 Thank you everybody welcome. I'm calling the order this meeting on the arms select board on Thursday June 16 2022 I select for chair Leonard Diggins, and I will not confirm that all members in person to the spirit on the agenda are present And can hear me members when I call your name. Please respond in the affirmative. I am a hon. Yes John heard yes Steve Corsi. Yes, Eric Helmets. Yes, I mean and duck hon. Yes in and select board Administrators Ashley Meyer is participating in that as a panelist tonight's meeting of the arms select board is being conducted remotely consistent with an act signed to law on February 15th 2022 that extends certain COVID-19 measures. This act includes an extension until July 15, 2022 the remote meeting provisions of the Governor Baker's March 12 2020 Executive order suspending certain provisions of the open meeting law The governor's order which is on the town's website and referenced with general materials for this meeting allows public bodies to meet entirely remotely As long as there is reasonable access that allows the meeting to follow along with the deliberations They'll also public to follow along with the liberation Maybe visible others and that if you wish to participate you're asked to provide your full name in the interest of developing a record of the meeting Third all participants are advised that people may be listening who do not provide comment And those persons are not required to identify themselves Both zoom participants and persons watching on acmi and follow the posted agenda materials also found on the town's website using Using the notes agenda platform And finally each vote tonight will be taken by a roll call I'll now turn to vice chair mrs. Mahan who will motion us into executive session mrs. Mahan Thank you. Thank you, mr. Chairman. I'd like to a move we Enter into executive session for the purposes of discussing contract negotiations with non-union m schedule personnel to it sandi pooler and Any other issues related there too and that when we adjourn from exact executive session We will reconvene and public session for the purposes of either a taking a vote in adjourning or be adjourning the public session meeting Second That was mr. Yes, yes. Thank you. And that was mr. Herd. I heard seconding Thank you. So on a motion by mrs. Mahan and second by mr. Herd mr. Heim Mr. Herd Yeah, mr. Corsi. Yes, mr. Helman. Yes, mrs. Mahan Yeah, mr. Diggins. Yes, thank you for an executive session. Thank you. All right. Thank you I mean so so um, so here we are in public session being and I think what we'll do now is Take a motion mean which should indicate where we are mean and and then vote in and then Then Have a little conversation or we can have the little conversation before we vote I mean so we'll take the motion Can you do the second and then allow for discussion Then take the vote and then we can have more more conversation. So Mr. Hamas Thank you, mr. Chair. I'd like to make a motion that the select board offer the contract Do mr. Poole as agreed to in the final version and it was discussed in our executive session Second second by mr. Herd so So Motion by mr. Helm is to Accept the contract being a second by mr. Herd. Um, is there any discussion? Okay, you know mr. Heim Mr. Herd Yes, mr. Corsi. Yes, mr. Helman. Yes, mrs. Mahan Yeah, mr. Diggins. Yes, it's unanimous vote Thank you and congratulations, mr. Poole. You know, welcome to the position of town manager, you know, I I am excited and relieved And uh, it's uh And I'll tell you a I um I think back to When I first started running for select board And and one of the things to do was to talk With folks in town and one of the key people was you In order to understand the financial state of the town and just how we looked at being um You know financial matters, you know, and we were going over the long range plan and I remember getting caught up on a couple things mean and uh, you Were just so patient in the way that you explained things mean uh, and I felt very comfortable with those conversations and and and then later I I found out that you taught and then it was like, yes That makes perfect sense. I mean, uh, that's why he's so good at explaining things and making people feel comfortable asking questions, you know, and and so a I appreciate that approach to things mean and and I You have a lot of respect for teachers in general and and and and so The fact that we have someone like you In this role to me is comforting, you know Both with respect to how I think you will interact With the board, but also staff in the town, you know, and so and I think you're a great resource, you know Under any circumstances, but certainly under the circumstances with which we find ourselves now And I'm really happy Have you on board in this position? So I'm happy I don't know how many times I can say I'm happy but but um, but thank you You know man, thanks to my colleagues mean for um for working To to pull this all together. It's been it's really been a group effort. You know, man. I think everyone has um has have Served themselves well, you know, I'm in the process So so um, I'll stop talking mean and I'll let anyone else who wants to talk talk Ms. Mahan, sorry. I can't get this phone thing right. Um, thank you, mr. Chairman. Um, what I'd like to is Take the opportunity um to ask the Now manager mr. Pooler just for some sort of remarks and um, sort of, you know, what he expects in his first whatever 60 90 days, you know in terms of relationship with the board um, as well as you know, adam has a style and I know that mr. Tappelline has a style and and I know mr. Pooler and he have been colleagues and worked together for many years um, but if you could just you know, just give a little bit on that and um, You know mr. Pooler, you and I will definitely have a sit down one on one. Um, because I want to you know Is that continue to establish a good working relationship? So if I could mr. Chairman through you ask mr. Pooler for him to speak first as a town manager Please Thank you for the question First if I may I'd like to thank all the members of the board for this vote. Um, and I know we went a little while through the negotiation process but I also know that you were representing your The town spent interest in what you thought was best for the town and uh for the future of the town So I appreciate all the work that you put into this and um, I appreciate the resolution we've come to When I first came to the town years ago it was um because of adam chapter lane And I knew him and I knew he'd be good person to work with Uh As I was here I came to know The staff and what a great group of department heads we have and other staff I came to know some of the committees particularly The finance committee and the capital planning committee And I got to know the board a little bit but not nearly as much as I'm looking forward to knowing you going forward For me, I think this is an exciting adventure I think this is a momentous year ahead of us for the town of Arlington and for all the residents here um, we know we have some profound financial challenges and uh including uh, perhaps the need for an override coming up in the spring And so I I see a big part of my job is helping The board out and various other committees that work on financial issues through that In terms of directly answering your question, mrs. Maha and about Where I see things going in the future I've had a relationship with all the department heads and I know them at one level But I now need to know them at a different and new level So it is my intention to sit down with each of them And talk with them individually about their needs and their priorities I did that when I first got here as a finance and Deputy town manager, but now I needed to do it again as a town manager um, I'm glad you mentioned the Opportunity for the two of us to sit down together and get to know each other a little better I hope I have that opportunity with each of the five members of the board um, whether it's a phone call or having lunch together or just talking One on one I think communication between the manager and the select board is essential I have statutory duties and and town manager act duties That are defined in terms of managing the departments But I think the most important thing I have is A relationship with u5 um To talk about the direction and the priorities of the town and um, I think that's That's not a single conversation. That's an ongoing conversation that we'll have throughout the year So i'm looking forward to that very much Arlington is a great town It has great residents it has great people Volunteering on boards It has a long history of good management And so I'm excited to be part of that and I'm very excited to work with all of you. So I look forward to that Looks like mrs. Mahan is sat means mr. Corsi You're muted I'm not hearing sorry I started off there and I'll start again. Thank you, mr. Chairman Yeah, I want to thank mr. Pooler for agreeing to take on the role over the next year as town manager and I appreciate the work that he has done for the town and and he mentioned the finance committee and I was on the finance committee when when mr. Pooler First began with the town and he started coming to meetings with mr. Chapterlander very shortly into that He was the representative at a lot of meetings and and so I have seen him field questions from finance committee members and present budgets and and And respond to different inquiries that 21 different members may bring up from time to time and I was always impressed with his Breath of knowledge with that and we are as as he mentioned entering a very challenging time for our town fiscally Because of the potential for an override either next spring or the spring afterwards and and there really is no one more qualified in town who knows the ins and outs of the finances than than mr. Pooler. So we're we're really Fortunate to be working with him on those issues over the next year I look forward to having a meeting with mr. Pooler talking about Different aspects of the job and the relationship between the town manager's office and the select board and um, I feel like you know, we it took us a while, but we're we're in a good place and I look forward to working with you Thank you. Mr. Corsi Mr. Hearn Yeah, I just want to also thank sandy for stepping up on relatively short notice to fulfill the vacant spot that we have here and I don't think he and sandy have had too much interaction in the past couple years but um But uh, I do look forward to meeting with him and Talking a little more about what we see happening for the next year for the town. So thank you Thanks. I heard summons. Thank you, mr. Chair um, I I would say congratulations mr. Towne manager I think that the board chair needs to ask him to accept the offer before that's official But i'm going to be presumptuous and hopeful that that sandy says yes Uh, thank thank you sandy for stepping up. I know that this is taking on a whole other level of Responsibility and I think that's you know why I'm very happy that we are in this place because I feel like the town will be in good hands for really important conversations Um in challenges that we have to engage with over the next 12 to 13 months So I am grateful. I will take you up on your offer of meeting for lunch And I look forward to deepening the relationship that we've begun to establish over the last few years Thank you. Mr. Chair Well, thank you for the for those instructions, mr. Helmets So I am not going to ask mr. Puller to formally accept and I'll give me a chance to say just a few more words So so mr. Puller do you accept? Yes, I eagerly accept your offer. Thank you You're welcome in and and one thing that did become apparent from all of my conversations with you I mean it's how much you really do care about the town mean and and you want uh to work with the town and so So I I sincerely I know you to hear about that and I definitely believe you so um, this is behind Sorry, there was one thing and I Didn't want to I seem like Anyway, uh, one of the other things that's really important to myself and the board Especially now in your role as town manager And something that I'd like to just put as a request Um, it's also very important the relationship that our town manager has with all of our employees including our union And regardless of whether there's an override in the spring of 23 or 24 All of us having been through overrides and or dead exclusions Know that there's a really important relationship that needs to be established and um A flow of information and and and respect Flowing back and forth, um, you know not I mean we all Want to work to the ultimate end which is to make Ellington the best place it could be but It's uh, I know the sport is demonstrated with you know the opera funding and premium pay for town employees. Um, it's also It probably goes unsaid, but I just wanted to say it that um, also whatever you Craft as the best um pathway And I know you've had dealings with the unions in past and and schedule employees I know you and I've had a few conversations. Um, but you're now That's how manager and um, that's something uh, we I just wanted to put before you. I'm not asking you for an answer on that tonight Because you know, you have a lot of other things to do and think about but, um, just as I think it's a good idea that you know Sitting down as town manager with department heads Um and getting that sort of new insight. I think the same and you probably would agree applies to All of our workers department heads and our town unions and I apologize. I should have said that but I was waiting. Thank you That's quite all right, you know, so so um with that I'm still done, you know And I'll just ask mr. I mean if there are any other formalities to this process that I need to um I mean, thank you. Thank you, mr. So let me just make sure I've recited the board's posture The board had previously taken a vote to uh, essentially make an appointment pursuant a contingent upon successful contract negotiations It appears that those contract negotiations are successful if the board agrees with that summary then I think that we're all set Okay I agree Yep, you and I see Mr. Of course, of course, do you want to say something? Yeah, and then this is just procedurally I mean, I think the last thing we have to do is we have to get our signatures on the contract And and that's something that we can work through with with attorney hind. Um You know perhaps as early as tomorrow for at least three of us and and for mr. Pooler Yes, I mean I'll actually be there. Um tomorrow morning for The send-off event from his chaplain. So I'll work out, you know, so okay. Thanks. Um, any I if we're all clear, I mean, I'm not in a rush to go. I just want to make sure that For mr. Hurd and I'll second that okay, you know Seems like the pair for tonight Just to make it really hard on me, right So on emotion for mr. Hurd and a second for mr. Helmeth, you know to adjourn mr. Hyme I mean, I enjoy spending a lot of extra time with you guys, but uh, I think everybody will be okay with fewer meetings for the next few weeks Yeah, all right Mr. Hurd Yes, mr. DeCorsi. Yes, mr. Helman. Yes, this is mohan Yeah, thank you mr. Diggins. Yes It's unanimous vote And thanks again everyone for your patience earlier at the beginning of the way. Take care