 This meeting is called to order at 7 o'clock this evening. We have the minutes of July 23rd 23rd 2018 available is there a motion I move the accept the minutes subject to modification second It's 2019 Forgive me, that's my fall for All second okay all in favor Any post okay first page page 2 page 3 any discussion All in favor One extension According to state statute and select board policy board must take time for public comment at each regular meeting members of public may comment on any topic Absolutely, mr. Mies, you're very welcome Moving on we'll hit the purchasing policy update Is that anything that Rick? We are funny. It's record will address this topic this evening I'm just gonna walk you through the highlights of the changes in the policy The adjep the objective changes for just to really more modernize the policy a lot of the wording is just different But covers this the same Objectives that were there before the under the general policies Some additions were just about invoices and what we expect for support multi-year obligations like this is a debt of course Need to go through a different process and then we added a reference to the conflict of interest policy and in regards to purchasing Which just represents References our current personnel policy and employee Conducting ethics policy we have now added a new section on credit purchases So that's when we go to a vendor and open a credit so they will bill us Which wasn't there before and just guidelines for departments The pricing guidelines we just Eric had actually pulled down several town purchasing policies and Did a little matrix of the different limits and so use those as a reference for updating The policy limits that don't require coat quotes or we need verbal quotes And then I took the total of the town general fund expenses Subtracted out those things like salaries and debt things that were not negotiable not purchased if you will to look at those limits as a percentage of those Spendable dollars and every one of them is still well below 1% of the budget. So still very reasonable The next section was we added a section on Seoul Purchases which wasn't there before but but there are times when we might Not even soul source, I'll give you an example like when we're purchasing computers We might want to stay with if we're purchasing Dell since we also use an outside vendor We might want to stay with the same Dell product line for efficiency in operation for both us internally and for our vendor So we would still look at pricing But if there wasn't a huge difference, we might just want to stay with the same product vendor to make our operations more efficient Sure For lack of better words picked up on this is it's the department head makes the decision and Does it make sense? I don't know the answer to this, but does it make sense for that decision to be checked? by the town manager or finance person by a second party who might you know Just be like well in this case. I'm not so sure you know that type of thing absolutely. We can add something Well, I post it more as a question than a demand I think it's a good point I think just to have somebody else looking at it and saying okay is this reasonable does is this really a soul Source purchase yep, absolutely One of the reasons for looking at the purchasing policy in the first place was based on the auditor's comment last year to raise our capitalization limit for our fixed assets, so hence the new section 12 addresses that and The other thing that came up with Rick and Eric and I were just we needed a section on emergency purchases should I'm sorry back to capital capitalization thresholds every year when we go through the budget Rick presents the capital budget and explains what is in the capital budget versus the operating budget I just want to make sure that what's here under section 12 is consistent With you know how we do our budget every year and what's in the capital budget first Well, does that question make sense? Absolutely it does So Rick and I haven't chatted about that yet, but but that is my From prior experiences that capitalization threshold would be what we would then use as the threshold for capital purchases And everything else under that would then be expensed and not capitalized. Good. Thank you enough said Okay the Last section we added was just about the documentation which which we Covers the retention period we quiet under the Vermont statutes just because we didn't have a response for that before I'm sorry. Can we go back to sorry emergency purchases? Yep It says the first sentence the select board may award and it's the select board again This is a question. Don't know the answer the appropriate entity or should that be the town manager? Particularly if it's an emergency Assemble the board to make it. Yeah, you know you're getting a bit to my point. Yes Well, maybe we need to reword a little bit because now go down to the paragraph Okay, says the town manager or designee shall approve all week rest for emergency purchases over 15,000 The town select board shall be notified of purchases under this section Within 48 hours, so maybe we need to reword that first sentence Not good that you need to reward but good. Thank you for yep Yeah, the select board do have to have a role in that That whole process, so I just well two things. I don't want us to be you know having as Gordon was saying having us be an impediment to making a decision when it really needs to be quick and The other piece is sort of at least my feeling is and I'm sure everybody else is trusting of staff, you know I breathe yep 100% that's it. That's it for me. Yep. Yeah Correct Rick we're white quite ahead of things, but are we all right to go on to the north wholston road speed table? Discussion So the select works an approach of resident petition backed advisory articles for consideration of town meeting over the years The idea of a formal select board policy or procedure covering these items was raised last winter I believe Jeff brought that up during the budget process The question before the board tonight is discuss the nature advisory of advisory articles And what if any formality the board want to put in place to dress in the future for example an operating policy? The select board with the exception of a few specific instances Not legally required to place an item as a question for town meeting from a petition Containing signatures from at least 5% of registered voters in town This current trot contrary to public perception regarding article petitions The public can have an expectation that an advisory article is binding when that is not the case so in the past the towns place these non-binding advisory articles On the town meeting warning most recently a couple years ago in 2018 with a state comprehensive energy plan question and in my memo that's including the packet goes through these Instances the last 20 years and the only one that was placed for Australian ballot was regard to the traffic Circle question right out outside here at a north wholston and Oak Hill Road so bring it to the board tonight if You want to move forward with perhaps a policy to consider in the future. It has some dialogue on this issue Staff's just looking for direction from the board There's any formality you want us to take and then the next step would be to put a draft policy together and bring it back to the board and included with your packets a number of Thank you very much for moving this to this stage I know when we have these requests to add Items to the warning I struggle with it even if I might agree with it. It's because they aren't I Don't know what the right words are they aren't about They aren't directly always directly tied or closely tied to what the select board is elected to do which is the business of the town and I feel a little bit like I'm playing This isn't a great analogy. It's the only one I can come up with right now playing God about yes this one gets on this one gets off and So I've come to the conclusion. I would rather the select boards role in allowing or not allowing non budgetary non, you know financial non-town business type articles to Basically a minimum and if I understand correctly, there's always a process to get items on the warning Which is the 5% of the voters sign a petition then it's Okay That that the board is not as I understand it and you can correct me if I wrong with the board is not obligated To put an item Even if it's 5% if it's not appropriate now, how do you define that it's a different matter, but So so I'm going to mend what I was just saying slightly. I think if we have a threshold that Residents have to cross and 5% might be the right threshold it might not If we set up a threshold, it's a it's a relatively It's a sizable threshold They have to go out and get 5% of voters to say yes, I want this on the ballot Then even if I might disagree with it, then I think we should allow it unless it's offensive or something like that. I Realize I'm not giving you a lot of help in terms of how to craft this. I'm just trying to express how I my dilemma with Warnings and I'm totally open to other comments suggestions Issue is not within the province of the town meeting to grant or refuse through a vote then The select board does not have to put it on the agenda for town meeting Conversely, if it is an issue that the town meeting does have the ability to grant or refuse You know budgetary things Town ordinances and such that are specific statutes that our memo talks about Then we have to put it on the the thing that I Again, I don't you know I'll just say I don't like advisory things that you know, we we hereby instruct our the legislature to do the following because You know, we don't have any power to instruct and and the wording it doesn't we can't change the diluted a bit when we're bringing something in In a meeting where it doesn't have anything to do with it And that that I think is at least I find it frustrating and I think a lot of people do If we want to talk about you know, whether Whether there should be a new pet ordinance that we had a couple of years ago That's fine because the town does something about that. But if we're going to be talking about You know UN resolution I don't want to be there for that That's my position So I don't think that we should and frankly I think if it ain't broke don't fix it I don't think we should have a policy on it. I Interested if there is a If there is an issue that comes up that is of such gravity, then we have the right The select board has the right to weigh in our own discretion whether to put that before the town and town meeting and if we don't Vote to put it before the town for a town meeting and people don't like it then at that same the next day after that town meeting They can vote you out of office On the other hand, you know, I don't see a lot of a lot of issues Coming up that I would not be germane to a town meeting that I would be in favor of putting out anyway Because you're going to get into all kinds of stuff They didn't one of the towns in Williston vote to issue an arrest warrant for President George W. Bush Wasn't it Bennington? I think somebody Brattleboro. Yeah. Yeah, so No I'm asking this as a question So if we choose not to have a policy about what can you know, what will entertain to be on the Warning or not Doesn't that mean any time the question comes up? We have to debate whether we want to allow it or not Is there a benefit to us? Making a decision Now or not now, but sometime making a decision that says no, this is our I would argue that we limit Our powers considerably by setting that out that policy say again I would argue that we're limiting our Our power is considerably by setting out a policy that way. I happen to agree with Ted on this one. I Think that you're better to look at it on a case-by-case Then you are to set a policy there that sets a bar that maybe too low or too high either way I'm not sure what a policy like that would look like. Well, I don't I'm not sure I do it's That's kind of where I'm coming from like going. I don't know how you'd word that Is this something historically that has come to Like the board's attention where it is in need of having something written down as a policy or is this a case-by-case basis was Part of it is I struggled with it. Well, no, I mean it's because even though I might agree with or I might disagree With what they're what they would like to have on on the warning as a you know about either a ballad I were to discuss at the town meeting is I Just don't know if it's our role that put that on the warning Wouldn't that be easier and Rick? I do want to hear your comment Wouldn't that be easier to vet amongst the sitting select board as opposed to trying to create a policy that sets that bar? And that is a valid point. I mean right now. You've got an extremely. Yeah, you've got an extremely reasonable select board I'd like to think that that continues where you've got no matter what everybody seems to be considerate and listening to views Ricky we're going to make a comment two things first a policy is subject to change by any time by the select board to begin with So it doesn't carry a whole lot of weight. It's certainly nowhere near the weight that ordinance would carry and secondly if the board tends to be inconsistent in allowing certain types of Issues to come before To be voted on either a town meeting or by Australian ballot and not other issues and these are discretionary items I'm talking about then you increasingly are subject to challenge in court If you're consistent one way the other Inconsistent that creates problems So would a policy help us be consistent or? Not As much of an impact role with the other okay Any further discussion? No, it's it's it what I what I'm gleaning is there's there's some concerns about having a policy and I don't think there's support for it. So no, I know I mean I'm happy to happy to kind of go through. No, what I just it My my goal here was I angst over this when it comes, you know We get sometimes their friends in the audience, you know looking at me expecting or hoping that I will Vote in favor and and if I could eliminate that by taking this this Action now to have a policy I would find that helpful but what I'm hearing there's more liabilities to a policy than their benefits So best stay away from it. Are we appropriate now to go back to the speed table discussion? Thank you for putting together the information. Yeah, thank you. I appreciate it still it's at 735, but it's 725 since Everybody all right Bruce who you don't mind coming forward. We'd love to hear what you have to say about speed table, please and thank you No, yes, please thank you Bruce is relieved So I prepared a well we do have a memo from Also prepared Report for the board on this and I want to start off by Providing you with our recommendation, which is that the table the speed table that has been placed Down on North Wilson Road just south of Fay Lane Should be removed before the end of October that speed table was installed as a temporary table to begin with and And We so we would be probably wanting to remove it any way before winter Into I'm going to recommend that it not be reinstalled even after the winter is over And then we can talk about what the options are and what we do next after that the table that we Installed was as I said a temporary speed table was installed towards the end of July right around July 22nd I'm not sure the exact date and this installation was part of a general recommendation that the select board approved in May of 2018 and And so that was a unanimous vote by the select board approved a group of Preferred alternatives That decision had been preceded by a number of public comments or public Hearings there were three separate public hearings starting in May of 2017 there was another one December 2017 and the third one in February 2018 and then of course the board had a detailed discussion on this in May 2018 before they voted and As part of that vote there was a whole range of different improvements that the board had approved some were kind of more short-term low expense items including a Which a centerline rumble strip as you remember we had some issues of that when it was installed Some chevron signs at the corner of north Winston row where there's that sharp curve as you're heading north Before you go down the hill The speed tables of course is part of it some pedestrian cross signals at the intersection of the most mountain view and Separate decision but related was a stop sign at that same intersection Almost immediately upon installation of the speed table we started getting complaints Obviously we had complaints from nearby neighbors, but we also got complaints from numerous notars And I list some of a host of the various complaints that were received We also I should say to be fair received a couple positive comments as well. I would say the majority were negative When the staff had presented its recommendation in May of 2018 We had recommended I believe up to four speed tables along Northwestern Road, I think the consultant had potentially much higher number. I think I heard the number 11 So that that's that would be kind of absurd to put that many even if they were truly effective in the way They were intended to be effective but in any case the Table one of the complaints about table is that it wasn't An asphalt one would have been better and I think That's partially true. I went over just incidentally a speed table in Essex Junction That was the exact same proportions of the one we have and You felt it when you went over if you're going too fast for sure But it felt a little different What didn't it feel is imposing And that's important when you hear some of the things that have been happening there The it's kind of black and it looks very different than the asphalt because it is different The effect when you go over it's the same as an assault speed table But it looks very different. And so what you're having is cars are coming up to it some cars and Coming to almost a complete stop and then going over it other cars see it as a challenge and speed up and some cars go over it and Let our go and then get they're angry that it's there and will burn rubber After they have gone over it It's shown a lot of bad behavior Bad practices which are happening regardless of whether there's a speed table or not, but certainly it's bringing out the showing the worst Unsecured loads and trucks Unsecured trailers of people not paying attention. We had an accident there. I think it was last week The cars came to a close to a stop and the cars behind it weren't paying attention And we're following too closely and there was a three-car pile up because of bad behavior and improper driving techniques and You know the speed table was certainly part of that mix Let's see so as I said my recommendation is to be removed and I don't believe that We should at any place along Wilson Road North Wilson Road, I should say Put in another temporary speed table I think we need to evaluate The recommendations of speed tables and have another discussion Once we get some additional information about speed we have been measuring speed during the time period. It's been there I just today got a report from the police I do not have the report from the regional planning which also put out some speed tubes I don't they're gonna have to redo it because their speed data was Not good they I guess one of the tubes got removed by someone or somehow and So the data was lost for that time period was removed. So That study will have to be redone But as I said, I am of our recommendations to not put any more temporary tables We the board has options of Putting maybe replacing the temporary tables with permanent ones maybe in different locations That may have some of the same problems I know it will have the same problems of temporary one. It won't When you're visually it'll have a very different look and Or you could modify the speed table for a higher speed. I don't know if that's even a possibility, but You know, there's or try other techniques other than speed tables, but I think we need some additional information And it may be that the changes have already made If we do the speed studies Well, I actually the ones we do now are tainted by the fact that we have a table The upper part of our say well upper the southern part of North Ulster Road near Mountain View Perhaps that speed data will indicate whether We even need a speed table there or not. But anyway, that's that's a quick summary of What I found in my research and I don't know if Bruce wants to add anything Is the lowest The bump in the road of some sort It's only three inches high. They can be three or four inches in height Depending on the different speeds. So that one to be purchased It's a little bit more abrupt than an asphalt one because Add to the bump a little bit more initially as you go over it But it is a manufactured speed table Designed by a professional engineer. So it meets all the criteria of a speed table Steve was there anything you wish to Well, first of all, and if you reckon that and others for if you please identify yourself for the For the first shot, Steve me so that the 2361 was most around Right adjacent to the speed table I guess I want to thank Rick for the report and the board for Feels like very quick action I You know, I feel like just having lived with it and watched the exams away last week So I missed the three-car accident, but I've seen you know I guess I agree with what Rick has said in this report and I The only thing I would disagree with is that having it removed by the end of October, I would encourage you to remove it immediately I mean, I don't see why having two more months of potential accidents Continued noise in our neighborhood and just enraging drivers on the road serves any purpose so that would be my Major message that I've written to the board in the town twice now You know detailed observations and suggestions Any questions? Why is it the end of October as a time? That's the time we plan to move it to me with As I said, it's a temporary table. It was never intended to the permanent fixture there And I one thing I didn't mention is we did that intentionally because we know that these things are controversial and While it costs more up front to purchase that and install it it's gonna It'll be easier to remove than an asphalt table and we can use it in another place And I would suggest if we do use another place it'd be in a neighborhood where there's lower speed There was a deadline initially from the start because it was temporary anyways Well, the deadline is you want to get removed before winter No October was the deadline that was there anyways or am I not hearing that? Oh, that's what that's We could take it out So so if it were the recommendation on the part of the board that it be out as soon as possible That's doable like say within a month we Am I correct in saying it would be the case of the board that we'd like to see this done as soon as practical All right as soon as it's practical that you can get it out Please and thank you Wilson We appreciate everything you do and get that done. Thank you very much. We will be coming back to the board at some point with a another report What? The statuses of north-east and out as far as speed and maybe come up with some other options for the board to look at Because right at this point, we will not be installing any more temporary or or even permanent Speedtables even though that was part of an approved plan by the select board. So it's just clear We won't we're putting that part of it on hold Yes, yes That will be a town road eventually yeah Permanent ones that are going in there by the developer Crosswalks, which we found we're having some problems made at 88 quarter minutes So they've turned in the more speed tables, but I was at the road We're gonna be in front of somebody's house regardless of where they're at. Yeah, so I just want to make sure No questions just a couple of thoughts is my big and I'll wait for them. I'm sorry No, no, I'd rather you know, please. Sorry. We didn't I didn't see you We're sort of back to that original question Is this a thoroughfare or is this a neighborhood with children and families and I have a personal stake in this because I had a car Drive through my bedroom and it wasn't just my house the house adjacent to mine also had a car And in the past five years my neighbors adjacent to me and directly across the street five families And so I know I'm feeling like the last woman standing here Like I am in a place on that road that I do not feel safe and for the first time I mean that speed table is a pain in the butt and No, the commuter's not gonna like it. They're gonna hate it because it slows them down It's slowing them down. It's amazing. I went for a run my kids. We're on bikes. We bike over the Field near our house and we crossed the road for the first time and didn't have to like You know, I didn't feel like we were risking our lives trying to go and it's I mean, we're just crossing the road We're not riding on the road It changed my life And it feels personal because it really is First of all, thank you because I think you hit the nail on the head, which is the trouble with north willistan road and I remember when the Consultants were here and they made the point that it's one of the few crossings of the musky river And because of that it is going to get a lot of traffic So we have this issue with regional traffic wanting to make it into a connector in the town wanting to The town I shouldn't say the town Some people in the town's preference that it stays more of a rural neighborhood type road and how do we resolve that conflict I don't have an answer for that. I was hoping that the traffic calming measures that were being Recommended would work Now we're hearing concerns about one of them that it may be working in a sense But it's certainly not working in other senses and I mean, I guess I'm just saying I'm frustrated at the situation of We have that we're in between with kind of no good answers and the one answer We thought that might work is suddenly sounding like maybe it won't I drove over the speed bump You know with bikes on the cars and you know the car having some people and and I didn't find it obnoxious But I also don't live there The the point the other point I wanted to make is I mean hats off to whoever thought of getting a temporary speed pump because I mean, what a great thing we have to test test, you know, where should we put it and what are what happens when you put it somewhere Um, in fact, if you're looking for recommendations for a new place to put it I've got one for you And um So I don't know what else to add and thank you because you you stated it very eloquently as did steve So yes, people are slowing down and they go over it that they're speeding up coming out of it And they're speeding up going the other way out of it. So unless there's it's a speed zone You know, you're really it's a zone where they're slowing down. It's not really in my mind. It's not really Functioning to its intended purpose. Maybe we should ask Bruce if you would remove the pavement and turn it back into a dirt road It creates a whole other Dust Jeff we're on the right track you deterred there a little bit, but that's okay with the dirt road I said you were on the right track for a little bit, but then I deviated too far a little bit Again, yes. So thank you. It's it's a this is a hard one. I mean I I went down I don't try live on old killer road, but you know, I travel often and it's it's a it's a foreign barrier for sure It's not one that I don't think you see a lot of But it's it's kind of a catch 22 you want to slow the traffic down But you also want something that's going to be functional to move traffic as well So I see both sides of this I you know, certainly think being reevaluated and looking at what are some other alternatives But I I certainly would be on board with you know I think I'm not going to speak for the board but getting that, you know removed and Looking again to see what are the alternatives to put something there or is that the correct location? I don't know I need more information myself. And I'm not opposed to trying to Trying the same temporary speed bump on a different location on north willison road Different locations. Let me make that plural Say I I'm very sympathetic to what you're saying and I'm sympathetic to steve too I mean that was I've been over it enough times It's loud and it's cumbersome and I certainly wouldn't want it outside my front porch But on likely on the other hand, I wouldn't want anything. I wouldn't want nothing So I I totally get that there's got to be something that can be Found that can help in that Any other comments discussions If folks are on board with With the board then they can incur with the recommendation my following motion suggested Modified a little and said Move the select board instruct staff to remove the temporary speed tables As soon as practicable and reevaluate the placement of speed tables and other traffic calming measures on north willison road sir second I'm quick. Thank you all second discussion All in favor Thank you, thank you Usually goes on your list of I can't give you a specific day. We'll try to We won't push it too far out. I we do need to do a little research to and And fit it in with the board schedule There's there's a standard you have to use and it's Oddly enough, it's based on the current speed the cars are going And so we have to be careful about measuring that because it could indicate we need to raise the speed limit rather than lower it So I'd rather keep it the way it is because I know it's not going to be a speed Studies aren't going to indicate And we have it it's a standard and that we If you don't follow it then your subject all kinds of other To a certain extent but We have only so many officers. We're short Several officers to begin with and and it that's never a permanent solution enforcement. It's a temporary fix That has to be combined with other things like Traffic calming measures Moving on to the charter change discussion. We've got a memo from eric. Eric if you're going to walk us through that please I'll have the highlights here So we've identified two possible town charter amendments to consider the town meeting 2020 I guess it's time to start thinking about that I might recall the town charter amendment process we went to last year There's multiple steps as described in state statute multiple public hearings publications warning periods So this is the time of year to start thinking if that process is won the board wants to follow and and if so we jump into it Rather soon So in the memo describes two I'm going to jump to the more straightforward issue first a second one of my memo Um Right now we're preparing for a hiring new library director And it was discovered as we were preparing for this process the town charter's contradictory about hiring authority for this position Between the town manager and the library trustees The charter gives a town manager authority authority to hire department heads library director being one of them The charter also outlines the role of library trustees It states the trustees have full power to manage the library as allowed under state law One of the powers allowed for under state law is the trustees may hire a director. So there's a conflict in language there Both parties have worked well together in the past hiring a director But formalizing the roles in the charter would be advisable Just so there's some clarity there Um, I can go on to the second point now or if the board wants to discuss this one first, uh, whatever you prefer Questions for eric on that one Go ahead please. Thanks. I'll tackle the second one here So earlier this year the vermont legislator passed act 61 This amended the vermont labor relations act and this mandated that whenever a contract impasse exists between a municipality And the bargaining unit for any public safety employees This would be a police fire rescue union If this impasse exists for 20 days after a find a fact finder makes this report public Then the impasse must be resolved through binding arbitration This addition and state statute was made late in the session The vermont legacies and towns alerted our municipal association about that They lobbied against it, but there was little time for municipalities to testify on this So the significance of this this act 61 will now require towns to undergo binding arbitration as a final step to settle a Pro long contract impasse with these unions If this event occurred arbitration would make the final decision on how local taxpayer dollars will be spent for a bark and employment agreement So in the past the towns worked to settle a contract negotiation impasse with these unions through mediation If that was successful then going to fact finding and additional mediation rick told me that In the town's history, they've only gone back to a second round of mediation twice before the impasse was resolved Before the adoption of act 61 Proceeding to an arbitration panel would have been a voluntary decision by the select board as a deciding entity Or an arbitration procedure for these circumstances could be adopted by ballot item by the voters here And one one piece I don't have complete clarity on when trying to get some resolution from vlct The law described the voluntary arbitration as a three-member panel in the past including Someone from the town the bargaining unit a third person that the other two parties would select It's unclear if that same procedure has carried forward after with act 61 I couldn't find it called out in language, but vlct was checking on it I'm sorry. Can you go over that again the the arbitration panel would be three people Somebody from the town somebody from the union and a third person that both parties selected Yeah, and if they couldn't agree on a person in the superior court with a point that third person act as the chair of the arbitration panel Yeah, that's fairly common The reason I differed with that is because The last state I worked in was Connecticut and that is how it was set up Three person panels and it was binding arbitration in in in Connecticut. I guess Okay, thank you No, no, I will say in Connecticut the they had a panel of arbitrators the panel was appointed by the governor and The democratic governors why I shouldn't say parties, but Anyway governors tended to Appoint I don't want to say this People who are sympathetic to unions Because as a party favor For supporting their candidacy. Yeah, so that's one of the concerns that we had in Connecticut and But that that's just one of the concerns So that was that was the prior practice and I'm unclear by reviewing the former language and the current language and the act as adopted if that panel Procedure would still take place or it would just be one independent arbitrator And talking with vlct. It sounds like as this was passed at the end of the session A lot of those procedural details were necessarily worked out and there was some gray area So that that's the the framing of the issue and the policy consideration for the select board to to think about In means of the town charter is This is an issue the board wants to put to the voters about how this would be handled A charter amendment could be considered the charter amendment would ask Whether they agree with this requirement of back 61 by Disagree with it rather if the town should not use binding arbitration to settle a prolonged contract negotiation in pass If the voters approved, however, that question was phrased a better way than I just phrased it The legislature would essentially have three way I thought of three decision points they could make The voters have approved the charter amendment so it goes to the legislature starts in health's government operations The legislation could accept that charter amendment that's voters supported And be something for different than wilson that is adopted in state law and The second piece is they can reject the charter amendment Third this could reopen this binding arbitration issue for municipal leads to consider. I know that might be more of a stretch But the other thing we were thinking about is, you know, if wilson Puts this to voters we could reach out to some of our other colleagues and other municipalities They were to have a charter amendment too And it brings more of a coalition approach that this is an issue that municipalities feel strongly about to the legislature to think about I reach out to the town attorney on this to see does Anything any issues he foresees with this right now He didn't see anything that would cause him concern at this time He'll let us know if he thinks anything else, but the question of select board is knowing this issue One of my concerns is is this is a very nuanced question. We'll be asking the voters Which one? More about the binding arbitration versus Mediation than I think the library director But that one could be, you know A nuanced type question also and so My concern there is I just want to make sure when voters vote They have a clear understanding of what they're voting on what yes means what no This might be a case where my question whether they you know, the average voter will Yeah be able to understand the issue That'll take some care and direct crafting the wording of this for sure I selling it. I to me seems pretty easy. You just say All right, do you want the town to make these decisions? Do you want some outside independent party that has nothing to do with the town of wills to make those decisions? And the other point is we've never got to that point That I guess that are going to cut can cut both ways But um, I think that in my mind it tilts the playing field a little bit towards the union Which is why the unions supported this right from the start and the towns didn't But it's a charter change. It would have to be approved by the legislature anyway. Yes Right, that's the a little bit of the rub that eric was just talking about So the the issue with finding arbitration is that It tends to Well as you use the term tilts the playing field I might say it tends to favor one side over the other, which is Not what it's not the outcome You want you want the outcome to be fair to support neither side or support both sides equally or support neither side equally Plus it jumps it jumps arbitration much center, right And you have 20 days after Fact-finding report is issued and and last we've only once did we get to fact-finding and we After the report was issued we went into back to mediation That takes a little time to set that up and and it takes a little time to read the report and Digest it and figure out what you're going to do. So 20 days is not a whole lot of time The next step it sounds like more wants to further pursue this We can prepare what that language would look like For these items Didn't go into library director specifically So let me know if there's a different direction you want to go there But we can prepare this language then the board would need to review the language And in the case of the library director is will you work with the library board Uh friends of the library or to come up with what what the approach should be or will you Is it more that no we're going to suggest for instance the town manager because of his role as hiring department heads With input from I'm certainly going to have some sort of discussion with the library trustees. I'm meeting with them on a regular basis Of course you are so uh You know now's in a way is a good time because we're going through the process right now But yes, I I will be definitely talking to them in some form or another whether I give them a proposal or just talk about it and come up I don't know exactly how that's going to look like Okay Seemed to have consensus. Okay moving on then we'll go on to the manager's report rick. Be still kind Well, uh, I see our finance director has stayed. I don't know if You're um prepared to give a Quick overview on our financial report. Um, I will say that this Report covers the last fiscal year because the report for this fiscal year would be pretty meaningless. I um, I will also say and preface Surely I'm sure would say it as well This is pre-audit. So these are not final numbers that you're seeing here They're likely will be adjustments But this does give you a fairly good idea of how we ended the fiscal year right I think um Rick And read my narrative. So I won't repeat it unless you have questions, but um, and I think rick has said it I mean there's a few Significant entries. I would say are not posted like the year-end payroll accrual. We don't have the last Local options tax payment. I don't know what that is yet. So that will you know have an impact on revenue but if I think about the things that Haven't been posted that I'm aware of because I'm still working through the year-end process and not sure of everything That's in front of me still but I would guess that the um, even though the general fund is showing um net expenditures, um, I think we'll probably see that turn around um, and water sewer storm water are have excess um Net revenue over expenses, and I don't expect that will change much even though I still have to do their payroll accrual and and look at the receivable balances To determine any year-end entries, but but I think we um Have used a little of the fund balance For the cat amount purchase in the numbers right now. So, you know that Possibly might be subject to change by the time I get done year-end But I don't think we're going to use all of the reserves that were in the budget to begin with I don't even think we'll come close to it It's all good news. It's actually gonna have some decisions to make when we get into the budget about the fund balance again, and We'll have to maybe think a little differently Because we we're not bringing that down like we had hoped to bring it down Which is not a bad thing, so especially What a bad problem to have But you know like there's some things we can You don't want to become reliant on that as a revenue source So if you're going to apply it to one time expenses Then that's And one of the options might be to um, you know, we've The town approved the purchase of a couple new fire trucks Maybe we don't have to borrow for all that As an example Another items unless there's anything on the financial I um included with in your packet the quarterly report. Um, so if there's any questions, I'll be happy to answer them I I'm going to turn the floor over to um Eric and I'm all up, but there's a couple items I want to touch on I am working with the library trustees for the Selection of our new library director. We have the first round of interviews this coming Friday. We have six people And there will be interviewing I'm optimistic. We have a pretty good group And so, um, we'll see where that goes We're right on schedule as far as the schedule we had set out at the beginning of this process So so far so good And Surely mentioned the local options tax. We hope to get that report in a day or so Normally, it's right around the 15th of the month following the close And so it's coming on so we're Looking in our inboxes copies of that report And Next month's report We have hired a new Stonewater coordinator and she will be starting Early september at least She's from colorado Next month Which is I say next month Um And so the other two items I'm going to look for you for some Discussion and guidance So another item I put in your packet was an outline for the select board retreat this fall So this is a draft outline Fits the vision you have for the evening, um, I can walk you through it briefly if you like The first part would be a panel discussion on preparing for economic resiliency downturn in the economy And I recently this week in the news. There's been some talk is a recession coming Kind of goes back and forth there This panel can discuss what policy considerations to take under advisement With some expertise from a number of stakeholders from different areas of economics And help inform future policy decisions the town could make now with its current financial position So I've listed four or five possible panelists here. I've heard back from everyone except Professor latosky at st. Michael's Jeff car dominant cloud jeff davis and jeff nick I'm all said they'd be be happy to sit in our panel off the board would Like them to to be in attendance for this The kind of the moving goalpost right now is when's it going to be to kind of nail down all board members schedules potential panelists schedules and Anyone else that needs to be involved that evening So the the panel discussion Can take place in a number of different ways one way I put on the paper here to structure it could have some opening remarks from each Person involved kind of bringing their area of expertise and their lens on the topic Maybe 10 15 minutes or so could have someone serve as a moderator with some questions for the group Or just can just really be an open round table whatever the board's looking for to use that time The second piece of the evening Um thinking another round table discussion and the topic of retail cannabis sales and what local policy considerations to Be aware of I know the legislature is likely going to take this up again the second half the biennium um Matt blanche are planning directors been in touch with vlct on these issues at the end of the session and I've spoken with Gwynne at vlct and and Karen horn and both of them are willing to We're appreciative of a possible invite if should the board be interested having them attend that evening just without the According to their schedules as well They have a a depth of experience being in the state house every day and can Speak to these issues well and kind of give a a barometer where policy may be trending and how the town can help influence that and also some things for the town to think locally to to be aware of some steps to take before legislative action on some of these items so just Looking for any feedback the board has on this outline any edits That's them trying to figure out a potential day and I know chairs I I like both of those I um I would I think that I'm really happy with the the concepts on both of them the The devil's going to be in the details How productive they're going to be though because I mean if there's a panel of people saying well, they're Maybe a downturn and well gosh the town's going to have to really be careful Okay It's not going to help very much But if you know these people are going to come in and say, you know Something you might want to consider is you know keeping your your your fund Higher and not not using it to reduce Property tax rate for a for a given year to see what's coming next You know Then that would be something I'd be more interested in so like concrete stuff And the reasons behind that concrete stuff. I think would be something I'd really push for On the cannabis stuff I think that's a great idea. I just want to make sure that we I'm I'm a lawyer and I'm still not sure what we're going to be able to do and not do Relative to ordinances and policies and such so that's that's that have to be the foundation starting point for the panel for if If I had my two cents, so just want to throw those things out My point basically ditto in terms of the the first part the other piece I'd like help And there's no answer and there never really will be an answer, but Their perspective maybe a little bit of guidance or thoughts on What is the right amount of commercial growth or economic growth in willis then And you know, how do you maybe match that against? Residential growth or you know the town's ability to provide services or you know I've I've always struggled with We we regulate the amount of new housing development that occurs in town through our our ordinances commercial we've always sort of The only regulation is is through the subdivision approval process and I've struggled with that question. Maybe that's the right answer. Maybe it isn't maybe we should have more Input on how much Commercial growth has maybe we should be out there avocating for more commercial growth. I just would like help answering Uh that question and this panel looks like they might be very good at helping provide perspective I think it would be a little bit one-sided on the perspective, but Jeff Carr certainly I think would be good at addressing that question I'm not sure the manager for St. Albans town or city or other would be Because he's got a different perspective. He he was st. Albans. He tried to boost up their economic The vitality of their city and so that you know, he had a little bit different issue It is and willison has been very fortunate, but you know, it's still it's I actually thought dominic would be good um It's you know, and I'm not to pick on Jeff Jeff Davis and Jeff Nick, but it's their perspective that I think would maybe Their perspective understandably will be the most for lack of better words. Don't take this negatively. It will be biased, you know But I you know, I certainly wouldn't mind listening to them. Okay. That was my next question if you feel that the bias would be It's just because you know, they're obviously going to advocate for more I shouldn't say for more, you know, their business is Retail development And that that's a concern I have in any economy that relies too heavily on One type of business retail or or IBM like like we used to Now it's global foundry, but um Certainly we don't rely on that business as much as we used to But that that was a huge concern if because if that one business goes under what are we left with? Or if the economy quickly changes away from retail, um, you know retail big box stores Then we got another issue It is changing, but it's not as quickly and and some of the big box stores are adapting somewhat So There's a question about the future Vitality or viability of that model So Sound like you're gluing on the right track. Okay. That's very helpful. Um, thank you Is there um, this makes sense to look at calendar right now and think of any potential dates or I should We'll do a survey We'll pick a bunch of dates and try to narrow it down Oh, and I had one other quick thing Information technology update We've been working with our new managers as provider open approach since july 1st Um, um report a good partner to work with so far. We're really taking a close look at our network Upgrading some hardware security Taking a look just kind of future planning with the assets and security measures One thing we have invested in recently is a software package called no before it was recommended by vlct And what this software does it it allows us to send Spoof phishing emails to staff A phishing email is something where it tries to get you to click on it for Bullish a software to be installed. So it's pretty sophisticated what what we're doing I've ran a couple tests once to get a baseline I think our average is maybe about 20 of the staff I sent it to just in these two buildings So start clicked on it, but they take kind of the most Common phishing attempts the last couple weeks and they they craft their spoof emails from it So all staff are getting different emails at different times And one was saying like your fedex package was delivered to the wrong address with fedex logo and it looks very legitimate Others saying your airline tickets on united you need to update your seat information or something So it's it's a lot of social engineering going into these scams now and we're aware in the news a lot of Municipalities in the country falling victim to these ransomware attacks. So The information talks about really training your staff as the really the first and last line of defense in some of these things Where they need to be aware of what it is what they're clicking on. So we're trying to take a real proactive approach there It also has training built into the software. So we can see if people are Clicking on these I can follow up with kind of a training video to kind of reiterate the things to watch out for so We'll get some data on this You can You can make it you can spoof your name, but the the thing to make it so they're not completely fooled is you change the domain That it's coming from. So even if you move your mouse cursor over the link or over the The two from address they can see it comes from bogus company one two three or whatever But separate from what we're doing we have received some of your staff has received some emails In fact one of them Well, I started two were from me two other well supposedly from me two other employees asking for some information And uh, both employees saw right through it fortunately One of the companies he worked for wasn't that one but almost got taken for For millions of dollars because Somebody had enough information from the finance department to email somebody else about Things and there was a there was a law firm in Real estate law firm in south brilington about five years ago that sent Wired money after a closing To say that's this is our the world we live in where yeah friend of mine lost 130 grand Yeah, and that's uh, yeah, and that that was because that was because the the thieves had had been monitoring the the the sellers Emails so they knew enough to fool people and the latest one that I called it two years ago That's happening is now fake mortgage payoffs So in other words you request one you get it and then two or three days before closing you get an updated payoff That's usually for a lower amount, but the wire instructions have changed So it's just incredibly sophisticated Any other business on that note Having no other business we have a motion to adjourn Second no second any discussion All in favor All right, I boast We are adjourned Good job It's very efficient leadership