 Five o'clock by my watch and believe it or not five o'clock by the ten o'clock So I will call our meeting to order this evening. Welcome everyone We have a couple of guests over here gentlemen you want to introduce yourselves Okay, welcome. Thank you. Thank you and We have one amendment to the agenda that I'm aware of Which is an executive session to discuss the Bowdoin tax appeal which will happen at the Happen at the end of the meeting. Are there any other amendments to the agenda? Okay So with that We'll move into our budget workshop I would suggest if everybody is willing since we have the bandstand committee here that we take up there Request first and then they're welcome to say and listen to our budget deliberations if they wish to was that okay with everyone Okay, gentlemen, you're on So we are in our approaching our I believe our 17th year of programming and To at this point around the guard of the whole history. We are sponsored by the middle sex historical society Create a 501c3 category through us through through association we are now seeing a summer audience of Something over 2,000 people over a six-week program and we have lived in the floor of the caliber of Musicianship that we're bringing into town We're getting a lot of great feedback from the community about that and asking us to keep that that caliber of Musical presentation Happening so we've begun to include Grammy winners from all over the world and it's getting to be quite an elevated program We have until now we've sustained ourselves on a mix of some local business sponsorship and that continues In the last two seasons we have collected funds at each of the performances and folks just donate what they can and That's been helpful But we're at a point where we are looking at just a Large-room mix of revenue streams and that brings us to this the select board meeting and the appeal to Asset town to consider $1,500 contribution to the program whether that's in a discussion in this meeting or something that is Assigned to the town warning for the the 2023 town meeting That's your prerogative and Ellie Thanks to that. I mean, I just wanted to say that it's concert series has really become a Much anticipated part of the summer in the middle sense and it's become very intergenerational So we've got people our age and we did say And now we have grandchildren running around to get to any of the concerts, you know how wonderful it is And I just passed one comment along from a lifetime middle-sex resident Who said that? She is sure that her children who are both in elementary school at Brunney Will never forget the concerts because they're among the kids who are running around so everything that we've done there has been a Result of the generosity of people in the town and businesses we built the bandstand of volunteer labor and contributions We've really tried to stay back from asking for tax dollars but the Program that we're putting on is a really good one the cost of booking performers is going up And we've got some capital expenses that we have to figure in including the place use a floor of the bandstand so We hope you'll take that long account I did want to add one less thing just to thank you again to the select board for humanist permission to build the shed On the site, so that's been super helpful and just about complete and it's going to be To our just facility operation there, so thank you again for allowing that Great, what what is your total annual budget now? Do you know? We probably work within about 10 to well not more than $12,000 right now. We're anticipating expanding that again as Ellie and I described roughly that the cost of hiring artists is is going up and We have some facilities repairs to do like the floor Another approach that we're considering taking is Expanding into the realm of underwriting which is approaching institutional Well, we'll call them sponsors. I need to call them underwriters. So there's some active conversation with a couple of local banking institutions And that could be something in a just a larger realm of contribution It's not not established yet, but it's just an active conversation. So it's just to let you know that we're trying to Keep irons in a number of fires so that we're not relying on anyone entity Okay, thank you So the only thing we Contribute now is the use of the land obviously The mowing pay the mowing you have any idea how much that amounts to during this It falls under the recreation Yeah, yeah, yeah, but it doesn't we don't break out but just the bandstand Okay I'm sorry, what we don't have No, no, no, we know we know we know we know okay Board members thoughts comments. What percentage of that overall budget the U.S. To me goes to the artist Probably three-quarters. Okay Do the food vendors find it worthwhile to go there and it's typically a banner evening for them the last two seasons we've been working with a piece of vendor would build a pizza and I want at least a couple of occasions. They've shared that they've broken their events house records, so Yeah, they're coming back next year. We got a yeah arousing. Yes And do they contribute or anything or their contribution is just well actually take that back They what they do is they they feed the van they feed the artists. Oh, okay, so they're and that's their prerogative they Fire up the oven and usually the first few pies that come out of the oven They just bring them down to the the performers and feed them first before they open for the right So that's a good gesture on their part and I found the event to be helpful for You know advertising other things that are going on like you guys have been generous like the fire department has come and then fundraisers there in the past and the energy committee has gone there to Share whatever information they're doing So it's a nice place for to see the community in one Location at one time and because it's public property. We are Welcoming but also understanding the obligation to allow for things like in this past season allow politicians to Present and Work the grounds that that went actually quite well Those folks were showing up every single week and they were doing what I would argue was just kind of respectful working of the crowd There are occasions at this past summer, but the summer before on one cost we would raise About $500 for the fire department. So they're the things like that that we're happy to do and with the exercise of collecting donations at the performance now we're able to identify You know dedicated fundraisers like that so the request is To include $1,500 and I guess it would be in the recreation budget To support the bandstand and or and or We put we meaning the select board put an article on the town ballot for the $1,500 To me I think the bandstand is a great thing $1,500 is a whole amount of money. It seems appropriate. I mean we have a lot of a lot of money Not a lot of money, but money in our recreational budget, which I would tell you is nowhere near as well spent as that So from that point of view, I think it's a good thing to do, but I Am interested in other Thoughts if any I would say if we put it right in the budget We just have an explanation as to why the budget you know went up by 300 percent or Right, I'm fine with it going we should probably we should probably I don't can we set it up as a separate line item So it can be tracked that way that way, you know how much money you've spent and how much is left Probably better than just having it in the in the pot, but we put it under under recreation Would someone be willing to make that motion? And would this would this be something that they report back The manner in which they spent these funds and all that kind of stuff or is this like an allocation on the annual basis for them to They're not reporting back on anything I think we would expect to report I think that's a Understood piece of it. I mean So for the way it would work is you would submit a bill Dorenda would pay the bill Okay, so That in effect is the report. We're gonna know what we're that's that's so that'd be if we put it into the direct department budget If it was added as its own Article at the end it would just be an allocation to them for them to do what they want Is that what you were saying? No, no, no, no, no, either either way Either way the way the money would be spent was they would they would submit a bill We didn't say this is 50% of the cost for this artist or you know, whatever whatever it was And report we would pay the bill directly. We wouldn't give you the money So we would send the check to the artist or the vendor unless they could just bill less Can't they just say well, I thought this is for repairs on the bandstand not for Is it this for repairs like it could be I think what what we're talking about Just operating okay, and we're more than happy to submit a Bill, I'm not sure we would have the artist submit a bill Right, we would get an invoice from the artist and we would or we would I mean then it does sound I Think it might be that and that's where my thinking would go is that The gentleman who does the sound reinforcement for us for the whole summer His his line item for the season is $1,800 the 1500 from middle sex would Offset the lion share of that and that that would be a specific Even easy invoice. That's what I'm trying to say. Okay, we just want to be you know keeping the money in town We're ultimately accountable, so we want to be sure where the money goes basically So we'll we'll place to present a specific invoice And I'm betting that this is the category Yeah, how will we remit cuz Mitch hasn't represented his budget yet, so we'll need to remember to put that in there Yeah Okay, so it was moved by Phil who seconded Liz seconded all those in favor Any oppose thank you gentlemen So just one little thing to keep in mind is this money is available as of July 1st, but not before our fiscal year starts Yeah, no, I know but don't give us a bill in March Repairing the floor or something like that. The town is tax exempt So you would be safe if we paid those kind of bills You wouldn't be paying sales tax on any of those that product use If you're part of the historical society Okay Thanks for coming down Okay, so highway department budget presentation always an exciting it's so big time of year We're in the we're in the new world don't be critical I guess I guess my question First would be do we want to just talk about what items have changed? I Would talk about the big items. Yeah, the item the items that are Zero-funded unless a board member has a question I don't think we need to spend a lot of time talking about those but the You know the road gravel Tire chains the guy checked off five or six things there self-contracted services and mud season mitigation Those are the big ones So I guess I guess to start off With tire chains I took that number as What we have spent in the past on tire chains. This is a new line item Because so before where has it been included before during the god on my house hearts, I mean The highway Yeah, as far as I was okay, there's no consistency to because everybody coded it Okay So that was that was the the reasoning for that number The gravel so We originally budgeted 40,000 for gravel. I increased that 60 To 100,000 and the reason the reasoning behind that was our roads are lacking in gravel and the only way to Really address that is put somewhere to it my thought process behind that would be to Focus on the main arteries in town and the real bad spots and work away from that So how much how much will that Extra money to cover a good portion of the main And that helps with mud well, it's gonna help to some extent, but it also is gonna help with Like on West Hill with all the slimminess Right, that's what I mean. Yeah, and then just conditions themselves drainage because you can put a crown on the road You're gonna bury up. Yeah, there's so many sections of the road Things like that Did add some money on oil recycling because there was no money in that whatsoever and when we change our oil We have it in a barrel, but it needs to be pumped out and recycled. So That was based off from one pump out a year. I don't know how much they pump it out I'm assuming at least once a year I'm sorry. Where is that line on that would be under equipment maintenance? Got it Yep Contracted services that there I added it was originally funded for 20,000. I added 50,000 to that because of the price of the salt the new salt shed if we were to try to budget for that Where are you on subcontracted services 40,000 so an increase of $26,000 Yeah, I'm seeing a total of a total increase of 26 I wonder why it was changed. So you want it 70,000 So does this have is this the same money that you put into the CIP request the budget committee for the For the salt shed. It was like it was 86 Of like 14 or whatever so I figured took that out of it. Okay So so what's it supposed to be I put it at 70 total total of seven Okay So is that the only thing with that line out item contains in it is the remaining funding Needed for the salt shed. That was I increased our gas and diesel Obviously just because of the times were in Quick question. Is our electricity not getting coded properly? That the year-to-date is only 250. No, I don't Just another those know the year-to-date numbers are not correct Okay, because I I did a separate sheet so that I wouldn't be sending off my whole Gamma pages for nothing um Under highway wages, I was So that's going to be that's ultimately going to be part of the bigger discussion which typically Typically we have in January and that's something I do want to once once we're finished I want to just talk a little bit about that because whereas for years and years and years I was Involved actively involved in the business community, and I had a pretty good idea what other organizations were doing and recommending and now I don't so I just want to be careful that we don't Make an error on the upside or the downside When we do that, but anyway, that's fine The other big one was under paving and construction so I added that 198,000 that is the difference after our $200,000 grant we are awarded for Instruction, yep, I didn't have anything How much is that 198 It might have said that it's something that you sent off before you made save Save to the worksheet you were working on maybe I maybe I did the same That's the difference of the cost for after the grant We do still have money in the budget, and that's what we were originally going to use But so what we can I mean we can put plug these numbers in but then we should probably go back and when we Because there's still I don't know what you know, I don't know what that was When you say the payment budget you've been I had no idea what was in it, so I just That's okay I Did increase with while with the road gravel I did increase this Ditching stone just because the cost of that as well Construction correct you But some of that might be mitigated because we're going to put in a Yes, we are First a grant Yeah, that could be but I figured I'd put it in anyway just because So It's probably not the right line. I don't but under mid let's use the mitigation I put that 75,000 in there just because that's what was spent on stone last year for our mud season Isn't that is that understood as the amount that was spent on it? 76 So That's why I put that there so that if we have another mud season like that we can apply stone But it's really the best way to handle mud and spread diamonds Okay, so now we're up to Completely different than because overall you said you had like a 25% budgeting Okay, okay, somebody said that you told me that well, that's what it says here 25 But So prepare for changes So I mean, you know one the one thing for me is we're putting That extra money into gravel You know, maybe we knock out the 75,000 for mud season mitigation, but let's Let's see how it all goes, but I don't think we can tolerate a 53% increase that I'm not saying it doesn't all good stuff We understood that Yeah, and I think you know for me, you know just with the work that I'm doing on the CIP and whatnot You know some of these things like this gravel Budget, you know the hundred thousand dollars, you know if that's going to be like a Recurring maintenance type things those are the exact type of things that in my mind, you know We should get in on that CIP so every every five years if it's a hundred thousand dollars that we need to put into gravel to maintain These roads, you know, that's exactly what the town folks want to know about you know those upcoming charges And it's a huge list, you know, I think that you know just I don't know how Much anybody has looked at that but there's a lot of stuff on there and there's a lot of capital expense coming our way So I think it would be worthwhile at town meeting If we have one that the budget committee does some sort of presentation or at least does some sort of hand out So that people know what's going on so they know we're using it, right and yeah that mark thinking about it So You know, this is great information to have I think it's gonna have to change But how much it's gonna have to change well How much in grants do you hope that you're gonna have? Right, but how much How much are you asking for the grant like you just applied for one I heard Yeah, how much is that I only have one grant right now Yeah I just want to make sure I heard that right adding the new numbers in for Eric would be a fifty three percent increase in the budget Is that right? I've got twenty four percent on this We have a different sheet then. I don't know what happened there. Okay. Okay. I was scratching my head I'm gonna say pa I thought the Frenchman says yes, maybe so you know the other thing to think about is I didn't say this word, but you know, maybe some of this we should borrow the money and spread it out over a few years maybe There's no trucks being purchased this next year. I Think we have trucks out a couple years Based on the CIP Escavator was the next big item, I believe it is the excavator right was the next big item coming up on the CIP What's that I'd have to refer back to mark on that but mark was that a The excavator replacement did that come up in 24? Do you remember that? Is 2023 or 2024 it's it's current Yeah, I thought it was 24 but Yes, yeah, we can we can look at that And I can get back to focus on that if it was that long Eric I thought we put like $20,000 in our paving fund every year 30k every year Okay, so do we do we Want to keep it cutting back like it isn't the purpose of doing the paving fund because in 10 years We're gonna need to pay again And that's 300. Yes, right, so shouldn't it be 30,000? Yeah And I'm only showing $2,000. Yeah, right that should be adjusted to 30 So there we go 50 60% increase there What did you adjust paving fun paving fun should go back to 30,000 or maybe 20 well, but it shouldn't be too. It shouldn't be too, right? Can what's our bridge in middle? The bridge in middle sex so what right yeah, there's two yeah Victor made it an aside here as we were talking about the excavator and he's kind of moment if it lasts that long and I was I was trying to recall. I thought we had some discussion about that needing some significant repair On your carers is what we talked about So is it is it realistic? Did you guys talk about that last year I believe yeah because there was a we talked about trade-in and they gave us a trade-in value that was There was a difference of like $30,000 if my memory serves me correct based on if the repairs that they would expect to be made We're made prior to that There was like a $30,000 difference in the value of that piece of equipment Based on whether those repairs were completed or not No, it's pretty important I think I have a couple questions chloride last year we spent 33,000 and we budgeted And we budgeted 23 for the current year and that's probably why we picked up 23,000 on that one, but we did spend 33,000 in the year before We've only spent Yeah, so today we spent 10k yeah, and what we do that during the summer, right? So we probably won't do it They'll be the next year But you have 23 allocated so that looks like a good number. I think we'll be very close to it Okay, my other question that stood out was Was culverts we spent almost 32,000 dollars So I just want to make sure that was also because we did all the culverts on center row Right, that was an exception. I have a decent inventory. Okay. I just wanted those were too big So just for just for you know thinking things The solid shed would be one thing that would be appropriate to borrow money for Pay it off over Five years ten years, whatever. I mean we we we obviously can't take all this in one year We'll we'll peg the bell like we've never pegged the bell So I think we have to look at some of that stuff that the stone in the gravel is going to be more of a recurring cost but the salt shed I Guess I guess and ran believe me that I'm not saying that gets us there But but just thinking quickly about this financing the salt shed and maybe maybe Some other things And as much as it pains me to say that Put a put a spike in the 75,000 for my season mitigation just You know, we'll get it out of we'll get it out of the winter months or summer maintenance Or what we have to take it from like we have in the In the past I mean if we if we get if we get a major arteries resurfaced That is a big project for one year. I think Can I can I say one other thing on the shirt? you know I Attended a session that the governor put on yesterday Talking about ARPA money with a bunch of the different department heads through the municipalities and I think that you know, it would it would be beneficial for us to reach out to those folks To talk specifically about something like that that may Fall into it, you know one of their pots of bucket And then just see if there's opportunities for us to Use some of the state ARPA money to help with stuff like that And I believe they also said that Things like catching up under firm road maintenance and things like that could potentially be included in that too So I think I think just taking some of this some of these big-ticket items away, you know, but even stuff like the You know ditching stone and some of the gravel the salt shed if we could if we could connect with some folks there and You know, maybe get a little bit of a direction of who specifically to talk to You know They'll point us in the right direction. So And I believe excuse me, I believe Julie Moore From a and I was over there. She may have some stuff that that she would be able to connect you with And there were some I can't remember the lady's name, but there was another Lady there that I was thinking about when when I heard her talking But yeah, they're definitely they're definitely looking for ways to spend I think they received like 1.04 billion dollars to push out That's what I was about to say we had we had some of these items, I believe On our on our but wish less like months. He's a medication Maybe not I don't know Anyway, we've got some more we've got some work to do clearly got some work to do We look at you're looking at that $100,000 and we talked it over I don't think we're going to put a foot of gravel Think you have to I just All I'm going is just talking and trying to kind of explain how this it goes here in our opinion is that Gravel is what if you're buying it by the yard out of The the granite stuff out of Southbury is what 15 was like 15 a yard Whereas if you buy it out of the scales like Northeast, it's more like 20 Because you've got the you've got the weight factor. They sell it by ton. The other people sell over yet But with that said We can't truck it all with our trucks And and and we're hiring, you know when we hire truck for hiring tri axels. They carry more They carry it easier. So that I I believe with the cost of diesel fuel and stuff right now It's going to cost us close to 30 bucks a yard. I mean it's going to cost us another 15 So it's gonna be like 30 31 to yeah bucks a yard, so You're not buying as much gravel as you think you are for the hundred thousand dollars Oh, I I get it. I'm just I yeah No, ultimately ultimately what this whole process comes down to and and the highway budget is always the big nut Yeah to deal with it's two-thirds or three-quarters of the of the money And that's probably before you count in buying trucks and other things we have to buy. So, you know, here's where we have to manage between the highway payroll and construction costs and maintenance costs and everything else where we have to manage our budget and You know the question for me always comes down to and we've had no Discussion so far. I don't know if the budget committee has in terms of an expectation of what we're trying to meet as a as a budget increased But certainly it isn't 58% can't be they you the other part of What that that getting that gravel is to that we don't we don't put that down But we're you know like on McCullochill Road, which lasted pretty good for a few years now It's getting so that it's been turned over enough. It's been sanded enough When you put sand on top of your of your gravel It deteriorates your gravel. You don't have ground. I mean Like we've said that you know, we could probably get away with You know last maternity five four five, but that's all they had up. There's four or five inches And it held up pretty good. If you've got good gravel You can you it'll hold you through the through that mud says you have no mud season Last last two three years on McCullochill with that gravel Victor, I'm not I'm not disagreeing The one thing I would say is and you know, this is where we This is where we walk on eggs a little bit Um Is I would rather do a shorter section of the road and do it correctly That's that's what we're telling you been doing it half bait and have it not be the right thing to do And I use that slate as a perfect example of that. But anyway, we're not talking about sleep No, I know I've been just saying mistakes of the past or or whatever We thought we were saving money by using that slate instead of good gravel And I think we paid for it in the end, but I don't I don't think we're talking about saving money We're talking about what we want to do. No, no, I get it. I get it. But all I'm saying is when we look at Managing the buzzer request and what we need to try and accomplish What's reasonable to present to the voters? And you know, we need to make that decision in a collaborative way. I'm not I'm not suggesting we're gonna The budget committee or the select board is going to ram a number down anybody's throat I think we have to work out what we think is the right Is the right compromise? Well the elephant in the room Peter with the you you know it is I mean a hundred thousand dollars Well, if you explain it, I think we'll fly Or somewhere in there, you know 70 75 I mean We don't have any problem passing special articles that are more is in that and that's not a hundred thousand It's the three hundred thousand that I'm worried about and and you know The other the other Thing to think about is and I'm not ready to suggest we do this but You know, we can support a special article for that right and say, okay. This is a one-shot deal We really need to do this. Yes. It's extra money. Here it is. What do you think voters? Yeah, so the problem that I see with that is it's I don't feel like it is a one-shot No, it isn't a one-shot deal. It's a it isn't, you know The work that we've been doing on the budget committee is you're looking at the long term here You know, there's significant costs coming down the road And at some point We need to make a change and we need to start start You know, whether it's saving or borrowing or whatnot, you know, that's a tough conversation That I think this board has in front of them because there's there's huge capital expenditures coming and and To try to take out some of the swings and year-to-year changes within the budgets At some point we need to make that first step and we need to start, you know Putting in some money on an annual basis into these funds. So this this gravel, for example Say it's not a hundred thousand, but we start putting fifty in a year To make sure we're maintaining the roads long term If we get to a year and we don't have to Expand that fifty thousand dollars Then you know that could potentially offset some other cost, whether it's The amount that we need to finance for a truck. So instead of having to finance, you know $200,000 or $250,000 like we just did on this last truck, right? Maybe there's a hundred thousand dollars sitting in this cip that everybody's been You know talking about forever That helps buy down the amount of you know call it a down payment if you would that that Helps us take out some of the some of the extreme peaks and valleys of of this year-to-year change And that's going to be a tough conversation because on top of this already large request The highway department has some pretty significant expenses coming up for equipment. So I mean it's I just want everybody to be prepared We're going to have to do some work and we're going to have to have some tough conversations because I think the the time of Trying to hold the budget and I don't know you can you can tell me where we were always trying to hold it to But if it was three to five percent increase or something days are over I I think to prepare ourselves for the long term I think we need to look beyond that Randy I don't disagree with you. I mean I'm I'm I and I have no idea What the situation is with the schools, but I've heard some really scary numbers So there's you know There's two thirds and there's two thirds of our tax bill right there And then there's then there's the numbers we're looking at here. I mean, I think we're I think we're in the realm of Double digits before we even blink Um between between cost of living increases salary increase, you know everything Um and maybe more I just I just want to be sure that we do it in the most thoughtful way we can And We are ready to do a good job of explaining it to the voters Because that's what it's going to take them. We can create the best budget in the world if it doesn't pass We're nowhere. So does anyone know this is sort of changing the subject But I've always been curious. How does a place like New Hampshire for example that has mostly paved roads, right? For their sort of back roads, how do they pay for that in these small towns of paved roads? Is it the taxpayers in south spain or does the state So they just say that again. How they how will they pay for their paved roads in these rural areas? So I know in New York state, which I'm pretty familiar with as a property owner in New York state The counties there's big county government in New York and they do all the paving and road maintenance Towns do plowing they do, you know some stuff, but the big projects are all done by the county and there's a county tax And it's not gee New Hampshire New Hampshire Has been doing it and they unless they said I mean they have a greater tax base and we do Yeah, they generate a lot more money. They've been a lot of the other thing is in general This is a general statement, especially in you know from, you know Two-thirds down to the Massachusetts border The soil in the you know, the native soil is not conducive to freeze thought as As we are I mean we have nothing but a bunch of mud over ledge and then Interesting So it's a different topography everything correct. Yeah, so collecting tolls on their highways still there to help Yeah for the highway budget Yeah, they do have tolls No The other thing that's not showing here is we're going to have probably somewhere in the ballpark of $20,000 debt service Increased for the new truck that was started in this year working on so that's uh Another thing I haven't gotten People work on it. Yeah Well, I also have sort of started to exploit this is not a big revenue service Surplus at all But just looking to see what what we have for airbnb because that increases the traffic as well And you know our other towns, especially ones that are more tourist towns They must I don't I imagine some municipalities have an airbnb tax For short term rentals I don't think we have enough airbnb's in middle sex. I think we probably have a dozen but And then it does a lot that's going on under the table Well But that's a use of our roads that increases our traffic that we're not getting compensated for for you All what helicopters would would need these roads? Battery powered helicopters There you go Well, we've got some we've got some real work to do on this and uh, I appreciate the numbers I'd say it's already started the conversation. Can we get a refreshed copy with Okay All of that to fall out of the chair and I said well, that's not too bad So just just just transitioning into the other topic for a minute. What are what are people thinking? about paying increases percent seems a little high Can can I just spit something out that's been on my mind about pay increases and then just How do you look at that? Um, I know historically it's just been all lumped together right cost of living adjustment pay increases and and all of that I know the world that I operate in something by the businesses that I partner with Done slightly different and I I welcome feedback From the board on this but I personally love the idea of separating out a cost of living adjustment versus An adjustment and salary based on performance and um In some of the businesses that I partner with, um, you know, they They offer a cost of living to all employees and let's just say that's you know One and a half percent two percent whatever the number is and then Instead of saying okay, we're going to offer you four percent or five percent You know adjustment and pay for everybody The department heads are then given a specific amount of money to allocate amongst their staff and they base that off from Um, you know the performance of the staff and we're we're pretty small here We don't have a lot of employees. So I know I do realize that that makes a bigger difference at larger um Larger employers, but um, it's something that's been on my mind and and I would entertain feedback from from you all As to you know thoughts about changing how we do that So I would say a couple of them first of all over the years I've tried both methods And I'm well aware of the strengths weaknesses of both of them and the problems they create The problem I can see in particular this year is You know all year in the press every day is that the cost of living is eight nine, you know, whatever it is percent. Well You know if if we're going to if we're going to try and do that in one year There's nothing for performance increases. Sure. So, you know, so how does that work and Ultimately, you know, it always sounds it always sounds great to reward the better employees but Hating this action It's it's It's a challenging thing to do is all I'm saying and especially in a small organization where Sooner or later, I mean everybody on the road crew knows what everybody on the road crew makes You know, whether they pass their pay stubs around or or whatever. So there's no There's no secrets about what people make and as the good will you create by by You know Enhancing the pay for an extra good employee Worse the bad will that you get for maybe not the bad employee, but the marginal employee who Doesn't get the pay raise. So anyway, it's I think it's a good a good conversation to have I'm particularly concerned focusing on this year about you know What the total cost is however you parse it out and I think it's going to be a big cost and You know Anyway I don't disagree with I don't disagree with what you're saying. I'm just saying it creates challenges too. Absolutely. I recognize that and and part of my My thinking throughout this process is you know, we're I don't know about the town and what we're facing for you know, health care increases and all that kind of stuff but you know the um You know, I know I can speak for you know Some of the other places are that I've heard are experiencing 20 to 30 jumps and premiums for health care It's huge. So I don't know. Have you heard anything about our Expect I think it's 13 percent. Okay. So You know, we're on the low end of that believe it or not, but still you know in a place where you know, we We cover that cost for our employees You know So when we start thinking about cost of living adjustments and and everything else You know that needs to be taken into consideration as well as the fact that You know as the town picks up that cost that cost isn't being passed on to their employees. They don't need The same significant adjustment that somebody who If the town was passing on that cost directly to the employee might might need to see right um So again, you know and and this is a tough subject and then I've been trying to put a little bit of thought into it When I saw that it was on the agenda um You know, we made some fairly significant market adjustment, you know within this last year To to get ourselves out of a point where we were We were being being competitive again In this market and I recognize that we don't want to step backwards from that But I want to be careful in the expectations that folks have coming forward As we're absorbing, you know, these health care costs and everything else and Especially after coming, you know, some of those increases were 20 percent increases in pay and then July one there was another five percent on top of that So I just want to recognize that there were significant changes in in pay within the last, you know year and six months But even since then Cost of living has gone through the roof sure so You know, you know, I can I can I can just tell you and I don't know what kind of feedback of any or any expectation You've heard Eric from the from the road crew, but you can bet they're looking at those cost of living numbers which are in the In the paper and on the tv every day and whether you know Depending on which cost of living numbers you take those can be higher or lower by a significant amount But the fact of the matter is every time you pull up at the gas pump or go to the grocery store You know what the cost of living increases. It's pretty substantial. Yeah, so it's noted right here 8.7 percent is what they use for you know, based on that that cost of living you know Everybody I don't know who's I don't know whose number the 8.7 is but I've heard Yeah, so there the numbers are all over the place But the low end of the numbers is in the six to seven percent range and the high end of the numbers is in the 12 percent range So anyway At eight at eight eight percent anyway We all need to be thinking about how we how we parse it out how we distribute it as one question Randy's question good question, but ultimately what it amounts to is What's the This is Rob Halper. Oh, let me just let me just talk to you Rob That's okay. We're right in the middle of our meeting Um, and we haven't yet taken up the uh, we're going to have an executive session at the end of the meeting to discuss Discuss so the question is what the what the magic number is Okay, perfect. Okay, I'll get back to you. Thank you Okay, bye-bye. Yeah You want a percentage? No, I know what the percentage is. I'm looking at our percentage The towns. Yeah What are you looking at just what um, what's in the the fringe? Yeah, and you've got to you've got to remember that we're we're paying 100 of all the health care costs Here We don't do that at work. Yeah So that's going to make a significant a significant difference on a percentage basis Well, and the other thing the other thing to remember is that We pay a higher workers comp rate because They're row. They're not office workers. They're row crew. He pays. Yeah, I pay up. Yeah, you destruction. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah You know, I still think it's valuable too. I don't know if we ever did this Which was to present my husband gets one every year a letter saying what his value is right? That includes everything. We talked about it. I've got the format all done. I just I think we did it July 1, didn't we? We did not send them out and I mean we should have but I don't think it should be I don't know if it's something that should be given to department heads Discuss with their groups or you know, I just felt it shouldn't have come from the treasure Well, it can come it can come from the select. I mean the problem with department heads is we've really only got one department at very sets, right I don't know I just think We we implemented that years ago at noel johnson insurance and everybody got a sheet once a year And yes, you had a chance to discuss it at your review but You know, we don't do we don't do formal reviews Right We should probably or don't call them reviews call them employee meetings once a year. I don't know But yeah, I thought we'd done that I'm sorry. We didn't do it because I would have I would have sent it out from the from the select board But anyway, I I think we need to move on from this From this subject tonight. We know we've got real work to do When we have to finalize this the end of january correct or end of sarah All right our second meeting in january. It's got to be final Yep, so we have We have one more meeting in december and two and two in january. Yes Thank you for that Thank you for that Right, but I mean we can we can discuss it before somebody makes the motion. That's all I'm saying Yeah, yeah, yeah, we don't have a lot of I don't have a lot of playroom. We don't have a lot of playroom. Um Actually I know Sara We have talked about getting the budget committee on the agenda for a meeting late in the process Is it the 20th? Is that what we determined? I don't I don't think it was any determination I think because I think you guys were talking about Bringing the budget committee and done at after all this was done to have a conversation about well What do you think you can also talk about the capital improvement? Well, I think I think when I mean, I'm just thinking out loud, but I would think the first meeting in january I mean the choices are second meeting in december first meeting in january first meeting in january Is during to just said is when we've got to really get our arms around this and decide what we're going to do yeah, so I think I think the question in our mind is Discussing the cip so we We're taking the approach that we're Gathering the information as folks are presenting their budgets making a change making changes to what You know you take this gravel for example, and you know was this something that was going to be You know put into here or is it in the cip? You know how that how that conversation goes? So I think our recommendation changes based on how the departments put stuff either in on their annual budget or if they're asking for You know it to be included in the cip so um, I think before we're we're Voting and passing on you know what we're putting into the budgets. I think that's Seems to me like that's the appropriate time to to get the budget committee to talk about the cip and what because the select board's going to have to think about What comes out of the cip for that existing year? And gets included in this year's Proposal versus what goes in does you know following source. We're talking about two things The cip information we need sooner rather than later No question, okay but The finalizing the budget part where the budget committee says, you know, this is how we think you should handle a lot This is what we think that should be the first meeting in january. Okay So yeah, the cip we need to get that included in these numbers I'm only missing very few and it's not a huge impact I need the planning commission numbers, which they meet the day after your next select board meeting so What I told sandy I would do and I haven't checked to see if she responded but I told her I would just You know plug in the same numbers and use that as a template because it's not going to change too much Sadie said she'll send you something and working something before that. Oh did she okay? So there you go I haven't heard my answer all day. Okay, and then the other one I'm missing which is always a small budget is The recreation committee and Let's see the zoning budget. So and those are all pretty much Well, the big The big thing is what you need to talk about and get our arms around or whatever's in the cip that isn't in the budget already Okay, whatever that number is Parse our way through A highway budget and figure out what we're going to do on that and then overall which Affects the highway budget too, but yeah, so it looks like it looks like january or december 20th This we the budget committee should present the cip On the 20th to the yes always myself. Okay Merry christmas Yeah, yeah And we also need to keep in mind that are Uh, and we can decide how we're going to do it, but uh, I believe we committed that our first meeting in january It's going to be at the fire department. So we can either You know meet there for a while and then come back here or however we're going to do it But we need to think about that. Yeah, because you're not going to want to sit through the budget process So no, I don't think they are but I mean we can we can meet down there. We can chase them out of there I don't know I think it's important to do that But I don't think we need to stay down there that we can take a 15 minute break and come back here. Maybe And not have what's her name? Olivia Olivia we don't need to have Olivia down at the fire department. Maybe And maybe what I was actually going to suggest is if it could work is Well, I guess meet with the fire department right at five o'clock. It's probably hard to meet before that right for people to get there. Yeah, okay But we might be planning on a little longer meeting that night Okay moving right along Highway department is if we haven't beaten up enough already And you've got a new truck And we have our temporary salt setup with salt in it Good and The new truck we got the money for the old truck that we were supposed to get if we finalized the money Turn them. Oh, we've had that for two months The trade-in money No, yeah, all the paperwork has been yeah, we got the trade-in. We got Okay, but we've had the bank loans and yeah, I knew that On the top of your head this truck is a I can go look through the minutes, but it's not a freight line Or it's a Kenworth. It's a Kenworth 2023 Kenworth T880 T880 Were you aware of uh, I knew employee Got a cdl. No, what he told us I didn't know it was great news There you go Great And still everything is good with him. He's that's great Richard We'll get it No, not yet. Not yet. We'll get the next picture. It's all taken care of Correct. Well good for him. So our now now we just have to hold on to him for a couple of years So we get our money back. I think that will be easy. He likes it. He likes Eric. He likes he likes Well, that's that's right here. We're just just great That's great. Hey, can I raise something to the highway department? Up for Sunnybrook. There's a big boulder there. Does that sound familiar to you? Okay, it's on the edge of the road. Yeah, yes Diverting water. Yes. I've already looked at it. There's nothing to do about it right now. I don't know Yep, so what else gentlemen has my sign coming Not yet. Hopefully this week You have a sign It's gonna say sponsored by lushar I'm just waiting for this The first snow storm first person out the road dangerous dangerous dangerous Well, no, listen, I told you Silas put in a granite mailbox stand or no, not granite steel And so if someone hits that they're not that thing is not going anywhere There come on We got it Anything else victor anything We're ready for the snow whenever it comes right Yeah, nothing in the forecast sounds warm this week. Yeah 10 days at least. Yeah Unfortunate for the ski areas Yeah, they're making the snow not too bad. They're making it all the time. Yeah Okay, deciding whether to hold the march 2023 10 meeting in person or at the rummage school or by Australian valid action possible I don't think we have any choice. Do we he don't have any choice? I mean as it stands right now It has to be in person right stands right now. It has to be in person. There's a possibility I suppose that a code with race rise the legislature to be but I don't think there's any indication that that's going to happen I'll You Hi, Susan How's it going? All right, you guys are working harder Next time next time I see you I'll bring some No, no, no, we're good. Thank you Um, so as it stands right now My understanding is It's going to be an in person meeting We're just waiting there Eric As as sarah just said and I don't know whether you could hear If if covid raises its ugly head and the legislature takes some kind of action Then we'll have to do whatever we have to do but for the time being It's in person. I don't think we need to vote or anything. I mean it's pretty much Preordained right now Yeah, and certainly I would say for myself My preference would be to have it in person meeting. I think we'd all like to have it in person meeting So hopefully that will happen Yeah, I mean, I think that if it I mean if I don't I agree that you might not need to make a decision right now on the other hand if there's An indication that that's the preference of the select board that would be helpful in planning like for example, I think it's Pretty soon, you know, I would want to or or or sarah You know sometimes the solutions committee reach out to the school to start talking with them making prep for You know childcare and you know if we want to have a meal All those things it's just such a huge bureaucracy now. It's going to take time to get the wheels churning. So Well, I think I think what you should do is presume it's going to be at the school until all of us here differently unless anybody on the board disagrees. I don't think we need to Vote on it or anything like that. We're planning on having town meeting at the school. Yes That's good enough for you It'll be in the minutes I mean the legislature's Not has never told people they had to not have it In person. They just gave them the option of not having them in person Sarah Do you know anything about the it does you said town meeting is on the 7th? That's it's still Those february break goes right up to the town meeting day on that Tuesday. Yeah, okay Right, so there it's a late february break or something they're having Yeah I mean my presumption is that you're that you're Strong, which would be to have it in person if we can have it in person, right? My yes Yeah, I think it's time I mean that that's just my personal hit on where covet is and where people's energy is and whatnot it it feels like that that's the way things are moving Yeah Yeah so I would plan on that and We'll see what happens. It's as sarah's already pointed out You know for the legislature to even take any kind of action on this by the by the time they take action That's going to be almost over but the shouting anyway, so You know what it's what it's really going to come down to is if if our perception meaning the town of middle sex's perception is That there's a huge covet risk covet problem or rfp or whatever that other dreaded disease is Takes hold or whatever it is Then if the legislature gives us the opportunity we might pivot but I think it's probably unlikely, but who knows I don't think any of us know It seems all of a sudden more people. I know in fact covet in the last two weeks has been a long time So I don't know what's going on you at it Yeah, congratulations Somebody said to me the other day would be they're all had it or we're all gonna have it one of the others sooner or later, so It's not Before the vaccine Yep, uh, do you have anything else for us? um Liz do you think that In the past you have been super uh thinking leadership on a meal. Do you think that that's something We'll be talking with the school about You don't have to go on record She's hiding behind her computer Maybe Yeah, we'll we'll we'll talk about it We'll talk about it. Okay. Sounds good Yeah, it wouldn't be town meeting without the dinner. Come on When was the last time I cooked a meal for a hundred people long time ago before probably Uh, whatever 2019 Yeah Or no 2020 Okay, thank you Susan in 2020. Thank you. And then like the next week covet hit Yeah, yeah, that's what happened. Yeah. Yeah, we're all really worried. That's right. So chris is wandered in at the perfect time Good evening. This is an assemblage of brahmans personalities. That's for sure if they look here How are you guys good? So I had decided with a little gentle nudging from our time clerk That my opinion was we shouldn't send out the ballots the first thing I first information I get when I show up at the meeting is that she's flip-flopped And now she's gone. She's gone the other way and I don't know how the other other board members She went the other way I did well first of all ready brought a really good point when we were talking about You know just voter access. I do think it's going to be very confusing for voters to get One ballot in the mail and then they're not going to get a career center ballot They're not going to get a town ballot. They're going to have to call to get those ballots But they won't be able to vote on the budget until they go to town meeting It's all really convoluted on the other hand the Washington central budget is huge And it's the biggest part of I think, you know, the most voters who can vote on that. It's really important But then the most the key thing is it's not going to cost the town anything if we do it this way All I have to do is send a checklist to rosy. Look here She'll send it to LHS LHS will send it to a place in Ohio Ohio will print out the ballots Hopefully this time some of the addresses won't be screwed up and send them to the voters So we won't have to do anything on our end and no one will have to be reimbursed any costs or postage on our end The ballots come back here or did they go to some central? They come back here and we still have to transport them to address this We have to do that So it's coming out of my left pocket and not my right But let me ask this question how do we communicate to the voters Because I would not I would think it's the only ballot. I wouldn't even know that there was another election My original opposition right so how do we communicate with them that there are other ballots that they need to vote on that they need to come So what we'll do is we can and that was my original my original concern was voter confusion It's a lot. I mean voters have been getting ballots now mailed to their houses for two years So now it's like wait is there so I think what we can do is we can have an insert at it That says You know 10 middle sex voters. Do you know everybody should get asked for their ballots? Here's one thing. I think that there was this way to school. I think that's going to cause problems for us To just say to this company uh, Ohio We'll take those middle sex things aside and put this that's going to be an added cost That's labor, you know if the school district would consider saying here is a school ballot Would you um, please note that these may not all be all the ballots that you are voted for Please call your town clerk and then just put a list of town clerks down there or their email addresses that way everybody Why do they want them mailed? For broader distribution so that people vote because it is it's a big budget and it spans all the towns now and To give everyone the opportunity the same reason we we went to um mailing ballots a couple years ago because that was cobit certainly But greater participation Kind of the same reason we went to australian ballot 20 years ago Sarah mentioned that and I I remember that town meeting here. It was a close vote but one of the advocating points was More participation Because people can come they don't have to come to the school meeting They can just come in and vote on the budget and that really I think carried the day even though was really That was like a 10 20 vote difference between the two was really really tight vote But that was a big point That people were making and and you know these do still have to come if we can have An in-person town meeting which I hope you do Just because I think you lose stuff on the zoom that you don't really see in person Oh that you see in person You don't see it on the zoom and in your body language and interaction because you can only see one screen at a time I guess but Just to get as many Folks to vote as possible And if we were to do our own mail and voting for our own ballot that'd be a separate mailing In a separate envelope. Well, we could We could say you board they make your next meeting could decide to mail everybody a town ballot But all they're going to get is town officers and the zoning regulations Budget and special articles still have to be on the floor Right so we change that You can't change it today sitting there You can you as a select board could put a question on the morning for the march 7th town meeting and say shall we Just like what chris was talking about when they switched over to make everything australian mella Put that question on the on the on the and then and then bacon's talk talk about it a town meeting by all the people who attend in person Remember we did that and there was a vote. There's an australian That's high. Oh About every year we talk about it Well, you can't it's not actionable unless it's on the warning, right? So if but you're the select board you could decide to put that on there And it really makes no difference whether it's australian ballot or whether it's in person I like town meeting. I think it's a great community event I think it brings great value getting members of the town together But the truth of the matter is the countervailing argument is a couple of hundred folks Right make the decision and you know, the truth of the matter is Our town budget is relatively small Compared to the school budget and now we're going to have the the other budget the Career center budget but It's still real money and it's great concern to to people in town and it is discouraging to me that You know now now now people can request a ballot. They can vote early. They can You know, whatever, but they can't Vote on the budget unless they show up at time meeting. I didn't call it 19 prove that it didn't make any difference Everything fast anyway Well, it makes the difference in terms of how many and I don't I don't know the We got a great Better than I think I think for me, you know, I know a lot of people like the in-person town meeting and What not for me it all come it comes down to the additional participation that we those people that can't make it or For whatever reason they participate when they get mail the ballot versus when they don't And at the end of the day, that's that's what I support is just increased activity and and Participation through the process. So here's the countervailing argument though, and I remember all the years Going to those school meetings after lunch when everybody is Like this they've been through a three hour town meeting now. They're at the school meeting and there's hardly anybody there And then and then we go to australian ballot, right? Great So the school has informational meetings. Well, you talk about nobody there There were years when I was the only person for middle sex who was even at the informational meeting So yeah, people may be participating, but they're not listening to presentations They're not asking questions. They're not they're not participating I don't know as if we know who's participating and who's not, you know, how many people Will bring stuff up that it's talked about in a meeting like this that aren't sitting in this room People watch these recordings people People attend they read meeting minutes Just because they're not physically here doesn't mean that they're not Involved to some extent I will I do agree with you that I'd love to see a bunch of people here and participating And and whatnot. I mean, I understand that we don't get that but I don't think it's fair to say that people are staying informed or Engaged to some extent in the process just because they're not here. You're right The hybrid takes care of that. I mean, I think the hybrid is really the nice balance of the two having like this is great that you have the in person meeting here, but you also have access to Um, the zoom participation where you can get both And you know, you really do have that dialogue. You missed the dialogue. I think you're just going for a show you've found it Absolutely, and Peter, you know, I only went to a couple school meetings before it was is done But that was a very direct opportunity to change the budget because you would make a proposal to change Dollar amounts and it would pass granted. It was only like 20 or 30 people who stayed and did it But it was a very direct participatory Democratic act which we've lost in a way now So it really is Preserving that as much as possible. I think it's helpful. I also think that town meeting in person is just a unifying act You haven't seen people for a long time and say, oh my god, how you doing? I haven't seen you You know, even though it's a small town You know, maybe we could just have a meal without the town meeting You know, it's a harvest center was for the harvest center. That was that meal. Those are good old days Well, you right, I think that I think these other questions are bigger questions not for tonight's discussion, but but I think I guess we agree. I think if we need a motion, we can do a motion I'd like to make a motion. Um, and you can make a motion You have to make a motion But you also uh rosy, I don't know She's still here. She's very nervous that you guys are going to make the wrong motion. Oh, you know Rosie would we make the wrong motion? First of all, no one's directing a town clerk to do anything in this business. Okay, let's just get that straight When sarah was opposing this, I was thinking come to this and sarah, you know, the um Well-regarded Dana Carvey church lady. He was very indomitable and how do we overcome that? So when she puts her hands on her hips like that watch out, that's a bad sign The motion has to say uh, that the select board will uh, send every active registered not challenged voter approves the sending a wc uusd Fallot for the march 2023 school meeting And it was somebody willing to make that motion. No, no. I'm not confused because you just said We're not doing anything. You're not directing the town clerk the motion from from their office kids said the select board directs the Yeah, I saw it right. All you have to do is just say authorize. It's right here Right, no, so the right writing in there So why would we make a motion regarding this at all your board? Because we need your permission to send that word about so all and it has to be all five towns all five towns have to approve And but I agree the motion is oddly worded because it's saying that The town of middle sex will do and I think we modified the language a little bit so that it's the town of middle sex Will prove the washington central union unified union district to send this stuff out Yeah, so that would be the modification Every active registered not challenged vote. Right. Is that right rosie? Don't need registered Just act if you're not challenged Okay But yeah, that's good sarah. Thanks Okay, so moved Okay Any further discussion all in favor Hi Chris, thank you for coming. It's always good to see you Motion Always good to see you too rosie Why does the town have anything to do with the school anyways? Well, there's there's the real question Ultimately, ultimately the legislature needs to act. It's my understanding There you go, okay Right the legislature needs to Take some action back when the school mergers were all happening the agency of education and the secretary of state's office didn't get together To Create the statutory authority for the schools as new municipalities to have their own elections therefore it fell back to the towns because Towns had election officials And the newly merged schools did not so You basically voted to have a school clerk Or take care of all of that for you and that's why I'm here tonight. So I've been assured by lawyers at the agency of education that it is their plan to get in front of the legislature this biennial and yet Some of that housekeeping as you will taking care of so that It's not so much of so that the schools can act on their own a little more Does that help? Yes, thank you You're welcome Well explain I think we're all set. Does anybody have anything else for rosie? Thanks for coming for chris. Can we roast Chris a little more as long as we got him here? I think we're all set guys I mean, let's hope for a legislative action to get the town out of this I mean because because it's got to be it's got to be threatening to know that all five towns have to approve this or you Can't do it. I mean that's I mean if you if the towns have got to do it, why can't you do a 10 by town anyway? I mean we didn't invent the system Okay, because there's 18 there and you know, you'd have to go to 18 different towns and right chances of that It'd be harder. Somebody's gonna blow it down. Yeah Yeah, so So any idea any thoughts about What the increase in the school budget's gonna be? I've heard scary numbers When would you heard? I I could you you you you say first Trying to think if we've discussed I think I've discussed this in exactly the same way so I don't think I can but If they would be substantial numbers I heard the board is the board is I heard in the 20% right. No, no, no. No, no. Yeah, good What is it that you read in the newspaper stuff that there's a surplus in the education fund? But that won't and and the governor wants to use that to to bring down for property tax But it probably will never happen 63 million 63 million sir. Yeah, but it's not gonna they're not going to use that to To defer taxes if you would I thought that was the original intent was to try to I'm not even reading it So it said it was the article it was in the paper the other day. I read the same. I read the same thing I said it probably wouldn't the governor wants to the governor wants to use it to reduce Deuce taxes with the education department Doesn't right. I don't know that I don't know did it say that that's basically what it said Didn't really give any explanation. It didn't right. Okay, but it said that the governor wants to build an education Right. Well, that's where I read the 20. Yeah That's not a number that's even close to being on table. Oh, thanks. Okay. Good. I can tell you that I mean deal with a lot of Factors in terms of inflation Well, we're struggling. This was our budget discussion tonight. I mean we're struggling with frightening numbers. Yeah, so anyway Thank you for coming down Stay if you that's okay Please you are more than welcome to say we we welcome citizen participation Oh, and we're ahead of schedule Well run meaning wouldn't you say I would say so. All right. Let's thank you I'm trying to report to renda Randy Okay, now we're really ahead of schedule approving minutes of the november 15 2022 select board meeting is their motion. Yeah, did you see that I corrected them? Yes. Yes I'll move Second all in favor the correction with the correction was the budget dairy number for the fire department. Yeah, yeah It was like 9,000 versus 95,000. Yeah, I was like that's a little budget Motion passes. Thank you. So, uh Orders either have or will be signed Is there any other? Business to come before our meeting before we go into executive session I'll just quickly give an update on the grants that I applied for Did you get an email that comes through that says the grant was that the grant was Deceptive into their system You probably should you know what maybe you didn't because it's like an old email or something I'll have to check with jenny. Anyway, I was submitted. I think I applied for like 25 something because of the match has to come out a certain way Um, and I just got an email back from dave maghida and he was like, oh funny. You should ask I was just wondering where that contract was. So he's going to follow up with them about signing the contract, but the budget, um that Yeah, so anyway, uh, yeah This is through, um The municipal planning grant a ccd So we'll find out in, um February I think it's February 1st that they let you know if you've been awarded It was a good grant sandy sandy and I worked on it and she also had someone else look at it and um Yeah, it was really helpful with the budget so Um If we don't get it, it's not because it's not a well written grant. I think it's a course. It's just competitive So can I follow up on that? Um Yesterday at that session I did speak with bryan swell with uh bgs. Yep. Um, he did clarify that it does not Pertain to new construction projects. So this is the $500,000 that I emailed you guys that copy Did you guys get that? It's like that's the same thing, right? I did. So I spoke with him yesterday. Um They currently have rfps out with some vendors for Full energy analysis that aren't isn't just limited to the building's thermal shell. It includes things like EV charging ports. So so seeing what the Electrical capacity of the buildings are and things like that that's at no cost to The folks that are coming in and that's prior to being awarded Uh a $500,000 or up to a $500,000 grant For the actual work. Um, so that's something that we should follow up on. Yeah I did send it to the ia because that's something that I want them to like Look at to see like what aspects. I mean that would be phase two That's not this phase right now, but just to have it on their radar because I can't remember if in that proposal it talks about at all about funding sources for how to pay for Their proposal, you know when they present the different options If there's a piece in there about ways to pay for it. Yeah, so I think other proposals So what I talked with him about was he said follow up with those guys sooner than later You know because obviously the assessment comes before being awarded anything, right? Um And I did tell him that we were working with the firm to do an analysis of and I explained the different options and whatnot So, um, I told him I might connect you or somebody That that you delegated to connect with them So In my understanding is they're trying to not make this really hard for people to apply for But but I didn't look at it closely It wasn't clear to me that was the $500 specifically only towards these energy efficiency things or could it be that you know You have to you know rebuild an addition that that has you know energy efficient heat pumps and blah blah blah That the cost can go to that as well. So as far as the addition to an existing building He didn't have a clear answer on that except for the fact that if it was a total new construction It wouldn't apply But there was there was some wording and some part of the conversation was there were it sounded like if let's say we had to Do structural repairs to a roof to increase the snow load capacity of the roof That those costs could be included in that in that overall work. It's a I think it's going to be a Very helpful funding source So a large funding source if if we were to go with renovating this and we have to think about that when we're Making that decision because this is this is big money specifically towards renovating municipal buildings and the other thing that I learned yesterday is that Uh, a bunch of these different pots of money that they have Um can be stacked upon each other. Yeah, so um, if let's just say a and r had something that Came to the scope of work that we were doing and we were Awarded this bgs thing They could stack on top of each other and if there was a match to one Then not all of them are able to be used as the match but A lot of them are so I bet they'll have a webinar training. Did they talk about that at all? They often do with those grants. They didn't say anything about that. That's they've kind of been doing a tour Uh, governor put together this capital for a day event. There's another one coming up january 23rd. I think in orange county I can let you know when that is um But basically they've got a panel of folks that are there Fielding questions from folks in municipalities and stuff like that. So that might be good to And you said you have the name of that person that yes I I took his business card and he actually gave me a one pager with a little bit more Description that I've got at the office. I brought it in hoping to catch you. Okay. All right. Cool. Thanks Let's find that money Yeah Okay, anything else anyone Okay, so we need to have a uh quick executive sessions or a motion to go into executive session Okay Yeah, you can have a good night chris. Thank you. Good night for us. Thank you. All right guys Tell me amended agenda. Bye. Bye, Susan to be in touch Let's make the most serious Move into executive sessions