all right let's call meeting to a please I salute the flag I pledge Alle to the flag United States of America to the for it stands one nation God indivisible and justice for all yeah just make everybody aware this meeting is being recording are we U are we live on YouTube right now too and we're also live on YouTube um today's Wednesday April 17th 6:30 this is the infrastructure oversight committee um by our agenda the membership eight members are all sworn in we're good with that Mr threat Thrasher will not be with us this evening otherwise not the rest of the board is here approval of the minutes have anybody had a chance to review them so um I have to apologize I'm runy late on the minutes I did finally get February 21st y done and emailed out to you um March 13th is in the work almost done and uh April 3rd is almost done but I hope to get caught up by the next meeting anybody have a chance to review the 21st do you want to hold off or anybody want to move them I'll move the 21st if we can get anybody want second it second all second V Mr D the discussion see on all in favor I against we go all right so feed 21st is covered all right upcoming meeting we're waiting to see what the results of our discussions are if we need to have another one right away or if we decide on something we can do it later on um presentation none we'll get right into the discussion the tal ballot vote on April 9th the review it's Mari man so I I got the um the official results from our town website and these are all pretty in colorful and everything but I did not count blanks and so I came up with slightly different numbers that are on that multicolored page right there but we got beaten in all five precincts for our ballot question to uh have a de exclusion to finance the trunk line on Route Six I think you all know that result the overall results were 38% in favor and 62% against and there was a big diff geographical distance because the the send B and C I'm sorry b& e uh went about 45 in favor and 55 against um still um a losing proposition but 45 to uh 50 5 whereas the three North End precincts of AC and D all three of them went 33 favor uh 67% against so basically two to one against and the way I look at TH those results especially in the north end where the trunk line was supposed to be built or maybe still will be built at some sometime um was the the negative vote is really insurmountable we can't take this back to people and try to get a few more votes we need a lot of votes in the North End to do this and maybe we could fix the south end but I think the negative vote in the North End is is insurmountable at this point but these results are are not good just a just just to clarify is this the final ones it's a littleit final so it's a little bit different than Murray's numbers just that it's 36% instead of 38% failure and uh 60% instead of 62 on Final the 4% blanks and give 2% to each one you get to I got you but this is the so anyways it's fairly close but just wanted to give out the okay you have any discussion on that or we want to get into the warrant outles I know that was a fill yeah that's the big big thing we onon that was the information on the votes next discussion is on the warrant articles for the annual to meeting we propos we proposed three articles article 14 was the debt exclusion Article 15 was the betterment and 16 was the Sewer Commission Enterprise fund Etc and we want to discuss the options uh for all would you want to leave that leave that yeah I um I gave a lot of thought to this and I had a lot of things ideas going around my head and and I I did what I often do is I put it down on paper so I can convey them to you as best I can tonight I think article 14 15 and 16 we have to treat them differently I I I now favor you know on article 14 which is a debt exclusion I think we should recommend passing it over for this year uh simply because the vote was was so negative and I think we have to uh you know pull back and regroup and to move forward more slow slowly and cautiously and forget the whole enchilada of the three contracts for now um I see two options I think we can maybe lower article 14 from 35 million to 8 million which would be the cost of uh the first contract or just simply pass over and I I do recommend the latter there um on Article 15 and 16 I would continue to support these these are not money issues which I think is a major thing and also I got so many complaints from people during the campaign that we don't have enough information and uh you know what is the vment policy and I say well you know we're recommending a better betterment policy but the select board in the end is the uh the body that has to uh has to promate that so I would say we would should support betterments so that the select board can officially set a betterment policy uh that we can print out and and give to uh voters and almost the same thing is with article 16 well you know how you going to run this thing um I I think we ought to support that because it does authorize um The Border Selectmen to appoint themselves sewer Commissioners or or or delegate that but at least least it gets a Sewer Commission in place to manage the project and then second of all uh the sewer Enterprise fund to support the financial side um these are you know things that the water line has now the board of Select of the uh Commissioners and the waterline Enterprise fund is the financial support for the uh um for the water line so that's what I would do I would pass over article 14 and i would support Article 15 and support article 16 let me go go backwards just because it might be easier on 16 does anybody favor withdrawing now or we just want to leave it on 16 that's the uh that's the sewer Commissioners I don't think that one's that controversial everybody want to leave that there's no there's no okay what I meant what I wanted to say was I agree with Mory and it was in the back of my mind he he got to it first on which one um the betterment of information y sending something out to the voters um just a quick uh Easter Sunday was a few days before the vote Tuesday and I was getting phone calls from the VFW people having dinner actually passing the phone around to table to table all nerved up about the vote coming up and they didn't know what was going on Navy stopping at my door they saw the sign on my lawn and I gave out some extra pamphlets that were left on the stage from the PowerPoint presentation I ran out of them they started coming from blocks away I kept the last one I smoke cigars this big they take a they take an hour I I fixed up the yard I I sit outside the neighbors walk by the pond so and they're coming to my driveway inside my garage out of the sunlight taking pictures of the last pamphlet that I had and they mostly working young families um they didn't know what was going on that that's all I would like to say so I would we need to V educate the public I um I remember from one of the meetings a nice lady coming all the way from Cape card knocked on 345 Doors by herself that's saying something absolutely so hats off to what Mari just said and getting something out to the voters or at least the super voters which is somebody who voted in the last election right we we need to educate our residents on what's going on mhm all right so all right go back was on the better then that's kind of different the betterment is something that the select board would come up with for numbers is is there anybody that does not think that should go forward we'll just leave it like it is for now on on town meeting you're good with that too right Jim to go forward yeah okay all right so the bigger conversation probably is article 14 which is was the big project we started off at the uh at the uh contract one we went up to the whole thing because that's what the public wanted we saw the results now we need to discuss to go forward um muray just said he supports pulling it completely I personally would like to see one but we still have a concern about the housing buildup and whatnot that people have brought forward but it you know we have some funds toward that so it uh I'd hate to lose it anybody else have any input on on many yeah I uh chair I I think it's it would be a mistake not to uh proceed um this this idea of finding grant money it is it is almost impossible to find sources in which you could Cobble together purely out of Grant this this um you know this entire fund and and and I think I think the course going forward should be to work with the moderator and work with the finance committee to scale back the project to the first contract the section one contract and so that's roughly an $8 million kind of number 7 something and we're going to have B8 million 81 or something we're going to have bids in on this Friday so we will know what the actual number is so we have that actual number um and we have a commitment or in the intended use plan we have 7 point we have a low interest loan 2.4% commitment from the state involving fund we have U representative Kings nearly million dollars that that has to go to the first phase or we have the residual of Senator rodri's uh ear Mark there several hundred, 300,000 Plus in that which is committed to the six so this is these are not monies that we can shift into something else and and to walk away from that cash I I think the the flaw in the flaw in U my colleague's uh recommendation is um the the idea that we would walk away from representative King's million dollars and then turn back to the very same Congress and ask for $5 million and having having turn down the use of a million dollars seems like an impossible task it it seems such bad politics that was not my intention Bob my intention if you you see my my fifth item here is to you know take King's million and try to add Mary's 5 million up to 5 million we have to use King's money as in this year's budget we have to use King's money now or we lose it just just like the the Opera funds the fuse is lit on the OPA funds we don't use those they get returned in our case CU we're a town they get returned to the state and the state doesn't use them they get returned to the federal government MH so so my my strongest recommendation is that we work with the um with the moderator to reduce the um the amount and tackle the first phase the the momentum that we've built and and uh and and the grants and monies that we've been able to secure I think it would be a very bad public policy to walk away from those M just so we can round up the project just for people that are watching at home the $4 million project can still go the past money can still go the maalo can go it would be just water at this point um and and it can go up to Washington Street correct is it roughly Washington Street the water only let's clarify that there we go go to Washington Street but then it goes so there's the $4 million this does not just so everybody's clear this does not require a town meeting vote the selectman can move this forward it's funded uh there's no easements on this it all goes in the road so just so people aren't confused the water park can go forward up into section two by itself without asking for money and then there there's no cost for the residents who have water line it's strictly a grant the residents would have the opportunity if they want to tie in they would not be required to tie in at this point um there's no intention to have them required tie in at any point but um it'll be there it'll be installed um and it's it's a grant there's no matching money there's no cost for the time and the other important part is planning board is going to pull back the two zoning articles correct we are we we think there was people conflated the um there are actually five zoning articles some of them are fcks up things such as uh adding definitions and things like that three of those we'll proceed with but the planning board met uh last evening in a working session and we're going to U lay on the table the um both the the two um Bree Zone ings that are in the northwest corner of the town so um and and we think that can help eliminate confusion about is what is the why are we pressing the swords for some development reason right so that was another concern with people so hopefully this helps to get some of this done is is $4 million and the resoning which was uh which was a concern for a lot of people yeah I have a question for Bob okay um I'm I'm thinking about you know what you just said about the million dollars we have for heating in the um some of the ARA money that we still have from ARA and actually from R County can we put say a million and a half of that money to work and and build the pump station at the Francis and build some of the sewer up Route Six or do we have to have all the money in place before we dig the first shovel fall yeah I I think you have to you have to my my understanding is you have to get the authorization to borrow the full amount now we wouldn't we we obviously wouldn't borrow the million dollars we have we would wouldn't borrow that I'm not that's not really what I'm asking um because you know either we pass over we go for you know um you know seven or 8 million at town meeting um and we get defeated at town meeting can we still use a million and a half or two million to like you know order the equipment for the first Pump Station in the Francis parking lot upgrade the pump station at least no we can't up it's got to be a new one I four so I don't think there's anything that prohibits you from doing that right if we have the money and it's for the project and it's dedicated for that project we spend it on that project even if it's a portion of it yes but to do just the pump station without going any further um the town's taking responsibility now because right now it's a private Pump Station we don't maintain it we don't inspect it once we put that pump station in we we own it we're responsible for maintaining it and inspecting it these pump stations have to be inspected I don't know if it's daily or weekly but there's a cost to that and if we don't have any other custom is tying into it um we're going to be paying well no I wouldn't I wouldn't activate the pump station until we got the contract one complete yeah but once you Beef It Up We're we're taking responsibility for it once bigger pumps Etc okay go well F first off the that that whole piece is being redone so I haven't looked at the plan I don't think the pump station's going in the same place as the Francis Pump Station no no the pumping station is across the street and a new P so one of the other problems with kicking the can down the road with the pump stations here and and losing this year that we we lost and starting over again next year so those pump stations the generators right now if we if we sign the contract and to build that pump station we can't get that generator for one year okay the pumps themselves are about 6 to 7 months out so that means if we started the pump station this year we're not going to have the generator to run the pump station for another year anyway but I mean that is it is diligent work and getting the pump station and just like like obviously we we have a situation with meat works I mean there's another Pump Station over there that isn't going to affect anything building that pump station and I mean I guess unless somebody thinks I mean we have the watered here I mean what did you to quote you Mike in the paper that it's not if it's going to happen when it's going to happen it's it's we've kicked the can down the road for I don't know finance committee said this thing just popped up I mean I don't know Steve 38 years kicking the can down the road I I think that was that comment was off the mark yeah no they I think I think they support the trunk line they got nervous when it was expanding that what expanding it wasn't expanding that's what it was well that's that's this is the backbone remember I know that's what they're looking for all right so let's get back on track so you we've got the facts now that that some work can be done um the uh planning is coming back uh the zoning is coming back excuse me um couple of Articles so it it makes it a little more palatable that was some of the the concerns what does the group think well I like just make one more comment on cuz I I guess the way it was shot down is because everybody was focusing on what the economic impact with SE is going to be instead of the public health threat and the environment and so now the the maop I mean that's wonderful cuz that's what I think is the most important thing here is the public health that and the clean water but that does nothing for the environment and it does nothing for the economic development other than there's a couple of there's a couple of uh grandfathered public Wells that that'll take out of the loop but there's the whole Corridor is in that same situation as sanin road is um so Jim on not so this Loop to go forward with that we um I know we did vote about the um Geotech work the environmental assessment um we have any idea when that's going forward they've ordered it you're going to be it's on the agenda Monday night to sign a contract um but they have ordered the borings and and do they they it's going to be the whole neighborhood right right now these are borings just for g Road and Osborne Street is another contract for the M neighborhood that um well because you know I I am I did read you know the the Department of Environmental Protection on the past investigation Westport so you know the public health threat this moving forward so the all these all these tests are in AR Tean Wells so the Geotech work just like in Route 6 what was found in that report is in groundwater Wells so the the reg the what they're going to find is going to be a little bit higher so I mean I think that's that's very important that that moves forward okay Mr chairman I would say that you know just uh speaking personally I I feel you know the vot is the vote is what is it is but I you know I feel sort of a a personal failure of not getting across the a couple of points which I think are important and one is the the the the peass risk um they just adopted in six family six families of these there a million of these compounds but they're they're now organizing the regulations into six families of compounds and the and the health risk limit or the the safe drinking water limit now is reduced down to four pots per trillion and 10 pass per trillion I I know I'm 100 years old but I remember when you couldn't measure P per trillion but now they can um and and that's in some families of compounds that reduces the the health risk threshold by by you know it's down to a tenth of what it was before um EPA um has uh has said that they will along with the new regulations this month they will classify those those families of compounds as a hazard substance once it's a haard substance the risk people face then is um we we know that there's pest in in in certain areas in northest point and in probably wider if we start testing but at least we we know that that once it's a hazardous substance then you you're going to see it in property transfer you're going to see it in mortgages you're going to see it in your home insurance you're going to see it in you know reflected in those kinds of and the water the water portion of the project would have cured that because counter to what has been broadcasted in sort of the internet um the Fall River of water supply doesn't have highp F levels so I think it's the failure to get that across to people I think is is is unfortunate um and the other is that in this idea that that somehow the the state and the EPA is not going to enforce the clean drinking the Clean Water Act and somehow people are not going to have to upgrade their septic systems for the tune of 40,000 or something is just uh it's just a a Fool's bet because they they will impose the Clean Water Act and they're doing it on the cape and once those plans for each of the cape communities are in place you know they they will return to us and say all right what is your plan and either we we we adopt what we're trying to do now or you know the finance commit has its way just well everybody reach in your pocket for 40,000 or if it's 5 years from now 50 or 60,000 and that's the risk that people have one I don't want to stop you because you're I appreciate what you what you're saying but they came to us and and we actually were able to revert them away from us because of the SE project yeah right that's the exact reason why so now when they come back and we say well we we didn't do C what do you think is going to happen to us well another thing that you have another thing is the cess pools the Board of Health did move their mandate for um removing cess pools from they're not going to make us put cesspools in they're going to make us I'm just saying that um you know if they don't come kind making us put if they don't come back to 2030 then maybe we have we have the board of he cpool um ban just to mention that so I mean I think those are the two important messages yes that is it is people are facing those kinds of both health risk and cost risk and and dele know I I look at I I didn't say those words long enough but strong enough I guess some people some people don't listen until it's a critical time and they start seeing the signs and what not okay so what do we want to do with that lack of your no thank you Rob I think everybody in the room knew that wouldn't pass the uh the April N Shop it's not going to pass the [Music] uh there's multiple Avenues of receiving funds Mass Grant works is one of them right and we missed that last year because of the timing thing right so Bob are you working with the mass grants well I'm I'm I'm doing some work with it gotta okay yeah is that GNA is that going to go out this year in June I'm working with you know a prime um suspect who might be who might give us a the shovel ready project to get the mass Works Grant and I talked to Bob caring this morning of Bristol Pacific and he said you know what he what he has now is is not mass Works ready now whether it can get ready by June 1st or whenever the filing takes place I don't know well what's the date on the fil that June 1st June 5th something like that just to be clear we didn't miss anything last year we just didn't qualify for we didn't qualify we didn't have we did not qualify we did not we did not have an economic development project or a housing that put us over that limit to to do I I did see I did look into that a little bit as far as the Mass Grant Works goes to be eligible for it you need housing I just want to double up on that one well housing is Big right the state really pushing the housing right now but they're also looking Economic Development like um you had the Lincoln Park one they got PE n experient for that intersection that was because they had an economic development component that hasn't been constructed yet but they also had a significant housing project there as well so yeah and then that's pretty consistent with the m SC they want Economic Development new Economic Development and they want housing right so are we going to qualify for the June 1st application so what Bristol Pacific has in mind for that property the old Transportation building on bordon street is to build a third Edge Water Tower um you know senior people tend to like it twoyear waiting list and then also an 8,000 foot office building which you know where Bristol Pacific would be the the anchor the primary tenant but he's got other tenants that would would fill up and so it's a real Economic Development and Housing Opportunity but he's been he said he was been involved in several smaller things and he's ready to to look now at Mass works and if we can get him to produce some documents that will increase our score we we got a score of 47 the threshold for funding last year was 62 we left a 25 Point box empty and so we lost those 25 points and I'm we didn't have a project huh we didn't have a project but if we put something in there we might have gotten some points and maybe we put in what we can put in as of June 1st on this project and see whether we get 15 out of the 25 and if we do we hit the threshold and get funded so so that that would be one Avenue of funding yes maybe you could explain the other options that we have well we have um Evan gendro here in the room and he along with Manny sores and Chris Thrasher visited with with uh Senator Mary's office in Washington DC a couple of Fridays ago and um they talked about a ear Mark which they call corre um congressionally directed spending these days and there's a possibility of two to 5 million there and if we can get at the upper end of that range Evan you have any comments there no I I agree that you know aark money has to be used upper upper end hopefully the upper end uh but they were very interested because of the the potential that it brings to Westport but also Al because westport's a what they call the traditionally underserved Community a rural community so that's this is one of the communities that they're looking at and focusing on so that's we have already filed for for a $5 million direct Congressional spending following up on their visit we have already put in the application for next year for $5 million to Senator Mary and would that be the one at 2.4% interest rate no that's money so that's that's three Avenues or is that two Avenues because there's multiple Avenues to apply for money here for the entire strip so I we've been going down every Avenue that I can see if you can find another one that we miss let us know did you contact the D we cont let them know the situation yeah so if you look at this water project right this is a $4 million Grant it's probably the highest if not one of the highest in the state right this is a grant there's no matching funds from the town There's No betterments charged this is a this is a big grant for I like it so that's good right we also got a close to a million dollar emach from the congressman which is Big most of these communities are not getting this right most of these communities if not all these communities are funding these projects through betterments in loans so so we're ahead of the curve right now on this but there's no Silver Bullet right we'll search for the Silver Bullet but we haven't found it yet I don't think other communities let me finish I don't think other communities have either so at some point we're going to have to realize that we're going to have to fund the majority of this or a good portion of it ourselves and at the same time we will search for Grants and we'll search for funding we won't give that up but we have to accept that if we want this project to be successful we have to take some responsibility I I agree that but yeah back to the D question is have we applied for any money from them yes we just got $4 million that was just for the water on the D that was the we we have the $7.5 million loan commitment for this first and that is the D also and a lot of the federal money goes from Washington into Massachusetts and is distributed through the state revolving fund so so for some reason Brit are grants But Water and Sewer are loans and there's a lot of misconception out there let me just finish this there's a lot of can I just one because this is kind of important right you had you this discussion that we just had right yeah we had the finance committee go before the vote and vote against it but you see the work that was just going on here that you know Rob didn't know that we we you know we got a possible 5 million next year coming from the state this is what we need to get to the public this this is the work that we've been doing yes I mean that that that's why we're feeling they they need to understand that had they voted yes for us to Bor we weren't going to just go stop writing checks yeah you know we're going to keep doing what we're doing but one other thing that is a misconception out there is that all these towns are getting the 10 and 20 and $30 million those are coming through the state revolving fund as these lowcost loans they are not freebies uh people think we can walk into Mary's office and get a $50 million check that is not did we did we reach out to Senator Rodricks CU did you folks watch rodri's video yes yes I've talked to Rod Rodricks um after the vote last Friday or Saturday was Saturday did he and his comment was we we need to get a campaign manager to uh I said well we have the Watershed and the buzzers Bay you know we said we should hire a professional campaign manager to get the story out better got you cuz when I watch watch his video he said there was multiple Avenues and receiving funds get this project done he said Cap Cod knows how to do it K Cod is going to receive the money that we should be getting well that is that is a a problem and that you know Senator Rogers sat right in your chair Joe um about two months ago and he said don't let K Cod get all the money but unfortunately they do have the uh momentum and they do have the screaming need with yeah with um you know and most of that money is coming through loans right srf loan which we're applying for as well and we have to realize too that the peak is passed right there's been an influx of money through this Co relief money that's gone through the federal government that's G through the state even this $4 million Grant we would not have gotten this this is co money right they have to expend this year they have to get it obligated by June or July so they were looking for projects that were ready to go and we just happen to be in the right place and we have people here that push for it and we got it got it that money's not going to be there next year there's no more Co money coming so it's going to get even tougher the other thing that's happened is all these communities throughout the country not just Massachusetts have heard that all the stimulus money was going to be available right this was back a couple years so every community in this that I'm aware of put projects out they had all their projects designed so we have a backlog of projects throughout the country that have already been designed in the process of being designed design that are all going for the same funding that we're looking for so this is why at some point you got to got to step up and move exactly and that's why I say it has been said we've been trying to work on sewer for Root 6 for over 30 years 30 unsuccessful years and so that's why I say turn over every Rock search every crevis when you take on a project you do your best call Rodricks in call the error in this woman here from Buzzard's Bay at one of the last meetings yep excuse me she she knew how of avenues of receiving funds yeah and so call all the guns in now we got we are and we will continue to we just told you we had the meeting two months ago all right let's get back on we need to get back on on course here all right so article 14 what does the committee wish to pursue to keep continue to bring the town meeting have opinions input what do we want to do folks I I think the trunk line uh you know contract one uh we stand a shot at we might even get fincom to support it again they were concerned with with the buildout with the bigger project um we need a trunk line to start um we've got to do something so changes process wise right if the it went to town meeting and there was an amendment to reduce the overall borrowing from $ 35 to what $8 million or $7 million gets approved to meeting would still have to go to a ballot question correct right we would have to hold a special election sometime this summer probably the only date I think available would be July 23rd um so all right I make a motion to pass over article 14 of the recommend to the board of selectman to pass over the article is there a second to that motion heing n do anybody propose a different motion yes Mr chair I would move that we um we move to amend the um article 14 to reduce it to uh the monies needed for contract one and that we work with the finance committee and the moderator to put this article before the town meeting there a second second second okay I think Manny be but Manny um Manny did yeah I believe so doesn't they both do you have a number Bob is it 7 8.1 or what do you think we need I if it's worded the way it is right we're going to get bids on April 26 so we'll have a we know exactly what the number is okay time so we would go with the number that come in in the bo so the CL last Klein Felder number I think was 8.1 for contract one okay all right's let's let's have let's let's let's just say it's for the first phase and we'll have whatever we get for the bid we'll know what number to ask for okay the idea of asking for 8.1 and the bids come in at 8.2 and next thing you know is we don't have we don't have a vote okay so right now we just we're going to reduce it to uh contract one contract one and we have a second to that any other discussion on I'd like to so one of the one of the work that that we've done on this from the beginning was for this exact situation correct why we were designing the whole Trump line and breaking it into three so I think this is this is probably after the vote we just had the most optimistic thing we can do in moving forward all right and uh all right any other discussion on this I I just want to say uh as far as um uh restricting it now to contract one that will reduce the issue regarding betterments I would think because there's far fewer players completely different scenario but we will we continue to uh be clear on betterments going well we still need a policy U I think we need to work on that too so the policies usually come in after right what the article is going to say is that the article doesn't change right we're just reducing the amount from 35 to 8 or 8.2 whatever that's going to be in the article it says that the vment were going to use the same uniform method and there'll be a 20% uh betterment charge for the cost of the sewer and I believe believe it would just be in that first section um I need to confirm that but that's that's where so whatever the cost is if it's 8 $8 million 20% of that would be charged the Vance to the people that that sewer front in that first section um and there are a lot of commercial owners there and they will be paying large vents one of the one of the hang on let J finish I I I just want to say uh uh I think that's an advantage if if we don't have to get buried in this betterman thing my opinion from what I've heard and read uh there's a lot of confusion between betterman and tie-ins and I really think we ought to clarify that yeah I can't pick up a a single piece of paper that this committee has put out that makes it clear what what these facts uh so that other people can't come in well they're doing this they're doing that they're stealing the money from the people all this kind of crap uh I I think we have to counter that with a fact sheet whatever we decide to go before town meeting I think there should be a fact sheet that would would actually show this this this and this and it's in black and white people can read it they're not making their own well in in between the house and and the the connection they can get their own contract that they do not have to pay the prevailing wag so we can get an estimate on that but that's that's the gray area that we had left open you're right and I and I don't know that we have to put an amount of money for a tiin but we can say the tie-in is between you and your plumber right there's still going to be permit fees when they hit the house that that Mari had had said last time whatever it is should be put in writing yeah we'll do that it is it has been it has been but we need to make it clear I don't think this on a page it it's a it's a map up there and a thing over here I'm talking about a piece of paper that's cogent and uh anyway that's my suggestion we had that from the big Forum with Roger but we can we can cut it down now that it's not as large did you have anything but I do think that um we um by necessity need to back it down to the 8 million or to to whatever amount the bids come in okay have anything that I mean the only other thing is is contract one will also bring take the wet Taps on the existing main out of the state layout so it be more accessible to the residents and the and the small businesses because that's been a problem historically you know I mean Route Six they were having to go in with their own contractors even the ones that have recently come before the plan of board going to access it it's got Concrete in a road was very expensive so that'll also bring that out of the layout it also can extend for those people that like to enjoy it it can extend the walking path from Full River even though it's a different it's not really uh connected to this committee not I'm also on the bike and pedestrian committee and that's another thing they want to do can continue from Fall River people can walk right up and and ride bikes all right anything else to add on supporting article 14 contract one if not we'll take a vote all in favor I against absts so we're unanimous to support uh going to town meeting and we'll let Steve know as soon as possible that's our intention to reduce the 35 million to the 8 um we try to get get some better numbers out to the public maybe we'll see if Economic Development can you bless your mic um maybe we can see if Economic Development can send some kind of uh brochure at least to the um super voters and whatnot we have a little bit of money but we have to look into the legality if uh I would think a general flyer we could send out which did you have something yeah so that's fine yeah I don't want St for the so so were you saying like do for for town meeting have a like a supplemental Pi you walk in that gives you a line by line item or what the cost is is that am I correct yeah we can do that yeah jer's going to write it a sheet of facts okay and if I knew all the facts I would write it I say point right so the for I'm just trying to understand so the formula is going to be there so for every foot it's going to show what it's going to charge somebody for their Frontage for the property for the betterment correct is that what you're saying 9600 for for the for the paper meeting it's going to show like Property Owners okay it's going to be if it goes by the V if it goes by yeah whatever the it' be a simple formul right because simple is the best way but the Selectmen have to get involved with that the policy to make it and that and that should be said in that piece of paper I know those sometimes I show I show for everything but when you show up grap up that paper it makes it easier for somebody to read it especially I'm not making fun I I'm getting old too so some of the some of the people that that little W in the tooth if you will when they get to the meeting they look at they panic and and everybody panics whether it's people with young kids or people that are 85 years old they Panic about the number and simple is the best way because I find that right to the point I like it dumb down for like I'm seven years old so I can understand I agree as long as we can get the facts out and make them facts not we think of this or or whatever um but I didn't quite finish my point that was something for town meeting but I think it has to go beyond that I think that type of uh publication or communication needs to go on social media uh in shorelines ahead of town meeting so that people can absorb some of that ahead of time uh but I guess the bottom line is in my opinion it should be a factual black and white this is it and so somebody can't say well no they're going to do this no it isn't it's right there it's not what they all right go Jo there might be a little bit much at the ballot but the gentleman's On Target about the education um the same questions kept popping up Jimmy if I remember right wasn't there like a $7,000 figure for the average homeowner yeah we're like seven to eight they didn't understand that when I went to the battle box I chuckled um to be honest to myself it was like would you like to raise your taxes today yes or no that's what I saw the last 20 20 and then and then um a very educated gentleman stopped this morning I say my driveway they walk into they walk to the lake and I smoke half hour cigars and he said how did it make out he said I went and vote um but it was close till 10:00 and I had to be at work by 8 Jim on that yeah I just have a a question and perhaps a suggestion for town meeting uh if if the bid comes in at 8 million we know we have 957 or 67,000 from uh representative King and we have some leftover aror money Y which could reduce the cost to the town by a million or a million and a half or two million I don't know how much but I think it would be more salable to at town meeting say this is an $8 million project but we're only looking for the ability to borrow six or 6 and A5 million yeah we will that that all once Jim gets the bids in we'll probably have Mr Dal uh talk uh with the the moderator on that tape he's going to do and give as much information as we can and narrow down uh yeah you know some numbers might not be in until we get closer cuz hopefully we'll get more money but at least we'll get out as much information as possible it's narrowed down now Jim the people people were worried about the expansion it's kind of black and white now you've got the P fast route it's simple you well I think it's simple up to the area we're going to do mostly commercial uh they're are some residential we've got to think about heit Terrace if they're going to have uh if every house in there is going to have a betterment we got to clarify that for them that's a little cluster of housing but it it's a lot more compact but there's no plan to put sewer in there there'll be a stove I would imagine it's going but they wouldn't be charged they don't have to be charged for that's that's what we need to clarify that's the stuff we need to clarify cuz it's a little cluster our houses and everybody's going to say oh my God each one of us is paying 10,000 when they're not so we just need to clarify the whole Zone which will be a lot better it's going to be a lot easier did you have anything else Jim uh no I I just think that you ought to be aware that the planning board is planning to pass over two major zoning articles maybe Bob already we mentioned it a little earlier while you on the the road thank you though we appreciate it all right we've got that the big item out done um sponsor fincom we kind of touch base on that so so the two articles are we going to vote to support Article 15 we don't have to we're already on there we're not modifying them right right okay 15 and 16 we're we're good we're support okay we're just modifying 14 um we kind of we just went over all the grants was there anything else that on the grants we kind of hit them all no we them Robie asked us on those yeah okay uh response to the fincom vote the we need to add more to that I mean it's a different project now hopefully we're going to have more support with okay so I've talked to the chair um Karen Rouse and hope she's watching She's she's she um she is probably watching tonight and um I I told her I would give her a call Thursday morning to tell her what we decided on whether we want to change or not and so we are going to change and I'll tell her that tomorrow she says that they have um um you know some some dates did I put them in the minutes I'm sorry they they meet on Tuesdays and they they don't have a meeting plan for next Tuesday or the following Tuesday but they can meet to discuss this and I think we should respond to fincom first of all they were voting um you know six to three against all three of our articles at a minimum I'd like them to support articles 15 and 16 because those are informational articles and we we talk endlessly over and over about the lack of information getting out to to the voters and so I can plead that case pretty easily now on the debt exclusion if we lower it from from 35 million down to eight or maybe less or even less maybe six and a half um by the way we hadn't really voted on that applying the grants we have to the 8 million do you want to vote on that chair Mr chairman or uh I don't think you need to vote on that yeah I don't think so it's part of the project Okay so amount is yet to be determined the amount is yet to be determined yeah that's that's what it's going to get us so okay contract one out of phase one yeah all right stja vu all the way back to uh to last year Jim did you have anything else to add on the other business with the bids and the P I think we caught up on everything the way that's also the only other thing is we did get our inter Bas and transfer act approval last week which was was big they they they decided the project was insignificant so we can file on abbreviated form that's taking us almost two years to do so glad we don't have to do the real one but that's F I think yeah that we need to have that on the punch list is part of the information too yeah have a question the finance committee me just catching do they meet in person like here is it always a zoom meeting they have met a couple of they've only had about two inperson meetings I think this year everything else has been by Zoom my suggestion would be is to get him here in front of you let him sit front of the def of you talk to the chair but they should meet in person it's a more thing if I know it's show up there is there is a couple that that still meeting like that so to get back to thcom um Tuesdays the 23rd or the 30th can we request one of those dates for response the bids and everything are coming in so I would say if we're going to do when do the bid come in Friday H 26 26th 26th so the 30th would be the only thing that makes sense okay so so yes okay why doesn't this thing that's all right Jerry you have anything else to that well I want just want to suggest that we post uh a meeting of this committee at the at the same no at well at town meeting would be fine but I'm talking about with with this yeah if we have a fincom meeting that we also post so we're not restricted to two people uh no well no we we we could have four we have a quorum it's okay we WE Post we have a quarum at five so we could have four people attend yeah but I'll post it anyways and we'll probably also post before a to meeting in case there's any surprise so you want to post it right so that way we can move if needed okay and then uh maybe you should Mur uh talk with Jerry on the side too and see exactly what he wants on that sheet because we can't debate it as a as a committee maybe we can make it clear well remember April um um February 12th when uh Bob and I came before the board of Selectmen that included you I posted that meeting yeah I know it's okay we're good just making sure it's posted no big deal um but let what's the data the fin so ask for the 30 30th we're going to ask for the 30th because bids are coming in on Friday the 26th I got a question you got the the the $5 million like Jimmy was saying that's going to go towards the water correct y okay I understand that Fone and then let's talk a little bit about the loan for 2.4% interest what loan is that one exactly State Revol that's the help that Finance in the first uh half it's better on the taxpayers they're not paying a higher rate right will the TA will the taxpayers get a chance to approve that that something done that's the question at town meeting it's the debt exclusion to borrow that money got you at the 2.5 and and that'll be just on one because I recall we had a meeting at at over at the high school and we took a vote saying we weren't going to do just one small phase we were going to goe with the whole phase yes that's what we tried to do and that was the op laws meeting that one was right there we held a vote on that that's what that's what we had the public vote on was the whole project right and so how did how does that work out that this phase won't be proposed we're reducing we're reducing it down to just one section now and we'll take it from there one step at a time bman the public spoke about that yeah he's there a more she over there if you wanted to see the numbers to anybody else wants one that's just the voting results I mean the project still phase one is the trunp line so Ro but just we just have enough we we can come up with enough money possibly this year to do contract one um so and and we think it's more pable to the voters to allow us just about and if we and if we if we got the ear mark for you know4 or5 million we go back and and go back to the voters for the next phase look well that that what you're talking about was the original plan you had in mind even before we went through seven meetings after that yes so we're really back down to square one no you you got the P you got the past out of our our uh work yep but but what happens when this budget fails fails you don't get it but we still get the water we still get P so if if we if we pass this contract one because and we get and we get the ability to borrow 8 million and then we get through this this job and we get the we get the Congressional spending we get the next four and a half maybe million next year I mean and we pay some of that with that does that mean we can still use that 8 million to move into the next phase would be the one want to ask on that I did the check possibly um but it's also the intent right if the voters are intend to vote for that contract one you know you want to go back before finish extend it to another contract the way it's wored I think you could extend it yeah I'd like to just put a little inut at the May 7th most of the people that showed up in this room that were good enough to come down here those are the people in favor of it which is almost none of them were in really in face if you look at Phase One almost everybody there already has brand new septic systems and they already have the water you know so they're not going to really go ahead and vote for themselves to have to do away with their septic systems and vote for the water cuz they already have the water so Rob that's not true meat meat works almost almost went out of business CU they didn't have sewer Eddie C Eddie Eddie C Eddie Costa wants to Eddie Costa wants to redo his Plaza and you're going to get the housing on on um what you call B okay so that's sounds like one it's not three individuals that's just three that come forward that want to speak up right right well there's also the old Motel don't forget the old Motel old old motels in it too so that's four or the building behind it make it five but listen let's talk about May 7th what's going to happen then when you get down to May 7th the people one don't want to pay an extra dollar for it the people in that strip I think we pointed out we got five all the people that were in this room when they realize that they're not going to be part of this they're not going to go ahead and vote for it anyway so I would probably say begin to make arrangements with something else because probably not going to pass that's all I'm getting at all right well we'll tell you right out that that Finn conon gave the inclination that they'd be much more supportive if it was only the trunk line and it wasn't expansive so we have some hope there that at least we'll get a couple more vots boats but there's also people that have projects on hold that don't want the public to know about it on Route 6 that hopefully be more pal itable including technology so there's all kinds of stuff that and they're in phase one yeah phase one used to be the star that that if if if they pull back the zoning we still got uh area to do it if they sell it Bob does Bob know know what he's talking about because it's like apply for it do yeah I just said no no he doesn't know there's Poss saying to you if you did know and you applied for gr probably more acceptable yeah but you got to think about it there's there's the the dead lots that mid City's using they old Drive-In I mean there's all kinds of possibilities that we could go with that you know once we get rocking and rolling um but we still got to sell it to the public and and again a smaller piece has the best chance if they shoot down the the small piece then yeah we're we're not looking we're going to lose the money you know you got a little chance of getting stuff done well no I mean we can we can keep the money by pump stations and um try to get Mary to come come forward and then we can do contract one blown out a town meeting there won't be anything to pump to unfortunately so let's we got to get the word out we got to do our homework like you said um we try to get some publicity when we go with fincom and get the input anything else to add for members okay so we're we're set on um the 30th the 30th Tuesday yeah it would be a t Tuesday around 600 or 6:30 we'll let he'll send an email out to the board okay um and then we'll uh yeah one one other thing that I I have in the memo that um I want to mention is um the social social media outreach and this this is something we've all you talked about I think we were all shocked about all the Mis misrepresentations that were floating around Facebook and I think we should um we we sort of considered ourselves Above The Fray and I think we should get down into the trenches and I think there should be a subgroup of three of us uh a non- quorum subgroup of three of us who and I volunteer to be one of the three um work with somebody who's internet Savvy to set up a Facebook page and to to try to get the truth out there and we have some but it's not as juicy is the gossip we got we got the help what what page we got pages but if you want to get it together that's no I I'm I'm just suggesting this just don't ask go he doesn't know how to turn on a computer that's all we'll be all s I'm not I'm not sure Joe should be part of this sub committee no we appreciate I would second what you just said yeah but um you know you mentioned the social does any anybody know who the Westport Coalition for truth is no I don't but they use is that the one using the town symbol that somebody sent me you can't use a town Cil it's not right but we're not going to fight a lawyer on it but okay why it's a lawyer that have it what no no let me clarify when you use the town symbol it's supposedly illegal and anything on it can be uh uh not in trap but you you're acceptable to give it over everything over to the to I don't know why they had to use a Tom symbol uh let him finish and I'll let you talk so anyways no I don't know who it is well because because there's a ton of misinformation on that and it's on Facebook and I think all you really need to do is notify Facebook like this they w't shut it down yeah they will I I've tried I've tried to shut down like three or four of them and they haven't but try it I I know email yeah uh I mean the thing is cuz I mean it's blatant some of the stuff that they put on there that's not true I mean they start talking about you know what we're doing on flushing the water on the residents time and calling that P you know stuff like that I mean we we've actually you know we have a problem with with with our accounting on our bills but I think the the systems been flushed and operated correctly because we haven't been fined by the DB but neighboring communities have been for residence time so I mean the water system coming from for River I mean maybe we get get Paul ferland to come and make a statement on on on the internet on how we could use the water from forever and how the water's better than groundwater in the North End I personally have my own page I don't even look at the other ones cuz it's so crazy they just make up anything and run with it I'm sorry I got I got but you first but what I'm troubled with is they're using a Westport logo yeah so are you telling me I can go to my Sign Guy and make West VA logos and smash them on every truck to my guys drivve and you guys are to take technically we can get a cease of theist but it's going to cost the town money to do that my point is don't we have Internet guys that we spend hundreds of thousands of dollars with you can't put these somebody on I mean come on we're all smart enough to know one thing Teck is Tech somebody can background that and back thr that figure out who it is but but I've sent it before when people have complained to me and and I got like a comment back we've changed we we've changed small RAB Town hold in this town that's something that's got the town logo on it that's wrong I was going to actually be honest with you I was going to mention it in Monday's meeting to see if Jim could look into it but let's look into it I've asked a bunch of people and I keep see everybody wants to like not I don't understand how somebody can get away with that I mean we can't I mean it's like take taking a town truck and going parking at a up strip joint in D that's happened before but that was an auction truck I understand I'm just saying all right you all right understood we're going to chase it that was brought to my attention like yesterday like I say I haven't been going to the other SES go ahead Joe so what is the outcome of Mur suggestion I I think it's too important just to to fly by so what he said about a fight the good fight on social media the public so it's too wishy-washy that you can't just no you want to do it go for it I sooner or later you got to realize that people are going to run everything you do and they're going to aggravate the hell out of you and your blood pressure is going to go up but whatever you want to do I blood pressure is already up could it could it be a subcomittee of this committee that's what he yeah I would suggest three people is is there room since need I believe one good guy could do it that's dedicated that you don't even need three but is there room on this board to bring in a town volunteer Savvy enough to do this I don't think there's there's a need for we'll put a page together say it's official and go with it I mean if somebody wants to have send a name to Mario to help them that's fine I don't think you know we could have a techie to help us do with the technical issues but you know we've been at this for 20 years years and we know stuff that this you know techie is never going to know so who's going to help you with this suggestion so I would I would be doing I was hope would hope that um you know Christopher Thrasher was here because he's young and he might be able to help us but he's also fincom rep and he might want to not get involved but you know Manny how how how computer sa are you Chris would be perfect for huh you know talk to Chris see we come up with I'll talk him into it yeah okay well what do you think about it I know I think again I'm I mean would you be part of I've just have people telling me cuz I don't want to look at it I don't we need to follow this through right yeah they'll be another one next week but we'll we'll do whatever you guys want to do that's fine so I you know I'm a writer so I can write this some of the stuff the people that actually needed the water I totally understand not the economic development I mean that's besides it that's what it sway so we need to we need to somehow convince those people that are getting swayed by this information misinformation right you know it's like tonight you know we we got we don't have anybody here you know the other night that yeah that was the economic development was in the room but the people that actually needed that's where we needed to vote they're the ones that voted against the ones that need it more than I mean economic you know said it's a trior we'll we'll we'll send alerts to Facebook on that too somebody want to send it to me I or I'll look for the symbol tonight can you be part of this yeah go ahead send you know this stuff don't I have my own page and I've got a page for this committee it's called Help westw but that's fine okay a third I'll no he just said Chris Stater a good idea you said Chris Stater all right we're going to work on that any other public uh comment before I wrap it up again thanks a lot to Corin and um our Michael Sullivan for all their work they did in these efforts the South End did show uh some uh close to over the top support uh for something that wouldn't necessarily affect them they were helping the North End more than more than anything they were helping clean water too all right anything else to add if not a motion to adjourn move by Mr D second by Mr Amal all in favor hi