Select Board: April 27, 2024

Transcript captured from MHTV’s Vimeo auto-captioning. No speaker labels; proper names and dollar figures occasionally misheard. Click any timecode to jump to that moment in the source video.

0:04 Glad are you

1:21 Right? Okay. Thank you. Okay. Good evening. It’s seven oh one. Um, I’m gonna call this meeting of the select board, uh, to order. It is Wednesday, March 27th. And, um, we have a number of, um, a good list of, uh, business items on our agenda tonight. And we start off with a public hearing for, um, a transfer of a package, store license at Richdale. And so I’d like to invite the applicants up to the table and open the public hearing. Um, right here. Yeah, I’m sorry. Just two. Perfect. Just two. Alright. Yep. Right here. You can Bring Welcome. Yeah. And, um, just note for the record that this,

2:07 this public hearing was, um, legally advertised and our applicants are here, or applicant, Mr. Patel and Counsel assume Yep. Um, at the table and just would like, um, you to Sure. Just give us a very, uh, or a brief update on your application. Yep. Uh, my name is, uh, John Moradian. I’m a lawyer at DCUs Law Offices with me as, uh, Kush Patel. Um, he’s formed, uh, Che, LLC, uh, with his mother, uh, Nita Ben. And they’re buying, uh, Dale’s. Um, it’s gonna be a purchase, um, of the, uh, convenience store with the beer and wine license. And we’re seeking a transfer of the beer and wine license to, uh, Mr. Patel’s, LLC. Um, there’ll be no real changes to the operation of the store, no changes

2:53 to the footprint, anything like that. Um, uh, store hours generally be 6:00 AM to 11:00 PM with alcohol sales, 8:00 AM to 11, uh, Monday to Saturday, and then 10:00 AM to 11 on Sundays. That was permitted by Nass Law. Um, KHI has worked, um, um, at the store, uh, since 20 18, 20 19. So he, he knows the, uh, the business, uh, par Patel is here also, who’ll be the manager of record and work with them. Okay. Who’s TIP certified. Um, they will, I think, implement an ID scanner to help combat underage alcohol sales, uh, point of sale system. Um, and they’ll have two or three, uh, employees who will also be TIP certified working, working with them. So, with that, any questions you have for us, we’ll, we’ll welcome those.

3:40 Okay. So first, um, I’ll just ask if anybody would like to speak in opposition to the application.

3:50 Okay. Seeing, um, none, I would just ask if anybody would like to speak in favor of the application.

3:58 Okay. I’ll formally close the public hearing and, um, open it to the board for any questions or comments.

4:08 Good? No, nothing. All good. We’re ready to proceed. Okay. So I’ll ask for a motion to approve the application for the transfer of the wine and malt beverage package. Store license to, you said cliche, right? Che noche. Okay, I thought I was gonna say, you said with a k che. L-L-C-D-B-A richdale 29th Smith Street Manager, Perth Patel, subject to receipt of all forms, fees, inspection, sign-offs, A, B, C, C, and Cory Approvals. Hours of operation are Monday through Saturday, 8:00 AM to 11:00 PM and Sunday 10 to am. 10:00 AM to 11:00 PM And this will require a poll vote. So moved. I’ll second. Mr. Aye. In favor, Mr. Grader? In favor, Mr. Murray? In favor, Ms. Singer? In favor, Ms. Nunan in favor. Great, congratulations. Congratulations. Good luck. Thank you. Great job. Okay,

4:56 next on our agenda is, um, our interview with, um, Eugenia Waaf Ferry. Uh, I, sorry if I, you could correct me on that. Um, Ferry, WAAF Ferry. I know that fer go Good. Okay. Nailed it. Um, welcome everybody. Thank you. Yeah. So, um, we all are in receipt of your letter of interest. I know you’ve worked for MCAD and, um, you know, seem to have a really great professional background for, um, for the role. So is there anything, you know, in particular that you’d like to, to just have the, I just wanna give you the opportunity to Sure. I, I think that in, in many ways, uh, doing work on this committee is sort of tailor made for me and my experience and my qualifications.

5:42 As my letter said, I worked for 36 years at the MCAD, and, uh, the first few years I prosecuted discrimination complaints on behalf of plaintiffs. And in my last 20 to 23 years, I was an administrative hearing officer. So I held administrative hearings on issues of employment discrimination, housing discrimination, and public accommodation discrimination. And then wrote, um, a decision, uh, which was appealable to the courts thereafter. And I also spent many years doing work as a mediator. So I not only did, um, arbitration type hearings, but I also was served as the mediator in many cases. Uh, so I feel as if I’m a seasoned neutral, um, very good at listening.

6:27 Probably the, the best lesson I’ve learned in those 36 years was listen more and talk less. Um, it’s an issue. Discrimination bias prejudice is an issue that’s interested me since I was a, um, a young person. And I went to law school, particularly with the idea that I would do work on behalf of Spanish speaking clients. And I did in fact spend the first four years of my career working at, uh, greater Boston Legal Services in their Chelsea office, and represented primarily, um, indigent Hispanic speaking clients. Um, I work with a very diverse population of coworkers at the MCAD, um, and feel that I have, um, or sort of a real understanding of, um, the issues that divide people and the issues that cause unnecessary prejudice and bias.

7:13 And, um, I think that, um, I’m in a place where I can offer something now, particularly at a time where it seems to me that national politics, which have become so divisive, are now sort of trickling down to the town and municipal levels. And I’m a bit horrified at some of the things that I, comments I read on social media around town issues, and even letters that I read in the local papers. And so I, I’m, I’m feeling like, um, this is a time where I may be able to offer some things, some expertise, um, some knowledge, some experience, um, and, and hopefully some reason, um, to make the community more unified, a better place for everybody to live and to get people

8:00 to focus on not stigmatizing or dehumanizing those who they view as other or as different, having different views than they do. So that’s essentially my reason for wanting to do this. And I’ve, I’ve been, um, thinking about it for a while, but I spent the first two years after I retired, taking care of an elderly aunt in Connecticut, and I was going there sometimes two or three times a month. So I’m a little bit late in catching up. I know this has been advertised for a while, but that’s why now. And I’m happy, I’m happy for any questions you might have or Thank you Wanna say amen after that. Yeah. Well, Thank you. I, I mean, I hope, I hope there’s something that positive that I could bring to the task force, and I thank, I look forward to working with people and meeting them and finding out what they’re all about.

8:47 I’m sure you will. People who aren’t familiar with mcat, it’s, it’s a very important, you know, part of the commonwealth. And working for an employer who’s had EPL and Title IX Claims in front of it, it’s, uh, it’s, it’s a lot of work. It’s a lot of tough cases, A lot of tough, well, you know, an agency that’s not always well loved and, and takes a great deal of criticism, but, um, I feel like we did the best that we could, at least in the years that I was there. So thank you for your service for that. Thank you. Thank You very much. I mean, I think you’d be a tremendous said. I’m thrilled that you’re here and, um, thank you. Really grateful. As I’m sure the rest of the members of the task force, um, are for continued interest in what they do. So, um, I just like to ask for a motion to appoint Ms uh, gua Ferry to the task force Wow. Against discrimination with a term to expire in June 24th.

9:34 So was good. Second.

9:38 Um, all in favor? Excellent. Congratulations you so much. Thank you very much. Pleasure meeting you all. No, you too. You can, she has to, you have to be sworn in before you can Oh, no, not here. Tongue clerk’s office come Or Before your first meeting. Before the first meeting. Just stop in at across the, you’re Official. Thank you very much. Thank you. Thank you.

10:01 Um, okay. That brings us to licensing at the Dolphin Yacht Club for a change of manager. We have, um, Mr. Scott Kelly

10:12 Evening. Just welcome. Thank, thank you. You wanna just like, present your application for us, and, but we have the form, we have your, your application, but, um, if you said, just said you’re the new manager. So, Yeah. I joined the management team last season, um, not new to management. I spent, um, 30 odd years years managing a variety of restaurants in, in Boston. Um, we located to Marblehead, met with the board, landed this position last year. And, um, the person that I’m replacing is phasing out. I’m phasing into his role as the director. And, um, this was the next logical step. Awesome. Pretty straightforward. Any questions? Um, I’ll ask for a motion to approve the application from the Dolphin Yacht Club at 17 Aller Team place for a change

10:58 of manager on the All Alcohol Beverage Club license, subject to receipt of all forms, fees, inspections, sign-offs, A, B, C, C, and quarry approvals. So Moved. Second, Mr. Grader. In favor? Mr. Murray? In favor, Ms. Singer? In favor, Mr. Aye. In favor, Ms. Newton In favor. Thank you. Congratulations. Thank you all so much. Thank you. Thank you. Thank You. Good luck. Um, okay. And that brings us to, uh, an arbor request, which I will hand over to our town administrator to, uh, just brief the board on. Thank You. Um, so this is a, a, another project that we’re funding through opera. This is to fund a town wide pedestrian and bike plan. Um, as you know, and you’ve heard, we’re developing a bunch of plans, uh,

11:46 in regard to a lot of our infrastructure needs, uh, so that as we make decisions on infrastructure improvements, capital improvements, that they’re all as much as possible derived from specific plans. So we know what the, the end results should look like as we, as we do projects and bring ‘em forward. So what this funding would do, um, is, uh, uh, hire a consultant that would put the plan together, help identify other sources of funding for projects. So obviously, we’ll, you know, we’ll have some skin in the game, but also, uh, state and federal funding, uh, and, and give us a, a comprehensive plan. It, um, the project will create a lasting bicycle transportation program.

12:33 A, uh, guide the capital investment and identify additional local, federal, state funding options. Additionally, it will identify convenient, attractive, and safe on street, including vertically separated as well as off street routes, uh, for bicycling and connections to other modes of transportation. So all of this work also fits into our Complete Streets program. So it’s consistent with that. So, um, with the, uh, recommendation of the, uh, the opera committee that, uh, uh, this has been carried on the list. This has been above the, you know, cutoff for approval. So it’s, it’s been good. We’ve been carrying 150,000 as an estimate. So this comes in at 79,763. So it frees up some opera funds for, for other priorities.

13:23 Excellent. That’s great. I think a lot of people in town are gonna be very, um, excited to hear this. Yes. Okay. Um, any questions from the board? Didn’t give you a motion? Yeah. Oh, yeah. Uh, any questions from the board? No. Okay. So I’ll go to, go ask for a motion to authorize the use of, um, ARPA funds in the amount of $79,763 to fund the town wide pedestrian and bike plan. So, moved second. All in favor.

14:06 And then next on our agenda, we have the, um, our FY 23 Annual Comprehensive Finance report review. So I’ve handed out the, the final reports, and we wanna just a quick summary of what this is for the, for the public and the board. Um, it’s an annual report.

14:33 Good evening, honorable Select board. Uh, tonight is the, this is the annual comprehensive financial report that we do every single year. This is our financial statements and our audit, which is on time, a lot of work. Uh, we’re happy to have this ready for your review and for the public.

14:52 So this is, there’s no action item. It’s, it’s informational. Yeah. But I, I I will emphasize the on time. Yeah. Um, in that it’s, it’s, that’s been a challenge in the past. It, it was a challenge this year, but as Alicia and her team are putting new and better processes and, and really it’s getting, uh, the success rate is growing tremendously of meeting all these requirements and meeting them on a timely fashion.

15:23 So, is the new technology helping at all? Uh, in addition to the, you know, it’s, the, The clear go is is very helpful for the budgeting. Um, we’re moving forward with a conversion with Muni, so I’m doing that now. That will be huge for us, making this even faster.

15:43 Okay. This is great.

15:48 Got my reading, my weekend reading right now. Can I download this on my Kindle? So He says Yes. Yes. You, we have PDF versions. Yes. So, Okay. All right. Um, okay. Thank you. Thank you. Well, don’t, thank you, Alicia. I think that our next agenda item is, um, yeah. On Alicia. Can, if you, um, Alicia, if you want, I’ll, I’ll do the intro. I’ll do the intro. Wait. Okay. Just hang out Us little us. She’s gonna be come back, join us. The reason I want Alicia still up here, she doesn’t have to say anything. She is the reason we gonna Say we have results. Her and her team are the ones who accomplish this. Mm-Hmm. So I just want her to, and take, uh, recommend, Acknowledge The success, but

16:33 Agreed. Absorb the praise. So, yeah. Yes. So as you all know, and before I even came, it was under the prior administrations and the finance department and such that Clifton Larson Allen, uh, consultant came in and did an assessment of the town’s finance department. And they issued, uh, 23 findings of various priorities, high priority, low priority, such, um, for, for the town review. Now, since I walked in the door that it was a, it was a live document, uh, it took some time to do a full, uh, addressing of the issues just because of the turnover of staff and the finance department and such.

17:19 But having Alicia come in and then getting the rest of the staff settled in, they’ve been able to focus on all of the findings and, and address them all. And as I lay out, there were 23, uh, recommendations from the report. Uh, you’ll see in this memo that 15 of those items have been, um, labeled as complete. Yeah. That, that actually has been taken. Um, for example, one of them is, uh, having financial policies in place. Well, the board voted, uh, a number of financial policies last year sometime that met that, that requirement. So you all had a, a role in, in, in closing out some of those items of the, um, uh, eight items remaining open.

18:08 Uh, seven of them are in progress. And out of those, most of them will be closed out when we migrate to the new muni system. So some of the findings that are in there are just shortfalls of our current software systems and such, or, or just lack the capability, like for, um, issuing purchase orders, which is recommended. We just lack the, the, the capability in the system migrating to the new muni system, resolves all those issues. So they’re labeled as in progress. And there’s, there’s one that we’re just not implementing and recommends, you know, a biweekly payroll. Um, not that we can’t do it in the future, but, um, you know, right now for the town, it’s, it’s on a weekly basis. All the employees are kind of baked into that.

18:55 Um, if we are implementing a new payroll system, uh, that we’re onboarding, uh, we’re doing that now, um, in conjunction with the muti, because that was such a priority to get our payroll software up to date and current. Um, so we’re doing that. So anyways, uh, uh, but I really wanna emphasize this is, uh, incredible accomplishment of Alicia and, and her whole team in the finance department to go through, address these and, and close these items out. Great job. Yeah. The only thing I would like to add is that when, when Jason Silva initiated this and we got the study back, we were pretty horrified. I mean, you look at it, it, it’s a long list of, uh,

19:43 shortfalls and it’s amazing that you’ve completed this, this, this job in such a quick, you know, turned it around, frankly, in, in such a short time timeframe. So the work continued. Thank you very much for doing it.

19:58 Yeah, no, thank you very much. I mean, I was, I mean, I was very critical, you know, when I ran for the select board the last two times, because I, nobody really addressed this. This was issued, it kind of sat dormant. Yep. And I have to give you a lot of credit for doing this work, doing all the work you did to pick this up. Because again, as somebody who places their organizations, uh, cyber, their fiduciary, you know, and their crime or employee dishonesty policy, these were all things that could have tapped into those and more you, you know, and huge risks for the town. So I, I think people underappreciate that, what this really does. And so, I, I can’t thank you and your team. I know it’s a team effort, so I wanna thank you and your team for, you know, just doing this work and responding and being transparent for our time to let them know that we take these reports seriously. So it’s one of those things that’s better late than ever. So thank you.

20:44 Hey, um, I’ll just echo, um, what’s been said, and, um, especially what Moses has said, you know, there was a lot of interest in this report when it came back from the board, and frankly, the public legitimate interest in this. And I think a lot of these problems, like the town was really hamstrung by the lack of an hr, um, dedicated role and investments in our technology and software that somehow, um, that this, you know, your, you and, and Thatcher and the team have been able to, to tackle in, in a way that’s just remarkable. I think we’ve just crossed your one year anniversary as our finance director. Mm-Hmm. And frankly, like when Thatcher had let me know this was gonna be on the agenda, I, I was thrilled

21:32 because I knew these things were going on. But to have it presented, you know, I knew that we were chipping away. I knew the, you know, I knew we were getting the munis and I knew that we adopted the financial policies, and we had kind of, as the board, like, talked about that at our retreat. And I, and I, I knew these pieces were coming together. But for you to take the time to, to specifically identify and address every single one of these recommendations in this format is truly remarkable. And, um, I just can’t thank you enough. And, um, I, I hope you’ve enjoyed your first year. Did you wanna

22:10 Happy anniversary, And This is amazing. No, you have to sit and take the conference. What I can say is, having a board that supports a town administrator and having a town administrator that supports a finance director is unbelievable. And makes working here an absolute honor and pleasure. So thank you very much. Thank you. Have you, you make it very easy. So, um, it’s a lot of work. Thank you. I hope we can, we’ll have to talk to Will Dowd and Yeah. Or, and, uh, he’s at another meeting. And Brian Vert and make sure that, you know, that this gets communicated out because we don’t want it to go without acknowledgement. ‘cause there was a lot of public interest in that. Yeah. Yeah. We have copies for what was, it was a brutal report when it came out. Well, And I think that’s the part of this

22:57 I don’t like, did I see? Yeah. You have to see where That’s what happens when you, when we, you went without a lot of stuff and Yeah. Where is there room for improvement and like, what do we do about it? It’s Great. Yeah. And that’s really what’s impressed me about Alicia and, and yourself. You know, Mr. Keysers, you’re not willing to, you don’t walk away from something, you know, we address it, we acknowledge it. Yep. And we might not find the solution in two minutes, but we’re gonna find the solution. We’re gonna get there. And we did, and this came back. So this is just proof that, you know, we’re making progress and being transparent with the public, because now this is public record. Yep. No, thank you. So thank you. Thank you, Alicia. Happy anniversary. Thank You. Happy anniversary. We should, we shoulda have cupcakes or something for you. It Was February. Maybe maybe the next 12 months will be a little calm.

23:43 A little, I’m off my game. I would’ve brought a cake.

23:47 Yeah. Nice to see a data. Katie, uh, isn’t persevere. That’s here on a regular basis, letting the public know what’s goes on. A few that I’ve seen really notice. Okay. Um, on to FY 25, budget planning, update discussion.

24:08 Um, I had asked for this just to be on the agenda, um, only because, uh, I, I’ve been out for a bit and, um, but I have been following long Alicia, again to our finance director’s credit to, on a public forum with Michelle Cresta to help to, you know, just give a, uh, public education in finance 1 0 1, municipal finance 1 0 1, and I think it was scheduled at the same night that, um, there was another, uh, of interest meeting going on. So, uh, it is online. I’m wondering if there’s a way we could somehow put it on our website that I know Marblehead TV has it online, and I watched it and I, there was, um, the slides about, um, you know, the,

24:54 what on the town side. There’s been a lot of talk, like recently on the school side, on the townside, how we are coming to our reduced budget, um, and, uh, number, and I know we are all gonna be here on Friday for the department, but I just thought it’s our regular meeting. Do you wanna just give a quick summary of where we’re at with that? Um, and then also under that, just, you know, what, what, um, is, what are are your thoughts, um, as our talent administrator and, um, Alicia as our finance director around a little bit more, like, we’ve done this, you know, being in a situation this year and last year, you know, our long-term financial health planning. If you could just kind of speak to that a little bit,

25:39 you know, after we get through this year, what hear from you, what your recommendations are for a little bit longer, horizon look long-term financial health planning. Sure. I, I, I’ll start with, um, a saying that I used, um, in other communities fighting the, the budget battles. And I’d say the one thing worse than not having enough money is not knowing how much you have. And so, one of the key factors, and we’ve already talked about it, is our information systems, our financial systems that provides useful, actionable, informative information to every person in the system that needs that information. I mean, like, department heads myself, department heads,

26:27 you know, the, the current information system we have, the accounting folks have track of everything. So I’ve, I’ve, I’ve always said there’s no concern about us tracking money coming in, money going out, that, that we’ve done. But the, but those systems are designed really just for the accountability through the accounting function. What we needed was information systems that gives all of us in the management roles, just a daily heads up, where are we right now? And so the first steps towards financial success was getting, having the ability for us to, to know where we stand financially and to, to have that granular information, to, to make really good decisions

27:13 and maximize the dollars that we have to know exactly where we sit and know exactly where we’re going with the dollars. That’s critical. So all those pieces are, are, are in place. Um, as we’ve talked about here, um, you know, one of the major issues for Marblehead is, is revenues. Um, it’s, it’s more of a revenue problem than a spending problem in the sense that on the town side, uh, the town is incredibly lean. It’s just been, it’s just been on a diet for, for a long, long time. Um, and, and it’s, it’s very lean. So, so, um, there’s very little waste, you know, that we’re gonna find. Uh, we can always come up with innovative improvements, but,

28:01 but we’re, we’re not wasting money. Um, so it’s, the focus has been on the revenue side for this year’s effort at town meeting. One of the critical decisions for the town to make, um, is, you know, implementing some revenue sources. The meals in rooms tax, uh, again, the, the total value, we’re estimating somewhere between 800,000 and a million dollars. We’re only programming 400,000 into this first year budget. We’d rather develop a true track record. Um, and, and in that regard, you know, anytime you raise revenues on anything, you, you have an impact on somebody. Um, and so the, the, the folks that were concerned about, you know, this proposal were the, the, the, the hotels,

28:49 the rooms, um, folks in the restaurant. So, so with the help of the chamber, we convened a meeting here in this room and had ‘em all come and sit down and just laid it out here, here’s the information. Here’s why we’re doing this. This is why this is important that we do this, and we want to hear, you know, your response. And as typical, it’s not what they would want. Um, but we did talk about the fact that, you know, what we’re implementing is in effect a pass through tax. So the folks that are paying it are those who come primarily come and visit, um, and, you know, they’re initiating the transaction by either staying at a, at a place. It, it, it covers our hotels and all of the Airbnbs

29:38 and other categories of those type of rentals. Um, and then on the meals, you know, it’s 0.75. So, so it would be, you know, if you had a big fancy a hundred dollars dinner, it would be, uh, was it 75 cents, uh, added on. So, um, and it’s a pass through, but it means so much to give us the ability to have the revenues to really, um, do those things, have the resources to keep marblehead as just an incredible place to visit, which drives more business for these industries if, if we can maintain our streets better. And, you know, uh, you know, all the other, uh, uh, benefits of having good revenue. So anyways, the, the fact is we put it out there

30:26 and we heard from them, um, and, you know, we’ll go forward. The other, um, the other area that we’re, we’re really looking at is the new growth revenues. And I’ve said it from when I walked in the door and having just reviewed the town’s finances, I just knew there was a problem and I didn’t know why or how. Um, and so what we’re trying to build in this budget, um, is, uh, the capacity for the various departments that are responsible to capture every new growth dollar there is. Um, and, and what is new growth dollars is when there are improvements made to properties or new buildings built

31:13 or expansions done, um, the increased value of tho those properties, um, who’s ever, you know, doing the investment in it, we can capture the, the, the increased value and tax it right away. Uh, and that captured as new growth means it instantly gets added to our tax levy. Tax levy is the total dollars we collect in taxes. Without new growth, the only way the tax levy increases to keep up with inflation and other things is the two point a half percent increase. If we can increase the amount of, of new growth revenue by having the ability to know every improvement

31:59 that’s going on, value it correctly. Um, and that’s mainly done through our inspection, uh, building inspections area and feed that information to the assessors. And they’re the ones that will load the value in and initiate the, the, the, you know, the tax, um, generation. Um, if we can grow that new growth revenue and, and put more reliance on that, we can have less reliance on increasing the full two and a half every year. That’s your goal over the long term. So some of the investments for this year is, um, as you know, we, we did a deal with Swamp Scott for share and commissioners. So we have dollar savings there. We have some, uh, you know, retired inspectors, one of which is, is fully retiring, another one’s, you know, um,

32:50 downgrading the amount of time. So we have some dollar savings within that. We’re hiring another building inspector who we’ll have two, and that’ll give us more boots on the ground to be out there seeing everything that’s going on and making sure that we’re capturing all that value that’s going on, and then feeding it to the assessor’s office so that they can, they can process it from there. So those are two big revenues. Uh, we’re, you know, looking at all the fees and, and we’re adjusting the fees. So, so one of the ones I worked on was inspection fees. Um, we did, we, we gathered the information of all the surrounding communities and what they were charging for fees, because what we wanna do is make sure that marblehead

33:37 building fees are sort of comparable to what’s going on already in the other municipalities. Uh, we don’t wanna overcharge charge more than what others are doing. We gathered all this information, we looked at it all, and it was, didn’t make sense. I mean, every town does it slightly different, labels it differently. So we weren’t able to like, do a real deep analysis of what’s, you know, what’s the values. So for the interim, what we did is we adjusted the individual inspection fees by $20. Just, they, they’re all typically $30 or $45 fees. We increase ‘em by $20. What’s, what seemed to be the trend value is upwards

34:24 of $75 in a lot of community. So all we did is a slight adjustment. And then this year we’ll go back and we’ll try to do a better review of that and, and then make adjustments. Uh, as I said, I had a discussion with, uh, somebody from one of the, the, the, the journals. Um, we are trying to take a very, we’re we’re looking to update our fees. These fees haven’t changed since 1991. That’s the last time these fees have been adjusted. Wow. So we wanna adjust them ‘cause we need the revenue, but we want it to be very responsible in what we’re adjusting them to. So again, those are, those are three examples of really looking to generate, um,

35:09 revenues in those ways. The more we can generate revenues through those avenues, the less we have to, uh, look at doing for any, any property tax overrides in the future. Not saying that we’re gonna be able to avoid that, it’s very likely we will need that, but the more we can do on these, on these other factors, the less we need, uh, for any potential override in the future. So that’s, that’s the focus. So when we start building the budget for next year in a town meeting, so willing, you know, I, we’re not gonna be outta the woods, but we’re gonna have, I think, a little bit more flexibility than what we have this year. I’ve described this year’s budget as a survival budget.

35:58 Um, just trying to hold on, pull it together this year so that we can continue providing services, but hopefully with town meeting, uh, approval, start building up our revenues for next year.

36:14 Thank you, Thacher. Yeah, Well, I really put that on the agenda so that this could be a dress rehearsal for time. Yes. Great job. Yeah. Um, that, that’s great. And, um, I think that that is the, that is the work that, you know, has gone on and that that’s like the, you know, we’ve taken the feedback from, um, the voters that, uh, from last year’s, um, uh, override ask and, uh, town meeting. Um, so, and, and I think too, like just for me personally, I’d like to see us, you know, sooner work together, like as a town different with, um, some projection analysis more longer term, like for like a three to five year type of, uh,

37:02 what does growth look like and start to, um, because we know we’re not, we’re we’re, we’re growing well over a two point a half percent and whatever, like you said, whatever the ask is, if it is an ask, it’s going to be lower because of all of the homework that’s been done. And all of the, and Alec Goby likes to say, we’ve kicked the tires on every, um, aspect of new revenue possible that’s out there. So, uh, I just, yeah, I’d, I’d like, um, to kind of just, for me, I’d like to see us start to put together like a three year outlook that is realistic about what our growth rates are. I mean, and what is palatable and livable, um, with the,

37:50 the community and the residents. And I know we have 10% health insurance costs this year. There’s our energy costs are up, there’s inflation. Um, that’s just, you know, and then we have our contractual obligations. I mean, um, prop, we, you know, every, it’s just the reality of it is that what, like what is our, we’re not, we’re growing well beyond two point half percent. We have been for a while. And, um, you know, what can we do to address our long-term financial health? Uh, so I just, I just wanted to say, make that statement.

38:30 I just have a quick question. You know, as a tactical matter, kind of integrating the, the budget projections with the actual financial statements, I know that’s just, it’s kind of technical question. How does that fit with the revision of the chart of accounts and, and kind of, you know, how, how are you guys thinking about that? It’s probably not a, you know, not a crucial issue, but I’m just, uh, I’m always curious about how that, that’s coming along. So we are working on our new chart of accounts, which will be ready by the end of April, which will be loading for conversion into our new software to make sure it works. Yeah. With the new chart of accounts, we’ll make everything much more transparent, much more reportable and easy to trace than current. Our new system’s very archaic and it’s very hard to trace things.

39:16 It takes a long time for me to gather things with the new chart. It will be pretty much a push of a button as long as you know the codes and it can generate a lot faster. So establishing a great foundation for the budget. Yes, Yes. And for the future, um, we are gonna look towards a long-term plan and hopefully work with the schools during that process. I think. Yeah, that’s, I mean, it’s a big side of the ledger, so Working together Is great. Um, thank You. Thank you so much. Yeah. And I think that was one of the things that, um, came out with just some of the feedback that we received from last year. You know, it’s just looking for more of a forecasting, this is what it is now, but what, you know, what can we predict for the next two or three years?

40:01 And I mean, which is reasonable. We all want to be able to predict, you know, what our expenses gonna be coming up so people can plan for it. And they have that indication of it. And I think now we’re in a much better place 12 months later with the just improvements we’ve made to be able to generate that kind of information, like you’re saying, making sure we’re very much, uh, 100% addressing all of those concerns and then coming forward and saying, okay, this is, this is, this is what we still need. This is still a concern. This is still a problem. It didn’t go away. However, these are all the adjustments we’ve possibly made to address it. And we also want to come forward and say, this is what we will be projecting. It’s never perfect because things change,

40:46 but what we’re projecting for the next, you know, at a minimum, I think three years would be great to be able to say that and to look at the town holistically to put that forward. And I know that was, you know, one of the concerns last year with the override that we pushed for was wanting, okay, well what, what happens after that was, you know, I mean, that came up at town meeting, you know, that, that’s really one of the things. And I we’re obviously, I think, in a much better place to articulate that. And then some of the honest concerns like that came up with the Clifton report and those types of things where people wanna know that things are being addressed. And so we’re in a much better place, too, to say yes. Like those things have been done. So, uh, I think this obviously is something that’s like a full year long process too, and it’s something we should probably, you know, start right away.

41:32 Yeah. I mean, I, I really view fiscal 25 as really a tee up for fiscal 26 for the long term because, you know, because of e Alicia or team coming on board, you know, cleaning up and like you said, that you’re getting the data, making sure we know where we’re spending and what we have. And then, you know, this year, looking at any way we can squeeze and get money out of non-property values, per se, you know, all the other sources. And especially if we can, you know, and that’s in line with our surrounding communities with the meals of lodging, which we were anywhere from five to 20 years behind our peers and the surrounding, depending upon which bucket you are looking at in that. So this way when we do go back to the town, we could say, look, it, we know what we’re spending. We know we have, we’ve squeezed and we’ve brought everything in line with our peers and our surrounding communities.

42:18 And if we have to do a property, you know, tax ship, we have to do an override. We’ve done everything and we’re above the board. We’ve done, you know, and that’s, and that’s really what I’m viewing, is that now we can actually next year do the projections. This year we can’t. ‘cause we’re still scrubbing the data. I know there’s a little bit more work to do, but, you know, this is really, I think people have to put that in perspective. This is really a tee up for fiscal 26. And yeah, you two and your teams have just done a lot of great work. So, uh, again, as, as the chair said, it’s gonna be a lot of work with, with the school side too. And I’m looking forward to doing that because we’re gonna have to build that bridge and, uh, do it as a team. ‘cause we’re a town, I know we say town and and school budget, but we’re a town and we have to think that way, you know, holistically. And all the departments have needs, all the departments have things that we have to address

43:04 and balance and, you know, pull together holistically to, to address everyone’s needs. You know, ‘cause there’s several different services and things that we have to make sure that we’re providing to everyone who’s a, you know, a resident. I think there’s been enough education, there’s been a lot, there’s been years of education, um, starting. I think, you know, when I think about when I start, you know, kind of started to kind of realize, I mean, it’s really since Covid and, um, you know, states of the town, you know, kind of projection that we were projecting this for, for a long time. And so, you know, there is that level of education now in the community that, um, you know, that, that at some point there’s

43:49 a reckoning with regard to the reserves and just where our costs are that, you know, we don’t wanna see. We don’t wanna get to a place where, you know, we’re making such, we’re in such a financial situation where we’re really changing the face of services in our town. Um, so, and I think that, I think that there’s recognition out there. Um, you know, and that’s just years of kind of, you know, stays at the town and, and, and this board representing as such. And, um, so it’s great. Thank you for that update. Awesome. Yeah. Thank you. Thank you. I think we’ve been, we’ve been aspirational in a, a lot of, uh, you know, and I think it’s just great to have a team that I can actually execute against it.

44:35 And it’s, yeah. You guys done a tremendous Job that, and we have fun doing it. I know. Yeah. Way too much laughing. Way too much. Way too much. Laughing. I’m just gonna send her home after nine. No more nine o’clock cutoff. Sorry. Yeah. I, yeah. No overnighters anymore. I know. I think I can officially, we, we can dismiss our town finance director tonight. I Know. Yeah. And go home. You did a great job. If you want Save yourself, you Stop cup hiccup. Thank you. Thank you. Okay. Uh, onto, uh, agenda item eight, uh, approval of minutes from February 7th and February 28th. I know Kyle had sent these around to us.

45:21 Um, I’d like, uh, uh, motion to approve the minutes of both February 7th and February 28th meetings of this year. So move second. Okay. Um, all in favor? Aye. Okay, great. It’s approved. Next we have a request, um, from Marblehead Youth Baseball, uh, to revise the start time. It’s very simple. I’ll ask for a motion to, uh, approve the requests from Kimberly Leventhal Marblehead Youth Baseball to revise the previously sta start time, the previous start time for the annual opening day parade from 9:00 AM to nine 30, subject to approval from police firing schools Moved second. All in favor? Judge poll vote? No. No. Hope not.

46:06 The baseball parade, that would be horrible. They’re not serving liquor. That’s what we get for just something be aggressive early in the morning. You never know the parade. Okay. I’m on the right page. We are on. No, you’re ahead. Yes, I was. Uh, ‘cause now we’re on a one day liquor license for Coastline Marine. We all have it in front of us. Yes. Um, as for a motion to approve this request from Coastline Marine for one day liquor license from Saturday, April 27th, 2024 at eight SE street from 12 noon to 4:00 PM subject to the following conditions, delivery of and receipt by the licensing authority of the required fee of $50, delivery of and receipt by the licensing authority of proof for the alcohol we purchased from an authorized source. Proof that the applicant can receive proper delivery prop,

46:52 provide proper storage and disposal of all alcoholic beverages purchased. All in accordance with the requirements of GLC. Oh, sorry, general law Chapter 1 38, alcohol will be purchased from Harpoon Brewery. This is our cold vote. Somo. Second Ms. Singer In favor, Mr. Nye? Mr. Greater in favor, Mr. Murray In favor, Ms. Noon In favor. Okay. We are coming into June and a lot of requests for, um, special events. This is a request in our packet from Berg of the Marblehead Pride Committee. Um, and it, it’s, uh, self-explanatory. We have our new, um, this is a request basically to use Abbott Hall because we’ve adopted the flag policy.

47:38 So now, um, our, the town administrator of Marblehead, um, I guess we were voting to this is for the use of Abbott Hall, not so much the raising the flag. Um, okay. So the, I asked for a motion to approve request from Reese Stalberg Marblehead Pride Committee to use Abbott Hall on Saturday, June 1st, 2024 at 3:00 PM for a pride event. Rain date of Sunday, June 2nd, subject to usual rules, regulations, and fees. I moved second. All in favor? Okay. And this is a request from Marblehead, um, national Green School Society to hold a 5K. And, um, it will be April click April 20th. So I’ll ask for a motion to approve the, this request from Kate Tome, Marblehead High School’s chapter

48:23 of the National Green School Society Hold a 5K race on Saturday, April 20th, 2024 at 10:00 AM subject to approval of the Marblehead Police Rec and Park, and receipt of the required certificate of insurance naming the town of Marblehead is additionally insured and police details. The event starts and ends at Devereux Beach. There will be no permanent markings made on our streets, and all temporary markings will be removed. So moved. Second. All in favor? And we have, um, now, uh, oh, our fire, the fireworks. Exciting. Yeah. Two items. Yep. Two um, votes, two contracts here. Um, so, uh, first is the fireworks. And, um, this is presented

49:10 The, This is the insurance, right? Well, this is the, so Oh, the con This is the contract for the actual fireworks. So we have a fireworks committee. Yeah. And this is all done through fundraising. Uh, that covers this contract. So this is, oh, It’s in that account, yeah. Account, Yeah. We do it annually. Yeah. Um, and scheduled for July 4th. Okay. Motion to approve the contract between the town and Atlas Pyrotechnic Fireworks Inc. And the amount of $50,000 in authorize the chair to sign on behalf of the board. So moved. Second General code reification. So we need to vote. Oh, get a vote in the Other vote. Oh, sorry, I’m moving so fast. All in favor?

49:56 I’m distracted of the motion for the fireworks. Okay. Motion passes unanimously. Okay. So the next item, uh, so general code that, that we currently contract with. So they provide, if you, if you go online, you can look up all the bylaws of the town, uh, you link it through, through the town’s website. And so they maintain all that. They, um, maintain, they get updates from the clerk’s office after town meeting. And so any changes to the bylaws, they’re the ones who incorporated maintain all that information. So the fact that I know that our building permit fees hadn’t changed since 1991 because General Code has all the bylaws

50:44 and actually lists out when they were first created and all the modifications, the, his, the history of every bylaw that’s maintained by General code. Um, what they, uh, and they also provide written code books. So they’ll, as part of this agreement, will give us 14 fresh new code books that’ll go in the offices. Um, and, and those, they’ll send updates, page updates when, when necessary. So, uh, what they’re doing here is from, from time to time, you, you need to do a reification, basically you have all the, the bylaws of changes, everything needs to be sort of brought up to date. And then, um, sort of, uh, reorganizing all the bylaws so that they’re, that they’re,

51:33 they’re located in the sections of the bylaws where they make sense. So there are new bylaws that just kind of floating no particular section. So, um, I I, it’s in here somewhere. I forget when the last 2003 was the last time that Marvel had had kind of gone through and made sure that they had updated all of, all of the bylaws for this purposes. So this contract would allow them to do that update, provide the, you know, the online version, but also the 14, um, books, uh, with all the current bylaws and, and get us, get us current, uh, on that. I, I think this is critical because, uh, for anybody looking at our zoning laws and making decisions

52:19 or any other matters, you know, this is like the mass general laws. You wanna make sure you’re looking at the most current reliable laws that are on the books. It’s precursor for the charter work as well. Yes, exactly right. Absolutely. So, yeah, that’s what, um, that’s what this is for. Okay. Um, I have a motion to approve the contract between the town and General Code LLC, Rochester, New York for General Code Reification in the amount of $15,145, and authorize the chair to sign on the behalf of the board. I moved second. All in favor? Okay. Okay. Um, next in our packets, we have, um, and,

53:06 and, um, Thatcher has Pro got provided us, um, some information on the hazard mitigation plan. And, um, we need to formally adopt this plan, which I think was prepared by a Jamie, um, consultant, emergency management, um, yes. Services consultant. And, um, I’ll just turn it over to again, to Thatcher. Sure. And this is, uh, uh, I would put this in the category of one of another accomplishment of Becky Currin. Yeah. Uh, who, who managed this whole process. Um, you’ve all, uh, received it via email. The two, I think it’s 300 some odd page document I just provided for tonight. Just for reference, just the table of contents. Uh, I’m not gonna kill trees to save trees, I guess, is,

53:54 uh, on this. But what this is, this is our all hazards mitigation plan. So what the consultants do and, and, and meet with a lot of stakeholders in the community, uh, look at all the potential threats, um, you know, primarily weather, uh, rising seas, you know, um, um, the, you know, environmental impacts. Um, and develops, identifies, you know, the resources that are at stake, um, you know, how we need to deal, um, with any of, you know, things that we need to prepare for in advance, um, to prepare the community for these. So, uh, examples, coastal, coastal flooding, hurricane surge, um, annual days

54:41 with maximum temperature above 90 degrees annual days with minimum temperature below 32 degrees, uh, wildfire burn probability map. So it’s just whatever disaster you think could happen, we have a plan. We identify it and, and, and assess what the impact could be and, and how we, you know, what we need to do to prepare for it. So, um, and as part of the process so that, um, we report it up to the state that we have a hazard mitigation plan in place. So the action is to accept and accept the report. Okay. Anybody, any questions or comments?

55:28 Yeah. Yeah. I think Kyle says he needs to read it all. I, no. Yes. I don’t believe so. ‘cause the very bottom is you adopting the Okay. But can I say I was, I was just gonna, I mean, as presented, I was gonna say as presented, that’s fine. Right. But it doesn’t need a poll vote, so It doesn’t, yes.

55:48 Noel, our poll checker here, um, I was gonna ask for a motion to adopt, um, the town of Marblehead hazard mitigation plan as presented. And, um, the relu a resolution, actually this resolution in our packet, um, to adopt as its appears to adopt this, um, and, uh, allow for, uh, the chair to sign on our behalf. So, Moved. Second. All in favor? Okay. Save a few minutes.

56:32 Okay. So, um, and now that brings us to the, um, council on Aging request for, um, uh, surplus. A release of surplus release. Oh, we like surplus of Sur surplus of a van that actually has, does not have the original engine in it. Oh, nevermind. Yeah. So this is as, as Lisa put in here. Uh, this is time for it to go. Yeah. Okay. Um, so I’ll ask for a motion to approve the request from Lisa Hooper, our executive Director of the Council on Aging, to declare the following items of surplus and no longer needed for municipal purpose, so that it may be disposed of in accordance with the town’s policies on surplus equipment. 2009, Lord. Cut. Van Vin, ID as presented.

57:20 So moved. Second. All in favor.

57:26 Okay. And we have in our packets a letter from our tree warden, Jonathan Fulbert. And, um, this is, uh, just a request proclaim, uh, April 26th as Arbor Day. Uh, I just, you know, for the PO just wanted to, for the record, like, I think that it’s wonderful this, I’ll just highlight some of the things that they’re doing. Um, they are asking for us to proclaim the date as Arbor Day for the town of Marblehead. They have been working with Sustainable Marblehead and the MHS Green Honor Society to plant 22 trees on Brook House Drive, um, on April 27th. And this is the fourth year of this volunteer program. He writes. And, um, and also in honor, mayor Tree Company is donating a day of labor providing tree pruning services at Fort

58:14 Sewell, which is amazing. And, um, in addition, there are, uh, tree Warren reports that he’s purchased a hundred in Eastern Red Bud seedlings to be planted in conservation areas by the Marblehead Conservancy and other volunteers on Saturday, April 20th, as part of the Arbor Day celebration. Um, and these, all these events will help the town of Marblehead to qualify for Tree City USA recognition once again. So I just wanna make sure we, uh, highlighted what’s going on. Sure. And, um, uh, I think that’s, that’s remarkable and, and really great. That’s a really good, uh, example of, um, you know, citizen groups working with town to, uh, better,

59:03 you know, the town for everybody.

59:06 Yeah. I guess we’ll read the proclamation on, on said date, right? Yes. And right. It, so, so, right. So that would be what we Yes. And it’s, and this is the proclamation we have, have it in here. We’ll all sign it. Um, uh, after a motion, if someone would, um, move to request from Jonathan Fulbert tree Warden to proclaim Friday, April 26th, 2024 as Arbor Day for the town of Arbor Head. Second. All in favor? Thank you to all those groups and people.

59:43 Uh, next is, uh, the annual request from our Glover’s regiment to utilize Fort Sewell for their summer encampment, um, uh, from, um, Jamus Daley, the captain. So, uh, the dates are in the letter. I’ll ask for a motion to approve the request from Shamus Daley, captain of Glover’s Regiment to use Fort Sewell July 12th, 2024 through July 14th, 2024 for the regiment’s 2024 annual summer encampment, subject to the usual rules and eviction. And the fort is to remain open to the public at all times during your time. So moved. Second. All in favor? Great.

1:00:26 Okay. And again, on with our spring cel spring celebrations is a request from Helene Haslet, one of the chairs of the, of TFA D for the use of Abbott Hall, um, to represent to, uh, celebrate Marble Head’s Juneteenth date. Um, I think this is our third year doing this meeting. Um, motion to, I’ll ask for a motion to approve this request, um, from Helene to use Abbott Hall on Wednesday, June 12th, 2024 from four 30 to 6:00 PM for the annual Juneteenth flag raising ceremony. So moved. Second. All in favor? Great. Okay. On celebrations of 4th of July events, and these are, um, multiple, uh,

1:01:13 requests related to the festivities. They’re in our packet and we’ve all had a chance to review them. Um, I can, I was just kind of at proceed a pace, unless you know, if anybody has any, if everyone’s okay with that, we self explain. Yep. Yeah. Okay. So I’ll ask for a motion to approve the request from Ashley Hanaway, secretary of Marblehead Festival of Arts, to use Abbott Hall on Friday, May 31st, 2024 from 5:00 PM to 8:00 PM for the annual whale and co event with set up starting at 12 noon, subject to the usual rules, regulations, fees, and receipts of the required certificate. Of insurance naming the town as additionally insured times for pickup of the whales shall be coordinated with the select board office. So moved. Second. All in favor? Great. Okay. Next, I’ll ask for a motion to requi

1:01:59 to approve the request from Ashley Hanaway, secretary of the Marblehead Festival of Arts to hold a 5K and 10 K race walk on Saturday, July 6th, 2024, subject to approval of the Marblehead Police, rec and park and school receipt of the required certificate of insurance naming the town of Marblehead as additionally insured and police details. The event will start on Smith Street in front of the post office and finish at the community center. Start time is at 10:30 AM for 5K and 11:00 AM for 10 K. No permanent marking shall be made on the streets and any temporary marking shall be removed at the conclusion of the event. So moved. Second. All in favor? Um, next, uh, uh, we need a motion to approve the request from Marblehead Festival of Arts to use the following venues for the Marblehead Festival of Arts July 4th, events in June

1:02:46 and July, subject to approval from police, fire, rec and park fees and receipt of the required certificate of insurance and required tent permit. And Fort Sewell is to remain open to the public at all times. So the, um, venues include Abbott Hall and the old townhouse, the Artisans Marketplace exhibits, uh, per usual, July 3rd to seventh, 2024. And various drop off pickup dates for exhibits leading up to and following the events. Um, street Festival on Washington Street, Thursday, July 4th, 1130 am to 3:30 PM which involves the closure of Washington Street from Walkaway Rockaway Street to Darling Street for foot traffic only, and, um, for a family street party with performing arts and children’s activities. Also, um, Fort Sewell as a venue for the champagne reception

1:03:34 on Saturday, June 29th for the 10th stage setup, nine to five. Sunday June 30th, set up in reception nine to nine, Monday, July 1st, 2024. Breakdown 8:00 AM until finished. I move. All in favor? Great.

1:03:59 We got two more. Page. Page. Another page. Yeah. Paul Harvey used to say page two.

1:04:06 Continuing on, um, we, if somebody could move a motion to approve the request for Marble Life Festival Arts for a one day liquor license for Sunday June 30th, 2024 at Fort Sewell. Four 30 to seven 30, subject to our usual conditions, delivery of and receipt by the licensing authority of the required fee of $50. Delivery of and receipt by the licensing authority of proof that the alcohol will be purchased from an authorized source. Proof the applicant can receive proper delivery, provide proper storage and disposal while alcoholic beverages purchased. All in accordance with the requirement of general law. Chapter 1 38. Liquor liability insurance. Alcohol is not allowed to be left unattended or stored on the premise overnight. Alcohol distributor to be determined and select board office notified. So

1:04:51 Moved. Second. I have a second. Okay, we have a second. And this is the poll vote. Mr. Ay in favor, Mr. Grader? In favor, Mr. Murray in favor, singer. In favor, Ms. Noon In favor. Okay. Next. Um, we need a motion to approve the request for Marblehead Festival of Arts for one day liquor license for Friday, May 31st, 2024 at Abbott Hall, four 30 to 8:30 PM subject to the following conditions as, um, previous delivery of and receipt by the licensing authority of the required fee. $50 delivery of and receipt by the licensing authority of proof the alcohol will be purchased from an authorized source. Proof that the applicant can receive proper delivery, provide proper storage and disposal of all alcoholic beverages purchased. All in accordance with the requirements of general law. Chapter 1 38, liquor Li Liability insurance.

1:05:38 Alcohol is not allowed to be left unattended. Um, overnight alcohol will be purchased from Carolina Distributors Ettis. So moved. Second, Mr. Grader. In favor, Mr. Murray? In favor, Ms. Singer? In favor, Mr. Aye In favor, Ms. No In favor. Okay. That brings us to, um, agenda item 20, which is licensing and Caesar seasonal renewals. Um, we have Eastern Yacht Club Dolphin Yacht Club here. Um, so I ask for a motion to renew the following all alcoholic seasonal club licenses, subject to all taxes and fees by to the town being paid receipt

1:06:24 of all applicable departmental approvals, Cory, approval and compliance with chapter 3 0 4 of the acts of 2004 Eastern Yacht Club Pool license at 42 to 44 Foster Street with manager j Jared Charney and the Golf and Yacht Club at 17 Allerton Place Manager Ken Martin. So moved. Second. Mr. Murray. In favor, Ms. Singer? In favor? Mr. Nye? In favor, Mr. Grader? In favor, Ms. Newton? In favor. Okay then we are almost done. We just need a, uh, a motion to renew the following local Sunday entertainment license subject to all taxes and fees to the town being paid and approve, paid and approval from the Commonwealth Department of Public Safety for Sunday Entertainment at the Dolphin Yacht Club. So moved. Second. All. Oh, all in favor? Yeah. Yeah.

1:07:12 Regular along. Okay. Bringing us to, um, 21, which is a request, um, from, uh, the charter school to use Abbott Hall for their rehearsal, um, and graduation June 17th. Yeah. Um, okay. So I need a motion to approve the request from Meg Upton Marblehead Community Charter Public School to use Abbott Hall on Monday, June 17th, 2024 for the charter school’s annual graduation ceremony and rehearsal such to the usual rules, regulations, and fees. So moved Second.

1:07:51 Um, all in favor? Okay, great. And I just wanna note for the record that we have two letters of interest on our Disabilities Commission that have come in. Um, so we maybe want to set a deadline, um, and, uh, I guess propose April 19th as the deadline to receive letters of interest on the Disabilities Commission. And, um, maybe we could interview on April 24th. Does that work for people? That sounds good. I may not be. I know you said you were. Yeah, I may not be right, but that’s, yeah, that’s fine. Yeah. Okay. The meeting on the 17th, if that makes you sound. Um, no, the DATs a deadline to receive Oh, letters of interest.

1:08:37 Oh. But, and then we would interview for the commission on the 24th. Okay. Okay. That’s fine. Okay. Um, public comment.

1:08:49 I don’t know why, um, you don’t meet every weekend anymore. Been like three weeks since a meeting and there’s so many things going on in town. I Paul, about reading the paper. I don’t know if it’s true or not. I’m gonna bring up a couple ‘cause I haven’t been able to come here for three weeks. And, uh, one is the Tenesco Country Club. I see swamps get found a loophole in the deal that they’re getting up there on their land. Swamps get, and I’ve mentioned this several years ago, and they’ve gone up to the assessors but are, aren’t able to talk to the people that tell they can’t give out the information. So we’re going up on all the FETs for the people that live in this town. I don’t wanna be subsidizing that. It has no country club. Okay. I’m trying to live here. So that’s one thing we might wanna look in to see

1:09:35 how Swamps Skirt was able to do what they did, um, to bring in a substantial amount of money. Um, the other thing I’m appalled about the Board of Health, what’s going on at those meetings? It continues to go on. I know it’s not under your jurisdiction, you’re probably gonna tell me, but I think someone needs to have a talk to all these departments in town and they should be getting along reasonable. Um, I wasn’t at the meeting, but I was told some things. A and I’m appalled because I’ve worked with people for several years with drug and alcohol issues and apparently there’s a DO member up there trying to do something that I don’t think the past Border Health has done much with all the deaths in Marblehead, appar that I’m aware of over the years.

1:10:21 And I worked at the Mary Alley Hospital and they had a drug and alcohol treatment at the end to try to keep the place open and the Border health meets in that building. And it’s personally affected me reading in the newspapers what’s going on with the Board of Health and the comments that these employees, if someone wants to come up with something, they should be listening and their staff, they should think of the public. There’s sensitive things going on here with families. I know one family over the neck that lost a kid that I had a personal conversation with that was on Flint Street several years ago, and Harold Overdose and was quite upset about losing their son. So I, I think the selectmen need to send a letter to all the school department, the Board of Health

1:11:07 and all your committees and towns, and use a little common sense here that these people need to get along. You can debate a thing, but it shouldn’t get to the point that you’re insulting each other. This town was used to be great. It’s not as great as it used to be. There’s a lot more room for, uh, uh, something to be done to bring it back to the way it used to be done. That that’s why a lot of people don’t bother to go to these committee meetings anymore because they can’t talk. They really can’t say what they want. Um, and uh, the last thing I’m gonna mention tonight, I have like two or three more, but I’ll say ‘em until the next time. Uh, I went to my first traffic and safety uh, meeting, uh,

1:11:55 I believe a week or two ago. And I waited until the committee started to get formed and they opened at three, four o’clock in the afternoon and they have to be outta Abott Hall at five o’clock. And I saw a lot of people here and I was told, oh no, we gotta go because the select they have to pay overtime. Well, what are they starting at four o’clock in the afternoon? The building is open all day. Why don’t we start at, we know there’s a lot of people in town that have issues that have been ignored over the years because the department heads weren’t doing their job. We, we used to have a traffic and safety committee. They met at the park and rec building and we had people on this. And for some reason it was dissolved years ago. Now a new committee’s been formed, but everything’s gotta be done really, really, really quick.

1:12:41 And we have a lot of our agenda and we gotta meet and they’re gonna spend a lot of arbor fun and stuff like that. I’d like to digest some of this stuff going on before, um, you know, they just had a tragedy in Boston when a young girl went to the mu uh, museum, four years old and got hit by a car fatality. Uh, you know, there’s all kinds of issues going on at every town, but these people, and maybe we don’t need, maybe the town administrator doesn’t have time. Maybe the three people or whoever wants to come to it, it’s fine. But there’s a lot of concerned citizens that would like to talk to these people. And, uh, maybe the town, maybe when they vote and stuff, maybe they could have the full blood there. Maybe a couple people could come in and try to see some

1:13:27 of the issues in the different neighborhoods in town. Maybe the full board doesn’t need to be there because I, I have a feeling there’s, there were more people at that meeting than, uh, there’s normally not many people at your meeting. Uh, and and the last thing I can’t, uh, I do have to mention, um, is the assessors. It’s, it’s appalling of what I hear in time. And I know they’re having an audit now, and now we’re paying another professional department had not to come to work. And uh, so I’m very happy to see this one department head here I mentioned earlier. Um, but I don’t see any of the others. You know, I read the Lin item today and the, uh, they’re talking about what they’re doing to their, what, what roads they’re gonna pave this year

1:14:14 on the front of the line item. And they did the same thing last year. I think we should bring the highway person in here, or the town engineer used to come here. I don’t know if we still have one. I don’t see him down here anymore. He used to come in front of this board on a regular basis. Dunno if he’s on a long vacation or we did away with the job. The last time I saw him down here is when we did the cheap hot cropping jobs on several roads off of West Shore Drive that the neighbors were appalled by. But, um, you know, the public wants to be informed on what’s going on before this stuff’s done. And I mean, there’s a lot of deplorable streets at Marblehead. I know we don’t have the money, but it would like, we, we should have a plan and the public should be the, these big things going on.

1:14:59 We should just wait till town meet and everyone raises their hand. We’re gonna be in and out of there. Um, and then we wait to see what happens later on it. These department heads, you are the manager of the town. You should be every month. You should invite one of these department heads in. They should be coming here at least twice a year and let the public knows what we’re paying ‘em for because I can’t see what we’re paying ‘em for. ‘cause there’s not much getting done in this town. Drive by Jim NI’s house, go down s road towards West Shore Drive. I I mean, I don’t know where, I don’t know where the money’s going at this time. It just seems like we’re, um, and the, I do have to say the last thing. Okay, I, Amanda Murphy that I’ve known for 20 years, um, that was a real people person.

1:15:47 Okay? I don’t know what’s going on in the school department. You’re looking for a new super. All the dedicated employees are bailing ship. Okay? And you can’t come into this school. I don’t care if we get someone from Harvard, no offense over there to come down here. But what I’m saying to you is you can’t these people with that number of years and the knowledge that she has in this school system and the dedication that I’ve seen her do over the years in this time, and started off as a guiding counselor, I believe, and became the principal. And I think most of the people like her. Uh, and she’s very, when something happens, she seemed to hear about it really, really quick. Seemed to be a talk notch dedicated school employee.

1:16:33 She seems to handwriting on the wall. She’s leaving town quick. And it’s really, really, really sad. Um, ‘cause all these new people that come to town, they’ve gotta be here three to five years just to learn what’s going on. You can’t, you could give them $50,000 more and they don’t have the knowledge of these people that are leaving this town. How so? Um, I don’t know what the answer is. I’m not the professional, but you’re telling me that you’re hiring all these dedicated people that don’t come around, don’t come back from my head anymore. And, uh, they’re not staying here long. They’re going, they’re just following where the dollars are. They’re using this as a stepping stone. I’ve had this discussion

1:17:19 before, uh, you know, I’m not that educated, but I have common sense. And my parents had six kids and they taught us we couldn’t spend what we didn’t have. You know, the last thing is the school department on the coffin school. I saw an article in the paper, I don’t know if it’s true. One of the school committee members said that we’re not relinquishing that building to the selectmen because we’re not going to get any of that money. That money belongs to the taxpayers and it’s costing me money to let that building sit there. And the school department has the nerve to say that they have no money. And they got the Eli school too. When the library comes out of there and you want more money, and you’re talking about overriding, we’re a heating buildings, uh, the Eli school anyway.

1:18:06 And, um, the electricity’s still on at the coffin school. And we’re letting these buildings sit and de and just go down and we don’t know what’s gonna happen to these buildings. The longer we let ‘em sit there. There’s gonna be more people coming up with ideas. Yeah. And, uh, we just need to get control. Maybe the selectmen should, if you are the people that decide what to do with the building after it’s obsolete or they really use the power, maybe the selectmen should find out and change it. That the selectmen should have the jurisdictions over all town buildings that decide when they’re needed and not needed. Maybe, maybe we should look into that. Yeah. Thank you Mr. Jordan. And the, um, don’t wanna get in.

1:18:51 We can’t get into like a conversation, but I do, I do want No, I just, I I just say that and preface to that. I do wanna respond to some of your comments that I can. And, uh, I appreciate, um, uh, all of them. Um, I, I’m with you on the coffin school and I, I really encourage you to encourage and to encourage other, like-minded people to go and speak to the committee, um, the school committee about, about that, um, request. I, I think it, I’m, I’m assuming it’s coming up at their, they have a forum tonight and a meeting tonight and I, that’s moving. I know that, um, with respect to the department heads, I’ll also just plug a department. Um, heads will be at our, at a, um, our budget hearing, um, on Friday, all of them to present their budgets.

1:19:37 And I just, I would be remiss to, um, no, Like say that, but some people what I wanna say about that, some people watch this at night and a lot of people have a job. They have to go to work and stuff. So it’s great these things they have during the day, but like some people are at their regular work job. Yeah. And when you, when they used to come in at night and stuff, again, I thought the idea was having these meetings at night was so the public that like worked in Boston and things like that if they wanted to. Um, but it used to, they used to have a sign hanging out front, you know, selectman’s meet seven 30 Wednesday night. I know the town of boys don’t want to be here seven 30 Wednesday night. They have a half a day Friday, but that used to be the late day. It’s going down and down and down. But when they took the jaw when Kyle came here,

1:20:24 the select room would meet at night. And that’s the way it should be. Okay. On a, on a regular basis. But thank you. All right. So thank you for your comment. And I think, um, you know, that’s something with, with regard to the traffic safety advisory. If they, if they, they are running outta time that, you know, maybe that’s, that’s feedback that we could provide to the chair. And, um, uh, I you raised an important, uh, actually something about around the last board of Health meeting and I just, um, wanted to say that I, I feel that our, our board has as doing a really good job of, of representing what civic post force and decorum looks like in a healthy functioning government.

1:21:09 And I do, um, I, I was, it was upsetting to hear, um, hear that there, you know, that there is such kind of like, you know, a lack of that, uh, um, in town. And so as leaders in this board, that’s all we can do is to, um, you know, make that, uh, uh, model that, uh, as well. So, um, thank you for your comments. And I just wanna say one thing about that, one comment. When I first came here and the three new people came in here, I saw a lot of friction and I saw, I didn’t think people were being treated here fairly. And after about two or three years, I think we’re going on the third year now, I’ve seen a big improvement. So, so I don’t know how that was accomplished. ‘cause I know it isn’t easy. You have to have thick skin.

1:21:56 Um, but what I’m saying to it just seems the board of health, uh, lately, it, it’s just appalling. And if, if you tell your young kids that are going to school, watch these meetings, if I had children, I wouldn’t want them watching these meetings or to be there in public the way that these people are treating each other. Okay. Uh, so I think you, you’re the headboard in town and you may not have the authority to do it, but someone should have some common sense and wake up and, uh, say something. Maybe you don’t have the authority, but maybe you should say something and maybe, maybe it’ll help. I don’t know. But I don’t want to continue to pick up the paper and see that’s Yeah. Here again next time. Thank you. Fair Enough. Yeah.

1:22:41 I mean, we may on a personal basis, but you know, the, the voters are the bosses of these boards, you know, at the end of the day. And, you know, it’s, it’s tough. It’s tough when the voters don’t have, you know, the responsiveness that they might need to be able to change the situation, but Yeah. But even you point to these boards when someone leaves and there’s a vacancy. So I don’t understand you. That’s, you don’t have any authority. I I, you know, I don’t even think I should have to come down here and say that to you about these boards. I’ve seen it on a school committee. I’ve seen it on the Board of health. Like I say, I saw it here, there was, there, there was some issues. Sure. And this board changed. Sure. But it seems like you’re getting along a lot more positive and really with all the, with all the problems we have in town, um, it,

1:23:29 it just would make it a little easier, um, to digest some of this stuff because taking away, if you think you’re gonna get an override pass, people in town making comments if they think these boards are jokes and they don’t know what these people wrong here for, they just want their name in the paper. And so I don’t know what you hear, but that’s what I hear. Thank you. Thank you. Yeah, no, I mean, it just goes back to that old adage, actions speak louder than words and we don’t always agree up here. Oh no. We are, but we’re respectful. And so, but we can set the example, but we can set the example and that’s fine. I agree. I don’t agree with some of the things you do, but I still come back and I don’t think I disrespect you. These boards, some of the members are really disrespectful to each other and it’s sort of sad to see that

1:24:16 on a regular bench going back, you know, anyone can have a, a meltdown once in a while, but it, it shouldn’t be happening, uh, as frequently that I’ve seen with all the issues that we, I mean we’re, we’re taking time away and not getting things that we need to get done, done over friction on these board. And now they’re talking about extending that board, that circus up there. If you think I wanna create to five people and see what else was gonna happen down there. I think three is the board of health. Three, we’ve been here 350 years or something. I don’t need, I don’t need a couple more, I guess. Uh, okay. Figure out some more. Thank you. Alright, Thank you. I I need to move on to our town administrator update. Okay. Thank you. Uh, three things real quick.

1:25:04 One, um, we are moving forward to hiring an opera coordinator. And again, this is a contract position is paid through the opera funds to help us one, manage, uh, the, the, the funds and the reporting requirements. ‘cause it’s federal money that’s flowing through, but also to manage a number of the projects that are being funded through opera, especially like the, some of the rail trail projects and such. So, uh, it’s another, another capable body coming in, uh, helping us get more and more things done. So we’ll have a further announcement, uh, you know, introductions when we, what was The longevity do you think of that, of that hire? I mean it’s a, is it something that Hasn’t occurred or to the end of 2025. Okay. ‘cause that’s when we have to expend the funds, so.

1:25:51 Hundred percent. Yeah. So it, it, it’s a very allocated, funds dedicated time and, and focus. So, um, couple technology updates. One, um, so we’ve gone through a, uh, a procurement process and we’ve selected a new vendor to host our town’s website. Um, it’ll be about a six month process to, to transfer over. But, uh, with the new vendor, um, we should see much improved capabilities in the website that we have. I know it’s been a topic for a lot of people, uh, on that. Um, a as well as it’s actually gonna be a cost savings, uh, with the new vendors. So again, uh, Alicia handled that, our finance folks

1:26:37 and went through the process and selected. So we’ll be coming forth with a contract once we, um, settle that for, uh, approval here. But I think given, um, there’s been a lot of attention about some of the challenges of, of, of our website, I think it’s been bit dated. So this will be a time for a refresh, um, going forward and hopefully better capabilities for us and the, and the residents to find information and organize the information that’s more readily available. Are there any municipal sites that we can look at that they are running, that they’re managing post? Yeah, we, um, um, Alicia did and, and, and some of the others who were doing sort of the process. I mean I’ve, I’ve, I’ve done that.

1:27:22 I’ve been a judge for the MMA for their website competitions in the past and, you know, looked at 200 some odd municipal websites. I’m, I’m still trying to recover. Um, Well, given that you’re given your proclivity for blue right? For blue colors and stuff? Yeah, yeah. Right, right. Air Force blue colors. Absolutely. Um, so yeah. Uh, so anyways, that’s good news. And then finally, um, the other technology upgrade, um, you probably didn’t notice, but there’s a new box up on the wall behind us. We have now installed and activated new wifi, wifi signals in this room so that, um, we ha it has two channels. One, the secure network for the employees and us to log in

1:28:10 and to have full, full strength wifi, whether we’re in this room or, or back in the office space. Um, but it also has a public channel in which anybody coming into our meetings can tap into the public wifi and have full strength wifi signal. And we actually have QR codes printed. Kyle has it over here. Thank You though. So anybody from the public with a, with a phone, it’s on your table. That’s awesome. It’s great. Thanks. Just put your camera on it and it’ll log you into the, to the public wi, uh, wifi site and you’ll have full strength wifi. So we had challenges in previous meetings when we were all Yeah. Doing laptops and zooming and, and it was just overwhelming the, the signal

1:28:56 of it learning, learning. Yep. Um, this is in, in line with, if you remember the Article 44 committee from a couple years ago, town meeting that, you know, trying to push to, to do more streaming and, and those things. And part of the challenge is I identified, you know, in the role on the chair is we’ve gotta build the infrastructure to be able to support, to, you know, support all these functions. So this is, um, part of that effort to, to beef up our, our, um, our network connection capabilities. So with that, that’s the update I have. Thank you. Bunch of progress. Yes. Nutshell. Exciting. Great update.

1:29:41 Um, any announcements from the board?

1:29:47 Nope. I would like to thank, uh, Thatcher and Alicia for putting on that presentation for the, uh, restaurant owners and rooming houses. Um, it was fantastic. They did a, uh, just a fantastic job. Uh, hopefully we can do another one, but it was very well attended. Thank You. I agree. I mean, that’s great, Patrick. Yeah. Yeah. I will add, I am doing a pre Jack Ridge and I once again are gonna do a presentation at the Council in Aging on all of the town meeting warrant articles. So there’ll be another opportunity to do presentations April 24th. I forget the exact date, but that’s great. The Council on Aging’s been advertising that,

1:30:32 so we’re gonna meet with all the seniors and do a whole presentation on any of the matters they wanna discuss.

1:30:40 That just reminds me, I haven’t asked you, but it comes to mind. Um, are we, did you and I had met with, um, project manager, um, of Salem Yep. Wind projects ‘cause, and Jenny Armenian and I have been talking also about that project starting very soon under construction. And we wanted to invite, um, them to, and we sat down with the pro, I think it’s the project manager, uh, to offer. This is a space for them to put on a public, uh, informational session for q and a for I think there will be, um, you know, there’ll be some, some sound and, and noise and, and harbor.

1:31:25 Um, yeah. Sound travels across the harbor to a certain population of our residents, um, geographically. And so we wanted to kind of outreach to them. Um, mm-Hmm. Uh, so I just wanna, that just reminded me that we should follow up with, um, that gentleman to do that, To schedule Yeah. Schedule a, a basically a public forum presentation to inform the public as to Yeah. To try to get ahead of any ‘cause I just, um, I think there will be some, some noise and they’ve done a lot of mitigation and they, they have all the permits for, from that they need from that side, but, um, there’s a hotline for residents to call and, um, it, it will be starting very soon there.

1:32:12 A lot of it is, um, I think they start with driving the pilings into the harbor. Yes. For the, to create the, um, for the, for the, the infrastructure, the docks, the docks and stuff that they’re gonna, um, to build the facility first. And then, um, and there will be, you know, there’s a lot, it’s con it’s a major, major construction. Tell that right across the harbor, You’re building the foundations of the Yeah. Um, and the only thing I was thinking of, um, is just wanted to shout out and thank our fire department for, um, their response to a home fire on West Shore Drive recently. And, uh, doesn’t happen often, but when it does, um, know they’re, they’re there and, and, uh, they, uh, no, you know, nobody was hurt

1:33:00 and handled it really well. And, um, so it’s a, it’s a lot of work to respond to those and The family, the family’s doing okay. Although it’s a big, obviously very traumatic and they’re, uh, they’re, they’re fully covered, so. Oh, good. Hey, anybody else or we ready to adjourn? Motion? No, adjourn. All in favor? Okay, great. I.