 So you can't start till she shows up. No, we can start. Okay Okay, so I'm gonna call the call list select board to order At 7.03. All right. Now Are we gonna go into executive session? That was the question that Bruce kind of posed on his email The process that we could do it But I don't know If we want to Well, what's your advice? What's your advice? Do you want to Denise? We've been we've been talking about the contract the callous board has in the executive session because it's allowed under the Open meeting law. Yeah, and John Rick, what are your thoughts? I'm good either way. I don't mind being on the record or being, you know, right now. I'm good with it going in Yeah, I'm good with not going in executive session, but what do you think Bruce? Is Bruce a board member? No, can I can I comment? Yes Going into executive session. It's not required. It's permissive and it's for purposes of a contract Negotiation or discussion. It's so as not to prejudice one of the parties and we're two of the party So we're talking amongst ourselves. So we're disclosing to each other, you know, what our position is So that it's being made public wouldn't disadvantage We're telling each other our thoughts So I don't see a need for it. That's my And it might be hard to reach the threshold determination for finding that Premature general public knowledge would clearly place the public body or person involved at a substantial disadvantage That's what we need to find to go into executive session John do you have a thoughts on this? Well, there are three parties to this contract. There's Calis East Montpelier and East Montpelier Calis fire department So I don't know I I could go either way. I would disagree a little bit with Judith in that I think there may be a strategy Toward for instance gaining agreement that we don't want the third party to know, right. I Mean, I and we just got through two two years almost a year and a half towards the union Negotiation and we had confidential discussions ourselves and our advisor and our attorneys and It was for Strategic reasons and there may be a strategic reason there may not be we're just asking for some pretty simple language changes I don't see anything of any great consequence. So I go either way but I I think we're better off to be open personally, but yeah, that's just my Personal way of dealing with this type of issue is openness Because just because I don't see that we'd be gaining a lower gaining an upper hand or a strategic disadvantage or advantage by going into executive session and I almost think it kind of looks bad, but I could go either way, but I'm not seeing that need to So I don't I guess I don't Um, I put it on there as potential So that we would so we all know we have the option Um, and like I as john mentioned, I think what we're asking to change is pretty Straight forward pretty simple. Yeah I agree But I agree with Seth. I mean, I'm completely good with doing it right out in the open. I don't I don't think there's any advantage or disadvantage gain. This is just about All right, so I think the perception of going in executive session may may be Not the best where is in the open openness The perception could be slightly better. So that's my thought on Okay Cliff are you an agreement? You're on mute. We're talking about executive session. Yep. Yeah Um, I don't know that we need to but if the agreement is that we should then I'm okay with that But I don't know that we need to right. We're kind of leaning towards not yeah, so All right, so let's make the decision not to go into executive session. Okay. Um, you've got our letter. Yep And had a chance I assume to All of you to read it. I don't know. Um If anybody on Eastmont player side wants to call the letter up on the shared screen or not I've got the letter in front of me. Well, I got a hard copy. So that's a little bit different. So So what are your thoughts? So so what you're saying is you want to vote it on the floor We want the two towns We want what what it says is that we would each town would have the choice of either putting it In your select board budget or having it voted on from the floor I think there's I think something is lost if we're talking about open communication and All those good things. I think there's something lost In not having a discussion At town meeting regarding the fire department budgets because we do Woodbury too and they're fine with us Doing it on a you know doing it on the warning in an open meeting in a town meeting John Is that the same? As a point of clarification Um It's on the floor anyone in town meeting In our respective select board budgets There could be a motion made at town meeting to separate it from the budget and have a separate Line item discussion Although I don't think the way the contract reads whether it would be appropriate if the select board You know advocated for that let's say It is I think it's better. These are large budget items. We Have separately warned articles for all large budget items and this is one And I think it allows for a greater discussion and actually I think it it works in favor for the of the fire department Because then they can present their argument for why these are necessary and it keeps our public Up to speed with where all this money's going to otherwise if it just gets slipped through one day it's going to culminate in Somebody's saying where's all this money been going? So anyway, so it gives us the And uh, you know, we could Do it if he's my pillar doesn't want to do that they could have theirs Buried in the budget continue that to do that Like Denise said Woodbury Has never asked for this and what has resulted is they attend every Years town meeting and they give a brief presentation As to what services they provide us And where all the money's going and they usually get a round of applause So I've never heard anyone debate it. It's not like the library item Which is also separately warned by the way And I think also a lot of people don't know That they could call out a separate line item Within the within the budget and I do I think I think I think it leads to greater Transparency for the fire department. It gives them a chance to say You know, anybody want to be a volunteer? This is what we spend the money on So that everybody has a better understanding and appreciation for what the fire departments do Yeah, I would I would completely agree. This is uh You know, I actually think this builds support You know, we want to engage the people and you always get a few naysayers who are going to question budget items But this is a great service to the community the community supports it And the act of actually putting it out there and having them Physically vote on it that solidifies that support because I do especially in this day and age With everything that's gone to kind of undermine public vote. This works against Us if not having that there, you know, because it does look like It's it it's just got It doesn't pass the sniff test. It looks like we're forcing something on people. That's the way some people will interpret it And that's the way they will present it So I think that You know, I personally they could be foolish not to do this, you know, I'm not concerned about really passing it I think I also think, you know, it brings it will bring up good questions From people in debate on it And then that makes us stand up and justify it, which is generally pretty easy to do so Could I have to clarify questions just because I want to make sure I'm looking at the right Comparing the right documents Um, as it exists now paragraph six contains the language you're proposing What you're proposing is deleting the first two sentences of paragraph six. Is that correct? I have to go back. You mean The current contract, you mean? Yeah, the current contract Um, it says east not pilar and callous shall include In each of their respective budgets the amount of emfd's operating budget attributable to their respective towns What we're suggesting The manner of any capital request will be at the discretion of the individual Select boards. So what we're suggesting is that the manner of presentation of the operating budget also Operating budget or any capital request shall be at the discretion of each individual select board So because right now this question was right though. You said judith that you're going to eliminate the first two sentences and that's correct Yeah, I did judith is right. Yeah Yeah, so we just we just kind of mushed sentences together and made it Sorry simple. Yeah Is there another place within the document and I apologize. I didn't scan it As early as I might have for today's meeting. Is there another place within the document where the towns commit to paying the This amounts that they're otherwise committing to I mean, is there another Commitment or representation that they'll be committing the necessary funds Or that's not happening Anywhere else in the document and I think in our read judith of this contract um It was number six That talked about how the um You know how we would go about getting them the money that they requested yeah, I mean In essence though judith we've we answer to the people to the you know to the people in the vote so ultimately do we have You know the idea I mean to we can't guarantee budgets. I don't think we can even guarantee a line item You know because it can be Overridden by the town, correct I'm new to the select board, but I believe that's the case. So the idea is to put it in a In a position where we're probably gonna Really, you know Put this out to them and engage them in the vote. It's like I said, it's a great service You know, and I think this you were far less likely to see any kind of resistance you know By going this route I mean I that I would think that the town's people can still go in and Into our you know direct this, you know the select board to You know pull money from a line item that they've dedicated out of our budget jenice and John am I correct in that? I mean that's I mean that's and that's what we started out in the beginning was talking about that Right now the budget amounts are in the select board budget at town meeting anybody could Request that any particular line item whether it's a truck or whatever be pulled out and Change and as we talked about and you know and being transparent and Putting things out there for the public to talk about I think it's a really good opportunity For the fire departments and I'm talking about both. We'll bury in East Montpelier callous that this is a great opportunity for the fire departments to tell folks about the important work that they do And they always get a round of applause And thank yous It also gives them an opportunity to maybe engage some people into Looking to serve on the fire department as a volunteer. So I think I think that Not having that discussion Hasn't helped. I think it was helpful when the fire departments came to town meeting and talked with folks and explained No, I just got a quick question The way it works in East Montpelier is if you did follow this system Of pulling the fire department ambulance service out of our select board budget We would talk about it at town meeting, but we would still have to vote on it by Australian ballot Right, but you guys you guys could continue to do It has you're currently doing it. This is this option Is this idea is to give the two pounds the option of how they No, I understand that but okay the way it works in Cal so is you can vote on this on the floor Is that right, right? Right, whereas we're tied anything over 25,000 dollars goes to Australian ballot, but we could discuss it on the floor But we would still vote on it by Australian ballot If we chose we could separate it out As Kellogg Hubbard library separate out separate out also We could separate it out and discuss it on the floor And we would still vote on it by Australian ballot But you could just you would discuss it and vote on it on the floor, right, right? I mean, I'm just saying That our system's slightly different in that it's too big an item to vote on the floor Yeah But there's been a discussion among various people that they would want to see the fire department Budget separated from our budget and select board budget and discussed on the floor people have Talked about that. So it needs no pillion. You mean? Yes. Yeah. Yes Yeah, I mean, I think that's kind of you know, that's some of what we've heard too Because you know, it is a lot it is a lot of money And I think it's a good opportunity for the fire department to say hey, this is why yeah And it's it's a people understand It's also a you know, it's it's one of these things the equipment's expensive the training is expensive the rules around it are expensive So it's it's a rising expense and the best way to get people Keep them behind it is to really engage them in it. So so the big argument against it is that You know, I'm not saying I advocate this argument, but this has made numerous times that if it did not pass In callus and it did pass In East Montpelier, it puts this in kind of a bind You know, that's the problem is that if it didn't pass in one town it did pass in the other Then you're going to have to have something What would happen? But it could but it could happen that way anyways if somebody asked to have that line item pulled out Yes that town meeting so that I mean that that's something that was already Something that could happen, but but most people don't take advantage of that Because they don't know that they could do that If you have it already separated out, then It's a different story. I'm not saying that I would that I advocate Keeping the system the way it is Because I'm nervous about it not being passed, but that definitely has been an argument in the past That it would pass in one town and not the other and then what happens? And I think that's how we and I think that's how we got to this item Right in the agreement because of that reason, but I think there's enough other reasons To go to change it to go back Yep, um, okay John I think John wanted to speak to and so doesn't do this Okay Dilemma By one town passing the budget and the other not approving the budget item line item As denise said it could be called out. It could be called out separately anyway And that has happened On other items in our select board over the years In terms of calling separating it out so that we can adjust that Um And and yes in what it could what could happen is it could be Voted down in its entirety It could be amended on the floor as can any line item in our select board Regardless and callous so this doesn't change that process really it It adds to transparency it improves Our democracy as a result And if this thing were voted down or the budget line item was reduced to the point where we couldn't Operate the east my pillar fire apartment that we we could just call another special town meeting in callous to Right, you know how vote on it again. It's not a big deal The budget doesn't kick in till july 1 so we got a number of months three four months to get that resolved it's yeah I just just one thing just to add on to and again This is very helpful to appreciate what the Motivation or thinking of the town of callous is But as I read the document I mean the purpose of the document is to recognize the allocation of responsibility and cost of both of of the town of the two towns um, and if You know that paragraph paragraph six acknowledges that we're both making a commitment to present our You know what we're going to ask our town Regarding the allocation of the budget what we're going to present to the citizen free to say yay or nay But we're making that commitment to each other and yes each of our individual towns right now can say nay But we're entering into this collective agreement that We've we've allocated cost sharing and we're going to present to our respective towns that amount Of cost allocation Asking them to approve it or not approve it if we take out the first two sentences the paragraph six we're removing that commitment to each other and You know Where where else do we memorialize that cost allocation commitment and the commitment to ask Our respective towns to approve that the commitment to the allocation is an item number um Or it says one one-third two-thirds Yeah, that's a different cost allocation Just looking for it in here No, but I don't think I don't I don't I hear what you're saying dude, and I appreciate what you're saying item 10 it's an item 10 Denise. Yeah, okay It's yeah, it is it's number 10 Judith in the document That's the that's the formula, but she's not really talking about the formula Well If the formula is one-third two-thirds and ask for commitment You know Judith, I I would add to that, you know, there is You know the reality in town politics like that there there is no guarantee And so you have to say You know what we're doing is trying to put this litmus. Well, I we have a lot of trust in the taxpayers and Calis and this is a great service like I've said, right? This is something that people directly benefit from so You know by really engaging them it it diffuses You know resistance and they will also bring good questions. They're going to ask Why is this, you know, why are these things rising this much? We add we answer that question with real information and that Kind of helps hold that support The second you start doing We kind of working We start working away from them and just bypassing them Any naysayer is you're giving them ammunition Because they point look at this they're hiding this so that we can't make a decision And then they it what it does is it kicks that down the road a little bit Because they start putting the heat on the select boards at that point And saying, you know, we're not going to allow this as a taxpayer. So, you know, this is really, you know, to me, this is It's about the democracy. It's about really being open Keeping the people engaged in it You know, so and though that I have a lot of trust that they will support this, you know, so I don't think I don't think that that Agreement is all that ironclad, you know, if the people get angry And feel like they're being we're working behind their backs. Let me they're going to find a way to Under minus that's why it's better just to keep them right in the room And so that's my own opinion of my own experience certainly and watching board decisions and countless I believe you're 20 years and You know, I'm And I've worked with a lot of other towns and I'm seeing how these things go south on you, you know, if you I mean, I think this is open. It's out, you know, we're it's full disclosure And I think I mean, I think we're always better if we do this What's that I was asking I was asking our other board member cliff if you wanted to say anything. Oh, okay Yeah, I would suggest Appreciate We're coming from with that Judith But I would tend to agree with rick that You know, we We operate as transparently as possible That's how we're going to achieve the greatest results in our respective communities And I would Suggest that it is The contract as a whole that both towns sign into is what represents the commitment And it also It also says further in our revised language That the cost and cost share allocation methodology is set out in a separate agreement So that's the commitment for the cost share In addition to item 10 in the in the other contract in the other agreement All right, so Do we have any more thoughts from the east Montpelier select board? How about John we've heard from Judith John. We haven't heard from you No, I guess I I mean, I guess you have to say that no agreement's ironclad My concern is that It ends up getting voted down by I don't know how many people you have go to town meeting But we vote we vote Australia ballot because we feel that that it gives an opportunity for more people to actually Choose to vote and opportunity to vote on on a particular item If you vote for it from the floor in east Montpelier, you have 180 people vote for it or maybe not even that If you vote for it by australian ballot, how many do we have when we vote australian ballot? We had we had a thousand and we had a mailing So I just I I I think doing it the way we do it is appropriate And and everybody has an opportunity to weigh in on it I I know nothing's perfect, but it does kind of leave east Montpelier hanging out there a little bit when we don't know if If callus is gonna pass pass or agree to to participate in that funding But it could work the other way around it could work the other way around too If you separate this doesn't change that John this does not change that one iota This just makes make sure that we have conversation and if the folks in callus were to vote it down after I would hope the east Montpelier callus fire department shows up And they can't explain or justify the budget and they vote that down I don't think it's us leaving you hanging. I think that's the normal course of events We happen to be co-parties to an agreement At and we're not going to change our whole system to australian ballot Over this contract item, but that seems to be I don't think i'm asking you to I think I was just explaining where I was coming from John not telling you what to do, but but john if you separated the fire department out We we would still vote By australian ballot on that item It's just I understand saying is it makes it more clear To the voters What they're voting on I mean this is the argument the citizens have brought forth to me when they stopped by my farm and talked about Is we would like to vote on it just like kellogg harvard library as a separate item That's what we're talking about wait so so so Right now in east montpelier You have australian ballot on and this is incorporated within your overall select board budget. That's correct And so they just vote on the select board budget Exactly there's they can have a They can have a debate on the floor But they can't change that budget anywhere. They can't change the budget for snow tires. They can't change the budget for You know hours of overtime. They can't do anything So they can just your approach and that's why you're Right you can discuss it and I don't know to what end I mean, I guess they have to vote the whole budget up or down That's not how we do it. You're a larger town. You might you probably have your reasons for that You know Small towns Usually go this path We want to have more participation And in a democracy a vote is important so If we only have 160 people at town meeting That's who's participating in the process If you mail votes if you mail ballots to them, you have a thousand people participating with their votes Right, I understand that and that that's the same argument for getting rid of town meeting too, by the way, right? And I've always advocated for town meeting, but I certainly Am seeing why people do advocate for australian ballot because you have more participation And we have our largest budget item to three quarters of our budget Um is our school budget as is everybody's and we do that by australian ballot and that was decided by our electorate And that was decided by by one or two votes That was decided by our electorate not by a contract That binds the select board now if if our electorate so chooses to australian ballot for or incorporate forces into Being a component of the select board budget That that would be fine with me but right now for our for five people in our town To decide for everybody And bind our people procedurally In a legal contract. I just don't think that's appropriate I mean, that's my perspective and I I do understand your perspective So so anyway separating so that's another discussion really What we're talking about right now is separating the emergency service budget away from The select board budget and we could still choose to do how we do it If we have the option under this language to do it the other way separating it and you folks also would have the option So that's what we're talking about right right. I think we I think we kind of lost track of What we're saying either either town Could choose to continue to do it the way we've been doing it Or we could or we could choose to do it differently and it's at the option of each different towns Select board understood and the only argument I've ever heard against it is what if one person One town votes it down and the other one doesn't So that's that's that's the only argument I've ever heard And that and that and right now that could still happen. That's the way Even with the the previous language it could still happen Yeah, now this is the way that guarantees that people are most likely they're more engaged. They're talking about it and You know, I think this is the safer path in the in the end run and I think it actually does Generate even more support because there will be always some naysayers and but People still know this is well, they know this is an expensive service. It's not For profit We're doing it and it's but it's a service of real value. So You know, I haven't heard from let's no doubt. They'll support it But I think I actually like giving the fire department an opportunity to stand up and speak and say this is what we're doing and These are the problems that we've encountered and this is why we need a new truck and I think it I think it just leads to discussion and putting a face with the money Yeah, okay, so I think that we fully understand callous's position on this item and but I think that for east malpillier to Move forward with it. I think we're gonna have to put it on on our agenda as an item That we would discuss among ourselves. We have one board member not here I think that he would appreciate the discussion So I think we're gonna have to put this on our agenda on our next meeting and then we need to You know establish a position on this change the language And then move forward with a meeting with the fire department emergency services Can set there's one more thing in that contract too. I think You know, we discussed at the board You know, right now we've we have one signed contract that it's an auto renewal We'd actually I saw that right we'd like to do You know, I've hardly ever been in contracts where we don't after You know for the for instance at the state Judith will know that I manage a lot of contracts there We we have original contracts for two years and then you've got two one-year options to extend it never extends beyond four years and the reason You do this is so it you know, you're constantly kind of just going back and double checking everything making sure everything's up to date And also for us, there's enough There's enough transience on the boards. You get new board members by having the discipline of visiting People are really familiar with it. It doesn't go beyond kind of the historic knowledge So, I mean, I I think that's a minor point and it the contracts would likely just it would become pretty Mechanical to but it would impose that discipline that we just look at it But for I don't know put it whatever it would be a four-year period or so We're asking we asked rick for The automatic renewal process to be no more than three years because I think it was a really good exercise The callus select board to sit down and look at the documents and see if there was any issues we Other issues we might notice and we didn't but I think it's I think we do our due diligence for our residents and taxpayers to periodically review documents And not just have them automatically renewed for however long Right. It's it's educational for us too. Yeah, no, that's fair enough. And as you said, you know, the select boards Change members a lot and um, you know it's good to get up to speed on these type of Contracts and if you don't have the audit if you take away Some of the automatic renewal process It is a good time to renew the to review the contract so Those are the two items. I believe that you've brought brought up. Yeah right So, I mean, I think that we just need to discuss this at our own meeting And then Then we'll schedule a meeting with the fire department. I think that's the discussion I think that's where we need to head on this Well, I hey Seth. So I think we There's in this We would like to hear what East Montpeliers position is on the two language changes Before you meet with the fire department, right before I would ask No, we definitely would reach out to you. We just don't have a position right now. Yeah And I think that we need to discuss that and then we'll we'll reach out to you And then see go from there And do you want us right and do you want us to be in on that conversation with the fire department? Well, what we're saying is it's two step rick Yeah, that East Montpeliers is going to talk about it amongst themselves then they'll get back to us And we'll discuss it again as the two boards and then we'll invite the fire department I got exactly that and of course, of course East Montpelier can amend the language So it's so that it remains status quo on your end and we would just You know see the changes with our share of the contract I mean that that's It's not all or nothing is what i'm suggesting. Well, you're saying that The option will now be there right and you could choose either way And it's the same right, but if you right if you if you're saying you don't even want that option You don't need it For some of the reasons i've already heard um Then you don't need then you can amend it to say that with regard to callus Right, let's go right Yeah, we could do that There's a menu there. Good point. That's a good point Yeah Okay, so I think that's how we need to proceed forward Yeah, so you'll You'll keep us posted on when you're ready Well, we're going to put it on our next meeting. I think we have room bruce We'll find it We'll find it. Yeah, so that's that meeting is going to be june Uh 21st maybe Yes And then we'll discuss it come up with some language whatever get a hold of you and schedule a meeting with the fire department So set before you close this out. You might also want to ask about the third item that they requested The shift to 60 days From five months Oh, I thought that was the second one Or you're saying well, it's well, it's part of the renewal process to change it from What is it five months right now to 60 days because five months Out means you're you're trying to remember to do this When you're also getting everything ready for town meeting and budgets and Yeah, but this five months gives you time to amend it Or 60 days doesn't give you much time to Yeah, well, you can send us back a different option Okay, could you um just to clarify Could you provide us with a section through referring to just so that we're clear on You know what date provisions Just so they were all literally on the same page regarding the modifications that you want to make Um, I think the paragraph six is clear, but the other two Um, it'd be helpful if you you know, just maybe did a strike through or something or You know compare that existing to your proposed that would be helpful Okay, I can do that and get it to bruce to distribute Yeah And katie you'll make a note so I don't forget Okay Did you have another question bruce? Okay All right callous. So I I think we're done you guys are The county but I like to make a motion to adjourn Yeah, so moved Second second. All right. We got to take the vote. I'm an eye. I'm an eye rick. Hi Um john yes and cliff Hi All right. Thank you so much. She's my player. Have a good night. Thank you callous Bye. Have a nice evening Thank you. Yep Okay, so the next item that we have Would be f A little early, but I don't think we're expecting people to tune in to talk about our discussion on town management Why the cova 19 less exact does? I don't know We haven't said anything about coming back for that Okay, I I haven't heard from either Okay, so, um Is there any change though because we haven't heard from The governor We haven't gotten the 80% yet Very close though, right? Seven or something 79 points something we're on. Yeah, it's probably imminent. I would guess Yeah So what I was hoping you would think about tonight was being more specific than last time About town management Look at the meeting memo Just so you get a sense of what I'm hoping you'll think about One question I had bruce That you know, we're proposing following the you know, what is it stage for or whatever phase four Where the universal guidance is recommended But we're imposing it it seems under our plan And you know, that's something to think about if that's something You know, we want to do or Or not that's that's the only difference. I had thought that you know, if we're Following phase four Um, there'd be no requirement for masking or social distancing, but this proposal does have the masking and social distancing But you know, maybe fine. I'm just, you know, you're right. It's something for us to talk about in greater detail Um, so there I put in two things in this for that exact reason that one And then the one down below That says the town office remains off limits for For uh committee meetings for the time being until things settle back down And that's because you're that's because the office is so small. I can't guarantee the right separation, right? Is that what you're saying? You can't really guarantee anything That's what i'm saying. I mean, we opened up in hardwood. We hope we I actually said if you're vaccinated And and you waited the two weeks. You don't have to wear a mask if you're not vaccinated you wear a mask And we're back to normal But you just said that to the personnel that works in the office I said it right. It's right on the door anybody coming in I don't have to ask them. I don't care. It's up to them to wear a mask if they're not vaccinated Yeah, so I might be in jail tomorrow, but Everybody was pretty happy about it. Trust me on that one and we had a live meeting on Thursday We're right in our but we have a huge meeting room. So How many people were at the meeting john? Well, I would say Not a lot probably 15 people. That's a lot actually. I mean that's but we're spread but we we have a huge meeting room We have two of them and we actually took we actually used a big one now And it's got like 18 foot ceilings, you know, there's really tall ceilings and everything it's vaulted ceilings. So We had a fan on you know, we have a ceiling fans were operating and everything and nobody's it hasn't been an issue at all Right it could be it could be but I kind of like that approach Put a sign on the door I haven't gotten in trouble yet. So I'll wait. Yeah They say that's not legal, but I don't know No, it is legal if you so choose I like it. Yeah I like it It's We're not going to ask people if they had a vaccination and there's majority of people coming in there all vaccinated And and but and everybody was wearing masks and a minute I just said to people I said like you don't have to wear a mask if you're vaccinated probably vaccinated. I like that. They just go Thank you Bruce I'm wondering um, do you know how um the staff feels how rosy feels about this? You know That's basically the reason I wrote it up the way I did um, this plays a little bit into the the Personnel issue will have in a minute But um, there is a degree of concern to opening up this building to free flow because Fine when it is open you end up with if you know where I sit you end up with dogs in here And people all over the place and I'm not a hundred percent sure that The staff is quite ready for that this is sort of a Slower approach and because this summer is going to be a little bit weird for Some of the personnel it would give them a little more time to adjust to Things Our situation is different. We we still have like in the town clerk's office We have plexiglass windows that are up and they may be up for a long time and and so so the the the town town clerk's essentially separated from From the customer. It's just a great extent They didn't have a separate room for the lawyers to come in and do title searches and everything That they want to wear Then even on piliar isn't as far ahead as the rest of Vermont You know, we're not quite at 70. You know, we were like over the weekend. We were still around 50 something so And I do you know, I do appreciate the concerns of you know, folks who actually have to work there So Yeah, all our folks were vaccinated Well, is everyone vaccinated that works in the office now Bruce? um This is still orca is still here Uh, so i'll just say I wouldn't answer that. Yeah. Yeah. I'm agree with that Okay all right so It looks like there's questions in your select board report About remote Meetings That's actually something you haven't Talked a whole lot about and Again, this room that you're in right now is so wacky Even contemplating hybrid means using that room Is troublesome We talked about the fire department, right? We have talked about the fire department. They have not yet agreed to open up the public room But that is that last line in that order That proposed order there Pretty much points directly at that that particular spot when that opens up That will be a lot easier to utilize for any number of things So the hybrid meeting approach You we could implement in the fire department meeting room I don't know that any of us know how to do the hybrid very well I mean you would have to have an investment in equipment. I would think Yeah, yeah people and then people that would want to Use it. I mean people that oh, yeah, okay. I'll just take me five minutes to go set that up. I mean One of the advantages of having Zach Sullivan as the planning commission chair is that he is doing this in real life So that he can bring what he knows to our area and He wants to meet in person I think He would be a good one The planning commission would be a good one to send off to the fire department See if they can pull off a hybrid meeting over there and then Work off of what they figure out. Is he playing to get the equipment? He actually has some of it already Oh, he's got one of those Uh cameras that does the wide angle thing Yeah Already set up for this kind of use What he doesn't have is the The microphone Those multi-angled microphones. Yep, and I think we're all trying to figure out If we do hybrid are we talking hybrid with a zoom component? Are we talking hybrid with kind of a conference call component? That's the One is a video the other is the conference call Well, one is an interactive video Uh, if you did the conference call and maybe had uh, you know, uh, either orca doing There Live which you'd have to pay for but a live stream or a facebook live stream or something like that where it's not interactive It's a little different than Trying to maintain this zoom interactive approach That we may have more struggles with in an in-person meeting Combining it with an in-person meeting. We have hybrid community tv that does ours But it lives right The fire department doesn't have the equipment themselves. No, even though they have fancy rooms not the equipment They would have the ability to um Project sure let's say You did a live stream you could project that onto the screen so you could see what everybody else is seeing And if you wanted to do a zoom you could do it that way and aim the desk At that screen rather than have the Head of the meeting up up top There's just more room to play I think we're going to have to think about having meetings over there for a little while at this transition time And perhaps doing a zoom component or orca or whatever It sounds like we're going to have to do that If we want to do You know live meetings They're going to be have to be a hybrid That's what it looks like to me for a while Is that a fair assumption? You could probably do a zoom a zoom meeting and just put a camera on one of your on your laptop Um, I I'm able to do that when I do presentations. I have a camera that That shows my hands, you know when I'm if I'm drawing something on the whiteboard It's no different than just having like a white webcam. Couldn't you do it that way? We wouldn't be able to see the people but they could talk with us on the phone if they wanted to Yeah, we've had Carl in our meetings before several times where he wasn't here and he wanted to zoom in And I mean it's odd, but it's how many people are going to be doing that. That's a conference call Yeah, yeah We're talking about having video interactive zoom meetings I don't know I don't know that you I mean, okay I don't know how much longer we're going to have to do this anyway And how many people would actually need to participate in the way you're suggesting the difficult way I'm not thinking anybody's going to participate, but I can't really say that. Yeah. No, I know I know you have to assume I think you could open in case but I think we have to have an option if we don't have to invest a lot of money and just Yes, the option. I think we should probably present it So what's wrong with just doing the the kind of conference approach? I I don't say anything wrong with that either but me either I think that's a good idea Yeah, I mean I wouldn't invest in a bunch of avi equipment and no things and Right stop. I mean Whatever we're a small town Yeah, I know but the perception still needs to be that we're open to Remote attendance But that is open to remote attendance. I mean if anybody wanted to call in we could arrange it so that they can Call in and it's not ideal, but this is an ideal either. I mean this is weird, too Yeah, but what about doing meetings at the fire department? There's more space there. Sure Yeah, maybe people would feel more comfortable actually coming to the meeting there and we'll get as many people as we ever did coming to the select board meetings If it were at the fire department So what's the conclusion here at this for this item? I don't know that we have one Well, I'm just trying to flesh that out Okay The conclusion is is is a 10 day 10 days to get this in order Still Going to happen or are we saying that the personnel that work in the office are not going to be comfortable with people coming in? Is that what I'm getting at this? No, that's not what you're getting from what I was trying to put together What we're looking at is more of a We're having two different discussions separate the meeting stuff from the office stuff if you can Yeah Having full flow through the office again. I don't think we're ready for and as I said, it's because we're so tight Yeah, when I mean When people have freedom they go everywhere and I'm not sure everybody's ready for that. Okay Let's not do that by creating the limited access We've got that vestibule set up with the screen and all the rest So people come there if Denise isn't right there. They ring a bell Somebody comes up The front door is unlocked. So that's right now it is So that's worked well since we had the last tax installment period It's the free flow that people are still a little concerned about Okay Okay, so it sounds like that's we're not going to open up the office for a while Just to get that That part of the discussion cleared up We're not going to open up the office. Is that correct? I don't know that's what he said What's that? I mean, it's allowing that folks in kind of on a You know beyond the vestibule like kind of on a appointment basis Not even that's the way it's been Yeah on call or something. I don't know that's the way it's been it's been by appointment But now I mean The way it's been working is like for these easements that I had to get for those two culvert projects people are doing the notaries inside the building now instead of outside which is why it was Handled for the last year Yeah, so that part has changed As I said, once we started taking the tax installments again inside We just never took that little area down again and that's Where people come in now It sounds like we're going to have to change the Um decision that we made the last meeting You're fleshing it out Well, we're going to meet more specific That's what I was saying is that the motion you made last week was great except in two-week field Except it didn't give many details now. We're trying to get the details. Yeah So the details would be we're not going to change the town office um opening reopening closure, whatever It's just the meeting component. We actually are changing the town office because Your order says the town office is closed. Yes now. We're saying it's open To meetings just with no It's open. Okay. Just with limited access Okay, it may be a subtle difference, but it's It changes the the stop sign to More of a yellow Okay So it sounds like we're going to have to change the language in what we put together last time Because it says to open the town office to the public You you can't you're going to have to change that No, you're opening it to the public on a limited access basis. Okay. Okay. I wrote it all out said you got to look at it Oh, okay I'm looking at that and then we'll go over here So you're saying Okay As amended and that's the motion that you want us to make No, I want you to play with this format because that's the format we set up when we did the original order. Yes I like the way it's written out I think It's exactly what we've been talking about So you're going to unlock the front door Right Okay, and it's off limits to town committee and commissions because there's just too many of there. There's too many people on some of those commissions Trying to figure out how to Make it, you know 10 people can come in but not 20. It's a public meeting. You're not supposed to set limits I'm not sure how you'd phrase that effectively Right. Yeah And Sorry, my only suggestion is looking at your language Bruce in the paragraph before we get to the you know, the boat to the arrows Guide, you know the last sentence by the following order designed to guide municipal operations towards full normalcy I don't know what full normalcy is but I don't know. I don't think anyone's saying we're ever going back to normal because You know, maybe, you know towards full operation or toward, you know, I didn't want to use the word operation twice. So I didn't like that one either Better language, please have at it That that full normalcy is actually used quite often in discussing this thing all the time They use it constantly but We can change that doesn't mean we have to Doesn't mean we have to I would just say uh designed to guide municipal operations moving forward Yeah You're sure It's a transitionary document, right This is going to change again I'm not that comfortable with the second next to last bullet but the town office building remain off limits for town committee commission board meetings in public events, but We're saying we cannot have meetings here because you can't screen the public as far as masking Remember this is a temporary thing. Yeah, we're trying to go from whatever whenever this this phase four happens Yeah for the next couple months to see how it plays Yeah, this isn't for the next year. I hope not and that's this is leading up to um Some of the questions down below Yeah for select board Yeah You have a meeting one more meeting in june and then one meeting in july Do you want to stay the status quo for those two meetings and then Look at in person in august or do you want to speed it up? Uh, these are the specifics. I was talking about wanting to get out there I don't care Honestly, it seems like it might be easier not to speed it up Just yeah, I would love to meet in person and blah blah blah, but it seems like just there is some hesitancy and that's fine I mean, we're yeah, we're doing all right as we are. It's not the best, but we're doing fine I I don't see any reason to speed it up and we can adopt this Transitionary motion so to speak And keeps everyone happy and feeling protected And then on the meeting aspect of things we can look into having a meeting In the fire department, but at that point, we're also going to have to look at These remote attendance options, etc So I'd say We should adopt the motion that bruce has come up with Because it gives specific guidance And then go from there So most Yeah We have a second Just with the slight revisions that On the full normalcy Good, okay What was it? What was the language on that full abnormal see? operations moving forward moving forward. Oh boy, that's sophisticated language. Okay Okay Very good So we have a second from Judith any for the discussion All those in favor, please say aye Hi, hi The eyes fear to have they do have it um Okay, so we're going to kick the ball down the road on the Three bullets at the end of this motion, which is the remote attendance options, etc I guess At the very least you should be thinking about them because we're going to have to Figure out what to do. Yeah Yeah, okay sounds good Oh, here's the agenda Okay, so the next thing is a personnel matter. So we need to go in executive session on that Definitely. Yep. Uh, so that means someone Makes a motion Go in executive session. Yeah Amy is making the motion. We have a second on that. John is making the second All those in favor of going in executive session discuss this personnel matter, please say aye Hi All right, the eyes have it they do appear to have it. They do have it so That means there's a couple. Yeah, what happens to orca Yeah, why orca is still showing And rose is still showing too. Yeah Um Meeting is being recorded. Okay. Oh when we end the meeting they won't be So where are we we're in that? Other business, but we also have the slack board report. Everything else has been done Well, no, yeah, so the slack board report has a few things that We still haven't discussed Which comes down to Jeff buyer's report blah blah blah I think so. Is that correct Bruce? Well, that's I mean Jeff emailed me last week and said John He had meant to reach out earlier you'd forgotten He'd like to do what we had talked about to review what had happened last winter and see what the Long-term plan might be if any Yeah And then Carl left so Haven't been able to ask him About it But Carl will be here for the next meeting right correct. So let's do that So the real question would be whether it's Next meeting or the july meeting simply because next meeting is that wacky meeting The end of the year meeting Oh That can It goes a lot faster on zoom that it used to in person but We may want to wait till the july meeting Yeah, sounds good. Okay I will not be at the next meeting incidentally. Oh, you're not going to be No, I would love to be but I am flying in and I won't be home until like 10. So Oh 10 that night or 10 the night before 10 that night 10 the night before and I'm just gonna walk really slow home Yeah You can always zoom in you know I know she's not going to Okay Yeah, um Okay, so what about the So the the county road project seems to be on track We got notice of A structures grant for that north of barns culvert It'll be a small grant. I told you that I had asked our handler shawna clevered If there was any money in that structures program and she said there was a little leftover And she'd see if she could fit something in and she has but I don't know how much it's for So every penny is good. So whatever Yeah, the wetlands permit applications are in for both projects both culvert projects We're in that review period and then there'll be the 30 day notice period and all the rest So the earliest this is likely to start is End of july early august, but everybody's on board. So all going well the Emerald ash for ash tree management project going on and county road is done That went well actually really well A lot faster than the first round we did And people seem happy with the end results good And that's pretty much it Looks good Any questions from the rest of the members that are here? About anything so we're not going to have meetings in person for a couple more months Oh, well, I don't mind the zoom meetings that much Now they're over quick so The timing is good. They are quicker, but there is something I mean just about retention and you know kind of Yeah, I don't have any problem with the retention part of it, but you don't I do like just on computers. I just I don't There's something that just doesn't My head is much Yeah It does seem too quick in some ways, but yeah But it's okay Quick is good in some ways Okay, um So I look forward to seeing you all in person. I think I'm supposed to say that but um And you want to make any exceptions to that so Amy you're not at the next meeting. Is that what you said? I'm not going to be at the next meeting. No, you're going away. I'm going away. I'm going to go and visit my grandson Oh, where's that? Washington DC Oh, okay Sounds good. Um Well, we'll see you in july We're gonna get Carl back in trade Yeah His last-term brother will be here in my stead. That's right Okay, so on the fire department stuff Do you have any strong feelings? Amy either way because you won't be here. So just ask you strong feelings. I mean I actually don't really know why they couldn't have just Why they couldn't have just said what their thinking was because it wasn't really that dramatic was it now Really Honestly, I mean that was it takes them a long time to get around to what they want to say Yeah, I guess okay. I mean that was I was expecting something really interesting and I you know Wanted to take a nap. So um, no, I don't have any strong feelings either way I mean, there isn't really much to have strong feelings about it's Kind of what they're doing. So yeah, it doesn't for us to worry about we're just going They're either going to vote it up or vote it down. Yeah, exactly. They're going to vote it up Yeah Yeah, okay, so that's good that we know what your position is. Amy Yeah, there you go. Okay very strong. Yeah I can paraphrase you. I can paraphrase you pretty easily good. Okay And we also have the recording to look back on that's right. So just in case you need to go back and oh, that's right correct I think this whole I think this whole contracting You know, the way we've got this setup is kind of crazy. Anyway, it doesn't give us any assurances that Calis will stay involved in this if they have a change of leadership or Something happens. They can just they can back out and the only reason I'm saying this is because we had to see We just had this happen the Greensboro backed out of a police contract They've been with the town of harbing says prop the 80s And they got a couple different people on the slack board and they decided I didn't like the way the contract was and I don't know what happened on on Hardwick side. They stay got they didn't get along and they backed out and now they Now hard because a $250,000 hole in their budget So what did Greensboro do to do that with the sheriff's department? Okay Orleans sheriff's department is providing them with coverage Um, not the same level of coverage. Obviously, they're just going to drag On each shift where we you know where hardwick was there, you know a regular basis I guess I just wonder if that would if that could be an eventuality is that and I mentioned that before if they would just say Nope, we're just gonna do it by service with woodbury or something. I mean, is it is it possible that they would just not Like nope, we're out of this this contract altogether Is that at all possible? They wouldn't be able to do it for ambulance service Yeah, okay, wouldn't and very town would never hook on with them without having us or marshfield and playing field Because there's no direct connection right So Yeah Hardwick rescue they'd have to go with right Well, they have uh ownership in the building Yeah, which I don't see them backing out of but I really don't see them backing out of that No, and I think that's kind of what I was kind of kind of concerned that this was there was so wishy-washy They were driving me crazy Yeah, my frustration level was right up there. Yeah, I know those guys. Anyway, I worked with brave ant for a long time Yeah So anyway It is what it is. I don't see them going anywhere But In my you guys kind of wanted to get out of it anyway and just say exactly so I'm not thinking that it's a big deal If they they decide tomorrow. Oh, see you later. I'm like Well, the thing was was that this was a really I would think that it was I mean the cash was nice and the budgeting was nice You know, if we have to sit around and wait for budgeting until I don't know but That's If they went by It's not the end of the world. You're right. Exactly. So who cares? No, I know they stay with us. Okay We'll deal with them if they decide to go down the road then good. Good enough What Amy's saying though is the one thing that they've always forgotten By opening up their budgets if they get changed to half of it What happens then? It's kind of like what jennif was saying earlier. This is sort of almost a trust thing All these agreements work together And to pick up one little element of one clause Is not terribly productive. No But I will say this much. Denise Wheeler does not want me talking in those joint meetings and you shouldn't sad You shouldn't point to me to say something She does not want me talking Oh, okay For better or worse You do have a right to talk Well, but I'm not a select board member and she's no that's was the point she was making. Yeah It pointedly. Yes. Yeah, she's not a board member. She knew full. Well, he wasn't he wasn't but Maybe she forgot gave her the benefit of doubt. He did not forget However I was a board member Yeah, okay So, um, are we done with the blah blah? Yeah Hey, this is where I come into it. Okay. Um, I'd make a motion that we adjourn And can we have a second? Second Yeah, all of the favor, please say aye Hi Mr. Branson Thank you I'll see you all in thank you. I'll see you on July Have a nice trip Thank you Bye