TranscriptSelect Board Meeting ~ July 14, 2026

This must be what teachers feel like at the front of the room when everyone gets quiet. not paying attention, so I didn't know what they were doing. All right. We're going to get our meeting started here at 6:30 on July 14th. We have a quorum. Call to order with begin with the pledge of allegiance.

allegiance to the flag of the United States of America and to the republic for which it stands. One nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all. Okay. Amendments to the agenda. I wanted to move our um scholarship presentation up to before old business just so we can

uh get that taken care of right away. Do I have a motion? So moved. So moved. Do I have a second? Second. Any discussion? Is it a learning experience to stay here and watch though? Well, I don't want to subject them to outside of school work. All in favor? Any opposition? Yes. All right. But before that, uh, so now any other amendments?

All right. Any public comment? No worries. No apology necessary. Just your name and the your street. So, you're getting used to me. That's all right. Post 274 Rabbit Road. Hello. And I'm here to follow up on the concerns that neighbors have raised and submitted to on our June 26 email and to connect them to the broader pit and corridor issues the town is now facing. Our code enforcement officer has confirmed several key points. Rabbit Road was never designed to function as a major hall route for heavy industrial vehicles and the truck problem predates the Jaden Pit. All trucks using the Jaden pit are actually over 23,000 pounds. And even with the consent agreement's narrow restriction on Jaden's own trucks, contractor trucks still use Rabbit Road against the owner's wishes. And there are multiple active pits in close proximity to Rabbit and Hollowell, and not all of them operate under clear

enforcable hour of operation restrictions. As the planning board chair reminded you earlier today, Rabbit Road was resurfaced about 10 years ago. And about five years later, the road commissioner, residents, and pit owners all acknowledged that Rabbit and other roads in town were not built to handle this level of truck traffic. Yet, the pits prevailed in keeping those routes open. This is not just a one operator issue. We have a cluster of pits feeding heavy industrial truck traffic through the small rural roads that were never intended to carry it. and residents have been paying for that mismatch for years in road damage, private drinking water risks, crash risks, and daily safety concerns. At the same time, both the CEO and the town's own conditional use decisions make clear what the original intent was for operations in Durham. Weekday hours of 7 to 7, Saturdays 7:00 to 5:00 with no material processing

before 8:00 a.m. and no Sunday operations. Some of the older grandfathered pits are operating without modern conditions on truck hours or truck routes, even though they contribute just as much to the cumulative impact. And now we have the Jackson Kirker pit formally reactivated and an agriculture and energy district planning grant in hand to study the Hollowwell Cushing CMP corridor, including gravel pits and the CMP corridor as economic strengths. Durham is at a crossroads. The choices you make this summer will determine whether this becomes a formal um agon energy district that continues to function as an industrial corridor on small rural roads or a district with clear enforcable limits so that pits, trucks, clean energy and neighborhoods can coexist. I'm asking you tonight to take three concrete steps. post Rabbit Road as no through trucks for heavy industrial tra traffic and either address it tonight or

put this request in the next select board agenda for discussion in the vote. request a main DOT safety review of rabbit and hollow intersection and implement appropriate safety improvements consistent with a truck restriction and direct that all active pits in Durham be held to the same operating hours standards already written into recent permits Monday through Friday 7 to 7 Saturday 7 to 5 no processing before 8 and no Sunday operations bringing older pets into line with those expectations so these are not anti-b businessiness requests us. Our goal isn't to end gravel and trucking in Durham, but to make sure they only continue within the limits that respect people who already live here, the school traffic that uses these roads every day, and the aquafer and water resources we all depend on. And you've heard this for years from residents and from your own road and planning officials that these

roads were never meant to carry the load they're carrying today. Tonight's an opportunity to finally act on that knowledge and protect our small rural roads before the impacts become irreversible. So I urge you to treat this these requests as a chance to show that Durham can support business and resilience without sacrificing the safety of our families and the health of our land and water. Thank you.

Thank you. Thank you. Get a copy. Yeah. Could you send a copy of that to us again as well? Thank you. Any other public comment tonight? also talking about uh our favorite topic which is pits and business. Um, also not coming up here to say I'm anti- business. I really like the idea of Bush to get solar farms and agriculture businesses um in town. Um I just have

also seen what I consider to be ineffectual um enforcement of codes with the Jaden Pit. Um, I think after months of them expanding to four times the original size, uh, seeing that their eventual fine was $15,000, which is essentially three busy days of revenue for them, um, seems like it's sort of opening the door to not having any way to hold people accountable. Um, I think

we've we've had Dugas Pit in this area for years. I think they've been great to the community. They have their own laws for their own truckers for how they use the roads. Um, they have sign up ways to sign up to inform neighbors when they're blasting or doing anything noisy. Uh, they have free sand for people to use. I think they've tried their best to do something that's been beneficial to the community and respect people around them, but I think without more laws in place or more oversight, there will be more bad actors that we don't can't seem to combat. Um, I still haven't heard

what the expected ramifications are for the PAS that has ended up in our wellwater from Jaden Pit spraying to put out fires. um what's being done with their refueling pad which didn't have any trenches or um slab for it which

they were supposed to have via the EPA. Uh the road damage that is happening from trucks um we have yes these 10 ton vehicles uh which if they're two axles is about 2,000 passenger cards cars worth of damage to the roads. Um, and I think based on our tax model for pits, then it it just really doesn't make sense that the residents are going to end up footing the bill for repairing roads that were doing significantly less in damage. Um, additionally along Route 9, Hallow Road where I live, uh, we have a number of grandfathered driveways which are over blind corners, blind hills, um, single or double. Um, I know one of my neighbors is right in the middle of the valley with two hills on either side and there's these trucks come screaming down the road at 60 miles per hour and it's becoming more and more frequent, but I feel pulling out of my own driveway. I feel like I have to just close my eyes

and hope that a truck's not coming over it, which I feel like there's been more and more close calls. Um there have been a number of studies especially on rural roads that increase in trucking um significantly increases um accidents which in these cases are almost always fatal because of the size of the trucks. Um, yeah, I just I think just wanting to see real change and real enforcement and some clear guidelines for what we expect rather than hoping that companies would do the right things, especially when they're adding significant traffic and weight um on [clears throat] our roads.

Thank you. Thank you very much. Do we have any other public comment for the [clears throat] evening? and I live on the rabbit road. I'm going to give you a brief history lesson. We bought our property in 1976. We're at the top of the hill on the rabbit road. In 1980 when we moved to the rabbit road, it was a dirt surfaced. A good road for biking, a good road for walking. Heavily loaded trucks seldom used this road, seeing alternative ropes like state roads designed for such traffic. Back then, there were only 10 driveways leading into the rabbit road. Today that number 10 has tripled to nearly 30. So there are 30 close to 30 driveways

coming into the rabbit road and out of the rabbit road. Heavily loaded trucks blowing through a residential area on a road that's not designed for such traffic is a disaster ready to happen. I therefore support posting the rabbit road to limit trucks over 250,000 pounds or whatever the town

feels appropriate as well as seeking the state to investigate the possibility of having a fourway stop sign at the end of the west end of the rabbit road. particularly when we travel from the rabbit road to Brunswick on the rabbit road and connecting to um Quaker leading Rob Coast Road and all through that corridor there are four way stop signs except for one that is really needed on the Hollowwell Road that would slow traffic down so that they're not necessarily speeding along the rabbit road. They have to stop and then they pick up ste speed. I want to tell you, I wasn't going to bring this up, but I want to tell you an incident that happened to me coming out of my driveway. I stopped at my driveway at the top of the hill and I needed to turn left. I looked to the right. I looked to the left. I looked to the right again. And when I started to pro

proceed out of my driveway, there was a big red gravel truck had that came out of nowhere and didn't even know that I was there. Did not know. And I think it missed me by about a foot and a half. That was a disaster that I'm describing that's ready to happen to someone coming out of the rabbit road. It needs to be posted. Raise your hands over here if any of you

feel safe walking or biking on the rabbit rope. I'm the only one that's stupid enough to do it. I walk from the rabbit road all the time and it's dangerous. Thank you. Thank you very much. public comment section? I'd like to discuss and just reinforce that some of the stuff that's been happening at these pits and the things that concern me the most are the times of what they're allowed to work. I don't know about you all, but everybody keeps saying they're allowed to work from 7:00 to 7:00 p.m. I get home at 5. I do not want a bunch of trucks running down in front of my when I'm trying to relax. I don't want to listen to the pit in the background, which I can hear every day.

They should be limited from 7 to 5. There needs to be enforcement. That means our code enforcement officer needs to get out there and do his job. Not just every once in a while or when we're making a complaint, he needs to go out there at least unexpectedly, at least once a month, if not a couple times a month, and do a pop inspection. That way, they don't have time to prepare. That way, he will see what's actually happening.

the road. I can sit there in the mornings and count 50 trucks going by my house. And I'm not talking just dump trucks. I'm talking 18 wheelers and they're flying. That's a concern. I mean, I understand rabbit road, but now all that traffic's going to be on that's going to come down here past the schools, past the fire department. That's an issue, too. They don't care about us. You're supposed to be looking out for us. That's why we elected you. This stuff needs to be taken care of. There needs to be enforcement and there needs to be some sort of punishment. $15,000.

Really? You think that's a punishment for them? That's a punishment to all these people. We're the ones that have to live here near that. Now you're considering a corridor. Really? Think about it. I I moved to this town almost 20 years ago. come out of the Marine Corps because I needed peace and quiet. And here I am.

I've got trucks coming and rumbling by my house. I got a pit that's constantly doing nothing but working. I can hear it all day long. That is not peace and quiet. And I do not want them working on Saturdays or Sundays. Give us a break. I'm not anti- business and I have no issues. Dugas has been there. They've been a great neighbor. They warn people when they're going to do things. You don't see a lot of trucks coming up and down. They've been respectful to the neighbors. But these new people coming in are not. They don't care. I know John Snell. I know him very well. He doesn't give two, excuse my language, craps about any of us in this room. Not one. Thank you.

Sorry. Sorry. Thank you, Brian. Do we have any other public comment this evening? I would ask anyone who's submitted verbal comment tonight if you don't mind if you've got remarks prepared or you can summarize those in writing. We'd appreciate having those emailed to us as well. And so really would appreciate that.

No more the last call for public comment. I had a question. Yeah, just we just need your name and your street as we can hear you as long as you say your name. Rabbit and name D. Been there just about 50 years. Bought it for 75. Uh the roles there and now you guys t it, you raised it. Uh

what that man said is right. The truckers don't care about the people in town. I'd like to know when and how you guys are going to decide this. It really needs to stop and stop as soon as possible. I'm just passing what? Huh?

Yeah. Oh, they go by my house. It's I'm in the curve. The dirt falls out. Cars are going by. They're getting showered by that. I was in Brunswick today. I saw half a dozen trucks and three axles all covered. Ducas covers his. The rest 90% of the other guys don't cover it and they don't care. So that man has said that over there is absolutely right. They don't care about what we do. But you guys were elected to take care of us and we're all living for you to do that.

That's all I can say. I can appreciate that feedback. Does anyone else have any other public comments tonight? Can I just I'll just say one. Thank you. Just your name and road. Jeff Margger, uh, Pine Mill Drive. Yeah. Um, I got to rape, too. But, um,

can we stop with I mean, are we going to all of a sudden wake up three months from now and somebody's just bought 30 acres or owns 30 acres and decides they're gonna become another gravel pit? I mean, is that even a conceivability? I mean, is that possible? I mean, it seems like we're pretty open to allowing this stuff to happen. If you have some lightness, you can do it. I mean, I don't know. I'm just

Mhm. I'm just making I'm just kind of questioning what Ripley Pit to the Dugas Pit, I mean, he Dugas is just Yeah. He's there and it's a nice [snorts] steady slower process. These guys are frantic coming in and out of there. I mean you got like 18 trucks and I mean every 20 minutes it seems like. I mean it's crazy. I've gone I've gone by there and seen them in you know in line trying to get out. I mean that at one point you know a couple months ago. So I mean I I don't know. I mean, it just seems and of course, yeah, the guy went beyond his five acres and

Yeah. Oh, could I say one thing? Well, I just want to make sure this gentleman's I'm done. Sure. Okay. Thank you. Oh, I wanted to bring up the point that when we bought our property in 1976, it was 160 acres of land. And as soon as we

bought the property, we met someone who said, "You can't have a gravel pit on this property. There's a moratorum." So, it is possible for towns to state a moratorum on no more gravel pits. I think we've had enough. I think we have a limit. Go look at the town of Gray if you want to see what gravel pits look like. Miles and miles of deep holes

destroying completely destroying the land. This is not something we can get back. It's a nonre nonresource available. you it doesn't come it all get this going out of town. So the towns out of out of Durham are benefiting and I'm not sure how much taxes

these gravels provide for this town. Yeah. Where's the benefit? Right. Where where's the benefit to the town? What is the benefit? What is the benefit to the town? Do we have any other public comment tonight? appreciate getting all this feedback. This is a topic that we definitely need to explore further and there's a quite the process to go through it. But feedback like this is very important. So, I really appreciate it. Um, and I took a lot of notes, reflect [clears throat] upon it, got your name, so if I have any if any of us have any follow-up questions, we can reach out and and uh get some more info from you. So, I really appreciate all the feedback tonight.

be to approve our uh meeting minutes. So, I have a motion to approve the meeting minutes from June 23rd. Really fast. Why don't you explain to everybody what that we can't really have a discussion right now? Yeah, sorry. I should clear Rebecca has a good point. So in our public comment section, we really have to limit our com our sec this time timeline to receiving information from folks. It's it's not really a back and forth. And in terms of taking actions, whether it be discussing this sort of policy or discussing more moratoriums or discussing permit uh allocations, that's not something we have on our agenda. And so we can't do that from the floor this evening. Um, while I understand everyone in the room has a very uh strong and informed opinion on it, when we talk about these things, it has to be announced uh at a broader scale. So, everyone has the opportunity to know there's a potential policy

change or policy being discussed tonight. And so, since we um don't have that on our agenda, we can't cover that tonight. So, what I will do is take all of your comments, make sure that our code enforcement officer gets it, and speak with our code enforcement officer and our town manager to get as much information as we can, possibly even pull in town planner, code enforcement, all that and see what sort of options we have to discuss this further, whether we have to do it via a public hearing, whether it can be done via a normal meeting. Um, we are constrained by a pretty uh strict process that we have both at the local level and the state statute that that guides us. So we have to go through it in a very meticulous way. So not taking any action tonight is not reflective of dismissing any of your comments or anything like that. We have to receive it and then and figure out a way to proceed. So we're not going to

change anything on the pits tonight because we can't. So I just don't want you to think we're just disregarding what you're saying. So may I make a comment? I think we should commit to our next board meeting if it's not the goals meeting. But it's not

we should come back with what are our next steps on this topic. I agree. Yep. I'll put that on the agenda for and do whatever we can in between the meeting, but uh we need to get this addressed. We need to get people in the room, right? Not just the residents, but the business owners.

And we need to get these comments um yeah, acted on. So, we can either do it the 28th or August 11th. I think August 11th is code. What's that? Oh, that might be goal set. Either way, we will we can discuss that during our our later in the meeting tonight about when we'll put it on the agenda, but we'll put it on the agenda very soon, one of the next few meetings to reflect the importance of this issue.

So, just keep an eye out on the agendas because we need to come back with what the heck we're going to be doing here. Just so you all know, agendas are posted by end of business on the first and third Thursday of the week of the month. So Thursdays, end of business is later, but that's when we'll announce what's on the agenda for the following week, which is our meetings are always the second and fourth Tuesday. Agendas come out first and third Thursday. So,

and prior to that, I think we can also make a recommendation for main DOT or for Calvin to reach out to main DOT also about starting with the forward. Yeah, I'm going to pass all this on to Calvin as well because that's not our jurisdiction. That's the main because it is really bad.

But I think yes, I've almost gotten hit that intersection many times. Thank you. Thank you. All righty. Uh the motion to approve our meeting minutes from June 23rd. So moved. It's moved by John. Do I have a second? Second.

Any discussion or questions? All in favor? Any opposition? Seeing none, new business. One of my favorite parts of the year is always awarding our scholarship. And this year, our scholarship award goes to Sean Gastonway, who's with us here tonight by his mom. So, that's pretty exciting. All right, Sean, I'm going to have you come stand up over here.

I always enjoy when I meet high school age children taller than me, too. So, congratulations. Yes. So, uh, we have a little thing to read off for Shawn here. So, tonight we are pleased to award the Durham Community Scholarship to Shan Gaston Wayi. Shawn has been a strong student, a dedicated member of the swim team, is someone shown real commitment to work, technical education, and community involvement. A few examples of Sean's accomplishments include serving as captain of the swim team, uh competing the Skills USA, including diesel equipment technology, receiving Skills USA main gold medal in diesel equipment and technology, being recognized as a student of the quarter at region 10 technical high school, and earning academic and athletic recognition through the Freeport School. And after giving him that handshake, we've got a diesel mechanic, right? That's a firm grip. Uh Sean will be attending the

Florida Institute of Technology to study mechanical engineering. We're glad to support him as he takes his next step. Shawn also on top of this busy schedule works for local businesses including Sweet Meadow Events, Cop Excavation, Mechanic Wells Veterary Hospital. So congratulations Sean.

Has potato chips and cookies. Congratulations. Congratulations. Yeah, it's okay. I'm just going to get the top. You don't have much. Yes. Congratulations guys. All righty. have the ad committee here to discuss the hoop uh hoop house discussion. Um I appreciate your all's patience. I know that I rescheduled you three times and I promised that tonight it was going to work out. So I'm glad you can make it here. Um so if you just want to come up and just give us a brief update on what the request was and we can talk about a little bit further.

Sure. U for having us tonight. My name is Jonah Fig Bird. I live at 125 Bowie Road. Um co-owner of Celebration Tree Farm Wellness Center and uh I'm the co-chair of the agriculture committee. Eric Day. I live on Windgate Farm Road, former manager at Repova Farm and also member of the committee.

Thank you. Yeah. So we um came before you in back in February um to present this presentation and I think you I see you all have in front of you. Um and yeah, so not to reiterate, you know, all what we said then, but um you know, essentially, you know, the average cost of production for farming has increased. Um and you know, we have more and more farmland that is falling out of agriculture production. Um and but farms do feel have um $1.1

billion dollars in economic impact support nearly 13,000 jobs statewide and um so we as you know a committee um formed to really support and promote agriculture in Durham and both look at where there's opportunities to promote where there's opportunities to uh reduce barriers uh to agriculture Um and so um

we are working on some broader um work that we will bring forward in this next year to uh next year's um town meeting. But um when we started look at maybe some smaller pieces of work that were barriers, we saw um that the um the fees

charged for hoop houses in Durham um were um really you know prohibitive um and were out of line with what um is being charged um in other um local communities. Um, and so, you know, I think right now, yeah, the current fees are um are within the the commercial fees of of um commercial building fees. Um and so what we've came before the committee back in February and um you know reiterating today is really a request uh to ideally

uh eliminate fees for hoop houses um which are essentially temporary structures um and you know that that would be the request and um in this presentation is more examples of um what other towns are doing um like Warren and Auburn which have no permitting fees for a building and structures. Mined [snorts] does a greenhouse is a flat $35 fee. Um and hoop in Bodenham hoop houses and high tunnels um have no permit or fee. Um so those are you know examples of other towns

and um you know as we look at within our comprehensive plan that we want to promote the rural character of Durham you know part of that is um to support working farms and so um to you know if if a farmer was looking at where where what communities are supporting uh farm farm viability you know looking what what's what's it going to cost for my infrastructure?

Um, is that going to be prohibited? And I mean, and Eric brought this example up originally because of Repova's experience of um a 30 by 70 hoop house. Um, right. That's so 2100 square ft. Um, which how much does that end up being for the

at the time? I think the the fee was a dollar per square foot. So, 100 bucks. Yeah. And the the cost of the move house itself depends on where you start at but like seven or eight grand uh so the fee being whatever percent significant percent of

the total cost. Yeah. Okay. So that's the overall you know what our our request to you is and um I'm open for further discussion or or questions. Chris Chapel is here as well with trust to prepare this uh great packet of information. So she also could answer questions as well and Christa's been a great support to our committee in this work.

Well, thank you for the presentation back in [clears throat] February when you gave the first time and again tonight. Uh does anyone have any questions for anyone from the committee here? How many farms are there in Durham? Like business funds, do you know?

That's a great question. I mean that's something actually we um have had a desire to um look you know get a better assessment and and you know it's also um you know as we look at that yeah is an and this is one of the things that we've been working on within some of the work with definitions to differentiate between an [snorts] agricultural enterprise that is a business because there's various farms that may not actually be businesses but maybe want to focus on homesteading and also depending what you know what what's that threshold of business so I don't have a great uh you know succinct answer for you um for that but you know our hope is that we will have more farms and you know at one point Durham did have more farms

all the residents of Durham so even somebody who is not an agricultural reader but wanted to do something in their backyard put a greenhouse up or something like that is covers is it covered just normal green houses and hoop houses. Yeah.

Yeah. It would I mean I think what we had proposed for language um and was you [snorts] know really to um remember where in this but um you know is to um yeah have it as something that um you know [clears throat] actually limitates it for all hoop houses. Yeah. So with regards to the flat fees that they're not in a did you think Auburn got rid of their flat fee?

So that's former formerly. Yeah. Uh so on page um eight of this presentation Warren and Auburn. Yeah. So Warren Auburn no permitting fees for a buildings or so that's you know any a building period. Um and formally, um Auburn did have a flat fee of $25 plus plus 7 cents per square foot. That was their their former model,

but they've now um no permanent fees for a build infrastructure. So that's, you know, just to clarify, we're not asking for that um tonight. Um we're saying just hoop houses. So this is I mean this is saying also in Auburn you could build a I believe a build a barn and not have the permit fee for that barn but we're just talking about who passes tonight

unless you wanted to go first but you know that's that's the that wasn't on the agenda. Yeah, the ones on the agenda. So you can uh any other questions? The number I mean the question that I envision us getting is you know how much is this going to

increase decrease revenue for the town, right? And so yeah, how many how many how many how many of these are going up every year? And I mean that's a great question. Um, you know, and I my my my guess is a handful, you know. I mean, like three, four or five. I mean, um, right now with, you know, the state of where we're at with agriculture in Durham, um, maybe more, but, I mean, that's Yeah.

So, you know, it's not like it's uh we're not um the hoop houses aren't paying for the town budget. They're just a small I have a comment from the code officer. He just wanted me to um ask that um if you wave the fee just to also um require the permit just for zoning oversight. So no fee but just have him go out make sure the hoop house is not a

and I think that was one of your initial asks was that you know understanding the permit just asking for the fee to be waved. Yeah that the fee is really the issue. I don't think we probably from a financial standpoint count on fees coming in from these.

Yeah. So I think the even though we you know it contributes but one year nobody could build you know half that and there would be no permit fees and Yeah. Yeah. Um so I'm I'm inclined to be in favor of this. Are you still open for questions?

Yeah. Yeah. Um, I want to make sure we're what we're what we're talking about because it was a very good package, but it was confusing. Um, so a hoop I want to make sure we understand what a what you're saying a hoop house is and what you're asking.

So a hoop house is whatever size it is, and there's various ones, but it is a non-permanent. It's not glass, it's polyester or saran wrap or whatever you put over those things. Um, it's not anchored to the ground. And I guess my big question is, and I'm not in favor of if there's electricity or water, then there should be a fee for electrical inspections and water inspections. So, if you're just asking for a structure that is, [snorts] you know, a plastic wrapped, whatever it is, and I'm not describing it very well, but has no electricity or water in it, that's one thing.

But if you, you know, I read somewhere, I think in your info that some places blow air between layers to insulate it. Uh, some of those facilities have fans to exhaust. They put in heaters if you're going to try and grow in the winter. And so I'm I'm not in favor of if we're going to have power running to it. That the power part being free. The structure uh whatever it may be, the 2100 square ft that you dealt with is is a different issue.

I'm I'm okay with with no uh I would think we'd want to have a permit but no fee associated with it. So the code enforcement guy knows it's going in and he can go out and and look at it like he wanted to. You want to talk about the different smart to the hoop house that that hoop houses we have the one that we do charge for.

Um the electricity uh there's no electricity to that one. The irrigation is coming from a spot attached to the main the main barn and the main uh building. [clears throat] Um on the other ones there is a spot and then and then but the electricity is solar power. So, uh, and there, yeah,

like you said, exhaust fans and inflation f inflation fans powering powering those. Um, the one of the packets in here does, uh, define what a hoop a hoop house is versus, um, you know, a greenhouse. Um, a greenhouse is is considered uh with heat uh like a propane like a propane uh tank detach.

Well, they're two different things, are they not? I mean, the way I read this was there is a hoop house and there is a greenhouse, right? And a green greenhouse generally has a foundation. That's what it said in here somewhere. And she shaking her head. Yes. But

yeah. Um well, I just wanted to make the distinction that we're not talking about green houses. I agree. what you're talking about is somewhere in between a hoop house and a greenhouse a little a hoop house that has power go into it is is something that I'd like to charge to do the electrical inspection

one note here yeah so this packet um was just put out by the main department of agriculture conservation forestry so this provides guidance um and official definitions um There's low caterpillar tunnel which is a long temporary thing. High tunnel

which um and then greenhouse. So that gives the three different definitions. Um the distinction between green houses and tunnels is often determined by the covering. Yeah. uh glass can be used on green houses not high tunnels in the presence of a heat source or other utilities beyond water source for irrigation

which I think is what you were getting at there as well there there is some heated high tunnels as well but yeah I mean I think that cover is really we're talking about I mean I think really the request here tonight is really focus on the high funnels um you know and I think to what you're saying John I mean Um and I think we had yeah talked about this pre you know the recognition that electrical work is different um and so that's not the the request is not to exempt those electrical.

Yeah that's and then I would just recommend that we're using well maybe we should using high tunnel and hoop house interchangeably what they're not necessarily are there's a hoop house and there's a high I guess want to make sure that we cover both in whatever we do.

Yeah. I mean, you know, I think and yeah, high tunnel and hoop house are often used interchangeably. Um, you know, maybe just for sake of because the DICF has it in here, this language, high tunnel might actually be the better language to use as it conforms with other states. And the the major thing too with them is high tunnels, low cat, low tunnels, all that the crop is planted in the ground. Whereas my understanding is with a greenhouse, it might be on a platform within a greenhouse. Whereas like the definition with high tunnels and low tunnels is you're covering the ground to extend your growing season um and then planting in the ground. And so that's where there's a bit of a distinction there, too.

I would just use both. Yeah. That way. And I think you're working on definitions, but I would work with the planner to make sure that whatever definition you come up with is in the in the definitions of the land use ordinance.

Yeah. Do we have any other questions? electrical and if it's just a spigot, but I mean if somebody's running water, if just electrical I think is the key. So could you Oh, sorry. No, I was just say I agree with John. I I I understood it to be just asking to wave the fee for the the building or the structure itself, not for the other

Yeah. Does anyone have a motion they'd like to make? I will [laughter] I will make a motion that we wave fees for and I will say hoop houses and high tunnels um as defined as uh non-permanent. They're not on a foundation. Um, did I cover it for those two uses?

Electrical would be covered the same as a building permit. Let me see what's in our So, just so I waving the fees for the structure, not for the Just waving the fees just for the structure. Thank you. I'll non-permanent structure.

The non-permanent high the hoop house and the high tunnel. I'll second that. All right. So, let me just clarify here. The the motion is to wave the uh building permit fee for high tunnels, but still require the permit. Yes, wave the fee. You have a motion. Yeah.

Okay. There's a motion from John. Is there a second? Second, Josh. Okay, perfect. Any other discussion? No, I think it's I really appreciate you bringing your experience and I understand it can be frustrating to sit in a chair and ask for other people to to get a permit release or fee taken away that you had to bear the burden of. Um, but for me, when we think about maintaining rural characteristic, there's not much more rural than growing food. Um, and so I'd want us to be make sure we're supporting that and being tangental to the industry. You know, if we're increasing your profit margins by giving you an extra three weeks of growing season, but gobbling that up with a $2,100 permit, the math's not math. So, um, any other comments before we vote?

Do we just want to also say that we're going to wave the admin fee because any permit application gets an admin fee of $35. How much is it? Yeah, I' I'd wave all fees for I would Yes. Yes. All right. All in favor? for only high tunnels and

for high tunnels. Yeah. All in favor? Any opposition? Seeing none. Thank you. Before my wife who is the daughter of a farmer told me not to be dick. I don't know what [laughter] everything. That may not have been the word she used. [laughter]

Appreciate it. Thanks. Thank you, John. All righty. So, now we're going into the new business review and discussion of economic development committee. George, is that what you're here for tonight? That is. Wow, the room cleared out.

Yes. I'm I'm bummed the room cleared out because I think that there is some misnomer that the economic development committee is looking to create some sort of travel corridor, which is not the case. Um, and I also know that you're going to present to us tonight, but I want to make clear some people referenced us as the committee making the choices. It is going to be the residents and and members of the community. So, I just want to caveat that, but we give you the the stage here. So, okay. I'm George Tarage, town planner, and I'm here to answer questions about the uh proposed resolution on forming an internal economic development committee. Uh the town received a grant for $75,000 on the state to do a study of the area

uh surrounded by Cushy Road on the north, Hollow Road on the west, and Brown Road on the south about uh maybe uh a mile or two toward the uh Freeport uh Brunsworth. So, um, as we've heard tonight from some of the public comment, this area has a number of existing gravel pits. Uh, it had, uh, received a application for battery energy storage, uh, plant, uh, a couple years ago, uh, because of the CMP, uh, transmission corridor that goes through there. So, uh, the town is looking to try to bring some positive things out of this, uh, opportunity and, uh, the area has about 860 acres, right? That's, uh, several very large parcels and only about 13 property owners control all of that acreage. Uh, there is an aquifer there that provides a potential opportunity for a water source as well as protecting it, as you've heard concerns about that tonight. Um and you know some of what we've seen across the state is that uh repurposing

gravel pits uh often they're supposed to do a um uh a plan that kind of restores the edges of the pit and reshapes it and uses it for other purposes that with some of the older pits that hasn't really happened as you are probably aware. So it gives an opportunity to work positively and proactively with uh pit owners to see if there's possibility of repurposing uh portions of their pits for the purpose of solar energy. And there's really no better place uh from a visual impact uh and a and a land impact to place those large solar farms than uh than gravel pits. We're seeing that AC parts of the state. So u the analysis is included. Uh the grant application gives you kind of the details of it. But tonight uh really what Gary uh I looking for is the uh resolution to establish the interim economic development committee. Uh we have proposed that it consists of uh a representative of the land use policy boards and commissions

that would include yourselves uh select board representative the agriculture committee planning board uh and the conservation commission. Uh all of these entities have had a lot of background on these issues and understand what the what the goals of the town are and comprehensive planning uh parameters. Uh, and then look for uh an atlarge member from the community with uh economic development or business development uh expertise and uh experience and really have that be kind of the oversight uh committee for the study that's going to be done by the Greater Portland Council of Governments. And so the resolution kind of lays out that process. Uh more recently we've also talked about the benefit of having an alternate member for each of these groups so that uh if one of them is uh out for a period of uh time uh you'll have someone to step in and obviously the dual role of those representatives

would be to give feedback from the perspective of various groups but also to uh communicate with the groups uh what's going on with the study and then when it comes to the point of the study's been done and there recommendations coming out look for those citizens of the community who have been part of this process and really understand it to really explain it to the community. So uh at this point again what we're looking for is to get that interim economic development committee up and running so that GPCOG can launch uh this major study. [clears throat]

If you have any answer questions anyone have any questions for George? No, this is great. The volunteers needed you guys. Who you took this or who you took? This is great. This is nice. And then a few people have already expressed some interest.

Oh, really? Within these parameters that you have? Yeah, it's really a great opportunity. And when I hear you explain it, I think that I mean it's an opportunity to explore some type of possible businesses that can support tax revenue.

Mhm. To try to ease the burden. Um but it's a lot of controversy around these types of businesses, industrial parks and all that other stuff. Um, so the reality is without public water or you really can't do industrial parks as they do in other communities. So really what you're looking for is something that not only fits within Durham but also really has viability, right? and the energy corridors and the agricultural. As a matter of fact, uh the earlier item tonight, challenges facing farms and farmers uh down on their list is lack of access to on and off farm infrastructure and processing capacity to diversify business. And uh and that would be one of the main things that you try to look for in this is is agricultural uh processing so that these local farm businesses have someplace to go to have their products uh processed and packaged. Uh so it's it's looking to take advantage of that opportunity and

provide a needed service to the agriculture uh interest in the town. Any other questions for George? I think it's Go ahead, John. I will make a motion that I had a comment before I was waiting for other people to say things first. Um I like the idea. The only thing that I was thinking a little bit differently is I was thinking about maybe we could expand to more than one regular at large member to get a little bit more community involvement. Um, you know, I some feedback I've received is this is not our intent, but the perception is that committees are kind of like you get on a committee if you're in the no and there's not a good way to break in elsewhere. And especially because I know that there's a lot of um a passion around this topic. I'd like to us maybe to add another atlarge member um from the from the community. Uh I just want to judge other people's thoughts on that.

Yeah. So two regular members and one alternate member. Yeah. The only challenge is I'm just counting here. That would be select board, ad committee, planning, conservation commission. So that's four. If we did two more members, it would be an even number. That's the only challenge in case they had um I know sometimes we shoot for uneven numbers or odd numbers to break ties if there's a vote. But

and just to clarify, you're talking about two additional atlarge members. Two at large, right? Correct. Two at large members. So a member from the select board ad committee and planning uh planning and conservation commission and then two at large members uh instead of one at large member and one alternate. So we have two at large and one alternate. So that's just my thought process.

Will the will the atlarge member be allowed to participate? Oh absolutely. Yeah. So I mean there there is an opportunity for that person to keep an eye on. You mean the alternate the Did I say you said at large? But I'm sorry the alternate art. No, actually actually what this I think char and the alternates aren't even in here,

but I think what the intent was to uh kind of keep it a a scaled group for decision-m purposes and um and so the intent would be there would be five voting members uh voting but like the planning board yeah the alternates do not vote they would

they do not vote but they part they would they would vote if the other members if the other members but are you asking about at large. I'm asking about the atlarge alternate because I think the Joe's concern is and maybe a legitimate one is how does another person get involved, right?

They could participate, they just can't vote. Yeah. And so I don't whether we call it one at large and two at large alternates or whatever. I would just like to see us expand a little bit more community involvement there. Maybe an ex another alternate um could be something. I don't I don't know. I just want to raise the point that my hope would be we could add an additional seat for people to participate.

I like that idea. Do you think there would be a problem if there was an even number of committee members? Well, my suggestion would be to add add a third one. So two so two atlarge. Yeah. What you could do is and then one at large alternate. So it' be a committee is seven plus an alternate.

But the alternate and the alternate is a tiebreaker. No, the alternate would be there in case one of the others can't. Yeah. So we'd have a select board, ad committee, planning, concom six, seven, two at large would make seven, right?

No, there's four core committee members. We'd have to add three at large. Um and then one alternate. So what I'm saying, I'm sorry. Yeah. So what I'm saying is would you foresee any issue with six six voting members? So then that's it's fine.

Yeah. So I would say I like this idea. I just want to have if you have four standing if you have a tie vote on this it's probably not going anywhere. Yeah. I'd say four these four delineates slickboard ad committee planning concomarge

with one alternate. Yeah. Um, that's my only suggestion. So, um, do we have a motion? I was just going to say I the only thing I don't like is the interim part because I think we need an economic development committee. That's a good point.

So, uh, uh, I this could be their first project of the new economic development committee. Yeah. Just in response to that, um I think the intent is to say that part of this study analysis will be looking at options for a long term. Uh some communities have uh what they call an economic development commission and they have the authority to negotiate uh agreements and then they don't have to do it out in a public meeting. uh obviously that would not necessarily be a suitable uh arrangement like Warren and other places they have economic development commissions uh probably an economic so we'll be looking at that option for the for the long term yeah and then this is focused on this area uh there may be an extension of that next

because I see this as we have a grant to focus on an area but that doesn't mean that the committee's work could has to end right at the end of the grant so I think that's a good point Josh that This is step one. Yep. All righty. So, I guess since I coaxed the motion, everyone, I'll make the motion. I move we establish our

economic development committee consisting of a member from the select board, a member from the agriculture committee, a member from the planning committee, a member from the conservation commission, two at large members from the community, and one at large alternate from the community. Were we doing alternates for the other boards in case someone can't make it? I thought

Yeah, that would be the recommen and alternates for each standing board. I'll second. Thank you. Just because you're hand cramping as you write this motion down. All right. So, just uh we have a second to clarify. My my point would be we'd have primary people from each board,

two at large members from the community, one alternate from the community, and each board would also have an alternate that could fill in in a voting capacity should a board member not be able to make it. And GP COG's the leader or you're the leader. Who's the

It'll be a partnership. Uh Cog is going to be doing most of the leg work, but we'll be doing coordination and support. All righty. So, all in favor of the motion. Any opposition? Seeing none, um what I'll say real quick is I think that we can leave it up to each of the committees to decide who they want. Um I think we need to put out a well and then we can talk with Jerry when he gets back, but put out a call to the comm community for uh the atlarge positions. Um I know John you had expressed interest in the select board rule. Um and so uh I don't we would we should probably have a vote. We can do that tonight or next meeting on who would be from the select board if there's anyone else interested being the alternate. Um I'd defer to you four as filling those two roles because I have a lot on my hands right now. Um so do we want to have that discussion now or would we like to put that on a future meeting?

Who from the select board will be an alternate be on the committee and who will be an alternate? Well, John just said he wants to be Yeah. So, I'm saying we should enshrine it. Yeah. People are quite okay with that. Yeah.

At least me, doesn't it? No, there's I I would It just depends on the meeting times. Yeah. Right. I mean, that's for me. I mean, if you're going to meet at 4:00 or 5:00, I'm out. Yeah. If you're going to meet at 6 or 7, I'm happy to stay.

We'll have two alternates. It's I mean, it I'll be I'll be an altern I'll I'll be an alternate. Rebecca can be an alternate. Do you need to vote? All right. I'm I make a motion that the select board assigns John as our member and Rebecca as our alternate.

I'll second. Second from the two people who aren't on it are making the motion and seconding. So, [laughter] all right. Any questions or discussion? All in favor? I'll abstain. Any opposition? I thought you were going to vote against, but can we

Thank you. Can you talk about can we put a deadline for the at large? I say we this we post it for two weeks 14 14 14 days from the day we post it calendar days um because we don't we want to get I'd like to give the this committee the opportunity to convene sometime in August you know. Can Can we Sorry. Can we Can we have it close at 5:00 on the 28th so that we can put on

the agenda so that we can get started because this is a long time coming and I know you've worked hard on this. Yeah. Uh and I this is one of I think one of the most important things we've done in a long time. Would you rather have it close at 11:59 p.m. on the 27th so we can address it on the 28th? Can we address it even if Oh, yeah. I guess we can address it because if it'll be on the agenda the f the previous Thursday and then we just talk with people,

right? You just won't have their applications if if it's five Well, if it's 5:00, they have to submit it by 5:00 on Thursday. Yeah, but we won't have it in the packet. You won't have the applications. It's I'm not I'm not so concerned about that. Yeah,

we already advertised the the We did put it the last one. Jury wanted me to put it in the last um news blast. Yeah, but we're going to have a second. Yeah. So, all right. So, so Monday. So, what you're saying is we'll we'll approve the nominees on the meeting of July 28th. So, people have to have that in before the beginning of that meeting. And Joe, if you could reach out, I know the planning board has already uh selected u Julia Kap Kepler and Brian

Lisa is there are going to be available for and uh if you could reach out to the conservation commission and the agricultural committee that would be great invite them. And I I already mentioned it to the a committee that this was going to pull together, so I think it's on their radar. Um Can you guys just edit the document before it goes out on Friday to have it say to you?

Yep. And thank you John and Rebecca for stepping up on this. Can we also put on the agenda at our next meeting to approve the um the resolution establishing an interim economic development committee so that they have the purpose, the mission, responsibilities.

You emailed me. Did we did that? We didn't. Can you email me that and we'll put it? Yeah. Okay. I'll write I've written it down, but my brain's Oh, I'll email both. No, you just want to vote on the updated draft of Yeah. I I I want us to have it so that

So, we'll approve members and approve the resolution in the same meeting. Yeah. And that way you can call them all together and get a meeting going. Perfect. On Wednesday, which will Awesome. That's for the July 28th meeting.

Yeah. Yeah. You're running that meeting. I won't get here. So Oh, you got to put it on the agenda. [laughter] Gotcha. All right. Cool. Any other questions for uh George? Yes. If I if I may I don't know if this is appropriate for George tonight or not, but um the planning board is it's more for us, but planning board has a a solar farm on their agenda. I think they're doing the sitewalk next week, maybe the 24th. clean

20. Uh and my question is how does that work with contract zoning? Okay. Because the we had talked about back when we were approving it. Yeah. Solar farms were going to be channel large ones like this were going to be channelneled through contract zoning.

Does this break that threshold? No. No, it doesn't break the threshold. It's quite a bit It's quite a bit smaller than the 20 acres. The total project wasn't 20 acres. No. Total project site is 11 acres. 11? No. No. But that was our threshold was 28. Yeah, that was the threshold for contract zoning. Yeah,

answer my question. My notes say July 28th was supposed to be our goal setting meeting. Is that wrong for changing that? That's the I got confirmation from GP COG that it's in August. Our first August meeting. Sorry. I I think I sent I forwarded that email a couple weeks ago. I can

Good question though, John. Thank you. Thank you, George. Yep. Good work. Just a quick followup, Ben, if it's okay. Um, so that means on the July 28th meeting where we should come back with what are our next steps for this pit business, you won't be here and Josh will be leaving that which is fine with me. I just want to say we

we Joe will send notes. Yeah, or text I get past, but it's really just what is our near-term action plan to to address these things. I think we need to have a I think we need to have a discussion and then we need to set it at the at a future meeting after that to decide

let's you know let's I I think I think frankly I think we need to have a workshop and we need to spend some time on it because I'll have some other comments in the board member reports about other things that are somewhat related to that.

Yeah. Okay. Yeah. I don't think that a resolution can be taken at the next meeting like there's the I know much to the chagrin of some of the um members of our community. We can't really unilaterally from this meeting to next meeting do something next meeting we can start the process of like what other information do we need to gather? Let's make sure we have everyone's feedback next make sure we hear from Calvin as to what his feedback is. I know he's been out there several times.

That's basically what I mean. mean go out and do things for just like Yeah. No, it's it's a very important topic. Did we approve the resolution for this committee tonight? We're going to do that next. We're going to approve the volunteers. We then we can change the resolution to a life term and then others in front. Thank you. Thank you both. All righty. Um, well, item C here, discussion of grant opportunity for fitness. I'm excited about this, as you can imagine. So, I sent this big long detail here to you all. Um, last

late last year, early this year, this organization, National Fitness Campaign, sent the select board inbox an email. um you you all might have seen it just saying that they wanted to discuss uh opportunities for community health and I followed up with them and had a a one-on-one meeting just to get their feedback. Um mostly because I'm familiar with the product that they have here, these community exercise locations cuz I have used the one in Lewon. I've used some across various other states as well during my travels and um more or less the I met with them to ask them the real question what does this cost you know how does this work and so their goal as you can see in this presentation is to locate what they call a fitness court within like a 20-minute bike ride of everyone in the country um and so these are

what's that in the country oh I see yeah so it's a national they're they have a national grant funding to uh work with communities to help them figure out ways to establish these. And so these are things as you can see on some of the photos here. Um this photo right here shows this is the one that's in Lewon.

Uh and it has a area for people to do lunges, stepups. It's fully handicap accessible for exercise routines. There's an app associated with it should you choose to use it. there's an exercise layout so I had kay get some exercise um they go on a 30 by30 pad and

they were discussing opportunities here in Durham and so I I had a meeting with this person just to get some info and explaining to them that we no one makes any unilateral decisions here but I could gather info to present to you all and this is what we have here so they have a grant program where if you agree to pursue one of these they can do a quick twoe turnaround grant and essentially the organization itself can award 20 or $30,000 towards the construction of one of these with a zero zero match effort. Um then they have

local state sponsors and other national sponsors who work with communities to help close the gap on the rest of the grant funding. [snorts] I had explained, you know, if this is something that the board wanted to consider, we'd probably I didn't want to speak for everyone here, but we'd probably want to consider a Z uh fiscal impact for the community. And it sounds like that is a model that has been used in the past for these to get grants to cover the entire cost. Um there's a little bit of a cost breakdown in here, but generally these exercise areas can run, you know, around um $160,000

concrete work for the uh pad that goes down, 30x30 pad, very simple. The uh exercise equipment that gets installed, and then the labor. And so they have a example here of a fitness court on on one of these pages. Total cost around 200,000 at least $30,000 in grant from them $170,000 that needs to be made up elsewhere. They found that the gra the concrete pad is very simple. Sometimes local businesses will donate that or usually municipal works departments can very quickly manage that and then they work with us if we were to go with them to find other grant opportunities. I asked them what would it look like if we decided to pursue this and there was no we never ended up being able to raise the funds and they said their grant is non-binding. They say hey we've awarded for you hold on to it. You've got a few years to raise funds if you want you can do that. Um the discussion I had with the person locations in town that this

could go was potentially um at the end of the parking lot in the town hall because that's already handicap accessible and it would be in essentially right off of left field of the baseball field. And so it would be up against the tree line there out of sight out of mind and not in the way of any future uh downtown envisioning that we've talked about there. And so what I was looking for tonight was the board to take a look at this if if interested. Um approve us to sign up and uh get the

grant funding that they offer and have them come give us presentations on the other grant funding opportunities available with the understanding that we want to explore this option at a at a u z fiscal note. um because obviously we

don't have it in the budget to purchase this or front this or anything like that and that's not what I'm asking for. But I just thought it would be a useful investment in the community um and I wanted to hear people's thoughts. We can also hunt it for later. Just want to get it on people's radar. I I go

long as it is a zero Mhm. you know, investment. if they can come if we can come up with um funding then yeah I I think it would go very nicely with the idea of our economic development of over here with the town office being updated one day in the near hope future. Um

that was all I was going to say. I I agree with all that. The only concern I have is the extra work for town staff for doing the grants and um and that's one thing I asked them about. So their grant application is like a two-page thing and it's pretty much a guarantee. Here you go. Then they have a local sponsor in each state who helps staff handle all the other grant applications because it's this big national conglomeration. Um

and so that was one of the concerns I had is what's the lift look like for staff? It sounds like it's relatively low um and would be done over a longer period of time. And so we I think the nice thing is with everything being non-binding, we could evaluate if this is like something that's taking too long. We could say, hey, you know,

we either need to seek a volunteer or seek somebody else or just say no, we don't have the capacity on this. So I I totally understand that perspective. I fully support it. Yeah. Um, any other questions? I like the ideas.

Yeah, one thing that was unique was they were explaining that like a lot of times in communities there's like local businesses who will, you know, work to volunteer and there's this backdrop on it that the equipment hangs off of and they can put businesses brand on the back of that if they donate to a certain extent.

Let it be my second question about branding. Yeah, they can do branding there. So, if someone, you know, and that's where we could say, you know, hey, we found this grant opportunity and it has, you know, a matching component. We could say like, you know, a $10,000 match. Well, $10,000 from a sponsor could get you the the the placement on the back or whatever, and then we can leverage that. Um, the other thing that can be considered like if if there were to be an example, and I'm not saying this is the only way to do it, but were to be an example of, well, the town public works is going to level the area out and prep it. All that time could count as non uh that count as inkind contribution for grant opportunities, too. And so, they have a really big experience of like getting these on the ground in rural in small communities. There's two other in the state that have them, but they have experience getting them on the ground in

an area that needs it. Um, they also found one of the things we talked about with that location would be close proximity to EMTs should there be a medical event. It falls under the same protection insurance policy as our other recreation things, but that brings people close and uh they like having them near schools because they have found uh school teams have used their coaches have used them to do like exercise up there with students. And I know that one thing we heard from the baseball team is that they need to get more space for the kids to do things when they have overlapping practices. And so there's some opportunity to address that as well. So

um I would agree. I think that it's nothing's ever free, but it's it would be free. I mean we we don't want to commit any kind of money. The question I would have though is maybe Lewon could help us with this. What does it cost to maintain it every year? Is there repainting? Is there, you know, is it minimal? Is it

got to do this every five years or, you know, whatever that may be. And then I guess the question would be if we keep it close to the school, would they be willing to participate in it and I don't know if that we want to, but they, you know,

I don't think they have any money. Yeah, [laughter] they would, but that we'd see that when they come to us with their budget later on. So, yeah, like I said, they said, "Yeah, we'll front it. Nothing's ever free. Yeah. And I mean to that point too, I agree with you. Nothing's ever free. The hope is, you know, a lot of these grand opportunities are coming from elsewhere if they're tied up in other taxes or something. Bringing them back to us is is always the goal. So, um, I just wanted to bring it in front of you all to, you know, the person who presented to me, I've talked with him twice now. He's more than happy to, you know, talk with anyone on the board or give us a presentation. Um, just thought it might be a cool opportunity here. So, uh, I guess what I'm asking for is I'd like to make a I'll make a motion to approve beginning the grant process for

yeah, do I have a second? Just the fitness court or the studio fitness just the fitness court. the Yeah, the studio was was 30 by 60 and then just essentially has a blank area for people to go do yoga and karate and all that sort of stuff. So, all righty. Do we have any other questions or discussions? I should caveat at this point there's no fiscal note tied to this in terms of budgetary um and any fiscal note that would arise from it would have to be brought back to us. So,

maybe it'd be good to find a champion for this, somebody in the community. You I had those ideas. Not me. I had those ideas, but I did like there's some people who offer fitness classes in the community and other communities have found that people who offer those fitness classes often times partner to say, "Hey, rather than meeting in the parking lot and exercising, we can go over there. There's businesses that I know of that might be interested, but I didn't want to approach or discuss this with anyone until we had approval and buy in here." You know,

we also may want to have we get the firefighters out there pumping iron. You also may want to have them talk to the RSU5 community. Yeah. Because um there's always, you know, like because of the yoga. I mean, you you were talking about the doing the sport studio, but they we do like RSU 5 community does yoga. They do like adult and kid programming and camps. And the the group can really use extra space. There's always

Yeah. Like we're always running out of space. Yeah. So yeah, you may want to actually reach out to somebody at the I know Peter Wagner. Well, he's like Yeah. them. But yeah, somebody from RSD5 community to maybe help and be a proponent of this.

Also, Nick Lions is the um the teacher at the school over here. Yeah. I mean, my hope was that once if if if motion passes tonight, I would then try to identify other community partners to to champion this and then work with them because that's the model that they have found has worked is you find

other grant opportunities, other community partners. Um, and this something I could work on and bring back reports to everyone on. So, I think if we put it in the the news blast that we're exploring a grant in this area, any fitness instructors or leaders within the town of Durham

who want more information, contact Joe. Yeah. And then we can just kind of get things rolling a little bit and get people involved with I believe NIT lines, he got a grant. There's a whole ropes course over at the school that he he works with and also the Tiger Trails, the fitness trail we have a story walk on. So, a lot of projects like that over there. My thought process too is if there we could then put a trail through the woods from that to the school and then they could use it. There's other opportunities there. So, um, cool. So, we have a motion. It's been seconded. We've had discussion. Any, uh, all in favor?

Any opposition? Thanks for volunteering. Yeah. No, that's why I didn't volunteer for business development. I'm going to go over to the one in Lon and film a promo video of like pull-ups and stuff like that. Oh, god. It's right down by the river. Um.

Oh, okay. That's a pretty cool setup. manager report. So, wait, what about the other these other um grant opportunities? There's like a whole list of stuff. Oh, those are all part of this. So the people who sent it, they have they already have identified in Maine and in the and USwide what grant opportunities

exist. But these are all like you after you say yes, we're going to go with you all. This is where I can go home go back do some homework start asking. Some of them have rolling application windows. Some of them have limitations to you know communities of a certain size those sorts of things. So that attachment is just the list of the known partners who um

yes I see who participate. So yeah are fitness gurus that uh are business owners too. Maybe reach out to them. Yeah, like this is the list on that first page. Uh pageuh 69 it says the program is all these are all the you know NFL foundation grassroot program like the skate park project doesn't qualify but uh T-Mobile hometown grants is a big one that people can get and the goal is to piece together all of them. So

great good job. Well, we'll see. All righty. Um nothing else in new business manager report. So Jerry had sent along um as we know that Jerry Jerry's been out um he had sent along and I forwarded to the group uh an update on the um pay as you throw bags. So, uh, as of right now, the get and go and this is this page that we sent along is going to go out in all forms of communication that we have. And then I was going to do an update video after later this week

um on on the on social media going over this and also encourage people like I understand not everyone uses the internet, not everyone you use signed up for texting. If you know someone who doesn't, you can be a voice in your community, too, to get them up to speed on this as well. Um, and we're gonna post this at the town office.

Already posted at the town office. Yep. And so the pay throw retailers that have agreed to car these are people who have agreed to carry the bags. the Durham Get and Go, the Hannerford and Topsum, Food City in Lisbon Falls, Market Basket in Topsum, Hannerford on Spring Street in Auburn, Shaws on Center Street in Auburn, Hannerford and Brunswick on Elm Street, uh Shaws in Freeport on Lower Main Street, Hannerford and Lewon in on Sabbatis Street, and Shaw and Lewon on East Avenue. So, all of these folks have been set up with the uh bags contract.

It's just on the store managers to order the bags. My understanding is that Durham Get and Go has already ordered bags. Um and so that's the closest one to here. Um the bags will be available. There's two sizes. Um and they will both be available at those all at those locations. The turnaround time is very quick. The m the waist zero said that if someone orders bags on a Wednesday before 3 pm, they should be at their store by Friday morning. So they can get them uh ordered really really quickly.

Um quick question. You had talked about it being online for online retailers. There is not an online retailer. They had indicated to us when we first brought them in that they that there was and they're now saying that they don't have online retailer capacity. But my understanding is that if you do um like Hannifford to go or any of the other to- go, you can add them to your basket there for pickup. Um it is frustrating that I mean they were here when we said, "Can you sell them online?" They said yes.

And so um we will pull on that thread more um because that's very frustrating to me. So are we going to keep track on our town website? We I'm sure we'll have the list of these places, but yeah, this will live on the front. Yeah. uh which which uh businesses have acquired the bags.

Yeah. I mean as they as they get the bags in, you know, we should have our residents be able to look at this list and say, "Oh, food food city is good." You know, just like the the startup of it. I think that'll fall on some of us to check the the stores.

I know John, you emailed me a couple weeks ago said, "We need help on anything else, let you know." It's like I got a list of locations here for you. They weren't a get-go yesterday, but I go to Food City occasionally. I don't like to shop, but I go to Food City. I go to Shaw. So, I think it it is kind of like I don't know whether we divide it up or we just Yeah, if you go shopping, look in the uh ask the manager. And if they're not there, maybe we ask the manager say

because well, we explained to them, Jerry said he explained to everyone that August, the first week of August is our start date for this. And so, we need them available before that. And uh way zero says everyone that you've got signed up is in a position to make sure they're there before that. Um, what I would say is that we're going to start, Jerry said that starting in August, um, public works staff and waste zero and folks like that will be able to start doing, um, inspections around town to make sure compliance and we'll ramp that up throughout August and into September, understanding that if we see that places are getting really slow to stock them, there will be grace there, you know, and this is going to be a learning process. It's going to take a time to transition into using this system. Um, Cassella is going to be able to watch with their camera to see are the bags going in there purple or not and help out with

that, too. Um, so it's, you know, not encouraging people to say, "All right, well, when are they really going to start cranking down on us, but that we understand that it's like it's going to take a little bit of time." So, I have an ask for the next town

blast and the website. Mhm. So here where it says it's it has to be more updated than this where it says the 15gallon small bag. It needs to have the price like so there's no link for it. Now when you link to it it's just a picture. It's not there's no link. So we do have to have a link on the blast

to go to the website that will specify how much the 15 and the 30 gallon bags are. Mhm. and then a list to find the retailers. Click here or something like that. Yeah, I think that pay is throw could use its own tab on the website.

I agree. Yep. Um and we've got some public feedback asking for that as well. So I want to make sure. And your video will help as well. Yeah. So maybe with your video, wait until there it like specifically for this wait until it's actually on the website too.

Yeah. Yeah. And then you can direct people and then link to it as well. we have this list of retailers that will carry the bags. If next week I'm worried about getting my bags, people are I I feel that they should be able to go to a list on the website and see if they've arrived at that location or not.

Yeah. Yeah, at least we don't want people We don't want residents looking at a list, oh, they have them here, and then go to the store, oh, they're not there, and then there's all this. Yeah. And there's obviously a chance that that someone sells out, but we don't want to send them there and they say, "Oh, yeah, we order them. They'll be here next week." It's like, well, I drove here today to get them. You know, um because I don't want to make any excuses here. Like,

this is the town asking residents to do something new, do something different. It's not, you know, it interrupts your standard flow of life. This is not like we're saying, "Oh, it's not a big deal. bill is not going to change anything for you. We want to make it as smooth as possible.

Josh, you have I was going to say I know the the the get and go is already ordered there. So, yeah, they should be there soon. Yeah. Yeah. Well, I guess if we go to Market Basket and and they're there feedback or you know, we just feed back to Jerry or somebody says, "I said Market Basket on the 24th and they don't have them or

I make a big deal of it, but it's not there that day." I'll go and say I want to speak to the manager. Well, I will it's not there. I'm going to make sure that he knows he or she knows. That's one thing is I think that we want to get people said they can do it. Jerry gets an update. Um

waist zero has an update with folks on Thursdays. So, they should get an update again this Thursday. If Jerry gets when he gets back, if he gets anything troubling from that update, he can say, "Hey, this is the issue where we're holding up."

Oh, right. Um, and then, you know, I hope we don't have to cuz a lot of like these like Shaws and Market Basket and Hannerford, they already carry other towns. So, it's just a matter of checking the box to say, "Yep, send me Durham that he knows."

Yeah. Sometimes you check on this stuff and you get a thousand mile stairs. Well, and if it doesn't happen, I think it's our responsibility to be make sure we're following up on that and having Grace with folks in in town, you know.

But, uh, get and go is going to be ready to go. You get him put him out. he said he would. So, yeah. Perfect. Awesome. Um, other thing from Jerry's, uh, report here. So, um, he just wanted to flag right away. Uh, we certainly admin is going to be over budget this year. um a staff person who has cha changed

their benefit election due to uh within the rights of what they're allowed to change because of you know life events who and they've gone from uh cash in ll which is $1,200 to family which is $33,000 and so the the admin department has never been under budget by that amount and so Jerry's saying that it's pretty much guaranteed the admin will be over budget because of that election change we did not budget for anyone to change uh insurance elections. Um we do have money set aside for things like unemployment and contingency, but the likelihood of making it through the next year with $32,000 under budget is unlikely because we know we're usually coming in at about 99.6% of budgeted use for our town. Um and so obviously going to work to uh mitigate that, but um it is you know the fact of being an employer and Jerry just wanted to flag for us as soon as possible because he says as soon as I know something's going on I want to let

you all know and so um wanted to just share that with you tonight and obviously we'll see financial reports throughout the year. Um few different ways we can handle this. Uh as the year goes on and at times what's happened in the past, if a department's gone over budget, the following year they have to ask for that to be dispersed out of the town's um funds or raised and appropriated to cover it. Uh but this is just uh um shows some of the challenges of being a small employer. You don't have the eb and flow of people adding, people coming off and and so that's uh just something Jerry wanted to make us all aware of. So, if you have questions about it, let Jerry know. All righty. Um, board member reports chair, I don't have anything other than thank you to the two board members who are stepping up in that extra committee capacity and, uh, I'm sure Deb will give us an update, but thank you to Deb for your continued work

with the band stand. Um, Josh, anything? I do. So, uh, as you know, I work for the district attorney's office. We have uh a nationally uh renowned award-winning prosecutor who handles uh our driving offenses. She put on a national conference in Freeport uh that was attended uh by people from all over the country.

Wow. Um and she drove from her home through Durham 4 days last week. Uh, and she said to me, "Josh, you need to talk to the state uh about lowering your speed limits." Mhm. Uh because it's too fast and it's not safe and no one's abiding by them anyway. Uh and I said,

"Well, yes, but uh uh you know uh I I said I said I would I would share that. Um I said she specifically talked about um show the area on that side of 136 towards Freeport. Um and uh on parts of Route 9. So you know things that we heard about today. Uh I I told her that you know they've been in and uh you know I think they've done those and they don't really care.

Did Did they ever answer? I mean, he came back and he being the Mnock guy in like I don't know like shortly after the death. Have we ever heard back from him? I can ask Jerry. I don't I mean they were going to check on a whole you know stop signs here do you know lowering the speed limit. He was going to get his boss out here. I mean I think they owe you're in support of that. I think they owe us an answer.

There's also another car another massive accident on what on 125 and so the other day where a truck was overturned. gravel truck. Yeah. So, um uh but one of the things I think when we're talking about rabbit road and one of the the people tonight mentioned it, it's going to affect all these other roads and frankly for me with a kid at the school. Uh that makes me nervous. Um I mean, you're looking at those lines at the beginning of the day. I don't do pickup, but I've done drop off. Uh and those lines are

it's terrible. It's it's dangerous because you're so backed up. People are so impatient. Um and and so uh I think uh we need to at the next meeting we're going to talk about these things, but I think we need to have a workshop

to address public safety roads. And I will come back to a thing we did and we did a straw poll and it didn't pass. But on every different thing, we're hearing about reasons why we should have more law enforcement coverage.

I don't necessarily want the extra work in my office cuz we're busy enough as it is, and I don't want the cost. Uh but um you know, the speed of the trucks, the speed of the other vehicles. I mean, there's only one way we're going to be able to control that, and that's and and we're not going to be able to do it, you know, with one unit on at a time either. Um, you know, and as I've said before, I have these discussions with members of the sheriff's department from patrol deputies up to the sheriff. And every one of them I I it feels like I can't speak sometimes. Uh, you're out on an island in Durham because everything else that we cover is over here. and we have to go through Lisbon, Lewis, and Auburn, uh, who have their own police departments. Uh, and so, um, I,

you know, I the sheriff stay busy on Route for Turner. We can just, we just say, um, and, uh, and, and they do, uh, because I do push and I'm not always so nice about it. Say, you need to be down here. I've at times seen them down here more um you know not when they're responding to an accident but uh you know we've had multiple meetings about public safety where that's been an issue raised and you know I hear everybody talking about you know uh do weight limits do this but that doesn't address some of these other overriding issues that are causing the accidents which are speed

uh and inattentive this and there's only one way to control those. Lowering the speed limit I don't think is going to do anything. Uh and so uh I think at some point we need to have a serious conversation and I think we need to plan on a workshop that includes um you know business owners, the public

and the sheriff's department uh about this issue to see how and DOT uh and obviously Calvin and the chief uh but all of the stakeholders not at a 6:30 meeting but you know on a on a Saturday if we have to or us whatever uh where we're sitting together and we're talking about you know how are we going to hold you businesses accountable we understand you know these are how things like that and uh and so I understand people want it done quickly and there are some things we can do but nothing's going to address the issue completely until we do that and I think uh you know that's that's got to happen and that's my

can I can I make a comment to that My concern is we have done very little to even improve the situation. I brought up multiple times about these radar signs, if that's what you call them, and I drive down Main Street in Lisbon three times a week and they're practically every two miles.

And for me, they work. I mean, we Why can't we pick some locations and get those up? I know there I think there might they may be a little pricey, but it is a level of awareness and improvement if you had those signs and maybe lower the speed limit if the state is willing to do that. And even if not, I think people aren't even just aware of how fast they're going. I mean, I've gotten two complaints from older residents on is it 125? uh you know coming up off the bridge going towards you know Shiloh that way

where these older residents are scared to get their mail. It's so bad and all we have is the standard speed limit signs that are everywhere. We have not in some rare cases where people are complaining. Calvin has been putting those fancy signs up, but you can buy those permanent solar related. Hey, you're,

you know, you're 42 in a 25. That would help improve things. And I don't know how much they cost or how significant the issue is financially, but you're not taking, right? I mean, we should be doing like that. And we talked about that when that gentleman was killed and we had the guy come. It's like what are we doing soon and it's a year later and we

Yeah. You didn't you know and real quick I I think that John brought up a good point last meeting too when you talked about the law of unintended consequences as well because I don't think anyone up here is a transportation expert.

And so in my mind it's like oh yeah shut down this road. Okay well now all those trucks are coming down here. And I talked to a business owner in town that deals with heavy trucking. And he's like, "That's been brought up before, but then we'd all have to go by the school. Now I got to bring feller bunchers and dump trucks and all that by the school during school hours." Yeah, I know to slow down, but also this is a really hard corner to turn for some of that equipment. And so like, you know, we don't need to get into a nanny state, but we maybe there's something more we can do involve people who um have more subject matter knowledge. I can bring this up to see if maybe GP COG has public safety support. Um because we're hearing about it a lot.

Yeah. And you're hearing about it from someone who is a subject matter expert on this topic. That's really key there. And the sheriff does have the sides like we have that they will want to put out. I think Yeah. Let's get the signs like Lisbon has on Main Street.

Yeah. No, not the ones like that are built on design, but the portable ones like we have. Yeah. Calvin has the one two up right now. Yeah, there's two out right now. Yeah, that was prompted actually by a resident that called me that was having he was just having a hard time getting out of his driveway.

Yeah. And so I know that those two are employed right now, but we don't it's like it's always shifting, you know? My suggestion is to me that's going to help at least people who don't realize like when they pull someone over doing 108 on River Road, that sign's not going to slow that person down. Like that happened. But it's like I've seen that sign and been like, "Oh, I didn't realize I was going 52 here." You know,

those signs are an awareness factor. That's what the drawback is is that some people see those signs and want to see how fast I can go, which is why some of them now say just slow down or something, right? Um, but well, I like the idea. I think Josh is, you know, it it is a holistic approach and a law would attended consequences, but we really probably needed to if okay, we we do something to rabbit road,

but then you know, is there another road? There's swamp road and then where's all that traffic that is supposedly going on rabbit? It is going to come down this way. And so we'd at least need to talk through I heard what everybody was saying was post rabbit, block rabbit,

mine rabbit, whatever it may be. But there is a there is a consequence to that. And all I can think of we need to decide and say we're willing to take more traffic in front of the school. One gentleman mentioned that he that was a concern of his, you know, this

this this building I think is what concerns me because I think you're right. They're going to get stuck out of this intersection which is terrible to begin with. Uh, and then you're going to have a line here and if an emergency response is necessary going that way, you're going to create more danger for everybody.

And I would like to have MD DOT be part of that discussion. They control that intersection. I mean, they plate owe us an answer. I mean, it's been 6 months and and they've blown, you know, in my opinion, blown us off. I I think there needs to be a roundabout here and that's the safest way to get people to slow down. So what I'm hearing here is

is there I hate death by committee but do we need to explore a public safety committee for the community to like get some involvement community involvement here? There's passionate stakeholders involved. We have business business people in town who are you know I don't want to say contributing to the problem but could be affected by constraints differently. It's like is this something we need to explore more more of? I mean that would help with doing finding grants, you know, if that committee could be in charge of finding public safety grants out there as well as petitioning with the MA m dot for four-way stop signs that are needed at Hallowell and Rabbit or um and um

runaround as well as 125 and Soer. I think like those are really important things to have. I we do have a ton of committees, but this isn't the worst. everything that was say saying tonight, most of it was evolves around Route 9

and and you know, we've got 125 had, you know, the a soaper and 125 sucks because, you know, it's a two-way. We have that intersection. People coming from BWI going back to Lewon or Auburn. Yeah, there's a parking ride in town.

I mean, it is in the morning. It I walk the dog on Meadow and it is non-stop traffic on Soaper going down. I mean, dump trucks are not the only issue we got, but I but I think and they blow past the I would really like to find out ASAP what and and uh

I'll email Jerry tonight to make sure and I recognize he maybe laid up for a while, but and and they've been busy, but they they should have done their study. He should have talked to his boss. He should have come out and looked at it, so they probably owe us.

But I'm sure that there's somebody else in town who has some background. I I will yeah I will say one of the challenges I know from cuz I've had some further not with that DOT person but some further discussions I've had the tools that many of us were answer involving MD dot doesn't get those tools put into place because they're saying we already pay attention to our roads we have this this metric we know we have we put out the road those little black strips you run over it that counts cars you know we count cars we know how long it is of a site view. We know how many houses this is that speed limit and you know your issue seems to be like because what I'm hearing tonight is some of the issue is people are blowing the speed limit away. They're running a stop lightss and then regardless of speed the volume of traffic is different than what it was when they moved to the to the road. And so some of those things MDOT

isn't going to do anything about. They're going to say, you know, it's an enforcement issue. The road speed limit's for 40 m hour. Everyone calls Rabbit Road, Rabbit Raceway. They're going to they're speeding. No one's enforcing it. They know no one enforces it. You know, that's that's one of the issues. So, I don't I mean, I'm going to follow up with DOT, but I'm going to I know that they might say like, h it's your road, not our road. You know, those sorts of things. So, we have the main that's where I think a public safety committee could also help address some of those like

what sort of advocacy can be done that is not tied to, you know, increasing police or or getting DOT involved like What's the process of getting it so everyone has their mailbox on the side of the road that their driveway is on? I don't know. Like, we've got trash now so you don't have to cross the road. Is there other ways to decrease crossing the road? Are these other things that can be looked at? You know, do we get a volunteer crossing guard person to stand in front of the school during certain times? I I don't know these answers. I'm just saying someone in town probably does.

That's what I'm saying. I I think it would be probably good to put feelers out there for our committee. I think the committee is a long-term solution, but we need something more short-term near. Yeah. And I think that involves a a meeting of the stakeholders.

Yeah. Yeah. I think the the jury and Calvin and Chief and you know that having that if if nothing else, at least we will have aired the issues because I heard what everybody was saying. Some of it was emotional, you know. I mean, how do you know they're doing 60 miles an hour? I mean, uh, when when you're standing still and a truck big big truck drives past you, it see may be faster than you you're slower than you think it is.

And so, we need to take some of that emotion out and and sit down and say, "Okay, here's the law of unintended consequences. Okay, doing rabbit road is the right thing to do and we can do that, but recognize it's going to come this way." I do know to your point too, some of the questions are about both noise and traffic. That study is supposed to be done as part of their conditional use permit for the pit. So there's at least a lever there getting some facts and data for us as well. But um

we don't know where those trucks are coming from is. Yeah. I mean that's that's the issue is well perfect example is there was a complaint filed about truck traffic um assumed that it was related to the the pit and then video from that same day shows no truck traffic into the pit at that time the complaint filed about truck traffic was not associated with the pit

and so it the complaint is about I'm seeing trucks go by my house at 5:30 it's not that pit you know drive down run around pond road drive out to panel there's a lot of trucking going on. Um, you know, they're delivering to and I and I woke him in. Calvin, I think, sent us all an email where he did a he went out and looked and he checked and he did a nice response to the

to the residents. Um, but there were, like he said, that, you know, wasn't that particular. It wasn't, but I still hear the the concern there is there's a lot more traffic here than what I expected when we first moved here. What is there anything we can do about that? I don't know. We can look into it. I don't know what the answer is, but um

I was going to say I also am not sure how we sort of change the permits of the already existing uh Yeah, I'm not sure we can we, you know, we can do that, right? I mean, that's something we, you know, if it's going to cost us more money to bring a lawyer about, see what we can or can't do.

Yeah. And that's Yeah. Just anecdotally, I remember about 47 years ago walking the cows back with my father-in-law on the on the stone stack pole road and he was madder than hell cuz the town had just approved paving stack pole road.

So, you know, things change, I guess. Yeah, it's tough. Um, Deb, do you have anything to Oh, Josh, do you have anything else to add to your board there? No, sorry. I feel like I hijacked. No, that's fine. That's what the meeting is for.

Deb, do you have anything for board member report? Um, yeah, I met with the, uh, historical society leads, Tia and Emily, on the band stand issue. And here, I just want to kind of summarize where we think we're headed. Um, we have a number of residents who have volunteered

um, to be part of a band stand renovation. And our thoughts are that these volunteers will be responsible for actually doing the renovation. We have one resident who has a um construction company who is willing to work with Tia and possibly a couple other folks to put together a material list. So really look at everything, put together a material list and then I contacted Jerry about whether we have, you know, do we have to have bids on the material and we need to follow the purchasing policy that we have online. So I need to get back with Tia on that. But

um so um that's where we are. We're gonna do a little uh video and awareness campaign that things are starting to move. And I noticed the historical society has actually been posting on their website and I um I didn't get a chance to follow up and show that to Jerry to make sure he's aware of that. Um but Tia and her team will take the

lead on making sure the work gets done basically through some um dedicated nights where people will come at that location and we're going to try to get this Eagle Scout involved who voiced um some interest in taking a lead there. Um we haven't been able to connect with him yet, but so where we are now is I envision that we'll have a material list uh ready along with a strategy plan to bring to the select board officially so you guys can so we can understand exactly what's happening.

That's very exciting. Um just to remind everyone too, there's already money set aside in the budget for this. So will we have a process to transfer that money or are they gonna No, we're going to do every um Jerry's response to me was this stuff needs to go through the town office like the policy. So once we get the material list and we take it to wherever we're taking it uh to get quotes on what that is then I'll work with Jerry

probably I'll work however I'm supposed to work through Jerry and get that uh material card and then Tia and Emily will lead along with a couple key players carpenter people I'm sure will step up um and run the run the the work days. Yeah, few work days.

I have no useful skills, but I can move stuff around. Yeah, I think it'll be good. I know that they're people are pretty excited about doing it. And I also have um somebody going over there and taking some pictures. You know, we're going to do a little bit of an awareness campaign. So,

I mean, I have to admit, I've only ever stepped up and looked at that closely when I got involved when you asked me to get involved. I thought, well, this would look really nice if it was all fresh, new because it it is really a nice um a nice structure

can be beautiful. And then, you know, then we'll talk about, you know, moving forward and who is would be responsible for decorating it or whatever it is we're going to do, which Yeah. Yeah. And I'm excited to hear about that cuz, you know, knowing that now the plan is to just renovate it into a monument and a lot of donated time and effort.

There could be plenty there could be money left over in that 30,000 that's set aside. And I see that could, you know, as part about that reinvisioning, I see that could maybe go towards buying certain decorations. So there's always a Fourth of July motif. [snorts] There's always a holiday season motif or something like that that could be stored

somewhere with the historic society. So there's an ability for that even though if it's not going to get physical use, it has aesthetic appeal, right? Cuz like they talked about, it's like it's it would have been beautiful to see that record dressed up for the 250th anniversary, you know.

Um but I'm happy to see we're moving along on things. So yeah, and it was brought up at town meetings. Every year it comes up at town meetings. So hopefully next year at time meeting it's uh this looks great, you know. Yeah. And initially I mean when you're it doesn't which I I'm like this with everything like that doesn't look like it's going to be that hard.

Yeah. Or when my husband says this is going to take forever. No. No. That's the beginning statement of several weekl long projects for me. It doesn't look like it's going to be that hard. Anyway, things are moving and the historical society leads are excited about it.

Thank you De and appreciate your leadership on this. It's really nice to see it moving forward. Rebecca, do you have anything? No. John, do you have anything? Covered it. Uh, I will loot back cuz I always forget something. I do have one thing. I have exhausted all options for grant I know we have a budget for tablets for the members. I have exhausted every option possible to find a grant opportunity for that. So, he was actually here earlier. Representative Kilton Webb to the main house sits on the house technical uh technology committee and um he made a request with his office. Their staff looked at everything they could. There is nothing available to buy this for us at this time. Worked with GP Cog. Um, no one has any grants available for technology for something like this at this time. Can't find any other options or anything like that, but I just wanted to follow back cuz people had suggested

we try to find grants for that. And I've exhausted everything. GPOG exhaust everything and our representative to the House has exhausted everything. I didn't ask the representative of the Senate because they aren't going to have any other info, but just letting you know I'm trying. Um, but I couldn't find anything.

It' be nice not to have on us. That's a lot of paper in color. How many How long did it take you to print all this off today? Well, I I delegated that to Devon. So, how long did it take Deon to do that today? Is it over an hour?

He does like the packet. So, that's why you have all and he just fits the packet. But like it's when we do it that way, it's less time and it's more paper. Yeah. So when I take the time to pull out all the files, organize it, it's more time.

And don't forget the time he's spending doing that time. It's time he could be spending that. Yeah. I mean, so I'd like to talk with Jerry about having Devin move forward on finding those for us. And the caveat being if anyone on the board still wants a packet printed off, we can still print off a packet for you. We just now have the option to to limit that.

Um, all righty. Hello. What's this? So, do we have a motion to approve the consent agenda? Some moved. Josh, I'll give it to you. John, I'll give you the second. I'll second it. All right. Any questions? Uh, all in favor? Any opposition? Seeing none, that's unanimous. All right. Upcoming meetings. Conservation Committee meeting on the 15th of July at the Eureka Center 6:30. Select board on 28th. I will not be here. So, Josh will be leading that meeting at 6:30. planning board August 5th 2026 at the fire station at 6:30 sawways committee August 10th at the Eureka Center at 6:30. Um we have covered ex plenty of topics for the next upcoming select board that uh I will digest and send to Josh and Josh can work with Jerry on getting on the next meeting. Um I don't believe we need an executive session. No.

So seeing that I would accept a motion to adjurnn. All in favor? Any opposition? Seeing none. Thank you. Does anyone feel the need to take home all the paperwork we sign at the end of the meeting tonight? So Jessica has track it down again.

I will watch John. Yeah. Yeah. I didn't even know I sign.