##VIDEO ID:wu64ZJBvMI8## we'll go ahead and get started uh the first item would be approval of finance committee meeting minutes so we're going to bypass that uh we didn't get the recorded arcade get recting until yesterday uh to validate some of the items that she was working on so we'll have that for the next meeting uh so we'll bypass that one um the following agenda item is the highway department Capital update unfortunately uh steeve has other plans and will not be here to talk to us about uh his budget or his Capital requests so uh we will I will continue to work with Katie to work with him to see if he can come to another one um and get that set up as soon as possible so that takes care of the first two items the third item is a reserve fund transfer for the Halifax Elementary School boil I think everybody had a copy of a hit um so we're going to move into that item and I we will turn it over to yeah absolutely thanks J so uh the reason so obviously the reserve fund has put aside we put $75,000 aside annually uh for unforeseen SL see circumstances that come up where there wasn't an appropriation but we have to do something um we to give a little bit of history on this the elementary school has four boilers three of them are newer 10 years approximately um high efficiency condensing boilers one is they actually call it uh like Freddy Krueger because it's very old um and can't be relied on you know fire it up every once in a while if if it's really really cold um to supplement the other three or if there ever was an emergency and the other and they aren't working they'll fire that out so we've had issues apparently on and off with the three newer ones for the past almost since we got them um and the installer which is uh Diamond here has been working with them since then to try to get us new boilers our Replacements um they still won't uh accept fault necessarily uh vman but they agreed to provide us with two new boilers so two out of the three at no cost the actual replacement uh recently it would have been 2 weeks ago the school went to fire up uh the boilers and error messages on all three of them um and then they said okay well luckily we have that fourth backup boiler went to F fire that up that wouldn't go on either so a couple weeks ago they had no no keing in the school which is obviously a problem um so we all met as a team myself Scott matna uh superintendent business manager and the facilities director over at Silver Lake and basically said okay well first of all we got to get someone out there now to to at least get us operational and then what's the plan going forward we knew this was going to be in the works but I think like I detailed in my email the goal was to submit a capital request go through town meeting and then pay to to uh do the work sometime in the spring uh or early summer so you know when we're speaking of it my thought is is we could have someone come out and continue to work on the two these two boilers all throughout the winter we know that this fix that they put in is not going to last um but that would really be foolish of us because we're dumping money into these two boilers that we know we have two Replacements waiting here for us um as of October 15th we we have a legal obligation uh to provide heat to the school of 66 to 68° um so if something were to go down we would potentially have to cancel school which again we don't want to have to do so with that that's why I'm here with the reserve fund transfer request I think it's you know it's an emergency situation we couldn't have anticipated it um trying to get it done just as quickly as possible Diamond provided this proposal um you know it's prevailing wage again 30b allows us to to forego the competitive procurement process an emergency situation and I think you know in speaking with our we have a energy manager consultant who I who's um really knowledgeable with procurement regarding energy projects and she feels that it's a absolutely qualifi as an emergency procurement as well um and we don't want to delay things by you know several weeks so does that also affect hot water in the school for a cafeteria things like that okay exactly we were so we were the the syst the boilers that went down were able to still provide hot water because it's not as high of a threshold the temperature that they need it just wasn't able to it wasn't heating to whatever the temperature it needed to be like 160° or whatever it was it was only heating to a certain amount um which created the issue if if when if and when it starts getting cold it it won't be able to provide heat so if the rest of the community doesn't mind they have a couple of questions just so warranty so the um um you stay over 10 years right right around 10 years yeah I don't know if they're I can't recall if they're exact right over maybe 11 or 9 but somewhere in that that range what's the what is the warranty on when we first get one let's see I can pull up my notes here from Scott is it this it is yeah so I I guess the the real question just the general question is are they still under any type of warranty whatsoever or are they just giving us The Replacements they're just giving us The Replacements so manufactur the manufacturer is yeah and they're not they're not saying they're doing it under a warranty they're kind of saying we're doing this um because you've had so many issues with these but they still don't want to kind of say that it's they're repl under a warranty yeah so in in my opinion it's it's worth challenging that a little bit to make sure that they wouldn't be responsible for any replacement fees that we would incur for somebody else having to install it so if it's still under warranty any type of warrant and they only the the damage of malfunction sure they may potentially also own the install associated with it now we could always discover that after the fact and after them for it but I just think it's worth looking into that piece of yeah it's something I have asked Scott um to investigate and so part of this not to get too far off topic part of this goes back to the operation of our schools so really This falls under we have a director of facilities for Silver Lake who really just falls under and then Scott is helps out over there uh and it's this has kind of fallen into his laps typically I wouldn't handle the procurement side of it for a school project um but I don't want to see I don't want to see an issue where we don't have heat in school sure so that's kind of why we're taking the re on this because it wasn't going um we thought it was the most effective approach to make sure that things got done in a timely man I mean the temp is dropping again we're just talking about Frid Dro but ABS absolutely that will be investigated like you said if even if it's an after the fact thing we'll we can try um depending on the one language I haven't personally read it so 100% sure Cody it looks like we've had trouble with the three boilers since they were installed MH why weren't they replaced at that time if they were defective and we've been dealing with them for 10 years of be defective well they've the beastman claim that they're not defective that's that's been the argument over the years so what have they done for 10 years were band on uh well they've a lot of it has been that it's not under the warranty that you know they weren't effective so we've paid some um you know maintenance and repair cost and finally Diamond the the contractor has bar really been the one working with them and was able to get them to give us two out of three how they came about to two not all three of them I'm honestly not sure um like I said I really got brought into this when I found out that there was potentially no heat in the school and um you know they were talking about continuing to bandaid it and then Scott said well wait a minute we have we we have the boilers they're sitting di the contractor actually has them um how long they have I'm not sure to be honest with you I don't think too long I think it's only a matter of a few weeks uh that they finally came in so you know in my eyes it wasn't worth paying the the significant repair cost when we have two two brand new boilers coming in so the third boil is going to be offline then um it's operational to an extent not fully operational and that's one of the other things Scott is working with facilities director to get a proposal to replace that one as well and if we were going to do this as a capital project at like initially uh proposed we were actually going to do that as one project pay for the labor to replace these two and then get a proposal to replace that one as well including the boiler itself but we um we feel confident that just by replacing these two getting that one to how it's been operating we'll be able to get through this winter and then look at replacing that one what about the for coil the old one um is that going to be offline now the tech was able to go out and do some sort of Band-Aid replacement um so if it needs to be fired up it it can be again it appears that way so what happened was they went to fire it up and apparently it dumped like a couple hundred gallons of water um in the in the room down there so so I guess the next question is who does the maintenance and the operations of Maintenance the O who's responsible for that it's a great question yeah who goes in there on a monthly basis and does these FS like so Scott has been going in um diamond and this is where it gets tricky so diamond is really the the hbac contractor that Silver Lake utilizes more often than not they do the inspections of the rooftop units which change the filters and all that on a monthly quarterly inspection like you're supposed to do and that includes going down into the boiler room as well yeah I I believe so and then like I said Scott oversees that as well uh but this is where there isn't a a very good line drawn um with the with the schools but because we do want the town owns the building right but we it's under the care and custody of the school committee to operate you know keep up with it um and then they contract with silver link basically to run run the school so they have the shared cost agreement is what it's called and in that they pay for Halifax pays a percentage towards the facilities director towards the superintendent the whole you know central office who um uh per the agreement should be the ones kind of overseeing these things what we've seen is it's it's varying levels of oversight at V for various communities and actually had a meeting with them recently on this and so we're fortunate that we have Scott um who goes over and does a lot of those things but the line isn't clear it's actually something I'm working with them on is we need to clarify you know who does what and make sure these things aren't falling to the cracks and so why isn't silver white coming up with some money to assist with this uh when I asked so it wouldn't be silver like that up the money they'd have to come out of the it come out of the Halifax elementary school budget what I had proposed was you know take what you would put aside for repairs maintenance for the boiler for the year because ideally we shouldn't have to use that we have two two brand new boilers contribute that and then we'll up come to the finance committee for the difference what I was told was they didn't budget for any of those things this year due to the um challenging budger season well we didn't Bud for the challing so they budget for any maintenance that's what I was told syst computered um the individual boilers are computerized yes we do not have a um a central uh like EMS energy management system where that's actually our energy manager is working on a grant to put an EMS in there uh updated energy management system that would help with a lot of these things just having it centralized yeah Compu efficien so Scott's able to to see those things and you know he gets the alerts and things um it's just not a centralized energy management system he he has individual access to these boilers basically um but he's not able to so the new new boilers come with that it no it'll still he'll still have the individualized access but putting an EMS system in is a little bit bigger picture they have to Retro f a bunch of things so it's a it's a very expensive project but like I said Kathy our energy manager we're planning to apply um next year for we're going to do it in two phases and apply for that to get EMS in there so but I mean I I I agree with you Frank um yeah especially now we're putting two new units in which are going to require M operations and maintenance on a set schedule just like the rooftop units would require a monthly quar different things happen in the month versus quarterly and who's going to be responsible for that or are we going to be in four years from now in the same boat again you know and cuz nobody's been properly monitoring maintaining the operations of those boilers uh no definitely not I can tell you that but that goes to your point of we have to make that dividing line and say these things on this side belong to HS this side Civil Lake correct yeah and that's what that all has to blow down so we know who is responsible for watching what yeah oh oh it's um It's a larger conversation that I met with the superintendent last week and we we agreed that we need to have that with all the communities too and I'll give you the example we found out um their trash contract is up soon at Silver Lake and they're getting ready to bid out trash services and um Silver Lake provid trash services to their the high school and middle school and also for included in that trash bid is um climon and Kingston schools alax is always included in the town contract so it's small things like that where where is the line and are we following it equally uh because what we found is actually Halifax has historically done more than the other communities um another uh what was the other item that came up there was something else that came up oh electricity so um Silver Lake a few years back bid out their electricity to get a cheaper rate um and Halifax wasn't included in that I'm not sure why but I can tell you when we went out to bid about a year ago now I I recognized that the elementary school was paying a higher rate and we boed that in it so it's small things like that that you're right we need to where is the line and also what are we contributing because we do contribute towards shared costs right and if we want to make sure we're getting our fair share and if not maybe we need to amend that agreement and if we're going to oversee on the town side you know I'm gladly take that Revenue in and we can utilize it to centralize things here and provide you know high quality services right we providing within the whole budget of the Silver Lake situation for trash service that we're not getting you know are you supporting that so it's the payment of trash itself um is that one example the Kingston Clinton still pay it out of their budget it doesn't come out of the silverly budget for those schools but the procurement aspect of it was handled by central office where the procurement aspect of it for Halifax we just include it in our town contract when we went out to buid last year um so we're still they're each paying for it it's again who's overseeing it who's doing the behind the scenes work of it and that that's yeah we were having ongoing conversations to tell you it was sparked a few months ago with some other operational things that have come up and we've agreed that we all need to get together and clarify where they are because we have this again not to harp on it too much but we have this shared uh Services agreement that lays out you know what we contribute in towards silver lak's team um and we should be getting our money for it absolutely if we're paying we should be getting our money M the repairs that they've had over the years many years it's been we don't know EXA how long they've been having this need for repairs no my Scott had said that he was advised that it's been since they put them in but you you got to remember you know Scott's been here four or five years now um there's a new facilities director over at Silver Lake and the record keeping isn't is they don't have Bas records they might have some they're just not super super detailed did we pay for those it all would have come out of the Halifax elementary school budget previously um historically wouldn't come out of the town's uh maintenance department budget um they they should be budgeting for that within their elementary school budget though they they didn't yeah I mean we'll certainly make not of it we go through the process it is and I said that I did bring that up I said well I understand it was a tough budget everyone there's some things as I've said to all all the department heads there's some things you have to have right you CAU other places unfortun um and that's somewhere you you have have to because you can't keep your doors open everything else inside the walls doesn't matter right so there so there's two there's two things that are on the proposal um and I think they this technicalities but um it says specifically on there that premium time is not included which which to me sounds like there's a potential that premium time could come up um but it does it is written in the contract that they can only work from 7 to 3:30 Monday through Friday so that to me seems like it's within normal hours where you wouldn't incur a premium time so is there anything that we're not aware of that could potentially run the risk of uh no we not no not not that it would be approved so we would have to approve anything if they were to work um you know beyond the normal business hours and that's not something that we've agreed to we haven't agreed to anything at this point okay and um just doing our own due diligence with the the situation over there if we know that the boilers have been a problem from day one um and we're going to be replacing them obviously exhaust and everything is not included in this proposal if for some reason it were to come back where some of that needed to be replaced as well um for something as simple as the fittings aren't the same size in the new units because of age um do we have any idea what that would potentially run in terms of costs I'm assuming it's not hundreds of dollars it's going to be thousands yeah we don't have anything and speaking with Scott they they've looked and they don't see any anything off we know that but there's nothing that ant is anticipated to be an issue it's it's quite literally the same exact boilers just updated software from my understanding uh so fittings and everything should be the same um um so there should be a it it should yeah Scott's Scott's pretty good with these things and I rely on him heavily because I I have no close so he'll he'll take care of all that he'll check it out yeah we'll work with and Mike um Mike ballist the Silver Lake Regional facilities director uh work with them to make sure that it's a team approach but we're like I said I wouldn't typically um advocate for us to be the ones taking the Reign on this because I don't necessarily think it falls under our view as the town I think it's really a school operational thing but again I the last thing I want is to see us not be able to have school or they're not being adequate heating the school because we couldn't agree on who's going to handle this I think it it's just the responsibility of the town to make sure that we're providing adequate yeah I do I do hope that we go back and look at the the warranty inform absolutely just to see if there's a way that we can recruit somewh us how much we pay I don't that I'd have to get that from the schools cuz again that that should be coming none of that's coming out of the town's budget it all comes out of the school budget they doing the M they they have been doing the maintenance I know they've been doing the maintenance cuz that's something I talked to Scott was a hand during the meetings it's preventable though you want the PM part of it that you got to make sure you yeah so yeah like I said a lot of this is it goes back to where does that fall and does everyone know where that falls to make sure it's actually getting done because right if Silver Lake saying well it's not us it's you guys and whether we knew or didn't know and we're saying well no that should be Silver Lake we want to make sure these things are getting done operations that that's that's the priority at the end of the day enjoying decent weather right now but that's not going to last much longer no right and that's that's kind of where this came about we met on uh early last week I think was and they said well we have no money to do it so what what can we do do we do we have Diamond give us an estimate on the assumptions should they fail the isolation just going to be another $26,000 after we give you $26,000 uh they have not provided us with that estimate it's when I asked Scott it's one of those things they they'd have to assess the situation at that point um but again like I not going to can't promise anything but Scott seems pretty confident that we should be good this should be almost like a plug-and play type of situation everything else seems in good condition so we have a schedule on when we're going to be meeting with school for I know we talked about maybe early November having a joint meeting with school committee uh So the plan is we're going to try to do some um not necessarily joint meetings but similar like we did the gym last year where we have a couple of Representatives uh in and meet with the administrative te team and then there is a planned joint meeting uh in the beginning of December for a kind of a a kickoff um and then I in speaking with them to try and keep the relationship going I'm going to attempt to and and you guys can too attempt to attend as many of their meetings as possible throughout the budget season um I do meet with the administrative team monthly to just keep up stay updated on things sometimes they're 5 minute meeting sometimes they're an hour um and and when you're there can you get Sarah to provide you a a current budget spend as to where they're at I can try my next meeting uh my next meeting is scheduled for November 20th okay so so please ask piy to provide a read where they are currently so that we can have a look at that absolutely so I can get you the one for Helifax elementary school cuz we we do all that here um and then I can ask her I'll ask her for both CU we always want to make sure that they match uh the ones from the elementary school yeah so we and one of the other things too I did mention so they um turned back when I say turn back all of our departments usually turn back money that's how we have free cash the school committee um I don't know if there's a full understanding of that process so hopefully going to try to explain that but they they turned back a little over $100,000 in fiscal 24 that'll go towards our free cash in fund capital projects M and in a discussion they wanted to see that Al to the school for capital projects and if that's if they have projects that's great I did um ask Sarah and um doctor crew to advise the school committee that we would plan to subtract this amount from that because I if I don't know if it will be done but if free cash is certified by our special town meeting and you approve this tonight I would like to replenish this with that with free cash it's it's just it's early in the year so I mean $75,000 isn't a a lot of money um so if we can replenish it I'd like to replenish it so they they they are aware of that but that would be the plan um but again I just I don't think it's I know it's something we really can't wait until December to to do this all right so um we get a motion on the uh $26,500 to uh work on the boilers uh moving money from the reserve fund so second second all in favor any conversation passes so I will have the form and I'll have you all sign it tonight I'll gra out of my office all right that closes that agenda item the next agenda item will be our standard committee on updates we did have a conversation here at school committee just a few minutes again um I am waiting for a followup email from the Kingston chairman of their finance committee uh about collaborating on the uh Silver Lake budget they had their meeting it came back as positive that they is something they're very interested in doing um and I think we're going to start with probably like two people from each committee to meet with the schools in general to start talking about the budget when we start getting those schedule so EJ be doing they uh c will obviously be there as a kind of ministrative so um he's uh he's going to be giving just kind of more detail so I get that I'll get that back to everybody and um but it looks pretty positive for the three towns to kind of collaborate on that in the time that joint meeting I mentioned with the school committees is tentatively planned for December 12th at 6 p.m. at the Kingston Town Hall that'se is it uh the 16th 16 yeah yeah good memory last year it was the 12th okay 6 p.m. yes we're visit this as as we get closer I'll confirm and send you guys the details but just so you can throw it under calendars and the idea of that is to give each of the towns to provide the school Committees of a financial picture of where the towns are that there there's a mutual understanding no no um no surprises they should be and then they have vowed to get us a preliminary budget in January this year nice so may change a little bit but well I know it'll change uh but they will at least get us a preliminary budget to start reviewing in January any I don't think there are any other on updates um Frank and I have SEL this afternoon or after this for the zoning bylaw review regarding the NTA updates and the zoning bylaws I think that's the only other comme is out there that we are Curr so um so so that'll close out that item want a correspondent and as may arise I don't have any other emails that have come in however for as may arise I'd like to say that you know just kind of thinking about how things are going now um as we get into budget season I'd like for us to consider meeting as in person with the department heads instead of virtually uh just you know and we don't have to decide that tonight I want you guys start thinking about that the uh most of the Committees that I understand or that I've seen are all meeting in person anyway um so perhaps we can move to like maybe one out of our two meetings we should person here um that we can talk about that at our next meeting so just start thinking about that I think it's the direction we should start going um we've been virtual for two three maybe even four years long yeah oh four years okay anyone else have anything they would like to discuss on the asme any other thoughts while everybody's here okay so that'll close that one out uh want public participation any letter from the public that's all I okay so that's it for public participation next meeting planning so again we're moving to the first and third mondes of each month so is November Shar I I wor no um uh you're talking about MMA yeah oh no no I'm talking about the annual one conference no they're talking the annual Finance okay all right so November 4th 6 p.m. we'll do that via zoom and then we can discuss person you have your joint meeting with the selectman at 6 that's correct anything else I can't motion to this specific all in favor