TranscriptSelect Board Meeting ~ May 27, 2025

heard that. I know. Yeah, thank you. Mark that in the notes. If Josh wins the lottery, he'll build the gym. We All right, we're live. Cool. All right, we're going to call this meeting to order here at 6:30 at the uh on the

27th. All please rise for the pledge of allegiance [Music] 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 righty. Uh, we have a quorum here tonight. So, we are good. Do we have any amendments to the

none. All right. All right. Do I have a motion to approve the previous minutes from May 13th, 2025? I'll make a motion. Motion by Deb. Do I have a second? Second. All right. Motion seconded by Josh. Do we have any discussion on the motion? I'm going to recuse myself because I wasn't at that meeting. All right. Um, all in favor? Any opposition? Seeing none. Passes. Old business. I've got nothing on the agenda for old business. Did I miss anything?

mentioned this last time that we got a a letter here about the um use of the fire station and we put this on for discussion here. Um, Chief Sam Michelle, did you have anything you wanted to to share? Sure. Yeah, please take a seat. Uh, just turn that microphone on and we all know you, but you have to say your name in the in the street. You don't got to give us the number.

yeah uh the letter it uh as it allude to I I I'm in charge of the banquet committee or I coordinate the banquet committee meetings and after scheduling it four times and the third time it was canceled the final time it was cancelled it uh I found out when I texted the chief we weren't in charge of scheduling the use of the meeting room any longer um yeah which my first reaction was not very positive but it uh you know I when we built the station it was designed so the station would have three functional areas that the the bay for emergency response the office area and the meeting room with the intention that someday as the community grew they need the additional meeting space that I guess that uh I for one don't want to there were countless hours put into this volunteer here hours. I don't want us I don't want to have to call the town office to schedule the use of the meeting room that supposed to go along

with the fire station. Um that being said, it you know I we built it with the intention that it should be utilized by the municipality and we tried to make it so that everybody could cohabitate. But it uh I guess my suggestion really is that uh it would be great if maybe the selectman and the planning board. I think those are the two big meetings that need to happen in here and happen on a regular schedule which we could plan. Would be great if we could schedule anything else or special items or that way there we could still come down here and schedule to use for committee meetings and things like that without have to worry about calling to the town office and schedule the use of it's a meeting room that a lot of people volunteered a lot of time putting together. So that that's the gist of my letter. Yeah. Well, I appreciate your comment and we definitely hear you loud and clear. There's no one sitting up here

who wants this to be our our meeting space. This is a a temporary fix. We really over on the town office that was a small space and we couldn't really accommodate more than one or two people attending the meeting. If this was this many people tonight, people would have been standing in the hallway. And so we made that decision to move here temporarily. Checked with chief before that. At the time the rule was just never anything on Thursday, even on the Thursdays when the fire department doesn't have something. And so we want to find a way to get out of this space. Um, but we're that takes time and money. And so that's one thing we're working on with our downtown visioning plan. And also things like adding uh we're voting tonight to add uh internet over to the Eureka Center. And I know that we'll just in the interimm ask all folks who can, especially during the summertime when the weather is fine, to schedule

their meetings over there. And I think we can also sit down and look at our meeting agenda and look at it with chief and maybe say we know that the select board needs to be in here the second and fourth Tuesday. The planning board needs to be in here the first Wednesday. We know we always give it to the uh uh fire department every other every Thursday. We might even be let's say hey let's all Wednesdays that aren't the first Wednesday block that off for the fire department as well. So you all know you always have Wednesday and Thursday and we can try to work around that. and something we can kind of discuss with our committees and stuff, but we hear you. We absolutely do. Um, yeah, to go with my letter that I mean, you guys view this as a fire station, a municipal building for the the members and everything that it's a lot more than this meeting room is a lot more, as my letter alluded to, than just a meeting

space or anything like that. So the mere fact that at least for me and I think for some of the others it uh the mere fact that we have to move to the bays or cancel a meeting actually the last banquet committee meeting I held at my house. It it was too cold out in the bays and I was like no I'm meeting in the bay. We held it at the house. that uh just uh I realize right now you're crunched for space that uh and we built this and designed it the way we designed it so that when the day came and the municipality was crunched for space there'd be enough space. Um but I it just those meetings that have fixed schedules. It would be great if we put them on the calendar and and then go back to scheduling here for special events that you may need the meeting room for and then we could still utilize our previous system of calling up and scheduling it. And I for one wouldn't be surprised when I found out that now you

you might have scheduled it, but I I don't know how many of the members actually even knew that uh the meeting room was no longer to be scheduled through here. I know I kept scheduling it. scheduled it for four events and only one of them actually happened in here. Well, we can make sure that gets clarified with but it would be, you know, and I if all we're talking is special events, it I would think that would be fairly easy to uh fairly easy

fix and palatable for everybody involved to actually move scheduling back to here and schedule planning board and uh select men whatever the normal rotation is. And yeah, well, that's my suggestion. No, I I appreciate that and I definitely think we can talk about scheduling and and be more more mindful that in a perfect world, this is a space for you all, you know, to come and break bread, to relax, stop by, talk with who's on on duty. You know, if there were recovery after a fire and we had a meeting, that's a challenge here, too. And so, we totally understand that. I think that we can come up with an interimm solution before we can get out of here to make sure that there's more space and time dedicated for the fire department in in here and just being aware that it's a shared space but it looks like a firehouse when in here for a reason. So we hear that right? So yeah, didn't I talked about

that in a while there's a lot more here than just a meeting room. Absolutely. For most of the municipality, they view it as a meeting room, but there's a lot more here to than just a meeting room. Absolutely. Well, thank you for uh for the letter and thanks for coming in and talking and we'll definitely going to see how we make some changes here. Sure. You're going to probably have a discussion on meetings and stuff you will said later on during this meeting. Um, we have that on our draft here to have the discussion now, but I wanted to get feedback from you before we started to o open it up for our board. Does anyone have any questions for Chief St. Michelle? You might notice his name's on the side of the building, too.

about this leading up to this meeting and I know that right now we have scheduled select board meeting here and then the um the planning board and traditionally we've done the budget committee meetings here. When I think of our other boards and committees that meet once a month, do we know how many of them are meeting here versus meeting in Eureka? I believe they were all meeting over there. So they're all meeting in Eureka at this point. Okay, cool. And so, especially with us getting internet over there, I think that the best policy is Eureka should be the first choice for everyone outside of us and the planning board. Um, and then if people need to use this, I think there might be a little bit of benefit in checking in with chief just to make sure that there isn't something else scheduled here in the interimm. So, does that work for for folks if someone comes up to book this, we can just double check on this side of

the house? I have a couple comments. Well, is there a reason why I don't know when we did we're doing the scheduling here was it just a hard copy calendar on the wall or someone was keeping electronic solutions for the issue is the I know on my end even if id have known I I got to be honest I probably would have never called the town office to schedule the use of the building That's me personally. But if we had a a calendar, we actually publish a monthly calendar for the department. And I believe Diana told me I I usually don't put it on my refrigerator anymore. I tended to lose my refrigerator, but um we put it we

publish a monthly calendar and that monthly calendar actually has the selectments for way back when I was here. We started doing that and it had the selectman's meeting on it. So it uh having a hard copy on the wall or something. I I can't speak for the department. I'm no Yeah. Yeah. It's no longer my say, but I would think that would be an easy solution or something. Yeah. Any objection? I don't have any issue. I think that so chief like you said every the beginning of every month gives out the training calendar and it has our meetings on there. I don't think it currently has the planning board's meeting on that calendar, but maybe we just need to make sure we're crossing calendars here. Um, so when chief makes that maybe we'll talk you talk to chief and have him send it to you and so then you can fill in if there's anything else and then if it gets changed we should always let chief know, okay, someone

really needed that because there's a special thing here and so then chief can let people know at the weeklies or through his text and or uh or email chain and so then everyone always knows, you know, because I know that like your your experience in the past has been you deacto you always knew it was always open unless it was Thursday and So it feels backwards to have to be like, well, is it open today? And so while we're going through this, I think we can make it very easy to find that information on the on the print calendar. So yep, or even an electronic version. I mean that calendar, it's an electronic version of the calendar. We've got the calendar that lives on the website right now that's electronic and that's up to date. So we got that. We But I think the print version is helpful, too, because I know a lot of the guys just put it right on the fridge. So, does that work for everybody?

Awesome. Well, thank you for your feedback. Really appreciate it. And and we got this is what these meetings are for is to hear from folks and hear what's going on. There's the only way we know is if people tell us. So, yeah. Well, uh, yeah, I know I'm the only one that spoke, but I know the auxiliary that they tried rescheduling and scheduling around different things and it uh, so not just a periodic committee meeting. So, we can that resolution hopefully it works out. Yeah, I think it will. Awesome. Thank you. Awesome. Thank you very much. All right. Next on the agenda, we got Mike Clark from Durham Youth Baseball with a request. So, come on up.

having us. Uh, Michael Clark, president Durham baseball. Um, old Bronswick Road if you guys need that. Uh, vice president here, Kyle Bulock, Hunter Hill Road with me as well. Um, yeah. So, we had uh I had sent Jerry a request back um I think it was late in the year, maybe right after first year around budget time. Um we usually historically have put in a request for funds um for some support from the town for the kids. Uh you know, being the the last and only youth sports team, uh run out of Durham here at this point. um you know trying to keep that here in town and now that we've had uh the field over here for the last few years as a lease from the town. Um historically up until three years ago we did not have our own field. So um it's been great for the organization. Um you know it's it's really helped us uh grow and do a lot of great things uh as oops sorry as as a lead. But with that also comes some challenges and you know

other expenses and things that you know we're looking to do to uh not only improve the space but um you know improve uh the facility and area for the kids and and the people that come to watch the games. Um, so I think we had put in a request for I think it was $10,000. Um, and you know, certainly open to discussion on that. Um, but some of the things some of the challenges that we're kind of running into over there with we have 104 or five kids in the league this year, which is similar enrollment to what we had last year. Uh, we run ages 4 through 12, T-ball, uh, right up through what is called majors. Uh so we currently have six T-ball teams and we run games Saturday mornings for our T-ball over there on the field from 9 to 12. Uh and then we have two what are called rookies age groups which are seven and 8-year-old kids. Uh two minors teams which are 9 and 10. Uh and then one majors which is ages 11 and 12. Um

so with that are those older age groups from 7 through 12. uh you know trying to get them games here at home during the week or weekends uh as well as practice time for everybody that's that's really tough with only having one fac one facility. Um, so one of the things we've kind of discussed as a board is, you know, maybe trying to put some type of batting cage or something out there, uh, behind the fence, maybe out in right field that would possibly give us the ability to kind of have two teams practicing at once with, you know, split the practice, one team doing some batting for the first half, other team doing fielding and then flip-flopping. So, you know, that gives, uh, people field time and space. Um, you we've been able to work it a little bit over the last couple of years with our older kids, like the 11 and 12, which are fifth and sixth graders. Um, coaches have been able to work their schedules

to just meet them right after school, which has been nice because that allows somebody to get on at 3:30 and then, you know, at 5 for a game or practice. Um, so that that's that's been a challenge as far as field time and field space for all the kids. Uh the other thing is during the games uh we have obviously families that have younger siblings um coming to watch the games. There's really no space for those kids to you know kind of hang out or congregate. I mean we have the snack shack but outside of that it's kids are kind of playing in the treeine running around. Um you know

so maybe something in in the space behind left field between uh the town hall parking lot. We've talked about if there's a possibility maybe for some type of play set or swing set or tables or something to kind of give um you know kids or or families kind of something to do make it kind of more of a multi-use facility as well. Um so those are some of the thoughts that we've had. Um you know running the league we do try to keep our our registration fees down. I think we're probably one of the lowest, if not the lowest, uh, as compared to surrounding towns like Freeport, Lisbon, and other areas that we play for the kids. Um, so we're not, you know, we're not making a lot of money on registrations after we buy uniforms and pay for umpires and and things like that. Um, we do do a fundraiser, uh, which we started last year. Um, we'll know here in a couple weeks how much we're bringing in from that. Um, but you

know, so anything that that the town could do to kind of help the kids um and help us kind of continue to improve the facility would be would be greatly appreciated. And in the past, we've done $2,500 a year, correct? The last three years. Yep. Yeah. And I think that actually even goes back beyond uh before me, before I was president, before we had that field. Um where we didn't have, you know, maintenance upkeep and and other things. Um, do you guys pay maintenance and upkeep in this field? I mean, we've we've paid for all the improvements. So, over the last three years, we've probably put 15 to 20 grand into that field. We've resurfaced the infield. We've reloed and seated the outfield. We've enclosed the whole um field with fencing. We added on to the snack shack this year. We got electricity in there. Um, what else have we done? Fence topper was a thousand bucks. It's all in your in your your email. Yeah. So, um I mean

the the town um public works has mowed it for us. Um you know, which is certainly greatly appreciated. Um but outside of that, yeah, all the other maintenance is is coming from us. So, mostly your investment is in like physical structure, but the town is covering the mowing and and of the of the outfield and infield and that sort of stuff for you right now. Town has mowed the outfield, right? Yeah. Cool. Yeah. And infield is just all dirt. Awesome. Um you all had someone participate in the uh downtown visioning process for us, right? For uh Yeah. So that was me. I was here, right? Yeah. Okay. So, you know, taking part in that process, we came up with this big plan to try to get input to figure out what the downtown is going to look like. So, the only only red flag I see here is that we want to make sure we're not jumping the gun on some of these things. So, if we're building a structure someplace and then two, three years from

now that structure is now in the way, we'd have to remove it and if we depending on what it is, it might be lost or something like that. Um, and so on any sort of structure built outside of the fence line for me, once we get to those higher dollar amounts, I'd want to see a proposal or some sort of estimate first. Um, just because we restructured our uh our budget this year, so we have more flexibility with recreation funds. So rather than having to budget for just so come in and ask us before the budget cycle for amount of money and we put it in the budget, we now have our recreation um fund that we can administer out of throughout the year depending on the specific need and the benefit to the community and stuff like that. And so we're not as stringent with what we have to give right now, but we so we do have that little bit of flexibility. But that being said, I'd really want to see a proposal or an

estimate once if we get above that $2,500 mark for it. This is what the batting cage would look like because we we need to know things like if you put up a swing set, is a swing set that we can easily take down when that space gets reconfigured or is the batting cage something that can be easily taken down? Is it going to be available for people who aren't participate participants in the the Durham baseball youth area baseball or whatever to actually come and use in their free time as well? Because once we start getting that that impact that we have to think about the total community use as well too. Sure. So um do you have a quote for uh the batting cage or for a play set or something like that? So this time at this time I don't have anything concrete. I mean kind of research some

things online. I mean, batting cages you could, again, depending on if you want if we wanted a or if the town would allow a permanent structure, you know, depending on the size um could go anywhere from I mean, I had one personally at my house for my kids a few years back that I spent 500 bucks on, but it wasn't, you know, it wasn't different scale. Um but yeah, I mean if we wanted something, you know, permanent that some of the other facilities that we go around to have, um, you know, could be anywhere from 5 to $15,000. Um, you know, swing set again, you know, or something like that depending on what that might look like, if the town would even approve that. Um, you know, that you could, you know, you could spend anywhere from,000 bucks to, you know, 10, 15, 20 grand for something huge, you know. But, um, you know, I think just having something that would provide, especially younger kids, just

not being around running through the tree line or running in and out of um, you know, back and forth of a school or throwing sticks and rocks around with, nothing else to do. Um, would be helpful. But, um, but to me, it sounds like what you're saying is the batting cage could address some of the congestion. You're having it. It Yeah, that that definitely could. I mean, that has been a struggle for us. Um, you know, and this year, I mean, we've had more engagement this year with T-ballers than ever before. I mean, we got T-ball coaches, which are four to six year old kids wanting to hold practice, you know, at night. And and that and that typically hasn't happened in years past. And um, you know, so they're over here using the the space in between the baseball softball field of the school um or even the the grass spot behind left field, you know, between the parking lot. Um, you know, which is fine for

that age group. um you know but when you start getting up to the older kids it is tough to you know where they can't we struggle to get them a practice a week and you know I hate to lose kids because we can't you know provide something that maybe another town is because they have more facilities right so for me the $2500 is generally what we give so that that seems acceptable to me to give you full transparency when we do any capital requests from any other capital accounts especially our municipal accounts and stuff like that for these larger items. People are coming with multiple bids and quotes and telling us like here's our options and stuff like that, which we have to do to be fiscally responsible. And so from my perspective, anything above and beyond the normal $2,500 and anything for a specific project, especially something that's going to have an impact outside the fence where it now gets into the town

town use type stuff, I'd want to see a little bit more information on that and a few options um uh just to to judge the benefit there. Does anyone else have any questions here? Josh, you can go first. How How long is your season? When is you go from uh Well, we start practice in April. Yeah. Well, so we actually as a league, we start running indoor um clinics and practices starting So, we rent out a facility in Brunswick uh for the kids starting after February break that goes till April break. Um, and that's once a week on Saturdays for a couple of hours for kids that want to participate in that. Um, but our game season for the league that we're part of, uh, starts the week after April vacation and ends basically at the end of the school year. Um, and historically, and we are this year, we are doing an all-star team for one of the age groups. Uh, so they'll be playing up through the end of June.

They'll be playing in a tournament in Scout Eaggan the last weekend of June for that. So I mean for to me one of the things we talked about um I'm trying to point blank on her name when JB Kaga was here with assistant. Thank you. Um was you know something for the the younger kids um and I agree you know to an

extent we should have better planning or ideas around what's going to happen but um it sounds like it's probably too late to do anything for this season. Yeah. Um and then you know like getting some picnic tables would be relatively inexpensive but may be helpful you know so I and again probably wouldn't happen this year but I think uh spending some time planning going forward. Um Right. So yeah I mean you're right. It means obviously it's too late to do any of the stuff that we'd like to do to impact this season. Um, but during our meetings

throughout the winter and so forth, I mean, if we had funds that we knew we could allocate, we could or even do something in the fall to have it ready for next year. Um, you know, it would certainly be part of our planning that we would be doing. And I think the process there that we use with all other capital funds is even with the town

uh like buildings and and the public works, they're coming to us with a proposal and then we're awarding funds as opposed to us saying you got 40 grand, go find a a piece of equipment. So, if during those winter meetings, you got you all can come up with some sort of concrete proposal or whatever, that's where I think we could talk about expending more than our normal $2,500. And and then we also talk about things is maybe the the tables, picnic tables aren't something that you all should have to worry about. It's something that we can take care of separately and we look at the the the playground separately. There might be grant opportunities and those sorts of things. But if we kind of get that wish list from you and then some proposals, I think we could probably do a little bit more because we just got to maintain that same process for for everyone. Be fiscally responsible here with Yeah. No,

I understand. I appreciate that. Sure. Um down this end of the table. Sorry. Um most people who know me know that baseball is a huge part of my life and my family's life. I'm absolutely an advocate for a batting cage for safety purposes as well as the on deck circles that you guys talked about. Um, I think a permanent type batting cage in the long run makes a lot more sense financially than a temporary type structure. Um, my question is about insurance and I don't know if you have

insurance or if the town covers you. So, your organization covers anything in terms of liability that happens inside the fence. It it covers kids that play that are part of our league, registered in our league um you know during a a league activity, practice game, something like that. So you know it wouldn't it wouldn't cover to my understanding would not cover if somebody you know a regular um resident just went over and used it and you know there couple kids messing around or somebody got beaned in the head. Um, so those are those are my things that I think are important to consider even when we're talking about activity outside of baseball, but like a play structure or something like that that we we need to take those things into consideration that if it were outside of the league, um, insurance coverage and if it were something that were available, which I am an advocate for, I think it's important for the younger age

group to have something to do. I just think that's a box that we also have to check and make sure that we're addressing. Yeah. So, yeah. No, I I definitely understand that on like a play set or something. Um I don't know that for batting cage or batting structure that it would be any different than if you know because the field is open to residents now. You know, if they're playing, somebody gets hurt, that's different. Um but but no, yeah,

the place I mean that makes sense. Did you um I like the ideas that you had written down in the email and at first I thought okay this is actually like a colliding with the developmental discussions we're having over there so maybe the timing is good you know we can't do anything right away but we just were briefed on the you know the committee suggestions over there and we talked about what could be a priority this discussion could move some of those things that maybe were further down up a little bit you and then have a plan forward because we'll be talking about that again very shortly. And and things I like to think about too is like I'm of the mindset like I'm a buy once cry once kind of guy. I would hate to see us get something cheap and then buy it again in a few years. And when I when you say batting cage, I could be completely off my rocker here, but I envision along the outfield fence line a shoot that is a a

net in. We're going have to have questions about who's maintaining it, who's storing that, who's taking the net down. Something like that I see is if it's, you know, it's just taking up a little bit of width and the length along the fence line, it's probably not going to intrude into other activities when we do things in the future there, but it is addressing not only an increased opportunity for something new, but also we this is not the first time we've heard you all with the the scheduling issue over there. And so for that thing, that's why, you know, I would say brainstorm this with your committee and bring us something after you get through the season and stuff like that so we can see what those sorts of opportunities are. Nothing's ever guaranteed, right? But we're we hear where you're coming from. So I appreciate that. Yeah. I mean, the reality is is that, you know, we could we could use a whole another

field, you know, but you know, I I know that I know that we're not there uh at this point in time, and I I wish we were because it could certainly be useful. Um, but yeah, I mean, as far as like the band cage goes, you know, we'd be looking at something that would be, you know, maybe 60 feet, 50, 60 feet long by 12, 14 feet wide. Um, that would allow it be big enough for kids to do uh live

batting and pitching. Um, you know, the pitcher mount for older kids is 50 feet tall and plate. So, you can do pitching practice, batting practice, and and those types of things in there. Um, and you're right, it wouldn't it would be behind we think behind right field. So, you know, it wouldn't even be intruding into the parking lot. Yeah. And the thing is with our downtown visioning, we've explored what would happen with that access point there. So, we'd want to make sure we're leaving room there and just make sure that we can use in the long run. Um, but I like the idea. I'm just not comfortable giving the 10,000 today. I see. I'm saying bring us more more info. But I am comfortable doing 2500 because that's generally what we've been doing and I don't want to pull that out from from under you. Appreciate that. Yeah. Is it something that you need the 2500 now or is it something we could say hey look we

didn't give it this last year we can kind of add it in either way it doesn't I mean I'm just asking yeah no I mean I to be perfectly honest and transparent I mean our season is is half over we got three weeks left um you know so that the 2500 bucks isn't going to make or break us for this season you know um you guys want to provide it for this year we're certainly not going to turn it down um but yeah no I It's not uh it's not like we're hanging by a shoestring at this point in time. I think for me like it either sits in our account or it sits in their account, right? And based on what it is that you're saying because it's I don't mean our account obviously the recreation account. Yeah. Yeah. I know what you're saying. And so it it's not like that's not available to you. it and

if it makes more sense for it to be in your hands at this point, you know, we can have a vote on that or it stays in the recreation account and when we do this request, you just account for that in there. So, just I make sure that I'm clear. So,

2500 and then if we come back, are you talking potentially 10 more on top of that if things kind of made sense or would it be 7,500? I think depending on the proposal. Yeah. And so if you all are coming to us and saying, "We've got these three proposals for something. We'd like to do this when it cost $10,000." We you might say, "We've already got $3,000 between what you gave us last year and some fundraiser money. Can you help us span the difference?" Um that's what could happen. If you came forward and said, "Hey, you gave us $2,500 bucks last year. We haven't spent it, but can you pay for the the thing in full this year?" That's going to be a conversation for that time. Personally, I'm comfortable with giving you the $2,500 because we've just done that year year in and year out. And we don't know what a next iteration of a board looks like. So, I don't want you to miss a year in case the next board hates

baseball and certainly plays tennis or something. So, um Jerry, I just want to clear up the insurance, excuse me, the insurance question. Um, so that's town property and so that's covered under our MMA insurance. Same with the dugouts that's on our insurance. Now, as far as anybody getting hurt on town property, we would be covered under tor claims in that situation. So, someone that would file claims against the town would have to prove the town was negligent. So, I think if a if a kid unfortunately got beaten in the head with a ball would probably be covered under their insurance would be my guess if there was anybody to but if it was outside of a game and you know still it's town property property town isn't really being negligent in any way. So that that's where the sorry that's where the play structure thing conversation comes in for me is that like we would want to have oversight to make sure that we're

meeting whatever the town insurance is saying would make it that we would be the town would be the least liable if somebody got hurt because it meets this height requirement or something like that. So that's why we just need to see things really spelled out. And especially with that, frankly, I I wouldn't want to see something that's like a play structure or something like that come out of your guy your guys' budget because it's it's a it's a town. It's on a different it's not within the field. It's a town thing. Same with picnic tables and stuff like that. So I wouldn't want to see you all have to fundraise to put a play structure that you own on property that's owned by the town that gets used 90, you know, 10 months out of the year by non baseball. like I'd rather you all be able to focus your fundraising efforts on the baseball component. No, I I do appreciate that and and and I kind of just want to use

the batting cage, too. Anytime. Um, yeah, I mean, it's just kind of a thought that we've talked about as a board as far as the play structure, you know, just trying to, you know, you're right. I mean, our job as a as a board is to provide the best baseball experience and facility we can in regards to baseball. And you know, I think you're right that that is kind of out of our scope, but at the same time, we want to make sure that that facility is something that anybody in the town can enjoy, you know, and that we're not just, you know, that we're focused on the community and not just the kids that play in our organization as well, which we appreciate that mindfulness. So, uh, do we have a motion to provide $2,500 to baseball? So, move. We have a second. Second. Second. All right. Uh, any other discussion? So, like I said, I'd like to provide $2,500 just because that's what we had talked about in the budget cycle

and what we was kind of implied as to what was going to be the ask this year based off of previous years with the encouragement to bring more detailed proposals for other types of expansions because we're trying to focus on that downtown area. So, and this would come out of the recreation account. Yeah, it would come out of the recreational uh reserve and there's enough money in there. I will tell you just what we have in there. I don't remember the exact I want to guess. I think it's like 23,000. 23,742. Boom. It's not just for baseball. So, we'll make sure our request is less than 23741. That's for all recreations.

Um, but any other discussion on the motion? All right. All in favor? Any opposition? Well, thank you. Opening take take a bring us something more detailed um for some of so when we when we have that we're ready just check in with Jerry and get back on the agenda we'll get you on the agenda and then we'll we'll have a discussion so all right yeah you could you could look at that GP cog package from the our last meeting it's online just to get a feel for you know the sketches we did in that workshop she had put some of just a location of some ideas yeah okay if anything a banning cage could keep balls away from the uh the parking lot no one's quite get over that area. I was thinking some of them T-ballers might have a good swing. We we we do have one kid on our team though, 10 years old. He almost put one in the town hall parking lot tonight. There we go. Um so, wow. Can I just encourage you to stay involved in

this process for this area? Yeah. No, for sure. That baseball field is Yeah. No, I'm happy to provide the input. I appreciate you guys listening and the consideration. Thanks a lot. Yeah, we appreciate you all coming in. Thank you. Thank you for what you do. Have a good night. I lost my paper here. Um, all righty. There we are. So, just Jess just did you get that motion? All right. Cool. Resiliency grant update with the conservation commission. Yes.

Robera Brazinski, Quaker Ridge Road and Jess Costa on Rihanna Drive. So, we're here just to um provide an update about the community resilience partnership grant which we received. I don't know if you got the news. There was a little period of time they were waiting for a press release before you're supposed to tell the whole world. And um so yeah, we're really happy and um I guess we provided some material.

Um I can provide the entire um grant application if you want to know the details, but this request for proposals basically, you know, is telling a consultant that we would hire um what we're looking for. So that's sort of a summation but um you know you can see the whole grant it's for um open space

plan and a conservation strategy and we're hoping that um the conservation strategy will sort of help us be proactive in as things come up. Uh we know what we have here. we know what we need to protect and what are the most valuable areas and that we you know have a plan. Um it calls for a lot of public

participation. Um we will certainly need help from lots of people to identify stakeholders. um you know how people use open space what they're looking for and you know for years and years everyone wants to protect rural character so I think we need to have a lot of discussions about what rural character is like what are we

trying to protect so you know I hope we'll have a lot of discussions about what we all value um both just intrinsically you know um as open space but also you know you can look into the ecological services provided water quality and all those issues will be brought up and um yeah

yeah it's going to be 80,000 80,000 and 72,000 will go to the consultant to ultimately develop the open space plan um conservation strategy and it'll be a done over a two-year period. So, the ultimate deliverable will be this open space plan with maps and photographs um identifying vulnerable areas and areas that are in need of protection and areas, you know, prone to flooding and um yeah. So,

what's the other 8,000? the town for administrative um if there's any printings for um preparation for any of the community meetings. Okay. Um staff reviewing maps. Um I think Roberta reached out to Did you reach out to George? Did you tell George? I belatedly reached out to George because um yeah we do have monies for uh staff to provide additional services if needed

and there are federal requirements. The funding is coming from Noah. Noah. So that every quarter we have to give a status up update um to Noah and the consultant will help with that and do the consultant's going to do a lot of the you know planning and scheduling and support. So and basically

they're recognizing that rural communities don't really have the staff and the capacity to do this kind of thing. So that's what the grant is for. And hopefully if we update our um comprehensive plan at some point, we got some good information. That's exactly what my comment was. That's what I was going to say. It's very very good timing for that. Now, do you know does the with the grant application does that $8,000 get sent to the town right away or does it have to be invoiced? Okay, perfect. That's good. It should be sent to the town right up front the entire amount. I don't know if you've heard anything because we completed all the everything that needed to be signed. So, it should be it should be coming right along. This is super exciting. Um this is really awesome. I think this is I think this ties in super awesome work here. Really proud of you all for this. I think it ties into so many things we

have going on right now between Downtown Visioning the the the pending comprehensive plan update that I don't even want to think about right now. uh but also concerns around development. This can help really give us that inventory and help us rank what's important. So, I really appreciate all your hard work and expertise on this. Like, it really is awesome. And then when all your hard work brings in dollars as well, it's even better. You know, I know. I was just saying at the beginning of this meeting, I think we're going to have like our best grant, maybe our best grant year ever between you all and chief. We're at like $120,000 in grants. So, we're going this year. So, um what did you need from us? Oh, sorry. Sorry, Heather. You had a question. I just I don't think it can be overstated how important this is and I'm actually emotional about it. So, thank you. Thanks very much. Yeah, for me, you

know, this is why I joined the commission to do this kind of thing and the ranking will be very helpful. And that overall potential benefits to the community. Yeah. I mean, yeah, who knows where this could lead. Yeah. Yeah. What do you need for us to move forward? Question. Do you um is there a contract in place with with the state at all? Contract? Yeah. Yeah. So, signed. Yeah,

that that was the signed contract that we filled out with with the consultant or with not Oh, not with the consultant. That's what we would need help with is just I mean the request for a proposal uh the material that we sent around public material um that's a draft of the proposal trying to tell the consultant what we're looking for and I do have a little bit of a list of um a couple of places to send it where to uh post it main association I think you had mentioned right so a contract has been executed. Well, just we've written up the request for proposals as a draft. We need to we need to get that out there to um broadcast it so that people will respond with their proposal um so that we can select the consultant to get the contract and that's when we have to sign the contract. Yeah. So, is your intent to have us help with that uh review process if you get multiple requests for proposals or do you all are you all

comfortable ranking them yourselves and coming to us with a recommendation? I mean, I think it would be great to get support um from you guys if you are available. Um we wanted to try to get it out in early June, as early in June as possible, the RFP to make um hopefully a

selection towards the end of June. So it doesn't give us a ton of time. Yeah. Well, that that's fine. Um this is your draft RFP language. And so tonight, what would you would just need from us is a um a motion to approve the RFP language. And then once you hear back, we can get you on the very first meeting at the after those bids come through and we can u pick one and sign off on it to get started right away. Okay. I think we were going to make um some a little bit of changes at the end. Um, let's see. We'll see the schedule. The scheduling when to start. Yeah, that's basically what it was cuz we're getting ahead of ourselves and we were thinking the work would start June 1st, but that's next week. Yeah. Which is crazy. So, this has to be initiated mid June 2025. That's where they're talking. And that needs to be updated. Yeah. because we're thinking the contract would be issued at the end

of June and then so the work would start July early July. July. So you want to cross out mid June and say early July because are we going to vote on this too? So we're going to vote on the RFP language and then they'll bring us the quotes and or bring us the response and then we'll vote to select one and sign a contract. And this is the RFP language. So, I would like for us to hammer out this RFP language so way it looks the way so it looks the way you want and then we can just submit that vote on that tonight and then it can just go out right away. Should should it we're we're instead of putting a specific date, should it just say as soon as possible after uh contract is signed? And we should indicate maybe when we expect to make our selection when we want to make our I'm just thinking that you might I mean starting in July when when it's a high vacation time and then people might be busy because some of the I mean you're

talking about a two-year contract if they've got but they might be freeing up in a few months that's true. Yeah. I I I I don't know if stating it start time and I actually don't know if you really need to vote on administrative stuff. Well, I wasn't sure if we needed to approve the request for uh proposals. I think once they get a contract in place and get going and cuz I mean this is just language. They're not even done with really the language yet. So, in general, in the past though, we've we've discussed to make sure that the uh request for proposals going out at least look like what like they're representative of what the town's looking for. Like when when Calvin goes out for an RFP for his trucks, you don't you don't approve that. This is all like administrative stuff, not policy stuff. So, I don't But we do have to sign the contract ultimately. So, well, so that's where I was thinking it might be valuable for us

to make sure we're on the same page now. Whereas with Calvin stuff, that's it's we're not signing. It's a little bit feels a little bit different. Whereas, this is a grant and that's a municipal service. So, I'm fine with whatever. The fewer votes and the fewer approvals, the better in my mind. Yeah, cuz I mean, you work on it in a in a meeting. Well, if it was just changing one thing, I'm good. But if you all if we can send if this RFP can go out without us having to vote on it and you just are making uh nominal changes through here, I'm I'm good to let you let it go. Yeah, that's good suggestion not to say exactly the exact date where it's going to start. Um we just want to indicate when we make our propos our selection of the consultant so they know that have an idea of the time frame. Yeah. The due date for them to get the proposals in at least. Yeah. I mean, maybe you you all can figure that out, I'm sure. So, yeah,

whatever works. You do. Oh, never mind. I'm not gonna get in the weeds about it. Where is the list of of consultants coming from? Um, well, we did get from GP COG. They kept a list. I'm not sure whether some of these might be for larger projects, though. They have a pre-qualified firms list and um they had

one page that does you know land use environmental stuff. Um if you want to do that we had help from FD environmental um helped us uh with our proposal originally because they provided an example scope. Um so I would say

I'm a little partial towards Etsy Environmental because they're a small local firm and we're favoring that idea of a small local. A lot of experience doing these open space plans. Um so we're definitely going to give the RFP to them and they'll, you know, they'll be one of the folks that we look at their proposals. And there also have been um community resilience partnership grants for open space plans. So we can check in with uh where was it? Not New Gloster. Newster New It was New Glouster. That's a good idea. Yeah. Yeah. Somewhere else. Windom or something. I don't know about Windom, but I know some conservation commission for but we can also check that see who did those. Yeah, I would recommend definitely checking with other towns. That would be a good Yeah, their experience. Yeah, this list is all there's a lot of really known entities here. this is a yeah there's there's a lot of expertise in the state on on this

stuff but yeah in terms of like references and things like that I mean um we could certainly use help if there's anything else that needs to be added to the request like I think we did put something in there but we want to see their bio the staff bios bios

experience with open space plans I don't think we required we require references Right. Just the bios. Yeah. Kind of like the same idea when we had when we picked the legal firm. They bring in a who we are, what we do. Yeah. I worked in consulting. I had one of those bios up there that they'd state point something. No. As long as it's not like a googling. Yeah. Yeah. 100%. And I guess that also determs if we get the list and we're concerned then we can ask those questions too. So for sure. Yeah. Well, I think that'll be if all you need from us is the thumbs up two to give two of those. This is huge. Well done. Um and we will prioritize getting you on like if you when you post the RFP and you have the end date of when the RFP is going to be closed, right? Um let us know and we'll just put them on the very next meeting as long as the RFP end date isn't like a Tuesday morning, you know. Um so if you did the

RFP end date on like a Thursday, we'd have you on the next meeting. So yeah, that would be really helpful. Yeah. Yeah. To have some help with that. Will we be communicating this through the weekly newsletter or something? I think it's important that the town knows and we should have a list of contributors whoever contributed to putting the grant language together. Not only on this but the all these grants certainly if the commission wants to write up a little article we can have. Yeah. Before do you think before the um the request for proposals goes out? Oh, sure. Yeah, sure. I mean, I've been so hesitant to celebrate. I'm just saying. I'll believe it when I see it. Like, tell me when it's deposited.

received. I was thinking contract because the the funding that funds this is a little right now. So, they were optimistic on the funding though. They were. But still, the grant work was done. We got a letter of approval back. That's a win. It's a Yeah, it's a big win. Even just sharing that little newsletter that was sent with all the towns or just pulling out the Durham was one of them could be cool. Yeah. And and the contracts been executed with the office of policy information. Been executed, right? Perfect. Yeah, let's share let's share that one. That's a good point. When when you do write up the blurb, make sure because you said that there was a press release that went out. You just to provide that link with it. So which link? I'm sorry. The link for the You said that there was a press release, correct? That went Yes. Yes. Right. Just providing that press release link so that people can click through to

so that they know this is real. Sorry. Yeah. Yeah. So proud of you guys or you are. Yep. We'll keep you in touch. Yes. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Like big city stuff, you know, not just small. Well, I mean, it is for a small town. So,

the uh land use update. It's been a long process to get here, so I'm excited to hear what you got to Bargetown Planner, and I'm here to give you an update on the cotification of the land use ordinance, the project that we've been working on for some time. As you mentioned, um we've contracted with a company called General Code. uh they do land use ordinances and other all other types of ordinances for uh about 3,000 communities across country and about 30 here in Maine. And so they are looking to prepare an online uh version of the land use ordinance. And the project is uh also includes their going through the entire ordinance and looking for uh grammatical errors, inconsistencies and uh perhaps most importantly uh as we've seen, there are areas that the town needs to be in compliance with state legal requirements. And so they've identified some areas where we are not currently in compliance and need to address those in

this process. So they've identified beyond uh the big issues the hund 139 technical issues uh that as I said are mostly fixing typos correcting cross references to uh ordinances and codes and standards. Um and uh what we're looking at is a timeline has been prepared based on their work. Um, and the first part of that, the first deadline is July 25th, uh, which, uh, requires that we provide the answers of the town's responses to their questions. So, basically, for example, the ordinance uses code officer, code enforcement officer, uh, inconsistently through the ordinance. So, they're just looking for a simple direction uh, to have the town give the direction to them, make it code enforcement officer throughout the ordinance. Select board. Uh it some places it's called selectman, select board, board of selectmen. Again, getting consistency through the ordinance with those terms is is part of

that process. Uh they've also agreed, which is really helpful to uh allow the town to put in some minor policy questions uh in terms of the time frame that we're working with. So, we've identified 14 what we're calling minor policy issues that are not really don't fit within that characterization of just a a uh technical fix. And so, we've uh outlined as a process where the board you going through our standard process for or uh processing ordinance changes. uh we will if we can get something to them by the end of the year uh on those 14 issues that we can discuss uh after this uh summary uh they can incorporate that into the proposed codification of the ordinance. Uh as I said the deadline for getting the draft into them would be December of this year and then they would prepare a preliminary draft of the entire codified ordinance uh for February and then in April uh after we

review that preliminary draft they could make minor changes to the wording. So for example uh in this last round you uh decided to change the threshold for contract zoning of solar farms from uh 10 acres to 20 acres. That type of change they could incorporate. They couldn't rewrite entire sections. So that we'll be able to make changes right up until April of uh next year. And then in May of 2026 they would deliver the final draft for your town meeting. and then in June uh that would be voted on at the town meeting. Now what we have proposed and the consultants are in full agreement is that uh the town should consider presenting two warrant articles. One is just the basic baseline codification with all of those technical issues where you don't really have a policy question and then separating out as a separate warrant article those additional policy issues that you would like to incorporate into the codified uh

ordinance and making it clear that there are uh technical issues and then there are policy issues. Uh what we are looking for hopefully from you tonight is to is to kind of get a uh endorsement on the direction that we're taking particularly letting the town staff and that includes myself who managing the project but I'm working closely with the fire chief uh the road commissioner the code enforcement officer and the town attorney. we would like to do is go through and uh address those 139 technical issues and prepare a report a report that'll be available to uh all the wards and committees to review what we've done and the explanation for it. Uh so that would be part of the process in parallel as I said we've done over the last probably three or four years now we've developed a process where the boards and commissions work with the select board to identify uh policy priorities. In this case we've

prepared 14 that are just recurring issues that come up at uh board meetings whether it's the board of appeals or the planning board. These are things we've been trying to fix for several years now, but it always got bogged down in the process. So, uh we'd like to take uh just do an over overall uh addressing of those uh policies. So, uh and some examples of those are the back lot uh and subdivision uh road standards are are not really consistent. Uh, another example would be uh we recently reviewed the leisure campground where it's really uh morphing into an RV park and the standards that we have now don't deal with uh yearround occupancy and those types of facilities. Uh and then improving the application procedures. I pointed out to Jerry an issue in terms of uh delinquent taxes being uh carried

by developers and then coming into the planning board and there's there's simple fixes to to deal with those types of issues. Um, so we understand that you're going to be uh scheduling a meeting with the uh boards and commissions uh hopefully next month to talk about the uh those policy issues and any others that you are or they uh put before us. Again, keeping in mind that it really can't be a big issue like bad battery energy storage systems in order to fit within this time frame and get that included in the in the codification. Uh, so we're looking for the boards to really provide the policy guidance and hopefully you can support letting the staff deal with the technical work which will free you all up to really focus on those policy issues. Um, so as I indicated, we want to keep this process completely transparent. Uh, every every part of the work that we do, we'll make available to you to review and give us input. uh but

it's really important that we move forward with trying to get these pol if we're going to incorporate some of these policy uh changes into this into this work then we need to get that moving as quickly as possible. So, in summary, we've kind of put together a clear plan for carrying out this ordinance work and uh we're looking for your direction and support for the what we put forth as a as a process and then we look forward to working with you to to make sure that it gets done uh not just quickly but right

and I'd be happy to answer any questions. I did include uh a summary of all 139 of those policy uh or technical questions in my report to you and then I also included the 14 items that we've identified and as I said I'd be happy to discuss any of that with you. What are these nine items in the back page? Yeah. Well, so so then uh I've neglected to mention that when we started out this project uh we had discussions about you know getting the the codification project funded and John Talbot in

particular was really felt he needed to be stressed that this is not going to address all of the ordinance issues. Um as we said uh during the uh best and contract zoning discussion uh many people brought up the issue of well what about gravel pits? So this is not going to deal with gravel pits in terms of whether they should be put through contract zoning. Uh that will come after this. So what we're looking to do is have this overhaul of the land use ordinance and codification done uh by June June of of this coming year. have the new ordinance published and online by July and then we'll continue with the dealing with the land use policies especially uh and as you've discussed already tonight with the open space plan the upcoming uh comprehensive plan and hopefully in that comprehensive plan you can get some guidance for dealing with uh some of those issues also I can see this and I see this process streamlining

the comprehensive plan when we're walking in and we say we know that this is what's broken as opposed to let's find out what's broken now when we do that comprehensive planning. So I can see this being really helpful for that too. So yeah, it'll give a much clearer picture of where the town is now on on its on its land use uh regulation program. Yeah. And so these nine things on the back are topics that have been brought. Those are the larger policy issues that we cannot incorporate into this process. the dang sign regulation that started this whole thing among others. Yeah. Um, any questions for George?

together, George. And and um the 14 comments from a collective group in that staff. Is that how that Well, they've been things that keep coming up at board meetings and they have discussions and we we say, you know, that needs to be addressed, but but then we had like the uh LD 2003 affordable housing, we had solar farms, we had BES, and so some of these smaller things just kept, you know, falling by the wayside that we haven't really been able to do. I tried to do that back when we first did the comprehensive plan. uh and and what I the codification that I did re overhauling the ordinance but the it just got we didn't have the process of cooperation between the boards that we have now we also had a pandemic after slow that down coming back anyway very insightful those 14 comments in addition to everything and and it might include any of the minor policy issues that we can't get resolved by December those might have to

be pushed over into that So the 139 grammatical and typographical errors that is that the reference to like select four select men that well it also includes some policy issues. However, those are dictated by state law, right? So for example, right now the town has these mobile home park regulations that are not enforceable because you cannot require one acre for a mobile home site in a mobile home park, which is what we have. you have in your ordinance. The state has in the same way that it did with the affordable housing uh it really gave uh directives

to the towns to allow mobile home parks and make it workable for mobile home park operators. Now, you only have one in town and there's doesn't seem to be a lot of uh drive toward doing mobile home parks, but if an application were to come in today, you'd be in that box of your ordinance says you can't do it. The state law says you have to allow it. And so, we're caught in that dilemma. And so, this will this will fix that whole issue. And so are you going to I'm just trying to make sure that I understand the process correctly of those things like where there's inconsistencies between code officer, code enforcement officer. Are are we just saying go ahead and do what you guys feel is best? You're not bringing all of those to us to say we want you to do this with this particular one. We're hoping that you support that. I support that. Yeah. Yeah. I don't need to see uh the removal or addition of an Oxford comma

to vote on. Um and I think that for me, I'm good with uh those things, especially because you've really given us a scope of what they address. We can't vote to say no, we do want to violate state law in our ordinance anyways. So, I'm fine with you all just handling that personally. Just one more question. I know that when another town had done this entire revamp, the redlinined edits of every change was available on their website and that's important to me. I think and so I'm just wondering if that is what our intention is to do also. Yeah, you will see all 139 they have a uh a website that we're working with where we give our responses and there's commentary in there which will explain why that change was made. So yeah, that information we'll we'll provide you with the summary and the details of everything we do in that process. And is that avail going to be available like on our website to the

whole town to see or at some point? It will, not while we're working on it. Yeah. No, that's fine. I just wanted to make sure that there was a very clear draft of what changes had been made and was available for Yeah. And it's the typical thing like with your website, you go live. Yeah. And then everybody can see it. Okay. Thank you. Any other questions for George? Um, I don't think we need a motion on this. I think we can give you the pro approval to move forward with those 139 points and let us know when that website's large and let us know if something comes up and you feel like you need additional feedback from us, right? Let us know. And some of those issues we will be bringing to you. What's that? Some of those issues even within 139 we will be bringing to you. Yeah. Perfect. I mean, one thing that just as a my hope is after the process if there's the opportunity to highlight some some of those issues like

separately. So, of this 139, here's the 20 that these were the ordinance that were in violation of state law. We're not debating that, but it's good for us to know that that's where the issue was. So, absolutely. We want to keep you fully informed all the way through the process. Perfect. Um, works for

me. Any other questions for George? on right now. It's exciting. discussion, So, yes, thank you. Um, you all received a quote from uh BTS, which is purchases technology services for providing internet over at the Eureka Center, which is basically a boost. So, there'll be no wires. They're just going to put a booster here and a booster over there, and it will send the signal from the fire station over there. They said they could provide that to the town to the tune of

discuss whether you want to do that or not. And if you do, then I'll get them um where would that money come out of? That would come out of the buildings um reserve. And the building reserve right now currently has telecommunication reserve into that building reserve. Yes. Knowing that we can address all those issues right out of that reserve. So, and I'm assuming there is no risk of poor performance at the fire station if we make this happen. I can't answer. I don't I I don't know. I can't I don't So, with boosters though, I mean, that's Did they come back at all and say what it would cost to have its own separate? No.

Is that serious that they didn't do that? No, it was the easiest and most least expensive. The other option was to dig a trench from the town office or something like that. But they could actually run it from the pole and in, but again with this facility studies, how much do you want to do infrastructure type stuff? My thought process with this too is um you know it's not a super heavy draw over there. It's going to be people's you know sending emails during their meetings or stuff like that. Um it usually in off peak hours where the fire department's not going to be have their staff here. I know that they have probably have hired wired connections here too. I wouldn't want to be like we have Eureka Center but we lost dispatch, you know, like I I think that's a really good thing to bring up. Um, but I'm I'm I'm supportive of this. I just have a question. Yeah. So, I I think it's important that all of

our meetings are recorded and available. And so, my only concern, and I'm not saying that we need to go a different route, but if we're going to move if all of our meetings are taking place over there and they're not we're not currently broadcasting, is this going to make it so that we can No, because there'll be internet over there now. Are you talking about like extent like all the other Yeah, like all the other boards and committees were not we're not filming and posting those meetings and I think it's important that we do that. And so I'm wondering if this fix is going to allow that to happen over there. So we could record over there without internet. It would just have to be recorded and then uploaded later. You're saying would we be able to live stream over there if it was wireless? Is that what you're asking? I Yeah. I mean, but we're not currently recording and uploading, right? We're

not currently the only meetings that are recorded are ours, the planning board, and the appeals board, and the budget committee. Yeah, those are the only meetings that are required to be recorded. Yeah. And everybody else just has to submit. There's no requirement to record anybody's meetings, but I think that it's important personally. So your question is will it still be able to be

recorded or can it be live streamed? Can it be live streamed? Yes. I would assume the answer is yes because of course but the next question is how do we administrate that? Yeah we'd have to equipment then and we need people to set it up and that sort of thing. So but it lays a foundation for if we pursue that in the future we have that foundational component of the internet is now there. So I think and I think that this is in response to a lot of requests to get internet over there. We've that came out of the downtown visioning regardless if people want better service over there for those sorts of things. So So and it will sorry real quick it will that will be too because when we do have the special meetings and we go over there and right now we don't have the ability to live stream but those are the days where we decide we want to move things over for a special meeting. That should give us the ability to live

stream over there as opposed to record and upload. So, if we had the ability to live stream up there, is there a reason why select board meetings and planning board meetings can't take place over there? I think again it's administrative discussion. It would be we'd have to move all of this stuff over there and then switch that over because then we wouldn't have we don't have the equipment to set up a live stream center here and a live stream but we wouldn't be meeting here anymore is what I'm asking. If we had the ability to do this over there would us being in this space be necessary? I think it's I don't think we I think be a good policy choice for us in the future. But the internet's the first piece over there is what you're getting at. That's what I'm asking if this will make that capable. Yes. Yeah. Okay. Thank you. That's what I want to know. So, just to clarify the gigabytes that we get just because I

have boosters and sometimes it lags. So, it's are we increasing the gigabytes that we're getting because of the dual space? I'm not that techsavvy. Um I don't know. Do you know what we currently have? Do you want me to just I don't have numbers, but I could just say what Devin just said. He said the fire station gets has the most powerful um internet right now and it can easily be split with Eureka at no negative effect to the fire station. Okay, Deon knows

it's fine. Cool. It's technology, so I hate to promise anything with technology. You know, promise it. Next thing you know, it fails. So, I mean, I don't think we're increasing our bandwidth, but we are just now making it available for people. Right. But to your point, like if the fire station, if something's happening, like if cuz like if they're doing an event, you know, with chief being here and we're over there and we have the two spaces, but they're like, who knows? Like, I'm just trying to think of worst case scenario. I understand. I do think that this if if if if the problem that arises is that the signal is weak over there when we're having meetings here, I think that's still better than zero over there as long as it doesn't break down hours here, right? To Heather's point, if we all move our meetings over there and we have a weak signal and we're not actually getting it over, that's not

great. So that's where I think Devon's saying we're good. Yeah. So I hope you know Yeah, that's the point. But I think to Heather's point, I think that gives us the foundation for no matter what, in order to stream anything, we need internet and this gets us internet there. So I'm I'm supportive of it. So I have a motion to accept the quote here to approve. So moved. So there a second? I'll second. The motion will be to uh spend

$2,57844 out of the building reserve for internet for the Eureka Center. Do we have any questions or discussion? All right, seeing none. All in favor? Any opposition? Seeing none. All right. Um manager report, Jerry. All right. Thank you. Um, thanks, George. I don't have a ton to to report to you. Um, if you've read Calvin's update, um, we did lose another uh, public works employee who went elsewhere. Um, so Calvin's going to advertise for that position this week and we'll try to get it filled as soon as possible. That was because of pay, right? Yeah. Yeah. Both of them. significant increases in pay. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Like

more than $10. Mhm. So, it is what it is. Yeah. Um, just kind of let you know, our HR person is coming here on Thursday to train all full-time employees on what the professional expectation is in the workplace, sexual harassment, discrimination, and bullying. So, we're going to do that Thursday morning actually right here on this room. Um, another update. So, I'm we're in the middle of updating the employee handbook cuz it's so old. So, that's almost ready for my review. Um, so how that I'm going to manage that process is once I review it, I'm going to give it to the full-time staff to review and get input from them and see what their comments are and that sort of thing. And then what I'm the expectation is when I'm bringing this in to you folks along with the HR person for you for you to review it. But I would probably give you like a couple weeks. So I'd give it to you probably one meeting and then we

would review it the following meeting with the HR person to kind of because at the end of the day you're going to have to sign off on it. So, you're going to have to be aware of what some of these changes will be. Um, and it may take more than one meeting if it's an employee handbook. So, that's kind of where we are with that. So, I'm excited to get because it is really old and I think there are probably some things in there that are outdated and yeah, like the uh paid family medical leave act isn't in the employee handbook. So, it's things like that. So, that'll all get updated. So, that'll be good. Other than that, that that kind of concludes my report. I gave you a good one last time and been pretty quiet since. That's good. Awesome. Thanks, Jerry. Any questions for Jerry? Um, authority member reports. I'll go first. Um, Thursday this week, I'm going to the GP Cog Summit. Um, it happens every

year. It's generally uh they send a invite to the town manager and the chair and um they asked us to if we were interested they do this thing called what works and it's kind of like a rapid 60-second presentation on something that's working in your town. No, no PowerPoint, anything like that, but they asked if we would uh if I would just explain briefly our um downtown visioning process. And so this is really kind of a space for members of GPCOG to get together, co kind of hear from a speaker, keynote speaker, share a little bit about what works with them and then um kind of uh collaborate with each other about what what's going on in their town. So it's kind of an informal space, but uh it's been useful for us in the past because that's where we've learned about how other municipalities are dealing with things or other challenges. So I will be there uh Thursday. So, uh, Jerry, you had a scheduling conflict arise. So, yeah. And

I I think what Tony was talking about actually was the the brochure that was made as far as the taxes and Oh, I thought he was talking about the uh downtown. Oh, sorry. Now, I'm confusing them. Yeah, it's the fiscal year change the brochure about as something that as what works. I'm sorry. I should make sure I have that in mind for Thursday before I present the wrong thing. Thank you. I mean, we'll see if it works. The fact that we did a nice brochure and sent it out to everybody and we haven't got any feedback is awesome. Yeah. But, you know, we'll see. Yeah. But that's one of those things that this is a really good space to share that like this is what we did. And that's where after when we're collaborating, people might say, "Oh, we had the same thing. We didn't do that and this was a disaster." was and and the point and I think kind of the point that he'd like us to make is you know it

was Tom Bell the Jeep uh the communications director at GP really helped us which was he was fantastic he's the expert right so he was really good we didn't get your sit down interview though we didn't get your interview no I was looking forward to that just to piggyback what you just said about that brochure and the change that's coming and maybe it was because of GP Cobb, which might be something for you to add that the town staff is so um

wonderful at articulating that in my other role as real estate agent at every closing table that I've sat at the title company attorneys explain to the people as the properties are transferring in Durham our two tax bill system and all

have mentioned how well the town staff has explained explain that when they've called. That's huge right there. That's really nice to hear. Oh, done. Well, because I think that's a really good point, Heather, because a lot of times we're thinking about our one target audience and then we find out that things are being used really efficiently and effectively by others. So I GP cog will be happy to hear that their pamphlet Antonio get out of boy or just even their direction to the town staff for them to feel confident and be able to explain that to attorneys that are calling to find out what they're going to lay at the closing table as property. So I'd say that what I would say what works is we use GP COG to develop the brochure and the way it works is it helps our uh town staff, it helps our our uh town members and It even helps uh businesses and real estate companies in town. Can I mention one more thing before you

go? Uh so we will be sending out the 30-day lean notices this week. Okay. So that's that's an important mailing just so the just so the residents know. Absolutely. All right. That's all I have. Josh, do you have Can I ask a question? Um the soft what's the name of the software that we were getting rid of and Trio Trio is what can do we still have Trio? Yes, we still have Trio and TownCloud is um they're lagging behind. I think they're having a problem with uh the uh yeah the BMV and getting that

situated. So, um, there's no one of the six or seven towns that are signed on, no one's live yet. So, it might be good for us to get a formal status update of the pro project. Like, you know, you're paying money now and not I don't know, we don't need to talk the details, but I feel like we should understand where we're at. Yeah. I think I think that I think seven towns would really like that. because they were targeting July, correct? They were they were targeting January. Oh, January. Sorry. Yeah. And what's our fiscal responsibility to them right now? So, we've paid them 5,000. Yeah. And we don't we don't pay them until they're live till we go live that the other what's remaining. And I mean, and if it doesn't work out, if there are website people as well, so that 5,000 can go towards our website if it doesn't if their software doesn't pan out. But I'll tell you, let's request an official update from them so we can

Well, I'll try, but they're very very difficult to get a hold of. They're they're they're working hard on I mean on this. Um, and I'll I'll keep you posted. I mean, they haven't Yeah. I mean, difficult to get a hold of is fine, but when you're se six months behind schedule, that's make the time to let let us know. You know, I'm not saying on this isn't on you. I'm saying on them. Right. Right. I I Yeah. Okay. Yeah. Um especially because if we're all part of their freshman class and their requirement and their hope is that we're going to be the people who are on boarding this, we need to get an update from them. So, that's on on them. So,

Um Josh, anything? Nope. Heather, anything? Um I just wanted to publicly say thank you to the members of the cemetery committee and members of the historical society that put up all of the flags um on the veterans graves for Memorial Day. And also to Keith Russell and Z Caris for hanging up all of the flags um on all the telephone polls. Um,

and just want to thank Devvin and whoever else contributed to getting a search function on the town of Durham website. Yeah, you were in that last meeting when that when that popped up. We figured you were using it from vacation and emailing. That's all I have. Thanks, Ellie. Deb, um, the department head reports, thank you for that. They were all very informative. I did want to mention about um the Sea Dogs game where Kevin Merrill was honored which was nice. Did a communication go out on that that I missed? I mean I think Chief was was communicating that somewhere. It might not have been on Facebook or on the website. I think it could have just been I think maybe we need to figure out how to do better there. I mean, if our people are being publicly honored,

building, I felt like I only I only saw heard about it after it was done. And as a member of the select board, I would like to go to some of these things. I would have liked to actually gone to this to the Sea Dogs game for Kevin's honory. So I don't know how the communication of all that works but maybe something you can just talk about Jerry at your staff meeting just department heads if something like that's happening can we know about it so we can participate? Yeah because I know I think chief posted about that on the Durham's firefighter

Facebook page but those are things where we can encourage chief to say big ticket items like that if you're doing a post please flag it for us because we don't need to post it. Did he didn't put it in his department head report? Well, he put it in that it happened. I don't rec I'm saying maybe I missed something too. I don't remember seeing that it was coming up, but I could have missed it. Right. What we what like what we saw after the fact was the post like that it happened like pictures of it happening versus ahead of time where if we wanted to attend like we just don't have knowledge of that to be able to attend. Yeah, I was I thought So, so it wasn't in his department head report. I thought he had I thought it had been posted on the the Durham Fire Department Facebook page ahead of time. I thought so. I could be I could be wrong. I feel like the select board should be notified when this type

of stuff is happening so we can participate in Yeah, it did. It rained Saturday. It got rained out. So, the game didn't happen, right? But he's still I'm not sure. I didn't think Okay. I I'm done. No worries. That's a good point. But it's a good good point to like there's we got to probably come up with this process where there's certain things certain wins that get elevated above just that that department, you know, so we can share like cuz like at once a year they'll do something with the fire department like presents the colors at a hockey game and that might be like that might be something the community wants to know because if someone's like, "Well, I'm going to go to one hockey game." Maybe it' be the one that they're going to be there, you know? So I think that's a good point.

All right. Do I have a motion to approve the consent agenda? Um, I meant to do this earlier. It's a little late, but I think I would like to rem remove the uh tan from the consent agenda so we can have discussion. Yeah, we can do that now when we get to the consent agenda. So, that's perfect. You can just say no, I want to move it. So, this is the right time to do that. All right. So, we're going to do I have a motion to move the uh approval and signing of the TAN from the consent agenda. So, move. All right. Do I have a second? Second, Josh. All right. Uh this is just to remove it from the consent agenda and put it put it in here for discussion. All in favor? Any opposition? Seeing none. All right. We'll uh now have a discussion on approval and signing of a resolution authorizing tax anticipation note. uh questions about that? I just think it's something Jerry brought up at our last meeting, but I think it's uh it's

essentially you know, if we need it. And I think it's something that should be done outside of a gender. Yeah, that's fine. Yeah. So, I support it. We need it. I think there are ways around it. I would rather do that, but this is the the way to do it. So I I mean we need it so I support it but I just think it should be a separate phone. Yeah, that's fine. Um just to recap what Jerry had said last time, it's going to be a tax anticipation out for 2,600,000 and change. Correct Jerry? And we are only that's the maximum amount we're allowed to take out. We can only we're only charged interest on what we use. Uh to give you a perspective, Jerry and I looked today and so generally in the past we have expenditures if we sit about 800 800,000 outflow outflows of about 800,000 a month. Generally we have about an inflow of 300,000 a month. And so we have a net loss of about 600,000 a month until our

tax collection takes place which is usually um uh about 5.2 million. So that makes us whole for the rest of the year. What we don't know this year is how much of that tax collection is going to happen um on that first on that first. Some people might pay h we know we're going to get at least half so the 2.5 million but some people might pay the whole taxes. So depending on how much that gets, it puts us in a situation where our um cash outflows might exceed

the balance sometime in August, July, August, possibly even as far out as September, just depending on what we get. So it's looking like we would need this just to get through a few months. There's no intent to use the um the full amount. And Jerry and I discussed this a little bit today. The goal will to be watching the outflows every month and figuring out which month is the outflow going to happen and then only pulling out the necessary amount to cover that gap rather than just pulling out a large sum. So we can absolutely limit our use of the tan um moving forward. So the

only other option for this would have been to um address it in the budget by budgeting to get more funds to cover that. Um, but I think that that would have been a hard sell this year. So, the tan is the way to go. So, do we have any questions? And that interest is something that's been built into the budget we have. No. No. So, where's it? Yeah. And so, we'll have to deal with that after we figure out how much it how much we actually utilize. Um, so, uh, and it could be a non-issue if the enough taxes get are collected in the first first round. So, is this I'm sorry. I'm sorry. But taxes the first tax payment is until October and we're talking about using it in July, August, September. So, however get however much gets paid in December isn't going to affect how much we take out. So, well, how much we take out affects how much we pay have to accommodate for later, right? We're going to have I think we're

taking some out. It's a question of how much. Yeah. And I don't think it matters how I think it's a pretty significant oversight on our part and all the details we thought about on on this process. It's could because of the t of the interest that we're going to be paying. I'll throw out there again that I think we could make the first tax payment due in August and that would help save a chunk of this. I know I think with all of our communication being October, it would be really hard to change that now. It would you could, but then you you'd be you'd be switching your your dates of collecting taxes. If you did it on August 1, you have to do it six months later and you still have enough after that 6 months to get to carry through. So no matter where you slice it and how you slice it. Yeah. But with Josh's point, I'd be taking it out later. So it would be less. But I know I'm not a math major, but but if we

don't have enough after the April payment to get through the rest of the year, then we're not collecting enough in taxes. So, uh, if mean, because the brochure was shared, the dates were on there, you know, to change it now would would be very difficult.

I just don't think we could change it now because we've advertised that the that to the people that's what was voted on and there's people who won't be in a position to pay it now but might be waiting to pay it be in a position in the coming months to pay. So I think you're right. I think it was an oversight on us as a as a as a whole. There's no we have a kind of anticipated interest amount that we'll be paying all between five and six%. Mhm. So interest rates keep moving daily. So once they once they do all the paperwork and

this is going through the attorney bond council and the bank handles most of this. Mhm. So I want I'd like to have it in place in July 1st, but we probably may not use it till August August 15. It just depends. And some people, you know, may pay a lot of their taxes right up front. A lot of people may not take the two months. Maybe they'll say, "No, I'm going to stick to the full year." So, you know, you have inflows and there's just I mean, this is all about cash flow. I mean, it's so hard to know what's going to come in and what's going on. There hasn't been a town that has switched a fiscal year that hasn't had a tax anticipation. Yeah, we talked about it in the budget private process, but we just didn't we didn't and this is on us. We didn't accommodate for the the um interest rate. Cumberland County just switched from a calendar year to a fiscal year and they had to take out tax anticipation. No, you need you need it

for that six months. There's no there's no way around it. Unless you collect the full 18 months of taxes in one in one. And that was the other we talked about that when we made that first fiscal change question was do you do a six-month budget and then come back or do you do an 18-month budget and collect it all at once? Do you do an 18-month budget, collect it in two separate payments to ninemonth payments and then use a tan and it was on us that we missed the tan um uh interest rate. So or we didn't accommodate for the the the dates. We could have done better on that. So definitely a learning process, but regardless, we're going to need it at this point. And so the goal will be to use as little as

uh and sign or sorry, do I have a motion to authorize uh tax anticipation note from which Heather had Oh, I didn't see that. I was deciding whether or not I wanted to say it um in full disclosure that I haven't watched our last meeting. Um and I was just I'm feeling a little bit confused. Um, I thought that when we had talked with Mark, we talked about what the bottom like with when everything had gone out what that one month, you know, reserve would be left over and then when we were doing that process, we never got down to a point where we didn't have enough money in our reserves to cover. I don't know if reserves is the right word in our general fund to cover. And so I'm not I I've again in full transparency I have not watched our last meeting that I missed. Um and so I don't I that that's just where I am. You talk about the cash flow analysis, right? And I think that the cash flow analysis we looked had looked at was

leading into the budget cycle. Not I don't think we looked at that at the 18month budget if I recall. But I I I recall what you're talking about there. Um it was my my understanding was when we were setting the percentage of what we needed to leave what what's the policy about the general fund you know the keeping 14 to 18% or

whatever because that would always have us covered when we that I so anyways I I'm a little surprised to see this for that reason but And maybe maybe I'm not recalling correctly that when we were talking about that we were talking about a 12-month budget and not an 18-month budget. Mhm. Yeah. I think that that that's why I feel confused because my understanding or what my brain is remembering was that we were talking about the 18-month budget, but it's very likely that we could have been talking about the 12-month budget. I think that that was the meeting when Mark was in giving us an update on cash inflows and outflows. and that's where it looked like we were about to go into the negative, but he was saying that the inflow was jumping up in July and that was his um like midyear update to us on our 12-month budget last time around. So um hopefully here we don't have to draw off until August or September and then

we get paid in October to replenish half of that and then hopefully it's just a two one or two withdrawals. But um any other discussion on the motion or did we get a motion or did you have a question before the motion? I I move that we approve and assign the tan. Uh do I have a second? Second. All right. Any other discussion on the motion? All in favor? Any opposition? Seeing none, it's approved. All righty. Do I have a motion to accept the consent agenda? So moved. All right. Uh do I have a second? I'll second. Second. Do we have any questions or discussion on the motion? All right. All in favor? Any opposition? Seeing none. And so I'll just pass this around for us to sign.

Because this one doesn't have our name uh typed out underneath it. It just says, no, you don't have to. Is that for Catherine? Yeah. Yeah. No, there we go. meetings. Sorry. Upcoming meetings. Um, agriculture planning committee June 4th at Eureka. Planning board June 4th at fire station. Saw waste June 9th at Eureka. Budget validation June 10th at Hamvets. Select board meeting June 10th at the fire station at 6:30. Um, we do need an executive session uh tonight pursuant to doesn't say 4056A.

4056A personnel matters. Personnel matters. And um do I have a motion to well have a motion to enter the executive session or do we just enter? So move. Do I have a second? Second. Second. Any discussion? All in favor? Moved by Josh. We'll say seconded by I heard them first. So, but my ear's closer to them. So, all right. And then approve. So, uh it's just going to be the four the five of us tonight. Um so, we shut everything down. We'll make sure we note the motion for you.