Town Council - Regular Meeting

Please be sure. Oh yes. Moving to the agenda. First order of business is adoption of the agenda. Move to adopt the agenda submitted. Second. Motion's been made to move and adopt the agenda. Are there any additions or changes to the agenda? If not, those in favor of adopting the agenda, please signify by saying I. I.

Post nay. Agenda's adopted. Next item of business is approval of minutes regular meeting of April 28th, 2026. You have to approve those minutes. Second.

Motion made to move and approve the minutes. Are there any errors or emissions in the minutes as presented? Yes. The water is the bioance plant credibility. So right here um I believe the top of page three right

who are you please Baker Baker so it's the word integrity to change it to credibility. Yes. Okay.

We'll make that change. Second. Is there any discussion? Mi change the minutes. say I

post those nay changed. Any other comments or changes to the minutes? Not those in favor of accepting the minutes as presented with the amendment, please signify by saying yes. I I post nays. Next item, business, public remarks. Please raise your hand if you'd like to make public comment. Remember, you have three minutes.

Okay. Thank you. And I will point out that on the back of the agenda are the rules of this town council with regard to public comments and yes start. Yeah, go ahead. Okay. Thank you. So I'm here um to talk about the pollinator resolution. I was the one who is working on that. Um, and first of all, I want to thank you for taking the time to consider it.

Okay. I've never done this before. My name is Andrea Simmons. Do I have to give my address? No, my name is where you're affiliated.

I will. I was getting to that. But first, I wanted to say thank you for even taking a look at it and for considering it and um uh perhaps adopting it to the town uh for the town. So I am um on the sustainability committee of the clean energy task force and um we are working for a sustainable Connecticut certification and part of that certification is um to adopt a pollinator resolution for the town. That's one of the actions that we're working on. Um, and so as I was doing research for this uh resolution, I found out that there are a number of towns around us who also have adopted resolutions. Portland, Tusan, Hebrin, Marboro, Lime, and other towns are working on this. So, it's an it's an area of real importance to our community and the communities around us. And I think it would be wonderful if we could um have some kind of a resolution here. Um and why it's so important is according to the USDA, one out of every three bites of food that we take is dependent upon pollinators. And in recent years, the uh the pollinators have declined steeply and um due to habitat loss and pesticide use. And so it's now incumbent upon towns, municipalities, individuals with the support of organizations like Pollinator Pathway and Homegrown National Park to do what we can to support pollinators to provide uh eco-friendly habitat to um encourage them to flourish again. And uh so um I think that pollinators do so much for us. they give us a third of our food and

it's now time for us to give back. So, it's a cycle of reciprocity. Um, and it's a a really important issue in our world today and it has to do with the food security of future generations. So, I just want to note that East Hampton has already um given some land in front of the library for a pollinator garden to be established and I worked on that and uh the library has been wonderful in support of it and every time I work there the town's people who come by say how wonderful it is and the Rotary gave a sign which Christine changes every season to help educate people about the importance of pollinators. So, um I hope that you will consider this resolution and um I think it's a really important move our town can make and if there's any questions, I'd be happy to answer them. So, thank you. Thank you. Yeah.

Is there anyone else who would make public? Mr. Johnson question. If my comment is related to budget, do you want me to wait or should I go now?

Good evening everyone. Sarah Strange, Nine Huckleberry Acres. I am here to share some thoughts with everyone about our school budget. Um, I am here as a resident, as a parent, and yes, a member of the board of ed, but we'll leave that one off the list for now. Um, since my child entered the school system here in East Hampton back in 2019, I've always felt respected and supported by every single member of the staff in our school systems. Um, the administration and the teachers always go out of their way to give every single child what they need. And that is that's the biggest thing a parent can ask for when they're putting their child into a school. Um, when we began our journey into the special education arena, that feeling of support and care and focus on my child only continued and it has grown and evolved over the six years that Hannah has been in school. Now, um, every single conversation that we've had, every parent teacher conference, every IEP discussion has always been focused on what is best for my child and what they need to be successful. And again, that's the only thing a parent can ask for. Um, this experience started at Memorial School entering kindergarten and has only continued as we moved up through center school and I cannot imagine anything would be any different as we move through the later schools as Hannah gets older. Um, I have no reason to think that that feeling of care and support is going to change based on my work that I have done

with the board of ed and every single experience that I've had with every person here in the school system. I understand that I am only one person up here talking about my personal experiences. However, I have no doubt that this feeling would be conveyed by a bunch of other PE parents here in our community. And as we move towards approving the budget, moving it towards referendum and things of that nature, I would simply ask that as town council members, as voters, everyone, please, please, please consider this information and think about what we can do for our kids and our community because really this isn't just about the kids. So, thank you everyone. Appreciate it. Thank you. Leonard Johnson 21 long crossing road. In my opinion, the parking lot lot between the middle school building and the athletic field does not need paving. There are a few p pot potho holes that potholes that need need attention. The circle in front of the school's front to door is in good condition. They do not need to be p paved. There are a lot lot of roads in town that need paving like ch child's road from the vicinity of route 66 to the vicinity of the middle school property.

If we we have a contra tract and we we have to do do some p paving let's p pave something that really does need paving. Thank you

Valerie Hillbaker. Nine Lina Lane.

Um I am here to support the recommendation that has been made in prior meetings that the town council approve a zero increase budget for both the town and the education budgets in this budget cycle. The increase in property valuations is so extreme for many residents that the mill rate needs to hold the taxes level. I am somewhat frustrated because I've tried very hard to find the current education budget proposal and I can't. Um, I have found documents that really look like sales brochures, but I haven't found anything that says this is what we're paying the administration, this is what we're paying the teachers, this is what we're paying for curriculum. I would recommend that um someone I would request that someone guide me to a plain language budget that clearly outlines what the request is. Um I'm concerned particularly about the education budget because each increased budget which we have faithfully increased every year becomes the untouchable baseline for the ensuing year. the the next year taxpayers have provided um a lot of money for education and I'm concerned that the outcomes are not reflective of the amount of money that we've provided. Our um if you apply the grading system that we all grew up with 90 to 100 is an A. Anything below a 60 is an F. The proficiency scores for the most recent year I could acquire were that um

reading is a score of 62 on an average across the the system. Math is at 54. Those are not good grades. And it isn't hard to get good proficiency scores because the Department of War does it every year. They're in the 90s for their schools. I believe that we need to make increasing these scores, improving these scores a priority for this ensuing school year. They need to be in the 80s. They just do. They're not good at all. And I'm worried about what that will do to the children because there's a moment of opportunity in each child's life where they learn the basics and then they can build on them. For example, third grade is the magical age. If a child can read proficiently with comprehension at the end of the third grade, they will be successful by and large. If they can't, they're at risk for being high school dropouts. We need to take a real hard look at that because these scores are not acceptable. uh 74147 Colchester Avenue. I was going to say something else, but just response um to a previous uh speaker, 20% one out of five students in our East Hampton schools are special needs and may not have the proficiency or the uh levels of education or can rise above um because of their um condition. And unfortunately

the way things are um presented to the town everything gets mixed in and so we have abnor it looks abnormally low or lower than it really is. Um I hope the superintendent will address that. I hope. Um but my uh I want to address that. Um in general um I'm concerned about the budgets that are being presented to the town. I'm concerned that it's going to go down in flames uh too often this year because of what was mentioned earlier and um that we need to be serious and bold. I I recommended uh town council be serious and bold and make bold moves u to show that they are serious about um cutbacks. I made I mentioned previously about copying what the school system did with looking at the insuranceances of the town employees to see if we can get together with similar towns to try and make the um insurance costs less. I haven't seen any movement from the town council. I know that you've been involved with the WPCA and that has probably uh distracted some of your attention, but um we got to keep focus on or remain focused on our town budgets. I don't believe that they've been uh pushed back hard enough um and enough uh public information was presented that would um uh show people uh why we should accept the budgets as presented. So, I'm concerned. I just want to mention that to the board and encourage you to um be bold and serious and what a reminder that a few years back the town the the uh education budget did go into deficit spending. Uh so we lowered the new rate while the education budget remained higher than necessary and then it was um evened out through attrition and um and people that um uh retired. And so after a couple of

years um you know so things can be modified or adjusted in the budget to uh give us a lower mill rate uh so that things can can be can happen over time that would not require layoffs. Thank you. Good evening, John Murphy, 11 Teragon Drive. I want to associate myself with the young woman who was the first speaker about the pollinator pathways. Um, I'm not going to reiterate all the stats that she talked to you about, but I am going to tell you about my own experience. I recently moved here last year from East Harford and I started a pollinator pathway project in East Harford and we ended up planting a beautiful pollinator gardening at the Pet Dietro Park. We got the garden club involved and the Rotary Club and the Lions Club and built something really beautiful. And the the across the street was a middle school. We had actually a elementary school. We had 10 fifth graders come over as part of their class to come over and help plant, dig, and learn about native plants and why pollinators are important. So, we should be encouraging the town to be putting in pollinator plants whenever they're planning on town property. The schools should be doing it. As you're developing a farming ordinance and having a group work on farming in this town, pollinators, farmers need pollinator. Maybe your chickens don't need it directly, but people that are growing stuff need pollinators. So, it's a great thing to do. Anyone that's driven by my yard, they'll see me out there. I'm planting pollinators and all over the place. So, it's a good thing. We need it and it's a very positive thing for our community. So, that's all I got to say.

Thank you. Yeah. there anyone else who would

uh good evening Tom Seuin 47 Cone Road. As I uh spoke at the last meeting concerning the budget, uh again I challenge uh you all to have a flat budget or a uh current uh dollar amount. I did listen in last night with the uh board of ed meeting and the money uh the extra money that was uh given to us by the state uh the budget will be reduced or their proposed budget will be reduced. I haven't seen anything about what the town plans to do with the money that uh we're getting from that. But again, um, we need to try and have a zero increase from last year's or the current, uh, monetary amount. If that means we have to do more with less or we have to lay people off or provide less services, I think we need to do that. This is a this this is going to be a tough year. Not not to mention the no rate increase that we all are going to uh incur or the the higher evaluation which is going to cause our taxes to be more um higher energy bills. Uh quite frankly, you know, as an old older person retired, I know it's going to be tough, but I'm now looking at uh the younger folks that have new mortgages that are going to be hit with uh increases not only in their mortgage payment, but their taxes and how are they and young families, how are they going to afford to put food on their table? I think we need to be prudent and uh money doesn't grow on trees. Um it's our money and yes the town needs to look more in spending on the infrastructure and the schools. You know it's what over 60% of

the budget is towards the schools. I think we we need to we need to stop 5% every year 4% every year. That's uh um that's a lot of money. How many people get a raise when they're working at four or five percent. Instead of providing people with raises, maybe we should look at bonuses one time so it doesn't keep raising their salaries and uh uh contributing to their retirements. Times are tough and uh you know our town is growing and the the the the stress on the infrastructure is just going to keep increasing. I think we need to take a round turn on on on the budget and and it should be zero sum and even with that our taxes will increase because of the re-evaluation.

Thank you very much. Oh, and uh Mr. Yanker wrote a nice article in the River East, Common Sense. Uh I believe his numbers were pretty spot on. You know, I didn't I couldn't verify them all. Um and I'm sure the gentleman that spoke last last month or last meeting concerning the finance and how the budget is put together, I understand how a budget is put together. working for the government over 40 years. You know, I've zero sum resitions, no raises, um layoffs, riffs. It's a fact of life and we need to minimize that in the future because it's going to be an avalanche. Thank you. Anyone else?

Two ones. Two on. Okay. Right. Turning now. Hello. Can you hear me? Yes.

All right. Hi, this is Brian Turner uh 42 Spice Hill Drive. Uh so the stated goal uh goals rather coming out of Hartford regarding the election year education funding that uh we're getting uh was one to reduce property taxes and two to help fund education. But the only way that money will help in reducing property taxes is if our town passes a budget with no increases above last year's funding. Our neighbors in East Hatam were able to pass a flat budget. Why can't we? Many of us are already looking at a significant property tax increase thanks to the inconsistent revaluation that has my humble home seeing an over 60% increase in assessed value. While one town council member's island resort in the middle of the lake somehow lost a million dollars in value, we've seen steady and consistent declines in our enrolled student population year after year, yet always an increase in the budget. Given the impact of revaluation, this is a year for a flat board of education and town operations budget. The taxpayers need a year to catch up to catch their breath. Either way, the funding from the state is our tax money, but it's also an election year campaign effort and not a permanent solution. So, use it for a one-time expense on the town uh town operations side of the budget that will benefit the schools so it doesn't permanently raise the school budget year after year. Look to make a uh look to move a teacher from the um higher grades with declining enrollment numbers into the kindergarten position rather than hiring a new uh kindergarten teacher. help all the taxpayers and lower our taxes. Because after all, that's what the majority in Harford said they wanted to do. Unless the majority on the town council and at the board of finance and the board of education think those are just empty election year promises, which they probably were. Uh this budget will not pass referendum and when it doesn't, you need to push for a flat budget. It would be a great way for the majority here to win back some of the respect they recently lost. Thank you for your time.

Hi, can you hear me? Yes.

Hi, this is Rebecca Hajj, 28-year-old Middletown Road in Cobalt, Connecticut. Um, two things. First of all, the pollinator pathways. I think it's a wonderful idea. I totally support that. and I actually attended the airline trail meeting last week. Um I offered to start one along the airline trail where my prop property abuts um approximately 5 and a half acres um in cobalt and I would love to do that. So it's very timely. So just wanted to say that first on the budget matter um I think the budgets need to be reduced since taxpayers are being hit really hard by the reevaluations especially seniors. Um, frankly, no one is getting like 4% raises this year to help with the increased costs in property taxes, gasoline, groceries, etc. Everybody's having to pull back on their personal budgets, um, giving up services, etc. Um, in fact, folks are likely worried about being subjected to layoffs or redu reduction in forces where they're employed. Um, I agree with both commentaries recently. Um, in the river east, Mr. Yankers and comments also by Mr. um Hints uh as well as uh Miss Harvey's comments in the previous meeting on how we're held to never lowering our board of education budgets by the state of Connecticut. If we stay on this trajectory, no one will be able to to to afford to stay in this town and the next reevaluation in five years, we'll be back uh you know, right where we were with the highest mill rate in in Middle Sex County again. Um, you know, I'm not going to repeat what other people have said, but you know, you know, I heard a lot of people last meeting talking about Smart Start uh program. Yes, that's a great program and it's got a lot of state funding behind

it. You know, it shouldn't be given up. Um, but there's a lot there there's a lot of granularity in the budget that's not visible, which somebody already talked about earlier. It, you know, I think there's things that can be done to bring the budget down. And I know East Adam again to congratulate our neighboring towns was able to pass a zero increase budget. And I just think we need to do more work here and um get our get our budget down. Thank you,

Dan. Finish online.

Good evening. Daniel Finn, 85 Champion Hill Road and uh vice chair of the board of finance here. Um, and I wanted to comment on a couple things budget related uh in particular. Um, you know, it's a tough year. My my property value went up significantly more than the average on the mil the grand list and so I can see that I'm going to have a pretty substantial tax increase on my property. Um, it is accurate to the value of the real estate. I don't think it's uh inaccurate. I can't speak to everybody else's numbers. Uh, but that's true for my property at least. Um, however, I think it's important to understand if you're using the tax calculator on the the town website, it'll show you what the numbers are based on the initial proposed bill rate that we're at right now. Uh, that's prior to the state funding. So, that number will probably get adjusted. You you need to look at the numbers of the difference between the amount that's of the increase that's related to the budget versus the revaluation. Um, you know, just for the folks who have spoken earlier this evening, you know, you've got a pretty substantial tax increase on your properties. I've seen that and I I feel for you. I really do. It's even more than one of them is even more than mine. Uh, however, the amount that's due to the actual budget change is only about $25 a month of actual tax. All the rest of that's related to the revaluation. A 0% budget, which would significantly reduce services available in the town, would cause us to lose uh significant uh gain significantly in the education system. Um, would, you know, have longerlasting effects. Um, and it wouldn't help you at all because your rest your rest of that tax increase is still going to happen because you now have a larger part of the grand list as a percentage. Um, that's just the way mill rates work. It's a problem. It's a state problem. It's not something that we can solve necessarily at the Eastampton level. And I encourage people to continue to advocate the state level for a more uh fair representation and passing down back of funding that we're all spending in tax dollars and sending to Harford. We need to get that back uh into our towns to lower our property rates. Um, you know, just there, you know, everybody wants to hold us to a 0% budget, but stuff this year costs more

than it did last year. If we do a 0% budget, that will cut services, that will cut teachers, that will cut staff positions. We did a only 2.75% increase last year, and we lost 12 positions, 12 people that we lost. We're not replaced, including six six teachers and support staff alongside that. Uh, we cannot afford to go backwards again. there will be that will be a devastating blow to the East Hampton public school system if we go backwards on this. So I encourage people look at your numbers. You got to vote your conscience and I don't ask anybody to do differently than that. But see the difference between how much is actually about the budget and how much is about the revaluation. The revaluation cannot be addressed here. It's not going to get fixed this way. Those numbers are what they are. Um but the budget number it's $25. It's $30 a month maybe for some folks. It's not very much of an increase uh versus the amount that's going to be affected from the evaluation. So, I encourage you to vote in favor of the budget. Hope this council passes it through referendum tonight. Thank you.

Recca Harvey, she already spoke. No, Rebecca did. Not

Rebecca, if you're speaking, we can't hear you. Didn't she already speak? No. Rebecca Haj. Oh. Canon Turner. Hi there.

No, Shannon Turner. Turner 42 Spice Hill Drive. Um, I'm following up on a concern that's been raised previously by myself and other residents uh regarding the use of school resources to share information about elections, town meetings, and budget referendums. Um, in past elections, voting reminders along with multiple turnout updates have been sent throughout the day have been distributed through parent square in prior years before that. Um, paper notices have been sent home in student backpacks encouraging participation. While that's well-intentioned, these methods reach only households connected to the school system, even create creating uneven communication across the town during voting periods. It raises a concern that the imbalance in communication may have influenced voter participation patterns and perceptions during past elections. I was able to briefly speak with Mr. Vanassel who indicated interest in working with Mr. Cox to explore a way to notify all residents through equal communication methods. And I appreciate that willingness and effort to find a fair solution. I'm not sure how far they got in finding a solution. Um, however, I am requesting that the town council prioritize ending the use of school communication channels for town meeting and voting related notices unless they can be delivered equally to all residents um via text. If that's how you're sending it to parents, it should go via text to residents. This includes parent square messages and backpack notices. Um, the concern is grounded in our town ethics and charter standards. Uh they say that proper operation of democratic government requires that public officials and employees be independent, impartial and responsible to the people, that government decisions and policies be made in proper channels of the governmental structure and that public office not be used for personal gain. Um, paragraph H states that no public

officer or employee shall grant any special consideration, treatment or advantage to any citizen beyond that which is available to every other citizen. Um, the charter code of conduct says that and public officials and employees should treat all citizens with courtesy, impartiality, fairness, and equality under the law and ensure government serves all residents equally. So, um I think this um should have the town council's attention. I also support the request um from fellow res residents calling for a 0% increase in the town budget. I agree that the town needs to do more with less just as residents have been expected to do so while experiencing continued increases in their own costs. I've lived in this town for 14 years and in budget discussions the same argument is often made that increases are minor or manageable like what was mentioned by someone else tonight. um and it maybe it is in a single year. However, over time those increases accumulate year after year. And from my perspective, enough is enough. It's time to consider a flat budget approach moving forward. Thank you.

Rest approve. Uh yeah. Um hi, my name is Chris Patel. Uh 15 old Clark Hill Road. Uh I'm just going to be real quick uh in regards to the budget. Um I'm not familiar with all the line items and there's a lot of people with a lot more information than I do, but on a basic, you know, philosophical level, it's this is kind of I'm this is kind of crazy to me that we're panicking over just keeping the same budget as last year. Um, I work in manufacturing and all the time if you get slow, you got to lay you have to lay people off. You have to cut hours, you have to, you know, make cuts or else you go out of business. And it it it's it's insane to me that we're in a situation where we have to increase every year. We have to increase every year. I think that's um that's just nonsense. I don't think throwing money at education makes kids better educated. Look at New Britain. Look at Hartford. the uh the amount of money um spent per student um eclipses anything close to what our budget is in East Hampton. And I think we all agree that we have a better school system in East Hampton than they do in Hartford Public Schools. Um, I understand it's a terrifying, you know, idea to some, but, um, you just can't expect people that are having to make cuts on their own in their daily lives, you know, the the taxpayers, we turn around and we're going to look at the education department and say, "Oh, it's just going to be business as usual." I feel that's unacceptable. And I um and I fully support a budget the same as last year, if not less. Um, and that's all I have to say. Thanks.

Hello. Can you guys hear me this time? Yes.

Oh, perfect. Rebecca Harvey, 39 Flanders Road. Um, okay. So, I think everybody has pretty much touched on a lot and I think you all know how I feel about the budgets. Uh, so I'm going to keep it short and just say that I did have a chance to review the draft summary of the POC survey and going through some town emails as well. Um, I've kind of noticed that some things are clear. Uh, those things are that the taxes are too high and sewer avoidance is supported and being asked for. Although I have a feeling the budgets will be sent to referendum as is. Please keep the residents and small businesses in mind. This is not the year for increases. It's about working within our means. Zero increases on both sides. Um I really hope that um after everything that you've heard tonight, you take that into um you know consideration while debating this subject. Um when it comes to the um declaring East Hampton a pollinator friendly community, I think that that is a an absolute wonderful idea. We've personally um spent years creating a pollinator friendly property um ourselves. we add to it each year and 1,000% support this. So, um I think that's it. Have a good night, guys.

Thank you. I think that's it. Okay. Is there anyone else in the audience at this time?

Hi, Christine Kelsey, 61 Flatberg Road. I just want to add one more voice in support of the board of education budget and encourage the town council to go with the numbers that they've provided. Thank you. Beautiful. Anyone else? Not close this section of the agenda, public remarks. We move on. Agenda item five, presentations, board of education, third quarter financial report, fiscal year 2026. Vantasel.

Uh, good evening, members of the council. Well, good evening everyone. I'll give just a a very brief update as to where we are currently fiscally uh situated. I did provide a copy uh for all of you. Uh there's two documents. One is a narrative that was shared with the board of education uh to provide an update last evening by our uh business manager, Mr. Okowski. And then there is a second report that's in there that provides you an overall summary of our current uh expenditures for the year. Now, I got to find my document because I know it's still with me. So just to give an overview here, I just want to kind of walk down through uh where we currently are situated. So current is the end of this uh school year. Uh it is right now uh where we are perceiving to have a projected balance of $96,438. Uh we recognize that the town for many years has seen deficit from the board of education. Uh but as I had shared with you all uh in previous years there are years where you will have good years, years where you may not have such great years. Uh this year uh we have made a lot of efforts to uh reduce the structural deficit and currently as it situates right now albeit with two months of the school year remaining uh that we are currently looking at being in the black $96,438. Um there are some things that I just wanted to make note uh within it. Uh one is that uh as was proposed to the town council at the last meeting uh we had uh adjusted based on the fact that we are looking at a projected balance for the end of the school year uh to be as fiscally responsible as we can for the community uh that the board would uh reduce its fiscal 27 proposal by utilizing dollars that were not spent in the current fiscal year to offset $100,000 of purchases towards next year. It's a fiscally responsible thing to do uh to help mitigate the increase to the

board of education uh budget for the upcoming school year. So part of what you did here last time at the 4.3% was that there was a hundred so that is all $100,000 that was going to be removed from fiscal year 27 that is based on the fact that we are going to remove it from current fiscal year. Um, but even with that remaining, uh, we are at $96,000, uh, we have one additional payment that we're expecting from excess cost. It's hard to say what we're going to get. That's our special education funding. At this point in time, uh, we project that we should be receiving in our final payment, which we may receive this week. Unfortunately, we've been following it. We haven't received it to date. Uh, but we're anticipating it either this week or next week. And that should hopefully square up. We're anticipating 100,000. And it would be great to know that we'll receive more uh but those are already netted out of the budget. If we happen to receive more than what we've projected to receive, then there would be an increase. One of the areas that this year did not uh um cause problem for for the district and this has been year-over-year was we did not have a significant number of unanticipated out placements and those are what drive up those costs. So just as I have shared with you in the past, some years you may have great years, some years you're not going to have such great years. This year we ended up in a in a good fiscal situation albeit a lot of consideration was given to the current operation and as I had shared with you in the past as well as the board I was going to work very hard to try to break the structural deficit. Uh we did enter into January in a soft freeze. uh that way though I could closely monitor the expenditures between January and the conclusion of this school year and uh unfortunately it has netted us in a position where we will uh not be in the red at the conclusion of this fiscal year comments or questions.

Thank you everyone. Thank you. Thank you. And item six bids and contracts. I move excuse me. No digital contracts included.

Agenda item seven, resolutions, ordinances, policies, proclamations. Resolution declaring the town at East Hampton to be a pollinator friendly community. Uh you have in front of you the resolution that a few folks in the audience have spoken about that uh identifies the town as a pollinator friendly community. uh dis discusses the importance of pollinators and then establishes a policy uh basically where the town encourages the adoption of policies and practices that support pollinators uh and puts that uh suggests those practices to the community including the town's departments. So uh that's what the proposed uh resolution would do. I move that resolution second and

motion move the resolution seconded discussion in resolution hearing none. Those in favor of the resolution signify by saying I. I post nay. So adopted with our pollinator community. There you go. Well done. Excuse me. We're pollinate pollinator friendly community. Agenda item eight, continued business subcommittee reports and updates.

Oh, Mr. chair. The only one that I I'll give right now um for the POC visioning session that is scheduled for May 28th from 6:00 to 8:00 p.m. I do believe it's going to be at one of the schools so that we have a gymnasium area to work with. It was June. I thought we said May. You're you're saying to I thought we said 28 of May. Okay. Not my only I could very much be wrong. Okay. Um, but that will be posted on the website as well.

Jack, America 250 is helping the Lions Club sponsor the Navy band at the high school. Um, I saw the beginning of it and it was kind of great. There there are five Navy musicians and it's a greatest great thing. It's one of many American 250 things that are happening. And if you go to the um um town website, there's a calendar that has uh all the different things that other organizations in town are sponsoring to celebrate our our birthday.

I'd like to thank Yeah. the committee for um sponsoring these events. I went I stopped by for a few minutes tonight and there was a great turnout um and I got to see about two and a half of the songs played. Um so it was a lot of fun. I'm looking forward to the additional activities that will be forthcoming.

No other subcommittee reports or updates? Agree. We move on. 8B. Review discussion possible action on fiscal year 2026 27 general government board of education budget debt service capital improvement budgets. B sub one motion to approve the fiscal year 2026 27 town general government budget.

Mr. Chairman, if I may, just by way of introduction, you have in front of you um a document in that was included as part of the put on the table uh today, but included, I believe, as part of the packet uh later today, earlier today rather, um that identifies uh potential decreases in the general government budget uh in about $83,000 um spread among a number of different uh potential lines moving forward into fiscal 26. six, some computer purchases, uh reducing direct assistance in the human services department by uh $5,000, uh really based on history there. Uh and then uh the more significant change is the elimination of the half of a police officer that had been left in uh as a potential uh for consideration in next year. uh but that reduces uh the budget by another 47,000. So that takes the officer salary and the uh benefit costs out. And then the last would be the elimination of one of the planned uh disposals of brush at the transfer station. That's about $20,000. Uh the only concern there is that of course we'll accumulate and hopefully we don't get to a point where we have the challenge taking. Um those are the reductions just under8 $83,000 and that's accounted for in uh the amounts that are shown uh in the expenditure side of the budget. Um additionally, if I may just kind of jump, you know what? I'll wait and let you discuss the general government.

Mr. Chair, can I ask Mr. Cox one question before we move on? I'm confused about an email today. Okay, David, can you fill me in about this mill rate change because I don't know if I'm reading it correctly. So, I I'd rather hear from you. Okay. The email that we received today.

Sure. Um, so moving to the bottom line of the town's budget, there's a few things acting on the mill rate. Um, not the least of which of course is the reval that brings our our number down. Um what I said to the council was that um the mill rate is reduced and we anticipate that if the budget is is sent to referendum uh as uh is included in this document which includes the reductions I just mentioned the reductions uh that the superintendent talked about with you last time as well uh accounting for the additional funds coming from the town or rather from the state that the mill rate would $2867. And this is probably where it gets confusing. Yeah.

Because of the reval, we calculated a mill rate for what would have collected last year's tax levy. Basically attempting to adjust and create quote last year's tax le or mill rate, right? Because obviously last year's mill rate was $384 some odds. We're trying to identify what is the change in that mill rate based on the town's budget, right? Rather than saying it's an $114, I think $114 reduction from the 3971 that was in last year. Uh rather than saying it's an $11 reduction, I wanted to tell the council what does it mean as an increase. So 2775 if we were to use that as the mill rate we would have levied the same amount of taxes as we did last year. If we increase the mill rate to 2867 or increase it by 92 cents we would collect the amount of taxes necessary for the budget that is in front of you tonight.

Okay. So as you know every year we everybody asks what's the change in the mill rate. Um, rather than saying to them it's a $11 reduction, what I would say to them is it's a 92 cent increase in the mill. Does that help? 20,000. So basically what it is is take the new valuation of the town, the the increased valuation of the town that's about 50% higher and apply that to last year's tax levy, which gives us a new mill rate based on last year's tax levy and this year's valuations of 2775. So our calculation we had on the town's website, does that throw those numbers off?

No, that is the math that's used there. So we take your value from um we take your value from fiscal 20 from grand list 24 and calculate it based on the new or based on the tax rate. We take your value from this year and we net the difference to show you how much is related to the grand list using the 2775 and well it's an older number now but um using the new mill rate and then we show you what is that change in mill rate cost you for the budget piece. Okay. So it doesn't throw off the in fact it was what was used to structure

that's what I was my actual part of my concern was that tool was going to be off. Yep. It's what's used to structure that tool. Okay. Thank you. So, if someone were to put in or look at their own tax bill and not use the calculator and look at their value um from last year and apply 277 uh look at their value from this year and apply 2775, they ought to come not withstanding the change in the reval. If they were right at that average or right at that break point, they would pay the same tax bill year-over-year. And then it's the change related to the individual property values, okay?

Whether they were up above the average or below the average. At any rate, uh in the general government budget, uh there's a slight reduction in the version that's in front of the council uh as a as the proposal uh for um general government um of 80 just under $83,000. Happy to answer any questions that there may be or participate in any discussion there is. So So Dave, you're saying it's 83. The budget that we got from finance is lower by that 83. Is that what you're saying? Uh the version that you have in front of you is lower than the board of finance version by 83,000.

Okay. $20 million 300 20,3001504. Yep.

That accounts for the change in the capital improvements plan that was proposed by uh the board of finance and you'll consider in a few minutes as well as those other changes I referenced. I move to approve the fiscal year 2026 27 town general government budget in the amount of 2031,54.

Second. Motion been made and seconded with respect to the town general government budget in the amount of 20,31,54. The comment and discussion. It's never going to pass.

If not, those in favor indicate by saying I. I I posted nay.

Nay. Motion is adopted. Sub item two, motion to approve fiscal year board of education budget for 2026 27. So again, the the board of education budget is uh reduced by those items that the superintendent talked about uh last time. Uh he is here and he can certainly address those again. Uh there's materials that have been provided to the council tonight uh that include a presentation or excerpts from a presentation uh that they received from the department of education. Um but uh with respect to the dollars that were additional dollars that were received from the state uh for this fiscal or for the upcoming fiscal year uh those have been applied as a reduction in the budget for the board of education. So you'll see in the bottom line of what is referred to as uh in council recommend or council reductions you'll see a reduction of $476,000 in change. uh in the board of education budget. Uh the superintendent can talked about that in a little bit more detail, but basically the breakdown there is an additional uh 270,000 or so from the state and then those other adjustments that were um discussed with the board of education and I'll turn it over to the superintendent at this point and let him review those with you if necessary. Okay. Good evening everyone. Uh just to uh update every uh you all. I did provide a copy of presentation that was

shared with the board of education uh last evening. I know uh there was an individual here this evening that did uh speak to watching the board meeting and hearing about this. Uh in Senate Bill one uh that was just approved uh last week uh by the legislature. Uh there was some educational aid and that educational aid uh that was uh factored. There was a lot of confusion surrounding what that would look like. Uh we had uh received communications that the town of East Hampton would receive two supplemental payments of 139,219 uh which was to offset or support uh uh the local tax burden on the communities. But the caveat to the funding was where it was actually going to situate and uh whenever uh the town has received educational cost sharing dollars, it has situated it within the town itself. So it's not within the construct of uh the board of education's budget. Uh but what was uh very confusing for all of us was where uh the legislation had noted this funding was going to situate. Uh there were two supplements. The first was supplemental ECS funding. Uh the second was a temporary aid fund. Uh both of those were the exact same amount, $139,219. Senate Bill One, the way it was written, there was an error. Uh the spirit of the legislation wasn't what the uh wasn't what was written in legislation. So they had to scurry at the 11th hour to figure out how they were going to adjust this. Uh there was a supplant provision with that temporary aid. And supplant is uh a termin ter term we use in education as well as even with towns that you cannot use those dollars to offset anything that was already pre-existing in the operating budget. So, we knew that there was one provision or one supplement that would not have the 100 uh 39,000 where

we we couldn't where we could use it to supplant. And then we have this other one that we're saying, well, this is not going to be very helpful to us because if we can't use it to offset, it's not going to reduce tax burden on a community. It's only going to just force us to increase the operational budget of the district by 139,000. So there was a uh there was a criminal justice bill that was one of the final bills to be approved. So it's actually sitting within the criminal justice bill where the language is actually written into the laws. It's actually in the presentation that I provided to you in the section so you can reference where uh where the language is that supports it. With that being shared uh we received uh two aid packages. Uh the first referred to as supplemental aid. That's the first bucket. the second as temporary aid. We are being told in this moment that the supplemental aid is not a one-time that this will continue. Uh I can't speak to exactly what we're on right now. Uh a hold harmless for educational cost sharing for the upcoming school year. Uh we get approximately $6.9 million in educational cost sharing that the town receives. It factors into the large uh pie of the town. um next year if that number wereo were to hold true it will be that number plus 139,000 and that's how we're looking at it. So the supplemental aid will happen year-over-year. The temporary aid is a one-time only. Uh we we're to receive both of these funds by October. Unfortunately, and perhaps it would have made it a lot easier and I appreciate all the work that town manager Cox did and Mr. Joka in trying to create the documents for you this evening is that uh these funds the way that the law has been written is the board of education receives these funds and the board authorizes the utilization. But I assure you every

member of the board of education when they heard about this we knew that those dollars that were coming in were to offset the tax burden of the community. But the only way we can do it operationally is if we artificially lower the proposed budget to the town. So our proposed budget to town council following our last meeting, it's 4.3%. So we have added that 278,438. We have reduced that from the 4.3% budget. It artificially drops the budget and we all just need to be mindful of that. Our request has been a 4.3. Perhaps it will only drop uh down to what we would see the equivalency for next year as being a 3.94 because if we get 1/2 of that supplemental aid 4.3 down to down 139,000 drops us to really a 4.94 and that was that's what would would carry forward uh if it were to be maintain a flat budget moving forward. But with this additional 139,000, we're yet now another 139,000 below the request. So, it's an artificial number. It would have made it a bit easier had the construct situated within the community. Um, I did create for you all a graphic. Uh, there's a document that's at the very end of the presentation. Uh, I didn't want to print this. Uh, it's color copy, so I just made copies uh for you all here this evening. Um, if you wanted the community to see, uh, if they give to Dave, he has it here. We could project it up there for you. But this denotes where we began with the board of education budget in February. So that top line, that's where we began. The board's adopted budget came in at 4.81%. Uh, there were further reductions that were made for town council. Uh, as we were moving forward, uh, that was a net

reduction of 198,300. So the 430% budget is that 40,429,375. And then we get the legislative aid package that we received. And those are broken into two factors. One being the supplemental aid. That's the top line. The second being the temporary aid. And then the net aid reduction in total is 278,438 which would uh have the board of education proposed at 40,150,937 which is a 3.58%. I just feel as though it's it's so it's hard and I know we'll be having conversations next year about the fact that this was dropped artificially. sometimes is better to keep it in the larger construct of the town, but this is the way that the law was written and we're just trying to follow uh exactly what was shared with us.

Okay, questions leave superintendent. I have a question to Dave for Dave. And quickly, so the 278 278,000 with additional ECS that was just allowed, that's not in your revenue line. Is that correct? It is not. That's correct. It does not show in the revenue lines. It shows its impact is a reduction in the board of education budget. Okay. Just so I know where to look for it. similar to the way um educational cost share related to special education additional cost. Got it. Yes. Excess cost rather. All right.

So I will note that the figure that the superintendent used is different than the version that I had written for you and is in the budget material. Obviously use the superintendent's number. It's $300 lower change. 301 actually. So close enough. Okay. questions. I'll make a motion to approve the fiscal year 2026 2027 board of education budget in the amount of 40 million150,937.

Is that the adjusted? That's the adjusted. Is there a second to the motion? I'll second that. Discussion on the motion move the board of ed budget. If not, those in favor signify by saying I I I

opposed. Two discussion adopted sent to town. Motion uh excuse me,

item D3 motion to approve the fiscal year 2026 27 capital improvements plan. So in front of the town council at this point is the uh capital improvements plan for the upcoming year. It is the version that uh it was sent to you by the board of finance and from uh which was revised from the version that was sent uh by the capital improvements committee. Uh it uh includes um total uh expenditures of two $2,439,530 which is offset by the use of syncing funds uh various other revenue streams uh but is funded by a transfer from the general fund of current taxes which is included in the budget you just approved for the for general government of $1,448,200. $00. If the budget of course does not pass, then you have to go back and review uh and revise the capital improvements plan or you may choose to do that. That is the version that's in front of you. Questions? Thomas entertain a motion to adopt the capital movement plan. So move

second discussion. If not, those in favor of the motion to approve the capital improvements plan, it's recommended by the board of finance in the amount of 2,439,530. I'm sorry, Mr. Chair. Can I just ask one question on this? So, are we voting on this separately at the next meeting or is this being added as a question to the referendum? What the part the specific capital transfer capital transfer is funded as part of the part. It's not going to be a separate line item that people are voting on. No. Sorry.

Okay. Any any other questions or comments? If not, we have a motion and seconded. Those in favor capital improvement plan, please signify by saying I. I. I. Oppos. Nay. Nay. bullets by the baker to hand. And lastly, motion is a uh motion to set the dates of the town meeting and the I'll make that motion to set the budget town meeting for Tuesday, May 26, 2026, beginning at 6 PM in the town hall and to set the budget referendum for Tuesday, June 2nd between the hours of 6:00 a.m. and 8:00 p.m. at the town hall.

Second. Motion made and seconded. Just so we're clear that the Tuesday, May 26th town budget meeting is just a a pass through as it pertains to the budget. That's true. If you move forward the additional appropriation, there would be an actual vote related to the additional appropriation. Any discussion on the the timing of the budget meetings?

No, I I Mr. Chairman, I'd just like to make a couple general comments relative to the to budget in considerations as a whole, if I may. Uh, I walked out of the house tonight uh to come to the meeting and I usually uh check the news. I uh so I went on TV, checked the news, and um what just as I walked out uh the uh the announcer announced uh the uh uh the the inflation number for the year that um that just ended in March. um that inflation number that we're all dealing with, not just individually, but our town government, uh 3.8%. That's that's what it has been for the year that just ended u at the end of at the end of March. Now, what we're seeing for an overall uh budget increase, mil increase is um is in the threes. It's less than 3.8, it's 3.3%. Uh, believe me, everybody's remarks relative to things being tight and finances being tight, believe me, it hasn't fallen on deaf ears. Meaning, we know, we feel it, we pay it as well as as well as everyone does. No two ways about it. One of the things here that that sort of beefs up this 3.3 uh% in the mill rate which is applied only to to real estate is the fact that if you look at this budget, motor vehicle taxpayers are getting a $292,000 tax break this year in addition to the $750,000

tax break it got last year. Those are one of that's one of the and that's because of state law that requires uh uh certain applications of certain uh uh mill rates against certain valuations. So anyway, uh just like last year, we had a bit of a real estate uh mill rate go up last year. In large part, that was because auto taxpayers paid $750,000 less in taxes. And I know many people saw that in their bills. That's going to happen again this year. And that in part is driving up the 3.3% tax uh uh uh tax increase, mill rate tax increase this year. So that that's something to take into account. Uh the other thing is this, you know, this board has to represent all people in East Hampton, all families. We fully understand again the impact that that real estate taxes is going to have, especially because of the the reval. As Dan Finn said, the reval numbers are the reval numbers. We can't mess with those. They are what they are. Uh but I say this because there are a lot of people easily a thousand there probably more than a thousand households in this town who value the educational system and everything else that this town offers. That's no lie. We on this board have to represent them as well as those who

think there should be no increases anywhere and that would be disastrous cuts to what we offer in this town educationally and from running the town. So the decisions we make tonight are not easy decisions to make and we leave it in your hands as taxpayers, all taxpayers. Uh so please uh don't think that we don't get it. We get it. But we have to put this out to all of the taxpayers in town because just as much as there are people who who say no increases whatsoever, do whatever you want to services, we don't care. Just we want no services, you're going to have just as many people saying, hey, look, we love what we have in this town. We're willing to pay for it. That's it. Sorry. Sorry to go off that, but

can I make a comment, Mr. Chair? I've heard a lot tonight. Um I I echo what chairman uh sorry not chairman council member nodic has said. Um and and and this isn't easy,

but I've heard a lot about people saying, you know, recommending a flat budget and saying that that's going for, you know, it's, you know, it's not a cut. It is a cut. When we have inflation that's almost 4% right now at 4%. Transportation costs are rising. Health insurance has skyrocketed. Okay, skyrocketed. Utilities. Salary. Those are all numbers and costs that are out of our control. They're they're contractual costs that have to be paid. So if you have a flat budget, you're going to be decreasing services. And the way I look at it is I I truly believe that responsible budget budgeting also requires investment and public education is an investment and people move to communities because of their public education that that that is provided for their children. And there's people who say, "Well, I don't have kids in this school system and it doesn't affect me. I don't want to raise, you know, pay more taxes." But it does affect you because it affects the entire community. It affects our property values. It affects it affects our economic development. It affects why people want to come to certain towns. And if we can we cut the budget, which a flat budget is cutting the budget, then we are doing a huge in my opinion a huge disservice to not only the children in this town, but also to the entire community because a a well-educated town where kids can go and get a great education and are supported by amazing faculty, they are going to excel and do well and hopefully want to come back to this town to live and again

provide those same opportunities for their children. So, um, like Rich said, this is a really hard decision. Trust me, we're all struggling with this economy. It's horrible. I look at the gas prices every day and I'm just blown away. but making sacrifices for or or cutting costs at the expense of our children and our community. It's not just the public schools. It's our ultimate it's the community that we will be affecting. I just think is not in the best interest of the town and that's why I have voted, you know, affirmatively to send this budget to referendum and I hope as many people as possible in this town will come out and vote. Um, we all know that turnout is always very, very low and people aren't paying attention and I know you, you know, so many people here have expressed their opposition to this, but there are a lot of other people in this town and we have to put it out. I think our board of education, our capital budget, everybody has done everything possible to bring this budget to the most minimal increase as possible. But with these with rising inflation, we're we're we're we have no other choice unless we want massive cuts to our services and to our education. So, I just wanted to put that on the record. I hope people will support this budget in understanding that um board of finance and the board of education I think have done an outstanding job trying to get this budget make as many cuts as possible where they could and to bring a responsible budget to the citizens of East Hampton. Thank you. Well, I have to say there's one thing that you said that I agree with you on.

I hope people come out and vote. Um, a plat budget is a cut because of inflation.

You don't get a raise. Did your income get cut? You just talked about gas prices. You just talked about severe cuts that you would have to take at home because your if your income didn't increase.

Why shouldn't the town have to be held to the same standard? that it's ridiculous that you're saying that we need to support, we need to spend, spend, spend when half the people are not getting increases, are having to make major cuts in their own life, and you say it's acceptable to just keep throwing more and more on them. Not one person brought up the declining enrollment and the required bud uh budget funding. We're actually eligible for a decrease by state statute in our board of education. Instead, we are going for an increase. Everything is just an increase. Didn't you learn something last year? The same thing happened last year and the town came out and droves to say not a chance. It's a my opinion. This is a waste of money to spend on the referendum because it's going to be the same result as last year. It's this is absolutely ridiculous.

I look at I don't look at I understand when households making cuts, cutting streaming services, cutting going out to dinner each week or month if you're lucky, cutting vacations. It's not the same as cutting. People in this community that can't do any of those things. They do not have streaming services to start with. You are assuming that everyone lives the way you do.

You're assuming how I live. Ted, I'm not I'm not assuming that about this community at all. I am not assuming that. Well, we'll see what the voters say. We will. Further comment.

I think the motion before us is to set the date of the town meeting. Those in favor of the motion beyond by saying I. Those nay. Dates

are established for Tuesday, May 26, the budget town meeting and rependum June 2nd, 2026. Voting will be here this year of edification at the town hall. It will run from 6:00 in the morning till 8 at night. Moving on, agenda item 8 C, consideration of resolution regarding an additional appropriation for the middle school paving and set town meeting days which we've already been done. Uh thank you Mr. Chairman. In front of you based on the council's discussions at its last meeting is uh the proper resolution which uh of the town council which establishes two things. one uh the resolution to be considered by the town meeting and establishes uh a town meeting as I alluded to earlier for May 26th to for those who attend the town meeting to vote on this additional appropriation. Uh recall that the proposal here is to fund an additional $375,000 in the town's capital reserve fund uh for the middle school parking lot paving project which was described and discussed uh last year or rather last meeting described by Matt Walsh the public works director and discussed by the town at that point. Uh the $375,000 would be transferred from the funds in the town's general fund on obligated reserves, basically the town's savings account, and would be transferred over into that fund during fiscal year 26. So it would be an immediate uh move if the town meeting approves. In fact, that's why you're looking at this now as an additional appropriation sort of

separate from everything. uh that according to the town's code and charter uh that's how we have to handle uh an appropriation of this size uh from the town's funds where there is not a uh where there's not an outside funding source ch uh holding uh or covering it rather. So, at any rate, the proposal is to uh adopt the resolution establishing the resolution for the town meeting, moving that $375,000 out of uh the unassigned general fund balance into the capital reserve fund uh for the middle school parking lot project. Any funds that remain after that project is complete would remain in the fund uh for reallocation by the committee, the board of finance, and the council in the future. Um it also does as I said uh identify May 26 the next uh the meeting of the town uh for this purpose questions comments is a motion I'll move that resolution

second motion made and seconded adopt the additional appropriation you want 375,000 then that correct Correct. We put a little a little contingency on the 355,000 basically that he thought it would cost today. Additional appropriation for the middle school paving and repaving

and this will be a town meeting on May 26. line 26 is be the likely it would be arranged to be the first item on the town meeting uh for that night an actual vote on this resolution that's included the language of which is included in the resolution that the council's adopting and then the second item would be moving the moving along the the budgets to the town referendum which is really a non- action item just already going why don't we put it on the actual ballot so taxpayers can have their say instead of burying it in a town meeting when you're going to only get a few people there on the map that I don't think we should be doing any that's just sketch.

Although well you proposed it with the last one about buying land next to the WPCA but we shouldn't be spending any tax dollars at town meetings. It should go to a physical referendum so that everybody has a chance to vote on it. I agree because people don't they don't understand and don't know that this is happening when they're coming out to a town referendum to vote on an actual budget. They'll be more educated about what they're voting for. Is there a question? Can we do that? Yes, you may. Yes, you can. I move that we add as a question to the referendum on June 2nd. I second

discussion. Those in favor of the amendment or to add to the align item in the capital and media referendum signify by saying I. I. I. Nay. Here. So, you would consider the resolution that is in front of you as being modified to uh call for a um the item to be added to the 26th agenda, but also then added to the June 2nd referendum, I presume. Okay.

So, that is what we'll consider the resolution to be modified to basically pull that language over. Moving on. Um, I'm sorry. Go ahead. I was I don't know what you were going to do next, but you would have to go back and now resolution as the council before you amended it now. You have to go back and finish that resolution vote, which you do have moved and seconded and to adopt the amended resolution. Is there discussion? It's not those is this if we agree on it but or is this just putting it out to the town? This is to agree on the the the

amended to put we're going to do it. It needs to go to town meeting but I'm not agreeing to that we need the the parking lot. So is this the one to agree to the part that we need the 375? Yeah. Yes. I'm confused. This one actually um means that the town council's approving it which then sends it to the taxpayer. So it means we agree with it and therefore we're sending it to the taxpayer just like the board of finance had to think it was a good idea to send it to us for the allocation. So now we have to think it it's a good idea and then send it to the taxpayer. I do not think it's a good idea. So I will be in the negative.

So noted. Any other discussion? Those in favor of the motion signify by saying I. I oppose. Nay. I

motion carries two. Moving on. ED discussion of sewer related ordinances. Sub one ordinance regarding chapter 264 sewer use. Uh thank you. The item uh the first item in front of you is as you say related to sewer use. Uh this is the conversation that um has come up I think a little bit at the council and was discussed at the uh the last WPCA meeting uh at which the WPCA council sitting WPCA uh recommended that there be some changes made uh to chapter 264 of the town code to make basically voluntary in most instances uh the connection of a property to the sewer system. To be more accurate, it is the uh permission that a person's or rather a property that exists as of the day of the code adoption has the option of connecting or not connecting to um sewer system. any new sewer that's in that's constructed that passes an existing home, they also would have the option of connecting maybe voluntary connection. Any new home that is constructed adjacent to existing sewer. So now we're flipping this the script a little bit. Any new home that was on existing sewer would have to connect to that sewer. We would never be able to to construct a new septic system. Uh it also then goes on to allow that um it removes the the prohibition against private sewer systems, basically septic systems, uh and authorizes

uh that those can by by doing so authorizes that those can remain um until and unless they do connect to the sanitary sewer system and then they'd have to be removed again unless as the previous code alluded to uh those systems can be repurposed into basically a big French drain for groundwater or subsurface drainage of clear water, not sanitary water. So, this is a draft of that language change. Um, uh, if the council's comfortable at least enough with the draft, you could move it to a public hearing. Um, if you think there's amendments that need to be made to that, uh, certainly let me know. Um but uh right now there is a moratorium as you know on on uh sewer uh construction and so there's a little bit of a a breathing room on this if you want but this is draft language for you to consider.

Did I make a motion to send it to public hearing? I think it's that it's what we talked about u that changes and and I think it's what the community wants. Do you do that uh is that motion to put it to public hearing on the 26th. As part of the council meeting and just just to be clear, especially for those listening and for the for the town's people, uh what are we changing it from? Essentially, what is it what is it doing, Dave? if your septic fails. Now, I know what Dave to say. You don't want

the the previous language required that when sewer became available, uh a household was required to connect uh and they were required to to if you will demolish their septic system. Um they weren't allowed to construct, replace, repair or maintain their septic system. was very very specific in that regard and um then it also had a provision related to discontinuing use of of those systems. So those have been modified to okay provide for voluntary connection because this was this was a big topic of discussion when we were talking what

a year ago or so relative to the expansion of a uh of the sewer system and people were all in arms because of a you know a lean and every other type of thing. Uh and I think we fully agreed that hey that wasn't fair. So that's what this or tends to do. Yes. Pull away. No more leans, no more requirements. Ditch your perfectly working.

To be fair, this does not discuss anything related to leans or anything related to beneficial assessments. This only makes the connection voluntary. This only makes connection to the sewer system voluntary and allows continued use of to the extent right and there would be fully understand fully understood if there was a cost understood but totally voluntary totally voluntary. Quick question.

Um my understanding from this was only if your septic failed and you were in the sewer area was this a requirement under current I think that's certainly the way that uh the WPCA was um was implementing this rule. But if you were to read the old language um it was very and this is language from I think it's the 80s. If you were to read the old language word for word and and use that as the rule, um it would say that if you're in the sanitary sewer service area and sewer becomes or Yeah. If you're in the sanitary sewer area, you can't repair or replace. You have to connect.

Correct. But if you already have one and it's functioning fine, then this was no this this would have required as soon as that sewer was there, you would have had and I don't know whether we enforced it this way in the past. Apparently, we did when that sewer passed your house, maybe this is back in the original construction phases, right? When we first did the area around the lake and and whatnot, we required property owners to connect, right, and to demolish their septic systems,

but as the expansion has gone through, I don't think that that has been a practice, it it may not have been, but from the standpoint of we want to change the I understand. I'm just saying but it has not been the the sewers around the lake. My understanding is the lake was in deep trouble because of those sewers there because of those septics and so that lack thereof require a contributing factor. Yeah, that requirement being there makes some sense at least at that time because it it helped make the link better.

Correct. I'd like to just make another comment and that is that we don't mean by this at all that we don't want people to connect to the sewer. What we want is to to be voluntary and from at least my from my understanding of what we want from the WPCA is to make it a proposition that people want. You know, so in other words, make make it a deal. Figure out how to make it a deal so that people want to connect rather than are required to connect. That's right,

Mr. Chair, if I may. Um, I just want to also clarify if someone has a lot and their septic fails and Chadam Health comes out and says your soil is no longer conducive to rebuilding a septic anywhere on your property, they would still have to connect to the sewer. if it was that worst case scenario that their septic could not be repaired or replaced on their property health issue. I mean that's very rare. What if there? But I think you could do an above ground engineered now that you could actually there are so notwithstanding those options that may be available. This particular language doesn't really address that.

I just feel like we have to be prepared if they had no option for other than connecting. Well, we talked about and just to go back to WPC, what we're talking about, what if that property that fails is so far off the sewer path and this mandates that could make us be doing miles of sewer to get to that one house. So, in which case, you know what, no offense, but the property may be condemned if it can't be inhabited for residential. I mean, you're not going to put a three mile sewer line in just because the the the the town code says, "Oh, if you're if you know, in the middle of the woods, if your septic fails and you can't redo it, that we're going to now run a line 3 miles out to you because you're the only house out there that has a failed septic,

right? But if they can't put a septic in anywhere in any capacity, then they couldn't live there anymore." Correct. That Okay. All right. I just want to make sure we're everybody's clear on what exactly the sept. I would say considering the size of the town, three miles might be a little excessive beyond anything. But well, what they talked about for prices is just going up cone road was enough to choke or never mind going out even a mile. So anyways, thanks anyway for that. Thank you.

Motion before us. Is there any further discussion? If not, those in favor of the motion to send this to town meeting. I send this to town meeting. No public hearing. Public hearing on the 26. I I

I posted nay. Public hearing on the 26 D. discussion of sewer related ordinances. Sub two, further discussion on concept ordinances to establish a sewer avoidance policy. It's my understanding that this has already been addressed. I believe we got six months to work on it in the U WPCA. Yes. So I don't I don't think there's any action necessary to take place. No, that's clear.

Okay. Okay. Moving on by new business. My perspective no new business. Anyone else and town manager report. So the town manager report was just issued today. So, it's uh been distributed to the council uh and will make it way its way, if it hasn't already up onto the town's website. I'll highlight three items that are uh discussed in uh in the document. Uh first, I just want to remind everybody that uh the village center milling and paving is ongoing. Uh there'll be a little bit more milling work done uh tomorrow. I think uh we have to finish up a little bit on Bevon uh one of the Bevans uh by the school and then uh a little bit of uh milling needs to be done on Walnut Street or Walnut Avenue, pardon me, uh near the center where it connects to Moon Street and then paving should uh start, weather permitting, on Monday uh and hopefully go pretty quickly. Um line striping will occur after that pavement sets up and that first initial sheen of oil comes off uh so that paint will stick. So another week or so and we'll put uh line striping down. So uh assuming weather is good by Memorial Day weekend we should have at least fresh pavement down there and everything should be ready to go uh for line striping. Uh the other thing I want to mention is kind of a a disappointing uh item. uh the uh staff uh well I think some residents and the staff have have observed um problems with the adherence of the acrylic or well the surface the painted uh play surface on the courts at

the at Sears Park that were just done last year. Uh the contractor has been in to review that uh and is right now working out uh the timeline for a warranty repair. So that surface very likely will be removed uh in its entirety or or nearly in its entirety and re restored uh back down. So uh something went wrong when they uh when they adhered it to the asphalt uh last year. So they have to do it again. Um no timeline yet known on that, but it'll uh happen hopefully uh pretty quickly. And then the last thing I want to mention is that staff has been in the process of of uh updating the natural hazard mitigation plan uh that the town has. Uh it's a project we have to undertake uh every 5 years for FEMA. Helps us keep uh not only keep that stuff fresh but also uh provides us opportunities at sometimes for uh outside funding to correct some things. So, uh, that project, uh, has been ongoing with, uh, uh, Cog at the point, the River Cog at the point. They're working with, uh, most of the other municipalities in the in the county in the COG. Uh, it's being paid for by the COG through its regional services grants that it receives. So, uh, in terms of outside services, we're not paying anything for it. Um, right now it's in its final, it's in a draft form. So, uh, this will get posted for residents to take a look at if they see something we've missed or they have other things to think about. They have had opportunities through the COG to participate. Uh, if they were able to take advantage of those, but if they see things that uh, need to be added, uh, those those comments can be going to Matt Walsh. Uh, then it'll go and uh, be reviewed by the state over the summer and we'll have it back again in the late summer for final review and and edits by us. uh and uh presumably some sort of an

adoption by the town council uh late summer or so. But basically what it does is it outlines what the impact of natural hazards, think rain, snow, sleet, wind, etc. uh can have around the community and how those impacts have been observed and would be mitigated in the future. Uh it's this plan that identified the uh for example the Hails Brook project uh that uh has been funded, but now we're trying to uh get to move that toward actual construction um at the north end of the lake. So uh that's the last item I'll mention specifically out of the town manager report. As I always say, the written version is on law. Any questions? I'll be certainly happy to answer them.

Questions, comments? Thank you. Thank you. Agenda item 11, appointments. Uh no appointments uh for this evening. Uh Mr. Chairman, just to report that um the appointment uh subcommittee will be working this month to uh interview. We've got about eight or nine applications for the uh agriculture commission and u we're looking to uh set a date uh this month for u for those interviews so we'll be ready to go and uh and fill up the uh the new agriculture commission.

Not really new but newly appointed. Okay. Anybody has any further uh recommendations, please have those folks send their applications in town manager's office. Yep. And how many applications do we have so far for uh the WPCA? Um there was like maybe three. Yeah, three or four. I think it wasn't a lot. Three or four from what the last report I got from Cathy. Yeah. So, we're a bit premature on that, but we'll Yes.

We'll keep it going. Hoping people will step forward. Step forward. The next 12 tax refunds. Mr. Chair, I'd like to make a motion to return four refunds totaling $730.31 to rightful owners. Thank you. Motion made seconded. Is there discussion? If not, those in favor of the motion signify by saying I. I. N. Adopted.

Mr. Chair, could I just say one brief thing before we do um public remarks is I did get confirmation on the date for the PC visiting session that I mentioned earlier. Um because we had talked about a few different dates. The correct date is June 10th. So that will be Wednesday, June 10th from 6:00 to 8:00 p.m. Just so everybody And where is that? Um, we are trying to get one of the school gyms. So we're trying to see which school is available. Okay. Do we have a time? 6:00 to 8:00 p.m. You said that already and I didn't hear that. Okay. Thank you.

Moving on to agenda item 13, public remarks. One more opportunity if anyone would care to make public remarks. ST support 147 Colchester Avenue. Just to be clear, so I've been in town for 50 years and I'm a member of the Chattam Historical Society and my understanding regarding the sewers around the lake. It was a requirement by the state. What happened was there's always been algae blooms forever and um somehow the state in its infinite wisdom determined that the sewers sorry the septic systems that all the individual houses had was contributing or causing the lake algae blooms. So in their infinite wisdom, they made they required East Hampton put sewer around the lake. And so it makes sense that our language in our code would match what the state required so that no one had an option out. And that's how I believe that the law guide came in. And as we know or should know because of the sewers uh the law of unintended consequences is Lake Vista Drive. I was here I remember this. The lake was full of forest but because of the sewers being installed developers went rampant went wild around the lake and we have increased development now. Lake Vista Drive. They wanted 200 homes. The town was in uproar and uh they reduced it down to the number of homes that are on Lake Vista Drive now. They clear cut the whole area. The the dirt went right into the

lake and we it was awful. Uh it finally like cleared itself up. That took a few years to do that. Uh, Lake Vista Drive is one example of the development that happened around the lake. Um, and continues to this day and um, as a result, our lake is actually dirtier, worse than it was prior to the ordinance being changed. We have larger algae blooms because there's no forest. More phosphorus is entering the lake now than has ever be done before. Oh, but remember back in the 80s they didn't have the chemicals and the on the processes that we have now to help clean up the lake. So that was that that's the only thing I can think of is the reason why they thought the sewer system would work. But the unintended consequence was greater greater development. The lake is dirtier than it was before. Uh we lost our forest. We lost some of our um um rural rurality around the lake. um and is the reason why everyone's upset with the WPCA and expanding sewers because wherever the sewers are, developers, especially now with the states mandate or state laws that are being imposed, uh we have less and less options. Um uh developers now rule the roose. Um so just a little history lesson there. Thank you.

Just a comment on that. I do not believe it was the algae blooms that were the issue. Yeah. I don't know what it was back then. It was either Yeah. Eoli. Yes. The lake was severely polluted. Septic is running into the lake and we haven't had an algae bloom in four years. So if you recall Thank you, L. All right. Did you have an iPhone? Okay. Hello. Yeah, go ahead.

Hi, Rebecca Harvey Flanders wrote again. Um, I just wanted to say a couple of things after listening. Uh, a thousand homes were mentioned as uh, you know, people that were for these budgets and that is really only a fifth of the town. It's absolutely not the m uh, majority at all. There are so many people that don't even know what's going on because they trust that you are all making the right financial decisions and I don't feel that that's what's being done. Hopefully this will be reflected at referendum. But I don't really believe that we've tried everything. We have not let a single employee go. We are asking for more especially on the town side. We haven't taken any of the suggestions from the surveys um the POCD surveys where the majority supports alternatives to what's currently happening within our town from a fiscal standpoint. Um, I don't know if anybody else has had a chance to review any of that, but it looks like the town is um up for bulk purchasing, uh, sharing transportation, sharing educational services, trash and recycling, grant writing, emergency dispatch, um, snowplowing, uh, recreation, HR and payroll benefits. I mean, that list kind of just goes on and on and on. So when you look at that um and we haven't done any of those things, I really think that those um residents feedback needs to be taken into consideration um if it means cutting back until these avenues are reviewed and considered so be it. I mean we take a little bit of you know a one or two employee position cut or do without them the way that we've been making do without them. um while we kind of look at what other resources we could have um I just I don't think it's fair for really anyone to sit up there and say that our personal sacrifices don't mean anything compared to the board of ed budget. I think that's an absolute insult to a lot of us residents. Um I don't know if you

guys have to just tell yourselves that to justify the decisions, but the residents are not buying those lines at all. Um, I believe that some of you are up there acting for yourselves, not what's in the best interest of what's been said tonight. And I really do think that some of you should watch some of the facial expressions that are happening because that conduct is very unprofessional. Thank you. Hi, can you hear me? Yes.

Hi, this is uh Brian Turner again, 42 Spicil Drive. Um, respectfully, the response from the majority on the town council to the uh the statements folks made looking for lower budgets or flat budgets was appalling. I mean, it's tonedeaf. I mean, it was a Marie Antuinette moment right there via Zoom. Uh, let the people eat cake. let the people cut their streaming. I mean, unbelievable. Unbelievable. Uh, completely tonedeaf and just detached from reality. Um, I'm really disgusted. I really am. I hope people come out and they vote. Um, and I hope some of you folks really look in the mirror hard tonight when you get home and really think about how you carry yourself in public. Have a great night. and Tom Seiguin uh 47 Cone Road. I have to echo the the last two speakers. Uh I'm very disappointed that we didn't try your this body did not try to to go to that zero sum and I understand uh what they're talking about the budget but we didn't try 3% 4% we all h we all feel that. So why do we keep feeding or enabling these these people that keep raising the budget? We need to draw the line. This is the target. When when we get to that target, we sacrifices have to be made and it is for the better of the town. And we need to start focusing on our infrastructure, not the board of education. Yes, education is important, but think about when you went to school. Think about all the new opportunities our kids have

today. Did you have those opportunities? No. And where are you? Leaders of our community. You all didn't do too bad. I didn't do too bad. The other folks here, did we do bad? I don't think so. We're making it too easy. Maybe that's why. Well, I don't want to get into that. I just I'm just kind of disappointed that we didn't try to make that zero sum budget. Thank you. Is there anyone else?

Good evening. Daniel Finn, 85 Champion Hill Road. Um, I want to commend the council for sending the budgets forward to uh referendum and we'll see what the town ends up voting on here, but I think everybody uh the both the board of finance, board of ed, the town side have all done an admirable job of trying to identify places that they can save money in their budgets without cutting services, without cutting teachers, without reducing the educational opportunities for the things that we can do in this town. Um, and I got to say a thing about inflation because uh, inflation has to do with what the value of a dollar is. A dollar today is less value than a dollar did last year. Has less value than a dollar did 10 years ago. A dollar today buys less things than it bought yesterday or bought last year. That's inflation. So if you spend the same number of dollars this year on something that you spend in terms of actual dollars than you spent last year, you had to cut something out of your budget. You had to cut something back. had cut back on some service on some thing that it was in. And um you know we've the board of finance took a long time on these budgets. We spent almost 12 hours in meetings during the budget hearing week uh going through these budgets line by line with each department with each individ uh set of uh specific requests that were in and um and we went through and we looked we looked for savings. We looked for places to find savings. We found the opportunity to push this middle school paving project forward into spending current dollars on it rather than putting in part of the money in the capital budget for this upcoming year and take it out of new taxes. We have the savings account for it. We've got a lot of delayed uh infrastructure because we keep pushing things off and so why don't try to start getting some of these projects done. That was an easy one. It seemed like we get that one done. Um people talk about trying to get pave other parts of the uh the town and I get it. Like there's lots of town parts of the town that need to get paved. uh the fact that we're going to the plan is to

pave child's road uh this summer if we can get these budgets to pass. Um that project that contractor is the one that would also do the middle school lot and those two things go together saved us $100,000 in paving costs. Um that is uh that's why those two things are trying to go together. Um lots of people want to try to pretend that a zero% budget and I would be uh would be doable for this town. 0% budget means we're going to have to cut people. There's no getting around that. And that's the that's the choice. And if that's the choice, that's the choice. That's what people have to decide that that's what they want. But I think that um we considering how many people we cut out of the uh budgets last year, I think that would be a disservice to this town, disservice to our children, disservice to our community. Thank you very much. Is there anyone else?

I'd like to make clarification. That's possible, too. I did not say that people should cut their streaming services to pay for this budget. I was comparing how people are saying we cut our services in our households. So the education budget should be cut the same way. That's I was making a comparison. I wasn't saying that people should have to go and you know you cut this and this and this so you can pay for this budget. That is not what I was insinuating. Thank you. I would never suggest that. One more

go ahead.

Hi there. Um, thanks for hearing me again. Um, so with a referend referendum vote coming up, I'm asking whether the town will ensure that communication to residents about the budget is handled in a way that's ethical and partial impartial and equally accessible to everyone. Um, so given the concerns that I've already raised, I'm asking that this be placed on a future agenda for formal policy discussion and determination. Thanks. Is there anyone else? Close public remarks. Item 14, communications, correspondence, and announcements. The April 2026 board commission summary is available and online. That's pretty much it. Uh the town council is going to adjourn and or recess and go into executive session. Discussions regarding legal matters. There will be no action afterwards at this time of council meeting will be adjourned. Good evening. I move to enter executive session. Second. with attorney and myself

with yeah with com Mr. working.