TranscriptNovember 10, 2020 ~ Select Board Meeting

Okay. Okay, welcome to the Dorham Board of Selectman's meeting for Tuesday, November 10th, 2020. Um, going to go ahead. I just want to before we get going, uh, Kevin is not going to be joining us today. So, is the assistant chair, I will, uh, I'll be running the meeting today. And um if people are in from the uh from the public just to let them know I I think maybe one or two people are here from the public. And then I just want to mention to the select board and department heads um you know it is a Zoom video call. We're not we don't expect you to keep your camera on all the time but at least when you're talking or we're taking a vote if you could turn it on that would be helpful. Um makes makes for the a good video record from that standpoint. Um so with that um we do have a quorum. We have four members present. So are there any amendments to the agenda?

I turned my screen off. So I guess hearing nothing I guess we will move on to public comment. So is there anyone here from the public that would like to address the board? should we make a motion to adjurnn and just call it or what? Um, okay. The next item on our agenda, the action in discussion items, the PSAP

dispatch contract. And uh, Chief, you want to give us a briefing on that and kind of bring us up to speed? Sure. This is just the annual contract that we sign with the sheriff's office to handle our uh fire and EMS dispatching services. Uh we've been with them since January 1st of 2019. Uh looking at the last agreement that we signed, it's about a 5% increase uh from what we signed last year, but we were also told to expect that as the both the PAP fees and the

per call fees charged by the sheriff's office uh hadn't been adjusted in about 10 years. So, we knew those were going up. Um it's it's an increase of uh let me see 33 cents on the PAP fee per call and an increase of 28 cents per call on the fire EMS side. It's still cheaper than what we were paying for dispatch services when I first got here. So uh and and lower than that uh possible increase that had been predicted. So there's nothing changed in the language that I've seen and they've been terrific to work with.

Okay. All right. So Chief, just one question I had on the on the bill. We're essentially paying ahead is so this is for like next year's service. That that is correct. They know that we function on a calendar year. So they they do not accept they don't expect that payment until until the beginning of the year anyway.

Okay. Yeah. because it says due date 912021 on the on the invoice that was attached. So I guess we've got some time to pay it. Yes. Yeah. Does that is that a budget line item? So that's in the budget already. That is correct.

Okay. thanks chief. Does anybody any other select board members have questions or comments? I know we had had a chance to review the contract. I'll make a motion that we approve the PS um AP contract as presented um and authorize the chief to go ahead and enter that contract.

The chief will sign it. Yep. I'll second. Okay. Second by Todd. Any further discussion? call vote. Uh Rich George, say I if you or yes or I if you approve. Rich, yes. Okay. Yeah. Todd, yes. Mark, yes. And I am a yes as well. So that's a 40 vote. It's approved and go ahead and sign that contract and send it in. Thanks, Chief.

Understood. Okay. Next item on the agenda is the budget schedule for 2021. And uh I can pull it up. Ruth, do you want to just give us a little background on this? Um well, you guys had um asked us to come up with a schedule um with the thought in mind that we would probably do another referendum for the budget next year. Um and so taking it back from the Friday um before town meeting, which is traditionally when we vote, uh it means that we would have to have the ballot ready to be printed um February 1st. And so uh we back that up. most of the the I'm going to send out the letters for the committees and the department heads for their budgets uh the end of this week. Uh the committees I'm going to ask for their budgets by uh December 5th and the other the department heads we're looking at probably about December 18th or so. And then I'll put everything together really quickly and uh get it out to the board

and the the budget committee and then we'll do the combined uh presentations as quickly as possible. the beginning of January. Um and then hopefully by well and then by the end of January, we're going to have to um have concluded the process with the select board recommendations and the budget committee recommendations.

Okay, Ruth, uh where does the um CIP committee fit into this? Have they already started their reviews? Actually started last night. Um, and they've set up several different um, meetings and I actually have have to communicate with Mark the different um, dates for the meetings. Um, and then uh, they will be finished uh, by Christmas.

So, okay, we'll include that with the everything else. So, that'll be ready to go before we get our initial presentations. So, So, hey, Ruth. So, the the CIP committee has started meeting. Yeah, we just uh we did one meeting last night. It was really just uh same thing that I did with you guys. We went over the spreadsheets and where we were and uh what was being asked for this year. Um and then the next uh meeting um they're going to start talking about the different applications.

there, I guess. Yeah, I'll just I'll email you everything. probably 95% that it's going to be a referendum. So, I think uh I think you're going down the right path and unless uh any other selectmen have opinions or thoughts on that, but I don't know if uh is there anything magical about April 1st or or on the actual referendum date? Well, town meeting is always the first Saturday in April, and the election for the um selectman and um budget committee is the day before, the Friday before. Um you know, and I I don't know offhand if we actually had put that in uh the the

warrant this year, but but generally that's that's pretty set in stone. Okay. Obviously, and April 1 is a Friday. Yeah. Okay. Well, I say we keep rolling with that schedule for now and if opportunity comes up or we we are able to change it, we'll be ready to go.

Yep. So, okay. Anybody else have comments, thoughts about the budget schedule? Um, so the next step is the municipal election results. And I'm going to apologize. I don't actually have that pulled up on my screen, but we can give a a quick summary. the um all of the

marijuana ordinances failed and all the other questions passed which included the town manager question the um changes to the historic district commission and was there something else on there? Oh, the uh the or the ordinance changes as well that that'll align us with the state. So, um, so next steps, uh, I would say the historic district commission item takes care of itself. The marijuana ordinances, um,

doesn't look like there's much for us to do with that at this point. And the um, um, the town manager question is going to be the big one, I guess. Oh, the ordinance stuff. So, what will happen with that, Ruth? Will uh the planning board take that on and get push that through or?

Well, so I I've been in contact with George um and according to him, the old land use ordinance is in effect until uh the state approves the changes um to the shoreland zoning. And so he's sent that up to the state, I know, already um and is waiting to hear from them. And once he gets the approval, then we would u we would um put the new one on the website.

Okay. Um, so any questions regarding that or we ready to just skip right into the town manager discussion? marijuana ordinances? Do we need to specify in our ordinances that they're not allowed? No. So So Todd, the the law, the state law is an optin.

Yeah. Yeah. So, we did not opt in and because there's no opt-in vote, then it's not legal in uh Durham without even having anything written to that effect. No, we don't need anything. Good enough. Yeah. Yeah, it was pretty u was pretty uh decisive vote, I think. you know, you got a lot of lot of people voting and it was pretty good size margin.

Yeah. Um, actually, do you Ruth, do you remember or maybe Becky's on here what the voter turnout was? She says it's something like 80%. Yeah. I'm gonna let Becky, are you there? Yeah, I'm here. I video on. Do you want my video on? you don't mind while you're speaking, but not we're not gonna fire anyone over it.

All right. Well, I turned it on, but I don't see it doing anything. Uh, I'm sitting too low. Um, so we had 2,822 voters show up between absentee and the polling. Um, just over a thousand came on polling day. The other 18, it was 1801 on absentee. So, it was close to 80% of our registered voter list that that um voted. It was pretty good.

Yeah, it was a big turnout. Fantastic. That is that is very good. Uh Rich, did were you raising your hand a minute ago or I'm all set. Thank you. Okay. Um All right. So, the the big one is that was the town manager question and that that was approved. I don't remember the final numbers, but um I think it was a couple hundred votes that it passed by. Um, so we need to move forward with that. And Kevin had done a very nice presentation leading up to this in in the uh in a couple of public hearings. We discussed what the schedule would be and things that would change and wouldn't change. And the intent is to actually um spend the next few months doing our candidate search and deciding what aspects we're looking for in a town manager. And then um we hope to bring that person on effective after town meeting which would be um that first week of April. Um so Kevin and I have been in touch with David Barrett from

MMA. He's kind of the consultant that has been helping us along this process and uh and we're going to use him to help us with the hiring as we had previously discussed. Um, so he will be joining us at the December 8th meeting.

Um, and yeah, why the December 8th meeting? Hold on a sec. And so what I told him I would do is is I would talk update the board and let you all know that if there's anything specific that you're looking for or if there's questions that you're going to have for him at that time, we we should be prepared at December 8th. Um, we can we can certainly discuss things tonight. Um, but we don't have Kevin here and it's not a huge hurry. And, you know, my recommendation is that we uh that we wait into and have things

ready for when David can join us. Any thoughts or comments or anybody want to share on that or Okay. Um, yeah. And then as part of that, we'll have to decide like what we want to do for a committee and how we want to weed out applicants and so forth and and that'll all take place at that December 8th meeting. So, because I know there has been some interest from the town and the public at large as well. So, um,

okay. Well, that's fair enough. If uh I don't see any other comments or objections, I guess we'll move on to department and committee reports. And uh sorry, chief, but Calvin's first on tonight's. So, go ahead, Calvin. We we all got your report this afternoon. So, but give us the cliff notes here.

So, yep, we've uh completed ditching Evergreen Lane, moved out of there. Uh we've moved the equipment over to Beaver Woods Road, started marking out property pins and oddly enough uh the property pins are all right in smack in the center of the ditch line. So it appears it was ditched and then the pins were put in afterwards. So we're going to be working from mid uh mid ditch toward the it's got like five or six foot shoulders. So, we're going to be just moving the ditch closer to the road and any cullets that get replaced, we'll be putting in the rightway where they belong for future maintenance.

I think we pretty much finished those up today. We worked on the voting setting up, taking down of the voting equipment. Um, we've got I think we're pretty much done with cleaning up leaves and acorns. Hopefully that's uh uh all all set. Uh

Kirker paved deer uh Deerville and uh Rangdale today. Uh was working on Rangdale today. So that finishes up our annual paving for the season, maintenance paving. So the winter sand bids went out and came in with just two bids. Scott Dugas excavation and uh country fair from excavation from Bowdenham. Um country fair was $10, Dugas $8. Um

and that's what he told me he was going to be earlier this summer. That's why we went back to bed. Um so, uh if the board is all set with that, I'd like to hold that this coming week. Uh Calvin, is that a one-year contract price with them?

It is. Yep. Yeah. Yeah. Because I'd hate to I I mean I understand materials are going to go up, but I'd almost rather if he's going to raise his price, maybe he'd lock us in for a year or two and and that would offset it.

Yeah, I can ask him, see what he says. Okay. If if if we change the context of that in terms of how we put it out to bid, do we have to reput it back out? Well, not if he volunteers to give us that price for the next two years. I mean, this year's wouldn't be the same, but uh I I I guess I don't I guess that

would change the context of the bid, but I mean, somebody in theory, if they thought they were going to get two years and maybe more more yardage, it might come in lower. That's that's the only that's the only reason why I'm asking.

Yeah, we didn't have a lot of we didn't have a lot of people participate in this bid. Um, so well for a thousand, you know, thousand yards isn't a very big order. So most No, a lot of towns are getting five, six thousand yards. So

all right. Well, maybe I don't care either way. As long as it's legal. I mean, if we can do that legally, I'm fine with it. But I just want to make sure we don't have to maybe Ruth or Robbie, are you comfortable with that?

Yeah, legally is fine. I mean the only issue would be if somebody you know another prospective bidder might have an issue with it but generally those types of changes are are made after the contract. No problem. I mean we we negotiate terms with Cassella same kind of deal once we've got some base prices. So um and where nobody else bid it. I think I think we're fine country fair but they were way high. So, I I mean, it's worth asking, but I don't have any problem with just signing the one-year contract and and moving on either. So,

okay. Well, as a matter of fact, I'll make that as a motion that we approve the the contract for Dugas and authorize Calvin to sign it or both. The existing is one year. I mean, he can ask about it and let us know if if he's willing to do that and we can come back, but for now, I'd say we just approve the one year.

Todd, was that a second? Yeah. Yep. Okay. Any other discussion on that? Todd, yes. Mark, yes. Thank you. Rich, yes. And I'm a yes as well. So, it's 4 Z. Motion passes. Thanks, everybody. All right, Calvin, you had one more thing on there.

So, our Wheeler, uh, I know I told you it went to Viking surveys before it was returned to Freightlininer because the air tanks were not in the right place and there were some switches that weren't in the right place. So, Viking sent it back to Freightlininer. So, now it's back there and we should have it by mid December. So, that uh I hope so. We need it. And that's uh that's all I got.

Okay. Thanks, Calvin. Uh Chief, you're up, buddy. All right. Uh despite the fact that I've really been pretty swamped in the last week, I was able to get my report out on Friday. Um was everybody able to go through that?

Yes. And thank you. I apologize. It was two pages, Rob, this time. I know. I saw actually it comes up as three on the Google thing. Um so once again we continue to monitor the CO 19 situation. We're all a little disappointed that uh the cases seem to be ticking up again right now. Uh so we're taking as many precautions here as we can and we're just keeping an eye on it. Um the grant opportunities that I spoke about I'm sorry. Oh, you put Thank you. So, the two grant opportunities that I brought up uh in my last report, those were the specifics on those and I was just looking for approval to go ahead and pursue those. Um, yeah. So, the question I have is

if we approve going ahead with it, are we actually are you 100% you have to take it if you get it? No. Okay. All right. Right. So, if it turned out that we if it turned out that we didn't have the the it you know just came down to we didn't have the matching funds and we couldn't afford to do it then we don't have to accept it.

Okay. Because that'll obviously be contingent on the budget process but understood. But yeah, I mean it makes sense if we can get um 5050 grants for you know I don't know why we wouldn't go after it. So, the first one, the forestry service grant, 50/50 matching, um, and you're

requesting $1,500. So, that one's fairly minimal anyway. Um, so the town would put up $1,500 as well for a total of 3,000. Okay. Yes. And then the second grant is a FEMA grant um for the uh PPE during the pandemic. Um, it's only 5% matching. So, the chief is requesting $8,000. So, we only have to do um

$400. Okay. Yeah, there it is. Says, so it's not a huge financial commitment, but it's, you know, it's an opportunity to get almost $10,000 and grants. Um, does anyone Sorry. The biggest reason for asking for that is we we've gone significantly over our EMS budget this year simply because of the PPE we had to purchase. So this the grant is intended for it. So this will recoup that cost for us as well as prep us at least moving the next two years ahead.

So um is the 400 in matching is is that all stuff that we've already spent or do we will we need to buy another 400? Correct. Okay. and it'll replenish the stocks that are depleted. Okay. Yes. Okay. Does anyone want to make a motion to uh to approve the grants or

uh or the grant applications? Okay. Rich makes a motion to approve the grant applications. questions or comments from the board or Okay. We'll we'll go ahead and call for a vote. Please say I or yes if you approve. Rich,

yes. Mark, yes. Todd, yes. And I am a yes as well. And thank thanks for pursuing that, Chief, and bringing it to us. That's hopefully it works. So, continuing to move forward. We're we we're staying busy. Um I've been working on the budget. I didn't have it completed by the end of this week as I had hoped. Just have other things that we're dealing with. Uh staffing and training. We have some new members coming on board. Uh and uh the Tri

County Fire Training Program, which actually originated between Durham, I believe Durham and Lisbon, um has become a larger training entity, but with the whole COVID res COVID response issue, um they were kind of left out in the cold to complete the class. So, they reached out. Um I've worked with them to get their classes completed for this year, which we have two members and um they'll be graduating shortly. Uh and spoke with them about uh hosting the class here next year. Um one because it will make it easier for several more of our members to attend. And two, by hosting it, we'll get a free $850 spot in the program. Um, so I'm working on that agreement uh with them, but I think that will benefit the town certainly uh and and departments in the area. Um, truck 24 will go out of service to have that door repaired. It's in service right now, but it will be out for a couple of days as that door gets repaired that was

damaged last month. Um, discussion topics. These aren't things that I need decisions on tonight, but I needed to bring it to the board so we could discuss it. Uh, one, what to do with the budget surplus this year and looking forward at some of our expenses replacing equipment, specifically the breathing air apparatus. Uh,

any questions on that? Like I said, I don't need a decision right now. I'm sure this is something Kevin would want to review and weigh in on as well. So, um just if we are going to have a a surplus this year, which like I said, four months of no training, no meetings, um and for safety reasons, specifically limiting um members being on certain calls, uh it will leave us with a surplus this year. So, in trying to be proactive about how to replace uh 20 air packs in the next two years, um this was a thought that had come to mind, and I wonder what the board thought of it. I have one question, Chief, and that um we've had to put off these trainings and so forth, but are we going to be required to make those up? So, we have to double up in the Okay.

No, it's No, it's it's not it's not really like that. Um it's we we we train as much as we have the opportunity to train. Um but the but the risk with the with the pandemic situation just made it untenable. So, it's it's not going to be it's not going to be ours we have to make up next year or anything like that that we need that money for.

Okay. All right. That's good. Just make sure we're not selling ourselves short. And understood. Yeah. I just uh with respect to the surplus, I I don't I didn't see any numbers in regards to the surplus, but a couple moments earlier, you had mentioned that your EMS line is going to be significantly over.

So, I so I I aping I say significantly. We budgeted $8,000 for um EMS supplies and equipment over the year and we've just crested um just crested over 10 right now. I don't Yeah. Yeah. So, I mean percentage- wise it was a 25% overage, but um we have a good stock right now and there's nothing coming in the next eight weeks that I see really blowing up for us. That but that's why I also said I'd rather wait till to the end to make this choice. Okay. But year to date, do you have an I do you have a rough idea of you just give me like a percentage of total budget where you're where you think your surplus?

Do you have an idea what that number is going to be? I I don't percentage-wise. Um I'm I'm gonna I'm gonna say 15 or 15 thou 20% of your budget. No, 15 to 20,000. Okay. Not 20% of the budget. No, sorry. I was trying to say Jesus. Yeah, you're recommending taking that 15 to 20 and buying tanks with it.

Well, well, this is this is the this is the other piece that comes in with that. Uh we don't Sorry, you say you say tanks and I'm and I'm getting into maybe. So, we over this over the last two years, we purchased all new of the actual cylinders because those had all met their end DOT expiration. So, we don't have to replace those. So, we're getting the packs cheaper because we're purchasing just the breathing apparatus and the mask. We already have the tanks.

So, okay. All right. But we're it's in the 15 to 20 range. What you're talking dollar-wise? Yes. Okay. Well, actually, let me let me clarify what what are you asking that 15 to that's that's what I think the surplus will be.

This Yeah. And is that total amount is what you're considering in the what you want us to consider is to spend that whole whatever what yes whatever the circle I' I'd love to buy up to five packs um which would be 29 I don't think we'll get there but anything that we can do to start this process to decrease either taxation raised next year or digging into capital any further. This is money that we've already brought in. That was my that was my idea behind it.

Okay. And does that have to uh Rob or or even Mark you might even know but when you have a surplus like that on on monies and you're buying a piece of equipment does that can we just bypass the CIP process now? I know in the past we could do this but

yeah this I mean the CIP process is a recommendation process. It would be the question would be would it um meet town meeting requirements and then I I believe that it would because there's a there's a question on town meeting Ruth or Becky might be able to correct me but as long as we're not going over our expended budget. We are allowed to do that. The only question would be um if we don't spend it, it rolls over into essentially the capital fund and and we could spend it next year. So um you know, so I'm in favor either way. I think that money should stay in the department and we should buy the SCBA gear whether we do it now or whether we roll it over and bring it um bring it forward. But um but I think we'll look, you know, we got another month or so, Chief.

Yeah. Well, like I said, I this this isn't a decision that needs to be made before we actually know what the surplus looks like. And so so this it's actually is this capital funds that we're talking about or is it just budget?

No, no, the sur the surplus the surplus would be operational budget. Yeah. for this year. I know it's kind of confusing because it's a capital purchase and it's something that appreciates, but we're going to use operational funds to pay for it,

right? Which which is why I I figured I would bring it now and let the discussion happen and rather than try to throw it out at the end of December. Okay. So, we can mull it over for a meeting or two and then Oh, absolutely.

Chief, who do you need for a turnaround on that? like for example to get it in and to get it in time for your budget. Um I probably the 21st of December is everything is slowed down right now. So I I I I can reach out to the manufacturers and confirm that. Um but we we we still probably if we ordered it the end of December, we probably wouldn't get it until probably probably the end of January. Everything is slowed down right now. We've been

I mean it's it's across the board. It's it's a little frustrating at points and trying to guess ahead of what we might need so we're not caught with something that we can't get for six weeks. Yeah. So understood. But but with the pack, like I said, with the packs right now, the ones that we have are still serviceable. This is just starting that replacement process that we've been gunning for the larger grant for the last several years. And it's just it's just not coming to be. So, we have to put a different play in the play.

All right. So, we meet on December 22nd. Is that That would be I'm sure that would be fine. I'll I'll do some I'll still do some background work and keep the board up to date with what that looks like, but yeah. Um yeah, we could still act on it on the ETH as well. So,

Right. Okay. Uh the only other two pieces on that discussion topics were uh just giving you the heads up about the paid leave requirement um that uh that I heard about this this past week. I haven't had a chance to really read uh a lot of the information that I've gotten uh about it. Uh but it appears that it does impact part-time and potentially

um pdium and call employees. Um, I hadn't heard anything about it prior to this past week, but apparently it's state law that's going into effect as of January 1. So, I'm really scrambling to try to get my head around what this looks like. Uh, and I'll have more information at the next board meeting.

Okay. Is that part of the uh COVID relief package? Is that what that is? I don't think that it is. I don't believe I don't believe that it is. Rich, do you know with your businesses? Have you heard any more about this? I do. It definitely, from what I know of, and again, this thing's it's not it's been around there for a while. It's been in talks for a while. Um, it definitely will affect your part-time people. Um, I'm not sure how it would affect those stipened individuals,

right? Okay. Yeah, it's I would it's one of those things that I would have uh probably ask Ruth to start doing some digging on because it'll affect the town and in totality, not just the buyer department. Right. From from what I from what I understood um it was sort of a in regards to how many employees or the types of employees that impacted the wording of the law was sort of cart before the horse where it was a great idea but then the wording depending on how apparently how the department of labor is going to interpret it will depend on exactly what types of part-time premium call type employees are affected. So, I really said I'm scrambling to try to get a a handle on this.

And there's a piece to it, too, that the employee has to contribute, right? Which would offset some of your budget concerns because it's not it's not a total expense to the employer. Um, some of the money is actually coming from the employee.

Okay. um the way I understood it. But again, those things I wait for the everything to be compiled and then somebody has two or three seminars about it and I chime in pick up one of those before I totally understand it to be honest with you because it's

right and and there's a lot of jargon in there. That's tough. And this was the first I'd heard of it. So I'm glad I glad I heard about it now rather than three weeks from now when I feel like I had a budget done and it just gets blown up.

Yeah. So, um, and then curious if the rest of the board had had a chance to look at the updated RFP. Um, I hadn't been able to send it out before, so curious on their thoughts with that. that's not something that needs to happen tomorrow either, so I can wait for the next meeting to discuss that.

Yeah, I mean, I don't I've read through it. I I don't have I don't have much to add or comments. I thought it looked good, but I don't know if anybody else had comments or concerns or um I I don't have any comments or concerns. I think it I think it outlines pretty clearly exactly what you're looking for. Um so again, refresh me because this year's being so different from this RFP would have to go before or is it already gone actually to the um CIP committee?

This went to this went to the CIP committee last year. This was one of my projects and their their recommend from what I understood their recommendation was it wasn't put as a as a high priority um simply because it's just something they felt that we should be doing. Um but that information didn't really come to me until after the budget was completed and we' moved forward for for this year. So just trying to get a handle on where the board would like me to go from here with it. What's the timeline on this, Chief? Uh, get it out this year. So, do you have numbers for budgeting next year or?

Uh, we we can we can certainly we can certainly do that. Um, I mean that, like I said, I'm I'm I'm sort of at the at the will of the board for what you'd like to do with this at this point. Yeah, I'm good with it. I I know Kevin on the last meeting had some questions and concerns and wanted you to redo some stuff. So, before

which which are the two which are the two highlighted pieces. So I see that. Yeah. I just would want to make sure I have no issue with it and I didn't have any issue in the beginning. So just make sure he's content with it and then run with it however you feel free. I mean I don't know.

All right. I'll I'll I'll wait for the I'll wait for the next meeting then we can go from there if you'd like. Yeah, I think that would be great. Simply only because he did comment on it on the last meeting. Yep. Certainly.

Yeah. The only thing I would note, chief, is uh at the end usually there's and I'm just looking at it to see if it's in there, but um just a a comment that says the town um may reject any and all RFPs like so that we're not numbers come back ridiculously high or something. We're not committing ourselves to it.

Okay. There's no harm in getting the numbers. All right. I'll work with Ruth and we'll get that in there. Yeah. So, and I I'll I'll forward that um final draft with my next report for the next meeting. Okay. Rich, one something else.

Yeah, one last question. Chief, I just wanted to uh over there I don't know how long it's been now, but we you know, you were still dealing with some issues with the backyard. Um have that been resolved? All that's been taken care of. Public works has handled that entire project.

Fantastic. Thanks for the update. Yeah. And uh Chief and uh Calvin and Ruth, while you're still on, um I just want to say that uh you know, my phone hasn't rung at all in probably two months. So, whatever you guys are doing, you're doing a fantastic job. And uh you know, I really appreciate it. It's been it's been a tough year for everybody, but I think the public has been very understanding as well, and all things considered, I think things are going really well, and uh and I appreciate it. So before you sign off, I wanted to let you know.

Hey C uh uh Rob. Yeah. Is Chief done? Are you done, Chief? Yeah. Well, something else. I forgot. I want to Something I forgot to mention. Uh unless you want to finish with the chief first. If I could just run this other grant application by you.

You want I I am all done. Thank you. Unless there were any other questions. So, I uh forgot I meant to uh I meant to put this on the uh on on the u report. Uh the stream crossing grants, Dream Crossing Grant um is available

again for like we did on the Auburn panel road stream crossing. Yeah. I uh didn't realize the deadline was this coming Monday. I was thinking it was this spring sometime as seemed like last time it was. It was in the winter. So, um it's the $95,000 non-matching grant. Um so I had one on uh Swamp Road

U and and the Swamp Road and I don't know if Chief was still here, but Swamp Road floods every flood event flooded last December. it. We always have to shut the road down. Um, and part of that is because the coits are undersized on the road right there and the coverits are perched about a foot out of the water. So, the stream uh fish passage is completely blocked. So, it would I think be a very good candidate for the grant. Um, there's that one and one on Quaker meeting Quaker meeting house road. Um the pipes are foot and a foot or two above the water and u it's the way they were installed and there's some talk that D eventually is going to start making the towns fix those at their cost to get them in compliance. And so um there's two there that uh I have some boilerplate um application stuff that I could fire off and send in. There would be no commitment if we decided not to go forward with it.

Just wanted to see what the board thought about. You don't think you can do both for 95,000 though? Well, they're 95,000 a piece. So, you're going to submit for both? Well, I I can do both or I could do just the one on the um I'd like to submit for both. I mean, there's nothing nothing that says we have to do both if we decide we only have them.

It's zero out of pocket for the town if it's approved. And um there's no harm in applying for both from, you know, from my understandings. There's absolutely no financial commitment and no downside to these grants. So, um

the last time we did two on Auburn Panel Road, I think we ended up kicking inundred and they paid 200 or 190. Yeah. Yeah. Is there a chance that either one of these could be more than $95,000 to correct? Yeah. And before we accepted the bid, we would have the design and we would know what that was going to be.

So, we don't know that number yet. We don't know. We don't know that till it goes and we Yeah. And we can accept the money and give it back if we don't fulfill. We're not under no obligation, right? I don't know about accepting the money, but part but we could just we could not accept the money.

If we just don't accept the money, we don't have to go forward with the grant if we're approved. Correct. That's my understanding. I'll confirm that for sure tomorrow on or Thursday. That's the only thing I'd want clarification on. As long as we don't have if we are approved, we don't have to go forward because I don't know what that unless you do. I don't know what that's going to cost and if it's going to be like the Alvin Parnell road where we're kicking in 100 plus grand.

We ended up kicking that could probably we ended up kicking in like 50 a piece on those out of wasn't it like 100,000 Ruth. We we appropriated. We did not spend $100,000. I think it was closer to $50,000 is what we ended up spending of the town's money.

Right. And we got 95,000 for each of those those culverts. Yeah. And Rich, to answer your question, yeah, there is no commitment. What they do is um they'll make the award and then at that time we'll have to decide whether to accept the money or not. And then if we don't, they push it to the next town that would that wasn't awarded it. So by that rational, what do we owe at the minimum, you know, a couple thousand dollars for maybe an engineering design that we'd have to get before we could actually even

this bid application fee? Yeah. Application fee or we wouldn't have to have a design fee before we would know the cost. Well, if we knew the cost. Yeah. But I mean, you wouldn't have to get into complete design. We could

ballpark it. Yeah, we could ballpark it. So, we're looking at a couple thousand in consulting expenses to, but we probably ought to do that anyway at some point. So, yeah, I I think they're both candidates where D is going to step in and make us fix them eventually. And the one on the one on Swamp Road is um as as Chief probably knows, they're it's completely blocked on every every flooding event. The road gets closed off. So,

just because the two pipes are just not big enough and they're not in they're not actually even in the water. Yeah. Okay. So, learn to apply. Yeah. I I think you do need uh the way it works. So, you do need approval to go ahead and apply, right? I believe so. But um so I'd move that we authorize Calvin to apply for uh D culvert grant

funds for both Swamp Road and Quaker Meeting House Road. Okay, Mark seconds. Any further discussion on it? Okay, we'll do the roll call. How about you, Todd? Yes, Rich. Sure. Yes, Mark. Yes. And I'm a yes as well. So, yeah. Go ahead and see if you can pull that off by Monday, buddy.

Oh, yeah. We'll get it done. Yeah. Rich, uh, one last question for Calvin. Calvin, um, prior to the meeting, you had asked if we had, um, somebody wanted some filled. Is that a discussion that you needed for us or were you all set on that?

Oh, yeah. Actually, uh, the land, um, on Swamp Road that the I'm not sure the organization. Is it the Athletic Fields property? Yeah, the Durham Little League Association or something of that little Durham Youth Baseball.

Yeah. Well, they had asked for some fill a while back and and um I don't know if they had brought it up in a meeting with you guys or when that had come up, but I said I would let them know when we might be able to have some to put there. And so I called them this morning to tell him that u I could put some fill there on the property that they could use later whenever they did their development or whatever. But uh um and he had called Ruth back and wanted to know if what was his question exactly, Ruth?

Uh well, he he just he just wanted to know if if we thought that that there was any issue with that. And I'm assuming he meant with the board, right? With the board. Yeah. maybe he's thinking that the board might uh um take issue with them starting a project without authorization. So, I guess if the board has no concerns or or

I don't know exactly what they're trying to fill. I mean, I I do know that they've gone through planning board a couple times and there are some wetland areas over there that the planning board has had problems. not problems with, but I've identified, excuse me. Um, so I I don't know what their extent is. I don't even know if we've ever even gotten that lease back. Have we, Ruth?

Do we have an executed lease? No, we do not. So, I'm not really inclined to authorize anything left for that property until we have an clear understanding of what they're doing over there. I don't think that's been stumped, has it?

No. You going to put back into all the stumps? No, we Yeah, that's what it sounded we just put in a pile where it was high and dry and we wouldn't put it in any wetlands. But um and if they use it, I mean, it would just grow over with grass and vegetate itself. But

well, I don't think you guys would do that. I'm just My concern is you put a bunch of fill out there and somebody comes in with a bulldozer and just starts moving it. I don't think you guys are going to be the ones spreading it. I would assume you're just dropping it off.

We would just drop it. Yeah. Right. Calvin, where's the fill coming from? Um, we're going to be taking it from Beaver Woods Road next week. So, we're ditching on Beaver Woods. So, it would help us from the standpoint of it's a a quick place to dump the fill.

It's right down the road. Yeah. It's town owned property. Yeah. I mean, it would help us out for sure. Yeah. So, it's town property and town fill. So, there's nothing that says we can't dump fill on our own property. No, there's nothing that says that. But that that road is already probably four feet above the grade of what they're going to be going down to to make that a ball field. So why would you put more fill over there?

Right. They must have they must have thought they were going to need they did ask me for it. So I'm thinking they must have they must have thought they were going to need it. They might need it when they blast all that rubble out of there if they ever get to that point. But I mean, I have no problem with you dumping Phil without asking us any question on any town land as long as you see it feasible. It's just that particular project because there's been such a delay and such a such uh you know, like I said, this has

been going on for years. We don't even have a signed lease with that organization for that project, nor do we have a clear understanding what's going to transpire on that property yet. Yeah. Yeah. So I guess does the board have an issue with us dumping some fill there if we don't put it in the wetlands? And

the concern I think might be that it might end up in the wetland, but Oh, I would take issue, but the rest of the board can certainly chime in. fill wherever you see best fit for the town and so I guess it doesn't matter to me either way.

Want to dispose of there to do it? Yep. As long as you don't have to run over stumps to get there. No, we won't do that. Yeah. All right, we'll move on to the town administrator report. Ruth? Yeah. Um, there's not that much that I have this week because all of my time has been stuck with the election. Well, not stuck has been working.

It was an election. It was election. Do you guys remember that one? Yeah. Well, I two weeks ago. Two week two weeks ago. One week ago. Seems like a month ago. It does. It seems like forever. We Yeah, we're taking a deep breath.

It could be still election nights. I think they're still counting ballots. It could still be election night. I don't know. Well, not in Maine. still counting ballots in Maine. Trust me. Trust me. We're not in the town of Durham. Anyways, good.

Uh, so in any case, um, there were just two things. The one thing is I I I wanted to commend um, Becky, our new town clerk, and all of the people who helped us with elections. It it went really well this year. Um it it kind of was a little disappointing because we were prepared for just about anything and um and it was pretty quiet most of the day even though we had a thousand people come in person to vote. Um it was pretty spread out and we were able to get most of the people in fairly quickly. The only time we had any significant line was in the morning from about 6:30 to about 8:30. Um and after that it went really well. Well, it went well when we had the line too, but in any case um and then I had meant to put a new people were in line. Ruth,

even when people in line, do you got any idea how long they were waiting? I mean, it was moving, right? It was moving pretty quickly. Um, you know, I I really don't know how long people were waiting. Okay. But we did move.

That's fine. It's not that I was just The biggest issue, frankly, was this the number of people that we would we could have in the gym. So, you could only have 50 people in the gym when with the workers and and the number of booths that we could set up. Um, it it it kind of kept us a little low on the number there for a while. Um, and then the only other thing is, and I didn't do do this, but I meant to, um, I was going to think I was thinking I should add to the agenda um, a line that says selectment requests. And basically that's for you guys to tell me at the end of the meeting um any items that you would like researched or any items you would like on the next agenda so that you know things that you guys want to talk about um get up on the agenda.

there. I mean, I think for the most part, you know, we we don't communicate outside of meetings because we're not allowed to, but there's nothing that says we can't just email you at any time and and CC the other board and say, "I'd like to put this on the agenda, too." So, I think we should encourage all board members to do that anytime, but it doesn't hurt to add it to the agenda as well. So, and everyone should be thinking of that. So,

so anybody have any thoughts for the next next agenda two weeks? No. Okay. Um, if you need fillins, I mean, you could ask the baseball folks to come in and explain to us that they do annually every year what they're going to do over there.

yeah, exactly. Did we have any All right. Thanks, Ruth. Okay, we're actually moving along pretty good. Um, we I'll move on to the consent agenda, which has the minutes for October 27th, which um Kathy sent those out earlier this week, and the warrants are there. Any questions or comments? Or would someone like to make a motion on the consent agenda?

agenda as written. Okay. And I'll second that motion. Is there any comments from the board? Okay. We'll call for a vote. Uh Mark, yes. Todd, yes. Rich, yes. And I am a yes as well. So that is a 40 um unanimous approval. Uh with regards to selectman's comments, our next selectman's meeting is Tuesday, November 24th, 2020 at 6:30 p.m. That will be a Zoom meeting. uh and the way things are going in the state right now, it'll probably be Zoom meetings for the foreseeable future. Uh and Tuesday, December 8th, 2020 at 6:30 p.m. and we will be joined by David from MMA on that meeting to discuss the town manager um the next steps. Um with that, I'll just quickly ask any other comments, questions, concerns. Yeah, I'd just like to say what a fine job the assistant chair did tonight. Oh,

thank you. You know, Mark, if you hadn't said that, I could have kept us under an hour. Good job. We still got a minute. Yeah, I think we're going to make it. Yeah. Thank you. U Okay. Well, with that, I'll I'll entertain a motion to adjurnn.

So moved. Rich makes the motion. Second it. Todd would second that. Um, all in favor, we can just raise our hands on this one. All right, sounds good. It's unanimous. Um, and I'd like to say thank you to our town staff and uh and Becky and um and

Tammy for for helping with the recording and uh and great job everyone. Thanks. We'll see you. We'll see you in a couple weeks. Bye. Take care everyone. Be safe. Night.