##VIDEO ID:j7PBidH0Ih0## great um good evening uh Hatfield welcome to the November 19th 2024 meeting of the select board um I'm going to go ahead and call the meeting to order um and as usual we're going to start with um the reading of our public participation policy the Hatfield select board welcomes everyone to its meetings and all other public meetings of the town of Hatfield all regular and special meetings of the boards and committee of the town of hatville shall be open to the public and shall conform to the open meeting law executive sessions are closed to the public and will be held only as prescribed by the statutes of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts it is important to recognize that the open meeting law affords the opportunity to listen to the proceedings but not necessarily participate during meetings of the select board an attempt will be made to find a balance between hearing from members of the community and conducting the required business of the Hatfield select board um in terms of announcements I would just like to start first by welcoming Andrew LaVine to the his first official or public um meeting um of the select board so we're delighted to have you here um how's it going it's going great excellent excellent I know you're having a lot of um opportuni spend time with marleene and meet everybody in the building and um in the other departments in town so um we're really we're grateful you're here we welcome you and um we're glad you're having some overlap thank you did you want us add anything else I'll just say I'm very grateful to the town and the board both for this opportunity and for the overlap with with Marlene uh just to have this time a lot of uh new administrators and managers don't get that so they'll be able to learn from her and to find out what's going on in town is just a fantastic opportunity and and really something I appreciate so thank you to the the town for making that that possible and then thanks to everyone who's uh have gotten to meet so far and and uh I look forward to meeting more people in the community so this is a great start excellent excellent um a couple of things um I just want to did do you have anything before I get into my I have a couple announcements okay go ahead I I just want to thank Jerry Rogers for putting on the veterans breakfast downstairs and and thank some of our helpers Our Town Administrator Marlene was there and John Robinson was there so uh I know the veterans appreciated that and they all got a nice little gift afterwards and also I want to thank all the people for attending ing the uh exercises on 11-11 in front of town hall it was a nice little ceremony it was nice to see the town folks come out for that so those are my thanks to the to the folks that's great those are always such nice nice events I had to I was out of town and had to miss all of it so I'm glad that you were there do you have anything before I make some I don't okay um just want to remind everybody the um holiday tree lighting um which is really being overseen by the Council on Aging um um is happening on December 5th at 5:30 that's right out here at Smith Academy Park um and that should be a nice evening I know there'll be music um so that that'll be really nice um a reminder that luminarium is on December 21st um which is the Saturday night before Christmas Eve just as it always is um with one change and that is that the a determination has been made to not have the fireworks this year because of the drought conditions um and the plan for that has to start now so the decision has to be made whether or not we're doing them and and clearly that would at this point in time not be a a good decision um not a wise decision so everyone's going to be sad about no fireworks um but I think most of us would agree that um given the extreme conditions um that we're experiencing it would probably be not not advisable um to to shoot off fireworks at this time so we're still going to have a great time um there will be an announcement coming out about that on social media on our website um with a little bit more details there's a float um contest this year that's new being added um so watch for details about that um that should make it a lot more fun people putting a lot of people put effort already into having their trailers and everything so now it's going to be I guess a competition game on all right yeah um so that'll be great and um just just I wanted to wish everyone a Happy Thanksgiving Thanksgiving is coming up next week and I hope you all have a great holiday and get to spend lots of time with family and friends and stuffing the Turkey um so that's it no one has any other no other announcements okay public forum is oh my goodness look at the hands shoot right up um well let Chief will let you go first are you two together John and okay great is Roland with you you're separate I'm separate separate okay U you just need to introduce yourself yeah yeah oh I'm sorry Bill Beldon Pantry Road John P two North AF Road uh so the reason we're here tonight is and we know you can't do anything but we're trying to bring awareness we're both driving school buses in town and we're having a lot of problems with people going through red lights I had four incidents on uh Elm Street alone in one week I had two in one day and it it's unacceptable I mean these people need to learn to you know when they see our Amber lights they got to know that we're going to be stopping and to watch for the lights and it it's just I almost quit a couple weeks ago because I was so sick of it I mean we don't do that William do that we have to you know we're watching the students you know either get on or get off and we have to watch our rear to see if anybody's coming we have to watch from the front we have to watch the kids on the bus and the first thing you do when you say something you there somebody you know you know we've we mentioned it to the police well get a plate number we can't right so I'm I'm here to encourage you as the board hopefully to you know maybe encourage and put out a public service announcement to have the you know if somebody's following us and they see somebody go through a red light please write the number down and turn it into the police you know it would help us out a lot you know I mean we can't do it all and we're trying to keep these kids safe and it's just it it's gotten ridiculous tell you the truth that that's you know alarming um that's happening like that it's such a it's not this is nothing new stopping for school buses has been going on for decades it couldn't be more clear right when you're slowing down and when you're stopping right I mean so certainly you know residents who are who are watching this please um you know stop for these school buses um we've got all these great kids getting on and off those buses we need them to be safe in town and and I see your point about not being able to to capture that um yourself in terms of the information on the on the cars and everything but um you know that's that's really distressing that you're seeing that we ask people to stop for the buses to make sure I know in Florida they actually came up where they passed some kind of law where school buses now have a camera where the police department can use that camera to to do citations I don't know if that's legal in Massachusetts but it's something maybe we should inquire about but it's an expense too for you know that's just shocking enough people don't want to stop for a bus I know I I right I just can't imagine because who who would endanger kids lives like that that's can I can I just ask is it is it more say out on 5 and 10 or some of the busier roads or is it just as common on the smaller roads we're all on Elm Street Elm Street I've had a couple on West Street I've had one on Chester Street you know it's all over but Elm Street and West Street my two but I don't have many uh I mean I guess it depends on your route too right you're driving different routes what about you John Depot Road Elm Street you know that's about size yesterday afternoon three Smith folk students that pick up on the curb side in the morning then they have to cross the street in the afternoon up at the corner of Dwight and M Street the young man gets off the red lights are going one car goes through second one I had to hammer on the horn I wish I had some like 36 inch trumpet air horns on the bus blow into their ears I've seen the truck the other day he got used to driving emergency vehicles with those that's the way to you know get a hold of somebody's attention then I look like the it's like hello if that student had earplugs and they can't tell me they can't hear me say you know Josh or Pete or Mary don't go across the street they're already if you want to ask somebody ask Carol Benson she's a grandmother that used to pick up her students across from her residen and those kids almost got hit many times yeah I don't know if she threw something out a driver once I think she did but I don't think the driver came back to ask her any questions but that's and those kids always look up the bus and look down the other way and if you know cinjun he was little at the time they're all Massachusetts place that you know of pretty much yeah yeah they're all yeah and it's in other towns too doesn't doesn't matter you know you know it's just people are not paying attention right exactly you know they're yeah yeah and they shouldn't be on the phone when they're driving anyhow right right you see it all so I mean maybe we could put something up on our socials reminding people about you know how important it is and maybe we should ask the schools to also put it up on their socials you know there's the Hatfield parents page on um you know that's really the best way to to reach a lot of people very frustrating one side note and several years back had the honor to be on a jury panel we were going in and uh judge asked where's jurry number such and such she came in about 20 minutes later you know you know where were you ma'am I was up behind a school bus I live in Bel toown I advise you to leave a half an hour early or you will be in contempt tomorrow that was it you know that smirk came out her face you know hey you know you you know school buses are out there right summer programs work Jane my wife past wife worked and I worked at summer programs in Northampton for many years hey you picking up monitors at certain complexes or something like that crosswalks you stop them to let them go oh what's the school bus for summer programs right definitely something we need to follow up all over field trips everything I mean I I would hope that the police if you're have notice I mean you're here obviously because you're must be noticing a bit of an uptick in it I mean maybe the chief can have you know some some time dedicated to being behind school buses here and there I mean I know it's so random and it's needle in a hay stack right trying to catch this but yeah there was an incident across from the I guess it's the Mexicana Restaurant now I don't know what it was several years back but a student got off across the road and has a car that went through guess who was sitting right behind that restaurant but the police cruiser next thing you know oh what the going to do in the boy Bad Boys you know all that they're singing you know so it's like the blue lights came on right I mean it's it would be nearly impossible right to catch it every time but um I mean and the other thing is too is you know is very we're very punctual on the time so we're there the same time every day if there's a school day we're there y within a minute two right and so these people if it's you know if they're getting stopped by a school bus then leave early or go later or something but you know what time we're going to be there so you know there's no reason for these people to be doing this right I mean and it's frustrating you know and I don't know a single person who wouldn't feel absolutely horrible if they hadit a child so it just seems like common sense that they would um be cautious around school buses so had you know I've had a couple close ones that I that's why you know yeah I said I got to come down and say something you know so we we'll get something up on socials and certainly hopefully anybody who watches this but we we appreciate it we appreciate you looking out for for our students thank you for doing your job yes thank you thank you very much am I here on a second manner uh the a committee just uh another incident the other day with motor vehicles I was following a in my school bus because my route goes to Depot Road off of Main Street a farmer was coming out of the fields on upper Bashan road that way and once he's committed to the highway he's going north with a large piece of equipment this is a potato Digger it took up three qus of the road if not more and there's C posts on both sides and this car had to go through the equip the piece of equipment had to slow down stop I was behind it a fair amount of feet away with my flasher and lights on and that car snuck by very very slowly why couldn't they just pulled up at the houses that are up Street wait for this piece of equipment to pass and then go if you want to you know practice for Daytona go that was known as the drag strip years ago but it's just to see that and it's like if that farmer was a month or two earlier going to another field that piece of equipment gets damaged right as they say so right M that's not it's not a good situation we don't want to involve our police fire and ambulance in situation like that then I got a notice from the mdar that's Department of Department agricultural resources resources yes and what caught my eye was um of course the fire danger all all part of the state except the cape and I mentioned livestock be be uh concerned with your watering of your livestock that's our bread and butter you know whatever you P goats or the you know large Dairy you know and other other products you know everything decides on water you got water rates here but it's like this is you know some serious stuff so that caught my attention because been a farmer all my life you know f a lot of gave a lot of water to a lot of cows but it's like um this is serious yeah well hopefully we'll get some relief soon hope so all right John we got we have somebody else we need to get to thanks thanks so thanks so much by Billy by John hi Roland and I know I already talked to Roland a little bit earlier today so nobody's coming in about us along the same vein okay okay my name is Roland Lauren and I live at two School Street Apartment 4A and I'm here to talk about the crossing lights out here on School Street and Main Street when you press them only one side comes on to me both sides should be coming on and the one over here on School Street I don't know instead of being up like this it's that sort of like an on an angle now as being in a there I don't know if if anybody can even see that thing there you know I don't know between a combination of you and Phil fixing them hopefully hopefully we can do something there because I know yesterday within two and a half hours I got hit almost three times once coming over here to exercise class a little before 9:00 and then when I was coming home from going home from lunch there another person almost hit me going that way to and then two at 2 o'l there young gentleman from the high school came down in his car nice nice sports car there and I was going out for my walk I was going to walk across Main Street from from where I live at campan and he completely ignored that stop sign he just went right through it he didn't even attempt to stop up you know so hopefully we all can do something here to get this stuff sored away you know what what what is happening Phil with all these uh Reckless folks lately so so it's a wireless signal that sends the signal teach decided a pull so something must be off with it we'll surely get some get get them flashing both sides was this one we didn't install that was installed when we did the C project book yeah we can have somebody take a look at it make sure it gets fixed yeah and just a reminder right to same same thing if you're driving and people are in the crosswalk and the lights are flashing and you know just be respectful we you know I don't know like you say like with the poor bus drivers and stuff like that some of these people here I have no clue on what they're thinking when they're driving you know I know when I worked in the school system where I worked in the SK system time when I was a school crossing guard I watched a lady come up the street and I had two small children inside of me and she wasn't even attempting to slow down into the speed limit in this section of where he should have saw down there and I told those two poor children there stay on the side of the road and I went out there I had on an orange vest big old sign stop and everything I think she got Within two feet of me before she realized that I was even out there yeah so everybody needs to pay better attention got pay more attention we'll see what we can do about getting those um I know you were GNA talk to Chief D kosack today I did too I went over there after after lunch today I didn't talk to the chief but I talked to Clint yeah yeah and also I want to thank Marlene for all her uh years of service here for this here for the r for the people of Hatfield because I had the pleasure of working for her when I worked here thank you a that's nice thank you very kind Roland thank you thanks for coming down yeah okay so let's go ahead and is anyone else for public forum let's go ahead and move on to our consent agenda items which are the um minutes of the November 4th November 12th and a November 4th executive session session I'll make a motion to approve the meeting minutes of November 4th November 12th executive session meeting minutes November 4th 2024 second motion made in second any further discussion no all those in favor all I Karen thank you for preparing those okay we're going to go ahead and hop right into our posted business topic one is appointments and resignations so we have a resignation um from Sarah ber um she is resigning from her post on the Recreation Commission so we need to vote to um accept that resignation make a motion to accept the resignation of Sarah birth from the Recreation Commission a second motion made in second any further discussion I just send the letter thank you for her service uh all those in favor I I um appointment to housing authority to fill a vacancy um I would actually like to be appointed to this so I've been made aware of a few things of concern um at the Housing Authority first of all they've they have had two resignations which means they're down to three three people three is their Quorum right um so just from a standpoint of just being able to function um they need we need to get that housing authority filled and then I I the reason I personally would like to get on there is is I've also been made aware of just some behavior problems and things that I think are getting in the way of that Authority functioning properly and so I am willing to um Step Up and lend my experience um to that and and fix that um because what I'm hearing about is completely unacceptable the question becomes is do you have to excuse yourself so we discuss I think when it comes to vote yeah just have tostain I just I don't have to leave I just would have but I'm just explaining why I am asking for this appointment to the housing authority and I think we can explain that because of the laws actually Marlene you can explain why we have the authority to make the appointment because you can explain that right so this would be for the state appointed position right and the state has not appointed um um an individual to fill that vacancy and and there is a time frame I believe it's 120 days that they have to um fill that position and that time has passed and so under the statute the select board has the ability to make that appointment and we've also ver that verified that with legal there housing legal and our legal just to make sure we're crossing all our teas and dting her eyes before we move forward with disappointment that's that's all I'm going to say about it okay okay yeah actually do I do does Diana have to excuse excuse herself before I make a motion to appoint her or just back Iain I don't I don't have to recuse right okay well I'll make a motion to appoint Diana zyo to the Housing Authority I will second that motion made and seconded all in favor I I abstain okay okay so be it so you're now on the Housing Authority with all my spare time that's all right I'm actually looking forward to making some progress over there I think that the people of Kaa wank deserve a um Authority that is functioning at a professional level uh okay so moving right along topic two um we're going to have a um presentation and a discussion of water and sewer operation and the increase in rates with um our friends from DPC and uh Phil and Eric welcome Dave thank you appreciate it does everybody have a copy of the page hand out yes thank you Dave pricket with DPC engineering Eric mels contract operator for the wasw waterer plant Co so what we wanted to do this evening and uh I think I was greeted with you you never come in with good news Dave it's always about money actually this might be better news than the news we were thinking we were GNA get right it's it's been a bit of a uh a little bit of a roller coaster I think is is fair to say with um the output is the output but we had to kind of pin the input so I'll give you a little highle overview of of kind of what we've seen and what our recommendations are but um just to recap we have a combined Enterprise Fund in Hatfield for water and sewer um meaning that your retain earnings or your piggy bank if you will is is one pot of money um it's somewhat unique uh and it's something that when we go through uh the rate analysis periodically we have to kind of Juggle the two s juggle the two sides to make sure things even out um you have uh approved FY 25 Enterprise fund budgets uh for both water and sewer and your staff has developed what I would describe as very preliminary uh budget projections for FY 26 that process has just started um with that said things are kind of we're reaching a plateau of stability so on the Water and Sewer side you've gone through a series of capital projects on the Wastewater side you now have The Debt Service coming from the treatment plant at FY 26 on the water side you've just completed a bunch of capital projects including route five so there's been a lot of changes in the system and on top of that I think it's fair to say that there's been some accounting you know changes over the last couple of years so we last looked at this in October 2022 and the select board set rates for those three years at that time so this evening what we're looking at or recommending is that um is that the board consider um moving forward with a rate change for the second half of fy2 so the bills went out for water and sewer this fall for the first half billing uh so we missed that first piece so now any change we we make in fy2 needs to include enough Revenue to cover what would otherwise be a deficit absent array change so as we get into this handout and kind of look at the numbers you see some sharp increases as a percentage basis for both Water and Sewer um one of the criteria that we're looking at is not only how to balance the fy2 budget but how to position us so that we don't have a steep incline on either the water or the sewer side and FY 26 again with the sewer debt coming on that side likely in FY 26 and also we want to make make sure that you have enough money left in the the retain earnings or the piggy bank um the r day fund in the event that something go wrong which knock on wood it does it's Water waste water it it just it happens um so with those goals um what we came up with on I'll start on the sewer side we're currently at a rate of $11.96 per 100 cubic foot so your structure is entirely based on water consumption for your invoicing pursuer uh we recommend that the the select board consider uh modifying the rate for the second half of the fy2 bills so prior to the spring bills to $13.87 per 100 cubic foot that is a 16% increase uh from the current rates now in terms of the impact to residential customers kind of on a baseline average single family home the 16 really hits as an eight in that one year because they're only paying the bill on half the year's water consumption so that's why we had to we got to get the whole Revenue in half the year that's why that one looks looks a little sharp and then again we've looked at what we think the rate might be for FY 26 again on a very very preliminary budget basis and we think we'd be looking at about an 8% increase in FY 26 in 2022 we made the decision collectively to set the rates out ahead um and there was some strategic goals in that with USDA where we were trying to seek a grant Etc in this case I think we ought to tackle fy2 now and hit FY 26 in the spring once we have an approved budget that the residents authorize both expenses and revenues so that was a lot let me just kind of pause here and yeah I guess I I would just P add that you know the the news was much more Grim at our last meeting I the increase is looking like 50% or something yeah we were looking at a 50% rate increase so this is you know I'm still not happy that we didn't do this in time that it could be spread over the two bills I understand that it's still the same amount of increase it's just that it's all bunched in the second half it is I don't want that to happen next year I want to do this in a timely fashion so that people get I understand it's going to be an increase but the two bills are more even you're busy as can be in the spring getting ready for time but I think we discussed you know uh Marlene I mean these things have to be brought to us they should have been brought to us and I I just want to be clear about that I mean I if we can set the rates next year in July you know I think we'll be in a good place and we won't have to worry about the rush in the fall yeah so so that's sewer ABS the process needs to start a lot sooner than it has absolutely yeah I'll just add that and we're all learning through this process I consider myself part of your team working here for a long time with you in the spring when we go through setting the budget I think we need to be a little bit more assertive with establishing the revenue budget to match the expense budget um that was a lot of the the waves that I just talked about over the last month the motional roller coaster uh try to get through the rates but having a revenue budget which we technically didn't have until very recently we should have that before town meeting and then it'll be a a much cleaner process fewer variables absolutely so that's the sewer side again I in this business there hasn't been a lot of good news for you or other clients it's it's a challenging just to clarify I know people may be hearing you say 16% it's it's really 8% over it's an 8% over the year correct but because the first bills went out without the increase the second half will have a 6% correct and that's and these honestly these rate projections are pretty darn close to where we all were four years ago when we started this right um the wastewater treatment plant budget hasn't changed since 2020 the 12.0 and you know with the exception of the the the changes to get those alternates that's that's pretty solid like relative to that I know on route five there were obviously some challenges with utilities and soil and groundwater it's that's a tough place to do digging in Hatfield so all in all things are pretty close to where where we hoped they had had been four years ago which is saying something so you've managed your account well thank you on the water side um just in terms of kind of where things are at we're at a FY 24 uh rate of $631 per 100 cubic foot for the second half of FY 25 we recommend that that be increased to $77 per 100 cubic foot that's a 12% increase and we looked ahead to what the PO tenative uh increase might be in FY 26 and that was about 6% so again if we don't look at least at two years together even if we don't set that seconde rate we're trying to avoid a situation where we have a really big step and again it's the same situation so it represents a 12% increase on the second bill but had this been done brought to us when it should have been it would have been a 6% a six% correct and your your water rates again this is the Beauties in the eye of the beholder but your water rates are still pretty modest as compared to a lot of peer communities again it doesn't feel like it when you get your water bill but uh you're ahead of the curve if I could say on the water side relative to your that infrastructure and if you could just highlight on your report about what the average cost would be per month yeah on the uh on the sewer side for fy2 it represents about a $10 increase per month again if you're a one person in a home you're going to be much lower than that if you have three kids and teenagers you know you you could be a little higher than that but we tried to seek out kind of a midpoint single family home average um and then FY 26 looks like about a $6 increase per month on top of that on the water side it's about a $5 increase for the second half of fi25 change and then about a $2 change for the for the subsequent year so again the the water impacts are a little softer you have a bigger customer base too um on the water side um but um but these combined again remember I talked about the piggy bank at the beginning um on the water side we kind of had to go a little sharper and on the sewer side we went a little uh less steep the goal was to come up with a combined piggy bank uh dollar value of about 60% of your operating budget so your operating budgets about 1.2 million combined between the two sides and then at the end of FY 26 we project will'll be out at about 900 950,000 um it's uh it's sorry 1.4 and 900,000 so it's a little over half it's good in the event that again something unexpected happen you have enough reserves to deal with it actually this is actually I mean it's it's it's high but it's lower than I was afraid of I mean I thought it was going to be a lot higher oh I was sick to my stomach laste when there was some some projections that were pretty hard to swallow yeah and just to substantiate that so people don't think we're coming out of left field there was some confusion about the transfer from the general fund for The Debt Service on both sides and that I think came in that gray period the first two weeks after July 1 you know so we when we first ran it it ran 71 to 6:30 and that transfer happened in that whatever you want to call it couple week period at the end of the the fiscal year so that was a when we found out that came in otherwise it would have been a big one for this year and and another sizable one for the following year so yeah I was I mean we were locked in a while back to ensure that there was a percentage increase each year so I think we should get back to that after we after 2025 or 2026 try to make sure we have a small increase each year instead of getting hit at with a big increase after a couple years I think you're at the top of the the hill here and now things kind of platto out a little bit yeah it's been a rough couple years in terms of right we had to make up some ground for many years when um correct rates didn't keep up okay so what do you need from us now do we do do we do a hearing or is this we do a hearing yeah you will have to do that at at at some point um so we're talking about the second half second billing commitment implementing the new rates um so we could do this um in January I do it as soon as you practically can before probably get crazy with budgets after the first that's true that's a good point um the board meets December 4th or December 3rd is it December 3D so we could have that hearing we might as well just do it and I think you're well informed to make whatever decision you choose at that hearing y i I think we should just do it because you're right we get really busy yeah after the first of the year on the other hand tax rate came down so I mean yes there was a re-evaluation but maybe there's a b here I don't know but I mean costs always go up a little bit more well I do appreciate the you know the thorough presentation the better Outlook than we had um at the last meeting and that was very frightening and I just I I really just want to um reiterate that I do not want this kind of delay ever again so that we have that whole increase on one single bill that's just not it's not it's not the way I want to do it for our residents in terms of their you know their budgeting and the bills that they expect to get so fair comment I think we've got it ironed out for next year Andrew will be part of the team we'll we'll hit the ground run for furiously taking notes over there I'm curious it's all good great okay but while you're here do you have any update on the other Grant stuff that you're involved with that too right the treatment plant or the asset management project the three grants the three the three Asset Management project we talking a little bit about that before the meeting um those are just kicking off now um I'd say we're pretty well into the fieldwork side of the sewer one um we're just starting the fieldwork side of the water one with Tony um we're kind of working through a little pilot there to make sure he's getting the data he wants and the way he wants it and storm water is the last of the three to to kick off but we talked about that before the meeting and um we'll we'll get that one going too so they're kind of staggered about a month apart um and they'll go at least through the end of this fiscal year and likely through likely for the calendar year of FY 25 before we get through all of it so it'll Bridge those two fiscal years but um I think the storm water one will be the most eye opening because it's probably the utility that's furthest behind you know in terms of attention and eyes it isn't every town because it's not a you know it's not a formal utility with an Enterprise fund but your water and your sewer systems you've done done a really good job being proactive so that's just a that was a nice opportunity to get a grant for each of those utilities to to do what we would otherwise have to do you know for The Regulators well as far as the water treatment plan I mean I am impressed with that project because we receive updates on that project we receive pictures on that project we receive what's happening with that project unlike other projects we have this Project's been like a blessing as far as the reporting we've been getting we've learned the way we try to you know there's a lot of things behind the curtain that that Phil and Eric and Ken and everybody are dealing with but we try to make sure that you don't get caught on the street what's going on with that project yeah so Eric do you want to give a just a quick you know overview for towns people of how things are going on the project up there they're great Schultz has been amazing to work with um there hasn't been really any hiccups they just kind of any kind of bump in the road they just roll with it and like Dave was saying with the team they ask somebody talk to people we go through some mitt all that stuff and everything's real easy so um they make it way better than some of the other projects that I've been involved with so my experience they have been very good theyve good yeah and so we're on schedule absolutely on budget yeah absolutely great news yeah that is really great news yeah so thank you sounds good anything else and either inter you or Greg Ed anything else thank you thank I I didn't realize that was a thing that we could get regular updates I'm a new guy here I didn't realize that was a thing so when big projects like that people got an old I'm like it's nice to see fair enough thank you have a good Thanksgiving yes Dave thanks Happy Thanksgiving Eric thank you guys okay so Phil you're going to just hang around for the DPW report I am all right so item number one is the main Street Culvert restoration project um you're looking for a request to authorize notice to proceed to the contractor who is egj press that so Marlene has a concern that they didn't fulfill they have not fulfilled the contract obligation um so I'm not recommending that the board authorize this notice to proceed so then what do we what are we missing the uh certificate of workers comp cover so we we're away the certificate of workman's compliance correct correct yeah so I'm just going to then what happens to the project we just well they don't proceed until they Prov they can't start the project oh we have to have that yeah okay so what would we have to do have an emergency meeting well I'm hoping December 4th um by December 4th or me have a meeting sooner do you know when they're I mean don't they need to get this I thought this I thought they would have already started but um authoriz it pending that because I know they want to get on it really soon yeah what are we I was lack of communication let me get this right we're waiting for something on this project yes what what is Certificate of Insurance for workers compensation so I mean on the other hand could we approve it pending the submitt great yeah right so then we don't delay it in case they want to get that thing done you could do that yeah I mean not approve it and send a message that you know we need to yeah yeah we we expect ducks in a row and things to get going I mean there were two things missing um the payment Bond and the workers comp Certificate of Insurance they came in two weeks ago with the payment Bond and I asked them about the um certificate insurance certificate and they said they would get that for me that was just about two weeks ago okay so I expected it and I was optimistic that you know we can move forward with this notice to proceed for the select board to authorize um but I just asked Phil just prior to the meeting have you received it from them because they haven't been here with it but we could approv pending once we get it I mean they could walk in tomorrow with it maybe or yeah I mean I the other problem with hesitating and and not doing it until we have not taking the boat until we have it you're running into a holiday next week it's going to get harder and harder for us it is it is um you know they know that we're we're waiting for this what do you think is best do you want us to to do it um to to not approve it at all and put the pressure on them or to approve it pending well you know putting the pressure on them I I agree with that but then really ultimately it puts pressure on the selectboard to try to squeeze in an emergency meeting before December 4th if it if they don't want to wait until December 4th so I think that's unfair to the select board um but I'm I'm comfortable with the board um authorizing it pending receipt of the workers's comp certificate I mean that sounds like the quickest way to get the project going yes right I would agree with that it's not so much about I mean I would do an emergency meeting if we had to do it but if we do it yeah this way then it's good to go right away you know you because we don't know the weather could change like that and then they're not even able to do it mean if we call them and say yes we're going to prove this but we're waiting for that one piece of paper and we can't do it until we get that piece of paper they've been told oh they're aware of it they aware with I met with the representative that came in with the um payment Bond well it seems like the quickest way assuming they get us that okay so we'll make a mo I'll make a motion to uh approve this pending what was it what we're we're waiting for now pending receipt of Certificate of Insurance for workers compensation pending to receive the workman's comp insurance and to proceed with our project second a motion made in second any further discussion no this again this is for the U call right project so I just want Main Street CT so I'll I'll second that I think you made the motion and Greg seconded so all those in favor I I all right let's talk about the Elgen anybody want it it's 41 years old been a good run it's had a good run for a piece of DPW equipment that has a 6 to8 year life span it's 41 years old so the warrant's up this is the sweeper correct um and and I if I recall the reason you're um actually Surplus it is because you're going to Outsource the correct yes it was approved that last year's budget presentation that we had money allocated to higher out the service well big thanks to the Elgen for 41 years that's pretty remarkable I'll have to tell Jim about that when I get home I'm sure he'll have comments after having worked on that thing for many years um maybe he wants I no I'm I'm I am I can assure you he does not so for antique plates basically right so we need to vote to um declare that Surplus so I'll make a motion that we declare the 1983 Elgen street sweeper as Surplus property motion made in second any further discussion all those in favor I Marlene backtracking a little bit the the this appointment of of myself to the Housing Authority was I can't does it matter who signs it no it doesn't matter okay guess Greg can sign it if both Ed and Greg would like to sign both them sign that would be good um okay so number three discussion of maintaining elementary school grounds including recreational Fields so I assume this is coming up because we were contacted by a resident um who was concerned about the condition and certainly the pictures are not goodlook no so go ahead as far as my department we have never done any of the trimming around any of those structures or the back stops back there this is at the the back behind the elementary school where they have playing fields they have the baseball fields and soccer fields back there and plus they have a couple storage buildings for the wre equipment right so it's either been the recreation volunteers that have done it or the school we have never done it all we do is mold the soccer field and the baseball field back what we do I know people from either the rec committee commission or volunteers had offered in the past they bring their equipment over and do it because it was so bad um then they have discussed whether DPW could maintain it because it's difficult for them to you know make time to do one hand this is Town own yeah this all Town owned property it is and that's something we should be taking care of we should be so again it's school property and it's exactly like Smith Academy where they have to go out and trim by the back stops around all their fields and we main them we mow the main Fields but we do not do any of the handwork trimming that's the custodian's responsibility I mean I would agree with that I happen to have a meeting with Connor tomorrow morning um tomorrow Thurs tomorrow morning I think um and you know I can certainly mention it to him you know we want to be consistent I mean we I they have staff that can do this they have custodial staff that does they do the um to your point Phil around you know anything like weed whacking or whatever you know it was our same request when they had homecoming and no one did it around Smith Academy around any defense lines or around any of the structures that are out there and you know we had to pull people off of our what we were doing to do it you know and we did it you know because it was homecoming I mean you're not gonna leave I'd like to get something from the school committee that tells us who I I'd like to find out in writing somehow who was responsible for the weed whacking is it if the school schols accept the fact that they're responsible then we can say you have to do it but if the school says the DPW need to do it I mean it's finger pointings we've already had a couple issues with the field hockey field getting sort of crapped up because it wasn't being taken care of and now we got this down here so I think we really need to get a handle on exactly who's going to take care of this stuff whether is a is the custodians uh specification and their job description say weed whacking or not do do we have any job descriptions for the custodians that outline what their responsibilities are or not I mean I think it goes back to when the the DPW took over the mowing of the fields I think it goes way back to see what was exactly our responsibility seems like something that would be fairly easy to clear so we need to get some clarification so that we don't have any Town property that ends up in the condition that we have it in right now it looks terrible somebody's got to take care of it and if it's should be the school department then it should be the school department and if it and if it does fall back to the DPW we surely will maintain it as we do the cemeteries I mean right but right now you know we don't have the seasonal help I mean if it was something that was addressed in October you know we could have done it so but in you so in but but is it fair to say though Phil that in your travels you're back there for other things and notice this and could have said something I really I don't go back there you don't go back there there's no town you know yeah we have no but somebody was mowing yeah somebody was mowing but I mean it seems like it should things like this shouldn't get to the point I mean those pictures are they're bad I don't go back there anymore either you know I don't kids playing in in wreck but you know I'd like to have well I mean as we get clarification you know if it's us we'll you know we'll take care of it as we always do so so yeah let's get some clarification because I I don't want to be pointing fingers back and forth so when spring comes everybody knows who supposed to be taken care of what and who's gonna do it right now why don't you talk to Connor I mean I I'll talk I'll mention it to Conor that's not what we're meeting about tomorrow you know call me tomorrow or whatever after you meet with them I mean if we have to send somebody down there to weed back we we will do it okay right how's this going to be figured out though how are we going to find out who who's responsible I think Connor should know okay I know they do Smith Academy so I know that you have facilities meetings with with Connor or or the school committee we have it with Conor every okay has that ever been discussed that never been discussed that little the house and the the soccer goals and all of that though they're Recreation Commission right so is it maybe that Connor thinks they shouldn't have to be weed whacking around things that are really the rec because you know once you see like when you had the recreation volunteers doing it nobody paid attention to who was supposed to do it because they did it they were taking care of it on their own and now that those people have moved on you have a problem I mean years ago you had Franny englehard he used to bring his own lower down and do the the field so they don't make them like fry Englehart anymore yeah exactly yeah but I mean you are in charge of facilities so you should be able to iron something out with Conor on who's going to take care of this yeah I mean I think right that really the it it should come you should you should take the initiative to meet with this whoever it is at the school whether it's Connor or you know Chrissy or whoever and and figure this out we can do that yeah I I would like you to do that I will mention it to Connor I'll add it to our um conversation tomorrow but this should be pretty easy to figure out um and it you know I mean if it's recre I mean it might be a little tough to be weed whacking around all these supplies that are Recreation Commission supplies they're not school dep Department supplies the goals and that sort of stuff right that's what it is yeah okay you will mention to Connor then will be in tou with him but yeah I mean Phil this is for you to figure out with them okay next is we have a water and sewer abatement for seven NL in circle this is very sizable Phil what is the uh we don't know that's the problem is we don't know something happened we're changing the meter out on Thursday to that home uh this this happened before and it happened again during this cycle well both during both Cycles because usually when you have the winter cycle it's pretty consistent of what you use during the winter months when we have that reading and this was just like so you believe it could be a malfunctioning meter I mean this is an astronomical I that the customer has had had a plumber come out um once or twice to check everything on the property and in the home and the customer felt that it the problem was the meter and has expressed that to the water department um I believe for several maybe o for over a year because I I understand there's some history of high bills it's a mystery changing nothing has been done changing the meter okay and so theas abatement amounts are based on what well we look back in 2020 2021 so they did have normal bills at one point yes and then they got these are like bomb last being dropped on them yeah okay well as long as we're changing the meter and trying to figure out what the problem is um okay I'll take a motion on I'll make a motion to aate water in the amount of 1,954 79 and sewer in the amount of $4,99 totaling 5,963 do. 79 for seven n and circle hat second a motion made in second any further discussion no all those in favor I well I'm glad we're trying to get to the bottom of it so it doesn't happen again there you go all right Phil that looks like it you good or you have something else just have one other thing did did we received the email today at 423 about the route five project update yeah did you see it or no I Haven I'm just gonna let me just read the bullet point yeah please so this came from an engineer from CI Mike Hall so his bullet points are the testing of all the s main is to be completed this week so they're testing the lying for leaks which they haven't found any so we're good the all all the laterals have been installed the electrical subc Contra met yesterday on site with ever Source about energizing the service the local Inspector Inspector signed off on Friday November 8th eversource has not provided a specific date yet may still be a few weeks out to power up the pump station contractors is cleaning up the staging area behind House 53 and 57 so that all materials are removed before the winter and the contractor has the paving subcontractors Warner Brother schedule for next Tuesday 1126 to level the entire work area as similar to what they did last year that is a great update that's great news so getting yes it's that's all great news so getting that equipment out from behind those homes I'm sure those people will be so happy to see that my conversation with Ryan he wants to have it all removed by the winter so he's moving all the piles out and obviously they can't do the restoration of some of the Lawns and no I saw out there today they were leveling The Lawns out the best they could but for the looming and seeding part happen to be the spring I so I have a couple of questions about that and I don't know what house number it is but there's like a big a green pipe that sticks out remove that that's that be removed okay and then what about the the fencing and isore that is around the pump station right now when does that get that won't be re I don't think it's going to be removed huh I don't think it will be removed the fencing is going to stay there for now because they're still working there with the electric oh okay but eventually it will be eventually it will that whole area it's been so long that what what the change was because about the fence and then the Shrubbery there was a change there about it well we were supposed to do some Landscaping with some arbores or some type of some ballister and yeah so that probably won't be to the spring I would say so the fencing will remain all winter I would say and might not have power till spring yeah you know it's on eversource now everything else has been inspected it's ready to go it's ready to be powered up I mean the fence isn't even like complete circle right it's just like open temporary construction fence that's all it is and the roller coaster road and they suppos to Smo like it was last year and then I suspect that the state's going to do the rest of that in the spring I would imagine where they ended at Chestnut Street they're going to still come South so they're not going to fix any of the dips in that road or do something with the dips they better not but you know I mean they said they were going to but of course they've said a lot of things on this project that haven't come true so well last last year's winter patch was good I mean they milled it and then they paved you know they paved half the lane so I expect the same thing I mean the snow plowers if that road is like this are G to it's gonna be just drive down it I drive it every single day I could take a different direction I like to go that way because I like to wave to Greg but also see what's going on S your C you don't need a stir you know definitely clearly things are clearing out it's looking a little bit better yeah you know hopefully the residents and businesses will you know tie into our sore line that we let's hope so and I'm glad that they'll get a little little relief before winter and then yeah okay oh that was right now nobody can tie in yet anyway pump station's energized right so I mean late season but like I said before it would be good if the residents got together and try to hire one contractor to do the tie-ins whoever's going to tie in to get a better price I mean because you get different contractors that got to move different pieces of equipment down there and it's going to be more costly where if you get one contractor to do it so my last my last question is we we agreed here that uh once we have completion then we have a two-year period to uh Abate any fees for them to tie in so we have yet to establish that date well I I I was just thinking the same thing and I was going to suggest that we we should take a look at if there if a date was set because you may need to reconsider that date we said two years from and it hasn't been completed yet a DAT yeah I don't think there was a specific date no there wasn't it was just two years from when we determined it was completed okay so it's not completed yet so that I would say the clock is still open on that right yeah you need a final completion and you know they you know they'll be eligible to tie into the into the infrastructure then you can have the twoyear and and realistically you can't expect them to tie in when it's you know ice and snow out there either so that's what I'm saying if me sitting sitting in one of those residents and looking as we've had many people ask when we can tie in that I would be putting a plan together for the spring I mean can we communicate that with the residents and actually to your point Phil about you know seeing if they want to work together to get one contractor to you know maybe even help them communicate over that like we have all their emails and everything right I don't have all their email addresses no oh how do we send them we have sent letters in the mail we've obtain the we have an abutters list and I I did talk to a couple contractors and they said they can't really give one price for all the houses because each house has to be looked at individually because cod as far as Cod the plumbing may have to be adjusted or changed and distances are different correct so and when you say one contractor I'm not sure I'm just saying to get the same contractor to do the tie-ins at the same time yeah so that they they're just one person bringing one set of equipment in and all of from house 47 to house 49 and he just keeps going down the road instead of packing up and obviously they might all be different costs they're all G be different costs correct but I mean that's something they have to work that out that is on yeah so Paving on Tuesday or Milling the 20 what I said he said he he had said a few days ago before Thanksgiving the 26 26th okay which is Wednesday it's Tuesday next Tuesday okay I mean it'll take them my day don't so they're going to Mill it they're going to Mill it and pave it so it'll be done before Thanksgiving wow okay that's a heavy traffic time too yes it is yeah especially if anything happens on 91 please I don't usually have a very pessimistic view but I don't know where that came from but anyway um okay well good update very good update that's it that's all I have thanks Phil okay moving right along topic forward Town Administrator who's taking it I will okay I'll get the next one Andrew Andrew's on his own the next I'll be at the meet next meeting but Andrew's going to take the next meeting yeah all right so you have received notification from the divisional local Services um that free cash FY 24 free cash has been certified for a million $18,400 Water and Sewer Enterprise fund certification is $564,900 and something cable Enterprise fund certification $277,745 um fy2 which is the current fiscal year the treasur and the accountant are reconciled through September that's great and um fiscal year 25 Water and Sewer collections is at 95% wow we have 41,000 uh outstanding uh 68,000 of the FY 24 Water and Sewer commitment 2 is uncollected and the treasure will be leaning account uh on December 1st okay uh for Real Estate uh FY 25 real estate 19761 uh is outstanding so Water and Sewer they were both due um November 1st fy2 fy2 so okay well that those are actually pretty good collection rates um I know we used to get occasionally a tax title update um maybe more so during budget season or whatever I mean is there do you know is there anything is working on on that so yes I can I'll I'll follow up with her you know I know there was some accounts cleaned up um over the last handful of years I'm just curious where we stand on some of those okay I think that's great I mean when I first got on the board we didn't even know what free cash was up until the town meeting it was [Laughter] a that's great that that that amount should allow us to uh maybe be able to accomplish some Capital um some capital projects some capital projects in a time when you know resources are tight I would of course suggest you know putting some money into stabilization just think that's wise to do and actually Andrew and I were just talking about the financial policies the other day and those need to be updated um so yeah we were going to refer to the financial policies because there is a recommendation you know the percentage of money that goes into the stabilization fund on an annual basis so um I did anticipate the accountant to join us tonight she wasn't able to um but she will be joining remotely um the board's meeting on December 4th okay give a present and we just have that one meeting in December yes at this point yes okay um and and just quickly the Auditors are on site this week and they um indicated this afternoon that um they should be finished up tomorrow so that's pretty good they've been here you know started yesterday uh they did start some work a few weeks ago um but yeah on site for for three days this week and they expect to have fy2 24 audited do you did you say that the department head meeting was moved to tomorrow to next Tuesday next Tuesday Tuesday okay I just want to 9:30 9:30 next Tuesday the 26th okay I just want to put that on my calendar department heads the 26th at 9 9:30 9:30 okay okay um I may or may not be able to be there but okay uh the Council on Aging um Center floor removal and installation bid solicitation so we did Issue uh an addendum number one you should have a copy of that in your packet the deadline was extended um and that uh deadline is tomorrow at 10:30 a.m. bids will be opened do you have any bids yet actually a few have come in um great yeah I've received two today that's good thank you all so there was a site visit there was some questions about what the town would be responsible for move boxing up downstairs um and I'm going to have to follow up with with Phil regarding heavy equipment because I've had had a couple conversations with uh two two different contractors who are really not comfortable doing that and and I understand um you know for the town to absorb that cost it it is foolish because of course it would be a prevailing wages for them to move the furniture um what do you mean heavy equipment heavy Furniture oh heavy Furniture okay desks right bookcases pretty much bookcases how do you feel about that bill Council on Aging is going to box up all the books oh wow yeah did they is wow okay yeah so that [Music] um that was an alternate alternate one added to the bid solicitation to quote a price to move move the uh furniture and how long will the will the center be closed um I would expect probably five six weeks wow um yeah to start in January well the Let's see we had said that the um I mean we just have to have the contract in place right right we have to have the contract in place prior to December 31st my plan is to have the select board um vote to approve a contract December 4th okay or December 3rd I don't know why I keep saying the 4th so that's fine we we've met the arpa requirements and then it's just a matter of coordinating with Jerry because right there'll be no meal site right and this was the best time I also was told today that actually this is a very good time to bid this project because it's slow for contractors a lot of them um have work in in schools you know colleges so anywhere from May through you know October they're very busy so you know could be the rate could be a little little less um and maybe a little quicker quicker I understand that the prep is really what's pretty painful it's extensive work putting the floor down easy yes and so does Jerry have a provision for what will the center just close she was going to set up and move her you know computer and and the assistant directors to another uh area however she has been advised that she probably should relocate move out of the I would assume there's some odors yes okay but I'm I'm I know Jerry will figure something out I'm talking about the actual Center and the the actual activities that the center provides she had had a conversation with me and and had inquired about the second floor and I had told her that you know we we could accommodate that I know that you know they have um exercise classes and um Bingo on Wednesdays I think office staff on the first floor might be concerned about a lot of noise up there but I don't I think they'll be relatively oh and the meals would be up there as well do we get any meals would be up there yes we getting completion dates on upstairs I know they're close they're just they're very close but I I mean just they just have a couple little things left to do did they say when they're going to finish that uh he expects to be done by the end of this month that's great MH okay both electrical and everything everything will be done as far as the uh two two room spaces that they're working on right now and you might need help that refrigerator and stuff up there yes okay I'll be glad when that's moved out of here I just don't yeah don't like it no I know it's not I don't know been there for so long I don't even notice it but so all right so that's nice that the congregate meals can still take place yes okay yes um but actually I spoke with Jerry just shortly before coming to the meeting tonight um and and she thinks that you know they may have to move their their office operations so we're going to have a conversation with her tomorrow morning about where to options yeah we can consider yeah um as far as furniture for the conference room up there we're still in the process of of working on that but those other two rooms are to be completed or will be completed by the end of November that it be nice for John move out of the closet well that's great okay everybody good with that um that topic yeah um so next is the massworks Grant Max work Mass Works Grant um as I you know periodically update you that the quarterly report for July and September was submitted but we did submit a reimbursement request for 33,8 6770 and that was received on November 5th um so the next quarterly report will be do in January which Andrew will be working on and you're good with that Andrew that'll be fine y excellent we talking I'm sure you're looking forward to like state grants trial ER you get it just right okay great so as far as uh five and 10 fill did anybody get back to us on styo I know it was in Probate whether or not they're helping to build or it's still delayed until after probate or how was that I personally have okay America that doesn't mean that something will go in there and in where well the under the mass Works project that styo was supposed to build on Chestnut Street a building right and then it got held up because Frank passed away right so it was going to be like a warehouse right like a storage and a dog park and the dog park right and they're going to repurpose that Barn right yeah because they did work on the barn and then unfortunately pranks passing I think through a wrench in the whole thing yeah right and just of the north of that there's plenty of activity going on for building with the new pickle ball facility construction company coming in yeah I mean I see the prime area so if it's not him it will be somebody else you know I have a contact Erica EES that works for sty so I will follow up with Erica and yeah see where things are at I know the pickle ball court is moving along over in yeah and there's a new home on North Street the foundation is in for that okay great um so next is the allocation of the remaining arpa funds uh do you have a spreadsheet in front of you right yes and so how much how much money is left now 37 well if you you look at the leftand corner here so project balances that closed to date there's $1,377 uh unobligated funds is $2,965 44 so that number plus the 1317 I got 27 I was 20 the total of unobligated well so the 13117 is available because a couple of projects have closed out okay and they came in a little less than expected okay so you have $ 27,28 to spend okay the fire chief um reminded me that on the capital plan it was a request for um PP e and I went back and looked at the capital planning committee's meeting they reconvened on June 6th and it's it's noted in those meeting minutes um if if there's a remaining balance to be spent at the discretion of the slip board um that you consider um funding PPE for the fire department and we mean not PPE like people are thinking PPE like Co mask oh oh we're talking about actual turnout gear personal protective equipment yeah I I know that's what it means but I think most people have now started to we're not going to buy $27,000 worth it is turnout gear it's protective gear yeah for firefighters and so I guess I would just say one of the reasons we decided um the capital planning decided to um to use the whatever was left over for um PPE is because it can be ordered pretty quickly last minute um and we don't know what the bids are yet on the floor right so we don't really know what are unobligated um and well so we don't know what the cost is going to be right so like the porch right is that porch I just got another question I mean just one of my hope lists here is did I you got me in price once for the flag pole out there to be painted what was that do you remember what the cost was for them to paint the flag pole out here in front of town hall I don't remember was it less than $1,000 I don't know I mean we can we can look at it in the spring I mean not going to paint it now it's too yeah it would not be an arpa funding arpa fund and so we well be honestly because I think it's a great project but we were pretty sticky that these were things to be um taken off the capital plan and what is your reference to a porch what's that porch did you say porch the back door I did the the little front of the fire oh the doorway the out there okay so so that's outstanding and then the other one Tony has the filtration control is outstanding but I think he spent down the money this week to $2,079 so I what I'd like to do is get a better handle on that by the December 4th meeting on all of these things Phil whatever you don't have closed out yet we'll know about the floor bids so have a much better idea of what that unobligated number is correct absolutely and then we don't really know what the final number might be on the you know we switched the school project to the steamer I mean they Pro we don't have an actual final number they didn't bid that yet right uh understanding um talking with Connor what was that the last meeting actually they had quotes for that steamer and I think they just need to purchase it and I know they received a quote today or yesterday from U Cody for the hbac system at Smith Academy so okay so there's still some we don't necessarily know that this 27 was like 36,000 I I did talk to Connor on the steamer I just wanted to make sure we were comparing Apples to Apples because when I looked up Steamers they were at a lower cost but once he gave me the model number and I compared it actually he got a lower cost than what's online for that model by a couple of thousand dollar so well Phil for the um for the fire station entrance there you still have 22880 available so I understand though that work you're still going to use some of it for work that the DPW is going to the DP work we're going to buy the material material so we don't have so we have to pay the tax so we're going to buy the material and I met with Ross this morning about the material list so he's going to get that to me and we'll just go to irk and put it on orders okay so my point is we there's some information missing from you know um but to to you know we did the capital planning committee did decide that whatever small amount of arpa was left over yeah would be um for turnout gear and and it was really specifically because obviously we need to keep updated turnout gear but it was something that Bob could do quickly by the end of the year so I don't think we're there yet okay darn well we're getting there we're getting there according to this report there is some money in fire that you approve for arle funding I don't know if it's the same report that you have or that's been expended since I received this report are you talking about the EMT coverage yeah yeah my understanding is they were going to be spending that it's also Fire Equipment arpa on here which I assume is separate Fire Equipment arpa right aboutt coverage oh yeah 1868 is left yeah I mean it would just be the board's decision to allocate the money to the fire gear instead of what that if he doesn't spend it as you did school right so we I'll check with the fire chief again because I did reach out to fire DPW about the status of these projects speaking of fire we have this um this sheet for the EMT or call volunteer firefighter being hired we don't have to vote that right we just sign it correct under the strong Chiefs law he has the authority to hire okay so we will revisit the hopefully a final determination on arpa on December fourth and that will give us any outstanding balances of any other the arpa funds that we've spent and so we can get it all designated or spent or we'll know that EX that bottom that number yes that um you will return out here okay okay okay last topic six Greg I met with uh an GOI the director of rural affs along with the fire chief to discuss Staffing problems that the fire chiefs Chief has had and you know we had talked about it before about how to mix the staff up so that a paramedic could work with a first responder not just an EMT right and we explained how how that was difficult for us and uh it was great to have her out here and I understand she's already starting to make a difference and has reported back to um Department of Public Health these things and there's been some other departments that have also spoken to her about the same exact thing so it's moving right along so thanks to an for coming out here and being really nice and being uh active for us she is fantastic I've known her for doing it very decades um and you know it's one of those things that I think you know maybe just doesn't occur right to um you know most of the eastern part of the state where um you know the staffing issues are a little different and and having her out here willing to come out and meet with us and sit down and really listen and already doing something there's already some waves about it it's it's good I'm not surprised because she is uh very capable yeah um and that's great thanks for doing that I yeah I appreciate that so that was just explaining to her I guess the that we have these there's there's rules about response I I know you just alluded to it but it it's a particularly burdensome to rural yes um and small departments like we have right when we have limited staff and and they're volunteers so they're mixing at different times right you don't know if an EMT is going to show up or a paramedic is going to show up or a first responder is going to show up so having any of those two combinations should staff an ambulance where currently some of the combinations you're not allowed to staff an ambulance so that was our right that was what we were going for saying let's was she aware of that uh no not quite so that's great thanks for doing that yeah and and and it was like that during Co and it was working very good right but but they pulled that back last the October before last October of 20123 and just went back to the old rules and it's affected a lot of departments especially western Mass our ability specifically to transport yes right so we can show up well our broken Department can begin administering care but they can't transport unless there's particular combinations of those even though they had the same staff that they had right last year doing the same exact job exactly and capable those are capable qualified um people to be able to care for and transport a patient agreed so maybe there'll be some movement on that that would drastically change the challenges that I think Bob and all of the other rural departments around here yes are um so look at you go that's great that's great um I don't have anything else just Happy Thanksgiving everybody make a motion to adjourn I'll second that a motion motion made in second any further discussion all those in favor I thank you John