 Good morning all. I appreciate again the attendance of our our team. We are delighted to have everyone participating and And thank you Have to remind everyone that this given that the unprecedented circumstances of the pandemic that we're dealing with governor Baker did issue some Relief from the open meeting lawn. We are taking of that by conducting this meeting Using collaborative virtual collaborative technology, which we have appreciated from the get-go. Thank you to Katrina and team Today we do have a quorum. I will establish that And then we'll go to our call to order commissioner Cameron. Hi Commissioner Brian I'm here. Hi. Good morning commissioners commissioner Zunica Hi, good morning everybody and Commissioner Stevens Here. Good morning, everyone. Good morning. Thank you. So all five are present and we will call to order today's meeting. It's Wednesday, May 13th 10 a.m Conducting this virtually and we will Hopefully the whole like just just we won't go down here And we will start with the approval of minutes item number two commissioner Stevens Good morning, madam chair. Thank you in your packet that was distributed. You have the meeting minutes from the April 29th Agenda setting meeting. I would move their approval subject to any corrections for Typographical errors or any other non-material matters second Any edits questions? Hearing none Christian Cameron. I Mr. O'Brien. Hi, Mr. Zunica. Hi, Mr. Stevens. Hi Yes, five zero. Thank you. And thank you, Sharon and Bruce for that good work. And We'll now move on to number three Agenda setting notes Start with you Karen. Good morning. Good morning. How are you today? Well Thank you. We did not Nice to see a lot of faces here. Thank you So Item number one is the administrative update. We should keep that on All of our agenda for the foreseeable future. So I would just keep that on for the 21st But the 21st and just a reminder we do have a public meeting tomorrow with a limited agenda so You don't plan on having any other items tomorrow except for anything related to that limited Subject matter, correct. Okay, excellent. So The next meeting will mark down for 521 All right moving on to item number two. Todd. Good morning. Good morning everybody. I Don't there are no regulations in the queue for the upcoming meeting though I was just reminded that we do have that matter involving the use of juvenile delinquency Information that came up during the public hearing as part of the ceiling of records So that might be something we consider putting on This queue just so we are able to keep track of it Good should we put it under review or do you think we have the 521 which I probably wouldn't recommend at this point But do you think it should go on for June 4th or do you think we should just put under review for now? I think we can put it under review for now. It's just something I think we don't want to lose track of so I think it would be nice to have it on the list great Thank you Living on to item number three Dr. Lightbound. Good morning If we can postpone this maybe we'll just put it under review for now until we get things worked out more on this item Okay, and this is the finger lengths matter This is the request by the mass thoroughbred breeders to race their races in another jurisdiction and finger lengths Okay Thank you Moving on to number four This is with respect to the independent monitor six month baseline report and that has been submitted on time and uh, I would recommend that we move forward For a presentation from the independent monitor on on the 21st. Commissioner brian You don't have any thoughts on that No, I think we're on track for the 21st So I think it'll be a good day to do it Right, and I think you know, we should probably allow a good amount of time For that report. I don't know how long but we might have a couple of items other items for the 21st, but Uh, again virtual presentations are intense. So As we go through today's agenda setting, let's just think about how much we should add to that agenda Commissioner brian Alrighty, so we're all set for that Number five. Commissioner camera. No commissioner brian Yeah, I think we we as we spoke about In the last agenda setting. We are prepared to move forward with this It's been Waiting pretty much for the appropriate time for the full commission to consider our recommendations and we're prepared to explain those recommendations Yeah, I'm just wondering if we should bump it out one more meeting Given how lengthy the six month baseline is and the topics we're going to be talking about It might just be Better to go into fresh eyes. Maybe at the next meeting in may or first one in june on that Yeah, if we think it's going to be that lengthy a presentation. I am certainly not opposed to that And it would move to june 4th. Commissioner Stevens. Yeah, no just a Quick question of commissioner brian and commissioner cameron have been working on this Um, are there staff that have been involved that might be able to give us Other commissioners two by twos are kind of updates as to the policy and the work that you've done Yeah, definitely Yes, he's been involved. Um I know kerry was uh, I believe elaine has some there's definitely you worked a little with outside council as well But there are a number of people on staff that could absolutely do that To make sure you have all the questions answered Probably another reason to put it on june 4 to make sure right That's another chance to get their questions answered Right. I agree. It's a good recommendation. Commissioner Stevens and we'll make those arrangements That's excellent and that gives you I know the commissioners. You're going to be busy Reading for the the 21st the other report. So this way we will conduct just kind of two Big topics over a little bit longer period So, thank you the movement number five then to june 4th and then with the two by twos Item number six a lot of work's been going on That's right Yes Good morning, joe I don't see mary, but mary will chime in Yeah, we're we're good to go for this for the 21st Working up the summary memo now that I'll have out, you know, the end of the week First thing on monday for your packets. So we should be good to go And that's an update as opposed to there won't be any action needed by the commission No, we're still in the process of doing our meetings with applicants. In fact, those will finish at the end of next week So we're still in the process Good. So that's our update. I think that makes sense for then the the 21st. We can accommodate Yeah, I mean, it's a it's a brief discussion Keep that on for 21st then moving to item number seven commissioners ziniga and Derek I don't see derek yet commissioners ziniga Yeah, I think we should be on track I'll defer to Derek if there is any changes because he puts out the memo, but We've reviewed the budget and are in the process of consulting with Getting feedback from licensees. So The next meeting in june the early meeting in june should be we should be on track Yeah, I see it as a As a discussion mainly because we'll be meeting with We'll send out the The report hopefully the end of this week beginning next week to the licensees have a meeting with them at the end of may And then we can bring feedback from the meeting with the licensees To the commission, but I don't think we'll have the whole Package ready just because we're running two weeks behind we were supposed to meet with the licensees this friday So maybe in that case, we should also put another item for the one on the 22nd. So keep this Keep keep the 7th The item 7 next date is the 25th. Is that correct mary in? Or or is the 18th the 18th would be the next one? Do you want us to reserve time on that or time on? The 18th would be would be good because that'll give us time to um sit down Digest the information that the licensees Gave us have already have a little conversation with the commission about your feeling about some of their comments because it's not a typical budget year Let's let's be honest. It's nowhere near a typical budget year. So having a chance to kind of get some Direction from the commission on their thoughts of our preliminary budget would probably be helpful To shape that document that then we would bring to you on the 18th So am I am I right that you'd want both dates preliminary and okay? Yeah, the preliminary discussion early june and then the 18 with a vote If it changes, but that would be our target Okay with the vote Okay Any questions from anyone on that? Okay, great. I know you've been all working so so diligently So it's tough Thanks Moving on to number eight Jill Hi there. Good morning. Good morning so our Sorry our featured speaker. I don't know if this is too early to be discussing this but She has some time constraints So I did want to mention and see if this would work and She is available from 10 to 10 30 or at noon But not in between there. So if Not sure how long the meeting Will be on june 4th, but Would she be available if we to start from 10 10 and then 10 10 10 to 10 30 Make it if we would like before she moves back to california Uh, I think it's an inch. I think it's it's pertinent right now to have that update And and interesting. So let's see if We can continue for june 4th if something changes further with her Scheduled we'll plan on our june 4th starting at our typical 10 a.m. Right? Great. Karen. I can see the knot. So that's good. Yeah thumbs up Okay, that works great. Thank you. You'll note that correct Thanks. Miriam. Just have our external presenter Kick it off All right. Thank you. Thanks. Jill. I'm looking forward to that Uh, number nine, uh, I think that I'm the lead on the date setting because My piece so june 18th is a good target for me still Just a reminder on ethics for everybody who needs to file sfi. Todd will of course Do but you're getting a reminder In two weeks our sfi is due so I'll like tax is always a fun thing Yeah Okay Number 10 now we've got our presentations So, um, yeah, I think we're on we're on target for that right now. Um You know, we'll we'll have a better idea in a couple of weeks exactly where we stand once we're through our Our process but as of right now, I don't see any Do you know how much time you're going to need for that? Well, we have 37 applications in front of us so You know, it's lengthy Um I'm just thinking yeah, excuse me in the past. I mean the presentations are a couple of hours And that was usually with maybe 20 to 24 applications, so I think that's why we broke it up into two days We don't need to break it up into three days. Correct. I was going to say that's a lot uh for a hd meeting Um Well, we certainly may I I guess we'll have to play it by year a little bit and what's your what what's your and end date in terms of When do you have to have everything we saw tell me We do not have a particular deadline. It's not we don't have a statutory deadline We try to have things done by the end of the fiscal year But just as an example last year because we were opening on core at the end of june Um, I don't think we finished up until almost the end of july last year So, you know, we have some flexibility if we need it Karen, are you okay with that? I am All right, so we'll keep um So june 18 We'll have the budget Vote and then the beginning of The first round of community mitigation presentations You also have the ethics on the atom chair Yeah, oh gosh, I might have to push that off I see eileen smiling she understands um, all right then, uh Let's keep that in mind because That's a lot of content for us to absorb too. So we want to be sharp Um, I don't think um, we'll do the ethics because that's that's going to be kind There's actually maybe even a better form where we you know, do do something a little bit different for the ethics thing anyway, so Mary Ann in terms of timing Can you guess um Derek and joe what you would want for time at least on that That date 18 18 That would be your first round and then Derek and enrique your second round That's getting to be pretty substantive Then I wonder if we could if we should should we do Two different meetings for just community mitigation. Does that make sense? I think we discussed I have down on the notes that June 25th is just community mitigation funds But the it was a special meet. It was a special meeting that you were going to do just for for the cmf Okay, so that's the 25th one week later, but then the first round is number 10 Mary Ann Right that first round is number 10 And then we were going to not skip a week and do the 25th and just do community mitigation That was the suggestion So we could do that and then our heads would be in the same in the sort of in the close in time Uh for our decision making so maybe the number For the first round it might be shorter than the second round joe Yeah, I was thinking that we could maybe do you know an hour on the first one and then a couple hours on the second one Maybe we pick Some specific types of grants to do on the first day. Maybe we do the workforce grants On one day and then we do you know the transportation the other ones on another day, you know, we haven't Sort of gotten down to that That's a good way to think about it because we'll have gone through the budget discussion first So if there's certain ones that you can compartmentalize and maybe have a we do schedule The um The 18th and thank you Mary Ann for the reminding me of the 25th And I'll talk with the team about it when we when we get together and see sort of what we think makes sense commissioners stephans and syndica, what do you think you've been working so hard on this? Yeah, no, um Joe and I have had a chance to to chat briefly about the schedule You know, it's important to remind ourselves that there wasn't an application that came in that was an emergency or a pressing mitigation request so But happy to circle back with joe and begin how we might compartmentalize and move some of these through quicker Some categories had lots of applications some have Limited number of applications. So we might be able to just breeze through some of these in a compartmentalized way Yeah, the the challenge here is not a surprising one and that is that You know this mitigation fund is funded for this year, but And there's another subscription of grant requests from where we Put out in the guidelines But it's the following year that That is now because of the decrease in revenues Uh projected to be less. Anyway, the point is that we we we have to have a good discussion like in prior years On the merits of each of the grant applications, but then a global outlook of what this year with its You know intricacies means for that fund So can I ask one other question? Does it make sense to start on the 25th rather than on the 18th or do you think we can do both? Start on the 18th Yeah, it's it's it's up to the team. I mean, I guess we have not yet we've had the all of the Most of if not all joe correct me Of the conversations with the grant with the cities and towns Um, we have not convened as a team to um, you know to keep the recommendations and have that evaluation Okay, I guess I was thinking more in terms of the budget discussion in advance Because I think that one has to take priority correct on me. Okay Yeah, it could be it could be good to have a discussion a general discussion of you know The assumptions we had when we started this process Which includes, you know, a good healthy level of funding, but then what What this year has done and not done in terms of, you know Funding for that fund All right, but I think and then I know that we're going to get some of that joe in the update Next week. So let's plan on the 18th and 25th and if it just becomes too much We'll just move it down a little bit further understanding that you would ideally like to finish up by the end of the fiscal year Yeah, that's that's perfect Okay, good So, uh our next Thursday, um, if we were to continue our regular cadence mary in Is it july date really? right all right May 27th is the next agenda setting and then june 4th would be commission meeting june 10th agenda june 18th commission meeting june 25th is a special july 2nd would be the next commission meeting and july 8th agenda setting july 16th commission july 22nd agenda setting and july 30th commission meeting Let's proceed with the idea of july 2nd and and see what happens if that becomes A potential at what date that's a thursday. So that's a july 4th weekend right Do you do people want to skip that july? I know right now it's hard to imagine Any plans? So it's hard to even conceptualize that we would be oh i'm going to be at you know Family or friends somewhere in celebrating the 4th I'm usually not available then but given the circumstances and then it's likely virtual. I think we can keep it on You want to keep it now? Let's let's keep it on now But also let's remember we can give ourselves a break if we decide that that's The right time to give a break Maybe the weather will even improve so Alrighty I'm good with that as long as everybody else. I'm not seeing anyone going Okay, I think it's fine as well. It's as you said it's hard to imagine Social gatherings I know I know okay So now looking is there any item that That anyone attending or somebody who's speaking for someone who's not attending Needs to put on on any of the dates that miriam went through up through the 20 through the 18th Madam chair. I do there is one item I'd like to bring to everyone's attention that I think will require some attention In the near future and that is the expiration of the gaming license for the operation of plain bridge park casino The expiration date is set for june 24th I know joe and loretta and team have been looking at some of the documents that have been submitted um, it's obviously a There are exceptional circumstances at the moment. Um, but I think some action will have to be taken by the commission in advance of that june 24th date So I think Yeah, I guess that we haven't uh, do we not have that on the agenda setting the notes at all? I didn't see it And um, yeah, we could put the renewal as a as a as an agenda item and put that Yeah under review because the um I want to make sure we're not presuming a continuance. You know what I mean That may be your recommendation, but if that's your recommendation, we should probably put that up sooner on our agenda then Yeah, that's a good idea. It's not yeah I'm not saying, you know, one way or another how to commit my fellow commissioners or I will feel about that But um, that has somehow Not made it on our notes and that it certainly has been work. I've been aware of Yeah And we've all been aware of but I don't want it to be presumed that there's going to be Yeah, you know No options for us, but a continuance. So Loretta are you on the on the call right now? Yes, I am You have a thought on timing on that or suggestion I think it could be a A brief status update Possibly as early as the 21st, I I want to loop joe into that. We Have some updates that He has been in touch with the licensee about If those are forthcoming Uh, we'd be in a very good position for that for that update I mean frankly regardless we could give you the update on the 21st Right, I think I think it's just fair to say where you are You know, we were getting regular updates and of course we did understand the the approach you're taking questions for Loretta on this others Gail Bruce Eileen Enrique Yeah, the only question I had was um, my memory is once the application is in That the license continues that that's exactly right So this is a question of whether they could file the application in time That's exactly right. So the um So the there are two aspects of the application. Uh, one is the suitability aspects of the application Uh, and those where we're all set on those and we are well along Uh on the suitability part of the renewal Uh on the additional aspects of their submission there We want to make sure that all of those uh holes have been filled and we are still working on that Yeah, so we've got we've got um We've got a a a a bunch of information from uh Ppc That we've been going through and there are still some holes in that data and that information that we asked for So I actually have a call this afternoon with uh, Lisa McKenny to go over what those holes are and when we can expect that I mean there are certainly Circumstances here where there some of the people who need to sign off on these things aren't working, have been furloughed. So you know the hope is that we can get all of the necessary sign-offs or even if we can't get all the sign-offs we can at least get the information to us. I would say right now what they have submitted to us with their application there are probably maybe more holes in it than we could say that it's complete as of today. I'm not sure if we can get that data and just to follow up on that Commissioner O'Brien and the Commissioners the actual statute says it's chapter 38 section 13 that an applicant has to make timely and sufficient application for renewal. So there is discretion baked in as to what timely and sufficient is and that's really I think what the Commission is going to have to consider is whether as to whether the current circumstances might redefine timely. Yeah I think the Commission is fully within its discretion to determine what timely and sufficient is but once you find... Todd, does it expire under the statute after five years? Is it... I believe that's the date June 24th. Yeah so probably timely was intended to me on time. So we just want to make sure whatever we can do we address properly. It sounds like we're going to get a good update right next week. I think we should make time for that. Yeah definitely. What do you think Gail? Yeah I think we have to make time for that and I just had a question of Joe. When you say polls are you anticipating that they can be filled in a sufficient manner? Yeah I think so you know when we did that so called midterm review we received a lot of this information but the problem is that information is a year old. So many of these things you know just as an example they went through all of their section 61 findings and wrote out a document on how they were in compliance with them but there were still a couple of things that they were still working on. I remember the bus line they were trying to do which I think still needs to be done but regardless they need to say all right that's one of the items that we have on our list as the section 61 findings so they need to go back to that document tell us whether it's still accurate today that just hasn't been done yet. So I think most of the information is there in some fashion or another with from that midterm review and from what they've submitted to us just a few weeks ago. So yeah I think it can all be pulled together in you know hopefully within within a couple of weeks to get us something that that we can say yes this is a sufficient application. Okay because Todd did you say the standard is timely and what was the substantial sufficient yeah okay good exactly yeah Gail so I think that's probably where if it's substantially complete particularly given these circumstances if we can be accommodating but let's get the update next week. Thank you Todd for bringing that to our attention. Okay is there anything else from anyone that should be on a date that is now in our in our calendar really the 21st of 4th. So John you said that we're world clear that there will be then an update on the 4th or the 18th for the PPC. 21st I think next week. Oh May 21st. So that will be we'll have the short update on community mitigation we'll have an update on the license and then we'll proceed with the independent monitors report and I think that's a good length meeting don't you think yeah yeah yeah no I thought we were talking about the ones in June 21st in June. Do you think and I think it's better to get just the update earlier than later that gives us more opportunity to chew on it. Yeah sounds good. A good month okay excellent. Okay then we're gonna look at if there's no other items I can't see faces so I'm assuming we're good okay then moving on to the items under review starting with Jill number 12 workforce development grant update this can just be listed as pending it will likely be late summer or fall okay so we'll keep it under review thank you Alex. So items 13 through 16 can stay under review until we have a firm sense of when live racing at Plain Ridge will start. Excellent thank you. Item number 17 that's Mark and Elaine and Teresa. I don't see Mark Elaine I see you. Good morning. Oh you're still muted Elaine. We're making a lot of progress on this up I see Mark right there. We're making a lot of progress. We still don't have a delivery date on it but it's going really well. Good so we'll just keep it under review and okay excellent thank you Mark did you want to add in now. No that's just fine. Okay great thank you. Item and then Mark you're back on item number 18 on the data storage and access report you want to keep that under review still. Yeah let's keep that under review. And then 19 as well. Yes please. Can then we have the template work that's underway Jill do you is that continuing to be under review or do you want to bring it up. Remember we have July 2nd as well. For now still under review. Okay excellent. Tearing number 21. Just keep that under review please. Okay. Commissioner Zunica. Same thing keep you under review. I need to coordinate with a staff member on this issue. Great. Is there any work that's being done now in addition to all these items that you know any member of the team anticipates needing some guidance from the Commission whether it's formal guidance or a vote so that anything that's comes to mind so that we don't lose track. Okay Karen I think you're all set then. Yeah I'm just checking the list here I'm not seeing anything that's jumping out at me but if I come up with it I'll add it to the list through the area. Okay commissioners do you have any questions for everyone on anything? No Gail. Thank you. Then I guess I need a motion. First I should say this. Thanks everyone. Move to adjourn. Second. Commissioner Cameron. Aye. Commissioner O'Brien. Aye. Commissioner Zunica. Aye. Commissioner Stebbins. Aye. And I say yes thanks everyone we'll see you tomorrow. Thank you. Thank you. Bye.