TranscriptSelect Board Meeting ~ October 14, 2025

[Music] Heat. Heat. meeting started here at 6:30 on October 14th at the fire station. We have a quorum so we can begin with the pledge of allegiance. States of America and to the republic for which it stands. One nation indivisible with liberty and justice for all.

All right. Any agenda? Do we have any public comments? Seeing no public, I say no. Uh, do I have a motion to approve the meeting minutes from September 23rd, 2025? Motion to approve. Any questions or do I have a second? Any questions? Seeing none, all in favor? Any opposition? Um, old business. I just wanted to quickly um summarize uh our motion. um last meeting after our executive session, we uh had discussion during executive session and then made a motion after executive session and in the back of the meeting was public, but we did not have our um camera on. So tonight, I just wanted to address a motion we made during that time frame. Um, after the we

came back into the public session, we made a motion to approve a 5-year contract for the town manager. And the motion was for the first year salary being $125,000 with a 3% decrease for the remaining years of the contract as well as 5 weeks of vacation per year. That was a motion by defended by Rebecca and uh unanimously approved by the board. Um, and that is reflected in our town meeting minutes, but we just want to address it on camera uh since that took place after the uh executive session. All righty. Last uh the other thing on old business here is our uh continued discussion and hopefully buttoning up of the batting cage um infield proposal from the uh Durham Youth Baseball. Jerry

confirmed for us that uh it our liability policy would cover um any sort of injuries that may happen if someone was to utilize a batting cage. Um it's the same policy that covers the rest of the baseball field and in town properties. So that was a question for us. And so I just wanted us to button this up and decide if the select board wants to support any of the uh proposed

uh quotes or if we want to support or pass at this time. So does anyone have any feelings on the on the topic? Yeah. Um I'm in favor of supporting it. I thought a lot about it since our last meeting. Um I'm not in favor of

approving a $10,000 think uh we can come up with if we approve moving forward come up with a reasonable number that would have taxpayer funded basically maybe half the cost of the batted cage. I would think we would offer that once the the group um fund raises to collect the other half.

So would you say more like a reimburse reimbursement after it's been No. No. Once they raise enough to pay for half of it, then we would then that that's kind of where I what I was thinking about. Um, I think 10,000 was a number we were ballparking around before at our other session. I think that's a lot out of the budget that we currently have.

Um, Jerry, that's kind of what I was thinking about. Can you remind us how much we have in the budget for that? It was like 13,000 22,000. Okay. I um I also agree that we should help like I I um I believe you had said 15 grand or something um and originally they had come in here asking for just $10,000. I also wanted just to note normally when people come in with quotes, it's the actual quote from uh the companies that they get the um the options from. And while they did a beautiful job and I feel like we can most likely trust them, it's not the norm to have it in this beautiful PowerPoint. M

um with that said, I agree with Deb and I think that we should definitely pro provide some money perhaps maybe 8,000, but I don't think we should deplete the budget for it. I I I agree with Okay. Yeah. I I mean my my feeling was to um

realistically the more I thought about it was to uh pay in full not to exceed 15k. My only thought on this is that um this has some physical structure to it like setting posts and stuff like that on town property and so currently we leased that field to Durham Youth Baseball. Do you remember how long the lease is?

That's for a long time. Yeah. Is it like a hundred years or something? Yeah. The only where I just feel a little bit weird about not paying for all of it is that like in the future you have a team that is like, "Oh, we pay for half of it. You pay for half of it. Who who owns it?" Right?

And so now it's on on town property. So if we pay for a portion of it, are they fine with saying the town is buying more or less the town will buy this in Durham Youth Baseball will contribute 5,000 or 10,000 towards the town purchase of it. Um because at the end of the day, who is the owner of the batting cage structure on town property? And so I just want to make sure we're

thinking about that there. That makes total sense cuz like I wouldn't ask them to pay for, you know, the the back stop, right? But you also have to think about, you know, out of the entire town of Durham, how many have how many families have kids playing baseball and utilizing that space? So, it's you're looking at all of the taxpayers across town

and is it I'm just I have no idea if this is factual, but a third I think they have 110 kids or something like that. Yeah. So, I mean, I just it's not I don't feel it's our place to deplete or exceed the amount of funds for this, but I do feel it is our duty as citizens. And because to your point, you know, they are members of the town, it is town property, we should provide a sum.

Go ahead, Josh. I think if something happens to the back stop or the fence, I think they're responsible for under the lease. So, uh, and I think the it would go with the property. So, at the end of the lease, if it's not renewed, then it would revert. The ownership is with the town. But I agree, it's $22,000 at a time when taxes are going, they've changed dramatically this year. They're going to change again. Uh, in two years, that money could be used to fix up some of the parks we have in town. Uh, there are other uses. I think that more people might utilize. I think supporting them and helping out is a good idea, but I think depleting that budget and then asking uh, you know, the entire town to pay what a hundred or so families are going to use every year. I I don't think that's fair to taxpayers.

Yeah, I'm not sure if I agree with that because at the same time, what do we lease the baseball field for? $1 a year. So we can make the argument that we're, you know, opportunity cost for the baseball field is huge because only 100 families are using it and they're paying a penny a penny to kids. So I'm just trying to think about like if we have this and we build it and then the baseball team pays for half of it. And right now if if you want to go over right right now and throw first bait around that field, anybody in town's allowed to do that, you know, anyone in town's allowed to go in when they're not having practice and utilize it. And I would hope that the batting cage would be the same. How does it work if we don't fund the whole batting cage and then they say, "Well, we pay for half the batting cage, so we want to put a lock on it and no one in the community can use it outside of when we're there

facilitating it." And I'm not saying this to be argumentative. I'm just trying to think through, right, think through the process. You know, that would be a violation of their lease. I think it's on the town property belongs to the town. If they want if they want it and they want our money and they want to put it up on the town property,

then it's town property and anyone can use it. We're giving them the right to use it first. But when they're not using it, anybody can use it. I don't to me that's not that's not not an issue. Yeah. And I think that was their intent.

Yeah. I just I think about intent and then you have a change over people and stuff like that in the future and what that can end up being. So I'm just I'm just again That's fine. I'm not going to vote against the a partial payment. I'm just saying this is kind of the thought process that I've had over the last couple weeks that I wanted to see what other people's thoughts were. Um, and I understand that I'm in the minority. I'm paying for the whole thing. So, I'm just explaining as to why so you don't think I'm all just expressing the desire to spend out of this fund willy-nilly. Um, so, um, do we have a curtain current written policy about that field and what is included in the like in the lease for what they're allowed to use it for? Because I'm sure that like if if I just decide to go over and start playing catch with my dog in there on a day that they're supposed to have a game, they have the ability to say, "We lease this

field. Sorry." Right. Would be a lease contract. I don't Yeah. And so we we just say we would just tack this on to their part of their lease of the field. This is now just part of the field. And I know currently like they generate ad revenue right from putting up signs on the field fence.

That's what I said. Yeah. And so this would be another space for them to put up signage if they wanted. So we just treat it as an extension of the baseball field. So cool. Do we have a motion? Well, wait. What are we motioning on? I'm I'm asking if anyone wants to make a motion because I I can make a motion but no one wants my motion. So I don't won't make my motion.

I'd like to make a motion that we contribute to a bad cage is requested by the coaches um of the amount not to exceed $8,000 from the recre move it from the recreation fund. And I think it should be my motion would be to pay it

If that means they have to raise the additional funds needed so they have the full amount before it gets started then that's when the payout would occur. I'll second. Second not to exceed. So, your motion, a motion from Deb is to um contribute to a batting cage for Durham Youth Baseball not to with our contribution not to exceed $8,000 and distributed to the baseball team at the beginning of installation of

well when they have the other funds they need. I think that they have the funds already. Okay. Um, so they they would just because he had said at the meeting that um, you know, if they wanted us if he if we wanted to wait to send the money until after the construction started,

we we could. Um, and so I don't think that I think that they have those funds, but I'm trying to think of a concise way to word the motion. when funds are needed to build. How about how to be paid upon the uh the start? Yeah. So, D has made a motion to approve 8,000 up to $8,000 towards a batting cage to be paid to Durham baseball at start of installation. out of the recreation

out of the recreation fund. We have a second from Rebecca. Do we have any other discussion? All right. All in favor? Any opposition? Seeing none, we make a motion. So, I Oh, I should I mention something? I I just think um this is a good thing. I think supporting our youth and our families in this way is good. I don't know how many people are going to actually use the baton cage other than the people involved with the um the Durham youth baseball, but I think it's uh I think it's a good thing.

I agree. Um any other uh So, we're going to move into new business, but we need a motion to move into the board of assessors. So, motion for Josh. Do we have a second? I'll second that. All any questions? See none. All in favor? Any opposition? None. Unanimous. Um, looks like we have one,

two, three, four minutes today. Three. Sorry, I knew that. I just see you guys are paying attention. They were. Um, does anyone have questions on any of these abatements? Because if not, I would make a motion to approve them as a slate.

All right. Any questions? Do I have a motion to approve the abatements as a slate? So, do I have a second? Do we have any questions on the motion? Any discussion? All in favor of approving abatements for map 3 lot 35S, map five, lot 561, and

Matt 5 lot 56.5. All favored. Any opposition? Seeing none, those all pass. And what's this municipal evaluation return here? So that's something that Donna needs her signature on. It's the states evaluation of all the property neuron.

Oh. where they uh adjust the it's called um it's got it all laid out. The official copy for is in the consent agenda so you don't have to. Yeah. So yeah, seeing here this is a shows that our uh 2025 certified ratio will be is 53%. We're going to take a tax uh homestead exemption. [Music] And that will go down again until we get our assessment done on 27. Any questions on this?

I have a motion to sign the municipal evaluation return. Motion. Motion from Josh. Do I have a second? I'll second. Second from that. Okay. All in favor? Any opposition? Seeing none. Cool. All righty. Do for the rest of this? Correct.

I have a motion to leave the board of assessors. So Josh, do I have a second? Second. Any questions or discussion? See none. All in favor? Any opposition? Seeing none. Cool. All right. We need to have a public hearing on the state of Maine general assistant maximums. Do I have a motion to open the public hearing? So Josh, do I have a second?

A second. Deb, any questions? All in favor? Any oppositions? The public hearing is open. There's nobody here. Did we don't think we received anything in writing? So, um, seeing that there's no public hearing, do, uh, I have a motion to close the public hearing. So, Josh, do I have a second?

I'll second. Rebecca, do I have any questions or uh discussion? All in favor? Any opposition? Seeing none, and we've got our general assistance updates um uh that we just have to sign off on as part of our here. Yeah, that's that's B. We follow the state policy maximum.

Absolutely. All right. So the next thing is re this meeting in this information in the packet but the uh RSU5 has an early childhood transition task force that they're trying to develop and they're looking for members. So they want membership one parent or community member from each town. One private care provider serving children ages three to four from each town. One select board of town council member from each town. one RSU5 board director member from each town and three RSU staff members with expertise in early childhood education. So, um, does anyone on our board want to join us? Thank you.

You sounded really excited. I thought you all were going to say, Joey, you're going to have the youngest child next year, so you have to don't have the time right now. So, I'd be happy if somebody else did. So, if you want to do it, Rebecca, that'd be awesome.

I figured I'd Yeah. Awesome. Well, I appreciate that. Uh, but does anyone have I'll make a motion to appoint Rebecca as our representative from the Durham Select Board. Does anyone second that? All right. All right. Uh, any discussion?

I was going to make a motion to volunteer, Rebecca. Perfect. I think you're going to do a great job. That's going to be a big group. very I'm surprised how many people they're requesting to attend. Yeah. Um well, I think you're going to do a great job.

Yeah. Good effort. Four more meetings. Yeah. And the nice thing is they have them all laid out already here. I know it's only four months of your time. So, all right. All in favor, Rebecca? Oh, yeah. Any opposition? Like, all right. Seeing none. Um, and just so anyone who's watching at home, this is uh was part of our agenda packet. I'm not going to read the entire artic the the letter out from the um the school board, but if they're just looking for memberships uh to be part of a early childhood task force, it's going to help them think about the pace and approach that makes most sense for RC5 and how they can integrate early childhood services in a way that supports student growth from preschool through high school graduation.

So, I'm happy to have you on there. So, it looks like you have to email them. Yeah. Make myself not. Yep. All right. Um like I I know we said this in the agenda and also had asked folks to just take a look at things. Um I wanted to have a little bit of a discussion on the budget process. Uh you know, we are

obviously on this will be our first year with a new date for a town meeting. And so while this last budget process represented a year and a half of expenses, next year will only represent one year of expenses, but it's just a slightly different timeline because we're going to be meeting uh at a different um having a town meeting at, you know, a full month later. So Jerry has pulled together uh kind of a a schedule of what he thinks the budget process will look like or what he is planning on from the town staff side of things. Um, and Terry, did you want to go over this with us?

Yeah, I can kind of Yep. So, everything you see in green on this thing starting right from January uh 5th is uh capital stuff. So, green is capital. So, we're going to start on January 5th this year getting that together. Um and then um

we're going to work on the the budget staff, myself, the department heads right through um to February and then um beginning of March, the department heads will submit their budgets to me. Well, I'll put it all together and then the first

um presentation of the budget will be on March 10th and then you have two scheduled um select board meetings to go over that if you need them. Um then on the last meeting, the April 14th meeting, hopefully we kind of finalize the budget, then hand it off to the budget committee to do their work. And then we're right then and we have other meetings. The purple stuff that you see down below, that's all the stuff that goes into the annual town report. We will start working

the awardwinning, right? The awardw winning, right? Um and then by hopefully by May 7th, the budget committee makes their recommendations to the select board and we just follow this right right on down through and we should be okay to meet these milestones if we follow the schedule. I think it gives plenty of time and of course we can adjust as we go. Um

yeah what I see here Jerry is it looks like the budget committee will have their first look at it on April 16th with the expectation of them being done with it on May 7th. So gives them about 3 weeks. Right. Okay. And then we have a meeting sandwiched in between those.

Yeah. So if we needed to make adjustments or or wanted to make adjustments based off of budget committee feedback, we from the first meet uh their first meeting, we could. Yeah. So you'll on that date hopefully you'll approve the final warrant

so we can get it prepared for the town meeting. Gives gives us we have some leeway in here. But if we can stick to this as much as we can, it will give staff, you know, time to being drafted on? What date? Uh 57 2026. Oh, those

are deal. I see. So, we approve it because we had a little bit of stickiness going on last time with when the warrant language was ready and the budget committee felt that, you know, Well, actually, that's that's a good point to bring up, Deb, because one of the things the budget committee has kind of their like their uh self-given charge of

commenting on the warrant articles, the the the the recommendations, the warrant language, And so last year they even though they had the full budget, they didn't want to vote to approve it until after they had a copy of the warrant language. And so this is part of the reason why I want to start having this discussion now because it was kind of a sticking point there. And then the meeting that they had following that lasted 2 minutes and was just like, "Oh yeah, we approve. We we we we check everything off." And so

that's some of the stuff we need to address with the process this year um to avoid those sorts of things. And those are more or less the budget articles. primarily the same things. It's going to be different not this block.

Yeah. To this one. Yeah. And that's where last year the complaint from the budget committee was that they were voting on the budget, not the language of the budget articles. Um, and so then we just said, you know, we wrote it out and then sent it to them the following meeting and then they voted on that. So if they're going to want to vote um if they're going to make recommendation when this draft of the land use ordinance which is due 5726 is that also when the budget articles will be due or

it's all in the same warrant. Okay. Yeah. That goes to town meeting. So you got budget articles, you got plan use ordinances and you got business articles. Yeah. Going backwards from that, if the budget committee is going to make recommendations, I would say that 5726 meeting would be more so the budget committee reviewing our budget warrant articles and our 428 2026 regular board meeting would be us setting those budget articles.

on 416, whatever scheduled meetings they have for 416 to 428, the select board can be present there to ask their techn they can ask their technical questions, but we will write our um articles on 428 and then that's what they will have the vote on before 57. You follow what I'm saying?

I do. Yep. Again, it's going to be primarily the same war on language 100% just different numbers 100%. you know. Um, but here's so one thing and again maybe this is going to be a little I want to have a little bit broader discussion about the budget process here but one thing that the feedback was last year was that we create we created a budget and we send it to the budget committee and there's members of the budget committee that felt that we should take their input on the budget into consideration after we after we send them a budget and we should possibly make changes to our budget based off of the feedback that they gave us. Um whereas in the past the select board has created a budget and said here's our budget. The budget committee has added their recommendations on it and then they've moved forward. And so if there's a back if there's the anticipation to be a back and forth where we say here's where we

want to budget and the budget committee says we'd like to see something different and then we say sure we'll adopt your changes as part of our budget. That's where things get kind of dragged out a little bit more. You follow what I'm saying? And so if we are saying that we're sending them our budget on the 16th and that is our final budget, they can ask all of our questions and then on the 28th we can um

decide whether we have any input from them that we want to change, but we lock in our our art our warrant articles. When I look at this, that gives them the opportunity to meet um on, you know, we send that to them on 4:16, which is Thursday. That gives them the opportunity to meet the following week sometime between the 19th and the 25th.

And then the second week after we sent them to them, that's what we're locking in our budget. I think that they're gonna probably be frustrated that there's only one week of review before we write the warrant article, the budget warrant. What's the harm in us doing that, listening to them, and coming back on the 12th and saying, "Hey, I like what they said to the meeting."

Yeah. Yeah. It's not that's that's what I thought that night too is so we're approving the final warrant on the 12th and that's with the recommendation. So that night that night if we decide to change something I think we can.

Yeah, but they're going to the the I thought that we needed on May 7th to have the budget warrant locked in as the land use. Yeah, that's just the land use. You have nothing to do on May 7th. Okay. So, so, so everything that So, all the Sorry, I misread this in blue.

So, on the 12th, we will approve the the warrant language. Yeah. Approve final warrant. But what we ran into last year is that the budget committee did not want to vote make their recommendations until after they saw our final warrant language, not just our budget. And so it on this timeline they would need need then need to meet on the 13th to approve to give their recommendation on our warrant language so it can be sent to the printer on the 14th.

I think our budget's only going to really change on the 12th if it has to do with changes recommended by them. So I'm not very sympathetic. I agree with you. But I this is what we this is what we got into last year of here's our recommendations and they said there's some yelling some consternation and then it was said we can't vote on any of your recommendations until we see warrant language because in their kind of self-written charge they vote on warrant language not on budget language.

You just said the warrant language doesn't change. It doesn't change. So, I I understand that it doesn't change, but I'm just saying that the process for them has been they're not willing to vote on it unless they see the warrant language, even though we can give them the number. That's what we So, last year we gave them the budget. We voted on it and said, "Here's our budget. We're going to draft the warrant language to represent this budget." And they said, "Until you send us a copy of the warrant language, we won't vote on our recommendation."

And I think they got together like the next day. It was the next day, and it was a two twominute meeting. And so I'm just seeing if we can avoid that frustration, we can we can give them for the seventh our recommended numbers and then come back on the 12th and if it changes it changes.

Yeah, it it will either align with them which is what they'd be looking for or it wouldn't. So um you know I think they can make their recommendations based on that and I again I'm not overly sympathetic. Because the the warrant article is going to say the number based on the budget.

Agreed. Right. Yeah. They can they can if they're convincing enough, we'll change our minds. Well, and the other other thing I'm just bringing up here is last year some of the frustration vocalized to us was that the budget committee was concerned that we were going to write warrant language without their input on what it should be. And I think that that's where we're starting to get into this this sticky wicked of what is the objective of that committee. Is the objective of that committee for us and that committee to sit together and come up with an agreed upon budget or is the objective of that committee to make a budget recommendation of their own?

Can I read their bylaws? Yeah, just to remind ourselves. So this they have six points. Make recommendations regarding each warrant article having a financial impact. Review and make recommendations on annual capital expenditures proposed by the municipal officers. Review the long range capital improvement plan for the town and its annual fiscal impact. Remind this was done a long time ago, 2015 they were signed. Um, review and make recommendations on supplemental appropriations and expenditures and other budgetary action whenever whatever whenever proposed by the municipal officers. Annually review the report of the auditor and make recommendations for meeting the needs identified by the auditor. Make such other recommendations on fiscal ma matters as it may from time to time be advisable. That's what's in their bylaws that was signed by the group at the time of 2015. And the challenge with those bylaws is that

that's not tied to any state or town policy. And so they don't even do half of that stuff. They don't review the they have since I've been a member, none of them have reviewed the they've never had meetings to review the audit report. Um they're not making the those sorts of comments on capital improvement.

Well, I think that goes back to one of the goals that we have is to really ID what the strategy moving forward. Absolutely. So, so I think that that's a good segue to say I think we have a policy here that the select board is interested in. Um, but if maybe we need to have a discussion with the budget committee about what their process is going to look like um this year this for the next budget as well and even like what that role is going to look like because right now none of that is defined in state statute. The only thing that's listed is if there is a budget committee, you have to include their recommendation. All other budget committee language is pertaining to county government, not municipal government. Um, and so right now they're kind of operating with a set of bylaws that haven't been approved by our legislative body, which is the people of the town. And so, and they modified it last year, but they didn't

put it on their website. So, they made some some modifications at their first meeting. So, I think we need to have some sort of workshop um figuring out what this process is going to look like cuz even here we're just vocalizing like a a a word of mouth process where we give information to the budget committee. We don't have to do any of that. We can write a budget and accept our warrant our budget warrant and then send it to them and we don't have to attend any meetings with them. We don't have to have any public engagement with them. We just say, "Hey, here's our budget. make your recommendations and then there's no need for us to engage with you um because there's nothing that dictates what that process is, you know. So, it's just really challenging because when you have, you know, four board members, usually five, we might all five have a different view of what the process should look like. When they have

nine board members, all nine of them might have a different view of what the process looks like. And I think we just need to get something figured out so we can maybe get a process locked in as a warrant article at the next town meeting, you know, because for for what we need from town staff and for our board, I feel like this looks really good.

Y it works. I think we should make some slight adjustments based on the discussion and then maybe we could send this out to the f we could actually send this out to the finance committee. Yeah. And it's all on the website, too.

True. Yeah. Mhm. But just then they can meet and go over it and uh have any comments. Yeah. So what let's to your point, what do you what would you like to see is make for some adjustments in here. Well, um I I was taking some very cryptic notes.

Oh, that's all right. I just want make it very clear, you know, when the budget committee if they'll see the warrant articles or not in advance. Um, when will we be finalized with those? And if that's on 57, we just have the land use ordinances there, but we don't have the budget.

Yeah, maybe we just need to move our um so that 57 I think you said setting bud budget articles on 428. That's kind of what my notes. Yeah, that's what I'm saying is move that 512 approves final warrant budget articles to 428 is kind of what I'm thinking. Um

and and so that means that we're giving one week to review it. there that was So before we were going to do a 512 is where we were going to set the warrant bud budget um articles for town meeting. Whereas if we were to do that on 428, they aren't getting the budget until 4:16. So that gives them and they

usually spend two or three meetings working on the budget, not just one. And sometimes they do multiple meetings a week, other times they spread them out. And we also remember we had the issue with the data changing and there was a little bit of complaining about that. So I just if we could avoid

any possible way we could avoid some of the things we went through last year, but but at the same time maybe that's just not doing them. I don't know. At the same time, we are starting this process and dictating it really far in advance. If we tell them now, we're going to approve our budget on 44

and send you the recommendations and then we're going to set warrant articles at our 428 meeting and we give them 6 months advance to say you know if you that gives you all a week to meet if you need to meet three nights in a row to do this like

that's on I mean and also all of our budget meetings where we we ask questions are open to the public and a lot of times they'll many of their members will attend so they're not going in completely blind you know the give us your recommendations on our draft more articles and you vote you have a meeting either after our meeting on 512 or on 513 to approve to your final vote. Is there any problem with that?

No. To to me, making them do it in a week on school vacation, um it's it's not I mean, so what you're proposing, Josh, is we would then say on on 57 513 they have a meeting to approve to make their warrant article where they can do it at, you know, 7:30 on 512. We'll be done. you know, we'll be done with our stuff by then, hopefully.

Or just sit, come to our meeting and sit there and hear it with the final warrant and then walk across the street or in the parking lot or and and have a quick meeting. Josh, I agree with that. I I'd rather have them do it 5:13 because I don't think doing it

Yeah. Yeah. I agree. I think you're I think what you just proposed there, Judge Works, is if we keep this as it is, what we're just telling them is we're going to provide our warrant language on 512. We're going to make our time to attend your meetings to ask answer any questions. Um, our budget's going to be set. You're going to have a pretty solid idea of what our warrant language is going to be. If, like you said, Josh, if it changes, it would be changing most likely to meet any additional recommendations you all make. And so, we're we're going to lock it in 512. you need to lock in before 514 your recommendations. And so if we just give them that expectation, you know, at at January 1, we say, "Hey, 514 is when it's all going to happen and 512 is when we're going to make our recommendations. We're telling them like, you're going to have to have a meeting 5:13 to make it where we're going to ask them to have

have the to have a meeting after the 4 our 428 meeting where we're going to come up where have our draft language, right? So, they're going to have time to review the draft. So, really all it is, all they're going to be looking at, they'll have all the language. If they have questions about the language or want to make changes to the language, which there shouldn't be because it's going to be the same language.

Yeah. Um uh then uh they they'll have that. They're just voting on either after a meeting on the 12th or on the 13th. Yeah. Uh so, usually the final number. So, functionally, it will work the same way it worked last year. just rather than them deciding last minute that they want to have that extra meeting, they're knowing

five months in advance, they're going to have to have a meeting sometime between 512 and 514. Right. And all I was saying on the 428 meeting that on the paper we're looking at, it doesn't say today seven budget articles.

No, it says that on 512. It should say draft review of of warrant articles on 428. On 428. Yeah, absolutely. That's when we should be talking about all the articles, business articles, cuz the budget articles language again will not change. It's just going to be we're going to be talking new and I want to look at what the budget article wants to look at last year's.

Yeah, the number is going to be the same number. If they just need us to add the word to approve this, we should this is good. And this and this gives us time to do that. There'll be some other article I'm sure I don't know. So could you make that one change, Jerry? So the 428 will say draft review of of budget articles and warn articles

4:14. Then that gives them a full month to do what they need to do. Does it make sense for us? I don't want to add extra work, but have a workshop with them between 4:28 and 512 and say let's just and that and that way well I figured we would make ourselves available to attend like we did in the past attend their meetings to answer their questions about the budget

if they ask us. if they ask us to. I mean, I'd rather have a discussion than answer just questions, right? You know, a workshop with all of you that would be ideal. So maybe rather actually that's a good point. Rather than saying if you choose to invite us and choose to allow us to answer your questions, we'll just say we're inviting you to a workshop where we will answer collectively the questions about the budget. That's our workshop with you. Now you all go and do your own thing. I I think

because what you're describing is one meeting instead of us attending attending three meetings. We can still attend the meetings but I think well only if they invite us they made that very clear last year. Only if they invite us and we can only answer the questions they want us to answer.

Right. I I think having a discussion because frankly I was a little disappointed in some of the understanding. I feel like some of the things are still they're they're still pushing things out there now which I I think are not accurate how we reflected them. So, I think a discussion is is better and that will make sure we're all on the same page and uh so yeah, I'm just throwing that up.

So, let's take a look here. Um, if we're having our we're having our budget finalized on the 14th and giving them the documents on the 16th, we're saying sometime after the 16th, but before the 28th, we would do a we would invite the budget committee to a workshop where we go over it with them and that's their opportunity for us to workshop it with them. I I would say after the 28th before the 12th.

before whateverth whatever the before before May by May 6 so that we can have if anything changes we can we can put ideas into the agenda. So between so at some date between April 29th to May 5th is a Tuesday. May 5th Tuesday actually let's Yeah, I agree.

So let's add that in. Jerry 5-5-2026 to give them the opportunity to ask us whatever questions they have about the budget. to get the recommendations back to us. Yep. Yeah. Well, because they can be having their own from from 4:16 before 55, they're

having their own meetings. They're doing their own thing. They're preparing their questions and all that sort of stuff, which they can bear out in our workshops, which works and then they bear that out. So rather than one of us going and attending three of their meetings, which have the past couple years, frankly, been inappropriate with people yelling and, you know, insults being leveled and stuff like that. And those are only meetings that we can only go to if we're asked to. Um, and we can only answer questions if we're asked questions. This would be saying instead of going through that process, which clearly is creating consternation, we're going to say we're going to give you the budget. We're going to let you all workshop it. You prepare your questions over the course of however many meetings you have and then on 552026 we will invite you to our meeting. We will open the floor for you

to ask us questions about the budget. We'll give you our answers and then we will receive your your recommendations on 57 2026. Just to be clear though, I think we can go to the meetings. I think we can't answer questions unless they ask

that because the meetings are open to the public, right? But that's where this now gives us the ability to facilitate a discussion between them rather than just relying on whatever the current whims might be to invite us or not invite us or things like that.

well. 5526 workshop. Yep. Okay. meetings during that date that we would know of the first Tuesday or the month? There's no there's nothing standing. Okay. I just step in the right direction. Um, maybe we should invite someone from the budget committee in to share this with them or at least type get this finalized and and then send it to the committee chairs.

Would you like that? Yeah, if you want to just finalize this and bring it to us for next meeting and if it looks all good, we can I can send it with the board's approval. I can send it to the budget committee chair and vice chair and say this is our proposed schedule.

I can pretty this up for you and just send it to you and then you can send it to rather than take off. Yeah. Are you all okay with that? Yeah. And I I can CC the board and Jerry on that as well. Yeah. So, let me just make sure I'm straight.

And this also encourages the budget committee to start thinking about the budget process before right then, you know. So, on 42826, we're going to do a drive reviews of war articles and tidy that up and 5526 a workshop with a bunch of

Yeah. Okay. Um, so this brings up the other question though of like we're trying to develop a process here. Do we want to go through some sort of process of bringing a warrant article to the town to lock into our town's legislative uh document a budget committee process with the select board because I don't know how we navigate this. This the budget committee was created in 1933 and we've just been running with it since then. They were never given um there's not a town approved document telling them what to do. It's kind of just been a self-giving charge for the last 90s something years. Um and I just,

you know, we as a select board have rules that we have to follow that are laid out by the state. And so when people vote for us, they know what authority they're giving us. when we look at our land use ordinance, we know what authority goes to the the planning board, what authority goes to the budget, the appeals board, etc., there's not really that document that's been approved by the legislative body for the budget committee. And so, I think we need to make a process, work on a process towards establishing something like that. And so,

I agree. Do we think that that's something that should be workshopped um before the next town meeting so we can establish some more language ahead of the next town meeting for the town to vote on and decide upon? it's one of our goals, you know, and so and so my goal was for us to address the budget committee process, but changing this just how we're proposing it to them, I don't feel fully meets that goal.

Oh, yeah. I'd like to I'd like to lock something in um and allow the town to have a debate on that. Now, the challenge is is that public hearing process and that all stuff is going to be happening at the same time that the budget process is actually happening because of the timeline for when you post public hearings and stuff like that. But um a lot of this stuff early on really the select board isn't going to be diving in to the budget until March 10th. Everything else is kind of happening with the department heads. So maybe between January and uh 1st and March 10th is when we can have that h create a workshop to and then and then come up with some sort of recommendation for how we want to move forward with the uh uh establishing some sort of legally recognized authority for the budget committee.

You have two on your schedules you have two open meetings on the 10th and the 24th. You want to put that right on the 10th. February 10th. Are we not meeting January 7, 27th? That's not on today. It's not a meeting. It's

a meeting. The 13th and the 27th are meetings. So that's just missing. That's missing. Sorry. I'd like to still put on the 10th because the 27th might be a hard one for me. Due date, four days after the due date. might be a little tough for me on that day, but maybe two weeks later would be a little bit better. I mean, we could also do this on the 13th.

Is there anything that's before? But there's no good for me. Isn't there anything preventing us from doing it in a a more near-term upcoming select board meeting? Each meeting we're talking about goals. I actually thought today we were going to talk about that a little bit more, but you know,

do we want to do December 9th? It's fine. Yeah, cuz October 28th. No, that's so much stuff. What? I'm saying just like physically it is an option. Realistically, it's not. And then we have two November meetings. Um we already have on the schedule maybe moving the November uh 11th meeting due to the holiday. Um November 25th possibly. So I'm going to be I'm going to be

Yeah. Um well December 9th could be a December 9th. Yeah. Let's let's put a pin there for December 9th. for budget committee. budget committee that we're going to be having these sorts of discussions too. For sure because this isn't the intent isn't to um subvert anyone's power, but rather to get us all on the same page. So, what would you like to call that? Um

budget process with budget committee budget budget committee process workshop I don't know future future of the budget committee budget committee roles and responsibilities that sounds like we're dictating something so you can't

um well you just want to have a discussion about budget process future budget process or something future budget process budget processes. Yeah, have right here, which I'm happy with what we have right here. And that's December 9th.

So, we'll put that just on our item 11 on our agenda. I started a twoe trial the day after. So, by this one, I can give my two sons to Jerry and Shane. all the things you're going to miss. I think your favorite thing is actually like that doesn't work well for me. So that looks good.

I shouldn't be in town. Let's put it there. Okay, cool. Let's put that there. All right. Um and so just to have a little bit of discussion there. I don't want to beat this to death, but in in in advance of that, we'll do need to do a little bit more prep. But my goal for that meeting is to find a path to develop some sort of warrant language to bring the budget

committee's roles and responsibilities and in charge into our town's guiding document and approved by the the voters of town. And maybe it would be helpful if we flagged that as a meeting. Maybe Kristen could even either pres have a presentation given to us about why there isn't any legal authority here currently and that it's just kind of a a word of mouth process that we're using right now because ultimately we just don't have like we don't have any sort of legal precedence here.

that date sort of framework of what it would look like. I could be borrow Steel and other town municipalities have more maybe work with Christian or MMA to pull something together as a couple different options. Yeah. I think it's important to have it in the documents we all know.

Yeah. Uh and if there's a question um we know where to go for the appeals boarding board for us. Yeah. Cuz the challenge right now is for us our guiding docu our guiding documents in state statute. For everything else in our town it falls under the land use ordinance and so that process is scheduled under land use ordinance. A budget committee doesn't have a state statute. It doesn't fit nicely in land use ordinance. We don't have a town charter. advisory.

So, how how do we make sure that it has some legal teeth to it? You know, would be an ordinance would give legal teeth. Yeah. So, I can give you I can come up with some examples or, you know, some sort of boil like that that you could all,

you know. Yeah. because I know like other some municipalities have an elected budget committee. Other municipalities have an appointed budget committee that and it lays out what the goal of that committee is. Um right now this committee doesn't do anything in way of like assisting with the budget process. They just add their opinion to the existing budget. So it's not like they're helping craft a budget or making capital improvement recommendations or anything like that. Sometimes they do do that. We just got to figure something out. But I think they're more than just an advisory financial group because they are sitting at the town meeting with us.

Yeah. Putting up different numbers. But but at the same time like the only charge they have like even having them sit at the town even having them sitting at the town meeting up there like not many other municipalities do that like cuz their recommendation is right there on the

the um and then to have people sit up there but then also like come speak as individuals as opposed to speaking as a board. It's just it's a messy process right now. Yeah, I do I think also that it needs to be looked at. If you look in the MMA elected officials manual, it'll tell you that budget committees are advisory,

right? They're an advisory board, right? So, yeah. Okay, let's put that on the ninth. 13th. out officially. Yeah. Yeah, I'm looking at my schedule here, but yeah. Um, Yeah, let's uh go with this what we have here. Um, do we need a vote or we just need the jury justice and Yeah,

cool. Good work. Uh, just a discussion here. November uh for 11th is a a state holiday, correct? Yes. And we have a board meeting planned. Do we want to cancel that meeting? Um yeah, staff has that off. Yeah. And rather than reschedule it, just give ourselves a little bit of breathing room that week to take a deep breath as we begin our

meeting on the 25th, which is the day after Thanksgiving, right? Uh the week of Thanksgiving. The week of Thanksgiving. Yeah, it's the Tuesday before Thanksgiving. I will be absent that week. Um I I'm out of out of state. Uh

would we rather just instead of meet the week of the 20 the week of Thanksgiving just have one meeting in November maybe on the 18th. So we cancel the 11th meeting and we move the Thanksgiving week to the eth meeting to the the third week. So we have one meeting the third week of November.

Okay. I make a motion we cancel our November 11th meeting and move our November 25th meeting to November 18th. Do I have a second? I'll second. Second. All right. Discussion. Um if we're canceling the 11th meeting, we're not going to put it on the 4th because that's an election day.

Yeah. Um, and then I think that so people don't have to be pulled in the week of Thanksgiving and I'm going to be gone anyways. It's not that meetings need to only take place if I'm here, but if I'm gone, um, it brings Well, we'll have a fourth a fifth board member by then. Oh, no, no, we won't.

Oh, we will. Yeah, that'll be that'll be their first meeting. I say we move to the 18th, have one meeting in November, and then we will just handle it that way. Does that create any issues for payments of bills or anything like that?

No, I don't think so. I mean, and if it does, if you guys don't mind, you could always pop in. We need at least three of you. Yeah. If possible. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. All right. So, the motion I made, Rebecca second. So, the motion on the table is to cancel November 11th and move November 25th to November 18th. Do we have any other questions or discussions on the motion? All in favor? Any opposition? Seeing none, that is approved.

Also, let's put that on the calendar here. make a notice about that in the newsletter just Yeah. because that's literally less than 30 days from today, which is whack. But yeah. You say whack. Yeah. To ask the same question.

Like like crazy. I know what whack means. Joe, is that is that is that is that an old saying and the two new you. Is that a saying from from your cohort? Like is that good or is that bad? I feel I heard it for a while. Very wrong right now. Let's move on.

All right. manager says moving on. Anyways, all right. Manager report. Well, man, you know, I don't have a lot. I will say that uh the absentee ballot trying to break. Sorry, I broke this half of the table. So, which has been quite a turnoff so far for been pretty busy. Um so,

tomorrow is the last day that you can pay your taxes without having interest acrew. So that's good. We've done pretty well. We'll run a report maybe the next select board meeting to give you a percentage on how much taxes have been paid.

Just real quick, are we going to have to dip into the No, we're good. We're in good shape. Yay. Yeah. So, we're not going I just for people watching, I know there was there was concerns about the um the tiff, but we're not going to have to utilize it. Enough taxes have come in.

Yep. We got we got enough to to carry us. I still think that was really good foresight on you to set that up in case, you know, to it's it's better to be in a position that we can easily access it. Uh versus the opposite where we're in a tough spot and we can't access.

We were uh we were down to about $400,000 in the bank with a $800,000 payment to the county. Obviously, we can't, you know, couldn't pay that. So making that phone call to the county and asking if they could just wait a little bit and then being no problem at all.

Awesome. So that worked out really well. So now we're good. We don't we won't have to use any of the but definitely better to have it than we not have it. So you don't want to be not set up in case you need it because you don't check. Um

they I think we think we have all the uh bats removed. Oh, great. Yeah. Um it was interesting cuz um the the day they did it um the next morning there were bats climbing down the public works building looking for another hole to

to get in. Um, so next next thing is they'll go out there and do the best job they can vacuuming all that up and then they'll disinfect it and hopefully uh and then they'll remove the little trap doors and when they remove the trap doors they'll they'll fix something there permanently so they can't get back in. So So there's that.

Do we need to move those doors down to the public works building or your building? Yeah. or even this one has a pretty good little size. But uh interesting how that all how they what they did. So essentially maybe a oneway exit for the bats. So when they come out at night, they weren't happy not being able to get back in. But um other than that, there's really not much to really report on. Things are things are going good. It's been busy um with with taxes. the the staff has been incredibly busy. They do a great job. I you know, being closed on that day to go to the conference, you know, they felt the pain of that. Um,

well, did the staff enjoy the conference, though? I think they did. Yeah. It's always good to go to those. Yeah. I I loved it. I was able to talk to the the head person at DOT who was there who I think is going to paint that little island. Mhm.

So, I was able to talk to the guy that can actually get that done. So, I think that's going to happen. Probably not until next year. It's a little late. Um, yeah. Oh, yeah. That's right. Thanks. Um, we did hire a public works employee. Um, he was an employee here before. What's What's his name? I don't even This happened today.

Dale. He's here. He came from another municipality. So, we we we took somebody from another So yeah. So it's good to have him. So CDL today driver today was his first day. So um I Calvin tried to bring him in twice to meet me, but I was too tied up. I didn't actually get a chance to to shake his hand. But I'm sure I will tomorrow. Well, actually tomorrow because I've got training all day.

At least one spot. So we have one spot open um still and we're still advertising and hopefully we can we can fill that as open house. Yeah, the open house. Yeah, I heard the open house went really well. It was Did any of you show up at all?

No, I was predisposed. Over well over people here. And one thing that I know um often times people come because they're bringing their kids to see firet truck, but there's a lot of people who didn't have children who just came to see the fire department, which is cool.

So, that's a really good exposure to the to the town. So, other than that, I don't Jerry, is there any update to that potential fee that you might have to pay? The only update I can tell you is that when we sent the letter back asking for the abatement, we sent it certified and we got the green card back. So, they got it.

Okay, that's good. They're probably closed right now, though. Oh, right. There's probably no one to look at. So, let's keep our fingers crossed on that. I I think there's reasonable cause to give us the abatement, but it's really up to them. So,

but they do have it. I I wouldn't send something like that out without it being certified because I it would drive me crazy not know they're not the most responsive agency in the world. So, um but let's hope keep our fingers crossed that we're in good shape and they don't ding us for that. Be fortunate if they do. We'll deal with it if they do.

So, yeah. That's all. That's all I got. Um for cherry report, I don't have anything other than I was just happy to see the turn up for the uh the open open house for the fire department um over the weekend and know a lot of staff put a lot of effort in. And the other thing too I want to say that was excited to see is uh uh once a year the York County

Chief's Association puts on a big training workshop and there's several Durham volunteer firefighters who went and got some really good training. So, we get some uh people who get trained to be drivers of equipment uh of apparatuses now. Some people get trained on like low angle rescuing um all kinds of stuff. So, it's just cool to see, you know, that people in our community are volunteering and they're not getting paid on those hits. They're going on their own to get that sort of training and u bring it back to make our community stronger, which I think is really awesome.

Josh, you got anything? Uh just you know I I found out Friday I had to go to a funeral on Saturday and I wanted to send the chief a message because I still had that the the meeting we had after bulky waste day where none of us went and there was some disappointment I'll call it.

Uh so I'm glad that you know you made it. I didn't make it. No I was it's the first time I haven't gone in five years I think. My kid loves it and she was disappointed. We're excited to go. Um, but I also just want to say Jerry, we talked about your contract first thing. Uh, you know, I know there are people who don't like the position you're in, I guess I'll call it. I don't know if it's you or just a position. Um, but, um, I I think it's important to say, and we've said it before, all the things you brought to the town. Um, I think stabilization, leadership, uh, you know, you've been, uh, find saving us money, finding us money, doing all that stuff. Uh, and so I'm excited that you're you're sticking around. Uh, hopefully that means until retirement,

right? Um I just you know it's you know it's like the position or not the citizens voted on it and we have it and you know I think uh I think you've done a great job. So I just want to say thank you and and Jessica told us how busy she was and so you know thank all of them and um you know you guys are are busting your butts and it shows and everybody sees it. So

thank you. appreciate her. All right. Thanks, Josh. Uh, Deb. Okay. I do a couple things. I also want to tag on to that, Jerry. I really um just want to say publicly how much I appreciate your work and I think you're instrumental in making this town run and, you know, close the loop on some process gaps and procedural compliance issues that we've had that we didn't even really know until you got deep into the mix. So, um the five I trust notes

on this. I just want to read the 5-year term provides stability and continue um continuity for our town's operation and long-term planning efforts. We got a lot of things coming up and the fact to have a continued stable leader here is a big ticket item. I I think it it's really going to um make sure we have the consistent leadership to come through these all these issues that we have coming in the next handful of years. So, I think the five-year contract um was appropriate and in the best interest of of the town. Um, I'm so I'm happy you agreed to that and I think the benefit package that we agreed to demonstrates our um confidence in your

management application, your style and that we'll have steady forward looking with your leadership in the town. So really thank you for for your work. Um, I did have a resident reach out to me complaining again about a speed issue. Um, speeding on the road on um, Pinkerbrook Road from the new bridge. I say it's new, it's actually not new. It's probably six years old from the Shiloh Road, you know, and she said she had, you know, reached out to the Anger Straw Sheriff's Department about a year ago on it and there was some conversation back and forth, but nothing changed. I think we need to go to put something on a near-term agenda about is there some possibility that we can get some of these digital standalone speed signs. Maybe in this particular case we should look at it's a 35 mph

area and the sign is way down by the bridge and people are busting tails, you know, through there. Maybe there needs to be another sign, but I don't. So that led me to look at some older emails about other complaints we've had about speeding. And I know we only have we don't really have a lot of control, but we really as a board haven't taken any real action and maybe

there's some things we could do. Look at where we currently have speed limit signs on these areas that people complain that have concerns about. I don't know how much these solar speed panels, but they've got a handful of them on Main Street in Lisbon Falls traveling out that way. That could maybe help. Um, but I feel like we should we should look at that and talk about it and maybe potentially do something or someone is going to get hurt. I remember years ago there was a kid that was um got hit on her bike on Shiloh Road and I I probably within a couple hours somebody had a one of those speed signs out there for a handful of weeks or whatever to slow traffic down. But this woman was nervous. I mean there's there's mailboxes along that road and there are aging people there and that's not unusual right for other areas that have a problem. has passed on the bill.

Can I just tell you I uh was in court with one of the deputy sheriffs uh last week? I think I made a comment to him about um not seeing him recently in Durham. Uh and the response was, "You had your opportunity and you got you voted it down." Uh they're trying. They understand. I mean, I see them regularly and every time I see one of them, especially a supervisor, I say, "Hey, you know, just come park at my house. I'll bring you coffee and food if you want." Um, and they're trying, but they're

getting called out in other places. Uh, and also we come I we talked about the sign uh and the signs, you know, he thinks are a waste of money. He said, "If you're going to spend money, spend it on hiring a detail and we'll come down." I I I'm this I mean the signs help me when I'm driving and they're like you know you're

over town has one right two and we we move around the common moves them around um so I guess we could just I mean part of the challenge is like if someone calls and complains about speed and we say all right well let's move the sign over there someone complains about speed somewhere else we can move the signs around so I don't know if Calvin has a rotation about moving the signs around or something like that He does he does move it to the squeaky wheel,

you know, the folks that complain. I It's a safety issue because it was over by the game right now most recently. Yeah. So, wait, just to clarify because I mean I was just past I was coming up from listens up 125 and somebody passed me going up the hill which blew my mind. But so there are people who are psychotic and there is no um speed there to your point. So is that a DOT situation? Is that something that

and those are the what we can do is just like gather the complaints that we had in the last year because we have a handful of them or we maybe we know which roads they are ourselves. All of them. Well, some are worse than others. But maybe look, let's look at where today the speed limit signs are. Should we add more speed limit? Should we, you know, move these uh things that we already have, these digital boards,

speed feedback, speed feedback boards um to where the complaints are coming in. I like the one said, "Thank you for going to speed because I got that." Oh, that's nice. I I seen that before. That's like you're going too fast.

Is that part That's my report. Can we take some action and put that on an agenda? So, yeah. Um, why don't we put it up on I mean, I just don't know what what more we can do because we had the conversation last year. Well, I just said, you know, looked how many actual speed limit signs are on the road and should we request to have more?

Yes, that's one thing. Another thing is these other signs. So for that point because there is no speed limit sign is that a DOT request that just for so I know is that DOT request that Calvin makes directly to them or that we ask directly

how does that work? Well if you want to speed limit sign up that's not currently there that should be there that's the beginning of the zone. Is it missing? Was there one there? It's the same zone I think from the beginning. I mean it's it's a five mile stretch or not five miles I think it's like two mile stretch

there's one just past the bridge on when you go left on the 125 is just past the bridge and then it's not again till you get to the 45 three mile stretch I'm like exact I I don't know so typically speed limit signs are set at the end of each

Mhm. each zone and then if there's a street that comes into the middle of that zone, they will put another one in both directions depending on which way the traffic turns. So that's typically where the speed limit sign will end up zing

outside of a sign missing. If we said, "Hi, hey, DOT, we want you to put additional signage." Is DOT gonna say that's outside of our our um sign or are they gonna say sure but meaning we need to be charged or they they probably won't put the additional signs within the zone if there's nobody else coming into that zone, you know, prior to them seeing the speed limit sign. So you get when you go into a zone, you get your speed limit sign and that's that's what it is. and the and the motorist needs to know. That's what the that's their responsibility to know what the sign is.

So, they don't typically just put them randomly in the middle of the zone if there's no road coming into that zone, right? But if we have consistent complaints from the residents that that is a risk point, maybe they would be willing to go outside of the norm on those.

I I don't think the people going 80 miles an hour through there We can digital sign ask them to get that digital sign for sure. What I don't know is if the DOT would go out and put up additional signs because a resident complained

cuz that's statewise. Yeah. That's I mean every person that I talk to tells me that there's too much speeding on their road. I've heard about Swamp Road, about Davis Road, 125, 136, Route 9. I get that feedback, too. You know, I just don't know what the the answer is if we're not doing any enforcement. We have the two signs and we move them around when we get the squeaky wheel. So, I think we should move that electronic sign over to 125.

Um because there is that stretch of houses, you know, that are all kind of packed together where that new house just went in. Um but I don't know like for the people who are going 80 miles is further down towards the bridge. That hill is

the hill is what you're talking about. Yeah, the hill between the bridge and Shiloh. Yeah, but it's probably there too where you said Yeah. I'll I'll slow down. Okay. that's my that's all I have. Thank you. Thanks. I mean it's important to figure out where these hot spots are for people.

I live on 125 and it is a racetrack. I listen I I watch people pass on line hills all the time and I listen for accidents like I'm just like this is someone's gonna get killed. Awesome. Yeah. On the curb. Yeah. Just park a police car somewhere without anyone in

sometimes. I've offered my driveway to you. Yeah. I've offered them. Yeah. Is there an option to not hire a police officer but just buy the vehicle? Actually, I wonder if the people who are here for the uh junkyard hearing if they have an extra cop car.

Yeah. Do you have a police car just moved around? Um I asked everybody, "Do you have anything for sure if I ask if I can have one just park it?" I I just wanted to bring up the agricultural committee community pot. Oh, yes. because I would like to go to that but I am working at that time so I'm not able to remember the date and time

it is I have it up it's October 24th to Friday 6:00 to 7:30 at Eureka so it's a potluck um I'm sharing it with some neighbors I don't know people are going to come but I think this is a great opportunity really great so I know any pot I've been to where some of the people who are there have brought things. Food's been really good.

There's one thing to say about people from Durham. We all do cook. That's my biggest So anyway, that's I just wanted to and I I also am very happy that you're going to stay and for everything that you do. But yeah, mostly the agricultural community. That's it.

Um, all right. See nothing else. We have a motion to approve the consent agenda. So Josh was a motion. So a second. All right. Any questions? All in favor? Any opposition? Seeing none. Uh, upcoming meetings in town. So, um, just flag now for people. November 4th is an election. Get out and get your voice heard. and we do have a vacancy on the select board right now and two candidates who are are running. So, um this is your chance to put the fifth the fifth person up on the board. Uh upcoming meetings October 28 is the open space plan update from the conservation commission which I'm really excited about and then uh select board communication discussion which Rebecca has been doing a bunch of work in the background prep to prepare for that. I'm gonna so just to note about that I'm gonna send the document to everybody ahead of time so we can reference it but it's not

so people can prepare but wait for Yeah. Okay. really appreciate that. All right. Um to you and to Jerry at the time. Perfect. Um is there any need for an executive session? Do we need to talk about the email we got yesterday?

Uh I don't think so. Oh. Oh, that's actually that's a staffing complaint. Yeah. Um All right. Seeing none, do I have a motion to adjurnn? Motion to second by Josh. Any discussion? All right. All in favor? Any opposition? Seeing none

bring something to them. Well, if you're going I mean it cost you Yeah, I have to I have to bring something to the