TranscriptSelect Board Meeting ~ December 28, 2017

Durham Board of Selectmen to order on December 28th, 2017. Please stand for the pledge of allegiance. I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America and to the republic for which it stands, one nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all.

Okay. Uh amendments to the agenda. There are um a few to start with. under action item uh B. Um Rich is going to give us just a quick update on the status of the fire chief's search. Um C, uh just have uh some thank you letters to share from organizations that we've donated money to. And D, we're going to review um the RFP for planning services. And then uh in between uh adjourn will

now be number 10 and number nine we'll have an executive session um to talk about some annual reviews of uh town employees. Does anybody else have amendments to the agenda? Uh public comment there. We don't have anyone here from the public tonight. So

we're all staying warm. I know, right? uh consent agenda um which has the treasurer's warrant approval of the minutes and correspondence. I did have one note on the minutes and uh minor detail, but it says the meeting was called to order at um 6:00 p.m. and we actually met at 4:30 p.m. that day.

Got that? I want to sign up. Um, other than that, that was all I would see. And I would entertain a motion as amended. I want I'll move that we accept the minutes as amended. Second. All in favor? Consent agenda is adopted.

Today is Thursday. It is. Yeah. All day. They're all messed up. [clears throat] Okay. Action and discussion items. Uh 6A, uh schedules for meetings regarding uh the annual budget process. [snorts] Ruth, do you want to take us through what you're thinking there?

Well, generally, um what what we do is that the town select board will meet usually three times to go over the budget in January. Um, it can be a normal meeting, but we are probably going to need an extra meeting. Um, one night is for the fire chief, one night is for the road commissioner, and then I get one night, and usually a lot of the other ones go on the same night as me, cuz my uh my budget doesn't usually have a lot of issues.

[snorts] So, um, I of the town audit the 16th, 17th, and 18th. I don't know what you guys are looking for as far as time is concerned. Uh, there's the 23rd. We have a a meeting on the 23rd. We can use that one. [snorts] We can use the 9th if you want. And then just add another one in there somewhere. Well, we could we could do yours on the 9th. You're saying yours doesn't take much,

so that could easily be on a regular meeting night. Yeah, you sound excited. Well, it just means I have to get the the Or we could do yours on the 23rd or whatever. Or do we know from either Calvin or Bill with if one of them would be ready on the 9th without any problem?

I haven't received anything from either of them, although I suspect Chief's pretty close to being done. And I think Calvin's usually pretty close to being done, too. Um, so we could do it one night on the 9th. Um, I'll talk to the two of them and see which one of them it might be ready by the 9th and then we can do one on the 23rd and then we'll just have to add one more night.

Do they all have to be done in January or could we do you to close up on the first meeting of February? you could close up on the first meeting of February, but what happens after the the select board gets it is that it has to be uh go to the budget committee and the budget committee does it in February at some point. There'll be three meetings in February and so basically they go over the budget and um

don't do it together. You well the select board does it first and presents their budget to the budget committee together. Are we together on the You're together in February. In February. Yes. So you you go over it first by yourselves in January and then you're at the budget committee meetings in February.

Are the budget committee members getting a pre getting a a a readout of what is happening in January so they're prepared for February or Yes. They will get a book of all of the the budgets. Have you ever seen the budget books?

No. They're That's why I asked. That's okay. They're notebooks and each department has its own tab and they have spreadsheets of the budgets from past years and how much was spent and then the suggested budget this year. Um and I present to you certain budgets that I do and then um you know the road commissioner, but it's all in the same format.

Yeah. And then once that goes, I change numbers according to what you guys want to change and then I I present it all to the budget committee. So generally I like to try and get their books ready for them no later than the very beginning of February.

Yeah. Sometimes earlier if I can. Yeah. Because they like to go over it before we ask that. That's what I was getting at. Make sure that they get it early so they time to look at it. Yeah. Um any what if we just added that meeting in the off week on the 16th?

Yeah. And just do the you know bang bang bang. I think we should get it done with one um I happen to have games every Tuesday for the next month but they're and they're away but I should be back at 6:30 or 7. So I I'll just come right over. Yeah. And it's just a fact of life that, you know, when we start adding meetings and, you know, there's going to be times when one or two of us can't be here. But I would, what I would not want to do is I would not want to do roads on a night that Rob's not going to be here, for instance. Absolutely. And I wouldn't want to do fire when Rich is not going to be here.

Um, and Todd because they're working uh on the fire chief search and all that right now. So, um, see if Calvin be ready for the ninth, will you? [laughter] Wow. Okay. I'll [clears throat] pencil him in for Or I What is the ninth the best for you versus the 16th or the 23rd, Rob?

Yeah. Yeah. Okay. I was thinking the 23rd just to give Calvin more time because of wild cards of plowing and snow removal and things of that sort. Yeah, that the 16th can work. I It would just have to be late. My game is in Poland. I get back at 7 7:30. So, I would I would join. So, that's fine if you want.

What's the 23rd look like for you? I'm in Boston. Oh, that's not all right. So, well, let's let's see if let's see if Calvin could do the night. If he can't, we'll put him the 16th. Okay. Um and then we'll uh you think fire and admin. I think I suspect it's if he can't go the ninth. Let's see if Bill can because it sounds like you're because you have a lot of stuff going on. If I could do the 23rd, that would be great.

Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. So, so the tenative tenative order is roads on the 9th, fire on the 16th, and admin on the 23rd. And let's see if we can make that work. Okay. And if we can add the 30th. Yeah. Well, let's see. Uh see where we are. Yeah. Like if they both if everybody comes back like Yeah, I can't do the 9th. No way. Then we might have to do just that. Yeah.

What does your schedule look like on the 30th? uh 30th I have a game in Brunswick, but I you know so same thing I'd be back here at 7 [clears throat] just just after the meeting starts. So I 30th is a possibility. No problem. I know for some reason it was every Tuesday in January December was fine. And typically, I mean, I don't know if there was a reason for this, uh, Ruth, or if it was just the way it was working out, you know, and I was on the budget committee for five or six years, and, um, it there was usually only one or two people from the select board at those meetings. It's typically hasn't been the whole I don't know if that was intentional or if that was not

that was just how it worked out. Okay. That was not intentional. Okay. All right. Awesome. Um, so then you said, so then you put the books together. They Well, I'll put you guys' books together and then, so you'll get your books and

we go through it and meet with us. Goes to the budget committee, right? Will go Yeah. Any changes that we make with each department head, she'll make those changes. Then it'll go to the budget committee and the department heads if they we've made their changes just to make sure they're fresh and we're all on the same page. And then then the budget committee actually usually sets up the budget means it's their meeting

right and what they will see what the numbers they will get are actually what the board of selectman's recommended budget is. Now the the department heads may um and usually will like for instance if um if Calvin asked for X

amount of dollars but the board is recommending you know XUS Y dollars then Calvin may come and say well I I asked for this the board is only recommending this but I think because of whatever and then the budget committee may make a different recommendation you know so but they their starting point is this board of selectman's recommended budget. Yeah. So, [snorts]

sounds fun. [laughter] [clears throat] Yeah, I know. I can tell you right now [laughter] and this is what we we need to be ready and and um there will be uh a fair amount of questions on on capital expenditures. And so I think you know definitely for part of the materials we need to put together are not not the full-blown capital improvement plan but in a common format in a common sheet with the various categories kind of in context with each other. Um we need to we're going to need to have uh good information on that. So

so okay. All right. So you will get back to us on what you learn on the tenative 9th, 16th, 23rd schedule. Are you um contact Milt's still the chairman of Yes. As far as Yeah. Have you reached out to him yet in terms of scheduling their meetings?

I have not. So as soon as I don't know exactly when we'll be done, right? Well, that was part of it. The other thing is I was going to uh send an email to them and also the um updated budget sheets after we close out the books tomorrow, but probably not till next week, but but after we close out the books, I'll have

let's get it on their radar so they you know um even if it's just a save the date kind of a thing so they can start planning when they want to meetings even if they don't have all the info yet. So, okay. Anything else on that?

I don't know. I don't think so. Okay. All right. B. Uh Rich, can you just kind of a quick update on where you guys are with the fire chief search? Uh yeah, the panel met a few weeks back. We um extensively went over 18 applicants. Um and at this particular

Yeah, it was great. It went excellent. Yeah. I thought it would be two or three nights doing it. [laughter] ways of doing things and ways of not doing things. But with that said, um, exactly, you know, we we whittle down the 18 to we have a list now of five that we will be um setting up interviews over the next course of the next few weeks. And hopefully from that five, we can pull a couple out of there to present to the selectman for uh, you know, their approval. We'll go from there.

Okay. Does Russa selectman include me in the email next time? Did I not? One that you just sent out. [snorts] What the yesterday? Yeah. I thought you were the first one that I selected. What's the question? I missed that.

The one that said the one that said Ruth. Hi, Ruth. Oh, I didn't [laughter] got it somehow. She sent it to me. [laughter] Did you guys get it? Yeah, I did. I did. I actually looked at my email yesterday. I only have like five people in my

uh Ruth's on it. Yeah. So, I'm not sure you're on this. Oh. Oh, no. No, it's you sent it to um Toddice. Oh, no. That's That's Mark. Yeah, Todd's on there twice. Is that what I did? And actually, Kevin's on there twice, too.

Am I? Yeah. Yes, I am. I'm CCd and sent to me. Yeah. I'm not sure what happened there. Sorry. Next. So, my apologies. I actually was just going to call you. Okay, that would work too. Um, do we decide to go with the whole select board in the interviews or

No. So, um, like I think the best approach will be we'll we'll interview the the five candidates that we have selected and when we got it whittleled down to let's say we we we like a solid two or maybe we like a solid three, we'll present those particular um individuals to the select board um and they can make their decisions from that. So basically it's um the next the next wave of interviews or the wave of interviews will conduct um and it will be up to that board's discretion I believe to who advances to the slack board. Yeah, I think when we talked about it originally, we said that the committee would um do first round interviews and whatever finalist two, three, however many it is came out of that that then the board um would perhaps do a second interview of the amongst the finalists. Um and then it then it kind of depends on how it goes. Maybe the board circles back with the committee and we have kind of a joint

meeting together and talk about how he felt about, you know, the finalists and and go from there. So, we're going to have to figure out some a time. So, Rich, do we want to start trying for next Tuesday and Wednesday like this?

Yeah, I'm I'm I'm good whenever the panel's good. I know the two chiefs are really uh pretty big piece in that So, I wanted to make sure both their schedules are available. And we can talk about your schedule. Hold my mirror in tonight.

We're [laughter] we're talking about the look around. Probably got one of those blowhorn things that we can give you in this office. He can say a lot of things and I won't know what you're saying. He's just here talk [laughter]

about that evaluation. [laughter] Okay. We'll talk about it later. We're good. Um, okay. Uh, on 6C, I'm just going to pass around uh some letters uh that Ruth put in my box. I don't know if the other board members have seen these or not, but they're basically thank you notes from um three of the five organizations and maybe we've gotten notes from the other two as well, but three of the five organizations that the town made a um charitable contribution to the Lisbon area Christian Outreach, Tri County Mental Health Services, and Oasis uh free health clinics. So, uh some nice letters from them appreciative of the uh donations from the town. So, I just wanted to pass those around.

spoken a couple of weeks back about uh putting together um an RFP for contract part-time contract planning services uh for the town to support the planning board and ordinance writing and the future land use plan for the comprehensive plan committee. So, this is a draft um that Ruth uh has put together and with the board's approval, we will um send it out. Ruth, have you

um where do you think you would be sending this to? I mean, I know there's a main association of planners. Yep. and the MMA website. And um boy, we could I could see if there's any planning companies around and see if we can just forward it directly to them. If you guys know of any [snorts] planners or planning people that you would want to to bid on this, we can forward it to them.

Well, certainly Mr. Smith um uh who was here um we want to talk uh have him um I know he's interested so he wanted to know when he also offered his assistance you know and if we had any questions for him in putting together the RFP but he might offer some [snorts] assistance in like well where where will people see it

you know I think but I think the main association of planners is probably um I think they have an employment board or something and they're like and I bet MMA will be able to tell you, you know, where to a chance to to read, um, through this. I think you have a copy. If not, you can.

Yeah, I know. Yeah, he has a copy. I do. Okay. It's pretty standard. It's taken um quite honestly, a lot of it is taken largely from um a contract very that Lisbon has with their contract planners, very similar. the types of work [clears throat] and this is really just a possible scope of work and I don't know if you saw my note Ruth responding yeah just this I asked Ruth to make it clear uh in the introduction that that we are looking for part-time contracting services and that this isn't an RFP looking to hire an actual town employee um right

right Is it worth putting in the newspaper or No, I I don't think so. It's a pretty specialized Yeah, I just didn't know if planners put on the website like which we'd have we don't have a paper. We had to put it like in three,

right? You know, because our town is kind of split on the three area newspapers, you know. So, town manager email list? Yeah. And a public works director's list. Have them send it to all of them. Okay. that they that they're willing if they need

Well, I can do the town manager one because I remember. So, yeah, because you never know people. Yeah, they might have a an arrangement with somebody now that they know is looking for another client or something. So, yeah, put it on our Facebook page. I'll we'll share it.

Yeah, it should definitely go there. Yep. recommendations or changes then uh we need a motion to give Ruth the green light to send this out. Second. All in favor? I guess I made that motion. [laughter] the chair makes a lot of motions.

You can make emotions. You get the same privileges. Yeah, you're one of us, buddy. Oh, I know that you just get excellent spread alone, you know. Oh, no, no. Okay. Um, so that gets us through um action and discussion items. Uh, department committee reports. Um, we don't actually have the uh fire chief on the agenda, but he's here tonight. And you want him to go before you?

Yep. Yep. Yeah. So, come on up. And he's on the agenda. Yeah, he's on. I don't have a whole bunch. Oh, I have an old agenda then. I added Oh, okay. Good. All right. So, he is on the agenda, right? Okay. Oh, this one. Yeah, I got notes on this one.

Everybody get a copy of my report? Yes, sir. Okay. Well, first piece is just to let you know the locksmith has completed this phase of the project. We have keypads on the equipment storage uh the yeah the equipment storage room and the uh exterior side door that everybody uses to come in. So no longer will have to issue keys for that piece. Eventually it'll be based on an individual specific. Right now it's both generic codes but it it'll be based on an individual access. So people will be able to be programmed in programmed out. We'll save a lot of time and energy in regards to the keying system. The front and the rear door have been changed to different keys. Some of the organizations that have been uh used the station have already gotten their keys switched out, but we changed those locks so that we could basically regain control of the exterior access of the station. So,

and is there um a key or something here at town office for in case so that if somebody from town needs town office actually has a key that unlocks everything? Okay, great. Um, I guess [clears throat] it uh than the station roof. It uh that one's been a a horror show. And I'm hoping maybe especially seeing how some of you deal with contractors, perhaps our contractors, maybe you can assist me with some of this. Our roof is a seamless metal roof and it's done with a machine.

It's I think a double fold. And I if I understand correctly, the machine is relatively expensive and therefore there are not many contracts that do this type of roofing done right on site. It's what? It's usually brought in on a big heavy roll and done on site.

Yeah. Yeah. Piece by piece. You mean like sally seamer standing seam? Yeah. So it [clears throat] it has retainers underneath the seams. Well, in the wind, what looked like just the drip edge hanging was not just the drip edge. It was the end seal

that that drip edge actually seals the panels so the wind can't go underneath. But once the wind went underneath, it ripped up about six panels all the way to the top. We're putting cleat put cleats to hold it in place so that it won't completely rip off. Um, and I've had IRC look at it and it I don't know

if roofing is industrial roofing corporation. I don't know if it's off the charts, the roofing business right now or what, but it has been a nightmare even getting a a ballpark quote from them. But bottom line is he actually texted me today. He was supposed to send me a estimate that I could bring to you, but he texted me today. He said he couldn't get into the system and get me an estimate, but he gave me a number of and here I put 10, but today he actually gave me after after I typed this, he gave me an estimate of 85 to 11 to repair that piece. Um, the insurance company had been contacted. I actually emailed them today, that ballpark 10, because they've been waiting patiently for some kind of number. So, I guess I'm hoping maybe I did a search for Seamless Metal Roofing contractors. Some of the contractors that I actually looked at their website, I just can't believe based on their website, some of them seem to specialize

in residential roofing. And I just can't believe they have a machine for resident that they're using on residential roofing. To me, it's probably something that's commercial specific. Um, but I guess in a nutshell, it uh I was hoping maybe somebody here could give me a little bit more background knowledge on it and stuff because I feel I need to go out for an RFP.

I can't I can't give you that, but I can I can recommend that you talk to John Simino um from the planning board um and also in the budget committee. He's uh senior manager of capital projects at Bowden College and he he's knows a lot of contractors that do that type of commercial um roofing type work. So I think he he would be one person to call to get maybe a couple of leads on

on who talk with that roof was put on in I don't know it was before I became chief so I can vaguely remember them putting that section of roof on. It's the old roof on this side. I actually asked this contractor if it'd be cheaper for me to look at re-roofing the whole thing where it was, but it uh that that that one side. We actually have four pieces to our roof. It's a rubberized system in the middle. The other side is not the same roofing and this it would be this one side.

The insurance company's not He said by the square foot it would definitely be cheaper. But that's kind of a loaded response because by the square foot, yes, it is cheaper. However, the overall bottom line is probably not cheaper and that's why they didn't tell me.

Good point. The chief is the insurance company not offering any assistance with the contractor? Well, I've actually in my email I asked them if they they could help me out with any of the specialized contractors. I I don't want to go to 500 contractors. They actually to get somebody in the first place to even look at it and give me an estimate. I went through about three or four people that would show up say, "Yeah, I can do seamless metal roofing." and they'd show up and take a look at it and say, "Well, no, this requires the machine, and no, I don't do that kind.

I do the other kind." B&MW doesn't have one, do they? Uh, no. They don't do metal. Uh, the only guy that I know locally that may be able to do that is, uh, Fairbanks, Kenny Fairbanks over in Lisbon. Yeah. I believe. So, a lot of commercial stuff.

It's Coastal Copper. They're up in uh I did one last year and we had a hell of a time trying to find somebody just like you did. It is hard to get somebody to do it right. I used a guy out of gray one time. I don't think he's in business anymore.

IRC would probably I would I I like to leave stuff like that into the insurance's hands. It's kind of their gig to recommend uh that they're going to back up. I'm hoping they I when we I initially talked to her because Ruth filed the the uh claim and when I initially talked to her I asked her because actually the other side of it is that roof was actually replaced as

an insurance claim way back I don't know I'm assuming it must have been somewhere around 90 88 90 somewhere in there and it was actually that that side was replaced as an insurance claim through the risk pool but they had no records left. So I figured, well, okay, I don't have them. Maybe you have records of who the contractor was. But

so anyways, [clears throat] I will [snorts] I'll definitely reach out to John Simino and see what he has to say. He may or may not know somebody, but I I suspect he's going to have a [snorts] at least a direction he can point, but I agree with Rich.

The uh the insurance company should probably, you know, taking a lead on right on that. Okay. All right. Well, maybe maybe not not a standard insurance company as we all know it. But it's a risk pool where through MMA so it

deals with maybe I'm sure not the only Yeah. But that means maybe it's not the insurance someone at MMA who's dealing with a lot of municipal buildings. And I've definitely asked I asked them in my email. So hopefully they have something they can provide me.

Hopefully at the next meeting I'll be able to in the meantime though it's secured and weatherproof and all that. My only concern with it is part of the reason that was done that way is so the snow would clear. That section where it's got the cleat to hold it down, the snow's not going to clear, right?

Um so hopefully we stop getting snow. Yeah. [laughter] Okay. No, [clears throat] good luck with that one. Sometimes I have to have the valleys cleared. I may actually have to have that if I have the valley cleared, I may have to have that piece cleared is all it needs to. Um and then the uh final piece that I wanted to report on was apparatus committee. It uh I'm assuming I don't know did you guys get uh copies of the spreadsheets and stuff? Yeah. Um

well in a nutshell it uh is we uh is some of you attended some of the first meetings. First thing we looked at at the start of it all was you know the services we're providing the equipment it takes to do it the apparatus it takes to do it uh and whether it seemed to fit or not. In the end, the committee determined that no, that that's what we should be providing for services and that there was really no efficient way to streamline u or do anything consolidating on the equipment

with that. I'm sorry that do you have that list of services and I mean is it your list of services? Is it like an actual list? I thought I initially forwarded it to the board. Not not in this um going back in time. It would have been probably 6 months ago and I actually thought it was part of my if I didn't forward it, I at least copied it and presented it. Um cuz what I actually did was I did the services and whited out the equipment that it took to do that service. Um

that way there they would not see the equipment. I definitely can provide it to you. I'm sure it's in my stack back at the station. [clears throat] Basically what it is is our response guidelines and we I eliminated the apparatus that responds so they could look at the services provided to see if it accurately fit.

Yep. But anyways, it uh after they looked at it and stuff, they determined that no the and we actually brought vendors in uh and the met with the vendors to see what we might possibly have for options in regards to consolidation of apparatus and things and we tossed around a lot of stuff. Bottom line is it ended up with no, we think we should recommend still stick to recommending we replace engine 22 resulting in the RFPs that came back in in the quote comparison. There were there is actually there's only I think

on the apparatus the fire apparatus there was actually four proposals. Dingy machine actually put two forward one and it was very deceiving because it was just a add this subtract this inside their package that they submitted. Uh but they actually submitted one for a poly apparatus as well uh be on the sin chassis and then poly body after that. But anyways after looking at it all and then uh one of the vendors was basically eliminated. It it it's an apparatus that's not wellnown. There's one in the entire state of Maine and one in New Hampshire. Uh and it just yeah, we would have been another trial ground for the apparatus. So that one was eliminated and it came down to two. We met with the two. Um Pierce, you'll notice the number in my report versus the number that you have on your spreadsheets. There's a difference. That's because actually what we asked all the vendors to do when we did meet with them was to come back in

with possible options that either concessions or changes to the apparatus or things they could do to actually reduce costs. Um the I don't have it in electronic format so you're going to have to take it in paper version. But this is the it's got my hand scratchings on it. But in a nutshell, this is what Pierce or Minute Man came back with for a proposal by making a few changes that could actually reduce the overall cost of the apparatus purchase.

So, how what is this other one? Sen sen. How do you pronounce that? I don't I couldn't hear what where's what the trucks. You got a pier, a Spencer, and a sen. They're both made out in the Midwest. Uh Pierce is actually for the most part Pierce is the one that most fire service people will tell you that is the

Yeah. probably the premier. It's the name we all know. So, but you threw out the Spencer initially. Is that the one? Okay. Yeah, the Spencer is the one that we had. The Spencer is the one that There was one in one in Maine, one in New Hampshire,

and it most of the items they didn't answer your questions or have a specification anyway. So, I don't have an issue with that. But then the other one, the suten, how do you how do you pronounce that? That's what sufen s u- t p hn. How do you pronounce that?

I still couldn't hear what you said. The first one on your your the sutfen. Yeah, sutfen. That's what you call it. The sutfin. We actually met with that vendor. Okay. So they they would have been the lower price, but were they So what's the difference between them and the peers? That's the

Yeah, actually the construction techniques in that uh um better built apparatus it uh did they come back with a better price too. So they were stuck at 475 and Pierce came in at 489. Yeah. 487 where we ended up with Pierce.

But the Pierce is a much better truck. Yes. Substantially better build truck. And it's And [snorts] who's the local service? Is there local people that deal with this? Actually the service center they have a service place in Casco. Their main office minute man is uh down in uh Walpole the main service area but they also have a service center in Casco.

The sutin that's a most of that would have to be manufacturer stuff. They do do some field stuff but otherwise than that it's back in East Cornish, New Hampshire. Okay. So okay. So, I I don't know about you guys, but that looks pretty obvious to me that to go with the Pierce, but I got more questions about the rescue than anything. So,

engine. So, so the Pierce is 536 264, right? Well, it came. If you look at the sheet, did did they have spin enough around? Yeah. Well, yeah, I got it. It's 536 and then that you got a hagg discount of 44 and then a prepaid

what? So, this prepaid discount we would pay the it's actually the prepaid discount to elaborate it. Uh, if we prepay, we don't we don't need to do it fine financing and do it. We can actually do it through their own financial company. Payment's not due for a year. It's actually something I discussed last time around when we talked about PS. You guys weren't on the board, but I discussed it in the budget processing at the town. But if we do that prepay, they reduce the price. We actually do the prepaid through their financial company and then we just close out with their financial company once we take delivery.

Yo, I I I just I'm trying to I'm trying to wrap my head around the What do we pre If we're prepaying, what's the fin? What do you what do you mean by prepaying? We're paying for the engine up front. We're going to borrow the money and [clears throat] pay for the total cost. By doing so, by paying before it's built, we're going to save 17,000

through the pre through the prepaid. Really, what the prepaid is is they reduce the price, but in reality, you're going through um their So, they're going to make it financial company and they're being paid upfront from their financial company for the apparatus. So, if we don't finance it through them, then there would be no $17,654 discount.

They reduce the the purchase price by 17,000 and if we finance it through, right? Well, but you can ref if we do the prepaid. We don't have to do it through them. We can do it on our own. um which in reality with a performance bond reduces the only risk you have with a performance bond in place which that one has the performance bond if we do the prepaid is actually um time lost financially you're not going to lose money but you're going to lose time construction time because if you look at construction time that's actually one of the big variables in any of these is the construction time because even though we're talking about it now and it might get approved in April. None of these will be delivered in 2018. Neither one would be delivered then.

79 months. You can't get a lot model. [laughter] so in this little thing you sent out, the highlighted options are the ones that you want to take. Yeah. Well, not just the highlighted options. the highlighted options. What he came in, it was that price up above that it brought it down to and he came in with the highlighted options for a total of 16397. However, one of the options he didn't put on there was the onspots. That's 37 down below that has the check mark on it. And one of the other items he didn't highlight was moving the AC to the top of the engine tunnel. Um, we almost never use AC in the first place on those apparatus. It uh makes so little difference. It's I could see it if you were doing EMS responses and stuff.

So, is yellow his recommendations or your recommendations? The yellow is his for reducing it additionally. And then the other ones that are ours, if you look at my hen scratching is on the right are actually the 3700 for the onspots and then moving the AC for 7,000 25.

Okay. So, why wouldn't you recommend the ones like the the change to 380 horsepower engine? The 380 horsepower engine. That's not necessarily me. I'm not an I'll tell you right up front. I've always said I am not a mechanic or an engine guy, but the committee has quite a few on it and they didn't recommend going with the engine.

Must be a difference in manufacturer because $7,000 for 20 horsepower, that's a lot. That's a lot of money for 20 horsepower. Yeah. Must be a different motor. [snorts] And then the eco got to be Yeah. versus the hot dip and the SCBA brackets. We have those standard SCBA brackets on one of the other apparatus and they the guys hate them. But uh if we could afford to change them, we'd actually change them. They are

Why do they hate them? They don't release. If if somebody doesn't secure them correctly, they don't release. And so you've got an SCBA strapped, you're ready to get out of the apparatus and it doesn't release. You have to take the SCBA back off and start all over.

Oh jeez, that's a problem. That's no good. [clears throat] Sounds like a recall. Yeah. So those three were not recommendations of anybody on the committee. So the delete airbag option is that what you would think an airbag?

Yes. Taking it off $1,000 for airbags. Yeah. I don't know why we even had airbags on there. Well, you need airbags on a firet truck for they're off under this. Anything in yellow is taken off. Yeah. So, are you saying you're going to just take the AC?

It was in his original price $12,545. M. So the AC is the engine he gave us a price on and the committee has recommended we also take off. Yeah. No, not follow on me. Well, I don't see what you're moving the AC to the top of the engine tunnel from where the engine

and that's it basically. So, basically the only thing you're keeping added AC Oh, that's extra AC I believe. Yeah. To only keeping two things out of this whole list then basically I know what you're saying. It's three things out of this whole list. keeping the 380 engine, the galvanized ecos and change to the standard SCBA brackets.

Those are things they're not going to do. Not going to do, right? So, they want to keep the 400 horsepower engine, keep the better FCBA brackets and keep the galvanized hot dip because you're probably getting a different manufacturer. You're going to get a different tool. So, in in terms of process, I mean, the chief is sharing this with us tonight, but we're not approving anything. At some point, the board will have to decide whether to put this on the warrant article,

right? So, what you will do if you if you decide to is we'll write up a warrant article with a certain amount of money. So, do you want to accept a fire truck? It's more wordy than that. um not to exceed so much money. Yeah.

Um so what you do is you choose which one you want and then that's where the money comes from and then after it's approved then we start working on the rest of it. I I think committee's done I got no problems with going their recommendation on the apparatus. I mean they've obviously done their homework and they know what they're talking about. Yeah, I would I would agree that um uh my question is not which

which to put forth before the town, but whether we put it to the town this year. Um I I suspect we will, but I I don't want to commit to anything until we have a much clearer picture of of um what might be coming on the public work side and from a road plan. um especially considering that um the town has voted this down two years in a row and we still have a rescue u to talk about as well. So um and um I heard a unfortunate

um situation with one of our plow trucks today where there may be a blown engine according to uh Calvin. Um so there's just a lot of a lot of stuff to consider. So, I think I agree that, you know, that there's been great work done here in terms of putting forth a uh recommendation if we were to put a firetruck question before the town. But I think that's to in my mind that's still an open question.

I think that's the most exciting part of town meeting. If we don't put the fire [clears throat] truck question on, no one's coming to town meeting. [laughter] So, we might as well put it on there and let them We don't necessarily need a little bit higher threshold than entertainment value. [laughter] It doesn't mean we have to write.

We're not we're not going to have that debate tonight on whether we're going to do that, but but I'm just saying that's and final price though is 487005. Is that what the 4875 487005 not the 536, right? 487. Yeah. It what you see in my report and that that's actually what this was for is because when we started the comparison and started meeting with them, you'll find some of the prices don't agree. Actually, the rescue when we move on to the rescue. That one was actually changed because he wasn't on level ground, but I don't want to go to the rescue cuz I think there's more questions on the engine just yet.

I I think I'm good. I think I figured it out. I was I was I was trying to figure out how the the amortization of these schedules here for the payers financial, but I got it. I'm good. Okay. And I wasn't asking you guys necessarily to support this at this point in time. Really, I was just trying to bring you up to Steve. I hope you'd allow me to continue. Actually, the committee would like to meet with these two vendors that they're recommending a little bit more and iron out more of the details so it's a little bit more precise on the right track. Right. Exactly.

Um so they have a better feel of exactly what the vendors are planning on providing. I actually talked to Ruth a little bit about well you know the financial painting the financial picture as well. Give me a hand with that because Yeah. So anyways, [clears throat] there's none no other questions on the engine.

Talk rescue. All right, the rescue. Well, there's a lot of biders for this one, huh? Yeah. Yeah. The rescue actually came in with believe it was five different vendors, but there were actually eight different packages there. uh it uh several three

of them put in two different packages. It uh the initial process if you look at the spreadsheets in the initial review process we started eliminating some of them. Uh one of the vendors actually autotronics that that one was a gas engine and it was very specific in the quote the request for proposals that we wanted a diesel engine. U so that was actually a gas engine. So, we didn't even move any further forward on that. A couple of the vendors actually they put in more of a parts list than they than a specification and it was difficult to sort through. We did try to sort through them but inevitably those vendors ended up getting eliminated. Um, when it came down to the third round on the the third round we actually or the second round we actually picked out three vendors. uh Greenwood with the Horton at the Minute Man with the Road Rescue and Autoronics with the Brawn and asked them to bring by whatever they had for a

demo as well as to clarify some of the different things on their proposals. Um, they all came that night with the demos and it was almost a week ago and only one vendor that night actually autotronics and the brawn provided a clarification and an updateated proposal sheet based on what we asked is what we found was he was the only one initially that's why he was so much higher that actually incorporated the cost of the cardiac monitor and the price of his rescue. uh and it different things like that. So we we put those three all on level playing ground saying now give us a price based on X Y and Z. Take this out. Um he was the only one that showed up with the price as well as the demo model. Um so we still don't have proposals and I think it actually might say on there that we still don't have the questions answered from the other ones. uh [clears throat] to me and to the committee that kind of

says, well, no, this is the service you can expect. If that's the kind of service we get before the sale, I'm pretty sure that's the kind of service we can more than expect after the sale. So, so go ahead. You go. I say um I appreciate that, but I I

disagree. I think they need to keep pushing because on where they can get answers from those other two options because the recommendation is by far the most expensive option and in two of your others are significantly less money and just at a quick glance down through

comprehensive specs they're very very they seem from this spreadsheet to be very similar and so I I don't think that well they didn't get back to us is a enough of a reason to kind of go to the most expensive option. Yeah, it uh in the specs they actually in some cases are very similar. Going back to what I said it some of them included radios, some of them did not include radios. That's an expensive difference right there. The stretcher, the auto load or the center load. That's another expensive difference that the um you know, you're talking anywhere from 10 to 15,000 difference in a proposal based on whether it is there or is not there.

Well, then I think that stuff needs to be detailed out then. so that we can look at at an apples to apples comparison and have it actually documented that way, you know, because um yeah, I mean, you go down through this spreadsheet and the Greenwood Horton and the Autoronics Braraw are

almost the exact on everything that's on the sheet except for one's $40,000 more and they [laughter] were both and we don't have a proposal. Well, I guess the bottom line is is if I ask for something and I don't get it, I can't give it to you. Would that be accurate?

Well, and we have asked. And I'm not saying we won't ask again, but we have asked. Yeah. Well, I mean, for $40,000, we could ask a lot. Yeah. Yeah. Well, actually, based on that, it'll pass out what they actually presented at the meeting um from Autoronics Autoronic that brought the demo. All three of them brought a demo. Autotronics actually incorporated in their price the increase for 2018. None

of the others incorporated the increase for 2018 in any of their pricing. Yeah. So, I mean, until we get until we get apples to apples and we actually can make a a good comparison here, I don't know if we need to go any further on this one.

What was Yeah. Um I I do have a couple more questions. What were the three that were demoed? The the Greenwood Horton, the Autotronics Braraw, and what was the other one? The Sugarloaf Custom? No, it was the Minute Man Road Rescue.

Custom put two. Okay. Okay. Well, and then I do have another question. And what the existing rescues, do you know how many miles and hours on? I don't know if the exactly it's probably in the vicinity of about 60,000 somewhere around there.

Yeah. And then hours. Well, you just spent I think on your warrant there is a change, one's for four tires, and one's for Well, the the reason I ask, I guess where I'm headed with this is the existing rescue is actually especially this is 2017. The new one won't get here till 2019. So you got two more years of or a year and a half of repairing the existing rescue and it's already probably you know [snorts] everybody says well the ladder costs us a lot to maintain. I actually think if we did the research the rescue probably costs us more than the ladder truck to maintain

but what we know is that [clears throat] the chassis it's more of a rust and a maintenance issue than a mileage. I mean, you could drive the things if you drove them every day all day, you're going to get 300,000 miles out of a chassis like that. It's it's more other issues that terminate the life.

It definitely gets [snorts] So why is much mileage as every other apparatus collectively put together in that department? The rescue actually is the workhorse in that department. But that's my question. Even after 20 years old and it's wearing down, it still only has 60,000 miles. Why is it so important to have a diesel versus a gas?

Yeah, it actually fuel storage would be one. It uh I only have diesel on site. So now that means I said [laughter] well public works I either add Yes. Yeah. And then we start to get into okay if we're going to do the gas together which I think will probably inevitably be there at some point in time anyhow. I would assume if we if we would have done public works and I wouldn't already had the tank. We'd probably already be sharing a tank. But then you start doing the

metering and the securing and like any other any other city and it it's not necessarily Yeah. And it based on the performance of the gasoline versus the diesel. You check with any of the services that have the gas engine. For a while the industry was starting to go to the gas engine and they said no at the we're not getting the performance we had with our diesel engine um with the size of the the gas engine versus the diesel engine. I know going back in time everything used to be gas. all the all the apparatus for gas and our fuel consumption at uh you know everybody talks about their winter bagos and their three four five six mile per gallon and that was actually about what our apparatus

you're talking 3,000 m a year who cares right [laughter] I don't care if it's double right if your rescue was gas I mean how big is the tank 30 40 50 gallons probably 50 most of the the diesel tanks are usually about 50. I don't know if about the rescue. I'd have to check to tell you for sure on the rescue.

It sounds like because you got diesel on hand but not gas. But we should be able to relatively how many, you know, if we go 50 miles in one trip or 100 miles in one trip, it ain't going to be empty. We could fill as soon as we get back.

No, no, it's not going to be empty. It's not an issue of the tank being But the other side of it is we fill up every time we come back. No, but I'm pretty sure you don't want to be on the transport that we run out of fuel fuel up.

I mean, there are there's probably other benefits to the diesel. They they have um better torque and idling. So, when you're working in the rescue on site, you you're going to run your generators and all your equipment better. And you know, I I don't know. I'm assuming usually they have a beefed up

alter. I'm not a mechanic and I'm not an engine guy, but everyone that is a mechanic and engine guy is flat out no, we don't want gas. Yeah, it's it's interesting. I mean, but I you know, I uh when you look at the lifetime of the vehicle and everything the mechanics say is probably true, but then when you look at the reality of it's only got 60,000 miles and it's this age, it's probably like, you know, maybe it isn't that bad. But that's that's just me.

How old is that rescue? It's not 20 years. [laughter] No, that's why I was asking. It'll be 12 years. 12 years. It'll be 12 years. So 5,000 miles a year is what it is what it gets, you know. So burns 1,000 gallons of fuel a year.

But it is making money. It is making money. It's making money. The rescue makes money for the And we really had no history to be based the replacement cycle on. Is it most communities you're going to find? That's what I was told.

What's that? That the rescue makes money. The rescue what? The rescue makes money for the town. Well, [laughter] get reimbured. We should never I give you my rendition. The rescue does generate revenues versus what we were doing before, whereas we were just paying to make things happen.

Um, and people were waiting longer. So, it does generate revenues. However, there are costs that don't necessarily go against those revenues that are generated. And actually when people check different departments will ask about transport versus non-transport is it should never be because of revenues that you start a transporting service. It should be because of the the quality service of service and the availability of service. I think I probably said that last year when we were talking about the staffing and things. It should

it should be based upon what you your expectations or what the community's expectations are for service and how you achieve that service and then if you manage to generate revenues I can guarantee you everybody and their brother would be in the business if it was a money-m proposition it uh so it

does generate revenues but it does not and and that's actually like Lisbon did that RFP because they could not cost effectively run Lisbon emergency. Um, and they were looking for options beyond subsidization. But any community, the bottom line is it comes down to what do you want for service? And if you want this for service, you need to be prepared to subsidize it. But it does bring in money that helps pay for some of this. But

so operational costs exceed what it generates. The monies that it brings in is more of the subsidy. It's not the opposite. Yeah. It it is one of the biggest issues with this looking for a new one because of the rust body work. [snorts]

No. No. Most of these are going to have aluminum. So, right, it it's not going to I mean aluminum does oxidize and rust out. It does it in a different way. The paint tends to bubble. We do have a few of those issues, but on the rescue that's not

the rescue was really just it was based on the original recommendation of 12 years was based on reviewing a bunch of services around call volume and when that how they replaced their apparatus and you know like Freeport I don't know where they're at now but going back in time they replaced they had five. So they were really on a fiveyear cycle because they replaced one a year. that don't have five anymore, but most communities that do fairly high run volume compared to us are going to do theirs every 3 to six years. So based on the fact that well no we we're it's probably going to take us two to three years to equal their run volume is where we came up with the 12. We'd had nothing to base it on based on where we're at with repairs and issues. Like going back earlier in the year, I reported to you about the oil leaking and that if we did end up repairing it, the estimate for the repair, I think was

like 8,000 or 8,500 or something. So, we're starting to get those maintenance issues, mechanical issues. So, I actually think we're about right at the the 12 year point for looking at trying to replace it because I think right now it's starting to add up, but I I think it Yeah, I think the timing is about right. I

Is it starting to get outdated? Is it starting to get outdated? Well, some of it's outdated. it uh I mean they they now we could you could retrofit some of the stuff that um actually when we talk about outdated the bottom of my report talks about the cardiac monitor that's more the piece of equipment that's really outdated I mean if you look at your laptops if you're using the same laptop that you used 13 or 14 years ago

um cuz really that electronics that's what our cardiac monitor is if your TV is the same TV you had 13 14 years ago we we [clears throat] have it maintained every They come in and test it and can it be calibrate it and go through it.

Can it be replaced? Yeah. If you look at the bottom of my recommendation, my report to the board, the bottom line is is I don't think no matter what rescue we look at that we my recommendation to the town overall and it's part of the capital plan that I had put together is that whenever you replace a rescue, at least when we're on a 10 or 12 year cycle, maybe if it becomes shorter, but at 10 to 12 year cycle, you should definitely consider replacing your cardiac monitor.

So that that in my opinion, that should be a separate capital request. that should not be rolled in with the rescue. Well, it actually init and I'm assuming you mean a separate article. Yes. Yes. Yeah. Okay. Yeah. Uh yes. And it actually initially that was one of the nightmares that we ran into going back where you have uh autoronic. I don't think you have the original number on your spreadsheet, but they were up around 270,000. But part of the reason they were is because they put the cardiac monitor that we asked for an option price in there. And so the committee after reviewing it and discussing it, we were all over the place on that option. It's like, well, no, we'll deal directly with the vendors on our own.

So I I mean I I would encourage your committee to, you know, get the rescue bids to an apples to apples, you know, and take out, you know, stuff that's like extra equipment or things like that. pull that out separately because quite honestly that should be a separate capital request anyway.

Um it's just got to justify why they want you know it may be worth it but right now it doesn't appear that way and I think I'd like to may and it might be maybe somebody comes you know to when you make a formal proposal uh I'd like to hear more from the people in your department that do know uh mechanics on why they're so adamant about diesel versus gas. So, I'd like to I'd like to hear what they have to say.

Yep. So, is there is there anything on that rescue that you would actually transfer onto a new one? Oh, most of the stuff would transfer over. Most most of the stuff would actually um transfer over. It uh cardiac monitor. I would not recommend transferring that over. It's just the suction usually when they're constructed, the the design of the new ones are different. So, they're going to put new suctions in there. uh you know and then some of the safety features have changed substantially from from this one. Um but yeah, a lot of the stuff when I said we could like five point everybody has to be restrained now. Um when they're going down the road, the stretcher has to be restrained definitely, but that's all stuff going back to the the questions. like we could retrofit that in more of the more of the outdated that we can't retrofit in would be really pertaining to the cardiac monitor. But the bottom line is I think

I think if we try to go too long on the rescue, the the maintenance costs are going to start to nickel and dime a bad. I I actually think we're probably neck and neck with the cost for the ladder stuff this year if I actually reviewed it. So, and the ladders tend to be [clears throat] pretty expensive. I said that from the start. For maintenance and testing and inspections, ladders tend to be at the top of it. But I'd say the rescue's very close if it's not there this year. But it is a workhorse. [clears throat]

I mean, what what I mean, the large percentage of your calls, a large is EMS calls, right? Yeah, it's [clears throat] a work. If you think about it, most of the time when an engine goes, unless it's going mutual aid, it might go 10 miles and that's it on that call. Um, you know, unless it's going out of town, but the rescue, if you think about the trip to and from a hospital and maybe actually we do a paramedic intercept, like we do a paramedic intercept that they may have to actually go back to the other community station. So, it's really nothing for them to log 25, 30 miles. That's pretty much the norm per response. So it's two or three times whatever we do with the other apparatus be a minimum and that's if we don't have to go replace a drug box or something like that. So and then the call volume percentage wise it's probably call volume the rescue probably goes on about 75 70% of our call volume

somewhere in that vicinity. So, it's it's not always just the rescue, but probably 70% of the calls the rescue has gone on. Yeah. Okay. All right. Okay. Good progress. Yeah. Thank you. Okay. I'll continue. Uh they'll be happy. I'll keep moving forward and I'll have them see if we can't fine-tune that spreadsheet on the the rescue pieces.

Sounds good. Yep. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Okay. Ruth me town administrator report. Yeah. Well, we're done with the painting and we're done with the floor. So, now we just have to try and put everything back together. Um, we are only open till noon tomorrow because we are closing the books. Um, it's end of the year. Um and then we have audit and budget in January and February. So um the only other thing that I have is um the CMP letter.

I guess I wasn't here that day that CMP came in. What exactly are they doing? they think they want to do. Yeah, I think you were. They their intent is to bring a clean renewable energy to sell to Boston up from Vancouver, I believe, and trekk it across the state of Maine down to Boston, if my memory.

Yeah, they're they're one of I don't Quebec. Was it Quebec? Quebec, excuse me. Okay, Quebec. Vancouver project. Vancouver is a hell of a drive. Uh Quebec, just from Quebec, just outside of uh Tmaine. So, so basically Massachusetts utility has asked for proposals of bringing clean energy to Massachusetts and CMP is one of several companies that is putting forth proposals and they want to demonstrate in their proposal um that they have that they're not going to run into resistance from communities along the way which would which is part of Massachusetts evaluation of the proposals because if they they're going to be less likely to uh take a proposal that they anticipate is going to have like get tied up in courts with resistance for years. A lot of

hiccups. Exactly. So they're they're trying to demonstrate, you know, that they have like clean corridor of uh of for their project. And so they're asking towns along the way to basically say, "Yeah, if CMP gets this project, we're we don't we're on board. We don't have any objections." And this is the set. So,

are they figuring on putting up more line? I think it's going into an existing quarter, but more and taller poles. I think they were 50 ft higher. I can't remember exactly. It was good size. I think they were set. [laughter]

They just put a new set down through. I'm guessing it's going to be up similar to that, I think, is the way he described it. Not Not the one down here that goes over to uh Main Yankee. No, no, no. It was definitely up at the up the Auburn um Auburn North

Auburn end of of town up that way. It was in the same corridor, but it was larger, right? Larger. And instead of the traditional like cross type poles, it was going to be the large tower with the arms and the suspended lines coming off it. Um

well, they're going to have a quite a time putting more down through there. [laughter] It's basically that replace putting higher capacity lines in is um essentially what they're doing. So I think my recollection that night is that you know we all seem to be kind Yeah, that's you know sounds okay to us.

I I I well just I'm okay with what their project is. It just I you know it's a one-sided story that we got. We got CMP story of what's going to transpire. We we really haven't heard any negatives or any anything, you know, rebuttals to the information that was presented. Um, that's my only issue with it. I don't want to make it seem like the town is, hey, we're all for this. We we understand it's 100% complete.

Yeah. And give our our blessings, per se, and then when we do have a meeting on it, it's like, what do you mean you're going to have [snorts] 50 more feet of and it's going to produce x amount of more EMFs or it's going to produce? We don't know any of that information.

Um, one-sided story and it was I don't want to say, you know, they were they were here to sell their project to us here. Who else would be able to supply that product anyway? Well, they're in a bid. There's plenty of people that will probably be bidding. They're in a bid. It's not

There's one coming through New Hampshire and Vermont. There is transit line different lines. Yeah. Right. Right. Let's see. Yeah. Different lines. They're in different corridors. So, they wouldn't be using the same same one.

Yeah. They wouldn't be using CMP's quarter, right? So, I'm assuming if they're not coming down through here, we probably won't see those presentations. Well, yeah, because it might not be CMP. The ones coming from I think um one company [clears throat] was going to come out of Newfoundland or Nova Coast or something. not even going through Maine.

Yeah, it might go across the Atlantic be in international waters for that matter. So even if we was to say, "Yeah, we're okay with it." If they don't get the bid, it may not happen anyways. It sounds like it won't happen because they're not it's not to it's not to benefit Maine other than

I think they were pitching 5,000 jobs for Maine or something of that nature, but uh it's it's really for them to for them down there could be the shortest distance. I mean, I I hear where you're coming from, right? um Rich, but it seems because they were

essentially putting um bigger lines in an existing corridor um and that there's a the potential benefit to the town in terms of increased commercial property tax revenue. Tax revenue. Yes. Um I was fine with it, but if you if uh if you if there's questions that we want to get answers to, I'm sure we could send a list of questions. I don't I don't know,

but it be coming they'd become the answers would be coming from CMP. Looking back at the minutes, it says that there would be a much larger vetting process obviously for the towns and stuff if they get it. It's going to be single polls that they're going to be putting in and it wouldn't be until 2018 or further down the line. So, and he said he did come in and say that there would be a vetting process with the town on exactly specifications of what they're going to be doing. So, at that time, if they get the bid

talk to them about repairing the road. No. Yeah. Just just for clarification, it's not necessarily that I want to talk to them. I just want to make it seem like, hey, you have 100% our blessing. No hands down. We won't put up any resistance. I don't I don't want anything.

Well, is there anything in the letter that you think says that that you're uncomfortable? I want to be able to somehow monitor what they're doing. They're not going astray. Well, last time they went through, they trashed the out of Stack Pole Road.

Yeah. They did. They destroyed it and left. That was gas, wasn't it? Was that the No, both times when they put the lines down through and the gas The gas was actually even worse. Yeah, they did repair it, but they didn't repair it very well. I don't know that they really tried to repair it very well, but

and they they come up over there with their overloaded trucks and destroyed the road. a consensus one way or the other. [laughter] Um I I just don't want to make it and I I don't have the answer to like I said I just I want to make sure that we we're not just

giving our our blessing that we're 100% okay no matter what we're not signing away. This is not like a legally binding letter that we're like signing any we still have all of our all other checks and balances and vetting and permitting and review processes. All that stuff is in place.

I'm absolutely in favor of the project. Yeah, want the clean energy, you know, whatever. We have concerns with when the project happens and how it's going to happen, but we're all in favor of it happening. We're in favor of clean air.

Basically, looking at the minutes to us is this letter is really just saying that the town of Durham is happy with the business CMP has done with them over the years. And that's what No, they've been good partners. And yeah,

that's it. It doesn't say we bless this coming in down the road. It's not what it's supposed to be. It's just saying we're happy with the business they've done with us so far to this point. Do we get any power from Quebec? I don't know.

I don't think so. Welcome to the house. I I often wonder why this is not it exactly because there were a couple things that I did take out cuz I didn't think that we were in a position to Didn't Didn't they have a map too as well that they [snorts] had showed where this was going? I'm trying to remember what I don't really remember exactly where the line was, but where they were going, but

I'm guessing it's must down across the same spot. Yeah, my house and yours. I guess the the big concern would be for me would be and I'd like to think that they would fix it better than whoever went through before, but if you're going to cross a road when you get done, it's repaired up to at least as good as it was.

No, I like I said, I I I'm not saying I don't I don't think the town should or myself, let me speak for myself. I'm not saying that I'm not in favor of them doing this project. I just don't want to till we have all the answers. It's like,

hey, yeah, here's a We're doing full support for this particular project. That's all I'm just don't want to mean in a conven they do come back and say, "Well, what are you guys talking about? You guys said you're all on board.

I Yeah, agreed. We should be Yeah, afterwards. [laughter] No, I don't think you'll still be around. We'll be all right." So, uh, do you are you saying you don't want to send a letter at all or you want to make adjustments to this letter or what what what am I hearing?

I think the letter's fine. They're going to have to come in to the planning board for approval anyway [snorts] and then we'll hit them. Make sure they're going to make sure they're going to repair the road before and take pictures of the road first

because that road is brand new and it's and it's cold cold pad. It's a cold pave. It's not Yep. Right. It's not built for their 100 thou 200,000 lb vehicles. Yeah. Two times in a row. Yeah, it did. Pretty shortly after they repaired it cuz it left.

Yeah. I think we ended up having to repair it in the end. Yeah. Okay. [clears throat] So, we sign in the ladder. Send the letter. Is there a motion? All right. A motion we send a letter to to back to CMP. Second. All in favor.

Okay. But all opposed. Oh, opposed. [laughter] Going to give him his fair shot. Not used to say that. Yeah. I just I have a hard time with people coming in and they just give them one side and then they're they're begging you to send them a letter, you know? It's like, well, if you're that what do you need us for if if you're that reputable of a company? I mean, obviously, you have rights to your land.

What do you need us to sell your project for? I think they're just trying to demonstrate lack of resistance along the corridor. There's always resistance. [laughter] They got the wrong state for that. Poppy, you have an original thing to sign.

Well, we wouldn't hear that. Like you said, when they come to the planet board, you can No. on it. last time. Thank you. Okay. Um, we're still on your report. You're done. [laughter] I made it. You're done. That's it. That was it. Yeah.

All right. You're not going to update us on the color palette and all that stuff? No. Would you like me to? [laughter] It looks very good. I like it. Okay. [clears throat] And then um one I guess one last thing I'll mention before we leave regular business is that you all have a copy of a spreadsheet that was emailed to you kind of Calvin's

um initial work on a road plan. It is very detailed in fact and I know he's he really wants to get detailed but I think we we may need we I think we going to have to tell him to bring it up a couple levels and you know just list the roads and

we'll take this and you essentially hide half the columns. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Um, but he's he's making progress. I like this. I don't know. Well, we're going to need it sooner or later, but I think in turn for an initial uh initial plan 43 cubic yards and it ended up being 47.

Exactly. Right. You know, we're not asking him we're not asking him to bid the jobs, right? We're asking him to put together really it's how many miles of which road would be done in which year and and to put a ballpark estimate

on that. You know, there's no doubt he's doing his homework. Yeah. No doubt. But and and but there is there is a uh it can it obviously takes a lot longer to do this level of detail. And you know while it has to come we don't if if it's we may not have need to invest as much time and his energy as is being invested at this stage of the process. But um

you might want to tell him that because I think he's going to continue. I've kind of told him. Yeah. I told him that on the phone too. Talk to him. I thought I just told him on camera [laughter] he's watching this just for um

talked a few times. I know I had some email issues this week. Um did you I I also sent an email to you in regards to planning board uh applicant. Did you guys receive that? I I saw you read an email about that. Mhm. We do have uh

what I'm messing up on here. I got it. Am I on there? I think it just came today, right? No, I I looked at mine yesterday. H planning board application. No, it was yesterday. It was just to us. Just you don't count. You're just not.

Anyway, we have we have an applicant from somebody that's willing to ser on the planning board. Oh, okay. Um and I think Rich will Does that need our approval? Is that why? Well, I think it does. I wanted to make sure a we had the right form. That's the only thing I could personally find [clears throat] on the and if there was anything more um cuz I have another candidate that um we've been in contact with that's on vacation this week. So, I wasn't able to fully track her down and get a yay or nay out of her, but um she had a lot of interest. So, I just wanted to make sure we're doing the right this is the right form. And when I do talk to them, the process is

I think they they send the uh and jump in if I'm not if I'm not correct on this, but they fill out the application and they send it into the town office and then Ruth brings them before the board and we appoint Okay. In the news feed there's a searching for planning board members and it's got link to

it has a link process. So it's right there. It's the right form. You just It's the right form. I just didn't get it to you. get it to Ruth and where and then and then I guess we [laughter] would I don't I don't know if the application asks whether they have an interest in being the active or alternate.

I added that into the write up that we did. Okay. Cuz it's, you know, like if we have multiple people that want to be the active member and we still have three alternate positions, right? Um two two two I thought we had three alternates. So, do we have to wait until we get all the applications or can we No,

we can appoint whenever. Don't wait now. So, Ruth hasn't even seen the application yet. Well, I don't need to look at the application. If you guys are happy with the application, I know I am cuz I know who it is. Like a rock star of the planning board, man.

This would be great. Okay, then you can make a motion to appoint so and so to the planning board. And I'll do an I move that we appoint Bonnie Cobb as active member of the planning board. I'll second that. I don't know her, but go ahead. You guys recommend it.

Well, she's Well, she's um what's her business? Um she's a soils designer. She Stewart Soil and Septic Stewart Soil and Septic. You see her running around town and Okay. Husband Josh works at Josh works at the water. She wants to work with Planable.

Yeah. Yeah. All right. [laughter] Yeah. Awesome. So, she would want to be active and alternate. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. She said that. Yeah. Don't ask her. [laughter] I know. That's why I wanted to do it tonight. So, all right. Any any other questions or discussion?

We'll vote. All in favor? Opposed? All right. Congratulations, B application. So, right. Well, I don't want I should just do it every time. [laughter] There you go. There you covered. It's okay. Okay. Um and All right. So, that's it for regular business. We do um upcoming meetings. Our next meeting is a regular meeting uh Tuesday, January 9th at 6:30 and Tuesday, January 23rd at 6:30. Uh both here uh at the town office. Uh at this point I will move us into executive session.