Budget Committee - Regular Meeting

on Tuesday January 28th we have a quarum we so just to let everyone know know sus Sano sent out a note this morning saying that she would not be able to attend in person she was hoping to be able to participate remotely so that's why we have zoom up on the computer if she does show up just to remind everyone we'll have to go to roll call votes but she is be a problem yeah she's right there she is right there so there you go perfect y okay all right we just called the meeting to order so um first order of business next order of business is the Pledge I'll go ahead and lead us I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America America and to the repic for which it stands one nation under God indivisible indivisible with Li and justice for all so our first order of business so B so we have gone through all the different departments in the budget and they all have an approved section with a number in it so the first ort of business today is to take the opportunity to go back and reconsider any sections that we think we would like to make changes to I know know I know that we've got a request from Walter to do the health agencies I'm I'm going to take the opportunity before we make a motion just to say I I added the outside agencies to the agenda and there's not something specifically that I want to change but I would like to keep personally I'm looking would prefer to keep the money level so if we can find places we're

willing to make reductions in some places I'm much more willing personally to support additions so do you want to have a preference do you want to go and do the health agencies and talk about that first or do you want to go to the other section and see if we get some things we can find some savings to free up some money I think this is a stand on its own issue you got it Walter okay I I I would like to do you want to make the motion I want to make a motion that would reopen um 445 outside agencies no 4415 is Health agen Health agencies y lakes reg region Visiting Nurse Association before we get to a line I'll second it thank you so we have a motion from Walter second of by Joe to reopen section 4415 Health agencies is there a specific line now you'd like to make no there's two lines Y and and and and I just just want to restate where I am why I'm there why I think what I think and I'll leave the rest up to the to the budget committee to do what they think I also realize the select board will do what they think and and it may be a mute point no matter what I say but I do want to say it well we want to hear you so okay a few years ago like five in general we voted 32,400 for Lakes Region Visiting Nurse that's what for quite a while in that vicinity what we paid to Nana that that's what I Nana was here and provided

excellent service to the town of bral Nana also could not get enough money to continue people got old and with the money they had they couldn't hire new young people and what happened was it became Lakes Region there's more seniors in this town now than there were when Nana was here getting 32,400 and that was not enough to con continue the service that the people in the town accepted as good there were many people in this town that contributed to Nana I know one man who contributed quite liberally to Nana and his name was Alan eses that man personally kept helped keep Nana open with the loss of such a a wonderful magnificent person Nana suffered we are all suffering because of Nana closing three four years ago I complained in a letter to them and I felt like they retaliated Against Me by retaliating the couple that I referred to I never named them that couple but they retaliated against that couple and I kept going after them and it ended up cutting it from 32,400 they tried to reduce it to $1 and I spent that night fighting like

a demon to get it back all I wanted to do was hit them hard enough so they knew I was mad instead I did more damage by trying to correct the situation than if I just shut up and left it alone we need that service I'm very fortunate I have food insurance and I don't need it but there's quite often Nana was very comfortable their service helped considerably even though I have the benefits that I have but there's an awful lot of people in this town my age and a little younger that don't have the benefits that I have don't have the support group that I have that need those Services we cut it from 32,400 to 167 we cut it in half and you're right there was a motion to go lower and that did not pass so now if we want the kind of services that we had it's going to cost the 32,400 plus inflation if we don't support them to that if we don't support the outside agencies to that figure or more we're getting less service now than we were before okay I I need to I just for point of order I think the way it's supposed to work is you you you're you're advocating a position if you want to you're I mean a town meeting you're not supposed to stand up and give a whole long speech and then at the end make a motion to amend so if you want to make a motion to amend I'm going to ask you to

do it now and then keep talking about why it's a good idea and we should all vote for it but I think we need to get a motion on the table to make a change I would like to make a motion that we increased the total funding to out side agencies back to the 32,400 or more cost of inflation got everybody else's budget increased but not the budget for the retirees and the older people in this town so I think just to clarify Walter so the department request for 4415 350 which is Lakes Region VNA was 33400 is that the line yes no I the total amount what I want what I really want to see is competition I strongly believe in competition and I've heard people say peny baker doesn't provide the same services that Lakes region does okay but they do provide services Health Care Services in home and the more competition ition I don't care what company it is it could be Gran Granite um Visiting Nurse it could be in but if we don't fund this service that was provided by Nana a little better how can we expect the same level of services we were getting with Nana which was satisfactory it's not now okay and it's our fault a big part of it's my fault because I

SED but I have supported them they have improved they've let people that were antagonistic towards two different and I'm not going to name anyone else please don't name any names yeah two different groups that were receiving Services got retaliated against because of what I did I I hear you but I I think Joe was trying to help you to get the motion that you want onto the table so I think I think you want to amend line 350 which is Lakes Region visiting nurse that the you you you said 324 but the historic number is actually 334 because we got the 167 which is half of that we cut them in half just after Co when their services dropped up so I don't want to put words in your mouth but are you saying that you want to make a motion to bring them back up to 33 if I could bring the combined Baker Valley and Lakes Region up to this 33 I thought it was 32 but this 334 then I would be very happy to promote it and see if we can get a little more competition and get a little more service for the elders in the town I I hear what you're saying and I but I I don't I'm I certainly don't want to say push Lakes Region up there because I don't think Lakes region is as good as nanao was okay but but the combined if we can get the two and get some competition going we'll better serve the seniors in this town and it's not just seniors that gets service from the visiting

nurse anybody who's sent home from the hospital needs care MH and if they're going to get the care the care has to be there and somebody's got to pay for it um Medicare isn't paying for it so and please jump in if you think I'm get not getting this right what I'm hearing you say is that you really want to see the bottom line for the 4415 go to 33,700 so at the at the earlier meeting we we set peny Baker Y at 5,500 so if we raise Lakes Region to 27,900 the total of the two of them would be 334 is that what you're saying you want to make a motion for I would did I get did I get it understand what he's saying I think more in line I think Walter's intent would be to create a new budget line that's generic and agnostic to the association so just Health agencies or something to that effect Y and that way essentially the funding could go to either I would also say the select board at the end of the day does have the discretion right as to move things around to move things around so I feel like the two options would be to request from Christina to see if we can make a a new line for the variance of what you're talking about or just make the intention known to the select board that this is the the desire of the um the motion those are in my opinion those are the that's what I'm looking for help because I want to get a motion on the table and I want to be happy to say it but I didn't want to put a big jump the Lakes Region because they they still got more to prove well the problem is unless we make go ahead Christina I'm sorry um sorry I

have two question two things one we could create a new line but I think you're leaving It Wide Open then to who know who dos that money out then cour does but but they could make the decision not to fund it at all but we've increased tax when they do the public is going to know it let the select Bo Deal With the Devil once he grows so that's up to the budget committee so we can create a new line but it's going to sit there until we get some kind of guidance I I understand what you're saying Walter but I I would be more comfortable leaving the two lines in and allocating money to them and then letting less know as our select board representative to go back to the select board that saying the part of the thing is we'd like the town to kind of monitor the levels of service are coming if you see that one is doing much better than the other feel free to change the ratio of of how this this section has two lines in it if you you can just change the SE board can change the ratio of those lines but I I don't I I think I agree with Christina I wouldn't be happy voting just to create a line for supporting Health agencies and put 33,400 in and then say okay now the slck board can do whatever they want with it I think that's a that's asking the fleetboard to do a lot of work that they don't do now and I don't know so please give me some feedback I I would be really uncomfortable with just putting a line item in that we could as a select board your select board's going to change by two mbers coming in in March so and you don't know what the intent of a select board will be at any given time depending on who's on the board I that would make me uncomfortable and the other part of that to me is that's to me

very unfair to the agencies for us to say well you might get this or you might get that depending on how we perceive your services to be and we may not be the best judge of those services so I I had no problem with increasing um the Lakes Region visiting nurses as we talked about but I when we had originally talked about you know increasing them a little bit more but I really uncomfortable and I don't think the select board would feel that that was an appropriate way to do it um what what do you recommend last week I would have been comfortable if we increased the visiting nurses closer to 20,000 or gave another small increase to them this year and then next if that's the best I can get I would go with that but lastly we used to pay a lot more than Nana we used to pay 30 and it wasn't enough to keep Nana AF flat no I realized that and and that was a huge cut that we did to Nana when we did this a number of years ago yes um and I agree I I agree that peny Baker is doing more here here personally I still have an affinity to the one that's in town here that's that's just my personal feeling I and I I always remember years ago that people said don't mess with Nana's budget cuz it's going to come back on want you so I

I wish it would ha enough so the select board really I tried to talk to seniors to get them here tonight and I wouldn't it's cold it's night it's time for it is is very difficult but I think they've been better off if a few of them had been here because I don't I'll admit how stupid I am I haven't been able to find this and I don't have cable TV and I just haven't been a I don't know how many other seniors can find it but I hope there's enough seniors that here where what I'm saying to know that I'm trying to push a little more support for a service we need so so I want to go back to trying to get a motion onto the table I I hear what you're saying I think what the feedback that I'm giving you andless is giving you is we don't want to change we don't want to support changing the structure of the budget so the budget has a section here for health agencies this this section has two lines in it one for Lakes Region's Visiting Nurse one for peny Baker so do you want to make a motion to change one of these numbers do you want to ask Joe or Les or somebody else to make the motion but I I would like to see a little more for peny Baker and a little more banana I mean uh Lakes Region combined I thought that's what you were saying I think so I think that that's what you're but the problem I don't think that I don't think that you can make a motion to change both lines you make a motion to change one line we discuss it and vote on it then you make a motion to change the other line and so I'm kind of expect was already expecting that that's

what you were saying so I don't know what you but I think in order to to get this resolved to get us to vote to see if we can get more money for them we've got to get a motion well before we go down the road just just uh um if in fact the decision is that you want to just increase from 22 to 334 you can you can do it with two motions but you can just prate the amounts correct whatever percentage of of 22 that 167 is just give the same percentage I I agree 100% I'm trying but you can do that I'm trying not to put what words in Walter's mouth and I'm trying to ask him what he wants because if he says that he wants somebody else like to split between the two and I I don't think I would go increase Lakes region only I know we already increased pem if if I could get a little more for peny and a little more for Lakes Region I'll leave it up to you to come up with a figure that we could collectively support you said 29 for how about 28 and and a th000 more for pen is is the motion that I would make I would make a motion that we go 6,500 for Penny Baker and and 28 would be 27 something it's roughly 75 25 I just did it on my couldn't find calculator so the numbers you recommend again well I the percentages are if if you if you do

34 or what 334 um 75% of that should be allocated to U Lakes Region visiting nurses and 25 to and that would roughly keep the same ratio as now it's 7 5.9 that's the one I did but 7525 is close enough for government work do you have the figures that of what that would take come to where's my yeah I'm trying to try this computer on cuz I got a spreadsheet open on it I'm doing it really yeah we're all capable be 2550 25,50 for uh Lakes Region and 8350 for peny Baker so I think Walter if you want to make a motion for the $255 I think we can then work for me yeah if at those figures it would be 2550 for Lakes re region that's it and when we come to peny Baker would be 83 those would be a figure I'm delighted with that if we can get that well that's the next question so let's get the motion on the table and then see the majority I make a motion that we increase Lakes Region to 25,50 second okay so to recap we have a motion from Walter seconded by Joe to amend line 350 which is the Lakes Region Visiting Nurse Association from the

current amount of6 16,700 to a new amount of $25,500 it needed and this is closer to what what I think is fair than anything we've done since the night I messed it up when it went to $1 and we couldn't get it back if this motion works that's still the same amount we will paying 5 years ago when the town was getting by just dandy but now Mana fail but certainly that would be a step in the right direction it would be the incentive for whatever happens a year from now to improve upon but be aware that the cost of inflation has gone up terribly uh since Nana went broke and closed and and this is a step in the right direction it's even better what than what I dreamed I would possibly get for an agreement was why I wasn't willing to put solid figures on anything before I was trying to get back towards that the thir what I thought was 324 instead of 334 okay can I add my thoughts about how you can get my vote I I actually

I'm not thrilled with this but I want to support you what's going to cause me a problem is that you look at what hem Baker asked for originally which is $851 I don't really want to take them up to $8,300 I don't want to give them more than what they asked for so if you still want the whole thing to add to 334 I'd give more to Lakes Region cuz I don't want to give peny Baker more than they asked for just telling you that if you you asked for 8350 for peny Baker you're probably going to vote no because I because they asked for for for $851 I'd give them $850 and I'd give 25350 to lak region theana successor I'll second that motion you'll take that you'll take that as a friendly Amendment that's a friendly Amendment and and I'll I'll accept that it's it's it's moving it's moving the way what I think is fair I don't think what was done three years ago was fair and I've been consistent in saying it and and and I got the chance to say it tonight and and that's what I'm doing so just to help me with procedure now do we do we have to vote on my amendment to Walter's motion or do we just start discussing the amended motion do you know what the procedure is Christina you said vote on the amended motion okay but I Haven I didn't hear a second yet Walter seconded it oh okay because he agreed it was friendly all right so what we need to vote on first is now a motion to amend which was made by Paul seconded by Walter to do you want your new numbers I

got it I think to change l 9 350 which is Lakes Region from the proposed amount of $225,200 $ 34949 I was just going to give the extra doll L region right 350 350 so I made the motion and I guess I get to talk about it first but I don't really you guys heard what I had said I'm just curious to see what if what the rest of the board I think I'm ready to take a second to your motion Walter did it Walter did it yes I do and Walter did right so we have so sue are you hearing us so you we're going to call a vote now on the motion to amend Walter's motion so we're voting on wait I I actually have a question go ahead all right the the question would be Walter is that do you um have any reason to believe that last year when we gave them uh you know the Lake Region 16,700 that they didn't perform well that they were neglecting any patients that they did anything wrong for that price was there any reason for you to believe that I I really believe that Lakes region has improved their services to the two different couples and one former employee from the town enough so they warrant this increase I believe that their services have improved I'm not saying they're better than Nana was I'm saying their services has improved and cost of

inflation said if we have a concern for the seniors in this town that need those Services we've got to fund it somehow okay so I want to point out that at this point we're voting on the motion to amend the amendment so if you vote Yes what we're doing is changing what's we're discussing on the table to give Lakes Region 2,350 as opposed to Walter's original amount of $25,000 at this point the vote does not approve any money it's just approving to change what we're talking about so I want to make that clear you're not we're not this vote is to is to change Walter's Amendment but it that we're still going to have to vote again yes or no do we actually want to fund this does that yep is that clear and does that help so yeah okay so we're voting on my amendment to Walter's proposed amendment to change the amount to Lakes Region to 2,350 we'll do a roll call vote I'll start Paul says yes yes yes yes so yeah yes yes yes okay so 60 that passes so now we have a motion on the table that we're talking about to am amend line 40 340 for Lakes Region to [Music] 25350 yeah do we do you have anything more you want to say do you want to you want do we want to call it up if if I'm not mistaken I've I've said what I mean so let me just go anything more that you want to say no Sue anything that you want to say we're going to go we're going to go ahead and vote now with to change from the current 16,700 to the new amount of

2,350 yeah no I'm all set go ahead okay so we're going to again we're going to do a roll call vote I'll say yes yes yes yes yes so I'm really choring with this because I still think we should yeah I still think we should not have gone as high but I will say yes for now I'll say yes okay so that's I don't need to do Nays and abstentions because we have six eyes so line 340 is now $2,350 thank you can I can I hear you now say the second motion you want to make you want to amend line 360 which is Penny Baker hospice and Home Health from the current amount of $5,500 to a new amount of 8,50 yeah yes I second that Mo no you made the mo why did I make that I'll second so have a motion by Walter seconded by Les to amend 9 360 for peny Baker hospice and Home Health to a new amount of $850 I think you've talked about this already so if you want to say something more you can I'll kind of go around the room again I think we've talked about this enough any need Sue do you want to say anything uh I want to say a lot I don't um yeah no let's I'll just vote on it okay so again we're going to do a roll call vote we're voting to change the number in line 360 for peny Baker from the current amount that we previously

approved of $5,500 to a new amount of $8,500 okay so we have a vote of 5 to one the motion passes so now you very much now we need to close the section so we need to vote I believe that we need now to vote to clo to approve the new amended amount of section 4415 which is $33,500 so does anyone want to talk about that or just call a vote second yeah I don't think there's more to talk about um so do we roll call vote I'll say yes I I I I sue no I so that's five to one that passes so we're done with thank you very health agencies I feel as all I've tried to correct the damage that I once did so I had said at the beginning that I learned to theoretically go into the outside agencies section 40652 and look for reductions to free up money to support Walter's desire to do more for the health agencies we've already approved the health agencies so that's not something that has to be done it's something we could do do we have any I mean the only change to the outside agencies was voice against violence everything else is

pretty much flat from year to year and the increase on voices against violence was um because the I believe if I remember correctly they have a new director who used a new formula to come up with what their ask was and she had stated it was unclear to her how the previous number was derived but correct that's I remember that discussion also but I think all the other lines in that section are flat to 24 yeah I think you're well I I guess what I'm trying to do is skirt around what you're supposed to do because what I really should do is make a motion and open it up and have a whole discussion I'm trying to get a feel for the from the other people on the committee are you I mean if if we're going to have like a one to five or two to four vote no if you say no I don't want to consider this at all there's no reason to open it but if we are willing to have a conversation I'm willing to open it I'm trying to get a feel for what people are Walter I don't see how you can justify cutting the services to the people in a time when we've added to the cost of all other departments how can we justify cutting our services I hear you Walter I don't agree with you but this is the question I was asking and you give me an answer so thank you if we make a motion to change any of the outside agencies to reduce them you will you will be a no vote I'm going to vote no I'm not hearing a whole lot of support for spending another 20 minutes talking about either voices against violence or Lakes Region mental health which I think is still higher but they

are Lev funded we we raised them up two or three years ago I mean I'm look just I'm looking at these agencies and I I don't think I can I mean bridg house is already at $1 yeah theying that anything but Grafton County senior citizens transport Central tricap County voes against violence Le Mental Health Center I mean these are I don't I don't want to put words in your mouth but I I'm hearing you say that you're you're with Walter you're not really interested in cutting any of those lines correct okay not hearing any real support for doing that let's not spend the time on something that probably is not going to be uh achieve anything and be beneficial LS I just have a quick question go ahead and it could be me just no please go ahead just reading but the select board amount comes to 34648 but the budget committee comes to 38350 and I'm trying to see where the difference the the difference is lying 573 voices against violence the select board the the the they got 3500 in TW last year they asked for 700 7,000 the select board chose to level fund them when they came in budget committee the budget committee gave them the 7,000 they asked I'm sorry that's that's the difference thank you I remember because I voted against it but the majority rules so that's where we are um I saw a girl all beat up one time and now I see her walk down the street with her three kids and I told her it's the most American thing I have seen in a

long time to see a mother walk her oldest child to the bus stop in the morning and then walk her back home in the evening happy and she isn't beat up anymore and and voices against violence did it I think we've agreed we're not going to do any Walter so you you we appreciate your comments but okay you're starting to be the dead horse Christine do you have something to say before I say my next thing well um I have to update you on a change from when you saw the budget last because um I in preparation for tonight's meeting I wanted to make sure there were no mistakes yeah um so um two things that have changed since you've seen the budget and I'll point it out um can you open up the budget when you get a second yeah um do you remember we had discussion on the assessing budget 4152 what I so what I did was I went back to October when the selectboard presented the budget to the budget committee and I matched numbers we were off so I'm like okay why are we off so I made an era um when we were discussing the 4152 budget yeah um the overtime line was not taken out after it was presented to you so we weren't sure when we did the motion but I just wanted you to know I I fixed those so if you look at 4 wait there don't 415 41521 140 um you'll see that the department budget says a dollar the select board budget says a dollar and the budget committee says a dollar I'm going to I left your Motion in there because I wanted you to see that but that was why I was off was that $499 so I fixed it to match what was presented to you on October right you're saying we we made a change from five to one but it already was one so the budget

is where we wanted it to be so we don't have to do anything you don't have to so I just wanted you to know that that it matches all the numbers matched back um to October meeting so the next change comes from Jeff's budget so if you all down to um it's 0543 27 I believe is the first one hold on a second so when Jeff does his revenues you know that we have to make revenues and budget match right um so Jeff and I finally were able to do revenues on Monday and in doing that I had to make um 4328 sorry so it's 05 whoops right there sh bottom of the page um 054 that's a surplus number yeah you want it to be a non-one number what you want it to be other than one yes I have to make it other than one matches revenues so that number it's and it's weird the department number is a smaller number because the budget was different um in the department the select board I didn't bother changing the select board it got too confusing to try and do that so I made the department number um the lower number I made the select board and the budget committee the same but that's the number he needs to make sure that 91 the 91 937 okay that's the number that has to be put in that line in order to make the budget match the revenues on the other side so um we can't decrease we can't use that money towards taxes and now and now you want to do the same you're going to want to do the same thing on the uh we're in what sewer now so you're going to also want to do it on water if you go to 07 leave it leave it there leave it there that's fine so so what I'm hearing is what we what we said before

and I'm I'm saying this because if somebody on the committee disagrees please speak up I don't have a big worry about what this number is because it's kind of an accounting number to allow Jeff and the town to balance things so that the operating Surplus gets moved into a capital reserve fund and is available for capital in the future so if Jeff and Christine are saying that one doesn't work for them and they want it to be 91,000 unless someone I'm going to go ahead and make a motion to change I just want to make sure you knew that those were done that I had to put those in we probably should have done it last year um but being newer um didn't do it didn't understand what Jeff was trying to accomplish until Jeff and I sat down and had a good discussion on it we um what we did do was still transfer money because you you can with the Enterprise funds but it to be more transparent we should have put it in here so so so can I just ask please go ahead yeah it's been a while since I thought through this this hard so I know um so we're are are we budgeting a surplus meaning we we anticipate more revenues than expenses we right now yes we anticipate slightly higher revenues on where we which one are we in seart um we we actually anticipate slightly higher revenues on both okay that can change in the year but right now that's the number that we anticipate and that's what we would report so when you see your Ms when you see revenues when we start to go over them you'll see those two numbers will be exact the budget number and the revenue number are going to be exactly the same so that they wash each other out got it any surplus money that's not used towards the budget um does go back to these

Capital reserves um anyway because we can't use that money offset taxes so and the other Joe just the other thing that I've heard from Jeff is that he works on purpose that revenues are higher than expenditures that there always is a surplus slightly because then that money goes into either the sewer or the water so then you don't have to you don't have to have a separate warrant article to sell bonds to do a sewer or Capital project you basically save money up out of operating Sur sures right and you don't have to change rates a lot um he did tell you I believe at the last will be change in rates this year so um we may not have to change them right away um I I don't quote me I on 2026 I'm hoping we won't have to change them again but um it'll be nice to keep them stable so so let's let's go through this if people want to discuss please but I'm going to try to do this with a minimum of discussion because I think I think of it is more of aook recordkeeping thing so first I'll make a motion to reopen section 4328 sewer uh 05- 4328 sewer Surplus second so motion by Paul seconded by Buzz to reopen section 4328 do we need to vote on that yes we do and yeah because you're going to vote you should so we got someone in Zoom let's do a quick roll call vote all uh Paul say I Le I I Walter I sue I I I okay so that passes 6 so now make a motion to amend line 900 of section 05 4328 sewer Surplus transfer from the current amount of $1

to a new amount of 91,9 37 second so a motion from Paul seconded by Buzz to amend line 900 of section 4328 in the sewer section from 1 to 91,9 37 not hearing any questions we'll go roll call vote Paul says I hi hi so hi hi yeah so that passes and now we will vote to approve the new bottom line number for section 5- 4328 in the new amended amount of 991,00 937 roll call vote Paul says I Le do I need a second for that I thought we' already we voted to we voted to open it now we just need to approve the changes we've made sure I I Su I I Okay so done that now you want to go down to water and do the same thing to 0743 33- 900 okay all right I'll make a motion to reopen section 07- 4333 water Surplus to capital reserve thank you Joe motion from Paul seconded by Joe to reopen section 07- 4333 roll call vote Paul says I I I I I

sue I I yes okay 60 and now make a motion to amend line 900 the in section 07- 4333 from the current approved of $1 to a new amount of $14,888 $884 second please second motion from Paul second of byess to amend line 900 of section 07 4333 to a new amount of $14,888 roll call vote Paul says i i i i two I I yep I yep we're all set that's 6 that passes and now we'll vote to approve the new bottom line number for Section 07- 4333 which is $14,888 roll call Paul says I I I I I I 60 okay those are the only changes we get those done yeah not too bad I just wanted to make sure that you knew those three CH those three things one your the bottom the budget before you hit Water and Sewer matches um what I just would have to update the changes you made tonight I don't know I don't know if just a comment I don't know if there was a problem in the assessing budget or if it's a mistake that I made because the same thing kind of happened in the library where the director came in and talked about we're changing this and I made a motion to change it and then Joe spoke up and said no no Paul it's already been changed she's just telling us about the same it's the way she said it so so I'm just saying at least in one other section that same mistake almost was made and that was

online so I'll take credit for sing too I'll you take credit so that's that's it um except for the changes tonight those are not reflected in there yet so what I want to do is just to be 100% clear is to go around the room and just confirm with anyone are there any any other sections that you would like to have reopened for reconsideration Les anything you want to bring up no Joe no anything else Walter no Sue anything you want to bring up before we no no and Buzz is shaking his head no and I'm no so we're done with reconsideration on budget sections okay so the next thing on our agenda is to take a first pass at the estimated revenues for fiscal year 2025 because at our next meeting in two weeks we're going to have to vote to uh accept or approve them we don't know what the word is so Christina you want to take us through these or sure um I I marked them as draft because the select board will vote on them on Thursday okay um I don't anticipate any changes with the board on Thursday um never know but most uh the numbers were adjusted based on 2024 actuals um also on things that we are aware of that we that we had to cut revenues because we knew we weren't going to get any money um there aren't any notes unfortunately on here um I will try to have notes added for the um for the meeting public when you do vote on them but um if you want to go down through we can certainly go down through line by line um I don't know if you understand all of these categories if you have questions about specific

categories but um it's up to you how you want to I mean if we start at the top land use change taxs that's cut that is when somebody T has a current use property and makes a change to it that takes it out of current use right um so we did for the first time get um a build that we were able to to Bill on a property this um for 2024 but Conservation Commission gets 50% of that funding so we only got 2500 and Conservation Commission got 2500 so um we left it the same because we believe there's a couple other properties that are going to be building on um and that we might see some more current use changes um taxes this year so yield taxes are Timber um we did drop that number a little um Timber isn't as active right now um payment and lie of taxes we have two payment and Li which looks Joanne added those in there um Bristol BPL LLC is the solar payment and Li taxes at the treatment plant and snhs is the Riverview elderly housing um which is up at I think it's 780 Lake street it's on the corner below so they pay um a payment in Le of taxes instead of taxes on that property so okay and so these are both calculated separate differently like the solar is calculated um based on for an agreement that was signed when we when we put the solar in um and then the riverv viw is based off of it's either the the lower of the two so it's um County and local

tax um is all they pay and they don't pay the state and they don't pay the school so based on their assessment if that's the lower or 10% of their sh their income plus other so whichever one is lower is the one they pay by Statute so their income has been the lower obviously for them um for many years and that's what that calculation is based off of excavation we do have some pits but they don't really do anything um so we um if they they don't do they're um exempt up to 1,000 cubic feet so most of them don't do more than that if very few do more than that so we've never had a tax since i' well once since I've been here I just want to check with the other board members this is a seven-page document I personally am not interested in going line by line but if people are we will do it you guys interested in maybe backing up and do a little higher get through quicker sure I mean so if you're at the very bottom you can see by the way I'll just go there and point it out for 20124 Budget we estimated 3.5 million in revenues we got 3.6 um we're estimating about 4 million in revenues for 2025 and some of that is also from the sale of properties we're in the middle of um we have an open house tomorrow from Mar Max Street um and then we'll be I have to start working on the 85 L 85 Lake Street next but I got to get that one done first so um so we put in some money for that so that's why it's a it it went up a little bit so but if you have something specific let me

know the only thing that I was going to share is so I went to one of the planning board meetings and they're they're going to be proposing to change what is it right now we get a use permit and it's going to change to a certificate of zoning ordinance compliance and but also the the Threshold at which you're going to need that is going to go up so that there's going to be small jobs now that have had to pay a fee that aren't going to probably need to pay it in the future so I know that line is going down a bit we did change that and I'm sure that's in here but that's the only big regulation change that I knew while I was a little surprised that we were able to get all the way up to 4 million but if this number is used primarily in the MS 434 to set the taxes and they're going to do that in the fall this is also in what we file the I mean it's in the it's in the 37 and it's part of the documentation but when the D when the data is used is in the 434 in the fall when you've got eight months of actual dat and you get better numbers so I personally don't sweat over these because they're estimates and when we actually go to use the DAT you're going to get you're going to have a more accurate set of numbers I mean for if we do Ms 434 goes in um by September 1st and then when we set the tax rate we we meet with the Department of revenue and we revise them so usually we'll get them when we because we'll know closer to where the number is if that when we set the tax rate so we did meet and revise them with the Department of Revenue when we set the tax rate right for in late in 24 so does anyone have any I'll make a motion questions well we're going to

vote on them in two weeks today was just a I even though I'm not personally I I I would not want to see them for the first time in two weeks and then be voted on so we put them on the agenda today to do a review of the preliminary numbers just so that everyone has seen them so that now you've at least got this and if you want to you've got two weeks to look at it and come back with questions if you have any but sure okay that that was kind of why I pushed Christina to get this out so we can take a look at it um go ahead oh no sorry I was jumping I was just I was just going to go to the next item on our agenda which is the draft warrant again we're not going to vote on any of these things now it's not even finalized the select board is still has the authority and the ability to make changes but and again we're not voting to approve the warant articles but we have to vote on a number of them to make a recommendation to the voters on whether or not we think they should be approved or not so we're going to go through them to get a heads up of what's coming so we'll be more informed in two weeks when we have to vote on a recommendation so having said that I don't think we're going to do any voting this will be a kind of it to be formal can you just take us through the the document please maybe do we want to start with article 9 though because yeah just going to I don't think yeah I don't think she's going to do the we we don't get to vote on recommendations on yeah yeah yeah um the article one through article 8 are um officers and the zoning amendments where the only thing we're waiting on on the zoning amendments is the final review by the att's attorney if the wording is accurate or not for them um so if we start with article 9 obviously that's the budget number is um I will fill those numbers now um now

that you're at a point for me to fill them um article 10 is the um contingency contingency fund this is on every year um any this money is doesn't raise taxes it comes from the general fund and any of the money that's not spent goes right back into the general fund um usually I try to give you an I will have that for your meeting because I didn't have that for tonight um I'll write myself a note I usually try to give you an update of what the money was spent on in 2024 I think it was less than a thousand if I remember correctly um but I'll give you that update when you vote on them okay so so we don't spend it we don't have to I think the year before I spent I had to spend 9,000 of it if I remember correctly um article 11 is 25,000 this did get increased um it went from 20 to 25 and this is for the Patriotic Recreation special events this is really for the fireworks um so the fireworks committee recommended to increase it by 5,000 um and that's um to the show and any kind of entertainment that we need at the show um and other things they want to try to make the event bring it back up to make it a bigger event so okay um 400,000 is the capital reserve funds um I can break these down the acred wages fund um we did Mark that down I think it's been it was something like 35 or 40 if I remember correctly let me sorry I want to get my old copy out so I can make sure I tell you the right stuff um we did try to adjust these down comparing to last year none of us

getting prepared yeah show off so we did try to adjust these down some because there was a concern that there were obviously a number of things on the warrant article and we didn't um so they did adjust the crude wages down you're prepared what is it oh yeah it was 35,000 so we did adjust it down by 10 the assessment revalve capital reserve fund um last year was 45,000 um we are doing the reval this year but we are going to deplete the fund so we didn't want to leave the fund depleted so we did knock it down to 25,000 um the Fire Equipment capital reserve um did go up um and that was at the recommendation of CIP um it went from 75 to 100,000 um it's getting much more expensive to replace a a ladder truck and we're not um the recommendation was to increase that um so that when the time comes to replace the lad truck we we hopefully we'll have more money in the account to do that so um the highway equipment and capital reserve I believe also was a recommendation of CIP moving it from 120 to 160 cost of replacing the bigger trucks everything's going up um the truck that we just replaced last year was it 202,000 the big one I think so I think so might have been a I think it was 202,000 so obviously 160 isn't going to cover that but we don't replace a big truck every year so hopefully it will get us moving police vehicle um went from 54 to 70 um the reason it did that again user is costing a lot more to

replace um we had let we had only moved this to 65 but we've gotten quotes already and it's going to cost more um closer to 70 to replace a vehicle replace an outfit so right um we dropped the town building from 50 down to 20 um because we knock on wood we've moved the public safety people back to the public safety building um I am not saying anything more because I might jinx us so we did drop it down to 20 we we will have a I Believe by the end of this year we will have somewhere around between 40 and 50 in there I have a couple of outstanding bills so I think it'll be closer 40 so any questions on those I think see IP was zeroed that out but the concern of the board was if something big goes um I think when we were to place the boiler at the historic town hall it was somewhere around 10 grand so if something like that happens they didn't want to not put some money in the account so being on the CIP bill and I are both on the CIP so these are not exactly the numbers but that's fine that's the select board's responsibility too yeah not just cuz the C the C the CI when I got on I asked said what's the purpose and it's like no you're not supposed to be managing the money what you're supposed to be doing is working with departments to figure out what they need and then let the town know what's needed so when that turns out to be a bigger nut then we're really willing to spend it's not the CIP that has to figure out what's the what's the compromise what's the tradeoff it's the select boy that does that so I misspoke when I said we we tried to reduce this number um it it does go up it goes from 379 to 400 but

we tried to reduce some of the other ones so that the increases that we had to put in there were offet some so y okay um the next one is um actually is for a the generator um and all its corresponding components of the public safety building um it is a grant it will not go forward if the grant is not awarded or received from the town so this is not going to impact tax rate but we need to get the generator replaced at the gotta so we have to do again the the want appropriation yeah gross appropriation gross appropriate and offset can I ask you a question sir okay on the um generators were there not any generators for the fire department or the uh police department that they carry over they not have generators for those buildings not one big enough um the one they're using right now is not big enough to support um the building completely um so we did we did hook up let me see what he's um the P the public safety building is currently using the old Generator from the town office it is supplying about 80% of the building only a single outlet in the kitchen to protect the refrigerators and only two of the four furnaces for the admin side of the building the bay heat is fully operational on backup power this would be for a larger generator that would power the entire building during an outage they are also working on quotes oh um sorry um EMP that is something different sorry so the grant that they get would would this generator would cover the building in allow them to operate as an emergency Operation Center

fully where there may have some complications from the current generator so oh okay great and they do I believe they had a use for the old Generator it's going to the highway department I right right right like is that right so we aren't going to get R we aren't getting rid of the other generator we are going to bring um cuz right now the highway department doesn't have a generator um so we are going to take that generator and repurpose it at the highway department right so yeah that's perfect yeah ah I heard rumors about some what's in 14 but I didn't know any of the details and now I see it yes that's a big n um where is article 14 is to raise an appropriate 25400 416 for the purpose of hiring up to four full-time permanent firefighters this amount will include the salary and all benefits for six months um so they because the intent thought is it would take time if it passes town meeting to get them hired so it wouldn't be until um June July um and this amount is not included in the operating budget under article 9 the this entire amount is um is funded by 100% offsetting revenues from the new contracts from uh the contract towns so um sir be taking over primary responsibility for fire is that the for no so we we already are a big responsibility for the contract towns but they have just signed contracts that

increase um their Portion by I think some a couple of them were 100,000 um but the enti we this would we are the number of calls that we're getting right now is we're not able to respond um as timely as we should one um we are keeping a third ambulance to be able to respond to more calls as well but this would allow us to put a third crew out if needed um and that's what you remember from the conversation is that where you were going to jump in I was going to jump in and then I decided I know less than I know less than less knows so I should keep my mouth shut that somebody actually more informed give an update um Ben will be here obviously at the public hearing to talk a little bit more about it he couldn't be here this evening um but the the intent is to be able to the number of calls haven't slowed down they continue to increase and to be able to provide the services that are needed um the contract towns their contracts completely cover this increase so um and they've already signed all three three contracts so and these would be firefighters and EMS yes not just firefighters but I think his primary justification is that they're EMS people so I was at a select board meeting where I first heard about this and I'm like this so then he when Ben got up to leave I followed him into the hallway so I could have a conversation with him and what he what he basically said was so you call somebody calls the two people that are there get in the ambulance and go and maybe there's a third person in the building but when they leave then they right now I thought what he said was I get this wrong so please correct me thought what he said was once the first crew goes out you get another person but you really want two so now you now you're trying to get someone to come in and then if they go out then you do he goes we got enough

calls now that we we've decided we definitely just should have the two Crews there at all times part of it is that we're getting more calls part of it is that now some of the calls are taking longer if the person needs to go to the hospital and Conquer he goes we take him to conquer but now instead of being you know a a a quick trip over to Laconia or up to Plymouth now it turns into a 2hour job and so the the question that I would ask is that was my first thought is that if this is $250,000 and it's not included in the B budget does that mean the budget will go up by $500,000 next year but then the C but then you're saying is that that should still be covered by additional Revenue um actually can you Revenue upu can you pull that up for a secondes I do want to um just point that Revenue out since we didn't talk about it when we were looking at the revenue shed and pull it up um we've updated the revenue side you'll see quite a bit of a difference um it's Public Safety no it's going to be inome from departments right there um so 341 250 ambulance patient receipts um that went from we estimated um it's the RO below it yeah there's two so the ambulance member fees are the contract towns we that went from in 2024 we budgeted 233,000 roughly um this year it's going up to 48100 000 and that covers the full 24 and then there's also if you roll up a little bit um the ambulance patient receipts have also increased and that's gone from 400 to

450 um the it's we took in 549 um but uh the first 60,000 goes to an ambulance revolving fund um so and I think there was and I don't think that's been taken I have to double check because I don't know if that's been taken out of that number reason we don't we don't book it in our revenues because we don't want to use that 60 to offset taxes when we're not it's not there it's going into an account so um I'll double check if that 549 is right so and like the other Fire Equipment the cost of ambulance is going up so at some point that 60 is probably have to be increased but I don't know the details on the timing on that um we've H off on it and we actually may be um it looks like we're going to hold off at least until 2026 it may be able to we're taking um probably the new ambulance sometime we had to order it in 2022 and I believe it will be arriving sometime this year but it was over $300,000 so mhm buzzes shaking his head you're we're in the wrong business okay at least we have a building where it will fit between the doors to look at the bright side and and back in and fit it's backed in so so so the Ben can certainly come up with more numbers but the preliminary view of that is that this will have the plan is that this would have zero impact um um can I say that it will always have zero impact no because if an Mo if a contracted town did find a way to or

choose to go to another opportunity what if that ever arose then yes that that could affect it but they've signed contracts they're all very um on board with the change so do you have anything to add Les no the contracts are yearly contracts or so in 2026 when we're paying a full year of this are the contracts going to go up to they're supposed to go up again and he's already presented that to them that's what I thought he said yeah so this this amount right now is the first increase for the contract towns um but it is supposed to go up again they've are um he's met with all of the contract towns and knock on wood they are on board right now um they've signed their contracts um I just think that question is probably going to come up yeah um who are the contract house again Danbury Hill uh Alexandria right Danbury Hill Alexandria okay thank you okay if if there are other questions I can certainly get them answered and get them to you before the meeting um can I is the contracts between Bristol and those towns binding irrespective of whether or not those Town meetings approve the appropriation to spend this money do I have them with me interesting question that's a good question I don't two of those towns are has to be two town so they'd have to go to the default budget maybe a better question is are there Town meetings they're the same day that ours is I

know2 so they'll have the deliver session before and then they'll vote on Tuesday and they'll be done right yeah was2 but I'm could be wrong I just want to make sure like there's not a a moment where we decide to hire four firefighters and then one of the town then know that's my that was the point I was going to make is this this authorizes but doesn't oblige us to it if one of the towns finds a way to to weasel out and B knows he doesn't have the money he's got to adjust y yep yes because it's being presented that it's not going to there's money offsetting revenues so if the offsetting revenues aren't there then they would have to adjust um that's why we use the words up to four also um because if someone something did change there could be a potential still but not four okay so in two weeks we'll get to vote on how we're recommending it then everyone show up on the correct Saturday you'll actually get vote on whether or not this money gets spent I will see if I can get more information from Ben too so um any Article 15 um is the Cemetery maintenance Expendable trust fund um is a new fund Hallelujah I know one more for the trustees so um per RSA if you sell Lots um from the cemetery and the and by the way the bylaws that the cemetery have currently written um

they H there are two different checks that have to be cut with youell a lot one check goes into a Perpetual care fund for the law for um the family and then the lot check goes to the general fund but we have to put a war article on asking the town's people if um if they want to move that money in into an Expendable trust fund it did not exist for just the six cemeteries and be a general maintenance fund so we have to create a new one and these are two lots that sold in 2024 I'm working with the trustees to change their bylaws um so that the one small check won't have to sit out in Perpetual Caroline forever um it will be worded differently going forward um but if we sold any more Lots this will be on the ballot each year to move the money out of the general fund into the the newly created trust fund so right if the voters choose to do that so right but the if this passes we wouldn't have to vote to establish the fund we just have to vote to move the money in the future in the future yeah we just vote to move the money y do we I know at some point the town cemeteries there was a concern about like mapping and what Poots were actually available is that all squared away now no no okay the the we had to do they had to do the people that purchase Lots had to do um ground penetrating radar and they had to do a couple of other things um but um and they elected to do that so yeah yeah these were um one of them actually land owner that ABS the cemetery they were like we want to be in that Cemetery right and one of

them was a um the cane recipient in the last year or two two years ago I think two three two or three years ago she was the cane recipient she has passed away um but she her family really felt strongly she wanted her here so but they both um they both grew up very um I won't say their names right now but um they are property around the well-known names family from the area from but they and they one is is still alive um but they want to prepare sure and one has passed away so so this will not tax it's already um we took the payments in they went to the general fund we would just take the money out of the general fund and open the accounts so um the next one is um article 16 is 25,000 for the per purpose of purchasing replacement firearms for the police Department um there was a long a long discussion with the select board about whether we needed to replace the mall or could do them in stages um there are some strong concerns about the safety of the equipment um so the board is proposing to have the mall replaced um because they are they are having some issues there was some jamming um there was it with this I think it's 14 is it 14 handguns and two rifles I think it was two rifles yeah um the rifles are from um an antique War era the way it was described to us um but the but they are definitely having some issues with the safety of the

equipment so in um to get them all replac um this is how much it cost so and the other argument was that if we purchased half now purchased half later that if anything changes you wouldn't be able to Interchange things to I think so I remember yeah thank you for remembering that but again the police chief will also be here um when you vote so he can answer any additional questions but this will replace all of their um it replaces the current handguns that are each of the officers has um they also had it would be two I believe extra and then the two rifles if I remember correctly okay and if they can I there would be some trade in value but um I don't think it's going to be that much um with the issues that they're having so um which one article 17 um this came from the energy committee um it might be um the energy committee has asked um to establish a capital reserve fund um and the wording was um we took the sample wording from the Department of Revenue um it's funding Energy Efficiency renewable energy projects Outreach initiatives related to increasing Energy Efficiency and a reducing energy costs and covering Grant matches related to increasing Energy Efficiency um they've asked that the town consider $110,000 to um raise an appropriate and place in the fund um the intent again is pretty clear they if you apply for Grants you often have to have a offsetting ma or a match um some

of the projects require um a yearly like for instance the solar when we were looking at the public safety building solar on the roof it would require annual maintenance of the solar which could come out of the fund I think that can you correct me if I'm wrong Buzz because I'm putting him on the spot because he's an energy Committee Member no you're right I think that so the board felt it was good to put this out to the voters to determine um and get their support if they supported put opening a fund for with the $10,000 to get it moving forward for the energy committee sir I think the imperative for this is kind of going away though because I don't think there's going to be any federal money for this stuff for the next four years so we to put it before the voters budget committee and the voters for the discussion um the board will be voting on Thursday obviously but they agreed with the energy when the energy committee asked to put this on they agreed and they wanted the voters to vote on it so okay um article 18 is that number is not final um I've reached back out to the company um that number there is for Three Trees um in the and if you remember in Central Square we cut six down um because the they were the ash for problems um we want to put three back up because it does it leaves quite a void um so that number 11,450 is for purchasing installing and maintaining the three tree the three trees the fourth tree I've been asked to add is a Christmas tree and because the we've been have we have a lot of logistical problems I let me rephrase that we have a lot of logistics when

you're getting a Christmas tree in the Square um and we we that is cut and it's planted and then it has to be ripped out and the holes have to be filled in it is um so the thought was that we would get a permanent tree so that we don't have to go out and find a tree tree we had to find somebody to go pick the tree up because we couldn't get get it with our equipment um and then we don't have to try and plant it it'll be there every year so so I'm waiting for the number on the tree but so that I can add it to that but um you'll notice this as purchasing installing and maintaining a lot um a lot of Maintenance when we do tree planning falls back on Highway and Recreation and we are not tree we're not um what's the word train arous um so and there and to spend that amount of money on putting in a tree and not following up with some Tye of Maintenance to make sure that the tree is um taken care of and lasts and if it doesn't last then it would be warranteed by the company so that's included in that 11,450 that number will change as soon as I get the update quote which I'm begging for by tomorrow so oops um Article 19 may turn into two articles I've asked the Department of Revenue and I'm not getting a response but the intent of the two the articles is one there is an existing transfer station revolving fund under the treasurer's realm um we've confirmed that we can put put money into that fund but there the board wants to the purpose is missing um a couple of words so I think we may have to do two warrant

articles one to change the purpose of the revolving fund um the current purpose of the revolving fund is to the current purpose of the revolving fund is to take in um whoops sorry reading trying to Res skim and it's not working soon um purpose of promoting recycling through improved Transportation operations when the account was created it was created from the conquered Regional Solid Waste Cooperative um we were part of that and when they decided not to build the big um Center we we received F money and that went into this revolving fund um the board would like to change the purpose to promote recycl through improvements and maintenance to transfer station operations including equipment um because with the split of the two departments we want to make sure that we can maintain the Baer there's compactors that are very expensive um dumpsters there's Bolt the back H to pack them so we want to be able to maintain that equipment and use the um use the revenues or whatever we put into this fund to do that that the second part of that is to take recycling money um that's in the revenues currently um the two that the board is chosen um right now to do is aluminum and cardboard recycling so I believe it will be a second more article that will be needed but it would say that we would um instead of raise and appropriate we would take the money from aluminum and cardboard recycling and it will go into this revolving fund and that revolving fund will be used to make the transfer station improvements

or maintenance and Equipment as needed Sor Claire is mud y the wording is my problem right now because I'm trying to get the dep Department of Revenue to approve it um so um I that's why I believe there are going to be two warant articles I don't believe I can do it in one and I'm just waiting for them to respond so it's it is there anything in the fund now is is anything in the revolving fund yes it's aund $192 so we so just um also I didn't add that but um well is it yeah it's $192 um it might have new interest in it now um I haven't gotten the treasures report yet um but about $ yeah around $200 that's it um it originally you know the transfer station improvements I'm not sure so for those who have been here the transfer station went through quite a a rehaul about what three four years ago the money that was in that fund from the refunds from the conquered Regional solid waste a Cooperative um were used to do those to do those improvements over there so and now that's all that's left is about $200 in the fund so it just that the fund right now does earn interest through the treasurer but we wanted to repurpose it and make it a usable fund instead of trying to create a whole new fund for the trustees well it doesn't go to the trustees it's with the treasur no it could go to the trustees but we we that's why we're trying to repurpose something that is already there so you know between Shan

and I you are surrounded no she's my boss and she's mine no I mean um so that's where we're at I don't know if you have any general questions that again that I can get answers for I I will give you a general question and I'm assuming you'll just write it down and pass it on to chop but when we when we approve the warant article to do the cardboard recycling we spent a good amount of money from a couple of different places so my expectation was that the either the earnings from selling the cardboard or the savings from diverting materials out of MSW so we reduced those costs be curious to know how close are we to actually covering all of those costs because now we're saying we're going to take the money we did the we did the cardboard recycle we spent all the money to put in the system to allow us to recycle cardboard because it was going to eventually pay off and now we're taking that income stream and not using it to pay that off so I would like to know well Chuck's not going to be able to answer that but our finance office will do some research Chuck is remember is brand new he wasn't here when we first started this but we should be able to go back and research some information on that I do know I don't think it's a like a pound for pound decrease on the MSW because the less it you put in the more they end up charging per pound so like the I don't know how I don't know I don't know how it works I know I know that it's not a simple straightforward thing that You' got to make some assumptions and whatever so I'm not expecting you know 3.07 but kind of yes no at this rate we would need this this to go on for six

years and we've only done it for 3 years okay then I'm not really thrilled about diverting this money oh we're going to pay it off in four years and we've been doing it for four years yeah I'm happier we're less upset about diverting the money so I again so taking the cardboard out of the mssw allows you to pack more in the MSW which is more weight so you are paying more in your hall we've been talking about styrofoam so styrofoam was removed because we didn't have enough time to get our decks in a row um it was on the warrant before tonight so when if you take the cardboard out of the that's MSW it you're you're able to pack more in I understand that it's confusing because when you dump at the when you dump they put you over a scale you're paying by pound but the trucking is by volume so both things are important and and we also Alexandria um brings their cardboard to us right now um we they we they over we collect the and they drop it off we bail it and we collect any of the revenue from it so um but it is a good question to find out when we put it in place and how long we said it would take to recoup those costs so that's more of a voter deciding how to vote on this a town meeting than a budget committee question but I think that it's good because that who somebody from the town should be prepared to answer that because if somebody else doesn't I'd probably ask it a town meeting well I'm glad you said that um when the board first started talking about this they started talking about a percent so they wanted to say 50% or but the Department of Revenue won't allow you to do that so then the board went back I don't know if you were there for that full discussion but the board went back to okay well can't really pick a $5,000 number is what if

you don't make $5,000 so they lean towards Al um we we get right now we get recyclables from other things um revenue from other recycling um so they picked aluminum and cardboard we still get metal and um that we get some revenue from um and other things as well but those are the two they started with so it would end up being H don't quote me um I think if I remember correctly it was somewhere around 9 Grand but I think I I think I looked it up I'm changing subject slightly I think I looked it up but I forgotten the answer when when is the deadline for petition articles when does the warrant get finalized it's wall upstairs it's um February I have to look thear Friday the 7th no it's not no it's February 4th so February 4th is the deadline um for petition waren articles okay um the board will vote on you guys meet on the six so the war article will get finalized on Thursday the 6th we meet this week yeah you they'll vote on all the other articles this week if I um if I accept for the one I probably won't have ready um but the good news is you vote now on the six so because your public hearing is until the 11th so yeah so February 4th is petition War articles Friday is the last day to sign up for um any open positions um if you're interested by 5:00 P PM yep I have that on my list of things to mention in this meeting but um so that's it um there should not be any additional warrant

articles um the and at Mo at minimum the the gray highlighted in your copies and your folders those are the things that have to all have answers put into them so um okay so the voting location I think it's pretty much set but I just want to make sure before I put it there but um and then votes obviously from everybody and the couple of missing numbers that I've been trying to finalize so okay okay anyone have any other questions on the draft warrant and all the Articles okay we'll move on thank you thank you very much for listening to me uh so next on our agenda is approval of the minutes from our previous meeting on January 14th I've already uh had the pleasure taking the first draft the draft you're seeing is the one that's the second draft after I've had my input so I don't have any other comments but I know other people do well no because you told me you asked me before the meeting started well no I've got more but but that's I surprised you didn't pick up on that yeah I missed it um okay um I got one substantive and some cosmetic um on the second page yeah the paragraph that begins Mr wearing y um said Mr Greenwood stated that and I think um after the word that we should put in the word although is this grammar

okay although salt prices have decreased the need for Sal is present that all um 4312 this is the substantive and Paul agrees with my recollection um in term it our understanding from what went on in the last meeting was that the um the the director of the highway department indicated that um when they put Bristol Hill and Smith River out for their bids for their second top coat the bids came in more than the budget budget line item so but um that putting a coat of asphalt down on um on the three dirt roads um could be accomplished by doing I believe doing Bristol Hill Road and then and using the rest of the money to pave those three roads and that that would start saving some Capital expense for the Department in maintaining the dirt roads I think that was what was discussed and the language here in the last three or four lines doesn't really reflect that okay so what he I didn't write any new language I'm lazy but I'm I've got it PA AG Paul agrees with me so the comment was so under Highway projects in the first paragraph it basically says that he knows that the three dirt roads will need to be maintained but I Buzz asked me and I said yes I do think I remember Victor said that will be in the 2025 plan and so Buzz said that's not really what our minute say it should be more direct that not not only is those three dirt roads need to be plowed he's planning to do it and it's included in the budget did I get that right y pa not PL

okay yeah well it's winter time I think s okay um on P oh they're not numbered well under 4326 sewer operations yeah um in the third line down the line begins level funded put a comma in strike the word and and insert in its place it does and then make reflects singular so that it reads funded comma it does reflect okay and I think I have one more oh yeah um on the the next to the last page under member select board comments um for Shannon I'm ready okay um three lines down the line begins revisiting it says re it should say revisiting any and then insert the word budget okay okay that's that's it anyone else have any I'm not expect you have the grammar like that but maybe something substantial that you know we said that didn't get reflected or is said that you don't think we talked about those are the things that I I'm hoping you you guys will catch those eras if they get past me all right not hearing any other um I make a motion to approve the minutes as amended seconded by walon motion by Paul sign Walter to approve the minutes as amended roll call vote Paul says

I yes I I Su oh I I hi so that's six eyes I don't need to do the Nays and the extensions it passes uh let me go back correspondence don't think I've had any correspondents but anyone else have anything that they want to share with the well we're going to do comments so that's where I'm going to do mine uh so we'll do we'll go around and do comments let's start with select board anything going on I apologize for being late you're a busy person no I I don't have any comments right now just I'm happy with the changes we made tonight so I I will I will share as a comment just to keep you guys informed I was didn't spent a lot of time but I spent some time thinking about where else are there questions where else could we potentially cut and I realized that last year the T the town decided and we agreed that we defunded um drum BLS I should have written notes the the Katie and we created a new line in the police department and we put $1,000 in there and when we did the police department budget I didn't think to ask about it so I thought hm if nothing you know if it's not working it's something you know what would we do so I was intending to go talk to the chief because if it's a big deal I was going to invite him to come to the meeting so in a bit of serendipity was walking from the town offices to the library and as I walked past Gina's place the chief was inside having lunch so I went inside and ambushed him and I said what's going

on and he said no he said so there's not a lot to say the we we we funded $1,000 but the major he said the majority of the spending would be done by a grant and the grant took longer to get approved so the money really wasn't there they've just hired somebody they're really just starting up the program he still has good hopes for it he doesn't doesn't have a lot of results but it he put level funding in there and I said well I'm not going to make a motion to change that but I just wanted to get a heads up and he and I he said thank you I appreciate talking to you now rather than having to come to a Tuesday night meeting so I just want to share all that with you guys because that was the one thing I thought about um you I did not he he already had it they just served it to him I tried to keep it quick accept that um I think that's it for correspondence and comments so anything else any other comments Sue any comments uh no I've got nothing okay staff anything from the town office that you want to comment or share yes um I just wanted to what we started uh creating the town meeting and um Town information Town whatever I can't talk tday we P for the town meeting so 2025 elections in town meeting um unfortunately I created it on um a different page so I when you click on this you have to click the link again my fault but um so I started putting in um everything that we normally try to do to to give everybody from the public all the information in one spot so um we've also shared this out on Facebook multi um I tried to share it out multiple times but when you start it starts with the filing period obviously that ends this at the end of this week if you go

down a little further there's your deadline for um submitting a petition War article talks about what a petition War article is and then there's a form um we created a fillable form last year um made to make it easier if somebody did want to do psha War article they could um and then they they can fill out the wording and then they saw have to go get original signatures though from 25 registered voters so um coming down a little further um this is your public hearing notice um I've placed that's out on Facebook um it's out on all the boards it'll be in the Daily Sun Wednesday it's on town it's on the town page um I think I've hit everything um wait so I put a blurb unfortunately because I didn't have until tonight's meeting I can't couldn't even post a draft budget because I had to make sure there wouldn't be any additional re revisions before your public hearing so we'll get those up there as well but I put a blurb so people would know that's why nothing's up there yet so um Town elections the ballot voting um explains what um once the filing periods close what their El what they the open positions and who will be running and then the zoning amendments um the we do have the zoning amendments explanation document up there um we don't have the ballot language yet and then Town elections town meeting so um as we get more information we'll update that it's pinned to the top of the news page so that if anybody goes in it will be at the top of the page for them to find um to go in and look and see if there's any changes or updates so if there's something you would like to see added to that please let me know not P but you've reminded me of two

things that I want to share um yesterday probably around midday I went into the town clerk's office and talked to Rama to get an update on what's happening with elections so I can tell you that there are three candidates for the two select board positions but there is still only one candidate for the three budget committee positions so I'm not super optimistic but I've been tring trying to pass the word told all the library trustees last week I appreciate their help told Rama if she got anyone in the mind I I really I I mean I don't think we're going to be successful but I've tried to too go ahead I was going to say sometime I was going to give Joe a little credit I mean sometimes writing elections work really well and we get a good person but you takeing two votes but you take but you take but you take if you leave it empty and you do a w and you take a risk that you don't know what you're going to get so I really want to get free names on there and I'm not being very successful so if you have any ideas or you can do any help so so Walter has already announced he's not running free election the one candidate is me I did file to run for another three years on the board on the budget committee thank you um and then the resignation of your other member other member so there's two three-year terms and one two-year term so we tried to I tried to word a little differently um I said interested in taking part in your local government below are the openings of the town of Bristol any interested person must sign up at the Town Clark's office then I said if you're not sure what a position does how many meetings you might have to attend or have other questions call us and and that is also that ad is on Facebook as well but so we'll see what happens yeah the other the other thing I wanted to just share with you different subject now is that

um I was talking to Deb up in the office and so she's the person who's got the primary responsibility for putting this together so when we when I put together the draft schedule for this year's budget committee meetings I was like well Christmas and New Year's are both on a Wednesday so those Tuesday evenings we can't have a meeting I i' like to keep two weeks spacing if I can so I looked up the RSA to see when we had to have our public meeting because because typically in past years we've always had our public meeting on the first week of febru February the same day that the petition War not so I looked I looked up the RSA and I basically said that we're having our meeting on the N 9th no yeah Tuesday the 9th right no third 11 meeting on the 11th the public hearing has to to be held the fir you can do multiple sessions the first session of a budget committee public hearing has to be held no later than Friday of that week which would have been the 14th I think yeah so I said okay we can have a public meeting on the 11th and it's work fine for us but I got talking to De and she said the fact that you're not going to have everything nailed down until the second week of February instead of the F first week in February puts a little more pressure on me on getting this book out so I said we would try to go back back to the first week again next year but just kind of sharing with you guys that there's always something that I that that is there's so many facets to every question there's always something that you just put subject to change yeah there is always pressure on those because we have to turn around and get you all to sign them Ms 737 which also has to be added to the town report so it is a combination of things and when we

talked about the schedule I didn't realize it either well that was the big thing thing she said was that the ms37 goes in here and I'm like well we have our meeting on on the 11th then typically the office takes a couple of days to crank out the MS calculations and so we've signed it on Thursday or Friday yeah and she's like well the printer supposed to have a proof back to us on Friday or Saturday so they're not getting the MS form till Friday how is the printer going to work up approv for that so they're just going to timing is tight they're just going to have blank pages in there we've done it before with one year we actually had to go in and put copies in every single time report because we just couldn't get it in in time um we will have the MS 737 prepared as long as there's no changes at your public hearing um it'll be prepared um that is my goal because I'd like to come in but if there are changes then obviously we won't have it ready for you so well we try to I try to avoid changes because if we make substantial change substantive change then we're supposed to hold another public hearing to discuss the final version of the budget which is advertised for Wednesday correct so if you did do substantial changes or you have a weather delay it's all advertised for the 12th so so I think the only other thing that I had to before I can take is to talk next meeting so in my mind there's no reason to meet next week there's nothing we haven't done that we need to do I'm anticipating we're going to meet in two weeks for the public meeting on no three two wait one two three today is the 28th never mind it's I'm a brain fog I on vacation so okay takes a while to come back from that especially when you were

[Laughter] sick so I will point right so I just want to make sure if you look on our schedule it says that there is if we needed it we have a meeting that's tentatively scheduled for next Tuesday February 4th I don't see any need for it I just want to confirm with everyone that are we're not going to meet on the 4th and our next meeting will be Tuesday the 11th which will be the public hearing to present the budget the revenues and the warrant article to the members of the public okay not hearing any disagreement yeah I'll take a motion to adjourn second I'm okay you got a motion I think got a motion from Joe seconded by Walter to adjourn all in FA well got a roll call right I I hi hi two all right 6 Z we're adjourned we're done thank you for