Town Council - Regular Meeting

It is 700 p.m. This is the London Derry Town Council meeting for Monday, March 16th, 2026. Everyone, please stand for the pledge. I 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. So, we're going to start off the meeting today with the election of officers. going to make a nomination for uh Ron Dunn for chair and a nomination for Shan Faber for vice chair. I'll second it. I have a motion from one at a time. You have to do one at a time. One at a time. I will make a motion for Ron Dunn to be chairman. I have a motion from Ted. Second. Second from Shawn. All those in favor say I. I. I. Any opposed? Chair hosting affirmative. I'll make a motion for Shawn Favor to be vice chairman. I have a motion from Ted. [clears throat] I'll second it.

Second from Sean. All those in favor say I. I. Any opposed? Chair votes the affirmative.

All right. Well, thank you guys for electing me as chair. Again, I do appreciate it. Is an honor. [snorts] Um, first up, we have to review the town council rules of order. Um, I want to say a few things real quick. Um, I would like to adopt the rules that the prior council had, but make a few amendments. Um, I think we need to be more respectful of rep the public's time. I think a lot of things we do up here. Um, we could say in a fewer words than we do say. Um, I think we need need to get back to a better decorum. Um, the public deserves a better decorum from us. You know, it deserves us to act in a more professional manner at the meetings. So, I'm going to ask that when we have public comment or when you guys want to say something, if you could just address the chair and I will I will recognize you. Just say, "Mr. Chair, I have a question. Mr. Chair, I have a comment." Um, and then all public comment goes to the chair. Um, Sean is going to take all the questions down at the end of public comment. Any questions that we can answer, we will answer that night. and any that we can't answer that night, we will get back to the public on the next meeting. Um, I think it's important that we answer all the public's questions. Oh, yeah.

Just to be clear, you said Sean. Sean. Sean. Yes. Sean Sean for Sean. I just wanted to be clear. I didn't know. I wasn't watching you. That's perfect. Um, so Sean is going to take down all the questions. Any that we can answer

right after public comment ends, we will answer. Anything we cannot answer, we will get back to the public at the next meeting. Um, I think as a council we shouldn't have any more long speeches. Should try to keep them to 3 to 5 minutes. Um, you know, I think the the public deserves that from us. You know, try to be efficient. Say what you want to say quickly and efficiently and um and and I think that's what I wanted to say. Anyone else want to add anything about rules of order? No, I think that's a good point to make. I mean the people value our time as much as their own. Sometimes people have their engineers or architects or whoever may be here and I think it' be valuable of their own time as well.

I think it I think it's good to get away from some of the back and forth and just, you know, let's get up here, say our piece. We don't all agree on everything all the time, but we can say it. We don't have to debate it or fight about it. Like just let's be professional. Let's be have some decorum. Um, anything else anyone wants to add to the rules of order? No. Go ahead with that. Um,

so, Mr. Chair, because the rules of order are part of the municipal code, in order to amend the the rules of order, you're going to need to schedule a public hearing for April 6th. And if you could please submit the um the amendments in writing so we can put it out to the public in advance. That's what you need to do if you would like to amend that. Yeah, absolutely. So, we can't vote on this tonight or we have to wait. You just need to make a motion to move it to public hearing. Okay. Um, we haven't gone through or passed anything yet as far as municipal code or anything else like that. So, I don't know. Let's just hold off on this till we get through that discussion.

Okay. All right. I guess I'll just I'll put it this way. I'll ask as a courtesy um that the members uh do that. That way we don't have to worry about changing any official rules. Just as a courtesy, just try to keep your comments as concise as possible, value everyone's time, and just uh try to um direct your comments to the chair and I will always let you speak. I I promise you that I'll let you speak. though. Um, rules of public comment. Um, does anybody wish to add or subtract anything from public comment? I thought he's raised his hand. Go ahead. Yeah, please. This is

I don't know. I mean, I don't know if we would consider reducing the five minutes to three minutes or there are other places that's what they do. Three minutes. Um, I don't know how anybody feels about that, but we used to do three minutes and then we made it five and then even sometimes the public goes over five. So, I don't know. What do you think, Deb? Like, I'm just like I don't want to limit the public's conversations with us. Contrary to anyone, I feel we're here to serve them. Y and if they've taken the time to come and speak to us, out of respect, we should listen to what they have to say. That's personal. Yeah,

I do think we need to evaluate the agendas um in advance and say, "Okay, there's a lot on here." If the conversation is going along and you look at your clock, this is all up to you, Mr. Chair. If you're looking at it and it's like 10:30 at night, you need to say, you know, or you know, in advance. Listen, we we're not going to get this all done tonight. Can we move it out? Um you know what I mean? Like try to look at it in advance so that We can I mean not everything can be taken. I don't know. That's No, that's a good point because I did have the public contact me about our meeting that went to 1:30. Some of the public was didn't want it to go that late. So, we were exhausted. At least I was.

So, yeah. I I I don't know. But that again falls all on to you to sit there and say, "Okay, I'm looking at the agenda. There's a lot on here. Is there a way even prior to the meeting to say to the manager um is it possible? Yeah, I don't know. We'll say whatever they want. Yeah, absolutely. I just want to add that I know that like at the ZBA they have a time limit and at a certain time they're they're going to say, "All right, let's re-evaluate. Do we continue or do we put something off and end the meeting at, you know, a reasonable hour?" Okay. I don't I just a thought. No, that's a good thought because you guys have any suggestions on

um I mean I think some of our different decorum is going to help with the length of the meeting. Um I think that's true as far as limiting public comment. I guess I'm you know I was thinking about it and I guess [clears throat] I'd probably rather it stay five. Yeah, just for the public. Um I'd probably keep it at five just because a lot of people go a little over and I try to give them a little leeway. It's just a thought. But no matter um are we good with keeping it at five then? Are we good? Me? Yeah. Okay. We should keep it at five. Came here to speak. Okay. Let's hear them.

Any other changes we want to make to the public policy? Would this would this be a time to address something on the agenda? Um, unless it right now we're setting rules. So, it' be like, okay, agenda in general or just agenda in general. Um, I I guess I'll say it now is that we have employees that leave and and I look at the school district and at every meeting they have um a list of their employees that have retired or resigned and and they say something. Okay.

We do it at deliberative and 90% of the people are not there um that we say anything about. So I don't know if we want to try to do it real quick at a meeting if somebody's left this month and mention their their time of service to the community. And just a thought. [snorts] I'd be fine with that. Like add like add retirements or add retirements resignations.

Okay. you know, so if the town manager brings it up to us and you know, maybe a c certain counselors can speak to certain individuals and just, you know, like the school board does and just say, you know, we want to thank X for 24 years or 30 some odd years of service to the community. So, I could add that to the agenda before public comment. Yeah. I just think it's just it's fresh. It's it's fresh. People are are leaving. Um, we do it at deliberative and 90% of the people are not there and we're What do you think, Ted? Good. I think that's fine to do. I mean, the school district doesn't always mention the people. They're listed on the agenda, but

sometimes I I've heard them, Ted, they talk about it. They might say, you know, Ted Combmes. Depends on the situation. Yeah. So, that cuts the deliberative time down a bit. Yeah. Okay. I'm fine with that. You good with that? Okay. [snorts] Thank you. All right. Anything else to discuss? We want to keep it the same. Yep. Okay. All right. I will open public comment. Dennis, how are you tonight? Hi, everybody.

Dennis Martin, 182 Pillsbury Road, London area, New Hampshire. I two two I believe me I won't be five minutes but uh one of them is I still like to know what's going to go on with the uh veterans tax credit that we were supposed to get last year are we going to get reimbursed and and what's going to we haven't I haven't gotten an answer to that and um secondly I'd like to know now that they're not putting signs up here political signs between the police station and Graange Hall that piece of property am I going I have a problem uh putting my sign up for the blues festival in August, which I've been doing for the last 12 years. So, I'd like to know the answer to that because my understanding it's it's no more political signs. So, what's the answer to my sign? Cuz it's not political. It's non-political. So, like to know the answer to that and uh [clears throat] and I I really would like to know more so on the what's going on with the the veterans tax credit.

Okay. Excellent. Thank you. Yep. Anybody else in public comment? Good evening. How are you? Good. How are you? Good. Robin Stewart, 522 Mammoth. I have two quick things. One, a while ago, um I believe it was Mr. from Mhalland brought up that there was a possibility we could look into having contractors uh pay for an individual I mean an independent study for traffic when they're proposing their um I'd like to know if we we can do that or how it has to be brought up to do it because I can't I'm just tired of hearing there's only going to be six cars and 480 apartments.

It's just not accurate. And the second thing is um I don't know how to continue engaging people because everything that's been going on, the public engagement just went down the hill real quick. So what is it that this board is willing to do to educate and bring in some more public engagement that just kind of went out the door? That's it. Thanks. Excellent. Thank you. Good evening, Ray. How are you tonight? [snorts]

Uh, Ray President 3 Gary Drive. Uh, I'm glad you uh addressed uh issues like uh public comment and allowing time and so forth because I think it's important. Um uh and yes, you have to control the meeting and if you have a lot of things on the agenda, you got to move on, right? Um that's important. But um the public engagement part of the thing, I think, uh the town manager has some thoughts in that regard. I think uh Thursday the 19th, I believe, uh there's going to be something presented um which I think is very important for the general public um to participate, to come and to express their thoughts. Um, it's extremely important that we do engage the general public. Uh, I know sometimes at a meeting it can slow things down and, uh, you do need to move on and you need to address specific things and I appreciate that, but um, I I I am inspired by the fact that uh, we are looking at engaging the general public and letting them participate. Um I think we we also uh thought about engaging um the young people over at the high school and we've had some discussion in that regard um because it's their future. So um thank you for your thoughts and allow me to speak.

Thank you Ray. Anybody else? Oh Tony good evening. Thank you Mr. Chair. Tony D. Francisco Cheshure Court. We just had a um an election last week and this is the next meeting. So you you know what's coming. We get our report card.

Uh congratulations to um the folks that were reelected. Um I'm not going to steal anyone's thunder because there will be somebody later on in the agenda that's going to spout numbers um to you. But it was um a really good turnout. Um we still have um I won't use the number but I can say 3/4 of the people who are registered to vote are not voting. Um it's either a problem or it isn't. It seems to be uh everywhere. I'm still wondering when we're going to take the time to look at what we have for a current form of government. Do an investigation to see what other types of form of government are out there. To see if there may be something better, maybe there isn't, but I don't think we know if there isn't yet. And I would like to know if there isn't a better form of government. and I think other people will as well. As far as um your report card, I think the um the citizens, the taxpayers yet again uh did an excellent job of uh raising the tax rate. We hear for a good three quarters of the year about how the tax rate is terrible. People can't afford to live here. And yet, year after year after year at the polls, the taxpayers increase the tax rate. That tells you something. We had um roughly [snorts] 43 between the two forms of government, 43

warrant articles. A couple of them didn't didn't touch the tax rate, but there there was 43. Um, the school district had 100% of theirs pass. You all had six out of 28 that didn't pass, but a couple of them were very similar. So, the the Morrison house, um, I don't know what the story is on that, but on on the bond, 79.8% 8% of the people, and that's approximate because I only have approximate numbers. I think you're going to hear official numbers later, but I'm pretty close pretty close to 80% of the people who voted said they didn't want to bond anything for the Morrison House last Tuesday. 86% said that they didn't want to bandaid it. That was the second thing that you had there. I considered it a band-aid. the official title of what it was. You all know what I'm talking about. That tells you something. I don't know what it tells you, but it tells you something. We elect you all to make those hard decisions to figure out does that mean anything or doesn't it? That's up to you all to do that. I know what I would do, but I'm not in a position of power. I'm just a person. And so, um, I think you all need to do that. I think that that that's a pretty strong message, I think. Um, you lost two HR things, you lost two fire things. And I chalk those up to, and again, this is one person's opinion. It's similar to like when you're at when you when you were in public school. And Dan doesn't remember public school because he has

hair like mine. He can't he can't remember what public school. He doesn't even remember what school he went to. But at any rate, but at any rate, it's kind of like when you were in public school and when you had that math thing that drove everybody crazy, you could get the right answer. The right answer was 25, but because you didn't proof your work, the teacher marked it wrong. And you wanted to just go up and strangle her because you you had the right answer, but you didn't prove it. You didn't prove it right. And so I look at what you lost in a similar vein because you didn't prove your work. You had a great idea. 30 seconds. Am I going over time? 30 seconds.

You You had the great idea, but you didn't prove your work. And what I would suggest to you is you take take a look at how the school department advertised, marketed, especially on the fire department side. Send a fireman to to marketing school. because you said you needed it. You do need it, but you didn't prove you work. So, thank you very much. Great job. Congratulations again to everybody and uh have a great term. Appreciate it, Tony. Anybody else [clears throat] in public comment? Good evening, Christine. How are you? Good.

Good. Christine Perez, five Wesley Drive. Um although I'm very disappointed at the outcome of the election for town council, I feel I ran a very good, a very honest, very factual campaign. And I'd like to thank all of those who voted for me as well as those who work very hard to spread the message of honesty and transparency. Thank you. Thank you. Anybody else in public comment? Yeah, I'm going to I'm going to get you guys right after public comment. Good evening.

Good evening. Um Megan Donovan, 45 Chase Road. Um I just wanted to come and share just a little happy news or something that was nice. Um just because I know a lot of times people are like doom and gloom when they get up here. [snorts]

Um, as you all know, the library has been relocated to the police community room. Um, and we're doing really well. People are coming and visiting and things like that. But I just wanted to talk a little bit about a volunteer who I have um that reached out to me. Her name is Molly. And Molly is a freshman in high school. She's been a volunteer with for almost two years. Um, she said, "Hi, Megan. I heard that the library that there was some damage done at the library and that you would be doing some programs at different locations. Would you be interested in having me read again to the younger kids? Is there another way I could help? I'm not sure how long the actual library will be closed, but I also had another idea. I [snorts] was wondering if we might have an uh the My apologies. It's been a long day. [laughter]

Um I was wondering if we could have two art uh sessions to create art for this contest. the plier is attached. If so, I could try to get some art supply donations. I was thinking maybe some small canvases, brushes, and things. Let me know. No pressure. Depends on the library space. So, Molly is 15. I think this just shows the depth of our teens, our students that are in Londereerry. And the program she's talking about is called Magnify Voices. It is a program to help shine the light on teen mental health. It's a something that I'm very passionate about. In addition to being the head of circulation, I'm the head of teen services as well and I've been working with the library youth for 15 years directly.

So, this is something I'm passionate about. I thought it was a great idea. I also reached out to the arts council to say, "Hey, I have this volunteer who wants to come in. We're going to offer a space for the kids to do this artwork. would you like to come? And they were, it was an enthusiastic yes. Uh Cindy Peterson, who just was appointed to the arts council, is kind of taking um the boots on the ground for this one as she's also passionate about youth art, as you can see in the walls here. Um the amazing talent of the Londerea youth. Um so I just wanted to kind of say like this is a good thing that's happening. The actual program is going to be on March 25th here after school for fifth through 12th grade. Anybody can come and just work on something. If they want to submit it, they can. They don't have to. But it was just a really really great um community and collaboration between people of different groups and things and I just wanted to share that that London really does come together.

Thank you. You're welcome. Anybody else in public comment? I'm going to close public comment and then I have no I have I'm gonna have you and you and Jonathan unless you want Oh yeah. I'm gonna call you guys off.

Um Sher Frell for Hancock Drive. I didn't really plan to say anything but Dennis inspired me and um I'd just like to ask that um you consider what Dennis has been asking and I've been reading it's the second time um the things they carried by Tim O'Brien and I think we often forget what you know Dennis Christine all those people that are serving um young men and women um past and present and I really think anything that this town can do for our veterans we should be doing and I know I know there are rules and laws, but if there's any way to look a little deeper, um because Dennis has asked a couple times, a few times, and I I don't know what could be more important, actually, so didn't plan on it.

Don't go away, Sherry. Um, anybody else with public comment? Ron, I got one. I Oh, good. Yep. I just wanted to wish everyone a happy early St. Patrick's Day. And for anyone who might have missed part of our meeting, uh, tonight we have, uh, Chronicle coming to Lundere to OSA's in Londere. So, want to say congratulations to O'Shea is being featured on Chronicle tonight. Oh, and also our senior um our historical center is uh part of that tonight, too. So, it should be very exciting. Our own David Ellis is going to be highlighted on it. Great. Anybody else with public comment? Close comment. And now I'm going to ask Sherry and Jonathan to come up and give us an election update.

Thank you both. You guys want to sit or you guys want to sit or stand? Okay, [laughter] that's fine. Thank you both. By the way, I'm gonna sit with you. I You order what? Beautiful weather. Oh, [laughter] the weather.

Chalk that up to good planning, Mr. Chair. [clears throat] Um, again, let me offer my congratulations, Councelor Combmes, Councelor Dunn on your re-elections. Um, we did have a good election on Tuesday and as is typical, I just like to give you a recap of some of the numbers. And uh Sher has some thoughts as well, I'm sure. So um and I I offer these comments on behalf of the so many folks who who work and make the election successful. You know, Sher and I have the leadership roles, but it's really the folks who are who are doing all the work. And I'd like to acknowledge them, our election workers, supervisors of the checklist. Interesting story. I'm sure you're aware that um the governor and the secretary of state visited us early in the morning and the governor specifically called out our alert members um for the work they were doing and was like we don't usually see this at an election

and we had three other groups affiliated with the secretary of state's office visit during the day for various reasons and every one of them mentioned our alert folks. So um congratulations to them for doing a great job and in getting recognized for that. Um schools again were very very um helpful this year. They uh transported all our equipment back and forth all the way from the school board to the administration, our custodial facilities staff. So um really want to acknowledge their um their contributions and always police, fire, and our town administration. So it really does take a team. So, collectively, we had um 4,436 voters come through the door, and that includes 152 same day registrations, which is a recent record for us. I couldn't go back any further, but um it's typically in the tens and 20s, and we had 152 at a at a local election, which we think is terrific. And Sher, my notes show we had 220 absentee ballots. We did. How does that compare with

pretty much our average? We had um we actually sent out about 229 and only 10 um didn't come back to us. And the wonderful thing is usually we get a couple the day after the election and it was just so nice that none have been returned to us yet because you feel horrible if a vote isn't counted. So with the combination of the same day voters and the absentee voters, excuse me, [clears throat] we had 25.5% of our registered voters, of which we have 18,293. So 25.5% participation, compared with 21% last year and 23% the the year before. And we won't talk about 2023 when it snowed because participation was way down that year. Um, our lines were quiet. You you folks were there early. Thank you. And um about 9:00 a.m. it picked up and we were very steady all day with roughly 400 voters an hour right up until 7:00 p.m. And uh thank you again for approving the purchase of the additional voting tabulators, the voting machines. We had few maybe a minimal line occasionally waiting to for voters waiting to cast their ballots, but really we eliminated the line. So so thank you for that. I think our voters are very thankful as well. Um, we also on behalf of the um, ballot law commission, we piloted the voting works high-speed scanner for our absentee ballots. Uh, we did an audit of that exercise the following Thursday, so last Thursday. And, um, the scanner accurately tabulated the ballots, which is really what the purpose of the audit is. Uh, just a couple of other anecdotes. Kids vote, our second year doing kids vote. Kudos to them. We had 428 voters this year versus 400 last year. So, they're expanding and the governor took great interest in that and I think talked to um the assistant principal about maybe expanding that further around the state. So, good for London. And then I did mention that we had

several affiliated groups for the secretary of state's office visit us and um another compliment offered the day after the election. the secretary of state's chief of staff called me and one of the groups was looking at our pole pad operation for different reasons and they wanted a compliment. There were four of them. Kristen Graas, the our chairman of the supervisors of the checklist. I guess she was phenomenal with information and suggestions for them. So, she got a uh nice uh nice call out from the secretary of state's office. So, that's all I have Sher and then we'll take questions. Um, thank you to everyone, to our cit citizens, to all of you that were there. Um, the school department, the town, everyone working together. Um, it was it's a beautiful site and when we do, we accomplish so many great things and it was a true success. Uh, the only thing I just a little shout out to a couple people. Uh, the day on Monday as we were signing up, signing up as we were setting up for the election, um, Ray came in and he said to us, he said, "Hey, you know, I don't see any signs. I don't see, you know, anything out on the common um to let people know that we have the town election and, you know, and I know it's been in the newspapers and that's all good. You know, we've had it on our um social media, things like that. But I think Ray brought up a really good point because the town common, other places in town in town, signage is such an important thing. And I'm just going to say again, I mentioned this maybe a year ago, that if we could at some point, if we have the funds, generally it's between 25,000 and 40,000 to have one of the electronic message boards like the school has, we could have had that out there about deliberative about the town our town meeting, which is our town election, and so many other things that are happening. Um, so just something if that money is ever available or if there's ever a sponsor out there that um would want to donate something like that, put your name on it. But I just think that we could really unite the

library, the police could use it. Um, town hall, you know, and then we'd have the school one separate. Um, we've already had the company out a couple times throughout the years. So I'd ask the council to just kind of keep that on your radar. If there's extra money available, it would not be wasted. And then the next thing about the election that I thought was just pretty powerful, um, our John Wilson from our senior resource committee, um, he worked for two years, and you all know that, um, on article 22 and he worked hard. He was at some of those long meetings, a senior resource committee, um, R. Kelly, everyone on that committee worked hard to support him. But just so impressive that, you know, John, um, you know, at beyond 79 at this point, he didn't give up. he pushed um we kind of you know it didn't work out the first year but as often happens these things come back and the second year it did not that it was on the ballot the first year but still just how impressive that John didn't give up um against many odds and and it passed so people listen when we speak or when we get the word out there too so um kind of like what Tony was saying about you know advertising and getting um you know getting the information out to our citizens because they make great decisions when we do um but that was the only two things I had and thank Thank you to all of you because it was really a great great day and the weather helped. So,

any questions from the council? I just like to say the secretary of state told me that that we run one of the best elections and that he enjoys coming to Londereerry to see what we do and how we do it and they actually sent the film team in later on in the evening to film what we do. So, congratulations to both of you for running an amazing election and at the state level it's one of the best. So, thank you. Very kind. Thank you. Thank you. Excuse [clears throat] me, Ron. Before we go [laughter] any further, I'm sorry I missed public comment. Not for you. I'm sorry. Um my husband just texted me to say, "Let's not forget the girls basketball team." Oh, yeah. Please. They were. [laughter]

He was there. He just said, "Deb, remind them that they won and they're state champions." And yes, congratulations. K. Auntie Kay is very proud. Yeah. Awesome. Thank you, Deb, for bringing that up. Yep. That's one of the bit thing we could do. We do the retirements, do the thank yous for that. You know, congratulations and thank you when we do the retirements. We could do that. Yeah, it's very good. Thank you for bringing that up. Um, all right. Up next, we have board and appointment reappointments. Appointment of the tax collector. Chairman. Oh. Oh, sorry. That's right. I'm sorry. We We said we would answer the public's questions. Oh, yes. Yep. You're right. And you also wanted to make some comments. That's right. Yep. Sorry. So, uh, was there any questions we can answer today? So, um, there's a question on the veterans tax credit.

Yes. So, yeah, I I wasn't paying attention when you said which Sean, sorry. I wrote down the questions. Oh, [laughter] hey. Oh, so that's one of the He also asked about his sign. Yeah. Yep. That was the second one, but yeah. I was giving them one at a time, so we Well, you can answer them both if you want. Okay. So, yeah. So, the sign, that was the first one I wrote down. So, I don't see an issue with that because we're advertising an event that occurs on the green over there. Political signs are a totally different thing. So, I don't I don't anticipate an issue with the sign that has the blues fest like we've always had out there because it helps to I always put it out about three weeks ahead.

Yeah, we've talked about this before. I don't see an issue with that. That helps to accentuate the different events we have going on in the green over there. I think that's a a good thing. I don't see a problem with that. It's the political signs. There's plenty of places for those. And you can see the whole side of the road littered with them. It's sort of a collage thing, but I don't even know. it's a blur when you try to drive by it. So, I just don't want them to avoid that. There's plenty of places to do that and I prefer they not be on town property that the the school allows that. That's fine. That's where the voting place is. But, um I prefer not to have political signs on town property anywhere. But your sign's not a political sign. Again, it directs people to an event that's going on on our property that helps talk about the concerts we have on the green that we don't have to pay for. So, it's part of I call that as part of our culture and entertainment events. And I think that's a good thing. So, I don't see a problem with that. veterans credit. You folks need to answer that. You have plenty of information. I've talked about this several different times. That'll be up to you to answer that question.

Yep. All right. So, the rest we'll get back to. And then you wanted a few minutes to speak, sir. Well, but there was a um traffic study and then um the public engagement. Those are the other two.

So, the traffic study, I I did make that statement before that I think we should be the ones that we should be hiring the the uh entity that does the traffic study. right now they're hiring somebody and we're hiring somebody. So the developer is paying twice for that and then they're working for the developer so it doesn't make a whole lot of sense. Uh I made that suggestion but we're not the ones who make that decision. That's a planning board decision. They decide which consultants they're going to use when they choose to use them and those are part of their site plan and subdivision regulations. So that's a decision they make. It's not a decision that the council makes. Uh so I want to be really clear about that how that process works. Uh but I do think it's a good practice to do and I think it could save time and money for everybody involved. Um so there's the answer to that. Uh public engagement, we've had a number of events. We still have we have one coming up again uh this on strategic plan. There have been several of those and there's actually another one planned for the Baldwin. So we've had a number of those. We'll continue. Same thing with the ethics policy and they've been very successful with getting good input from folks. I expect those will continue. I didn't see any direction from the council to the contrary. In fact, the first one we had, I thought was very uh well done. Uh a lot of good public comments. So, I I expect that we're going to continue those. I don't think that's going to change, but I don't think that's what they were really referring to. I think they were referring to a particular planning board meeting. I did get a lot of phone calls that people were upset and they felt that they weren't heard and um they felt members of the planning board made certain comments that indicated that. I didn't I didn't go to that meeting. I can't answer that. Obviously, Council Faber was there. He could speak to that a little bit better. Um, I think that's what they're referring to, not not the general public engagement sessions we have been doing because those have been pretty wellreceived.

Mr. Chair, if I may, please

just just on the planning board hearing, I I'd actually encourage everyone to watch that. So, it's it's a it's a message that we've been trying to get out on what's evaluated when these plans get approved or denied. Um, and it it took a little bit, but I think the the the crowd started to understand we're not doing this based on feelings. We're not doing it based on if we support or it's not a judgment call. It's a legal call. And, you know, saying, you know, aren't you're not listening to us. And it's it's not about if we feel like something shouldn't be there or if it's not going to benefit the town or there were those aren't factors that we take into account. It's we're interpreting rules and regulations and we have to do it that way. And um one particular gentleman had said well you know if I would have known that I wouldn't have came to this meeting and wasted two hours being here you know just to view their opinion. Their opinion is important. people can say whatever they want in public hearings, but um there are only certain things that the planning board can take into account. So, it's not about not listening or not caring even. It's about we've got to interpret the rules and regulations of the law. And so, that would be a great meeting to look at just to kind of see how that goes, see that the the back and forth. I thought it was a good discussion.

Dan [snorts] wanted to add something. I just want to I guess get a consensus from the council as far as this traffic u study goes. Is that something that we as a council want to let the planning board know this is something they should look at? I mean, if we have a member of the planning, I don't think we have jurisdiction over it. I think the planning board has to decide that they don't just we don't tell them to go do X. You've got to decide that as an indiv. But we have a representative from the council on the planning board who if we as a council say this is something we we think we should be looking at that person on the on the council that's sitting on the planning board

should advocate for that and you know say let's let's look at this. We can ask but that doesn't mean they have to. Right. I I I know they don't have to, but I'm just saying is this something that we could for me. I prefer to leave planning board things to the planning board um from that aspect of it, but you're you're the representative from the council is what I'm saying. Yeah. So, you know, you hear from the public saying this is something we should look at. I don't thought I'd bring it up. Good. Continue, sir.

There was just one other qu uh just a comment. Uh Tony was talking and uh one of the fire department positions did pass. So I just wanted just to clear that up unless something changed when they did the the verification on the count. So that was good news and and I I looked at it that you know we didn't get everything we asked for but the public you know thought it was important to at least provide one. It's hard to tell what, you know, different voters had different mindsets, but I think the voters did a really good job, as Tony indicated as well. And uh but that one did pass. And you know, but that's forward progress. I consider that good. I don't I don't see this as a loss. We didn't get the other position. I think the we were gracious. The voters uh gave us one additional position, which certainly helps out. So, thank you to the voters who were out there listening because that was helpful to us to keep moving the town forward. And then I just had some things I needed to uh unfortunately I don't like to dwell in the negative. However, I do need to clarify some information that's not correct. Uh there was a Facebook uh uh message that was put out by councelor Faber that and I'll read the quote here and the information is not correct and I'd like to get that clarified without policies like this. And I I didn't I didn't I don't have the whole message. It references who he's advocating for for the council because that's not my issue. and he's referring to policies that control the manager. Without policies like this, the town manager will continue his unchecked spending such as handing out raises which average 16% even as high as 25% and bur burying and over 800,000 uh 800k it says contact but contract in the default budget without voter approval or town council knowledge. Uh Ron Dunn and Ted Combmes have worked together with me to prevent this irresponsible behavior in the future. in addition to uh saving the taxpayers over $1 million during the budget season. So, it's really important to make sure we get the the information that goes out to voters is correct and that is simply not correct. And I'm going to show that

information to be able to prove that today. So, just on the open gov contracts because that's what we're talking about. The open gov there's two of the asset management and uh the licensing and permitting. It's not $800,000. It's actually just over $500,000 between now and and 2030. So it's certainly not this would make you think that this is occurring $800,000 in one year which is not correct. Um so and we have that information that information has been put out it was put out to the council on December 11th. Uh the document was passed on. So the council was aware of that but I I want to go back even further before I even came here. This discussion came up with councelor Faber during the hiring process and I talked about this program there. There's been discussions ever since then. There's been numerous emails that have gone back and forth. So that is just simply not correct. And I'm going to show a particular video or council meeting where this is couple of videos of council meetings during the budget process where this was discussed.

This this is a waste of the average uh salary if you let me finish sir. The average salary increase 16 and 25% is simply not true. The average salary increase is 5.3%. Most of them are between two and actually six. And I don't have I have yet to find anybody who has a 25% increase. So that is also incorrect. Um, so I want to show again I want to provide the evidence so the people out there actually know the truth and we're going to show segments of the council meeting in his own words where he makes those statements. So if you would put that up there. Thank you Ron.

Yeah I think it is information technology. I have one. Um so when we manage service line I noticed that in 2026 it was 339 and 2027 the departmental budget is 630 which is a pretty big increase. Is that the increase for open up and that's the difference between that or is the 44,000 some age 40 budget book. So the biggest changes at it couple changes one is software and one salaries. Okay.

Yes. Yeah. It's software because I'm the we basically doubled from default from one year to the next and I thought the default part of it was only things they had a contract for. So it was just casual. It is. So I entered into those contracts. Okay. And the purpose of those is both those programs remember one is paid for and the other is going to be paid for by a question.

You got to create a good environment. You got to have a place you want to work and we have that in this town which is why you're using like over there and it's the intangive environment and I don't even disagree with the raises he lies right and I understand the contract and the start of that um how much of this 212 page next year spend are we contractually obligated to already where there's no way around zero. Thank you.

After this I need to come again asking for clarity

um I need to respond if you did um um What's when we when we went through [clears throat] this software is what alternatives did we look at? Did we I mean how did this come about? Um let me get more specific that's too general question I guess what other options are considered besides that as a vendor of that. So I've been through this whole process before Tyler also has products but those can match you with your your larger program and that's more expensive.

So BSA had a number of challenges with it. Oh perform the other thing about open is has open architecture. If you're going to make a change with you have to pay them for every little change that you're not expect. Yeah. This is not lots in the long term.

Tell him to wrap it up. You had for every time you had like your site plan process regulation plan application process you change and they have to do that they can't do it. So that's why so that's why this has taken over the meeting. Sean, can I just ask you? Um, at the beginning of the meeting,

this is almost hard because every single thing is something if we don't cut people up. I guess my my gut reaction to this is if we got a bill of 212, you know, we're trying to cut 370 because we cut a 30 last week. Can we put this on hold for a year and kind of just analyze a bit? I feel like this really rushed and bold me over with it where I feel like it got away from me and we didn't really have a grip on what's going on. I see the value in it. When you were talking to me about it when I when I saw the presentation, I do see the value in this. I just I feel like this this just got rushed and ran through and I I don't I hate making snap decisions when I'm when I'm trying to deal with water and I I just feel like we should almost have more time.

Yeah. No, no, no. We do, but I'm just I'm trying to This is not almost over. It's most of the way down. Can we get the truth? I don't know. This is my only suggestion for you guys, too. This shouldn't just be me. Come up with ways to save money. I'm looking for all five of us. I could come up with It's getting This isn't about the election. I don't necessarily want Sean how much like if I got something you're gonna make a comment here that seals this. So

I just said at the beginning of the meeting sir that we're going to try to make our comments in 5 minutes or less. Y I'm not a member of the public though. I'm remember I know I know but you you had said you were going to keep it concise and I'm just asking you to respect your time cuz So can I respond? So am I. So can I so if I could finish sir? Yeah, absolutely. And you can respond concisely. Finish. We had a government official that put on information that is incorrect. I'm clearing it up by using his own words. The council was well aware of this. The council could have appointed zero dollars, but it didn't. It approved a budget with this amount of money in it, which went to the voters.

So, that is not true that the council did not know about it, and it was hidden in the budget. That's not true either. That's important to get that out. The information about the salary increases was also incorrect. It's important that these people get their correct information out there. So, that's what I'm trying to do here. I know it's uncomfortable. My objective is not to attack him. That is I'm tired of this this business, the the toxicity of the politics here, but he's the one that made this statement and he signed it as vice chair of the council. So, that goes out to people. They believe it because it came from a government official. It's important to clarify that because during the budget process, the council was well aware of that, made a conscious decision to do that, and it's important that people understand that. Okay. I think you made your point. I think I have. Thank you.

I just just ask everyone to be more concise. Can you be concise, please? So, if anyone wants to look up the open gov contract, it was signed in August 15th, well before the budget hearing. So, yes, we all knew about it during the budget process. We're discussing the budget process. We're discussing there was no finalization made in any of those meetings because we were going through and trying to analyze what we were going to cut. the budget committee, and you can watch the budget committee meeting a week before we have to have our warrant articles out, requested open gov get on the ballot for the voters to have a choice.

Ron and I went into Sean's office at 3 p.m. that Monday and also told him the warrant article needs to be displayed in that meeting. It was not. This was hidden from the public and kept away so that this would pass because this is something Shawn wanted. The contract was signed before it was presented before the council in September. If you watch the September meeting, all the language appears to be like we're going to be having further discussions. We asked questions about it. We didn't find out this was signed until December about December 6th and we didn't find out from Shawn. We found out from someone else that this got signed. None of the council knew at that point in time. When asked about it, we have weekly updates from the town manager once a week with mundane little things. You think a, and I'll be correct on the amount, $678,000 contract isn't anything we'd like to care about. I don't like this back and forth either. This was inappropriate. It has nothing to do with what is on the agenda, and it was purely yet another political stunt. Thank you. All right. Can we move on? Uh, I'd like to add something here.

Okay. Can you be concise, please? I'm going to I'm going to be what I I'm going to be what I am. Okay. Um, you know, I take offense to we get up here and we say we're all going to work together. Town manager has a point to make on something that was put out. Council Faber, you sit there and you say he's a liar. Yes. I take offense to that. Okay. All right. And I think it's totally inappropriate for you to do that. We cannot as a board work together. All right. If this is going to be going on back and forth, you and I have had discussions, Sean, about working together. And I'm more than happy to work together, but let's let's stop the attacks.

All right. Let's stop. We just said we weren't going to do this anymore. So, please let's stop. Dan, just stop. We're going to move on. From you. All right. We're moving on. Boards and appointments. Appointment of the tax collector. We have to appoint the tax collector tonight. Um any discussion about that? Um yeah, I would like to amend the statement and make the amount of the salary 84,455 and remove the line about the cola. I will second that motion.

I have a motion from Sean and a second from Ted. discussion or we want to that's on the salary or salary. Yep.

So London there is the lowest paid tax collector. No, it's putting it in line with other raises and stuff. It would put it down the road. I'm looking I'm just looking at the sheet, John. It says 103 106 120 87,000. Well, currently is what I'm saying. I'm saying currently we're at the lowest. Okay. All right. And that that translates to a 5% Yeah. increase, which I think the town manager just said is the average that's going in town.

Why do we appoint her every year? Why? State statute. Yeah, we have to appoint her. we because other towns when I look at other towns other towns do it for like three years and stuff like that. It's usually a tax collector clerk and they're they're one and then it's like you elect the clerk every what three to four years or something like that. That's why you see it that way. They and we used to do it that way when when Mag Seymour was here. She was a clerk elected clerk which needs to be said as opposed to just a regular clerk. She's the elected clerk and then the tax collector. That's how we used to do it and then we split it and that's how we got this

cuz I remember we used to I thought I thought it was three years but I was just questioning why we do it one year. That's all I mean you could speak. I think the amount at least goes back in line with what the town manager said he's working at like 5%. So that way we're not being unfair the different parties. Yeah. In terms of the term that's a decision that normally is made at town meeting. So at some point they made it one instead of three. So I I don't know how long ago in history that occurred. Thank you. Any other discussion? I have a motion on the floor and a second. All those in favor say I. I. Any opposed? Poss. Chair holds the affirmative.

They're meeting you by you. So Oh, sure. her position. Yeah, I'll allow you to speak. I didn't know you wanted to speak. So, well, now that it didn't pass. Okay. Yeah. So, this went out, you know, over a week ago, and nobody has come to me to question it. Taking my cola out since I've had it since I've started here is is very unfair. Um, the number in there right now also includes my $5,000 stipen. So, that does that's not it's not that amount does not include just my raise. That's also includes the $5,000 stipen as I'm sure um Sean has told you guys. Okay.

So, those numbers look very different. Um I also when I first started as tax collector, I took over for somebody and when I moved into that position, I took almost no risks to be able to prove myself. And what I was told the whole time was at some point in time you're going to be, you know, you'll get up to the to where you supposed to be. I've now been there for since 2019. I've been in this position for four years. I've had not one complaint. I've helped every single resident that I've ever come across. To take away the cola is absolutely ridiculous. Um and then I I would love to have had with taking away the cola. I didn't know that was always there. Yeah. It's always been there. Yeah.

Um and then I I would have loved to have had a discussion with any one of you. The only person that reached out to me was Dian this week. And if everybody had this on their plate and to wait for tonight for me not to be able to, you know, defend myself is pretty unfair. Um, I wish that any one of you if you had a problem with the salary that you would have reached out to me. It was in public. It was sent to you all and nobody said a word. Um, you know, I I work a lot of hours. I do a lot more than actually is in my job description to help out. I'm a revolving door to every single one of those clerks. Um, and I just wish you would reconsider. Um, that's all.

Okay. And no one no one doubts how hard you work. I think the unfortunate aspect of this is the other raises that were given out and we're trying to keep stuff in line and we can't say those raises were okay and not give and give out other large raises. I thought the coal was added addition. That's the only reason I took it out. So we still wanted to give you something towards that but not where we're in something where like 18%. So if you go if you go to 84 then right but then that can't [clears throat] include my that can't include my stipen then. No no I was told that this was going to include my stipen that that would be just on so then we can we can we can add that because that's what I would still have my stipen for yeah yeah we're not

so the 84 um would not include my cola. So, my colar comes up in July and then I would still get my stipen. Yeah. Okay. Let's let's uh So, just to make sure that's Yeah. Thank you for correcting that. And it wasn't anything uh personal. It was we're just trying to get all the we're trying to get it all back to 5% like right around 5% for for the increases because you [snorts] know we don't want certain people say oh we favored them or we favored this person we didn't. So, we want to try to keep it around 5%. wish that anybody Dan did reach out to me, but anybody would have reached out to me before tonight because when it went out and then I don't hear anything, I'm assuming I'm coming in here,

you know, maybe ask a couple questions, you know, whatever. But, you know, we've all had a week to discuss it and nobody asked me anything. So, that's my That's fair enough. So, you're going to entertain a motion to change this? Yes. Yep. Um, so I'll amend my motion to change that amount and then put the to the cola can stay. That's fine. Okay. Do you want to second it then? I will second that. I had was under the understanding that colas for this position never existed before and I thought this was new since I said first. My apologies. That's okay. Okay. No, I'm willing to fix it. Yeah, I'm willing to fix. All right. I have a motion from Sean and a second from Ted. All those in favor say I. I. Any opposed? Chair votes in the affirmative. So, thank you.

You didn't address the issue about a stipen. So, it's not including Oh, sorry. Okay. include including the siphon. Including the siphon. Yeah. So make the amount 89 455. Okay. So 89455 plus the cola. I have a motion from Sean. Second from Ted. All those in favor say I. I say exactly what it is again so we understand 555. How much? 89455 plus a cola plus. And the cola. The cola stays the same. We're not changing that. We're only changing the number. Okay. All those in favor say I. I. Any opposed? Chair the affirmative. Thank you. Thank you for speaking up. No, I appreciate it.

We want to get it right. So, we're just trying to do do the right thing so that everyone is feels like they're treated fairly and not unfairly. So, all right. Cool. Next up, appointment of fire chief James Young as the emergency management director. Any discussion?

I'd actually like to make a motion to have uh Phil LeBlanc be the emergency uh director for the town as he currently lives and resides within the town. when our fire chief resides much closer compared to an hour and a half away, then I will certainly motion to make him our emergency management officer where if something happens in town and our chief is sleeping at home an hour and a half to two hours away, I think would be better off to have someone who actually lives here instead. Any discussion on this? I'd agree with that. That's not bad. I mean, I I talked to the fire chief. his plan is, you know, to move here ASAP. So,

yeah, and we can change. Once that happens, I'm more than willing to amend. Seems very reasonable. Um, any opinion, sir, from you or Yeah, because I recommended the fire chief. No, I'm just so I'm just thinking Ted has a good point. Like if he's an hour and a half away,

what does that got to do with being the emergency management director? He's not responding to emergencies. that's directing the if you have a flood or something of that nature, he can be here on site to be able to handle that in advance and he's doing all the preparatory work. And now you have a department that has the gravitas and the authority to be able to do things where uh we have a deputy chief who's now third down on the rung and he really doesn't have any authority to do much of anything. So that's why I recommended the department head to do that as it is in most communities. It's up to you. You have broad authority to appoint whoever you wish. Got a good point. I thought it was a reasonable suggestion though. Yeah. Um, I'm good with Ted's what? But he's a third run down the line.

Yeah. Any any opinion from you? You want to make a motion? You do have a good point. Yeah. Because if we or though or should it should be be Fred then we're Fred second. Either way, I think that there should be someone who lives and resides much closer nearby in case there's an emergency that breaks out. Yeah, I'm fine with that. As soon as the fire chief moves closer to town. Okay. I'd be more than willing to amend. You want to ask them before you appoint them? Yeah. So, why don't we um why don't we uh put this Yeah. We'll make the decision in the next meeting. Yeah, that's fine. All right. Is that fair, everybody? Yep. Is that good with you?

Put it off. Yeah. Okay. All right. We'll move that to the next meeting. Thank you. All right. We don't have any public hearings tonight on the new business. Um, Mr. Chair, yes. I may make a motion. What's your motion? So, I have a motion to table TC 901, TC 100, both changes to the municipal code and TC 105. For what reason? Uh, there's with a table motion, there's no discussion. Um, so I just want to make sure we get it right. So it's TC 901 TC 100 both changes the municipal code one listed under number three in new business one listed under number one in old business.

Okay. So, I have a motion from Sean to table TC 901, TC 100, municipal code, and what was the other one? Uh, both changes the municipal code both under old and new business and TC 105 and TC 10. So, five TC 105 and the one under old business you said? Yep. session schedule. So, municipal code. I'm sorry. May I ask for clarification? You said TC 105, that's number four under new business. The one under old business is the code of ethics. Yep, I understand that.

Okay. Okay. Okay. So, code of ethics. So, we have five things. Okay. 100 901 TC 901. So I have a motion from Sean to table TC 901, TC 100, TC 105, Municipal Code, and the Code of Ethics. Is that correct, sir? Do I have a second? I'll second that. A second. Those have to be done individually, by the way. Okay. On the agenda.

Okay. Okay. Well, then I'll make a motion to to uh table TC 901. Okay. I have a motion from Sean. Second. A second from Ted. All those in favor say I. I. Any opposed? Opposed. Chair votes in the affirmative. Motion to table TC 100. Second. I have a motion from Sean, a second from Ted. All those in favor say I. I. Any opposed? Opposed. Chair votes in the affirmative. Motion to table um [sighs] the municipal code repealing chapters one two of title five [clears throat] and adopting chapter 5 administrative departments. A motion from Sean. Second. Second from Ted. All those in favor say I. I. Any opposed? Opposed. Chair votes in the affirmative.

Motion to table TC 105. Second. I have a motion from Sean. Second from Ted. All those in favor say I. I. Any opposed? Opposed. Chair votes in the affirmative. Motion to table proposed revisions of municipal code title one chapter 29 adopting chapter 20 code of ethics. Second a motion from Sean a second from Ted. All those in favor say I. I. Any opposed? Chair holds the affirmative. All right. Is that that's it. Okay. All right. Okay. So that gets us into and Mr. Chair.

Absolutely. Um when we table this, when is the next time it comes back up? It's on the table. So what does that mean? Explain to people like me and people in the audience who are not political junkies who So it's on the table meaning it can be it can come off the table at any point. It just needs a vote of three council members to take it off the table. So, what does that mean? It means nothing's going to get done. It means it's on the table. No, it doesn't mean that. It means it's just on the table. Table? What though? Are we going to discuss it? What are we going to do with it? You're just going to It's just on the table until further until further notice. Yeah. You're just going to let it sit there. Things that need to be addressed. I'm just trying to understand.

We're going to let me explain. Okay. But but you I mean they're not perfect, but I had questions on all of them. [clears throat] You're not okay. I thought this was like to table it for discussion. We would prefer the town manager to focus on managing operations of the town under the town council direction, not crafting policy. So, but we we're not we're not discussing the tableabling right now. It's just I I don't understand. Okay. I'm sorry. No, it's right. We got to have a discussion. But you're not allowed to discuss tableabling motions. Okay. So we just it just we tabled it. It can come back at any point. It can come back later in this meeting if if three councils decide to bring it back

and and there's not a majority of three count I I don't understand. So we put he put these three things forward. You say we discussed I had no idea. I didn't say we discussed. I didn't say anything like that. No, we didn't discuss anything. Just giving you an explanation of my thought on it. So you had a thought to do this and you understood his thought. Ted, did you understand his thought? Did you know what he was doing and why he was doing it? No. We don't need to keep going down to the next meeting. Okay. I'm just I'm just So, a tableabling motion means it goes on the table and we can bring it back at any point. But you can't. We can't. Only you can't. You three can because us two can't. Let's move on.

That's rude. Sean, I'm trying to understand something. You're being very rude. You say you want a nicer board. I'm trying to understand and you're you're trying to insult my intelligence. Not I'm not No, I'm not trying to understand. I'm just saying that there's a tableling motion just goes on the table, meaning it can be brought back next week, the week after. It could be back at any point. But isn't that a violation of our charter that we're not supposed to tell him what to do or we're not supposed to tell the employees what to do? This isn't an employee. We're not telling the employees what to do. And so we're going to operate without these policies. No, we have policies in place. These are replacements of other policies. We're just going to put them on the table for further discussion down the road. That's all.

To me, it's very important. Well, the ethics one is the one that's really important to me. Not for anything. Yeah. Okay. A lot of people came to ethics. We had meetings, private meetings, and a lot of town employee worked on it and a lot of people came as residents to speak on it. We're not even going to have a discussion on we're just going to table it to God knows when. I that one I actually find the most valid and I think we should probably take a look at how to take into account that feedback. So I think that one should be something up to discussion for the future in the council for a future agenda. That's all. Yes.

Cuz I think all of these are important. I have questions just so you know and each one you can see I have questions on every single one of them. Are they perfect? No. But I thought that's why we they were here is so that we could discuss them and move things forward and become more modern in certain things. Now, I'm not saying what he what Mr. Mhalland crafted was perfect. I do have questions, but I I don't want to see things happen like in the past. You know, keep hearing, you know, things sat aside for 10 years and nobody adjusted them. I don't want to see that ever happen again in our town. I don't know how you guys feel, but I thought that was appalling and

No, it's just wrong. Right. So, just just to to just put on the table for a future meeting, but can we figure out like because I think we're just going to keep getting longer longer meetings moving out with more and more stuff and we're never going to get things done. I think we need to bring up like you brought up about the um ethics policy and the public input. I think we need to bring them up case by case. I think we need to decide as a council what we'd like and we can request if so we so deem for him to work on those or or do something with them. So we're right now we're getting these thrown at us and I think we we need to change that.

So I want to put out there and I'm not sure Mr. Town manager maybe you can tell us the proper etiquette or one of you guys because I don't know it. Um, how do we as a board, not violating 91A with the town manager, get together either publicly or privately? I don't care cuz I, you know, me. Um, and say this is how we want to direct him because right now I feel blind and I feel that I don't know what's going on and I want to move forward. I feel like we've taken steps forward in a positive fashion for the first time and I want to continue that. So I want to know how are we going to direct him? We could schedule a non meeting to discuss that. So when can we do that now?

No, we've got to check our schedules and refer to stuff. I think that's something we can do at a future date. What? Why are you shaking your head at me? I can. Absolutely not. So I want you seen you as the question. I know they don't want to hear me, but seen you as the question. I've been working on these things and we've been talking about this for all this time. We've spent enormous amounts of staff time on these things and now it seems that we've changed the direct direction. and this is the first I've heard of it. So, no, if there's public policy issues and you want to direct a manager, you should be doing that in public so they can hear about it. Okay? It's not secret scroll stuff. There's no such thing as a non-meating with that. That's I'm just asking what I'm supposed to do. What should I ask for? Because I want to see things move. I'm answering your question and that is not a non-meating. That is when we're talking about public policy, you do that in front of them.

Okay? You don't get to hide behind the nonpublic session stature or any of that kind of business. You do if we're talking about direction for the town managers. what I was referencing. So these are where words get substituted in for what the meaning was. The meaning was as we stated last year when someone says why can't all five of you just get together and give direction when we were going through last fall and you asked about that and the answer to that was a non-meating with minutes taken and so forth. So that was that's why I was just reiterating. So does does does bad English here. Does one of us have to put each one of these on the agenda then in the future to be able to do this? Just table it. Just table it. So we it has to be pulled off the decision. So all you have to do, Deb, is

I'm so confused right now. It's just not even funny. Makes no sense. Deb, it's on the table. So all you have to do is say you make a motion to remove it from the table and then we vote. Mr. Chair, I just want to add that I would think that the ethics one would be something that's so important that we would be looking at especially councelor Faber since you've had complaints made against you, ethics complaints that we haven't discussed. You know, we haven't brought that out. We've kept that secret.

But, you know, uh you you would and mine as well, but mine came out. Deb's came out. Yours didn't. Yours yours very hush hush, you know. Um, but you would think that you'd want to address those with, you know, with an ethics policy and, you know, so we can move forward, but we're getting into exactly what you said. Exactly. We want to move on. We're not getting into debates. We just said we're going to respect the public. So, Deb, I'll end with this. Anytime that this wants to come off the table, we can just bring it off the table with a vote. So, right now, I could just say I'd like to talk about the ethics code and then you guys would vote and say no. So, I could do this at every meeting. bring each one of these topics up and waste our time just for you guys to vote no on all of them.

Yep. Okay. Well, I don't know if it would waste our time, but um I I would like I would like to bring them back at a future point and work on them. Well, I I think it would be good if you gave a timet. Can we please move those? Yes. All right. So, the next thing under new business is um I wanted to discuss the Reverend Morrison house and how we wanted to direct the town manager to move forward. Um since it did get voted down substantially, do we want him to look at different options or I think it's a good idea. Any input from you, Dan? Or whatever the three of you decide, go ahead and do it. I mean, it's pretty obvious here what's going on.

I'm asking you if you want to direct the town manager to give us options of what to do. I would like as many options as possible. I think we owe it to the population out there. There are people who do want it. Yes, the people who voted didn't, but I think we need to do what is best at the end of the day. And I think it should our options should come with a public hearing. And I think the options should also include pros and cons of each one. Yeah. So we can move forward and look at it details. Yeah. Is that something um we could ask you to do, sir? Yes. But I ask you to be more specific about what options you want me to explore. Um, I've got three in mind. I was thinking um the possibility of donating it. Okay.

The possibility of selling it for a dollar to somebody I guess is another option I had heard from somebody. Just a just a just the building. Some clarification. We're talking about the building building and land or just the building? The building. Just the building. So the town would keep the town would keep the properties. Yeah, but I just want clarification on that. So, you want me to look at selling a piece of a building with land that we own? Well, a gentleman at the deliberative session I thought had a good idea. He suggested donating to historical society. Yeah, I think we should have the I thought that was a good suggestion that he had made and um I didn't know if you could look into seeing how that would happen, Mr. Chair. Yeah, I think we should have the historical society here and discuss that with them. I think that would be a good good way.

I just like that's the kind of thing I'm thinking is this can we do something like that? Like what are our options? because obviously none of us want to tear it down. I think that the the manager should go and look at every single option he can think of as well as the ones we can think of that can be thrown out there. Yeah. I think if you're looking at selling the building, you're talking about having them move the building. You're going to sell the building and maybe that's what we're asking what what options there are. Okay. But we want to retain the land because I don't think we want to sell that building with the land there. It's uh I just think area of town,

you know, the voters said to us that the that [clears throat] they wanted us, they didn't want to spend money to do any re improvements with it. So, I think we need to look at options. We kind of said to the public, we weren't going to tear it down. So, what are other options? I just say every option just Okay. Yeah. That just leaves it, you know, for the manager to come back to us, say A, B, C, D, E, F, G. Hopefully, there's that many and that's it. And the pros and cons of each option. Yeah, that would work. So, obviously because I've spent all this work on these other policies and we're going with them, I need to vote if that's what you want me to do with the degree of speci specificity that you want me to do it. Okay, that's fair.

I'll accept a motion to direct the town manager to come back with as many possibilities for the Reverend Morrison house as he as possible. So, moved. Do you want to list those possibilities? To him to do it, Dan. Okay. Deb wants to leave it open. I'm fine with that. Right. You never know what he might find. He might discover something interesting that we don't know about. I have a motion from Sean. [clears throat] I'll second that. A second from Ted. All those in favor say I.

I. Any opposed? Chair affirmative. Um, the next item under new business that we wanted to discuss is discuss if we should ask the town manager look into or we should discuss as a council what we want to do with the anonymous hotline and the anonymous hotline policy. Mr. Chair, why why aren't these things on the agenda that you're bringing up? Um, because there's things that have been mentioned to me that I'm putting on the agenda to talk about as a council so we can talk about it in public. As we always say, you want to talk about things in public. So, let's talk about it in public.

Be nice to know in advance. I have it on the agenda. Um, public might have some I mean, we we don't I just want to talk about it. We can talk about it this week. We can talk about it again in the next meeting. I just I know Deb has mentioned before that, you know, it needs parameters. Yeah. It needs something. It needs if we're going to keep it, it needs some kind of adjustment or some kind of fixer because it's costing us a lot of legal money. Yeah. And well, I just wanted to see if we could discuss it as a council and we can always well I think when it was future meeting if we want Mr. Chair I think when it was first uh instituted

there were some guidelines and you know on steps on what was going to happen when those things came in. Some of that has been followed and it hasn't been followed for everything every complaint. Um so I have a problem with that. I have a I also have a problem when these anonymous complaints come in and um I think they can be handled without an attorney. Um but some people decide to spend money on attorneys. So I don't know maybe as as a council we need to discuss and say the person can't put their name to it. You know we shouldn't be spending money on it.

If there's backup documents Dan that backup documents or something like that. I can see it. But you know, um,

but somebody who's totally anonymous with no backup that doesn't vi what they're saying does not violate the charter or the code of ethics as it exists right now. It shouldn't even be considered. It should be acknowledged, but that's it and just move on. We shouldn't be paying anything to to investigate or do anything. In my opinion, again, this is me speaking for me. I said this from the get-go. If somebody voices something anonymously that has documents that's, you know, willing to testify that does violate one of those things, then yes, you take the next step. Um, but that's how I I see it. You need to have it clearly done and clearly written for all the options. So there is no question in that every single counselor, administrator, everyone is treated the same and equally at the same process. We get it. we expose, we have a part of the agenda that's set whatever. It's just that everybody should be treated equally and fairly because right now it's it's kind of willy-nilly.

And I agree with you that that the reason I brought it up is because I feel like we're spending a lot of money legally. Yes, we are for anonymous things that sometimes are ridiculous. Mr. Chair, yeah, please. That's why. So, I think it was well-intentioned from the start. I think it's it's gotten way out of hand. I don't think we've barren any fruit for it in the last year. I think it's something we tried and I think we should just remove it. It's my thought on it. I don't think I don't think removing it. I think you know I know cleaning it up a little bit, Sean. I mean I think that um [clears throat]

I don't know. It's these anonymous complaints that come forward uh if you can't put your name to it. you know, we've we've had we've sat down as a council on an anonymous complaint and been told you don't need to do anything, but then we go out and we hire an attorney anyway and spend all kinds of money. [snorts] Um I just think it's it's it's London dairy is not the probably in another community it might work well

here political environment is toxic and people are using this as a political tool to go after certain people all right um and it's very clear because it comes out of certain people are you know have complaints and others it's not mentioned So I I that's why I say that. So that's why I want to discuss it, Dan. I want to feel how like we want to discuss it in public with everybody. I don't think removing it. I think we need to follow the steps that were originally put in place. But the steps in originally in place are very vague and they're left open and that's Are you They're not They're not They are vague.

They're not. My My understanding is if a complaint can't comes in, the attorney gets the complaint and brings it to the town manager. No. No, we're doing it back and forth. See, I know. I'm just just so you know, this is not a council policy. This is a policy. This is administrative policy, and I have no intention of removing it. This is an opportunity to deal with corruption. Public can make any comments that they wish to, any any complaints, and really, it's intended predominantly for staff. It's rare that you get one in most places other than here [clears throat] about counselors. It's about dealing with corruption and usually paid employees that are involved in public corruption. And why did we vote to approve it?

You didn't vote to approve it. I did. I have both of those policies, ADM 111 and 126, I approve. You didn't. So the way you handle it is the issue. When I get a complaint that involves a counselor, I give it to you. You tell me what you want to do. It's out of my hands. [clears throat] So that how you choose to do that. If you want to create policy about how you handle that complaints about counselors, that's your purview. I don't conduct unilateral investigations of counselors. If there's suspicion that there's a crime, I will report it to the appropriate law enforcement. Just remove it when it comes and he can keep it for Can I finish what I was saying or not? Yeah. No, please don't continue. Yes. Did that change somewhere in the charter or the state statute where I'm allowed to speak? No. Go ahead, sir.

Thank you. So again, how you choose to handle it is up to you. If you say, "Look, town manager, you're getting these anonymous complaints. We're not going to act on any of those." That is your choice. I'm going to keep those government records and they will be cataloged in there and they will be available from the public when they file a right to know request. Same thing when it comes to employees. I'm going to investigate those because I have the authority to do that and that's how that's one of the tools that you use to deal with public corruption. So, it's totally up to you how you choose to handle that once I turn it over to you. But these are administrative policies that I I have no intention of changing those. Okay. And that can I ask a question? Absolutely. that so that the discussion was just to kind of figure out how we can handle it better as a as a council.

Exactly. That makes sense. So, um I I think I kind of agree with Deb that we just maybe I'll put it on the agenda at the next meeting and we can all kind of think about it and we figure out how we want to handle it on our should write it up like a little paragraph how you think it should be handled. Yeah. And maybe flow it through you. Yeah. Everybody send it to you. Yeah. then it can come out in the agenda and we can just discuss it. Just be careful because you're going to have a 91A issue now. You're having conversations between No, no, no. Just send our paragraph to the chair that gets attached to the agenda. So, you wouldn't send it to him. You'd send it to us. Okay. I'll send it to you guys. I'm sorry. Yeah. No, that's I'll send it to That's fine. That's all.

I just want clarification from the town manager. If you get a complaint on a counselor, what's the process? goes to I report it to I report it to the chair and it's the chair's job to deal with that whether he chooses to have a non-public session which for the most part you can't do because you're elected officials that has to be in public uh if there's an employee involved then he's going to have some confidentiality issues generally with those uh but other than that it's for you to handle how you choose you choose to do nothing or tell me to go do this or that or hire somebody that's your choice for when it comes to counselor the discussion we can move on from and people you appoint so let's do that let's do that's where and people we and people that we appoint. Correct. Exactly. Because I don't

So that also includes like planning boards, conservation, all of those people have to be considered. So they all come to you. The only ones that go to the attorney are complaints about me because someone has to feel that who's neutral. That's the only complaints that that go to her.

All right. Well, I wanted to have the discussions and thank you all. Um, under old business, um, we tabled that and we wanted to bring up one more thing under old business. I think at the last meeting, we never continued on our until the purchasing policy is finalized with you and Sean. We never finished our motion. So, I think we need as a council to make a motion to keep the $15,000 in place until you and Sean work on the purchasing policy and get it figured out. That's fine. That's just my opin. Yeah.

Sean, could I work with you and him on that purchasing policy? Would that be acceptable to you? Um I mean, yeah, I'd actually like to work with you on it. Yeah, just because I know there were Yeah. Yeah. I had a lot of issues and things that I brought up. So, I'd like to get it worked out. I actually I actually would like to start with me and you taking a look at it. I I I just want just just to get a different view. I' I'd love to do that. All right. So game with that. I I was just thinking at the last meeting we didn't continue on the $15,000 and I know I think we have to make that motion. Do we have to make it each time, sir, or do we can we make it just as a indefinitely

indefinite me until you guys figure until all three of you now figure out what the new policies? I don't think it was involving all three of us. I think there were the two of them, but anyway. Okay. No, you should. We'll we'll do all three. So, I I will do all three. I'll accept a motion to continue with the $15,000 purchasing limit until the purchasing policy is adopted officially. Second. Before you do that, can you just specify the the conditions of that? Under the same conditions that they were before, but just specify what they are. It's important to have that on the record. Sure. Do you want to make the motion then? So that way it's I'm trying to remember the exact conditions that was a bit ago. My concern is if you don't even know what they are, how am I supposed to know? That's what I'm talking about. So that's why it's important to get this motion correct.

So So the the condition was basically um just [clears throat] that any purchase over $15,000 you bring before the council until the Yeah. Except for the exception we made was salt, um, oil, gas, we can we can review the conditions from the last meeting and adopt them. I don't want to play word games with this. Right. Well, it's important because I don't want to get in a situation where I'm violating the motion that you made because when I don't know what is and that's why I'm asking for clarification. Okay. The specificity of what if we do this we make it the same conditions we had two meetings ago when you had made the motion and you were operating under that and we were operating under that before

but it was really unclear what those were too. That's what I'm getting at with all the changes that were made in the different versions. That's why I want specificity. I'm asking for that and if you don't provide that to me at least that provides me some degree. Then I'll I'll just say that it was salt, it was oil, it was gas. Um, is there any other exceptions you'd like? Any other exceptions you want to put in there? So, cuz I don't I don't want to sit here next meeting and then something comes up and it goes, "Oh, this was in place, so we couldn't do act." So, that's what I'm about to get a whole list of those because that's the problem with doing this, okay? And doing that on a temporary basis. So that means like the SAU building I have to stop until the next meeting to give you because that

any prior approved things and we had that in the condition too. Anything that's priorly been approved, we don't need to to go under this. I guess I'm just trying to get you guys to work together in a more civil manner. I don't I don't see that happening, but that's great. But Mr. Town Manager, do do you have a list that Well, there is a list in the draft policy, and that's what I'm concerned about. I want to make sure we there's a whole list of items that are in there. We got to be careful about doing this. When you do it on a temporary basis, that's fine from one meat to the next. But now we're well beyond that. And even then, it's like, well, is this what they meant or not? We had to deal with that during those periods of time. That's why I want a specificity on this because you're going to hold me accountable to it. So, I want to make sure it's done right. Okay.

Especially the road that we're going down after what I've already seen tonight. Very concerned about I guess we could do it according to the conditions of the the the draft one that I've made. to do that and they're just temporarily but those won't be final but those could be the temporary and then you guys can work together to amend them that actually gives us a chance to see it in practice and if something comes up that comes before the council then we can go cool we'll change it we'll put that in so it won't be final it'll just be draft for now and we'll go under those conditions until we finalize of course I don't have it with me no but I'm fine with that because that way I don't have it both together we're talking about on that draft that's the only thing I don't know what that

yeah I just think it's It's a good starting point and we'll we'll we'll figure it out from there. If we've got to have a list of conditions, that at least was set forward. So, I'd say we do it temporarily on the terms of that until we finalize and agree to finalize it as a council. So, that would be my motion to do that. Okay. So, make the motion. So, So, I make a motion to operate under the terms of of my draft purchasing policy until we can as a council come to a finalized conclusion. So, it'll still be revisions. Those will just be the temporary conditions. Just so we have a list of things written down. Okay. All right. I I have a question on on the terms of the purchasing policy. We talking just about the amount of money. Yes, it we're talking we're not talking about the entire purchasing policy that we

just the amount of money. We just want to be able to know about the amount of money and then with the exceptions in place that are outlined because I think we did come to some good conclusions on exceptions. And I think if he's asking for a list of exceptions, we can go by those for now. And if they don't work, we also find out when we do the finalize that these don't work and we need further exceptions. So it's a good test. Can Can you do that just till the next meeting, Sean? And Sure. That way they get to look at it and cuz I I don't Yeah. Yeah, that's fine. That's usually I have everything with me. Listen, let's do that. Let's do that till the next meeting. I'm good with that. So just make it till the next meeting. Till the next meeting. And do I have a second? I'll second that. A second from Ted. All those in favor say I.

I. Any opposed? Chair will say affirmative. And I want you guys to work together, please. Let's Yeah. Um, it's not just the two of us, right? You know what I'm saying? We're going to talk with you first and then work with sit down and talk, but at some point we're going to Yeah, at some point everybody work together. Make it happen. All right. We'll all work together. All right, we are down to approval of consent items. I will accept a motion to approve the consent items. So moved. A motion from Ted. Second. Second from Sean. All in favor say I. I. Any opposed? Chair the affirmative.

Any liaison reports? Uh the I finally got word from the airport director uh Tom Malifont. He wishes to give a presentation to the council on April 6 on how well the airport's going. Excellent. Let him know that I will put him on the agenda before public comment so he can speak and he doesn't have to wait for the whole thing. Of course, we'll give him whatever time he wants to speak. He wanted to come sooner, but certainly tonight's meeting interfered with Manchester's meeting. Um, [snorts]

boards and appointments. Did you want to do something with that or do you need to because we're keeping them the same. So, I didn't know if you're going to say anything about that. You decided that already. Oh, um nothing. No. No. Sean didn't. I I I decided, but I didn't we didn't talk about that, did we? No. Where do I have that?

King. So, under um boards and appointments, um I figured everyone seemed pretty happy with the boards that they had already. So, I um left them the same. The only thing I changed was I have Ted as the um alternate on the planning board. So, basically, I have nothing just so you know, and that's fine. I could kill us. You have Beautify Londereerry and they all happen at town council meetings. So, I don't can't go to Beautify London and I can't go to recreation. And you know what? That's fine. I don't care. Beautify London. I thought they just changed their day to Thursday. Not that I know of. I will find that out for you. I believe they

So, I have one meeting. How many do you have, Ted? You have school, you have airport, you have I have CIP as well. You have CIP also. Okay. So, I have one that's part time. Really? That's fine. I don't care. You guys want to do all the heavy lifting, that's fine. No, you didn't want to put it out for discussion, Ron. That's fine. You made the decision. We'll heal the king. Are you sure you want me on the library? Because you guys have been involved a lot. Yes, I want you on the library. We want you on the library. Thank you. I'm sorry. We didn't earlier. Um, any other liazison reports?

U, I discussed already on the the planning board what we had discussed during that meeting. So, that was again something I think would be good for the public to watch. Okay, Tom in his report. Uh, so the library you you saw about the $16,000 for the duct work and also the bonds that were in there. So they can certainly speak to that. If any questions about that, I can certainly discuss it as well. Any questions from the council? I think I think the library does a really good job updating the council every every week. I really do appreciate the fact that um we get a weekly update on the library and it's very much appreciated. So please continue. Well, that requires action. Oh, yes. Yeah, we need a motion, right? Okay. For that money for that. Okay, I'll make that motion. I thought we uh

How much is it? I thought it was 16,680 if I had the right number. [snorts] Because it's over the 15. It was 16 something. Y Yeah, 16,000. I think it's six 16,680 if I remember right. I'll make a motion that we approve 16,685 for the um work that's being done at the library. I have a motion from Dan. Second. Second from Ted. All those in favor say I. Just just so we're clear that that's on top of the 257. I want to make sure you Yep. Yep. So what you're doing is you're authorizing me to expend. Yeah. Okay. The 257 plus the 16680. Yes. Do you need that in the motion? We just did that.

Well, no. I want to make sure you knew what you No, no, no. That's yeah. So I have a motion from Dan and a second from Ted. All those in favor say I. I. Any opposed? Chair was affirmative. Anything else? Yeah. I just I talked to you about the Procopia development. Oh yes. We just need to schedule I would suggest we should schedule a meeting before the April 6th meeting to go over that. Okay. With legal counsel to go over that draft agreement on that and make sure you understand the details of that before you go into that public meeting because that's when you would ostensibly approve that if you concur with the process with that. Um, so we just you need to kind of tell me when you think you want to do that because I got to line that up with town's legal counsel. Do you have time tomorrow morning at like 8, 7 a.m.? Something like that. I'll call you. We can look it up.

Let me just take a look real quick where I'm supposed to be at 8 a.m. tomorrow. All right. 7 is fine, too. Seven would probably be better, but let me just uh check real quick with you. Yes. Uh yeah, actually eight works. Okay. That's a holiday tomorrow. You know that, right? It is a holiday for Yes. For any Yes. Unfortunately, it's an it's not, you know, paid off holiday, but should be a holiday. So, as long as you're willing to meet on a holiday to have that discussion, I have no problem with that. So, 8:00, does that work for you? We'll uh we'll schedule that. Yeah. And then, uh you got to call me just come and pray. We just a date. Either one.

Yeah. doesn't if you want to see my face. [laughter] Um, well, you do have a last name of Dun, which sounds a bit Irish. It is Irish. Um, and then we can figure that and then send it out to the council. Perfect. Yeah. Anything else or um that was it other than I would go over the next several meetings, but I think all that really is up in the air right now as to what we're doing in the next several meetings. So, I won't go through that. Okay. We'll clear that off the agenda because I don't know where we're going next. So, I don't know what you want to do at the next meeting. We will discuss um and then tomorrow morning 8 a.m. you and I will discuss. How's that? On the holiday.

Uhhuh. Uh there's no deputy town manager report tonight. So, I'll open public comment. Are you going to set goals again or no goals? You know what? Nah, we don't need goals. We should do that. conversation uh Ray version and three Gary draft uh I think uh you want to stick to what's you'll be discussing tonight but uh there was discussing about the Molerson meeting house okay I was on the committee as far as I know the committee has not been sunsetted unless somebody wants to tell me it has been anybody know

I do not know I believe that committee was sunseted a couple years ago. Has it been or not? I'm asking. I think we authorized it for a certain period of time. No, no, I need a motion. I'll get back to you please with an official answer.

Okay, you can get me official answer. Okay, fine. Okay, so uh that was turned down the Warren article failed. Okay, not surprising by anybody. Well, not surprising by me. Okay, because [clears throat] all the other things were on warrant articles that people are dealing with, which most of a lot did pass important things. Okay. And the general public looking at that, that was not the top of their agenda. As a matter of fact, it wasn't the top of my agenda, but I did vote for it anyway. Uh but here we are not knowing what direction we're going to take at this point. Okay. Now I went up to the home and

up to the barn the barn expo. Yeah. There you go. You're welcome. The house and barn expo. Where was it? I don't know. I didn't go. Okay. It was up in Manchester. I knew it would happen though.

Okay. Now, I I'm going to try to keep this brief, but we have a situation with that building in the town center, if if we want to call that the town center because it pretty much is. Maybe it's not as nice as everybody else, but it's the best we're doing. Okay? It's historical. History is important. Okay? We have spent a lot of money on hiring engineering groups to come in and give their opinion. And at this point, we still don't know what the situation is with the foundation. Okay. Most important thing any building, particularly an old building, it's the roof and the foundation. Anybody knows that? Okay. We don't know. We should know. We had a committee to discuss that. We went through all that. And then we brought it through the town council that we thought it was a good idea that be put out to an engineering group which was done and that it was put out to another engineering group that it was done and they still didn't get under it and determine what the situation with the foundation. Okay. Now I'm going to tell you what should be done. We should get the right people to do it. Okay. Now, the concern is how much money is going to cost. Now, let me tell you a little quick story. The town of Rollins, Rollins, which is up by Dover, rather small town, had the Wentworth House, not Governor Wentworth, but one one of the family, beautiful house, and it fell into disrepair and the family wanted to tear it down. A gentleman from Massachusetts with a lot of money came up. They took the thing all apart. They took it down to

Massachusetts. They put it all together. Beautiful house. And that guy passed away. And then it just felt as sat there. And the town of Rollinsford, the small town of Rollinsford, not a lot of money, not a rich town, got together and they did the proper thing. First off, they put it on the state of New Hampshire register of historic buildings, which we had an opportunity to do, but we decided not to. Wait a minute. Okay. So, they also went to Lship. Make a long story short, they did the right thing. They got the money. They got the building all disassembled, marked every piece, brought it back up there, put it all together, and now it is a beautiful building that is being used occasionally by the general public. Historic building.

That's the way things are done, right? That's the way we should do it. That's the way we still have the opportunity to do it. You got 15 seconds. I got how long? 15 seconds. 15 seconds. I'll r Okay. And I would suggest strongly we have an option. The reason the thing was shot down because the people with all the other burdens they have, they weren't going to pass that. Not surprising. Okay. But the building still should be saved if you do it the right way. [snorts] Please, let's do it the right way. We have the opportunity. Thank you, Ray. I appreciate it.

Anybody else with public comment? [clears throat] [snorts] Good evening.

Margeo, 189 Litzfield Road. Follow up with Ray. Um it might be good to put um to have like a suggestion box that the public can give their ideas on ways that we could preserve the meeting house without being taxes, paying with taxes. Um I keep saying what's up what's the problem with corporate sponsors? We seem to shy away from that. Um what if we had a group you know friends of the meeting house that fundraised and took it on themselves. I think there's options out there that we might not have considered yet and somebody's thinking of it and somebody maybe has the skills to know that they

could chip in and get it done. Yeah. So, I think having the public input might be good. I agree. Thank you. Anybody else in public comment? Right there. Right there. I'm not in a hurry. It's early. Yeah. Good evening. Hi, Robin Stewart, 522 Mammoth. Um Sean, did you say that to tell the planning board to consider um getting a a different Okay. Can you ask Sean if he can if that's what he said? I didn't couldn't quite hear what you were saying. Yeah, no problem. Can I answer? Yeah, please.

Yeah, so that's within their perview. So, like we could make a suggestion to the planning board, but the planning board has to ultimately decide. [clears throat] So, will you make that suggestion? Um, I can talk to them about it. They just have to do and we should probably discuss it, I think, at some point as a council and see. Um, so I think there's some more thoughts on that, but that's it's a good thing to bring up. So So is that something we would discuss publicly? Should it be put on the agenda or like the other one? I mean, I'm just saying that next meeting. We [clears throat] got to bring it out. Yeah.

I I just want to do it the right way. So Wednesday night's meeting, the big question that came that started all the hoopla was who you know who who's thinking about what's best for London and the the planning board gave its version of that answer. So coming here tonight, that was my main question because when I started coming here a year and a half ago, that was the question, why isn't anybody listening to the residents? And then I started coming too often. But tonight is a real prime example of who's caring about London because this behavior tonight has just been horrible. Tabling the things the ethics I went to those meetings. All of you could use an good ethics policy to follow because this this was horrible. Mr. Mhalland was trying to speak and you guys were speaking over him. At least the courtesy to listen. You don't have to agree with people. I don't understand why disagreements can't be done and worked out. We're adults in private and not in front of here. And here we should be caring about what's important for London Derry. What's important for the people of London and Dub's the only person I heard say that tonight. The only person who I don't even remember what it was, but you said we should be asking the residents. That's It seems like everybody's lost track of that. Everybody has their own egos and agendas and and what's important to us who come here who voted you guys in and Ron, I do appreciate you continuing to try and use your leadership to get people to work together. That's really important. But y'all have to start doing that because we're not getting anywhere. And that's not why we come here. You see this build, this room's pretty much empty. And that's probably going to be that way for a while after Wednesday's meeting because nobody knows what to do. And then when they if they watch these

because a lot of people do watch them and they talk about them, it th this behavior just isn't very professional. And I hope that that's going to change. Thank you. Thank you. Anybody else in public comment? So come on up, sir. Good evening. Good evening. Brian McDonald, six picadoli circle in Monday. [clears throat]

I'm here to to speak about the Lions Hall situation. I've spoken with the town manager about this. One of the solutions, possible solutions that I would ask you to consider is [clears throat] something from the Braver Angels. That's a national organization working to depolarize our country so we can speak together, disagree civily. You don't have to agree. You don't have to change your minds or anything. Just be able to talk civily. And that's their basic goal. Lately, they've figured out that, hey, you know, this is great. the people can talk to each other, but let's work together again. And they have a new relatively new program called Citizen Solutions. And that's perfect for the Lions Hall. People get together. You have to figure out how to to disagree more civily ahead of time, but then once you do that, you can sit down, you can talk about the whole situation and find common ground and a good solution for this building. So I would ask you to consider that braver. Go to braverangels.org. or and look, you have to go to the in the upper right hand corner there's a little magnifying glass. That's a search button. Type in citizen-led solutions and you'll go right to it and it's an amazing amazing program. There's I think there's four examples of it on the website of what they've done in other towns and this is what we need to do here, please.

Excellent. Would you be the contact person for that? Yes, I would. Backdonald braverangels.org M A C D O N A L D. In fact, [laughter] no, cuz um I I've Oh, thank you. I've uh I've worked with Graver Angels at the state house and you and and you're they do a fabulous job of of bringing people together. So, I would be very interested in speaking to you. Thank you. Yeah, I think you guys are a fabulous organization. Very good. Seriously, you guys work really well. I was at one in December. They did. Uh yeah. Oh, having difficult conversations with colleagues. Yes. Yeah. Yeah.

No, a fabulous organization. I would absolutely Oh, hey now. Welcome you. Uh [laughter] welcome that suggestion. So, no, thank you for speaking up tonight, sir. Thank you. Anybody else in public comment? I got one, but thank you, Brian. That's awesome.

Good evening, sir. Glenn Douglas 6 overlook a um question seems how we add stuff to the agenda. Um we have a rumor that the chair of the library trustees resigned. Um it's not a rumor they resigned. So I'd like to know what the processes of filling said position. Um she's still listed on the town website. Um, it's been confirmed by the town manager that she did resign. I asked counselor Dunn if she had resigned and he chose not to respond to me. I asked when the resignation was turned in, he chose not to respond to me. Not surprised. Um, second one, I'm going to give a shout out to uh I run a website called the Town Underground and there's this new website in town called the London Town Blunderground. It's a satire site that basically attacks well three people in this room. These two and Mr. Jamal Holland. Strangely, I put in a 91A request for complaints made on the uh anonymous complaint line. The town blend underground seems to have a they're good. I mean, they're rambling, daydrinking spiels that you can't even understand. But they talked about how this anonymous thing is really not a good idea and we need to get rid of it. I just find that striking, seeing as how there's three people up here who have family members that just think that site is awesome. You know, we all talk about being nice, but we have this site that everyone thinks is great. We have counselor Mc Stumpy, I forget what your name is. Um,

I don't know. I don't go to it. They don't attack three other people, you know. They attack the town manager. It's really interesting, Ron. Really, really interesting. So, I can't wait to see tomorrow's episode and see what gets leaked out to them. Thank you. Anybody else in public comment? Good evening, sir. Evening. How are you?

Good. Thank you. Dan Gore, eight lane way. Um, so along with uh with Ray, I did serve on the Reverend Morrison Meeting House committee and I I do want to make sure I'm glad that you've directed the town manager to to think of other options and and how to move forward. I would encourage Sean and and all of you to not just keep rehashing the same things. Um, we spent a lot of time on the committee. we did have opportunity for the public to give input on options and things that could be considered and for months and they all were considered. Um the conclusions that we came to were pretty much the the warrant articles that you all ended up with. you know, either a really u you know, sort of a band-aid, I think was the term used earlier tonight, um of almost a million dollars just to get the the building open and usable again and then, you know, three to four times that to actually make it truly viable. Um and the voters were I mean it was about as overwhelming as you can get, you know, as as to what the the public thought of those two options. So, I I don't think it it is in anyone's best interest, including the historic building itself, to just keep rehashing those same old options. Like, we need to get creative and think of something completely different. Um because otherwise, we're just going to spin our wheels. And it's it's only going falling into further disrepair because that's just the nature of

organic materials over time. And so if we just keep spinning our wheels, it'll sit there until it falls down. Um, so that would be my encouragement to the town manager and to everyone to don't rehash what we've done, where we've been. Let's get creative and think of something new. Thank you. Anybody else with public comment? Seeing that, I will close public comment. I will accept a motion to adjurnn. So moved. Motion from Sean. Second. Second from Ted. All those in favor say I. I. Any opposed? Gentle was affirmative. Thank you all.