Select Board - Regular Meeting

And uh let's start with the pledge of allegiance. Sir, would you start us off, please? Pledge of allegiance to the flag of the United States of America and to the republic for which it stands, one nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all. Thank you.

Yes. Next item is approval of minutes, April 16th, 2026. I will make a motion to approve the non-public and public m minutes of April 16th, 2026 as written. Is there a second? I'll second. Okay. Motion by Don and second by John. Uh any discussion or changes on the minutes? Hearing none. All those in favor, please say I. I. I. Those opposed. Uh, what's the word?

Abstain. Abstension. God, I just went blank. Hey, Rob. Just lost I just lost everything. Okay. Uh, thanks. So, that's 5 Z. Do we need to seal the Yeah. Yep. Okay. So, I'll make a motion to u uh seal the non-public meeting minutes of 57 2026 because um it's determined that the vault of this information likely would affect that reputation of any person other than a member of this board. Second.

Okay. Motion by John and second by Dawn. All those in favor, please say I. I. I. Those opposed. Abstensions. That's 5-0. All right. Consent agenda. Make a motion to approve the consent agenda for May 7th, 2026. Accounts payable payment manifest dated 42326. Accounts payable AC manifest Harper's dated 42326. Accounts payable corrected manifest dated 42326. Accounts payable payment manifest dated 42826. Payroll payment manifest dated 42326. Payroll payment manifest dated 5726. Accounts payable AC manifest NHS dated 42726. Accounts payable special manifest dated 43026. Accounts payable AC manifests Harper's dated 5526. Accounts payable payment manifest dated 5726. Timber intent number 26-059-02-T for map lot number 209-047. Approval of blind exemption for map lot number 114-090 in the amount of $45,000. Denial of elderly exemption for map lot number 114-090 in the amount of $75,000.

5-year review and approval of veterans credit for MAP lot number 114-090 in the amount of $750. Removal of all veterans credit for map lot number 217-031 as it no longer qualifies. Timber timber intent number 26-059-03-t for map lot number 211-016 and lot number 211-013 appointment of Brett Dunn as alternative al alternate for the zoning board effective May 7th 2026 through March 13, 2029. Tax collectors a warrant for first billing of 2026 in the amount of 6,93,9191. Okay. Is there a second? Second. Okay. Motion by Scott and second by Don. Any items to discuss? hearing none. All those in favor, please say I. I.

I. Those opposed. Abstensions. That's 5 Z. Great. Thank you very much. Masonic exemption discussion.

Mr. Chairman, I'll have to recuse myself on this one. um in your folders um is the same so the same materials that we had before. Let me sorry I'm getting to them. Under number four you have the same materials as before. Under um number four the attorney responses there and then also um what we've tempor temp temporarily done for current setup just to get through the first tax bill. Um and that information is all in there for you to take a look at.

And I I also have an update. Okay. From what you requested of me, please uh please start with that. Okay. So, good evening, lady and gentlemen. So, say your name.

I'm Ryan Alonso. I am the president of the Union Lodge Masonic Association, ULMA. You already have all of our paperwork from a couple meetings ago. Um, since then, you all requested, well, mainly Mr. Miller, you requested of me to uh find out how how many lodges in the state actually pay taxes, how many have abatements, how many I have a sample from our grand lodge. So after this meeting, we spoke to our grand lodge in New Hampshire and they sent out a uh survey to all lodges. So this is just a sample. So we have 17 lodges out of 53 that responded so far. Five have abatements, you know, taxfree. Three have no abatements and no taxes. and eight have no uh no abatements and and no uh no exemptions at all because they actually put in that they have forprofit businesses like daycarees, things like that, things that we mentioned last time we spoke,

you know, in inside their buildings. Oh, I see. Yeah.

So, it's a roughly it's a 50. So looking around here, looking at Warren, they don't pay taxes. Uh Pittsfield, they don't pay taxes. And Holderness/Meredith, uh there's no abatement, no taxes. So just locally um and so looking at that and we fall under the our building doesn't have any forprofit business that we don't have a daycare. We don't have anything. It's just the four groups I mentioned last time and you all know us by now. I mean so Union Lodge has been chartered since 1866. I mean, we we're over a hundred years old. I mean, we've been a charity for longer than Bristol was named Bristol. Uh, so

first of all, thank you for doing that. Yes. So, well, well, you guys gave me a task, so I will do it. I It's a sample. I mean, uh, but, uh, so it's a sample population. I can give you the uh uh you know the more info if if you require it. But I just had a question. You know you you talked about you said uh some have no abatement no tax. Some have abatement no tax. What do you mean by abatement? They're applying every year for the abatement of the taxes or

Yeah. Yes. So, so, so, um, the the five that have abatements, uh, I guess every year they file the same paperwork I did for 20 FY 2027, you know, and, you know, because we mo we're all 501c 2s, threes, fours, etc., um they they get the they put in the abatement paperwork, they get approved, and then they pay no taxes. So, what is the scenario? He's really referring to I think you're talking about the exemption paperwork that's put in annually. They pay no taxes. Correct.

Abatement is abatement means you've gone back and granted them their taxes back from a prior year. And that's I think where the confusion comes in. So, so what term should I be using? Exemption. Exemption. I I will do that, Christina. Thank you. Okay. Yeah, that's where I was confused where you were saying some with or without a payments but also no tax, right? So, they're asking for both. They're asking for an abatement last year. But, right. Yeah.

Yes. So, so what I'm requesting from here is you know what we paid that $9,000 and $9,798 if we can attempt to get that back and then moving forward. That's really what I'm concerned with is moving forward. Yeah. So it because we haven't paid taxes for years and even in this tax year, our first bill was $0, which we're like, okay, that's normal. And then we got built build and I'm assuming it's for the entire year, you know, for $9,000. So you guys back build us.

No, it's build for the whole year. Um we it's not technic. So your first So that that first bill was zero. the second, right? But your first the second bill was Z was 9,000. So So the way the way it works is the first bill is just half of last year's half of last year's bill. So everyone gets paid everyone gets build, but your was half of last year's being zero. The first one was and then you make up the difference with the second billing. And so yes, by it sort of was like, hey, wait a minute, what's going on? But it does, that's the way the law

Yeah. So, so, so as a representative of four charitable groups, which you all know because I mean hell and Saturday, uh, this ne upcoming Saturday, you're all going to enjoy a free breakfast with one of our groups. I mean, so, and then for the last time I was here saying, "Well, we don't know if they're charitable or not." It's like, are you kidding me? So, I'm here. I'm just here to see what we can do with getting that $9,79 back for what we already paid with that letter saying we had like two weeks to pay this in this bill. And then moving forward, that's the biggest thing. So, I provided the documentation. I I came back with the information. So, it's roughly 50/50. And the other 50% that pays taxes is because they have profitable businesses associated with them, which you already know we do not, as I mentioned last time. So I mean, and as I mentioned last time I was here, we kind of have three different options. Either we go with the exemption paperwork, not payment, exemption paperwork, or we do a you guys can charge us taxes, but because we are a private property and you guys do dump your snow, you know, your excess snow on our lot and we use our lot for the library and uh the post office and other public things, perhaps we can do a, you know, the taxes equal a rental for our parking lot or if God forbid, you know, you know, if we don't come to to any type of agreement, come tomorrow, that parking lot's going to be locked down.

So, I'll tell you a couple of things. And so, it's on the record. Um, and because Christina mentioned um Christina mentioned uh that we have before us on our displays the assessor's recommendation and the um recommendation from our from our council. Both of those basically are telling us we should not grant that exception um or the abatement. Uh, I'm just telling you and for the record, everyone everyone watching now, we may actually be able to come to some sort of agreement and while I do I do understand your bargaining, chip, you know, I I I would probably caution a little bit to let's go into this with an open an open conversation and an open mind.

Agreed. Yeah. Um, so we'll we'll start there. Um, let's take it one at let's take it one at a time. Um, and because I think it's the most important, let's look at where do we go from here. Yeah. Okay. Moving forward. Yep. Can I um I do want to add um what we've done currently because we weren't sure where the decision would be, but we felt that it was appropriate and we took talk to the assessors for now until we gotten the board decision. Um the land, the full land value and the paving value has been exempted

because we do use the parking lot. Um that doesn't reduce the bill a huge amount, but it does reduce the bill. So, it's been set up that way now. Yeah. And then just depending on where you go from here. So, all right. Um, comments, questions, recommendations? Do we need the Mr. Chair? No, we can just have a general discussion before we make Are you saying that all of the lodges that are paying taxes have a forprofit arm in them? Yes. Of some sort. you know, like a daycare, uh, you know, uh, all

does that include Alton? I'm not I'm not sure because because one of the things that was brought up in the in the decision, Nathan, was that um the board of it went to the board of land and tax appeal and the board of land and tax appeal um basically ordered the town of Alman to not allow the exemption. And it was a private individual that took it to the board of land and tax appeals. A member of the It was a member of the public who felt that the it was not fair. Oh, that's interesting. Yeah. Yeah.

Yeah. Um so there's some there's some background there and that's it would make a difference if that if that Alton one was one that had, you know, something associated with it that was generating that was generating revenue. Now, I'm not too sure about, but uh uh

well, I know it's for our little town. I mean, especially with all the little new found uh you know, Facebook, you know, groups and stuff. I've gotten so many phone calls and and seen it too. It's like, oh, you know, the Bristols, you know, they're going to give uh TGCC this taxfree, but they're, you know, the Masons, they're going to tax them. I'm not get I'm not I I'm not getting involved with the politics. All I'm just saying. I'm just here representing the building and the four groups that do charitable things every single week for this town for the past hundred years. And we have paid no taxes over the years. Last time we tried and you guys all tried to make us pay taxes, it was brought to court and you lost. We won and here I am again in the same predicament.

Do you know when that was? That was part it was 80s. But that's right. I remember now. I remember reading I remember reading that in the previous discussion. Yeah. And I did see that. It's just that since then there's been new court cases that say opposite. That's the only

So if you guys want 10 grand a year and you know I hate hate to say it but you know that money has to come from somewhere. So every dime as I already told you last time goes right back to the town. We are all charitable and fully nonprofit. So that so that money that we make off our breakfast free breakfastes will now have to eat paid breakfastes to pay for these taxes. I mean so the charitable I it's it's a difficult situation I'm putting my four groups in. Really is.

Yeah. May another question. The use of the building itself is would you say that it is used for social purposes equal or more than it is for charitable purposes? 100% charitable. Okay. So are your your social events is I'm assume I don't know how you work right but your social events you consider those charitable. So there there's no such thing as social. So every event we do at that building, a free breakfast, breakfast with Santa, uh the spaghetti supper, all these things benefit the town.

Is the building used for the lodge for their own purposes, right? For your own meetings. You know, you you have your own meetings for So yes, we have business meetings just like you have here, which is considered part of the charitable thing because we have to we have to discuss, you know, okay, how much are we giving to TTCC? How much are we giving to circle? How much are we giving to Mayhew this year? So, it's part of it's the business part of the charitable. Is there a so any social use of the building for large events that aren't business meetings? No. Yes. It's all charitable 100%. Is it a 501c?

Yes. Yes. So all four groups are 501c2 345 a and and the association that covers all them with the you know insurance and all that we are also a 501c. Okay. So we're all nonprofits we're all charitable. Is there any other uh member of the organization that would like to say anything tonight? I think they're looking at you. Sir, please state your name. Yes. Yeah, state your name for the record.

Don Milbrand. Um, actually I think where where some of the argument comes in and as Sman Sean brought up about um the uses uh a lot of times it's claimed and I think the whole reasoning of of the state not claiming that the Masons are a pure charity is the fraternal uh end of it. They they consider that more of a social club type of thing. Uh there's there's events that the Masons do but not at the building. So that that would be in the fraternal portion of it. Sure.

The the building is is used primarily for the charitable events and for the uh actually not primarily exclusively I would say for for the meetings and and the events. Yeah.

Or or events to raise money for the charity. The spaghetti dinner for the marathon. Uh raises a lot of money for the scholarship fund. Um the one other thing too is uh the the parking lot obviously is used a lot. We have also traditionally made available with emergency use any kind of meeting space that's there. uh in my 22 years in the town, I remember having three meetings there. So, it's not used a lot, but it is available and quite sizable for for emergency use for meetings or any other emergencies

that that would be needed and there's other so so chief uh call on you even though you guys hate to come. I know it's it's a long it's a long program and stuff. Don't we give you m you guys money every year? Sure. The fire company receives money from and and I'll be the first to say when you know Slim Baker has also received fun on the board of that and it's greatly appreciated, Scott. So So folks, I mean I mean so we have Okay. Yeah. All right. Go ahead.

What was the total of the tax bill that we sent them? It It was $9,000. It was $9,798. Okay. I'll make a motion to abate Masonic Temple in Bristol for 9,000. I have a motion. Yep. You have a motion. $9,798 for tax year 2025. Is there a second? Listen, I'll second it, but I I Okay. Yep. Nope. There's a there's a second just to keep the process. Um second for uh yeah for discussion. Um

is there a pres? First of all, we're outside of the window where we would do a normal abatement. Even if we had done it the the last meeting, correct? So they did submit this on March 1st. So technically it says tax abatement application although it's the it was so we could technically say they submitted something. Okay. Um all right it's not the official abatement. This is more for their exemption but there is a but they made the request before they made the request in time. Okay. And Christina I'm willing to do any any correct paper. You tell me what paper do. I can't take it now. I think I can use this. So

moving forward though. you just tell me what I got to do because I I don't know anything about town politics. Okay. So, yeah, whatever I got to do.

Right. So, Okay. So, that that does clear something up up for me. Um you know, uh and maybe this maybe this is the cleanest way. Um, one of the things that I was thinking about in order to to move forward was uh not to do an abatement on the grounds that it wasn't it wasn't done in time, but that's not necessarily the case. Um, but have a memorandum of understanding that would include the town paying that money back to you for the for the

for the use of the parking area for snow removal and for parking for town events as it has been for a period of I mean you might even say like what 20 years uh to be renewed bad lease. Yeah. Yeah.

Yeah. Or you know or or you know uh until until the parties um you know until the parties decide another arrangement. Um but if we can do the abatement and then have something in in writing between the two parties that says, you know, we we do the we do the maintaining when it needs to be done. Um and and you agree to allow, you know, parking outside of the hours where you need where you need the parking. Um but does the apartment building have designated? Not on our side, but they use it. But they use it. Yeah.

So yeah. So that building there um uh they don't want parking there, but the residents and visitors do use it.

Yeah. And normally our meetings, any type of Masonic uh or any of the four groups, anytime we have meeting and the library has a meeting, we've never really interfered with each other. Uh well the only time we had one instance where someone with a uh a trailer and a big old SUV took up like 16 parking spots but but and the library was peed off too. Uh but other than that I mean so the library and we have a we have a great relationship.

Okay. Um but but yes I mean and Christina and I have a good relationship. So moving forward you know so what if you guys about to give us that money back and then moving forward any paperwork you need from me I can definitely work with Christina and her group to file whatever paperwork you need from from me. Okay. So we have a yeah a lot more. I'm just just bringing up uh good right now. You're just voting on the abatement,

right? Correct. So that's what I was just reiterating that we have a motion and a second to uh to vote on to allow the abatement and is there any other discussion? Is that so? Go ahead. So um well um I'm still trying to rationalize what the assessors are telling us.

For the rest of the community, we listen to the assessors. And and I'm not saying we don't have a good solid case with with with significant information around how the back and forth goes, but we actually pay the assessors for a reason. So honestly, like um in listening to the to the different ways that it's been used and how we go back and forth, there's value to the town there. I think your other solution that you were sort of working out in your head around entering into an arrangement where we listen to the assessors but we figure out a mechanism to provide credits for the use of the services because there's a good give and take otherwise we we are at risk number one of not listening to the company that we pay to help sort of look at the rest of the town and then what does that do to us around anybody else that says I don't agree with the assessors and then we kind of go through this. I mean, we also, I would say, have a similar argument with Midstate Health, right? That's still sort of a it is not nonforprofit, but we haven't figured out the back and forth yet, right? Like, which also isn't fair to everybody else in town. Same with like in my head, I'm trying to rationalize the information that's been provided.

Yeah. By who we pay to provide it in a professional capacity to go off and do those things. Anyway, sorry. I agree with John. I think I would feel better. First of all, I appreciate everything. I mean, I appreciate that you're you charitable missions and I appreciate that you do a lot for the town, but I want to see something in writing about what they do for the town and not have just an abatement without at least that attached to it. I provided that. Well, I don't No, not not from you, but in our whatever we make, whatever we agree on, right, should have a commitment and not just an

because this honestly there's a ton of great I mean when you look at Ryan's letter where he kind of goes through the different things. So there's a lot of stuff in here, right? Like I'm not trying to negate that. I'm just trying to go okay there are entities that we pay to to provide a particular function. We pay them for a reason and then you know how do we how are we cognizant of that in the same vein of trying to do the right thing for all the parties that are involved. Yeah. Christina

did did you read the attorney's opinion also because the attorney and I'm I don't this I think it would be helpful for you too in making your decision because it does talk about the legal standards. There are four factors that you have to review and that some of that I think you talked about tonight so you might be able to feel justify your not necessarily justify but answer those questions. Yeah.

Um he also said that he in one of them he can't really uh he can't provide feedback on the um whether it qualifies because he hasn't read their articles of agreement or incorporation. So that could be something if you had something like that we could have them take a look at and see if that qualified under this standard. But but the standards are institution or organization was established and is admitted for a charitable purpose. Um an obligation exists to perform the organization's state of purpose to the public rather than simply to the members of the organization. And I think that's your articles you he would talk about. And then the land in addition to being owned by the organization is occupied by and used directly for the stated charitable purposes.

And any organization any of the organization's income or profits are used for any purpose other than the purpose for the which the organization was established and that's why he can't answer some of those because he doesn't know. Right. Right. Okay. If I may, Mr. Miller. Yes sir. uh these assessors that you all pay are do they live in this area? Do they even they they do? She was brought up in this town. Okay. And she's never been to that that I can't speak to. I mean the the B like when we just did the revaluation of the town, right? We engaged in a contract with this assessing group. Yes.

To go and revalue the town. So part of what they have to do is they go and they look at the entire town. So you guys are in that space, right? So we pay them for that professional expertise cuz I I'm not an assessor, you know what I mean? Like and and so that's that's what I'm trying to sort of rationalize. Okay, they're quoting, okay, here's why it doesn't fulfill 72 23

23, right? And I mean, I'm looking at what the attorney saying. That's what we're trying to do. I I don't think anybody here is trying to say that clearly for from a historical perspective, all the work and all the things you guys do for the community is not great for the community, right? It's a matter of balancing it off and having it be a fair and and standard practice that we apply equally so that way it's u very consistent. That's that's what I'm going for. I I I agree with you. And and then you mentioned uh you know uh another company that's uh seeking uh the same thing that we are town council. Okay.

No mate it's it's a different that's M state I'm pretty sure hasn't been around for at least 100 years in this town. And uh you know so so this lodge is you know 1866 is when this lodge started not in that building but uh I guess the old building that where TD is like upstairs and the the old version I don't know well before my time. Y

but um I mean so folks I mean this lodge has been and these four or organizations been doing charitable work for the past 100 years about 10 or 15 years ago that the select board decided to try to bring us to court for taxes and we you lost your trip. We won you lost but and now we're here again. All right. So where where I mean I'm just trying to figure out now. Yeah, I got a $9,000 bill that hit all four organizations bad. Really bad. And I'm trying to fix that. I'm trying to fix moving forward.

We're we're trying to get there. You have to allow us the process of of getting it. Of course, we're we're trying to get there. Um so here here we are. Um so the other thing Yeah. The other thing that I would say is yes um at the end of the day it's up to us to make a decision% that's best what we feel is best for the um community right um and you know at the end of the day does that does does an organization provide more benefit to the town than than that tax bill than 9K

right um so uh did you have anything else that uh no I yeah you know where I stand I support making this work but I don't support it as just well there just to be clear there would be another part after this last year the question is do we do it do we do it by A and then B or do we do it by just one one lever oh okay how do you explain to the town that you did it for last year is an abatement. But moving forward, the only thing you can do for last year is an abatement, right?

Period. You can't go back and grant an exemption for last year at this point. So, the only way to to give back that tax payment if that's what the board is going to do is by you have that. Okay. Well, okay. Okay. Okay. So, it sounds like we have uh sounds like we're ready to to vote on the motion. Did Did everybody look at what the town's attorney said? Yes. Okay. Yeah, because it's similar to the assessors. Yep. Yep. Um but I would say to to Christina's point in our discussion tonight, some of those questions may have been answered. Yeah, it's true.

Yeah. Okay. All right. So, the motion that's on the table or the floor is to um abate the 2025 tax in the amount of $9,79. I have nine cents, but it looks like you have eight cents. So, but whatever. Yeah. Yeah. Um and we have a motion in a second and we've had a discussion. So, all those in favor, one more quick question, John. So the only option right now is all enough. But it's all or nothing, right? Like it's

No, that doesn't mean we can't have another motion that gets us to the same place in via different Yeah. Let's move forward. I'm talking about I'm talking about to be able to return the money. Is there a spot where a blending of the two makes sense? Right. because there is there is some use of the building, but but there is it's not 100% use of the building. I would say it's probably close to 100% use of the parking lot. But I guess in my head, I'm trying to wonder from a fairness perspective, is there a balancing act to go, okay, it's it's 2/3 or three, right? Like like it

can I'm still Yeah. So, so I think what he's asking is is can we talk about whether to evade the full $9,000 or to evade a portion of it because you may think that only that it shouldn't be 100% exemption because cuz I guess that's that's sort of where I'm going like again trying to like onboard all of this and go okay what's a fair way to look at it and you know when you look at the building and you look at the events you know the the events are not through the entire building, right? Um, so is there is there a fairness factor that that sort of takes that into account? I don't know. And maybe I'm splitting hairs, but I'm I'm just trying to

Historically, they haven't paid any taxes. I got No, no, listen. I got it. I But that Oh, yeah. Anyway, all right. Hold on. Hold on one second. Do you ever rent the hall out? Do you ever charge somebody for the use of the hall? No. Okay. And then sir, I'm going to give you a final a final uh comment. You and may may I just based on what Christina asked? Yep. Um when the uh when the Baptist church had issues, we gave them use it all for free. Yep. I do remember that. Okay. So it's even if it's not utilized 100%, it's available.

No, no, I get So I guess one of the reason why I was splitting here I mean straight up the reason why I was splitting here was was if we start intended to have any of that conversation on the move forward part and we set a precedent by saying this is what we're doing for last year that's why I was trying to go okay let you know where where do we intend to go okay and then there you go yeah the only the only reason the abatement issue is up right now is that this is the first year that because of changes in paperwork and stuff like that that there's ever been money paid in in the past. There's never been any money paid. So there was never a need to abate it back. Yeah. Right. Even in the even in the old court case that Right. Yeah. There was no money paid forward.

So there was no need for an abatement. That's that's where we find ourself in this situation is that we actually paid it and now yeah return and then moving forward you know so we continue historically because for for charitable organizations never paying taxes we want to continue that so whatever paperwork I have to fill out I'll fill it out

so so far I in at least for me I don't right now I don't think it's a paperwork issue I'm trying to look at the way that the lawyer has the town's attorney has defined a charity, but you're listed as 501c's, right? So, like in my head, I'm still trying to go, okay, if you're listed as a 501c, but yet we have both the town's attorney and the assessor saying, yeah, no. Right. And I mean, they're like and they're both positioning it as a hard no. And and

well, that that goes from what I had mentioned earlier that traditionally th those type of and even the state look at it purely as a fraternity rather than a charity. But it wasn't a hard no on one of them. That was the one I mentioned. It did say it is right now. It says consequently I would advise the town to deny the exemption based upon the lack of information. So he's saying if we could get more information from him, he might be able to support part of this. But you might also decide you're know enough. Okay. Anyways. All right.

All right. So, the motion that's on the table is to abate the 20 2025 tax bill uh previously paid by the by the Masons. Any further discussion? Hearing none. All those in favor, please say I. I. I. Those opposed? I said. Okay. So, so what? We have a we have a 401 to abate the 2025 taxes and and and right now I'm sure you're all going, "Okay, but you've been arguing." No, that's that's my discussion point for the camera. No, it's we got to get we got to get there. Okay. So now um

so right now they are going to get a a spring bill except it it is uh the spring bill they're going to get is um and I haven't confirmed this is about seven it's just $7,600 because we did exempt the parking lot and we did exempt the land. So now you got to decide how you what so what will happen is we'll have to decide whether they no you can actually if you decide that you're going to approve the exemption don't they won't pay the first bill and it'll all wash out on the second bill

on the second bill. Okay. All right. So then I what I would like to do is I would like to uh make a motion that um the town of Bristol um headed by uh the town administrator uh enter develop a a uh memorandum of understanding with the Fraternal Order of Masons uh to um for the town use uh for snow removal and for parking going forward. Yes, I'll second that.

Yeah. No, that's it. That's it. I know it's a long, but you get it's a long motion, but you get the you get the gist of it. Uh seconded by Scott. Um any any other discussion? I agree with that. Do we have the town's attorney review with Christina and then compare it to Yeah, you have to the last paragraph. He's chimed in on this as well. Yeah. But um yes, whatever we write, we just have to make sure it his comment is we just have to make sure it's accurate market value that we're discussing. Right. Right. Right. So for clarity, that's like the taxes equal the the rent for the parking lot type of thing.

It could No, no. Uh what the what we just did was we abaded the 25 the 25 taxes and then once the memorandum of understanding is is signed it's basically granting the exemption. Okay. Okay. You'll still have to do the paperwork for us. No, you have to actually vote on approving an exemption or separate than an we can still do an MU with them. um if that's what you want to do. So it shows that they we can certainly do that but you have to vote on the exemption every year. Every year every year like we all we have to vote on exemption

with the list of other folks that we that we exempt in a in a batch. Okay. Okay. But it's just that we have for a board down 10 years from now they have an understanding where we're coming from. It's we're documenting. Yeah. Gotcha. Gotcha. So I want to be clear too. We can't guarantee that a board in the future will continue to support that, but this board as long will continue to support that going forward. But there'll be a record there'll be a record of support. Right. And I got Thursdays open. So yeah, bring popcorn.

Right now you'll get a a seven $7,600 tax bill and then are you and it would be whether you are voting to make them exemprove an exemption for them. and then with anou from the town about the parking and stuff and then prove the exemption now. Yes. Okay. Yes. Well, unless you want to see theou first, but that I think it's a moot point. So, I think we need the ex theou to Sorry. Go ahead. To hang it on to to have numbers if they're come up with the value of what the parking us.

If you vote to exempt them, they're just being they're going back to an exempt status. But theou is something we would still put in place. Yeah. Because you need So these are your scenarios. They pay they get a tax bill. We do anou and we pay a bill to them to which would offset taxes. I don't like that. I don't want to do that. If you're going to exempt them and that's what you want to do, just vote to accept them at this point. And then we put theou in place explaining the charitable work that they do. And and then basically when they get that bill, it just goes on a shelf and this time. Yeah. And then the second billing would would wash that out.

Wash it out. Yeah. Mr. Chair. Yeah. Like to make a motion to exempt Masonic Temple for 2026. Your your motion. We didn't have one. Uh, no, we we do have a motion and a second um for just to work together for an all those in favor. I So that's 401, which I think it's good to have an MU period because you use your parking. We do put snow there. It would be good. So Christina, you have my info so you and I can work together and stuff. Yeah, she'll make a motion to Exempt the 2026 taxes for the Masonic Lodge and Bristol New Hampshire.

Under 7223. Under 7223. Okay. Is there a second? I'll second it. Second by John. Any further discussion? Wow. I I struggle with just it feels like we should have theou and somehow tie it together as opposed to just granted. Uh that's that's my gut. I maybe I'm just too in the weeds on it. I don't know. Do I put contingent upon signing anou? You can do that and we can wait. So here's the thing. You've got time. Yeah. to because I can't do anything about this tax bill, right?

They're still going to get that. They just hold on to it. But we have time to work anou out if you feel more comfortable with that and then you can make that decision. Okay. So, do you want to amend your motion? I'm good with moving forward. I we've had long-standing history. Yeah. I say we just given the exemption for this year and we will move forward with MOU moving forward. I mean there's history there. It's nothing new. It's not a new organization. That's just reating your original motion. Okay. And and we did have a second on that.

And just to be clear, the reason why I ultimately voted to kind of move all this thing forward was from a fairness perspective. Again, you know, I used Midstate, right? They have part they're they're on the exempt list. Yeah. And they are partially, we don't know the percentage, but they are partially for profit in what they do. Now, they do a lot of great things, right? Not minimizing that, but they are partially for profit. We are um we did change. So, anyways, like like compare the two. Sorry. Anyways, I didn't mean to interrupt, but um I did probably, but

it's me. the midstate too. I will let you know that because Genanoa pharmacy is moving in there, they are going to get a tax bill now on the Genanoa pharmacy portion of the property because they Genanoa pharmacy is truly for profit for profit where we're not quite sure midstate side and maybe it's only 50/50, right? All I'm saying is you look at it and you you apply the same logic and go, okay, if I'm doing that percentage over here, it's like I'm just trying to be consistent. Okay. Yeah. But they have a forprofit business associated with them. We do not fully one more point.

Yep. At the new tax rate, that works out to roughly $633 a month. Could the benefit to the town be greater than that? And would it be worth worth making sure we evaluate that? Maybe we do work on that before we pay instead of abating taxes. Just throwing it out there. That's all. Yep. All right. So, uh motion uh uh motion to grant the u the t the exemption Yeah. for the tax status in the second. All those in favor, please say I. I. I. Those opposedions or

I abain. You abain. That's perfectly fine. So 302. All right. We'll move forward. Okay. Uh Christina, I'll I'll give you a call tomorrow. So can you wait till Monday instead? Not Monday. You you can maybe I'll call Don and you guys can fill in the the blue collar worker and what just happened. But uh uh lady and everyone, thank you very much for all your time. Have a good Thank you for everything you Thank you. I know that wasn't easy. Oh, it wasn't.

All right. I wasn't trying it. It was difficult. All right. Highway Department updates. Sorry. Well, that's what I have here. So, you're off. Yeah. First, also

I just explain two things real quick. Um, so one, um, the I think I mentioned it with your other department heads. Um, we have them signing up now for twice a year to do updates. They can come in obviously other times if they need to. So, this is the one that Victor signed up for. Um, in addition to his updates, we've added a purchase order in there that I've sort of signed already, but I wanted it's just over the amount of money that I I'm supposed to approve, but we we needed to get it in the schedule. Um, and Victor can do you want to copy that numbers on that?

Victor can explain that a little bit too when we get to that, but I don't know what you want to do, Victor. So I will hand it over. So you want to do the You want to do that first? Do your We got to wait for Paul. Uh for sure. No, I Well, he's back. So No, go ahead. So All right. No, we No, I have the I have the board. Go ahead. It's back there. So, this is for that guar rail uh line number uh for Wickham Road in in your folders. If you want to look at the quote and the uh sorry picture I need,

but if you want to look at the quote and the purchase order, it's under number five. And I there's a picture someone sent me. I put in there so you can see the location. Someone sent you. Yes. Scott Center. Uh, so this guardrail got whacked and it's pretty old and rotted. It got whacked two years ago uh in a snowstorm. It got whacked again last year in the same spot and we're going to turn this to bridge rail and have it replaced cuz it's just old and outdated and it's a hazard more than it is a help. So we currently have that wire right we have three wire or two three wire system up there right now that's failing. And what did you just call it? Rail

bridge rail. No different than what we did on Crescent Street and Green Street last year. Is that the traditional galvanized metal? Yes, that's the one you see on the highway. Y Okay. Did Did somebody hit it or is it just pushed from the snow? A lot of it leaned over, but it got involved in three accidents over two years and it's just not holding. Did we get any money from the insurance? No, there were hit and runs.

Okay. And then I did talk to Victor about we don't have any other quotes of to give you because CWS is the only company in New Hampshire with the equipment to do this type of guard rail. Other companies are basically fence companies with lack which lack the ability to perform the job. The next closest guardrail company is Massachusetts Connecticut. Are they using the steel posts or wood? Steel. Steel like just like that. Okay. Just like we did on Green Street and Crest. Um, do they the one in Massachusetts? Have they gi Have they ever given you any quotes?

No. The truth far is they're going to have a mobilization fee that's probably more than more than the guardrail itself is the length of our guard that we're that we have. I'm just It's always interesting when there's only one in New Hampshire. I So, I get why we end up going with them, but there's got to be some way to sort of check that we're that their pricing structure is is fair. Is fair. Yeah. Yeah. They're not going to come up here and do a code for Yeah. Not that small. But if we were doing a bigger bigger project, I think I mean, if we were doing 3,000 ft down the highway, they would all be in on the bid because they could bid the mobilization and

and and putting people in hotels and stuff like that. And this is 300. So it's 350 linear feet, right? Correct. It's a rough estimate of 350. We've got some issues down at the end that we've worked out. We removed the impact barrier because we're crossing two culvert lines that all connect down at the bottom. So, we're pushing it back up the road. So, we're not in state compliance and have to put a $14,000 mechanism at the bottom. We're going to put a bell end above it because the drop ratio at the bottom is not near as severe as the top because it so it's because it's a straight approach to 3A.

Yeah. And John, just for the this is a local we're support we would be in agreement with supporting a a local for sure. Yeah, 100%. Excuse me. Okay, the chair. You need to quit running into that. That's that's for two years,

but you got to wait a little. Uh, so we need a All right. I'll make a motion to approve the purchase order 4828 in the amount of $14,100 for the Wcom Road Gardil project. Do we need to authorize you to sign that or and authorize the town administrator to sign? Second. All right. Uh, any further discussion? Yeah, just a footnote that this isn't for an immediate purchase. This is for me to get on the schedule hopefully in July. Yeah. Okay. Okay. All right. Uh, hearing none. All those in favor, please say I. I. I. Those opposed abstensions. Thank you. I do have one question.

Yeah. What line is this going to come out of? If you go under projects, it'll be the guard rail line. Okay. And we have that full amount in there already. We have more than enough. Okay. Again, it's a I'm sorry, it's a linear estimate, so it may be a little shorter, maybe a little longer. Yeah. Yeah. Remember we added that to the the it's the budget with the p the rear road reconstruction. We added guardrail projects that were larger projects and that's what that's coming. So then that what do we have remaining of that that old type of uh I know we have some down on lakeside down on Smith River Road. We have a a large section that is completely over the embankment that's scheduled to be looked at for next year.

Okay. Um, and then I think we have one up on Pika Hill that we have to look at. Um, and then there then it becomes the issue with the road working group about some of our drop off falls that we would like to see if we could protect, right? Uh, and do those in bits and pieces so that we're not, you know, overburdening the budget. Yeah, sounds like a plan. Awesome. Um, Victor, just last year we had talked a little bit about certain problem areas in town too, like like near me at uh Gareth and Hector where the the culvert fills up and sometimes it'll overwhelm that the trench heading down towards the lake. How's that been going? Like that one seems to be what I'm we've been checking.

We're talking about guard rail in there. Oh, no. I'm sorry. No, no, I we I went to comfort. Sorry. Yeah, my bad. Yeah, my bad. Okay. Long day. Sorry. Okay. So, Victor's here to give you updates on his department. Can you have a vote on that? You did. I missed that. Well, well, that we voted. I was like, "Okay, that's why I shifted." Okay. Anyway, sorry. I'll get you. You were talking. Yeah, I know. You were waiting for John to give the 10 minutes be open. Yeah, I thought I was going to ask question. He was brief. It's 15.

I did prepare some notes for this. So, if I look a little foolish, I I just wanted to be prepared for you. Um, the first part's a little confusing. Uh, so just let me go through it and then if you got questions, I can go back and try and straighten them out, but it's because our budget season runs different than our plow season. So, this first part might be a little confusing, but it's just update where we're at and where we're going. Um so since November 15th 2025 to April 15 2026 we responded to 44 44 times the weather related conditions. Salt for the year 25 was 41,886 which was around $492 tons.

Wow.

Okay. Now, this is where it gets confusing. For salt for the 2025 206 plow season, which is what we just went through, we spent from October to December 23, 167 for 263 tons. From January to April, we spent 24,489 ton uh dollars, which was around 290 tons. That puts us in the right bracket as you look from the first numbers to go into this fall that we should have enough money for stockpile of salt to get us through the first part of the next plow season. Uh the total for 2025 plow season uh of 553 tons of salt that we've used. We still have around 40 tons in stock at this point, which would which will be mixed this summer into the sand to keep the sand from freezing for next winter stuff. Winter sand, we spent $13,440, a little more than we normally do, but we were pretty low going into it. We got $1,344 yards. We have around 50 yards or maybe a little more than 50 yards left in stock. We had a long hard winter on that. Uh we had no major breakdowns this winter uh until April when we lost the loader due to uh uh due to our computer issue and the deaf sensor went went bad. It was deadline for about 2 weeks for parts and scheduling with the new dealer for repairs. A her equipment is now our new dealer on the loader because Chapel dumped the line where we bought it from. Currently, we had uh we just had the backup go down for a CCU filter failure and two sensors. We were able to trick the computer to keep the it operational.

It was down for a day for repairs. The vac truck is currently deadline due to a main draw fan that uh breaking doing a lot of damage to the housing and other of the draw parts which draw parts meaning the vacuum systems drawing in air and drawing through the the containment area and and doing a lot of damage all the way through that section. Did that like literally just happen? It literally just happened. Yeah, I wasn't long ago I saw it.

Uh doing a lot of damage through the draw cards. We are able to complete all the road cleanup uh and our weekly maintenance to the square and other areas are now on hold. But all the major road cleanup has been completed and most of the parking lots have been completed. We have evaluated the work and the parts that are needed to complete the repair and are doing this inhouse to save on cost. Some of these parts are are very expensive. We brought in u Allied equipment which does work on the the equipment. We had a long conversation with them and John and I decided that we can piece meal putting it back together with a lot of modification to some of the older parts and welding them and fixing them instead of buying new. The largest problem facing the department is the price of cutting edges. It has gone through the roof uh because of the cost of carbide. Currently, the price has gone up 65% since January 1st and looks like it's going to continue to climb. Looking at the impact right now, we would go from eight around $8,000 a year in purchasing of cutting edges to around 135 if this price this 65% increase holds. The other issue is the stock levels that have been have been the stock shelf levels have been depleted at our three current suppliers due to the jump in price. Largest cities and towns have pre- purchased and wiped them out and the suppliers are not restocking because it's too volatile for them to put it on the shelf knowing they may not be able to sell. John and I are currently evaluating the situation or working on a path forward. We are currently doing ditching and culvert maintenance operations with parks and beaches and and with the parks and beaches maintenance.

We have uh put most of the highway equipment and grounds equipment through by annual service. Parking lines and crosswalk painting will begin will start taking place over the next couple of weeks. We are waiting for warmer weather and less rain. Working with a contractor, the department supported improvements to the baseball field, softball fields in Kelly Park throughout April, making them ready for use. In that same time, we supported a contractor that upgraded the softball back stop. Monday, we are supporting the water department at a dig on Central Street. This is a planned operation that should take two days. We're leaving the schedule open in case there's a delay or anything that extends the job. Bucket truck training has gone well over the spring the spring. Trevor is now operating the boom and bucket along with myself. Justin and Dylan will be starting some training on that as well. Justin, Dylan, and Eric continue the training on multiple pieces of equipment. working working to get them more time in the equipment helps improve product productivity. Uh currently uh morale is very high in the department. Most are looking forward to some time off when the weather improves. And that is my update. Are there any questions about any of that?

Are you well stocked for gravel and stone and such? Uh we have not started restocking that. We still have our uh winter reserve on the yard. We've been using that. But uh we turn the ro we turned hemlock, hemp hill, roby and new mountain over. Uh we added a little material to uh Hemlock where it was needed. We had a great spring thaw and the roads really did not muck up. Very. It stayed cold long enough pulling the frost out slowly and then the rains that we got weren't deep uh heavy rains that would have run off. They penetrated and pulled the frost out slowly.

Uh we are looking at uh when when we start hauling some gravel in start reworking the roads that we're doing. Jeffers and Schaffefer Road need to be redone with gravel. If the money is there, we will continue and probably do the top of Benz and Baron Road. We did uh the west section of town last year and we're we try to do the following year the next roads. Um and anything else? Yeah. Does it make sense to buy the carbide blades? Now it's dangerous because what's holding it up is is two things. Is China's only one with the carbide dust that puts all this together. Yeah,

the tariffs are hitting it and then they are just playing uh

high stakes poker with it. Um, you know, we run a fiscal year that is not the same as some of the big cities and all that. They've got money that they they did this pre- purchase and wiped out the stock shelves, but if if some agreement comes out of this administration and and it drops back down, that's probably when the suppliers will buy it. Uh we're looking into some things. Uh cost value, whether we don't go if we don't go with carbide, we've got to double up the front plates and then we're going to be changing plates over a lot faster than you think. Without carbide in there, we're probably we'll probably get maybe four storms out of it and then we'll be damaging the plow. Right now, if we put a new set of carbide on in the beginning of the season, it'll probably run most of the season. Um once the carbide goes you lose it within two three storms it's gone. Uh we are looking at that. We are waiting to watch but everything right now is pointing to it going up instead of down.

Right. And then that's why I'm asking about prey. Well even if you pre-by you know well right now they won't allow us to pre-by because by the time they get it in if the prices change you're going to get nailed in the way it changes. just talking earlier. Yeah. Yeah. What's What's the difference in price between a street and a carvite? Well, I mean, I don't have those numbers right in front of me, D, but I'll But is it like four to one since it's, you know, it's probably four to one. Yeah. Yeah. So, but you're going to go through it four times faster, right? So you have the you have the work work hours

plus plus the stripping it out putting it back in and all the bolts you know the the cost the cost like I said if we were put new carbide on in the beginning of the season it'll probably last most of the season so when I gave you that number earlier about 44 mobilizations um to put it in retrospect how bad the ice was this year and the fact that it started the weekend of Thanksgiving and never laid up we usually usually have a layup, you know, through December and part of January and then start pling. On our average in the last six years, we do anywhere from 23 to 25 storms. We did 44 storms this year.

It would literally started and never stopped. We were hitting storms on the weekend. By the time we got it cleaned up, we were getting hit on a Tuesday or Wednesday. By the time we got that cleaned up, we got hit again on a weekend. We had a oneweek grace period right around Christmas and then it hit us again. And it didn't it just did not lay up. We before I went on vacation in April, we had to go to the higher elevations because we got two inches up there and we had to scrape off peak and all we could do was roll hemlock in and hemp pill in because they're dirt. Yeah.

But you know, it it was just a long winter for the guys in the equipment. But again, the equipment held. We've done a real good job of maintenance, both preventative and corrective maintenance that that we held we held strong. I think that's an excellent point. I think that I think something that most people probably don't realize is, you know, if we get if we get one inch of snow or 8 in of snow, it's pretty much the same. You still have to go out and do a full run. Yeah. Do the full salt and sand. Uh yeah, if you're going to get a foot and a half, okay, that's going to last longer. You got to make separate passes. And uh Oh, I'm sorry.

No, go ahead. Um, for an example how bad the year was, um, the my last order in December didn't get filled until February cuz both Eastern Minerals and Warf Salt, the only two suppliers that supply both the state and the municipalities were out of salt. Yeah. Right. And they usually don't run out. They literally ran out of salt. And that was because of the big storm that went down south and the federal government diverted the salt down there because they have no mechanized ways of clearing the roads. They only put material into it. Yeah. So all those barges went south down the rivers instead of going out and coming down eastern sea coast. Yeah. Yep.

Did you happen to get a call recently about uh Union A or Union Street? I hope not. Union Street. So there was we had dug up the road for a water break and now so now there's the patch pavement is sitting lower. Yeah. Creating a diversion off the side of the road and into the property. Yeah, I know the property. Yeah. Yeah. So that that uh property owner had contacted me and questioned me about it. I directed them to you. No, I know about it. I've talked to that land owner and we were not able to get to it last year

due to all the other things that were going on and the pass was holding. Um the there's two issues on the side of the road. They are the right away. Uh we don't normally do it, but we could do something there. Uh we are looking at doing but if if we do, we want to repair that patch a little better and then redo that going down through there. Okay. But the problem is it puts us into the his driveway doing something that we don't normally do with driveways, but it is probably the only thing that we can do to solve the problem. So, we're probably going to have to do it. Yeah. And I think that landowner is also looking at paving and he doesn't want to spend the money unless if we're going to tear up the front end

on that. But I I am well aware of it. It is on the docket that if money breaks free, we were going to do something down there. Good enough. Okay. So, we'll go back to my color thing for a second. Um you and I when we met, you know, they said there was just a few real problem spots in town. One of them being over near me and at um uh Hector and Gareth. Right. Right. That that culverick that's half full. Um right now it seems to be running honestly it seems to be running pretty good. Yeah. Um

have you seen anything else where because I know you said you guys check on those when we have big storms. I mean luckily our storms haven't been you know, um, really bad. I think we do road inspections. We usually do road inspections weekly. At least John or I do a full inspection. If not, we send the guys out to check their roots.

But right now, we're in the middle of ditching and cover cleanup anyway. So, we don't do all 40 miles of it. We we tend to go after the dirt roads first because they fill first because the asphalt lines don't don't bleed out the way, you know, we have a little bleed out on North Main Street with this high volume of water. Uh we try to at least put eyes on everything all 40 miles at best we can at least weekly or if not every two weeks. If a storm's coming, we definitely go out and check pretty much everything. Yeah. Okay. Yeah. I mean, I think we had talked about that was going to be replaced sometime soon.

Yeah, we were trying to work. It was a contractor doing something on the Brown Street extension and if he had done some work there, we would have supplied a new pipe if he was going to drop it in. I don't know if that job is going to continue forward. There's a lot of issues going on in that intersection. I'm kind of waiting to see cuz if they tear that intersection, if they're going to work in that intersection, you know. Yeah. you know, if they're willing to work with us, you know, we can take care of some things. Okay. But I am aware of what's going on, too. Yeah. I mean, we're always watching like a hawk anyway. Yeah. All right. Fixing that road again. Okay. That's it. I think that's it. All right. Thank you guys.

Thank you, Victor. Enjoy your evening. Thank you. Thanks, Victor. Thank you. Have a good day. Don't be Dr. Pepper.

Chief, welcome. It's been a little while. Ben's got I put a couple things under the fire department updates. Um the first one I just wanted to do um to recognize Ben. Here I am. recognize. So, um, Ben has been appointed as the president of the New Hampshire Fire Chiefs Association. It's a statewide leadership role. Um, I'd like to, well, we would like to recognize him for his professional expertise and commitment to the fire service while bringing distinction and recognition to the Bristol community. So,

he didn't know I was doing that. Nice. Take it off my list though. I was going to say something. Yeah. So, I uh that's exciting, you know, and uh something I've been looking forward to and working toward like about a month now. Um I do want to bring up that I was I I am very excited and proud to be the first Bristol Fire Chief to be the president of the association. Nice. However, I learned Sorry. from the new found area. Fran Butler was actually the president in 82 and 83. So what town once in from Alexandria

who was also like still the chief when I got hired here. So and is still around and a great guy and I'm glad he had the honor of representing the found area first. But um yeah, that's exciting. I kind of I wanted to start this off uh with a little bit of state level stuff. um that's not new to me in that role but basically for around the last year several years I've been monitoring it with the association is SB245 which I brought up um I just I apologize allergies are whooping my butt and it's turned into some level in my voice that really echoes in this room um so this so anyway SP24 45 for those that don't remember or don't know last year came out of uh um the legislature and it was an effort to combine a couple of different bills that had to do with ending balance billing at the state level the federal level for healthcare overall there's been a a balance billing um kosh I can't think of the right word but you haven't been allowed to balance bill for a couple years now unfortunately the federal act did not cover or clearly cover prehosp care and so most states have taken it on themselves to end balance billing which is um it's a it's an annoying problem to have really my opinion generated by the carriers who just they they decide what the rate is that they're going to reimburse and then nobody's really involved in that so on and so forth and so the practice was and we didn't do it uh a lot. Um but we did do it that was part of our billing was to say, well, if if for whatever reason that agreement that you had with the the insurance company allowed them to only pay, say

500 out of $1,000 that they're supposed to owe, we're still going to bill the patient for $500. And that's really what balance billing is about. So that bill ended the ability to do that, which is fine. Um, what it also did was seek to establish a state rate. I think it's up to like 17 states somewhere in that neighborhood have a state EMS rate. So, instead of uh like we've done over the years, I come in here every couple of years and say, "Hey, we haven't adjusted our rates for these levels of care. This is what my recommendation is." Maybe they go up five or 10% or or whatever. And our rate maybe is, call it, you know, $1,500 for a base rate. Samberton might be $1,000. Bridgewater might be 500. Somebody else might be 2,000. And it's to say, hey, listen, at the end of the day, you can certainly monitor what your fire department's doing, but let's kind of establish a a state rate so that kind of everybody is on the same playing field and also hopefully establishes a reimbursement rate that tries to adequately reimburse the costs of providing EMS, which are very high. So, they put into place an interim rate of 325%. That went into effect at the beginning of the year. It'll remain in effect until January 1st of 2028 or December 31st of 2028 when hopefully the other output of that bill, which is to pay a company to do a big old data collection study and establish what that state rate should look like um hopefully in a much better job than the insurance company funded data study from a year or so ago. So that has kicked off because of my position at the at the fire chiefs association even previous to this. Um I was able to sit in on a lot of that

planning process between the RAM group who is the third party contractor uh and the New Hampshire insurance department. So that was good kind of just setting the stage and planning and having some early discussions on kind of what the issues were in the prior study. Um and hoping to avoid them in this study. Uh, and also to review the data collection template, which isn't fancy. It's just a spreadsheet. Although I love spreadsheets, so I thought it was great. Um, but really it wasn't so much the functionality, it was the it was the understanding and understanding what you're trying to capture so that everybody, whether it's a fire chief or an EMS director or a a CFO and a private ambulance service is ensuring that we're capturing the true cost of delivering the service so that we can build uh the correct state rate. So that was done and then yesterday there was the first kind of informational meeting on the data tool explaining some of its features answering questions on it and the submission process will start June 1st and run till the end of August which is plenty of time. It seems a little sped up, but at the end of the day, they really need by the end of the year to have some sort of state rate to suggest back to um the legislature to the legislature to start moving forward with this. So, um just an update on that where we're at. I would argue looking at our billing this year and understand that 325% is a very small portion like right around 20% of what our buildings are. It is private insurance. Private insurance that is in the state of New Hampshire. Private insurance that is outside of the state of New Hampshire. We still submit a bill at a at what is a higher rate. Our current rates are currently a little bit higher than that um rate. We get it. We don't get it. We still can't balance bill it. Um but that

is what it is. So this really affects like right around 20% of our bills. I would say that right now um we're probably neutral, right? So that rate it well it's lower than what we would typically build that um that carrier because of the balance building um like we would still balance build but as you can imagine we didn't collect a lot of we collected some of it. So I think that difference is balancing out right now and our numbers are projected to be significantly higher this year um in collections but it's not there's some people in legislature that like to call it enhanced rate. It is not. It is less than what we've built for you know the last 10 years. Um but that it's just a function of we're busier and collecting better. Medicare also kind of went up this year a little bit and that's helped. So that's the quick update on SB245. Um and again that projection just a projection at a third of the way through the year is uh I think 600 teams. Um so for our overall billing receipts for the year which would be a pretty good increase over our mid 500,000s over the last couple years. So, I bring that up too because obviously the what we did at town meeting this year that will still leave not as much as normal, but a nice surplus that will continue to go into the general fund. Um, so that's that general department update. Um, we're a third of the way through the year plus a couple days. Um, we are pretty much on base incidents wise. Our 5-year average is 458 at this point in the year. We're at 451. Um, the department, as probably most of

you know, is at full staff. We have been since the end of the year, uh, when we hired the last of the four new positions. Um, and that's obviously good because we're at full staff, but it also means that we're now uh on the tail end of three of those positions. probationary periods. Um, and they're all doing very well. They're all on track to uh complete all the required training. Um, so that's the update on staffing. Go ahead. So that's that's five that's five incidents a day. A third of the way through the year. Yeah. Where we've been in that like mid low 50s at the end of the year.

Okay. Yeah. At 450 y 90 days. Just just below five. Yeah, it's busy. Is that with all of the equipment or like like like when you or is that mostly ambient? Like I don't know how. Uh so we're like I didn't run the numbers right now. So we're normally between like we're right around 70% EMS. So, okay, 295 of those are uh likely EMS calls and then the balance are fire, strictly fire calls, non- ambulance calls, and that EMS number includes accidents. So, um yeah, fire alarm, service calls, stuff like that.

I mean, five's a lot. I mean, honestly, that's a that's a good number. That's that's a busy day. Yeah. Right. I guess it is. Well, I mean, you know, we talk a lot about sort of again, we know, we looked at some sort of like how the budget breaks out, right? We get to the individual departments and and between the building and there's a there's clearly a lot of capital that gets spent. I guess what I'm getting at is well worth it when you look at that utilization rate. Yep. I would agree. That sounds nice. No. Yeah. Yeah, I was going to say depending on the time of the run, not each call is an hour, you know, some could be what, three, if you're going conquered or Yeah,

yeah, almost minimum you're at 2 hours. Yeah, some simple fire calls might be significantly less than that. But um so on the EMS side of the house, I think I brought it up uh at some point or another that the company had donated um the fire company, which is the nonprofit arm of of the group, had donated a um a butterfly unit, which is a point of care ultrasound um device, and then we were working on training on that. So, at this point, all the department paramedics have completed that training. We've got our certification through the state. Um, and there's a few of us, myself included, cuz it's really hard to find time to do clinicals. Um, I think it's down to two out of the seven paramedics are are just waiting to finish up clinical requirements. So, that's all on board and and already proven to be a huge benefit. Um and then fortunately at not a lot of cost to the town uh with that donation from the company. Also on that line of of thought um we have for probably 10 plus years now trying to get RSI capability in the department. RSI's uh rapid sequence intubation. So it's the ability for a paramedic to provide a paralytic to a patient um and then to intubate them. It's done very rarely. It's obviously a very aggressive um skill, but very necessary in those really severe respiratory emergencies. And one of the big ones for us, not just because we go to Raget at the ski area, um but the area in general, um between motor vehicle accidents and fall injuries and a plethora of recreational opportunities, we do a very very high number of closed head injuries in this area. and the ability to paralyze a closed head injury patient already dealing with increased pressure pressure

in their skull and not have their work of breathing which is generally disturbed because of everything that's going on

and to to decrease some of the pressure from that um is huge. Um, I don't know why it's taken us so long to be honest with you and I don't want to say anything too bad, but um, we got put through a lot of of hurdles and it seemed like every time we made it over one hurdle, all of a sudden for some reason there was another hurdle. Um, but we have satisfied most of those. Unfortunately, the last hurdle that we had um was a critical care paramedic training requirement. um that it's going to be very difficult to get um really all of the qualifying paramedics through, but we do have one right now. Um and uh I'm sure in a short period of time probably about half of our medics will be able to do that. Um which is very good. So that's EMS. Uh what's nice is we finally got a little bit of rain. Um and things are starting to green up. So hopefully the spring forest fire season will be will start to wind down. Um it somehow hasn't been too too terrible in the area. There has been a few um and then there's been a few close by that we've gone to assist with and we've had a few very small fires that we were able to get on to quickly before they became bigger issues. Um the fleet overall is in very good condition. Uh, Captain Marsh, uh, kind of heads up maintenance, preventative maintenance work on that. Um, and firefighter Moran, they both have extensive backgrounds in vehicle maintenance. Um, so between the two of them, they're doing a very good job with the general PM stuff that they can do in house. Um, and are just able to not only identify, but get on small problems before they become giant problems. Say that we'll have a giant problem at some point. inevitably we will, but they're doing a very good job with that. Um, on

the truck side of things, the truck committee is continuing to work with the vendors uh that submitted their RFPs to clean up those submissions and specifications for engine 2's replacement. Um, that work probably really should be done in the next month or so. uh at which time we can have kind of all the updated numbers and information and probably at some point in the next couple months I'll be back in here to present that um with the potential for getting engine 2's replacement ordered as we know we're somewhere in that 3 to 5 year window depending on kind of where um that all falls.

Where are they saying meat times are now? There's still everybody's three to five and then it's, you know, some's four, some's three.

If anybody says we did have a response, we're getting closer to two. Well, luckily you're really high because there's no way you're not going to have it done at two. So, that'll kind of all be ironed out as as they finish that work. Um, so that's forthcoming. Same line of thought. It's because the ambulances are three month three years out. Um we'll be sitting a committee next month to work on ambulance 1's replacement. Um that's currently 14 years old. Uh if we order it at some point this year, early 2027 or whenever that work's done, the ambulance will be 17 to 18 years old when we replace it. Um, but that step will get us on to that plan of 15 years and buying an ambulance every five years. And as we discussed a ton last year, we're in pretty good shape um with the work we did at this year's town meeting. And then I I have to bring a problem unfortunately. I was very excited to come to this meeting, not bring any problems and the last week we we have a problem. So, one of our ZO monitor defibrillators, um, all of them get sent out for PM and calibration like they do every year. And one of those has come back. There's a crack in the case. Um, and there's an issue with one light and that's insignificant. Um, but that is requires the motherboard to be replaced. The issue with it um even though it's one light and a cracked case and the case isn't nearly as much as the motherboard um without replacing both of those things, they cannot certify it. Um

did it go to them in that condition or did that happen in transit?

No, it went to them in that condition. We kind of knew about it. We just didn't really think it was all that bad. And I don't think the crack is necessarily related. fits more and there's a crack and this light not working means we have to replace the entire level. So the repair for that is approximately $7,500. Um now to buy a new one is approximately $50 something,000 right depending on what we go. Yeah, reminder they last time we bought monitors which was 6 years ago give or take 6 years ago they were roughly $25,000 a piece. Now that same monitor is 50. The advanced is 55 and the Zenith which is the new platform is 60.

50. I thought you said 15. Yeah, I wish I said 15. If I if it was 15, I'd be in here asking for 15,000.

So, uh we have really hashed this out. uh over the last couple of days. I think ultimately so the plan has been to start replacing these units with the ambulance replacements. If we buy a new unit now, it puts us 3 years ahead of when we will see the next ambulance, which means theoretically we got to try to get 18 years out of that unit. And it doesn't make a ton of sense. The other part of it is the just the way the funds work. We would have to we'll just call it $50,000. We'd have to take that $50,000 out of the capital reserve fund. Yeah.

Because we couldn't buy it through the We can buy it with the ambulance through the replacement fund, but we can't just buy and monitor. So that obviously screws up right on basically day one of this really great plan, an excellent funding source, and now we've already got to kind of throw everything out of pack. Um I think we could overcome it. we would have time to figure that out and it's probably not that big of a deal. But then again, you go back to we're going to have to try to get more time out of that monitor than we can probably conceivably get. The $7,500 is a lot of money. It is it when we bought it, it was a refurbished monitor and it was all certified and worked in really great condition and it still generally works in really great condition. But even putting the $7,500 into it, we're about 23 $24,000 into it. I would prefer just to do the repair. We do the repair. It allows the 3 years until potentially give or take. The new ambulance comes. Um, we can move forward with buying a new monitor. At that point, there'll still be some value between trade in or sale on that unit in its refurbished condition. We won't see all of that $23,000. Obviously, the typical tradein runs and it's just companywide. They pick a number somewhere between5 and $10,000. Um, the other thing about the 3-year window is the new Zenith is coming out, which is the newer platform. Um, and it kind of gives that opportunity to decide whether or not we move to the newer platform or one of the reasons we stayed with Zol initially is they're very good about servicing their legacy platforms very long term or do we just go to a an X series advance or potentially even an X series which is what we currently have and everything's still the same. There's no difference.

you get onto one truck and it's a touchscreen use weird user interface and then you're using a push button machine over here. Um, and if that's the decision, then you know potentially we look at a bulk purchase again or we have enough time to trial the Zenith and say, "Well, it's not that big of a deal to run two different vehicles." So, um, I bring that up as a if you have a strong opinion either way, I'd really love to know. Again, my instinct right now is that we should service it. I don't necessarily know where that $7,500 is going to come from because it wasn't budgeted. My concern with um right like CRF money is it's a repair. It's not equipment. That's the fire department equipment reserve. Um, and so my goal would be probably to come back to the next meeting at least with this is what we should do and we'd have that answer hopefully of where we might be able to find the funds. I'd love to call the RA and they say, "Wow, the majority of its equipment, so you can absolutely 7500 for three years, it's 2500 a year. $50,000 for 15 years is over three grand.

There you go. Exactly. It's It's worth doing. It makes sense. Can we just take it out of contingency fun? Yeah, that was the second receive. That's That's pretty much contingency, but the math says to do the repair. Yeah. Yeah, makes sense. Yeah. All right. I'll work on that and how to for next and that'll get them off of my back in two weeks.

And that's the only way to have certified piece of equipment. Yeah, and that's the the big and I will I will say for a number of years uh prior to me being the chief and even before that we didn't necessarily do PMS on these devices but it's really tough to initially you're like okay so this power indicator doesn't light doesn't work and we can put some plex seal on the case and then you have an issue with it and you knew about it right liability yeah so we we have a loaner currently that's part of the PM program they send out a loan owner and they're happy as long as you think there's a resolution down the road. So, um I didn't have anything else.

One more thing. Oh, I have one more thing. Yeah, you just need to do um

Oh, okay. So, uh, Jake Moran, um, who's been with us full time, approximately a year, is kind of up for his probationary review. So, that's all been done. I kind of forgot that. And when we sat down the other day to look at his manual, I'm like, these dates don't make any sense. But, he was here for like a full year before that in a part-time capacity. So, he's really had all of his probationary manual done for a year and then he's just now through that year of of full-time status where a few things got added based on, you know, roles and responsibilities that he has. So, I would very much like to see the board approve taking him off of probation.

With that, I will make a motion to approve PAT number 26027. I'll second. What is the T stand for PAF? Sorry, where the T PAF personal action form per PAF 26027. Okay, we have a motion and a did we get a second? Yeah, John on the second. Great. Uh, any discussion hearing? None. All those in favor, please say I.

I. Those opposed, abstensions. Wonderful. So, uh, just one quick thing. Um, where' Smokey the Dear go? It was in pretty rough shape.

Went away. And, uh, quite honestly, from a sighteline picture, we really we could not reinstall it back at the new u the new lot. So, we have, at least for now, just thrown together so that we can have it out on that pole. Um, at some point in the future, we'll likely do something different. I'm reaching out to the Eagle Scout, who was was his original project. It was right after right before I got promoted, so 9 or 10 years ago. 10 years ago. Oh, was it was that old? Yeah. Okay.

So, it was like most of those, it was plywood and there's just really we put some paint on it here and there, but there's really no way to keep the I have to know that was project was completed in my basement. Oh, all right. So, you're experienced. He needed some help. Be a friend of the family. So, we keeping the sign up, at least the fire danger sign. Yeah, that's right. It's a little bit smaller, but um it was just kind of to get us into this fire season. M. And what's interesting is when you drive towards the lake, sometimes the yellow sign, the median is fine, but green tends to like it almost blends in a little bit with that bush that's behind it.

If there's one that's going to blend in, the green one's probably the true the one to have, right? Um, it's so if you go p if you're going from here past the it's a public safety building. It's just past it. Hang on. on the the utility pole that we were going to take down. We were going to take it down. We didn't take it down. What I'm saying is we keep talking about signage for that building. We kind of dance around that quite a bit. And so probably need to figure that all of that out. It's on your goal summary. So have you are you still keeping your eye out for uh rescue vehicle? Yep. Okay.

Local lock. Right. Okay. Yeah. And then with this fire, you know, dry fire season, have we managed, are you missing the forestry rig at all? No. Okay. No. As usual, the couple of incidents that we've had are we went up by 10 mile Brook Road like a birch tree came down on the wire and got smoldering and

burned an area about half of this room or something before we got up and kept it from going up the hill. Um and then the rest of it been kind of small park munchy stuff. So and we are ridiculously well surrounded by forestry units or you know at the mutual aid department. So um whether we need a ranger, some type of UTV or a forestry truck. Pretty much every other department around us has a forestry site. That's good to hear. We can at least get out and on the road and into the woods when we return. Yeah. Right. Yeah. Okay, fair enough. There's a blue Toyota forestry truck.

Things always stuck in. They make a drip torch I can put right on the tailgate. All right. Thank you. Thank you. As well. Thanks, J. All right. Budget. Do we want to talk budget? I didn't I didn't sit here all this long. You didn't have to. You didn't have to come here. Let's table. I just That's a non-negotiable motion. Motion.

I didn't I didn't put anything in your folders. Um I did raise the preliminary schedule that's not agreed upon just yet. Um but I wasn't going to get it. I I want to get into that, but let's have Paul talk to you first.

All right. We we had a meeting last month, kind of an organizational meeting, and reelected me chair and elected a new vice chair. Uh there was a proposal to change the date. We decided to stick with Tuesdays, and now we need to come up with I need to come up with a proposed schedule for the balance of the year. I don't need you to decide how you're going to do your work. You're going to stick with one big meeting and or multiple small meetings. What I came here tonight primarily to do is to make sure that you agree that you will hit the date that you've always hit for the past few years. So the select board finish in finishes their work on the budget on your second meeting on October on the 3rd Thursday in October and the following Tuesday you come to a budget committee meeting and pass that off. That's basically an anchor that that our schedule gets built around. If you're if you're not going to do that that I want to I don't want to find out September and have to change our whole schedule and change room and reservations. I just wanted to get you guys hopefully to agree that that's something you can commit to now and then we can move forward on our own with getting our schedule put together.

Have you have you heard rumors otherwise? I haven't. But but rather than saying we're 95% confident and then the 5% come through. I said it's better make sure you guys agree. We wouldn't we wouldn't be doing our job if we couldn't if we couldn't. I didn't think I would. You would have surprised me who said no. But if I don't ask and then you don't do it, then I kick myself. Can we go with maybe? Who uh I know you you're Trump and that's a bit, but hold on. Uh who's the new who's the new vice chair? Mark Barasa. He's newly elected to the committee this year. Yep. Yep. Yeah, he came with us. We met. Yeah. Awesome. Okay, Christina,

I'm actually we I gave you a couple week or a couple meetings without talking about budget. when when Paul wanted to talk to you, I I wanted to touch base with you. How how do you want to handle your portion of the budget? Um because it does make a difference on when this So if you do every week, it takes a lot of out of you and of me and also um it means I have to have budgets in earlier. So the one long day is better for Yeah. Because before we were having them turn the budgets in I think I think it was September. Okay.

And then the one long day the deadline was right around October 15th in the middle of the month. And you depending on when you have your one long day it was right around that. So we would just have we would have them do the Friday before your one long day have them turned in. Um and then we would turn around and get it to you by whatever one long day that the following week. So, and that's the same day we have the department heads come in in front of us and and we feed you. We feed you that day. We schedule schedule it up. Thought you were going to say water. We feed you. We water you. That's true. Red water little bit of you being like make you grow.

And then um but we do feed you. We do water you. We do um set them up hour hourly. And then if we finish early, we throw mine in. Yeah. all the misus ones that we throw in. And then so I'll tell you personally, I'm not a fan of the of the long day. I I I don't like it. However, if it works better for the town, then um I'll I'll do that. It is a long day. Um otherwise, if we go back to doing the four or five sessions, whatever. So it would be one long day and it would still be one more day because not full day but one more meeting because your one long day is taking everything in.

Y and and then usually you come and then vote and you cut at that meeting if you're going to or you make adjustments at that meeting and then vote on the budget that's going and we talk about priorities. What if we did two? What if we did instead of one long day? Two half. Two halves. Yeah, but what time starting? Huh? What time would you start? If you had a half a day, what time is better? Lunch time. That's I'm If I'm taking a day off, I don't like

you'd rather take the day off. Just take the day off. I got you. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. I mean, I can do the four weeks, but the problem is when we try to squeeze one in on your regular work week, it doesn't work because we are so busy. They're going to go even longer. Yeah, cuz we did that. All right. Yeah, all right. I I can um come up with dates for your next meeting because you meet again in two weeks. I'll come up with some dates run by you. Okay. um and then have you pick up that meeting instead. But I wanted to know what to come up with for you. So, yeah, I it sounds like we're leaning leaning if we're going to take time off, take the day and just

bite the bullet, get through it. Yeah. The one other thing that I'd like to just mention is that um we have a vacancy. So, I think you're all aware that Joe Kristi resigned at the meeting and couple weeks ago we accepted the resignation. So, um, not your job, but you guys are all plugged into the town. If you have any ideas, feel free to, uh, encourage people to think about it or if you want to give me a name, I can contact them. I'm just reaching out for help is really what I'm doing. Yep. Did you find the advertisement yet? No. Okay. Is there any representation from the south side of town? Is there any partic particular skill set you're looking for or experience?

No, you don't have to have a CPA. You need to be I think it's similar to this. to be open-minded and you know is there a witness on the board that would be helpful to Phils I guess what's on right okay like you have like no I mean so different people different people different people on the committee have different strengths and different things I mean Joe brought some expertise working in the healthcare industry whenever particularly with the outside agencies he was a big help but that's not a requirement that does that answer your question common sense and open-mindedness Openmindedness is a huge thing. Don't come in with a secret agenda. With an agenda. Yeah.

Um Okay. So, we'll put that we'll continue to put that word out and hopefully we when is your next meeting? Probably not until No, our next meet at So, at this point, we don't if you tentative, we haven't for the past. So, when I started, we used to have a meeting we could go up where we'd have all the department heads come in. No, it's September. Sorry. But we stopped that two or three years ago because we didn't I didn't think it was a good spend of our time or of the department head's time to talk to them before they'd gone through the review with you guys. Right. Right. Right.

So now what we do is we'll kick off in uh early October. We'll be I call it the selling session. We invite all the outside agencies to come in and sell to us why they're worth supporting. But I also make I I don't know. I sat through the one big meeting last year. I encouraged the other department, the other committee members. We had I think Sue came for a little bit of it. So we we get we get our initial um information on what's going on with the department heads by sitting through your meeting. Right. Right. Right. Okay. We Yeah. We also discussed maybe having meet the department heads or touring facilities. Oh, absolutely. Just Yeah. It's because there's a lot of new members.

Y I did. Yeah, I told them that just let me know what meetings they want to do it at. I can set something up ahead of time for them. So, yeah, I was going to say Yeah, Scott, it'd be a good thing for Scott to jump in too. Just absolutely exposure, especially the water system. Nice. Yeah, sure is the best to work. It is feed the ducks. Yeah, feed the ducks. You don't need to feed them. They're getting all the food they need down there. Oh, we got your next agenda, too. Yeah. All right. Library.

I don't think so. I think I know. Casinos and Kino. So, last year I was just reading the newspaper and I saw that the the state passed the law to change the Kino requirements. Right. So, so years ago when Kino became they had a law saying that towns and municipalities can opt in, right? They passed a law out last year saying now towns have to opt out. Yeah, we have not opted out. So on January 1st, ENO will be legal in Bristol cuz we haven't opted out.

Big gambling gun to the legislature. So, so I was reading a newspaper article and it said as part of the thing they also passed a law now saying that t I don't know did you distribute that? Yeah, it's in um so in your folders there's a copy of an article from the conquered monitor saying that we now h we as a municipality now have the option to prohibit the establishment of casinos in our town.

I don't think it's a big deal. I don't know who I'm planning to do it, but in the past when we didn't opt in for Kino, it seems to me the town is not gambling enthusiast. I just want to make you guys aware that I would think it'd be a good idea to put that on next year's warrant. And has it both of those items would have to go on I believe. So what happens if somebody opens up because I know like at one point I think it was Lyn Cross that tried to do it and then it get voted down. Yeah. twice. They had petition article 4 both both times. All I'm saying and so I mean so they could move it in on January 1st. Again, I'm not a lawyer.

And and Right. If the town voted against it, then it would be stopped in March. Yeah. Right. Yeah. Which is interesting. It just it seems to me that now I'm going to get philosophical so you guys can ignore me, but it I I'm surprised I I guess I didn't appreciate how much when Carol was our on the select board and also the state rep. I think we knew better what was going on in the state. I don't think our I don't know if we've invited him or not, but I don't think we're getting information from our state rep now on what's happening. Is that something maybe would be worth it? But that's a decision you guys have to think about. I've started the folks in conquered are doing things and it affects us and I don't think we always know about it.

Yeah. I have started um next week next meeting of Graphic County Commissioner. Okay. Will be here. Um I have I'm starting to work through this. Which one? Uh Katie Heber. Yeah. Um the other thing we usually follow we try to follow bills the bills because I am signed up to follow them. I just don't have time right now to keep up with them all. So, the New Hampshire Municipal Association, they send out the

does does the heavy lifting on on a lot of that stuff for us, but you're you're right, there's a lot of stuff that you don't know until it happened. Um, and then there's a lot of stuff that I know in my involvement in the policy committee with the uh Timberland Owners Association, stuff happens to those bills, you know,

all of a sudden, you know, we had one case where the the the state agency was for the bill and was they're not allowed to they all they can really say is we're in favor of this, Right. Um but then there was an amendment made and then they had to come back and say, "No, no, we're not in favor of this bill." You know, uh and then other things like, uh um it's amazing. It's amazing seeing the sausage get made and and I don't know if I care to do it anymore. I'll do. Yeah. Watch it anymore.

I forget the numbers. There's a lot of bills over a thousand miles. Yeah, that's that's all too. Yeah, I keep up on some, but not we had well over a hundred just on our radar just on the Timberland and and property right stuff. Yeah, lodging and restaurant association keeps track of stuff to them. Yeah, I get emails from different groups too, but NHMA sends out the legislative bulletin. I just can't keep up with their physical the fiscal policy group. energy committee sends energy New York energy sends out notifications. So

I guess the thing for me Sean is so I'm I'm a library trustee now. So I'm getting particularly last year I was getting emails from the New Hampshire Library Trustees Association saying this bill is in committee and contact and I I'm not interested in calling or writing people on concrete but I want to make sure that when the process is over and they've made the sausage we know about we know about that's really what I'm annoyed about. I I don't I don't want to get involved in making sausage. I just want to know what it is we're being forced to to consume. Right. Yeah, that's a good point. So, um,

all right. Well, there's, uh, there's there's two mechanisms for that to happen. Uh, one would be that, uh, you make a strong case to us, which you started to do here, and we put it on the on the ballot on the, um, warrant. And uh the other case would be well maybe we're going to decide not to do that and you get a petition of certain amount of people and it goes and it goes on. I hear you but I thought it's not urgent but I was coming anyway but you're here and I don't I don't I'm not a big fan of waiting to January and showing up and saying I want a war. Right. Right. Right. Right. Gotcha. All right.

I'll keep it on the list for now. Come back to the board as we get closer. Then if you decide you really don't want to put on the warrant, I can let Paul know and if he wants to do petition, he can do it at that with ample time. Yeah. All right. Thank you. That's it for me. Um Okay. I guess without getting into Well, hold on, Paul. Without getting into too much uh specifics, have you have you started a search? Oh, no. That's what I just asked him if he found the advertisement. Yeah. Oh, okay. Yeah. Um, so Christina asked me to look for the advertisement put together for a previous filling in open position and I haven't done that yet.

So we hope in the next couple weeks to have something posted to do the search. We have someone in place to um hold the ship until No, we have it's an empty spot. You're talking about attempt talking about budget committee opening talking for library. Oh, good point. No. So, so library has two open positions as of May 15th. As of May 15th, right? So, have you started a search process? Yes. So, we we just actually before this I the library trustees met this this evening.

Okay. At the end of the meeting, the uh five member search committee, we we finished the public meeting. We went into a non-public session and then looked at the the not public session was for the search committee to start talking about details. The the position has been posted. People have applied. I think they're doing a preliminary uh review of uh resumes and trying to decide next steps. Great. Good. That's just wanted to know we were we were in the process.

Yeah. I mean I I you know one of the things that you may want to double check with everybody on is like with the closing and the things of whatever Newfound uh school district is kind of working through, right? Is there an opportunity for someone, you know, as they're looking at their staffing levels and what they need to do as they're working through stuff for next year, is there somebody there that uh may be interested as well? Okay. I So, I'm not on search committee and I don't know the detail. My understanding is there's some sort of board that's I don't know if it's on the state librarians association or that

librarians know that if they're interested in looking for a librarian's job that's like a job it's some sort of specific posting board for the state for for librarians. So personal position has been what's here we get like what like three libraries all within spitting distance of each other because of the difference between ours the one for the town plus the school ones. That's all I'm saying. Like with all the things going on that may be a good opportunity. That's all. Okay. Thank you.

Um while we're talking about the library the open positions because of the open positions and the deescalation training that we had originally scheduled, I didn't feel that we should have it and until we filled those positions. So we moved it to July 30th. Um and we're with the intent of transfer station is very interested in attending. Oh, good. the administrative assistance. Um this whole building probably anybody who's interested and then the library is also because that was we kind of pushed to have the deescalation training. Um so I I just felt we should wait until we gave them Yeah, it makes sense to have them have their staff. Yeah.

So So our chair of the library trustees is Heidi Jeffrey who I don't know if you know her. I don't think that involved in the rest of the town operation. But um what we talked about basically is for the time being we've put aside the uh youth services librarian, put that on hold, concentrating on the director's position, hoping to get that filled in weeks, not months, and and then they can and then they will participate in where we're going to go forward from there. Right. Good. All right. Okay. So, thank you for joining us this evening. You're welcome. Nightfall say thanks. I'll sit here at normal stuff. Yeah, we're getting back. All right.

I don't know. It feels like town administrator.

Um, if you want to look at the info only, I just dropped a folder in there called icebreaker. It's funny. And you don't have to look at that. Those we did. So, we did a um I do something every month with the department heads um at the department head meeting and I call it an icebreaker, but it's a getting to know you team building effort thing as well. So, that was you had to guess what your first job was either department head or town administrator and then there was a bonus of who was a volunteer. So, and it was all out of all of those as well. So, but I'll keep going. Is there um there is one thing so in your there um I put I added those email notice stuff that I sent out before. Um there's one question u meet your department head. So Chief Bean was in the recent meet your department head and I technically am the last one in that group. Um, so I'm gonna be answering Kate's questions and I'll be posing for a picture and um I'll be in the next Buzz most likely, not in the next one, but the He does it once a month. But I had thoughts about the next round. Meet your select board members. Meet your um or other thoughts from the board. Is there I'd like to We've done all the department heads. So where do we want to go from here? I think it's good.

Let's do we'll do the board. Meet Meet yourself. Y I will work with K. It will work in order of people leaving. Don't know first. All right. Where that went? I guess I'm last. There are some pictures in the info only folder about had some problems with things being dropped off at the spring. Um and then there's a couple other pictures about the BOR being repaired. So, if you need that, good luck to figure out what it is. I saw it.

Um, the discussion items. I'm going to turn mine into a list here. Hang on. There's a lot in here. Um, the first thing, um, it's the time of the month, employee appreciation. Congratulations on another year with the town of Bristol. grateful for your continued dedication, positive attitude, and the quality of work you bring to the town. For the beaches, they're actually we've changed up the beaches. You used to have to apply every year, and it made no sense to me if you were planning to come back every year. So, we stopped doing that. But, and that's why we created a seasonal employee status. So, for the beaches, we have Deerra Conway coming back and she will be one year. Um Ray Corine is coming back again and he's two years. Uh Susan Duel is coming back and she's one year. For the fire department we have Matt O'Neal 5 years. Amy Clayman 16 years. Edie Fiser is one year. Rob Glasset is 16 years. Although he will claim that he is a lot more than that. But

Michael Morris is one year. Brian Reed is one year. Harry Blebin, one year. I might have said that name wrong. Heidi Downing, one year. Marinda Nadu, one year. Eric Trino, one year. Um, in the highway department, we have Justin Merwin, two years. In the Minet Sleeper Library, we have Kate Larry, Katherine Larry, two years. In the water sewer department, Ashlin Ko is one year and David the Bombgard is one year. I think you have another beach employee that's got several years that you have a she's coming back though. She's coming back though.

Um they have training too. They have an orientation training um on Saturday. Um their orientation is the police department will go over ticket writing. Um the police department will talk to them about things. Um and then there will be a hybrid type shortened um first aid. um we've never done it before and we got thinking about they're at the beach if they can do something to help somebody in the interim. So we're doing that. All right.

Um, so this is a question. I came up with this idea. The townwide yard sale for in Bristol is July 18th, and I wanted to know if if the board what the board's thoughts were if I offered this lot parking lot up um first, I'd have them sign up for it, but to allow employees to participate in the yard sale and have it a big employee group um yard sale for that day.

Oh, that's good. Yeah. So, I have 35 boxes of stuff. I don't think I would bring all of them down, but and I would open it to others if if I don't get a lot of participants, but I would um I would be willing to pay for the table or the the thing for the map. Um so that from the order of the eastern star, but I wanted to make sure before I did it, you would be okay with that.

Okay. Um, TA number three, transfer station. Um, so number 3A, there's a flyer in your folders that's about styrofoam. Um, they and there's some pictures. So there's pictures of the bags and there's pictures of the trailer roof being fixed. So the transfer station fixed the roof for the trailer has announced voluntary recycling of styrofoam on the website and at the transfer station. Guilford has provided six recycling bags to the town of Bristol at no cost and they have guaranteed that they will track how many bags or deliveries Bristol makes. They will let us know at the end of the year what space was saved out of the MSW containers by recycling styrofoam with them. We will track um manh hours and mileage and gas costs so that when we do the whole picture, we have everything. and we know what it saved us and we know what we've spent to do it. Um, they did begin accepting this on May 1st. What was really funny is the day we didn't get a lot of advertisement up, but when there was a gentleman who came in and when he found out they were doing it, he went home and got all the styrofoam and came back. So,

so we'll see how it goes. Um, that's TA3B. Um, they did, there's a picture they did, um, do the cans gate that they were talking about. Um, it's been built and there's a picture for you to look at if you'd like. Um, T3C, what? Back to the gate. Yeah, I know the public's not over that way, but should we should probably spray paint the end of the 2x4s orange just good point. It's a trip hazard. Yep. Good point for employees. Yep. Okay. I'll ask them to do that, but they put a cone. Put a cone on it. Put a cone. But the cone looks like it's pushed in. But I think they should paint.

They should put or I think they should probably put a cone on it, too. Just stay flower. For Primex, the cone. Yeah.

Okay. Yep. I can ask them to do that. Um under TAC3. We created a sticker check form for you guys. Um I um there's going to be a clipboard in the main transfer station building. So, um there are key things to note like we pointed out what color the key the stickers are. Now, um we also have survey questions for you. Um we kind of want um we decided to create the survey questions. How would you rate your experience? Um were there any sticker related issues? If yes, what type? How many? Were there any other issues? If yes, what how many? Or do you have any other recommendations? And then we just have you sign it. So, we know you've done your sticker event, but we also get feedback from you from the sticker event. The clipboard will be in the main office. There will be um the ordinance and the train the fees will be also attached to the clipboard. So, you'll have those if you need to reference anything. So,

when we do this, whenever you want, whenever we decide. Yeah, we we talked about we do it as Yeah. Yeah. Do we need to coordinate or who's cont? No, just go do it. They know. They know you're going to the employees know that's going to happen sometime. Um Chuck will be out starting May 11th for a week or two. So um if you want somebody could certainly do it while he's away. Um but or you could just wait. It's up to you. Could send out something on the group text. Hey transfer station. Yeah.

Yeah. Come come follow me. Um, under Tday number four, upcoming events, community night out is June 25th from 5:30 to 8:00 p.m. at Kelly Park. Their rain day is June 26. Um, fireside chat at Slim Baker, I thought that would be nice to announce, is exploring Slim Baker's Wildlife Species is Wednesday, May 13th, 6 to 7 like that. Um, 4C I'm not doing anything. Um, for just a reminder for everybody this weekend, opening day for TTCC baseball and softball,

stay away from the transfer station. It's going to be a zoo from 9:00 a.m. to noon. There will be heavy traffic around Heir's Island Road during those hours. Um, so we want to make sure we did put out the sign board last weekend, so go early. Um, so we just want to make sure you know. Check the stickers. Right.

Um, scheduled water main repair and hydrant relocation is Monday, May 11th. Um, we've put something out on Facebook every week. It will be going out on Monday morning on Facebook to remind people. There's a sign that's been out this week down on Central Street. Um, we've contacted New Hampton and we let them know and had them share it with their people. Um, somebody called Bruning and let them know and I've also notified the school so they could let the buses know. Okay, very good.

Um, but so the plan is only to be closed. Um, no, no, it's a partial road closure. They don't want big trucks coming that way. So that's why we're doing that. But it's from 8:00 a.m. to 300 p.m. And the only way if they run into a problem, it could be longer. So, we just want to make sure people are aware. Um, hydrant flushing um was to take place April 28th through May 3rd. They're done. Uh I did not I don't know what we did with it, so I can't tell you. Yeah, I stopped and got one one side of my truck washed the other day.

Well, so there are I'll update you. I'll send an email off, but um there are four hydrants down. That's what I was going to ask about. Um and I don't have the list with me right now. So, one is on the square. Yeah, there's one in the square. I think there's one on one is at the well, Crescent Street. There's Oh, that Crescent Street one is still out. So, that's one. One is at the Fowler Well, and then there's one more street, maybe. Um, I'll email you and make sure you know, but they're going to be so working on um getting those back up and running. That was on my list.

We notified the fire department, made sure that they were aware that they were out and then they'll be repairing them. So, um 4 D, um, springtime in Paris, if you guys didn't get your prom tickets this weekend, they can get them at the door. So, Newfound Community Prom is Saturday, May 9th from 5:00 p. p.m. to 9:00 p.m. and $25 per person. Tickets at the door, cash bar, raffles, prizes, and food. And it it's at the St. Timothy Social Center building. Can we dress in our best8s? I Hey, by Don Johnson. I ordered my dress.

I bought tickets from my kid and her boyfriend. and he's got a suit and she's got a prom dress and so do I. So, I know some people are actually going all out. I've heard rumors they're going to limos,

so it'll be fun. Um, TA number five is the I'm going to email it to you, but that's the inside scoop newsletter. That's the first one. It's had been a really big hit, so I'll share that with I'll send that out to you. But um I did put the I added I added Sean's and I add lived it a little bit um from the slot board. Um but it's it's got a it's cute. It's got a lot of information in it and we're gonna it's been a very big hit. People are very happy. So um number six I want to share these because I don't know if everybody's seen them. Pretty amazing. These are the new beach signs. So let me get

fake. Okay. It does. In the picture. In the picture. Yeah. No, in the picture. The first one I looked at I'm like I thought it generated but now it's just make it out and make sanding. He does a really good job. Yeah. I was going to try to show them for the public. Sorry. Um but so the only thing at Cummings the exit and entrance signs aren't in yet. Um they they will be but we just put up the old exit and entrance signs for now. Um,

did did we did we ask him if and what for periodic maintenance, you know, spraying a clear coat on it every every other year or I think it's part of his agreement with us is to do it so many years. Okay. Because New Found Lake sign he's also there's an agreement for him to Yeah. Remember when we did that sign we did we talked through he we need him to do whatever he needs to do to keep it. Yeah. Copa staff. Sorry, my looks so nice. So, this is your Avery Cross Beach. Um, maybe.

Yep. It looks beautiful. Um, the looks like a CRQ. A mouse there. Yes, I see. See there? Curse is gone. Yeah, I moved it. Oh, no. It takes forever for it to move. Look. All right. But that's the Avery Cross speech. Um the Cummings beach do this is this one. It's a test. It's zoom and you're going to just say something about it. Listen, I don't have to. Its performance is obvious. So Cummings Beach when it pops up is this one.

And this one I think really looks what good with the what the water behind it. It's not centered between the stones correctly. Leave it to the engineers and it's crooked in my picture. But it is nice. Um and then um again when the exit and entrance signs get in, I will let you know. Now that's all I'm going to see. Don, sorry. Every time I drive by or walk by that, that's all I'm going to see is new. It needs to be an inch to the right. We are every picture I pull up and see. We are beaching up one side, not the other.

N about the swale sign cuz it's in rough condition to see if they will replace it. What sign? The swale of Cummings beach sign. They have a swale sign at Cummings. Yes. Yes.

So, we're going to see if they will replace it. Um TA number seven, there are pictures in your folders. We will do a more formal thank you, but um the realtors did give back day um on May 6th. They went out and cleaned up a coming speech. Did a great job. Um hiring department will be getting taking care of the debris either today with I think they were trying to get it done today. So once we get a list from Laura for who participated, we will have pictures and the names and a thank you and the buzz. So, um, TA number eight, uh, I guess look at TA number eight, number seven sign. I'll bring it up on the screen, too. It's not a great picture, but

I need to make you all T8. What was it? Seven. T87. You can look at the others. They're the like picture too. But this is the one I really So Rob my computer just Did we know it was going to be that big? So the sign was that big um that and Rob Glasset was going to frame it. So the So the sign was that big um that they had put in because it did replace it. Oh, that's right. It was the full sign.

Yeah. So when let's see if I can make it. Um so when the highway department and there the bracing boards will be removed. It was just for the cure but when the sele when the highway department framed it for me and you look at the back of it it matches the other sign almost perfectly. Great. So there they will be a second sign on the other side. The marathon group is going to I asked them to not do their old signs and so Victor talked to them about can you put one the same size

as the swim with the mission. So on the other side it will say home of the New Hampshire Marathon. It'll be a nice sign and we'll frame it. We'll put it in and you'll have them matched on either side and and everybody will be square with the agreement. Um all well and NL I'll tell you about NL everybody who as far as put money into these signs will be square by the time we're done. We've not made the flower the garden people very happy. So I just immediately want to make sure you understand that. Um but they were pretty upset by it. I think it looks really nice and I think when you get the other sign up there it will look really nice too. So did we remove that pile of stone at least?

That's part of their garden. Who the garden? Oh, that that one in the middle underneath. Yeah, they maintain that ground. This is all part of theirs. It's just not grown back in yet. So, um they had wanted us to put it the first call was 15 ft away from the New Found Lake sign and I said no. And then when I um them I let them know they wanted three feet. But what we've heard, what we talked to um the DOT, they didn't want it to be that far away. Yeah. Um they So that's why why it's where it is. So and I think it will look good once the other one's out. Agreed.

I've gotten a quote from um from the people who did the circles for us and Anna Laray was fine with the circle. They're the third one to make whole. Um, so I've gotten a quote and I can get the circle and if you're okay with that, I will order the circle, get that done and we'll get that up and then that will take care of these the three that were

Okay. So I I know we're talking about making everybody whole. However, is there do we have an agreement so that that we know moving forward because none of this stuff is permanent, right? So, I'm not looking to take anything away where people have have invested to have their signs up, but at the end of the day, you know, if that sign should be replaced every, I don't know, let's just say 10 years, right? And that's an extreme number, but like do they know that in 10 years they need to replace their, you know what I mean? Like what whatever we have to do to go, okay, this is the piece that we're doing right now, but but we need to not be responsible for all of these individual signs in perpetuity. We we are not responsible for the circles the but we but because we took the other sign down that's why we're doing the circle this time but they are responsible for take for their own circles if they have to be replaced. Is there a written agreement? No. There wasn't even a written agreement about

how these signs got paid for. So no that's fine but but but we have that opportunity. My point is we have that opportunity now to present it to them and go, "Hey, as a heads up, this is what we think it's going to be moving forward." And it just level sets everybody. We should have a sign ma ma. We should come up with some kind of agreement. Mama. Yes. Because it's getting late. I mean, you know, we're all getting punched. Um, yes, cuz I um if there's but I think we should have a standard format and that's all I'm saying like like there's an opportunity to maybe track when it was replaced or signed in a spreadsheet and you have all the data one

one spreadsheet. Get Ben on the spreadsheet. That's right. Or just have a do it in a second. Ben will do it like 5 seconds. He'll be done. Well, he gets to start with Smokey the Bear. Yeah. Yeah. So where So question, where's that new circle going to go? Because I got to figure out where it's going to go. No, the symmetry is going to be all off. And I'll never hear the end of it from the end. You can just move. It's not symmetrical. Move the bottom row to the side a little bit there. Yeah. So I So we'll make sure we try to make it as symmetrical as possible. How's that? We're starting new row top. So, while we're talking about signs,

this sign is the one coming into town. It is starting to show. It's gonna not make it. I think we can get another year. See this summer street? Why is it not sharing? You mean the one that's not up on the screen? The one that's not up on the screen. Which number? But I'm just expecting you read my mind. Platforms sign location eight. T8 location. That one. Yeah. So I I definitely want to replace the top thing. This thing we we know that. But I wanted to point out it does this is how the other sign started with the big line. I I think we uh right across it like that. So

I think we offer the deer as a as a sealed bid. A sealed bid. You can bid on the deer. There's a cork. There's a core group who would I put that right on my shed. You know what? Maybe that's maybe that's uh or no, the homestead. Maybe that's what the be standing for now. Right. So, um I want you to next year I'll have to probably put this in the budget. The question would be

we got concerns raised that we went away from this after spending all the money on the sealed guidelines. So, I feel We probably where we just replaced the other two in the other sections. We should probably stay similar to this one on this one because we kept New Found Lake as one group by doing the two beaches. But we paid a lot of money for the guidelines to do this new stuff. Money money ill spent in my in my opinion. And the comment that came from people from only a couple, it was really only a couple people was, "You spent all the money and you went away." Although they like the new found lake sign, they felt we we

Well, I don't want to spend I don't want to spend good money after bad. Exactly. Chase it. So we do I mean I have to try and keep the marathon on here that and then I still be these are the other two that also paid but I do you want to change the whole sign up for what if we did the marathon on the sign to kind of mimic what we're doing at the lake. So ch we could do the same thing here mimic what we're doing at the lake and move the

along. Well, because mission is on the right and then if we put the marathon on the left so it mirrors it and then the date can be hanging just below it or at the bottom of that rectangle I think would but you know maybe we can talk to to Ben about you know what the colors we could mimic the color scheme. Yeah. Right. Mhm. And but do we do we mimic the keep the Bristol blocks? Yeah. Well, well, we maybe look like depending on what we do. Maybe it's I think I think we have we have them paint the old Oh, the hoop.

I think we should put the old town seal back on. But listen, if we if we did something there, maybe the historic downtown, like the HDC could really kind of talk through like different things that they thought would There's no reason we couldn't do that. We could do both. I mean, we could do the old and the new together coming into town, but but then we have two other signs that are there. The other signs are the not the swim the plane and then we have the buck. But that theme, it's that new seal. Yeah. Yeah, those are all around the the beach areas. No,

no, no, no. I'm talking about by Hanniffords and then on Hannifford Hill the one going towards they match this. The bear and the lon and we have the bear and the lon, right? That's what I'm So I I say I thought you were talking about the new signs. No, no, no, no. I say we stayed with those were updated and we stayed with this theme. So I think we need to keep this theme but pick a dot but not a deer. Maybe it Yeah, maybe he can come up with a realistic way to Yeah. Okay. Well, well, so yes, we're going to put it in the budget and we'll work on a design. So, if we There you go.

It's going to be This is going to be expensive. Um but um but we'll work on design and just want to get direction which way to go. Yeah. Very briefly, what what I don't have the history for what we're doing here is what's wrong with these signs. Well, this one is falling apart. It's starting to fall apart. So, the one at the labaminating started to fall apart. Um, and this is exactly what it did. See these that line there? They all the panels started to fall apart. So, I'm like, "Oh, it's not going to be much longer." I think it was a year after we started seeing this.

Wow. And then the whole side panel blew away one winter from the one at the lake. So So some time ago, prior town uh administrator, not a prior prior prior TA um wanted worked with the EDC, I believe to rebrand the town to try to hired a company and they developed this branding and it was totally different. Like we used to have a old school kind I don't know if you've seen Tilton's area till New Hampshire is very similar. It's up in the old town hall. So the background in stage was the seal. Yeah.

So the seal was different. Um the little boy rolling a hoop. Yeah. With a stick. Yeah. So and then how many years ago was this we went away 12 15? It happened. It happened in that gap. I wasn't on the It wasn't before. When was when did we Yeah. Right. So in 18 we we transitioned to this this branding and we've kind of stay with it on the website and the signage. Do you know that we have a 12page document that tells us what we can and can't do with this. Yeah. Wow. That's great. Yeah. So we end our letter head. I hate

our letterhead. The company the company that did it all is gone. this company like this. Um I think it's fine on the website. There was a lot of uh you know there was a lot of backlash. No no I was just showing in my screen losing the history and yeah the EDC I think is they felt that the town need to be remarketed. Yeah. And so remarketing it meant we should rebrand it. So I like the website branding. I like it a lot frankly. Well and that's what the second version Yeah. Right. the second website.

Yes, this is the website that we just that we we actually had to update this past year. We had to go to a different platform. So, but okay, let's direction. Thank you. The next one's going to take a while. Get out of the weeds. Um, TA Oh, yeah. Sorry. TA number. What am I talking about?

Sorry, I got to get back to the screen. Um, oh yeah, TA number nine on mine because I had to is clean up Bristol just announcing um it is sponsored by um sustainability committee and the assessing and land use department have gotten involved in this. So that that will be Saturday May 16th from 9:30 to noon. Anybody interested in helping out so there's flyers online on the website uh rally at Kelly Park, right? Yes. Yeah. Um, number 10. Let's talk. So, number 10. Can we Can we table a lot of this till next time? I mean, it like I have I have Well, we're going to be meeting with So, number 10. If you I don't have a 10. It's at the top.

It's up at the top because I added it in. So, I couldn't find that cuz she doesn't go on one. Well, no, it's at the top cuz I just added it. So, number 10, there are two letters there. ones from Sergeant. It's that explaining they're stopping work and why they're stopping work and what they expect. Um, Underwood Engineering conversation. Underwood Engineering has also composed a response letter that they've sent to them. I like Underwood's response.

It's a very good response. Um, we meet next week um on Wednesday with the Central Street Project. I'm sure this will be a topic of conversation at that meeting. We're also going to be talking to them not just about this. Well, they're going to have they've got this already. So, they're being told come back for So, we are going to also be talking to them and getting complaints about the way the roads left of Port Kevin Piliter's front lawn. They didn't put anything back to where it was supposed to be. Um, and then, um, the other thing I just heard in yesterday's department head meeting is that their flaggers aren't paying attention and they had traffic go head on.

Yeah, I saw that. It was right in front of me. There was a truck par stop and then there was flashers. There was lights with the flasher on the side and this car, this car decided to go, "Hey, I'm going to go around this truck." So they're like they just want to go around the truck. They thought the truck was stopped because of the flash air and Oh yeah. idiots that are stopped all traffic to put their four-ways on. Yeah. Yeah. So we're going there's going to be a long conversation at next week's meeting. We meet um twice once or twice a month. Yeah. On this including New Hampshire DOT including Sergeant including Underwood and us.

So I don't I don't think this has to be a long discussion John. I think I think the town's position is we agree with Underwood and we expect you to be back on site. Yeah. Um and and I I do like his comment about well I do understand where you've had to open up the road. Yeah. To though that might be additional and that might be a change order if that's where it goes. That will come to the board for you to approve first. So but I I did appreciate the way they handled this. So, so just to be clear that it was really good, especially when they said line boring is more expensive. Opening it up is generally a little bit less. Yes, you need to get your butts back on site. Like all that was really good.

Where I thought it was a longer conversation was partially of what we just said about flagging, which is a different problem. Yeah. And then who exactly is the project manager for this thing, right? like like Steve said,

at some point somebody actually needs to provide some better status reports. Okay, so earlier tonight we talked about extending the ban because the timing is getting messed up. In extending the ban, the the interest payments are going to go up because we're going to hold money for a longer period of time. Okay, we're talking about other costs that are also going to increase. Again, all reasonable things, but we don't seem to be capturing them in a logical order, right? And and maybe we don't know some things, but I actually think that they know I think people know a lot more than than they're letting on. And we seem to be led into a corner of all right, well, we don't really have a choice. We just have to keep going. And and there is some truth to that because we've dug up a place and we want to get it done. But but we shouldn't be forced into well, you know, here are your choices.

Give us more money. Give us more money or you right like like contractually we need I think we need a contractual review just sort of across the board. Um and and again I I kind of want to see sort of like what all of these changes what does this do to the schedule? What does this do to how we're doing our own planning? Anyways, what day is the meeting? The letter addresses the schedule. It's in there. Yeah. It says August 7th to September, which we already approved an extension on the schedule, but we were talking about December, too. No, I put December just to try to make sure to make sure I could get the funding turned around and pay the ban off.

Um, so we do get um monthly budget reports that have to be signed off on by um Underwood, me, USDA, EPA, and CD. Wow. We all have to sign and that's been the so we all have to sign off on these monthly budget reports. So I can certainly start sharing those. I hadn't been um I can certainly start sharing those with the board.

It's complic I guess all I'm saying is is there's clearly a lot of moving parts and and it just at least for me it feels like we just keep getting backed into a corner where hey you don't really have any choices. You just got to keep rolling with it. But yet we're rolling with the center of town. I really don't like that they basically said we're having difficulty with leaving until you figure it out. Yeah. Well, they threw their hands up. That's exactly Yeah. Anyways, well, they So, I will tell you they did hit a sewer line twice. Yep.

Um but the sewer line didn't move. So, we don't know why they hit it a second time. So, um, Ken Piller told me and he came to the DOT meeting and I talked about the brown house. Yeah. No, the white one. Oh, okay. Yeah, I know. Yeah. So, he did not get notified and they just showed up and dug up everything and moved his flower garden and so and he had a wall, rock wall kind of to keep the traffic from going up towards his house has been hit before. So is the other one. So they have not. So we're addressing that. We've already communicated with them because we feel that they should put makeard fix it. Yeah.

Just leave it like they did. So yeah. All right. So anyway, I'm sorry. Um under number 11, uh there is we did get the updated numbers for the PMI path. Um that's the estimate. What I'm waiting for right now is there's uh Army Cortilla is doing a fillable agreement form and soon as I get that I'll be able to uh fill in the certain numbers and in kind comments and then sign off on it and we think that'll be finalized. But this is lower than what was originally and and it's way more than we're going to spend. I'll tell you that potentially. Yes.

Yeah. cuz we're going to be we're going to be raising in in in donations. Uh for instance, I was looking at it. I was looking at it earlier. You know, the uh the clearing, we're not going to pay for that, right? Um people with people. Yep. The um uh what's it? The timber trestle bridge. There's no way we're going to spend 430. I mean, we're literally talking if the Army Corps comes through with the authorization that we expect that we can use uh timber mat bridging with with uh waste blocks. Yeah. I mean, those will be donated uh and trucks on site for for free. It's just the equipment time to to put them in.

But this is lower than So, the northern borders when we did this, it was 1.8 million. Yeah. So I don't that included a weird like 150 foot long uh bridge expansion bridge or something like that. Yes. So you know so so that's um so as soon as I get the new form you're right the estimate is probably higher um than what we're actually going to have to do. So that's true.

Um I just saw an email um New Hampshire. So, I've got a follow this is a follow-up email from the New Hampshire DOT meeting last week um on the 10-year plan. Um they're working on establishing a project working group. Um I guess I think they also emailed everyone on the list. I think Well, no, this went to the board, it looks like. Oh, yeah. So, it went to the people they want to put on the working board.

Okay. So they're proposing um a P project working group. Um in the past the type of team has been called project advisory committee. They'll participate in the project process, disseminate info, help review, comment on project elements. They don't anticipate this being a huge commitment. You'll occasionally receive an email update or be asked for your feedback um on an idea or direction. um they'll meet virtually in advance of milestones or public meetings to ensure we're addressing community meetings with the project. So their members are me Sha Scott Sansigrin, John Miller, Victor Greenwood, Jeff Chardier, Troy Ko, and then the two community members. So I just wanted to they said if you're not interested or don't feel you can commit to this, please let please let them know. I would glad to let them know, but I wanted to double check with

with the ones that are on the a little bit. Yeah. So, I think it must be because you all spoke and we all showed up. We were there. Well, Scott was there, but he didn't say anything so he didn't get thrown on this. I guess not. Um, they did say Oh, so he does say it's actually a good point. Um, if you have any good candidates for the community members to participate, let them know. I personally thought Britney Durgen on Maple Grove Lane was well spoken and voiced some valid concerns and would be a good member, which she was. So, she probably would be a good member, I think. Pro Yeah. And probably also

the No, not uh No, not that person. Um, but I do think it's important to have someone on that that is going to be I don't say critical, but maybe a little, you know, just I think it's important to have to cover the bases. Um, if you think of someone Yeah, I'll Yeah. Okay. Um, and I'll respond to them.

Yeah. Yeah, that's true. Okay. All right. Um, you know what? Maybe Yeah, I I'll get back. I got an idea, but I'll get back to it. All right. Okay. Um, I G. No, I also just read I'm not doing I said that all that. Yes, my aunt sent me a picture. Um, he said, "You're in a newspaper." And of course, I'm like this. And I'm like, "Oh my god, I look like I am utterly bored with what Buzz is saying." Yeah. I was not.

All right. Um, oh, I did. So, I do need two seconds at the end for non-public because I have an EES litigation update. Okay. I just got So, all right. Very good. Select board items. Done. I just wanted to put it out there that with the higher fuel costs and cost of everything, we should probably be watching our budget a little bit closely. I know that our department heads do a very good job of watching their budget, but yeah, we should be But it's a major factor in the Yeah. And there's there's some other stuff too. What

electricity? The way we changed the funding of the fire equipment that's going to be taking revenues out, right, of the stream, which is going to put more pressure when we're setting the tax rate. The other thing that's going to be putting pressure on revenues going down is they keep on talking recently today about the uh doing away with what do they call a gas tax holiday. So if they reduce that then our block grants going to be lower,

right? And also just the fact that people are going to be spend with the gas price being up higher, people are going to be spending less anyhow, which means there's going to be less revenue in gas tax to begin with. So all those things are going to put pressure on us in November. It just it just it just pushes that further down the stream. It's like, oh well, okay, we saved a few few cents at the pump, but oh, property tax was going up because of something that they Exactly. people people don't realize the the further ramifications. You know, it's not just that your roads aren't going to get done. It's the some of that money comes to miss municipalities, right? And we'll be missing that which we'll have to make up with taxes.

Do we So, we are getting a $35 fuel s charge now with our hauling at the transfer station that may affect us as well. And then I will let you know our electricity bills have almost doubled. though um in some aspects community power still hasn't gone live and constellation energy I'll explain that another time but um constellation energy we cancel we technically didn't renew them and that but they said because I didn't cancel officially tell them that we were cancelling they held us in a held over holdover rate I've been arguing with them about it right now

so but still we would have doubled with ever source um it was scare it. It's a little scary how high the bill went from one month to the other. So, yeah. So, we should just keep an eye on Yeah. On on Dawn's point, can we ask the department heads to just um put out to their the team that to try to reduce idling time just to try to conserve fuel when when possible. Yeah. Right. Yeah, I agree. But just be vigilant. Yeah. Yep. Um we are pushing to make sure that they use the wax cards because it does give us discounts. Yeah.

Um or the NHD because that's usually cheaper. So um we're working on fixing the PD. So they have So PD has wax cards, but they don't have the NHD fob as a backup. So they had to go to park and go when we had the issue with the wax. Um, but we fixed the issue with the wax and we are going to look into getting them NHD dot fobs so that we can try to conserve some money there. Can't believe they haven't had that all along actually. Yeah. One other quick thing. The uh they were doing some timbering over Yeah. at camp. Did we get an intent to cut on that that I missed? Okay.

Yeah. I just wanted to be sure. Yeah, we did. I walked by and was like, whoa. It really cleared a lot out there. It's funny because you went out the one who was cut and you got charged. No, that's a different different one. Sorry. Sorry. I was going to say Mus was another camp that Well, not Yeah, Mowgly did. Yeah. Yeah. I did forget something. All right, you can keep going and I'll reserve the right

Okay, John. Um, okay. So, uh, EDC is is gaining some momentum. So, Bruce is is really digging in to try to get different folks. So far, he's got Bug, uh, Buzz Kenny, uh, Todd Civney, Amy Yankl, um, from the school. Um, we're working on trying to find somebody for Midstate Health for Hannerfords, Freudenberg, Franklin Savings Bank. So, really just trying to like, okay, who are the major employers in town? Um, I've had the list will come back to the board for appointment. Yeah. Yeah. But he's still working on it. Have they reached out to Hanford? The

uh that I don't know yet. I I don't know. We have the new slash old manager um is very good. Okay. Very very I don't know I don't know we've got there yet. Yeah.

Right. So anyway, so we're getting closer on that. Um some you know some interesting conversations with the state. So, I've had two or three different long conversations with Joe Kenny the other day. Um, just trying to go through I I think it's I think it's a big data exercise that could help us all. But like when you ask folks about economic development and you mentioned Bristol, it's it's really interesting how they downshift immediately into well, you know, tourism and this and that, right? like it it's um it's almost enlightening when you kind of hear them sort of start to run off. Okay, well you got Freenburg that's doing this and you have Anna for and they kind of walk their way through town but we don't necessarily connect the dots between the roles that are here, the housing costs, you know, what is the cost of living in Bristol and then how what are we doing to help develop it. So anyway, so so just there's more to come and and we're making progress. That's that that's enough for tonight.

All right. I've caused enough trouble. Steve, there's no Steve here. Scott. Sorry, Scott. He's reading. I'm going to call you Steve from now on because we already have Scott. I should go by Steve because I get it so long. The B is in my last name. Right. Right. So often at work, I have nothing to add. Okay. Thank you. All right. Scott Sig. I was going to say Scott S doesn't even I can't think of anything at this time.

All right. Uh we conservation commission met last night. Uh there was uh just a a little project that's going before the planning board for uh basically replacing of a deck, but it's like right on the water on Bikes Point. It's like perched little deck uh on a on a piece of rock. Um not a not a big deal. Um there was mention of the spring. Um we got an email from You want to talk about spring? I said in the pictures that it just popped in my mind. A lot of trash.

So before the picture showed up uh of the chair and other thing and then um got another picture today. Someone left a bag of bottles there. We we did because um we did end up taking them and getting rid of them because part those will blow all around. Yeah, I think they thought they were helping out cuz people could use the containers, but whatever. Um Scott had sent me pictures over the weekend where he went and you know dog hair everywhere. It looks like so much Oh, they brushed their dog. Brush their dog while they were waiting. Uh garbage stuff did little nooks and crannies and stuff like that. So, you know, I don't

I mean, we've got all the signage there. So, it's like

next step's like a camera. So, interesting you say that because uh Joanne in land use sent me an email and said, you know, would the conservation commission consider putting a trail camera there? Um, and the answer is yes, and we can certainly do that. Um, you don't there's no way to like catch somebody in the act, you know, unless you get a cell phone one and then you're calling the police, you know, they're going to drop everything to run over to the spring. But, um, certainly there could be some retroactive enforcement, uh, or you're on camera, you know, signage. Um, we also talked, Scott and I have talked every every time we drive by it on coming home from our dump run on Saturday morning. You know, there's

there are a few um there are a few branches that could be removed so that more light gets more I was supposed to do the light. I did not style light gets in there. And if we had that different style light, it would shine more light over there versus down. I didn't but I didn't increase the dimness because I I if I increase it and make it brighter there that that we can see what happens in that area. I forgot to do that. Did you just say increase the dimness? Yeah, I did. that would make it darker. I'm going to unthaw it.

Right. So, there are some things that we'll be working on uh on that. Um you might just put a surveillance uh sign, right, without in a fake box. We did buy um at Kelly Park where you said, "Smile, you're on camera." Yeah. And it had a big smiley face and it said, "Smile, you're on camera." Yeah. Yep. I I do think we need that. Um trying to think of what else came out of that. I was going to talk about hydrates, but we hit that. Um so I'm probably good. I I do I just threw something in your folder for you to look at before. Okay.

Um there are two things. I've marked them as number 12. They may be at the top where mine is at the bottom. But um we might have to refresh.

We revamped the outstanding service award based on feedback from because it's coming up. I need to get this out um to department heads. Um I reviewed it with the department heads. They had no I made some changes. I changed the definitions. I changed I cleaned it up. And then based on feedback I got from select board during the review of the outstanding service awards, I added some questions. So the first two questions that are I don't know if you got it yet. Did you at all get it? Go ahead.

Um the first two questions are the same as what was on there. They're just worded a little differently. So I changed the it to say describe the specific action, achievement, initiative, or circumstance that merits this nomination. Please include what occurred, when it occurred, but Don Milburn is here. It tells me, and the employees role, and then explain how the contribution went beyond the employees normal job responsibilities and standard performance expectations. If the action fell within regular duties, explain why the performance was exceptional. So the next questions are new. What was the impact of the contribution? for example was increased service delivery, enhanced public trust, cost savings, safety, teamwork, problem solving, community benefit. And then what who benefited from the contribution of service? Was it the department, multiple departments, the residents, public, organizationwide? And was the contribution a one-time action or a sustained effort over time? Then I added a select board scoring sheet. I'm looking at you John to give you criteria. So based on those five questions, you would score how substantial and noteworthy was the action, initiative or effort. You'd score her one to five with one being four, not four, but one not being high on your list, but five being exceptional. And then there are 25 total points. And depend and whoever gets the most points would be out of the five of you would be the one to we would select for the outstanding service award and we usually give out two

per year at the mandatory training. Yeah. At the mandatory training. Yeah. We don't actually I changed it to say up to two. So we may choose only to give one. Yep. And that's up and but we can give up to two in the policy. Sure. Um, and so if you're good with it the way it is, I'd like to make it an official policy. Have have you just vote it in, okay?

And be okay with it. Um, but I will I'm going to point out the other change I did was on we number there's the PTO prize voucher. Um I updated this and made it um for both events that we do that we give these out um and change and fixed the wording um with the full-time employees. We talked about making sure that it was prrated for part-time versus full-time. We also last in holiday we did hammer turkey if you recall seasonal or perdem employees. So for the summer we we put $25 gas card instead. I want to make sure you're okay with that before it goes out. We thought that was a good option in case a call firefighter wins gets this. I just don't want them to be excluded from

giving getting something. Um and then we did um we did spell out it's a one-time use only. You can't break if it's if you get this voucher and it's eight hours, you can't do four hours stay and four hours next time. You have to use it all at once. and you have to use it within the calendar year it was awarded and it will not be paid out. There's no cash value because that's what we we talked about. So, this is updated too if you're good with this. Okay. So, I don't know if you want to uh vote to approve them both and I can add signature lines and stamp them for you if you're okay with that. Okay. I'll make a motion to approve both. How do you want me to wear it again? That's good. Okay.

All right. We have a motion. Is there a second? Second. Second by Don. Any further discussion? Hearing none. All those in favor, please say I. I. Those opposed. Abstensions. And the last thing I just wanted to say, your new CIP chair is Scott Surn. Is that right? Yes. That's right. Wow. That's a huge That's a huge torch. Oh, I'm done. Agree to everything. It's a big old rusty torch. What did he do? He must have like spiked your beer or something. Like here the group there. Nobody. I mean, a lot of people I He beat out a lot of people for that.

I wouldn't want to do it either, but I'm like, you know, fine, baby. Nobody I mean, nobody was eager. Everybody was hiding behind their notebooks and stuff and like all right and it's a very good pass to somebody else. It's a very good actually probably better at Excel than I am. Absolutely. So it's it's a step up. You're going to show them all pivot tables next and watch them go. Yeah.

Someone tried to explain that to me once. I did start conversations with the department heads and their admins to be prepared about some of that where you're discussing um adding town building maintenance plan. Um I said I'm going to wait in for your next meeting when you talk about it so I can give them more guidance. So and they were they think it's a good idea. So and I don't want to do it so I'm happy. All right. Very good. Good. Any other selected items? No. Okay. Any public comment? No. Public? No. No. Okay. Who wants to do it? Oh my god.

All right. Who wants Who wants to do that? Oh, what's 91AC? Oh, all three. Okay. It's easier just to do. Good night. Good night. Motion going to nonpublic session under 91 A32 A B and C. Uh we have motion going on. Is there a second? Second. Seconded by John I. Don John I. Scott I. Sean I vice chair I at