thank you everyone um I'd like to welcome David thank you David thank you David thanks for having me steals he's our new assistant Town Administrator welcome aboard thank you very much um public comment uh we're going to receive or Communications from members of the public members of the public May address the select board for up to 3 minutes select board shall not engage in discussion on topics raised during public comment but may choose to add the topic to a future agenda this agenda segment will be limited to 15 minutes do we have any public comment see none board and committee reports there are none grants gifts and donations there are none no public hearings new business first item is the vice chair I'm going to pass over to Bill to give us some updates on the witi process updates on the wi of process okay in your package you got that thick package that Sean Read's people put together the lawyer put together about uh next their next steps as seen by the city of new report so the first five pages contain background information uh procedures to amend the agreement new reports priorities which is kind of like the most important part of it okay okay they listed eight different things that they would like to see changed so the back section of this after page five is the agreement and any revision that was changed to the agreement any revision that changed the agreement I think what I have prepared I don't think some instructions of what we kind of need to do to come up with a composite of what the town of Nuy would like to see in a revised agreement if we can just pass these on Tracy Tracy too so really the task is to review the new new report's priorities to determine if when you do it on a personal basis if you concur or if you want to articulate your own suggestion for revision okay sorry David sorry David it's okay thanks very much so if you have any additional priorities other than the eight that new reports focused on you need to document them too so we need to have a deliverable saying for each of the eight new report priorities that are listed each of us needs to document clearly and concisely our concurrence or not concurrence or or our own revision suggestions we not looking for an essay something that's clear and concise use the same sequence that newb report did so when I compile the data I won't have to pull the few remaining hair are left on my head be easier to compile it okay so identify these things in the same sequence that M report did and if you have any ideas of your own re revision suggestions that you'd like to have addressed certainly list them is 9 10 11 12 so on and so forth when you're done we need to have you email this feedback I hand wrote in to David and Alicia and I set a date of April 3rd to get that feedback because it'll have to be compiled and sometime in our meetings in April we'll have to discuss it as a staff as a as a group as a select board uh and town administrators and come up with a composite of what Newbery would like to see yeah okay so what'll probably happen is we'll we'll take all the feedback that we get from the five members of the board and I would like feedback on from Tracy also any comments sure from this and then um and then if you could just send them to David so that he can compile them into one document then at our meeting in April um I'm going to probably get it on the first meeting in April if I can depending upon what's on that agenda um we'll go through it we'll vote each of the each of the ones and then that'll be new's represent you know new's response to this and then we can get it off to Sean and when's your next meeting with him Bill the next meeting that we have Tracy and I have is April 3D but he's not going to have it back by then right we won't have it back by then but if anything new comes up I'll certainly communicate that to everybody okay hbel Tracy yeah you can just let them know that we're working on it and cities work faster than towns is I mean this is uh I mean I think most of us agree this has to be done something has to change but I listened to what to what Erica said at the last fincom meeting where they tried to look at the Triton agreement among three towns and to get consensus for three towns was pretty difficult if not impossible right extrapolate that to 11 communities and try to keep everyone happy it's it's a daunting task I think yeah does anybody have any questions a bill it's complicated very it is that's all right we'll just take it one step at a time and I think we have to look at the fact that it is the beginning time yeah well thank you Bill sure thanks B okay work so now we have to approve our request for public property use special permit Byfield um newy baseball softball league for the upper green over on high road they want to use it from April 14th 2024 to June 15 2024 and they're going to be using it from Monday through Friday from 4: to 8:00 pm. I'll entertain a motion go I'm sorry I motion to approve second okay discussion can we handle both of these like at the same time by any chance just just because my question is is the same for both of them it looks like I mean April 15th to June 15th Monday through Friday from 4 to 8 I know how um the central fields in operate with our committee and how they do the scheduling sort of thing would this completely eliminate anybody else from using it in within that time frame that's the way historically it's been happening they have the that seems like a big chunk well nobody has ever come to the town before to ask to use that during baseball season have they Tracy no and it's you know by five field sry Byfield baseball softball no I understand they have they have every right to use it of course and I I'm that's not what I guess what I'm what I'm trying to say is is and I know this would be a lot of work but should it be more broken down into like individual games and win this kind of like what they do they scheduling the calendar at the rec Fields right that's what yes well if we had a wck department Maybe I'm just thinking out loud here is all I'm doing especially on and on the next page it's from April until September 8 to8 every single day right that to me seems like a crazy amount of tie up for a space that no one else is going to be able to use well I think if there's not a game on there and the kids want to go out and play and have a pickup game it's fine but um this is the way how it's hisor Ally been there's never been any complaint to the town has never received a complaint about the the B newy but you know bfield Newber baseball taking up that space uh there is no fee associated with it they just want to use the space so they have first dibs yeah so they have first dibs kind of like they always written like that like for for for PS and field I mean the kids are in school until June I don't think there'll be Little League games in April but during the week April but I mean if they've always been written like that I don't have I don't I don't have a problem with it at all okay well I think they wanted 8 to8 because the kids are in school maybe for April but June they get out of school and it's all summer it's fine I was just curious if if their applications have always been written like that 8:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. but it's not it's not an issue for me any further discussion so the softball league doesn't include the Little League there there's two leagues there there the little well little league is baseball I think they have three different sections they have but I mean when do they get to use the fields they're all part of the same group that's what I then then it's clearer yeah okay if you look at that fact that that encompasses Little League 2 F then it makes more sense yeah it's both it's all all ages all grades y they play the uh so it's just not the adults playing softball at night I think that's what Dana was it's not adults playing softball right right right I just you know I guess if this if the field is I guess I I'm learning here if the field is open and and there's nobody on the field can anybody just walk out there and do like a pickup game on on their own yeah but but but if these folks show up you got to get off then you got to get off the field that's what we're talking about and it's similar to the rec the me field that those fields it's a similar way you know you can have kid reschedule that well we no the rec committee scheduled it the rec committee schedule right schedule it but if there's you know kids out there playing frisbee or something and all of a sudden the soccer teams show up the kids got to get off the field because the soccer teams are there yeah and they'll get the rec committee will get a phone call you got somebody on our Fields so and the rec committee has no control over these two Fields Rec committee only controls Central Central Central Fields the basketball court and right the the Fieldhouse and all that stuff so someday theoretically somebody might want to use this the upper green during one of these periods it'll come to this board highing out yeah but this never been in the history that since at least I've been on the board and I think since Tracy's been here nobody's ever wanted to use those fields except for the bfield newy baseball softball leag okay any further discussion all in favor I any opposed thank you okay review and approve Comm the commercial clam license applications for 2425 as listed here so if anybody uh does anybody mind if I go through them I'll read them all once if there's one that you want to discuss put a hold on it we'll come back to it should you take just the new applicant first yeah I'll take the new applicant first then I'll do the renewals and then I'll do that's it but if you anybody you want to put a hold on it is and if anybody has a conflict I don't see one just let me know and you can we hold that one okay so I'll entertain a motion to approve the new application of Jeffrey a thurlo Jr at 164 High Road for a new clam permit motion to approve second any discussion all in favor I I was unanimous okay now I'm going to entertain a motion to approve the town of Newbury Clan permit renewal applications as follows Kyle Adams 42 Cottage Road Alex Atwater 11 Bittersweet Lane Frank Bennett 131 High Road Peter britz 79 Pine Island Road Gus campitelli 12 Main Street Timothy Castine 6A Rogers Lane Ben Colby 158 Elm Street Bob Colby 171 Hay Street Charlie Colby 142 High Road Charles Kobe Jr 56r Central Street Gavin Colby 56r Central Street Laura Colby 171 Hay Street Mason Colby 56 R Central Street Jay Dodge 45 Fruit Street Joshua Dodge 45 Fruit Street David Elwell 48 Fruit Street Robert forer 15 Spring Hill Road Zachary fornier 12 Wayside Avenue Jacob France one hawkk Haven way Fred Hoy Strat 35 Old Rally Road Jeffrey s janen uh 324th Street Alex Alexander Maxon seven Meers Lane Noah marrow 133 High Road Alex montario two Hanover Street David Morris 19 19 Main Street Cody Nixon 32 Forest Street Michael Nixon 32 Forest Street stre William L pulis Jr 48 Cottage Road uh John W short 120 Main Street will short 145 Main Street Paul thistlewood 26 Central Street Peter a thistlewood 26 Central Street John K thistlewood III 53b Main Street Jeffrey a thurlo 164 High Road Timothy West 7R Moody Street Thomas White 36 downfall Road and Steven Wood 9 lent Street motion to approve is read second second okay any discussion on these all in favor I any opposed no okay okay next we have to approve an abcc application Amendment a change of liquor license classification in determination cost this is for the Oldtown Country Club 25 marab in Newbery they're going to update their existing license category from wine and Malt Beverages to wine and Malt Beverages with cordial and Liquors I'll entertain a motion Mo approve second okay any discussion on this um didn't we we already tag the fee right for the for the liquers so that's been that's been done already yeah cuz we knew this was coming CU yeah so so cuz I just read in here that we were we're supposed to like assess The Cordial fee but we've already done that yeah I think it's $200 it's 450$ 450 thank you David it's $450 for this we created a whole new right a new category yeah all right any any further discussion I have a motion in a second don't I yes you do okay okay no further discussion all in favor I any opposed no okay thank you okay next we have some appointments uh to the newb cultural Council uh we have Alain motion to appoint Barb Lucy to the Newbery cultural Council it's really it's not Lucy it's l l l l okay what happened tell you the last name is oh yeah here we go okay um motion to approve Bob Luby on the Lu cultural Council there a second oh wow actually you know yeah you're right in the uh in the agenda the name is wrong I'm just reading down I I don't know should we fix app no better here it's okay as long it's okay I see the difference it's just a typo I'll second uh bill okay so I have a motion in a second to appoint Barb Luby to the Newber cultural Council any further discussion all in favor just make sure David that appointment slip is right thank you okay and then I'll entertain a motion to appoint Heidi Fram to the Newbury cultural Council motion to appoint second I any discussion on this I think Heidi was on there at one time before for right all in favor I any opposed no thank you Barb and Heidi for serving on the new cultural Council does that fill it now no like 20 something seats you can have up to that Rec C Council a lot of seats okay so under old business um nonone Town administrators report okay thank you madam chair um I also wanted to welcome David to his first select board meeting and to the town of Newbury he started with us on the 20th um and I'm really looking so forward to working with you and having you on the team um you excited very excited um he's just what we need so we're also welcoming Jason brayy as our sixth full-time firefighter so we will have completed uh filling all the positions he's coming to us with experience from the winam fire department well yep the 2023 audit is complete and available so we'll be getting that up online soon the Appropriations booklet I think Selman Packer had asked about that so work's begun on that and I will be asking the select board for your votes at our next meeting so we can include those in the booklet okay and um really that's about it other than we just wrapped up the um the budget process you've got your books in front of you so let me know if they have any questions or concerns happy to address them as we move forward in the process in advance of town meeting great okay thank you y Madam chair may ask Town Administrator a question um the employees that work at Town Hall 35 hours a week they compensated for 35 hours or 40 hours 35 hours is that a trick question no no no I I I've been I've been seeing on social media comments that the people who work 35 hours get paid for 40 hours and that adds up and it's a lot of money uh I mean I'm kind of shocked that none of these people are corrected by the administrators of these sites but but uh and the other issue is it's still per uh percolating the Byfield fire station yeah some people still think it's being closed it's not being closed I mean DAV Chief Evans was here and he assured us that uh he starts his day there every day he's issuing burning permits there so on and so forth and there's no plan to close that there to my knowledge there's never been a conversation by any board in the last 13 years to close the by field fire station I have tried to reach out to as many people that will reach out again and again and again to say that information is not correct would make a lot of sense to close that station and keep the one I mean better building is in it would make no sense at all I'll get it all off my chest well okay one one other item it's great that David is here some people have the perception that he's an addition to the staff at Town Hall I thought he was a replacement Julie left David appears the number of Staff stays even it's we expanded the role the position has changed expanded head count is the same head count is the same thank you yes he counts as one sorry sorry welcome to Newber okay thank you very much well that's why you can't always believe what you reading on social media it's full of misinformation Okay so um under correspondence the Triton Regional School District um everybody got that in your letter Newber assessment um for fiscal year 205 is for operating cost is going to be 12, 22797 and our assessment for our Capital cost is going to be $ 49,5 593 um and now we have draft minutes I'll entertain a motion to approve draft minutes motion to approve okay any discussion anybody have any comments or edits for the draft minutes I didn't all in favor I I I that was unanimous we have warrant I'll entertain a motion to sign warrant motion to sign Warr second all in favor I and uh oh well you know what I kind of blew over meeting updates I do have one meeting update I'm sorry about that let me go back to that um I attended an MMA meeting today and um one of the things that was discussed is interestingly enough there's pending legislation in the state house to um have Massachusetts tax Digital streaming services apparently they were I think 39 other states in the in the country that do tax that that streaming services definition of streaming services like fuf Hulu Hulu Netflix all those Netflix yeah YouTube TV how you going to pull that off yeah this is this is what this is the way it was described how many other states are doing this about 39 other ones I think succcess 29 or 39 yeah so what happened was when block remember when Blockbuster came around Blockbuster when you could go rent your video get your cassettes um there was a tax when you did your cassette you paid a small tax on that then they went to DVDs and then those were taxed uh and then when they went to digital online streaming service the Commonwealth doesn't have any mechanism to tax that so that's a shame so I know so now there's pending legislation I don't know if it's going to pass but this is what was discussed today but they're going to direct the revenue stream that comes from Digital streaming services to help backfill the peg programming from Cable Systems that's going that's waning that that number is going getting less and less I mean Comcast understands that so I asked for clarification on how that would get to each municipality and she said it's just going to come in as a direct revenue revenue line for for for that if you have a 501c3 in your community then it will go into the town and then the town will direct it to the 501c3 so that's how that's gonna that's going to go but they're trying to help mitigate the impact on public educational and governmental programming across the Commonwealth it doesn't new doesn't have a vibrant Peg Access program but some communities do Boston does I think Melrose does Newport does Salsbury does so they have to find some way to try to bolster that because cable is going by the wayside so Jeff not to try to catch you either is Verizon a streaming service no no not yet they don't have a streaming service I just wondered I mean Comcast wouldn't be no but R is down I wonder if that was a punitive way back yeah no no this is at the legislature this is this is happening and I don't know right now it's in the house I don't know I guess it was up last year and it kind of fell didn't come out of committee now they're bringing it back up again and and actually Direct TV and XFinity uh they they both have parallel streaming services now so yeah you stream on extended just name one just one of those streaming services is it the service itself no no you Xfinity has an app that you can download on your smart TV does include Paramount to or I mean no no what it what it includes is is their Channel services that they provide via cable it's the exact same guide only it's a it's streamed instead of coming to your house via cable right so I think don't I'm not you know I'm pretty sure and Direct TV has one too cuz they want to eliminate the hardware like the the satellite dish on the side of the house and all that stuff they want to get rid of all that crap so that was what was discussed today and then the other thing that was discussed was Chapter 70 funding um the MMA is going to Advocate strongly for $100 per pupil reimbursement um they're getting some pretty significant push back from a communities now regarding the underfunding of other the communities that are similar to tritons that have a declining enrollment they're they're like our graph is getting the the towns are picking up more and more and the states backing off well that's happening across the Commonwealth it's not just to us so they're really starting to feel it now and um there was some little bit of um upsettedness in the committee today with the legislature spending Monies um other priorities across the Commonwealth and neglecting Chapter 70 and I think it's rightfully so I mean it's $34 million if they if they get to the hund $100 per pupil reimbursement it's only $34 million across the common wealth additional and they they just can't seem to want to do that there's no political will so they're going to keep advocating for that and that's what I learned today um anybody else have any meeting updates I went to the council and aging meeting uh Monday and um the friends are being totally restructured that group of friends of luri consel and aging is totally restructured there's about nine people that are on it they're very energetic oh they're growing there were only two people there for years yeah and the interesting thing is that both both of the people people who were there both resigning so are they going to take the friends of the library model I wonder I'm not sure I'm not sure if they will but they're often running they have a fundraising committee and and uh they're doing good things and they're very energetic so oh good I think uh six of them were there at the St Patrick's Day lunch at Peter Hall and um usually the friends that were are present at those events I mean the two women that ran at I'd like to thank them because they they did run it for a long time but true it's nice to see new life and new breath grow into grow into things things can change any other meeting updates no nothing okay Madam chair if I can ask Tracy a question I'm I'm backing up a little bit because I forgot on the on the uh uh Whittier um the current contract contract I I got to the part in it that it says a portion I'm don't have to pronounce that of capital cost have we ever been assessed from wher with capital cost so that's is that a a regular annual yes event yes okay that's all I not not to the extent that you're you're looking at now with a new building no no I know but I'm just saying so that that's not that's a common occurrence I'm wondering if is there anything in the it's always been rather like Tracy said but in comparison to what it could be now right okay thanks of course okay okay I'll a motion to adjourn motion John second second okay all in favor I thank you [Music] 730