Town Council - Regular Meeting

Good evening. I'd like to welcome everyone to the April 7th, 2026 Winter Town Council meeting. It is 6:30 p.m. We're in the hearing room. Call the meeting to order and ask for a roll call, please. Council Costik here. Council Terry here. Council Malar here. Councelor Dimes present. Councelor Romano here. Councelor Rearen here. Councelor Finn here. Vice President Swope. President Lati here. See there's a qu. The meeting is open. Please stand for the pledge. I pledge

I pledge algiance to the flag of the United States of America and to the republic for which it stands. One nation under God, indivisible with liberty and justice for all.

Welcome to the meeting. And I see young the softball team. So I'm here and I I might not be sure of everything, but I'm pretty sure that you guys don't want to stay here for a long period of time. So I'm going to try to take you guys out of order. Uh but I'm just waiting. We we've asked the parks and rec director to come too so we could explain what's going on. So give us a few minutes and we'll take you as soon as we can. In the meantime, uh minutes have been circulated from the March 24th meeting. Is there a motion to approve? Motion by council, second by council malar. Any discussion on it? Seeing none, all those in favor say I. You guys have it.

We have three public hearings. The first is that the town appropriate retain earnings and waterway master enterprise fund uh and repair and and maintenance of the floats. Um I will open public hearing and ask if anybody would like to be heard in favor of this. Do you want to just give a brief over here? Sure. We've got the um repairs and maintenance on the floats down at the marina and we actually already have the bids out and back so we know we can honor this price is probably going to be slightly under 40,000. Um so we're looking to get that work done before the voting season happens.

And anyone here like to be spoke uh speak against this? and the council like to be close that public hearing like to open a public hearing for the town council to vote to modify general funds budget in fiscal 26 hearing is opened again this is just regular yearly switching of funds around depending on where it's needed as we approach the fiscal year which is June 30th anybody want to be spoken anybody would like to speak in favor of this anybody in the audience like to speak opposed to this council or

yes just for this one and the previous motion just as a reminder it did come out of finance committee with a favorable favorable recommendation as it's this one is routine business and the other one is is uh repairs that the town manager would like to get done before the end of the spring so they both came out with favorable recommendations okay and go through those areas. Thank you.

All right, we close that public hearing and let's open another one. Amendment uh amendment to add new ordinance 8.37.00 land disturbance and erosion control. Uh this is an ordinance that's basically been handed to us from the state that we basically need to comply with. I will open the public hearing and I'll ask the DPW director to speak about a little bit.

Sure. Uh as you mentioned it is it's a mandated ordinance from the state. Um it's for projects where land disturbance is greater than one acre or there's multiple smaller projects that are related to each other that would exceed one acre of of land disturbance. It's it's for the protection of the town. It's the uh best storm water management practices on these projects to protect surface waters, private public property. Certainly a good for the town and like you said it is a mandated state. Anyone from the audience wish to speak in favor?

Anyone wish to speak opposed? Any councilors have any questions? So last vice president I um I I sent note maybe Kurt has some answers to that. Probably you do too. It's not a question that everybody are going to follow this. I just have some questions about it. Um is the effective date now? As soon as we The effective date is as soon as you voted.

Yeah. Um, what current plans require storm water management permit from the town of public works? Are there any that we need that we have in in place right now that demands any projects that are Yeah. under way? Yeah. Um so the way it's been being managed uh

in the past and and currently is that um typically DPW you know reviews everything goes through plan review of the bigger projects. uh conservation commission typically has had you know the the final oversight and the ones that that creating the order of conditions for these projects but it has been a you know a combined PCW conservation building department but they were all there was nothing on the books that that spoke to larger projects and we don't have very many of them we don't have that much available land for these size projects um but uh you you know, the state wants all municipalities to have this language on there.

So if we put together a plan, then that becomes a bigger plan, right? And in other words, that might be something that we do have to really. So if we had a huge if we had more than one acre and we had 10 projects that we had combined as a as a plan for the town then does the storm water issue become a bigger issue or we don't have to worry about it or what have we got here?

You talking for a town project or any project? Um all town projects all of our engineering has you know is basically has the requirements of this storm water um the storm water measure measures built into the engineering of the projects. This is more directed towards private contractors and private developers and making sure that um you know for those projects that the town has you know the proper oversight on those on those projects that the engineering is out of our control. Oh yeah. They pay for it. They pay for the private private they have to follow the requirements of it.

Okay. Um, and could we pass an audit if somebody came in and looked at our storm water management system? Could we pass an audit? What kind of audits? I don't understand what could we are we doing what the state says we need to do and so could we pass an audit if if the state came in and actually looked at our storm water? Yeah, absolutely. Okay. age. But yeah, I mean we have we have everything that's required, you know, and then, you know, all of our alcohol pipes are permanent and and you know, uh, inspected and tested, but you know, we're doing everything with the state providing.

Great. And so, um, and this ordinance doesn't affect our buildable land at all because we could are there are there properties where we could not put a proper storm water drain on them and therefore we couldn't build. No, this particular ordinance again is the land disturbance of over an acre. Okay. But thank you so much. Any other questions?

Seeing none, we close that public hearing and we'll open public comment. And before I public comment, I'm going to let speak uh in regards to softball and and I can comfortably say there isn't a bigger problem with girls sports at this time. myself and I have a lot of similar issues but have been discussing them over the past few days and I'm incredibly happy and appreciative that the DPW director um DPW I just gave you a little bit of that parks and rec director Sean Driscoll has uh run down here just to answer some questions as well. So, if someone wants to be a speaker, yes, just state your name and

Good evening. My name is Brianna Rosado. I'm a junior at Winthre High School and a member of the Winthrop varsity girls softball team. First, I would like to read an email that was sent on Wednesday, April 1st, 2026. As of today, April 7th, we have not received a response from anyone that it was addressed to. After I read this email, I will give you some updates that we were given to us verbally and yet to have been materialized. Dear town council president Latiri, town manager Marino, and superintendent Howard, I am here to bring attention to an issue that has been of growing concern to the WHS girls softball team. The long promised construction of a dedicated softball field that is yet to materialize. For some time, we were assured that a dedicated softball field would be developed to support our athletes, families, and younger programs. This promise generate excitement and hope particularly among young players who deserve a safe and appropriate space to practice and compete. Unfortunately, despite the assurances, no meaningful progress has been made, and the project appears to have stalled without clear explanation. The absence of this facility has real consequences. We were scheduled to play our very first home game on the field at Engleside on Tuesday, March 31st. We were promised that the field would in fact be ready for such game. At the last minute, we had to change venues and not to a local one. We had to play as the home team in Hamilton went. Last season, the girls played on Saluchi Field and had to before every game along with their coaches, make sure the field was groomed, clean up any debris, and put up a temporary rollway fence to make sure there was a clear visual of where the outfield should be. And after every game, after the girls competed, sometimes well after it got dark and the girls had to break down the same fence in store. I'm not sure if anyone is familiar with these fences, but it is a lot of heavy pieces for them to handle. Today, April 1st, 2026, the girls held their very first practice down at Engleside. And to say that it was in deplorable condition is an understatement. After their practice, the girls put some effort into cleaning the fields in hopes that when the

contractors that were supposedly hired to work on the fields come, they did not have to deal with it. What they collected is astounding. We have some pictures that are attached. From our understanding, the Winthrop Foundation gave Parks and Recreck and the school department a substantial grant to make this field a home for us. We just want the same opport opportunity to have a field like the boys do. While Engleside is not any in any way ideal for us, we are willing to accept that there is a place where we can play. There are no locker rooms, no bathrooms, the girls have to find a way to get to the said fields immediately after school to be on time for their practice. They have to change out the school and lug all of their equipment and belongings there. This clearly looks like a Title 9 violation in many people's eyes. We respectively we respectfully ask for the transparency and accountability. What has caused the delay? Is there a revised timeline? What steps are being taken to ensure this project is completed. The girls deserve honest communication and a renewed commitment to follow through on what was promised. We remain hopeful that this issue will be addressed promptly and that the softball field will become a real reality in the near future. Our team has waited patiently and is time to see action respectfully with our softball packs. Here are some of the verbal updates that we received. On Thursday, April 2nd, we received a phone call from Sea stating that the fieldside just needed to be regraded in the bases put in. He said that he expected that our coaches in AD would have kept us informed of such happenings and that the guy who was working on the field would be there over the weekend to do such tasks that never happened. Friday after our game that we had to play on Little League's a field, our athletic director addressed us and told us that our field side would be ready to play on for our game Monday, April 6th, 2026. Yesterday we hosted SUS guess where not at Engleside but at a field because our field was not touched by anyone. While we do understand that the weather does play a big role in all of this, there has been many opportunities

for work to be done on the field before the season started. We were also made aware that the field at Engleside was being dedicated to Mr. Charles Dominico home Monday. I believe our coach had asked if maybe it could be postponed so that the softball team could attend and they were told no. This was a huge disappointment to see to us seeing that before the boys first varsity home game, they dedicated their field to former athletic director Mr. James Evan. the whole ceremony. And if memory serves me correctly, one of Mr. Evans greatest contributions was his leadership in implementing Title 9 in 1972. For those of you that do not know what that is, it guarantees equal athletic opportunities for female athletes. I think that if Mr. Evans were still here today, you'd be so very disappointed to see that in 2026, we are still just fighting to have a field to play on. I would invite anyone to go look at the condition of the field at Engleside. The saw that was laid in November is not adhered and there are giant gaps. It is also not flat and there are giant mounds which makes it unsafe to play on. The back stop was supposedly fixed but is currently peeling up. There was trash and debris all over playing all over the playing field that we had to clean up which we took pictures of. We were also promised dugouts. Every time we have reached out regarding the progress of them, we have gotten no response. We'd like to know when when the 8 $81,500 grant from the Winter Foundation was distributed to parks and recck and the school department and why is taking so long for there to be clear decisions being made on this project. Last year, we had been promised that we would be able to utilize Salucci Field. Money was given to us, money was given to have the field prepped and repaired for it to be playable for us. Well, that turned out to be a disaster. Work on that field never began until after our season started. We only played a handful of games there. If soccer was playing, we are we were not allowed to use the softball field. And things that once again were verbally promised never happened. Our coach grac graciously put

in $3,000 of her own money to have dugouts constructed to shelter us from any elements the season threw at us. Now, we are told that Saluchi is slated for JV boys because we took their field at Engleside. Meanwhile, RJV girls play on C Cfield, which is a T-ball field. All we want is to not be rushed off a field or told no, we cannot play there because another team is using that field. A fields, where we currently have been playing and practicing, is meant and prepared for little league baseball. We are constantly pushed off by boys coming onto the field and into the dugouts before we are even done with our practice. JV has to be off their field by 4:15 every baseball game day, cutting their practices short. And as far as Saluchi, the backup fields, we never get to use and we never get to use it because of soccer. For those of you that have daughters that may play other sports, how would you feel if maybe they did not have a court, a rink or field to play on? I could go on about all the verbal promises that have been made and never gone through with, but I would probably be here all night consuming your time. I started this journey my freshman year with a petition that had well over 250 signatures to get us a regulationsiz softball field. I've stood in front of department heads with a presentation with data on why this town needs a softball field for us. And here I am, my junior year, still asking that this town does the right thing and makes our field a real reality. We are simply just asking for transparency and action on this matter and not fingerpointing and bullying. First of all, and I am going to respond to this public comment because I don't I know public comment is usually just given to us and we take it, but this is a different matter. And um first of all, I just want to thank you for so eloquently and articulately stating

truth, right? Um I 100% from the beginning thought that that is where that the girls should have a dedicated field for themselves. playing on a soft on a little league field is not ideal. Uh let alone, you know, it's not a grass and field. The mound is different. There's a lot of differences there. It's nice in a lot of ways. It's enclosed. You have, you know, a wall out in the outfield. It's got some pluses, lot um benches and such, but um but it's not ideal. And and I 100% believe that you girls deserve much better than that. And I think this field is going to be. Um, I did receive your email. I did not reply because I did reply to I did have conversations with other people because it it was disappointing to me and I live right across the street there. Um, I I do think and and I really appreciate Sean coming down and hopefully can explain a lot of these situations, but you girls deserve a field. because I'm not demeaning girls, women, but you deserve a very nice place to play as do every other, you know, kid in town for whatever sport they happen to be playing. Um, I will do everything I can to make sure that this is quickly done and giving you girls the time. I mean, spring sports just goes by so quick and weather plays, especially an outdoor sport, weather plays such a dramatic role, and nobody wants to play home games at the Wfields, and it just thinks parents really want to see the kids play and they deserve to have a nice place to play. So, with that, I am going to turn it to the town manager if you think to Sean. I'll pass. Sean, I talked about

Sean. Anyone else want to speak first? I don't know. Well, I think we should just respond. Give us an update on where we are. The history of y

girls softball since I've been here for 27 years and also was part of little league for a little bit of time. The girls softball program at the high school always played their games at the little league field for about 15 or 20 years and not always didn't never really worked out at times but some little league years it worked out good some years it didn't because of conflict uh between people. So um with that said you know they got through it. We brought it to the school under the past AD and the AD before that that the girls should be playing their home games at Sloochi Field. Now the rule in town is this when it comes to playing fields and reserving them. The school stuff comes first for two reasons. One, they have a deadline. They have to finish their season by especially in the spring where the weather's horrendous. Okay, they have first right to everything. A field, Saluchi Field, Engleside, wherever they want, they get it. Okay, that's the that's just the rule and it's like that in most towns. Okay, so we always said you should play your home games. We had the men's uh the adult league down there. We had some youth programs down there in the past over the summer, some summer camps, but none of them ever wanted to play there. So now we have a new coaching staff, new AD and I think we met probably last winter with uh Mark Dorio the AD when he first became the AD and Tony and Tony was let's make this happen. We were fortunate enough to be able to put a grant in for the foundation got rewarded. We said the best spot is Engleside Park. And one of the things that was good about Englishside Park was it was kind of underused for maybe eight or nine JB baseball games a year. From what I understand at Little League, the girls softball program who I met with last Saturday, uh, Kelly, they're expanding. They have a lot of groups and a lot of teams. So, it was going to be used by them in the summer and the school during the spring season

and any other tournaments they want to do or any summer leagues or whatever. I said, "It's a perfect spot." And two reasons why it was a perfect spot. It is in the center of town. It's not near the school, unfortunately, and you do have to bring your stuff to the field. But one of the options was we have a hockey rink that's attached to the old middle school gym that's still there. The girls could use the hockey locker room as a locker room to put their stuff and arrange for some bathroom facilities through the rink. That was discussed. One of the things I said that that would be a great spot. Also, storage there for rakes, shovels, and everything else is not adequate now, but we could have put it in the old middle school for now until we could possibly build something, which we also talked about. So, now let's get to this year. We start the field. I want to say it was probably November for availability, pricing. You know, we had DPW go in. We had to take out a lot of material from the 90 ft diamond which is baseball diamond uh technically with the help of Steve and his guys they came in did it trucked all the stuff out of there got it ready to go and then we went shopping for a vendor who could do it who had the good references who did work in the town before and we got it going. Okay. So in December it probably ended the work and he goes I got to come back. I got to regrade a little bit. I got to put your anchors in and I got to do some more work on the saw a little bit, but the stuff will still take and it will still be ready to go once you start the season. Well, if any parks person will tell you that does anything with fields or recreation or outdoor activities, a lot of things have been cancelled, not even have it. A lot of communities switched. For a perfect example, yesterday the boys u baseball team couldn't play at SOA. So had to come here. That's just one example. canceling the girls JV game. That's a school thing. That's a schedule, not a recreation thing. So, with that said,

now we can't get the guy back cuz if anyone knows anything about Engleside Park, it floods. It's bad shape when it rains all the time. It just it's a mud pit. That's a perfect place to put the girls. Can we just let him speak, please?

So, he could not come back. You can't bring tractors and stuff on the field. Oh, it will be damaged even more like the first time we did it. As you can see, some repair spots because they sunk in. So, I said, "You can't come back until it's dry." And he agreed. He goes, "The safer way safest way to do it." Now, if you look at the weather forecast next couple of days, it's better. He is scheduled to come back here Thursday to finish what he has to finish and hope be ready to go. But with that said, if it rains Wednesday night, which I hope it doesn't, and there's puddles there, he cannot drive and do what he has to do to get on that field. And that's what's been said to a lot of people. My communication with the athletic director has been the same the whole time. I want everyone playing there. I've been telling them what the issues are, but it doesn't seem to register with people that you can't finish due to the conditions that are there now. And the conditions weren't made by the contractor. He's just not done yet. That's it. Hopefully Thursday is done and you can start resuming your games. But I will say between the town manager, Steve Calla, myself, and everyone else that's put put a lot of effort and time into this and the winter foundation, it will be done. It will look nice when it's done, but it can't be done until you can get back on the field. And also to keep in mind, there are two places to play softball. And again, young lady brought up youth soccer. Youth soccer uses most of that field down there for practices and games and it's been like that for a million years, but we've always made it work. Marty O'Brien is the president of youth soccer. He's a great person. Helps me out with everything I need. You were scheduled to play there Monday. Um Mark and the school uh personnel could not get the field ready to play. Parks and Recreation does not have a field staff. Parks and Recreation does not have a budget for a field staff. Okay. So, a lot of these individuals like the little

league for years, soccer, they take care of their own area, okay? And it saves the town a ton of money and we all kind of work together. Yeah, there's some hiccups in the road, but I will say this that they had the opportunity for years to play at Saluchi, always got pushed aside till the new coach came in and I think it's a great great spot. We're going to have two softball fields for summer programming and stuff the rest of the time. So, I don't know. what to say about the weather and the conditions, but hopefully by Thursday it's done. And to answer your question, over the money that was given to us, only 46,000 I'm sorry, let me rephrase that. I think about 50's been spent right now. That's on the demo and the fieldwork. And then the next question is going to come up. Well, they want dugouts. Well, I want dugouts, too, but it's not going to happen in the middle of your season so we can get it done till over the summer. We have some volunteers that are helping out with that, putting plans together, and that's what it's what it's for.

I really appreciate you coming down. I I I don't see how that's fixed in the day how that Well, I think even if it's nice. All right. And and I was under the impression also that Doug were part of this and done for this season. But you can't pour cement in the winter. I'm not arguing. I'm just saying my understanding also was that we were going to have Doug outs there. My understanding was also that we were going to have a portable fence that was going to be that's the school that's got nothing to do with the No, I'm not. No, I'm saying foundation money that's got nothing to do with us on that.

The school is in charge of their fencing and stuff. The fence can't stay up all the time because it's still park. People still use other things. It has to be broken down and fortunately that's what we have. And as far as lining the fields, is that still possible? No, I know it's still the schools and they understand. Yeah. Once he leaves the final, once he's done with everything, he's going to shoot the lines, follow lines, all that, and then it's up to us to take care of. Is there going to be follow pole on each? There's one follow pole. Now, we're going to install another one based on where they put the fence. So, they'll be able to connect the fan. I haven't seen the fence yet, so I don't know what it looks like, but I guess they have one. And then we got to find a place to store it.

Right. Now, we also maybe we're going a little straight here, but it's still the same place. We're also we also and I don't know if this was proxim if this was proxim or not, but there was a a storage shed down there kind of near pickle ball tennis courts that seem to have that was the farmers markets, right?

Um is there some sort of shed we can get to make sure that there are breaks in there to that needs to be store? design of the the design of the dugout, the homeside dugout will have a shed attached to it similar to what you see. I want to say in the first base dug first base dugout at the high school, they have a storage thing next to it and it'll be locked. It be like a regular door, metal door, and they'll be able to put their supplies, their balls, their bats, whatever they want to put there. and to use if if they so choose to use any facilities at either the rank or the coordinate to make sure that they have adequate place they can change they can do

springtime with the rink I don't know how it works but as far as the girls locker rooms available that the same want to use for hockey they can transfer them in there get dressed in there that was always talked about that was one of the reasons why we picked it because they didn't have their own place and they did have to travel the other thing we brought up as Well, we wanted to make cops and pock softball as well, but that was one of the reasons why we didn't do it because it traveled for the kids. We girls drive. So, with that said,

I look forward to seeing it be finished as well. I'm just as anxious as everyone else and on the phone asking every day, when can you come back? Sending videos and pictures to him to see if he can do it. But again, it comes with a cost. If you don't wait to do it the right way, it's just going to cost us more later on. So, do we know a cost on on dugouts? Oh, what's that? On dagouts? Uh, there's nothing been floated yet. I have a guy who's volunteering to put a plan together, but I I would say probably about 20,000 for what they're looking for. We still have money left. Yeah. Well, told you. And I understand there's a lot. I just want to make sure from the concert.

I just don't like the idea that someone's holding up people from playing on purpose. This isn't someone doesn't want them to play there. It's just the fact that the weather has killed everything around here. And any athletic director or rec director will tell you it's been a nightmare. I I I don't disagree at all. Excuse me. Excuse me. Uh it it is sometime it's hard when you know we'll look at the veterans field and it's like geez that field looks great and it's like the girls hey you have two daughters I have a daughter I understand and it and it irks me

uh on a lot of things in terms of different sports and and it just seems you know sometimes perception is reality. I understand you want them to play as as bad as I want them to play, but um I I just want to try to make this as a priority one as we possibly can. I'd like to get a copy of the girls schedule, too, to see uh when your next home game is. I assume it's Friday. Friday.

But I have um also on Veterans Field, the work that goes into that is by the coaches, the players after they get it set up. So that's I don't think there's someone personally just handling that. they can handle Engleside. That's something that should be looked at in the future. If we want to get stuff ready to go, there should be some type of maintenance person wherever he falls under, I don't know, that handles the ball fields for both the school and the town. What is What is the type of infill in the infield or the softball? It's just regular infield mix. Same as veterans. Same thing. Same mix.

It's just the location of it. It's got to be constantly groomed. Someone's got to put a tractor on. I think Mark went down and did some work on the tractor to try to get it ready for practice, but it's just too uneven. It's not ready. It's just not. They have fencing and something to grade it with. Yeah, it's just not ready to go. It's just not ready. Hopefully, we get a better idea Thursday. But the girls are always welcome to Sloochi Field at any time. They come first down there for games. Okay, we just need notice. They're welcome to the little league field. even though they don't like to play in the league field, but keep in mind that at the little league field, they played there for a very, very long time leading up to last year. So, with that said, we'll make it work so we can have

It's not ideal. It's not I think they deserve more and I think we're trying to do that, but um I I will take more comment. I can't respond more. Um, but you have my word and please, I mean, I'm easy enough to reach and uh, if you even want to sell number, I don't care, but I want to make sure that we could prioritize this as quickly as possible. Um, so black. Nope. Please, if any of the other if the girls if Yes. So, I have something to say. The just your name just for the record. Oh, Juliana Mangi. The soft the little league a field. It is the pitcher mound is a baseball mound.

So for pitching on it, it's a completely different mound. So it's different for the pitchers. I don't think any of them are here today, but it's it's a completely different system and it's very difficult for them to pitch on it, which it's a different game. Baseball and softball, we have they have grass fields and we need dirt fields. So, it's very difficult to play on that field. As much as we want to play on that field because we want to play home games, we want to get out there. We're not wanting to travel to different towns to play our home games at. We can't It's difficult to play there because of the mounding situation. We got in trouble because of the mound situation a couple years ago. And it's difficult to play there with the conditions that it's at from pitching pers perspective. in infield perspective as well.

Thank you. Um any other of the girls our parents? Okay. Yes. Um so just again um so my question is Sean was did you say it's the coaches and the girls responsibility to take care of the field? I'm not saying that for the softball thing. I just know with the varsity baseball team and maybe the JB team, I don't know. If you go down there and the coaches and the kids are doing something down there at the end of practice, before the practice, right? I'm not saying they have to do that. Whatever the system they come up with, which they and they have been doing.

Yeah. And I'm sure they have. And it's just it's like I said, this community could really use someone who takes care of all that stuff. Gets a schedule in the morning, knows what fields have to be ready or a couple days before, and going out and lying the fields and get the boots on and the ranks. Yeah, that's basically what needs to really happen. Um but unfortunately even with even if we had that that still would not have been done. So with the boys high school baseball who's who takes care of that field who takes care of Yeah. who takes care who lines it? Who ras it? Who does all that? Coaches and the and the players from what I understand. Okay. And I could be wrong. Maybe there's someone else that helps, but I'm just get I'm just saying this is what I've been told.

Again, I have daughters. I I'm not sure if I thought that there was a staff that take that took took care of the field. Not that I'm familiar with send them my way. I have a lot of stuff. Is there a plan in in place to to to put a a shed down there for them to have all that stuff like to rake the field? I know you said that they could use the school for now, but is that something that's in the plan? Yeah, it's part of the whole doggo project.

Okay. If I can just interact there, one of the conditions when we went on the phone call and petitioned the foundation for the money, there's a lot of these concerns came up with regard to maintenance and making sure we maintain the field after we invested the money. And we did promise and you'll see there's money in our capital plan for that to have a little money set aside to make sure that we maintain this field, whether it's buying a shed or doing whatever we need to do, rakes and things like that. So, we did commit to that and we will uphold that. I mean, I've asked for the last two years to try to create a platform, you know, it's anti public spaces and I I understand it's always comes down to dollars and cents, but it's just an investment in the future of the town because again, nobody wants to spend money and then just see it. Just again, just name it.

My name's Christina Moringi and I actually am like involved in all of these things because I'm on the board of Winter Little League. I have a daughter and I have a son and I've been working really well with Sean creating the youth softball program for the past few years and I couldn't agree with him more. I mean I do see the boys down there doing their own field. I'm on the little league board. We do our own field. It is kind of a disgraceful that that the town doesn't have a position that helps this. I mean, I was down there on Sunday mornings with my trunk going to the little league field, getting my own rakes, bringing them to the sali, doing my own raking, lining my own fields, coming back, bringing the chalk all over my car, you know, and it just it really we really do need a position in town that, like Sean said, somebody who gets a schedule, takes care of the fields. It's a lot of work. We all have, you know, children in this town. It's a small community. There's only a handful of fields and they should be maintained correctly just like all the other um towns that we travel to.

Um my name's Nor Zapini. Um with the locker rooms too, like the youth locker rooms at hockey like they're like for all of us to be changing in there like that's not really like ideal. Like and you're not going to shove us in the boys varsity locker room. Like you're going to put us in the girls locker room for varsity hockey. Like I don't think we want to be like sharing like like obviously we will but like I don't think we want to share our space between two sports like we should have our own lock. Do you know what I mean? Like okay just um I know Sean you said that um high school sports take priority. So, but we are getting we have been getting some push back from youth soccer essentially saying like we can't use the field on this day because there's soccer practice that starts at I don't know who kind of like so I'm not sure like where that

I I understand that and I I think I addressed that yesterday couple people there see when you have a new coming in like literally changes hands every so many years board members coaches people that handle that. I think the same thing happens with soccer, but between myself and little league and youth soccer, we've always managed to work together to make sure we got it in. Now, with soccer, they're not they're affected a little bit with the smaller fields, but their big field is still in use when the girls play because you can put the fence up. You can do some things down there. Okay, so that's always there. And this is what drives me kind of nuts nutty sometimes when people say this person said that I don't even know who that person is but no one takes the time to call me and ask ah send a quick email what's the procedure I had a meeting last Saturday morning with some of the girls softball uh people about that and they were kind of shocked about some stuff that they didn't know but again it's just you know maybe it's my fault for not getting information out there to everyone every year I don't know but I will say that no school program has ever been turned down from any field because you have deadlines to make. You have deadlines. You don't see it in the winter because it's all indoors. The rink, same thing with them. I think you get the pri uh prime ice time because of that. So, I don't know. It's a shame that it's not done. I feel for you. I get it. And I call every day. So, hopefully Thursday we get a big chunk of it and you're playing there Friday. If not, we'll just keep on and get it done and hopefully the weather stays good. That's all I can say.

My name is Nicole Rosado. Um, so I just I want to say I don't think anyone is pointing fingers at you, Sean. I think the girls just genuinely want everyone to be transparent with them. They're getting, "Oh, yeah, you can play on the field on Monday. It'll be ready to go." We all know it's not ready to go. Us as parents know that it is not going to be ready on Monday. So with that said, I think the girls are just looking for transparency and honesty. They don't want to hear one answer from one person, another answer from another person. And like Briana said, we're not here to point fingers. We're not here to blame anybody. We understand that the weather plays a role in all of this. Um, but the transparency part is the biggest thing to them

and I think that is a good point and I think sometimes communication goes a little bit sideways for people hearing maybe what they want to hear but at the same time when people predict something maybe they shouldn't predict maybe they should tell you two weeks out and if it's done sooner it's better off we go up what people say to myself or Mark for that matter um so we get that and the weather changes it and he can't come that day. So maybe it pushes it back two or three days. Correct. So and maybe when that happens, maybe you can, you know, say to the girls, "Hey, we got a phone call from or have Mark just come down to the This is this is a school activity. I don't overstep my bounds if they ask me. I'll be glad to notify everyone."

It doesn't have to come from you. You can tell Mark and Mark can tell them. We're in good communication, but I think sometimes you hear what you want to hear sometimes. And that's sorry that's what I believe or they're being told certain things. Yeah. Any other public comment on the girls softball, right? It's Tuesday night, right? I'm sorry. Yes.

Uh Chris Evans, who who's you using for for the field? Because we've had Veterans Field's been rebuilt. A field's been rebuilt. We're having a B field rebuilt tomorrow. I'm putting in a proposal next week to have seat belts skinned over to turn into a softball field. And we've done we've done three fields for less than $12,000. So I I'm just curious who's who's being used. The guy's coming tomorrow. I can we I can see if they can come down the field.

So they can New England turf. We've used home field home home field turf before. But Veterans Field is done. How that's done. I'm not involved in pricing. Hold on. And then the SA field, the little league people came to me about scanning that field two years ago. Two years ago, we talked about doing it and they didn't want to do it. Now they want to do it in the middle of their season. I think it's a great idea, but again, the B and C field is on school property. That's up to the athletic director in the league decide how that comes about. It has nothing to do I'm not saying they have anything, but you're talking about pricing wise. I'm on the little league. I'm the vice president of little league. That's why I'm bringing it up because we're putting proposal in because it was pushed back two years ago.

Cfield shouldn't be a baseball field. There's no need for that to be a baseball field at all. It should it should have been a softball field two years ago. I don't know why it wasn't done two years ago. And I think they don't want to play on they don't want to play on the A field. I don't want to see them get yelled at for something that's out of their control. So I I just I'm just curious. I can give you some vendors you can shop with and look around. Well, no. We have a vendor that's done all the that's done that he did Veterans Field after he did a field for us. That's why I was asking. I'm not bl I'm not I'm not placing blame. I'm just trying the same I think it might be the same company. Oasis did Veterans Field. Well, it depends on what year you're talking about. Yeah, he just he just did it. I can find out. But I'm not trying to blame I'm just trying to You could You could blame me for all you want. I One thing I'm not I don't want

I make a lot money more money if I can control the weather. I'll tell you. I'm just trying to get them to get on there. I'm just trying to get the girls on their field as soon as possible. Sure. Me too. They don't want to play in the baseball field. It they've gotten last year there was problem with Luchi and they had to plan a field and it affected the little league and and it caused tension. It doesn't need to out of their all out of their control. Never been told no field.

We have somebody I know it's not you but this year they little league softball has been told you're not using the field. As long as it's going on, the nets have been put placed between shortstop and second base. Nobody can you can't go on that field. The Saluchi field is huge. I don't know why we can't have multiple youth sports use the same facility. Yes. And it's going on. It is going on. It's going to happen. And it's just it's just a shame that they this has been going on for years that they don't have a field. That's that's why I'm asking. I'm not placing blame. I'm just want to know how we can help.

Yes. Um, we have been told that we have to get off of Saluchi by 3:30 because of soccer. So, we've practiced from 2:45 to 3:30, which is not a long practice for a varsity level sport. And as well as in the middle of games, balls would be kicked, soccer balls would be kicked into our fields into our outfield from soccer. So,

um, hey, I'm Aaron Barcelis, 365. Just real quick, y'all, I'm so sorry that you don't have a softball field. Like, if nobody if people have not played softball before and or if they have and they've had to play on a baseball field, it just throws everything off. Like, nothing works, right? besides what would be helpful from community members like right now like where you guys are having to do like all these things like is there could there be like a contact like if things need to be moved or cleaned up or helped out can we work on building some of that up for you guys so that's all I want to say at least in the meantime

okay you will hear from us over the next couple of days you guys If you want to stay, you're more than welcome. Thank you.

1972.

Thank you. So there were homeless people living it's being it's being rebuilt back. Yeah. So just so you know when the weather changes from winter the spring obviously people looking right away for the good weather and hit the playgrounds hit all this stuff. We are correcting some major stuff at master playground um not major at Engleside some minor stuff that we went around with and it's going to take some time to replace some swings and some other uh conditions. So if you get any emails, calls, we are on it on all. We went through all seven parks the other day and then getting some calls in your beach, but I just want to know ahead of time. So um you know it's pretty much all documented.

Thank you. Continue with public comment, please.

Excuse me. Public comment, John. Yes. Well, uh, this is certainly a hard act to follow, but I'm going to do my best. Uh, John Morgan, precinct 4. Uh, each counselor in front of them has our winter commission on disabilities as their second edition handbook or resource uh, book. I hope you have a chance to to go through it. All these all the information in there is for people with with with disabilities. And uh our second edition has some more resources uh that I hope that you can go through and hopefully if you know someone who has a disability, a family member, a friend, and you think that this this can help them, please uh use this book uh to to its maximum I hope potential. Our Abor Commission on disabilities is working hard uh uh to make this information uh known which is which for many years uh nobody knew that that anything like this ex existed and I wish I could talk more clearly but I'm trying. Um, if you find someone who could who could uh use this book, please please pass it on. Um,

and thank you. Thank you, John. Much appreciate, Jack. Let's uh be very brief. concern

Mr. D's name and precinct concerns the litigation going on with the massport contract of the tunn the FAA and Massport are involved with the sound of houses in winter. Hope the homes in winter. The program is funded by a search charge applied to tickets of each airline passenger. Logan Airport services 45 million passengers a year. The FAA also has an acquisition program. This cons area of town than what they usually conform to as hard as sound. I'm talking about an acquisition program for houses online particularly street a big problem street the FAO has an acquisition program homeowners will be paid market value at its highest and best use. So, uh, if people want to get out of the water down there, they can sell their house and then that that goes to it. They sell the house, it becomes open space. Nothing else can be built. So, you won't have a flooded house down there anymore. It's time for Massport to pay a search charge per passenger for the use of town owned property that they use to land planes.

This is a simple and fair solution. And like I said, it's already in use by the FAA to do the sound proofing. That's that's how the funding is is provided to the towns. sound proof of houses. So it'll continue very easy solution. The town council should institute a committee chaired by councelor Joe Romano to lead the town to a better future. Joe is the future. Thank you. Correspondence. Denise.

No.

Committee reports. Finance. Council test. Hey, Council President. Finance Committee met Tuesday, March 31st here in the Harvey room. In attendance were councelor Dimes, councelor Tinary and councelor Weirden, also council member Swope and for the town of Sarah Johnson, Robert Manor Marino and for the citizens advisory committee on finance, Cam Chavez. Uh we heard discussion on two motions that are coming before us again tonight. the appropriate the motion to appropriate retained earnings in the waterway harbor masses enterprise fund for repair and maintenance of the floats and the motion to modify the general fund budget for 526. Both motions came out of the committee with favorable recommendation. The first for the waterway harbor mass enterprise fund is to cover meter repair maintenance on the floats. It is just limited to the marina floats as explained by the town manager. It does not include any work at the ferry terminal. This is just for the marina floats and they want to be able to do that work as soon as possible. So we uh voted to send that to the council full council with a favorable recommendation for the modification of the FY26 budgets. This is a this is a routine business kind of action that we're moving funds or the manager requested to move funds from specific accounts that were under spending for FY26 into accounts that needed additional funding for FY26. Uh, one of the major sources of that funding was from the certification of free cash to the norththeast regional vocational

operational and debt service line items from their FY24 budget. So what happened was in FY at the end of FY24, Northeast Regional Vocational Tech School had their funding certified by uh DLF, Department of Local Services. They got their excess deficiency letter, which said they had extra money they needed to return back to the towns as one of the member towns. They had to return it back to us and that was reflected in the FY in our FY26 budget. So the room in the FY26 budget is allowing us to move funding from those accounts to fund a handful of other things in the town budget. On the operational side, it's going to fund some consulting services, some personnel, some materials, uh some software licenses, the repair and maintenance of one of the fire vehicles, and some fire training services for new um new firefighters. On the capital side, it's going to help fund the first payment of the pumper engine and help fund that's for the northeast regional funding. There's another move in the police line that's gonna they're going to forgo buying new tasers this fiscal year and put the funding towards repairing the police station where they added a new bathroom to the front to pre-security public to the public area in the in the police in the police station across the street. Um, so that's also came out of the committee with a favorable recommendation to allow the town to continue to do it business with fiscal year 26. Thank you. The constitution if we could just take these two motions out of order and just go

back to old business. Um, and the first one if you would like is the town appropriate retained earning these waterways mass enterprise fund maintenance of floats. Um, if you would like to just read that motion again, we can just take it out of Sure. Do we need to go take it out of order? Motion to take these two items out of order. Is there a motion? Motion by councelor D. Second by Vice President Swope. Any discussion? Seeing none, all those in favor say I. I have it. Councelor Tess.

Thank you, Council President. This motion is for $40,000 from the retained earnings account for the waterways to the repairing maintenance in of infrastructure of the waterways account. Text of the motion reads I move that town council appropriate from retained earnings in the waterways master enterprise fund the amount of 40,000 for extraordinary care and maintenance of the floats in the marina or take any other action there too. The retained earnings balance at the end of this motion will be $97,979. This came out of committee with positive recommendation. Anybody have any discussion? Further discussion on I roll call, please. Councilor Costan, yes. Council Taser,

yes. Council Malow, yes. Council D, yes. Council Romano, yes. Councilor Rearen, yes. Council Finn, yes. Vice President Swope, yes. President Lat, yes. Motion passes. Council Tasinari. If you would like to read the motion for the general fund transfer.

Yes. Thank you, council president. The title of this motion is a fiscal year 26 general funded budgetary transfers proposed by town manager Anthony Marino. I move that the town council vote to modify the following general fund budgets for fiscal year 2026 to better facilitate current budget needs or take any other action relative there too. The funding sources for these moves are the, as mentioned previously, the Northeast Regional Vocational Operating Line, the the Northeast Regional Vocational Debt service line, the fire department generator that during discussion was explained that it was going to be pushed to the new construction. We're not going to need that generator for the existing buildings in the police t. Total of those reductions will be $234,500. The funding destinations, as previously mentioned, are consulting services, personnel, materials, software, licenses, repair and maintenance of the fire vehicles, and then training services for the fire department, as well as the first payment for the pumper engine and for the payment for the repairs of the police station in that public area. Uh the total for funding destinations is $234,500.

Thank you. That also came out of committee with a positive recommendation. Does not require a second. Any further discussion, questions? Seeing none, roll call, please. Council, yes. Council Tesseri, yes. Council Malaw, yes. Council Dimes, yes. Council Demano, yes. Councelor Weirden, yes. Council Finn, yes. Vice President Swope, yes. President Lati,

yes. Motion passes. Thank you. Thank you, Council Testy. Vice President public out there were a couple of meetings that we had. Um one I'll just briefly tell you that it's online and it's also the earlier meeting that we had of our health I'm sorry of our health safety and public works committee. It's it's online and um so you can listen to that and I also made some notes on it that you can also see. uh present was uh Steve Kella and Stephen Calandra who is our fire chief and Meredith Eurley was online as well as Marty Finn, Paul Rearen, Susan Swope of course is chair all three of our committee members were there but the committees charged with oversight of the department supervised by the town manager and some of the uh highlights of that meeting although you can listen to it in full is that the fire chief is always concerned concerned about overbuilding and it's a fire safety and a medical risk. So, it's it's a threat and we have to either find ways to curtail parking or make sure that people park or or make sure that we have more one streets. It's still a problem and particularly a problem with the gates are closed um from reveal that is also a problem. Um so staffing is as Steve Kell mentioned is of concern. The good news is that we're able to hire uh I wouldn't say consultants. We're able to hire outside staff since that budget stays the staffing budget stays. So, we're able to hire temporary employees if we can't find full-time employees. And I

think they do a good job of that. And um we talked about whether that's a bad thing or a good thing. I mean it's Steve would love to have full-time employees because the the work that they do is more consistent in terms of timing. Although it's not bad to have somebody who is also good at what they do come in and take charge of um some of the problems that we have there. Since chapter um 90 money depends on the amount of roadways we have. smaller towns often don't get as much funding from chapter 90 from the state as other towns do even though the work is similar. So um I uh the next steps on that committee meeting is that we need to put strategic priorities in writing I think and identify some recent trends. I'd love to see some more high level metrics for each department. And I would also like to see more top level strategic risks with metrics that the committee should monitor and perhaps more data is needed to be collected on why people leave, not just because of money. Maybe there are other reasons that we could um look at. The next meeting we had was tonight and it has to do with the um with with a motion that the town council vote to grant permission to national grade to install I J pole on Pauline Street beginning at the point approximately 237 northeast of the center line of the intersection of Pauline Street and Fremont and continuing approximately 24 ft in in the south direction national grid to install a 45 foot class 2 pole on southern walkway of Pauline Street in the front of 22 Pauline Street. This pole is

needed to install new OxrfM that will be feeding new apartments at 22 Pauline Street and because existing nearby poles are at capacity. This um this came out of a discussion and I um and R. Sanford is here if you have further questions about it. But this is a poll that we need to put electricity into already the existing units that are there. We do need to cut down a tree for that and um Mr. Sanford has agreed to um install or plant a new tree in replacement of that. But this has to do with how far the electricity can be from any um pole. I mean trees can be from any pole. So it has to be 10 ft and so therefore that's what we have to do. There's perhaps we should take a motion on that and we came off committee positively to recommend it.

This did come out of committee with positive recommendation. We could also wave it both to the motion take it out of order. Motion to take it out of order by councelor Romano. Second by councelor Tasinary. Um discussion on this motion and I will say my discussion would be we'll we'll vote on this and then we'll talk about other items. Uh I have any other discussion on this specific?

Mr. President, just a point of order. Um and a reminder national grade is the applicant Mr. Sanford um somebody needs to apply to the tree committee for um a hearing to take down the tree and that's one of the requirements is public shade tree. So they just need to have final contact the tree committee have that hearing on it and post it properly and then we can take the tree down and you know hopefully give permission to Would somebody like to make an amendment to the motion to just add pursuant to the applicant? There's an amendment uh made to pursue into the fact that the applicant will make to the committee to have the move made by vice president SW seconded by council Romano.

Um so now we'll take the motion as amended. Any further questions? Seeing none, all those in favor say I. Those no. Thank you. and to further we had further discussion about the concerns about double polls. The situation continues and so we hope to have some metrics on that of how we're going to eliminate as we go along behind double polls. Um, we understand that National Grid, Comcast, Horizon need to work together better and we'd be looking forward to that process and hopefully um we our recommendation is we bring National Grid and Horizon to this committee so that they can help us be better stewards of our land and also reduce things like double poles on on our streets. And finally, the the committee discussed the need for understanding what it is that we need to help you all work together and so that we are of recipients as a customer of better service. Thank you.

Thank you. And just on that also I will be requesting that at our first meeting in May it's possible to have national grid and comcast and Verizon here uh and also to discuss the electric lines that are in the tree and see what steps taken to eliminate that which is another process chief you already called in and create the request so that job is already designed so is now I expressed that in the previous meeting.

So it's another word request. Now we just waiting. We need two things like can it doesn't need to be like that formal but it can be just like an email expressing like from from the town saying that once even that it can be redundant redundant because the the town already create the request but for our forestry guy they need like a formal like an email that's saying that you want to move forward removing the tree and the other thing we need an agreement for the Paul because it's a private parcel but it's owned by the city. Yes.

So I already submit that to Chief Helandra email the the Eastman form. So after I get that information we can pass that to our right away group and she will do the agreement but it's already done. It's already designed. Thank you. We will have that information for you shortly and we will expect to see you here first meeting in May. Thank you Vice President uh Swope. And if you want to make a few comments on your listening book. No, listening is fun actually. I just had a question about the the lines in the tree again. Yeah. Is it that's going to involve taking that existing tree down? Yes. The we're talking about the the one that is in the fire station. Yep.

Yes. Taking the tree down or taking the wires out of it? So, it it needs to be so taking down the tree. Okay. Well, that's going to be a discussion that Yes, that's like actually and actually that was like the formal proposal from this that was the request from from fire sheet. Yeah. Well, we'll have to discuss that even I'm not a forest. I know you guys but it looks like like a sick tree. Okay. Well, we could we'll have a professional decide. Thank you. This is the tree that's another issue. That's another DPW direct.

Yeah. Just just real quick while we get you in the room. Um and I know you're genuine when you pitch these projects. I truly truly I've known you long enough. The last two projects that you that you have been here to to uh petition for um they didn't they didn't get built the way you said they were going to get built. both both locations, double poles left and the sidewalk panels are still in dirt. They never came back to to sm. So, you know, this is Pauline Street. It's a great project. I understand the need for this, but that's our gateway to the center business district.

So, you know, not that it's more important than the other places. We got to get this right. You got to go back and you got to correct those other locations and make sure that they're they're they're finished the way you know you promised when you petition the project. You know, we're here to support you, but you got to follow through with those other projects. President, did you have did you want to respond? Yes.

It's true. what that I came before and I finally we met like few times before even like petitioning with Mr. perspective and at least the good thing was that I got the understanding what was the concerning about the double poles. So we bring from national grid perspective like a new way to design this the this these projects. There were like two projects that was the Ocean Art project and the last one that I remember was the Shirley Street. Shirley app the what the street and road and ocean. Exactly. Ocean got six new poles and they're all double polls now. Yes.

So what I want to say about that one is even that I came here to to petition that one that petition didn't pass and and and actually was not petitioning. At the end of the day, the problem was that I redesigned that project three times because to find a solution because we didn't get the approval from the town for a I was requesting two poles at that not replacing requesting new poles. I didn't get that and what I got was to install a new call on customer's property and because didn't go through and it was so advanced and it passed like almost like a year and they were needing like to do all the renovation for the heating and AC system. That project went through without the requirement that I promised that was no double PS and sidewall restorations. So for that project specifically, I have to check what I can do at least for the sidewalk restoration is something that I can do. But honestly, I don't have like a like for example like I just hey I just told the last time called for a new word request and I can do that. It's easy. It's not going to be any charge on the town obviously to to take down the tree. But for this one, I don't know how to h get the money to repair something that I even my case I didn't put in the design that the cyber restoration. Now the double poles I know for for example in the other now Shirley Street in this case if they haven't done the sidewall restoration I can do that I can do something because in that project I included so I just need like to push on the civil contractor to do it and he's going to be doing it

now the only way that I can solve double PS is what we call I I expressed that last time like we call like couldn't kick So we cut this existing pole, remove the boat and use the same hole and just a small chunk of wood is left over until all the transfers get done and in that case Verizon that is the last of the list he do and he's like by agreement he's the one who's responsible to remove the B in the and it's true in shame because it makes me look like a liar. that I came here and just after that five new double codes but in that now that what I can do is okay maybe where other projects because after that if I'm not wrong we have only petitioning like two world requests I we have other one but they are whole and I understand Mr. because it's the only way like to try to do something. However, in those double polls in I think that is the majority. It's not only Verizon or or the other third parties that are the one who are holding to eliminate the DS in most of the cases is because in the at least in Ocean I know because I check it is part of the engine system that the national join on utility system there is like a list that who goes first and who go after to do the transferring of the wires and now actually those PS are by the town because the fire alarm wire.

All right. And we're going to go over this more detail. So, thank you. And you know, we just want more just like the girls were just softball. We just want more transparency, more communication to make sure what we promise gets done. What what I came Sorry, I came proposed is maybe even like I know that probably you have been working with Tammy Aido like with directly with her. It's not my but I can go with Mr. Steve or someone that you want and see which one are the the things that probably even I'm not aware probably where like project that were before I can and start talking here but it believe me that I going to be doing all what I can do

right my my only request is that you walk the project after it's done you walk down there right now you're going to see dirt piles in the sidewalk you can't walk past the hole and it's dirt it's it's not ADA companted I mean, it's just a it's just a mess. And who do we who do we go after to get the work done? Does it fall on DPW, right? We go there and clean it and sm the panels. No, no, no. Well, I do because someone's going to fall over the piles. Yeah. So, as in the engineering department, we only design the projects. I only get like that notice when you notify to me about something and I can do something.

Who do you recommend we speak to? No, in that case you can do it with me. I'm not like avoiding the responsibility and I can move forward. I even like the last time I sent an email which one which projects are like the ones that I can I can check it again and for example for the Shirley Street one is something that I know that I can do something and restore the sidewalks. It needs you know it needs things but it's much better condition than Ocean. You can't walk down the sidewalk. We're going to we're going to continue this. We're going to ask you to get some information to us. We're going to move on. Did somebody else have a point on this? Vice President.

Oh, I'm sorry.

These are just an opportunity close to sometimes they bring up issues, sometimes they bring up disclaimers, sometimes Anyway, so so that in the listening post we did have um some questions about tracking complaints and followup actions and I think we're already trying to do that in our town council.

We did have uh some questions about who's responsible for doing what and this came up particularly in snow removal. So, you know that John Morgan brought up the fact that when you have a a bus stop that's in front of a house, a bus stop in front of a of a business and a bus stop just because it's a bus stop and it's not in front of anybody who takes care of taking care of the snow removal. We don't have to worry about that today, but we'll have to worry about that next time. And if it's always DPW, then that's one thing. If it's MBTA, is supposed to take care of some of that. Um we'll just have to let people know about who's responsible for it. And then we talked about um just improving communication when town events and emergencies happen. And I know that uh I know that we worked hard on that one, but um there are still some concerns about that. the um the tall ships events, the community a community triathlon suggested winter farmers market, all three um had some traction on that. So, we'll see what happens. I don't know if we'll do a triathlon, but that's that went to the Chamber of Commerce, the Winter Farmers Market went to the um senior center and um we'll see if that goes anywhere. And of course, the activities the tall ships. I think Tonyy's already on that and talking about what we could do collectively to make that happen. So, thank you.

Thank you, Council Mal.

Uh, rules and orances met last Tuesday, March 31st at 6:30 p.m. Uh, in attendance was councelor Dimes, Counselor Romano, and myself counselor Malar. Uh in attendance we had uh DPW Director Steve Kawa and on our agenda we had the motion for the new ordinance chapter 8.37 land disturbance and erosion control and also motion by councelor Romano to have multiple multiple member body meetings that have zoom or other virtual attendance capabilities posted to online hosting or town website. Uh the first discussion we started was with the ordinance uh for land disturbance and eros erosion control. Director Coward did speak up. You heard almost uh same kind of explanation of what the ordinance is uh and and how it's required and we needed it. Uh he spoke during our meeting for that. Um we also had uh with that motion we did uh have a full favorable recognition of a unanimous uh affirmative to move that uh motion forward to the council. The second one for the uh council Romano, excuse me, having the zoom or other virtual attendance capabilities posted online or hosted. We did discuss it. um different avenues. We'll be sending requests to the town manager to see if we can uh get some information on storage capability whether through our IT department or uh hosted in on something like YouTube. Um there's additional questions and what it would cost and everything. I'll send an email

out once I once I have everything. Sorry for my voice. Um so that'll be coming out. We did uh have this continued the second motion continued. Um it will be on our next agenda.

Thank you. Um so we did have one motion coming out of there and as we did with the other ones if we like motion by council take out second by council dimes. Um, and this is a motion that the town council vote to add chapter 8.37.0 land disturbance and erosion control to the town current ordinances. This came out of committee with a positive recommendation. Does not require a second. Is there any discussion on this? Seeing none, all those in favor? Uh, let's take a roll call. Council cost. Yes. Councilor Tinary. Yes. Council Malaw. Yes. Councelor Dimes. Yes. Council Romano. Yes. Yes. Councelor Rearen. Yes. Councelor Finn. Yes. Vice President Swope.

Yes. President Lati. Yes. Thank you. School department report. School committee.

It's Council Mal said it's going to come up in his next meeting. Will be in the next next council meeting. Um And it is on the agenda though. It's still in committee. As long as it's still in committee, it's not discussed. We will have it on the agenda for next meeting. We we will discuss it in committee. We come back. Um school department did meet last evening. Um relatively brief meeting. The discussion involved basically around two subjects. Mr. President, I'm sorry. I did. We get a actual motion and a vote on the national grid. We did.

We took a Okay, that was me. The amended motion that Okay, you're right. That's making up. Thank you. Thank you.

Um, again, two items basically that were discussed last night. One was contract negotiations. Um, I said there was supposed to be a special school committee meeting to tomorrow night. That meeting has been postponed. There's potentially a meeting next week. Um, and again, all discussions, activity, and such are on the school department's website. Um, so you can look there for follow-ups. Also, the superintendent informed us that at the next school committee meeting, there would be a budget presentation for the school and they work incredibly hard on that. And I thank her for her work with policy committees.

It's on the website. It's two Mondays from last night. So, Committee is the 27th. 27.

Um, update on policy committees. Conservation Commission certificate of compliance for 30A Main Street approved on April 1st. Next meeting May 6th. Board of Appeals continuation of 190 OD Street on April 16th. Applicant seeks a permit to build a 2 and a half story dwelling on 4,000 square foot lot. That's before the board of appeals. Uh, next meeting with the planning board meets April 13, 2026 and the winter board of license meets April 15, 2026. Town manager report has been circulated. If Tony wants to add anything and then I'll open it up for questions.

No, just um, councelor Vice President SW brought it up with regard to the uh, uh, the tall ships. We did have a meeting with MWR. Um they're far along in their planning for that event. Obviously, there'll be some uh traffic uh disruptions up around Point Shirley. It is only one day uh July 11th um when the boats come into town. A lot of people will be getting there early because they like to go out and get their spots. You know, they get out as early as 6:00 a.m. and they go out to the Deer Island and they try to, you know, get on the docks and get a good viewing area. Um we're going to be helping out with shuttle service. And then we're going to be looking to do what we did before with some food trucks and what whatnot along Euro Beach because there'll be a lot of foot traffic, you know, walking down there and things like that. So, uh, they've got a good plan in place. We've got some follow-up meetings and as we get information, we'll get it out to everybody with regard to, you know, the timing. Um, looks like they're going to sort of stop everything at Tapsav and then let everybody either shuttle or walk up from there. Um, and then we'll certainly put some notices out to the Point Shirley neighborhood. I know in the past we've done something with parking passes and whatnot, you know, for Point Shirley residents. We look to probably recreate that and things like that. So, we are working on those things. More to follow on that. And then also, we've got the uh talking to council president and others on the council with regard to the uh 250th celebration. Um you know, there's been some traction uh with the boat parade and things like that. Um you know, I know there's been talk about maybe piggybacking off of the tall ships and maybe the next day there was some concern about being so far after the 4th of July that maybe there wouldn't be people like that interested in it at that point. So, we'll see what's happening. We're going to reach out to the yacht clubs to see because obviously we'll need their support and attendance and help with that. So, we're going to reach out to them and see if we can target a date and obviously bring it back to this group. I know councelor Dimes reached out to me with regard to helping out if anybody else wants to help out and jump in. Yeah, council. Thank you. Um so, we'll look to get going on that and hopefully have a great event for the 250th as well. Um I did send out the um list of uh grants that we had applied for and some that we weren't we that weren't able to apply for. Um, and then we put the maximum

grant totals in there. Obviously, no guarantee we would have gotten that maximum, but you know, those grant totals are in there. Uh, there are some grants in there that we did not get because of it. Um, I did send some follow-up emails. One on the um that were attached with that one was obviously the letter from the um cooling corridors grant, you know, that said that, you know, we didn't get it because of the 3A. The other one was um the fisherman's Ben grant. Um they actually referenced 3A as well in there. And then the other MVP grant which everybody else got that we didn't you know I would assume is 3A but no way to prove that because the denial letter just said and you know you weren't you didn't get qualified this year and that was for the Morton and Banks area and then there's several grants this year because they've sort of up the Annie we can't even apply for some of the grants whether it's you know green communities um the commission on disabilities grant um the school grants that we haven't included yet but we will and then the um the waterways grant some of them we can't even apply for there's a box you have to check on the application And that gets to, you know, council Romano's question, you know, do we have any proof? Well, the proof is we can't even get past the application page because we have to check the box if we're 3A compliant and we're not. So, um, you know, those are the the running totals and, you know, some of those grants and certainly we can differentiate if people want, you know, between the ones we got letters or not, if that, you know, makes people happy, but there is potential there. Like we got 225 out of the 250 when we asked for the commission on disabilities a year ago when we did the ramp on the library. Green communities, I've never been turned down. I mean, I've all the communities in here. we've gotten the max amount. So, I mean, certainly I would anticipate we'd get pretty close to the max amount of that if we were able to apply and things like that. So, I mean, there was definitely some impact from that. You know, you never be able to prove it 100%, but that's, you know, based on past history, there was some impact from that. So, I'm certainly open to answer any questions on that, but uh and that'll be a, you know, floating doc, a working document. I mean, we've got grant applications that go in all the time. We'll keep adding them and taking them off and um as we get them and updating the dates. Uh, one of the other questions council m has a dates there's a application deadline that's the date we applied. So that first column that it's in there that's the

date we applied and then there's a date awarded and whether we got it or not and then how much we got and things like that. So that's all and certainly open council cost. Thank you town council president. Excuse my host voice but yeah just the um the tall ships itself.

Yep. I'm a little surprised that precinct councelor uh Romano was not included in those meetings where he is severely impacted in the point Shirley area. Um I think he's uh somewhat curious as to what will happen and he's gotten a lot of questions already as it relates to the tall ships. Uh I would want to make a recommendation that you consider putting him on and in the next several meetings which I know are scheduled. uh it that would be very helpful to the uh the uh residents of Point Shirley. It's going to be heavily impacted. I wasn't requested that. I mean, these have been staff meetings up till now, but certainly if a counselor wants to attend, I wouldn't have no issue. I would recommend that.

I'll make sure is okay with it, but that's fine. Yeah, there wouldn't be. So, well, there I there were security protocols there and things that internal stuff that they don't want released publicly. So, I I'll just make sure I ask them. That's all. Thank you.

Thank you. Thank you, Council President. Uh Tom Manino, thank you very much for this for this list. The spreadsheet really lays it out clear. We lost out around two and a half million so far in counting. So that's disappointing. Um, I don't see anything that we missed out on that's going to be hurtful to our operating budget unless I make Okay. No, not the operating. That's just But again, it's additional things that need to be done. Yeah. That we can't get done. Yeah, that's that's what that's what I was going to ask.

There is an impact on our capital plan like the green communities grant. We look to do some weatherization projects and, you know, energy upgrades. like those are things we'd incorporate in and we would fund that. So there is a little bit of impact not so much the operating fund but you know the capital plan definitely on the capital side and on the you know maintaining a good state of repair on many things across the town and certainly being impacted by not having this funding available not even and this is not even including the uh the cavalier mark funding that is also unavailable because of our non-compliance. Um, we haven't got a final answer on that one yet. The one we asked for the fire station. We're still waiting to hear back on that. So, I won't say that's dead in the water yet. Yeah.

I'm still No answer. I'm still holding out hope. Yeah, I'm still holding out hope on that one. No answer is an answer. No. Well, yeah. You know,

um, just like commentary in terms of the council is here to advise the town manager not be a part of every single um meeting internal meeting that that town employees have just it's not really our place to be in inside the operations of the departments of the town. We're here to advise to vote and give instruction to the manager. It's not the same as being in uh in the room I guess so to say for for various meetings.

That's I mean the only you know as far as council man and then whatnot I mean that's fine to invite just a lot of times these meetings happen during the day. So I mean I know with people's work schedules and other schedules sometimes they can't be available but you know we'll make every effort to you know certainly I mean I know council president and other councils have attended meetings. I don't have really a big issue with it, but I just, you know, as far as that's fine. Thank you.

I do appreciate seeing the spreadsheet of all the grants. Um it it's showing that there is financial injury to the town now um where potentially over period of time such as the MVP grant even though say it's not part of 3A but uh losing that money does uh hurt some of what we'd like to get done in town. Um, so what I'll bring up with grants again is that a lot of grants we get, we also have to tie in town money with projects that we do. So sometimes there is a little bit of balance with the grants is yes, it's hurting at some points um, and other points it's beneficial. Um, so it was good to see this laid out. Um, I did review it. Um, and I think it'd be good for the public to see it too, so they get an understanding. Um, and then tying into the tall shapes, I know I know we did a parking stairs one year,

right? Is are we going to try to attempt to do that with a free sticker to residents down to at at the point. Yeah, that was the talk. Yeah, because we had done that before and that was, you know, there was some question of whether or not it was use because once you're kind of locked in there, you're locked in there. So, once you're parked like we're not towing anybody, but it's, you know, we stopped the roads and we're moving people in and out with shuttles. So, um, working with the police chief and the fire chief to, you know, come up with a NMWR to come up with the best plan for that. But yes, we have to get parking tickets for the Point residents. That's was one of the topics of discussion. Okay. Thank you, Vice President.

Tony, we have you um did you follow aside from writing the letter about the the the cool cool quarters grant? Did you follow up anymore? I've called. I haven't followed up with an additional letter. I the that letter came from the council. I certainly can send the council, you know, letter from my office to that um Secretary Ter's office um with regard to the cooling quarters, but I did call. I would suggest you do that since indeed the cool the group that that gave us that possibility has said that they have nothing to do with 3A. They don't even know why we were turned down on that. So, you might want to follow up on some more of those grants because I'm not sure that all of them fall under 3A.

Well, that one specifically was in the you saw the letter that they referenced 3A in the letter. I No, they did, but it's turned around. So, look at it. So, I mean, when we did apply, as you saw further down in the grant application, there was a $75,000 application that went into that same program for this year. I just I just I'm just not sure that that what we're getting unless we get a, as you said, unless we get a formal letter where it says you are not eligible. And anytime you get a formal letter like that, I think I'm sure would love to see that because of what he's already he's already got in his file, already put it um is on our you know we want to show honor. Yeah. So that that's why we have

and I want to be clear that you know the two and a half million is you know you know some of it's real dollars but some of it's potential right it's not no guarantee you're going to get all of it. I want to be clear about that. I mean that's what we could potentially get but there's no guarantee we to get it but not being able to apply for it there's a 0% chance we're going to get it. So I mean that's you know punishment is you know not great and so um I'm sure with ciplets um now yeah no it's worked working I think it's great that we have that kind of proof

um thank you town council president thank you um town manager Marino for the report uh I just want to give a shout out to the tips project meeting Saturday morning that I attended thought it was greatly attended and presentation was excellent look forward to the to the remainder of that project being completed and um it was great. Um and thank you for the other updates on on um various things in town and I do look forward to working on the on the tall ship celebration. Thank you. Um sorry I just um have more questions about like how specifically the traffic will be like restricted. Is there plans in place yet or it's still in the discussion?

It's still in the discussion page. Yeah, we haven't. They're going to get me. I asked for a one pager so we could get it. Stop putting it up onto the town manager blog so people would know where the traffic routes are going to be, where it's going to be stopped. So, they're working on that now. We don't have it back from MW. I would like I would like to be involved in the planning of that, too. Whenever you have information, if you could just send it my way as precinct 3 counselor. Sure. And I also want to ask um you mentioned parking passes. So, what's the timeline for those because we we have to alert the public. We have to make sure they can all get them in time that we order them if need be. We're still doing decide if we're going to do that or do something else. So once we make a final decision on that and I want to be clear I mean it's your precinct but you know I want to you know read the charter and it's you know day-to-day operations as the town manager and planning these events as the town manager and the department head. So I'll certainly

I certainly welcome input but I just don't want you to think that you know there's going to be too much involvement as far as with other than just giving you information and you know you taking I just want to be kept in the loop. I understand it's a lot of time. I just I just want to you know I understand related we haven't had this conversation a lot yet. So I just wanted to make sure we understood the boundaries. That's all. Thank you. I appreciate that. Council at this time.

Uh thank you town council president. Uh town manager. Thank you for all you do man. Um yeah u you're working hard and it's and it shows. And um it's one thing about the 250th year celebration. would like to talk to you maybe about like a parade or something like that where local um you know small businesses can partake in food as well as um you know everyone loves a parade right we used to always have them in this town so uh you know youth sports teams showing up and um floats something like that something we could talk about nothing yeah nothing's been decided yeah we talked possibly a boat parade and then we talked about a you know in town parade so certainly cool open all sorts of ideas I'd love to do something great thank you

thank Just a couple of followups just you know talking about the grants. It would be good if we could get appreciate the list. It'd be good if we could get a list of grants we did get because for example if we got $100 million in grants 2 million isn't that big of a deal. So can we get that's on there as well. It is the money like the grants have we received I have to total it. I I didn't I I'll do I was focusing on the my can do the other one as well. Yeah. We can do a summary box at the bottom

and just and not sure if this or not but I I know council gets questions on this too. just on Euro Beach. Um, you know, summer comes really quick, even though it doesn't seem like it now, but there are going to be five or six openings there that residents are very concerned about. And there are some areas where they're just, you know, they're putting the BMS and they're just planting with because they don't know yet where they're going to go, but there's some that are relatively obvious. But I I just want to make sure and I don't know if that's a meeting, if that's a discussion.

No, we're going to have a meeting, but I'll make sure Council M's involved in that. We want to make sure and you know everybody out that lives on that you know stretch of beach because we want to pick with the residents you know where are the five spots where do you want them and like you said there's a few that are obvious but the remainder we want to make sure they work perfectly and then as I told you the grass will be obviously moved out and we'll put the you know Steve and his crew working on some ramps and then we'll have Moby Mats going out and then we'll make the openings of the fence and things like that. Can I just add one thing to that? So right now we only have 400 ft right and that's what I was going to say. We're not doing the whole thing, right? So, we can't pick five out of those, right? This summer, really, we're just putting one one set back at Babiew and there's going down the

coming coming the main way. Uh, and then the the other four will be basically on the on the remainder of the BM that's going to be built at a later date. As long as, you know, there's an understanding and people can expect that that

don't want them to think five go. We're not going to pick five on the floor. Um, old business, we did everything except again for the approval of the video recordings, which hopefully we'll be voting on at the next meeting, but discussing voting on uh new business, town council vote to adopt the retirement board's recommendation to increase retirees from 14,000 to 16,000. That will be referred to finance. Council, our next scheduled meeting is April 21st. As we've done in the past, we have the charter dictates two public forums a year. Uh the spring one revolves around finance. The fall one revolves around town services. Um town hall closes at 7 on Tuesday. So we've always done it where the council meeting will be 6:00 to 7. Uh it's a good break for the counselors, right? they have a defined time for council meeting but then it's the town department heads are required to go and it's they'll be working there so um I am asking for a motion to suspend read

I also miss something under old business um town council discusses ordinance amended

yes yes we'll get right back thank you Um, while I'm looking for this, why don't we go back? Thank you, Councilman. Um, town SC uh, town council discusses ordinance amendment uh, 17.52.030 use variance. This is something that came up a few years ago. I don't think it was ever voted on. Um it is something that I would like to um it it's under old business because we have discussed it in the past but we haven't voted on it and I don't think it came out during the last rules and ordinance right the last time we did ordinance review didn't it come out there for recommendation

it did yeah and it never got voted right but and you know I would like to get opinions from planning board and board of appeals um you know we're one of very few communities in the state that has variance I don't see the need personally but I I'd like to and again it is old business. We can discuss it but I still would like to send it to Wolves nondence along with the with the planning board and boards to get opinions but I think that's something that I know probably other councils would like to quote on that um in relatively short order. So yeah, you know the process right? It's got to go for public hearing comes back here. The council votes on it.

But I just don't want it to sit. It's been sitting for a couple years. Um, so if anybody, it is old business. So if anybody wants to talk about it or give their opinion, uh, if not, we're going to refer it also to to rules and ask the planning board in order. Do you want to send a letter to EPA asking for their thoughts and input on it? Yes. Yes. I just don't want this to happen. Vice President,

I've been going to these meetings and and use ordinance is usually the way in which a person asks for a variance. So the last one that came up was, you know, on filing. So I think we need to clarify this. Apparently this came up in 2022. So it's not as if it's a new thing. It's an old thing. But it's not only the variances that we probably have to think about and that's important, but the next one is about special permits. So I'm I'm fascinated about the lack of transparency. If if we have an ordinance, then you would think it's going to be followed, but often it isn't. So, let's get that clear. Let's tighten this up. Let's figure out when what we really want in terms of this town and make sure that these use ordinances don't go through and then trickle into something even bigger because it changes the entire way in which your community looks.

Thank you, Council. Anybody else like to committee? Can we take an official vote? I was reading Robert's rules. I think this is something we have to vote to send it to a committee. I just want to make sure we're following the process correctly. So, we have to vote to send send something to a committee. I don't believe we do, but Well, I'm not doing that now. I will get an opinion for a legal opinion for the next meeting. You just write that down. Thank you, Denise.

Thank you. Um, okay. So, going back to town business, uh, new business, there's a motion the town council suspend rule 2A of the town council rules and procedures to amend April 24th, 2026, a special town council meeting to begin at 6 p.m. or take any other action as well as there too. Uh, motion by council dimes, second second by council me. Discussion. Yeah, I it's cutting really close for me from school. um was I get back like red at six o'clock. Is it okay if we um amend the motion start at 6:15 instead just in case?

I want to make I just want to let everybody understand the meeting will end at seven. So that would just be 15 minutes. I mean we could if there's something on we could do that or if you'd like if there's something on the agenda that you would like for us to hold until you get there we could do that and get rid of the agenda.

Well I'm saying whatever is on the agenda. If there's something that you wouldn't want to be discussed before you go out there, this way we could get rid of the minutia or whatever you want to follow. We get rid of some stuff before. I just don't want to cut the meeting so short that we're limiting time to start. But I will you could either make the amendment or I will let you know once you get the once you get the agenda, just let me know if there's something. Hey, this is new business that I want to just make sure you hold it. We'll hold it. Okay. Yeah, I'll I'll

Any other discussion? Seeing none, all those in favor say I. You guys have it. Thank you. um appointments just motion at the I've made a appointment that the town council appoint uh the town council the appointment made by town council president of Hannah Belchure to the firehouse reuse committee uh for a term as long as the committee is in force and also So, um, town council president has made an appointment of Charles Newman to the firehouse range committee for a term as long as the committee is enforced. I believe that's five.

That's five. Yes. Okay. So that committee is intact now and we would ask them to start meeting having discussions making sure they're all sworn in and letting the council know when you know discussion I had down here MBTA 3A discussion. I I I was waiting for um some correspondence from councelor Cleta that I was just going to read into the record as to where we are and but I have not received it. So right now I mean he I did speak with him and we are still waiting for the AG. We haven't heard anything yet on our behalf of the

discussion. You can discuss something now. Um I want I want to make a motion relating to joining um attorney Vander's exemption case. I have a interjecting in it. Would I be allowed to do that right now? I don't think you can make a motion if it's not in the agenda, but we can absolutely. Uh I think says 3A. No, no, no. 3A is on the agenda. It's not. So, I can make a motion relating to that. You can't make Well, you can make you can't make a motion that hasn't been in the past unless you get approval from the council. Not in a reference to telling you the rule.

So, not whatever you choose to do. You want to make a motion from the council. And if you're opening up a new motion, are you trying to You don't have to submit submit a motion beforehand under Robert's rules to have it on. I'm telling you, you have to. Okay. I disagree. I appeal. That's fine. You can disagree, Council Romano, and respect my opinion and by the next meeting, I will have an answer for you. As of now, that's the way it's being done. I appeal your decision. Under Robert's rules, I have the right to do that. It's not being appealed right now. I cannot stop my appeal under Robert's rules unless it's an objective fact. I appeal I appeal to your decision. That's great. We're moving on. Do I have a second? We're moving. You're not running the meeting.

I appeal your decision. Council President I have the right under do that under Robert's rules. I can appeal that something's not out of order. Okay. I'm saying you're out of order right now. We are and I appeal the chair's decision. Do I have a second? I second that. I second that. Robert breaking the law. That's great. At the next meeting, I will say I was wrong. Okay. And I Right now, I You're breaking the law. Okay. Under Robert's rules, I am allowed to make a motion. And if the council president says I'm out of order, I'm allowed to appeal this decision. Excellent. Can the motion has been seconded? Can we vote on it? No, we are not voting on it. A motion, an illegal motion has been made and seconded.

This vote the council let the council decide it. Robert's rule is the central tenant of Robert saying you're wrong until I know for sure I am not doing it. If I am wrong I will say I was wrong. You've been on the council for a month. Please let's move on. I want to I a motion's been made. I don't want to drop this. It's been second. You're out of order. I appealed We appealed your decision. It's been seconded. You have no authority to do this. Council President public comment. No authority to do this. Let the record show. Thank you. Council.

Okay, moving on. Public relation annual rabies clinic April 11th, 2026 at the town landing masses building 10 to 12. Town council spring forum on budget April 21st, 2026. Shapiro auditorium. We're at the uh auditorium, right? Not at the senior center, right? At the high school, right at 7 o'clock. Uh we have not going into executive session. Is there a motion to adjurnn? Motion. Motion by council dime. Second by second council. Can we take a roll call to adjourn? Uh no. Any uh any discussion? Uh all those

under the council under the town council rules procedures. Any request to take a roll call must be fulfilled. That's in town council rules procedures. I'm roll call please. Councelor Costen. No. Council Tineri. Yes. Council Mala. Yes. Council Dimes. Yes. Council Mono. No. Council Rearen. No. Council Finn. No. You tell him how to vote. I didn't I was not I didn't say you just You just told him how to vote. I just I just fronted. Oh, you This is incredible. I was not I was not You told Let's retake the vote.

No, it's already been done. You have what? Let's finish the roll call, please. Wow. Vice President SW President Lati. Yes. Okay. I would like to make a motion. There is no motion to be not accepting any motion except to Okay. Um I appeal your decision. Thank you. So I'm allowed to under Robert's rules. Would you would you take an appeal or are you breaking that rule too? I'm going to break that. I think that's what you think I'm doing. Is there a time limit here? He can break those as long as he wants. There's no time limit. There's no time. Thank you.

That's good. Please.

because he doesn't already Saturday Sorry. Stay Yes. She's from She works.

Christmas and just came back very nice. I'd like to make a motion to suspend the rules and elect a pro Tim chair in accordance to Margo's rules section 62-10. Second. My motion has been second. You're not in charge.

I appeal the chair's decision. You're out of order. You're the one who's acting out of order. Oh, he is. He won't let you He won't let me appeal the chair's decision. that she has to follow Robert's rules. That's I know town council has received. You are not the um admiral of Robert's rules. You do not make the rules. You could keep reading them to do whatever you'd like. And I told you I would get an interpretation. I have the right at the meeting. The town council has the right to interpret the rules. We do. It's it's up to the assembly. That's the basis of Robert's rules. Interpretation of the rules is an assembly, not some mystical person you're going to talk to. I told it. You're not recognized. You're out of order. If you'd like to leave the next time you speak up, Jack, I'm gonna ask you to leave. Next time I say I told you, I would vote it. Please leave the meeting.

I'll leave. Town manager, please call the police.

Thank you. You're right. You're absolutely right. That's the way the best resource.

Awesome. Hey, sorry. Turn power off. No, me. I crust.

The cheeks. It's going to cooperate. This is a goodce. How do you apply? Yeah, send it. Pizza here. Pizza. pizza.

Thank Oh, Thank you, officer. Can you escort Mr.

Dow out of the meeting, please? As you wish. Mr. D. I just want to know why I'm being asked to leave. Excuse me, sir. Chief, Mr. I just want to know why I'm being He's asking you to leave. Please leave. Well, I just want to tell Mr. Lati that he's he's violating my rights under the Constitution. Freedom of speech. Not the place in time. It's exactly the place. He's asking to leave. If you don't leave, you'd be subject to arrest. Coming. on my end. I'm not I'm not in your arm. Yeah, you are on my I'm holding your arm. Yes. Yeah. So, he's violating my first constitutional right, freedom of speech. Come on. Let's go. You don't have to push me. I'm not pushing you.

Yes, you are. You're pushing me. I'm just holding. You are violating my freedom. No, I'm not. Come on. Yeah, you are.

Who's the dad? Come on. Let's go. the exact place. I just said Council President, who are you waiting on a ruling from?

I'm not waiting on a ruling. I said at the next meeting I will have a ruling. I said it's specifically council's meeting now. We want a ruling now. Are you making a ruling? We can appeal that. No.

Repeating what you keep saying doesn't change anything. I am waiting for I could be wrong. You could be wrong. There's ample evidence that says either one. When that happens at the next council meeting, I will make that deter. I will tell you the determination that was provided to me by legal counsel. I'm not doing it at 9:00 tonight. Since you've already called the special meeting for tomorrow night, I should probably have that answer for you tomorrow. Well, I would like to make this motion now. So, in case someone keeps saying it, it's not going to change anything.

Defining the majority of the council's very clear showing fact that council won't adjourn. Robert's rules is about the power of the assembly, not a single chair breaking the rules. It's never happened before for a reason.

A lot of things have never happened in the 22 years we've been here since you've been on the council. Disagree with that. disappears.

Yes. Awesome. I know you need to supposed to have to allow that motion. That's what it says. says the council council supersede where there's a rule of council to make a motion that's not specific on the agenda has been shared

listening. Do we have to pay sip? Council President, seeing that we're not doing anything right now, how about a motion into executive session to talk about what we were supposed to today as per the agenda?

No. I want to make that motion. It's on the agenda. Jesus. No, you're not recognized. I'd like to appeal the chair's decision. Am I allowed to do that under Roberts? Not recognized. I already discussed secular session. I'm not into executive session this evening. We could only go into executive session for this specific purpose and we have no information on it. What was that purpose?

Litigation to discuss strategy with respect to litigation of the chair if this chair of which the chair so declares we have a detrimental discussion in open session. Thank you. Sorry. It's okay.

Mr. President, can I make a motion for a 10 10 minute recess, please? I would second that. Yes, that's right. Uh second. Any discussion? Others in favor? We amend it to a five minute recess. I like 10. I make an amendment for um Does somebody make an amendment for five minutes? Amendment by councelor D. Somebody second the amendment. Second. Second by councel. Any discussion? All right. Vote on the amendment to five minutes. Can you do a call please? Yes.

Council cost again. Five minutes. Yes. Council Dary. Nope. Council Malab. Yes. Council Dimes. Yes. Council Romano. Nope. Councelor Rearen. Yes. Council Finn. Yes. Vice President Swope. Yes. President Lati. Yes. Motion's passed as amended. Is there um that was just that was just to replace the amendment. I council man I I've been doing this for 22 years pass as amended. Not amendment was passed to the motion. Oh my goodness. I want to make sure we're getting the words right. That's right. Clarifying question. Thank you council test.

Okay. Any discussion on the motion as amended? Seeing none. You want to roll call for this council matter? No, thank you. Okay, I do council president. Sorry. Roll call. Roll call. Council cost again. Yes. Tasineri. No. Council Mal. Yes. Council Dimes. Councelor Re. No. Councilor Rearen. Yes. Yes. Sorry. Council Finn. Yes. Vice President Swope. Yes. President Lat.

Yes. In recess till 9:09 meeting now back in order. Just take the chair to do that. Go ahead and do it.

Tony, right behind you. I'm going to need a cigarette after this. I'm going to take it off. I got a nice

This is a really nice thing. That's awesome. Would it be appropriate for me to read rule two? Rules and procedures.

Rules and procedures of the month of town council. Schedule the meetings and agenda. Uh I'll read B because B plays into this as well. Matters to be placed on the agenda for the town council meeting including but not limited to any ordinance, order, appointment, or other matters of business to be presented to the members for action at a regular meeting of the town council. shall be submitted to both the council clerk and the council president in paper electronic format by 1 p.m. on Thursday preceding the regular meeting at which such matter is to be considered. All matters requiring a vote shall be submitted in full in the form of a motion. Every effort shall be made to have all matters that shall be submitted for placement on the agenda accompanied by material sufficient to inform the council members of the nature and purpose of the agenda item. The council president of the council clerk shall submit the agenda in paper electronic format complete with all motions and attachments to the town clerk no later than 4 p.m. on Thursday preceding the regular meeting at which such matter is to be considered. Item C, other such other than amendments to existing motions, no business shall be considered by the town council unless there is a unanimous vote of the council to wave this rule. I'll point out that the council's rules and procedures over, you know,

can I can I respond to this? No, there's nothing to respond. I didn't respond. This is about this is about how to get things on the agenda. Um 3A is on the agenda. I'm making a motion related to that that falls within town council's procedures and that falls within Robert's rules. I'll point out there's no motion on 3A under but even if something under Robert's rules something says discussion council these rules supersede Robert's rules. I understand, but the rules are about the agenda, but it's on the agenda already. Town manager may all due respect, it's up to the town counselors to interpret the rules. You need to have a unanimous vote of the council to get your motion to pass. That's all. You are correct to make the motion. You need a unanimous vote of the council. No, it's already on the agenda.

Say no, but is already on the agenda. I'm not I'm not waving the rules of the agenda. 3A is already on the agenda. I'm to make a motion. Um, there is no motion on 3A on the agenda. No, but 3A once a topic is on the agenda, you ought to make motions related to that. Yes, you are. Not according to town council rules and procedures and Robert's rules. No, it's not. That's not accuracy. You're wrong. I disagree. Okay. Well, you can disagree, but that's not I can read and that's not what it says. You're not the only one who can read town manager. I understand that, but you're not. This This is black and white. I disagree. Clearly, it's not black and white. If the majority of the council is sitting here in silence, well, that's political. That's not

sure. Now let's play this. Council President rules you can declare the meeting adjourned. You need a you need a majority vote to adjourn even if it's un

uh not unruly. Just if all the agenda items have been have been if we have already gone through the whole agenda make it clear that the meeting is journ Under Robert's rules of order, when all agenda items are finished, the chair can adjourn adjourn the meeting immediately, often without a formal motion by declaring there being no further business, this meeting is adjourned.

Okay. Under Tom Council's procedures, there is something certainly about adjournment, isn't there? And isn't that Trump rules? So, doesn't rule 2C Roberts?

Let's take a look at that, please. Under rules. Here's the I don't see any in the council.

There's nothing in the council. Just as order of business. Just the order.

You want to adjourn the meeting for that process? have to process. Can I just take July September. Right. Right. That's nice. So, we're all done.

I I see it too. And believe me, you want nothing more than to adjurnn, but I want to try to do it correctly. And it it does say under Robert's rules when all agenda items are submission the chair can adjourn the meeting immediately without a formal motion by declaring there being no further business. This meeting is adjourned. It does say the next line if a motion is made it requires so if somebody made a motion if somebody did it required a second. So now will we under those rules once the motion is made or can I declare it and I don't know. A motion has been made since you tried to I I'm not speaking to you council. I'm speaking to the town manager. So

I I see that I can declare the meeting over the business is over. So I don't know if that's if a motion's been made or another way to adjourn is making a motion. If somebody makes a motion then it requires a second. So that or just you know the other option is finish counselor Romano's motion and if it's not unanimous then that motion doesn't carry according to 2C. wasn't you can't make the motion. You just have to disagree that there was a motion in the second about the 3A thing that he wanted to put on. If that doesn't get an unanimous vote, then it doesn't carry and then the business is over and then you need to make a motion. He needs to make a motion. Yeah. Allow that motion to allow that motion to take. Can I protest needing to do that? It's already on the agenda. The motion is not on the agenda, though.

Hey, is we're allowed to make motions related to that business. You're allowed to make You're allowed to make a motion to add a motion and that requires a unanimous vote. This is we've already discussed this new so we can't even he can't even MBTA is on the new business. Oh, it is? Yeah. Yeah. He can't even make a motion on it. That's actually new business. We were discussing different. It also says would another counselor like to make a motion to consider a new motion

and then if that does not get unanimous request then I could consider the motion the meeting the business of the meeting done and the meeting it doesn't have to be councilmano to make the motion at this point the majority of the council wants to do it but council you're not the majority inappropriate try to have some respect for the process. You're trying to get the process correct

and you've been proven to be wrong by by rule 2C of the town council rules and procedures. You could believe that it's wrong and and maybe you would be and that's the whole point. That's what I said 40 50 minutes ago that we will find out. There's ample discussion to say you could be you could have some merit. Council Tesser made a point. We could have some merit. We'll wait until the next meeting and we'll get a ruling. However, now I'm reading Ravit's rules. You choose not to make a motion. If somebody else chooses to make a motion, any motion, and if it's not passed unanimously, if it wasn't on the agenda, then I could then consider the meeting the business of the meeting finished and I will consider it a journ. I don't know if this will be successful.

That section is talking about the agenda. It's not talking about during the actual meeting process itself. You're not recognized council man. It's not limited. The whole meeting runs on that agenda. It's like the whole that's how the that's how the whole meeting runs. There's no discussion. Sorry, Mr. President. I make a motion to adjurnn. Second. Roll call. Spoken. Oh, I'm sorry. Discussion. No, it's got to be on that motion. Roll call, please. Councilor Costan, no.

Council Taser, yes. Council Malav, yes. Council Dimes, yes. Council Romano, no. Councelor Reen, no. Council Finn, no. Is it any respect for anyone's time here? Vice President Swope. No. No. President Lati. Yes. Wow.

I make a suggestion. I don't know if this is going to work. We have a meeting tomorrow at 7:30. Can we start that meeting with um councelor Romano's uh motion and open that meeting with his motion and a discussion on it and a vote on it and a journ this meeting?

No, I mean it's anything brought up tomorrow night is is new business. It's It can I mean it can be voted on potentially it but there hasn't even been a motion in place with it so it wouldn't be acceptable again to see so wait so we cannot take a vote tomorrow during the special meeting now that's what you're arguing I'm not arguing that's what you're just telling us no it's under the rule read the rules it's under the rules okay this is what's happening now no seriously it's just under the rules so We have to follow the rules. It's

been special meetings before without motions being on it. Motions have been made in special meetings. I I know that for a fact. You can have an emergency motion. There's an emergency motion for a snowstorm or such and relief if

add a motion to an agenda with the unanimous vote. Correct. Correct. You could do that tomorrow evening also. Yep. Already is an agenda. You don't need to have the specific motions written out in words to get to vote on something. You do. You don't have to disagree and you have to respect that. I can guarantee you. It doesn't mean you're right because you say it. So bad legal advice would be my advice. Have somebody settled.

At least find an attorney who's actually won a case once. I'd like to make a motion.

I'd like to make a motion to take up. Thank you. Mr. President, thank you. I'd like to make a motion to take up Joseph Council Romano's motion, please. I would second that. That would require unanimous consent. Roll call. Uh discussion. Let's just let's just let's just get this on discussion. Can I let me run the meeting, please? When it's your turn, one day, maybe you can run the meeting. Is there any discussion on the motion? Council? Uh yes. Let's just discuss this now. Now, if you don't like the specific motion, you could always use your council privilege, but let's just get it. Let's get it on the agenda and then we can adjourn this meeting.

Thank you. Any other discussion? Seeing none, roll call, please. Needs to be unanimous. Council, yes. Council Tineri, no. Council Mal, no. Council Dimes, yes. Council Romano, yes. Council Rearen, yes. Council Finn, yes. President Swope, yes. President Lati. Um no motion fails. Uh the chair seeing no further business. Uh this meeting is adjourned. Excellent.