Okay, how's everybody doing? We're going to get started I'm going to let everybody else in. So, we got all the members of the board. So, I'm going to start tonight's Town of Andover Board of Selectmen regular meeting for Monday, March 9th 2026 at 7:02 p.m. And the 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. Okay. And our first number two on our agenda is public speak. So I will sit there and go around. first is Liz Latch.
Okay, we'll come back to you, Liz. Louise Goodwin,
I'm all set. Jeff, thank you. Yep. Valerie Bruno,
all set. Thank you.
Joanne Heert,
all set. Here to listen. Thank you.
Okay. Bill Penn,
just listening. Thank you.
Kimberly Person,
all set. Thank you.
Tess Grouse.
All set, sir. Thank you.
Alan Hutchinson,
I am also all set.
Okay. did I miss any of the other members of the public? Liz Lok, I thought I
Thanks.
Yep, I'm I'm all set, too. Thanks, Jeff.
Okay. All right. So, we're good. So, we're going to move on to item three, additions and changes to the agenda.
I have One or two things. One is can we move the discussion and possible action on the town administrator up to the beginning and also the if we have the executive session move that near the beginning and the other thing is 8F the discussion and possible action on the AES RFP. I think it should just be discussion and update because we can't make any decisions on that. We don't have the authority.
Okay. Anybody else?
All right. So, I'll second that motion. we'll move item 16 up to Let's do that right away so we can put everybody out into hold. So, we'll move that up to 3A. So move to 3A executive session for discussion and possible action on town administrator position personnel matter. to discussion and eliminate and possible action. Okay. Anyone else? Anything further? All those in favor? I
All five of us.
5.
Scott, you good? Okay. Having trouble hearing you again, Scott? and Jeff, you were good because you were hiding under that. Okay. All right. So, everybody on the meeting, I'm going to put you guys all in a waiting room. and when we're done with our executive session, we'll bring you all back so that we can, also discuss that issue. Let's make sure of one thing. Yeah, it's under item nine. We can wait for it, but yes, we'll discuss. Can
I amend that? So, members of our board of select committee and town attorney,
is the town attorney with us?
Yes, he is. believe so. Okay.
All right.
Yes. Yes.
Okay. So, everyone, I'm going to sit there and put you all in the waiting room for a bit. All right. Dennis, which one are you? 2, three, four, five.
Yes.
Yeah, that's me. 2345. Okay. I apologize. We're coming out of executive session at 7:47 and we are taking no action at this point in time. So, we're going to move on to item four, board and commission presentations. I don't see any
start the recording.
I did.
Did you start recording it?
I did. Yes. Ready? Hold on. Okay, we good. All right, we'll have two little breaks there. Okay, so there are no board and commission presentations. item five, appointments. We have no appointments. Item six, resignations. I don't have any resignations at this meeting. Item seven, town administrators report. We don't have town administrators report. So, we're just going to go through the old business. let's see. is there anything of significance? The, access to, the majority of, the treasurer's accounts has been activated. So, we're in a much better position there. And we have some other issues that we have to address. But, let's go through old business. And if anybody has any questions, please feel free. item eight is old business. review the status of the veteran field improvement. we have a payment due to Millennium Builders for the u playground equipment. That check will be going out this week. since we have u
access to the stiff account and to the Mnt accounts it will be processed. and that speaking with Christine Arandazo this week she believes that the project will get started early in April. we've also received the grant the legislative grant funding has been approved and we're waiting for our official first trunch of that money to deal with that field. So hopefully that will all get situated and get started as early as possible and get completed as soon as possible. item 8b, review senior transportation garage status. that one and Jeff, I don't know if you have any information on that or if you've spoken to that that group related to that. I know that we should probably present that one to our our project review committee to get the best possible outcome for that for that garage. So, we'll sit there and deal with that. status of the Longill Bridge project. we've had multiple communications from the state. I the last I knew the state was down to trying to pick their their candidate. I will sit there and send out an email to the board letting them know which candidate they selected out of the low biders. So there was one there were two bids that were under $4 million for that bridge. And I'm pretty sure that the the engineering firm representing the state had had looked at their proposals and was getting ready to select u that group. Scott, have you heard anything related to the telephone polls? the electrical pole movement down there for the Long Hill Bridge. Okay, nothing.
That one is that is what we probably have to get started with.
item 8D, status and and please interrupt if you have any questions. The status of the Percy Cook Trail. I know that we've gotten a design and we have communication going on out with that engineering firm to get the finalized preliminary PL or the finalized plans on that and then we have to go back to the state and apply for that grant if we choose to move forward with that trail. So that one we'll sit there and go at it. 8D the status of the animal control services. NICOG who has perfor performed our who has performed our animal control services is sitting there and trying to get out was trying to get out of the business of doing that. And what they decided to do was to increase fees and I'll ask the treasurer what were the fees orig last last year compared to this year for that. Do you have that available for us?
Let me just take a look. Yeah.
Well done.
And I talked to Hein and they said that they couldn't do that. They're in the middle of a you know they're changing around their public works
building. I knew they they were trying to build their their animal facilities, the one at the the one that they have right now still needs 20 or $25,000 worth of work and they don't want to put that money in if they're just going to be building a new building down on Old Grove Road.
I I will tell you one other thing that we have to get on top of and I have to get on top of. There was a a bill that came through to the town from H I think it was H and Salarin. our attorney Brance works for them and Nikk contacted them about an animal an animal cruelty situation that has gone to court. And we have been getting bills from the law firm for that. And I called the law firm and I called I spoke to the attorney that was running the program and I'm like you cannot continue to bill us ours without us having communication as to what you're billing for and what we're doing and and we might have to sit there
and get together and go see that resident to sit there and see if we can get some resolution to that. But we've had probably I'd say close to $10,000 worth of legal bills that have come related to this animal control issue that we have to address and we can't have, you know, as I told attorney Brand, you have to communicate with us. because you can't just bill ours. and they're they're working through NECO. So I have a call into NECOG as well. So that's going to be a problem. Just letting you know there's some additional costs that have been pushed onto the town related to that animal control issue.
I'm looking for it, Jeeoff. I'm looking.
I was just I forgot the number. It's It's
4215. Okay.
I'm just looking for what last year's budgeted amount was. And
yeah, this year is
Yeah. 12940 and that's for 2526.
Yeah. And then
I think it was $19,000
that they asked for this year.
Yeah. Yeah. I'm pretty sure that's what it was.
All right. So it's a a $7,000 animal control
services increase. so we have that to deal with. item 8F discussion on the AES RFP for bathroom renovations.
So we got some good news there. The RFP is on our town website and the school's website is currently open. So, finally that job's moving ahead. And just a big shout out to Eric Sanderson who volunteered his time to help us write that RFP. He was he was a huge help and you know he he deserves a big thank you from the town.
I agree. and let's hope it goes smoothly and we can sit there and get appropriate financial costs on that project. So that would be good. All right. Anybody else related to that item? Okay. item 8 F not F G discussion and possible action on the Hop River Home contract. does anyone want to have that at this meeting? I know we have to get it done and we have to get it done before the tax bills go out and we have to talk to them and so make sure that we understand what I mean it's a lot of money for the town and we're not really using the field that we thought we were going to use. So but I would push this off to next meeting unless anyone else has a problem with it. Okay. item 8H, review and possible action on the project review committee applicants. So we did get multiple applicants,
Ken Romeo, Adrien Mandville, Ed Serizley, Nicholas Lacowski, Robert Roy, Scott Legassi, and Tara Goldberg. I I also asked Eric Sanderson, and I know he doesn't live in town, but he has a family in town. when he came into the town offices I asked him to sign up for this. I think this board or this group should be as many participants as we want it as will will actively volunteer on behalf of the town to make sure that we get the best possible use of our money on these projects. So I have no problem with the people that have sat there and volunteered for this and appointing them all to the to the board.
Yeah. And Eric Sander said he would sit in on meetings if he if he was requested. So I already spoke to him about that as well.
Okay.
So we really don't have to appoint him because he's really not a resident.
Yeah.
He will he will participate as needed.
Okay. And then the question ends up being do we need to appoint any of these people, you know. Well, I guess I I'd actually feel better about appointing them. because we need as many volunteers as we can get in this town. And I think it's good that they have stepped up and I think we should appoint them to this this review committee and get started because you know we should sit there and give them the the transportation garage and we should give them the information we have there and we should give them the RFP for the bathrooms and sit there and if anybody has any ideas of what to do I think it would be all positive. So
make a mot make a motion with the names and with a term ending with ending like how long do we want to make the term for same as the other committees commissions just renew them all at the same time?
Yeah. I mean we'll we'll run it to the end of the year and then renew it at the end of the year. I mean u I think some of those boards have two years and some of them have one year. I think it should just be one year and we should continue. I mean, honestly, Jeeoff, I would just keep adding people if they came with qualifications or if you found somebody that had skills and you wanted to sit there and bring them in. I'd just keep adding to this. I just think it's great that they're willing to volunteer their time with their expertise that they have. And if they prove that they're not going to participate, then the next year we just don't appoint them to the they're not named on the committee. So,
correct. All right. So, I'll make a motion that we appoint to the project review committee Kenneth Romeo, Adrien Mandeville, Ed Sriley, Nicholas Alakowski, Robert Roy, Scott Legosi, and Tara Goldberg.
Second time with a term.
I'm sorry. For for a term for a term to end today is March. How about 1231 2027?
Okay. For a term to end 1220 1231 2027.
Okay. Seconded. further discussion on that.
All right. We'll go through the vote. Ann, how do you vote? Ann votes yes. Carol Lee.
Jeff Murray. Hi.
Scott Persong. Hi.
Jeff Magcguire. So five nothing on that. item eight, bank account signers. the currently, on our MNT operating account, there's only two signers that remain employed by the town. well, I shouldn't say employed, name employed or elected. Valerie Bruno is one of the signers and and I shouldn't say that because I am not sure if can you give me guys a second and give me one second? I apologize. I'm so sorry. Had to deal with deal with something related to the town. bank signers. I have to verify this, but the only two bank signers that I know on the operating account are myself and Valerie. Valerie Bruno. Valerie has has stated that she would rather not sign
checks because of of I know she called it a lack of fidelity. I don't understand that word used in this term, but that's okay. So, she would not like to sign checks and I am the only check signer right now. Requires two signers. I will also be leaving on a family vacation starting tomorrow. So, I didn't want to sit there and leave the town with no signers on checks for that 10-day period. I had requested and I let the board know that I wanted to sit there and have Roberta Doherty, the town clerk, Scott Person who has time and gets into the office and Jeff Murray to be added as signers even if it's for a short-term basis. I did get that submitted to U Mnt today. I'm not sure if it's going to work, but it's a short-term solution until we can sit there and move forward. but I am letting everybody know the bank those are the bank signer issues.
Yep. Carol,
what about trying the of England since he is the chair of the board of finance? That seemed like it'd be a good person.
And Liz Loch. Yeah. those two people.
we can and if we sit there encircled all the way back in the end when we decide who we want to actually have as signers moving forward, whether the new administrator and when the new administrator is positioned, we'll sit there and do it. All of these people are going to come off because right now I just was looking for a short-term solution to be really honest.
Short term
short term just just in case. And and Lisa will tell you, I've told Lisa, no checks. So, and and listen, when I say no checks, please understand, we pay our bills so early, it's not funny. We are not like any organization that waits 30 days for the most part. Transactions come in and transactions go out fairly quickly. So there will be certain situations where we don't sit there and process a check or a check may be held because someone like myself is looking at the details and going I don't really think that that's appropriate. but for the most part, no one is really waiting for the town other than the Millennium Builders, which Scott keeps asking me about and Christine Renazo keeps asking me about related to the playground equipment. And the only reason that that was even held at all
was because we needed to make sure that we understood where we were from our financial position. So, anybody have any questions related to the bank signers? Okay. item nine, new business discuss and act upon the following the 2026 2027 budget discussion. Lisa, do you want to put up maybe I can put up one second. I can't do that. I sent it to you today this afternoon,
but I'm on a different computer.
Oh,
No, let me do one thing. So, you sent there and sent this to me. I'm sorry. Give me one second. There you go. So, does everybody see this on their screen?
Yeah.
Okay. Okay.
Can you blow it up a little bit, Jeff?
What do you want me to do?
Blow it up a little bit.
Sure. And Scott, I'm just gonna try to zoom. So, if you give me a second, I'll figure it out. See, I'm sitting there operating on a Mac. What am I doing? Like a right click.
Yeah, I know. It's a different type of thing.
I can see it fine.
I can see it.
That's exit. That's full screen. Can you do control plus?
See, let's sit there and see if you work. No.
give me one second. I'll sit there and see if you open with it won't get larger up top where it says open with Yeah, that's all you could do do. It's fine. I can see it. I just moved it closer to me. That's good. Okay. I went to try to get help and she's going to sit there and Google how to zoom. So, we're just going to go through this. So, yeah. Okay. Sorry about that. So here here's where we are. We have three tabs on our preliminary budget. We have our preliminary budget our budget condensed and our preliminary budget for salaries. So All right. I'm sorry. I I'm technologically not advanced on the Mac side of the world. So, Lisa, if you want to walk us through this, you tell me where you want to go and I'll get them to it. All right. well, it hasn't changed a whole lot since we did the joint meeting with board of finance. Just so everybody knows I, you know, this is the one pretty much the same. the revenues I estimated, from last year because I didn't know if, you know, you wanted to change direction. The only one that is verified is a little more is the MRSA line 23 account number 43800. I have had verification on that. the others are just estimated from last year unless you want me to change them.
are we on are we on course to reach all of our revenue numbers?
let me go into QuickBooks right now.
I mean nothing looks off from where we're at.
No, it doesn't. yeah, hold on. no. It looks like this was as of the end of February, your tax revenue was like 76%. your government revenues were about about right. miscellaneous was a was is a little low, but you never know with miscellaneous. your clerk fees are up a little bit. they're actually 28,000 over what was bud budgeted. and your investment interest, you know, you can't tell right now. I I don't It looks like this is about right. when I looked at it the other day with the two accounts we get interest on, but with everything going on, I don't know if that's where it'll be at.
And I just asked, do the clerk fees include transfer station stickers?
Yes.
20 something thousand?
So,
okay. I just wanted to ask just to get that clarified because it's not really recording fees and that. It's just a
Yeah, that that is something that where it got posted, Carol, is a problem.
Yeah, because I used to when I gave the spreadsheet, it was always separate from clerk fees.
Well, I'm pretty sure that you were there when these got posted. So, the next round will be done. It's just what the treasur's office did. So, can everybody see this better?
Yeah.
Okay. I finally figured it out what I did wrong. Apologize. All right. So, really from from our situation like our, you know, we have a budget for last year of 12.7 million and we've currently collected 6.6 million. So, we have two more rounds of property taxes and we have certain things like the ECS money that hasn't sat there and hit equally. So, like if you sit here and look at this, this is all we've collected so far on the ECS dollars. Is is that still accurate, Lisa?
I'm looking right now. I'm sorry. This computer, my my laptop I have and it's great, but it kicks me out if I don't stay active in it. It kicks me out. So, I have to go back in on the remote and it takes me a second.
Okay.
another technical thing that we need to fix that we'll get to.
Right.
Yeah. So, what did you need then? I'm sorry. I
was just wondering if the ECS funding since we're on if there's been any adjustment in that in the month of February or March.
Yeah. Because what have you got in there right now? You've got
501 was the number at the end of January.
No, now you've got a million million two 390. Is that what you're asking? Yeah.
Yep. So, so we got the second trunch of that.
Yep.
To sit there and keep us going.
Yep.
Okay. is anyone Carol besides that issue that you addressed related to where like the clerk fees because I had noticed that as well. The clerk fees were $66,000, but it was the transfer fees were being posted to that account. That's what I had guessed before that that's what was occurring. So other than that, does anybody have any other issues with revenue? Okay. So I do know that the the assessor did post the grand list
and I believe Lisa that there was about a $90,000 increase.
Is that it went to 31977200 is what it went to. Okay. Yeah.
And any and on his letter, he actually stated the increase amount.
Yep. 99,117 in tax revenue. Yep.
Yeah. Okay. So, you'll want to make that adjustment.
As you provide this to the board of finance. Okay.
All right. So town administrator we had budgeted 100 105,000 and then we were all of those all of the salary accounts on the town side the nonmp employee non-union side were given a 3% increase. anybody have any issues with that 3% for all non-UN employees. Okay. So if you take our payroll from the town side and that's what I had been trying to work on was a and I will get it to everyone here is the total cost of employee salaries, employee benefits and retirement contributions account for about 60% of our total spend in the town. So, once I can get all of those numbers broken down for you, the the number that we're talking about, the 3% increase is really the critical piece of this. anybody have a problem with that? Do we want to make a motion to that to approve that? Do you want to reduce any of the the lines or do you just want to keep going through the list the the segments of this this budget? I'm just asking for
anybody's opinion as to what they would like to do because this is the first line you'll see it on is this line of the town administrator. We had given a 3% increase. I I personally think for next year because we don't know what is the what is the number that we think we're going to spend or we going to want to hire the new administrator at. I just had a conversation at $100,000.
And I just suggest the majority of the applicants put in 110.
So that seemed to be a popular number with most of them for the salary request and I guess our range was what 92 to 120.
So maybe we should factor that 110 in. Well, if that's the case, Carol, then I'd leave the 103 there and I would deal with if we have to hire somebody for more money, we sit there and hopefully we can find an applicant before the budget gets finalized.
Okay. And then the other question was the admin assistant. Can we put in a 20hour a week admin assistant at $25 an hour? So, that's $500 a week times 52 weeks gives us $26,000. position for that and is does that come with benefits?
If it's 20 hours, it would have to. If you don't want it to have benefits, we have to do 19 hours. But you you want to get the town administrator someone who's going to stay and has enough hours to do what he or she needs them to do. Okay.
managed over there that never has been used. Can we combine that with the
Well, we will admin assistant.
that that's true. We can sit there and accommodate those dollars. the project manager is going to be used during this spring season with the with the field. So Christine Randazo has been
managing that
playground.
Yeah. but Ann is correct. Do we need to carry that over for the following year?
Think so.
I think it's go together
makes more sense to put it into an admin assistant. So, Lisa, why and and I'll sit there and I'll make a motion to the board that we put a $30,000 line item in for and the T administrator admin assistant and we eliminate the project manager for the for next year.
Okay.
Can we just do that or do we you guys want to take motions on all those things? What what if we need a project manager for our next project?
Well, we better figure out what our next project is. So, and you know, we need to sit there and put some of this on the new town administrator. So, what Eric was doing was he had a multitude of projects coming up. So, he looked at the field as one that, you know, we could sit there and sub out a little bit of that work to free him up. But if you're done with the project, Scott, down at the field this year at $15,000, what would be the project for next year? Long hill bridge.
I'm not sure, but I I know that Eric was overwhelmed with how much work he had and he had that project manager so he could take care of his projects.
Yeah, he could take care of the other items. So right now, if I sit there and think about what the town has undertaken right now, you have the Longill Bridge that's got to get dealt with, right? The field, which will hopefully be done this spring, the playground and the pickle ball courts, and then you have the the project at the old firehouse for the garage. I don't think those two projects are that I would sit there and say we need to have a project manager for those two projects. I think Eric was dealing with two bridges and and well, this is also something this board has to decide. Are we going to push forward within the next cycle? We have to sit there and see what it is the connector program from the trail up to the school.
always a project, Jeeoff. Yeah, I know it is.
But Carol is Carol is also right that, you know, an admin assistant for the town administrator is a good idea.
But I'm I'm not saying taking taking that out of there because the next administ town administrator is going to say the same thing. He needs he's got too many projects going on or she has too many projects going on.
Can I just ask one more question? Is that do you expect to expend that 15,000 by June 30 that's in the 2526 budget?
Yes,
I I would say so that that project go through
and and I would tell you why Carol because she hasn't build us yet.
But is it going to be done the project or is it going to carry on to July and August? Because in that case we would still need some type of funding in the 26 27. Well, listen. I don't care if we sit there and include that project manager there and increase the admin assistant if that's what
I would sit there and say make the admin assistant a 25
would be a better idea I think. Yeah. because if we we don't want to under budget for that and if the project isn't completed by the end of June then you know if only 13,000 is expended the other 2,000 is going back in the general fund and we would need something for to cover any additional bills after that.
Well, I I think it's more a decision on this issue. Are we do we want to sit there and and request from the board of finance money for an assistant? And what is that financial commitment level? Is it 25,000? Is it 30,000? And if we we can leave the project manager there, I I have no problem with that. I think we should maybe go with the 30,000 and put post the job and see what we get.
Okay.
I would I would hopefully recommend that we leave Well, let's just sit there and do it because we're talking the budget. So, is $30,000 the amount in the admin assistant or is it 25,000?
Let's ask for 30. So, 30,000 Okay. So, I'll sit there. We'll write these down. So, 5,0001 admin I mean and so what we're what we're going to do is we're going to help Lisa and we're going to make a motion on all these
and you're going to leave 15,000 in the in the project. Okay.
So, we're not going to change that. Okay.
So, treasurer salary. I'm just going to sit there and suggest that, I don't think we understand exactly what the assistant treasurer stipen is for. I would sit there and tell you we need to increase the treasurer salary to $40,000 and we should zero out the stipen. Anyone?
we should probably know what that is. This a treasurous stipen was who was it put in there for? What is it for? was put in there last year was the stipen was given because it was felt that she was doing a good job and rather than raise the salary because then now it's union contract and it will just keep getting the 3% every year they felt get the extra 5,000 as a stipent
hought it was a good idea so Christine Christine could be trained in some of the things that Cheryl was doing.
Right.
So then
and then I would
and it sounds like it didn't happen.
Did not occur.
So Alicia, you have that?
Yes. I'll sit there. We haven't voted on any of those. So if we, you know, So, let's go back to the town administrator section just for a section section second. So, I'll make a motion on the town administrator account 4113 to increase line 102-101 admin assistant to $30,000.
Second,
Carol Lee seconded. All right. And because I'm not seeing everybody's face, I'm going to go around. Ann Crme,
hi.
Carol Lee,
hi.
Scott, Jeff Murray,
hi.
Scott Person, I I I'm assuming you said yes.
Yes.
Okay.
Yes. And then Jeff McGuire. So, that's five nothing. So, that one will get into the minutes. And then we're going to move down here to this next section to the treasures section. 4137. I'll make a motion that we increase item 109-100 treasurer salary to $40,000 and we reduce line 109-101 to zero.
Can we vote on them individually rather than the two together? I just wanted to talk a little bit more about the stipen there.
Sure.
Okay.
Do you want to wait and talk about it or do you want to just vote on one versus?
If we vote on each one individually, please.
So, I I'll make a motion to increase in section 4137, treasurer financial line item 109-100, the treasurer salary to $40,000.
Second that, Jeff. Scott Person seconded.
And can we just have discussion on that? Is that okay?
Let's go. Yep. Yep.
Okay. So, just curious. I know Lisa's been in there quite a bit. Is this Do we have a set number of hours? does this
this part-time? Is this like 19 hours a week? What how many hours? Well, the the hope from my standpoint is that we would get to a a baseline. I mean, it's just giving her an appropriate level of money to sit there and get I don't think you want to ask for any more hours because if we ask for the hours or we give an hour number, we're in trouble. so Carol, I think that that position with the proper level of oversight is $40,000 is appropriate and probably not enough, but we don't have enough in every issue and everything that we want to do. So
I I know, but I'm just asking because I thought that the original job description said 26 hours a month. That's the only reason I'm asking that.
I know she's
How about how about we say how about we say 30 hours a month because she probably put that in on the weekend.
I'm just asking. I'm just saying.
She works that right on the weekends, right?
Yeah. So,
does she not work? I'm just joking. I mean, and listen, a lot of this, and I keep telling Lisa this is no stress, and and a lot of this is once it is structured properly, it will get easier, but I think what we've been missing is someone in the office really working to promote good practices and to work with the staff in that department to to continuously improve. So if you want to say 30 hours, Carol, I have no problem if you want to ask for additional.
I'm just asking I don't I don't want to say how many hours, you know, to dictate per month because if she's in there a 100 hours a month, we're okay with it. No, I'm only kidding.
That will not happen. I I I just think it's a you know that position I think that position deserves that at a minimum.
Let's see a flat rate would be to make it to 40,000 but not specify ours.
Yeah.
Okay. So So is there any more discussion on that one?
No, I'm good. All right. then I'll go around again. Any
hi,
Carol Lee.
Hi.
Jeff Murray.
Hi.
Scott Person. He said yes. I know he did.
Yeah.
And Jeff Magguire. So, five nothing on that line item. Okay. And so then we had Carol, you want to have additional discussion on the stipen? I I just I don't know that it was the extra to learn the treasurer's position. I thought it was just extra because of the extra work that was being done like HR, different things like that. I thought that was why the 5,000 stipen was granted by the board of finance. So, I don't know. I
think we should maybe leave that in there.
We Okay. Did because Cheryl advised us that she was going to be taught other things that could help her to move to the treasures position.
Okay. because I thought it was the board of finance that
authorized that stipen.
We did that. Board of selectment did it.
I thought I thought it was done through Eric and Cheryl.
But listen, we can leave it there and then discuss it with the board of finance. I mean, and and we should sit there and and continue to evaluate what is being done in that office and look at that number because that is something that I
know what what is what we're getting for our $5,000.
Yeah. Which is
you you agree with that?
It can it can be left there. It is that whole that whole office that whole office
is a new Lisa is a new
you know breath of fresh air and we're going to sit there and all try to work together and get as you know the information the best that we possibly can. So taking care of Lisa and the treasurer salary is more important to me than reducing the treasurer assistant treasurer stipen. Okay. So, does anybody else have any other issues with anything in this section? I
have a question. Maybe I don't know if everybody else knows what it is. You look back to 2324 and 2425 actual. The stipend is huge. The wages is low in 2324 and then in 2425 it's reversed. No stipend, but then the wages go way up.
What happened there?
I don't know. It was like that. So, I don't know if maybe a line was maybe that stipen was added and somehow the description went on the assistant wage line and should have been on the other line. I don't know because I wasn't here.
Yeah, I know you weren't
like it should have been in the wage line,
right? I and if that's something that was back when it was Marina and Sherry I I and something got mixed around there. I don't know.
we can take a look at that.
It's probably not necessary to know. I was just curious.
Yeah. No, those are the those are the items that those are the items that are being looked at. So, you know,
I think we split the cost with the school. Isn't that correct?
Yeah, I know you did
when we had when we shared the treasurer and the assistant to the treasurer. So, I think that the school maybe picked up some of the treasurer salary. I'm not positive though.
Yeah. thing.
We can check with and you also you also have to remember we haven't been in QuickBooks that long. I have to find the starting date, but I don't think it's that much before that.
So,
Oh, well.
Okay. Tom Clark. does anybody else have anything on the treasures? I mean, the other parts are, you know, software maintenance. Anything else? Tom Clerk. anybody have any issues related to the town clerk? The only thing, if you can scroll down to restoration, I can't. Is it still at 6,500? Okay, that should be a thousand because what happened was the $5,500 grant was in there and I don't know why it changed and started in I forget what year that the $5,500 grant was added to that line, but we shouldn't be taxing people on a grant because if the grant isn't applied for, then that money isn't going to come in. So, it always used to be shown on a different line. It was just $1,000 that was on that line just to supplement the grant for any project in the clerk's office.
Okay.
Jeeoff would that it goes back to talking to the auditors again because we keep hitting this this problem with with who wants to and I'm really back to the board of finance because it's the same with the library brought to me last week that they think that their $3,800 from the friends needs to be taken off of their budget. I've always been in the practice of listing your entire budget and what goes in the revenue goes in the revenue. But it depends on what board of finance and you want to do or the auditors want to do. I just had never applied it that way. But I can do whatever you guys want to do. That's why it's still 6500 because I don't know if that has been resolved with the board of finance. Yeah. How to do that how they want to do it. So, so
just so we're clear and everybody understands it, you're sitting there saying if we get the $6,500 of revenue
right
Say that again, Carol.
5500 because historic stock restoration taxpayers paid $1,000 for that line. And then couple years ago, the $5,500 grant that I would apply for each year was then put on that line. So, it's misleading to have $6,500 there because
where would you spend the money?
Yeah, that's
what would you have spent it on?
Okay. Okay. So, the $1,000 for restoration is to restore anything. some of the like the older books, the ink was fading, so we had to have them scanned and redone so that you could still read the ink. another time we had all of the minutes scanned into a program, a laser fee program that made it easy for them to be searched. We also took the minute books that were just three- ring binders on regular paper and put them onto archival paper so that they last longer.
Okay.
So again, the people should only be being taxed on $1,000. And if the clerk's office applies for the $5,500 grant, it's a it's for specific things that are allowed within that grant.
So if you don't get the 5,500, those things will not be done.
Correct.
Okay. Because because I think that's the thing. It's like with the library there's $3,800 from the friends, but if they don't get $3,800, does that mean they have to forfeit things they were going to use $3,800 for? I guess that's the question I'm worried about that people won't get the grant or they won't get the donation and and then they'll come back for money because they didn't get the money they were counting on, but they still have the expense. But you're saying you won't have the expense,
right? because that's deceiving to the people taxing them for money that's going to be coming in via a grant.
Well, it it depends upon if we're putting the grant in the revenue section,
correct? Because then you're not taxing them,
right? So, the grant always was in the revenue section. So, the $5,500 grant,
the prior treasurers would always put it into the revenue section the following year. And another thing with that grant, there's two times of the year that you can apply for it. And one, if you apply for it in September, it would be in the following fiscal year, not the current one as if you were to apply in April. So that's the only reason I'm saying that should be out of there.
Okay.
We know that they reapplied for that grant,
right? But even if they reapply for the grant,
shouldn't be in there anyways. It should be in the revenue side, right?
Correct.
We'd have to put it in the revenue side if they're going to apply for it. So I would make a mo Carol make a motion to sit there and move it to $1,000. All right. I move to reduce line 117885 historic dock restoration to $1,000.
I'll second that.
Okay. Ann Carol Lee made the motion an seconded. further discussion. an how do you vote? Hi
Carol Lee.
Hi
Jeff Murray.
Hi
Scott Person.
He's waving.
He said hi.
Okay. And Jeff Magguire. I So five nothing to reduce line.
could have been there.
17885 to $1,000. Okay. Anything else on the town clerk side?
No.
Okay. The tax collector. Lee said, "Did you do you know where and and this did this come from Kate? This these numbers in the current budget?" No, this came from Well, I think the operating came from Kate, but I believe that Jim actually talked about the salary.
Yeah. I mean, my question is where is she at with her classes and do we owe her an increase? Because I know there's been
if I talk I think last week she said she still has another class. I did I maybe she said three classes are done but she still has another one I think.
Okay. So, this is just a 3% number. And then the question is, is that in accordance with the union contract,
the 3%? I believe so. I don't have that contract with me.
Okay. All right. We should take a peek at that one and just ask Kate about her classes to sit there and see because I know there was a
one more tech class to take, I think. Yeah, there was something Kate to try to move her up the pay scale as she got closer to getting her tax collector certification.
Okay. And then our software is increasing by $1,800 for QDS. so there's an increase in that section. The assessor's office, these are both union contracts. So, we need to look at that and we need to look at the assessor's number to make sure that that lines up with the union contract. We'll sit there and take a peek at that. Their software is going up 1,600 as well.
Right. Did anyone have anything with the tax collector's lines?
Okay. Jeeoff, I hate to interrupt you, but we're talking about software,
and I don't think anybody put in in the treasurer's line that I think we're going to probably have a couple thousand dollars we need to update QuickBooks because it's expiring in May.
so I don't I haven't had a chance to look up and see. I think it was 2,200 or something like that last year when I was in Salem because we ours was older, too. Well, you see, my problem with this is I don't even have one in for current expenses. So, I know we're going up 171. You know, it's going up to $3,000.
Yep.
But I'd like to know where they put the software. So, let's look at that and we'll go back to the board of finance on that one.
Okay. did anyone have anything else on the tax collectors?
Okay. The assessor's office. So, the assessor put this in and then so his biggest issues are the assistant assessor and then the question ends up being did we you know, that's an interesting thing. I know this is a union position, but is the assistant assessor hired at that same rate? I mean, because it is a union position. So, I do think that's something that we should look at how we write those union contracts in the future. we should probably put a sliding scale in. I know we've never had anyone leave, so it's only continued to go up, but since this is a brand new person, we should probably start looking at that as we do our union contracts in the future. And we need to make sure that both of those numbers line up with this union
contract. Okay. so that's our increases to wages and then our increases to software. Anybody have anything on the reg on the assessors? Okay. The registars the registars you know have a total increase of 3.69% 69% but the registars gave us some gave the board of finance some information as to why the registars obviously are having additional work that they're having to put into related to all the changes in the voting rules. So I don't see any problem with any of the minor requests that they're asking for that total $920. Anybody? Okay. there's a bigger increase in our election balance. we'll go over here. So there's a pole worker increase. The total number one of the larger expense increases is related to the new tabulators that the state required that we get for voting. So the maintenance contract and the licenses increased. I don't necessarily know that we'll continue to get additional ballot requests and hopefully that will be under under budget and then an increase in meals to cover all the people to poll workers. This one is a significant increase to the total budget, but again, it's one of those unfunded mandates with everything that we've been pushed down from the state and the federal level as far as election requirements. Anybody else have a problem with this one? All right. So the building department is all salaries.
They're not asking for any additional funding on any of the other line items. Just don't total very much.
Can you tell me what these payroll services are? Lisa,
is it the time clocks?
And that's kind of a problem.
Yeah. So far, so far this year, looking at activity this year, it's $167 a month pretty much.
But why do we have $6,000 spent on a $2,000 budget?
I think there's something if we looked at this, there was something asked my accountant or something. I It was here when I came. Is that correct? You remember that? We we've got to get to the bottom of it and see what exactly why it's in payroll services.
Okay.
Because if I look in last Yeah, I could look in last fiscal year, but it was strange at the time.
So, are you saying that that's not the balance in that account right now? 6298.
Oh, right now or last year?
Right now. Like what's the balance in that account right now?
No, I think it got moved to ask my accountant because it didn't make sense what it was. Several entries, remember? I think we looked at it and we couldn't determine what it was. So that's where we had to move it to. So they it really didn't look like payroll services.
Okay. So $167 times 12
down to 2004. Right. So, the amount that's budgeted this year is closer to what it really the true amount is. When I did this, we were we discovered that way back then.
Okay. So, let's make that line item 2004. I'll make a motion that we increase line 129315 peril services to $204.
Second that check. Scott seconded.
How much was that? Was it 169? Because Let me just make sure that didn't go up.
169 or 167? I did 167.
Yeah. Oh, hold on. Hold on. It was 164 in that year, but this fiscal year, yeah, it's gone up to 18973 as of January. No, let's see. December. December it went up to 182. It's actually a few dollars difference. It was 167 until December. Back in November and July to November were 167.
Okay. Leave it at Leave it Leave it at $2,000. And can you put in the notes exactly what's that for? Because if that's for
if that is for time punch it finger scan sections, I'd like to know.
Okay.
We should look at that one.
Okay. water testing, elevator service contract, computer tech support. Is that the increase being requested by South Windsor?
hey,
that's everything that's in there for last year.
have we gotten I thought South Windsor presented us with some
trying to remember. Did they? I thought they did. if not, I will sit there and communicate with South Windsor because I want to make sure. I thought there was something out there for South Windsor for a requested increase. I mean, they only provide us with a day. Is it a day every other week
and then a half a day the other week? So, it's only a day and a half a month.
Day and a half. Okay, we should look at that one.
Can I just ask a question? Why does the percentage have changed
Oh, I'm sorry. I was looking at 8,300. Never mind.
Yeah. I mean, none of these have changed. They're just reovering the line again.
So, like what we should be looking at is the difference between this and this and are we going to incur more expenses? Right. So, and this is only through January to see what's up. So, like the Tala 911 dispatch, we've already paid that bill to them,
right? And obviously postage, we've reduced our postage. That's something that we probably could sit there and and the board of finance could sit there and go after. I mean, because we may not spend it. And then the electricity, are we doing a better job with our electrical rates? I mean, we we have 5,000 for this building out of a $13,000 budget. and and actually, you already lowered the budget on this because it forecasted it out for the rest of the months. So,
right,
we've done a better job with our electricity. So the this account, it's a town office building account is, you know, we're decreasing it and we possibly could decrease it even a little bit more if we looked at these current expenses harder. Like we need to look at what's in this one obviously. but you know, we'll sit there and get through it. Nothing else jumps out at me as far as
Can I just say something about the postage?
Sure.
Don't forget we have all the bulk mailings that we have to do for the budget and that all comes out of the postage. So, it wouldn't be expended yet.
Yep.
But it will be.
Okay. So, we're gonna have an additional hit in the last quarter of the year, fiscal year to sit there and pay that or to
Right. And I think the assessor's office mails out, I don't know if what they mail out, but a couple times of the year they have big mailings, too. And the tax collector delinquent notices. Okay.
All right. our advertising budget. We're pretty we're getting close for this year. we'll probably go over in that one. So in the year before we were at 8,200 and we had the budget decreased. So we're probably going to go over budget again. I would leave it at the $6,000 and we'll sit there and deal with that. This insurance here, this is just the Kerma number. Is that accurate, Lisa? Yes. No.
Wait. Yes. Yeah. It's not the health insurance if that's what you're asking. Yeah.
That should be in the next section. So, this is Kerma. So,
so Kerma,
we budgeted $122,000. We're right now at 95,000, but they came up from 114. So, have you gotten a notification from Kerma as to where they're
No. And that's on my list, too. I've got it all. In fact, I did I think I wrote to Kerma again last week and said, "Where are we at?" because we asked for a three-year quote for the workers comp and we have not heard back from them.
All right.
Yeah, I did write to them last week, emailed them.
Okay. So, we're probably going to be under budget on this number. this number that you're requesting for this is done based upon the estimated payroll moving forward. Is that accurate? Okay.
Yep.
Can we sit there and really look at this number, this line item? We've got to get a an opinion as to unemployment. Like that's not unemployment comp, that's unemployment taxes. like these two are actual taxes paid by the town on employee pay. So that's for lack of a better term that's the company portion of the social security Medicare and that's the company or town portion of unemployment taxes paid to the state of Connecticut. I have a problem with that item. We need to look at how it's currently being handled.
and what and what about it? Don't you like, Jeff?
don't you just write unemployment comp tax next to it?
No. What I'm after, Scott, is I'm not sure the town has to be paying in that manner. But that's something that's been going on and we just have to deal with how it's set up. So, I have a there's two ways I I understand that towns can do it. You can pay unemployment taxes or you can pay for unemployment that your you pay out to your employees. And to be really honest, Carol, when's the last time we laid a person off in the town of Andor?
I don't even
co was it maybe co if they cut back in
the town was very generous. They paid everyone their salary
all through co
so they were very generous with everyone. Yeah.
So, we'll have to sit there and look at that. health insurance. This is the we're going to be underneath this number this year simply because we had so much so many changes in employee employees and what their costs were. So, we have to sit there and look at this one. but
can I just ask a question on that? We used to list under each department health and dental insurance and it was just for the last maybe three budget seasons that we do this in one big lump sum. M
I I just think we should go back to putting them under each department because we have a handful of employees who actually take the health insurance and then we have a handful who take the what is it 65 or $7,000 stipend for not taking it. So, I I just think it would be more clear to put it under each department rather than have that large amount.
I I I agree with you, Carol, but to be really honest, this has always been the way it's been done since I've been engaged. I tried at one point in time to put it into each each section according to a department and it didn't fly with the auditor and it didn't fly. It just I mean I I did try that.
but why was it
I would tell you I would I would tell you that what I had been working on to try to organize the information would be a document that would sit there and say here's compensation for each department and here is the related health insurance and MURF contributions related to that department and then that way we would understand how that number gets broken down by department. We should see that. I I that is what I had tried to work on because you know as I said at one point in time a payroll and payroll related costs are easily in excess of 50% of our total budget. So health insurance all of those you know when you sit there and you take health insurance and you take the MV those two right there in the budgeted are totaling up to $375,000 or thereabouts. and our payroll is about 101,000. So, 1.4 million out of our $2.5 million is strictly related to employees,
but up to three years ago,
it was listed per department. So, I don't know why would the auditor have a problem with us going back to that
because we did it that way for years. We can ask, but honestly, Carol, I don't think that's correct. I mean, I'm we I think you and I will disagree on what we remember the line items being. They I I remember walking into this going, "Here was an employee benefit big big mass of information, and I had wanted to sit there and break it down by a department, and I was told that's not how they do it in municipal accounting."
Yeah, we didn't do it that way in Salem either. And I will tell you, Carol, that it often doesn't ring true when you do it that way only because you have so many personnel changes of marriage, children, leave, people leaving, people coming on. It's a constant change with who's taking the insurance and who's not. Are they going family, single, joint? It it's just such a big variable that trying to do it by a percentage of change usually works better than that.
Yeah, you're better. and Carol, I'll show you. I'll send you what I had built for. I just don't have the MURF contributions right now.
That was the one component of this all that I was trying to get done is to try to get the MURF retirement lined up to the individual employees. But if you go back and look at the 2324 budget that is posted online
and just go under town administrator and the health dental insurance is listed there along with retirement murf along with social security and Medicare.
Is it listed for all departments Carol though or just the
Yes, it is. Yes, it is
because I know often the superintendent sometimes will they'll list like parts of their contract, but I haven't seen it before in the other departments.
So, I'm I'm looking at the treasurers now there and town clerk. We were all listed so that everyone in town has a true picture of what each department is costing them. I I have no problem if we can get that done to it's just how we do it. So, let's sit there and circle back to that one and and that's an operational change that we would need to make and we'd need to get aligned with the auditor.
Okay.
All right. So, this is actually the fee. I think this just got paid. And can we make sure that that went into the correct account? I never saw that there before, Lisa.
All right. It just kicked me out again, so I have to get back in there.
All right.
Anybody have any other questions on the employee benefit section?
Where were you at, Jeff? this one line item, you know, this
Oh, the admin fee.
Admin for the MURF fee.
Yep. You want me to look into that?
I'm just not sure that that got into that account.
Okay, hold on.
Because I think you and I looked at it and we think I think it came out of u
Murf itself instead of the admin.
Correct.
Yeah. Let me take a look. All right.
I'm just signing on, resigning. Okay. community center. What do we want to sit there and do with the community center as far as employment employees? and I'm asking more. Do we want to add more hours? what is everybody's take on where the community center is and where it's going? I just heard we hired a new transportation coordinator.
I I believe that's correct. Yeah.
Okay. My question is we used to have a 26-hour director and a town assistant for a total of 36 hours. Now, we've got a 26-hour director and a 19-hour assistant, plus another 10-hour driver co or, you know, bus coordinator. So, that adds up to 55 hours. So, we went from we added about another 20 hours at the community center.
Okay. about what Eric wanted initially wanted 60.
Well, I I guess I I understand that that's true and there's def definitely reasons why we did that and the question is what do we want to do moving forward? Do we want to sit there and and I personally look at it and I go it's is if we're not I believe that it is being a service to the residents and and what I'm after is is anyone hearing anything negatively related to it and then if we do that and we know we have a contract with or a contract that's expiring with the director director for 26 hours and we had the assistant that's at 19 hours. What would we want to make the rate for
that assistant? And personally, I think having a driver coordinator is really the right thing to do. And and I don't know if anyone else has heard negative negative issues related to the driver coordinator, the previous driver coordinator or this driver coordinator. All I hear is positive things.
Yeah, very positive for that. I think we probably need to cut down the hours on the assistant because that's a lot lot of expense there.
I don't necessarily
very close.
I think we need
close to the same number of hours. I think we need to change the hourly rate on the assistant and I would like to keep it because it gives you coverage.
What's the hourly rate difference then? That doesn't say on the
budget. I know you said you need a driver coordinator, but I'm just I'm just asking the question of why that couldn't be rolled rolled into the assistant role. because we've got way we've got way more hours than we had originally. We have
10 or 11 more hours than we had before. It's not what we asked for initially, Jeff. The board of finance reduced those hours from what Eric wanted. Well, they reduced it from whatever the what did he put in for originally? 50,000 or 60,000 and they reduced it to 50, but they didn't have an assistant in there and they didn't have a driver coordinator. because originally the director did it all. But what what what is the hourly calculation for the 19-hour a week assistant? Did did you do that, Jeff?
I I was trying to look to see I don't have that. That's not in the payroll summary that's available.
That's what I'm saying. Is not in there because I don't Is it a brand new position? No, it's in Haley Proto.
Oh, I thought you meant the driver. I'm sorry.
Well, we want to know the hourly rate.
Isn't that under instead of community center, is that under the senior program? Why am I thinking that? Let me just take a look if that's where it went.
So, if you're still
doing 19 hours a week for the community center assistant,
Yeah. 19 hours a week it would be $1167 an hour.
Well, the question is what do we want to make if we made let's sit there and say we have all these positions. one second I got to get one more piece of information. Yeah, it's over in it's over with senior citizens. Instead of being in the community center, it's listed over page 17 of 21 in the book and it's got Andover senior transportation. But as far as the assistant, there's a resident services coordinator, but it's only $6,000 a year. That is for the community center director to serve as municipal agent to the elderly
and social services director.
Yep.
Agent,
right? And the line it says dispatch and drivers and that includes the transportation coordinator. assistant.
Okay. So,
can I I I got to I know this was a problem and it's something Lisa that I'm going to have to ask ask you to do is like what wages are in the wages of the director line like
let me see let me go back and I've been trying to get a list by department by person by department what their hours what their rate is and how many hours a week they I've been trying to pull that together since I got here and I can't get any answers. So, I did I I watched Chris do payroll for the first time today.
So, I'm I'm because I think it would be really helpful here if I knew how many hours people worked. and I but I will look and see what is in that line.
Okay. and and and and what I'm after is
o I think what that is a community center assistant was originally when it was just 10 hours a week at $20 an hour. So this was before the driver dispatcher was put in. So the commu So the director would do the dispatching of the drivers and the community center assistant helped with senior lunches and things like that, but that was only 10 hours a week at $20 per hour.
So it looks like that line still has the 10 hours a week at 20 an hour.
Yeah, but what I'm saying is that's that's not reality. Carol, because we know that we've had two so, so listen, my my my mind would be the assistant, and we should put this in the budget. The assistant, I would I would want to sit there and keep all three positions. That would be me. I think it's flowing well. I think the seniors are getting, you know, some value to having coverage there more often and the community center and the senior center appears to be getting used more. So that would be my opinion, but I would sit there and reduce the hourly rate on the assistance. So, if
the if the if the director is being paid 34 hours a week, I would have the assistant get paid 19 hours of the week, but I would change the hourly rate from what is currently being paid down to $25 an hour. And because I believe the driver the rate that the 10-hour coordinator is getting paid is the same rate that the drivers get paid, which I believe is $20.71. Something in that ballpark. So, $2061.
I'm sorry, my quick voice keeps freezing.
Yeah, it's fine. So, it's a question for the board. Do we believe that the director at 34 hours is is is has enough time and do we want to sit there and keep an assistant for and how many hours do we want to keep that assistant for? And then if we do the driver the the driver coordinator, you know, does that make does that make sense? The one thing that I don't like and and Lisa I I don't know what is the what is the revenue generated by the community center and how can we tell that number? I haven't had time yet to track like if there's a class or something to see where that goes where that revenue goes into. It's being deposited into a liability account that used to be labeled senior lunch.
Well, like even wreck activities, not even senior activities, but like wreck activities. I' I'd like to see the flow of that and I haven't had time to look at that yet.
Okay. So, we'll sit there and get to all that. The question ends up being, okay, what if we sat there and reduced the assistance hours to 15 hours a week? I believe you should probably think of keeping the driver coordinator at 10 hours a week and then you leave the director at 34 hours a week.
So I don't believe the director is 34 hours a week.
Not what is it?
No. 26. I believe
Tess is is Tess still
agreed that it was her her her thing was 26 hours plus six for the municipal assistant municipal agent.
Well,
26 and six.
It's 32, but I thought it was 30 hours a week. it in here it looks like both Haley and Tess are going into that figure. Let's see. But we're over that amount is up to 57,000 right now. So it's over 22% currently like in in like as of now as of March. Let me just go in and look at and Linda Derek is going into the assistant line.
She shouldn't be.
Well, I dispatch.
I don't know. That's the line she's being put into. Like I said, I haven't even looked at payroll and today was the first day I could see it. And I still don't have a list yet from payroll to show number of hours and where they're where it's going. But that's what I see in there presently is both Haley and Tess are going into director and $7,000 so far to Linda Derek.
So
kay so we have to sit there and identify who's being categorized where but let's just talk in global terms. So if there's 26 There's 26 hours for the director.
She has six, Jeff.
Well, she has six, but it's it's
for the municipal agent.
It's not budgeted there, though.
Yeah, it's down in the seniors.
So, I'm just dealing with that line item for the budget. So, the only thing that concerns me is I believe there's a stipen for health insurance. I need to look at that and where that would go. I think what this board needs to do before we sit there and pass this to the board of finance on Wednesday is look at this one and go, are we okay with the hours? I mean to me 26 hours for the director just for the director and and don't take the other money from the municipal agent into account 26 hours at $34 and but that's going to adjust based upon that would adjust potentially based upon 3%. 26 hours for the director, 15 hours for the assistant and 10 hours for the transportation coordinator. they don't really think is outlandish for trying to run a building that actually should probably stay open more hours than even the town office building.
And it does, right?
Well, it should. I mean,
it should be open more.
I mean, I know we have a lot of volunteers that come in and do stuff, but that's what this board needs to decide if those hours are out of line. And if you think they're out of line, then we need to adjust the budget. Anybody?
Are you asking?
I think they are half a day. They have people come in for crafts and things like that. So, I think they are on Friday. I
think they just started that or something.
But again, I'm just asking the same question. Yeah, I'm just I mean also I'd like to see it open, you know, more hours myself.
So, you're saying to change that community center assistant line 15 hours a week, 25 hours, $25 per hour?
That's what Yep.
Okay. And did you calculate that out?
It's not adding hours, Jeff. I'm probably Well, see, this is where this is a little screwy because both people are being put under the director wages right now. So, when we're doing payroll, we're putting both
Sorry,
yeah, they're both in the same bucket. So, it's not, you know, you're not looking at the community center assistant and seeing the right amount of money that would you would want pushed there. So, if If I sat there and said it and you had 52 weeks, you would put, you know, $19,500 under the assistant
and then you would put the amount of, you know, the prior budget, right? So, the 2025 budget, so the $47,000 was the total that we expected to spend. And that could be with let's sit there and do that math. Times 26 time 52 40. So you know we put the budgeted $47,000. The number should be about 45968 in total based upon an hourly rate of $3426. But there's a 3% increase. So,
$35.81 with the increase.
Yeah, I would think you'd be looking at something like $47,500 in a budget request with a 3% increase. But the one thing that bothers me, and I don't necessarily have an answer for anybody, is where is the where where have the insurance stipens been put?
I think they're all listed under the insurance employee benefits. That's why I'm saying if we put it under every department, and I know you agree with me, Jeff, it gives a really clear picture. Yep. I I I agree. I mean, because I'd like to know I'd like to know I would like to know if that what the department in total cost us. Just like you said, always wanted to know that.
So, I think this discussion though is does just think hours. Does 26 hours, 15 hours and 10 hours work for the group or not work for the group?
I think it does.
Okay. Then our current reduction and it's not a reduction from current spend but we would be reducing our our assistant you know the community center assistance wage u hourly rate $25 an hour. Does anybody have a problem with that?
No, that's fair.
Okay. And then the driver coordinator's hourly rate would be $20.61, which matches up with the drivers. Does anyone have a problem with that hourly rate?
20 or 21?
$20.61.
Now, that might have to be we might have to that might have to get adjusted slightly based upon the 3% increase because I think I'm using the number from last year. Does anyone technically have a problem with that or a 60cent change to that to $20 $2120?
Okay.
So, are we going to vote on the community center assistant being 15 hours a week at the 25 Yeah, I I would I would sit there and
Okay.
and you know, so if we sat there and said it's 25* 15* 52,
you said 19,500.
So, so just so we're we're all clear, we're not going to adjust the the wage line on the director right now because that's just taking in the 3% change.
Right. Right. So, I'm going to make a motion that we adjust from section 4214 line 318101 community center assistant. we request the budget for next year to be $19,500.
Second.
Carly seconded. Discussion. Ann Cray, how do you vote? And did I miss you?
Did I?
Hi. Okay. Carol Lee.
Hi.
Jeff Murray.
Hi.
Scott Person.
Hi.
And Jeff Magcguire. ISO 5 nothing on 19,500 for that line item.
Okay.
but you're leaving the director 48410.
Yes.
That 3%. Okay.
Y.
All right. And then we go through
all of it under the community center.
Say that again.
Keep going.
So, actually, let me type this in here. And she put in for money for software this year.
has she actually got a grant?
Yeah.
Oh yeah.
She got a grant to fund the software. So we're not going to I believe that was what I was told.
that could be used for that budget there. It says software right there. Yeah. So Jeeoff, is that something you have found out before I got that 6200 number from her or is that after?
Hold on. I'm trying to look at this.
Yep.
Where's the software request? Is it in
office supplies line
207?
Yep.
Yeah. Way down lower, Jeff. Right there. You just passed it.
This one. right there.
That's it.
Yeah. Software
over to the right incl I'm going to sit there and make a I mean, I'm going to make a motion that we we reduce the office supply line to $800. So, I'm going to make a motion that we reduce line 318-610 office supplies for the community center to $800. Anybody going to second that? Because they did get a grant to pay for that
office supplies for software.
Are we positive that they received the grant
o cover that software? Can
can we ask
what is the office what encomp what's encompassed there? Office supplies. We don't know. I see what you're saying, Jeff. But
all right. Well, let's ask Tess to to talk because she's on this meeting.
Yep. Tess, if you can.
There you go.
Can't see it because I'm on the screen. So, please ex explain to the board of selectmen the issue related to the the grant for the software. Yeah, we applied for the MGP grant and that was $10,000 and we can apply for that for the next three years. We will get $10,000 each year and the first year we will it will be going to the grant towards the grant and so
explain the explain the grant purpose so everybody understands.
Yeah. So the grant is for transportation. you can use that towards salaries and $1,000 of that $10,000 can go towards administration. we asked if that could go towards the software because the software would be going in the transportation vehicles and it was it was approved and they're just doing the paperwork. They did say that it would get approved and we should get that money I would assume we would get that money by April if not by the end of April.
So you're okay with us taking that out?
I am okay with you taking that out of office supplies?
Okay.
I I do. However, I I will say that we would like a computer or not a computer, excuse me, a printer maybe a black and white printer in the transportation assistant office as well. And so that might that might be maybe $300 maximum. So, can you afford can you afford that out of your $800 or
under the equipment?
E either either or that's something that we do need. So, either this fiscal year or next.
Okay. So, let's do it this fiscal year.
Is there a printer in the community center currently?
there is one in there, but we we do we do a lot of printing. I I would say we do a lot of printing just in black and white. We do have to go next door for color. we are going to be lowering the color printer and the use of the color printer next door because we do have somebody that is printing our newsletters and our and so it's just flyers for next door.
Just questioning what kind of printer is that? Is it a Wi-Fi printer or is it a network print?
It is I believe it is a Wi-Fi printer. Yep. So, you should be able to print from any machine via Wi-Fi.
yes. So, the printer is in my office and just looking for a printer for the assistant and the transportation coordinator. They are sharing an office currently.
Okay. Well, my thing was if you could just you guys could share the printer. It's pretty easy to set up a printer for multiple machines. That's why I was just questioning it. yeah, the assistant isn't always in the office when I'm there. And so, it would just make things easier so that, the assistant isn't always in my office when I'm not there. And, yeah, we just figured that, that would just make things a little bit easier.
Okay. And you have, two computers that are good computers. we have only one computer for the assistant. I do have an outdated one that's actually broken. I'm hoping to get that printer delivered soon and yeah,
you're you hoping you've already computer the computer or
the question a new computer for myself. It was in my line item or it wasn't my budget. So, I did order a computer and it hasn't come in yet.
Oh, okay. Will it be in before the end of this fiscal year? So, you'll take it out of this current budget?
Yes, I'm hoping I did order it maybe last month or the month before.
Oh, is it a special order? It takes a little while to come in.
I don't quite know the answer to that. I do know that I am working with the IT department with Steve and we're just waiting waiting for that to come in.
All right. Very good. Thank you.
You're welcome.
Okay. So, so I'll second that, Jeff.
Okay. So, we'll second the reducing the office supply total online 318610 to $800.
Okay. So, Carol Lee seconded that. Ann, how do you vote?
Hi.
Caroli,
hi.
Jeff Murray,
hi. Scott Person.
Hi,
Jeff Magcguire. I so five nothing on a reduction of line 318 610 to 8 to $800. Okay. town garage. we're obviously doing slightly better on electricity. we need to look at that fuel oil line again. I would hope the whole geopolitical thing is over before this budget would take effect, but did we
have to address
Did we lock in our price is my question
and I believe we did, but
I believe we did too, but I don't have
Yeah, let's verify that just so we're good.
All right. does anybody have any problems with the budget on this section submitted by Eric? software for the fuel tank in there.
Isn't that part of capital? No, you're talking about what he's going to talk about in capital.
It has to be redone. It had to be redone, you know, two years ago, but we didn't finance it. So,
actually, Scott, I'm going to recommend that we take it out of building maintenance this year
and and let's let's see if we can do it within this 2025 2026 budget.
If
soon they're not going to be able to keep track of the fuel coming out of there,
you know, but if does anybody have a problem if we sit there and try to utilize this money that's left in this building maintenance?
It's a good idea. I mean, I have to find out if he has anything planned to do down there, but if not, I would sit there and say it would be a wise use of those funds to sit there and update that software. Anybody have a problem if we sit there and look at doing that?
No. using the money that's in this current fiscal year, but then put it again next year.
we would just leave the building maintenance there to sit there and do building maintenance. But if that building maintenance fund is available, we might as well sit there and try to buy the software to update the the tank and the you know, it's it's basically the pump, you know, to
it keeps track of how much fuel is coming out of there.
Yeah. coming out of the tank.
I think that's a good idea, but I'm just curious why we would still fund at the 17850 if we haven't been using it. Do we have like track I know I see 2425.
I think part of the problem, Carol, is we just had, you know, a change there. So any maintenance that might have been on the agenda got pushed back because Eric was trying and he might have something he he needs to do. So, us thinking that we might use that money for the software is we're going to have to figure that out if it will work.
I think he's starting to work on those brick walls down there, too.
Yeah, I mean, he is he he and his team are doing a pretty good job. They
kind of got smacked with all the snow and
there has been some money spent just since that came out because in I just am pulling it up now. he got some overhead doors it looks like for $1,600.
Okay.
And he got ceiling H something with Corbett HVAC. ceiling hung. I don't see the rest of the description here.
So, it looks like he is using it a little.
Let me ask Eric what would be most important to him and see if we can do it. And if not, I'll sit there and I'll go back to the board of finance and ask for something to be added somewhere related to that.
Be taken care of, though.
Yep. Okay. anybody have anything with any of the other line items for the town garage? Okay. Old Town Hall building maintenance alarm system. I did get a request from Kathy D. Rogers on the old town hall and something they were looking at doing, but I do believe that she was going to sit there and work toward doing some kind of donation request, sit there and get something done. But we should, and this is not for this year and not for next year, we should look at the old town hall as a renovation project and we should sit there and probably apply for grants to sit there and do it. So, old firehouse, are we really still paying for electricity there?
Okay.
Yep. I
mean, that's
$67 a month, it looks like. something like that.
Okay, we should look at that. the annual audit and actuary services. We've got these this requests these requests for dollars were have we gotten anything new from the auditor?
No, I did ask them if it was a single or multi-year contract. He said it's a single year. That's all he quote. That's all he commented on it. He didn't give me any price or anything.
Okay. I I would sit there and say that's well we should leave those in but also verify with them if there's going to do any changes. this this line item for the town attorney and the legal retainer. I don't believe all of that goes to attorney O'Brien, but because and and I'm just telling you there's a lot of stuff that's going on and it's going to come down the road and and attorney O'Brien needs to get more money. we have coming up in this year and it's a question of do I ask attorney to O'Brien to do it or do I ask other attorneys to do it. We have a whole set of easements that have to be drafted and written related to the
I can't remember. no, it's the Brook on Lake Road, Bzola. off of Bazora Road. I think I want to say Cheni, but I think it is Cheny Brook. there are probably seven easements that need to be drafted with the residents in that area. and it's a question of do I go to attorney O'Brien and ask him to do that? And if I do, do we pay him separately or do we just sit there and up his retainer and and pay him more than he's currently getting? I would tell you he deserves to get paid $20,000 and that's probably still not enough for all the time he puts in with us.
No, he works.
I asked I asked him to keep track of his hours just so people would realize how many hours he really does work. of that 10,000 only half of that is to him only 5200 of that is to him the other part of it is to Kanan Escalera and male okay so that was related to our personnel issue and what so so you're saying the current expenditure of $10,029
he's only been paid for two quarters he has not been paid for the third quarter of the retainer yet.
And what was what was the the the semianual or the halfyear number? 5,000 what?
Yeah, it's 2625 a quarter. So it's what? 5250 for half a year.
Gods are 400 an hour.
$10,500. Well, my my my recommendation or my request still still probably stands he should get paid $20,000 and and the question ends up being okay if not if not that if not that then what will happen and I will sit there and probably push some of the work that's coming down the road on especially on those easements to some other attorney and then we're going to have to raise the fees somewhere else. So, it's going to come out someplace. So, I guess that's what I'm asking is what is everybody's appetite for providing attorney O'Brien an increase? and we just keep him where he's at and then if we've got other, you know, abnormal conditions, we can discuss that as a, you know, on an ad as needed basis. Where am I getting it from?
Well, I mean, those those fees should probably come out of the projects because that's a project expense with that project. So if something happens, you know, you should you should take that money out and it should be paid as a separate line item.
So what you're recommending is we sit there and go to the to the bridge
and we sit there and put it through the bridge program and say the legal fees here are the legal fees related to the bridge program.
Correct? Because it's an actual expense that you have to do to complete the project
and that gives the people a true picture of what these projects cost. let me find out if I can do that.
You should be able to. I mean, that's a project cost.
I have no problem in sitting there trying to put that through. I still think you should pay him more. I should sit there and I'm just telling you, you should get it to if it's a 10,000. 2625.
You have to, you know, attorneys get paid 400.
Get it. Put it to 12,500. And so I'll make a motion that you increase attorney O'Brien's retainer to 12,500. It's that's a $2,000 increase, which is a pittance for the amount of work that he has done and he's going to end up having to do for the issues we're going to face.
He would only have to work 40 hours to even it.
He worked 40 hours on the opinion related to the
This is ridiculous.
So anyway, he he he deserves it. I'm just telling you I I don't I don't I don't believe that the residents understand how much Attorney Brian does in the background to assist our little town.
Is our labor
attorney is in the number the 10,00029.
Okay. What Chris said in the 10,00029 was attorney male for give me a second $5,000. So 2625* 2 means that attorney O'Brien was 5,250 out of that number.
Right?
1029 means that attorney male for the personnel issue was $4779. So, this is all legal except obviously for planning and zoning and that they have their own legal line.
Yes, I believe you're correct. Which
and the only other one that has their own legal line is the assessor.
Correct.
Okay. The assessor can't use at I thought attorney Brian helped with some of the assessor issues.
If I remember correctly, Carol, I'm not sure that the assessor likes to use attorneys that aren't related to the specialty of his work.
Okay.
I'm not sure how much he used this year. Let's go back up and look at this. His line was right under Dennis's line.
The assessor's attorney. It's not not in the assessor.
Assessor legal was right under
Dennis's line.
Let's go. What has he spent? I thought it would be under
It doesn't really show it. It was
He might not He might not have spent anything this year.
Yeah, there wasn't anything spent yet this year,
which is surprising to me. Carol, because we have a lawsuit that's been going on,
right? And the when the BAA, when are they meeting? Because I know we had to get the extension on the grand list, which means they're meetings, I believe, are this month. I don't even know if they had any appeals.
The grand list has been finalized,
right? The end of February,
correct?
And then BAA normally would have met already the beginning of this month, but I don't know.
Yeah, he hasn't spent anything. So, I'm sorry I missed that. But I know of that number, like I said, 50 5250 is there. So, I I have no problem working with Attorney O'Brien to sit there and get paid under the bridge if I can get it done. so
is that total 16?
But can I ask a question too because if we are
upping if we need the labor attorney to help us with you know updating personnel policy or contract for the new town administrator. will need some money in there, too.
I I have I have no problem in sitting there saying like the the additional amount of money to the to attorney O'Brien is $2,000. So, I don't mind if we just go up to $18,000. I don't expect us to have the same personnel issues we had last year. This year, I would hope.
I'm not saying personnel. I'm saying it just makes sense.
Yeah. to have a labor attorney review or write
the contracts and to help us update personnel policies and things like that.
That's all I'm saying rather than,
you know, experienced people writing these things.
So, what what do we want to sit there and have as a a I don't like the term legal retainer because it doesn't
it should just be legal fees, but what what I would ask for a $2,000 increase to this account. Of that,
you know, you would be left with you know, $5,000, Carol, for other legal services,
though. The 5,000 we could use to with the labor attorney to help. Do you think that that
would be enough?
I would hope so. I mean, we're going to start with a contract draft and ask him to make sure that we're protecting the town's interest.
Could we maybe bump it to 20 just to make sure we have that in there? If we don't use it, it's going to go back in the general fund. But at least we have that coverage because again, rewriting the personnel policy or revising personnel policies and writing new contracts. We would just want to make sure that we have enough hours in there for the labor attorney to help us.
I I have I have no problem. I agree with that. So, I'll make a motion that we increase in section 4139, town attorney section 107-301 from $16,000 to $20,000.
It's 310.
My bad.
That's okay. I'll second.
Okay. further discussion. All right. Ann, how do you vote? Hi
Carol Lee.
Hi
Jeff Murray.
Hi
Scott Person.
Hi.
That was an I. Jeff Magcguire. I 5 nothing to increase as section 107310 to $20,000. Okay. town engineering, we haven't used that this year, but we need to keep I would imagine we should keep that. Probate court hasn't changed. this one is not a solid. this one needs to increase because we don't have all of the we don't have all of the money from all of the other groups, do we? No, we don't.
Yeah, I wondered why there was such a large decrease in that and I just haven't received anything else. All right. So, do you know Lisa the difference? It's like that to me is just one of the Crag fees, right?
Yeah, just one. Let me go down see what they were last year maybe. Let's see what is that one. So what I would ask is is what this 5158 which which group is this and how much were there last year?
Well done. That's what I'm looking for.
I guess if I remember correctly, you got an you got a letter from them
from one of them. Yes. 41. Where is it?
All right. We'll come back to that one. You look at that one.
Okay.
it's my computer is freezing. I'm sorry. It's
all right. We got to fix the IT issues. Okay. So, there is one issue in this and just to let everybody know, I know that the the director is asking to sit there and and provide a step an increase to one of the maintainers. So I'm just telling you that that variance that he put in there and he's been working I believe he had put this together for the board of finance. So this number here is a slightly elevated related to one of the maintainers being being moved up. So I I spoke to Eric. I I understand his logic and what he's trying to do to keep some continuity within the department moving forward. So, it's one of the younger employees. so anybody have any issue related to any of the other items in this?
Can I just ask is it moving someone to a two or
you got to get closer.
Can't hear you.
Yeah. Is that moving from a maintainer one to a maintainer two or a maintainer two to a three?
I think it's moving from a maintainer two to three.
Great. I'd have to get you that
because I don't have it in front of me.
I'm just letting you know what he's requesting from the board of finance related to it.
And can I just ask maintainer 3 is the top level there. Correct.
I believe so. Yes. According to the contract.
All right. Thank you.
Yeah. death. I have those figures, but
go ahead. for last year I CCM it says is 71 1895 C was 5158 and cost was 975.
But we're saying we only got one of those. But I could I've seen that $1895.
Well, why don't we just put the budget number in at $8,600, which it was last year.
All right. Because I know last year it was 8028, but those were the three.
Yeah, you're probably going to get the last one before the end of the cycle. So, even if we sit there and and so, you know, if I have and you're Just to go back to the MURF admin fee, for some reason it was put in payroll liabilities. I don't know why. I wasn't the one that entered it, so I'd have to go back and look. But that 3830 should be in the admin fee line for this year.
Well,
so we'll fix that, too.
Yeah.
Not sure why it's there,
but we have an account for it.
Yes. which is what I was concerned that we didn't have an account for.
okay. So, I'm going to make a motion that we adjust line 819810 from the initial request of 5158 to $8,500.
Good, Jeff.
Okay. any discussion on that? It's just because that information I know is just one of the groups. We have to account for the other three other two. Ann, how do you vote?
Hi.
Carol,
hi.
Jeff Murray,
hi.
Scott Person.
Okay. Five nothing on adjusting that to 8,500. just to make sure that I have my number correct, was this adjusted to $20,000 or $18,000?
It was 20. 20.
Yep. Okay. Well, let's go down this way. I'm sure I did. I missed a couple. I should have been doing this all the time. Okay. Town engineer. Nothing. Public works. We did that. Is there anything on public works that anyone else wants to discuss because we moved off of this one? I mean, he's really not the the biggest increase. The only in real increase is the the change in this number, you know. So, $3,500 or 9,000. maybe that's actually all related to just payroll. Maybe it's not related to what I thought. Let me do some math.
3% I think. Lisa, these are the just so we're aware. This is the information Eric provided you, right?
Well, the 3% I would have done that just from and I believe that's yeah the union contract or is theirs up this year? So I just used the 3% for everybody. So I don't think that includes any changes with him.
Okay.
That you were speaking of.
Yeah, that is the 3%. We're going to have to sit there. I know he
check into that. Yeah,
I know he asked me. He told me that he was thinking about doing that. So maybe it's what he's submitting to the we'll have to look at that. It should be it should come to you first and then to the board of finance so that you can incorporate his requests into this number. so we'll sit there and and get with we need to get with Eric on that. I'll call him in the morning. obviously our snow removal overtime budget is going to be exceeded. This is only through January. So, we had a big month of February. do you have the number in that line item right now?
Yeah. Yeah, it was 17,000, but I think it's gone up from that. Hold on. Let me go in there. Snow overtime. Oh, snow is separate down below.
Yeah. 4307,
right?
Yeah.
What's the number currently that we have in that account that we've spent
I'm checking the date to see. This does not include. if you want, I can go in and add today's payroll because that only takes
It's not that important. Okay.
You just need to know the number. Yeah.
40,000 is what's been spent. So, it's over 17,000. That's as of the last day of February.
Okay. So, and that's probably where we'll end up for the year. 17 to $20,000. over It's not like we should budget for another snow winter like this. So, and then can you just tell us what the salt number is currently?
Yeah. salt looks to be 21,000.
but does that not include there was that bill where only one was paid instead of four? So maybe there's I'm not sure if that includes that other amount. Hold on. Let me just see if that I can pull that from the
Can you Can you just
Yeah. No, that doesn't include all of it.
Can you Can you
I think one was paid. One bill was paid.
Correct. That that will get corrected. So that's another 17,000. So right now we're probably around 34 to $35,000 in our salt budget. And I know that Eric in discussions he's been having troubles getting his allocation of salt,
which the public would sit there and see that the roads have had more sand on them than normal in the last four or five years.
It's because we were running low on our salt allocation. So, I would assume that salt will get closer to the budgeted line item and that we'd probably be over in our sand. but it it looks like he's going to come in at a reasonable like we're not going to be that far. We're going to be over our budgeted on certain line items, but hopefully we can keep our salt down to a reason more reasonable number. But he's got to fill the shed up. So, it's coming. I don't really necessarily think we change any of these. I don't think we react for a bad snow season. It's a It was a bad year. Hopefully next year.
What's the What's the the line for meals?
if they're out working and they go and they get they get a it's an inter union contract that they get a certain amount of money to go out for meal. So what they'll do is
they get like a certain amount per meal.
or is it
hey get contract?
Yeah. Would have to look at their union contract. It could be different for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. I'm not sure. Some contracts are different.
To be really honest, Ann, the numbers I've seen come through are coming from either Shady Glenn or from Tom's. So,
from Shady Glenn was 75 last month.
Yeah, it's it's on the check register that's there. So, it's not it's not overly excessive. And what they do is they just go and if they're working around the clock, they'll go grab a meal.
Yeah. Okay. I just didn't know if they would be getting like huge amounts of food when they go in or if it's a if they're given like 20 to $25 to use for the meal.
No, they they go and they get a a bill from where they're getting it and the check gets cut and it's dropped back off.
Okay. All right. ground care. this will pick up in the spring. Scott, have you heard of any increases that we're looking at on our mowing?
No.
Okay. Anybody have any I mean stop at anytime you guys have a problem with
Can I ask about beautifification?
Sure.
I'm just curious. I know I see that 2425 the actual was 7,94, but that was when they were doing all the plantings and everything for the community center. Do
I think this one actually has to do with the other sign that's supposed to go up
I that was under EDC I believe the sign
could be.
I mean listen do you want you want to lower beautifification? Let's I mean
let's not let's not lower beautifification.
They certainly haven't used very much of it.
No. And they, like I say, that prior year was for all the plantings around the new senior community center. So, did we consult with beautifification to see if they actually need that amount?
No. Ca Kathy, it's been on vacation. She's just back. We should and let's sit there and get that. I mean, beautifification or we can talk about it as we go to the board of finance.
okay. Or we can just
listen there's there's people on the board of finance that are here that are looking having listening to us have a conversation about beautifification and they can get some more information if they choose to reduce it. That one I just don't know. I mean, personally, Carol, I would love to sit there and see us do a lot more stuff, but
me too,
you know. You know, I
would love I would love to take $7,200 and clean up the trail right in across the street from the post office, but that would be me. I've been wanting that for years. but if you want to make an adjustment to it, let's make an adjustment to it.
I think we just need to talk with beautifification because again,
I know that they increased it substantially to do the plantings around the senior center. So they may not have a lot of plans this year. I don't know.
street lighting is, you know, based upon our actual expenditure to to Eversource. custodian line 419B. I don't know if Seth B is supposed to be there, but I'll just tell you they do a phenomenal job.
They're well worth every penny.
We should give them more money. They don't I know we don't have a lot, but they those two are are so good. I have no problem increasing the percentage change for that for what they do to keep that town office. I mean, that town office building looks so good.
Beautiful. It's never looked as good as that.
Yeah,
they do the painting inside and out. He cleans the bricks in the front of that building. I agree with you. I think they should get more I've seen the work that they do. They put up those sound panels for us.
They clean the windows. The glass is always clean. The bathrooms are spotless. Well, listen. I I have no no problem giving them a 5% increase because they just go above and beyond.
They do. All every time they go in there, they go go above and beyond.
So, I I'll sit there and I'll just I I'll make a recommendation to line 147-1000 to increase that number to $25,000. Okay.
Well, I'll second that. Jeff,
is that pay considered to be an hourly wage or how do you figure the pay the u the amount that they get paid?
that could be calculated backwards and for their number of hours.
I don't I don't know if he's a salaried oriented.
I think when I saw payroll today, I think it's it's a salary. I I'm positive. and if you do it up to 25,000, it's an 8.7 increase, just so you know.
That's fine.
But I think that's fair. They clean the community center. They clean the library, too, right?
Yes.
They do work at the library.
They They do a really great job. And I I think 25,000. They're they're worth more than that. But
personally, I would fund the $1310. They're so worth it. I mean, I walk into that building, every time I see them, I'm like, he's on his hands and knees scrubbing the stuff off the floor. I I can't tell you what a good job the two of them do.
Right. They're well worth it. So,
transfer. We seconded it though, but we didn't take the vote.
Oh, sorry.
that's okay.
Let's vote on it. car an
Yes. I
Okay, Carol.
I
Jeff Murray.
I think he said yes. Did you say yes?
Yes. I
Okay, Scott.
I All right, Jeff. I That's five nothing. Okay. transfer station the wages increased 3% and we have a decrease in forecasted electricity. do we have anything that looks like it's going to run over? Did we actually spend the money on the brush pile removal or did it get burned this year, Scott? What happened?
Yeah, they got rid of it. Yeah,
they got rid of it.
You have to put it in there cuz we every year
Okay. Did Did it get chipped? Did it get burned? What happened to it?
No, they came and chipped it.
Okay. Nothing looks out of the ordinary for our expenses to sit there and get in. Why are the electricity costs going down up there?
I can't.
It's just a simple forecast that I did. So if you think they're going to use more between January and June, you can change it. But that is a forecast of what they've used and then tied out to the end of the year.
Okay. there's no hazardous waste pickup. Are we not collecting any of the oils or anything like that?
They do. And that's down here. What would hazardous waste pickup be?
Paint.
Electronics. fluorescent light bulbs, things like that.
Okay. We should sit there and see, but I mean there's no change to that budget. The resident state trooper, we did get an analysis from the state and this was going to be the expected cost for next year. So they actually gave us their numbers in advance. I think enough towns complained that they weren't getting them. So
that's good. the fire department is looking for so on this one there's nothing we can really do other than eliminate the entire state trooper line which I don't think any of us have any appetite to undertake. So they voted it down
fire commission is increasing by 2500. Wall-E is to present his budget or was did Wally present his budget? He did. I missed that meeting. Yep. Yep. Sorry. the fire marshal, we saw him a couple weeks ago. He's nothing got increased there. there are some of these line items that we might want to ask ourselves. Do we need $1,000 in equipment for the fire marshall?
yeah, these are some of the items that we should sit there and look at with the board of finance. So, I'll actually sit there and ask the fire marshal what his needs are in that area. civil preparedness, no change to that one. Anybody?
Looks like it's an over amount.
Excuse me.
Actual amount spent 2425 is $429.
That was that was the prior that was the prior.
I see.
Yeah. This year we have spent that. Okay.
So, we spent we spent that, but we budgeted that. So, we're under budget by three $2,500 or
you know that kind of bullet
he vehicle. Yeah.
Aren't we supposed to pay this to to the shared vehicle which used to be our ambulance?
He borrow.
Well, just Yeah, just but maybe they haven't had to do anything to maintain the vehicle and they're not charging us. So, okay. this one is definitely not right. This one, do you have the document that they gave us, Lisa, related to the increase?
do I have that with me? It's It is. You are right. It's 19,000. let me just see if I have the documents.
09. Yeah. 602. I would just unless you guys want to make it exactly the right number. Do you if you want me to I will. 16,600
62. Oh, 602.
We put $148 extra, but doesn't matter.
I'll make a motion that we increase line item 151105, animal controlled shared services to $19,610.
602.
I know, but I'm making it.
All right. Second.
All right. so Carol Lee seconded it. Further discussion and creme, how do you vote? Is that a yes?
Yeah.
Okay. Yes. Carol Lee,
yes.
Jeff Murray,
yes.
Scott Person,
Jeff Magcguire, yes. that passes 5 nothing to increase that line item based upon the shared services agreement we received.
Okay. senior citizens under the public welfare section the resident services coordinator stipen remains at 611.
I think we usually give that a raise though. We have in the past. We've always given that the same raise.
How about keep it? How about we keep it the same?
You don't want to give that one a 3% too?
No, I think there's other things that we need to do with that position to make it, you know, I don't think we need to give an increase in the resident service coordinator stipen. I think we need to sit there and and u get a contract reworked. So I I don't think this number is that necessarily that important unless you want to which I understand why. I mean, I'm just saying it would only be fair to do the same 3% that we've tra traditionally done because I'll make a motion that we increase the senior citizens resident service coordinator account 145-100 to $6,295.
Second.
Seconded by Carol Lee. further discussion hearing none. Ann, how do you vote?
Yes. Carol Lee,
yes.
Jeff Murray,
hi.
Scott Person,
hi.
And Jeff Magcguire, I So carries five nothing. So 6295
and and it's pennies. It's actually 6294.33 but I round it training. we haven't spent it. We need to sit there and so now Carol this this budget is also controlled by the senior center. Correct. So all of these are controlled by the senior center director. Correct.
Yes, that is correct.
Okay.
question. Why is the senior lunch line so large when they have not used that kind of an amount in the past?
Well, I know our own budget. So,
we increased it a lot.
Yeah, but why? They have they're not using it. Not that much
previously. if they've moved if they've used it more.
It looks like so far they used 4500,
but that's only through the end of January. And
right, they've you moved up now. It's up to
seven months.
It's still up to It's up to 5,467 so far this year.
I still think they could do maybe 10,000 instead of 1250.
Previously, we have increased it I don't think that those other n numbers are anywhere near accurate.
Which number?
The actuals
they actually are because we used to just get $1,000. Then it bumped up to 5,024. And that is why the board of finance and the board of selectmen established the senior lunch liability account because we would have to fund raise in order to fund the lunches. So we would have tag sales. we'd have sales with the vendor sales where they rented spaces and we did basket raffles. We used to have to fund raise for the money. So, finally in 2526, Eric bumped it up to the 25 12,500.
And to be be really honest, I think you should use it on the seniors. So, so if our
coordinator, our director isn't using it, we need to make sure that they use it and make sure that maybe housebound seniors get their lunch. So,
that's a good idea.
I don't think we cut that. I think we make better use of those funds.
Don't ever cut it. you know,
because even even if you did 122,000, that's $1,000 a month. And so that would be $250 each week towards the lunches. And they they do that every Wednesday. Every other Wednesday they do the regular lunch and every other they have like a bingo or something special for the seniors where they just get the cold sandwiches and maybe a salad, fruit salad.
Yeah.
So they still they still pay something for that, don't they? They're not
right. So what they do is they pay $5 towards the lunches and then that money gets deposited into the senior lunch liability account. So and I think that
Lisa, do we have balances of that? I the liability account I thought it
was seven or 8,000 right now.
No, I haven't been able to get into those. I No, I haven't had time to get into that.
Okay.
The L accounts as they're called.
Yes. The L accounts.
No. I mean, I like seeing things available to the seniors, but I just think that the that and the programs line 16,000 this time. What is all of that for then? I I know that the program lines, they're introducing a lot of extra programs and they do charge for those programs and then the money does go into the liability account, not the general fund. So, you might be able to look at that. Yeah,
you know, once we can get the balance from Lisa,
that's something that just seems like it's a big jump.
There was a a
nd there's
I don't know if Tessa is still on, but she did do a a huge saying what all the programs were for the community center and I think the senior ones were in there also, but
I think a lot of the programs she wants to add were in there.
Yeah, I know. I saw that. Yeah.
So, Tess, are you still on?
Yes, I am.
Would you address that 16,000?
Yeah, I did send out in the packet for the budget. I broke down each month and I sort of estimated about what new programs we could have. there there is a an adjustment with the art. art is actually doing very well. the community art, not so much. The kids art and the senior arts is actually increasing. we were thinking about having an open art night. that wouldn't cost anything, but the community art we can remove. it can go down a little bit, but definitely once the stove gets installed and the hood gets installed, then I was anticipating more activities with the stove. So, yeah, more programs and considering the stove would be an increase in that. again, it's all in the packet information that I sent over with my budget. I haven't seen I saw today's report for February.
Yeah, that was done back in December. I believe
it did. Yeah, it went out to the board of finance.
It did come to us.
It I believe it I I can send it again. I'm more than happy to do that tomorrow morning.
You didn't remember seeing it? Maybe it did. If
you could send it to us tomorrow, Tess, that would be great. and then we'll sit there and highlight these for the board of finance to sit there and dig a little bit deeper with you.
Yep, sure thing.
Okay, so this is our current budget. So there's only a 3% increase in the drivers and the dispatch salaries. So drivers test, right? So there's really only the 3% increase on the compensation. Eastern Health Eastern Highlands Health District gave us a slight increase. Is that what they gave us or is that just an increase based upon
No, they gave us that.
They gave us that. Okay. mental health, social services, AHM. So, AHM provided us an analysis based upon student population. I mean, AHM is a good organization. We probably should use them for more of their services, but we should sit there and see what's up. can you tell me what that means over here, Lisa?
Yeah, that goes back into again the friends. so they want their lot their budget to be 118096. So they want to take the 1218.97 and minus the funds from the friends that they're counting on and make their budget just 118096. I didn't know what the board of finance wants to do about that.
It goes back to the, you know, like what Carol was talking about how listing money's revenues outside of what the budget is.
Well, if the library wants it to be 118096, let's make it 118096.
So do you want to take it out of operating then? because it didn't clarify that in in the request.
Yeah. So,
one second. I find out what the number is, right?
Yep.
Can you tell me what is supported by the friends at 3,800? One of these salaries the child.
No, that's what I'm saying. They didn't direct that. They just want that taken off the top. Is it a library?
So, we're going to take it out of operating instead of salaries.
Sounds good.
But if we're So, you're taking it out of operating, but that wouldn't give us a true picture because over there it says somebody's getting a $2 an hour raise. So, we don't do we know how much per hour that person is making. And if it's $2 an hour, depending on what the hourly rate is, well, Carol, if we made it exactly 118096 and they were working to keep themselves in that budget, it would either be an overage in payroll and an underage in operations or vice versa,
right? But
next year's budget, if it's not supported by the friends and this person is making the extra $2 per hour, then our budget would have to support that, right?
Because that person's already been increased that hourly rate. So I I think it needs to be spelled out a little bit more clearly.
Okay. exactly what that 3800 is supporting. Is it supporting obviously not the director's and the director I'm assuming is the librarian
correct
and then the child programming $2 out. So what is it supporting? What are they funding?
I wasn't giving any direction. I mean, maybe Kathy has that direction, but
I just think we should get clarification on that.
I understand what you're asking for. I mean, the difference they're asking for is $3,800 lower. So, I have no problem leaving it. I mean, I wouldn't leave it that number, honestly, and pass it to the board of finance. I would I would reduce the library operations by that number. And, so I'm going to make a motion. Carol, just for sake of getting to their number and then what we should do is is reach out to the library to sit there and say prepare to provide the board of finance with appropriate information on what they're doing. I mean, because why would we why would we put a budget of 12187 if they're only asking for 11806?
No, I agree with that. I'm just saying supporting something. Well, anyway, you know what I'm asking?
You're trying to sit there and say for next year, you don't want to sit there and see them come up with another $3,800 because they're already paying this person $2 an hour extra.
Correct.
Yeah. So, you're looking not at this year's budget, but the following year's budget,
which you should do, which all of our organizations should do. It's the same thing that happens in in in different, you know, branches of our town government when they get a grant and they they're paying an employee a lot of money and then they lose the grant and then they ask the town to fund the extra expenses. So,
correct, because that's deceiving and you know, somebody's not going to work for less next year. So,
Correct. Okay. So, I'm going to make a motion to lower the library operations line account 001-800 to 29273.
Second that, Jeff.
Okay. And so, let me put that in just so we make sure that the number is right. One second. 118096. Yep. So Scott Pone seconded. Any further discussion? All right. and how do you vote? Did I lose Ann? Because I can't see her talking.
I can't see her.
She abstained. Okay, that's fine.
did she really abstain or we just can't hear her?
I'm sorry. I I stepped away for a minute. What was the question? we're voting to lower sorry
library to lower the library operations line 001-800
220.
I'll say yes.
Okay. Caroli,
I'll say I as long as the board of finance is going to review that.
Okay.
Jeff Murray
I.
Scott Person I. Jeff McGuire. I and Scott, I'm assuming it's five nothing. Okay. recreation commission registration for what is what is WICS? Is that a software?
So, yes. Well, we what we did was we agreed with the community center that we would pay half of the annual maintenance each year for that software because we're going to use it for the basketball registration. And
okay,
since we're on the subject of registrations for things, I know this is going to be a sore spot for somebody, but are we going to start registering for for all these other sports in the b in the in the gym at Andover Elementary, i.e. pickle ball. So are you asking for a form a liability form or we fill
No, just you know it's if you know like a season pass for residents and then pay one amount and then out of state residents pay another amount. I mean out of town residents I'm sorry.
Right. I mean, we b everybody else everybody else pays to use that for for activities. And I mean, we charge for activities in the community center.
And well,
I'm sorry. They're they're using electricity or using heat.
and it's it's it's getting up to like two or three days a week now. So,
is it is it that often?
Yes.
Okay.
Actually, I'm glad. but I would sit there I would sit there and just ask the question like when basketball charges a fee, what basketball is charging the fee for is to cover uniforms and to sit there and cover referee costs. So there's there's they're not paying to the community.
But Jeff, every Yeah. But every other every other municipality and entity is charging and we are one of the only towns that is not. Well, then that's a different issue if we sit there and want to do that. But I know that we've always had kind of a an unwritten rule that the board of of finance, the board of selectment wasn't going to charge for, you know, community members doing things like that. So,
yeah, but how many people do we have from the community? And how many people we got coming from out of town? Now we we put we sign up all the community members first which usually takes up the whole the whole space and then if any community members get out then out of town people can come but lately it's been all community members that have been playing. I mean, I was just looking at other I was looking at other towns and they just do a season pass and it's they charge residents one fee and out of and out oftowners another fee.
Do you know roughly how many people show up, Scott? I I know I think Dave and Lisa are the ones kind of overseeing everything, but do you know how many people show up? I think you guys have a pretty good turnout, don't you? But like I said, we we set up the schedule with handover people first.
No, but how many Scott? Like when you're per night
a full a full
you know everybody on all the on all the courts. How many people is it?
Did I lose you? I'm looking up my data.
Well, how many courts do you set up? Three.
Last there was 20 people It's good. So then the outdoor courts when they're ready should be used which is a whole other thing which we do have to get
hopefully
how to how to how to register how to assign usage on those but I will go to one thing Scott that I I do think that you know I don't think it would be totally negative to ask for a small fee to offset the cost of the scheduling and maintenance and those kind of things. I I don't think it it's a horrible thing to ask. I just think we have to have more time to think about how to do it properly.
Well, I just think like a season pass so we can give them a and I saw some towns give like yellow armband like those lipstrong bracelets. You just put it on when you go to play so you know that you already paid for that year and you just change the color every year when you renew.
Can I ask where would the
where would you suggest that they go? You got to get closer.
They go to the school like the student activity fund.
Oh, it would just get paid at the community center and they would get the they would get a wristband for that season and it would be like a yellow. We just change the color every year. They get like an orange one the next color, a blue one the color next year after. And that way you could just walk through the you could walk through the gym and you could see if who's make sure everybody's got their passes just by looking at their arms. You have to wear the armband when you play. So then that money would go into the general fund. Is that what you're saying?
Well, wherever, this was another question I had. I don't see anything, you know, all the all the income coming from all these programs that we're going to be doing. We should probably establish a line item for these for this revenue that we're going to be receiving.
The revenue does go into the senior. It used to be the senior lunch program, but it's been explained to me now that it's senior lunch, you know. So they put the revenue from senior lunch in one set.
I'm not talking I'm not talking senior lunch
programs.
I'm just talking yoga like all these other things that we're charging.
Jeff, this is something that Lisa and I have looked at. we need to do a much better job of identifying where revenues are being generated and listing them properly within the system
because we talk about these L accounts and different things and it's really hard to see those in in our normal financial statements. So it is something that we do need to do better job of of listing revenues and I think there should be you know a fee a fee section and then you talk about the different fees that are collected let's say under recreation so we did this under the rec w recck department these are the fees that we've received so you receive basketball and basketball offsets itself and that's something that we need to do so that we account for these things in an appropriate ate manner. So, I have no problem with what you're asking about
putting.
Yeah. I mean, I'm not asking for extra I'm not saying it'd be an extravagant amount of money, but it's just something to to align us with other towns. And like most of the people that are residents here, they don't have to travel far to play. So, it's not like asking for a big big commitment here financially. So,
well, I do think that it's something that we definitely should do and think about, but
So, are we going to do the same thing? I mean, I know this is early, but down at the fields, too, to regulate the use and is the senior center going to handle all that, signing out those fields? Tess has her hand up. So maybe she may not want to do do that.
We need to listen, this is very early as to what we want to think about doing, but it's something that I I know that we need to sit there and get a better handle on because even I believe there was a request from Ram Soccer to use the field for for little kids.
Yes. And we need to address we need to address that as to how
the fields and everything get utilized. So the field like the fields and the pickle ball courts, the outdoor pickle ball courts will have to have some kind of signup procedure. Well, that's where I get to with the armbands. I think that would include indoor and outdoor. So you would have access to the outdoor ones as well, you know, and you would get I get I would I would assume though that court would be locked and you would have to get accommodation to get in there.
I and and this is just something and we don't have to go We shouldn't really do this tonight, but Scott, since you do go to a lot of these other towns, you're going to have to tell us how they do it and how it's coordinated. I'm assuming that you're paying to join the league and they're running the league. Yeah, I don't know. Do you want to get into this tonight?
No, let's not do it now. Jeeoff, I I I understand what you're saying and we should talk about it and get to it.
But, let's do that and maybe our next meeting when we get this budget to
Understood.
Thing I want to tell you is there's not a lock on any place to play pickle ball any anywhere I've ever been to.
And I've been to 25
of them.
But that's outside, right? because I know and I just want to get back on like if we're going to start charging fees like the basketball like you said Jeff we use it to run
all the all the outside ones are there's no fees to anyone and they're open
right but if but the inside ones and if we're going to do that like Ram High School and middle school they have set fees and it's the school that sets up the schedule for use of the gym and the school that sets up the fees. So, if it's an inside,
you have to you have to, you know, you have to go this way, that's a different thing because the RAM number is because they assign a a janitor to it. It's it's a whole Caroline, when I was up there trying to do basketball and do things with them, it had it has a lot to do with their their their assignment of the janitor to the gym. So, and and that's all well and good. Our we we have to be very cautious as to what we try to say we're going to do related to the gymnasium and fees because you know, Carol, the basketball doesn't pay any fees and and honestly it shouldn't because we'd outcharged the the amount of money to sit there and have the league. So, that this issue has to be dealt with with thought and understanding of who we're trying to help get to where. And
to be really honest, if you have 20 residents that are getting together and playing pickle ball, I think that's awesome because I don't think there's a lot of other than, you know, the church and the library, there's not a lot of places where older Andover residents get together and do something active. So, I just tell you, we got to think about it. And this is not the time. It's almost 11 o'clock and we need to
I just wanted to mention it. That's all.
Yep. No problem. I totally get it. All right. so the rec commission is asking for $1,400 additional for programs for the software to register.
No, there's an additional concert in there, too. A $500.
Yes,
that's fine. So, $900 for the software and $500 for the concert.
I just got to ask, why are we giving any more money to the community garden?
I'm I don't do the community garden. That's Jeff.
my question on the community garden, just like I would sit there and tell you, and this this would go right to you, Jeff, like from a standpoint of charging, you know, that we get 20 residents to come and play pickle ball on a Sunday. How many people use a community garden?
There's seven gardens, isn't there?
I think there's 10, actually.
Okay.
Because there's two beds in each of those squares. I think it's beautiful and it seems like they do a nice job, but I would really like to sit there and see there be a significant amount of people to participate in the community garden to justify getting $3,800 of town tax money. I
think there was six people, Carol, at one point that were involved with it. There could have and some of them had a couple,
right? You're right. But there's there's the 10. The beds are cut in half, so there are 10.
So, I would sit there and just say that that I don't mind sitting there. It's only $3,700. I don't mind sitting there committing to it this year, but I do think that Jeff and the community garden group needs to sit there and give us a bigger understanding of the benefit that it's given to a larger number of residents within the town. I
think a whole lot of the food that comes out of there goes to the church. then quantify it and make us happy about it.
Yeah,
I know they put up the fence a year or two ago and that I'm sure was part of the expense, but I don't know what this expense is, what all this money is going towards.
I I I know Jeff's worked hard on it and it looks great. I just don't know
if it's benefiting enough residents. Whereas I sit there and I look at something like pickle ball and then you can get 20 20 and and average age Scott 50 on your pickle ball.
Yeah, I would say so. Yeah,
that is awesome because you don't really have a lot of opportunities like that. I mean once our kids age out of school and athletics and you know you don't really have a lot of opportunity. I mean, I know Carol at one point in time, you know, adult basketball used to be a bigger thing, but I think that's awesome. I think we should try to promote and those types of things a lot.
I think I'm probably close to the one of the oldest.
Yes. But with that said, we charge we have all kinds of programs at the community center that we charge fees for. So,
Yep. And you you're talking about kids basketball versus adults
playing.
No, I'm talking about the fees charged for the kids. What they go to?
Yep.
Right.
Seniors are going to be using the community garden this year, too.
The seniors are good.
All right. That's just something we should look at. The Memorial Day parade. do we need to sit there and make any adjustments on that? Okay. on the selectman line, is there any adjustments that need to be made on the selectman line?
okay, I get that one.
Committee. I just curious, what's the Veterans Committee on that line there?
isn't that what Susan sits there and deals with?
Okay. It it used to be the Veterans Day when we had the Veterans Day celebration. but then the recreation commission took that over and left that line for Susan to use for her veterans meetings and that.
Thank you.
Okay. the board of
I think that that I think that veterans is misspelled.
Yeah, I saw that too. This is brought out of Quickbook, so it was like that before I could hear, but I already noted right next to it.
Yeah, we don't like misspellings.
All right. is there anything that anyone sees on any of these? The, you know, the board of finance has a clerk fee increase 3%. That's nothing conservation committee board of assessment appeals. Let's talk about the board of assessment appeals. This is actually something that we probably don't his we need to sit there and talk to the assessor's office because they have this lookup that they're asking for and it's just not being made available to them. So, does anyone know about that or hasn't had any so our card taxes are supposed to be based off a very fine night list as to what's up and I know the assessor's office has access to this lookup and I'm not sure that they're providing the lookup to the board of assessment appeals. So, we need to sit there. I I need to sit there and ask John that question if it could be made available to them. and that committee is just looking at sitting there doing that and doing additional training. Now, there was going to be a change to the law that got vetoed. So, I guess our our assessor was pushing for a state board of assessment appeals and it actually got pretty far within the legislature and then got vetoed. So,
I just think it's only $380 and just in case the BAA would have access to look that information up.
Yeah.
So,
well, I have no idea. I have no problem leaving it. I guess we need to determine what type of line there is. my only problem is I think we're paying for it twice. So, we'll we'll sit there and look at it and I'll sit there and deal with the assessor and ask him if it can be made available and let's hear what he has to say to us.
Okay.
All right. So, economic development is looking for a $1,000 extra or no coming down. So, that's the sign coming down. Carol,
yes, the sign.
Okay, good. Planning and zoning, 3% $60 increase on salaries, 12 meetings per year for Inland Wetland. So, this is the board clerk increase. Okay. All right. Let's get to this section here. This is the biggest section of the town budget for us. revaluation is a consistent amount that we've put money away. We probably have the majority of the revaluation paid for by the time the revaluation comes around to hit us. Contingency, we've always left it $50,000.
can we get balances on these though? I mean, we seem to fund these 50,000 every year. The multiuse building fund has over 400,000 in it
and we're going to put another 50 in. So, we've that multi-use building fund started before we got the
what the COVID money to build our senior center, but we just keep adding to that.
Yeah, no problem. Lisa, in the on the right side in the memo when you're doing this and even doing this for for the board of finance, if we can put in the memo the balance, the current balance
because that that revaluation one that is a separate account,
okay,
that just got reconciled.
I spent several hours on this this morning and I pretty much went in circles because of the way QuickBooks is set up. So, I'm trying, but
we'll figure we'll figure that out. But some of these are actually like open space fund. There's an open space bank account.
There is
Why don't you keep a balance along in in that line?
We will she what she's saying is she's just got to get to it.
I have to get the history. I I've got this for last year and for this year, but there is no I cannot find the history of what's in that. We have the bank account for it seems like a year at a time. you know, I can I can tell you in my head the QuickBooks 21 accounts are going to have these things and these should tie into the audit.
Like I can I mean I can tell you like the
I was in there today. I was in 21 and 23 and I I can't get it to I the cash Yes, they're balanced. The cash accounts are balanced. I'm trying to find a history and I cannot find a history. So, that's what I'm working on.
Okay. I mean, we we definitely need the road and fruit. I mean, I can sit there and tell you that the public works money, the 125 is basically the payment for the truck that is still out there. And I think this is the last year on that truck. So, we're going to have to sit there and talk about what we do in the future for the next truck, if it needs to be replaced or how far we can go outside of it. And the fire engine tanker, that one's low to me. I got to look at that one because I thought the fire engine tanker payment was somewhere in the range of $250,000. so I I mean I Carol and and everybody I sit there and go the revaluation one is just like a a consistent amount of money that you know we have put more in previously. So once we have the balance we should sit there and get what our previous revaluation cost was to get the outside company to come in and do the that work. contingency was at $50,000. we haven't, you know, the I don't even think we spent the $2,000.
I mean, we really don't use a lot out of contingency and we don't know even what the balance is.
2425.
There is there is no there is no balance in contingency. Contingency is a oneanddone transaction. The revaluation is a capital fund that carries over the multi-use building. that one's a question.
Have the money in a contingency fund. Then why put that?
There is there is no contingency fund that carries over.
There isn't.
No. Contingency is one once a year we keep it there and then whatever's left Carol ends up in the general going back to the general fund. Okay. Okay. And but the multi-use building fund does not.
No, there are a bunch of these like the open space funds, the building maintenance fund,
the bridge and culvert fund, the tree removal tree removal fund. I have to look at the audit on that one.
I think we put tree removal there, but we usually go through it. Road improvement. certain of these Carol are your right. They're capital related but they're not
over they're not going into funds that are carried over from year to year.
So they're not a capital reserve. It's just capital related.
Capital related. Exactly.
Okay.
So we on things like the multiuse building fund and the bridge and culvert fund because we got so much money in those already. Yeah. And you're going to spend it all at bridg and culvert fund. We're not even going to have enough money there.
But you've got over $700,000 in that fund. So why put another $175 in now when we got the bridges paid for? And you just need to And you're incorrect. The bridges the bridges across the Hop River have been paid for with grants. the right the covert at Brazilla Road which that money is sent there for has been allocated there for is going to cost us a million dollars a
million dollars
Brazil road
and that's one of nine culverts we're not just one
ar enough in that fund but that's okay
so the bridge and culvert fund for bridges
for those kind of repairs the lake
those are not we don't receive any state federal grant money.
Yeah, we're still going to get we're going to get 50% I think from them.
We'll get 50% back. But Bunker Hill, was that funded at 100%.
Fully both of them fully funded.
Okay. So, so let me ask you, we had several hundred,000 in the Bunker Hill. Did that money when the money because I don't see that here like the Bunker Hill. So, when the money goes out of that account, are we putting the reimbursement into the general fund? How are we how are we showing that? Why wouldn't we just keep putting it back into a bridge fund? Why would we have to name it Bunker Hill? Why couldn't we just call it bridge fund and any bridge we're replacing, the money is in there? well when the the expenses come in from the contractor. So in that case NJ what was it Scott? NJR.
yes.
Okay.
NJR and SLR.
Yeah. and they would come and they would sit there and say, "Hey, you need to pay us for, you know, $158,000 for this portion of the bridge construction." We would then pay that out of our general fund and we have a grant, we should have a grant line for it and then when the money came in, we would, you know, collect the money into that and put it back into the general fund. So, it's just a wash of the of the transactions. In the case of the culvert, we're going to have to pay half the money. So, the state says they're going to pay half the money and we're going to have to pay half the money. And the current cost, you know, and we should have a meeting with that engineering firm again. last time that Eric reported to us it was going to be $1.9 million and we were going to be on the hook for 50% of it. But last year, the reason I'm
questioning is last year we had a specific line that said Bunker Hill Bridge,
we had a specific line for Bunker Hill Bridge because there was concern about we had to front the money,
right? We had to pay first and then the federal government or the state reimbursed us, but the money did not go back on that Bunker Hill bridge line.
So, you're asking about last year, the transaction and how it occurred.
Well, didn't we just finish the bridge the end of last year? So, we're still in that same current fiscal year.
And I'm questioning why we don't have that on here. So, even though it was finished last year in what, November, December, I don't know, Scott, I still have the picture you sent me, so I can tell you exactly when it was finished. And
well, we're going to have to look
November. How
it was November. So, it's in this fiscal year that we're currently in, but yet we don't see a Bunker Hill Bridge line there anymore. If that Bunker Hill Bridge was in there for last year,
then I I understand what you're asking. You're asking why did we get taxed for it if we got reimbured for it?
Correct. So, and why would we I understand that we have to tax our residents to put the initial money that we need to pay the contractors for that. However, if we just labeled it bridge now, instead of creating a long hill road bridge fund, which I don't know if we're doing that, or if are you just thinking there's enough in bridge and culvert, or we're just going to take the money for longill bridge out of the general fund and not have it identified on the budget? That's my question. Well, I have to look at what happened last year because if that happened last
year, I don't I think there, you know, we didn't do that correctly to be really honest. I have I have to look at it, Carol, because if what you're trying to say is that we tax the residents on Long Hill Bridge or
Bunker Hill Bridge.
Bunker Hill.
Yeah.
And
I got to find out where that went. The treasurer should have taken care of it. Okay. Because like I say, that line is missing. And I remember asking you about it last year.
Well, before the bridge was finished
and was,
like I say, it's the current fiscal year that we're in. So, I'm just surprised that I'm not seeing it on this.
Well, you should see it on last year's line.
Is that right?
Oh, it's now just called Bridgette Culver. Was
No, because Bridgen Culver was always there, Ann. It was
not bridge and culvert and it was
a different
yes it was definitely a different line.
Okay.
And judging by the numbers here there is a gap 915. So 916 is missing 918 and 919 are missing because we have 305 and then they start at 899 and then there's gaps in the numbers. So it it's missing. I thought it was somewhere around the bridge and culvert fund. So it could have been 913.
It was it was 913 and I just looked back I just looked back into 2425 and I don't see anything in that year either. So I this is why I'm saying I was in there today and I'm looking for this stuff. I'm trying to make sense out of this.
So it's not on this year's budget because there was not there's nothing in here. But I don't I don't know. It's got to be somewhere, but doesn't look like it's in the budget to actual. Maybe it's in classes or somewhere else, but I'm trying to pull it. I mean, Jeff knows. I'm trying to make sense out of it. So,
I mean, I can look back at a couple of the other spreadsheets that I have because it did show that our residents were taxed two years in a row on that money to have enough in there to fund what we would be building.
What we have to do is is find out what they were attempting to accomplish, you know, whether it's in the bridge and culvert fund.
no, it's not. No, no, no. If it's in their balance right now, Carol, because maybe it just got added, we have to understand what the treasurer and the finance department did with that money. The only way to do it is to sit there and allow the current treasur to sit there and go through that. Like, I'm just having a problem if that line isn't showing here for the prior year numbers. But again, that doesn't surprise me because there was no money spent out of it. It's got to go somewhere.
okay.
So, is there anything that anyone wants to do with any of these capital funds that's above and beyond what's listed here currently?
The only question that I have is Lisa, and I know you have a lot on your plate, but those gap in the numbers, you've already cleared up that 913 was Bunker Hill Bridge.
Yep. Did you figure out for us what 916, 918, and 919 were?
917.
We There's a lot of empties in there. You're right. There's several in QuickBooks. They're not in this sheet that that the book that I made because there's zero balances.
Are they inactive accounts?
I could look at the chart of accounts and see if that's there. See if See if they're inactive.
Hold on. Yeah. Let me make
Jeff. What? Before Eric left, you know, the the the thorn that we have still is finding the extra money in our budget to finish the transportation garage. And I'm pretty sure that Eric said that something happened because I think it's because it's going to be a union that we're going to need another $80,000 to finalize that and and I would really like to prioritize that and get our cars and trucks under cover.
I thought the 80,000 was to put a second story on that garage. Well, it was it was just to change it so that it can be open from the back and to have more room upstairs. It's not a big deal. It's it's just changing the trusses. I don't know why this is
the meeting
why this is taking so long.
The meeting that and I had with that that group
was that the original structure was really the roof was at ground level on the back side of that building. So there were a lot of things that we had to address address and we probably will need to find some additional funding for that.
can this funding be taken out of the multi-use building fund then? I just don't want this to turn into another year without another building for our vehicles. We got to if if there's that much money Carol's saying there's $400,000 in that thing there is
we should put that money
we should invest that money in getting that that building done.
There should be around 425,000 in there.
Yeah. So so there's no reason why we that building shouldn't be done.
Well, we have to sit there and see where it's located currently. I mean it's obviously the cash
is in our general fund. The question is
yes
where are what are all of these funds and how do they add up as to what is the balance in the bridge and culvert fund what is the balance in the multi-trans multi-use building I mean we we know what the numbers were for last year we just need to know if there was additions that came through for this year
Murray brought this up the you know last time this was brought up that he also wanted to prioritize this
I I think all of us are probably feeling the same way. But I this needs to be moved ahead.
Well, that's the first thing that we'll give to the project committee.
The first thing is that in the last two years, we've gotten a lot more revenue than what was planned. What about two years ago? We got over $2 million more collected in taxes than what was expected. And this past year was almost a million over. Where'd all that money go to? We ought to be able to cut down on some of these capital funds. This
And what do you want to do with the money, Ann?
I just think that you should.
Do you want to spend it on education? Is that what you're trying to tell us? Just
Yes. They need the money this year. And you've got a lot of extra money that you So you could cut back a little bit of what you put into your capital funds and it would cover what the school board budget.
It's their turn, right? Isn't that what they say? It's our turn. It's our turn to get the money.
No, it's our money. It's all of our money. We're one big organization.
I know. Yes. The town
their money. the town got the new senior center and got it equipped and now you're we're working on other things like the pickle ball courts and getting the
building and and please we did not tax the residents to do the majority of these things an
fine
maybe you've been missing that being on our board
well I'm just saying that you've got some money and you did you did provide a lot of things with the taxes. You the public works has gotten a number of pieces of equipment, new trucks, new mowers.
What are you saying? Department what are you trying to say and that we shouldn't sit there and prioritize the improvement of our equipment fleet? Are you saying we shouldn't try to sit there and do these things? Do you think we're overspending? An
I'm not saying that. I'm just saying that you need to now provide for the school needs the some money this year. They have not school could provide us information so that we could make an appropriate decision.
They haven't provided anything. I get no information that I ask for timely with courtesy and professionalism. It doesn't happen. in
how many how many out of town students are we paying for from from our tax dollars? What is what are we funding for those people?
Can we just get back on this budget, please?
Yes.
The building. So, with the
PL Oh my gosh, my head just went blank. But the parking garage, please, can we get back on that? Because I have a question about that grant. And is there an expiration date on that grant? Do we have to have that project finalized? Because we did have grant money. I thought it was 200 and some odd thousand towards that.
We have $250,000 in grant funding to pay for that.
And how much more do we need?
Oh, we probably need the $80,000 if it was. But but this is why Carol, we need to go to the project committee
to get a good understanding of the best way to do that building because that was the building that Eric had gone to the IQCS and I don't know the acronym correctly, right?
IC QC.
Yeah, whatever it is. And they
Easy IQC.
Yeah, easy IQC. and they did it through the the standard rates and so it might be easier, Carol, for us to sit there and do a project. So
can we just move forward with that? We've got plenty in the multiuse building fund.
Right.
Yeah, we can try to do it. Again, you're 100% correct. We need the balances over on the right.
And Right. And if we have that and then we can move forward. We can get that garage finished. We can finish the basement of the senior center
building is on that
is very simple. That building is so simple.
So can we just move forward on these projects?
Anyone want to make any adjustments to the capital funding that is going to be presented to the board of finance? That's all the question is.
So question we have the let's see no that's the road improvement fund. See tree tree removal fund. Do we have a balance of that? And is that a that's an L account right Lisa that we it stays it doesn't roll into the general fund or is that one
I am still trying to figure it out Carol. I have never seen capital WS in my life. I I think the I think the tree removal fund honestly I think don't
you spend it don't you spend it every year
I can't see where it's applied to capital to bring down the capital when it's spent. That's what I'm the process I'm trying to find is when that $10,000 is spent to bring down a tree on a $20,000 capital item. There's now $10,000 left. Okay. We're going to find that because Scott who building
who did Eric used Who did Eric use on the trees?
Distinctive most of the time, but now there's somebody else.
Now there's somebody else.
J, can you look at distinctive trees and and trace a couple of their transactions to sit there and see where they end up?
Yeah. And I think they just go to do from.
Oh god. So that means they're in do from under a class.
I think so. Yes. And that's what I was looking at today was the do from. Okay.
Why is the building maintenance fund reduced to $33,000 a third?
You need to Lisa, you need to take that account and do a
dissect it. That's what I
You need You need to do a report and then you need to sort it by class.
Yeah. And I did I did this year and last year. I did it today and it's still not I still can't get it to tie out.
I'm working on it, but it just doesn't look like the figures that we're looking for. So, I did print both those class reports today for this year and last year. let me just go back into a
Okay. Well, we'll sit there and get that situated so the board of finance can have any information again. Are we sitting there looking at these budgeted numbers, the requests, and looking to increase or decrease any of these requests? You got anybodyions? Let's go. The building maintenance fund, why was it reduced by 2/3?
That would have been done by the board of finance when they were trying to figure out how to get the budget passed
last year.
Yeah. Last year.
Yeah. Yep.
I mean, I don't know that. I'm just saying, yeah, that's the figure that carried over from last year. So,
so but the expenditures through the end of January was 33,000 according to this.
No, the way they the way that she does this this this is why contingency is the only one of those Carol that doesn't move 100%. Because what the treasurer is doing is going, okay, you've identified these capital funds and they're all going into the funds. So everything that got moved 100% Carol,
okay,
is in a fund and contingency is not. So you can sit there and see how contingency has $2,000 left on it or only spent on it, right?
So that would go back into the general fund. All of the rest of it went to the due to due funds and is sitting in a fund balance somewhere. it is either sitting in its own bank account and I don't have that information in front of me but there are multiple different there are bank accounts for a bunch of these and we just need to get you the bank balances there but what Lisa is trying to do is Lisa is trying to try them to the financial statements
right I went into distinctive tree care and there's there's an entry for August for 29,750 9750 is going to due to other funds and 20,000 is going to transfer station grounds.
Okay. So, the transfer station. So, that's the $20,000
must have been the grinding
for the grinding of the $9,000 is related to tree service on the roads.
It does.
And that$9,000 is going against the fund balance,
right?
There's also other tree services, Jeeoff that we use. No,
that's fine. It's It's
I'm just looking to see
I can just I can just
Yeah, there's another one for 11,573 going to line 2500 due to other funds.
Yeah. And it's a class transaction and it's in the system. It's just not as easy to identify. It is something that Lisa It's something that Lisa and I have been communicating about that we need to make it easier on her and easier for the board of finance and easier for the board of selectment to understand what's there
more clear.
Yeah.
It's it's just it's put into a due to do from and it's tracked by classes and it's very difficult to sit there and pull those classes up and see what you're dealing with.
Yeah. It's not visually there right on the front of your financial statement.
What I used to do is I would do a spreadsheet and I would do it quarterly and I would have last year's ending balance from the from the auditors. I would put in this year's budget. I would put another column what spent this year and then you'd have a a balance every quarter of what was left. And that was the simplest way for everybody to look at it. And the figure I got of what was used would be in QuickBooks. But we had a separate company per se in QuickBooks and I would balance to that. I would tie it out every every quarter and you would have a very clear picture of what's been used and what your balances are. And I I I'm trying to do that for you and I'm trying to pull it from somewhere and I'm trying to tie it and I'm can't get it to tie yet.
We'll get there.
Y I'm saying Jeff is why is it reduced for this year? And I'm telling you, Scott, the board of finance reduced that to make their budget.
That was last year.
Yeah,
Eric always put $100,000 in a B building maintenance fund.
I understand. And we could sit there and increase that if you want. We can sit there and make that additional recommendation. I don't think that's unre unreasonable to make that recommendation. I'm just telling you why it happened.
Yeah, I know. It was unreasonable that they reduced it. Is that a liability or does that roll into the general fund at the end of the year?
No, that goes that again. You see how it's the full amount already moved.
Okay.
So in column G is the amount of what is called the expense for the year. So the treasurer moved all of that money to the fund. So there is $33,000 in the building maintenance fund from last year's taxation. we need to provide you what the balance is.
Okay.
So again, the only one the only transaction that is not rolled into a fund is contingency. And you can tell because the amount in column G is $2,000, not $50,000.
So that's it. That's the issue. So like even open space, Scott, open space went down from 50 to 10.
Yeah.
Right. But I also can tell you there's I mean am I 400 in there?
No, there's only like 275 or two 275
and that's not a lot of money to buy a piece of land
piece of property. Yeah. Yeah. So I'd like to up that also
to back to 25.
Can can I just ask to Lisa at the in the clerk's office we collect the fee. I call it the PAO9 fee and there's a certain amount of that fee that's supposed to go into the open space fund. Has do you have a way to track that? you know because we're we collect money at the counter for every recording and then I used to report report it in an Excel spreadsheet on a monthly basis with a breakdown as to what was the town's amount, the state's amount.
Carol, that I can I can answer for Lisa that that's not being done.
It's not. There's a there's See that entry in there? just to tell you that $10,000 entry that's in there right now for open space.
Okay. Do you know what I have to look at in here? It says $10,000 to record.
Okay. So, that was what we were told.
No, but but what Carol is asking for.
I'm saying this is
all of the revenues every time she sits there and submits something. So, Carol, what we have to do is we we'll work together with you on previous previous transactions to determine that there there are there are multitude of those types of things that we have to get better at. and we have to look
Yep. I'm just I mean in my head that's not the the way that deposits have been allocated have not always been exactly as as you or I would want them to always be posted. So I would tell you Carol the odds are I will give you an overunder. I say I'll give you 20% that they got done correctly. So, I don't think it's very good
because this is money that our residents are being taxed on 10,000 every year, but the other revenues are non- tax revenue. They're fees collected at the clerk's counter
and they should be posted to that to the open space fund and the open space fund should be increasing by those fees collected.
Right. And the payment in lie of open space that we collect on subdivisions. I'm pretty sure that is supposed to go into open space. I'm not positive about that.
But we used to collect quite a bit when we had all those subdivisions going on.
And every time you bring something up, it's something else for us to look at to sit there and see if we can do it correctly.
Again, what do we want to do with the budget on the capital? Do we want to raise any of those things? Scott, do you want to make a recommendation to raise any of these items? Do we want to sit there and increase what we're doing here and asking for
to raise the open space fund to 25,000 and put the building maintenance fund back up to where it's supposed to be at 100?
Do the only thing I question on that building maintenance. Do we have anything that we can foresee that we're going to need? We used to spend that
every year. We used to spend that out. Done.
Yeah. But what Carol's asking is a legitimate question. Does anybody
do we have any I mean listen, if there was one building in town that I would sit there with, you know, that we need to sit there and do some TLC to, it's the old town hall.
Yes.
The old town hall. But you know
so if we're going to increase that and say that we're going to do that I think that would be okay but just to increase it you know and not move forward with something I don't think is right.
Why we need an administrator?
Yeah. Can we stick on this part topic please?
Yeah. Not to interrupt, but I'm going to have to get get off here in about another 5 minutes or so.
Okay. So, does anybody want to make if Scott if you want to make those recommendations? Are we going to make those recommendations and vote on them?
I mean, because we can sit there and and push this to the board of finance because they're going to hammer this anyway. I mean, what we need to do is understand the balances, which Rob has been asking Lisa for. We got to get him those numbers so he understands what's in each one of these things. And
listen, I I have no problem if you want to increase something that helps
make a motion to
increase the open space fund to $25,000.
I'll second. Okay, I'll second it. All right, further discussion. And how do you vote? I gotta hear you.
I can't see.
Which Which one was this? No, this was
in space.
Okay. No. Carol Lee.
Hi.
Jeff Murray.
No.
Scott Person.
This is their turn.
What? give them some
Liz, please mute yourself for me. Scott, how do you vote?
Hey, you vote yes. I'll vote yes.
So, 32.
Okay. any others? I I honestly sit there and Scott and say leave the building maintenance fund till we understand the projects.
I agree. there.
Right. So, this one is $25,000. And I'm sure I didn't make all of the transactions up top. so this is actually where the total numbers are currently. Is that accurate, Lisa? what you have in there. Yeah, if you just
I know there are a couple things in the top I still need to address, but
his is
it's probably
Yeah, mine's off a little bit from yours, but it's it's m it's small. I've got 9004, but we don't need to go through it tonight. It's not much of a difference. I think we can look at it tomorrow.
Okay.
But I I highlighted all the changes is long as I have your I think the only thing I'm missing I wanted to make sure the mill increase I think is possibly part of the difference because you said to change the mill increase I mean the current year taxes. So, what did you that I mean, we can talk about it tomorrow, but I need to know.
You can you can you can take the items that we re we voted on and put them in and resend this because I'm just showing what I have here and I know I missed a couple things at the beginning.
So, is there anything else that any of the board members want to deal with on the budget?
All right.
the only thing
did want to ask and I'm sorry I I was going too slow, but on the school whatever that capital fund, I know that they were putting a h 100,000 in every year, do you think there is enough in there to complete that bathroom project?
Yes.
So there we have enough money on that line to pay the whole bill. Yes. Yes. Don't you remember when we sat there and
I know it was 400 and something, but I I also see that each well 2425 we funded it with a h 100,000. So I'm just asking
I would envision that we have enough money in the AES capital fund to finish the bathroom.
Okay. because again I I can't see a balance and
once we can
it'll be more comfortable. So okay
we will we will work with the treasurer to get those balances there. All right so I'm skipping a lot of this to be really honest. 9B discussion and possible action on Todd administrator position. we have to I'm I'm I'm going to communicate with everyone regarding the candidate from New York. we have it's possible I have to speak with Scott and Scott has to speak with him. Right. So that was a positive five minute conversation.
thank you.
Yeah. And it is going to come down to it would come down to lodgings and saving the cost of housing. we'll figure that out. approval of minute meetings. Honestly, I will push this I would rather push this off to the next meeting. Yes.
Haven't even looked at them. Treasurers report, I don't even want to look at it. I've looked enough at the budget. The tax collector's report, I don't need to look at. I got to sit there and deal with that. The departmental reports, we're all good. correspondence, is I don't have any anybody else have any other problems or does anybody want me to go back to any of the issues? Okay. If not, I would like to go into public speak. Valerie Bernoff,
I'm all set. Jeff, just one little technicality. On the bottom of the document that you were just showing, it says B O E AES S with the 7% instead of RAM.
So that's just one one little technicality.
Well, that was a generic Yeah, that was a generic board of education. I mean Okay.
Yeah,
we'll fix that. Thank you, Tuscross. Okay, text test is on mute. We'll come back to her. Liz Lok,
I'm all set. Thanks, guys.
All right, Joan Heert,
real quick. I stayed on to listen because I did want to hear what you were going to say about the town administrator at the end. I'm not even going to go into it, but hoping that you all are coming to an agreement, you know, on that situation soon. And I know the process was professional and everybody put time into it and you know I I am going to chill my comment because I really don't know what's going on and I don't want to say anything that I don't know have any background of but I know you've had plenty of meetings and good luck with that and everything else.
Okay. Thank you. Dennis, if you're still on, you good? Okay, he's good. Tess GR, I'm coming back to you. All right, Tess just stayed on to stay on. we're not going to move to, executive session.
and I make a motion to adjurnn.
Second. All those in favor? I
All right. Thank you very much. Lisa, thank you. And Scott, I'm going to call you if you don't mind.
Yes. Thank you, Lisa.
Yeah. Bye-bye.