e e e e e [Music] [Music] [Music] good afternoon everyone welcome to the May 14th 2024 meeting of the chadam select board please note this meeting is being recorded and will be available shortly Hereafter for scheduled and On Demand viewing on any smartphone or tablet device if anyone else is recording the me meeting please notify the chair seeing none pursuant to Governor H's March 29 2023 signing of the acts of 2023 extending certain co9 measures adopted during the state of emergency suspending certain provisions of the open meeting law General Law chapter 38 subsection 20 until March 31st 2025 this meeting of the chadam select board is being conducted in person and via remote participation every effort will be made to ensure that the public can adequately access the proceeding as provided for in the order a reminder that persons who would like to listen to the meeting while in progress may do so by calling the phone number 1508 94544 one0 conference ID 203 386 491 pound or join the meeting online via Microsoft teams through the link in the posted agenda while this is a live broadcast and s cast on channnel TV which is now exfinity channel 1072 despite our best efforts we may not be able to provide real-time access we will post a record of this meeting on the T website as soon as possible um first item of the evening is to establish a quorum um select board member Nick Castro present select board member Davis present select board member dkings present selectboard member shell present and selectboard member Mets is present um I'm just going to give you a quick rundown of tonight's agenda uh we'll start off with approval of minutes for April 23rd 2024 then we will go into public announcements and agenda item request item three will be Chad and Well's uh update for the um past and drinking water testing and pumping updates from our DPW uh director Rob failey uh then we will go into our regular business agenda um I'm going to allow public comment um basically on this is basically the run our business agenda tonight item a article 47 was indefinitely postponed last evening so we will not be taking up discussion on that tonight Item B considered use of town property for the third annual firework spectacular on Tuesday July 2nd at Veterans Field will be our second our first item our second item will be the shellfish uh seasonal closures and the last item will be acceptance of Grant award to the town of chadam for an adult supportive Day program that item I'm going to allow public comment during the agenda item um so it's a relatively short um agenda this evening but item D public comments will be owed during the item um Mr chairman yes please on back to item a yes um was that meant to be exclusively related only to article 47 or was it meant to be a a general followup on last night I think as printed I first read it I thought it was just the the former but now I'm thinking it's it's more General if the board is fine we going I I've been welcom to do some general comment but we do article 47 was definitely postponed so that specifically um we're not discuss if you just want to have a general kind of a recap of last night um we have plenty of time this evening so I I I I read it the way Dean read it um but now as I look at it it says follow-up items and there's item one I to to have that conversation I would sort of like to have that score sheet that that identifies what the votes were on each of the items articles before we have that conversation I I'm not standing in the doorway but that Rec we recap that proc it's it's I I read this originally as um as you know a heading for review and discussion with article 47 as a specific bullet item that's how I originally read it so Cory why don't we just postpone it and talk about it next week that way everybody can we can take the scorecards and we can have a full discussion fine no not a problem whatsoever all right so we're going to kick off theight with approval of minutes for April 23rd 2024 I'll entertain a motion to approve so moved second second okay all those in um edits commissions um M I have two comments um which I just want to for the record note um first on page seven the one two three fourth paragraph down the last sentence of that paragraph says it was stated that the public would be able to have their say on the proposals be before a final decision was made um and I have uh communicated with Kathy who tells me that statement is in in in in the tape but I I I do want to note that um there may be ways to to um interpret that as a correct statement but I think to the normal reader um that that may convey a message that is not exactly accurate um it's my understanding that and and I think she said that last night that uh the town manager did share a press release or a statement of process with the chronicle which outlines the process um for um exactly when the proposals will be um made public um in conjunction with the decision making my understanding is the decision at least presently is slated for June 11th and the um the proposals will be in that uh in the in the packet for that that joint meeting of the select board and the affordable housing trust board okay de just a couple I maybe might cut these I don't remember um I I don't know um page two there's a motion that Mr Shell made but it's not specified under b one b and then on page um [Music] five again these are just typos um one two three four fifth paragraph down third line right in the middle the word concerns I think it should be concerning and then dropping down to the second to last paragraph from the uh toward the bottom um last line public everyone accesses the public I think it mean I think it we mean to say waterways and then on page [Music] 13 just for clarity um third paragraph second sentence construction I would just insert at at the eldri garage property will be done uh and then um similar correction on the bottom just before the phrase were the sentence were reads the board took no action at this time the paragraph above that in the first line it was stated that there will be two level two charges I would insert it was stated that at the Elder garage there will be okay M sorry I I I I had one other U which is also for the record um okay mat's informed me the statement was made on page 11 um the First full paragraph where it says the rfps were written based on a public engagement process that lasted six to n months um I I I actually do sort of remember that statement the fact is the process started in December of 2022 and ended in February of 2024 um which is more like 14 or 15 months um so for the record I just note that I don't propose to change the minutes the minutes are the minutes and then back to Dean's suggestion on page was it seven um uh no five I if I'll I'll I had a comment on that I'll defer to his suggestion but I'd like to add so that it's says concerning only areas of General policy insert the word and not um an individual's financial interest yeah okay right I got a couple go ahead Jee p8 first paragraph at the end of the first paragraph there's a sentence I just know where it's going it starts we have to wait to see what the developers are going to any what the developers are going to any board involved in that decision making process would have the option to go into that executive session I just had no idea what that sentence means we have to wait to see what the developers are going to what to any board involved to prop to propose or whatever um so anyway that's we have to fill in a verb there so what they're going to propose to any board involved I guess is probably a good one and then just a knit on page 11 uh the paragraph that starts Mr Shell made a motion to delegate project development over site just it's lacking a two that's it okay additional edits all those in favor select board member necastro I select board member Davis Hi select board member dykin hi select board member shell I and select board member met says I next is public announcements and agenda item requests I will start with the board Dean yeah thank you Mr chairman I just want to renew a request that I made uh and I don't want to be presumptuous because we have an election on Thursday but this had to do with the council and aging the center for um for adult living Sorry active living active living Sorry thank you SE C cell um that I'd like to have a public forum to um review the feasibility study that was done by Mr rabber wherein he uh responds to questions or concerns that were raised at the previous Forum which I understand he was going to be working on and I would suggest that rather than carve out a separate meeting day it could be done as part of a regular board meeting and um I would suggest that it could be done on June 25th late later later in June that would be my my suggestion to to the board okay or the chair whoever's the chair thank you all right any additional F this Ju Just Another reminder on the the K Park uh the Gazebo there I just want to make sure the electricity is up to Snuff and the lighting is up to Snuff before we start our band concert season it's imminent and I just want to make sure it gets done thanks TR I just want to remind everybody to go vote on Thursday vote early vote often I thought that from Chicago 1960 all right uh I believe our police chief chief Anderson has a announcement thank you Mr chair members of the board I am the staff liaison to the public ceremonies committee and on behalf of chairman Rob Frans who could not be here tonight uh I would like to extend this invitation to our community come out and uh celebrate our annual Memorial Day ceremony that will be Monday May 27th at 10:00 a.m. it'll be held on the front lawn of the community center right next to the World War I Memorial in case the weather does not cooperate it'll be moved inside to the community center gymnasium again Start time 10:00 plenty of free parking uh and just a reminder to the members of the community that the public ceremonies committee is still actively seeking new members uh there are vacancies on that committee and I believe Mr France will be here in front of you uh trying to recruit uh at the next meeting again interested members you don't have to be ex-military you just have to be someone who cares a lot for those who serve like I do uh and if you are interested members of the public in applying uh you can find the link on the town website on the town web page for the public ceremonies committee but again just again Monday May 27th 10: a.m. uh and we just hope that the community come out can come out and join us thank you thank you very much any other public announcements from the in-house audience tonight is there anyone online with the public announcement or agenda item request Mr chairman Miss Gibbs has a comment Elaine please go ahead uh yes thank you Mr chair yeah based on the conversation earlier when the amendments were being revised I think we need an agenda item request or or an agenda item to discuss uh changing minutes based on what was actually said I mean if it was said it should be in the minutes uh when the public is watching these meetings they are relying on what the board of Selectmen say so to change it after the fact that's our only record uh so you know we have to rely on on what you're saying and if you change it it's as if it was never said and that's not the case so I think again it's a transparency issue and I would hope that we can have that as an agenda item request thank you thank you is there anyone else online with a public announcement or agenda item request any see all right moving right along uh Chad and Wells per uh P basically and drinking water testing and pumping updates uh Rob failey thank you rob failey director of Public Works good evening hope you're all well rested uh so I just want to give a brief update on um where we've been U sorry uh for the temporary treatment at well five so well five is put back online for the summer season went back online April 17th um the permanent treatment facility uh general contract bids were open on March 28th uh Winston Builders Corporation was the apparent low bidder um projected cost of 15, 862,5kg uh Mass D inspected Wells 10 and 11 and they gave approval to put them into service well 11 went online on April 29th um well 10 we're holding off until we hear back from the Secretary of Energy and environmental Affairs on the conservation easement so we we are prepared to put that online we just want to make sure all the legal loopholes are cleared before we do so for the month of March oops I left that in there should be the month of April Wells have been running 4 to 10 hours a day uh the water storage tanks did not hit the low level this month uh water sampling bacteria samples were taken for the month of April and reported the de all samples were free of bacteria and quarterly samples were taken for secondary contaminants um big Redevelopment at well four mayor Services completed the redeveloping of the well um it's been over 10 years since that well was redeveloped uh so they replaced a lot of um some defective parts and just got that ready we shouldn't have any problems with it uh over the summer for the next 10 or so years as well um it's good to do work this time of year before the wells were all really active so it was it was good to take that offline for a period but it's back up and running now and the tier 2 report was updated to include Wells 10 and 11 so this uh shows April 2023 versus April 2024 we are uh right in line with our averages other than some daily fluctuations um um we are we are basically the same as last year which I don't know good or bad but it is what it is and this is just a uh a chart to show the differences I think some of the fluctuations the uh 20 24 is in the pink and you can see some of those daily fluctuations are pretty high I think that probably due to Flushing efforts of the hydrants um again it's just uh just daily fluctuations but the average is uh is pretty consistent and the bar chart at the bottom kind of tells you the same story Rob did we flush at the same time last year yes we did thanks this next chart it's a little hard to see up on the screen um but it really shows um well four was offline all month um we brought it back online on the 30th uh you can see where South chadam Wells when they were working we gave them some breaks and we really relied on uh the Morton Road Plant well 67 and9 to take the load and then uh kind of alternating between South chadam Wells and Morton Road Wells you also see well 11 came online on the 29th and you see that starting to put towards our totals 11 still online Rob 11 is still online it should remain online for a long time super and now and now four is back up and healthy and running again too so uh so we'll see it in the hours where uh where it shows the discrepancy but um so the pump graph below is just shows the E level of effort each well um puts towards you know providing chatam with his water it's just in a bar chart so it's uh it's a little simpler to understand next page is the uh I'm sorry Rob yeah sure just uh I've been struggling with this through several reports maybe you can give me a little tutorial on how to read the last column 7-Day pumpage totals you know when I look at any given number what seven days am I looking at is the question in that column I well I think that's just well yeah no that's a good question I'm not it's not just isn't it the seven seven prior days in the seven days prior in the previous column if you I think I did this mentally a while back and I think that's what I got but yeah well well drop one and game yeah but well maybe that's it I don't I think that's what it is I'll I'll get some clarity on that and maybe I'll change the heading so it's a little bit uh more more descriptive okay because I'm not clear myself what part of what got me started on this is I look at the 21 million that clearly is not the sum of all those numbers correct so um that's that's what knocked me off off offline well no I I I I mean I I just don't know how to read it so yeah I'm not sure what value that column is actually bringing well I mean it may have value it's just only if you know how to read it so thank you but otherwise we love this chart no we do honestly we do it's great it's great so then just the next chart is just the year-to DAT um pumping the level of effort for every well um for each month um really shows how much we lie on the South chadam Wells excuse me and then the same thing it's just the pumping graph below that is just in a bar chart form now for the USGS observation Wells the top one is chadam um I checked it again this morning just to see because you can see it looks like it was peaking um and maybe starting that seasonal decline it still looks like it's starting to level off or decline um if we get a heavy rain uh you know or many days of rain that could Spike again but um we're not we're not out of the woods yet but we are about very similar to what we were last year at chadam um but on the bottom is uh Brewster which is more of a a tell telling sign of what the water table is like and that's kind of the Bell weather that everybody uses uh you can see we climbed quite a bit higher than where we were last year which is a good sign um so we're higher than the last three average years um we'll just have to see how low that seasonal um trough hits um but that was also starting to Crest and starting that Decline and so unless we get more rain I imagine the seasonal decline will continue and finally is just our uh five-year comparison for the month of April you can see we are really right there with the average but our hours of pumping are high and that's because we had well four and a few of the other Wells that were down for longer periods for maintenance so the wells were pumping longer hours you know the fewer Wells that we're operating but all Wells are back online now except for well 10 happy to answer any questions you may have all right questions or comments from the board no questions or comments from anyone in the audience questions or comments for anyone online no all right we have a name Elaine please go ahead I'm sorry I must not have lowered my hand oh it's okay all right so no questions all right Rob thank you very much thank you I think I did something to the laptop here so I'm not sure thank you all right um since we only have three agenda items tonight I'm going to keep things simple and we're going to take public comment uh during the conversation of each item b c and d um keep it nice and simple so um again once again item a article 47 was indefinitely postponed last night we'll have a more comprehensive recap of town meeting uh probably the next meeting or two so um we move on to Item B consider use of town property for the third annual firework spectacular on Tuesday July 2nd 2024 at Veterans Field we have the Chad Athletic Association Representative Steve West good evening good afternoon good evening good evening I'm shocked to be up this quickly I'm very happy for that so thank you um I'm Steve West I'm chadam Athletic Association president and I'm here today representing our organization as well as several other chadam businesses and to ask for your approval to hold our third annual fireworks and related entertainment event uh at Veterans Field on Tuesday July the 2nd bit of a background our chadam team with uh the significant financial support from chadam bars in the chadam Chamber of Commerce and Merchants Association as well as Mahi gold and Cape Cod 5 plus we hope sponsors that uh came forward last year that we're still in negotiations with uh last year's sponsors included um The Squire chadam candy Banner chadam cookware chadam clothing bar chadam Jewelers Eastward companies Robert Paul and Pine Acres and uh we're out reaching out to all of them and some other local businesses as well again this year we've even opened up our sponsorships to individuals and families if they would like to contribute to our what we expect and will be another patriotic show in chadam on July the 2nd this year's event going to be essentially the same format and timetable as previous shows we're using the same fireworks company that you guys are all familiar with Northstar fireworks that we've used for the last couple years and that uh I know the town uses and the first night committee uses for the first night uh fireworks for the last decade or more fireworks are going to begin at dark which we anticipate will be roughly around 9:15 p.m. the show itself will last about 20 minutes uh the viewing areas and barricades will be set up as they have been for all the previous shows that take place at Veterans Field um and as far as endorsements we recently received the endorsement from The Parks and Recreation Commission uh previously uh we have received the fire and police recommend uh endorsements uh from Justin devano Mike Anderson uh obviously fire and police are going to coordinate with our organization as well as Northstar fireworks to ensure that the show goes on without a hitch safely as it has in Prior years um prior to the fireworks event our our event fireworks show our event is going to begin at 7 this year with the children's activities such as face painting and balloon making balloons will not be helium balloons uh and we probably are going to introduce some new children's games as well this year then around 8:00 pm. we're going to have the Jeff low Band You Might Recall the first two years we had Dan Clark the sing Trooper this year we're changing things up a little bit we're going to have Jeff low band perform they're going to do the same Lively song medly Set uh patriotic songs that'll lead into our fireworks show and of course throughout the evening we're going to have the concession stand open for drinks non-alcoholic drinks and um and food at the at Veterans Field hope this is an event that you agree uh with as a great way to kick off the July 4th weekend and if so you'll approve our request to hold this third annual fireworks show On th on Tuesday July 2nd at Veterans Field it's all I got but I'm happy to answer any questions you might have thank you very much questions or comments from the board sh um so it sounds like you're it sounds like a fun event and it is yeah I mean summer everybody's ready has been as long as the weather cooperates I know had a couple of times it hasn't I'm sure um it sounds like you're expanding a little bit the programming um not well maybe the children's programming slightly we haven't finalized yet but we might have some some other games little extra yeah because we've had some long lines queuing up for the balloons in the face painters so we were trying to come up with something else that they might enjoy are they going to be tent set up at all for them no um are you anticipating more of a food need there than just the concession stand no we think we can handle it you can handle it okay good all right great I'm fine with this I think it's great Mike I'm I'm just curious how you um settled on Tuesday July 2nd I mean kind of a natural thought might be that it would be the third but I'm curious to know how you did it we've never been able to hold it the night before the 4th because of the police need needs to be at the parade on the 4th and they have too many bodies so to I mean they don't have enough manpower to cover an event on the third evening and then in the fourth morning so okay it's always been two days before thank you Jeff yes so is there any rain outdate there is no rain out dat this is a one one andone and if if it if it doesn't go then we we cancel by you know noonish like we did a couple years ago and we push it back to next year what happens to the pyate Technic company well we've long paid them so they they they they've been very good in the past year that um they'll just apply those Monies to next year we don't get them back but they'll apply them to next year super thanks Ste it looks great you bet you bet thank you all right um any questions or comments from the audience in house any questions or comments from the online audience all right I'll entertain a motion shine I move to approve the request to use fetan field for fireworks to play in Associated programming on J Tuesday July 2nd 2024 I hear a second second further discussion all those in favor select board member necastro I select board member Davis Hi select board member Dy hi select board member shell I and select board member met says I good luck thank you and I want to also make one final announcement I guess is uh the town employee night uh which you all will be invited to is Wednesday July the 10th so thank you very much all right moving on shellfish seasonal closures for May 15 2024 Buck Creek June 1st 2024 mil Creek Taylor's Pond champagne Creek Muddy Creek July 1 2024 oyster Pond shelfish conable Renee G Rene you're online welcome yes I am good evening everyone uh to the board and everyone um uh and my apologies to the clerk because this year we decided to do all of our seasonal closures in one night so beginning with Buck Creek on the 15th um and then the the uh big amount on June 1st and finally um waste upon on July 1st all right um Jeff I'll ask for your assistance sure thank you uh shelfish rules and regulations dated May 14th 2024 closed effective tomorrow May 15th 20 24 the waters and flats of bucks Creek North of a line across the mouth of the creek and east of a line across the mouth of kov Creek are closed to the taking of shellfish by permit holders until further notice signed the select board I know Ron Bergstrom and David Wick will be very upset Ernie Ernie Eldridge as well shelfish rules and regulations May 14 2024 closed effect of June 1st 2024 the waters and flats of Muddy Creek Southwest of a line drawn across the mouth of the creek as defined at low tide and Northeast of the route 28 Bridge are closed to the taking of shellfish by permit holders until further notice signed the select board shellfish rules and regulations May 14 2024 closed effective June 1st 20124 the water and flats of mil Creek North of a line drawn from the Western Breakwater to the Eastern Breakwater at the mouth of mil Creek and south of a line drawn across the mouth of Taylor's Pond are closed to the taking of shellfish until further notice sign a select board shellfish rules and rs May 14 2024 closed effective June 1st 2024 the water flats and all tributaries of Champlain Creek Northwest of a line drawn from the outermost piling at the Town boat ramp northeasterly to the no shellfishing sign in the marsh on the opposite Shore a Clos to The Taking of shellfish by permit holders until further notice sign the select board shelfish rules and regulations May 14 2024 closed effective June 1st 2024 the waters and flats of Taylor's Pond North of a line drawn across the mouth of the pond are closed to the taking of shellfish by permit holders until further notice signed the select board and finally shelfish rules and Rags May 14th 2024 closed effective July 1st 2024 the oyster Pond East of a line from Kelly Landing to Longo is closed to the taking of shellfish by permit holders until further notice signed the select board thank you very much um do we hear a second second okay further discussion on the board any um comments from the inhouse audience any comments from the online audience see any names all right so we have a motion we have a second all those in there was not my apologies move approval of the closures thank you second thank you for the all right I have a comment yes yeah it it would be nice to get a visual at some point just where the little locations are and what's closed just be nice to get a little visual for the public and hope that the no fishing or that sign never moves you know yeah I know but but just on paper I'd like to see what North and Northeast of these points may just a map yeah on a map that's what I'm talking about we can do that the the division of marine fisheries actually has a map for each of these closures and this this is their description so we can um we can add that next year super thanks Renee all right we have a motion we have a second all those in favor select board member nicastro I select board member Davis I select board member dyens select board member shell I and select board member Mets as I uh item D acceptance of Grant award to the town of chadam for an adult supportive Day program we have our director of community services Leia lacrosse uh present good evening good evening thank you Mr chair um Leah lacrosse director community Services um just going to scroll through here or Mark is going to scroll through for me up here sorry for the delay it's not scrolling for me okay perfect um I'm not going to read through this whole recommendation I don't want to be the one that keeps you late tonight um but just as a background uh following a resident agenda item request presented to the select board at its February 7th 2024 meeting the Council on Aging Division of Community Services Department submitted a grant proposal in the amount of $273,600 to the mass executive office of Elder Affairs in order to fund startup slash one-year cost for an adult supportive Day program at the chattam center for active living beginning in the new fiscal year July 1st uh on May 6 the town was notified that the Grant had been awarded I'm going to just skip down um because you have uh everything in front of you but I wanted to just make the recommendation I I recommend that the town approved the acceptance of this the grant funds in the amount of $273,600 for an adult supportive Day program at the chadam center for active living all right questions or comments from the the board Mike yeah I just had I think I just had one question there was a line in your uh staff memo um which talked about um I'm trying to find it uh that basically talked about um going out and soliciting um confirmation from people who were using Orleans what their wishes would be as I read it um about changing over to chadam and I just wondered I it it left me with the impression that that somehow would would determine our going forward with the program and and if that's true I guess that's question one and question two is um are you going to make any effort to reach out to people who might be candidates that are not presently using Orleans that might be candidates that that would be interested in using using chadam um going forward both are excellent questions and I appreciate the opportunity to answer them um I did get in touch with Judy um who is the the director of the chat of the Orleans Council on Aging I did let her know that we got the grant um and she and I are you know very well aware of the the fact that these people who who are currently in her program or really in any day program are um can be in a fragile state and that a transition like that might be detrimental to them um so we are we're trying to set up a meeting right now I think for the end of next week to discuss what a transition would look like I think her her chadam families are already asking questions um some are asking if they have to go some are asking you know you how do I make that transfer over and we want to be as sensitive as possible and that's why Judy and I are going to put those plans into place together if you accept the grant tonight um we we want to work together to make it as seamless as a transition it may be um it may be that none of them come over because of their you know it's a huge transition when they're used to their day program there but I am highly confident um for what we're seeing at the COA right now that there is enough demand that even if not one of them came over we could still fill our program thank you thank you oh and to answer your second question um yes we would do marketing to adverti for for new clients well just a quick followup so you're you're one way or the other you're pretty confident that you you will have enough interest to um justify going forward and and um not um have to maybe um put it over a year or postpone it or whatever I I don't think we'll have to postpone it at all the only thing that I could foresee would cause a postponement is um not being able to recruit staff um but I'm hoping that that's not the case thank you um shine and the thanks um Leah thank you for the presentation very excited to see this in chadam um are you anticipating the program we'll start July 1st no it's um when I prepared the Grant I had to do a submit a whole operations plan and we we actually have until uh March of 2025 oh great to open the program which is good Staffing wise um but right now uh as you may or may not know in order as a new startup I had to have a COA that currently has a day program sponsor us in our application and Dennis agreed to do so um so they will be assisting in um putting together you know everything from job descriptions to care plans to all of that super thank you thank you okay sure super excited congratulations great job Big Win thank you so much thanks uh Dean yeah I have a few two questions then a comment um just so you you would anticipate you don't have to actually start the program until March of 2025 as I'm looking at the grant letter it says as a reminder all Grant spending must be completed between the contract execution date and March 312 correct but I could hire the staff in advance if I had to I mean okay what I have in my operations plan I'm targeting targeting between between September of 24 and um December of 24 to open the program that's that's my own Target you say in your memo acceptance of this grant would necessitate future year budget funding Appropriations for Staffing to provide this program the amount of funding will needed in future years will be a lesser amount than the startup Grant award so I know that I I don't know whether you told this to me in a private conversation or I think you said it publicly when the um when the select board decided to put the article that was not moved last night on the warrant um that the reason for the request for funding from for town from town meeting was to make it possible or easier for you to hire staff because it would be difficult to hire staff for for just a one-year program is that it would be it would be extremely difficult if not impossible to or to uh be able to recruit staff if I said this was a one-year program not impossible but it it would certainly turn a lot of qualified applicants away if they thought their job was only for one year um it does decrease in following years because um it is you know included in this startup cost is Furnishings all new Furnishings that um are tailored towards those with dementia and dementia related illnesses door alarms technology um the actual recruitment of the staff I I included absolutely everything in this Grant and going forward it would be um just staffing and supply costs but some of those costs would be offset by the charge that they would pay to come to the program and this is planned to take place in the main event room at 193 Stony Hill Road that's correct um which is how many days a week is that currently used so another great question um I sat down extensive well spent an extensive amount of time with Anna our program coordinator and we looked at all the programs in the past few months um we Mondays and Fridays we have very little programming in there uh in the the dining room I should say they in other parts of the building and we just we sat there and we kind of looked at a grid about how we could move programs around and if we moved those programs around um it would have very little disruption we would just kind of change the days of some of the programs and our our programs are pretty random anyway except for like our coffee series is always the same time of the month there are certain programs that are the same time every month but for most of them we can we can rearrange them and kind of play Tetris a little bit and move them and if there if that wasn't the case then you know some of the more benign programs like say bingo or something like that could be moved to the community center are there any programs that are currently taking place there that you are going to displace to the community center no okay um are there any potential programs that would be negatively impacted by the encumbrance of this room two days a week in terms of future programming possibil um no not not that I can think of there I I anticipate there will be some disruption there'll be some Growing Pains we are in a very tight space for sure our building um but we do have we are using the media Lounge upstairs much more often now for programs and a lot of people um are preferring the upstairs media Lounge so we could you know Anna and I talked at length about this about moving some of the programs that are in the dining room when there's nobody upstairs that they could easily be moved upstairs do you see this program as potentially um negatively impacting any future plans for the building as you heard me talk about the feasibility study that Mr Raber's firm did if in fact the this the town were to seriously move forward in that Direction One Way or Another whatever option might be taken and and I know I think all the options he had included an adult daycare room in that building one way or another correct not necessarily this room um exactly um do you see the ongoing um conduct of this program is negatively impacting that process it will not be ideal for sure um negatively impacting I don't think so because I think that if we get moved as staff um in speaking with Mr rabber you know he assures me that things could be walled off construction you know where they can work on one part of the building and we can at least the office staff could be in another that wouldn't be ideal I think think that we if we were to have to move space somewhere I would make every effort to make sure that that program is replicated wherever we are uh as you know I was the negative vote on this putting this on the warrant and at the finance committee where several members expressed some reservations as as as mine I had two two reservations in particular one was I did not support the funding article because I felt this should be funded with state with a state Grant and number two I was concerned about disruption and displacement of programs for the one room that is used for your your main events um and I'm not quite sure still how I would I'm going to vote on this tonight I don't like voting no on on taking money from the receiving money from the state for a whole lot of reasons but um I I'll defer uh determination on that until a motion is brought thank you thank you um well thank you very much um quick question um one I just want to um I appreciate the fact that we're going to be sensitive to the Outreach for those who are using the Orleans program at the moment um I would I would expect there' be kind of a a hard decision to make that transition because there's familiar familiarity with the Orleans program and it transitioning to a new program may or may not be to the benefit of of the individual um so I know um we're going to be sensitive to that and it appears that there is enough need um that we're going to have to have a we'll be able to participate in the program um even if there was a low transition of Orleans users at the moment um you mentioned also too that we needed a sponsor for this and and Dennis has agreed to be our sponsor can you just give us a little um for the viewing public too EX what that means to the to this process um it honestly it doesn't mean a whole lot um it was just that basically Dennis had to write a letter um of recommendation saying that they fully support us going for this Grant and basically that they had the confidence in our leadership and our ability to provide these Services it also means that um Brenda Vasquez who has the she is the director of the Dena she's spoken here before she has a wealth of knowledge and experience and she will kind of Mentor us through this process of opening so she's agreed to help us with everything from forms to um like I said job descriptions and you know best practice that sort of thing it's ve actually very helpful to me but as far as there's no requirements really of her okay um I had a sorry I just really wanted to clarify for the benefit of the public because I know the answer answer to this question this process this proposal and project initiated at the request of a former member of the um Council and aging board it did not initiate with you correct it did not initiate with the council and aging board they did hear hear the presentation um and the initial thought was it was going to take place at the Methodist Church which showed some considerable promise I visited there with you I think Mr Shell visited there a few times um and then um upon further evaluation you made very clear that the only practical way to do this is to have it on site where you as director um Can oversee it personally uh and that's that's very understandable but I do just want the folks out there to understand how how this happened you are to be commended for applying for the grant as you did you did what you were asked to do and and for successfully uh receiving the Grant I just really wanted to get that on on the record out on the record thank you Mr thank you thank you very much uh any additional questions or comments from the board at this moment any questions or comments from the in-house audience any any questions from the online audience Mr chairman Miss Gibbs has a comment Elaine please go ahead thank you Mr chairman uh I'm not sure how you can have accept the grant award based solely on the May 8th letter um missing from the package which I had requested be included so they could all be all the documents could be in one place for the record was the Grant application the award letter the memorandums of understanding with Orleans for the current year and the one beginning July 1 and most importantly the grant agreement with the terms and conditions for that Grant which has to be executed I Believe by the select board uh within 10 days of the award letter which is the day after tomorrow um I I some of my comments are are similar to Mr nastros um I continue to have serious concerns about disrupting chadam residents Who currently attend Orleans or accepting new clients at this time first I uh this grant is for assumes 15 participants in chadam uh first I don't know how it's feasible to H to safely have an additional 15 people with special needs using the multi-purpose room two days a week with sufficient specialized programming in the existing space but most importantly dementia patients struggle to adapt to any changes in their environment it's part it's a natural part of the Disease by creating an environment of familiar routines activities and even a floor plan it allows them to feel comfortable safe and calm consistency of a fam a familiar environment faces of staff that are recognizable and routine activities is crucial to providing a sense of security for them disruptions and change in routine causes Stress and Anxiety making dementia worse and more difficult for both the the client and the caregivers integration into a new environment with all new surroundings and faces can be nothing less than traumatic in my opinion it's premature and would be frankly a responsible to start a program in chadam including hiring staff and buying furniture based on the conditions of the grant not knowing if the chatam uh Council on Aging is going to be renovated should that occur the program I believe would necessarily have to be suspended During the period of renovation for both safety and the negative impact on clients I can't imagine if it would be anything less than traumatic for them to be in an environment where construction and banging and all kinds of things are going on in the Next Room um I don't think any decision should be made uh until we decide if that renovation is going to take place uh if you were to Institute a program now what happens to those clients some who may have come from Orleans and and been there for 5 years or and have have left to say no we want to be here with no place to go uh I can't reconcile how anyone can think it's a good idea or in the best interest of either the client or their caregivers to change the environment with so many unknowns this isn't just a box to be checked off as a task completed I understand the need for it but there are consequences to these decisions and I think there's an order of operations that have to be considered I have haven't seen the terms of compliance in the grant agreement which is due Thursday but based on the award letter it suggests that if staff is hired Furniture bought with the grant money and chadam is unable to have a program that continues with 15 people uh that those expended funds would likely have to be returned to the executive office of Elder Affairs at minimum I think any hiring should be postponed until there is a decision about the next steps thank you very much thank you very much any additional hands online Mr chairman um Pat Burke Pat please go ahead I would put my uh video on but I was out gardening so I will spare you that um I would like to say a couple of things first I would like to commend Leah for all of the hob work she did in obtaining this grant I was initially 100% off on board and then I was a skeptic and working with Leo all the time she brought me around a couple of things I would like to address I spend an inordinate amount of time at the Chad Center on for active living and I'm not sure if any of you or Miss Gibbs has ever been there when the Alzheimer's support group has shown up but I have and there's a large amount of people that come in to that Alzheimer support group that we fit into the media Lounge that have tremendous needs I can't tell you about about the amount of people I have talked to personally that have said to me oh my goodness if we just had this here now going forward I do not think that we're going to take people from allans I think we have members of our own community that are not going to our leans that would gravitate towards this um ad supportive Adult Day Health in order for them to be able to have a few hours of time to themselves I mean what you you really have to dig deep into thinking about what your life is like as a caregiver of someone who who suffers from one of these dementia programs there are always always things that can go wrong there are always you know let's put it off until this happens and let's put it off until that happens but as you all know we've been putting off the building at 193 Stony Hill for as long as I've been on this board waiting for something to happen and nothing has happened and I I really think Leah has has been able to really turn around the cham Center for active living and make it a place people want to come to regardless of what the building looks like so I I would like to support her and I would like to support her in in TR moving forward with this Grant and and I think you should support her and I will help her she knows I will help her as much as she can as I can thank you thank you very much any any additional no all right back to the board um Mike yeah I I just like I'm sorry you can go ahead and move just one second here I I I just want to say a couple things first of all thanks to Pat Burke for those comments I I I really really appreciate them they give me um additional confidence uh number two I want to say that um the the we have seen M Vasquez Brenda Vasquez who runs the the um uh the Dennis uh COA program um she is very impressive she is very knowledgeable she's very capable and I take additional comfort from the fact that she's recommended our proposed program um for commencement if you will and that she will be available to help us get it up and running as I understand Leah's comments and finally uh the the the uh Bureau of Elder Affairs if that's the appropriate name of the of the organization has given us a grant of $274,000 plus dollar I mean that is an expression of um confidence and expertise that I think we would be frankly crazy not to accept so I I'm I'm gonna I'll let you move it uh Jeff but I strongly support this Jeff yeah thank you Michael and I I Echo your comments um again again I was very brief in my praise of of Leah for her good work here in securing this grant I live in this world and these grants are not easy to get and to turn our backs on $274,000 would be a foolish act I think on the on the part of this board that being said I also recognize and understand the the the um the carefulness the the thoughtfulness that goes into the development of this kind of a program and I was hardened to hear that Miss Vasquez is involved and all also that Pat Burke came in this evening with strong vocal support um and she wasn't on board to begin with and she is now so uh I am pleased to move this uh forward and I recommend that the town approve the acceptance of the grant funds in the amount of $273,600 for an adult supportive dat program at the chadam center for active living I'll second that and for further discussion I do want to say um I I'm just going to Echo what what Jeff said I mean I think you've addressed the issue around the transition with the or you know between any potential clients you know um addressing the the being sensitive about that the concerns that um that a citizen had about you know the transition that was going on you addressed that before she spoke and I I um I I that's great the the um the grant process for the for the Commonwealth is is it it's not easy I've gone through it myself and I and I'm just going to Echo what what um both Mike and uh Jeff said that I applaud you for winning an award it's it's it's a major reward and it just takes it takes a lot and it's a lot of money and this the state just doesn't dump it on on a Town and says go ahead and run with it you have to prove your your value what your needs are and what you're going to do with it I mean it's it's it's qu and there are benchmarks along the way and reporting that are necessary for that organization or that agency to be able to define the next grant for the next next round of the fiscal year so thank you Leah and um I'm very much in support of this thank you so much thank you Mr chairman um I appreciate very much what Pat Burke had to say Pat and I have had multiple conversations about this as Leah and I have had um the two concerns that I expressed earlier one was dispensed with last night um with the non-motion on on that particular article um Le have you have you've explained um to my satisfaction the issue of displacement that I that I was concerned about uh I do I do think it's going to present some complications but I I feel very confident that if anyone can make this work it's going to be you um um you put together an application in just a few days I remember that and I saw the application so um on balance um uh I am going to vote Yes and um uh I hope it's a very successful program and we'll see what the pilot shows thank you thank you all right so we have a motion we have a second unless there's further discussion all those in favor select board member necastro I select board member Davis I select board member dykin I select board member shell I and select board member matter says I good luck thank you all so much I really appreciate it I'm obtaining one last motion of the evening I move that we adjourn we'll hear a second second all those in favor select word member necastro I select board member Davis I select board member dykens I select board member shell I and select board member met says I good night everyone thank you [Music] [Music]