During the meeting, the committee members engaged in a detailed examination of the minutes from several past meetings, with a primary concern being the numerous spelling errors that had previously gone unnoticed. One member pointed out, “It’s loaded with misspellings,” which initiated a discussion about the best approach to rectify these errors. The committee collectively acknowledged the need for improvement, with a suggestion to employ a spell check to catch additional mistakes and correct issues like the incorrect spelling of “overtime.”

Despite the errors, the committee moved forward with approving various sets of minutes, including those from October 10, 2024, and October 7, 2024, achieving unanimous consent in both cases. However, the minutes from September 29, 2025, were tabled due to inconsistencies in dates, as one member noted discrepancies between the years listed within the document. This prompted the committee to defer the approval until they could access the correct minutes from September 15, 2024.

In addition to addressing the documentation errors, the committee discussed the need for more regular meetings to stay updated on developments from the school and other departments. The idea of conducting mid-year reviews was floated. A member questioned, “Should we be meeting more than this?” highlighting the current lack of updates due to ongoing union contract negotiations.

The conversation then shifted towards the town’s financial policies. One member advocated for the finalization of the financial manual, which was still in draft form. “I think it would be nice to have some of that in writing,” the member stated, emphasizing the importance of having clear guidelines on the utilization of free cash. The committee considered whether to conduct a joint meeting for these discussions or handle them separately, contemplating inviting department heads or relying on the town manager for financial updates.

Ultimately, the committee favored a single meeting to address both the financial policy review and departmental updates. They suggested scheduling this meeting towards the end of January, specifically the week following Martin Luther King Day. A member proposed, “Let’s set it up for the 26th of January,” ensuring ample notice for preparation. This meeting is expected to include updates from the town manager on the financial status of various departments and the progress of contract negotiations.