TranscriptOctober 13, 2020 ~ Select Board Meeting

Thank you. Okay. I'll call this meeting of the Durham Board of Selectmen to order on October 13, 2020. And uh select board members, as we've been doing with this Zoom format, I will call the role. So please say something to indicate you're here when I call your name. Rich George

here. Todd Bolier here. Mark Farren here. And I'm Kevin Neto. I'm here. Rob Panto is excused this evening. Um but we we need three for quum and we have four. So we are all set there. Any amendments to the agenda from board members or uh or administrators?

So, we have the public comment uh time on the agenda. Is there anybody here that is um wants to make any public comments on any matters related to the town? on from that. All right. Public hearing general assistance ordinance. Um this one um we were actually supposed to do this at our last meeting and um I completely overlooked it and but so we need to deal with it in this meeting and so I am going to uh well first this is annually we need to adopt the selectman need to adopt the general assistance ordinance with the um and then the annual appendices which set the maximum limits for um general assistance to be provided by the town for various categories, you know, like food and rent and and eating oil assistance and things of that sort. Um, we get reimbured by the state for 70% of, you know, their recommended amount. Um, and we've had very over this last several years and really as long as we can remember, we've

had very little um need or call for this um funding. So, uh, which is great, you know. Um, so we've typically adopted the uh state um state maximums um every year. Um, but we do have to vote on that. So, I will open the public comment and hearing period for anybody that has comments on the general assistance um maximum limits that we need to vote on tonight. Is there anybody here to speak on that?

hearing on that and I will move that we adopt the local general assistance ordinance and the 2021 general assistance appendencies A through H for the Lewon Auburn MSA as posted. Second. I have a Todd from second from Todd on that. Any discussion? Okay. When I call your name, please indicate your vote. Yay or nay. Rich George,

yes. Todd Ber, yes. Mark Farren, yes. And Kevin was also a Yes. Okay. So, we all need I believe we all need to go in and sign that um form. Is that is that right, Ruth? That's one of the things we all need to go in and sign.

Yes. Yes, you will. Okay. Thank you. All right. Next on the agenda, action and discussion items 5A, approval of the Emerson uh consent agreement. Um Bobby, just want to give a quick overview of what this is about. Yeah. I I went over to do inspections this year and Zach was uh he wouldn't be able to do it. He went on vacation and I talked to him about, you know, do you still want to run the junkyard? He said, "No, I don't. I just need time to close." So, I said, "Why don't you just go into a consent agreement?" And he said, "Fine."

Yeah. Um, and I asked him a time frame, and we talked about May. Um, and May 1st seems like a better time than starting to stretch it out into the summer. Uh, so the only question I have is who do you folks sign it first before I give him the letter or do I give him the letter and let him and his attorney sign it and then have you folks sign it?

I if you what does Jack say? I would defer to the town attorney on how that whatever process should be in place there. So, but I did have a question though. I don't know if you saw the I said it was pretty late. I sent the email this afternoon that that agreement says that the junkyard will be quote unquote cleaned up by May 1st, but but nowhere in the agreement does it define what cleaned up means. So what are we using for a criteria for you or when you go and you say yes, that's cleaned up or no, that's not cleaned up. What what's the criteria for that? Well, I'm going to compare it to Peelers, and Peelers is totally cleaned up. There's nothing left. Um, but that's just my opinion. I guess I can have Jack add to that that all

cars, drums, tires, and junk must be cleaned up. Well, isn't there isn't there there's nothing in um state law or anything that would because wouldn't it need to be basically there can't be anything left that would cause it to be considered a junkyard anymore? Right.

That's right. And they and even once they close I know this from peelers, they if they ever sell that property, they have to disclose that it was a junk ad. Yeah. Um, Okay. All right. So, it sounds like, you know, you're the criteria is that you're going to look at the property and there can't be anything there that would cause it to be classified as a junkyard.

Correct. Okay. All right. Rich. Yeah. I just in regards to once they do clean up and it's quote unquote officially no longer a junkyard, um when junkyards close, are they required to take care of any environmental issues groundwise or um is it just a blanketed clean the property up and make sure it's not visible?

I haven't read anything where they're required to test the ground. Um, in the state statute, it just talks about a junkyard. It doesn't talk about a cleanup. So, I guess I'd have to do a little more digging for that. I know the disclosure that Peeler's sister, who was taken over that, she explained to me that um they have to disclose it and I

believe she still holds the pollution insurance for it. Okay. And it it's in the it would be in the registry of deeds that the property used to be a junkyard, wouldn't it? Somehow. Um I don't know. The these are questions I'll have to ask Jack.

I don't know if it would be, Kevin, unless you know somebody had a home business for say. It doesn't necessarily register it as a as a a specific entity. Even a commercial property doesn't nec unless it's a gas station doesn't necessarily say what it is. That's why I was asking about the environmentals.

Yeah, it's just a property of a deed. Yeah, that is that is a good question though. Um didn't contaminate anything? Yeah, they may not they may not be legally obligated to. Correct. All right. I will um I will shoot that by Jack.

Yeah. Um to see if he needs to modify the consent agreement. I know Peele has had nothing in his about testing. Yeah, let's let's save that discussion because I do have I have some questions about that one too. That one's next on the agenda. But um so um yeah, I mean I think I think we

can there's no rush to do this right now, right? We can um get some of these questions answered and relook at it um at our next Yeah. Yeah. So, I think what we're looking for is kind of clarification on, you know, okay, maybe it's visually cleaned up, but what if any, you know, um, responsibility or liability does the property owner retain for potential contamination of soil and or groundwater or or other environmental um, concerns. So,

all right. Is that is that it for questions for Jack? Well, then you you had a question about kind of or you know order of like who signs first, you know. Yeah. Which which who gets what for us. So just have them kind of, you know, kind of map that out and then let's maybe document that as a standard process or something, right?

And just and just to confirm that whoever we're making this agreement with has actually been deed that property, right? That's a good that's a good point. Make sure that they actually own it. Correct. This one is is both the siblings of uh Larry. It's

you need both their consents, I guess, to that cleanup. Yeah, that's correct. Yep. So, yeah, good call, Rich. Okay, we'll look at that one again next meeting. And so the next one is the PLA release. And um I'm not I'm not really sure why we're signing a release. What is What is this? What is this about?

I believe. Hold on before you This came from their lawyers. Is that right? This isn't something we're asking for. Is this something they're asking for? I haven't seen anything like that, so I don't know. Um, it's from Jack.

It's from Jack. here? What is the purpose of this document? I don't know much of the backstory because I didn't Yeah. um because I think it's just stating that um it has been inspected and it has been cleaned up. I think that's what it is. But I can ask Jack that.

Yeah. And if that's the case, why can't you just write a letter like you would other code enforcement things and say, "Hey, you know, um I've inspected the the property, you know, pursuant to our agreement and every and you've passed." Because what I don't what I don't like about this agreement quite honestly is where it says um

You haven't seen it? No, I don't think I've seen the release. Well, then this shouldn't even be on the agenda. So, let's let's um let's figure out what this is about. I I don't see the need for the town to sign this. I'm a little concerned about signing it quite honestly because of and you can ask Jack about this but the phrase here that says um the inhabitants of the town of Durham release acquit forever discharge and agree to hold harmless uh John Pila from all liability or obligation of any kind whether in tort contract or otherwise for injuries and or damages arising out of a certain zoning enforcement action taken by the said town. What I want to make sure that doesn't do is, as we were talking with the previous property, if there have been some ground contamination issues there that aren't apparent right now, I don't want to be signing something that's absolving them of all responsibility.

Yeah, Rich. Well, the the the attorney that signed this is this this to me looks like something written by the property owner's attorney and forwarded by Zach, which is giving looking for us to release his liability to the town. This doesn't look like something that was generated by J. Jack.

That's what I thought, too. So, who got a copy of that? I have a copy. Who did it? And it came from Jack Conway. Yeah, they sent it to me. Um I'm I It does look Rich like like you you say. It looks like they are the ones that did it and then forwarded it to Jack and then Jack forwarded it to us. Yeah, they're they're looking for I get what their attorney is trying to do, but they're looking for us to exolve their liability of whatever may have happened over there. And I we're not in a position to do that. I wouldn't I don't know why we would ever do that.

I don't want to do that. We don't have any enforcement action against them right now, do we? Uh, nope. Have you have you acknowledged in writing with a letter to him in any way that um that that he as far as what as far as the junkyard and the visible cleanup that what he's done is satisfactory and that you know no enforce additional enforcement on that issue will be taken.

No, he walked the property with me. He was there when I went to look at it. So I gave him a verbal that it looks fine. That's all I said. It's everything's Do you have that documented in your notes somewhere? Um, I don't believe so. I do have the date I went over.

Okay. So, yeah. All any any anything like that should be documented. Um, yeah. Okay. Well, let's see. Um, when you talk to Jack about the previous topic, ask him about this and um, because I I I'm with Rich. I'm like, I I think we're under no I have no interest in the town signing this. I don't think I don't think there's any need for us to sign this. So,

unless it was unless it was tested, even if it was tested, I mean I mean, why why would we sign? We We have no reason to sign this. All right. committee for the Union Church. Ruth, do you want to speak about this one? Well, Candi's been in a couple of times to talk to me and and I know that she's uh talked to Todd and maybe he can chime in here too. Um there had been a time not too long ago uh when you guys had discussed the idea of creating a committee of different stakeholders um who would oversee the renovation andor upkeep of the Union church. Um and she's wondering if this is a good time to start that.

Yeah. I mean I don't know why not. I think um yeah I mean what other guys think? Is there a reason we wouldn't want to do that at this point? Yeah, we probably want to Go ahead, Rich. Were you gonna say something? I'd like to define the word renovation because that could be a full renovation. Is that I mean, are we just talking upkeep? Are we talking like we have been kind of doing or I I think that needs to be established before we can go into a direction of and I think the town needs to establish not more so than this board.

Yeah. No, you're right. That's just what I was going to say was something very similar was that you know like we've done for other committees Ruth we should kind of draft up you know a um you know um a little charter or whatever for the committee on you know what their role what the role is and what the expectations are. I mean I I like the way you worded it in that it's not just about a massive renovation. It's also about um just day-to-day upkeep, you know, like stuff that Todd has brought to our attention a couple of times like, oh, the steps need this or a window is out or whatever. Um some, you know, a committee to I would envision it as a committee to oversee, you know, everyday maintenance, stuff like that, but that also to maybe start working on a plan for, you know, a larger renovation effort and to include how they in intend to raise funds for it. Yeah. It's more of a reservation and

preservation committee. Yeah. Yeah. I mean, it's a committee charged with kind of overseeing that building both in terms of um regular maintenance and any potential, you know, bringing to the board potential long-term projects. But,

okay. You want me to write that up and bring you back next meeting? Yeah, that'd be Todd, what do you think? You're closest to this. Um, you know, of Yeah. Yeah. I think it's trying to preserve it. Yeah. Um more than anything else. Um a full

renovation. We don't have the money to do that, but we do. Well, part of it too might be a direction of, you know, what what will the building be used for in the future? Yeah. Well, by Yeah. I mean, but the town would actually have to vote to change the purpose, right? Because didn't the town vote to essentially let the historic district um uh historic society, excuse me, um kind of be the tenant of that building?

Yep. Yeah. So, but yeah, I mean, if they if they see uh they have some new purpose that they, you know, that they want to bring up and then maybe we bring to the bring to voters, then Yeah, of course. Sure. Yep. you could draft something up for the next meeting and we'll we'll discuss we'll discuss that soon.

Uh LRAP certification. What um I know it went went down, but what do we need to talk about there? Uh so the the uh certification that I sent you basically every year you have to certify to the state um that you spent the funds in the manner in which we're supposed to spend the funds

which we do every year. Um but you guys have to to approve the certification. LRAP certification. Uh is there a second on that? I'll second. Mark seconds. Any discussion on that? Calvin, we used it for what we were supposed to, didn't we?

Yep. Yeah. Fine. Okay. Just checking. Want to get you on record. Good idea. Yeah. All right. All right. So, if you're in favor of the LRAP certification, uh, or or not, just state your vote when I call your name. Uh, Rich George,

yes. Todd Bolier, yes. Mark Farren. Yes. And Kevin Ed also in favor. Okay. All right. CIP discussion. at this stage is um to have reviewed the materials that that um Ruth provided and um make amendments if necessary maybe to some of the schedules to for things to be considered or not considered um by the CIP committee in their kind of longer range planning. Um and then essentially it gets handed off to the CIP committee for much more detailed work and ultimately a ranking and a recommendation. Um anybody and chief I'm going to start with I go to you real quick. I I think in one of Ruth's emails or her report she indicated that there were going to be some um some changes to what the fire department was was looking to do.

Yeah. in discussing this with the chief's group and considering uh honestly where where I think everybody anticipates finances to be in the next couple of years. Um I really think that we need to look again at our overall apparatus layout and where we have those things uh where we have those placed. I don't think replacing I I I don't think putting any uh I won't say putting any money away but replacing anything in the next two to three years is going to be achievable just simply through the town's finances. I don't think it's realistic. Uh it brings me back around again to the thought process and the discussion of pardon me uh of having an evaluation of the department of the apparatus done. Uh we had this discussion uh last year through the CIP committee. It didn't get ranked well. Um looking forward once again considering the the finances of the town, the structure of the department, we we do we do need to invest some money

in a significant evaluation of where we're at and where we're going. Um, we're talking apparatus alone, the just the the costs are huge to the town. And I think that without a without a real in-depth review of it, it's uh it's just sort of guesswork and I'd rather not do that with with the town's money and my own as well as a resident. Um,

yeah. and looking at it from the perspective of uh an example being the town manager position, you know, investing the $8,000 to do that process, right? This is it's kind of the same way that I view this. It's $13,000 is a chunk of money. Um but

in the long run, I believe it saves us if we're if we're not replacing things that we don't need to when we don't need to. Yep. So I think last time we we talked about that kind of the if I remember right the conversation was kind of steering towards um the I think there was a consensus that some sort of you know evaluation or review should be done but um maybe not necessarily the one vendor that you had brought forward that there might be other possibilities out there. So this feels like something that we should be preparing an RFP for.

Okay. Would you agree with that? I would. Yes. Yeah. So, um, and so if you want to, um, if you want to start on that and then we can review at a future meeting, I think that would be a good place to start. I'll have it ready for the next meeting.

Okay. to comment on on that or So, I'm gonna um kind of sticking with um the fire department for now since since we started with the chief and looking at the um and I know he said, you know, he said this is he's already thinking that things need to change. We need an evaluation. So given that I think we should take because one of the things the uh CIP CIP committee kind of asked for last year is that um you know they're going to look at what's on these schedules and and when they start trying to plan um you know reserves and how much to ask for and and things like that that they want the schedule to be as realistic as possible. So, um, in my mind, I'm just

going to throw it out there that there are a couple of things with regard to the fire department schedule. And right now, I'm looking at the, um, in fact, I'm just going to share my screen. this is the the combined schedule on the Excel document that Ruth sent out a week or two ago? Is that

Yeah. Okay. Yes. So, I'm I'm thinking we should take the quint off um completely and because it looks it looks like it's it looks like it's being proposed is is a to buy another used one. Um looking looking back, that was the that was the that was the original plan. That's a used one at $530,000.

Yes. Yeah. A new one of these things is you're looking at like probably a million bucks. A a brand a brand new one a brand new one of quality is going to be 1.1 to 1.2. Yeah. So I mean I think and this is kind of a I mean we all know to call a spade a spade here that whole piece of apparatus is a little bit of a touchy subject for a lot of people anyway. and and um I I think there's not a lot of

enthusiasm outside the maybe portions of the fire department to replace that thing when the time comes. Um so I think we should at least take it off for now and with the chief's um comments especially um and go ahead chief. I would like to at least move it to 2025 until we've had this evaluation done because once again, my intent with this evaluation is is not just the not just the condition of the current apparatus, but what is what does the town really need?

That is that that's my big focus on this evaluation is what do we need? Would you agree then would you agree then to move that renovation to 2025 until you know what the town needs? Oh, I'm going to get to that one next. Okay. You beat me to it.

Yeah. No, but I know agreed. So, how about Chief? How about just for just to keep the next um five years clean because the the CIP is kind of looking five years out. How about we move it to 2026? I'm fine with that. Okay. And that way we keep it on the docket, but we kind of clear the fiveyear horizon that that they're going to be looking at. Okay.

It's not to say it couldn't come back on if modular, um I I'm kind of surprised to see that on there quite honestly because I think we've been pretty clear that we're not interested in renovating the modular to have any sort of overnight accommodations for the fire department. And in fact, that's not actually a fire department building. That's a that's a municipal building and it should be on the um municipal schedule. I mean the we have we have talked informally of other things like that might be uh better put

to use if it was moved over to the town office property and be um some sort of an expansion to the town office which is running into some serious space uh constraints that Ruth will probably talk about a little bit later. But um so what

well that's actually part of a recommend that's actually part of a recommendation I'm developing to actually have Bob moved over here. Bob and I work a lot together. Um, I see us probably working a lot in the future together. And actually, the original purposing of that building, I have the documentation from 2010 when it was when it was when it was sought after over the over the boosters club in town. It was for the fire department. It was for the potential of uh developing overnight staffing and accommodations. And truthfully, looking at looking at my staffing and my ability as we move forward, nighttime is a big problem for us. Yeah.

Well, I think at a minimum we move it out um and and have that be I imagine that need or or would be part of the assessment um work. Uh yep. That would happen. Um but I but I you know and so I guess why don't we move that one out to 2026 as well. um

years clear until we until we have an an assessment in and an actual need because I think there's I can't remember if there's something else coming up like it's tough to um it's tough to ask the town to spend or or save or set aside money if there's not really a fairly solid plan on what it's for.

Okay. Okay. So, I I guess I need to ask the question right now because once again, as I as I look around the station and I look around the way things have have been managed here on this property, I I'm trying to still do a lot of cleanup and a lot of, you know, improved utilization of the space. So, is it the town is it the the board's position that I should not be doing anything with the modular?

beyond its current, I don't think we should be investing any money in it beyond uh maintaining it for its current purpose would be how I would put it. I don't know how other board members feel. like renovate it, make it a

That was totally spitballing for for desks. uh probably putting a a new carpet out there because that one's pretty well trashed um on on both sides um just between age and the mice and everything else. Uh but just getting it cleaned up and useful for office space, storage space. Once again, my I I think it's a good idea to bring Bob over there. I had also spoken with the sheriff's office if they would have any interest in having access to it for a place for their officers to come and sit do a report. it gives it improves their presence in town.

Those might be great ideas, Chief, but they feel like things that really should be we should be a discussion with the board um prior to actually moving down the road on any of them. I mean, the the the code enforcement officer is a is a town employee and any conversation about moving him out of the town office building um is I mean I think you know you you're absolutely free to make that recommendation but to do anything beyond that um to actually start planning for it seems a little bit premature to me.

Okay. think we need to have the discussion first and we had talked about you know it's actually you know right before the COVID storm hit we were we were talking about having like kind of a workshop meeting to talk about a lot of these things with the fire department and you know what is the future vision and and what are um what are what is the board feeling and um and then if we have this assessment and then you know there's it's probably the type of thing or even some public hearings about the level of service the town wants like with regard to you know probably EMS especially um you know what what they what they're willing to pay for and and what they're what they're interested for a level of service. So I think there's a lot of discussions to be had there.

the um fire department? We'll kind of before we move on, What's the repeater? That's a facility. What is that? That's that's the that's the ra that's the radio repeater that's at the top of our at the tower here at the station.

Why is that a facility and not a just a piece of capital equipment? That's a good question. In there because it was um insured under the facilities, but I think you're probably right. It's not really a facility. Okay. So, it would be like other equipment for the fire station, right? So, why don't we put that on the fire station's schedule?

terms of when we do need to put money aside for it, it could be on the fire station um schedule kind of like a the furnace, right? Well, yeah, but I think it's more of a I mean, isn't it more of an equipment? I mean, that that repeater is used for a lot of things, is it not, Chief? It's it's used for the county. It's used for

It is. Oh, okay. It's it's p it's it was primarily put in as a repeater for our for our channel, but it is it is used countywide. for cost, maintenance, and upkeep. That I honestly couldn't answer. I'll I would have to find that out for you.

to that um repeater, there's something that transpired. Please refresh my memory, Joe. Um, was there anything in regards there with a shared maintenance or anything on that in that agreement? No, they cover they covered all the costs for that.

They they cover the cost and then they would cover the cost for any replacement of that equipment in the future. Correct. We're just we just we are just providing the structure for them to house their equipment really is all it really boils down to. Right.

That is my understanding, but I would I would rather double check that than say 100%. Yeah. If we could look into that and then just get back to us, that'd be good. I couldn't remember everything it said either. Right. And the the other thing that does need to be discussed that's not on this list at the moment um is air packs because we did not we did not get the grant. Um and so that's that's going to have to be an adjustment as well.

Those need to get added on. Yep. I'll be working on that figure this week. Okay. All right. you're looking for um you want to buy that one and a half ton dump truck this year. Yep. So, you're going to send that through CIP. Okay. Um, the one thing actually the one thing I wanted to call out on the public works schedule is I I think we should zero out

this line about the underspent operating funds. Um, I think because I know we we still plan to ask the town to consolidate um to stop basically stop that practice of putting unspent operational funds into reserve accounts. Um, so that it it's something that voters should vote on. So the fire department has taken it out. And so I want to uh I think um if you need that 50,000 then you go ahead and make make the funds raised make that line 150 instead of 100. Um but because even if we even if we continue the practice um for another year or two um we shouldn't necessarily count on any money being there. Right. So um

and there's no guarantee it's going to be there. So I mean it could Right. Right. So that's what I'm saying. So let's not make it part of a plan. Um so that's that's kind of why we want to stop that automated process so that we can actually have a plan. you can count on and not trying to guess, you know, how much money is going to be left over at the end of the year as part of the part of the deal. Um

let's see. Oh, I had a question on your public works replacement schedule. Mhm. Why do um the large dump trucks have a life expectancy of 12 years, but the smaller pickup trucks only 10? Uh the initially I thought everything was going to be 10, but we through discussions have pushed the big ones out to 12. And I I I think 10 years is a on the smaller trucks, especially the way we've been using them is we've been just really overt taxing them with the amount of plowing they're doing. Um, I just I think think 10 years is more appropriate for the smaller trucks. They're not they're not built nearly as rugged as the bigger ones,

but you're using them for plowing. We're using excessive plowing. Yes. Yeah. Okay. All right. That's that's just a question. Um, other truck, maybe we could move those to 12 years because they won't be working nearly as hard,

right? Yeah. Okay. Um, I think that's about all. Oh, I had one question, Ruth, on um Eureka. And this might be Keep going. Keep going. Right. Ah, there we go. So, the um we just put this in municipal because we're doing a separate sheet for each facility. Okay.

Yes, there's a separate sheet for each facility so you can plan each facility but then they're all brought together in in the combined schedule. Yep. Yep. Thank you. That dawned on me as I was saying it out loud. Thanks.

Okay. Um I had a question pertaining to that. Yeah, Rich. Um twofold question. one. Um, it says refloor with wood flooring versus right now I believe there's a VCT flooring in there. Yes. Why would you switch to a wood flooring in that structure?

Because I think it would look prettier. But if you guys wanted to go with vinyl again, that would be fine, too. Well, I mean, what's wrong with the vinyl floor? I mean, typically VCT, unless if there's something wrong with a tile or something, you could pop it with a torch, put a new piece. It's just white. I mean, what it really needs is just a buff and wax and it'll look brand new.

Um, I'm curious as to what's the some of the tiles have. So, when it when it was installed, um, I don't think that whoever did it did the adhesive correctly and over the the years, uh, the the tiles have been popping out. Um, and if you look at some of the tiles, this they crack on the edges.

Yeah. And that's common. That's common in VCT. Okay. Um, I have a lot of them, especially VCT that's on wood structure. A lot of times VCT is used on concrete. So, I mean, typically you just would replace those tiles and all you do is heat up the adhesive and pop that tile and put a brand new one in. But if you My concern is you put a wood floor underneath that particular structure, which probably is not very level, not not only been mentioned, it's not on a traditional foundation. It's a cold floor underneath it. it it's just not a very good idea. Um I think you could make that floor look brand new again for probably a couple grand with a buff and wax and replacing a couple of the BCT tiles. So that that's I mean you could probably do that now and see what it looks like and then put that on your budget for in the future if you want to do something. But I definitely would not put wood in that

Eureka Center. Yeah, if we're if we're um mentioned that one of your ideas was to have the Eureka Center um basically equipped and set up to be able to do public meetings over there. And so I'm surprised I don't really see any um capital expenditures for that.

Um, Oh, maybe. And maybe not put it there. But I think this kind of all these things kind of fit together. It seems like you know there's some a workshop of some sort where you know because space our space challenges are all connected like you know the you know fire department would like to have more space for overnight um fun uh accommodation of of employees possibly um and the town office needs more space but you know we've got this modular should stay in the fire department or go to town office and oh maybe we use Eureka for meetings so that we can expand office space in the current town office. Like all those things are connected. So it kind of needs a um kind of a comprehensive approach on to kind of identify okay what are what do we think our needs are over the next you know you know probably fairly short term five years and what's what's the most efficient way to um kind of approach that. Um, and that

might be something where we need to hire somebody to do a little work for us and we kind of spell out what our requirements are and you know they come back with a recommendation or or something like that. But just something to keep in mind that all these things um, you know, are connected and impact each other. Um

you know sorry Kev when we put cost and so forth on these Eureka centers and things of that nature we should have like a really good ballpark of what that cost is. I don't know what that number derives from. You know new cost was 14,000 then annual inflation of 3% of 148 to do that floor.

So the yeah the number comes from uh looking at the square footage and then uh extrapolating out um through some looking at square footage costs for wood flooring although what was the square footage in that I don't remember frankly

well it's just okay I I kind of agree with Kevin where I think there needs to be a little bit more in-depth look at some of this stuff to to overall to see what the actual use is going to be. I mean, wood flooring in public buildings is I don't know. It's not usually a good idea.

I mean, that that being said, I think um and I'm not sure where you have this, Ruth. I think it might be over on the combined schedule. Um well, you I think you have a request for what 10,000 this year. Yeah. Um, and so I think it's appropriate to um make the case for

reserve funds in the municipal building account, for example, municipal capital account because we don't we don't know exactly what we're going to need to do at this point, but we're pretty sure we're going to need to do something, you know, whether, you know, whether it's with the modular or the Eureka Center or the town office or whatever it is, we it would be prudent to start putting some money away in a in the reserve account at this point, but it's probably premature to to um target specific expenditures until we've done, you know, a little bit more homework.

figure, well, in a normal year, 21 is not going to be a normal year, but may that that 10,000 um figure might, you know, ideally be a little bit larger, you know, um but $10,000 figure actually um was that is the amount of revenue approximately that we're going to lose because of the lowering interest rates this year. Last year we brought in about $20,000 worth of interest from our bank accounts and this year um we're going to about half that probably.

Is there anything else about the CIP process or these documents that um any questions? Yeah, go ahead. Kevin, I have a question. So, you know, we we want to to have this discussion and I think it's an important discussion um about, you know, the different pieces fitting in with each other. Um but when do you want to have that discussion?

Yeah. No, that's that's that's a great question. Um I think I don't know. Anybody got any thoughts on that? I mean, the the the co environment certainly complicates that. Although I think you know with you know um with board and department heads we could be six feet apart at the fire station and have a meeting but that has to be a public um meeting but so we would have to um

you know broadcast it or um whatever uh from the fire station and I don't know if we can do that. Um, anybody have any thoughts on on that? I don't necessarily have a thought on when. I mean, obviously you can you can you can pick a date and some will show and some will not show in terms of the town, but I do think there needs to be a clearer picture before you even have that conversation of the direction of these buildings in terms of what where you want to go with them and what exactly the need is that we're going to which we may not know yet, especially with the current situation, but what the actual need is and what we anticipate using the Eureka Center floor for or what we anticipate using the module for very specifically and that's the only way you can really truly come up with a budget because you don't know what it's going to be. So you're really just talking hypothetical until you

define something as to what direction these buildings are going to go to. Yeah, I think well that's that's exactly what at least I had in my mind on what the this initial conversation would be about. So what do you think what do you think is the first step in in doing that Rich? I am one 100% always the guy that's against committees,

but uh you could be the chairman. Uh probably not. But I I I do think we just need to strategize and it takes a collective more of a village effort for say to determine like what direction are we going and what pace at the current pace that the town has been growing in at the last four or five years whether it's be public works or the fire department or just employees in general. you know, what type of needs are we gonna need to satisfy the growth of this town long term? And in the same token, what we need to satisfy it short term. So, until we identify those needs, I don't know how you can determine that what these buildings uses and so forth can be. Um,

part of me would um like to take a shortterm approach for now and and kind of see what happens with the town manager issue. That's a good point. Yeah. let them figure it out. There's an idea. We get have them figure it out. Point us in direction.

So, um, and you know, whether they would not necessarily thinking that person would necessarily come in with all the answers, but they would be someone that um should be able to lead that process. So, yeah. and maybe give us a good assessment of where we're at and where we need to take it to as far as, you know, how how high does the town want to scale this town to,

right? Um, that's the question I always ask ourselves every year on this floor. Like, we keep adding and adding layers and layers and each layer requires, you know, it's it's, you know, you need one gallon of paint to paint a 16ft boat, but if you need an 18 foot boat, you might need two gallons, you know, but it's only two feet more, but you need double the double the paint,

right? something of that nature, you know, whatever that old analogy is. But, um, you know, things like that. I just I don't have a clear cut answer and I don't, you know, none of us really do this full time to like sit down and really think about, you know, I think it needs a lot of thought.

Yeah. Yeah. to propose that we revisit this after the um election and maybe put it on an agenda for discussion um you know later in November on see what we think the next steps are for some sort of of um assessment for of town facilities and

and and the answer if if the town manager question passes the the answer may very well be, well, let's wait until we hire the town manager and and that'll be something we look at um at that point. But um why don't we why don't we revisit this at our later November meeting after we have election results. So when does the CIP actually start meeting, Ruth,

on mute mute. I was talking. Um, usually in November sometime they start. I think we started in the middle of November last year. Yeah, Rich. What's up? Um, I don't know if it's appropriate and I don't know how this works because it's not open to the public, but um, somebody had asked a question if we could just briefly explain the monetary requests. Can you please explain who these monetary requests are going to? I guess they're going to us, but more importantly, they're going to the CIP committee who

Yeah. Yeah. The way it works is capital requests for the 2021 um year go to the um capital improvement um committee and they review the requests and um uh the department heads oftentimes, you know, meet with the committee to kind of explain their requests and answer questions. And then the improvement committee ranks in order that they see as the priority um the requests and then it's up to as part of

the budget process the select board and the budget committee each make a recommendation of kind of like how far down the list do you think we can go in a particular year um in terms of capital expenses. So, um, those go.

I hope that answers whoever had the question. Yep. um, so Calvin, you're going to take that 50,000 a year and unspent money line off. Chief, you have a couple of adjustments to make to yours. Um, so Ruth, when and then, so do you have a timeline, Ruth? Like, are they going to like changes to you by the end of the week and then you're going to move it on to um the CIP committee? Is that the plan?

Well, I I have the I'm not Okay. Um I I have the u the base um spreadsheet um and I'm I will, you know, change the things as you had request. Okay. So, that's easy enough. Um, and there were a couple of of issues with my spreadsheet uh calculations too that I I will need to um address. Um,

so I yeah, I'll take care of that and then we can just uh resend it out. Okay. And then um I will put this on the schedule um for right after the election um and then I will ask the CIP committee to get together after that meeting.

Well, I don't think they need to wait. I think they can start. Okay. Yeah, because I don't think anything we're talking about with buildings is going to impact 2021. Uh the only thing would be the request for the $10,000 for

for uh but like I said I think even without a plan the concrete plan it's it's prudent to uh consider you know just putting money into the account so that when we do have a plan there's actually some money there to fund it. So

Okay. All right. Right. Okay. discussion items. Uh we're into department committee reports and Chief Moore, you are up first this week. busy. Our call volume is still 50 calls ahead of where it was last year. Um I'm starting into doing the budget work for 2021. Um and looking at where we're at with the budget right now. Uh I do honestly right now foresee a little bit of a surplus again. But that's what happens when you have four months of no trainings, no meetings

and that and that initial call dip where for the first month and a half we really didn't do anything. Um and then the calls have really kind of exploded from there. So just trying to evaluate that, see what that looks like comparatively. Um, excuse me. We were uh granted our shape award renewal from the Department of Labor. Um, so all of that looks well as far as us maintaining compliance with all the inspections and and requirements through the state and we were able to despite the pandemic uh get over to the school for a couple of days to do a modified fire prevention week presentation for them. Uh, that really went well. Um, so that's all that I have.

Great. Great. All right. Any questions for the chief? report. We've uh wrapped up ditching Deervale, Rangdale, box cutting, and under drains and all the other construction work, culvert replacements, and we're working with Krooker. Um we're going ahead of them and prepping the uh areas for them to to pave in some of that gravel. Um,

so we'll be doing that over the next couple of weeks so we can get our uh uh overlay and shims in. They dropped off a paving machine today at Deer Veil. Um, we've uh got Krookers finished paving last week. Uh, Brown Road and Grant Road. That pretty much wraps up the bond surface paving except for day road that we're not going to do until next year. Um, so we just have some transition paving on those other uh roads and u some shouldering to wrap those up for the for this year. Um, crews have been working on the u town properties getting acorns leaves. The big windstorm we had there a week or so ago uh left a lot of uh stuff that we've had to clean up. We uh poured the reinforced concrete uh ballot box. Uh we reinforced the slab with rebar and uh uh we drilled holes into that, put anchor bolts in to secure it to the property.

What? Hold on. What ballot box? The outside the town office. I thought we weren't I thought we said no to the ballot box. Um I don't know. That's Ruth. Ruth. Uh I thought the last time we had this conversation, you said that I could go ahead and get the ballot box. as long as it didn't need to.

paid from grants. So, it will not cost the town anything. Uh 80% will be paid by the state. The other 20% plus any of the the stuff that Calvin used to put it in um will be paid by the the grants that we received uh that Becky received.

So, um, uh, so that's all complete. Uh, crew is hauling a crush stone, getting prep for, um, our winter gravel road sand mix that we'll be making. Um, looking at putting the winter sand bid out, a sand out to bed sometime this next coming week. Um

the where we've been getting it's gone up a dollar uh a yard. So put that out to bid uh this year and uh hoping we get some good numbers on that. Um our new uh tandem axle plow truck has arrived. Uh it's at uh at at uh um Freight Liner of Maine. Uh going to Viking surveys this week. They're going to start putting the plow package on it. I've been humming him for the last two weeks to make sure we have all the stuff in here, you know, in the state of Maine from New York. And so I'm not chasing them like I did last year looking for a uh body that took forever to get made. So uh they're saying that they would should have it done in December. So I just figure if I stay on them, I'll know uh I'll have a better chance of making that happen. So, um that uh that's about all

I got. Okay. Thank you. Any questions for Calvin? No. Okay. Let's see. Town administrator report. Ruth. So, um most of my report we went over already. Um we've just been mostly busy with the election stuff. We have processed um over,00 ballots uh as of last Thursday when we left the office. Um all the applications that we had received in prior to receiving the ballots now have been mailed out. Um and we are um having inperson voting at the office. Um, and that's really what all

of our time has been taken up with. You're getting you're getting a steady stream of people coming in to vote in person now. Yep. Uh either vote in person or uh they can come in and uh request their ballot in person, too. We do have the ballots in the office.

Okay. Right. Do we have I know we have the um our local municipal ballot on the website, but I I had someone asked me if the other day if um if we also had like the national and state ballots linked uh on our website. I don't believe we do. We could link them.

Um, they're probably on the state website. Becky, you there? Sorry. What was that? So, so the the ballots, the sample ballots for the the federal and state elections. Yes. They're not available on our website right now. I don't think so. So, I did just get them in um LA on the 2nd because we had

to use them to proofread the ballots before we were allowed to issue any. So, I do have them so I could send them to whoever on Thursday and we could get them out. I imagine there's a link on the the state website too that has them as well. We could just link to that.

Yeah, there could be. We can use their link. Yeah. So, it might be a nice thing to do just so somebody can click and see all the ballots, you know, from one location. Right. Right. And I'm hoping to get them all posted in the three locations um early next week.

Okay. Was that it, Ruth? Or anything else? Yeah. Nope, that's it. Unless you have any questions. I did have one question if I could because I assume it's Ruth and um I guess Becky. Um I couldn't remember what the outcome of that ballot box was. I was trying to refresh my memory. But um with in regards to that um does that mean somebody has to man that when the polls close and do we have the staff to do that?

No, it has a lock. Well, I guess I'm like how do we stop people from dropping in ballots after? So, uh at 8:00 somebody will have to go to the town office and lock it. Well, that's what I just asked. Oh, sorry. Sorry, Rich. Um, yeah. So, we would have had to do that in any case in case somebody dropped it off in any kind of manner over at the town hall. I did that. So, if in the July election, that's what I ended up doing. I went over to the town office. Um, I was there until 8:00 p.m. and then I called back in. I I said, you know, there's no more ballots, so you can close the election.

Okay. So, that's what will happen again, Rich. So the place I think the where you put the ballot in that locks so people can't put ballot in after Yes. after you lock it. Right. Right. Okay. But somebody physically has to be there to man it to lock it at 8:00 or whatever.

Yeah. They need to be they need to be there at exactly 8 o'clock. Right. That's what I mean. Yeah. Yeah. Okay. And I think and if there I mean this is like taking it to the extreme, but if there's a line of people at the box looking to drop their ballot in, you got to let them put it in and then you can lock it, right? Just

Yeah. There was I don't think there's going to be anybody there. I don't either. I'm just This is going to be the year of weird stuff at the ballot box. No, I was just wondering like, you know, hindsight's always 2020, but you know, on something like that, I I don't this is as you this is an atypical year. I would I would think that ballot box would be outside of wherever the voting takes place so people don't get confused, etc.

Well, ideally, um, on the date of election, you know, ideally we we'd get all the absentee ballots before the day of election. Um, but if they do come back on the day of election, we will um put a sign on the dropbox asking them to drop it off at the school, but we will also check the dropbox just in case. And and I suppose, Becky, and you can tell me if I'm wrong, I suppose we could lock the dropbox on election day and request or require that they drop their ballots off at the at the school.

Yes, we can do that. We we didn't have that option in July because of the mail slot right next to the door. didn't have an outside locking mechanism. So, we had to keep we even though we put a sign above it asking people to bring them over to the Amets Hall, we were still having to go by periodically and and we were retrieving ballots out of it. So, that is an option. We could lock that box the morning of um when the polls open,

I think, or sometime during the day, I think, because correct me if I'm wrong, but if I remember reading some of the state regulations about these boxes is that the town clerk and only the town clerk is supposed to have a key and be able to lock and unlock that box. Isn't that right?

Yeah. So, the the town clerk has it and then anybody that she appoints as part of their duty. So as in Pam and Ruth are deputy clerks. Okay. So they are and then the they gave us more guidelines that they are asking that two people unload the box when you go out and it's recommended that we keep a log. So we have a log. Two of us go out, we retrieve it. We count how many ballots we retrieve. We initial it, date, time it, and everything. So we have a log of what we're doing.

Yep. Okay. Great. administration, agenda that any board member wants pulled out as a separate discussion? we approve the consent agenda as presented. A second. Mark seconds. All right. Let me know your vote when I call your name, please, if you want to accept the consent agenda as presented. Rich,

yes. Todd, yes. Mark, yes. And Kevin is a yes. Okay. Okay. Uh upcoming meetings, uh Tuesday, October 27th, uh 2020 at 6:30 p.m. And again, Tuesday, November 10th, 2020 at 6:30 p.m. And obviously, don't November 3rd is election day, although we're actually kind of in election month now because absentee ballots are um are available or

vote in person is also available at the town office during normal uh hours. All right. I'm going to move that we adjourn the meeting. Rich got a second. All right. If you're favor of adjournment, Rich, yes. Todd, yes. Mark,

yes. And I am a yes as well. So, we are adjourned. Thank you everybody. Select board members, there's several stuff, several things we need to sign. So, please try to get in Thursday or Friday to um sign things as a result of this meeting. Okay. Thanks everybody.

Okay. Thanks. Have a good night. Thanks, guys. You