 I will call the meeting to order at 10 minutes after four. Do we need to press anything here? Just goes on. OK. Thank you. And welcome, welcome, Budget Committee. Welcome, photographer. And do we have any amendments to the budget? I mean, the agenda? I guess it's under correspondence. But Paul emailed something today about uniforms and everything else like that. So it's in your packet. And I also have something for Bill's treasurer. OK, OK, OK. So let's go ahead with potential budget finalization. Increases for town employees, paying down debt, et cetera, action, likely. Derrinda has made a number of adjustments to the budget after my request to try and get it closer to 2%. And what I'd like to do is have her present those changes, and then we can have discussion. Well, the first thing I did was go back and put in the 3% increase, and then I adjusted the health insurance from a 2.6% increase to an 8% increase. I think it's more realistic than even though she is with 2.5%. The other thing that I did was I upped the discretionary fund by $5,000, but that's debatable after I tell you. The next thing I did was I found we do have a building fund for the town hall in place. Well, it's for all the town buildings, right? It isn't just for the town hall. Well, it just says building fund. So I'm assuming it can be used for any building, although the highway has their own one now for just the town garage. So I put $5,000 into that. You could make it $10,000 and then go back to the $5,000. How much is there? There's about $29,000. Before the $5,000. Before the $5,000 is $29,000 in it. So those were the biggest things. The other thing I did was just odds and ends that if I went through and looked like if we overspent an online item and we didn't put enough in it for this year, I kind of played with those numbers a little bit, but those were the right there accounted for the significant portion of it. Where is it on the budget? I can't find the building fund. I put it in under town hall. I can move that up to under general, which make it more generalized than the town hall. Okay. Because it didn't specify in the fund. So what does that bring the total budget to? The total didn't bring down. Oh, I'm sorry. I'm looking at my old... It's a 1.93 increase. That's with the $5,000. That's with all that and $5,000 more in the discretionary. And the reason I did that was because... Oh, and I know the other thing I increased was the computer expense. Because, again, we're having a lot of issues with computers. We need to get some RAM for some of them. So I hope that a little bit as well. But certainly not for what we spent last year. So... Thank you. So... When you said a 3%, were you talking about wages? And from 2.6, did you say from 2.6 to 2.8% increase in less health insurance or to 8% increase? We upped it to an 8% over... Based on the rates. From 2.6 to 8%. Right. Our insurance increase this year was 2.5%. So I only put it at 2.6%. So you took it from 2.6 to 8. I took it to 8. And all indications are showing that they're... That was an anomaly. That 2.6, average health care inflation has been 6% or 7% every year right along. We got lucky for one year. Is this regarding the fire department? Is this consistent with their submittal view? That's exactly what they gave me for numbers. All the special like recreation, cemetery, highway, all the boards presented their budget and I put it in as is presented. So just targeting back to our discussion way back last year. This was a way to make our increases and expenditures relatively consistent. The other way to do that is... I mean basically as I see it, I have sort of three choices. One is we built up a couple of funds and put in some contingency money which has upped our budget to close to the 2%. The other way to deal with it which we discussed at our last meeting was to prepay some debt which would have the same effect. If we have extra money at the end of the year we can always prepay debt also. But I like the idea in light of our discussion, the idea of building up the building fund I think is a good idea. I think the health insurance is a good change because I think that's much more realistic. In terms of the select board contingency money that just gives us some money to do probably some building related thing. That's usually what that money gets end up spent on. We get stuck with an unanticipated computer expense like we did this year or something. Something always seems to come along. Yeah, we've deliberately kept that low for years and years and years. It was $2,000. But $10,000 today is probably the same as $2,000 20 years ago. Anyway, comments, discussions, questions? I'll throw out there that your highest rate on any of your notes is only... I think the highest one is 3.15% or something like that. So we have good interest rates as far as not having to pay down the debt. What's the discretionary fund, the building fund? What rate is that earning? That's just in our money market accounts at the bank, regular bank accounts. It's not earning. We don't do any investing. So we don't want to have that. Yeah, it's minimal. It's like 1%. It's like 2%. Yeah. Are CDs paying any better? No, not much out there. Well, and the other thing is we need to stay liquid just in case. Not that we couldn't borrow money against the CD if we had to, but there's not enough upside to really justify... Sure. Yeah, I can't get that back. Well, although, if I understood, we need to use some of the decent sizes. There's more than just what we're seeing here this year. I'm sorry. I understood that the building fund already had a balance. 29,000. Yeah, so we're not... So you've got that entire... This would be like over $30,000 in this money market. Well, it's our entire... It's all in our fund balance. It's not in a... It's all part of our financial reporting. So again, as we've discussed in the past, it's a balancing act between putting aside a little money to fund known future expenses versus just borrowing the money when we need it. My thing was, which I expounded on at the last meeting, was I hate to see us all of a sudden spend less money because we've had an exceptional year with a couple of things. And then next year, we have to have a 4% or 5% increase to catch us up to where we really were all along. Yeah, I understand. So that's the thinking behind this. Now, we don't have to do any of this. We can go out there with a negative increase if that's the sense of the Board and the Budget Committee. Now, this seems sound like a good way to proceed. The other thing the Board did this year was they used some of the fund balance to reduce the tax rate, too. So by building up this extra money that they can also, rather than pay down debt, they can reduce the tax effort. Correct. Yeah, this looks sound to me. And I think it's wise to put money in the building like I was saying before. If you don't do it now, you're going to pay later. For something. I just... Is $1,500 enough going to be enough for janitorial? I'm looking at bill d'oreal and dropping ice and water. No, don't pick on bill d'oreal. We just had it, please. This is because I was on East Hill Road. I know where we can take that 50 grand. So I'm wondering if we should up that to... Well, we've got plenty of money in the discretionary category to spend a little more on janitorial, right? If we consider increasing the amount to the building for five to 10... What would be the impact of another $5,000 on the budget? And leave the extra in the discretionary as well? No, just put another... In addition to five. Put five more in. Yeah. Because I've upped the discretionary, I doubled that as well. No, I'm talking strictly to the building funds. I think sooner than later we're going to have to deal with this bill. Should put $5,000? Should put five to go in this room, but... That's okay with that. I think it's on page two. It's about half a percent. We're bringing you up to a 2.36%. Yeah, right. It's about half a percent. It's about 10 grand for every percent. Roughly. Roughly. Yeah. Steve, would you refresh my memory on when the next truck replacement is going to be because we've reduced so much of that debt service for next year? It's a little ways, right? It's not even next year. Truck replacement is a way to wait. I think the next thing we're doing is a greater. It's greater. But you will incur debt service additional debt service next year for the trucks we just brought. That we've already bought. Okay, right. And so that will... Yeah. Because right now that the total amount of debt services over the last couple of years is quite a bit less. Right. So it's sort of an anomaly year in terms of... It must be. Well, it's how we're paying... Well, what we could have done is made a down payment on the truck. Right. But what we've... Our practice in recent times has been to use the low interest rates and defer the first payment for a year. Right. We're just going to have that next year. We're going to have the bigger chunk in there. I mean, this truly is a good year to build up some of the other things and knock away a little money in a few places where we can use it. Right. But... Because next year it may not be... Yeah, next year we might not be able to do it. Well, and the health insurance could be 15% next year. Okay. Yeah, I think that's good. Cool. So it's a 3% raise is what... Well, if you up the building onto 2.36, I think. 2.36 will be the... If you put the extra in... That's 10,000. 10,000. That would be a total of 10. I don't... So you're saying the employee raise would be... Three. Three. Three. Okay. I thought you were saying it would be less. Okay. No. How's everybody feel about that? Good. I'm fine with that. I'm fine with that. I think it's good. Increasing that building fund is probably a wise move right now. Yeah. Especially since the heat went off in this building today. What's here? Well, that's it. That could be... I know we have problems with the elevator, but that's not building fund, but the amount of discretion, whatever. So there's a lot of things on the horizon. So is this our last review of the budget? Well... Would you like to make a motion to... I move that we accept the budget with the 3% wage increase for the town employees and all the other items that we discussed. I need to figure it out. Yeah, what are they? Oh, of... What's the number? The number is... 1 million... I've got to get my decimal. 1 million 182? 187. 187. 891. 187. Okay, 1 million 187. 891. Yeah. Okay, 3%. And it's a 2.36. 2.36. 2. 2.36. Do that again. 1 million... 1.87. 1.87. 1.89. I think is it all employees, Dorinda, or is it all full-time employees at 3%? Did that also go to select employees? Everybody got 3%. The only ones I did not change because we never seemed to have any activities. And so I just... The dog... I left them because they went up last year to the $20 set, the dog and the health officer. Okay. Because we never hit their numbers anyway, so I left that at the old rate. Okay, is there a second to the motion? Go ahead. Second. No, really. Any further discussion? All in favor of the motion, please say aye. Aye. Aye. Any opposed? We have passed our budget. Good. Good work, John. And Dorinda, that's a 2.36 budget increase from last year. Yes. Okay, was that how your motion was? Yes. 2.36. Yeah, I just forget the last year. Well, then you guys can go be upstairs because they're not going to be here for half an hour. Oh, sure. Look at that. I've got the light and the heat on. Thank you. Great. Thank you, Budget Committee. Yeah, thank you. Good work. Good job. Good job. All right. Good job. Now we wait and see what happens with this. That's boring. Oh, that isn't... Well, our highway mileage for the first time has changed. They're assigning them. Oh, that's very exciting. Those roads... Went down? Right. Well, that's not good for the town, but it's not good for the town. I'll turn the mirrors. Okay. We're shipping somebody up there. Yeah. Yeah. So, I just want you to know the general store has sold. Oh, really? Again. For what? For cash. I don't know how much. For two coulis, farm stand. And I guess they're at East Calus. It's going to be... I don't know if it's going to be like a brag farm thing, but then also thinking of using renovating net puts of apartments in there. Good luck with that. So, it's going to be... Yeah, but that building is so... I know, but you know what it is? Maybe they'll cut it. A lot of work. That's good. I think. Yeah. But it's going to be open year round, or is it just going to be a farm stand in the summer and winter round? I think it's going to be open year round. I think it's a brag farm kind of thing, you know, maple syrup, you know, all that kind of cheese. Like right off the interstate buses will come? Or will they park? I don't know. All I know is that it's... One bus. Coulis, Coulis farm stand from East Calus. Okay. Nice. Well, we want some local business, don't we? Yes, we do. And I'm glad, very glad, that the event at Red Hen went off without a hitch. I would tell you, watching all those people staggering around there in the dark was enough to... I know. Blame me. I was... Steve saw me. I was freaking out. Listen, I think you're supposed to be firm as for this, if we did have it. Right. My five-year-old grandson pulled the pyro santa thing about 25 pounds. She was under the echo! That was the santa clock? Well, it was pyro santa who was... Oh, right, right, right, who was doing it. Okay. Anyway. Did he get it some more? What? Did he get it some more? We didn't stay for the s'mores. We'd been there a long time. Oh my God, there was a kid who had this giant trunk like this. I'm like, he's like, you want some? I'm like, yeah! All right, I think we're still on TV. Yes, we are. Okay. We just went to the s'mores thing. Exactly. That's the report. But anyway, it was pretty... a little scary, but pretty exciting to see the cars backed up from all the way this side of town. All the way. I passed the interstate and up under the bridge. But again, I think next year I would like to make sure all the ducks are in a row in terms of making... I mean, I don't know what the liquor license looks like in terms of... Are there numbers that they say on the liquor license that they're supposed to serve? Do you have... They have? Yeah. To talk about it later. I'm calling a success. I think it was great. Yes. Okay. All right. So, certificate of highway mileage. Yes, sir. For the first time, it's a different certificate of highway mileage because you guys just continued all those rows. So, we're going to need a motion. Do you guys want to review it? Oh. Yeah. I would like to review it. I just used the... I used the figures from the order. Right. And just took it off. You took it. Exactly right. Wow. So, that means we had less stage. I wish. I know because... Although, they were class... They were class... There were four. They were four so they don't get any... Right, right? No, no, no. They were class three. You took them down from class three to either class four or you just continued them. Oh, yes. That's right. Right, right, right, right. So, we will get marginally a little... It's such a small... I was thinking you were class four and you were right. Not even. As usual. 0.60. So, we have 15.92 class two, 32.10 class three, 16.941 of state highways and 9.278 of class four. What would a class one, one-lane road be? How could you even have a class one, one-lane road? Is that if it's a divided highway? Probably. Would that be route 12? No. No. No, no. Would that be... The autopilot. Interesting. Interesting. We know that. Maybe it's the... I just want to take a quick end with this before we... Maybe it's the on-ramp and off-ramp. No, because it's all federal. All right. This is state. It has to be a divided road. I don't know. Maybe it's the U-turn. How long is it? It isn't anything. We have zero. Oh, it's zero. I thought we had some added. No, no, no. It's a classification. I was trying to think. I think it's time. And the state added a little bit with that bridge work. 0.01. 0.01? God bless them. Just because they pushed it out a little bit. Yeah, exactly right. Well, Bill Reinecke has found a plow guy and a sander. Wonderful. And his road looks fabulous. In fact, I wondered if the town was still plowing it. It looked so good. Good. Does anybody want to make a motion? Yes. I would vote that we change that to those figures that you have here. Okay. Thank you. Bill, you second? Any further discussion? All in favor of the motion? Please say aye. Aye. Aye. Any opposed? We have passed this. And I guess we all sign it, huh? You all sign it, then I've got to send in a bunch of stuff to the state. So do we have a draft select board report? Do we zip one out or where? I didn't get it done. It's just been too crazy. Okay. Sorry, I'll bring it next time. No, that's fine. And I have central money in it right after this meeting. I'll find out about finalizing that report. Great. Thank you. Okay, approving December 18th. Select board minutes. Do we have a motion? So moved. Second? Second. All in favor? Aye. Aye. Any opposed? Update. Ah, here's a good one. Updates on newly created education central unified school district. Ooh. Ah. Well, after spending three intense weeks on this with the superintendent, the superintendent met here. I think we haven't talked about that. The superintendent met here with all the town clerks. And we discussed, laid out this plan, which is that first of all, the Romney School District is dissolved. That's done. We needed to have a unified union school district special meeting. That was originally slated for January 9th. And then it was slated for January 14th because they didn't do the warning right. And now there has been a delay while the parties work out some logistics. So it looks like that meeting is going to be in February sometime, maybe February 15th. There's also going to be an articles of agreement special meeting. We don't know exactly how that, since the subcommittee has just been formed and with deficient Berlin member, Berlin did not send enough members, they're going to try to get together some articles of agreement that are different than the template. And then we'll have to have a special meeting about that with different ballots to further complicate things at town meeting. First of all, if we have that special articles of agreement meeting, we're going to have to have, there will be one part of the ballot will be central to all five towns, but then one part of the ballot will only be particular to middle sex. So it's kind of, we're going to need all hands on decks and counting, I don't know how that's all going to work. But for now, everything has just been kind of pushed aside. It's not a stay, it's just a delay. So that's why you didn't have a BCA meeting tonight because we still don't know what meetings we're going to have and when and why and what I have received the ballot from Rumney School, a draft ballot hasn't been signed, but it's just, the board members are listed as two years and three years, not until whenever the school district supposedly ends. There's no budget. There won't be a budget for U32 to vote on. They're, I assume they're going to, there's going to be a budget. I don't, so we don't normally vote on the central supervisory office, then there won't be a budget for the unified union school district to vote on. So it's kind of, everything is kind of up in the air and we don't have any answers. So how, how was there even authority to continue operating the schools at this point? I mean, have they passed some? Well, I think the school district was supposed to exist until June 30. It was just notification saying your school district, it's gone. Your don't like, you don't have, it's not going to the voters and asking them if it's gone, it's gone. And this came from the agency of education. But it's not gone until June 30. June 30. That's when it went. Oh, okay. All right. So they've got an approved budget to operate till June 30. Well, they approved it last March. Right, that's what I'm saying. Yeah. The only thing is, is, as is, is just we can't go ahead with anything for next year because they're going to jam it down our throat and rapid fire. Yeah, I think it's going to happen. It's just that question of how and when. Right. Right. May I have some special meetings to approve the budget? I think we're looking at at least three. There will be one for the new, the new, the temporary school district. There'll be one for the Articles Agreement and then there'll be one for all these budgets. You three, two, Romney, and the unified school district. Or maybe there won't be one for Romney. Why would there be one for Romney? Why isn't it just the unified school district? Right, that's right. I'm sorry. There won't be one for you 32. It's all going to be together. I was thinking that you needed something to carry through the other. No, no, no. And that's assuming nothing happens on the lawsuit. That's assuming nothing happens on the lawsuit. And what's really weird is that the, two or three years, even though that boy won't be around for two or three years. So I don't know why, why the district gave us this draft. Well, part of it is, as we discussed the last time, and I don't understand the two or three years, but there's going to be some continuing operation of the old entity after the, you know, and who knows how long that's going to last until they get all that really wrapped up and finalized and audited and all that. Well, we'll just put them in there and then when the organization cease to exist, their term of office ceases to exist. They probably also can't change the term of offices. You're probably right. They can't change. Yeah, without a vote. Right, you're probably right. That's probably the reason. And our jobs are dissolved as of. That's right. Our jobs are because I'm technically the clerk of a school district. Technically, the treasurer of the school district is going to be in June 30th. Yeah. No more schoolchecks. The job's going to easier than that. That's actually true! I couldn't help myself. So there has to be a clerk and a treasurer elected for the new district. I think in that temporary clerk and treasurer, I don't know why you have to have a special meeting if at March, if at the March meeting, but here's the other thing that's just kind of a weird wonky town clerk thing. Nominating petitions are due in June 30th. Yeah. Nominating petitions are due January 28th. So we haven't I assumed that we were going to have this special meeting on the 14th. There would be positions created and that then people would submit nominating petitions. But now we haven't had that meeting on January 14th. So they're We're going to have meeting after meeting after meeting. I just don't know when it's going to how it's going to all figure out. It sounds like for an off-election year, but you know what? That is not that's not for us to pay. That was one thing the town clerk very clear about. Who's going to pay for these? Not us. So there you go. That's all I have. It's going to be interesting to watch and also to be part of to the extent we are going to be part of it. Correspondents. Well, I don't know Paul's thing that he came today. That's kind of a weird thing. So you have everybody has this memo here. He needs to buy more sand and he's got an opinion about uniforms. Nothing that is actionable tonight, but he might want to give it a look. So how much you know? So it looks to me just eyeballing it. My practice is this time of year every time I drive by I pull in and look at the sandpops on that for years that we're about halfway through that sandpop right now. We're close. So now hopefully we're now into the plowing season and not the sanding season so much, but I guess we could get a little rain tomorrow depending on whose forecast you listen to. Really? It's no tonight though, right? Freezing rain and then some snow. I apologize I hadn't read the show. I just came over so. That last ice was horrible on the roads. I mean he did the best he could but it was just like walking on him was like on walking on an ice rink. I had to wear my grandfather's robe. I had my driver say it for the past five years. I've had my driver say it three times. Well I've got the easy to get home you slide downhill to get home but plus I have members of my family who are even more senior than I am coming for Christmas and they're not used to walking around on ice. I was scared to death. People would I told John Picard I said every time you go by you got my house with your sand truck just buzzed out. Don't go by without stopping. So I guess the question for me on this would be Steve I'm presuming the price is going to be higher because it's wintertime. So I'm not sure about that. I mean as far as the hauling I think the hauling will be the same price. I'm not sure I think gravel probably will stay with the same price he had to. He he is one of the only ones that opens up in the winter for sand he's had to do that before but I'm not that's not 100% sure but I'm thinking to stay with the same thing. If the price is halfway competitive I would get the extra sand. Go to the 1500 it just seems to me that every year we have more of these events and it's not like that sand is going to go bad if some of it sits there until next winter that's right we're going to be using it so I would rather do that than have to in the springtime mode have to get another 500 yards or something. I think that's the direction we'd want to go well that's sand in the spring. No you definitely don't want to be when the roads are good and hard and we would we would subcontract the trucking I presume yeah. Did everyone have any ideas what are your thoughts on the uniforms to you? Well I mean that may be a good idea I'm just I'm just going to be talked through the washer and dryer okay I'm not I'm not I don't have a warm fuzzy on the hand I just and I haven't really talked over all the Elm Street Launcher Matt would be glad to take on your washing requirements is that your business? yeah that's it's very good but I'm just I'm just telling you to buy the kind of washer and dryer you need to do those uniforms oh yes that is not you're not buying a $500 washer and dryer let's consider that with the new building yeah I'm just telling you right next to yes we're right next to the place we're right next to I'll be happy to show them how to operate a washer and dryer be careful there yet be careful what you wish for then they would have taken it up like that get the town clerk get her to do it the other thing is the uniforms are all iron they look presentable they it's not if the uniform rips they fix it you know so there's a lot to be said for uniforms believe me I had who would do the laundry that's there was a manpower of the person we're gonna be paying we're gonna be paying the road crew to wash their uniforms and dry them and press them no they're not gonna be pressing them I have a lot of convincing it's a lot to be said for uniforms no I agree no I agree on that that's why believe me I understand why their prices are going up they deliver them they everything they pay for is going up in cost so for me I'm willing to think about that or talk about it but just on the face I'm willing to think about it but that's about my mind but my mind is made up pretty much can I see the agenda I haven't talked with Paul in length about that at all but I wanted to talk with him at some point like when he isn't going out at three in the morning right and I like but believe me I like being presented with options and ideas I I just no I think that's great to do that you know I will never forget the few times I tried to I tried to do my own uniforms when I was in the army because I forgot to drop off my laundry to the army guys who starched and pressed your underwear and everything else and cleaned it with boiling water and bligh and whatever else they used to clean it with and there's no competing with that with that kind of stuff um orders have been signed you missed one thing there reviewing the draft of the select board we passed over it it's not not available the the hypothermic select board assistant when it's unable to complete the I it's just been crazy in this office for the past two weeks I think everybody has gone insane yeah I bought by earlier it's just been nuts well yeah it's just been I don't know all sorts of it's the time of year the first you know what are the neighbors doing and gunshots and runaway dogs gunshots yeah my grandson's again no it's just they're after those I had to deal with a complaint from Jersey this guy called up and said he wanted to come he said so he said do you guys he owns land here he said you guys like what's here you get together you have a meeting with everybody in town bitches right yeah it's called the town meeting it's been stuff like that this really distracting stuff sorry he has no standing he's not a voter I understand he understands that I sent him to Phil Scott and he's got a portion of his tax though oh no and there's nothing I said you know that's so you guys thought about doing anything about this she's just jeez yeah we have to keep it jeez jeez where do we stand with replacements for Steve on the plan commission did we appoint anybody yes we appointed Theo oh okay but but then there's a couple people who will be I still I's petitions have not been I've only had one petition delivered to me and that is from Dick Walden what about I think he was joining the budget committee but that wasn't the petition for that was for the budget that was for the budget but yeah that gets voted on I thought we'd like just appointed them nope okay that's right so we have no we only we only appoint them and we don't have people so I have to send out some more reminders for people to get their petitions and we have been really low in the number of petition special articles just wait what do they do just wait they're due on the seven the petition nominating petitions are due the 28th the petitions for special articles are due next Thursday you did it almost a good time Theo night so if you know anybody wants to run we're gonna have a lot of openings that's alright um where are we in our fuel tank we we have fuel I I I stop gender from proceeding I didn't want we would have had to let that concrete set for a minimum of 30 days because it was starting to get cold weather and I said I don't want to break that concrete I'm waiting till strength we got our so the tank is there we're just okay empty it when one spring comes we'll empty it pick it up for concrete any other business to come before the middle sex select board at this time I got an invoice oh I'm sorry I forgot you um you're unforgettable I forgot RB technologies so I now have a bill here for perception discounted hours I thought the reason we entered into a contract so we had workable hours we did well the last we went over well you know they should say that you know these are the hours this is what you went over I mean I don't know what to sign and I don't know who put the question mark check mark whatever there but I don't know what to pay and what not to pay well I think they do show it because this perception discounted hours here those are the hours that we buy the two hours for $130 that's what we're buying so that's the standard bill then but how do those they're charging us for those hours but how do they get used see now that would be a separate report we're buying two hours every month because now see they're see what they're doing is billing us for all these hours right and our two regular hours but does that just mean that they've already used up those two you know they ought to say took so that's the regular bill but like today there was that's the regular hours that we agreed to because there's two hours cloud storage is a separate thing antivirus is a separate thing so that's the regular bill professional laptop alert monitoring that's a regular thing so what happens server patch Sarah had problems with computers yesterday or today then that would go against the two hours speaking of that so I did talk to Steve Gillman about getting RAM because they were kind of dragging their feet on and it turns out they don't have RAM but also Steve said well actually what you need are new computers guys it just seems come on guys I do not need a new computer my computer is absolutely fine and it feels like it was just didn't we just get it yeah and we just had this conversation with Ruben when we met with him about what's coming up are we going to need to replace some other no no I think you know and that's where the RAM thing came from anyway this this looks this looks like the bill you should get every month but the thing you're bringing up is a separate thing that we ought to be getting from them an accounting of how they use it do we have hours in the bank do we have hours so if they center an activity report along with that to show us where we are because we should have some hours banked well we're due with a follow up for a follow up visit with Ruben so I'll have pressure with the pressure Phil 5G is coming so what's going to happen what's going to happen yeah are you going to need the fiber oh yeah even with the 5G yeah it'll be interesting to see what yeah what happens as far as oh you're okay good not the BCA meeting right what not the BCA meeting I'll join you guys okay is there a shovel someone yeah why we're trying not to shovel the front stairs on purpose we're encouraging people to use other access some crime scene tape yeah I don't have any but do you you must have some of your car you know that's crime scene they use it all up are you going to are you going to this meeting just for a little bit yeah okay because I don't want to stay here and have to lock out to them but I don't know people come in but you're oh I see what you're saying there might be people coming late and then lock us around I don't know I can lock it up okay no I can lock it up I just didn't get in sorry so did we ever get our light outside the back door no this is what I mean Don I said I left a message for him to redo these lights and he's gone I don't know where he goes and then he pops up again follow up follow up on the slide it must be Chris okay alright how are you happy new year everybody I hear by declare the meeting wait I would before you go one thing I would just I trust you one last thing really fast we need to eliminate the position of trustee of public funds because it was a bogus position unless we put on the ballot three trustees of public funds do you want me to create a position for three trustees of public funds or would you like to bring a question to the voters to eliminate it let's do that eliminate it enough trouble trying to get yeah we have to go either one way or the other yeah okay okay thanks no so what else we're on other than the select board we're on track for a yeah right because it's gonna be thrilled oh and I still need to give you my reports about things like food shelf no that's that too late Sarah Stevens and in a report for the Milford Leonard thing again I don't know why so so there's that oh I wonder why but yeah but when are those do were they do already through theoretically January 10th okay so I'll just double check I think it was the food shelf one and we'll just try to get everything as much done but now we've got the budget done that's incredible okay so I do have one last final little thing that is exactly what I anticipated what happened so here it comes so you've given the library a free pass on getting a petition what about CVHHH which really is human service relating I'm not I'm talking to everybody have they asked us what have they asked us someone who was near and dear to me who I have to sit across the dinner table from evening sit why are we standing out in front of the school in the freezing cold to get a petition for CVHHH when you guys give the library a free pass and I said you know what that's a fair question I mean anyone can ask that question right yeah usually you can submit to the slide board please put us on here but you know it's not a warned item for and the petition we're not going to change anything anything this year okay but it did bring I mean I anticipated something like that was going to happen and the question is are you willing to accept it from everyone else because that's going I don't think it's everyone else I don't think it's everyone else but you know right so meals on wheels CVHHH maybe the condition is that it has to be the same amount of the request of the previous year they have to get a petition and we're saying okay those really are vital community services or whatever yeah the exercise of the petition to me seems kind of foolish and having jumped the leap with the library it's pretty hard to look these other people in the eye and say I agree with that yeah so I think that's something we've got to talk about this year well first of all I think didn't part of this come from the town meeting solutions committee when I inherited this job in 2013 there was a whole thing about how town meetings like the questionnaire and you know petitions and requirements and everything else like that it all came from the town meeting solutions committee and it all mattered to basically nothing unfortunately you know it's been a frustration I mean it's been a frustration for all of us for a long time how to be fair how to do it the right way but I mean you know nobody's going to vote I mean I always said nobody's going to vote against the library nobody's going to vote against CVHH people may get aggravated about the report but hopefully Mary's gotten that straightened out now with the Meals on Wheels thing do we want to cut out the Meals on Wheels I don't think so so I'm just I'm just saying I got a little I got a little pillow talk about the waving the library I'm fine with having that conversation yeah I think we should so let's just all remember that we need because if we're going to have that we should be doing it next summer I'll grab my calendar put it on your to-do list list for next year to-do these things come up that I written like oh look we're supposed to talk about the building fun can I keep your brain about one other things while we're talking about the agenda I mean the morning how does everybody how do you guys feel changing taxes from two payments to four payments just want to hear feedback thank you I think from a budget standpoint I think some families might like that because it's cutting up there what they owe I personally just put money aside every month and then it just comes out automatically from my bank account so it's always there but I know that people do have a hard time with their taxes people seem to be under the impression although we've told them you know that because it says it's due on this day in this day that's the only time they think they can pay they have a hard time coming up with the thousand dollars instead of if they had you know say their bill is four thousand dollars instead of paying two and two they could pay a thousand a thousand could they pay every month to you we have just oh yeah they could say every week okay I just you know that was an option for people their account sends like two hundred and fifty dollars a month really yeah and I know they kind of and I wondered if it would be it always seems easier to pay a fifty dollar bill than it does a hundred dollar bill sure for everybody so can I ask a question yes how do you so we start charging interest on unpaid payment so you would do you would calculate the interest to be after it would be because it wouldn't be delinquent until payment four had been made right so they wouldn't the delinquent part to do that yeah but I mean it's just I wanted to see I didn't know if it would be beneficial or non beneficial or you know the idea isn't to make money on interest and maybe we could be creative with that side of it or something so I'm trying to think I'm trying to think because the city of Montpelier does quarterly yeah but I don't think you pay any interest just divide it up into four then what would be the if you missed the right oh if you miss a payment you pay right but if you make your four payments on time right it's just your tax bill divided by four that's it that's all we're doing too oh okay does it have to go to the voters to vote on yes in that article that says the treasure will collect taxes okay yeah yeah so they don't become delinquent until the February this is right now we have two payments so the one that's due in November if they don't make that payment they start paying a half a percent a month which is very minimum really so if we added a payment in between there what would happen is if they didn't make that first quarter payment they would start earning interest only on that quarter so I think it would all come the same on a quarter then when the second payment was due they'd be paying it on half and then so I don't think it would change the amount of money that we're collecting from them doesn't make extra work for the treasure isn't this going to offset the what we've just saved by not doing well no we process I mean we have to process checks every week anyway so that's no different it might make a little more that would be the other you would just have to get the word out that we're now in four payments but I don't know how do you feel Sarah I feel like we've already I can understand it from the consumers point of view from the taxpayers point of view having four payments psychologically is a lot easier from the bank point of view it's going to throw into a tizzy we had a hard enough time this year dealing with I did because we went down into payments because otherwise the banks would pay in full with a one percent discount so people were getting checks and saying what is this and you'd have to if you had some if you like had you know Wells Fargo or city core or some you know big bank like that it was really hard to work around that so it would be a lot of times do it just a matter of trying to find out what our terms are but I also think to the it's up to the it's up to the all right you know maybe we put a notice in there says remember to contact your bank and have your well the other thing too is that people who have their accounts who have their taxes escrowed don't have the trouble of paying their taxes because it's already escrowed and so you know it's a year but also or whatever kept changed it to four but made people aware that they don't have to live by those dates that they could pay monthly although is paying monthly truly a hassle for you if you were to automatically the way like you take out my taxes by automatic debit from my tax account I didn't realize that I actually could pay we process ACH twice a year that's what I mean so you're processing it with me twice a year right if that's what you set up you can you chose twice a year or once a year yeah and I chose twice a year oh I see so you're saying we're not going to go in and grab people's account some people could automatically have their accounts I see yeah like if you're at VSEC I could have a bill pay is that a hassle to you guys if I did that no I think I can't touch the money it's psychologically people it's easier for them to think of four payments I want the discount back they happen not happen everything is going forward we need to get electronic so are you having trouble with people making payments definitely the delinquent tax is up matter of fact I spoke to our law office about having them send out a letter after the February due day not have them act on a tax sale but at least initially just send out a letter and see if that scares our biggest problem I can see looking at the list of names is it's a lot of people who don't even live in town they're non-resident they own property they're non-residential you know and those that seem to be the ones that you know interesting I've always thought it should be cool I like it just because I'm so used to doing that in Montpelier and Barry and other places where I do business and if it isn't a big hassle for you guys and it's a benefit to some of the taxpayers what I would suggest is let's not put it on the warning for this year but let's have a discussion at ten meeting let's bring it up at ten meeting see what people have to say how do we bring it up at ten meeting at the end at the end could that question be vowed from the floor if no it has to be on the warning what you could do is you could put a warned article to put it into four payments with four payments with the dates and that the treasurer looks at by certain times you say okay well how about this I'll have it rewritten just the way we have it now with two payments well you don't have to oh it's you have to vote on it every year you have to vote on you have to say you have to say to really accept the treasurer but we do that anyway now you do it it has to be on the warning you have to say you will accept it by the close of business and after that it's a 5% interest until February 21 okay well can you make the article stay and the article would say the article would say four but then you'd say if the you know if the vote is no on the on the four the only thing the only thing I don't like about that is that sort of opens the door for all kinds of issues with regard to the budget article you know typically typically our budget article sales through quietly calmly it's a different it's a different article it's oh it is it's like oh I'm sorry it's article four so you go yeah I think it's like article two or three you know should we accept the reports of town officers blah blah blah then it's shall the treasurer accept twice payments let's do it then let's see what happens okay we'll come up with the dates and times okay yeah I just think it's yeah the other thing I can't see why it wouldn't pass I would think people so but here's here's like from a from the budgeting standpoint is that if it does get passed then you're looking at like April is your next payment or something like that no what would it be or would it start in November it wouldn't start until next budget year so the way we talked about it before it would start in September it right when we set the next but the next thing it would be the quarterly September January are you getting less money you're getting less money but people would have to come up with the money but now because now the budget is now it's September oh it's September I was thinking it was November no September okay so you would have to put it out there for a discussion so it doesn't matter either way well why don't we just put it on the morning you guys see what happens next week you can as Peter says you can think about it so we're going soul searching soul searching okay I just think the more you know a paypal account you know a lot of people use paypal sir I just found this on the ground it says sign here was there three things to sign no it just something fell off okay um but anything we can do to make it more convenient and easier for people we should be doing it because you know unlike unlike the days of the 3x5 cards and the ledgers and all that now with a computer those new fangled technology the new fangled technology would be difficult to get RAM so indefference to fill who I know has another meeting to go to let's cut this off don't forget about that some guys I I'll find it I still got it right on my thing I don't I don't think it's changed from the draft alright