Planning Board - Regular Meeting

There we go. All right. Good evening, everyone. Uh, planning board meeting for North Smithfield for Thursday, March 12th is called to order at 700 p.m. Start with a roll call vote. Dr. Ben here. Mr. H here. Mr. Porter here. Mr. Manard here. And the chair is here. We have uh minutes from the December 11th meeting. I'll give you a few moments to look them over. If you have any questions or comments, please bring them up. as presented. We have a motion to accept.

Second. And we have a second. Those in favor? I opposed. None. The minutes are approved as presented. Uh, next item. Does any planning board member need to disclose any potential conflicts in the matters before the board this evening? I'm a director going to the ranking of application, so I will choose city audience.

Okay. Thank you. Anything else? U disclosure and notice. Any planning board members need to disclose any exparte communications about any contested or material adjudicatory facts or opinions recur concerning the merits of any application before the board this evening. There none uh voting members what you see is what you get. We got a fivep person board this evening. So everyone is voting. Okay. Mr. Cruel, you want to introduce uh the extension for ranking estates? I

think the first item on the agenda, Mr. Chairman, is the extension for rank and estates. I think attorney Kelly is here to uh represent his client. Um, as you know, ranking estates has been a project that's been uh around for quite some time and they've been working their way through uh the review process with the state. I think they had an archaeological assessment performed on the property. uh they did submit to uh the planning department last spring full set of plans um and we were conducting a peer review through Cassali engineering. So my expectation is that they will likely be back before this planning board for preliminary review in April. But er on the side of caution, Mr. Kelly is here to ask for an extension, hopefully the last extension.

Okay. Thank you, Mark. I uh don't really have much to say now that you've explained it all. I we did out of an abundance of caution ask for extension.

Mr. Kelly, if you could introduce yourself just for the record. Thank you. Michael since 2005 that time as Mark indicated we did get our preliminary applications March 312 I believe has it been certified complete

yes it So certified complete under the law technically we are extension technically but out of abundance of caution Make everyone first. First enormous amount of work had to be done. We had to have historical study done pretty close to getting very close to getting ready to go and be next phase protest. extension.

Okay. Yeah. Any questions? Okay. Make a motion. Sure. I'll make a motion to uh grant the one-year extension for the rank and estates project. We have a motion to grant it. We second. We have a second. Those in favor? I I opposed. Nobody. Thank you, gentlemen. You're welcome.

Okay. Probably should have probably should have voted on that individually, but uh item eight, request for extension, Corovo subdivision. Mr. Kurillo,

Mr. Chairman, the the the next item on the agenda is the Corovo subdivision. Uh Miss Corovo is here uh to present to the board and ask for the extension. Um this was before the planning board probably a year a year or so ago. uh and received master plan approval and then went to the zoning board. This is one of the older projects. Um however, the project has been held up at DEM for some time. Um DEM is having difficulty processing permits through their portal and um it's just a lag time. So, Miss Corovo is here to ask for an extension on her project. She could probably give you a little bit of a background on what's happened with DEM. Um so, I'll turn it over to Miss Corvo. Good evening.

Good evening.

My name is Donna Corvo. Thank you for seeing me tonight. And we'd like to request an extension if we could. Uh like Mark said, it is held up with DEM. Not that there's any issue that they're seeing with our project. They just during the course of our application, they went from paper to digital. They converted everything over. So that took some time because I have been in communication with them um over the course and um they've been very forthcoming with their communication and very happy to give me updates but it's still in lag time. Um I did speak with the application is in the final hands of Martin Winsk the uh I guess the the big cheese over there and um he he said that he did start looking at it and he hopes to have it finished in a month. So, okay.

Hoping that question. Any questions from the board? No. Nope. All right. Well, thank you. Okay. For that. Thank you. Take a motion for to accept or not accept the extension. I'll make a motion to grant the one-year application uh one-year extension for uh the Providence Pike project. Okay. We have a motion to grant the extension. Do we have a second? Second. We have a second. And I should have done this on the first one, but roll call vote. Dr. Mr. Hammond, yes. Mr. Porter, yes. Mr. Manard, yes. And the chair votes yes. So, thank you. Thank you, Jim.

And now we move on to our favorite event of the year, the review of capital improvements budget requests. So any intro you'd like to provide for that, Mr. Kuro?

So Mr. Chairman, as you know, annually the uh planning board is responsible for reviewing uh capital requests from the different departments to determine pretty much if they're in compliance with the comprehensive plan. Um I've provided to to the board a spreadsheet which basically has all the departments that have responded. For your information, I'm I've given you an updated spreadsheet. I know it's going to be very hard to read. However, um just recently received in the last couple of days updates from um the police department, uh with regard to tasers, uh the the number the the actual amount of the request has increased because of the increased cost for the product. Um the fire department is submitting on behalf of EMA. Normally, there's a there's a uh an EMA line. Uh however, the EMA director uh retired this year and the fire chief has been kind enough to volunteer to step in as the acting EMA director uh and he went through uh their information and their equipment and he's making a request. So I just included that under fire because okay, you would be the chief or or someone from the fire department representing them. And then the water sewer division. Um you can see the projects there. Uh some of some of the uh projects uh Bill went back and relooked at uh some of his projects and there were some that had to be split between water sewer and they're represented here. I think they're 85 some of them you'll see doubled up. They're 85% sewer 15% water as far as the allocation. So if you see, you know, repeated as far as the equipment, the trailer, excavator, truck, um, and the building upgrade, um, those are split between water and sewer. It's pretty much 85% sewer and 15% water. Um, so

that that that's an addition to that uh to those to those uh, departments there. So, at this point, I would I would turn it over to you, chairman, to call up the departments, okay? Um, as they're here and give a brief explanation of what they're requesting, why, and then any questions. Okay. Um, before I do that, I want to make a general comment. In past years, because been seeing this for a long time, we would normally get a spreadsheet similar to this along with an enormous amount of supporting paperwork, right?

Far too much paper supporting. Okay? we would see every bid that went out with the detailed contract. We don't need to see that. The pendulum now has swung all the way over to getting no supporting document. So I'm propose and talked about this with vice chair that we if we could get something and obviously this is for next year uh where you summarize that supporting document if you sent out for three bids one line item per bid that was sent out with you know dollar amounts and this and that name of company that's it we don't need to see m Mr. Chairman, that's my responsibility. They did provide that information.

I did not provide it to the board. Did they provide the big pile? I Yeah. Yeah. I don't I don't think multiple sheets of I would say planning has plenty to do. I think each department could summarize it. If you want to provide a format, I will I will I will create a format for the for the summary. That would be just so we could have that that that way we have that's all we need, right? This is, you know, this is executive level thinking. So, it's summaries, right? Bullet items. That'd be great. So, with that said, they'll go in order. I was going to say, rocks, paper, scissors. So, that's how we'll decide the amounts, but

so Raymond, you're up first. You're first. You're first on the list. Let the chief go see two hats. I was going to speak in favor of you for a pay raise. You still can. Okay. Uh Ray Pentagast, director of public works. Anybody have any questions? Hi, Doc. I'll ask a question.

We always have an annual amount for paving roads. Do we have any dirt roads remaining in town that have not been paid? And will they ever be scheduled to be paved? Uh, good question. I would say the first pa uh unpaved road is rank and path. Um, we also have a couple of roads that are not public roads. They're private driveways. What about Comptock? Thought that was all paved. That's all paved. Yeah, it's all paved. Yeah, I believe it is. Right down to Yeah, I believe it is. Okay, I'll double check.

I haven't been there in years. Last time I went, it was some unpaved. I know it's paved at both ends because I drive by both ends. It's whether it's paved in the middle, I guess, would be the question. Well, in the middle is is a paper road, right? I believe both ends are are taken care of. Yep.

Is there any is there another one that I'm missing or rank and path is, as you well know, a questionable road to begin with. uh we maintain it uh because building permits were given out to people in years past. As for paving that road and reconstructing it, that's a whole other legality I think we're going to run into. So that's not on our top list as of right now. Thank you.

on some of the items here. So for example, the 3/4 ton pickup. Um you know, I see two amounts. You got a mount for this year and a mount for 28 29. Um is other things as you have like for the heavy equipment spread out over multiple years rather than the old way of just putting the cost of these really expensive things in one year, right? Would it make sense on any of these others, the the 3/4 ton, the one ton or anything else to spread it, you know, spread it over multiple years? Obviously anticipating when you you expect it to uh to need to be purchased. Um but then even putting in some in the years after because it has a life expectancy. the spreadsheet doesn't go out far enough, but you might as well be putting some if you have a 90,000, you know, $90,000 vehicle that lasts for 10 years, put 10,000 a year just automatically, you know, but so is that applicable to these?

Uh, in some cases, the uh the pickup trucks uh we don't have as many, but um one or two of them are in a dire need of being replaced, and that's why those are the first year and the third year. Uh the one the one tons um we're in pretty good shape, but we have one that needs to be taken off the road probably this year. Uh but I put that into the second year because this year is kind of bulging at the seams. Uh but you'll notice a little further down, halfway down the six wheel, which is our bigger truck. Mhm.

Um this past year, uh two Peterbuilts, I want to say their uh 2016 I believe their expectancy. We've we've spent a ton of money on repairs on these for a you can't get parts and um when we get the parts they're like four months down the road. But those are our two oldest trucks

and that's why I kind of specifically put that in for this year and for next year. Um I've been working with finance the uh administrator and the finance director have been dealing with um the town of North Kingtown and other municipalities where we're going to be presenting to the budget committee um a different roll out for trucks or any of equipment we're leasing as opposed to owning a leasing program kind of knock these big numbers down um and work off that. So that's presently in the finance director's lap. So we're hoping to have something summarized for that for uh the budget committee. Okay.

Um, the only big difference I I have in the capital this year is I've moved over the road improvement out of operating to capital, which it's over $5,000. It probably should have been moved years ago. Um, so that 1.5 million is into the capital this year to continue the road improvements which are in dire need of improving. But is that to spend a million and a half this year in next fiscal year? Yes. Starting July 1st. Okay. And that's not supported by any bonds or referendums or any of that stuff. It's entirely out of the town's pocket. Does there need to be an amount though for the future years to spread it out because absolutely you got to do it every year.

Right. Um I'm not going to really get too deep tonight, but um people get a little nervous with the B- word bond. Um, so that has been discussed with myself and the finance department. Uh, where maybe in the future we might have to bond like we did back in 15, I believe it was. We, uh, bonded for 2.5 million. Prices are escalating. We know they're escalating even more as we speak. Um, so this was the beginning part of it. 1.5. Um, I'm still sitting on some money that I'm going to like I'd like to spend by June 30th, but we got to get bid package out. Um, right. Get that get that going? We already have like four streets ready to pave. So, okay.

We've got a lot of streets to pave, but All right. So, anybody have anything else for Yeah. Ray, how how much money were you allocated last year for for because I I see a couple repeat items on this from or carryovers from last year that didn't get funded for. So, if they're repeats, that means they didn't get funded. Well, but I'm just curious as a whole, what was the total amount that that you had requested and then what you what council ended up get getting? No idea. I I don't have that in front of me.

Okay. No. And then um Pico Park entrance. I had a question on um I know a while back Tom Kravitz had worked to do some engineering plans and everything like that. Is that that those are those engineering plans still current? They're up to date. Okay. Um, and then does that factor in any grants that have been applied for for the Pachico Park entrance? Because I know the the rec committee had gone forward for a um for a grant at one point for the Pico Park entrance. The rec committee, I believe so. I'm not aware of that. Okay.

A rec committee going for a grant. I I think what you're referring to, Jeff, is the uh the this the town applied for a grant that was presented to the rec committee for their review and approval. Yeah. That and so that that grant was for a um upgrade of the whole facility, including the access. Okay. Uh new uh playground. Yep. Walking trail and parking lot upgrades and drainage. Um that grant was for a half a million dollars. Okay. um if we receive it, our match for that is over $300,000 and some of the match money um would be okay.

Uh the Pico Park entrance money uh and some other money that Ry had set aside in reserve um Okay. So that's good. So the whole project I think would be8 or $900,000 in total. Sure. Yeah. I know way back in 2016 or 2017 whenever Tom put that forward it was that 290 amount. So I just wanted to make sure that we're getting the right amount there. We've had Casali Engineering up update that that figure.

Okay, great. Great. And then for the scouters hall improvements, I know Scouters has been under review for a couple different architects and a couple different committees. Is there an exact plan for the these two half million dollar line items or is that just for general building maintenance? I would say to go off the report that was generated. Okay. Show the deficiencies in that building that fall short of demolition. Yeah. Well, I I just know that that report came back at about 3.5 million. So, we're still quite a bit short there. I could put in for the three million if you want.

Yeah. And then my my my other question that I have for you almost every time that these come through is do we have a building an overall building maintenance line item for buildings like this the town barn um any other buildings that we have throughout throughout the town under operational. There should be some maintenance lines. Okay. But there's we got nothing for like an asset review study or anything like that. I would believe that the asset management group is trying to put something together, but uh until I see we've talked about a facilities manager. Yep. I don't know where that sits. So, okay. Anything else? Anybody?

Okay. Ray, when you uh take something out of service, are you turn it in when you buy a new truck or do you simply sell it and open market? If we can um salvage something out of it, we do. If not, we uh put everything up for public auction. Um some things can we can say, but some things I just can't safely put back on the road. It I think it all depends on the equipment that we're talking about. Do these numbers reflect any kind of credit that would be obtained from a trade in or a sale?

They do not. Uh I would love to see that back end come back to me somehow, but uh the auction numbers go into the uh general fund. A general fund anchor. That's interesting. I find it interesting every year. Yeah, one would think they've tied together. Ours is not the reason why apparently. I know. Anybody else have any Miss Manard?

I'm just going to commend that the department and looking into leasing because I've been an advocate for that for at least three years now. It just makes fiscal sense to put short money up the vehicle. You still have the life of the vehicle. You buy it out at the end. You might pay a hair more, but you can get a whole lot more immediately. Absolutely. I agree with you 100%. And and and it's been discussed in the past and I know that you've you've pushed that issue. I I think now is the time we have to push it because of the cost of of some of these vehicles. We have to

I mean, I'm just looking at the vehicles of I don't I don't know how real of a number that is of $65,000 for a plow truck, 3/4 ton. I mean, I know what vehicles cost. We're buying them every day. seems really low and $75,000 in two years. I don't think that's a real number. Um the well I actually have a quote for that 65,000 and that's with a plow and a sander. And is that a current year truck or is that like a leftover? That's I believe it's a current year. Okay. These are all quotes. We haven't gone out to bid for any of these vehicles. We're going off past numbers. So Okay. Thank you. Anything else from DPW? Okay,

thank you very much. I just want to uh at least say that um I'm also here to support um some of the capital items for the North Sfield Little League. Um we've had a very good relationship. U some of the things that they've put in for um I'm in agreement with. We work handinhand with them. Um, there's one item that I'm I'm sure they already have the quotes for, but I have a quote short-term and long-term for the uh new lighting for the uh boys major league field. So, if there has to be any clarification, I do have a current quote on that. Okay,

that was going to be one of my questions. So, I'm glad you brought that up. Right. If um if the rest of you don't object while we have them here, we can cover it's a relatively simple list for the uh little league and all that and then we can free you up. Sure. Okay, no problem. So, anybody any questions on the um I guess I guess is that part of parks and wreck essentially?

It is. Um and what's happened is we know how this all goes. I mean it's no secret over the years um all recommendations are made. it gets to the point where it gets to the council and everything gets pushed off except for maybe one or two items. So, I think what's happened is um the little league has taken upon himself over the last few years, Jeff, and in the board uh to put in for some very important issues that should be addressed so they don't get gobbled up with my highway water and sewer division so that pox and wreck a little bit can stand on alone. You'll notice that most of these items there there really isn't aside from scouters hall which is kind of a standalone u any pox and wreck issues. So I've kind of let them put their and I'm not going to use the word wish list because it certainly is not um we're talking safety in some cases on certain things.

Uh but they know what their needs are. So instead of having them come to me and put put this document together, I I feel that their firsthand knowledge is is is very good. We work hand in hand and and for the most part, I approve on almost every everything that has to go through there. At the end of the day, whatever is given to us by the council, I have to I have to put that through my department anyway. So at the end of the day, I'm going to have my hands on it. Okay? But we work very well together. So, I just wanted to I've reviewed it and um there were some things that we work together with and we work out. So, we'll see what we can get. Okay. Any Yeah. I mean, I don't know who's gonna

Eric. Okay. I'll be like Eric Side cap right now.

Uh good evening everyone. Uh my name is Eric Johnson. I'm the uh North Smithfield League president. Uh and like Rice said, we uh over the past uh three years, we've really worked hand inand um trying to um upgrade, renovate Pico Park as well as the the grounds surrounding it and the buildings that we use every day through the spring of the summer. Uh we service about 250 kids every summer uh all the way through I think we ended in like Thanksgiving last year. So it was really long but fun season. Um, so, uh, we are asking really for about $26,500 of capital, uh, capital funds. Um, and we're spreading that out through a number of different ways to help, uh, support and maintain, uh, what we have. Um, we have renovated uh, three baseball fields over the past three years. Um, and through those renovations, we do need to maintain and upgrade them uh, so they remain safe to play. Um over the years with 250 kids playing on these fields almost every day uh through the summer and spring divots happen. Uh we need to fill the field. We need to level it off so that um a player who gets a ground ball doesn't take it in the teeth. Um we are currently upgrading our T-ball field so that the first uh field that our youngest players get to play on um will be immaculate. Uh it's you know it's their first taste of baseball. It's their first taste of North Smith field youth sports. Um, and we want it to be a good experience. Um, so we have, you know, $2,000 for field A repairs, which we did, uh, two years ago. Uh, and that would just be to fill the infield, uh, rebuild our mound and, um, just make sure it's level and safe to play. Um, last year, uh, we spent about $15,000 on, uh, our field sea repair, which we completely renovated. And again, the same thing, regrading, it's an all skin field, it's an all dirt field. we don't have grass or sod on that field. So a heavy rainfall um just over the use of play uh divots happen uh it becomes

unsafe. Uh our coaches are very good at make making sure that at the end of each game we rake we level the best we can. Um but after a season full of of play and then an off season of no play. Um it does need to be professionally done. So, we do have companies come in, they give us quotes to what it would cost to maintain it back to pristine or as close to perfect as possible. Um, every year we do a site uh we do a site walkthrough. Um, part of my responsibility as president is to um take a look at our facility as a whole, fields, press box, um, concession stand, bathrooms, and I need to submit that report to Little League International. Um, through our last site visit, uh, we noticed that we had some issues that we want to rectify. Um, we have a press box that, uh, our doors do not seal, uh, all the way. So, we with the storms and the wind and the weather, um, we've had some mold and we've had some swelling in those doors. Um, for our press box, our bathrooms are a little in disarray. Um, we had a leaking uh, toilet and urinal in the men's bathroom. It's concrete floor. Um, so those floors are in some rough shape with cracks and they need to be filled or or sealed. Um, as well as in our female bathroom, um, we replaced our roof last year. Um, we need to mitigate some black mold that's up in the ceiling. Um, just as a a health and wellness, uh, just so again, you know, we want to we want to leave the field better than we found it and we want to be continue to be a gem of North Smithfield. uh between Ray Parks and Wreck and the the Little League, we've put a lot of blood, sweat, tears, and time uh into making this field the best it is. And we don't have that many fields. So, we want to make sure that, you know, uh the kids who are playing on them um have the best, right? Um and then really it's just uh you know, Ray talked about lighting repairs. Um part of my site visit is also to um look at the lighting u and report any lights that are out. So, we do have a light out

in right field. Um, these lights were put up in 1997. So, uh, when the light was out, I reached out to Musco Lighting to just kind of start a conversation as to what can be done to, um, get that light replaced. The bulb itself is about $100 shipped. To have them come out and change that one bulb was about $4,000 for labor and trucking. H,00,200.

So, that was that was last year because I have the the quote from last year. So, I know Ray's been in contact. I reached out to the gentleman again today just to kind of get an up an update as I knew we were uh I was presenting today. Um and I think that the big number was like between 105 and $115,000 to um completely renovate all the lighting and put them to new state-of-the-art LED lights. Um which would be a good investment as well. Um we're not asking for that whole 115. I know Ray and and the Little League will will be working together on that and and continue to get quotes. Um but for uh for this year we are like I said we're looking for the 265 um to just kind of maintain what we've done uh upgrade what we can and then uh in future years just continue to to make Pico Park the the best baseball complex you know the side of Rhode Island. So any questions?

Yeah. So Mardi did you have something? You kind of answered my question on the lighting. So it's just and I know that expense is tremendous. That's my that's my industry. um the equipment, the labor, the manpower is minimal. It's the equipment that it takes for that person to get to the top um is astronomical.

Um so my suggestion in looking into LED and I don't know if it's a program in Rhode Island, but I know in Massachusetts we work together with energy management companies, energy companies that similar to I'm going to use the word rise. So everybody's familiar with RISE. It's on that same principle where they get these rebates. It's not a free deal, but it's a minimal cost deal. So, something you might want to look into for that full upgrade. Sure.

Um, and I know we did price a field in Torton. There was not Musco lighting, but it was LED upgrade. So, I mean, Musco has its own its own thing. it it's it's its own

I I think we went through Muscoll because they're kind of like the little leagues little leagues kind of lighting company. They know the standards. They know um what is allowable, what's not. They've got to be a certain candle. Um you know, so they're kind of like the professionals in the field and this is just kind of me dipping the toe into, okay, what's this going to cost? Um through my conversations, you know, if they're saying it was they were put in 1997, they're all going to be pretty much at the end of their life. So, if we want to host tournaments and we want the the field to be safe, um it is something we're going to have to look into because I don't want to answer that phone call where little Timmy got hit in the head with a baseball because it was a light out and didn't see it. So, you know, it's it's it's part of that too under our insurance. So, it's just Okay. Yeah.

Eric, how much did you get last year? Uh we got uh so we asked for um probably about 25 or 30,000 and we received nothing. Okay. Now I'm going to ask this and Rey and and Mark jump in. If this money gets allocated that's going to be their fund, not going to be blended in with any DPW. Correct. Um good question. Uh, no. Two years ago when they got their funds, correct me if I'm wrong, was 10,000 or something like that. That money was right for the little league. Okay. For the needs that they asked for. Perfect. Last year, it was listed in the parks and right as as our own line item, but it it was listed for

Okay. I didn't take it for another thing. No, but to answer your question, Jeff, last year we came to the meeting as well. Um, we had gotten the 10,000 two years ago. Last year we we came um with the same kind of thing. Um, you know, we were looking for field renovations. Um, and we unfortunately didn't receive any. Uh, in fact, we weren't even part of the the the line item. So, even folks that didn't get any money at least had a zero. We were not in the line item at all. Okay. So, um, you know, just to answer your question,

and and that would equal about 500 voters for town council to recognize because if there's 250 kids, there's at least two parents, grandparents included. So, I want to highlight that that you know for the council to know that your decisions have effects.

Um I also want to applaud the three of you that are that are here tonight because I know how much hard work and effort and heart that all three of you put into that game. I I'm on the sidelines watching you guys when my son's on the field and you guys are just fantastic. So you got not not only is Pachico a gem to this town, the three of you putting your efering your time and your efforts, you guys are also gems for this town. So I just want to thank you guys for all the time and effort that you do put into that because it pays off and I've seen I've seen the kids grow leaps and bounds with all the work that you guys do.

Well, and I'll second that that the North Smithfield youth baseball has improved tremendously over the last at least five to seven years, something like that. Um and and it's because of the effort and attention you're putting into the focus on the kids, focus on player development, play player safety, all that kind of stuff. It it was sorely lacking and now it's it's u I think it's helping rejuvenate the sport, which is my sport of preference. So, you know, my my son went through it years ago, but um I mean, he's still playing college ball. That's awesome.

So, um if I could uh one thing the I'm also happy to see as a line item uh for something and I know I've talked with Ray about this over the years is finally putting in a full-size field some there so that you can play so you can you can play senior little league so you can play uh you you can even rent that that that can be a money maker because there are amateur leagues

I've played for them you know that need places to practice even American Legion juniors and seniors they're always looking for places to practice and they'll pay to rent it out. You know, they can practice during the day if it doesn't have lights, whatever. But so the kids don't like fall off the cliff after little league, you know, now they can play, you know, 6090 and they can play forever. I mean, there's I don't know if you're familiar with men's senior baseball. Oh, sure. Yeah. Has it has categories for each decade of of age um including one I can still play in at 68 years old. nice

and you know so um as well as Rhyma if you're familiar with that's another baseball league that's on Mass um I think that's a that's a great thing so I'm assuming that's going to be so that's kind that's kind of like the the dream goal here um we have one 6090 field available in town which is the you know the school um available it's not really available it's not that um'll I run the junior senior division and we finally Um, Arthur was run one of our members. He does he's not one of our members anymore, but uh he kind of moved on, but he he had he had a couple of teams for junior senior division and it kind of faded away a little bit

and so we're starting to revive. I finally got a team and we're going to compete this year, but we only have the high school field to use. And I've just been told basically that the high school field is going to be a moot point until maybe the end of May. again drainage issues like they're talking about. No, I tried for years to use it as when I was coaching Legion and I just I could never get a response for one thing. Few times few times we showed up and we practiced until we were kicked out. Hopefully next week we'll meet with the AD and we're going to go over what we've always done. We've always done when we had junior seniors teams we we waited until the high school middle school team was done and we we'd use the field after. I just need it for one one night a week and and maybe a weekend,

right? But for for this for the field, um that's a guesstimate out of this world. Yeah, I was going to say that that's probably not even close. I was going to say it seems a little low, but it's a little low. Yeah. But the other thing I'm think Ray said he was going to make do it by hand. So money that way. If it's something that and hopefully it is something that is supported by town council but but again on that should you start by putting in 30,000 this year and 50,000 next year and then you know build up towards it so that people are allocating for it rather than looking for big chunk all at once you know because they won't plan for it they won't

hold putting a hold on year after year I mean same as they do for the trucks and other equip Um, granted it's not capital funds I'm looking for, but I've had monies that were saved over the past three years or so. I got like 8,900 and they're it's going to go away this year unless I use it. So, I don't know how long that will last. It's a good idea. It's been successful for I believe for fire, police, and DPW, right, to allocate.

I know where Jeff's going with this. Um I I think what's what's happening is um and correct me if I'm wrong, Mark, but uh they're trying to get away from the reserve uh situation. If if we're allocated x amount of dollars, we should be spending those dollars in that fiscal year. And and there's a lot to that. Uh I I kind of agree with that. What's happened is whether it be through bidding or the delivery of a six-heel truck that takes a year and a half to get, that's how my reserves kind of would play out. In this case, to to say 50,000 50,000 50,000, we'll be talking I mean, I'll be long retired by the time they build that field.

Yeah. Um, but I I think the point the finance department is trying to get away from is reserving accounts where let's put the money in here and here. Now, there's a bigger plan that I certainly have not spoken to them about um at Pico Park. So, there's a lot of land that can is we can use. It's it's certainly a place that we have to talk about. We're talking about a lot more than $350,000, but but it gives us an opportunity to sit down and have that conversation and get the ball rolling in a direction that I think would work out for the future. It seems like it would be a very viable topic for a grant

being an open space recreational area, the development of going to lean on DEM for what they were doing for their grants this year, but I think that's all that's all done in good. Yeah, I I think that starts what in the fall, Mark. DEM grants.

Yeah. So, the way the DEM grants work is they alternate year after year. They have a a open space grant, which was last year. This year's active recreation, next year they should be back to open space. So it'll be two years before there's another active recreation grant. But you know certainly at that point um those grants are maximum half a million dollars and um but you need a match. So the match is usually 20%. So

I you know whatever the cost of building a full-size field is I'm not really sure but you know it's the town would certainly have to kick in some money. But, you know, as we were we were applying this year for the grant that we applied for, we had internal discussions, you know, with Rey and with the administration before, you know, staff went and started to write a grant. It was like, okay, there's this grant money available. What can we use it for? What's the vision? And, oh, by the way, we need to have the matching funds and that matching fund has to be programmed in the budget for the the grant year. So, um, that would be a conversation in two years from now that if the if the league wants to apply, I'm I'm certainly happy to assist in writing writing grants

for something like that, but we need to get together and make sure that the matching funds are there and the and we follow through. So, and we would love the help because if you I mean, we're the feeding system into our middle school and high school teams. So if our players don't have a place to learn and develop, what's the high school middle school going to do? Right. So is there any other questions, comments from the board? I'd just like to know how many kids are participating in your little league program.

Uh so right now we have uh over 250 uh kids uh ages four through 15. Um so our numbers have grown. or uh ages four through 16. Our numbers have grown dramatically over the the last two years. Um I think we're kind of out of the COVID bubble. Um right now we have eight T-ball teams. We have six um co what we call coach pitch teams. Uh we have four player pitch teams which is our minors division. Then we have two majors teams and a junior's team. Um which I think we've added somewhere around five new teams since last year. So uh this is Lou our play agent. So he has more.

I'm Lou Macaron. I'm the player agent who tracks all that. Yes. This is the most in the last five years, this is the most teams we've had. And over the last five years, we've increased participation. That's great. Every year. Well, I know it gone. Yeah. We had one we had one major team last year begging other towns to play us. We had uh three AAA teams. Uh we had six coach pitch and I think it was six T-ball last year. Um, so like Eric said, it's a little bit of uh coming out of the the, you know, kids participating again after CO, but it's also um we're an attraction now. Other towns are noticing Pico Park when they come to play. Oh, this is a nice field. You guys are doing a good job. Yeah, because we're we're fundraising and we're putting money and effort into and they can walk to get great pizza. That's right.

It's a great It's a great complex. It reminds me of where I grew up where, you know, you go to the baseball field, there's a couple of fields, there's a playground and families go and they spend five nights a week there with the older brother plays one night, the younger brother plays the next night and families are there. It's part of the community. Yeah, Dr. One more question. Who's in charge of the girls softball and is that a very active program? Uh, so Mark Fano uh is in charge of the girls softball. Uh little league does not we do not have a little league softball team here in North Smithfield. um probably about three years, yeah, three years ago, um softball split off to do their own thing. Um they had more competition, more teams. Um so they are through USA softball now.

Um but we still partner up. We still do our a joint opening day. We do joint pictures. Um they are still part of the North Smith Field Sports. Uh we'll call them that. Um Mark and I talk, you know, every week. uh we plan together and um even though they're not under the little league umbrella, they're doing an amazing job. Um they have players coming out of the woodwork uh and they're going to do uh amazing things. Yeah, they play virtually every night. Yeah. During the week. Yeah. What field do they use? Uh so they use the softball field over up at Chico Park. Thank you. You're welcome. And they use Kelly, right?

So um so Mark Fisano has certainly picked up the ball uh with that program in the last few years. We work very close with him. Um what we're doing is we're throwing some operational money into the uh Meadows uh softball field which uh takes care of men's softball on Sundays and Express football and cheerleading kind of like midsummer fallish into the winter. Um I've been a big proponent of two fields that are un underutilized in the summertime which are the high school fields. I coached with Gary for years. I've I've been at this since Scott Quinn ran the junior program years ago. I've gotten into bank vaults quicker than I gotten appreciated at the high school. That girls softball field is never used all summer long.

And and it's it's a it's a travesty. And I think that with the new administration of the school department, I think that we could work something out where the girls would have another additional field. They use it a little bit, but there's really low maintenance on the field. I can't bring my people in separate unions. They get a little touchy with that. Um, I think that we can all work together so that the girls have a few fields to to go with. Um, so that's just to give you there is another additional field that they they play their games at the uh at the Pacico Park girls softball field. I'm hoping they get more time at the high school girls field as I hope the junior program gets more time at the boys field which has been rehabbed in the last few years and and with that somebody just made the comment if it was Lu or that's the field that the kids when they go to middle school and high school play on.

Yeah. So there comes a time where these kids need a field to play on. So I think a little more cooperation will get there. It's it's taken a long time but we'll get there. Thank you. Thank you. Anything else? Any other questions? I I have a question for Rol Roland. Um, could you give us some names that we might be able to seek some lighting other lighting? So, I'm a project manager estimator. So, I obviously deal with MUSCO to get the value of the equipment. Okay. Um, and then it can be whatever is needed. So, you might have to bring in a crane and a boom lift,

right? you know, so you're not just bringing in one piece of equipment. And a crane is about $3,000 for four hours for that size of a crane. So there's where your dollars come in real quick. Yeah. Um, so you you worked exclusively for Moscow? No, no, no. I I I ran my own business. I got acquired. I am now a project manager for another company. So do you have any other It it would it go out. There is no one contractor that just does that. Okay.

So, the suggestion would be to reach out to either local electrical contractors or or put your feelers out through other um other teams and that might have or we've used okay whatever. Um and and they I mean I'm sure there's somebody that is more proficient in doing it than I mean anybody can do it but it's a matter of if it's going to take me five hours to somebody that did it many times going to take them three hours. Yeah. So you end up with a cost savings sometimes. Right.

We'd also be interested in learning if there's any master price agreements any shared services contracts with other towns. Um I know that we've procured services the town not we I'm not I haven't but the town has procured services in that way previously and so if there's an opportunity as a state project manager I do it off the you know I I procure off the MPA all the time so I understand that that can be advantageous but I haven't seen a lighting specific one for that. Yeah, the musical lighting is very specific lighting. It's it's its own the way that it's it's uh how the light gets projected, right? So, it's the aperture of the fixtures, not one fixture is all the same, you know? So, you might have one that has a I'm going to use simple numbers. You could have a 30 degree beam, you could have a 60deree beam, and that depends on how wide and how far it's going to project. And Musco engineers all of that. Okay?

So, you pay for that. Well, like Eric said, it's just who little league recommended to us, I believe. Right. It's basically, you know, when we reach out to Little League, okay, how do we get this fixed? They send us to Musco. But if there are other contractors or Musco is the only company that I know of for sports lighting. Okay. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you all. Here, here I'm thinking I was going to ask the fire chief if we could borrow one of the ladder trucks and have you go up and change the bulb. one you can have. I called I called training exercise like the IBW guys training exercises. Yeah,

it's not, you know, it's we weren't sitting waiting for somebody to fall out of the sky and get into the pole. You know, we did try to be creative. You might want to check with Waki what they use for Reno Field, too. That just got done. Uh we had bid on that. So, that was that's all new that they just did. It's nice nice lighting now. Yeah, that's all we just call private. Oh, okay. I I have I have one more question for Rey before you sit down.

Just just to make sure, we have little little league on this list. You mentioned NS Express and softball. Is there anything that we need to be considering for the youth soccer association or the uh NS hoops? I know those are the NS hoops typically uses the schools and and the courts there. Y um anything to do with the volleyball field that's over at Pachico just so we're we're making sure that all youth sports and just sports in sports fields in general in this town are taken care of. As of right now, I think we're in pretty good shape. Uh we had capital funds uh last year or two years ago. We upgraded the uh sprinkler system at NCS soccer fields. Those fields fall under wreck.

Uh now I think we're in pretty good shape. Okay. Thank you for that clarification. Just don't want to leave anybody anybody behind, you know. favoring little league or something. Thank you guys for your patience. Thanks for your patience. Next up on the list is u police department. Do we want to vote on these one by one? I don't think we have to now since they're all here. No, school's not here. School department. We can we can separate them out if town town clerk's not here. Good evening. We can separate them.

I'm uh Detective Steve Donovan. Chief Laughafy asked me to uh step in for him tonight and speak on his behalf. I apologize. I've never done this before, so I'm not too sure how you want me to proceed. If you want me to go through each line item or if you guys just have questions,

just convince you. Gotcha. Easy enough. Uh I know one of the first um line items was the Axon patrol tasers contract uh for the next five years. This is a contract that Axon, who's the company that uh makes our tasers, we sign a contract with them, which that ultimately covers the upgrades that come to the tasers. Um if there's an issue with the tasers, we can send them out, get them fixed. And also the current tasers that we have now, they're now starting to become obsolete. So Axon is doing away with them just like, you know, cell phones, you know, the next new model comes out and ultimately, you know, the company stops, you know, tendering to uh the old models. So that's kind of the issue that we're running into now. So this contract would be renewing our expired contract for the next five years which would also be upgrading our tasers and then that would also come with like the service contracts as well for the next five years.

Let let me just ask the board before you ask your question rather than have him go through line by line. How about if we just offer questions unless we unless there are no line items we don't have questions on. I have a question regarding this axon. Does that in include the latest software that goes along with the your tasers and your can?

So, correct. So, um as far as the tasers, the tasers are constantly being updated. So, we have to unplug the batteries. We put them in a docking station and that actually upgrades the tasers. So, we supposed to do it once a month cuz whether it's bug fixes or just like same thing. I I'll just relate it back to a cell phone. How we always constantly have to upgrade the cell phones and they always say, you know, bug improvement, stuff like that. That's what same thing, same uh kind of concept more or less. Um, so yes, that does cover that. Thank you. Okay. Is there a reason why the body cam is separate? Do they Does it just have a completely different process that it follows?

It's just two It's just two separate things as far as the body cameras. The body cameras are being paid for right now under a statewide grant which pretty much covered um the all the departments within Rhode Island and I believe it was a four-year grant. Don't hold me to the exact number, but I know it's good for the next two years. Um, and that was just separate. So, Exxon does monitor both tasers and body cameras, but it's two separate. Like, you don't have to get body cameras in order to get the tasers. You can do one or the other. So, we've had tasers before we had the body cameras. Got it. And then when that program expires, is that where cuz I I noticed that the body cams only go until the end of next year. Is that when that program expires from the state and then we'll have to look at it differently?

Correct. I don't know if the state's going to come out with a new grant or I'm not too sure. I mean, there's like almost every department in the state switched over under that grant. So, I'm not too sure how that's going to pan out in two years from now. Okay. Thank you. Any other questions? Mr. Manard, I always bring it up about vehicles.

So, my my question, and you probably don't have the answer, but it's pretty consistent for two years and then it chops down and then it goes back to that number in four years. Then it chops down and chops down again. So I uh I actually moni I manage the fleet. So I'm the one that does all the ordering for the cruisers and everything like that. So we haven't um we really haven't received any money to purchase cruisers and actually capital budget in like 3 years. All the cruisers that we have purchased were either done through a grant or when we work police details we charge you know the vendor a certain amount per hour for those cruisers that goes into a separate line item for the town and we've actually been purchasing cruises that way over the last three to four year probably two to three years. Um, the issue that we're going to run into, especially probably come the end of next year, is we purchased so many cars in such a short period of time that those cars are getting a lot of wear and tear. So, they're going to have to be replaced all at once. So, we're trying to kind of slow the regression down and the wear and tear on certain cars. Um, currently I have four cars now that are te teethering right around that 70,000 mi mark. Um, when you compare the 70,000 mi to idling hours, it's probably like a normal car that probably has maybe 120,000 mi on it. um when you look at the wear and tear aspect of things. So if you know if we order a car in the summertime, I'm probably not getting that car until April of April or May the following year, just once the whole process is done. So you know those cars that have 70,000 miles on them now, this time next year, they'll probably have 90,000 95,000 on them. So it's just replacing those older cars. Um so I know we did we did three for next year or three for this current budget, three for the following year. Then obviously drop it down to two and then three again just because the way the timeline of when we purchase certain cars. We're just trying to predict of what those mileage might be um know in a cost of a couple years if that makes sense.

Y okay.

So are you at your own discretion for purchasing or do you have to go through the town finance department? And the reason why I'm asking this question is and again bring it up again. remember beating it down of leasing where you get so much more for your bang of the dollar initially and it's going to be the same expenditure in the long haul. So I I deal I deal with Tony at town hall all the time when it comes to fleet just because a lot of times whether it's repairs or whatever it doesn't always kind of pan out or it's more money than what was either projected whatever it might be but as far as when it comes to ordering cars I always go through Tony and then obviously I have to go before the town council to get it approved. Um, we do go off of the, uh, master price agreement list cuz there's really only two vendors that are within driving range near us to actually get the cars. Um, all the cars usually are purchased through two different dealerships in Massachusetts. And then the upfitting, which is like the lights and all that stuff afterwards. There's really only two to three companies near like close by for us. And when I say close by, I'm saying I'm driving like an hour away to drop off some of these cars. Um, so when it comes to I've never ran into the issue with leasing. I've never actually been presented that offer with leasing. I don't know if that's even an option for police vehicles because of the amount of wear and tear and damage that happened to them. I know it's an option with like police motorcycles because obviously it's a lot less damage that could potentially happen to them, but I think at least with like police vehicles, it's never I've been doing it for seven years with the police fleet and it's never once ever been pitched to me from any one of the dealerships or the upfitters. I' I've dealt with numerous other agencies with like their fleet managers just to kind of pick their brains on where they go, who's the better company, you know, X, Y, and Z. I've never heard of them leasing vehicles. So, it's just it's just never been presented to me, at least in that aspect of things.

Yeah. Know, it's a tough the wear and tear is tremendous on those vehicles. So, it is they they take a they take a beating. I when you look at a car that's two, three years old, it's it's kind of falling apart. I think two years ago, I'm not sure if you were here, but I think we lost like three cruisers that winter. and accidents. Through accidents. Yeah. And then and we couldn't get vehicles because it was right after COVID and the surplus was down to nothing. Yeah. And I ran into that issue like, well, 2021, 2022, it was just Yeah. Like, oh, you order a car. Okay. Well, that car's on order. We might see it in 9 to 10 months from now. And that's just actually officially getting the car, never mind how long it's going to take to get the parts for like upfitting and everything like that.

Um, I mean, leasing, if that is an option, I understand the cost aspect of things, which would probably be lower. Um, but again, I it's just never been proposed to me in my conversations with either the dealerships or the upfitters. Okay. All right. You have anything? We've hit every line item except for the license plate readers. So, I'm going to I'm going to ask a question about that one. Um, is that just a simply like a plug-and-play situation or does that get included into the outfitting of all the different cruisers? Just because I'm I'm wondering if you're looking at replacing some of the the fleet right now if that's going to be like a camera that's suctioned on the on the windshield and that reads the license plates and then you can pull it off, put it into the next car that you get.

I know it'll be permanently mounted in the car. Um, but I have had plenty of other things that been permanently mounted in the cars and then I, you know, I try to recycle stuff as much as I can, whether it's radios, computers, whatever it is. So, if it is permanently attached to a car, it might have to be taken out by an installer and then reinstalled into a new car. All right. But they're reusable. Reusable. Yes. Yeah. Okay. Yeah. It's not like particularly to that one only car. It could be transferred from car to car. No, that's great. Thank you, Dr. Bono. How many vehicles in your fleet and how many officers do we have?

So currently we have 21 cruises assigned to our fleet. Um out of those 21 we do have uh we do have five cruises that are just pertaining to detail cars. So, those are cars that have already been stripped of all the computers, the radios. Um, they have high mileage on them around 90 to 100,000 miles. And those are the cruisers that you see out on the details because the aspect is if the car can just get you there, most of the time you're just kind of sitting on the side of the highway or whatever it is. So, if there is an accident involved, it's not like we're losing a frontline car that's now going to affect like the patrol division. So, we just try to recycle the older cars that can no longer be used for patrol uh patrol duties and those get used for details. But as far as Ashley patrol cruises, we have 11 right now. Thank you.

Did you also ask how many officers? Yes, I did. How many officers did that? I believe we have 27 officers right now. I think we're looking to get up to 30. Thank you. Are you fully staffed? We don't have a number. It's fully staffed. Um I think that depends on who you ask, but uh we definitely could use some extra bodies. Yeah. Okay. Anybody else? We'll move on. All right. Well, thank you very much. Thank you. I appreciate it. Have a good night. We'll move on to the fire department and EMA. Fire and EMA. Yes. Fire and EMA. Fire and EMA, please. As long as you have both hats with you, that's good.

Good evening. Uh Dave Shier, fire chief. We're going to do We're going to do it the same way. No, let's do it the same way. You're right. Uh questions from the board for the fire and EMA chief. What kind of CAD software is your fire marshall using? No, this is the computer uh computer rated dispatch software. Oh, okay. It's in our It's in our dispatch. Yeah, it's in our dispatch center. All right. I'm glad I asked. It's called Symposium. Okay. Yeah, cuz I I was going to say uh that auto desk is a lot cheaper for your fire marshal to be looking at

generated dispatch for the uh for the dispatch center. All right. Thank you for that clarification, Chief. I appreciate it. All right, Chief. I'm assuming the uh PPE is a constant replacement upgrade because they they have a shelf life.

Correct. Uh PPE has a 10ear shelf life. Um, so we're constantly having to rotate it through. Currently, my program is six years and then I start purchasing another set for for the guys. So there's a about a four-ear span where they'll have two sets. So if it gets contaminated at a fire, when they come back, they can get into a new set while the other set is being laundered. Um, plus that also covers if we get new hires. Like right now I have five five people that just started in the fire academy on Monday. So I'll need to buy them five sets out of this current uh fiscal year. So yes, so that's that's got to be a recurring expense.

Okay. And it like everything else is an insane amount of money, you know. It's uh it it gets it goes higher and higher and higher, you know, every year. I know it's not a line item, just a general question. Are you fully staffed? When these guys come out of the academy, we will be. There you go. All right. Yeah. No pending retirements. Uh, no, not right now. We have some that have their time in, but um that I haven't been told that they plan anytime soon. No whispers of exit, huh? No.

Thank you, on the um replace rescue line items every the first one is 15,000 then then it's 1107572 could you kind of explain that discrepancy

yeah it that I haven't changed those numbers in a few years and here's why uh the finance director and I and the town administrator are trying to to figure out a way because these numbers are so skewed because there's no way we don't even generate enough money in the third party billing to be able to purchase another firet truck. Fire trucks are over a million dollars now. Um so um we're working together to try to figure out how we can fix this gap um and get that money so that you know whether it's the town's half that they get we've got to do something to to figure that out because if I if I put the accurate numbers in there that there would be there'd be no money,

you know. But it does have replace engine two twice. Yeah. Where's that? Engine one. Engine one, engine two. Oh, I'm sorry. It's rescue one. Okay. Rescue one. My bad. The next fire truck to come up that's uh due to be replaced would be engine one. I believe that's in 2033. They're on a the engines are on a 12year replacement cycle and rescues are on a seven.

But even at that with the weight times, it blows that out of the water. Rescue 2 was due for replacement last year. Uh the delivery time on that is two and a half years. So we're we're almost a year into it. So, okay,

Chief, with all the radios, um, are are is fire and police all on the same radio system now or is there still your guy has two radios and he's working going back and forth between police and fire? Correct. So, what happens with that is we're all on what they call the Risscon system. Mhm. It's Rhode Island Emergency Management and we're on their 800 system. Okay. Um and we all have each other's frequencies. So if I needed to talk to police, it's just a channel change. Okay. Um we currently still have our VHF system as a backup. If something were to go wrong with the state system, we have something that we can revert to. Okay.

Uh so our operations would stay up and running. And then the EM I'm going to assume that the EMA mount uh desk mount radios and the EMA portable radios, those are still same 800 system. Correct. Yeah. Just a different channel. Exactly. Okay. Yeah. Every every community has um what we call local banks and it would be your police and their channels, fire and all their channels and they have a townwide channel and uh EMA channel, a DPW channel, you know. So that goes in your in your first bank, which would be your local bank. So everybody can talk to everybody. Um they put that aside for you. These radios all need to be replaced. Okay.

Uh that's why I have them in there. Um some of the models that we're currently using, both EMA and Fire, are coming off of the RCON system as of June of 2028. Okay. Their older model Motorola radios. So uh we need to start planning for a replacement uh now. So when they take those off uh offline, we've got some some way to communicate. Okay. So you're not use using the old ham radios to communicate back and forth. Okay. Nope. Tin cans went out. Perfect. Okay. Thank you.

Any questions? Dr. SCBA, if you if you noticed that as well, that's something self-contained breathing apparatus. Those are going to be coming due. thereabout. In 2028, they'll be at at about the halfway point. Uh there's a 15ear shelf life on those. So, um unfortunately, those are at today's prices right now. I I did in uh increase them by I believe it was 5%. Uh across the board, but I that's probably not even close. Um but uh each one of those an actual apparatus comes with a cylinder and then we need spares. We have 18 of them. So, we need 32 bottles.

Um, and I want to try to get those, you know, phased in because we we bought these units with the cylinders all in one shot. So, now I we want to start spreading them out like we did with the protective clothing. So, it's not everything's not all do at once. Good. Dr. Bite, I have a question. Doesn't pertain to finance. Do you still use the Maly Tower for some communication purposes?

Uh well, we all of our communications are up there, but they're not on the tower. They're in the state uh radio building that's up there. So, because we're on their their system, um they let us use the the building to put our repeater in there and our VHF equipment and the municipal fire alarm monitoring equipment is also in there. So that was a a home run for us because now it's out of the weather. It's it's, you know, at a controlled temperature all the time. There's no risk of any, you know, getting wet or anything like that. So, um, yeah, that was we've had a great partnership with with EMA. Has that tower been upgraded the past few years?

Yeah. Yeah, they the remodel. It's nice. It's actually I took a a ride up there last fall. It's nice. Doc, I can let you know we we were the electrical contractor on that remodel and there one beautiful view when you are 65 ft up in the air in that tower. I've been up there. Yeah. But the the the remodel was very much needed. There was very deteriorated uh whatever rodent was infesting into the wiring. Um so yeah, it was in desperate need. Yeah, they were steps missing the last time. Even though it's not used as such, it's a historic and and it's part of the historic society. So, I got one last question.

Sure. I'm assuming you finally got the generators because they're not on your list. Yes. Yeah, we got those. Uh it was I think it's two years now. Okay. Okay. Uh yeah, we were able to secure a grant through FEMA uh in REMA and uh yeah, it was just a a short money um kosher. I think it was five or 10%. So we were able to get two generators. Um great, you know. So yeah, we're we're all squared away with that finally. Perfect. Thank you. Anything else from the board? All right. Thank you, Chief. Great. Have a great night. Thank you.

Thank you. Um who else is rep departments are represented here? Okay. Okay. Uh heritage is next.

Good evening, gentlemen. Beth Ferrisy, the Heritage Association. I'll just wait for questions. Okay. You guys are doing a great job taking care of the buildings. Yeah, thank you. They look really good. It's a lot of volunteer work. We have some significant volunteers who spend it's like their job and they spend their time over there. You should come up to the second floor of the municipal town building that's getting ready to become a a museum of sorts with some of the the way the way it's been refinished and a lot of it was done by Charlie Dubo and his wife doing all of the work uh to do all of the the molding trims and things of that sort. It's beautiful. Very nice.

But we thank you for all your support too.

Now for for the memorial town hall, is that still going to help with grants for the replace window replacement? Yes, it does help with grant uh you know if you people are gracious enough to recommend and it gets forwarded then when I apply for the grants uh it says we've got a match here or we've got a match there. the uh two windows that we that you all paid for this past year in the windows as big as these. Uh that was $20,000, but that enabled us to get a $38,000 grant from Champlain to do the eight second floor windows and then the two on the front, if you may have seen them just putting them in like two weeks ago, I believe it was. So now that all the front and the back windows are all replaced and new, the second floor windows are all replaced except for the four outstanding I call them museum type windows and then the next process will be getting the bottom eight windows done.

Great. So yes, it it does help. So is the money we're seeing allocated is that for essentially building maintenance in I'm sorry. The is the money each year for building maintenance? Well, the $20,000 for for this coming year will be for two new windows. Okay. And then the next year it's for an additional two windows. That will take care of all six of those museum type windows. So, you're phasing in the various We're phasing those in. It just pains me to spend $20,000 on on windows. Yeah. Yeah. Well,

but uh and then the other years from Memorial Town building, see the third year goes $40,000. So that's when we get into other projects such as air conditioning for the entire building and then the next year for retal for the uh Memorial Town building would be if we don't get a grant for the windows on the first floor. Uh and then at some point then we get into painting the exterior of the building but that's way out way out there. Gotcha. I mean and the Forestdale School which again is another town building and which has been very much completely re renovated. What's lacking there at this point would be like fiscal year 30 would be a HVAC system for that building

and then you know the dream list the dream list is for a Koopa to replace the Koopa that once had been there and to bring it back to the historical accuracy of having that type of a building with a Koopa. Uh the Heritage Hall again that we own ourselves. Uh but it's nice that it's right next door to your the building here. So we try to keep it as nicel looking as what you've got here. Uh the only thing we've put in for there is way down the road uh fiscal 32 again to put in a Koopa on that building because it originally was built with a Koopa. Okay. Thank you. Any other questions? Yep. Okay. Thank you.

Thank you very much, gentlemen. Keep up the good work. Thank you. Water and water and sewer. Yeah. Okay. If you remember Mark, Mark was saying that it's split. Good evening, Bill Dakota, the superintendent of water and sewer. Okay. What's that? Two hats. Yep. Okay. questions. What's the status of the pump stock water tank? Is that all complete?

Um, so it depends if you what you're talking about. We actually the uh TTHM removal project that we're working on right now. That's not complete right now. We're in the u the the evaluation of the distribution system and then the they're working on the design of that system that's going to get installed. If you if you're talking about the renovations that were done, those are all complete. This project is in addition to that.

What's the status of pump stations? So, pump stations right now we're um they're in the they're under design, right? And PS is working on that. Um we're moving up on 30% design on those on that project. Um I I have a meeting with them on uh Monday to visit some of the sites just to go over uh a couple of little fine things that they're going to be looking at. So um it looks like construction on that could be uh beginning of 2027 probably uh the actual construction shovel in the ground. We're looking maybe we're we're optimistically thinking January February shovel in the ground on that project.

Thank you. Uh similar to what was asked uh with Mr. Pendagast um for the heavy equipment of the excavator. I know it's not coming up till next year, but is that something we're looking into potentially leasing rather than buying? Um so so that that's kind of like a wishlist item. So what we're right now um this year we added an extra person.

Um we would actually need to get another person on there to actually utilize this equipment. So, when I first put this on that, the intention was to see if I could uh um you know, get the the added the extra person. So, right now at the at at the garage, we've got three. So, we've got the new one this year, and then we have uh one person in the office, the water and sewer coordinator. So I mean to actually be able to use this equipment I my thinking is is that by doing some of the stuff in house we could respond to it a little more quickly like we have no problem with emergencies we can get contractors we have a highway we work with but for day-to-day repairs and things like that being able to do that in house I think would be a good benefit for the water and sewer department taking care of manhole covers uh just like general things like that so that's the reason for that so you know Will this come to fruition? Uh, it may not. Um, but it it really depends on whether or not we can get that extra employee.

Thank you. Can I ask the U each division is looking for a tilt trailer. One is $1,300, the other one's 76. What's the difference? So the the and and um I apologize for the yellow, but what happened was is like with the two departments, whenever you have anything within the two departments, there's an 8515 split. Oh. All right. And I kind of hid that on a different worksheet that didn't um So it's really a $9,000 device that you're splitting. Exactly.

Allocating. That's right. Got it. Yeah. And and again, it's the building maintenance, anything that kind of the trucks, anything that's for both departments. The only thing I'd say to that is that, you know, if it came down to it, you can't approve one line item and not the other. Yeah. That kind of that kind of So, it's kind of one device. I mean, it's one tilt trailer, you know, so you can't pay for 15% of it, you know. You either got to pay all of it or nothing. Granted, from a general ledger perspective, you got to split it out 8515. But I would say for for budgeting purposes, for future reference, put it whole put it in there. the the under the covers accounting you need to do is you know

well I think and that's what Mark that's that's what Mark did for me to clarify this right so I had it hidden on a separate page but right it when it when I do a purchase and it can be anything right it could be it could be tires for the truck if I go get tires for the truck it's a 1585 split right that's ledger stuff and that's the way it goes yeah right okay great thank Thank you. Is Mark is there a way that we can recommend that the two department I mean they effectively work together but they're they're enterprise funds right so they have to be they have to be kept separate you can't co-mingle the

well but in the future but in the future though could they become one department under the same oh I don't believe so okay interesting that's the nature of the enterprise fund so basically you can't have the sewer rateayers paying for water improvements. Okay. Right. And so, so yeah, the water water uh revenue goes right directly to the water department. That's okay. Gotcha. Yeah. All right. That that that clarifies things. That's true. Because you have a lot of people that may may have water, but they don't have sewer. So, vice versa.

And Mr. Chairman, to address um what you were what you were talking about, we were talking about a little bit different things. I think next year if there's a water sewer project, right? And and Bill sent me this stuff recently and I was trying to fit it into the format that we have. I think we'll add a third column water sewer, right? Yeah. For anything and then within there we'll we'll explain with a footnote. It's divided 8515. Yeah. All you have to do is put 8515 in the Yeah. It was just it was just me trying to trying to fit that in with what the format that we had for today. That'd be easier. Yeah. Thank you. Anybody have anything else? No. Thank you. Thank you, Seth.

You're welcome. A little side a little side that I've been on Ray's case for probably two years. Um and your guys came out in We live on Bucking Street. Yes. And there's five to six manhole covers that are sinking. Yeah. Um the guys came out in the fall, saw cut, and I was all excited. Oh boy, these bumps are going away. You ought to take a drive by because I think they sank at least 4 in lower over the winter with a sore cut allowing moisture to get in. Yeah. And make them compact. And I my fear is one day I'm going to be driving out and there's going to be a school bus or a DPW truck or a trash truck with some of its wheels inside that handhold.

Yeah, I was actually out there. I was actually out there um last week. Um Ernie Allied stopped by and told me about them, but it was John and I who cut them, right? We went out there at the it was toward the end of the year. We got we got noticed, you know, they're kind of on the outskirts, so we got not uh notified that, hey, get out there and take a look at those. We did we saw cut them. Our our intention was to get them done. Okay.

Right. So, what I was talking about when it comes to the excavator is exactly that. So, um, when you get to the end of the year, so we we usually contract, we have a few contractors on call. We call them, try and get them out there. Um, yep, no problem. We'll get out there. The end of their year speeds up. They're taking care of their customers. And so, I actually did have a conversation with our contractor. Um, I believe it was Monday or Tuesday. And, uh, within a couple of weeks, they just started making asphalt. I think it was this week. within a couple of weeks, the plan is to be out there. We do have to let that frost get a little deeper.

Um because if you start digging into the frost, you'll have a mess. But there's Buckston Street. We also We've got a few others. We've got one on Hollow. We've got a few lined up. So that's right. Just bring to the attention. I'm glad you went out and took a look at it, but they've been sinking. Yeah. Readily through the winter. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. That's definitely I'm definitely aware of the traffic that raises on a vehicle when you hit that. It's like a it's like driving down 95. Yeah. Right. Y not doing 65.

I mean, so what what happens with those is the um that right they've got a structure on the ground and you've got brick and you got mortar and the mortar starts to dissolve and it's falling and it's failed. So we got to get out there and rebuild that. I mean it does when you're looking and you might be thinking you're going to fall into there. You're not. You're going to hit a bump, but they're bottomed out. That's what the issue is over there. So, they will be taken care of shortly. Thank you. All right. Thank you. All set. All right. Thank you. I think the next item is a motion to adjourn. Well, we have the school department. Oh, yes. I'm sorry. So, we also have the finance and the town clerk.

I am sorry. I wanted to bring this up. Thanks for reminding me. So, Mr. Kurillo, we have no one here to answer our questions in a couple of areas. So, it doesn't make sense for us to ask those questions.

So, the school department did call today and said that they would not be able to make it this evening. Um, their only request was for really for the $200,000, which is their continuing program through RIDE for building improvements. What that includes, I I don't know. um in anything in the future. It was explained to me that those were cost estimates. They would go back and revisit those and they would be working with RIDE to find out what the cost share is and those numbers would be adjusted moving forward. So, we can treat that as a single line item. Yeah, I think that I think the only thing they're looking at is the 200,000. Is that what it is that?

Yeah, as of now. Yeah, the 200,000 because that's part of their ongoing building improvements and that's the match for the ride program. Then next year it jumps up to like 10 million. Yeah, 10 million, right, is an estimate for roof replacement um for a couple of buildings and as I as I mentioned, they will not be submitting for 10 million next year. They're going to get together with Ride and find out. Okay. So, it's not Yeah, it it doesn't make sense to even talk about that. Yeah, I I I would I would just focus on the 200. Okay. But there's building maintenance line items. So, um, well, I think that should be noted that, you know, our that we're limiting our focus only to that one line item,

right? Not to imply that the future years are approved or whatever. Um, how about the copy machine for the finance? Can you Yeah, so the so so the copy machine for the finance department, I can explain that. Uh, Mr. chairman that was included last year as a capital uh request and it was approved. However, the finance department was not able to go through the process to procure the copy machine. So, that's a carryover from last year. It was to be purchased last year. Now, it's to be purchased this year. That in the machine for town clerk's office town clerk's office was those should be leased items. I

leased automatically replaced. We have one. So, ironically enough, I said, "Why aren't you leasing your copy machines?" Because then they get automatically upgraded. They service it. They also get automatically upgraded every few years. I have one I have in my office. Yeah. It's like a $22,000 device. It does everything. It'll print and fold paper. It'll do all this stuff. But you don't Yeah. I I So, that takes care of I don't think it should be bit bought. I don't think it should be bought. Are there three copy machines at Town Hall? I I I there are um Yeah. So, there's one in the clerk's office which is large and old. Okay.

Um very old. There's one upstairs in the finance department that is similar. They're high volume, high velocity copers, um scanners and fax fax machines for whoever uses a fax machine anymore. But, um the clerk's office is beyond its usable life. The the one in finance is towards the end of its usable life. Um, they do have a a maintenance contract on the one upstairs, I believe. I think the one in the clerk's office doesn't even qualify for maintenance maintenance contract anymore. But, you know, to to talk about those copy machines, I did ask the exact same question. Why aren't we leasing these copy machines? And then they just

after three to three or four years or whatever that number, they just you just replace them and you have a continual, you know, cost in your operating budget, not in your capital. Right. But we'll be happy to provide the company that my company works with. They do a great job. They gota get three bids. So they uh they got to get three bids. But that could be one of the That could be one of them. It's just a recommendation for one of the bids. It's one of those leasing programs that the toners are included as well. So there's no cost. They come out just once a month or whatever. They come out and refill your Exactly. So it's a no brainer. Can Can we So, it sounds like we're axing those two line items before we make our recommendation.

Well, I would I would say make the recommendation that leased. They should be leased. Not necessarily ax them, but basically say that we'll put it in the operating. Well, we'll approve it as a leased item that we won't approve it as a purchase, you know. I mean, this is a fraction of the cost. Yes. Yes. Yeah. Yeah, we could take care of, you know, quite a few items on this list with balance out 37,000 cash flow all kinds of things benefit. This is where this is where you want to run like a business. Yep. Okay. So, does that complete the list? Believe so. Yeah.

So, if we could uh and if you can make note, especially on the on the ride thing, that that that's the only line item we're talking about for the school department. Um and obviously we covered everything else and not not for nothing, but you know, all the department heads have been respectful enough to show up and present their case this evening. Yeah. the past couple of years the superintendent has not come to these co these uh meetings last year he wasn't so I understand he's retiring this year but maybe we can have a conversation with the incoming admin uh superintendent that we'd like to meet him

yeah you said you send someone else if you can't make it the chief right the police chief um so I know there are some folks that seem to think that we're just here to rubber stamp this that's not the case per the charter If it was, it would take five minutes. And if it's if anybody knows the charter right now, it's me. It's you. Yes. That I agree with. So, okay.

All right. So, what do we need to do? Make the motion with the uh noting the changes that we've said. I'll make a motion that we uh recommend the 2026 2027 uh amounts presented by the various departments here this evening. Noting that we also recommend that the copy machines under the finance department and town clerk's office be leased items as well limiting the school department uh to ride submission to the $200,000 that's why I just said the ride appropriation

that's why I just said the 2026 2027 amendment right and on on the the lazy can can we say that more we're not recommening at least like I for one if I voted on it I would say no to purchasing yes to leasing. Do you want me to make that a separate question? I would like us I would like us to say that we're approving it those items. Sure. We can either say we're we're we're not approving those two items as presented. But we would approve for them if they're leased items. Well, right. Well, do we because we also made recommendations to DPW for leasing their equipment. Should we have that separate though?

That that's a that's a diff that's a way more complicated and and difficult thing. I think they they'll look forward to it. Okay. I think from the I think from the copy reg could be it tomorrow. I mean copier printers have been leased for like the last 30 years. I mean this is easy you know. Um well I didn't know from like a voting procedural standpoint. I chairman I I would suggest maybe remove it from the capital budget. Yes. and then recommend for a lease in the operating budget both finance and um office. Perfect. That that's perfect. Okay. So moved. So then I I'll I'll I'll amend my motion. Process they have to go through for those vehicles.

That is different. The planning board recommends the 2026 2027 amounts as presented with the exception of the finance department and town clerk items which we recommend to be put placed as leased items and put into the operating budget. There we go. So that's my motion. Okay. Second. And we have a second. So roll call vote. Dr. Berno. Yes. Mr. Mr. Ham. Yes. Mr. Porter. Yes. Mr. Manard. Yes. And the chair votes. Yes. We have a subdivision. Thank you. Oh, there's a we have a subdivision.

Oh, yeah. For information. Yeah, that's an right. Mark. Mark's got a subdivision. Well, we we do have a subdivision. He just got to provide an update on

administrator. Yeah, it was a minor sub well administrative now under the state statute to create one lot out of that 52 acre parcel. Um the developer had initially come in and was requesting to create four lots and when we were referring that and that would be coming to the planning board. They were going we were going to require them to install a sistern because at three lots you're required to have a sistern. They withdrew that application and just submitted this for one lot. Okay. that. No second. Those in favor I any