Town Council - Regular Meeting

I'm going to give it a minute. Take over.

Give it a minute. Okay, you're good.

Andrew a second to sit down. Let Andrew sit down. Second. I don't see um salute to the flag on this agenda. That's something we want to do. So want to salute the flag. Stretch our legs short. Ice to the flag of the United States of America and to the republic for which it stands. One nation under God, indivisible, liberty and justice.

All right. All right, welcome everybody. First on the agenda, review and discuss the propose. Oh, we have an announcement. Just got just got a kick in the leg there. We didn't have announcements on the agenda, but I do have just a quick one as I'm sure all of you guys are aware, but I just wanted to make the note that our um police and fire and dispatcher have been working round the clock and just going the extra mile is sort of the understatement there. AndyBW

AndyBW and uh and just thank everybody for all that work and care and taking care of all of us and uh keeping the roads clear and and uh Ana for riding herd over it all and keeping us in the loop the last few days in the snow. So, thank you everybody. It's a good announcement. It's pretty impressive. Could I? Sure.

Could I just give a special call out to Chief Petran? He's our emergency management coordinator and he has been that wouldn't bother because he was pretty awesome during COVID. So, it doesn't surprise me. Item review and discuss the proposed FY27 budget in preparation for the annual financial town meeting which will be held May 19th at 7 p.m. in the Wilber McM. So, I would like to go ahead like to amend the proposed budget to include the third uh clerk position uh with the cost and infringes of $82,000. So, we will need to fund that position and we need to do to cut to fund that position. uh leave that to the town administrator and finance director to walk us through uh doing that because we want to keep our balanced budget here uh with the revenue and expenses approach that we're doing that we haven't done in the past uh that we're going to do now. Um so if we're going to add something in, we're going to have to find it somewhere. Um and hopefully you found that somewhere. It's an important position from what I've understood and um I'll let you guys take it from there. And I will uh if I can't see that screen is

he's uh he has his camera off at the moment. We'll call him microphone there. Yes, she just needs to be closer to it. Yeah, it moves to John. John, do you want to explain where we're getting the money for the the proposed third position in the clerk's office if approved? John, do you have the uh capital budget up on the screen? I'm gonna put that up in one second. We just got to turn your volume up a little there. Turn the volume. Make sure we can turn his volume up. It's flatter. Yes. Get rid of the marbles in. Uh, he like that. He likes that joke, I guess.

Okay. Can everybody see that? Yep. Yes.

Okay. Perfect. So what we had budgeted in for capital uh in the FY27 proposed budget was um this middle column which starts with FY2027 and there's the list of the items that we had in the budget. Uh the first one which is the radio replacement, we're doing a three-year lease but payment and a rears. We expect to have those uh put in place probably by the end of the summer, which means our first payment won't be until 28. So that's not showing any payments uh in 27. So uh we're looking at with which includes $275,000 for road paving projects, uh about $439,000. So, we rounded that up to 450 for capital projects in the budget. And as uh Patrick uh made reference to uh we we have uh we put together a budget which uh we identified all the revenue. So, we we identified the funding sources and uh also identified the the expenditures and our goal was to obviously do a balanced budget for this year. So, in order to accomplish that and also be able to get the capital u expenditures into uh or get them accomplished in FY27, uh we could only fund $218,000 from the operating budget for the um for capital. So, if you look to the right of the screen, you'll see a um a a a capital reserve fund fund 420. And what that was was that was accumulation of a couple of things. Over

the years, the town would uh oftentimes put a uh a budget of let's say 250,000 in for capital that would then get transferred over to that fund and then certain capital expenditures would be made out of that fund. Um, if you recall when the uh pickle ball was um um lobbying for some capital expenditures, there was uh 250,000 that was put into that fund along with another 175 which came up to about 425 of which there was some monies that were spent on engineering. Uh so based on my discussions uh with some of the uh pickle ball people uh it appears that we would have about $400,000 committed. We're not looking at spending that in 27 because we still are careful about the cash flow ramifications um that we're dealing with. though the 400,000 will stay in there um in in fund 420 which is basically a a special revenue fund which is outside of the general fund. So if we back out the 400,000 that leaves us with about 273,510 of what I call uh free capital in sitting in the capital reserve fund. So, we're able to take the remaining balance that we needed to fund out of the 450, the 232, and fund that from uh the capital reserve fund. Uh that would then leave us with um uncommitted capital uh at the end of 27 of about $41,510.

Um, so that that's so that's the means that we're doing it. And again, uh, because and as Patrick alluded to, you know, if we take put something in, we got to take something out. Even though, uh, we're not we certainly can't we can't take it out of our accumulated surplus and the general fund because that's, uh, that's a definite no going forward. So we do have funds available in capital and I think it would be an opportune time to do that. So for example the road paving project that's 275,000 but it's more like 411,000 worth of work because the state is going to reimburse us uh for almost a third. So uh that 275 is net of the state reimbursement. So, we're actually getting closer to well over $400,000 of road repairs uh for $275,000. So, that uh was something that we we were struggling to make sure that we could get into the budget. I don't know if anybody has any questions on that, but um

add a little Terry.

Um so, my brain's simpler than John's. The way I think of it is we had In what we presented to you at your last meeting, we included funding for significant um fire code uh upgrades, fire code related upgrades to 32 commons. Um and that was going to come out of the capital budget. Um and that was I believe about 225,000. And um we've since found out through you that um we can make other accommodations to meet the fire code and we don't have to put in a sprinkler system. We we do have to do other upgrades to the building which as you know we're in the process of um quantifying and specifying. Um, but essentially because we don't have to do that, we have more room in the capital budget and so we can fund some of the things that we thought we were going to have to both exhaust the capital fund with and tap into that pickle ball reserve. And now we don't have to do that and we can fund as a result the third position and the clerk's office.

Well, I think I think that's a good choice. I think we needed three people in there to take care of the person at the town. So, thank you. Can I step to the front, please? I just want to make sure I understand.

I'm Jennifer Flather in case you can't hear me. Is you can Yeah. Um anyway, so my quick question is I I think this is great, but will we be able to continue to fund this position in perpetuity rather than keep stealing from the capital fund or is this going to have to be, you know, a juggle each year? Do you want me to take that or would you

Well, I can take that. Yeah. So that this is going to be built into the budget. So, uh, that's, um, that's going to be in there in perpetuity, I guess, at this point in time, too. The the capital budget will be flexible. It's a little bit higher this year because we're getting the road work projects in there. And in some years, what the what they would do is they would take about $125,000 a year and they would try to set that aside and they would charge that to the highway department. and it was getting too convoluted to account for that going forward. So this this way we're isolating what we do need for uh road construction and um we're putting it in in capital. So uh in a in a normal year if we in in generally we're not going to need road construction every year but we we do need to fund capital on an ongoing basis and the level that's been done in the past has been at that quarter of a million dollar level. So that's doable uh going forward with the with the existing budget that we do have.

Can I add something to that just to Jennifer's point about the position? So it's not an added position. It was an unfilled position and so presume unfunded. Well, it was there was no one sitting in the seat. It was both, right? Yeah, it was unfilled and unfunded.

If I could finish, thank you. Um, and so presumably, you know, there will be someone in that role next year and going forward. This was sort of an unusual year in the sense that it was it was unfilled because of changes in personnel. So, that's part of this Thank you, John. Or um Anie, you want to continue? You want to go through some parts of this budget or do we want to take some questions from the council at this point? I think I think if John could go through his summary, okay, um if folks don't know is available in the back, um that would be before we get into question.

All right. So, anybody needs we're going to go through this document in the back. So really one question back up. What Michael 510 West Main Road. Could you go to the microphone? Have to go to the microphone. What's um what changed with the requirement of the sprinkler system in the in 32 comments? Patrick talk to what's the question? The question was so as I understood from what you were saying recently in the last minute that we don't need to put the sprinkler system in is that we never have to put the sprinkler system in. Maybe I can get some clarity to that. The that the state fire marshall has mandated uh never mandated we need a sprinkler system. That's number one.

Number two, if we do if the uh community center is going to put children on the second floor, they need a sprinkler system. If the Oddfellow's Hall is going to put 50 or more people on the second floor, they need a sprinkler system. We're moving forward. We're not going to put kids up there and we're not going to put more than 50 people on the second floor. In essence, we don't need a sprinkler system. Okay. Thank you. You're welcome. May I ask a question on that? Um, when you say not put children on the second floor, how would that work with the stage and their programs? I I'm not the community center. I don't know. Can you repeat the what the what I what I said was how would that work if the

you know I should I should probably reference I don't know all the ins and outs I do know they can't have daycare if they want to be a daycare I think that's the I think that's the key they can't put the kids up there I think they can have a play okay my question Jennifer so you can hear me was that if with the community center and the functions and the programs that they have the stage is upstairs how could they say that they need to have children up I know what my daughter was younger. We conducted Girl Scouts and Brownies up there. So, I'm just asking that question. Thank you. You're welcome. Right. We have everyone have their document. We have a question. Go ahead. Yeah. Just on the same subject,

we're we're talking the second floor of the community center at the moment. Don't they normally have events where they have 50 or more people upstairs? I don't know what their capacity is for 50 or more. more concentrating on a daycare which which would trigger system but you did allude to the fact that it also was if they didn't have 50 or more that's the oddfellows building on the second floor.

Okay. I I just don't want I worry that you're going to take that out of this capital capital fund for proposal and then find out two weeks from now that you interpreted something wrong and we really need those monies. I I mean if in the past if we've had any potential concern that we might need monies for something but we're not 100% sure and we know we have deadlines coming up we usually put it in and then cuz you can always remove it later but you're not supposed to add something after that March 1st deadline so I

I appreciate that just caution if there's any question at all. Maybe you leave it in, make it something separate. Well, I will say that I've spent many hours and days as this young lady has and maybe you have with Pat Drum and fire marshals and uh yeah, I'm pretty darn sure uh with the fire marshals mandated to us. Okay. Okay. document back to me. Are we ready? So,

um, so we're looking at this um budget to um the FY26 budget compared to FY27 budget. So, if we look at the um let me get up here my screen here. So you can see on the revenue side we've got 18,769 350. Uh in that we are projecting um a a tax increase uh at 4% above the existing levy. So again, that may not equate to a 4% increase in the tax rate because of additions and whatnot, but we are looking by state law, we can't exceed the 4% of the levy. Uh so that is the number that we're projecting in um for taxes and we're also using a collection rate of 98.2, which is what the uh collection rate was uh back in 24. Uh so um hopefully that would be uh somewhat of a conservative number, but I think a good number to use for the budget. Also included in that number is uh 375,000 of of collection of past taxes and another 100,000 of of interest on on taxes.

Can I cut in for a minute?

Sure. So, I understand where the 375 is coming from, and I've been adamant about getting delinquent taxes for years. The delinquent taxes were really high. They've come down quite a bit. So, I'm not sure that that 375, I don't mind leaving it in there, but I'm not sure that that 375 or the 100,000 is going to come to that because if you have $800,000 of delinquent taxes, sure, you're going to collect those. But if it drops down to 400, I don't know where it is. You know where it is. If it drops down to 400, you're not going to collect 375,000 of that because people right now that are holding out, the same ones that have held out for the last seven or eight years. So, I'm not sure that 375 is a correct number. If you assume that it is, that's fine with me. But you understand what I'm saying? The higher the t taxes is, the more you're going to collect as it goes down, the less you're going to collect.

Yeah. The sum of that, uh, Gary, is the, um, we wind up collecting the prior year taxes in July and August and September. So that gets into a separate revenue category. So once we put in the new tax number at beginning of July 1st, anything that dribbles in in and generally in July and August that'll wind up getting in there uh as well. Um we haven't um you know we are anticipating uh doing a a tax sale on the real estate side of it. I think that number um without interest was probably somewhere in the name of of 250,000 or so. I mean the collection rate in in in the town is is is very good. Um but some of this is is some of it is just kind of carryover of of what that number would be. Like this year I think we're we're probably closer to $500,000 in in in collection of of prior year taxes. Um but

that answers my question.

Yeah. And especially when you use that collection rate of 98.2, there is that small percentage that winds up getting into the into the next year as well. So um on the um town administration fees, uh Heather has put together um a budget for that. Um 280,400 that should be uh that should be doable. Um again the town beach has got 381,000 that has an offsetting expense uh below so that in the in the event that uh we just have to kind of monitor the expenditures you know if the revenue doesn't come in uh it could have an impact on on the bottom line. Right now what we're doing is budgeting a beach revenues and also the expenses to to equal out uh the building fees um will be this is net of any monies that are due to the um the housing trust. The Little Comping Housing Trust gets uh 40% of only building permits in excess of $10,000 and we are paying that uh on a quarterly basis in a RAS and uh we we're also almost caught up on what we owed the housing trust in the past. So uh in this year in 27 what we'd be paying is the u 40% of the building permits in excess of 10,000. Um cell tower is is a number that they we've used year after year. So that's um pretty much the monies that come in on the lease of the cell tower. And then we got some miscellaneous revenues um from investments and and other items. The state sources resources are um just

slightly under a million dollars. Uh that includes um the housing aid which is coming in to offset the um debt service on the school bonds. That's a little over 300 uh $300,000 and that one line item. Um we also have in there the um hotel tax u meals and beverages the tangible property reimbursement the motor vehicle reimbursement. So all those items are based on what the state has provided us with the budget for which is what the uh is in the governor's um uh proposed budget at this point in time. So those numbers seem to be pretty solid. I don't I don't and I've talked to department of revenue. They're now looking at some significant changes to those to those line items too. And again, the ambulance reimbursement uh this is monies that um uh the fire department pays out of the reimbursements that we get from from the uh the rescue runs. Uh we have a third party uh that collects those funds and remits those. And what we have is an offsetting uh in the capital we have an offsetting amount of 190,000. So those funds are used to uh um to fund the uh rescue boat. There's um um some of the um fire apparatus is is leased through there. Uh so those are what what the expenditures would be relative to the ambulance reimbursement. And again that one is revenue on the top side expense on the so it's a wash no impact. Um and as far as the expenditures go um

if we look at the the school the the the school town appropriation is the amount that the town u uh pays to the school. So that um by law can't increase by more than 4%. Uh the school committee has passed the budget last night and uh has submitted that and that is the number that's in the budget the 8,508972 which is uh 3% over the um last year's town appropriation. We also um are going to absorb um about $65,000 of pension expense that would have been in the FY27 budget for the town. It it seems that uh there's been a history of the town uh funding the what we call our non-certified personnel that are in the town pension plan. So our teacher assistants, our secretarial and some of our administrative, our custodians are in the town pension plan. So over the years the town has absorbed that cost. Um I feel as though we need to bring that out so that we can show the true cost of the education. So we have brought that out and we're going to be absorbing that cost. So that number is being has been taken out of this budget and has been included in the uh the school's operating budget. Um as far as any other significant changes on the um the um operating budgets um really uh technologies uh has gone up uh as as you know last year we didn't have a IT department. This year we do have

one and and what I've asked John to do is to kind of get his handle around all the the programs that are needed and if they're basically needed uh townwide and they're not specific to any department, uh we're going to include those in his budget so we can monitor those uh those costs. So that's why you're seeing a little bit of an increase in that particular line item. the um employee benefits, the OPED which is um has come down a little bit. Uh I think what we had last year in that uh was uh the pension expense for the school was sitting in that number as well. Uh but we've also looked at um these these are basically agreements where uh when when certain mostly public safety employees retire uh where we're paying their health care benefits to age 65. So that's where uh you know that postemployment benefit is being charged and again they're going to be um in the same situation that the town is. Our healthc care has is projected to increase by 10% this year. It was 12% last year. So, it's a pretty sizable impact on the health care. Uh dental, uh we're projecting about a 5% increase, although that's not as significant as the the cost of the health insurance. We should find out what our actual rates would be sometime probably towards the end of March, maybe early April. We're hoping they'd be below that, but based on uh the town administrator's discussions and mine with the Rhode Island Interlocal Trust, it does appear that we'll be up in that close to that 10% range.

Um on the on the financial side um although there's a little bit of a a decrease in there uh we are adding um an HR department. Um the uh the school has a qualified HR director and what we're going to do is u take away uh a bunch of her responsibilities over at the school and she'll serve as the HR director for the town which I think uh is an important position to add at this point in time uh with the number of people that we do have. Uh so that's a little bit of a change in the budget. And uh if you look down on the uh the last two lines there, the 300,000 which is the general operating, that's the capital. That number uh when we do revise the budget uh will be reduced by uh the 82,000. That'll become 218. And uh we're going to increase increase the general government which is for uh the um uh where the town clerk is by the 82. So that would uh offset the increase uh and rep represent the 218 that we just spoke about on the capital and the debt service went up uh and that's mostly as a result of we refinanced the uh school bonds in um I guess it was in FY25 in the third or fourth quarter 25. So that budget uh for was was uh for the debt service was impacted. The principal number was reduced a little bit in 26. It's getting back to the level that it should be at now. So that's why we're seeing a little bit of an increase there. Now, conversely, some of the revenue monies that we get from the

state, which they call housing aid, that offsets the the school debt service, uh has increased a little bit over um what we had in the prior years. So, it it the change is not as dramatic because we do have a little bit of an offset on the revenues. So at the end of the day that gives us total operating expenses of uh 18,769 350 um for for this budget. Any questions on this page or John while he takes a quick breath?

Can I just clarify? I just want to make sure everybody understands that what's on this sheet does not reflect the change in terms of perks office and the capital budget. So that's what John's talking about when he says we would reduce the general operating to 218 and we would add in 82 in general government. Um, also it's probably clear to you all from looking at this, but you know, it there's a few items that account for most of this budget. So, a lot of room to move when you think about um being able to cut and add. So, just between school and public safety, we come up to almost 13 million. Then you add in DPW, general government and debt and you're at 16 million. Um, and the rest is kind of small potatoes after that.

John, do you want to go pitch to I have a question? Step to the microphone so the people at home can hear you.

So it was uh Jennifer Flather um to Mullen Hill right now. Um, so as mentioned at the last meeting, and maybe I missed it, but has there been any thought to increasing some of our DPW fees, such as the transfer station? I mean, just because that could go a long way to getting people like a clerk without diving into the other funds. You want me to address that? Well, if I had a quarter for every time someone's asked me that, I'd have a spit. You could reduce the budget.

Yeah, I've had this question before I was on the council on the council. So, would you like to feel at this time? Uh as part of our um presentation last week, John and I recommended that we do a full review of all fees uh not just DPW um but everything charged by the clerk's office into the dump fees transfer station um but also our building fees which seem to be uh significantly below other communities in the area. So, so to the microphone, but that will not have an impact on this budget because they will not be in they would not be increased until

until next at least partway through the year. Okay. Thank you. Thank you for the answer to that question. Do we have any other questions on this page? We do. Vance, step right up to the microphone. We have a microphone we can just give to the people that don't have to get up. I could run around.

Uh good evening. My name is Vincent Kennedy. I had have three areas that I'd like to comment on. Um firstly uh perhaps picking up on points of um the the non-competitive from my point of view the non-competitive compensation to the administrator and particularly the finance director. Um, you know, the current budget has the finance or excuse me, the administrator at 178,000. My understanding of the competitive salary surveys is the more appropriate range in my judgment is somewhere between 190 and 200,000. Um, and with respect to the finance director, personally, I think John is a rockar. Um, but it's 75,000. I think that's at least should be doubled. Uh, my understanding of the competitive environment is that a finance director for a enterprise of this size and complexity would be somewhere between 140 and $160,000. And um I'll just leave it at that. Uh so I think that the um compensation for two critical positions here would bear um further study. Um the second point is with respect to the transfer station. Um the I believe Little Compton is subject to adverse selection. Um Tiffton has a pay per throw.

Um $1 for a uh 10 10 gallon bag, $2 for a 30 gallon bag. report has a $55 charge uh if you're over or if you're under 65 and $45 if you're over 65. The second ticket is $10 during I go to the dump every Monday when it's open and I during an informal survey I took between Memorial Day and Labor Day There was no week that I went where there was more than 50% of the cars while I was there had a dumpster. And so I would suggest that perhaps in supplementing the fee increase that there be a substantial emphasis on non-compliance. that I believe the benefit to the town will be in the reduction of dumping fees or tipping fees as they're referred to rather than increased revenue. I I my personal favorite this summer was a D130 truck Idaho that dumped 20 20 bags in our transfer and they did not have a sticker. So I would recommend you know an emphasis on compliance. Um, the last point I I would like to address

is with respect to the general fund. In my review of pages 18 and 20 of the audit, it appears to me that within the within the general fund, they had had a million2 a million2 in deficit and an increase of about 400,000 in other what is called other assets. That was funded by a decrease in cash of 300,000, an increase in payables of 417,000 and an increase in due to other funds of 922,000. My question is, is the general fund subject to either statutory or contractual obligations to repay the other funds from which funds were borrowed?

Mr. And does and does that if that obligation exists does that obligation reflected within this budget? It's a question for John.

Uh yeah, so some of that due to do from is from the uh is for the school. So in the past uh they would wind up uh making um regular transfers so that at the end of the year the amount that the at the financial time meeting that was approved for the appropriation uh was paid in full. Uh in in prior years um especially in 24 when we had a change in financial directors uh that was not done. So we had to provide for a due to due from for that number uh which did represent an amount that was owed to the to the school from the town for uh some uh appropriations uh that were not provided. um that um more than likely was um since we we we don't need the cash because we had some money set up side in on the school side in capital um it was not uh something that we were we needed to to get from the town at that point in time. So, uh, obviously with the with the cash flow needs, um, for the town, we kind of manage right now are managing both to make sure that, you know, that we're able to to meet the, uh, the expectations for from our vendors as well as, you know, payroll and other items that we do have. So, but that number, it's not really obligated to be paid back. Um but uh it is something that um uh we're going to be looking at going forward, especially between the town and the school. Uh so and the school has had a little bit of uh of extra money that came in from some uh collaboratives that were dissolved where that money was sitting in their

capital account. So uh it was that the town was able to use that um obviously for for cash flow uh requirements. Uh but but but we are looking at that. Uh the other thing is that when they this cash uh is like um they they call it pulled cash. So you have one cash account but it may go over like 10 different funds. So it it becomes a little convoluted. I'm going to wind up changing that. But uh so some of that winds up um uh um affecting the due to do funds as well too.

John, if I wonder if you want to address Vin's question about the uh or his point about the finance director salary because I think that's just a portion and it's shared between the school and the town. Um Oh, that's the that's the town portion. Yeah.

Um this the school is separate for that. But um I think that um that number is is lower than it it it's going it should be only from the standpoint that uh um I had a weak moment and and um agreed to stay for one more year so I can get some other things straightened out. So um but we'll we'll have to look at that. We have put some money into the town administrator's budget to do a uh a salary uh study. Um I know we did this um in Lincoln and I think it might be appropriate to do that here a little confidence so that we have a better idea of of what the ranges we need to be looking at for some of these positions. So, we're going to have somebody independent come in and do that evaluation so that we'll have some, you know, some better numbers as we look to fill these positions going forward.

Ben, do you have a follow? Um, I'm not sure I completely understood the question about the or the answer with respect to the obligation to reimburse the other the other funds. It to me that's either a yes or a no. U then good. Okay. Uh with respect to the compensation for senior professionals, I think it's a question of how much you're willing to pay to sleep at night and I think we've had substantial experience with undercompensated and underperforming. Thank you.

Thank you, Ben. Um, do we want to go on to page two of this, John? Do that. Is that the plan? Would it be possible to go through the book that we've gi been given because it breaks everything down and that's where I on it when she delivered. She said, "Now, I want you to go through this tomorrow." So, I did all day. I mean, one of the things on this page too historically, and of course, times have changed. I understand that

council used to do the bargaining with the unions. We always seem to try to hit 2% and most of the time we did. Now if it's 3% all of the salaries not covered by a CBA have been increased by 3%. Um, if that's what the norm is, that's fine. And I agree, we may be low, but as I've stated before, this is Little Compton. This isn't Big Comp. This is Providence where a police chief makes $175,000 to take care of 3,000 uh patrol people. We've got 10 people in ours. That's why the justification or some of our fees to be low. And every time somebody says to me, you should be paying a financial director or this person 200,000 and this other person should get 175. Where is this money going to come from if we're capped at 4% every year? I don't know. I don't understand that. Maybe I agree with you. We should have some higher uh uh fees for our for our or payments for our workers. But this is Little Compton. There's no bullets flying here. Okay. There's no major fires here. It's not like Providence or Fall River.

There was major fire. Sit down. Okay. How many major fires have then? Let me put it like that. in the last 10 years. I don't think we need to get personal here. Okay. I'm just saying point. Yeah, you make a point.

Okay. The town can't afford to pay $200,000 for Anna, $300 for our IT director, 200 what it is now. How is the town going to pay for that if we keep saying we got to go up on our fees? And as far as what other towns pay, that's fine. We can look at it. But you got to look at Gloucester. You got you got to look at towns that are comparable to little company. So, we've I see we've increased the town administrator's fee and I understand that because we had a hard time getting one. Okay, we're lucky to have John. But to say, well, John should be getting $200,000 this year. Fine. Where's that? Where's that going to come from? I don't think we said that. Oh,

well, you said a finance director should be 175,000. I didn't say that. No, you didn't say that. I know that. So anyways, um you want to go through your questions, Garrett? Yeah. So I'm on page four of the big book. Page four where it says not page four. It's up at the top or the pages. Thank you for that. by the OPE post employee benefit. Any I see you have we have been reviewing these payments and I've been able to remove certain former employees and their dependents who no longer qualify this benefit. Were we paying people that we shouldn't have been paying?

There were some mistakes. I think John is most familiar with the ins and outs of that, but yes, there okay, there were some people. Is there any way we can collect that back from these people? John, do you want to comment on that? Um, no. It's going to be difficult to to get that money back. Yeah. Um, I it it's been cleaned up at this point in time, though. It's been rectified. Yes. John a lot of work to to clean up those mistakes. And I I should have pointed out at the outset that John is on Zoom and this is an unusual circumstance that we put somebody on Zoom because he still hasn't been plowed out.

If I could Gary, if I could just jump in on that. That's I think that's a good example of how having a highly qualified person in that position is saving us tens of thousands of dollars in errors that were happening unbeknownst to all of us. So there's a there's a case made there. I agree to that. But there's a there's a level that we can afford. Understood. I'm not trying to gauge. I'm just trying to make that point. So on page five,

honor, this Annor, if this is a personel situation, you don't have to answer it, but it says two additional contracts with potential retirees, which has added approximately 50,000 to this annual cost. So, I'm not not sure what that if it's doing if it's with personnel. I don't want you to answer it. Okay. I'm not going to name names, but John could talk about perhaps talk generalities. Yeah. So, Gary, we've got we've got two budgeted for a potential retirement next year. Okay. Yeah.

If they don't retire, then we're not going to spend it obviously. But if uh but we do have it in there because uh there's been some discussion that we could have as as many as two. And then it says the second type of payment is for two agreements with former employees to pay approximately $20,000 in total for life. That is included in this light on as well. So generally we would pay till they were 65 for health insurance and they would get whatever they're getting from what they put into the pension. So I'm not sure what that is. I and I can I mean I don't have to.

Yeah, those are that was a a line item that um I don't know if it was a a disability payment or u but there's one gentleman that's getting $1,000 a year and then there's another one that's uh getting a disability payment. I believe it's like 18 or 19,000 per year. The recollection is it's firefighters that retired or were retired as a result of casualty that ended that before we had labor contract if I'm not mistaken. So, and before we had a pension plan under which they would be eligible for a pension. So I believe that was the specific settlement the council made with them back in the 60s or 70s that allowed them to retire that allowed them to be paid for their lifetime. So the on the finance where it says the intention is to have a current payroll clerk for the town also and put the school payroll. So, the the town's going to be doing school payroll, and that's how this 20 and $25,000 shift you were talking about before is about.

Yeah. So, we're going to uh eliminate some of uh the HR director's um duties over at the school to allow her to spend her time on what she's been trained to do, which is in the HR area. So uh that work would then be uh done by our existing uh payroll person uh so she can handle both and that would then free uh this individual up to do more HR. Okay.

Can I just make a comment here? Um I think uh these are good representations of how um we're trying to professionalize the HR function. Um, and between John, what John has brought to bear and what he's recommending, what we're recommending in terms of sharing this resource with the school, we're really going to up our game, which has been I think this is a real liability for us as a town that we have not really had somebody as skilled and has the time to do the HR function in the professional way that it should be done. I agree. We need

in essence we'll have one person responsible townwide for payroll and a different person with training responsible townwide or HR. Good. So the next uh page 14 if you go down a little bit farther and it comes to town council budget. 14. It's in the next half in the council. Not the town council tab. Sorry.

So, I see there's an increase in the salaries for the town council members and the president. I for one am not looking for an increase in my salary. I'm happy with what I'm getting. I'm doing it for the benefit of the town. I've been doing it for 28 years now. I don't need any more money to do it. So, I see that you've got an increase in yours, too. Patrick, I would hope you'd feel the same way, but that's up to you. I don't feel the same way.

Okay. All right. Well, I guess we'll have to leave it up to the budget committee, but I, for one, don't need a raise. and legal services. I can see the legal service for the solicitor, but we went from 128,000 to 141,000. What was the anticipation for that? Just more legal. Yeah. Okay. I can be specific if you like, but no. Okay.

All right. Then the town administrator And I think what Mr. Kennedy brought up, well, last year we're at 120 112,941. This year we've increased to 177838. Um, one of the $100,000 for a base salary. I think that's adequate to try to get somebody in here. I'm sure people are going to disagree with that. The administrative assistance, is that Martha? Yes.

Okay. Cuz I see she's doubled from 7500 to 15,000 and she's 2 days a week. In reality, she's been working more than that. Okay. Um so I think that's more in line with the actuals. Okay. All right. And then of course healthcare jump up quite a bit and whatever. So, all right, that that answered question. And just know across all departments, we're now reflecting the the fringe within that department budget. So, part of the jump is that that wasn't in there as I saw that. I did see that.

And part of the jump in salary uh from well, we you don't have the actuals here, but I'm working on a part-time basis and this is a full-time salary.

Okay. If anybody else has got anything to say while I'm going through this, I think this will bring us through the whole thing. Advisory boards, uh, this would be page 18. I know that going to redo the comp plan and the department expense has gone from 18,500 to 50,000. Last year the total amount was 24,959. This year it's going to be 58,600. Do we anticipate to do the comp plan it's going to cost that much money or what would what did who came up with that $50,000 number? I believe that the planning board estimated that based on the consulting fees that they think they're going to have to pay to do the comprehensive plan. And the reason I'm bringing this up is cuz we're worried about paying a clerk 50,000 and we're giving another 30,000 to the plan board. And I understand where that's going to go, but the whole budget with a it's like I say, it's gone from uh 24,959 to 58,600. So, I mean, these are just numbers that are jumping out at me and I can understand where they're coming from, but I just like everybody to understand what's going on here. So, another problem I have with the service contracts, I'm not mistaken, we've got $326,000 and 215 uh 326,250.

No,

this this is on the town hall and their budget service contracts stayed the same. This was page 19. So, I'm not saying anything about town hall, but the total service contracts for the town is $326,215. And on some of them, there's no explan explanation what those contracts are. So, I that was just taught at the town of Paul, which I don't have a problem with because they've been level funded on them. I think the biggest increase you see in service contracts is in the IT budget and some of that is a movement of those expenditures from specific departmental budgets into a centralized IT budget. So it looks like a bigger increase than it actually is. It's it's uh reflective more of moving these uh expenses around and with that move managing them centrally through Jonathan so that hopefully we can actually realize some uh efficiencies and savings and and oversee the contracts better. So in the financing office on page 29 and I think this 29 is out of out of mind but it's the next one in the folder. We're at the top service contracts been level funded for the last four years of $15,000. And then there's another one service contracts. It says paycheck. So, I'm wondering if that there's $40,000 with no explanation on it and I'm just wondering whether that $40,000 goes to this paycheck system or did the

school have this paychecks. Gary, we outsourced the payroll uh to an individual. So, her her compensation was roughly uh 20,000 to do the payroll for the town. So, we've added 20 to to for her to handle the school as well. So, that's where that number is. And she's employed by paychecks. Not by the No, she's she's an independent contractor. Oh, yep. Because it went from 15,000 last year to 55,000 this year.

The 15 on the service contracts. Um yeah, that that one um that one is probably paychecks uh in terms of payroll processing. Okay.

I'm going to have to look at that. That number uh I'll take a look at the yeartoate stuff on that number, but uh I know that uh they can they can be a little expensive. gone down a little bit farther on that department expense. Last year was $7,000. This year it's 15,168. Is that new computers or something? Um, no. That that is um well that that probably is some computerization in there, but we're looking at some uh changes to the accounting system as well to upgrade those uh that system. So that's what's included in that number.

Okay. So operating summary tax assessor's office On merit pay, we generally give 5%. I don't recall she's at 6%. What happens is once you give somebody 6% merit pay, they say, "How come I'm getting 5% when she's getting 6% or he's getting 6%."

Yeah, that's uh that's my fault. I didn't change that number. Okay. So, I got to change that number, though. I'll make it change. Thank you. And the deputy tax assessor went from 40 well went from a clerk salary from 44299 to 50,000 232. Is that because she's been bumped up to the deputy tax assessor? Uh she's going to make that recommendation uh for next year. Yes. Okay. So that that's what her salary would be. 50,000 232. Uh

correct for the contract. Yep. say something on that

for several years now. The tax assessor has tempted through this budget process to just change the title with which someone in her office is functioning, expecting that it would happen just automatically as of the new fiscal year. the administrator and some counselors had corrected her and said that position needed to be created first before you should fund the position and before you should take the salaries from a clerk to a deputy tax assessor. And each year she was asked to come back to the council with that proposal could be prepared for the next fiscal budget. That hasn't happened. So I am disappointed that yet again she's trying to do it this way instead of going through the proper channels. Um because technically in your code you do not have a deputy tax assessor. There is a line item in the union contract that the dollars were put there so that if ever the position was created they would be prepared. But it's not really created yet. So, I just caution you on proposing it this way because the position actually doesn't exist yet. So, it's kind of leading the public astray a little bit and letting them think that it's already there when it's not. So, I'm not saying that it should or should not happen in the long run. All I'm saying is it should have been done the proper way so that the position was created before you decide you're going to put somebody in it and put money towards it.

So, information technology which is page 20 and John you can 20. Yeah, page 20. Like I say, 29 was out of order. Gotcha. I'm just following page to page.

So, I understand we hired Jonathan and what I understand he's doing a good job. So, Um, service contracts is another one. When I when I first said we got $326,000 worth of service contracts, well, last year went from 75,910 to this year 154,215. And I'm wondering, there's no computer support where last year was 90,000. Is that computer support put into that 154,000? You want me to

I think John or Jonathan might want to John should probably address him first. John M. Sure. Uh yeah, but Jonathan can can address that. He can tell what's in the 154.

Yeah. And the I think the computer support line item. Well, that has been zeroed out. we're no longer paying the support cost for that previous vendor. Um that money has been divvied up among probably multiple other lines there. Um obviously the biggest one is that service contracts line. Um but just so you're aware that is not exclusively IT software necessarily. Um that includes things like vision viewpoint which is open government. So, our assessment, our permitting, um our records management system that the clerk uses, um our budgeting and municipal ERP system, um QDS, our GIS systems, what we collect our tax payments through, our town website costs are in there, uh short long-term rental and analytics tracking, um something to handle that, which from our recent um ordinance is in there. uh web hosting, printing, communication services, um postage, secure document disposal and shredding, telephone, the e-code 360, our our town um code software. Um all as part of that service contracts thing. So there's a lot more it is serviced by and maintained by it. Um so that's why we're trying to centralize the all of those various things under one budget. Um, but it does represent a lot of movement of other pieces of software that other departments use into line item as well.

Well, that's what I saw the no line item for which was 90,000 last year, none now. So, I just wanted explanation what that 154 was for. Thank you, John. And I think one of the big shifts you see there is the correct me if I'm wrong, Jonathan, but the 90,000 goes away because we've hired somebody, Jonathan. Right. Yeah. Right. in place of that that contracted computer support and and there are some additional expenses in there. We we are upping our cyber security game big time. Um as well as a number of other upgrades to our network, to our services that will really help make other people more efficient and more secure. Um we just didn't have some of those costs before, but they are very much needed.

Are these costs that we'll have like a single upfront cost and then taper up a little bit more

uh in some cases? um or or our our longer term products that we would buy um network appliances, firewalls, things like that. Um you get multiple years out of. Um but some of those costs do cover our anti virus or email filtering um things that are a a per person per year or per device charge. Um so some of that grows, but it's a very predictable number based on our current size as well. So then on page 25, operating summary for the police and dispatch. And believe me, I think we got a wonderful fire department and a wonderful police department. So the only question I had again, another service contract, 48,595 last year and 58,000 this year. I mean, these service contracts are going up 20%.

If that's IMC, John, I can speak to that one as well. That what? IMC. IMC. Okay. Is that our record system? That line, Mr. McMe? I believe it is. Yeah.

Okay. So, this is a particular um particularly interesting one. Our current dispatch system um and records management system that we use for police and fire. Um the vendor is sunsetting the pro product entirely. Uh and the state is moving um based on a pro project the state policeled. Um they're encouraging all departments to move towards a shared statewide system which will allow for much better interoperability and response times especially with mutual aid and things like that more accurate recordkeeping. But the big one here is that if you do not move if you move now as we are planning on doing so um the state is covering the costs of the implementation and migrating all of our historical police records into the system. If we do not participate now, those costs will not be covered and the software we currently use will be end of life in the next several years. So, we will have to find a replacement fully at our own cost. If we don't do the upgrade this year, we will also lose access to the ability to run queries against state record systems and shortly after other municipalities. Um, so we run into a risk where we now have significantly outdated data. Just as an example, we could pull somebody over, the police department, not me. We could pull somebody over um and it could show an active warrant that has actually been cleared by the state police. Um so we definitely need to do that upgrade.

I just see when I see jumps like 20% and I don't see any so the it does reflect a there is a brief period of time where we are required to keep both systems up and running to validate we've implemented the new one correctly that everything's working properly. Um, so there is a cost of running both of those systems simultaneously, I believe, for about six months in there and then we will sunset the old system and that will no longer be something we have to pay for in a future budget.

Okay. Thank you, Jonathan. Um again on the operating summary for the fire department level funed from last year but it's just another service contract and I'm sure uh whatever it is it's mandated by um what is it net chief what is it the national fire prevention mention piggy back what what Jonathan just told you. Yes, it's going to be off of the system.

Um the police record system is also the fire record system. Um they this cost on the fire department side reflects moving to a new system and bring us back into compliance with reporting. Okay. Can we take a second on the police? Sure. So, we currently operating at 10 members on the police department that the current manning that we've got. How long have we been operating at 10 people? John, you want to take that?

I don't remember off the top of my head how many positions. I do know we have a couple vacancies that he has been trying hard to fill and he hasn't. Yeah. Yeah. I think he had initially I think they were looking at um if I'm not mistaken u was it 12 for police and 12 for fire and um he's been unable to he's had a couple of um hires that uh one I didn't get through the academy and um so he's he's got initially was looking at four um when we we discussed um what he would be looking at realistically for next year. He said he probably would be able to hire two, which would be uh um a patrolman and a uh and a new hire. Right. And and so far our overtime budget hasn't been blown because and a big reason we kept upping the the numbers in the police force is because overtime kept, you know, ballooning. So

are we in line with current budget on overtime even with 10 members on the force and not filling that those 12 12 positions? Yeah, his yeah, his overtime has been has been in line. Um, he's kind of uh been able to deal with it without having to incur a lot of overtime. Okay.

So, on page 23, the public works department. Get a second page of the public works department. And this goes for our tree warden which I think he does a tremendous job. He's probably out there right now working. But last two years ago his budget was 35,000. Last year we bumped it up 5,000 and this year we're bumping up another 22% to 49,000. That requested by Yes, that's what he wanted.

Y we'll have to leave that to the budget committee. So, civic resources and I have an explanation. Can I go over the ones the that that uh we're responsible for, Gary? Yeah. We're going to do that later in the agenda. You want to save it for that?

Well, we can do that if you want. I mean, I think we're going through the booklet once I get done. if anybody has anything to say once we get governors most of them believe that and just to let everyone know that uh we have a form a formatting issue so we won't be voting on this tonight uh to send it to the clerk okay to send it to the budget committee we'll be meeting tomorrow at 5:30 with uh the agenda of these two things budget and the um which are going over now the civic resources so there won't be any votes on this tonight. Um, but we can certainly discuss it as long as we want. So, tomorrow we'll meet. It'll be formatted correctly and uh and we'll vote on it tomorrow.

Okay. And if you look at item three, this is what Gary's going to get into right now. So, I'm looking at the operating summary specific resources 2027 budget. Um, what page is that, Gary? 35. I don't have a page. I got 35. 35. Okay. Microphone on. I didn't. Did I? Oh, 35. And Oh, in the summary. Oh, okay. I'm on a big I was told to go through it. That's what I

I'm proud of you. So you have to go through it. I'll have a better understanding. I love going through it. Spending money on it. I used anybody any questions for the audience? Let me just say this. I used to do it at the school when I was chair. I would have a spread of cheese and food. Okay. And and Mam will know he used to hate it. We'd be there for hours. Went through every single item. And Jonathan, I made him go through every single IT item. and John and and MME might be having some flashbacks right now, but no food away.

So, friends common wellness center went from 28 to 30,000. I don't have a problem with that. They do for the town. Um 750 police for East Bay Community Action, that's what they asked for. Venture Coalition, I think they asked for 1,500, up from a,000 last year. And I think you you'll be able to explain this to me because I saw the social services budget go from $31 to like 54,000. So last year we gave senior citizen services where they would go in and they come and ask town can we use this for bus trip here, bus trip there, or whatever they wanted to do. I see it not in the 2027 budget. So, was it incorporated in the um senior sen citizens?

I believe so. John can uh correct me if I'm wrong, but I believe that you'll see that in the budget uh for the senior services. They added an activities directive uh in the senior center for I I believe it's 16,000 in there. And then the 9500 that would be used to offset that budget uh the $81,000 budget. So yeah, I know the $9,500. I just didn't want that $16,000 for the seniors to be going away. Oh no, no, that's that's included in that u into the budget. Yep.

Michael Ferrelli. Um I just want to say that one of the best things that we have done is combine that in the senior services. Uh Sue Sison who did a fantastic job for years current that was created uh two years ago. Yeah.

And that position uh is a such I work with Pam Coward. Uh it's such a upgrade in professionalism and as the town that has the highest age population, I think this is really an important area. I wish that it was I wish that the town's people used that resource a little bit more. As you know, Sue Sison had to really go undercover to re pull out people who needed it. But um that has been a really significant upgrade in services that we give to seniors. So

well I I will say thank you for that. We put a lot of work into that. Councelor Tal put a ton of work into that. I put a lot of ton of work into that. Uh we interviewed a lot of people for that about a year ago and I'm so happy that that you think that. We didn't know how that was going to go. Uh and I and I echo what you what you just said. Thank and I I praise the council for voting for it. So I was concerned if the seniors looked at this and say what have $16,000 long it's somewhere in budget.

Yeah. Well we will John and I will confirm that but I believe it's incorporated in in Pam's budget. Well that's where it should be. She's coordinated with this other Yeah. president we support isn't there? So she should be having the money. Yep.

Seniors want to open they go to senior statist. So town grant raising all conservation 1500 same thing as last year. I think that's okay. And if anybody wants to say anything jump right in stay at home it's 11,900 which is same as last year. Improvement society was 10,000. They asked for 10,000. I think that's okay. Little comp community center. We we kept them at 30,000. That's fine. Little comp food bank. I read everything they've been doing. We wanted to from 30,000 to 37,526. They're asking the same amount. So, I think that's okay. 350th anniversary celebration and I don't want to sound like a killer joy but the 250,000 uh the 350,000 anniversary we will we requested 15,000 which we gave them the 250,000 uh the 250 year celebration they want 30,000 and if we go back into it a a little bit later on is where I probably should start. They've got $25,000 for fireworks. I don't know how much the fireworks were last year.

They were 25,000. They were 25,000 last year. And at the end of at the end of this booklet, there's another uh request for 7,000 for fireworks. Yeah. That's embedded in the recreation, right? Is that right? Uh, I'm not sure where it is, but I don't think we need two sets of fireworks. I think this big one's going to do a good job. So, we'll get to that. I would suggest that 7,000.

So, that 7,000 has been in there forever. The there's a uh an ad hoc fireworks committee. Okay. And that $7,000 has been sitting wherever it sits. It hasn't been used since before CO. Uh so that money So if it's not used, it goes into the general fund. It has been rolled over to the general fund. We haven't had I can't remember the last time the town had fireworks, but that money has been always init. So money for a 250 celebration, you definitely don't need uh that 7500.

Well, that was my thought. Going to spend 25,000 on a big deal for 50 and we don't need the 7,000. Yep. That's just going to reduce. Yep. It's just been sitting there. You utilize somewhere else. Yep. Trying to scrape this budget a little bit so we can try to We're at 5.5% with that 300. Totally agree with you. I just need to get back. Y

So Gary, I think you've seen FY26, it was 15,000 for the grant and you've seen the $31,000 added to that police and fire detail in FY26. So in FY27, they're asking for 30,000. Uh they have not specified a number for the police and fire detail that I know of. I've asked for it. I I haven't got it. Um, and if my recollection is correct, they have 30,000 from 350 in the bank. Um, so I think I'm accurate on on that. If not, maybe you can tell me um differently.

So I 30,000 requests, Gary, it does not include police and fire detail. So there's going to be above that. So I would I'm not willing to do anything about that right now. make a motion to amend that down because I think that's the job of the budget committee. But leave it in third. We can leave things in high now, but we can't increase them after March 1st. So, but the budget committee says, well, maybe we'll give them 20,000. That's up to them. That's not up didn't mean to make a motion on that effect. Correct. I'll give a motion. No,

I'm just saying we're going to make motions tomorrow and vote on these tomorrow. So, I think that's about the only thing that I have because a lot of it is still these external budget requests. And then we go to parks and recreation. I don't think I have anything there. I think that's fine. Common Beach is se self-explanatory. school appropriation. That's not our perview. So then we get to social and senior services page 32. This is where I was hoping I can be told that the 16,000 went into um the s the director's salary was 31,200 last year. Now it's 54,600. So, and what's confusing me? He got senior citizens at the bottom of that subtotal. senior citizen services where it was 16,000 last year has dropped down to 6,500.

So I just want to make sure that that 16,000 is in there for these seat. Yep. I noticed that too. That's why I said John and I would confirm. John, do you have any comment on that? Yeah, that 6,500 is net of the 9500 down below in the grant. So that brings it back up to the 16,000. Okay. That's the one that we just got confirmation today that we're getting, right? Um, yeah, we get that every year, but um that I think that was Was that the library today? I thought that was the library. Oh, we got one from the the Senate grant that I

Oh, okay. I didn't see that. John, enlighten me. Was it the 16,000 plus the 9500 last year, which what I thought it was? Uh, well, yeah, but they they've hired a senior activity set for a senior activity person, too. So, we've got that 139 that's in there,

right? I see that. But that's coming out of the 16,000 that was set aside for preps and whatnot for the seniors. Uh that well that was part of that but the the 16,000 is still there because you got the 95. Last year they did have the 95 as well. Um so that 16,000 was was higher by 95. the 6,500 was high by 9500, but we've added that senior activity coordinator

uh in terms of the um the work that they're going to be doing with the seniors. So, the money is going. It's just in a different different form. Okay, if you give me a give me a breakdown of that 54,600. Yep. Because there's nothing there with it. I'd like to see how much of an increase of pay she's getting

from the 312. And I'm not feeling very good about the seniors having 25,000 last year trips and whatnot and now they cut back down to uh just the 16,000 periods. So, because I know that's going to cause problems in town, especially if they want to go somewhere. Huh. Do you know how much is left in their budget on you? Anyway, you can give me that tomorrow. Okay. Yeah, Martha. May I don't have my actuals with me. Do you? Yeah.

So, getting down management. Um, mostly self-explanatory. I will say that every year is I feel responsible because when something happens to the hoba, they come to me. I talk with the hava master and assistant hava master and and ask them 2% increase in their pay. and they always say yes, that's not a problem with us. So, I mean, I do that because I think that's appropriate. Some people think everybody should get a 5% raise every every year. The way the economy is, I just don't think that's physically fiscally responsible for the town. And then on that last page, there was correction on hob management fund down way down at the bottom where it says the harbor commission recommendation to raise moing fees for the first time since it says December 2023. It was actually 2013 that we raised the last time we raised fees. So, and that's all I have. Anyone else on the council?

Thank you, John. Thank you, Jonathan, for confirmation. Thank you, Anya, for welcome. You did a wonderful job on this. If you

I'd like to to uh focus the council's uh attention on opportunities for increased revenue and they in my mind are the non- tax sources of revenue. Uh I reference the uh transfer station currently at $5 a year. The two closest neighbors are uh at $50 a year. If we were to triple our fee to 15, that would be another approximately 42 or $3,000 and we would still be substantially below our competitors. I also think you might want to consider the inspectional services because those are largely price indifferent. You either are going to get a plumbing permit or you're not and it's not subject to a lot of discussion and it's not competitive. So I really think that in fact there are a substantial number of additional revenue opportunities. Uh witness as you pointed out earlier the uh harbor masters you know increase know in what was it 12 years or so?

2013 13 so more than 10 years ago. Um, and so there may be other pockets of lagging revenue opportunities and I suggest, you know, a a very um laser-like focus on the non-ax sources of revenue. Thank you for your attention. And I I think we got to do something about the trans fees. Okay. We've tried to do it probably three or four times, haven't we, Bob? Try to raise I've been here for one. Yeah, I know. Yeah. Didn't go well.

It didn't, did I? So, but I think we just got to bite the bull. And if people say that, that's uh we can't afford that. I mean, I think it should be 50 bucks is what I think it should be because people go there just about every week. And as Mr. Kennedy said, dividend does charge a dollar a bag, but they also have pickup on that dollar a bag where the trash truck comes around and picks that up. they don't have to drive it to the transport station. We tried to do that with the construction debris to try to raise the fees on that because people would just load their trucks up and bring it over there for $50 or something. On the other hand, Westport is 55 and they no pickup,

right? And I So I, you know, I just suggest that there are opportunities. As a further example, the uh short-term rental ordinance could be expanded to include nonadvertised properties and it could certainly uh be expanded to uh rental periods greater than 30 days so that the entire season uh could be incorporated into that. So again, I I think that um a creative approach to additional revenues may may prove profitable. Thank you.

Thank you. Um on that Gary, you're the proponent of not turning us into suburbia. Yes. So having just had that conversation about Pam Coward and the senior Yes. citizens. There's a lot of p on the poverty line in Compton. And so for, you know, for me, if you raise it to 50 bucks, it I can live with that. But there are a lot of precise household budgets that I know

$5 fee we is uh is generosity. So, I just want to I said I said I like to put it there. I didn't say that it's going to happen, okay? Because I don't want to get tied and feathered that you know I I've heard a lot about the unsuburbanization of Little Compton and this is Little Compton. So, when we assigned the transfer station,

just remind yourself of that. Just to go back to when we did it, changed it from zero to $5. The purpose was to prevent Tibetan and other towns from sending people with no stickers. Your your observations are well taken. Understood. There are still people that don't have a sticker for. But the idea was a nominal fee. We've changed it from the clerk has to go outside to put the sticker on to where the person has just issued one. So for $5, it became a way to say if you can't get a dump sticker, you can be then stopped at the transfer station. And to to all the points that have been made, all very good points, and that's the the whole point of this thing being a council decision based upon the people's input. We're starting to hear from the people that have to go up a bit rather than our taxes being changed uh to support things we don't want to support. So we we just have to be careful. We five have to be careful that we listen to everyone and then we move in a direction that's consistent with that.

So if I could just say you said we're starting to hear I've been hearing from people forever. I hear from almost daily hearing eight years ago.

Okay. That's good. And uh the dump is something that is just sits on everyone's head in this town. It's crazy. So I don't know. I've thought a lot of things. I haven't really said much about it. Uh maybe we need to hire someone to do an independent analysis of the dump. And you know, we've got people coming in there and they're dumping all kind of stuff. And I've talked with Heather about this for an hour. I've talked with Curtis. I've talked to Bodington. I think I probably even talked to Carol. It's crazy. All right. Everyone's got their opinion about the dump. So, at some point, we do need to slay that dragon sometime. and uh I look forward to maybe being a part of that. Can I add to that? Sure.

I just would say that I think that that supports Anya's suggestion that we do a comprehensive review of all of our permits and fees evidence from the harbor commission that was over or harbor department whatever that was over 10 years ago. I think a lot of these are old and haven't been looked at for a long time. And so look at all of them, not just one of them, and make a proposal and have a have a community discussion about it. Seems like that it's due. Thank you. I was going to get jump back to uh Ben Gothia. Come on up.

Yeah. Um Ben Gothier. So I mean the harbor thing I again I have to credit John because I had no visibility into the harbor management fund until he was in the chair. And so one of the first things we did was erect our rent seeeking to cover expenses. But I'd like to talk to you about a different thing. Um, Ben, can you do me a favor and have the microphone on your mouth? Yeah. So, I'd like to just talk to you about um some scars from being on Is it on? The light is not on. Right. There it is. Okay.

Talk to you about experience on a number of years on budget committee. And one of the things that I think I'd really like the council to provide um leadership and and guidance to the town is on the guise of the general fund. Um we used to take a lot of heat for carrying a general fund that people thought was excessively large and having come through a period of bad fiscal performance and now you know thankfully with uh professional help recovering from that I think it's incumbent on the town to really put a statement out on what is right sizing of the general fund and we didn't really understand it until we got our AAA bond rating and Scott Morrison and I asked the underwriters what you know what what's the basis for this and it's really the unrestricted general fund that allows the town to meet obligations no matter what happens in the weirdness of the state no matter what natural disasters uh befall us the town can stand on its obligations because of the size the fund was right and so I think an analysis is due um with you know people like Mr. Kennedy and others that can can help the professionals in the town to say what is the vision for the unrestricted fund balance as you look at year by year developing this budget book that target needs to always be in mind so that we can keep you know building back to a point where we can provide debt service that's more competitive than any municipality in the state uh and and you know come back to where we were. So, I I I again, I'd like you folks to put that in the town's mind, but in your own mind as we plan for future years that we really do need to rightsize that again. Thank you.

Thanks, Ben. I'm just going to jump back to the agenda real quick and still take questions on anything on it. Um I am going, we talked about item one, we talked about item two. I said we're going to vote on those tomorrow. So, I'll leave those there, but we can still go back to any questions. So I'm going to jump to item two council to consider an inclusion in the warrant from the annual financial town meeting towards resttown council enter to a lease extension with the little fountain community center for property own by the town of little cange building located at 34 comps and also describe the success etc. Um not to concede 50 years for a lease payment of $1 per year the town council negotiate other terms and conditions of the lease. Uh just to bring everyone up to date, the council knows this. Uh myself and Councilman Mushin meet uh with the comments committee, the community centers representatives, and we've been doing that uh for a while now. Uh and it's culminated with this. We've briefed the council a couple of times, I think, in executive session on this issue. Uh and now uh we feel it's the I think I can speak for council motion. Uh we want to get it on the agenda. I will say I'm gonna make an amendment. and I won't make it this second um to change uh not to exceed to up to 50. Um so when we get to that point, I'll probably make that motion. Um we want to discuss this by the council about u what me and Councilman Mush are proposing here.

So the only thing so this would do they have 16 years left now on their so that would become null and void. Correct. Proceed that and this will take it for 50 years as it was before. So I don't have a problem with that. I'm on board with that. All right. Any other questions? Amy said that she needed to get funding from many different sources that she needed that 50 years or a longer period than what she has now because they didn't want to fund something that was only going to be there for 10 years. Correct. Yeah. So, okay. Thank you. Bob, would you like to comment at all? No, I think you you captured it. That is what what we discussed.

Anyone else from the council? I see a active town administrator wants to speak on this. Yes. Go ahead. Oh, moderator. What? What did I do? I knew you'd have something. I knew you'd have something.

I have trouble. Larry Anderson, I am I am speaking as Tom's moderator here, but I'm glad to see this uh from the moderator's point of view being on the warrant. Um I I think that um my recollection is that the previous lease was adopted before the adoption of the charter which require which changed the requirement here. in effect to uh have lease a lease of town property go to town meetings. So I I did have a conversation with the town solicitor at some point to review some of the history of that and and uh the other thing I would say is that um uh this is a placeholder. If there are details of the lease that you need to amend that can be done at at town meeting. And I would just say as a as a matter of practice, it probably be good if you can accomplish it to have have the agreement uh pinned down by then uh in case you wanted to make it public before the meeting. So people might give you a vote of faith to go ahead and do it, but it might be helpful to actually have it have it u be able to make it available to the public so they know exactly what they're uh so I'm glad to to see this but and and it could be amended if a meeting if need be. So

I don't see any reason that either side would be of the negotiating uh opposed to that. And to your point, it gives everyone a sense of comfort about what it is we're talking about when they arrive at the meeting. And hopefully it it then doesn't require us to schedule a second town meeting. And and when I look through the history of of the application of se of charter section 103 and you will remember this, Bob, I had forgotten it. wasn't involved in it. But uh when the council negotiated the piece for the current cell tower

after the first proposal was obliterated at town meeting and it took several years for you to uh to develop a different plan. I came across the u we actually had a a special town meeting in which the lease was mailed to the voters at that time. It was a you know boilerplate lot of fine print but uh we sort of went the other way to make sure that uh they knew what they were voting on. I I I forgotten that. So there is a precedent for for doing it. So that was that was back in Jane Cavit's time because I can remember we got beat up down there the first time we brought it forward and then we waited a couple years had to

we took a non

again. Yeah. And the voters voters killed it one time and it sailed through the next time. Yes. I read this um fully the the language. council to consider for inclusion on the warrant for the annual financial town meeting to authorize the town council to enter into a lease extension with the Little Compton Community Center for the property offered by the town of Little Compton known as the Graange Build located at 34 Compton and also described as assessor's plat 20 lot 6 for lease term not to exceed 50 years and for a lease payment of $1 per year with the town council to negotiate other terms and conditions of the lease. That's what the agenda item says. So, what I'd like to do is make a motion to amend the warrant item that I just read by deleting up to and uh and by deleting, I'm sorry, by deleting uh not to exceed and put in up to and forward the warrant to the town clerk for referral.

I'll second that. Thank you. So, we're in discussion. I think I've done that correctly. Can you read just that last part with with the up to? I'll let you want me to make two motions to amend first and then make the motion. I can happily do that. I am not your clerk. I'm not talking to I didn't even get to you. I'm still trying to get what you said. Can you res repeat what you said first, please? I'll probably give it to you. Motion to amend the warrant item by deleting up to No, there is no delete not to exceed.

Not to exceed. Sorry, that's my my mistake. Motion to amend the warrant item by deleting not to exceed and inserting and inserting up to up to and foring the warrant to the town clerk for referral to the budget committee as the last phrase of the warrant of the uh motion. Yes. You okay with that? You want you want to critique that moderator? So just just you're voting on right now. I mean you voting on on the forwarding all all the No, that's the community center. That's the community center.

That's the community center lease agreement. So I don't know if you're going to I'd like to get this right because I don't have it on the agenda for tomorrow. That is correct. So, um, do you think you okay with this? I'll ask the audience. Do you think we're okay with this? If she has the proper wording, yes. Thank you. So, I'll make that motion. I think I have a second. You do. Any further discussion? Not seeing any. All in favor? I thank you for that. Um, we can talk about uh the other two items, the budget or the out of budget stuff now or we can adjourn. You can pick this up tomorrow at 5:30.

So, do I have a hand? Go ahead.

Well, I I in either case there there was there's one I'm again speaking as town moderator. I and I was in town hall today. I've talked with uh uh council member Mchugh and Talbot about this. There's an ongoing conversation about this. From a from a time point of view, a couple matters involving the uh relationship of the warrant and the budget committee report and the and and charter language. It came up at at town meeting last year and I just wanted to raise this now in case it was felt that any change should be made, but Uh, and it's a modest thing, but I can I can see where it was problematic from the voters's point of view. You'll recall and Carol and I think actually conversation at town meeting that we amended the charter in 2022 through section 4 to add uh that's the notice and agenda for meetings and we added a sentence section listing and text of the ward to the uh added a sentence describing the relationship of the war of the budget board and the post and the creation of the war. He said we have a sentented voters may amend the total amount listed for an individual award item but may not amend any individual items within such a item and uh there really is one so the warrant that Heather will prepare we have a budget report that that mirrors it but both doc the this has evolved over the years and we put in a phrase where we have line where we have line items in the budget committee report. We put in a phrase estimated distribution

for years. Then we changed the charter to make clear what that meant which is that uh voters can't and I think Scott this came up last year. Voters can't say I want to reduce the line item for the fire department fuel uh fuel budget. they can only vote on the bottom line for the fire department. There's one area where I think this is a little problematic and that is the article that we call advisory boards. Uh which is sort of a misnomer because I look at these they're not all strictly speaking advisory boards. Some of them are quasi judicial housing they have planning board the zoning board the housing trust has quite a broad power. So in the event that voters So and they're each different. So in the event that voters wanted to affect that those budgets, all they can do under the charter is propose an amendment to the bottom line pushes it back to the council to uh comply with that. And I don't want to get too deep into degrees, but I know there are case laws about this. That's that's sort of why this is in here. So one suggestion I would have it it would seem like a pain in the neck but as a practical matter it wouldn't be is just to um separate all those into separate articles just just because they're different and you have situations excuse me

anything that prohibits us from doing that

my opinion no these are articles that have evolved over the years they all got here in the first place we didn't always call them advisory boards um that that's my opinion. You're a solicitor, you can give you advice on that, but uh these are included in the matters under the council's jurisdiction. So, I'm just saying that if the town clerk and the council would get on the same page, we just add, you know, uh seven on one line articles here for each one. And then if there is some concern about the voters want to have have a say in the matter, they have an opportunity. My guess is that's not going to come up too often. If it does, maybe it should. So that's just it's a one thing, but the that the fact that we amended the charter in in 22 does customary practice, it does affect this the format of this article. So I just raised that and something to think about while you're working on this. It's something that could be done just some reformatting basically and adding some numbers and adding some more articles. But uh that's between you and the town clerk. I would say

that would have to be done sometime tomorrow. So we could go well and get this done

today or tomorrow. I wanted to get it done now because uh you might want to think about uh whether you want to do it and what you know you might want to talk it over. I just wanted to raise that because I'm I'm looking at it. I'm the I'm not elected moderator, but I'm serving an elect position and the moderator's job is sort of to out for all the voters. Uh and I do the kind of thing where the voters rights get nibbled away a little bit incrementally by some of these decisions we make or don't even we don't even make the decisions. We just uh don't make a decision. Uh, so that's that's why I raise it. Thank you.

Okay, I gota do Okay, get some history. You want the budget? I don't remember why we did it, but we put them all together and it allow like us to separate them out. Just tell us and we'll do it that way tomorrow. No, I'm just saying if but if if we did it that way and I can't recall why we merged them, but it by not merging the planning board and the both going to do some sort of project, they could end up uh we could say, "All right, you do yours instead of you doing yours this time. We'll do it the other way next time."

So, we deliberately made use of that. If they'll I don't have specific I'm just making a suggestion and since I'm no longer clerk, you can do as you please. But where it normally says an article number and advisory boards, maybe you say advisory boards and then list the boards individually with their own article number next to them. Maybe a footnote that says these may be voted

in a group separately. And then that would then give the public a chance to say planning board one thing, zoning board another thing. And it wouldn't be as much change typing wise so that you're not recreating the wheel here. You've added just article numbers to it. You recreated the wheel multiple times. Okay. Well, I don't want to recreate any more. It's a good idea. I think Harold Carol's charter does provide that articles can be proposed in a group uh both at by anybody by anybody basically the council could do it the budget committee does it every year uh and voters can do it as well.

Okay. Thank you. I have to um do something very painful here and hopefully it only takes a second. The motion I made on um the the conting center was wrong. I just looked at uh I just looked at my notes, my email from the solicitor. So, we're gonna have to roll that back. I'm gonna resend my motion. Just reconsider.

I'm going to reconsider my motion. What happened was the solicitor put up to and obviously it's not in there. He put up in there and it kind of messed me up. So, I'm going to make a motion to a I'm going to make a reconsideration. Make a motion to amend the warrant item by deleting not to exceed and add of and for the warrant to the town clerk for referral to the budget committee. So we'll now read for at least term of 50 years. There's no up to and there's no not to exceed. Second. Wait, say the words again, please.

I'm going to make a motion to amend the warrant by deleting not to exceed. and placing of in there and for the warrant to the clerk for referral to the budget committee of for release of 50 years of 50 years. Okay. Awesome. Sorry about the semantics of that. I thought it was a little weird. I I checked. So I have a motion second. I have a second. Any further discussion? Not seeing any. All in favor? I I appreciate your patience in that one. I will entertain a motion to adjurnn. A move. Second. All in favor? I. Thank you. We'll see everyone tomorrow at 5:30 for our votes. Well, thank