Select Board - Regular Meeting

You go to do it. All right. Okay. I pledge algiance 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. Thank you very much. On my honor, I'll do my best to do my nonpublic and public minutes for December 18th, 2025. So, can you take the public off? I was I was not able to finish my part with which was the work session. Okay. Nonpublic minutes for December 18th. I'll make those motion. I'll move those minutes. Okay.

I'll second. Motion by Sean, second by John. Any discussion on the non-public minutes for December 18th? No. All in favor? I

oppose. Extensions. 40 uh consent agenda. Yeah, I'll make a motion to approve the uh consent agenda for 1826 consisting of accounts payable manifest dated 12225, accounts payable payment manifest 122425, accounts payable AC manifest NHRS and AFLAC 123025 accounts payable payment manifest 123125 accounts payable AC manifest for Harper's 1231 3125 accounts payable AC manifest citizens bank 123125 payroll payment manifest data 123125 removal of blind exemption from map lot 109-078 as it no longer qualifies 5-year review veterans credit updated paperwork approval map lot 227-014 map lot 107-002 uh 5-year review approvals for credits and exemptions. Map lot 224039. Map lot 223087. Map lot 112-081. Map lot 115-0128 uh 028. Uh map lot 109-039. Map lot 209-041. Map lot 115-1041. Map lot 224-042. Map lot 224-067. Map lot 203-064 and map lot 116-21.

Keep going. Oh, yeah. That's right. Next page. Sorry. All right. Map lot 217-043. Map lot 221-013. Map lot 116- 035. Map lot 115-014 uh 040. Uh map lot 221-023. Map lot 112-015. Map lot 114-054. Map lot 224-072 map lot 212-018. Map lot 227-006 removal of veterans credit from map lot 216-074 as it no longer qualifies second

motion by John second Scott trying not to do wrong here all in favor opposed abstensions pass 4 there you go figure I might as well try that at some You might be vice chair next year. God. All right. Energy committee. Paul, hot seat. If you'd like, take the hot seat. Yeah.

Um Paul, I'd let Paul know that you when you talked about the Warren articles previously, um the board's general consensus at that time was to remove the C pacer um warrant article. Um Paul's asked to come back to talk to the board about it.

Right. So this is about the CPACE or what's called CPACER. It stands for commercial property assessed clean energy and resiliency. This is a financing program essentially that allows commercial property owners to take out loans tied to the property that are amvertised on a long schedule, 30-year schedule, focused on clean energy improvements. This would include things like solar insulation, things that we need to do to this building. Even though we're not a commercial entity, you know the problem. We've got heat leaking out of these buildings terribly. 40% of our energy consumption goes to heating and cooling buildings. It's equivalent to transportation in terms of total energy consumption. So, getting that down is economically a good thing. Um I the last meeting we talked about it one of the requests you had you had two requests. One of them was to talk to Joanne Bailey about load uh incremental load. I did do that and we had a conversation. We talked to Clean Energy New Hampshire Sarah Brock. Uh the load seems fairly low and this is because the New Hampshire Financing Authority is taking on the responsibility for this work. They're the ones who find the not find but align the loan person or the lender to the consumer uh or the commercial company and they take care of all the paperwork. They take care of the work of the registry, the deed. We do have to have a record of it. So there is a requirement for us to be aware of a lean um on the property, but the actual work itself is done by the New Hampshire Housing Finance Authority. And by the way, they're getting paid to do it. I think it's 5 cents, five 5% or some small number, 3% maybe all. So that seemed to be reasonable. Um, you also

asked me to talk to businesses. So I have I have had discussions with a number of them. Let me just review them. One of them is the TTCC. It's less and they're using heat pumps over there and the electric bills are high. Uh she also over there has tremendous solar opportunity on the south side facing of that building and I did some rough analysis using um a tool for measuring solar potential and it's quite good. The solar potential there is is fairly high and could uh naturally offset cost of running those heat pumps which they are using now. That's their not primary source of heat but it is the heat upstairs. The offices are heated with the heat pumps. So that's electric. So she was quite interested in it because of the long amortization. The basic idea here is that the energy improvements in in many cases from a cash point of view will uh be positive visav the payment on the improvements because of the long-term 30-year term drops the payment per month down low enough so that the savings from the energy improvements makes it positive from a cash point of view. So your operating profit uh or your margin actually improves as a result of this effort. Um so she was in favor. I also spoke to Tom Keegan. He has me looking at the UCCC church over here on the hill and that's another train wreck from a thermal point of view. Old building built by somebody in the 1800s. and it's got a stone foundation that's it's granite and stone and it leaks like a SID. He gave me his utility bills and energy bills and I did an EUI calculation on it and it's awful just way off by factor of two or three where

it should be. So, you know, they would like to make improvements. They would have to of course borrow money to do it. This was an attractive idea for him because it allows again long amortization and the opportunity to save enough energy so you can not only pay for the note but have a little extra cash per month. So that's two of them. I also spoke to um the uh village pizza which is now called uh local kitchen who were actually here the night that I spoke about it. And CJ is CJ was here. R.J.

R. Oh, sorry. R.J. I spoke to him about it and he was very emphatic about it because he wants to put solar up. Uh he's got electric ovens there. So, they're induction ovens and uh he would like to offset those with solar. He's looking at solar at the property next door going, I want that over here and I've got room out back for a ground mount array and I want to do it and this would allow me to do it. So, I spoke to him about that. I also spoke to Greg Wagner, who was on my energy committee. He owns the marina. He's got good solar exposure. Uh, he would like to put up solar. This seemed like an attractive option to him as well. And, uh, oh, um, Odyssey, I talked to Franchesco over there. Uh, he was very enthusiastic about the idea, too, for the same reason. He's heat pumped there. He's using a lot of electricity to drive the heat pumps. He's got solar potential right there on the back and uh would like to put up solar on the roof. So, the businesses that I've spoken to were all positive about this idea. They would like to see us put a warrant article forward so that there's an option to take a look at this in the coming year. Um, yeah. So, that's what I got. I guess my question is what's what's the cost to the town or

the downside? Why does it have to go through the town? There obviously there's some kind of Well, you have to go through all of this then there there's some kind of cost to the town. It was a whole section when when we went through it the first time. I think that yeah, a lot of us trying to remember what it's it's time, right? it's time and who does it and well and and we really don't know what it's going to be to the town. We're being they're saying they handle the majority of it but we do have to track some of it. It's leans so they handle that piece. We just don't know what that will be because this is a whole new venture. When Joanne came and talked to the board, I think she thought it would be minimal.

Yeah. Um but again, she said it's it's a not it's a not known number really that we can get here. It's an unknown. Unknown. Yes. A double negative. How do I know when I don't know? Yeah. Don, what was his name? Dave was a defense secretary at the time. There were no knowns, known unknown knowns. Yeah. He buried himself.

Yeah. Um I mean I I I think this is something that's perfectly legitimate to let the people discuss at at town meeting. I've been thinking about it and I keep I keep hearing even today things like, you know, Bristol can be hard to do business in or this and that. I I think this is another way that the town can support activity in in town. Um I don't really see a downside other than there is some time, you know, there is some time involvement. Um, I mean, we probably need to like for Joan, she probably has to track it as a feature. Like

I we don't know for sure who has to track it if it would be Joanne or Cheryl's department. I think it might be a combination of both. Yeah.

Um, I did ask Rob because Rob couldn't be here tonight. His opinion, his cons, he didn't want to be the guinea pig um for it, but that's his opinion again. So, but leave it up to the board. So um to answer your question Don as well, one of the things that uh this idea has been around for a while in the state of New Hampshire and the problem they were having with it is that load for each individual town was both duplicative. Every town had to do it and also heavy. So what they did is they formed this new law where they hired an independent, not an independent but a third party, New Hampshire Housing Finance Authority to do the administration on behalf of the towns. Essentially they took the burden off the towns

to get this to happen and they gave them a percentage to do it. Yep. Okay. Yeah. That that's the cost that they that's the cost. The flip side is they they didn't want to to to to sort of just spring it on the towns without their consent. So I think there was this part that we're doing right now. We want the town's agreement to put the procedure in place so that they're not being forced something from conqueror that they don't want for their town.

So I think both those things exist. They took the burden of administration and tried to put that to a third party. But yet they've got the town involved and and I would I would agree. I think you know letting the letting the town the town meeting hear what it is and and uh express their opinion I think bodess well for select board. Hey, we're trying to bring business positive stuff here. Here's one. Let's hear what you say. Yeah. Because I mean I I don't see a downside on it, right? Other than is there a cost problem? Right. And if if the majority of that cost has been shifted

it has been shifted. Yeah. So further motion well later tonight we're doing war articles anyways. Right. Well before he leaves though there are some questions. I put the warrant article up on the screen. Um you're not vote you don't have to vote on these tonight but if you want it to be on I can make sure it's on. So, okay. Well, just for Paul's benefit, I need him here to answer these two. Yeah. What's What's Well, okay. Yeah, go over this and we'll we'll take a consensus as to whether we're going to add it to the war.

So, if you are, you have to say it said so in this is the Warren article shall encompass the entire area within the boundaries of the town of Bristol. I put in, but I think that's your I think you decide where it's going to be. Do you want it to be the boundaries of the town of Bristol or do you want it to be a smaller correct district? I can pull up the other one too. Sorry. Let me pull that one. So your thought would be possibly less than the boundaries. Right. Well, well that yes. I don't know what you because it certainly wouldn't be greater than the boundaries because it's specific to right the do we want it in the lake district? Is this the right one? Is that like an example? Let me share this. This is the for example the big catch great southern You already talked to Greg Wagner,

right? Yeah. I think if you got to do it, you do the T. There's there's various businesses in in every zoning that that could take advantage of this. I could take advantage of myself in rural district. Yes. You know, and solar plus battery would be good for you, too. You talk about that a little. Oh, yeah. All right. So, the town of Bristol. So, I because these are your options. You could do um choose a town of village or village district. You could enter specific zones or enter specific properties. I don't think the right route is specific properties at all. But but so within the town of

the other question I'll is I'll leave this one up. Um let me go to the other one. It says um qualifying improvements to real property through private lenders and assessment agreement between the property owner and the blank. Um, and that is right here says choose town or village district. So, this is an agreement that has to be done between the property owner and the town is what this is saying. Yeah, it's a lean. Um, though this is a special assessment. The lean is the lean there. Yeah.

Yes, it is. Special assessment lean. Sorry. So, someone has to determine what that special assessment lean is, which I'm assuming would be the assessor. Um, and then that would be with the channel then is what you're saying. Okay, I can fix that. And then it says, "And to further authorize the select board or commissioners is in the comments." I'm thinking select board. Yeah. To execute all documents performed on municipal functions in accordance with the chapter. Let me just see if I had any. Come on, computer. My computer froze again. Okay. And further authorize the I think again select board to enter special assessment agreements would be the last one, right?

Yeah. The warrant article. I was looking at the other warrant article, but I can't go back and forth. I'm frozen. No. Um I just dropped it into the folder. I think I may have answered all my questions where

Oh, you guys have snacks now? We do have snacks. Yeah, they have for a while. I have to keep them going. Yeah, actually I think that's it cuz I said um the only reason. Don't worry. They're trying to make sure make sure we don't have caffeine and sugar. Good. I just Well, we're coming once again, right? down and signed up to do it again. Best way to get if the first whooping wasn't bad enough, you got to come back and sign up again. Best way to get an engineer to a meeting in a forester for better. We need a We need a uh espresso machine. There you go. Now we're talking. I'm good with that one. All right,

you got all those. Apparently, my mouse just died. Um, I think we're good now. That's that was it. That's all I So, I will update Okay. the Warren article before the next meeting with those those things in it. So, I'm willing to speak to it at town meeting. So, I'll do that if you like. Yeah, we'll define you. Of course. That is the deal. Yes, you are signing up for that. So the general consensus consensus on the board is to I think it's a good idea if we if we've got that much support from a business community perspective that they at least want to consider it. Yeah. They have no ability to consider it if we don't do this.

Right. So you you Scott thank you for doing the research. Yep. No problem. Thanks Paul. Thank you. Okay. Moving along. his game tonight. Warning sore. Jeff is here. Jeff is here. How you doing, Jeff? Listen. He's here. He's here on time. Come on down. He wasn't the last time. He wasn't budget. I Jeff was budget committee. Sorry. I'm sorry. I haven't seen I actually He wasn't the only one. I had to call Victor, too.

Victor was supposed to remind me. Well, that's why Victor was on the naughty list according to the the store. So, draft on. So, he it's 05-1. I'll try and save it. Or do you want to I think I do want it. Yeah. Should take them both. You're in there. You go.

Um 05-1 is the draft call policy. Both of these things. Um so the quarterly meetings that we've had with um staff um one of the quarterly meetings um talked about uniforms one also and another one also talked about on call compensation. We mentioned that to the board when we were talking about budget. So Jeff's come up with um policy for on call compensation for which is that the first one yet? These these are new. We don't have policies for these are new.

Uh we do have an on call policy. So this is updating the current one that we have. Okay. Um, and it just kind of uh my guys uh just they they've been asking for this for a while uh just for me to look at this on call stipen because they've been hearing when they go to trainings from other towns of what they're paying. So I did reach out to Plymouth because they had already done an in-house study themselves just comparing some other towns. So, I took that information just to see how we were doing. And Bristol was paying 125, which works out to about a dollar per every unworked hour um to have my guys call uh carry the cell phone. Um and they have to be the responsible one to to respond. Um and I'm there as a backup for them if need be. Um, I will say that most all my guys, even if they're not on call, will come out for an emergency, but uh we do delegate one one person to be on call. Um, Plymouth had gone with $2 per hour, $250. So, we're we're asking to go to just $200 to be more comparable to other towns. I think that's um I do not have that budget in in that line, but I think I could find it in the two budgets. It's about $1,950 in each department to come up with to fund that

um increase. Is that the only real big change as far as this goes? Yeah. Yeah. The duties pretty much remain the same. They they have to come in 3 hours on Saturday, 3 hours on Sunday and a holiday. Um just to inspect the facility. Yep. Yep. They have to do certain test um every week um and holiday. Um trying to think if there's any anything else. I don't think there's really anything that's changed. They have a list of these duties that uh they're all aware of. I think it's actually included on this. Yeah. So, the one question I have when I read it, Jeff, it wasn't so much about

this specifically, but like you list out the duties around what's got to be measured and tested, right? Yeah.

In normal job descriptions, do you have those duties listed out any place else? Like when you go and inspect a facility, these are the inspections we expect you to do. The reason why I'm making that distinction is I'm thinking about how do we make sure we simplify um the job requirements because if if you're going to inspect, let's just say you're going to go inspect somebody whether they're on call or not. If somebody was going in to inspect uh the wastewater treatment facility, do you have it listed out any place else if that's what you do? We're working on a standard uh it's in our existing standard operating procedures but we are updating those right now.

My point is is is it better for us longer term? Yeah. Going hey you reference this is what you do when you go inspect and it's and it's written out in your standard operating procedures and then your on call piece then is shortened because you know like okay here you're referencing that other place. like in the future if you change your standard operating procedure then it automatically updates this is what happens right you don't have to do it in two different places is I guess what I'm getting right trying to trying to make sure that you don't have to like think about how many places you got to update what has to happen

if you require that it's written in the standard operating procedures then just reference the standard operating procedures instead of listing out every test in the on call the on call means just hey this is how you get paid this is how we expect you to respond. Yeah. If you don't respond in a professional manner, which is one of the things that's written in there, you know, there could be disciplinary action. Yeah, that's I I developed that more or less a guideline for what's expected of them on the weekend. Uh because it does vary quite a bit during the week, what they do do, but this is

uh singling out those particular things. Anyways, that was that was the only thing I thought. Well, like when I was reading it, I was like, "Okay, cuz cuz you can you can see I mean we find it all the time like in even when we do zoning updates. Oh, we fixed it over here and now we got to go. Oh, we forgot to fix it over there, right?" Like when we do stuff like this, when you inspect the facility, whether you're on call or not on call, we expect you to do these things, right? Yeah. You know, so on call has to do that. you know, I'm okay doing whatever we need to do, but that's that's what came to mind. And this would be updated, of course, once a central street pump station comes online because that'll be a whole different thing. So,

so we need No, this is the draft, so we have to prepare it for with signatures, but we wanted to make sure nothing jumped out at you tonight. I what I can do is just do it on the consent agenda at the next meeting if if you're all good with this and you can adopt it at the next meeting. All right. I I did like the thing around like when we get to the even the uniform one like okay here do you laundry here like that makes perfect sense right? So just trying to li like in my head I'm trying to limit the amount of places you got to go update things when you go update things in the future. Right. Yeah. Yeah.

So the second part that just um is 05-2 which is the draft uniform supply policy. This is a change and I'll let Jeff explain it. Um because currently we do pay for uniforms. Yeah. Um

that's been the practice for as many years as I can remember. town has provided the uniform service and we still uh we've been using them. Um not everybody is satisfied with the the performance or the returning of the pants or the quality of the pants or the fit of the pants. So they've gone to these meetings and asked, you know, could we look into just providing a stipen and then we could just, you know, they could pick and choose what work pants they wanted to. We do have a washing machine at work. Um, I I always thought it was a good idea to have the uniform company because they, you know, you would have to bring your dirty clothes home to launder them. But, uh, we do have a washer machine available if things do get pretty nasty down there. So, um, you probably would need to get a dryer, but I don't think that that would happen that often. Most of the guys are washing theirs at home anyways because they've been losing them with uniform company. and we're mainly focusing on the pants or insulated pants, work pants. We do purchase t-shirts, sweatshirts, and jackets through our uniform budget. Um, so that would that would remain the same. I feel as though that way that is the uniform that we see. Um, I'm not so concerned about the paint. Um,

is there is there a dollar difference? There's actually it's less than what we would be charged. I'm setting aside $500 per person that would be monitored through um our office manager. She would just similar to what our safety boots are. Yep. You know, just keep track of it. You know, you've you've had your aotment for the year. You mean 600? Is it 600? Yep. Okay. It says a pay statement of $600. Okay. Yeah. I've been back and forth. Just checking. Um yeah, they're paying You're paying more than highway, I think, on um with Universary. Yeah, I think I can't remember what it is. I should have I can tell you. Yeah, if you could tell me what it is. So, the uniform service is just for pants.

Just for pants. Yeah. Um, we do utilize them to purchase the jackets and sometimes the sweatshirts and we've gone through I think maybe body covers or something. Body covers for some of it. Yeah. Yeah. But you'll discontinue the the weekly service there or I think Yeah, eventually is uh Yeah. Yeah. This doesn't create any budget issues for you, right? No. On this end, this is Yeah, it's covered under the It's just It seems

Yeah. Yeah. Well, listen, you know, I think at the end of the day, I you know what you need to do to have your guys properly outfitted to do their job. Oh, like the other one, it's it's employee retention. Yeah. One of the board's goals. Yeah. And I think Yeah. I know it's making a few of my guys happy to hear or at least you know that I'm bringing it to you guys. Yeah. Whatever your decision may be, but at least it varies what I'm going back for. So from what I'm seeing here, this is only half. So it's roughly $125 um with Universe. But that doesn't count your other stuff. So that's just Universe for the week. A month. A month. Oh no, I lied.

That's Thank you. It is one, two, three, four, five, six. So it's $600 a month roughly. Yeah. So it's maybe a little bit more cuz not all bills are in you. So it's about $600 to $700 a month or it's all the little fees that started adding. Yeah. And you don't have 12 You don't have 12 people. So we actually save money this Yes. And yeah, that's uh what we thought we could probably start this fairly soon. So y how much they get for boots? I think it's Is it right now? It's 150, but he's proposing to put them to 200. They are definitely cost. Yeah, you probably buy

it's hard to find. I regular I can move to $300 and I get I get to I get spring, summer, and fall out of them. Yeah. Yeah. Listen, we need to make sure they got the right equipment to do what they got to do. Yeah. I mean, okay. So, we'll prepare this also, make it a for a formal document, signatures, and I can put it on the consent agenda for the next meeting if you're good with it. Okay. Yeah. Cool. All right. And then that does get two more things off of our quarterly won't say it. I do, but I can't say it. I was like, I'm going to get a complaint. He goes, well, you can blame it on me.

Everything's flown well otherwise. Oh, no. Puns intended. Actually, we uh we've been having an issue with the Bristol Hill ejector. Oh. Uh the the relays that make it automatically do what it's supposed to not working. Uh so we've got a couple of those on order. But we've in the meantime had to maybe babysit that thing every day. We spent an hour down there just manually pumping it out with a portable air compress. It's a pneumatic one.

Um today we had a failure at the capacitor line at the Pleasant Street pump station. L called us out. My guys went down there. Um I was out today, but uh I told them to just contact Pump Systems out of Franklin. They came out, found out it was a capacitor. They also had to pull the the muffin offs to the the rag grinder. They pulled that out cuz that was making a funny noise at the same time. So, I don't know if it's linked something happened, but I hadn't visited the site yet, but we'll be working on that tomorrow. Pump systems will be back. So,

while we got you and I know we talked about it, but just to update for folks on the camera and stuff, where where are we at with the extension with Central Street and with the extending the line or upgrading the line?

Yeah. Um, the ex the extension of the the the new line has been postponed till the spring. They made a an attempt to to start directional drilling. They ran into obstruction when they did that. They uh excavated, they hit uh the the water man. Um and and in doing so, they said, "Well, we want to really map this out. Is this the best route?" So, they came up with with working with the engineers, they found a different route, a different path that puts them a little bit further away from their water line. Um so, that's the plan, but being so late in the season, and I'm fine with it. I don't want them hitting it again in the winter.

They plan on tackling that first thing in the spring. They still have plenty of time to do that because they would have been switching over to that line. And we also made the decision that we put another manal structure at uh Baker Street which actually benefits the project. They don't have to do so much bypass pumping um when they do the uh transfer over. Well, they continue to move forward with the the Central Street pump house. Uh a lot's going on underneath that cover that's heated, but they are pouring concrete. Next Wednesday, they're going to do a uh test with water. They're going to fill the the future wet well to make sure it holds water, nothing drops. Uh and then before they backfill, once they're back filled, they'll start laying some brick work. But that's that's continuing to move forward. Um I don't know if I can't recall if it was mentioned, but we did have that major break down there on street and that flooded that uh excavation site. Um but fortunately it didn't do any damage to other formworks and whatnot. But

um one other thing for Jeff too you already knew about because we're putting a warn article to get the loan about asset management part on wastewater but Jeff has appi had applied for another grant. Um we haven't brought it to the board yet Jeff yet. Um

this is Go ahead. So that we had an opportunity uh we've worked off another grant uh lead service line grant. Uh what we had to do was go through the town and see if there was any lead galvanized or or what what materials we were using for service lines. And we were able to find at least you know quite a few of them but a lot of them are still remain unknown. And unknown can be I know what it is from our house from our curb stop out to the main but from the curb stop to the house there was a lot of unknowns. So um there was an opportunity to get a $60,000 grant to further investigate that. So I had applied for that um and we did get uh word from dees that we most likely will receive that $60,000 grant. Um, a lot of that expense will be towards um what they call potholeing. So they'll uh what we could utilize is a little vacuum uh trailer unit whether we lease or purchase this. Um but we would excavate with that

water jet. Water jet vacuum it out. Goes in a trailer. It' be a nice thing to have uh to do that job. Um it limits the disturbance. Um, and that way we could put our eyes on what materials being used. But, okay, that's kind of the last step. We're still going to review our records. We're going to go house to house on those if we can. I did find our track from 1951 when the line was put in. So, that determines what the lines were uh, specked out at it being copper. So that eliminates quite a few, but that was a last minute thing that I had found.

But it's it's uh and then we'll just be documenting this. It's just going to be it's it's going to be good to have. We'll put it in our mapping. Uh Oh, yeah. software that we have that my guys will be getting training soon on my new guys. So

um we are setting if I'll let you know once it's scheduled. We're setting up a mapping training which is going to be basic training too because he's got a lot of new staff too, but it's going to be highway, water, sewer, probably land use, but it's a basic training on what our cardioraphics mapping is able to do, but also um to train them on how to on the back end, the staff log on on entering things. So, when I get a date, I'll let you know in case anybody's interested in in going to it. So, Yeah, we're hoping we we've been uh scanning a lot of our on andm manuals and putting it in here. So, if you click on the the building, one of our buildings, it'll bring up and this is for personnel only. It's not out to the public, but it it's access my guys can click on that and bring it right up. which it would with the road dependee. Um it it would be good for you guys to do that as well. So

yeah, what I'd like to add towards is just having QR codes on our stations. Yeah. You know, and it would bring us right to that rather than having it. Absolutely. So yeah, I have one other thing. Did you see the reply from DEES on the oil spill? No. Oh, well, maybe you could. No. Well, no, they didn't respond. They did. That was you. Okay. On the Fowler River site. I did not. Okay. Dees responded to the applicant with a very long letter requesting more much more information before anything goes forward there. Okay. I will get a copy. I'll join send you a copy.

All right. So, they they took it really seriously. I think that's a good thing, isn't it? Yeah, it is. It is in that in that situation. Yes. Well, you wish they had taken it seriously before they started to build, too. Well, I will say they're been more responsive on this than they have on things in the past. So, I hope that's a sign of things to come in some way. Yeah. Yeah. Yes. That's good. No. Um, so update oil spill. We did um Jeff's crew had it um the so the oil spill was skimmed, right?

Yeah, they they skimmed off the top and uh the thought was they felt as though they got most of it. DES was down there. Um they said they'll let it kind of settle out, let it bake in the sun, see if it uh burns off anything that what was remaining. But we needed to take samples. We took samples. They came back with higher limits than what we were allowed to discharge. Um, so the next step is for the remediation, but at this point froze. So unless they chop it up and bring down ice, but might make might make it easier, right?

So we reached out, this is my second attempt to reach out to DES to just say, hey, what are our next steps? Because we um am also involving the contractor that's involved. I was just going to say to be clear to people who might be watching and listening that this is not something that the that happened by the town but to the town. Correct. And the contractor did pay for the cleanup. Yeah.

Um so um and then not the test yet. Sorry. But um we and we don't know what our next steps are and we can't even give the contractor information about next steps either yet. So, so, um, trying to get in touch with people at DES. Um, I've emailed twice now. I'm I'm going to try to email a different person this time. So, but I didn't get a response from today anyway. So, good. All right. All right. Thanks, guys. Appreciate it. Yep. Thank you. Thanks, Jeff. All right. As always, we'll see you. See you. All right. Foreign article. Thanks Paul.

Thank you. Thanks Paul. Any discussion of war article or it's just going to be a brief discussion. I just want to get a couple of clarifications cuz I have to finish our upcoming for your vote for next week. Um cuz I didn't see a copy in here. Well, I shoved it in. It's probably at the top of your list. I just shoved it at the top. It says draft C. Oh, okay. The other the second one the next one isn't in the just so you know. The one that says rap. is not I'm going to ask you to skip that. Okay.

Um so article one um we just have to clarify these are and I figured I'd just announce them for the public. I have to clarify one of these. I've gotten a resignation on a committee and but the person was willing to continue till the budget was done and the problem I don't think we can put them on the ballot then. So I'm just going to clarify that. um they did resign before December 31st, but then they said they'd finished the budget session. So, I think we can't put them on the ballot and that one of those may have to come off. So, right now there are two budget committee members for three years and one budget committee member for two years, but one of those two I think it's the two-year that will come off if we can't if we're not supposed to. Then what happens is the budget committee try to

solicit an appointment. They'll appoint later. They'll interview an appointment later if that's what it happens. Okay. Then they one year. Yeah. Nothing for us to worry about.

No, I just have to confirm. Cheryl and I are working on that. Um so right now open positions have been posted. Um, two selectmen for three years, one moderator for two years, one town clerk tax collector for three years, one treasurer for three years, and one deputy treasurer for three years, one trustee of the trust funds for three years, two supervisors of the checklist for six years, one cemetery trustee for three years, two budget committee, well, two budget committee members for three years, and three trustees of the May not sleeper library for three years, and then one new found school board representative for three years. Um, article two is that's the I put that's going to be on the ballot. So, that's on there. Um, if see if the town will allow the operation of social districts within the town of Bristol. It's all we have to do at this point. But what if it passes then we have a lot of other steps to do,

right? What just real quick? I thought the school ballot got the the new found school board. Yeah, it would have the board. We don't put them in our war articles that I'll show you that when I No, on the election. Why Why is New Found School Board representative? That shouldn't be there on ours. All right. That's on the schools, correct? Yeah, it should. You're right. It's on the schools. It should be in ours. So, she has to advertise I don't think she even has to advertise it. They do. Yeah. Right. Right. They do. I'll take it off. Um, thank you for that. I just copied and pasted. So, yeah, no problem.

Reprove from warrant. Um, so article two is the social districts. That'll go on the ballot, but we probably should start doing some education um on that. Um, and then article 3 through 11 are zoning. Their public hearing is uh next Wednesday, January 14th. But I'll show you that some actually I guess I should just show you now the website too while we're here. What what public hearing is next? Public hearing on the zoning amendments. H zoning amendments. Oh, the Okay. Um I got to show you because I'll be there for that.

Let me get to the website. Sorry. Um. Oh, stop. I not I don't like not having a mouse. It died. That's why it kept freezing. All right, let's see. Oh, you don't need to fix. You don't use yours? I don't have to. I do. Thank you. Oh, much better.

Um, so let me share this. So, we did we um I set up Kate will help me later, but I set up um Kate had actually started it. Let me rephrase that. um on town meeting. This is technically on your town report, but I I mean your tier report, but I figured since we're talking about Warren,

there's a button on the homepage 2026 elections town meeting and budget information. Um I we've got the I will take the I will cut this picture down and take that off to the school board representative. So, I've posted um the filing for town elections has been announced. Um interested parties can sign up from January 21st through January 30th. So, and um Friday, January 30th, you have till 5:00 to come in and sign up. So, um also petition warrant articles are out. So, I've explained what a petition warrant article is. I've told them that they have to have 25 voters. Um the deadline for submission is February 3rd by the end of the day. Um and then submissions have one new requirement by state the state change is that they're supposed to indicate one of the registered voters as the primary or lead petitioner. Um if no primary or lead petitioner is identified, the primary petitioner shall be the first registered voter listed. Um and they're the person who would speak have to speak to the article at town meeting. If they can't come to tell me, then they have to provide something in writing to the moderator designating someone else as the primary. Um, go ahead.

Yes. So, quick question, right? Because above that, we got the deadline being the end of the day on the on February 3rd, correct? What does end of the day mean? Does the end of the day mean I'm sending an email in with the name? You can't send I got it. What I'm saying is up there we're not necessarily representing it that way because if it if we have a time that we close and they got to represent it in person then we probably could put that time instead of end of day. Right. Just we used to stay open late but according to what was advertised it doesn't say that. So that's why I said that. I can clarify um Cheryl won't be back until next week. Okay.

But I can clarify with Cheryl and I'll update that. Um, what I we've also done is create a blank petition. We had done this before. Stupid computer. Sorry. We had done this before, the blank petition, but what um which gives I think it cleans it up, makes it easier for if somebody does have a petition war that they want to do. Yeah.

They can type in the purpose of the petition, the petition, the warrant article, and then the signatures have to be written on. But I did update a primary lead petitioner instead at the bottom. So, and then they they can submit these pages and and makes it cleaner. So, but um Whoops. Got to go back to sharing, I guess. Um, also on this page, we did the petition the the proposed zoning amendments. get their hearing is um next Wednesday, January 14th. This is really nice there. This link takes you um Don has done a lot of work on making sure that the pop the information about the zoning amendments is here. She's created a voters's guide which is really nice. This is voters's guide. It takes you through the articles, what the changes are, why why it's being done, and each article is addressed all the way. So, she did a good job on it.

Um, and then it will the little not unpin for me tonight, so I have to keep stopping to get back to my screens. Sorry. Yes, I know. I hate Zoom, too, John. Just It's all good.

Donna does a nice job on He does. She does. She's amazing. Yeah. Yeah. So, um there's also the there is a recommendation um on murals, publicly hung paintings that's there. Um all of this has been reviewed by the attorney already. Um and the we did have to make a change before but not on the murals. It was on something else. So, we brought it back to um you and I can touch base on that later. of that meeting I covered. They talked about some of those, right? And um there were a couple of the votes I abstained because I was like, you guys did a whole bunch of work that I'm not necessarily in the middle of, right? Cuz we can we can certainly do that.

Um and then she's got a breakout um for side ordinance. They the main changes on the side ordinance is just to make it more user friendly. There's a couple minor changes in it. Um and then also they're doing another section of split zoning. So this explains what's being changed which is really nice too. So

um so I just figured I'd show you that page while we were talking about more miracles. Um as more information becomes available on budget or town meeting. Oh there is one other thing on that page. Sorry. But as more information becomes available, um we will update this page as um as more information comes in. Um at the bottom of the p so the budget committee um schedule is here, but I've also posted their public hearing. Um it's going to be posted in the newspaper next week and then I'll I might post it one more time because this is a little early just to remind people later. Um, so it's posted. Um, and then at the bottom, Newound Area School District information. Um, they gave this is their um, upcoming deadlines and meeting dates and those are posted there. So, so I will fix that school board, take it off our warn article, take it off our list. So, um, all right, going back to war articles. Okay. Okay. So, article 12 is the budget number. Again, um I have the number from the select board in there. We're good. Article 13, contingency. We're good. Article 14, meaning we need a discussion. I reached out to five vendors and gotten nos from all five.

Um, I've tried so that you know who I've tried. I just don't know what we're I don't know. We just let it go. But we have the current contract. We just don't like the date, right? We don't have a date. We don't have a date. We have to go back to them still because they keep jerking us around. I know. I've tried a couple places now and I haven't heard back from a couple. So, I've tried out I have J&M Displays, I have JP Pyro, I have um Astrome Mag, and then I spilled one out that I haven't heard back from yet. And then I Pyro Technics. So, no one can do it around the fourth. Yeah. All right.

But we could move it. But do What do you want to do? But so our current vendor that originally offers us the fourth at the amount that he then renamed on. No, it wasn't the fourth. No, it wasn't the fourth. It was supposed to be close to the fourth, but he renamed on that. Yes. By the time And so when we got back when we got back I got back to him, he just didn't probably see his email right away. And by the time he checked our email, he was so I It's such a big It's such a big So there's two I have a big year. It's such a big year for us to not have something I think is really bad. We got to I I feel like we got to figure out something. However,

I'm still struggling with the current vendor like kind of going, "Well, I'm going to keep bidding this out until whoever's going to pay me." And I don't blame him for trying to make the most, but like if you keep kind of going, "All right, I've committed to you for this date and then ah I was kidding like I mean he didn't actually so he said this date was open but so I need to stand up for that until we got back to him. He didn't technically commit to that. We had to we signed a contract or anything.

We had to go back to him and say yeah we want to try this date but but in the interim he was booking. How do how do we actually get a commitment? I mean, the thing is it's kind of like, okay, I buy something from somebody, they give us a quote. They basically tie that up while, you know, hey, you've got 45 seconds to to to decide. Like, I don't I don't I don't mean that that he shouldn't allow, you know, shouldn't push for a quick turnaround, right? But like there's none of that communication that then puts us at a disadvantage. Now we're sitting there going, now what do we do? You know, I don't know. This this

I think we move forward with the article. We if people want to have it, we raise the funds and we do our best to have have a show even if it's the next week. You know, I know we've talked about it's not ideal, but we'll put that all in front of the voters and if they want to raise the money and have something that's not on the fourth or right around the fourth, if they don't, then they don't. Yeah. But I I think we should still have it on the more. So I should um I think I should lock him in though with the next week. That way if we're going to have a show and it passes Yeah. then we have a show.

But but not for nothing. How so? Okay. So now I'm going to play the other side for a second. How do you actually lock them in before we get a vote? You can there's usually usually I require I call it a fiscal funding addendum. they um which means if you don't get the funding at time meeting you can get out of a contract, right? Okay. So then it's always you always have you have to have a non non-appropriation clause is the better word.

Okay. So then if that was the case in the very beginning our approach to this was incorrect. We should have just done that on the first at the first thing hint of I can do it on this date. Our approach should have been okay let's lock you in and then I can go see if I can get the money because that's basically what we're saying now right like we're going let's have a conversation with them before we were going about it like okay that's basically what we did yes we it is we just need to hire money too in between meetings and there's delays I I'm agreeing with I'm just tired of talking about it

no I I'm agreeing with all that what I'm saying though is is like if you think about if we have the ability to do a clause and we know we have something like this where it's going to be a challenge because there's so many people clamoring for the same date. Then we should we should have locked them in last year at when we were done fireworks last year. We should have locked it in then. And that's what we should do every year is locked it in the year before pending funding if that's what we're going to do. That's exactly Yeah. So that's what we should have done. Yeah. I mean, it got it got messed.

I mean, listen, you know, hindsight's always 2020, right? Like, I'm not trying to say that. All I'm saying is that that's an acceptable way to operate to pull. We just weren't We just have to learn from that kind of money. That's all. Okay. Article 15. Um, I have to get the number in there, but it's the Beach Street drainage project. Can I just make sure your general consensus is taxation? Yes. And we don't want to use the 4312 budget for any portion of this. Just task. It's about I think we're at 160, right? What's the 4312 budget? It's the 4312 is the road re road construction budget. Paving. Yeah.

Yeah. Yeah. Let's put it on the warrant and people will support it. Okay. Yeah. This is a must. Well, we have to do it. But we put didn't I think this is the thing that Victor said if you put it on the orange hill can't do it correct so so that first thing Victor said he thought he could could work this he can't do the two projects we would have to stop not do Danforth Brook so Danfor Brook Road is the project we're supposed to do this year if if the p the I disagree with the if people don't vote it you can't that doesn't mean that you can't

not until you do it the next year you couldn't do it in No. If you put it on an article like this, that specific project, and they say no, you can't find funding and do it somewhere else. I can't. If it's not no to this fun, it gets no. Yeah. The no means no law. It does get specific on that. 2027 and ask again. Yes. But you can't do anything. Yeah. No, it's always the it's always the danger. All right. So, okay. So, what do we decide? I I put it on the warrant. That's fine. In my opinion, I don't know.

I mean, I don't on the on the one hand, you know, it's tempting to say, well, if we can find it out of the budget, let's let's do that. On the other hand, you're shortch changing another project and um it's it's not a transparent way of of going about it. Yeah. Yeah, I mean we could just add to the budget. We could put in projects and we should have done that. So you can we could revisit

the budget committee has said that January 20th if there's any departments that need something revisited or if they want to revisit that's when they're going to do it. So could we go back? We could go back and ask the budget committee to put the money into the budget but but then it throws off the budget, right? I also think this is not it's a capital increase. Yeah. This is not maintenance. Right. Right. This is not um

but we have a project. I guess the where I keep having our firm with this is more like we have a project line. We've got other projects defined, right? Like like we we sort of need to pick an operating model because we're trying to play both ends against the middle by having them both. It's a big project versus a small project. Okay. So then what's the dollar amount that makes one list versus the other? So the well the project line is defined normally the recommendations of the which is going forward it'll be the recommendations of the road committee that whatever we're calling them established

and what projects we want we need to get accomplished and there will be a plan is what we're moving to that will say this is what we want to do over the next 5 to 10 years. You know, I think it comes down to normal expenses. Yeah. That you incur and that you operate a budget for. Yep. Yeah. Road repaving, ditching. Those are those are normal things that you're doing all the time. This is a project that Yes. You're you're upgrading or repairing existing situation, but you're doing it because of a failure, right? And so it's a it's pretty big it's a pretty big ask outside of the normal and everyday

expenses. So um one I forgot to ask are so far are you good with the order that these are in? Yeah. Okay. Yeah. So I did put the beach street up a little higher. I figured that would be um and then the next one was um this is that long one about just the being able to do Jeff's money. the $30,000 loan with dees. Yeah.

Um the fire department I I have to I just want to get general consensus again tonight. We're going to change the revolving fund um and change it to be instead of $60,000 from the revenues 500,000 because I know we were kind of a little iffy on it at the last meeting. So I just want to make sure that's what we're doing. I mean, it's this or we or we the wording's not in there yet. Well, there's three choices. It's this or we change it to we're purchasing a firet truck and you know we got to give 100x or we don't need a fire truck like like it's three choice, right? Like it's it's we're saying we don't need the fire trucks which

do nothing, right? So to explain and so it's not a loss of revenue, it's just an reallocation to try to cover ourselves. Let me explain. No, I missed some stuff. What did I miss there? The proposal is so right now we have the ambulance revolving fund and the proposal is to change the ambulance revolving fund to be heavy duty equipment I guess you'd call it vehicle replacement. We already have one of those. That would be more um the the thought is to leave that fire equipment fund, but that would be more for like um a compressor compressor, the breathing apparatuses that have coming up,

those make it small equipment, but to change the ambulance reserve because it is already a revolving fund and 60,000 of revenue goes into that fund already and to up the revenue to be up to 500,000 goes into that revolving fund. And so you can buy a truck with the revolving fund and not a warrant article. So the the bottom line becomes is the ambulatory services are funding our ability to it uh replace the equipment. The the main discussion hinged around on was we're we're four years out from the replacement date

for engine two. Yep. Right. Um it's a 3 to four year build and you've decided that and we're not going to have anywhere near enough money to buy it, right? Without without a significant bond. So significant bond and interest or you are going to up the rate significantly from a savings. You're paying for it one way or another because you're taking the revenues that are offsetting off. Yeah. No, I understand that. Yeah, we're going to rename it. I just updated the word and put in there. There was some like around mobile or mobile equipment. Yeah.

Yeah. Whatever you wanted to call it. The bottom line is we actually luckily for us, we actually have a way to to fund it without having to go out. It' be firet truck and it'd be fire and Yeah, I get Yeah, I get it. It's it's, you know, basically it's a vehicle, right? Yes. I'm trying to figure out What's you're stuffing more money into one pocket rather than the other. Agreed. It's an allocation. You still no matter we're going to have to spend this much money here on a truck. We're going to have to save it one way or another. So if we save it here, if we save it here, we still have to save it. Correct. So I'm not sure.

I'm just not sure about this. That's Well, this isn't stopping you from bonding it. Yeah. It would We would have to bond the way it's set up now. We wouldn't have to bond it. We just have to throw more money in. You don't have to change up the funds to throw more money into them. You just throw more money into the ones you have. I don't know if you can just It's like take It's like taking another savings account and throwing instead of throwing $3,000 into your savings account, have two savings account, throw 1,500 into either of them. It's the same thing. So, there's two different things. You can't take your revenue then. You can't save up to 500,000 of your ambulance revenue and put it into the You can only put it. So, it goes into the general fund and it comes out.

Well, if I this side of the pool, everybody's on the same trip. Thanks for that. You have to do a war article to put it into your capital reserve then. So, right. Yeah. Put it into the capital put that much more into the capital reserve, right? Which is what we had figured out on doing. And I thought back back when we talked about this the CIP out these are the kind of numbers that we need to discussion I did get you 100%. I'm not arguing one way or the other. I'm just saying the discussion we had was saying that what we're currently putting into it we won't have enough to not borrow money.

Well then we should put more in. Well, so that was so instead of instead of turning around and saying to everybody, we need to we need to raise more to put away money, we have this revenue coming in. So the so the chief the chief was basically going, okay, I can look at it this way and be able to properly save on the equipment. I mean, the bottom line is got $3 million in trucks over the next 5 years. Okay. Okay. The fire department budget y right has money has revenues coming in. Correct. and it has taxes coming in. So, if we take these revenues and put them into a savings account, then we have to put more taxes into the into the fire department

or we can take more taxes and just put them into the the account. It's it's left pocket, right pocket, but it allow doesn't it allow for the fire department to properly manage the assets? Right? Because right now we're not we're not saving enough. Well, for it's set up now. We just have to save enough, you know. So So your options are tonight then. You either change the revolving fund and use your revenue or you change your capital reserve amount to 500,000 in fire equipment. Is that what you're saying, Don? I'm saying

leave the ambulance revenue alone. 60,000 goes in there now. We need to put more in than 60. I thought the whole thing we were going to do was change the amount that we were putting into the ambulance because the ambulances are costing more. We talked about that, but they didn't at last meeting we they didn't greet that. So, but I just need to know what where you guys want to go. If you want to do it this way, fine. I just I'm okay with going back the the discussion we had. I'm trying to think down the road what kind of pitfalls you're going to end up with.

Yeah. So, this is my my thought. I think you know the and it and what the discussion we had with the other four board members we were leaning we lean to it this way it made sense to us. Um feel free to vote convince convince me why no I know convince me why it makes sense. I'm not going to do that. What I'm going to say is I can always vote against feel free to vote against it. Talk as a person at town meeting. make an amendment to change the you know you know you know there's there's yeah all right somewhere along the line you guys have to tell me why this is a good idea I think there

I I wish you would I wish you would meet with Ben I'll go talk to him I can I can bring Ben I can bring Ben to meeting okay Ben and I can talk so for now I'll Yeah, go ahead and put it in to change the revolving fund. Yeah. And um I just have to clarify if it can say up to 500,000 because if it can't say up to 500,000 I'm not sure. I don't think you can I don't think you can

Well, yeah. And that might be a tough one to get across to the voters. I'm just playing devil's advocate on this whole thing now because this you're sort of setting it up the same way the school has their building maintenance fund. So in that respect, maybe it is maybe you can do this because with them they have up to whatever they said because they were doing it up to 150,000 and I argued the one year that you're crazy and I at at the uh delivery session I got it changed to 350 and what it is is they at the end of the year they take you know their surplus and they can put up to that amount into there.

Yeah. So that and that's a vote by the school board. So I'm not sure how mechanics of this would work. The the town this board would have to vote how much to put in. Yeah. But when do they do that, right? See, it's very specific with the school board because they can't they can only carry a certain percentage fund balance. So they they at the end of the year their surplus they take whatever they have for a fund balance and then the money above that is where they distribute or they offset. What did you just say?

I don't think we can do this then partly because I think the the I think we can change the intent of the revolving fund and I think you can put an amount or you can say like we did with the transportation revolving fund. We changed the intent and we made it specific that aluminum and cardboard recycling went into that fund. Right. I think you have to pick a number. Yeah. On this I don't know that I mean maybe it's okay to have a limit that the town says okay this the select board is allowed to put up to this and they can choose how much. But I'm wondering it's usually it's usually more rigid. It is usually more rigid. So you're going to you should look into it

because right now it just says the first $60,000 of revenue goes into the ambulance revolver. So we don't have to we should change that. No, not I just have to have a draft. Yep. To to the budget committee on the 20th, but you can you'll vote on it on the 22nd. So your argument basically is the money comes in from revenues, it goes into the general fund. Today 60,000 go gets set aside towards the ambulance, right?

And under that scenario, we we could we the select board vote then to move 440,000 every year out of the general fund into that from savings perspective. Is that No, no, we wouldn't have the authority. We don't have the authority to move things into the only way you can put money in is through War. Correct. Okay. All right. We're allowed to take out. Yeah. We're agents to expand, so we can take out. But no, you have to you have to specify and the town legislature votes 100% on what goes in. And that's why I'm thinking that you may not be able to do a variable one like this, right? I don't think because remember we can do

I think because I think transation revolving fund we couldn't do a percent remember right so I the um I don't now up to I don't think will work you'll have to pick a number y and the reason we thought up to because what if we don't have $500,000 in revenue you still you maybe so you might want to pick a 450 because we should have that but I don't know I question. Let me talk to Michelle at DRA and just say what are my options and I'll email you all. But one of the things that Ben was asserting and I really appreciate that he went through this to this length. Like

Ben's great at stuff like this. Oh yeah. But but like he laid out, okay, we have all this equipment and there's no way that we're saving enough to replace it in the replacement cycles,

right? So that basically means if we're not saving enough in the replacement cycles, we're either going to decide, do we want that service? Yes or no? Like it doesn't really matter. Like it's fire. You pick anything. We're either saving enough or we're going to either borrow and then pay more because we're paying interest or we are hitting people with, you know, a much larger expense. In the case of the fire trucks, it's significant because it's $3 million in a very short amount of time between the ladder truck and engine 2. So he was being I think responsive to the okay this is how I know I normally have revenues coming in. Um so I can appreciate sort of what you're saying around. Okay. Well you can't have that if you take if you take your revenues and do something else with that means you're appropriating more taxes

for on the things that you used to spend that money on. You are. Yep. You still have those revenue. It's one big it's one big swimming pool. Yep. I guess where the water comes from doesn't matter. It's still one big spoon. So European in it. We heard if you turn if you turn one spigot down, the other one has to turn. Oh, yeah. For sure. Yeah. No question about it. So RSA 3195 says a revolving fund. Well, that was bad. It was close.

A revolving fund can receive all or any part of the revenues from related services. So it's he they this is what it's saying. They believe it's perfectly lawful to say up to $500,000. I would rather still run it if so by DRA. Okay. And that's true. Since it is a revolving fund, do it. And it said the wording that they just gave me for an example says um up to $500,000 of revenues from that service for expenditures capped at well, I don't like that word. I never mind. You didn't say that. But they do have an up to but they do say up to. So, I'll double check with um Yeah, you run it by you talked to the chief. Yeah.

Yeah. I I I sort of get the idea behind it. I I need to think about it. Just trying to be I think for me it was trying to be a little more transparent about it.

Okay. I will fix that. Get back to you. Um our your revolving funds are your reserve funds. Um acred wages are left at 25,000. you do have a a substantial retiree. Um we're going to be taking out roughly 21,000 um at your next meeting. We'll we'll be asking them to for the people who left for 2025, but we do have a pretty substantial retirement person coming up again. Um so I can lower that a little because there is still um a good amount in there. What are you what do you want to do for the acred rate?

I wouldn't want to do less. What do we have? 25. We have 25. And so we'll be taking the 21 that you see. So it'll be down to above 100. Um and then could we take that to 15? I think I think so for one year. I don't see why we couldn't. It's up to you. I mean it's basic. We look at Yeah. Okay. Look at the liabilities that we have. Just make sure we have enough for the liabilities. Yeah. I think the only one big liability that I'm aware of is Yeah. Yep.

Um so acred wages uh 15. Um uh assessment reval does have that's 45 that pays that's over the next 5 years. That number may have to change next year depending on what happens with the utility AR when we go out to utility ARPA because that doesn't include that. Yeah. Um the fire equipment um Ben is putting this to 50,000 um because of the other. What was it before that? Um 180. Okay.

Highway equipment 180. That's straight from CIP that I just want to make sure. Okay. Um, police vehicle. So, it was 70. I don't remember now. 77. I think Chris asked me to put it to 80. He said that vehicles are are cost are definitely costing more. So, I put it to 80, but I'll leave that up to you. Okay. And then the last one, I think I need to put more than 10. I was just going to say we need because we have the we're paying for the library maintenance but also depending on I for we haven't that building up there needs to be painted. Yes. Too. So So where would you like um right now?

Let me tell you roughly where we're at. We got quotes for painting. Yeah. Buy for the library. No, we've got we have to go back out for quotes. We did get quotes for painting for that building but couldn't do it. We didn't know where we were what we were doing. So, um, let me get the balance. Sorry. What did you currently have? I'm 90. Still. Yeah. Full revolt. I'll be back here for a little while.

I'm getting you the number so you know what's in the account. I have more money coming out of it because we are fixing that above the doorways. He's supposed to be coming out. Yeah. Um depending on what the ERB costs are if you if they're if we can do something for upstairs air and then we have the transfer station changes and the library that we've agreed. So we pulled you weren't here for that. We pulled the library warrant articles off and we're we're paying for um out of the capital reserve because we are required to maintain Yeah, it's already So, we're going to do the painting out of the capital reserve

and a little more due diligence on um I don't know. I probably should go to 20 on that would be my Okay. What has it been in the past? Um, it's been it was 50 when we moved the PD here and had to move them back. I think we've been 30 and 40 norm roughly, but we dropped it back down. Balance on us. We keep Sorry, let me stop sharing for a second. The intent was to keep 50 in it and estimate what we're going to be spending and Okay, there it is. Yeah. So, 50k buffer just in case.

Yeah. So, this is my estimate because we haven't we haven't gotten the numbers from um Ruth. I really hate this computer tonight. There we go. Um I keep an estimate.

I know. I'm worrying. So, I don't have all the numbers in. So, um I the f we had to pay for we have to pay for the furnace for the library because they had that problem that I haven't got that number from them yet. The um it's right now without the without the full transfer station estimates and without the library estimate. Um it it is at 50. It's going to drop though probably to 30 cuz it's 15,000 for the painting and and then I don't know how much else. So yeah, 25. I'd rather see you that 20 or you know, we took 15 from the other one. Maybe we put that back in.

Oh, maybe 25. Make it 25. Make it 25. What's the painting is going to be about 25 itself, right? 15,000 it was for the We're only doing half the building first. Okay. So, but that's their painting. We may have to hold off a little longer on that one, but All right. So, uh 25 25. Okay. Um, okay, good. Um, these are all set. 1921. Well, I'll fix the numbers. 1921 22 23 24. Those are all the exemption changes. And then I put the CPACer at the end. Yep.

Okay. I think that that's it. So, I'll get this I'll get your answers. I'll get this updated and then you'll vote at your next meeting. Okay. Okay.

You said you're going to skip the revenues. Yes, please. Okay. I'll have those ready for you to vote at your next meeting. I just go through your report then.

Yep. I'm going to open my page. Sorry, too many things open. Okay. Um, so if you look at the the info only file, um, I don't know if you have any questions about that there. I'll just I can just there's an notice um, two's notices about projects that our properties. Um, green acres, there's an update to property sold. Yep. Um, Constellation gave us an update of Eversource rates that were posted as of December 16th. Um, we wanted you to be aware of the concern. There's an email about concerns we're getting on boats of valuations. Um,

that made me laugh. And then, um, Hall had a sale. 149 acres just sold. We don't know. Actually, I know the owner. Yeah. Um, I because they asked me, they looked up and they gave me the name. It's under an LLC. And then they found it. And it is someone who used to live in Bristol or own in Bristol before. It's It's the same people who bought the Gordon the Wickham Farm property. Okay. Oh, that's why the name's familiar.

Yeah. And there's also another sale up there of 40 some odd acres. The the parcel up below Roby and above. It's the It's the piece that the snowmobile trail goes through. Okay. And then the last thing in that folder for you is the uh land use did their year of numbers. Land um 2025 numbers are in there for you. Um oh yeah, cuz I was going to ask you about that cuz on info number seven, it says the land use numbers. So just go to I got to go the different You're going to go to the TA report folder info only. Yeah. Yeah. And it's there for you. Okay.

Yep.

I'm going to skip on to next football. I'm kidding. Discussion items. Um, so we've already touched base on one of them, but I just want to um we're going to continue to do employee appreciation. Um, so and but I did change up my wording. Um, so congratulations on another year with the town of Bristol. We're grateful for your continued dedication, positive attitude, and the quality of work you bring to the town each day. So assessing land use we have Michael cannot lass three years um ex uh executive department we have Christina Goodwin 18 years um fire department Ryan Dylan 22 years and Ryan was 22 years called now he's a full-time firefighter y

um nermandon 5 years and then my not sleeper library Fiona Barker is two years police department Kirsten Marsh is seven years. Um, Town Cook Tax Collector's Office, Donnie Gloose, just celebrated a year with us. And then, um, transfer station, Arthur Boy is 19 years. This is his second round though because he worked at the water sewer department and then took time left. So, 19 years with the transfer station and Bill Corless is two years with the transfer station. So, thank you very much.

Um, I I forgot to point out the last meeting. Um Kate's still doing the meet your department head. Um in that TA report, there's a link to take you to it if you if you want to look at it. But the next the one that was just in the December 19th buzz was um Chief Benjamin Lar Ro. So there's an article and picture in there for of him. Holiday party. Just reminding you all January 23rd. Um it's at the homestead. Arrival is at noon. Um we are doing rec we are doing recognition for 5 10 15 plus year employees and I need you to sign

the third Friday the I thought I sent invitation but so um I'm not going to say them out loud but these are the ones I need you to sign Um, what time? Arrival by noon. The menu is in the folder if you wanted to look at that. The other thing I I figured I'd have you look at real quickly. Um, we did and also tell me what you want to do. Um, so in the discussion folder under TA number three, there's a prize voucher. It says pretty. Yeah, I saw that. I was like, "Okay, so pretty subjective. It's not very pretty. Pretty plain."

Um, so when after the last vouchers that we gave out, there was um concerns about full-time versus permanent part-time versus someone who doesn't have permanent part-time and they're seasonal, whether they should get the eight hours, eight hours of time and how it would be applied. So I I thought that I get that makes sense and I could take that into consideration. So I met with the department heads this week and we went over this and they actually came up with a I thought was a really good idea. But um so the voucher the rules for the voucher are full-time employees get the eight hours paid time off. If you're permanent part-time you would get a prrated paid time off calculated according it's kind of like their holiday and then what they get now. It would be calculated that way. Um and then if you're seasonal because we want them to participate. So seasonal perium on call you would get a prize voucher for and um I we would buy a ham or a turkey for them if you agree to that. Um and then we put the rules on here and put this is more for us on the bottom so we can make sure we're crossing our tees and getting everything entered like we should. So if you're good with that um that will be and how how many Okay. Normally we give out um we started with one, we upped it to two, we upped it to three.

Two for each category. No, we just gave out three. So if um last time I would say I would still give out three paid time off and if somebody gets a voucher. Yeah, we would still give out three of this and give them a voucher. Y but um but you three I think I think so. Okay, sure. Okay, that answers that. Let me make sure there was nothing else. And I need our I need to know who's going because I have to we have to speak a number. I will be there. I will try to make it. Yeah, me too.

I'm I figured I'll wait till he comes back to ask him. Um we also would like um it got brought up um at the department head meeting. We're doing the 5 10 15 year and we're I'm going to do a little extra thing um cuz we're switching our how our cyber hood and so we won't be doing owls anymore. So we're going to award the top owl because we're going to be switching to a new program. We thought it would be neat to award the top owl. So we're going to do that. And then um

what what kind of owl? I I am number nine on the list and I am a something talent. Um so and then um I don't know if you have anything else that you want to do. We we've got 15 giveaway items right now. I've challenged each department head to bring in something a gift card somewhere or a gift to put on because I think the more we have to give out people like that. Um, so I will challenge the board. You've already brought stuff in, but I'll challenge the board if anybody has anything they think would they would donate, take it. So,

um, all right. So, I'll put five down for the SL board. Oh, and one of the other neat ideas, which I won't get into a lot, was to um do a thank you to the owner. Yeah, absolutely. Um, and we usually do say something, but um, so we're going to do a large card and perfect science. Okay. Um, let me get I'm hurry and I'm trying a second one freement. No,

you can um sign up for the seat pacer, right?

Um okay. Um this is something new I started to do this year. Um sometimes we don't remember to welcome every all the new hires or announce all the hires at select board meeting. So, I went um I did post it already on the town website. Let me shift this out of the way. Um I just said in 2025, the town of Bristol has strengthened its workforce by welcoming several talented individuals into key roles across departments. These new hires bring fresh energy, expertise, and dedication to serving the Bristol community. Each team member plays an important part in delivering highquality services to residents and visitors. We are excited about the skills and perspectives they bring and look forward to the positive impact they will have on Bristol's continued growth and success. Please welcome to the team. I'm not going to go over the list, but if you would like to take a look at it, um we've got wow

beaches, executive department, fire department had quite a bit of change there and then highway department um min and this is for the whole year of of 2025. So every year Okay. Not not 26. No. Every year um in January if I'm here, I'll post the year before who joined the team. So, um the library, the town clerk, tax collector's office, the transfer station, the water sewer department. So, okay. Do you have a question about it?

Well, I I guess the only thing I was thinking would came to mind was, you know, we have the department heads in periodically for different things. Do we make sure that as we do that like at budget season whatever we make sure that they read offs of where they're new hires we make it part of their cadence. We make sure that that way it always gets done. Yep. And from you know from their perspective because they know who's in their department and those pieces. Well, we do too because we have to track everybody and their hire dates. But but yes, I think that we could do that with department heads. I still think posting it the year and just telling people

Yeah. I'm not saying don't do that, but you the point that you made was it doesn't often get brought up at the select board meetings. Yes. Right. So, what I'm saying is is we ask the department heads to kind of think about that when they come in and go, "Hey, I've got a new hire. I just want to make sure everybody's on the same page." Yep. I think it's a good idea. We can ask them to start doing that. Yep. Um town report. Um we have to pick a color. Salmon. So salmon. So I like it. I gave these your colors. The only color on that list that we've never picked is pink. Okay. So these are the ones. We don't know for sure the green. So we just brought both. I don't think it's the dark. I think it's the light. Yeah. So um when you

What did we do last year? Yellow, right? We did that the um like this, but it was a different We did the spiral. Spiral, but it was like this yellow. So, so your choice. I just want to make sure that I can you model each one? I'm not modeling each one. Right. Those are the only choices. Well, yeah. She when we asked her, the only choices she gave was salmon. I like it. It's a hill I'm going to die on. Listen, I don't pick I don't pick colors at home cuz I always pick pink salmon or green. I'm going to walk if we don't go. Where's Where's the pink?

We've never had pink. So, pink is the only color we've never had on that list, but these are the ones we had. So, I can show you. So, salmon. Salmon. It is. Salmon. It is. Got it. You know, Liz has to correct me all the time. I'm like, isn't that like a halfbaked orange? No, it's salmon. Okay. Um, also, um, in your folders is the executive summary. um a dedication I'll send out to you to look at, but I don't know if you can do a quick perusal and make sure if you're good with this, you want anything added. I read it. I thought it was very good. So, um knock on wood, I think I've covered I keep we keep a ticker in my selectboard folder all year long.

Yeah. Um, and one thing I did this year was take that handwritten one, scan it, put it into Copilot, and said, "Here, put this in order for me." It did, and then all I had to do is go back in and fix a few things. I added some things that were missing. Yeah. Um, but and I'm We'll have your um your dedication will be done um hopefully by the end of this weekend. and then I'll have that out to you to take a look at cuz I got to get that in too.

We have no um I just wanted to touch base again. There's no inmemorial page but I can't remember special recognition. I think we we didn't have anything that we wanted to add for special recognition this year. I don't believe I didn't I didn't have anything on my list but Wow. No memorial don't give that but but may you know is that an opportunity since we don't have that is that an opportunity for us you know we've done a lot of things where we talk about the employee recognition here and then right like does that give us an opportunity to do something from the board to everybody

we I did recognize the winners what about what about The what about the significant retiree? Oh, that's a good idea. Oh, there you go. Um cuz it's going to I think it honestly I think it will be this year. I just because Yeah, but we're not going to recognize it this year. The one that next year. The one that happened last year. Oh, that Yes. So, we didn't do it for the year before. Significant one though. All right. But we didn't have but we had other stuff to do. But that other one didn't live in town either. The one last year did

does. So okay, I get we Yeah, especially when we're talking Especially being cryptic. We don't like the executive summary though. Nothing I'm missing. Okay, good.

I did like the the touch of the Charlie Brown Christmas tree. Um, let me go back to the TA report. Uh, incumbrances. So, we paid we got the container back earlier and we paid it all the out of the budget. So, I prepared a um I we don't want to encumber the money anymore. So, I prepared an amendment and I just need you to to vote on that amendment. Um, so we won't encumber the 3,100 we originally planned on. Um, you just need a bottom line. You amended.

I would just say the bottom line amended because you already said everything. You can say what you're taking out. How's that? All right. Or All right. Make a mo or we already approved this. Yes,

we approved this. Yeah. All right. So, I'm going to make a motion to amend the 2025 encumbrances uh removing the uh not in container line uh and total from 1658740 to a bottom new total of $162,770.40. I'll second that. But then you're removing the 3100 from I said removing the line. I didn't get Okay. Motion by Scott, second by by Sean. Discussion.

All in favor? I opposed extensions. Pass 400. Um the next one is the media manager contract. Make a motion to approve. Do you want to know each I changed real quick? Yes. Um, so we can discuss. Is there a second? Okay. Second. I'll second. So, Sean motion. Sean motion. Scott second. Now we can discuss. Okay. We'll do it. I'll do it by the standard rules for change.

Real quick, I um Well, we changed We just updated the dates. I did run it by K. Um I do will let you know we ran into a 27th pay period this year. We didn't budget. So you are going to see some um lines um that we when we started this year we were advised that the this pay period wouldn't be until next year but because January 1st was our pay period date they moved it to December 31st. Yeah.

And all of the dates were in 2025 anyway it was something that should have been caught during budget season. Um, but we strongly believe we weren't going to be booking it until 2026. So, you will see some lines going over. Um,

we're keeping a really hard look on the budget. Um, at most if there's anything that's too close or somebody's going to go over too much, um, we're we'll be back to you on the 22nd to talk about we might need to move something to cover something. Um, but what so what came up with Cad's is Cade also had a 27th pay period. Um, and the way the contract is written, and I talked to Rob, just so you know, I didn't make this decision by myself, but the way the contract was written, um, it doesn't all of your, um, all of your salary and paid wouldn't have been paid for four weeks because you wouldn't have paid them the 27th pay period. So, I talked to Rob and Rob agreed that

two weeks. Well, no. Technically, by the time you get paid, it would be four weeks because you have two weeks you would get paid and then two weeks you have to wait to get Oh, yeah. Yeah.

So, Rob a I didn't I felt that wasn't wasn't fair to do that and Rob didn't felt the same way. So, we did pay salary their their regular pay and we paid Kaid. Um so, I've changed his contract to um all for two things. I changed it to say um what his current rate is um is the six bi-weekly payments from January through March. We put him on April would be the increase along with every other employee because you did approve the 4%. And so the new rate says updated bi-weekly payments from April through the end of December. So it doesn't lock um there's still it doesn't lock if there's a 27th pay period again in the future that we're not going to pay K. So,

and for the record, this is offset by the uh not fully not fully I said yeah partially offset uh significantly offset by the uh franchise fee that we get from Metro where they are now. Um we don't um I've gotten some answers I want to talk to you about um because we do have to renew the fridge.

Um so we we have to renew the franchise agreement. Um, when I reached out to them, I asked them if there was to extend it through the end of January because we just haven't been able to get it before you. And they said, "Well, your the way public utilities works it, your current franchise agreement stays in place until a new one is adopted or you discontin it." So, we've asked I asked some questions about it. I have some legal questions and John asked some questions. Um, so I've gotten some answers from John's questions. So, um, we'll be bringing it back to you. Okay.

Um, My question is really around infrastructure improvements and how they were looking at at the services int right like because when you look at the actual infrastructure there's parts of it that are significantly older and I we are the franchise fee is dropping obviously because it is based upon because it's not worth as much worth because it's based upon us user services it's not internet services it's based on TV but that's but going on That's kind of point of order. Okay. Motion on table. We've discussed. All right. We're done discussing it. All in favor? Opposed? Abstensions.

Thank you. We go to public. Thank you. Hey, thanks for working a couple weeks for free. It's nice of you. Oh, yes. Okay, that's it for the GA report then, I believe. So, all right, Scott. Select board items. Uh, the

Okay, budget committee met uh right before the end of the year. We had our final workup meeting. We were supposed there was a meeting scheduled for next week which was cancelled because it was not needed. It was kind of a ina case of emergency. Um the last last week we met with the highway water and sewer solid solid waste. Solid waste solid waste. The other thing down there. So uh I guess the the biggest thing that we raised was the salt line

just with the the weather we're we're seeing and forecasting the need for it. M uh and it was raised to I can tell you the story what the department yeah it was what was requested just over I mean maybe slightly over what was requested yes like um I think so reduced so part of what happened was that some of the money one when we do budget transfers so we transfer the money to cover another line and then now that original line starts at a smaller number and it looks like you're going up a lot more, right?

But in reality, it you it I just I don't know the numbers off the top of my head, but say it was $50,000 and we transferred money out and it was now 45,000 for you to put it back even to the 50. It's not it's level funding it, but it looked but it's telling you you're going up. Um, and I think that's probably why the board ended up cutting too because it it didn't it looked like it was going up. Yeah. 10% increase. Yeah. So, so the SL we put it back to the department the it's not back to the original amount. Slight, isn't it?

No, it's the same. It's the amount that the department had asked for because he didn't put it back to the original, but we cut it a little bit more. So, the budget committee put it back to the the department head amount. Yeah. Okay. And that was pretty much it. Everything else went right. It was the meeting. Um I was going to say, did they add anything else? I don't think so. It went by pretty quick. What do you mean add their job is to cut? They actually added. Yeah, they haven't cut. I'm messed it up. I'm kidding. Yeah, I'm just kidding. Um that's and I don't think I had anything else.

No, but they are going to um they are going to reconsider the pemmy path budget. Um Buzz is we are getting a number from Mike McN. So Buzz is going to ask them to add money for the because all we did was put enough in for their if there was memberships or some minor money some engineering some engineering costs. Yeah. So, um, so he's going to go back to ask them that. They've also extended an offer to Paul Reagan asked me to talk to the department heads and extended an offer if any of them needed anything to be discussed again to that. I've asked them to let me know by next Thursday so that we can put it on the agenda. So,

is that it? That was it. Yeah. I don't John. Um so economic development I met with um a company today that

basically had it opened a business in Baltimore and they're doing a lot of stuff with Lakes Region um Chamber of Commerce. It caused a lot of good conversation today around what does it mean for us to be part of a chamber of commerce and some of our history. in that process. Uh I was talking to one of the folks that's on the economic development committee now and his basic comment was would we be better served doing uh a a group focused on tourism and some media stuff, right? So just something we got to consider mainly because we haven't really kicked off the EDC again and that was sort of like it was sort of the the basic piece of feedback like how you know what do we really want them to do.

There is already a tourism association thanks to the tourism association. So that might be a better suited member. Yeah. I mean, I I'm just all I'm saying is it was it was sort of like like how do we because because when you think about it from an EDC perspective, I think we we're trying to get some stuff done around what's our business environment look like. Um I'm just not I'm not sure where we're at. I think at the moment around making sure we get that back on back on it. So anyways, we're still pushing along. I think there's some good conversations.

I haven't been able to get back to it, but I I will try really hard to bring you back documents that you're at the 22nd meeting. Um Mike, but John, can I ask a quick question? Yeah. So, there is an economic development committee report usually. I don't think that there really should be one because there really we haven't been able to give them anything to do. But I'm thinking if we make a final decision, we could put in our we could put this is what we're doing. Yeah. Yeah. And if anybody's interested kind of like an advertisement in the town report. Yeah. I mean that would actually probably be a thing. Um name change and thank them all. That's right. Thank them all and name change. So

um the other piece is I also just wanted to say thank you to everybody that's been working on all of the various activities related to the master plan stuff. Right. I mean clearly conservation commission Sean I know you'll be able to speak to it like there's there's a lot of good stuff and it's just a good I think it's a good way to help people understand what are we trying to do you know which is sort of the problem I've got right now with EDC it's like okay how are we really trying to approach it but anyways we're getting there that's it for me cool

couple quick things as mentioned uh just met conservation commission last night uh there was a The conservation commission had filed as an intervenor with some comments and concerns regarding a proposed um special exception or zoning amendment or uh building project on the property that is uh across the road from the wellhead follow. I think it's a special use because it's related to the

special use. Yes. Um there's a lot of concerns about what's wetland, what isn't wetland, how are they going to build their access road and uh and build a a building which has now changed location on on this new plan that they submitted. Uh to our great surprise, uh dees responded by the next meeting with a like three-page letter to them saying, "These are all the things that we need more information from you." That's good. So, it is a it is a good situation. Not that we don't want people to be able to build a property that they but that's a very sensitive area with some concern. Wet property.

Yep. Very wet property. Um and so, uh dees is on that. So, they have a lot of homework to do uh to to meet uh dees requirements. Um, as John mentioned, uh, we had a we had in our meeting, we had a a meeting with, um, is it Horizon planning? Reliant. Reliant. Thank you. Resilience. Oh, resilience. Sorry. Resilience planning.

Yeah. um who has done work for us in the past in in coordination with NL and and other other items uh for rewriting our section of the master plan um which we've been working on uh and and are giving them a baseline but they're also there to do all the GIS mapping and the review of all the pertinent documents and and put it all into a into a chapter for us. Uh, it was a very good, very good meeting. Um, um, I continue to be concerned about, I should have mentioned it to Sean. Um, continue to be concerned about the Classics Road issue with building

That's right. on Classics Road. So, I don't need it right now, but um if you could email at some point, Christina, um it takes effect in July, but where does the town stand on what it can and can't can't do? I don't I don't need an answer, okay, for you. It may be something from Sean. There looks to be another bill in this session that also talks about class six roads, but it's confusing how it's wording. I don't know if it's trying to mitigate the last issue or not. Um, so that's all.

So, just one other quick thing on the master plan stuff. You guys tell me what's the right way to do this. You know, I know that we've asked a lot of folks through the all committees process to really kind of consider that um in really consider looking at the the different pieces. the HDC. Can we ask them to make sure that they're taking a look at something? Like of all the committees and all the groups that we have, they actually have a very known inventory of what we want to preserve.

Mhm. So because right now when you look at the section that sort of talks about the history of the square, it talks about preserving it in a way of that's um not nebulous but it's it's not very specific around buildings or certain things whereas like we know we know where the district is and we know what things fall into that. You know I keep coming back to the the whole parsonage thing. I completely believe in what we did and why we did it and the town voted for it. Um I think they of all the groups have the greatest opportunity to go here's what we know we're trying to protect because it's something that's here and it's based on history. Okay.

Whereas conservation commission and planning board and so like everybody else is trying to think about what does the future look like? these guys actually have something that they're like okay we we know what the past is right so I don't know if there's some way and I know we've had some uh you know this there this try how do we make sure we have good participation stuff on that board but that may give them something concrete to work on versus okay something negative I so I don't know whether we can you know what we can and can't do two people on their committee right now and a select board rep that's it um we are we are soliciting yeah I'll be Rob can't make next week's meeting. I'll be there. So, yeah,

I'll bring that up. I'll bring that up the meeting. See, all I'm saying is like that one is a actually known inventory and you know, we should be able to go almost street by street and go, okay, what is he? Because then it allows us, it allows the planning board in particular to be able to go, okay, right? like it it allows the zoning board to kind of think about some things like it it does I think really help a lot of different folks. So there you go. Sorry. Okay. I do have one more thing. Yeah, I do too. Okay, we go for a second. Come on, buddy. Did has there been any discussion at the conservation committee about putting the sand barrel back out the spring?

We haven't, but we can address it. Yeah, I heard one thing on a comment on Facebook. It looked really Oh, somebody fell. Yeah. Yeah. Um and I watched somebody instead of walking the walkway walk over the uh granite spot because it was easier to walk back to their car. But um I think the um the only reason it may not have gone back out is because it turned into a garden. Yeah. Um no while we're ganging them on the conservation. Yep. Have Have they done anything about contacting the DOT and reducing the amount of salt? Oh crap, I just saw something.

The other day when it was slushy, the plows were up and he was going 10 miles an hour and dumping salt all over. No, we have not. It came up at this point. Rob mentioned it. Yeah. So, but we can I will bring it if you can bring that up possibly. Um, I have something for the EDC to do or whatever you want to call it. We're just tossing back. Perfect. And very something very specific. I think that they should be reaching out to the new ownership of Raget Mountain. It was bought by locals. Oh, yeah. Locals who up in the area. Yeah. Yeah. Um, that's true. We're drive by right now.

We are the buses. I watch the buses Sunday morning. They come through town and they're heading, you know, so that business I met with today is supporting them technologically, right? Like that was part of the discussion. So yeah. Yeah. No, that's good. Yeah, definitely. Yep. That's Sorry, Don. Um, everybody else had a chance.

I just in case you tried to call today, our phones are down for an hour and a half. Um, we did reset them and we got them back up. Um they are doing diagnostics just to double check um and make sure it's it's a new phone server so we just they're going to check those things. Um it affected everyone and every department if we go down here it affects everybody fire police. Um but the the thing with police is their line can be diverted to dispatch. Yeah. Um it affects TTCC too. So, I made sure I told everybody this morning and then drove in and Chris Carter and I met here and fixed it.

Um, I've been reached I just made me think of it when you said DOT. Um, I have been contacted to set up a meeting with um, Heb um about our 10ear plan project. Okay. So um the he said my comment was who do you need in this meeting because I don't know um he and their response right now is heaven DOT will coordinate with whoever the town designates to be the primary point of contact which is usually town administrator highway superintendent. So, I thought myself and Victor at least go to this meeting. Um,

and one champion or representative from the town for the project because it'll streamline communication. That person that keeps the town informed internally, which would be me or highway or Yeah. Or he's Well, he doesn't do doesn't he t he does tack but they're talking about somebody who t who gets everything out to the public. would help us coordinate public meetings. Yeah, that's us. Never mind. Um and project stakeholders. Um he said initial meeting would be a couple staff members until we figure out for sure. So they're that's a good sign that they're moving. That's good. They're asking.

So if somebody wants to attend, let me know. And then once we get contact with them, I'd like to pursue for like maybe next year's budget or even there might be grants available for we do uh the crossing guard, not the cross guard, but the signs, solar signs, pedestrian signs. They said to contact them. So, okay. I mean, we might be able there might be an opportunity to discuss it at that meeting, but I don't know if it's not for that one. That's the 10 year after. Yeah.

But um so I will they gave me some dates. Actually, it looks like Friday, January 16th any time. I have to talk to Victor. Um staff are dropping like flies. Heads up. Yeah. By the way, um what illness? Yeah. Yeah. Oh, it's bad that hospitals are open. three four hours. Yeah, they say flu is portly shipping them to Portsouth. No virus, too. Wednesday, January 21st and Friday, January. We can't do the 23rd. Never mind. So, it's either the 16th through the 21st. So, all right. Uh quickly, uh there was a a comment slashcomplaint. Um the hours for the tax collector said closing early New Year's Eve.

Yeah. But it didn't give a time. Okay. Um, I'd said it's most likely noon. Um, and maybe she was hoping for some flexibility if it wasn't busy, but we should have a time on those. But it's totally up to her. I know. I know. She's pretty. All we can do is suggest. All right. She's prettyable. So, yeah. Well, leave it about Leave them. I'll leave it anyway. Yeah. Just leave them right where they are. Don't worry about that. I did have something that I don't remember when we got talking earlier. So, uh, okay. Anything from the public? All right. Motion. Motion to adjurnn. Second.

All in favor? All right.