Finance Committee July 14, 2026

Welcome everyone. This is the finance committee. It is Tuesday, July 14, 2026 at 6:33 and I would like to call the meeting to order with the pledge of allegiance. I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America and to the flag for it stands one nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all.

Under Mass General Law section 30A se chapter 30A section 20F. This meeting is being recorded. On March 28th, 2025, Governor Haley signed into law a bill which extends the temporary provisions pertaining to open meeting law to June 30th 2027.

Specifically, this further extension allows for public bodies to continue to hold meetings remotely without a quorum of public body physically present and meeting location and to provide adequate alternative access to remote meetings.

The language does not make any substantive changes to open meeting law other than extending the expiration date of the temporary measures from March 31st, 2025 to June 30th, 2027.

All right. Well, welcome everyone. Um, good evening.

So, good evening. Good evening. So, the first thing I need to do is just do a roll call of the members that are present. Um, so let's see. We've got Nancy Stan Cross is here.

Here.

Hi, [clears throat] Nancy.

Hi.

Oh, Ellie's here.

Zack Lru here.

Cindy Brown here.

Let's see. Who am I missing? I'm missing. So, we have two new members we'll introduce. It's Tony Beveres.

Welcome.

Hi.

Hi, Tony.

Hi, Tony.

And Kathy Kaitton. Kaitton. Did I say Kaitton? Kaitton.

Kaitton.

Great. And myself, Karen Rouse. So, I think uh presently uh Gary Carrero is not present and I have not seen uh Duncan yet. So, um yeah, I'm I'm here on the phone.

get in on the m.

Okay. Hi, Duncan.

All right, great. Um, Nancy, if you It'd be great if you could keep your camera on so we can all be visible here if you can. And I don't think you can, right, Duncan? You're not able to, right? Okay.

Well, welcome everyone.

I've got I've got no meeting ID and you know, it's on a PDF and I can't All right. We got you. You're here. So, that's great.

All right. Well, welcome. Um, all right.

So we uh the first thing I want to do is welcome we have two we have two I've lost my agenda here so one second.

So the first thing on the agenda is I'd like to welcome our we have two new members. Um I'm the third member so I just renewed for a three-year term. And then we have um Christopher Thrasher and Hugh Morton uh rolled off their their term ended June 30th. So, we have two new members um replacing those seats. And so, I'd like to welcome Tony Vais and and Kathy.

And I'd love for you guys to, if you don't mind, I'll put you on a hot seat right away. Um just introduce yourself and and maybe um give us a little insight of what what attracted you to want to join this wonderful committee.

Go ahead, Tony. Go ahead, Kathy. You can go first. You can go first.

Kathy Kaitton. I work I used to work for the town of Stoton. I had I dealt with Fincom a lot with because I was the assessor in Stoton and I had to deal with my budget with Fincom. So I thought they were interesting then when I was told there was a position available. I was like okay I'll try it.

All right.

Well welcome. We hope we meet your expectations. Oh, well, keeps me busy.

Great. Thank you. And how about you, Tony? I think a few of us might know who you are, but some of you guys, some of you guys know me. For those who don't, uh, I've been a Westport resident for, I think, 26 years now. Uh, I have a beautiful wife and two boys that are 21 and 23.

Uh, both went through the Westport schools. Uh, I I was a school committee member for 13 years. I think I might have been chair maybe five of those years. Not really sure.

Been on several town committees currently trying to wrap up the school building committee and I was just walking down in in Leed one day and somebody hit me over the head and told me I had to join the finance committee. So that's why I'm here with you wonderful people.

All right. Well, someone must have really hit you over the head. Somebody hit me really hard.

They beat you up. Yeah, I've always enjoyed being involved. So, I this is this will just, you know, keep me uh keep me involved in what's going on in town. So, great. Well, welcome to both of you.

Welcome to both of you. Um, all right. I didn't say also I am a registar and I had to go through the ethics committee to make sure I could be on the fin but I filled out the paperwork so I'm I'm good now.

Great. And are you both sworn in? So are you act so you're both members? Okay.

And then I know I think there's a conflict of interest training that that you need to do as a new member and then we all need to do one every year but um Okay. So you're both sworn in. So this way you'll be able to to vote on anything that we do tonight. Great.

Okay.

Okay. Well, so the first item um the next item on our agenda is our annual reorganization.

And so every year we um nominate a chair and then a vice chair for the upcoming year. So, I have served um as the chair this past year and um I would be happy to do it again if if I'm welcome to do so if anybody else wants to be here. Um that's also we can entertain that too.

Motion to elect Karen as the chair again. Do we have to make a motion for that?

You do. You have to vote on it. I'll I'll second that.

Thanks. Any other discussion on that?

All right.

Okay. I'll do it again. Here we go. All right. So, so we have to do a roll call vote for that. So, uh Duncan, I'll start with you.

Uh Duncan Law, I Thank you, Zach.

Zach Leu. I Kathy.

Kathy Kaitton. I Tony.

I Tony Viver. L D lays I Nancy I Nancy Stanton cross Cindy Cindy Brown I and I think I can vote for myself but Karen Rosai I too. Thank you. All right so now we have a a vice chair. So again Cindy has served uh as the vice chair.

Um I don't know if Cindy would like to join again. I'd love to have her again.

But uh if anybody wants to make a nomination for a vice chair, I'll make a motion that Cindy be vice chair again.

Second.

Second.

Any discussion?

Great. All right, Cindy, we got you hooked in again.

That's That's what you get for being on vacation.

That's why Gary's not here tonight, right? So this way. Great. All right.

Thank you.

Thanks. We'll do a roll call again. All right Duncan.

Uh Dr.

Sackle. I uh Kathy, Kathy Kaitton, I Tony, uh, Tony V. I Al [snorts] Al le I Nancy, Nancy Stanton, Cross I.

Cindy, uh, I guess I'll vote in the affirmative. Cindy Brown, I and Karen Rose. All right. Thank you.

Well, thank you. Thank Thank you both.

Um, I appreciate Thank you.

I appreciate uh your your confidence in me. So, thank you again. Um, all right.

So, the next item on our agenda is um this is a light meeting for us. So, this is more administrative things. So, um the next the next item is our committee and layon assignments. And I can do a screen share uh to show what we have.

Um, give me one second.

All right. Can we see that a little bit?

Yeah.

Okay. So, so we have committees.

So, all our committees have expired on June 30th, 2026. So, we have to uh here we would make recommendations to for our committee members to be reappointed to the committee and then uh we present that information to the select board who then would make the committee recommendations. So, just to go through, Zach has been on the energy committee and the tax incentive program committee.

Cindy is the fin rep on the personnel board. We also have Gary uh as a fincom rep on the personnel board.

We now have an open position for the the CPC uh since Hugh was that uh position before.

I was the school building committee rep, but now we have Tony here, so we might want to swap that out a bit. Um then we have Duncan was uh the internet advisory committee and the infrastructure oversight committee and then Ali's on the capital improvement planning committee and Nancy Stan Cross I think where the plan was for Nancy to join the audit committee this year as Cindy was rolling off

and then there was a long-term building committee but I think board may ended that committee. So, I'm not sure if we need to reappoint to that one.

Cindy, do you does anybody know anything on that committee?

I I believe that they have uh disbanded that committee.

Disbanded. Okay. So, we can Yeah, we'll take that off or list.

Okay.

Um so the first question so we so what I would suggest for for our two new members to limit the amount of committees because the first year is enough to absorb without also being on committees. So, um that would be a suggestion that I would have um to not to not worry yourselves about committees at the present time except for Tony who I would suggest I could roll off the being the school committee

fincom rep since Tony you are the chair of that committee.

Would you mind also serving as the fincom rep?

Sure. Yeah.

Okay. Absolutely.

Okay. This way then I I don't need to be on that committee.

as a duplicate.

Okay.

Um, is everyone else comfortable with the committees that they're currently on willing to continue to serve on those?

I am. I am. Okay. Um, I'm not sure.

There was a discussion about the energy committee possibly being dissolved. just as a heads up. I haven't heard back yet, but I know the board is discussing it.

So, I'll keep you guys tuned for that.

Okay. Well, we can um we can ask for you to be reappointed and if if the select board then has it, then we can they'll cancel that out.

Okay.

Nancy, are you okay going on to the audit committee for the the new appointment?

[clears throat] Did we lose Nancy?

No, I'm back. Sorry.

Oh, right. Sorry.

I had to let my dog in.

Well, that's okay.

Um, so yeah, I'm on the audit. That's fine.

Okay, great. Okay, so the the one open position now is actually the CPC. And I actually haven't been on a committee forever since I've been the chair and I wouldn't mind being on the CPC. Um, unless somebody then I think you then I think you should take it.

Yes.

Yeah.

Okay. Okay. I I would love to be on a committee. I have not been on a committee in so long. Um Okay.

Okay. Then that would take care of our committees. So I will send uh this list to the select board for their uh consideration and appointment.

Karen Karen Karen who's on the school committee because I was on the school committee last year.

So So those are our budget layers on assignments. We're going to get to those right next Duncan. So these are these are the committee. So I'm going to come jump right down here. So now, yeah, the Internet Advisory Committee, the Internet Advisory Committee doesn't really Yeah, there's nothing there.

And I think they may have been considering disbanding that one, too.

I'm not sure.

I think they did. I'm pretty sure they did.

Okay. Well, we'll we'll um if if it's not disbanded, we can keep you on it. If it is disbanded, we'll update our our list. So, that's fine. I didn't get any word from the select board on what committees they may have um discontinued. So, okay. So, now we have So, those are the the committees. Now, we have our own internal layers on assignments and for for our two new members too. So these are

each department has a budget and we assign a member of the finance committee to be a leasison to to help coordinate um discussion and and scheduling of the budget or if there's any questions. So there's not a a lot of work other than to stay coordinated with your department. You're not actually preparing budgets or doing anything of that nature. So Al has a series of um departments here. We now

if I could if I could weigh in quickly on online the uh accountant assessors town reports which I really don't know what that is and the town farm which we have never met. They're extremely easy lifting the accountant and the assessors in particular. um [clears throat] they're very self-contained. They're very whatever and they and their needs are very uh limited. So, [clears throat]

I'm happy to continue. How having said that, I'm also happy to give those up if somebody else or one of the two new members would like to be a liaison.

Okay, great. Thanks, Sam. So, let's let's just we'll go right down the list here. So um these the next ones either were a previous member so now they're open um animal control transfer station board of health reserve fund and we split regional schools I think to not have too much in the schools with with Duncan because I think just being the um school committee rep is is quite a bit in and

of itself since that's such a large budget.

Then we have Cindy who has select board, town hall, street lights, council on aging, commission on disabilities, and personnel board.

Then we have Gary that has uh treasurer, cemetery, uh insurance, collector, highway, snow and ice, debt. Uh these are simple ones, the long-term debt trust funds.

Then we have another open series. Um I think this was Hugh had the these I think. Um legal department, planning board, appeal board, police department, sealer of weights, parking tickets, and water enterprise.

And then Nancy uh has veteran graves, veteran services, recreation, library, town, beach, town clerk, election registar.

And then I have it and then a series of p um insurance what's unemployment, workers comp, retirement, health insurance, life insurance, Medicare and revenue.

And then Zach has the building inspector moderator finomecom conservation committee, and historical commission.

Um so it's it's up for for anybody if anybody has anything in particular they want uh or to switch. Um an easy an easy alternative is we have two open slots with open uh ones that our two new members can can also fill those slots and to make it easy. So it's really up to the committee and what what everyone would like to do.

Uh Karen, I'm open. Whatever you guys uh think I I'm fine. I'll I'll I can I'll take whatever ones you whatever ones you want me to take.

All right. Great. Go ahead, Zach. you've got your hand out.

Yeah, I've got some light lifting on my on my committees. I'd be open to uh taking on the board of health um just as like offering that but of course if any of the new members want to take any of those open positions you know first and so I would just suggest if someone wanted one of the board of health I would suggest to also take the transfer station and animal control because

they're all all done by the same department.

Understood.

I think it would be easier coordination for everybody.

I would I would u I would keep them if nobody else wants them. But I would I would move the assessors, the accountant, the town report, town farm into the open category. And if nobody else wants it, I would I would be happy to take the police department.

Okay. So, one second. So, which ones were you guys making? It's tough on me here. All right. So, yeah. Know the top.

The top four.

The top four. So, you're saying let's put those into the open bin, right?

For now. I mean, unless [clears throat] All right.

Karen, that that being that being said, the town reports and town farm, we don't really get budgets for those.

No. And they're right. There's the they're really part of the select board.

They're really part of the select board.

I mean they they kind of fall under that same category. So I mean those two items should almost come under my town hall annex and board of selectmen. I mean I've got street lights. I mean talk about the street light budget.

So um yeah.

So that's fine. meeting. Yeah, just put those two that will just just go part and parcel with the select board uh items.

Sure. And Al, you had said um you would be interested in the police department.

Yes.

Okay. Let's put you as a just a name there. Okay.

And I would I would I would guess Karen, I'm sorry to interrupt you, that that under the police department is probably the uh uh parking tickets.

Yep. Sure.

Interesting. But this is actually the parking tickets. It's really kind of funny. Yeah. The police department issues parking tickets, but it's the select boards off them.

Okay.

So, uh it it's really kind of odd in that um the uh the parking clerk is um Okay. Gosh, now her name escapes me. the uh the the the assistant to she she's actually the parting clerk and she collects the tickets.

Okay, let's go after the bigger ones first and then I think these little ones we can fill in pretty easily. Um all right, so that I think that was Al what you had with your thoughts. Okay, so Nancy, go ahead. You've got your hand up, so go ahead. No, I I was going to offer to do police department because um Al had the fire department in there part of big

parts of the budget. So, if he wants to do both, have at it. But I I that's why I was going to offer, but he said that he wanted it, so I defer.

Okay.

Okay. Are you okay doing two two big budgets Al?

Yes, I am. Yeah.

Okay.

Okay. All right.

Um, so Zach, would you be comfortable taking all the whole slug of um I'm trying to find trying not to make you dizzy. So, animal control transfer station and board of health. Take those three.

Uh, sure. Sure. But again, like like I said, for the new members, um, if anybody has interest, I would I would defer it to them.

Maybe we should lighten your load a little bit. And do you do you want to keep the building inspector or are you okay taking more?

I I do. I I do want to take the building inspector.

Okay. All right. So, you would you wouldn't mind adding three in your you'd be okay?

I think so.

Okay.

Okay. So then um so then we can um split up anything that's open.

So how about um so Tony since you have some school connections do you mind taking regional schools because that's Diamond Crystal.

Okay.

Yeah. No problem.

So, we're going to give Tony re the reserve fund, which is really not not much, and and the regional schools.

Okay. And then, let's see. Then we have I know the budgets, you know, you know, I was assessor. I did my budget in in Stoton. So, Oh, I can do the accountant and the assessor.

Absolutely.

That'd be great.

And so then we just have trying to see we've got so we've got the planning board is really there's not much to a legal department. So it's the planning board is uh and then the water enterprise. So how about Tony for the planning board?

I'm just making this up just so we can fill things up here.

That's fine. Yeah. Whatever. Whatever you think.

No rhyme or reason at this point. just sort of

[clears throat] Okay. All right. I think that fills everything up.

All right.

Okay. I'll recirculate this and then um this way we'll have it for uh when it's budget time.

Okay. Any did you have your hand back up or did I Okay. All right. It's hard when I'm sharing the screen because I can't really see see you guys, right? So, I'm gonna I'm gonna unshare my screen.

Okay. [clears throat] Okay. That takes care of item two on our agenda.

Um All right. So, the next So the next Oh, sorry. Was someone talking?

No, I'm s I said sorry for interrupting.

Oh, that's okay.

So, the next item I put on the agenda in case anyone wanted to to go over anything. So, um you know, as we went through the whole fiscal year and review, does anybody have any comments or suggestions or things uh we could do better or differently? Um, certainly this is not the only time that we have to discuss it, but I wanted to just leave that open if there's any um any

suggestions or things that we can do better or differently that would be helpful to know.

I know some of the things we talked about at the last meeting is trying to coordinate.

when we get in the budget season, we get in such a crunch and then we don't sometimes topics are brought up which are all very good topics but then we're crunched for time to be able to then have that adequate discussion.

Um, so I think um I think it's trying to coordinate with the select board and the town administrator on h getting their timetable together and trying to figure out when we can have those those sort of theoretical discussions earlier than when we're in the crunch of the budget season. So, um I actually ran into Chris when I went to get sworn in yesterday.

And so, uh he and I talked a little bit about that that he's going to put together a schedule and and and to see where we can, you know, have that planning meeting together so we can raise anything else before the budget starts so we're not in the season and then we're too crunched to do anything.

So, I know that was something we talked about at the at the last meeting.

and NY's brought up some very good points to really further dig into. So, we've got to come up with that time frame to be able to do that. So yeah, I just, you know, I know that I think it was Hugh or Al that said at the last meeting, well, the select board is elected to do that, but just from sitting for my first year and looking at these budgets, everybody here comes in

with a skill set and there's nothing wrong with the finance committee making recommendations to tighten up things or do things a different way. As far as I'm concerned, the fact that we have union negotiations going on with all these different unions and different people and different times and the right doesn't know what the left hand is doing is absurd. Um I don't see how recommendations for us of putting it

before the select board maybe you want to try to address this as a recommendation because those are some of the things that we've seen. you know, we we've seen these bylaws or these warrants come up and it's like, oh, well, we want to do this and we want to be able to, you know, give this for unions if in fact they're short on money, but what unions are we including?

Like, what are we talking about? How does that work? Everybody's negotiating at different times. Who's negotiating?

The school and the town side. One side doesn't see the other. Um, they use different lawyers. And then we look at our legal expenses that are skyrocketing out of control. who's picking up the phone and calling for an opinion when something happens? Like where is the control within those committees um in order to make sure that they're being respectful over the tax dollars that are

being paid to pay those professionals and I know a lot of times and I've experienced it. Oh, I'll just call legal and that'll be it. Well, how about a little bit of research maybe before we jump in and do that? And I just think that there's no guidelines. there's nothing for any committee chair uh to go by and say, "Hey, before we call legal, these are the steps that we're supposed

to take before we get to there." Instead of it's the first call. And I I I just think that as a finance committee, yeah, we're supposed to look at the budget, but I think making recommendations on things that we see that are potential problems, you know, the ambulance thing, I'll keep bringing it up all day long. I think that that is absurd that we have people not we don't bill like we don't

have a collection department and I know that the chief is pursuing that but those are the little things that we see along the way that I'm well what are we going to do about it are we going to improve it are we going to make a recommendation what do we do and it feels like you don't do anything you make your recommendation you question people but that's it so I'm not trying

to be the select board I'm just saying we get a lot of information and if we can say hey this is what we have they they can take the ball and do whatever they want with it. So that that was that was my thing.

No, and that that's all valid and and there's there's definitely the the line between we're making recommendations to our residents at town meeting, but we're also here to serve as an advisory as well. So, you know, we we can certainly make recommendations to the select board. um it would be for them to implement them not for us but we absolutely should and be you know looking at ev everything and in framing

those recommendations there's also the the fine line right both both of both Tony and Nancy you are on the school committee right the finance committee would never I would never as a finance committee member come in to specific recommendations of how the school budget it should should operate, right? So, I wouldn't say your class size should be this or what you so there's a balance

between making a recommendation, but not in too specific of a way. I I'm not talking about how to run their departments. I'm talking about what we're spending money on as a town and as taxpayers, which is legal, right?

We're paying money for increases in contracts right?

And who's negotiating that? That comes back to legal. I'm not talking about who's turning on the lights and who didn't fix the computer, right?

It has nothing to do with that. So, it can be painted in that manner, but it wasn't intended in that manner.

Well, okay. Well, we can continue to do this or we can I just see a lot of areas that we can help or make recommendations that we see. um the capital improvement plan that we've talked about. I mean, we talked about developing a phase in of going to these departments and finding out what their needs are and then trying to phase them in budgetwise with the free cash so that we have a plan and not

when this and not wait till it breaks, you know, just things like that.

Yeah. No, absolutely. I I support your your comments. Absolutely. Um, go ahead, Ella. Sorry I cut you off.

Actually, it was Zach or Zach is next.

Okay, go ahead, Zach.

No worries. Um, I think it's [clears throat] kind of to Nancy NY's point and and what you've also mentioned Karen we we're like the only department that makes a recommendation that's posted to the town on the warrant articles. And I can't recollect exactly how much time we have to review the warrant articles um prior to to them actually like becoming a warrant article that's being presented

in front of the town. And I think that a lot of these topics that we may be able to use some of our skill sets on come through the Warren articles, right? Like that's what we vote on in the town. I'm curious how early they're starting to be developed and maybe we could ask Chris or the select board that if they could put that in front of us a little bit

earlier or we could even if there's only a few um especially ones that have a large impact maybe that may help us have a little bit more time to to assist in any way if if that makes sense. Mhm.

I mean, some of them we don't even see or they get added till the last minute, and I understand that that happens, but they've got to be they've got to be topics that are talked about or thought about early in the year, right? Because of the impact they have on the town.

Yeah, you're you're right, Zach. And were were you a fly on the wall when I was talking to Chris yesterday?

We we were talking about that as well.

And I think you're right, the the the timing of the warrant staying open to accept articles is feels very late. So we don't even see sometimes a first draft of what the warrant articles are until very late. And we've been lucky the last few years they there has has not been any controversial or significant ones that but that but when they happen we don't see them until midFebruary or early March and then

we're really under the gun to really have our meetings and gather information. And so that's that's too tight of a timetable I think especially if you have something that's complicated. But you're right, if if there could be more structure on the select board side of when the warrant articles would be finalized or at least the list in final fashion. So then we would have them to be able to start

working on. But absolutely and not to mention the language is always confusing.

It is not straightforward language and I understand why that has to be right. But it sometimes it takes some time to digest. It seems like we start in November and we kind of knock out the early easy departments. [clears throat] Then as the warrants start to come, we're we're discussing the bigger budgets and the things that take more time to discuss. Whereas if we could know about the warrant or or some of

them like earlier in November when we have kind of the more straightforward budgets, it would give us some time to digest or maybe do some more due diligence on what these these warrant articles actually mean. And I mean to me particularly, it's the language. Like I have to read them a few times and really try to, you know, sus out what the point of them is, you know?

I I had forwarded a copy to Karen and to uh the town administrator a couple of months ago, a town um an annual town meeting warrant from a town out in the Birkshars that I was uh I was visiting past June. And their warrant was very interesting in that every warrant article had all of the legal ease type of wording. But in addition to that, they put a small summary underneath that

in English. Basically, this is what a yes vote will mean this in plain English.

This is, you know, this is what will happen if you vote yes on this and this is what will happen if you vote no. And it was just three or four lines, but at least it gave people an idea of what the impact was. And even when talking about it, it gave you an overall sense of what was different from the prior year. Like what is there anything significant? You know, people just look at these numbers.

We've been through the numbers. We've talked to the department heads. But the people sitting in the audience, you know, put yourself in the seat of of someone sitting there that isn't involved as much as any one of us may be. And they look at that and they go, "Well, I guess if they said it's okay, it's okay." But they really don't have good information on because a lot of it doesn't make sense as as you described,

Zach. So even when it comes to some of the budgets that if there was a significant change one of the budgets whether it be an increase or a decrease that it's noted on there that this is what's happening. I mean that's true transparency. I mean that's really when you when you when you say that you're transparent uh as as uh you know as budget advisors that's transparency is when you tell people this is what's

different and this is what it means if you vote yes or if you vote no. So maybe something along lines we can get to a little bit better description like you like you said that to um to to help people make a more informed decision.

I don't want to jump in front but it just pertains to that. I think you're cutting the lines there.

Sorry.

I jumped in front of I think at the town meeting there was probably 45 minutes spent discussing uh an article that was totally misunderstood like what the purpose was was. So to to Cindy's point like something simple a yes is this and a no is that could totally cut down and be more efficient um at town meeting. Like totally missed the plot, right? Like someone thought it was asking for this and it was something

completely different.

Yeah.

Yeah. That was the tax on the personal furnishings that went on 45 minutes. I remember it.

My ears are still bleeding. So, yeah, I remember it because finally Nancy, you went up to to clarify and said, "Let's call this thing."

I couldn't handle it anymore.

That's time will never get back.

Call the question. [clears throat] You know, as we age up, time is precious. Can't be doing that.

Karen, I would I would um before I get cut off twice, I would suggest thinking about having a working session meeting with no agenda other than what we're discussing tonight.

putting together some kind of of game plan, some kind of of of the major points that are here and start working towards uh these are all good suggestions. They really are. I mean, yes, the warrants are confusing. The lawyers make it confusing many times, but the idea of having a layman's, you know, underbelly, if you will, is is makes perfect sense. Going through the thought process of expenditures,

um, you know, all these different things that we've been discussing and present it to the select board and let them do with it as they want. But at least we've done our job to go beyond just looking at a department's budget, getting a 15-minute explanation, which has been going on for decades. So, nobody's doing anything wrong, and not putting the pieces together, not looking at the

long-term ramifications of of um of what we're doing. We also know that there's there's always something that comes up.

I mean, and I remember uh Danny Baldwin had a um a last minute hiccup with last year with the um elevator. Now, there's 15 grand, not in the budget. Now, we had money in a reserve. Don't misunderstand me, but and you that is that is something that you just can't anticipate. So, I'm not, [clears throat] you know, using that.

That's a bad example. But I just think that if we just sat down at at a zoom for an hour, hour and a half and put together a framework for uh more transparency and and and a better way to project and and and go through the thing. We've done a fair amount of that at U CIPC to be honest with you. So I mean that it's it's not as though we're

not doing it. Um, but there could be a lot more and there could be a lot more.

And really those are the two big ones.

Uh, you know, the rest of it is, you know, the accountant, you know, how much can, you know, I I need three more reams of copy paper. Yeah. I mean, that that's not going to move the needle at all. uh marine services, they they they're in constant need or want, I should say, of boats, replacing old ancient boats. And so anyway, without getting long-winded, I would suggest if the group is interested

that we just have a BS session for about an hour sometime in pick August, early September, um you know, before the budget season gets in and start getting a framework that uh um addresses a lot of the things that we've been discussing.

I think that's a great idea. I really I really do. Just like just having the conversation that we had in this brief time, you know, what Zach brought up and Cindy with that just that alone can can considerably make a difference and a change for people for transparency sake, for you know, expediency in the meeting.

I mean, just those things. So, I think it'd be a great idea.

Yeah. Do you do we want to try early September? Do we would we want to do in August or do I think early September is good.

September is good.

I have tanning to do. I have beach obligations.

Very serious beach obligations to attend to. I'm on the beach committee. I I have I have to make sure they're doing their job.

Make sure I am. I'm on site. Just so everybody knows I'm there watching everything.

As a as an aside, did did I ever say at one point um my bingo basket story? Now, this is not specifically for this group, but it's for the moderator, and I try I tried to get Steve to to try it, and he looked at me like I had three heads.

About 30 years ago, PBS did a radio interview with a moderator, I think, as it was, and one somewhere else on the Cape. question.

What was the most innovative thing you did during your tenure? Because they were both retiring.

One guy said, "Whatever." You know, the guy in the on the vineyard said, "I brought in a bingo basket."

And he said, "I was so sick and tired of people stacking the deck on and and then as soon as their article came up that they would they would all leave." So what he did is he numbered every article and he got every num ball in the bingo basket and he'd spin the basket and if you were lucky enough to be number one, well then you could go. But I I thought

that was a great idea. If I were ever moderator, which I don't want to be, you're going to see a bingo basket.

Oh boy.

Ah, all right. So, we'll um so just I just wanted to to just make a comment too on the warrant. So, I I agree it's super complicated and I think our new town administrator this year started to make some strides on doing that. So, he did um and I don't know if anybody got to see it, but it was really quickly done but in a week before town meeting. So I don't think it got um the

the throughput, but he he did a really quick presentation of each Warren article and just he really said this is what this article was and he did it in very layman's terms. And so I think I'm hoping he he'll also be expanding on the same thing that we're talking about where maybe there can be that plain English version that's in the warrant that that would be helpful or maybe the select board maybe at at the meeting

rather than just saying here's article 4 blah blah blah that someone explains that at town meeting does that three sentence blurb. So, I think um all of those are great ideas and I think Chris is uh already starting to work on some of those things, too. But um but these are all great great points to to do.

Um so, if we want to do an early September, do we would we want to do this as part of our normal September monthly meeting or would would we want to have a different meeting or what are we thinking?

usually our agenda. So just before you answer that question and we've got two new members. So um our normal kind of schedule that we hold is the second Tuesday of every month. This time of the year um we wouldn't have a meeting more than once a month. Uh unless something important came up that would require it.

A lot of times in August we really don't have anything. So we would tend to skip that meeting. September and October aren't usually are not that busy either.

Those are the planning months for us. In November is usually not that busy either. But then once we get into December is when the budget is starting to our first draft of the budget starting to come our way. And then in January, we're very busy. So we'll have a meeting one every week on a Tuesday night in January. And then February, we it could be every other week. It depends on again the schedule.

But um so we have a good period of time from September through November where we don't really have anything too big on the schedule unless of course something happens and there's a special town meeting or something else comes up.

[clears throat] So we've got three-month window where we don't have too much happening.

Karen, I would I would suggest the earlier the better because I don't believe that this can be buttoned down in a one and a half hour meeting and it gives us October and November or andor November if need be to kind of fine-tune it and get it to uh the select board before um you know before we get into the crunch of the season.

So, our normal meeting in September would be September 8th. Um, do do do do do do do do do do do do do do do do do do do do do do do do do do do do do do do do do do do do do do do do do do we want to shoot for September 8th and try to put that on the schedule and we can see when September comes if we don't

have much else on the schedule then we've got plenty of time or or are we thinking a second meeting in September?

Zach has his hand up. you might have some input on.

Yeah, I I would suggest if everyone's in agreement that we don't necessarily increase the number of meetings but incorporate it into that meeting. And I just say that because I'd rather have a longer meeting but not take up the evening, you know, two evenings that month. I' I'd longer meeting like once we're here, we're committed. Well, I'll go till whenever right?

I don't know how everybody else feels about that.

No, not that's good for me.

Yeah.

Yeah, that's good for me.

Okay.

Well, maybe before that meeting we could offer points of discussion from everybody's perspective. So, we have a bullet point, not an agenda to kind of think of for ideas. And then I don't think we'll get them all accomplished, but maybe if we can do a couple of them and say this is what we concentrate on and do this year and then next year we work on fine-tuning it. Let's not try to

climb Everest in one jump. Let's say hey and I really do like the warrant idea and the clarity of the warrant. I think that will have the most impact for town residents at this point in time. And we can still keep in mind those other things. But if we kind of just bullet point and then put those aside and and concentrate on something, I think we can rate them and then just do it that way.

We need some guard rails, right?

We do.

Yeah, that's great. So maybe, you know, a week before the meeting, everyone can consolidate the bullet points and then this way we can have them in advance to at least know what we're we're at least going to discuss. That'd be great. So Okay.

Yeah. And then we'll see once September comes, we'll see, you know, we might be busy with other things and then we'll figure out if we have to do a second meeting or something different. But um if we make a couple of things that get done and it helps everybody in town have a better experience at town meeting or whatever it is, then you know we've done something positive. So I I I think it's a great idea.

Yeah, it's great.

Perfect.

All right. Um all right. So that was our um year in review kind of. So we we talked through that. So next item on the agenda is to approve the minutes. So we have minutes of April 21st, 2026.

Um June 23rd 26 2026. And then I listed on here May 5th, but that is the one that there was no meeting. But I will just make a a scribble note that says there was no meeting. So, we have two minutes to approve April 21st and June 23rd.

Motion to approve.

Is there a second?

Second.

Great. Any discussion on those? And I think Kathy and Tony weren't here, so we're probably going to need to abstain.

Um, so any other discussion on those?

No. All right. So, I will do a roll call on those two minutes. Zack Zach Leu. I Cindy.

Cindy Brown I Le I Duncan

I think somebody's on mute. It looks like Duncan on your phone.

All right, let's get to Nancy.

Nancy St. Cross and Karen Rousey eye. I think that was or let's see. One, two, three, two, three, four, five.

You got five.

So, we're okay. Yeah, we got five. So, we're good. All right.

All right. Perfect. Okay. Um uh let's see. I have uh no correspondence to share. Um, next item was meeting schedule and topic. So, I'll put together what our annual draft schedule is. This way, our two new members can have that too. Um, but again, the second Tuesday of the month is our traditional standing meeting and then we play sometimes have to play it by ear depending on what comes up.

I'll make a motion to adjourn then.

Yeah, I have no let me just go through the agenda. I have no topics within 48 hours and so I've got nothing else.

So yes, motion to adjurnn.

Second the motion.

I will I will second that.

All right. Perfect. I will do a roll call to end this meeting. Uh Kathy Kathy Kate and I.

Zack.

Zach Lew. I Cindy [clears throat] and I Cindy Brown. L I Duncan.

No, still on mute.

Nancy, Nancy, stay in crossey.

Tony, Tony, you're on mute, too.

You're on mute, too.

Thumbs up, Tony.

All right, Karen Rosai. All right. Well, thank you everyone. Have a good summer if we don't have August meeting. Welcome new members. Thank you everyone.