Meeting transcript
Board of Selectmen- Regular Meeting
June 8, 2026 · Watch on YouTube · All meetings
I am going to call to order the town of Andover Board of Selectmen regular meeting for Monday, June 8th, 2026 at 7 o'clock. Our first order of business is the pledge of allegiance. I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America,
republic for which it stands, one nation under God, indivisible, with liberty, justice for all. Okay, we're going to go on to public speak and we're going to start with Jerry Kerme.
Can you hear me now, Jeff?
Yep.
Yeah.
I'm on a computer that's not I've never touched before. I just I just want to say I I just want to share a few observations and this applies to the budget and I would like to urge people to vote in favor of this budget that's out there right now. I've lived in Andover since 2005 and every year this budget thing comes and divides people, splits us apart. Actually, it blows us apart. And I think it's wrong that this should happen every year in this way. the BOE and the superintendent and the BOE chair, you can usually bet that they're going to be accused of a lack of transparency that goes every year. And the other part of this is is that the questions that are asked are asked the same over and over and over and over again. and the answers are all the same over and over and over again. And it it ends up taking a lot of people's time and dividing people. there there can't and shouldn't be a double standard for the BOE and the town. requirements for example that employee contracts are you need to be posted on the website and you can't require it for one board and not the other board. we should be acting in a united way. the school and the town benefit together or they get destroyed together. I want to see our town ex if you tell me the the border needs something, I'm in favor of it. If you tell me the town needs a new snow plow or it needs a new low new lawn mower to do the work, I'm all for
it. I want my town to get everything it needs, not just for the school, but also for the town. And I realize that we are all going to benefit together or we're going to all get destroyed together. And I hope it's not that we're destroyed together. during the disagreements, all of a sudden the behaviors degenerate. There is a lack of ethical behavior. People segregate themselves onto two sides. You're either in favor of of the board of education or you're not. You're against it. You're in favor of the town or you're against it. that can happen and shouldn't happen. people become mean, they lack kindness and, it pulls us apart and I I don't want to see that happen to our town. school and the town have to work as one. We have to find a way that we can get together without taking things personally, without having our our behaviors getting nasty. And I think it needs to end and we need to put our hands together and try to solve the problems that we have and to make sure that we give our school as well as our town everything they need to be successful and at the top of the pile. And that's it. And that's all I
ask of you is that you approve this next budget so that we do not destroy our school district. Thank you.
Okay, Jerry. Thank you. And since Jerry is the nicest person in this town, I gave him some extra time. So, if everybody could please keep their comments to two minutes so we could actually get through this. It would be appreciated. All right.
Diane Grer,
my comment short,
which is hard for me. but I just wanted to say that I was very saddened to to read about the resignation of Tess from the senior center as senior center director. this is yet another great loss for Andover. We lost Eric Anderson, that was a big loss. Jay Tuttle, multiple treasurers. and I guess my rhetorical questions to the board of selectment is what is wrong with you? What are you doing? And how could you let this happen? To me, it it makes my head spin. So, those are basically the questions. Short and sweet. And I hope you guys can figure this out. Thank you.
Yep. No problem. Jesse Person, I'm good for now. Thank you very much. Bill Penn. actually my my thoughts kind of mirror Diane Diane Gren with a couple exceptions other than I don't know if you guys do exit interviews or talking to people or have an understanding of why all these people leave, but I think that's something that really needs to be evaluated and understood because losing people repeatedly just cost the town more money and sometimes, you know, you just pay a little bit more to keep somebody to stay. you don't lose all that money, you don't lose money, inefficiencies and having to repeat repeat things over and the like. So, other than that, I'm listening for any other topics. Thank you for your time. Good day.
Justin Barrell. Yeah, I'm just here to talk about the Andover Rec Commission's recent decision to turn over control of the Andover Youth Basketball Association to Hein. I'd like to ask for the board to review that and put a pause on anything currently happening and in the works until it can be at least brought to a formal discussion in front of the people who put time and effort into making that league. the coaches, the parents, anybody associated in that in that community. So that is all.
Okay. Thank you. Eric Latesca.
Yeah, good good sequencing there, Jeeoff. I'm here for the same reason. I I really want to call out the rec commission for the way that they went about this decision. it was done without any consultation of any of the stakeholders in the program. Everybody who is seriously involved with it from a coaching perspective or parents that volunteer their time too has issues with the decision and I think would have appreciated to be a part of the the conversation in the planning. so I'm I mean I'm objecting mostly to the process by which this decision was was arrived at, but also, you know, there are specific problems that a lot of us have that we'd love an opportunity to talk through. and that obviously is probably a conversation to have with the commission, but because there wasn't communication in advance of a vote on on that matter, we didn't have that opportunity. So, we're here you know stating our our viewpoint and doing it in a in a forum that actually you know posts minutes on on the internet so that
people can see it. Seems like the rec commission has sort of sealed itself off a little bit from the public in that regard. So, thank you for your time.
Okay. Ed Sriley or Dr. Ed Sriley.
Hi. Well, I'm here with my son David. We're just catching up with the town happenings. it's Yeah, I'd like to u reinforce what Diane said. we got to stop the revolving door, folks. It's very tough to to have some consistency in this town. We got to get things done. And I volunteered for 35 years in this town to offer civil engineering services. Did it for Eric Anderson, did it for Jay Tuttle and of course I'm offering to do volunteer work for engineering services for the two new managers, town manager and new public works director. Glad to see we're going to do some shimming, repair our roads after this brutal winter. but the point is is we got to stop the revolving door, so let's all try to work together. Dave, any comment?
Just listening and observing. Thanks.
Thank you. Stephen King,
I wanted to thank you for the update today and nice to see light at the end of the tunnel after three years and two months.
Hi. yeah, I'm I'm concerned with yes, the revolving door. This is this is a it's getting pretty bad and it's always been bad and you know I've been suggesting that we have a high human resource person and I really think that we could probably hire someone 5 to 10 hours a week. and it could be anybody really. I mean it's something a bis successful business person could do. I mean I could do it. So, you know, there's any people I'm not interested, but I mean there's just it even if we took 7 to $10,000 for a year to have somebody come in once a week and help people, you know, with their reviews to find out, you know, how things are going, tell them they're doing a good job. Clearly, you guys, you know, you do a lot and you're basically a volunteer board and you really need help and I'm asking, I'm imploring you to add to the agenda, the discussion about hiring somebody part-time to help you with this situation. Thank you. iPhone 11.
Okay. Melissa Latesca.
Hi. I am also calling to voice a concern about the way that the rec commission has managed the Andover youth basketball program. There has been a lack of transparency and communication to families and volunteers of the program. minutes aren't up to date online. A major decision to turn control of our program to Hebrin wasn't consulted with anyone outside the room that it happened. For a townrun program that's supposed to promote community and togetherness, this just feels really counterproductive. I also have questions about the money that was raised to benefit the Andover Youth Basketball Program. What happens to that money if the program no longer exists? I hope
that a decision that impacts dozens of students, families, and volunteers would include those said families and volunteers. on another note, I also want to say that I highly agree with Jerry and all of his words and I really appreciate his unifying message.
Okay. Lisa's iPad, I'm assuming that's the treasurer.
Yes, it's me. Just listening. Thank you.
Okay. Brienne Lindsi.
Hi. I wanted to kind of I didn't get to to join the June 2nd meeting, but I did watch it. And I just wanted to say that I'm very disappointed in your behavior. And my husband and I had to have some really tough conversations with my 10-year-old daughter when she came home the day after and asked if some of her favorite subjects were going to be going away. [clears throat] I would urge everybody to vote for this budget. I you know it's really sad that I went online and started looking at magnet schools because I'm you know you get what you pay for and I feel like we're not really seeing the results of that right now as a as a community member. You know I also faced a 50% increase in my insurance premiums this year. So I understand what the town is facing and what the board of ed is facing and for us not to
in progress
going to have to face the same things as taxpayers is unreasonable. So again I urge everybody to to pass the budget as it is right now. But I'm disappointed in in how far we've we've rolled back.
I don't have anything right right at this moment. Thank you.
Okay, Elaine Bukart.
Hi. I just I I'm on the bandwagon with Diane Grineer and and Bill Penn when it comes to the board not being able to come to a contractual agreement with Tess Grouse who has been an amazing director of our community and senior center. I mean, I'm chairman of the Commission on Aging and we are the COA is so happy with all the things that have been done, all the programs that have been introduced. The energy that test brings to the job has been so positive for the town and the seniors and the community. It's just a shame that you weren't able to come to a contractual agreement. that's it. Just wanted to put in my two cents. Thanks,
Sharon St. Rock. I in the interest of time, I won't restate what others have stated, but I will say that I do fully support Mr. Cormet's comments and Brienne. also, I would like to support the comments of the Latuscas as it relates to the basketball program. I was shocked to learn that that's no longer going to exist. So, I would have loved to have taken part in that decision or been informed of that decision. lastly, I understand I know the board of ed had been waiting for some funds to be transferred from the town. It sounds like that did happen on Friday, but I understand that the delay was potentially caused because our accounts were frozen. And I just love to know, I don't know if that's on the agenda when it comes to the the financial section, but I would love a little more information about that because I know we've had some issues with fraud in the past and I'd love to know if that was a concern again because
it was my understanding that we had been working on that you know the because we've had some fraud in the past and so if that is again the case I'd [clears throat] just love to know how that's being addressed so we can prevent that from continuing. Thanks. Joanne Heert.
Hi there. With all due respect to everyone that said things, I just want to say that I have no problem with open discussions about budgets and possible cuts. I think [clears throat] all towns are going through this, you know, process. We all in our daily lives and our homes have had to make cuts, you know, to to afford things that we want to afford. as long as we do it with respect, I have no problem with it. you know, we like ideas to come forward and I think it's smart to ask for verification when we talk transparency. I just want to say to Jerry, and he knows me well, I have no problem with asking for just verification of big line totals that are maybe over $2
million just so that people can add them up. nobody's name, nobody's, you know, personal identification, but just kind of verification. we found, you know, $40,000 worth of errors in the past. So, that being said there, I am really sad to hear that Tess has resigned as well. I know that there's been a lot that she and everyone in town has gone through her process, but I don't also pretend to know what happened behind closed doors or which side couldn't come to an agreement. So I hope moving forward that the town does take time to update their policy book and you know you're coming on contracts that
have been spoken about just to kind of have them mirror mirror each other in some way and wishing everyone well. Thanks.
Okay. test grass
I'm all set for this time.
Okay. are is there going to be more discussion about my resignation later?
Yes,
we will.
Thank you.
All right.
And we have public speak at the end as well. Kim Haw is I just let in. So, is Kim Haw even on here? I don't see her. Oh, page two. Oh my god. I got page. I'm sorry everybody on page two. Let's get to you. Kimberly Persan.
I'm all set right now. Thank you.
All right. Maria Tolman, we'll come back to you. Maria Fired tablet. All right. We'll come back to you as well. Leanne Hutchinson or Lee Hutchinson. Are the rest of you hearing me when I ask these people? I just want to make sure. Okay. Louise Goodwin.
Yeah. Hi. I just want to in regards to the budget situation, I just want to make sure that people understand that in the future, very near future, next year, we're going to be having a an reassessment of our homes, which most likely will be increases. So, we have to kind of keep that in mind when we're voting for this budget because one high increase after another high increase might actually cause people to leave town. So, that's my two cents. Thank you.
Dr. Patrice Kelly.
I'm set for now. Thank you.
Okay. Ellen Bernard.
Hi. I'm really disappointed that you guys were unable to give Tess a contract. Not an at will, but a contract. She's done so much for the seniors. The seniors, they only get out perhaps once a week. Now, what's going to happen? Who's going to take care of them? Extremely disappointed in you guys.
Kimberly Haw, Kim, you're on mute if you can't get to us. All right. is there anyone else that I missed public speak? If you'd like to speak, unmute yourselves and we'll go one at a time. Okay, if no one is ready, we do have public speak after this. before we get to additions and deletions, I I do want to sit there and say something about Tessa's contract so everybody understands the situation and how it unfolded. Tess and I had been working on a contract and we had there was some debate over a clause within the contract just so everybody understands this and there were two different versions of that clause for termination that were out there and before those two clauses were decided as to which clause was going to be presented to TZ. TZ saw the version of the contract with an atill with an atwill clause on it. Understandably, Tess was upset, but this just so everybody understands, we haven't voted on this contract, and it was not something that honestly should have gotten this far before Tess saw that clause. And Tess has every right to be upset about that clause and and in her current situation and discussion,
she wouldn't accept that contract with that clause. And that's what negotiations are all about. So, I'll take responsibility for Tess seeing that contract, but that was not what was supposed to happen. And Tess, no, I get it. No. but we have to sit there and make some decisions as we move forward related to that. So, I wanted everybody to understand that it wasn't as if we negotiated with Tess and then Tess, you know, we we only got to one answer. It was that we had a clause that certain members of the board wanted to see in place and that clause might have been too ownorous for test, but we never had a chance to really go back and forth other than some emails with members of the board of selectman as to which clause that they might consider. So just just letting you know, right? So, this is not a you know, we made some mistakes internally and we have to sit there and and attempt to correct them. And if we can correct them tonight, we will. All right, just so everybody gets it. so, we're now on to item three, additions and deletions. and I I have to go back one step. and Jerry and the people at the beginning of public speak, I apologize. I had not started recording until I was told by one of the members in the audience that I might not have hit the button to record. So, I don't think I got to record until after Mr. King somewhere in that ballpark. So, I apologize. additions and deletions. I would like to add 9A. So the first thing that we talk about the community center and senior
center director contract I would like to put up to the front of the new business section. and I would also like to add under 9n the Andover youth basketball program. Anyone else have anything else that they would like to sit there and put on the agenda?
I was wondering about the check signers because now that we have town administrator, we should be changing the check signers that we had put in as temporary.
we'll sit there and and do that one. 900 check signers. We'll have a discussion on check signers and the current status of our banking and also give us an opportunity to talk about Miss St. Rock's request about fraud.
So we'll call that banking banking issues. That okay?
Yes.
Banking issues. Okay. Jeff, I was wondering if we can get an update on the the the assistant for the community center.
that's actually on the agenda.
Okay.
I must have missed it. Sorry, my
It might not It might not be under the on the agenda. It's in the it's in the administrator's report,
but do we want to discuss it? Is there a preferred candidate that we need to make a motion on? let's discuss the contract and then I mean we have an issue of of who and when and how we go about this because we don't know where we're going to be within the director or what our roles would be moving forward. Jeff, if
understood understood.
Okay. Ann, do you have anything else? is Stephen King had asked about being added to the agenda. Is he satisfied with what has been done or do we need to add?
He said it in public speak.
Okay. I just wanted to make sure about that.
Yep.
I'm good. Thank you very much.
Great.
Carol Lee, you got anything you want to add? No. Jeff Murray, you got anything you want to add other than that other item? Scott, anything?
Good. Thank you.
Okay. so I'd like to make a motion that we add 9A senior center or community senior center director contract discussion and 9n Andover discussion and we'll go discussion and action on andover youth basketball and 90 bank action and discussion on banking issues.
I'll second that, Jeff.
Second that. All the All those in favor? I
All right.
Okay. Five. Nothing. Okay. 5 Z. All right. So, let's move on. Let's go down the list. item four, board and commission presentations. Matt, we don't have any board and commission presentations that I saw in the packet. Right. five, appointments. I don't believe we have any appointments to make at this point in time.
Item six, well, we'll discuss the other item after. We have to have a special meeting. I'm sorry. We that's just popped into my head. We have to have a special meeting on the 17th related to the budget potentially. item six, resignations. the Andover community senior center director Tesc Grass has submitted a a resignation. I would like to take no action on this tonight until we can sit there and get a final decision as to where we're at u with the contract since there was really never any votes taken in public on the contract. so everyone can read Tessa's resignation. It's out there. So you have it. It's available. it's available on Facebook as well as in our packet. So u we'll sit there and and move to item seven. So we're going to move Matt to your to the town administrator report.
Yes. Quick leave. I did submit the items for for for your consideration. I'm continuing to familiarize myself with the town staff. I've been attending the economic development committee re meetings as well as attending the community center lunchons. still continuing to meet with different elected and appointed officials. happy to report that we do have a new assistant treasure who has started with the finance department. We have moved forward with the candidate for the wetlands agent for the inland wetlands. we do have applications in for the assistant community center coordinator, but we also have a posting ready for a new buildings custodian for town hall library and community center. Well, we did receive notice from the transfer station. It's headed of his imminent departure in the fall.
I'm sorry.
Go ahead.
I'm sorry, but I I want to ask a question about something. It said, "Haven't we posted the Has that not been posted in the paper for the new custodian?"
it may have. I'd have to check and see. I know that Kate was working on that. I'm fairly certain if it's on the website that it was sent to the
that that needs to get done immediately. That should have been done after our last meeting.
Okay, keep going. just I guess there's no real update that the Longill Bridge project, we're still waiting for Eversource to finally move some of the wires so they can continue, but they are in the process of taking out the bridge, the diesel system fuel. We've proceeded with a purchase order for the low best responsive and responsible quote. we did get a few people that did inquire about that, but nobody was anxious to bid on that. So we're happy with who we've picked and we hope that it should be moving forward in the next weeks. do you have a timeline on that? They said they're thinking with the summer here it should once it should be six to eight weeks on the I know that everyone's here about the authorized signatory. I think we're going to be talking about that
later. we do have a town audit going to be coming before the finance committee July. we've had some firewall installation with the it that was done prior to any any of the issues that we we had had here as far as possible fishing attempts. but we can talk about those as well if you want to. we did have a frog meeting at the meeting. I did talk with the Bolton's mayor, the Marboro town manager, the Columbia town administrator, some of our neighbors. We talked at the last meeting about trying to have like a joint select board meeting of all those. we've started the idea. I think that we're going to start with us getting together to kind of figure things out and then we'll move on to hopefully to get the
select boards from those towns. So I think it's a good start. It was nice to meet with them and talk to them. So I look forward to working with them and any other regional type issues that we may have. So, the conclusion of the, NECOG animal control case has come to I did, send the, notice of that out to you this weekend. we still got some upcoming event, the Declaration of Independence, statewide recital. And, just, we've gotten another complaint about speeding on Bear Swamp Road. there was a complaint by a Hop River resident regarding the excessive detour and wants to know what the town is doing to possibly reimburse the cost of gasoline for driving all the way around. I said I would bring it to the select board and we did have a complaint by every six resident about some smoke damage from one of the neighbors wood stove and yeah as I previously mentioned that America 250th will be coming up and it's Declaration of Independence reading. I have not moved anywhere on that. I know that first we may have had some ideas. So, I think it's we have a couple weeks left so we can try and figure that out. Supposed to be on July 8th is the date
of the brief. So, I'll happy to answer any questions. Okay. I' I'd like to just go through your your list of things that may not have been touched on. So 2V inland wetlands agent.
Yes.
What's your status with the inlands wetland agent? Where are we
that for the in we had got the request from the you the first black man and Scott to go ahead move forward with the hiring of the the person that's from Colombia of the inland wetland agent pardon the town Savannah Kitchen. So that she was going to meet with tomorrow night with the with the inland wetlands board for the first time. So
just so I understand, have we hired her?
Yeah, we moved forward with that because I know that the we have something we put on the agenda for select board approval, but I was told that it was already something to move forward with.
Well, that a problem. There's a there's a difference between when you you have no other potential candidates and someone that's willing to do the job, you should move forward with them, but you you've got to come back with a number that we're hiring that individual at and then bring it to the board so that we can approve it.
Okay.
All right. So, please bring that back for the next cycle so that that can get done. Her name, what the rate is, and where we're at with her. Okay.
Jeff, I'd like to So, are we going to wait till next month to actually hire this person?
Well, he already hired him.
Okay.
He He's got to give us the information on it.
Good. I'm I'm glad he did. [laughter]
I'm glad he did, too. But, you know,
let's
as we go through these, we need to sit there and say, "Okay, this is the person we're hiring. this this is within the budget parameters and this is where we're moving forward and I'm assuming all those things are all set. I'm assuming she's gotten set up with the accounting and the treasur's office and she's all good to go, which I'm extremely happy that we have somebody that position because you know, just as a side note, I got I got a I got a letter I did not receive it by email, but I got a letter today from the building building and zoning enforcement officer
that's at the town hall, and he has a lot of projects that he sees coming down the road that are potentially going to require some additional outside services that are being put in front of the town. So, some new building projects and u
engineering costs.
Yeah, engineering's cost. So, planning and zoning is going to, you know, as I told him, it's good that we have two members of our board on planning and zoning. They can come back and report to us as to what is going on there. but he did provide me a letter stating that he believes he's going to need some additional outside services to assist in these projects. my response to him, Scott, and I will tell you, is why are we not billing the applicants appropriately to cover our costs if they're going to ask us to sit there and consider doing larger projects, you know, such as
that's and that's what Ethan Wayne is getting at. Those costs should be
by the applicant, paid by the applicant,
paid by the applicant. And we have to do a better job of getting the applicant who's looking to do the projects within our town to cover all those costs as opposed to the residents of the taxpayers.
So, that's something we got to look at doing. that was just brought to my attention today when I was in the office. So, we'll go from there. the custodian definitely needs to sit there and get done. You also have a 2E a notice on transfer station attendant of imminent departure. So we need to sit there and work on that. That is related so everybody understands that to Dominic and to Dominic's concern about the winter and things that are required of him would be required of him in the winter. So I believe Matt Dominic's plan is to stay through the summer and the fall. Yes, he's thinking October and he even said afterwards, you know, he'd still be able, you know, fill in from time to time. He's just averse to the cold weather.
Yeah, I think he was averse to shoveling based upon his current physical limitations. So, that's something that we have to plan for. So, we need to get on top of that. And that also means that if somebody knows of somebody that would potentially consider the job, you know, we should be bringing them forward as soon as possible. [sighs] Okay. Jeeoff, on that note, I was talking to Carol earlier and we she mentioned I mean, why can't we have public works help to clear the the transfer station? And I mean, it's not really Dominic's job to be shoveling.
I mean, public works does everything else. And if it's a Wednesday and we have a snow, we're getting snow, they just treat that as a priority and just clear it.
If we're los an employee over shoveling, it's kind of
well, you know, there's going to be some parts of it that he's going to have to do when he's there. But I have no problem Jeff asking public works to sit there and do more related to that. So we can sit
Yeah. I'm just add work something out that would make it, you know, make it a little easier for him then.
Yeah. I mean, I know they go up there at least on Wednesdays to to tamp down the containers. I mean, They might go up there on Tuesdays, but yes, we can sit there and work through that. to sit there and see if we can have public works do some of that cleanup.
thank you.
Yeah. Longill and and Scott, just tell me if I'm wrong. Isn't it Frontier? [snorts] Matt said Eversource that has the line problems. Isn't this a Frontier problem or is this Eversource really moving the the line from one pole to another? Both of them. Both of them. Okay. Okay.
Techn technically and I guess the issue is that the live wires from Eversource are the ones they cannot get within 15 or 20 feet of. They said they could work around the frontier ones, but it's the Eversource ones that slow down.
Isn't ever Isn't Frontier responsible for the poles?
The poles have already been Yeah, the poles have all been moved.
Poles are moved. They have to tighten up the wires.
Okay. Okay. So, let's sit there. I mean, I know that, Matt, you told me that the engineering firm that's responsible for this project is really communicating and reaching out to these guys on a daily basis.
Yes. And I've reached out for the our contact as well.
Okay.
And they
daily Jeff.
Yeah.
And talk to Allen about this this stuff.
Matt, you also skipped over item four, Veterans Field Project. So, Scott, I know that you're more engaged in that. Why don't you give everybody an update on the the project?
last Friday the playground was completely finished. It's all good. The poles, all the poles, all the attachments have been cemented. All the mulch was put down. The lighting on and everywhere has been put in so that it's a fully lit facility. The pickle ball courts have been and and it's all fenced. The playground is all fenced. The pickle ball courts have been fenced. 10 foot high fence that's all lit. it's been the second grade of asphalt have been put on. They were supposed to start the coloring on the porch today, but they didn't show up. the grass is green down there, believe it or not. that rain we had the other night really helped popped it out. It's it's all green down there. Looks very nice. the pavilion when I left today, the frame of the pavilion was up. Hopefully they'll have that done this week. It's a a beautiful
wood post and beam building. It's going to have a metal roof on it. The shed is completed around the electrical panel there. There's an electric panel in there and now it's all protected by a shed. the road going in is complete. public works has to finish the driveway there and that that's about it. That it's come along really well and it's a a huge asset to the town. People won't believe it when they go walk down there and see that facility down there. How nice it is. What's the expected what would you give as an expected completion date? Well,
the the playground is done. The pickle ball courts they they said that after they finish painting and you got to wait like a week for the pickle ball courts to be done. And I would expect that the pavilion will be done this week.
Okay. So, you would sit there and say by July 4th that
could it could be done? Yeah.
Okay. All right, that's great. item five, just because I want to sit there and talk about it. six weeks and we've we've well does the board have any problem with us doing this that I mean listen we need the pump down there back up and running because we're having some problems with accounting for diesel the month of April when this happened u March when did this start Matt I I was here so it had to be after.
It had to be April.
So, April is a little bit of an estimate that's going to have to happen based upon starting diesel gallons, ending diesel gallons. So, we have to go through that. That's going to have to be something that we work together with everybody that participates and uses that that u diesel. but we need that in place. we should be able to fit that within our current budget to sit there and get that done. but unless somebody has a real problem with moving forward with that that pump company and two things so in talking to Eric Eric was that all of the local public works that have gone and done pumps recently have used that.
It's almost as if that company is the norththeast part of the state entity that deals with all the public works groups on pumps and there's another one in the south and there's not a lot of other opportunities to quote. So Jeff, unless you have some other thing other opportunities that you can sit there and go out and look and quote, I'd like to make sure that he gets that done and moved forward. No, that's a specialty item as like Matt had said. It's it's it's really hard to find and it's like it's explosion proof wiring. So, it's gonna we're going to have to really keep an eye on that when it get the installation. I'd like to take a look at it when we're done just make sure everything's up to code.
Okay. All right. As long as we don't have any problems there.
So, so Jeff, so so am I understanding that we're good to go with this? Everybody's good to go. We're putting this forward.
Yeah. I mean, we we have to I we had there's limited contractors for that that
I No, I know that there's only one. He's down in Franklin. I I I know the guy.
But anyways, Jeff Maguire, we're good to finish this finally.
I mean, if we want to take a vote and put it all in the record, I'm okay with
I'd like to Yeah, I'd like to finalize it to get this done. It's been two years, three years.
Matt, do you have the number on that project?
Yeah. 20,000. Let's see.
Okay.
It was in the last packet. That was the piece.
Okay. So, then I'll make a motion that we we move forward with and give me the name of the contractor.
Fuel Service Systems. I make a motion that we move forward with fuel service systems on the pump mechanism and and [clears throat] the pump for diesel at Department of Public Works and to not exceed $30,000 in total spending.
I'll second that, Jeff.
Okay. any further discussion on it? Can how do you vote?
I
Carol
I
Jeff Murray
I
Scott Person
Jeff Magcguire I so five nothing.
Okay just everybody knows that's a re that's a very reasonable number for that application. So,
on item seven, Matt, you talk about search for new grants. Can you give us anything that that has come up that you've identified that we might be able to sit there and take advantage of?
At this time, there's a bunch of them that are going to be opening in I think in July. I'm trying to think off the top of my head which ones they are. I had them written down. I think they they were a lot of the same ones that are out there. And in fact, I mentioned to a few at the when I went to the Crag meeting, in fact, Matt Hart was also there saying that, you know, if there's anything we can do regionally with any of the other towns, they'd be happy to and there may be some exploring some of those grants as well. I think there was also a library one that was available. But yeah, we're looking through, you know, everything that we currently have and to, you know, re up everything that we looking for everything we can. I'll have a exact list for next meeting.
And then could I ask them something, Jeff?
Yeah, go ahead,
Matt. So, I would like to see some kind of spreadsheet or something put together with all the grants that we have going right now, the status of them, what what kind of money is owed the town, what kind of money has been paid out to the town, when when we need to get in touch with the the next people that are involved with this. all the connections, all the telephone numbers, everybody that's involved with it so that we can keep track of this a little bit better. Right now, it was, you know, it was always just Eric. We didn't have to worry about it. Now, seems like we have to really be involved with this. I'd like to see it all together. So, we we we know what we're doing here.
Okay. and item nine, you just briefed over that. that is something that we're going to have to get together. So, the the contract for a public works is is is
needs to get negotiated. That's something that all the members of the board should sit there and touch base with Matt just to understand where the direction of that is going. And but yes, that all needs to get done as well. So, Matt and I discussed it this morning. We're gonna sit there and and try to have a meeting with Zach and because I believe Zach is the union rep for the
Steuart. Yes,
the Stewart. Okay. we'll sit there and try to sit there and move that through and then get back to the rest of the members of the board so we can get that done. we all got the information on the Crag on the not the CROG meeting but on well it's later in the it's later forget it control case the legal thing that's also later in the agenda. We'll talk about it there. All right. Anybody have any other questions for Matt on his his report? the other thing that Matt has here on his items, you know, he has ABC, so priorities updates, which he gave us, the tunnel staff, which he gave us, but priorities and board of selectment goals. we each should be sitting there getting with Matt because obviously he's brand new and 60 days in and so he's getting his feet under him. we should all be trying to meet with him to sit there and and provide him some guidance in the direction that we think we he needs to be taking us and moving us forward. And then what we can all do is is Matt can sit there and and have that communication with us and then sit there and distill it into a workable parameters for him to be able to move forward with. but each one of us needs to get into the office with Matt, talk to him, talk to him about what's going on
and where their area of expertise is, and then we can go from there. Right.
Okay. item eight, the treasurer's report. Lisa,
yep. before Lisa goes, we had a question regarding Miss St. Rock asked a question about the accounts being frozen. again, we had another fraud issue. it was identified by the treasurer and the treasurer's office. the bank put our account on hold based upon this these transactions. These were not small transactions. They did not impact the town financially but they caused an incredible amount of angst and problems that Lisa does not need to be dealing with. So we are working with Mnt to try to minimize all future problems. so everybody understands within this town we have a dual authentication on everything that we do financially. So all of our checks have to have two signers. All of our AC's have to have two signers. any wire that we would potentially do for the town has to have two authorizations. So, in our discussions with the bank, it's very, you know, the bank knows that we're set up for two authentications on every transaction and they can't allow something to go out that has less than that. And so, it was dealt with it. It was uncomfortable and it did cause us some problems. for a day or two trying to get some things out. We had some things that the bank bounced on us that were the lease is dealing with, but it's a it's not an easy thing. We're kind of stuck in a little vortex with our banking information being out there on the black market. And and listen, everybody has to understand, every time you write out a check, you're giving out information. And we write out a lot of checks as a town. So we're trying to
work with the bank to minimize any future problems fraud protection fraud options that that bank is providing us but very difficult and not something that we need to be dealing with right now. But Lisa did a great job. It's all done. the money was moved to the school. all of the money, the money that they requested from their 2% lapsing fund, their $92,000, the $8,000 in their seed grant money that the state provided, and there was one other small item that was
the draft drift funds. [clears throat]
Okay, Lisa, all yours.
I just want to say this is like the first chance I've had to really sit down and at some point I'll write a report, but I I'm just not there yet. we do have a new assistant treasurer. It's great having someone else in the office. It's been a lonely place. our final our final audit is it is is done and out there to the board of select and the board of finance. I did arrange a meeting in July for them to come out and do a presentation. they have a couple recommendations, but it's complete and I'm starting to work on the next one. the budget has kept us busy in the finance office, as you all know. everybody is busy coming to the finance office asking about year-end purchases because everybody wants to know what's left in their budget. I'm trying to pull together a little bit of a an accounting 101 class for department heads so that we can format some changes and do things as we should
do when processing payables. the diesel pump that you're speaking of. I in my previous position in another town, we had that company and they were very good and the reports I were made so much quicker. The reports you can pull from that system. and they were very good to deal with. I you know I just want to say enough for them. the the I know Jeff has touched on the fraud issue and I I just want to say it never ends. I'm I speak to the bank every day. Every single day, Monday through Friday, and I'm not supposed to be here Monday through Friday, but I am and we talk daily. so I was just glad I saw what I saw and gave them a call. let's see. I don't know if anybody has any questions on the two reports, if they want to ask about either the check register or the budget to actual or if you had other questions. I I had a question about there was a an AES transfer of $146,000.
That's exactly what Jeff was just talking about. If you add
there was 978
975 Yep. and 8430 for seed and then there was 40,800 for drip money. It's a it's a grant they get. I didn't ask Jod, but she asked for it and it did come in. So if you add those three together, that's the 147. Yep. We do have some over expenditures, but I'm working on to see where they're they're where we can do transfers for those at the end of the year. revenues are on on track. They might be a little bit over, which is good this year. I mean, I don't know if anybody has questions about anything else. The audit was filed. and I did do the report for fiscal health monitoring system, FHMS through OPM. So, that's been taken care of. and I think that's it unless somebody else has questions. I'm sorry I was on I was on mute. Lisa just there's some reconciling item. There's some items that are reconciled this this May. Just where do you see
the cats have been reconciled through April. so we're caught up on that. we're just working on May. And as far as the L accounts go, we're working on those to get those taken care of too and get those reconciled.
Okay. Anybody else have any other questions, treasurer? Okay. if there's no other questions, we're going to move on to old business. And the item that we sat there and or that we added 9A the community and senior center director contract. all of the members of the board have sat there and seen the contract and also they saw the two clauses for the two clauses for the section regarding termination. So my question is and what I'd like to ask would anyone like to I I would actually like to vote if I if we could unless somebody has a major problem. I would like to sit there and and discuss the two clauses and the reason for the two clauses and then sit there and have a decision made by this board if we can. So, one of the clauses was u requested of the lawyer to make an atwill employee. An atill employee is similar to what is h handled in the town employee handbook and slightly it it agrees with the handbook. The other one it was a a request well it had some due some just cause issues related to termination and I'm going to read them to you if I can find them. Give me one second. Jeff Bur, do you have the email that I sent you and the rest of the board members?
Give me one second. I'll try to find it. it'll be in my other email when it have too many emails,
Jeff. I mean, the at will one that was not one that was really supposed to be written. I mean, that was an error on
the labor attorney. I mean that I had issues with part of that the first clause, but he just took that out and put at will in there. I mean, I'm I think that and I I just I just wanted this contract to align with our personnel policy. And if we're going to do any special accommodations for tests, we should revise our employee manual or employee policy manual to reflect that change because it's really not fair to the other employees. to get to make cons to make special considerations for one employee and not the rest of the employees. And that is my concern.
I I understand that and we've had this conversation that when you
I just want to let everybody on the the meeting tonight know that we do have an employee policy manual and what task test is asking for contradicts that and so put it puts us in a difficult position.
Okay. But that's what you do when you do contracts. You sit there and you're you're you're if you hire an individual and they're hired under the terms of and they have no contract, they're hired under the terms of the employee handbook and the personnel policies. That's the reality of of what's up. if you provide someone with a contract, the contract takes precedent and priority over the personal handbook and the and those types of clauses. So in essence in offering up a contract we are sitting there saying to the individual in the position that we're willing to provide you with certain additional benefits and additional consistent not consistency but additional information above and beyond a normal employee. So in the case of the senior center director, that's what we were doing. And again, as I said, I apologize for that that that document getting out there you know, before, we had the opportunity to discuss it. so, I found my email and so Jeff, I I understand what you're saying, but in in essence in an an employment agreement, if you're going to write clauses and in this case, there's the section 8 separation from employment and this is what it was. So the I'm going to read the part of the clause that is related to just cause right. So section 8 item one removal by the town the board of selectment shall not terminate the employees employment during the term of this agreement except for just cause. Just cause shall shall include but not be limited to the following. A, refusal to carry out the lawful policies of the town and directives of the town administrator.
B, conviction of a felony or other crime which interferes with her ability to fulfill her duties. Or C, poor job performance demonstrated by two or more disciplinary warnings issued by the town administrator due to her job performance. In order to terminate the employees employment during the term of this agreement, a majority of the members of the board of selectmen must vote in favor of such termination and the employee shall have an opportunity to address the board of select before they make any decision. So that was the just cause and and I I will read the other one you know just so everybody
gets it and we can go from there. So, removal by the town at all times during the term of this agreement as well as any agreed upon extension of it, employees employment with the town shall be considered at will. And so, the board of selectmen may decide to terminate this agreement and employees employment at any time for any lawful reason with or without cause or notice. In order to terminate the employees employment during the term of the agreement, a majority of the members of the board of selectment must vote vote in favor of such termination. So, I just think that you know and this listen I I however the group votes I mean we did sit there and communicate by email as to what direction that we were going. Not everybody reached back out and Tess also communicated with all the members I believe related to the the clause. The clause is personally I'd like to make a motion. I'm gonna just make a motion that I would like to sit there and and write the contract with the just clause clause and sit there and offer it up to Tess. Tess may not take it because of the situation that she's been placed into, but I would like to at least be on record that this board was willing to do the just cause in the contract. So, I'm going to make a motion that the board of selectmen re review and approve the contract with the just clause. just cause termination wording so that we can move the contract forward before the end of this fiscal year. second that Jeff
Scott second it further discussion because now you know we do need to discuss this because as I I've said to Jeff Murray I understand what his his thought is but in in my view we're doing a contract to sit there and keep someone that we all have said that she has done you know a good job and we want to make sure that we have some consistency over there so I I don't think it's it's going too far out of line to have the just clause the just cause issues there for the benefit of the employee. So I don't know how how everybody else feels. I don't know if you even want to discuss it or we just want to vote on it.
I mean SC Jeff, my only issue is that line C on the disciplinary. It's just with the two warnings. It over it over it goes over what the to what the personnel policy is. And so why should we even have a personnel policy if we're just going to override it and do whatever we want every time?
I'm just playing devil's I'm playing devil's advocate here. If you wrote a contract for every every other employee that we have and we don't have many directors of departments that don't have contracts like so if you sat there and you looked at the assessor he has a union contract for five hours and he's in charge of his department. We have a contract for public works he's in charge of his department and we have a a contract for the town administrator. He's in charge of his department. We don't have any other contracts for anyone else. The only other contract that's out there is the senior senator.
Yep. And my and my agreement was and I said I would I was I would vote for a contract if it aligned with the town's personnel policy and I'm going to stand by that.
Okay. And and I I understand that and but we have other people that need to go
Sure.
and decide what they're going to do.
Did we have a labor attorney recommendation on one or the other?
The labor attorney wrote both clauses. He and he didn't say which one would be in the best interest of the town.
Well, he wrote the first one simply because and you know if you want Carol, you can speak with him because he wrote the first one because he understood the past history that we have with that contract. So that's how he wrote it. And then I was I you know I communicated with Jeff Murray and I had Jeff Murray speak to the labor attorney and then Jeff Murray through communication with the labor attorney sat there and Jeff wanted to align it with personnel policies and that's how the labor attorney wrote that clause out you know at will. And again, I sit there and I go back to the same thing. This shouldn't be here. I'm just telling the public, this is a bad situation. I totally get it. It's it's and it's bad situation from Tess. It shouldn't be here. The board should have been able to sit there and work this out
and and be it may not have worked out all the way, you know, I I don't know, but that's why we need to vote on this. So, Carol, the labor attorney, reviewed the contract. He wrote the first clause for just cause and then in discussions after that, he wrote the at will clause. So, there was two termination clauses in the given contract. Like there was one there was Yeah, he wrote both of them. So, we'll just go from there.
It was just a shame that it was such a delay. This should have been done at our April meeting. It should have been sent to the labor attorney so that we would have had time to review it in May rather than it being pushed all the way to June.
And it was it was just kind of a rush thing. That's that's all I'm saying.
Well, we would have gotten it done we would have gotten it done in the month of May if we didn't have this problem blow up. Tess wants to speak. Tess, can I get the vote done on this beforehand? Well, Tess, go ahead and speak.
Let her speak. Let her speak.
Yep. Go ahead, Tess.
I appreciate that. I I just want to clarify a couple things. when I was wrongfully terminated by three of the board of selectman members, I hired the attorney and we presented a we presented to the board of selectmen why it was wrong to do so. when I came back in September, I had sent the board a draft contract and Carol, I believe at that time you had mentioned that the employee handbook needed to be updated as well as roles and responsibilities for each different department and positions in town. And so I your what I'm hearing you say is that this was rushed. It wasn't rushed. It has nothing has changed since September. And so just to clarify I sent out another draft to the board and that was sent to the attorney, the labor attorney, and he made revisions. And then there were more revisions. And then correct me if I'm wrong. well, let me just back up. I at that point called members of the board of selectmen to see where they were. and Jeff Murray had contacted, as you said, Jeff Maguire had contacted the labor attorney and then it was changed to an atill contract. And so my question is, why would anyone sign a contract when one you were wrongfully terminated once before and now you can with three votes now you can fire me without any cause whatsoever. So that does not provide any consistency in only for me but for the drivers for the
seniors for anybody that is associated with the community and senior center that is totally unfair. So Jeff McMurray while you're saying one thing you're not giving the full truth of what happened.
Well listen Tess and I and I and I got to I got to sit there and say this shouldn't be here.
Yep. because you have to understand this shouldn't be here, but we're here. So, we got to deal with it as it is. So, I'm just sitting there saying I'm just sitting there saying to to you and to the other board members, listen, the draft of the contract that you had Yes. went to the Let's just go through the process. Went to the Went to the Went to the labor attorney.
Yep.
The labor attorney then made adjustments. I then made adjustments to what the labor attorney did. Yep. Right. Because I told just so just so everybody understands, I went back to the labor attorney and I said we could not do a four-fifths vote. That will not that will definitely not work. The just cause clauses were in there, but it was not a four-fifths vote. It was a 3 to2 vote, a majority vote,
right? That that got changed.
Then the and then I provided that contract to Jeff Murray. Jeff Murray sat there and asked the attorney to make an adjustment to that clause and then what should have happened is those two clauses should have come in front of the board of selectment probably in executive session and we should have dealt with this
right but in the meantime when I
what happened
what when in the meantime I did speak with other members of the board and Jeff Murray was adamant about a no contract he he said
an out contract I an atill contract and and I spoke with an and she was not for an atwill contract. She said that correct me if I'm wrong an Atwill contracts are for McDonald's employees and that I am not. And so then then then it was then two days later once everybody got two contracts then Ann you changed your mind. You did a 180 and you completely changed your mind
and and then I was not I I I was an at will employee in your mind. Well,
so then you three again
very thing and what I' I'd like to say
that I have been so happy with you and your work that I do want to keep you and if my one vote is going to make a difference and you're staying or not, I think I'm going to vote for the just cause so that I can keep you here because I that I want. I know it's flip-flopping, but if that's what it takes, I'm going to go for that.
Okay.
I want to go on record as being that I want her here.
Okay.
I want her to I'm very I'm very happy with her performance. I've never had an issue with her performance when she's come back. I've told you that multiple times in your office. Tess [laughter]
Tess Tess, if you can, Tess, can you mute yourself? So, I will. Yeah.
Thank you.
okay. So, we have a motion on the floor.
the contract wording for the termination clause I read out related to just clause.
anybody else have any other?
Right. Okay. So, I'd like to call a vote on that. So an creme
for the just cause. Yes.
Okay. Carol Lee
Okay. Jeff Murray. I'm gonna abstain from this. Okay. Scott P.
I'm sorry. I I was going to abstain too. I'm sorry.
Okay. Scott Person,
as always, just cause.
Okay. Jeff Magcguire. Yes. So, the the vote on this is 302 with Jeff Murray and Carol Lee abstaining. All right. So, what does that do? and that sits there and allows us to to sit there and offer you test that contract. And as I talked to you about that today, we needed to breathe and we needed to talk about what we were doing. So, this gives you an opportunity to think about what you're going to do. I I do not expect an answer today. and I don't want an answer at this meeting because emotions are a killer when it comes to contracts and budgets. okay. So, we're going to move on to something else so that we can get moving. Okay. So, that was 9A. So, we're going to move on to 9A. the status of the veterans field improvement. Scott gave us a nice rundown of that. we'll sit there and go with that one. We don't need to talk anymore about it. 9B, the review of the senior transportation garage status. Matt, one of the things that we need to do, and it's something that you and myself and Jeff Murray will work on, is we need to get the the the layout of that building from the group that we've had. We have a document from them, but we need some additional information. And then we need to circle that back up into the new construction group that has been put together which we also need the information on. So
yeah, you could get together and just get the if you can give me the contact information of that board, the email addresses of those board members on that committee.
I can reach out to them and if if we have the contact information for the engineering firm, I mean I can even reach out to them and get the drawings if I have a contact person. Okay. As as if because then we'll we'll convene the committee and we'll we'll choose a chair and a vice chair and we'll get that we'll get that rolling.
When are we going to convene this?
I just I said Scott, I had knee surgery two weeks ago. I've been I've been out down and out. I've been just trying to get back on my feet. So, I'm I I I asked for the I asked for the names a couple couple months ago, a couple meetings ago. I just still haven't gotten them yet. I just I need email addresses. I don't have I don't have any contact information for the members, so I can't even get a hold of anybody.
Matt Kate Kate has all of those members and you we she needs to put together a list so that we can sit there and go back to all those members and and reach out to them and get them engaged in this project because this is the ne next project that has to be Jeff Murray. This there there's there's a lot of work that's completed on this job. A lot. I don't want to see this torn apart. and go back to the go back to the beginning of of what this is there there's a lot of there's a lot of prints there's a lot of information already
I know Scott I just said I was going to request the drawings
I I know Jeff there's no Scott Scott that you're wrong you're wrong this this this this building is designed incorrectly and we had a meeting we had a meeting with that group sit there and give us a basic was just changed That's all the roof line just changed. It's not built incorrectly.
It had to go up. It had to go up to get the pitch off the back floor. So, we'll sit there and do it. There's It's not It's It project is going to get done. It's It's already grant funded. We already were told what we had to do from historical because nobody in town will will will believe this, but that building's in the historic district and it's
that's another issue. you know,
we have to spend we have to spend money on another historical building for my
we have to we were we were we were it was an agreement to sit there and spend some money on the old town hall. So, we'll sit there and get it. And Scott, this is not it's not this is not something where this is all set to go and we're getting in the way of progress. It's that we need to sit there and work together with this new group to sit there and do it in an appropriate way for the least amount of money for the benefit of the town. So
I mean Jeff and I what did we meet? What do you mean four or five months ago? We met with the with the
Yeah, we met we met with them
and we we could tell right away that that roof line was not going to fly.
Yeah.
So we we definitely have to do some redesign and then that's where we're going to put the committee together. We're going to put some ideas.
Yeah.
What you doing is changing the trusses. That's it. And and what it was, Scott, no, what it was was my request to go up to have dry storage to get the roof line off there. They were they don't have that
designed spend. We have to spend $30,000 at the museum.
Correct. But there's other there's other issues. So, we'll als Jeff Jeff, if you can sit there and and work with Matt and get this done, it would be greatly appreciated.
Yep. Understood. I just
I said I've been bogged down with other personal issues and I just haven't had it I I haven't I said I haven't had the contact information so I really haven't been able to act on it.
Okay. and so the status of the Long Hill Bridge project, we discussed that too. That's going underway also. Scott, in the Department of Public Works presentation, the the 1934 I don't know what you'd call those, but the bridge the bridge
ones at the end of the bridge. They were taken off so we could make a a bench for them. I would like you I would like you to sit there and figure out where you would like those
1934 bench ends where they can go and how we can do it.
All right.
9D the status of the Percy Cook Trail. that's something that to [clears throat] me is not a priority. The next priority is the building for the senior center, the senior van. that building has to get done. So we need to sit there and move that forward. so Matt, look at the Percy Cook Trail and you know, like if you if I sat there and I gave you things, we just need to know that there's a there's a grant out there to potentially do that. We have to sit there and see what the timing on that grant is and if what we we can and can't do. Because if you sat there and I gave you my priorities, I would sit there and tell you we got to finish the the field. We got to move on to the old firehouse and do that dry storage and space for the vehicles to be parked. And then we need to move on to the culvert over on Bizola Road to sit
there and go through. Those are the next three projects that sit there and have to get dealt with. 9E the status of the animal control services. each one of us received an email from Matt where we got the opinion. NECOG had brought suit against the resident. the judge ruled in favor of the resident and provided back to the resident the dog and the frogs. that is something that we need to get with NECOG and have a much better understanding of when animal when when we are faced with a an issue related to taking animals out of homeowners, we have to do a much better job stepping up initially within the process and doing what is correct in for the town. in this case, this this issue cost us in the range of $20,000. you're going to see expenses for Sage and Howerin or Howerin and Sage that are going to blow a couple of our legal budget line items out of the water. So, at this point in time, that is done. Matt, I would ask you to get to NECOG and speak to Jim Rivers and make sure that this is done. Like, I don't want to hear that the Sage and Howerin and Sage attorney went back to try to reopen the case and relitigate the case. The dogs can stay with the resident. The resident can keep the dogs and the frogs
.
Just I did talk to the attorney there. She she had said this is o it's over. the end of the billing is gonna you know from Halard's age is gonna happen. So they understand the situation.
Yeah.
Sounds to me Jeff. But if you read the judges thing that the dogs and the frogs were, you know, not in great shape, but they weren't in bad shape. And he based his whole opinion on that.
And so it sounds like Niko made a bad assessment of these animals and took them away from the owner.
Wow. and it cost us $20,000.
I I will tell you that at that point in time, Eric Anderson was involved in this case and was dealing with this issue as a hoarding issue and as and there was other things that were going on. we just have to have a much better understanding of what long-term happens to the town when we get into these situations. So,
we should have been informed before this started about what was going on with this. I remember when Eric was talking about it initially.
Yeah. And we should have made a decision to work with the resident rather than take the animals.
Okay. 9F discussion and update on the AES RFP for bathroom renovations. Jeff Murray, I believe this is just scheduled to move forward at the end of the schools.
Yes, I haven't heard anything from Eric Sanderson, so I'm assuming everything is greenlighted and ready to go.
Okay.
Yeah, Eric is the leazison. He's the one who knows what's going on.
Okay. I mean, I know the last time that I asked something at the board of education, it was timeline was right for the end of school and it was going to get done. So, that's great. nine.
Yeah, Jeff. Jeff, that should be publicized that we did save the school. We did save $200,000 by going that route.
Okay.
Was it was a large amount of money that we saved.
Certainly was.
Yes. But we never there was there was never any formal recognition of that cost savings.
So, and is Eric getting paid for this also?
He's he's Yeah, he's getting a stip in his is to do to do the daily Yeah. supervision of the the project.
Is that included in the cost?
Yeah, he he's getting us he was approved as stipped, I think, by the board of finance.
That's what the school the B the BOE asked for through the board of finance and it was approved.
Yeah. And and that's fine, Scott. If we can have somebody that sits there and does watches out for the interests of the town and the school, it's in everybody's interest.
If I was retired, I would have done it, but I just I can't be there every day. So, and Eric was Eric was more available. So,
okay. nine. Anybody else have anything else in the bathroom project?
Okay. 9G discussion and possible action on Hop River Homes contract.
I I I I think that we should just you know motion to renew those the two contracts, the one for the softball field and the motion for the the last agreement for the abatement. Just get this going.
actually, [clears throat] we need to schedule I need to sit there and get a special meeting scheduled. We were supposed to have a sitdown with the members of the board for the Hop River Homes and
I would like to schedule that for June 17th, which is the day after the referendum
because we may also have to make some decisions on the 17th related to the budget. So, I'd just like to see if everybody would have some time, let's say around 11 o'clock or noon for lunch to sit there and have a face toface meeting with the members of Hop River Homes.
As long as it's done by 1:30.
Yeah. Anybody else have any problems with that day?
I mean, I have a problem with that softball contract. I mean, we're not using that field for anything. Well, under understood, but what what we need to do is sit down with the members of the board of of Hop River Homes and then make a decision so we can make
I would like to know what I'd like to know if we could have some alternate, you know, uses for that parcel if the town could use it just not for softball. Is there is there anything else that they would be open to us using it for? And that's that's what we need to sit down with them and discuss as to what we're doing because and what we need to do is get from the tax collector the total amount of the difference related to revenue earned or potentially earned
because that softball field is just sitting there and we and if we're going to give an abatement the town has to get some kind of value out of that.
Okay. I I would like to sit there and have that face to face so that we could sit there and and discuss with the members of the board of UP River Homes and potentially the management group there as to what the abatement is used for and what value does it give to residents and all the other stuff that we need to do. And then Jeff, we can ask the same questions of if we did this, is there something else we can use that field for that would make sense?
Yeah. because I know that field is the backup leech field or the
for the homes. So,
it can't be a parking lot. It can't be anything like that. But is there another recreational use that we could, you know, repurpose that field for?
Okay. And so, let's have that if if everybody's okay with that date, we I'd like to we're going to schedule it for face to face. I had reached out to Maria before the meeting and and as long as we can do it, we've been trying to get it scheduled, but as long as we can do it on the 17th, that would be great. That would kill.
Field was in better shape. Hammer would use it.
Yeah. Okay. Well, let's have that. That's all. Let's have that discussion, all of that on the 17th. So look at your calendars, make sure you're okay with that, and we'll put it on the the
we'll post it and have Kate do an agenda related to that. So, and so right now there would really be two items. The budget and the the you know it's it would be something related with our board of finance members on the potential budget and and mil rate setting and there would be the meeting with a hot river homes board and anything else that we got. So if we have contracts that we have to deal with Matt's contracts coming up we got to discuss that. and so we'll go from there. And actually, was that not on here?
H, we're going to have a little discussion on that, too.
I thought it was on here.
I thought it was as well, and my bad.
It's 9K.
Oh, that's right. Yeah, 9K.
Thank you. All right. Okay. So, 9H website update and possible action on new website committee. is this something that we can push to our next meeting? Yeah. Okay, great. 9 a 9 I janitorial decision. Matt, please make sure that the that is posted and that we get out there because I believe we're done by the end of this month, correct? Or was it the end of May? We did get an email of interest for that.
We've had a couple you know interests Carol. So we have to sit there and look at at what we're doing and then we just need to make sure that we do publicize it. so we're going to have to figure this out and we're gonna have to figure this one out quick.
It's not just
a custodian job.
It's right. I know it's maintenance and everything.
He did more. He did more, Scott. And maybe what we try to do is split this up and maybe we get a handyman for the town and you know, we got somebody to do the cleaning,
anything like that, those two again.
Okay. No, they're we're going to miss them. 9J, the Wheeling Road property request discussion. I'd like to also push this one to the next meeting. I don't have anything on this unless somebody has something.
Do we ever get any information on that?
No. I mean, this
that's all we know right now is that property can't be sold.
Yeah, because I know we're supposed to check into it.
I know it can't be sold. We can't we can't we can't trade. We can't do a swap, right?
No. So, we've been busy.
I think it's very I think it's great. I think it's extremely limited on what we can do once it was gifted to the town.
Yeah. Yeah.
Well, let's sit there and push this off until our next meeting and then we can discuss it at that point in time.
Okay. I just want to give them an answer though. I mean, I just don't want to keep
Okay. 9L discussion and possible action on the sharing the spirit of America. So, Matt, we need to sit there and set a reading. Is that what you're after?
Typically, we we would want to publicize that somebody's going to read it. It's probably could be anybody. Could be a elected official. Could be a you know senior or veteran. Somebody just historical reading
the Declaration of Independence.
Yeah. Declaration of Independence because it's the you know 250th anniversary signing of the Declaration of Independence. We missed his town administrator contract.
Oh. Oh yeah, I did. Sorry. I wanted to talk about it. so we'll go back to that one. We'll go to K discussion and possible action on town administrators contract. there's a clause in the contract that I have been working with Matt on and it's been taking a little bit of time. It's related to retirement contributions. Currently currently the town participates in the MRS MURF the municipal employee retirement fund. there's we're having some discussions between Matt and I as to you know I'm pretty much driving this. I'd rather him not participate in MURF. I'd rather him participate in the 457b if at all possible. It would potentially save the town money, give Matt some additional flexibility as to the retirement fund. we are still trying to determine if it causes us any problems with anything else because there's the right now the 457B is a it's a voluntary contribution on behalf of the employees. And the MURF is I mean really honestly the MURF is a 16%
contribution for every town employee. It's it's ridiculous. so we're trying to work through some ways to potentially save the town money and make this some more give it more flexibility for Matt. But, to do that, we're trying to check all the boxes. So, we need actually the plan document on the 457 that Matt is going to sit there and try to obtain to sit there and get that done. So, it's not that we're not trying to move the contract forward, it's just been problem. No, go ahead.
I have a question. Yeah. this relates back to people's comments about so many people leaving. I feel like one reason that we lost Jay Tuttle was we only offered him a one-year contract and it should have been a two. I'm looking here at this one for Matt and it's a one-year. We ought to be making this a two-year contract.
Well, we made that a one-year contract and that that was specific to our circumstances. So, that's not up for debate as to what we're trying to do. The issues are the clauses related to the first year because there were other reasons why we did that when you you voted on it as well.
Yeah.
Well, it just seems like it would be better to be too. I wanted to state that.
Yep. So, as soon as I can sit there and get some clarification on it, I do have the information, it would end up at the once we get clarification on the the document and understanding of what we're doing. We believe that, we're okay. We just want to make sure that we protect the town is really what's going on. Great. anything else on 9K? Okay. 9L the discussion possible action on sharing the spirit. Matt, can you come back with us as to a timing and a place that we can do this? I mean, we may as well do it right at the town hall. the ETH is a Mon what is the ETH? I don't even know what day of the week it is.
Wednesday.
Yeah,
it's a Wednesday.
we should sit there and do it right at the town hall and have the reading done at the community center.
Yeah.
And and maybe we could see if you know we can get it recorded. We can put it on the the channel or something.
Sure. We can talk to Elaine Bukart and sit there and see if we can get that done.
Okay.
Need time to practice. And it doesn't have it could be we have a you know two or three people need these read a second partake.
Yeah.
All right sit there and go through that. item 9M discussion and possible action on the diesel fuel system and pump upgrades. we actually made a motion on this before and pass. So we're all set.
Okay. item 10. I'm sorry I got to go back. NN
is handover youth basketball.
Nine endover youth basketball.
Spirit of America sharing the spirit of America. That's before our next meeting. So we decided to be conscious of that.
Okay. we'll put that on our agenda and make sure that we have it finalized for our our special meeting in
June 17th. Okay.
nine n Andover a discussion on possible action on Andover youth basketball. So Carol, can you tell us what what's up with Andover youth basketball?
I sure can. So what is happening is our numbers are down as you know we don't have a lot of students. So last year, Hebrin was kind enough to open up their program after registration had closed and allow two of our seventh grade girls to join. So we just want to ensure that our residents will have a place in Hebrin. As a matter of fact, one of the basketball coaches who had who's on here tonight did speak with me beforehand and told me that our players should be playing with Hebrin and Marro because eventually they will be playing with them at RAM. So all of our other programs are currently with Hebrin. The
soccer program migrated there as did our Andover youth baseball and softball. So just to ensure that our players always have a basketball program to participate in, we did discuss and with Hebrin about moving our program over to Hebrin.
So the complication
I'm sorry.
Where where did the complication come in? or what is the issue?
So we we can't field teams for some of the age groups and our kids have to go to Hebrin anyway.
But hasn't he always accommodated our kids
when we haven't been able to have a team?
So are you
Yeah,
I'm sorry.
No, go ahead. Last year their registration had closed and they reopened to allow two of our kids to go there. [snorts]
Okay. But my question ended up being is is always Hebrin has always accommodated if we've run out of members to fill a team. So my question is are we having problems on all I mean, are we disbanding the entire program?
So, the instru instructional program is still going to stay in Andover. The teams where we can field the teams, the coaches, so three, four boys for instance, we're were able to field a team with them. so that we're still going to use our gym and we'll still have teams and the instructional program will be here. But what's happening too is that a Ram is a group that some of our coaches got together with Marboro and created the Ram basketball team. So what they're doing is they're taking the better players from our teams to play on this Ram team. So that will further reduce the number of our players. So the rec commission we discussed it we felt that it was in the best interest to merge with Hebrin as we did with all the other sport programs. Well, you you know you know, Carol, that merging those sports programs was never in the best interest of Andover. They had to be done in baseball because there's too many kids required at any one grade level. And and that I understood, but basketball was the one sport that you had the opportunity to keep a local sports program active. [clears throat] And I guess what I'm hearing though is that the wreck commission did this without really consulting with the
families that participate that in this. And I got to believe that didn't that won't go over real well with the families. Well, some of the coaches that were asked after the fact to participate in the RAM program did have serious concerns about whether or not our program would be able to survive.
So, there were some of the coaches who did feel it did have concerns over this. Well, So if you're asking if you want us to
talk to every parent of a player in grades three through six, we can do that.
Well, I think it would be in our interest to sit there and get the WCK commission to communicate with the I mean, listen, I was involved in this up until this last year.
I know you were. So, so I sit there and I I sit there and I'm I mean I didn't even ask did you even have an instructional instructional program this year or did you get rid of it?
Yes, we did have the instructional. We had prek.
Okay.
And K in one group and then first and second grade. They were different sessions.
It did different sessions. Okay.
Right.
Oh, and just so the public knows, I ran the prek program for 10 years. I know you did.
I'm a terrible human.
Thank you, Jeff Maguire.
No, I'm a terrible human.
Yeah.
so,
it was both,
Carol. I would sit there and tell you I would tell you I I'm going to go. Listen, when baseball
disbanded and we gave it to Ram, which I know why we had to do it is terrible. The things that build community in the in in town start with AES and move into the sports programs. And when you sit there and you disband a sports program, the one sports program in my head that we can we can manage, like it's not perfect. You will never get, you know, like if you have 20 children in a third grade class and they're split evenly among boys and girls, you may not get 12 kids to participate. I would always I always hope that you could get all of the kids to participate in basketball. And wreck basketball in my head is wreck basketball. Travel is a different animal. Ram travel is something that everybody's talked about for years and it really probably should happen so that the best players in Andover, the best players in Hebrin and the best players in marble play together so that when they get to Ram High School, they have a better chance of success. I understand the logic of doing it, but I I look at the wreck program is all of the other kids and we've got to do a better job of of recruiting and doing it. And that's why
I always thought preK was really important because you get them interested and they might continue to do it. So, but what I'm asking what I'm asking and I know Justin, you got your hand up. I'm not we're not gonna sit there and do this. Carol,
please get with all of the members
that care about this. So get with Eric Latesca, get with Justin, and please come up with a a plan that thinks about the benefit of all of the the children and and the parents that care and takes into account their needs so that we do what is right moving forward, right? Can you do that from the reccomission standpoint?
The rec commission, we we can we will talk about that. Yes.
Okay. so Eric and Justin and anyone else that's on here related to that, Miss Miss Latesca will will sit there and please reach out to Carol and if I need to be involved in that, I will gladly do it. All right. Okay. And with that said, Jeeoff, my son is the only Andor child playing Little Ram Little League. We only have one child from Andover playing Little League.
Yeah. It's It's terrible.
It's sad. It's very sad. And and and listen, I
mean in his age group, I'm saying you know
and and and what has to happen what has to happen. I mean honestly I will sit there and tell you I think the community center needs to be more engaged in these types of programs. It shouldn't just be the rec commission. It should not be the rec commission. You know the way that the rec commission has been in the past and and where we move. I've always believed that for the benefit of Andover and the benefit of any Andover sports program, you have to run you have to run the the the feeder system. You have to focus on the prek. You have to focus on the first grade or second grader. I I may not have made any of those kids you know NBA level talent, but if you make them happy and they want to come out and they want to keep playing, it me makes a difference. And that's always been where I've believed that a small town like Andover can have a difference in those type of programs at the really young ages. You know, you got to make the hoop so
they can make a shot. If they can't make a shot, they don't want to play. If they're if they're like baseball, if you stand around and you don't do anything, it's hard to sit there and get engaged. You have to get the kids doing things and so that they enjoy their time. And I think Carol, what has to happen is you have to sit there and work with the parents. I don't want really the parents coming back to us saying that they weren't engaged in this process because if that happens, it's not going to be in the best interests of of the kids. So if
you can please do that, I would I would it would be helpful to the rest of the board. So right anyone else? Justin and Eric, you want to stay on till the end? you can sit there and public speak and we can make sure that those meetings happen so that we can move forward. all right. 90 banking issues. I do believe that we talked about them during the treasurer's report. just so everybody understands Matt is the is has been put on as a signer. Everything else is straightened out. there are some issues that we continue to work through but those are related to fraud issues and working with Mnt Bank so that we make sure that we minimize any problems. There has been just so everybody understands other than the issues related to Mnt freezing the account and not allowing some transactions to happen. There might be some late fees and penalties related to some of the items where they stopped payment on it. Lisa will work that stuff out. I'll work with her on that. there's no loss in funds for the town of Andover. So there's not been anything that's happened where the town of Andover has has had to eat a fraudulent transaction. That's not what's happen. So let everybody know that.
Right.
then who are the signers of the check check signers now? they were always the same Ann the current signers you know Matt is one I am one
so you can listen listen an you can talk to the treasurer tomorrow to get the signers rather than talking about them all on this meeting if you understand why.
Right.
All right.
Okay. I think I'm done with anything that was added. We're going to move on to item 10, new business. 2026 2027 budget discussion. There's nothing for us to discuss at this meeting. just so everybody understands, we are not none no one here on this board has a vote on the board of finance. No one here has a vote on the board of education. everything that's going to happen moving forward is related to the one vote that I have in the referendum and I'm just like every other voter here. So we will see where it comes out. What has to happen related to the budget and just so everybody knows is if it passes the board of finance will set the the rate. if it fails the board of selectmen will end up setting where the budget's at moving [clears throat] forward. And that would be part of our bud our meeting special meeting on the 17th. We we did that three years ago too, didn't we? One time I think
I do believe that I don't believe we ever did it. I believe we did we did during COVID, but that was not because of this issue, not because of failed budgets.
in this situation because the mill the the bills need to be sent out for July 1st. they need to have the mill rate set and the information set. So, I believe two years ago when this was a possibility, Eric asked Dennis, the town attorney for an opinion on this as to what's going. So, I'll make sure that that opinion gets sent out to everybody so everybody understands it. Okay. item 10B, vendor permit. I do believe that there's vendor permit in our packet. page 33, it's for Southwest Advantage. educational resources for students of all ages. I I know that he paid the fee and it's a whopping $5 and he's been out. I know that there's been potentially some complaints already about this, but unless we have issues related to door-to-d dooror salespeople, what are we going to do?
I think a lot of the complaints, Jeff, were about not heeding to the no soliciting signs. [clears throat]
I saw a couple complaints about that. If he could just if there's a no soliciting sign on the property, just no trespassing, just stay off the property.
Okay. So, if we approve this, I would like to do it and let him know like just stay off. Just leave those people alone.
Okay. So, I'll make a motion that we approve the vendor license for Southwestern Advantage and with a
restriction to stay off of
Yeah. with with a with a
posted no trespassing and no soliciting signs
with an understanding that the town administrator will reach out to the applicant and inform him of the issues related to no soliciting and no trespassing signs on residents properties
private private property. Okay,
that Scott seconded. Okay, further discussion on the permit. Ann, how do you vote?
I,
Carol,
I.
Carol's, yes. Jeff,
I Scott Jeff I. So, five nothing on that one. town buildings code of conduct. this this was created by I believe Matt by some of the employees. Is that accurate? Why don't you explain to the to the board why we're dealing with this right now? So, there's been several instances of IA public coming into the town. That's why I think that some of the offices still have up the the plexig glass. about a week ago, even the assessor's office, somebody was angry and they they flung their license plates. They're all banged up and muddy, but they throw them into the general direction of the the clerk in the assessor's office. Everybody has a I guess even with town clerks, the tax collector, they've dealt with people that are sometimes unruly using profanity or raising their voices and put making it a just an unsafe situation. so they would like to just have something in writing that says, "Well, if you you come into town hall, please follow these, you know, core principles, these, you know, so that town there's any enforcement on it, but really just if something happens, we could say you you have to leave the building. So, I have to look at what page that's on here. I was just trying to
It's on It's on page 34.
Thank you.
who originally wrote it, Jeff?
It was It was written by Kate and I guess it was presented to the select board a couple years ago.
Yeah. and she's bringing it back because you know the issue with the in the assessor's office with the person like just basically flew the flung the license plates under the glass in her general direction. They didn't hit her.
Okay. so can can we all as members sit there and read this and let's bring this to our special meeting as well and maybe what we do is we get this if we you know whatever we believe is acceptable we post it on the doors on the way in so that the residents understand and and it's not that the residents will you know this I would sit there and I I would go it's not every resident this this is not the issue this is this is there's select hit people that are angry and have issues and and they behave poorly and and that's what this is directed at. And we probably should sit there and work to honor the employees and sit there and look at this and come up with something that we feel is acceptable and vote on the special meeting or even the July meeting.
I suppose everybody read it. I think it's a good document.
Yeah, I'm in favor of it, too. And I think it should actually be in every it should be on every department office should be posted right there
because if somebody starts getting ruly they could just say sir ma'am do we have a code of conduct here please read this before you know and I mean if it's on the door if they're a ranger to open the door and fly through but if it's right there and they each department and they can say hey you know you need to cut it down we have a code of conduct here please read this you know and you know if they are right and they lose their you know then if we have to call trooper or whatever. We'll have to do what we got to do.
Yeah, that's what I was looking for because I thought there was something about I was talking about the enforcement of it. I knew
call the trooper. Let him deal with it.
Okay. if if everybody here is is okay with approving this just as is, I'm I'm fine.
I'm approving it. Yeah.
Right. Somebody
should it should it shouldn't should it go to our town attorney just to make sure it's legal? I mean, just
it probably already did. I don't know if it has or not.
It hasn't. I mean, we can do that and then approve it at the special meeting.
Special meeting. I think I just like to see Dennis's blessing on it before we post.
Okay. So, Matt, can you send that to Dennis to have him take a look at that code of conduct?
Okay. event permits D. it starts on page 35, 36, 37, 38. it ends on 39. this is also something that should go to the town attorney. and I know Jeff that you had some things that you had talked about adding which I agree with like you should have a a permitting fee change when it's too close to the date and
correct
o get people to do it in a timely manner so we can get it approved and then get any necessary services in place that need to be dealt with.
it's just not fair to our, you know, our fire chief or anybody else that we're going to have to go through. this the last minute. I mean, they should have plenty of notice to to ask questions. And I mean, this stuff comes in a week before. It's just crazy. I mean, they can't even ask questions.
Okay.
These for all is just on municipal property or all events?
No, all events.
Well, if you have a if you have a private event on your property and you don't utilize the streets or you're not doing street parking, I think that was the deal with the one on Hutchinson, right? Correct.
Yeah. they were they were parking on the street.
They were parking on the street. Yeah.
So they were using the they were using so they needed to let us know in case we you know had an emergency or something. The the fire chief knew that the you know the tow the road was going to be restricted.
So all right. Well I have no problem with sitting there and we need to send that off to Dennis just to make sure. And and what we should do, Jeff, is any of the extra fee structure, we should sit there and communicate back to them because I know at some point in time you had done that. I thought I saw an email.
Yeah. Oh, I'm sorry. It does go 41 42. That's a long section. 43 44 45. this is something that Kate wrote to us. It's related to hearing in public meetings primarily, I would guess, more around the town meeting. that's hard to hear with the current audio system that we have. So, I have no problem, Matt, with Kate continuing to do some research to find a system that might work to better accommodate residents that have hearing issues.
I don't think there's anything that we need to do right now until we find a solution for
Yeah,
the meetings.
I agree. I'll we'll keep working.
You have something to add?
No, I'm just saying sounds like a good idea.
All right. item 11 is the approval of minute meetings. they start on the May 11th meeting. minutes are on page 49, 50, 49, 50, 51, 52, and 53. I'll make a motion that we p that we approve the minute meetings for the May 11th, 2026 regular meeting.
I'll second that, Jeff. Scott seconded. All right. Further discussion and how do you vote?
I
Carol
I
Scott
I'm sorry I went out of order. Jeff Murray by Jeff Mcguire. Five nothing. Sorry. Supposed to be alphabetical. My bad. [snorts] tax collector's report. It starts on page 55 in the packet. of taxes from prior year left to collect. last month we collected $135,000 and Kate has information on page 57 and 58 related to tax sales. that is something that Matt we're going to have to sit there and do a little bit more detail on that just so we can sit there and get that done. All right. she also is providing because Kate needs the bills printed. She's also providing on page 60,61 and 62 and 63 information related to setting the mill rate. So everybody can read those pages. Those are important for everybody to understand what happens. So what happens if the budget passes the board of finance has to have a special meeting on the 17th also to sit there and set the mill rate based upon the budget passing. And if the budget fails, that's actually where it comes back to the board of selectmen to sit there and set the budget moving forward based upon the prior year budget or what we believe is necessary to add to the budget just for the initial bills. That doesn't mean that the budget doesn't continue to go through the same process and it doesn't get voted on again. it would go back to the board of finance, but the next vote would be
after the the bills need to go out. So, and we're also probably going to have a problem if RAM fails. So, there's probably going to have to be a reprint of some bills at some point in time for the third, the fourth, for in our case, the third, the second, the third, and the fourth payment. So on page 64 in the packet, these are the highest outstanding taxpayers or delinquent taxpayers. So page 64 through page 78 sits there and represents the individuals within town that have yet to pay their taxes or have delinquent tax bills. So anyone in
I have a request that
sure
could they can that be condensed and just have instead of having all those things some people have an entire page
could it just be the name the address and their total instead of taking up so many pages in our packet. Yeah, we could sit there and ask her to do this, but this is something that she has easy access to produce
and that's why she does it.
And it shows all the years and the different
I know, but our packet is so huge. It could be condensed that way.
Okay. And we can ask her in
maybe after we get an advent. I would tell you if I was if I was if I was a taxpayer,
let's say somebody that we all know that comes to a lot of meetings, I would rather have it this way than have one little line and one page of all the delinquent people. But that would just be me. So I like your idea, Ann, because it calls out everybody really. There's 10 people on the list. That's all there is. Maybe 15 people and it just puts it right out there. So, we'll ask the tax the tax collector if we can get that done.
Thank you.
Yeah. on page 79 and and I just got to ask a question. Ian, do you print the documents?
I print some of them. I'd much rather have it in print than trying to look through it on my computer.
It'd be nice if this was all printed and something like that be condensed so that it wouldn't be so many pages. Okay.
He discussed Kate discussed the tax sale, but she didn't say I think she said four properties, but she didn't tell us which four properties.
No. And we'll sit there and get that as we move forward. does anyone else here print the documents?
Carol, do you print?
Some of them. Okay. All right. Scott, do you print? I'm just trying to understand. I use my computer.
Okay. And Jeff, I know you don't print. I don't print.
So, I mean, I keep them up during the meeting and leaf through them as I'm going. So, all right.
I have two I have two I have two monitors. So, I have the meeting open on one. I have the documents open on another.
I have budget season. I just I use I use just get another computer.
I have my laptop doing the meeting and I have my two screens,
right,
that I use to deal with.
I just print so I can keep notes. Understood.
Okay. So, on page 79, we have $119.84 of tax refunds due for this month. I'll make a motion that we approve total refunds, tax refunds for the month of June of $119.84.
Second that. and Kerme as seconded. All right. Well, further discussion. No. Ann, how do you vote?
I.
Carol
I.
Jeff Murray.
Hi.
Scott Person.
I.
Jeff McGuire. Hi. Five. Nothing. Okay. now we're moving on to departmental reports. In 13, we have the assessor's office report. Anybody have any questions or any issues on any of these reports they'd like to discuss? Okay. So, we have the assessor's report. that's a page 82, 83, and 84. We have the building department. We had $14,000 of I won't say permits, but of building departmental fees and bonds that were paid, $14,242 during the month of May. That's on page 85,8687.
We had a house being built for 500 that we made $7,500. Here we go.
Yay. all right. all the permitting information goes all the way through to page 97. any questions related to that? All right. The Department of Public Works. And I just want to make sure that I thought I saw Eric on before, but he's not on anymore. Correct.
That's fine. He's not there. So, the Department of Public Works is on page 98. they've been doing catch basic cleaning. item three, he he was repairing the curb at the town hall, the firehouse, and various locations. That happened to be a day that I was in the town hall. And to be really honest, I asked him why he was even doing that. but I understand why he was doing that. But he will be doing that also for the school. And what I'm telling you is that next year in the next budget cycle, we need to sit there and pave the parking lots from the fire department and the side of the the town hall all the way from all the way to the other side of the school and the school parking lot. It's something that we have to bring up to CIP and get done. My question to him was, why are we doing the curbs when we
really need to be doing more substantial work to the parking lots? It's one of those projects that we need to sit there and put on the agenda to get done. I understand why he was doing it. He had some requests because of some water flow. but if he's going to be doing the town parking lot, he needs to also do the the school parking lot and repair the curbs at the school. So, that will be happening during the summer because the contractor that does the curbing comes has has Eric has a contract with him to come back and give time to the town and do certain projects as they have availability. So, the school parking lot will be getting done.
paving or just the curbing?
Just the curbing. So, I I mean, it's honestly wasted money, which is what I told Eric. I'm like, why did we do that now if we were, you know, if we really should be thinking longer term and living with some problems before, but he got started with it. He's doing it.
was brand new, Jeff. It got destroyed this past winter with the backo, and it looks a lot better with the Kirby fixed.
Yeah. I mean, he hit it plow. They hit it plowing,
which is what we have to sit there and deal with. They can't be doing that while they're plowing.
No. And they had stakes up everywhere, too.
Yeah. Okay. So, he's he's doing shimming. He's he's working down the roads that he's, you know, put us he had some tree removal done. I guess there was a a tree that fell on the long hill bridge site and he had to sit there and have that removed. And then Distinctive went and got that tree done so that the construction pro project would work would continue to work and then they were doing some work on towns and that he had them continue to do. So
doing their cash pages on ridge and they're going to finish paving it in September.
Yeah. Eric for those of you who don't know had a little foot injury. He's doing better. He's going to be out of the his you know he's walking around with I don't even remember what you call him now. I'm having a senior moment.
he's in a boot.
He's in a boot. But what do you what do you walk around on those when you're doing crutches? He's got his crutches going. So he's he's going to be off his crutches in in another another week. He's got to get into the walking boot, but he's doing okay. page 99 has the pictures of the bridge the bridge ends that were taken off. that was a combined effort between George, the new the gentleman at public works who's a a mason. and so that was requested to potentially save from the bridge to use for a a chair that potentially Scott is going to champion and get done at the Long Hill Field. So, okay, what else we got? he's also got what he's doing with his shimmying and his ship ceiling. And then we have page one 101 which is the library report and 102 which was the library report. And that's the end of our departmental reports. Does anybody have anything they'd like to bring up about any of the other departments within town? No. Okay. We're going to move on to item 14, correspondence. I don't believe we have any. And we're going to move on to item 15, public speak. Okay. public speak. Justin Burl. Yeah. I just want to thank you guys for giving us an opportunity to speak tonight about the Andover youth basketball and giving us a a forum to at least discuss the proposed changes. I look forward to being able to engage in that and kind of come to some kind of agreement on that. So, I thank you for that.
Okay. Eric Latesca.
Yeah, well said, Justin. I agree. Second all of it. And then I don't know, Jeff, your suggestion about maybe arranging time and place for more discussion. U, you know, if we want to do that before we hang up, I'm I'm here for that, too.
Okay. we'll do that tomorrow, Eric, and I'll sit there and get with Carol. Carol needs to lead that charge and we'll go from there.
Okay.
Diane Grer.
Yes. Thank you. once again, excuse me. I've said [clears throat] it before. I've said it often. can't say it enough. I'm always impressed at your agenda and all the different items that you guys discuss and are well knowledgeable on and taken care of for us. And I thank you for that. Like I say, I'm always very impressed. I also like to wish Willie Bell and Dominic well. sorry to see them both going. I think they both did a great job and again they will be be missed. And on the other topic, the town hall code of conduct conduct. You got to be kidding. I can't believe that that has to come forward and tell people to use their good manners when they're in public. it does just blows my mind. sorry that you guys have to deal with that sort of nonsense. but I I wish you well and sorry to hear that the town office personnel is having to deal with that those issues. So that's it. Thank you very much for all you do.
All right. Meg.
Hi. can you hear me? Okay. I'm on my earbuds. Just wanted to check. Okay. Thank you. yeah. I just wanted to speak to the basketball program issue as well. I think, you know, the way that families are finding out about this decision is just not right. you know, it's our understanding that coaches attending that RAM travel meeting were kind of blindsided with this information and then that kind of, you know, spread through the the school community. I previously was on the recreation commission and I stepped down in large part because I felt there was not transparency on the commission. The meetings aren't recorded. the agendas aren't posted. The minutes aren't posted. so I mean, yes, people can show up, but people aren't just going to randomly show up once a month not knowing what's on the meeting. And I just don't think you know, this was the right way to go about things. And I would really like to see greater transparency going forward and to have agendas and minutes posted and to have those meetings available to the community via Zoom so that you know something like this doesn't happen again. Right.
Thank you, Bill Penn. thanks all. I I understand your back burnering the Percy Cook Trail stuff. the only thing I know talking to the deep about that that grant there are some specific timelines in there that are tied into that. So just need to pay attention to that as we're you know I realize there are more important there are other important things but just need to be aware of some of the timelines that may be implicit in that grant proposal. Again, thank you everybody for your time and commitment to hopefully making Andover better. Thank you.
Hey Jeff, I just want to back I just want to back on to Bill's comment there. I just want to say thank you to Marcy and Jeff Miner for mowing that entrance from the pond to the Percy Cook Trail because before you couldn't get access during school hours so people can park there and get access to all that property in the back. he went out with his brush mower and he cleared it. I've done it a few times myself. I know what a job it is, but I just I we didn't do it during the meeting, but I just wanted to thank both of them for doing that for the town and and getting that trail cleared again.
Okay. Brienne Lanziri,
nothing more at this time.
Okay. Liz Latch,
real quick, my only comment was about the $20,000 that was paid for attorney's fees with the NECOG situation. So, I'm glad to hear that someone's going to look out and talk to them about contacting the town a little bit more before they go so far into the lawsuits or whatever happened with that situation. Thank you. test graphs.
yeah, I just wanted to just share one last thing about this whole decision. I I I wanted to just ask the three members of the board that chose to wrongfully terminate me back in April. I I wanted I I want to ask what was your plan then and what was your plan now? we're still waiting for an assistant for the director and and now and now you have a director that you're going to be looking for a job for. So I'm I'm wondering what your plan was. you're you're wanting to do what's best for the town, but you're really not doing the best for the seniors. And so they are the ones that are going to be without. They're the ones that's going to get hit the hardest. And so I I I just I just really feel bad for the seniors because they've been uprooted so many times. There's no stability and
yeah, that's it.
Okay. Thank you, [clears throat] Luis Goodwin.
No, I'm all set. Thank you.
I got Leanne Hutchinson.
I'm all set.
All right. Kimberly Haw and Kim, I know you've been having some problems, but if you can unmute, you have the last word. if I can't get Kimberly to get off mute, is there anyone that I missed? Okay, I don't think I have a second page anymore. So, I think this is it. Kim, you ready? One, two, three.
All right. I'll make a motion to adjurnn.
Second.
And Ker seconded. all those in favor? I nothing vote. All right. Thank you very much. I appreciate everyone's time.