 So Thursday, November 1st, we're going to schedule a select board meeting to order. To my left is Pete Kelly, Wayne Lamberton is not here tonight. To my right is Angelina Capron, and Jeremy hasn't showed up yet. And then we also with us is Dana Hadley, our town administrator, Diane Isabel, our treasurer, and our police chief, Bill Wolfe. We will start with the public hearing for an ordinance to allow snowmobile ATV travel on town roads. We seem to be lacking some participants. And as I told you, we received a few routes that Jim sent me, and we also received a copy of the letter that Governor Scott wrote to Vast. Okay. I'm wondering if it's the change in days. That makes those two. That makes a lot of sense. There's one for summer access and one for winter. Was the VASA and VAST, were they going to take and join together on this, or are they going to take and go at it one at a time? Well, the original concept was, as it's no surprise to everyone, things are getting more expensive every day. Yeah. I think it's a good idea for the groups to work together since they have similar interests and in a similar area, there needs to be a great build that they can share the cost of that and the maintenance and stuff that has to be done along the trail. So there, and it's a pilot project for us. We share trails in other places, but we've never started from scratch working together trying to do that. So it's trying to see what we can do with that concept. Can we really afford to go and make a new trail? That one blazing new thing with today's economy and everything that's happening. So that they're so far so good, you know, the local clubs of all, it used to be snow machines and ATVs. That was a four letter urge back and forth and they never had a lot of times of change. A lot of people, there's a lot of crosswalking and a lot of people on both machines like myself. So it's a much more collaborative effort out there. And the more folks work together, you find that if there's a trail somewhere, tends to get used in the summer anyway, that people will find a way to get out there. And if you've got actual clubs involved, that they can help keep these things and keep them cleaned up and trees fall along and all that sort of stuff, the sort of stuff that happens normally in the woods that you have to keep the trail. And Brad, I've also invited the chief to speak to it and the highways of contending. Yes, chief. Well, I mean, I've got a few concerns. Primarily with the snow machines. One, being that the snow machines have a much lower profile than the cars or trucks traveling on the road. And I'm afraid that with the topography and the poor lighting that it may be possible that a car would miss an oncoming snow machine and there could be a problem there. Secondly, vehicles have a harder time stopping quickly or swarming on snow and ice covered roads. I mean, if something happens, the snow machine breaks down, something in the car, it comes up on it quickly and has to swerve. I'm concerned about an accident happening there, someone getting hurt. Tim could speak to winter maintenance operations, you know, guys plowing, got a wing down, somebody comes, you know, if they don't see there's a whiteout or something and they have to hit a snow machine, obviously that's not going to be a good scenario for either pedestrians out here in the wintertime with the skating rink, one in the back and forth across the driveway and all over the place. I think that presents an added risk having the snow machines present. And my last concern is something that we can't ignore is the human element. You have impaired drivers of vehicles and snow machines and ATVs, not everyone, obviously, I never would say that, but you have to factor in that you're going to have impaired drivers out there. You combine the impairment with slippery roads. My opinion is that it is a really big risk to the public safety. The, what's the drive to get the trail over here? Is it just to have a destination or is it to- Well, it's a combination of things that from the snowmobile angle that there is access now, do you come up in the very monthly road, which we cross the very monthly road, we cross three access, I mean, the slides around regular traffic, fairly regular, and for the most part they're licensed drivers, so they kind of know how the road works and they, and I don't think I've seen one manufactured 20 years that doesn't have a license all the time for visibility, so you can see that coming. But you're crossing at right angles, as opposed to driving in the travel portion of the roadway. We go up the travel portion of the road in several places, Sheffield. Okay, but not here though. Not here. You asked me where, I'm telling you where I'm not. I'm being an avicerobe, my question is, no, I'm not. You asked me where and I said where. That's how traditionally they cross at right angles. For the road crossing, you know, there are plenty of places throughout the state, we've got over 4,700 miles. Oh, I'm not excusing, absolutely, we do, absolutely. And actually coming through the industrial park out here, my friend, for me as a rider, I'd rather do this than come through the industrial park. That we have, starts with the concept that we're there, the sleds come in from that side, we have first class services here, we've got hotels and two restaurants and gas and parking. And as many times in the trail business, it's a short way as the core flies to get over to Northfield that way, but to follow the trail, it's around Robinsburn and back and around this pushing, I don't know, it's got to be 15 miles or better just to get around and reconnect and you get to over there and give you a connection back across to connect you to Northfield and South and over towards the valley over in the Wazefield. And as far as from the ATV traffic goes, that there's a couple of drivers there. The first off, there are already ATV trails that can be used there, except that the parking area is for just parking a few compact cars is a fine idea, but if people actually started using that trail, you know, if me and Steve and Nick here showed up with our trucks and trailers to unload, to actually use the trails, suddenly that parking lot is pretty full. Whereas if you could park here and buy your gas and slip down around there and get up on the trail system, you're not getting anybody else's way up on the hill. And the hope is to connect that down into because the ATV trails now come up to where exit flies come down down to the gas station, which connects you into the Northfield Lost Nation system, which takes you clear to Braintree, which in turn connects you as far as south as in the Bethel and down through there, trying to connect these systems together in any place that where you have within eyesight of each other, first class services and interstate access and everything. And then look over there. It's a pretty awesome wooded territory. I was reminded that I hadn't been up in there years of how it's, it's a pretty amazing and scenic route up through there along the ridge and down through there, the sort of thing that give the opportunity for a lot more people to enjoy and to use and we've got a lot of folks up on the hill up here that have machines that they can't access the trail system because they can't get down under the bridge to get onto it. There's a lot of angles to that. Mostly it seems like other than this part where we're having here trying to get this piece of road. It's really an ideal place to be. Nick Sargent, Lost Nation ATV club, trail coordinator. This is the first year I was actually up on that ridge and it is gorgeous. It's nice for us to be able to take our trail system and get out to the services, let's go to the hotel and bring some money in to here, get some money into the gas station. It's just a beautiful ride up across the top of the mountain and it'd be nice to be able to enjoy that a little bit more in the summertime. I mean, we typically, during the summertime on any given day, usually less than 10 ATVs during weekends and weekdays is limited, very limited. So we're not talking about, a lot of people are just talking about a few people who wanna get out and enjoy the things. A lot of people tend to go out to bigger places to go ride more and we're just offering services and get people out to enjoy on Sunday cruise. Yes, sir. Steve Monati, Berrytown Thunder Chickens. I've been a director for almost 20 years, a rumor and trail builder. Back when I worked at Rossi Buick, it goes, 1991, the Berlin Wolverines were up here and the trail went through and I believe last meeting we said something about why the trail was closed on this side and I don't think it was quite right. The reason the trail was closed, we had a landowner issue on our side that prevented us to keep this trail open and inevitably was the end of them because nobody was gonna come up to ride up to ride back if they couldn't get through. That trail was there for many years going under that underpass, not any situations that I ever knew of. I used to ride the trail, single file, everybody knows the deal, they ride snow machines. It's not like summertime, 10, 15 Harley-Davidson's going through there with cut off exhaust pipes and flatten up over that hill. People are in their houses for most of the time, windows are closed, snow machines are lower decibel rated. So I don't think there is as much of an impact is what's led to believe. I believe if this is done right and everybody's on board with it, it would be a very good access for the vast system to get on to the other side of the hill because if from here down it's all the way to Bolton before you can cross 89 again. So you're committed once you're on that side of the mountain for quite a long trail. I think it would benefit in a lot of ways. I don't think you'd see a lot of traffic. A lot of people are out for a good ride. If it's a short ride, it would be a shorter trip back over to this side of the mountain. The aspect of trails being on the roads, we do it up in Washington, Corinth. There's many places where there's an actual, I can't come up to the word, there's a legislative number for being able to ride the roads. The ordinance. What's that? The ordinance, I'm sorry, yes. And we have it right up on Cheney Road. We go right down Cheney Road up off the Access Road. So there are several places. It takes some adjustment with everybody, both parties. I think one of the concerns has been that it's not so much the snowmobiles and ATVs on the road. It is the number of cars in the traffic counts that we have here in town. And I think it does lead to a little bit of, or will lead to conflict between tires and snowmobiles and ATVs. What can you do to shorten the span that you are on the road? Shorten the distance. Yeah. Up on the, I mean, I think you've got up on the Black Road and up in that area to go down the backside of the pond. Sometimes land owners are reluctant to let you use their land the first year or so. They see you going down the side of the road, see you going down the side of the road. The year or two, they're like, use the back of my property, get away, get away from the road. They see common sense in it. Down here, we're very limited to what we can do. That underpass is what it is. The closest we can get to it on each end, the less we use, but you can only come up so far. And there's an issue of coming up on a right angle onto the road. The trail does not have to be at a right angle. We can stake it, post it, so they come up so they're not coming right up and then trying to turn their snow machine. We can make things safer. We can do a lot of things. We run a lot of places that we have to coexist with the road. Who roams the trail over here to make wood now? I do. Yeah. What are you using for a grubber? We use a Tucker Cat with a rubber track. No steel track, no damage to the road. We run it in the parade in Berry City in the middle of the summer, right off the pavement. There's no harm whatsoever. The Tucker Cat, they actually use them for agricultural use in summertime, fields and stuff like that. How wide is the grubber? Grubber's eight foot six. So what are you grooming in the road? We wouldn't be grooming in the road. What we would actually do is, if we had help with the town and they push the road, push the snow down in the side, we're physically just going to come out and go down and make sure the other part of the trail, we pick everything right up and we have wheels and we just travel down that portion. We're all lit up. Reflectors, just like any town piece of equipment, we're subject to being seen like that. So we would just go through and go up and we're gonna meet with Northfield somewhere up in that field where it's the easiest for both to turn around and come back. And for the most part, when it's perfectly fine through here, we'll turn it to maple wood and head right back. There's no need for us to go through there three, four times a week. After a snowstorm to bust down the snow banks to make it safer to groom the trail to where we turn around, that would be pretty much the extent of the grooming. So to be clear, because in the beginning of this, you were gonna be in the ditch along the side of the Northfield road. So are we in the road now? Or will we be in the ditch? Some of us. Where there is space beside of the road, the groomer will come in between the plowing with a snow plow and the groomer as he's transporting from one side to the other will run in the same track. So it squashes down the snow banks and creates kind of a plateau off to the side. There are places where the bank gets too close to it so you are on the side of the road. But the sleds follow down the traffic the same. They're motorized vehicles just like everybody else and they go pick the best lane they can find based on what's there. Whenever there's snow available and you can get further off to the side, you do. But there are times when you're not able to get all the way off of there because the terrain's not the same all the way out to the side of the road there. Wherever possible, it swings wide and it packs down and the sleds themselves will get up on the snow banks and pack them down. But there are places where they will be in the actual travel part of the road where it comes out too close so that you can do that. We have explored many possibilities to get around that. Currently, this is the best case scenario we have. To loop up around to get over the water here as best as I can tell and there's something that somebody can tell me that I haven't been able to find that the city of Montpere's got it right away on each side of the water and they won't allow us to cross any of their property. There's an old road and a power line and sucks it was going to let us to get around all of the black road except that's the city of Montpere once again has jurisdiction over that and after a lengthy process with them, they decided that they're not willing to do that, that I didn't quite follow the logic and how they went with that with its air property so it doesn't really matter what they say, it's their property, they don't want us to cross it, they don't want us to cross it, the same as it is here. I mean, the machines literally, we share lots of roads and lots of places. I understand everyone's, because originally since they're not used to seeing it and not used to having things there but these are people who, they're the smallest machine on the road they are the last guy that wants to be in an incident so they're kind of paying attention when you're riding, it's just like driving your car when you're on the interstate and there's 10 miles of straight line in front of you you might relax a little bit but when you get around with your stuff moving you're on your toes and paying attention and you're not even allowed on the trail without having to pass the safety course and have to, you know, there's a process that you have to go through to go there. Do you have any? So I've got three email comments if I could read those. Sure. First, I'm just doing this in order how we got them. First is from Mary Vapelle on Highland Avenue I think she lives over there. She writes, I just saw on Fromportshire Forum about the possibility of utilizing some of the town roads for snow abilling to connect Northfield and Maplewood trails. I'm absolutely in favor of this and was wondering if there was something available to outline exactly where the proposed new trail would be. See the minutes are not yet posted from last night and I was wondering if there are any decisions made or future meetings regarding this. I responded to her and kind of explained to her the rough path of the trail that we talked about at the last meeting. Next one is from Shane Miller who is on Black Road who would be, who's right, his driveway would essentially be crossed by this. I do not support allowing snowmobiles slash ATV use of town roads. I have concerns about the negative impacts on established uses of the roads and the quality of life along the roads. Snowmobiles are required to meet the noise level specifications and not more than 73 decibels on the A scale at 50 feet in a normal operating environment but allowing road access would put some houses and many road users much closer than 50 feet to the loud vehicles. I also have concerns about the safety of allowing additional motorized traffic and added cost of road maintenance and policing for Berlin. Please keep these issues in mind when considering road access for snowmobiles and ATVs. Next one is from Vicky Law on Brookfield Road. The thought of having yet more traffic along any portion of Brookfield Road, especially during the winter months when the road tends to become more narrow with heavy snowfall, is beyond troubling. First of all, to cross the road from the beginning of Painter and Pike South to reach the field across from it would be a hazardous to traffic coming from Painter and Pike South around a somewhat blind corner, even in clear weather. Second, the Brookfield Road area in question is dangerous as is, let alone attempting to fit in yet another, quote, lane. There isn't even a shoulder on that road, only a fairly deep ditch and lined with trees that are too close to the road to even consider there being ample space for anything else. To think that a groomer could even create an additional space for snowmachines slash ATVs is absurd. Please reconsider this proposal that as it's simply an accident waiting to happen it would make those living on that road even more nervous about safely getting to and from our destinations. I also have one from Shea Miller. That was the same one he emailed all of us. Okay, so I just want to stress, I'm sorry, it's not going to be, we're not looking for an eight foot travel portion. It's a single lane, but is it coming and going? So that's two lanes or at a point in time. You know, I think the Brookfield Road, I walk that road 24 days out of every month. I have changed my glasses, my socks, my hat, my shirt to look at that ditch and try to find a safe way to put anything on there. I stand to the side of the road when the pickup trucks whiz by, I just can't imagine another vehicle. An ATV went by us the other day and may have been registered, but there's just no way it would fit on the side of the road. And I think Brad's sort of talking this up. Can you shorten the distance anyway? We would love to do that. The problem becomes, you have to have landowner permission wherever you go. We have a tentative route to skip all of that. And somewhere between when I was here and in between, I'm not really sure. They were supposed to be, I got to talk to my dad or something, sorry, anyway. Well, Josh got an email that they had presented that possibility. And we would continue to look for that. But under, you know, with today's reality, that's what we have to face that we don't have enough of the people in a line in order to connect up through the woods there. There's plenty of opportunity to build a trail except you have to have permission from the people who own the property. And it only takes one in between to block that off. And yes, the whole part of talking about a ditch until the side of the road and stuff was just to show that there are places where you can get picked in the wintertime to get so you're not on there. But you're tapping a machine that's between 48 and 60 inches wide, which is smaller than anything else on there, just using a lane down the road. The same it is if you have two cars coming down the road. And it's not like, I mean, I understand from folks that don't do this all the time. And we haven't done an awful lot of, you're just coming out just like you would with a small car and you pull down the road. When you got room, you get to the side, like you were driving a tractor because it's moving slower than the rest of the traffic. And you go along and you look twice and watch where you go. And it's a short period. I used to ride that same, that road myself. I was proud. I couldn't have been 13 or 14 years old the first time I rode up and down that road, which was a couple of days ago, but. Unfortunately, we're at the end of the public hearing. We're running into select board time. Again, there'll be another hearing in... On the 15th and two in the next meeting. Yeah. So that's the 15th. And thank you all for coming. Thank you. Thank you. Okay. Dana, additions or changes to the agenda? I think that Jeremy wants to add an item to the agenda reporting on the Center for Modern Internet. Yeah. Okay. Yeah. Thank you. Thank you. Let's see here. Is that it, Dana? Yes. Okay. Public comment? Seeing none. Treasury report, none. Yep. Okay. I did include the September trial balance budget status report and delinquent tax report for the select court in the packets you received. The state of Vermont has asked Sullivan and Powers to audit the VMware report, the Vermont pension plan that we have. And so they're going to all the towns and they're auditing all the towns, which is fine. I'll be audited next Friday is when I have a schedule and all they'll be doing is looking not for this past fiscal year, but the fiscal year before that. And they're just verifying the information, make sure that everything is in line. And like I said, they're doing every single town that has numerous. So just, I'll make you aware of that. I don't know if I'll hear anything from that report because everything will go in the state of Vermont and the state of Vermont is paying for it. Interestingly enough, that is also the same material that our auditors are quite careful about auditing. Yes, they're very careful about that. And they're going to give us the results of that audit and we can sort of... I'm not sure if they will or not because they'll be giving the results to Vermont, the state of Vermont, because we're not hiring them. State of Vermont is. Well, but maybe we could request them as a public record. I think that's a good idea. We probably could ask the treasurer's office for this. I mean, it's probably going to look the same as we're paying our auditors for, but I think having another set of eyes on it, if we can... I think it's a good idea because they may be looking at it differently. Something like that. Okay, that'll definitely answer that. And otherwise, not the other things I have in the agenda. Okay, we look at the approvals of licenses, permits, vouchers, and applications. Do you have a cheat sheet? Yes. Oh, there you go. Move to approve general funding house payable warrant number 19G09 with checks 18563-18600 in the amount of 301,555 dollars and 82 cents. Also payroll warrant number 19-09 for payroll from October 14th, 2018 to October 27th, 2018 in the amount of 43,069 dollars and 17 cents. Second. Any further discussion? I'd like to mention that that accounts payable, the general fund is that large because we're paying that paving bill. Just for anybody who's watching. Any further discussion? Hearing none, those in favor? Aye. Move opposed. Motion carries. And signature of the traffic ordinance. You had changed the amended the traffic ordinance. It was a small amendment on Brown's Mill Road to from 25, I mean from 35 miles an hour to 25 miles an hour. That was voted on August 20th and there is a 60 day look back that we have to wait before an ordinance is effective. We did not get any comments or any concerns regarding that. And so October 19th, the ordinance became effective and I would ask that the board sign, this is the last page of the ordinance so I can give an updated copy to the clerk's office. Any motion on this one, Dana? I don't think so, you've already voted on it. The sign's already been solved. All right. So if they didn't sign it, we'd be in trouble. They were not yet? Not yet. Discussion of the audit, Diane? Yes, I guess that Dana and I were talking about that because the auditor is Bobby Bills the Galway that we have right now. They've got me entering the third year, okay? So it's going to be the contract to be up. So Dana, I'm kind of talking about. We had, we just thought we'd have this discussion because normally we would automatically put out an RFP for an audit on the audit. Every time we change auditors, I think it costs the town some money because of coming up with speed where the audit is. I think it's a good idea. Many towns might use the same firm but ask for a different team. So I just thought I'd mention that to the board before we went ahead and necessarily started and sent out a new RFP. There's no extension of this? We don't have, and that's the, no, we do not have an extension. There was not an extension written into that RFP, the last RFP. And we are charged by the hour. So if they have to get additional information that we'd already be supplied to other auditors, we're paying to that. What we found last time, I think, was there are three firms, really, that were qualified to do this in this area, to do the audit. And they're three good firms. I mean, it's, certainly, they would do a very good job, although it just is expensive, for lack of a better way to put it, to change horses. Do we have to? You don't, no. It's our policy, too, but I mean, it's the board's decision. I think if I could also pitch, because the fire department also incurs a cost for an audit, too, and we've talked about the wisdom of including some of the fire department finances and possibly making them a municipal department in some fashion, over time, or whatever, I don't think we're ready to do that now. But, and as the budget is also an item here, maybe that's something for us to talk about, too. If we do put it out to better, even if we don't, would it make sense, just more think it makes sense, for us to sort of try to get that as a package deal? For both. For both, have both audited at the same time. I mean, their books are separate. It's not Diane's thing. But what if, you know, what if the fire department hired the town or something, however we would manage that, and Diane could essentially manage their books and have the audit kind of capture that at the same time. So I think that Diane would be willing to partner with them to help this process through. We had talked about that, I believe, Joe Staub was here, and talked about that. I think it was a very viable, for whatever audit firm to have them do. And the fire department board, while we haven't passed any sort of resolution about that, they seem to be generally amenable to that. There were a lot of questions about making a municipal department, a lot of logistics and other questions that still need to be answered. But I think in terms of this, that's sort of the kind of the low hanging fruit where we could save, I think, a fair bit of money. And having talked to you before about this, Diane, you said it probably wouldn't be a heck of a lot more work for you. I don't think so. Obviously, I'd like to get something as audited first. Of course. I'm into issues, but beyond that, I don't feel that there would be that time consuming for me. Does the program you're using, will it support that? I don't think I would be using NEMRIC that we have right now. And I don't know if NEMRIC has anything for fire departments. They might, and I could certainly acquire. I mean, you'd think there's a lot of cities that they do that have fire departments. Yeah, so they probably, they might. I'm sure it's just like our software is just another department. Yeah. And if I had to get general ledger software just for that, I don't think that would be expensive and I think that that would be easily done. Keeping a subsidiary company as you will. Yes, right. Yeah, because you would want to keep that separate. You would not want that with a general fund. Since it's not a department. But where to become a department, that would be a different story. Right. So that was our thought on the audit and wanted your opinion. And you don't have to give us your opinion tonight, but if you'd like to, we wanted to plant the seed and because we will, sometime in November, if you choose to put on RFP, we usually like to get it out. Well, if we don't, will they sort of repaid a new number? I imagine they will. Yeah, I imagine they will. And we haven't really spoken with them. I mean, to be candid, we have not spoken with Father Kelsig Alley about what they could do for us price-wise. I didn't think it was appropriate until we had this discussion. I mean, if they're going to come to us with a bid anyways, we could start the bidding process knowing full well that if we bring in one of the other two bigger players in there that we're going to be incurring additional costs. We could add to the RFP codicell that we might continue with the same auditor if we were so inclined to do so, similar to what we have with the ambulance contract. I'll be very careful how we discuss that. I think we talked about it out of executive session one night and got spanked pretty hard. Well, we won't do that. I don't like being spanked. Anything else on this discussion? No, thank you. OK. Reserves? Yes, there's a couple more reserves. These are the last of the reserves that I haven't talked about yet, and these are very small. They look relieved, I have. Yeah, they should be relieved, too. It has to do with cemeteries and water supply. And I think you've gotten a little bit of a blurb on it. I've gone back. I've looked through the notes. I've found what I can find on it. And it appears to me that back one of them was like in 2006, the other one was in 2012. But what they were doing is they were budgeting in the amount of money for water, which was engineering that they were looking for, and cemeteries, which was mowing. And if they didn't spend the whole amount in the budget, they would carry it over into reserve. Well, it just seems like this has been hanging out there for at least four years, if not more. So in the water supply, which we use for engineering, back in the day, there's $2,165.39. And in cemeteries, which was used for mowing, which we do set up money for mowing every year, there's $2,758.37. So those reserves probably should be used for what they were intending, what we had actually set them up for. We're just not touching them at all. And there's small amounts. Well, I mean, the one for the water we're going to be doing the engineering on the other well. Just roll them up for me. There are, yeah. It seems to me, yeah, good to do that. We certainly could use the money in the water division. And the cemeteries, you and I were talking maybe if there is stones that needed to be fixed or something. I think it would be nice if cemeteries thought about maybe fixing some of the stones, perhaps that there's no relatives left. Now, obviously for $2,000, you're not going to get a lot of work done. I wouldn't think. But it was set aside for mowing and it seems to be reasonable just to use the small amounts for what they were intending to for, rather than keep them in the bank forever in the bank. Because we're not getting interest on them. And that is worth anything. So can we just throw them into mowing or maintenance or whatever? We could, yeah. What road? Yeah. No, that we can do, but we can mow your lawn too. So if you'd like to do that, we do need a motion to allow us to use the reserve. Make that happen when we have bills come in in the future. For those apartments? So the one is specifically for cemetery mowing? There's one that was cemeteries, yes. And that's just called cemeteries and it was used for mowing prior. And that's $2,758.37. And then there's one for water supply for $2,165.39. Okay, so I'm gonna make a motion that we authorize the treasurer to pay for cemetery related expenses out of the cemetery reserve fund and for water supply related expenses out of the water reserve fund. Second. Are you approved of the discussion? Hearing none, those in favor? Aye. Aye. Those opposed, motion carries. And budget preparation for fiscal year 2000. This is so exciting. And we just wanted to remind you that it's budget time coming up again. And I guess I just wanted to, I'm going to be going to department heads and asking for the annual wish list, which we'll go through several meetings and be pared down in order to make it feasible. And I wanted the board's advice. Was there anything in particular for a goal that the board had in mind? And also to advise, get the board's idea on meeting schedules, oftentimes we meet weekly and not in a few cases. I think, I think weekly, like we've done in the past, I think it makes sense. On a Thursday probably would be good. Work so far. Okay. Any idea as far as a goal that we should look for? I mean, sometimes it's easier for the department heads of myself to say, Tim, you're not going to get a new building this year. I mean, you know, and to be realistic. Well, I'd like to think we could level fund again, but I don't think we're going to be able to. I am very hesitant that you could level fund. We're not adding a new officer this year. Well, you have, last year you voted to add an officer. However, you only budgeted half a year for that officer. So this year it will impact the salary line and police because we'd have to budget the entire year. But are we actually going to have a full complement of officers the entire year? It hasn't happened yet. But I think that if we had- Jeremy. Just say it. So I'm not going to say yes. And so obviously when that happens, we do have excess funds in the salary line which goes back to the citizens as far as fund balance. However, we don't know. So what was that at the top of my head when we didn't have like an equipment reserve? We were funding every year. But that was added to the budget and that if we level fund that, we're going to still keep plowing that same amount in there. So that's there. That was increasing it. Right, same amount. But it goes in. Do we have any huge equipment to buy this year? We perhaps will have an expense following our accident with the excavator. I can't tell you how much or anything, but again, that's what that fund is for. Right. Maybe another cruiser coming up. It's coming up. Usually we replace a police cruiser. So I don't believe Highway has any trucks in mind. No, no, no. We're going to talk about the grader. Do you have them used? Yeah, they were both used. The excavator and the grader were both used. I don't think we're in the position that she didn't do the grader if we do another. The excavator got a year left on. Yeah, but you're going to get insurance money on the excavator. Well, you're not going to be able to buy a new excavator for the insurance money. No, but I mean, you're going to. I understand. Yeah, we can figure something out. You'll probably get more than you would if you had to trade it in, that's for sure. So maybe we should think about buying part of the grader next year. Or that was the reason why you got here. Would you be later in the reserve? Yes, that's what I'm thinking. I mean, you don't need to buy an excavator. I mean, they can fix it. So the insurance should cover the repairs on the. Well, we are speaking prematurely. We don't know. The insurance could very well say we'll pay for the repairs. And that would be great. Because with the price that I got today, it's not going to be more than what the excavator's worth. So they're not going to total it, I don't believe. OK, well, that I didn't know. And that's insurance hasn't given us a decision. So but I'm trying to make the board just aware that we have some expenses that we know we'll have. And of course, it's a trailer, but. Right, insurance is fire department. I'm just thinking of the biggest. I think the fire department can probably come in level. I mean, I haven't looked detailed into the budget, but we're working on it right now too. And if we can push down the cost of bookkeeping and the audit, I mean, we could come back with a budget that's 3% lower. Without, I would say, without too much effort. So maybe not level of fun. But again, with salary increases and. We usually do, I think, traditionally around in the 2% range for salary increases. And other big expenses that are different. So culverts, I think those are all counted for. I think we have Richardson Road culvert coming up, but we do have funds that we have budgeted for that. And so I think it won't impact us too negatively. So we could be in pretty good shape as far as if you're trying to keep it level as possible. But I don't I hate to promise it's going to be level when we really haven't gotten to the bottom. I'm just thinking that things that we're going to expect to go up is that the salaries and then plowing some money into a reserve for equipment. The insurances. Yes, it was a creep up too, also. Creep some of them. They're about 14% that the benefits are. Try to be slightly optimistic. So we'll level fund the insurance. Now, right? So I think we'll be starting the budget. Maybe we'll start the budget series next in two weeks. And get going. We'll start working with that. So Diane can have those. Put those up to the department heads. I will do that. And then I'll schedule them to come in to talk to you. Diane and I will do the administrative. We can do that in two weeks. And then we'll ask the police chief and Tim to come in at a subsequent meeting. And I will contact the fire department. They usually come in December sometime. So I will contact Joe Stobb to arrange something with him. That's it? That's all we need to say to you on that? I'm sure that's all we want to hear. I'm sure you didn't want to hear that. Small Business Saturday. Traditionally, every year you have approved the Small Business Saturday. And they send us a script for you to approve. It changes ever so slightly every year. So I guess I'm asking you to consider supporting Small Business Saturday, which this year is November 24th. It's the Saturday of the Thanksgiving weekend. And that, of course, is to shop locally and support small businesses. I'm going to have to sign the Small Business Saturday resolution that's presented. Any further discussion? All those in favor? Aye. Those opposed? Not in motion to carries. It's just a little late on the eye. Oh. I think we're OK if you want to. If you'd like to leave us. You don't have to. Thank you, Diane. Town Administrative Report, Dana? I have a few things that I'd just like to tell you. As you know, I've been talking about the town plan and getting the town plan approved. And we did have some bumps along the way. We have the letter that just came that the plan has been approved. It has a few conditions for approval that were noted in your letter that you sent out regarding rewriting a few of the support of the, I think it was, the child care portion. And there was also an employment portion. Not a huge, huge deal. And we agreed to do that. So that is, and I, again, a lot of people worked very hard on this, not myself, but a lot of people worked very hard on this. And I applaud them, the Planning Commission. I did receive a notice that there is a class on the Emerald Ash Borer on November 28. It's going to be presented by the University of Vermont Extension at their office down on the Barrymont Peely Road. You're interested. We received a thank you letter from the Good Samaritan Haven for our contribution to them. And since the town plan is now approved, we are starting to ramp up our follow-through on the designated town center application. And Tom and I met with Mike Rushman this week. And as you remember, Mike came into you on the board, supported the idea of the town center designation. The mall is providing Mike Rushman's services. And we are going to first start by actually formally deciding what will be included in that town center. In other words, they need things like civic organizations. The school would be a good one, for example. And whatever else. And I think the hospital was another one they had in mind as a community-type thing. So we're working on that. We did apply for a grant for Better Roads. To follow up, Tim and I went out with regional planning, Dan Currier from Regional Planning, who reviewed with us a lot of our ditches and how to improve our ditching drainage. And to do that, obviously, we have to do some work. So we have applied for a Better Roads grant for that. The Mirror Lake Road culvert is coming along. And it was noted today to me of how big it is. And it kind of looks like a quonset hut in the middle of the road. And I do have a calling to John Grenier because I'm a little concerned about it. I have not heard from him back yet. But I will follow up with that. But they are working on it. The police department doors. I know you're tired of hearing about these doors and so am I. But we absolutely have to do something. We got the one quote. So I did go back and I spoke with EF Wall and I spoke with Lodge and Ask. And Ask if there's what they could think of, even in a different way. If we fix it a different way, what might we be able to do? I have a feeling we're going to end up in the $10,000 range with those doors. But at some point we have to do something. The hazard mitigation plan, the grant was approved that the state got through the feds. So we're really, now we can set out an RFP for the hazard for the plan to be done. However, we don't have the signed grant paperwork. And I'm hesitant to do that until I do because we can't use in-kind services if I start working on it before we have that paper. So I would like to have the grant done quickly. And we don't have it done yet. So that's a little update of what we have going on. Tom mentioned to me today that the water division used this month 50% more water than they used the month before. And we have added, which is a good thing, it gives us more revenue for our customers because the motor end hilltop is now connected to the water system. The mall is going to be connected to the water system within the next few weeks. So we have some very large users coming on. We also, at the next meeting, you'll be meeting with a gentleman who will be coming in to give you an update on an idea for a parcel at the mall. And they have not made an application to DRB yet. But they asked if they could come in and talk with you about that. And I made an appointment for them for next time on the 15th. So you got one restaurant that hooked up in the water. You stubbed one up by 50%? Well, I don't think it's the one restaurant. No, well, it's the motor end, the motor end. Oh, and the Genesis, the nursing home. So they're on now? Yes. And Tom just mentioned, I didn't really analyze where the water. But obviously, we keep track of pumping records. Oh, sure. And so we're pumping up. The motel must use quite a bit of water. With that? The motel must use quite a bit of water. Oh, I would think so. Yeah. I think in the very beginning, well, not the very beginning, but just the hospital would have used over 60%, they said. What's capacity? Well, I don't know if we're gallons. I think it's like we can pump 216,000 gallons per day. And that equated to like 432 ERUs. And we are more than that, not a great deal more. But that's why the next, the other well is being developed now. Obviously, again, and we keep telling you this, there are many ERUs that are not actual in use. We're at a different spot. And the ERUs, which is a good thing, the ERUs are estimated on the high side just for protection. But I think through all the struggle that everybody had before us, whatever, getting that water system in, that it's pretty comforting to see how quickly and how Berlin embraced it once it was in place. And I think these developments that are coming down, since we have water sewer, it makes it a lot more attractive to that type of. And speaking of the sewer, what is the timeline for that, again, if you can refresh my memory? The project on the sewer. I'm not exactly sure of the exact timeline. They are working on it now. And I think they had hoped to have the project completed in the next year. So they're working on the engineering of that? Right now, they're doing the engineering and that type of thing. And also, we've met with a couple of financing sources. And it probably will be, I always get this mixed up. I always say FDIC, but it's the same. And CUA, the credit union? No, it begins with the federal, rural, agricultural program. That's it. Roundtable fee. A second, central internet item? Oh, that's right. I can just do that quick. So central internet approved a draft annual report and a draft budget to solicit feedback. It was supposed to have gotten to all of you. It was sent to all the town city clerks to be disseminated, so I don't know. Did everybody else get that? It was a report to be included in the town report? Possibly, it's still a draft report. It's before. Was there any action item with it? Because I do believe that the clerk received that. So there was a specific ask in the email that I sent out to the clerks to distribute to the select boards and the city councils. Well, I'll follow up with that and make sure you get a copy. OK, so I can go over briefly. We're not installing fiber optic anything yet. So the first couple of steps that we've, a couple of milestones we've hit, all that unglamorous work of bylaws, policies. We have a draft budget. We're rebranding it from central internet to CV fiber. That's in central Vermont fiber. We've registered CV fiber.net. So the mission statement that's been, I'm sorry, the mission statement here, and a vision. Our next steps are starting to survey residents looking at a pilot project. And the budget that we put together is roughly $300,000. It's not anything that's coming from towns. That's going to be either raised in terms of loans or donations or grants to do the initial pilot project of about six miles of fiber to hook up, hopefully, between 30, 36 and 50 subscribers, wherever that might be. Not really sure where that is, so any sort of feedback that the individual legislative bodies of the towns have on that budget or on the annual report is something that can be presented at our next meeting. We have a public hearing on Tuesday, November 13th at 6 PM at Berlin Elementary, where we have our monthly meeting. So any of the 16 member towns that have comments, ideas, direction can bring that to that meeting. Or you can send it to me, and I can communicate that at the meeting as well. Some big steps. Yeah, and whether we will actually land that much revenue and actually build the thing up by the end of next year, it's not entirely clear. So it's somewhat aspirational, but I think there is a couple of really promising options that we could start hooking people up with gigabit fiber much sooner than denied initially imagined. I mean, it's amazing, looking around in different parts of the country, add stuff, and there's a lot of place that does not have internet, and it affects the price of housing dramatically. I've had people call me, because my number is listed on the central of my internet Facebook page, and they'll call me, and they'll say, I'm looking to buy a house in wherever. Do you serve there? I was like, well, hold on a second. But I can usually tell them pretty much. I can bring up maps, and I can tell them, is there cables, or DSLs, or anything. And I tell them, it's like, well, there's DSL there, so you'll probably get what, six megabits per second. They're like, oh, I think we're going to have to look somewhere else then. It's dumbfounded. Yeah, I don't have access to high speed in it. I mean, I have high speed, but it's not the maximum. And I don't have access to cable, even if the cable's opening, I mean, it also says right here. Do you have access to cable up on Junction Road? Yeah, we're on, well, Rita types to the hospital, so she has that height. So a dedicated link there. Yeah. OK. Let's see here. What about all of them, Jeremy? Yeah, all of them. Roundability. I'm all set. Jeremy? Well, one more thing. I went to the memorial service at the fire department. They dedicated their plaques on the front of the building. It was an incredible turnout. They had Norwich, the Hebsen Drums Band, whatever. It was great. I mean, so there was a lot of people who hadn't been there in years and years, who came back to say hi and sort of show their thanks and eat food, you tell them. Any executive session? No. Move to adjourn. Second. All in favor? Aye. Motion carries.