TranscriptSelect Board Meeting ~ May 9, 2023

all right um you see welcome everybody to uh it's May 9th [Music] yeah uh Durham select board meeting uh we have a full Quorum here tonight everybody's present and we're all right for Pledge of Allegiance please [Music] um Let's see we have any amendments to the agenda this evening

comment we have anybody here for public comment this evening Wallace we have no microphone for you though um so I'm only going to take about 30 seconds because I've basically introduced myself to Mr Tom already and I think I know everybody else but um so I just have been asked by the historic district commission to attend some of your meetings so that we can share information so that we can collect information so that we're all on the same page with the historic resources sorts of things that go on in town so um and I should have said I'm Lois Kilby Chelsea I live on run around Pond Road um and uh so I'm here and I sent you an

email yesterday which I made a copy of and dropped at your seats before you got here so um if you have any questions anytime along the way you can call me or email me just don't use the Durham maine.gov um email because it doesn't work for me so I have a gmail which I have used in the office so they have that so and certainly anybody else that's on the commission's happy to answer your questions as well so um and I thank you for all the work that you do it's nice to have a full board here tonight but besides that it's nice to have people who are interested in historic resources so thank you okay thank you thank you Lois can I just say one thing about Lewis's email I just wanted to let you know that in that first email that you sent you said that it bounced back to you we did actually get that easy oh you did yes so the reason well the first one just to explain it I got a bounce back message

the reason is because on a cell phone there's a dash between Durham and Maine okay and I put it in the address when I put it out there so good I'm glad you guys so you got it twice I apologize yeah no that's okay I've done that to the coach officer before too where he's gotten like six copies of things so um yes thank you okay thank you Lois appreciate it

think one one of them must work right uh there's only one yeah that's the one yeah uh clamped over the top of the TV if you unravel the wire I won't follow up call the chief back I'll give them to you I might have some in my trunk there you go

been here for two and a half years and my wife is Valerie she's a medical practitioner I'm retired from manufacturing many years and we just live on a little tiny Farm happy to be here and happy to see this uh board up and running and functioning very well it's a pleasure to meet everyone that's all I'm doing here it's just kind of getting to know governance and some of the topics might be of interest I did talk to Tia uh the other day I called her is that someone you know so she's Society

wanted to you know spend a lot of time um but I do want to know about history and that's a good one I know that there's some transitioning going on so I've got two medical hips I can't do a lot of lifting but I might be able to help do some organizing spend some time there great that's better all right Stephen nice to meet you welcome to town [Music] all right no more public comments

like you I was just going to ask Lois if she was going to stick around a little bit I have my name's on the agenda all right um so we'll move on to old old business or previous business um so I know there was a discussion in my absence about the GP Cog delegates

um seems like uh GP Cog is really really wants us to have a couple people show up at their meeting um on May 25th so um I guess I would probably um take a motion for anyone who would like to actually attend or be delegated is one of the one of the delegates um not sure yet have to show up on May 25th but it seems like it's going to be a pretty good Summit you know I wouldn't mind being a delegate with you but I can't make the May 25th I have out of town commitment for work so I mean unless it's competitive and someone else wants it but it seems like they followed up in one competitive within the board yeah yeah I don't want to take anything I don't want to take that spot from anybody I mean I think that was a volunteer news yeah that sounds like volunteer yeah it's a volunt I mean it's pretty much a volunteer thing so I like I said I I am more than willing to do it um and and I don't mind and I am I can

make myself available on May 25th and go down and see what this is all about Joe do you want you would you like to be the name to delegate also yeah that's what I was saying is if I want to so we're gonna send one we might as well have tell them we have two but I won't be able to make that I think they only have the meeting once a year I don't know of any other time the delegate will be required if they're not able to make that meeting I have no problem with it but voting John in or not is not probably going to be doing anything for anybody yeah yeah that's what I mean too I wasn't yeah unless they get a big money windfall we'll go down the beating a little more in fact the only one to call us once a year so the question that I had about this what oh are we discussing yeah well with if we want to discuss that I haven't heard any motions yet so okay all right talk or no talk okay

was like I got an email from um GB Cog welcoming me as a select board member and whatnot and one of the things that I noticed was that it said that grant money uh Federal grant money was distributed through them for Cumberland and York County and so I just wanted to

have a better understanding of why we would be part of GP Bob versus the Androscoggin County one it would we be eligible for grant money through GB Cog because we're not in Cumberland or York County yeah we got Grandma we are we got grant money from them okay so it's not only limit obviously only limited to Cumberland and York I think it's it's members that are allowed to access the grant money sure so yeah we I think we are I'll say competing but we are we are competing with the whole southern part of the state and tied in with those guys instead of the northern part of the state here yeah I think that's just the way it's it's been that way for quite a while if I remember correctly a number of years now that yeah we've we've always been with GP Cog because we do for lack of better words we kind of do business with like Calvin in particular where we buy they do videos and not saying they don't do sand no we

do that locally but they do salt and things of that nature I mean I think it makes sense like even for the RSU because you know two out of our three RSU towns are part of Cumberland County I just wanted to make sure that we're not we wouldn't be in a situation where we're excluded from that because it's specifically you treat us just like every other municipality yeah this like I we've never since I since my tenure I don't believe anybody from this board has ever thing but it's like it's kind of like us too they delegate maybe uh people they might delegate like a chairman or something of that nature and then they hold their annual meeting present their minutes from the year and probably go over their budgets and what they're going to try to accomplish et cetera et cetera right that's that's what it seemed like but you still get irregardless if you go or don't go you still get the benefits because we are a

member of GP Cog so we we are included if we want to hop in with their and sometimes even have fuel price all kinds of stuff that they do for us it's like a co-op type thing and I didn't bring it with me but they they gave a big seven 11 by 17 spreadsheet of all the towns and what programs they were involved in and a lot you know some of those are what Calvin's involved in and and other things that are going on there's new get grant money or monies from them or advice or okay from them so all right do we I'll move that Joe and Joe will be delegates and how to be the alternate because I thought that was recording I thought that was well I had said that I was available if needed to go that day so I'm happy to be moved an alternate and then we can talk about it if that if we want to do that do we have a second it's a second motion second motion Joe any other discussion all right all in favor

[Music] yeah and I'm planning on going and um I I don't think I might have to check my work schedule because that's fine I I just so we have the two names I think they were really hungry for names you're right fire department rapid response vehicle bid results

[Music] upon opening bids I sent out five bids for the rapid response vehicle at least five I got one back and um 2214 short to purchase it it's on the line it's in Wisconsin it's a Ford it's an F350 with a utility body to Red

um be seven months ago I had to come up with sort of quotes and we're talking Automotive so they'll only coach you for seven days not seven months um so it wasn't in good faith and then that's what they have on the law that type of stuff so again I only got one back uh the committee across the way decided that this is the perfect vehicle for the fire department not fancy um but it'll work and it'll continue for 15 plus years you can convert the back because it's a utility with the three sides uh you could make a brush truck out of it because it's a one-time that type of stuff so we'll have it Perpetual so tonight I'm here plus I I'm shy of outfitting it with lights Beauty and the siren lights that type of stuff and that adds up so I'm asking for a vote of 7214 7214 just from our capital reserve

so the fire department currently has uh and that's where this this vehicle was coming from our Capital already raised so we have 128 601 so if you minus uh the 72 would be 121 left in that capital for uh apparatus so it was raised already for apparatus we were proved it now meeting I was just short [Music]

the ability to that's one of the funds that we can do without going back to town meeting because they've already approved it and it's in a capital account that's correct okay thank you yeah well I'm I'm talking about a question I move if we allocate the funds [Music] um I think it would be appropriate for you to recuse yourself from this because you're on fire department yeah sure okay I can wait to discussion but um Jerry just outline this for me and maybe this is what I always defer to Kevin because he seems to always have these answers the talent approved what for this truck and we're seven thousand dollars short of what the town approved correct yes that was fitted right so what is the proper protocol on this one because I thought I thought I'm I know we have to go to RFP for over 5 000 right yes right but what is the that the select board consent is it 10 000 that we can go under we can be under right

it's ten thousand right yeah that's so I just want to make sure I didn't get Hotspot so we can legally authorize him to spend up to another ten thousand dollars without a town correct correct okay I just want to clarify that thank you

the chief to spend up to ten thousand dollars or up to nine thousand nine hundred ninety nine thousand yeah yeah to purchase an outfit the rapid response vehicle and I'll second that okay any further discussion authorize the chief um authorized Jerry and the chief to transfer up to nine thousand nine hundred ninety nine dollars from the fight Department capital reserve account um which would uh for the purchase and outfitting of the rapid response vehicle and we have a vote on that [Music] yeah a second we're just looking for well in common yeah any other further comments okay all in favor all right and I'll just recuse myself so Joe is recused yeah if I may on that if you don't mind let's go ahead absolutely there's going to be times where individuals are going to interact with a know somebody um if if Joe was let's say on this board and he was actually the fire chief requesting it I think I think you were

in your right to actually vote on this and do that there's going to be many times people come here that you have interaction with whether it's someone in your neighborhood or somebody so I think you're you are okay yeah I mean whatever I'm good with what the board's comfortable with just just in the future I mean we had I think it was fine as it is but I I mean we're we're new board so it's going to be a learning curve for probably five to six months um but I think you were as long as you're not gaining anything you weren't gaining anything correct right exactly Chief doesn't really Drive anything anyways

department and not that he's benefiting in that way and and I would never under any circumstances think that your vote would change regardless one way or the other I don't want this board to ever be in a position where anyone could ever accuse anybody of um do you see what I'm saying I do but let's go this way let's just say hypothetically the chief wants to buy a new vehicle and he brings in 25 members from the Department right to go to the town meeting should we there are the cards invalid

of the same thing yeah [Music] yeah again back to back to personal gain there's no no personal gain here and that that's really vote on it right he was living in that town yeah that's that's that's really the point of it and okay otherwise um yeah okay let's move on thank you thank you Chief appreciate it

lights and Sirens everything all right um let's see adding agenda items for future select board meetings so I I [Music] thought thoughts on um how how this is going to work moving forward yes Rich I'm fine with any agenda being added as long as it's before it being posted to the public no I I concur with that so my question on this is if there's something that a slight board member would like to discuss in new business how do we go about requesting that that gets on the agenda you would have to call before it's posted to Jerry and request him to add it to the gender yeah and so I know that last time we kind of discussed briefly that you work on the agendas like the Thursday before yeah but I think but I think though we want to maybe take a step back a little bit and what what's agenda Worthy uh that the Board needs to actually discuss right and we're talking about like board like policies of the Town

um you know we have projects that are coming up um that that we want to want to attack over the next year or two um or more or further we have some projects that are already in play um so we have a number of items that you know the uh I'll say that the members of the the team of people that I'll say do the work for the town all of Jerry's folks as well as we have some committees that bring us information in that feeds into that um in the playing board we've got to watch what we actually add to the agenda as projects moving forward that doesn't over tax the number of of folks that are actually working on it as well I think we we're talking about um you know doing a uh like a little group select board meeting to get kind of put together a a road map so to speak of

projects that are ongoing as well as new projects that we actually want to move forward with and I think those become I think for the majority of things less is an emerging issue those become what our agenda items are over the course of the year right so I'm talking about emerging issues okay and so I think that just give me an example yeah so for example like um we lack of solar ordinance for the town and I know in the past we talked about how um well the planning board decides what sort of ordinance work we want to work on but uh you know I'm of the opinion that like well I think the plan board does a really good job the planning board's an unelected body so I think it is a lot of power to give an unelected official Soul um discretion over what the policy agendas are for like land use and stuff like that during the year so I think that if the select board had the opportunity to say let's discuss the

solar ordinance and see if it's something we want to ask the planning board to focus on a little bit rather than wait be reactive or whether it's something that you know you go down the road of seeing maybe there's a third party that you utilize to help develop something like that or look at other towns so I just want to make sure because like on a lot of other boards I'm on you can bring new business on from the floor but I understand that we don't want to do that because we want there to make we don't want someone to say I'm not going to go to the select board meeting because there's nothing of interest to me and then all of a sudden I bring up this thing up from the floor and someone from the public goes well I would have gone if I had that opportunity so I just want to make sure that there's an opportunity for select board members to bring things to the agenda just like there are the Committees and boards to follow the

proper recourse go ahead Jerry so what we want to try to avoid when I've got your email I instantly thought okay I got three agenda items from you if I've gotten three from him three from Heather and three from Josh I've never sent an agenda no no no I'm just saying it because how are we going to discuss all three of that meeting so really what we need to decide is how do we decide what gets there has to be a process and a procedure to get things on the agenda because if I get even four items from two of you and that's eight different items on the agenda I won't know what to do so what's the process right now if the planning board the Conservation Commission and the historic commission all submit two or three agenda items in the same week like what's that that would be a good question because that hasn't happened I think it's I think it's a priority it's prioritizing of the planning board we

should like we've mentioned and what we've been following this time for many years is the planning board consists their agenda now let's say for example the only example I can think of off the top of my head you get let's say five people that live in five different parts of this town that come in and say they come to a public meeting and they say Hey listen we got a serious issue with our roads and we would like it addressed this year we add it to the agenda and it goes forward but as a select board member we shouldn't be the ones pushing that agenda not that I'm saying that you are um it should be a collaboration from people from town of who your constituents is or something like that it shouldn't be anything that could be like hey I'm really friends good friends with the chief I want to bring up that we need to hire to get a new hydro boat or something of that nature and things like that it shouldn't that shouldn't

transpire I mean if if you're if you want an ordinance it should really kind of start in a public setting of requesting something that so we've had no requests from anybody I mean we've heard requests from like I've heard requests from constituents so is the better way to say well can you all five come to the next meeting you'll have three minutes to talk because to me that kind of seems like it's putting the slight board in always in a reactive position that like we're the elected officials but we have no discretion over Which Way policy goes we have to wait for you all to come no no we actually we actually we actually set policies right right and that's what I mean but so you're saying we set policy but we can't introduce the topic of discussion we can introduce the topic and that's what I was wanted to figure out how to put that on like I said historically we have not done that right and I'm just

talking about moving like looking forward not saying that we don't have to do everything the same way in the past historically we don't we don't typically interject with boards and say hey by the way I'll use Lois Casitas in the thing we want the historic commission to start doing this isn't that what happened with the last resource protection I have no idea what no not not like this I mean there was definitely a downward discussion from this board about involved to go this way go that way once it runs it got to us we talked into the discussion right so what I want to talk about is how to bring things to the this body and not just real always rely on it coming from different corners of the Town whether a volunteer board or individuals right well and it sounded like we that was kind of an unknown time and so I was thinking when we have you know one thing on new business this could be an opportunity to introduce what we're

having right now anyways so the thing again back to you you mentioned you mentioned you know a third party you know bring a third party in you know that that person or people need to be hired so this is just an example of something I would want to discuss in an agenda item but now we're getting into the details of the examples I can provide so I'm trying to figure out how we can bring this to the meeting to actually I disagree with the two of you I think it's appropriate for us as the elected officials to bring policy issues to Jerry to put on the agenda I think if we get to the situ if there's a situation where there's too many what's that I don't see how that's policy land use policy like the resources policy is not that that should go to this that should go to the board but but you're asking us to to task the board right to God select words in every town do they task their planning board

with tasks to do we have limited resources on this board they have something if there was an emergent thing that needed to be that we should say hey stop what you're doing we've had this issue come up but it sounds like our current status is planning board you decide what's most important to you as individuals and then we as a select board will reactively say sure no I don't I don't I don't agree with that they're they're they're replying to what is being brought via codes and what the people and what what is happening in the town what's happening and what George said Washington Washington got two potential solar farm that we can better the permits are guaranteed awarded for fifty dollars

specific thing but I do agree that this is something that needs to be dealt with I think Jerry wants to talk show so George right now and John Talbert are talking about solar cell towers and that sort of stuff and they're having that little Summit on uh June 14th to talk

about how they want to bring that forward so yeah and so what I'm asking about is like how we bring things a new business to help establish priorities understanding that we have limited time limited resources part-time employees and saying if we're investing a lot of time and energy through both the employees that are paid and the volunteer positions maybe we should have some prioritization put in place and that the board might be able to provide some guidance on yeah anybody can bring something and add it to the agenda from this board so if you said to Jerry it might not be on next week right it might be on just fourth week you can bring something we would then if need be task if we thought it was an emergent situation we could do that so when you say are we thinking it's a certain situation right so if I'm just trying to get on the agenda with an item that's what I just said like so you

can request that at any time like I submitted last time I just want to make sure that's the proper chance you submit to Jerry Jerry it prioritizes and puts them on the agenda when there's space correct yeah because I'm not saying I should get the floor every meeting because I had an idea that's not what I'm trying to get at but then the important part is the bigger thing is is we need the priorities that are being worked already but on the planning board be able to even just say hey we want this because you can't have five number ones so so that is done by us that is done by us saying Jerry here's a priority here's something we want you to address he brings it to George Georgia brings it to John and then that's that's our role that's it yeah and so then there's no hand holding on please follow this process for making X Y and Z this is saying the select board thinks that this is a priority based off of these

emerging issues and we would encourage you to utilize your time more for this than other things so like if the town wanted a new policy on how long a dog leash has to be I think it's more important to look at how our Solar development goes versus that rather than waiting at the end of the year and saying thanks for the dog leash policy we could say up front let's invest more time in policies that are emerging and are important and you know we were all elected to bring forth policies that we hear from the community and that's what I'm just trying to figure out the best way to facilitate those discussions I think a perfect example of this is how we've had that Resident that's come multiple times to talk about the fireworks ordinance and that has that's been well bumped and bumped because the priority had been resource protection and some of the other ordinances that they were dealing with and so I think I

think that's a very clear example of of what Joe is is trying to articulate that that fireworks ordinance would be akin to the dog leash ordinance the Board needs to decide whether or not they want to adopt a fire we just don't put a fireworks ordinance if somebody says hey we want a fireworks right now

that's why we we would have to be informed from the planning board I would think to say hey we're really having a hard time with this solar we need to focus on this we've had a lot of issues so it sounds like what you're saying is the policy decision comes from the planning board I would say the policy comes from the plan border but you're saying we can entertain no I don't want addressing something there's two different things between entertaining and interjecting to them but doesn't the planning board work at the discretion of the community and of the select board so I think it's 100 appropriate for a select board to set a policy objective and ask the planning board to administer that I agree if it's in an emergency situation well I think it's in any situation that's where our job comes in because it seems like what you're saying is

the leadership can you adjust that like it seems like you're saying if I want to address solar policy I'd be better to volunteer for the planning board and then bring it to the select board versus be on the select board and say hey let's get elected and say hey I think you should I think we should be careful and realize that we work as a board and not our individual right but that's what I that's what I would say we should be careful what I want to do is figure a way to propose a discussion on something that I'm hearing from because that's what I already answered you you would have Jerry add that to the and so what Jerry is Joe says three if we talk about it and we say that's great we're delegating to Jerry at that point to prioritize the agenda of the items where he sees fit is that accurate yeah and then who do I pick well that's just it that's why you should have like a you know that's why we talked about

having something that's not in a formal setting like this quote-unquote Workshop or somebody would facilitate that workshop and say what the actual what typically transpires then you're going to get a view of everything that's on everybody's played at that point at the same time if you introduce an agenda item and then the discussion begins and someone says but we don't think that's important the majority of the board doesn't find that important I move that we don't prioritize this or ask the select the planning board to work on it that's where you're crafting moves again you're saying if you would introduce something and the board says hey we're not prioritizing that if you're introducing an agenda item to discuss something like this so we're discussing we're going to discuss it and then we will prioritize right so that's where I just want to make sure that the best way to introduce something in new business just imagine

every week if one of us gave Jerry like hey my neighbor was just talking to me about I got neighbors all the time say hey I don't like this okay and I'd say well that's fine I think an overflow of requests could be a bridge that gets crossed if it occurs because it sounds like it hasn't occurred in the issue if Jerry got 14 requests from us for this agenda and Mike can understand saying the same could be said it's already had 20 20 people that you know ask for an ordinance you know but I'm saying there's got to be some way for a select board member to get something onto the agenda so would you would you prioritize right now solar Farms over the affordable housing so this is where we're now discussing that's what America I don't understand on the agenda I know but what we're asked telling you is if you add it to the agenda and we can have that discussion but we keep going back and forth on that right

so I'm sorry that's fine one way we could maybe do this is on every agenda have a you know just like our consent you know agenda is have what do we want to discuss at the next meeting no you don't want to do that no absolutely not and then I'm just saying then if somebody brings something up as a board you could discuss whether you want to discuss it but if one remember wants to bring it up we discuss it at some point yeah if there has to be areas of there has there has to be a way for you to prioritize it right I mean if there's if there's an obvious emergency that needs to be discussed um then then it gets priority if it's something that that is not emergent then it's going to be lower on the priority for you to put on the agenda but I think there you go any anything anything that one of us wants to present deserves to be on the agenda at some point that is true right and but you're gonna have you know to talk about it

from an educated standpoint you need some context so that comes back down to the priority and when it gets presented up to the board the cold conversation doesn't have to happen five of us having a discussion about solar is somewhat interesting but um but it's not ours to make a decision we're either going to make a decision to say hey planning board go look at this you know with with George and and folks well Georgia don't do that after tonight then what's happening I'm going to question their priority right so they brought us to the board you know which is great that's what I'm saying like you can add it it's up to Jerry any select board member can add something for discussion onto a board but we should have it that's your intent are you going to be the one that's presented to the board to educate them on why you would want that or are you going to have absolutely well I do have somebody

that's independent see that's that's where the issue why would you need someone because so so so yeah so this is why we need to have this I'll call it the spitball session so we're the board of directors of this town yeah Jerry's Our Town manager everything everything goes through Jerry we're just making the policy we're we're we're allowing a policy to be put forth to the town's people but we're also trying to set the priorities of all the different projects that are going on in time so I understand that he's the keeper of them but in order for us to stay somewhat removed from the day-to-day operations we can't be just you know injecting ourselves into again back to bring your constituents here have them sit here and say the neighbors or whatever or the solar Farmers say we don't want the solar farm we need some audiences around and then that then that then becomes a decision for us to prioritize with Jerry and his people and

then he's going to come to us and say I got five priorities whatever the case may be why do the neighbors have to come in why can't why can't three people come into me and and I just say hey just put it on the agenda right you're right they can you can put it on an agenda you're 100 right there's they can put anybody can put I'd like to hear what Josh was trying to say and so I think we're going around in circles on this um [Music] so my issue what I think we all agree on is that any one of us can send Jerry an email we he will prioritize what's on there I think it would be good um for you to sort of make a list here are the here are the agenda items that that aren't on and somebody could say hey that's a priority we'd like you to discuss that at the next meeting that way there's notice of what the other issues are um but I think we've already spent I mean if if one of us wants to put something

on it should get on no questions asked um we present the issue however however we see fit um and yeah and I agree I think it's a responsibility a person who puts something on the agenda to bring the reason as to why they want to talk about it yeah I would agree with that 100 on what both the gentlemen said but what should transpire then Jerry should be lining up so if that to me would say Jerry would say okay well we're going to have the planning board here on X night right the chair will be here and we can have this discussion of what you feel right we're committing reasons we're committing resources yeah so that's but it shouldn't be that's why I want to put something on the agendas because so everyone's talking as if I don't understand this I understand we're committing resources and we have limited resources we have a part-time planner we have a volunteer board so I'm saying with limited resources

maybe it's important for us to determine the best way that those limited resources are allocated and as elected officials who are entering to constituents who have raised issues to us I think it's our responsibility as the board of directors and of elected officials to say these are concerns that I'm hearing and I would like to have a discussion on it now I'm not saying George go write a solar policy that says X Y and Z I'm saying I'm hearing that there's concern that there is no policy and we would like that's to be something that the board examines and addresses they might come back and say the board feels our current policy is adequate and then we've addressed at least someone's concern they might not like the answer but we've addressed their concern or the board can come back and say there's a really big need here but we don't have the capacity so we need help or yet we can handle this and we'll make this our

number one priority or should this be our number one priority because we're also looking at that and that's where we have those discussions and I don't think it's inappropriate for the select board to ask the planning board to go after those sorts of things because we see it happen in every other select board planning board situation across the area Joe I agree with you just for clarification yeah what I'm saying and what I was trying to get to and I actually agree with Josh I think I think we're all trying to say somewhat of the same thing but what I'm saying and that's why I asked you the question earlier are you going to be the one presenting well you really shouldn't you should be one on this side of the panel trying to be independent interest is trying to think in the best for the town I'm representing the constituents who voted for me and if they're asking me to bring this too I can bring two I would

present the issue that was raised and say this is something that that right that constituents asked to be addressed I'm raising it to you right is this something that we should be addressing with is it something we should ask Jerry to address with with George with Calvin or the cheat with somebody correct so but I don't like let's say I want to build ballparks I don't think I say hey guys I've gotten 15 I don't know how many calls I've gotten on ballparks um I've gotten a lot of calls on ballparks okay yeah I don't think I should be the one saying because it looks like I'm driving it right we have heard from nobody and then I'm sitting up here giving a presentation on the ballparks all I'm trying to caution is you're not going to be the one person is this is what this is the topic let's bring in the plan should we address it with should Jerry address

but I think when I asked you earlier you said I would be presenting it correct I would be presenting the discussion topic that's it but I was asking more like who's going to be presenting to the board as like the expert in terms of why we need to create this issue well I mean I don't think you need so it when you're an elected official you don't even need expertise if you're bringing something I can write a letter to my Senate way to do something without knowledge from somebody that you know so what about in that situation because it's not a presentation it's a here's what people write what I'm saying so like I we've we've heard Jerry talk about the trash contract right and we got an email from Jerry this week that was you know giving us information about what other towns are doing regarding the trash contract and so if after getting that email and having Jerry through the budget process bring up the trash

contract and I see that as a priority right I might send Jerry an email and say I think that this is a priority that we should be addressing and then it gets on the agenda I hope and job you know from what I'm saying that's the appropriate way to do that I think that is exactly what Joe is trying we're new board members you don't have to be an expert in the recycling policy of the world to bring this once again we're just spinning guys I think we're all in agreement here yeah okay the question was were you going to be the one presenting as like this is my topic and I'm going to present you before that's not how I understood your question so right that's what I'm trying to say that's why that's why I asked you as far as are you going to be the one presenting this to the board as far as like you're going to sit in that chair and say hey my name is Joe and I want to talk to you guys all about thing and I

want to present and this is what I'm saying is we bring it the planner board comes in and then you would say hey guys these are my concerns and this is what are you guys seeing in the field what do you think Mr chair I'm going to move I think we've discussed this to death on Old business in the future meeting to see how things go yeah but all I would say is that he should he could he should be allowed like for example if he wants to send Jerry an email tomorrow to say I'd like to I'd like this topic added he should be afforded that that's what I'm saying I don't think we need to have discussion over that anymore no I agree okay but the reason the only reason I brought it up is because last time we talked about wanting to put things on the agenda and so I emailed Jerry said here are a few things I'd like to discuss and he said maybe we should have a whole discussion as a whole as to that's what

this agenda item is is yeah let's talk about how things go no questions feel through your constituents and why you ran maybe what happened no you get them all on the board and let's address them and attack them and let's see what we can prioritize out of the year yeah that's one yeah I think I have Clarity just email Jerry just email Jerry so you're comfortable with the outcome okay all right and then it's just you mentioned trash for a second I'm assuming you're going to put that on our agenda when you're ready for us to see it we don't need us we don't need to request that all right so that's that's going to be yeah no okay it is a good example um do we need to talk about anything else related to the subject Jerry no I'm not sorry but everybody's good okay [Music] manager's report oh okay hand this over to you Jerry thank you um I think this is why Louis has said she saw her name on the um

on the agenda so apparently back in 2021 the board decided or voted or approved however it was to pull me his committee to look at the Old Town Hall at Union Church and to my knowledge that was never done so Lois the committee was never never formed okay thank you so and I think both of us would really like that uh to take shape so we're meeting with Lois George and I and enforcement Allen on the 16th a week from today to

discuss how we move forward the formation of this committee and I just letting you know we're gonna put out applications to have folks great we're interested you know help that along we'll talk and try to try to get this ball rolling okay it's long to do so that's the only reason why I put that just to show you how it's

the table I'm not sure on that list because you run on what's it called but I'll let the chair handle that one can I ask Jerry a question while you're deciding go ahead yeah um [Music] do you know how it was structured was it just an open-ended we're going to form a committee and and that's how it stands there was there was never like a we want to have somebody that you know meets these requirements or it was just uh well that would go out with the request when he he should have like a detail of like oh yeah what world or maybe we need an architect you'd want somebody was that something that was established or was it just a vote to say yes we need this no they want some sort of expertise we can if we can get them and is that what you're meeting on the 16th is going to address is people at that table are going to decide what criteria they want to try to fill on that committee yeah we can talk about

that yeah we're going to talk I just wondered if that was part of the vote or if I don't think it needs to be part of the vote because it just I mean there needs to be a vision for where that that Old Town Hall goes and and gets to um I

been so much stuff but if I could my my record it was just a general that we recognize that a board is needed and so we could formalizes board as long as we can find Qualified people to participate in this board like you you just don't want Joe Blow the homeowner that hangs you know it's got a revolving credit card at the Home Depot or something like that they should be because because of how precious these buildings are and so forth they should be pretty knowledgeable people and it's not just I mean and no offense to the historic district but commission but it's no offense to them but we need a wider audience to go look at they're part of it um other other members in town need to be part of it to go put the whole picture together as to and that's what this committee would be would be tasked with you know maybe they don't have all the expertise but if they're willing to go to training yeah and that sort of

thing too could I just wondered if that structure was already established or if that meeting is intended to establish that kind of structure that was what my question was we're going to talk about it all and we've had several meetings over the years about the the buildings in particular like not necessarily about historical buildings but just buildings in general and I think I think it was Mitch don't quote me on that once we were under a talent management I think he appointed Calvin baumiere and am I correct on that as as far as like of these buildings so I mean what I was getting at is there's been a lot I think this was as far as the Union Church goes um it's it's more of like a for lack of better words like a feasibility study like for example like okay we got this property we got this building um what what what's what's the what's the uh we need to repair it and things of that nature but what is what is the

future of this building I think is what we're looking to find to try to achieve with this where are we taking this are we just kind of leave it here and just keep preserving it or we kind of put it to use we've got to add power to it with parking whatever whatever it might just probably just sit there but um that was more about it but again we've had so many meetings did we pull anything on that for the board so they could look at what was discussed in that no because that's probably what was that sense of stuff just to add some I remember there was an article in the paper and that's really the right does that sound about right wasn't there an article in the paper that Durham elected to do that um Jerry yeah that was awesome there was yeah so I mean without 2021 it was a couple years ago I don't really I don't know but that that's my model of recollection Lois do you have something quick well first of all I'd like to say that

it wasn't lowest that wants to set this committee committee that it was right the board set it up yeah no and we are reminding you the commission is reminding you that the board said they were going to do it and we've come to various people during turnover saying when does this start and it keeps being pushed off so the most recent one was after this year's town meeting that's true so here we are nope that's interesting

that's correct it was a representative chairs yep no we we I agree and that's that's we do want this committee to move forward it's time to do it it's overdue but the other piece you need to know is this goes back to prior Town Administrator that's when the board started talking about this it passed it it was then moved again in November of

20 right 21. that's when it went in the paper but the committee had already been in formation from when the previous Town administrated yes everything that kind of we did again don't hold me there's been so many topics in here but I do remember vaguely on that because I believe Ruth was actually one of the ones that was the uh well she added it to the agenda right that's what happens um so I think what transpired at least for the couple years I'm not gonna go into the last couple of you but the first couple years after we did that we got into these Zoom meetings we got and then we've had several turnovers and there was just unfortunately it was we just ran out of bandwidth kind of like you can to any board if you keep yeah I don't know so so I think we're going to move forward then and get the board together and and we'll move from there and you're going to present us I I I don't think that any of us should

be voting members on this board but if there's a member EX officio non-voting member um I I would be interested in that this to see the process and hear the discussion because I think it's an important discussion I think the board's already enacted that we can develop a board so it's really just putting out the information to try to acquire the bodies to develop and then also pointing them and then putting them to work but somebody and I don't think it's this board it might be in tandem with you folks and Jerry need that does what need we need to develop and maybe the actually the board's gonna have to take we need to develop what we're going to have this committee do you know what I'm saying right we just can't say hey let's develop a so what are they going to do what do we want them to look at is what I'm asking the Union Church what what are we what's the plan for it right but are you looking

for like a feasibility study are we looking for there's some repairs so we look at that we don't need a board for that I mean we can we what we need for that is because again Calvin is assigned now as the overseer of these buildings he needs to examine say hey we have a problem here we need to get the appropriate people in bids inappropriate people may be people in charge of or excuse me expertise in historical buildings tell us what needs to be done that needs to come to the board and then the board would act on that or and maybe even have to take it to the town depending on the value you got a couple buckets there you gotta right is that the emergence got to keep it standing upright bucket and and then the other bucket which is the um future what we're doing in the future which is I'm assuming what this this board will be doing and some of the sorry Josh one more thing so some of the things I think the

board will more than likely um look at is you know what are the emergent issues in comparison to what the long-range plan is because you may hold off on doing something to go and look at the long range plan to maybe do it later depending on Hawaii could wait but I'll let the board decide that that committee needs to think about it in a holistic standpoint I don't I don't think anybody wants to put money into something that might get changed

later by what the committee decides right so be fiscally responsible about how we how we keep it up and and what the long range plan just to make sure so rich was the only one on this board when that was enacted I would not be opposed to you coming to us after your meeting on the 16th saying here's what our idea is and asking us to essentially vote on that issue again if if we need to although I don't I think it was General enough back then that we can we can limit it but but what's your scope but I think I think rich and Joe were correct it's it's sort of if you in a nutshell it's what are we going to do with this building how are we going what what is what is our best option because we have to remember that while everyone wants it we have to spend money on it and how do we make this most cost effective for the town the town's people uh and and coming back with ideas and and um the other thing

um Lois in an email inviting us to the meeting on the 18th I can't go um but what I would be interested in I think is maybe not as frequent updates as we get from the planning board um and I think this might apply to all of the the boards um but sort of an update every six weeks or so what's going on even if it's in an email form um I I just it's it's hard for me to go out two or three nights a week with work family kid uh and my wife who comes home at all hours of the night sometimes um so um I would be interested in that from all the boards it's almost like a department head report yeah so I'd agree with that but I

just want again I don't want to skirt the issue of if there's something structurally currently going on with that building and we know about it which it's been identified I believe it's probably your responsibility to direct Calvin over there and get somebody over there to look at that so we don't have a major issue we have an obligation to keep that building in a usable condition what no matter what our personal feelings are or anything like that right as of right now it's our building and we have to keep it usable safe and and essentially habitable so I agree yeah so it's it's my understanding and I don't know I'm new here too no problem that there was an estimate to replace some of the structural stuff but we've done so there's been many estimates we've done roofs we've done new porches we've done New Foundation walls and back work outside look

board's okay can I ask Lois a question Lois this issue with the Sills right um that's to my knowledge like that that's been deteriorating over the years and years and it hasn't we've never really gotten I remember six or seven years ago there was a big write-up by you were here um there's not a write-up but there was a gentleman that used to do all the historical buildings for us and look at him and tell us what needed to be done I can't think of his name right now yeah go ahead

you're talking about correct he works for me worked worked for main preservation in Yarmouth which is a private non-profit organization as opposed to name preservation Commission in Augusta who also has looked at our buildings and

had some feedback on it so there's two different organizations that have had input Christopher Claus came you paid him correct did you give us a detailed on Union Church and to do the Western Methodist Church and he did a full

evaluation and it was 2015 was the first one 2017 for the Western Methodist Church was the follow-up one but I don't know whether the union church had a follow-up in 2017 or not I assume it it did I don't have a copy of it but it was so now it was eight years ago and he went and looked

at everything like the structural beams against the roof everything to the underpinnings of the building so yeah there was there was one done on that building and I can we do I'm not sure we do have a newer email system sometimes I can find the song sometime but there there was documents in those early years that produced basically like for lack of better words a punch list of what some of these buildings needed and his professional opinion not speculation or anything and him as a Preserve in his professional opinion okay um we did over the years for that particular building we have done some work it's not I mean we've done the roof we've done the steeple back in the 80s we've done all kinds of things we've done but um close we've refixed the foundation was falling in the back correct [Music] I don't know if you want to go diving I remember we had not too much

yeah the foundation was shored up it was not done to standard there's a department of interior standard for redoing a building that's on the registry the National Registry the repairs that have been made including the walkway up to the stairway to go in the foundation none of that meets the standards of the Department of the Interior it was done half way that's not the one yeah [Laughter]

plan it was done peace and result what you what you that needs to be repaired and brought up to the Department of interior standards but it's good honestly that's going to take long yes but as for the sill the sill has a hole

right stick your arm in right so great stuff's not going to get it done right a little great stuff that won't work no okay yeah yeah I tried that wood filler doesn't work okay I have a question um when this committee is formed would it be appropriate for that committee to submit to Jerry I think that's the process to go to the capital Improvement it would be considered for Capital Improvement once you know they decide to go through what the old what the whole plan would be and again back to the the whole plan put the whole plan together what are we going to use the building for right because we're going to get to the part that says all right we're gonna use the building for this and we're gonna go bring it up to historical standards while we're doing that so that's the whole holistic picture that I'm I I'm I like the board to see because then you're going to you're going to upgrade it and make it usable to the public

and right now it's not in a state where it's very usable it's an old historic building that is going to become a museum piece like it is with some fresh coat of paint and I think we probably want more I think the town wants more uh you know it's a piece of real estate that's what I'm important to us and if we can reuse it somehow to make it a

building that's used regularly by whoever in town needs it you know could be the Boy Scouts Girl Scout whoever but it needs to be brought up to certain standards for that stuff to happen as well as keeping it historic right it's a big it's a it's a big big job well I'm asking my question is because I don't want to be in a situation like we were in at the last town meeting where we're trying to find an Avenue to be able I want that to go through a proper process that's what this committee needs to do now you need to bring okay so that's what I'm asking is that is that going to be one of the tasks to get to that point where they would be able to season does not really form so you have plenty of input that you can blend with what you want Jerry or and whoever is going to be you know chairing this board and committee I mean we can give them the directing the directive of what we want to achieve this committee to

achieve and you can certainly yeah I just want the voters to have the opportunity because I think we did see at town meeting people were in favor of trying oh yeah no I think whatever so I just want to make sure the process gets to the point where it does get before the voters if that's what that I think we just need to get out of the Band-Aid business we need to recognize the building we need to see the historical content of the building we need to formulate a plan formulate repairs that are needed present to the town and say this building to bring it to historical standards and the repairs that are required is going to cost 2.2 million dollars right or I know Lois or 100 bucks I don't know yeah but the point is that we right now that's that's really that's really the point I'm trying to make I don't know we don't know you don't yeah and I think with the plan you lay out the details of you know the

investment you want to make commensurate with what it's going to provide the community if it's just going to that can be utilized by the time exactly and that's what you're talking ADA compliance you're talking power and heat and stuff like that I think when you have a plan it helps to justify any expense you might bring to the community saying this might cost ten thousand or a hundred thousand dollars more but this is what we're going to get out of it you know that's great we don't have to double book Eureka in the town office that's great okay I think the approach to it is almost like you fell on a grant you know what do you got what do you want to be what do you need yeah you know what you where are you going any of his laid out except I think you need to get the the estimates and and then come back and then and then break it out so yeah but I think the biggest exception I think the biggest accept is this should

be an agenda item it shouldn't be a manager we got way past managers oh yeah we did that's all right [Music] um that's it are they setting up in town like they're usually same same as always just uh okay so just be you know

it goes along Route 9 and 136 right yeah yeah we'll post the math all right I do have a question I don't know if it's for Jerry or if it's for you um it's about the consent agenda so we got the meeting minutes and if when is the appropriate time to address if we want if we believe that there's a change that needs to be made is it prior to the meeting or is that something that we bring up in the meeting like if we want to change I was just about to ask if we spread through it and I saw that I thought something read incorrectly or something I was just gonna ask when I got there was if anybody had any change to answer your question it'd be better for you to bring it up too so it can be corrected and therefore we would be allowed if it was bound to be that you your correction was warranted and needed yes then we could act and vote on it if if we come to the conclusion tonight we could still act a

vote on it but we need to recognize that there's so bring so reply to the email okay and say that not the whole board right okay thank you so so consent consent agenda um I was thinking that we need to just break this up because I wasn't at the uh meeting last time for the approval of minutes I I've moved that we accept the consent agenda as presented second second

all right all all opposed and I'm going to recuse myself um actually yeah but it's just were you not here I was not here oh yeah yeah I got you know all right yeah they're fine okay so that carries four zero one yep I don't need to borrow your opinion right all right upcoming uh meetings in town news we have select board meeting on five nine twenty twenty three that's today and uh 523 um and we're meeting at six o'clock at the we're going six o'clock down at the uh Public Works public works department yep epw that's always a fun tour

okay do we need an executive session tonight Jerry no sir okay okay one more question real quick just before we adjourn so um when we had been coming to the last well my last two meetings we had printouts of what was sent to us through

email I'm completely fine not having the printout to save deeper I just want to know what the process is going to be going forward because if we're not going to print stuff out I'm going to bring my laptop with me because I do like to refer stuff as we're so I don't care which way we do it I just wanted to stay consistent that's all I'm asking for that's up to the board okay what they're what they're what they would like um um in the past we would just get typically an agenda and if it was something that came up but um like I said I didn't bring my laptop too much because the last two meetings we add this stuff in front of us so I didn't bring it but I will bring it try to be conscious okay like I said I just wanted to know what what we're going to do going forward and I'll bring my laptop from now on but I I prefer honestly yeah I like them on paper okay but we're all agreeing that we're

not going to have them on paper and I should bring my laptop yes I didn't know we were taking an official thing yeah I don't think we have an official vote I think yeah Josh you got anything on that one [Music] I don't have a personal laptop so I won't be bringing one I do have a tablet that's about eight years old six years so if that's the case you almost have to print them no I'm fine because I look at them if I have questions I'm not gonna I'm not gonna hesitate to email ahead of time so yeah like I did like I did the last meeting absolutely so it's it's not it's not uncommon for boards and councils to have um

there's any left over that but not by I don't have the patience for slow computer I have a motion to adjourn me yes please all right thank you everybody very good good meeting I use my personal computers we offline it's like you know I know we're not offline yet just I'm using my was that like personal word and stuff like that if I'm working on documents go what do you need sorry

nullar out of this mask questions okay is there any ever any um as a recent that you guys have done like to get just bids on how to fix that I just can't thank you