Conservation Commission Meeting - December 23, 2025

Okay, for those in attendance, we now have a quorum. We have four commissioners present, so I can officially open the meeting. And uh good evening. This is the Dartmouth Conservation Commission's public uh hearing for Tuesday, December 25, 2025.

We do have four commissioners present.

Uh that means for any affirmative vote this evening it will require a unanimous vote four out of four. Um if anybody whose matter is before us feels uncomfortable with the requirement for the unanimous vote uh please let us know and we'll entertain the motion to continue the public hearing for you. And hopefully at the continued public hearing we have more than four. This is a commission of seven. Um, we're

conducting this meeting uh as a result of Governor Healey's uh signing into legislation on March 28, 2025 a further extension for hybrid remote uh meeting options for municipalities.

That extension carries through to June 30 2027.

These uh public hearings that are remote are accessible to the public and there are ways for the public to interact.

There's a chat feature uh raise your hand feature and if all else fails, wave your hand. Um I would ask that if you're not speaking that you do mute your microphone so we don't receive any ambient noise that might interfere with somebody's presentation.

Um, having said that, I'll also note that this meeting is being conducted in accordance with both Town of Dartmouth bylaws and Massachusetts laws and has been uh appropriately noticed publicly in accordance with both the state law and local bylaw.

Our first orders of business are all administrative and the first is to approve the field reports for December 9, 2025. May I have a motion to that effect please?

So moved.

Have a second.

Second.

We have a seconded motion on the floor.

Roll call vote. Richard, yes.

Megan, yes.

Liz, yes.

My vote is yes. That motion passes unanimously.

The second administrative item is to receive the minutes of November 25, 2025. I have a motion to that effect, please.

Moved.

Second.

We have a seconded motion on the floor.

Roll call vote. Richard, yes.

Megan, yes.

Liz, yes.

My vote is yes. That motion passes unanimously.

The final administrative matter is to receive the minutes of the December 9, 2025 uh meeting. I have a motion to that effect. Oh, there are no minutes uh delivered. So, we can't we we don't need to do that.

Okay. There's nothing to receive. We have one field trip report this evening and that field trip report is a request for determination of applicability RDA 2526 from Islands of Fun learning center to convert an existing paved parking area into a fenced outdoor play area for a licensed child care center.

The work is entirely within existing developed and paved surface. There will be no soil disturbance, excavation, grading or expansion of imperous area.

Uh it is in the 100 ft buffer zone to a bordering vegetated wetland and the 200 ft riverfront area. The applicable regulations are 301 CMR 10.02, 2 10.55 10.58 and section uh 360-2 of the town of Bart Dartmouth bylaws. Um I got a question. Is that 301 or should that be?

No, that's a typo. It's 310.

Okay.

All right. So, it's a 310 CMR 10.02 2 10.55 10.58 and section 360-2 of the town of Dartmouth bylaws. The land is described as map 189 lot 78. It's otherwise known as 145 Fonts Corner Mall Road and um on this Mark, what is staff's recommendation?

Okay, this is a play area that's going to be to the rear of the building. Uh the northerly building at 145 Fance Corner Mall Road. It is entirely within the paved area as the uh legal ad read.

Uh it is within buffer zone to BVW and it is within the 200 foot riverfront area. I should note that the riverfront area, there is a river. It was coverted under the building, but it does daylight uh immediately east of the parking area.

So, it does encumber the area in question. Having said that, staff is recommending a negative -2 determination because of the riverfront presence.

uh and uh we're doing that with two conditions. The first one being all construction work shall be segregated from the downgradient jurisdictional wetland resources with properly staked and entrenched hay bales or waddles and silt fence. The second condition all storm water generated by the new use shall be captured by the overall site storm water drainage system. there shall be no storm water discharges from the

new use to the wetlands. So, uh given that it's on the pavement, it's already been graded and there is no change in grading. So, I think both of those conditions work.

Thank you, Mark. Does any commissioner have any question?

Um my only question I'm It may be a stupid one, so I'm still going to say it because I'm not afraid to be an idiot.

Um, is there any issues relative to fertilizers and that sort of thing in the play area or is it going to be like a a mat type of thing? You know, it's a mat. It's a mat. There's no there's no grass. There's no anything.

Uh, there's no discharge of any type.

All right. Thank you. That that clarifies it for me.

Commissioners, uh, you've heard staff's recommendation. I'll entertain a motion on this request for determination of applicability for a negative -2 determination with the two conditions as read into the minutes by Mr. Garrett.

The first involving segregating the construction uh work and the second being the storm water management moved second.

We have a seconded motion on the floor.

Roll call vote. Richard, yes. Megan.

Megan, you're muted.

You're muted.

Okay, Liz, I'll go to you and come back.

Yes.

U my vote is yes. And as soon as Megan comes and we get vocal on that, we'll be able to move forward.

Meg, are you out there? I think she's probably trying to get back in. I think she probably had a connection issue.

It's not the first time this has happened. It's first time this evening, but it's not the first time this Okay, she we want to admit her, so I'm admitting her right now.

Uh DCTV may have to do that, but Oh.

We'll see.

I don't know if you can hear us, Megan.

I can see you on Yeah, I can hear you.

Okay. So, we just need your vote on that request for determination.

Yes.

Yes.

So, we have four yes votes. That passes unanimously.

We're moving on. And uh I know John is listening in. Uh he's representing the project. Uh John, a negative is an approval.

Yeah.

As opposed, you know, positive would be you'd have to do more for us. Negative is we've signed off. We're not seeking any more jurisdiction.

Yeah. No, I appreciate it. Thank you guys.

All righty. Now, we have our we have three um noticed public hearings, and I'm going to read them, but I understand that the first two will re are have requests for continuances.

So, I'm going to read the first.

It's a continued public hearing. D file 15-2805, that's NOI25-39, is on the notice of intent from the Dartmouth Natural Resources Trust, Inc., That's DNRT care of David M. Divan for site improvements that include installation on-site gravel road access with signage, parking areas, storm water controls, improved sight lines along Flag Swamp Road, and to remove a steel catwalk, two pump houses, and a wooden

pier. These activities will occur on or within an inland bank, land underwater, bordering land subject to flooding, riverfront area, and the 100 ft buffer zone to a bordering vegetated wetland.

The regulations involved are 310 CMR 10.02, 10.54 through 10.58, and section 360-2 of the Town of Dartmouth bylaws. The land is described as map 79, lot 34-1. It's otherwise known as 293 Flag Swamp Road. I'll entertain a motion to wave the reading.

So moved.

Have a second, please.

We have a seconded motion on the floor.

Roll call vote. Richard, yes.

Liz, yes.

Megan, yes.

My vote is yes. That motion passes unanimously.

Uh Mark, I understand that the applicant has requested a continuence on this matter.

Yes, I I forwarded a copy of the request to the commission. Uh basically, the project is is certainly approvable subject to compliance with our storm water ress. Um DPW is doing the review.

This really didn't warrant a third-party peer review. our in-house engineering people are doing it and they had some questions. Uh first there was no real storm water calculations. Those were received by uh the office and by uh DPW engineering. Uh they had additional questions uh that couldn't be answered in time uh for the revision submittal deadline.

Therefore, they have requested a continuence to uh January 13, 2026.

Does any commissioner have any question?

Is there anyone in the audience this evening that wants to be heard on this request?

I see no commissioner having any question, nor do I see anyone in the audience who wishes to be heard this evening on this request. Um, commissioners, I'll entertain a motion to continue D file 15-2805 until January 13, 2026 at 7 p.m.

So moved.

Second.

We have a seconded motion on the floor.

Roll call vote. Richard, yes.

Megan, yes.

Liz, yes.

My vote is yes. That motion passes unanimously.

The second public hearing is continued public hearing DP file 15-2808 NOI25-41.

It's on the notice of intent from 600 PMSA land trust care of David M. Divan to construct a residential pier and perform improvements to the existing cart path uh within land subject to coastal storm flowage land under the ocean land containing shellfish. the 100 ft buffer zone to a salt marsh and within 200 ft riverfront area. The applicable regulations are 310 CMR 10.02, 10.04, 10.25, 10.32, 10.34,

and section 360-2 of the town of Dartmouth bylaw. The land is described as map 19, lot 20 uh_2.

It's otherwise known as 600 PMSA Road.

I'll entertain a motion to wave the reading.

Second.

We have a seconded motion on the floor.

Roll call vote. Richard, yes.

Megan, yes.

Liz, yes.

My vote is yes. That motion passes unanimously. Again, Mark, I believe the applicant has requested that this matter be continued as well.

Yes. Uh I also forwarded the email uh actually I think it was the same email that requested continuence for both. Uh this is a dock project at 600 Patska Road. Uh the first proposal did not meet with the approval of the harbor master uh due to navigational issues uh related to the it's not an official channel but it is the channel of passage in the Slogan River. Um and there were

some other issues uh that I had staff had questions on. Uh they put together a revised plan, changed the location of the dock, uh made it a much longer structure and it raised a whole host of other questions with the harbor master and again staff uh de uh division of marine fisheries has raised some issues. Uh so they are in the process of trying to address those. They did send me a draft plan

today of a third revision which I forwarded to the harbor master. We have yet to hear and again it was too late to meet tonight's uh submittal deadline. So they are requesting a continuence until January 13, 2026.

Mark, a quick question from me. Um, will that be sufficient time for Steve to review and comment on their plan?

Uh, I I don't know. I can't answer that question. He's been very good at responding within a couple of days. This is obviously the off season, so u he, you know, is not occupied with onwater, you know, responsibilities. Uh, however, I can't speak for Steve. Uh, I sent it to him as soon as I got it. I'm sure he will have comments in a few days, but we're dealing with the Christmas holiday

weeks and I don't know what his work schedule is. So, uh I would assume that he can comment, you know, by the week of January 9th. U you know, and uh that's the hope, but we will see.

Okay. I I I agree with you. Steve has been exceptionally good at responding quickly in the off season. and uh as he promised. So I I applaud him for that.

Um commissioners, do you have any questions?

Is there anyone in the audience this evening that wants to speak on this request?

I see no one in the audience wishing to speak on this request, nor were there any comments or concerns expressed by any commissioner. So, at this point, I will entertain a motion to continue uh the hearing on D file 15-2808 until our January 13, 2026 meeting at 7 p.m.

Second.

We have a seconded motion on the floor.

Roll call vote. Richard, yes.

Megan, yes.

Liz, yes.

My vote is yes. That motion passes unanimously.

We're now moving on to the third public hearing. It's D file 15-2811, NOI25-43.

It's on the notice of intent from Sarah Olirri to remove the existing 8 foot by 13 ft plus or minus platform at the end of the uh licensed pier. We then replace this platform with a 9 ft long extension of the pier with a 2ftx 8 uh foot bench and gangway and float within land subject to coastal storm flowage. land under the ocean, land containing shellfish, salt marsh, and within the

100 ft buffer zone, 2A salt marsh on land described as map 14, lot 10, otherwise known as 19 Smith's Way. We have a motion to wave the reading.

So move.

Second.

Second. Seconded motion on the floor.

Roll call vote. Richard, yes.

Megan, yes.

Liz, yes.

My vote is yes. That motion passes unanimously. And I see Mr. Haru is here.

Alan, you have the floor on behalf of the applicant.

Thank you very much, Mr. Chairman. Good evening, everyone. For the record, my name is Alan Haru. And for this hearing, I'm representing Sarah Olirri, who owns a house and pier at 19 Smith's Way on the shore of the Sloum's River. If I can share my screen.

Uh DCTV, I think Mr. Haru is safe to allow him to share the screen.

All right.

All right.

Can you see that?

Yes, I can very clearly.

All right.

Let me just Oh.

There we go. Okay. Um, this is the plan view of a waterways license plan. Four sheets. And I've highlighted the property lines in yellow. I've highlighted the mean high water and mean low water in blue and uh the landward edge of a narrow strip of salt marsh in green.

The existing pier with an 8x13 foot platform at the end was licensed by the Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection Waterways Program on November 14th, 1983. It's license number 1036.

We propose to remove the platform and construct a 4 foot wide by 9 ft long pier extension with a 2ftx 8 ft long bench in its place. Also, we propose a 3ftx 20ft gang way and a 10tx 20 foot float with float stops. The record waterways plan four sheets is dated November 21st, November 21, 2025.

David Pashette, wetland consultant, performed an eelgrass survey at this property on October 12th, 2024.

His report to the commission is dated November 12th, 2024.

There was no eelgrass observed within the project area. We received a project review comment from Amanda Davis, environmental analyst, Massachusetts Department of Marine Fisheries, dated December 3rd, 2025.

To respond positively to her comments, we propose float stops to keep the float float 30 in above the substrate at mean low water. And we show details in construction notes on sheets three and four of the plan set. Steve Melo, Harbor Master, has reviewed the plan and sent an email dated December 9th, 2025, which states that he has quote no no objections to the proposed project. As you said, Mr. Chairman, the D file

number is SE15-2811.

We respectfully request your approval of the plan, and I'd be happy to answer your questions.

Thank you. U before we get to any of our questions, I would like to hear from staff on their comments, please. Mark, if you will.

Yeah, I think that Allan uh accurately described what they're proposing. It's a modification but not a huge modification to an existing dock. Uh the harbor master did have some questions as to the end location of that float. Those questions were resolved satisfactorily by Allen uh in some email discussions.

uh DMF uh division of marine fisheries did issue a supportive letter uh but did recommend uh that the commission consider certain conditions some of which are pretty standard uh but uh DMF is now sending more detailed letters um so I've incorporated the conditions I don't believe that they are conditions that are drastically going to change the proposal at all. Uh but uh I will read

them to you. I'm requesting a modified standard order of conditions and the modification is uh special conditions 41 through 45 uh which I will read. Special condition 41. There shall be no leeate discharge into surrounding waters from any pressuret treated wood used for support piles or decking. Special condition 42.

Given the shallow nature of the river's nearshore areas, there shall be no prop dredging or scouring of any subtitle sediments or habitats. Special condition 43. There shall be no barge grounding at any time during the work. Special condition, if barges are going to be used. Special condition 44. Any staging and storage of construction equipment and/or on-site equipment refueling shall

be located outside of commission jurisdiction with and adequate containment and cleanup materials shall be available at all times on site to minimize impacts.

Special condition 45 is just the renumbered. Special condition 42, which is the reiteration of posting of a file number um at the property uh during the work and during the time that the order of conditions is open.

And this is all in accordance with the plan set that Allan has indicated dated November 21st, 2025.

Does any uh commissioner have any questions?

Is there anyone in the audience that wishes to be heard on this application?

I see no u commissioner wishing to express a question or concern and I see uh none from the audience. So at this juncture I would entertain a motion to close the public hearing.

So moved.

Second.

Have a seconded motion on the floor.

Roll call vote. Richard, yes.

Megan, yes.

Liz, yes.

My vote is yes. That motion passes unanimously.

Commissioners, I'll entertain at this point the issuance of a standard order of conditions modified with conditions 41 through 45 as articulated by Mr.

Garrett as he read them into the record uh on the plans dated 1121 2025 on record.

St.

Second please.

We have a seconded motion on the floor.

Roll call vote. Richard, yes.

Megan, yes.

Liz, yes.

My vote is yes. That motion passes unanimously. Good luck.

Thank you very much, everyone, and merry Christmas. Happy New Year as well.

Thank you.

All right, that ends our the public hearings. We're moving on now to our items for discussion. Um I see no bills but um we've got some discussion here uh which Mark you can lead the way but um I'm very interested in the first one.

Well, uh, the first one, um, actually when I posted the, uh, the agenda, I didn't know what I know now, but, uh, the minutes that you received this evening for November 2025th is a pro product of four sets of AI minutes for the November 25th with hearing uh hearings.

Um AI does not accurately pick up what is said in these meetings. So there was a lot of editing and the way it's set up is AI collects what is said in four different formats. So it was a merger of the four formats that we received from DCTV at my request. Uh that set of minutes that you received took me six and a half to seven hours to compile which is extremely inefficient

uh because it was merging text, merging formats and so on and so forth. So, having been through that, short of anybody being much better at putting together minutes and editing documents than myself, I am not a master typist or a master editor. Um, my sense is this is a very inefficient way to uh prepare minutes uh for your review and to accurately depict what's happened at meetings. Those

minutes are very accurate, but it took me a lot of time to do. Having said that, I then found out that the town has hired a minutes clerk uh to do uh planning board, conservation, I want to say select board, but I'm not so sure. But doing multiple boards, which is similar to what the previous minutes clerk did. So, they will have access to the DCTV televised uh version of this meeting

which usually comes out I believe on Thursday or Friday following the meeting night. It can be publicly viewed at that point. Um and or if they want to do it through AI that's fine. However, I would submit that unless they know what we're talking about and as as we all know, we use a very specialized language and we deal in very specialized concepts which do not easily translate to those who unaware

and there is a fair learning curve. Um, that's where we stand right now. Uh I did request some uh some additional uh notes for the December 9th meeting. I had wanted to try to get those minutes out.

uh but it's that much less in terms of what we had for the November 25th and with the hiring of this uh new clerk minutes clerk uh she is going to do you know a lot of backpedaling to catch up.

So I'm going to leave the no uh the December minutes to her at this point.

So that's where we stand. So, I'm thinking in, you know, a couple weeks, we'll probably be sort of back on schedule with minutes coming in in a timely fashion. So, that's basically what we have to I have to tell you.

Okay. Can I can I ask a quick question which is not exactly on point, but it's what I thought we'd be possibly talking about when I saw this on the agenda. I noted at the last meeting that Farland group was using AI to um capture what was being said at the meeting. In other words, make a transcript. Um, I'm just want I don't have a particular problem with somebody doing notetaking

that way, but I think we should have a policy relative to that so that we be very clear and state during the meeting that that's okay for them to use AI, but that's not a transcription and will not be construed as an accurate transcription because I I don't care if they want to do it for their own notetaking. That's fine. But I just don't want somebody to go and then try to produce it in court.

Uh we we we can put a statement on the agenda, you know, similar to what you know what we do for posting and uh you know the the governor's extensions and all this.

We just say, you know, I would request that somebody, Michael, you write that and we will we will put it on as a standard form in the uh in the agenda uh moving forward. I mean, I think, you know, I agree in concept with what you're saying. I just want you to I think you could say it better.

I'm happy to draft it, Mark. I have not a problem.

It's a sentence is what it is. I mean, you know, I mean, I understand if they want to use it for their own note takingaking, for the simplicity of being able to listen to what's being said during a meeting instead of scribbling notes, but I can also see the abuse of it being appended to an appeal as being transcript of what was said, which it is not.

Right. I agree with you completely.

So, that's where we stand on minutes.

So, I'm anticipating that prior to the January 13th meeting, you will have the December 9th minutes and you may have the December 23rd minutes uh for receipt uh at that time. Uh but I I can't commit to it because I don't know exactly what the work schedule is of this new person.

So, that's minutes moving forward. Uh hopefully I did a decent job of capturing what we did last time. Eduardo proofed it for me because it was a lot of stuff going back and forth, cut and paste from different documents. So I think we have a a reasonably good document. I would ask you all who are reviewing these minutes to you know re really review them. I mean I you know just don't gloss over them. Read them

hard. I I am pride of authorship is not a problem here. You know, I want to get it right. I think I got it right, but I'm not, you know, totally certain of that. So, uh that's basically all I have on minutes right now. So, uh that's that. Um the second item of discussion here is kind of a report of my status. Uh as you know I indicated at the last meeting that I have submitted

my letter of resignation retirement uh as the environmental affairs coordinator. I won't get into the the uh details of the discussion, but it was requested of me that uh would I consider staying on in a transitional position, not making decisions, not making recommendations, not doing anything tangible to permits or any anything like that, but to guide uh and help guide Eduardo and anybody that they hire

um to take my place uh moving forward, I have not seen a contract. Uh we have negotiated some terms and things of that nature. It could last through the fis the end of the fiscal year, which is June uh June 30th. Um, I don't know that yet, but there is something in place because clearly they are not going to have somebody in my position by January 9th. Uh, this is going to thrust

everything on Eduardo and um, you know, I don't think that's terribly fair either. Um, I had been talking club Eduardo.

I uh, I had been talking succession for several years. Um and everybody is shook their head and said, "Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah." Well, here we are. Uh time for succession and there is no there is no executed plan yet. Um you know there's a there's a lot of talk about what they want to do and how they want to approach it. Uh I have not been party to those discussions except that uh they have

asked me to uh do this transitional do this transitional con uh contract for you know few months whatever that means.

Uh they also asked me as part of the scope of what I would do is uh would I sit in as a listening board at the January 13th and I believe it's the January I don't have the date in front of me 27th or 23rd whatever the second meeting is in January and I did say I would do that. Uh this is officially my last night, my last hearing night as the environmental affairs coordinator uh

under that job description. So um that's kind of where we are on that. Uh so I I I I don't want to leave the commission or the town high and dry. Uh but I also have to uh you know look out for myself and my best interests in this. So uh that's where we stand. I'll answer any questions that you may have if I can.

Mark, I appreciate that update. Um, and I think it's generous of you to be willing to assist in the transition. Um, I agree with you. You've given the town more than fair notice that you wouldn't be here until you became a fossilized dinosaur. So, that they should be looking for a process of uh replacing you at some point. Uh, so this shouldn't come as a complete shock, but I understand it has, I bet. And, uh,

you've given them an opportunity now to put it into high gear. What what's been stated for now more than a few years.

And um anything I can do, I I'm going to be I'm going to have a communication um, phone call with Cody. I want to be part of what the administration is doing to try and make sure this transition isn't merely wait until the proverbial hits the fan with, you know, I want this they want them to use this time to actually do something constructive.

Well, you know, and I and I think that I think that's what we're all trying to accomplish here. Uh, one of the things I will state that I'm um I want to be cautious about this and I have not made a final decision on how I want to handle this, but I want at at this juncture.

I think it's prudent that I minimize my involvement in the selection of my successor. I don't know that that's necessarily the most appropriate thing. And I'll tell you why.

You, Mike, you said, you know, you should wait until you're a fossilized dinosaur. Hey buddy, I'm a fossilized dinosaur. I I'm old.

You're younger than I am, so don't say that.

That doesn't matter. We're all fossil.

Okay. So anyway, um I don't know what the towns and when I say the towns, there's two groups.

There's you folks, the conservation commission of which Eduardo and I work for in an advisory capacity. And then there's the other part which is the town. We are employed. We are employees of the select board and the town administrator and they're the ones we answer to on a day-to-day basis. Um, and I don't know what their view is uh relative to environment, relative to wetlands and how they want a new environmental

affairs coordinator to act. I've gotten, and I'm not trying to brag, but I've gotten nothing but accolades from people I've spoken to uh who have found out about this, but you know, the town, frankly, and I think you know, Richard and uh Michael, you would be you would admit this, the town has been spoiled.

You've had two really good environmental affairs coordinators for 42 years. Uh and I don't know that you as the commissioners have had to worry. I don't think that the select board has ever had to worry. I don't think that the town administrator has ever had to worry or the newly, you know, formed assistant town administrator. We have been more than capable of handling the business at hand,

but it was it's been very handsoff. Now things are a little bit more handson.

And I think that uh you know if the select board if the town administrator's office has a different viewpoint then I shouldn't be mucking up the works by giving them old school stuff. Um you know I'm not the technology guru that uh some of the folks are. I mean frankly Eduardo is much better on the computer than I am when it comes to the stuff we're doing. I ask him a lot of

questions like you know how what what just happened? How do I do this? So, you know, I I acknowledge I'm I'm a dinosaur. That's that's fine. I I can live with that. Uh so, I think that I don't want to gum up the works of how they how they select and when they select a replacement.

Um, I don't I will not question uh my abilities as a marine scientist or an environmental scientist. That's my strong point. But the business the administrative business of the environment has become a lot different than the way I've done things in the past. And it's been uh and it's it's been part of the reason why I think it's time. Uh, I just I mean I I just don't want to learn this stuff. I I

don't want to change my ways. I've been very successful at doing what I've done for many years and advising not only clients, but I you folks. Um, so I'll leave that to what they want to do. Um, and what was my second point? There was something else I wanted to say.

It bounced out of my head. Um, I can't remember what it is. Uh, you know, I will avail myself as best I can to the needs. Oh, I know what it was. One of the things I did uh suggest to Cody and he was uh very pleased is one of the things I am going to concentrate on in whatever this period is should I sign on is I want to

get the regulations done. Uh, I I don't think it would be fair to force this whole process onto somebody else, you know, walking in the door. I want to close that out. You know, Michael and myself and Brian Cruz have had discussions. We've been back and forth.

There's a learning curve that would take another two years for somebody to learn, even the most intelligent of people, because there's been a lot of dialogue.

Uh, I want to prioritize that as something that I want to get done. I when I walk out the door, I want you to have a revised bylaw and I want you to have an approved revised set of regulations consistent with the bylaw that we have.

So, that's, you know, those are my two things that I'm pushing for in whatever agreement we come up with.

Boy, I I appreciate that, Mark, because you're right. To bring somebody new into that regulation revision, we're going to be set back at least a year and a half.

Yeah.

Yeah.

You know, I don't and we can't we can't afford that. So, I appreciate you willing to do that. Um, I I reiterate whatever um I can do to help make the transition work pursuant to your needs as well as the town's needs.

Um, I'm happy to do that, but I want to be sure that we're moving forward, that the town is taking action because I know what happens. You know, you put out the fire and you say, "Good, it's still smoldering." And then time goes by and you've got an inferno again. Um, so I want to see it I want to see the time used wisely. Um, and well also in terms of time uh in terms

of time we're talking about reducing my time from a 40hour week to a 24 to 30 hour week. Uh, so and I will be doing a fair amount of work remotely. I will not always be in town hall. Uh I think all of you have my cell number. Uh I believe my computer will still be intact so my email will not change uh during this transitional period. And uh so you know

we can be in contact if we need to. Um but again in an advisory role I'm not going to negotiate conditions or recommendations on a particular project.

I will certainly speak with Eduardo uh you know he will be doing the decision making and um anybody else who comes on. The other thing uh separate distinct from May is I think that I'll be I I should be able to take credit because I believe they're going to hire some sort of administrator to assist our office uh after all this time. Uh I think they realized that uh oops maybe we

angered him a little too much uh in terms of the administ administrative side and you know Eduardo and I have talked about this we you know I basically said to Cody I'm a glor I'm a high price glorified secretary that's what I am and that's not what I was trained for and that's the frustration that I've had because we have both been tied to to the computer to the open government viewpoint program. It's not

the panacea uh for us and I there are other departments like ours who have voiced concern because the field people have been dragged into the office to just sit and push buttons and that's not what we do. We're supposed to be out in the street. We're supposed to be out on the road, you know, whether it's health inspections, A1 delineations, reviewing uh wetland lines, responding to an enforcement case, you know, uh

just can't do it from a desk. You you got to be out in the field and you have to engage these people. and uh we just don't get that opportunity or we don't get the opportunity that we should have to do that work and that's really what we do. Uh my my view is that we are we Eduardo and myself are public servants.

The taxpayers pay our salary and we're supposed to be there for the taxpayers and for us we should be out in the field. We should not be sitting, you know, checking to see if, you know, some town department has responded with comments to a an RDA or an NOI filing or what have you. And uh, you know, we have no gatekeeper. People walk in. I mean, I know somebody's coming when Edardo looks

up because the door opens and somebody walks in. you know, um the girls in the board of health office are somewhat helpful, but they're not going to run into the hallway to engage people.

They'll only engage when people come into their office. And I would say, you know, half of them do, half of them don't. So, anyway, that's where I am in terms of what I'm doing and where I'm heading. So, um you know, I offer that to you just to keep you all in the loop.

I appreciate that. Um, I have nothing new to add to the meeting tonight. If any commissioner has something they wish to bring up, now's the chance.

Mark, I hope your wife has a very speedy, meaningful, and good recovery.

And I wish Thank you, Richard. This one was unexpected and uh it's really knocked us for a loop.

Well, lastly, uh, merry Christmas, Mark, and merry Christmas everyone else.

Yes. Thank you, Mark. Before before we we we we leave, we want to make sure that we properly uh with motion adjourn the meeting. So, I'll entertain a motion to adjourn.

So moved.

Second.

There was seconded motion on the floor.

Roll call vote. Richard, yes.

Megan, yes.

Liz, yes. And my vote is yes. The meeting is adjourned everyone. Merry Christmas.

Merry Christmas.

Merry Christmas.

Merry Christmas everybody.