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with the pledge of allegiance to the flag of the United States of America and to the stands one nation indivisible justice for all. Thank you.

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Good evening everybody. Uh let's move first of all with public comments. The board would like to hear public comments and if there is further action that is required by the board, chair will add the matter as appropriate to a forthcoming agenda. Depending on the comment, the board may if they are

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able within the confines of the open meeting law respond with information as opposed to needing to deliberate on the matter. And because we have one of our members uh remotely this evening, uh I need to read the uh the remote statement. Is

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that correct? >> Yes. >> So uh in accordance with open meeting law regulation 940 CMR 2910. Please be advised that select board members uh Mr. Pilva is attending this meeting

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remotely. In addition, uh no one will tell you remotely. Um so all votes taken at this meeting will be by roll call vote. Lastly, if any select board members are not clearly affordable to his or her fellow members or to any

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members of the public, please notify the chair uh for his meeting immediately and we will do our best to remedy the problem and we'll inform the public whenever the meeting will continue. Uh we're going to start with item number

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two, the consent agenda. So we have several different items. Do we need to vote on them separately? >> No, the consent can I'm sorry I'll probably say same thing. The motion uh is for A through G, but you or the

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board at your discretion discussed and you can separate each if you want. >> So the the first item is the uh Boy Scout troop 130 proclamation and Eagle Scout Court invitation for Andrew Clier and David Schwin Jr. Uh they're not

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present in the room. Anybody present remotely? Um, and just to note that the select board is invited to attend the court of honor ceremony that will take place on Saturday, August 15th at 2 p.m. at the

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main road down. Um, do we want to read the violation at this point? That's up to you. >> Yeah. When is August 15? Um the second item is the use of town property for our volunteer celebration

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on September 12th which is Saturday afternoon. Um just to inform you guys that we are making some progress on planning. Essentially, it's going to be uh participants will be able to sign up for

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any number of different types of walks, whether it's a little tunnel walk, a half a mile or 50 mile stretch for those who are that way inclined. And then in the afternoon, we will meet at about 2:00 at the memorial park for a

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a celebration similar to the one we had last week. Any questions? Just a comment. I will I learned this week from Mexico City California. >> Sorry. I cannot do

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that. I will be away. Oh yeah, >> I will also be away for scout. >> Oh, the scout. >> Yeah, but for the 12 year >> August 15th December. Okay, great. Thank you. Um the next item is the one day

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alcohol license application for bowels and vines for the main attractive music festival. Anybody have any questions about that item? And also from Barrels and Vines, the outdoor only alteration of premises. We

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have some minor updates from the original outdoor dining request. Uh several tables for 14 people instead of five tables for 10 people. This was approved by police DPWL. And this is the housekeeping item for

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the existing general on premises alcohol life. Any questions on that? Hello. Okay, good. And then we have the sanitary test. >> Uh, we have a motion.

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>> We'll move to approve consent agenda item 8 through G as presented contingent upon adherence to all federal, state, and local public health and safety guidance authorizing the use of digital signatures if approved. >> Second. >> Thank you. Uh, Chris.

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>> Yes. Yes. Yes. Moving on to item number three, the appointments. The reappoint to board and committees. Um, and move to reappoint the board and

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committee members terms to expire June 30th, 2029. Oh, sorry. not wasn't meant to do just to uh authorizing the use of digital sign. Do we have getting clumsy here? All right, I'm reading ahead of myself. Do we have any questions about

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the appointment? >> That was Stephanie Dugen for the senior sensing committee and Denise Walsh for the community preservation. I will move to reappoint board of committee members for terms to expire June 30th, 20179 as presented and

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authorized use of digital signatures if approved. >> Yes. >> Yes. >> Yes. Mr. Chair, one quick note. It was in the notes. I'm just saying this aloud. Um, uh, Greg Wilson, thank you. Greg Wilson

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does a good job keeping track. This looks like there's a couple stragglers, so that's why you only see a couple tonight. And presumably you might see a couple more in the forthcoming weeks. What it takes to get blessed. >> That was all.

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>> Uh moving on to the next item, the uh select board fiscal year 2027 organization and plan. So signing the liaison. And I do just want to check to make sure that we have got everything right here

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on that list. Um, for example, I'm looking at the um historical commission. I think that's uh Jeff. >> Yeah, I've been doing historical commission and Mike has been doing sustainability committee. I'm trying to switch, but this I feel like you've gone

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back like two fiscal years on this list from where we were. I >> So after the meeting last time, I looked at this in comparative to last year, >> right? Yeah. >> Um I'm fine to do either one. I know I have finance committee I thought

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that and well sometimes we keep that with the chair and you've been picking that up. >> Uh I have been in the past but >> which I'm again fine happy to do with finance committee as well. So um do you want historical commission and I'll take sustainability again?

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>> U I'm happy to move around a little bit. I I was slightly >> distracted. I have six. >> Thank you. >> Is not. >> Okay. So that I had the same chain of thought. So last week after you had a similar comment, I went back and I

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checked and you're right, the Excel spreadsheet was not accurate. So I fixed that. Now I'm seeing it's on me. I don't think I got correct the fixed spreadsheet because I had also um reduced there's a general expectation I think it was said in the last meeting that the chair has slightly less like

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like leaison and so I had redone so I apologize for this confusion again I'm sorry that the I I had developed a revision to uh to show that expectation that the chair has like a few I think I I don't know I feel like Mike you were already

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going a lot. So, it was a little difficult to like spread load who was going to have to go to what. >> Um, I can share that with you now, but I suspect you'd like a chance to review that. So, if unless you mind, Mr. Chair, you could not take any action on this tonight and I will give this up for the

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next. >> That makes sense. Let's make sure we get it right. >> All right. Thank you. >> Yeah. >> Again, I move anybody else up. >> No. Um >> it's relatively so in the summertime for most of committees but >> I feel we've set that expectation chair

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and Phil that's just not and not all assignments require the same >> that's also true right so if >> if you don't like what I come up with please trade draft whatever whatever

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>> Chris are you okay with what's on the list >> yeah I'm I'm fine with the test. Yeah. >> Okay. >> All right. So, and I'll just make sure we get Thank you. I'll I'll send it as soon as possible.

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>> Thank you. Um, moving right along to the next item, the uh annual goals, which we had a good opportunity last week. Is it last week? >> Yeah, last week. Yeah. To >> uh to go through. Um,

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anybody have any comments on uh what's being presented in public? >> No. Do the notes become part of the um No, just for our reference. >> That was just right. And uh so normally I just upload the first page if you will

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just >> so at the end of the meeting I propose um something around supporting more proactively supporting economic development. I see it in the notes but does anyone want to include that as part of a goal? I love the other great idea.

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>> Or if not, that's okay. You feel like our free goals are, you know, >> I think it's important and I think we're budget planning, economic development, so I think it would be an easy add to the middle planning. >> Yeah, you could put it in. Can you So can you say so make sure

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>> um I think what we had talked about at the meeting of what was thinking was just more proactively support economic development >> in town. It is the third bullet point right now. But it's not in the goal. If you would

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like it like >> one of the strategies in which we can achieve improve budgeting capital assets infrastructure >> and then I also know in the last goal sort of like u similar to your community

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development principles is just like including sustainable planning when it comes to economic and community progress. But I I'm if the wording is funky or if it doesn't really match your intent, we can change. >> Yeah. No, I would only say so supporting

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the development of plans that encourage housing. I think that's all that kind of thing. I would say just more proactively support economic development, which is a little bit different than supporting plan. Um >> especially as over the next few years

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we're likely to have to have economic development that doesn't rely on property. >> Yes. a different strategy. Okay. >> Yeah. So I think however you think that could be worded it's fine as a bullet under the second goal. It still I think

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sits comfortably within a well doesn't it >> just added the you know noting that economic development takes a different path water constrained environment which we find ourselves is is a call I think that I

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>> I wouldn't mind highlighting I think fit everything we've just talked about your overall goals. I think you did a very good job, Greg, of >> condensing a lot of different uh thoughts and ideas we had into something comprehensive here. Thank you. But I um

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I think it's a simple I think I can take I think I think it's that >> I think like it sounds like everyone there's general consensus in the first place and that's really the point is like are you all moving the same direction? >> Yeah. >> So you don't have to take action on this tonight Mr.

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I think it's best we do. We've run any problems. >> Yeah. Historically, we haven't even had the goals to be meeting it. We don't we don't get them finished until I'm I'm fine to to make a motion to approve as as amended incorporating the

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discussion and then Greg show us what we came up with. >> Y All right. Let me Okay. No. No. I'll move to approve the annual goals of SL fiscal year 2027 uh as presented with

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uh amendments around economic development as just discussed. >> Second. >> Okay. Thank you. All in favor? >> Yes. >> Lindsay? >> Yes. >> Jeff? Yes. David? >> Yes. >> Got it. Thank you.

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>> Thank you. Thank you. Thank you for putting that together. Um here that's for 7:15. >> That's it. 7:15 on perfect. >> Yeah. >> Um

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all right. So I'm going to open the uh public hearing. Do we have to vote on it? >> You should read the public. >> Thank you. So notice is hereby given in accordance with Massachusetts general laws chapter 138 as amended that a

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public hearing will be held on Tuesday July 21st 2020 at 7:15 at town hall room 2011 195 Main Street Main to consider the application for a new section 15

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package store's wine only LLC manager Stephanie Bitman at 115 Main Street, Main, Massachusetts. Uh, hybrid auction attendance via Zoom using the access instructions on the posted agenda to be

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found at the www.ain.gov copy of application is on files on the store. >> Um, all right. Uh, Greg, do you want to introduce this? I I can't uh relieve you, but we do have the applicant. >> Yeah. Thank you.

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>> But I'll say that my office has been working closely and by with um with the this is Stephanie and she can introduce yourself too, but um I appreciate your patience cooperation. This one and I'll let her explain. Um my notes kind of allude to it in a minute.

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Um but um this one's kind of complicated and there are there is a purpose to this that may not be evident as you first look at it. Go go go ahead. >> Yeah. So, hi everyone. Everyone knows me, but I'll just state the record once commitment on barrels and lines in the

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street. And as everyone knows, we have the section 12 license, which is what's been allowing us to operate since December 2025. Today, we're seeking to allow this application to go to the alcoholic beverage commission so that we can ask

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them to consider the section 15 retail wine license to be granted for the same premises as the section 12 license. And we're doing this because we believe that this is an innovative concept that could nicely fit into the existing laws and

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regulations. But of course, at the time these liquor laws were written, this this model was not contemplated. Um, so we're not asking for an exception. We're asking the alcohol and beverage commission to consider this new business model and identify ways that existing laws could

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apply to this business. So that is the purpose of the application. >> Thank you. Um, Mr. Johnson, have we received an opinion from town council? >> Not yet, unfortunately. I just checked before I came in here and I reshot town council a message just to add add. Um

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however one one additional thing to note is um Miss Finman had provided um an endorsement from uh state representative Kate Hogan. So um if it's signed in there we will make it available to you soon. Um similarly representative Hogan

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just says like she understands the ABCC is probably going to handle this like they normally do because she wants it to be as like as as a case of like just to sort of provoke the possibility of change. That's there's the tricky part. So, as you can see in my notes and what I asked

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the town council for advice on is if you approve something that you that we that the ABCC in one scenario, you approve it. >> It goes to the ACC and they say get out of here. You know, you can't approve this because you can't have two of those licenses in the same location.

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And then I guess I don't know what the consequences would be for the board. Probably nothing. I guess you just like you just get told you can't do that and then so you can approve it or you can you can not approve it know that the ABCC will have more likelihood deny it. >> So go ahead. I'm sorry.

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>> I don't think it's fair statement to say that we know that the ABCC will deny this. Okay. That is why I'm asking for them to do a fair evaluation and ultimate adjudication as to whether or not this is possible for this business model. not a traditional bar, not a

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restaurant, not any of the other ways. And that's what I'm asking them to do is just barely assess and adjudicate. Change happens and they need to change as well as to the laws. Um, and so it's the ABCC's responsibility to adjudicate and and enforce Massachusetts, not not

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this court here. >> So, are we hoping we're not hoping for a change to the law? We're hoping for a change to the way that the ABCC interprets the law. >> Exactly. or applies to existing guidelines that are already there. >> So, as you know, there are many, many different kinds of liquor licenses.

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Farmer, winery, brewer, brew pub, hotel, club, social club, veterans hall, restaurant. There's not even one for a bar by the way. So, that is itself interesting, but a whole other topic. So the the premise here as you would see in my application my position statement is

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that there's already existing guidelines that could be applied to the situation. But a self wine bar was never contemplated when these laws were written. And so that is what I'm challenging the ACC to at least evaluate and again adjudicate whatever way they deem appropriate. But if no one ever

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challenges it's it's never going to change. As I understand it, um a big part of it has to do with the configuration visits. Um in my reading of it earlier today, the the success of a licensed application depends on whether you have

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separate entrance for part of that part of the business or not. Um, is that something that a either you you're aware of or that you're familiar with? Um, you know, everybody with it. And what say

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though is if you if you read it to the letter of the law, which is what ABC is doing, >> those restrictions apply to a restaurant ly. We are not a restaurant license. >> So that is where I think the point of contention is is they're applying that for one one category of a ly and they're

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applying it to all. But it specifically said those restrictions don't apply to all other sections of all lentes. think pick thinking it through this perspective but thinking it through now

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what would then prevent and I I assume what you're just you know say um any bigger establishment like just for tossing it out the PC say we want to

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have sale of our six we want to sell six packs you and how cute can be >> yeah difference is that they are a restaurant that is a different category of liquor license we have a general on premises liquor license which is the one that applies So

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let's take it as a baros used to be a bar but I don't know if we have now chest is a bar per se but soon because this would apply presumably across

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>> if if in fact the ABC understands the concepts an establishment that is a bar that doesn't sell. No, I think every bar has to have food, but I don't >> the difference the difference that I see, which is what I'm trying to challenge the ABC on, is that this is an

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innovative concept. The self that's point you're approaching it from perspective. This is a unique business therefore to be treated perhaps arguably in a different fashion that would allow

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>> the traditional bar. Yeah. >> Yeah. And I mean that's why I say I'm not looking for an exception for barrels and vines. There are other four entities in Massachusetts should apply to them ABC sees fit to you know amend or expand the guidelines. in

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my experience to businesses here and how thatffect the future how okay if that opens the door to >> I don't think it would based on the case I'm trying to which is that this is a unique concept innovative concept that

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was never contemplated and [clears throat] is more like a farmer winery it's more like the package store that's allowed to actually provide samples to people then they can buy the wine what is the So angry is too you can have a beer and then buy a six-pack and then walk out

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>> because they have a different liquor license. >> So what type of license do they have? >> They have a brewery >> of liquor license. >> So the laws are just sort of the >> So is that a difference again? Is that a difference in the legal statute or is that a difference in the ABCC interpretation that so that's called

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that legal statute and your license is is what again? It's just a general on premises liquor license because there is no category of liquor. >> The cargo was made for micro breweries or something around the breweries perhaps. Yeah.

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>> They made a special sound that >> just like just like although it's not in but the valley winery. Yeah. >> They have a farmer winery liquor license that allows them to make the wine, sample the wine and sell the wine. But that's a totally different kind of liquor license and it's the same as what

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Amy's has. They have the brew brewer. >> And would they be able to do that if they weren't brewing on? Should that change the nature of >> it? Should Yes. They have to prove that they're that they're brewing it or making the

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wine. So, I don't want to get down a raffle of all those other people's liquor licenses, but I just know that for ours there's a general on premise license. It's not a restaurant license and therefore that is why those restrictions don't apply.

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>> I know you made the point that yours is a innovative type of business. Um, are we aware of any precedent in other communities that have done something similar and they try? Um the there are two self wine bars down in Cape Cod by

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the same two ladies. I don't believe that they ever actually tried to challenge the ABCC on this. They read the law and were told no and so they just didn't do it. >> Those are the only three in >> yes and those two are the only >> ones that are pure this business model

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and state and this business model. The difference here, the business model financially is more viable with bottle sales because of the market that you can get on the bottle and because you're the people who are basically sampling the product and

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you have for sale. So this business model is unique >> sampling the product sampling the product and asking us if they buy it every single day this >> so that is a that is a critical component of the financial model but also of the customer experience and

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again I would argue this is unique that hasn't gone to the ABCC before as far as I can tell so last summer when I tried to get both licenses at the same time >> and the I know that you had spoken originally the property owner company space and partly original that's no

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longer viable McDonald's are using the space as their office >> so I remember correctly your business I thought we had this exact discussion when you were

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selling and the response was oh we can't do that >> no the conversation actually was I submitted both applications together, section 12, section 15. They were both approved by the select board. Then it went to the ABCC and that's where it all fell apart. >> Okay.

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>> Because they insisted that it was not possible without any further discussion for that. >> In that instance, it also similarly had 115 with the same location. >> Same location. And they they came to see the wine bar before anything had even been built out. So they had a really

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hard time envisioning what this concept even was. So they immediately said, "Drop the section 15 license. We'll give you the section 12 and that's all I'll move on." So that's what I did. Uh from my point of view, I'm certainly all in favor of doing anything we can to

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help promote this kind of business in town. I'm just concerned that at the moment we're lacking the council's advice. Not being a lawyer myself, I don't know what the unknown is of any issues that might be related to this.

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>> That's true. I'm also not a lawyer, Mr. Chair, so I'm a little shortanded. Maybe if the board were to postpone this, you know, it's a public hearing, so they continue to um what does that mean for you? What's the timing of this? I mean, we're

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already one year into this discussion and um the timing is critical as once it gets to the ABCC, it can take several months for them to even come back to us and say, "Oh, let's come visit you and tell you whether we're going to love us or not." >> So, can we continue this public hearing

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until u say it's two weeks off back Do we like I guess I'm I'm struggling to come up with what kind of punishment have they made it out for us

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wouldn't have the worst case scenario that goes back to Stephanie we just we're just like unchanged >> be selling us no too but I'm I'm also level and our latest level. So they

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would just be saying you can't do this and and we are like our opinion Trumps >> that's it punishment for the state level regulatory agency's opinion I don't think that >> I think you're probably right like and that's why your next oh these this is the standard practice we've been doing

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for a while now where like you're just allowing the local as you are the local you're allowing this license to be issued you know at the you know like at the yeah the Google the state but then it comes back to my office you don't see you won't see stuff

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So, I don't disagree. My gut tells me there's not even maybe a proverbial step on the wrist, but like the the but I my job is to advise you and I can't do that without so says yes or no

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>> and they strike it or you know we approved it going on the warrant. EG says you never should have put that. >> That's not it's not gonna be >> I feel like another two weeks is another two weeks and summer is probably a quieter time where this kind of

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paperwork can be happening more easily for the business owners and by the time you get to September and fall and you're picking up on a busier season. So I'd advocate for approving this although I don't with you and I didn't know. >> No my crazy board decided it was a good

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idea. >> No I I don't I agree with you. I don't know if there are consequences so I don't I agree. >> No issues. >> Uh no issues. Chris any comments?

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No I'm same as you guys. Just worried about what they're going to say to us. >> I mean, similar. I appreciate you bringing up Emry to um Battle Road. Also, you couldn't you also they brewery on site

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>> too. You could like consume and then purchase. >> Yeah. and then she's asking for some more money. >> That that's my other concern is is whether there's some impact on other businesses in town or not.

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>> Yeah. Wait a minute. I guess they could have sit down spots. >> I guess I guess the inverse might happen. Let's say I know maybe tell me to stop Mr. Chair. I think this is down

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the tangent, but um um art specialties, you can buy one. So could you not then apply for the other sections to then have buy a glass of wine from our specialties? >> And then what?

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>> So does it can't is that not true? Can't you buy wine from arts? >> You have correct but you can't drink it on the premise. You can't drink it on premise. So I'm saying if if one is true if she's asking for both and her premises would not would he also be like oh

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>> make for a section 12 give >> you five bucks I'll give you a glass of wine and then you five bucks he would still I think come through the same process say you got to go toCC that's you know we we approve you >> oh you're right

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>> I'm only trying to like think outside the box here >> yeah I think probably if we like puzzle on it for a while we'll come up with a scenario that seem like but I don't I'm not confident on the >> the

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repercussions >> and the goal seems for them to be to create a new category or exception to the law is a little unpredictable that >> it's true >> have you considered petitioning the legislature for a change

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in the law >> will be out of business by the time that happens. So, I just don't see that as being revival often. And honestly, again, I I feel like the guidelines that already exist can be applied to the situation if the ABC is

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willing to understand that business models change over time. So, sure, in an ideal world, we get the legislation. I would say exactly what I wanted to say, but All right. Well, absent in any further

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discussion, did we have a >> move to approve the section 15 off premises by application for landl are authorizing use of digital signatures if approved. >> Ready to chair a vote. do the second one

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also. >> Uh I would do one or two because the second one >> is like if you do action number two >> I will second. >> All right. All in favor? >> Yes. >> We should have allowed for public

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comment. >> Oh, you can do that. I would just do it now. Like I would go back. >> All right. So, we'll go back. Uh is we have nobody else in the room? Is there anybody online who would like to make uh comments on this matter? Hearing

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no comments, we will move forward with the motion which has been moved and seconded. >> Yes. So, all in favor? >> Yes. >> Yes. >> Yes. >> David, >> yes.

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>> And yes, too. >> Thank you to the to the next one and then you have to then I recommend Mr. P, you make a vote. You do another motion by um roll call to close. Right. >> Move to authorize the town administrator's office to distribute the

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session 15 all premises wine only license for barrels and vines LLC at 15 Main Street R upon approval from the Alcohol and Beverages Control Commission ABTC authorizing. >> Second. >> Thank you. All in favor?

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>> Yes. Yes. >> Yes. David. Yes. And we can now close the public hearing. To close the public hearing 73. >> All in favor? >> Yes.

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>> Yes. Thank you. Good luck. >> Thank you. >> Appreciate the debate and the challenge. >> Thanks, Greg. >> Yeah. Yeah, you picked the appropriate fair. Good job.

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>> All right, thank you Stephanie. Uh, moving on now to item six, the uh DBW. The first item is the contract for the MS4 compliance for engineering contract with BHP. >> Good evening everyone. Congratulations,

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Mike, on the new role. Is this the first meeting or the second? Okay, I missed you on the first one. Excellent. So, Justin Marco, public works director. Um, this is our yearly uh contract amendment for our MS4 support services uh with our

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consultant from BHP. Um, this is just to stay in compliance with our yearly MS4 uh permit process um administered by Mass EP and essentially uh also the EPA. So nothing new. Um we're just continuing

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to go through the MS4 permit process. Um all the funding has been allocated um through our F uh FY27 uh operating budget. So there's not much change. Um we're in year nine of our permit and we

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were told um at year five the permit would be updated by the federal government and state. And so it's been sitting in hiatus for four years. So, we're still um having to move in the process of securing our year five over

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and over and over and over again. Um so, we're hearing that the EPA has pushed off uh their recent revisions another year. So, we're this is really a compliance process at this point.

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>> Um so, I read through the contract. It is very thorough. I understand. Does it come close to meeting the requirements that we have for the storm storm water issues in town? >> So no, it only meets the minimum regulatory compliance of reporting. So

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the the our yearly storm water budget specifically for this consulting service is to adhere to the regulatory compliance as issued by EPA and mass and that's just a reporting process. Everything that BHB is doing is 100%

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reported. That's not capital improvement planning. That's not re-engineering, designing, and fixing any failed systems. Um outside of that, we're able to take our our um there's an additional $10,000 that we don't utilize as part of

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the overall operating budget. That $10,000 is able to clean roughly uh 15th of the town's catches. Outside of that, that's why we've presented a potential solution to a

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storm water utility for the past several years. The cost of managing our storm water system in compliance with industry standard and expectations would be very similar to our water and sewer and would require millions of dollars a year.

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Okay, with that I will move to the second terms of the the >> move to accept ter amendment department public works MS compliance engineering contract town for year nine townhouse

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storm water management program under agreement with part Works on call consulting service contract number 1216 effect July 1, 2026 through June 30th. >> Second.

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>> Thank you. All in favor? >> Yes. >> Yes. >> Yes. >> Thank you. All right. So, the next item is the drinking water state revolving loan application. >> Excellent. So this is um our strategic

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financial process um moving our phase two process forward. Um as you may recall at our previous rate hearing, we discussed um what the next steps are in our overall water master plan. Um the board may remember that we increased

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rates to meet our operating demand but also to acquire a bond of $3 million for engineering and planning. The town meeting eventually appropriated and approved well excuse me approved the appropriation of a bond to execute the full design development of phase two

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which is Rockland which incorporates new well sources i.e. three new wells that have been drilled at this point. They're permitting their piloting and the design of the treatment plant to take on those new sources and meet all regulatory compliance such as pest treatment at

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that one source site. Um part of that conversation was also the totality of the cost of construction, right? So we talked about the 20 to $25 million of construction to take phase two um on operation. Um and

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throughout that process, we have as a town considered [clears throat] multiple different funding price points or options and the SRF program which is the state revolving trust is one of those options. Um we can do municipal bonds which we have done in the past. we do

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for other projects such as town schools. Um and in water and sewer we have this unique um opportunity which is referred to as the state revolving trust. It is the water trust. Um it is very similar to a bonding process though. It is not a grant. It is essentially a bond. Um it

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has a capped principal margin. So sometimes it's more advantageous to go SRF. Although times depending on the municipal market it's more advantageous to go to the general municipal market based on the rates at the top. In order for us to move phase 2 forward with the most effective and efficient

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approach, we are targeting SRF fund applications, which is what's in front of you today as a board to consider, while also playing the fact that we will need the town to approve both the ability for us to secure SRF funds and more general bond obligations. because

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of the timing of the SRF program, we need to put in the application in order to uh be applicable for potential funding in 2028. So, their timeline is much more restrictive than a general bond obligation. Um, we'll be looking at

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the potential of annual town meeting to have discussions on bond allocation allowances, right? And within that, very similar to what we did at our last um town meeting in which we borrowed $3 million, we wrote the motion to allow

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for either SRF or general fund obligations. So, we're trying to allow position ourselves as a town to receive all the legislative approvals so that we can target the best funding possibility for the town phase 2. So,

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this is what's important to consider. There's there's a motion of endorsement per se, but we'll manage the entirety of the strength. That's what motion tonight has no financial implications for us tonight. It's just that

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get them to get to town meeting to then get funding. >> Yeah. The application requires So, every state grant application's a little different. We're all allowed for like a town representative. That could be the town administrator, could be owner's representative such as me. I apply for

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grants all the time. Sometimes they have to have a training platform in this particular one because it's SR the CEO which is the board of the chair um to actually endorse the application and so we'll manage the entire application process. This is just saying that we're

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looking to get in the simple as that. There's no obligation once we're in that application process. There's also a there's many more steps after the application because our engineering process will need to take place and we'll have to design the construction cost and request. We'll also have to

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have town meeting approval for appropriation of any funding whether it's SRF andor general publications. >> Thank you. Any comments or questions? >> I'll be done. Is there any risk of approval? we go down a path that we need

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to we find ourselves in a situation where we offer bond but need to do so within a certain amount of time we don't get a meeting we lose out. >> So you mean with the SRF program or in general? >> That's right. >> So with SRF the timeline is so let's

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imagine I'm I'm assuming you're kind of thinking this like based on our timeline horizons for construction design etc. So part of the reason that this will end end town meeting approval as well. >> Yeah, exactly. So SRF won't move forward without town meeting which is why the

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application horizon is so long. They consider that as part of that. >> No, I'm saying if if you know February we want to push up to the next special or another year or something like that, do we impact the answer? No. Yeah. And

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so a lot of that that's why they're so much longer. They consider municipal governments such as mayor andor select board understand town meeting plays a role in that unlike general bond obligations. If we had a special town meeting in fall and we got approval for general obligations, it's just us going

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out to market, right? And so sometimes that's advantageous, right? If we're looking to speed things up, we're trying to provide the board office. Well, that's it. We are being very quick about responding to one of our goals for the year.

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Make a motion for this. I'll move to approve the project evaluation form of the application for a state drinking water state revolving fund SRF loan to finance the construction portion of the Rockland Avenue water project and authorize the chair to execute any and

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all such pertinent documents if so approved. Second. >> Thank you. Uh, all those in favor? >> Yes. >> Yes. >> Yes. David, >> yes. And thank you very much. Thank you, Justin. You're

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>> welcome. Moving on to the next one then, the water. >> Excellent. >> So, um, we can. >> Yes, absolutely. So, um, Julia was gonna join me tonight. Um but she has decided to go on a vacation with her family

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which is much needed and anticipated. So I'll take it from here. >> Much more important than >> Yes, it is. Correct. Right. Yeah. Nobody loves going through bylaws and rules and regulations. Right. And so I will say this um this is the first rendition of the Department of Public Works trying to help the board um with a concise

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approach. Um I'm a little less concise than others. So Julia was able to run this through AI and as you can see from the memo, I think it really cuts it down as much as humanly possible. Um I'm hoping the board actually truly did go to the world of eggs. I'm I'm sure it's

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a lot to take in. Part of the reason that I really wanted you to look at the red lines is because one, some of you are new members and I really want you to understand your roles as water and sew commissioners and sometimes certain things are applicable and or bring up memory of experiences that we may have

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had with either an agreed customer, resident, etc. And we always look for feedback just because I'm telling you as a technical expert, this is what I believe we should be moving forward. you are essentially the commissioners and there's experiences that you're hearing from from our customers and residents that may not be related to me right and

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so I'm also looking for that feedback but in essence the town of Mayard went through a sanitary survey which is an audit of our water utility within the sanitary survey there was a number of issues of updating our compliance processes to align with national law and

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expectations within the industry um and also our rules and regulations We're several years old and we need to update as you heard from a previous resident, right? We need to update and modify the rule and regulations to adapt to today's um innovative industries and commercial buildings. Um one of the biggest things

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that we got dinged on was our backflow prevention device process. Um and in town, if you don't know what that is, it's a device that's put in place in commercial as aspects that protect our system from getting contaminated from users, right? And so within that that

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really triggered the need for the rules and regulations to be updated simultaneously after the sanitary survey um the state of Massachusetts adopted a byite allowance of ADUs and our rules and rights were not designed to handle

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that and so we also had to take on that challenge. So at that point I shifted my entire team to review this in holistic approach from A to Z which is why you see a significant amount of terminology citation cleanup. We went through this

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in in totality working with town council and my entire water team, my entire administrator water team and regulatory team as well as our um consultant stantic. And so in front of you, you have a lot of what I would say is just

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like terminology, citation changes, but the meat and potatoes is backflow enforcement and ADU processes that really are the meat and potatoes. >> Um

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so I did actually it is 90 pages though. Sorry. >> Yeah. >> But if AI has a human gone and verified. >> Yeah. That's why we went through the red line first. We didn't do AI until I was

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asked to write a succinct memo on a 90page rules and reps. Right. It's not right. And so sometimes the challenge is I don't want to degrade the importance of kind of going through it. So the red line version is why I want to do it. And then part of it is why my expectation the board last time was that I would

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never ask you to go through that at all. Right? And even tonight if this is something you haven't had a chance to go through again if this needs to be delayed another board meeting that is okay. These are rules and regulations. These will be adopted and they will be enforced. And so I understand the the

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complexities of that. Um part of the issue that we're having like everything is there's deadlines but I'm willing to push back on DP. they understand that we took a step back and when we wrote the corrective action plan to them um we encourage that they consider that

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segmented policy is bad practice uh they have a tendency to create segmented policy I push back on that concept and say that if you're going to look at one aspect of our rules and regulations I want to see the cause and effect of its implications on the totality and so it

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was a perfect opportunity to look at it holistically to make sure that one we're meeting our stakeholders expectations. So DP gets to determine and dictate a lot of things but they also have a line of authority that they can't cross as

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well and so there is a lot of process that we will adopt which is within here that needs to meet our stakeholders expectations our customers expectations the manner in which we want to run our utility. So, a lot of that was balanced.

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We have a policy here. I uh since I've been here in six years and I know prior to we don't shove water out, right? We're not that type of community. Has been resonated to me by minist. But we do have an obligation to enforce protections, right? So, our backflow

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device and that enforcement process had to have a healthy balance of the two. We have a lot of commercial properties in town, we will not name them, that have denied our request to fix their backflow devices for the several years. And so

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that is what is us on. and we needed more teeth to start to do a progressive discipline and enforcement process uh because essentially we are the ones that and so trying to find that healthy balance between two

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just I'm looking at summary from AI so section 13 through 16 rates fees the last adjustment is redirect to the in the past. Is that referring to abatement hearings? Because we've had

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those. >> Nothing changed from our current practice outside of when there's a dispute between the director and or a customer that they have the ability to petition to and those are the rare hearings that every once in a while.

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you usually we do a pretty good job of getting in front of it and I know even the most recent ones the board has actually asked Greg to step in on >> right >> and so yeah exactly and so we don't have them quite often because for the most part I take that role and responsibility

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very serious I uh I do not pass over any customer's situation we look at it um like I said holistically we try to work out processes that make sense we look at each individual and their needs at the time. Again, water is a resource. It is

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a utility. We run it. It is a business, right? But also, it is a life system support and mayor is is a balance between caring for its residents and customers while also trying to run its business. I think I would argue that our department does a very good job of

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listening to residents and working through Austin. I would just point out a decade we had this regular not everything but very

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cross >> what charge that hasn't changed just doesn't get there as often >> there I advantage of this opportunity to public

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meter. We don't have to give you the whole thing, but I can't tell any might be watching, but I sat down with Justin. It's part of that conversation as I learned a lot and probably should have

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known it already as to how the famil is the meter is the meter has stopped working. The meter doesn't stop working. It's like an odometer on your car because the reader sending out the numbers might die, not send out the numbers. That that odometer continues to

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run and the meter knows when it shut down. So then you can report how much water has been used since that time in order to determine what was not charged. And so people are actually now getting

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real. >> Yes. It's really just making sure everybody's getting their share and paying their fair share. So David, I mean this is something um something that we deal with with every customer, right? And so the same

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conversation I had with David, I would have with anybody that was briefed in in a bill process and we have sample situations. And I know that I have um assured the board that one of the one of the goals we have internally in our water and sewer utility is to have more outreach and education. And

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unfortunately due to staffing uh issues uh we've had to shift some of Julia's roles into more like meeting the compliance as opposed to more outreach and education. But I assure you as we start to bring on our last remaining uh staff member where we're doing

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interviews and conducting interviews as we speak and they get on board that the kind of PR that you saw with solid waste is the same vision that we have for sewer, right? And we would really love to have those conversations more outward, but right now we take them internally. And so the method that I

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went through with Dave, I go through with anybody that goes through this situation with their meter. Um, so we we want to continue to do more outreach. That is a goal of ours in the future. Uh, but when it comes to abatement processes, when we do that, we're just we're looking to recoup the money that

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is actually owed to the town. Nothing more. We do not I I look to encourage that we do not charge interest but that is not under my control. I try to [clears throat] push that I would see the interest removed. We always readjust the bills. So if you had a bill that

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let's say superseded two quarters but it happened to go during our change in rates. We apply the usage back like it would be two bills so that we reduce totality cost meaning our residents aren't paying top tier because the battery failed. Um, unfortunately the

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technology in our world when it comes to accounting is old and archaic. The prototype example my mind went to there's an opportunity to be able to maybe get at WAB

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film a 10 15 minute summary where you have prototype you can then actually show the viewing public here's the meter here's how the meter works here's the radio goes back and forth sometimes unfortunately after 15 years the radio

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dies but the valley on the future. >> It's on our list for sure. It's absolutely on our list. That was actually why we have a couple of interns from there. And uh that was the goal. Unfortunately, we had to shift

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drastically. But it's still a goal, I assure you. Um and and our rates are low even though you're hearing a lot of people deal with that. Our last bill that went out, we had 20 out of 4,300 customers that have radio, right? And so it's still a low volume, but our goal is

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to have outreach education. Some of the issues that I would say um the WAVM thing is great. Uh we're having issues uploading certain uh videos onto our website platform. Uh Lindy tried to do that with a couple of things and for some reason our platform doesn't match

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with certain aspects. So it's something that we want to work through. Um we actually even our third party consultant specializes in that had trouble with it. Um, so it's something that we're going to consistently work through whether it's on WABM's channel, but we really wanted it on our website

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on the town's website to >> Yeah. >> Anybody else? Any further comments on this? >> Nope. No comments? Um just one ADUs presumably if you have an individual living in ADU they'll use more water

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than the original building but probably less than living separately. What >> kind of stat how does that but let me get to the the real question which is how does that impact our ability to review the building? >> Great great great question. >> It erodess our capacity that's already

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eroded and it erodess it in a manner that's by right now. This is not me saying it's a it's a right or wrong situation for Maynard. This is a critical change in um law that already affects something that is a crucial pinch point for us. Um so as you know

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when we see developments we go through an application process and we look at the demand versus versus our ability to produce. Well now we have to take in effect that ADUs by right and we can't stop them even with their rules and regulations. So there is a potential

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erosion of capacity and so every review we take on now we have to take on a projected ADU approach in our demand. So our production capability is now even smaller and slimmer than the margins in which we were denying large houses. So to your point, Jeeoff, part of the

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issues that we have with ADUs is if you're aware of the law, it is a um situation where you can build up to 900 square ft, whether it's in a basement over a garage, a separate tiny home that can be put on place. So zoning setbacks,

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all of those things are no longer applicable. You could literally put a 900 square foot trailer 10 feet away from your neighbor on a lot line like a like a like a not a garage, a shed. And so each one of them has a different

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variable. Now 900 square feet under mass building law, you could actually legally fit three bedrooms. Now be very hard to live, but you can legally do it under those regulations. So the demand could be upward to 330 gallons a day in that

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one unit. And that's the same thing as an applicable three-bedroom apartment dense situation. Now by right, you can put one of those on every single family multi home man, right? And so and we can't necessarily stop.

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We can't curb it. We can't sustain it from our perspective even with this updated rule and regulation. There's only so much we can do. which again erodess more of the downtown developments and the infill projects and it is also a situation in which I know

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the board put this in their goals and I know the board is well aware that this is most likely your next priority why the emphasis needs to be on all hands on deck onre because at this point we're not necessarily just contending with large development like housing developments

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want to shove like shove certain things down our throat we're going to to be eroded from the inside out. Small little incremental pinch points uh and we've already started to have some adus permit process to go through. >> Do we have any sense of the number of

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applications so far? >> So right now we've been approached by five in the time in which ADU law has been approved to now. We have seen two move forward. Um and I can give you one quick personal situation. I just put an

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ADU in my house uh in clinic and I did it in less than uh two months. It could be done really quick and it was almost no feedback. I actually gave the town I work for as DPW director and town administrator advice because they asked me but they they couldn't stop me and so

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these are things in which we have to prepare as well. Um and I think there's a benefit because this will help with um with our tax level. There is growth to that, right? But we have to understand the difference of like we can control a

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sustainable for that and now it incorporates our capacity. >> Also legislation that's moving through um the Senate right now that would allow for multifamilies to buy right on every residential lot.

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>> So that gets passed. anyone if you only want you can multif family currently you can't do that or you can but you have to so you also end up with a situation where everyone is right

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>> so in both the situation I just described the ADUs you have a hypothetical max but you're not going to have you know even if that law gets passed you you're not going to have all of a sudden within the span of of you know one or even a decade every single

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single family converg have every single lot build an ADU. So it could be it could be.5% it could be 25%. Those are vastly different numbers. >> Yeah. >> So how do we plan given we don't know what the we know the we know that not

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every single uh lot that is capable of building an ADU will we know that it'll be more than zero right? We've got five. How do we use that to allow or not allow future development? we have to unfortunately predict and because every

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single utility is at a different situation where we should have built in contingency to our capacity which wasn't over generations at this point right I would not say this is any of our doing at this point but typically in the utility field we would have 10 to 20%

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capacity contingency we're less than fires and so this is a situation of why contingency is important whether it's financial contingency whether it's uh implement operational contingency, logistical contingency, etc. We're already at that dangerous team. So, we

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have to now forecast what we believe is going to take place. And unfortunately, our forecast, we can't do it with collaboration with other communities because they're all going through this together. >> Yeah. No. Um, you're trying to forecast a new event. Maybe you can look at other states. I don't know. But are we do or

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is that a Stantech? >> So, it's a combination. So Stantech only knows the permits that we see come through. But we only know the permits that are given to us from MS. There's no process in which so if you transform a basement over there's nothing in our

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bylaws that say you have to tell me or you that we've added more water to it. >> Right. consider that we should be able to get some type of educated information other communities because even though

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we're small percentages should >> it's the law came in effect at the same exact time. So everybody's going through the exact same challenge at the same exact time. Some communities it's accepted like with open arms because at

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the end of the day it's less administrative burden, right? they don't have to go through the review process. There is a lot less work on us and the administrative process. >> But it it looks like it's not going to be a matter of we predict x number of us and therefore y amount of water. It's

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going to be one year later we know about here's the change in usage patterns. So it's going to be an aggregate not a measurement peru or anything. We'll see it a year after. Yeah, we do. >> You will know if the increase comes from higher ADUs or higher occupancy in an

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apartment building or or you know um we all just show those are patterns we can't watch all the time. And what we do do is when we look at our capacity, those many variables, we do look at our annual statistical report which is required. We

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provide to DP yearly and we provide to to our residents. That's the one-year look back. Unfortunately for things like this, the challenge is we always have to look. We need a year's worth of use pattern. So let's take Manor crossing. We didn't really know even though it's still building up. We didn't really know

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its impact until three to four years after it was developed because the fluctuation of use. We don't know but we would look at it year after year. We'll see the use patterns change. We won't know any given changes. But reput is just one factor.

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Yeah, it's the one factor we don't there's many facts we don't this both development we control under their rules of thank >> um question I have about uh the regulations is it fair to characterize

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them that the um you know there appears to be a move from the town from responsibility obser the town to the customer. Is that a fair assessment? >> Yeah, so what what's likely to be the impact on the customers especially how

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they're enfor I would say the majority of that push was in the previous regulations. So if you if you saw any major changes of pushing service requirements onto the customer, those would have been in the previous renditions um such as the town only owns

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to the property line and the customers responsible for X. None of those changes are drastically implemented here. The only change that is a burden on the customer but we don't actually it's the it's mass general law is the backflow device is their respons and that's mass general law and that was the part of why

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we've been dinned in our sanitary service because technically the customer should be doing it and we're supposed to be enforcing the customer doing what they're supposed to under law but unfortunately our process of enforcement wasn't strong enough for the customer to

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actually respect that even though we would send letters that you're in violation Uh it's a real there's extreme bad policy and the burden of shift came from the EP to a utility to a customer and a plumbing

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inspection board and they're not all talking. It doesn't make sense. The back floor policy is is I think in mass and the Massachusetts round of utility is a major fail because the plumbing inspector can inspect X which is allowed under their process and our under our

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utility it's not allowed which is very confusing to a lot of companies and employee uh commercial uh builders which is part of the process of why we wanted to try to align our rules and regulations to be more uh streamlined

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for those who are reading them to understand where you're supposed to start, where you're supposed to finish. Because we can't control a plumber going to the plumbing uh inspector in advance of us until these rules and regulations determine that the plumbing inspector

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cannot take a permit for a backflow until they're approved by us. It's just making sure it aligns with Mass General law. But unfortunately with D and Master of the law, they were very shortsighted and they didn't provide the process of who should be doing what. It's a little

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bit of a wild west policy and it just drops, hey, the town is responsible for, but there's other entities that weren't vetted appropriately. And so there's a lot of failures in Massachusetts with this and this year in particular when we

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had our sanitary survey. And since we are aware that D is hammering every utility for this, they're trying to correct some of those policies. Um the failure or the the non-communication master law where it really fails and turns to subjectivity and just gives D

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the approval to kind of determine where it moves going forward. I think D recognized this from all years of lobbying from a lot of utilities like ours that the national law fails to determine process appropriately and I think they made a market correction in

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how they're pushing that agenda and making sure that all the rules and regulations somewhat align with a clear concise process. >> Thank you. Any other questions or comments? probably going to vote to

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>> there's no there's no vote on this yet. This is just introducing the >> Well, I I apologize if that was saying I I don't know if just I don't think Jesse me like the night because we crazy enough we went on a vacation seem to but um can I think you said although you're not

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necessarily expecting to take motion tonight >> if you're willing to yes please. >> So it's up to you. You're right. I did not I did not make I did not draft a motion. >> Well, there's a motion in the memo. So I think my original but if the board's not comfortable wants

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to review we can absolutely I just don't know what changes we from my thought I I'm not sure what the changes we had we had to period first presented it

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>> it's not like it's just coming to were approving it because first >> not only changes >> well in which case I will take a motion to >> which >> it might have been from the last presentation I would

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I would just say I move to approve the updated water broader regulations as second. All right. All those in favor. >> We didn't hear you.

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>> Yes. Yes. >> Lindsay. Yeah. >> Yeah. Yes. Davididge. >> So I I uh crazy enough this guy thought I would know what kind of bridge we should have in Main Street. Um and I Anyways, you'll So Mr. which are if you

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will. Um Justin and Engineer Migo have done some work in sort of considering the future development of the Main Street Bridge, but this came up. They asked me, I appreciate them asking me about sort of like design preferences and there's pros and cons to each seems

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in my opinion with my you know little art seems like there's a right answer but I at the same time I thought it's not my bridge at the end of the day it's the people's bridge. So that's why this is on there. >> I do. Yeah. Um if you're unaware, um

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prior to um the shift in our federal representation, uh Trey Han used to represent Mayor. Um after COVID, Treyan was able to earmark some funding for bridge replacement. And um this bridge is actually slated to be replaced

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through federal funding, which actually shifts down to Mascot, who is u the state's uh Department of Transportation. Technically the bridge is in the town of Maynard but it's the same program in which we had the Florida road bridge. So they they essentially take it from the town they replace it and then they give

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it back. Um Mascot and their engineering consulting firm are going through the 60 75% design phase. If you're unaware of that process, throughout the bridge replacement process, the DPW and T

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engineer are v fully involved in design criterias, uh, making sure that they align with our utility connections, uh, transportation nodes, etc. And so the question that Masdot had specifically their engineering firm is they have their own set of standards, but within

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their standards, sometimes they have multiple options. Um the railing system, protection railing system is one where mascot has two options that they um allow any community to take on. One is a concrete shoulder which is called a Texas rail um which is exactly what we

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have on Florida road bridge. The other is a more traditional rail which is a metal rail system which is what we have on set bridge. Um each one has pros and cons. Um, in this particular application, both myself and the town

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engineer believe uh that metal structural support walls are more appropriate given uh the interplay between vehicles at this location. But again, if you chose either direction, I think their risks are low in both direction. Um, so I don't think you're

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making a bad decision, but in this one, I think if you read uh our reasoning, at least myself's reasoning, I think you'll understand why we're moving towards um steel. Yeah, it looks like it's cost replacement should be heavy damage.

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My one and that's sort of the way I lean, >> but I also worry about aesthetics. Yep. Because every other bridge we have on main drag and street in native is except for the sub one which is fairly new

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>> is the other brand. >> Yeah. The one over towards McDonald's the restaurant is the other one that we have on which was just damaged is the other brand that we have on Florida road is

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that that's all of our bridges. Correct. And now we have this one doesn't match and does that >> outside of sub right and so I think >> outside of sub yeah the challenge is one is an older technique and one is a newer technique and it all goes back to replacement

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costs when you damage those um solid concrete railings um they're very challenging to repair appropriately. So in certain applications, Texas rail is great because the likelihood of it getting damaged is really low. When you have an intersection adjacent like we do

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here, the likelihood of a turning damage scenario is higher and so that puts a bigger cost per budget. So it's really to your point weighing this that it's absolutely that's why they would be you know why >> I don't know

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>> but it's also the consideration is our budget is never designed to handle these types of replacement >> and this photo of the steel rail is the separation >> which so walnut can be

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>> oh but that's down there Yeah, but there's a left turn lane and that's usually >> when did sub bridge go? >> Subbury bridge went in prior to the which is probably about 8 to 10 years. >> Yeah. Um was does anybody recall if

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there was any dislot engineer is on Florida road bridge we didn't have an option on this one the OPM for mascot allow us to have the option it's not always an option and so like anything it's their budget their

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control and in this um process. I believe we have the option because their engineering team is a lot like we're having the discussion there 5050 and because they're going to have some that believe that X is more safe than others and I think that's why they're

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putting the conversation back into our map and the the cost differential uh we're looking at even the fact mentioned is that it would be quite considerable with time. So for the town meeting to decide upfront capital, it's

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free. >> So let's imagine we had a a water seating issue like we just did on um on Walnut Street Bridge and it impacted that rail. We would be the responsible party to repair it. And then for us, we wouldn't repair any of it house and we

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would have to subcontract it up. Costs would be astronomical. And so it's very common with steel structures. If you're if you have a chance to have a robust sub rate, they're essentially segmented pieces that get bolted in by eight bolts. It's

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as simple as one to get the pull out. The concrete is laid in one quart. So the second breaks, we're talking about getting masons out there and you have to reform that process with you know the new I would argue newer

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bridges are moving towards that metal railing system. uh but in tradition a lot of bridges still use text there's there's applications for >> yeah I mean I I'm just very struck by fact that we are often

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paying the price of of the expensive decisions that were made in the past an opportunity to hopefully save on somebody's future bill whether it's 10 or 20 years down the But

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would be my answer. Would anybody else have any further comments on that? Chris, any thoughts on this matter? >> I like the um cement bridge. Same as the same one David pointed out, if I have a

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choice, if we're talking about, you know, uh guidance for design, I'd go with that design >> for a set extra. Huh? >> For aesthetic reasons? >> I couldn't hear you. >> Are you You're saying that for aesthetic

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reasons? >> Yeah, the aesthetics. The aesthetics of it. I mean, we have there's Florida Street, Walam Street, Summer Street. There's only a few bridges in town and they all look alike. Why put one in that doesn't look the same?

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>> How do we want to move forward with this? Do we need to have a vote on this or is this something that Mr. You can you can get a vote. Got a bit of a slave opinion here. >> Yeah. Meaning the steel is safer and

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cheaper. >> Yes. >> Safer. >> Yes. >> In what way is it safe? >> So in regards to the way that the steel handles a collision. So concrete is brittle. So typically as I referred to

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earlier is so Texas rail i.e. The concrete is usually utilized when you're on straight roads without intersections adjacent. So the reason that where so and we did take aesthetics into account in our evaluation. The reason we have

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concern which why my recommendations recommendation is for steel is because the adjacency of the Walnut Main Street intersection in the likelihood of a left turn from Walnut onto Main Street which turning into bridges is typically where there's the failure. uh and the

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likelihood of impacting the rail. So if you were to this is hard straight, if you were to take your left turn and somebody were to walk across that crosswalk and you try to avoid them, you're most likely going to hit the rail. And that rails collision is a higher impact when you have an

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intersection adjacent. Now, >> when you don't have an intersection adjacent, it's not common practice for a vehicle to drive like this, >> right? There's nothing that guide them to unless you some >> do we know how old the bridge is that's

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there? >> 1922. >> Do we know how time how many times it's been struck? >> Oh, that I don't think anybody's actually ever probably written down that accident. >> So, is it so if it hasn't happened in 104 years, is it really a consideration?

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>> It's just kind of throwing just kind of throwing it out there. It's 104 years old and nobody's hit it. Suddenly we're worried about someone hitting the bridge and when it's going to look totally different than anything else we have in town. It doesn't really make sense. But and I understand this. I understand what

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you mean about the safety of it. But it's not it's it's there's extremely high curbing in those those that intersection on all corners. So to get up into that bridge, you know how fast someone's going to have to go to climb that curb and hit that bridge.

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>> There's a driveway adjacent to the problem right now. We're going to be able to >> um sorry if you said this already, but is the cost for repairing? >> Yes. >> Significant. >> Yes. >> Significant. >> And in most cases, I think it's okay

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with what you're saying. If if somebody drove up on the sidewalk and drove into the bridge, would their insurance be responsible for covering the cost? >> We would go out. Oh, yes. >> Why? So the the the chances of us having to pay for repairs

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to this bridge given possibly 104 years with no accidents and insurance being what it is are low. >> Yes and no. We have a lot of fun issues that we have chased down part of our operating expense we have to manage. We

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have a lot of run issues. >> Yep. A lot of lot of our fees that constantly get green. won't necessarily get replaced. Stop >> push actuated lights crosswalks um typically get creamed quite often

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overnight and we never get to chase down where it was. Um there's a lot of people that So I'll give you I don't know if you recall the great road the intersection of great road and Parker Street by Alumni Field. There's a control box right there that was hit a

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couple years ago. sat there broken for a very long time. It was disfigured. It had a painting on there. Well, that was a rental car in which the individual didn't have insurance. So, we never recouped our losses. That was an inhouse cost for us. It's not always a guarantee that insurance covers that likely, but actually sometimes usually falls back

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from the town quite often. Um, a lot of it is as simple as this. The conversation and pros and cons are the two. one is aesthetically appealing, the other one is cost uh and so um the reason that we moved in one direction is because that offer we don't have

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operating budgets for that. I'm not saying we don't have reserve funds. I'm not saying there's al alternative options, but I think that's why we're most likely brought to the board will go in any direction. >> They want to build up the uh curving on that street. >> So they'll have sidewalks as part of the

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bridge overlay. Um they'll have granite, but the granite will have to match the curving um transitions for both Main Street and in both directions of the abupment. Um so there'll be curving. Um I can't tell you what the reveal will look like at this point. I can't tell

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you it's going to be eight or 12 inches. Uh it could be four depending on how they uh smoke that um that um overpass. And those parts I won't necessarily know until after we pick the railing.

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>> We do have an issue again with the prominard being in that location as well. So there is a driveway apron there as well. So that driveway apron for the prominade is going to remain open. That's the access. So

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>> no, but people could. It's not our property. So the owner could potentially still use that driveway apes. There's a lot iron style fencing on both sides of that fence in the middle. I don't know if paint to be black similar

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to that as opposed to the existing. So typically yeah the powder coating usually isn't black because of heat. Um, it's usually kind of this maroonish color. It almost looks like a fancy rust.

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I I I think we spent more time talking about it. I >> lean towards the steel but would not object. So, um I would propose that we have a vote on uh steel or concrete. Um and if

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we go in favor of concrete, do we have anybody in favor of concrete? David and Chris and anybody in favor of steel. So we have a three to two in favor of steel of agree. Um

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so there's the uh the direction for design. >> I appreciate it. I will say in my six years in that might be the closest I've ever seen. You might >> Thank you, Justin. >> Thanks, Justin.

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>> Thanks, Chris. All right, so moving on to the item number seven, state primary election uh for the warrant approval. >> Mr. Chair, so this is um relatively procedural. So the secretary of state issues what the warrants are going to be

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to the to the various town clerks, and that's what this reflects. I mean it is the town clerk's um administration but the you can see like the the warrant itself is is kind of standard so to speak for this for this particular election it is the primary um and then

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the the actual election is about a month later I don't have >> that the the general election is >> yeah that's right >> but I will move to state primary election scheduled Tuesday September

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86 signatures. Thank you. All in favor? >> Yes. >> Lindsay? >> Yes. >> Yes. David? >> Yes. >> And yes, too. Great. Thank you. >> Thank you very much. Um the senior

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center, uh I've been going up there one day a week. The work is definitely underway both inside and out. Um, do you have any >> No, it sounds great. Uh, we're in touch

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with the club, the owner. Um, yeah. And we want to And so far so good. As part of it, sounds like just as you said. Um, once they start their role, >> right? Could you remind me what's the projected completion date?

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>> Yeah, he never gave it. Uh, so I don't he kept saying fall, but I don't always like a three month long. >> That's right. >> I don't know. But I but I I if there's something goes aai, I'll try to keep the

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board, >> right? I mean, that's just what I wonder. I mean, on school projects, uh each time we meet, it's monitored as whether it's, you know, on on the time, >> right? >> It seems like we don't have a time. >> It is not a public project. So I don't really have that

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>> because there >> if we have to wait a couple extra months because there's some internal overall end result so >> but I'll keep the board a breast. I just don't you you can see what I can see.

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>> Okay. Thank you. Uh Green Meadow um I think we have a meeting two weeks from now for the the next building committee from what I see it's is progressing as

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per planned. >> Anybody else to report on that? >> I do want to make one comment. see I walk down there. So I haven't seen but I get a shot. I don't know if anybody else about it

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either. My pet peeve is turn into that park and go around the side while they're construction. take it down at the end of day during the day while they're there if it g that will not

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allow cars to go in through and you you know a small apartment like five cars per time I go oh surprise here they come right back up that's where they were head that's problem especially when we

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get more people in there and more senior we cannot have constant cost. >> So, it seems to me that that's probably an issue for the >> for the animal, >> right? >> Yeah. And they want to have it they wanted to have it that was initially not

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supposed to be there. That little cut through in the back. They wanted to have it there for their employees, their people work in their building. But once that goes in there, it's going to be used a lot more often. It's dangerous situation especially down

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the right side of the building one way it's narrow and if something rocking and cars come flying in they're late for work. >> So is that something that we would refer to the

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police department and the >> police have no control because it's private property. >> Yeah. But is there any way if if it's considered to be uh unsafe for the public then is there any authority to

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put on them to have some sort of restrict >> because by definition I had some slow walkers >> you know in that area. >> I feel like the planning board also tried to address this. >> They were definitely concerned about the traffic in the parking lot. They did a

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big to address it, but they only >> right. >> I don't know if they address that exit. >> I don't know if they address that through um because the Yeah. Right side of the building cars come in and they are going at speed.

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>> Yeah. They and then they come out. When they come out, they know they can't go this way. Sometimes they do. They come out through park best parking lot and they take a left down one way. That's really dangerous. Now you have cars

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coming and you can't see them. They come around the corner and you're back. It's not good. Is this something where you can attempt to engage a conversation with the land? >> Oh, I I I can't I can bring it up. >> Yeah. >> Um if and certainly it would get brought up if there seems to be a risk once it's

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up once the senior center opens. Yeah, but they don't need to do that anymore. >> No, I think the landlord is actually really receptive to the story concerns. >> The police periodically sitting there. They were watching the lights. See if somebody goes through the light. >> Yeah. But there

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was >> Let me I'll take a message over to Alex. >> I mean, it would seem to me that, you know, we engage in some sort of dialogue and then we stand a better chance of finding a solution. >> Yeah. >> That's ultimately safe for the the users.

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>> I appreciate you bringing it up because I I'm not go that far often. I appreciate that. >> Thank you. Uh correspondences. Any comments on the correspondences? >> Yeah, I think com last

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parking. Um what I would suggest we do is turn that over to the We still have a parking >> parking. >> All right. Turn that over to them. Ask them what their thoughts are spending days. This one.

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>> It did. >> Yeah. >> And how did they >> I don't know. I'm curious why it's in front of us because >> it's in front of us only because there was >> correct. >> Did it come to all of us? >> It come address. >> Oh, I see.

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>> Correct. So, uh I I agree with both of you. So, um it did come to the select board address. I can't I'm not judgy Davis of low tide um submitted this. I'm reading from an email just says I wanted to submit this also to the slideboard on

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behalf of the native business lines. And uh just as you said Lindsay this has been brought up many times. I just as a reminder of the board, the board um granted authority to the town administrator to approve of decorations by private entities. I think this is a declaration by a private entity. I'm not

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um the chair and I discussed this. So would you like me to give my two cents now or do you want to Okay. So um um I you can see I didn't you know in conversation with the chair we didn't put this as for an action of the board. I wanted to at least just get it across

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you put it on your radar. My initial thought is um I think it's a good idea, but Greg Johnson still wants those meters out of here and I just don't want to give any reason to um prevent that or to delay that. Like I don't I don't want I don't want to like authorize the

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beautifification of something that I want removed. So, and this probably sounds very that actually sounds kind of not to say that that as for much as I love the vitality and culture of Mayor D saying I don't want more art. I understand that's that's weird. But I for the purpose of getting her in the

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meters I'm not a fan. Now I brought this up to um Steve Silverson who who sits on the parking authority who go to BA meetings who list meetings um and uh my guidance to him is in two weeks um to come to the board with the proposal whether to we're

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going to come back to the board. That's the plan to say um if and when and how to to remove the meters and places if if at all some sort of signage >> and notably we believe that removing the meters will increase the vibrancy and

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culture of the downtown through mechanisms. >> There's an argument for that. If nothing else, it removes the confusion. >> Yeah, >> it has to be solution with removing it will include whatever changes signage

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>> potentially [clears throat] although that's that our our the town staff's um advice on that I think is actually evolved. So you'll hear more about that. It's also cost estimate just because we had previous discussion about removing

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that and if you do something that is aesthetic pleasing without having thoughts and I don't know it would be aesthetic pleasing and I don't know how it affects uh public safety relative to snow removal or anything else that's all discussion

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>> in the meantime I'm just curious why would we not so the meters it seems like they're pretty blossom on roads cost prohibitive because for all the reasons it's conservative. Can we just stick the heads off and have the polls for having just while we're having a conversation? It's been like two years now and the

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heads are disappearing. So they can't be that hard to get off. >> Okay, that's a good question. But that so um >> years if the issue is confusion and they're ugly like at the very least while we decide if we're going to remove the sidewalks and put in new signage and

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whether or not we can regulate and all those things just pop his heads off and have the Yeah, I understand there is a cost to that and so one could argue as I would that um I would prefer to do one investment instead of face. So

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>> taking the heads off the cost >> the cost to Yeah, absolutely. So I don't know if I have the staff equipment or the manpower right now to do that. So if I have to I don't know [clears throat] I'm saying I'm trying to react. Yeah. I I can understand you don't like I don't

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know. Okay. But I would argue I would rather spend the time planning to the to full removal if that's where we're eventually going to go. >> The full removal that is absolutely a cost. That's like tearing off a sidewalk and having to reinforce that. So there's

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lifting lifting a meter off of posting on it. I mean this should wait for the parking authority or for conversation from Steve if he has a proposal. I'm just thinking We have been talking about it for so

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long and if there's some way to stage the approach then it might it might be more >> I can see if I can find out the sort of like the logistics of the cost of removing the pets

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they would have to do that anyway >> oh actually I assume they would come >> right that's what Yeah, >> they don't have to pull them out of the ground and then report to them. >> No, potentially, but they wouldn't have to disassemble it. So, we're talking about removing the head from the from

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the body and I'm saying when they just cut it off and do it again. >> Well, if that's also an option, yeah, do that instead. I thought the last time we talked about this, it was no, the post has to come out of the cement, which requires like placing that sidewalk. >> Uh, if that's not the case, then

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>> maybe I or maybe it's post by post. I I don't know. You're coming right now, right? >> Yeah, that's the idea. >> Yeah. So, if we can find out by next time, that would be helpful. >> I'll move to approve correspondences. >> F.

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>> Yes. >> Lindsay. >> Yes. >> Yes. Dave. Yes. Yes. Thank you. Okay. Uh acceptance of the minutes. Uh I will move to approve the meeting minutes of May 6th and July 13th May 6th

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as shown and authorized use of digital signatures. >> Secondly, >> yes. >> Yes. >> David. Yes. >> And yes. And uh Mr. Johnson report. >> Thank you, Mr.

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Um, delicious cookies were highlighted in this week's that report. I appreciate it. That was awesome and delicious. Um, >> I'm still tickled when I got back from my office from Cape Cod. >> Got one. >> Oh, yeah.

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>> Uh, you noticed. So, um, so I appreciate that and I I think I'll take this opportunity, um, to really the public and I and I'm sure the board would agree if not also say this to publicly man Lindy Gear for all the

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hard work that she's done and the rest of the departments and everyone literally the entire town for um, adopting and stewarding and owning this huge shift in how we do like a really important part of our lives which is sanitation and health and getting rid of

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trash at the end of the day. That's massive. And to have my understanding the success that we've had is huge. It's huge. Like I I amazing. Amazing. Um the work's not done yet. It's still like the the fact that the

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town they kind of worked on this and did it as far as they have. And again, all all thanks to Indie. Okay. Um I am going on vacation um the 10th through the 21st. You'll be in good hands. Um our assistant town our assistant treasury

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collector Matt Vargano has taken a job in Bolt. It's going to be the town account for B for him. Not great for us. So recruit again. Um um a couple of big things I want to bring up to the board. Um at the budget subcommittee meeting we had last week I

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presented which I include here in in the materials. Um the good news that the uh state budget was to our to our advantage of $263,000 uh estimate for revenue that was not projected nor appropriated town meeting.

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Um so I'm going to develop some recommendations for what the board can consider um to do with that money or nothing. We don't have to do anything. um that that money could just if if you want to think of it as like a potential replacement for taxes, but it wouldn't be at the end of the day that'd be a few dollars. I'm exaggerating to a degree,

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but it would be a few dollars of taxes. It's not a lot and I think we already have some pressing needs, but you'll hear more about that in the near future. And then um um I did meet with um Alan Dugen,

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Mr. chair Andy Morline, Steve Silverstein, and we talked about 61 Summer Street again, Bill Fer School. So, as the board has already given sort of blessing to re-release that RFP, but my understanding was the board was said, you know, go back and check with those people to make sure we're on the same page, and they are. So, we're going to

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re-release that RFP. And then, um, one more thing I wanted. Oh, yeah. So um if the board remembers there was some confusion admittedly for my own my own doing of what would be the requirement

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versus the expectation of insurance and indemnification for the use of town property. So I'm trying to avoid that in future. So I'm presenting the board again this is a policy you've only seen tonight. So I'm not expecting any action um for the board to consider change in

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that application which would then highlight the the requirement if not waved for that. So the board can chew on that and if the chair allows it it'll be at a future meeting. Um

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that is let me double check >> one of your considerations $250,000 just dropping in general stabilization >> it was nuts >> puts me on the spot uh no I have to say

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as of right now no that was not Please stop question and then the fire department is doing great work. I I would hate to I would hate to not mention that or the or the wonderful 20th anniversary of the library that the other day. So, Mr.

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Chair, unless there's questions. >> Thank you very much. Great. Um, if we take no action on that amount of money in the fall, can we still allocate it in the spring? Is

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it annual time? >> That would limit our ability to spend it that late, but we could put it into a stabilization or something. Doesn't go to free cash. >> That's not good. >> Um, however, you set you can always

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amend the budget at any time. just need time the budget. The catch is you set the tax rates according to how much money you have to collect from from property property tax. So um the board of assessor will say your budget is x

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$57 million. Okay. And then and your revenue projections is from these many sources including state local aid. And so say like then therefore we think everyone's tax bills is going to be this. In order to make that much money, you have to get it from taxes, mobile

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aids. So, if you're changing one of those inputs from the >> Well, as you just said, depends. >> It's dollars. I said, because I didn't want to get people's up, but um it is a factor. What happens if we don't

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allocate where that money goes, but we still cover the original budget that roll over three cash with with we set the tax rates with the original assumptions, but we increase now the town. You see what I'm saying?

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>> You increase any any amount of money that you collect over what you expend is free cash. So if you if you >> fiscal year or is cash from the next you free cash is the year before, right? So like um

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so that's the general concept is >> if if we have increased our revenue projections but we don't spend up to that much >> now department revenue doesn't like people just like come up like just spend money just spend money that's why they said like let me see like you you prop

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um uh yeah I I I think this is a good conversation however I warned the board that there probably are suppressing that I don't think it's going to be $26,000 to you're black. Um, >> sorry.

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>> Yeah, I I but this is all good prop like this is how the budget's supposed to work like you know you try to be conservative revenue and then you kind of like Yeah. So this is the balance you shoot for. But I'll have more to the board um when

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when I'm able to because the ledger also includes local receipts. I want So we just closed out this year. No, we're not done closing out this year. We're clos closing on the fiscal year. I need to see how we ended up with our receipts. Um, you know, like did we did we do

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really well with investment returns? That's that's been really helpful. So, like that is a factor because if I can recommend adjustments to that other type of revenue source, then maybe maybe I'll have different recommendations for it to spend access. It's complicated guys, but um I'll come

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back to you. Okay. >> Any other questions or comments on the ter administrative report? >> Great. Thank you. Uh chair report. Um so first of all, congratulations to the library for the 20th anniversary on the

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new building. Um I I'm kind of uh thinking about the hope that it brings to maybe the future of the u the old fowl building if the Roosevelt building that became the new library was successful to pay to support that. Um so

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I guess congratulations to the library. Um and related to that to Mr. Mark as well um who's been making his mark this week with the truck parade last week um that he's able to attend for the first

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time ever. Um and just great to see many kids. They brought all the kids out on the um the boys of golf club and they had I don't know must have been about 15 different the Soviet trucks. So it it was a good good event for the

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the kids and uh thank you to Mr. M for putting that on. Um I as we sort of um uh whenever you you had the meeting about the old B I was able to do a tour of the the building

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and it does seem generally speaking in pretty good shape. It's mostly dry. There's one leak we've known about for a while and that's being mitigated. Um there's a piano in there. strangely enough that it was remarkably in tune sitting there so many years

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but uh yeah hopefully in good shape for the planning as we move forwards to try to consider um other choices for that and that's it for me >> okay uh we had a budget subcommittee

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meeting uh one week ago tonight um a small crew um one one member of the school committee myself and select board members and Greg so we had a nice talk uh Peter had raised the question do we need a fall town meeting which is why I was asking Greg the questions about what

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happens if we don't allocate the money are um I suspect we will need a town meeting based on answers to those questions >> and I and I got a little more insight there might be zoning articles there might be petitions >> and there was a followup action state plan those

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prescas we we asked that question as well. Um we also talked about uh the Rockland well project um and we brought up as we had discussed at this meeting potential use of quad board. Um I I suspect in the

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conversation of the block board maybe after fall town meeting or the end of the calendar year around Rockland uh and other topics as well other capital topics may be a good chance for us to get together and make sure that we're

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all aligned or at least understand where we're before we go into the next uh next calendar year and therefore budget. Uh they also had a couple questions about payments. U mainly on

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um whether we should be using capital of the red versus um increasing water rates and we talked about that back again what calculation we did to show how high water rates go. Um you they asked about

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the two approaches and and you know I pointed out heavy overlap on probably payers. Um but they also were curious about you know differing rates for say renters and different classes answered but

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I think that those main topics there that did not that's thank you David. Uh, no, just follow up on your about the library event. I was there, Greg was there. Um, and really was

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a nice event relative to members, current trustees, former trustees and former library director and current library director all talking about their recollections and their

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future library. really well attended. >> Yeah, it was congratulations. Here all evening mentions about the rocks. Greg Wilson. Thank you,

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>> Greg. I have mine. Um, so Greg doesn't take them back at the seat three. We'll keep the keys though. Chris is here. I'm pretty sure.

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>> Uh, so while Jeff is looking for the keys, Chris, anything you'd like to add? >> Nope, I'm all set. >> All right. In which case I will take all those in favor. >> Yes.

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>> Thank you very much. >> Thank you. >> Thank you. Have a great night everyone.

