20:05] this and start taking it apart and
[01:20:08] putting it back together with the
[01:20:09] finance committee as I don't think that
[01:20:12] you have any input yet. So um now we
[01:20:16] have a beginning so we have a structure
[01:20:19] to work with which is good for me.
[01:20:23] >> Comment
[01:20:25] I have comments sir.
[01:20:27] >> Um so is this this the draft budget?
[01:20:31] >> So we're going to accept this draft and
[01:20:33] it'll become our budget.
[01:20:34] >> Yep.
[01:20:35] >> Okay.
[01:20:36] >> So
[01:20:38] um and then we got to set up meetings
[01:20:41] with the department heads and all that
[01:20:43] stuff. Okay.
[01:20:44] connect and I'd like to, you know, lock
[01:20:47] this budget down for the record as far
[01:20:49] as any alter anything gets changed,
[01:20:52] anything like that, it's through the
[01:20:53] select board. Okay. Um, and we keep a
[01:20:58] record of that.
[01:21:00] >> Yes, it's the select board's budget.
[01:21:02] >> We haven't had anything to say about it
[01:21:04] yet,
[01:21:05] >> right? We're accepting this draft. We're
[01:21:07] accepting this draft or I intend to
[01:21:09] accept this draft and work on it us and
[01:21:12] the finance committee in joint meetings,
[01:21:15] >> right?
[01:21:15] >> And go over it and find out what needs
[01:21:18] to be improved and what needs to be
[01:21:20] congratulated
[01:21:22] and then it will be the select board's
[01:21:25] budget and that's what we present to the
[01:21:27] town.
[01:21:28] >> But last year it was outrageous. So this
[01:21:32] is why this year I want to make sure
[01:21:35] that it's we have this budget, we accept
[01:21:37] this draft and any changes done to this
[01:21:40] draft
[01:21:41] >> we note.
[01:21:41] >> We note and it's recorded and we have a
[01:21:44] record.
[01:21:44] >> So we do not repeat.
[01:21:46] >> Right.
[01:21:47] >> That's all that okay with the chair of
[01:21:49] the finance committee?
[01:21:50] >> Yes sir.
[01:21:52] >> Okay.
[01:21:53] >> And you set up.
[01:21:55] >> All right.
[01:21:57] Okay with you. Just one look just want
[01:21:59] to reiterate the fact that like the
[01:22:00] insurance and stuff those are estimates
[01:22:02] those are not final numbers. Okay.
[01:22:05] >> That's that's fine.
[01:22:07] >> Through the chair if I may.
[01:22:08] >> Yes. [clears throat]
[01:22:09] >> Uh part of the uh process here um
[01:22:12] speaking with Mark Forzik. He actually
[01:22:14] come forth with a a working idea which I
[01:22:17] thought was would work very well. Um he
[01:22:21] he would like to step in as a liaison
[01:22:22] between FINCOM and select.
[01:22:25] Um what the fincom is going to do is
[01:22:28] we're going to uh present our budget in
[01:22:31] terms of uh rolling last year's budget
[01:22:33] that we had um presented at town town
[01:22:37] meeting plus all the adjustments which
[01:22:40] was distributed to the select board I
[01:22:42] think in July uh reconcile those
[01:22:44] adjustments and then we'll look at the
[01:22:47] gaps uh and when we look at the gaps uh
[01:22:50] Mark is uh is is standing up saying I
[01:22:53] will work with trying to find um uh
[01:22:57] answers to those uh to those gaps. So
[01:23:01] the burden isn't put on one board or the
[01:23:03] other. Uh and it allows us to work
[01:23:05] together understanding where we need to
[01:23:08] spend where we need where we can cut and
[01:23:10] then come to an alignment in agreement.
[01:23:13] So when we go to town town meeting, we
[01:23:16] are completely in alignment with uh what
[01:23:18] the what the budget is going to be
[01:23:20] presented to the town.
[01:23:23] >> Sounds perfect. Um, can we come up with
[01:23:28] are we ready to commit to a regular
[01:23:31] meeting, a regular joint meeting?
[01:23:34] >> I think in the in the next uh couple
[01:23:36] weeks I haven't seen the budget yet. So,
[01:23:38] um if you can send the budget to us as
[01:23:40] well, we will um begin to look at it and
[01:23:44] reconcile it to uh kind of what we have
[01:23:46] and then at that point uh would be a
[01:23:48] great time to get together and study the
[01:23:50] differences. So, you want to schedule a
[01:23:53] joint meeting at the end of our next
[01:23:56] board of selectments meeting
[01:23:57] >> which is when?
[01:24:00] Two weeks from now.
[01:24:01] >> Mr. Chair, currently brain tree at the
[01:24:03] next meeting. Just wanted to remind you
[01:24:04] >> we're a new brain tree.
[01:24:05] >> We're a new brain tree.
[01:24:08] Did
[01:24:08] >> you start working the finance?
[01:24:11] >> Yeah, we set up a different Can you pull
[01:24:14] your members and find out what time is
[01:24:16] best?
[01:24:17] >> Yes.
[01:24:19] and get back to us and we'll decide how
[01:24:22] to fix how to fit this together.
[01:24:24] >> Yeah, we'll schedule them.
[01:24:25] >> Yeah.
[01:24:26] >> Can I ask a question?
[01:24:28] >> Chris, when do you uh want your budget
[01:24:30] books?
[01:24:31] >> Anytime would be great.
[01:24:33] >> I can probably get them to you next week
[01:24:34] if you want them.
[01:24:35] >> Yeah.
[01:24:35] >> Okay.
[01:24:36] >> Fantastic.
[01:24:38] >> And maybe set up a have them uh
[01:24:42] determine a a number a day. Yeah. you
[01:24:46] know, we'll pick one and it's
[01:24:48] >> Yeah, regular start.
[01:24:51] >> Yeah. Start getting into it.
[01:24:55] >> Say that again.
[01:24:56] >> Uh just pick out a number of days, you
[01:24:59] know, not just one day because
[01:25:01] >> Yeah, we can schedule uh a couple
[01:25:05] meetings in March and April. We should
[01:25:06] have this buttoned up. I mean, this
[01:25:07] isn't complicated.
[01:25:09] >> It shouldn't be.
[01:25:10] >> Yeah.
[01:25:13] All right.
[01:25:19] I mean, we can bring
[01:25:21] the electronic file
[01:25:24] on the book.
[01:25:24] >> I can do that.
[01:25:25] >> Yeah, I might like that, too,
[01:25:29] >> cuz I have a hard time reading it small.
[01:25:32] >> Okay.
[01:25:34] >> So, you're looking for electronic
[01:25:36] version?
[01:25:37] >> Yes. And that way I can play around with
[01:25:40] it. Send it to Chris as well.
[01:25:41] >> Yeah, it'll be electronic as well.
[01:25:44] Um
[01:25:46] uh does the second work for you guys?
[01:25:49] >> 2nd of March.
[01:25:50] >> Yeah, it's the opposite Monday.
[01:25:53] >> Yeah, that should work for me.
[01:25:55] >> Yeah, it will work.
[01:25:58] [clears throat]
[01:25:58] >> 32. What about you, Mr. Chair?
[01:26:03] >> March.
[01:26:04] >> What time?
[01:26:06] >> What time, Chris?
[01:26:08] >> You want to do it? Doesn't matter to me.
[01:26:10] >> 6:30 or 7.
[01:26:13] 6.
[01:26:14] >> I hate 6' [laughter]
[01:26:18] be 6:30 then. We don't want that. 6:30.
[01:26:20] [music] 6:30.
[01:26:21] >> 6:30 this time anyway.
[01:26:23] >> Yeah.
[01:26:26] >> Yeah. So, we'll we'll we'll at that
[01:26:28] point be able to present what we have
[01:26:31] and see where the differences are and
[01:26:33] then uh the work will be in.
[01:26:36] >> We'll give everybody a chance to look at
[01:26:38] it.
[01:26:40] >> Sounds good. Thank you. Okay. And did we
[01:26:42] have stuff that you guys were already
[01:26:45] signing over there?
[01:26:46] >> Well, I haven't signed it yet.
[01:26:47] >> Oh, we have it. Okay.
[01:26:52] >> Oh, yeah. I know.
[01:26:53] >> Discussion and vote on a special town
[01:26:55] meeting.
[01:27:00] >> Do we know? Do we have a reason?
[01:27:03] >> Why?
[01:27:03] >> No. No.
[01:27:04] >> That was just a hold. You can do it.
[01:27:06] Yeah. If you would like
[01:27:10] >> uh discussion on public reference
[01:27:12] requests,
[01:27:16] >> have we already addressed that?
[01:27:19] >> No, I sent you an email and I asked you
[01:27:21] to get documentation from your records
[01:27:23] access officers and talked about it at
[01:27:26] length
[01:27:29] went on in the last meeting.
[01:27:33] >> Right. So, if you don't mind, Mr. Chair,
[01:27:36] January 28th at the select board
[01:27:38] meeting, the board discussed three
[01:27:40] public records requests submitted by a
[01:27:42] resident which the town collected fees
[01:27:45] totaling $650.
[01:27:47] During that discussion, questions were
[01:27:49] raised regarding the completeness of the
[01:27:51] records produced, the basis for the fees
[01:27:54] charged, and the compliance with
[01:27:56] Massachusetts public records law. Now,
[01:27:59] if I may, you may
[01:28:01] >> I did uh have a conversation with the
[01:28:05] town clerk about this and he maintains
[01:28:08] it's not the selectman's problem.
[01:28:11] >> That that the uh citizen has to come to
[01:28:15] an agreement with him or go to the AG or
[01:28:19] court.
[01:28:21] Well, so if you don't mind, Mr. Sure.
[01:28:25] Um, this absolutely falls into the
[01:28:28] select board realm because public money
[01:28:31] was received by the town for services
[01:28:34] and those services weren't provided.
[01:28:36] >> So, there's a real disagreement here.
[01:28:38] >> There is a real disagreement. So, I'm
[01:28:40] trying to cut this off because what is
[01:28:42] an attorney going to cost us to go to
[01:28:44] superior court to defend this action of
[01:28:46] the town versus giving the guy his money
[01:28:48] back? the bill is that our
[01:28:52] >> what what it is within our authority.
[01:28:57] >> It is not within our authority as the
[01:29:00] select board to tell the town clerk to
[01:29:05] tell the uh uh uh uh records
[01:29:12] >> superend
[01:29:17] >> what to do it. We we can't do that. We
[01:29:20] don't have any authority.
[01:29:22] >> Yes, we absolutely have this authority.
[01:29:25] >> All right. Judiciary responsibility.
[01:29:28] We're trying to What is an attorney
[01:29:30] going to cost this town to represent
[01:29:31] this town for actions that we did not do
[01:29:34] but provide. We took money from a
[01:29:36] resident for services to provide
[01:29:38] records. We didn't provide those
[01:29:40] records,
[01:29:41] >> Mr. Chair.
[01:29:42] >> Okay. Excuse me.
[01:29:44] >> Okay. So, we absolutely have an
[01:29:47] obligation as a board to decide this
[01:29:49] matter. And we requested the records
[01:29:51] access officer to produce these records,
[01:29:53] what was presented because they're
[01:29:55] supposed to keep a lot of what was
[01:29:57] requested, what was delivered, what was
[01:29:59] the fee, what was the estimate, the
[01:30:02] money received. They should have all
[01:30:05] this. We've asked for this. We have not
[01:30:07] received this. Who's they? The records
[01:30:09] access officer, which is Justine
[01:30:12] and Brian the clerk. They're records
[01:30:15] access officers for this town. One of
[01:30:18] them handled two of these items and one
[01:30:21] handled one. And they're supposed to
[01:30:23] keep a log for the public record
[01:30:26] supervisor. You know what I mean?
[01:30:28] They're supposed to keep a log and
[01:30:29] information on this. And we requested
[01:30:31] this from the select board cuz Jeff had
[01:30:33] answers or questions and he wanted
[01:30:36] answers. Well, we weren't given those
[01:30:37] answers. So, based on that information
[01:30:41] and not giving us this information, we
[01:30:43] can absolutely rule to decide to give
[01:30:45] the money back cuz no records were
[01:30:48] produced.
[01:30:50] >> Okay. So, I would like to uh have a
[01:30:53] conversation with Brian and get a phone
[01:30:55] number and I will call the
[01:30:58] supervisor, the superintendent, whoever
[01:31:00] I have to go to to get a get a a ruling
[01:31:04] or an agreement or a statement on this.
[01:31:07] >> I'm looking at one right now.
[01:31:08] >> Two. Excuse me.
[01:31:10] >> I'm looking at one right now.
[01:31:11] >> Thank you. We'll look at that at a later
[01:31:13] date
[01:31:13] >> where they sided with the town
[01:31:14] >> or something bigger.
[01:31:16] >> Um I'll uh try to track it down. We have
[01:31:20] a disagreement about
[01:31:22] uh whose uh authority it is and I don't
[01:31:25] see any um room to compromise. So let me
[01:31:29] find out get some state opinions on
[01:31:33] this.
[01:31:34] >> Okay. So you're going to contact the
[01:31:36] secretary of the commonwealth
[01:31:38] >> yes
[01:31:38] >> for the public records law.
[01:31:39] >> Yep.
[01:31:40] >> Okay.
[01:31:42] Would you like information that I have
[01:31:43] so you have it?
[01:31:44] >> No, I'll give my Okay. Thanks,
[01:31:47] >> Mr. Chair. I can forward you all three
[01:31:48] determinations from the supervisor of
[01:31:50] records.
[01:31:50] >> Thank you. And I'll need that too at
[01:31:51] some point.
[01:31:52] >> So, Mr. Chair, before we got to this
[01:31:55] point, why weren't the records produced?
[01:31:57] >> I don't know. Well, maybe we should look
[01:31:59] into that as well. I'll look into that,
[01:32:00] too.
[01:32:02] >> Yep.
[01:32:04] Okay.
[01:32:05] >> Okay.
[01:32:06] All right.
[01:32:08] So, we're going to table this, I guess.
[01:32:12] I don't see any compromise. So, are we
[01:32:15] going to get further with Are we going
[01:32:16] to wait for information from our records
[01:32:18] access officers? Are we going to get
[01:32:20] that information?
[01:32:21] >> I'll have a report at our next meeting.
[01:32:24] >> Okay.
[01:32:27] >> Do you want my information on this now,
[01:32:29] Mr. Chair?
[01:32:30] >> Not right now. Thank you.
[01:32:31] >> Okay.
[01:32:34] >> But I would like your town
[01:32:36] administrator's report.
[01:32:38] >> All righty.
[01:32:40] Um I met with um Energy Conservation
[01:32:44] Inc. I'm a school boiler with the school
[01:32:46] superintendent and the director of
[01:32:47] facilities. Um, this is the company that
[01:32:49] Massie contracts with. We are doing a
[01:32:52] walkthrough with them on Thursday with
[01:32:54] myself, Mr. Corsick, and Mr. Logic.
[01:32:58] Um, so something that I'm actually
[01:32:59] taking from another town administrator
[01:33:01] is in my report I'm going to do how many
[01:33:02] public records requests we received. Um,
[01:33:05] at the time of this when I put this
[01:33:06] together, we had three in the last
[01:33:09] month. Uh, now it's up to five um,
[01:33:12] public records requests. So, I will keep
[01:33:13] updating the board on our public records
[01:33:15] request. Um, I had a call with Central
[01:33:17] Mass Regional Planning Committee on our
[01:33:19] IT grant. Um, we put in four online
[01:33:22] permitting and three electronic like
[01:33:24] smart type boards, interactive boards,
[01:33:28] one for this room and one for fire and
[01:33:30] one for police.
[01:33:32] Um, I attended the Quan Regional School
[01:33:34] District budget meeting.
[01:33:38] um
[01:33:39] met with the assessor, accountant, and
[01:33:41] treasurer repeatedly on town debt as we
[01:33:44] were working on the FY27 budget. Um I
[01:33:48] attended a rural team's meeting um on
[01:33:51] the governor's budget, which was
[01:33:53] depressing.
[01:33:55] Had a call with the police chief and
[01:33:56] fire chief from Mson on a federal grant
[01:33:58] uh looking at all of our options for the
[01:34:00] police station renovation. Um I'm
[01:34:03] meeting with me height tomorrow on the
[01:34:05] phone about grants.
[01:34:08] We're advertising for a wast wastewater
[01:34:09] treatment plant operator, a highway
[01:34:11] equipment operator, and a van driver.
[01:34:13] And actually something exciting to
[01:34:14] report um in the middle of a reference
[01:34:16] check for a wastewater treatment plant
[01:34:18] operator. Um so that will be on your
[01:34:20] next agenda hopefully, which is really
[01:34:22] exciting for POST. Um met with police
[01:34:25] chief, acting fire chief, and the fire
[01:34:27] chief/ selectboard chair brain. Um so
[01:34:31] that will all be discussed at your next
[01:34:33] uh meeting on the 23rd. Um, we held our
[01:34:36] monthly department meeting and I'm sorry
[01:34:38] I can't breathe if I sound funny. Um,
[01:34:42] I moderated a panel on municipal finance
[01:34:44] at a western mass roundt event and that
[01:34:46] has been recorded. Um, so if any of you
[01:34:48] were interested in seeing the whole
[01:34:50] event um, on municipal finance, I'd be
[01:34:52] happy to send it over to you. Met with
[01:34:54] Judy Cororsic on healthcare. I attended
[01:34:57] a council on aging meeting and I
[01:34:58] attended the Barry Select Board meeting
[01:35:00] on the council on a aging regional
[01:35:02] agreement. Um, I spoke at both events.
[01:35:04] they or both meetings they were they
[01:35:06] both went fine. Um so we're looking
[01:35:09] forward to continuing that relationship
[01:35:11] and as was mentioned earlier uh we do
[01:35:13] have a meeting scheduled at the end of
[01:35:15] the month myself and the town
[01:35:16] administrator from Barry.
[01:35:19] Um I want to recognize our highway
[01:35:21] superintendent Marty Greska um working
[01:35:24] for days on no sleep to make sure our
[01:35:26] roads and sidewalks are safe. Um, also
[01:35:29] this morning we had no heat here at town
[01:35:31] hall and he responded and was here
[01:35:33] within 10 minutes. Um, he he contacted
[01:35:36] R.J. McDonald and really handles the
[01:35:38] whole thing. So, um, I'm very grateful
[01:35:40] for him.
[01:35:41] >> Do we know why that happened yet?
[01:35:43] >> There was an issue with the thermostat
[01:35:44] and one of our pumps downstairs
[01:35:46] connecting to the boiler had to be
[01:35:48] reset, restarted. Um, it's just again an
[01:35:51] old system. Don't want to talk about any
[01:35:54] more boilers today, but
[01:35:58] Um, important dates. Senator Durant and
[01:36:01] Representative Berthume are holding
[01:36:02] office hours on February 11th from 10 to
[01:36:05] 11:00 in this room.
[01:36:10] >> And that's all I have for you tonight.
[01:36:13] >> Select my round table.
[01:36:19] No,
[01:36:22] >> you have your name.
[01:36:23] >> I do. I do. Um, for the record, uh, the
[01:36:27] select board previously took a vote in
[01:36:29] executive session under master law
[01:36:31] chapter 38 subsection 21 A3 concerning
[01:36:35] litigation and negotiation strategy
[01:36:38] related to the Zikos auction group
[01:36:40] matter. Prior to that vote, I requested
[01:36:43] confirmation of whether there was a
[01:36:44] record a recorded public authorization
[01:36:47] for engagement and execution of the
[01:36:50] contract and that information was not
[01:36:52] provided before the vote occurred. I am
[01:36:55] documenting this as a at a procedural
[01:36:57] level without disclosing executive
[01:36:59] session content because the absence of
[01:37:02] that information affected the board's
[01:37:04] ability to exercise informed oversight.
[01:37:10] Thank you,
[01:37:14] >> Mr. Cole. If I may, thank you.
[01:37:17] >> [clears throat]
[01:37:17] >> during the the town administrator's
[01:37:19] report. I thought of a couple other
[01:37:20] things I just wanted to mention um to
[01:37:22] you all but also to the people who may
[01:37:24] be watching. One is I've mentioned a
[01:37:26] little bit before which has to do with
[01:37:28] all the town website email addresses not
[01:37:31] going to Comcast customers inboxes
[01:37:34] properly. I've worked hard on this. She
[01:37:36] gave me the number for CM Geeks and so
[01:37:38] forth, but it has not been able to get
[01:37:41] fixed yet by them or by Comcast. So, I
[01:37:44] just want everybody to know that if
[01:37:45] you're expecting any email from any of
[01:37:48] the town email addresses,
[01:37:52] um, and you have and you're a Comcast
[01:37:54] customer, they will not go to your
[01:37:57] inbox. Even if you take the protocol
[01:37:59] steps that they say to have them go
[01:38:01] there instead of spam,
[01:38:02] >> they're going to my spam box.
[01:38:03] >> They'll get sit in your spam box till
[01:38:05] they're automatically deleted. And you
[01:38:07] won't know about them unless you search
[01:38:08] through all
[01:38:09] >> kind of look at spam every day now.
[01:38:11] >> Yeah. Well,
[01:38:11] >> yep. But, you know, we we we try testing
[01:38:15] it, but we also sometimes send an email
[01:38:17] to somebody at Comcast who's asked us a
[01:38:20] question and they don't get it and and
[01:38:22] you got to go around that, call them
[01:38:24] otherwise and say, "Check your spam
[01:38:25] folder." They're working on this. I'll
[01:38:28] pass on any solution they have. But
[01:38:29] right now, anybody that has a Comcast
[01:38:32] account expecting email from the town,
[01:38:33] they better look in their spam folder or
[01:38:35] they won't see it. That's that's one
[01:38:38] thing. that we get living in here and
[01:38:39] remote.
[01:38:41] >> The other, if I may, is this. I wanted
[01:38:43] to thank thank Justine and Holly too, I
[01:38:46] guess, for getting some information we
[01:38:48] were looking for, which which had to do
[01:38:50] with the uh the cable Comcast cable town
[01:38:53] franchise fees. Um, where money is
[01:38:57] collected, a percentage, maybe it's
[01:38:58] five, something like that, of the of
[01:39:01] what Comcast collects within the town.
[01:39:03] that money sits in what's called, I
[01:39:05] believe, a public educational and
[01:39:07] governmental account to be used for
[01:39:10] certain purposes. Um,
[01:39:13] when when you first told me about this,
[01:39:14] it was like 130,000. It's I guess it
[01:39:17] goes up every quarter, but so it's a lot
[01:39:19] of money and um it's it's I guess the
[01:39:22] source of our expenditures for
[01:39:25] communications
[01:39:27] of, you know, the broadcasting and so
[01:39:29] forth. But my question is, what else
[01:39:32] could it cover? Um, we we could look at
[01:39:35] the contract with Comcast or the statute
[01:39:38] and see whether this line item that
[01:39:41] can't be can't be used for anything else
[01:39:43] and is growing is available for any any
[01:39:46] other legitimate purpose, you know, in
[01:39:48] terms of communication with the town or
[01:39:50] whatever. I don't know what it would be
[01:39:52] newsletters or sign boards or something.
[01:39:55] I don't know. But it's just sitting
[01:39:58] there
[01:40:00] like recording meetings. Well, then I
[01:40:03] never knew Liz.
[01:40:06] >> I never knew that Comcast is kicking
[01:40:08] back money to the town for what about us
[01:40:11] in the West Park who's who are getting
[01:40:13] their Comcast through where
[01:40:16] are we pay are we giving money to wear
[01:40:19] because we're paying our Comcast bill
[01:40:24] that question
[01:40:25] >> and I don't want to give money to wear.
[01:40:28] >> It's a good question.
[01:40:34] Because the whole west part there's a
[01:40:36] line that line comes through where
[01:40:43] >> we'll look into it. Thank you.
[01:40:44] >> So we want our money.
[01:40:45] >> Okay.
[01:40:47] >> Yes sir.
[01:40:48] >> Um I just want to mention so people in
[01:40:49] heartbreak are aware we had a board of
[01:40:52] health meeting that talked about the the
[01:40:55] watershed the and you and the landfill
[01:40:58] and all that and it's all recorded. It's
[01:41:00] on YouTube. Um, it's very informative
[01:41:04] and I recommend that the residents of
[01:41:06] Hardwick watch it, review it because
[01:41:09] there's a lot of information in there.
[01:41:12] >> Okay. And just the very beginning.
[01:41:15] >> Yeah.
[01:41:16] >> Especially if you live in the West.
[01:41:18] >> And Jeff Jeff attended the meeting as
[01:41:20] well.
[01:41:22] >> And Justine was gracious enough to put
[01:41:25] it on YouTube and have it recorded and
[01:41:27] get it done. So, thank you.
[01:41:29] It was a big meeting. It's very
[01:41:31] important and I'm glad it got recorded.
[01:41:33] >> I want to thank Ricky
[01:41:34] >> Rick Degan who is our the guy who does
[01:41:37] the SWboard meetings who um got it up
[01:41:39] and running in 10 minutes.
[01:41:41] >> Okay. Yeah. It was a great help and Rick
[01:41:43] Romano gave presentation.
[01:41:46] And Dr. M, I mean they did an excellent
[01:41:49] job. They really
[01:41:50] >> very informative.
[01:41:51] >> Yeah. So scary.
[01:41:55] >> Yeah. That's that's all I have, Mr.
[01:41:57] Chair.
[01:41:58] >> Okay. Make a motion to adjurnn.
[01:42:01] >> I'll second it. All in favor?
[01:42:06] >> Start some things here.