 Maybe, maybe going back to do another full blown review of the wage and salary structure for the full time employees. There was a call for that. We'll take a look and see what that's going to involve. And are there, is there a public out there on the agenda, the second item is public comment I, I don't see on my screen that there are other folks. I just want to, here's a comment I want to congratulate folks for hiring the new director of crest. There was an article about that in the paper. This morning, I have to say I can't imagine a person better qualified for that position, just, you know, looking at what the paper said where it was his past experience so kudos. I'm really excited about Earl coming on board he's excited to be here. He knows our community he knows what he's getting into. He, you know we had a really strong interview team Donna Ray led the interview team we had Chief Nelson, Captain Ting. So Mark, no Dwayne Chambl from the schools and who's the other person down right. Yeah, that was it. Yeah. And, you know, really strong interviews both at that level and with that Jen moist and right I'm sorry. And with when I interviewed them with Jen, and then he came back and he interviewed with the police chief and his leadership team, and you know run young and Captain Ting again, and Tim Nelson is part of that Donna Ray was part of that. So we really put him through the ringer I think on numbers of interviews but boy everybody to a person is like excited to have him join. So that's a really good thing for us. There was no no ringer involved it was lovely and kind process, but it was, it was a lot. Yeah, fortunate. Yeah. I think the agenda item a little lower update on employee retention but let's just say to ourselves, for God's sakes let's make sure this new hire at that position hangs around for a while. And that we do whatever we say we're going to do that maybe we haven't some of which we haven't been doing on keeping these new hires especially from the outside. There hasn't worked for the town of Amherst before and there may be, you know, a culture shock that we have to be attentive to. But at least this person has had assuming what was the head director of the regional something or other or Massachusetts. Yeah, it sounded like that includes some pretty significant management experience that is sort of running a department and having folks report to him. And along with the other credentials for me that's a big, that's a big plus if the first time you're in a real significant management position is when you come to work for the town of Amherst that's a little tough. Although who knows maybe not because the fact that this has a culture of its own, maybe. Anyway, congratulations to that hire it's nice to have that done. Thank you, Brittany. Just thinking about this that to, is there a way we could connect Tala Sadiq the principal of the high school, who is a black man, and has similar history to Earl Miller, who is there a way to connect the two of them, like directly. He's definitely part of the whole mentoring program, and also certainly because of his position he'll be meeting a lot of different people both that are part of the, you know town employment and school department, and also just members of the community so I can definitely add. Add him to the list if you think it's a good idea. I think a very targeted warm connection and I'm happy to do it. Talib is friend, and he guest speaks in my class, and he taught my kids and he was a student of mine at UMass Talib. And anyway, I just think you a warm connection not sort of a general meet this or meet that but this human and this human in particular meet each other. I think that's part of the entry plan is to sort of who does this person really need to meet. I asked him, one of the questions I asked him was, like, how would you integrate yourself into the community, what would you do, and, you know, he almost everybody had the similar things so I'd want to go out and meet people he had, he always went at another level deeper he would need to run right along with every police officer because they're the ones doing my job now, and I need to understand those. What's going on I said well, if you do that that will be. People want to be heard, you know, and, and so and I thought that was really good. And he wants to do that work, you know, yeah I know and I'm sure he'd love it. Yeah, yeah I think. Talib is, he's with all the kids of all of our community members. Yes, yes. So, this is like. So that's, that's why one of the reasons I wanted, we put Dwayne Chambl who is the out of school coordinator for the schools on the interview team because we knew that that connection is important. And I just want to say the obvious here in terms of this meeting. It's going to be in person it's not going to be on zoom. Yeah, for these two folks to get together. Oh yeah, since that was such a topic of our previous meeting some things you really be in person and that one. Is one of them and then who knows they can continue to stay in contact with each other as as seems helpful to the two of them. But it must be nice to have that position filled. And when when does Mr Miller's first day at work. happened we know is that like the end of the month or yesterday or the 21st. Okay, first off. Okay, that's, that's soon enough. All right. Rebecca, if you want to, if you do want to send me an email or to you know, with how you want to make the connection I mean I want to do whatever you're suggested with suggesting. I mean, my MO personally is like, I can imagine being in touch with Talib and saying hey do you know about Earl Miller being hired course Talib is going to know. And me saying to him I think it would be great if the two of you met and him going yeah I think so too. I can say how do you want to do it I can reach. I'm happy to reach out to Earl and just welcome him as a personnel board member and tell him I'm at UMass if he ever wants to meet students at UMass or whatever. He would love that and if you want and if any connection that he can make I think would be very helpful so I think I'm happy to do all warm that would be my style like person to person warm to warm. Okay. I don't know if that's what this group wants otherwise if there's another plan that's totally fine. I'm totally fine with it. Well, I think it's a great idea so yeah. Yeah, let's, you know, we do have Donna Ray's coordinating sort of the welcoming team. So I think that that plugging this into that their strategy I think would be good Donna Ray. I'm going to actually I have his name written down I don't know him personally so I will, but I will probably get back to you with questions but if you are friendly with him and you want to mention that you are thinking of setting this up and he's warm and receptive. Let me know and I'll make sure. Yeah. Let me let me go beyond that let me push on this. And we all think this is a great idea and like great ideas as Rebecca knows that are suggested the responses. Good you do it. So will you will you. I want Rebecca to say yeah I'm going to make sure that I speak to Talib and let them figure out how to get together. Alright, because. I'm good with that I don't want to usurp anything that Donna Ray you have going or anybody else that's my only thing. I, I, I'm more of a go go do it, you know person but I am holding myself back a little bit because I don't want to interrupt any kind of process that might be underway. I don't want to bollocks up the work by by budding in here if what we want to happen is for sure going to happen and let's, let's let it happen, and we will be checking up on this next month. Let me just throw that in the hopper. Okay, I just wanted, do you want me to reach out to Talib. I will. I will reach out to Talib and I will reach out to Earl, and I will do what I can do. I will take steps to get the two of them together. And I think what Paul is concerned about is probably you know we do have a special welcome set up for him with different planned meetings. But I don't think that it would be any problem whatsoever for you to reach out and say, Hey, I'm from the personnel board, I think there's someone you might want to meet and set that up I think that would be okay. Okay, I'll do stuff, and I will report. Don't do anything bad, only do good stuff and that'll be fine. Oh, Donna, hey, that's all I got going. Rebecca, can I, can I join your meeting? I think that'd be interesting. Which meeting? I won't be there. Oh, okay. Because I think I think I'd like to sit with them and give them my perspective on where the bombs are going to come from. Oh, and again, I'm just mentioning Taliban particular these that these are black men, they have a similar. There are parts of their background in history that are quite similar. And that is a warm, affiliative connection that I actually don't even want to be sitting part of I really want that. I just want to connect them, but it does raise the issue. A, are there other people and be our do we as personnel board members want to offer to like you, Charlie. Yeah, I think so we are putting together a list of people that we want him to meet sequentially in in his entree entry plan. You know, I think hearing from people who have different perspectives is really important for him and he wants that. So I think we just want to make sure it's sort of laid out strategically so you know, we're not overwhelming him right up the front. But Charlie, if you're offering, I think it would be useful for him to meet with you. Yeah, are you offering. One on one though not a, not a public one. I'd be happy to meet with him at some, some point. Yeah, that really makes good sense. I'm, I'm, I'm glad you offered that, Charlie, because Mr Miller's job is to work closely. And I think his, his idea of writing with with the officers when we make a call is. It's a good idea. It's going to be very difficult for them and I don't want to see anyone fail in that position, because that's a program that I feel is, is advantageous to both the community for the victims and also to the police department. Yeah. All right. So, looking at the formal agenda we have do we need to do any further debriefing of the annual non union staff meeting. Is that about that. Yeah, Tammy, sure. I'd like to ask Paul there are certain employees that are considered essential and have to work on holidays, correct, like police and fire. Yes. Do they get time and a half for working holidays. There's in their contract it's addressed because they don't, they get paid holiday pay. I think that's the way it works right. I mean, I'm really concerned about the what Susan said about the town clerk's office. And I don't know if there's some way they can be deemed. I mean, if it's not a contract deemed essential because of the elections coming in that week it just doesn't seem fair. There, there's such long hours that happen on election day that's in a week with a vacation. I mean, a holiday I just hope there's some way we can figure out a way to help them out because they do work. You know, really long hours on the, you know, election. I thought Charlie's idea was really interesting. So, but I don't think that's permitted and we'd have to look at the rules and regs and maybe that's something we look at. I don't know what the broader implications are of that, you know. Well, and then there's the whole equity issue because, you know, we want to make sure we're treating people the same to you know so it might be we're talking about the clerk's office but what if it's happening at Amherst recreation or if it's you know I just want to make sure that what usually I'm the kind of person where if you have a policy you just have to follow it or like always I'm a person so I would say we can look at the policy and see if we want to redo it or something like that but I'm going to follow up. I have notes from the meeting and just kind of review again and maybe I might send some stuff over maybe to Tony at first and then bring it back to the whole committee. Thank you. Thank you. I think it's important that we resolve that, along with some of the issues brought up by Holly and I don't think I don't think we can just let things slide I think we should bring them up and discuss them and try to try to put a fair result. So do you want to add them to your agenda. I don't know why not, but you know they, we ask them to come forward they come forward. They have some of them have some legitimate concerns some of them though, but I think we have to look at them all and kind of give them the respect. They're due and coming forward and addressing it with us. Yeah, I want to take the office next to yours Paul and I'll just have an open door there. I don't think they want my advice. I think adding them to the Charlie. Say again Rebecca. Yeah, I was going to say it's such a man thing to say to a woman to smile. Okay. I do want to about the meeting. Just a thought. I just wanted to highlight the importance of personal meeting in zoom and the reasons why people want to meet in person or meet on zoom. Some of the reasons for wanting to meet on zoom are because of things that go on in the in person meeting that could be improved. So I just wanted to highlight that they start on time that they there's a whole number of things that make meetings worth it. Otherwise there, nobody wants to drive even five minutes to a meeting that starts late goes over people ramble there's poor facilitation I'm not saying all that's going on, but it happens too often. And so now it's so if we I just wanted to know if we or who the we is for thinking about a plan for whatever we can improve and strengthen and make right about the in person meeting so that their value and benefit and the juices worth the squeeze that those things are not a reason for wanting to meet on zoom that the advantages of the in person meeting are completely the integrity of that is held. Yeah, that's a really that's a really good that's a really good point because the constraints of zoom creates a framework for how people have to interact and how they have to present. And that becomes a little more lax in an in person meeting and just as there's just more barriers to success in an in person meeting for lots of different reasons and but some of the things reasons those are barriers are also the things that people like about it, you know, like, oh, you know, I, you know, whatever it is so yeah. We try to get some structure in terms of like basics like what agendas should look like and stuff like that and, but a lot of people don't want to adhere to them to this one they want the informality that comes along with being with their colleagues. And there's a time and a place for informality and you can actually build in informality into a structured well facilitated meeting. It's not one of the other but you know meeting should start on time. They should end on time. And there are some really basic things about meetings. And yes, we can all. I have a cal so I'd like you to talk to. I tell you I've kind of wanted to talk with accounts and do like some literacy building about how to run effective meetings like it's not a skill that people just have. So, I'll remember this is Amherst where only the H is silent. And that certainly is evident in meetings in this town. Now, anything else on the on the staff meeting that we just had. Again, I thought the turnout was wonderful and a definite advantage of doing it on zoom. Yeah, I agree Tony and I thought I was really happy to see the engagement of our of our staff. It did speak to the sort of thirst that people have to see each other because we haven't had this sort of connection that we often would have had through this type of meeting. And as a great turnout and you know I think the other pieces that Donna Ray has put forward the request to do the compensation study I know that's becoming more and more of an issue because there is, especially for the senior people are at the top step top, you know, and, and it's a much more competitive environment we're getting lots more recruiters calling folks here looking for people to work for them. And then we have to stay up to speed with our compensation. Isn't there something in place now for those folks who have maxed out isn't there I don't know is it longevity pay or something like that that partially addresses that they've hit the end of, you know, annual increases. There is a longevity payment. It's, you know, it's when we looked at the great Barrington study, Tony it did seem, and it was kind of the top that it wasn't an all, an all non union staff that was really the department heads. And I didn't, I didn't see a huge problem in the comparison that great Barrington did and there is a longevity payment to that should be considered, but there could be some issues down at the lower end, for sure. There's definitely I think some issues with you know definitely the lower end for sure so I think it's worthwhile to do the whole study but I just I'm just thinking I don't know how it's going to come out for the people that are at the very top but whatever the case may be this is an issue that continues to arise and I feel like we have to answer to it. And I that's why I put forward the budget request for the study so I hope that I hope that comes through. So, what do you identify as the lower end the longevity begins at five years doesn't know it's a 10 years and I mean lower end of the level so so some of our department heads so we looked at the department heads for example so they are essentially level six and above on this scale, but there's some level 12345 issues that are very real that I think that we should look at to so. I think it's also important to just note that we've been hiring more staff in the middle of our ranges. Yeah. They max out quicker, and they don't reach that 10 year mark to get the longevity payment so they there's this period where they're stuck. Not moving. I always go back to step one start there. We're having a hard time filling positions if we start them at the lower step. Everybody does. Everybody does. I mean it's don't don't get me wrong I'm not against starting them in the middle we've done that. As long as I've known. But I mean you can't, you can't have everything you can't just complain because started in the middle and I'm not going to get the longevity of 10 years well so be it. You're going to lose employees if you haven't if you have disgruntled employees are always going to be disgruntled so I used to call milk intense and just sit them down and say hey look at here's your options you've got on a boat or get off it. That's the way you got to be you can't you can't, you know, keep smoozing these people. I'm not going to have you come sit in my office people don't want to hear that. The truth I don't. I don't have any names with them I tell them the way it is and that's the way that's the way I think it should be. Why let them guess. More challenges to be addressed. The whole system. I'm not as hard as I stand to be underneath that rough exterior there's a heart of gold. You know that. Yes. All right, let's see under new business update on employee retention so what's been happening on that front. Let's see Donna raid you have some something to report to us on. Just so I think I wrote up the statement for Joe and to read in the last meeting so I think that you guys all know that we have put together a mentoring program. For department head specifically new department heads but also have done a new employee checklist for all department heads who have a hire to make sure every new employee gets some sort of a mentor in some cases it's the department themselves and it makes sense and other cases it's going to be someone else so I think that's going really well. I think that the state interviews were very helpful and helping me kind of see, rather than just waiting for exit interviews to gather information, talking to people who are still here and like what do you like about it and what can we do a little better and that those have been helpful. I think that things are, you know, we're doing the best we can I don't I didn't write up anything more specifically. So that what should be happening is happening. For example, I'm mentoring, you know, and just because I know you don't have enough to do Donna Ray and the folks in HR, you know, and we're doing stay interviews but, you know, is there an opportunity would it make sense to just give somebody a call how's it going. We did we sure do. You know, that's definitely part of what we expect out of someone who's being mentored the mentor is supposed to be like checking in with them. And then every new employee that I meet and Joanne meets with they always know that we're here to help them as well. I think for example I check in with Haley once a week. She probably doesn't even really need me anymore but I'm just like hey how's it going you know, new new department head. So let me push in and make your life miserable. More than it more than it is. Well, but here's where I'm coming from I've done a little bit of work in the mentoring area and I've had studies where I interviewed both a mentor and the men T. The mentor invariably says it's going fine we meet regularly. I think he's getting a lot out of it, and I'll talk to the mentee who will say well, you know, he cancels most of the meeting something comes up, you know, and I wish I got more of that person's time so there's a sort of a different perspective on how the mentoring relationship is going. For our desire, I think to keep these new hires, you know, happy in their work and productive and not thinking about sending out their resumes to a new employer after they're here six months I just want to make sure we get a sense from the mentee, not in the presence of the mentor. How's it going, you know, there may be cases where there's no real need to have a lot of contact with each other, the new person is experienced, you know, feels that they are having their questions answered. They're learning the ropes, and they're busy people to so whatever it might be, you know, an hour a month is all it takes. Right. So, so for example, with Ray Harper was the recreation director. For him, his, his meetings are with bar bills, and she's still helping him and mentoring him and that's going very well I check in with Ray and I ask him how that's going for, how it's going for him. So Hayley didn't really want or need a, a, a previous director to be her mentor and we, and there were some people at the state level or other communities that she could have clicked from but she has already been a director so she didn't really want that she had a mentor mentorship in terms of how things operate for the town of Amherst. So she's working with other department heads and me. So in that case if I'm the mentor, then I ask her how it's going but right I understand what you're saying am I getting the rape. Do I, do I really know how am I really assessing the mentoring program. And I, I think that you have spotted. I think probably an issue. So, I'm all ears. Yeah, so I think, I think that you know are you offering Tony to talk to the mentees, because I think that might be really interesting. Anyway, and so we've sort of focused at the department head level and we have three new department heads with the principal assessor with the recreation director and we have the senior director of senior services. We all have different setups basically, you know, Ray, not only his bar bills but also Angela Mills in our office goes out to lunch with him every other week basically, because she's really into the recreation piece and she's a good connector. And if you, we, maybe John and I can talk about that and see what that would look like. And those are the right, I think those are the three. Are there any, is there anybody else at that level that we've really focused on. I think those are the three. Yeah, so I think that that could be valuable feedback. Happy to do it. You know, Tony, I agree with you 100%. And I think it's a good policy if we could get into doing that, especially having someone like yourself that can talk to both parties and get an honest result. Yeah, yeah. So let me talk with Donna Ray about that Tony, and we'll get back to it. I like the idea though. Okay, so anything further on now, Mr. Mr Miller, is he going to have a mentor. So, Angela is going to be doing the kind of welcoming that she also does with Ray, and then Jen moist and who's been on the crest implementation team will be working closely to heads. Jen knows both the internal and external kind of folks that Earl needs to meet with probably, you know, right away. We also have informal mentors I mean Paul's going to be very huge and working with Earl and chief Livingstone and chief Nelson so it's I think every department's going to be a little different, but the two that are specifically assigned for like, let's get the first week going let's make sure that's going well our Jen and Angela. Well, I think we can all agree that that new hire this, this is a position in a person that's going to be in the spotlight. Not everybody in town thought we should even have a crest department. And so, folks are going to be paying particular attention. And I think we want to try to stay ahead of the game as much as possible, if their issues or problems developing do what we can to, you know, keep them from from becoming a serious problem because we don't want this. It would be very tough for the town if this didn't work out, you know, if this hire didn't work out. And so we dare not allow that to happen, unless, unless it turns out that this hire turned out to have been a mistake which based on what I see on paper doesn't seem very likely at all. But we also need to look at I mean this is a really a word used a lot in the last this is a fraught position this because you got to work with other people in town you got to work very closely with the police department. And then the folks as I understand it they'll be two person teams that go out on a call. It's just, let's hope it works out because this is a dynamic. Yeah, who is his team. Let me just back up a little bit so you're right Tony this is a high profile position we I mean it's evidenced by being on the front page of the Gazette today. Yes, so no department head gets on the front page of the Gazette that's unusual. What was really important or throughout the process the success of this position in my opinion in my judgment is that police and fire are seen it as an advantage like Charlie said to their operations. They have not to this point presented opposition. We have weird Donna Ray is just starting this arduous process of impact bargaining with the police unions. We don't know where that's going to go. The leadership of the police at least have been really welcoming and they've been in and connected throughout the implementation of the crest program but also through the hiring of this person so they're all part of the decision so far. But what you're saying I think and why I'm hearing is that we can't sort of leave this to chance we have to be purposeful and making sure that he is engaged with the community. In terms of the way it's set up Rebecca and there isn't a real team at this moment in time. Just because of our structure he's a direct report to me. For lots of different reasons, I've had to to to reflect the importance of the position, because the demand from the people setting it up or is that it not be located that be located in public safety but not under police or fire. And that it was on equal footing with the two and while we were not, I was not prepared to put him at a salary level as the chief and police chief and fire chief which is what was requested. He's still at a pretty competitive salary, compared to other positions of his level and like in Northampton and other ways so it's it's not as I think we have him at the right rate. It's going, you know we have we'll have a new DEI director starting pretty well we're beginning the interview process for that so there will be another person coming in the next couple months I think along those lines hopefully it'll be another strong person. But it was wanting to set up sort of regular meetings with police chief police fire and police fire and crest is the key here that they have regular on call meetings what we call normally. Is that in place that that's, it's like on the books or it will be on the books those regular meetings. He got appointed two days ago right. So, we're just getting this, we're just getting everything lined up. Right you're getting it lined up but it's intended that there would be regular meetings with fire police and this okay that's great. And who does the DEI director report directly to that's to me as well. For another, yeah. For so and you've expanded your work week to 30 to your work day to 30 hours instead of the usual 24 because you now have two more direct reports. So there's not an immediate answer to that, but I have been working with Lynn and talking to other folks about how it's not going to be solved. It's a year long process that we're going to have to do a reorganization, but we can't do the reorganization at this moment in time. Okay, these roles are just too critical at this moment they need to be located central to her to the organization. Well I want to say I fully support looking at that relationship and if I can be helpful in any way I am volunteering to be helpful. I don't know if this is up but I've said for a while. You know your, your, your job is just look better than I do is you got a lot of people who who report to you and you have to respond to them and you have to leave them. And now you got two more in the council identified that my performance review and something to as something to address. So I think the compensation study might actually help us in terms of how it helping us sort of place some things as we do that study it's not just looking at static positions. We'll want to talk about what that RFP actually looks like what we're going to ask people to do. Tony one of his biggest problems going to be retaining employees because of ours and replacement and time off. And they're going to come under the realm of the, of the personnel boards so I think we have to be play a good part in supporting the employees that are under him, because that's what's going to determine his success. Absolutely. Absolutely and that's kind of why I'm offering if I can to be of help. Specifically with respect to these more recent hires of checking in with them, how are things going. And well we've, we've been on this sort of retention bandwagon for a while now and I'm glad steps are being taken to address it and Yeah, I just really feel and know that reporting structures and the arrow of reporting and supervising is one thing it's one dynamic of relationship and having those two or three others that you, you can share your dilemmas process them get feedback because you're in a similar position or context or whatever and they're not your boss is really what retains people keeps people growing makes them feel supported, and there's mutuality learning so fire and police will learn from Crest and Crest will learn from police and, you know, a culture is created on how we do things and Amherst is not meant as like a, like you're a mentee and we're the mentors but like no we're trying to do something here. So if somehow lighting up and seeing that structure of support, which is not for you only Paul to, to provide and you can't even do it, you know, Yeah, it shouldn't be some lateral folks. Yeah. Yeah lateral folks and have that as a regular thing and then I guess I would put out there that I'm, I'm no I don't know. I'm not saying I'm offering to meet with people to see how it's going but I am definitely willing to help that support structure work. You know that here's a group of three in their meeting and here's how it could go here. Here's what it could look and feel like and be there a little bit and help out not with any content, but mentoring the mentee mentor mentee, like you facilitating the mentor mentee relationship. Mentor mentee, I was thinking, I was thinking, like, when you have your community of likes, like lateral, when those people get together, how do they talk with one another what, how do they support each other and learn from each other that process I mean that's my scholarship area that's what I do. So I'm saying I'm willing to, you know, consult on that assist on that. I think that's happened. And I'm not sure if this is purposeful or not was like, Ray and Haley the two new senior center director and the recreation director got together, because they had like, wanted to share stories about what is there, what your direct reports are what how's that working out for you. Do you feel new you don't, you know, you don't know if you're being taken to the cleaners with a request you want to say yes but those are always like wow I heard that I said that's really good that they did that for each other. I think that by design in the town. Yeah, not just prompt to anything you want to offer to help to improve. We are, we are wide open for that I think it's exciting area to think about yeah. Well just to enhance what we've been talking about. As a student of organizations and you all know this and I know Rebecca especially. There's the organization chart and it's got boxes and arrows. But when I'm involved in an organization I may show that to folks and then I will ask them and how their stuff really get done in this organization you know when you when you got a problem and need some help. What do you go to, you know, how, how do you get help. And the organization chart may or may not be a part of that answer. And I think the sooner that new hires can learn about that other that organ I won't cover the chart or sort of a flow, sort of a organization chart in action get tuned into that and I think their life will be made a little easier. And they won't be. Well they'll they'll know when they need to operate according to the organization chart and when it makes sense to operate in some other way you know on what issues that need resolution do you go to for help. Can I show my screen just for a second because it's kind of fun it's funny. It's about what we're talking about right now. Let's see if I can feel okay here we go ready my share screen. Can you see that. Yes, yes. So in. So I teach about organizational collaboration to do this and Tony just made me think of this so I show the charts like we all know these org charts and this just came out in January from my college. And then I show students like all these different org charts, all these org charts, all these org charts like they're so rational and linear and everything just flows exactly, but then I show this one. Exactly. Right. Yep. Someone selling drugs. There. Okay, I'm stopping the show. Okay, well that's exactly what I was talking about. My informal leader here is my it contact like I feel like he's actually really running the entire show, but I know, yes, I know what you're talking about and it's very interesting. Okay, moving along here and I'm trying to follow the formal agenda. We've I'm the bullet point I'm looking at under new businesses exit interviews have we had to do any of high level positions. Recently, has anybody. Well everybody Joanne does every, everybody gets an exit interview with Joanne right. Right. Yeah, but I'm wondering about, we have we lost anybody in the last month or so that we lost one of our officers and it was, we both talked with him and it was really strictly related to him. He came from Worcester, the plan was to move here. His spouse was going to work at Bay State. They had a baby. She decided she couldn't leave her mom and I totally understand that and she so she was not moving so he was driving from Worcester. And he's, it just wasn't working out but he said the most wonderful things about the police department and the chief so that was one that was interesting to me, I was worried like why is this new hire, leaving so so soon but it, it made perfect sense and he wrote some really nice stuff too. Yep. Okay. Thank you so much for your point and we've sort of done this already update on the new departments DEI and press. I think we know where things are you're in the process of selecting a director for DEI and did I hear that correctly. We just finished the interview team together. I, we just finished up with the cross director higher and now we're working on the interview, the interview team for the DEI director it's a different, different team has met once. And we have some work that we've assignments and now we're meeting again on Thursday to I think decide, you know who we might be bringing in for interviews. So, we're moving forward. On that, on that interview team, we have Martin go ever go at Guarva from the schools from the outreach. She's the director outreach on that we had we have the DEI director from Hampshire college and we had a great person from UMass a DEI person and forget his name but then but then he volunteered to serve but then he just had to pull out at the last minute because I guess he just got a whole bunch of new work to do. So I'm going to reach out to him to serve as the final is my partner in the final interviews, hopefully he'll be able to take that time to help us so is that position been posted anywhere do we have candidates in hand with their credentials or is that for the DEI director yes pretty, pretty great applicant pool I think so. I think it's 2026 applicants. That's great. Some really well, well qualified. Yes. So it's going to be that's, it's a tough one because you want to, I want to meet everybody, but we'll see how that one goes. Okay, so you've got you've got a stack. They haven't been sorted yet, like the top five or whatever. We've all done our individual rating and actually we met last week as a team and we actually decided because the rating is between it's really between zero and five but there was no one that was less than a two and that would meant that they met the minimum qualifications only but they didn't meet. Any of the other kind of things we're looking for and so we were able to take five off as you know, for an example someone was I think an engineer and just sent their resume but they had not even a mention of the word equity in their I think there wasn't a cover letter but it was just someone who clearly had applied that had no, I don't even think they had any interest in the job. So, but they did meet the qualification and that they had a bachelor's degree so but then the team said, why don't we just take those right off we're not going to interview them but now we have some really well qualified candidates left to interview out on Thursday, how we're going to proceed. And we've, we have some draft questions and I think for this position we're going to ask for a writing sample because that's a really important part I think of this, this person is really going to be looking at a lot of our policies and procedures, particularly in my department I'm looking forward to working with them to, you know, have them kind of make sure our policies are all in order and our processes and maybe even this interview team process that we're following so. But that's where it is we're looking for. We're moving forward. I just think this is very exciting for the town that we're taking these explicit actions to do something about these very important issues. So, I heard it upward and I hope that search process ends with somebody has wonderfully qualified as it looks like we have in Mr. Mr Miller. And with the formal agenda. I'm looking at number five old business staffing report. So we've all got copies of that. Anything that Joanna Donna Ray want to particularly about the new hires, or even those who have left. Donna dressed our patrol officer left. We've had a couple of retirements. I also wanted to address we had hired Wilson Darben as our implementation project manager for the Crest department. But he, he stayed with us for about two and a half weeks. And then he got his dream job. So he, he moved on. But we've since replaced him with Abdullah, and Abdullah started on Monday. We've also filled a position at the library as a customer assistant. Haley Bolton our senior services director she has her new admin assistant David Rodriguez. We have a returning employee as the assistant land manager which is Tyler peas, and we've hired for new patrol officers. Well started on March 1. Yeah, lots of hiring in the police. There's a lot. Yes. Yep. And I'm looking at a little bit of diversity on those hires. And which is a good thing. Anybody have any questions or comments on this folks. I just want to add, you know, HR is just pounding through a lot of recruitment hires, exit interviews, and, you know, just Donna Ray and Joanna are just taking a load of work, and not to mention all of our union contracts plus impact bargaining on top of that, plus all the normal complaints that come in so just kudos to them for the level and the quality and the volume of work that they're putting through. That's nice that you get such a good overtime pay for all those extra. Yes. Okay. We need to approve the minutes of our February nine meeting, which have been distributed. Any comments corrections. Anybody read them. They now look good to me. So I would be happy to entertain a motion to approve those minutes. So moved. There a second. Charlie seconds. Any discussion questions. All in favor of approving a minute say aye or wave your hand or cheer. Yes. Okay. All right, thank you. So they pass unanimously. Next personnel board meeting is scheduled for April 13. Well, I hope that's wouldn't be a Friday. We have to be a Wednesday. Everybody okay with that. I'm thinking we should, we should imagine that we're actually going to be meeting then, because there's just so much happening on the front here. Sometimes we can skip a month, but I'm inclined to say we ought not to skip April, we need to say on top of what's, what's happening. I don't know whether we'll be closer to a decision on doing this. I think we're going to do a classification, wage and classification study for the full timers. You, Paul, you think a decision will be made on that by middle of April, or is that. Well, the decision has been made. It's a matter of getting funding so the joint capital planning committee is looking at it now. There's some question about whether this should be as a capital plan or in the operation budget which create if they don't want to do it. I think it would be the easiest advisory to the town manager so it will go forward to the council then it needs to be funded by the council which it goes forward to the council on May 1st. Council has until June 30 to vote on it. Okay. Yes. We have a solution, say for the overtime problem right where we say, and this is something the payroll manager had brought up. So the town has never in the past past practice looked at holidays as counting towards overtime, but if we want to change that policy and look at it differently because maybe we find out that many other towns do, or in most organizations do have holidays. How do we make that change is that so. Yeah, so what I suggest is that we put it on the agenda for the next personnel board meeting that the we would if we want to make a change I review that with the personnel board get their comments on it and then then we can make the change. So it's it's it's a town manager personnel rules and regulations. But required to get but want to and get the input from the personnel board before make any changes. Okay, thank you for explaining the process I should know that but I just wanted to. So, so I think we'll have that on the agenda for next time. And part of the information for making that decision is what do other towns do about this issue because they must all have a similar. You know, when there's, when there's elections then the folks who work are working in an extraordinary number of hours that that week. And, you know, how is that extra burden compensated. If at all. Okay, so we'll have that on the April 13 agenda. Is it 9am and not 10am right on the 13th. It says 9am on that. Yeah, I think I think so. I think that's normal. Yeah, that's what it usually is. We're 10 today just because we had the employee. So it's just about 11 o'clock any further comments, concerns. Issues. Yep. Paul, just a good meeting. Thank you. Well, thank you. Thank everybody. Tammy, you've got another meeting under your belt here. Yeah, I didn't introduce myself very well. You guys are much more formal, but next time maybe I'll. Yeah. What I'm finding difficult is that when the trustees meet. I know them I've met with them in person it's been hard for me to join this board. When I've never met any of you. So it's that that's been challenging for me. Yeah, you've made me feel welcome so move, move on. Paul, I know. That's the, that's the issue of pros and cons of virtual and in person meetings. And it makes it a little more difficult to get to know a person or those folks. Yeah. Very nice to meet you, Tammy over the. Nice to meet you, Donna Ray. That's right. Yep. All right, shall we adjourn. All right, thank you all. Take care. Take care. Yep. Bye bye.