Hardwick Select Board Budget and Administrative Oversight Meeting

[00:00:04] All right.
[00:00:05] >> Excuse me, Mr. Chair.
[00:00:06] >> Yes.
[00:00:06] >> Um, you just announced that we have a
[00:00:08] SLman participating remotely.
[00:00:11] >> Oh, yes. Uh, we do have a selectman uh
[00:00:14] participating remotely. He could not
[00:00:16] make the meeting, but he's on a Zoom
[00:00:20] feed.
[00:00:21] >> Can you hear? Okay.
[00:00:23] >> I can hear you. Okay.
[00:00:24] >> Hi, Zach.
[00:00:26] >> Hello. Hello, sir.
[00:00:30] Okay, we'll start off with visitor
[00:00:33] comments.
[00:00:36] Yes, Bill.
[00:00:39] >> Thank you. A couple things. I'm sure.
[00:00:44] Um,
[00:00:45] first I wanted to mention that uh I'm
[00:00:48] glad to have a chance to talk this one
[00:00:50] to make the two one of the two joint
[00:00:52] meetings we had about the budget and u
[00:00:55] at a different one there there was an
[00:00:57] invitation for the public to speak and I
[00:00:59] did have a couple things I wanted to
[00:01:01] offer hopefully constructively for
[00:01:04] consideration.
[00:01:06] Um,
[00:01:08] as you wrestle with the budget, um,
[00:01:11] there's been a lot of talk about the
[00:01:13] solar payment. Um, and as I looked into
[00:01:17] that more, seeing the contract, looking
[00:01:19] into regulations and accounting
[00:01:22] practices, I'm comfortable anyway,
[00:01:23] thinking that it's a it's not a
[00:01:26] nonrecurring
[00:01:29] income item. It's it's a the first
[00:01:32] payment, a signed contract. Um, it's
[00:01:36] also not an extra $100,000. It's it's
[00:01:40] the first it's an advance against the
[00:01:43] first payment. Um, that's that's due to
[00:01:45] the town in December of 17 as well. Um,
[00:01:49] it's apparently according to council
[00:01:53] guaranteed
[00:01:54] um as the first payment rather than
[00:01:56] recurring item. I don't think it's
[00:01:59] inappropriate to to be considering it to
[00:02:02] be on the income side of the ledger
[00:02:04] which is not part of your budget budget
[00:02:09] approval is really but it makes one it's
[00:02:13] what balances the budget obviously that
[00:02:15] you're that you're
[00:02:18] um the other item
[00:02:20] the gravel um I should mention about all
[00:02:23] that and while that is more of a
[00:02:27] non-recurring item Um um it seems like
[00:02:31] it's going to be that contract hasn't is
[00:02:35] isn't put out and we don't know what
[00:02:36] it's going to be and we don't know if it
[00:02:38] be all up front or over over the period
[00:02:41] of extraction. It seems to me um very
[00:02:45] likely that's going to happen and it
[00:02:48] will leave a significant amount of money
[00:02:50] in in
[00:02:52] in 2027 this whole year and probably for
[00:02:55] a year or two after that. all to be done
[00:02:59] of course prior to the installation of
[00:03:02] the solar which is not permitted yet but
[00:03:04] it came up also at your meeting with a
[00:03:07] comment from the finance comm is it is
[00:03:11] it sure to be permitted is it u what's
[00:03:15] going to happen about that it's a
[00:03:16] municipal use I can't speak to the board
[00:03:20] we haven't weigh anything there's
[00:03:21] nothing in front of us official but it
[00:03:22] seems to me that it's a municipal use on
[00:03:25] that property subject therefore to site
[00:03:28] plan review
[00:03:30] um not special permit.
[00:03:33] Um and of course in that site plan
[00:03:35] review, the board would be
[00:03:38] looking at all the things about access
[00:03:40] and screening and operation times and
[00:03:44] travel routes and all of those normal
[00:03:46] things. Um
[00:03:49] and the there's also provision in bylaws
[00:03:52] that recently passed uh regarding
[00:03:56] removalation.
[00:03:58] Two things are of note here I think. One
[00:04:00] is that the contract is not limited to
[00:04:02] one year. Uh which is what they
[00:04:07] thought it was, but that was our current
[00:04:09] vital current still at the moment, but
[00:04:11] not able proposed approved that can be a
[00:04:15] longer contract
[00:04:17] operation and can be extended after for
[00:04:20] another couple years.
[00:04:23] So that that's the status on that.
[00:04:24] General bottom line to me it makes it
[00:04:26] seem that this project proposed
[00:04:30] uh disturbed property town owned so many
[00:04:34] conservation signs off the distance from
[00:04:35] the water ft right that it it seems like
[00:04:40] um a very good likelihood of happen
[00:04:42] whether it happens at
[00:04:45] the numbers around like 350 or 550 or
[00:04:47] 650 or something I don't know but even
[00:04:50] small low end of that would bring in
[00:04:53] more money than you're talking about in
[00:04:56] the budget. That was my thought about
[00:04:59] those two things in the budget. There's
[00:05:02] also been a lot of talk about
[00:05:04] overspending line items
[00:05:07] uh in the past year. Um and that has two
[00:05:11] impacts I think on the current budget
[00:05:14] and next year's plan. One is you see how
[00:05:18] things have sometimes things do go over.
[00:05:21] Um that's not
[00:05:24] the result in my opinion of fraud or
[00:05:28] theft or irresponsibility but some
[00:05:32] things have been underfunded for years
[00:05:34] in the it some things run way over what
[00:05:38] was expected like legal
[00:05:40] um and those all those can't be
[00:05:44] predicted necessarily
[00:05:46] um the town has always used
[00:05:49] what I know administrator say is a
[00:05:53] approved strategy at year end of moving
[00:05:57] funds from overfunded spots to
[00:05:59] underfunded spots to balance that and
[00:06:03] that's the way it's been done. It's
[00:06:04] obviously the way it has to be done for
[00:06:06] this year. But I do think personally be
[00:06:09] smart to have some sort of a flagging
[00:06:12] system or something just so that it's
[00:06:14] known when something is running over. uh
[00:06:17] maybe something a little more formal
[00:06:19] than what the town administrator has has
[00:06:22] done in the past with some items anyway
[00:06:24] saying like legal has run way over is
[00:06:26] going to be a problem. It's going to be
[00:06:27] a problem and it wasn't but maybe some
[00:06:31] kind of a flag. I don't decide the
[00:06:32] numbers, but if you're over a certain
[00:06:34] amount, a certain point of the year,
[00:06:36] then maybe it does need to be
[00:06:39] decided whether the spending is going to
[00:06:41] continue or money has to be transferred,
[00:06:44] which can only come with with action
[00:06:47] without meeting money.
[00:06:51] The um the only other things I'd say is
[00:06:54] that as you decide on your schedule,
[00:06:57] please consider for a further meeting on
[00:06:59] 27th, please consider at least putting
[00:07:01] up a company placeholder agenda. Put you
[00:07:05] know, we look at dates ahead to do
[00:07:08] different things whether it's to attend
[00:07:09] the meeting or schedule a dinner board
[00:07:12] meeting and they're not on there. I know
[00:07:14] there's a page you can link that shows
[00:07:17] what you decided on. But like tonight
[00:07:20] for example, our regular night with
[00:07:22] planning board, but we couldn't we
[00:07:25] couldn't do it without choosing a
[00:07:26] different room and we don't know it
[00:07:28] until we date. There's a lot of times of
[00:07:32] Mondays your Monday meetings turn into
[00:07:34] Tuesdays cuz
[00:07:36] at least through that that would be
[00:07:37] great. And last thing on the planning
[00:07:39] board, um we had our hearing on May 19th
[00:07:43] and for the proposed bylaws and we took
[00:07:47] some feedback there and listening to
[00:07:51] more until we finalize the language on
[00:07:54] June 2nd at our regular meeting.
[00:07:58] actually at at our meetings, not a
[00:07:59] regular one, on June 2nd. And then we'd
[00:08:02] like to come back on the 8th and um and
[00:08:07] I think we're on the agenda for that to
[00:08:09] to show you the final articles
[00:08:12] that we would like to be included in the
[00:08:14] warrant. you know, you'll want to run
[00:08:17] some of it by uh legal, I guess, and
[00:08:19] then get it back hopefully hopefully uh
[00:08:22] in two weeks when you next meet
[00:08:25] um you'd be uh ready to set a special
[00:08:28] town meeting, which would have to be I
[00:08:29] suppose posting reasons mostly sometime
[00:08:32] in July. So, um that's that's the path
[00:08:35] we're hoping can can happen. Thank you.
[00:08:38] >> Thank you, Phil. Thank you.
[00:08:40] >> Anybody else? Yes. Um, when we get to
[00:08:43] the senior center, I'd like to speak on
[00:08:46] some stuff that I don't I know for a
[00:08:49] fact that the select board is not aware
[00:08:51] of and I'm pretty sure the trustee is
[00:08:53] not aware of it also, but um
[00:08:57] watching the uh joint meeting last week
[00:09:03] between uh the select board and the
[00:09:06] finance committee. Um, the first thing
[00:09:08] that came to mind is why do we have a
[00:09:10] finance committee if the school board
[00:09:11] doesn't listen to it? Um,
[00:09:15] it's it
[00:09:17] you the board should be embarrassed. The
[00:09:20] board really should be embarrassed for
[00:09:21] not listening to the to the finance
[00:09:24] committee. Um,
[00:09:28] I mean there really aren't even words to
[00:09:30] explain
[00:09:31] how
[00:09:33] um
[00:09:35] bad that entire meeting was. I mean you
[00:09:38] know that people were interrupting
[00:09:40] people were like call you know basically
[00:09:42] being nasty to each other and you know
[00:09:46] this is the problem. All right. And the
[00:09:49] bottom line is what the select board
[00:09:51] came up with, or at least two of them
[00:09:52] did, is let's kick the can down the road
[00:09:55] and oh, maybe we should go for a two and
[00:09:57] a half override. Now, I don't know about
[00:10:00] anybody else in town, but I think that's
[00:10:02] really really
[00:10:05] um
[00:10:06] stupid.
[00:10:08] Okay, that's not an option. especially
[00:10:10] since um there were several options
[00:10:14] where people said bills want to go on
[00:10:16] finance committee that if you cut back a
[00:10:18] couple of percent we could balance the
[00:10:22] budget and nobody wanted to look at that
[00:10:26] and um you know this is typical of
[00:10:28] what's going on in this town of can
[00:10:30] kicking down the road nobody listen to
[00:10:31] anybody else and too many people
[00:10:33] sticking their nose into stuff that they
[00:10:36] have no idea what they're talking about
[00:10:38] and you know I've said it a year and a
[00:10:40] half ago that that I didn't think
[00:10:42] Justine was the person for the job and
[00:10:44] that she should not be uh in the
[00:10:46] administrative uh uh position that she
[00:10:49] is and I still say the same thing that
[00:10:51] the the board really has to take a
[00:10:52] really good hard look at the things that
[00:10:55] Justine has done and um if she worked
[00:10:58] for a corporation she would have been
[00:10:59] fired long time ago.
[00:11:02] >> That's your opinion. Thank you.
[00:11:03] >> That's my opinion. That's exactly my
[00:11:05] opinion.
[00:11:07] >> Okay. Anybody else?
[00:11:10] >> Mr. Chair, may I address something that
[00:11:11] uh Mr. Cole brought up?
[00:11:12] >> Yes.
[00:11:13] >> So, about the meeting dates? So, I'm
[00:11:16] very excited because I have an
[00:11:18] implementation meeting for the website
[00:11:20] on Thursday. So, once the the new
[00:11:22] website gets rolled out, um it's going
[00:11:25] to be a lot easier to find all that
[00:11:26] stuff. So, I know it's a it's really
[00:11:28] stressful right now cuz you go to search
[00:11:30] for something and it you end up at
[00:11:32] nothing. Um, but it looks like about the
[00:11:35] August time frame, it's going to be much
[00:11:38] easier to locate everything on the
[00:11:39] website. So, you won't have to go
[00:11:40] looking for that random sheet on some
[00:11:41] random page. Everything's going to be
[00:11:43] really easily accessible for the um for
[00:11:46] the residents. So, hope that
[00:11:51] >> Okay, Mr. just met.
[00:11:54] >> I'm glad the town administrator brought
[00:11:55] up that new website cuz I'm not aware of
[00:11:57] it ever coming before this board to be
[00:11:59] voted on at all or even approved as an
[00:12:01] expense, but that is part and parcel of
[00:12:03] the um overspending that's currently
[00:12:05] occurring in the IT budget right now.
[00:12:08] That decision didn't have to be made
[00:12:10] now, I'm pretty sure, but it is being
[00:12:12] made. And by who? That's a very good
[00:12:14] question. Um there's other overspending
[00:12:17] that Mr. Nicole aptly pointed out
[00:12:19] loquaciously even that um is occurring
[00:12:22] in the legal and um there's no oversight
[00:12:26] there at all. But there does exist a
[00:12:28] policy that this board has that does
[00:12:30] apply to the town administrator where
[00:12:32] all all um inquiries to our legal
[00:12:36] council are supposed to go through this
[00:12:38] board and be voted on. And that's not
[00:12:40] being done. It hasn't ever been done
[00:12:41] this year. So I frankly disagree. I do
[00:12:47] think costs can be controlled. Your
[00:12:49] budget is over spent right now. What do
[00:12:51] you intend to do about that? I've sent
[00:12:52] emails about it. They've been ignored.
[00:12:54] So, I'd love to hear from you tonight,
[00:12:56] Mr. Chair.
[00:13:00] Well, the budget that there are some
[00:13:03] line items that have been overspent. I
[00:13:06] can understand why they were overspent.
[00:13:10] uh legal for instance there were
[00:13:14] circumstances there was the whole Zikos
[00:13:18] thing there were many uh uh requests for
[00:13:22] information that ended up going through
[00:13:25] legal
[00:13:26] um
[00:13:28] there was the sale of the uh uh page
[00:13:32] building for instance that had to be
[00:13:34] brought before and it was a perfect
[00:13:38] storm of different
[00:13:42] uh reasons why we had to go more often
[00:13:45] to the uh to our town attorney
[00:13:53] than we ordinarily would have.
[00:13:57] And I'm just using that as an example.
[00:14:00] We had a bad winter. Yes, we overran the
[00:14:03] uh snow and ice budget.
[00:14:05] >> Does that justify circumventing the
[00:14:07] policy and ignoring it? circumventing
[00:14:12] mount wouldn't
[00:14:13] >> you don't even know about the policy is
[00:14:17] on the board website and there's a
[00:14:19] policy
[00:14:20] >> what's the policy
[00:14:21] >> yes
[00:14:22] >> what's the policy
[00:14:23] >> the policy is that everybody who goes to
[00:14:25] legal for any matter comes to this board
[00:14:27] and gets approval for a vote
[00:14:30] >> and yes I am aware we have not taken
[00:14:32] many votes on uh going to
[00:14:35] >> say many is to imply you've taken any at
[00:14:37] No, we have taken some, sir.
[00:14:39] >> Not for one for an investigation that,
[00:14:42] by the way, we've never seen that report
[00:14:43] and cost $5,700.
[00:14:45] And we're still waiting for that. It's
[00:14:47] been done since November. It's before
[00:14:48] this SPR right now to see if it can be
[00:14:50] redacted,
[00:14:52] >> right?
[00:14:53] >> It's got but it's never been
[00:14:55] acknowledged or addressed in open
[00:14:57] session. And Select Board Tinker asked
[00:15:00] for that to be dealt with in open
[00:15:02] session.
[00:15:04] and uh we dealt with it in executive
[00:15:07] session because there was personal
[00:15:10] information.
[00:15:12] >> You don't have to disclose personal
[00:15:13] information. You can just state the
[00:15:15] outcome, the findings.
[00:15:20] >> I I think that's all I wanted to say on
[00:15:22] that.
[00:15:23] >> Well, now we got
[00:15:25] >> Yes.
[00:15:26] >> Well, since you brought it up, exactly
[00:15:28] what is going on with the secos?
[00:15:32] Uh,
[00:15:34] we agreed to pay part of it, but we
[00:15:37] don't know where that money is coming
[00:15:39] from.
[00:15:40] >> Why are we paying any of it?
[00:15:43] And who's we that who is we that agreed
[00:15:46] to this?
[00:15:47] >> The select board.
[00:15:48] >> Well, it
[00:15:49] >> not all of us. It wasn't a unanimous
[00:15:51] decision.
[00:15:52] >> I'm sure it wasn't. But is that
[00:15:56] something that's a select board can do
[00:15:59] or is it something that has to go in
[00:16:01] front of the town's people?
[00:16:03] >> Not sure.
[00:16:04] >> No, it's a select board decision
[00:16:05] >> because um that you know uh and this is
[00:16:08] back to to to the legal council and I
[00:16:11] don't you know and I'm not them anyway
[00:16:14] but um that contract never went in front
[00:16:17] of of the the town uh attorney. So that
[00:16:21] that and that had had a penalty clause
[00:16:23] on it and those have to go to the town
[00:16:25] attorney. That never went to the town
[00:16:27] attorney. Justine signed that without
[00:16:29] any authorization.
[00:16:32] And why would we pay a penny of it if it
[00:16:36] was an illegal contract that didn't go
[00:16:38] to town council and no one had authority
[00:16:40] to sign for it? If somebody's on the
[00:16:42] hook for it, justine signed the
[00:16:43] contract. Let her pay for it.
[00:16:45] >> Very good. I'd like to move on. Yes,
[00:16:48] Bill. Lie. just about the legal um I
[00:16:51] wasn't aware of an official policy that
[00:16:54] I guess Mr. Smith had pointed out and I
[00:16:56] I don't even know it was on the website
[00:16:57] but somewhere it was available if you
[00:16:59] dig pretty far and it does say something
[00:17:02] like you know keep your keep the cost
[00:17:04] under control run it by the select board
[00:17:07] first.
[00:17:08] >> Yes. Uh but I will say this at early in
[00:17:11] the fiscal year when our board the
[00:17:14] planning board had a question where I
[00:17:17] don't I think it was about one of the
[00:17:20] solar deals that didn't happen and you
[00:17:22] know anyway we we had a question for
[00:17:24] legal and one of the members said I'll
[00:17:27] call them. Um, and we got a memo back
[00:17:32] from Justine saying, you know, to keep
[00:17:36] costs under control, we would like you
[00:17:38] not to go directly to legal ever, but
[00:17:43] run it by
[00:17:45] her or the select board office to to
[00:17:48] okay it and first, like this document
[00:17:50] says, first consider or not whether the
[00:17:52] answers are anywhere in the building.
[00:17:54] Ryan said a similar thing like there's a
[00:17:56] lot of records, a lot of past cases and
[00:17:58] opinions and so forth. Let's see if we
[00:18:01] can guide you to those answers
[00:18:03] particular case and weren't able to but
[00:18:05] the process was explained to us at that
[00:18:08] time. Very similar process to keep the
[00:18:11] cost controlled and permit.
[00:18:15] >> Very good.
[00:18:16] >> Mr. Chair, can I address one thing?
[00:18:18] >> Yes.
[00:18:18] >> Um just, you know, I'll put it out there
[00:18:20] and then I'm going to never address it
[00:18:22] again. Um, but four town administrators
[00:18:25] ago, the select board at the time made a
[00:18:28] decision to hire professional management
[00:18:30] to run the day-to-day.
[00:18:31] >> Whether you you'll like it or you don't,
[00:18:35] that person happens to be me right now.
[00:18:37] The select board voted on my job at the
[00:18:39] time, that iteration of the select
[00:18:41] board, voted on my job description,
[00:18:43] voted on my contract. I'm an agent for
[00:18:45] the select board. So, in my contract, it
[00:18:48] says in the first page to deal
[00:18:50] day-to-day and deal with legal counsel.
[00:18:52] I'm not ever going to put something
[00:18:54] before the select board that either I
[00:18:56] have not vetted carefully and I feel
[00:18:57] confident about or town council hasn't
[00:18:59] because I'm that my job is to make sure
[00:19:01] that the select board has all the
[00:19:03] information to make a sound decision.
[00:19:05] Um, whether or not you agree with that
[00:19:07] decision or whatever, that's part of my
[00:19:09] responsibility as the town administrator
[00:19:11] because the the decision was four town
[00:19:13] administrators ago. the town of Hardwood
[00:19:15] wanted professional management. So
[00:19:17] that's whether if you're happy with me
[00:19:19] and you're glad I'm here or you're not.
[00:19:21] That's that's where we are. And I'm
[00:19:23] never going to address it again, but I
[00:19:25] would welcome anyone to take a look at
[00:19:27] my job description of my contract that
[00:19:28] was voted on by the select board.
[00:19:30] >> Thank you, Justin.
[00:19:31] >> Thank you.
[00:19:31] >> All right. I can I
[00:19:33] >> I do believe so at the last meeting and
[00:19:36] I apologize to Bill because uh I forget
[00:19:39] my exact wordings. I said that it
[00:19:41] circumvented or uh
[00:19:44] >> superseded
[00:19:45] >> superseded superseded the policy. Uh I
[00:19:50] think that the correct wording I was
[00:19:52] looking for was contradicted the policy.
[00:19:54] I it it seems to me that the job
[00:19:57] description in the contract just
[00:20:00] uh just didn't pay attention to the
[00:20:02] policy at all. They wrote the job
[00:20:05] description in the in the um the
[00:20:07] contract without even a thought of the
[00:20:10] policy and it's my opinion that that
[00:20:15] creates issues. Uh we've run into it in
[00:20:17] a union stance of we had a policy on
[00:20:20] file. Uh the former chief tried to
[00:20:23] hammer us on the policy. We had direct
[00:20:24] language in our contract. We took it to
[00:20:26] an arbitrator and we actually won. So
[00:20:29] that's where my concern comes from. And
[00:20:31] personally, I would like to have some
[00:20:34] clarification on that because I think
[00:20:37] that moving forward, if we have job
[00:20:39] descriptions and contracts that we're
[00:20:41] giving out to people, they should be at
[00:20:43] least in line with the policies that we
[00:20:46] have in town. And that's where my
[00:20:48] concern comes from is we have a
[00:20:50] contract, if we have a contract and a
[00:20:51] job description saying one thing and
[00:20:54] then we have a policy saying another. So
[00:20:56] that in inherently is creating conflict
[00:20:59] with these two and it's giving us issues
[00:21:01] as we are seeing here and I'm not saying
[00:21:03] that it supersedes but being from the
[00:21:06] union side it has given issues to this
[00:21:09] place and I could see this giving issues
[00:21:11] to the town. So that's where I stand on
[00:21:14] that.
[00:21:15] >> Thank you Zach.
[00:21:18] Anything else?
[00:21:20] >> Sure Mr. Chair.
[00:21:21] >> Yes.
[00:21:22] >> Um Bill I have a question for Bill Cole.
[00:21:24] >> Okay. You mentioned that you went to
[00:21:27] town council through the planning group.
[00:21:30] Now, you didn't bring that to the select
[00:21:32] board.
[00:21:33] >> That's what I just suggested. We went to
[00:21:35] do that and we're told
[00:21:37] >> um that we needed to
[00:21:41] get that permission basically from the
[00:21:43] town administrator.
[00:21:45] >> Okay. So, you didn't go to town
[00:21:46] >> before. Pardon?
[00:21:47] >> You didn't go to town council and get an
[00:21:50] answer on your bylaws or
[00:21:52] >> they did. I I think I think probably so.
[00:21:55] Yeah,
[00:21:55] >> they didn't respond though.
[00:21:56] >> Permission from uh from Justine in
[00:22:00] respect to the uh I
[00:22:03] >> they won't respond without it.
[00:22:05] >> I'm sorry I didn't interrupt you.
[00:22:06] >> No, sorry.
[00:22:07] >> They won't respond without checking
[00:22:09] through the town administrator's office
[00:22:10] first. So, any employee who reaches out
[00:22:12] to council, they will speak to the town
[00:22:14] administrator, the chair of the select
[00:22:15] board, and the town clerk. And that is
[00:22:16] pretty standard in most municipalities
[00:22:19] that I'm aware of.
[00:22:22] >> Well, Mr. This this comes up because I
[00:22:24] called town council to get advice and I
[00:22:27] was denied and I'm a select board
[00:22:29] member, sitting select board member.
[00:22:31] >> Correct.
[00:22:32] >> And I so they re, you know, say, "Oh,
[00:22:35] you no advice for you, but yet everybody
[00:22:38] else seems in town to have full access
[00:22:40] to legal and a select board member that
[00:22:43] had a valid legal question was not given
[00:22:46] an answer." And I sent an email. I
[00:22:48] followed it up with an email to all four
[00:22:50] of them and they refused to answer it
[00:22:53] because of the policy.
[00:22:55] >> Right.
[00:22:56] >> And remember you bringing up in the
[00:22:58] meeting.
[00:22:58] >> All right. I'm just I'm just saying this
[00:23:00] is where this all stems from. This was a
[00:23:03] a verbal agreement or verbal saying
[00:23:06] through the former chair that oh he has
[00:23:09] the authority and I went searching for
[00:23:13] this policy and I found this policy.
[00:23:15] There is no verbal. It's there's an
[00:23:18] existing policy and we don't follow it.
[00:23:20] And this is something this board should
[00:23:23] review and decide what we're going to do
[00:23:25] because these costs overrun if people
[00:23:27] just pick up the phone and call legal.
[00:23:30] Plain and simple. And it shows year
[00:23:32] after year.
[00:23:32] >> I'll agree with you on that.
[00:23:34] >> Okay. We should put it on a future
[00:23:35] agenda and address it.
[00:23:36] >> Absolutely.
[00:23:38] Thank you.
[00:23:41] >> Are we ready to move on? Any other
[00:23:44] comments?
[00:23:46] Okay.
[00:23:48] Approval of the meeting minutes from
[00:23:50] April 22nd,
[00:23:53] 2026.
[00:24:02] Are we going to have a further
[00:24:03] discussion on meeting minutes later on?
[00:24:08] >> Okay.
[00:24:08] >> I put your thing on the agenda. Yeah,
[00:24:10] it's um number six on the agenda for new
[00:24:14] business.
[00:24:15] >> Okay. Cuz I'm still just wondering why
[00:24:18] we're jumping around and not going in an
[00:24:21] order of some fashion, but I'll bring
[00:24:22] that up under the other agenda item.
[00:24:25] >> Okay. We'll have that discussion.
[00:24:28] >> Absolutely.
[00:24:30] >> I don't have any issues with this. Does
[00:24:33] Zach have anything?
[00:24:35] >> Zach,
[00:24:37] >> what was that question? Do you have
[00:24:39] anything on the uh meeting minutes for
[00:24:42] April 22nd?
[00:24:46] >> No, they appear to be in order to be
[00:24:48] when I read them.
[00:24:50] >> Okay, then I'll
[00:24:52] >> accept a motion.
[00:24:53] >> Accept a motion.
[00:24:54] >> I make a motion to approve April 22nd,
[00:24:57] 2026 meeting minutes as written.
[00:25:00] >> Do I hear a second?
[00:25:02] >> I'll second.
[00:25:03] >> Okay. Any further discussion? All those
[00:25:07] in favor? I.
[00:25:08] >> Mr. Chair,
[00:25:09] >> we have to do a roll call. Y
[00:25:12] >> and uh Jeff Shaw I.
[00:25:14] >> William Tinker. I
[00:25:21] >> Excuse me, Jeff.
[00:25:22] >> Yes.
[00:25:23] >> Wasn't selecting at the time.
[00:25:25] >> What's that?
[00:25:25] >> You're talking April 23rd.
[00:25:27] >> 22nd.
[00:25:29] >> Oh, he wasn't. You are correct.
[00:25:31] >> So I mean what you just did is
[00:25:33] >> you are correct. So uh Zach
[00:25:37] Thank you for pointing that out.
[00:25:39] >> Yeah.
[00:25:40] >> All right.
[00:25:42] >> All right. So,
[00:25:44] >> it's just you and you make the motion
[00:25:45] again.
[00:25:46] >> All right. We want to resend the vote.
[00:25:48] >> Resend the vote.
[00:25:49] >> Okay. Um I'll make another motion to
[00:25:52] approve April 22nd, 2026 as written.
[00:25:55] >> I'll second. Any further discussion?
[00:25:58] >> No.
[00:25:59] >> All those in favor? I
[00:26:00] >> I
[00:26:04] >> Okay.
[00:26:05] >> Should we still do a roll call?
[00:26:08] >> Yes, it has to be roll call cuz you have
[00:26:09] someone.
[00:26:11] >> William Tinker. I
[00:26:12] >> Jeff I met
[00:26:16] >> Okay. Thank you for pointing that out.
[00:26:19] No need to get upset about it.
[00:26:21] >> No, I'm just saying it's like
[00:26:26] >> All right.
[00:26:29] Next on the agenda, we got to select a
[00:26:32] uh we've got to decide who on the select
[00:26:36] board will be able to to the uh capital
[00:26:41] planning committee.
[00:26:43] Now, I know they
[00:26:45] usually meet like at 3:00 in the
[00:26:47] afternoon or something
[00:26:49] >> on Mondays.
[00:26:49] >> On Mondays.
[00:26:50] >> Yeah. And they're not flexible as far as
[00:26:52] changing the time. So, my work and all
[00:26:55] that, I am unavailable. And so am I
[00:26:58] because I work too. Zach, do you could
[00:27:01] you meet that schedule?
[00:27:02] >> I can do it. I My schedule rotates and I
[00:27:06] I think I only work about one Monday a
[00:27:08] month. So
[00:27:11] >> Okay. Make a motion.
[00:27:12] >> Make a motion to approve Zack
[00:27:16] Spencer or appoint Zack Spencer to the
[00:27:18] capital planning committee.
[00:27:20] >> I'll second.
[00:27:23] >> All those in favor? William Tinker I.
[00:27:26] >> Jeff Shaw I,
[00:27:28] >> Jack Spencer, I.
[00:27:30] >> Very good.
[00:27:33] All right.
[00:27:35] Meeting minute dates for 2027.
[00:27:38] We have a list of them.
[00:27:40] >> Mr. Chair, you'll just notice that one
[00:27:41] of them um has moved to a Tuesday due to
[00:27:44] the holiday and that is um star on the
[00:27:46] list.
[00:27:47] >> Yep.
[00:27:51] >> Okay. Um, I think we should add some
[00:27:54] meetings to this, Mr. Chair.
[00:27:59] >> Well, we can add meetings as we go
[00:28:01] along.
[00:28:03] >> Well,
[00:28:06] I think we should definitely add some.
[00:28:08] >> Okay.
[00:28:09] >> Um, sorry for
[00:28:14] my
[00:28:16] >> Right now, all that's on the website is
[00:28:17] that the select board meet the second
[00:28:19] and fourth Monday. And this is
[00:28:21] essentially the second fourth Monday
[00:28:23] except for that one.
[00:28:25] Okay.
[00:28:31] Um
[00:28:33] I don't know if this board is going to
[00:28:35] conduct oversight on accounting or
[00:28:37] expenses or any of that stuff, but I've
[00:28:40] added I recommend we add 12 meetings to
[00:28:44] this schedule. July 20th, 2026. August
[00:28:48] 17, 2026.
[00:28:50] September 21st, 2026,
[00:28:53] October 19th, 2026. November 16th, 2026,
[00:28:58] and then January 18th, 2027, February
[00:29:02] 15, 2027, March 15, 2027, April 5th,
[00:29:07] 2027, April 19th, 2027, and then May
[00:29:11] 3rd, 2027.
[00:29:14] So, every single Monday.
[00:29:16] >> Well, yeah, but it goes in.
[00:29:18] >> You're adding one one meeting a month.
[00:29:21] >> Yeah.
[00:29:21] >> And uh until we get to May,
[00:29:24] >> April. May 3rd.
[00:29:25] >> May 3rd. Cuz I I assume the election
[00:29:27] this year is on May 2nd or May 1st.
[00:29:30] >> The first Saturday.
[00:29:31] >> It's the first Saturday, whatever that
[00:29:32] is.
[00:29:32] >> Yeah. So, that's May 1st. So, you want
[00:29:34] to have a meeting anyways May 3rd? Yeah.
[00:29:36] For reorganization, whatever.
[00:29:38] >> Reorganized. Yes.
[00:29:40] Uh, Zach, do you have anything to say
[00:29:43] about that?
[00:29:47] >> Um,
[00:29:51] what was the I missed the December date.
[00:29:55] >> There was no December date cuz I figured
[00:29:57] it's a holiday after Thanksgiving. Kind
[00:30:00] of in holiday mode until January.
[00:30:03] >> The What was the January date? You said
[00:30:05] >> uh January 18th.
[00:30:09] It's the Monday between the 11th and
[00:30:11] 25th.
[00:30:14] >> No, I could do all of those. So,
[00:30:19] >> all right. Is So, you've made a motion
[00:30:22] to add to those.
[00:30:24] >> I'll make a motion to add these minutes.
[00:30:27] >> No, meetings meeting. Well, meetings as
[00:30:30] listed as dated.
[00:30:33] >> Okay. Do I hear a second?
[00:30:36] >> I'll second.
[00:30:38] All right.
[00:30:40] I
[00:30:41] I don't understand the reasoning behind
[00:30:45] it, but I can't see why we can't do it.
[00:30:47] >> Well, I kind of explained to you we
[00:30:50] should be providing oversight as a board
[00:30:52] of financial matters
[00:30:54] >> and that's going to take time. So, I
[00:30:56] didn't know if you want to extend these
[00:30:58] meetings and run really late or we
[00:31:00] >> No, I'd rather I'd rather space them
[00:31:02] out.
[00:31:02] >> So, that's that's my thinking on this.
[00:31:05] If we we don't need if we don't need it,
[00:31:07] we can always cancel the meeting.
[00:31:09] >> Yes.
[00:31:10] >> That's our prerogative, too.
[00:31:12] >> Okay.
[00:31:12] >> Mr. Chair, do you want my take on it?
[00:31:14] >> Yes.
[00:31:14] >> Um I think scheduling those meetings in
[00:31:16] advance is probably not for the best. If
[00:31:18] you're going to have so many meetings,
[00:31:19] that's going to be more meeting minutes.
[00:31:21] That's going to be more time setting the
[00:31:23] agenda. That's going to be more time
[00:31:25] just simply meeting prep. That's going
[00:31:27] to take away from day-to-day activities.
[00:31:29] Obviously, if something comes up or
[00:31:31] there's a big issue, yeah, you set a
[00:31:33] meeting. Um but you know I don't quite
[00:31:36] understand the financial
[00:31:38] >> issue only because sorry I didn't mean
[00:31:40] to interrupt you.
[00:31:41] >> No that's okay.
[00:31:42] >> Um only because you know our our job and
[00:31:45] responsibilities are are outlined by
[00:31:46] statute. So as long as everyone's
[00:31:48] following their jobs outlined by the job
[00:31:50] description, the bylaws state statute um
[00:31:53] any information that is needed
[00:31:55] financially um can be simply provided at
[00:31:57] one of the meetings you currently have
[00:31:59] scheduled.
[00:32:00] with a part-time executive assistant.
[00:32:01] And
[00:32:03] >> no, I understand that
[00:32:04] >> that's more time meeting minutes and
[00:32:06] stuff.
[00:32:06] >> But I I als I also understand what Bill
[00:32:10] was just saying. If we don't need them,
[00:32:13] which we may not in some cases, we can
[00:32:16] just cancel them.
[00:32:18] >> Mhm.
[00:32:20] And
[00:32:22] there may be other times especially
[00:32:25] during the summer months that we may
[00:32:28] cancel for lack of form in fact.
[00:32:32] So
[00:32:33] >> and um the website will also have to be
[00:32:35] updated to reflect cuz right now it says
[00:32:37] the select board meeting dates are the
[00:32:38] second and fourth.
[00:32:41] Well, once we approve these meeting
[00:32:44] these meeting dates, sir, they should be
[00:32:46] going on the calendar and they shouldn't
[00:32:49] be going on 48 hours before any of our
[00:32:51] meetings. We're approving these meetings
[00:32:54] well in advance. They should go on the
[00:32:56] calendar for everyone to see and they
[00:32:59] shouldn't wait till 48 hours before the
[00:33:01] meeting.
[00:33:05] >> All right. Well, I'll call for a vote.
[00:33:08] Okay.
[00:33:10] Roll call vote.
[00:33:11] >> William Tinker I.
[00:33:12] >> Jeff Shaw. I
[00:33:14] >> Zack Spencer. I
[00:33:17] can get a list of you got them all
[00:33:19] written down. Okay.
[00:33:23] >> Thank you.
[00:33:29] >> Appointment of the van driver
[00:33:33] K. So you'll see at the very bottom of
[00:33:35] your um packet, you'll see his offer
[00:33:39] letter. So Mr. K is actually a select
[00:33:41] board member in North Brookfield. Um
[00:33:43] he's retired. Um so he came in to he
[00:33:47] actually had a procurement question for
[00:33:48] me. So he came in to meet with me. He
[00:33:50] immediately said he was interested in
[00:33:51] the MART driver position. So I called
[00:33:53] immediately called Sharon. Um so we uh
[00:33:56] he passed the Corey check. He passed we
[00:33:58] had to get a copy of his driver record.
[00:34:00] I did a records check. Um Sharon is very
[00:34:03] excited about having another driver. Um
[00:34:05] so I'm just looking for
[00:34:08] the board's vote.
[00:34:12] Okay.
[00:34:15] Do I have any discussion? Um I believe
[00:34:19] she's looking for multiple drivers and I
[00:34:21] believe there was a person that applied
[00:34:23] for this and didn't even receive a call
[00:34:25] from the town administrator. So I'm just
[00:34:28] wondering what's going on as far as that
[00:34:30] goes.
[00:34:32] I don't know who you're referring to. I
[00:34:34] also don't know anything about multiple
[00:34:36] drivers. I was told one van driver.
[00:34:38] >> So,
[00:34:39] >> you have no idea what I'm talking about
[00:34:42] >> as far as another applicant.
[00:34:44] >> I mean, I probably got some on Indeed.
[00:34:46] If there's one specifically you want to
[00:34:48] ask me about,
[00:34:48] >> it was uh I believe directly to Sharon.
[00:34:52] >> Do you have good name?
[00:34:54] >> Yeah, but I don't know if they want me
[00:34:56] to say it publicly. So,
[00:34:58] >> okay. if you want to talk to me after
[00:35:00] the meeting if you don't want to say it
[00:35:01] publicly.
[00:35:03] >> Just curiously, you know nothing of
[00:35:05] this.
[00:35:06] >> I pro I can't say I do or I don't
[00:35:08] because I receive applicants on Indeed.
[00:35:10] That's where this one was posted. So,
[00:35:13] and the town website. So, if you want to
[00:35:15] talk about it, happy to answer it.
[00:35:17] Again, this was just kind of
[00:35:20] right place at the right time. He came
[00:35:21] in, he needed procurement help. Sharon
[00:35:23] really liked him. It worked out. and his
[00:35:26] one of his references is state
[00:35:27] representative Donnie
[00:35:28] >> Barthium.
[00:35:29] >> So
[00:35:31] >> So do I hear a motion?
[00:35:34] >> Yeah. I mean, yeah, Sharon needs
[00:35:36] multiple drivers, not just one. So I
[00:35:42] >> Well,
[00:35:43] are you making a motion? I was just
[00:35:45] about to, but do we want to continue
[00:35:48] discussion about how many drivers we
[00:35:50] need from MAR?
[00:35:52] >> Um,
[00:35:54] I don't know.
[00:35:55] >> I think we should reach out to Sharon,
[00:35:57] who's the head of MART, and
[00:35:59] >> find out.
[00:36:00] >> Yeah, maybe bring her to a select board
[00:36:01] meeting and ask her.
[00:36:04] >> Or I could just ask her like a normal
[00:36:05] person. Oh,
[00:36:08] >> I think the I think if if it is true
[00:36:10] that she does need mobile drivers, I
[00:36:12] think that hiring
[00:36:14] this one to start
[00:36:16] >> Yeah.
[00:36:18] >> Right. So, we'll entertain a motion.
[00:36:21] >> All right. I'll give you a motion to
[00:36:23] approve Mr. Ralph K as a marker.
[00:36:26] >> I hear a second.
[00:36:28] >> I'll second.
[00:36:29] >> Okay. Any further discussion? All those
[00:36:32] in favor? I
[00:36:34] >> William Tinker I.
[00:36:35] >> That's right. I s I
[00:36:44] >> All right.
[00:36:46] Next on the agenda,
[00:36:49] the quave uh or the Hardwick Elementary
[00:36:52] School lease agreement.
[00:36:54] >> Mr. Chair.
[00:36:55] >> Yes. Um, so this has been sent over to
[00:36:58] town council for their review and I
[00:37:00] don't have that back in time for didn't
[00:37:02] have that back in time for this meeting,
[00:37:04] but I figured if you had time to read it
[00:37:05] and review it if you had any other
[00:37:07] further questions or any more
[00:37:08] information that you needed, I could get
[00:37:09] that over for you so you guys could um
[00:37:12] put it on your agenda for your next
[00:37:13] meeting,
[00:37:16] but I wanted you to have time to look at
[00:37:17] it also.
[00:37:18] >> Yes.
[00:37:21] >> Do you have any comments or anything?
[00:37:23] Either you or Zach know
[00:37:26] >> I do not.
[00:37:27] >> Zach, anything?
[00:37:29] >> I don't either.
[00:37:30] >> Okay. Well, uh,
[00:37:32] >> so we just want to table this till
[00:37:33] >> we'll table it till the next meeting.
[00:37:36] >> Perfect.
[00:37:36] >> Please. Thank you.
[00:37:43] Hardwick or Barry Hardwick Council on
[00:37:46] Aging Agreements.
[00:37:56] Can you speak on?
[00:37:57] >> Well, that's good. I I'll I'll get you
[00:37:59] right up here. I just want to make sure
[00:38:01] I have it in front of me. That's all.
[00:38:04] >> Um
[00:38:06] Go ahead, Liz.
[00:38:07] >> The situation is that um I had numerous
[00:38:12] conversations with
[00:38:15] my my peers in town, okay, who firmly
[00:38:19] entrenched in the senior citizens. Um,
[00:38:23] I haven't I did not hear one nice thing
[00:38:27] about the very hard senior center. Um, I
[00:38:33] talked to dozens
[00:38:36] of residents in town that said they will
[00:38:38] never step foot in their river again.
[00:38:41] Um, that they are tired of being treated
[00:38:45] like garbage.
[00:38:47] Um, I can tell you honestly when I
[00:38:50] walked in there several times, there's
[00:38:52] these lip clips. Okay, Harri sits here,
[00:38:56] Barry sits here, the the um the uh the
[00:39:00] administration sits over there and
[00:39:02] nobody talks to each other. Okay, it's
[00:39:06] like walking into a dark cloud. And I
[00:39:09] can totally understand why nobody wants
[00:39:12] to go there. I talked to people who were
[00:39:15] extremely active in the senior center in
[00:39:19] the past. They they the one we had and
[00:39:22] then they transferred over to wanting to
[00:39:25] be extremely active in the Barry one and
[00:39:28] they were um discouraged from doing so.
[00:39:34] And um one person said, "I put that
[00:39:38] newsletter together and I was told that
[00:39:42] I'm not getting any recognition."
[00:39:45] Now
[00:39:47] th this I don't know how you fix this,
[00:39:51] okay? I really don't. But our seniors
[00:39:55] don't want to.
[00:39:57] So
[00:39:59] we need to address this problem.
[00:40:03] Um if that you know nobody you know and
[00:40:07] and nobody I talked to like the current
[00:40:09] administrator over there and you know
[00:40:11] whatever it is. Okay.
[00:40:14] But
[00:40:16] that affects everything.
[00:40:19] Now my question for you then is it
[00:40:23] a Quabin versus or Quabin Barry
[00:40:27] >> Barry versus Hardwick situation
[00:40:30] >> very much so
[00:40:31] >> or just the administration.
[00:40:33] >> No very much so that Barry doesn't care
[00:40:36] about this. Okay. and and I heard the
[00:40:40] story with the you know the stories that
[00:40:43] that I guess Justine talked to Sleman or
[00:40:45] some other people talked to the
[00:40:47] selectman over there and there was some
[00:40:49] conflict going on back and forth but
[00:40:53] the our seniors don't feel welcome there
[00:41:00] and so
[00:41:03] we need to do something better and I and
[00:41:07] I don't know how you're going to do
[00:41:08] that. I don't I mean cuz I don't think
[00:41:11] that Barry's going to fire the director
[00:41:13] and you know and I've seen some stuff
[00:41:16] that she's been doing. She's done an off
[00:41:18] she's doing an awful lot of like you
[00:41:20] know barbecues and to go to this and
[00:41:22] that and and you know little things that
[00:41:26] are great but
[00:41:29] none of the hard work people feel
[00:41:31] included.
[00:41:32] >> Mr. Chair.
[00:41:33] >> Yes. Um, so when I first came on board
[00:41:37] two chairs ago, uh, we would meet with
[00:41:39] the chair of the Barry, I'm sorry, the
[00:41:42] chair of the Barry select board and the
[00:41:43] town administrator. Um, one of the
[00:41:46] things was about the senior center
[00:41:47] because at the time we had, we had been
[00:41:50] getting a few complaints and actually
[00:41:51] the town clerk was ref was receiving a
[00:41:53] few complaints. Um, that has kind of
[00:41:57] subsided. So I would definitely
[00:41:58] encourage anyone who's having issues to
[00:42:01] either contact my office or contact the
[00:42:03] select board directly so we can hear it
[00:42:05] from them because I can say that
[00:42:08] one of the issues we were having with
[00:42:09] the senior center was communication and
[00:42:12] since then communication has improved
[00:42:15] with this with the senior center and
[00:42:16] with the town of Mary. Um so if there's
[00:42:19] any other issues again that's been it's
[00:42:21] been almost 2 years since we really
[00:42:23] since the complaints were really coming
[00:42:24] in. Um, so I would recommend anyone
[00:42:26] having issues to either contact me or
[00:42:28] contact you guys directly
[00:42:30] >> because I've heard similar complaints to
[00:42:32] what Liz said.
[00:42:33] >> You know, be honestly,
[00:42:36] if somebody complained 2 years ago and
[00:42:38] nothing was done about it, they're not
[00:42:40] going to complain now. They're not going
[00:42:42] to call they're not going to send a
[00:42:44] letter to the selectman. They're not
[00:42:45] going to call Justine. They're not going
[00:42:46] to call anybody because, you know, cuz
[00:42:49] Yeah. Because they nobody listened to me
[00:42:51] two years ago. I'm done.
[00:42:53] >> All right. And like I said, I walked in
[00:42:57] there and it was like this, you know, I
[00:42:59] wanted to leave so fast and I was trying
[00:43:03] to talk to people.
[00:43:06] >> See, I don't know how you take care of
[00:43:08] this between with an agreement such as
[00:43:12] this.
[00:43:14] >> No, but we need but I'm bringing it up
[00:43:17] because the board needs to know about
[00:43:19] this. Okay. We have, you know, what is
[00:43:21] it? 40% of the population is over 55 in
[00:43:25] this town. I don't know what it is, but
[00:43:28] >> you know that we have an awful lot of
[00:43:31] unhappy seniors.
[00:43:33] All right. And I frankly I'll tell you I
[00:43:36] I wouldn't go there.
[00:43:38] >> Okay.
[00:43:38] >> I mean, not that I, you know, not that
[00:43:40] I'm a sen I'm not a person.
[00:43:42] >> You're not a senior. Well, I'm a senior,
[00:43:44] but I'm not a person that goes to a
[00:43:46] senior center, but I wouldn't go there
[00:43:50] because it's just, you know, and I and
[00:43:52] don't even get me started on when I saw
[00:43:54] a ser for lunch. Okay.
[00:43:57] >> Do we have do we have any alternatives
[00:43:59] to dairy?
[00:44:01] >> Actually, we do have an alternative, but
[00:44:05] you know,
[00:44:06] >> go ahead. Speak your mind. Well, you
[00:44:08] know, and this I've been ignored for 30
[00:44:11] years on trying to do something with
[00:44:14] that school and having a community
[00:44:16] center in there. And I would and and I
[00:44:19] really don't care whether I get grant
[00:44:22] money from the town or anybody else
[00:44:25] because I know I can get grant money
[00:44:27] from state and federal sources. And I
[00:44:30] would more than welcome any senior
[00:44:32] coming in to have coffee in my cafe,
[00:44:35] which I've already got planned. All
[00:44:37] right. And I would do that just out of
[00:44:41] the just because I think the seniors
[00:44:44] deserve something in town that they can
[00:44:46] go to on five days a week and be
[00:44:49] welcomed.
[00:44:50] >> So your suggestion is back uh that
[00:44:53] Hardwick go in alone again
[00:44:56] >> eventually. Yes,
[00:44:57] >> Mr. Chair. And I would be more than
[00:44:59] willing, like I said, that was part of
[00:45:01] the community center thing that I I want
[00:45:05] to put together in that school, which is
[00:45:08] going to have a commercial kitchen. So
[00:45:09] we and part of what we were going to do
[00:45:11] is make sure that we had meals that
[00:45:14] could be served to people who need it,
[00:45:18] you know, or if you don't, you know, if
[00:45:20] you're not a a disabled person or you're
[00:45:22] not a disa disadvantaged person, they're
[00:45:25] for purchase. But you know, if I don't
[00:45:29] I'm not trying to make any money off it.
[00:45:31] I want to save a building and I want to
[00:45:33] do something for the people in this town
[00:45:35] to make them happy.
[00:45:37] >> And a commercial kitchen and a cafe that
[00:45:40] the seniors can come to in our own town.
[00:45:43] >> Yes, Bill.
[00:45:45] >> Um, this is the first I'm hearing of
[00:45:47] complaints and stuff like that. So,
[00:45:48] okay.
[00:45:49] >> Um, so I'm not familiar with it. Um,
[00:45:51] also this is something we bring up with
[00:45:54] the council of aging board that handles
[00:45:57] the senior center.
[00:45:59] >> So
[00:46:01] why isn't any of this being addressed to
[00:46:03] them?
[00:46:04] >> I mean cuz our seniors should be welcome
[00:46:06] anywhere.
[00:46:07] >> Right. Right. That's what the whole
[00:46:09] point of this was
[00:46:10] >> was that we would
[00:46:12] >> Right. So I I think this board should
[00:46:15] reach out to the Council of Aging and
[00:46:16] and have a conversation, have a meeting
[00:46:18] or have a discussion and say get to the
[00:46:21] bottom of it.
[00:46:21] >> And I would be more than happy to go to
[00:46:24] whatever that is with that if the
[00:46:26] selectman's going to do that and I will
[00:46:28] tell what people
[00:46:29] >> again Liz I've heard the same complaints
[00:46:31] that you're talking about. Go ahead,
[00:46:33] Justine.
[00:46:34] >> Um so just to pay piggy back what Bill
[00:46:37] said first before I I say what I was
[00:46:38] going to say. Um the select board
[00:46:41] appoint the director. So that's why
[00:46:44] initially two years ago the chair Kelly
[00:46:46] and I had gone and met with the town
[00:46:48] administrator and the chair um and we
[00:46:50] actually done that twice. Um
[00:46:54] the council on aging board the only
[00:46:56] thing I will say about this agreement
[00:46:57] what I do like is that it it it's
[00:46:59] instead of it being the hardwick
[00:47:03] board and the Barry board, Bill, you've
[00:47:05] heard me say this. It's now one board.
[00:47:07] So it's not the Barry Council on Aging
[00:47:09] Board and the Harvard C like they're
[00:47:11] gonna it's going to be one board and
[00:47:12] it's going to be more cohesive which is
[00:47:14] what I really which is probably my
[00:47:16] favorite part.
[00:47:18] >> Um but just dep someone said something
[00:47:21] about if we have any other options but
[00:47:23] there was a couple times when Barry
[00:47:26] wasn't serving meals for one reason or
[00:47:27] another and the town aware did let us
[00:47:30] bring our seniors there. Um we didn't
[00:47:33] want any of the seniors to go with that.
[00:47:35] sometimes that's like their only meal.
[00:47:37] So, we didn't want the seniors to go
[00:47:38] without a meal. So, where did open up
[00:47:40] their senior center um to anyone in
[00:47:43] Hardwick that needed a meal and I know
[00:47:44] one of the fork fields and I'm sorry I
[00:47:46] can't remember which one also did the
[00:47:48] same thing at one point.
[00:47:50] >> Okay, Bill.
[00:47:52] >> Thank you. Um this is interesting. I
[00:47:55] hadn't heard the complaints. Um, I hear
[00:47:58] what Bill's saying and there are I think
[00:48:00] there are two or maybe three Hardwick
[00:48:03] residents on that board. It would be
[00:48:05] good to know if they've heard similar
[00:48:07] complaints and to get some facts about
[00:48:10] the number of Hardwick residents that
[00:48:13] that use the use the center. uh more
[00:48:18] immediate well I guess if we're going to
[00:48:21] look at some do it you're on your own or
[00:48:23] something that's obviously not going to
[00:48:25] happen right now so I wondered about the
[00:48:30] agreement
[00:48:32] uh I think you did you sign you're about
[00:48:34] to sign now possibly an agreement have a
[00:48:37] term on it
[00:48:38] >> and what are what are the dollars around
[00:48:41] it I know we get money from the state
[00:48:43] based on the number of seniors and we
[00:48:45] give that basically
[00:48:46] to Barry um as our contribution to the
[00:48:50] to the center um roughly I mean there's
[00:48:53] something about an outreach director
[00:48:55] that isn't there now but I don't I don't
[00:48:57] know all of that but basically from a
[00:48:59] budget standpoint it's not like we're
[00:49:00] going to
[00:49:02] say I guess no more senior center
[00:49:05] participation up there and save a
[00:49:07] certain amount of money that elder money
[00:49:09] coming in has to be used I think for
[00:49:11] that ser for that kind of service right
[00:49:13] and we don't have anything else in place
[00:49:14] now so So, if this is a one-year
[00:49:16] agreement, I would just think you
[00:49:19] wouldn't have any choice at this point
[00:49:21] but to to make an agreement and live by
[00:49:23] it. And then I'd ask, what about the the
[00:49:26] dollars? At one point, I know there was
[00:49:28] talk about cutting it back slightly to
[00:49:31] closer to our actual income from the
[00:49:35] from the state, I believe. And then I
[00:49:37] think it was suggested that we not cut
[00:49:39] that cuz Barry was in tough shape.
[00:49:43] since then. Maybe they're in tougher
[00:49:45] shape because they didn't get a two and
[00:49:46] a half, but maybe they're in better
[00:49:48] shape because they found a bunch of
[00:49:49] money that we worried about. I don't
[00:49:51] know. Um, but you know, the the the
[00:49:56] budget factors in here somehow, if not
[00:49:59] now, next year. And the last thing I say
[00:50:02] is with the MAR drivers, were some of
[00:50:04] the complaints possibly related to the
[00:50:05] access to it? Did is there now going to
[00:50:09] be better marked service for residents
[00:50:11] to take advantage of the facility or
[00:50:12] not?
[00:50:13] >> One of the complaints I heard was
[00:50:15] somebody complaining about uh not being
[00:50:17] able to get up there.
[00:50:19] >> Would that change with the hiring of
[00:50:21] more more drivers which you just did?
[00:50:23] >> I didn't that that was not anything that
[00:50:26] anyone said to me about that that they
[00:50:28] couldn't. But I've also heard things
[00:50:30] along the lines that you're saying that
[00:50:32] it was Hardwood versus Barry and it was
[00:50:35] the Hardwood residents were made
[00:50:38] uncomfortable
[00:50:41] and that's I I don't even they were
[00:50:44] residents. I recognize faces. I'm not
[00:50:46] very good with names. I don't even know
[00:50:48] who was talking about it. But they were
[00:50:50] obviously seniors.
[00:50:52] >> Yeah. Well, you know, a lot of the a lot
[00:50:54] of the people that I talked to were
[00:50:56] people who were very much involved when
[00:50:59] we had it here. Um, and you know, I'm
[00:51:03] not throwing out names because we don't
[00:51:04] have to, but um the the thing is is that
[00:51:08] they were they and they they went to
[00:51:12] Barry figuring a new center, all this
[00:51:16] stuff, you know, all these great things
[00:51:18] are going to happen. And
[00:51:21] >> but I also understand it was when we had
[00:51:24] it over at the old town hall, it was not
[00:51:27] working out well.
[00:51:28] >> Oh well. No, probably
[00:51:29] >> it was not it wasn't that great.
[00:51:31] >> And when it was
[00:51:33] when it was in the white school over
[00:51:36] here, it was not working out well. I
[00:51:38] went I even went to a couple of events
[00:51:41] they had there. It was
[00:51:42] >> I did too. Yeah.
[00:51:44] >> It was difficult.
[00:51:44] >> It was interesting.
[00:51:47] But anyway, but it was interesting. It
[00:51:49] was kind of
[00:51:50] >> adding events.
[00:51:51] >> Yeah.
[00:51:52] >> Doing stuff
[00:51:55] and stuff. I don't know.
[00:51:56] >> They're a bigger town that,
[00:51:58] >> you know, there's nothing we can do. But
[00:52:00] I agree with Bill is if we're talking a
[00:52:03] one-year contract, by all means, okay?
[00:52:06] Cuz something's better than nothing. And
[00:52:08] it really doesn't take any money out of
[00:52:10] us.
[00:52:10] >> It's a three-year contract,
[00:52:11] >> but there is a cause to terminate if you
[00:52:13] want to terminate.
[00:52:14] >> Is there a termination in there? Okay.
[00:52:16] So, as long as
[00:52:20] >> the uh the Council on Aging should be
[00:52:24] involved in the whole thing. Yes.
[00:52:27] >> Well, uh I'm willing to entertain a
[00:52:30] motion.
[00:52:31] >> Justine, what was the part you were
[00:52:33] saying about it's going to be one board?
[00:52:36] >> Yeah, that was something that we
[00:52:38] discussed uh when Mr. Tankerhide met
[00:52:40] with the
[00:52:42] >> I I'm not seeing that issue.
[00:52:46] Give me one second. Sorry.
[00:53:03] It was discussed during remember that
[00:53:06] bill.
[00:53:06] >> Yeah. Is it under the council on aging?
[00:53:09] Each town will seek the advice of their
[00:53:11] respective councils on the
[00:53:14] >> supposed to be one councils on aging.
[00:53:17] But then you go three three down here
[00:53:20] and it talks about the senior center
[00:53:22] direction vacancy and it talks about
[00:53:25] >> Yeah,
[00:53:27] >> that's the director. So if if they're
[00:53:30] ever interviewing the town administrator
[00:53:32] would be on there, somebody from the
[00:53:35] Hardwood Select Board, Barry Select
[00:53:37] Board. No, it's supposed to like Bill
[00:53:40] and I were part of that discussion. It
[00:53:43] was supposed to be one board and that
[00:53:44] was something. Yeah. Yeah. So,
[00:53:46] >> so we can ask them to to amend that on
[00:53:49] the council one agent
[00:53:51] >> section 4
[00:53:53] and we can table this to our next
[00:53:55] meeting. You like Mr. Chair?
[00:53:57] >> I would like that very much.
[00:53:59] >> Okay. We table this table.
[00:54:02] >> Thank you.
[00:54:03] >> Next meeting. Yeah. And like I said, I
[00:54:05] heard
[00:54:07] >> I I think it's important because I I
[00:54:09] want I want the seniors in this town to
[00:54:11] feel welcome. And like Justine said,
[00:54:13] >> sometimes these meals are their only
[00:54:15] meals. I know in Bellingham we have a
[00:54:17] lot of people that go to the senior
[00:54:18] center and we've discovered some health
[00:54:21] issues from them that with them going
[00:54:23] there. We've discovered some issues at
[00:54:25] their houses with them going there and
[00:54:28] being reported to us. So I think it's
[00:54:30] very important that they have a a safe
[00:54:32] place that they feel welcome to go. So
[00:54:35] this is very important to me.
[00:54:37] >> We should also reach out to the council
[00:54:39] of aging these
[00:54:42] >> and get together. You know the
[00:54:45] loneliness too with that.
[00:54:47] >> Yeah.
[00:54:48] >> It's social it's a social thing.
[00:54:52] >> Okay. Uh, I'd like to skip down to the
[00:54:57] uh request for proposals on the uh
[00:55:00] school building down here.
[00:55:02] >> May I just uh tell Mr. Privy something
[00:55:04] real quick?
[00:55:05] >> Okay.
[00:55:05] >> Wait for me after the meeting because I
[00:55:07] have to give you this for your son's
[00:55:08] wedding, the um liquor license.
[00:55:10] >> Okay.
[00:55:11] >> Okay. Or the um one day alcohol license.
[00:55:13] So, don't run out of here. Okay.
[00:55:16] Um so, you'll see in your packet, you'll
[00:55:18] see the RFP that has been you've seen
[00:55:20] several times at this point. And then I
[00:55:22] also attached uh Mr. Petraia's comments
[00:55:25] um which you'll find before the RFP.
[00:55:29] >> So,
[00:55:35] >> and right now, uh Mr. Petra's, uh
[00:55:39] comments have not been incorporated into
[00:55:42] the RFP.
[00:55:43] >> They have not. I'm waiting for your
[00:55:44] vote,
[00:55:46] >> but they're I'd like to address the
[00:55:49] board. Um
[00:55:51] just to go over those points.
[00:55:53] >> Yes,
[00:55:53] >> very quickly. The historic commission
[00:55:55] met uh on May 13th and voted uh for
[00:56:00] these recommendations. The first one um
[00:56:06] suggests that the preservation
[00:56:08] restriction will be attached to a
[00:56:09] purchase and sales agreement which
[00:56:12] typically and maybe just ink can correct
[00:56:15] me if I'm wrong. Uh is done after an
[00:56:19] application is selected and an award is
[00:56:21] made.
[00:56:23] I have experience both in um
[00:56:28] helping procure sales of historic
[00:56:32] buildings, both single family
[00:56:35] residential buildings as well as um
[00:56:38] town-owned properties where I was hired
[00:56:40] as a consultant. And in my experience,
[00:56:45] without attaching the RF to the RFP,
[00:56:49] the um
[00:56:52] preservation restriction,
[00:56:55] potential biders have no clue what's in
[00:56:57] that. And typically, if they're
[00:57:02] awarded it and they haven't read through
[00:57:05] that agreement, they'll withdraw their
[00:57:07] bid. So it makes more sense for them to
[00:57:10] understand. There is some general
[00:57:12] language in the RFP about things that
[00:57:15] are important to try to preserve in this
[00:57:18] building, but it really doesn't get at
[00:57:21] the full description of what's in the
[00:57:25] preservation covenant. I think it would
[00:57:27] behoove the board to at least attach a
[00:57:30] draft, even if it wasn't a final um
[00:57:34] preservation covenant, to the RFP
[00:57:37] package. so a potential bidder could
[00:57:39] understand the bid. So that's point
[00:57:42] number one.
[00:57:44] Um I attached um a a draft RFP
[00:57:50] um and sent that uh to Justine to you.
[00:57:55] It's pretty much a boilerplate document
[00:57:58] that is used by uh Mass Historic
[00:58:02] Commission. In fact, this one was
[00:58:04] generated
[00:58:06] uh by uh Mass Historic and I inserted
[00:58:11] some of the typical um descriptions of
[00:58:14] the property. It would need to be uh
[00:58:18] reviewed carefully. Um and there's a
[00:58:21] couple of sections in there that say, is
[00:58:23] there any other uh covenants or
[00:58:26] restrictions this board wants to add to
[00:58:28] that? So you have the ability to um
[00:58:31] customize it if you like, but it's
[00:58:34] pretty much a uh standard document um
[00:58:38] because a lot of it is prescriptive
[00:58:40] based on state law. Okay. Um,
[00:58:45] we're as the historic commission, we
[00:58:48] understand it would be our role to help
[00:58:51] oversee the preservation restriction
[00:58:54] once it's in place and once a project
[00:58:56] gets approved and things start moving
[00:58:59] forward. Um, you know, we're we're kind
[00:59:03] of the gatekeeper for that. Um but we
[00:59:07] also thought that it would be very
[00:59:09] helpful um to be included in the review
[00:59:13] of any applications that came in. Um
[00:59:18] um just so you have a historic
[00:59:21] commission read on uh whether or not the
[00:59:25] potentials are likely going to be
[00:59:28] successful candidates.
[00:59:30] Um there was one um incorrect reference.
[00:59:35] It must have just been a copy over
[00:59:37] mistake because
[00:59:39] >> page 9 5D that referenced the town hall.
[00:59:42] So it was probably from an RFP picked up
[00:59:44] from somewhere else.
[00:59:45] >> Mhm. So those were our thoughts.
[00:59:48] >> Okay.
[00:59:50] Any other discussion?
[00:59:54] >> Do you want to make a motion that uh
[00:59:57] >> you want to accept it? accept it but
[00:59:59] with uh the historical commission's
[01:00:04] recommendations recommendations.
[01:00:07] >> Mr. Chair,
[01:00:08] >> yes.
[01:00:08] >> Do you want So, just so you know, cuz
[01:00:11] before we used this for the page, so
[01:00:12] council has looked at the RFP and signed
[01:00:15] off on it. Do you want me to send the
[01:00:17] other
[01:00:18] >> So, we had a preservation restriction
[01:00:19] when we did the page. So, they're from
[01:00:21] obviously they've done one before, but
[01:00:22] do you want any of this to go to to
[01:00:24] them? I just
[01:00:26] >> I haven't changed anything. I haven't
[01:00:27] added anything. Just waiting for some
[01:00:29] guidance from the board.
[01:00:37] >> I don't
[01:00:38] >> I mean they re that they reviewed this.
[01:00:40] >> They've already reviewed and and
[01:00:42] >> this this document right here they've
[01:00:43] seen before.
[01:00:44] >> They've seen that one.
[01:00:45] >> Yes. That's
[01:00:46] >> you're talking about the the
[01:00:48] >> preservation restriction agreement. Yes.
[01:00:54] >> If you're comfortable, that's fine. I
[01:00:55] just
[01:00:56] >> Yeah. I don't see a reason why council
[01:00:58] needs to review that.
[01:00:59] >> Okay.
[01:00:59] >> Yeah, the the P actually review.
[01:01:02] >> I looked through it states office as
[01:01:05] well.
[01:01:05] >> Okay.
[01:01:06] >> Are there any um statements of the
[01:01:08] intention or what the town's looking for
[01:01:10] in the RFP in the way by way of
[01:01:13] >> not just historic protections but
[01:01:16] >> favoring elderly housing for example.
[01:01:19] There any dollar minimums or get amounts
[01:01:22] and the things that I was seeing that
[01:01:24] like Palmer did. And I'm still curious.
[01:01:26] They haven't publicized much how they
[01:01:28] did with their million half dollar
[01:01:30] converse school housing request for
[01:01:33] housing proposals for the elderly. That
[01:01:36] was like 10 days ago. Their bids came
[01:01:38] out. I don't know where they what
[01:01:39] happened or what their experience was,
[01:01:40] but it sounds potentially sort of
[01:01:43] similar to what we're looking for.
[01:01:44] >> Mr. Chair.
[01:01:45] >> Yes. On page two, um it says the select
[01:01:47] board's uh preferences is used for the
[01:01:50] for the following uses for 179 Main
[01:01:53] Street are housing, office space, studio
[01:01:55] space, and community uses.
[01:02:10] All right.
[01:02:13] Any motion Any
[01:02:16] other questions or that?
[01:02:18] >> Well, is there a minimum price?
[01:02:20] >> Can we get an answer from the assessor?
[01:02:22] What this property is assessed at?
[01:02:24] >> I have what the assessed value is from
[01:02:27] the assessor. Um, it's like 246,000
[01:02:32] give or take a,000. I might be off at
[01:02:34] the six, might be seven or five, but
[01:02:35] it's 240,000 plus or minus.
[01:02:38] >> Okay.
[01:02:39] >> It's depreciated 50%.
[01:02:41] >> And do we have a minimum bid price? I
[01:02:43] need that guidance from you.
[01:02:45] >> No. Well, we've talked about this.
[01:02:50] >> Do we want to set a minimum bid price,
[01:02:52] Mr. Chair?
[01:02:54] >> Uh,
[01:02:58] and obviously I have to update the dates
[01:03:00] cuz obviously, you know, those are
[01:03:01] wrong. Okay.
[01:03:01] >> Yeah.
[01:03:06] Setting a minimum bid price might make
[01:03:08] it so that we don't get biders there,
[01:03:15] >> right? But also, if we're going to
[01:03:16] reject their offer, what's the point of
[01:03:19] getting their offer?
[01:03:20] >> I have Liz next and then you
[01:03:24] >> um the first item on there and you have
[01:03:27] housing. I would I would I would I would
[01:03:30] be much more comfortable if it said um
[01:03:33] over 55,000.
[01:03:36] um versus just plain housing
[01:03:40] because we we need we need elderly
[01:03:44] housing. We don't necessarily need
[01:03:47] housing.
[01:03:48] >> Okay.
[01:03:50] Well, state would disagree with us.
[01:03:52] Yeah, I would say so.
[01:03:54] >> Yeah, I know. But I'm saying is if you
[01:03:55] look at, you know,
[01:03:56] >> we need affordable housing is what we
[01:03:58] really need. But if you look at the
[01:04:00] available units in the area, it's it the
[01:04:06] available units are less available for
[01:04:09] over 55 versus general population.
[01:04:12] >> Okay. You were going to say something
[01:04:14] about
[01:04:15] >> Thank you. I think one of the
[01:04:16] differences between an auction process,
[01:04:19] which of course involves bids, and the
[01:04:22] RFP, which involves proposals, is that
[01:04:25] the town can weigh those perhaps accept
[01:04:29] none of them, but not have a fixed price
[01:04:34] minimum, not have an absolute use
[01:04:37] requirement, but say we're interested in
[01:04:40] proposals that if we hope to get X
[01:04:43] amount of money, we we will look
[01:04:46] favorably upon projects that involve
[01:04:49] housing particularly for elderly perhaps
[01:04:52] things like that. It's not I don't think
[01:04:54] we're talking about a minimum bid. But I
[01:04:56] think that's a whole different process
[01:04:57] and um so I just would want to see
[01:05:00] phrase that right if you're doing it.
[01:05:02] >> Yes. John.
[01:05:03] >> Yeah. As I mentioned before, you know,
[01:05:05] there's a whole lot of things that are
[01:05:07] involved in a proposal that comes into
[01:05:10] you, you've got some standards and
[01:05:13] objectives that have to be met. So even
[01:05:17] if um a bidder is proposing something
[01:05:21] with a low number, if they're committing
[01:05:25] a huge amount of money towards it and
[01:05:27] have experience and have the right use,
[01:05:29] you might overlook that depending on the
[01:05:32] total terms of the offer. So I think um
[01:05:39] it's it's a much harder deal to put a
[01:05:41] fixed number. I know certainly
[01:05:45] some of the value is coming in terms of
[01:05:47] hard cash for a sale, but the real value
[01:05:51] is coming back into putting that
[01:05:53] building back into public service on the
[01:05:56] tax roles and making a major improvement
[01:05:59] to the community of Gilbert. So
[01:06:02] understood, but at the same time, the
[01:06:05] attorney general is going to look at
[01:06:06] this this deal as well and say, why if
[01:06:10] you have a building that's assessed at
[01:06:11] 246,000, why is someone selling it at 25
[01:06:14] or 50?
[01:06:17] >> You have a reason
[01:06:19] like
[01:06:20] >> No, I I get it. But at the same time,
[01:06:22] this is why we have them. We're asking
[01:06:24] for their own question.
[01:06:26] >> And I honestly I have not been through
[01:06:28] that building. I have heard it described
[01:06:31] as one of the most fireproof buildings
[01:06:34] in uh school buildings of its era and
[01:06:38] there's a reason why and that's going to
[01:06:40] be an expensive fix for that particular
[01:06:43] property. Mr.
[01:06:44] >> Last time I was in that building the
[01:06:46] senior center was there. Yes.
[01:06:48] >> Um so at the bottom of page two there's
[01:06:50] the minimum criteria and then there's
[01:06:52] the comparative selection criteria. So
[01:06:54] on our P day when they're all due and
[01:06:57] we're we're opening the bids, that's the
[01:06:59] criteria that we use to rate them and
[01:07:01] then that rating sheet goes before you
[01:07:03] the select board. So that's that's
[01:07:06] really important to make sure that
[01:07:08] you're comfortable with that. And if you
[01:07:09] notice number two is financial
[01:07:11] feasibility and viability business plan.
[01:07:14] >> Mhm.
[01:07:17] >> See, I'm of the mind that I don't want
[01:07:19] to set a minimum.
[01:07:21] >> Okay, that's fine. But if we do, it's
[01:07:24] going to be low
[01:07:26] because I don't want to rule out good
[01:07:29] uses to that property.
[01:07:31] >> And Mr. Chair, you can reject all of
[01:07:33] them, right? Like, so
[01:07:34] >> No, I understand that.
[01:07:37] >> Zach, do you have anything to add?
[01:07:40] >> I'm I'm kind of in agreement on you
[01:07:42] because um
[01:07:45] as it sits, it's basically costing the
[01:07:48] town money. I know it's it's historical.
[01:07:50] It's it's old.
[01:07:52] Um,
[01:07:54] but it is it's full of asbestos. It's
[01:07:56] full of things that
[01:07:59] are not great to human health right now.
[01:08:01] Um, I think that any
[01:08:04] I I agree with Liz that in a way that
[01:08:07] senior housing is probably good. Um, but
[01:08:10] any use right now for housing or any use
[01:08:14] that we deem appropriate really, I think
[01:08:16] is better than it just sitting there and
[01:08:18] going into decay further. So, I I kind
[01:08:21] of agree with you, Jeff, on the on the
[01:08:23] minimum.
[01:08:25] >> Um, do we want to have uh the
[01:08:30] uh John's
[01:08:32] comments the actually the uh historical
[01:08:36] commission's comments and
[01:08:38] recommendations put into it first before
[01:08:40] we take a vote?
[01:08:42] >> We should we should attach it to the
[01:08:44] request for proposal. Yeah. And I will
[01:08:47] update the dates. So, you can vote on it
[01:08:48] with the idea that the dates will be
[01:08:50] updated cuz they're old.
[01:08:52] >> Well, you want a motion to attach the
[01:08:54] historical commission's recommendations
[01:08:56] and and plans to All right. So, I'll
[01:09:00] make a motion that we accept the
[01:09:02] historical commission's recommendations
[01:09:06] and we attach it to the RFP proposal for
[01:09:08] the George H. Gilbert Historic
[01:09:10] Schoolhouse.
[01:09:12] >> Do I hear a second?
[01:09:13] >> I'll second that. Okay. Any further
[01:09:16] discussion? All those in favor?
[01:09:18] >> William Tinker I.
[01:09:20] >> Jeffrey Shaw I.
[01:09:21] >> Zach Spencer I.
[01:09:23] >> Okay. So now we've attached it to this
[01:09:25] and now you want to accept want a motion
[01:09:28] to accept this and we'll make a move on
[01:09:34] >> and we'll just have no mail bid.
[01:09:37] >> Yes.
[01:09:39] >> Okay. Make a motion to accept the
[01:09:42] request for proposal. We going to make
[01:09:44] the amendment changes as far as dates
[01:09:46] and and any spelling amendments that
[01:09:49] needed for the 179 Main Street, the
[01:09:54] purchase, renovation, redevelopment of
[01:09:56] property owned by the town of Hardwick.
[01:09:59] >> Do I hear a second?
[01:10:00] >> I'll second.
[01:10:02] >> Okay. Any further discussion? All those
[01:10:05] in favor?
[01:10:06] >> William Tinker, I
[01:10:07] >> Jeff Shoff, I.
[01:10:09] >> Zack Spencer, I.
[01:10:10] >> It'll just take me a few days. I have to
[01:10:12] get through the stuff. We have to get
[01:10:13] through the town meeting first and then
[01:10:14] we'll get to this.
[01:10:15] >> Oh, understood.
[01:10:16] >> Do you mind if I just take care of John?
[01:10:18] >> Oh, yeah.
[01:10:19] >> Thank you. I have to make a coffee.
[01:10:21] >> Yes. Bill,
[01:10:22] >> do you name a a date at which the
[01:10:24] proposals will be open? Is that part of
[01:10:26] the It is.
[01:10:26] >> Yes.
[01:10:27] >> So, what is that? How far off would it
[01:10:29] be once it's posted?
[01:10:31] >> I'll probably like a No, like a month.
[01:10:33] I'll probably do.
[01:10:34] >> Okay.
[01:10:36] >> Once it's posted.
[01:10:37] >> Yes. How long uh in between the posting
[01:10:40] and the bid um does a pro p prospective
[01:10:43] buyer have to
[01:10:45] >> that's what you said a month is
[01:10:47] >> no that's a month to get it out there
[01:10:49] but I'm saying how long does a
[01:10:51] prospective buyer have to put together a
[01:10:54] proposal
[01:10:55] >> it is a month
[01:10:58] >> well basically maybe what 6 weeks or 5
[01:11:01] weeks from today
[01:11:03] >> yeah that's to be advertised some
[01:11:05] >> so maybe 6 weeks from today Yeah. What
[01:11:07] I'm saying is once it's advertised,
[01:11:10] okay, it says
[01:11:11] >> she's saying once it's posted, how long
[01:11:13] do they have
[01:11:15] >> to put in their proposal?
[01:11:16] >> Yeah.
[01:11:17] >> We should make it 6 weeks or from the
[01:11:19] date is advertised. That way it gives
[01:11:21] somebody more than enough time to put a
[01:11:23] proposal together.
[01:11:25] >> Thank you.
[01:11:26] >> Yeah. Because I mean it's not it's not a
[01:11:28] a little
[01:11:30] >> right
[01:11:30] >> little thing. It's a it's a complicated
[01:11:33] process.
[01:11:33] >> It's not going to be done in a week.
[01:11:35] >> Right. And that's what I'm saying is I'm
[01:11:36] asking how it you know I mean minimum of
[01:11:39] six weeks to to give somebody um
[01:11:42] >> so after posting it six weeks
[01:11:44] >> I have to if I'm putting it on combis
[01:11:46] and the central register I have to do at
[01:11:48] least a month so between a month and 6
[01:11:51] weeks.
[01:11:52] >> Can we make it longer like make it 6
[01:11:54] weeks at a minimum?
[01:11:55] >> Yeah. Doesn't matter.
[01:11:57] >> Yes.
[01:11:58] >> Thank you. I think this process started,
[01:12:00] if I'm not mistaken, with the fellow
[01:12:02] that came in and talked about the
[01:12:04] possibility of developing it. Will he be
[01:12:07] specifically notified about this or or
[01:12:10] just we counted on that he look at the
[01:12:13] postings?
[01:12:13] >> He reaches out to me regularly, so I
[01:12:15] will tell him that it's posted.
[01:12:17] >> Yeah.
[01:12:19] >> And we were looking at we were looking
[01:12:20] at this before he showed up.
[01:12:26] >> Okay. Um,
[01:12:29] do you want to start talking about uh
[01:12:32] meeting minutes compliance
[01:12:39] etc. Next item on the last item on the
[01:12:43] new business.
[01:12:44] >> Okay. Um, as you know, Mr. Chair, we
[01:12:47] we've inventoried we
[01:12:50] made motions. We directed the account
[01:12:53] administrator to get the you know
[01:12:56] meeting minutes drafted but yet we're
[01:12:59] still having a bottleneck of and I don't
[01:13:03] know why but we we're not getting
[01:13:05] meetings done and and like tonight we
[01:13:08] have one meeting on the agenda. We will
[01:13:10] never catch up with just one meeting.
[01:13:13] >> Okay.
[01:13:13] >> Like one meeting minute per meeting.
[01:13:15] >> That's understood.
[01:13:17] >> Okay. So we have from what I have like
[01:13:21] just reviewing u my town gov website we
[01:13:25] have July 15th, July 28th, September
[01:13:28] 29th, October 14th, November 10th,
[01:13:31] January 7th, January 28th, February 5th,
[01:13:35] February 12th, May 11th, May 4th, April
[01:13:39] 30th, April 27, April 20, I'm sorry,
[01:13:43] February 18th, March 2nd, April 6th,
[01:13:46] April 13th,
[01:13:48] We approved April 22nd tonight.
[01:13:50] >> Yep.
[01:13:51] >> So that's
[01:13:52] >> off your list.
[01:13:53] >> Yep. So April 27, April 30th, May 4th,
[01:13:57] May 11th, and May 21st,
[01:14:01] and then and so and that's not including
[01:14:05] any of the executive sessions. So
[01:14:08] >> Mr. chair.
[01:14:10] >> Yes.
[01:14:10] >> Some of the older ones, let me check
[01:14:11] with the website administrator because
[01:14:13] that just might mean she missed an email
[01:14:14] because some of those older ones I think
[01:14:16] you guys have already approved and so I
[01:14:18] think it might just be like either a
[01:14:19] missed email or something.
[01:14:20] >> Do you want to give Justine that list
[01:14:24] so that we can uh
[01:14:26] >> want to take a picture of it, you know,
[01:14:28] mine and I'll just send it to you.
[01:14:29] >> That's fine. Thank you.
[01:14:30] >> Yeah. Yeah.
[01:14:31] >> Yeah. Cuz it should just be I could just
[01:14:32] email her and make sure she got the
[01:14:34] email
[01:14:34] >> cuz I thought we took care of a few more
[01:14:37] of those things.
[01:14:39] Okay. But you're listening.
[01:14:40] >> It could just be an issue like that.
[01:14:42] >> Okay.
[01:14:42] >> Easy.
[01:14:43] >> Maybe it is.
[01:14:44] >> Yeah. I don't know. I I don't know.
[01:14:47] >> So that's I mean and so this is we had
[01:14:51] it as a standing agenda to you know
[01:14:54] until this matter is addressed and we
[01:14:56] should still keep it as a standing
[01:14:57] agenda,
[01:14:57] >> right?
[01:14:58] >> And we should just get it done. I mean
[01:15:01] that's all Mr. Chair. That's all I have
[01:15:02] to say.
[01:15:03] >> That's all.
[01:15:03] >> That's it. Oh, I mean
[01:15:06] that's going to be a longer
[01:15:08] conversation.
[01:15:09] >> What else is there? I mean, I can't sit
[01:15:11] there and you know,
[01:15:12] >> right? No. And
[01:15:13] >> it's open meeting law. We either comply
[01:15:15] with it or we don't.
[01:15:16] >> And again, I just want to make clear
[01:15:18] that we're not trying to hide anything.
[01:15:20] It's just that we're way behind the
[01:15:22] meeting minutes.
[01:15:23] >> Yes. And I think we're caught up to
[01:15:26] where
[01:15:28] you you and
[01:15:31] uh the former chair had to approve
[01:15:34] meeting minutes. Now
[01:15:36] >> it's you and I.
[01:15:37] >> It's you and I.
[01:15:38] >> Yes.
[01:15:39] >> And Zach's getting involved in some of
[01:15:41] these later ones.
[01:15:42] >> Right. And who?
[01:15:45] >> So a question is who is who is
[01:15:48] responsible? Because when we talked
[01:15:50] about this last time, the town
[01:15:52] administrator says she's not responsible
[01:15:53] for this and we gave her a directive to
[01:15:56] direct staff to do this. So who else?
[01:15:59] Cuz I don't have time to be writing
[01:16:01] meeting minutes and I work during the
[01:16:04] day. We pay staff to do this. So I'm
[01:16:06] curious who is responsible to do this?
[01:16:09] >> Well, when
[01:16:11] >> do you want me to address that?
[01:16:12] >> Yes. So I've been doing the regular
[01:16:14] meetings and the clerk of the board
[01:16:16] which right now is Zach is in is in
[01:16:17] charge of the executive session ones. So
[01:16:19] that's where that is right now. So the
[01:16:22] ones in front of you come from me
[01:16:26] and but more meetings are going to get
[01:16:27] more and more I we know it my job is to
[01:16:30] run the dayto-day of the town.
[01:16:32] >> I mean I can work with Sandy on it if
[01:16:34] she's willing to at this point.
[01:16:36] >> Well she's an administrative assistant
[01:16:38] and isn't that her responsibility?
[01:16:41] She also does all the licenses. She also
[01:16:43] does all the water and sewer billing. So
[01:16:45] I mean, yeah, but she's only 19 hours.
[01:16:47] And again, you add minutes like she's
[01:16:49] only 19 hours.
[01:16:52] >> Bill, may I make a suggestion that we
[01:16:55] give these
[01:16:57] she Justine has the meetings
[01:17:00] and that we make an effort
[01:17:02] >> to catch us up and hopefully catch us up
[01:17:07] fairly quickly.
[01:17:08] >> Yep.
[01:17:10] because I I think some of those meetings
[01:17:12] we've already done.
[01:17:13] >> Yeah. And that could just be a
[01:17:13] communication issue or missed email
[01:17:15] which
[01:17:16] >> Okay. Well,
[01:17:17] >> we'll see.
[01:17:18] >> We'll take it.
[01:17:19] >> We'll leave it on the meeting.
[01:17:21] >> Absolutely. This is going to be an
[01:17:22] agenda item until we've caught up.
[01:17:24] >> Okay.
[01:17:26] >> I do have one question. Since Zach
[01:17:28] hasn't been on board for executive
[01:17:30] sessions,
[01:17:31] >> how can he write those minutes?
[01:17:34] >> He can. when we do have one, which we
[01:17:37] haven't yet, but I'm just saying the
[01:17:38] clerk of the select board is the
[01:17:40] typically the executive, but we haven't
[01:17:42] had any in the last meetings. We have
[01:17:44] >> I'm responsible for I think there is
[01:17:48] one or two that I'm still responsible
[01:17:51] for.
[01:17:53] >> And you and I approve those.
[01:17:54] >> Yeah. And that that that is between Bill
[01:17:57] and me and we'll get that done.
[01:18:00] >> Yes, Bill. Too many bills. Um, some well
[01:18:03] quite a few months ago actually, we we
[01:18:06] talked about minutes and the use of
[01:18:09] artificial intelligence and and creating
[01:18:11] them. I struggled right and left for
[01:18:14] that for a while. Got some some input
[01:18:16] from Bill and some helpful input from
[01:18:20] Trish about how to take a transcript and
[01:18:25] run it into a program. And I have found
[01:18:27] that that that does really work well.
[01:18:32] And here it's worked even easier because
[01:18:35] the transcript is produced by the
[01:18:36] YouTube. So you can you can take that
[01:18:39] transcript
[01:18:40] and put it in the AI. I'm I'm using
[01:18:44] Claude AI now. And you put in the
[01:18:47] agenda, you put in the this transcript.
[01:18:49] And if it's just an audio, which is how
[01:18:52] we have ours, you put in the audio and
[01:18:54] and create the on the phone the
[01:18:57] transcript from the audio, put that in.
[01:18:59] And then you put in the members of the
[01:19:01] board so that it remembers that, it
[01:19:03] knows that, and the frequent guests and
[01:19:05] so forth, and then it produces it and
[01:19:08] and the job then becomes more all right,
[01:19:12] this was just superus or cross talk or
[01:19:14] something. you could take things out so
[01:19:16] it doesn't end up 15 pages but but it
[01:19:19] does a really good job and it's quite
[01:19:21] easy and I think it also has the added
[01:19:23] benefit of reducing some of the u u
[01:19:27] questions about you know objectivity
[01:19:31] that that come up on occasion. So to me
[01:19:34] that's really good. And I'm feeling
[01:19:36] pretty good about it obviously because
[01:19:37] that's how we're able to do the planning
[01:19:39] for it very quickly and I think
[01:19:41] effectively and and I don't know how
[01:19:43] you're doing them but I'm just here to
[01:19:46] say there's an easier way than having
[01:19:48] taken notes or watching the whole
[01:19:51] meeting again for an hour or two writing
[01:19:53] it all down you know so it is it is
[01:19:56] doable in that way and if you know
[01:19:59] anybody wants to know what I've learned
[01:20:01] painfully but I think well um I'll show
[01:20:04] Yeah, culture number of people and it
[01:20:06] works. So,
[01:20:08] >> I I would be I would be willing honestly
[01:20:12] to use the software cuz Bill and I have
[01:20:14] talked about this before. I would be
[01:20:16] willing to try the software for myself
[01:20:19] for this board and just see how they
[01:20:21] come out and if they come out terribly,
[01:20:24] we don't improve them. But if they come
[01:20:25] out better than what we are currently
[01:20:27] doing, uh it solves kind of two issues
[01:20:30] because I don't I don't mind doing them.
[01:20:32] I I I've done meeting minutes before
[01:20:34] for, you know, nonprofit boards. Um, and
[01:20:39] I actually enjoy doing it. So, if if if
[01:20:42] that's what you guys want to do, it it
[01:20:44] kind of serves two purposes of it gets
[01:20:47] the meeting minutes kind of more
[01:20:50] expeditiously on top of the fact that it
[01:20:52] takes some of the uh the workflow issues
[01:20:55] that we're currently seeing kind of out
[01:20:57] of the hands. Um, and that's obviously I
[01:21:01] I'll volunteer to do that as the clerk
[01:21:04] of this board.
[01:21:04] >> Thank you, Jack.
[01:21:06] >> Thank you.
[01:21:08] >> But at the same I mean, Mr. Chair, just
[01:21:10] going to put it out there. We're we're
[01:21:12] paying staff to do this work.
[01:21:14] >> And understood, but we're behind. Once
[01:21:17] we get caught up,
[01:21:19] >> I think we'll be okay.
[01:21:21] >> Isn't that what you told me after we
[01:21:22] started?
[01:21:23] >> Well, I did I did my homework. I got it
[01:21:25] done with Volheim. I banged out I don't
[01:21:28] know 10 12 meeting minutes.
[01:21:30] >> So and and I and yet here we are
[01:21:34] >> and we're
[01:21:35] >> I'm just saying I'm not going to own
[01:21:36] this. I'm not going to do this work.
[01:21:38] >> No, I'm not expecting you to own it.
[01:21:42] >> Anyway, are we ready to move on?
[01:21:45] >> Yeah.
[01:21:46] >> Administrative assistance or admin
[01:21:49] account administrators report. Um so as
[01:21:52] you know um at the last meeting I had
[01:21:56] said that we had put out an RFP for it
[01:21:59] and we received five bids. Um the police
[01:22:02] chief and Sman Spencer and I met with
[01:22:04] one of the prospective firms that is not
[01:22:07] our current provider. Um we've had a lot
[01:22:09] of issues with our current provider as
[01:22:11] you know. Um, so we're reference
[01:22:14] checking at this point uh before coming
[01:22:16] to the board with a formal vote for a IT
[01:22:19] contract because right now we don't have
[01:22:21] one. Um, the town is has been without an
[01:22:24] IT contract for quite some time. Um, and
[01:22:26] we really need something in black and
[01:22:27] white. So, we have something to hold
[01:22:29] whatever company accountable to
[01:22:32] something. So, um, looking forward to
[01:22:34] that hopefully by your next meeting.
[01:22:37] Also, I had said at the last meeting
[01:22:39] that the fire there was an issue with
[01:22:40] the fire extinguishers at the townhouse.
[01:22:42] So, we had the fire extinguishers
[01:22:44] inspected at the town hall, the
[01:22:45] townhouse, the library, the fire
[01:22:47] department, and highway department. So,
[01:22:49] they're all good. And the townhouse has
[01:22:51] passed their elevator inspection.
[01:22:54] held our bi-weekly financial management
[01:22:55] planning meeting with the treasure
[01:22:57] accountant and actually selectman
[01:22:58] Spencer because I thought it'd be really
[01:23:00] good as a new selectman for him to come
[01:23:02] in and see um what we're doing, what
[01:23:05] issues we're addressing, what what we're
[01:23:07] currently all involved in. Uh the
[01:23:08] assessor was unable to attend that one,
[01:23:10] but um I would encourage any other
[01:23:13] member of the board that would like to
[01:23:14] participate or come to one um to let me
[01:23:16] know and I'll make sure uh you know when
[01:23:18] it is. We meet every other week. I met
[01:23:22] with the Central Mass Regional Planning
[01:23:24] Commission on green communities grants.
[01:23:27] I attended the Quabin Regional School
[01:23:28] District budget meeting that they had uh
[01:23:30] two Thursdays ago. Uh we finalized the
[01:23:32] FY27 budget. Um we are advertising for a
[01:23:36] wastewater treatment plant operator, a
[01:23:37] highway equipment operator, an
[01:23:38] accountant, and a recycling center
[01:23:40] laborer. As you know, we held an
[01:23:42] interview for the van driver position,
[01:23:44] and thank you for voting to approve
[01:23:46] that. Um I'm finalizing the draft
[01:23:48] employee handbook. So that something
[01:23:50] that I can present to you hopefully at
[01:23:52] your next meeting. Um obviously not to
[01:23:55] approve at that meeting but just take it
[01:23:56] home, read it, come back to me with any
[01:23:59] questions or anything. And so that's
[01:24:01] coming up just so you have an idea. The
[01:24:03] treasurer held a benefits info session
[01:24:05] with our providers. So like Boston
[01:24:07] Mutual, Maya, um AFLAC,
[01:24:11] um Blue Cross Blue Shield for employees
[01:24:13] to um ask any questions or get up to
[01:24:16] date on what kind of benefits that they
[01:24:18] would like.
[01:24:19] I attended a an alcohol commission
[01:24:22] training with the executive assistant.
[01:24:24] There's been some new um
[01:24:27] best practices regarding one day alcohol
[01:24:29] licenses which was actually kind of um
[01:24:31] timely for us. So hopefully I can get a
[01:24:34] policy or something again to the select
[01:24:36] board moving forward. Um that was
[01:24:38] actually yeah very timely.
[01:24:41] I want to recognize our accountant,
[01:24:42] Holly Man, for cleaning up our chart of
[01:24:44] accounts, uncovering years of
[01:24:46] wrongdoing, and working collaboratively
[01:24:48] with the finance team. Holly's last day
[01:24:51] is Thursday. Um, she is going to be
[01:24:53] staying on on Fridays to get us through
[01:24:56] year end to do AP and um cuz we need an
[01:25:00] accountant to sign the recap. Um, so
[01:25:03] she'll still be working up Fridays and
[01:25:05] checking emails and stuff while we look
[01:25:07] for an accountant. Um, we don't really
[01:25:08] have any perspectives right now. I'm in
[01:25:10] the process of reaching out to municipal
[01:25:12] accounting firms um to help us out if
[01:25:14] need be. I did have a call with Holly's
[01:25:17] new town administrator today because I
[01:25:19] just wanted to um not step in any toes
[01:25:22] of other town administrators because you
[01:25:24] know Holly has said that she will answer
[01:25:26] the phone if we need her and we'll you
[01:25:27] know anything like that. So um I did
[01:25:30] have a nice conversation today with the
[01:25:32] town administrator and Spencer. Um
[01:25:36] so there's that. Senator Durant and
[01:25:38] Representative Berthium's June office
[01:25:41] hours are June 10th from 10 to 11 in
[01:25:43] this room. Annual town meeting is June
[01:25:45] 6th at 9:00 am at Hardwick Elementary
[01:25:48] School. The police senior chicken
[01:25:51] barbecue is at 12:00 p.m. on June 12th
[01:25:53] at the um South Berry Ring Club.
[01:25:58] Hardwick New brain night at the Wox is
[01:26:00] July 22nd. um $5 per ticket using the QR
[01:26:03] code or the link goes to fundraising
[01:26:05] efforts for our new police station or
[01:26:08] current police station, renovating our
[01:26:10] current police station on lower road. Um
[01:26:12] and then just uh the days off from
[01:26:14] taking off this summer
[01:26:16] and that's all I have tonight.
[01:26:18] >> So, uh you said the town accountant, you
[01:26:21] don't have anything yet for that. Any of
[01:26:25] the other positions, they're still kind
[01:26:28] of languishing.
[01:26:29] >> Yeah. Um, initially when I foot first
[01:26:32] posted everything, we were getting some.
[01:26:35] I'm not getting anything right now.
[01:26:38] >> Um, it's really it's it's been really
[01:26:41] tough and and unfortunately right now
[01:26:43] it's it's an employees market, not
[01:26:44] really an employer market. We have
[01:26:46] there's a lot of openings right now and
[01:26:48] looking on the MMA, the Massachusetts
[01:26:50] Municipal Association website, there's
[01:26:52] like treasurers, accountants, like
[01:26:56] >> Wait a minute.
[01:26:57] >> Um, sorry.
[01:26:59] >> Treasure I'm sorry. You want me to jump?
[01:27:01] >> No, go ahead. Finish.
[01:27:03] >> Treasurer accountant positions um that
[01:27:06] unfortunately pay pay more market rate
[01:27:09] than than we're currently paying. We're
[01:27:11] kind of far. So, it's been it's been a
[01:27:13] challenge, but I am reaching out to some
[01:27:14] uh municipal accounting firms to
[01:27:16] hopefully help us out in the interim.
[01:27:18] >> Yes.
[01:27:19] >> I just had one question about Holly. I
[01:27:22] was excited to find out if she received
[01:27:24] her certification or not.
[01:27:26] >> So, I don't know cuz it it takes a
[01:27:29] little while for them to hear back. So,
[01:27:31] I don't know if she's even heard yet cuz
[01:27:33] I I don't know why, but these
[01:27:35] associations are weird. I know the cuz
[01:27:37] the treasure one, the classes are only
[01:27:40] in August. and you have to take three
[01:27:43] three oneweek long classes in August and
[01:27:46] the following year you take your
[01:27:47] certification test. It just makes no
[01:27:48] sense how these organizations work. So I
[01:27:50] don't know.
[01:27:51] >> All right. I would be excited to wish
[01:27:53] her well, but
[01:27:54] >> Oh, you'll see her uh Thursday.
[01:27:56] >> It's there's like there's no standard in
[01:27:59] the state. It's like when I found out my
[01:28:01] medic I took the test at 8:00 a.m. I
[01:28:03] found out I knew when Haley took her
[01:28:05] toymmetrist test. She took it on a
[01:28:08] Friday and it took a month and a half
[01:28:10] for her to get her results. It was
[01:28:13] crazy.
[01:28:17] >> All right.
[01:28:19] Slick board roundt.
[01:28:22] Do you have anything, Zach?
[01:28:25] >> No, I think we've pretty much covered
[01:28:27] everything I wanted to cover tonight.
[01:28:29] >> Okay, Bill.
[01:28:32] >> Um, I do have one thing, Mr. Chair,
[01:28:35] since we're going to the annual town
[01:28:37] meeting with two different budgets, how
[01:28:40] is that going to be presented? Each one
[01:28:42] is going to go on the website to the
[01:28:43] voters, the finance committee one and
[01:28:46] the select board one.
[01:28:48] >> Uh, no. So, I actually Oh, I'm sorry. Do
[01:28:49] you mind? Um, so I met with the town
[01:28:52] clerk/modderator today on the format.
[01:28:54] It's going to be the select board's
[01:28:55] budget and then there's a column for So,
[01:28:57] there's a column for the departmental
[01:28:59] request, like what the department
[01:29:01] actually requested. Then there's a
[01:29:02] column for the select board's budget and
[01:29:04] then there's a column for the finance
[01:29:06] committee on whether or not they they
[01:29:07] approve or or um
[01:29:11] >> so there isn't the alternate figures
[01:29:13] that we were hoping for.
[01:29:15] >> Um so I had sent an email out to the
[01:29:17] chair of the finance committee. I'm
[01:29:18] waiting to hear back from him because
[01:29:20] the spreadsheet that he sent there were
[01:29:21] two different versions of the numbers.
[01:29:23] So I just need clarity from him on which
[01:29:25] tab four or the very last tab I'm
[01:29:27] supposed to go by. So I I'm just waiting
[01:29:29] for that clarity. But there will be
[01:29:31] their numbers in there or
[01:29:35] >> you see something to comp for people to
[01:29:38] compare,
[01:29:38] >> right?
[01:29:39] >> I need to check with the town
[01:29:40] clerk/modderator because I don't know if
[01:29:42] he just wants it to be whether or not
[01:29:44] they support because they just make a
[01:29:47] recommendation on whether the town can
[01:29:48] afford usually.
[01:29:50] >> So let me double check with the town
[01:29:51] clerk/modderator and I'll get back to
[01:29:52] the board.
[01:29:53] >> I don't want to say something and have
[01:29:55] and be wrong.
[01:29:56] >> Okay.
[01:29:56] >> Yeah. Well, this board agreed that we're
[01:29:58] going to have two budgets going to the
[01:30:00] annual meeting. That's what this board
[01:30:02] agreed on,
[01:30:03] >> right?
[01:30:04] >> So, I'm just making sure that that
[01:30:05] information is available to the voters,
[01:30:09] this community,
[01:30:09] >> whether it's a separate something
[01:30:12] separate even we need something and it
[01:30:14] should be on the town website
[01:30:18] before. So once I get that information
[01:30:21] cuz I don't know which one I'm using. Um
[01:30:23] I'll get something together but I don't
[01:30:26] know
[01:30:26] >> which you saw the email. I don't know
[01:30:28] what numbers to use. So I need to wait
[01:30:30] for that clarity.
[01:30:31] >> Yes. Bill.
[01:30:33] >> On the same subject I I'm wondering when
[01:30:36] the article of the budget as presented
[01:30:40] by the select board is the first it is
[01:30:43] an article. uh in order to
[01:30:46] not vote on that up or down. If there I
[01:30:50] guess would have to be an amendment.
[01:30:52] Well, we want to change people want to
[01:30:55] change that this or that particular line
[01:30:57] item to something else
[01:30:59] >> along the way and have all those
[01:31:01] discussions those line by line things at
[01:31:03] the town meeting is how what I guess it
[01:31:05] would be. Then if majority wants to
[01:31:07] change the the article
[01:31:11] uh shaping it more to the finance
[01:31:13] committee numbers or whatever then then
[01:31:16] the article would be voted on in that
[01:31:19] fashion. I don't think I've seen a
[01:31:21] mechanism and I'm no expert but that
[01:31:24] says okay vote A or vote B or you know
[01:31:27] it's like you first vote something maybe
[01:31:29] with amendments and then if no
[01:31:33] if no balanced budget is approved
[01:31:38] then you get into something I believe
[01:31:40] and and Ryan could explain this where it
[01:31:43] turns into like
[01:31:45] >> you you have to call a special town
[01:31:46] meeting.
[01:31:47] >> Yes. prior to the 1st of July.
[01:31:51] >> Yes, that's absolutely true.
[01:31:52] >> So, and there's just barely enough time
[01:31:54] since we keep moving a meeting off.
[01:31:56] There's barely enough time if this
[01:31:58] didn't happen at the meeting, then you
[01:31:59] end up having to have a special town
[01:32:01] meeting to to
[01:32:04] address another budget or a further
[01:32:07] compromised budget.
[01:32:08] >> That's true. And if that doesn't happen
[01:32:10] by the 1 of July, then you go into this
[01:32:13] strange thing about spending one 12th of
[01:32:16] your money every every month that was
[01:32:19] from priors or something which gets to
[01:32:20] be a real a real mess. So I I was just
[01:32:24] wondering well how what the process is
[01:32:26] and what happens if it doesn't uh get
[01:32:29] rectified. M
[01:32:30] >> I think we'd be pretty sure the meeting
[01:32:32] isn't going to be over at 10:00 a.m.
[01:32:35] >> Well, good thing we don't have bylaws to
[01:32:37] review after.
[01:32:40] >> So, Mr. Chair,
[01:32:41] >> yes.
[01:32:42] >> Um Mr. Cole is right um in the process.
[01:32:44] So, the article on town is is the select
[01:32:47] board's budget and he was dead right
[01:32:49] about the process. then it would require
[01:32:51] a special um if nothing is done by July
[01:32:54] 1st then there's the 12 112 budgeting
[01:32:56] process which is a huge hassle and
[01:32:59] that's when the state becomes aware of
[01:33:02] what's going on and um yeah you're
[01:33:06] absolutely
[01:33:06] >> that's okay we can overspend the budget
[01:33:07] so you don't have to worry
[01:33:11] >> yes
[01:33:11] >> I did have a question going to town
[01:33:14] meeting I would like to know what the
[01:33:16] finance committee's budget looked like
[01:33:18] would it be on the town website.
[01:33:22] >> I would like to see it on the town
[01:33:24] website. That was what we kind of had in
[01:33:28] mind.
[01:33:28] >> Well, this is what this board agreed on.
[01:33:30] That's what we wanted to go have the
[01:33:32] finance committee.
[01:33:33] >> We wanted the alternative budgets.
[01:33:35] >> Yep. So, I'm bringing this up because
[01:33:38] it's going to be posted by Saturday.
[01:33:40] >> Absolutely.
[01:33:41] >> So, this is why I'm bringing up, Mr.
[01:33:43] Chair.
[01:33:44] >> Absolutely,
[01:33:44] >> Mr. Chair.
[01:33:46] >> Yes. So, I have reached out to the
[01:33:48] finance committee chair for their voted
[01:33:49] budget and so is the town clerk and um
[01:33:51] both of us are still waiting.
[01:33:53] >> Okay.
[01:33:54] >> Yes, Bill.
[01:33:55] >> Last thing, thank you. So, the the
[01:33:56] budget the vote on the budget is really
[01:33:59] only about the expenditure side if I'm
[01:34:00] not mistaken.
[01:34:01] >> Yes.
[01:34:02] >> Right. And so whatever you've been
[01:34:03] talking about or debating
[01:34:06] on the revenue side,
[01:34:09] it's just kind of the bottom number of
[01:34:10] everything that that ends up
[01:34:12] >> matching the the expenditures with the
[01:34:15] taxation.
[01:34:16] >> There's not you don't have to make or
[01:34:20] anyone vote on the particular
[01:34:23] items or amounts for the on the revenue
[01:34:25] side.
[01:34:26] >> That is correct. I'm sorry.
[01:34:28] >> Um so that is correct. So the revenues
[01:34:30] piece does not go to town meeting, just
[01:34:32] the expenditures. So for example, today
[01:34:35] um talking to colleagues in other
[01:34:37] communities about using the $50,000
[01:34:39] that's coming in for the Quabin um water
[01:34:43] pilot money. I know towns surrounding us
[01:34:46] that are using that as revenue and
[01:34:47] that's going to be reoccurring. Um so
[01:34:49] that also, you know, was a thought
[01:34:51] process of mine. Well, okay. Um, the
[01:34:54] finance committee is very much against
[01:34:56] the $100,000 in one time for the gravel,
[01:34:58] but maybe we can use the $50,000 for
[01:35:00] gravel and 50,000 from the pilot money
[01:35:03] that it looks like we're getting cuz
[01:35:04] we're going to be getting it every year.
[01:35:06] Um, so that like things like that, the
[01:35:08] funding mechanisms isn't what's going to
[01:35:10] be presented to town meeting. It's going
[01:35:11] to be the expenditures and and what it
[01:35:13] takes to run each department and we're
[01:35:16] raising the tax tax rates. So,
[01:35:17] >> Mr. Chair, if I may.
[01:35:19] >> Yes. Um, just for clarity, uh, we have a
[01:35:22] pilot policy in town and any pilot money
[01:35:26] is not supposed to be used to fund
[01:35:28] operating budgets. It's supposed to go
[01:35:30] into stabilization or capitalization,
[01:35:33] stuff like that. It's in the policy. So
[01:35:36] that 50,000 Yeah, it's it's reoccurring
[01:35:40] stuff like that, but it's a pilot
[01:35:41] payment to the town.
[01:35:44] >> Um, that is that's correct. And so when
[01:35:47] we do get all that revenue that will be
[01:35:50] that will be adjusted but it still is
[01:35:52] going to go on the recap as revenue like
[01:35:54] all of our other pilots do. So when do
[01:35:57] is taking a look at it it's going to
[01:35:59] look just like everything else all of
[01:36:01] our other pilot payments and that can be
[01:36:03] used to balance to balance things. So to
[01:36:05] balance budget so
[01:36:07] >> okay
[01:36:08] >> I'd be happy to show any anyone um what
[01:36:10] the recap looks like and and what we
[01:36:12] have to do if anyone has any um
[01:36:14] questions about that. Yeah, I'm just
[01:36:16] saying
[01:36:16] >> all right
[01:36:16] >> what we agreed on it's in the policy.
[01:36:19] It's we're not supposed to be you know
[01:36:21] the whole discussion of funding
[01:36:23] operational budgets. I believe we
[01:36:25] covered this more than enough.
[01:36:26] >> Oh yes.
[01:36:27] >> So
[01:36:29] >> Zach, do you have anything more?
[01:36:33] >> No, I I don't I do not feel warm and
[01:36:37] fuzzy about our budget, but I I did not
[01:36:40] like the alternative. So, we are where
[01:36:43] we where we are right now and I
[01:36:45] understand where I stand. So,
[01:36:47] >> okay.
[01:36:50] >> So, are you going to make sure whatever
[01:36:52] happens and this gets posted by Friday
[01:36:55] or do you need me to do you want to
[01:36:57] reach out to Chris Del Ross?
[01:36:59] >> I I I've been talking to Chris fairly
[01:37:02] regularly now.
[01:37:03] >> Okay. So,
[01:37:03] >> so have him
[01:37:05] >> and I think Justine and you said Ryan is
[01:37:09] even
[01:37:10] >> both reached out to him. Okay. for
[01:37:11] copies of their of what the finance
[01:37:13] committee voted on and neither one of us
[01:37:15] has received it.
[01:37:16] >> Well, that give them time, I suppose.
[01:37:19] >> Yes, Bill.
[01:37:20] >> The finance committee
[01:37:22] >> did a vote already after your joint
[01:37:24] meeting and
[01:37:25] >> Yes.
[01:37:25] >> Okay. So, they they don't have to call a
[01:37:27] new meeting and vote on this and get it
[01:37:29] all posted by
[01:37:30] >> No, they continued their meeting and
[01:37:32] they stayed it was a joint meeting
[01:37:33] >> and they decided on the numbers that you
[01:37:35] want. Okay. All right.
[01:37:36] >> They came up with alternative numbers.
[01:37:39] >> Yeah.
[01:37:40] All right,
[01:37:41] >> I'll make a motion to return, Mr. Chair.
[01:37:44] >> Do I hear a second?
[01:37:46] >> I'll second.
[01:37:47] >> Okay. All those in favor? I
[01:37:50] >> William I.
[01:37:51] >> Oh, yeah. J I
[01:37:54] >> Zach Spencer. I
[01:37:55] >> have a good night everybody. by that.