Board of Selectmen - Regular Meeting

Uh so tonight it's a joint meeting obviously with the Freetown and Lakefield board select for select boards. Um so I think we're I'll open my meeting and then go open yours. Perfect. Okay. So um uh with the quorum being present and on Monday, November 3rd, 2025 at 6 p.m. I'll call to order the pre-town board select meeting. This meeting will be recorded and will be available on our town's YouTube page. Um, that's it today, right? All right. So, I'll kick it over to you.

All right. At this time, I'd like to call the Lakeville Select Board uh to order on Monday, November 3rd at 6 PM here at the Freetown Police Station. Um, this meeting is being recorded. Is there anybody else in the audience recording? Seeing none. Um, we have a quorum this evening um minus our chair um who is out of town. So, I'm I'm filling in um to run the meeting. So, uh to my left, we have Chris Blanca. To my right, Paul Hunt, and uh Lorraine Carboni. All right. Great. I know you guys do the pledge of allegiance. Should we kick it off with that?

Sure. Pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America and to the republic for which it stands. One nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all. All right. Okay. So, I guess we start off with agenda item one. Um, so this is a status update on a cushion students attending um, Ponet Regional High School. So, I'm not sure where we want to start with that conversation and where we stand. I just kind of open up the discussion. Okay.

Well, I'm was hope Oh, I can see our superintendent has arrived. Um, our board has not um had any discussion about this. Um, I know that, you know, I do pay attention to the school committee meetings, so I knew that this was coming up um for discussion a while ago. I wasn't sure what the status was um or even what the impact would be, you know, for the select board. So, it's not been on one of our agendas. Same same with us. Um so, yeah, I don't know if the superintendent wants to speak to where we, you know, stand on this or or how many students or any kind of um what the expectation is. I'm I'm happy to speak on it. Thank you.

So, thank you for calling on me. Um, as you know, we are u talking to a cushion about potentially entering um some type of tuition agreement where students who are um in a cushion in 8th grade looking for a high school would be able to attend school at a panic regional high school. Um we were not uh really allowed to share too many details around it because we are competing uh for the opportunity to enter a tuition agreement with them. I can tell you that on August 20th, we made a presentation uh which is public to the um folks of Aushnet regarding what we have to offer um at Aonicquit and uh like I said that presentation is public. You can go take a look at it. Uh we met all of their criteria. So they sent us a list of things they wanted to hear about. Uh subsequent to that they did um offer an opportunity for a representative from each of the four schools to meet with the central office staff in a Kushnet and talk about a potential agreement. So we took advantage of that. Myself, John Higgins and uh Chair Blum went to that meeting, had a conversation with them, got a little bit more information about what they would be looking for in a tuition agreement and then came back to the district and drafted some options for a Kushnet uh should they invite us back to the table again. Then we received an invitation from a Kushnet uh to see they wanted to come and take a look at a panicquet uh as they are visiting the other three schools that are in contention as well. So we welcomed a team of visitors which included uh two or three of their school committee members and their central office staff back on October 23rd. They had a great day if I might say so myself at AONquit. uh and then the rest of their team, the rest of their school committee members uh and the remaining central office staff will be back to visit the school on uh November 10th. And then subsequent to that, I believe uh the accushent school committee will be taking a look at some of the proposals they've received and rendering some type of decision or inviting um representatives from the school committee and perhaps myself back to the

table to talk about the agreement. Annually, a Kushnet has about a 100 eighth grade students and they're they're looking for a high school placement um outside of the students that would be going to Okalony and any of the students that would be going to Bristol Aggie. So, they are entertaining uh Fre Haven High School, New Bedford High School, which they're currently in agreements with right now, uh or Rochester and us. Uh we are looking to be a single source provider. So if a Kushna is looking for we'll say a menu of options outside of Oak Colony and outside of Bristol Aggie, we're no longer interested. We're looking to be the sole source provider for what we believe could be between 40 and 50 if not more uh students coming from Aushna annually.

Great. Thank you very much. And do we think that say you know max 50 students do you see any kind of concerns with that with our current resource uh like staffing levels or it if that when we take in 40 or 50 students we would be looking to hire additional staff especially if you're doing that over a period of time right so if you're taking in 40 students over four years that's 160 students so we would be looking to restore some of the positions that have recently been cut and and we had uh made that pretty clear to our school committee or not pretty clear clear to our school committee uh when we were walking through numbers for a tuition agreement. So we built in anticipated uh additions in terms of staffing.

Great. And then just like classrooms like the number of classrooms there's no concern there. We can definitely facil like you know handle that. We have room at the facility. Okay. Yes we do. All right. That's my question. I'm not sure if anyone else has any other questions. I just had a um quick question. So you're looking for the FY27 school year. Is that correct? It actually is next school year for next September. That's what a Kusha is looking for. Okay. All right. They're on a pretty quick timeline. So, their decision um I would think because we're entering, you know, the budget cycle and I'm I'm sure you have a lot to prepare for that should the decision come our way. Um grant you enough time to be able to build that in. It would. Okay.

It would. We are when we had our last conversation with the Kushnet, they were thinking they'd have a decision by December. I I can't control their timeline. Uh and I do know, like I said, their second visit to us is November 10th. I I'm not aware of their visit schedule to other buildings. And what would that makes sense? And would it also just be eighth grades coming in, then they filter through the years or would we take transfers from New Befford High or from other schools? That would be part of an agreement that we would make uh with a Kushnet. But I believe in Kushnets I believe a Kushnet's intent is to allow the students to complete where they are. So this would be effective. That makes sense.

Um my question is how how does the tuition agreement work? Is it similar to school choice or how how does the the districts Lakefield and Freetown get reimbursed for having 50 to 60 students 160 students over four years? How does it work? What's your idea of? It would be written into the agreement. So, I can't speak to you about dollar values right now, but we could set up a payment structure where they're uh where they're paying us two to three times a year, which is similar to what they're doing with Fair Haven and New Bedford. When you say agreement, you mean the regional agreement between both towns or a new agreement?

This is a tuition agreement that would occur between Freetown Lakeville Regional School District and a Kushnet Public Schools. It's not an agreement such that you have right now between your two towns. So in other words, we would not become Freetown, Lakeville, and a Kushnet. This is Freetown Lakeville Regional School District welcoming the students of a Kushnet in through a tuition agreement to take seats. So yes, Carlos, in some ways it's like school choice.

Yeah, I'm just trying to figure out how it all works at the end, right? Well, what I don't want to enter in is an agreement that let's say both towns would have to go in town meeting and vote on it to to include them and then let's say a cushion says yes and then town meeting goes wrong or or or goes no as far as voting. Feel bad for the Kushi kids. Sure thing. So my understanding is the tuition agreement is the purview of the school committee and not the towns and that the agreement will be made uh with the school committee. That's what that was going to be my next question. So that makes sense. Okay.

And again, I emphasize it's a negotiation and this is very early. We we have had the opportunity uh to showcase the great work of Aponica Regional High School and and we we are hoping that people of Ausha pick us. Uh another thing to your point, Carlos, while I have the floor, uh we are looking for a short-term agreement. the the current agreements that a Kushnet are are in with New Bedford and Fhaven have been lengthy and one thing that they had expressed to us is that they were looking for a shorter term agreement. So we're hoping to reach something that would be, you know, short-term so that we can all come back to the table and make sure this is working for both sides.

Mr. Chair, a question for Dr. Stocky. Do you anticipate this uh agreement um would be a revenue generator, a break even or for how would what's the impact the overall impacts to the budget hiring additional fac hiring back additional teachers? So again in global terms we're looking for it to be a revenue stream for the district. Thank you. That's interesting. Yeah, I trust me. I one of the things I shared this week when I met with uh last week when I met with Deb Petty and Andy Sukforth was

we would certainly like to be able to share numbers and be more transparent because when people have questions that's how rumors get started, right? That's how misinformation spins. But we're in a negotiation. We can't talk numbers publicly. But as soon as we can, happy to do so. I had mentioned to Chair Blum, we'd be happy to have anformational night for anybody who would like to come and know more about it, you know, if we get to that point in the conversation. Mr. Chair, follow-up question if I may. Would you, and I understand you can't discuss specific cost at this stage of the negotiations, would you enter the agreement knowing that it would be a um would result in a cost impact and a loss of revenue?

No. Okay. No, I I speak for myself. I'm not the one who would sign the agreement. The school committee would, but I certainly wouldn't be bringing forward something that intentionally would be a cost to the district. Okay. Um in our initial conversation with the Kushnet, we've set a a student expectation number that we would need and an opportunity. We h again have not been invited to negotiate, but part of an agreement can be an additional assessment to the tuition to make sure that that doesn't happen. Great. Thank you. Welcome. you know, are we I mean on the same kind of related are we expecting to lose more kids to BP with that brand new facility being built once that which I think this I'm thinking about that this could kind of make up for some of that those

Trevor if I had a crystal ball I' I'd love to be able to you know to to predict those numbers but as we've all come to understand enrollment and getting students into your schools no matter where you are it's it's very competitive. Yeah. Right. So Bristol Plymouth does have a nice facility. There's potential for Old Colony to have a brand new facility. Bristol Aggie has a brand new facility. So we are certainly looking to get students to get our enrollment back up at Ponquit. We'd like to be able to maintain restore and maintain some of the programming that we've seen diminish over time. Yep, that makes sense. All right. Thank you very much. Thank you.

Thank you for the opportunity. Okay, I think ready to move on to agenda item two. This is discussion on recall provision procedures for uh school committee members. We have a copy of the the warrant in the packet. I have one question just right off the bat on this one. I read this. I was I think I must be misinterpreting it. But so I see the 150 registered voters, correct? And then lower and this is B probably just not understanding the nuances of this kind of of this language but it says that there needs to be um the petition shall be signed by at least 10% of the registered voters for each precinct of each member town in the regional school district.

Correct. So like what are like so it's the larger of those like that's going to be a lot bigger than 150 I'm assuming. Correct. That's my understanding. Especially we only we have three districts in Freetown. which I I don't know the I should know this, but I'm not sure what the population breakdown is. I think it's about $2,000 a precinct. People a precinct. We got your mind stuck on numbers. I know. Dollars rather.

That just seems like a very high burden potentially. But I don't know if you have any thoughts on this. Not sure. Well, I do know that it would require 150 registered voters to bring the recall petition to the table, but I think, you know, based on what you were just indicating would be the percentage to support or not support the petition on town floor. Okay.

This and I I had nothing to do with this. I just know from past you know we had all talked about this initially in our first meeting and council was the one who had to kind of draw this right because it has to mirror the image the the language has to mirror for you and I right I say you and I for Lakeville um so that was really what happened with this getting drawn up is to the way it was and this is the language I don't I'm not not an attorney and I but I know that this was the language that they gave that It was supposed to be Lakeville and Freetown one and the same, exactly the same. And we both needed to have this um approved.

And I think after our, you know, our previous um joint meeting that we had, we had all agreed and had consensus to direct our town administrators to work with town council because we had the benefit of utilizing the same town council. Um, so I would put this to our town administrators to see, you know, what they have to say with regards to the drafting of the document that we have in front of us this evening.

Yeah. So, um, I as as much as this kind of seems straightforward, I don't think there's many um, regional school committees that have done a recall, I think maybe this is probably going to be the second in like what, 30 years. Um, this is mostly drafted after Athal Royalston, which is out in Western Mass. Um, so they took a lot of that language and put it in here. Um, there was a lot of questions that came in I think the last like day before our warrant review. Um, so I I played it safe and just took it off instead of passing kind of a bad piece of legislation. um and just tried to play it safe and then keep discussion going and then come back and approve it at a later town meeting.

So, yeah.

Yeah, we we and we have worked together with town council this we have the mayor language um each town because they need to have the mirror language. Some of the questions were um a lot about how to certify wet signatures when you have to have them certify both both towns. So, do they have to go to Lakeville first and then pre-Town? and there's only a fiveday window to get those signatures certified. So there's a question about do we change those number of days. Um there's also a question about it's technically it's written that the secretary of the school committee would um get the affidavits and and petitions and the secretary of the school committee could be the be the person that's being recalled and and that would be sort of a conflict of interest in what we do with that. it was suggested that the superintendent of schools where they they really have no role in this process but that they would handle the affidavit. So that those are the questions that are sort of up in the air at the moment that we have to to um work out the details and do it. It almost sound like town council was like it's it's fine. You can just make an agreement to do something different than what's writing. You know what I mean? But I think it's in the town's both towns best interest that we clarify this language and get it correct because if in fact you need it, you want it to say what you need it to say. So, you know, we'll continue to work on it.

So, then we should probably make sure that like we're we're voting this in the same at least town meeting cycle, right? We should probably pull it off ours until we get this stuff nailed down, which once again just kind of and these are Cheryl's our town clerk's notes, right? She she had she's been back and forth. Yeah, she she made some comments and then I I read uh town council's response. So, um very legitimate concerns, I think, on on some of them.

Yeah. And I'd like to get clarification on that on that 10% kind of language, too. Just so that that makes sense. We can we can figure that out. Um All right. Yeah. So, I think we're we're getting closer, but we're not there yet, right? And I would think I, you know, our town clerk would, you know, if she hasn't already, you know, through Andrew, um, you know, weighed in because obviously this is going to be an impact, you know, on their operation. Mhm. For sure.

Um, you know, as this comes in. So, I want to make sure that the clarity, you know, is there as well. And as you had mentioned, Deb, that you know, anytime something questionable comes up in the future, you would like to be able to go back to a hard and fact document. Um, and we'd like to make sure that we understand it as well. Um before we go forward, so when when do you typically have your annual town meeting? First Monday in May. Uh first Monday in June, I'm sorry. Okay. So we're right around the same time. We usually Yeah. back to Okay. So maybe that would be a really good, you know, um benchmark for us to try to aim for.

That makes sense. Perfect. And then I will um talk to our chair Moren. um about maybe putting this on a select board agenda um and maybe we have some questions, you know, after we dive into it as well. Um and then make sure we flush that out through our town administrators through town council. Sounds great. All right. Any other questions on the recall provision before we move on to another agenda item?

Okay. Agenda item three. this discussion on MBTA community status. We are not currently in compliance for the MBTA community. Um, and so we have seen, I mean, I'll let Deb probably explain a little more, but we have seen, you know, grants being either clawed back or taken away. Um, it's a lot of unknowns right now to be honest with you. Um but it's you know from what we everything we told like there there's going to be kind of action by the state uh based on our you know lack of compliance.

Yeah. I mean we're currently working on uh re a revision to try to meet compliance. We're working with Bowler um an outside firm that's consultant helping us. We're going to bring it back before a town meeting in January, which is why our town meeting sort of got pushed so that we have time to prepare the zoning districts and bring it back before the town. I think that um we've already been contacted um by the state asking us if we're bringing this back before town meeting. So, they're already looking at whether we're going to be whether we're trying to be in compliance or not. So, I'm hoping that um they said they're going to leave us alone until January. I'm hoping the fact that we're having a town meeting January 26 that really they don't do anything prior to that town meeting and give us one more bite at the apple. Um so, I'm I'm optimistic that we're going to pass a district, a zoning district in January, but I have no way of knowing, as you know, town meeting. Um people can vote their will at the meeting. So, we won't know.

And it's a twothirds vote. Is that what it means? Um it this the the zoning that they're putting forth will be a majority vote 50%. Yeah. 50%. So um because it doesn't include uh any amendments to existing zoning. Originally we were we were trying to amend the PMUD which include a business district and that create that that created the twothirds necessary to change the zoning district. But there is a special provision that allows uh when you're doing the MBTA community status to to do a majority vote. Okay. So, we'll see. They gave us till the end. I'm sorry, Trevor. They gave us through the end of the calendar year initially to to come up with something, right? End of this year.

Of this year, but we pushed it off to January to make sure that what we brought before the town made sense. So, that's what they're talking about with that. So, we don't know if they're going to say something as of January 1, come in, you know. Well, I would think that as long as you were in communication with them to let them know and you had the Warren article and it was going to be on town meeting, you'd already started the process. Yeah. Yeah. I think we're going to be okay. Yeah. Yeah. We're hopeful. Uh, any other questions or concerns on on this topic?

All right. Uh great. And then agenda item four is discussion on fiscal 20 uh 2027 um prelim budget which we have not really started much yet. I don't know if you guys want to talk about where you stand. You're further ahead than us.

Yeah. Um I did a um projection with myself and the finance director back in I think it was August 5th that we gave it. Um it's like most towns right now, big deficit, um over half a million. Um so my idea was to probably start the capital budget early. Um those requests are due about a month ago. We're going to go through I think within the next month and finalize our capital plan. Um we've been kind of a buffer with the free cash number. Um but obviously it's fiscal 27 is going to be concerning um across the board I think. Um probably with Freetown as well. Um, so I don't know if we can work together somehow. Um, but it's going to be a lot tougher than the last couple years.

What do you see as like the biggest driver? Healthc care is a big one. Um, last year we faced about a 10% increase. Um, we're switching health groups, so we might we've been told to prepare for 15 to 20%. Um, education costs across the board are going up. Um, we're doing collective bargaining for all our groups, which are four of them. Um, pension costs, it's like every town. Um, fixed costs, um, cost of labor's going up. Um, there's a talent shortage across the board. So, but there's no like big loss of any kind of revenue driver, any like, you know, big company that was, you know, a huge part of your tax base there.

No, I don't think we we don't really have a stop and shop like you guys do. It's top of mind for us, right? because we Yeah. So, we have a lot of big um economic development potentials, but they're all kind of residential housing. Um but those are years away. Um even if they were built today, I don't think we'd see the revenue for three or four years, unfortunately. So, um if the Calvary is coming, it's not new growth. Um state aid obviously is going down, but um you know, it's a bleak picture obviously. So, yeah, understand. I don't know, Debbie, can you speak to like you have you have at least

I mean obviously I I prepared the budget every year. I have um an idea you know what I've been saying for the last few years that joining uh BP while I think a good thing for our students is difficult for our budget and our predictions because we're still not at full capacity with the school. However, this year we have 96 students attending the school. And just looking at that number, I'm predicting that uh the cost to send our students to BP is around $2 million. Now, mind you, you know, three years ago, we were probably only spending five or 600,000 and getting 500,000 back for chapter 70 money for out of district children going to a school out of district. So, not only are we paying $2 million to send our children to BP, but we've lost that half a million dollar credit. So, it's really like a $2.5 million budget hit. Um, and we have a couple of other concerning things that I think are going to put some strains on our budget this year. Although I anticipated it, there's, you know, I've had a couple of things that come up that I didn't anticipate that are really going to strain our budget. So, I need to know what new growth is. And I think that's the number for us that gives me what what we'll have um to to spend in addition to say last year's budget. So five or $600,000 and you know everybody everything's just increased. We did get our retirees insurance increase. You guys know in the last meeting it was 14 to 17% or maybe that's on tonight's meeting. 14 to 17% increase in the health insurance. Um, and that's on the piggyback of last year being 10%. So, uh, we facing the same things as Lakeville. Uh, I I I say that sometimes we just swap back and forth. So, we've been a it's been a little bit easier for Freetown the last few years, but we're headed all in the same direction. And not only Freetown and

Lakeville. I read articles all the time about all the other towns struggling. Um, but there is some, I think, some interesting talks coming up about chapter 70 monies and whatnot. And I'd encourage people to start looking at that and get involved with that because that's really where the towns can benefit if we can get more chapter 70 money from the state to help support our school systems. That will alleviate some of the um the pressure on the towns um in terms of financial and not only that, maybe get some more money to the school districts to do some of the capital improvements that they need to do. So, that's coming up. I want to say it's November 19th at aquate high school is hosting the the talk. So I'd like to put the plug in for that. I think it's 4:30 to 6:30. I'm I'm looking at Dr. Starky. She she's well aware. Um, I think the more that can turn out for that meeting and really pressure or or let the state know that we really need their help with this chapter 70 money for our school districts and our children that the more that we can get for the school, the better off we'll all be as a town because we also have competing needs in addition to the school. We have our seniors and we have, you know, other competing needs for vulnerable populations that we need to make sure we take care of as well. So yeah, I I I'll know more January what our budget looks like, but I'm concerned.

Okay, answers. Yeah. All right. Any other questions or concerns on that? No. Great. So move on to agenda item five, which is uh discussion on joint regional active shooters trainings. And I think Deb, you pressed this one on and we have the chiefs here to speak to this.

Yeah. Um good evening. So the the obviously we have a lot of discussions about active shooter training uh with the school system and as we know it's it's expensive to do the the towns pay overtime to all the staff and is both police and fire attend and there's a lot that goes into it a lot of planning and and and the chiefs can speak more to that but I I was thinking um you know it's very beneficial for all towns to have the active shooter training and we Well, hope to God we never need it for any of our school districts. But if there were ever to be an active shooter uh incident, we know that all towns mutual aid is coming, right? It's not just going to be Lakeville at the Lakeville school or Freetown at the Freetown School. Lakeville's coming, Freetown's coming, Rochester's coming, Berkeley's coming. They're all coming as we would for their schools, right? All of the mutual aids. So, my thought process on this was I'd like to request funding from um the district, from the senator, from the representatives to fund regional active shooter training, whether it be annually or bianually for our schools and the schools could rotate, but that all mutual aid towns work together and the chiefs would be imperative in trying to determine what towns would make sense or or maybe the representatives. Um, but that way we can get the training at least every every year or every other year. We involve more than just our two two towns because I think if it ever did happen, it would be more than two towns coming to the to the plate and and you know dealing with the situation. So the the more training we have, the better we'll be able to respond if there ever is um some kind of an incident. So that was what this I wanted to present and make sure that that was okay. I have not talen to representatives. I have not asked them. I'm glad the chiefs are both here to speak to that if if you know if if they

will and what their thoughts are on that approach.

Uh follow following up from the previous agenda item where it's a bleak outlook on FY27. Um I think this is something that is important. It should be done annually. uh police officers all across Massachusetts um are faced with this and I it it should be training that's done by every town, every community, every police department and fire department and those uh local regional school systems like Freetown and Lakeville uh should train together. Um, unfortunately the cost of overtime, the cost of planning, um, it can get expensive and any way we can be creative to find the money to fund this annually, um, would be good and it's something that the the MPTC has thought about, but it's it has yet to be mandated. Um, and that's something that I think should be uh a mandate as part of the annual reertification for every police officer across the state.

I'm going to um piggyback off what the the chief mentioned that I think all chiefs this is a chief's worst nightmare thinking that an active shooter incident could happen in their community. And when you look at the news and you look at where these events happen, it happens in a community just like ours. And for us to uh sit back and think that it's not going to happen to our community, that's the pitfall. We need to be prepared. And how to do that is by doing the training. Um it takes time and money. I think uh agencies ac across the area have been very creative in themselves but the real training for mutual aid needs to be in a joint effort. We need to work alongside by side with our neighboring agencies knowing that we have their back and knowing that they have our back as well. So again, uh just look to support that as we go forward because we know that the you know regional school system is basically in the middle of our joint area and um there's a good chance that Freetown could be there potentially quicker than Lakeville um and vice versa depending on what's going on for activity for our departments. We need to be prepared and we need to uh put the training to the exercise for our personnel out there.

Great. So, it sounds like if we can get the money then you guys will do it. So, perfect. Get us the money, we will do it.

I I know after our last meeting um you know the topic was was discussed and you know I appreciate you taking the time to to share with us what you have been doing up to this point too. Um, I think we all at the table agreed that it was a priority and I, you know, for Lakeville, you know, we wanted to see that, you know, built into the bud budget annually so that it didn't burden, you know, our police department just solely, you know, for the budget purpose. So, um, I can't speak for the rest of the board. Um I don't think that the board would you know have an issue if we were to look for um outside support for you know a regional effort. So um I for one would would help support that that effort.

Absolutely. And just for ballpark do do we have any idea of like for every training how much it would cost you know like just just out of curiosity? I think we ballpocked this yesterday. For each uh police the police department speaking for just myself, you're probably looking at to have the certain officers who are going to be taking part in the training and the planning and it's a mult multi-day thing to mandate this. Um probably around 10,000. Okay. Yeah. 10,000 per just the police department. Now the fire department that would be, you know, Lakeville fire would be another 10,000. Okay. Yeah, we budget 20,000. That's what we budget for our police and fire. Okay, that's correct.

That makes sense. And I'm sure you wrote that. Yeah, we have the budget flexibility. Um, we've had a few budget savings. I think we can do that for 26 within the operating. Um, obviously the easiest thing to do is a free cash article gives us flexibility over multiple years. That'd probably be the the best way to do it. And I think because of the sensitivity of the topic um you know to not share as to you know if it's this year or next year you know we just or every year it would take obviously the the directive to make it happen and yeah we've we've we've done it and scraped things together and pulled from different you know different line items and stuff to get to get this done. So,

and I guess it would be up to us to make sure that the money was there. So, yeah, to pull from you from the last time, that's kind of what we both had at all agreed on was that we would just find a way to build it into the budget. But let's face it, there's no better place than to say, "Hey, we're getting the money from the reps or whoever." And I don't think many reps would give too hard of a push back if they have the money available to help feed, you know, this initiative. So, um, I love the idea to to get the money from an outside source and to to allow these gentlemen to do what they do. Um, yeah.

And there's always the possibility that there could be a bill up on on the hill already. Um, because, you know, the thousands of bills that they have that they're weaning through could be could be something up there, too. So, conversation with our reps would be Yeah. very beneficial, I would think. Perfect. So, so Can um so is that an an option for for Andrew to research congressional support grants and so forth? Yep. Yep.

Yeah, I would say that maybe Andrew and Deb working together and then obviously the other issue is as it was just brought up if you know they if these chiefs think that it needs to be anyone other than Freetown and Lakeville involved is what that means and that's that's their gig, not mine. But I'm just talking out loud based on the conversation that just occurred. So we'll figure it out, see what's available, what what what the reps which direction. I was actually thinking of that. Maybe we go right, you know, get a bill and get get away from the state funding, too. So we'll figure that out. All right.

Any questions on this right before? All right. Great. Okay. So, agent item six now is uh discussion on the MBTA quiet uh train quiet zones. So, we have what 11 crossings town. Correct. Me, too.

Um which was a shocking number to hear the first time, but now I'm like paying attention. Oh, yeah. There's one over there. There's one there. And we have none none of them are designated as as quiet zones currently. Um, we know it's based on the information I saw in the packet, it's a the cost can be between $30,000 and a million dollars, which is a huge range of to to implement the the quiet zone. Um, so I guess my first question is, does do you guys does Lake have designated quiet zones? No. Is it a big problem for you guys?

We have residents that have some serious concern. We have three crossings. Um even before uh the South Coast Rail was coming through, we were having discussions of what it would entail for a quiet zone and we knew back then it was about a million dollars a crossing. Um, so this board has um, you know, directed our town administrator to look into it and I know that jointly um, they've dived into this and and realized that it's a little bigger than just Lakeville becoming a quiet zone or just Freetown coming or Berkeley. So it it looks like it would be a combined effort. And Andrew, I know you've updated us briefly, but if you wouldn't mind.

Yeah. So everything I've learned because we basically the state funded a diag diagnostic report. We haven't gotten that yet, but we did receive feedback from it. Um we have three crossings, North Precinct, Leonard, and Malbone. Uh we were kind of told that North Precinct and Leonard be in the million-doll range. It sounds like the third one, Melbourne, would be like the 30,000 one. Um it's very wide street. They can put a median down the middle of it. So it's just a couple raised concrete type of deal, which wouldn't be a a necessarily a burden on us to do, but the the the fact is the Berkeley's crossings are right there. Um, and if they don't do theirs, then it doesn't matter if we do ours. So, um, fortunately for a small town, Freetown, Berkeley, and Lakeville, we don't have the really the fiscal resources to handle it, that kind of increase without significant um, state or federal funding. Um, I haven't really gotten any word on state funding for that, but they kind of point us to the feds every time.

Yeah, same with us.

Yeah, it's tough because there's so many tracks, right? Your Malbone is our Beachwood, right? And then Berkeley's right there. Um, and they that noise does travel quite a bit, right? So 30 to a million dollars is what we're looking at as well. Um, we're looking for we're waiting for our report as well. We've gotten some information back, but the diagnosis has been done. We'll see what they say and take it from there. Um, but it is, but you're right. It is a joint effort between all our towns. Right. I I will applaud the select board from all three towns that I've worked with, Lakeville, and Berkeley, of course, Freetown. Um, it's it's one of those issues. The residents are not happy, and I don't blame them. So, whatever we can do to make them a bit happier, one noise at a time, that's what we'll do. I know that we are scheduling a meeting. I I don't know.

Yeah, that's our December 17th. Um I'm going to host a meeting to uh any anybody from the surrounding towns, mostly Freetown residents obviously to discuss the continuing complaints on the on the rail. Um there was there's just been a lot of disconnect with the MBTA and Kiololis and South Coast Rail and MOOT and there's so many players in the federal rail. I know some homeowners have been um in contact with certain play people and they um have promised different noise mitigation things that they did not get. So, I'm trying to address that directly to the residents by having anformational session and try I'm going to try to get representatives um here to hear the complaints to hear what I hear um on a daily basis and try to hopefully we can work with these residents and individuals and come up with some solution that maybe makes it a little more palatable for them. Um if it's not a quiet zone, maybe it's that we put bushes along the tracks if that helps. I don't know the solutions at this point. Um, but I'm going to I'm going to sit down with residents and see what I can do and if I can bring in some of the um representatives from those uh different organizations to see if they can help too on a different level. If we can't make the the zones to the 11 million price tag quiet, is there something we can do to help the residents differently? I don't foresee us being able to fund the quiet zoning and and um we you can't have the last one in your town and the first one in your town be quiet. Isn't that right, Andrew? So like that's where where it becomes crossing the town lines changes what you can do. So there's a lot to it, but we are working on it. The diagnostic report is being done and we're waiting for it. So until we get that and we have the actual cost, we're sort of in limbo. December 17th, we'll have a meeting in this room.

This room, right? Um to to if anybody wants to come and let you know, talk about their issues with the train, I'm certainly going to listen and do my best to get them help somewhere.

And just a quick note on that, even if we spent the $11 million, for those keeping track at home, let's say we put a towel meeting and we do spend $11 million, which like Deb said, I that's a hard number, right? It's that's a lot of money. um the state will still the state and federal will still come in to certify that. Right? So there's a there's a scenario that we install let's say $1 million worth of quiet zones and then and the state comes in and says too bad we're still going to blow the horn for safety reasons and then the conductor has the ultimate say. So even if we have all these things all these ducks in a row boxes checked the conductor can still play their musical horns at night which is frustrating. So we're we're taking it seriously, but it does take time for. So those are that's for our residents.

I do remember when we had the meeting initially, we were told that there was one town that had quiet zones and they also lost them because of the amount of paperwork and everything that needed to be done behind the scenes and they didn't do something and they lost it. It was like they never did it. And and don't quote me on what it was, but it was uh someone up on the Southshore that had done it and they still they didn't even get to keep it because they didn't keep up with all the checks and balances that caused. So it's not just put it in and you know wash our hands of it. It's it seems like based on what we were told initially was there would be a lot of stuff behind the scenes afterwards that would need follow through and checks and balance.

Yeah, you have to be reertified every three years I believe. You have to do traffic studies. Um, so it's it's an ongoing expense to the town. I don't know what that looks like, but yeah. So, like every three years you have to be reertified and you could lose it if you don't do what they want you to do. Yeah.

And I think that um the concern here, maybe it isn't the quiet zone, but it is the mitigation that we can provide. So, I know we had a list of residents that were directly impacted and I want to say that it was 19 residents that would be eligible for mitigation. I don't know what your numbers were. I mean, with 11 cross, I really didn't know until tonight that it was 11, but um you know, maybe that net of mitigation is a thrown out a little bit wider um so to speak and you know, find ways. I mean, we we're not the first community with the train coming through. I'm sure we won't be the last, but you know, whatever other communities have worked through their mitigation, I think that, you know, there's got to be a way to help, you know, reduce some of the the impact.

Yeah, absolutely. So, it's a it's a tough one because I remember our residents being frustrated with the the process, right? For instance, let's say you live on the tracks or nearby the track. The the mitigation would be we'll update your windows facing the track. So if you have 30 windows in your household, five facing the track, the five will be replaced. The 25 is up to you to to fix your on your own. So it I know they were frustrated where we had some small areas where we were able to improve them by going back to the state help out based on our last meeting we had, but that was very few. So it it's a uphill battle, but one that we're willing to take. Um, I'm sure we have information to provide you if you need some. Great. Thank you.

All right. Any other questions or concerns on this topic?

All right. So, moving on to agenda item seven. This is uh the regional school agreement. And on our last meeting, there's talks of updating on this agreement. I don't know where we stand. Deb, where do we stand? I I don't think there's been any discussion since that last meeting about the regional school uh agreement. So, I'm not sure if um if there is to be a discussion um maybe um through the town administrators, we schedule a joint meeting with the regional school committee, town of free um Freetown, Town of Lakeville um to talk about if there are items in there that we might want to talk about possibly addressing because I I believe it it has to be the joint,

you know, three committees um to bring that, you know, to discussion. So sense, right? You would want every every possible person that it affects, right, border committee involved in that conversation in my eyes. So yeah, that's kind of goes without saying. So even if we did have a a get together and then we sat there and there was nothing, at least we did it. We went through the exercise. Yeah. Right. Right. There hasn't been updated what? Since is it 2010? 2010. I think I think your name's on it from 2010. Yeah. My name was on the original one, too. No, I agree. Don't ask me what the original was because I can't always recall all of it, but okay.

A lot of work went into it. So, I mean, it was, you know, we sat in the the library back room. I think um Barbara, you might have been around at that time, too. I think um we're all sat like sardines in that room trying to hammer it out. So, I can imagine. Yeah. Yeah. So, I think that's the right next step, right? If there is anything that even one of those parties wants to change, then we should we, you know, I think we're all more than happy to to to schedule something joint down the road and and figure that out. Does that make sense, Deb?

Maybe I know we're getting into the budget cycle, so we'll you know, we'll just kind of throw some time time frames out, but you know, I would say before the end of the fiscal FY26, maybe we have a joint meeting. That makes sense. All right. Great. Any other questions or concerns on this one? Okay. So, agenda item eight, discussion on athletic opportunities and related participate participant fees. If you don't mind, Mr. Chairman, I'll jump in there.

All right. Uh, well, this one's first. Let me preface by saying I am a coach and I've been running T-ball for the league for seven, eight years. It's a competitive sport. I encourage everybody to join T-Bo turns into baseball. So what so I believe you all received a letter from the baseball boards. All right. And what they're saying is from what their understanding is they're working with the parks commission from the town of Lakefield and the parks commission has you know signal to them that the some fees per per participant is going to increase over the next year couple years. That's where I'm foggy on and you do you as a town. I'm I'm not here to structure your your the way you do things at any any given way. Um but my concerns for as a coach being on those fields is some of the fields aren't playable. They're they're there, but they're like baseball fields a little different than let's say uh a soccer field. Soccer field grass grows, you cut it, you paint the lines down, call it a day. Baseball fields, you add dirt, that dirt has to be removed at some point, right? Uh what's happened over the years, I'll take field two and three, which is across from the beautiful new park you guys just put there. Looks great, by the way. All right. Um and you look at those fields, you could have a center fielder, little kid waiting for the ball and there's about a two foot lip from the second base down to the outfield. That's simple reason is over the years dirt's been added. Let's say it's low spots. You use a thing called game saver. Add that game saver onto the wet spot so you can play immediately during that day. What people don't realize about game saver is after a couple days it needs to be removed, right? Because it doesn't it doesn't mix well with the clay and dirt that's there already. Well, over the years that hasn't occurred, right? And so now it's uneven. You can bump from the baseline all the way down to the the the first baseline from home plate to first base simple bunt and the children aren't they're not reactive to certain things

and but the way the conditions are those fields are needs to be updated. compound that with I guess Lakeville has a policy of not allowing their volunteers to do certain work which is probably a liability of sorts. Here in Freetown, we we released to them like a very low like a dollar amount per year and allow the league and volunteers to come in and like help break shovel things out things of that nature. It helps maintain the fields quite quite quite nicely. Lakeville doesn't have that same way of doing it. And I I suggested to them is like maybe ask Lakeville if that's something they can do either on a tempor temporary basis or long-term basis. So I so I told I'd bring it up here during the joint meeting to see what what we can do to help 300 kids 60% of them are from Lakeville enjoy Ted Williams because right now for T-ball and rookie some minly games it goes to Ted Williams but the lights are out so they can't play at night. So some lights are out not all. All right I'll take that back. Um, so they usually mostly use Freetown for tournaments and like night games, which is great for us, but there's also certain games that you could have thousands of people show up that Lakeville could benefit as well from. So, as a joint meeting, what can we do to help the baseball, soccer, field hockey from playing on the fields like Teddy Williams intended to? So, that's my spiel. Um, just trying to advocate for the kids of both our towns to have a nice conditioned fields to enjoy. So, you know, we're the select board and we do have a a designated parks commission um elected and they are, you know, the entity that oversees, you know, our our parks, Clare Bonds, John Pawn, and Ted Williams. Um so, the discussion obviously would need to start there. um you know with the concerns getting on the agenda having the conversation. Um and then if it's a if it's a capital or if it's an additional you know outside the budget type um you know discussion that's where you know it

would come to the select board and possibly through the town administrator. Um if it's you know for I don't know materials or you know who who does it but the conversation needs to take place with the parks commission. um they are the entity that makes the decisions for those um

and so you know Lorine that discussion has been had between different organizations and the parks commission and everything that I've said today is based on their their conversations and they have been on the agenda. It just seems like they can't use their volunteer base as as often as they can let's say here in Freetown, right? because it would offset quite a bit of the the maintenance of the fields, allowing them to come in um using the proper materials, proper machinery and things like that like we do in Freetown uh to come in and take care of the fields a little bit better. It's a lot of work for a baseball field. Again, it's not like soccer where you can the grass grows and you cut it on a daily basis or weekly basis. There's a lot quite a bit of specialized maintenance of those fields that they would be more than willing to put their time into it if Lakefell allowed it. So,

well, I guess maybe through Andrew, maybe that's a conversation, you know, that maybe you can have with the chair of the parks commission. Um, just to kind of get an understanding of maybe the challenges that maybe the, you know, that the parks commission has with um I mean, we obviously, you know, we support recreational activities in our town fully. Um, but I know that this board won't overstep, you know, any decisions that, you know, the parks commission makes, but if it's for an improvement, you know, to our parks, I think that, you know, we'll we can do what we can

100%. Um, this is the conversation of of like the old saying, we don't know what we don't know, right? There are some things I didn't know how it worked in Lakeville versus Freetown. And through this experience or talking with the different leagues, I'm better more familiar with it and they they say a lot of great things about the parks commission, right? And I agree it goes through them. But just for your awareness, um they could use your your your back as well. You have what is it? Little Fenway, correct? We have little Well, for baseball, we have Little Fenway. We have KR resendes for softball, and then we have Long Pond over uh football. Okay. So, we're spread out versus uh Teddy Williams, which is great. All in one area. Yeah, we got we'll have little Ted.

We'll have a little Ted. I I'm the liazison from the park with the parks department from the board of selectman. So, I'll I'll work with Andrew on this a little bit and I have no objection of swatting the hornets nest at all. I should say they've made a capital request for Ted Williams improvements to the fields for fiscal 28 and 29. Maybe this discussion will push that up to 27 or earlier maybe, but I can get back to everybody. Does the I have a quick question. Does the fees that that was talking about, you know, whether they're increased or not, are they just going to the general fund or are those is there like a revolving fund? We have an enterprise account. They uh go to that. Okay. Yep. Similar to a revolving fund. Yeah, that makes sense.

I probably use the wrong terminology, but you know what I Yeah. Same same deal. Yeah. My my goal and your goal as well is get these kids playing whatever the sport there is, right? And we have the facility safely. Correct. Um, and you know, right now we have 300 plus kids in just baseball, 4 500 in soccer, and then and there's other children playing other sports as well from handball, pickle ball, which is picking up and right. You have a great skate park over there as well. I just want to see them play. Anything we can do to help them. Uh, even change the lights. You give us the go. We'll be there tomorrow. We're changing those lights for you because so so the kids can play at night. We've got that on film. Do you? Oh, it's recorded.

Yeah. And not to mention, you have beautiful osprey. I was thinking was it the osprey? They don't want to disturb the osprey in their nests, but at the same time, it it's let's get them playing. You and I on a forklift. Thank you. All right. So, I think we're good there. We'll move on. Thank you. Um, so agenda item nine. Do we have another agenda item?

Oh, okay. I got you. I see you're doing that. All right. Okay. So, agenda M9 is discussion on the status of weed mitigation and any other concerns regarding Long Pond. I know that we did probably a couple years ago now we got some money and did you know have that first kind of uh initial cleanup where we had the forget the name of the machinery that went out and you know got some rid of some of that weed harvester. Yeah. picker had I don't know if there's any been anything additional done, right? Has there

Yeah. Yeah. So, um I asked to get this put on the agenda. Um spoke with some people from town and uh you know, we had there was some stuff that was brought up about possibly you know, trying to do some more and thought that this was a good opportunity to talk to us. So, I don't know if anyone from All right. Uh, you can just say your name and Yeah. Uh, so I'm Robert Stfanian. I'm a Lakeville resident. I serve on the board of directors for the Wong Pond Association, as do the five folks to my left and right. Uh, so that's why we're here. We We have a couple handouts and probably a quick three minute or so um, summary we could give you all if if you think it's appropriate. And we have time. Yeah,

absolutely. You say? Yeah. We don't have to travel back to a meeting. I have another meeting. Thank you, sir.

So, while Mark's pass out, I'll um I'll list some quick talking points. Uh please, if you have some questions for us, comments, suggestions, anything we can clarify. Um that's why we're all here. We're very passionate about it and we are happy to get you the answers you or the answers you think the community may need. Uh so as many of you know about three years ago uh this became a pretty contentious issue uh for both of our towns and both of our town meetings. Uh what was born from that is actually a great thing. It's it's the revamped Long Pond Association. Uh we're a nonprofit. We're a 501c3. We've in in short time three years. Uh we've managed to secure about arguably about a quarter of a million dollars in grant funding um hundreds of bushels of uh mil foil and fan wart out of the pond. We've utilized things such as the eagle harvester uh that I believe the chair was alluding to. Um we've used dash which is diver assisted su suction harvesting. They'll they'll dive down with um you know vacuums that will go up on a pontoon boat and vacuum the weeds out that way. Um we've managed to purchase equipment. We've got trailers to haul the pulled weeds off site and get them away from the pond. Um, we now have our own dash boat. Um, underwater cameras to help locate the weeds, plotters to chart them, and we can really keep track of all of our efforts to get the weeds out. Um, aside from just pulling weeds, our mission is to also improve the water quality. We've partnered with folks like the URI and Bridgewater State University as far as long-term water studies. We've partnered with Serpent and Save the Bay as far as education and outreach programs. Um, and really the the important reason we're here tonight is because we need to partner with the towns and the select boards as well to make sure that we're doing what you folks want us to do and you folks could maybe um, you know, see where we're coming from and in ways that maybe the towns could help us. Um, so with that, we we've got a couple bullet points here. We're not here for like a funding

ask, right? We're here to to let you know what we've done so far here. what maybe you folks have done so far that we've missed uh and see what we can all do together uh in in the near future and distant future to really make this sustainable because let's be honest, right? An eco harvester mechanical harvesting uh divers in the water at some point you're kind of shoveling against the tide, right? How how do we make this sustainable? So, we've been very lucky. Uh much credit to Martha over here to my right um securing funding from the state. Uh we're on to our third round of state funding now that covers a lot of the contractor costs with the ecoh harvester and dash. We've worked with u bill's folks over at Serped and uh Chance Parks from the city of New Bedford. We've assisted um with Fragmighty pull and really freeing up a choked up area of the pond down by Cathedral Camp. Um what that's all done though is it's identified more opportunities that are going to be um they could be more costly. Uh but a bigger issue is that they could become more controversial. That's when we get into things like mechanical harvesting or dredging. Um the concom get involved. uh bigger permitting and it's more of an invasive process, but it's a conversation that needs to be had because if it's going to be sustainable, that's when you're looking at things like the dredge. You're looking at talking to New Bedford and Tata Water about herbicides and and other things in a in a drinking water supply. Um so that's why we're here. I think the only other thing I didn't touch on in my list here would be if if the towns see something that could be an opportunity for us, by all means, please think of us. It could be something as simple as a place to store some of this equipment that we're we're getting. Or, hey, I I I think you guys might have missed a great opportunity

here with this partnership. Or, hey, if you're going to apply for more grants, we're open to giving you a letter of support. Uh, so that's really all we're here for tonight. Um, and I'll end it with thank you all for your help thus far because it's greatly appreciated. Thank you very much. Thank you. I think this is awesome. Like you know an unfortunate truth is that uh a nonprofit like this can be much more efficient and uh you know agile than than town can be trying to solve the same kind of problems, right? It's just it's it's hard right to do it. So I think this makes a lot of sense and I and I think this approach is great. Um, so one of the bullet points, you know, if you don't mind if I start quick. Go for it.

So, one of the bullet points here is a small storage space for garage for the dash boat and equipment. Do you have an idea of where specifically that would be helpful? Like, uh, right now we're storing it outside at one of our personal residences. So, it's anything's better than where we're at now. Um, it's it's essentially a talking point for us. It could be a private space. It could be a a a town owned space. It could be indoor. It could be outdoor. could be anything really. Yeah. So, I'm I'm thinking like at least on the Freetown side, right? We have the boat ramp which probably would be tough because it's fed technically state property. And then uh Oh, yeah. A good suggestion. Fire station 2,

which is right across the street from, you know, that may that could be something that we could talk about if we have space there, too. And they there's a lot of stuff already being stored there. We just want to get it out of the elements, right? So that's something that just, you know, reach out to town. I'm not sure if Lakeville has any good locations that you come can think of, but that's something that's an easy one that we can help with and actually, you know, do something quickly, right? Um, as long as the fire chief gives his blessing. Yeah, of course. Fire. That makes sense. Yeah. Yeah. I have like an image map. I was looking at that for some reason, so I think you're right. Um,

yeah. Yeah. And then obviously I think we just need to have open lines of communication but think between all you know all three organizations you know your organization and the towns and uh I maybe I don't know how we formalize that whether you know I'd be interested in having you guys come to you know a meeting once a quarter or something like that to see where you guys stand something of that nature and you know Deb can work with that. Um, but I think it it's it's a unique situation where we have two towns and also there's lots of other towns who are or cities that are impacted by the decision. So, a lot of moving parts, right? So, um, I totally appreciate, you know, how things can get more complex, especially when we start getting to more, you know, intense methods of cleaning the pond. That makes a lot of sense to me. So, those are my thoughts. I'm not sure.

Well, the town of Lakeville has a liazison. Um Chris Planka is our to the one. You're our water person. Oh yes. That encompasses all things water. Okay. Can't wait to see you at the next meeting. I was going to talk in water, but okay. Bedford water. Okay. But I mean obviously you can lean on the rest of the select board if you No, absolutely. I'd be definitely willing to leazison and work with you folks. Definitely. Absolutely. Feel free to reach out to me.

Yeah. So I I just have to say I worked with I did work with the U Mass DOT on getting the fragmitees near Cathedral camp cleaned up and then I know our highway department helped with that situation. So we were aware of that working with that. I worked with Senator Rodri's office as well. When you um the coordination with Mass DOT and replacement of the covert, there is a covert grant. I believe it's open right now. Um, I've I've done this grant before. Um, but it's it's it's extensive, but that's something if if somebody wants to take on filling out the grant, and I'm more than willing to offer whatever I can to help get that process, but there is a a mass uh covert grant. It has a lot of ecological value, so I'm not sure what you have. Um, but those are things you can look at and we can I can help you with it or point you in the right direction. and I I can't do it for you, but I can say, "Hey, I've done this and this is what I would do."

So, that's out there right now. I hope it hasn't closed, but it's available. So, there are definitely grants for that. Um, always that I'm always looking for grants at, you know, and I'll keep my eyes open if something comes up that I think will benefit you. Um, one of the things that I came to mind too is I thought that there was something in the works to for dredging Namask to keep the pond levels from flooding from flooding the properties and I thought that was in the works already with Serbed and

it is it's our understanding that it is and luckily in the Kushnet they just um they just wrapped up dredging in their pond too. So it's it's being done around here. We're hoping it's kind of lost a lot of the negative connotation it might have had because it's I I think we're hitting a point where it may be a necessary um move.

Um and I know that I see grants a lot for properties that are flooded multiple times. I I haven't done one. I haven't looked into it. I don't have um I haven't had the need to do that in Freetown, but I can certainly when I see them, I can send them your way via an email address. Hey, look at this grant. Um, they're kind of a new set of grants at the government, and those are probably more federal than they are state level, which is a whole another ball of acts and grants, but that might be something, say you've got some residents along Long Pond that consistently flood that would help. It may help raise their house. I know that sounds crazy, but that that's exactly what they're doing. They're trying to get these houses out of the flood plane, out of the so they're not continuously paying insurance to repair the houses. So, I will look and send you whatever I can find and if somebody has a question on a grant application or something, I'd be more than willing to try to help that way.

Thank you. Now, I have to apologize to Mr. Panka. He does cover water in Lakeville, but um Mr. Hunt is our Asaws at Pond Complex. Quietly sits here, watches the bus hit you and continue on. I mean, my arm's already sore cuz Chris just punched it. Yeah, I'm I'm happy to do it. I've attended uh the Long Pond Association meeting in the past and I'm happy to work with those folks on some things. Bob, I just had a couple questions. Do you do you have an idea of what the daily cost is when you're doing the dredging? I I mean, when you're doing the weed,

I'll defer to John Worley off to my left or to my right. Eco harvesting is $5,000 a day and dash is $4,000 a day. Okay. And will there be is about 8 hours. Will there be a savings uh for you folks now that you've or you're trying to establish your own boat? Will that that'll save you some money there? Yes. On the dash end? Yes. But the dash end doesn't do eco harvesting. That's a specialized machine. We don't own one of those yet. We would like to, but we don't own it. Okay. So, you can cover a lot more square footage with the eco harvester in the right conditions. Yes. Dash is more concentrated. It's a slower moving process.

It's for deeper water. But then while we're on the cost of these things, Lakeville's, I think, uniquely positioned if dredge if a a partnered town LPA dredge project was to kick off. I think the town has access to the Plymouth County Commissioners on that Plymouth Plymouth County dredge that I think could be a very cost-effective tool. Okay. Available to us. something to put on the radar.

And I, you know, I I hesitate to say it, but I, you know, especially with the budgets that we're looking at in the future, but I didn't know if there would be a possibility at some point in time for the two towns to partner a little bit, maybe do some matching funds for these folks that are doing small projects. I didn't know if that might be something we can do at some point in time.

That would that would be great down the road. And then the things that you were referring to before the grants that are out there right now a lot of the things for the buyouts that's federal usually you know brick Noah you know FEMA stuff like that but I think one of the things that we've been doing so far and we've been very conscious of the fact that when we go go for grants you want to try to minimize any burden to the town. So the things we've been doing like the water quality sampling around the ponds with Bridgewater State University, Bridgewater matched us dollar for dollar. We got a match from the Taton River Stewardship Council and uh Bridgewater matched us with that. So it was federal money and state money. We've tried to get grants as a nonprofit with no match required or we've tried to get services, you know, in lie of direct cash, you know, requirements and that's worked out well too. And there's a grant right now. It's going to be a grand a brand new grant program with mass dot a culvert grant as well as the traditional deer grants that you were talking about and it's a first time out of the chute. So we've been talking to district 5 about um maybe taking a look at the culvert over there on route 18 down there near the church. Uh and we're working with mosquito control to get the fragmitees out and they're going to come back. Chance perks from New Bedford's been working with us and he's done a great job. So all of this minimizes cost of the town and we're looking at that ahead because you know we don't want to put any any burden on the town unnecessary burden because it's tight budget times but I think I think um working with partners like that it's all about partnerships and collaboration you know much like what you guys are doing tonight that's the approach we take we've also gotten a lot of the equipment um that we've gotten we've gotten through uh federal grants through the uh Southern New England Environmental Program and uh that got us some uh computers, some monitoring programs, some cameras, things like that that allow us to do work in the ponds without

again having to get state, federal or local people involved. So, if we can work with you, there may be times that we ask you maybe for a letter of support and a grant, but I obviously we discuss this well in advance with you so you'd know just what we're doing, how we're doing it, and like people were saying, maybe help help meet the joint needs of both towns and kind of better serve the region. That's the approach we take. So, that's where we are. Awesome.

I think um letter of support is obviously easy. One thing I wanted to mention is we also one of the things that we have issues with is the boat ramp, right, which is in the Freetown side, stateowned but managed by the town of Freetown. And one of the things that we've uh discussed over there was putting in a wash station. I know Bill, maybe you've been part of some of those conversations. It came up that that really wasn't practical there. But the issue is the mil foil weed getting on the boats and going in the water and then polluting the water. So, when we had um um Doug Cameron down from the state, he said, "Your best defense is people around the pond that are passionate about the pond to help you at the boat ramp." So, that's going to be my ask to you guys. How can you help us at the boat ramp um to better manage that and and better um you know, educate people there so that they don't bring things into this pond that shouldn't be in the pond. So, I'll leave it at that, but we can talk more about that. So, all right. All right. Awesome. And we'll have to get a designated leazison on. I'm thinking maybe town planner for this stuff. It's a lot like grant heavy.

So, well, we can talk about that as well. Make sure we're in constant communications. All right. Any other questions on this? Good. All right. Thank you guys very much. Appreciate it. Thank you. Thank you. All right. So, moving on to agenda item 10 here. Discussion on the status of audit of school financials transactions. I don't know where we stand on those. I remember lots of talk about an audit,

Mr. So I I can add it and I have been attending the regional finance subcommittee meetings. There was another it was this um last meeting was during the summer I believe. Yeah, I'm awful track of time but yeah. Yeah. Um it it is still an item of discussion. There's been no I mean just for the record to remind everybody that both town select boards voted for that type of audit scope and type to be to be determined. Yep.

Um we had there were some setbacks of the regional finance subcommittee some turnover and stuff like that. the new chair. Um, again, we brought it up as a topic during the summer and we have another meeting coming up in a couple weeks, I believe. Couple weeks looking over the school. It's like it's a couple weeks and and it is going to be discussed again. Um, and I will say as me representing the town of Lake, I am still pushing for it. I'm I'm a supporter of it as long as it's done correctly and the scope is defined. And I think that that's some of the some of the challenges we had in the last year or so is trying to define the scope and getting the right people.

Uh but I'm confident that we can move forward um and continue with that and move forward with an audit that has the right scope and achieve the objectives that we're looking for. And I'll let Jared if you want to. Yeah. No, I mean you I think you nailed it there. Um, you know, that was kind of the the conversation of the whole group. I felt like it was a good conversation and it was the first one I was involved with, but it was that, right? Like if we're going to do this and we're going to do it, you're gonna do it right. You're going to have the right people involved and um, yeah, there's there's still obviously a lot to be determined, but I felt like it was heading I felt positive walking out of that meeting at the end of it all. So,

and also like getting into some kind of cadence u that like makes sense, you know, to have an audit. I mean, and I know there's already some audits right there. That is a thing. But yeah, I think I think it makes sense, you know, given um you know, some of the recent events. So, unfortunately, the pace is not what we'd hoped for, but again, there was some challenges with some of this the membership of the regional finance committee, but I'm confident those have been addressed and we can start to make some progress over the coming months. Okay. Yes.

Crystal, I was the former driver Um the documentation I received from the auditor was Lynch Lynch and Marini. I submitted um confidential document on it and in there I was asked questions as to what I wanted to do and if I had any questions about anything. So I did fill it out and I put down where I thought there were problems and where things needed to be looked at. It is a confidential document, so I can't tell you, but I just wanted to be here to tell you and be as transparent as I could. I am no longer the treasurer, but when I did it, I was. And that was two months ago.

Okay. I appreciate that. Yeah. Any other questions on this? I mean, I think so path is still moving forward. another uh regional school finance committee meeting coming up and uh now it's you right me now it's all right any other questions okay so agenda item 11 this is um any matter that may impact both towns I know Deb has uh one thing she wants to bring up so you can't leave I just so close

I wanted to mention the Um, we've talked Andrew and I about the um possible getting an IMA with the city of New Bedford Water District. So, I I one of the issues that the town had was we don't currently have an IMA with New Bedford. We have to negotiate a new one. Ours has expired, but our town council is the same as New Bedford's town council. KP Law represents New Bedford. So, we had to go out and find council to represent us for this particular matter. that is on the selectman's agenda tonight to look at uh McGregor which will represent the town of Freetown in those negotiations. And so once they're on board, we're going to be looking forward to moving forward with that with New Bedford because we have our own um we need to get that resolved for the town of Fretown and New Bedford. But I know that that you that the town of Lakeville have talked to me about it. I saw it on one of your selectman's meetings as well. So just so you know where we are with that situation, we now have coun we should have council to represent us to move forward.

Okay. Um the reason I asked originally was um remember Pal Ploner had asked me about looking into water source for the Rocky Woods project. Um the only source that really makes sense for that is New Bedford. Um so I met with New Bedford and they quickly said that it for this best to happen it would be a regional solution with Freetown. Um because obviously the pipes come through go through Freetown. Um so I think I I met with Deb a few months ago and we talked about potentially a three-way IMA. So um and I know that the schools would be part of that conversation as well because you know I believe that we're still on a well. Yep. Yes.

Um and I know that that's come up periodically. Wouldn't it be great? Absolutely. High water. I I'm gonna say that it's very very very preliminary like we have a a water and sewer commissioners like nothing's been voted to say yes we do X or yes. It's very this this board hasn't addressed it either. So I'm just I'm just giving you the update that we now have we have an avenue to move forward but nothing's been decided but the need is there.

Absolutely. And and to Deb's point how this all initially started having an agreement in place will be key for us. I mean, we've we've had some issues and everyone kind of tosses their hands up and says, "Well, it's they we don't have an agreement and it's, you know, it's not ours. Well, it's yours." No. And back and forth. So, I think this makes sense on so many levels, even if Lakeville never ties into it, it's something that as a town we have to do. So, um, but if if it gets water to the school too and that, you know, that could be a huge win. So, schools, plural, Mont school. So, exciting stuff. That's where I'm at with that.

So, I think that's that's the end of our agenda. Anything else? Six months. Six months. Let's do it again. All right. Well, I'll lead it over our side. I was going to say same place, same time, but no, because we had to switch. We had to switch. Yep. Okay. So, I'll close our meeting and then we'll reopen it for the next meeting, right? I wouldn't close your Okay, we're not closing our meeting. No. All right. Um, then I guess is there an opportunity to bring up any outside business that wasn't already on the agenda that impacts both towns? I mean, yeah. Agenda Agenda item 11 is any matters that may impact both towns. Does it impact both towns? I think so. If not, you can quickly shut me down.

Okay.

Okay. Um, I had the pleasure of meeting um the Freetown selectman a few months ago. Um, I was the victim of the jet skis being stolen off of Long Pond and I know that the boat ramp is in Freetown, but it's also supposed to be like kind of jointly managed. So, I know we're not going to come to a res resolution here, but I have not come to a Lakeville town meeting, but I kind of like this was a perfect opportunity to get both towns talking about what we can do um to I guess increase security or policing or controls there. And I know funding is an issue when there's big events. So, all of that burden falls to Freetown to to pay for. So I I don't know what the appropriate way to like get everybody together to talk about it. Um I also know it's challenging because it's owned by the state.

Yeah. And that is frustrating as well because any other state recreational place closes at dusk and that place does the the pond does not close at dusk. So that is frustrating that the the you know the gates are wide open and I understand like people could be on the pond but it just it just is kind of a nest of issues. Would you just say your name and where you're from? Absolutely. So sorry Kimberly Levit and I'm a resident of Lakeville. Yeah Libby sorry to hear about what happened Jess but the boat ramp is a constant source Yeah. of of all sorts of different problems and so can speak to that. She's been managing that for a while. It's it's

Yeah. So, I don't have any answers for you right now. I know. And I'm sympathetic to We did add cameras. You added cameras. You did. You just voted on that very recently. They're already in. They're they're in. There's one. There's one in and they may add a second one. Okay. So, that's a step in the right direction. Yeah. That's huge. I'm glad that you were able to figure out the connectivity and all that. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah, we were able to do that. I don't think Laker really has any anything to do with the boat ramp other than um their their residents might use it, but um you know, it's free town that really manages it. Not that we'd love for you to You can have it, Chris. I'm sure you have enough of your own head. Water.

Well, the reason I brought it up is because when I was here last time, I the question was asked, "Well, where did you report it?" And I said, "Well, I called Lakeville police because I live in Lakeville." So then like that kind of made me wonder like who should I have called? The access point was obviously in Freetown, but the crime happened in the Lakeville side. Yeah. I mean I would say you did the right thing cuz you didn't know that if it went through the boat ramp or not at that point, right? You just said it's someone stole my jet skis at my house in Lakeville. So you called the Lakeville Police Department. That 100% makes sense.

Yeah. So, I just didn't know like you know as we talk about things and budget like there's the spirit of cooperation and I did hear and I guess it's hearsay but like friends of ours knew what happened and she told me she was at a bar I don't remember where a restaurant and she overheard people talking about the boat ramp and so she started asking questions and they said oh yeah you know what we do we got a ticket once so we don't pay we just put the ticket in our windshield because you can't get double ticketed in the day. So, I just wanted to bring that to your attention is like people know how to like surprise they're wrong. So, yeah. Yeah. Are you

I don't know. Like I just thought I would pass it along. But no, that's No, that's good to know. I appreciate that because it just comes back to like access and who's there and who's paying and I don't know. I don't know. No, it's a but um yeah, I wish I I wish I have had a better answer, but we are we are taking steps and you know and reach out you can reach out to our to our board and um you know any particular items we can get that on agenda going forward if you know Sure. So Okay. All right. Thank you for the opportunity. Thank you. Of course you um then I will entertain a motion to adjourn the Lakeville Select Board meeting at 7:26. Seconded. All right. All right. It's an early night. We're adjourned. Yeah.

Blanca I I Cabon I. We are adjourned. Thank you very much. Thank you. Appreciate that. I can not this Wednesday. It doesn't matter. We have to call. We have to we have to listen I got a whole vote for it. And I do not have that on motion made. It was going to be I think the fifth and then it got I think you originally Okay.

All right. So, we are now back in open session from recess. Uh we're going to start off with agenda item 13. This is open session minutes from October 6, 2025 and October 20th, 2025. I'll entertain a motion that we approve open session minutes from 106 and 10 2025. A motion made. Second. All in favor? I. I. Uh agenda item 14. discussion awarding the uh the invitation to bid for fire station number two vinyl siding replacement um window projects. It looks like one the one one of them that we got was substantially lower than everybody else and that was from VRG Contractor Corporation and it was uh

say V like frog FRG FRG I meant to say FRG uh and it was 74 no 59,740. My brain's going to mush. Long day. Okay, got to find my packet here. All right, so that's and it was substantially cheaper than all the other bids. Okay, great. So with that, why a motion to award the bid for the fire station to vinyl siding and replacement window projects to FRG Contractor Corporation? Motion made. Second. All in favor? I. I.

All right. All right. So agenda item 15 is just the agreement between FRG and town of Freetown. So with that, I'll entertain a motion to approve the agreement between the town of Freetown and FRG contractor corporation for fire station number two vinyl siding and replacement window project. Motion made second. All in favor? I I Excuse me, Trevor. Yes. Can I just ask is this now the end of the fire station remodel or is there still more? That's a tough question. This is fire station two. Oh, two. Yeah, this is the one up on County Road is going to get windows and vinyl siding. Okay, so nothing to do with the

Good question though. I think that because everyone's like, "Well, we just finished this. Why are we why don't we do that during the other thing?" Great question, but yeah. Okay. Thank you. Thank No. Okay. So, now agenda item 16. This is discussion about vote whether to declare property located at map 210 lot 108 taken in tax title as surplus and this is on the agenda because the um state wants it or

yeah well I think that it's um something that we own um that we we took for tax title they have I think I believe a year to redeem it which is coming up momentarily in the next couple days and then if Not if you declare it as surplus, meaning we don't want to retain it. We don't want the town of Freedom doesn't want to keep it for its own uses. Um, if we declare it surplus, then I do believe that possibly the DCR would like to purchase it. Okay. And then they just give us they don't pay much, but they just they just some kind of value. Yeah. And it's it's kind of landlocked. I'm looking at it on the assessor's map. I don't see it as a uh

Yeah. something we'd really want you to hold on to anyways. Does anyone have any questions or concerns on this? Did we re We've asked everyone else, right? And did we send that out to They're all Yeah, I'm pretty sure that went to department heads. We usually show confir. Yeah. No, and that's why I'm asking, right? Because we normally get confirmation from everyone that they want to to release it. Bless it. And uh yeah, but beyond that, I mean to your point, it's landlocked. It buffers all the state forest

state forest property. So, and it's next to yeah to to the prof. Okay. All right. So with that 110 a motion to declare the property located at map 210 lot 108 uh as surplus. Motion made. Second. All in favor? I I I ag 17. Discussion of vote whether to send a postcard to all households for the special town meeting on January 26, 2026. Crazy. That's the first saying. 2026 means it's coming soon. All right. Postcards. Did we We did not do a postcard last time. I don't think we did, but we should show this one. We've got MBTA communities on there.

Absolutely. We want to make sure. I know it's expensive, but I think it makes sense. Typically, finance committee will um do the special town meeting postcards. The voter selectman does the annual Yeah. Tom meeting postcards. We are more than happy to do it. With the increase in cost, I'm not sure if we have that money in our account. Just let us I mean, we'll figure it out. We can figure that part out. Yeah. Yeah. Usually draft someone gets a quote. So, we'll know.

Okay. And then we'll just have to use something out of the selectman's budget for for one of our accounts to pay for it because we want to make sure that everybody knows that that MBT communities is coming back and that you know they have have the information and just like it's worth it just so there's not any appearance that we're trying to the board is trying to sneak something by like I want to make it very clear and very overcommunicate that like and so everyone knows you know and this is a tricky one too cuz like we obviously can't be slanted in any one direction, but I think you know we have to make sure everyone's aware that this is on the agenda. Um I think we really needformational meetings and more than one. Yeah.

Before um the town needs to be very clear on what those options are and what consequences in either direction. Yeah. the joint meeting that we're involved in proposed that already and we already got dates on the calendar to have public meetings with information so that we educate the people as much as possible of the pros and cons of both directions. So, and who who's going to be delivering that information? So, so far myself, Debbie, um Chad uh Cavalo from planning board and Nancy our planner. Uh between the four of us, we should have no problem. Um,

if you need somebody from the bowler should be here. There's consultants that were consultants as well. But yeah, I do I want to say I don't know if we I believe there's meeting dates though. there is or if not there'll be in the next couple days cuz the part of me thinks that it should be delivered by someone who has like who who's not from the town and not directly impacted by it just so that there's like no because like it's a very controversial issue that people have very strong opinions on like and if we have like a third party and if it's someone from representing the state that's not even great because they're going to have their own spin on that thing right where it's like we need someone who's like like I almost think of like an attorney that's what I think like and kind of to which would be very expensive But just to give the kind of matter of fact, this is what it is. This is what it means,

right? You know, yeah, you're absolutely right. We can work on that. I know we do have the consultant and I know that um not the consultant, but I've spoken with people from Chapa, Citizens for Housing, and they um sent us a consultant prior to the last town meeting. I we can see if they will speak. They're the ones that gave me some of the presentation materials last time so we can find out if they can do a presentation and then we can just take questions if Yeah. Right. And they need to be prepared to like like there's going to be people who are upset about this and and uh you know it's not like you know

Yeah. I think Governor Haley has um I don't want to mistake but I think she has a nonprofit that actually has been funding these con uh uh consults for the town. So we can probably get one of them. Isn't it Isn't it Governor Haley's number? Yeah, I think I believe I believe you're correct on that. Yeah. All right. Interesting. I know. That's right. Okay. So, all that to say, so back to what agenda item 17 is. It's just to vote to send a postcard. Are we in consensus? We should. So, I'll entertain a motion to send a postcard to all households for the special town meeting on 126, 2026. Motion made. Second. All in favor? I. I.

All right. Moving on to agenda item 18. This is for the monthly contribution rates for retiree health benefits trust effective 111226 through 1231 20226 which we don't have any kind of uh say in this but we have to vote on it right?

Yes we have to vote on the um the the rates which have gone up between 14 and 18% um and on top of last year's like 19%. So I I do I will be coming forth before the board to talk about how we um mitigate these increasing costs like this because it's not sustainable for the town on on any level. I have a couple of ideas. I mean one of the issues that I brought up last year was that the town is funding the contribution rate of retirees higher than they are active employees which really makes no sense right. I don't know how that happened, but it did. Uh we we that the board reduced it from 95 to 90%. Um I'd like to see you almost get it down to the 7525 like most of the um active employees are. I know that that that some of the retirees will push back on that. So my other thought process and I will formally bring this before the board is that possibly going forward we you vote that anybody that retires after July one the contribution rate for the for the retire you know for their plans is comparable to what they have while they're an active employees. Doesn't really make sense that you're paying uh 25% of your health insurance and then when you retire you only have to pay 10%. It doesn't it should it should actually be a lot of towns are 50/50. Once you retire, that town only pays 50% of your health insurance.

Yeah. And we're constantly trying to fund our oped fund, which is, you know, there to pay the benefits self- sustaining at some point, but I that we're never going to get self-funded. Right now, it's projected that we need $20 million for that. We're never going to get there. Um and and we've been funding it heavily since I've been here. um we're never going to get $20 million in the bank because we're just constantly paying these higher rates. So, something that needs to come and I know it won't be a popular topic, but it needs to happen or you know, sustainability gets really um difficult. Okay, but for right now, we just need to vote these rates.

Okay. And so, yeah, they go up a bunch. That's my official. All right. So with that, I'll entertain a motion to approve the monthly contribution rates for retiree health benefits trust effective 1126 through 123126. Motion made second. All in favor? I. I. All right. Agen item 19. Um this is discussion vote whether to approve the agreement between the town of Freetown and Spre Technologies for IT services at the fire and police department effective 111 20226 through 10:31 2026. And this is we already have them. Yeah, this is who they've currently used and they're happy with and same rates. I mean, I think it's one25 an hour for most stuff.

All right. If they're happy with it and the rates don't change, I don't think that really needs that much of a conversation. So, with that, I want to entertain a motion to approve the agreement between the town of Freetown and Spre Technologies for IT services at Fire and Police Department effective 111 2022 through 12, sorry, 10:31 2022. Motion made. Second. All in favor? I I Okay. Agenda. Item 20. This is discussion of vote whether to move forward with the land purchase on Bulock Road.

So, we have to give them uh 30 days notice if we're going to back out. So, we have till the end of this year to purchase this land. So, if we want to back out, we have to notify them by the end of November. the obviously when you've gotten the turtle report with the turtle whisperer that that that's going to our natural heritage is going to impede what we can do with the land. That being said, tomorrow we're doing test pits and we'll have more data. So, I'm not sure you want to make this vote tonight. Um, yep. I say we hold the words out of my Yeah, let's pass on this and then I and they also have asked for an extension to to to for the uh sale of the land probably for you know tax reasons. they want to do it after. Yeah. Fiscal 2025.

They've asked for an extension of January 8th. So that will be be coming for your signature if if you decide to move forward, but we have we have a little bit of time to make this decision. So we'll have more information at the next meeting. Yeah. This this would be preemptive to me if we went out there tomorrow and we did test pits that weren't favorable. Right. Right. So um so I just think that holding on this for now makes 100% sense. Okay. Great. Hold on that. So, moving on to agenda item. Well, so what about 22 though? Is that kind of So, these things are kind of if you were to go through, do you want to obtain title insurance? I mean, I need these things almost to get myself ready. Um, and you you want title insurance. It seems like crazy not to.

Absolutely crazy. Okay. So, I can vote that I think we can still vote on these. Yep. If we Yeah. Okay. So, this one. So, I'll entertain a motion that if we do move forward buying the Bulk Road purchase that we do obtain title insurance. Motion made second. All in favor? I I. And then next is just having Deb be able to sign the document documents. So, I'll entertain a motion that we authorize town administrator to sign uh documents pertaining to the bulk road land purchase. A motion made. Second. All in favor? I.

I. Okay. Okay, moving on to agenda item 24. Um, so this is discussion of vote whether to purchase a new trailer for the transfer station. Uh, I saw a picture of the trailer. Looks like a pretty nice trailer. Yeah. Um, we're trying to get procurement satisfied so we can purchase it before it it's not available. But the trailer down at the transfer station is um, it's it's just it's it's time. It's leaking. It's It's got it's got issues. So Kyle and Vicki went out and saw this one. They both like it. It does not have a bathroom in it. It has a big closet in it. We'll have to retrofit the but the the bathroom.

Okay. Um but Carl seems to think that's okay. It's exactly the same size as the one that's there, which makes it easy to pull that one. The footprint is the same. Yep. So um it's not a done deal in terms of I have to satisfy procurement, but I'm working on that. I think um I just wanted to have that conversation with you guys before we move forward. Yeah, seems to make sense to me and it seems to be a a more you know budget conscious way of Yeah. of getting a new trailer. It was the cost wasn't too Yeah. It's about $48,000. It's a used trailer, but but it's big. It's a lot better than what's currently there. Yeah.

Yeah. And it's in good shape compared to um you know compare that to say the pod which is the COA pod that was $227,000. Yeah, exactly. That well that was my frame frame of reference and I was like okay well this is you know so and so we're not going to vote on this here. We're just going to say that we want to buy one but you still have some work to do to figure out to buy that specific one, right? Yeah. So I mean if I if I can satisfy procurement which I just have to get quotes from I they obviously we have their quote. We can't find another one like it. Right. So, we just need other places to say there they can't quote it because there is one. So, I I just would like a vote for me to purchase that that trailer if if I satisfy the camera.

Okay. So, I'll entertain a motion um that Sorry, let me back up. I'll entertain a motion to purchase the trailer from the packet um if the if town administrator can satisfy procurement requirements for that purchase. Motion made. Second. All in favor? Hi. Hi. Boom. Right. Agenda item 25. This is the easy one. Tree lighting events on 127 2025 from 4 to 7. Um, so here is do we want to approve exclusive use of the band stand? Well, that's tough.

Any crunches in the crowd? All right. So that in a motion to approve exclusive use of the brand stand for tree lighting event on 127205 from 4 to 7:00 p.m. Motion made. Second. All in favor? I I. Then item 26. Discussion of vote whether authorized town administrator sign proposal for appraisal of parcel 240-016 which yeah this is a recent tax taking right that now the new laws require us to do an appraisal of the property. I saw the appraiser. I saw the it's like 1,400 bucks for the appraisal or something. 3500. Yeah. Gone up 3500. Is that amazing? So

it's a we take something in tax title because we're not collecting the taxes due on it and then it ends up putting a financial burden on the town to continue on with the process. Right. So, we have to get an appraiser and and so if you you had voted to keep that property, but if you had voted to to not keep it, we have to get an appraiser. Then we have to get an auctioneer. We have to auction it off or or try to sell it. And whatever we retain over what's owed in taxes, we have to pay back to the owner. So, it's actually like, hey, I don't I really want to sell my property, but I don't want to deal with it. So, let the town do it and I'll still get the the You'll still make the money out of it. Yeah. I'll still

When we say taxes back due, right? So, say we're just going to throw a theoretical number out there. They owe $10,000. Would it be the $10,000 plus these fees? Yeah. Plus the fees. We get the fees, but like you know, we we essentially have to do all the work. Yeah. And if they get the money from it. Yeah. That is interesting. It is very interesting. It's all new, too. But we need but we need to get the appraisal anyways. This is law now. We have to do it. Mhm. So, which is interesting. Maybe we should I wonder if we can make a bylaw or something that so we don't have to vote on this every time this happens and we just it just is something you do, right? And we could probably just have it. Yeah. Yeah.

Like a policy thing. I'm not sure, but okay. So that would entertain a motion to authorize town administrator to sign the proposal for appraisal for parcel 24-016. Motion made. Second. All in favor? I. I. Okay. Agenda M27. This is discussion and vote whether to approve the fee agreement for special counsel of McGregor. How do you say that? Legear. Leg and Stevens PC. Um this is for a situation where our council and another town or city's council is the same council. So we have to go and use a third party council

just KP Law represents both of us. So we have to go get outside council. Yeah. So, I did interview them. I I do feel like they're really well uh versed in the water IMAS. Um they're expensive. Yeah. I was going to say, let's just try to mitigate their founding partner because I saw his rate. Yeah. And it's very expensive. All of them. Yeah. Um but, you know, they they have sample IMA agreements already. I I've talked to them. So, I think it's who we need to get the job done with New Bedford. Um, and and I'm ready to start that process at some point so we can finally get that taken care of.

Now, it's silly question, but do they does New Befford have to also go outside council or can they use KP law? I think they have to get they can't they can't use KP law against us, right? So, I think they're going to have to get a separate counsel, too. And I don't know what KP Law does for them. I don't think KP Law does everything like they do for us. Yeah. I think KP Law is their special town council, but KP Law is when I talked to them originally, they were like, "We can't we can't touch it because because we represent city." It's an interesting problem with KP Law because they represent everybody. So, is Lakeville going to be part of that negotiation or they

know that I think that's a whole much bigger discussion in terms of that's a don't forget we have a water sewer commission like I'm I'm not stepping on any toes. They they they know that I'm doing this piece so that we can negotiate. I am a benefit. I don't think Lakeville's ready yet. And I'm that they're Lakeville's talking about coming through using Freetown water lines to feed a subdivision up on Freetown Street, which we've all heard of the Rocky Woods, the big subdivision, and then bypassing that and going to the school.

But they don't have a water department. So I think the thought is possibly that Freetown would manage that for Lakeville. That's a big that's a big thing and I don't that nobody's discussed that. There's been no votes. I don't know. So I'm going to say right now my goal is to get an IMA with New Bedford and clarify whose line is whose and who's responsible for what and get that um done. And I don't know how quickly we're going to be able to do that. So, if Lakeville figures out what they're doing with the Rocky Woods or whatever it's called, then possibly I join them in or we do something different with them. But this was more to just get get our issue um negotiated with the benefit before winter comes because we know last year what happened with the leak in the county road and we so that'll take care of any of those problems.

We're hoping Well, at least we'll know we'll know who's on the hook, who's responsible. want to clear cuz that's what they're dealing with. But this agreement will clear up. Yeah. Who exactly? Do they have to sign an agreement? What if they don't want to sign the agreement? I mean, I think the goal is to negotiate an agreement. So, we're going to sit in a room until we can get something on paper. And I think I mean, I was pretty successful with them the last time when I fined them everything like you are responsible. I think they finally realized that when I got to their council. Um, that's good. So, I'm hoping that we can just, you know, go in there and show them, look, you this is this is from 1800, 1900. You own this. Yeah.

If they want us to take it over, that's going to be the negotiation with the water and sewer commissioners. Like, okay, we'll take it over if you pay to fix all the lines because we believe there may be lead lines in their lines. Like, because currently we're just I don't want to go, but like we're paying them. Yeah. Right. like for the water and there's a premium associated with what we're paying them assumed to maintain the infrastructure. Yeah. And they're giving us the water, but they're not maintaining the infrastructure. So, so I think I think it will be good to get it done and get it clarified and in writing. Yeah. So that every time an issue doesn't come up, it's like, "No, this isn't mine. That's yours. No, it's yours." So that makes total sense.

And if they want us to take over theirs, then some kind of a plan for that. Oh, we do. Well, you know, 20 years, it's going to take your C customers over and whatever. So, I don't know. And like again, that's that's going to be the water sewer commissioners for a big part of it. And then it'll come back to this board. Okay. All right. And then All right. So, that's cool. So, did you vote to approve? No, we didn't. So, I want a motion to approve the agreement for special town council uh for McGregor Legs PC. Motion made. Second. All in favor? I I

All right. Agenda M28, discussion of whether to approve the snowplow applications for SP SM Automotive LLC for the winter 2526 season. They got everything they need to in. Yeah. Lola, they just need to provide the driver's license once they've assigned the drivers, right? Yes. Yeah. So, all the other paperwork is here. Okay. And that's normal protocol. Sometimes they know who they are and they provide them at the time of the application, but other times Okay. As long as we don't it before they can flower and pay get paid. Okay, perfect. I think he had nine trucks. Yes. And he's hoping Yeah. He's hoping to have two more, I believe. Right. Yeah. Let's go. Yeah. So, that's a good That fills a big hole. Yes. Thank you. SM Automotive LLC.

All right. So, with that, I'll send a motion uh to approve the snow applications for SM Automotive LLC for the winter 2526 season. Motion made. Second. All in favor? I I the excitement in your voice. Just like that's like a huge 700% increase in our snowfalls right now. Exactly. Okay. Uh personnel.

All right. Thank you. All right. Well, snowplow discussion is going to continue. Uh so item agenda 29 discussion and vote on whether to approve hiring seasonal snowplow drivers and set the rate of pay rate for CDLB and class D drivers employed for winter 2025 and 2026. So the town is looking to hire about uh four of the CDLBs and about two of the class D drivers. CDLB licenses are about $25 an hour which is the rate we're looking to do. And then class D at $22 an hour. again anticipating some snow this season and we want to be prepared for it and gosh knows we've tried to hire and and get some new drivers and we always increase this rate every year for the the private side. So

So this is just hiring a person to drive one of our vehicles. Correct. They've done it in the past. Um but the two folks that used to do it are one's moved away and the other one's not interested anymore, I guess. Okay. Yep, that makes sense. All right. Yeah, it's pretty straightforward. Yeah. Yeah. I mean, whatever it takes to get people out there to clean the roads and make them safe, it's this is what obviously this is all directed through truck. So, um I have no doubt if Chuck wants to do it. Got my support. You gave me the rates of the 22 and 25 as well. Okay. All right. Sounds good.

All right. I enterain the motion to approve the hiring of seasonal plow snowplow drivers and set the rate of pay rate for CDLB at $25 an hour and class D drivers at $22 an hour for the employment of the winter 2526 season. Make that motion. I will second. All in favor? I I Okay, let's sign and thenjourn. So, I'm going to talk while you sign. Um want to shout out to Representative Cara Fiola. We got a $20,000 earmark for the COA. I mean for the for the Yeah, for the COA to continue the food program there. So awesome.

That is awesome. You know, given the state of affairs, we weren't sure um being non MBTA compliant whether we would still get that earmark, but we did. Also, I just want to say um we're looking to set up a food drive to help with people that are have food insecurities and possibly have the drop off at the town hall and see a way um food would then be delivered to the food pantry. The food pantry is also taking donations and they are taking donations of food and um any kind of gift cards to grocery stores and whatnot. So, uh, anybody so inclined to donate can drop those off at the town hall and we'll get them to the food pantry or bring them to the food pantry when they're there on Mondays and Tuesdays.

Do we want to put any kind of like parameters of what like what we're looking for? Obviously, non-p perishable, I'm assuming. Yeah. And like, you know, my sorry, I've got everyone wrong, I think, so far. Yeah, that Well, that's awesome. That's exciting. And I, you know, I'm going to work on that this week. I just haven't had time to solidify that. But I really think, you know, given the times, we're going to have more people in need. The food pantry has already seen an uptick of traffic. Yeah. With SNAP, you know, Snapian and Christian, I think they just voted to get half back today. Yeah, I saw that.

It's holidays, too. So, there's more need in general and you can't always get everything you need. So, like, you know, gift cards would be great to grocery stores maybe to Stop and Shop. He's such a great sponsor for us. Um, Stop and Shop helps the immensely helps the food pantry immensely. So, anything that we can do? Um, yeah. Awesome. That's all I have. I'm sure there's more, but I can't. That's all. Do you think of it afterwards? It's just the way it goes. Okay. So, with that, I'll entertain a motion to adjurnn. Motion made. Second. All in favor? I