TranscriptSelect Board Meeting ~ February 7, 2017

All right. Thank you. Uh we'll call this meeting to order. We do have a quorum this evening. Four out of the four selectmen are here. Could we please rise for the pledge? I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America and to the republic for which it stands, one nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all.

All right. Uh amendments to the agenda. Um, if there's no objection from the board, I'd like to table number 11 um until our next meeting. number 6C2, I'd like to move to 7D. Uh, so that we can so that we can actually bring it out.

And on to where? Uh, seven. they're not going to be here this evening. done? evening? I move that we accept the consent agenda as presented. Second. All in favor? Motion carries. Action and discussion items. Um let's see. Jean Velace. Yeah. Um is a request uh for a no action letter. And if you there is

Yeah. Want me to read it or pass it in? Um if you want to read it and you you have we had a copy of the letter or not? No. Okay. So, uh, she can you make a copy so we have it? I can make copies if you want to read it first.

I will. Um, to the board, my corporation, VEI, is requesting a no action letter for a possible setback infraction between 257 Pinkham Road and the immediate neighbor to the north. The possible issue could be between the northeastern edge of the house at 257 and the property line of the house next door. We've included a copy of the state of Maine land survey that we did in more detail when we bought the property stating that there were no setback issues. Paul has uh brought it to our attention that the um the land was subdivided something like in the 70s and a house was built and it was never picked up on and I don't know how many owners it's had since then but when we purchased it through a foreclosure um we like I say we had do a mortgage boundary survey and it didn't show up. I mean it's it is there.

Um not quite sure how um it was ever accomplished. The uh the house in the garage of the neighbors is probably less than 40 ft between the two and I guess the setbacks are 20 ft here. And I'll pass this around. It's a boundary survey that was done. I'll start with you.

Sure. That's Yeah. And um this is we haven't had too many requests for no actions recently, but uh a request for no action I believe gets filed with the registry of deeds. Um and or the the not the request, but the if we do a no no action letter, but it is only as good as the board basically. if the board the board can change and change its mind later on and re resend uh a letter of no

action. So, it's it's not necessarily a permanent deal. And from the email that Ruth sent, you're pursuing another avenue to try to make it more more permanent. We are. We have a buyer. We've had the property about a year. We bought it and renovated it. And we have a buyer that was willing to accept a no action. And then I have said that I will continue on with the the your your office here and

try to get a variance to solidify and kind of this is kind of one step in a good faith for the people that would like to buy their bank and their financing and um and we'll continue that journey to get it kind of permanent.

One question, Ruth. Uh, with the no action, we do that does get filed with the with the registry of deeds or not. Do you know? I I do not know. Um Paul spoke to me um very briefly about it. Okay. is um if there is a cost incurred to the

town, I'd like that to be covered. uh like the what is it $15 filing fee if we do it 19 or something. So that's the only the only thing is if we do that I'd like to have in there that if there's any cost to the town cover old car boys.

Oh yeah. Yeah. I don't believe it does cuz what Paul was talking to me about was the idea that um this letter is only good as long as the board is this board that at some point in the future which is Yeah. Someone wants to challenge it later. Some banks will accept a no action, some won't.

As far as mortgages, probably depend on who they sell their mortgages to. And this person is okay with it. Okay. We had another home that had a shed that was too close to the property line and they were just concerned that later down the road they might have to move it.

So, we just took the shed off the property and solved that. But, um, but of a a variance was going to take a a longer time. Yep. in in that community. So, it's just easy to give the shed to the neighbor. And I assume that you're still going forward with the variance that you've filed.

Yeah. I I'd like to um keep these people involved and keep their loan process going and then continue on with their banks. Okay. But I don't want I have an investor and I don't want this to come back again later down the road. So, this just sort of helps keep things in in motion. And I've paid the fee to meet with who am I meeting with? The

the board of appeals. Board of appeals. And to see if we can get a true variance. You know, had it surveyed and we're about 10 ft from the um true property line as it stands now. Has there been any opposition from the abutter? pertaining to which issue

and Paul did say he was going to have to send out information to the abutters for the variance. Yes. Yeah. My understanding and and I haven't gotten too deep into this is that um it was a a piece of property that started with one home turned into a second and turned into a third and there were three homes there at one point in time. Um somewhere along the line, someone came in with this um survey and and had it deeded and had it filed with you guys here at the town and you know, for whatever reason, it didn't get picked up on and I understand that. But I think it's now been like 39 years since this took place and it's been sitting there. So eventually the whole property went into foreclosure and I bought one piece and the neighbor bought the other. And um I don't have a good read on him. He I've tried to be, you know, a good neighbor from start and um you know, I don't I think he just real happy that

there's going to be people living next to his house. Yeah. A lot of people feel that way sometimes and I can't change that. No. It was an existing house. Correct. Mhm. There was He bought it knowing there was a house next door.

Yeah. and he had it surveyed, I think, and he knows where all his boundaries and stakes were, and he's made it very clear where those are. Uh, he was very nice. He let us use the existing driveway that serviced the house, um, right up until the very end. And, um, I'd actually planted some trees on his property and created a, you know, a nicer way of sharing the driveway and was called up and was told to get my trees off his property. and you know that triggered a you know $7,000 driveway and a whole bunch of different things that took place with it all. So it I don't know what his you know state of mind is.

Okay. So I'll make a motion that we grant a letter of no action um and if there are any fees incurred by the town that they will be uh paid for. Second. Any discussion? All in favor? Can you work with Paul to get that written up and then we can sign it and get if we can get in here to sign it?

Thank you. Thank you. sale. we uh acquired property map 8 lot 22A that we put out for sale. Um we uh received five bids on them. The first bid was Robert Ponto Jr. for $22,111. LLC for $25,1 Joseph and Fish Joseph E. Fisher Jr. for

$40,100. Steve Rand for $50,200 and James Papy for $42,000. reserve was, but it's been 23 something. Okay. So, it's been met. we accept the offer from Steve Rand the purchase of the property for $50,200. Any discussion? All in favor? Motion carries.

Budget budget workshops final on all departments. So, we had several um of the ones that we had changed the last time we were here. She gave us the new sheets for that. Um there is only one that we need to still finalize, but we need to take that up in uh session

executive session on number 10. But, uh if we want to I don't know if there's a desire to look over anything to make sure. Um, if you don't mind, I would like to just go through the numbers so that we're make sure we're all on the same page.

Yep. And then, you know, just that there is what you gave us tonight. Right here. Yes. with administration. Um, I know that we may have to change something in administration, but down the bottom we're at 354648 so far. This is this administration?

Yes. Okay. Um I I don't have what any numbers written in for what we did, but um we actually you you guys add into my budget. Yeah. And some are still contingency what we going to session for tonight with Yeah. And that may so that may change. I'm just checking.

Yeah, absolutely. I think sheet that you gave us too between the personnel and administration. So any anythingbody wants to take a look at on that or they you don't have a new one on that Mark? I was going to say should be in your book.

Okay. She Okay. You fooled me. I didn't reprint that one because we already had it. What did we discuss what the miscellaneous revenues was on? Uh we can if you need to. I just I just was wondering what what that meant, but I don't need to know right now. We can

I can explain it to you at some point if you'd like. Yeah, that's fine. Because somebody's probably going to ask the question if whenever they see the word miscellaneous. Yeah. So it's 648. Okay. Yep. 354 648. Okay. Okay. So we're good with that one.

Yep. So Office of Capital Projects and this that's the 50,000. 50,000. Yeah. Okay. All right. Animal control. This one did change. I gave you guys new sheets for this one. That one we're at 1257334. Assessing didn't change. We're at 2150. 20,150.

Okay. Cemeteries. Nothing changed on this one either. We're at 4200. That's was requested. Good. Yep. Okay, so conservation. I took the $50 out that we never ever spend. And to be honest, since it's one of the parks, if we needed like $50, we could take it out of the parks and wreck fund.

Yep. Okay, so that one's good. Donations. I just updated what you guys went over last time. going on forever. They'll debate it forever again. Yep. Yeah. Eureka, we didn't change anything. It's still 4903. 4903. Right here.

Yeah, we had some that from rentals that were Yeah. putting against We're not going to raise all that. We have $540 for rentals, but that one went down mostly because of the propane. Yeah. And then we're on fire and rescue.

Chief, did you want to You have anything to say? I think it's the same as you sent me over. It is. So, we're at 321680. Yep. $50. $50. for uh the quint which is the 3304 what the 3000 uh I'm sure the historical society hasn't come to me to ask me for any money um I gave you guys the letter from them last time I don't know whether

I mean it's it's the same thing every year we we say you need come to us with the actual right with with the with a specific request and um afterwards it's and I mean I understand that if they if they really if they need to do a repair there they need to get us a request so that we can authorize the funds to spend.

Yeah. Maybe you could just touch base with her again something because I mean they they've been doing work. They've been taking pictures doing that. I mean, they got to I'm surprised they ask for something. From what I understand, it's a leak or something, right?

Yeah, it's it's not the historic district commission. It's the historic society. Oh, okay. In reference to the the church. Yeah. Or was it the church that has a leak? Oh, is it the church over here? I run around the church.

Okay. That one has some issues, too. There's a window broken actually on that one if I remember. That's a uh so that that's a good question cuz the money we've been setting aside had been for the repairs on that. So they had Okay.

So if if they need money for this, I think we might need to actually uh um tax tax for that, raise it. uh cuz uh unless they have other monies that wasn't appropriated specifically for that building, but the the $10,000 that we gave for several years that was I think the init was appropriated for that building.

Okay. All right. So, we'll have to see if I can't get contact again. Um so, this is parks and wreck. Um, I did change one thing in the orange and the only thing that I did is I added um $300 to the project for um some seed and

lom uh for Hunter house project that he's doing this year. Okay. Yeah. Of course, it's all um appropriated funds. It's not raised. planning board didn't change. We're at 17697 $1,280 is appropriated and we need to raise $16,417.

we good with that? Okay, somebody speak up if we need to go back to anything. Public works. The only thing I changed on public works was the line for the health insurance because I had to include seven months of health insurance for the proposed new position.

Yep. Because we decided we could make it with the the salary line, but we have to add the and we might might not spend all that. Depends on on what kind of insurance they request. Um, so we're at 1441108. equipment bond and the building bond.

appropriate the auto excise in the um urban renewal. The auto excise seems high to me. It is it is. We uh we brought in $80,000 more than last year. Keep buying new cars, everybody. That's what it is. Everybody's buying new cars and big cars, expensive cars.

Um, public works. There's, let's see here, the paving, the washbay curtain. Calvin says, um, he's still waiting back to hear from the people on the quote for that. um the bond for the roads 2016 road bonds and the public works reserve.

me about the idea that he wanted to put a bond in the warrant. Um, and if you guys didn't want to recommend it, that you could not recommend it, but he thought that we should put it in. And so, but that's something that you guys would decide.

You put it in. So, um, for whatever the roads were at the higher at the higher rate, having a contractor do everything. He had mentioned a million to put it in for a million. Um, I don't know where he was getting that figure from. I don't know if that would be the the final figure. And, you know, we can always discuss.

I Yeah, I can't make a decision on that without knowing exactly what he was what he was planning. So, but we I mean we can always put that article in, but I I need to have a little more information on it. Calvin needs to move over here, pay taxes. Then he can make all the suggestions he wants.

Yeah, we I thought we had sort of talked at length about really putting the crew to work doing paving. I I think I think that's what his I think that's what his intention is. I think what he was trying to do is give the t give the town's people the option of doing something this year at a high but we couldn't get as much done. But I think he was I I I can't say for sure but I think his his thought process was just like some of the other things was just to give the town the option because if there's no question you can't do it that somebody can't put a question on the floor.

Okay. Yeah. I So there's two different solid waste ones. This is the one if we go with pine tree which is uh 200,75259. and I carried these out to the future years so that you guys can see what it would be in future years. And then

um go ahead. Can you go back? Shouldn't gohead. What's shouldn't the number match? Okay, there it is. 1943309 is the budget. Okay, I think you're cuz that matches down below, but the numbers you were reading off didn't match the total number down below. And um

Oh, I think you're just reading the wrong line probably. No. Or the wrong place. Okay. I'm Can you go back to the pine tree one too? I just want to make sure the numbers match there, too. Uh 20752. Yeah. Okay. 7. Yeah, that's fine.

Yeah. And then there's the comparison so that we'll be able to Yeah. Tell people exactly what the comparison would do. And then telecommunications. I changed two lines on this one. Um after receiving some invoices for the um

Center. I um upped the hardware a little bit so that we make sure that we had enough money for the server if we when we go forward and do the server. Um, and then I upped the IT support line a touch to make sure that we would have enough money for IT support this year because we need to get that going.

Okay. And so that's of course um out of the franchise fees. So we're at 53 630 663 for that. And then the other thing I want to point out in the budget is that we did receive our county tax. So the county tax this year um is a 7.64% increase for us to the 42841161

um which uh is a 0.09 mil increase which is a larger increase than we anticipated. Correct. It's not what we usually do. We usually get about a 3% 3 and a half% increase. It was pretty high this year. Do we have any idea why the the county budget is up? Either the county budget is up or our share is up.

Um well, our share is if if it's following the what I've seen in the past few years, our share is probably up because our valuation compared to other towns is has been up. I've I've not goes based on valuation or population.

Valuation. It's based on state valuation. Got it. I believe now, but I also know that there was a probably a 6 to 7% increase in in the uh in the county budget. Um I'm not sure where everything was because I wasn't involved in all the out of it was some of that foolish court stuff we had to go through.

Well, there there is some of that. Um I know the budget committee tried to cut out some of the legal lines and they put it back in. I did see something last week in the paper where they're trying to rein in legal costs um by before any

commissioner could email or talk to the lawyers at any time and even you send an email and they clock the time to read it. So, so they're trying to funnel it through one commissioner and you know so they don't get multiple requests on the same thing and get charged. But yes, they they they have incurred many and not just in the uh county

uh dispute with the towns. Um they've had some legal dis uh some some uh employee disputes and things like that that have cost quite a bit in legal as well. Okay. T Feather. Oh, that's way back in the old days. the fact that they didn't have that process in place. So the people were just willy-nilly emailing

council without confirming that they were from issue hadn't already been addressed is from what I've seen I think there's actually there's uh progress being made. It may it may be slow but I think there's progress being made in the direction of the of the board but

they are still concerned about the uh the jail because the the way that the jail's being funded is changing and they're they're concerned there's going to be a big shortfall on that and that the state won't be able to come through with the funds that they're supposed to. So, well, but we don't have at this point we don't have any uh any recourse on that. That's that's actually been committed to us.

Mhm. Great. So, it's not technically part of the budget. It's just Yeah, it it is part of what we have to tag. So, okay. Any further questions on the budget at this point? No, the only thing that uh back on Calvin or his curtains uh that might change once we get is I just wanted to see what he got. I wanted a physical person down there looking it over. I run some numbers

with something a lot different. And I I think if if we decide to go that route, we could probably do it with the money that we have left. The 2400. Yeah, I think so. If that if we decide that I think it's a good idea, but I'm not sure if I want to do that. And I think we can I think we can get to the same end result for less money for the times that we use it. going on some I went on Mastercard, looked up some stuff and

a couple things. So, never thought about that. If you can do it for less than 2500 versus spending almost 10, I'm in. Well, that's what I'm I mean, it's not it I'm positive. It's not the same thing, but the end result I think will

be just as good. It's a different solution for the amount of, you know, the many times they may need to use it and it will protect their electrical, protect somebody from getting a shock and all that. And I bought heavy duty taps that I bought, the last one I bought was 24 by6. It was 100 bucks. So, you might have to buy six of them to get the full what you need, but um they'll last a long time in there cuz they're not going to be out to the wind and we can use something different. I I priced out some uh stainless steel cable, which you really don't need. That's pretty high price. But just to see where the numbers are falling, I I I would like to see what he's doing because I wanted to see him. I didn't want him just to call on the phone and say this is what we're after and have somebody come down there after we if we said yeah do it and show up and say well I didn't know that was there that there and then the price

doubles. So I said if you haven't had anybody physically here I really want that before I but so I'd like to see that but I think we can make it work this way but that's up to the whole board had an idea between now and the end of budget going back and forth that'll change some. Right.

And if I remember correctly, last year when we were in the budget meetings, there were a couple times you guys changed your numbers. So if if I I think that you know if you guys wanted to do that on this when you get more information then

right right ideally in my opinion and I think in the last few years it seems to have worked out if the budget committee and the selectman can kind of agree on the number I think they've both done their job. I know some people think that this is a competition. It should not be a competition. It's not a competition. The board of Fleckman and the budget committee are not going to win any prizes. They're not getting any free trips to Florida. It should not be a competition. That's not what it's about.

And if they can both be pretty close on the numbers, I think they've both done their jobs. So, but that's just my spiel for the competition comments. Okay. Anything else on the budget right now? No. Okay. Uh go on to the next one. We we do have a resignation from the planning board. Uh to the select board, it is with deep regret that I tell you I need to resign from my position as chairman of the planning board. I have been on the board for 12 years and I'd like to do something different. The present members of the board are very energized and I don't think they'll have any trouble replacing me. Talibu

resignation with regret. Second. Any discussion? All in favor? Motion carries. add. had what I had in writing that uh really wanted to come by and see if uh primarily see if you had any questions. I attended the Lisbon workshop on dispatch. I'm not sure that they're really ready to go anywhere, but um I guess my thoughts after listening to the conversation, I think the town people want to keep it there. Um they're willing to pay a little extra if they need to, but I'm not sure of that. I thought might me the what might be the best for the town of Durham is just to send them a letter if it's the board's intent to stay with them unless they close down. Um just send them a letter saying they have intention to stick with you as long as you continue to provide quality service at an affordable price or whatever the case may be. but maybe asking them if they do decide to go out for an RFP to include the town of Durham because

obviously if they go out for an RFP and choose to move, we have no options. Um be my recommendation based on what I observed at the meeting that uh I haven't heard anything since then that would change my mind on that. And you're g uh I would guess on this if they ever if they did decide to move this wouldn't be something that would happen really quickly.

No, they were actually uh yeah, one of the things they discussed was the fact that conversations were coming up during the budget uh process and that there's just not time enough to make it happen for this budget cycle. that um it really should be something that they're considering after the budget process and it would probably be a year out or so before it started to happen.

Yeah. Okay. Yeah. But based on the research we did last year when they looked at this same thing that uh you know this cost and I'm I'm not sure it was presented in their financial breakdown some of the costs like the uh line the landlines to uh dedicated landlines. If they can do direct radio link, well, they're fine. But if they have to do the landlines, if you go back to when we did it for the sheriff's department, both Lewon 911 and the sheriff's department were giving us estimates of at least $250 a month just to cover that piece of it. This cost for services were about the same. Um, you know, so we had the moving cost and an additional cost of 250 a month. So, I'm not sure their budget breakdown actually includes anything towards that, but maybe they're hoping everything can be done with a radio link rather than telephone lines or cable lines.

16th. Thursday. Today is what? February 16th. February 16th. So, Thursday. Thursday. Would do you know if Calvin would be able to attend that? cuz I think it would actually be probably I He's not here unfortunately, but that would probably be something good for him to be attending because it typically focuses on roads.

Yep. Well, it actually if if you've ever looked at our piece of the plan, the only thing that's in there that isn't roads is the uh dam runaround was in there. Otherwise than that, every project that's in there is roads. I actually talked to him the other day and told him that, you know, you should probably consider going because it was actually attended. Lisbon Public Works was there. Uh um Auburn Public Works was there. I think there was one other public works director there at uh EMA directors might have been there as well. But I think it's really critical for any road commissioner/public works director to understand what goes in the hazard mitigation plan and what actually you can do with it because you know we could we could virtually list projects per in the the plan that granted our problem areas but they we might be addressing them in our budget. If they're listed in the hazard mitigation

plan they're eligible for federal monies um which we've never taken advantage of. This will be my third time around on the plan and we still haven't ever taken advantage of any of the of even applying for any of the federal money and I'd love to see us at least apply so we could get turned down.

Well, and that same culvert issue that that Calvin just did the grant for is on the old plan and so that would be the perfect example of one that we should be it well it definitely it showed establishes a history and I actually think it was on the previous plan as well but it definitely establishes a history. One of the things that we need to show is one documentation that it does create an issue, but the other side of it is the history piece of it that no, this definitely something we need to get done. You can get projects funded that aren't necessarily on the plan. However, it's going to be a major publicized emergency to get a project funded that isn't on the plan like that big road wash out in mine it a few years back that went through a hazard mitigation funding process but it's usually emergency funding whereas this is kind of a yeah they have issues here but it's something they can fix at some point in

time. um the relocation of that town. I don't remember the name of the town, but a lot of the municipal buildings that was hazard mitigation money. They rather than continually put money into the same repairing the same area, they'd rather have you permanently fix it, move it, relocate, whatever.

Another qu would the assistant chief be able to attend this or where he is the assistant EMA director too, right? or the EMA or it uh I could throw two green people to it. I I I know he's had no experience with it. I understand.

I have talked to him that I need to start breaking him in on the EMA stuff. Um part of it is we have an officer's meeting scheduled that night too that I' with my other plans I'd be missing that as well and I was going to have him manage it, but I could have the deputy. I can definitely talk to him and say, "Hey, I'd really like to have you go to this." Jump in the jump in the fire both feet.

Is this is this same place? Yeah. I went before the MA office. Yeah. And the other thing I didn't know based on I didn't know what the budget committee schedule looked like if there was going to be budget committee meetings on the 16th or not.

I think there is. They're starting on the 13th. That's next week, huh? Next Monday. Chief's going to go on Monday. Okay. Have I? That's a definite. Oh, yeah. I sign I signed you up first. Yeah, that's that's good to know.

Thanks. Let me know about that. Okay. Um, back to number one and so on because he's he's asking for a uh if if we desire to send a letter. Um, I'll take a motion if somebody wants to. That would just be my recommendation as a way to maybe address this because if they're going to move because the other the other piece that I was kind of disappointed in is I'm glad Lisbon let us know they were having the meeting because it this wasn't something that was done spur the moment. They actually had uh one of the one of the time consuming and uh pieces is actually working with IMC to uh uh

get estimates on your data migration from one system to the next. They had an estimate from IMC for the migration of all that information and stuff that uh so that didn't happen overnight. This wasn't something that was just put together a couple of weeks ago, two or three weeks ago. So, I'm I'm I really think we we need to do something for communication saying, "Hey, keep us in the loop that uh um I'm glad they did contact you and forwarded it to me because this

is this a letter that you would do up or you and Ruth or Ruth or kind of hoping Ruth would on behalf of the board, but to the board? This is actually a letter from the board, right? But I I but some of the stuff I guess you could take it off.

I can help her with it. Yeah. I just want to make sure the right so we got the point across because it makes sense to me to do it. But but I was I was kind of my recommendation would be that I mean obviously I can write it if the board wants me to and I can send it on from me but my my recommendations and hope was

No, I agree with that Durham and the board. Yeah. I just want to make sure we got some of the highlights that you put in here. I mean you could take them off here I suppose but yeah. No, that's that's fine. Is that a motion?

Yes, that is a motion. Okay. So, we have a motion that we send a uh letter to the town of Lisbon to the effect that we are that we will are planning to stick with them as long as they have dispatch and if they do put out for proposals to include us in the proposals second. Any discussion? All in

favor? Motion carries. And I'll work with Ruth on that because I do think that should be expanded to say that, you know, as long as they continue to provide a quality affordable service so that it's not just now we're making a written commitment to be there forever and ever.

Thank you. Um, I answer your questions on the if if somebody else wants to go, let me know. I I don't know what the schedule looks like. Well, that's that's why I asked what night was it? Well, I'm I'm pretty sure we'll cuz we know we can't do the budget committee's not going to meet Wednesday nights. We're pretty sure on that.

I don't know. Unless is unless they change. Well, no. I wouldn't be able to be there, but Exactly. Unless they change Wednesday. And has he is he still hung on Wednesday? Tuesday the 14th. Not mad choice. No, not it's not going to be Tuesday the 14th. Monday's the first date that I I know of and then they were talking

we we can't do it Valentine's. will be there will be uh I will not be available on Thursday the 15th. Wednesday's the 15th or Wednesday the 15th. I Okay. Okay. Okay. My son's turning 10. All right. What you have last at least?

Yep. Well anyways on the hazard mitigation if there's somebody going let me know. Otherwise than that, I think even if Calvin can't make it, I think we'll be fine if I call Joanne and even if I go up next week and meet with her and say, "Well, hey, where are we at and what do you need from me?" And I'll make sure she gets the material ahead of time. So, uh, yep. And it the other one was just an FYI. It just to let you know that we actually have eight members enrolled. We're going to be hosting a basic fire officer class. It's about a a nineweek class over at the station for Androskogen County May Fire Service Institute putting it on and we've actually it offered to host it in hopes that we'd have a bunch of our members and we actually have eight of them that signed up for it. So hopefully they're all successful.

Is that like a five day a week course or is it just like No, one evening. One evening. And uh yeah, what they're gonna I hate to say it on camera, what they're gonna not like is the homework aspect of it. It's one evening of classroom and but it includes a chapter between the next week and that week a chapter of reading as well as a written report probably a couple of three pages. But for anybody that's been out of school for a while a two or three page report is pretty overwhelming. Feel like you're on detention again. That's why you don't do the report

about that. When you don't do the report say I've been on detention but I've seen it. Thank. That's all I had. Unless you guys had something for me. No. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you for good evening. Like you guys had a very busy day today.

Yeah, it was fairly busy. I don't know why it was it were really greasy today for whatever reason. Very slippery. Yeah. Yeah. This morning's was pretty greasy. Tonight's doesn't seem to be as bad right now, but I suspect it will be. But

I'll be sliding down the hills. You're next. Um I don't have much. Um, I had a gentleman come in um today and ask me there's some there's some small pines. They're scrub pines. He thinks they're about a foot or two tall. They're in the right of way on 136 between the Eureka and the ball field. Um, so they're like right next to the road and they're going to get creamed anyways, but he would he would like them. And so he's asked if we would have a problem with him when the snow melts um taking them. He said he will make sure that he doesn't leave any, you know, holes. He's just going to take the roots and not, you know, leave the dirt. Um and he just wants a couple of the trees. I I don't see any reason why not.

Well, I mean, I guess just kind of we'll take a before we make a decision, take a look at them and tell them tell them put a ribbon on them so we can look. Yeah. Okay. Just tell him the orange ribbon on the top, the ones you want, so we can drive by and take a look and Calvin can take a look and we can make a decision.

I'm going to put it for buffer or something. Well, that's what I'm that's what I'm wondering. You know, do are we taking out a buffer of some sort? I don't think so, but we I'll have more. If you just put a ribbon on on Okay, that's fine.

I think it's the easiest way. Yeah, works for me. Okay. Anything else? I'm good. Okay. Um Oh, yeah. Well, did we um did we have we done something about that computer we was going to buy yet? Just kidding. No, not yet. Okay. We're going to do that soon so we don't have to have that problem.

Yeah. Along with all the other stuff. I know. And did you pass that information on about the town channel? Maybe getting the slides so they there ain't like 12 slides in between the fire here and the fire there. And then

Oh, no. I didn't turn that. Pass that on to pass that on. You know, Alden's the one you might want to pass that on to. Oh, we can pass it on to Alden. Maybe he could just kind of organize them. So when you when you're looking for certain things,

I think they're organized alphabetically. So he could probably rename some of them so that all Well, some of them like when I was watching, like I said, there was a fire one. I said, "Oh, one of them after coming right up, and then there was a skip, skip, skip, then there was another fire, then it was a skip, and then there was So it's like maybe we could put all the fires together.

Order order them by subject matter." Yeah. Right. Yeah, that's all. Okay. Okay. Well, I was going to ask him if it was alphabetical and that's how they determine, you know, which ones goes next. You know, we can do alphabetical by fire station.

Okay. I just I don't watch it a lot, but when I'm looking for stuff, it just seems like it would be easy if they were all together cuz if I turn my head and what I'm looking for is slip by, then I got to do it again. You could always just call us. I I could, but I try not to ask silly requests. All right. Uh if there's nothing else on that, there'll be upcoming meetings here. Uh regular selectman's meetings Tuesday, February 21st and Tuesday, March 7th at 6:30 p.m. Uh apparently there's going to be a budget committee meeting here next Monday, the

13th. 13th. What time? I'm going to go with 6:30. 6:30 p.m. Also, please note that the town office will be closed on Monday, February 20th for in observance of President's Day. Uh nomination papers. There are nomination papers available for two three-year selectment terms, one-year selectment term, three-year budget committee terms, and one three-year school board member term. And uh the papers are available at the town office and are due in no later than the close of business on February 14th uh which would be 4:30 next Tuesday. 4:30.

Um anybody especially interested in the budget committee? We don't have that many. We only have one. We only have one for all three positions at this point. Um, I move that we go into executive session.