 The first thing is the minutes, are there any questions or corrections? Nate? On the Governor's budget, I think the increase was $450,000 above our expectation, not $450,000. I'm sorry, much more? I think it just released $450,000 increase in local aid for Arlington. I think it was $450,000 above what we thought it was going to be, I think it was like $7,000. Dean, what are you talking about? I couldn't get Hannah and Daniel. So you wrote, you wrote, released, what's, what's, which is it? On Governor's budget, you wrote $450,000 increase in local aid for Arlington. I think it's $450,000 increase above what we expected. Yeah. We're above expected or something. Yeah, Governor's budget. Thank you. Oh, sorry. Okay. Above what was expected. Okay. Okay. What else? What's the difference? I think the amount was like $7,000. $700,000. How much was it? $770,000. Yeah, it was $770,000. What's the amount? The increase. We could change it to $770,000. That would be the easier way to do it. Oh, I see. Above what was expected. I'm with you now. Okay. It's kind of slow. I have the projector. Or you can combine it with the next line. I'll leave it up to you to decide how to do that. So you've got the next line higher than projected in the Governor's budget. You could sort of combine those into two or into one line. That's all. You could say $450,000 increase in local aid for Arlington over that projected in the Governor's budget. Okay. Other corrections? Okay. A couple of things. Under master plan, starting to fourth line from the bottom, members express skepticism about this kind of change, meaning zoning bylaws. I don't remember that. I don't remember any particular skepticism over zoning bylaw changes. I would just sort of delete that. I must make quite a speech about the problems with the current zoning. Sorry. I think the skepticism was about the special permitting process. The current special permitting process. The current process. You need to go to food. Food you need to go to. In general. The skepticism was about the current process. Under budget controller. Recommend the budget is printed. She explained that the stipend for the controller, it was not for the controller. It was the stipend for another individual in the office that just happens to go by the mail home or something. Right. So she explained that the stipend for one individual in the controller's office. A member of staff. A staff member. It wasn't a controller stipend. I think that's what it says in the budget book. Okay. There's two stipends. One was for the controller, but that's for him. And this one is for $525. And that's to pick up the mail. So a controller staff member or something like that. Okay. And then under budget retirement. The increase was decreased from 6% to 5.51%. I just sort of add right after that in accordance with a negotiated agreement. That was we didn't, as a committee, didn't decrease their retirement budget. The recommendation was decreased in accordance with a negotiated agreement. Okay. And I just have a question. On the next page, at the end of the photograph and at the end of Snow and Ice, you've got votes there with comments. Don't you usually put dashes? I'll change that. You have two over there. Okay. Does anybody else? Again, make sure your attendance is correct. The salary depends on it. Okay. Do I have a motion? So moved. Second. Okay. We'll be seconded to accept the minutes. Is corrected. Any other discussion or corrections? All those in favor, if we say aye. Aye. Opposed? Good. Now, what I'd like to do is go through the warrant and just see if there's any other articles that we could vote on. So I could get this. Okay. So on the early part of the war on Article 613, 14, and 16, we're going to hear from the manager on Wednesday on his thoughts on those articles. Article 17 is acceptance of local option taxes. And this is the same thing that's put in every year. Now, the primary recommendation is the Board of Selection. But since it's asserted in our request, what we've usually done in Article 17 is voted no report at this time. And then the comment I usually put, because there is no legislation acted in this area, they could be accepted at this time. The Finance Committee voted to not make a recommendation at this time in this article. If an opportunity occurs that we can take advantage of a recommendation, we may, if not, we will change our recommendation to no action. So. Second. Okay. So this is sort of perhaps if something happens. I don't expect it, but if something happens. Okay. Motion is made and seconded for no report at this time. With that comment, any further discussion? All those in favor, please say aye. Aye. Opposed? Okay. Anonymous? Okay. Quite a bargaining we're going to hear about from the town manager if there's anything. Article 21, we voted on 22. We're voting 23. We have tabled this. This was the $50,000 for the assessor's recommendation. And I think we wanted to find the balance that was left. And I think somebody came up. I just can't remember who 11,642. Yeah. Okay. So we know the balance left. I recommend, I move that we vote $50,000 because they normally have somewhere between $10,000 and $50,000 going over from year to year to handle variations in the cost of one going new out. So I would say let it sit there and vote. Okay. Okay, so motion has been made. Is there a second? Second. Okay. Is there any questions or discussion? Okay. All those in favor of $50,000 under article 23 for the revaluation, please say aye. Aye. Opposed? Okay. Anonymous? Okay. Capital budget we will hear next Monday. Charlie, are you also making recommendations on 25 under the Cindy? I don't think there are any. Okay. So we might as well vote on it. Okay. So you'll make recommendations on both of those next Monday. Okay. I don't see Grant here. So we'll wait for 26 and 27 for his recommendation. 28, we've all voted on 29 committees and commissions. We voted on 30 celebrations. We voted on 31 miscellaneous. We voted on, okay. 32 is public art. We'll hear from the manager. And my thought is when we hear from the manager, I'll weigh it out. If everybody's satisfied with it, we'll just go ahead and vote, you know, right there and then move on to the next so we can get through those. Okay. 33 we want to hear from the manager. That's the civil, the human rights 34 we voted on last time. 40,000 for water bodies. 35 we voted on 7500 for every part of it. The senior byway we voted on 5000. The accidental disability is 37. That's the zero in case somebody falls below 50%. You want to make a recommendation? Okay. Second? Second. Okay. Again, this is the article for the new people. They have a policy that if you're trying to get to have at least 25 years in, let's say you make 50,000 now, but over a period of years because you're not getting a cost of living on the entire 50,000, you're only getting a cost of living on the 15 I think now. You're only getting on 15. So if the people with your job now are getting, you know, 3% of their whole salary and you're only getting 3% on your first 15, gradually you're going to keep going down and down and down. Let's say after, I don't know, I'll pick another 20 years, you're going to start getting to 50% of what somebody in your position is making. And what this would do is hold you so you don't get lower than 50% of what somebody in that position would be making. And that's what it's all about. Okay. So motion's been made. Seconded. Any discussion or any questions? Okay. All those in favor, please say aye. Opposed? Okay. 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 6. Okay. So that's 15, 0, and 1, 3, 9. Okay. The favorable action? Favorable action, 15 in favor, 0 against and 1 abstain. 38 we passed last time. 39 we passed because that's no action. I'll write up a comment on that. Now long-term stabilization fund, we've been voting $100,000 on that every year for a bunch of years. Next year when we approach this, I think one of the original targets was getting to $3 million. So maybe next year when we are now over $3 million, we'll want to discuss it a little bit and see if we want to continue to go or not. But this year this will put itself to the $3 million. So this committee wishes to proceed to the meeting. Vote $100,000. Okay. Is there a second? Second. Okay. So motion has been made and seconded for $100,000 into the long-term stabilization fund. Paul? Just a question. When was the last time we took money out of this? I can tell you. It was about six years ago and there was some flooding or something like that in the... Oh, that's right. The line line. Yeah, someone in the buildings. Okay. That was below the deductible. Okay. Anybody else? Okay. Motion has been made and seconded for $100,000. All those in favor? Can we say aye? Aye. Opposed? Okay. Unanimous. 3, 9, 15. Now the overlay reserve... Charlie, have you talked to the assessors at all yet? You don't have the media. Okay. One of the questions is of the manager told me that they had sent a letter asking the board of assessors to actually vote on a mount. So if you could raise that when you talk to them and say if this $200 is okay or whatever. Okay. So we'll leave that on the table for now. Transfer funds cemetery. Why don't we wait until the capital budget's not next Monday and then we could vote that. And so we'll know what the amount for public works is at the same time so we could do that then. Now free cash, our policy for the last 30 years has voted to vote half the free cash into the budgets and half the free cash to roll until next year. That half amount is $3,435,846. We don't vote on it. We don't put it in individual budgets. We tell the assessors to use it against the tax rate but the basic is the same. So $3,435,846. That's one half. That's half. And then the other half just rolls into next year. Or actually it'll roll into fiscal 17. And then recalculated we go from there. So moved. Okay. Moved. Do I have a second? Second. Okay. So moved and seconded for $3,435,846 with an instruction to the board of assessors to use it in setting the tax rate. Sometimes go through when they actually put it piece here and piece there and piece there. We just basically apply it to the whole budget. Okay. Any further discussion or questions? Yes. Just in general. I'm not asking for this but at the end of last fiscal year is your, how much was, free cash was freed up just from money given back to the budget? That was unused. Is that known? Let's see if I have that file with. No. That's okay. Okay. Basically we rolled $3 million. So you know the balance of that got rolled. And the other $3 million I think about a million and a half with surplus revenue and then a million to a million and a half was turned back from the budgets. And so, but actually you know if you're curious just email Ruth and say could I just get the roll over so that'll have all the individual budgets once turned back. I'll do that from what prompted the thought to reduce the free cash, to reduce the tax rate, in my mind you can never reduce it, you know, enough. This reduces it to everybody, everything balances out. No, I understand. Yeah. But yeah, if you just email Ruth, she'll send you the same thing she sent me. All right. Thank you. Any other questions? Okay. So motions were made and seconded for $3 million, 435, 846 to be used taken from available funds, free cash because the tax rate. So all those in favor, please say aye. Aye. Opposed? unanimous. Now, the last article is the fiscal stability fund. That's the last article we're going to vote on on the last day of the last minute that we're meeting. So that's the thing that sort of balances everything out. I mentioned to you that that what it looks like we might get more free and more state aid than we had originally projected. Now, of course, that's the governor's recommendation. That's not necessarily the House and the Senate's recommendation. So, but of course, our health insurance could be a little bit higher, a lot higher, a little bit higher, or about the same. When the GIC is all set, well, the GIC is all set. The town has to make the calculations and all. So, you know, the state giveth and the state taketh away. So, okay, so that's the warrant. Now. And then we'll do a lot more of this on Wednesday when we meet. Yes, John. How much is in the fiscal stability stabilization? Right now, I think about 17 million. And so... And what is the purpose of that fund as opposed to the long-term stabilization fund? The long-term stabilization fund is an emergency fund. It's not a rainy day fund. It's an emergency fund. If we, for example, we had a lawsuit, a couple of, you know, over the last couple of years, it seemed to take it forever. But it was a number of years. Now, we won the lawsuit. But if we had lost the lawsuit, we would have had to come up with several million dollars. That would be one place that we could go for it. On the other hand, the fiscal stability fund is part of the five-year long-term plan. And money is put in there deliberately knowing that at some point we're going to start drawing it down. And when that gets completely drawn down, then you're not likely to be able to go to the voters for more money. So that's why there's two different funds there. Alan? Would it be appropriate to take any sort of position on the economic development aspects of the master plan? Well, it's no appropriation. Actually, you know, it's just a resolution. They're asking town meeting to sort of get behind it. I don't think they necessarily have to do it, but, you know, it's up to the meeting. Do you think anyone, any town meeting member, might ask what's been called to think of this? And I think it would be nice to have an answer to that question. Sure. I've thought about that. And I think that we could congratulate the people who I've worked on and so forth, but a lot of things that are in there are going to have a future cost, a big cost. And I would be hesitant to say that we're endorsing that now when we may find ourselves faced with a particular article to spend a lot of money as a result of our plan in the future and we should be reserving the judgment of the future. At least that's how I see it. Does everybody else have any thoughts on it? Peter? It seems to me that the town event, there's a lot of time and money on this segment. And it seems to me very likely that the town, somebody in the town meeting will ask, I should think we could face the eventual cost. Sherwin, do you have any specific areas, for example, that you thought that could be, I suppose a consultant or something like that might be across, do you have any other areas that you were concerned about? Traffic, traffic or roadways. Yeah. There's a lot of stuff that's really free of money. Right now, like I don't feel qualified to take a position on it from a finance point of view. I guess maybe I just haven't studied it as much. James? Well, I would agree with Charlie. To start with, I agree with Charlie in the sense that this is sort of that weird moment where we have to... It happens occasionally. No, we have to be the justices at the State of the Union who sit on our hands while everyone sort of stares at us. Well, that's fine, right? But I do think sort of, almost what Allen might be trying to get at is, I think this was at least my time in town, one of the more transparent processes I've ever watched. I mean, they came to us early on. I remember we had a presentation at the beginning. Felt like we had some connection with them towards the middle. They came to us at the end. I know they surveyed multiple people in the room. So I don't think there would be any damage done if we wanted to just thank them for their efforts. Congratulations on what I think was a pretty open process. I don't think anybody could ever allege that it wasn't open if anything, it was sort of in your face at all times. So I think that would be perfectly acceptable. Just saying, you know, congratulations on their great work, their effort, thank them for a transparent process that we're done without taking the position. Allen? Well, whatever a comment might be, I think it could be restricted to what we heard in the hearing, which was focused on economic development aspects, which relate to zoning and permanent process and whatever, without taking any position on invasive weeds or open space or some of the other issues. We only heard a hearing on a restricted piece of it. So we take any position at all or recommendation at all, I think would be restricted only what we heard. Anybody else? Okay, tell you what, could I ask you, like say over the next week, to pull out the brochure that they gave to us, go through the economic development section and see what you think. And Allen, why don't you raise the... Why don't we revisit it on the 18th? I don't think it's something we need to have a huge amount of discussion about, but I think, you know, if you still feel you want to do it, we can do it. I think Charlie's right. He's right. You could always say, right, I think it would be perfectly true that everybody feels, they've done a very open process, they've gone through it. You know, I think I could support maybe some, getting rid of some of the special permits and have right in some of the others, whether we want to endorse it or not, is up to the committee. So... Sure. The reason of my reticence was that, I think it was last fall, Carol came to the capital planning committee and was asking for a couple hundred thousand dollars to implement the recommendations of the master plan. And first of all, she had no recommendations to implement, quite a tip around that, but... And secondly, they were... the implementation from the... we didn't know whether it was going to be actually a capital cost or an operating cost. But my point is, that's single to me, that the planning department thinks that there's going to be a cost in the future to implement various aspects of the plan. And so I just think that we've got to be careful, but we should be careful, because we support the work that they've done and as you say, the process that they follow without getting ourselves in the position of supporting some implementation that we don't know anything about. So I think another thing that might be good to do is if you go through the whole process or you reexamine it and you say, I think we should say something, type it in, and then we have some words before us to actually take a vote on. So I'll set that up for the 18th. Why don't you put it on the agenda for Discuss Master Plan? And so... What? So I looked at when I looked at the first draft of the plan, which was more unabashedly pro-growth, I would say. I did have a conversation with people in the planning department and they said, oh, wasn't that what the planning committee wants? I said, I don't think so. We're discussing that as a committee, that we're pro-growth, and certainly we'd like to see more revenue in town, but not necessarily, you know, 10-story buildings to get more revenue. So I do think there's some view that the pro-growth aspects are finance-driven and so we should have something to say on that. I don't think I necessarily support going for growth for finance reasons, but people perceive that as being one of the driving factors. And I encourage you to review the actual plan, not just the summary. The economic development portion of the plan or the zoning portion of the plan, because there's a lot more detail in there about, you know, why they want growth and where they want it. Charlie? I think in an earlier meeting, probably two years ago, when they came and she came before us, we did have a good deal of discussion about trying to do something to eliminate or reduce the structural deficit. So I'm sure that they, you know, sort of policy matter incorporated in the process. Caroline? I did go to maybe two meetings and I did find it interesting that there was a number of younger people who were very adamant about, well, we need to get more dense in order to, you know, grow and have them. And so there was an element of that among a group of people who I felt were consistently going to those meetings. And they tended to be younger. They tended to have either grown up or lived in more dense areas like Brooklyn or Somerville or Cambridge. And, you know, my thought in listening to them was, well, do we really want to become Brooklyn or Somerville or Cambridge? And how do we find a balance between the two? We're never going to be Lexington, but we may not be the latter. Chris, the height I think they were talking about the capital is only three stories. Right, right. And the Cambridge Savings Bank building there, I think, is three stories. Yeah. Well, again, people take a look at it. It's not recorded in appropriation. I assume the select were going to make a recommendation on it. You know, even if we don't take a position, of course you as individual members of town meetings could do that. So, let's talk about it on the 18th and see what you want to do. Grant, we went through a lot of warn articles and voted. Are you ready to make a recommendation on our articles 26 and 27? No. Okay. There will be no meeting this Saturday. It's interesting. I bumped into the town council today. And he said, you know, the select were doing well. The warrants small. And it looks like we're doing pretty well too. So, not saying that we won't have a meeting on the 28th, but we don't have a meeting this Saturday. And then hopefully next week, you know, by the 18th I'll see if we're doing fine and let you know on the 28th. But, you know, we seem to be able to move through this pretty well. So, and not a huge number of big issues. So, hopefully that can go up. So, no meeting this Saturday. This Wednesday, the town manager, the reserve fund transfer request on the veterans benefits. That's that 140,000, you know, that Mary Margaret discussed earlier. Solar power purchase agreement. And facilities department. And then the whole bunch of a few other warn articles that we talked about. So that'll be, and hopefully we can vote on those at the same time. Next Monday, capital planning. And then the 23rd and then the 18th will discuss the master and whatever budgets are left. And then the school committee is the 23rd. That usually takes up a good part of it. We've all got the school budget. Or always the superintendent's recommendation, which I assume pretty much. Do you foresee the school committee making any? No. The end phages would be the same, but things would be juggling around inside. Okay. Will we get any, say by next Monday, do you think we'll get a summary maybe of one? Oh, excuse me. Oh, the school committee isn't there. Do you think we can get just a white item, just a bullet point, some changes that the school committee makes? They will make the changes until Thursday, which would probably be the last day they'll make changes. So that's the 19th? Or the 12th? This Thursday. Oh, sorry. This Thursday. This Thursday. Okay, so that'll be the 12th. So if you could just get a summary of whatever changes. And just email it out. Okay. Okay. If you haven't done your test for your conflict of interest, please get that done. Okay. Now, budgets. Everybody get their budget books out. Okay, let me go through these now. Finance committee. Peter, correct me if I'm wrong, as I go through these. Finance committee is done. The Board of Select is done. The town manager is done. Human resources is done. IT is done. Controllers done. We're meeting with them on the 18th. Okay. I've been chasing them for a week and finally came to town today. Okay, so will you have a recommendation by the 25th? I can't imagine that it would be, unless there's a problem. Okay. There's 25th. Next to the last. We might be able to do it the 18th. Well, okay. That's up to you. Yeah, I'm just saying. Okay. I assume that means postage. You'll also. Yeah. And the parking as well. Okay. Assessors. So that's where we have a meeting, right before the treasure next Wednesday, week from this Wednesday at 7.30. A.M. A.M. A.M. Okay. So. The assessors could be either the 18th or the 25th. Correct. Great. Legal is done. Town court is done. And registrar is done. Parking is with the treasurer. So I assume we'll have the parking at the same time. Yes. Okay. Planning and community development is done. The development board is done. And the rental properties is done. Zoning is done. Public works. Ready. You ready? Okay. We'll start with natural resources. Last week a new budget for natural resources was distributed. I hope you all have it. Okay. So we should just ask the other one to substitute this. Yes. Okay. I'll start with salaries and wages. If you turn to the wage page, you'll see that the major change or increase there is a stipend for a senior park maintenance employee. This is stipend that was created this year in the amount of $4,401. This stipend was created because this employee has taken on more additional responsibilities and has been doing a good job at it. And the thought was that he should be compensated by a stipend rather than a reclassification because it's easier to get rid of a stipend than a new position if that is the choice down the road. So that is the other than ordinary wage increases. That's the only change in the salary and wage line on the first page. Would that approve human resources as well? I'm assuming it was. I don't know. Okay. So the stipend, with this particular employee leaves and somebody else comes in, they might have somebody else do that. Or the thought is the stipend will go away. That's why a stipend was chosen rather than to go to the process of reclassification. I just know that there were, I think, five reclassifications that were not approved. So that's why I'm asking. Because I'm concerned that this is. Well, I don't know the answer to that. Okay. Okay. Could I ask that the two of you examine that issue? I just want to check if people are. Just come back and say it's not an issue or it is. Okay. Thank you. It probably isn't, but. And on the expense side, it's just a slight increase in supplies. And otherwise, it is a flat budget except for a new expense at the bottom. You can see historic sculpture maintenance. This is an amount. $5,000 is intended to be, I believe, an annual sum going forward to take care of the Uncle Sam statue, the Manami Indian, and the Dallan Town Hall flagpole. And the intent is to contract that work out to people who are skilled in handling that type of a work. Do you see this is a yearly. Yes. Will this just be the Uncle Sam or will it sort of be all. The, right now the thought is it will be the Uncle Sam statue, the Manami Indian at the Town Garden, and the Dallan flagpole at Town Hall. Okay. And those are the only changes and I recommend that the natural resources budget be approved and the amount printed. Just one question. $1,276,981. Yes. Okay. This stipend is that the 4401. Yes. Okay. When people do substitute pages, but they can do the shading lighter. That would be helpful. Okay. Just on the shading, if I might mention, I emailed with Andrew Planned again about it and he says the next year they will make the shading lighter. So when this comes through to us, we will be able to read it. Okay. Okay. Dick. With the $5,000, you're all right. What's the preservation act? What's this for? It's made here. Is this something that comes out of the zero? He tried to get something out of that. Believe me, it's for God's sake. Do you know if the plan is to continue the tree planting $40,000 for a long time or just to catch up with the business agents? I understand it's going to be, right now, it's intended to be ongoing. Whether it will be ongoing five years from now. I don't know. I don't think they know. Yeah. I think it grew out of the, what are they called? Microburst. Microburst. We just got wiped out. It was unbelievable. So I think it grew out of that. We've got a lot of trees that are dying in Arlington that need to be replaced. Tom? The director did say that if you needed help with natural resources, it was lacking natural resources. If there was one particular area that you would like to see with natural resources, you may have to call it. Other questions? Comments, what? One more. So the one, one of the spending items in the master plan is actually in public works. The public works was underfunded and needed more people, but then the town manager didn't put anything in his budget to address that. Doesn't agree with that or doesn't have the money for it? Doesn't have the money for it. Okay. Any other questions? Okay. So your motion is 1,276,981? Yes. Do I have a second? Okay. Okay. Any further discussion or questions? Okay. All those in favor, can we say aye? Aye. Opposed? Okay. Favorable action. Okay. The next is page 97, maintenance of town fields. And the practice in the past several years has been that the DPW puts in $40,000, does $40,000 worth of work that's taken out of their budget on the playing fields. And then parks and rec from the revolving fund, the user fees, makes up the difference. Now you'll see that there's a $10,000 increase this year. And that's because there was a sense that the DPW's funding stayed flat at 40 over several years. And each year the DPW was pulling more and more money out of user fees. So to make it more equitable, the DPW is going to put in $10,000 more. And we'll go up to that $50,000 limit cap and then go into the user fee revolving fund to make up any difference for any field maintenance. Okay. So in other words, the user fees and the money coming out of the enterprise fund was... No, it's a revolving fund. Except it wasn't coming out of direct enterprise. Oh, it's in a revolving fund. It's in a revolving fund. Okay. So this is to match it. I don't know if it's growing. No, no, no. This is not growing. The DPW has been putting in 40. And then because it's been costing more and more for the field maintenance, they've been dipping into the user fee fund more and more. So they've been depleting that. And to make it more equitable, they're going to put in $10,000 more as they continue to take money out of the user fees. They've talked. Basically, I think what he was saying was he felt that DPW was not paying their share. The users were paying more over the years. So he boosted his end up to come equal with the user fees. That's what he did. Okay. Which was very nice. Anybody else have any other questions? I don't think the field maintenance is necessarily outsourced. I think it is a contract. I think it is contract. I don't know if it's all outsourced though. Maybe not. But I think, I think natural resources. That's a whole term maintenance piece though. I thought. That is. That is any other questions or comments or Okay. So I assume you're recommending the 50,000. Yes, I am. Do I have a second? Second. Okay. Moved and seconded for $50,000. Any further discussion? All those in favor, please say aye. Aye. Opposed? Evanimous? 15. Engineer. The change in the town engineer budget is the expense line for contracted services. 5202. That is for professional services such as surveying, mapping, things like that. And that surveying, mapping, whatever professional services they need to contract out. And that line item will change depending on what projects are going on. Now, if you look at 2014 actuals, you'll see a expense of $20,279. That was, those were costs associated with DEP requirements for the buzzle field. The field was built over a landfill. So the town has then and since been spending money on the buzzle field. So the $10,000 increase in 2016 over last year is associated with the buzzle field work. Which the hope is that that work will be completed soon. I don't know if it will be completed in 2016, but the expectation is that expense line will start to go down in the future. So I recommend that the town engineer budget be approved as printed. Okay. So 143,454. Is there any questions on the town engineer's budget? Carolyn? Can I ask where buzzle field is? It's right here. It's the one that Arlington Council uses as well. It's the one above it. The one above it. The one that a lot of snow done. There's a lot of snow. I can't remember if there was snow dumped on it. No. Okay. Okay. There are any other questions on the town engineers? Okay. Do I have a, you're recommending 143,454? Yes, I am. Second? Second. Okay. Any further discussion? All those in favor, please say aye. Aye. The next budget is the public works administration's budget. This is the division that oversees all the other divisions. You'll see the changes in this budget are the result of the new facilities division that's going to be created. So you'll see in the salaries and wages line up top, it's a decrease. And that is because there are two positions that are being pulled out of public works admin and are going into the new facilities department division. And everything else, the expenses are level funded last year. And so that's really the only change to the public works admin budget. So I recommend that the budget be approved as printed. Okay. All questions? You lost me. What did the money go, did you say? The salaries and wages line went down because there would be two positions. If you look in the wage page in the public admin budget, you'll see that the energy manager is not funded in this budget and there's a senior building custodian that's not funded in this budget. You'll see the two blanks at the last column. Page 101. Page 101 all the way up. So those two positions are going to be moved into the new division that the town manager will be talking about on Wednesday. Do we have a budget in here? Yes, we do. 113. Okay. 113. And you'll also see down on the wage page, page 101, you'll see that there's the Bedford offset. It disappears this year. It doesn't actually disappear. It's in the facilities department budget. So those are the changes. Essentially public works remains the same except there are two positions that are being moved to a different division and the offset that's being used with relationship to the energy manager is also going to be shifted to the new division. Is that the energy manager that had a reclass? Yes. Okay. I know I had asked a few weeks ago about the water and sewer offsets and Grant and I learned a bit more than I ever wanted to learn about these. We're almost there. I question though. I don't know if we, if they took all of the offset out of this budget or if they took enough. I don't think to be an expert, but I think the budget's gone down in the offsets gone up. So if you, if you, so in other words, if you look at the FY 15 budget, you back the offset out to get, I just calculate it's 537.815. The following year, take the offset out, you get 448.196. Okay. So that makes sense of what Christine said. But when we went down, whatever I just said, 80,000, 90,000, our offset went up 10 grand. It's going the opposite way. Sure. That's not necessarily true. It depends. I mean, the people who left the department might not have been working on water and sewer. I mean, that's the criteria. Right. And I can say that they don't. Yeah, they don't. Yeah, there's no water and sewer offsets. Budget. So I would have thought that the offsets were on specific people, but the deputy town manager has told me he does not. But the offsets aren't the people. He actually puts on to the whole department. And this fancy little memo he wrote me, which we're still trying to decode. So do code. I mean, so I don't think we should stop voting it at the moment. But we might have to, I mean, I'll ask him, but I figured I'd mention it because we might have to come back to it. Although he says he does it to the whole department, some of it's calculated as a charge back. But so it is by person. Because at least that's what some of the department heads think. Two of the department heads I work with. Oh. Two, actually three of them. I don't know what other people have found. I'm sorry. You said that you've seen it specifically. When I've talked, because I talked to all of the department heads whose budgets, because I knew it had come up, they were able to explain it as charge back for work done to water and sewer. So the Comptroller had explanations. The projects that they do that are related to water and sewer. IT had examples. And human resources had examples as to how their staff are dealing with water and sewer. So they perceive it to some degree as that. But really it's the whole department. Right. But the total is based on that work. Yeah. So it'll be interesting. Yeah. I think I might have actually started to figure out here. Okay. So you're continuing your research? We're working on, I think the tricky thing, and I might have just figured out a lot of sitting here is it's odd what they do and why it's confusing to a lot of, to us at first they, let me just read what you wrote. When you read what he says, it kind of makes, makes it clear. The formula consists of a percentage of a department's time attributed to the water and sewer operations, which is then multiplied by the department's prior year budget. As it proves by time made it. So I would have sort of thought that it kind of makes sense because you have to get the, now that we're talking about it. They take last years, this year's offset is actually from last year. They do it a year and a rears. So now that we're saying that a lot of things. It would make sense that it's going up this year because the switch is happening. Well, no, it have to go up and then be allocated over. But it's, it's, it's just like our assessment to minute me and it's based on last, you know, next year's assessment is based on this year's enrollment. Yeah. So I think, now that I think about it, I think the number to 283 is probably right because if you take last year's number and you multiply it by the percentage he has, he probably gets to the right number. At some point we just need to take those two peoples and move the offset over, which I guess he could do next year. Unless the facilities managers are not doing water and sewer. They're not even relevant. They before last year they didn't either. Well, next year they use the same percentage. It's going to go down. Yeah. It will go down. Yeah. It will go down as well. It doesn't really match with changes in how much work they're doing. Well, because of what happened he's going to have to update the formula. Every year he looks at what departments were reorganized and he updates the formulas. So he's going to have to update the formula for this particular department because it's going to be a larger percentage of the budget time is going to go towards water and sewer because the energy manager and the custodian are no longer there. So they used to be 50 percent. 50 percent? Yeah. And it's going to go up to 60 or 70 percent. Okay. Are there any other questions or comments on the public works administration? Okay. Are you recommending the budget of the 164? 288. 288. Is that your recommendation? Yes, it is. Do I have a second? Second. Okay. Any other discussion or questions? Okay. All those in favor of the 164. 288. We say aye. Aye. Opposed? unanimous? 3915. Okay. Christine. All right. The next budget is highway. You will see a decrease of $9,830 in salaries and wages. And that's because there were vacancies with new hires at a lower amount, a lower salary. And other than that, the expense, the expenses have a few slight changes. There's a $20,000 decrease in auto and gas, auto gas and oil fuel and a decrease in the pavement markings. All right. So, Christine, the fuel is down because the price of the fuel is down? That's the basic goal. Yes. Christine, we have a... Oh, sure. Why are the pavement markings down? It seems to me that we're going to need more pavement markings than if there's one. Yeah. I talked to the director about the likelihood of needing increased highway maintenance after this winter. He says that he expects to have enough from this budget and if not, it would be he would get money from the state to do whatever work. Now, I know that last year, the 37.5 that we spent on pavement markings, we used... that was the first year we used a different type of pavement markings, and it was intended to be a product that lasted longer. So, I think that may be a factor in the decrease. I suppose the state will do all the markings on Mass Ave. So, you won't have to worry about it. Was the... Did we have... Did we have a contract on the auto gas? It seems to remember that at one point we had a contract to buy gas at a certain rate. And maybe that's expired? I don't know that. There's just something that I seem to recall. I think we should ask the manager about it on Wednesday because yeah... I'm waiting for the first hybrid snowpile truck. Okay, are there any other questions? Are there any other questions on highways? Okay, Christina, you're recommending, as printed, $1,5,92791? Yes. Do I have a second? Second. Okay, any further discussion? All those in favor, please say aye. Aye. Opposed? Favorable action, unanimous, $3,915. Snow and ice. Snow and ice. The most recent number we have spent so far this year on snow and ice is $1,906,733. $732? Great. Great. Great. $1906733. Okay, it's as of like today or... As of Thursday. Okay, wow. Boy, that's a lot of money. Now, are they still scooping up snow or are they letting Mother Nature take it away? They're still scooping up snow. The problem is where to put it. The biggest challenge is where to put the snow. And that's been a challenge in prior years as the real problem this year. Right now, we're sending it out of Arlington. If if the department if the director had had one wish fulfilled, it would be to have a secure place where we could every year not only dump snow but tree debris and use for construction staging and things like that. He was pointing out that just this year alone we've spent about $200,000 hauling snow out of the town that we wouldn't have to spend if we had a place here. So I think that's something that we should keep in mind and maybe try to figure out what the solution is. First trouble is nobody wants to in their backyard. We talked a lot about that. It's been I thought I kind of know it wasn't this year. It's a problem all the time. And we threw a few sites around and in my opinion and I gave my opinion I really do believe it's the right of street it's the best the best spot. I don't believe trying to pursue even if it's a parking lot street from St. Camille was available you're right in the middle of the neighborhood. I think you need to go to Ryder Street which could be used 12 months out of the year for trees, leaves, snow or whatever and we're not making a million dollars at least where we could be we could definitely cut that snow budget down if we have a facility like that but it would be an investment as a facility. Now don't we rent that facility out now? It's been rented yeah, it's been rented I believe the lease is up soon or whatever soon is but I think we really need to look into that because what's going to happen this number's going to keep rising because we just have no way to put anything not even when we have bad weather we get the trees and we get the leaves I mean right now basically we're taking snow from A and then we're moving it and taking it to B and then we're double it we're paying double Even in a normal winter we've been spending had to spend money to haul it out because we've been dumping it in the res but it doesn't melt fast enough in time for the res to open up so we dump it at the res and then come in late winter time early spring we need to haul what's left out because the res needs to open up that parking lot and open up its facility so we're hauling it even in a good year then we had to spend a good chunk of money to put back the high school field when we dumped all over there so we just keep taking money and going here, here, here and then finally get it out of time I wonder I don't know if you guys know what do we get for rents for writer I try to get that that time and then the rental properties and I can't find it I don't know where it is budget on the rental properties you know I don't know is that the Lollacata yeah I don't know but I was wondering how much space it's always interesting to you know contrary to this because you gotta pay fuel costs and versus storing it somewhere how much space do we need and we talk about melters I asked about melters and they take up to this way what space are we talking about that Mr that they said if they could get that one I don't think you could put a square footage on it because you don't have any now you don't have any now and so what do you got you have a piece of property how much you're making I don't think they're making enough to justify what we're spending every year to go up so we don't I mean when he was this one of the questions you know what keeps up at night type of question he said if I had one wish it would be a space a wish he'd like to pursue the pipeline but just how big that space would be that's why it's wishful thinking he just doesn't know how big it would have to be well bigger than better but I think we we have a choice we're not gonna you see him with the reservoir parking lot looks like it's not that huge bigger than that right if it's set up right and it is an investment it's certainly gonna not solve all our problems but it's gonna be a lot better space is a premium that's what we learned from the message won't it be more costly to be able to get that snow out of here what we should do is dump it on Robin's farm because if you dump it high enough you could have a freight sledding hill I suggest a junk you both you got this one you got this little sledding hill at the top if you just put it all the way up there you can have almost a ski resort there to give you some sense of how expensive this is if you go back to the natural resources budget in page 9095 or the page that replaces 95 if you look under 2014 actuals the expense line maintenance $211,737 much of that was to remediate Pierce Field which was used as the snow farm for that year we either pay to haul it out or we keep it in inappropriate places and then have to pay to remediate what we do it's sort of a linear equation you know that option A is lousy option B is lousy which one is the worst and that's the one you have to budget on which one is the best which really bad is he's only got 50, 18 employees so what happens is when you got 15, 18 guys they're 24, 30 hours straight they're going home when those 15, 18 guys go home this operation stops until those guys start to come back in he does not hire but keep contractors on it stops so you lose that amount of time freezing collecting whatever you want to I don't think he sends them home in the snow the operation stops as they built it back in it starts to ramp up again until so you're still looking at 15, 18 employees you've got to re-empt the whole system if you want to stay in the game so where do they take the snow? right here they take it out of town there's several what they call now the state snow snow permit where? they have one on Weston Avenue in Brookline actually it's Harvard University's property that French controls Johnny Cowles Caldwell, John Caldwell, Lexington is another one Lexington yeah they were around there was one in Watertown this year they were around and they have it anywhere from 50 to 200 dollars a load plus you're going to pay the transportation to bring it in but I was thinking Nashua the distance that's more encouraging it's only Lexington I was thinking it might be you know like pepperol or something but don't forget you have handed the transportation to Golden yeah okay trucks that we use down trucks that we use back here no, no we don't have we use contracted yeah so that's called probably 100 bucks or more for a trip oh yeah I mean when we did Mass we contracted the whole thing out you know the French had his own equipment his own dump everything all we did was we had a couple of pieces of sand disowned that we had sweep up after but everything else you've been seeing at the Mass Ave it's been we hire trucks we use our own and then you both do your pay together the truck is about to make about $700 a day trucks close to $700 a day correct and then you paint the dump fee well I did inquire about melters and but you need space I know you still need you still need the place to put it you need you need staging and loading you need to take the the melter won't go from from block to block to block the melter will be like at the res and then the trucks will go to the res and that's where it will melt so you still need land but certainly less than a snow farm and I was wondering about walker releasing it out to other towns but Adam he had listed five reasons why he didn't like them it's good and bad you could pay half a million for one and you could have 100 reasons why you didn't get one like Logan in the airport as they don't have a problem at all now some of them just want one my understanding is well we'll wind up leasing it from Somerville instead of having one of our own trouble is if you have it you know everybody's going to want it at the same time well yeah but not exactly the same time or something it's sort of offset it but he is right you can only use it for melting snow there's no other you can't even use it to the trees or anything so it doesn't double as it would but you're back up to starbucks and he can water that way but you're going to pull them out of that it doesn't melt till three so it's you've got to be at the whole system or put up a flag and say we quit and do something else maybe we should start a private business to do melting and we had to I thought I thought a lot of money that's what committees are believe me two questions I think we spent a lot of money removing snow from roofs and other well who's going to pay for removing it from the roofs yeah that's not it's in the 1.9 it's in the 1.9 but it's part of this budget it's not school budget it's like I know there were two huge cranes it should be honest and all day the dpw director is of the opinion that you come out of the school budget not the snow and ice the other question was I know at least on our street we were lucky enough some huge snowblower called the beast of the east went up in there on the road a few times to peel back to the curves and it was one apparently one of these out-of-state emergency crews that came in and I talked to some of his dpw and they said that's basically like regional courtesy that when you know the beast of the east comes in from New York or New Hampshire we don't pay for it we don't have the fuel is that I understand that that we did get assistance from I think three states that we aren't that's not in our we're not paying for yeah somebody said we fill the gas tanks and that's about that's about the expense which is I just wonder how much value that is added on the two million right that might be a hundred million worth of standard right the manager will be doing this on Wednesday so you know we could save up our snow on ice questions and so I'm sure he's looking for answers too I mean it's as summer you know Summerville's more crowded than we are at least they don't have to deal with parked cars when they're carrying a lot of these streets I wonder if the manager will have some idea of state or federal I'm sure he's looking but yes why don't you you know good question to raise with them and you know I would have known there'll be a lot of snow questions so that's just a million nine and so we've appropriated 771 500 thousand so we're going to have to look at you know some money and some money and some money you know some money and the reserve fund to go to that too but we can sort of adjust that later on okay are there any other questions is the Rider street spot between the Minuteman bike path and Massav okay well it's in the right across the right actually what we do make on Rider street it was 95 okay okay so 95,000 we give a year so we give up 95,000 the question is is it big enough to put $95,000 with the snow this by all accounts well this by all accounts is extraordinary no no trees leaves right usually we have it at the same time no but it would be multiple uses but you have to put $195,000 if it's set up for okay so that would be an interesting question Charlie yes Christine I think a couple of weeks ago you you had some numbers on the average snow removal costs in the last several years do you repeat those again I was using the past year this year I estimated 1.7 it's actually 1.9 I haven't updated for that but the numbers for the last the average for the last 10 years my number last week was an average a yearly average of $1.2 million so I would say $200,000 spread it around it's a few dollars more there was one more comment I was surprised we have a snow night committee that was formed by Tom Energy family to surprise when I asked the director they have not met in all this year and I don't know when the last time they did meet they used to meet three times a year they'd meet before the winter sometime after the first the winter connecting into summing up and before the winter they would meet to set some plan or to respond they have not met in a while especially not this year they're not making any money out there okay so Christina you're recommending the 846 yes I am is there a second second okay any further discussion Dean just so I understand we have if I do this correctly we're a 1906 the budget 771 we already have $500,000 in the depth usually the deficit accounts $500,000 so one day that's what's in the five year so we're at about a true net deficit net shortfall about $650,000 give or take yeah so so what's in this years I forgot what did we roll from last year did we roll the whole $500,000 $500,000 so the whole five isn't there and then we and I can't I don't have we appropriated I don't know I think $250,000 or something from the reserve fund reserve funds higher now we've had a few transfers yeah so it's about $890,000 now no sorry we did the IT study so that's $870,000 we're going to have the veterans benefits of $140,000 so that would be $730,000 $730,000 we have a possible fire budget you know but I think it's probably and I'll I haven't heard of any other you know email the other appointing authorities because of retirements on reserve fund but we could probably end up putting a half a million from the reserve fund you know into that so we're close though to going through the reserve fund because the only thing I would point out and you know we look at the budgets on a full-gear macro level this can be more when we talk to the manager next week when you start looking at the expenditures over quarters like if you ask for a report to break down all the spending by quarters a lot of the department heads are pretty responsible and that they hold off a lot of spending until the last quarter not salaries and things like that but if they've got to replace different things like that I think before we get the fourth quarter for a physical quarter we got to sort of figure out how we're going to deal with this number because if we're going to say we want to take this 650 and put it against the against the reserve fund in its entirety or the 650 we've got to tell the manager he needs to tighten that to get to start solving his other problems Charlie yeah just to confirm so we had last year we had $771,000 in the budget and then there's this $500,000 sort of reserve in the next few years under the role of so that means $771,000 yeah we're spending close to two minutes right as of last week I believe that that one's going to be two and a half before we get down if we don't get it yeah please so we're probably a million dollars in the hole right so we're either going to decide how much we can transfer out of the reserve fund and the rest of it it's going to be hitting next year's tax rate which means if it's greater than the $500,000 in the five-year plan that means the amount of money we could set aside in the fiscal stability fund perhaps unless they're state or federal money unless they're state or federal money so that's probably right so Charlie what I was thinking my point is to stop to stop going in the reserve fund the manager my opinion would be you know really has to start doubling down through the end of the year on non anything that's absolutely not necessary so he can solve all of his other problems so if he has we talked about retirements and police and fire and different things like that we don't want to run those up and get the reserve fund hit to like $500,000 and a bless to put against this I will raise that issue with him all over the several other issues that you've raised and we'll have them here Wednesday so that could be one of the things that we but don't need to put that together and get that so it works one more comment as of our meeting last Thursday a team that has not said yes or no to the communities they've asked for the expenses from January 1 up to that day and if they do say yes possibly being 70% of that did y'all have any timetable? no I guess how FEMA does they'll take like the middle sex and they'll take and they put a number on it and they'll tell you the number and they tell you all your bills and then if it reaches that number they say ok if it falls short of that number they say on you all I think we need three more inches of nice fluffy snow so we could break the record and put more pressure I just need to state my disagreement a little bit with Dean's approach I think this is exactly the type of reason why we have a long-term stabilization fund you know a little bit it's an extraordinary event and I don't think we should be looking for cutting necessary expenses just because of this extraordinary event but you know it could delay hiring you know every time you delay hiring for a few weeks you know you're able to accumulate some money so that's why we have a talent manager I'm sure he's working on that now and we could ask some questions for him ok motion's been made and segmented for 846,000 for snow and ice for next year is there any further discussion? ok all those in favor please say aye aye posed unanimous 15 ok Christine the next budget is the highway motor repair division and this is the division that maintains the town's 150 or so vehicles which are aging and that is a concern but nevertheless this budget is just has a just a slight increase over last year's budget I had some concern that it was vastly under under budgeted when you look at the actuals in 2013 and 2014 but the director explained that he thinks that there may be certain efficiencies and a change and certain policies that may reduce the amount of work that needs to be done or how the work is done to make to make the expenses more realistic or to reduce the expenses so because of that he wants to he feels that this budget the 2016 budget is appropriate he'd like to see how the actuals in 2015 turn out before he's inclined to want to increase this budget so I recommend that the budget be approved as printed 382431 yes okay any questions Charlie Christine, does he have the year to date actuals and he's halfway through the year maintenance is probably relatively linear if he's over 25,000 he's halfway through the year he's not going to make I don't have how what the performance to date is but again he says that he thinks the prior years were inappropriately high and that he he's he wants to and has started to to reevaluate and put new policies in place to cut the expenses down at least try to Allen Charlie, I'm not sure it's linear I know that during snow plows season machines take a serious beating so they may be passed but hey guys Christine, I don't see anything that would support a lot of outsourcing you know what how much maintenance is done in-house and how much is sent to Myrack or somebody the the 5202 line maintenance is outsourcing okay it doesn't seem like much but I guess that's the number oh I see the 2014 actually actually 2013 or 14 or more than twice that's that's one of the expenses he wants examine more closely to determine should they have been that high and those those actually in 13 and 14 other questions okay so you're recommending 382 431 yeah is there a second second okay any other discussion or questions okay all those in favor please say aye aye opposed unanimous 3915 solid waste next budget is solid waste the solid waste collection line the first line you can see a 2% increase that is our that is the our contract requires our costs for a 2% increase every year and if you look at the third line solid waste disposal that we are saving a chunk of money and that too is the result of a new contract so those two things are the primary reason particularly the the new disposal contract is resulting in a slightly different slightly lower budget this year okay so it's still going to north and over yes okay and then how much of the what's our percentage increase for the collection 2% 2% oh it says 2% drive is what what's happened to the recycling program is this the net number of recycling or is recycling carried someplace else this is this is the net this is this is it this is the net the number the new contract with JRN JRN is the recycling people that gave us the same price that we would have gotten from waste management plus quickly pick up and so forth but they are not recycling sales people yes referring to the the old white white goods well just the you know all those things that we have to separate out and put in paper plastics what I'm trying to say is we haven't gotten anything to that for some time that's right they pick it up they dispose of it and they get the benefit any reduction I assume the contract is a certain amount for time 63 63 63 dollars yes so the benefit the benefit from the recycling is there's hopefully fewer tons I'm sorry 63 is the tipping fee 63 yes okay so that's in the disposal Paul what is residual disposal catch base and cleaning tree removal demolition debris right what you see is a trend so we see the decrease especially in solid waste disposal and again is that because we're disposing of less came to us last year with a new contract right they cut us a lower price on the disposal fee they passed on a lower price on the disposal fee in exchange for so will this level out that reduction sort of a one time next year will be more closely matched this year's disposal fee I believe it was one time thing yeah probably I don't know I don't know if we can sort of I know because it sort of like depends on how much we recycle and how conscious we are about it but okay so sort of remains static we won't see another we won't see another decrease most likely John is that sorry so that you're saying that tipping fee is is negotiate with J.R.M. it's not something that's established as part of our contract partial ownership of North Andover it was negotiated in the contract I don't think we have a partial ownership we don't have one we solely negotiate with the contract that and we negotiate the tipping fee but I thought when we got that contract treated then we got a lodged stipend back for them well there are two contracts the contracts with J.R.M. and just the hauling and the contract with North Andover that that way is my contract with North Andover yes it is not getting the percentage out of the recycling anymore maybe for Whitewood there's something like that we do but in general it's okay Alan every year when we get to this budget there are a lot of questions about recycling and long term trends and whatever I was wondering if we could request a presentation from the coordinator to give us a better handle on where it's going and where the money is these are all good questions about what's happening year after year and what do we say if there was a cost in this and I think the recycling coordinator would be able to answer those questions as far as the trends are concerned we probably remember we had to hand it out from the recycling committee that chose the last 10 years just yeah I'm going to take the recycling coordinator and be able to produce the crafts and charts for our members well I think we also don't do a good job of retaining information because last year on February 10th, 2014 we got all of these questions answered with this nice memo from the town manager that included all these fancy charts in the back on how much we're going to save in trash over a period of time now the tipping fee is changing in a five year contract so we probably just need to retain this we have new people oh you're new you can have it here you go could you do you have that electronically? I might have scanned it in the morning I still have it look at that Gloria has it okay well that was correct okay go ahead I can forward it okay just forward it to the committee so we can take a look and Allen and a few others why don't you take a look at that and see if you still need you know you'd still like them to come before us okay additional questions okay sure Charlie where is the recycling board said public administration okay so Christine are you recommending as price of three million four ten zero four eight yes is there a second second any further discussion okay all those in favor of this budget is presented we say aye aye opposed unanimous cemetery the major change in the cemetery budget is an employee moving to full time which has resulted in increase in salaries and wages and there's a slight increase in the expense side for contracted services and other than that it is the same budget as last year recommend that we approve the cemetery budget as printed okay so sorry where is the additional 13 it's there's an employee motor equipment grade one on the seller page he moved from part time to full time okay questions okay it's been moved and seconded for 247 043 for cemetery any additional discussion or questions okay all those in favor we say aye aye opposed unanimous 39 15 the next budget is the facilities reservation budget and I suggest that we defer this until Wednesday because I understand the time manager will be speaking on that okay next budget after that street lighting so 120,000 the same as prior year right we're seeing energy savings from the new efficient lighting and the maintenance line item is difficult to budget for as you can see in 13 and 14 they're vastly different expenses but this year where the department is budgeting the same as last year so is the entire town done? yes done? yes okay any questions Charlie Christine do you I don't remember didn't we have a contract with Redding or something like that to take care of the lights at one time in some town and are we still doing that? I believe we're still doing I just don't know exactly what they're what they're responsible for what? I think it was maintenance replacing lights or something like that I believe they're still doing that it was maintenance and it allows fire and fire and fire allows at one time I don't know it's still ready well I don't think on okay under traffic signals they're doing that okay what could you ask the question please get back to us both the street lighting and maintenance interesting okay any other okay I assume you're recommending 120,000 yes I'll go ahead a second second any further discussion or questions okay all those in favor 120,000 for street lighting we say aye aye proposed unanimous 3,950 and traffic signals is the next one 8,1 to 18 and the budget has a reduction of $3,200 to be more in line with the actual 2014 I recommend that the budget of $62,500 seconds okay are there any questions are they going to fix are we still going to pull boxes under the fire yeah I don't think we do are they going to place some street in Mass Ave is still not what it was prior to the accident or the wind I think the wind knocked a lot of it down is that going to be fixed any more than it currently is or is this the new high base one they're saving that to be fixed as part of the project where they re-aligned the bike path there are there any other questions on this budget okay made it seconded for $62,500 for traffic signals all those in favor we say aye aye proposed unanimous 3,915 the only other change of this budget and I'm happy about it is that fire alarm systems is no longer in DPW it's in the fire department did you know that okay it's $135 okay so community safety police is done actually I guess I think we did not vote the fire alarm systems fire okay so we voted fire but not the fire alarm systems nothing to add other than the number not a second at all okay so you $30,000 do I have a second second okay so are these the systems between buildings between town buildings yeah is that the hold on I think those really are going okay any questions okay all those in favor of $30,000 for fire alarm systems please say yes yes yes I thought it would be almost okay unanimous okay inspections yes I'll say one of the few budgets that basically no change except for some minor change in the salary the expenses are the same not the same there's only the $2,000 increase in salaries and the longevity of 805 some interesting notes of speaking with the building inspector we've finally run out of the good old days of budgets and the hospital of all the money coming in because of the building permits and of course we had a peak back in fiscal 11 12 and 13 but what is surprising but those major projects completed and we're not really working on any major projects of that nature that he's estimating for fiscal year 2016 so he hopes to take a 1.2 million in permits right now as for fiscal year 215 he said 1,082,000 and hopes and has good feelings about it that will probably get closer to 1.2 million so even though we're back from the days of 0.7 1.6 we actually have five behind but don't need any major projects so this department brings in 45 dollars for what it has for a budget and speaking with him I asked him about law and article 6 this would have any financial effect on the building department and of course presented to us as a non monetary article and according to him he thinks there's been some changes made as to think but then they could that thing that says in this first format could conceivably cause him to have an extra two to three additional employees for the paperwork of what they want to have done on that article he said they just turned down a bit change he has really seen changes there's been some changes to it but he could probably in his department if this warrant article in any ship abandoned ever got ever been passed so as far as he's concerned I'm going to agree with him this is a money article it's a financial warrant article and not one that has not declared you want to finance that committee well that's one of the articles I believe we've got for the manager to talk about so the committee could decide after hearing that whether they want to take a recommendation or not out of there so meanwhile on inspections I'm sorry are you finished? no okay okay Tom did he give you some type of estimate? for what? what it would might cost well he said it could be involved another inspector because if he's going to have to walk around and talk to everybody and dictate then he can't be able to do salary you probably need someone to take notes type you know in that kind of situation so if you look at it there was maybe one inspector and one personnel you know non-professional a secretary or whatever you want to administrative assistant if you want to call them so there is money involved obviously he's not in favor of this article and I don't blame him obviously but it is definitely money oriented now my understanding was that he was to issue a report on articles on permits that were turned down so when they get appealed not if you read that this isn't just turned down it's on everything it's on everything everything you walk in and ask him his name and address you got to have it all on the records all applications all applications which is absurd well does he keep a journal I mean somebody comes in there must be a journal there's all records there because you apply for a permit it's all on the computer everything is computerized but from this article what he gathers you know someone comes in you got to take notes and then you got to pass these notes on to the development zoning was everybody just going to know what's going on you have to clock everything it's just mind-boggling it's time-consuming what'd you say was there someone else in the office very had a digest was to purpose of it it's not a problem now so I can't get a I don't know I know what kind of problem this article is trying to solve if there is a problem okay are there any other questions on the inspection on budget okay you're recommending as printed as printed for 19 362 second second any other questions or discussions okay all those in favor we say aye aye opposed unanimous I noticed in this budget the other two budgets we did a whole bunch of the managers of each department has gotten a $2,000 raise something that I want to bring up with the town manager when he comes in on Wednesday but if you look at human services and DWW fire and police redevelopment board all the managers have an extra $2,000 this year it's listed as a step if they're between a midpoint and a max it's the manager's discretion to give a raise and I hadn't caught that that would be worth asking him so if you're from like the bottom to the big point right I think you do get steps you do have to follow the substance the only way you can get a raise but it's very easy to get to that midpoint and even to the max fairly quickly it's it's when you're from that midpoint on that you were that the managers has the discretion to give you an additional raise so the question could be how do you approach all the department's salaries this year and determine this amount because further question I have in the past they haven't negotiated union contracts and come up with whatever sort of the common percentage is among all the union contracts given that percentage raise to the managers well the the treasure collector we have in the the treasure collector and the court we have in the collected bargaining article they've always gotten what the employees got I don't know if we use 680 or 680 anymore but that but I'll tell me you're gonna ask thank you okay oh okay so fire library John just want to see if we gave the librarian a raise well they're changing so that may not it may not be there okay human service administration is done veterans council on aging done retirement is done insurance insurance we are meeting with the code Malloy next Monday so insurance either the 18th or 25th yes 25th at the latest okay reserve fund that's a trustee there's no actual is there or the department no we would respect the whole thing you're the second second okay moved it seconded I have a family we're going to spend it all but we're pretty darn close any questions discussion okay moved it seconded for $1,000,000 all those in favor we say aye I suppose okay order sewer 325 you the 18th okay okay so 18th or the 25th down here chairman has given you a hard time our creation is done yeah it's only 25 of 9 okay so I think we're in good shape so on Wednesday you know save up all your questions for the manager and as we go through each article I just want to you know if we want to discuss it a lot I'll put it off if people have made up their minds we'll just go ahead so that's Wednesday the 11th the 16th is the capital planning committee of the evening the 18th if you want to we'll discuss the master plan and then hopefully the treasure collector the insurance the water sewer for the 18th the 23rd is the school committee that pretty much is an all-nighter you've got the budgets save up your good questions I know they would be forward to it and then the 25th we'll finish it so again no Saturday meeting I'll save the 18th goodbye you know early next week I think we'll see it looks like one pretty good shape any other business for the for the committee any adjourned