TranscriptNovember 23, 2020 ~ CIP Meeting

and if we could uh maybe we could start by muting our our mics. Great. That works. Uh welcome to the November 23rd meeting of the capital improvement committee. And um I'm just, you know, as I start out every meeting, I'm just going to start by saying a few words of what the committee does or what the charge of the committee is. uh you know our our charge is to implement the the policy the CIP policy. Um basically what CIP does is it gives us a process to rank and prioritize our capital expenditures based on the goals set forth in the comp plan and a formalized set of evaluation criteria that are in the policy. Just a few of the benefits of the program include helps us to focus our our attention on uh achieving our goals and while also

you know encouraging a coordinated approach to problem solving. It helps us to save for capital expenditures over time. This helps us to reduce debt and the costs related to borrowing and also in encourages encourages us to rather than defer spending um helps us to spend as we go

rather than deferring a lot of our expenditures also helps us to stabilize the tax rate by carefully vetting and dist and helping us to distribute expenditures over time. Um it it improves or it helps the department heads with regard to analyzing and forecasting their future needs uh by knowing that you know each year they have to go through this process. So they have to keep their schedules updated. They have to put their applications together and they have to answer questions early on in the process. So um in a number of respects uh I think the selectman feel I know I feel it is good governance. So thank you all for participating and thank you uh others that are watching for taking an interest. So, um, tonight, you know, here we are. We're in our process and, uh, the last meeting, uh, Ruth introduced our our booklet materials to us for this year. This is the um expenditure year 21

FY you know although the town is on a cal calendar year 21 self for calendar year 21 and this meeting uh what we're set going to set out to do is to put together some talk about the applications and the schedules and put together a list of questions um that staff can give to department heads to just kind of give them some guidance. with regard to the meeting that they'll be coming to meet with us, which I believe is scheduled for December 1st. Um, after meeting with the department heads, we'll all gather again. And I believe that those dates are all on the calendar by now. I don't have it in front of me at the moment. And then uh we'll all go off and we'll score the applications based on the criteria in the policy and then get together one last time to once those scores are coalated to see where the rankings come out uh and hopefully be in a position to move forward those recommendations to

the select board. So anyway, that's where we are. And before we go any further, I think uh one piece of business here I didn't uh take care of at the beginning is the pledge. So, why don't we just take a moment here and uh go ahead and do the pledge.

the republic for which it stands, one nation, indivisible, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all. And if we could also, I think as the next order of business, if we could just do our uh our roundroin where everyone goes through and introduces themselves so we also know who we have here this evening for the record. If you could just uh you know state your name

and uh why don't we start? Joe, you want to kick it off for us? Certainly. Uh hi everybody. This is Joe Tom 11 drive. Michelle. Yep. Michelle Ruo. Uh, David Lewis Drive. Yeah. Mark Fren, 44 Colonial Drive. 44 Colonial Drive.

Wonderful. Now, do we have Brian or Curtis? Do we have Brian or Curtis? No. Brian or Curtis? No. Brian or Curtis? Okay. Very good. And And I'm Paul. And I'm Paul. Nesley Hill. Okay. So, if we could uh mute our mics, mute our mics.

Your mic. That'd be wonderful. Thank you. So, um, again, uh, tonight we're going to be talking about the schedules and the applications and then coming up with a list of questions to discuss with the department heads during our next meeting on December 1st. Um

you know with just some general questions about process Ruth um or committee members I'll throw it out too. How do we want to go about this with with uh regard to compiling the questions? Uh you know I I think I did it last year. I'm happy to do it again. Uh the only thing I'd ask is after the discussion tonight if everyone could also email me their questions so I make sure I capture them adequately not just based on the discussion tonight. But I think you know I guess I see this as tonight as a chance for for us all to talk about the questions but if you could email them to me that'd be really helpful. And um if we do if we do go that route, then I would appreciate it if you could e email them to me by close of business on Wednesday because I believe that our uh our next meeting is on December 1st, which is Tuesday, and we want to try to get them in the hands of the department heads at least by

Monday. So if you could uh give me those by Thursday, that would that'd be very helpful. Does that work for everyone? For everyone? Yeah, I'm good with that. Okay. Okay. Yeah, I'm good. Great. All right. Um, and oh, also before we get too far along, I know I'm I'm kind of skipping all over the place here, but I I want to make uh sure to take a moment here to welcome Mark. Mark, thank you very much for coming this evening. I think it's a wonderful thing and I think having a select board member here on the committee is really going to help us in terms of uh you know communication and some you know cross-pollination. So I think it'll make all of our jobs much easier. I I really appreciate your presence here tonight and uh uh want to want to welcome you. We're really pleased to have you.

Yeah, good. Hey, no problem. I'll be here as much as I can. I can't guarantee every meeting, but I'll be here as much as I can for sure. Okay, that's wonderful. Um, so, uh, let's see here. Okay, so I'm going to compile questions. Any other general questions about process from the group before we get into the nitty-gritty?

to revisit. So last time we had talked about um reserves and budget and all that information, but that's not so much of our concern. Correct. That's more of just sort of background information for us. Well, I think it's I think it's

that it all makes sense. It all makes sense. You know, if you have questions about the question, it's certainly very appropriate. Certainly very appropriate. Yep. Okay. Although, you know, we're not really, you know, we're not really

scoring on that basis. On that basis, okay, that's what I thought. Um, I did have a question. I did have a So, about the bomb payments, did we get a copy of the paving schedule? Uh, you know, of course, we don't rate that. that's not part of CIP, but I I believe if I recall correctly that it's in the policy and the idea of it being there in the policy is that it gives us a better sense of new debt that may be coming down the road when we're looking at these future expenditures. Um, you know, you you did a wonderful job and thank you for the detail that you put together in that payment schedule. That was really helpful. But what I'm wondering about is, you know, what's missing in terms of the larger picture um and future road debt that and

bonds that are coming, you know, coming along I was I was looking through some other things and then I realized I was muted all the time. So, so Calvin had sent me a list of the Capitol Road improvement plan. There's nothing to be rebuilt for a while. I believe he said about 10 years. Um, so I can forward you what he had sent to me because we did talk about getting that to you and I probably just never forwarded it.

Okay. So, uh it sounds like then we're not anticipating any big road projects uh within the next say five years. No. No. Um the other thing that I might suggest here is since Ruth is with us now um Ruth now you know you've got this application here with regard to admin and town office the 2022 town office re reorganization application.

So were you planning on attending on December 1st also? Yes. I mean if we have questions that Yeah, it was planned. Okay, ahead and I I think what we'll do is we will go, you know, we can go ahead and discuss that later this evening and then of course, you know, you'll get those questions. I don't think we necessarily have to do it right now.

Okay. Um, let me just look through my list here, Ruth, to see if I had any other questions for you. from auto excise tax is handled? Does that go directly to their operations budget? Yes. Okay. None of it goes into capital reserve. No.

Yeah. date was for the public works program when we purchased the you know the vehicles from the contractor and the building. Is that 14? 14. Y okay. so I understand, and this may be a question for for Mark, uh, or, you know, I'm not sure which one of you wants to chime in, but I understand that the the board is planning to put an assessment of services and equipment out to RFP uh, for the fire department assessment.

Yeah, that's correct. Okay. So I guess my question is is how will that Mark do you think how will that expenditure be handled? Is that something that's that's going on the warrant or ballot? And if not, where is the the funding coming from for that?

Well, I I don't know if we got an answer on that yet. I think we're trying to understand how much it's how much it is and then it'll probably go on to Warren, I guess. Ruth, any thoughts on that? Well, it depends on how much the RFP comes back is. If it's less than $10,000 and it's not a capital um cost, right? It's I think $10,000 in five years is the the parameters for it being a capital improvement cost. So, if it's if it's not right, Paul, you're you're frowning.

That's right. No, sorry. I frown a lot. So, so, um, yeah, you know, and I gotta say I would suspect you're like somewhere right around borderline. Yeah. You know, New Glouester did one of these last spring um with a uh contractor over

in New Hampshire and they did public works and fire and rescue and I think the total was around 1500 or excuse me 15,000. So, you know, depending on the contractor, you're probably probably right around that. I was just, you know, curious if there was a plan there, you know.

Yeah, I think we I think we initially scoped around 10,000 is what we're thinking, but yeah, that's probably really close. All right. So, um that So, there's no plan yet for, you know, just trying to figure out does that fit into the CIP process. It sounds like it's kind of fluid at the moment. Correct.

Yeah. Okay. that's all the admin related questions I think that I had for you Ruth uh up front. I don't know you know the other committee members might have questions for you too. Can you guys hear me? All right. Yes. Okay. So, I I got a couple questions because I'm just trying to I went and reprinted out all my stuff again because I thought I had the wrong stuff last time. But, um, you know, I've got I've got applications here that have 2021 on top and 2020 on top. And that the date prepared is ranges from 2019 through 10:2930. So, what I'm looking for is I don't actually know. I've read through everything I have in front of me, but I don't know really what it is everybody's asking for, but this year, the 2020 to 2021, it is very confusing. And I went back and printed it, went through the recent emails, and it's all the dates

throughout the pages are not the sync. And I'd really like us to get a clean copies because honestly I don't know what anyone's asking for at this point. I I think part of the challenge is um you know traditionally at least the tradition we tried we tried to start was doing notebooks. So we'd have an annual notebook each year. Uh we get

I realize that but just what was sent to me the dates that are on it are not in line with this year. I just like we we talked about that. Yeah. A little bit, Joe. Um and that was brought up at the last meeting that some of the on the applications aren't correct, Ruth.

Yeah. Um I can't recall which ones, but some of them say 2020, but it should say 2021. Can can we just have a list of what it is that everybody's asking for just so I can match up the words with what it is? Um, you know, just a just a quick because there was only like five items.

One of them to repeat from last year or at least two of them are. Um, and you know, again, I have no problem with the request, but it's uh just want to make sure I'm looking at the right page and the most upto-date page. I did go back and reprint everything all over again off a different computer. Uh that shows you my email in better order than the way uh your iPhones or regular phones do. And it u and still it came out with a lot of dates and requests.

Okay. Um, uh there's a request for the reserve account for fire department. Okay. That's for $223,00014173. reserve account. Okay. Um what he is actually requesting I think off the top of my head is um it's a typo but he prepared this 10 years in the future.

He did he didn't put it in there. That's a really good point. Did he not? Good. Okay. He's asking for $100,000. That's at least what's in the spreadsheet. Is that was trust serving fire request historically the town. You're right. There's no

So I don't have a spreadsheet that shows up. Yeah. So that would be So you have a spreadsheet that includes a bunch of different tabs I only saw the town work spreadsheet. So Hold on. Forgive me bit, but it I went back in there and spent about an hour on it the other day. Didn't find what I was looking for. So,

okay. Hold on. Let me see if I can find the right thing. I just want to make sure that I have the right one. Yep, I do. screen. It it I I I actually Ruth want to have it printed out in front of me so you can share it but it doesn't Yeah, I have that spreadsheet. I've seen that before.

Okay. Um so we'll stop sharing that one. So you're you're absolutely right. If I look at the applications from the chief um his does not specify a dollar amount on the reserve request. Yep. So, I will that that should be one of our questions um to see if he can specify. I my assumption is that we're we're going with with the 100,000 this year. Um but he needs to Oh, wait a second. So, under total estimated cost on his request, he says $100,000, but that is not the total estimated cost of the the apparatus that he's looking for for each year.

Yeah. Well, you know, related to that, I think this application would be a lot simpler if he just said it's a reserve request and just says that, you know, he has um the following apparatus is coming up and just says how much he's requesting for, you know, for the year.

Yeah, I I think you know this this would benefit. I'm not sure how we give feedback on for example the applications because I know you know sometimes we for example the date and this missing piece what the best way is for us to get you know um things uh how should I say you know a little more polished

but but just put just put at the at the top what they're asking for rather than have it down the middle might be helpful I don't know. I want $100,000. It's, you know, because I went right to the number in the middle, which says reserve account balances.

Well, he's he's working off of the form that we gave him. So, if we want to change the form, um, that's kind of what I'm getting at is hard to read. I don't know what he's really looking for. I really think that if we want to get into changing the format of form that's, you know, the policy and all that that um there, you know, there may be some there probably are some improvements to make,

but it would wonderful if we could do those at the end of the process or at a fall meeting before the process has already started because at this point, you know, um we the department heads have, you know, mostly done what we've asked of them and they

pointing out it's hard to go through this. Yep. So, so Joe, do you want me to tell you exactly what the applications are are this year so that and you know if you guys want me to print this stuff out, you know, and put it into books, I can do that. You guys can just come to the office and pick them up if you'd like.

I think I'm looking at five applications. Yes. Yep. Okay. All right. Yeah. I was Some of them are labeled 2020 and 2021. Okay. Um Joe, do you have that spreadsheet file with the tabs? Uh I do on my other Yep. Okay. because that's also really important in addition to the implications because that has all the replacement schedules, the vehicle inventories, and that combined spreadsheet that Ruth put together which matches up the replacement schedule with the anticipated reserve balances.

Yep. Okay. I I know me personally, Ruth, um I think, you know, going forward, I'd love to have, you know, the hard copy notebooks for me is the easiest way to go this year, you know, with uh understanding of, you know, this this crazy uh you know, situation we all find ourselves in with regard to working a little differently uh with Zoom and all of that. I I I you know, I'm in I'm pretty much in that elect, you know, the uh electronic files mode these days. So, I'm okay this year with uh with with not doing hard copy. Um that said, my hope is that in the future we can kind of make that a tradition to have the notebooks just because I think it it makes it easier for everybody.

Yeah. I'm a hard copy person. I like to have something in front of me that I can write on and and read. Yeah. Okay. Yeah. And and thank you. You know, again, I think that the the the package in total looked pretty good this year. Um but I still do wonder about how, for example, we get we get errors corrected on the applications, like you know, the year, the amount, that kind of stuff.

Should somehow I I didn't see where the years were off on any of Well, one, two, no, I didn't see where the years were off on any of the applications up top. Um, you know, the date prepared has this year on it. The the fire department says capital request 2020. It'd be nice if they just all said consistency, you know, like budget year 2021.

That's what I have 2020. And I've got a date prepared. It's 10:29. after I sent it to you guys. The other one that says 2020 is the U market value adjustment. Okay. Except for that's not for this year. That's last year. Okay.

Yeah. This is a great example of why it's important for those dates to be correct. Yeah. Because I mean this says reserve to be spent in 2021. I thought that we didn't do the market value adjustment. We were going to go and We we didn't do it and we were going to do it uh in the process next year because uh we're going to kind of wait to see what the market does in the next year and you know with the COVID stuff it's just so um unsure at this point.

No, I that's fine. So what's the fifth one then? Now I'm down a four application. So, the the fifth one is just a request for $10,000 to go into the town um the the well municipal building fund. Uh with the thought, did you find that one?

No. Who's that from? That's from me. Okay, let me look for it. So, let me see what it's called. What did I call office reorganization. Well, keep going. Um, and I'll I'll have to go on the other machine. Can you send me over those the spreadsheets and stuff? I I don't I think I was wasn't on a distribution list when you probably first sent them out, so

Oh, sure. Of course. There you go. No worries. Thank you. Mark, you would have gotten them as a a selectman originally, but I'll send you Oh, I can go back. I can go back now. I'll send you the updated ones anyways because you guys did change a couple things.

have for Ruth. Is there anyone else? Uh, Michelle, Mark, or Joe, any other further questions for Ruth at this point? For Ruth at this point? No, I'm good. Ruth. Well, I'll still be on because I I'm gonna keep recording. Okay. I will I will mute myself and stop my video.

All right. Sounds good. All right. Um, okay. Let's see. Uh, how about we kick it off with public works? Are you guys okay with that? If we start with public works. Okay. Yeah, that work. Okay. Yeah, all right. I was hoping we

I was hoping we could Oh, we got the echo going again. I got the So, um I was hoping maybe we'd start with the replacement schedule. Um public works replacement schedule? questions right up front with regard to, you know, when the program started and um how that auto excise tax is handled.

replacement schedule in front of them? I do not. I guess Mark doesn't. I guess Mark doesn't. Yeah. Let me see here. Let me see here. Try to share. Try to share, Mark. I just emailed you. I just emailed you at all. Thank you.

Thank you. Was I successful in sharing that my desktop? Okay, wonderful. Okay, wonderful. Um, so public works replacement schedule over here to the right. And you'll see that in FY21, the request is for his request is for $95,000 for a 1.5 ton single axle dump truck.

this would be an addition to the fleet is my understanding, uh would be $95,000. Um, so he's asking for those funds as a, you know, as a project. And then he's also asking for funds to put into reserve. I believe $100,000 to put into reserve. And then you'll see coming up in 22, we have another one of the 2014

Tanamax dump trucks. Okay, this is one of the original trucks, a 2001 International 2000 SE. So that, you know, this truck is 20 years old, which is really old for for a plow truck. And then notably, I did also see that in 23

he's got pickups coming up. He's got a a 3500 dump truck. I believe this is a Chevy 35 or GMC 3500 dump truck. Last purchase date 2014. So, he's got that coming up after 9 years. Um, he has that coming up and then shortly after that he's got the pickup truck coming up, the 2500 pickup truck.

So, um, you know, we can get into some of these, you know, specific questions with regard to the current applications once we look at the questions or once we look at the applications themselves. But I I was wondering if anyone had specific questions about the public works schedule at this point.

to the app to the public works applications, if that's okay with you guys. So, the first application that we have from public works, and I'm sorry I don't have those files um here accessible for the applications themselves, so I can't share that screen, but um maybe you could all just let me know if you have those applications in front of you. And again, this is public works. And this is public works.

It's for that dump for the 1.5 ton dump truck. moment here. looking to find what I did with mine. Here we go. Okay. says as planned since the creation of the public works department, we've added a full-time position which allows us to split the crew and have them working at different locations within the town. What's become as apparent is that we do not have enough trucks to support this practice. Each crew needs a small dump truck to be fully equipped with safety signals and tools. Currently, we have two one-tonons and a pickup truck. The pickup is driven by the road commissioner who bounces back and forth between job sites, attends other meetings with contractors and other professionals. with the other two one tons at two separate work sites. Uh there is no truck available for maintenance of town properties or for the mechanic to run for parts or get to the job sites to make repairs. Additionally, the one tons and pickup

truck are used to plow in winter months. The operations plan has always been to have these smaller trucks plow the developments and dead-end streets. This is more than these trucks were designed to do, and it takes several trips in and out of each row to remove the snow. The proposed truck would be a bit larger than a one- ton and be equipped with a wing in addition to a plow. It would also be equipped with live hydraulics to operate a side dump salt and sand application system like the larger trucks. This will allow us to treat the roads at the same time they're plowed, whereas the current trucks do not have that capability. Yet another benefit is that a commercial's driver's license is not required. Yeah. Okay. The bottom line is that this truck will solve three problems. Provides us with a much needed additional truck to the fleet for construction. Create safer roads by allowing the bigger trucks to focus on the more

traveled throughways in winter months. and three will cut down on the wear and tear of the smaller trucks by allowing them to focus on parking lots and intersection cleanup. who has questions and thoughts about this application?

little bit here. A little bit. So um I had a few questions. One question that I had was I was wondering if the the selectman or um Calvin could share with us the vision of you know adding the additional employee and uh you know the vision for the crew moving forward that's related to adding this new employee um which in turn uh is one of the reasons you know we need this new vehicle

year, right? So that was approved by the town. So okay. And I, you know, I'd like to hear a little more context from from Calvin with regard to, you know, what the size of the crew and, you know, why the employee was added. Is it, you know, for so we can run two crews? So we have adequate flagging, you know, for cons for for ditching projects and projects in the summer. It would just be a little helpful to kind of have a little bit of the context there.

I think he didn't he put in the application that he was running two crews. Yeah. Well, it's not really clear. He said so he split the crew, but then later on he says that he already has he's already running two crews. So, and I'm sure that, you know, that depends upon the job, the season and the job at hand to some extent, but I think it would be helpful to have just a little more information from Calvin. Yeah, it may need it probably needs to come from him. But I mean, he has talked to he's talked to the board in a couple different reviews about just how not having that additional truck causes issues with, you know, running to get parts, driving to the job site. Pretty much everything he said in the

Yeah. in the uh thing, but he can reiterate some more. Yeah. And I guess you know the what I like and I'm what I what I hoping to discuss a little bit with Calvin and I'm not sure if I've really distilled the exact question yet. Um, but that I see that, you know, part of this truck is part of the duties are for things like, you know, running parts and probably for, you know, general buildings and grounds maintenance kind of jobs where you may not need need a dump, where you may not need that, you know, 1.5 ton where you basically just need to transport manpower and tools. Um,

and then I see that I believe in a couple years we have this 2008 the 2008 coming up. We have the the uh 2008 dump truck that currently plows these subdivisions coming up. And you know, more or less does, you know, are there other options? Does he see other options if he didn't get this truck? what his other options would be with regard to um you know possibly

I see the you know the the 2008 truck is coming up in the next year or two. Would it be an option to, you know, to wait until 2008 or does this additional crew member just simply put us over the top and there's no other way to do it than to, you know, have the truck now? Um,

is there a a truck that, you know, that could be retired if we're adding to the fleet? Um, and do we have are all our trucks if you know if we get this truck, you know, what about these the other two trucks I'm not clear. I know one of them is a dump and I know Calvin drives a pickup and then there are these two other, you know, small trucks. And are both of those other small trucks dumps? It's not really clear in the inventory whether they are or not. Whether they're dump, you know, whether I know they're they're all one tons, but it's not really clear whether they're all dumps. So, um, I can work on on my questions on that a little more.

I guess kind of the next my nexus of the question is if it's taking over some of the duties for that 2008 Chevy dump that is not really adequate. it's too small to plow the subdivisions, which really I'm sure, you know, that's a really good idea because, you know, Durham, we, you know, we adopt those subdivision roads and so they're town roads. A lot of communities don't, but, you know, we do and so we have to figure out an efficient way to get them plowed. So, a lot of what I'm hearing there really makes sense to me from from that regard. But, um, would it make sense to wait a couple years and just replace that 2008 Chevy dump when it when it comes up in two more years?

essentially still leaving them with one truck short based on their needs for their crew? And I was sort of questioning along this similar to what you were asking and kind of wondering who was driving that truck. So are they taking that one for repairs and maintenance or are they using it for the job sites and using one of the other trucks for the repairs

for the maintenance? Yeah. So it's a little unclear about that. Yeah. It's not really that clear. It's not really that clear. and is there an that he can use for running parts and for those kind of things for you know casual maintenance it's just a pickup truck do we need I guess the kind of the root of the question is do we need three dump trucks um versus uh you know because there's you know I know in a lot of towns a lot of the crew work of things that you know simple facilities maintenance running that's usually you know a pickup so you I just want to make sure we're not buying to ourselves into too much, more than we need.

Joe? Do you have any questions? I just came back. Um, so we're asking for another truck, aren't we? Yeah, he's asking to add to the fleet for for a new for another truck. No, but two No, this is a different application. Okay.

So, this is not his reserve application, but this is a project application for a 1.5tonon dump truck that he doesn't want to buy in a couple in a few years. He wants to buy it in 20. asking for two trucks this year. Another one.

No, he for that other application is really just to add funds to his reserve account. Okay. on the other two trucks? No, but it's a good question. But it's a good question. So, pickup truck? Isn't that a 3/4 ton pickup or or a one ton pickup? He's got he's got an F350.

I tell you what, hold on. Let me look in his vehicle inventory and see if he tells us. I get it. He's got to do stuff, but when it comes to plowing time, I don't know why his truck can't go out on the street, too. But vehicles or get them off the street. I I would think that that would be a acceptable vehicle to use. So, I'm I'm having a hard time with this one actually.

So, his truck is a uh 2015 GMC 2500 HD. Okay. So, 3/4 ton. Is that a 3/4 ton? Yeah. Okay. I I just the cost be to convert his truck to something that plows? I get the wing is on this, but I don't see a 1.5 ton dump pushing all the snow that we get after the big trucks go through. I would think you'd break that faster than than a larger truck. So, do we just need

another truck to plow the neighborhoods to get the bulk of it? Because when I've seen them run through here, I see them run through with the small truck just to get everything opened up so that you can get apparatus down, meaning like fire and, you know, just keep the roads open. But when it really comes time to plowing any of the neighborhoods, you're going to run the big trucks through here regardless. And I'm just just trying to figure out if there's a way to do this with uh keeping the same trucks on or replacing his and making his a duty vehicle.

Yeah. Now I you know and I think that's another good question is what's you know his role and his truck during the snow response. you know what I've seen I've seen him out there doing intersections and you know going through and doing intersections as he kind of inspects and you know checks out other things but I'm sure he probably has a route too. He probably you know even if it's like an intersection route he's got a all all these guys during the response they have a plow route.

Yeah I'm just Yeah. And I'm just looking at his as being five years old and and uh you know is that a useful mechanism uh vehicle to to do this job if you stuck a sander on the back because I I I couldn't believe that the sander would be much bigger on the one and a half ton truck. Uh, and then, you know, like I

say, you know, upgrade him and put put his truck in with every vehicle for this. I don't know. Is it? Well, yeah. You know, and another way to kind of phrase the question might be because gosh, you know, I know there's a lot of complexity in his operations, but another way we we could possibly phrase it is, so Calvin, let's say you didn't get this truck, what would your options be? How then, you know, what what would your next step be? You know, what what would uh the alternative be?

be able to set up, you know, another truck like his, you know, for a bit cheaper than what what this price tag is. Not by much, but it would save a little. And then, yeah, you know, like I say, I I'm just wondering what the tradeoff would be there.

What couldn't you do only thing you probably couldn't put on that vehicle he has today. vehicle for the guy to go out and help fix things and he can't be that taxi driver Uber. So, I understand what he's looking for, but just wonder if there's a different trade to save a few bucks,

the truck you need, replacing uh one of the existing vehicles at some point in the near future versus adding to the fleet, right? One of the smaller vehicles, right? Exactly. Joe, you'll you'll, uh, email me any of your specific questions on on that application?

Yeah, I can I can do that. Okay. Thank you. Let's see. Michelle or Mark, did you guys have any questions about that application? No, nothing for me. No, nothing for me. Okay. Um, not a lot of applications this year. Certainly fewer than in last year.

So um that certainly is one that I know from my perspective when I look at it you know I look at these I look at these replacement schedules with regard to the capital reserves and you know I I don't know about you guys but you know I see this from the perspective of you know we have to start adding to those reserves and I you know I know last year um we didn't do much for a number of reasons. Um I think you know one of them is of course you know I think the we're as a town we're still very heavily engaged in um this investment that we've made in our roads. Uh but we you know these

things are coming to the surface I think and and we're we're going to have to uh we're going to have to do better about putting money in reserve I think you know coming going forward here in the next few years. All right. So the next one here,

Paul, just on that that subject. Sorry, I I just thought of something else. So it's more of a question for Mark. Mark, do we do we um is there an incentive plan for Calvin in regards to, you know, the vehicle that is given to him? I know some, you know, the agencies or municipalities uh provide trucks to, you know, the head of the DPW, etc., etc., and they're replaced on a certain basis. Is any of that in uh any of the contracts that uh or any

No, not that not that I'm aware of. No. Okay. I'm just curious. It's just that Yeah. I mean, they call it his vehicle. I mean, he does I think he every time I drive by, it's always parked at the uh at the public works garage, but

Yeah. No, I just didn't didn't know if it was it was quote unquote a perk, I'll call it, which is which is fine. I have no problem with that. It just uh um just just wondering if um that was uh what the situation was before we went to turn this truck away. No,

I have never heard it. I've never heard of it called a perk or anything like that. So, I think it's just Is there a policy on personal use of the, you know, of the of the town vehicles or, you know, maybe it just kind of hasn't risen to that level really?

Yeah, I don't think it's risen to that level that I know of. We've never I've never heard it discussed before. Okay. Yeah. All right. Thank you. All right. public works is the reserve request. Let's all take a moment to take a look at that.

So, this request is has a priority rating of three. Project title public uh 2001 international 2000 SE tanaxle dump plow truck replacement. You know that really should project title should be public works equipment reserve. Um, and it's a reserve request because

you know the money that goes into the reserve, part of it could be used for that truck, part of it could be used for the next trucker for whatever reason. Uh, we've got a current reserve account balance is $62,000 roughly. And the project description is replacement of truck number six, a 20-year-old uh tanaxle plow truck. Okay. So, you know, he's kind of looking, but again, this isn't a project. this money will go into reserve. But I think he's just trying to highlight here that this truck is coming up, okay? That the International 2000 SE is coming up next year, okay guys? So, and this truck again is 20 plus years old. Um, and uh,

you know, most communities they're in the 10, 12, 14, maybe 16 year range for truck replacement. So, this one's uh this this one's pretty old. Too bad they don't build them like this anymore. Um it's that's quite a quite impressive that this truck's been on the road for 20 years. And then he says, uh yes, state law requires municipalities to clear roads of snow and debris and otherwise keep roads safe and passable. Total estimated cost is $200,85.

plus 3%. All right. And so what he's asking for is he is asking he's asking to put a 100,000 in reserve this year for that upcoming expenditure. Uh I believe the schedule said next year if I recall correctly. Hold on here.

Gosh, sheets that I created. Um, repl22. Yep. Yeah, exactly. So, he's got it coming up not this next year, not this next fiscal year, but the year after. So, he's asking for this money in anticipation of, you know, and I think this is something to pay attention to because this is, you know, at least from my perspective, it's a 20-year-old truck and uh, you know, and it's coming up and we only have $68,000 in the account. And so if we don't put that money in there, then, you know, we could be in a situation of, you know, having to go out to bond,

we don't put some money in there. Hey Paul, Mark, just do we know like um before we start talking about what what we want to put in there for Capital Reserve, like do we have an estimate on, for example, how close the public works budget is going to be um to what their actual is? So they're budgeted versus their actual because the balance of that goes into I believe in the fire department the public works case goes into the capital reserve account.

So Oh, it's a good question. We can we can talk about you know $50,000 request but he may spend I know the last two years he's underspent his budget. Yeah. And put money into the reserve account. But I I Yeah. And so, you know, chances are pretty good that there's going to be something significant left there. And Andy, maybe Michelle or Joe, maybe you can help me. I know I seem to recall that Ruth touched upon that um at the last meeting, but I can't remember exactly where she came down.

I just need for us to sit here and talk about 60 grand and knowing that he's underspent by, you know, 80 and now we're putting 140 into the well that we may not need. Yeah, I guess the way I would look at approaching that, Mark, is, you know, that we make decisions based on the information we have. Um, of course, we're not we're getting close to the end of the year. We're not there yet. Um, so

it would just be an estimate. That's all I would just say is we need a sense. So, this this is a question for Ruth. Let's get that let's get that answer from Ruth. But but I think we did talk about the fact that like anyone's budget that's left over, if I remember correctly, goes back into the town reserve budget and doesn't go into the individual department's budget. There's some I know some of it goes into like administrative goes into undesated funds and things like that, but I think public works and the fire department. I'm pretty sure public works goes back into the public works capital reserve. And I'm not sure about the fire department, but because that was voted on by the town.

Well, well, the only reason I brought it up was because she's saying that he's only got 68,000 reserve pound balances. Yeah, and I know we did cut the budget quite a bit this year just to get him closer because he was running a 70 $80,000,

you know, budget surplus every year. That's why we were able to score the two plow trucks that we already had that we bought the last two years, you know, without That's a great question, Mark. So, let's uh let's get that answer from Ruth and figure out where his budget where his budget's at now. And that's another question for him too, I think, is you know, what does your budget look like for the rest of the year? Of course, there's no way he can anticipate what December is going to bring

with regard to plowing, but it should give us a sense. Yeah, true. All right. Great. So other gee, I don't know what this is. They may be getting spammed. Yeah, I think getting some kind of spam. I think we got spam there.

Okay. All right. So, um what uh with regard to the reserve th those are my only comments regarding the reserve request is um and I you know I guess my only other comment is I I found it interesting that he he rated this as a three. you know, given that there's 68,000 in that budget, um, he knows his new truck the following year is going to cost 200,000. I would have thought he would have rated that a little higher. So, I guess I'm kind of wondering in the back of my mind, is he is there something else he's thinking, you know, for example, what Mark said that maybe he's going to have money left over in his budget or um uh,

you know, maybe he's thinking that we would just go out to bond. I don't know. Well, actually, I was looking maybe if he rated the one and a half at a one. So, maybe if he got that, then this one would not be as dire. He'd he'd rather deal with that now and get the one ton now and um deal with the

that next truck further further along or maybe it would extend its life too. Maybe I I think another question is with regard to um boy I don't know what's going on here my PC but I'm going to unshare here. Um so I think a uh another question is

what the role is of this truck. So, of this uh um the uh this 2000 International, I mean, I'm assuming this truck isn't a spare, but it actually has a plow route. But it would be good to confirm, you know, that this this truck is a regular, you know, this 2000 SE that it has a regular plow route versus just being in the spare position, you know, and does that somehow change what truck becomes spare? But, you know, it' be good good to have a since that's coming next year. It would be or the year after it would be good to have a better sense of um the role of that vehicle because that's really what's driving his reserve request.

So, does anyone else have any questions for um Calvin regarding either of his request or his replacement schedule? So, that's his only two requests. That's his only two requests. Yes. Yes. Okay. again, uh Mark, Michelle, if you have any questions for Calvin for the next meeting on December 1st, if you could please email them to me, I' I'd appreciate that. Okay, so moving on to fire and rescue. Um the replacement schedule.

Let's see. We can put this up. schedule. So, you know, there's a couple notable things here and I think Ruth touched upon them at our last meeting. One of them is is that the quint has been moved back. And I also see that this is now, you know, the placeholder last year wasn't described in any way. And I think it was for 650,000. So I see now a lower amount and that it now says a used Quint to replace truck 24. So I think you know he's put a little more definition to this but my sense is here and maybe you know Mark could talk about this a little bit but that there's um you know there's uncertainty here that um the selectman may be looking for some guidance from the assessment and so we don't know you know there this replacement schedule may change. Is that is that accurate Mark?

Yeah that's accurate. I mean, I I think the chief wants to do that, too, because he's trying to be a little bit more uh, you know, trying to understand what the department needs more than just the gut feel type of thing, get more of a study done. So,

sure. Um, so you know the one that's coming up next and this one is trying to recall here what the age is of the um of engine 21. I believe it's a 2004. Too bad Curtis isn't here this evening. So you know this engine 21 um is 20 years will be 20 years old in 24. And so that's the next big purchase coming up and that's a big one. So um it might be interesting to know

I see he's got a you know an estimate there a base new cost estimate of $625,000 and then he's using that annual inflation factor 3% to get to a 700 you know $700,000. Again, we're looking, we're projecting like four years out. Um, I'd be curious to know how recent that base estimate of $625,000 is, whether he thinks the 3% is adequate. Um, what the, you know, a little more information about, you know, at least today in his thinking, what does this engine look like? Is it you know smaller? Does he basically the bottom line is does he think that this cost basis is sufficient? Um you know I'll just mention based on past experience with CIP in another community. I saw one of these estimates once double uh in a one-year span.

So just within one year from one year to the next I saw the amount double because we weren't carrying enough as a base estimate and we kept on adding the 3%. Um but the that base estimate was old was older and the 3% hadn't been keeping up and then when we actually got there to to that year to buy the vehicle we couldn't afford it. So, you know, I I I'd like to have confidence that we have a solid number there.

reserve request or the schedule? for 100 grand. Is that what I if I'm reading that right? Well, that's what we think, Mark. You know, is we talked about this a little earlier. He doesn't have the amount actually on the application, but that's what Ruth has been carrying in her spreadsheet. and we kind of, you know, we have to get this resolved. So, that's one of the questions is, you know, he's got to tell us how much he's asking for.

Okay. be saved and placed in the fire department reserve account specifically for future fire apparatus replacement replacements. Then he goes on under justification to state historically the town has not done well in saving and planning for the replacement of its fire apparatus. Years of defunding capital savings requests or not requesting slashapproving required amounts leave the town with the financial burden of bonding expensive items that have a lifespan that should allow us to adequately plan adequately plan for their replacement. The cost of the most recent engine and rescue in the same year should serve as notice that we need a better plan moving forward as we have needs for other capital replacement items within the next three years. AirPack replacement and recent station systems upgrades have diminished the current reserve. I'm requesting the current amount be allocated this year

and earmarked only for apparatus replacement purposes. Regardless of what apparatus will be replaced, the town needs to begin preparing for this future need now. and this is where the combined schedule is really helpful and you go to fire department schedule. Okay.

under funding for capital fire department requests or you go to the year 2024. You'll see right there the 663 and or 6663. Wait a minute. Hold on. I got to get this right here. Uh $663,439. see these don't match. These numbers don't match. So, the number here in the

combined um spreadsheet doesn't match, I believe, the replacement schedule. His number is $73,443. which basically looks at what the cost will be in a given year and what we anticipate to have for a reserve balance in that year that that number is off by

roughly you know 60 $70,000. So, um, you know, it's another thing I think it's important to point out is that we need to h we need to, you know, we really want we we want to try to have consistency in numbers across the, you know, these materials otherwise and they they kind of need to be updated as we find mistakes. It would be really helpful to have them updated as we find mistakes or as we find uh

adjustments that need to be made, I should say. Okay. So, anyway, um, Oh, I see. That's No, that's the fund balance. Okay. So, I take that back. That's the fund balance. And then we're looking at in order to buy that truck, we would still be looking at um and what she's doing here is she's assuming $40,000 of revenue per year from EMS each year.

And then she's assuming that each year we would put in a 100,000 in the town would put a 100,000 in reserve. And so if we did that, the balance in 2024, and that's the year we'd be looking to buy that truck, the balance would be 663,000. So it would be just shy of what we need to buy that engine. So, you know, I I think what she's saying here is that um what Ruth is saying is that, you know, we need to be putting some money away because even when you account for that u additional um those that additional revenue from EMS services going into the reserve, um you know, we still don't in

in 24 even if we put 100,000 away from taxation every year into reserve, you know, we still don't quite get there. So, uh, you know, I think the point is probably that, you know, we need to be we need to put be putting some money in reserve for this expenditure that's coming up in 24 for, you know, for for an engine of some type. I mean,

yes, we're we're looking at an engine that is uh 20 years old. um we haven't had the benefit of an assessment yet and they could recommend some other part type of apparatus but still it looks you know it kind of looks to me like that's a need.

So So where on this does it actually indicate an engine is being replaced with this? I can't quite hear you Joe. I can't quite hear you Joe. Yeah I'm having a hard time to hear Joe. Can you hear me better now? Can you hear me better now?

Yep. All right. So, where on here does it tell me it's another engine? Yeah. Look right here. If you just go up to Roose combined schedule spreadsheet on the application for money, where's it? Oh, yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Okay. Hold on.

To the 2024 engine because that's what we need to put it in different pockets. I can't just go in one big bucket then have him say he wants, you know, right? If I've got the right sheet in front of me, he's got in the next three years, we need air pad replacements. So, I get he's given an example, but what is it that we're asking for this summer fund? What's the exact thing I'm buying with this?

I don't think you're buying anything with this money. You're putting it into the reserve account. So, but you can buy something in two years from now. But I I get to 2024 and I decide I needed, you know, 10 air packs instead of, you know, half a dozen. And we're still short in 2024.

engine, let's put away for an engine for 2024. And if we need air packs in the meantime or something else that there should be an application in here to go and actually ask for that money too and then prioritize no different than what happened last year because I don't know.

I just there's no accountability for where this money really goes. I mean I get the schedule. The schedule is interesting. Um, but it doesn't tell me that this $100,000 goes to replace the Quint 2024. Yeah, it's valid. It's a valid point.

And so it makes it hard to say, "Yeah, it'd be great to have more money. I'd love a another thing." But I don't know. I'm just I just I have a hard time with not separating out the buckets. So is that normally it's kind of

is that normally how things are done? I'm still new to um the town the accounting for everything. Do you specifically identify purchases and save for those as opposed to saving for the department? I think I think that I think I think that schedule is is what the plan is. But if something

the select board as you know in the town using the information that we have and it's not a thing more of a just thing that you know put that money put $600,000 away for this truck and buy it and know that it's there something else happened something else. even if it was in in the rather I'd rather go take

um make decision at that point that something goes by by inadvertently make a decision the money muting just for a second. Just for a second. We're still having the feedback. Thanks. So, um Joe, I think that the way the town has gone about doing it here with regard to a um you know, one bucket

that is uh like equipment and equipment reserve apparatus and equipment reserve that that is um a very typical way of doing it that towns do that they have a you know a separate bucket for a separate reserve for fire and rescue department for equipment and apparatus. replacement and they have a separate reserve for public works department equipment and apparatus replacement. Very common. But now that said, I really get your point and I think that, you know, when I look at the schedule, for example, and I'm just talking from, you know, my own personal perspective here and and I see the Quint and the question of the the Quint, then I'm like, you know, sometimes like, well, you know, is that going to be an easy is that going to be an easy like uh easy are we going to be able to convince the town people to vote for it when that question of the Quint is hanging out there? you know, be able to convince them about this idea of

putting a h 100red,000 in reserve for in this big bucket that could be spent for anything when that other question is unanswered and hanging out there. It might make that more difficult. Um, so I really I get your point. I'm not sure you know how you address it because at the same time you don't want to create like you know a uh more you know this accounting system

that is you know more significantly more challenging and I know a lot of communities they do it this way because if you look for example at you know some other towns what you'll find is if you look at their books and the auditors often complain about this. You'll find reserve accounts for items for things that were uh intended 15, 20, 25, 30

years ago that have residual balances in them. And so what they like to do and and nobody remembers even anymore what that money was for um and it becomes very challenging. Yeah. So I would agree 100%. I I never audited towns, but definitely nonprofits. And it it certainly does become very challenging when you're specifying all these different items and like you said, you have those balances or people are trying to remember what it got allocated to if you don't have good records. And I think that's more where I come from is that I I've seen the challenges of trying to get very specific with things.

You know, and the funny thing is it's almost the funny thing about it is it's almost like they become impossible to resolve. No one knows how to resolve them because no one remembers what the gazebo account was for and no one knows how to deal with it. So anyway,

that. questions for the fire chief on the schedule and on the uh on his reserve request? I think they kind of go hand in hand, you know, the reserve request and the schedule. I'd like to know what the basis is of the 625,000 that he's using to apply his inflation factor to. And I want to make sure that he's going to check on that every few years to make sure that that that 3% is adequate because you know this equipment often goes up in value a lot faster, a lot more than some some years more than 3%.

you may want to put and I'll I'll give you this question about I I I I feel pretty strongly about him telling us what I mean that's the record keeping part that you were just talking about is that you know what this $100,000 is for and and right now what's on the sheet includes engineering survey design and other professional services needed, but that's not necessarily accurate.

Oh. Oh, that is Yeah, I should interject there uh and bring up an important point. That is um part of the cost estimate that we ask for them. So that's information that you know we the administrators that's part of the form and it says include engineering survey design and other professional services needed. Oh, I see. And he says $100,000.

Yeah. So that's what is that just part of our that just part of our template? Not. Well, the $100,000 $100,000 isn't No, but the wording Yeah, the wording is the wording is here. Okay. I guess my point is that that this is where they need to say what the $100,000 is for and how we know later what it's allocated for. So the whole accountability part of it is in what we're doing now. So you actually put it in here and this becomes public record. So you can look back and see 10 years ago what you did with the Disney or with a fire truck or something else. I I don't know. I just I I still into the bucket thing here because we don't have that. I mean I'll be honest with you. I'm looking at the list here. There's not that many things on this list. I can't believe we can't just bucketize this pretty easily.

Yeah, I'm looking at this application again and I think the issue here is total estimated cost. He's got $100,000. He means he meant he should have put that under mount amount requested. So, he's asking for $100,000 to put in reserve. That's the bottom line. Um and so you know you can have a total the total estimated cost for a project could be different right than the amount requested because and that's why the form is written this way because it could be a project request and not a reserve request. So you know you're asking to buy a loader and you have uh you know what do I know 160,000 in reserve and you want another $72,000. So these two costs would be different

right on a reserve request. So, he should have put the 100,000 down where it says amount requested, right? But it's really a a reserve request for fire truck. Exactly. Yes. And the amount he's requesting to put into reserve is $100,000. Yeah.

He just put it in the wrong spot. Okay. Yeah. So um the next application that he has is for airpacks for SCBA apparatus air pack replacement. Okay. And he has his he has this as a rating one. Um and he says that the reserve account balance is 223 thou 223,000

and change. Uh description. This amount is to be designated from the fire rescue capital to purchase 10 Scott self-containing breathing apparatus and masks. Justification. It has been known for the last several years that the department's SCBA are reaching the end of their usable lifespan. No further upgrades are available and soon they will no longer meet the current NFPA 1981 standard on open circ circuit self SCBA for emergency services. Furthermore, as the current packs become obsolete, the parts to repair and keep them functional are becoming scarce and expensive. Unfortunately, we have not been able to secure grant funding to assist in the replacement. At this point, we've already replaced all of our air cylinders needed for the department. So the current replacement cost is only related to purchasing the packs and mass. Additionally, in the current year due to COVID restrictions, we are

looking at some sort of budget surplus. I will be approaching the select board to utilize whatever this surplus is available late in the year to purchase as many packs as possible. If this proposal is accepted, it will decrease the amount that will that uh will need

to be allocated from capital funds in 21 and 22. And he's again he's looking he's looking at doing this over multiple years. So this year and next to complete the replacement process. My current plan utilizing the surplus reallocation this year is to purchase 10 new air packs in 21 and then purchase the remainder needed in 22. From that point, I will be working with the select board to replace packs and air cylinders on a scheduled rotating basis so we do not find ourselves in this position again. Okay. So, he's asking for Oh, so this is actually a reserve request.

request um for the SCBA airpack replacements. So just so you know he we're not able to purchase those with the surplus from this year because legitimate time. Good. So that's I see his point about reducing the amount because maybe getting them this year. We're not going to be able to do that because they can't get them in time before the year end.

So the funds would have to be expended before the end of the fis of the fiscal year. Correct. Correct. So we can't do that. So it's going to that will just roll again. I think fire department rolls into the into the uh reserves anyway. So

hey, so Mark something like this would this go out to RFP? It would. Yes. Okay. Um so okay so you know I think it would be helpful to you know kind of have an update from him and maybe um I'm not sure exactly what the date of this request was but um

it would be helpful to have an update with him and maybe some coordination. It'll be interesting, you know, to hear a little bit of discussion, I think, Mark, with you and the chief in that regard, but it sounds like um, you know, this may be this may be a real this may be a need. Is that the way you look at it?

Yeah, absolutely. I think it is definitely a need. So, because they're just they're not going to be able to use them going forward because they know it's they're going to expire. Yeah, he's actually gonna be he's going to talk about tomorrow night on the select board meeting, too. So that's an option.

I see. Yep. Great. Um I you know it also might be helpful if uh the chief if chief Moore and I'm sure you'll probably chime in you know during that meeting could walk us through you know what happened last year with last year's request because I know last year uh we had airpacks SCBAs um uh as an application from the chief and we r it ranked quite high. can't remember if it was a one or a two, but it ranked quite quite high and we we moved that along to the board. Um, and I know it didn't make it on on the warrant and I know this was a very unusual year because of COVID and all these other things that were going on. um and uncertainty with regard to revenue and all these things. But I believe if I if

I recall correctly that there were some surplus funds or some unexpended funds last year that were used to buy some of the air packs that he needed that you know some resolution was reached and um it would be kind of helpful for us to know where that stands currently or what.

I think that was the bottles though, right? That wasn't the Oh, was that the bottles? I think it was the bottles, the replacement bottles. Yeah. Yeah. Okay. Yeah. Yeah. When he comes on. Yeah. I don't know Joe or Michelle if you recall that you know that I don't have that application in front of me at the moment and I'm not going to take time to look it up whether that was last year's application was for bottles or whether it was for the actual apparatus.

It was it was for cylinders. It was for cylinders. Okay. now, so Mark, I know the cylinders though didn't make it onto the onto the warrant. So, I'm assum all he needs and so you guys figured out another way to to fund those, I assume.

Correct. Yeah. Yeah. Correct. Okay. Any other questions about airpacks? is he requesting for he mentions 2021 and 2022. for 2021 or both years or just Yeah, really good point. Really good point. Yeah, because it's he's has it as a reserve request, but he's saying he wants to spend it in 21, right?

Yes. Well, he's mentioning both years though. Yeah. and 22. Yeah. And 22. He sent him 10 in 10 2021 and then the remainder in 2022. I don't know what the remainder is. Is there a total number in here? from my perspective, this is why you have just one reserve and you say, "Look, chief, your reserve request is your reserve request. as for what you think you're going to need in those out years, including 22, 23, 24, and so

forth. And then this request for 21 should be a project request. If you know, if you don't have the money in or he's got money in reserve, but maybe, you know, this is an this is an unanticipated reserve item. It's not in the schedule so it's not covered in it is reserve but it's a 21 project for x number of dollars for x number of SCBA apparatus um for to purchase in 21. So there's not

a lot of not a lot of clarity here. It's a really good point. Uh Michelle, would you mind could you put together some specific questions on that for us? Questions on that for us? Sure. Okay. Wonderful. Thank you. And and I do note here, he does have in the middle of this that he did buy the air cylinders for the car in the second paragraph. He replaced them all. That was 29 cylinders.

mass. So I guess my question and Michelle feel free to just paraphrase this but is um is there an issue with the air masks in relation to COVID? Like is there a cleaning process or something where they can be used by any of the department or

are they you know assigned to each person individually and then u you know is that what he means is that the relationship with with CO or is it just that CO's costing him more money in general and that he really needs to do this separately?

because of the CO restrictions. Well, yeah. Well, he mentions COVID in here, but he it seems like he's a select for COVID money for other things. It's hard to tell in the middle of this whether he's saying that more money is going to be allocated due to COVID because of other things. Thus, I don't have the money to go and buy these right out of my budget, you know, because he does have a reserve account, right? So, and what is it? Is it is it COVID causing this? And are these things cleanable? Are they assigned to an individual person or uh or is it or is it two separate things?

Joe. I think they're just we can ask chief this, but I think they're just at the end of their life. They have to be replaced. I don't think it's CO related, but Okay. All right. Well, that's right. We should ask the chief that just to make sure.

Yeah. No, no, thank you. Yeah. I think it's the same thing as the bottles. They have to be replaced in their certain Sure. certain time frame. Yeah. Okay. Yeah. Yeah. He he talks about that. Okay. So, um I think that's it for the fire and rescue applications. I think we have one more to look at and that's administration. Okay.

administration and it's rated as a three. Request type is reserve. The project title is 2022 town office reorganization. Now again, this is not a project that they're looking to do in 21, but trying to plan for, you know, what Ruth the

administrator feels is um a need that's, you know, coming along and a potential project in 22 reserve account numbers. The town office municipal account, the current balance of that account is uh almost $26,000. Description: At the 2007 town meeting, the town voted against funding a proposed addition to the town office.

In 2017, rearranging the configuration of the existing town office was suggested. With the challenges of COVID and possible hiring of a town manager, it is time once again to consider some adjustments to the facility. Justification. Looking into the next couple years, it is likely the town office will need more space. Whether that means moving the meeting room, adjusting the size of the meeting room, making the storage room an office, or consolidating bathrooms to allow for storage and/or an office. To begin the process, the town should consider hiring someone to make recommendations considering the challenges and financial considerations. Um total estimated cost 20 to 30,000

basis of cost estimate un uneducated guesstimate amount requested 10,000 for 21 and up to 20,000 in 22. application? Chime in on this application. Well, I guess I was wondering how likely is it that we're going to hire a town manager where has that been discussed? Is that Ruth's thought on

Yeah, it passed on passed on. So, yeah, we're moving forward. the process? I mean I I know it just passed pretty much and and it's a have you guys are you guys? Yeah, we have a meeting with MMA to start forming a committee to start looking at you know what the requirements are going to be and then what the process is going forward. That's uh the first meeting in December.

We'll start going through that and getting some more details on it. The plan is to move forward as quick as we can. Right. And you know, so you you know, you're looking at a search that could be three to six months. Yeah,

probably. Yeah. Okay. So, it sounds it sounds pretty likely that you know, of course, you never know. Well, you know, we're probably not going to have a town meeting anyway. Yeah, exactly. But of course, you never know what's going to happen at town meeting, but we're probably not going to have a town meeting. But, um, it sounds pretty likely. Has there been much discussion of this, Mark? Uh, you know, by the select board, you know, space con constraints and those kind of things. Did Ruth, what what was board's reaction to this?

We we haven't gone through this. I mean, we've talked about it. We know that the the town office is very confined. There's not a lot of room there. So, but that's about as far as we've gone. Uhhuh. Yeah. So, has there been has it it hasn't gone as far as like discussion of well, gee, you know, could we utilize some of the graange, you know, the Eureka Center space for public meetings and maybe take over some of that space which is already really constrained for meetings. A lot of it has to do with internet connections and things like that. You know, we can't use R E R E R E R E R E R E R E R E R E R Eureka Senate because we gota,

you know, be able to film and and put the meeting out there so people can attend online and stuff like that. So, we've actually gone the other way and said, what if we wired up the Eureka Center and use that as meetings and things?

we actually have a storage container, too, over at the behind the fire department that we use as well. So, I've never been in it, but I've heard about it. So, is that the EMA? Yeah. Center. Okay. No, the there's a uh storage container over behind the fire department that's used as well.

I see. Yeah. So you know it would be interesting to know to have some sense of next steps you know what are the next steps in this project. Is it to you know hire a consultant to try to come up with some options to address the space needs? Um, is it, you know, wait and see until the next manager comes on board or until till sorry, the manager,

the till the manager comes on board. You know, I think the next step would be just have Ruth talk to the the committee here on you know, what are we going to get for 20 to $30,000 because that's not a lot when it comes to to um

you know, re refabing something or making you know, wholesale changes to the town office. It's not going to Yeah. It's not a lot of money. Be honest with you. Be honest with you. No. Especially with class right now. Yeah.

Yeah. Yeah. So I think one of the questions So I think one of the questions we don't have a lot of detail here. Um where do we go with this? Where do we go with this application at this point? You know it's it's we really like to see uh it's always helpful when you're scoring these applications to be able to see a clear path. You know this one has a lot so many unanswered questions with regard to cost and exactly what the project is.

Uh, you know, well, you know what I can do is I still Yeah. Okay. What I can do is um as a liaison, I have the town office. So, maybe I can just get with Ruth and swing by the town office one day and understand what she's look what what she wants to do, what she's thinking about doing, and then uh we can talk about it a little bit more in depth on the next meeting.

Oh, that'd be Yeah. Great. Is she come is she coming to the next meeting or the meeting after? December 1st. December. Okay. Yeah. Uh yeah, that's uh that's not that far away. So um yeah, I'll see if I can get over there and she can walk me through what we're thinking, what she's thinking, and we can have some more information for that meeting.

Uhhuh. Okay. Yeah. Hopefully say it needs to be 50 or 60 grand, but you know but so well yeah you know I know from my perspective I I certainly see the need especially if you're dealing with like you know trying to have a safe workspace with regard to these things like I mean who knows how long co's going to be with us but uh

it's pretty tight back there's not a lot of space and then of course you know I mun municipal records like the the property jackets and all that stuff, those take up a lot of space and um it it does seem quite constrained. I personally, you know, I think it's an interesting idea you mentioned about uh converting the Graange into a meeting space, you know, give the give a little more give the public a little more space for public meetings and um converting some of that other better utilizing the space you have rather than building something new. You know, that's like from kind of the manager perspective. Gosh, that's what I always look for. Can you can you repurpose what you got, you know, instead of thinking toward new construction like we were thinking back in 2007, I guess it was.

So, all right, great. Uh, any other comments or questions for Mark or Ruth regarding this application? already do some reserve. What was it? 20 roughly $26,000. Okay. Oh, so where's 45? You probably could do a few things there, but

Mhm. Okay. Yep. applications and our meeting with the department heads on December 1st? I think we lost Joe again. join us in progress here. Or if he's got to be fast though because I think we're we're starting to get to near the end here. Um,

replacement schedules, the applications, um, and you guys are going to all email me some of the questions that you brought up and we talked about regarding those and then I'm going to, you know, kind of coalate them together for Ruth and send them on to Ruth and she's going to send them out to the department heads and as long as I can get those by the end of end of the day Wednesday, you know, that that would be certainly be wonderful. So that's all I have this evening.

Is there any other business that anyone would like to bring up? Okay. Nope. Do we have a motion to adjourn? To adjourn. I will make a motion to adjourn. Okay. So I I saw Mark's first. Can I second you? Technically. Technically. So

are you a member? I'm not I'm not a member actually. I'm not a member actually. Oh gee, it's getting a lean here. I lean here. I'm not sure. Okay. So All those in favor? All those in favor? All right. Michelle. Thank you. Thank you for your help.

Thanks for your help. Joe, here goes Joe. Here goes Joe. Bye now. Is Joe back? I don't know. Did he get Oh, wait a minute. I have to admit it. Oh, wait a minute. I have to admit him. Are you there? Can you unmute? Oh, he's muted.

Rebooted on me and I had all all lots of good things to say. Well, that's too bad. You you missed the most important vote of the evening. Oh, I I I am all in favor. think we add Joe to that vote to So, um anyway, we you send me your uh

send me your questions. Yeah, I'll do that. I I got a bunch of them here. Okay. Excellent. All right. Nice to see you both. All right. Nice to see you both. Nice seeing you. Have a good night. Happy Thanksgiving. Happy Thanksgiving.

Oh yeah. Happy Thanksgiving. Bye. Bye. Bye. Bye. Bye.