##VIDEO ID:IoXH6eppCG8## [Music] f wow good evening Welcome to the tues January 7th 2025 regular meeting of the Milton select board I'm going to stop by calling our meeting to order I'm want to go to agenda number two and ask everyone to please stand for the Pledge of Allegiance I pledge algi to the flag the United States of America and to the Republic for which it stands one nation under God indivisible with liberty and justice for all so item number three is public comment just to go over the guidelines we don't have a big crowd here tonight we don't have any crowd tonight that's a good thing everyone's being smart staying home in it's cold um we normally allow 21 minutes 3 minutes per speaker I don't see anyone online we have no one here for public comment and I see no one online public comment going once going twice going three times thank you we move right on to number four discussion update FIS year 26 2026 budget in a fiveyear forecast uh in operation operational override possibility for fiscal year 2026 as well as the fiscal year 2026 capital budget Mr Malo thank you Mr chair uh I had distributed to the board um some slides from our previous presentation in December um I'll just run through a couple of those just to reset some of the conversation um related to that and I'll just just kind of head that off in terms of talking about the capital budget we are meeting again on Thursday with the capital Improvement planning committee so that uh work is underway focusing Thursday on um the Cunningham project so we'll report back once the capital Improvement planning committee has completed its work um so that's the update on the capital budget as it relates to the um Regular um Town budget operating budget fiscal 26 just as a reminder as where things stand our revenue forecast is pretty um final at this point uh we're estimating about $136 million in revenues some potential excuse me changes over the next month perhaps could be um any revisions to New Growth from new development um and state aid which we expect the um State a the governor's budget to come out hopefully um in a couple of weeks which would then um we would reset our state aid forecast based on uh where that budget lands I don't have any updates in terms of where the state budget sits at this point um haven't caught up with with the latest but um we usually don't make any changes until that Governor's budget comes out which we expect in a couple of weeks um and local Aid numbers start to come out around the time of the Municipal association's annual meeting which is in um two weeks so I'll share any updates as I get those but that's the revenue side no changes since we last spoke um this is just a summary of where things stand presently um between the schools the shared costs which are generally employee benefits and insurance and Debt Service and then the town departmental um operations over the last couple of years um this is again just just for the level service asks um we talked about this a little bit more in depth last time again we have a bunch of shared costs that are make up that shared cost category and last time I spoke about the impact on health insurance in particular um we're looking at a significant increase in our health insurance budget um due to how the fiscal 25 budget was put together but also um an increasing number of employees who are taking the town's health insurance plan um as you can tell here we've had turnover since um since we set the budget based on where we expect employees to be versus where plans they actually are enrolled in an increase of 17 a net increase of 17 folks have joined the town's health insurance plan over the last few months um and I'll just note that you know the town share of a family plan is upwards of $23,000 for a calendar year so as more people migrate to a town family plan um it's it can be quite expensive so the pressure that that comes on our budget is through um higher enrollment and then we're also experiencing increased claims um so we have to be conservative in our forecast is where we expect premium increases will be this is one of the biggest accounts in our budget so I wanted to highlight it that we're um facing budgetary pressure for claims and for um the a number of employees who are on uh the plans departmental budgets um we're just around a 4 and a half% slightly over 4 and a half% increase for Town Department budgets for a level service budget the budget submitted by the school department um is A9 99.4% increase uh and which includes their level service asks we have requested um and collected requests over and above a level service budget um which brings these requests slightly higher um the schools have essentially two years of requests for additional needs um 1.4 million in in year one and 820,000 in year two um across all the town departments uh there's about $2 million in requests um for fiscal 26 across town departments so the bottom line of where things stand today and we talked about that at our last meeting in December is that we're about $9.5 million in the red um with our budget forecast as things stand today with no use of free cash um and we have $4.5 million dos of free cash um that was certified um that is available for appropriation of that $4.5 million um we would expect to use about a million for Capital um as we've been doing the past couple of years and I would like to try to continue that Trend and we'd also want to look at um putting money into stabilization because the budget is continuing to grow and we want our stabilization and reserves to grow alongside it so when there is a true economic downturn um town has some reserves to lessen the the impact of an economic downturn again I shared um this historical chart just showing um the average single family tax bill highlighted the year as an orange uh in the chart and red um with the numbers that were override years um there has not been one since fiscal 2018 as we all know the federal funding uh that came into play in the wake of the co pandemic has helped Milton and many other communities get through a couple of years without having an override um there was an operating override in 2010 as well as some Debt Service coming on that year and an override in 20 2007 um and I just I have a separate sheet that I shared in the packet about potential tax impacts of overrides um you know it we're in a good position because round numbers make math easy for the most part so our Levy is about $100 million so every million dollars that um the tax levy on all the um taxpayers goes up uh it's about a 1% increase for the average single family house so um a $9.5 million override for the overrides portion be about a 9.3% increase in the average uh tax bill um so that's just one way to look at it and I'll um pull up that chart in a moment but um that gives you a sense of if today uh we were to move forward with a $9.5 million override to meet those level service asks as submitted it would be about a um 9 and a half% increase on those average uh houses for their tax bill and and I'll pull that chart up before everything goes crazy sorry about that um but am I correct in Reading here that it's $1,435 that would be the the total in a in that in a given Year yes because every year the tax bills are going to go up about 3% um so that that Delta I'm talking about is over and above kind of the annual increase that's already baked in right but the 1435 is the total correct um so for $9.5 million override to use that figure um about another 1063 increase on the average house um would be part of or as a result the direct result of the override um and again if you're slightly below the average house of about a million dollars um your increase would be less um than that and as discussed I distributed this chart in the past pet which shows just different figures um every million doll increase in the levy is about $112 increase on the average single family house um so you go from a range I just produced a ranges of between $5 million up to $10 million to give a sense of what that tax impact looks like um so starting from about $600 for $5 million override up to about $1,200 for a $10 million override to give that sense of scale um so I think you know that's those are the items I wanted to present on today I think where um staff and and the schools are looking for some guidance is is what number toes start build it well the first question is are we moving forward with an override and if yes then what number are we targeting um where things stand today to meet those level service asks uh without reductions to whether the school department asks or town departmental asks it's it needs to be that $9.5 Million number um if folks can go back sharpen their pencils and reduce their asks that number can short certainly come down um but on the townside you know we're we're not going up very much so it would be tricky to do that on our side of the house um and I I know it would be as well for the schools so that's the current state of affairs um happy to take any questions or or let you folks discuss questions comments Miss must thank you um Mr Milano can you speak a little bit about with these different scenarios how many years you would anticipate um this would last because as we know we don't want to you know go out today and then next year come back out again so um I think that's one thing and also um talk a little bit about you know you're talking about level service um what what are the extras that people are looking for as well uh sure so uh in terms of trying to make an over over rde that's sustainable and can last a few years I think the way that I'm looking at it anyway is we expect if we go through the msba program on the calendar that we expect to go through that uh the town will be asked to vote on a significant school project in the next two to three years um so to expect to come back and ask for another operating override in two to three years seems a challenging proposition so it needs to be sustainable for to get through the school project that we all expect is coming um so you're looking at a 5-year time Horizon before I think we want to be back in front of Voters um that's not an easy thing to do to build it that way but to your point um it's more about controlling costs in future years if we say it's a9.5 million override then that means town and schools you know that's that expectation is if salaries and expenses grow then things may need to be cut back in that 5 years to make that sustainable so to say can we guarantee that if a a figure is picked and we're going to be able to fund level service for the next five years because we do an override this year I don't know if we can make that commitment but we can try to live with it within our means as much as possible over the next five years once um we move forward on something um and then in terms of departmental asks I think it's uh a variety of asks that came from the the town departments um you know what it's generally small I shouldn't say small it's generally asks for a little bit of additional help in offices Council on Aging has a part-time employee who's funded by the state grant that this department receives and they've asked to make that position full-time the health department has a part-time public health nurse and has asked to make that position full-time um the treasures office has requested a position be have added hours to get to a full-time status to allow that staff to work to its you know full potential with the customer service demands that that office faces so that's kind of the story across a lot of the Departments um primarily Personnel I think in an Ideal World we would also be looking at investing in expenses for the Department of Public Works who you know every year their costs for vehicle maintenance for Paving for potholes those costs don't stay the same so to catch back up to where where we've seen some of those expenses go would be good and then we budget snow and ice at $160,000 a year so you know we've had one storm we're going to be heading towards that's snow and ice deficit already um many other communities budget much more uh much higher amounts for snow and ice so to right siiz that budget would be great to invest in that um but it's it's not cheap which is the problem we Face followup um I just know with regards to uh snow and ice in the past the reason they didn't have did not want to put too much in it in that budget was I my understanding was you couldn't pull it out um if it was dedicated to that so I think in the past they've used free cash for that at least when I was in in warrant committee the last couple years we've been able to fund it within other appropri didn't snow it didn't that's it and our cost our costs are closer to over a half a million dollars and we're budgeting 160,000 so I agree we don't want to raise it to a million right but to reduce that pressure on our budget we start July 1 we know we're going to have a deficit in DPW when Winter's over so to not live in that world anymore would be great but it's not as appealing as adding staff in other departments you know in terms of what um is a more exciting investment um but it's about building that sustainability just one followup final question yep final question Richard um so the question I had was so people watching will understand these so if we're going for the the higher number is that adding positions or is that keeping what actually have so I'm just trying to get a sense from from the different scenarios what's actually adding which is actually leaving things the way they are a breakdown of that as things stand today the n and a half million rough number that we're talking about here is satisfies departmental level service requests to keep things as they are today um on the town side that's why we're at about a 4 and a half% the school ask is higher close to the 9 and a half% um but that is across the board level no additional positions included in those requests and that's why we have those additional numbers from both the school in the town departments that would fund over and above that budget um so as positions in the last few years were funded through Federal grant money absorbed into the operating budget um doing so knowing full well it wasn't there was no long-term solution there now it's time to say are we going to keep these positions are we going to go in another Direction all and that was your final question just making sure okay for now um thank you Mr chair um I was teasing so so was I um so just to be clear then any of these override numbers that are less than 9 A5 million um would it would be both a tax increase and a reduction in services for the town in some in some way or the other and then um to to the point that you were alluding to uh just a minute ago um and kind of following up on on Miss musto's question um if with the n and a half uh if that went through how you know if how how much growth potential is there for the school budgets in the next couple of years uh I'm I'm frankly just a little concerned that we've recruited a a superintendent and and asked him for his vision and now we're not funding anything uh at all for the schools uh we're just keeping them as is um and you know we lost a couple of of of great town uh hires already and I I would really be disappointed if we um were turning into a place where people knew that they couldn't achieve what they wanted to achieve because we weren't following through on the promises that we' made when when hiring um so how how much Breathing Room does that 9 and a half give us for the next couple of years the so it so based on a current forecast if assuming costs go up about 3% a year where we would want to try to find a way to put money some of that free cash away and stabilization to be able to draw down in future years but there's no there's yeah there's there's no additional because that is the bare minimum I think one thing that brain Tre did and I don't know whether brain Tre got the right amount or not but one thing they did include in their override was $1.5 million of the eight was dedicated to an override stabilization fund now that will grow 2 and half% a year permanently that will be us that could be used to draw down from and support the Investments or the saving of positions that they did with their override um but that's not anything like that like a permanent um contribution stabilization but that would have to be in addition to the numbers we're talking about today so that'd be like an 11 and then there would be like 1.5 correct in that scenario yeah or I mean just as a as an example yes exactly and unless something entirely unexpected happens and Chapter 70 is announced at a million dollars higher than we expect now that makes that conversation a little different but I would not I don't expect that so it's it's why we're we don't buy lottery tickets for the town exactly we might have to start Miss Bradley I'm all set Mr chair thank you thank you Mr chair um Nick can we go back to the FY 26 forecast you had up on your slide I'm just I want to try and figure something out here which so it says here the needs-based request so this is a needs-based request for FY 26 but then it says year one for the schools and then it says year two for the schools is that year two for FY 27 yes okay and then the town is just 2 million total for f FY 26 yes that's needs correct what the diff distinction between the two is the superintendent has worked to take what his team have brought to him and and triage and prioritize and that's what the 2 million over two years is the 2 million in request that we've received is our departmental asks that doesn't reflect any prioritization by myself or this board but we could prior you could prioritize some of those I mean I looked at it and one Department alone asked for $617,000 um so obviously that's you know like a fourth of this correct more than a fourth right um so there's a way that we could work on the needs that were asked to put it in FY 27 right and on the town side I think you'll see the trend there as I mentioned you know the health department seeking to make a part-time position full-time that doesn't cost us $65,000 it might cost us $30,000 it may not be an additional benefit cost because that person may have already taken them or not so it's like there's examples like that that there may be impactful Investments that are not $100,000 in Breaking the bank right so I got two more questions and I'll be done um so the 9.5 is basically I know Miss mustow asked it I know Mr Z asked it I I just want to I'm kind of a little bit confused about it still um so break this down into like sixth grade English for me or math if we do a $9.5 million override if we tried attempt yeah attempt goad okay if we did that would mean that there is only what is normally would be our increases so the 3% the whatever we get so there's nothing else extra so these needs that are on here are non-existent this will just possibly help us maintain a level service budget for FY 27 fy2 possibly we don't know but Poss the goal would be to maintain what we have today for the next 5 years but not add anything beyond that unless something else changes in the revenue picture in the next five years so the $4 million of needs this is going to be Part B to that question so the $4 million of the needs is just forget it unfunded and stays on a list that we look at and don't fund okay over my final question is can we take I don't know if the 4.5 free cash for this year has already been earmarked I'm I'm assuming it probably might be but is there a possibility that we could put that in specifically into the stabilization fund and flag that as something that can wait a year we don't touch it for a year so it can gain interest and then after that override we can start using that money to help pay for some of these needs it increases the override though no it doesn't not if we take the 4.5% million the $4.5 million that we currently have in free cash you put it into a fund that you can't touch it's a high return fund you can't touch it for one year and that allows us to get a amount of interest that will be above and beyond whatever interest rates are which is like what 2% maybe um do you see what I'm saying so do you get it Richard so it's not thinking but I think you have that's designated to the operating budget already right I that's so the four so what do we have left from the no so I think what I what he's I think he's trying to saying what I my answer would be is we plan to we would like to plan to do that in order to support level service in the next couple years because next year if a contract that we expect this year to be a 2% increase actually is a 4% increase we're going to need more money in next year's budget to to figure that out so that's why we would put money into stabilization but to maintain what we're doing here not to invest in additional asks because again that's that source of funding although would be good and may you know money that's in our stabilization fund does acre earnings and interest income but it's not going to be a sustainable source to support additional Personnel um we would propose we would anticipate proposing to move some of that free cash into stabilization for that purpose but to support and maintain and make sustainable whatever override we go we choose to today so you're planning on using whatever we have left over from that free cash as part of this 9.5 number that we're talking about no to support that in subsequent budget years but we but you're afraid to put it in a lock fund for a year that would be a high return high yield return rate so if we put into stabilization it'll be in a fund that earns interest and a cruise interest but we're not going to invest it in Facebook I gu that's what you say put it in like in mutual fund like there are like you could do CDs you could do all kinds of stuff with that's how our stabilization funds are manag is currently working okay what's the return usually yeah I mean last I had a slide showing last year we earned about a half a million on 5 million I think oh that's it are they 10% are they if a part of this Jo and Amy they if there are questions yeah you want to come join us kids I keep looking over there cuz they're they're both here so I'm going to ask our town Treasurer and our town accountant Joanna McCarthy and Amy Dexter to join us at the table for any q&as that may come your way since you're out on this freezing cold night whom part who brought them in this free they they couldn't have join by Zoom you want to file grievances now nonunion doesn't matter this is America so if I could ask them you can do whatever you want directly if we if we only do the 9.5 I'm trying to figure out exactly where that gets us in three years from now because what I'm looking at in 3 years from now it's not going to get us very far so I know got feedback going on so wondering from your I mean I know that the goal here and the goal has been since I've been on the warrant committee forever ago that um thank you that um we want to do A Five-Year Plan like that has been the town's goal since probably when Richard was a baby it's been a PL right so we've never taking that personally we've never um we've never gotten there to a 5-year plan so let's say we want to try to get to a three-year plan will this 9 .5 million be enough to get us through three years or should we as a town think about trying to do whether it be investing differently or trying to go for a little bit more to help like what I'm not a financial person so what's y'all's opinion so um I I mean I think the honest answer is we don't know right so I I I think to to um reiterate what what Nick has said um you know expenses like a a particular contract a particular expense could rise 4% year-over-year that's more than a a tax levy would give us so we need to find that those funds elsewhere I think the prudent thing to do with free cash because it's one-time funds is put it somewhere where you can um use it as onetime funds when appropriate right so so I I think the answer answer here is by keeping it in that rainy day fund which is invested as well as we can we have been doing okay I mean it's it's been doing pretty well yeah but I mean the market has been doing pretty well if the market does not do pretty well we can't guarantee those local receipts would would be as high in out years right okay so um so it's not it's not a guarantee and and what what we're talking about here is just Main maintaining level service status quo all those needs are not met and would not be on the radar to be met because I think we'd be first pulling from stabilization funds to fund that extra percentage on the contract for instance now I get it um that's they would sit on a list for however long because anything extra that we had would have to go in case there was which you know we saw in sped that one year it went up 12% so it it could happen correct okay thank you I'm done Mr chair thank you and I just pulled up for folks so the stabilization fund had an interest income of about $400,000 over the course of fiscal $245 million um that was in it so thanks to the treasure for pry rate it's a pretty good rate yeah it's better thaning I'll take it Bradley I question Mr Mr gooh um just to clarify um Miss must question there is additional staff though in This Global funded budget from fiscal 25 to fiscal 26 there would not be fire department nothing there's no added staff okay that would be once we get into the needs that's where we would be pulling from um we we've been able to add a few positions in the last couple of years but they're primarily federally fund funded first um two examples of which are in the health department is now a Community Health social worker um that was federally funded for year one was absorbed into the general fund budget in year two down at the police department there's a mental health clinici uh that was we're still using federal funds actually and in the level service budget for 206 as proposed I'm sorry the current Year's budget starts to absorb that into the general fund and then next year would be the the first year it's fully funded by us but that and that has been the case those are the two examples on the town side similar examp on the schools to a higher extent but the same kind of idea where a year or two ferally funded then slowly absorbed into the general fund um that's where the new positions have come up over the past couple of years but nothing Incorporated in in this budget today other than what's existing today Mrs all thank you Mr chair um so now that we have our our steamed guest here still a question for you Mr Milano but I'd love to hear their opinion gu um so one thing that we had talked about previously is um thinking about a position in town that would be funded that could do things like look for municipal grants look for uh funding sources for towns um so position that you would you would pay for but that would pay for itself uh and then some ideally um as as a fundraiser I'm familiar with that kind of work um have we is have we thought about budgeting in for a position like that I know other towns have uh folks that have that mandate whether it's a part-time position or a full-time position and I don't know so I mentioned Our Guest because I'm not sure if that would that sit in your office would that sit in the treasurer's office or or is there and you mentioned a Treasurer position is there a treasur position that would result in more funding in for the town like and instead of looking at I I mean trying to look at it the other way like are there other ways to increase Revenue in uh over the next couple of years uh so that we have access to works I think that would is typically a position that would be in like an Administration office or an accounting office and that would might sometimes in the accounting office be more of a grant manager more less than a grant writer I think complicating that is first MBTA communities is just that is the status quo right now and there are a number of Grant programs Milton's not eligible for and we can't respond to a question like that without pointing that out unfortunately um so that takes off the board for the near-term future maybe not so longterm but for now that is a factor I would also look at places where we would want to if I'm prioritizing needs from an Administration perspective I think we need to invest first and it's on the needs based list in Human Resources capabilities and functions in terms of um we have an a single employee um on the town side who handles HR it's the HR Director uh we do have a payroll staff person in the treasures office but there isn't that um additional capacity to support employees through onboarding um for professional development for employee Wellness culture um it's a focus of the schools as well as I know the superintendent's been talking about um HR Support at that side and then improving and bringing the town further into the 21st century we do a lot of pen and paper in terms of acrs you know folks you can't tell folks today what they have for vacation time and sick time it's 2024 we should 2025 we should try to join that so there's things that we would like to invest in um that I would prioritize over that if MBT communis is a nonf factor maybe that changes a little bit but I think that's that's one factor and it's we are we're working to apply to a grant through Mass Save um for a um energy manager um they're encouraging Regional applications so we're working to find a regional partner to apply for that but that would be a grant funded position not meant to be a long-term position but meant to help you go access grants specifically around Energy Efficiency for both the municipality as well as residents I I don't know if you guys have anything to add to that um I I mean I guess the other thing did Nick uh had mentioned this before but um you know I'm your Treasurer and your collector monies that that uh are invested with the with the town that earn interest income or investment income um ultim Ely end up as your on on your local receipts item so it's in all of our Collective best interest for that to be as high as possible um so focusing there and having the time and diligence to focus there is is uh would likely be of benefit to the to that Top Line um I need capacity to do that the I mean I guess the other thing that I would say is then from The Collector collector side of the house um any outstanding taxes that we have um out there and we're actively trying to manage and collect on then come in under free cash so um so we have to be diligent about that um for for lots of reasons but um but I think that that takes time and attention as well so then I'd just like to piggyback on Mr Milano's comments about bringing us into the the 25th current century um if we had some of these tools to automate some of these things we realize some efficiencies in our Manpower and some of our Manpower could then be redirected to do some of these other tasks so I think it would be a winwin for the employees they'd have things like their ACR PTO time on their pay stub and we wouldn't be manually tracking this stuff so um we'd realize some efficiencies there not that would result in eliminating positions but would then allow people that are doing these tasks to focus on other things that could help Joanna or I possibly do some of these other things like grants or yeah and I think just redirecting redirecting resources is always a good opportunity to just ensure that we retain Talent as well and continue to build and develop and grow so I think all the the town departments are looking to do that as as I know the schools are too so yeah thank you so we're actively trying to manage that top number yes here's Bradley thank you first kudos to whoever is doing pencil and paper to figure out vacation time for the entire town that that person whoever that is is a a hero um here's here's my my question and and I guess I don't even know who to direct it to so it's free for all um let's say we decide as a board that we want to do a 9.5 try right try okay try it's going to be hard I'm just telling you go ahead okay I'm not saying that I'm not I that's not what I'm worried about I'm worried more about the long term so if we say that we're going to do a $9.5 million override it goes through but as we know and we saw last year the governor's numbers and the final budget numbers two totally different things and we ended up getting a lot more finances at by the end of the budget could we take that money or some whatever I don't care what P pilot comes from could we take that money and put it in the stabilization fund so let's say we get an additional $2 million from the state we weren't planning on it so now we're down to 7.5 but we had already passed and approved a 9.5 can we take that $2 million put it in the stabilization fund for what may need to happen in a year for this needs list or I mean like is there a way that we can do this so that this needs list is not sit around for another decade that is yes if that were a scenario there would be options to either appropriate into stabilization directly or if it's unexpected revenues that are are we are made aware of after the budget it's been set okay those revenues would come into the town and then close out to free cash at the end of the year but if it's part of state aid then we know that's a recurring most likely a recurring source of Revenue going forward so in the in a subsequent year it could be appropriated it might mean a Rosier revenue forecast going forward so it the short answer is yes the mechanics of it might be a little bit Tri okay that that I understand I just was curious it and is it if we were to get better numbers from the state and let's say it was only a different differential of 7.5 would we change the override number if we were already locked into it it would depend on timing um because that and that's our friends in the legislature take their time the newest one of the newer members uh so you know we'll have having Rock the governor's budget will be a January the house budget will be April yep we won't have a final budget until well after any override vote because that will be in June just because of the natural course right so it's after all of that so um if it's state aid in that scenario then that might be known after the fact okay all right thank you so [Music] much we good do I get a chance here go ahead go ahead I'm no you know may I was going to laugh uh Mr Milano could you just bring up that chart again on the um the amount and the dollar amount for people uh yes I have a couple question question on that the ones I give you went for 5 million what the dollar amount is to people and you know to the residents I want to see what's different good point because it's very important and I kept going but I kept it to one page so I stopped at 10 but can you all at any uh yes I can look behind me what um so my question is you have a dollar amount it's based on a million doll home so we have you haven't broken it down for $100,000 it's per million doll home correct we have some $100,000 homes in this town we no but sometimes it's easier for people to to do the map just to do the map to do the maap it's easier because it's easier for people to calculate that right withay we'll publish the list at the end of tonight's meeting so that's what I meant by that so it' be roughly about 10% of it it'll move it'll move in a similar percent range so the percentage won't change because what all this is like a numbers exercise so we're assuming nobody's value changes we're assuming there's no new there's no new growth and above what we're saying so all we're saying is if the levy goes up by 10% the average house we expect to go up by 10% in reality we know some values will go up higher some values will go up slower so it's not going to equate to that so this is just the round number estimates so today um the a 7 $50,000 house in your example is about an $8,300 tax bill um so if it goes up in the same range as um so that'll go up $8,300 a year so that would go up 10% again so that would be about $830 for the um $9 million example in this scenario so it the percentages would be alike it's just a matter of um the amount the the amount would be different and I can provide that just because it's easier to look at it um but the um I always just use the average because it's kind of it's the number that the state puts out and so anybody can find the same information if they want on to the State website and plug some of the same numbers as us so M so my just a follow yeah I'm following you I want to Y so my follow-up question really is so in year one if you passed an override um whatever um you know if it's the nine and a half or whatever you pass it's X number of dollars the next year I mean do we have a fiveyear you know in to show what the first five years of that will be for somebody for instance because I guess my concern is is that um it's an awful lot of money you know and obviously we have the needs but the question is it's a lot of money and then this is assuming that nobody's house value changes in five years or whatever and going change it's it's going to keep going up it's going to keep going up and then you already know that you have uh when they cessors came in they explained how much it would be normally per year increase like a 3% R right so I would like to see for instance in some of this a projection for five years based on without your house increasing in value what that would be but we know that the house is always increase in value it'll be another 3% on top of this a year for that for that duration so dollar amount I mean like I want to see the hard numbers yeah no we can prepare that you know for people yeah I think the residents should see what the numbers are those are dollars you know and to be clear it just to kind of take that point home it's um the $9.5 million override that is now a permanent increase in our tax in capacity so it stays on in perpetuity until it's ever reduced but um so just to um yes everybody's tax bill would go up by that amount in year one and then that'll be the new floor and now you should expect to it to increase um each year thereafter um by the same percent as the tax bills normally go up um right year over year can I follow Miss must I'm sorry why go ahead um on the you're good okay um so on the very bottom here it says every $1 million increase in the tax levy is approximately 112 increase to the average single family home so doll yeah I I'm assuming what are we basing an average single family home on just out of curiosity it's a million a million oh good I'm under that okay so just a little so um so I just did some math and what this actually breaks down to a month in a year is an $88 increase to your tax bill every month so it's not so when we look at these numbers and we start breaking it down most people hover around the $1 million Mark for the value of their home right whatever our home is worth is always more than what it's assessed at um that's just the way real estate Works um thank you for that whoever um but but so if we think about this and we break it down to $88 a month that's not just for this per million per million just for this for this there's not that many people that have over millionar per million of over no no no no no no per million dollar house no if it's $88 yeah you added all the 9.5 million yes right cuz she's taking the $95 million scenario the average house which is about 1,60 divided by 12 which is about the 90 88 is what it is so I that's how I did the math but not many people have an over million dollar home I mean there's a there's definitely not just a handful in town but you know most of our houses are assessed at a lower value than what they s would sell for right everybody knows that so our assessed value right now I would say most average homes probably hover at around a million dollars when you average everything out $88 a month so when you think of it that way it's not like it's the end of the world is it going to be a strain yes but the way I always look at this and the way I always have approached the dollars when it comes to impact on our neighbors is I look in whether or not I can do it I'm a single mother I make less than six figures a year I have a kid in college thank God just did her last payment but can I afford $88 a month probably I could stop buying Starbucks all the time but you know there is a way to do it so when you break it down and you start thinking about it in general to what we would have to give up if we didn't go for this amount it's really staggering to me so I just wanted to try and be a little bit more on the ground what this looks like for the average homeowner and like I said I make less than six figures I have a house that's probably obsessed around a million can I make $88 work yes is it going to be a stretch for me yeah it honestly is but I can make it work because I want to make sure that we continue to have at least the same level of services that we currently have so that's my two cents quit smoking I don't smoke so you smoke do not anybody else call once going twice so give a little bit of homework here so the largest over is you here in 2018 where you yeah 2018 you here so I'm sitting here tonight and look at on the room and I'm I'm I'm looking for faces like Sheil arella Jeff Crookshanks Betty White Joe mcgetrick Joe John Cronin ly people who've been on the front lines of so many overrides here over the past one of the reasons overrides have succeeded in this town since the first one I think in 1985 or 86 because we usually seek overrides when the overall quality of life impacting the quality of life across the board it can't just be schools it can't be police it can't just be fire it can't be the libraries or town hall it has to affect everyone a9.5 million override is unprecedent it's 5.7 million more than we've ever achieved in the entire in 19 in 2018 it was going to be 5.4 million and we cut it back to 3.8 million cuz they want to pick a number um Mr Milano talks about Branch Tre Branch was at65 and W up selling on an $8 million Ro because was the only thing they thought they could so I know for a paper exercise here we talk about 9.7 million like it's an easil easy thing to do is very difficult very very difficult I don't I'm like you and I talked we went through different exercises the other day Nick and I just like what would five get because I was trying to keep it something close to where we've been because 2018 to 20 it's 27 years it's not like we jump and we've always been if you go 2018 to 2000 we've never had a jump of this significance in the history since we started having overrides almost 30 years ago so the last thing in every override meeting I've ever been to the last thing that every person that I just mentioned tonight I ever talked about was if you're going to have an override you don't want to lose because if you lose the hill you've described the painting that I'm describing tonight becomes that much more steep because the impact on your finances your your future your bond rating all that comes into play even in when we when we did the interviews for the msba on the site visit the history of overrides was brought up and and was we painted that picture for them so we don't have to make this decision tonight but I do want to say at nine I know that we're doing a paper exercise and to miss Bradley's point that $88 amount that are people in this town who will not be able to pay it and I'll describe to you a scenario that I watched two weeks ago at my brother's keeper two days before Christmas Eve I walked into the loading dock on this one morning and the way the keeper delivers is at Christmas particularly at the holidays is everything's in trash bags so that when you pull up the trucks are unmarked when you pull up to a house no one really knows what's coming to the house it's all inside whether it's food cold whatever it is it's an it's it's on a 55g trash bag but on that morning I walked in and um the entire loading dock one whole Bay was completely covered and I heard the do form and the crew doing the two Crews were doing the deliveries I didn't not know them but I heard that he started reading out where they were going and the entire boad which would have been well over 25 homes coming to this town and that's something we need to be cognizant of and so while we don't have to say tonight ideally I'd love to say okay we need 9.7 let's just go do it that's a big fragen hill to climb that's not a hill that's a mountain and it will require all the Departments I mean will require across the board support police fire Library schools everyone can't just come in here like we saw a few months ago come in beating a drum and say let's vote uh uh uh and if you look at historically the overrides that have passed here all those years the margin was very small very small margin like you don't you don't win an override by a th000 votes 8 you win it by 2001 like very so we have to think about that and I've already said this Nick knows where I'm at and I just proudly mentioned how long I've been here um that's the reality of what we're facing and not to say that it isn't real but into what some of the many of the questions you asked because I think I started at five I think I said with you and I think you said to me if we went for $5 million override you'd have to go again in two years and to those who suggest you can do an override every two years absolutely false that's why we're seven years old now um to miss Bradley's point about a $2 million wiill from the state I'm looking I'm looking if it's there I promise to snap at that s out of the air but so I think you know we really need to the one thing you did say Nick that I did like that brry did do and I that's really for you guys the the leadership team to figure out you know if we did go from a mount near 9 million um to take a percent to try and find a way to take a percentage of that and invest it towards because we already know looking down the road we're going to be here in 27 looking for a significant debt exclusion override even though we were fortunate to get into msba we are still going to have to fund our percentage of that so that's another go back to the so the 88 really compounds and this and well I probably won't be at this table then when that Happ but um for the future of the town the one thing that I I can say to people out there is the residents who live here now whether they've lived here for a week or they lived here in 1986 or 7 where we had the first one the one thing the overrides have done for this community is they M A qu maintain a quality of life that you expect whether it's the school system the new schools whether it's your dialing 911 whether you coming here to use this building whether you're going to use the library whether it's Town Hall hours whatever it is it's maintained that and so that's really all I'm going to say about this but but we need to really think about the reality of what can the Comm what will the community tolerate and what can we as a community because we as elected officials can't they'll have to form a pack every override we ever had us create had we've had a political action committee they'll have to have a pack that's diverse and I don't mean diverse just in thinking that's diverse that has representation for all the aspects of this town that can go out and convince someone with that $88 is really a difference between you know can I buy dinner today or can I not um really really an important things so that that's all we're not we need to think about it it's really going I just have a quick question for you Mr chair actually um so you know admittedly I was not on this board I have voted for overrides in Milton in the past not not as a voter as a voter um so when you talk about scaling back um previous override dollar amounts my understanding is at this point if we scaled back the dollar amount we would be cutting service so that's how overrides so if you go back and here's a little test thing you could all go back and do tonight if you go back to 28 to Google the overrides in Milton and we'll kind of paint a picture what the voters were facing and every override that I have ever seen in this town you are saving you know x amount of teachers x amount of police officers you know Town Hall out you know the mental health that's what is one longtime resident who's been very involved in in in um this town for many years described it to me and I heard it many described it as you are protecting the the food you know the essentials that are on your plate the meat and it could be you know the meat the potatoes and the vegetables could be a soy meat whatever you there's no extra there's no dessert there's no there's you're not pay there's no aart to come in and uh you can residents are smart they're never going to vote an override to give you more than you have today but they V for an override that they would end up with less than they had before the override I guess that's my question because Google do some research overrides are to protect services and I've never seen an override yet that's why brry if brry had gone for 16 but they had a they had no history of overrides and they have a much bigger commercial base than we do and they came up with a number of 8.5 was what they thought the residents could tolerate and that's what they went for and and there was Chief there and I are very close and um at the time that the mayi they were they were holding their breath because they weren't sure whether or not they could achieve it so that's and I don't mean to say it in believe me I'm just one person and I I sit here today with the privilege of the history of being here in the past and just seeing how hard I can remember I never really knew Jeff Crookshanks who cheered the wild committee I cheered the school committee for a long time I never knew him that well he W up chairing I think the 2009 override and I can remember how hot it was and I can remember coming out of my house the day after when he was sitting in my drive with with a bottle of wine with this big gr because the two of us the day before were so worried on the day before the vote and the residents that came out and worked and that override worked so hard for so long to get to that goal and it's just it's it's it's harder than a political election it really is it's very very hard when do we when do we have to decide go ahead and so I already I was going to say that so good question but it's not tonight no it's not tonight but Carol's watching tonight told I said we're not deciding tonight so ideally by the end of this month whether that takes the s word meeting twice to do that or it's the first week of February I think that would be the last the drop de yeah and so if there's information you need information you're looking for myself or from the school department please let me know um if there's anything that you need to help make your decision um the other thing just to think about would be timing of the ballot question vote typically in Milton they've occurred after the town meeting on doesn't need to happen on the town election certainly can and it is no longer as cheap as it once was to run a town election with all the vote by mail the special election for MBT communities was upwards of 55,000 so if there's an interest in avoiding that cost the B question could be on the annual Town election but again that the rhythm is typically town meeting and then ballot question vote but Belmont I think last year did it in that sequence of election first then town meeting so um is there a state Prime primary vote in no that's none of that so it's basically until not until after town you'd have to have a special election yeah the next election is there wouldn't be one in November either there just two Town elections so the next two elections I think the next two April of we got April we got April and then um do you have one then you do you have a historic I think we've done it by itself I think correct yeah we've always done it by I mean since I've been here if it's okay with the members and I it would probably behoove us to help us in our decision whatever number we come up with is probably the next meeting limit it let's bring we want to limit them to like 10 minutes each on the town side whatever department heads you want to bring whether it's Chief King Chief Madden uh Arena maybe the library Christine who on the town side to kind of paint the picture of the importance there and also um Dr bars and his team to kind of paint that picture because I think you know we're talking you know we're showing spreadsheets and numbers was going back and I I don't I'm not an expert on this but I think the human aspect of it is critical I think there are people that I think people need to hear it so if we can schedule that um maybe we can do the whole thing within like 45 minutes and um do that in our next meeting that okay that works okay sure you okay kids you want to go home I call you kids cuz you to me freaking an old man first off no so any any further questions for our Ste for our steam Financial leadership team thank you for all you are thank you both for coming out on this freezing cold night I had a bottle of wine I'd give it to you both you can go I don't have one but um and thank you for everything you do you know on behalf of all of us and and everyone who's involved in this town um it's not easy what you do to make the X's and O's match and work and pay the bills so thank you for that thank you for all your and your staffs as well Happy New Year thank you thank you okay where are we item number five discussion approval update special town meeting February 24th 25A special town meeting articles um do you need to talk for us just go you good you a if you want me to go summarize go ahe you can do yeah go ahead I'll let you summarize and then we'll go oh yeah I so I meant to can have a motion going to reopen the good point very good I had wrote myself a note too I wrote myself a note can I have a motion to open the warrant I'll make that motion second second second by Miss muster all those in favor I it's a roll call it's no roll call V okay the um we are now open okay so Mr Milano thank you thank you uh so uh Roman numeral one is the appropriation for feasibility study with the Massachusetts school building authority this U Warren article was uh voted upon by the school building committee subject to um Town Council and the mba's uh form of vote and form of article uh this uh article that was in the packet um reflects the msp's vote criteria they are very much sticklers for vote language and Warren article language so we took their drafts submitted the project scope for Milton the project school which is the Cunningham school which is the school we submitted the statement of interest for um in the location and then otherwise tracked um exactly to the msp's vote language um the school building committee's recommendation was uh $1.5 million for this feasibility study um looking at some recent middle school projects their feasibility studies uh ran in the range of 1.2 to 1.3 so it seems um an appropriate amount to request and just as a reminder um all feasibility study expenses are reimbursable so the town will get reimbursed for or 45% is of its expenses in the feasibility study so we'll never need to spend the full 1.5 million um however the town you give the remainder to miss must I mean to Miss Bradley to put and Miss to put to us operating budget so we need to appropriate it but we won't necessarily ever spend 1.5 million of town funds um on this um and the proposal is to have it be borrowing um since um if a project is approved that can be rolled into that project um so anyway it it tracks with the msba vote language it's $1.5 million is recommended by the school building committee this vote language has been reviewed by the msba so they're comfortable with this language um any changes or amendments to the language or to the even to the motion of town meeting would need msba uh sign off before it takes place um so that's the first one any do you want me to go one by one there question want vote on them no let's do the first one for us Mr cohain I we'll vote then we'll vote one okay I I've done a lot of I've done a lot of homework this the uh msba site is great um and my understanding is that it's not until the end of this eligibility phase that we need to have this correct okay um I'm just trying to take take a breath that's all you know and um I did also look at other uh other schools and I don't want to shot chain just right out of the gate but I did um again the site is great and the you know the the feasibility study ranges from 750 to there were two of them Norwood and one other one that were close to our size that were the 1.5 and then you had Brook line that was two million or something like that but it was a huge project so this it's it's on the higher end this 1.5 in this time of watching money and yes we will get it back as long as we make it to the next phases we don't make it to the next phase is this money's expended and we don't get it there no we'll get reimbursed for any expenses that whether we make it Beyond it's a failed vote they'll reimburse us for the feasibility study and say thank you see you later we'll get the reimbursement but that it won't get anything more okay okay that wasn't that was clearly outlined in the award in the award meeting that you'll get your feasibility money but nothing is okay okay and and again um because I read things you read things after the fact and you read things differently and in in here and I know this is their language so I believe it is their assumption that when they say under the direction of the school building committee they mean the school building committee formulated for this they just mean in in that case it's so kind of take it step by step first the under the direction of is up to how the town wants it to be spenc in under for the fire station projects for example it's under the direction of the fire station building committee so in this case the we we kept their language with the school building committee and in Milton's case we have a school building committee so all we this appropriation is authorizing Milton School building committee to um expend the funds that needs to be glad because in their in their website it talks about permanent building committees and school building committees and how that has to also this committee has to be formed and some of the me Members can come from that so I I just I think that needs to be clarified because I think did they already sign off on this yes thank you well I I need to clarify then you know no I get what you're saying but I think I know so it's an appro while it has to comply with the msba requirements it's still an appropriation vote and it's a local action corre so we could put in there under the direction of the select board and that would be fine and it wouldn't it would not have to comply right but so um it wouldn't have to meet any other requirements as long as Milton has a school building Committee in Milton toown meeting is authorizing that said School building committee to spend these funds then that's all that has to happen in order to participate with the msba we need our school building committee to meet the mba's requirements but that doesn't affect this appropriation here you looking for an amendment to the are you looking for an amendment to the article like amend amending the language somewhat I just I just I know this is theirs but everything is from a frame of mind and from their frame of mind they're talking about their school building committee well let's play out a scenario that wouldn't happen just to explain what this appropriation would mean so let's say town meeting votes this something crazy happens February 25th we get a letter from the msba said hey hey thanks but actually we're kicking you out of the program this appropriation would still be an illegal appropriation the Milton School building committee would still be authorized to expend it because it's a local appropriation and a local vote taken by the Milton town meeting the school building Committee in order to participate with msba needs to meet certain requirements but if the town meeting votes to authorize the school building committee to spend funds it means whatever School building committee is in existence in Milton whether it's amended subsequently or not it's just identifying a border committee that currently exists in Milton today to expend These funds do you want it to be are you suggesting it should be someone else other than scho no I'm suggesting that it should State specifically under the direction of the school building committee approved by msba but they don't Tech I I hear what you're saying they don't technically approve the msba the school building committee because they wouldn't say hey that person can't be on it they just say meets the St regulations they do actually approve the school building committee as part of that process there's a form we have to fill the members meet the regulations corre right and it becomes the school building committee so long as we've submitted a school building committee that's in compliance though they wouldn't return it down so as long as we don't but in the end they have to approve it and it becomes the school building Committee in their eyes but the town currently has a school building committee that was appointed by the moderator right it's not our it's not even our the the moderator question yes but finish I just also can I just point out just a parliamentary procedural item here what we're talking about and we can is the motion that would be before town meeting that is typically the warrant committee's recommendation it doesn't need to be decided today in this room what this board is asked to accept is just the article language right and so if there are questions about the recommendation and how to structure that recommendation and work with msba to make a couple of tweaks to that recommendation if that's the will of this board then that can be done anytime between now and February 24th yeah I'm not yeah no I just wanted just in terms of time it can be done no I agree I agree but there is a form I mean there's a school building committee form you fill out and this becomes the school building committee from msba but that's not for us to fill out yeah it is the select board no no no no the town no the town I get that the town so I I just I just want to good go you have a question for us no I don't have a question I had a statement so go ahead goe with your question okay thank thank you Mr chair um with regards to Mr Caine's um point I guess it sounds like maybe what you're thinking of just listening here is that maybe what you're thinking of under the direction of the msba um formed School building committee or something like that I think the thought from what I'm hearing right now seems like a good point because two things I wanted to ask I know you said that um we would definitely get reimbursed for instance on the money correct the Fe for eligible expenses under the feasibility study okay that's what if we don't make it to the next round it doesn't matter so right now we she he asked that was the doesn't matter excuse me that can I just ask the question but that's we've already answered this I'm just trying to confirm something go ahead go ahead all right go ahead what's the look for the look for the fact that the look is for the fact roxan that we just had this question I'm trying to clarify something please go ahead go ahead thank you um so I just wanted to clarify that point that it will it will get reimbursed eligible expenses feasibility study would be reimbursed thank you and um the question I have too about this is the way that it's written it sounds like from what you just told us that um if something happened tomorrow that the the funds could still be expended by the current school committee School building committee I'm sorry yes for feasibility this is a legal appropriation so if the expenses were a legal expenditure under this appropriation then yes then they could but the intention is obviously clear with the language that it's done so for the grants for the msba it's awesome because it's specifically around the elementary or middle school project for the Cunningham school go ahead let her finish I'm sorry I didn't mean to go no go ahead no sorry go ahead feasibility could you explain what is included for people that are watching in a feasibility study uh yesil study is so there are three reports that the town will have to complete as part of the feasibility study phase a preliminary design program which is like the initial first draft of all the options that the town wants to consider um preferred schematic report which further analyzes all the options that the town studies and then identifies its preferred solution to for the school project um and then the schematic design report is the third and final submitt under the feasibility study and that is um the design of the school to a schematic design level with cost estimates that report that design that cost estimate is what goes to the voters for um their vote um so that's and included in all that would be you know Wetland delineation and flagging site studies traffic studies geotechnical reports it's it's all that initial investigatory Pro process that helps The Architects design the building and design all the infrastructure related so you can get an accurate um cost estimate and as a followup so this really can't start before May 1st correct in terms of actual the appropriation is actually for so so the first phase are now this is sorry for the bureaucratic process that I was going to go through it too but you so we are an eligibility period we're not spending any money we are just doing we're getting the appropriation we're forming the school building committee we're doing homework with msba we're settling on the parameters of what we will study for a grade configuration we're agreeing on how many students would be in said School designs then we go into feasibility study the first step in feasibility study is to procure an own as's project manager still not spend any money the second step is to procure a designer our OPM would help us with that that's when the first cost would start is going through design of procurement to get that out the door we get an architect on board then we start studying so the $1.5 million has to be appropriated before the end of Eligibility period but no dollars would be spent on it until after the first step of the feasibility study if that makes sense at all very clear so yes and just to clarify one more thing in terms of dates what are we talking for these phases I think eligibility period is expected to go till November I think it's 200 no longer than that right until next year I looked up other towns I don't know the exact dat November is the best case November end of end of the calendar year where we start owners project manager procurement and um So Pro I would not expect to see any funds spent out of this appropriation until calendar year 26 at the earliest really yeah calendar early calendar year first quarter and the first quarter or something right okay something like that okay thank you and one go ahead so to that then another thing I would like to add is because there's no again no reason not to but we don't want to spend the money if we don't know we're going forward and I know we'll get half of it but we won't spend any of it until the we are invited into the feasibility study phase by the msba board that's the module three and so I I'd like to have added here and I guess we can do that between now and the next time just languages says that no funds are expended until we're invited into proced questioned so that is really it depends on what the warrant committee's the warrant the recommendation language here in bold that's the warrant committees typically now they this draft motion is from the war the draft motion is what the warrant committee will recommend because in the warrant if you picture the warrant it's the article the article is what was submitted by the school building committee and that's what this board is approving to be included in the warrant then in the warrant report Warr so basically then I'm saying I'm not approving it because I want these changes is at the bottom line for me well it's not really what we're asking you whether you approve or disapprove right now the only question that this board is being asked today is do we want this article in the warrant or not because the school building committee wants this language and so which has been approved and by the msba by go back to the msba if the members of the warrant committee agree with you maybe they'll work that into their recommendation we'll have to see if the msba approves it alternatively this board could make a motion at Town meeting say the Warr committee recommendation is X we suggest Y and so there's a couple of different Avenues it's not now before it goes into the warrant like many of these things it's very rare I mean it happens but a lot of times there's a change or a warrant Comm between now and between now and town meeting and just to be clear it sounds like both of you would rather this be expended by the new school school building committee that's what I'm gathering but you guys don't like the setup of what is currently because both of you have raised the same thing so I just want to make sure no my I my understanding is they are very rigid msba they are they are they are and so I want to that language I I I agree but different people that are reading it from writing it from different angles when they say School building committee they may mean the school building committee that was B by them I'm just saying I understand clarify but if if the MSB is what you're worried about right and they approve this language can you walk me through your thinking on why they wouldn't approve it if they just approved it why they would interpret it any differently than what they just approved we're the ones misinterpreting it not them I'm not misinterpreting it what are we Mis what are we misinterpreting you're interpreting this to be the school building committee as formed right now no I'm interpreting it to be whenever we go to to spend the money whatever School building committee is around yeah because it's not going to be spent it's not going to be spent for a while so the existing School building committee the one that you sit on right now y can do nothing with this right nothing did if you wanted to have a meeting a call a meeting tomorrow and try and do something with this you could do nothing as long as that's clear nothing that's clear so if it's not clear hold on hold on hold on hold on let's keep things in order here let's hold the hold on I'm raising my hand I know I know I know got a minut ago Nick said that this is not the school committee formed by the msba I think what it sounds like what no but there's no money there's no there's no money there's no money there's no February 25th there will be and I think what if I'm interpreting what you're looking for perhaps is something like provided that no funds will be expended until the town enters feasibility study or something like that that says can you write that down so what do fa why don't you write that down and shall not be extended until the town is formally invited into the feasibility stage by theba so hold on one sec I'm going to have him ask them all right that okay with you well that I'm going to have Nick and I'll come back to you I'm gonna have Nick run this by them that all right with you okay yeah okay Miss must um thank you I I think you know to assume what I'm thinking or why I said what I said I when I look at that and after you know Mr Milano's comments just want to ensure that when you have a new committee that you'd want the new committee which is the old committee and additional members if we get to the feasibility that's who should be doing it and that's my point so that's what I'm saying but as to Mr Milano's point if for some reason we got kicked out at some point right we don't have that other committee it would go to the original committee and that I that's what I'm saying and no and that's what I think the Comm no you you said the original committee exists well there's a current committee but once it gets changed then February 25th that's February 25th the day after town meeting but you had mentioned something I was using an example and I feel like I've confused folks more than I meant to so what I did is they can't spend it I plugged in this that language I suggested that if the warrant committee accepts it could in theory be included which just says that the town will appropriate the money at the special town meeting however funds can't be spent from it until after the town in msba execute a feasibility study agreement question can we all live with that can we all live with that that's fine can you live with that yeah my question is the question I actually just have a question for Mr cohain this was submitted by the school building committee right so were you did you participate did you participate and vote on this I haven't been they didn't give these no so how did this come to us if the school building committee didn't vote on the language I don't think they did we they voted without like actually having the document I've been I've been asking for it okay I was just I was just a process question that's all I have yeah so final so I just summary and then so we okay him adding that you're good okay if MSB is yeah yeah if MSB if MSB is and I just want to get and I and I just want to reiterate how hard this was there are many people and let's go back to it was not it was a lot W not too many months ago that people were banging let us slow 190 listen this was hard 47 communities applied this year only 22 were selected we are one of the 22 this is a huge huge benefit for the town and everything that I've seen from them just in my short term so far um in this new role they've been awesome so this is a real gift to I I I think you said no one I mean I including me and like so um okay yeah up I'm with you I don't like because that's one of the things that they one of the things that they one of the things and you and I've talked about this and you came from there one of the things that they clearly look for is local support they don't want to see you they don't want to welcome you into this program and go through all the exercise and all the time and make the financial commitment to have you vote no right you know they don't want that to see it fail they don't go ahead so to that point Mr chair this this language has already been approved by msba I I I worry a bit that we're if we're already sort of tweaking language about how do we spend 1.5 million in a way that it's obvious that it can't be spent this way otherwise I'm not twe I'm just letting him I'm okay and letting him ask the question that's why okay with the question because I honestly don't know that that's like I think the school building committee has done a fantastic job to get us to this point and if it starts to look like we're going to start nitpicking individual amendments it's not going to look great so I I would actually not be in favor of changing the language I think it's okay to ask maybe the clarification question I wouldn't change the language and then if you come back and you say the the clarification is that they could actually spend the money on you know March 1 they could you know then we can decide whether we want to change the language around but they can't so if the answer comes back that they can't do it until the time which you said that they've already told us that they can't spend it to I think it would behoove us to take the language that has already been approved by msba let's look like a nice happy uh unified town here and and use the language that we've already agreed to and the school building committee has already given us Mr chair just my thoughts Mr chair I get that I get that Mr chair I'd like to make a motion go ahead I'd like to make a motion to approve little I the appropriation for a feasibility study with the Massachusetts school building authority for the special town meeting warrant dated February 24th 2025 as amended or not as amended not as amended I second no okay just a procedural point the article itself would have no Amendment anyway CU we're not amending the article I I I'm I think we should all be together with asking the question asking questions are fine this this isn't this isn't a a fatal question I'm I'm okay with it so um but we're not amending It Anyways that's why so I'm G to ask you you just let's just go back to your motion without an amendment I didn't put he asked it no you said you asked I just no I said was it nonamended and she said next time after finds out the answer if we had to we can reopen the w we can always reopen the he's going to find out the answer let him find out the answer there no harm let's get something past here yeah okay can we get you're right second second all those in favor I I opposed okay opposed you opposed so you in favor are you are you I I want to find out the answer before we vote on it so I'm going to be opposed okay yeah until we get the answer is in the warrant I'll follow up once I get an okay in terms a recommendation language if you come back and you think I'm more than happy I'm put it back on the op then I'm fine I just want the it can be a Green Sheet okay item number God kill me um amendments I'm afraid to go to this one amendments of the school building committee established by the February 2019 special Tom me m mon to paint this picture uh sh so as we were just speaking about the school building committee that as it currently exists would not meet the mba's um regulations um the school committee has has reviewed and approved this warrant article which would add uh six non- voting positions to the school building committee um to round out the school building committee from uh what is required to meet its regul regulations so that's the superintendent schools it's my position it's the director Consolidated facilities it's an individual that's certified uh for mCP which is a procurement certification which um both the assistant Town Administrator and your assistant superintendent um Katie Blake have um the msba requires that the Cunningham School principal is on this um School building committee um and there is also a slot for a local budget official um which would be a staff position under the way that this is envisioned from how I'm reading it uh each of those positions they recommend the non- voting positions that they serve on and participate in the school building committee but they not actually um have a cast votes um just let the votes be the Milton residents who are serving on the school building committee so do you think the article should at least whether it's in the notes or in the at least kind of clarify who's voting and who's not voting it could include yeah so it could say why five warrant five members appointed by the town moderator voting two members appointed by the school Bill school committee voting two members appointed by by the select board voting I think that could be and then the others and the others non voting correct yeah because this is an amendment to an existing so required yeah and the the original doesn't say anything can we live with that can we live with that suggestion yeah I can in this case we are controlling the article so second Point who staff in this right now um right now it's do the work um St someone has staff though get this he's not being paid the school no that's what I mean so it's not so this isn't staff it's is your committee staff by an employee no no wow couple school committee members and then Sean does a lot of the agenda prep and minutes and all that or the op I'm sorry the ownest project manager manages minutes s to the fire station building Comm okay very similar okay I get it okay so someone paid is Staffing and it's just not a town employee it's once we're in once we're rolling with msba they won't have a lot of meetings over the next year and they won't really meet until an OPM is on board so okay so Mr chair can I make a motion to approve the we're done talking go ahead I'm going to make a motion to approve the article uh little little little eye little ey Roman numeral lowercase 2 I guess uh Amendment to the school building committee established by the February 19 2019 special town meeting as with Amendment suggested by the chair to identify Uh current voting members I'll second all those in favor I I are we unanimous Mr C that's unanimous wow okay item number three home rule petition will established a senior means tested property tax exemption Mr Milano we know we already know about this but go ahead quick so yeah thank you Mr chair um we're gonna be done by night so this is the one we've talked about a few times that would result in um a local tax exemption for uh seniors in Milton who meet the criteria the main the main criteria we're tracking is the state income circuit breaker uh for senior citizens which um so essentially if you get an income tax um credit as a senior and you prove it locally then you would be eligible for a local match um accordingly um one thing that has been discussed one item of discussion has been what should the match be um communities have uh ranges of matches between 100% match of the state credit or a smaller portion um the match is in this language set to be between 50% of the State Credit you sure up to 100% of the State Credit um but it would be set by the select board at a later date so um it gives the select board the authority to set a match anywhere between 50 and 100% of the amount of the circuit breaker income tax credit um but it's not does not need to be set at this point um and one thing I will note is that in the tax bill that was approved by the legislature last year um they doubled they didn't quite double but they significantly increased this tax credit So what had been about a $1,700 Max tax credit is now I think close to $2,700 so it's a nice bump um and some of the communities that had higher matches are now evaluating where they want their match to be since the tax credit went up so it's something that we can square away if this is approved by town meeting and and approved by the legislature as well so we would approve this a town meeting not with a percentage correct in Accords with the legislature correct it's a home repetition right so in order for it to be effective for fiscal year 26 tax bills um it would need to probably be approved by the legislature by May June time frame which might be tricky um just with a new session and everything but guy and the good thing is we're copy and pasting kill me a position that has been done numerous times before however rules go through in formal they can they go through so but I I just don't want um it it's no guarantee that it would be in effect for fiscal 26 and we would have to then advertise the program right away um applications would have to be due by the end of August time frame um for us to be able to to operated for fiscal 26 so this board are you who would determine the percentage after the law is passed this select board okay there a motion I'll make a motion to approve um article little I3 um for inclusion in the special town meeting warrant dated February 24th 2025 home rule petition to establish a senior means tested property tax exemption a second seconded by Miss must conversation discussion comment all those in favor I I opposed we're good unanimous okay item number four i- V5 zoning by law Amendment regarding the new state accessory dwelling units thank you Mr chair uh the planning board met last night uh we do not have draft language at this time defer this until the next meeting yeah I think we will need to um I'll just note that um the state regulations around adus I distributed some information to the sport and we shared some information with the planning board as well um really sets the parameters of what local um entities can regulate further for accessory dwelling units accessory dwelling units will be permitted as of right in Milton starting February 2nd or February 6th um and there are really no other parameters on them until and unless Milton amends its bylaws to establish some parameters on them the kind of bottom line of what the state is saying is regulate adus just as you would regulate a single family home don't go don't go beyond that don't don't try to go beyond that weren't they aren't they trying to kind of go outside of that or more be less restrictive than what we do in singles or saw hlc maximum restriction as don't be more restricted than a single family but they are also setting guidelines and parameters within that that might um further restrict what cities and towns can do in terms of regulating these the state's goal is to have a lot of avus Bel so that is where they're starting up from can I ask a just a weird question on this absolutely um so when this passes February what did you say fifth or sixth or whatever comes along and until we do our I mean if the planning board gets this to us and it goes through on the 25th it can be a free-for-all for that 20 days correct yeah okay do we do we expect that many applications in the first 20 days they're not cheap to build so the cost is in pre-made some of those pre-made ones are gorgeous pre-made adus yeah you like little apartments you just and then just do a little connection yeah other thing to keep in mind is the single family zoning in Milton is restrictive now so like the lot size little the set backs all that stuff there there is some restrictions that are somewhat in place so that would still be in place for the most part for the most part so long as your fit in the current can I ask a quick question to Mr chair it do we know um so if this passes have has has any Community or have we done any projection on taxes like I'm assuming that this would result in a tax increase because you'd have more taxpayers um no tax decrease or tax decrease for well I mean tax increase for the town in terms of Revenue tax potential decrease and also adus tend to not have not they tend to not have children so they tend to not be big on terms of Demands we've been talking about it the SS and I we're chatting about it it it'll be interesting to see kind of how that plays out because if you take a four-bedroom Colonial that's 2,000 square feet and now it's a two-bedroom Colonial that's 1,200 square foot and now it has an accessory dwelling units that 800 square feet and two bedrooms like there that that main house may be less valuable but the new unit would be New Growth because it's a new unit and newly arriving on the tax so that'll feed into New Growth interes so it's a question of how many are there truly a detached Adu would be just straight new value that the town sees because that would be not take away from an existing structure y um land value might have to increase because land that can be developed to have a primary residence and accessory dwelling unit might be more of more value but that that would raise values not so much generate New Growth um does it require the access the assesses to be involved for to get the to identify the amount and get it get the money so they they get alerts through our systems with building permits so they track the building permits and then they'll go out if there's a house sale they'll send you a letter and say hey can we come see your house and generally people say no and we'll just look on realtor.com see if you get a new kitchen and adjust your value so um they do that homework because they get notifications internally and they track land transactions um it is a potential growth source of potential new growth that's great motions I'll go ahead go ahead Bradley please M Bradley go ahead insisting okay I got to put my glasses on there should be a motion no yeah there's no yeah have you were talking so positive I'm like I did it I'm like all let's go he's ready to go I apologize my what we talking about what me said motion so I was ready to go okay five the only bylaw five yeah only bylaw site plan over here not ready this is in a more final shape but I don't have a a final version from the plan about the next one zoning map zoning map we do have so this is more of a procedural housekeeping item um there's been some court cases that say that if you have overlay zoning districts in your town that you've approved a part of your zoning bylaws but you didn't amend the zoning map to incorporate them then those overlays don't exist until you amend your zoning map so this zoning article just takes the Brook Road overlay District which treats a single really two properties the old I think it was a Knights of Columbus maybe once upon time so that overlay if anybody remembers that and then the Milton Village um oh yeah plan um Milton Village devel whatever yeah so those two we're not changing we're not creating anything new all we're doing is saying those two overlays approved by the town previously are now included as part of our zoning map and that's final want a motion on this planning board y submitted these can we vote this tonight yep motion I'd like to make a motion Bradley second second Mr Mr all um I need to make a motion you did I just got it for the zoning byw Amendment regarding the zoning map article little item six got it second Mr Z all those in favor I I approved motion to close the other potentials will have a lighting article at the next meeting correct cor Town Council now um I'll make a motion to close the warrant second second Miss must all those in favor I done item number six discuss and approval appointment to the Massachusetts Water Resources Authority MD Advisory Board representative for the town of Milton um Marina fernanz our new director of Public Works do I have a motion on that Mr chair yes ma'am I'd like to make a motion to appoint Marina Fernand Fernandez director of Public Works to the Massachusetts Water Resource Authority the MW Advisory Board as the representative for Milton and I so proud to do that as a woman made second with the $10,000 of salary she'll be laughing watching this at home all those in favor okay number seven discussion update East Milton deck ball it's and plant as I asked this to um be put on the agenda this is something that Mr Milano and I have been talking about especially in light of what happened in New Orleans everyone knows I my background is extensive in public safety but when the East Milton deck was built the new deck there were these Paul what are they called that are there that are truly matter of fact I counted tonight two are down two are up they're they're not true balling a ball is intended to stop a vehicle they're usually 3 to 4 feet above the ground three to four feet in the ground the fact that the deck is built with a membrane there was no ability for the contractor even though they didn't tell us to put true ballards in there um so we've been talking Nick and I been talking we we've been what's been submitted to us are a series of cement planters that I use regularly that would be on either end of um the deck and while they're fully concrete the top of them look like they're were flow bit they're they're aesthetically pleasing they use quite a bit particularly around major infrastructure places of thrust I don't think we should be having any more events where we're having a thousand people on the deck with even whether or not even if it wasn't intentional was someone mistakenly just drove through that and wiped out you know a series of individuals and this would be where the Adams rode both on both Sid both both of Adams gr and we have money there was a there's a line on of 100,000 remaining that was put there initially towards the progr we were going to were $500,000 short of we could use of check we could use some of that money to do this so um you can go on and no that Nick Connor's U Marina uh Fernandez and Deputy ala were down at the deck yesterday um mapping out trying to figure out exactly how many would be needed in in location so and Nick then will work on some pricing um the issue for us would be more so getting being able to move them for DPW trucks to get in to do prep for events the cranes so there's versions that have slots for forklift um pick them up to pick them up and move them so it would mean you know another some equipment would need to go down ahead of time when they're setting up for you know the the tree or whatever so it it'll mean a slight change in um and our operation just to get trucks in and out of there for maintenance but otherwise um it we're working on locations an amount and then we'll get some pricing they're not hugely expensive um a a couple thousand each maybe um so we should be able to get enough that is safe especially the attractiveness and especially if you look at the aftermath of the New Orleans incident it was just so easy to perpetrate it was just so um you know anything from the most recent the monoral lighting to you know the Christmas tree lighting to all that and and the um the Chamber of Commerce event yep chamber the the the Muslim the Muslim holidays are coming you know very soon and that gets a big so I just think I think it'd be shocked if someone sent me a series and I want to thank the East Mountain residents who in the security business who sent me a series of photos and I went and kind of be shocked how many places in the city already have them that we don't even realize that that's the security purpose is the so um I want to put this because I want to get this moving I I really don't want to prove any more large scale events there until we get this done first I think we need to do this to protect the residents so thanks for getting this on the agenda I like the idea of to yeah the be more pleasing yeah um okay item number eight discussion approval no place for hate docum Proclamation will be read on Monday January 20th 2025 and auto of Dr M Mountain Luther King Jun and that will be is a conquer Baptist again am I correct you don't know I I'm pretty sure don't the time I usually is that um Lynn is that already drawn so I just need a motion to approve it so could I have a motion then a second I'll make a motion to approve um the no place for hate proclamation to be read on Monday January 20th 2025 in honor of Dr Martin Luther King J motion B I miss second by Miss muster all those in favor I very good number nine we're getting there at I 850 were you an eye on that were you an okay okay uh discussion approval meeting minutes December 17 2024 and December 23rd 2024 we met on December 23rd oh yeah we did okay we split these because Aaron wasn't uh you weren't at the 23rd one right that was the vote that was the is that the vote yeah so let's first Zoom one that we did so I'll make a motion to approve the minutes uh dated December 17th 2024 second second Miss must all those in favor I abstain M abstain Miss Bradley Miss Bradley my bad my bad next one go I'll make a motion to approve the meeting minutes dated December 23rd 2024 I'll second second Miss must all those in favor I miss Bradley Mr Milan Al administrator's report thank you Mr chair um just kind of recapping uh we had obviously we're open for business through the holidays but some skeleton crews in our town department so um thanks for everybody's uh you know the phones weren't burning up either so we appreciate everybody had a quiet uh holiday season um and I was able to go down to the manora lighting um I know missbo was there as well so it was great to see uh Rabbi Benjamin um he led us in a an secular celebration of the holiday and he made a very clear point that it was such um and there was some singing involved um um and that was great so um just a an update if you put your if you had a trash collection and you put your Christmas tree out or holiday tree out Monday or Tuesday Sunrise did not collect them as you probably noticed I didn't um they had no truck in town for said tree collection so uh they were uh called today we expect a truck tomorrow so leave it out um it's a weeklong collection so they'll be um in town tomorrow and then if they are stragglers after the fact call down to DPW and we will help you out um just ah head I know folks are probably aware of this but MBT community's um Supreme Judicial Court decision has yet to come down um the SJC posts a notice every morning at 8 if if a decision is going to come out that day um so you can follow along if you like but um not yet so I've started to get a couple questions if decisions come up so I just wanted to flag that um Building Commissioner Joe hu last day in Milton was Friday um he took a position in the town of Millis um which was drastically closer to home he lives in Rhode Island um so while we are set see go we understand uh the quality of life with um a 20-minute commute versus an hour and a half commute um so the department is um will be posting that Building Commissioner position uh the town engineer position is posted um if folks are interested in a local Town engineer position and then um obviously director planning Community Development um Cheyenne continues to do a good job leading that department in Tim's um absence um but that position is posted um if folks are interested um the East Milton Fire Station is out to bid bids are due I think it's January 20th so we should have the new East fire station the new East fire station for construction of a new East mil fire station out to bid bids are due January 20th um so we'll be able to report to the board most likely at our next next meeting as uh the results of that bid um probably won't award a contract but um expect to see some action on that front uh we did Clos the East Milton existing East Milton Fire Station request for expressions of Interest process got some feedback we're we're working on a summary for the select board um and some suggested next steps on that um going back to a couple of developers with a couple followup questions about that um and we'll um Circle back uh I just want to note that 936 Brill Road 40b Project has started um clearing that site so um the ice house if people have been driven by it lately is they got a sign up starting to Market their units um yep that's pretty good 7-Eleven Randol a is well underway 440 Granite which not a 40b but a project is well underway over in East milon has some units though do have three units few units there a couple commercial going in at theill uh at the Ice House the ice house yeah that's I there's a commercial space I have not heard have um but these projects coming in East Milton 40b we know we expect they submitted per building permit information um they're hoping to start demolition in February and then 728 Rand a which recently changed hands um as well we expect to commence permitting so these projects are are coming slowly but surely um that was really it for me Mr chair do you know anyone owns any nail salons we think we could use some more mil I know I should say that just I'm only repeating what's been said to me so many times in the past two weeks I apologize um not to say they're not important my wife and daughters be yelling at me um my father goes every couple weeks you get P pedicure pic pic I'm thinking of doing that ex he loves it all right all right all right let's get back on topic I have no report I have no report public comment response we do not have any future meeting dates although Mr chair sry we should all congratulate you on swear congratulations congratulations than very humbling very surreal and and I I do want to it's funny MBTA a lot all today it's all I it's all it's I was like all today people asking me about it but just um and again I I do want to thank I know I mentioned earlier I really want to thank and I know I just got there but Matt Don from MSP like the people on msba the site team that came out everyone um treasure Goldberg's office that it was a it's a 50/50 shot either get in you didn't get in and we were one many people thought we win and I thank everyone who commented and worked on that I really Co my colleague Bill Drisco who did a lot behind the scenes that no one even know about so um that's it future um future dates so Tuesday January 21st and or Tuesday January 28th Andor does it say and it does say and why does that say I'm on the 21st so I'd prefer to the 28th oh that's why so that's okay so the 28th would be the normal the normal because we're off usually second we're second and fourth so let's is just with everything going on I didn't know if this SP time because we have a few outstanding articles for the warrant that have not been approved for us to put on the warrant if we go on the 28th is that too late so the planning board isn't meeting again until the 23rd oh yeah that's so those articles won't come in so so we have to meet on the 28th either way wait I think this Board needs to meet on 28th regardless okay okay and if we had to do a quick Zoom meeting just to approve those out reopen the war well we'll be okay since they're me 20 they'll be after the fact means they're going to get to the warrant committee so it'll be the two the lighting ones and then whatever the planning board adus and site plan if they finalize those correct adus right okay sorry I forgot that so we're not doing the 21st we're doing the 28th correct which puts us back on schedule right right okay okay I was wondering about that a week early so we're off someone's going someone's going on a field trip just around the corner well I that field trip because it fit within our usual schedule if anybody would like to fly for 26 hours in my place I have my yes um so it would be the 28th and then we would do the 11th the 11th so we're back to second and fourth okay my calendars have been all messed up second and again we may need depending on where the board's voting at on terms of the budget and override not if there may need to be a meeting sooner than after the 28th not wait until February 11th I guess but I think we can determine on the 28th once I'm back back yeah would yeah I don't think so just a week we can do all that stuff on the 28th and still be in good shape okay okay moving 11 but maybe sooner moving right that would be an extra John there um moving right along at 8:59 motion to adjourn I'll make a motion to adjourn second second Mr Goan all those in favor hi thank you all thank you everyone at home stay warm bundle up we're having an exceptionally cold winter here yes um thank you have a good night [Music] he he [Music]