Finance Committee Meeting September 24, 2026

I'd like to call the finance committee meeting to order for September 24th. Uh please stand and join me in the pledge of allegiance.

I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America and to the stands. One nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all.

Thank you.

Uh please note that this meeting is in person and we are being recorded.

I would also like to open this evening. We have three members to open our meeting here.

So we have three members present this evening.

Thank you and welcome by the way. I'm glad that you're joining us. We don't often have an audience. Oh, you're actually participants.

Yes. True. So, and we're going to start with you if we may.

Gary, do you have the document to be able to display?

Okay.

And please, you'll have to come up to the microphone to speak so it gets recorded.

want me to start talking while you pull that up?

Yeah, sure. Go ahead.

Okay. Uh, so for the record, my name is Ross Cuddy. I'm the assistant planning director. Uh, I just wanted to cover uh, question seven that's going to be on the ballot this fall.

Yes.

Yeah, that'll do.

Um, so this is directly from the petition sheet that allowed this to be on the ballot. I'll read just a short excerpt of it. Essentially, it says that no zoning ordinance or bylaw shall prohibit, unreasonably restrict, or require a special permit or other discretionary zoning approval for the use of land or structures for a single family residence in a zoning district that allows residential uses, provided

that the single family residence is fully contained within a lot measuring equal to or greater than 5,000 square ft in area and with equal to or greater than 50 ft in frontage, which has access to public sewer and water. So essentially um the executive office of housing and livable communities or EOHLC if this was to pass is going to or may draft guidelines or regulations to administer this and that would be the

town the time in which the town would have um an opportunity to comment if if they decided to make those regulations.

So essentially the planning director and myself Daniosa went through the town sewer map that we have in water lines and we we approximately mapped out a thousand new lots in that area just through uh approval not required plans. So that is without uh formal subdivision in which they are installing a roadway.

Mhm. So, I I made up this map quickly to show this parcel here that we are on currently. And you can see each of those red arrows.

I'll try not to step too far from the mic, but here is 50 ft that I measured out to scale. Uh, so each of those lots would only have to go back 100 ft in order to be 5,000 square feet. So each of those could be a lot, which just along the Sloum um roadside is 28 new lots.

That would be obviously if the school and the town hall weren't there, but it's just an example of a of a parcel that we're all very familiar with and kind of what could be a visual with a straight line of a of a nice easy parcel to follow along with the town. So on the right, that's the town hall right there.

Yep. The the smaller building and the large one's a school. It's we're on the same parcel.

So each of those would be would be its own lot and that is again with just an ANR not with a formal subdivision. If they were to put in a road um that obviously just utilize the upland and not the wetland they could of course do a lot more if a developer decided to do that. Oftent times one of the reasons why we are not seeing as many formal subdivisions today is because of the

cost of the road. Um not only that but availability of land the cost of the road kind of outweighs the reason to put in new lots. But with this Of course, the profit margin would be significantly different. Um, additionally, there is a House bill before um as well as a Senate bill that is kind of on hold right now because of the end of session. They commit uh formed a committee between the

two to kind of reconcile the two bills.

But two highlights from the from the House bill and the Senate bill. Um the House bill would allow multif family allowed on church owned land uh four acres max with up to 30 units per acre, even more uh if they decide to do increased affordability. It gets a little complex, so I won't dive too far into it because we don't know if it'll even stay on the final bill. Lastly, the

Senate bill uh more or less allows by right duplexes anywhere where single family currently is allowed. So, if that was to pass along with the House bill part of the DUP um church land, excuse me, and the 50 foot 5,000 foot lots, you're looking at a lot more buildable lots um in town. The 5,000 foot ones being the only ones that require sewer to my knowledge. I didn't see anything

in the draft right now in the House bill or the Senate bill that required water and sewer for a duplex or for high density on any land that is owned by a church. And a church does not need to necessarily be on the land. Just needs to be owned by a religious sect or denomination.

So, that's pretty much a quick summary.

I know I I threw a lot at you guys, but um if there's any questions that I can help with, feel free to ask. I've already been getting questions since we presented these um about last last Monday at the select board meeting. I've already been getting quite a bit of questions of people asking about their opportunities um what could they do with their land. So, uh people are definitely paying attention to this.

Do you know roughly how many buildable lots there would be that have access that would be 5,000 square foot and have access to sewer and water?

Yeah, approximately a thousand. That's that's heavy approximate. That is only with ANR. So if someone has a large chunk of land and they put in a roadway, it would it'd be quite a bit more.

And do you know how much land in Dartmouth is owned by a religious organization that would be eligible?

That I don't know. I do not know that.

But I can look into that. I can look into I'll make a note of that right now.

I know there's a there's a couple of larger parcels that that have inquired before in the past regardless of this bill. I just don't know the the total amount of acreage.

Right. Others questions.

Sure.

Do you know if uh religious organizations could become developers now and after this bill if it passes could acquire land and fall under that rule that uh they can now develop it? Do you know how that's worded? I yeah, it's it's it's kind of lengthy, but essentially they define any religious sect or denomination as an organization organized predominantly for religious purposes, whether incorporated or

unincorporated, and shall be uh exempt from taxation, as well as that they're recognized by the Department of Revenue as a religious organization exempt from taxation. Um, so I don't see anything in here that says that it's only existing land that is owned. Um, I read through quite a bit of it. they they have, you know, some excuse me, aspects of it with setbacks. Uh height is some some aspects

that are still controlled, but they also have a section in here that if it's near commuter rail station, ferry terminal, or bus station that they don't really need to have any parking. So, you could have high density with very little parking as long as they're within half a mile of a bus station. I didn't see anything to answer your question of that it has to be existing land. So I I don't

see why they couldn't potentially take up some land.

They could potentially be incredible amount of use with I'm going to become a religious XYZ as long as they satisfy those aspects.

Buy a piece of property under that name and get the exemptions. Wow. Scary stuff.

It is.

Just go up to the mic.

Go to the mic.

Yeah.

Just go to the mic. Yeah. Microphone change.

I just wanted to add, my name is Kevin Estus on the planning board. Um, and I just wanted to add that I think the the qualification that you're looking for is a property has to be owned by the religious organization for three years before it qualifies.

So the idea of going out and instantly buying it and instantly developing it may not apply but the property has to have been owned by three uh for three years and this is all could be a joint committee right now.

So it can all change right yeah Janine one question I had asked Ross the other day when you had come in was about um the exemption of tax on these properties. So even though they're going to have even though they'll have residential real estate, they're still going to be exempt from tax.

Are they still are they exempt from getting a tax bill?

I would think so. Yes.

If they're religious now.

Yes.

Yes.

As it stands now, that may all change.

That may change.

This is all, you know, I I I say those two, the House and the Senate, with a pretty heavy asterisk because they're they're kind of there's a joint committee, two or three members from each side. All of this could be different. However, I do think it's important to mention given the ballot question coming up. I think it's an important thing to keep in mind that if all three things of these happen at the

same time that it's a lot that's a lot.

I do have a question if I may.

Does this tie in at all to the 40b requirement? Is this kind of riding on the coattails of affordable housing? Is this The only affordability aspect I saw was with the religious aspect. There's but there's a benefit to them doing that because they can do more units. So there's in the short no because the 5,000 foot lots don't need to have any affordability aspect to them at all. Um and then the duplexes not to my

knowledge. So the only one would be the religious aspect and it increases essentially they can do up to 50 units per acre but they have to do a higher level of affordability. So that's the only time that I saw it mentioned. Okay.

Thank you.

Okay.

I want to go to the map. Um, let's go to Marshall Street.

Um, okay. That's going to be an approved road. It's going to have sewer and water. And we're going to go to the largest lot there. Um, that one right there. Thank you very much. That has 350 ft of frontage. It has 220 ft of um depth.

some developer who's very smart is going to go to the owner of that property and say, "I'd like to buy your house." And if it happens to be someone who's elderly and thinking of moving anyway, and they're going to pay, say, "500 or $600,000 for that house," they're going to put up seven houses on an ANR.

And you we're told that, "Oh, well, this this ballot question is going to give you affordable housing.

I don't care where you build a house. It is $250 to $275 a square foot to build a house.

And seven houses on this lot. I can guarantee you what they're going to be is seven I we're going to look like Boston or we're going to look like New York because you're going to have single family homes and the first floor is going to be your garage. The second floor is going to be your living room, dining room, kitchen, etc. And the third floor is going to be the bedrooms. So,

we're going to have town houses because that's what's going to happen. And this developer is going to make out very well because now he's going to have seven houses and he's probably going to sell them. We'll be affordable. 500,000 each.

Well, that's what I was getting at.

That's what I was getting at with affordable housing. You're putting a different perspective, but that's what I was getting at.

Yeah. and to to so that you can figure out what these lot sizes look out look like. Can you get Sable Avenue? S Sable Sable Avenue on here.

I don't know if it's um that's down there. Okay. Now go to the Go to the right.

No, go that way.

All the way. There you are.

Okay. Sable Avenue and Sloum Road.

Yeah.

3 4 7 and 8. Those first lots on Sable Avenue all haveund 100 101 foots frontage and they have the frontage in the width.

Every single one of those lots. Take that lot and divide it in half. That's what a 5,000 square foot lot looks like.

Two houses on that those lots. That's what you're going to have.

These three right here. These three.

Three. No. Right here. Three.

Yeah. Go up and up.

Right. Wait. I just got to grab right there. Three, four, seven, eight.

No, not eight. I'm sorry. Three, four, and seven. All have 100 foot puntage and they all have 100 foot in depth. Take those lots and divide them right in half. That's what a lot is going to look like at 5,000 square feet.

And that's going to give you six houses instead of three.

So what this is doing and between what is in the Senate and the House is actually taking away home rule. We will no longer be able to decide what our town wants to look like. We will no longer be able to it just takes away everything between that and the cank that zone zoning board of appeals has now. I mean, I don't even know if there's anything the voting board of appeals can vote against anymore

because you no longer have three criterias. I mean, you can use those, but they can vote on anything. And to hurt a town like Dartmouth who was very diversified, we have 6,000 square foot lots. We have 15,000 square foot lots, we have 80,000 square foot lots, and we have 40,000 square foot lots. So in the town of Dartmouth, we have allowed that diversification so that if that's what you want, you can have.

And I can tell you now, having two grandkids who are looking to buy, that's what they want. 5,000 foot lots.

They don't want to have to cut the grass.

They don't want to have to man any maintain anything. They want a house that's comfortable, and they want to be able to go home, eat, and then go out and have fun.

And I these are kids who are 27 and 28 29. This is what that generation wants.

As a matter of fact, my granddaughter just got her first car.

So this is why this scares me is it's taking away the ability of the towns to to produce what they want. And if you live in Westport and you're going to vote for this because you figure it, it's not going to bother me. It is going to bother you because I don't want to live next to that 5,000 square foot lot.

So, I'm going to find a lot in Westport and move there because there is land for sale. Or I'm going to move to uh I don't know, one of some of the other towns that don't have water and sewer.

Yeah, you have to have water and sewer.

So, you know what? They're going to move out of Dartmouth because they don't want to live in that type of area. They live here because that's what they wanted.

But their next door neighbor divided their lot in half and sold it. So, yes, it's going to affect every single town in this state. And people are saying, "Oh, it was on the radio." I forgot what day they actually took what we went before the board of selectment. The radio actually did that on the radio.

They took the border selectment and did our portion of it.

And the phone calls coming in was, "Oh, that's South Dartmouth."

And and the the um surveys that are being done show it being passed.

Lori, this may not be a question for you, but how will we manage the impact on water and sewer?

Water, sewer, schools, police, roads, garbage, everything.

Fire, fire, every it will impact every It will impact this town 100%.

Okay.

Um, I'm not sure who this question is exactly for, but how is our town benefiting from this as a community? How do we benefit from if we were to vote yes on this? How is how are we benefiting as a community?

We would be probably bringing in more revenue.

Yeah.

But are we going to bring in enough revenue to take care of water, sewer, police fire schools, roads, you're you're only capturing revenue for the first year.

Um new growth new growth, you know. Once you get the spike in new growth, the levy is the levy as we, you know, we've talked about that before. So if it's the levy is $80 million, $85 million, that doesn't change. It just shifts from commercial to residential.

You're not getting any additional tax dollars except new growth.

And and thinking about the religious things, the religious people or groups, Damoth presently has a little under 30,000 properties that do not pay taxes. M it's 28 29% somewhere around there.

They we have that amount of property a lot of that that amount of land in the town of Diamond that do not pay taxes.

You're talking about preserved land all different types of land per religious land DNR any of the nonprofits um if they are a 40 C they don't pay they don't pay property taxes. Bill, I do have a question. Lord, have you uh you mentioned about It looks like it's going to pass. So, I would imagine you have gleaned information suggesting that other communities other than Dartmouth

would be amendable to passing this. It's not is this not true?

UMass UMass Amoris and UNH have done surveys and they've come up with the fact that um some of the figures came out 51% in favor. Yeah.

And these they haven't done surveys down here because I haven't seen one which kind of aggravates.

Well, that's interest me how they how they getting this information.

495 corridor and up.

Exactly. And if those people vote, they have a larger population than we do. And if they all vote in favor of it, it will pass. I mean, if and I they have raised approximately $2 million, the real estate agents, several developers, and there's a I'm not going to mention any names, but there's a developer in Darmouth who donated a substantial amount of money to this to fight for this. And the way it looks is the

corridor, you know, 128 495 is heavily populated and that's where they're pushing to get more housing.

Um, two comments. First, um, first of all, thank you for putting this together. I think, you know, even just this diagram showing from Clarendon Street down to Hawthorne Street, how you can fit almost 30 lots when there's 10 across the street, you triple right there. And that's without adding any other roads that could possibly go in.

Um, as far as the surveys and, you know, polling people about this question, I think there's a lack of education. And so thank you for bringing it to the light because if people think about it in the way that it could be presented as, oh, we're increasing housing, great, you know, but when you look at the ramifications of what toll it could take on the town and the town's resources, I

think it's really important to kind of show that reality of what this kind of, you know, feel-good measure could actually do um to the town. Um my only question was um is there any idea of where this religious um portion of the bill um that's proposed came from? I just don't know how how the religious sect would get involved. Um and that's kind of concerning too just because like

just off the top of my head I mean the Dascese of Fall River owns behind St.

Julie's and staying there's a ton of land there that they own. there's a property on Tucker Road and I mean I'm sure there's many more but just you know just coming to the tip of my head I I can already think of a few big parcels.

Um so I just don't know where they would get involved. Um if it's like a revenue thing that the church doesn't have revenue and they are pushing it behind the scenes. It just seems odd.

It's interesting. I think um I don't know exactly where what the source was. I know there's been a couple iterations of this prior to them closing the session. Um, and I know it was it was different then. It was different.

So, I know it's changed quite a bit from the the first version, but I what I do know is the goal currently with the state is housing as we can all tell.

So, they pretty much their whole idea is if the need for housing surpasses the other things that that the housing would be pretty much eliminating or replacing or making other things difficult, the need for housing is more important.

Okay. So that is why the you know like like Lori was saying the the ZBA um stipulations have changed.

There's this there's the duplexes pretty much. I mean in theory could double every house lot. Um you have the ADUs as as an attempt by right. So now you could have a duplex with an ADU. That's one lot with three families on it.

Yeah. I just I don't like the power grab taking it away from the towns and bringing it to the state. It's not you know it should stay with the towns but the religious thing just just odd. And I mean if it if it came to that where does it stop because you know like municipalities are having budget crisis like is the are towns going to be able to be developers now and you know

develop their land and raise their you know tax levy and just where does it stop?

Yeah it seems like a slippery slope for sure.

Yeah. What what is the motive exactly?

Is it is it for revenues or what what's the motive for religious? That's odd.

Right. Right.

We don't know it.

No to my knowledge. Unfortunately, a lot of people think this is about affordable housing. And I know it's not, but that's what that's what people are thinking that, oh, we're building houses and now everybody can move on in. And yeah, Lori made a good point. It's it's not an affordable house anymore than we have now in Dartmouth. I mean, and I don't know if somebody does know this figure,

Margaret, maybe you do. How many houses are for sale in Dartmouth right now?

What's the percentage of homes that are available either for sale or rent? I don't know that but I I can certainly find that out. But what I wanted to come up here and state is that we talked about um religious what what you know why are the why did somebody put that in? I think one of the reasons if you look and you'll see in the last three years how many churches have closed

and how many churches have sold.

And most of those h those churches that have sold are being sold to to develop into apartments. Mhm.

So there is a reason why the the churches would like to sell their land and they do own as someone mentioned a lot of land in this town.

Mhm.

The other thing that uh really annoys me is people don't understand we have a problem with water in this town. Um and I had mentioned to the select board too that I have a property for sale in Dyon large property 39 acres. One of the big reasons I can't sell it is because there's a moratorum on water.

Okay, we may have a moratorium on sewer because we have a sewer plant that really needs help and we have a lot of affordable housing now that's been approved and that's going to come into this town.

And the other thing is which bothers me because I'm not a good packer. If you ever go down into a storm, if you've ever been into New Buffett after a snowstorm, it's horrendous because those people are on tiny little lots. Most of them don't have driveways.

What's going to happen to Dartmouth? The same thing. You know, we're going to look like Dorchester or someplace else that has all these houses, multifamilies. I mean, even people that are uh and I laughed when I heard snob zoning. uh and you know snobs in South Dmouth because the people in South Dmouth for the most part can't subdivide their property with 5,000 square feet because we have no water and we have no

sewer.

So it really doesn't. But and one more point, this is not going to help the housing prices in the town. I spoke to a developer who sells high-end homes and I asked him, "Do you what do you think? is this going to raise the prices of homes? He said, "No." And he pointed out a couple of properties. And he said, "You've got properties there. One of them is on Tucker Road. Those houses are selling

900 a million, too.

And not too far up the road, there's four and a half acres for sale. So, somebody could put I don't know how many houses with a with a road in. We'd have to sit down with an engineer, but you probably could put in 30 40 houses easily.

small houses. A lot of them are not going to have the driveways. And what's that going to do to our town?

See, I think that the town of Dartmouth ow owns property that it could do that too if you wanted to, too. The town of Dartmouth could build 5,000 square foot lots. We have land. Okay. We could do that, too. And the people that come to this town to live, they come here for a certain reason. They like the town of Dartmouth. They like to maybe open the door and let their dogs run around. I

have invisible fence so you know doesn't go out in the street. Maybe they want to buy some chickens. Okay. You know, maybe they want the kids to have a swing set.

Those are important qualities and I I think that this would really deter from people enjoying their property. And everybody has a right to enjoy their property. That's all. Thank you.

So, what can we do? And this is an open question. You happen to be standing in front of the microphone, but to anyone, what can we do to help educate voters in this town and beyond what this could do to our town?

I think that um and I asked Ross to look this up. Uh, I think if we could send a letter, okay, or a postcard, not telling them how to vote because we can't do that, but just pointing out what would happen, how many additional lots, the state of our sewer system, our water, you know, we buying water from New Beford. There's lots of towns that are buying water from Fall River. Okay. Uh,

Swansa used to sell water. They can't do it now. So water and sewer are really, you know, people are complaining now because their water bills are high.

What's going to happen now if you add another thousands people and we're buying more water from New Be I got a question for you. Let's just say, God forbid that this did pass. All right. Could we as a town institute our own regulations that would somehow maybe uh I don't believe so, sir. I don't believe so because the state takes over. The state has precedence over the tums.

No, but I mean as far as sewer requirements, water requirements, things of that nature there that maybe help assuage what the legislation would do.

Yeah, go ahead, Ross. You would have a bit of I just need that packet.

Perfect. Um, so the way they word it is they they essentially say that the towns cannot prohibit or unreasonably restrict. So it'd be up to the state whether or not they would want to deem that as a unreasonable restriction.

Well, you say unreasonable as a matter of interpretation was taxable, not exly. That's the problem is it's subjective, right? So it our uh the town's version of unreasonable may be quite different to a state's version of unreasonable.

I'm just state statewide. I'm sure all the towns are going through this many imaginations about what to do with this anyway. I'm sure I think the best thing to do is be some collaborative effort with other towns that are maybe of the 49% that may not vote for it and see what they come up with.

Yeah.

You know, I think I had a conversation with uh Chris Mark years ago about schools and school funding and all this and all that. And he said the same thing I did. We should be bonding together and working with other towns because Dartmouth by itself is not going to be able to do anything. Exactly. We need a collaborative effort to do something.

Yeah, that's what we need to do.

Yeah. I think I think just teamwork is important. Education is important. Um we're also considering putting a flyer out for town meeting um to be in the packet to kind of educate people. So I agree with you 100%. We can't fight this battle on our own. It's got to be regionalized.

I've already reached out to Serpentid, the Southeastern Regional Planning and Economic Development.

I represent Dartmouth on that board and uh they have declined to take a position.

That was a disappointment. But there are other groups that represent the towns and cities as a whole. Uh from independent organizations like uh the Buzzards Bay Coalition, who I have not reached out to yet, or uh other other organizations that might have a an interest in in what this could do to our environment, but also the Mass Municipal Association.

Um, I believe you guys as the finance committee are part of the Mass Municipal Association.

Um, I think it would be worthy to reach out to uh the MMA and see if they're taking a stand uh on uh on this particular question.

I think they did. They did.

They have taken a stand.

They did. They they wrote a uh Adam Chapter Lane, the I believe he's the executive director, wrote a um wrote a note on the website. I think you can actually go on and read it. And I believe they're in opposition of it.

Yes, they are.

In the what?

Red book.

They send you a book every year.

The ballot questions.

Oh. Oh, okay.

Yeah. Yeah. Yeah.

But unfortunately, it got listed as majority and the majority and the majority when they were actually not the majority, they were the opposition. But some of the questions got wrong in that book this year.

Great. So, You mentioned putting something in the town meeting packet and I think that's certainly possible I imagine.

Yes.

Yeah. From the from you know the planning board. That's fine. Absolutely.

Yes.

So is there anything else that the town can do? And I certainly can't speak for the select board but can they make a public statement? The planning board can make a public statement. I mean we could make a public statement. I'm just asking what else is possible. Is it possible to do a mailing?

I think we would probably be be on a very fine line there. Even if it is factual, we're still getting involved with a political question using public funds and mailings are very expensive just to do the charter changes of of it costs like $13,000. Um but yeah, I mean a statement that's fine. Uh the select board is working on a letter to send to um Senator Montigy and Representative

Marquy that um select board member Nate Silva is reaching out to um peers in a Kushnet and um one or two other communities to see if their select boards will sign on as well. and then we will distribute that letter to the planning board, other boards and committees and and hopefully get more signatures particularly as it this pertains more to the um items going through the legislature right now

because that's really where there's a little bit more control I'll say um in committee as part of the economic development uh committee in the legislature. Um, you know, we've talked about with Dan initially, Dan's out right now, but with Ross, uh, doing just question and answers, uh, on the ballot questions with DCTV. So, that's something that is will be in the works, uh, shortly. We've tried to, it's

always, as you guys know, it's a challenge. You don't want to get things out too early on because you want people to have it fresh in their head, but you don't want to get things out too late, especially with the mail and voting and stuff. People sometimes, you know, vote pretty early. So, um, we're kind of we're getting into that process now and we'll get that out there. But yeah, we

have to be very careful about any sort of funds, public resources, even if we do keep it factual.

So, how about so the communications manager does a fantastic job of educating those via social media. Is that possible?

If that's something the select board approves, absolutely. Yeah.

Okay.

That's a good idea.

From a personal perspective, I'm reaching out to all of my friends with a letter that I've drafted that counselss them to reach out to candidates for election because the assumption is that this won't be voted on and until after uh uh Congressman Marky is is out uh and somebody has has taken his place. Mhm.

So, I'm reaching out to all candidates, including the governors, saying, asking them, uh, do you believe in home rule? And if you believe in it, then how are you going to restore it?

Good questions comments.

This would also kind of in my assumption um would it kind of like keep us from helping current residents get access to water and sewage as well? Would it kind of like make us feel like we we shouldn't extend because we would be extending more options to this as well?

It Yeah, certainly a possibility. I mean, the more the more sewer that's in water that's available, the more that they could um would be a part of this 5,000 foot 50 ft of frontage.

So when does it stop?

When you know, so now this gets filled out. So now the state says, "Okay, so now we're going to tell you what your minimum lot's going to be or your maximum lot's going to be on sewer and water." And if we have two acres, let's say, well, they're going to say, "No, you can do it on an acre.

Where where does this stop?"

Agreed.

Yeah.

I don't think it should be local control. I mean, that's my personal thought. I can't speak for everyone, but absolutely.

Thank you very much.

Thank you so much for coming in. It's one small step with our massive viewing audience.

Well, I mean, and we can share this.

Of course, you know, this is right at the beginning of the meeting. So, we can share this with on social media individually and say you need to listen to the first 30 minutes, 37 minutes of the meeting.

It's really important. It's It's bigger than our town.

So, I think awareness is really important.

President used to be page.

He was the partner and then they had a bad bad breakup.

Thank you everybody.

Thank you very much. Thank you for joining us. Appreciate your comments.

I need a motion to all in favor.

Thank you guys.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Have a nice

All right.

This map really it's good to have a visual.

Yeah.

So, is this just proposed by somebody?

May I ask? Like I I know I walked in late. I apologize. But is this just like potentially the map is just a template just showing an example could happen.

Yeah. This is the This is the lot we're on right now. This is the town hall in Middletown.

That was an example.

I was just quietly panicking like what the heck.

No, no, no. That's it's an example of what could happen. how busy Sloum Road could become in a blink if this passes.

I mean, another meeting that people should watch is the last select board meeting. Same thing.

So, just for anyone paying attention.

So, we're going back to the where are we?

Yes.

All town meeting open up as red only.

There you go.

Am I updating still? Is that of course not done? So, uh, Madam Chair, we'll pick up where we were, uh, last meeting.

Uh, we'll go through there's a couple few just a few, um, we'll go through.

So, the You want to start with article one?

Leave over.

Yeah. I just want to go over one small thing here.

Oh, you do. You make it.

What is it?

Substance of article one didn't change.

The only thing we changed is that we're going to be attaching with the packet a a hando essentially what was um given to the CPA for the with CPA article that handout showing rough area we just added that in that the um it'll be included packet right normally there's some type of packet that we just added from specific CPC for whatever it is they're they're recommending so that's not particularly unusual um

okay so um articles two. I sent the um current balances to K.

You did and I didn't update it yet.

I did.

Oh, you're so good to me. Thank you so much.

So, for the rationale, do you can you download the latest copy because Okay, good. I can't see your screen. It's like Oh, I have my blacked out.

Yeah. No, I have When we get to the rationale, then we can switch over to your laptop because I think it'll be helpful for people to read them.

So, do we want to just go ahead and um vote on the articles that we haven't voted on? I think there's five.

Yeah, we're going just so the folks at home can catch up to last last week.

Mhm.

Uh article three was uh taken care of.

Article uh four you voted on. Article five is where we left off. All right.

Okay. So, article five, acceptance of capital planning committee report and funding of fiscal year 2027 capital plan. Do I have a motion?

I make the motion. Second.

Second. Um, discussion, questions.

You have the list up there. So, I had a question about the dollar figures.

So, you you've updated them?

Yes. It was only It was only the one for the um snow pl snow machine.

I know. There was something throwing it off.

Okay. Um do we want to do the r Well, I don't want to have to switch back and forth. So, why don't we vote and then go back and do the rational?

Go back and do the rational because otherwise we'll be switching switching all over the place.

All right. So, questions, comments, you want to give us a brief update?

I'll give the committee a briefing. Uh we've wrapped up the CIPC wrapped up uh this um uh listening to all the uh departments that had put requests in. Uh we was had certified free cash or about 5.7 million in the general fund and as you know uh we raise rates on the uh water funds that we did pretty well with with the um uh retained earnings on that. Uh and uh this is what the

committee recommended. Obviously, we don't spend every penny of uh free cash or retained earnings that we we do get.

Uh the policy has been more recent to keep some of that for the next town meeting. We can spend that again because it's once it's certified, we can spend it again in the spring. So, we'll go through that whole process again, meeting with the with meeting with the departments and um going through their requests for the spring. Uh but I sent I sent it out to the uh committee so that

you could you could see um you know where police for the for the cruisers.

They're continuing on with their um uh taser the new the new tasers that they that they implementing uh for better accuracy. They're they're getting in in power with the state police. um the schools uh HVAC uh system upgrades, a truck that they were requiring, um bathroom renovations that they continue, uh to to do in the schools.

Uh we're looking for an animal control van replacement, which was in an accident.

And this is a uh switches that we need to replace that are getting outdated, over 10 years old. uh I for it parks and wreck they need a van van replacement highway uh road maintenance uh each year in conjunction with chapter 90 money we um you know this at one time was a million dollars we've we've ratcheted down because that's free cash um as that number gets smaller we where you know

we're putting less money into into road maintenance but we're still able to do $650 uh and then water fund some items here some a pump uh rebuild uh the $1.2 million and uh and I mentioned that we did pretty well with retained earnings.

So, we initially were going to do this as a borrowing. Uh and then Cody and I talked about, you know, let's just use free cash retained earnings to do that.

So, we minimize the borrowing costs um and everything that goes along with having to borrow money. So, we're able to do it because we have certified retained earnings.

Can we just back up to the DPW highway section and the road maintenance and improvements?

Yes.

Oh, okay. You changed. Okay.

Yeah, I sent the back out. So, you have No, no, I I don't have the new one, so I'm looking at one that still says 65,000. Okay, fine. Good. Perfect.

Um, and then sewer uh these uh bulbs, they use this for for the treatment on the plant. Uh inflow and uh inflow infiltration, remediation, uh flow meter chart recording uh recorders for pump stations. So, uh 491,000. So these are obviously paid by when we talk about the enterprise funds, we have to certify each individual amounts for the enterprise funds as we do for the general fund.

So that that is what is being presented at the town meeting.

Uh question is kind of a broad question I guess what might have been on here that didn't quite make it.

So there's close to 119 million in level one priority requests. Now, a hundred million of that is a is is to build as a brand new school. So, what I've asked what I've asked the um the departments to do is not only look at the five-year plan, and I think John had mentioned this one one year back a couple years back to look at, you know, a 10-year plan. And that's kind of what we're

doing with long-term uh capital, also looking at these projects that are going to cost multi-millions of dollars, but still building it in the capital plan because we want to see that, right? We want to make sure that that's on the radar and we're able to plan for funding on that. So, it's there's there's quite a I mean with $5 million $5.7 million in free cash and over $und00 million in a

level one priority stripping out the hundred million and a couple other big projects, it's still close to, you know, $9 million in items that what I call in between short and long term that cannot be funded. But we've been lucky enough over the last decade, I think, um, to to purchase these items and replace van replace vehicles and do that with just free cash, uh, and not having to borrow.

But we've talked about we're going to have to, you know, we're going to have to do that at some point because we can't continue to, you know, improve infrastructure and not be able to have to, uh, do that with just free cash.

There's going to have to be a conventional bottle. We've talked about that.

Yeah. Especially when you when you say ratcheting down from a million to 650 for the roads and we've seen the cost per mile go up so high with the you know materials that you know we're going to have to do something over time. I just had two questions on these items. Um first was a relatively small item but the Soukum River water testing any reason why the Sulkum River and not

other rivers is there any sort of concern there or anything like that?

So this is for the third year of the water testing. Um the first two years were funded with ARPA funds. Okay.

And um and you have to do a three-year program in order to get enough data to essentially um get a full data set. The reason that the Slow server was chosen is because the um it's entirely in Dartmouth.

Yep.

And so when we looked at other watersheds, Dartmouth was not um didn't have the major impact. So we couldn't make the biggest difference if we're going to start making changes. So, we started with the Sloum River because we if if we need to or want to make changes, we have the most control over that and it's our residence.

Makes sense. Thank you. And then my last question was the um the upgrade design for the water treatment facility. Is that kind of like the first step to possible upgrades going forward that uh 687 and the Chase upgrade design, the 350,000?

Uh no, that is for our water, drinking water.

Oh, water. Okay. Okay. Okay. Yeah. So 687 is one of our well sites, one of the um treatment of the it's not waste water but drinking water. Yeah.

Yeah.

I had a question probably a silly one.

Uh when purchasing vehicles for any department, are you required to purchase brand new vehicles or do you guys try to seek something slightly used to at a lower cost or so? If we um we have to we typically issue we typically purchase um brand new vehicles because we we have to follow a state contract. If we were to um purchase used vehicles, we would have to procure the exact vehicle we're

looking for, mileage, and then they would have to meet that criteria and we'd have to do a bid. um we likely wouldn't get bids people to bid on it.

We also get vehicles through the state contract much cheaper than um the marketplace. So um it's typically more cost effective and a lot of these vehicles that these departments are getting rid of or like have been used.

Yeah. They they there's no no other department would even be able to use them. Like you look at police cars trying to I was going to say that that that they don't get new vehicles that readily.

Yeah.

Yeah. what you there's some departments police cruise is a good example um they'll put them out to auction you'll see people will buy them and resell them at used car places that's not happening with ours most of ours when we put them out to auction or trade them in they're going to the salvage yards yeah for scrap thank you I have a question um the balances in the uh after you extract all this all these

monies um do we have a balance uh for surplus revenue and water retained earnings ings and sewer chain earnings coming from these funds.

Okay, let's see.

So, I'll get that. I can do that real quick.

I know that question is going to be asked to tell me he Yeah, and I I usually prepare a document. I usually prepare the documents for that. Um, let me just do it real quick. So, 1.8.

Okay. So, I know that's going to be asked. Yeah.

About 2.5 million in free cash. That'll be remaining.

That's free cash. 2.5 million free cash approximately.

Sure.

All right.

Yeah. Now, keep in mind because we're also use some of that free cash for the articles uh for stabilization and but you have already a fund surplus revenue. What's going to be left in that?

That is surplus revenue. Free cash is surplus revenue.

All right. How about the uh the other enterprise funds? Gary will pull that up.

Yeah. So, so right now, so here's the balance of certified free cash was 5.7 million on 917. We take away the three articles 700,000 5 million 1.8 million as opposed to yeah 3 million 1.6 for water.

So we said about so another 600,000 and then 491 for sewer. Uh so you're looking at 8 around 700 some thousand.

All right. Now you're going to present this document at time meeting Gary.

This doesn't get presented but I prepare um notes for questions.

Yeah I prepare notes in case someone asks.

All right. Fine. Thank you.

Any other questions or comments?

Are we ready to vote?

All in favor of article five.

I Any opposed or abstensions? No. So six.

What was it?

600.

600 Z. Okay.

Thanks.

So we need to revisit article six because there's been a change.

Gary promised us that we would not have to revisit it, but I was standing by you carry anyway. Yes.

So, article six, initially we had proposed that 50% of the fees would go into this account and it would be used for maintenance um and operational costs of the police vehicles related to details. We um apparently are one of the only communities that wanted to do that.

Everyone wants to put the whole amount in it. So we had to do a deep dive into the legality of it and the law does not allow you to split percentage uh based on the fee.

So um what you know the the as we figured out what are we going to do? Do we abandon this completely and then we would have to just raise the operating budget? Um what instead we are presenting uh and the select board hasn't signed off on this yet so they'll have to approve of this on Monday but I think they will is um the full fee would go into it going

forward but we would look to utilize this for cruiser replacements as well and reduce reliance on uh the capital plan because we're taking in about $50 to $60,000 a year right now um in this account or via this fee. Right now it just goes into the general fund. So, we are looking to increase that fee on Monday um just because it it just need it needs to be increased its time and it

it almost it changes it from $10 an hour to $19 an hour based on the federal uh rate right now. And so approximately, right, uh doubling it. So, if we bring in $100,000 a year, we're not going to need that to cover the operational maintenance cost of the cruisers related to details, which is why we initially wanted 50%. But if we can get a new cruiser out of it every year and then

instead of using capital for four, we're getting three. It's kind of it's it's really a wash. Um it just allows them to use that money for these costs. It would still have to go through the capital planning process.

For a cruiser, you know, for the maintenance and operational costs, it doesn't like any revolving fund. But um for any capital expenditure, it would still have to go through the capital improvement plan process. So that's the change here.

So we have to revote.

Yes. Because it's a substantial change.

Make a motion to approve.

I second the motion.

Okay. So, are we ready to vote?

I am.

Okay.

All in favor?

I.

Any opposed or abstensions?

No. So, six.

If you remember the reason why we didn't vote on that, uh, John had asked about personal use. So, we checked with the chief. I checked with the chief. Anybody that uses a personal vehicle, we only have one person using the um, they do not collect this fee. This fee is not theirs.

Okay.

So, what is then? But my question, does the town charge it?

The town charges it, but we don't we don't that that individual does not collect the fee, but yes, the So, why So, that was my question. Why should a vendor who's doing work in town pay for something they're not getting?

Well, they're getting a vehicle.

So, the vehicle is outfitted with lights with the same apparatus as a police car would have.

The personal vehicle is. Yes. Yes. They have they have to be marked. They can't We can't just put a vehicle on the road that's not clearly marked.

We only have one. We don't I'll have to check back. You know, in reality, I don't think that's happened.

I I think there's details all over town.

I I can't recall some recently, but over the years where guys are sitting there with their personal vehicles, no lights.

I think not now. I The only So, I can tell you now.

We have to go by what the chief just said.

The chief has to give a permit for anyone that wants blue lights and he's only given one permit in the town of Dartmouth and it's to this one officer who uses his own vehicle. I will tell you we do have undercover vehicles.

Yep.

That have a normal plate that may look like a normal SUV that are sometimes used in details, but they still should have some blue lights on them.

Um, are there any are there any offices that don't have an assigned take-home cruiser or does everyone have a take-home cruiser now?

No. No. There's a number of officers that don't Yeah. You have to be on the force for so many years.

So, I think that because if you have a if you have a detail that doesn't require a cruiser, they get in their personal car, they get there and they pocket off, you know, on the side of the road. I think that's where the confusion's coming in because um Sergeant Wong, retired officer Wong, he was the one that had that car, you know, has been around for 20 years. Um and I think that's where the um confusion's

coming in because he could use that instead of a cruiser. But if the detail didn't require a cruiser at all and they just took their personal car, there's no fee put on top of that, right?

No.

That's what I'm saying. Contingency.

Oh, yeah. If they're just sitting in the car because they it doesn't warrant them being out of the vehicle and they don't need a physical cruiser there.

There's no fee being charged for that.

It's when Eversource is doing road work and they require the actual cruiser.

So, it's only when required.

Yeah.

Yeah. And from what the chief said that that gentleman, he's not really doing detail anymore. thoughts, right?

Never really.

Okay, that's it. Okay, so article so seven has changed because we're no longer borrowing for the water main because that's part of the capital plan is water retained earnings as as Gary mentioned. And with that, we've essentially swapped this out with the the aation project. So the aation project is a the wastewater treatment plant um essentially is is what I would describe as phase one of the water

treatment plant upgrades that needs to be done. We have fully designed this project. It's been in the queue for a number of years. Um it needs to be done.

It'll help us increase capacity. Also helps with um the the nutrient loading of that. We got a $250,000 grant from the state. if we don't move on this project, we lose that 250,000.

Um, and the the cost of construction only continues to escalate on something that we know we have to do. So, um, we thought it made sense to bring this forward, get authorization to borrow for that project would be paid through the sewer enterprise fund. We are also on the, uh, wait list for the state revolving fund, which would allow us to, um, procure a loan at a much lower interest rate, either 0% or 2%. That

decision comes out in April. So, we would look to get this authorization at town meeting. We would go out to bid probably sometime in March and then we would wait to execute the award the contract until we know if we're going to be on the state program. If we will, we'll have to wait because that money isn't available till July. If um not, we'll execute the contracts and get going on this right away in the spring.

Okay.

Changed, right? We'll have to rewrite that whole thing. So, article 7, appropriation and authorization to borrow for wastewater treatment plant aation project.

Make a motion to approve.

I'll second it.

Second. Um, questions. Anyone?

Well, if I may, we're going to have to add something about where it's going to be funded from CO about the sewer enterprise fund. That should be added to the article. Don't you agree?

Well, we can't change the article.

But but the uh change, of course. the rationale after.

Well, the rationale is completely wrong, right?

Well, there you go.

So, that has to absolutely be rewritten, but you can't change articles.

All right.

Um, anyway, any other questions?

Um, back to I was obviously got ahead of myself earlier. I was talking about drinking water, but would this would this help future capacity at all? So as like the new I know it's not a new plant but as it like gets built up this will help to already have some sort of increased capacity as far as irration goes.

Exactly. Yeah. So it it it um essentially changes the technique of aation to a fine bubble aation um which is much more efficient um and and there's going to be also some nutrient components in this project that helps to um to pull out a lot of the um nitrogen.

So yeah, this would if we waited this will be part of the full project that we have to do. We're just viewing we're doing it as it's designed.

We have state grant money.

Why not move forward? It's only going to continue.

We know we're going to have to do it anyway. And I think you know part of the before we had gone over I think last uh town meeting cycle that it's not going to be like a knockdown build a whole new treatment plant. So I think in some people's mind if they don't realize that they'll say why are we putting all this money into then fund a new one when it's

not going to be a completely new one it's just going to be a increase of capacity.

So I think that's a good I mean it has to get done so why not especially if you lose out on those funds you know it's 250 but it's something any other questions are we ready to vote on article seven.

All in favor?

I I. Any opposed or abstensions? No. So 6 0.

And a whole new rationale.

All right. That whole new rationale.

All right. We didn't vote on article 8 before.

We did not.

So, article 8, appropriation for collective bargaining agreement, Dartmouth Town Employees Association, also known as DTEA.

Gary, we have final numbers.

Yes, this was on hold um due to us uh Cody and and the team here uh negotiating contracts with the unions.

Uh so, this is the placeholder for the financial piece of it. As the committee is aware, it has to go to town meeting for approval.

Questions?

So, what's so what's the dollar amount?

Do we have that there?

Yes.

377.99.

377. Thank you.

I have that. Gary sent those out earlier.

You don't see anything for DTA from the um from DCTV Enterprise Fund um because we we already have we built enough into that budget initially going forward. So, we don't need a supplemental appropriation to cover that.

Make a motion to approve.

I'll second.

Um, are we ready to vote?

All in favor?

I I Any opposed or abstensions?

So 600 and article nine same appropriation for collective bargaining agreement United Steel Workers also known as USW Gary we have final numbers right $31,784.74 yes same same um description as the pri the previous article.

Any questions?

Motion to recommend as written.

Second.

Okay.

All in favor?

I.

Any opposed or abstensions?

600.

Article 10.

Appropriation for collective bargaining agreement. Mass Laborers District Council Local 1249.

We have a final figure was $126,040.39.

Yes.

Motion to recommend as written.

Second.

Second.

Any questions?

No. All in favor?

I.

Any opposed or abstensions? No. Six 0.

So, article 11, is that the same?

Yeah. Uh, yep. No other changes until um article 15 and 16, but I don't think you voted um so that was town service provider. All set. Article 12 we voted on last week.

Article 13 we voted on last week.

Article 14 had questions.

Did anything change in the wording?

No.

Is that a no? Okay. So, did we determine whether or not this is a whole new position or so if they have 10 people now they'll have 11?

Correct.

This is funded via their revolving fund, the parks and recreation revolving fund.

Um this is something that they requested. Our our team wasn't um part of it, wasn't advised on any of it. So, uh, my understanding is they're looking for someone to essentially manage the lifeguards, uh, someone who can provide training to the lifeguards and the beach staff.

So, the other question that came up was there was absolutely no one in this role now training them.

Uh, we bring in an outside, you know, outside trainers for them to get like lifeguard certified. I mean, to be frank, maybe I'm just being negative.

Um, I don't think we're going to find someone to do lifeguard certifications and work every weekend, every holiday, and manage a beach for $24 to $28 an hour, but maybe they will.

Well, lifeguard certification is a whole other program, by the way.

That's what they're looking for, though.

Someone to do the lifeguard certifications. Um, but yeah, and manage the the the um the lifeguards, I guess, beyond. They do have like a senior lifeguard right now, so it would be beyond that is what I've been told.

So my question was last week somebody's been managing the lifeguards that's been the senior managers. I don't know the exact title but yeah there there is like a a lifeguard supervisor or something right now and I the um I guess the what they're looking for is most of the lifeguards are younger you know high school college age students. So, with this, including the that lifeguard supervisor, I guess, is just a more

senior of the younger lifeguards, they're looking to get someone in um adult, like an adult in to essentially manage the the lifeguards, make sure they're doing what they need to be, not sitting on their phones and a part-time job just for the summer.

Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. This is a it's a it's a seasonal all these questioning adults that needs a part-time job just for the summer. But maybe you have teachers.

Well, I was just going to say you might get a teacher or something of the sort.

Who set the rate? I mean, um I don't want to put words in your mouth, but did I understand you correctly? Your your opinion is is that they're probably not going to find somebody at this at this rate.

See, I think it's eager.

What's that?

It's I think it's eager to say they'll, you know, find someone. Hopefully, they do that. I had they I wasn't advised of this. None of us were advised of this until they said this has been voted to put on the warrant by the parks and recreation board. And I and that's the and I asked kind of the similar questions and the information I'm sharing with you is what I was told. So

they set this rate how they came up with it. Um so they're paying for it basically themselves.

Yeah. Yeah.

Out of their own fees and however they draw income. Watch those beach stickers might go up.

Stickers probably will.

So I can envision this at some point getting reclassified for 45 bucks an hour with that. You know, the position is there. Now it comes up for reclassification. Now we're going to have a professional look at it and say, "Oh, you know, you can't pay 25."

But is it still coming out of their budget?

I mean, I I can't speculate in the future, but right now it would be, right? No, they're paying for I'm sorry. What was the I was going to say whether it's $28 an hour or $45 an hour, it is just the summer and it's still coming out of their budget. So comes out their revenue and and I guess any reclass with these positions does have to come back before you and town meeting again, right? We

can't just change non-unionally without your without uh the bylaw change.

And Pox doesn't usually ask for a heck of a lot usually. So well, chances are we won't see this until another year passes because they won't understand if it works or works or not doesn't work for them until next year.

Right.

So will this go ahead.

I'm sorry. Uh, will this position receive benefits?

No.

No. It's part That's a good question.

Very good question.

Those are schedule E things.

Yeah.

Any other questions or comments?

Are we ready to vote on this?

Yeah.

All in favor?

I.

Any opposed or abstensions? So 600.

We might have a more in-depth discussion next year if it comes back at $45.

Yeah, maybe 75. I don't know.

Or 75.

$100 an hour tomorrow, right?

Sit on the beach tomorrow.

You kid over there.

You have to be a certified lifeguard though, right?

Used to be a lifeguard.

Use the t-shirt.

Yeah, there's a little more to it than that. Uh, okay. What are we? Article 15.

Yeah. So, this one is one that you hadn't voted this yet, but it did change. Um, we we took the feedback that we got from um the last town meeting, which was primarily the concern with the each hour being an offense. There was also some concern with um the not having the ability for someone to wave the fee like the select board. So, initially we had we had worked through to put in that

the select board could wave the fee um for fee for a fee um issued under a bylaw such as this. You actually the select board doesn't have the authority to to wave that fee. So, we couldn't add that provision in.

So, the change here is essentially that it's a 24 hour it's a 24-hour period instead of a um before it was every hour what constituted.

But this article is written the same as it was last week when we saw it. The words have not changed.

Nope, it has changed. Oh, it has. Last week you there was a a section 4 under um subsection C that said that the select board would have the ability to wave that any of the the fines given could be waved.

Okay.

That had to be deleted because it's not legal. It's not in compliance with um chapter 60 chapter 4. I was thinking about how we had summarized it in the rationale, but it's not that's not even in there.

Which we'll reook at it after, but we can vote on it now. We didn't vote on it last week.

And then also now if the um capital plan passes, we would have the equipment in place at DPW to actually go clear the sidewalks because that is the machine is on there. Before we had to borrow the schools and if it was available, great.

But we didn't have our own. So we um it's on there this year. And then again, the goal is our goal is compliance.

where you don't want to find people.

Yeah, right.

I was going to say there t can tend to be some elders who don't have the ability to to do that and no support from family. So, that was my concern.

Yeah, that was brought that up last year.

Yeah, lengthy town meeting discussion on it.

Yes, we did.

Back to the drawing board.

Yeah. I mean, if there's concern again this year with the 24-hour period, then we we just don't change it. It'll stay with the 1945 language and you just won't be and you know, god forbid someone gets hit.

Okay.

And someone gets hit.

It's cheery.

Well, hopefully we don't have another blizzard where we have so much snow that nobody can snow emergency is in there, right? So, and last year, what was it?

It was a week, right? That we had a snow emergency at least.

Yeah. So, it gives you realistic time.

We don't expect you to be out there. And technically, again, the concern was, okay, is there discretion? We use discretion now because right now it says you have to have four hours after the snow ends, you have to have it cleared off. I I don't know of any police officers that have been finding people if at 2:00 the storm ended at 10 and you know, they're patrolling.

So, there's already discretion. Clearly, they've shown that they can use their discretion.

Any other questions on this?

So, ready to vote?

Make a motion to recommend.

I'll second.

Second. Okay. All in favor?

I.

Any opposed or abstensions? 600 0 16.

Okay. Article 16 we voted on last week.

There was one small change based on the select board's feedback um on this which is that um we added in the first offense. So in the current bylaw, the first offense is a warning. the select board wanted to put put that back in. We had initially taken that out. So that is back in there that um whenever a violation is the first violation of this article 3 that is enforceable against a

particular person or occurs more than 24 months after the last such violation, the person shall receive a written warning.

Okay. Any other questions? And we'll revote.

Make a motion to recommend.

I'll second it.

All in favor of this article I I. Any opposed or extensions six 0.

Did you change article 17?

We did, but the substance didn't change at all. Uh we just clarified as we were reading through it. Again, our concern was um we basically said that the soil the board of health became the soil board, but there was a section what we didn't want it to be implied was that the board of health took over the duties of the soil board and the soil board no longer existed. What we what we made

this I think clearer was there's still a soil board. The board of health members just act as the soil board. So if there needs to be a soil board meeting for instance that that meets the letter of the bylaw. The board of health membership meets as the soil board. It's not someone applying to the board of health. They still are applying to the soil board. The bylaw still is in place.

It's just the membership of the board of health acts as a soil board.

Do we need to revote? I I don't think the intent changed at all. It's it's exactly how we described it to you. It was more of a wording to make it very clear, particularly as it went through the AG um that if they were having, let's say, two items on the on the board of health items and soil items, they would have to post two separate agendas.

It's technically two boards, but they just are acting as the soil board.

Okay.

But the intent hasn't changed. It's good. Exactly how we've discussed it.

Rationale sounds like it could be okay.

Um, Carrie, you want to can we switch over to your laptop so we can go through the rationale and everyone can see them?

Didn't she have a last time we plugged in?

I did have one, but I left it in the car cuz I was running lamps. So, I'll use this one. It's fine.

Thank you.

Some works. Well, it worked last week for me.

I was going to say if this takes longer than three minutes, we're adjourning the meeting for technical support.

We won't go through that again.

All right. So, all right. Good.

So, scroll on up. Definitely spoke too soon. What happened?

We lost the signal. Come on, Janine.

Somebody make a motion to adjourn.

Just crowd around Carrie's computer.

Yeah, we had that problem last year.

Oh, you know what? No, I just I it just asked if I would approve something and I think it denied it. So, it might have been me.

Let's see if it asks again.

Hang on.

Don't you teach classes?

I do.

How do you do this at school?

Here we go.

Wait, let's see if that comes back up again.

You know, it was just like you're blinking.

Yep.

It was No, it's blinking a little more though. It blinked a little time.

It's like Comcast.

Yeah.

This never happened when we were in the big room.

Did not ever happen in your bedroom.

Yeah, that's right. Nice big screen.

Never happened. And I did this for years.

It wasn't all crinkled.

It wasn't refresh blinking. It's not happy with my computer.

You always see it.

Try to get through it.

Doesn't like the signals.

All right. Are we going all the way up to article one?

Yeah. No, we should because no. Okay.

It's not going to let it. It's It's not going to allow my computer.

Okay. Can we try Patrick's computer?

Yep. Sure.

You have a USBC?

Patrick is really good at this anyway.

Apple maybe.

I think it's anything with a USBC.

This is by design.

Mine was fine last week.

Oh, it was absolutely fine.

This is a setup, Patrick. This is need by design. You are 100% correct.

She wants you. She's sick of That's right.

You actually I know. I was just tanting on my computer last. Here you go. Just go nuts.

Bring your computer. see if yours works.

But I do think that I hit something like I had an alert come up and I just closed it out. I think I was supposed to approve something.

Okay.

Really?

Yeah.

Doesn't ask for an approval.

Well, it's your adapter.

I don't know cuz I have an adapter and it does it with mine, too. I mean, you can try mine if you want.

That adapter was fine because I used it last week. It's not the adapter either.

But can we make it so it's not negative?

I hate that display background.

Yeah. meaning you know white text on as well.

It worked last week though.

I know that was last week.

I It was my laptop last week trying to be the typest.

Hold on one second. Let me just try and email because you could email it using your email.

But they don't get the emails.

You don't get Gary's emails.

They get the emails when they leave the building.

It's this building.

Yeah.

Yeah. But if you do it I'm saying with yours, save it.

They're going to work on it right while they're here right now. go through it.

Yeah. Um I don't know if you have the most recent version, right?

Uh let me see. I'll do it on the uh Hold on a second. Let me look.

But unless you change Did you change something while we were sitting here?

No, just just Okay. Then he then he does have the most recent version because I sent it out this afternoon.

You know what I'm saying?

Yep.

It was just us voting. That's all I changed.

No, that's okay. We can fix that. Yeah.

All right. Who wants to type on Gary's laptop? Don't all jump up. I think it should be Patrick cuz he's really good at arm wrestling.

We need a vote on that.

Thank you, Patrick.

I vote no vote on that. Um, no, I should be good about it.

I remember having to do that once. It was just awkward because it's size, you know.

Successfully delegated.

Totally.

Yeah. Yeah. And it likes your computer just fine. Maybe it's all the apples.

No, mine's a Microsoft and I have the same issue with Well, that's really only like yours worked last week.

Did the IT guy Gary does oversee it?

The curse.

Can you just make it larger? I mean, I'd like to have it so we could Yeah.

Thanks.

Oops.

Personally, I prefer black text on a white background, but that's okay.

Charades. We can't be beggars can't be choosers right now, right?

Let's just have it so we can read it.

I'm going with that.

All righty.

14 million.

Y read it out loud.

I can read it if you'd like.

You want me to read? You put Yeah, Patrick.

Carrie, you did put amounts in there.

What?

You did put the amounts in there. Oh, somebody did.

I put the amount before I sent it to you this afternoon. I sent you put the amounts in and made a changes on formatting and a couple things.

Thank you.

Okay. The article one rationale. This article requests an appropriation of $1 million from the Dartmouth Community Preservation Unrestricted Reserve to be allocated to the Town of Dartmouth Conservation Commission's acquisition of a conservation restriction on a 29 acre parcel. The appropriation aligns with the objectives of the Community Preservation Act to protect open space and helps protect land adjacent to a

critical public drinking water supply aquifer. This parcel is linked to the 40B project if approved.

It provides a reasonable alternative to the proposed 40B development known as the residences at Hawthorne.

Um, may I make a recommendation?

No, I know what you're going to say.

Yeah, I wouldn't say it's linked to the 40B because it's not linked to the 40B.

It it's in lie of maybe it would be a better term in 40b. Yeah.

Yeah. No, when I was going over this afternoon, I thought so if approved, it provides No, alternative. I actually think that's parcel is in lie of 40b project.

I don't I think what you have there if approved, it provides a reasonable alternative to the pros. That tells you right there. It's a it's an alternative to the 40B.

Okay.

I don't think you need to repeat it. The only other small detail is you have on a uh 29 acre parcel. um maybe put an approximate 29 acre parcel. We're saying approximate because they're still working out the final plans. Okay.

And we and that's the language in the article because if it comes in at 28.5 or we don't want our hands tied to now we can go back for town meeting authorization.

Perfect.

So, do we all love it?

Yeah, it's great. You can unhighlight it so we know it's signed, sealed, and ready to go.

Okay. Beautiful.

Can he use your mouse? It might be easier for him.

Yeah, you need it.

I mean, I'm seeing him use the pad and I'm like, "Thank you."

I can't work without a mouse.

The highlighting stuff is really difficult without a mouse.

Okay. So, article two.

All right. Article two, rationale. This article proposes an appropriation of $250,000 from surplus revenue and transfers this amount to the stabilization fund. This transfer amount is primarily attributed to the stabilizations fund stabilization fund's current balance of greater than 10% of the town's operating revenues. The balance is $14,91,1843.

This annual contribution is important to ensure the town retains its AAA bond rating and aligns with the town's financial policies.

Any thoughts, concerns?

They know it.

That's the sum that Gary sent out.

Do you need the second sentence? This transfer amount is primarily attributed to sele

I think it provides more clarity code if you leave it in what's the goal of the sentence I'm just trying to understand like what are you what's by saying that like what are you trying to get across in it if if you were saying this amount this transfer amount is primarily attributed to the stabilizations fund goal of obtaining a 10% balance.

Well, it has to do with that it goes to our financial policy. I think that's where that statement came from, right?

Maybe the last sentence that was added after though kind of takes over for that. Okay.

Um and and just says that it's because I can I see it it is kind of um confusing.

Yeah. In a way. So, I mean I think if you delete it, it's not going to change the what we're trying to because it does go to the town's financial policies. It's in the last sentence. Do you think take it out or if I think take it out?

Trying to save paper.

I don't think as much as we can sentence will if we cut a sentence out of every knock out a lot more to get down to I believe four pages, right?

That is what I'm thinking. You need a little bit more than a couple lines.

Five pages right now.

And then you can quote um keep the number red.

No, it doesn't. I only put it there so we know what was added and we're making sure it's accurate. What do I do with this? Make it white.

Automatic.

All do is just highlight it.

Yeah, I think you're going to have to make it white here cuz it's I don't know.

I don't work in reverse.

I'll just I'll just leave it for now and then you can fix it later for me.

Yeah, this negative stuff.

Article three, rationale. This article appropriates $150,000 from surplus revenue to supplement the stabilization fund which is set aside to resolve contract negotiations for all staff excluding the school department. These funds are being appropriated to settle the contracts for four unions: Police Brotherhood, United Steel Workers, Dartmouth Town Employees Association, and Laborers. The current balance is

$961,819.93.

This practice aligns with Massachusetts General Laws, Chapter 40, Section 5B. It is standard procedure when existing contracts are nearing expiration.

The only thing is I'd get rid of excluding the school department because if you recall, we actually used it for the school department in the spring.

We do.

We did.

We had never before.

I don't think we did last fall. That's the only reason why it was in there. But that's fine. We can take We did use it for the school in the spring. Take it.

Okay.

And then and then if you're going to and then the next sentence, these funds are appropriated to settle the contracts for I I don't know if you want to list the seven from the school. So maybe you could just say all groups. Are these funds being used for those in this current um article or No, this article is just putting it into that fund for future appropriation.

Um should we take the unions out or add it?

There was a question asked at the last meeting we had that warrant we thought it would be advisable to specify what particular unions this might be might be entailed here.

But you're not appropriating it with this article. So when you get into the detropriation that's where we specify which union this is you're eligible for any of our 11 bargaining units with this.

All right. So so that sentence should go I think so because I think our intent was to show that it wasn't the school department. Um well now it is the school of primary school.

No well it doesn't really say that just says all staff and then the sentence these funds are being appropriated too is the sentence we're saying we should get rid of other words don't list the union.

Okay.

Article four. This article appropriates $300,000 from surplus revenue to the stabilization fund for long-term capital. Regular contributions to this fund allow the town to plan ahead for major facility and capital needs. The goal is to reduce reliance on future borrowing and lessen the impact of large capital expenses on future budgets and taxpayers. The current balance of the long-term capital stabilization fund is

1,125,671.

cuz I

thoughts. Yeah, we're waiting for Cody.

I know.

Looks kind of interesting.

Smiling. He didn't make a face. He was whispering with Gary.

I know. So, I was like, "Oh, here it comes."

Any changes at all or I think we're good. I think that one's okay.

That seems low.

Oops. That's not right. Right.

Um, article five, just so you know, the vote is 600 Z, right?

Okay.

That's about right. Okay. The capital planning committee reviewed and prioritized the projects included in this article in consultation with town department heads. Dartmouth's capital improvement plan provides a coordinated approach to maintaining town infrastructure and equipment, planning for major purchases, and addressing capital needs before they become more costly or urgent. The fiscal year 2027

recommendations include investments in public safety, equipment, school building and technology improvements, road maintenance, vehicle and equipment replacement, and townwide technology infrastructure. The article also funds significant improvements to the town's water and sewer systems, including water main replacement, pump station improvements, infiltration, and inflow remediation and wastewater treatment

equipment. The proposed projects are funded with 1,865,76 in surplus revenue, 1,645,000 in water retained earnings, and $491,160 in sewer retained earnings. C warrant article 5 for a detailed description of the individual projects and funding sources.

Sounds good.

Okay.

Article six.

Article six. This which is also 600 now.

Sorry Patrick.

That's okay. this article which establishes a police cruiser revolving fund.

So we know this is wrong.

Yeah.

The 50%.

So if we change that to 100% we're good.

That's what I that's what I did on here.

This article, which establishes a police cruiser revolving fund, will direct 100% of third-party detail cruiser use fees to the fund for the maintenance and operation of police vehicles. The revolving fund allows these revenues to directly offset related vehicle expenses, reducing the need to fund those costs through the police department maintenance budget.

But we need to add the part about cruisers.

Yep. So you can just put maintenance, operation, and purchase of police vehicles.

There you go. Where is that?

Uh maintenance, purchase. Is that whatever order you want to put it in?

Yeah.

Yeah. There you go. Any other edits?

I think it's good.

So, I think that's fabulous.

In article seven, we revoted. So, it's six.

And it's wrong. So, it's wrong. It's wrong on so many levels.

Yeah. We have to change the title of it too because Right.

I know. Was it was it five.5?

Yes.

Good memory.

I might be outside watching that game.

Wow. It's a wild game out there.

Wild game out there.

Uhhuh.

Yeah. So, should I copy some of it from the um Yeah, normally I I know I don't have We don't have the new copy of the warrant.

Yeah, usually I kind of cut and paste from that.

Gary, do you have that on here? The um the new warrant?

Yeah. What do you want to do? just to copy the title over and um Oh, yeah. Like refer to some of the text.

It's hard when you have to rewrite from scratch. It's not fun at all.

Me too.

Not at all.

Thankful this is the only one we have to do that way. I think that say open or read only copy.

Is it halftime?

No. 7 minutes left in the second.

Copy this.

What is it?

Seven minutes left in the second half.

Oh, okay. That's fine.

Oh, is that why is that I'm sorry. Second quarter, not the second half.

Say that was a quick game, right?

My screen is floating.

Okay.

Yes.

Many comments about using this room.

All right. So rationale wise um to borrow up to 5 a.5 million and I could probably just copy some of this right over.

Yeah, that's usually I mean you can go with the usual this article authorizes the town to all right to appropriate and borrow. How how far should I go into it? Do you think you're on it right here? No, you you only need to just to dollar amount.

Yeah.

Yeah. We don't need the rest of the Okay.

I don't have the article to read, so I can't offer a thought. Oh, I think we're already good. It's already there. So, all right. And then for so you can copy that second part for the so or in order to or for the cost of aation upgrades at the wastewater treatment plant.

Okay.

I mean, we could use part of this where it says the investment will support necessary improvements.

I think that's the point.

Yeah, that's Yeah, that sentence is probably okay.

Thank you, Patrick.

Um, I don't think the last sentence is valid though anymore, is it? This project will run in conjunction with a mass DOT project in the area.

This investment will support necessary improvements to the town's wastewater wastewater structure and help maintain a reliable public water system. water or wastewater system.

Wastewater system.

Okay.

Um should we mention anything about the 250,000? Um is it a grant or a um just to say that it would be Yeah.

used in conjunction with that to Yeah.

Um does it say it in the article something about the grant? Yeah. I just say it does not. No.

We have to use specific language for borrowing. So we can't use any of that.

But you could certainly put it.

No, no, that gives a Yeah, these ones will be Where's the grant from?

You want to trust me?

Thank you.

Good memory on that.

Just gives an extra detail. Someone's still bound to ask, but you know, we didn't know.

Uh, the Buzzards Bay National Estuary Program.

National.

Yes.

Okay.

It's through the state uh office of coastal zone management, but that's the exact program.

No, that's fine. That's enough detail.

Somebody wants to ask about it, they can.

All right. Any other edits to this one?

It's beautiful.

Come on.

All right. 6 0 for the vote.

black ink.

Yeah.

Automatic.

All right. This article provides 114,377.99 in funding to implement the fiscal year 27 to fiscical year 29 collective bargaining agreement between the town and the Dartmouth Town Employees Association.

The fiscal year 27 appropriation, including retroactive payments, will be funded through the collective bargaining stabilization fund. The article also authorizes the town accountant to make the necessary adjustments to the fiscal year 27 operating budget.

Perfect.

Got a nod.

Beautiful.

Pat, you're saving these changes, right?

Please.

Right.

Bill, you're you're remembering all this.

Please tell me you are.

You don't want my memory. Cody, don't watch the video afterwards and do it. Yeah.

Oh my gosh.

Jeez. I've had to watch plenty of these to get the words.

No.

All right. This article provides $31,784.74 in funding to implement the fiscal year 27 to fiscal year 29 collective bargaining agreement between the town and the United Steel Workers. The fiscical year 27 appropriation, including retroactive payments, will be funded through the collective bargaining stabilization fund. The article also authorizes the town accountant to make the necessary adjustments to the fiscal

year 27 operating budget.

Good.

Perfect.

Perfect.

Beautiful.

Yep.

Okay. Um, article 10. This article provides $126,40.39 cents in funding to implement the fiscal year 27 to fiscical year 29 collective bargaining agreement between the town and the Massachusetts Laborers District Council Local 1249. The fiscical year 27 appropriation, including retroactive payments, will be funded through the collective bargaining stabilization fund and retain earnings from the water and

sewer enterprise funds. The article also authorizes the town accountant to make the necessary adjustments to the fiscical year 27 operating budget.

Perfect.

Yes.

Article 11.

Article 11.

This article establishes a licensing and rotation system for towing companies used by the Dartmouth Police Department.

It limits the number of licenses to six, provides for rotation among licensed towing companies, and establishes standards for licensing, oversight, suspension, and revocation. The bylaw provides a consistent and transparent process for selecting qualified towing providers while giving the chief of police authority to establish and enforce appropriate operating and safety requirements.

Wow, that was very nicely written.

Next, article 12.

This article authorizes the board of public works to establish and amend rules, regulations, and policies governing the town's public water system without requiring town meeting approval.

This allows the board to respond more efficiently to changing operational, regulatory, and public water system needs while maintaining responsibility for the management of the system. Any changes would follow general procedure.

Perfect.

Article 13. This article establishes a consistent $300 fine for each violation of the town's tobacco and restricted products regulations, inhalable products regulations, and public water system rules and regulations. It provides a clear enforcement mechanism for these regulations and also updates and reorganizes chapter 60 of the general bylaws to reflect these changes.

Yes. Perfect. Oops.

Okay. This one's 600.

Yes.

Yep.

This article amends the town's personnel bylaw to add the seasonal part-time position of beach manager at a pay rate of 24 to $28 per hour. Establishing the position and compensation range provides the town with appropriate staffing and oversight for the operation of town beaches.

Do we want to add the sentence about how it's funded?

You can say and is funded via park department revenues.

Yeah. Yeah.

They know that's and we can probably take out the whose role is this now.

Right there go.

Is it park department or parks department?

Is it is it plural?

Well, that's actually park and recreation.

Park and recreation or parks and recreation.

Our financial system says park. this rule would be that doesn't mean it's right but interesting. Well, let's go with parks.

Go on the No, don't go.

Can you get on the website and just look them up?

See what they call themselves online.

It's probably parks and rec.

You don't want to start a thing.

Call them the wrong name. Parks. It's pl It's plural. Parks and recreation.

Okay.

Yeah. P A R KS. Parks and Recreation.

I thought it was

When you do D park, these are the pictures that come up.

Recognize it.

What the hell did I do?

It's not fun to type on somebody else's laptop, is it?

Oh, it's not.

Had to use Gary's once. I know. It's It's a sign. It's what you're used to being on it.

I'm a Matt guy. Can't do this.

The width or whatever.

All right. Article 15. This article updates the town's snow removal requirements for sidewalks, requiring a budding property owners or occupants to clear sidewalks within 24 hours after snowfall ends or a declared snow emergency concludes. It establishes $25 penalties for non-compliance with higher fines, $300 for commercial properties and properties within one mile of a public school. The changes are intended

to improve pedestrian safety and ensure sidewalks remain accessible following winter storms.

Do you want to say something about being I know you said um within 24 hours, but the one of the bigger changes was initial um in the in the one we proposed in the spring it was each offense was an hour, which was one of the concerns.

Now we've changed it so every 24-hour period is an offense or each calendar day, I'm sorry, is an offense. So something explaining the difference between the previous article or or just saying or you could even just say within 24 hours and each calendar day would constitute an offense.

That's really the biggest change from this.

Yeah. No, no, I know what you're saying.

It clarifies what the big concern was, right?

A new offense or a separate offense?

Separate offense. Yeah.

And should we mention anything about discretion at all or leave that out, do you think?

I'll leave it out because it's not in the bylaw.

Okay.

I guarantee someone will still have a question or concern.

I'm sure they will.

Article 16. This article updates the penalties for violations of the town's domestic animal bylaws by establishing a $300 fine per violation. It clarifies that the town may issue separate fines for each responsible person, each animal involved, each day of violation continues, and multiple violations arising from a single incident. The amendment provides clearer and more consistent enforcement of the town's

animal regulations.

Those cows are going to add up.

Yeah. 195.

And article 17, this article amends chapter 87 of the general bylaws to designate the board of health as the town's soil conservation board and eliminate the existing separate board. This change consolidates related responsibilities within the board of health and streamlines the administration and oversight of soil conservation matters which I know we had just talked about that. So the only

thing maybe um and eliminate the existing separate board's membership because we're not actually eliminating the board, right?

It's just the board of health is is now that board. So I think if you said the existing membership of the board and eliminate the existing membership of the separate board.

Yeah, something along those lines. As long as you just say membership.

Yeah. No, I get it.

Or should we or how about and and eliminate the existing composition? You could say composition.

There you go.

Does this u next sentence here make sense?

Mr. Yeah, I think that's fine.

Removing John Souza from the soil board.

Terrible.

John cannot complain anymore about being busy.

Man, those meetings were tough and long.

And the last one was what, five years ago?

Oh, yeah.

So question. Um I'm happy to finalize it. I know we have two working members here. So and I want to get this done obviously, but I don't want to put the pressure on anybody, but if you send that to me, I'm happy to make sure it's formatted correctly and and off to Yeah, it's um on Gary's just have Gary send it to you.

This is Gary's computer. Well, Gary can send me a email.

Was was I think that was I think that was brought up in email though, Patrick.

I think we have to save that this one here.

Yeah. So, I think we have to file save that.

Save as.

Why don't you do it?

You let Gary do it.

No, don't let Gary do it.

Why don't you do it? Why don't you do it?

I'll save as on the desktop.

Very important to save as.

Well, you'll hear me cry tomorrow right from my house.

Oh, Gary will video over.

Uh, just do it to the desktop.

Yeah, just go right to the desktop. This PC file, save as. Yeah. Yeah, this PC on the left. On the left is this PC.

On the left, this PC. Yep. There you go.

Yeah.

All right.

Sorry.

Uh, on it.

You're in documents right now. So, go to the top and hit that up arrow.

Yep.

Desktop.

Desktop.

Yes.

Yeah. And just save it, right? You can save it just like that. It'll Yep.

I think I remember that.

Goodness.

I will because I'm sure Gary is very prompt about sending me things, but I'll send out a final thing tomorrow morning for everyone. If you have a chance to look at it, look at it. But I'm going to want to send it on to at least the select board by the end of Friday to you, the end of Friday. And then I think Sarah's deadline is later, right?

Yeah, we have a little bit time.

No, I know we have time for that, but I just want to make sure they have it for their meeting on Monday night.

Yeah, her deadline is um October 1st, I believe it is.

Yeah, but we can't change it again once we Wednesday.

Okay.

Yay. That wasn't too painful, was it?

That was good.

Way through.

Patrick, you did a great job. Thank you, Patrick.

It worked out well.

Excellent job.

Makes me smile when I watch someone else have to type it.

You do a really good job.

Okay, that's perfect. All right, where are we?

Um, yeah.

What else is on?

So, um, no, no, we're at the town administrator's update.

Okay. Do you want your laptop?

Oh, we're done with Yeah. Poor Gary. Gary can't function without his laptop.

I think we plug it in.

I'm assuming we're now done with the warrant.

I hope so.

You anticipate any other changes?

Oh. Gosh, no. No.

Okay. Because that's done.

I know there's still time. I know that the select board, they need to have it for Monday night, though.

Yeah. They I don't anticipate any any changes.

Good.

So anyway, that does bring us to the town administrator's update.

Um, anything to share?

No, just we got all the rest of the um financial data uploaded on open gov. So that is all there now. Fiscal 27 is there as well as all the prior years for um I'm sorry, not open gov, clear gov.

Uh and all of the fiscal years are there for the enterprise funds as well now. So definitely recommend everyone go take a look and we welcome Megan on board this week. So excited to work with her.

That's right. and um push some some longstanding items forward.

Megan, are you gonna come to all our meetings?

I'm gonna try my best.

It's not necessarily a requirement by any means. That's up to Cody, obviously.

Um, anybody have liazison reports?

I know you weren't able to go to that meeting. Did you get any information about it? Not, but I can reach out and ask.

All right.

Yep.

And we have no minutes for approval, Gary. I'm assuming no minutes.

We didn't get any.

So, what does our schedule look like between now and meeting? February.

Uh so we'll you know as we wrap up now with fall town meetings I'll start sending out that information for the uh budget the budget message in November typically around be right before the um uh Thanksgiving holiday. They'll get back all the information to me in December and then we'll start meeting with the departments the one-on- ones uh in my office. So then that'll start the

budget process. So um we have some time until like but I'll send out a schedule. I usually send out a schedule.

Yeah, of course. to the committee so that they know if they want to attend some of those meetings, what the what the schedule will look like going into the FY28 budget. I'll do that before the uh before the holiday.

You see for a pre-T town meeting?

Pre-time meeting?

Yes. Uh it got changed. Initially it was the 13th. That didn't work for everyone.

So, uh it's October 7th.

No. Um Oh, well, I'm sorry. For the the finance. Okay.

Oh, prior to the town meeting. Yeah. Uh, no. I don't think there's any need uh to meet unless we have minutes, but um I'll let the committee know if if we have any minutes. We have some minutes that we we're waiting for. I contacted Caroline.

Uh so if we have some that would be the only reason why we would have to we'd have to meet the approved minutes.

So you moved it to the other pre-in meeting is October 7th.

What time would that be? Seven. You don't know yet.

6 p.m.

Oh, it's 6 p.m.

October 7th.

Yeah. And what was it before?

It was initially going to be the 13th.

It didn't work for the moderator. And then uh it's a tough tough couple.

It's going to be held where?

Wednesday.

Dartmouth High School.

7th at 6:00 p.m. I know it's not necessarily a requirement for the finance committee to be there. I'm assuming it's optional. I do plan to be there this time. I couldn't go last time.

Yeah. We're actually going to do something I think pretty cool this time where um the moderator is going to do a quick 10 or 15 minute overview of just town meeting procedures. We've we've realized we have a lot of new town meeting members over the past couple years. So simple things like how do I vote, how do I make an amendment in writing, um kind of a 101 very quick overview

and then we'll just run through the articles quickly as well.

Yeah. No, that makes a lot of sense because I can see at the last town meeting she ended up having to explain all that process in the middle of town meeting which, you know, I understand not everybody.

Yeah.

Yeah. All right. Good.

Wow. So, we're on a little break now.

I'm excited.

That's lovely.

It's like coming back to school.

So, nothing scheduled at all, right? Is that nothing?

Not until uh actual town meeting.

Yeah. So, you hear from me on the schedule and will Yeah. Gary will let us know if anything has to happen before that for some reason, which I don't know what that would be.

Any other thoughts?

Anybody want to make a motion to adjurnn?

Make a motion to adjurnn.

You have a second.

Second.

All in favor?

I meeting.

Thank you.