 Thank you very much, Carl. Drawing a blank has been a long day. Carl Parton and we'll go ahead and get started this evening. Call the meeting to order. Any additional changes to the agenda? No. Any public comment? Hearing none, we'll move forward. We have a permit request from Wayne Lamerton. I'll speak to that real quickly to kick it off. Mr. Lague was here to talk about that and answer any questions. You have a document that they provided in your package. It's just a briefing and that's what Mr. Lague was here is just to fill you in on what they're doing and why they're doing it. Wonderful. Thank you very much if you want to take the floor and give us your information. Appreciate it. And thank you for providing the outline too. So now that we've sold the hotel, Applebee's, we're now, we want to put every store under the same roof, more or less, you know, we just save payroll, things, filing and all the different stuff. So in doing that, we have to apply for new licensing for the state and then one of them being going to license, which has to be approved by you guys. So you'll be going from Maplewood Limited of Montpelier to Maplewood Convenience Stores Incorporated? Yeah, which exists now. So as I've said, Berry's stored in the Waterbury Royal Center, but one of them are all under that. Excellent. So then Rowan, and then move on to Rick, and Maplewood Limited will no longer exist. I understand. We appreciate you coming in to discuss it. Well, yeah, it could be real confusing because of all the Maplewoods that were around when it was showing through a bit and that too. So if you went back to research it, it's much simpler now. Any questions for Randy? So the liquor license, is that going to be changed with the renewal? Or is this... We have to get it before, so that's why we apply for it now. So now we'll have to renew it again. Sorry at that time. Every time that we get it, it works better than it would be all Maplewood Convenience Stores Inc. Pretty standard, isn't it? We will send it to you. We will send it to you. Come on. Very good. Thank you so much. We appreciate you. Next on the agenda too, is the Vast Presentation and Update, and is they who will with us? Josh is replacing Mr. Rowan. Very good. Hi Josh. Walkers, would this be like come forward, Josh? I think that Vince has the stuff. I'm just here for any questions, maybe? Wonderful. Excellent. I'm going to find what it makes you print out of the email. I wasn't certain because I hadn't seen it in the packet, but that's great. It's mainly the stuff that we went over last year, and it's just we would have to come every year to just get approval again for... It's mainly we're doing the same thing as we did last year. Excellent. Thank you. So again, it's pretty much business as usual. We can't sign the quarter of management agreement tonight. We're open to get that done. But there were some tweaks made by the Conservation Commission, and Vast needed a chance to respond, which they have. So we need to update that. I'll get that done this weekend with the Board's permission. Again, I signed it last year as well. I just asked for the permission to sign that once that's completed. We've got the certificate of insurance from Vast has been mailed. So that'll be on file as well. The only other request that they have, and this is really what I think Josh is probably here to talk about, is a discussion about crossing from the open lot above 802 Honda. We're actually moving the trail for some safety reasons and trying to either get an approved crossing over to Applebee's or do something with some sightage. And I'll let Josh talk about the details for that. And they're looking to put the Board's agreement on that. Excellent. Thank you. What that is, is just right now we cross and go into Maplewood into the Traveler Center. And from there, people are kind of crossing over. And then there's that little retention pond between. So it's kind of confusing for which way they should go. And it would also maybe slow up some of the traffic. If people are just going over to Applebee's, they can just go over and pack in that little vacant lot. I don't know if anybody has approached Randy and Wayne, which own that little vacant lot. What's the vacant lot? The one, the little grass strip between 802 Honda and the driveway into Shaw's. There's like a little open lot right there. I'd assume that they have talked to them because they have opened up their land every place else. We got permission from Wayne and Randy to go over through the solar panels now and out through Wayne's property so we don't have to go through the industrial park anymore. Which was a lot of crossing and road ride. So that's made that much safer corridor right there. And we've gotten permission from the parent farm to go around the backside of the airport instead of going around whatever that road is that comes in, you know, by the fitness center. Industrial lab. So we're getting rid of the trail that goes through there. And so there's not going to be any trail through there anymore. And mainly the thing was, if you're just going to Applebee's and not going to the store, there's no reason to go over to the store. So it's kind of still in negotiation a little bit, but we're checking to see if the town had any issues with us crossing down just a little farther if people just want to go through the grass strip across the road there, which may be too close to the intersection of the interstate. So that's why we're just kind of having a question right now. I was just going to ask Tim if he first saw any issues as it's been explained this evening in terms of where they're suggesting to cross. How's your intentions on giving to the grass law? They've already, Shaw's owns the land on the other side. Yep, cut through them bush through that brush just like we do to get to that. My only concern was, and it's been concerned in previous years, not just even me, they're riding down the road on the right hand side if you're going to the interstate. There's three or four catch bases down through there that they were plugging in and we were getting spring. The problem is the springs, but they don't normally go that way, so I was just curious. It's going to be over that way. I think they're trying to get rid of that issue too. That would be my only concern about riding the side of the road right there. And I think they have it, they're cutting through up closer to the little road that goes behind them all. The little access to the trucks behind them all. And Joe, you had a question? Yeah, so where are they actually going to be crossing? It would mainly be right where that, you know, it must be like a hundred feet of grass strip right there between the two. So it would be... Yeah, so between the Shaw's parking lot and the lights. Correct. And before the town and country Honda. Right. That can be just crazy with a vehicle coming out of Shaw's at times. Just kind of putting it out there a little bit, you know. Yeah, so what Dave proposed in his email is that they would like to see, you know, a legal crossing put in there. That would be their preference. But he said, again, he'll go, you know, bastard's willing to obviously go with what the board feels as best as well. Because he thinks the riders, if it is busy, the riders will park and walk across using the crossing versus driving their sleds across as well, possibly. Yeah, they park just in that little grass strip and just walk across the road. If it's not a legal crossing, then what he said is he'll work directly with the police in the Washington City Sheriff's Department on how to educate on not crossing and put up some other signage as well to not cross with sleds there. So, I mean, those are the kind of the proposals that he laid out in here. And like Josh said, they're still working on it. But obviously the season is upon us for that. And if there was a red flag, we'll just put it aside, you know, something to think about maybe. Thanks for addressing it with us. Any other questions before we request a motion? I guess I would just maybe request that if Vince does his stuff, it's just giving him the authority to sign our permission for me. Tonight, maybe you can just say if you guys agree, you can sign for what we agreed to last year. I haven't seen the management plan, so I'm not ready to make the motion to accept it. Vince, do you have a copy of the management plan? Not with the changes. I know Dave sent the note. He dropped it off in the box today, and I haven't seen it yet. Would it hinder anything if we put it on the next agenda? Nope. It won't hurt anything. I'll send it out in advance. It'll be done probably tomorrow, no later than Wednesday. The changes will be made and ready to go. Again, there's not a lot of difference between, it's just some verbiage to make things a little more specific from both sides to clean it up a little bit from last year. It's almost identical to last year. And it added the Northfield Club's signature to it as well, since they're the ones that are responsible in doing the trail maintenance. So it added them. Would it benefit in terms of sending it out to everyone on the board and we review it and get the permission forward to you? Yes. That would certainly be quicker. You can do that. I think the only real thing is just the change that we're doing with the conservation board. We're not changing anything with the agreement we have with the town. It's just the agreement we have with the conservation board on the section of their land that we go through on Ivershill. Excellent. So based on that, would the board feel comfortable in making a motion pending the review to allow bits to sign if we're all in agreement after we review it by email while entertaining the motion? We move to accept the proposed management plan upon select board reviewing by giving events email permission. And second? And we're not necessarily voting via email. Okay. All those in favor? And next on the agenda is the fire department radio purchase approval. Again you have the quote in your package. And that was based on, we had the discussion at the last board meeting. I believe it was to use the reasons on your part decision or approval to use the article funds to purchase this. Were there any changes to the poll? Nope. So I had a couple of quick questions just about the budgetary process. So the fire department has a budget that's voted on in March. So there was probably radio communications within that budget. Is that right? So this would be over and I'm assuming there's no money left in the fire department's communications line item of the budget. There might be a thousand dollars left. So this would be over and above the approved budget that the voters approved in last March. I was pretty convinced by the presentation of why this is needed. We are coming right up on, but we're working on a budget now. I guess my question is, we've done a lot of extra budget expenditures this year. Would it affect the fire department adversely or I know there's inconvenience right now. If we waited until after March and this would put into the fire department's next year's budget and then spent that approved by voters. Well I should be putting my other hat on. I could well like, Matt's here. You're talking about the Y item for communications. We have currently a $6,000 Y item. That's for a few pagers and a few and in accordance. This right here is just under $30,000. You're going to be looking at what, an 8% increase just alone. So without the cost of living going into next year's which would be fiscal year 2025. Before any of the increases for anything else you're looking at 8%. So you're probably going to be looking at probably almost a 16 to 18% increase if we were to put this into the budget. For communications. For the department. I look at it as an overall. And Vince, does this qualify for ARPA funds? Yeah. And so currently you have both PD and the road crew, the highway crew, changing radio frequencies. And you have emergency management using the Berlin Fire Department as their EOC Emergency Operations Center. And by changing the frequencies and not allowing the emergency management to allow their emergency operations center to change as well. You have now cut communications throughout the time. So in the past it's been done. It's just less convenient. We haven't had this system for the past. No, but we were able to communicate. I can still communicate with them. Right. We have two radios that make patients understand. That's scheduled to happen right after the first of the year right now for both the highway and the police to start that conversion. Any other questions regarding that? Do we want to entertain a motion to move forward with quote? Should I use myself? No. And Matt, did you want to also include information? I'm Matt. Hey, sorry. I'm really just listening in. I think Slutman Stubb answered pretty much everything there. There is one little tidbit that I guess is relevant. The state police have already converted to digital. So we're kind of behind the curve in being able to communicate in that lane already. And I can tell you from the training I've been in the last week and this week. You know, emergencies live and die on the backs of communications. So I recognize the desire perhaps to put this off to a tilt town meeting day. But I also think about the arc of the supply chain right now. You know, some things that we should be able to go down the street and get. It just can't happen. Speaking of that, when are you looking at being able to acquire these approved? In terms of time frame. I have no idea what the arc is, but I think that's pretty quick. Excellent. Matt, do we want to entertain the motion? I'll make the motion to approve the purchase of the radio system using arc of funds. And I'll second that. I'm allowed to do so in the chair seat. Any other further discussion now that we have the motion? I would like to say that I'm posing a lot of questions to learn and to make sure that, you know, we're to bring up the fact that as we go to budget season, it's important that we remember what the voters approved and really to set the stage for discussion that we've made a lot of extra budgetal decisions this year. So that's kind of why I brought the question up. Well said. And I think that that is always good. So I always appreciate the questions and all those in favor. Motion clears. And next on the agenda is the recreation committee signs and budget requests. And we had noted that Tim Shea would be discussing that and we have that in our packet as well. You've got the signs proposals and Mr. Shea is here to speak to it as well. So yeah, so we're really probably here for four things tonight. One is to ask for your approval. I come a month or so ago and you wanted to see the language that we were going to do on the signs at Dodd River Park. And that's Berlin Pond. Those have been sent. So looking to get an approval for the verbiage. The second ask, which is related to that would then be approval for the expense to have those signs made. I think at this point, likely with seasons, they may not get put up until the spring, but that just depends somewhat on mother nature and other things. So yeah, so I guess I'll stop. The first two related things is that I don't know if there's any questions there. I have that verbiage did go through the conservation committee as well, just knowing that they're at least a stakeholder or knowledgeable. So they have blessed that verbiage as well. And how many signs were you looking at? Just one each. And what is the current cost? It is, and they're 24 by 30. So two feet by two and a half feet. This price was done a little while ago. So I'm going to round up a little bit. This price was 206, but just knowing how volatile things are, I would say maybe, you know, not to exceed 250, I guess, just knowing that things are not moving the smaller direction these days. And that's for the two? That's for the two. Yep, yep, just a little over 100 each. That's very reasonable. And that's how it works. The next question is, they do have that amount in their budget now. So that's time to cover that. So that's the first two. I don't know if you want to... Any questions for Tim based on what he's provided for us already? Entertain a motion, broken out perhaps in two parts? Based on what Tim provided us? It doesn't necessarily have to be in two parts. If you could combine it, that would be beautiful. I think that that would work really well. I would move to accept the Recreation Committee's Signs and Budget Request as listed in the two documents. Excellent. Second? Any further discussion? Hearing none, all those in favor? Shouldn't say not to exceed anything, or do you want to just go with... Actually, that's not a bad idea to have the two at approximately $206, not to exceed $250. Yeah, I don't think that would be that much. We can go to that part. Excellent. Second on that? All those in favor? Motion hearing. And thank you, Tim. So another request, something we're looking to do, is start up this kind of a pick up volleyball. They're going to go to the school, they've got the nets, and they're willing to offer the facility, and the Rec Committee will help kind of organize and promote that. That sounds fine. And we've worked through events, and as well, with the remote leagues of cities and towns, as far as liability and forms and stuff, for participants. Insurance and participants. So kind of checked all those boxes. What's remaining is we need to order some volleyball for that kind of just for that... I won't call it a league, but that activity. And so I'd like to ask for a request or to buy six volleyball at the price. And they're $45 each, so we'll call it $225 for volleyball to have for pick up volleyball through the winter months here. Excellent. And do you want that to come from the town's budget, or do you have those funds in your budget? They have it in the Rec. Yeah, come out of the Rec. Excellent. And when do you anticipate that starting? Well, probably, as soon as we get the balls and kind of get it kicked off. I'd say in the next, well, of course the holidays here, so you just given all the activities. Like a weekly event? Yes. I do the question for you. You're saying the volleyball is $45 each. And so six of those would be $270. Oh, you know what? I think I did my math earlier at $95. So let's do five. Five should be enough. No, thank you for... I wrote down $225, but I didn't know what I had. So yeah, sorry, $225 for five. That should get us through. Discussion or questions? To accept the Recreation Committee's request to purchase five volleyball balls. With an amount. $225. Anything? Second. All those in favor? Five. Motion carries. The final thing is probably more just informational. We've done some work out on the ice rink and the committee has been talking about the possibility in the future of looking for some grant opportunities. I talked to Tom as well. And then the Vermont League of Cities and Towns to look for some recreation grants to potentially, instead of having the grass out there to paving the area straight out here and paving that for kind of all year round usage. So it would be courts in the summer months and then in the winter it would be much easier to flooding. Now I'd have to. So really it's more of just like I say informational or I don't know if they need a motion to at least start to research the possibilities. I have looked into some grant that is a federal avenue and then there's a federal that requires a match and then a state grant possibility that could be used towards that match as well. Obviously looking at getting a budget together for it. So like I said at this point I don't know if there's an ask. It's more just informational. We'll probably come back at some point as I gather up more information, get some ideas in mind. I don't even know how much the town at this point would be. We'd look for any financing. Obviously it would be great if we didn't have to and we could get it through grants and matching opportunities by the right funding sources. That's excellent. I think it's really good that you're bringing it forward and having this discussion. I don't think there's anything that we necessarily have to make a motion on in terms of that but you could always come back to us as you do additional research. But questions, John? I'm just going to say Tim is if you're going to look to cover that using asphalt of course the black will absorb the heat and you're going to fight to keep any ice on there. So I just want to throw something out there before we go into too many details. We've also are working with Norwich University, the engineers there on a couple of projects here that they're actually going to give us basically three different designs on and I'll use it since we're talking about the rink I'll just talk about that one. Three different designs on, right? The Volkswagen up the midterm and then the Cadillac version of what could be done to support that and some estimated costs for that as well. Once we get that obviously you'll have that to be able to look for grants with some costs and an actual plan in hand and at that point we'll get into more details but to your point you're right and they're going to come back with some probably in discussions with them multifunctional surface like a track type of thing or some sort is probably going to be in the top tier plan because they'll take that into consideration but that's being done at no cost to the town working with Norwich on one of their engineering programs. That's fantastic. But yeah to your point that a black surface trying to get the snow but there's other things we can do there to help seasonally just put some tarp over it or some white plastic basically to help that reflectivity and for flooding it and getting it cool. That's great. Thank you so much. Any other questions for Tim? Any further discussion? Not hearing anything. Thank you. And thank you Tim. Next up on the agenda is the highway budget review and we have highway superintendent Tim Davis with us this evening. Feel free to come forward Tim if you'd like. We can't hear you. You're too shy. Good night Tim. Thank you. We have four for the highway in there. You should have one for summer, winter roads, general and other. And what that will show you is from 2022 last year's budget and proposed for this year and the different amounts. What I didn't include in your package but I did send to you electronically was a one page document if that's the full budget you could take the highway portion out of that and that explains in a little more detail what's increased and what may have decreased and what is directly within our control and what is it for example like insurance and those increases. So that you should have hopefully had a chance to look at as well. If not I can give you another copy tonight if you'd like one. I don't personally need it tonight but thank you for sending it to us then. Would you like to go over them one by one Tim? Particular things you'd like us to discuss overall as we're looking at them? It hasn't really changed a whole lot. There is a few items. Add a little bit extra to the chloride because that's gone up due to the cost of everything else going up trucking and all that other stuff. We add a little bit more to the culvert materials list because culvert has gone up I think somewhere around close to 15% this summer alone. So that's not an increase in the number of culverts that may be replaced. That's just enough to keep up to keep up with what we're doing. So we're not falling behind there and starts having culverts to replace the culverts that we need. So you're fuel summertime? Yeah. We'll go back to summer. You're summertime over time. Is that like emergency calls? What is summertime over time? If we have a project that goes late it's easier to stay an hour late versus try to restart again and take up a couple hours in the morning but there's not. It's mainly if we get storm damage or trees down but like summertime over time It's been a moment. That's one of the few that went down and it was based on actual numbers from the last year in a reduction. And you're at full staff right now, Tim. Right now we are. I'd like to say it that way. So I was a little surprised at the small increase in the asphalt marking and ceiling only $10,000 increase from $23,000 to $24,000. Do you anticipate being able to do less? Or will you probably do less with that small increase because of inflation and costs and asphalt? It's been I wouldn't say that it's gone out of realm but it's been steady as far as price wise so we've been doing somewhat of the same mileage every year. A lot of that is like last year we didn't get awarded any grants but most of the time we can use that money to match paving grants for class 3s and class 2 roads but last year we didn't get any grants so we spent most of that money just paving some smaller stuff that we could that needed to be done that normally doesn't get done because we end up using that money toward matching grants and paving and whatnot there. Are we applying for grants currently? Wonderful. And you don't foresee an increase on the resurface and the gravel itself? We're we're still in our I think we're in our second year three year deal as far as price goes it might go up a smidge next year but they haven't raised the cost once this year what else has done four or five, six times of an increase in price they haven't charged us an extra nine or we're still paying the price that we paid last year so they've honored their price but they have said that you know what I mean they might have to go up a little bit next year just to cover fuel costs of the machinery to make the product but so we are under contract to purchase X number of yards of material and it was a three year contract and they're holding their price and we've got one it's a contract and this year is our last year with that no, we've spent another year we've got one more year previous years it's been a year to year contract and again we were fortunate along with the last board agreed to let us do a three year term contract rather than a year to year because again year to year risk every year if it going up right we've got three years with a pretty stable price we're one of the last few towns to even do that that way everybody to the most part in the surrounding area a pretty good circle has just gone to one distributor and they kind of stay loyal and work with each other type deal that way but it seems to be nice as far as like trying to get that your deal as far as like you can set your budget for the next three years and you're not guessing do you feel confident with the what you're presenting to us or do you foresee that this could change up or down I think this is going to be a pretty stable budget and we didn't go to the most part like I said everything is pretty close to the same as last year with some that have you know small increases I say small increase but they're some of them are you know a little larger on the dollar amount but it's you know it's kind of equivalent to what the cost of the material or whatever product we're using is moving in the upward trend and availability is another thing it's becoming higher for some things I think it's worth pointing out to just on the highway side alone between general insurance and workers come up for the highway there's a $12,500 increase it goes to the loan as well you throw in the health insurance that's another almost $3,000 of increase as well and then the Medicare is another $2,300 so there's a fair amount of increase just in that alone barring any grants and we don't know what we might get it's great that you're applying is there any aspects of what's integrated into the budget that could come out of ARPA funds to decrease what's needed in the budget itself for highway just a thought that I had anything I can just take a quick look I don't believe so at this time I mean anything that that could have been for example the radio upgrade we've done we've taken advantage of how about street lights street lights that's just electricity oh that's just electricity it's not replacement of no or repairs because sometimes there's some repairs excellent thank you Diane any questions for Tim or any concerns about the budget or if folks want clothes hearing none I'll thank you Tim for presenting to us this evening thank you appreciate all your effort thank you moving forward we have the town clerk budget review welcome I don't know if there's anything in here that is going to surprise you necessarily we will be looking at a one election year so as far as election related expenses we anticipate those will be less I think please tell me if I'm wrong that we have stayed within the budget last year fairly well so I'm really not requesting any multiple increases I don't know if you guys have also the list of anticipated appropriations that are going to be on the ballot we obviously don't know okay we don't have a full list anyways she's talking about the one that the the last page of the budget review that I gave you was mostly blank for appropriations I was going to show you the last two years thank you is there any questions entertain any questions that folks may have I'm looking at it myself currently and appreciate you being here to explain it with us there is some additional information I think that Rachel's going to want to share tonight just to tell you a little bit about some of the things that she's looking at as well some of it is already included there's some money set aside in the budget for this but I'm going to let her give you the details she's done a lot of research and work on doing some digitization that is something that's so needed and we appreciate that you're taking that after moving over to the research side I didn't bring any numbers for you I figured I would order you with that another meeting I'm still waiting for folks from one more company so we can compare prices we're hoping maybe within the next year we can have a system in place have our land records digitized we'll be back 40 years hopefully which is the standard for real estate researchers that's wonderful how many companies are you looking at but one more you're waiting for how many numbers for two right now that's exciting that is exciting along with that as well we're hoping to get a map scanner so that we can scan all the paper maps in the back and make them more searchable that we have so many in the budget for that scanner that large scanner I just wanted to be careful and reserves no I thought we had a budget there was money set aside we had talked about before for that scanner for the clerk's office that's a reserve that's a reserve what's the price that you see right now for that scanner I actually didn't look at numbers for the scanner so I've only worked for this stuff for digitizing I don't know if you want to hear me all part numbers but I don't think it would be needed for this I don't think it would be needed at this time but that's great that there's money in the reserves like Diane said that would be very helpful as we move forward but other departments such as the utilities board said that they would be willing to put some money towards that as well great so is the potential contract for the actual scanning of the documents or is it the infrastructure and system and software package that actually can be searched for the there will be a monthly charge going forward for the system itself the software yet what would you say approximately that would be just a $200 a month like this and people pay a fee to utilize the system same as coming into the vault they get charged a fee for doing records, printing out documents and such there's a fee associated with that yes paper view yes once it gets digitized exactly I think it will be well received I really believe people will be more than willing to pay the fee for the modernization I think a while back we were talking about upgrading computers were we not yes that was approved that was finally done not just computers but the entire server system on the side of the building has been done and completed and everybody has laptops so if we have a bad winter day and it's not safe for our employees to come in they can work from home just like they were at the office and Vince can you announce again for anyone listening the new website to the town I think that is working really well www.berlinvt.gov www.not.org that's wonderful and that site also has been upgraded as well again our goal and we're working with our other software company Polymorphic to have the ability to license your dog online fill out all the zoning forms and permits online as well so we'll be moving into the digital world over the course of the next year or two as we get documents converted uploaded onto the new website along with the lab records as well I guess the only reason I asked about the computers as I see it in 2022 and 2023 were zero across work was that paid through some other funds and that was we were replacing for a while we were replacing like a laptop every year like a computer system every year but this past year we were replacing laptops so there'll be quite a few years before we have to replace any at least 3-5 before we have to start replacing laptops at least and the server should begin for much, much longer than that probably closer to 10 for us that's very good news I'm just I'm doing a math and I'm interested how many people do you see on average coming to the day until they get their records and what's the charge for accessing that $4 an hour but there are copy fees and all kinds of other fees as well so the software will pay for itself easily so it should the monthly fee takes some time to pay off so I guess that brings you back to the question so the software system is the actual so the map scanner so that will be on you and the map scanner would be separate from the system that we're looking at and the scanning and indexing if that will happen independently but then the map system I mean when we are able to scan these maps we can then think them through so those could be searchable as well so that brings your question so we will be outsourcing the actual scanning of the current documents the land records the maps are separate from the land records and the scanner you have to be like a photocopier type thing just a huge one anything else you want to tell us about so it's very documented well any other questions for Rachel thank you for the negative percentage on the 24th we love more of those we appreciate that sometimes thank you Rachel ok next up on for discussion is a tire disposal discussion and decision this was on last agenda we talked about it we couldn't make a decision so we put it on here for a final discussion decision I think so there's been a little small development since then as well it doesn't change a lot we still need to do the cleanup in the yard so we're going to still look at asking to have that $2,500 do it in the spring probably after the winter tire change over when a lot of tires make it to the side of the road do a collection again a free drop off type of thing get enough tires to warrant the one company in New England that does it to come and collect them all to do the cleanup in the yard so we need six to seven hundred tires I think we got a back going here between I say there's two to two fifty he says there's closer to three hundred tires but it's irrelevant really just between us but we got to get up to six hundred seven hundred for them to come and collect them and we're looking for approval to be able to do that we do have the money we allocated five thousand in last year's budget for this year's budget I should say and we're putting that in again for next year's budget as well for cleanup out there in the yard so that is in the budget but again on a good note we spoke with Townfare Tire going forward after the cleanup is done we are able to take ten vehicle tires, car tires, no truck tires ten tires a week free to drop off at at Townfare for recycling at no cost to the found so as we pick them up on the roadside we can do ten a week down there so that will keep the pile from building up hopefully that's wonderful and thanks for following up on that discussion with them as well that's good to know so what we're looking for tonight is the approval to go forward with you know in the in the spring probably is the best timing you know coordinate that with him for you know a tire drop off to get our numbers up to get that collection done with the money that we have in the budget now so based on what Vince described would I welcome him so what was that amount right now if we did it it would be twenty five hundred dollars I suspect in the spring it might be a bit more because everything else is going up still so it may be a bit more as I said we've got five thousand budget for cleanup out there so we have it if it goes up an additional five hundred let's say we're good we're good for that and then with the addition of the help from Town Fair Tire would you presume that it would not be anywhere near this cost next year given that they'll be again the cost will be much less I mean we'll have either truck or loader tires or greater tires someday that there'll be a cost for if we use Town Fair Tire well but we should never get to seven hundred tires again on that note we don't we don't keep our tires if we change out truck tires they stay and we pay the disposable fee of the tires we'll pay Town Fair Tire to take them at that point whoever does their question stuff but we'll be paying the disposable fee keeping up with it rather than making a pile out there but the automotive tires are the biggest ones right I mean every green up day and throughout the year we're picking them up on the side of the road or those that have been tossed over and down a huge amount now we can take them down there as we get to a week or not and dispose of with that no cost that's great I'm almost prepared to make the motion but I would like to maybe make a suggestion that we try to be maybe creative working with the neighboring town to see if we can share their tires or they can take advantage of our truck load pick up and maybe split the costs I don't know if I'll ask them if they're interested worth an email or something my concern is we'll go over the six or seven hundred if we do that but I will certainly reach out and see so I make a motion that we move forward with the tire clean up and removal the amount of 2,500 I'll second any further discussion hearing none all those in favor aye motion carries next up is approval of licenses permits vouchers and applications this is usually you but I'll try to do my best I'd like to make a motion to accept the payroll warrant 23-12 for payroll from November 20 2022 to December 3 2022 paid on December 7 2022 the amount of 63,888 dollars and 21 cents further to accept the payroll warrant 23G10 to checks 22503 to 22531 for payables in the amount of 236,710 dollars and 50 cents and to accept the general journal entries for September and October of 2022 and the reconciled November bank statements for the general fund and sewer, water and checking accounts under a second a second any discussion all those in favor motion carries also now up is the approval of the November 21st 2022 minutes as presented a motion to approve the November 21st 2022 minutes all those in favor aye motion carries anything additional that was going to do on the agenda this evening that you want to discuss before round table? no just some round table items okay so I'm going to open it up for round table show do you have anything this evening I believe the slide board is still looking for another town resident to send in the fire department's board of directors so thank you so I read an interesting article in the Times Argus about the local options tax and it's something that we might discuss in the future but Berlin doesn't have a post office as we all know so we don't have our own exclusive zip code and it's interesting and we're not quite sure but it's possible that on some online purchases Berliners who have a Montpelier zip code or a Berry zip code may be paying local options tax now without Berlin reaping rewards of that options tax so I know it's something that we're thinking about looking into so I appreciate you bringing that forward I think it's really important and I believe there's a lot of people who may not be aware of that so thank you for bringing that forward Karl informed me of that this morning and I've sent some questions off to the state to inquire exactly about that to see what they come back with for an answer I will also try to speak to Carol Dawes who raised the issue when they approved the local options tax in Berry she was she was aware that it might have been an issue to see if she has any updates and has any additional information that may be of help to us on that as well that sounds wonderful and I think the information would be very beneficial in terms of our discussion of the last meeting when we could potentially put it on for another it's something I think we have to have an answer to before we go back to the voters with another local options tax to fully understand it and make sure because if it is specifically related to a zip code whether we approve it or not there will still be confusion where that money is coming from and where it should go we have to get an answer to that we'll be worked about that excellent anyone else is David on with us he's not and he did Brad join the only other thing that I have for the round table is I wanted to thank Tim Davis and his crew I've heard from residents who are appreciative of local recent work and things throughout the community and so good job thank you I have a couple of things excellent of course no no don't be sorry please go forward what I will bring to the next meeting for the board's approval obviously I have to get it on the agenda didn't come in in time we've been having issues as you know with Beaver blocking the culverts out here across town and over on mirror lake road and we did do some trapping earlier in the year but that several residents have raised some concern about trapping the Beavers and got involved in looking for better ways to do that they came back with Protect Our Wildlife of Vermont it's a non-profit corporation that does do some work with some people with regards to Beaver baffles to help prevent that and more humane for the Beavers so I did reach out, I've had conversations with them they've actually come back with a local person that installs these that stayed approved with a price and the price is $8,000 to install them both and should we agree to work with Protect Our Wildlife that they will pick up half the cost or $2,000 each so they would put in $4,000 or $8,000 to do this with an agreement basically that if the device isn't working we notify them right away and they will get involved if there's any malfunctions they'll kind of monitor it and they want it to be there for like 10 years that's kind of the thing all the details of the MOU that they're looking for and we'll discuss that whether or not we want to move forward with that or not thanks for bringing it forward definitely I think as a board we'll want to look at that the second item I will send you the information as well that will be on the next meeting regarding the historical society we did we agree probably a little over a month it's been more than a month now to a meeting to discuss their contract it's just a reminder for the board and get some more details around that and perhaps even negotiate a new contract with them there has not been an increase in their rate as there was supposed to be contractually as well and I'm going to have a letter drafted to reflect that that I think we should at least prior to inviting them to the meeting it will be it was agreed that they would be grandfathered there wouldn't be any charges for the past years where there was not an increase as to what their new rate will also be going for and I want to do that obviously to have it in the new budget numbers as well so that will be on the agenda and I will get you the details of that information as well for the next meeting and then we'll also have to decide if they attend the meeting to have further discussions about the contract perfect thank you Ben that's it for me and we don't have any for an executive session tonight will I entertain a motion to adjourn make a motion to adjourn what's the second all those in favor aye motion so moved