 The thing is the minutes, so does anybody have any corrections or comments on the minutes? Paul? Two corrections on the first page, second line from the bottom, that should be herometric. Thank you. And the second page about the budget 20 inspections. I think at the end of that paragraph I think it should say that there will be a sizable inspection income and sizable inspection work. Yeah, it's not all free money. You're not sitting around doing that. Okay, are there any other corrections? I have two, down the very bottom on the first page. I think it should be fire headquarters is now in the central fire station rather than are. Thank you. Because there's only one. Great. Okay, and under council on aging, second line, she noted the department has a contract employee to handle intake. This is to avoid confusion. I think you should say something, contract employee to handle intake and add instead of constantly changing volunteers. Right. Well, it's bad just to have consistent messaging, consistent answers. Right. So say something about instead of volunteers. Okay, does anybody else have any changes? Don't forget to check and make sure you have your start off as being in attendance. Okay, do I have a motion? Second. Okay, moved and seconded to accept the minutes as corrected. All those in favor, please say aye. Aye. Opposed? Great. Now, before we get started on budgets, on Wednesday, we're going to be hearing the managing budget. Unless you've been out of town for the last two months, you'll know that there's been a select and a recommend or actually have signed a contract with the manager that has a substantial increase. And the addition of an assistant town manager to his budget. We used to have an assistant, we used to have a deputy town manager and an assistant town manager until 2004, 2005, something in that range. And then it was eliminated and there was a vacancy at the time, so it was eliminated for budget cuts. And the manager believes he can justify bringing that position back. So in order to have that, the select one will be here. Dan Dunn representing the board of select one will be here to go through and explain the manager's new contract and why they think it was very important. And the manager will be here to discuss the new position on that. So please look at the materials that Gloria has been sending out and to bring all your questions. Because if we don't get it from this committee, we're certainly going to get it from town meetings. I want to get everything out on the table. The second thing is just the enrollment issue. And one of the enrollment task force, it has been, as you know, meeting fairly regularly. We're meeting again tomorrow night. I invite people to come. It's up in the school committee room. Get there early to get a seat. It has been quite crowded. The issue is exactly when are we going to be able to bring this before the finance committee. Because there's going to be issues involving the middle school. Whether we add an addition to the oddison or whether we take back the Gibbs. So that will be a big topic of discussion, costs, etc. As you're probably aware, the superintendent has already made her recommendation that we should be taking back the Gibbs. You heard some of the discussion when the parents group was here before last week, I think, on that. So that will be a big issue. Tomorrow night, the superintendent and manager are coming back with hopefully being able to have engineering and architectural studies of both options as far as the cost. Whatever happens, that's not going to get done when we go to print with the finance committee report. So what I might try to do is sometime later at the end of March, have some people come in to start reviewing the information that we have to date. Because in all likelihood, this is going to have to be a 7.30 to 8 o'clock type of vote. And obviously, you don't want to be able to absorb all this information and make a decision in a half hour. So I'll try to fit in one of those in either the 28th or the 30th. And then, of course, on top of this is we're going to have to come up with money to build in addition to the oddison or to take back Gibbs for that. Because I think Mr. Boskett has pulled out all the rabbits out of his capital budget that he can have to do the strat. So in all likelihood, this is going to have to be a debt exclusion. And so there'll be a lot of discussions there. There'll be some more discussions on the Thompson. Obviously, the high school, you'll need to appropriate money for a feasibility study to get that process going. And I think those are the means when we have to deal with it. Does anybody have any questions now? We'll take a couple of minutes. They're sort of bugging them. This will be on the special town meeting, right? I think there's an article on the regular town meeting that was put in by the parents' group. But in all likelihood, we'll be dealing with it at the special, in the special town meeting. Now, the special is scheduled for the Wednesday, the 27th of April. We can have all the information. I think what will have to happen is we'll deal with all the other issues in the special town meeting and then we'll adjourn it until probably mid-May, maybe later, to deal with that issue. So that's why I try to, you know, read the advocate look up. I think the meetings at the school committee are being taped. So they should be periodically on the cable TV. Any other questions on the general issue? John. We're still talking about the possibility of reserve funding for the initial studies. I know there was some discussion about that. Right. We'll find out more about this tomorrow night. I mentioned our last meeting. I sort of volunteered you guys with the reserve fund to split the cost with the school committee. And they seemed to think that was fair. And fortunately, we haven't had any snow. So, you know, we haven't had to hit the reserve fund. But remember also, we have the modular classrooms, which my guess is would be about $200,000 for this year, maybe more, $200,000 to $400,000, because a lot of the cost in a modular is up front. So we'll have that to deal with and the manager is working on that to deal with it. Okay, any other questions on that? Okay, why don't we start off with our budgets? And you've done some of the big ones. Why don't we go to the super big one? Public works. And we also have a summary of changes in the handouts that were given. The National Resources Division budget, which starts on page 95. Okay. First to remind people, National Resources is the division that's responsible for open spaces, gardens, the bike path, and any work that requires a cherry picker. If you need to hang holiday lights, it's the National Resources Division. If you need to do anything like that, they step in and handle it. Starting with salaries and wages, the increase is pretty much the ratified salary increase. And a few, I think, increases steps note there. The big noteworthy thing in the National Resources budget this year is a $100,000 increase in the maintenance line, the expense line maintenance, which is contracted services. So that the idea is to spend that additional $100,000 for maintaining existing trees. So pruning, cutting, things like that. You'll see further down in the expense section, tree planting, $40,000 appropriation. That is for planting new trees. So the maintenance line is for the labor, the contracted services for maintaining existing trees, plus other contracted services for dealing with playground repair, baseball field maintenance, things like that. And other than that, the only other noteworthy increase in the expense section of National Resources is a rather significant $5,500 increase in the line item called other purchased services, which is the holiday lights line item. The idea is to purchase new lights, even though we purchased new lights two years ago, to purchase new different types of lighting that make it easier to put up and take down. The idea being ultimately saving on labor costs from what we're doing now, which is hooking these lights around trees that take a phenomenal amount of time for these financial resources workers to do. I understand that some of these new lights were used in East Arlington. There were more hanging lights. They can wrap around poles, go up the street. Again, the idea is to have nice lights that are easy and quick to put up and take down. The other expense I'd like to point out, it's not new. It's the historic sculpture maintenance expense of $5,000. We appropriated $5,000 last year. The idea is to, on a yearly basis, clean and do other maintenance work on the Cyrus Dallan statues in town. There's a hope that eventually, at some point, I'll start building in the Uncle Sam statue as well. But right now, this is the most of the Cyrus Dallan works. So I recommend that we approve the natural resources budget as printed. Okay. Questions? Okay. John. The $100,000 increase for the tree maintenance, is that a one-time or once every so many years sort of thing? And why is it for contracting services rather than having employees do their work? The expertise of handling any tree work, hiring arborists rather than regular natural resources people who don't have that expertise of looking at the tree and figuring out is it diseased, if it is, what to do with it? Do we cut it down? Do we prune it? What do we do with it? I think there's been historically some of that work in that line item. But right now, there's a belief that there is a three-year backlog of tree work that needs to be done. So the idea is to try to catch up with that much larger appropriation that's coming in here. So that and that may not necessarily continue? Right. Or maybe to reduce some or something like that. I'm not expecting that this will be just $100,000 going forward every year. Okay. Brian? Same question, so it's answered. Yeah, if you go behind United Reverence Joe's, right along the bike path, all those trees are in pathetic condition. I mean, I think probably most of them will have to be taken down, but branches, which of course also have a liability too. So I'm glad they're doing that differently. The $9,000 increase was spent. In other supplies, that is for materials. For mulch, material for playing fields, field work. The general landscaping. Okay, Peter? Which is the holiday lights? It's other purchase services, five, two, three, six. Thank you. Okay, anybody else? Any questions? Okay, so you're making a motion for $1,420,291? Yes. Is there a second? Second. Okay. Any further discussion? All those in favor, please say aye. Aye. Opposed? Okay, so the next is the maintenance of town fields. This is DPW splits the cost with parks and rec. Parks and rec takes user fees and puts in at least $50,000. In fact, I think they probably put in more than that. We have in the last seven, the DPW has in the last several years put in $40,000 towards the field work. There was an increase this year and last year to try to approach matching parks and rec. Parks and rec had been for more recently putting in at least $50,000 towards field maintenance costs. So there's an increase from $2,000 to $10,000. It's the same amount we pledged last year. So Tom and I recommend that we approve $50,000 for this. Question. I'm sorry. Question here. Christine, did the stadium seating at the pipeline field come up? No. You have to know who's responsible. I do not. I can find out. I'll tell you that this is the Department of Public Works. Department of Recreation. And there's also some problems with that. In addition to the corporate condition, it's very expensive to remediate, but it's also historic. We're talking the stands. Okay, are there any other questions? Okay, do you have a motion for $50,000? Second. Second. Any further discussion? All those in favor, can we say aye? Aye. Opposed? Unanimous? 3, 7, 16. Okay. The next budget is the town engineer budget. And that is, we have a new budget sheet that we've talked about, talking about the personal changes. You'll note that there is essentially no difference in the salaries and wages line item in this budget. And that's because we have, there are four employees in that department and two have already or about two. The one is retiring. The senior engineer is retiring. And the other senior engineer is being promoted to the Highways Division. We can talk about that in a few minutes. So there are going to be two vacancies in the town engineer department. And there's a plan of reorganizing that department going forward. And in the meantime, it is essentially being level funded for this year. That's the news with the salary section of that budget. There is, as far as expenses are concerned, there is a $5,000 reduction in contracts, contracted services, which is, involves, includes surveying, mapping, things of that nature that we have to hire out of performance. It fluctuates based on the project that is anticipated. So other than $5,000 reduction in that expense, it's the same budget as of last year. So with that, I recommend, Tom and I recommend approval of the town engineer division budget of $125,610. Okay, is there a second? Second. Okay. Questions? John? Yeah, could you just, once again, what were the changes in the salaries? There are essentially no changes in the salaries. I understand the change, I'm sorry, the change from what the original salary versus what we are now seeing, which is basically no change from. What's happening is there are four employees in that division. There are two leading. And then the idea is that that division will be reorganized somehow going forward. And in the meantime, it's just going to be essentially level funded. Lento and Kelly. Kelly is moving through the highways. Lento is retiring. Okay, well. So is it that they're going to hire people to replace them, but they'll be at a lower salary because they're new? Right now, there is consideration of instead of two senior engineers having one junior engineer. I'm sorry. Instead of two senior engineers and a junior engineer looking towards getting an assistant town engineer and two junior engineers. Okay. Are there any other questions? Dean? I think I asked this already. Kind of bubble it, but if we're reducing the salaries, don't we have to reduce the water to RASA? Right. Right. If we're reducing the salary at one, don't you have to reduce it proportionally? My guess is that they start off with a split of the water and sewer as minor modifications get put forward. I don't think we're going to see that because every time we make a change, you have to redo virtually a good percentage of the budgets. But it could be a question for the manager on one side. I think I've got an answer in this room. I'm sorry? I said I think Ian, do we have the answer to be last year? Because I think they did something similar to this last year where they changed it midway. I mean, if I remember correctly, they take, it's based on a percentage for each thing. And so that percentage for here wouldn't, you know, it's based on the water and sewer budget, not on the engineering budget. So I wouldn't think it would change because you have to provide the same services. But, you know, Grant, if you want to look into that. Yeah, we'll do whatever we can to show up there. Okay, is there any other, any other questions on the town engineer? Okay, we've got a move in seconded for 125, 610. Any further discussion? All those in favor, please say aye. Aye. Opposed? Favorable action. The unanimous 3-7-16. Okay. The next budget on page 100 is public works administration. This is the division that oversees all the other divisions and provides support for the other divisions. There really is not much difference in this year's budget from last year's, other than the ratified salary increase. So we recommend approval of the public works division budget as printed. Is there a second to that? Second. Okay. Questions? Paul? That is quite a significant change in the offset. Yes. You can see we no longer are getting the bed-fit offset that we had before. And there is reduction in the recycling. Actually, there's no reduction in that. It is the water and sewer offset and we don't get the bed-fit offset. What happened to bed-fit? We still have it. It would be in facilities. We don't have it. So we don't have the agreement with bed-fit? We don't have the agreement. We're not sharing an energy. Okay, other questions? So, on the offset, especially in the structure that I made in this discussion, I ended up finding a email I had with Andrew on this last year. And it's actually really funny because the situation I had just gone over with the change. When I asked this last year, he said that trying to figure out two things. He recognized last year the risk, like when you change a member of the current year budget, I had to change the offsets. So, if he realized last year that the FY17 offsets are based on the FY16 budget, not the FY17 budget, because he realized that if you tried to figure out the 17 budget, 17 would cost problems. It sort of applies in this scenario as well, when you look at last year's drop in question through this year. And then if the other budget were to ask the question, if you change this out, if you change this, you wouldn't change it next year. I knew that little box you carry around all the time has some value. Once in a while. Yes. Okay, are there any other questions on the public works? Okay. Motion has been made and seconded for 230,054. All those in favor, can say aye. Aye. Opposed? unanimous? 3, 7, 16. Did we vote on town engineer? Yes. Yes. The next budget is highway salaries, and what you should be looking at is the one we got this afternoon. Has had some vacancies, one of which is going to be filled by Kelly moving from engineering over to highways. He will be the supervisor of highway. That results in a slight change in longevity, but otherwise there's not anything else significant in the salary section of highways. I'm going to expenses. I'm sorry, what's Kelly's position now? Kelly will be the supervisor of highways. The supervisor placed the operations manager who left. As for expenses in the highway division, the major change from this year over the last year is a $30,000 reduction in auto gas and oil, line item 5213, and that is predominantly because of the decreased cost of gasoline. So we recommend approval of the highways division budget as printed. $1,604194. Is there a second? It's 1611836. The one that's out the minute is. I got $19640. The one I'm looking at, which is the one I got this afternoon, the salary and wage line is 1179048. That's the original. Right, exactly. The only difference in the highways division is a change in longevity. From 12384 longevity is 13167. Okay. This is the one that we just got handed out. It came today. The bottom line is $1,611,836. The PDF went out late this afternoon and had a step number. The salary number is $1,179,048. 1179048. And then longevity is 13,167. That's incorrect. When I was looking at this today, that number was long. And I confirmed that with Sandy. So the one that I got this afternoon, I can't remember who it was this afternoon, is the original salary number, but with an increase in longevity. The only difference between the most recent this afternoon budget and the original budget is the longevity line. And so the total for salaries is 97036. And the expenses is the same. And the highway total is 1611,836. Okay. So we zap this. Okay. So your motion is $1,611,836. Yes. Do I have a second? Second. Okay. Questions? Special. Okay. Motion has been seconded for $1,611,836 on salary expenses. All those in favor, please say aye. Aye. Opposed? The unanimous. Okay. The next budget is snow and ice. We paid $104. We're adding $75,000 over what we had budgeted for last year. Some of you might remember that a couple of years ago, we thought it prudent to bump this budget up to somewhere around 75 to 80% of our rolling tenure average of snow and ice removal. So I did some calculations. And if we were to appropriate $921,000 as printed in the budget book, we would be about 72, 73% of our 10-year average. See, you think last year we bumped that up to the house? It did. Although in those 10 years, we had a low year, two low years. Okay. So you're making a motion for $921,000? Yes. Okay. Any discussion? Yeah, I guess a few questions. Where are we year-to-date again? I missed that to be in. Where are we year-to-date with snow and ice? Where are we year-to-date? Yeah. Good questions. I don't have it. Tom, do you know? Seven? I think at that point, I did know the number. I'm sorry. I'm sorry. Are we addition? Yeah. What do we got left of it? It wasn't much. When I was talking to the manager today, he just said they're redoing it, but it's about, we're not in deficit yet. No, we're not in deficit yet. I think the last figure I have is $725,000. So my second question, trying to get my air in position, snow and ice is really, it's two miles, right? It's more than appropriate in the general fund, plus the amount for whatever we run over. So like this year, we have the current year's snow and ice in last year's deficit, and they usually run it about, they run it a certain amount. Yeah. The manager puts $500 in the five-year plan under one of the line items. I can't remember which one. There's $500,000 in there for current year deficits. Right. So I'm just pointing this out, which is if we're not projected to run a deficit this year, we would actually be able to true this budget up to the rest of the number that we've been targeting without messing around with anything. Because we're going to budget next year, $921,000 plus $500,000. We're actually not budgeting $900,000. We're budgeting $1.42 million. So if we actually don't run over the $9.846 this year, then we could actually roll the $500 portion of it and just be done trying to up this amount. I think we will, you know... I'm just pointing out that it's there. Not on wood, but yeah, if you take the $500,000 out, that means we can put in $500,000 more into the one term, the override stabilization fund, which will help push the deficit back or the override back. But yeah, that's a good point. And it's actually three points because then you're throwing the reserve fund, which is meant for that. Okay, are there any other questions? Hopefully now we have a jinxed it and it'll be a blizzard if you don't want to. Okay, so motion is made and seconded for $921,000. All those in favor, can we say aye? Aye. Opposed? Unanimous? 3, 7, 16. Okay. The next budget is the highway motor equipment repair division budget. The town maintains about 150 vehicles and this is the budget that takes care of that. Their supervisor of that department has recently retired and the DCW director is hoping that replacing, filling that position, he'll be able to consider making some changes in how the division is managed so that with the hope of getting some efficiencies in that department. Historically, the expenses have fluctuated widely. This year there's a slight increase in supplies, the supply line item budget, which includes materials, parts and fluids and a small increase in training and a small increase in maintenance expenses. Otherwise, there's not much else to report going on that division. So we recommend approval of the highway motor equipment repair division budget as printed. Second? Second. Okay. Discussion? Questions? Paul? So on that other supplies line for the current fiscal year, budget significantly less than the actuals from the previous two years. Are we staying within that budget? I don't know, I didn't ask where we are right now. Historically, it's an underfunded. Tell us something about our equipment. Okay. I think we can go ahead with the budget, but could you ask that question and find out what we're doing on other supplies this year? Okay. Other questions? Yeah. Just in passing in the capital plan this year, we're increasing the life, useful life of some of the most of these reinforcements because the town actually uses them longer than the statutory useful life, which you're allowed to do, provided that the force likely supports. And that's mostly because of the work that these people do. Okay. Any other discussion or comments or questions? Okay. All those in favor? All have 390,649. Can we say aye? Aye. Opposed? Okay. Next. The next budget is cemeteries. Cemetery division. And other than the ratified wage increase, there is no difference between this budget this year and last year. So you recommend approval of the cemetery division budget as part. Second. Okay. Any discussion? Questions? Could you Christine check with Rich Viscay and get me the balances of the perpetual care? I have that. Oh. Okay. The balance in perpetual care is $5,920,996. It's $5,920,996. And Watson Braves is $393,346. $393,346. Okay. Great. Now, so we can take this $150,000 offset. Are you taking much from capital? Do you remember? Yeah. I'll wait and check that one. Vote on that article. Okay. So you recommend you $253,360. Yes. Okay. Any further discussion? Questions? Is there a second to that? Yes. I see. Okay. All those in favor, please say aye. Aye. Opposed? unanimous? 3,716. The next budget is solid based on page 108. Increases that you see contractual increases. So we recommend approval of the solid waste division budget as part. Second. Okay. Any questions? Peter? Christine, did he mention are those figures in the existing contract, the annual increase, are there any problems? It is in the existing. Okay. So we had a, as this waste collection coordinator in the budget, I saw a couple of lines back. The recycling coordinator? We still have that. So isn't this actually done by the contract? The recycling coordinator due since they wrote these. Last year? Yeah. So, coordinating the collection, the recycling day, whatever it's called. Outreach to businesses to make sure that they're part of the recycling requirements, being looking for grant money. I don't know that. You set up a monthly collection day or not stuff that you can't recycle the curb. The state purges that a little. I think she's also a watchdog. I just want to make sure the contract makes sure it takes the complaints. Do you know if the tonnage that's collected during the recycling days is measured? Is there any way of determining how much waste is being diverted from the paid flow? The curve-sized stuff is much measured, yes. The things that the recycling coordinator coordinates. The savvy pickups. Well, when they, they'd have to get a wage slip. So they would know. Do you think that we would have a record of how much? That'd be interesting to know how much waste is potentially being diverted from the regular stream. It would definitely have a record of that. I think the interesting thing is what the solid waste collection tonnage has been, like over the last five or six years just. Yeah, I don't have that. I can bring that if you want. Okay, that'd be great. Just for our information. For information to be able to take charge. Is there any information regarding whether or not the contractor is making money on the recycling? I've read that prices for the recycling, you know, the recycling theory has dropped dramatically. The thing is the price of petroleum is going down so low that now all of a sudden new products are as cheap as recycled products. Okay, so if you could find that out. Okay, is there any other questions? Okay, so Peter and Christine will get that information. Motion to remain seconded for $3,479,480. All those in favor, can we say aye? Aye. Opposed? unanimous $3,716. Budget is street lighting on page 117. Budget is slightly reduced from last year's budget. We recommend approval of the street lighting budget as amended. What is the conversion finally made from to the newest white street lights? Is that like in the last year or two? Last year. I think it's all done for the last three years. I was just looking at the huge difference between $14,000 and $15,000 growing from $97,000 to $66,000. I mean, that's good. Yes, sir. When I joined the finance committee, it was about $250,000. When I joined the finance committee, the number was about $250,000 a year. So looking while $97,000 or $90,000 doesn't seem like a lot. It was like $250,000 at one point. Oh, no. I realize that. I'm just wondering if the new lighting was finished a couple of years ago, why the big drop of $14,000 to $15,000? You're right. This has been a huge success story. Oh, well. Okay. So you're recommending $110,000? Yes. Is there a second? Second. Okay. Any discussion? Okay. All those in favor, we say aye. Aye. Opposed? The unanimous, 716. Okay. The next budget is traffic signals on the next page. It's slightly reduced from last year's budget again because of a drop in energy costs. So we recommend approval of the traffic signal budget of $60,000. Second. Okay. Any discussion? Questions? All right. All those in favor of $60,000 for this budget, we say aye. Aye. Opposed? The unanimous, 3,716. And the last budget is facilities on page 113. 113. The next page. And that is because there are four positions being added to facilities. Not four positions created, but four positions being moved into facilities. One position, a custodian is being moved from the police department to the facilities department. And there are, I think, I believe there are two custodians being moved through the library to facilities. And I thought there was a fourth. Yes. The administrative assistant has been moved to facilities. Probably DPW. From the town manager. So that explains the leap in the salary and wage line in the facilities budget. There is an increase in the maintenance line, expense line for peers and maintenance. Correct me. But I think much of this is custodial plus virus system testing and maintenance. Yes. That's the. I believe you're right. Reason in the large increase in that maintenance line. It was a fight and testing. Yes. Where's this operation based on? This school. It's the media center in that area in the high school. Okay question. Yes. I don't know. I mean, eventually the idea is to move everyone into one department. But there are contracts that need to be worked out by the school side. Right. On the salary detail. The director of facilities and energy project manager are half. No. Half time? No. The director that's an error. The director of facilities is a full time position. And the energy project manager is intended to be a full time position as well. Okay. Thank you. The administrative assistant. Is that full time? Is it full time? Okay. Okay. So the. The energy manager, um, was that what we were getting the bedford offset for this year? But that is that that's a vacant position. It's currently vacant. The idea is to eventually fill it. But it won't be a shared position with that. Do you have an idea of what happened? The relationship between, I don't know. Other than, and Tommy correct me. I think the idea is that there will be more work within our intent to warrant a full-count position. The whole department is kind of slow. It's getting together. It's not complete. What they want, what they don't have hasn't all come together yet. It's going to take a little while. To get everything under one roof, that's what we wanted to do. Can't just happen overnight. Point out about the expenses and facilities. There is a large increase in training. And that is including access to certification, record management training, and payments for school dues, which is the software that the school is using right now, and managing facilities on the school side. The solar panels that have been going in, are they under the management of this department? They should be. It may be a little bit early, but are they collecting data in terms of what results we are seeing from the solar panels? I know that that's the goal of the, one of the goals of the facilities department is to be efficient in delivering the services and measuring whether we are being efficient or if not. I had a similar question. I was kind of curious as to why the energy went up when the solar panels got down and we were supposed to be getting, the output of those panels were being priced at less than the resources, basic service rate. So I would have thought we were seeing a decrease in energy costs. This is for energy costs throughout the town's buildings, not necessarily those with solar panels. I just noticed that electricity, energy costs are going down in all the other departments. I would have thought it would go down even more in facilities given that energy prices have come down and we've got the solar panels on now. I don't think they have a positive reading yet. I would expect more next year. It's been cloudy. You also have to remember that even if the energy costs are decreasing if the usage of the building is increasing, which they are, particularly the schools, so their lights are on longer fuel heating needed. So it's not a direct correlation between decreasing energy costs. You have to factor in the usage of the buildings. When Tom and I met with the director she was talking to us about how pressed she is with how much these buildings are being used, which is putting the stress on custodial work because it's no longer do you have one custodian who can work from eight to three that you now can custodial help for after hours and at night, which is when buildings also have to be heatable. We have opened these schools up to the public now. They use just as much as night as they do in the day. And we have not increased our maintenance. It's incredible. We have two custodians that just can't keep it up. Okay, other questions? Questions, discussion? This is the big new budget. Okay, so you're recommending 578.095. Second? Second. Okay, any further discussion? Okay, all those in favor, please say aye. Aye. Opposed? unanimous? 3, 7, 16. Do it for you or? Thank you very much. I know that's a big complex budget. Okay, who else would like to jump in with the budget? Okay, I'm going to go to the select list budget. It's on page 25, section 2325. There's going to be an adjustment on the select list total figure. Peter and I have met with the select list office personnel on a more than one occasion the last couple of weeks. If you turn to the salary structure for the select list, there's been an adjustment to go down to the line with principal clerk and typist. That's a .51 position. And when you go over to the step in that position, that's on the paper it says step seven, but it should be step six. That's presently it's now a shared position. It's 18 hours in the select list office and I'm 17 hours in the zoning office. That's the principal clerk typist? Yes. For a total of 35 hours. I will defer to Peter on the adjustments in that particular position if there's questions. It's just a percentage of the rate for office grade three, step six. So what's the 23728 changes to something? That's right. 22036. 22036. Any change of the step, the 620? On the step? Step one. Step six. The dollar amount for that position is step itself. I'll need to get that. What happened was there was a transceiving error. I think it is 620. Thank you. I can look that up for you if you need it. We'll apply whatever it says by 18 over 35. Okay. Also in the selections budget, you'll notice under salaries and wages, the 2017 request, you'll notice it's $90,000. That's due to the number of elections that we're going to have in this cycle in the 2017 period. More elections now? On the selections budget, I went on back to that. Elections. Right. Why don't we take this one at a time? Dealing with the page 25. Okay, sir, are there any questions? The new figure for the selection total would be 249.737. The 5100 salaries and wages line. How much was that again? The 5100 salary and wages line would be 247.306. 249.306. Salaries and wages line. 228.887. Which gives us a selection total of 249.737. 249.737. That's the selection total? Yes. Okay, the expenses stay the same. Okay, so salaries and wages are 247. 306. Yes. No. Salary and wages 247.306. The total is 249.737. Okay, what's the? 228.887. Okay, questions? Okay, so you're recommending the 249.737? Second. Second. Okay, discussion? Questions? Okay, all those in favor of that 249.737, please say aye. Aye. Opposed? unanimous? Okay, elections. Elections, there's going to be a number of elections compared to our last cycle. So there's an increase to $90,000. So you'll have a presidential. That $90,000 is basically election workers, right? Yes, the elections. That among other expenses. Okay, so you've got two 90,000s here. So the 90,5219, that's for poor workers. Yes, all the cost of the day, right? Okay, what's the 90,500? Right, I got it, 5100. Could it be what? Could it be non-police workers and then police workers? Does some details please come under? Yeah, the breakdown is... I mean, you've got next year presidential. We have fewer elections. We have 17 and we get 15. In this election cycle, the primary is in this fiscal year, the generals in next. In fiscal 15, the primary would have been in September and the general would have been in November. For the state election. Right, so if you look at 15, it's a benchmark. It should not exceed 15. No, there are three elections next fiscal year. The September primary... Wait, hold on a whole election year. No, 17. So I'm just comparing 15 and 17. So what more elections are happening in 17 that didn't happen in 15? There's more elections in 17 than there are in 15, correct? But what though? In 17, 2017... There are two. There's a September primary. No, there's not. For state, how state senate and state rep, there's a September primary. There's a November election and then the town election. Right, which is comparable to 15. In 15, we had a September primary, governor's election in November, and the town election in the spring. And then we also have another election as well. What they call early voting is another... That's that $10,000 thing you see here. I just don't understand why it's that much higher. What, the early voting? No, just the whole 90,000... 90,000, you know, twice, salaries and wages versus 38, and then 90,000 under election officers, you know, versus 30. I have a question for Dan on Wednesday. Yeah, there was an increase in the salaries of all the poll workers. Which makes sense, because they're probably catching the three-year minimum wage increase on the way out, and they probably missed it on the first year, so they've got to double it this year. But this might get over-doubled. If we went three elections across the poll workers alone, it would be 56,385. It's $895 times 21 times three. The printed budget is quite different from the... It always is. That's why we waited to... That was our deadline for the first time. And we talked about the $10,000. That's for an election that we don't know that much about yet. I like the question if there were three elections in fiscal 2015 and three elections in fiscal 2017, why is there such a large increase? Yeah, the personnel services that we appropriated fiscal 15 is 34,480. Right. Going to 90,000 seems... I don't know. I guess perhaps if you could go back and see if we can get some extra information because salaries and wages... First of all, what is that? You're going from 38,000 to 90,000. And that poll workers are going from 35,000 to 90,000. It just seems like it doesn't match. If you could revisit that, I think we'd appreciate it. Okay, do you have any other budget statement? Well, we can still go forward on the printing of the channel reports. That's on page 29. That's the same as it has been. That's $2,500 2017 request. Yep. Not the same as it has been for the last few years. Right. Okay, so your recommendation is $3,500? Yes. And is there a second? Second. Is there any questions or discussions? Okay, all those in favor, can we say aye? Aye. Opposed? Unanimous. Now how about the audit? That's on page 28. There's an increase of $6,000 and according to the Comptroller I presented a letter from the Comptroller to Alan tonight explaining the increase in the $6,000 and they're looking to be a certain certification that the town wants to qualify for and in doing so there's an increase to do with that type of audit. Okay, any questions? Why do we need this clarification? There's a letter that I just received that I passed on to Alan from the Comptroller explaining that the new type of certification that the town is really interested in getting. This is a little off. The audit has increased by $5,000 due to the increased costs of having the independent auditors to provide the town with an audit that will comply with government finance officers association, comprehensive annual financial reporting, CAFR, model of financial reporting. CAFR is a thorough and detailed presentation of the state of the town's financial conditions reports on the town's activities, balances. It's a much thicker report. I said the town is trying to reach up and have a higher level of financial reporting, which is not a bad objective. He said $5,000, we've got a $6,000 in here. It might be $5,000 for that and then $1,000 inflation. I think it is. Any questions or discussions? Okay, the motion has been made and seconded for $63,000 for the financial audit. Tell them we expect to give copies of it. All those in favor, please say aye. Opposed? Any enemies? Okay, do you have any others? Not at this time, no. Anybody else have budgets? I have an update on inspections. I think over the weekend. Remember the original page of 139 and the only change is in the 500 line remember they had a supervisor of wires was retiring and they were going to replace them and the salary yet to be determined. They've now determined that that salary is $21,793 less than the original salary, so that accounts for the reduction in 17 requests from $440,218 to $418,425. That's the only line item that's changed. So I recommend approval of the updated. That's good. So where in the salary details does it change happen? It's the wire inspector that's the second figure. Around $66 instead of $86. Whatever $21,793. $64. Yeah, I need a number. Minus $21. Okay, so otherwise we've already passed this budget, so that's the only change. Okay, so you're recommending $418 to $425? Yes. Right, the second? Okay, is there any discussion? Okay, all those in favor, can we say aye? Aye. Opposed? unanimous? Okay, other people? Okay, so let's, this is when I started embarrassing people. Okay, uh, committee is done. Now, the second. So I've been, David's going to get back on just that one section of elections. Manager we're going to be doing on Wednesday, Human Resource, IT, uh, treasurer. We're meeting with them this week so we can present it next week. Okay, so you're talking Monday? Probably. Postage? Monday? Okay, assessors? We're also meeting with them, I'll be there next week. So it'll be Monday? I can't speak for him, but legal. Good legal. You're right, legal is done, town clerk is done, registrar is done, parking. That's also through the Charter's office Monday. We've done, redevelopment board is done, companies is done, ZBA is done, interview safety is done, libraries is done, services done, veterans is done, council on aging is done, retirement. Do you have a date on rental properties? I thought we had done that. Do you have a date marked down? I don't have that one. Do you have a date? We're going to the minutes. The redevelopment was 229, sorry that was not done. It's not in the minutes. Okay, this is on page 85. Okay, so you're looking for a total of 206,048. Okay, do I have a second? Okay. Any... That's just for gifts. Pretty much the same as last year. Okay, is there any questions or discussion? Okay, all those in favor, please say aye. Aye. Opposed? So that was just the gifts. Do we have a parameter? Okay, parameter 15,000. Is that your recommendation? Do I have a second? Second. Any questions or discussion? So there's no... Is the energy now being paid by the tenants? Is that why there's no more energy from last year and this year? Probably moving facilities. I believe they negotiated all the contracts that way. Okay, are there any other questions? Okay, recommendation 15,000, parameter expenses. All those in favor, please say aye. Aye. Opposed? unanimous? That's it. Look at the top of the next page. Okay, good thing you're here. Okay, $5,000 for maintenance down in library expenses. Is there any other recommendation here? Yes. Okay, is there any questions? Oh, is there a second? Second. Is there any questions or discussion? Okay, all those in favor, please say aye. Aye. Opposed? Is that it, Paul? I think so. Insurance? Okay, so that would probably be something we take out in the last... reserve fund. What are the sewer? Okay, well basically we have Wednesday and Monday and then the next day after March 16th is the school department. That's pretty much an all night session. 21st is capital planning committee. That pretty much takes the night. March 23rd is the capital ladle thing the whole night. So the last two nights we have are March 28th and March 30th. Recreation? We're meeting with Joe on Friday so we can do it on Monday. Monday. Okay, I think what I'm going to do is I think what I'm going to do is there's been a school group that wanted to come in and talk to us. Do you have any sense of other cameras to do anything? Okay, I'll try to fit that in. So is there any other business? Any other questions? Overdrawing? A little bit.