Finance Committee Meeting - March 9, 2020

Can >> I have your attention, please? >> I'll be emperor. He's the director of finance. No. >> So, >> if I can have your attention, please. >> Al is going to be a few minutes late. He's over arm wrestling with the selectman. So, we're ready to go anytime you are. >> I'm recording. >> Okay. We have a quorum. I'd like to call the meeting to order. And uh tonight we're honored with the presence of uh Dr. Edquillan and uh his director of finance, Rob Gerardy. So, um, Ed, >> thank you. >> Thank you. I appreciate it. >> Um, I know you all got a copy of this presentation, but I want to go through it. And you should have also had a link to the budget book that was on the the web page there. We have a few extra copies if someone >> Yeah, I can grab a copy. Thank you. >> Um, so this is a it's been an exciting year, the first year in the new building. Um, we've had Oh, well, I'll tell you about what we've been having, but uh Oops. >> Scroll wheel. >> Scroll wheel. Okay. So, our bumper sticker this year, I'm just going to go to the side a little bit here. So, I don't Is that okay? Yeah. Um, managing our success is our bumper sticker. And you'll hear why. Um you know as as many of you know we had um a lot of goals and challenges over the last 12 years and a lot of expectations. One of them was a new regional agreement which Arlington and Charlie and many of you here were um you know a substantial influence and supporter and are part of our success of getting that done. Um and Al as well. The state also approved a capital fee for non-district towns. Uh the new building, we got into the building a year ahead of schedule and it is still on budget. Uh we've had increased enrollment from member towns. So much so that this fall it's pretty likely there will be no out of district freshmen. Uh no room for out of district freshman. We will have exceeded the design capacity of 628 next fall. Currently we're at 602 students. Um there is a waiting list for member and non-member students right now. Um you can see the enrollment from the dark blue is that's just from the member towns. The yellow is from the towns that have withdrawn and that includes now Belmont. Um Belmont had 44 freshman applications and it doesn't look like any of them are going to get in for next fall. Um our budget um excluding the the debt service is about 21 million. That is a larger increase than we've normally had. It's about a 6 and 12% increase really to accommodate the student growth and also the continued growth of three new programs and I'll talk about that. The debt service um is up about 47% over last year. We did our our third round of borrowing this past year. So we have borrowed um about 93% of the money, the total 144 million. We borrow the whole thing. The state has been reimbursing us the 44 million, but the 100 million uh we have about three or four million left to borrow and that won't happen until we get towards the close out of the MSBA project. So, our major increases this year, technology. We have a district onetoone program where students get their own laptop. Um, and with this past year, we had 190 freshmen. Next year, we're only going to uh accept or enroll 180 freshmen. Um, transportation is increasing. It's kind of counterintuitive why transportation would be increasing because we're losing Belmont. So, we have fewer routes, but there's some um we're being very conservative, but apparently um some of the employees of the bus companies now are eligible or entitled to health insurance, and that's impacting the from what other superintendents have told us about their bids. Uh we have hired a consultant with us this year because we're bidding um uh the contract as we speak. the end of the month we'll have um proposals in and if you one of the great things about this year is we have more than one bidder so we're hoping for that this is a conservative number athletic services we still don't have home fields so we're transporting kids um to fields we're having to rent fields for our athletic program health insurance we're in a trust we've been told to plan on about an 8% increase. Um, and then our our prior debt and our new uh bond debt. We're in a negotiation with the teachers. Tomorrow night, I'm I'm uh expecting that the school committee will vote a new three-year contract with the teachers. Um, it'll be the cola on that is going to be 32.25 and two. And Belmont's departure. Belmont was a member and had been sharing in the assessments. Um that $1.6 million or so of Belmont assessments has now been redistributed among the nine uh remaining member towns. And in Arlington's case, that by itself added 550,000 to the assessment for uh Arlington. Oh, I'm going to back. Here we go. This is very sensitive this thing. So the preliminary assessment, this is how it's broken down. Total is 6.1 million including the debt service. Um the operating assessment, the transportation debt and capital assessment, your debt is excluded. We break it down a little further. The increase of 728,000. The increase in minimum required contribution is about 470. an increase in the operating assessment about 100,000. There was actually a decrease in the in the Arlington assessments and I again I emphasize these are preliminary assessments. You know the governor's budget hasn't uh been passed yet. So um and then an increase in in the building project debt. So full enrollment seems to be here. There's a new normal. You know, previously we were um you know, spending a lot of time and effort on increasing member enrollment. Uh we've always been able to provide access to all the programs to all the kids who wanted them. That's um seems to be changing. We were criticized by some towns, not all, but for having too many non-member uh students. It looks like we're going to have no non-members. Traditionally 30 to 40% of our total enrollment was from out of the district. Some years it was over 50% back in the 90s. Um so we're anticipating that in three or four years we will have no out of district uh students at Minute Man. It'll all be from our nine member towns. And the capital fee which we collected this year and you'll see how we're applying it to lower assessments um may be gone. Uh this is uh one of the things we were asked to do for next year was to actually project the enrollment. Very simple math and it needs it's going to be updated probably prior to town meeting, but we're looking at about 658 students. In the green up there are the nine member towns. um in this past fall, which is where it says FY20, that's the actual number of students on October 1, 2019. And those are the numbers that we use to calculate the assessment. And one of the things that um Charlie was advocating for in the uh regional agreement was a four-year rolling average. And that is really helping mitigate the increase in assessment for Arlington, especially because we've had a big um increase in Arlington from 18 to 19 and we're going to have another increase from Arlington um next fall. So what's I haven't updated this today, but as of last week, there were 85 Arlington ETH grade applications. 85 almost n almost 20% of the eighth grade class applied for Minute Man. In our first round of uh offering enrollment, which we did a few weeks ago, 70 um were offered enrollment. As of last week, 59 committed and 11 we're waiting to hear from them. So, we're asking families to commit to being here in the fall. There are 25 applications still in process. What that means is um we're awaiting school information or we're awaiting um some piece of the application. So, uh I just thought it was a good idea to throw up some of the budget history. If you look over in the uh uh well the year and then the fourth column in the operating differences a few years ago over two years we cut the actual dollar budget by almost $2 million over two years. We were right sizing the school. Um this year we'll see a an increase in the operating budget. You can't rightsize the school again to accommodate all that enrollment in one year. It's going to take um a little bit of time, but I don't expect much more increases because the school is full. The school will be overfilled next year. So, I'm pretty confident that going forward, we're going to return to the more modest increases in our operating budget. So, some of the challenges we've had, the withdrawal of towns means that there's fewer members to share. Capital and operating expenses, high enrollments, creating uh waiting lists, little to no out of district enrollment means there's no out of district revenue in a few years. Uh this is the revenue plan that's in uh the budget book. And I just wanted to the chapter 78 is pretty flat. The regional transportation is up a little bit. That's because we're still getting reimbursed for Belmont being part of our our transportation system. Um you'll see current year tuition. We've increased that next year. Uh in other words, what we're going to take from next year's tuition that we're collecting as we go. About the same in END. And then the non-resident capital fee, we we're applying uh 900,000 of that capital fee um to lower the assessments to the member towns. And overall, you'll see the assessments are up about 9.3% overall. And that's that's the overview. >> Thank you, Ed. questions. >> Go ahead. >> Is Minute Man in the GIC or you mentioned? >> No, we're part of a health trust with five other regional vocational schools and it's I think the best way to describe it is is we're self-insured. Is it an option to be in the GIC? >> We haven't looked at it recently. The last time we looked at it, we found the trust was uh um was adequate. >> Yes. Go ahead. So, so a few years ago when we were sort of battling to get the school >> rebuilt and fix it, >> um, you made a comment. I forget where we were. It might have been Belmont. >> No, you made a comment and it's it's something that's always stuck with me, but it really sticks with me at the moment. And um, someone had asked you at the time, they said um, like what you specifically, what is your mission? And you said, "Well, my mission is to provide vocational education to any child that wants it." >> Um, and someone said, "Well, remember member children." And you said, "No, every child, whether it's member or non-member, that's for you guys to figure out." >> And so, >> did I say it like that? >> Essentially, I paraphrase it. But no, so now we're at a point that's interesting, right? >> Yeah. >> So, that comment isn't That's kind of an issue now, right? So, we've now created a situation where >> we have children >> who want vocational education, right? And some of them are intelligent, their leaders are jerks, right? And care, >> but we don't want to be I don't know if we ever I don't I don't like being a person that like, you know, takes out my anger on adults on children. Right. >> Right. >> So, what do you think is the path forward? I mean because that's going to include Arlington children probably >> who aren't going to be >> granted that opportunity and it's going to be other children not in neighboring towns >> right I think there are several um ways to effective cost effectively increase access because that's the word we're talking about. We're filling up the school that we were able to build, the size of the school that was approved that politically we had to um acquies to that size. You know that we all felt many of us felt that it should be a larger size. As a matter of fact, we had three design enrollments when we went to the MSBA. 435, 628, and 800. And 628 was the one that um that went out. Good evening. >> So, so what have we done already to address the access issue? >> Well, we've re we've re-energized and restored the Minute Man Technical Institute. Last year, we began offering classes in the evening for um post-secary students. You may recall that the MSBA's formulas do not allow for post-graduate, remember that word, the adults that were at Minute Man during the day. Couple years we had in 80, 90, 100 adults because we had room for them during the day. We had a separate cosmetology shop. We had a separate automotive shop. We had a dental hygienist program. Dedicated space just for adults. MSBA didn't give us any opportunity to expand the footprint to accommodate that. So, we've moved it into the evening. We have about 45 students right now. Next year, I expect we're going to have about 75 students. We're going through an accreditation process with uh something called the Council on Occupational Education. And once we have that accreditation completed, which should be this fall, those students can access federal student loans, PEL grants to pay their tuition to come to Minute Man. Students from member district communities get a 20% reduction in their tuition. Um so that's one area. The other area that you may have heard about is um after school programming. Um the governor in his commonwealth in the address to the commonwealth mentioned technical institutes at night in this idea of a three-shift vocational school where after school when the day students are le have gone we open up our school from 2:45 to 5:30 to kids from high schools to come and access vocational education in the afternoon. Um, I'm having lunch with the superintendent of Lexington uh later this week to discuss that and kind of craft a model that we can talk to our other superintendents about and there are some grant funds there for that as well. The other thing that we've done is try to schedule the building in such a way to take more than 621 students. Uh we also have some buildings. We have a building um that we believe we could utilize to accommodate our vet assisting program which starts this fall. Um I'm I'm not going to submit a statement of interest for an addition yet. >> We did that really politically. >> We'll wait. So I I >> No, I appreciate you. I think I would say is, you know, I obviously I think in we pay our fair share. I don't want to pay anymore. But if you do start to go um down this road of trying to expand access for either Arlington kids or non-member kids who should deserve this access to the school. um if you could just let us keep us in the loop because absolutely >> I think there would be a not I think there would be a fairly decent sized contingent in Arlington >> who um >> I mean frankly cares more about the education of some of the non-member town kids than absolutely that town does themselves. >> Absolutely. >> So thank you. >> Great question. >> Other questions? >> I assume you've gone through your presentation. I did and I brought you a copy if you didn't. >> Thank you. Appreciate that. Other questions for the superintendent. >> Now, the the question I was going to ask was on enrollment. >> Yes. >> And I wonder if that's what the So, I might be repeating myself. The dean has already said that is uh you're going to lose a lot of students over the next few years. um as the out of district and the uh non-member goes away, >> are you really going to have enough member students of nine towns to fill the school? >> It appears so. Um uh we had this year we had 240 applications, eighth grade applications from the nine remaining member towns for 180 spots. We had additionally we had almost a hundred applications from out of district. The outofd district applicants it it we'll know in a few weeks but it appears that none of them will be getting in. And when we NAZDC the New England uh school development council just gave us our eighth grade projections. I think I may have sent you a copy of that >> and it's showing that the eighth grade population in our district is pretty flat to slightly increasing. Now, some towns it's going down, some it's going up, but in the Minute Man district of the nine remaining member towns, we have about the same population of eighth graders. So, overall this year, 9% of the eighth graders in the nine member towns applied to come to Minute Man. And we I think in projections we may have done previously, we figured between seven and 8%. If that was the the standard application rate every year, it would fill a school of 628. >> What's the status of Belmont if that question has already been asked? >> Uh Belmont is a member until June 30th and then they are no longer a member. >> Okay. So, they're not taking any actions to stay in. >> The one attempt they had to resend their vote to leave failed at the special town meeting they had this spring. >> Okay. >> They had 44 eighth graders apply. >> Okay. Are there any additional questions for the superintendent? Charlie, what what's the uh debt rate you've got on the bonds that you sold? >> Uh the most recent one was >> 2.5 >> 2.5% in the most recent borrowing I believe. The others were we had budgeted 3.75 and both of them were one was about that and the other one was a little less than three and a half I believe. >> Exactly. 3.46 I think. >> Yeah. >> And then the most recent round of borrow this is a perfect time to borrow came in at 2.5 which was really amazing. net of premiums or how >> no not even including premium 2.5 and a premium. >> So what was the GIC? >> U what 2 point something%. >> Yeah I don't know off the top of my head but >> it was very favorable. >> Yeah >> I have a sort of a general question. >> Sure. Arlington has the highest number of students at your school. >> Mhm. >> What is different? I mean again it's very general. You can answer it any any way you like. What is different in our town that you have such a high enrollment from our town? One and the second part same question is that perhaps is it something that you're doing in terms of your marketing I call it uh that creates a demand that's greater from Arlington than from everywhere else. I'm just trying to understand what's actually going on. >> That That's a great qu. I think historically um families from Arlington have participated in Minute Man and there's almost um sort of a generational understanding of the value of Minute Man in this town which has always been unique and valued. Um, people think of Minute Man and they've usually got a family member or a a neighbor that has been the Minute Man, so they've had firsthand experience, a lot of mouth, you know, word of mouth one to another. Um, this year though, we saw um, three other towns have similar rates of eighth grade applications. Arlington was almost 20% this year. uh Stowe was 20%, Lancaster was 20% and Actton was over 20%. So we're seeing and I think this would spills into the answer to your second question about our recruitment. Um, we about four years ago, we really revamped the way that we share with families the Minuteman distinctive advantage and we also have great access to the middle schools here in this district. We have gold star access at Otis. You know, the principal invites us in, they make us feel welcome. Um the kids get an opportunity to hear my kids from Arlington talk to uh the Otis kids about their experience and I think that um was a very significant shift when we we train um we've got about 80 kids at Minute Man we call them student ambassadors and uh they're always there at the open houses giving tours greeting kids and they go out to Addison with us and talk to the kids and then we also this past year and I think it was significant had parent liaison who would work in the town to get us invited to the PTA meetings to a you know sometimes a local lunchon um where we could talk with families in a much more u you know sort of a low-key one-on-one basis. We have a big event coming up this um month, I think next month, called dinner with the teacher where we invite the families who've applied and at this dinner with the teacher, they'll actually have been accepted and they come and we have a big dinner with the teachers and all the new kids are there. They meet each other. Um in May, we have a another Saturday in May where the kids are getting some uh testing, pre-instructional testing before we set their schedules and the families come that day. We have a barbecue and sessions for the parents to hear different things about the school. Uh we get them set up on their laptops with the online. So really what we talk about is that the kids who come to Minute Man and who leave Minute Man leave with a purpose. They know what they want to do. They're able to answer those two magic questions. What do I love to do and what do I do well? Um, and plus, you know, we're very successful with kids who u may require accommodations on an IEP. You know, 47% of our students are still on an IEP, but yet we're a national blue ribbon school last year. Uh, only one of three vocational schools in the country uh to achieve that distinction. So, we're very proud of of what we're able to do and, you know, sharing it with parents and parents sharing it with other parents. That's the best uh the best way. >> Thank you and thank you for sharing that and congratulations. >> Thank you. Thank you. >> Other questions. >> Uh I was reading the newspaper a little bit before I came in today and I know that it seems like there's some of your peers have had some criticism I think from the state about their application Yeah. >> process and there's some discussion about changing it to sort of lottery based system. So, I'm just curious if you like you've heard anything more about what the state plans to do or if there's been any conversations about what that process might look like in the future. >> Yes, I've had a lot of conversations with So, uh it this goes to the access issue and in some uh regional vocational schools that have what they call an anchor city, they're comparing the demographic makeup of that vocational school with that one anchor city. And in many cases, or let me just back up a little bit. We all have an admissions policy right now. We're required to. And every school has the same five criteria. It's in seventh and eighth grade. They look at the the applicant's um GPA, attendance, discipline record. There's usually a um a written recommendation from an adult in the school, and then an interview. Minute Man has always treated all five criteria equally. The schools that are being scrutinized right now don't do that. In one case, one of them has an interview worth 50%. Um, so my advice to my colleagues has been to look at those five criteria, equalize them, and then see how the demographics change. The department may not wait that long. Um my conversations with uh the department of ed has been please don't apply a solution statewide when it's a regional problem and those regional superintendents on the vocational side have are totally open to changing their admissions policy. So I think we need to have some sensibility about going forward and see how it adjusts the access that I described earlier about the afterchool in the evening programs that could be a way to accommodate kids who aren't getting in. Um and I've been very involved in this access issue for about six years. Um for a time minute man uh access to Minute Man was being highly controlled as well. Um and I won't go into all that but the solved collaborative remember that um so Minute Man was fortunate you know we've it may change you know our demographic may change but the the the fairness of this issue is is not um being described properly. You can't compare a regional vocational school with 12 or 13 different communities to one city in that particular region. And there are some regional agreements that have quotas in the regional agreement. So if you go to a lottery system, how is that lottery system going to be actually operationalized? Who's going to choose whose name goes into the hat? I think that's just a form of discrimination. you're you're putting it in a different place because many of the middle schools in some of those regions that are being examined right now, they won't let them into the school to talk to all the kids about the opportunity. So, the vocational school isn't getting to talk to all the kids. So, how do you expect their demographic makeup to even be closely aligned with what the region is? Um, and the other thing they don't say in that article, if you look at all those regional vocational schools, the percentage of special ed that are at the vocational school is significantly higher than the catchment area of the region. At Minute Man, it's three or four times, you know, at 47%. So, like any uh news, you have to look at all aspects of it. I won't use the news word, but >> Okay, any other questions? George >> question about the after school program the 2:30 to 5 whatever >> um is your thought to I would guess that if there are in district students who can't get in they might be the first priority >> they will be yes >> um but assuming for the moment that they wouldn't fill such a program >> um is this where students from Belmont Watertown Wallam some of the traditional users of Minute Man who aren't in the district would go >> it makes sense to Hey, you know, we'll see what they want to pay. >> Is your sense that the tuition from those students would cover the costs or do you not really thought how that all would work? >> That's a great question. Um, back when this access issue came up and we were trying to brainstorm how to fund it. We looked at the chapter 74 funding formula itself. And so the problem with the funding formula is you know this October one data we don't get those chapter 70 funds for two years but by the second year in the analysis that I did which was for 80 kids and 60 kids no 30 and 80 by the second year it was paying for itself just from the chapter 70 reimbursement. Um, and there's been some discussion with the Department of Ed, and they're actually piloting a couple programs like that now where they share the FTE. You know, the FTE for a voke school, you get about $5,000 more back per kid than from a traditional K through 12 chapter 78 per pupil reimbursement. So we'd have to have anou with Watertown or Waltham or or Belmont that clearly describes how that FTE would be counted and shared and how the money would come back to the region, our region, so that it's not a you know a burden on the nine members. It's it should it should generate a little bit of revenue for the nine members actually. >> Thank you. >> Okay, Troy. So I recall on your slide earlier and you said that your chapter 70 assessment number was the same as last year. >> That's what we've been told number gone up >> slightly. I don't know if you wanted to. >> So the chapter 70 number uh didn't go up. The tuition uh the transportation went up significantly which is why you saw transportation for your district go down but the chapter 78 went up slightly. Um and We have to look at that because with Belmont leaving that might be adjusted down a little bit as well. >> Uh >> yeah, there the Department of Ed didn't catch up to the Belmont >> numbers. >> So we're we're expecting to have those will be adjusted slightly. Um >> I believe that's going to actually go down. I think the chapter 78 is going to go down because the 44 member Belmont students now are not considered minimum students. So that's an adjustment that we're working on right now. Unfortunately. >> Thank you. >> I'm assuming all those students will be able to continue and finish the program. It's just new students. >> Yeah. The 44 number is confusing because that's how many we currently have, but that's also how many applied. They doubled their enrollment and would have if they stayed in the >> Okay. Are there any other questions for men? U I I'm not sure I understood correctly, but I I sort of inferred that in some instances in member towns you did not have access to the students as well as you might have here in Arlington. Is that true or do you >> I would say in the past it may have been true in some particular towns, but for the last two cycles >> Yeah. >> of admissions we've had gold star access. >> We've had excellent access. Great. That's not what some of my colleagues experience around the state. >> Thank you. >> Other questions, >> Ed? Thank you very much for coming. Appreciate it. And uh >> thank you. Good to see you. >> Appreciate your good work. >> Thank you very much. >> Thank you. >> Maybe we should have one of these meetings at school. >> We've got all this stuff, too. about dinner time. >> Yeah. How's that? Come for dinner. >> Okay. So, you're looking for 6 million113371. >> Yes. >> Okay. >> Okay. Offered to host >> the um end of season dinner. >> What did he say? >> He just offered to host the end of year dinner. Yeah. >> Oh, yeah. Let's do it. >> Oh, see we're there. >> There you go. You'll have to go to Lincoln though and get your wine wine. >> We'll figure that out. >> Okay. >> Okay. Uh Minute Man School, the request is for 6 million113371. Obviously, this includes a large part of the exempted debt, but the rest operating. Uh motion Dean. >> Yeah. Move and recommend. >> Second. >> Okay. Okay, moved and seconded to recommend that number 6 million113371. Any discussion? >> What a breath of fresh air compared to the old days. >> George was here on the finance committee when uh he was one of the members who who led the charge against Minute Man. God mid mid 90s and uh it was it was quite a struggle. It was a whole different world. Um okay, any further discussion? All those in favor, please say I. >> I. >> Opposed. A table action. Unanimous. 3920. Okay. Now, minutes. Um, does anybody have any corrections to the minutes? Okay. I have one minor comment. Peter. Yes. >> Under paragraph two way down the bottom >> where you have voted general fund debt. >> Yes. >> 13 million. I think you have an extra five in there. >> Oh yeah. Thank you. >> Okay. Any other corrections? >> I'll fix the date, too. >> Oh, I didn't notice that. Any other corrections? Do I have a motion? >> So move. >> Second. >> Any discussion? All those in favor, please say I. >> I. >> Opposed. Minutes are accepted as modified. Okay. Um I I sent out an email. I trust while I wasn't here, there was no hand shaking, hugging or kissing. Uh but uh from you. >> So my plan is uh since the Corona virus has now infiltrated Arlington big time. Uh well I don't know if it's big time but it's here. Uh so today we're going to start on budgets and we're just going to go right through from beginning to end. Uh I've contacted virtually everybody who has budgets to present so I I've got them all set that way. uh and we'll continue to do that. Adam is going to come, the manager will come on Wednesday. Uh we have the uh parking budget, the uh cable access budget, and the uh bikes uh blue bikes. I think those are the three that we wanted him to get back to us on. Uh so we'll we'll do those and then we'll continue the rest of the uh budgets. I think with a little luck uh and the bending of the Mary Ronin rule, we could uh finish like 98% of our business by Wednesday night. Now, at that point, um the only hearing we have left is Monday, March 23rd, and the school department is coming in. And at that point, uh we'll also hear sewer and water and the health insurance budget. I've talked to Grant and I've talked to Bill and both of them will be here that day and we'll be able to present. The reason why those are late is because we're waiting for the GIC to give the health insurance numbers. Uh so that the health insurance budget and of course that connects to the water and sewer budget to a certain degree. So it's all connected now. Um, and I think between the school budget and, you know, it it it's u we know what we're going to give the school budget. I mean, that's sort of set in the formula and everything. Uh, it's just fun to give them a hard time. Uh, >> you do realize you just said that on television. >> Yeah, I know. >> Short time. >> Yeah. I I'm I'm free to say what I want these days. >> Uh, so I think with those three, we can finish that. uh we could finish on the 23rd and that's it. Now uh in that case um Alan, Liz and myself can get busy on putting together the finance community report. Uh we'll get it out to all the people who need to see it ahead of time that the moderator town council the manager's office so they can get it to the department heads so we can get that. Um I think I told you to save Wednesday, April 15th as a hold. Um we we haven't had actually had a meeting on the that day, but that's when the House Ways and Means Committee presents their budget. So if there's some kind of substantial change, we might need to meet there. I'll I'll wait for Dean to give me some flexibility in case the changes are fairly minor. Um >> I was just typing that up right now >> on that. Okay, that's good. Um so we just uh now I'm also thinking of in the back of my head of offering a a you a possibility of taking a vote on Wednesday on those three areas. In other words, giving some flexibility. But let me think about that and uh uh uh and and if things get really bad, uh we we can uh take take advantage of that if necessary. Uh okay. Anybody have any questions on that schedule? Okay. Um let's start with the oh school committee uh stipen uh I did talk to more conversations just to give you an update uh with town council and we were talking about where to put the school committee the money for the school committee stipens uh because we were concerned that if it was in the school budget that they could change it on their own. Well, it turns out they can't. Uh, according to the statute which provides for this, any changes in a school committee stipen that's voted under this act can only be changed by another vote of town meeting. Um, so we could put it in the school budget if we want, but we could also we were thinking to put it under committees and commissions. Uh, so we could also do that there. Um, >> didn't we vote to do that? >> Uh, I don't think we took an actual vote because remember we tabled it >> uh because Annie was going to uh >> That's right. uh research on what the member the 12 towns are doing around us. Uh it it turns out if uh um there is no one centralized place, we're going to have to call 12 places. I volunteered to help Annie. If somebody has some spare time tomorrow and would like to do that? >> No, I'm not volunteering for that. But I talked to Christa about what she did and what she presented and the research that they did with the communities, whatever. So, >> did she collect the seconds from the 12 member towns? >> Um, I don't think she did the 12 members. She did several members and she >> Do you have them? >> Um, I have this that talks about what's going on in town. It talks about She has um towns that offer compensation to school committee members. >> Okay. So, she has these and what what they get. >> Um, >> could you uh share that with Annie and myself? >> Uh, if we can knock off a few towns, it's a few less phone calls to do tomorrow. >> Uh, so we'll take that up on Wednesday. And for now, could everybody take out their budgets? >> Okay. So, the first budget uh that we have not done, I'm just going right down that line, is human resources. I talked to Carolyn. She will have that ready for Wednesday. The next budget is the treasurer's budget, uh, which is on page 39. Everybody see the uh, TV blooper? Um, I just remembered because I I touched my tongue to change the page numbers. I don't know if you saw it, but I think it was like the the health commissioner of the state of California >> telling everybody not to change not to touch your face >> and the next second she touched your >> I'm sure she heard about that. >> Okay. Uh treasure of budget which is Ryan. >> Um this is basically unchanged if not you can see it's down a little bit from the prior year. Um the only thing that's in >> Well, they got rid of that high price treasurer we used to have. >> That's right. He was like sucking the place dry. >> Um the we didn't do treasurer jokes. >> I'm going to get >> the deputy uh tax collector. Uh they actually uh hired him. Um so it's um his cost has gone down and it's if you look in the prior years it was never as high as it was. Um so they have they've reduced that. Um that's a significant number there. Uh the only other number in here that's changed really is the legal expense and that's for taxes. That's so that's up a little bit. Um there's approximately 20 properties I believe in town that are facing foreclosure or getting close to foreclosure. Um so that's where that number comes in. Um the rest of it I would propose as uh as printed of $714,576. >> Okay. Questions? >> John? There's a discrepancy between what they actually spend on the advertising and what they budget. Is it is that like that every year they only spend 300 bucks a year or something? >> That has to do with if they if they're taking any properties, they have to they have to advertise it. So they they really don't know what's going to happen. >> Okay. >> But they have to budget it anyways. >> Okay. Other questions for the treasur's budget? Okay. Is that your motion, Brian? >> Yes. >> Second. >> Okay. Motion made and seconded. Any further questions, discussion? >> All those in favor, please say I. >> I. >> Opposed? Unanimous. 39 postage 42. >> Okay. Um, obviously very little change there. The only question that we had was, and I think it's going to go back to um Anita when she's doing the um the chart of accounts, data processing is just a pity the pit bose machine. So, it's not they're not out there spending money in for data processing. So, I move that we uh accept $185,969. >> Second. Okay, moved and seconded. Uh, okay. So, questions, >> George, >> why is there actual that low? Is it just lag for a for 2019? Do we know? We're 122,000 versus >> actually might have, give me one second. They might have what they currently have postage. Which line are we looking at? We're looking at um >> you know the answer. Great. >> School and town. >> Yeah. School and town postage >> 5203. >> 525 26 check. 52 they're at 20 as of February 24th they've spent 2600 >> now you know you know a better answer as to what's going on yeah so you know we we are we are transitioning to a digital society where um things don't you know not as much stuff gets mailed out as gets mailed out before and so but at the same time posting rates go up every year and so recognizing that the money goes back to the general fund budget has become essentially flat and the costs go down. Now the reason it varies one year over another like one year like in 2018 it's much higher than 2019 is Fred Fantini who was deputy treasur for many many years gave the treasur's office this sage advice that on the last day if you're really far under budget just load up the postage machine that way you have enough on that if you had a little over the next year you wouldn't have to spend it and so it will vary within the years a little bit that's generally why it happens Well, if that's the case, then obviously the year after is light. This makes sense, >> right? The year after light, the next two will go back up and things like that. Okay. >> Does this make sense? >> It seems like postage ought to be going down and the budget ought to reflect it. >> Not an issue. >> Why do you think the postage is going down? >> Well, I would guess that things are more electronic, >> but the post but they're they're required to mail out all the bills and everything. their actual mailings are not going down. The actual number of pieces of mail. >> Okay. Well, there's there's something to talk to our business. >> Well, apparently, you know, all the bills and uh are legally required to be mailed even though people would like to receive them electronically. It's not an option. >> All right. That's what I'm saying. Sounds like a state law. >> It has. We actually accepted. It was legislatively legislation and we accepted it actually. Then do we know when the implementation is? >> It's already implemented. >> Then why is postage not going down? >> It is. The rates go up. Remember, so if you go online, we can't force. So the town can't force anybody to get their real estate tax >> um bill electronically. Can't force you. But if you go on to the town's website and you choose to no longer receive a paper bill, you can voluntarily choose to no longer receive a paper bill. >> Will you get an electronic reminder? >> Yes, you get an electronic reminder. Um, and then you don't have to receive a paper bill anymore. >> Have we marketed? >> Yep. To a whole bunch of people. Ironically, this is actually kind of entertaining. Um, you would I yours truly when we turned it on thought he would be the very first person to sign up for electronic billing and all that, but in the time we turned it on and the time that I was able to walk back to my office and do it, an 85 then 85-year-old resident of the town of Arlington elected to both pay her bill electronically and get her statement electronically. We called we called her to make sure it was not a mistake and she said, "No, I don't want to get paper. I don't need paper anymore." Okay, fine bye me. All right. >> 85 is not that old. >> Demographics for technology in >> for native users. >> Must be careful. Jamie had no idea the postage budget was this >> controversial. >> Are there other questions? >> Who gives us the money for the offsets? >> Um, water sewer. >> Yeah, water sewer. Other questions? >> I'd be interested just a little follow up on George on on why it dropped so much and then came back up again if you could just touch bases on that issue. Okay. >> Okay. Uh okay. Any other questions? Okay. So, your motion is for 185969. >> Yes. >> Second. Any further discussion? >> All those in favor, please say I. >> I. >> Opposed? Unanimous. >> 39. Okay. >> Assessors will be on 311. That's uh that's Bill >> Parking 61. Good stuff. >> Um this budget again, another one that's basically going down. Um the one thing that we were looking at was the contractual services line 5236 and that's a radio VPN to connect all the meters electronically. Okay. Um, the offsets are coming from the parking district. Now, um, I have, as I said you on the phone, I have budgets that they gave me for that, but I'll wait till Wednesday to let them or I can we can go over today tonight if you want. >> Okay. Um, yeah, if we have time, we'll get to the warrant articles and you could give those or do you have them so that you can send them out? >> Well, I have I actually made copies. I can just pass them around. >> Oh, okay. Why don't you pass them around, but nobody look at them? >> You have to focus because you pass something around, everybody starts paying attention to that rather than the budgets. But why don't you just get them around and we'll come back to that. >> Okay. >> Um, so I'll pass that when we're when we're done. Um, and so I propose that we set the parking venture to 57,956. >> Second. >> Okay. Moved and seconded. Any questions? Marine, >> who's the parking clerk? It says vacant. >> There is a parking clerk. Um he currently comes in once a month and I believe that he's not taking pay but I'm not sure. I haven't seen I haven't seen a paycheck >> and his name is um escapes me. I think his last name is Carmen. >> We can't even cut it out. I mean just oh well in one month. >> Okay. Any other questions? Okay. Okay. So, then moved and seconded for 57,956 for the parking budget. Um, and the offsets there I assume are the uh from the parking district. >> Correct. And they agree with the budget that I have in my hand. >> Always a good thing. Any further discussion or questions? >> Okay. All those in favor, please say I. I >> opposed. Okay. Unanimous 39 facilities 75. All right. So facilities is the newest town department. It was created about four or so years ago um with the idea that eventually there'll be one department with one director in charge of all of the u repair and maintenance of the buildings in the town. Um we haven't gotten there yet. Um there are still departments that have their own um expense line items for repair maintenance. They have some of their own personnel. But over time, increasingly there are more buildings that are coming under the um direction of the facilities department. Um and so you'll see this year and last year and probably for the next couple of years there'll be um um fairly substantial changes in the budget, mostly increases in the budget as as this department takes on um um more responsibility. Um right now we have an interim director uh Jim Feny. Um the department's only been about four years old and we already have gone through two uh directors. Um and now we are on the third director in his acting capacity. The uh he expects to be in that position through the end of this fiscal year, but they are now trying to um hire a new director. Um and we'll see how soon that position will be filled. Um so starting with the salaries uh section of the budget the um there's an increase of $22,512 and that is primarily because we have a new senior building custoonian for the library who is also um working increased hours from the position last year. Um you will also see a line item for auto allowance that is a contractual oblig obligation. Um the three of us were somewhat concerned about the amount of that auto allowance. Um but uh if you look at the year-to- date yeartoate expenses it's fairly it's in line. Um so that is the explanation for the increase in the salary section of the budget. Um now for the expense section um the line item 5202 professional maintenance that relates to um contractual services third party uh vendors um um outside outside people that we uh um retain who are servicing uh for us providing services for us. uh that um this we have a couple of changes in the budget as printed and that's the first change 5202 instead of um asking for $140,000 the uh facilities department's budget for line item for that will be 150,000. Um I think it was last week uh Jonathan was talking about the fire department budget. Um initially um there uh there was amount of money that went to facilities and then after a discussion with the fire chief in Sandy money has been pulled out of uh some money has been pulled out of the facilities department budget and put back in the fire department but some money is staying in the facilities department budget as well. So, this $10,000 increase over what is printed is for um preventative maintenance agreements for the fire department. Um so that's 5202. Um the next line items, electricity, natural gas, training and materials, uh are level funded um and they are pretty much uh in line with historical numbers and year-to- date expens expenditures. Um let's see. Uh the next change in the budget as printed is 5262 repair maintenance. Um that um new amount is $100,044. It's been reduced by 17,000. >> What's more? >> One um 100,044. Um, and that in that reflects a $20,000 increase over last year's budget. And that is to really true up the budget. The the expect the director's expectation is that 100,000 is really more in line with what that u line item should be. >> Uh, the next line item is green repairs. This is an amount of money that the town um uses as as ma matching funds for grants that the town tries to go out and get when available. Um there are some um green repair projects in the pipeline and they include um installation of bottle filling stations to reduce plastic bottle waste. Uh purchase of new hardware to support the solar energy monitors um depicting solar array activity at buildings across the district. um installation of LED lighting dimmers in town hall annex, installation of new heaters, fan controls, and programmable thermostats at the Ed Burns Arena. Uh and the design of a new snow melting system at the Ed Burn Ed Burns Arena. So, those are some of the projects that they expect to be spending money on or have are spending money on. Um the last line on the professional services that is money uh used as needed for any designs, drawings or build bid packages that are not already covered in the capital budget. Um, so with the changes in the expenses, uh, the new facilities expense line total is $425,44. That's 425044 uh for um for a facil appropriation total of 914931 and then there's an offset and that offset is from the school and the offset is intended to pay for one half of the director salary and the administrative assistant salary. So with that offset, the new facilities department total is 808798. So I move for approval of the facilities department budget in the amount of 808798. >> Second. >> Okay. Moved and seconded. Okay. Okay. So, the offsets from the schools are half of the director's salary and half of >> the administrative assistant salary. The administrative assistant salary. >> Okay. Questions? >> I just want to I just want to confirm that the $7,000 decrease that's what's going back to the fire department, right? Okay. >> Okay. Other questions? John report the operational or electricity electricity savings from things like green repairs. Do they do that in their annual report to town meeting? >> What's that? >> Well, like LED lights that they're putting in changing the snow melt at the ring. They've been doing things like this for a while. And where do we see the operational savings? Do they report that in their annual report to town meeting about that there was some return on investment for >> I don't know that they do. >> No. >> Um there is some savings for the LED lights. Um but there's also some offset for increased energy delivery cost as well. Um but I I don't know where that is reported. >> Charlie, can you help? >> Yeah. I just want to mention that um for years I have been trying to figure out when we make investments whether it's in the lighting or chapel equipment or whatever productivity improvements how do we measure it and my conclusion is it's not possible I'm sorry if I'm a cynic but it just it it disappears into the infrastructure >> well manager will be here on Wednesday. You can repeat the question. Okay. Okay. Other questions? Okay. The motion is made and seconded for 808798. All those in favor, please say I. I. >> Opposed. Unanimous. >> 39. Okay. >> Facilities, public works will be finished on Wednesday. Um, inspections, barrel. >> Uh, yes. >> Page 125. >> Set a record for how fast we get through this. Um uh so on the uh on the salary side um the only uh significant significant increases because of steps. Um on the expense side it's level funded. Um so I move that we approve the amount as printed 534,248. Second >> questions. >> What do they read? >> I was building the record. Do you have the uh projected revenue for today or for this year? >> Um so in uh fiscal 19 it was 1.898 million. Uh fiscal 20 they're projecting at 1.9 and they're projecting that for 21 as well. Okay. >> And that money of course all goes to the general fund, >> right? >> Okay. Other questions? >> Okay. Motion's been made and seconded for 534 248. All those in favor, please say I. I. >> Opposed. unanimous health and human services. >> Can we just do the library? I just want to answer all the questions about the library. >> Okay. Uh libraries page 29 page. >> Right. So there was the question about how much is the Minute Man Library Network membership? It's $35,000 a year. Um since we don't collect fines for late books are asked um we how do we get money back after a certain period of time they will call the person contact the person and ask for either piece of material back the book or whatever or to pay for it. Um and the other question was about what are the offsets in the um Fox library and that is that those offsets are the revenue from the little box. Oh, and then someone asked the question about I think it was Christine. Um uh what is Andrea going to do about the books during the renovation? >> And she said embedded in that budget is $100,000 to pay for um you know those trailers, the storage facilities if they need to do that. Okay, that's it for the library. >> Okay. Um, okay. >> So, the minute man membership, I'm sorry, just 35,000 a year. >> Okay. Um, all right. So the salaries went up uh because we also now have a diversity coordinator who's al has already started doing trainings. Um >> you'll also notice a significant increase in the amount of um what we use to get rid of the rats. >> Mayor Margaret. >> Yes. >> What budget are we on? >> Um we're on >> health and human services. >> Health and human services page 140. 135 134. >> Okay. So they you got the rodent and mosquito control. >> Yes. So the staff is and plus the staff is being trained um called to do that. Um, see what else is um the vacant position is uh to be filled and that was the substance abuse or substance use coalition and that they want bring someone on for that in that position as opposed to um the rent has increased for them being in that building but they're also find the council on aging is also looking for ways to or places to have their different programs so that's going to cost more money until the whole senior center is done um I don't know what else I want talk about >> I'm sorry I missed the the rental of buildings that's for the uh >> well where they are now >> the community center there >> right and where they're going to be >> now will that is that going to continue to go up >> uh >> and it's gone from 16 to 25 to 37 to 50 >> well it's because they have to pay rent now that they didn't have to pay before >> right but the the rent itself keeps going up at a fairly dramatic fashion, >> right? But I don't know if that will continue. I mean, it's going they're going to be paying rent to be in that new facility, but the facility isn't totally renovated or built out yet, which is why they're paying rent to use other places to do their programs. >> Charlie, >> so um I am I right in recalling that this department has uh provides counseling services for which we get reimbursed by outside insurance. No, that's AYC. They're in an enterprise, the Arlington Youth Counseling Center. >> Okay. So, they have no external revenue in health and >> not here except for, you know, they might try to get grants and things. >> Thank you. Um and also >> it is um incumbent on that department to um pay attention to what's going on with um corona virus. So she gets regular notifications things that she needs to know people that she might need to know about because I guess some people are tested when they get off airplanes. So, she's aware. >> Um, anyway, are there other questions? >> John, >> I didn't quite get it about the rental. The buildings you said they're in that that building. Is that the senior center? >> Yes. They used to just be there. Now, they have to pay rent to be in there. It's not, >> but they pay rent to the town. They pay rent to the um >> the other >> what's the fund the uh oh the urban renewal fund >> urban renewal fund >> Maple Street urban renewal fund that's true they own that that owns the building >> that building was renovated in uh under an urban renewal grant and uh up till a couple of years ago uh on the several floors were rent paying outside entities. Uh I think there were state agencies in there and they paid rent. So basically everybody else got got away for free. Um the count the arts council the >> Arlington Arts >> Arlington Arts moved in there um to those top fours, but they don't pay rent to the degree that the uh other facilities did. >> So u the urban renewal fund has to stay solvent. Um, and I think it's Didn't you say it was going down? >> It's going down. It has about a few maybe $400,000 left. >> Yeah, >> it'll it'll probably be at zero in two years. >> At at that point, will it be able to just dissolve and this will just become a town building? >> Uh, I don't know. But at that point, it's the town budget has to make up the deficit. >> The urban renewal fund, uh, just like any enterprise fund is is backed up by the credit of the town. So that that'll become a a negative number that the town has to absorb somewhere. >> Okay. Maybe we could uh ask the manager when he comes in Wednesday more about that. Um >> but she did say the rent increase does go to redevelopment. >> Yeah. Uh- which is responsible for the urban renewal fund. But I guess I'm just wondering at what point will that no longer be needed because Are is there debt being paid off by the by the fund? >> There's um I'm trying to remember whether the SIMS debt was included in that urban renewal fund or not. >> Yeah, I just let if but the SIMS debt is is virtually gone. >> Yeah. So, it's it's the real issue is that the as you pointed out, the two outside agencies that used the space and paid market rates really funded the building and when they left um we just don't have the same income anymore. So, we we'll check with the manager on if that ever disappears, but that's the reason that formerly places that used to just sit there for free now have to make up the difference. So presumably that money is going to pay off debt rather than profits or operational costs or something like that. >> No, it's used to pay off uh capital improvements and operational costs in the urban renewal fund. It's 23 Maple Street. Um the the senior the community center and I think the Jason what's the u house? >> No, the house over on the park. The Russell Russell common the Oh, >> cutter house. >> Cutter House. >> Yeah, that that I think is also owned by that urban rule fund. >> Reef, did you want to add something here? >> I have a question. >> Okay. Um, okay. I'm going to follow up with that. So, Reef, go ahead. >> Okay. Um, see the increase in the training and then there's a couple more pieces, the rodent control and the mosquito control. Are we do we have more rodents and mosquito than our farm? >> Actually, yes. >> And then the training, what's that? >> Uh the training is the uh the training from the diversity >> diversity. >> So yes. So actually she did say specifically that the mosquito budget increased because they're now doing the licide twice a year. >> They're doing what? the larvaide for the mosquitoes, the little discs in the storm drains. >> There's lots more rats >> and there are lots more rats and more complaints about >> there are more rats. >> Construction seems to stir them up. >> Now, what does diversity training mean? I mean, I know what it what to whom is it? Uh we're we have a coordinator now who will deal with things, do trainings and also deal with incidents that >> it's a brand new position, >> right? >> Brand new. >> Thank you. >> Okay, other questions. Alen, >> the uh health inspections, there's a fee associated with those. >> Is there a fee associated with those? >> Health in like restaurant inspections and stuff. Oh um well if >> we were talking about revenues >> if some if they don't pass inspection yes they get fine. >> Okay that just goes into the general fund through local receipts. >> Yeah there was a question about revenue that's generated in this department. >> Sort of they just flop into the general. >> Yeah. So they do the they go to the different stores and make sure that people selling cigarettes to miners. Um, >> they do restaurant inspections. >> They do restaurant inspections, um, grocery store inspections. >> Okay, other questions. >> She also told us there are four people in quarantine on the town, the Corona virus right now. quarantined at home. >> Yeah. >> So anyway, she gets different notifications and so she's on top of those things, too. So I didn't want anybody to feel like things are happening without her knowing. So she's she's very involved. >> Stratton School was on the Channel 5 and Channel 4 and Channel 3 news. >> Uh not in a good way. Uh but it's nice and clean. We'll see how long it continues. >> Um I was before the selectman at 7:15 on that uh uh article 25 issue and the manager read a long thing about what what's being done. So big issue not going away. Any other questions? John, >> I I think it would be interesting to the finance committee to see what the receipts are >> because I last year with >> from all these different accounts, the chicken coupe account and when I looked with Sandy Puler last year at all these accounts >> there were dozens of them and probably some of them were being miscatategorized and there were things that >> I think if we were to look at we would know to be mistakes. For example, in some years there was income from sidewalk cafes and then next year even though we had sidewalk cafes and we have a fee for sidewalk cafes, there was no receipt at all. And that maybe because they forgot to ask the bill or maybe they just categorized it differently. >> That I think is a board of selectment issue, not a um whether they get licenses to have them. That doesn't >> I think it's an it's an annual fee, >> right? There may be the inspection but not the license to have. >> Yeah, the license to have would be a select one. But could you, you know, just to follow up, could you check on how much receipts have been there for like the last year projected for this year, >> but just that chart of accounts, they're like because they've got all these little different categories. And >> if you want receipts from inspections, is that what you're asking for? >> By inspection. Okay. I mean, I know what that is. >> Sandy Puller had to do like five different reports from Ununice to give me this last year. >> I'm sure Christine knows. So, I will ask her. >> Okay. Other questions? Okay. Can't remember. Do I have a motion? >> So, moved. Second. Second. >> Okay. Moved and seconded for uh Health and Human Services for 777,000 >> 634. >> All those in favor, please say I. >> I. >> Opposed unanimous 39. >> All right. The next one is the next budget. So I just want to everyone that um we are 75% reimbured for um working with the veterans, 100% reimbured for their housing. So, I mean, there's not much much to know about this other than the director of this program does an awesome job really on top of helping the veterans, getting them what they need, submitting them requests for the reimbursements, whatever. I mean, it's not going to come out. We just have to What am I trying to say? So, you send in money to be reimbursed and then you get a check, but that check doesn't necessarily mean that particular thing you had reimbursed. It comes in at different times, but ultimately at the end of the day, that's when they're reimbursed. So I don't have any questions because there isn't much else to say about this other than >> this used to be a it would have its ups and downs. So you know uh for a while following the Vietnam War and then gradually it would go down um during the 80s and then come back up with the first war and then go down a little bit and I think now it's almost constant. So >> well and because in this state that's um must be housed. So we have to find housing. >> Okay. >> Uh so motion made for 380 999 99996. >> Second. >> Okay. Moved and seconded. Any further discussion or questions for new people? This is as Mary Margaret said we get reimbursed for most of this. The housing is a small part of it. Most of it is 75% reimbured uh from the state >> and that comes in where do we see that coming in general >> fund through what they call local receipts or >> Yeah. >> Yeah. You'll see if you go on the cherry sheet >> you know there'll be a line item there. >> Okay. What's the cherry? >> Uh and then the money comes in into the general fund. >> $300,000 reflects the entire spend and then some of that will be come back from the state. >> That's correct. That's correct. So, we got to put it up front and uh and get it back. So, it just flows into the general fund. So, um if you take that into account, this is not a very big budget. Um okay, any further discussion or questions? Okay. All those in favor, please say I. >> I. >> Opposed. Unanimous vote. 139. Okay. the Council on Aging. >> All right. So, in the salaries and wages, that increase is because of an increase in the nurses hours. Um the increase in the rental buildings has to do again the space for offsite rental and um 12,500 for the planning department also. office supplies have increased significantly and they do their best to get supplies from nonprofits so they process. Um and also Susan um I believe is retired and her position is being posted and was at the time that we were meeting they were already interviewed that but if you've ever seen the booklet of all the activities for the Council on Aging and they're keeping those people busy. There's plenty of things to do and they oversee all of that with a pretty small staff. by you know someone to lead them if need be transport them wherever this >> so is your motion 386425 >> Charlie has a question >> okay >> who's managing the department is Susan retired >> for now Christine is until but like I said they were inter they were interviewing when we met with Christine so I presume that is going to have there soon. So in the inter >> Alan, >> so the geriatric nurse positions going way up. I guess it's because of more hours. Is there >> Yeah. >> any discussion about that? >> Um I didn't specifically ask for that. No, but I >> I was just wondering, you know, is there a particular reason why it's going up so much? >> I was going to say probably no longer um partially funded by the state. >> Oh, okay. Well, that would that would explain this. So, it' be the same hours but no longer being reimbursed, >> right? That's what I think, but I'm going to have to ask. >> Yeah. Could you follow up because they we do get grants on in on I think two positions here, >> right? >> Um do you have last year's report? >> One used to be the social worker. I don't think we do that. Yeah, looks like we had uh the nurse was it 8 hours or 08 FT? is point AFT is the geriatric mer. >> Okay. >> So they're part partially funded by state and other grants. So we must have lost some of the grants. Could you >> check on that please? Oh, and also that there's an increase in her hours as well. So that's part of it. So I will ask >> Yeah. Is the reason that the uh our cost is uh going up so much because of we lost grants that paid for it directly. Okay, other questions. Okay. So, your motion is 386425. >> Was that seconded? >> Second. >> Any further questions? >> Okay. All those in favor? We'll get the we'll get the information back, you know, on Wednesday. U all those in favor, please say I. I >> opposed. Okay. Insurance uh we'll get on Wednesday. >> Um you want to take the reserve fund? >> You can do that. Yeah. Now the manager had the number of 17 26724. >> Traditionally we spend 1% on the reserve fund. >> Is that about 1%? >> Never made the calculation. >> Yeah, it's about uh 20,000 121,000 higher. >> Oh, maybe Bill was going to check on that. >> Yeah, why don't we just hold it off? >> Okay. >> Okay. Reserve fund then uh June the 11th, water and sewer is the 23rd. Council on Aging Transportation >> 173. Next time I'll come back to weaponry because there were some things we still had to explain. But we'll start. Okay. So, the expense fund is to repair the vans. Um the taxi expense is from what u the town subsidizes when seniors get the dial taxi. Um down in the CDPG is um All right. The CVG subsidizes the cabs and the other rides as well. >> I mean the numbers that have changed changed to be more realistic or true. The down at the bottom 4972 the transfer from retained earnings is using funds to balance out. >> Do we have a uh questions? Yeah, I haven't. >> So transfer from general fund. >> So in the actuals that's a very small number. Is that because we budget it but we don't spend it if they don't need it or is that because this is new us subsidizing? Is this new us subsidizing from the general fund? >> No, it's not. >> Okay. But in the actual columns, we don't seem to have actually spent the money. You see what I'm saying? Actual for 2018 and actual for 2019. Those are very small numbers. And then we budgeted $50,000 last year and are budgeting it this year. >> So, how close to actual do we think those budget numbers are? I don't know how to answer that. I think that I trust her doing her budgets, right? I guess what I'm wondering is I can't tell from this what the budget was in 2018 or 2019 versus the actuals. >> Are you tracking the transfer from the general fund? >> Transfer from general fund. Yeah. I guess the question is how is that done? Is that a one big check at some point or is it paying bills or >> or is it not done if they don't need it if their budget balances without it? >> They wrote a check for 600. >> Related to that >> the salaries on the bottom on the salary detail >> versus what's up above is There's a significant difference on that. Would that be where that transfer to plug the difference? >> I don't know. >> This budget is just all about transportation. No, I understand you have on the wages at 115 down below >> it's 75. >> It's like a $40,000 difference. Let's wait. >> I wonder if there's an error because also auto gas and oil is in the personal services summary. >> We love our vehicles, but that may or may not be related, but there's something off here. >> Yeah, let's >> Yeah, let's postpone this budget because well, up above are the expenses. Down below are the revenues that I think. Yeah, but but if you look at the personnel services total and the expense summary total, you'll see that he's right. There's $5,000 that have been added to the salaries and wages to make up that personnel services budget. Looks like >> you look at it. Yeah, personal services,00 you add up training expense and taxi expense, it equals 19,000. There's like two lines in the summary of expenses. Yeah, it's the salaries and wages plus auto gas, >> which doesn't make sense. >> So, somebody skipped the line. >> Yeah, >> somebody. >> Okay, I can give you a hint. I'm looking at the spreadsheet >> and the number is actually 75653 plus 40,000. Question is, what's that 40,000? >> Yeah, that is that question. >> What is that 40,000? Okay. So, you need to find find out why >> that's 40,000 difference. >> Find out what the past what the actual reserve fund transfers or general fund transfers have been >> for a couple past years for seven for 18 and 19 probably. >> So, what are those being used for? Do you have a fund balance for this account from 2019? >> Yes. 61,77. >> How much? 61 >> 61,707 >> 707. >> Yes. >> Okay. So that's your fun >> 101 did you say? >> 61 >> 61,77 >> is the fund balance there. score fee. Okay. So, um why don't we table this until Wednesday and uh figure out how that folds that holds together. Mr. Chairman. >> Yes, Charlie. >> I'd like to go back to the reserve fund. >> Oh, okay. >> I'd like to recommend as printed to 1,726,7. >> I'm sorry, Charlie. We can't hear. >> Sorry. I'd like to recommend as printed to 1,726,724 as a reserve fund. >> What page? on page >> 152. >> Second. >> So, did you calculate it how it works? >> Uh, it's it's it meets my 1% criteria. It's a little bit above that, but >> close enough. >> Well, considering that we're probably going to have additional expenses, unpredictable expenses next year. >> It's probably reasonable thing to do. >> Okay. We we upped uh for new people, we up the reserve we went up in the reserve fund for years um largely um to make sure that we cover snow and ice without having to go into deficit. Um and and that's worked out pretty well. So uh the recommendation is 1 million 726724. Is there a second? >> Second. >> Okay. Anybody have any questions on it? Brian, >> this year in particular, obviously with everything that's going on um and how we're not really adjusting any budgets for what's going on with the virus. Um, should this be upped a little bit for for for one one only for one year just to cover ourselves? I have no I have no idea what the you know what it could be, but I just see something going crazy. >> It's okay, Brian. It's never going to snow again. >> Well, I'm not even thinking about the snow. I'm talking about everything else. Corona virus. I'm the one that wanted the snow budget of two million. >> Yeah. >> Well, yeah. I mean, we've got a substantial surplus in there. Um, >> I mean, no, I normally I think it's good. >> So, I agree. I thought about what Brian was thinking except I was going to mention it later on in a different way, which is when we get to warrant articles next year, we probably we could or should put in an article to to reopen the 2021 budget, fix it if we needed to. So if we were spending over, we just do it at that point. You take it out of the bigger reserve fund. Yeah, we have to have a source once we set the tax rate. You have to have a source of money and the only one available is free cash. Um, which we're trying to avoid. >> Um, Charlie, >> yeah, I I for the new members, I'd just like to point out that if we don't spend to the 1.7 million, it goes back into free cash. >> I'm sorry. What? >> Goes back into into free cash. goes back into the general fund. So >> and then gets recalculated out. >> Other observations or comments on what Brian said? Chain >> sorry. What's the reserve fund for? >> UN uh it's basically there for uh it's not emergency. It's unfores trying to remember the exact wording in the law. Uh extraordinary or unforeseen circumstances. So, you know, we we we budget the snow and ice uh for for a certain level and if it comes in higher than that, we could use a reserve fund. If in May, Health and Human Services says, "We're being overwhelmed. We need more money." That's what the reserve fund is there for. Sometimes you'll have uh a number of people retire in one small department and they just can't cover the retirement costs. uh the uh uh there's several things where people walk out with a chunk of money uh and that's what the reserve fund is used for. So it's it it's all of those things and if we don't spend it just goes right back in gets recalculated as free cash and we have it available next year >> accumulating balance we appropriate every fiscal year. >> No we have we have different funds so stabilization does that but the reserve fund is just this year >> to make sure we balance at the end. Thank you. >> Treasurer comes and says, "Oh my god, I miscalculated debt service. You know, I need another 150,000." >> Oh, no. Treasurer would ever do that. >> Yeah. Hopefully not, but uh >> not not the current. >> No, not the current one, but you know, anyway. >> Uh John, >> this is a very unusual year. We have this Corona virus and economies all across the world seem to be having difficulties. I'm just wondering if we ought to increase the number substantially just for this year. Anticipating, you know, >> okay, Charlie. >> Yeah, I Allan just mentioned something that has been on my mind. I think the real risk here is not the reserve budget. The real risk is that uh the state's not going to collect uh all the capital gains taxes they've been counting on and some of the incomes are going to you know corporate income tax is going to go down and um you know we may see uh what is that 903C uh cuts >> you know the governor's uh >> what is it called >> 90 >> yeah we're going to we're going to see we'll probably see that um this summer that it's going to roll through and go >> next year's cherry sheet adjusted. >> Yeah, >> that's the risk. >> Yeah, >> I personally see if you agree, Charlie. I personally think that, you know, when we increase this up, we increased it substantially. Uh I don't think there's there's many towns that have 1% of their budget. I think they'll be enough to take care of whatever we need because, you know, if you have needs it, uh, vaccines, uh, shelters, things like that, they're not huge ticket items. Um, and then you get the Red Cross involved and things, but, uh, I think it would be enough for now. Um, Dean, >> so going to make a motion. Um, I'm I'll explain what it is. I'm gonna read what I wrote. I hope you support it. And so when I was when I was thinking about coronairus everywhere was looking at our schedule and one of the things I realized is that there is there are gaps in the finance committee schedule. So the way the mechanisms of town government don't actually line up with being able to get access to money. So our last meeting of the finance committee could be like June 7th >> and the town manager in HS could deal the money June 21st. we're sort of off and running or we're gone. So, what I did was, this goes back to my longstanding belief that if you don't trust the chairs and the vice chairs of this committee, you should do something about it in June when you vote for officers. So, what I did was I wrote a motion. I'm going to read that it says that if in the in the process of dealing with coronairus the town manager need to transfer from the reserve fund but the next scheduled finance committee meeting is either impractable or impossible to meet that need that the committee authorizes its chair with the consent of two vice chairs to review approve and execute the trans and so it reads as follows. says which is what I said says if in an effort to combat the outbreak of coronavirus cocoid9 within Arlington the town manager requests a transfer of funds from the finance committee reserve fund but waiting until the next scheduled finance committee meeting is impractical or impossible the finance committee authorizes its chair with the consent of two vice chairs to review approve and execute the transfer this authorization shall expire on February 1, 2021. uh we are going straight through to next year because I really don't want to come back in September 1st to um approve money from the reserve fund for coronairus and frankly I don't want to be in coming here on June 30th to approve a transfer for it. >> I second that motion >> okay discussion David >> why not three vice chairs >> so my other motion always said two but I could do three friendly amendment friendly Three vice chairs. Pretty well got a country or something. So >> So three vice chairs. >> Yeah. >> Okay. Alan, >> did I miss it? Was it was there a dollar amount limit on that or is that >> No, you spend the whole thing. >> The whole reserve fund. >> Yeah. >> Remember that trip I've been working? >> I was going to say I'll see you when you get back. >> So Alan, but Alan, in all seriousness, this goes back to my first statement, which is >> Yeah. >> I trust you. Like I trust you. If you ask for it all for no reason, you would say, >> right? leaving. >> She can't take it to cruise on her ship. Okay. >> So, if we have a new to >> Okay. Is there any further discussion on on Dean's motion? >> I would like to ask Al what your status is going to be up until February next year. If you're not the chair, I'm not sure what your timing is. I just want to make sure we don't have a technicality that prevents this from actually happening. I don't know who's going to be the chair. >> Well, we could call a meeting. We call it an emergency meeting. It's just >> I mean, we we have right now about a million and a half of money in the reserve fund. We just haven't used it. So, we have a we'll meet in about the second week in June for reserve fund transfer requests. So, you know, between now and then, we we've got funds to cover anything that happens. um uh that the town manager can can get in spend and encumber um on that. So I I wonder if that motion would be better in June because right now until the end of June, we've got this covered. Uh >> but we have a break, don't we? Like we're going to end on the 23rd and town meeting is going to start the last week of April. So we have almost a month where we don't meet. And to me, if we're gonna have a moment where we need it, that's going to be the moment. >> Okay. >> We meet we meet the town meeting. >> Well, we meet Yeah. a town meeting, >> right? But we don't meet for the last meeting here until first. We go three three four weeks without a meeting. >> Yeah. >> And we might not be able to meet those three. >> Well, we'll all be quarantined. >> Yeah. If we are here, >> my house is directly across the street from the school. >> Yeah, I would find it hard to think that the between now and June that the town manager could come up with a an emergency amount of this magnitude that he couldn't predict and organize uh a request for the finance committee to meet. I mean, I I I just can't imagine that we're talking about 12 weeks and um I don't think that Casey Stangle said, you know, forecasting is hard, especially about the future. You know, we we could um limit that a little bit and maybe have two motions. one is, you know, let's say the worst circumstance happens and literally we can't have meetings or or if I had meetings, I couldn't get a quorum. So, if you made a motion between now to the end of uh June uh that uh um the chair with the approval of the vice chair could appropriate could transfer and let's put a number 100,000. I I can't imagine like Charlie that you you he could come up with a number in excess of that. Um and then at the end of June that the motion fades is that or put something into the effect that if that if you can't get a quorum within 48 hours put then that's really what this is about. >> But I have a I have a question or comment. I mean how do you define meeting right we are talking about a physical meeting but effectively in this day and age why not you know you can have a tele uh >> you know we've had delegations like this in the past but usually it's you know 10,000 and 25,000 um >> what the needs will be for the uh this this corona virus within the town of Arlington I haven't a clue um but but things have been popping fairly fast. But if we I I I see maybe you could have a need in case we just can't get a quorum to meet and we can't do a transfer if the if the finance committee delegated to the chair and the vice chair uh through June 30th with a number and you know 100,000 I sort of pulled out of the air uh with a cap like that. Dean >> motion withdrawn. New motion if in an effort to combat the outbreak of coronavirus coid9 within Arlington. The town manager requests a transfer from the finance committee of up to $100,000 but waiting till the next scheduled finance committee meeting is impractical and possible. Finance Committee authorizes its chair with the consent of one, two, >> I say two out of the three >> two vice chairs to approve, review, approve, and execute transfer. This authorization shall expire June 30th, 2020. >> Is there a second? >> Somehow that's a one-time authorization, but you can't do it three days in a row. >> A total of >> total >> total of total of 100,000. Is there precedent for this? Have we done this? >> Yeah, we've been doing it for 30 years, I think. But it usually is >> Well, it's a different president. >> It's it's a different precedent. Usually, >> that's a different motion, I think. Um, it it's usually if the if the manager needs X dollars right away for some kind of an emergency in the middle of August and I don't even know if I have 11 people in town, then the chair with the approval of the vice chair can transfer um a certain amount of money. So yeah, there is precedent for it. This is a little bit further than that, but it's still limited. >> Okay. So Dean, that's your motion. >> Is there a second? >> Yes, sir. Okay, it's seconded. Discussion. All those in favor, please say I. >> I. >> Opposed. >> Okay. Dean, could you send that to Peter? >> Okay. Okay. Back to the finance committee. Reserve fund of 1,726 724. >> So move. >> Second. >> Further discussion. All those in favor, please say I. >> I. >> Opposed? Unanimous. 39 uh reserve fund. Okay. Uh >> do you want to do AYCC? >> Sure. >> What page? >> Uh 178. >> So there in the salaries and wages there was a big jump because they added um two new roles at the bottom if you look at the um last two folks on the salary page. So, Elpar's job is to do homeless um outreach and it's al it's a um funded between the police and AYCC and Buren's job is a community resource for those who are struggling. Um, and let's see, there were two Oh, two positions were added. They're both clinical and Christine is looking for um grant funding for these programs. Um, see what else? So the way this program works, they have a variety of clinicians who counsel children and their families. Um it's required that they have a psychiatrist who will over oversee the program and the medication. Nurse practitioners can write prescriptions, but still they need a psychiatrist to oversee the program. Um so most of these clinicians are fee for service. They do get some I mean they get funding from a number of sources mostly the insurance reimbursement. Um, and if you look at the insurance reimbursement line there, it's not necessarily that they're getting more insurance, they're getting there more sessions. So, the it's not the amount that gone up, but the amount of sessions. The gifts and donations um are usually grants that are attached to specific programs. And um she's always looking for more grant various programs. You can transfer from other funds from the town. Are there any other things that jump out that people want to ask about? >> Charlie, >> what's the fun balance? Um 53212 she was going to verify that again but I didn't hear from her so I will ask her that question as well. Oh, the other thing I wanted to say is the the main reason this program is so important is that it's very hard to find psych psychiatric care for children and this is one of the best programs around. >> Okay, >> so I have a question about this 52300 fee for service clinicians. Should I say that? >> Right. They're not on staff. We pay them. I guess my question is that we have people on staff right so effectively why is there so much is that so let me question >> is this a tremendous amount of demand or what is the need to go sp you know I'm not questioning the program please let be clear don't want to be rude in any way I'm just saying >> why are they not should they need more staff in order to accommodate this need rather than going outside and paying higher fees I don't necessarily know they're paying higher fees. >> Outside consultants are typically I'm sorry that's >> well they're they're not consultants. They're actual clinicians. >> Okay. They're outside right there still heavier loads than having in in house >> right >> in my experience in the working world but it might be different. Anyway, I'm all I'm saying is that looking at that fee which is almost consistently there 245 217 250 250. >> Have you in your discussions uncovered anything about that in terms of increasing the staff as opposed to going outside? >> Well, I'm sure if we had had them all on staff then we'd have to pay health insurance and everything else. Charlie, >> I will >> I'm sorry. >> So, I just want to make a couple comments. First of all, Arie, those fees are for specific types of clinicians. They're different people with different specialties, okay, with children. So, you couldn't have all of those people hired. They wouldn't necessarily be employed full-time. Secondly, um this budget has uh I mean this is Christine. >> So um you know about 10 years ago this this budget was in a complete disaster and the town manager at the time was about to pull a plug on the whole thing because it was just draining money like crazy from the town. And what she did, and this goes back to these specialists, is that she turned this around so that it's it's actually generating revenues from insurance companies and other um what do we call it? Uh uh welfare prov, you know, uh providers that are that that service uh these children in need. and and so that the town hasn't transferred more than that 120,000 or so from the general fund to this budget for a long long time. And and that's because uh she's generating all this income from these other categories that you see down here. So it's to me it's it's uh I don't want to call it a miracle, but it's pretty amazing. And um uh I you know that's what those $250,000 are for, among other things. Well, thank you. Just add this is a service in this town is envied by envied by other towns and she is often asked about sending something up like this in other towns. >> That's great. Excellent. Yeah, I know nothing about this. As Charlie says, you know, used to bleed us year after year to year when we figured out how to to hire these people and bill. >> She also works really hard to get the grants and donations and have the fundraisers. >> Can I since the program, if I could add one, >> Alan? Yeah, I was just going to say it and also, you know, as a big fan fan of independent contractors, it gives you some flexibility because some of the funding sources are kind of uncertain. So, when it comes nine months into the year, employees, you have a lot more obligations than than contractors. So, they more flexibilities, but but the uh the last two um positions are new. >> Is that a uh expansion of the mission? is so like like for example the homeless outreach is that for homeless youth or or is the mission being expanded? >> Well, I suspect since it's by both AYCC and and the police that they're concentrating on outreach to children children and their families >> and then community resource specialist what so those are new positions. What? This is an expansion of the definition of what AYCC does. >> Well, there's still responsibilities still for children, but you know, children come as a family. So, could be the family unit. There's also a lot more homeless and there are homeless children with the homeless adults. >> Some homeless people trying to sleep in a library, for example, she said. >> Well, I understand. I'm just trying to say whether this is >> um whether it's expanding the Richmond AYCC by adding responsibilities. >> I don't think necessarily. It's still children's counseling. That's primary primarily what it's for. Um but there are children who are homeless and they come with a family. >> I'm just trying to understand. >> Right. >> They used to not opposing it. just trying to see whether it's expanding. >> Yeah. I mean, and and I'm not sure if the community resource specialist, um they used to, this is many years ago, uh have people who would go out to playgrounds, you know, if there were youth gathering and playgrounds and things, they'd go out and talk with them and and see if they could head off any potential problems for the neighborhood. Um, I I think that effort was reduced over a while, but I'm just guessing I if if if you could define what each of those positions is spec, you know, positions is supposed to do, I think that would be helpful. >> Being a homeless outreach. >> Yeah. I mean, that's pretty >> like how many children, how many adults? Is that what you're asking? >> Well, uh, what's their job description? >> Okay. >> Maybe how they work with the police. >> Okay. >> Okay. Charlie. >> Yeah. I think I this um came up at another meeting that I was at in the town and I believe that the town is involved with the is it Arlington, Medford, Somerville um as a coalition? >> Yeah. >> Uh to to help address the issue of homelessness and I think this is related to to Arlington's response to their in their responsibility in that coalition. I I just want to reemphasize that I think this is an amazing program. Okay, Alan. >> I mean, I guess what what whenever there's a significant change in a budget, we we periodically we typically add a footnote just to explain to town meeting members why is that a big change. So, if there was a a oneline footnote that we could add to explain what >> okay >> that is I think it's just a a benefit to town meeting members are looking at and might avoid questions on the floor. >> Okay. >> One last thing you mentioned homelessness has increased. Can you quantify that or do you have anything more to add? >> I don't, but I could ask Christine and the police what they have. I'm sure they have plenty of >> I think there's been a constant problem in East Arlington uh both in the uh uh underneath the bridge going into the wife. >> Yeah. >> Um and then on the Mubar property police chief sat there. >> Yeah. And my guess is also if you if you went into alwife into the other areas of alwife homeless have been living there for years >> and I think this is an attempt to address that. David, >> as someone that spent 29 years in the board of youth services, I can tell you that the Allen Youth Consultation Center in name has expanded beyond originally what it started in the in the 70s to include not only the youth but the youth families. And usually when you're dealing with youth, you're also dealing with the family as a whole. Um, and that that in and of itself, they have to address certain concerns that come up. Um, the the clinicians at one time we had clinicians that worked for the town. They were town employees, but they were they really weren't full-time positions more so they they were uh halftime positions because they all had their own individual practices at the time. Um this I I believe turns out better than what they used to have the these folks that do it by contract. Um as far as um the mechanism for funding at one time they were not allowed to go out outside monies. Um it took an quite an effort to pick up they call third party payments the insurance insurance at one time you couldn't do that. then you had there was certain qualifications that you had to have to collect that insurance payments and and that um created some adjustments on on the uh the council itself. So, um there's a lot of history to AYCC, but it's it is for youth, but in today's world, it's for problems that come up like homeless, um family situations that arise. And that's why you see all especially these two new positions that are more in today's place than say 30 years. >> I I think she does a great job and it's a great program. >> Yeah. and and and likewise they also done they they have to they do independent fundraising now that we couldn't do when we were >> say 25 years ago >> they also together do a lot of work to stop problems from >> progressive >> and they're actually they might be down the east but there when you get into it they do right through the schools whether it's elementary or secondary levels they're involved with And going back to John's point, um, this this whole thing is looked at from other cities and towns as phenomenal weed in have this dysfunction. >> Okay. U Andy, did you >> I just wanted to add that um at at a point in time when we were going to cut this budget, I asked the chief of police about it and he said that he considered than our previous police chief. Could he consider this an extension of the public safety that this actually reduces the amount of money he needs for enforcement because of the problem. It's just a a really important service that's being provided. So just a thought. >> Okay. Are there any other questions on the AYCC fund? So, uh, Mary Margaret, are you recommending 827839? >> Absolutely. >> Second. >> Any further discussion? >> All those in favor, please say I. >> I. >> Opposed? Unanimous. 39. Okay. And I'm going to um I'm going to talk to the manager tomorrow. Um, and I'll ask you maybe get to, you know, talk about the new positions and uh hear what therefore I'd like to know myself. Okay. Now, that >> that takes care of the budgets so far. So, on Wednesday, uh Adam will come in. Um we'll be dealing with the parking budget, which we have a copy of from Brian. Uh so, Liz, see if you can fit this within the framework that's in the B that's in the that article. now. Uh not now, but you know, if you have any questions, call Brian. Okay. So, we'll have the parking of the bicycles, the uh cable access, and then we'll have human resources. So, that's Carolyn. We'll have the assessors. It's Bill public works. That'll take a while. It's Christine and her crew. Uh and council on aging transportation revisit that um I don't >> insurance right insurance would be the 23rd okay and we'll do the uh school stipen and now Peter I had a couple articles at the end that I thought we had voted on, but maybe we didn't. Did we vote on article 73, which is the overlay, and 74, which is the transfer of fund cemetery? >> We did the transfer and fund cemetery. >> Okay. So, >> the overlay would be when Bill was here. >> Okay. with the assessor's budget. >> Okay. So, we transferred $150,000 to the cemetery commissioners for care of town cemeteries and 10,000 to the capital budget. So, that's been voted. Okay. Good. >> Did we delete 150,000? >> Did we vote the 150,000? >> We just voted the part to the uh capital budget >> which is the 10,000. >> So, we didn't vote the Did we vote? >> We have to vote the 150. >> Okay. So we still need to do that. Okay. Overlay reserve wait for bill. Okay. There's one vote we could take which is article 64. Now article 64 is the miscellaneous article. I guess that's what we call it. Yep. I'm wondering if we should move Harry Barber into the uh one of the other funds in the future, but that's another issue. So, uh under Miscellaneous, there's a legal defense fund, which we vote zero because it it's we use this as a vehicle if we need to transfer money from. We haven't transferred money in 10 years. Um and B is the indemnification of medical costs. Now these are retired fire and police uh who uh have incurred medical costs. Uh they've gone they uh requires them to go to their own insurance uh to do it. If the insurance will not cover then we uh reimburse them through this fund. The amount of the fund that is needed for last year so we have actual bills is $10,666. Um, >> 10,666. >> So, do I have a motion on that? >> So, move to move. >> Okay. >> Second. >> Moved and seconded for favorable action. Anybody have any questions on this? So, this is just Oh, what would you uh It's just not covered under regular town health insurance. Um, okay. Any questions? All those in favor, please say I. >> I. >> Unan U. All those opposed. Unanimous. 39. >> Uh, Peter, did we vote Article 63. >> It's town celebrations and events. >> Okay. Yes. did that voted uh committees and commissions minute access. Okay. So, uh we've got a lot to do on Wednesday. I think we're getting close. Uh I ask you to take a look at the health insurance budget, the water and sewer budget. Um the school is we we just give them a flat number. Uh and and we'll see if we want to take a vote on that on the grounds that we for some reason don't meet on the 23rd. Uh so is there any other business before the committee? Okay. Meeting adjourned.