Okay, I'm going to call to order the town of Andover Board of Selectmen special meeting for Monday, December 22nd, 2025 at 7:03 p.m. our first order of business is the pledge of allegiance. I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America and to the republic for which it stands, one nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all. as a point of order, I'm going to move to 2E to start with because we have the assessor who is, staying late today. and I was hoping that John could fill us in as to what the status is in his office related to assistance and what he needs so that we can better understand the memorandum of understanding. So, John, have at it.
Good evening. so I think everyone's well aware that we lost our assistant assessor and you know the model that we work under here in Andover is 34 hours a week full-time with the assistant assessor and then I'm here part-time on a limited basis about five hours a week in the office and this time of year typically we put in some extra hours in order to get the grand list filed but at this point having lost her the first week in November you know I'm already short 240 hours of clerical work in the office. She has actually helped out with with a few things and probably did maybe six or eight hours worth of work since the departure, but there's no way we can get everything done on time with just me here on such a limited basis. So, where we stand right now is we've already requested a one-month extension from the state of Connecticut to file the grand list, and it will be really hard to to do that even by the end of February and get everything that's taxable on the list. the supplemental motor vehicle bills are usually out. They're due January 1 typically. Those are going out late. They're not going to go out until January. So, they're going to go out a little bit late. And that gets a little problematic because our tax collector has a vacation that was planned you know more than a year ago. She's gone from February 5th to February 22nd. So we're getting into a little bit of a sticky wicket there where these bills can be going out and due at a time when she wouldn't even be here. I did reach out, you know, and put some feelers out to see if anybody would be
willing to come in here and help out. I did forward two offers to Jim Balano. One was looking for 140 an hour. The other one at 150 an hour. the union rep apparently made an offer to the town to have the assistant assessor help out in the filing of the grand list. And thatou is before you. So that's another option. We have saved about $1,000 a week in salary and benefits since her departure. So, if the board approves this, there's there's certainly funding for it. It's not going to put us over budget. I don't know what other questions I can answer for you guys.
Tell them about status of the interviewees.
No, I think it's completely separate. I mean, we have be we have been interviewing, but I mean, you know, even if we h bring someone in, they're going to have absolutely no experience. So, you know, honestly, they'll almost be there twiddling their thumbs a little bit in the beginning because not knowing how to use the software programs, not understanding the law, not understanding what we do. Do I stop and try to teach them something or do we try to get everything on the grill list that we possibly can? Is the 10 hours going to be sufficient for you to get done what you need done?
I mean, more would be great. but you know 10 hours from 10 10 hours from coming from you know the person who's worked in that office for the last 13 years who knows where everything is and and you know versus bringing someone else in even though they might be certified and have 20 or 30 years of experience they're not going to do as much work in the time frame that she could do it. I would love for it to be more than 10 hours, but I don't know that she can give that. Her plan was to stay one hour a day, Tuesday through Thursday and
then come in Friday for four or five hours. she knowing her she probably would do even even more than that even though it says you know approximately 10 hours but we definitely are in a dire situation and you know we we we really need the help from someone to get the grandless you know filed then then at some point like Jim said we've been doing the interviews we're going to offer the position to somebody and hire somebody you know your training is really difficult when they're here 34 hours and I'm only here five and there's a bunch of things I have to get done. When Robera was first hired 13 or 15 years ago, she was hired during the month of May and we contracted with Bolton and brought Barry over here who was their assistant. She was training Robera. It was also a slower time of the year right after the green list is filed and the board of assessment appeals is done and before your bills go out in July. It's it's a really great time. So I mean training will be an issue you know as well. it's not that like we haven't seen this before or gone through it before but it really is in my opinion
kind of a dire situation.
Okay. Does do any of the other members have any questions for the assessor?
Okay. Is it possible to is it possible to excuse me find somebody from another town to help out for a while?
well so we have sort of two issues. The first one is getting this brand list you know filed by the end of February. So you know one of the one of the biggest tasks the the assistant assessor position handles is the personal property. They do all the mailing, receiving, reconciling, and data entry for the personal property declarations, which is all the business taxable property. Those aren't even due till November 1st, and because November 1st was a weekend, they were due November 3rd, and, you know, on no on November 5th, you know, she was gone. also, a lot of people had till December 15th because they took an extension to file them. So there's just so much work that needs to be done immediately and otherwise there's stuff we're not going to be taxing. So
could we bring someone in from another town? Yeah. I I got two offers of people to help. They wanted 140 and 150 an hour. So I mean at at 140 10 hours is for you know 1,400 bucks. And they don't know the office cold like she does. and you know they probably would would be working at a slightly slower pace just till they got up to speed on you know where everything is and whatnot. we definitely need some help. I mean listen I don't mind helping and I am I've taken a couple vacation days and I'm putting in more time here but still it's not going to happen without you know some extra assistance. So the first thing is really just to get that grand filed. Then we have to talk about you know what we can do to help bring the new employee along because they're going to have absolutely no experience in that office. They don't understand Connecticut law, what's taxable, what's exempt, all the different applications. they don't know how to use the computer systems.
how are you?
Listen, it it only seems to make sense that we sit there and consider this. I'm not sitting there saying that we do it right now because I know we just got the documentation. I know we need to do it quickly. So,
I just
Dennis, if that's you, can you can you mute
or Jim, can you mute them? okay. So, we definitely need to sit there and provide some assistance to the assessor and to that office. So, we have to figure out a way to do it. he would be in the best position to let us know how to get that done. I don't really think other than potentially negotiating with Roberta in the union, that would probably be what we need to do. Anybody
like it to me?
Carol, Jeff. Yeah. the other selectman have any questions about this or do you have are you on board with this? So when we bring it back in two weeks.
All right. Well, let's move on because John, thank you very much for taking the time. Appreciate it.
You guys are saying we're going to go another two weeks without anybody in that office.
No, but it doesn't appear, John, that we're going to sit there and have a group that wants to vote on this tonight. Unless I'm mistaken. Carol, Jeff,
and that's okay. I just feel like I have a duty and responsibility to say I can guarantee there will be things that won't be taxed this year. And I just, you know, I can show you where I was texting Eric for permission to post the vacancy on November 5th and and it just kept getting dragged out and dragged out and dragged out. I don't know what other word to use besides dire. So, I just want to make sure I'm on the record of saying that. That's what we're looking at.
Understood.
Okay. Where where are we at with the hiring process?
we ju we we conducted all the interviews and you know I I I we may be done. I'm not sure. We just did the last one maybe an hour or so ago.
Okay.
We did some last th we did a bunch last Thursday and and we just wrapped up tonight. So that's
and maybe tomorrow you come in. We can talk about process that approval process. It's It's not a department level, but we'll talk.
Are we Are we close to selecting a candidate or is there somebody that stuck out that you guys probably are going to go forward and make an offer to?
There's there's I don't know if it's okay. Is it okay to talk about this here?
No, I just I just You don't have to talk about the names. I'm just trying to to put the timeline there together because if we bring somebody in on a temporary basis and you you say we have to get them up to speed and they don't know the system and everything. I just don't know what it's going to gain us in the if we're going to hire somebody right away and then we figure out what the start date is. I mean it's I don't really want to spend time training somebody twice on the systems.
So there's there's one candidate that has some relative experience, someone who is a title searcher. Obviously one of the biggest
Oh yeah. Yeah. Just just say you got a preferred candidate.
Okay. I'm sorry.
Yeah. Yeah. that's why I wasn't sure if I was supposed to say anything.
I just I wouldn't Yeah, I wouldn't try to do anything that makes them identifiable. I just say if you have somebody that you know probably 90% chance that that's somebody you're probably going to move forward and make an offer to, then let's get that ball rolling and let's see when they can start. We we can, but they're going to be standing there sitting there twiddling their thumbs for the most part because do I stop and start trying to teach them how to use a computer system or do I put houses out there that don't have tax bills right now on the tax
roles?
Yeah, but I think I think that what I'm trying to get at is if we make an offer to that person to accept and we get a start date. I mean, that's g we got two weeks right now until we get to our next meeting and if we have to do something for training, we can do it at that point. I I don't there isn't going to be any training be probably between now and the end of February because you either train or or you get everything you can on there. Right now, I guarantee even if we even if you guys voted on this and approved it tonight, I guarantee there's going to be things that don't make it on the grant list as taxable this year. That's what dire means.
That's not acceptable.
I don't know what else you want to do.
I I know. I I know everybody thinks that, but why are we getting no responses from some of
Well, Scott Scott, I'm If we bring somebody in now on a temporary basis, they still have to get up to speed. So, we're not going to get anywhere.
No. If we bring someone the offers we have for temporary assistance are people who've worked in assessor's offices for years or worked for rebellies for years. They're people who can come in and contribute right away. I mean, they're asking for 140 and 150 an hour, which which isn't unheard of. One of them has done this work for six other towns. but I mean we have to do something. I I've lost 240 hours already of clerical work since November 6th. I have been pushing this thing. I can show you text messages between me and Eric Anderson from day one. I've been trying to advertise it. I have I have been all over this and now we're going to push it out another two weeks. And this is the first I've really heard about it to be honest with you because it hasn't been communicated to any of the board members.
I've communicated it to my supervisor.
And if this Well, if this was communicated on November 5th, we could have done something about it right away. And I didn't know such a dire this is the first I've heard that this is some dire situation.
So after Erica, he did something on November 17th or so. So
I I don't really I don't really care. I mean, I'm kind of I care because everybody's saying I'm doing nothing. Jeff,
listen. I'm kind of with I didn't know these people.
Jeff Murray.
I am with Jeff Murray that that this is this is new information presented to the board of selectmen related to the assessor's office and what is needed. I am not sitting there saying that I'm not willing to do the memorandum of understanding with the union with Roberta, but I am telling everybody here, this is all new to all five members.
So whether whether John, you were communicating to Eric and and Eric was on his way out, that's fine. But all right, so we're past this now. We as a board really should decide what to do related to this. And the only problem I have is we've not negotiated anything related to any of this and haven't had any exposure to any of this. So John is telling us it's $140 or $160 an hour for someone from outside and it's $60 an hour for Roberta for 10 extra hours a week. And my question was, can we get it done with the extra 10 hours for Roberta? And John is basically telling us we probably have difficulty getting the work done, but we'll get no training done. So now we're going to hire an assistant and not train that person. And so that person's going to be twiddling their thumbs, I think John said. And
but we are in a bad situation and that we have
got to train that person though. That's what I we still haven't answered that.
No, I get it. We got we got to answer that one. But
yeah,
I mean listen,
right? Who's going to train? Ifbert if Roberta can sit there and assist us as a community to get the grand list done, it's in our interests. And
if that's going to happen, it's going to happen after town hall hours are on Friday.
Correct.
Yeah.
It's going to be set hours off hours of her hours that are that she's currently working.
Correct.
A time clock.
She'd punch a time clock for that so we notice what the hours she put in are. Let's do it.
I have no problem.
I'll I'll support it if the logs for the if if the hours are logged. The hours need to be logged.
John, do you have a problem with that? Is that a problem?
John May.
Yeah.
Jim has a second monitor here with this document blown up and I only saw it today for the first time. Number six says, "A lot will be kept recording the number of hours worked on any given day to provide evidence of compliance and meeting the weekly hours and work requirements for this agreement."
Okay. So, and what we'll do is we'll request that and I don't I'm pretty sure she still has a scan on the current payroll time clock. All right. and and Carol, I'll ask you this question. Did you ever log in as town clerk? Is she logging in as town clerk?
No. So, she's not logging in town clerk. So, it won't be like we're we're having a problem with ours. We'll have her log in for this and go through the time card. All right. Anybody got a problem with that as a as a workaround to track the hours?
Okay.
Still wondering who's going to train the new person? who who does that when we do hire somebody.
I actually did call Robera today and and I talked to her because like I I only saw thisou for the first time when Jim reached out to me maybe around 11 or 12 o'clock this afternoon and I called her and I discussed it and and I asked her if she was willing to train going forward and she told me this. She said, "I love this town. I'll help train the new person going forward and I don't need to get paid anything extra for it. But I don't I that is what she told me. so I think because she's here in the building, she's saying that if the person has questions, you know, going forward, she's willing to help with some of that training. Another thing we can do is both of our software vendors, we can send the employee to their location, their satellite location. and they can get one- on-one training on the individual software. So, they get some of that under their belt and they come back if they have a question choosing the building. They also can call me, they can text me. you know, I'll
I'll I'll help out when I can or get back to them on my lunch hour or or you know, I I am here, you know, twice a week. So, it's just going to be a slow training process. But the but you know trying to train someone right this moment when we're when the most we can get for an extension is 30 days and we only have till the end of February and we haven't even gotten our supplemental motor vehicle list out for last year's grand list. I mean there's no way it can all get done and I get what you're saying Scott that you say it's unacceptable but I understand but and I've been talking to Eric about this since se since September. It's not like we didn't know this was a problem. We worked on a job description. We had it ready to go and he told me I could post it the very next day. And then when I reached out to him and texted him, he told me to wait. We had to sit on it. He had to get approval. And you know, all I can do is is is bring these issues to my boss and then I have to go with whatever they said.
So, can I ask a question? So it's $60 an hour that you're asking to be she's asking to be paid an hour and then that would be MS social. So she'd be an employee or would she be a 1099 contractor because 60 an hour then we have to add MS we have to add the social security FICA and all that. So, just wondering and are we going to get into an overnight? Is Dennis is on? I I know you muted him, Jeff, but
if you could let him if maybe we could talk to Dennis. I know you like to mute him, but if you could unmute him and
it wasn't let him come in on this.
Well, another thing I want to ask, this is union position. Is it going to be okay with the union that we do this? It's an from the union.
Yeah.
And Carol, in regards to the to the money, we've already saved $7,000. And
I understand that, John, and I'm not questioning whether we I mean, we we vote to go over budget on so many things. I'm just I'm not saying anything about that. I'm just saying where the $60 an hour, does it put us into an overtime issue because the town clerk salary is based on a 34-hour work week. Even though she's not punching a clock, it is a 34-hour work week. Now, we're adding on 10 extra hours every week, which is going to be going into the MS. So, it's going to cost us, what is it now? 14% for MS on top of that social security and all that. So, are we doing that or are we going to have her as a 1099 private contractor, $60 per hour?
And I just want Dennis's input on that one to protect the town.
Yeah. So Jeff, are you gonna unmute for Dennis?
Dennis, Dennis, can you unmute yourself there?
Yeah,
I'm asking you to unmute, but it's not.
Dennis, call back in.
Yeah, do that because I'm I'm hitting ask to unmute and nothing's happening. I just have to say that, you know, my my job as a fair administration of the local property tax and and honestly, I wouldn't care if it costs more money because explaining to somebody how a house doesn't get taxed or something doesn't end up on the tax rules, I also find unacceptable. But that's where we're headed. There's no way this can all get done at time. So from from the situation that we are currently in, Carol's comments are are understood. We have to look at the extra money that we're talking about from that. But it's still going to be way less than the other amounts that John is putting in front of us. I think $1099 would be the
way to go. When I had been rehired back on helping on a job I had been laid off from, it was $1099. It sound like a better hourly pay, but because it was $10.99, I had to pay my own social security, that kind of thing out of it,
right? And then we wouldn't have all the additional costs because if it's 14% on top of the 600 then the social security and everything the town's portion that we have to pay in you know if it was going to be a 1099 situation that I think would be more acceptable. The only thing if I could just interject, you would definitely ask Dennis maybe ask someone on the financial side or Jeff to hire back someone as a consultant that you just left go as a 1099 sometimes raises a flag, but this is a unique situation.
It doesn't raise flags. I'm sure it's okay. We know
she's still hired as town clerk. Listen, I I have no problem asking Robera that question, but we need to sit there and make a decision as to what we're going to do. So, if that's the choice of of the board is to ask Robera to do this as a 1099, it's still $600 with no tax deduction and then she'd sit there and deal with the issues related to employee. we may also have a problem with that, but that's something that we as a board, we just have to be aware of. So,
and
if that's a choice, let's just move on. Let's give John some resources so we can sit there and get this over with and not have any significant blowback on our grand list,
our tax list. Well, Jeeoff, I was thinking I I kind of was thinking two avenues here because if this fails at the $60 it's what are we going to we're looking at probably $80 an hour if it's if it's we're doing social security and mirrors, right? Because we're looking 14 plus six and a quarter for social security. Correct. That's what the real cost is going to be. It's going to be $80 an hour because she's going to get no benefits because she's part time. Let's let's sit there and say you had 15% for social security, Medicare. and then you had the pension. So, you're probably looking at an extra 20%. So, it's $12. So, 72 to $80. I not sitting there saying you're wrong, but we just need to sit there and do something. So,
$50 less than 140. So, if the goal is to sit there and ask her for that, let's get it approved so we can ask her for that. And then if we have to negotiate with Roberta, we can.
Do you want to just make a motion for her not to exceed?
you guys make the motion that you want because like from what I'm saying, Jeeoff, is not in the negative. make the motion to pay as a 1099 and if you want to make it a motion for it not to exceed like let's say a set period of time. So let's say
I say I would just say like $75 an hour $1099 $75 an hour you know for the period of six weeks.
Okay John I would sit there and probably move it through February but
okay it's fine. I mean, John, what is this, John? Just from your standpoint, what's the what before we even get into training? So, before we get into training, what is your need like for Robera to work those hours? Is it three months? Is it two months?
I would say it would be till like around February 10th or so because we got to get the green list filed and then we got to get the docs off to the printing company to have the book printed. We have to get the increase notices out. I would say like till February, no later than February 10th. how about how about will the board be, you know, I know he says February 10th, but if we said sit there and say not to to go past the end of February or February 28th or whatever the end of the
I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I meant March 10th. We we have till the end of February to file a grant list. I would say until the end till March 10th when when we get we have to get the increase notices out by March 10th. I would say March 10th would be the date.
Okay. then just end it on March 10th if that's the case because I knew there was a February deadline.
So, the the the motion would be to pay that through March 10 or not to not to go past March 10th and we move on.
Dennis is waiting for the host to let him in.
What is our host doing? Come on, Jim. Technology, my friend.
Is he owner though?
Hello.
He's owner.
Yeah, he's owner.
Yeah, I'm owner. All right. I'm something else. I'm a lot of things.
Dennis, so this issue related to
extra hours for the town clerk in the assessor's office.
Yeah. The only problem I have is that this is a result of a deal you made with the union, right?
Yep. I mean, I would, you know, I don't
Oh, and just be aware when you say deal made with the union.
yeah,
John, I'm assuming that you had discussions with the union related to the current situation within the office and that this was a an an alternative that was determined between you, the union, and Roberta. Is that accurate? I I think honestly what happened was I was seriously concerned that you know I would be accused of negligence and I went to the union and I said we have a serious problem here. I keep talking but but nothing's getting done. So he came in he met with us. Robera was here. I think she volunteered. Her and Theo talked quite a bit. the first I saw thisou I think you met with Theo last week or something, but I I the first I saw this was this afternoon. I was going out getting quotes from other people because I thought that's what we were going to have to do. I didn't envision Roberta as being the one that would help the town. I envisioned hiring someone else like so many other towns do when they're in this situation. You know, one of the persons who gave a quote worked for six different towns in the last two years in situations like this. okay.
All right.
I I think this is really a wonderful thing if this could be put together, but if not, I'm happy to use either one of those other two, but but this can't wait. This can't it really can't wait two weeks.
Okay. So, so we understand where this came from and how it got to our doorstep in the future. The hope is that all communication gets through the town administrator and gets to us faster, but where we're at right now is in this situation. So, I mean I personally would just accept the memorandum of understanding or memorandum of agreement. I would do that the way it's written. But if you want to change it and we want to adjust it, let's make the motion and get it done.
Want me to do it, Jeff?
Go ahead, Jeff. What?
All right, I'm going to try my best at this. I'll make the motion to hire Robera Doherty as a 1099 contractor employee at the rate of $75 an hour for 10 hours, which is to be worked opposite hours that the town clerk hours are being town clerk hours and work are being performed. And those hours are to be logged.
Okay. And then give a deadline
and the deadline would be March 10th, 2026. Okay, I'll second that. Any further discussion? All right, let's vote on that. Ann's a yes. Carol Lee,
I'm going to abstain.
Okay. Jeff Murray,
yes.
Scott Person. Scott's a yes as well. Jeff Magcguire, yes. So, 401. and we will sit there and reach out to Roberta and make sure that that is acceptable to where we're at. All right. John, thank you for staying. Appreciate it. but in the future, can you also go through Jim if you have any issues and make sure that we're made aware of anything that becomes problematic in your office? It would help. All righty. Where are we at? So, we're going up to item two. a whether to approve the request of the board clerk Marina Pandalfi to be considered an employee of the town or to remain as an independent contractor. So Marina has made a request to become an employee in all technical purposes. She is an independent contractor because
she's not under the control of the town. She does all the work at at at her home. She does it on her computer and everything else. So, it's a question if somebody wants to make the motion to make her an employee or not.
Question, Jeff. Have we ever had anybody in this role as an employee
ver?
I can't I can't recall anyone. The only one that I know may have fallen into the the employee status is at the beginning of my term, Bob Burbank had his assistant doing a lot of the minutes, but I'm not sure how she was compensated. I don't know if she got compensated through payroll or she got compensated through a 1099.
I mean, it's always been a step end. I would I I would prefer to just keep it a stipend situation.
Okay. then then we're not gonna make the request and then just so the board
unless anybody else wants to make a motion that's all
well no if if anyone wants to make a motion let's go if not then I'm just making everyone aware that we're going to probably have to look for a board clerk to sit there and insist
hat's what's going to happen
yeah and it's fine Scott I don't believe we should make her an employee to be really honest so I'm already prepared I think we have to prepare for that we just as a board have to know that Come January 1st, we're going to have to sit there and and do something different.
All of our all of our meetings are transcribed. The reason why we now vote by roll call is to make the transcription information easier on the person doing the the minutes. with technology, this entire thing should get easier, not harder. I mean, it's my my impression that, you know, if we open this up to somebody in town that, you know, she decides she doesn't want to do it anymore.
It's it's it's it's something that somebody could do in their spare time from their home. So,
I think if we open it up to the residents in town, I'm sure we would find a few people that would probably be interested.
Okay. All right. I have no problem with that. Can we move on to 2B or anybody want to stay on this one? Okay. We'll move on to 2B. whether to prove as written or amended the draft rental agreement for use of the community and community/cenior center. So Jeff, I looked at this just briefly and one major issue I have with it is that there should be an exemption list on this document for the Boy Scouts and other organizations because I don't think we should be charging those people. So, we need to identify the organizations in town that we do not want to charge a fee for.
Okay?
And those are for their and it would be for their direct events only. Like they can't you like somebody couldn't use the Boy Scouts or another organization to have, you know, like the back door or something. It would have to be for like
they want to do the Pinewood Derby or something like that, the community center, they'd be able to.
And like I said, I saw it said nonprofits. And I think a lot of those organizations fall under nonprofits, but I'd like to single out and identify some of those organizations in town that can use it.
That'd be good because I guess like the commission didn't have to pay yesterday. Is that correct?
That is correct.
Yeah.
So, they probably ought to have that category on there about the
like the following organizations are exempt from fees and
Yeah. Yeah. Tess is on if you want to ask or anything.
That's just my suggestion right now. I think the fees are acceptable. I just would like to have, you know, a list of exempted organizations in town that we could you know, not charge a fee for.
Okay. So, just so we understand that exempted organizations really mean the use of the building, not use of anything else. If they use anything else, they use the kitchen or anything like that, they pay. Correct.
Well, I mean, what are we going to do about the like the senior lunch program? That should be exempted.
The senior lunch program is exempted because it's part of the whole town program.
Yeah. The thing is falls under
you're asking you're asking for non town organizations that benefit people in in town. So I'm okay with that. I'm just asking where does it end for an exempt organization like the Boy Scouts? Is it just the building the room or is you know
space?
Yeah. Yeah. Yeah, if they want to do a fundraiser or something and use the kitchen, that would be a different story. But if they're going to use it for meetings or events, that'd be fine.
Okay. And so, do we want to approve this with the understanding that we're going to give a list to test of exempt organizations and we give it to our next next month at our January meeting so that you everybody can list out the organizations that would be potentially exempt within town. Yeah, I think we should all brainstorm and come up with some a list and then at the next meeting in January, you know, whittle it down to what we feel is appropriate.
Okay. So, because, you know, I didn't necessarily have any problems with the dollar per hour rental on the the the the facility. What I probably had more of a problem with was the deposit should be returned probably 48 hours after review of the facility to make sure that the facility is in good state.
So that escro deposit.
Yeah. yeah like the I just want to say for example like the PTA had the the babysitting the kids night the parents night out event a couple a week ago. you know, that would be an organization I would exempt.
That's fine.
Come up with a list of exempt organizations. We'll sit there and and go through it. And you know, obviously this is a learning and you know, we're going to have a learning curve and we're going to understand, you know, some of these exempt organizations might might work and some might not. And Tess and her staff are going to tell us that this worked and this didn't. So, we can always modify the exempt organization list down the road. Yeah, we can always we can always modify it as necessary, but I just don't want to keep those I don't want to put those organizations out in the cold, not be able to use the facility when charging them.
So, is there is there anything that anyone had related to the rest of the document that needed to be adjusted?
Yeah, could I say something?
Sure. Go ahead, Dennis.
Oh, thank you. Yeah.
I'm glad to see there's a paragraphs in here about excusing us from liability, but to me it's it's it needs to be strengthened. It only applies to whoever applies. And I'm I'm always concerned about, you know, a lot of towns require insurance for any organization that uses town property. Also, you would want you know you would want the person who is signing for the organization to at least say they're authorized to sign for the organization and exempt but you know you're going to have individuals there and I'm just concerned about liability. I I I'd like to strengthen that if I can. So, so
I've written a lot of these before. I
Dennis, let's Is anyone anyone have a problem with the hourly rates? The number one thing.
No. Everybody good? Okay. Then Dennis, can you take a look at this and sit there and see what language that you would propose to sit there and put in this from a liability standpoint? and then we can sit there and talk Jeff Murray and everybody else as to the exempt organizations and have this ready to go at our January meeting and get it done. Is that acceptable to everybody?
Test test since we're engaged. What do you got?
You got your hand up. just just want to say that what we've been finding is that in private use perhaps an adjustment to the contract would be having someone stay on site until the event is finished so that there would be no damage during the occasion. that has been brought up to from a couple of different people because there have been children in and out of the kitchen and in and out of the lounge that has damaged puzzles and different things like that. So just just wanting to throw that out there. So, are you are you stating someone from the town side should there be there
for the or is it someone from the organization?
I'm stating that perhaps someone be hired from to stay on site or before and after just to make sure that everything is is clear so that all rules are rules are followed appropriately. from the contract and that would be in addition to the contract as well. So that proposal has been brought to Haley and I and I just want to bring that forward to you that that might be an additional option to the contract.
Yeah. Je spoke to this a few months ago. I think when we first started this that like we trained a half a dozen people that would open and close it and and
verify and then that would be built into this fee structure and they would get paid a stipend out of that.
Correct.
That's what they do like Glastonbury does that a lot with their like JB Williams Park and things. They have retirees that go and open up the facility for for picnics and parties and then they go at the end and close it all up and make sure everything's left in a a satisfactory condition.
Right. and that would be an additional charge to the person that is that would be a private event. And so hopefully we know that our nonprofit organizations would follow the rules, but that has not been always the case. But definitely assuming pure motive and exactly what Jeff had said that perhaps there would be an additional charge for somebody to be on site. So, it would be a per hour charge and then an opening and closing fee.
Correct.
Yeah, we that's something I would like to work into it. And then another thing I like I said, Tess, I'm just trying to read through this on my phone because I came upstairs and my monitor was busted on my computer. So, my camera and my monitor is broken. So, I'm trying to read this off my phone. and I I'm just trying to get through it. And does this have any thing about alcohol or anything of no alcohol allowed or anything like that in this?
there is not anything about alcohol.
Yeah, because that could open up a can of worms because we got
Correct.
Yep. So that's another thing we should discuss.
Yeah, we we did present that a few several months ago. that hasn't been approved by the board. So we're just waiting for the board to approve yes to alcohol, no to alcohol. Yeah. All right. So, let's sit there and do that and then sit there and
So, I got some I got some homework for Tess. are you in contact with any other community center directors or staff in
Yes, I am on a regular basis.
Can you could just a little homework for you for the next meeting. Is there any way you can pull the other community centers and see what their policy is?
Absolutely.
Okay.
Yep. Do you want me to give that to you, Jeff, or do you want me to give that to the entire board? What would you
Oh, yeah. If if you just next week or the week out before our meeting, just if you just pulled a bunch of people and then just send us an email saying, you know, this is these are my findings.
Yep.
And then the next meeting we can make a decision, educated decision what we want to do.
You got it.
And I'd want to pull Dennis a copy of that also.
Pull Dennis.
Y. You got it. And Dennis, if you could just also send that extra liability. Yeah, we can add that, too.
Yeah, I'm gonna look at all of it. I I I think you've I think you made a really good start with this test. you know, but there's a lot of different you know, I don't know enough about what you know, how many what do you plan? How many groups are going to be using it? I mean, you're going to be overwhelmed with this. You know, you got to be careful.
Yep. Absolutely. Yep. What what is the capacity of the building terms?
The capacity is Yeah, the capacity for seating is I believe 60. if it's standing room only, I believe it's 128.
Yeah. Got to be careful with alcohol, too.
And that's inside and outside, by the way. So, if we have a picnic or a concert outside, if we have a food truck or something like that, that's definitely to be considered.
Sure. There's a lot lot to be considered. I've I've hired a few P chucks in the past and some of them have their own liquor license. So, they're they're responsible for serving on on their own.
Correct.
Okay. So, we're going to sit there and push this part of this to our next meeting as well. So, that's 2B to be moved to. And
I just have one more question. Is how did you arrive at these fees? Is this something that you pulled some of the other community centers over and kind of got a running average?
Yeah, that's correct. Haley did a lot of the research and so
that was something that I would have been a little bit more lenient but she had checked into different facilities and what their rate was and so we compromised a little bit and so that was what we that was what we agreed on.
Yeah. I just don't want to undercut other towns because everybody you know the word's gonna get out oh Andover's cheap to have a event so we'll just go there.
Yeah. Yeah. No, I totally understand. So, I can I am in contact with all the other directors of the senior centers in the entire state of Connecticut and so I can definitely send that email out and find find out what they're doing.
Okay. Thank you.
You're welcome.
All right. thank you. We're going to move on to 2C. whether to address concerns raised by Tess Krauss during the December 8th meeting of of the board of selectmen. number one or I approval of community and senior center director job descriptions. So in our packet we have
page 11.
Yeah, page 11 is the first one. That's the the revised job description. And then there's I believe the original one for the 12, 13, 14 where the job description posted for the hiring. So, does anyone have anything that they want to change on page 11? Give me one second. I have to scroll on my phone. Sorry about that.
Yeah, I just I I really want to get Jeeoff, I really want to get some time to look at this. Like I said, this got out at 3 around 3:30 today, so I don't think any of us have really had a chance to look at this stuff.
okay. Let's let's sit there and say we approve these at our next meeting. The two job descriptions
I I do want to vote on three and four.
so the other two plus the and the ven diagram I guess it is.
those are things that we should sit there and address internally and get done for our next meeting. So, please review those and if anybody has any issues, let's get those addressed before our next meeting in January.
All right. So, this goes down to page 19. So, Tess had PTO, 117 hours of PTO for the fiscal year. And Tess, has that changed slightly or is it still 117?
Sorry. tell me again your question, Jeff. the treasur's office or the finance department gave us that Tess is owed 117 hours of PTO currently.
That's correct.
Okay. And the finance department gave us an hourly rate of 3476 per hour. Is that accurate?
That's is to my knowledge that is correct.
Okay. So, I'll just make sure I do the math because I did this, but I'll do it again times 17 $4,66.92. So, I'm going to make a motion that we authorize the treasurer, the finance department to pay out Tess Krauss for her 117 hours of paid time off before the end of before before at the next payroll cycle. And I'm I'm hopeful I'm gonna I'll make a motion that we authorize the the the finance department to pay test grass out for 117 hours of PTO at a at a total of $4,66.92.
Second that, Jeff.
All right. further discussion. What I was going to I was trying to say is when's the next payroll cycle test? It's before the end of the year. You're on mute.
You're mute.
Oh, sorry.
Before the end of the year.
It Yeah, but what I'm what I'm after is is there another cycle before the end of the year?
Just hat would be Wednesday. Time cards are due this Friday, so that would be Wednesday. this week.
There is Jim.
I'm just
end of this week, right? But there's payroll on Monday.
You have payroll due Friday. End of this week, right?
Tess payroll is due on the 26th.
Pay is due, I believe, on Wednesday the 31st or
Yeah.
Okay. Jim, can you just
There's a holiday.
Yeah. Can you just verify that that gets to Chris and that gets done?
Absolutely. approve it.
All right.
Yep.
Okay. So, Scott seconded it. Does anybody else have any other issues related to this?
I just was wondering she's not under the union though. Is that correct?
That's correct.
Yeah. Because I notic in the union thing that was in our packet is saying that people can keep up to five days carried over, but I guess Tess isn't able to do that. No, she she she is and we we were going there the two things, Ann. We were going to attempt to sit there and allow her to roll over 117 hours, but because of the situation with Tess from last year, it's almost impossible for her to take all that time.
I know this year she can't. I just didn't know about her s
if she wanted to carry any of it over. I don't know.
It's okay with me.
She has the right to carry over a week.
Okay.
Right.
If she wants.
Okay.
Well, not even if she wants. She she has to it's it's like everybody is required to take the necessary amount of time right now there. So there's a lot of people taking extra leave because
they have PTO that they don't want to lose.
So
Okay.
All right. This is because a totally different issue.
Yeah.
Okay. Thank you.
Yep. So anybody else have any other issues related to this? Okay then. u we'll call a vote. Ann, how do you vote?
A vote. I
Carolite
I.
Jeff Murray
I.
Scott Person
Jeff Magcguire I. So five nothing. So we'll move that out. item 2 C4 set official start date for designation of municipal agent for elderly and social services for payroll purposes.
I think she should have been paid for it right when we made we voted to make her the municipal agent and social services because a lot of the duties of municipal agent were already being handled through the community center. So
yeah, I I I I tend to agree with you Carol. The only issue that I have related to that is that Tess wanted time to sit there and review it. So, Tess, if you can come back on for one second.
Yeah, I'm here.
Okay. So, are you all good for handling the role of municipal agent and social services? You
I am.
All right. So, then Carol, if we make that motion to retroactively go back, I I'm
Yes, I think that we should.
Okay. So, does anybody here know the date that we actually did that?
It was our I think it was our November meeting.
November 20th, I believe.
November 20th. Thank you.
Okay. So,
Carol, would you like to make that motion?
Sure. I'd like to make the motion that test grows be paid retroactive back to November 20th for the municipal agent and social services stipend that was agreed upon in the budget.
Second that
and creme has seconded that. any further discussion on this issue? Okay. we're going to vote on that and creme. How do you vote?
Hi. So Ann voted yes. Carol Lee
I.
Jeff Murray
I.
Scott Person.
Scott Person voted yes. Jeff Magguire yes. So five nothing. all right. Thank you very much. Appreciate it. 2D item 2D. weather. and Tessa enjoy the party. Okay. Merry Christmas. 2D whether and if so to what extent to approve the request made by selectman Lee on behalf of former assistant town clerk Britney Comt seeking retroactive lum payment of to Miss Comtock for hours she worked as acting town clerk during calendar year 2025.
so we all received the spreadsheet
hat was sent on Sunday and it excellent job on that spreadsheet with the hours and showing the difference in pay. so the total would be $7,948.15. Okay.
So, did you want me to make a motion? Did you want to talk about what was in the spreadsheet? Well, I would I would talk about that and then what's in our package and then determine if we want to push this to our January meeting because
yeah, I was prepared to kind of make a decision on this tonight. But after the packet came out, I think we need to consult with Dennis and I think we need to take this up at our January meeting,
unfortunately. And I don't and and honestly I'm I am with Jeff Murray because I did not know that there was a memorandum.
I did not know either till 319 today.
What memorandum are we talking about?
There's a memorandum between the union and Eric
page 50 that Eric had signed with the union
back in July
back actually he had to do this before that. anyway, we need to sit there and that needs to be evaluated. So, if no one minds, I would appreciate it if everybody could review this. We could get with Dennis and then we could bring this up in our January board meeting. Anybody got a major problem with it?
Yeah, I hate pushing it off, but when I saw that, I think we really need to examine it.
Okay. For what it's worth, I agree. I just saw that today also. And you know, I think this is fairly complicated.
Okay. All right. So, if no one really has a major problem with that, I would like to I would like to do that.
I'm fine with that.
Okay. Carol, are you okay with that? And so we can we can put it on our January meeting and get it done because either either way we'll get it. I don't think I have a choice in being okay with it, do I?
Well, we would we would have to vote on it again if three people voted no.
And it would just be wasting time because Okay, I'm sure.
So, we already did item E and speaking to the assessor. So, now we're on to item three, which is German. And before we leave, I'd like to wish everybody a happy merry Christmas, happy holidays, and
you too as well.
Merry Christmas to everyone.
Merry Christmas.
All right. So, I'll make a motion to adjurnn. Second Scott Person seconded he beat beat you in Carol. Okay. All those in
favor we'll all go I
All right. Thank you.