Town Council - Regular Meeting

I'll bring it over. You look so happy. I should do. Slowly.

Where's my name? Here right now.

Um, well, maybe we should put the hearing. I mean, there's going to be folks, but that's hearing Germany first. I know. We can't tell these people upstairs. There's no place upstairs any have people asking if they're speaking. Are you doing public comment during public hearing? We're not doing public hearing, but we are doing Yeah, we got people that want to speak on her.

So, just let you know. Oh, there's a place for my wife to sit down here. There's a place for my wife to sit somewhere. We got living air coming in.

You saw

and testing one. coming into the room tonight.

Oh yeah. Sir, just

Good evening, Bluefield. We are moving into a public hearing. The purpose of this public hearing is to list solicit public input for the renaming of the Bloomfield Greenway as the Joe Merritt Greenway. A copy of the draft ordinance is available in the town clerk's office for public inspection. Now, those who will speak during the public hearing uh will we don't have a list for you. So, if you could identify yourselves by name and address, that would be greatly appreciated. So, as we begin, do we have speakers for the public hearing? Okay. A clerk of council. So, there are several people that have raised their hands. Would you like me to identify them or

two for public hearing for public hearing?

Thank you. Thank you. My name is Sharon Man and I live at one Adams Road. I am uh a resident of Bloomfield for over 50 years and a quintessential volunteer. So, I've been around the town a long time. And um to the members of the town council, I have respectfully submitted to you a recommendation for the consideration of the Bloomfield's portion of the East Coast Greenway to be formerly named the Joe Merritt Parkway. And that's in recognition of councelor Joseph P. merits extraordinary and lasting contributions to our community. In accordance with Bloomfield's naming policy 1101, I have followed the appropriate process to bring forward this request, submitting it in March, and this process is grounded in the policy's criteria for commemorative naming. Under that policy, individuals may be honored for making lasting contributions, advancing recreational opportunities, and positively impacting residents lives. Counselor Merritt meets and exceeds each of these standards. For more than two decades, he has been the driving force between bringing the East Coast Greenway to Bloomfield. From early feasibility work to identifying the route to working with regional and state partners, his leadership has turned the greenway from an idea into reality. Because of his persistence, Bloomfield now has a trail on the ground with continued progress connecting to Hartford and to Windsor. The impact is already clear. The Greenway provides

safe, accessible recreation to residents of all ages. It promotes healthier lifestyles. It offers alternative transportation. Thank you very much. Can I just finish? It's my last line. It strengthens our local economy through regional connectivity. And I feel that if people are going to walk down the greenway, they need to know how it got there. and Joe Merritt is the person who brought it to our town and he deserves to be recognized and that it should be called the Joe Merritt Parkway Greenway. Thank you very much.

Next. So, as moving forward, uh please prepare to one once the clock goes off, please stop because we have quite a number of people to to speak this evening. Okay. Thank you.

Paula Jones, Five Bear Ridge Drive. Uh, thank you for the opportunity to speak tonight. I'm here to make a comment which reflects the sentiments of the Conservation, Energy, and Environment Committee. Those of us serving today on the CEC are very familiar with Joe Merritt's long advocacy for the Greenway in Bloomfield and beyond. He has been working on the greenway since at least the mid 2000s and the CE CEC has been a supporter of his efforts since that time.

Because of his tireless and consistent efforts, councelor Merritt was specially recognized in 2015 when the Connecticut Greenways Council awarded him its municipal award. A decade later, he is still hard at work on better connections between Bloomfield's neighborhoods and our neighboring communities via your trails committee. The CEC learned in March a Chairman Mann Ruthanne Marquetti and Libby Mero had submitted a renaming request for the greenway following the procedures set forth in the town's naming policy. As a result of the CEC's firsthand knowledge of council and merit's two decades of service and support to the greenway and to other CEC projects, the committee voted unanimously to support this request. This occurred at the March 27th, 2026 meeting. I respectfully ask the council to remove uh to approve this request. Thank you.

Thank you.

Good evening. Good evening. Kevin Goff, five Bear Ridge Drive. Uh, good evening, mayor, deputy mayor, counselors. I am speaking in favor of naming the Bloomfield Greenway in honor of councelor Joe Merritt. Uh, I became involved as a volunteer for Bloomfield when I was recruited by the conservation, energy, and environment committee because I was interested in bike trails uh, connecting the to surrounding towns. When I started serving on that committee, I immediately discovered that it was councelor Merritt who had been pushing this idea for several years before I became involved and was heavily involved in creating a Bloomfield Trail and ultimately making sure that Bloomfield's portion was part of the East Coast Greenway which extends from Maine to well will extend from Maine to Florida. As you all know, for the last several years, he has chaired the trails committee uh council committee focused on Bloomfield Trails, particularly the greenway. I wanted to show you this tonight. This is a recently published guide to the East Coast Greenway in Connecticut and Rhode Island. It not only showcases interesting landscapes and historical features uh on the route, it also points out restaurants, bike shops, places to stay. Being part of the East Coast Greenway will be a catalyst for business in a revived town center in Bloomfield. Just look at how Collinsville, the Collinsville section of Canton has changed as part of the Farmington River Greenway loop. Joe Merritt had the vision for our town and and is bringing it to fruition. No naming of a Bloomfield recreational facility could be more appropriate than naming the greenway after council merit. I strongly support this action and I hope the council will also. Thank you.

Thank you.

Are there others? Yes. Okay. Yes, Robert Dickinson, 400 Cabbury Drive. I've only been in the town six years, but as soon as I be became at all involved in in in the town government, I became aware of Joe Merritt's dedication. Joe has been working in support of trails in Bloomfield for many, many years and with the goal of making Bloomfield a safe place to walk and bicycle. I support the naming of the Bloomfield Greenway for Joe Merritt in recognition of all that effort that Joe has put into the furtherance of the Bloomfield Trail System. Thank you.

Thank you. Hi, Gail Riley, Maple Avenue. I'm not for the renaming of the trail um in Joe Merritt's whatever portion in his name. Um I don't feel it sets the right precedent that you um are naming something after a sitting counselor. I just think it's not the right thing to do. I'm not saying he's not worthy of it. He definitely is, but I feel it should be an honor that is given to him once he is off council. Thank you.

Thank you very much. Are there any more speakers? Are there any online, going once, going twice, going a third time? Okay, so we Can I make a motion that we close the public hearing? Second. So moved. We have one more. Oh, we have one more. One more. We have one more.

Dear Attorney Crumby, I am sorry it has been such a challenge for us to speak by phone to address the concerns that have been brought up regarding the naming of the Bloomfield section of our greenway after Joe Merritt, a lifelong Bloomfield resident and 35-year plus town council member. I doubt that anyone opposes the idea based on Joe's merits. Excuse the pun. The concern instead seems to stem from what some people perceive to be a conflict regarding the town's naming policy written in 2014 and revised in 2022. I was on the 2022 committee along with Dave Mlesco, Helistine Graham Days, and Don Harris. We met frequently and worked hard to clarify procedures. I would like to clarify that the part of the policy referring to present council members was from sections B and C. The sections about streets and plaques. Please see below that section A. See below it's attached in this refers to parks, town owned building and recreational areas. Joe meets the criteria of that section. When Sharon man, Libby Mero, and I talked about how fitting it would be to name the Greenway after Joe Merritt, Sharon and Libby, both of whom have lived in Bloomfield for more than 50 years, talked about Jill's lifetime of dedicated service to the town. Though I have only lived here since 2011, I have watched the Greenway develop, and I consider it one of Bloomfield's many attractions. I want to underscore that Joe had no idea we were hoping to do this. In fact, Sharon asked him for his permission to do so. He modestly gave us permission to bring the idea forward. Sadly, what we hope to be an honor for a man who has so unselfishly served his town has become a kind of unnecessary embarrassment. I am so sorry about this.

Please accept my attempt at clarification of the policy as my effort moved this rightful honor forward. Respectfully submitted, Ruthanne MarQuetti 669 Bloomfield Avenue red for record. I go back to my motion. Thank you very much. Councelor Death and Brown. I make a motion that we close the public hearing. Second. All those in favor? I.

Any opposed? Any abstensions? Public hearing is closed. So based on the public hearing, we will move to uh put this on the agenda for our next council meeting. Now we will all stand for the pledge of allegiance to the flag of the United States of America and to the republic for which it stands. One nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all.

We continue with roll call. Council Cooper Yep. present. Brown here. Council Mahan here. Councelor Oliver present. Councelor Merritt here. Uh Council Waterhouse is not here. Councelor uh Goodwin. Oh, he is traveling out of country. Uh, Deputy Mayor Lloyd present

and Mayor Anthony Harrington is present. Okay, we do not have the next category is u announcements and presentations. We have none currently slated. We'll move now to citizen statements and petitions. So for all of those who have signed up, uh please state your name, your address, and you will have uh three minutes to respond. We will go we will first go through those that are here and then we will inquire about our virtual audience as well. out oftowners or those who live outside of Bloomfield, you will have a twominute maximum. Thank you.

Okay, Jane from me. If I mispronounce your name, I apologize. Thank you for everyone. Thank you.

Yep, no problem. Thank you. Jane from I live at 6 Beatatric Avenue. I prepared a statement to read on behalf of me and my husband, Michael, who unfortunately is in Florida dealing with a family emergency, which is why my son is here with me. My husband and I bought our house 15 years ago with the belief that this was our starter home and that we would definitely not be raising children in Bloomfield. We had heard the rumors that Bloomfield Public Schools were a failing district and the superintendent no longer cared. There was bullying and they lacked essential programs needed for healthy child development. But we had our son Jeffrey. We love our neighbors. COVID happened and we are still here. I also ran into an old coworker who now worked for the district and they assured me that Laurel and Metac were not only incredible but much better than the district I had been working in and they would absolutely recommend the elementary schools to anyone but get my son out before the middle school. My son thrives at Laurel. Thanks to incredible teachers, Jeffrey, who is currently in first grade, is reading third grade level chapter books. His teacher and the math interventionist are working together to find more challenging work for him and a few of his classmates. He and a small group of first graders meet with social worker from the school-based health center once a week to talk about their emotions, which has helped him accept new challenges in ways that were too difficult just months ago. My family's plan my family planned to move out of Bloomfield before Jeffree finished fifth grade. But recently, I made a promise to Dr. Youngberg that I would give her a chance and take the next three years to let her change our mind. As part of the district's parent advisory council, I've gotten to know Dr. Youngberg and what she stands for. I also know that she has now brought foreign language and instruments back to the middle school along with federallymandated health program which somehow got removed. With the passing of the budget, she plans on adding additional languages to both the high school and the middle school along with changing Metaccom's current music program to include instruments. She has

implemented the MTSS program that not only helped my son with more challenging work, but helped those other students who need more assistance with their classwork. If this budget is not passed and is cut, my son will no longer receive the incredible education he is currently getting. I believe that every child has the right to receive the best education possible. And with budget cuts, you will be denying these citizens that right. If the budget is cut, families will choose alternative education options, which will cost the town more. If the budget is cut, my own family will be moving to a town that prioritizes children over their own personal needs. But before we move, we will make sure that everywhere we go in Bloomfield, that we talk about the disservice this town and its committee members have done to our children and do everything in our power to make sure that you are not reelected. Before my time is up, I'm just wondering how many of you have school age children and is your child in Bloomfield public schools? That's very interesting. Thank you for your time.

Thank you,

Stacy. Close. Good evening. Good evening.

Close to 55 Philly Street, Bloomfield. I I rise uh this this evening uh to urge our our our council uh to fund education and fund it fully. And the reason I do so is because I understand the power of education. Being an educator myself and actually having gone through a a public school system, Bloomfield has been a true true blessing to my sons from Winonberry all the way to to Bloomville High School. It's been a blessing because of talented teachers, talented administrators who cared. And it's also been been a blessing uh because these administrators these teachers would go to the extreme to make sure that my sons not only learn but they also grew that growth also includes extracurricular activities activities particularly for my sons like band from the elementary level with Mr. Mccarthy uh band at the middle school level with our dear uh Dr. Dorothia Jones and also at Bloomfield High School with Mr. Murphy. All of those things together help in the growth of our children and of our young people. And education is a saving grace for us here in Bloomfield and for the nation. As we embark to celebrate 250 years of the United States, we should also remember that we also need to continue to celebrate education for without it there will be no United States. Thank you.

Thank you. Thank you, Joseph Washington. Good evening, councelor Jimi. My name is Joe Washington 66 Lane in Bloomfield, Connecticut. I just want to come here to talk about some general things. Again, my kids are in the school system now and I was in the school system 20 years ago and I still have kids in the school system now. I wonder, you may wonder why that happens. It's because I'm just that kind of guy. Uh but I just

I also wanted to talk to you about the uh the taxes from uh that's gone up from Bloomfield from 3 to 4%. They're now approximately 8 to 9% for the year 2026. We cannot sustain this kind of tax hikes each year. Taxes are raised that are geared toward the town hall and his town hall employees. A few people without any kinds of plausible oversight need to be allocated toward the home release taxes. longer hours toward recreation and activities there for your our young people and the elderly persons. We don't have to have a raise in taxes. We don't have to have um the Bloomfield people or taxes uh pay anymore for taxes. We just need to allocate the taxes that we now have to reallocate those taxes. Those reallocation will get us through the system without having to raise taxes. So I think that our Bloomfield kids and our children here are the crux of a community. Any community, they're the crux of the community. They fund them. If you don't fund them properly, you won't get anything from them properly. You have to properly fund these people, these kids, so that we can get the proper education from them so that they can carry on through the school system. I don't understand why that didn't occur. It occurred when we were here and I was here six years, 10 years ago. It

occurred. We didn't have any problems like that. It occurred when other people were here prior to that. We didn't have these kind of problems. We were able to fund our system. And so this system here needs some work. It is not working. It is not working because I see my taxes going up. I see the funding for the school system going down and we don't need that. Thank you for your time. Thank you,

Cecia Davis. Did I say that name right? Tyia Davis. Tiaka Davis. Tiaka Davis, Five Seedar Lane, Bloomfield, Connecticut. Dear Bloomfield Town Council members, on behalf of the kindergarten team at Laurel Literacy Academy, we would like to express our profound concern with the proposed proposed budget cuts to the Bloomfield Public Schools BOE. The cuts that are proposed would drastically impact our ability to effectively educate and best serve our students and families. These impacts could possibly increase our class sizes to over 20 students and decrease the direct support services to our students with behavioral and academic needs. Teachers will be left with fewer educational models and would have to depend on whole group direct instruction. We would not be able to provide interventions with fidelity or small groupoup instruction due to the high numbers and various needs of students within a kindergarten classroom. The current support and staffing is limited. Teacher retention is already an issue for the Bloomfield public school system. This uncertainty would definitely possibly lead to more teacher shortage and turn away potential candidates. The social emotional state of students is a concern. At this time, we are utilizing and relying on our college and university connection. These institutions provide us with interns to help service students with social emotional needs. They are essential to the success of students development and school readiness. In kindergarten, students come in with various levels of school readiness. There are some who display disregulated behaviors that impact the classroom environment, safety, and learning. Furthermore, at times, these aggressive behaviors impact

the other young learners in the classrooms. If the proposed cuts go through, there will be too many behaviors in one classroom for teachers to effectively manage a safe learning environment, let alone provide a quality education for all students. Field trips and programs that benefit our students educationally would be eliminated. For example, family events and community outreach programs such as literacy, math, and science nights, which were developed to provide families with the homeschool connection, will be at risk for being cut. The connections of teachers and families directly correlate with student success and academic performance. Eliminating these enrichment opportunities will be a detriment to our Bloomfield community. We are striving to attract families to stay in the district. With less funding to our public schools, families will explore other schooling options. They will be faced with the difficult financial decision to send their child to a private school or hope to be accepted to a magnet school. It is likely that families will not want their child to attend an underfunded public school. I would also like to personally state as a Bloomfield resident, product of Bloomfield, and educator, I would like to see my tax dollars go more towards the students being served in our community. Supporting our students will provide them with the opportunities they deserve. Thank you for your time.

Thank you very much,

Courtney. Good evening. Good evening.

My name is Courtney Buchard and I am one of the art teachers at Carmen Aries Intermediate and Middle School. In 2022, I also revived and reinvigorated the drama program at Carmen Aries, which had been dormant since 2019. Since then, we have successfully produced four full-scale studentled musicals. I'm here tonight not just as a teacher, but as someone who has experienced firsthand how life-changing theater and the arts can be for our students. I understand the difficult decisions that come with budgeting. I know everyone here wants what is best for our students and the town, but I am here to ask you to please reconsider the proposed budget cuts that could eliminate programs like musicals and other arts opportunities. For many people, a school musical may seem like an extra. For many of our students, it is one of the primary reasons they feel excited and motivated to come to school. The drama department is not just about putting on a show. It's about giving anxious students a safe place to belong. It's about teaching responsibility, teamwork, discipline, public speaking, creativity, perseverance, skills that they carry with them. I've watched students who were once afraid to even speak in class stand on a stage in front of hundreds of people and find their voice. I've seen students discover talents they never knew that they had. I've seen friendships formed, leadership built, and students who finally felt like they had found that's where they belonged. Not every child thrives in traditional academics alone. And some students find their home in the arts. I know that that was true for me. When we talk about cutting these programs, we're cutting opportunity. We're cutting confidence. We're cutting community. These arts are not optional. They are essential. I ask you tonight as a former middle schooler who would have been lost as an adult without drama and the arts to fully support the board of education budget and protect programs that make our schools places where students can grow not only academically but emotionally, socially and creativ creatively. Thank you for your time.

Thank you. As I call students names to the podium, please do not state your address. Okay. You want to do just first name, counselor. Okay. Just first name only. Thank you. We have Raheem. Good evening, Bloomfield Town Council and members of the Bloomfield community. My name is Raheem and I'm the saludiatoran for the graduating class of 2026 at Bloomfield High School. 2026 marks the third year that I've been a part of the Bloomfield community. As I came to this town at the start of my 10th grade year, I was a lot more quiet back then and I probably wouldn't have had the courage to come up here and speak to such distinguished individuals such as yourselves. But it is the lessons and experiences I learned both in and out of BHS that has created the confident and charming person that you see standing before you today. Our school's gospel choir is one of these experiences I joined when I first came here and I it was one of the best decisions that I ever made. Singing with this choir not only gave me the opportunity to connect with my peers, but with this town. And that's only one of the experiences. Young men's leadership gave me the skills I need to thrive in the real world. Our baseball team gave me a chance to fall in love with something uh something new. I could go on for hours, but I I only have 3 minutes, so I'm going to keep it brief. And my point is that all of the extra opportunities that BHS provided me made the three years that I've been here feel like a lifetime. So you can imagine

my alarm and my dismay when I heard that it is all the extra stuff that is being cut out. Now council members, as I said before, I am graduating this year. The decision you make does not affect me. And yet I was so alarmed at this announcement that I felt the urge to stand before you tonight. So, what about them? What about the other members of this community? What about the kids who have been in this town their whole lives? How are you going to tell an incoming freshman stoked to be a Warhawk athlete that they may not get the chance to do that? How are you going to tell a kid dreaming to sing carols at the Christmas tree lighting with our gospel choir that their dream might not come true? I I won't pretend that I understand all the factors influencing your decision. I'm sure that this is a very difficult choice to liberate on, but I implore you to seek um to see how many people have come out to shown their support and fight for our schools and just how much a mistake it would be to cut our budget as would not only hurt our schools, but it would hurt the town of Bloomfield that I fell in love with as a whole. Thank you.

Thank you. Up next is Daniel. Good evening, town council and all who are present. My name is Daniel and I'm here as a senior at Bloomfield High School and a newly committed honors husky at the University of Connecticut. whose future has been shaped by the opportunities like district and that this district provides their very opportunities now at risk due to the cuts. In my high school career, the one question that stands out the most as a first generation student is what do colleges want to see in prospective students. Colleges across the country look for what they call well-rounded students. Young people who show academic strength, leadership, and sustained involvement in meaningful activities. These are students who show curiosity beyond their course studies and academics and have the ability to connect ideas through different subjects. That's what colleges mean by well by being well-rounded. But how can students become well-rounded when the very programs and opportunities that allow them to grow are removed? Bloomfield operates with fewer resources than surrounding towns. We don't have extras. We have essentials. However, if these essentials are taken, we have nothing to fall back on. And those essentials are exactly what the cuts target. Without extracurriculars, students can't show colleges who they are beyond a transcript. It's not just about grades. It's about who you are outside the classroom. What you do in your free time. And when a college asks, "What have you done? What makes you feel and what makes you stand out? What are Bloomfield students supposed to say if say if everything that helps us stand out has been out?" I can speak from experience, but to keep it short, I will say that I am part of the evidence of what happens when Bloomfield students are given a chance. We are proof that greatness can come from a district that

believes in its students even when resources are limited. Bloomfield High School produces leaders, scholars, artists, musicians, businessmen and women, athletic champions, and innovators. Not because we have more, but because we have the mo what we make the most of what we have. Have you ever walked through the halls of BHS? Have you seen or heard what these students are capable of? Would you would not this be a sign to pour into our future rather than cut the limited resources we we barely have? Cutting these programs cost student scholarships, college access, career readiness, and structured environments to learn and grow. It widens the gaps that Bloomfield High School strives their students to beat, to become lifelong learners who read closely, think critically, ask questions, solve problems, and communicate effectively. We already have less, so these cuts will leave us with nothing. I'm asking you to reconsider these reductions and provide the increase our schools need because our futures and the greatness that continues to come through Bloomfield High School depend on it. It's not just the future of this town. It's the future of the students who are engaged in the Bloomfield public schools. Thank you.

Thank you.

Kirsten. Good evening. I'm Kirsten. I'm here to speak on behalf of Bloomfield High School athletics. I've been doing sports at Bloomfield High School for four years and I've seen how powerful athletics can be. Many student athletes have earned as scholarships. $40,000 to $90,000 is saved per year because of athletic scholarships, which helps most students long-term after high school, given the opportunities they may not have otherwise. I'm not just speaking about others. I left Craig schools after middle school because I wanted to join the track team at Bloomfield High School. If it wasn't for athletic scholarships, I wouldn't be able to attend Franklin Pierce University with the direct entry program to the doctor the doctorate of physical therapy with $20,000 in scholarships per year to finish a doctorate.

Athletics opened a door that might have stay stayed closed and I would want the same opportunities for my younger sister who will be attending Bloomfield High School in 2 years. Sports also bring our community together and give students a safe and positive environment after school. Most importantly, they create equal opportunities for students who might not be able to afford other programs. By not cutting athletics in Bloomfield High School, we are investing into our students futures and giving them opportunities to succeed. Thank you, Noah. Good evening, town council. I am Noj Carnikar, a junior at Bloomfield High School, and I'm a part of many after school programs. I participate in the musicals as the backstage crew, and I am part of marching band. On Mondays, I meet with Tri. On Tuesdays, I'm part of the media club and the business club. On Thursdays, I meet with the French and Spanish honor society to organize school events. And I also meet with a debate club which without I don't know if I would be able to stand here before you. All of these programs are important to me because they've let me explore things I never would have taught me how to organize myself to work in a team and simply brought me joy. These after school activities and many more are in danger of disappearing to due to this budget cut and leaving Bloomfield students worse off. All of these support social emotional learning which sources such as CAL, National University and childmind.org say helps to manage emotions, make responsible decisions, handle stress, set goals, and build healthy relationships. Those contribute not only to better mental health, but better academic success. Most importantly, they prepare us for life after school to discover what we are interested in and to have experience to

compete with students all over the world for colleges and jobs. As the saying goes, all work and no play makes Jack a dull boy. This budget cut not only affects after school clubs, but our athletics, field trips, family events, credential programs, soar and steam exploration. Athletics and credentials helps us to have experience to put not just on our resumes but our college applications. Field trips are some of the most engaging activities our school does. It makes our students excited and makes them keep their grades up so they are able to go on those trips. The trips also include going to colleges which is a huge opportunity for students to lose as not everybody has the time or transportation to get to those places including me. Family events also bring the community together while celebrating student achievements. The soore and steam programs encourage critical thinking, self-reliance, confidence, and serve as an introduction to those careers, which I know has helped many people, including my little brother. Getting rid of these programs will will put us at a disadvantage, not just academically, but as eventual responsible adults. I understand that as the town council, you have to make difficult decisions, especially with the current economy and you have to think about what will benefit us as citizens, but cutting the board of eds budget will not benefit us in the wrong long run. We are not going to be students forever. We will go on to colleges to various careers, become voters, and eventually start families. All of those points in our lives depend on how our schools prepared us. Bloomfield has been providing for students for years. So, how can we expect us students to reach our full potential and be able to give back to our community if these opportunities disappear?

Thank you,

Alana. Good evening, town council. My name is Eonla and I too am a junior at Bloomfield High School. From what I understand, Town Hall has recently voted to cut the board of education's budget budget by a significant amount. This would have a negative effect on my school's ability to provide extracurricular opportunities for its student body. And as an active member of many of my school's clubs, I think this will decrease college readiness overall and leave your students underprepared. Some of you may recognize me from one of the many musical productions and performances my school has hosted. I performed as the scarecrow in my school's rendition of The Whiz last year and as Pumba in this year's play, The Lion King. I have also been a member of my school's choir for the entirety of my high school career, where we often perform for events hosted all over Connecticut. We have been invited to some events, even hosted by town hall. Cutting this budget would severely hinder my school's ability to put on any further productions and performances. If it goes through, there is a good chance that there won't be any more plays moving forward. The money put toward our choir related field trips could disappear and students like me who take interest in related skills would be seriously disadvantaged. It is possible that some of us would even have to leave the district to remain active in our passions. Those of us who aren't unable to do such a thing for monetary reasons will just have to miss out on that opportunity. This budget cut would not only affect the music and theater departments though. For example, quite recently, my first robotics team was extremely successful over a competition season, and my team members and I have been lucky enough to qualify for the robotics world championship in Houston, Texas. As you can imagine, this is a big deal, but it also comes with a large cost. Thankfully, my school has been able to pitch in and help pay for my expenses. But what about next year? With this budget cut, I will likely have to pay for all of that unassisted and possibly even miss out on the opportunity to represent my town and my school for the national championship. By minimizing this budget, the town council is considering the removal of extracurriculars that might be a

seriously important determining factor in students' college applications and career readiness like robotics and theater are. While I understand that the economic environment these days is tough and the decreased student enrollment may numerically prove a budget cut as sensible, I do not think that this is the best solution. Overall, this budget has this budget cut has the potential to harm more than just the clubs and extracurriculars. Bloomfield students will be less prepared for their futures as a result. Thank you. Thank you,

Elaine. I'm not a student. I'm student size still. All right. I just prepared a brief statement. Good evening, town council. My name is Ela Holly. I reside at 659 Park Avenue. I moved to Bloomfield about 5 years ago thinking that it was the Bloomfield of old and apparently I was incorrect by looking at this deeply concerning uh proposal that you proposed. My daughter is a student here in this district. She has an IEP and she requires services due to her speech. And being that she has speech deficits, it means that she requires consistent high quality access to speech therapies and other specialized support. And the specialized support is not optional. It is essential for her ability to communicate, learn, and thrive. Any disruption to these services, including increased case loads due to funding or limited access to a therapist or special education teachers, could directly hinder her progress and violate the intent of an equitable education. I must be clear to you, these decisions with funding not weaken special education services or limit student opportunities in the arts or athletics will have lasting consequences. If these needs are not prioritized, families like mine will be forced to question whether this district is meeting his legal and his moral obligations to all students. As you have dug into our salaries by increasing taxes over the past couple of years, I implore you to look into your own salaries and invest in our students. Thank you. Thank you,

Alexandria. Uh, good morning everyone. I did this very last minute for my community and I wrote my speech like everyone else and I wanted to participate. My name is Alexandria Neath. I turned 17 years old four months ago and I've been living through in Bloomfield throughout my whole life and I'm to graduate next year in 2027. I am leaving soon and that is a fact. And when asked by my parents why I would care if I'm leaving, I knew this answer was very simple. I don't need to care about anything that doesn't affect me. I don't Oh, sorry. I don't need to uh I don't need anything to affect me to care whether something is directly affecting me, will affect me, or doesn't affect me at all. I don't need to be affected to care. And I feel like that should go for everyone in this room in life. Whether it affects me, a friend, or the earth, or even an ant, I care. I want to understand this. Why must it have a cost to live? Living itself for anybody or any species is hard, but why worsen it? I'm not the only person in here that comes from an immigrant family. I am a first generation born American. My parents are both immigrants from Jamaica who came here to get citizenship as well as my elder brothers who are 30 to 33. My mother is a hardworking healthcare worker within Yukon and Farmington.

And like many families, mine can struggle. And it's already hard to struggle as it is in this economy and in this world. Despite this town being a higher population of older individuals, we as a community and as people must remember that those kids and these children in this room are our future. We have people who are in this world who are uneducated and in control and controlling what is happening as we speak. These are people that you need to look at and understand why you as parents, adults, aunts, uncles, or even grandparents should be worried and uplift us and not worry about the cost to do so. Why would the money for us be cut even if it's a small amount? Some of some in the founding of this country thought that the elite should run. The elite who were rich and lucky enough to get an education. The elite who may know nothing about a community but wants to speak for them. We are here today despite that. So I want to ask you to think about the children to think about the future as we are the future and think about your decisions as we carry forward. Thank you.

Thank you,

Leila.

Good evening everyone. I'm

Good evening everyone. I'm Amir and I'm Leila. We attend Carmin Race Intermediate School. We are aware of the budget cuts happening in the school system, but we think that the after school programs help ignite a spark in students that they didn't know that they had. It helps bring out their performative, athletic, and creative sides. We feel very strongly about the after about one after school program in the in particular that is a musical. The musical helps kids learn a lot of things like how to dance, sing, and even how to bring out their creative sides. It is something not only the kids in the program look forward to, but also the kids who aren't in it. It gives it it gives students a chance to connect with people from different grades. It teaches lessons like how to see things through and how to give it your all even when you think you're going to fail. The musical provides a sense of freedom from stressful academics while still being a place that you are welcome to do unfinished work. All in all, in the all in all, the musical along with other after school clubs provides happiness and joy to all students of all ages. And if it goes away, we won't only be sad but devastated.

Thank you, Amber.

No, Amber. Amber going once. There may be a group coming downstairs now. I see them on. We'll give her 30 seconds. to the next one. Next one she gets down. Sounds good. While we're waiting, we have Jesse White.

Hello everyone.

Come on, girls. So, I wrote things down just because if not, you know, I can talk and we'll we'll be we'll be here for a little while. So, I appre I appreciate the opportunity for our students to be engaged in their civic duty. Didn't they do a phenomenal job? And I trust that you all have been working extremely hard. I've watched it on YouTube um to prepare the most fair and feasible budget for our town and for all of its residents. I stand today to speak on behalf of our children, my children. These children have yet to fully understand the long-term impact that the decisions that you make today uh will have, but they will be impacted. I have been honored to serve Bloomfield Public Schools for long enough to call some of your children my nieces and nephews. Um, and several of you are proud Warhawks and have gone on to done do a phenomenal job and make your mark in our town. All I'm asking for is that you return the favor. Give these children, our children, the students who you just heard um the opportunity to experience the fullness of that which you have already been you've already experienced. In fact, give them more. I'm a firm believer that each generation should have the benefit of the foundation that the previous generations have laid. That's how a community supposed to run. You have the profound opportunity and the obligation to make a difference right now, right this moment. You have the opportunity to help us to develop leaders, promote academic excellence, and provide service and advocacy for our community. As you're fully aware, what you do tonight may impact academics, athletics, and the arts and programs that recognize the fact that some of our students need accelerated pathways while others need special attention. Either way, you all have a huge decision to make. I implore you to fund our schools. I implore you to give our superintendent and all of our staff that you see in red the opportunity and chance to make a real

difference and how we educate the f future of our great community. Thank you all so much. Thank you.

Do we have Amber in the room? All right. Amber base off of council. All right, moving on. Aaliyah. Well, good evening. My name is Aaliyah Red, uh, Norman Drive in Bloomfield. Um, I am a proud resident and a former Bloomfield Public School student. And this just isn't about a budget. It's about also what we value. Cutting academics, athletics, and art programs is a major loss. These programs are not extras. They are where students build confidence, where they build purpose, and also a sense of belonging. They are where many discover who they are. And I know that because right here in this town, I lived it. I am a product of this district. I I received these opportunities. And I also watched others and myself earned scholarships, full rides, all because of the programs that exist today. And those programs and opportunities, they changed many lives. And again, including my own. This is not only about activities. It's about closing the door before students even get the chance to walk through it. Tonight, I also do want to speak as a mother. My son Carter, he's in fifth grade right here in this district. And recently, he did play Young Shrek in his school production. And I have seen exactly what that experience has done for him for his confidence, for his joy, and also his sense of belonging. What happens to students like him if these programs disappear? And because when you cut these programs, you are also cutting potential. We cannot say that we are preparing students for success while taking away the very things that help them to succeed. And as a former student, I do feel the impact. But as a mother, I do feel the urgency. So please reconsider these cuts and our children. They are simply not a line item. They are futures and they are the futures that you are shaping right now. Thank

you. Thank you. Allison.

Good evening everybody. My name is Allison Barowski. I'm a teacher at Bloomfield High School for the past 19 years. I'm also the athletic director. What other towns know about us is not what we say. It's what they see when they walk into Bloomfield High School to watch their own children compete during our home football games, track meets, football, I'm sorry, volleyball games, basketball games, and what they see speaks volumes. They see excellence on display. Statewide recognition, Hall of Famers, record-breaking performances, and the longest winning streak in track and field history in Connecticut. They see results. Bloomfield ranks number three in the entire state for state championships, trailing only Greenwich and Darien. The next closest in Hartford County is Glastonbury High School, who only has 25. We've had 50 in the past 13 years. All of the schools that I mentioned that we are right up there with uh are overly funded and three times our size. That's not just success. That is sustained excellence. But what they may not immediately see is just as important. They don't see the doors that athletics opens for our students or the pathways to college for those who may not otherwise have a plan. They don't see the daily mentorship from a coaching staff that is consistently recognized as the best in the state. They don't see the pride our student athletes carry as guests of honor at all state banquetss and leadership conferences and as consistent contenders in conference and CIA tournaments. And they may not realize that 75% of Bloomfield High School students participate in athletics. High school sports participation is linked to

improved academic performance, higher GPA, lower dropout rates, and better career success due to developed discipline, teamwork, and confidence. That means this is not a side program. It is a cornerstone of student life. It keeps our kids engaged, healthy, and connected. For 13 consecutive years, our department has earned the highest honor the CIA offers for athletic excellence. That doesn't happen by accident. It happens because this community has chosen to invest in its students and its staff. When we invest in athletics, we are not just funding games. We are strengthening academic outcomes. We are supporting mental health. We are building a more unified Bluefield, a more unified community. So the question before us is simple. Do we continue to invest in something that is clearly working not just for our athletes but for the entire town? I urge you to continue supporting Bloomfield Schools not as an expense but as one of the most impactful investments we can make in our students and our future because we are doing great things. Thank you. Thank you.

Denise Williams. Denise Williams.

Denise Williams.

Going once. going twice. All right, moving on. Liz Carrian.

Good evening everyone. Good evening.

Nice to see you. Thank you for having us. Okay, my name is Liz Carrian and I teach sixth grade at Carminary School. Two of my children attended Bloomfield Schools, so I'm a former parent, but I'm speaking tonight as a teacher. I started at Laurel in 1998. I taught third and fourth grade for 13 years before I moved to Aries in 2011, where I've taught fifth and sixth grade since. and I'm here to discuss the budget for the upcoming school year and to ask you to please reconsider your budgetary decisions. Due to the proposed cuts, we are facing layoffs and larger class sizes and the elimination of programs that are not mandated. And to be clear, these non-mandated programs, as you've heard by now from the last few people, but just to enforce, um these non-mandated programs at Aries alone include field trips, enrichment, uh the musical that we just had, Shrek, which was phenomenal. If anyone had a chance to see it, I don't know. Uh and favorite clubs, athletics. These programs are places where friendships are formed, where confidence is built, where strengths are realized, and also where a lot of connections are made. Um, regarding staff cuts and class sizes, when I started here in 1998, I had a class of 30 third grade students. 30. Uh-huh. Um, Yep. And I'm here to tell you that it might not sound too bad and that those of you who I assume are probably of my

ilk uh might remember having classes that large. And I'm also here to tell you that um times have changed. And as we are preparing to celebrate this 250th anniversary of our country, we have to definitely be able to prepare students for what lies ahead. And these smaller class sizes are essential to help us provide the type of personalized instruction that's absolutely necessary in order to foster growth. And also, I don't know if you realize how much feedback we give students throughout the day because if we don't give students feedback, they can't maybe pinpoint what went well and what didn't in order to give that kind of feedback. We have to be able to get to students quickly. Students who are in a smaller class size will participate more. will be able to build stronger connections and thank you so much for considering.

Thank you. Ela Spencer,

good evening.

Good evening. Um, I'm the dean of students at Metac Comet School and um, I'm a proud product of the Bloomfield school system and grew up in the center of town, Applewood, went through all the schools. Uh, I have spent the past 13 years working at Metac Comet. Metacomt is a vibrant, creative, and collaborative community committed to engaging and leading our students to excel academically and socially. And when I say that, I'm talking about the parents and the community in general. Um, as well as the staff. This year, under the guidance of Dr. Youngberg, we have made tremendous strides in instructing and seeing the whole child. We are diligently working towards adding another grade to our building to lessen the transitions our kids make during their time in town and to save the town money. Gyms is undergoing a rebrand for the same reason. Dr. Youngberg has made many innovative and fiscally responsible changes and needs the town's support to continue implementing her plans. Plans that are discouraging parents from leaving town, as you've heard, and leading to an uptick in enrollment. All of our schools are picking up kids. We've picked up like seven, eight in the past month alone in our building, and we've picked up even more since January. Um, district employees are working in tandem with her to build on the standard of excellence we value and diligently work towards daily. We need STEM classes, musicals, foreign languages, expanded math um, uh, foreign languages expanded, math interventionists, social and emotional supports, parent engagement activities, sports, leadership training, field trips, as well as appropriate class sizes for our kids. I love attending sporting school-based and social events in town

with my husband and having the chance to connect with our students and their families. We have become extended family to many families. I've seen many of them tonight. I saw some I I see them all the time when I'm walking around in town, eating in town and such. Even it's just amazing the camaraderie that we have in this town and the things that we can do collectively together. I stand here because we want our kids to have more than we have for ourselves. And I'm speaking of my husband and myself. My husband is an art teacher in the district at the high school and he runs the leadership program for the um young males. I want our kids to have everything and anything that my own child has access to. And I I believe that educators, if you're a true educator, that's the way you feel. You want the exactly what you want for your own child. And this is not okay. This would not be okay for my child and it's not okay for these children and there are children. Thank you.

Thank you.

All right. We have Von. Hello. Uh, I am currently the validictorian at Bloomfield High School with a full ride academic scholarship. I have a full ride academic scholarship to Yukon and offer to attend MIT. I have had a solitary educational journey. It should not have been solitary. In my experience is a direct consequence of a lack of investment in programs that this current budget puts in jeopardy. When I was in 8th grade, we were not offered algebra despite our demonstrated readiness. I was fortunate enough to get algebra outside the district because I had algebra in 8th grade. I was able to triple up extracurricularly on algebra 2 geome geometry trigonometry my freshman year because I tripled up on math. I was able to take AP biology as a sophomore because I was able to flourish in AP biology. I was prepared for AP chemistry. See how it all builds on each other. I love this community. We radiate black excellence. There is no question that my peers who are just as intelligent as me could have had could have handled these opportunities. Yet, I was the only sophomore in an AP. I was the only freshman tripling up and I was the only person I currently am now the only person in AP calculus BC. Right? The size of our most rigorous sciences are minuscule compared to our AP languages. I stand here today with my with my dreams in the palm of my hand. Not because I worked with the existing programs and curriculum within our district because they didn't exist in full like they didn't exist in the same way that they do now, right? Uh I I stand here today because I saw extracurricular enrichment and I was lucky enough to be able to pursue that. So many of the problems that have plagued my educational journey are currently being addressed by Dr. Youngurn. She is working to reinstate and revitalize pipelines, working to refine our mathematical curriculum. Yet

these exact opportunities are vulnerable to being cut. So many of my peers aspire to careers in STEM. They want to be doctors, engineers, researchers, business owners. They have had the path to their abst aspirations obstructed by this lack of investment. We deserve what is standard for other districts. I shouldn't be the only one in my position. Thank you. Thank you. Lucy Hursten,

Lucy Hursten, 5 Christine Circle. I have been a resident of this town for 45 years. Why you would even hesitate to fully fund your future investment in these young people, I do not know. You're going to see them in 10 years, 15 years, 20 years. Do you want them to be educated, talented, employed, contributing people, or do you want them to be desperate for survival doing whatever they have to do to get by? Those are the options that people have. You can fund your future and ours. But you have to make some tough decisions. I stood here for the last two years on several events and all over the internet saying how much I don't trust you. How much we don't trust you based on the decisions that you make as a council. You made poor decisions that left us with Niagara. You make poor decisions that left us with a town manager that in violation of our contract. Our charter does not live in town and it was okay by the town attorney who just took a 43% raise while we're trying to find money to cut a 43% raise last month in his hourly fee approved by who? The pay-for-p town manager who lives out of town. Want to find some money to cut the car that we have to pay for to pay for the commute for the out of town town manager and his assistant. We never had to pay for a car before. That's an expense that can pay for some school expense. Make the tough decisions. Find ethical people that won't redefine words like residency to get an out of town sympathy guy to come live in town driving our car trying to take away our trash collection and underfund our education.

We need ethical people. We need honest people. We need strong people. We need people that can say no. No to what it is that you're doing to this town. No to the bad decisions. No. Now, we want a bill now that says no data data centers allowed in this town. We want a bill that says no right now before the crisis that we don't want a detention center in our town. You have a problem making tough decisions. We're giving you the answers now. Do it preemptively. Say what you're going to do about data centers. Say what you're going to do about detention centers. Say what you're going to do about education and stop with the backdoor deals. Stop spending our money like crazy people.

Thank you

Elena Lindo. Good evening everyone to the board and to our Bloomfield High School students. My name is Elana Lindo and I am a current senior at Bloomfield High. Firstly, I want to thank you for your presence because it really empowers me to be here today and to speak. Firstly, in my experience being an immigrant, I moved here in 2024 and I was able to have opportunities that I could never have in my country from debate to trying out tennis for the first time and all this has really developed my public speaking overall. And even though if this decision passed, which I hope not, even if it passed, it would affect our future generation. And as a senior who got to experience these opportunities at Bloomfield High School, it hurts my heart that the next generation could encounter um could encounter such a budget cut that would not only limit them in terms of college opportunities, job opportunities, and social opportunities,

but it will also it would also give us the opportunity to learn more outside of school. Please do not consider us as figures in your accounting and in your records. We are humans. We're not just angry folk um coming here this evening. We have passions. We have interests and we want what's best for our children. I want what's best for our future generation in Bloomfield High School and the whole town in general. So with this, I ask that you will reconsider your decision.

Thank you.

Thank you. Tanya Morehead. Tanya Morehead. Good evening. My name is Dr. Tanya Morehead Culie and I'm a graduate of Bloomfield Public Schools. I began my professional career in Bloomville public schools as a middle school teacher at Carmen Aries Middle School. I was the 2006 teacher of the year. Remember, a product of Bloomfield Public Schools. I am currently a professor of education at Eastern Connecticut State University. But most of all, I am a proud parent of two amazing boys in Bloomville Public Schools. When my children were approaching school age, my husband and I spent some time trying to figure out where they would go. And throughout all of our searching and we weighed out our options and we found that Bloomfield was the best place for them to be. The administration, the teachers, the paras, and the staff all care deeply and provide a level of excellence that should be acknowledged. Thank you, Bloomfield Public Schools. The proposed budget cuts would limit the resources, stretch them in unnecessary ways, and reduce opportunities for our children in this community to have access to the arts, extracurricular activities, and family engagement activities that they hold at all of our schools. These are important to us. When my son entered the fifth grade, he began band under the leadership of Dorothia Jones. It was amazing. He he gained confidence. He won awards. They went on um they they performed for the community, they performed for their schools. And this year as a middle school student, he added on to his repertoire. Uh he is now an actor thanks to Miss Brousard, man.

And that was an amazing play. And I hope that all of you experienced it. If you didn't, you missed out. Our children are so talented. He had friends and family come from um Avon, West Hardford, Weathersfield, and those parents said to me, "Are you sure that those were middle school students? They look like they're high school students. They act like they're high school students. They had a level of professionalism that they got at Bloomfield Public Schools." Okay. So, as a researcher, I have to pause to say that other schools and districts who took the plunge and decided to decrease the funding of their schools have suffered for those consequences, for those decisions, and there were deep consequences. Screen time increases for our children. If you want to find out what the increased screen time does with your children, do a little research. It increases depression, poor social interactions, poor skills. It decreases um their confidence and their academic success overall. We can't afford to do that to our children. The arts, the athletics, the academics in Bloomfield create our beautiful community. We have products not only like myself and others in here, teachers that teach in this community. But you see the mural in Bloomfield. Um Anika Noni Rose, she was a student while I was in Bloomfield public schools and she's thriving because of what this community offers. my classmate Corey McKithan who is the head of the basketball team. He is a product. My last thing is please consider what you're doing because it impacts all of us if it wasn't for Bloomfield. I would not be the teacher, the professor, the parent, and community advocate that I am. Thank you for your time. Thank you,

Nyla. Correctly. Nyla,

if you can come downstairs if possible.

All right. Good evening everyone. My name is Nyla and this is my first year at Carmen Rice Intermediate School. I'm here to speak on behalf of the sports and clubs at the schools. Coming to Bloomfield schools has been an amazing experience, especially because of the ex extracurricular activities that help me and others feel included. I think it is important to keep these activities in Bloomfield schools. I'm a member of crochet club and softball. These after school programs help students have fun, learn new things, stay active, and make friends. These activities also have helped me become more confident and believe in myself. If we cut these programs just to save money, students across Bloomfield schools will lose important opportunities to help learn and thrive. Inclusions, please think about how important these programs are for all Bloomfield students when making your decision. Thank you.

Thank you. Rita, Rita Ozman, Raa.

Hello everyone. Oman, a teacher in town. Um, I'm not here tonight because I'm afraid of losing my job. My position is safe. I'm here tonight because my my students aren't. One of my former students last year sent me an email to express what he learned in Bloomfield High School gave him the confidence, the discipline and the courage to start his own business. That's what Bloomfield Public Schools does. I would like also to share about one of my colleagues right here. Um she what she does every single day is she build system for students to track their own progress to um hold themselves accountable and to see themselves as capable. This is what Bloomfield Public Schools teacher uh do. So I'm not here to share something you don't know. I'm here to ask you to act on it. When take away the support system from students, absenteeism goes up and graduation rate goes down. So if Nick is here, one of my students ask where does their teacher, support staff or counselor went? What do you want me to tell them? Thank you.

Thank you,

Lion. Good evening. My name is Leon Yay and I'm here to speak and I'm here to speak against the district's plan to cut the budget for Bloomfield public schools which could lead to terminating students and teachers and staff as well as the elimination of many programs. First, I will talk about the plan to terminate teachers, which could mean which would mean the teacher to student ratio would increase. Our district's grading already sits at a C, which is mainly determined by our test scores. With this budget, a C will not be the worst grade we'll see. These cuts go if these cuts go through. We shouldn't be surprised if in the future it drops to a D or lower, especially considering the district's standardized assess standardized assessment proficiency level in ELA and math are below 50%. With cutting the budget, it seems the district plans to cut most extracurricular activities that the state doesn't require. These may seem like extras, but the students like me that have and still do participate in many enrichment activities like band, sore, may be known better as talented and gifted, choir, musical, sports, and more. It feels as if everything that makes school exciting and makes me want to get up in the morning is being taken away. For example, if a kid isn't doing well inside of math and ELA and they feel as if they are a failure in school, they may join the school's band and do well. the success there can trickle down to their core classes. That may be the one thing that's motivating them to do well and that's their why for attending school every week. I wonder if those who agreed on this budget thought to themselves, "My child doesn't go to a Bloomfield public school or my child is in school anymore." But I urge you to

think about our futures. We will be the doctors, nurses, surgeons, business people, and so much more. One of us could be a teacher for someone in the next generation of your family. But you are being careless about your future. my future and the future of all the students in this district. Now, an easy solution to all of this may be if you don't like it, take your kids out the district. But what about the parents that can't afford it? What about the families that want to live in our community but will not consider us because we can't offer a first class education and barely a decent one? I hope that my words will be taken into serious consideration. And before I end this, I wanted to say that if you couldn't notice today, I was inside of the band and we came here to show you guys all what a beautiful thing that has come out of Bloomfield Public Schools and it shouldn't be taken away. Thank you for your time.

Thank you,

Diane Reine. Diane Reine going once. Diane Reine possibly upstairs. Going twice. Diane Reine. All right. Going to move on to the next person. Claire Kindle. Mayor Harrington, Deputy Mayor Lloyd, town counselors, thank you for this opportunity. I'm Clara Kindo. I live at 27 High Hill Road, Bloomfield. Um, and have served both in the board of ed and the town council of a neighboring town. So, I know that the balance between town and gown is always difficult. Um, but I will say that I was shocked by the town manager's budget that the uh gown half of it, the educational budget was only 48%. And I would think it would be closer to 55 to 60 would be a better balance. And seeing that, it seemed to me that it the town side is a little um bloated. And so, I'm coming to with questions with um both on process and on merits. Um, I think the process has been difficult for the public to follow and certainly has been difficult for the public to say what they're commenting on since you're going to be talking about the budget again today and nobody in this room knows what you're going to have as proposals for that for that budget. And I think that's unfortunate. And I would ask that you sort of present an revised budget that doesn't include a

$1.5 million cut to the schools and eliminating all trash pickup and as a way for public to actually comment on it and give some positive feedback. Um I also want to talk a little bit about the lawyer's but um contract and I would ask simp you know this lawyer may be perfectly fine but I think that the process you should have issued an RFP for legal services and they had different people consider uh whether you know who should be your town your town attorney um and there's a subcommittee of the town council could have done that um and I would reject I would urge you to reject the budget the uh contract that's being presented to you today because it hasn't been ratified and simply ask for an RFP and maybe the same a lawyer will be fired but will be hired but at least you'll have a proper process. Um there's also been you know number of votes taken in special meetings in the past four special meetings and none of those votes have been published in 72 hours as they're required to under FOYA. Um and the minutes may be laterers but the votes should have been published. Um so there's a couple a lot of process issues that I think I would call unforced errors that are making people not have as much confidence as they probably should. You're all volunteers. You all work hard. Um, but if we don't know what you're doing, it's kind of hard to feel comfortable. And so I would throw that out to you. I can't see how you can offer a very high tax increase and say then you want to add more positions. Um, I think that you have to have a hiring freeze and I think you have a have a real val uh real I would say, you know, a lean uh process of what kind of positions you need on the town side and have a real good hard look at it. Um, and the only way you're going to do that is if you freeze everything and take that look. And so with that, I would ask for, you know, a careful look on the merits and better processes. But we

thank you for your service. Thank you,

Rickford Curten. Rickford Curtain, 7 Hickory Lane. It feels like a reunion tonight. Seen a lot of educators that my kids went through the entire school system. My son graduated from Bloomfield High. But unfortunately, I saw this coming and I had to make the tough decision to send my daughter to a private school. And I can tell you this much. In her first year, they were calling us and saying, "Wow, she's really good." Guess what? That's Bloomfield product. So, the difference between where she is right now and where I preferred her to be is resources. That's it. Resources and the best. They hire the best and they invest in the students. Obviously, we pay a ton of money and not money that I wanted to pay, but like I said to my daughter, I can't leave you millions, but I can leave you a solid education. And that's what we're fighting for for these young people in the town of Bloomfield is to make sure they have a fighting chance. So, there's no way that we should be cutting the board of education budget. And I'll just quickly go through and tell you how you could accomplish that. You can take the $4 million that you're currently sitting in a trust fund for a possibility. When I say a possibility, we're talking about the Windsbury Mall. Do you prefer to potentially invest in something? Who's going to go there? Parents are not going to have any money. Our children's future is going to be dimmed. So, how are they going to

invest? Do you know one of the reasons why investors don't come to Bloomfield? Because they don't believe Bloomfield have the resources for them to invest in. You have to start investing in our young people first in our school system. That sends a message to say that we value education. So fund the education budget by putting 2.75 million from that trust fund into the budget. reduce the $800,000 for communication. What are we gonna communicate? Our children are failing because they don't have the resources. That don't make any sense. And you can go through that entire budget and find, oh, by the way, we're paying hundred thousands of dollars for attorney fees. A town manager in the town of Bloomfield is making $198,000. West Hartford town manager is making $191,000 with a town that's three times our size. That makes no sense. For my for my for my six years on the town council from 2017 to 2023, I unfortunately didn't win my 2023 election. And I hear from many of the folks on this council is because I supported the 6.5% increase just

our students needed it after co Mr. Education. Thank you

Aaron Behringer.

Good evening. Aaron Behringer, 28 Kenmore Road. Wow. I'm really impressed um by our Bloomfield youth that got up here and spoke today. Really by our parents and educators. It was really inspiring. So, I thank you because it was really energizing to hear your stories and your passion. especially in the context of the potential board cuts. Your voices are very powerful and I appreciate as I know town council does and they remind us all what's at stake. um especially with the BOE and I certainly support funding the board of education and Dr. Youngberg's budget that she put forward. And on the topic of the proposed budget, I really urge the council to ensure that all of your decisions are based on accurate, clear, and verifiable information. I've been speaking about this now for several weeks. For example, when a line item is funded across multiple departments, it can obscure the total true cost. And I think we all know what I'm talking about. And so I say that makes it very difficult to make budget decisions. And

so I would encourage you to carefully review each of the departments actual expenditures uh including those that might have been funded in other departments so that we can really understand those expenditures, the current budget in the projected need in those departments. um to ensure not only transparency happens but really informed decisionmaking. So I would urge you to really carefully look at that. Thank you. Thank you

Abigail Mullins. Good evening everyone. My name is Abigail Mullings. Um I'm a second grade teacher at Laurel Literacy Academy. Hi guys. Um this is my first year teaching. I'm a Bloomfield resident. I went to every single school in the district and I can say that I see the value in everything that everyone has said and I I love that everyone has been here to support the BOE and their budget and I love the way that Dr. Youngberg thinks and the way that she wants to implore sorry she wants to encourage our students to be the best that they can. Um, let's see. When I was at Yukon and I decided to become a teacher and go through their education program, I wanted nothing more than to be a teacher in Bloomfield. Um, I love this town. I think that it's the best place that you can live and seeing the way you guys deliberate broke my heart. Um, I have a lot of pride for our town and I don't think that this would be something that would shake that feeling and I really, really, really want to stay working here and I want to uh impact our students. Um, I have a letter on behalf of the second grade team at Laurel. Um, we are writing to express our strong concerns regarding the proposed cuts to the budget. This will have profound a profound impact on teaching positions, program funding, and supplies in Bloomfield schools. These decisions carry long-term consequences not only for students, but for the future of the town. Reducing the number of teachers will inevitably lead to larger class sizes, limiting individual attention to students and placing individual additional strain on already overextended educators. Currently, with

class sizes as they are, we are struggling to find desks, chairs, and school supplies for students moving to Bloomfield. In my classroom this year, I have gained three students, and it is not a heavy feat. It's not a it's a very hard thing. Um, this can diminish the quality of education, hinder student achievement, and reduce the opportunities for meaningful engagement in the classroom. Beyond academics, teachers and support staff play a critical role in mentoring and supporting social and emotional development for students who truly need it. Eliminating any of these positions risks weakening that that support system that will negatively impact students who already are vulnerable. We understand that budget constraints require difficult choices. However, we urge the council to consider alternative solutions that preserve the proposed educational budget. Investigating in sorry investing in education is an investment in Bloomfield's future. We respectfully ask that you consider reconsider these proposed cuts and prioritize the education of Bloomfield's future. Thank you for your time.

Thank you

Curtis Linga. Did I correct me? Okay.

My name is Curtis, Reverend Curtis Lungren, 59 Lyard Avenue, Bloomville. Um, council, I'm here because of my two daughters and uh, when I actually moved into Bloomfield, I purchased this home and um, incidentally, the former residents actually left items in my garage. And uh, when I looked in the garage and I saw what was there, I saw Bloomfield High School uh, jerseys. I saw medals. I saw legacies that were left at the home and my daughters, they started at Laurel, they went to Carmen a race and now they're at Bloomfield High School. And I tell you, they've expressed to me how much the pro programs uh have meant mean so much to them. I tell you, and when I'm talking, I'm talking passionate because I utilize these programs um well for them. without these programs, um, I'm telling you, they would have issues, emotional issues. Um, one of my daughters, she h she's always had a social interaction problem, and the after school program for her, the athletic program worked so well for her. And if I was to think about these programs being cut, I don't know what I would do. I would have to try to find another town that can actually meet um, her situation. I think that our counselors need to think about being proactive to um help with uh the social uh behavioral needs that are currently existing and are growing. um the health um situations that uh our children are found to be having um right now. I I represent also the FAPER group, Faith and Power Assembly. We lobby with um

1199 with regards to um educational funding um from our governor. And I realized that we need to be a little bit more proactive and fund programs that can stem the behavioral um issues that are currently happening in our schools. Let me tell you something. If it wasn't because of my girls, I wouldn't really understand how much of emotional turmoil our children are having in these days and nobody's talking about the medical issues um that is behind some of these situation. But it is real. It is real. and uh the the the the behavioral situation. I work in the behavioral field as well as a manager and I'm telling you our children are deeply affected and these programs help to curtail some of the behavioral issues um that would have been more um intense and um you know happening more and more in our community. So please I say to you uh consider what you're doing and uh put more into our educational system. Thank you. Thank you.

I have James.

Yes. Yes. James McGovern. McGovern. James McGovern. I am James McGovern, 25 Diana Drive. Attended Bloomfield Schools from kindergarten through 12th grade. Um, I had two sons who had Miss Youngberg as a principal in Carmen Ara. Got a good education there. However, we were compelled to escape the Bloomfield school system. And therefore, today I am asking for a hard reboot. Control Alt to delete. There are moments in leadership when incremental change is no longer enough. Where systems become entrenched, when outcomes stagnate or even decline, when trust erodess and responsible course of action is not to defend the system, it is to re-evaluate. I urge the town council to seriously consider two actions. US residents lack nonbiased insight into academic performance, financial efficiency, administrative overhead, and governance effectiveness of the Bloomfield public school system. We residents deserve a clear answer to a hard question. Are we underperforming due to fixable issues or are we facing systemic dysfunction that cannot be corrected with the current structure? Do we dare ask whether Donald Harris and James Thompson created a Bloomfield public school that is fooar? We residents must ask when maintaining Bloomfield public schools, is this the best model or whether there are alternative governance structures that would better serve our students and taxpayers. One such alternative is partnering with an organization like CRE or Windsor schools which already operates regional educational services. Outsourcing or regionalizing aspects of our school

system is not an admission of failure. It is a recognition that scale, specialization, and operational expertise can sometimes achieve what fragmented local control cannot. I am certain that the Bloomfield school system will continue to piss away our tax dollars in coming years. They will continue to underdel when compared to neighboring towns. In the future, they will seek to ask for a large capital outlay to build a new high school. You can bet on that. And your tax is going even higher. Do we dare ask when is enough enough? Let's send a signal that future plans by the council should include the wholesale reboot of the entire educational model. Our children, their parents, and all taxpayers deserve better. The question is whether residents is whether the town council will take action or do we need another referendum to compel them to listen. I would also like to talk about um a particular issue and I'd like to ask the the the mayor to act like a ranger and lead the way. The performance of our town manager and town government is abysmal. This is not a personality issue, even though it is, but rather a performance issue. Residents deserve competent town manager and right now the standard is not being met. He can be removed immediately by resolution of the town council if the mayor has enough willpower and and guts to take action to do the right things for residents and lead the way all the way.

Thank you very much.

Roger Bunker. Roger Bunker. Good evening. My name is Roger Bunker. I live at 28 Old Village Road. I've been a resident Bloomfield for almost 50 years. I've had four children go through the Bloomfield school systems. I did not come here planning to speak tonight. I do not have a prepared speech. However, uh we have heard from many about many successful young people and their needs. My experience has been with young people who have not been that successful. I have two children, one of whom has a very special educational needs and had to be outplaced from this town in many years ago. I have a son who spent two years in incarceration because of his behaviors. I spent my the last part of my career working with children uh who have special educational needs and I've been a member of the juvenile review board in this town for over four over 20 years. I've been struck by the fact that we've heard about the students who have done very well, but we need to think also about the students who haven't done very well. We see students in our juvenile review board who have many needs. We try to meet those needs through the youth through youth services in this town. If you look at some of the expenses or the budgets of youth services, one of their program budgets is $3,000 and hasn't been changed for decades. So, I think we need not only to consider the students who have done well and have the supports of the school system and the supports of their families, but we also need to consider the students who have other needs that have to be provided by our community. And we need to fund those services so we can provide those

services to these kids so that they can do well and not end up incarceration. Thank you. Thank you. All right, that closes out our in-person public comment, but we do have a person online that has raised their hand had their hand raised for a while. Um, Dan Prey, I'm going to let you in, allow you to speak. Dan Prey, you are in. Hello. Hello. Can you hear me? Okay.

Yes, we can hear you. Okay, thank you. Uh Dan Prey, 17 Maple Edge Drive. Good evening everyone. As a proud parent of a Carmen Rice Intermediary School student, I'm here to ask you to fully fund the board of education. I believe the full board of ed budget is necessary to maintain the highquality education that my son and his peers are receiving and to avoid further loss of the student body to magnet and correct schools. To avoid these costly losses, we need to be able to compete with magnet and correct schools by continuing to attract and retain talented education professionals and by offering enriching classes and experiences for our students beyond the minimum required curriculum. One of my son's favorite parts of school is the SOAR program. This program is essential for my son and his peers as it inspires and challenges them in ways that aren't possible in a traditional class. As part of the program this year, my son participated in Connecticut History Day at Yukon, where he and a classmate presented an exhibit they researched and made together. This was my son's first time on a college campus, and it was a positive experience that I know he will not forget. Under Dr. Youngberg's leadership, I've seen many changes that I support. From the addition of health and Spanish classes to the plan to have grades 3 to 5 in one building and grades 6 to 8 in another to the plan to move the board of education out of a building that is in need of continuous repair. I have been pleased with the direction of our school system. I ask you to continue to support Dr. Youngberg's vision by fully funding the board of education budget. Uh lastly, as you make decisions on the budget, I ask you to keep in mind those whom these decisions will most

impact, the vulnerable, those on the margins, the children. Please fully fund Bloomfield Public Schools.

Thank you. make the announcement. Going once for anyone else online. Going twice. Going three times. Okay. Citizen statements and petitions are now closed. We'll move now to item number five, council business. Our consent agenda. Is there any member uh that wants to remove an item?

If not, I ask for a motion to adopt the consent agenda. Motion to adopt the consent agenda. Is there a second? Second. Second. All those in favor? I I I.

Any opposed? Any abstensions? Thank you. The motion passes. Just want to mention that councelor Waterhouse is with us as well online. Now I'll move to uh new business. Item 2026-47. Consider and take action regarding approval of applications for the neighborhood assistance act program. Motion to um adopt uh 2026 item 2026-47.

Is there a second? Second. Any discussion?

Actually, we'd be moving to schedule a public hearing. Yes. As required by the Department of Revenue Services. Is there an interest for this program to be read for people? Okay. The So there was a second. Is there any discussion? The motion is to move Schedu schedule a public hearing as required by the Department of Revenue Services. There was a second. I'm asking if there is any discussion. No discussion.

Mayor call the question. All those in favor? I I I. Those opposed? Any abstensions? The motion passes. Okay, we now move to item 2026-48. Consider and take action regarding authorization to participate in the FY2025 emergency management performance grant EMPG program.

Motion to approve item 202648. um consider and take action regarding authorization to participate FY25 EMPG second. Any discussion? Hear any right. Uh so can you um what's the benefit for us? I can read what is currently available. Mhm.

Captain Clawberg requests that the town council adopt the attached authorizing resolution to allow the town to apply for and receive FY2025 emergency management performance grant funds administer through the Connecticut Department of Emergency Services and Public Protection, Division of Emergency Management and Homeland Security. Council approval of this resolution is required before the submission of the grant application and is a condition of EMPG program participation. The Emergency Management Performance Grant is a federally funded program administered by the US Department of Homeland Security- Federal Emergency Management Agency. The EMPG program provides annual grant funding to states and through them to municipalities to support the development, sustainment, and enhancement of local emergency management programs. In Connecticut, DEMs serves as a state administrative agency responsible for distributing EMPG funds to eligible municipalities. EMPG funds are intended to assist municipalities in meeting the core capabilities outlined in the national preparedness goal and may be used to support emergency management staffing training exercises planning and equipment. A key requirement of EMPG program is that recipients provide a 50% local match of the total project costs, demonstrating municipal commitment to emergency management activities. The town of Bloomfield will utilize these funds to maintain and strengthen its local emergency management capabilities across the four mission areas of preparedness.

prevention, mitigation, mitigation, response, and recovery. Participation in the FY2025 grant cycle ensures Bloomfield can sustain critical emergency management functions and remain eligible for future federal and state preparedness funding. So the resolution is the title resolution authorizing participation in the FY2025 emergency management performance grant program. Whereas the US Department of Homeland Security and the Connecticut Department of Emergency Service Services and Public Protection, Division of Emergency Management and Homeland Security provide financial assistance to municipalities under the Emergency Management Performance Grant and to strengthen local emergency management capabilities. And whereas the town of Bloomfield recognizes the vital importance of maintaining a capable and coordinated emergency management program to enhance preparedness, mitigation, response, and recovery operations for the safety of its residents. And whereas it is the desire of the town of Bloomfield to participate fully in the FY2025 EMPG program and to authorize and appropriate uh officials to apply for and administer these funds in accordance with all applicable federal and state requirements. Now therefore, be it resolved by the town council of the town of Bloomfield that one, the emergency management director or their designate is hereby authorized to apply for and accept FY2025 emergency management performance grant funds from the Connecticut Department of Emergency Services and Public Protection, Division of Emergency Management and Homeland Security on

behalf of the town of Bloomfield. Two, the town manager or their duly authorized rep representative is empowered to sign and execute any and all agreements, assurances or other documents necessary to apply for and receive such funds, including reimbursement requests and grant reports. Three, the town of Bloomfield agrees to provide the required local match and to comply with all applicable federal and state laws, regulations, and grant conditions as required by the EMPG program. This resolution shall remain in effect for the duration of FY 2025 grant period unless rescended or amended by subsequent action of the town council. So, thank you for reading that. So, just a couple questions. Um, we are committing to 50% of a project that I'm not sure

much it cost how much it's going to cost and to make sure that we have that 50%. Um, so I'm just a little

attorney will respond. Town manager. I mean town manager. Excuse me.

Okay. And and I can appreciate your perspective. Um um councelor dean Brown. I I can assure you that um as we are applying for these, there will be discussions that will be had and before we accept any money, there will be an approval process that would include uh me getting back to the council to make you aware of what we're trying to do and um and if that support in fact exists. and and the resources to uh provide that that support. So uh although the um the responsibilities will be placed upon the point of contact for for this um opportunity uh they won't be acting in a vacuum. Uh this will be done with full knowledge of myself and who will provide full knowledge to the council.

Thank you.

We have two more questions from council uh councelor Mahan and then council me. Uh thank you mayor Harrington. I was actually going to ask the the same question that uh councelor Betham Brown uh had. We tend to have this connection from across the das or on similar pages. Um I um I I I would like to know of course uh the full cost and if you are going to come back to council before any decisions are made then I would move that we strike the uh the verbiage of receive and just state simply apply for um because this the way it currently reads is that it's going to give the town manager the full uh ability and authority to um to apply and receive these grants without coming back to us. Now, I know the town manager said he will, but I would also like to have what we're going to pass back that up as well. Um, so one, uh, I would like to see that. Um, in addition, is this meant to say fiscal year 2025

grant period? Is that Is that a typo? It is not a typo. So, it is meant to say fiscal year 2025. Okay. I I would like to move to strike uh receive uh from from this motion. This apply

yes council may sorry I was going to say this is

it sounds like something that we should participate in. I wonder if we make these minor changes, it would disqualify us from it. And it doesn't sound like we're any danger of having to come up with a fortune and we we don't know how much it is because we don't know what it is, but we can decide that at the time and if we don't like it, we can turn it down. I mean, so I I I think we'd be better off just saying, "Okay, sounds good. We'll take your money and uh if we if if it doesn't sound like a good deal, we won't. But if you start fiddling with the the application that doesn't conform with what they're looking for, I'm not sure you'll have any chance of getting the money.

Thank you, Councelor Cooper.

Uh thank you, Mr. Mayor. And so, you know, I I don't want to, you know, just quibble about language, but the language in it does state uh whereas it is the is the desire of the town of Bloomfield to participate fully in the in the program and to authorize the appropriate officials to apply for and administer these funds in accordance with all applicable federal and state requirements. So, you know, we're we're only applying and I'm sure that this is standard language for all of the grants that we do apply for. Um, and I would, you know, just say if we're going to do it, just move forward with doing it. We haven't applied for anything yet, right? And we do have the uh assurance that those who are involved will come back to the council for our um for our approval of the spending of these uh these funds. Now, and you know, I will say, you know, some people may say other things, but I am of the um I am of the opinion, right? My opinion alone that, you know, we've I think gone through enough things here uh recently and lately that um these things are being checked and double-cheed uh by our town manager and his staff um to ensure that, you know, those mistakes aren't made uh because I think that that some of the mistakes have been made, mistakes made um across town administration. Um it is also the council's duty to understand the charter as such. And so for us to go out and just lay blame anywhere is not helpful uh to the process. So I would say you know we move on with this and get the vote in and uh right if we apply we apply. Thank you Mr. Mayor. Thank you

Mr. Mayor. Point of information if I could.

Yes. Um, I understand the the issues that's before you, but I think this is a what we would call a boilerplate motion that was created by the grtor. So, this is not a resolution that staff created. It was a it was a resolution that is standard for this grant application and has indicated does not re does not um commit you to accepting it but it does indicate to the grantor uh that this is the process that you will follow if you accept the funds but I think it'd be very difficult to actually I think if you change the language itself um you the grtor might have some questions Thank you.

Okay. And the sergeant is here who can captain who can speak on the ground itself who actually prepared the application. Thank you.

Right. Good evening council. Good evening

members of the public. Uh, so my name is Captain Zack Lombberg. Uh, I'm currently the EMS division commander for the Bloomfield Police Department and, uh, I also serve as the town's emergency management director. So, the proposal in question for that authorizing resolution is for, uh, the emergency management performance grant or the EMPG. And this is a uh a federal grant that gets uh assigned to the states uh and then is managed through um the state desk and and deemus offices uh who then can um distribute some of those funds to local municipalities. And in order to to apply for the grant, uh a authorizing resolution is required by the town to say that uh we will uh support this initiative and uh use it for certain uh predefined um programs and services uh specifically for emergency management.

Thank you. It's a 50% match. So, uh, whatever we spend, the state will reimburse, uh, 50% of those costs. Thank you, councelor. Councelor Merritt, thank you. Uh, I would like to move this if we has it been moved yet. I'll call the question. His hand up. You can't call. I'm sorry. I'm sorry. There was another counselor that had his hand up as well. Okay.

Council Oliver. Thank you, Mayor. Uh how you doing, Officer Clberg? So, you're telling us that uh the state would reimburse the other 50%. Correct? Yeah, it's at 50%. So, uh in my beginning application for the grant, I believe would be allocated somewhere around I think it's just under $11,000 total. It's not a great amount, but any little bit helps. Um and uh we can uh identify half of the cost to put towards uh the the programs or the resources that we're going to allocate for it and then the state would uh reimburse the other half of it.

Yeah. So it seems like a no-brainer, I guess, if we're going to be getting reimbursed. I mean just well for half. Um I appreciate you. Thank you. And if I didn't state your uh rank properly, I I apologize. That that's fine. It's no problem. Hey, question again. So moved. All those in favor? I I I. Any opposed? Any abstensions? One abstension. Motion passes. Now vote on motion.

Okay. So we will go through the process again. Uh the motion being stated was uh taking action regarding authorization to participate in the FY2025 emergency management performance grant EMPG program. So moved. All those in favor? I. Any opposed? Any abstensions? I one abstension motion passes.

Do I? We move now to item 2026-49, discussion and possible action concerning the Crumby Law Group engagement agreement. Councelor Merritt. Uh I was going to say that u this is a very I I I cannot remember in my time in the council which is considerable. Is your mic mic on?

Okay. uh the council should be totally responsible for um legal services, any contract, anything. And we have never taken that responsibility as far as my memory goes. I I just don't remember how we're doing it. And I I fully understand why the town is kind of has defaulted to the town manager. And I think we need to study this a little bit. And I don't think now is the right time to do it. And I would move that we table it until after we've come up with a budget. A second.

There's a second. There's a second on the motion. Wow. Now you see how it works. They're motioning to to table. Are those in favor? Or we could even have a disc. There's no dis there was no discussion there. There were hands raised. There was no discussion. But you see how it works here. So hold a question. Please. That's how it works. Like the chorus. So excuse me. You guys operate in a There's a motion. There's a second to the motion. There opportunity for discussion. Okay. Yes.

Council dean Brown. So, we have this on the agenda, but there's no backup information. So, there's no way that I can have a um intentional discussion because I have no backup information. I've heard things, but I haven't gotten anything to look over to compare or to discuss. So, therefore, I can't make an intelligent decision. Excuse me. Uh, can we please remove conversation here and just allow the counselors to respond, please? Thank you,

deputy mayor.

Thank you. So, if we're going back to your original motion and discussion for 202649, uh I as well have spoken with colleagues and agreed that we don't have enough information to move on this, which is why I agreed to table it cuz we have nothing to opine on. We need more information. However, I will state that we also are in deliberations. We have to find out the context of this agreement, what it said in writing, and I've said this in previous meetings. We need to determine if it was a legal authorization. Okay, we please. And so we cannot opine on this this evening. Um I wish there may have been a little more information um in the packet, which I've heard that some of the public has bec because of FOI requests that I haven't even seen. Okay. And that's fine. We'll get it. Um my personal opinion moving into the budget cuz we have to deliberate on this line item even if the amount previously approved is not air quotes legal. So my opinion is in deliberations that we need to authorize the full amount. However, with the caveat that it can be rescended as we further investigate the previous decision that was made and we will not be able to then authorize it. But if we don't know if this decision was legal, we're in a jam if we find that it was and then we haven't allocated the proper amount of money. So that's the missing link. We need to know if it was legal. If it was legal, then we need to ensure to have the money available for it. And that that is the information that we need to find out. And we're probably not going to find that out by tomorrow. So we need

to be prepared for the possibility that the increase is valid. Please, there was a motion to table. There is no discussion. So, I don't get that. Everyone else got to speak after that motion except for me. What are we doing here? Don't do that, Tony. Don't do that. And I had called the question, but thank you, Councilor Waterhouse. We come here and then you could call the question again. Allow me to speak, please. I think we should allow me to speak. Everyone else got to speak. Uh, Mr. Mayor, point of order. Second meeting in a row. This is happening. We have people who are talking out of turn. Can we get back to business? Thank you.

Thank you, Mayor Harrington, for allowing me to speak. Um, councelor Mahan, I won't believe that point. The the question has been tabled. You let everyone else speak after the motion and what you're displaying right now is complete unfairness in front of everybody. You're displaying it. Thank you.

So horrible. So, um I think we have the full information. I have emails where the council I every time I send an email, I make sure to include the council uh as well as the town manager, deputy town manager when I'm inquiring on certain things, including the contract uh for our town attorney. And we did receive the previous contract that was signed by um by town manager Shank. And we're also we also have the contract that was signed by our current town manager Schwap. We saw the increase not only in the retainer but the hourly rate. So when I hear my colleagues say that they don't have enough information, it rings a bell of being disingenuous because you have the information. It's in our email. Take a look. Um it's there. And so, you know, the what it boils down to is a couple things. We've had previous meetings where uh where we've had different iterations of how this came to place, where the town attorney received this raise. We had the first one where the town manager said that he uh unilaterally made this decision in order to uh bring the town attorney's hourly rate to the same as as his in quotes uh subordinates. Um uh that that was was stated in a previous meeting. Secondly, then we had a following meeting where the uh it was discovered that uh that decision was made by the mayor, but then Mayor Harrington said, "No, that wasn't him. That was made by the previous mayor unilaterally." Again, I was on the council previously. I'm joined by quite a few other folks that were on the council previously. We can all recall. This has never been on the agenda for discussion. The town attorney is an

employee of the council just like the town manager. We have the sole responsibility as a unit. One counselor, one vote to determine what the rate is, what the wage is for our employees. We determined it with the we determined it with the town manager. When you guys when the council, sorry, I separate I'm separating myself from that decision. I did vote against this one, but we're a council. We're a unit here. when the council decided to uh raise the town manager's uh salary, um you know, that was done by us. No one else could do that. Same thing applies with the town attorney. Yet, that wasn't done. So, I I do want to hear my colleagues chime in on this. I don't want them to take the cheap way out and say, "I don't have enough information." Because you do.

We've all been I don't have it. I Well, I don't have it. But you've been at meetings to know that there have been some discussions and that's what we need to speak to because there is out there. So I refuse to hear that from my colleagues. Council said that for my colleagues. Thank you for your discussion. Thank you for your discussion. We need to move forward. The the the question has been tabled our next meeting. the following meeting. Following meeting. Okay. Tabled until the following meeting. That's what you guys want to do. Did we have a second on that? There was a second. Correct.

I have the information. All those in favor? I I don't have it. So, I don't know. All those in favor? I table it to the next meeting. Yes. I those against? Nay. No. And any abstensions? Nay. I mean, no. Nay. No. No. Three. No. Okay. So, the motion to table. I never I'm confused. All right. Question. I mean, we can do a roll call vote. Where's Aaron? Aaron Behringer also requested it. Where is she? You also requested it and we're all on that email. Thank you, Aaron.

Excuse me. Counselor. Counselor. Point of order. Point of clarification. Yes. Just regarding the vote, um, council beam brown, you said you didn't have enough information, but then on the vote, you were in favor or you weren't of tableing it. Here's the thing. I'm just asking, are you in favor or not? Let me explain. Let me explain my vote.

I don't have the contracts. I don't have the contracts. So, I cannot I was not here on council when this was first done. I did not know when it was happening this time. I need to be able to see when things changed and why things changed. If there's information here tonight that we can look at, I'm all for it. I'm all for letting it go because once it's done, once we look at the information and make a decision, then it's done. So, if we have the information, let's get the information and let's rock on. So, my question is, are you voting yay or nay to table it tonight? That's my question. I didn't hear you. We should not table it tonight if we have the information to discuss it.

We don't. And we do not. We do not have that information readily available for us as we sit here tonight. A roll call vote in the packet. Council Cooper. No. Council Debean Brown. Tabling it. No. Council Mahan. Nay. Council Oliver. Council Merritt. Yes. Council Waterhouse. Yes.

Council Goodwin is not here. Uh Deputy Mayor Lloyd. Yes. Mayor Harrington. Yes. That's one, two, three, four. 44.

No. Motion fail. So going to for now. So can we get one clear story? What happened? Can we get one clear story? Excuse me. Excuse me. Please address the chair before you speak. And there was one councelor. Go ahead. Yes. Thank you, Council Cooper.

Thank you, Mr. Mayor. Um, you know, I had I had some thoughts on this earlier. And so what we have is a contract that's been signed. Um, and I believe that there are some invoices that were charged against it. And in Robert's rules, I'm going to say it again. What is right and proper for us to do is to approve the executed contract. Right? What people want to conflate is the budget and the contract. What we should not those are two separate issues. The contract needs to be approved before you can do anything in the budget. You may have an issue where you are able to go back in the budget and change some things, but this contract needs to be approved. It needs to be exe properly executed. The only way for that to happen per the charter is for the town council to weigh in and approve it. Right? Because we did not do that before. Right? You can go back and make things right. What you can I'm going to ask uh Mr. Mayor, if any more outbursts that people be removed, tonight is not the night. So, with that, I'm going to say that we need to go. We need to approve this contract, get it out of the way, right, and we can always go back and revisit monies under the new budget. Thank you.

Thank you, Deputy Mayor Lloyd. So, again, I ask, how do we approve this contract when we all were not a part of the process? Mr. Chair, just be brown.

Thank you. I would agree. We can't approve something that we weren't a part of. I don't know how this happened. I wasn't here when it first happened. I was here when I don't know who gave permission, but no one asked me. There was nothing for me to review. There was nothing for me to approve. And I'm afraid if we still go down this road that we might be doing some things illegally, number one. Number two, I believe that we need to see when did it change? How did it change? Who gave permission for it to change? What were the requirements? What was the process? I don't know. Thank you, Attorney Crumbby. Good evening, council. Good evening. First, I would say to the educators in the room, uh, superintendent, um, the board chair, and all the teachers, you should be extremely proud of the students that stood in front of us today. They did an amazing job. So, kudos to you. Um, I'd like to clarify just a couple of things. one the approval of well let me back up withdrawn the council per charter is involved in the town attorney um appointment that's what the charter states the town manager my understanding how it worked with the previous attorney uh town attorney uh the management of that contract is under the town manager when I came on Uh town manager Shank executed my contract. Town manager Shank um we came up with the rate um for my contract with

with the town manager uh which is significantly reduced from um u my existing rate at the time um hence the um the increase recent increase in the hourly rate. So that's part one. I want to roll back a little bit and just give you a little bit of background as information is out there that is um um mostly false. So, as a point of clarification, any dollar amount that goes into the town attorney line is not just um legal fees that are spent on the service that we perform. So, it's legal fees that are spent on any attorney that performs work for Bloomfield. Um Ryan Ryan uh our employment labor attorney, Hley Allen who handled some of his freedom of information work, Wigan and Dana who recently handled a lawsuit. All of those monies come under the town attorney line. So when you see a number attributed to the town attorney, it's not just funds that are going to my firm. So that's number one. the um the legal department is reactive. We're not proactive, right? We don't come up with work to do. We handle work that comes to us. And so if a lawsuit is filed, the town attorney and the legal team responds to that lawsuit. Um we do very little proactive work unlike any other department in uh in the town. Um, someone said earlier, not sure if it was council dem or council Han that I am an employee of the town council. That is false. I am not. I'm a consultant. I'm a consultant for the town similar to any other consultant that works for the town. Similar Gman and York or any other consultant that you may hire to perform work for the town. Similar to my

contract, the town manager signs those contracts. Town council is not involved. The town council is authorized to appoint the town attorney. There's nothing in the charter or state law that says that the council gets to vote on the town attorney contract. In fact, just the contrary, uh the charter says the town manager is the CEO of the town and state statute vests in the town manager the authority to negotiate and execute execute contracts to bind the town. In terms of legal fees, this past year's legal fees, the council has said it, uh, many folks have said it on social media and I absolutely agree with it, blew through the roof this past year. And, um, far higher than the year before and higher than the year before that. And looking at the pattern, the pattern seems to have been that certain amount of people will create legal issues for the town to respond to and then when the town responds to it, then complain that the town is defending itself. That's nonsensical. The legal fees are attributed to very specific things. Number one, there's a lawsuit challenging the referendum last year. Um, the lawsuit was brought by Mr. Rickford Curtain, Sydney Schulman, and Lucy Hursten. The town filed the motion to summary motion for summary judgement and defeated the lawsuit in Superior Court. After the plaintiffs attempted to appeal, which we told them they could not, they lost again at that stage. The plan, from what I understand it now, is to try to appeal again. This would be comical if it wasn't so impactful on the bottom line to the

taxpayers of Bloomfield. Excuse me. Excuse me. Absolutely. Please do not comment. Please do not comment. When we when we speak or we allow people to speak here, we do not we do not communicate. You either have to stop or you have to leave. Oh, no. Continue. Thank you, Mr. Mayor. This singular lawsuit cost the taxpayers of Bloomfield $110,000. Okay, do that.

And it's not over. That's year to date. If an appeal happens, you're talking about roughly another $30,000. So reactive, not proactive. I'm sorry. Can you Yes, sir. Back up a little bit with all this commotion. I missed a little bit. Please back up to what? What part? Councilman the money.

Okay. Again, the name of the lawsuit was Rickford Cirten, Sydney Schulman, and Lucy Hursten versus the town of Bloomfield. And the lawsuit was regarding the referendum that was defeated last year. Um, the lawsuit lost at the superior court level, lost again at the appellet court level, and my understanding is they will bring it again at the appellet court level on an appeal, which I am 99.9% certain they'll lose at that stage as well. Year-to date, the total cost of that lawsuit is $110,000. That is attributable directly to the town's bottom line. The next uh area of concern is freedom of freedom of information act uh complaints and requests. Again, a freedom of information complaint was brought by again Mr. Rickard Cirten where he claimed the town held an illegal executive session to discuss an investigation that found he sexually harassed the town employee. Mr. Curtain was very vocal about this issue on social media, but when it came time to show up for the hearing that was scheduled for him to defend his position,

please point of order. Point of order. He is going into very that that's way out of line. It's way out of line. Listen, can we continue as provide information? No one here needs to point of order. Point of order. councelor, if I see, please continue as well. Mr. Mayor, this is all public information and I'm not making this up. This is factual. When the hearing was scheduled in this case that brought by Mr. Curtain, he didn't show up. Um, when he doesn't have,

excuse me, you do not have the right at this time to speak. Please allow him to continue. The hearing office hearing officer scheduled a hearing in this case and an hour before the hearing was to begin, Mr. Curtain said he was too busy and point of order. Mr. Mayor, can we just let this finish? No. Point of order. Point of order. Not allowing it. This point of Please continue. This this discussion was meant to be specifically counselor. counselor, you wanted this information. Go to it, but the rest of it is we don't need the rest. It's

there's very often time there's very often times I prefer you not continue to elaborate. He is doing what was asked of him. Please let him continue. Well, outside of and I'm a sitting council. I was elected by the residents of Bloomfield. I understand that the general was chosen by the council, Mr. Chair. So, we need to give those

right now. We are showing our tail out in public. I do believe that we could get information without sharing public or private information. These are the things that we discuss in executive session for a reason, right? And I'm I'm re I am getting triggered by this and we're doing it in front of these people who came to talk about our students. We're doing it in front of our residents. And I don't understand why we are not taking into consideration how we're looking so crazy right now. Mayor, point of order. Excuse me. Councelor Cooper, point of order. Councelor Cooper, point of order. Right.

Councelor Cooper, point of order. Councelor Cooper, excuse me. You have counselor Mahan who is out of order. You have counselor deam who is out of order. Councelor Cooper, this whole thing right now is out of order. Town attorney is still presenting. This whole thing is out of order. Elected that want to hear this information and I will sit back and listen to the information if others will let me without interruption. Mr. Chair, the information that we discussed in executive session Deputy Mayor Lloyd. Thank you, Mary Harrington. Attorney Crumby, could you direct the conversation back to the process,

the increase of the fees that was um authorized and how so that we can on how we will move forward as it relates to having to deliberate the budget. So I do appreciate um for global knowledge I must say say on the record for an understanding of some of the exorbitant legal fees that go outside of the budgeted amount in past years. However, um if we could just talk about this contract that has afforded an increase right now, um I think everybody has a better perspective on some of the um dollar amounts that have led to the FY 2026 projected almost 600,000. But if we could reel it back to just this um

so there are two parts to the to the town attorney uh contract. The first is a retainer and the retainer covers a uh a list of itemized uh legal services that is included which means uh when we perform those services such as coming to these meetings and attending meetings at at town hall uh reviewing contracts and things like that there's no additional cost that retainer and and this formula for retainer wasn't developed with me. It was in place well before me, affected the former town attorney and um again uh wasn't developed by me. The retainer amount is set and each July 1st the a 2.5% increase is tied to the increase um that senior managers receive. Um that's what Phil Shank gave me. That's what the former attorney town attorney had and that was is written in my contract. That's the retainer. The uh everything outside of the retainer is build separately and is build at an hourly rate. That hourly rate, as I said, um when I came on, was set um at the reduced rate of 175. Um attorneys don't work for that rate anymore. Number one, annually, uh attorneys typically revisit their hourly rate and generally the hourly rate goes up. Um, attorney Bill Ryan, who does our employment labor work, came to me last year and basically said he couldn't work. He was at 175 as well and basically said he couldn't he could no longer work for uh that rate. I went to the town manager um and advocated that uh Bill Ryan's rate be uh raised to the 250 an hour rate. So that was done last year. I was going to um standardize my rate at the same time, but given the budget situation here, I waited for an

additional year before I increased my rate just recently to the 250 rate, which again is significantly lower than uh than market. Mr. Mayor, thank you for that clarification and thank you for the backstory regarding some of the ancillary expenses that were not budgeted for in FY26. Thank you. Welcome, Council Cooper.

Thank you, Mr. Mayor. So, uh, Attorney Crumby, what I just heard was what I just heard was the increase was was done, but it was based off of your knowledge of what has been past practice for how many years on or about? Well, I think the last attorney, town attorney was here what, 30 years, 20 something years, right? And so that was 32. So that was a past practice that had been going on when others who were here on council, I'm sure, would should should have known. Maybe

that that's correct. My understanding is when uh after the former town attorney was appointed, council no longer had any involvement in either his rate or his increases. and I tried to go back to uh the former town attorney's contract to to determine what occurred, right? We couldn't find one. There was no written contract for the former town attorney. Thank you so much. And again, this I'm just want to I'm making a statement that this is based off of past practice that have been going on for quite some time. That's correct. Okay. Thank you, Council Merritt. And then councelor Mahan

I I was mistaken when I said that uh the council was responsible for managing your contract. I'm sorry and what you have said is perfectly consistent with what I believe we have done over the years and the town manager has not that's why it's never come before the the council. Um, and so I, you know, I I understand this uh hub, but I don't see anything out of order. So I, uh, but I I thank you for clearing it up. All right. Thank you. Thank you, Councilman. Thank you, uh, Council Mahan.

Thank you. uh which you all may describe as past practice does not mean that it is good practice to not have this come before the council. Um in in addition, I've heard councelor Cooper on various occasions also say just because something is done previously doesn't mean that we don't have an opportunity to change uh what that looks like. I've heard him say that on various occasions. So I would implore my colleagues to take on that spirit that you know that we've previously had in different occasions and apply it to this that hourly rate that hourly rate should come before council. That should be a discussion here. I wouldn't have a problem with it as much if it was discussed here and voted on by the body. But because this decision was made and we're finding out about this decision way after uh way at way after the horse has already left the gate. That's what's problematic. It's another instance of decisions being made without being in front of the public eye and without full consideration by the council. I see like I said we've got many iterations of this story. Um, and now we're we're getting a different one where uh the rate was increased due to our labor attorney saying that they can't work at this at this rate. So,

okay, go ahead. Mischaracterizing what I said. Okay. So, yeah. So, clarify. I said that the labor attorney's rate was raised to 250 last year. And and why did you say it was raised? Because 175 is not a rate that most attorneys said. Okay. And then you decided to standard standardize your rate too. That not based on that. My rate had nothing to do with his. What I did say was I standardized his rate last year. I was going to standardize mine but held off for an additional year. And this year I standardized my rate. Had nothing to do with his.

So why did you do it? Because at the start of my tenure, I reduced my rate from $375 an hour to 175 with the understanding that I would standardize that rate at some point. And so regardless of what the rate the labor attorney did, my rate was going to standardize anyway.

So I you said with the I mean these are follow-up questions of course to understand a bit better so that we can make a decision here, right? That's what we want to do. Um, so, uh, you're you're stating that of course you you, uh, brought down your rate with understanding that in the future you eventually would bring it back up hopefully to somewhere close to your 375. Um, did you have any agreements with anyone that that would eventually happen or any understanding? What gave you that impression that that's something that would happen?

Because that is what typically happens. attorney's rates are visited on v revisit it on an annual basis and so um at the time I knew that at some point in the future I would revisit that rate and standardize it to something more in line with what uh the market rate would be. So in that spirit and the to the last statement that he made that this is something that is reviewed on an annual basis. I would move from this that we as a council uh review and vote on the hourly rate of the town attorney annually. Um as soon as we and we can do it the the meeting after we can do it the meeting of uh the time we choose the town attorney. We can do it after. But I vote that we do an annual review as the town attorney stated it. That's this a standard procedure of the hourly rate of our town attorney. This is a charter decision. Excuse me. Our former attorney was dealing with primarily with salary through the town manager. This is a continuation of past practice.

We can change that. We don't have to keep it the same. We can change that. You have the opportunity to change. Excuse me. But there there's a motion on the floor. I had a motion on the floor. Is there a second? What motion was it? The motion was for the council on an annual basis to review the hourly rate in the spirit of what the town attorney said. The hourly rate of the town attorney. You can't make a motion inside of a motion.

If I if I can, Mr. Mayor, Councilman Han is absolutely right. At some point, you can do that. At some point, you can make a rule with the town manager that going forward when the town attorney or any attorney that works for the lead department raises a rate, it comes before council. Time to do that is not in the middle of the game. The time to do that is before the game. So, at next year's budget or whatever time you you see fit,

you can say you can communicate to the town manager henceforth, this is how this is going to work, right? Um this rate as you all stated earlier was discussed and uh the contract was executed well over 2 months ago and so um again the time to change the rules is not to go back and try to undo things but to change the rules going forward just off of that insight. We can't change but we can adjust so it goes forward. Councelor Cooper.

Thank you Mr. Mayor. I'm going to go back to my point that what we should do right now is to ratify what we have in front of us, right? And then when we have another meeting, if if people want to, you know, come up with an annual, you know, maybe if it's a year from this one, right? If that's satisfactory to folks, maybe if it's a year from this one. But I'm going to tell you one thing that that sticks in my side is the fact that we had someone who did this precedent and there was never ever not once a question about that attorney. I'm not going to say why because I don't know. But we all know that there are reasons. We all know that there are reason and yet

we come when somebody who is giving us the I'm sorry Mr. Mayor who is coming is is giving us information that had been buried that we were potentially sued for that we were sued for that we had to make out of uh court settlements for because they had dropped the ball and stuff that we never we didn't have executive sessions and briefings on lawsuits before. No, you guys didn't, right? But you did. Yeah.

Okay, that's a good one. But anyway, that's a real good one because I never heard anybody say anything about it. What I am going to say though is that let's just go ahead get this out of the way, right? And once this is out of the way, if we want to in the future, if someone who desires something like that, bring it up. I'll probably support it. But for right now, let's just get this done and off the table. I we we sat here, you know, we've sat here and wasted I me too because I'm in on the thing. I'm in on the game, too. Still here talking, right? Can we just move forward and just ratify this and move on? Just a point of clarification. Thank you.

Just clarification. If we've heard a few minutes ago that the town manager had the right and the authority to sign this contract regardless of how it happened, why are we ratifying it as a council? If you're saying that the town manager had the right and the horse is already through the gate, what are we ratifying? I Well, my motion wasn't to clarify. No, no, no, no. I'm not talking about your motion. I'm just talking about the fact that councelor Cooper wants to ratify something that I don't know understand why we're ratifying it if the town manager had

the the uh authority thank you to do so. So I don't think we have to ratify something. I do believe with all my heart that we need to fix this going forward. I don't believe that there's anything that we can do now. Once again I wasn't here at the beginning of this. I didn't say that you were an employee that was Mr. Merit. I'm just trying to get I'm just trying to get clarification, which I probably won't get and probably don't need because the town manager had the authority to do so. So, if we can just accept that he had the authority to do so, and move on at this point, I'm not quite sure what else we can do legally. M

Mr. Mayor, if I can quickly. So, the item on the agenda, I believe, was to uh for discussion, correct? And possible action on the town attorney's contract. So, the uh motion and subsequent vote would be to take action on the contract or to take no action on the contract. The latter would being that the contract that the town manager executed stays in place. So, to simplify it, that's you have a motion moving forward. take action on it legally. Take action on the contract. Mr. Mayor, mayor.

I believe the town attorney stated that it is the town manager's purview to renew the contract and make any fiscal adjustments to it. That's what I heard. Correct. That's correct. So then the motion would be to take no action on this item. The contract stands. Second. Is it agreed? Second. Going to do a vote. All those in favor? Uh, roll call. Roll call. Councelor Cooper. I. Councelor Debe and Brown. Abstain. Councelor Mahan. Nay.

Councelor Oliver. I. As long as moving forward we can set some procedures up. Councelor Merritt. Hi. Councelor Waterhouse I. Coun um uh Deputy Mayor Lloyd. I and Mayor Anthony Harrington. I the eyes have it. Motion passes. Thank you. Thank you. We're now moving into item 2026-50

5m minute recess please. Five minute recess. So move we will take a fivem minute recess and we will be back. Hold on.

60.

Just 60 * 24 25. Okay. Cuz it's 24.9. thing, right? So, is over there yelling at me because I haven't seen you. Did you tell her

that I've heard many articulate as well as maybe my feelings to get to best case a 3.5% because it bears mentioning that and and maybe folks have forgotten last year we knew we'd be here. We knew this. We knew this because of the reval. We knew because of the reval that we would be coming into this year with already a 4%. And so whatever we have that we come up with, I'm going to throw a pie in the sky number out. If we came up with a 3% budget increase, we'd have to increase that by four to give an approximate tax increase. Right? Two different things. And so these items notwithstanding, if they're implemented, will not get us where we need to be. Um, as the town as a whole, never mind board, town side, it it just won't get us there. And so if you have any recommendations for consideration, I would say I think we'd like to hear that so that we could digest the information and consider it overnight. My recommendation would be then based on what you present, we will know if there's viability. Um, additionally, I think the town manager has some information regarding some potential additional state funds for the schools that may also be helpful in us um, opining and voting on the budget, which I'd like to see us be able to do tomorrow, but I think tonight we need some upfront upfront information to do that. Um I don't know if anybody else in the DIAS agrees but I would ask if we could have that information and what that model looks like and then have the town manager I mean the the mayor speak to um some ECS information he has and then I just will recommend that at that point we convene for the evening and

come back tomorrow if that is amendable to the folks on the dis that a motion there's a long there's a long one it it's a recommendation. It's not a motion. But I am saying that at 5.5 that that number is not getting us there. So I would ask Mr. Town Manager if you could present on any ideas you guys have come up with scenarios or any cost-saving measures that have been um contemplated since last week that would help us move forward on tomorrow with a final determination and vote on this budget.

Okay. And thank you, Madame Deputy Mayor. Um, what I did uh propose to council and it has not been um voted on yet as a as um a directed course of action for me to officially pursue was to have a retirement incentive program and um broad-based numbers if we were to do so uh with senior management in time and in um uh as a focus uh for this first iteration. I do uh consider a second iteration occurring next year. Uh what would happen at that point would be there would be uh 11 um staff members that would be uh eligible for it. Um as the incentive itself uh well let me back up. 11 that would be eligible for it. And um and what I would do is not um not fill six of those 11 positions. So we would have a a significant reduction in staff as a result of um this uh incentive being agreed to uh by by staff. Um the incentive would include um a number a dollar number given for each year of service and also some type of incentive for signing. um before Friday. Um and when I actually think about it, it probably has to be before uh Wednesday because uh we have to um have the um the annual town meeting has to be noticed um by Wednesday and that has to include a dollar amount for the actual budget. So, um was trying to get the council to be in a position where you could collectively engage and um and and

have your your vote on the matter in full transparency and and once that occurred then I can uh go into an actual agreement uh with employees. Uh so right now this is not cast in stone. I had also asked each um department today to um review uh with uh the the the um director of finance and and DTM in my absence uh to review where any other cost savings could occur by department and that was to include programs and that was to also include uh personnel. Um, I would have to ask uh Director Hill and DTM to um to speak to uh what that discussion looked and sounded like today uh to see where we're at. Um I I don't think that that um produced uh uh anything substantive in terms of, you know, a million plus dollar savings, but I could be wrong. And um but that's where we stand. What I would also be compelled to do if um if the retirement incentive um and the extra uh cost cuts that were asked for today uh do not uh meet council's goal, then I would be um obligated at that point to uh do a u uh layoffs at that point. So, um, first things first though, in order for me to, uh, really approve or for me to really commit to the, uh, retirement incentive, uh, I need council to vote as a whole to to allow for that. And, um, because without that, I won't be able to get into an official contract with with any of our employees. Um, some of which have

agreed to the condition specified um, thus far. So, um I know everyone had received um what that looked like in an email and um and I say that if this is going to happen, which if everyone was to participate uh could uh save us upwards of over $700,000 uh this fiscal year and upwards of over a million dollars uh each fiscal year moving forward. Um, if you saw the value of of said savings, then then uh I ask you to please um vote on this and approve it so I can um move out with with in earnest and um and executing contracts with with employees who are at this point in time interested.

Um just a clarifying question. Thank you for that explanation. You said um depending upon council approving this, you believe that you would have to have a written commitment by Wednesday from the staff who would care to retire.

I say that because as the budget goes before the annual town meeting, we have to identify that budget number. So in order to do that then I would have to um make haste and then see who's actually going to be a part of this um every position impacts the budget. So um because if a person takes part in this then we can count on salary savings moving forward. If they don't then those salary savings uh won't be available to us. So yes, um every employee who would engage in this negotiation uh in contract with the town would need to be accounted for in the budget.

And lastly, I'm concerned about the um rapid widespread uh intellectual loss to the town. And so could you just speak briefly to the succession plan? Um, just listening to you, I don't see this being feasible for July 1st, but if it be extended to maybe uh a leave date of say September 30th, given us uh first quarter of FY27, that would at least give uh for example, you said senior leadership. So, I'll presume we're talking about directors and assistant directors time to transition with staff that would be remaining in light of you saying there will be some permanent position cuts, right? Um, and we are uh you guys have heard this word before. We're working on a standardization initiative right now that is encouraging encouraging the development or the upgrade and enhancement of current uh policy manuals in every department. And for where there aren't policies, create them based on new and best practices. And where we have antiquated policies, get rid of it. Right. And so I think while that is ongoing and your continuity plan that you had had them start working on, that will give us time as well to finalize that work, which if they walked out the day after that manual was completed and put it in someone's hands with the rudimentary skill set, they could see what did Camila do, right? And it's in the book. But if it's all in Camila's head and she leaves, we got a big problem.

Yeah. So, I'm hoping you're not talking about leaving by July 1st because I'm just not sure that's going to afford the town um the time we need to transition and prepare. And I will say if we cut money, it's been said we lose services. But if we lose bodies without proper succession planning, we're still going to lose services. And so I I just would appreciate a thoughtful answer on that.

No. and and thank you madame deputy mayor and and I did think through that that is why when I included the uh program itself I I sp it occurring between 1 July and the end of September in the correspondence that was shared with council on Friday. So um absolutely we would look to uh ensure that um there was um opportunity for um for a left seat right seat right and um so that there can be a transfer of knowledge and expertise uh into the um the the new awaiting hands of of the department um leadership. Thank you for that,

Council Merritt. Yeah, I I don't disagree with anything that's been said here, but uh it seems to me that if we're going to I think combining if we're we're going to ask for reduction uh of say hundred,000 in any department. um it would be seem rather attractive to me for the person to take an early retirement with I isn't over incentivized rather than being laid off. So I mean it's it kind of seems like why wouldn't they take it under those circumstances? Also why do we have to offer it to somebody who doesn't have a backup? I mean, is it necessary that uh that if there's somebody running a department and with nobody under them that can carry on, we can't that would be really dumb for us to lose all that uh without anybody there. Now, where you have somebody as a assistant who pretty well knows a job and can separate him, that's fine. That's but I I don't know how you do that without uh um allowing those exceptions.

There is nobody. Council Mahan.

Thank you, Mayor Harrington. Um, you know, I do understand the uh the major cost savings that can come uh from this and and it is admittedly it is very attractive looking at that number especially in a a tough budget year where we have so many conflicting uh and or competing interests rather. You know, we have our uh we have our our teachers and students here that came out in full force. I'm still looking at that sea of red um you know that that came out of full force. We have um of course the services that we provide on the town end. My fear is losing of course that institutional knowledge going into going back to um comments that our deputy mayor uh stated um where you know we have individuals where the entire job the services the um the essence of of what that job is is within them. um you know you you go into a building or you think of a department and you think of those people uh they embody that that job. So it's um I I couldn't I couldn't support like I said looking at the numbers very attractive. I appreciate the town manager and the town manager was actually very hesitant to explore this and nonetheless still went into. So I appreciate you sir for taking the time to dig into that and finding the numbers for us just so that we can then digest that information decide if it's a viable uh route for us. Um but it's something that I personally could not support because I think it would leave um our services and our departments um hollow losing that institutional knowledge. Um, so I I just I I couldn't support that item. I and I would implore us to find uh some more creative ways to bridge the gap in this budget.

Town manager.

Um I I just want to make sure it's clear and and I understand it is, but uh I want to just make sure it's clear. Um no one here is part of any military force. any employee and make this decision right now and decide that they're done with the town of Bloomfield and um and it's time for them to retire and uh and in some cases I'd understand, right? Because uh my staff has sat here uh through all the budget deliberations and and they've just seen uh casual decisions being made about their increases and and general wages, right? They've seen themselves. Okay, the managers, put it on the managers. Um, furls, put it on the managers and increase, um, benefits, uh, that goes against the managers, but we're not increasing their wages. So, uh, trust me when I tell you morale has been impacted. I I understand how my counters feel on the other side. This is impactful, right? And we have no ability to determine at any time when somebody can say enough is enough. But through this program, we can meet the challenge by having the expectation by having it right before. So we can therefore control the narrative as opposed to people just speaking up and leaving at any time that we we don't understand when it's going to happen. Right? So, um, and I made it clear to the staff that nobody is being rushed out of the door, right? If if they're not interested in in this then, and and it's no threat. It's the reality, then I'll have to dig into uh towns and I mean, departments and divisions and and make other cuts that are going to be

involuntary. Um, they'll be um impactful as well. Um, but uh if this is what the council so desires, then I'm going to follow through on a legal and moral directive and that's what I'm doing. So, I'm trying to put it in a situation that could be best um controlled and um and I'm hoping there's an appreciation for that. But anyone at any time can just like I did, just like uh councelor deputy mayor um Lloyd did when she left the services town of Bloomfield. It was time and that's what we did. They can do the same thing at any time.

Thank you. I'd like to call on uh finance director Hill and I'd like to ask what is the budget percentage with staff regarding the reductions based on the model that the town manager is presenting. I know there are six that have uh joined this model and 11 overall as I guess five others are potential. No. Um I'm I'm working on all 11.

Okay. But we will have six positions that will not be filled um if those six individuals accept it. But um the target is 11 and um and we'll have uh some of those out of the 11 whose positions will be filled but we'll have the benefit of uh a few months before we fill it. So there'll be the cost savings that we're relying upon to um to be beneficial to us. I just I am sorry director Hill to answer that question that

I'm not sure if it was clear when it was first asked. So I'll say if the town manager is saying right now based upon tenatively six commitments to retire and maybe that's $800,000. What would that bring our budget increase to? Um, good evening, mayor, deputy mayor, council, resident Bloomfield. It's always a pleasure to be before you. Um, it sounds like you're asking the question about the six as opposed to the total value of the 11. Those are the committed because I don't like to count something if it hasn't happened. I understand there's a projection of the full number,

but if he has six that are strong right now, where does that put us? And if you do have the information on the full 11, if they commit, what does that look like? So, I do have the information on the full 11.

Um, what I do not have are who the six of the 11 would be and would then need to uh calculate that number. Um, but the the value of the uh incentive plan that the town manager outlined is $821,000 of uh reduced expenses in the 27 budget. That's for all 11. Thank you. What's the percentage?

Um 821,000 would be around8%. Uh I believe it brings us down to a from the 5.5 to a 4.67 67 sorry I couldn't help it 8-year-old grandson. I'm sorry bring brings us down to a 6.8. How about that? Okay. Thank you. So, we have three questions and I'm going to ask each one going down. So, councelor Cooper,

hi. I just um just to clear something up. Um these are personnel matters. They they are not identifying positions and people. That's my concern. These are personnel matters. And so, I am unclear or unsure that any of that information should be presented here. That's all I'm saying. Um I'd like to get the town attorney or somebody from HR, but these are personnel matters. And so I I I like I you know people's names and salaries and positions. I should not be broadcast,

right? We can do the sal we can do the salaries and savings. That's just me. Um I don't know. Maybe did I do that? No, I am saying no, not you. Well, I'm just saying if that that is a serious concern. Nobody wants their salary or their position or their name put out and so that's a concern that I have. I don't think that that is something or public consumption. Thank you, Council Oliver.

Thank you, Mayor. Um, you know, we we went down line item in this budget and we all had ideas and then a lot of us said that it's really not up to us to tell what departments to cut what line items and a lot of us were agreeing on that. Um, and now we're putting it to the town manager. we're, you know, I I think I said somewhere around a million dollars to cut in a townside and now he's cutting that and now we're kind of critiquing him on how we should do it. Um, and you know, that's fair and I do hope that we do have some type of plan to pass down the knowledge like everybody's saying, but you know, we we we told you what number we were looking for and you're you're you're close to that number. Um, and we do hope that you, you know, take into consideration that we're not losing that, you know, the people with the knowledge. Maybe we get rid of a couple of number on's, maybe get rid of a couple of number TWs and and see how it works and stagger things a little bit. But, um, I think we do need to give you the opportunity to to figure out what that's going to be.

Councelor De and Brown, thank you. Um, I have two questions. How do we calculate retirement? I know some places go by the highest two years, the highest three years. Do we know how we do that here? Well, we're dealing with uh two different types of employees here. We have some that are part of our our older um pension and we have some that are part of defined contribution, the pension ones. So um when we look at that um the the vast majority of folks will be define contribution. Right.

Right. So uh in terms of what is the the contract that that speaks to um how it's uh actually enacted uh for this uh fiscal year. I can tell you that uh this will not uh affect any way, shape or form fiscal year 27 which is the um which is the focus right now. Right. So I'm just trying to I I would have I would have to get you that information ma'am if if um if you want to uh know it in detail. I don't know if uh Director Hill has that off off the cuff, but um right now

he's shaking his head. I don't think so. Right now, I'm I'm I'm I'm singularly focused on fiscal year 27, which is the the challenge at hand right now. Correct. But I can get you that information, ma'am, if you'd like it. That would be great because I understand that we're working with 27, but I've always said that we have to look down the road,

right? Um I was I just heard, you know, we knew this was coming last year, right? So, I don't want us to get down the road and run into this brick wall again. Um, I'm afraid of the OPED cost because we're already behind on OPED. I think I'm going to reiterate it again that the succession planning is a problem for me because I don't think we are I don't think and I'm entitled to my opinions that we are there yet. I also don't see I I cannot agree to what I'm classifying as a signing bonus for someone to retire and then give them an incentive on top of that. I can't in good conscience agree to something like that. Um, I do realize and I'm not I'm not um insensitive to the fact that we're talking about people and everything we're doing. We're talking about people, but we went through an exercise of taking things out, adding things back in, taking things out, adding things back in, shake it all about, and we're starting at the same place we were before. So, I do believe we have to make some serious decisions, not just for 2027, but we have to look down the road and make sure that we're right sizing that 2028 will be okay. Not quite sure what happened to 2029, and I'm not being selfish, but I'm not going to be making those decisions quite possibly. But I think we need to be mindful and intentional about what we're doing. I also think we need to be mindful. Um I do hope and pray that we get some more uh ECS money. I pray. Um

but we have to make decisions there as well. Right. So saying that we're doing things willy-nilly. I'm not doing things willy-nilly. I'm being very conscious of what we are doing as a town and what we're asking our residents to pay for. And I've seen it. I've heard it. I'm sure you've all had text messages, voice messages, DMs, emails to our town emails, emails to our personal emails, people talking to my husband and my mother about how horrible it is that I'm trying to raise people's taxes and they can barely live on what they got. So all of those things I'm taking into consideration in making the decisions that I'm making or in making the requests that I'm making. People came out, residents came out, they took their time to come out and they talked today, they talked last week and we have to listen and we have to act. And that action needs to be intentional. And that action is going to hurt somewhere. But if we have a plan to move forward, I think that everyone can respect it. And as a dulyeleed member of this body, I was about to be petty, but I won't cuz you know numbers don't lie. But anyway, I think we have to do a better job with what we're doing right now. Thank you.

Thank you. Now, I'm going to take a moment to just share some information. Uh, I attended a mayoral event at the state capital trying to convince our governor to provide more ECS dollars to our communities. I was told if they committed $100 million that would be considered a D+. The goal was more like $180 million which they considered C++ B minus. Right now, as of this day, after communicating with the lieutenant governor, after uh communicating with the director of communications for the state, they have decided that they're going to provide $170 million through ECS. What that means for Bloomfield, I can not readily say. They were planning to have a press conference here tomorrow. They decided to go elsewhere, but it does not detract from the fact that they are going to provide funding in this area. In addition, they are also going to provide municipal funding the various locations throughout the state. So the 170 million if it was divided evenly through 149 towns would be 1.14 million. We don't know. We'll find out in the morning or close. I know some people say 169, but they

were telling me $149 that they were accounting for. Anyway, what I am saying is that ECS will be providing funding to our town. At what level we will find out after 10:30 tomorrow when they have their presentation. I've been calling all day trying to get it, get it, get it, get it. But they're not providing anything. The the also great news about that is they're going to provide some municipal funding which on this end I'm hopeful that that means that some of the weight that we are all feeling right now is lessened both on the BOE side as well as the town side. So we will know prior to our deliberations tomorrow. That is our sincere hope. And I just needed to let you all know who have come out in uh in support of the board um with students, with parents, with teachers, um the administration. So, um, you know, we've been working outside of council to try to get some things done because I know that's sometimes what you got to do. So, we're hopeful that we have accomplished that. And did we have any other questions? Uh, Council Cooper,

I just want to clarify, Mr. mayor um and to the town manager and maybe the deputy. We our um the the the annual town meeting, right? I think we are going to run up against a uh a wall if we do not approve the budget in time. Is it tomorrow? Could be today.

It could be. I believe it might be today. And so I I do want to and this is in just for the public. This is simply to approve the budget right now as it stands. However, the budget will change. But this is simply for the fact of the matter that we would need to approve the budget in order to meet the statutory requirement. Um for well, you can say please, you know, I'm just telling what here it is. Here's the facts, right? Statutoily, you need to approve the budget. That's a yes. We don't make those decisions. And what will happen is we don't have all the information. We don't have the ECS information. We don't have the uh the town side um budget cuts and those things. So, those things will have to be put into the budget. They are they have to be. And and so if we are able to at least prove the budget subject to changes, we meet our statutory requirement. And yes, it will the budget is still open for changes. That's that's what it is. It's just a it's a move simply a move to ensure that we are statutoily correct.

Thank you. We're going to call our town attorney up if he is he's no longer here. Sharing it the two young people. Okay. Yeah. No shoot. It's going to change like five days requirement. You have five days. Monday. I told you before that you needed to be good until tomorrow. What's the question? The question is how how are we on timing for it only

so hopefully as everyone is aware the town charter requires the annual meeting on the first Monday in May. Uh the charter also requires that the notice for that annual town meeting on the budget be published and I believe these words are the key part of the question not less than 5 days prior to the annual meeting. So depending on the day count which what you when you start what you include whether it's the first day or the last day

the first day or the day of the meeting um for me I I want the town attorney to chime in as well along with the clerk because it's the prior to the meeting um that fiveday count of course 4 days in May is four one more day to be five would be the 30th of May not the 29th of May but as has been published. Um the charter date requirement for this year's budget cycle is stated as April 29th as the 5 days prior to the annual meeting annual town meeting on the budget.

So So just to clarify, you're saying that we would have until the 29th, not not the 27th. It is 27th, right? Uh yes. And you know from experience that I I won't pretend to understand when the count is on calendar days and when the count is on business days. Um but I believe that this count is based on calendar days not business days. That's the difference between the 27th and 29th. Is the 27th because of two weeks two days for the weekend. Can we figure that out now? Yes. So

Mr. I I do believe that you know the the calendar as developed as has been done in prior years the calendar is consistent. So the the treatment of the five days is consistent with how prior years have been treated. Um again I'm sure through the town manager we're happy to reconfirm with the town attorney and the town clerk. Um, but the published calendar and the charter date of April 29th would require us to submit to the paper the notice on the 28th for publishing on the 29th and I believe the deadline for submittal is 3 p.m. in the afternoon.

Okay. Can we get the town attorney, town clerk um, validate that? Next morning. So would the would the idea be that we we vote on a a arbitrary number just so that we can get this into we're going to vote on an arbitrary number so that we can notice this in the paper so that we can have a town meeting on the arbitrary number.

Yes. No. Well, no. Because in between those times, we can find in between those times we can find. Is that is that true? Yeah, that's what it says. We can just put a number in. We can just It says here that you um uh a copy of the estimates of the budget uh can be published, but they need to be published nonetheless. Oh, so then we could publish a zero. You could increase. You could. I mean, if it's just an arbitrary number, you could I'm honest. Honestly, I'm just I'm really trying to understand. Well, truly, and I mean, that's that's a town charter. I'm not, you know, pulling this out of my hat. Is it is what it is.

So, then let's just just just vote on a keep it flat, put that put that in the budget. You can put last year's numbers in there. whatever you you guys, you know, want to do. I believe we're awaiting uh word from our attorney. I think several calls have been placed. We're going to pause for a moment.

Mr. Mayor, if I may, um maybe it would be a good use of our time for um while we wait for the town attorney. He's on. He's on.

Attorney Crumby, you the floor. I'm sorry. I I What was the question? The dates. So uh hi attorney ki um councelor Cooper here. So we are trying to ensure the ascertain the the day um that we need to um publish the budget uh at least and it the charter says that we can I don't want to give you a piece of it. So, I'll give you the the whole thing. That whole um yeah,

it says both uh the public hearing on the manager's budget and the annual town meeting required by this section shall be at places designated by the council with at least 5 days notice given by publication in the newspaper having a circulation in the town and by posting in the town hall and on the town website if any. A copy of the estimates estimates and the budget shall be filed in the office of the town clerk, the board of ed, administrative offices and at the town library and its branches and summary copies shall be made available for general distribution in the office of the town manager at least 5 days before the respective hearing. Full copies of the budget shall be available for sale at the cost of reproduction. So, and it goes on following that says the budget shall be adopted by a majority vote of all the members of the town council at a subsequent meeting after both the public hearing and the annual town meeting have been completed. But in no event later than the second Monday in May. So, we're trying to ascertain is today the day that we need to um at least vote on the budget with an administrative figure or do we have as someone has posited until the 29th uh for the approval of a or vote on a budget to be done? Um are we talking business days, uh calendar days or

so? So, first, uh, Council K, you're talking about calendar days, and we're talking about calendar days. Yes. Okay. Just says days. So, if it doesn't specify business days, Yes,

that's calendar days. Um, and according to the five-day deadline, a Wednesday posting or Thursday posting would be five days. Um, because, uh, the town the annual meeting is on Monday. So backing up Monday, Sunday. So Thursday is the drop dead date that um that the budget uh should be posted or information on the budget should be posted. And then uh as to the second part of that um the absolute drop that date would be the following Monday which I think you said was the 11th.

Okay. And whatever whatever is posted uh just as you know whatever is posted is subject to change up to and through the the annual meeting. Yes. Yes. We we we um understand that. Thank you for that clarification also. But you know um as I read um this is not the first Monday in May. It's the second Monday in May as the absolute deadline. Yes, you're correct. Okay. Okay. So then we do have time and that that um I'm sorry everyone. I took you through an exercise but that was based off of information that I was given. All right. So I'm going to throw somebody else under the bus. Uh I was just clarifying the information for you all. Thank you very much.

Um but thank you council Cooper. What is the charter section that you read that from? Uh that is charter se of section 904.

DNA 904. Okay. And for the life of me, I'm normally better with those 12 pages and I was looking for that because I had heard that we could go out to the second Monday, but couldn't find it. But I was rushing. I was on the phone screen, not a Greg. But thank you for that. I think that's really important and it kind of changes um the dynamics here. Um to council dean Brown's point, she doesn't want to vote on tenative numbers that could significantly swing, right? And I think several of us would love the advantage of being to being able to vote on more solid numbers. So, it sounds like we have the opportunity to do that. I believe we are already um scheduled for a reconvening tomorrow.

And I heard the plan was to schedule something for Wednesday as well if needed. And it sounds like that timeline will allow us to not have to rush. Um, to Attorney Crumby's point, even if we did have a vote by Wednesday, we would still be solid for next Monday. But I think that this council should decide if we want to give ourselves the latitude to go to the second Monday. That's what I was going to request, right? I just think it's really important that we try to get it as right as possible.

So, I would like to make a motion that we move our annual town meeting to the second Monday in May. I'll second that. We go on discussion. I'm looking at you, Council Mahan. Oh, wait a minute. Wait a minute. Oh, do I'm sorry. I'm sorry. We're in the midst of a motion. I mean, he said he got news. I got excited about it because he got some news. There's a motion, actually. Oh, I'm sorry.

I don't believe we are. I thought I could deliberations. So I think point of order fine making a motion. Council warehouse asked for point of order. I did. Thank you. Point of order. Uh there is a political convention district one convention that day. Right. Okay. while I can withdraw my motion if you all think y'all going to be ready. I can definitely withdraw. Please.

Mhm. Go on. Thank you. So, uh, just spoke with Senator McCory and there will be minimal 2% to a maximum 2.5% for ECS. That means yes. Okay. So, we get 8 million collectively district in this town. So two and a half%

this is what this is what he's saying like in the past they were talking about millions whatever I know on the m municipal side for through Pquat funding they're going to distribute a hund00 million on the municipal side I'm not familiar with our Pquat funding so I'm not sure how much we would yet. But these were two figures. One is 100 million on the on the municipal side throughout the state and the other is a minimum of a 2% increase or a 2.5% increase. He couldn't elaborate exactly which one it was going to be. Well, there

Yes. Can Can we have you speak? So, if it's 2.5% of the 8 million total because the district receives ECS funds, I think it's 5.4 million and the school system receives 2.6% 2.6 million for a collective 8 million. 2.5% of that is $200,000. So that's still just a drop in the bucket from the million you said you taken off the top of our budget request. So I just wanted to put it in perspective. It's still I mean we're thankful for anything we get because it's less layoffs and less cuts, but it's still minimal compared to what the reductions that were proposed already. So I just wanted

Mayor Harrington. Yeah. 2.5% of 8 million is $200,000. Point to order. Why don't May Harington? This is point of order. Uh, councelor Waterhouse.

Thank you, Mr. Mayor. If it is our consensus as a whole as council that we do not want more than a 4% budget, can't we post in the paper that we will have a 4% and then work our numbers from there? because we have until our that following meeting to get it all narrowed down.

Am I incorrect in that?

I think um just an academic discussion right now. Um I know what councelor Hooper had had said just give a number just as a holding place but we also know we don't have to rush right now to make that decision tonight. Mayor Harrington, there there was another councelor uh councelor Mahan.

Thank you. Um you know, I think before we start throwing things out, um we should perhaps wait for the full announcement tomorrow to see what everything looks like first. Um because right now we're we're putting folks on an emotional roller coaster. Let's get off this ride. I'm getting a little sick here. Let's wait for the full announcement tomorrow. We've already determined and figured out that we do have a bit of time. So, um I I think we've we've asked a lot of questions. Um quite a few of them fruitful. We've got some answers. There's a bit more that we do need to discuss, but we still need that final piece that you've alluded to to to really finalize our discussions. Since it is calendar days instead of business days, we have a bit more time. Thank you, Director Hill, for actually having Director Hill had that answer first before the town attorney chimed in. Thank you, town attorney for uh further clarifying that, too. Got to make sure I I uh express the gratitude and spread it around here. We've had enough uh vitriol tonight. Um so, I I am hoping or I'd like to uh motion to adjurnn.

Second. 11:00. I got to be my pulled it back. Yeah, I took it. So, one second. Run your vote. Tell them. Hold on. Hold on. Mayor, mayor. Thank you. Thank you. Wait, hold on, folks. Quiet folks. Quiet. On which one? Excuse me. There there's a there is a question here. We were discussing it and there was no motion to take any action on it. So I think there needs to be a motion and it needs to be clear so that it can be reflected in the um notes. Mayor, if I can

with the motion to adjurnn to adjourn. No, no, no. On the motion that we were discussing about the budget, um I motion to table that discussion. Yeah. On on the budget and then I motion to adjurnn afterwards. I second it because that's how I opened when we started deliberations. I'm going home. We still do have to vote on all those in favor. I Any opposed? Nay. Any Okay. Any abstensions and then motion to adjurnn. Motion to adjurnn. So moved. Thank you, Mike.

Director Hill, you don't like expressions of gratitude. I mean, I'm going hand that out all night to you. Okay. No, I wasn't. I swear I wasn't. Yeah.