TranscriptSelect Board Meeting ~ December 23, 2025

[music] Heat. Heat. [music] at the uh fire station on December 23rd, 2025. We have a quorum and we will begin with the pledge of allegiance. America and to the republic for which it stands. One nation under God, indivisible, liberty, liberty and justice for all.

All right. I need a amendments to the agenda? All right. Seeing none, public comment. All right. Seeing none. Uh do I have a motion to approve any uh approve the minutes from the last meeting on December 9th? So moved. Second.

Josh. John. Do I have any questions on the motion? All in favor? Any opposition? Seeing none, we're good. Uh we have no old business. Did any have old business they want to bring up? All right. And no new business for tonight keeping a light agenda.

Yes, thank you. So, next week I will be bringing my computer home, doing some work from home, but also taking a little bit of a reading, too. So, I'll be available by email, by phone. I can come in if you need to meet with me. It's no problem.

Um, so just be aware of that. Um, and the same with staff, too, and I haven't told them. So, I've got my truck's growing on one bed. Some tree people come from cut trees. So, I'll be busy, but I won't. There's that. [clears throat] Um, just just some awareness. Um, so we're on public works. [clears throat] So, we're down.

operator. We're down one full-time plow operator. So, public works is it's rough right now for public works. Typically, it takes them two hours to get around their route, but they have to pick up, help each other out. So, [clears throat] we're in the middle right now on trying to find We have somebody that we can get temporarily. Actually, he worked for public works last year. There was more than that left, but he's laid off in the winter time. So, we may rehire him back temporarily to help them out because they're they're struggling.

because he bears the responsibility of of this. So, some people aren't very nice when the roads aren't very nice, but they do the best they can um under the circumstances that they're in. So, just want you all to be kind of aware of what we got going on there. Um, other [clears throat] than that, so Betsy and Mark are coming in on the 13th of January to talk about what's remaining in the employee handbook, those things. And we're also going to go over the land use amendments. George will be here for that meeting. So, that'll be a pretty good meeting with just those two items,

but you know, add whatever you need to it. I think that's all I got that reminders on there. On the 27th, [clears throat] main DOT, I met with them today. So, they're going to come in on the 27th and talk about safety on 136.

Interestingly enough, the guy that's presenting holds the position that I had on D2. While you're on that topic. Yeah. Uh I was talking to the person in my office that deals with the serious bod injury crashes and we were talking yesterday about the accident over here by with the dump truck coming out of the pit. Uh, is that something that that I'd like to it's something I'd like to have a conversation with you about and and Calvin probably because there's it raised some concerns to me.

Okay. And so she she talked to me about it sort of in this position, not as the work position as well. Sure. [snorts] Absolutely. And also on the 27th, waste zero is going to come in and talk to you guys about the pay as you throw program. So you'll understand how that works and then you can decide if that's what you want to do. I think the solid waste committee is going to recommend that

go that route. So they'll also come in I think on that day and recommend that and then you'll yeah how that program works, how it gets set up, the whole nine minutes. What date is that? 27th. on the 27th. Um to my understanding from the solid waste committee was that they were recommending that in lie of like the bag tag or the trash can tags to because you would then buy a certain amount of those bags and that's what would go into the trash for pickup, right?

I'm sorry. The the pay as you go you would buy special bags just for Durham. So Pro does it, North does it. So yeah, you like to shop and save. Yeah. And you just put your garbage in those bags and you they'll go through the whole program because it is kind of a

it's an interesting program. I have to run down with them. Um they pretty much manage the whole thing from the spot, but we'll get a good SC. I don't want to give too much away because there's terrible from those folks. But

should be a good should be a good learning experience from all of us uh for all of us. Jerry, before you move on to that, can I ask a question? So the tags that we have now, do we expect that they'll be able to be used up through the town meeting or

Well, that's a good question. We got to that's some of the stuff we we'll find out through life zero how quickly they can get the bags and how much they cost. There's a lot to determine before we start making like when we start cutting off tags, but

for the most part the residents are going to continue to do what they do until they hear otherwise because there's still a lot of there's still a dots lot of dots connects in the air. So yeah, once we know more and we have some some uh substantive updates, we'll definitely get them to you. But I'm still learning how the whole thing goes with 02. I mean, I talked to the the gentleman in North Yamouth who is now on the Solidways. He's been through it. So I get a kind of a lot of good information from him. But uh but I think the real

explanation has to be in front of this board and the board's going to have to make a decision on which way you want to go. All the ins and outs of it rather you get bags way or the and the guy running the way zero he'll give you what his opinion is his experience and because he works with a lot of different talents that type

and way zero has no problem working with Cassella. No, on this. Yeah, not at all. No, kind of. They're kind of separate just uh you know, you can integrate some things like AI into it and that's that'll be talked about. Um so, but we'll just wait till they come in because I don't want to speak on that sort of thing.

Um so other than that, I think I just want to just recap the year. I think it's been a a terrific year. I mean, we've come a long ways. Like I said, public works has done great given their circumstances that they've had to overcome. I [snorts] think the fire, you know, they've had quite a year. I mean, they've had some pretty bad accidents to deal with and some not so good calls. The staff at the office is doing great. [snorts] The board, your support, you all are doing really good. the residents. I I I couldn't believe like some of these residents that came in and I don't know who this person was, but she came in, she took six tags off the tree, went shopping, went home, wrapped them up, and brought them back. I mean, that's pretty outstanding.

She has some very, very generous people in the town of Durham. So, it's pretty awesome to see. And the boards and committees are doing great work. So, I I applaud everybody. I think we're doing good as far as the manager is concerned and uh I'm looking forward to 2026. Um

thank you all and thank everybody and um it's an honor to be Northtown manager. yes, thank you Jerry. I didn't mean to ask our customer. No, I I really Any questions for Jerry or his report? I just want to say thank you for staying up on all these things. and a there's a lot of moving parts before we're about to we haven't even got into budget season yet. So, I know it's a lot to keep track of and I appreciate it. Um I don't have a chair report other than um anything you see on those two issues

both on the 13th and on the 27th. Anything that you have for questions that you sent to Jerry ahead of time just makes us more efficient and and ready to go. um you know and so like if you had policy suggestions and stuff like that even talking to those with Jerry just to see if that's something someone can come prepared for. So I think the 27th example would be like if you ask Jerry hey are they going to be able to talk to us about whether some municipalities give some bags away rather than only selling bags like anything we can funnel to Jerry before that will I think will be really helpful. Um, and then if might just be worth going through the uh employee handbook again for folks just to see if there's anything that stands out to them and can give a heads up to to Jerry um so he can work with uh Betsy before that so she so no one feels like they're on the spot or anything like that.

Other than that, I've got nothing. Josh, uh so congratulations to you coming a little early [laughter] but a little earlier than president for you. Yeah. Um, and no, I just second, uh, you know, everything Jerry said, I think things have done really well. It's been a tough year. Um, but we I think we got a lot accomplished, uh, changing the to fiscal year and doing all that. And so,

[snorts] uh, hopefully we can be as productive next year. Thanks, J. Josh Deb, I'm just going to reiterate to Jerry and this town staff, uh, thank you for a great great year and I'm looking forward to working with everybody next year. [snorts] Um, I just want to say to the residents who are decorating their homes so beautiful. Wow. I mean, and putting together the Dura map and stuff, although I haven't taken the route just on my small travels, um, it's very nice

that people go out uh, and do some massive decorating on their homes, don't you think? I mean, beautiful stuff. I mean, I put candles in my windows. That's about it. But anyway, that's all I have, too, Deb. It's a really good point, Deb, because like the thing, too, is like the whole route that was planned and advertised, like that's just a community member doing that on their own, which is

goes to show the strength of the community. Yeah. Rebecca, um, a little bit of business. The early childhood development task force has been absolved because we've completed it. Um we made our recommendations and they are going to the school board for the school board meeting on the 14th of January and that will be coming to you with the revised budget once the school budget thing comes to play. So um it's

good. We'll see what happens. I feel very confident um there are a lot of good people who are leading it. So um it was it was a learning experience. It'll be good and it'll be good for your daughter. Yeah. Thinking long term now

time. Um and also this has been a learning experience for me. So I want to thank you guys all for um guiding me and coaching me this year. So, thank you and thank you to the staff and Jerry and Oh, yes. and the residents. So, yeah,

I'm done. Thanks, Rebecca. John, uh, I'm good. Yeah, thank you. I I should have said during my report, thank you to all of you on the board. I'm just a little tired right now. Um, but I think what's been really interesting to see is like this board has changed a lot in its makeup of individuals over the last year or two. And it seems like this I I've experienced a lot of different changes in teams and stuff like that over in my life either between work or other things. This has gone really smoothly this year. Like I feel like everyone has really come together and integrated really well. I think everyone brings a different strength to the to the table and I think we're seeing that based off of our success over the last uh calendar year. And I'm really excited to next year. I know we have a long to-do list, but I feel like we're checking off some really dusty items that have been on that to-do list for a

long time. And so, and once again, thank you to Jerry and the staff for that, too. So, all right. Do I have a motion to approve the consent agenda? So, Josh, second, John. Any questions or discussion? Right. All in favor? Any opposition? Seeing none, unanimous. Uh, we have our AP warrants and upcoming uh meetings. Town office will be closed Wednesday the 24th and Thursday the 25th for Christmas and holiday. Agricultural Committee meeting is January 7th at uh in 2026 at the Eureka Center 6 PM. Planning boards at January 7th. Fire station at 6:30. Solid waste committee January 12th at the Eureka Center at 6:30. Next select board meeting is January 13th, 2026. The fire station. And we're going to be talking about the employee handbook. Um any executive session needed? All right. Seeing none, do we have a motion to adjourn? So move Josh second John.

All right. Any questions, comments? All in favor? Any opposition? Seeing none. Merry Christmas to you. 14 flat. Sorry, I did I didn't it didn't register with me when I saw this agenda thinking no old business and no news business, but I