all right you might want to just say that part about the date of the meeting okay everybody uh our recording wasn't on so I just want to again say welcome to the select board meeting for Monday July 15 2024 uh my name is Jason perone your chairman Vice chairman Diane gaale clerk Doug moglin chief administrative officer Nicole Parker assistant CEO naen signon and our secretary Lisa Anderson is downstairs running our system so I'm going to open this up with public comments and I know there's going to be quite a few so I'd like some hands I want to see who how many people here want want to speak do I do okay we got one two one two three four five six seven eight and I'm going to start right from the front corner sir um I was there for the incident neighbor could I have your name and address please because we even threatened that they're going to kill us and our families so they do not want to give our name or our address right you technically have to folks my name is Chris Gerard and I would you like the microphone I'm pretty loud okay won't be able to hear without the microphone okay I'll take mic so I was there when the incident happened um all of a sudden it was just unbeliev ably loud music and I can't stress enough how loud it was it was thunderous it was booming and neighbors went across the street and have them turn it down we turn it down I got to the you know close to the area up the street a little bit in eyesight and the volume went down the neighbors started crossing the street and a crowd of people came running out after him sucker punched them and that's when the violence suit wa sure our friends called the cops cops the first crer finally showed up went in um two cars started driving away another Cruiser showed up didn't chase them and they were still fighting it was still a melee until more and more Cruisers showed up it's like what's going on guys um nothing happened the violence finally settled some of the neighbors were pretty hurt pretty injured pretty bad up and nothing happened when I got back to my friend's house with the scanner on from what I hear was that they were just told to run them out of time make sure they leave don't pull them over and then these cars just kept stopping went conted the cops like Hey we're not leaving we're not going nowhere and then like they stopped again they would take off they brought to the edge of town and that was it our friends got pretty hurt and that was ridiculously disrespectful I was also told that the police came numerous times because the volume was ridiculous nothing can stop that's all I have to say someone would speak next the day of the in name I know you don't want to give it but could you give your name in and I live on point okay thank you my family and my friends had just left my send off my daughter that died at 47 years old and we had been at the brass whe so Mary and my daughter and we go back and everyone's just trying to stay calm and we're grieving and this maem is going on so they're like oh my God I got my grandkids there there they just lost their mother I just lost my daughter and this is going on so they go up and say just you know this this bottles breaking there's screaming there's music so part of our group called the cops two or three of them one I think we should could get through a couple of them called the cops but in the meantime they're going up to the top and saying you know calm it down calm it down so one of the persons that was with our group got sucker punched got he's on the video he's in the blue shirt and he's punched and punched and punched he has a broken eye socket he has a broken nose he has a broken cheekbone the second one got hit over the head with a bottle he has a broken nose the third one is in a white shirt on the ground and he's being kicked and kicked and kicked and kicked in the head with boots and the fourth one was the girls jumping over somebody else with us if you look at the beer you see these girls punching and punching and he's not punching back they were just trying to stop the maem that was happen happening on in South longard these guys then threaten that they were going to kill anyone who goes forward and they're going to kill their families so as we have to give our names and our addresses you need to be very concerned that nothing happens to us so I think I've hit all my all my points so I had the public speak twice in five days and i' haven't done this before this is tough as hell so I hope that everyone is listening and I hope I spoke for what we need done at that property it needs to be cut off it may be self with residence only no parking you can't let these destructed people in I mean they're they're hurting people somebody could have died they could had a knife they could had a gun anything could have happened one long punch if you watch that video they're punched and punched and punching every single one with a soccer punch it's not right so I don't know who wants to be follow that one thank you folks that I have the hands of folks that want to speak again please Nicole can we give to the in the middle there [Laughter] my name is Teresa Kane and I live at 94 South on Yard Road I want to express our deest cons conduces for your thank you and the fact that this is not our town I know it's no it's not I did put a little speech together we have sadly naive to think that having nice things would not attract an element that does not know how to react and treat nice things we must now find an answer to the problems happening on North Pond especially in the parking area on South Road for the first time since buying my home more than 35 years ago I am fearful in my own [Music] home now I'm concerned that the spray park all lovely idea will simply escalate the trouble we've been experiencing on North I suggest as a community we take a pause and reconsider what is important to the peace and 20 Tranquility of our hometown I respectfully request that something's immediately done to the parking area on North on South Long Yard Road it's in my front yard it's in my front yard and I had my husband out front and I'm saying come back in the house I don't want a straight Bulet to hit you I don't want this to come onto our property and hurt us my grandsons can't play outside because there are still people speeding up and down self on yard road trying to avoid the police trying to catch up opportunity to park please do something immediately to address thank you next interested party hi my name is Christa pan I'm at 84 South longard Road um I was one of the callers for the noise complaint and honestly I believe that if people didn't call for the noise complaint those men would have been killed they had them out in the middle of the road feating them senseless and it was about 30 to three people and on top of that when that female cop or whenever the the cop showed up the first one they started shoving them around as well so clearly there's a lack of regard for for any type of authority but also just now it is a matter of like she said I don't feel safe in my home I watched this from the front yard from the window um it was terrifying it was absolutely terrifying to see what they were doing to these guys and you know my daughter goes up to the street to play with her friends a couple houses up I will not all let or walk there anymore my kids are not allowed to go across the street anymore because the night before there was another incident the place is trashed over there it's a beautiful location but just a complete lack of regard for any type of Authority or just anything with that situation it could have been 10 times worse and it was terrifying at what it was just then so I agree I think the place needs to be shut down there should be no parking there um there should be no access to anybody outside of souck at this point I don't feel more hi my name is Laura White I live at 96 South longard I also witnessed the incident it was as everybody has said it was terrifying to watch I was also one of the n911 callers to report the nor incident my children are also not allowed to go over there they live across the street and we can't send our kids over there and assume that they're going to be saved I took a walk over after this happened it's trash over there there's glass everywhere the first thing on the sign when you walk in is no glass bottles no litter that's all they do over there we do we have to shut it down we have to make it safe for our kids to live here safe for our grandchildren to play in the yards and not be feared that we might have a straight bullet come through our house because we have people partying in a parking lot this isn't a party this is a conservation area we need to respect wherever you go respect your neighbors and I agree on the on the splash pad I think it's going to bring the wrong element into town it we need to take a pause and really revisit this farming community that we are than Lynch 86 South Road I'm thankful I wasn't home Saturday night again this is directly across the street from my home I've been a town resident I was born here in 1980 I left her bit came back when this was put in place more than four years ago the noble idea Save North it was Noble is failed tremendously we are not safe in our own driveway at this point people speed up and down our road the cars in and out of that parking lot peeling out at all hours of the night a waste of town Poli resources constantly over there we're tired of it something has to change the parking area needs to be shut down again my kids they have friends in Granado they can't safely walk over there anymore I have to have them cut through my neighbor's yard to do so please do something about this please get rid of that parking area again it was Noble it was a beautiful idea we voted for it it's not working any longer it's not safe I don't go there any longer I used to walk over there it was so fun to walk over there I can't do that and it's across the street from my own home you've got to do something thank you hi my name is Susan demoris my family and I live at 88 South longard Road which again is directly across the street from the parking lot and we were not home when all this happened we were at a family function my braing camera went off I looked and I see a guy getting beat up in the front of my house which I thought was apoll I couldn't believe it didn't think anything like this would ever happen in my front yard so I did call the police and they said oh are you calling about the fight yes I am please send someone right away I have this on video on my rooming you need it there's my phone number it was terrifying and it was just out of control and totally disrespectful I agree with her the idea was good to have this park for everyone it was a great idea good intentions it's gone the wrong way and it's gone way overboard we're terrified and we're afraid to save things to people I've got a pool I'm afraid they're gonna come over and just start using my pool and if somebody drowns what am I going to do you know I have cameras all over the place now because I'm afraid they're going to come over and if I say something I don't want them to retaliate in my house it's great my my fence my house it's scary so you know we're all for closing this place I'm sad to say that but it's just out of control people have gotten hurt it's got to stop next speaker the other 140 Summer Drive so I'm not here to tell you what to do okay yes we save that property so it would be a beautiful natural place the water would stay relatively clean and there wouldn't be any buildup of population on that side it's probably one of the last natural assets that we have on the lake it works to a point I know none of you live there but we do so what we've seen probably in the past two years is an overrun of a population that I'm going to call thugs I don't care what color you are you act like a thug you're a thug and that seems to be what's coming into their areas where they live up above in that parking lot area everybody's got a cell phone it's a nice place to jump in the water hot right now everybody wants to be in the water I get it okay but because of the thug element that's coming in there it's getting trashed it's getting ruined and now we got the thug element in the street beating our neighbor these are your taxpayers they don't live on the lake a lot of them but they're right above it and it's affecting them it's affecting the people the lady Lisa I don't know if she's here tonight it's affecting her if you didn't see her camera footage you've got kids walking right down her driveway it's posted private property right down her driveway not a care in the world set off her house alarm and just stand there like statues really that's very disrespectful they cut through my yard I see them with their towels I've seen them cut right through the big house in front of me his fence to go right through his property the property next to that to get over there you know we used to know our neighbors these are not our neighbors we don't know where these kids come from we don't know these people I'm hearing there's a lot of Connecticut license plates that are up at that parking area heard it from the people and I'm really upset but I know there are rules regulations and things to follow and it's going to take a village not just you through to make this right you have to listen to these people your constituents you've got a police chief you've got a Conservation Commission you've got Lake management all of these groups need to come together to come to some sort of solution that we don't have this problem we've got quads but we don't have the man power to use them unless it's an emergency situation a fire God forbid somebody falls off the cliff on the mountain okay but you also got other police agencies in hon County whether it's the sheriff's office or some other entity that I call the Quad Squad I think if you put an element of an appearance of law enforcement in that area the thugs are going to go they don't want to be in law with law enforcement they don't want to be told what to do and maybe just maybe the neighbors would feel this much safer safer after going through this tragedy that happened over the weekend so I wanted to come to you to say listen we need to come together here we need a resolution maybe the next meeting you have rep you have uh somebody from concom you have somebody from Lake management here let's work together but let's make this right so people feel safe thank you f outside you can let them in there's also some room scattered chairs through here I just don't want to take away from people speaking and get up hang on one second I just want to try to get some more chairs to let more people in the room got and I don't want to be moving around while you're giving you the anybody another one for you also make sure cracks yeah I nobody to sit come sit in the front row thank you Mr chairman thank you ma'am I'm Lisa Bailey I live at 19 north um so unlike most of the folks here I'm not up top I'm actually my property ABS the conservation land on a couple of sides I had a little bit of different Viewpoint and I got to watch these people all day long um I've been watching groups like this for years um this particular group um it was a large group there's 25 or 30 of them I'm also the one who posted the video of the woman walking through my backyard and up onto my property she was a woman from that group it is the fourth incident I've had this year of somebody coming from across the way over to my property and up onto my land um I kindly asked her to leave in hindsight I shouldn't have done that I'd spoken with a couple of the officers over this weekend um and in hindsight I should kind of stand back and let them address it but I've also had groups of people cutting through we have had cars coming down endlessly and I think it's not um it's not so much that we need to close that area but we Al also need to mitigate where are we going to put all these people because they're going to keep coming or we need to do something to keep them from coming North Pond Road has cars that just park there they just drive past five private way signs private way no trespassing no Lake access we have in a multitude of locations and two car looks for down there this weekend and I'm out back with this woman who walked in my backyard and my 16-year-olds in the driveway wondering what's going on there I live behind myself and I feel unsafe um again I shouldn't approach a swim in hindsight but it has happened on numerous occasions I went there the next morning and I filled my kayak to the top with what was left behind and I took pictures of that group and I take pictures on a regular basis not to be a jerk but for my own safety I want to know who's over there it's just something that I do if I feel something's getting a little bit hairy scary I take photographs I have cameras all around my house it's for my own safety and 90% of what you see in those pictures was left behind on that land it was deflated you know floaties there was diapers there was food I now have a new grill they left a grill over there it is now on the back of my dock I'm accomplishing it in a grill but I fill to the top broken bottles everywhere broken bottles and we really really need to do something your officers do a wonderful job in this town there's just not enough and I ran into that when I had them at my house Sunday night and he said look you know he's trying to help me out Sunday night we have a couple of boats out there that were getting really really wiy over on the land and he said I can't jump in the water and go over there I understand that I understand that you can't be in two places at once we also have Sheriff presents out there all weekend which is great and I had a talk with them this weekend too but it's not they're not getting to the land nobody is really looking at the land the sheriff is going around on the water and he's watching out for the boats that are on the water nobody's walking that property so it's a free-for all I mean these people even set up cones all the way across to keep the boats from going over there they goned off the whole area while they were down there to keep the boats from going over there we're missing the presence on land and this year I like I told the officers on Sunday I have hit my limit normally I'm okay you go away this has just been out of contr door so we all need to do it together it's not just going to be you guys as said we all need to work on this together but we have to do something thank you anyone 152 um a lot of par and soul and effort was put into preserving that property um as someone took pival role this breaks my heart to see our residents scared of their own homes and hurt but I I believe in what we did I believe it was right and I stand behind it and I just think that we all exactly what Miss Hani said need to work together we need to work hard to make things right over there there are different issues that are going to involve the different boards and committees I thank very very deeply from my heart our South commun and the other responding um police departments that did manage that situation it's terrifying for us it has to be terrifying for them um and they go in and they do it and so very much appreciated and I don't think we can expect our select board or PD or anybody to do it themselves um I think the boards and commities all working together and concom and is there a way that we can do anything as Citizens organizations that we could come up with who work kind landwards I mean yes we shouldn't be approaching crowds of people or Vy people but is there something that citizens and volunteers could do more of I know there's tons of people already that are over there cleaning up that property um but we used to have for years an open space and rack committee um so at some point that was I guess dissolved we have a plan but we don't have that committee anymore and that committee helps take care of our ecological and recreational resources so I'm hoping that could be maybe something the board looks into and maybe there's a reason for that that I don't know um but those were just some thoughts that I had some land stewards or that committee to come back together again there has to be eyes and ears if we don't let the re know when things are happening over there they can't respond to and help us um and so I know people are reluctant to call you don't want to wreck anybody's day and ruin their fund we want people to enjoy the property but it has to be done safely and respectfully so I'm hoping there's a way we can work together and I again would offer that I would be willing to help if possible if there's anything I could do I know there a lot of other people that would be too if it's not something that you know puts us In Harm's Way or or whatever but um you know thank you to everybody for coming tonight it's hard to speak in public and it's important for all the boards and committees to know what everyone's going through but it's also really important we try to work together as much as possible and take care of this beautiful property and take care of each other thank you anyone else in the [Music] audience you just recognize it that's fine Jo could you unmute I did oh there we go go ahead we can hear you hold on one second J blank 38 Reservoir Road and I think a lot of people including Town residents don't really understand what the purpose of this land is to be used for and I went on the town's website today and I'll just quickly read permitted uses it's for Passive Recreation it's not for boating there it's not for swimming there it's for hiking cross country skiing snowshoeing Hunting Fishing trapping Wildlife observation trail running bird watching dog walking with dogs on leash geocaching rules no alcoholic beverages no camping no removal or destruction of vegetation no dumping no fires no grills no picnicking no glass containers no unauthorized veicle Vehicles no littering no rope swings no mountain bikes and no creation of new trails I understand that this last weekend police from Southwick Westfield grany Connecticut and the state police had to show up I've seen all the videos more than once and it's absolutely it's frightening something is going to happen there going to be more injuries or possibly even worse and I'm concerned I have always been concerned about what's going to happen at the spray park where there's going to be lots of little children so I think that we need as everybody has said we need to come together and find a solu ution personally I'd like to see it shut down completely permanently for everybody there's too much destruction down there and that's not the kind of town that we want to live in thank you Joan just ask if any is there anybody else on Zoom that would like to speak that looks like it's about it all right hello well thank you go ahead sir H my name is Justin halpen from three Island Pond Road um I just wanted to talk a little bit about the boter because I feel like the boter haven't been represented it all um I've been voting there for over 10 years and the boating community is a huge family down there we're definitely not the people that trash the place we actually clean up most of the trash when we show up and there's trash on the ground I'll take it put it in a trash bag and bring it back to my dock when I'm done um I think I used to think it was just Town teenagers that trashed the place when they had fires and had some beers at night or went camping in the woods there but now it's very obvious to me that it's mostly out of town people and I don't know what we can do to rectify that but I think we should at least make it Town residence only or Southwick subfield only I just even if you close the parking areas they're going to find another way they're going to park in the WMA parking lot and walk farther they're going to people were getting dropped off there after the parking lot was already closed on Sunday and they're just going to walk through the woods like other people were saying so unless that's actually patrolled nothing is going to change it's it's all about enforcement and like other people said the sheriff boat was on the lake they probably saw about 50 boats on the water on Sunday and everybody was having a great time and that's mostly local residents that take their boats there so that's all I have to say thank you I first I want to say thank you all for coming out um I wish it was for something better um within 20 minutes of this happening I had emails messages videos coming to me I've heard all I agree we need to do something with it my you all know what I do uh you know I've got Chief banish and everything else here I agree with everybody that needs to be for now shut down we need to figure out what to do with it uh I've already reached out to environmental police Lieutenant solomani um they're I've gota it's this isn't my job to do I got to give that to Chief banish but he's already said that they'd be willing to come out and do some patrolling um the sheriff as far as I know they have their at Brett do they have an ATV unit for have access okay so I know he was working on that because Lieutenant solman was training some of them and it's until we get boots on the ground there it's absolutely right it needs to be something that's manned um that's my opinion I hear everybody with the uh spray park you're that's something I think you if it opens up we're going to have to have some sort of Staffing there um yeah I just I hear I hear everything you're saying and as they said we all got to work together um I started doing the research because we're kind of I know we're in that weird area where we've got fishing wildlife and us that are involved with this because the way this land was purchased um so I when I did speak to Lieutenant solomani what you've seen if you noticed all the areas that I used to swim along the river and what they're all closed because of this they're all getting closed down because even is it fish bash or Bash Bish Falls out east or out west they've closed that down um because of this type of problem and unfortunately in my opinion until we can fix this it's got to be shut down this is my opinion I'm only one person um and we've got to work together and that's what we're going to do so go ahead ma'am what was your name again my biggest question is what are we gonna do about it now because even yesterday there's tons of people there they said getting dropped off or whatever there's still no regard to the police paper whatever it's it's was just as busy yesterday as it was the day before and like I said I'm completely fearful now to be in my home after that happened I just I I feel like I need somebody there needs to be an intervention now like something needs to be done to protect that area until we can figure out a b our plan thank you um hold on hold on hold on hold on um so like I said I've heard all everything everybody said we've got to get together and and figure out what we got to do um you know I've got that's why we got Chief banish here Sergeant Bridges is here I saw Sergeant Westcott I think was online um we've got to start and I can't make this P the decision on my own this is an emergency I agree I agree it is an emergency that's that's why I asked you know everybody to be here they say one thing ma'am name please yeah and there's also similar problems up the Grandville Gorge I just want to make that very known because the people who live in that immediate area experience almost the same things on a daily basis and it goes on until midnight sometimes have tires there disruption broken glass right now there is huge tractor trailer tires that someone just dump there's like eight of them down there so and it's just it's trash scattered everywhere we'll go to the bathroom out there I used to walk down there with my kids I can't we won't go down there anymore so similar than you have everything see make a motion shut it down tonight so may there's a young lady in the audience with her hand up um elain um 63 rwood um I don't live anywhere as near this area you're talking about but as a taxpayer I don't want to see my tax money used to patrol this and and try to keep this under control I think we should just shut it down you you abuse it you lose it end of it and we started out with good intentions but you know what it didn't work that's so just get rid of it all right Mr Dei I get you guys sign your life away so we can't shut it down completely understand that and I got 10 berries you can have tomorrow block it won't stop I get them it make them feel a little bit better and at least the car's going to park in there as the sergeant just told me they're getting dropped off they parking so it's not going to solve it and may stifen it a little bit but we are the uh police Commissioners and yes I don't think you need to take I think you can just do it shut it down not going to fix it but it'll get the message across and as far as all the boards and commissions working together I think they have been over the years and we've seen the results this has been a problem for a while it finally spilled into the streets and it really aggravated the neighborhood they've been aggravated for a while but now it's in the public eye write a little videotape now every's going I this has been a headache from day one was never the intentions Mrs Pratt you're correct it was it was done on great great theories we're going to say the water they're going to save the world and it is a beautiful spot but boys and girls it's not working another meeting isn't going to work and getting together three months from now isn't going to work today's the day we'll close it up and and I agree we don't want our officers there Night and Day writing tickets but that's where we end up that's where we end up that's all I have to say so man Mr M so I heard about what happened down there Saturday night I did go down there and talk to the the two officers that were the First Responders down there um it was disturbing it was disturbing to hear it it was disturbing to hear that the amount of resources that had to be brought in by the way kudos to those those two officers and also we had just heard it in an interview for sergeant position the week before about what happens in this type of situation is well you call everybody and get everybody coming your way until you realize you have too much stuff on hand and then you're good so thank you to the um our mutual Aid Partners from around the the Commonwealth that came to help I don't want to see another officer or a resident be in a position of danger because of the good intentions of the taxpayers of the town of Southwick and the Commonwealth that have invested uh roughly $3 million on this property and uh Joanne leblan and I uh tend to not agree very often on a lot of things but in this one particular case we are in 1,000% agreement read the CR that was that is part and parcel of this acquisition she read them to you she's 100% right passive Recreation walking bird watching you name it dog walking if you pick up after to your dog and the dog is on a leash all the live long day Saturday night I conferred with sergeant krooka and we agreed to immediately close the parking area I told on my authority I then conferred with Mrs Parker and uh the chairman to let them know what I'd done and conferred with the chief of police to let them know what we had done I'm 100% in favor of getting rid of that parking area or limiting it to make it for two cars people want to come there and walk dog or go bird watch or what have you there should be some parking there one or two spots great I'm going to ask the police chief uh tonight or tomorrow morning that we should post South longard Road temporarily on police order no parking there is a process to actually Mark the road permanently no parking public hearing advertising newspap paper for two weeks because you're right we closed the parking area and then South longard was a parking lot up and down in both Direction right anywhere you could shove a car as far as the conservation area that's uh nearby I don't know what can be done there we're going to have to look into that but this has gotten out of hand it's been out of hand for a while we've been chastised by the state they've been in front of this board and um the state has come to us and said look you can't maintain that property and keep clearing it and doing this it's supposed to be returned to its natural state well I'll tell you when you're having barbecues and people climbing up and down the hill all the live long day it's never going to return to its natural state we have to let that property do that it's doing more harm than good okay so Mr Kane I don't know if we have to vote on it um explicitly I'm and you know frankly this wasn't on the agenda tonight I but I I don't disagree with you that it is kind of an emerging situation I think I probably even exceed need my authority Saturday night to close the parking area I don't know that I had the right to do it but it was the right thing to do and I'll do it again um I'd do it again tomorrow if we needed to and I hope I never do um do please do it tonight do now well it's done it's closed right now I think we need to I get it but we have we have to do it right and we have to go through the right steps to get there permanently but in it's closed until further notice right now until we can figure out what's the way forward right and if we have to bring the Jersey barriers down there I'll be glad to do that as well and put them in my truck and bring them down there so hold on they begin to park on the side streets well those are already flagged as as temporary police order no parking the police department has been Vigor hold on been vigorous in ticketing and towing Vehicles out of there okay the other thing is I don't care who goes there and wants to enjoy that property under the guise of what it's there four right so you know and and I see it from the bab side they're always picking on the Massachusetts people you know making a hard time and here we're saying it can only be southw people not Connecticut people or these people it doesn't matter somebody wants to go there and bird watch and walk their dog on a leash and take their stuff out I don't care if from Venus God bless right but this it's just gotten out of hand you know we've got some other tree removal activity that needs to happen over there we're those trees if they happen to land on the shoreline that events access to the water oops okay needs to happen I was out there on the lake in July the July 4th weekend I I too uh you know have watched the the congregation of boats out there we was having a great time on on the shoreline however it was just out of hand and so this is something I've been thinking about for a long time and I think it's finally come to a head and and personally I'm in favor of just shutting down the thing now we are not the the the and the deed is very clear you look it up on on hamen County that land is owned by the inhabitants of the town of Southway that's what it says so my my opinion is that I'm just giving you mine and I guess I think we're way out in front because we we have to get this on a future agenda as early as next week but it's not going to open until then and I'm going to ask the police chief and the DPW director to begin that process to post South longyard Road as no parking on either side in either direction let's call it half a mile to 34 of a mile from that entrance uh and it's also in that CR that it is the responsibility of the Town per that CR to control trespassers that cause harm that means to me that the town is liable not the Commonwealth and thus the town has to move to protect itself from additional liability and avoid having to incur significant continue additional costs also let everyone else know that's listening we do have a town beach we welcome anyone that wants to use swim and have a great time at congan come visit our town beach it also has lifeguards bathrooms and a snack bar okay um and the other thing I did hear tonight and I I get it we are a great Community here and and this is just my PSA is please and the the young lady spoke earlier don't take the law in your hands don't approach anyone don't start a scuffle that's why we have the police department they will come if they're busy they may be a little bit behind but they will get there right let them handle that they're they are more well equipped okay to handle any situation that's going to come up over there and I don't want to see anyone else put themselves in danger by approaching or or or engaging in a confrontation with someone over this kind of stuff um and and I just want to uh take one more minute just to relay a story when my daughter was very young uh she went with a friend out to Bark Hampstead in Connecticut she came home she told me what a beautiful place it is it quiet no one there nice Beach oh that's great we should go on a weekend we went on a Saturday we got there they searched our car we went there place was jammed we had the best time singing there was music volleyball everyone sharing food swapping stories people of all different backgrounds and everything what was the big difference in my opinion oops there was no alcohol there why do these things always happen late in the afternoon because everybody's a few beers in at that point and that's when things get out of control there's not supposed to be any alcohol over there in the first place and we we got to get this this land back to where it's just being used passively for those that want to enjoy that land that we invested so much time money and effort to secure and preserve that's it for me Mr chairman and I think this gentleman in the back has a comment Scott Snider Bruce 25 Castle Street I'd just like to know who's in charge of enforcing the conservation restriction rules and I'd like to actually see them enforced um I live on North Pond and I've been there all my life since 84 um the lake has changed a lot in the past three years I know the laws on that property we just posted last year um I think a year is long enough for everybody to understand the rules of the property and I think instead of having verbal warnings for people I think fines should be acceptable by now um the sheriff was out there Saturday Saturday when this happened I was there s at o00 in the morning I was out on North Pond all day I ski I wakeboard i surf I deal with people driving the wrong way around the lake doing donuts in front of me while I'm pulling a skier very un unsafe but I don't ever see any of the rules being enforced I see verbal uh warnings but nothing's ever enforced the sheriff went over there and told the guys to put the fire out in the grill that they were having soon as the sheriff left the lake that Grill was fired up again why aren't there being F why aren't anybody being fined there's a conservation restriction if the sheriff went out and under the property we seeing that they had beers a grill a tent why isn't it being enforced that's not supposed to be out there just swimming even correct no cussion I agree with you on nothing is being enforced on that Lake I agree I agree with you wholeheartedly on the enforcement um the trespassing we had we had issues with the the perhaps the hunting bylaw about trespass it's another issue we don't really reinforce trespass either and that's what this is It's trespass you asked who is the enforcement that conservation restriction says that the owner is responsible for enforcement that is the town of Southwick unfortunately that's us um that conservation restriction reading it carefully also says we have the right to amend it for just cause and to me this is Just Cause so I have actually talked to conservation about this previously we have to put together our thoughts on what is a meaningful amendment to that thing and I in my mind the state has some responsibility on this too there's a clause in there that says they have none I don't believe that's going to be the case going forward if I can help it they need to help us enforce it but today you can enforce the trespass if we as a town why are we as a town not enforcing this is a man this is a man Manpower issue we were there Saturday night and no tickets were issued none nobody was arrested beond arrested there was no repercussions them for the mess that they left behind for everything there was no swimming they were all in swimsuits there was not a single repercussion and listening to Joanne tell you what they're allowed to do there they were clearly not doing any of those things that is true so that is true sing the signage also I agree assault and battery there was not a single Rec concussion for any of the stuff that they were doing the signage doesn't even address a a a repercussion for any of the violations either I have fault with those signs as well there's no penalty listed whatsoever it's just a nice please don't and I don't agree with that either and that has to be changed as well okay my opinion I want to make a motion to shut it down for now well I I'll put forth the motion I'm it's going to be multi-arts one is the parking lot is to remain closed until further until further notice secondly I'd like to request that the police chief be asked uh to flag uh South longard Road as temporary uh no parking until such a time as we're able to have a proper public hearing and have that road properly posted and sign no parking in either direction of the North Pond access um and then we need to you know I'm going to ask that we bring conservation in front of this board to come up and we'll sit down and figure out a way forward together and how to resize that parking area such that that land can be used in the method in which it was intended uh to be used and uh thirdly I think we're gonna that's enough that's to for a motion that Ste so move so second roll call vote Jason perone I thank you I Doug moglin yes I got so with this andw s g on Terrace with this being closed I mean like she said the boards has been like this for years luckely there's no houses around it it's going to push everybody there so you might be cusing future issu I know Miss Dunham is she still in the corner I was gonna say she reached out to me there's already an issue so maybe we need to look into blocking that area off this time we got we got pick our spots and I also um we'll do the research on that yeah and I want to go out um I I would urge anyone also to bring you know that we'll just leave it I think this is enough for one night I think it is an issue up there we Pro what's that I just want to recognize two people who haven't had a chance to oh sure sure uh I just want to add to your motion I'm sorry don't we get we do that got to run for office get elected I'm there's any way we can flag North Pond there no parking either I think the confusion is it's called North Pond people are looking for North Pond that's where a lot L of the people are coming in and parking Chief and they're cut through my yard we'll have a look see I think it's good see at that we'll flag we I'll have flag North Pond can you get a good deal on bulk signage over there please just realize like it was said there is a manp we you know I would love to honestly if it was up to me we'd have 15 20 more cops but we don't have the money right now so you got to realize what they're going to do everything they possibly can we know that and you know you you can only do what you can with the resources we have and I you you everybody call I mean I know you may not see them out there and like I said I know what it's like to be out there and deal with that so you gotta make sure you're calling call the dispatch at least it gets annotated it gets noted and I had people reaching out to me and I reached out to to Sergeant Parker when he was on the road the other day to let him know what was going on so you're more than welcome to reach out to me I'm sure the chief will take your call chargeing Bridge all all our officers if you reach out to them if they want to take your call they're going to they're going to I know they're going to do their job that they're paid to do there absolutely is we're going to continue we we should I mean it all depends on what we got well so the assault and battery thing I'm going to go on this if it's just a which it wasn't it wasn't a simple assault and battery when you're getting kicked in the face face it's a shot foot that's a felony so that's what the investigate Sergeant K is investigating this as far as I'm aware Chief truck is yes so we're trying to identify the perpetrators and if they're found they will be charged and again it's a it's a found they were there that night were they ID I mean that's we they investigation process is a process I'm I'm not I'm only coming from this side I'm not on that side right now so that's their job to do here opportunity to have any consultation either this is live right for all of us correct that's why like you know by we say working together yeah Mr Mr grenell on on Zoom Mr gels I see James James Kels 16 Foster Road can hear you go ahead sir okay so I just came through there about 45 minutes ago and there are seven Vehicles parked there there was trash next to their vehicles going up the side of South longard Road it's it is completely out of control it's been out of control since they since the town took the property you know it just because it's roped off doesn't mean that people aren't using it so Jersey barriers need to go up if we're going to actually do this do it right shut it down you know thank you all right the gentlemen Navy hat I just came here I just got here a little bit ago I came down the of the street group of kids come down they knock Coes down over the the tape walk on down there any told the Cs that's I mean that's what we've got to get the signs out there because I agree 100 perc but again remember you got three four officers on the street and IND so I'm not justifying anything or trying to give any excuses we can only do what we can do and I want to do it I can tell you that right now I said to people over the weekend shut it down and that's what we need to do for now until we can figure out if there is any way gentleman in the blue hat sir your name and address please I've been listening and I shut it down now like the whole you know changing policy changing thing shutting it down forever like a blanket policy for it I think close it down for now get it under control but just enforce what's already there and if you put enough pressure on these people stop so so what I'm going to say is this I spoke with our CAO this afternoon I don't know where we get my personal opinion is you need to put detail officers out there that's my personal opinion no I'm not saying forever we got to put them out there and you're right if people realize there's a presence out there but the problem on the regular level your regular day-to-day level like like the off I forget who it was said the officer key can't be here he can't be there so in my opinion we've got to find the money we've got to put because you're right we're going to close it down and they are going to continue to come so we've got to figure out a way and the only way you do that is boots on the ground so that's why I've reached out to the environmental police and all the other off the agencies that I can right now and but again I'm only sitting here I have a chief that's gota put work on all this too so but I'm not saying ask him questions right now so gentleman in the red shirt with it with your hand up Tim Lynch 86 Southard just so you're aware personally watched U and LIF Dr people off now you got kids wanding South than hey John you know that's really uncalled for you know what okay so you come up here to insult the folks up here trying to do a good job you you guys need to have done something you said this has been a problem for months nothing has been no one's been told no cars have been ticketed nothing has been inforce you guys need to do something concrete make people stay away okay that's what I'm saying it's They're laughing at us they come here they beat up our residents and they get run out of town that's it they're coming back the next day the cons excuse me the conservation restriction that we must adhere to also says we cannot restrict access to the general public that means anybody we are a little bit handtied right now show alcohol again John John if I have two of my officers coming down there against 30 guys waiting for everybody else to come in I will 100 go to bat for them to clear that area I get it but you're telling me that no one got ticketed that night look they got those people out of there and diffuse that situation I'm not going to argue and go back and forth with you tonight John you're just wrong on this one please move on Mr chairman okay Mr Sergeant Bridges would just like to ask something cars have been ticketed every opportunity that we can as far as parking blocking other cars in the parking lot parking in front of no parking signs very blant um I personally towed a handful of cars out there other officers have been towing cars out there so I don't know where you get your information that they haven't been tow but small than you the investigation from Saturday is ongoing um so any videos or anything please send them detected other than that we're trying to do as best as we can but it has to come in from a call from we guys first and we we cannot limit ourselves to it's just not possible um so calls coming in the public that is going to help us the most Sergeant 12 before Drive is there any way just here now I just passs that okay so everybody can we just hold on a second here that's ma'am that's question is fine you get identified yourself the gentleman you're going to be the last one because we do have to get through the other business tonight and I again I'm hearing everything you're saying and I'm not making any excuses but we' got our guys out there doing the best they can John I mean I I understand incident and it came to a culmination I grew up on that street these are my parents I wasn't in town my mother is terrified this is understand get Point let come in and beat our own residents up in their front yards that's crazy and it wasn't like oh boom this just happened it's been for three years that's the problem that's why it's upsetting and they're laughing at because they come here party oh read the sign no camping no whatever do whatever they want to do and leave town come back the next day don't come back can we give some give some time to so gentlemen yeah the gentleman there and again this is going to have to be it for tonight we'll set this up so it's on the agenda again and we're gonna everybody get us by email or phone with additional comment as well nobody's being shut off seeing how we own as taxpayers we own the property right we're all in agreement with that I make a motion that in 30 days we put it to a my vote on whether to close the property or leave it open I you don't have that right don't have unforunately under the CR when we took a million dollars from the Commonwealth as part of that purchase that's the string that comes with it it's a recorded deed that runs with the land give it to the [Laughter] state why did we get involved with in the first place if we as taxpayers are supposed to in charge of that and nothing's getting done so why are we why do we even have it this is why the next call is to the fish and wildlife and the Commonwealth of Mass to talk about amending that thing for the safety of our residents period we're taking those measures today to close it down that has to be the next step well I it's not among us committees and Boards here this has to involve the state this is resident safety we talking 60 days how long do we have state at the table we have to make the phone in the CR itself the process to do it it's in this I'm sorry D I step on days posted for 30 days we've taking un unilateral action tonight we took unilateral action Saturday night right if the state wanted to come talk to me they could come talk to me and whatever they want to do I would free to deal with the consequence right we've done the same thing here process go on the Conservation Commission web page there's the CR for the North Pond piece is there for everybody to read if to just to become educated on what's in that document that we signed up for when we allocated that money and took the million dollars from the state to acquire that parcel was all part of the deal right I and it you just you just can't say we're going to close it and be done with it we cannot we have to figure out how to proceed from here give you resources to patrol it and get it back under control that's what we're looking we're looking into that's what we're going to that's what we're looking for we want to we do want to restrict the access and enforce it drive drink come back thank you thank you everybody all right we got to move on to the next items on our agenda which are going to be okay are you in resar right now right just waiting for yeah just this is GNA be good all the news we got one other for now oh yeah but they're just one at a time he was in that corner a second ago I think he's using the bathroom you want to reach out yeah you're more than welcome Reach Out Friendly's no up yeah and you have questions this is Denise just sorry 65 seriously okay all right folks are going to be putting the meeting back in session coming out of recess gonna put the res bring the [Music] most all right let's go Mr chairman all right we're going to be moving on to our next item on the agenda which is going to be our interviews for a COA director and we are going to be starting with Mrs Mrs or Miss Mrs Mrs Denise Bido all right would you like introduce yourself at all ma'am well my name is Denise SPO um I have a background in geriatrics gerontology my degree is in social welfare with a concentration in gerontology so I've spent about the last 30 years working with population to the 60 and older um I'm a liens nursing home administrator it's a social worker both in health care and Community um I recently relocated back to the Northeast and saw this position open thought this is sort of a culmination of my strengths I've been a manager I've been a small business owner I've been a consultant and I've worked with the Aging population better part of my career and love it and you mov back here from this is off forward but you moved back here from Hawaii correct we actually my husband is from Farmington Connecticut originally we relocated back to take care of his 96 year old father we just recently lost him in March very sorry um almost 99 at that point so well well go uh so we have a total of eight questions for you um first of all thank you for your patience while we got through some early business so go ahead okay so we're just gonna rotate questions for you so can you please describe your experience in designing developing and implementing Support Services for older adults and which programs were most successful and why well I actually did my college thesis on a program that we had in our county in California which was implementing services to reduce emergency room use by seniors trying to put in place resources such as friendly visits transportation to medical appointments triaging identifying people who were frequent flyers and trying to understand what was generating that constant use of Health Resources and over the course of a year we were able to bring the county on board to show them the benefits of using resources identifying problems anything you try to do the well-intended like you were speaking earlier um has to be based on purpose doing needs ass so you know evaluations what are the criteria what are you trying to do um sometimes your best efforts to help are not going to come out the way you intended so who are you serving what are the problems um really identifying and understanding that there's a line you can't cross people have a right to fail so when you're designing programs is it Meals on Wheels is it a group of population that has lack of transportation resources does that allow them to get to places for flu vaccines um one of the things I did for six years in Hawaii was we implemented a annual senior fair and we brought together all the partners in the immediate Community whether it was Healthcare Providers DME providers um Care Home operators private duty people um and really trying to bring people in and give them a chance to look around and see what was available to them and educate them a lot of it is just about education so anything I mean I I wouldn't know at this point what South means your aging population is what percentage of your total Town population 10 to 15% MCE and it's more like 30 more like 30 okay you know what are the resources that they need access to and yet I have a client that I was working with in Connecticut last year as a social worker and you could not get this lady to budge on any and she wanted to vly remain independent in her own home without anyone's help or interference even though it was impacting her quality of life but through the lens of a professional provider I'm saying it's impacting her quality of life and she's saying no so you you know best late plans there are a lot of opportunities it starts with education it starts with identifying what the needs are and really focusing on baby steps in getting the community at large to trust what you're doing and that you're not trying to impose something else on if I can follow up on that was there any particular program you can recall that you can say was a success for the majority I worked with one program for about a year called inhome Supportive Services this was in California um we actually did inhome assessments on people to help them with basic activities of daily living so as a social worker we would go in and try to understand what we could get them linked to whether it was a chore provider whether it was transportation services whether it was I had one gentleman house cleaning just basic house cleaning his house hadn't been cleaned in years um bringing in a team to get a safer environment place for but that formal program partnered with Med Medicaid dollars and state Monies to try to provide Shore providers so once we identified how many hours a week he could qualify for then we would in turn either put it out to the county list of chore providers or if they had someone in the family that wanted to step up and become a CH provider they could become a PA caregiv thank you spu what is your experience level with Microsoft Office Zoom my senior center or other software programs and how are do you learn your new technologies I am computer savy I have done more zoom meetings than I care to admit to um I've not used your senior my senior s but I can get up to speed pretty Qui thank you how do you manage and motivate a team of staff and volunteers to achieve departmental goals well I my last position in Hulu I had 175 STA and we did team building we did games we did all kinds of things to try to make sure that everyone was acknowledged we try to make sure that everyone is working in a way that makes them successful ensuring that they have the resources and the tools to do some of the tasks that are being assigned um a lot of listening um I have an open policy when I'm working I don't hesitate to have the Kleen Xbox out if that's what it is [Music] um silly stuff you know we we we're all human and and work should not be something that's causing a crisis should be able to professionally work with one another and use our strengths thank you what is your experience with identifying and applying for Grants you can you provide some examples of of any that you've applied for I have not written grants I have worked on the periphery of providing data for Grants so I've done a lot more data collection to go specifically with the Grant application sir have you been involved in assessing a program needs and improving processes to deliver a better service and describe a situation where you did something novel or thought outside the box every day working in a nursing home you do that every day um I actually started a community- based program in California while I was still in college and the program ran for 11 years after after I left it um we did a greef support program for widows and widowers and had no idea going into it I partnered with two nurses to put this program on and we begged and got free Hall at a local church to use and we started a weekly widows group Widow widowers group I should say and the first night 150 people showed up and at that point we had to take a step back and say okay we're too successful we have to come up with a better way to do this so then we analyze why people were coming to this brief group and we broke it out into smaller groups and I left the geographic area about 11 years later and it was still operating so we were able to train the trainer so to speak to keep the program going but we did a one and a half hour brief support group every every Monday night for close to nine years that I was there thank you if you were given additional funding to develop a new program what type of program would you create and thought what's needed I think that's my first question um having is is one thing using it wisely is another um small communities funds are limited what gives the biggest bang for the buck is what I say and how do we do it correctly to make sure that we're not wasting any resources I would first do a needs analysis what is it that we're trying to develop um you know is it health focused is it meals is transportation focused what what are those needs identifying the needs is critical um I had a professor in school and it sticks to me this day 30 years later if your client needs a refrigerator get them a refrigerator don't talk to them about how they feel about not having a refrigerator so it's that basic thank you what experience do you have in preparing and managing budgets my last position which I was after six years I had a $16 million budget I operated on um and I was responsible for every dime and reimbursement in it um had a budget process did analysis did cost analysis to make sure that monies from the previous year had been spent appropriately if they weren't then we reeval valuated and decided how we're going to allocate funds for the following year um it was a team effort everyone had to bring things to the table put the proposals together spell it out what did we have to do to substantiate using those monies but I've run my own Corporation as well so okay thank you last question how do you ensure compliance with federal and state regulations for older adult and hum Human Services programs well um I am embedded in Medicare Medicaid regulations chapter 42 of Medicare has been my compliance handbook for the last 20 20 plus years of my licensed career um we audit and we review and we look at program Administration and documentation requirements whatever is being done we're making sure all the t's are crossed eyes are dotted and that we are compliant I've worked with Federal and State surveyors jao surveyors and done their own audits I've worked as a um Healthcare consultant going in to look at operations of a fairly large Hospital system to see if we could get their lure back on track so compliance to me is looking at whatever it is that builds that program and making sure that we're doing it correctly whether it's reporting documenting collecting data whatever it is that was my role thank you what was the position that you were self-employed had your own I had a Consulting Healthcare Consulting is that one of these company um if you look at adaptive designs I was doing consulting for healthcare okay yes I am Mr anything all good thank you very much this bu anything You' like to say to the board no no interesting Community I'm glad I came no but and and you mentioned Hawaii and I'm very proud of that we lived there for 17 years and it is a small place even though it has a population of a little over a million on the island I was on but I was on a you call them Selectmen we were on neighborhood boards so for five years I served on a neighborhood board so when I came in this evening and I saw the amount of people in here I thought this can't be normal for my job so I asked the lady next to me what's going on and oh I heard oh okay I I I get it I have a coworker who moved from Hawaii to Westfield oh my so when I was reading your resume it struck me as interesting as well that's what caught my eye thank so we call our aging population in Hawaii by kapuna and so everything is kapuna care kapuna Based Services and it's it's quite interesting because they have a very vital aging population um and because you have wonderful weather throughout the year there is so much opportunity for outdoor enjoyment and exercise and and those types of programs so we would do everything we could to get our seniors outside and active and it definitely transcends into quality of life so that's my focus interesting so thank you thank you thank you thank you nice meeting you nice to meet you continue with the interviews we're gonna go with uh Jessica tarez what of the interview listening into the other interviews she believe her name is there but that's why um is down there yeah I just felt I had to ask no it's a good question leaving she started at quarter out there so 15 minutes they almost done okay looks like they mute it's not working n you're not muted but can you send the next interviewer up should I come [Music] down I think actually yeah that we heard [Music] that's a different population yeah of Interest that's the other end of the spectrum you know that's on the same day we're gonna have to cut it we're gonna have to uh it way to M right did you find your book is there a book that fell or who's talking is it not muting you just click mute it should work there you go this is Jessica Hi how are you hi Doug nice you Jason hi hello this is intimidating were you here earlier yeah I did I watched you on the screen and spend day been a weekend yeah so Jessica tell us a little bit about yourself sure um so I have been in healthc care pretty much since birth um I've always worked in nursing homes uh right now I I was the activities director over at agam North rehab um when it was Genesis we had a company that just recently bought us out so I transferred into the business office so just to change things and get a different um different experience so I've always um like I said worked in Recreation probably for about at least 10 years um I worked in Assisted Living I worked in long-term care awesome very good so we're gon to start we got eight questions for you okay the scale is going to start with number one okay can you describe your experience in designing developing and implementing support services for older adults and which programs were successful most successful and why support services such as like you tell me oh okay um well as a recreation director I wouldn't typically um create Services um as far as programming depending on the needs of the community that I would serve um I would get to know them find out what uh their likes and dislikes were and um decide what type of programming would be e e [Music] so welcome to the selectboard meeting can you guys hear us now online someone could just reply be great yes they can thank you thank you online thank you Jessica what is your experience level with Microsoft Office Zoom my senior center or other software programs and how do you learn new technologies um as Microsoft I'm very um efficient and I don't know anything about the senior center part of it um and but I'm very quick to learn any type of Technology so how do you manage and motivate a team of staff and volunteers to achieve departmental goals um I feel it's very important to show your staff and your team that um I would never ask somebody to do something that I wouldn't do myself so I think it's very important to be a leader that somebody um is willing to follow is worth following and when you have that precedent it usually gets things done pretty effectively most of the time what yes thank you what is your experience with identifying and applying for Grants I do not have experience with that so you have no examples so then no um have done any research for compilation for Grants or any any contri okay just making sure thank you Jessica have you been involved in assessing a program needs and improving processes to deliver a better service and if so describe a situation where you did something novel or thought outside the box sure um to think so we started to get an influx of younger so my my exper experience is a little different than this but when I worked in long-term care we started to get influx of younger people um so I had to try to find out programmingsoftware it's really empowering the people that you serve so some of the younger people we would use to actually like teach a course or to run a program or um start to implement things like Zumba that you know more people of the younger generation could do in a different way um so it's really programming is really getting to know the people that you're serving and making sure that you're meeting the goals of that very good thank you sure if you were given additional funding to develop a new program what type of program would you create and why so it's it's a challenge to say what I would create because what I want might be very different than what your community wants um so again I feel that forming relationship and getting to know the people you're serving um would would be my first goal is to really get to know what they want and and to see what we could do with that thank you what experience do you have in preparing and managing budgets for a department or a program so um working for long-term care there isn't much of a budget so I but I very much have to manage it I do um learn to to Resource out to the communities um but we are we have we function on a very strict budget so I am used to working with one and also accessing the community when needed to reach goals if it doesn't fall within the budget good last question joseo how do you Ensure compliance with federal and state regulations for older adult and Human Services programs to know them you have to I would have to make sure that I'm up to date and and educated on the laws at hand um that I have to abide by thank you anything you'd like to say in closing a fast a question yeah I know I know now um no it's just been you know I'm glad that I had the opportunity to I've never seen anything like this before so it's been an experience but you're here every other Monday night yeah just in case I need entertainment but um the elderly population is definitely one that I've always loved to serve so you know it's just a part of who I am as a person no matter what my job will be it will always involve them so it's my passion to make sure that people know that no matter what age you are that you have a purpose and to be able to be a part of helping somebody to reach that is um a job that is just amazing so thank you for your time and I hope things get a little easier for you all a little rough us too maybe you should sign up for recreation or interview for this job I know the list is going to get longer thank you so thank you so time appreciate it thank you thank you thank you Nan's listening downstairs yes yes and last our last candidate would be Lisa Anderson if you hear me I think she knows the way up are you limiting me to one drinks [Music] me here Anderson oh I didn't your space my space good even meet you hi Doug Mogan how are you nobody special so tell us a little bit about yourself Miss Anderson um so I was the Board of Health I first got hired in South um as the Board of Health secretary it was a part-time job um and then the building department um secretary left to go into another department and left that vacant and at that same time the state put a freeze on hiring and so they had no one to answer the phones in the building department which was a very busy building uh business um and so then I said how hard can this be the desks were right next to each other two phones one counter um for everyone that came in so I basically made a two full-time job into one full-time job and I did that for I don't know five six years um and then um we ended up moving to grany mass um but I was also on the fire department here as an EMT firefighter and then we had the opportunity to come back into town um 2016 maybe 16 17 yeah my husband kind of dragged me different places so he took the fire chief job up in grany we went up there had a life up there for 10 years then he came back down here took the fire chief job here so um of course you just fit right back into the niche um and then so I ended up getting a job um at the cemetery and then um taking care of the cemetery and then um right after that I ended up um at being asked to to do part-time floater position in the selectman office to help them out so I was doing the cemetery and this and then um it just they said it'll only be a few hours a week turned into part-time and then I was doing the cemetery and still doing like 40 hours in the selectman office so and that's where I am now I'm in the selectman office and and now I'm here it was 2016 back my notes yeah yeah okay so you know how we do this we have eight questions if you're counting okay okay describe your experience in designing developing and implementing support services for older adults and which programs are most successful and live so I'm I'm going to go back to the fire department um we had um implemented doing with the seniors um a bunch of different programs we did sand for seniors we did um grants with Cindy we I wrote a grant with Cindy Sullivan um to um oh my God what was the grant for um to BR it was for safe um it was a safe Grant um but we ended up getting a kitchen prop that showed um if we do the kitchen prop it teaches the um elderly um All About kitchen safety um and that was the gr that's what we got the grant this this big prop um so that was um successful we've used it at the um American in um with those folks we've used it here at different events that we have in the senior Center um trying to think what else we we we go to all the events that they have at the senior center that um drags in the um fire and police they have different events that we do um and again we'll bring the kitchen prop we'll bring other safety um things um was the other part of the question what was successful in why it's successful because when you work with seniors they're just fun every they I don't think it could fail any you could have a probably a halfway decent program and they're just going to make it fun so it it's going to succeed anyways um that's basically it's just yeah okay thanks Lisa what is your experience level with Microsoft Office Zoom my senior center or other software programs and how do you learn new technologies well I never did Zoom before until I got in the select Board office um and there's only I think maybe what you probably have this written down somewhere um two meetings that I forgot to record and it's only because I double I I I tend to double click on the button and then you know um thinking I'm recording and then I find out one of my failures is probably like double clicking I didn't come here to be made sport um but yeah that was a new technology and then covid really taught us how to really use the zoom the owl um but Microsoft Word Excel those are probably the ones I use the most for everything have you ever used the my seor Center I have any there we'll get our turn soon enough yeah sir so thank you Lisa how do you manage and motivate a team of staff and volunteers to achieve your departmental goals so I'll go back to my fire department time when we um I headed up a program that was for no fires kids that were starting fires um and we had to get a group of um all different firemen that that were in um different departments and every time a department had a f a kid that started a fire we would have to all get together and um so we had learning to do we had teaching to do um we had to go interview the kids um and it was really hard because not just because you're a fireman or police officer doesn't always mean that you're a great teacher with the kid um so we had to wean out some of them that you know they were great firemen great people but they just were not compatible with the kids that we were seeing um they were all different levels so it it's it's it's hard you have to not every it's not for everybody but that is um one of my biggest goals that we did we had I created um a pro I took an old program that they used for a lot of years years with the um DA's office and I revamped it and we used it the new DA he took it we revamped it it went um northamp it was up in Northampton um we did a lot of towns all over there um it was a it was our own program we made books everybody went by it and I still think they're still using it pretty much today um I'm hoping they revamped it a little bit but um that was one of my successful programs aty okay one yep thank you what is your experience with identifying and applying for Grants can you provide any examples that you secured good thing I was on the fire department um yeah we had the safe Grant it um they started off with just the um giving us grants for the kids um and then we we we had to try to get ourselves to go into the schools so we got the grants and then year a few years later um they would um they started a new program with the seniors and then they had that Grant so you have to apply for both in order to get both um so and that stay funded um and it gets approved and if you don't apply you don't get the Grant and if you skip a year you it's not good so um yeah that that's the biggest grant that I'll do did you actually work on writing the grant yep yeah and then you have to close it out every year and do a a report back to them and keep track of how many kids you taught how many kids you touched and yeah and there's a ton of them um Cindy and I found that we were um looking to do for the senior center um like I said we did the one grant for the um kitchen prop that we jointly own with the fire department all right Lisa have you ever been involved in assessing program needs and improving processes to to deliver a better service and if so describe a situation where you did something novel or thought outside the box okay that one I'd have to go to the cemetery um um and it's a positive it's not saying there's anything wrong with it when I took it over four or five years ago but there was a process that they had and it was flawed I mean like it it was like they didn't keep track of where they buried people or the records weren't real good um so we had to like we had a choice to keep using the same software package that we had or we had a choice to start all over again and nobody wanted to start all over again except for I said well we won't have the right data won't be 100% accurate if we don't so um with my position here on my downtime um Mr Seiner allowed me to do data entry and it took me to and a half years of redoing but I started from the alphabet a all the way to Z every file every piece of paper we had from our whole history of what we found in the files we put in a program in the computer so I can tell you where everybody is was that a new system or did you no fix the old one nope we didn't even go to the old one it was too complicated it was outdated it was going to be out of um what do you call that um sport yeah in like three years so I was like I wasn't going to just WIP I could have wiped it all clean and then started back in that one but it's just so much easier to find in Excel in Excel you can find things a lot simpler I could still write reports it's easyk you how do top answer that starts it started at the cemetery Lisa if you were given additional funding to develop a new program what type of program would you create and why geez that's a tough one what would you create and why um well I know I would like to find something that would bring more seniors to the senior center um um so it could be events it could be um you know there's so much that that I I I'm stumped on that one actually I'm sure there's something you can Circle back yeah I'll have to Circle back on that while you're thinking okay what experience do you have in preparing and managing budgets for a department of program well I budget the cemetery one I run that basically and then I go to in front of fincom every year um when I need um stuff items or um want more money for the employees um select Board office you know I do all the budgeting I did all the budget sheets with Carl um so yeah I think I for municipality I think I been doing it for quite a few years so that's a that that word doesn't scare me that it's just I find it interesting when you start a budget and you start with certain money and then you want to add things and then there's you're looking to see that you don't have the money for it you got to find it in a different way thank you last question Lisa how do you ensure compliance with federal and state regulations for older adult and Human Services programs what can you say that again how do you ensure compliance with federal and state regulations for older adult and Human Services programs how do you stay in compliant with it you just you got to know your laws you got to know what you can and can't do um but the great thing about the senior center is you there's so many people out there you you get in your little I'm sure this the the um CAO um has one um any group that HR has one when n got on I know that you can go on a website and you have your peers that you're asking um questions to they'll guide you in the right place if you have questions um that you don't know they'll help find you that answer um but yeah you just some of the stuff is just you have to you have to follow the rules and regulations period no not for me thank you all right thank you Lis is there anything you'd like to say the board on the way out no no I'm good your minutes are going to be late this week thank you thank you you talk about that later come back to that come back to that we back to all right we have to our next is going to be payables payrolls and minutes we need to acknowledge payroll warrant number 2501 dated 72 2024 for in the amount of $329,700 125 we need to acknowledge payables warrant Number 252b Ted dated 79 2024 in the amount of 24354 61 we need to approve the Open session meeting minutes from 63 2024 I'll make a motion to accept those minutes second roll call vote Jason Peron I thank you I Doug m i we need to approve the executive session meeting minutes from 63 2024 which say 6117 which it was 617 thr on the agenda agend okay so we are going to approve change that to approving the executive session meeting minutes from 617 to 2024 I'll make motion to accept those executive session minutes from 617 24 Mr chairman I left that meeting early so I can't vouch for the second half of that so I'll just I'll sit out sit this one out second the motion roll call vote Jason p i i we need to approve the Open session meeting minutes from 617 2024 I'll make a motion to accept those minutes from 61724 will second the motion roll call vote Jason FR I Doug m i next we're going to move on to meeting discussion items action items what happened here we need to review and sign the employment contract between the town clerk Christina mayette and the town of saltic downstairs downstairs we are going to review and sign the agreement between town of Southwick and Paul miles for the um have to vote on the one from was my correct yes need a motion from need a motion to vote Yes to vote on there okay so I'll make a motion to uh agree to and sign the employment contract for Town CL Christina mayette I'll second the motion roll call vote Jason PR I I Mo sorry we to review and sign the agreement between the town of souck and Paul miles I'll make a motion to sign the agreement between the town of South and Paul miles look this one out too Mr PR I'll second the motion roll call vote Jason own I Iain we need to approve and sign the letter to Chrissy hops for the modification to selfic waterways local permitting program document that is downstairs I took out the reference to the commercial docs as was suggested and it's just ready to be signed so I'll make a motion to push that through sign that and get that sent out second well coote Jason Peron I I Doug Mogan I we need to approve the fiscal year 21 Southwick Community Assistance um Southwick Community Assistance Program for March 2024 invoice number 19 for $ 88497 need a motion for that I make a motion to approve that invoice number 19 for 88497 Doug Mogan will second roll call vote Jason Peron I Danel I Doug moglin I we need to approve the fiscal year 21 Southwick Community Assistance Program for April 2024 invoice number 20 for $2,629 36 make a motion to approve that invoice Doug Mogan will Second Jason roll call vote Jason Peron I dangel I Doug m i we need to approve the fiscal year 21 Southwick Community assist assistance program for May 2024 invoice number 21 for $3,397 make a motion to accept that invoice number 21 Doug Mogan will second roll call vote Jason Peron I Doug Mogan I we need to approve the donations for the Southwick animal control seler for $1,790 from the American Legion Post 33 wait a minute what we got going on here is that a total post 338 all right so for $1,790 from from the American Legion Post 338 we have $1,050 from C Carlson $50 K Fazal $50 a griskus $200 P heffernon $40 C Ley $100 D Pendergrass $100 in Westfield Homeless Cat Project $200 and we need to discuss excuse me I'm sorry we need a motion for that motion to approve those donations Doug Mogan will second roll call vote I Jason Peron van I Doug Mogan I and when we do the minutes can we have the spelling of uh Miss griskus I think there's an I missing in that yes next we need to discuss the letter from the acting facilities director Russ Anderson regarding demolition of the old Association villain thank you if I can give you an update while you're scrolling I did meet over there with Russ last week um and we generally agree that he should go get an updated accurate quote for demolition before just making the decision to demo just to see that it really must be demoed the prior quotes were vague and that's his recommendation to do that as well so he wants to look into seeing if we can reuse the building if we approve he can get new fresh quotes on to take that building down with specific okay to to take it down or to see that it h if it has any value to remain for other use just to get confirmation of its condition true condition did we did had an entire assessment was done by tyan Von there's a book about this thick about the that that building had uh less than zero redeeming qualities the last time and that was two or three years ago that all all was left was the shouting about how to actually take it down because there was some discussion as to wonder our existing contracts whether we had contracted resources take it down or we had to bid app to have it taken down and it was there was some semantics around whether you put the stuff in a dumpster or whether you put on the ground is he on here uh he just had some concerns about other taking it down and then having some regrets because he has other equipment that he can Shuffle and store if it indeed just needs a new roof or a the hole in the wall poked out again for Access so he would like to confirm that and I tend to agree with that it's get a fresh quote okay I I we spent many thousands of dollars can we can we hold this for one week and gra to get all the information old do because maybe we don't with with all the transitions that maybe perhaps Mr Anderson does not have those docks sure there was a a comprehensive assessment done of that facility and we budgeted monies in outlying years to have that building taken down and kind of got way laided with some other other stuff that was urgent or else the building would have been gone already down to the slab so um I'd like to wait a week and make sure we can look for those those docks and before we spend more money to look at it again let's what we have please we'll table that and get the documentation to do thatw it before we do anything with it see what we got next new business I have none I do I would like to know what the board's feelings are on doing a current cost benefit analysis on townwide contracted trash pickup and recycling talk to Randy about it a little bit and he's did some very highlevel looky some number of years ago um and I'm not talking about the town doing trash pickup I'm talking about a contract contracted pickup and recycling [Music] um my opinion on it is I think it's something worth looking at we looked at it once before we looked at um I know I had met with a couple companies at Mass Municipal and then had some meetings back here afterwards we even looked at potentially even privatizing the transportation have a company take that over and then offer residential pickup the cost was astronomical um but certainly worth looking at you know one other one other thing to look at too is um maybe in sort of in the vein of Municipal aggregation to is if you can get a larger group to take part of it perhaps you could get better rates than you know there's there's two or three or four haulers in town today but their routes are sparse because not everybody's in it perhaps if if there was some concerted effort to get more participation if they might be able to offer lower rates and that's you know basically the premise of uni agregation right so perhaps that's a thought um I to me it's part of my Saturday ritual to go to the transfer station you meet so many nice people and you help all people when they show up and if you can help someone unload their trash I kind of like the ritual to go the I think it makes Southwick part of what it gives Southwick some of its charm but um you know all seriousness it's worth looking into I um you know to offer additional pickup services and you know we we just had uh interviews for the senior center director uh position promise to tie this together we are an aging population it is not so easy all the time to get your trash to the dump transfer station um so perhaps it's worth a um you know it's certainly worth a look at I don't how many many people complain it's not you know we pay all the taxes and it's not even part of our services um the osal fees are a big cost if we're going to pay to dispose pick it up at the curb let's see what it looks like let's see what it looks like it's a ginor I mean it's gonna be a ginormous Adder to to you know if you look at our budget there's there not a ton of couch cushions left to shake out that we could suddenly do something and within the existing tax rate uh offer residential ta uh you know trash pickup so it wouldn't be in addition to the dump this would be instead of to the transfer I get it but if you look I mean just common to me it it it's to offer residential pickup either if contracted or or town employee it doesn't matter the cost to do that versus having the folks bring their their Refuge to the transfer station uh it's going to be a ginormous Adder from a budget we and keep in mind we are already operate the transfer station at I don't know the exact number off top of my head so I don't want to talk out of school but it's many many many thousands of dollars on the tax rate now to to supplement the sticker rate so it's a health issue it needs to be done I support it 100% you know we went up on the rates a little bit this year more than a little bit but it needed to be done to keep up with the Tipping fees and the cost of operating the transfer station but if you start adding residential pickup it has to be a a multiplier on our our cost to do it but no harm in looking at it and and coming back with the numbers and see what they look like but I just don't see how you just say I I don't not criticizing you I think it's a good conversation because I know it's been done and we looked at at offering it it's it's very very expensive very very expensive we have a company that comes through our community and for for condo they pick up once a week and it's like $600 a year are you okay I'm okay with it yeah by all means just to see what it is that it for me Mr M uh I just have one p it's really not even new business but it's an FYI I was uh called last week after the rotary concert that the flag at Wally Park was looking not so hot so I want to thank the Southwick fire department because they had to dispatch Tower five out there today because the flag was hung on the pole literally wrapped around it so they freed it and a new flag is flying over Wally Park in time for next week's concert so thank you to them and to chief chief Anderson for getting out there quickly and getting done thank you and lastly I I would like to just put on under old business or if we want to carried as a straight up agenda item is to get conservation in front of this Commit This board for next our next meeting whether it's next week or the week after to start working on a plan on a go forward plan beyond the temporary measures we voted on tonight for North Pon yeah we'll do that I think it should be a straight up agenda item yes it's your agenda sir I just just making an ask no I definitely want to make that an agenda item for the next meeting so um we have the department of reports I'm assuming everybody's went over those themselves and then we are going into Old business updated job descriptions so I'm sorry naine just got back we do have some vacancy or at least even Russ's position um to have an updated job description for that I was under the impression that he wanted or he would he is willing but to stay for the entire calendar year um but he has you know expressed he's expressed um you know that we should be probably starting to look that he's taxed at his you know with everything that he does that we should try to find somebody and then maybe even and it's already mid July yeah and they could come in even maybe with Shadow him or you know to learn hard s quick and um you know so we'll have that if there are any other positions we could have them for you to approve to to get going as but I um we we weren't ready today sorry n just W invitation s my phone that was the first time you did a heart s we're gonna keep our number one hopefully when it only we have appointment process and statuses we have received lists from town clerk any updates Miss SC so I forwarded all new applicants to the chair of the board boards that they were interested in for them to be aware of reach out if they wanted to um and then I just think we can I I hope the next meeting we can at least get Public Safety DPW um building get those done and then we can immediately follow with the rest right so we did the COA director position interviewed three candidates today what happens when you take a vacation um want to make a decision tonight why not starting no you can go ahead well um naturally through very different candidates um one to me stands out as very capable to do the position um over the other two and I'll just go go right to the point I I think Denise Bido has has the experience has the temperament she seems to be well suited to me her depth of experience um I don't know if it's appropriate so I'll ask the chair if it's if the council aging has read reviewed the resumes and forwarded a recommendation to the select board first um It's Not Our obligation obviously that's going to be their director um and see that they mostly turned out tonight I think it I don't know if it would be okay to ask them if they had a recommendation based on the resumés and what they heard to present to the board um we do in case you want to not I figured you did and I'm more than willing to get some inut from the Council on agent we wholeheartedly endorse Lisa Anderson I felt the first lady was actually almost applying at a business like another nursing home or something I didn't feel she knew enough about Southwick being a small town a part-time Senior Center and all I just didn't feel she bit that bill that was my opinion and second person um I never once saw her at Agawam North when my husband was in there and that was kind of surprising too that she had been there that long and did Recreation and all that and never came by his room so I'm a little concerned with that I like Lu's age her I no I I do I like her her energy her um enthusiasm and I think that's a good thing when you're working with the senior population I think the first lady was very knowledgeable in the nursing home industry but we're not a nursing home you know I I just and Lisa's been involved a lot with the senior center I've seen her working up at when we had the um event up at Wally Park the hold down yeah she's she's just a ball of energy she's enthusiastic she's like she makes you she makes you want to do it you know what I mean participate I think that's important and I don't I mean I I right here too but I I thought the first lady was on the old side have be very very careful with that you know what I'm there too you know you know D but um I that's just my opinion I I like her Vitality that's probably the better term Yesa came across as a people person yes much more so than the first individual um she seemed more work oriented um and people were under doubt and not leave the SE I do appreciate Lisa's personality her energy but to be truthful I would like to see her maybe in uh support position in the senior center first before she wouldn't move on to a position as a director I know we all discussed this and but we didn't see her resume ahead of time you know with the others um I really did like Denise is that the first one yeah number one you know she has a lot of lot of experience she also has a social work background and I you know I appreciate her education and [Music] her her temperament you know I I think that she's very level I think she's very educated and she has a lot of experience I know I'm not going to even tend to look at her age you know I think I'm older than her but I'd still be up to the job you know but um I don't want to look at that but I I really liked her as a director you know so I mean it's very difficult for me because I really like Lisa's energy but I don't know that she truly has the experience but I don't know what we're willing to work with and learn on the job so that's kind of we have to leave that up to you folks you know but as a director I know that Denise would do the job and the second candidate probably not you know that wouldn't be my first choice just my that not nothing against her but I fig how long is she going to stay with us I think she's still got a lot of fire in her belly well I asked for it I guess I got it but um nobody said this was gonna be easy I for you no I think um I've met very few people in my career whether it's in town or elsewhere um where there's not much that they can't adapt to a task um and and I hate to time together but I will uh former Chief Anderson I had the pleasure of interiew I looked it up because I interviewed him for fire chief in 2016 the man did a fantastic job as the fire chief in the town of Southwick so then we asked him to be the Sean director done an outstanding job and then uh we asked him to fill in as the buildings and grounds guy and we're trying to convince him to stay I'm wondering what else we could ask him to try and see if he's good at you know what Lisa told you the exact same thing in her interview right she was up in the Board of Health and they said hey can you help out with the building department and we consolidate at two jobs into one job uh she what she didn't she kind of conveniently left out was uh we Consolidated three or two and three quarter jobs into one job in the select Board office under Lisa Anderson no disrespect for the folks that were in that role before but we haven't even thought about adding additional headcount there as long as she's been there and we'll see how it's going to change now that you know new CEO assistant CEO and that roles are all changing but um it's a testament and and the the quality of work and what we've seen so um I think I don't think you have to worry in my opinion if if someone could grow into a role it's going to be uh Lisa Anderson and I've seen her work uh with the fire the fire deal that she brought into the senior center I've seen her with some of the other activities that took place with the seniors that maybe the fire department was there tangentially they were doing all the cooking and all the helping but Lisa was also doing a lot of the was just the side work and all the help to get to make these some of these events successful and you folks you folks know her I don't really know her you know you know her so I don't give that no worries I'm just trying to trying to address it and you know and I don't I don't think this is a it's not it's not any other issue other than that I think if she I'll just would I would put forth Lisa as as my preferred candidate I just say one other thing the only reason Lisa applied we asked her to I mean beg yeah I know I know people really like her but I just have to say what I experienced that's my thought so I'm gonna a busri and he was our first director came from being a bus driver I have no doubt Lisa can do the job so when I went over these uh resumés I almost feel that Miss Belo is overqualified for this position um and my mom worked in this that industry for her entire life and my sister has a PHD in gerontology so I hear all about it um honestly I have to agree with Mr mowan on this one I I would second that motion if you if you already gave it then I'll set forth the motion in the form of a motion it was a recommendation a motion well I will Su at the motion for Lisa Anderson I just want to say I have no quals that Lisa can do the job as well I almost want to say no so we don't ler um I left that part out wait a minute she's she's gonna do that too right I do want to say though that I did meet with some of the council and asked what are their key things they're looking for and Denise bowo meets those meets them today not without having to grow into it that's why I thought she was the 100% agree absolutely she has cannot grow into it no 100% And I think there's resource already in the senior center that that's been the assistant she's still going to be in the building she's got some experience that she can impart on Lisa and and by the way have a great COA too so I I just think motion made sorry and seconded second so roll call vote Jason Peron i d i Doug M yes thank you thank you appr thank taking our thoughts and concerns into your consideration that's important you guys are especially when you're the ones using those Services I'm not there yet I'm glad we I'm glad we spoke and not that I'm closer than you thead on the to tell you Sunday we were at the cemetery and Lisa it was like 92 degrees she Liv out there with her husband and another man I I don't know he was they were working out there in that planting moving Lots had the H and she was holding over her head down womaning I'm very very committed to whatever she takes on that's what impresses me no argument there all right next item it is going to be the hsic IMA for wfi gas electric ISP and what date meeting Thursday 6 o'clock select Board conference next item marijuana dispensary the process continues as hous are in here so I'm G to defer Miss scale so as we expected um legal council has chimed in I can quickly read it for you uh please allow this correspondence to serve us a followup to our conversation regarding that matter um the RFI included the following the town reserves the right to reject any application it deems to be incomplete however it may its discretion request that the omitted information or further clarification be provided by the respondent respondant may be asked to appear before the select board to present their information in person and respond to questions app ANS will be subject to detailed review by the select board as to whether a respondent has met the minimum criteria to move forward for negotiation of a host Community agreement to augment the information provided in the submitt additional information interviews Andor presentations may be required by the select board the board reserves the right to reject any and all applications deemed not to be in the town's best interest respondents providing submissions to this RFI are expected to follow its requirements failure to comply with the requirements of any portion of the RFI may result in disqualification from the review process he's just reiterating those key elements it is my understanding that you this is a response to me my understanding that you were appointed the representative for the select board to review the responses you reviewed the responses on behalf of the town and determined at least one application was deficient and you deemed the application to still be deficient after further information since you determined that the response was deficient there was this decision to not allow that application to move forward for review by the full select board further it is my understanding that there was a concern raised by another select board member that the disqualified application was not presented to the full select Board review it is my opinion that the RFI contained very Broad and discretionary language that affords the town the option to review all responses even if the responses did not provide all the requested information I believe that the town can still review a response that did not contain all requested information in regard to potential contest to the process by any of the respondents I believe that the RFA RFI contained broad language where any respondent has noticed that the town can review any and all applications whether or not they are deficient the town faces potential contests from the respondents who submitted complete packages and the respondent who was disqual qualified I am unsure whether either party has any cognizable claim to dispute the process or whatever the town decides as the RFI was brought and provided for this discretion so he's basically saying what we said we have we created the process we have the discretion to to determine what the process was we did it we would have to vote to change it now we can do that can can I have sir you have to leave that door open it's an open meeting law issue thank you sorry Mr no that's fine I can I can give it to you in spoken word in a second if you'd like thank you want what he actually said to me yeah because I think it says damned if you do damned if you don't Point does it does there is absolutely discretion in the RF I I wrote this while he was speaking there's absolutely discretion in the RFI to allow disqualification as was spelled out in the documents there is absolutely discretion for the select board to designate anyone to screen for those qualif there's absolutely the right to also allow the disqualified entrant to be reconsidered if the board votes to do so however others may also then take action so it is up to us to determine what we want to do it was the broad language and the discretion that even brought us here otherwise this would even be an issue um I'm just say what I said last time um in the I think it is prudent to let Mr jiren's application go forward as submitted initially um the process in the scoring process clearly states that a complete application as such is a scor item um I also agree with possibly what Mr deogan said that anything that was submitted after the fact can be considered but like a late homework assignment needs to be annotated you know it needs to be noted as well that this was an after afterthought I just think the way I read that it's Doug said it best damned if we do damned if we don't I think if we let everybody go the the scores are going to score out the way they're going to score out I did hear I know I got Mr is it Mr kic was it you that sent the email Mr Mr okay and and and you were you were of the same general mindset I believe yeah I think people should move forward as they submitted or else for instance we can say well you reviewed theirs and gave them the opportunity but then you guys would have to critique every single application and tell us who needs to submit more you know what I mean I kind of feel like that's just opening the door I I agree and that's where that's where I stand at it now I don't think my opinions changed that much I I did think about this quite a lot um over the last two weeks weeks and I I don't want to get boiled down in the process I want the eye on the prize and that is what's the best suited entity to be able to be successful in this endeavor being that we're only going to have two permits and it's a long cycle you have to go in front of us you'll have to go in front of our planning board God help you're going to have to go in front of the Triple C and Lord only knows what the rules will be with the Triple C by the time you get in front of them and if this doesn't work out well then we start over um so I'm not opposed to and and I and I appreciate you taking taking this back to the attorney I think it was absolutely the right thing to do was to ask and and kind of get his opinion I don't think we're wrong nor right when no matter what we do at this point because we've kind of made our own situation here so I think if we if we say okay we're going to go with what we have okay we may maybe it will be contested and if we say okay we're going to let this we're going to review all of them and we're gonna if we would desire that any of the select board desires that we need to have additional information from any of the applicant um particular one applicant then you know we we potentially have an issue there but I think during this process we may be seeking more information as we sit here and and discuss because all these applicants are going to come back in front of us for kind of an in-person interview I see it anyway as part of the scoring process we're gonna talk about that as well okay sorry I didn't mean to get get too far ahead but um and like I said you know with open meeting law the way it is I did not get a chance to review that letter until 30 40 seconds ago so you know I think I wantan to I want to have the best possible applicants in front of us to potentially award a um a license to and then we'll go from there and I can't without reviewing the information from Mr Jaren such as it was presented I don't know um if it's good bad or indifferent no fact welcome back by the way but you have it huh you have it I have it in my email but I purposely didn't open it just because I didn't want to go through it yet I have the other ones to go through that were formally presented to me in the in in the format that it was uh it was sent so I haven't looked at his in context um just where we are right now and we've got other steps to go so I don't think there's any harm in what I've done so far um so that's just my opinion and like I said if we if we we're GNA have to score that as part of the overall pieces like if we if we couldn't do this part right you know just to get out in front of if we couldn't do this part right how do we know how the rest of this is going to go and that should be part of our decision making process in it but if I don't I don't know I think that that's the best way to go and look at what's best for the town of Southwick and you know not process be damned because that's not the right answer but if if there's um there's just a limited number of these permits to to to to do and given what I understand for you know for what the process is going to be from here I don't see the harm in scoring it um so that's my opinion I just want to say we did hear hear from one of the other we' heard from two the applicants separately um who found basically no flaws with the process with the RFI I think you were all copied on that understood exactly what was required and as I said the last time we met responded in exactly the same order and completely just want that out there yeah my my I don't disagree with you D I think it's it's and I think it's to your point and maybe and maybe I've maybe I've made your point for you is that I get it and so two of the applicants followed all the at least two of the applicants from the the ones I've gone through followed and got all of it done correctly four four of them did and you know like I reviewed two of them in detail and the third one I'm halfway through but did the whole thing in perfectly and so the RFI was apparently clear if four did it um but that being said I don't I don't see the if if we want to take a look at it and then decide what we're going to do from there and then you then no one can say that hey the whole board didn't have a look at it and and and do it and and like I said I think this is um I don't know that's where I'm coming from on it and and I you know no disrespect I think you did yman work I think you were right to to flag it and and question but I think we can take it as it is and but if if one if any of those other if we ask any of the other applicants as part of the process to review this that for any additional information I think we're we're we're going to be no different than you know there could have been a point in the process here where you could have asked we could have ask for the other applicant to submit additional information and again score it late score it low score it as zero on a scale of 100 and it would have you know the application would have been bad but if it's a spectacular application I know like I said I have not reviewed it um I'm looking at just for the town really really for the town we want to get the the right app applicant cited here and permit it and then let them go forth and go through the torture of the no sorry planning board torture at the planning board and then you know the third degree of torture at the Triple C so I'm fine either way whichever way we do I really am but I really think that I don't see the harm and there seem to be there seem to be a bit of a and I I want to I want to call this out because I think it's a little bit important I think that there was uh um you know I think with all the other transition that was going on in town hall at the time I think that this this process fell a lot more on your shoulder than it it would have ordinarily and I think you did yman work I don't think I'm I'm sorry I don't think that's an issue here it's it's really not it doesn't matter who did the work the work was done the work was done right it doesn't matter who did it nope okay it doesn't matter my opinion so and and it's not the transition thing it went through legal council all the way no matter who did it fair enough I'll stop talking I just don't so and believe me the the fairness thing is the most important thing for me honestly it's not even what's important for the town is important but again I stand by The Prudent thing to do is to score what we received the those process those options shouldn't even been put into this RFI if we would they weren't going to be able to have the ability to do that so um I would be looking for a motion to accept all the applications and review for forward to go to the HCA can I ask one favor yep I need I need some time with that letter from Ben since I wasn't able to see it till tonight and now that it's out I'd like to have it study it and come back next week with mine before I much if we have to meet next week I don't just I don't want to delay this any longer but if we have to meet next week even if it's a short meeting I if it's this week we can do it it's up to you what do you want I'd rather just do it on a Monday so we don't have any any questions or concerns but I have no problem and I'll I'll take a crack at taking a look at the the uh the application I don't think this should and I I don't think it should and unfortunately I think with the way this is going to work out this one's going to be on me but I think that uh but I think I I just want to review what he said I read the last paragraph three times and I the way I read it is dned if you do dned if you don't and it it seemed to read both ways so when I was break looking into this and researching it it that's it is the way we we had our process the way those options are put in there the discretionary the may may may that that's why we're here otherwise we we're here because you didn't understand you I would have interpreted it the same way D you didn't read it thoroughly and you said you didn't I didn't read it word for I'm G to tell and I am fighting for the other four candidates for you're talking about fairness fairness for the other four that did read it and understand it so we will come back to this next week and I disagree and you may but we'll I will share the letter with you both and we can come back to this next time we meet and then is that agreed yeah someone could just forward me that email so I have three thank you I will and then let's just do want to talk about the scoring process yeah I think we should then we can keep moving because no matter whether it's four four or five it's going to be the same process correct so I have given Nicole the uh compilation score sheet what we are going to do so that we all understand the process what we are going to do is take each of our applications one sheet we're going to review that application that submission all of its content and then go back through this score sheet and respond respondent demonstrates the knowledge and understanding of the LIC ing procedures you're going to score that what accept not acceptable needs Improvement acceptable strong and very strong and you're it's a one two three four or five and anywhere in that range 1.0 to 1.8 1.9 to 2.6 you're going to score it in the range how strong it is or how weak it is you're going to do that for each one we're going to submit them to Nicole she's going to combine everyone for Pioneer Valley Trading and um 4 Holio 420 she's going to combine them all and the thing is by formula it's going to wait those answers and get down to this one scored a 3.77 this one scored a 4.9 this one scored whatever it is 4.8 from there we need to decide what to do with them are those our top two that we're going to interview or our top three that we're going to interview or are we just power are we going to use that in decision making for an answer right now yes I am were you looking for a suggestion on that how how do you want to use it it was intended to be these were going to tell us the top contenders is that what you want it to do that's why we're scoring it independently without discussion based on the merits of the application based on what I understood previously is that the interview was going to be part of the scor and waited it can be or that's the way I understood it or you take it based on what the original intent was you score it based on the admission just like you do with an RFP and then what do you do with the interview that if you if we have three that we that score the highest if we want to take three then we have the soft interview and you tell us how you're going to benefit the 10 then you give me the personal touch not the numbers the data the the policies the procedures just like an interview we got the paper and this this person looks great but in the personal interview somebody else W what do you want to do you want to think about it and we'll discuss that next week I'm ready I on that one I think that I don't just I I like the idea of the scoring and I'd like to have the the I don't see there's there's not like 's 100 applicants here for this job interview them all right and then and and we'll leave the definition of all until next Monday right whether that's four or five and then we rate we add that number in but that's a heavily weighted number in the total and I don't know how you have it figured in here as far as that goes or how that comes to the decision or that we're just going to vote I mean we did I mean to your point we did that tonight right you had it on paper there was I you know there was a very strong candidate and then you know the interview process and and and whatnot went in in a in a different you know we've seen that time and time again I think so but we didn't do a scoring on the interview we did and we can't have we can't have someone who scores 3.7 and everybody else scores 5.0 and then based on an interview said yeah but 3.7 gets it I I I I can't see that happening fair enough I can't see that happen well the difference in this one was I was going to say top three how of the scoring however we decide to go with otherwise why are we scoring this was supposed to take bias out of it I think we should go top three personally after we decide whether it's going to be four or five applications it should be the top three get whether three or four it's going to be right yes whether it's whether it's four or five you're saying three yes whether it's four or five total applications you want to bring in three are you both nodding your heads I think it has to be that I I want to go with three that's my opinion I just assume interview him while but I see your point but I think you could you could score it and wait it and you could either heavily weight it or lightly wait it I guess if you if you lightly wait the interview then it has less impact on your overall score if I you know I I tend to take a lot from having a inperson interaction and in an interview and and and making a decision based you know being a significant factor in the decision-making process so you you're the architect of this this process I will I will abide by you know your your discretion on on what you think I don't disagree with you on process this process is used in many municipalities for that reason it takes out the bias okay and you go by that and narrow it down from there okay so you want these scored by when we've got to make decision on four or five well that's Monday but you want to so you I don't know I've already done mine shock I've been meting mine I haven't scored anything so when do you want to have them done we can decide the last one you know what whether it's going to be four or five applications and then if we probably should vote if we're going to interview three or five or two or one or we got to decide that and two weeks from now we should be able to we should be able to have can two or three weeks we should have the interviews right either we decide next Monday we're meeting again on the 29th so the 29th we will decide how many we are going to include how many we're going to rank correct so score yeah and then the 29th when you you want to decide how many we're going [Music] to see we can decide on the number today if you'd like I don't have any problem with you guys deciding that apparently there seems like that one's can you can you get them all scored by the 29th then as well TR I like it we got to have them to you before the interview process because you have to get the three in and then notify them and get them here in the 29th so you really got to have them done before that because you're going to post the Friday the Thursday before I'm what's the first meeting in August you want to get all yours reviewed and for by the 29th and then we can get them scheduled for August 12th after Nicole or we have to post what the results were who the top three were do we have to post them or can we just I think you the interview tell you the top three them well you're gon we're gonna you probably announce it at a meeting but then you can schedule the interviews so so if we try to get them so in two weeks today a 15 so if we can get get them to Nicole by next Monday she can get them scored and let us know who they are to get scheduled and schedule them for the 12 or I'm sorry we can we can discuss them on the 29th who scored the the top you can carry that on the agenda and as long as yeah I mean I don't want to flick Ni Call in the spot but yeah we can get them I'm asking her to no I mean you can just put them on the list that you can have it as an agenda item for disc discussion you don't have as long as it's on the agenda you don't have to reveal who's what until Monday night the 29th 29th and then the following week we'll have the interviews of those X the following meeting would be August 12th We're not scheduled for the 5th unless that changes then I probably will be in no shape for the fifth I have surgery on the 30th okay so we'll plan on the 12th all right so you will try to get yours reviewed its forward to Nicole by the 22nd I mind by the end of the week but I thought we're going to meet next week and decide if we're gonna allow that last applicant to submit I thought you were talking about the 29th we were gonna meet the next time we meet Oh I thought we were going to try to schedule a meeting the 22 try make that's right oh I missed that part fine fine okay okay there you go so we're going to meet next Monday to make the decision on the five worst Cas is you have one more thing to score best Cas is you will have your your answer so I'll score them all yeah right let me make the decision okay and I will get you the letter from them yes thanks what time do you want to meet on Monday regular regular regular so let's see my email so my next item on the old business is T-Mobile Hometown Grant um Mr sheeld put me in touch with Mr clerk I think it was who's now putting me in touch with Mr Cuomo from a fast links um we him and I have been talking um they have a new product called a mesh plus that establish an internet connection via T-Mobile cells towers and be solar powered so um him and I have been talking we're going to coordinate on a meeting with Park and wre and we're going to go out there um right now he's given me an approximate estimate to set up at the um Wi-Fi network at well for around $50,000 and that's right with the grant is for so I believe we have to put a percentage in if I remember correctly so I've got to look at what that percentage is so we wouldn't be able to cover I don't believe all of it but don't quote me on that I believe there is a percentage so and that's where we are on that um select master plan implementation subcommittee members Mr M and Mr doy yes I consulted with Mr dowy and we were in agreement that the we think that the master plan implementation committee should consist of one select board member one planning board member three citizens appointed by the board of Selectmen and then U there will be additional discussion around governance and administrative oversite the uh there seems to be some concern there but I assuaged Mr chairman dowy that everyone's on board with the master plan and the general impetus behind it and we all want to see it you know the tenants of it try to be achievable where possible and so that's where we're at so we're ready to move forward with that um as I said one select board member one planning board member and three citizens appointed by this board very good so you put that on the agenda for next week discuss that too might as well we have for for those appointments we have people who have applied I don't know I didn't look before this meeting since I I fig out I have not that it's on there it it is does anybody know it no so if anyone still want residents so do they know it that's a good that's always been our job to be recruiting and it it really hasn't changed since two months ago I I knew that you know chairman Dow and I had a difference of opinion around this when we were kindy of at this thing it was really about the governance and you know if there if it was a planning board subcommittee or a select board subcommittee and then how if the plan or if the planning board was going to be in charge of appointing the citizens a citizen or two of this com citizens and I said look we already have the infrastructure we have the website we have this we we have the appointment infrastructure to do all this stuff we'll do it and rather because the planning board they have the associate appointment and they had a you know they had a subcommittee for some other stuff and I assured Mr dowy that um you know and I don't think this just from a fairness point of view having been on the master plan advisory committee and with all the other folks from the whether it was citizens or boards and commissions the representation on the the the master plan um advisory that everyone was on board for you know there was things we all disagreed on but for the most part we all agreed that we all want to you know have a great town and I don't think that's going to be any different on the mic and I think the part of the the interesting the challenge on the mic is going to be to get all the other stakeholders to the table to report in on what they're doing and then being able to Champion back and I know D you spoke about this at length you know to be able to be effective in implementing the master plan so so enough for that for tonight we could certainly carry it and but you know but tell all your friends if you want to serve on the master plan implementation committee I'd like to you know we'd love to have people apply and people apply and we would like Cliff Clark to write something in the paper seeking three residents and then um then next meeting we can make a determination as to when we do those picks okay I don't have any applicants so far I just okay so good now we got to get three people we'll be on preferably not on a border Commission because it's literally a three citizen refs okay is how it's it's readed okay so and last for on our list of old business is going to be a DPW plan to incorporate buildings and grounds Department under DPW now Cole you did the research on that well I I did I sent you an email I just spoke with all of the staff um including Randy and uh it seemed to be the consensus to kind of leave it as it is as DPW has a very you know heavy workload um and then just leave it under the board of Selectmen and and my daily you know oversight of them here in the building the building and grounds um and you know I think with a a a good building and ground superintendent and and me um as you know a facilitator and an overseer I think that we could um keep it running efficiently like it is now um and you know in the event that we thought it was getting away from us we could revisit it in the future um but at this juncture the staff and even I believe that it would it's very well suited just the way it is without being under DPW so we just need to get the job description and get it posted and then that that can come off of here on Old business yes okay well I'm glad we went through the discussion I'm glad it was food for thought and I have no objection and thank you for for chiming in I and and I app you know I really appreciate ry's take on it I appreciated um they call them former Chief Anderson's take on it um or interim buildings and grounds guy Ross Anderson um it was all good and I you know I think it was worth having the conversation we were at an inflection point where um you know there was a vacancy in that role and so before we decided to do anything and or filled the role and then decide to change things up so it was the right time to look at it so I have no objection and we should just you know figure the job description and get it posted so thank you thank you Nicole Dian any old business sure uh some missing items we carried the Assessor's request to increase fees and it wasn't on here so we need to get that on for the next one we also Doug had mentioned the road project we needed to make decisions on that that's not on here and Doug wanted to put the 20 million Bond discussion on what business um just an update on the chapter 61a meeting we had um which was very good a lot of discussion on that process we did have a couple of steps left we have to designate the CAO the all to screen the notification of intent on those when they come in um um screen for compliance and just like the RFI if they don't meet the requirement she needs to push it back and get that 120-day window started again so we need to write that in um we had to discuss other boards and commissions that might want to be notified for strategic reasons so we got to think about that before we finalize that and um and then get a list of the 6 the chapter 61 current 61 properties and other strategic properties um and then we have to uh decide if we're going to vote to adopt that policy so it still needs to stay on the old business until we um and I can I don't know who's G do you want me to update that I have document I have the word document I can put those got come back in front of us I still think it's yeah there's still work to be done to it what and and then the last thing will be to decide how the land owners are going to be get this document the first time around at least um or know what their requirements are from our point of view I thought about that too I mean um I think we said there's 75 of them something like that it's not like there's 10,000 deliver them in hand well you well they get the their six they get or they get it with their property tax bill right have to do the filing every year right so it should just go out that so that way they know and no no attorney can call us at 2 o' on a Thursday to tell us they're closing on Monday yeah and sorry I don't make a bad time for them or a bad time for the town so literally 7 Office on putting the the link to the document where we plant it on the site I guess they have to go to the owners go here to review your your requirements I guess so you can and I think it's 75 Parcels it may not even be 75 owners so it's probably some number less than that yeah um and uh that's it for me for now uh well we beat this notot out of North pwn so most of my notes are done and I covered the flag I um we gotta carry roads because we got to get back to Randy yes um yes and so additional homework is to figure out how you'd spend 2.4 and Mr chairman I'll reiterate my request to carry a front Frontline agenda item for to discuss if we want to go because we probably got to get moving I was gonna say he need to you got it's got to go to The Ballot Box first before a town meeting um for something like this my first four a into that so guess so learn yeah I'm not a big fan of uh you know Deb exclusions but I don't see any other way forward on this Nicole we can start working on that but we but yeah regard regardless we have to take the and Nicole I'll be glad to send you my list if you want to compile everyone else's list too for the for that to how to spend 2 I it's 2.4 yeah uh 24 million I had asked Randy to Prior prioritize his list they weren't in priority list they were just in a list but I I didn't I forgot towi it um anything Nicole anything that's so we are going to be going into executive session not to reconvene an open session a motion to go into executive session pursuant to Mass General Law chapter 38 section 21 subsections 2 and three and chapter 214 section 1B labor un Council litigation matters and strategy for collective bargaining with police Union Coalition fire I a FF DPW non-union staff and clerk Union upsu EX executive session regarding Mass General law chapters 38 section 21s 2 and 3 chapter 2114 section 1B and exception number two move to go into executive session to conduct collective bargaining sessions with non-union personnel and to not to reconvene an open session move to go on Executive session to conduct contract negotiations with non-union personnel and to not reconvene an open session declare that an open meeting may have a detrimental effect on the bargaining position of the body and to not Rec conven an open session exception number three move to go into executive session to discuss strategy with respect to collective bargaining and that the chair moveed to go an executive session to conduct strategy sessions in preparation for negotiations with non-union personnel and to not reconvene an open session mve to go into executive session to discuss strategy with respect to litigation and that the chair declar that an open meeting may have a detrimental effect on the litigating position of the body and to not reconvene an open session and a person shall have a right against unreasonable substantial or serious interference with the Privacy suprior Court shall have jurisdiction and Equity to enforce such right and in connection therewi to award damages make a motion to and I'll second it LO call vote Jason Fon I