Town Council - Regular Meeting

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this Recording in progress.

We are recording. Good evening. Seeing a presence of a quorum, I am calling the January 12th, 2026 regular meeting of the town council to order at 6:33 p.m. Please be advised that this meeting is being held in person and that the remote access option for members of the public is provided as a courtesy only. In the event of technology issues with the remote connection, the meeting will continue in person is scheduled as long as there is a quorum of the council present in the town room or through technological means. Chapter 2 of the acts of 2025 extended through June 30th, 2027 um give the ability of the public bodies to meet without a quorum of council physically present in the at the meeting room location. Although a quorum of counselors is present in the town room. This meeting is being recorded and is accessible in real time via Zoom, phone, and as a live broadcast on Ammerst Media Channel 9 and at amdmedia.org. I will call upon each counselor by name by the name they have indicated that they would like to be addressed. This will indicate that we can hear you and that you can hear us. Councelor Brevik

here. Can you hear me? Yes. Thank you. Councelor Kennel Martin present. Andy Churchill present. Anna Devon Gothia present. Lyn Greimer present. Mandy Johannicki is present. Councelor Lord Sam Mloud present. Uh Pamoon here. Councelor Ryan I'm here. Kathy Shane I'm here. Jennifer Tob I'm here. Councelor Walker here.

If counselors have technical issues, please let the council clerk know or call a point of personal privilege. There will be one public comment period during general public comment. If you are in the town room, please sign up with the council clerk to make public comment. If you are attending remotely, I will ask for you to raise your hand in the Zoom application when we reach that time for public comment. Um, we have one change in order to the agenda. Um, which is we will be taking counselor comments immediately after I tell you the change in order of the agenda and at the time it is listed in the agenda. Um, and then after those counselor comments, we will move on to announcements and the rest of the agenda order. Um, at this time, I'm going to recognize councelor Walker for counselor comments. Um, councelor Walker will be making a joint statement on behalf of the president and the vice president, although I do have to acknowledge councelor Walker wrote it.

Thank you. Uh, we want to take a moment to acknowledge the recent killing of Renee Nicole Good in Minneapolis during an encounter involving federal immigration enforcement. The loss of life under any circumstance is deeply troubling, and our thoughts are with Miss Good's family, loved ones, and community. As local elected officials, we believe strongly that every person deserves dignity, safety, and due process. Incidents that result in the loss of civilian life call for transparency, accountability, and a careful examination of how public authority is exercised. While this incident did not occur in Ammerst, it resonates here. Ammerst is home to immigrants, mixed status families, students, workers, and neighbors from around the world. Many members of our community are paying close attention to events like this, and some may be experiencing fear or uncertainty as a result. Our role as a town council is not to adjudicate federal policy, but to affirm the values that guide our local governance, care for one another, respect for human life, and a commitment to community safety rooted in trust. We want to be clear that Ammerst remains committed to being a welcoming community. We encourage residents to support one another, to seek reliable information, and to engage in dialogue with empathy and respect. We will continue to work with town staff, community partners, and regional leaders to ensure that all residents feel safe accessing town services and participating fully in civic life. This commitment is fundamental to who we are as a community. Thank you, Councelor Walker. At this time, are there any other counselors that would make council would like to make any comments? Um, Anna,

I want to I would like to appreciate the two of you for um standing by that and councelor Walker for for writing it. Um, I wish we could make a motion to all sign on board with it and I know we can't because it wasn't on the agenda, but thank you very much.

Thank you. Any other counselor comments at this time? Seeing none, there will be another opportunity at the end of the meeting for counselor comments. We will move on to announcements. Um, we have a regular council meeting on February 2nd at 6:30 p.m. Prior to that meeting will be a Black History Month flag raising outside at town hall starting at 6:00 in the evening. It was originally posted in error on a date on the agenda. Um, that is the only other announcement I have at this time. So we have no public no hearings and so we will move on to general public comment. Anyone wishing to make general public comment who is attending remotely, please raise your hand in the Zoom application. If you are present in the town room and have not signed up with the council clerk, please do so now. Residents are welcome to make public comments on matters within the jurisdiction of the town council. The council will not engage in a dialogue or comment on matters raised during general public comment. Public comments are not reflective of the opinions of town the town council. The first amendment broadly protects individuals right to address the government to speak and to express themselves including their right to say hateful and offensive things. I am generally unable to shut those commenters down under the first amendment of the US Constitution unless their level of speech falls within an exception articulated by the courts such as fighting words, true threats to a particular individual, harassment of a particular individual, or incitement of imminent lawless activity. If a question exists as to whether a particular speaker is engaging in unprotected speech, I must defer to the principle of freedom of speech. There are no hands raised on Zoom of people who wish to make public comment at this time. Um, how many people in the town room have signed up for public comment?

One. Thank you. Each commenter will have three minutes to make their comment. Um, Athena Vince Okconor. Uh, Vince Okconor, please come on up. Make sure the mic is on. Um, state your name and make your comment. alternative name.

Um, excuse me. I I hate to interrupt, but I'm hearing that the audience cannot hear. Are you sure the mic is on? The the online audience cannot hear. Okay. Oh, there we go.

Okay. Yeah, it it was green, but it was very faint. Finally, if there's if there was ever a time for a one-year fix, this is it. This is not the time to rush to embrace the likelihood that the increasingly tenuous hold on power and reality of the present racist, misogynist, crony capitalist federal administration's policy will persist this year, much less continue into the next. or to cynically use the present crisis to destroy the town's public schools as a means to turn Ammeris into one big UMass dormatory. My recommendation is to take another million dollars plus from the capital bloated capital funds created by those illegitimate surpluses and use them to strengthen and support the schools as well as other important town services for this coming year because I think it will be the last year of this administration and its policy. Thank you.

Thank you for your comment

for our new counselors. That's the timer buzzer for three minutes. Just so you know what that was. There are no other public comments at this time. So, we will move on to the consent agenda. The following items were selected because they were considered to be routine and it was reasonable to expect they would pass without with no controversy. To remove an item from the consent agenda for discussion later in the meeting, ask that it be removed when the president lists the consent agenda items. The request to remove an item from consent agenda does not require a second. And I do have a request if you have questions for a manager on any of the items, but the response to that question say would not affect your vote. Please leave your question if possible to town manager reports and leave the item on the consent agenda. Our rules do allow us to ask very brief questions prior to the vote on consent agenda for clarification purposes, too. um for those of our counselors that this is their first consent agenda um to explain what it is. Um everything listed on this will be voted as one package and we will not then readress them during the action items or items as it comes up on the agenda unless it is pulled from consent for any reason. But again, if you have a brief question, you can either save it for the manager's report or ask it afterwards. So, I'm now going to read the items. Um, if you wish to have anything removed after I finish, I will ask for that. Just raise your hand. Um, the motion, which I will not ask for a second until after we've determined what's getting removed, is to remove to move the following items and the printed motions there under and approve those items as a single unit. Waiver of town council rules of procedure rule 8.6 for

agenda items 6A, 6B, and 9A1. Item 6 A, adoption of Black History Month proclamation. Item 6B, adoption of Reverend D Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Day proclamation. Item 8A, authorization of town manager to enter intergovernmental agreement. Item 8 C, referral of bylaw review committee charge to governance organization and legislation committee. Item 8 D, adoption of joint capital planning committee charge amendment. Eight. Item 8E, referral of proposed amendments to the town services and outreach committee charge to governance organization and legislation committee. Item 9A1, approval of town manager appointment to the elementary school building committee. And item 11A, approval of minutes, January 5th, 2026. I just want to note that those minutes were modified this this afternoon um and amended to correct the nominee on who nominated councelor Walker for president last week. Um so the correct one is in the motion for those that might have noticed that.

Change seconds. Um before we take the second, is there anyone who would like to remove anything from from consent? Um councelor Lord. Thank you. I have um a question about 8C, the bylaw review committee draft charge and the TSO. I did not notice because it said um changes. I did not notice any changes in the drafts we got. Um it it is basically a review and replace or resend and replace. So it might have been put into the packet as a clean document. Um, but it isn't what's going to go is essentially a resend the current one and replace with what is the draft that is in the packet.

Okay. Thank you. Because if there were major edits, then I want to pull it so we could see. Those are essentially the the whole major edit, but it it's just a brand new one. Well, thank you. Uh, no, nothing to be removed. Okay. Um, Lynn, first of all, thank you. Uh, I appreciate the abbreviated minutes that we've seen and know that they meet the letter of law. I would ask that in the future we add the link to the meetings so that we can all have a full record of the meeting in one place. Thank you. Thank you. Um I am not asking that we remove this from the agenda. Thank you Anna.

I do not want to ask to remove anything. However, there are several uh consistency changes that need to be made to the proclamations. Primarily capitalizations. uh we have been writing counselors and then all the last names. Uh given that none of these are substantive in nature, I would love to request that I'm permitted to make those stylistic changes and uh still have this considered for substance on the consent agenda. Without objection from any counselor that is allowed if we pass this on consent, I will send them to you. Um now I will take a second. I second the motion.

We will now vote. Um, councelor Brevik, yes. Councelor Kel Martin, yes. Counsel Andy, yes. Anna, I. Lynn, I. Mandy is an I. Councelor Lord. I Sam present. Is that an abstain? Okay, just clarifying. Pam, yes. Councelor Ryan, I Kathy Shane, yes. Jennifer, yes. Councelor Walker, yes.

That is 12 in favor with one abstension. It passes. Um, we are next moving. The one thing we do do um with resolutions and proclamations that are on consent is we have a sponsor read the now therefore clause. So I have asked councelor Walker to either read them herself as sponsor or designate someone or ask someone else to do it. So I'm going to recognize councelor Walker for now and she can if it's not her recognize who it is.

Um well there were several counselors who did sign on as sponsors. So, I would love to give the opportunity if there is someone who would like to uh read the now therefore clause. Otherwise, I would be happy to do so. We're starting with the 2026 Black History Month proclamation. I think it's you. Now therefore, be it proclaimed that we, the town council of the town of Ammerst, do hereby proclaim the month of February 2026 as Black History Month, and invite residents to join the town at the Black History Month flag raising ceremony on Monday, February 2nd, 2026 to be held on the front steps of the town hall prior to the regularly scheduled town council meeting and to honor this observance through reflection, education, and community engagement. Thank you. Um, next up is reading of the Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Day proclamation. Now, therefore, be it proclaimed that we, the Ammerst Town Council, do hereby recognize January 19th, 2026, as a day to honor the life, legacy, and enduring vision of Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., and the ideas of justice, equity, and dignity for which he stood. Be it further proclaimed that the town of Ammerst reaffirms its commitment to advancing justice, equity, and service, and to continuing the work necessary so that all people may live into Dr. King's vision of a beloved community. Thank you. We are moving on. There are no presentations and discussions, so we are into action items. Uh the intermunicipal agreement was just voted on consent. Uh so our next item of business is the charter review committee recommendations. Um this is the big item on our agenda for today after we finish this given that everything else stayed on consent. It is

the town council appointments and reports. Um I'm hoping we might be able to get through this in an hour, but I recognize we have a light agenda and if we need to continue discussion, we will continue because there is time to do so. Um, but that gives everyone an idea of of a potential plan. And tonight the goal is to um get us a plan for addressing everything that was in the charter review committee's final report. 22 of those items need to be voted by the council by the March the 2nd March meeting. The rest of the report does not have a vote deadline on it for final action. I do want to thank councelor Kennel Martin and mention that there is a typo on page three of the memo. Um the item two when I typed it out I typed resident oversight board which is not what the charter review committee mentioned. They mentioned the resident advisory committee. So, I just want to make it clear. I was not proposing that that include the resident oversight board. It was a typo on my part. Um, we are going to first start with the plan of action for tonight is to first start with the proposed um motion that is in our packet regarding acknowledging receipt. After we take care of that motion, we will move to my proposal for a work session. Depending on what happens with that, um, we will move to seeking any information that the counselors would like in addition to what the memo says regarding information from the town attorney if the memo didn't cover it all. After that, we will move to all the rest of the proposed motions which were all motions to refer. So, so we'll we'll deal with it in in

that sort of grouping. Um, we do have the chair of the charter review committee here if there are questions about anything. although I haven't informed him that I'm hoping that this is much more of a planning sort of process discussion than a substantive discussion but he is aware of that um but is here just in case things change um and so I'm going to start with the first motion on the motion sheet um which is u move to acknowledge receipt of the charter review committee's final report dated January 5th 2026 thank all committee members for their service and dissolve the charter view committee. Is there a second? Second.

We're going to give that to Lynn. Is there any discussion on this motion? Kathy, I in in case we weren't clear last week, I want to echo the thank you. I thought it was an amazing report and as I went through it, the level of detail that we were given, not just the executive summary, but the background information and the link to other information was extremely useful. And it saved me a lot of time to not have to go back and watch videos of any of your meetings or read minutes. So, I I understand how much how time consuming that was, but to really get a sense of some of the 22 recommendations were unanimous, some were not. But you told us that and we were able to see it. So, a major thank you for the amount of work that went into this.

Thank you. Any other discussion on this motion? Seeing none, we will move to a vote. Councelor Canel Martin. I. Andy Churchill. I. Anna Delin Gothi. Hi. Lyn Greimemer. Hi. Mandy Johanni is an I. Councelor Lord. Hi, Sam Mloud. Hi, Pam Rooney. Yes. Councelor Ryan, hi. Kathy Shane, yes. Jennifer Tob, yes. Councelor Walker, yes. And councelor Bravik, yes.

That is unanimous. Thank you to all the charter review committee members for their service. and your service is officially over, but hopefully unofficially you will remain engaged as we make it through this conversation over the next couple of weeks and months. Um, we now will move on to a discussion of the work session. I'm going to start with a motion. Um, there is a potential motion to amend that I have already received after that, but we're going to make a motion, the main motion on first. um and have a little bit of discussion and then maybe have that motion to amend and all um if it's desired. Uh but so and then this one will be work session plan. So I will describe my thinking after the motion is made. moved to call a work session special town council meeting on February 9th, 2026 for the purposes of discussing discussing the charter review committee recommendations beginning with recommendations 4 5 6 8 9 11 13 17 18 21 and 22. And if time permits the remaining recommendations as listed in the charter review committee's final report on pages four to five, the president shall invite the town attorney, town manager, clerk of the council, former charter review committee members, and any other participants she deems necessary for the work session and shall include a period of public comment. Is there a second?

Second, Rooney.

Thank you. So, I'm going to before I take hands, I'm going to just explain my thinking on this one. I I asked for feedback. I got feedback eventually from seven counselors. Um the one was received after the memo was written and the the items that are mentioned specifically in this are the ones that had at least three of those six to seven counselors saying we want more discussion. Um, I focused on this work session and this that day and this motion on the 22 items in particular that need a vote by April 5th. Uh, because there is a time deadline for that. Um, that does not mean the other items that are not included in this are of any less importance. It's just we have more time to deal with those than these. Um and so that is why this this I proposed a motion that only includes that. Um that's the memo basically says the rest as to why I'm I'm proposing it this way. Um, I want to keep in mind I did not put a time in here because I would want to pull people, but presumably if we start if this goes forward if and we start at 6:30, we've got about three and a half hours to complete the discussion in this work session. Um, keep that in mind as we discuss everything about this motion at this time. Are there any comments, questions, or potential motions to amend? Kathy, your hand is still up. Councelor Lord. Um, yes. Thank you. I'm going to ask a couple of questions for clarity. As I heard it, you are saying for this work session, we're prioritizing these listed because they are they have a time

deadline closer than the other, but we will look at all of the 22 that were recommended.

Yes. So, so actually what I'm the work session would prioritize the ones listed because those seem to get the most of the counselors that responded the most I want to talk about it in more detail responses. If their time permitted in that three and a half hours under this proposal, we would move to the other of the 22 that are not mentioned because all but one of them had at least one counselor that emailed me say, "Hey, I want to talk about it in more detail." So at three and a half hours, I couldn't propose 21 of 22. It just wouldn't work. So we started with the one I I proposed starting with the ones there and then moving on to the remaining of the 22 recommendations. This motion does not propose discussing at that work session anything in the rest of the report. It proposes so in the beyond the charter, that's what all of the other motions to refer in my proposal deal with. This one is would solely as as motioned as moved would solely deal with the 22 that need action by the end of March.

Okay. Thank you. And my second first of all, the memo you sent was amazing.

Um and quite extensive. And if I've missed this in there, please forgive me. Um will there be a space because it was it was brought up last week or a time where we could possibly bring any of the rejected um proposals forward. So not at the work session as this motion is proposed, but that was the proposal um for them. So, there's a couple of options and I I'll get into more detail after we deal with this one. But but outside of this with motions to refer to committees, a counselor at any time can either move to amend that motion if it comes on the table and add any items that that weren't in the beyond the charter recommended by the charter review committee or at any other time during this session um over the next two years, a counselor can always propose an agenda item to take that up as a motion to refer something to. So So this does not preclude that. Um my mot my my proposal dealt solely with what the charter review commission recommended though but it it is does not preclude others.

You're welcome. Uh councelor Walker. Um I would like to make a motion to amend if now is a good time for that. Um, okay. So, I did send the wording ahead of time, but I will read. Um, I move to amend the motion to read to call a work session special town council meeting on February 9th, 2026 for the purposes of discussing the charter review committee recommendations before referring any items to committees or working groups. This includes the 22 charter review committee recommendations and the beyond the charter remaining recommendations as listed in the charter review committee's final report as well as additions from the League of Women Voters and other community input submitted by counselors one week prior to the work session. The president shall invite the town attorney and an attorney recommended by the president of the charter review committee, town manager, clerk of the council, former charter review committee members, and any other participants counselors deemed necessary for the work session. and shall include a period of public comment. Is there a second?

Second, Rooney. Um, would you like to speak to your motion, Councelor Walker? Yeah. And I'm also wondering just because it's very wordy if it's possible to put it up so that counselors can see it. Yes. My plan is also after you speak to the motion to take like two or three minutes to allow counselors to read it.

Okay. Thank you. Um so thank first thank you Mandy Joe for all the work uh you went into organizing and thinking about the process. I do appreciate that and I do see that you are trying to keep us on track in terms of timing uh the time limit for the 22 formal recommendations from the charter review committee. Um however because we're using today's meeting as solely process and not discussing the actual uh substantive information in the memo. I would like to have the ability to have those discussions as a whole before deciding how to move forward. Um, and I think that this work session would be a great opportunity to do so. Um, I haven't been able to hear from other counselors in terms of prioritization, which I think may vary amongst counselors. Um, and I haven't been able to hear from other counselors if there are other recommendations outside of the 22 that we would like to prioritize, which might very well be the case. And I think that moving forward uh with a conversation in absence of these things might uh hinder us from moving quickly forward on things that we might agree on. Um so I would like to have this work session be a full opportunity to flesh out these options and how we may want to proceed.

Thank you. Um, at this time I think we'll sit around for a minute or two to make sure all counselors can digest the new wording that is in proposed motion to amend. So like a one or two minute recess. Athena, have you sent it? Can you send the language out to the counselors? Thanks. Quick quick point of order. When the wording says um input submitted by counselors one week prior to the work session, are we talking about prior to the February 9 work session?

So I I will address that when we're back in session. Everyone okay now? Seems like everyone's had a little bit of chance to reread it instead of just listening to it. So, we're going to move back into session. Um, while people were reading, um, Pam asked a clarifying question about the one week prior to the work session. Um, councelor Walker, would you like to address what your intention on that one was? Um yes because I would expect a range or a variety of answers from counselors. I think that would give the president some time to organize uh prior to the meeting. So it would be one week prior to February 9th which would be essentially by the meeting on the 2nd on February 2nd. Um we'll start with Kathy as as I understand what you've done um with this amendment with the clause additions from the League of Women Voters. So these are beyond what the charter review committee recommended to us or had as beyond the charter. So these are in addition to it. So this is a committee that we infranchise to hear everything and come back. But but this would be in addition to it. So if there is something in League of Women voters that they didn't come up with as 22, is that the intent?

Is it okay? Yes.

Um I I just didn't want to limit what counselors can bring forward in terms of what they would like to see us discuss at the working session. So, I'm not saying that we have to do that, but I wanted that to be an option for counselors. If there was something that came out of the League of Women Voters report that counselors felt strongly about that, that would still be on the table as something that we could bring forward and discuss at the work session. And and then my other question in the way this is written is that the 22 and beyond the charter would also be on the table for the work session because one of one of the things I'll just make a comment about this. One of the things I liked about the original wording although I could see expanding it to 22 is getting a thorough discussion on the 22 in the time we have allotted rather than a rush discussion. So we could look at some things I consider easy. It's a wording change and we might all agree with it. Some are more much more substantive and I'm worried if we broaden it too much the three and a half hours won't be enough to do it. So that's my concern about the change. I was thinking that we could do a straw poll on beyond the charter just before as we all come because I'm worried about all those referrals to committees. Maybe there's some things that none of us want to see. So there's no reason the committee should sit there and be talking about it for hours if no but so I wasn't going to preclude it but make it much more abbreviated than the focus on the 22. So this is written more broadly is is my comment on it.

Is it okay if I just briefly respond? Um thank you Kathy. I did also think about that and I think my intention is not to overburden the time that we have but then we would have the option to do a straw poll in that meeting on that the wording as is we wouldn't even have the ability to talk about it. So I think if that's how we decide as a council to move forward to have a very brief straw poll and that's how we address that part of uh this recommendation then that's fine but I think the wording of the other motion just limits our ability to even do that. Councelor Kennel Martin.

Uh yes I wanted to speak up to um to support the the motion as amended and um I'll just give you a few reasons why. I mean um first and foremost I think because of all this data that has come to us as a council from different sources um you know the charter commission report the league of women voters the 22 recommendations the beyond the charter um this is really our I think first and only chance as a council to have any conversations about those whatsoever. Um, and so I think having this work session be more open to include um these other categories of recommendations and ideas can allow us as a council to sort of decide collectively what we want to do with them. So for example, as I was going over um Mandy Joe's proposed motions, I I saw, you know, some things being rever, you know, referred to specific committees and I said, "Well, that one I kind of agree with. That would know." And like I'd imagine my fellow counselors also will have differing opinions about what should go where. And I didn't want to make like a messy tangle of motions at this meeting about, you know, going back and forth over what should go where. So I think that we can use this work session to do that process, which means that not necessarily we have an in-depth conversation about every single one of those things, but we can decide collectively of like what to do with it. Like should this go to um a committee? Should this go to a vote? Because there may be some things on those lists that were to be referred that could actually just go to a vote. um so that we can do that work um together and that all of these recommendations um at least get some level of group uh consideration at least in terms of what we're going to do with them. Um understanding that in three and a half hours we won't be able to discuss every single one but we can decide how we want to deal with it.

Thank you. Um, Anna,

I am concerned that with this motion, we are attempting to reduce the work of a committee that worked for a year and a half on this that we are redoing the work of that committee who followed a clear process who spent a lot of time establishing that process to get community feedback to read and seriously consider that League of Women Voters full report. they discussed and considered that full report who sought community input. I worry that in following this processes or this motion as outlined, we're then equating final recommendations that have gone through a year of process with uh re that were recommended by a committee which was appointed and approved by this council to do this work with some of the raw data that they already considered going into that final report. This motion also tips the scales in favor of those who know how to who have the systemic knowledge of navigating local government systems so that they're watching our meetings. They know how to give feedback on the charter and they're able to give us that input to have their preferences weighted alongside equally alongside that final report which did a significant amount of community outreach and put in a lot of effort to make sure that voices were heard in these final recommendations that weren't just the people who knew the details of the charter enough to be able to submit feedback right off the bat. I do not believe that counselors are disenfranchised and are unable to bring forward other items. I believe that there is still an avenue for that. And if we at the end of the day, I if we as a council were planning to look at all of the data sources that this committee used and consider them all one by one, why did we appoint a committee to do that? Why did we support their work for the past year and a half? I'm struggling to see why

we don't trust a committee that we approved to do this work. Thank you, Lynn. I should just say ditto to what Anna just said and not take up any more time. Thank you

Andy. Um there are there are a number of things in this um amendment and one of them is I think is important is um before referring items to committees um to have the meeting where people could be understanding what all the motions are or all all the suggestions are. So then we would know as I think Amber said some of these we might be able to vote on rather than referring them and some of them we might want to refer and they may not be in the exact that's in the memo. So, I I like that idea, but I also, you know, as someone who served on the committee, um, just want to ensure, you know, confirm that we deeply considered legally voters report. We considered 35 pages of input from the community um in terms of a chart of all the suggestions that we got. And, um, and it was important for us to to consider each of those things and I know that personally I changed my mind after we had after I heard the discussions from other members on the committee. So there was value added from the committee process that puts I think those recommendations on a different level than you know bringing in um uh additional things right now um that that that would be put on the same level as Anna said. Um, I'm also wondering we had a we had a chair of the charter review committee, not a president. And the idea that we would have the chair of the charter review committee, which has been dissolved, um, recommend a an attorney, um, an additional attorney. Seems like we would need to have an appropriation for that. So, um, I'd like the first I like the idea of waiting on

the referrals until after we meet, but I I think it would be important to give some credence to the committee having done a lot of work and vote on those things now and councilors are free to bring up other um suggestions for improving the charter anytime they want.

Jennifer, um, I want to excuse me concur with councelor Cano Martin. Um I think I mean we have to act on and discuss and decide whether you know to accept or not the 22 recommendations that are in the charter review committee report. So we will do that if not within the 90 days that will be our goal is to um be able to um accomplish that in the 90 days that's required. But for this for the meeting that's in this motion on February 9th, I think that we should be able to discuss the League of Women Voters as well as the other recommend the other items that aren't part of the charter review committees uh formal recommendations. We may, you know, in the interest of time want to refer that to a working group. Um, but I don't know why we wouldn't want to be able to have all the items on the table. We know that we have to act on the recommendations in the report, but the League of Women Voters did receive input, I think, from more than 200 residents, and I know that the Charter Review Committee looked at that report, but I don't for this discussion. I guess I read the motion as having been able to put kind of everything out there that it couldn't hurt for the council to be able to refer to the League of Women Voters report, the other items in the charter review that they're not that the committee was not specifically recommending that we adopt. Um, but this is a way for us to decide how we want to, especially with the other, you know, items in the charter review committee report that aren't part of the recommendations. We

don't want to lose those and just have those be on a back burner. So, I think to be able to discuss those at this special meeting on February 9th and decide how we would like a continuing discussion on those items and which items that I that I feel maybe a little more strongly about than the League of Women Voters. I understand that's a lot for this meeting. Maybe we want to schedule, you know, another meeting to discuss more items or refer it to a working group, but I I would um be concerned that we will lose the other items that the charter review committee was suggesting and recommending that we address, although not part of the recommendations they're specifically asking us to act on. I hope that's clear. Thank you, Councelor Brevik. Yeah, I'll just add um in in support of uh these amendments and not to reiterate what councelor Keno Martin and um councelor Tub have just said, but just to kind of really emphasize that I think the essence of this is not to redo or rehash the great work of the charter review committee or the work that has already been done to date, but really to think of it more as air traffic control almost. We have a lot of different things that have come out of this, you know, great and thorough process and we're kind of directing them in different ways at this point. And so to really take this work session as an opportunity to make sure we're we're moving things in the direction that we all agree we want things to move where we want things to move forward. There's a lot here and I think having the opportunity to look at it holistically in a strategic way and really map out what things kind of go together, what things, you know, go into different

categories or or different priority levels. Um, and then on the the League of Women Voters piece, I think again that's not a I don't I don't read this as let's go look at that report and rehash it all and and try to, you know, um, and there's a ton in there too to go through. I do know though that I and I've heard a lot of counselors, you know, kind of feeling like, oh, I wish this had been this had made it through and maybe there is some consensus that we have on a few items from that report that really we feel should have made it through that didn't. It's again, it's not an it's not a rehashing of that, but it's an opportunity to say what do we do with those items then? And just making a decision at that meeting then what's the next step for those uh items? Um and yeah, overall in favor of this wording and giving us a little more time to do that really important work.

Councelor Kennel Martin. Yeah, I will try not to take up so much time because I did speak already, but I just did want to address the idea that um we're somehow redoing the work of the the charter commission and I I really or the charter review committee and I just I really don't think that's the case because I think it's our job as a town council to figure out which uh recommendations we support and are going to vote on and regardless we will act on the 22 because that's part of what we need to do. So, we will of course do that. But I think part of all of our jobs as a counselor is to take in all the different data points and all the different places that they came from, whether it be from the Charter Review Committee, whether it be from the League of Women Voters, um, and and consider those options. I think that the people that elected us, the people that elected me elected us because we have critical thinking capacity and they would like us to address these things as a council. Um, and so if they weren't included in the 22 and they weren't included in Beyond the Charter, that doesn't mean that they shouldn't get at least a hearing and a discussion. So, um, that's my perspective and I greatly respect the the work of the charter review committee and if we didn't have that work, we wouldn't be able to even begin this conversation. So, I'm very grateful.

Councelor Walker.

Um, thank you. I just briefly wanted to also address the trust piece. I hope that my motion was not perceived as distrust in the um charter review committee. I very much value and appreciate and respect the work that you all have done and what you have provided to us. I think it was phenomenal. Um so I apologize if that was how it was received, but that was not my intention. Um I find this to be an extremely consequential uh um action of the council. uh it's our governing document and so I just want to ensure that the council can be as thorough as possible. I think that that was my intention. Um and thinking back to some other just experiences I've had on the council as a counselor, specifically serving on other committees of the council where you may be on uh the minority end of a vote of your committee, but then that vote moves to the full council and it's a completely different outcome because now it's the full council looking at those things. Um, and so I just wanted to open up the possibility for for counselors to bring those things forward. I meant absolutely no disrespect or distrust in my motion.

Thank you. Um, I have a question for the town manager, which is why I raised my hand. And it's on the item that says the president shall invite an attorney recommended by the say chair of the charter review committee. Does the charter as currently written allow the council or the president to even do that? No. My reading of the of the charter was that it does not permit that. Um, you could certainly make the request, but but it it really is the legal affairs are controlled by the town manager.

And I I would add that if there were a request, it would need it would be subject to an appropriation. Um, and the timeline for the proposed work session, there's not enough time to, if the council were to request an appropriation tonight, there's not enough time for that to go to finance committee and hold public hearing and so on. Thank you. Um, Anna,

someone mentioned a working group. Jennifer, you mentioned a working group. I'm I feel like I'm on a wheel. Is that not a charter review committee subcommittee of the council? I'm struggling to see how creating a working group to review recommendations to changes to the charter is not reiterating the work of the charter review committee. I'm hearing what folks are saying and I am not convinced why we as a council should redo the work of this committee. This is not just about the league report. This also provides a provision for community input and I understand why if we were reconsidering all of the other data that was submitted to the charter review committee that we would want to open it up to the community. But again, we are now starting where the charter review committee started in gathering that input. They did hold hearings. They did seek input. I hear that you're saying this isn't about not trusting the committee, but I don't see how this is showing trust in the process that they engaged in and in the work that they did and the results that they came to, as well as trust in our own council's decisions and process of creating that committee in the first place. If we wanted to do this work ourselves, we should have done this work ourselves. I also encourage there are pieces of this that I uh I agree with. I think a work session generally to discuss things before they're sent for referral is a great idea. Lastly, I would encourage counselors to review Mass General Law part one title 7 chapter 43b section 10. Um this is the the part of state law which outlines the provisions for changing charters. this is not the only way that we can change our town charter. This is not our only opportunity to change our town charter. And so if folks are um if folks are not wanting to utilize the work that the charter review committee did, I would encourage us to consider that this is not the only avenue. if there is a specific thing that you'd like to carry forward. But generally, I have deep concerns with us going back to work that has been done.

Quite literally, it's not a new report. They considered this exact report and much of the same input that I anticipate we would get. Thank you. Thank you. I'm going to recognize Sam and then I'm gonna seek to see if we're getting closer to a vote on this motion to amend. Um, but Sam has not spoken yet. So, thank you, Mandy. This question is for you and perhaps Can you speak closer to the mic?

This question is for you. uh and whoever else uh perhaps Alicia Councelor uh Walker, excuse me. You referenced 11 out of 22 uh items in your initial discussion that were going to be on the agenda for this working discussion with potential if time allotss for the other. Uh there are 22. What would you envision occurring if there's insufficient time to discuss all 22? I asked this I interpreted part of councelor Walker's motion to be not simply the full uh not simply the leave of women voters discussion but also perhaps the additional 11 items that may not have addition sufficient time. So a pointed question is how would you envision uh this council uh continuing the discussion if there's insufficient time on the work study group for the 22 at first and separately if a council member had interest in the future in raising a topic how might they do so

so as I said the work session would run somewhere between three and a half and four hours um that's not a lot of time for 11 let alone 22 when you when you break it down um So, in my mind, um, besides trying to do a really good job of keeping people on point on what do we need to know to get to a vote, not necessarily deliberate that night, um, have a portion and potentially a large portion depending on what else is on the agenda of the February 23rd meeting sort of to it wouldn't be a formal work session, but to sort of continue that work session with further discussion and all if we couldn't didn't get to it all. So, I'm looking at the February 23rd meeting um as another time before a vote in March. If we're not ready for a vote at the first March meeting, which I hope we would be for some of them, we do it again in March. And this is something that we have to get done by March 23rd. And so, I will I I foresee having to not just the work session not being the only time as a a president I have to devote council time to. I I see it coming and I've even considered maybe even the next February 2nd meeting doing some of this too. Um potentially as as counselors came in before this meeting with various recommendations on should we discuss straw pull before we even refer anything and all of that. Do we do some of that tonight was some of my thinking of we've got a little bit of time. Can we get some of that going tonight on some of the bond the charter stuff? Um do we put it on February 2nd? Do we? So, so I I I that's what I see us potentially doing. Um, we will have the attorney at the February 9th meeting. We should use our attorney to our fullest extent while she is present too. Um, and that might not

be beyond the charter type things at this time versus the 22 that we have to vote on. Um, did that answer your question? I believe it answered part of it. The the last part of the question I added on was what might uh counselors who have uh questions in addition to the 22 how in the future might they raise such a I believe you addressed that briefly in your initial discussion but I think it would be helpful for clarification. Uh and my question was to both you and to councelor

so I'll address it now. Um, I intended to do that after the work session, but my thoughts on the I think it was four different motions to refer or three motions to refer plus a sort of referral to the town manager um was to potentially um see if there are any motions to amend for that or suggestions for adding or subtracting items that are on that list. I uh as my memo stated, everything but those items that the council cannot do on its own because it requires a charter commission, I listed somewhere. Um because it was in the final report, but that's my my memo sort of said, hey, there were other things that counselors were mentioning to me that they'd like to continue or consider. that would be appropriate for a motion to amend that referral motion or depending on how we do stuff a a separate request to me to put an additional, you know, conversation on an a council agenda to discuss X, Y, and Z things for potential referral if it wasn't included in this set of referrals. So, there are many pathways to to continue to bring them up. I appreciate your uh responses and recognize your uh intent to uh focus on the time deadlines of the uh 90 days.

Thank you. Does anyone else I see a lot of hands up. We're on about 30 minutes of this discussion on the motion to amend. Does anyone have anything new to add or still not ready to take a vote? Um so I'm going to go in the order then here. Andy So, I'm hearing three things in this um mo sorry

I'm hearing three things in this um motion and and um the there's acting on the 22 specific recommendations. There's acting on the beyond the charter ideas that follow that in the report and there's then uh considering additional ideas that are not in the report that people have heard about or or or want to consider and um so I I think we've heard that counselors can bring additional ideas at any time beyond beyond this deadline. So, I might separate that from the first two, but I'm hearing interest in making sure we don't lose the beyond the charter ideas, and I think the committee would be similarly interested in not losing those. So, I'm wondering if we could focus do some of the air traffic control work that Joel was talking about that use the um February 9th meeting to figure out what are we going to do with the 22 and the beyond the charter ideas in some way. And if if we wanted to do that, we could amend this motion to just stop um after this includes the 22 charter review committee recommendations and the beyond the charter remaining recommendations um as listed in the charter review committee's final report. any additional ideas that people want to bring to the table could be brought at a later date but would not be you know in dealt with in this time in this particular time frame.

Um I'm going to skip over councelor Kennel Martin for now because you've already spoken twice and there are a couple that have not spoken twice that still have their hands raised so I'm going to go to them. Um Jennifer

thank you. So, I just sort of threw out working group because I was thinking of what do we do with beyond the charter. You know, that might be something we decide to do on February 9th. But I did have a question um on page six of your memo um councelor Hani where you have there's items that you say are really beyond the purview of the council council to change would have to um go before the voters. But that was, if I'm understanding correctly, that was in those are among the items that were in beyond the charter.

Yes, those are the only items that I did not in my memo proposed to be referred or dealt with directly. Yes, but we could discuss those up if we have the session on February 9th. Yes,

councelor Bradick. Yeah, just two really quick things. One thing that just keeps coming into my mind is this we are we are in the phase of implementation. So thinking about like we got a lot of recommendations again we're not trying to redo that work but what's in front of us right now is implementation. And so this amendment is referring to the strategy and process of how we go forward with implementing the recommendations that we're now deciding on as a council. That's at least my understanding of it and I think that maybe helps like just differentiate the work that's been done with the work that's now in front of us. And I think I I agree with what Andy said um in terms of looking at it in the kind of like three buckets. I think though that I would recommend keeping something about what we do with things that counselors want to see considered or something something relating to that things that have not yet been included that we want to see included in this work session. Not again, not necessarily to go through and and have discussion on each of those items, but to determine what pathway forward we want to use as a council that we together agree on what that will look like. So, we're not all wondering um or we're not doing separate work that we're we're we develop something together um to address that piece of piece of the puzzle. Um, I would recommend keeping it in just in so far as to get to that place with it.

Lynn, I do see the benefit of having a discussion of the 22 on the 9th and then doing the referrals. I just going to reflect on seven years of meetings. That will take all of the ninth and probably a lot more. if the council would like to then set up a separate meeting to understand those issues beyond the charter which I think would be useful for the general public as well. Then maybe we could have an hour set aside at another council meeting to talk about the requests. For example, a mayor form government is beyond this charter. Okay. But it's this is charter business and I think it's important for all members of the council to feel comfortable and also the public to feel comfortable that we've done what we had to do and there are still other options but those options requ different actions. So the way I would amend the amendment, if you will, is to um let me see if I can is to this includes the 22 re uh charter review committee recommendations period and stop there. And I want to respect the fact that they've taken into consideration all these others. We've also been told basically that the we cannot invite legal council that's already off agenda. So the motion would read to call a work session special work session special town council meeting on February 9, 2026 for the purpose of discussing the charter review committee's recommendations before before referring any item items to

committees or working groups. This includes the 22 charter review committee recommendations period. Is that a motion to amend the amendment and and then to amend the a this and then um the president shall invite uh the town attorney. We've already that probably has happened and attorney recommended by the chair of the charter commission. That has to be struck because it can't be done. That would be my amendment to this motion. Is there a second to that amendment to that motion to amend the amendment? Ryan second.

May I speak to that? You may speak to that motion.

Thank you. Uh thank you. Uh, first of all, again, I think if we spend all of the night on the 22, I I hope we're not here to win. Second of all, totally separate education for both the council and the public about what is beyond the charter may be called for so that people do understand what we can do and what the process is to make other changes such as the ones that were suggested beyond the charter. I think this is a particularly important time for Ammerst to do this. We've had seven years of trying this form of government and if somebody wants to have the energy to try to change the form of government then fine let's at least educate the public on how that's and then the other piece and this really goes back to the fact that we do have a very good committee. They spent a year and a half. We gave them extensions so that they could do the outstanding report that they've given us and in the process they have consulted with not just legal women voters but many many other groups as well. So if people if different counselors at different times during the next two years want to bring forward any of those additional ideas they certainly can do that. It means we have to all go back and do our homework and read. That's where So I see four hands up, three of whom have already spoken twice, but not particularly on this motion to amend the amendment. However, it's very similar to the discussions that's already been happening. So I'm going to start with the person who has not spoken yet and then move back to the the those that have already spoken. Um, but I want us to

think about whether we've are we just repeating things. Can we start getting ready to move to a vote? So, Pam,

thank you. Um, I'd like to amend Lynn's amendment in that we I think it is important to at least leave the beyond the charter remaining recommendations in this discussion because we may not talk about them per se, but we can discuss where they might go, who that might get referred to. I want them to be listed as something we might talk about that night. So, I'm not going to accept that. Give me a second here because you cannot amend an amendment twice. But I'm going to ask if the two people that made the motion and seconded the motion would be willing to unstrike from that motion. you know, you move to strike a bunch of stuff um and leave so sort of sort of unstrike the and the beyond the charter remaining recommendations as listed in the charter review committee's final report and then that's where that period would be. Is that a friendly amendment?

I agree to that. We'd like to speak to why I agree to it after we get a second. See what they're saying. Um well, councelor Ryan seconded the original one. Um yeah, I seconded it. And um are you okay with that as a friendly amendment or do I need to do another procedural thing and I'll I'll clear up what that would be if if that's not friendly. I'm willing to accept that change.

Okay. So that will be a friendly amendment. So the motion to amend that is on the floor is the red strikeout to the amendment that councelor Walker proposed. Um, we have three counselors with hands up. We are going to move back to councelor Kennel Martin now. Thank you for your patience.

Thank you. Um, I just want to speak to the striking of the attorney um, recommended by the president of the charter review committee. Um, and I think that the reason we should either leave that in or just include these people in the charter review committee members we invite is that the charter review commission did work with the Collins Center, which I do understand um, included attorneys um, who did review these recommendations and can give us their feedback. Um, it just kind of seems like we're redoing our work if we have another legal opinion that's not in dialogue with a previous legal opinion. So if people can agree that they be among the people that are invited by the charter review committee then maybe we can still strike the attorney.

So what I will say is there is well it's any other participants counselors deem necessary. Um the concern as president that I have with the Colin Center and my experience the last time I worked with the Colin Center was they have a contract. Um, I believe that contract has been fulfilled and so it might require if they come to another meeting a new addendum to the contract or another financial appropriation for the same reason. But I will say as president of the council, I am not against asking if that is possible or if there is other money that could be spent that is immediately available within the council's budget to do that if the Collins Center is available that night. Um, I just I can't and I I don't know whether the manager could or the clerk of the council could speak to those potential issues. So, we did have an agreement with the Collins Center to do certain work. I'm not sure the status of that if they've completed their work on that. I assume they have since the charter committee has completed its work. Um so um we would have to reprocure the services um and um and redefine it as legal advice because I don't think that's what we requested um from the charter from the uh column center previously

in terms of funding for it. Um I don't know what's left in the appropriation. This would have to look I think the original appropriation was the amount of the contract.

Thank you. I will say one thing that I'll mention now, although we mention it a lot of times in counselor comments about the MMA conference, those going to the MMA conference, the Collins Center is always there. Um, and some of the consultants that the charter review committee worked with may be there, but other knowledgeable people are. I highly recommend if you've got any questions about any of that, picking the Collins Center uh representatives brains at the MMA conference. K KP Law also attends and a variety of their lawyers are there and great opportunity to get some advice.

Can I then um understand that if the Collins Center agrees to give us a freebie or it's already still in their contract, we can invite them to this meeting. So I I will work with the town manager and note that um and and ask an exploration of that. But that's all I can promise at this point is to ask the manager um to see if it's possible. Um, uh, uh, Council Ryan has not spoken yet, so under our rules, I go to Council Ryan.

Thank you. Um, I personally think that we're biting off way more than we can chew, but I can live with this as it stands with the language that's been stricken. Um, I think in my experience of five years on this body, um, three and a half hours is not going to be anywhere near enough. I thought this, the original motion was a noble attempt to try and put some order into an extremely complex process. Um, this is going to make it more difficult, but I hear what some are saying that they feel the need to discuss all the items first before we make any decision about where they go. So if people will support these changes, I can vote for this amended motion. Amended amended motion, but I cannot vote for the motion as it stands on amended.

Thank you. Are we getting ready to vote? I still have hands up. Anna, you're not going to get me to put my hand down.

I'm gonna keep trying. So my question I know my question would be um with the Collins Center versus KP Law both neither one or the other. I'm I'm trying to ask the question of what legal aspects the Colin Center would be advising us on that are that they would be answering differently than KP Law. I understand that a familiarity and process uh may be helpful in terms of the context, but if we are seeking a legal opinion, it's the end text versus the law, not necessarily the process by which we got there to the law. So, I uh if they will do it under their existing contract, amazing, great, fine. Let's have them there. Um but I'm not convinced that they would be offering a differing legal opinion than the town attorney of KP Law. So, I I'm just I'm struggling with that one a little bit. Um Lynn, I had uh had this marked up in a very similar amendment except I had included the um the additional in my initial uh motion to amend. So, you beat me with your hand raised, but that's fine. But the reason why is that I believe that including George I believe that including the beyond the charter recommendations in this initial motion one means we do not need to pass then a second motion planning a second time period to then review all of those uh additional pieces. I think that this saves us that step and allows us to still end the conversation on time if we need to but continue it to a later date as needed uh versus having to go back. So I think logistically it makes more sense to have it in here. Lastly, I do hope based on the conversation, I do hope that counselors will review the relevant sections of Mass General Law that pertain to charter changes and I'm happy to send a link to it because I hope that counselors feel empowered to bring forward the changes that uh if they see fit if it doesn't come from uh this process and I'm I will send a link to that page.

Thank you, Councelor Walker. Thank you. I actually had my hand up to make this exact amendment. Um, but I just had one other question and it doesn't necessarily mean to change anything here, but because you can ask us to do this regardless, but would it still be helpful to have our feedback one week prior to the work session because that is also being stricken? Um, yes, but I'll be asking for a lot. So, I don't think it needs to be in the the motion. I'll be coming out with a whole bunch of things to prepare for it when I figure out how I'm going to manage three and a half hours. So, um, Lynn,

uh, yes, first of all, Alicia, thank you. I I think you and I both are trying to find a way forward that makes people feel comfortable with how we're going to proceed, and I appreciate that. Uh the other thing is that even though we may not on the 9th get to the issue of the beyond the charter at least with this motion the way it now stands, it's on the record and it means we will have a conversation about it at some point. So I fully support this amendment the way it is right now. Thank you.

Thanks Andy. Yeah, I support the I support this as well and um it's on the on the the notion of air traffic control that this this meeting will help us to sort of address the various buckets that we just talked about in particular the the the 22 recommendations and the beyond the charter and sort of figure out how those are going to get divied up down the road. And um just wanted to mention that if we do ask the Collins Center to participate in this, they were extremely helpful to the committee in terms of providing context and sort of saying and sort of reassuring us or or educating us about why various language was written the way it was written. So, I'm not convinced that they wouldn't. They were the one Pat, our the woman who worked with us the most, was very enthusiastic, and I wouldn't put it by her to give us a freebie, actually. So, I I I see their role as different from a lawyer. They're they're more of a consultant who understands local government and charters, but then JP Law has the has the role to say what's legal and what's not.

Thank you. So, I see no more hands, so we are moving to votes. I'm going to be very clear on what we are voting on which time. We might have three coming up. Um the first one is an it's a vote on the motion to amend the amendment and it means an I vote or a yes vote would accept the red deletions. So you would if you're voting yes, you want what is in red strucken out. You agree with striking that out. If you vote no, you don't want it struck out from from that. So that's what the yes and the no is. So we're going to move to a vote on that and we are going to start with Andy Churchill. Yes. Anna Devlin Gothier I. Lyn Greimemer

I. Mandy Johannicky is an I. Councelor Lord. I. Sean Mloud. Sam Mloud. Sorry. Pam Rooney. Yes. Councelor Ryan. Hi. Kathy Shane. Yes. Jennifer Tob, yes. Councelor Walker, yes. Councelor Brevik, yes. Councelor Cano Martin, yes.

That is unanimous for accepting and adopting the motion to amend the amendment. So, the red is being stricken. We are now, if there are no further comments, going to vote on a motion to amend the original motion. What this means is a yes vote would substitute what is on the floor, what is on that screen. um the councelor Walker's motion minus the red for the motion that was originally in the packet. Um this is substituting it. Everyone understand? Okay, we are an I vote says yes, you want to substitute that. A no vote says you don't. Uh we start with Lynn Greimer.

I Mandy Joe Hani is an I. Sorry I missed you, Anna. I'll come back to you. Okay. Um and yeah. Uh councelor Lord. Hi. Sam Mloud. Hi. Pamy. Yes. Councelor Ryan. Hi. Kathy Shane. Yes. Jennifer Tub. Yes. Councelor Walker. Yes. Councelor Breick. Yes. Councelor Kenno Martin. Yes. Andy Churchill. Hi. And Anna Deon. Hi. I went like this on my lines since it's so far down. I'm very unbothered by this.

I know. But that means you get to start next. Uh we are now going to It seems kind of redundant, but we are going to vote on that to adopt that motion now. So the motion to amend passed. So we are now voting to adopt the motion that says to call a work session special town council meeting on February 9, 2026 for the purposes of discussing the charter review committee recommendations. And I'm not going to read the rest, but that is what we are. If an I vote adopts it and we will have a work session, a no vote, we don't have a work session. We are going to start with Anna Devonier. Oh my gosh. I uh Lyn Greimemer I. Mandy Johannick is an I. Councelor Lord. I Sam Mlab. I Pam Rooney. Yes.

Councelor Ryan. I Kathy Shane. Yes. Jennifer Todd. Yes. Councelor Walker. Yes. Councelor Breick. Yes. Councelor Kennel Martin. Yes. Andy Churchill. Yes.

That is unanimous. We will be having a work session on February 9th, 2026. I will likely call it for 6:30. Um because I don't like moving meetings earlier when I don't have to. Um so, but I will get that out once I talk to people to ensure we've got the right people at the right times. Um, on the agenda motion sheet was a whole bunch of motions to refer. I understand what we just voted. So I am going to confirm with the council that they do not want to take up these motions to refer that were proposed until after the work session. Um, and so I don't intend to make any of those motions, which was a motion to refer to go, a motion to refer to TSO, a motion to refer to finance, and a motion to refer to the town manager. So, I'm not intending on taking any of them up, but I'm not closing out this discussion just yet because I want to give the two counselors who wrote in with potential motions, new motions, none of them were no motions to amend, a chance to speak to those motions without making those motions. So that um because I'm going to take those motions as sort of the same thing as the referrals that the work session might might deal with is is why I'm saying that. But to give the counselors a chance to indicate to the council what they might be asking after the work session so the council has time to consider it and think about it. Um if we don't do it now, they can't talk to the council about it because of open meeting law. So, I'm going to start with there were two um and I'm going to start with councelor Ko Martin. Um just so you can I'm I'm politely asking you don't make the motion just because of the discussion we had but but you can read it. Um and if you would like to make it, I I can't stop you, right? But given the

discussion we had, I'm asking you not to, but but you can and seek a second if you want, but I will let you speak to it just so everyone knows what it is. Um, yes. So, um, the motion says, I'm not making the motion, I'm reading it. Um, under town council rule procedure 10.4D, I move to create an ad hoc committee called the transparency and public engagement working group to review, study, prioritize, and create a plan for implementing the items found on pages 19 to 21 of the final report of the Amoris Charter Review Committee of 1526. This ad hoc group will be composed of three council members, three residents, the town manager and/or staff members he may include as needed to address work items on the list. This group will produce and share with the council a draft work plan by September 1, 2026. Um so to speak to that, I would just say um I there's a lot of items that were on um in the memorandum under the things to refer to the town manager um that occurred to me. A lot of them were simply work items, not necessarily items that would require any changes to the charter. For example, um making clear the various ways that residents can participate in town governments. Um updating the website, detailing budget documents. Um a lot of these items are just honestly work and the people who would end up doing that work is likely um the town manager and his staff. Um, I think that having council members to assist with prioritizing that work and coming up with a work plan would be extremely beneficial. Um, because first of all, it wouldn't just leave it all to the town manager. Um, I think there are residents that have felt strongly about these things that might be willing to help out and to take on some of that work. And at the same time, I think there's also counselors that feel very passionately about this work and would be happy to serve on such a working group. Um, myself included. So, um I think that there is an advantage to

creating that working group uh tonight just because that will give us yet another option of where to refer things when we have our meeting on the 9th. Um as there may be items that like I said are just work items and they don't require any rule changes. They're just things that can be put on a to-do list. Um

thank you. I will at this point clarifying questions and I actually have one myself but um if other counselors have clarifying questions and as I said I I won't stop you from making one if you think it's most appropriate to make the motion tonight but my clarifying question is um was this motion intended to potentially um take the place of referring a number of those items that were in that from referring to either the manager or the various ious council committees.

Uh no. So in I would say there's still things that would need to be referred to council committees and things that would need to go directly to a vote. This is sort of a third category of thing that is just more like a to-do thing. It's like a piece of work that needs to be done. Um so I just I think it just gives us another category and another place to refer some of this work. Any questions, comments, thoughts? Anna,

could you I'm uh not always an auditory person, so I'm processing that a little bit uh still, but can you clarify the why create a working group versus um send this to TSO given the charge of TSO?

Yeah. Um, I mean, I I think that TSO seems to have a lot on its plate. I know it's about to have a little bit less on its plate, but um I think that um TSO would be looking at those um for study and recommendation, whereas a working group could actually just do some of those things and if we as a council decide which things we want to just go ahead and do, like I keep going back to some of these items of like, you know, improve the access to information on the website. like I don't think that we need to really like talk about that in a committee and then recommend. I think we can just have people work on that. So I think that would be the vision. Do you have any follow up on that?

I do. So I know that this that was just an example. So I'm I'm not like harping on the one thing. So one of the challenges that I've run into on the council is that the council cannot direct the actions of staff. We can only direct things to Paul. Um, and so and we cannot we are not permitted to like go in and do updates to the website ourselves. So I'm I'm still a little stuck on and and and you've hit kind of one of the perpetual challenges the council has, right? Um and and I appreciate you trying to find a a pathway to solution, but this working group still has to abide by the charter in which we cannot direct the actions of staff. We can ask Paul um to to do something. So again, I'm not I'm wondering if you could pitch me one more time on on this because um with that limitation on our ability that we can't change um how would we move differently than a committee and I recognize that committees have other work as well, but um you're still staffing it with counselors who are on those committees doing that work. So uh and and are busy doing it. So I'm curious. Thank you. So, so as it stands in in the motion that um that Mandy Joe put forward, um all of this stuff would be on the town manager. And I think that um that's a lot for one person to do. So, I think that resourcing that with a working group that can assist with that um that does not have a majority of counselors on it um can actually help to make sure that those things get done and that they get prioritized because it's already a really long list and I can't imagine that everything could be done in one year even like we could be talking about like a three-year plan, you know. So, um I I see it as not, you know, telling them what to do so much as helping and enhancing what they're able to do. Thank you, Sam.

Thank you. Recognizing that this is just a discussion, not a motion, uh I share uh some of the same thoughts that Anna has. Uh and I do have I recognize the intent and interest in uh making improvements. I do have uh thoughts and concerns about uh interfering with the processes of the town manager's responsibilities and capacities to affect changes. Uh in other words, directives as opposed to doing it. I don't think it's appropriate for counselors or members of working group to be affecting work that's within the purview of the town uh manager's office and staff. Uh and I'm not saying that to uh be negative on the concept of ideas. Uh I just think we uh as a standard management processes it makes sense to uh enable those who are um responsible for the various areas to affect any directives that come from the council and TSO uh and other uh it appears to me um are reasonable locations for discussions. But I understand this is motion. This is just initial thoughts that came after Anna's comments and Amber.

Thank you. Um, Councelor Walker and then I'm going to make a suggestion, although I do see that Andy's hand is also up.

Um, thank you, Amber. I like this suggestion. Um, particularly because of the idea of prioritization, which I think is going to be something that we're going to struggle with because although we might agree on things, we might not agree with what happens first. Um, and I think that that's going to be a challenging piece of sort of all of the moving pieces to moving these recommendations forward. Um, a question that I have, not necessarily for Amber, maybe for um, you Mandy, Joe, is how were you envisioning the referral to the town manager working considering that we do not have any of these as town manager goals? And so, how would we measure the progress without some other uh, avenue? Yeah. So, um, with the town manager, one of them is kind of a goal actually. Um, the one that was about comprehensive review and expectation of resident committees, I'm summarizing that one was is sort of within the manager's goals right now, but the other ones are not. And you know, to be honest, I hadn't thought through exactly what that might look like on the back end, which is why my memo also said another option might be, and the better option might be to amend the town manager goals for the ones we think are really high priority. Um, I was just trying to in three days get something out there to be honest. So, so I think it it might need further discussion, which is why I wanted to say um I don't want us to get too bogged down on this right now. Um, but one thing I can do because, you know, I I wanted it out there at at a minimum, but um, one thing I can do hearing this discussion and the concerns and given the other potential for referrals is, um, I've heard from a counselor before this meeting about, and I think it was mentioned already tonight about the possibility of um, sort of getting having counselors come to the work session with their priorities and what they might do with them of these

beyond the the charter items. And so I can add a potential ad hoc committee to that list as we create maybe a here are the beyond the charter items. Where would you put them if you had had your choice as as counselors? And then I would need time to to gather that input um and and produce that and that might help us focus that conversation into where does everything go that air traffic control as councelor breick said. So that's sort of to give you an idea of as I hear this conversation, what I'm leaning to is including this potential ad hoc committee into one of the options besides the four places I had for referral um as as we prepare for the work session. Um having heard that I see three hands up. Um, we still have one motion I wanted to give another counselor time to talk about and and indicate again for that heads up in preparation for, although if if the counselor wants to make us a motion, obviously the counselor can. So, the three hands that are up. Um, Andy,

yeah, I I appreciate that. Um the goal of this um proposal is is to make sure that the um public engagement issues that were raised in the report um are are dealt dealt with and um considered. Um, and I just would uh quote from the report that this um working group could entail referring to an existing committee or creating a new ad hoc working group to include residents and or enlisting the community participation officer function to greater effect. So again in the air traffic controller metaphor which seems to be um very effective in considering this that we might want to just have the notion of a separate ad hoc working group but not necessarily what the composition of that working group would be as one of the we've got our our committees we've got the the you know a potential separate working group and maybe some things would fall into that.

Okay thank you Pam. Thank you. Um I I like the concept of delving the these and and figuring out how they get uh implemented. Um but I'm also look and I'm sort of thinking about committees in general and many committees make recommendations. So the committees themselves don't actually do the work. Um uh and then I'm looking at some of the items on page five of the the list that might go to the town manager and at least the first three uh show up in other committees proposed referral lists already. And so it's um you know we would not be asking both the town manager and a and a council committee to be doing the same work. So, it looks like I think a good discussion, which is why it's great that the beyond is still in the discussion. Um, I'd love to have a discussion about tonight. Thank you. Um, Anna,

uh, could you repeat I do have a question, but could you repeat the composition, please? Um, I said this ad hoc group will be composed of three council members, three residents, the town manager, and or the town staff members. He may include as needed to address work items on the list.

Thank you. I I'm going to throw out there my concern that we've had trying to staff committees um with residents. This has been really, really, really challenging for the for the town to do. And so um we also have an incredible amount of committees. One of the town manager goals was actually look at all the committees and see which ones we can get rid of because there's so many of them. Um, and yeah, Amber, we Amber said for those who didn't hear that we need a committee to get rid of the committees. Um, but which is true. Um, that said, I I do think part of me feels that this uh this ad hoc group is driven out of TSO not having met part of its charge. And so I would really love to see TSO focus on pieces of its charge that have gone unchecked. And I'm hoping that not unchecked, undelt with. And I'm hoping that the creation of the TPC will allow that space to do it. I also uh I I'm trying to think about processes that that exist um and not kind of accidentally duplicating or or replicating them in a way that's unnecessary. The other process that we have that exists that could be a good place to put these is the town manager goals. We can amend those. Um, and there might be some that already kind of fit in or already kind of represented there. There might be some additional ones. I obviously want to be cognizant of it's January 12th. We don't want to, you know, set annual goals up until we're reviewing them. Um, but I think what I would really love is to look at what would be proposed to this ad hoc group to see if there's anywhere else that it would fit appropriately um and and possibly more effectively before trying to staff uh a resident and council committee given how challenging um it was in Mandy said in her email to even staff our own council committees uh as well as to find

residents for uh community committees is not what they are called but general committee. Thank you. Um, we're going to move on to I think Pam, your hand is I think it's just a lingering hand, right? So, we're going to move on to I'm going to recognize councelor Breivik to discuss the motion she had thought about making tonight. Um, and let me know whether it is intended to be a motion tonight or not. Um, councelor Breick. Well, you know, I was just really excited to make my first motion, but I am happy to hold this one until after the I think it does make sense. Um, I'll I will read it out just so folks kind of know what I was thinking and this does come out of a footnote in Mandy Joe's memo. So, um, I think it, you know, maybe something others were thinking about as well. Um, so the way I have it written is in um in accordance with the charter review committee's recommendations, I move to schedule a public dialogue session under rule of procedure 5.3 on I chose a placeholder date in May. Um, for the purposes of discussing major structural changes listed in section 4. a uh 4A of the committee's final report which would require a special act um or charter commission at the state level. Um and so I just the the spirit behind this motion is to um I think you know take seriously the recommendations of the charter review committee's report. Um, I think this was an important step that was included uh in that report and I think that it would really signal to the public that we are

continuing to listen as we move through this process that it wasn't a one and done. We, you know, we we heard everything and now the doors are closed that we're continuing to solicit that input as we continue to move through the next phase of this process. Um I think it's there is important uh trust rebuilding work to do and I think public dialogue sessions like this are are really key. Um, and I I'm happy that our work session that we just decided upon will include a discussion of what to do with those um beyond the charter, the structural changes because I think that will help inform whether we want to do this, if we want to do this, how we want to do it, and kind of how to shape this next step, too. So, I'm I'm happy to hold off proposing this motion for now.

Thank you. Um I'm going to make sure I clarify my for myself what what is on here. Um you what you sent to Athena was special act at the state level and then you added the charter commission in. So um is this intended to be everything that was listed in 4. a of the committee's recommendations or just those that could not be done through the same process we're doing now with the other recommendations that I don't think what we'll see with the town attorney with if you know with a proposed amendment to the charter um that the council might be able to vote on and then send to vote of the residents. Is this anything that doesn't fall under that or is it everything in 4A?

Yes. And 4A doesn't your intention. Yeah.

4A doesn't group the recommendations in those categories. So I think maybe for simplicity sake just striking the last so discuss for the purposes of discussing major structural changes listed in section 4A of the committee's final report. Okay, any questions, thoughts on that one? That would be all, but for what councelor Bravik said at this point, it would be all of them. Um, would be her proposal. I will, as I think about how to do this survey, um, I just made a note to myself to add this potential on as one of the options counselors can can sort of straw poll on as to how to deal with the recommendations throughout in the beyond the charter section. Um if there are no other comments on that one, I just want to ask one other thing which is the memo that I wrote has at the very beginning on page one to two um the information a section called information needed prior to final action on any of the 22 recommendations. It's talking about what to ask the town attorney um and what to have from the town attorney hopefully before our work session. Um, if anyone has any thoughts as to if there's anything else besides those five bullet points that you would like to see as a counselor, um, either raise your hand now and let me know or email me this week and email, uh, the clerk, too, because we are going to be communicating with the town attorney because the town attorney needs some lead time to get it all together in time for um, February 9th. So, if there's other things that aren't included in these five bullet points, please let us know. I see a couple of hands up, Anna. So, I if I'm reading between all these lines or or kind of combining things, I think you're asking this, but I I want to just be very clear that when we're saying a review and opinion on the

legality of each recommendation, that includes what type of approval would be needed to pass it uh if it is legal in any sense. So, is it a and I know the the charter review committee um I believe has set us up with this, but for the ones that are in the beyond kind of the is this a special act? Is this a townwide vote? Is this you know all of that? I think that might be what you mean by process for adopting. Um but I just wanted to confirm that that is part of the question. We're not just asking for the legal legality of the items that we as a council could approve as a change. So, um, my memo asked for the legality on the 22 that we had to act on and also two bullet points later, what do we need to do? Is it just a vote of the council plus the people or is it a vote of the council and then a special act and all of that? But what I'm hearing from you is that you would like to include in that the legality and what would be required for everything also listed in sort of bold and the beyond the charter recommendations.

I think so and I'm open to discussion on it because if we're hoping to have serious conversation about it, we should know what it would take to pass them. I I will note that one down. Um, anything else from you, Anna? Okay. So, Pam, yeah, my question was simply, did did they not get did the charter commission not get legal review of all of its proposals? Um, Julian Julian was the chair of the now dissolved charter review committee. Thank you for being here and sitting through this discussion.

Um, your answer is basically a no. We do have uh we did get Collins Center review. Um Pat Patricia Lloyd and Anthony Wilson from the Collins Center. They are both attorneys. So I highly doubt they're giving us stuff that's wildly illegal. Um but we do not have review from the town attorney, KPR, or another attorney. Thank you. Thank you. Um councelor Kennel Martin, I have the same question, so I pass.

Okay. Um, and I did want to note, um, for the work session, uh, I had Julian Hines pull the charter review committee members to see if they were available, and all but one are available for that date. So, we will have robust attendance by the members, too. Um, Lynn, I want to thank you, Mandy Joe, for this organizational memo that allowed us to have this kind of conversation tonight. Uh, brings your legal mind to a subject that you've known well for a long time and so thank you so much.

Thank you. Seeing no other hands, is there anything else under this item? Charter review committee recommendations anyone wants to discuss tonight? We're an hour and a half into that discussion. I was close. I was only 50% off. Seeing none, we're going to take a five minute recess and then we will come back and we will be starting with appointments at that time because everything else was in action items was done.

Yeah, we made it through a little longer than I hoped, but not too much. Not too much. Only 50%.

Not so bad. I'll take it.

Okay, are we ready? Back up. We've got everyone here. So, we are going to move on uh to town council appointments. Um I want to thank everyone. We're on item 9B, town council appointments, announcement of town council committee appointments. Uh, the memo should be in the packet now, but I want to thank and obviously I sent it out to every counselor last night. I want to thank everyone for their flexibility. Um, I added a little bit more to the memo than typical because it was very tough to do these, especially when we need to fill 20 spots and there aren't necessarily the equivalent of 20 people to fill them. So, thank you all for your flexibility um on this and for the purposes of the the public not having to go to the document. I will read the appointments out. For the community resources committee, it is Andrew Churchill, Mandy Joe Hanicki, Pam Rooney, Jennifer Tob, and Councelor Walker. For finance, it is councelor Bravik, Anna Devlin Graier, Lynn Greimemer, Sam Mloud, and Kathy Shane. For goo it is councelor Keno Martin, Anna Devon Gothier, Lynn Greamer, Councelor Lord, and Councelor Ryan. For TSO, it is Andy Churchill, Councelor Lord, Pam Rooney, Counselor Ryan, and Jennifer Top. So, thank you all and Athena, our clerk, will be in touch to try and schedule these meetings and hopefully we did it in a way that all of them can be scheduled. Um, Athena, I recommend for um, go and TSO, you start with evening times. Um, given the responses I got to counselors, um, and finance and CRC may

be able to meet day or evening, but it's likely that go and TSO need to have meet evening times just to save you some some work. And now we will move. Oh, Kathy, just a quick to Mandy. Thank you. Bal first agenda pieces for finance. There are a couple others that we were already been planning on. So when Athena does the polls, um I think just quickly I just need to double check with Sean. There are a few other things to go on that agenda.

Let's mention them when we get to committee reports for anyone that will help Athena. If anyone's got anything beyond what the skeleton ones were, we'll mention them during committee reports and Athena can make note of that in drafting the agendas. Um, we will now move on to town council appointments. These are four. We have five of these to do, one of which is only a recommendation to the town manager. We will then circle it back to the manager making an appointment to that committee and us approving that appointment. But but that's one that's the last one on the list for tonight. We are going to start with council representatives to speak at four towns meetings. We're going to do this in the order they are listed. Um and that is different from the council representative to the regional school fiscal sustainability subcommittee. Those are two different ones. One is speaking at the meetings like we had last week. um when after as as many counselors saw me do after we come from a a group sort of the person to summarize the discussions initially. Um the way I'm going to do these appointments is I'm going to take anyone who answered a yes to any of these as having been nominated and then I will ask if they want to accept their nomination. So, I'm going to just start with asking the people who said yes if they want to accept a nomination and then I will ask if there are any other nominations for the committees and then we can talk about it and then we will um see if we end up with a consensus around names before we have to vote. Sometimes you end up with only say for two spots only two people. Um if not we will go around and roll call um if we have more people running and wanting it than we have slots we will do after discussion a roll call vote of of who who each counselor would like to vote on

that committee. If we do not have a majority present so seven votes for any one person we will keep doing that. If not, then we will make the if we do get seven for as many slots as there are open, we will then make the motion to actually do the appointment. Does that make sense to everyone? Okay. So, we are starting with speaking um at the four towns meetings. So, at this point, I'm going to go through those that said yes, and then I will ask if there are any other nominations. So, Anna Develier, do you accept the nomination for that one? No, ma'am. Okay. Um, Kathy Shane, do you accept the nomination for that one?

No, I'll pull my name off that one. Uh, Councelor Lord, do you accept the nomination for that one? I was going to pull my name, but if there are at least two others that I get to go through, you can always add on after we get through the first list. Okay, I pull my name. Thank you. Okay. Uh, Lynn Greamer, do you accept the nomination to that one?

Yes. Okay. And Mandy Johannicki accepts the nomination to that one. Are there any other counselors that would like to be nominated or to nominate themselves for speaking at the four towns meeting as a representative of the council? I see a hand over here with councelor Ko Martin. It's tough when we're almost all in person, but yeah, councelor Ko Martin. Yes, I would like to nominate myself. Okay. Any other nominations? Yeah. Question. Sure. My understanding is that any of us if we attend the meetings can speak but we're talking about the official representative of us when we caucus or something like that. Correct.

Okay. Okay. Now I was just going to say the same thing. This everyone can speak. This is after we meet in our small groups you speak for our group. You're just summarizing what the group did. So, it's it's a different kind of role than any of the other committees. Yeah.

Um I see no other nominations. There are three counselors nominated. Um we typically nominate two. Um but this is one since it's council and it's not a committee. Does not have any specific number of counselors that need to be listed on here. So I am now taking comments and thoughts on the nominees or on numbers or anything. Lynn,

I always think it's appropriate that the president speak on behalf of the council after those meetings. I uh volunteer to be a backup. Do not feel like I need to be the main uh person speaking. So um I'm there if you need. Thank you.

Any other comments? Yeah, I think my my reasoning is um first of all, I'm usually there anyway and I do have children in the schools and I do follow the budget process very closely. So, I would, you know, welcome having the opportunity to speak um whenever it's needed. I will need some guidance from counselors on how many counselors they would like to nom well like to appoint to or or name in this role at this time. Um, are there thoughts on one, two, three at this point? Um, councelor Walker looks like she wants to speak. I was actually going to could appoint three. Uh, and I don't know. I've actually had the opportunity to be available to attend a four town meeting. So, I don't personally know exactly how those look. Um, but like some sort of rotation or something. I don't know if all three of you need speak as the representative at the same time, but is there any reason that we couldn't choose there?

There is none. Um, Anna,

I think if we were to pick up to three, if we were to pick three, I want I would want to be very clear I would want all of the candidates to be very clear that this is about essentially being that member in the group project who reports back out to the team. um that this is the ability to take the summary of what the group said and share it out with the full four towns that it's not um it's it's essentially like when Mandy writes a letter and or in the past when Lynn's written a letter on behalf of the council and we all vote to approve it. Um it's it's not like it's not personal opinion. It is the uh repeating what was said in the small groups by the rest of the counselors there. And I just would want to make sure that um that's what folks are that we're clear on the job. And Alicia, to kind of answer your question, the typical format of Four Towns is we all sit in the middle school library and have some of us have traumatic flashbacks and then um we hear from the superintendent. Uh individuals will speak um and then we get our whatever updates and presentation. Then we each kind of pull out into our individual town. So we go into one corner with including the Ammer school committee, the town council. Um we discuss the topic at hand and then everybody comes back and sort of just reports out on what the discussion was. It's not a decision-making meeting. So there's no votes or anything like that. It's just a report out.

Kathy, and just to build on what Anna said a little bit in the first couple years, Andy Steinberg was a spokesperson because there was a lot of discussion about the assessment method and how it worked. And having that how did it work complexity was really important um especially since a lot of us needed it to have it including me to have it be explained. So it was both to say what the group had just said but definitely represent the town. So I don't know whether you notice with the other towns it was the finance director that was speaking or select board person just from a town perspective.

Thank you councelor Ryan. So, I guess I'm just trying to understand this because I've been to these meetings many times and each town has one person speak. We're going to have three people speak, two people speak, one people speak, and who is going to be the one who will speak. We're choosing three, but let's be real here. Um, only one will speak, and traditionally it has been well, whatever. Just help me understand what I'm doing by you as my input on whether it two or three or one

or one. It really should be one with perhaps someone as a backup. But um if it's three, how you going to work that out?

I I would defer to Lynn on In the past, we've nominated two. And how did you how'd you work that out, Lynn? It usually was the president that spoke first and then there there are addition additional issues like the assessment method then and he might chime in but again it's the person that summarizes what was said in that meeting after that any counselor can speak I I will just also say I have my hand raised and I believe this is the president's responsibility if the president's not there then somebody else can back you up and we'll you be Amber, myself, whatever.

Since we've never had any distinct number here, I'm struggling on how to make a motion or whether we should vote. So, I think for now, um because how many we nominate depends on whether we have to go and vote individual names or or we can just make a motion for a full slate. So, that that's why I I haven't made a motion yet because I'm not sure where the council wants to be on how many Um Pam,

I I would be happy to make a motion. It it feels to me that it would be important to to identify two people, one as the primary and one as a as a backup. Um I it doesn't feel like it has to be the president. Um if if it is somebody who can represent uh the discussion, well, I think that's that's the skill. Um, and it didn't sound actually like Mandy Joe even had her name in the running for this particular position. So, yes, I do. Oh, you did? Oh, yes. Oh, you Okay. I thought I heard Holla. No. Um, Councelor Kennel Martin, Lynn Greimemer, and Mandy Johani are the three that have accepted nominations for this. Okay.

Yes. Okay. Um so if we um did rank vote rank voting or whatever we vote for two people and the two people with the highest numbers of votes become the two people that's that would be my suggestion. If people want three folks to me it feels a I mean everybody is wonderfully it just would be very confusing. Is everyone okay with going with Pam's suggestion of everyone will vote for two initially and then we'll see where those where that shows up and then we'll make a motion to appoint. We're going to do it that way. So I am going to start with um I think we're on me um in starting with so I'm going to ask that every counselor name two of the three nominees um and we will keep track of who they are. Um

point of order. Sorry. Oh, can we can can I finish them first? That makes sense. And then once I once we once everyone's gone through and named two, we will tally and the two people who have the most votes at that point if there are two there isn't a tie. Um then a motion to authorize those counselors will be made to to do that from the motion sheet. You would a point of order. As we did not conduct a vote to specify that there need be two. Do we have to vote for two? Can we vote for one? You can vote for one. Up to two. Up to two. Up to two. Thank you. Yes.

Um, is there any interest in voting for the primary versus the secondary? I don't think it's necessary. Um, I think just naming two makes it easier. Any other questions? Councelor Walker. Oh, okay. Council Ryan,

again just the practicality um at these four town meetings um the expectation is that someone from each of the four towns speaks. So that's kind of what supposed to happen and I don't expect that it would be politic or appropriate though it could happen that someone from a town could speak to the town and then someone else from the town wants to speak. So my understanding is that what we're trying to is simply identify someone who will speak for the town and that's that. And if they're not there or they're not, you know, able to do it, then maybe we'd have someone as a backup and that, you know, they would summarize what is heard and they would try to present that as clearly as possible. Um, is the purpose or goal, I think.

Yes. I think if two people are appointed or nominated or how authorized I guess is the wording in this one, the adult enough to work it out is what I'm gonna say right now. Um so we're going to start with me. I am going to um vote for um myself, Mandy Johanni, and Councelor Ko Martin. Uh we're moving on to Councelor Lord. My vote is for councelor Ken Martin and I'm doing a single vote. Thank you. Um Sam Mloud,

I'll vote for um councelor Hani and councelor Griemmer. Uh Pamy um uh Griemer and Keno Martin. Uh councelor Ryan Haki and Gremer. Councelor Shane and Gremer. Haniki and Greamer. Um Jennifer Todd. Um I'll vote for councelor Ken Martin. Councelor Walker. I would like to cast a single vote for councelor Keno Martin. Uh councelor Bevik.

Councelor Hani and Councelor Kenno Martin. Uh councelor Kennel Martin. Uh councelor Hani and councelor Ko Martin. Uh Andy Churchill, uh Hannah Griezman, Anna Deafia, single vote, councelor Hani and Lyn Greimemer. Haki and Gremer. Um I want Athena to confirm but my by my count um councelor Kennel Martin received seven votes, councelor Greimer received six votes, and councelor Hani received nine votes. Is that correct?

Yes, that's correct. So um I'm going to make a motion to authorize councilors Hani and Ko Martin to speak on behalf of the council at four towns meetings until January 11th, 2027. Second. Any further discussion? Seeing none, we start with councelor Lord. Sam Mlav I. Pamoney. Yes. Councelor Ryan. Hi. Kathy Shane. Yes.

Jennifer Top. Um, this is a motion to authorize councilors Cano Martin and Hanniki to speak on behalf of the town council at the four towns meeting until January 11th, 2027. Yes. No. Councelor Walker, yes. Uh, councelor Breick, yes. Councelor Kendall Martin, yes. Andy Churchill, yes. Anna Deongier, I. Lind Gremer, I. That is unanimous. We are moving on. Uh, I don't think you voted.

Oh, did I not? I I wrote it down. I I voted yes. I Sorry. I wrote it down, but I'm I probably started after me. Yeah. Um, that that's why. Um, okay. Thank you for that reminder. Um, next up is the council representative to the regional school fiscal sustainability committee. Um this is a request from the regional school fiscal sustainability committee um to have each town have a representative to attend meetings and work with that committee um in a more collaborative way. Um I made a request at the four towns meeting on Saturday to consider two from Ammerst because I knew there was a lot of interest. However, the chair of the fiscal sustainability committee has said they would really only like one. And I've made a decision even though I did not receive any um opposition from or receive verbally any opposition from any of the four towns. The fact that this is a request from that committee for have to have towns representatives. As president, I am going to propose that we appoint one person to that role to respect the request of the chair of the fiscal sustainability subcommittee. Um, so we are looking to appoint one counselor to this committee at at that request. I'm going to do the same thing um and take those that said yes and ask if they accept that nomination and then um see if there are any other nominations and I just have this list this way. So I'm starting again with Anna Devon Garier.

I do not accept. I'll be supporting Kathy Shane. Okay. Um councelor Lord. Oh, sorry. Kathy Shane. So I accept. Okay. Councelor Lord. Okay. Um, Lynn Greimemer for the moment. I accept. Um, Mandy Johanni does not accept this one. Um, are there any other counselor nominations to serve as the town council representative to the regional school fiscal sustainability committee? Right now, there are two, Kathy Shane and Lynn Greimer. Are there any others? I see point of order.

Yes.

Um I do understand the chair's um acceptance or request. However, I do think it would be useful to have a person and an alternate given people's time etc. Um and may I also mention this is an open meeting. It is not a decision-making body. It's a can recommend And it is also um not the committee that the superintendent tried to form earlier where we said here's our five people for counselors and um the s the town manager. So it's a very different kind of committee than uh what we had originally discussed going on. there is a strong data sense to this committee and uh what I don't know is what resources the committee has with regard to date. Um so I just wanted to clarify those issues. Thank you. Um, without objection from the council, I will accept the request to have the council name a a representative and an alternate and I would let the fiscal sustainability subcommittee chair know that there is an alternate in case the representative cannot attend the meeting. Um, if I don't see objection to that, what I'm going to do is since there are two people that are nominated, we will ask for um, preferences for who would be the representative and then assumed that the alternate would be the other one.

Point of order. Yes. As the vote has changed, I would like to be able to reconsider my rescending of my own nomination for this position. That is fine. I will be considered. Nominations would So, Anna is back on on nominations.

Um, let me make that Is anyone else given that information like to change or renominate themselves? Seeing none, um we are going to ask for in doing the straw poll um ask for each counselor to name their preference for a primary and their preference for an alternate. Um so that we have an idea of of where people are. I know it gets complicated. It's hard. It is hard. Is does Would anyone like to speak to their nomination or to the the matter at hand before we move to the polling? Seeing none, are we? Oh, Kathy,

I just want to um give people just a little bit of background. There have been there has been an ongoing working group at the four towns level, not with the school committee that's been amassing a lot of data that has we've been sharing with the fiscal sustainability committee. So, there's been some beginning work which I think has been pretty productive and um that's all I wanted to speak to. I mean, one of the things I've been able to be helpful with is since I was a neutral person, as an example, the superintendent didn't know the layout of the floors in the new school. So, coming over and briefing her on how many students it could hold in classrooms, and the committee needed to know that, too. So it's it's been a group that is really looking for information to make to start to look at what our capacity is not just the coming year but over the next several years

Lynn. This is a group that actually has people have tried to form this group for about two or three years now recognizing the fiscal constraints that we are facing and as we move forward and uh the school committee did form their own group and Kathy Shane and I have been meeting with uh people from the other three towns uh as we prepared for we hoped meetings meetings that we would have. The only meeting that we ever did have was the one in November, I think, was when she we the superintendent finally acknowledged and pulled the group together. Um the the thing that I found very challenging the other day during this meeting was the concept that this group might also then begin discussing uh the idea of regionalization beyond what we presently have whether it would be regionalization of elementary schools and then there was even a suggestion of additional towns. To me, that's reaching beyond what this group was formed for. But I do think that the issue of many issues regarding the regional school are also reflective in the elementary school piece of our budget as well. And as all of you uh that were there are very aware, for me it's you figure out what the kids need first. And that's how you do your budget. So,

thank you, Anna Deong.

So, I deeply respect the work that Lyn and Kathy have put in on um the group that they're referring to. I've had a a hard time with this group's uh work because this is a self-created group that was not uh approved, voted on by, nor have they consulted their respective elected bodies before convening. Uh when we initially voted on members to serve on a fiscal sustainability task force, I was one of the ones that was included in that vote. I also worked collaboratively with the chair of the regional school committee to propose a formal iteration of this group last year, which unfortunately was never convened. I understand why uh why Len and Kathy and the other members of the towns began meeting to to work on this issue because it's a very pressing issue. I wish that we had been able to create a formal iteration of it so that the rest of the counselors could have been involved. And I take issue with this group speaking in a in a way as if they've been deputized to do this work when they had not. Um that might just be my issue to deal with and that's fine. Uh I've been working very hard over the past few years to not only deeply understand the bud budget challenges that are facing our community and the other communities and our schools but to work collaboratively with the regional school committee uh the Ammer school committee and others from whoever will collaborate with me. Um, I'm asking for your continued support on uh on serving on this role as it was one I had been appointed to in the past um because I believe that I bring a voice to it that is both collaborative and deeply invested. Thank you.

Any other comments before we vote? Andy,

I guess I'd just like to understand what the difference is between this and the the four towns represent. You know, what what are these people doing as opposed to the people speaking at for us at the four towns? So the four towns um author authorizes um um will speak at four towns meetings and generally that's that that motion that vote we just took is only for physical four towns meetings when the four towns are called together. Um this one that we're dealing with right now is actually brand new. Um so I we don't have a lot of information as to exactly what will happen with this but over the course of the last year the school committee has has created I think it's a new newish one a fiscal sustainability subcommittee and there were all these different groups sort of looking at regional fiscal sustainability and and this is an attempt for that regional school committee's fiscal sustainability ility subcommittee to be able to work with talk to in a formal open public meeting with representatives of the four towns in terms of their agendas. So I don't know how often the fiscal sustainability subcommittee actually meets. I don't know if every meeting the representatives will be asked to be there because it's brand new. But we were asked to appoint a representative I hope that helped.

Now we're talking about Now we're talking about a Yes, council Ryan. Just a process question. Um, does it make sense simply to have us cast two votes if we wish out of the three candidates and whoever is the largest vote getter becomes the primary or are we going to be asked to choose a primary? Right now you're saying we're choosing a primary and an alternate. Um would it make any more sense? Maybe it doesn't simply if you wish to choose two out of three just to say the two and whoever is the highest vote getter becomes the primary.

So because we are only allowed to appoint one. I would prefer if we name if each counselor when they vote name their primary the one and also an alternate. Um because what I do not know is when I contact the um chair of the fiscal sustainability subcommittee whether they will say we don't accept alternatives. Um so I I really do want to know, you know, I'm I'm going to obviously let that chair know what we've done and what that means from our point of view. Um but I I I would prefer the counselors name who they want as that one person so that we know Anna, your hand is still up.

I know I put it back up. Um I I wanted to clarify that I if this were for one person, I would fullheartedly be supporting Kathy Shane. Um and so I am seeking the role of alternate in this vote, not the role of primary. Thank you. Any other comments before I pull the counselors? Seeing none, we start with Sam Mloud.

Uh Kathy Shane, and an alternate, you don't have to vote for one if you don't want. Uh Ling Griser. Um Pam, Kathy Shane, and uh Delin Gothier. Um and this is good. The first name you name is your primary. Let's just make it easy that way. And the second name is your alternate. Um, councelor Ryan Kathy Shane Griezmer, Kathy Shane, Kathy Shane, first and Lynn Griezmer, Jennifer Todd,

uh, Kathy Shane for primary and Linda Gremer. Councelor Walker, Kathy Shane and Anna Delin Gothier. Councelor Breick, Kathy Shane and Anna Devlin Gothier, Councelor Kennel Martin, Kathy Shane and Anna Deling Gothier, Andy Churchill, Kathy Shane and Anna Delier, Anna Delin Gothier, Kathy Shane and Anna Dublin Gothier. L Greamemer Kathy Shane. No primary. No, no alternate.

No. Okay, just wanted to confirm Mandy Johanni is Kathy Shane and Lyn Greimemer. Um, councelor Lord abstain. Um, by my count, Kathy Shane received 12 and unanimous for primary 11.

12. Um, so she will be when I make the motion the nominee for uh, representative and my count is six votes for Anna Devon Goier as alternate and five votes as alternate for Lin Griezmer. Is that correct? Um, so I'm going to make a motion to appoint counselor Kathy Shane to serve as the council representative to the regional school fiscal sustainability subcommittee and councelor Devlin Gothier to serve as an alternate until January 11th, 2027. Is there a second? Ryan second.

Okay, we mo we move through the vote. Pam Rooney. Um I Kathy Shane. Yes. Jennifer Tob. You skipped me.

I am sorry. Councelor Ryan. I vote I I put the check in the wrong box to start with. Um so back to Jennifer Tub. Yes. Councelor Rocker. Yes. Councelor Brevik. Yes. Councelor Ko Martin. Yes. Andy Churchill, yes. Anna Deongier, I greamer. Hi. Mandy Johanni is an I. Councelor Lord. Hi. And Sam Mloud. Hi.

That is unanimous. We are moving on. We have three more to do. Um budget coordinating group. This is a group that normally has three council members, has had up to four in recent years. Does not have any set amount. Most times the it it consists of members of the council, the school committee, the library trustees. Uh sometimes we get a regional school committee representative and then many times the the directors, the library director, the superintendent or someone else from the the school committee, schools and the town manager attend. Um the other elected bodies tend to appoint two. Uh we have gone up to four. We've never gone above four. We have been generally at three, but have gone higher if there's enough interest. So, I'm going to do the same thing. Um, let me know if you accept your nomination. Um, councelor Ko Martin.

Yes. Anna Delan Goier. No. Andrew. Uh, Kathy Shane, no. Uh, councelor Lord Lyn Greimemer tempted to say no. Okay.

Um, Mandy accepts the nomination. Um, are there any other nominees? There were a number of may on on this one. So, is there anyone else who would like to nominate themselves? Right now, Councelor Keno Martin and Mandy Johanni are nominated. Seeing no other nominations, uh, I move to appoint counselors Cano, Martin, and Hanaki to the budget coordinating group effective immediately for a term to expire January 11th, 2027. Is there a second?

Second, Rooney. We start with any conversation, any discussion. Seeing none, councelor Ryan, I didn't forget you. Hi, Kathy Shane. Yes. Jennifer Tob, yes. Councelor Walker, yes. Councelor Bravik, yes. Uh, councelor Kennel Martin, yes. Andy Churchill, yes. Anna Deongia, yes. Lyn Greimemer, I. Mandy Johannne has an I. Councelor Lord, I. Sam Cloud, I. And Pamarini,

yes. That is unanimous. Um, next up, Joint Capital Planning Committee. This one, we amended the charge tonight. Thank you all. Um I and before I I go further, we appoint three members to this this committee. Um before I I say the charge now does not require any from finance committee but I want to ask um our clerk Athena there was a question brought up as to whether if a quorum of the finance committee was on JCPC so three if all three were from finance would this present a problem for finance committee when JCPC convened um were you able to clarify that at all

I sought input from the attorney general's division of open government and it seems to me that it won't pose an issue. Okay. It will not pose an issue is what the clerk just said. So, so there is I'm not going to request that we consider making sure not all three are on finance. Um but we need three names or nominations to appoint to this. Um again, I'm going to go through the same process. Does uh let me know if you accept your nomination. Councelor Ko Martin, no. Anna Delin Gothier, no. Andy Churchill, yes. Kathy Shane,

yes. Uh, councelor Lord, no. Thank you. Councelor Breick, yes. Uh, councelor Lyn Gremer,

no. Uh, are there any other nominations? There were a number of may on here too. Seeing no nomination, no further nominations. Right now, the nominated are Andrew Churchill, Kathy Shane, and Councelor Brevik. So, I'm going to make a motion to appoint counselors Churchill, Shane, and Brevik to the joint capital planning committee effective immediately for a term to expire January 11th, 2027. Is there a second? Second,

Rooney, any discussion? Seeing none, we start with Kathy Shane. Yes. Jennifer Tob. Yes. Councelor Walker. Yes. Councelor Bravik. Yes. Councelor Kennel Martin. Yes. Andy Churchill. Yes. Anna Degafia. Hi. Ling Greamer. Hi. Mandy Johanna McGee is an I. Councelor Lord. Hi. Sam Mloud. I. Pamoon. Yes. Councelor Ryan. I.

That is unanimous. We're almost there. Transportation and parking commission. This is the one committee that is on tonight's agenda that is not an actual appointment. It is a recommendation to the town manager. The transportation and parking commission is a town manager appointed committee. So the council recommends to the manager which counselors it would like to see the manager appoint to the committee and then the manager can choose to follow that recommendation or not. But whoever he chooses to appoint comes back to the council for confirmation. So we'll see this again at some point. Um, but tonight we're making a recommendation to the manager. Um, and there are two counselors on this one. And so I'm going to use the same process starting with those that that indicated yes before. Councelor Ryan, do you accept the nomination?

Yes, I do. Okay. Um, councelor uh Jennifer Tob. Uh, no. I'll take my name. Okay. Pam Rooney,

we'll come back. Yeah. Do you want to think about it? Sam Mloud, I accept. Sam Mloud accepts. Uh Pamini, I think not. Okay, so that is a no. Are there any other nominations for uh the town transportation and parking commission? Seeing none, there are councilors Ryan and Mloud are nominated. And we have two names to appoint. So, I'm going to make a motion to recommend the town manager appoint counselors Ryan and Mloud to the Transportation and Parking Commission. Is there a second? Second.

Any further discussion? Seeing none, Jennifer Tub. Yes. Councelor Walker, yes. Councelor Breick, yes. Councelor Conor Martin. Yes. Andy Churchill. Yes. Anna Deon Gothia. Hi. Lyn Greimemer. Hi. Mandy Johanicki is an I. Councelor Ward. Hi. Sam Mloud. Hi. Pam Rooney. Yes. Councelor Ryan. Hi. And councelor Shane. Shane. Yeah, that is unanimous. 13 to zero.

Okay. We are done all of our action items for the night. We are moving on to committee and liaison reports. We do not have any um haven't had any meetings and we don't have any chairs. Um Kathy,

I just want to um make a comment on JCPC for the three counselors are on it because we have two school and two library. It takes a little bit longer to find the date and the time we can we can all meet um because it it conflicts like the school committee meets at night too. So, Athena will help whoever is going to help, but it means it's a little more complex, but normally it starts meeting the beginning of February and goes right through to the end of March. So, it's a every week. Just a comment on sometimes it takes a little longer.

Yep. Um, budget coordinating group has not met. Community resources committee. I'm what I'm going to use these reports for right now are if there are any other requests for items on the initial agenda beyond what was listed in the committee appointment report as a basic agenda. I believe Pam has some for community resources committee. Yeah, there was a draft uh agenda sent to Athena that spelled out basically the entire meeting just in case.

Yep. And you would like all of those items on there? Yeah. Okay. Um, anything else for community resources committee? Um, Kathy or Elite, uh, councelor Walker is has the elementary school building committee met in the last week? It's meeting on Friday.

Okay. So, nothing additional to report on that one. Okay. Um, finance committee. Is there anything requested? I I believe Kathy, you might have had some potential things for the finance committee agenda. There there were a couple of things so I needed to just double check with Sean. At one point he was going to do a briefing on the ambulance fund and where our reserve funds are. So whether he's ready to do that that was it's not a carryover but it was you know when we have time and I think you already have the guidelines are on it because we have new people on the committee. So I want to make sure we just go through where our starting point in the budget is. I'll just look at the agenda again and um it's an organizational meeting but we might as well do some work.

Yeah, I believe I had reviewing the guidelines on there um reviewing if available the Q2 reports but I don't know whether they'll be available Sean was a a maybe at the end of January. So that's a question. Yeah. Yeah. Um point of order. Hold on. Let me I'll do the point of order. Uh Kathy, the anything with regard to um free cash or reserve funds has to come to the council for referral first. Right. I wasn't talking about free cash or reserve fund. I was just we literally had asked how much do we have in each of the three and we didn't get an answer because we didn't have a finance director.

Yeah. Not not actual financial orders. Um balances sort of just an update. Um anything else for finance committee? Pam, you wanted something else for CRC.

Yes, I forgot to say that the staff is currently reviewing the solar bylaw, aka clean energy bylaw, and we are expecting the committee I should say is expecting uh some feedback from the staff by February 1. Thank you. Any requested governance, organization, and legislation additional agenda items? They have enough on their plate right now. Um, Jones Library Building Committee, Councelor Ryan, has it met recently?

It met this evening and uh continues to be on time and on budget. And perhaps for me, the most exciting news is that the steel will be arriving on January 26, though we'll begin to see steel construction taking place at the site. Thank you. Any questions for the Jones Library Building Commission Committee? Seeing none, town services and outreach. Are there any requested agenda items? Just a point of order. If there were anything that might want to be added, what's the time frame here? Please contact Athena within the next 24 hours, 48 hours,

if I may. I I need to pull the members to find a meeting date and then it will be 48 hours before that meeting date that I need to post the agenda. So sooner than later send it to send what you'd like. Um and that way I can be sure to include it on the agenda when it's posted. But I need to pull you for a meeting date first.

Yeah. And either councelor Walker or I will be opening that meeting per the council rules to elect the chair. Um we don't have technically any liaison. Um, what I did want to say under that section is I sent out according to the rules of procedure a notice to all council, all town boards and committees, the school committee and library trustees about liaison with the rules of the liaison and a request that if they would like a liaison to be since there was no go chair to let me know and I would forward it to go. So since that email went out, I have received requests for liaison from the commission for persons with disabilities and the human rights commissions. Those were requested by the DEI department um which is the staff liaison to those committees. Um the council on aging which was requested by the current council on aging chair and the CSSJC which was also requested by the current CSSJC chair. Those are the only four at this time I have received requests for um commission for persons with disability uh human rights commission council on agent and CSSJC for notation to the new go members. Um Anna might you compile the final list and uh send it in an Excel document once go names a chair and um did you give them a deadline and I apologize because not give them a deadline.

Okay. Um I don't No, I did not give them a deadline. Okay. Thank you. But I told them soon because And you'll do it at your first meeting. And did you clarify the role of the liaison? I sent them the rule. Thank you. So they got it as attached. They got our council rule on what liaison are. George.

So the procedure is going to be that we will um appoint leaison only to committees that have requested them. So the procedure is go discuss discusses and recommends to the council which town committees boards and committees they believe the council should appoint liaison to um as part of that discussion there is always an opportunity for any board and committee to request an liaison. It is not required that go recommend that those committees receive one or that the council appoint one and that is made clear in the email that went out to the the committees but it's a starting list and in that email I had asked the committees that even if you have a current one it is always good to re request one for clarity purposes so basically go will be starting with a list of all committees ones that have requested and take up its own discussion to to make a recommendation to the council.

Athena, councilors might also if they feel there's a committee they'd like to be a leazison to, they can send that to go for inclusion in their list. Yes. Um, seeing no other hands, we will move on. A minutes were approved. Um, and so we are on to the town manager report. It was in your packet. Um, Paul, would you like to add anything?

I would. um in able to answer any questions. Um first off, I just want to point out that uh things I report on and the town manager report and I'm open to suggestions on anything else you would like to have include or delete, but there things are happening in the town that are upstream from where you are right now. They will eventually get to you, but there's things that should be on your radar screen. So for tonight, for instance, there is a meeting of the East Ammerst Historic District, proposed East East East Ammerst Historic District. Um, and so the local historic district commission will be considering that and eventually probably making a recommendation to you for a bylaw to create a new East Ammerst historic district. It's the type of thing you would likely hear from your constituents along the way. Another thing like that is the um and uh and there's all kinds of information on the website. There's a really nice story map um on the website for the local historic district. I think I've linked to these things in the town manager report. just click on it and you can go to directly to it. South Amber School um which uh we there have been some cheretses with architects and me members of the community. There have been three different ser uh visions of what could happen on that site on the south common. It's something that will generate a lot of cons conversation among neighbors and in the residents and also the affordable housing trust has been really sort of spearheading the development of this site. Um, uh, Puffer Pond. There's a lot of information on Puffer Pond. There's a lot of work has done to develop a plan. There's no funding other than just some funding to help fix the dam in the dyke. But it's to create a plan and a vision for what could happen at Puffer Pond when funding becomes available. And this let sets the groundwork for going out and seeking grants and things like that. And the fourth is Hickory Ridge. Uh that's a many years. We had a lot of conversation

about all these projects at the Cup of Joe at Atkins on last Friday with assistant town manager Dave Somac who's pretty much heading up these things. So those are all things that are um you if you would like more information, please let me know. Sort of keep an eye out for them. You'll these are the types of things that you likely are going to hear from your constituents. Um coming to the council um will be a presentation on roads and of course the financial orders which will be coming to you in February most likely. Um the DPW building committee will have its first meeting on January 23rd at 8:30 a.m. 21st. What did I say? You said 23. Okay. Thank you. It's a Wednesday. Whatever that Wednesday is.

Can you um say can you repeat the last one? um the DPW building committee

DPW building committee is meeting 8:30 a.m. on January 21st and and it's uh that's that just got set today so it's not in your packet. Um the um Portland Lou, which is our uh restroom that is um gotten through all the paperwork at the state level. So we're now we don't have to reprocure it. We've already procured it. Now it seems to be in progress. we can't build you put it install it until the weather clears. So in the spring that is likely to be put in. Um the um the crest is on dispatch uh and so we're spending the next week or two sort you know working out anything that pops up and you know they're already finding little things that go oh who has permissions to do things and things like that. So we have a meeting tomorrow morning we have a meeting on Friday just to keep track of how it's working. I heard the first call this morning because I listened to the scanner. So, that's an exciting development. And then the um the other big projects we're working on is the our the town's budgets and our capital projects getting prepared for the um joint capital planning committee which will start meeting in February. So, a lot going on, a lot of staff doing a lot of work. Uh and then you those of you who are going to the Mass Municipal Association meeting, if you have any questions about that, that's a just be be willing to wear your walking shoes because there's a lot of walking that goes along with that work that place that it's a very it's the largest building in New England. It's bigger than the credential center if it were laid on its side.

They don't use they only use a tiny fraction of it, but it's usually in the farthest reaches of it. So that's why there's lots of walking. So any questions for the town manager? Council Ryan, I can't remember where I read this. Someone will remind me, I'm sure, but um some desire for us to get a report or update on rental registration and how that's going. Can you say anything about that and whether that's something you anticipate coming in the next month or so or weeks or I will take care of that one. Okay.

So, I have requested that um I'm going to do a a deep a little into the next agenda items. Um, I've requested that the two counselors who asked for that update create a memo to the council under charter section 2.8, which is a request for information from the town manager and an appearance at the council for the council to vote on so that we have a complete scope of what that would entail, including what information the counselors want. They are intending to bring that memo to the council for the next council meeting. And then if that request passes the council um we will then set the update for a future agenda that

okay if I just want to say if anyone has ideas of what they would like to see Pam and I are have a list and we're doing it as a memo that the council would say okay this is what we'd like to hear um whether it's in a meeting or in a memo you But we you'll have that at the next meeting. Yeah, it is the first time I think the council will be using this. So, we're testing it out and and seeing. So, it it's going to be a a thing. But Paul,

yes. So, I think one other thing if you could decide on the venue where you'd like to do that because this could easily go to TSO or it could come to the full council depending on the amount of time you want to vote to town to the town council. So, the the requesters and the president could talk about that. Okay. Thank you. Um, councelor Lord. Um, thank you. First of all, um, yay for the dispatch. Very, very good news. Would you be able to give us an update on where we are with the waste hauler RFP, please?

So, so we have a we've contracted with uh Pioneer Valley Planning Commission to do the work. We have a um schedule of the work that he's going to be that they're going to be doing. He um which he presented to the TSO committee back in December. We we're have a we have a meeting with him on Thursday that and to get an update on where he is. He's also recruited some group of students from Smith College who are eager to take on some aspects of this to do some research on in addition to what he's already contracted to do. Uh he was a professor at Smith reached out and said that we have students who'd be interested in working on. So there's some work being done on that. And um the goal I forget the exact timing but we sort of set it up so that he would have this work completed prior to the time we have to set the budget. If I could add one other thing Athena reminded me of in in December we uh have a holiday gathering for all town employees and that's at the event where we recognize employees tenure with the town. So anybody who's been here five years, 10 years, 15, we give them a little gift. Um it's a it's a we did it at the Red Barn at Hampshire College. It's something that is totally funded by the employees through their um self donations by purchasing tickets and things like that. Um we have some we have some um HR money that we go in to buy some like small gifts for people for their anniversary, but it's a it's a really nice event. The employees really enjoy being together. Um it's hard to get everybody together and the Red Barns was able to accommodate us this year which we really appreciate it. And so much work went into it by a group of employees mostly in the treasury collector's office but and through HR as well. So just always want to thank them for that work.

Thank you. Um no other questions. We will move on to the councelor item 13 town council comments which starts with the president's report. Um my report is in the packet. I'm open for suggestions on what all you want to see in that report. Um, but I hope to look forward as well as backwards um to report on things that are coming up and all. And in that vein, uh, councelor Walker and I, uh, Senator Kifford and Representative Dom were able to accommodate our request for rescheduling and it has been re the January meeting has been rescheduled to January 26th before our we don't have a council meeting that day, but um, on January 26th. So, I will be keep sending me things you want us to talk about. Um, and I will be uh we'll we'll be at that one. Um, I want to use this time to talk a little bit about some stuff before we get to future agenda items regarding rules and stuff for new counselors and old counselors. Um, each time it'll be slightly different. This one I want to mention the legislative process if you haven't noticed takes a while in the council. Um, so if there is anything that people want to propose or are thinking of proposing, particularly if they are bylaws or changes to policies or new policies, things that might take a while, uh, it would be ideal if that was to the council in the first six months of the council term if you want to see it completed in the council term. Um, so that's just a little update of that. Our rules say they have to be brought in a manner to be able to be adopted. Um, if you need help with figuring out what that looks like, talk to me, talk to our clerk, Athena. Um, talk to someone who's tried it before. There's a number of counselors here that have proposed legislation. Um, seek help. We're we're all here to help people who are are looking to um make proposals and all to to make it happen.

So, but just keep in mind it can take months for it to go and if not years to go through the process. So, um it's good to start early is what I would say. Um MMA a lot of times counselors get together on for dinners on either Thursday or Friday night or carpool. Um, I recommend that if you are interested in either carpulling, offering a carpool, or taking someone up on a carpool, or um wanting to get together with other counselors within the council for that, just email the town council and let's see if we can just organize it amongst ourselves. I don't plan on necessarily being the function coordinator. Um, I know Lynn has taken that on in the past, but but you know, it's email everyone and see who's interested and then and then talk amongst each other, but it has been done in the past for Thursday night and Friday night dinners. Um, one other thing, I received a request from our finance director today to get him the council's proposed budget for FY27. Uh, Athena and I received that request. that is due February 2nd. Lynn's been the only one I think through it in the past, so I'll be talking to Lynn about that tomorrow. But if any counselor has any request for operational expense budget items, what you might foresee the council needing to spend money, please email me. Um, the request is to actually propose a 10% reduction and I am going to be absolutely clear that the request is the first request is to I have besides updates to goals and other parts of the budget book. A request to propose a FY27 expense budget that is no bigger than the FY26 budget. One that would potentially be bigger but would maintain level services in the expense

operational expense line and also one that reduces operational expenses by 10% of the FY26 number. So, I have three to come up with. Um, I'm going to be talking to Athena about what's in it already because I looked at the numbers and I didn't even know where they came from. So, um, but yeah, if you have any ideas or thoughts on expenses that might be necessary, please let me know as to what what you're thinking so that I can try and put something together. If if you're thinking we might need a retreat and there might be need if in a retreat for money for you know a facilitator or something let me know those things so that I can figure out what's already in our operational expense budget because I actually don't know what's in it for that and then I can work with complying with our finance director's requests by February 2nd. I have to have our request in so I'm going to need that within the next week or two. Um Paul, do you want to say anything about that?

Yeah. So, so this is a request that's going to all departments and it's really three, it's actually four things. One, one is um a level same same budget you have currently. One is a level services which means you have to incorporate anything else. So, you just maintain the same services. The other is a is a 10% reduction. If you want to do anything new, that's not part of the budget. That's a request. It's called an ad budget. So if you want to say I want more money for something other than level services that's a separate thing that you can submit and that goes on a different list something that's not already being done. So it's level services which is what we heard from the schools on on Saturday and that's what the council asked us to do. you know the norm the way we normally do it which is we know where we have we have three and a half percent we're building our budget towards that and then we're anticipating if we don't have good news that even if we do have you know depending on where we are with health insurance rates we're asking each department to budget 10% what would you cut if we have to actually do that so that's where we are

so I'm I'm in an information gathering mode right now since I'm not sure it was like $35,000 in operational expenses I think that are in the council budget right now and I'm not even sure what it accounts for. So that's I'm going to get that information but that I'm also asking people for what they would think so that I can match what we have with what people might want and all. So Kathy Paul Paul I just have a a follow-up question. So when you're asking them for 10% it's the total budget. It's not just their

it's the salary lines as well. Yeah. Thank you. Yes. Yeah. So, um, future agenda items, uh, some of them have already been mentioned, including the residential rental inspection program, potential closeout financial orders from FY26. If they're ready, they would be for referral, not for vote. They would be referring to finance. Um, we have a couple of potential minor things. It's three weeks away, so these are just sort of we'll see what happens. um designating GO to conduct interviews and make recommendations under our council policy for the bylaw review committee appointments because that's not in G's charge. Um uh we'll figure out whether we're doing Heatherstone roundabouts. There might be some easements um University Drive and maybe some other easements coming to the council for next meeting or sometime in February. And then Py Village Place we believe will be ready by February 2nd. It was almost ready for this meeting, but it was not quite there. So, so we expect it to be ready for February 2nd. February 9th is the work session. So, that will be all of that. Um, and on February 2nd, there is also the presentation from Senator Kmerford and Rep. Dom. Um, and then we have at 6 PM the Black History Month flag raising. Uh, any other future agenda item requests from counselors? Cathy,

I just wonder, do you know when um the CPAC Community Preservation Act uh recommended projects are going to be coming to us? I defer to Sammy might know, you know, I know they're vote, they're about to vote on them, but yeah. So, so they vote and then they have to prepare a report. So, it depends on when the committee completes its work and then we'll schedule we'll talk to the president about scheduling it uh after the committee completes its report. So, it likely in February. Yeah, but not for referral late February maybe. Okay. Maybe not the February 2nd meeting late February, early March. Okay. I'm I'm just asking because sometimes it's interactive with the capital projects that are on the list for JCPC.

But C CPAC is voting their recommendations in the next week or two, I believe. So JCPC would have that information before. Um any other uh councelor Kel Martin I just have a question about the CPAC recommendations. They come to us as a council to vote on or you said who would it be referred to?

So they come to the council. So CPAC makes recommendations. They come to the council with a final report. The council under its rules has to refer since it's a financial matter it has to refer those recommendations to the finance committee um because there's financial orders related to them. and then the finance committee makes a recommendation on the the CPAC votes and then it comes back to the council for a final vote. The council is only allowed to vote and act on items that CPAC recommends. It cannot act on any items that might have been proposed to CPAC that are not recommended. So this is not one and that's a legal thing that we we can't say if CPAC say doesn't recommend Y item, we can't add Y item into our action items. Um so and and but we can act on whatever they do recommend. Yeah.

Just to build on that we have it depends on the year but some years we're voting on the whole package. Other times we pulled one or two things out for a different kind of discussion and voted on part of the package. So just in terms of what that looks like, um I can't remember it was early on there was a um everyone will remember it was a housing piece that went on long enough that it was in obeyance for about four or five months when when everything else went through. So it's varied on how we vote on the um Sam

in response to I believe it was Kathy's question when it's expected in years past the during the time period I was on CPA uh C the determination of recommendations was accomplished during December they have yet to complete that and then thereafter uh there's a need to go through a few steps to generate the report in collaboration. So my guess and I have not spoken to anybody on CPAC is that it's not imminent. Uh so whatever we've done in the past which was at the discretion of scheduling from the finance uh committee actually and the finance director used to be in like February. My guess is it'd be later, but it's entirely up to uh town staff and uh in this case it would be Katie once they finish their deliberations and they have a more difficult challenge this year than probably in any year I when I served in terms of requests versus available might take them longer. Who knows?

Yep. Okay. I don't have any other future agenda items. So, we are moving on to councelor comments. Are there any counselor comments at this time, Lynn? Yes. Um, last week as we moved on to this term, I also want to add a sincere thanks to George Ryan for his two years as vice president of the council. Thank you. Thank you. one year. One year felt like

it felt like the other the other thing I would like to uh strongly urge and that would be that the clerk of the town council or the president whoever you want to do this send out the link to the non-disclosure forms and that people get them filed now. This includes where you employed includes what committees you're on outside of the council and the roles you play in them. For example, I is well known. I still am engaged with the Emmer Survival Center. They get uh CDBG money even though we don't make um any decisions about CDBG money. I always file a non-disclosure. So, uh just make sure you do it and get them all in.

Thank you for that reminder, Pam. I wanted to build on the thank yous to if if at the staff lunch that you could send a big thank you from the council to all the work that the town staff does. Really appreciate it all. Thank you, Jennifer. Um yeah, this was in um the town manager report. I just wanted to confirm that all counselors, even if it's not your first term, have to take the ethics training. Eth ethics training has to be done I think every two years. So whenever you looked at it last it's not a hard thing to do. It's online. You just go through it. I encourage you to do it. Um

it's asking for a password but I can take that up with you. You you have to create your own account if you don't have one already. Yeah. And I believe it's every two years for one of the things and every one year for another of the things. So yeah, one of them's open meeting law, one of them's ethics, and one's every two years, one's every one. And and you'll start to see cyber security training emails. Oh, yeah. Oh, yes. Lots of Oh, yeah. If you have questions about any of those when they come in, if they're legitimate or or they look fishy or anything like that, just reach out. Yeah.

So, yeah. So, cyber security is really important. It's it's cities and towns are under attack constantly, thousands of attacks every day, and they're getting more and more sophisticated. They love to go to people who have high profiles, i.e. the town council, town manager, places like that. They spoof emails. Um we're part of a the major um effort by the state and we're we're participate in that and there's training and the training is actually not so bad. It used to be not so good um but now it's not too bad. Um and it's it's somewhat entertaining, but it's also educational and even though you think I I thought I knew a lot, I I learned a lot from it. And then you also get tested. So you'll see an an email come in. You'll think, "Oh, this looks like it's coming from Paul. It'll look like it's coming from or or Athena or somebody. They're really good at doing this." And this isn't in real life. Um and then so there's a little button on your email that has fish, phis, and you just click on it. It'll shoot it to fish to the IT department, huh? The bands and they'll put in your request. No. Um so and it looks at it and sometimes you'll say sometimes you if you if you pick the right one and says ah you you you passed because if you don't then you get scolded it it makes you never want to open an email. Yes.

Any other counselor comments? There are no topics reasonably not reasonably anticipated by the chair. There is not an executive session. Uh so we will move to adjurnn. Is there a second? Second. Uh we start with I believe councelor Walker. Yes. Uh councelor Breick. Yes. Councelor Kennel Martin. Yes. Andy Churchill. Yes. On Devon Grathier. Hi. L Greamemer. Hi. Mandy Johannick is an I. Councelor Lord. Hi. Sam Mloud. Hi. Pam. Yes. Councelor Ryan. Hi,

Kathy Shane. Yes. Jennifer Tob. Yes. We are adjourned at 9:42