Board of Selectmen - Regular Meeting

Good evening everyone. I'd like to call the regular board of selectmen meeting for April 6, 2026 to order. It is 5:30m. At the table is selectman John Misham and selectman Jim Lampos. And I'm here for selectoman Martha Shoemaker. Um we have one member in the audience from the press. Uh and then we have some other guests here as well residents. And we are now going to go through information items, communications and correspondence. So I am going to start off with a letter from open space commission uh Greg Ptoma. Um I want to read through this and then if we decide that we need to go to uh add this to the agenda, we can. But he wants to add something to a sign. Um he says, "Hi, open space has promoted the existence of caves on the town's os open space that were occupied by indigenous residents dating back perhaps 4,000 years. John Feifer, town historian, gave a guide tour talk on our site last year. He has also shared images of relics, arrowheads, etc. that he found on site and that now are in the Yukon's collection that we plan to post on the commission website." Christine McGregor, a member of the commission, is doing research, suggested an acknowledgement of the land's history. This would be in line with gen a general effort to provide background history on the town properties, how they were used for farming, for art, for Miss Lawrence Lawrence's colony, the history of the Champlain Farm, etc. Um Ned Feifer, John Feifer had talked to the Nantic tribe who provided the attached statement and the commission went through several edits of this and settled on the language below. Um they're redoing their kiosk. The commission is redoing their kiosk and and adding some new maps and signs. We

would hope to add a small sign with the above text. And he wanted to share this idea with the board of selectmen and offer the opportunity for us to advise on the commission. So the line that they would like to the sentence they'd like to add, we acknowledge the indigenous people who came before us as we work for the protection of the land, water, flowers, and animals. If you think we have to have a vote on this, we can move it to the agenda. If you think you're have a problem with it, we can just I can just tell them it's good for all of us. It's good by me.

It's pretty benign. I'm fine with it. Okay. So, we're just going to tell them we can go with it. It is their commission and it is their thing. Um, I also wanted to let you know that Anita Latiri, who is our assessment technician in the assessor's office, has resigned. Her last day will be April 17th. She's gone on to a higher paying position in another town. We're sorry to lose her. So, that position is being posted um this week. actually I think it was posted today. Um I received um comments from residents on uh when we talked about the vote bridge um both for and against and 14 floors 19 against that uh provided a letter just so that we know in support of whoever's online please mute yourself. Thank you. Um, I provided a letter of support uh to Senator Richard Blumenthal's office in um for Lysb who is uh put in a congressionally directed spending request to redo their um youth activity center in the back. Um, and then I also sent you the congressionally directed spending that Dave Bear had put in and Jim, I believe you also put in

submitted this afternoon

submitted one for bath bath facilities down at Sound View. So, those are all in. We also received all of us received um information from Suzanne Thompson on some ordinance changes that she'd like to have considered. We will consider these at our next board of selectmen meeting. Um I think she's run them by the legal department, but I will make sure of that before we bring them up to that. And then also just to let you know that I had an initial conversation with um Mayor Mike Pasero and his uh public works director Brian Sears along with Bill McNamera who is a resident here in town and has some background in solar energy. Um, and we talked about possibility of putting solar at the transfer station on the land that the brownfield that is closed. Uh, Andy Russell is the one who suggested that I look into this and so we've just got some initial conversations going. They gave us who they worked through and Bill and I will be reaching out to that company to see what they have to say. Um, I think that's all I have for those topics. Anybody else? Johnny?

Uh, I received emails from Monaco, Emerson Cowell, uh, Andy Russell, John Flick, Deborah Zarnki, and the entire HDC, uh, stating that they are against, uh, moving forward with the pedestrian bridge. Did you receive any of the ones that were for Yes. Okay. Not not since the last meeting, I don't think. Yeah, they all came in after the last meeting because I mean all of ours are dated. I'm just going to attach them if you most of them were addressed to all three of us. So, they'll get attached to the minutes. Jen, since you have all those um I received the same thing. Okay.

Letters for and against the boat bridge. Okay. All good. All right. So, nothing else? All right. So, we have time for public comment. Is there anyone in the audience who would like to offer public comment? And then Andy, you can follow him right after you. Afternoon. Good afternoon.

It's a beautiful afternoon. Okay. I had um two comments that I wanted to make. First one is uh regarding the last board of selectment meeting that you had um to get the sidewalk um uh people lined up and uh the group selected for the sidewalk committee is an excellent combination of professionals. I know eight out of nine of them they will make the town proud. So I give you guys kudos to that. Uh now switching gears here relating to the Lieutenant River pedestrian bridge. According to the West Bank deed executed in December of 2014, use of the property is contingent on construction of a fishing/crabbing pier and carttop/hand carry non-commercial, excuse me, boat launching to the Lieutenant River. To even contemplate asking for bridge construction minus the pier is ludicrous. The town's monetary obligations for needs far outweigh the wants which this bridge is. If anything, build the pier.

Like to submit this, please with a copy of the deed. Thank you.

Good. Um, just I appreciate you uh all getting back to me after I sent my letter. I just wanted to expand on that a little bit about the Bow Bridge. Um, we've got a ton of projects going on here in town as we all know. Grassy Hill Road, uh, I know we're getting close on that. That's only been going on for almost eight years. Uh, I'm sure the costs are going to be higher than we'd like. um roads in general. Um the cost uh our director of public works came to us during the budget season this year asking for more money knowing there are going to be more roads in town that are going to need to be addressed with the difficult winter we had. Um that's going to be the case probably for the next few years. That's going to impact our financial resources. Uh fire apparatus costs, we've seen that they're skyrocketing. They're not going to get cheaper. They're going to continue to get more expensive and again be a drain on our resources. We used to be able to replace a firet truck 20 years ago for 275 or $325,000. Now we're going to be hitting that million dollar mark and more. Um huge escalation. Obviously region 18 debt service the next few years is going to be hitting our tax bills for all residents. There going to be other building challenges, I'm sure, in town. Our buildings are all aging. They're going to be things that are going to have to be replaced, whether it be air conditioning, whether it be roofs. Um, we've got nine buildings in town that are town buildings. Um, they're all aging. None of them are new, I guess, with the exception of the section on the Bton Road firehouse um for emergency management. Hall's Road started to be about sidewalks and a little bit of landscaping. Let's get that done. Let's not muddy the waters with other things

like the Bow Bridge. Let's get the sidewalk on Halls Road done uh so people can start using that and those safety concerns can be addressed as soon as possible. That's the most costefficient thing we can do. Thanks very much. Thank you, Jude. I wrote a letter but have not submitted so I'm bringing it now. Judith three Ben Franklin Road Line. Dear board of selectmen, we are very pleased the sidewalks for Halls Road will finally become a reality. However, not everyone supports or even wants to pay for pedestrian bridge and Halls Road. This project has the potential to become a multi-million dollar project funded by the taxpayers of old line. It is unnecessary. It's a want, not a need. As you know, after the property rebound last year, many taxpayers are facing a substantial increase in their property tax bills. We also know the town is facing and taxpayers will be paying for but not limited to this list debt service on the school renovation project. The town share of the sewer project which I I feel is still unknown. Repair or replacement of the Grassy Hill Road bridge which Andy mentioned repairs and renovations to the high school once the current school renovation project is completed. Possible additional paid staffing for the ambulance association, sidewalks on Halls Road, possible dredging, maintenance, and renovations to Halls Park, repaving of roads which are in dire need, such as Rogers Tit Lake Trail. These are just a few of the needs that we know of and does not

include any unknown or unexpected needs. a pedestrian bridge that parallels the sidewalk over the same waterway as the existing and soontobe repaired or replaced Paul's Road bridge sidewalk just a few feet away is not needed. I echo the concerns stated by others regarding the cost of the project, project creep, future maintenance and repairs, necessary parking spaces, as well as a negative impact to the environment um of the proposed pedestrian bridge project. Please give the remaining unused ARPA funds to social services. We know they will put the money to good use. Please keep old lime affordable for everyone. Thank you.

Hi Jim. Okay. Is there anyone else for public comment? Tim, do you want to say anything? Sure. You want to come back? Look, the speakers are working. Okay. online. Oh, is there anyone online who would like to offer public comment? See, I see uh no nope. Okay. Okay. No one from online. So, we are good to go. Thank you for the reminder, John. All right. Presentation from the conservation. Approval of minutes.

I'm sorry. I'd like to jump that one. I don't know. Okay, Jen presented us with our March 16th minutes. She did a wonderful job with her new little bullet point asterises. Are there any um changes that you either of you see? I just wasn't sure about a bullet point under number three that says distributed to the selectman the application for uh CDS. I sent it to you through through email, right? But it makes it sound like it was handed out. Okay. Do you want to say dect we can add the words via email? Yes, please. Okay.

Anything else? Nothing to make. Okay. Can I have a motion to accept the minutes with that one amendment to bullet point number three under number three? I will make a motion to accept the March 16th board of selectment minutes as amended to include emailed congressionally directed spending. I'll second. Okay. Any further discussion? Hearing none, I'll call for a vote. All those in favor of accepting the minutes as amended, please signify by saying I. I. I.

Any opposed? Any um abstensions? Hearing? None. Motion passes. Thank you. Okay, we now have Conservation Commission who has done their homework. Right, George? Yes.

Come on up, you and Brandy. George and uh Brandy are here to do the final revisions to their mission statement. Um I appreciate so much that George and the commission have worked so hard on getting this done. Let's move this a little between the two of you. So I'll pick up both cases. This does not need to go to town meeting because this is just their mission statement which will go on their website. So, George, is there any new changes that you want to No, ma'am. Um, assuming that you approve what we submitted, I will I can send to Katie a clean copy.

U so she can post it to our website. And you already talked. Can you just provide the information? I know because I talked to you, but can you provide the information to the fellow selectman? You did talk to the other commissions, so can you just tell them who you reached out to? If you if you approve this tonight, then I will notify uh plan, zoning, open space and and wetlands that it has been approved and it will be posted to the website. But you spoke to each of them after your first presentation to us. Yes, ma'am. I do. Thank you.

We did not receive uh any substantial feedback other than a grammatical error uh and suggestion for improvement and so the content uh remains the same. Okay. And we did we we did receive uh input from open space and it was a discussion type by them an explanation which I provided to them and they were satisfied with that. Great. So we will um need a a motion just to accept their mission statement changes which they presented to us a few months ago. Sure. I'll make a motion to accept the Conservation Commission revised mission statement.

I have a second. Thank you, John. Thank you, Jim. Any further discussion? Hearing none, call for a vote. All those in favor of accepting the final revision revised mission statement for the conservation commission. Signify by saying I. I. I. Any opposed? Any abstensions? Motion passes. Thank you very much. Thanks for all your work. We appreciate your time. All right. Thank you. Enjoy the game tonight.

Okay. So, as I would like to request as we move to new business, I'd like to request two additions to the agenda. One is the tax overp payments that Suzanne got to me after we went to I present um provided these to you this evening. Um, these are all over the $2499 limit, so we need approval for all of them. And the total refunds requested is $16,173.91. There are five people that need those. I think that we can proof. Uh, I'd like to add this to the agenda under new business. So, can I get a motion? I'd like to make a motion to add overpay tax refund requests to our new business item number seven as a bullet point.

Second. Any further discussion? Hearing none. Call for a vote to add overpaid tax refund request to the agenda. Signify by saying I. I.

Any opposed? Any abstensions? Hearing none. Motion passes. The next one is a request from our housing strategic planning and steering committee, which is what they'd like to be called. Now, um I had that working group. We had one little meeting and they decided uh the monks, the six of them, two from affordable housing, two from zoning, two from planning that they'd really like to be a committee under us. They'd like to have an agendas. They'd like to have uh some speakers. They did have a great presentation from Eliza um at Rivercog that day and they asked a lot of questions but they would like to be up. So this is a draft of their um charge. They are not voting to change anything. They would only provide recommendations to the board of selectmen. They would still listen. They would go back to their commissions. they would come back to the working group and then they would come to us with recommendations going forward. So I'd like to add this to the agenda as well.

Go ahead. Make a motion to amend the agenda under new business to include uh a mission statement for the housing strategic planning steering committee. I'll second. Thank you both. Any further discussion? All those in favor of adding the housing strategic planning steering committee to the agenda, please signify by saying I. I. I.

Okay. I. Any opposed? Any extensions? Motion passes. Okay. We're moving on to new business. And the first one is the Eversource Earth Light Weatherization Project. I'm providing you with this information. Eric Wilson and I had a phone call. We had looked at um a program uh that I had heard about through Rivercult called Eneria and we went through the process with Eneria. We did not qualify because they could not save us enough money and then because we had done this and we' done some work with our um source last year on trying to um look at our buildings to see how we could be more energy efficient. Um, Eversource came to us and told us that we qualify for um a weatherization project that is um completely free to us and they would save us $48,9667 to have uh this project company come in that Eversource approves um to insulate town Um, they also looked at the police stations, but they can't get the enough of the savings for the police station at this time, but we may be able to do it moving forward with some other buildings. And so, I just wanted to make you aware of this. Um, they are supposed to be sending us a letter of agreement. I will present you the letter of agreement when I get it from Eversource and we will read through it. We will have legal read through it and then if we accept it that's great and then they'll come in and do the project and Eric has talked to the um Earth Link and also the company out of Chapi Mass that would be coming in to do the actual installation. They have been here. They

have looked at the building. They looked at it last year actually through when they worked with Eversource to try to get us some savings. So that's good news. This is similar to when they come in for residential. It is program. Okay. But this one is specifically for small municipalities under a certain um uh size and the money is there. So okay

and uh yeah so they'll get an LOA to us and we'll go through it more clearly when we have more information. Okay. Okay, we have to look at appointments to authorities, boards, commissions, and committees. We had um one person who had said he had applied last time around and we couldn't find his application because he hadn't really sent it in. It was in his drafts. So, um Katie reached out and Mark Comtock still wishes to sit on the Halls Road sidewalk committee as he would like to work on the landscaping aspect of that. So, if I could have a motion to appoint Mark Pac to the Hall's Road sidewalk committee.

I'll make a motion to appoint Mark to the Halls Road Sidewalk. Second. Any further discussion? Think he's a great addition. Yes. And I just want to add that the minute we announced uh the grant and I posted about it, um Mark reached out to me and reached out several times. So, um, that was the reason why we held the seat open. He was the first one that got in touch with me, wanted to be on this committee. Okay. Um, all those in favor of naming Mark Comtock to the uh, Halls Road Sidewalk Committee, please signify by saying I. I.

I. Any opposed? Any abstensions? Motion passes. Katie, I know you're online, but because of the fact that the Halls Road Sidewalk Committee has a meeting this week, I greatly appreciate it if you could shoot Mark out the agenda and um his congratulatory note tonight so that he can make a um plans to be here on Wednesday for the Halls Road Sidewalk Committee and be sworn in and be sworn in too. Thank you.

Okay. And the next one, uh, Lime Senior Center. There was some discussions about minority representation for Lime Senior Center board. Uh, John, I know that I thank you for reaching out. She wanted to clarify it, but there isn't a minority rep clause for the Lime Senior Center board because it is a mutual board between two towns. Um, so Mary Lou Rice could be appointed to the line senior the center board and she was referred to us by the chair Peter Le Casey. So can I have a motion to appoint Mary Lou to the line senior center board? I'll make a motion to appoint Mary Lou Rice to the line senior center board. A second.

Second. Thank you. Any further discussion? Hearing none, call for a vote. All those in favor of appointing Marylu Rice to the Lime Senior Center board, please signify by saying I. I. I. Any opposed? Any abstensions? Hearing none. Motion passes. You're You're distracting me.

Then we have one person. Uh we put the word out that we would love some new members to the WPCA. We had one person, but we had some concerns about perhaps too many. I think we still have two other vacancies uh to appoint Bill Reynolds um because he was also on the shoreline, but in another area. Um so we still have Mr. Reynolds application to be on the WPCA and we still have vacancies. So if we want to appoint him tonight, we could do so. I'd like to make a motion to appoint Lil Reynolds as an alternate to the WPCA. Second.

Thank you, Jim. Thank you, John. Do we have any discussion on this? Still reach out and try to find I think if we could find someone from town uh town or Rogers Lake um and balance things out. I can reach out to Dave Evers too and ask if he would have anybody that he might recommend. Okay. So, um, all those in favor of appointing Bill Reynolds to the WPCA as an alternate position, I think it's an alternate. Uh, please signify by saying I. I. I.

Any opposed? Motion passes. Great. All right. Next up is Anita. Anita is here because um the board of finance would love our recommendations on where we can make some budget cuts and Anita and I have worked on some proposed bots. So you're coming forward to us. We're not So you can tell us what you're handing out to us. Um um you said these are draft copies. They will be reviewed tomorrow night at the board of finance.

So, why don't you tell us what we have here in front of us, starting with the big packet. The big packet is currently the draft um for the board of finance that is going to go tomorrow night to the board of finance. But I've had some cuts that I went through things and as well as Martha and we come up with some cuts and some savings that we could reduce the overall budget. And um the board of finance asked me to sit with the board of selectman to run it by you and then I'm bringing it back to them for tomorrow night and they'll vote on the cuts. Um, currently, as you see, um, there's currently about $100,000, actually like $103,000 sitting in interest that we accumulated over the ARPA funds. That money does not have to be spent towards ARPA. That is our money. We can use it towards general fund. So, I'd like to take that interest and transfer it into the general fund to offset. So, it'll be a revenue on this revenue side reductions. Um, as you could see some of the reductions we talked about, um, you know, we're going to remove, we were going to add a police officer. We're going to remove that police officer and revisit it next year.

That's the full-time certified police officer. We still have ling to go to to the post if we have a anyone an applicant. The others are reductions because as we know we have all them other special funds and there's money sitting in those funds that we can reallocate. Um so these are proposals to reallocate these money so it will come off of the budget. The same thing um so that you'll see reduce fund 25 reduce 31 because there's money that are in those accounts. the capital. Um I spoke with emergency management and he can he said um he was asking for 150 towards radios but he's good with the 125. So he reduced 25. Um as of today uh Derek the new resident police officer um trooper um he just he said that we can um push out the body cameras for another two years. Yes. Can I comment on that? So Derek was in a meeting with me today and he was up at some training um and talked to um a legal uh support person at Post and um or state whatever you call your headquart state police headquarters and um talked about the fact that the cost of these cameras, body cameras and car cameras for small towns is really an huge expense and what could be done and right now because of the fact they're still going to hold our Panasonic systems in uh play and we'll still continue to host that data for the next two to five years. So they said go ahead and not you

put off the cameras next year they'll have more when we go to renew our contract. Uh they think that when we go to a final review of our contract and I didn't have a poll but I think last year we signed on for three more years. So, I will check that with Anita tomorrow, but I didn't have time to do that this afternoon. So, we're going to suggest that that gets pushed out. Thank you.

Um, and then a reduction in health insurance because the rate came down a little bit and then the reduction for the police officer that we took out of the budget. Um, so that is a reduction in expenses of 478461. So the total it's reduces um down to as you see on the bottom um the difference between last year and this year including all capital expenditures everything all budget items is will be $720,217 increase.

Okay. So any questions for Anita? What's our current number of uh police officers? Derek, well, we don't count Derek. Derek, town officers. Uh I think it's now Dominic. Dominic, Steve, the other Derek, George, George, Ethan, and Ethan. And we have the one empty six with one. So, the sixth would remain. And we're talking about the seven. That one is there. The seventh is coming up. Right. So the likelihood that we would have a seventh officer this year

is fairly low. Correct. So it's kind of an academic question. We probably aren't going to get one because time we get that one into school and they go through the academy and then we'll look at next year. Right. I mean, I would like for us to commit to seven officers for sure, but since we do have that vacancy this year, it seems to me we're not going to be able to get the seventh officer even if it's funded. And we did have they did have a posting out and they didn't receive any viable candidates. They had it on their police website. Yeah. This is across the board in every town.

Yes. So he feels secure that and we have interviews coming up for possible candidates to go to host and um they're working he and HR are working now on setting up those interviews on who they will interview. Any thoughts, John? Uh we've been six for many many years and when summer kicks in and the overtime kicks in and people are on vacation, six really is

it's tight. So um I'd hate to see uh us losing momentum on getting a seventh officer. I think there's room for a seventh officer. Um, so I, you know, even though it's going to be out of the budget, I don't think it would necessarily stop us from advertising and looking forward to hire somebody in the new year.

Okay. So, uh, we're lucky enough to have a board of finance member in the audience, so he's heard both your com comments. Um, we can certainly put it back and put it as a possibility. um if we need to. Is that Yeah. I just I just hope people remember that we we constantly get commentary that they want to see a town officer and they want town officers working late and um we don't have

I'm always I've always been a proponent of fulfilling that late evening shift and um that seems to be the first thing to go when when we're low on people um switching to to staff a straight evening shift. So I I think I I think progressing to a seventh officer is is needed and I think it's what the town would want to see. I completely agree. Um do you think that we should keep it in symbolically for this year as a sort of you know totem of our commitment or is this something that we can't put off till next year?

And what if we do a half a year like for a January hire because that would reduce this in half this cost. Yeah, I I I would be more in favor of that. I understand that it's more and more uh difficult to get qualified people interested in in policing. It's not, you know, what it was 20 30 years ago that competition wise. So, if we want to if we want to put it off to January, I I think that would be the the better way to go because it wouldn't stop us from from moving forward, but it would give us a little breather. Um, and hopefully we would be able to find more more candidates that are interested in coming out. So, I mean, we'll have college graduations coming up and then we could work towards hopefully uh getting somebody after January.

Yeah, that sounds like a good solution that keeps our commitment. So, I think what I'm Is there anything else in the budget that you see or that you would either of you would suggest for cuts? I'll have to stand up for uh for open space, you know. Oh, I had your blessing. Oh, you did? Yep. Okay. Because we've talked about um actually um annual contribution to 10,000 from

Yeah, we're do 10,000 this year. He actually even said we could take less than that. We could do five more out if we wanted to. He said because he knows that he's had the constant support of the board of selectmen and the board of finance to say that if you come forward they have money in their account

to buy something if they right now they see nothing on the horizon that they are going to be suggesting. So he said, "As long as we have your support," he said, "Um, I know that I could come for a special appropriation if we needed it." They have a healthy amount of money in their account over six. Yeah. So we could reduce that to five. Okay. Anything else?

Uh, I wanted to talk briefly about um the appropriation that we approved for um a level one evaluation of 102 Mile Creek Road. Okay. That's not in this budget, right? It was removed by the board of finance or it's No, it's going back to the board of finance tomorrow night. Okay. Yeah. The 4500. That's the 4500. We voted on that, right? We done our homework on that. Yeah. That's not in That's not this budget. We're going for the current budget for that. Yeah. Okay. Need and I have done our homework on that.

Okay. Is there anything else? Okay. So with the recommendations that we made, we would say that we agree with the changes that we've made tonight to move forward to the board of finance tomorrow night for consider deliberation on the final budget. Correct? Yes.

And we have a motion to say all that to move this budget forward with the draft changes that Anita has made and the suggestions that were made today. I'll make a motion to move the draft budget and the notes from Anita for additional cuts dated 4626 uh with the exception of adding putting back in funding for uh an officer for half a year and would be the and part of the health insurance and part of the health insurance and change the open space

and change open space. That's fine. Second. Okay. Any further discussion? Okay. Hearing none. Uh call for a vote. All those uh in agreement. Signify by saying I. I.

Any opposed? Any abstension? Motion passes. Thank you so much. I thought this ain't going to take us an hour. Appreciate that. Okay. So, tour buses and filming a request in old line. So, I don't know if anyone saw it, but there was a there's a tour bus coming to Old Lines and it is going to be parking over at the high school area and they're going to have people park there and they're going to do a tour of historic homes in Old Vine. This is not a company that's associated with um Old Lime and uh they advertised it and word got around town hall and I called Ian to see if he'd give him permission and he didn't know anything about it. When he called me back, we said, "Oh yes, they did go through and did get the proper permission to use the parking lot on a Saturday." But we've also had some requests over the last year or two for filming. Sometimes they want to just do a walking filming shot on Lime Street for something sometimes somebody's commentary. Um I know that we had some filming or request for the show that you helped narrate. So we got to thinking that maybe we should have some type of a policy on this because people call us and we'll ask Katie, I'm coming to town. I want to do some filming and how you get permission to do so. And we don't really have a policy on that. So, I'm just really and truly looking for your input on this and then we could start to do some draft and whether it's a policy or an ordinance. Um, ordinances are only more helpful that the police can escort them away. Um whereas the policy is something that we can put on our website

and there are some other towns that have policies like this that we can pull from to start our draft if we choose to do so. So I'm looking for input from both of you. Well, I am concerned with this tour group that pretty much anyone now can hire a bus and they're charging $100 a person and they're going up Johnny K. Hill Road. Um, so even if we say, well, it's just one tour, but we've seen it also at Pilgrim's Landing, uh, where Old Lime just seems to be a wide open town either for filmmakers and Oh, yeah. Oh, there you go.

Uh, Old Lime seems to be kind of a wide open town, a free-for-all for whether you're making a film or whether you're giving a tour. Um, you know, I know in New York City to give a tour, you'd have to be a licensed tour guide. Um, and you have to, you know, get permission from the city. We're not New York, obviously, but I think that we can have some sort of a process where if you're planning on shooting a movie, and there are some, you know, I mean, the one that I did is the Discovery Channel. It's not small potatoes, but there's much bigger productions that could come into town. And we have no real process for this. And I'd like to look into the possibility of um having some kind of a fee structure for uh permits for tour groups or or or film companies coming in. Um and what our criteria could be. I mean, I think sending a full-scale bus up John and Kate Hill Road is something that we wouldn't normally want to approve. Um but what the parameters of that might be, I don't know the legalities of it off hand. So maybe if we could begin the process of looking into that to looking what other what other towns do what's permissible to get a handle on this. Um I know we are getting a reputation already as a town you can kind of kind of do anything you want. It's very scenic so we should get ahead of this. I think also that one of the things and I'm not sure what our legal standing would be, but we also have the tour groups that are promoting us through the swallows and we've had some problems at Pilgrim's Landing with that. Um, it's public parking lot, but we could possibly put some rules on that because that again is a um organization that is profiting. I think they charge $150

per night to come here to park. She they they come in their own cars. They park. Uh the tour guide meets them. They put their own kayaks in. Uh tour guide takes them up to the cows island and then brings them back and hands them a cookie for $150. Um they are taking up precious parking spots that some of our own residents would like to use. And um I just kind of I was a little upset. And not only that, but uh the owner of that company did not treat our harbor management commission members very kindly the night the two nights that I was there. So I think it's something that we have to look into.

Well, I salute the uh entrepreneurialship, but um absent absent a town ordinance, I think we're at a disadvantage. Um there's point taken on the on the bus going up Johnny Cake, but uh as far as I remember, there's not a traffic control sign that say there's no no buses. So um we can say we don't want it, but if absent any kind of ordinance, I think we would be at a disadvantage constitutionally um for people saying I can I can do this because there's nothing preventing it. Um, you know, so would you be in favor of an ordinance? I think I think we need to start looking at what other what other towns have because

if it's if it's something that is going to be uh problematic, then we should absolutely look at it. Uh the, you know, Pilgrim's Landing is is very small. Um, I would love to to take a look not only at ways to help facilitate that uh when when that occurs again, but um there there is some uh communityowned land and air there that abuts it that is not really being used uh by the community that owns it. So, I I kind of was wondering as I was parking cars last year if we could somehow persuade them um to to somehow ex actually expand some kind of way in a joint venture to make it more accessible for everyone. Um, and maybe maybe we can look at congressionally uh some of the CDS funding for that.

That was due today. Oh, okay. So, oh, hey, there's always there's always recreational recreational there's always recreational grants. There's always another grant. So, um it it is it is tight there and there is there is a possib but I think there's possibility of maybe doing something. I'm getting a little little off topic, but that's okay. Um, yeah, I think I would think we start by looking at what other what other towns are doing. Okay. So, I'll pull some homework and provide it out to you once I get it from the other towns.

Okay. Um, the next one up is a possible settlement. um if you remember we had that animal control issue last year with the 27 animals that were taken from the houses and we had um was down in Miami Beach. Uh they have a um charges against them pending from the town roadline cheshure. They also had Cheshure Chesher dropped their charges in having all the animals signed over to them. Eventually, they did sign over the animals to us, but there were charges incurred from the cleanup, not the clean up, but the various feeding of the animals for the number of days that we had them. Plus, we had legal charges that we had to do through the lawyers to present everything because all the charges went up to Cheshure and it was going to be heard in the Maritan courts between the two towns. So, basically, we would be going to court by ourselves at this point. Um the lawyer for the family reached out to us and offered us $3,000 to settle the case. They owed about 17 between vet bills, etc. Uh that vet bills feeding and uh the extra personnel that were required to take over. Um I said I wouldn't take three. Um I asked to start at 15 and we've gotten an agreement from them to take 10. So I told the legal department that I would the legal team that we would bring it before the board of selection on whether or not we can accept that and he has the authority to write us a check though his their lawyer has authority to write us a check for 10. If we so degree, our lawyers say that we would spend more in

the court system uh to get to the 17. So that's where we are.

Any thoughts? Anybody want to make a motion to accept the 10? I mean, I I I agree that taking it to court, it's not a slam dunk that we're going to get the full um or full charges uh compensated for, and it's not a a slam dunk that we would get our legal fees paid for, and it's not a slam dunk they end up actually paying it if the charges were against them. So, 10,000 to seems like u I'm pretty at least it's something. It's it's more than half. So, it'll get us some way there and we probably do well to accept it.

Uh, it's not optimal, but is there any possibility of some kind of faxing rather than straight court? I didn't ask that. Um, I think that would have been in consideration if that was possible, but I don't I think you'd have to proceed to make sure that the charges were agreed upon by the court system before you could do anything like that. Can't just put a lean on the house because this is she doesn't have a she doesn't have she has Yes, she's been arrested, but she hasn't been found guilty.

Well, it's it's a civil I mean, we're recouping civil costs, right? We're not that's going to bring up the illegal. I can ask those questions and bring it back to you in two weeks. I just don't want this. Well, I would prefer not to let this slip your fingers if they decide not to pile it. But I can do it. I can ask questions. I can call a Well, I can't call a special meeting because you're not going to be around. But we can have a special meeting. We can have a special meeting and decide if that's the case. I can ask those questions. Yeah. I mean, I just I I would

in most cases these things are usually this is the way they're settled. But um I'm happy to reach out tomorrow and if he says yes, we could. But then I don't know how, you know, it would be years before we Yeah. because they have to be during a sale or whatever. Yeah. Yeah. So, I mean, I'd like more, too, but I wasn't going to take three. And I said, "Go start at 15." We never negotiate up. We start up and then move down. So, I was going to be happy if they had taken 15. He said he has the authority to offer 10

to settle. Anyone want to make a motion? No motion at this time. I'll do the homework. I'll come back. John and you and I would have to have a meet special meeting. We can do it even via teams if we need ways. That the way we're going to go. Any thoughts? Um I would be fine with settling for the 10, but if you guys want to uh think about a little bit more, that's fine by me, too. Your thoughts? You were the I mean, if we can I mean, if we can get more through another through another means, I guess I mean, I think it's worth asking questions. Okay.

I mean, if they're not willing to wait a couple days, then

Right. I'll table this. Well, they'll wait in a couple days March, but I'll do table ask questions. I will contact the attorney tomorrow and we'll get back. All right. Um, parks and w just a discussion only. Over the years, there's been discussion about park and rack and other things that the town of Line uses um and how um and financial contributions and parks and wreck has questioned it and uh other town departments have asked for thoughts. So, I just want you both know that we had some initial discussions with the town of line and that's totally where we are. Just initial discussions um on how they might be able to um support some of the programming that students up there use and also um some other administrative fees. So, they are in discussion, we're in discussion with them. We had a very productive first meeting and um Christy is mentioning this at their board of selectment meeting as well today. But basically that's where we are. So I just wanted to let you know. All right, moving on to adding tax overpayments. We have our list of overpay tax refund requests from Suzanne Thompson. Uh, again, I'm sorry these were received after the agenda went out, but can I have a motion to approve these five overpayments?

I'll make a motion to approve the five overpay tax refund requests in the amount of in the amount of $16,173.91. I have a second. Second. Any further discussion? Hearing none. All those in favor of um me signing for the overpaid tax refund request signify by saying I. I.

I. Any opposed? Any extension? Motion passes. Thank you. The next one is that we added is our housing. The name they've come up with housing strategic planning steering committee. Um these have members representatives from zoning planning and affordable housing. I sit on as an exeicio and so as our land use coordinator Eric Nap. Um their mission well their statement of charge would be provide recommendations to the board of selectment on achieving compliance with the relevant requirements of public act 25-1. Members shall act as liaons between the steering committee and their respective commissions. Task re task recommendations shall include but not be limited to evaluating whether the town of Oakland shall should participate with Rivercock on a municipal housing growth plan or provide its own plan which would be later this summer. Any thoughts?

I think it's it's essential that we get ahead of this and uh having two representatives from each committee is a great idea. um they can provide their recommendations to us. Uh this is a a big question and the initiatives coming out of the state are going to have a real impact on our town and we need to strategize on how to take advantage of some of the opportunities but mitigate some of the uh perils that that are in this public act. John, anything?

Uh I'm fine with the charge. Um I I just have to wonder that uh when we say produce uh produce its own plan, it doesn't uh restrict us from perhaps going in with another town or towns as a joint venture short of doing uh Riverco is my only thought. I I don't think that this as written would stop us from doing that. I just kind of want to put it out there that that might be something to consider.

Well, we could change or produce what if we said produce another plan. That would leave open options if they choose to do something. Yeah. I mean, the it produce its own plan. I mean, I I guess our own plan could include another town. I think that leaves it open enough. Yeah. I just wanted to put it out there that that should be something to think about

and believe me either one of you if you want to go to one of the we'll set up their meetings but if either one of you want to take the exopicio role and go someday it's they're going to be meeting at 9:00 in the morning. Um so if you want to jump in I I'll step out so that we don't have any type of um conflict. So if you want to go in so that you can say your own pieces that's probably a good idea. Great. Okay. So, we need a motion to uh make this of an official um committee of the board of selectment.

Sure. I'll make a motion to adopt the housing strategic planning steering committee with the uh charge as stated. I'll second. Any further discussion? Hearing none. Call for a vote. All those in favor of uh beginning this committee uh please signify by saying I. I.

I. Any opposed? Any abstension? Motion passes. Okay. Old business. So there was a lot of discussion. Uh Hall Sidewalks proposal from Nathan Jacobson and the board of finance said, "Hey, why don't you get a re a read from legal?" So I wrote to legal and explained that we had applied for a connectivity grant for Hall's Road and that our engineer had given us um you know had gone through the grant application and etc. I provided them with the bid policy that the board of finance uses. Um, and they said that this does follow under their um section that says that policy shall apply to except for expenditures for professional services who are appointed to handle ongoing routine town business on a regular basis such as but not limited to time attorney etc. and legal says on the question of whether or not the described engineering services are routine professional services within the meaning of the attached bid policy at exception 9 we agree that they are so that is the proposal from Jacobson

that these that these do fall under they do fall under routine services and the other towns that I've spoken to that have done connectivity grants with their town engineers whether employed by the town or an agency outside of the account. That is who has handled it. So, I will be telling the board of finance this again tomorrow night and the money is in the budget for next year so that they will have funding moving forward. Okay, that's just an update to both of you and then we just need to approve the words that you changed um because was it probable? Let me just reasonable person standard reasonable person. Yes.

So, he has made that change. has worked through the situation with the ethics and so now if we could just get a motion to approve their revisions um with the noted changes that you agreed that you had brought up then we can let them move forward and that will go to town meeting. Great. I'll make a motion to approve uh the ethics commission proposed changes uh to include probable cause being a reasonable person standard. I will second.

Okay. Any further discussion? I'd just like to say that I really appreciate all the work the ethics commission did on rewriting their code and bringing it up date updating it. Um once again so uh all those in favor please signify by saying I I any opposed.

Any objections? I'm falling asleep at the wheel here. Any abstensions? None. Okay. Motion passes. All right, we have a motion. We're cutting out early tonight, not because of the Yukon game, because one of our selectmen is going on a trip and richly deserves to go on vacation and pack before they leave. So, if we could uh have an make a motion to adjurnn. All right, I'll second at 6:32. Thank you very much. All those in favor of adjourning. Hi Iris.