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Selectmen's Meeting

Video

It's one of this parent walking a 20-foot pine.
That's silly.
I do that kind of stuff right on that.
What a waste of a pine tree.
Yeah.
Think how many two-fix you could have got out of that.
He uses all kinds of scraps of different things.
That's pretty nice.
Yeah, he used the flags.
He used the flags from the cemetery and recycled ones in those.
Wow.
They're like glued out?
I'm not sure how he did that.
I don't know.
All right, I'd like to call this meeting to order.
And do we have a motion to approve the minutes of 16 June, 2026?
So moved.
All in favor? Say aye.
He's be seconded.
Oh, you seconded?
Yes, yes.
All in favor, say aye.
Aye.
Aye.
Shall we approve the manifest?
is that the right verb approved?
I have a motion to approve.
Yeah, okay.
I'd like to make a motion to approve the manifest.
Copy with the second.
The difference between those two are ones,
chatty ones,
everything else, that's
those types of things that we send out a lot of 35 others.
Oh, we use my new pen to sign there.
So the computer is my handwriting is just kind of
how do I do these letters you know my fifth grade
english teacher she's only more than the grade because of all of that
dependentship and cursive anything at this point
well adam i was getting emails from lisa and stuff sunday night and stuff but don't you ever
let her go home or something like that she was okay
no i was right there she was a higher oh okay okay
okay i wasn't sure but yeah because we're going back in
oh you guys are party animals yeah i'm working on highway equipment stuff
yeah on sundan-night okay i'm not going to work on
because you were working good actually yes but did anyone else have the refrigerator
not in north of july no
yeah you got to get another one or just
yep we go right to low's and picked up another
yeah what are you going to do
Yeah.
Brunswick queen?
Yeah, okay, cool.
Otherwise, no.
Claremont.
Claremontal.
Clarement.
Claremont.
Yeah.
Yeah.
They were great.
What is it worked out.
It's good as good as it's better.
Here.
What is image trend?
That's our software for our reporting for our fire reports.
Yeah.
Thank you.
I never got to bills.
That's why it was two years.
Well, you're going to work around and around.
Got to have it.
Got to have it.
Not like there's a choice.
So, number three.
Highway Equipment Research Group.
That's a very.
title.
Who is going to be the speaker?
Well, I guess I got nominated for that.
I went to one meeting.
I missed the second one.
That's where they voted for me.
I'll teach it.
You've all played musical chairs as a kid, right?
So I was a left standing, you know.
That's how we work.
So you've got the exhibits here, packets here.
But first off, there are several exhibits here.
And a couple things.
There's a, this is talking about the big text.
Just talking about the big ticket items.
There's always the other stuff that's got to be, in fact,
the budgets and stuff like that, too.
As far as I can tell, this group played it pretty straight.
We talked about, hey, should we try to low bullet
because we're frugal here in West Milan.
And now, let's play it pretty straight with an honest assessment
of what we need to do, and then there'll be some, you know,
numbers massaging later, things like that.
We did not factor in funding, I don't think we did,
for when we sell equipment in that.
sell equipment and that funds can come back in.
So that's something we probably should have done, but that's still a pending item.
So there's that.
The first exhibit was really just trying to extrapolate what are these things that going to cost
and what's the lifespan.
The lifespan, you'll see it on page 3 here.
Basically, we read that a 4% inflationary impact every year seemed reasonable
based on the numbers that we were going to continue.
that we were going to commute guys.
So here's a 2019 grader.
Just roll it out there and see we're adding 4% every year.
That's what we had for our starting point.
This is a reasonability test.
Page 2, just as far as the exhibit we got from Chesterfield.
And Lisa from Europe area was basically reproduced it.
We've got to copy the spreadsheet after the fact,
basically it was the same thing.
So the first exhibit and the second and the third,
we have different annual funding for the capital reserves
starts off a little slope.
Basically, the first one is adding $160,000 annually.
The second one is $180,000.
And the third one is $190,000.
You can see this is pretty far by from the $20,000
while you're here.
Well, that's just the thing.
It's just plain catch-up.
So you can see what's going on here with when these things are kicking in, starting up at 2026.
We have some internal debate.
We had the 2026 Western Star, and the deposit was pulled from general funds, not from capital reserves.
I think it's probably a good idea to just not think about where things are coming from,
but what kind of dollars are we talking about, not worry about, you know, capital reserves?
or general funds and things like that because that's sort of a non-stream issue here.
And the numbers are there and they're trying to get this thing funded so you're getting into the right-hand column
under the positive territory.
So again, this is the exhibit, includes the 4% inflation, does not include any interest built up on any surplus
in the capital reserves or the general fund.
Same thing for the
next group, which is at $180,000 adding in here.
And the third one, $190,000.
So those were some big hits.
I'll plead ignorance here,
because this kind of stuff came out on the meeting that I missed.
But first off, let me just go through all the exhibits
and we can circle back and start talking about questions.
I missed one meeting.
I came back and did the last two exhibits.
I called it Test A.
test B, and I tried it sideways.
And basically, test A was assuming for financing this stuff.
And kind of following the proportions that we had with the Western Star.
I'm not sure how, if you can project on that or not, but it seems like the best thing we had
at the time, you know.
So we have the starting point for when we're replacing equipment.
And of course, the years are on the left side.
You can just see.
this thing in one snapshot here. So this is the funding stuff. And I think we started
off with, you can see the blue column on the second from the right. You know, the 120,000 came
from general fund. And again, I wasn't getting hung up on where money was coming from. We just,
we had to pay it. But subsequent in that goes like 100,000, then arbitrarily bumped it up to 150,
then 200, then 250, and things like that. To keep the right-hand column, the balance,
in the black.
We'll circle back on this.
There's some footnotes there that are kind of key.
Talk about that.
This does include an interest of about 3% on the surplus.
That's kicked back in onto the third column here.
The test fee is very similar format.
And except for the 2026 Western Star,
which was under a finance arrangement,
this is just paying out of pocket.
and we're avoiding interest and costs and things like that.
And the added funding has got to get stepped up a little bit higher, again, to keep the right-hand side and the black.
This wasn't very scientific, it was arbitrary.
But basically these spreadsheets are available and we can what-if things and play with different monies.
And the money doesn't have to be the same every single year.
There's nothing that says it has to be.
Question.
Question.
on the 3% interest that you use, is that what we are averaging, is that what you see as a trustee?
Yeah, we're averaging about 3.5%.
So I thought 3% was fair.
And all the CRFs.
Yes, yes.
Not the private trust, this is a taxpayer money.
It's a little bit more conservative than the other side.
Yep.
My own personal thought is that with all these exhibits, I think reality might be some
that would be a hybrid between test A and test B.
We might need to play catch up and have some financing in the early years
and hopefully get up ahead where we've got enough of a war chest
to pay for these things right out of pocket.
And as we get funding back from some of these things, we got to factor those things in here too,
and that changes it through.
But the group, I think, did a pretty good job.
There was a good, it was a good first cut on this thing.
cut on this thing just to see what are we looking at?
But certainly the takeaway is that we've got to play catch up and we've got to find this stuff.
Just for my own observations, we're frugal in this town.
I think the crew takes as good of care of the equipment as they can, but this stuff gets hard use.
You know, and we need to think about keeping it replaced.
We've got, you got something key here.
So explain to me, please, how I'm on page one of two.
I'm on the test day or baby?
Okay.
Okay.
You can suit your financing similar to 2026.
Yeah, no, good.
So this says, because I'm looking at this, is this telling me that we're going to keep the 2026
Star through 2031.
When do we trade that truck?
Can you guys answer that?
I don't know.
We did not factor that in.
Because that's one of the things that we really need to know.
Is it going?
Ten years?
Ten years?
Thank you.
Go on.
Page two, I think there was, or page three, rather,
the other recidments had a life cycle.
Yes.
On the air for the pages of life cycle.
Yes.
That was the projections.
I guess that's it, yeah.
You know, 20, 27 years.
Yeah, okay.
You're right.
And it's summarized at the bottom here.
What's our next now?
So you're right.
That's a missing component of this.
We're selling and replacing that.
If we sell it early enough, we might get some decent money for it.
We haven't figured that out.
So, maybe my name is John.
Nice to meet you.
As a dealer of the vehicles, it makes more sense for us to keep this than for 10 years than it does to sell the Western Star with still having a year warranty on it at six years.
That we get better return on our dollar by keeping for 10 years and then selling it at that point.
That's a revolving window there because, you know, it's all on what the condition of the vehicle is at the time with the trade, right?
So a unit is always worth more to us, the dealer,
that we still have some warranty left on it, right?
You know, these trucks don't do a huge amount of miles or hours,
but they do, that's all hard work.
Think about it.
That work that goes into it.
So as a dealer taking in a trade, it's all about what condition it's in one.
What am I trading for, right?
If I'm getting a unit that,
if I'm getting a unit that,
has, if it's 10 years old and it's been an upcast and, you know, the body isn't falling apart, the brakes are, you know,
that all contributes to what the trading value of the vehicle is.
So with our plan, with the maintenance upkeep, we can keep this vehicle for 10 years and trade in that
a decent value provided it meets our criteria of trading values, you know?
you know, when we, when I look at any type of trade, I'm not looking so much as the age,
I'm looking at mileage and use in what I can see as a lot of this unit.
You know, is this going to be a desire for truck to trade at a retail value?
Or am I taking this truck and trade as essentially scrap or, you know, maybe some type of unit that you're not going to be able to be able to sell any type of
profit, you know, so that's what takes, that all comes into consideration.
So I guess what I'm asking is, not this particular truck, but as what you see overall as part of your business,
when are people bringing their trucks to you to sell? Are they bringing them in it with warranty, without warranty, 10 years, 15 years?
What do you normally see coming, being given to you as?
So it's like 7 to 10 weeks.
We can put a warranty on any of the trucks up to 7 years.
You know, you can't really go much beyond that.
I mean, in fact, we have really allowed me to do that.
So if you're at a 7-year mark and, you know,
you're looking to bring a truck back to us to our company and trade it in,
and it's got that 7-year, you're on the cusp of running out warranty,
maybe you'll have another year left depending on when you're bringing up.
depending on when you're bringing that truck in the trade,
it's usually, you know, it's a tough, it's a tough question they answer, really,
because, you know, you could have an elected truck for seven years and
and bringing the engine, and it just barely makes it for a good deal,
or sometimes I've had a lot out of a house and then fix them up, so.
And then sell them to us.
Yeah.
That's kind of why we're here.
with that.
I don't know.
We're on the line where these trucks are in the trade at a value so we can keep our equipment fresh.
It doesn't matter just the truck, the loader, the one time, anything like that.
We can't, number one, we can't breakdowns, right?
And the later your fleet is, the better off than, you know, stay through each season without breakdance.
And so, you know, we get a good crew established.
crew established because the crew is really the heart of what these things are going to be
work.
Are they going to be wrong?
100%, you know, I mean, I can leave out of the season.
Every day, I see them every day, they're a truck from different towns that they recommend,
and it's like, my goodness, you know, this truck is three years old and it's counted.
So, so here, because, you know, I, I've only been a consumer.
a consumer of cars and stuff, but it seems to me psychologically, if I'm coming in to buy a truck,
I'd rather have something that has six months or 12 months on a warranty, which then makes it easier,
wouldn't it, for you to sell at that point versus going 10 years and then it really kind
of the burdens on, well, it's a, it's, you've already said it, it's the condition of the truck.
and then it's age.
Yeah, there's a lot of variables.
So it's in the world of averages here, you know.
Exactly.
And I think in all of these, there are no trading values.
Yeah, we didn't do that.
You know, and you can trade in a seven-year-old truck that's been kept up nicely throughout his tenure.
And you can trade it in for 50, 60,
or you can take the same drop that's seven-year-gold and then they've been
left, they've been traded in for 15, you know?
So that's why it's such a, it's such kind of a crack shoot as to what you kind of get.
So you depend on your cruise, and, you know, these guys are committed to annual services,
general upkeep on their own, you know, because that's saving the town money.
money, it's whatever you, any person, whatever you do on your own, you're obviously going to save yourself money,
the town, whoever you're talking about, right?
So, and it doesn't matter, again, it doesn't matter.
It's the, the, the loader, the, the, the, it's a matter of, you know,
how is this vehicle up kept throughout its technique?
Um, and asking them really depict what it's going to be where when it comes time period.
Yeah.
You know, and that's, that's...
Again, I was just,
looking for what you see other town?
I see a mix.
I see town, I see it absolutely.
Okay.
So you found great new trucks at that, you know, five, six year.
And, you know, we're running all, you know, all our trucks,
they're all six wheelers.
So, and really the six-wheeler versus tandem,
it depends on, you know, the two lapses in there.
glasses in the air, say the last one.
And it, you know, both trucks, both units are desirable.
It just depends on, you know, what you can get for when you trade it in.
You know, I'm looking at the condition of it, you know, right down to the interior, exterior,
the whole truck is what we're inspecting.
So, you know, obviously, trade it a little bit sooner, hopefully it's in better shape,
but you know, that's not always true.
not always true. That's just not the case. You know, like I said, I've seen,
I've seen trucks that are three-year-old that I cannot believe that they,
like, well, they've come in for service in August, right? They've been shut down since,
and they throw salt in the, you know, interfendants, and it's all,
in the drainage, they're all over the place. So all the fittings for the,
I draw up lines, and it's all crusted up because it's not upcast.
That's a Western driver of the truck for me.
But if it's washed and greased and, you know, the pins aren't, all the pins for the plow frame and assembly and all that are all with,
that's more, the truck is worth more to me.
So, I think one of the things is, I mean, that we don't know is because the,
when was the last time we actually bought a new piece of equipment?
Was the greater new when we bought it?
Yeah.
Well, yeah.
Well, the truck was new.
The truck was new.
The, uh...
2017.
That was...
Well, we did buy the...
We bought one that was...
That caught on fire off.
Well, I guess my point here is that we don't really know at this point because we've never really had a program where we started new
to see what the wear and tear and the upkeep was on, was on those vehicles, right?
Well, we have with the 2020 truck, 2020.
22, because the previous truck caught on fire, so we ended up with a new truck for that.
So that would be an interesting thing, would be to look at in 2022 how much money we put into that truck today.
That's what you're thinking about, right?
Yeah, well, because, I mean, I asked Dave, was it, two months ago, three months ago, to start getting
to start giving me a monthly breakdown of what we're spending on maintenance per vehicle.
And so right now we don't really have enough data to really learn anything from that,
but we will over, say, the next 12 to 18 months.
And then we can kind of figure out how well we're keeping these things up.
I think it's helpful that you used to work on our trucks in another job,
And so having someone who's worked a lot on our trucks,
I think that's going to be very helpful.
But again, when we're buying used trucks that have already been beaten up
and all that kind of stuff, and then we're trying to just keep Band-Aids on them,
I mean, that's kind of the way we've been operating.
So at this point, I'm not sure we have enough sampling to figure out
whether we sell it at six years or sell it at 10 years.
I mean, obviously, I think it'd be easier to sell if we could keep them 10 years.
But again, we don't want to pay $250,000 for a truck and take it back in
and we're getting $15,000 for it so you can scrap it.
I mean, that's...
I think that's the reason why we've established this committee is to kind of aid in getting us to that.
Exactly that, you know, and then we can decide.
side, you know, this truck's not putting your legs off to do it, we'll keep it.
And then, you know, and then at that 10-year mark,
we've succeeded in our goal, in our mission,
and then the trophy is worth some money towards the replacement of human.
Right.
But you're, I think you're concentrating on the framing of rest of the stack.
We have two other types that need to be replaced.
Right.
Right.
You know what I mean?
Yeah, so it's, it's, I see the economy.
Well, I'm looking for the logic because I'm with you.
I mean, if we could do it, I think that our best bet would, someone drops in on a parachute and gives us, you know,
$4 million, and then we can go out and actually start new and go.
But we're, you know, I'm not selling that to the town in March.
You know, so I guess that's, that's what we have to do is kind of figure out.
Number one, I think we're making a great step because now we actually are looking at a system.
Right.
And this may be the case where we just say, okay, we're going to adopt this system,
but we're going to have to look at it every year to see if we've made the right decision at this point.
Sure.
Absolutely.
You know?
So anything we decide right here is just the first decision we're going to have to make
because we're going to have to re-look it.
You know, I think it'd be great if a year from now we can sit down and we've had this new truck for a year,
and we can see how well we've maintained it and that sort of thing.
And then we have a little more understanding of how long this thing is going to last.
That's what I'm saying about the 2022.
We could, we have a new truck.
Right.
We could go back and look at how much money we spent on that truck.
So we actually can go back five years or four or six years.
Right.
Because that's not taking the abuse that the bigger trucks take.
Right.
Agreed.
Agreed.
Are you finding out excluding the conditional of the traditional trucks?
One of these towns trading their trucks in seven years, ten years, five years?
So I would call the average, and this is, you know, I'm based out of Westminster, Vermont,
so there's a lot of Vermont being stuff going on there.
And they follow all those.
the lead, you know, protocol, because that's their, basically, that's their
insurer, that's everybody, that's, the whole Vermont lead is basically our whole committee,
but it's the whole state, right?
And towns are all different, and they jump on the bandwagon, and the towns decide to do kind of
what we've been doing for how long is they're not putting my entire over reserve for highway
unit or highway upkeep, which is, to me, just crazy.
I mean, this is the roads that people travel every single day, and, you know, especially in the wintertime,
it's like, man, you know, you've got these units that are barely making it to where they need to be,
and then they can't get out, but we can't get there, you know.
We like Adam.
Yeah.
We would like not to see him at 2 o'clock in the morning laying on the road underneath one of our trucks.
We can spend there, something is 10 degrees out.
Yeah.
Yeah, exactly.
So, most of our, like, you know, our, for example, Westminster, Chester, Chester, I suppose the other one,
Hartland, Vermont, those guys are all on the side of the end.
That's what they did.
And their trucks are coming in, and we're taking them in for 70 grand, and we're selling, you know,
we're taking that in for trade value.
We're never going to do it and then selling it.
have been selling it retail to some of the contractors and we're moving those people are
waiting for trucks from west windsor to come in to take them to run 63 to run the state
you know all these guys that are running state contracts are waiting for those units to come in
on trade to put a down payment on before it's traded in and take the truck and that's a seven
year they know they can rely on that because they can maintain it yeah because you know i mean frank our old
We just thought Westlinder's grade, we went through it, did our thing,
ready-eater, we went through the truck, sold it to him at the retail price, he's happy.
Because it's going to ask, you know, that's coming in. So, so I would say,
blank in, have we taken trucks in grade at 10, 12, 15?
Yeah, yeah, but we're not, you know, they're not, you know, they're not, a lot of them are still sitting
out back. Right.
That's real ship.
that was something that we actually did you say the trade in value was 70,000?
It can be, yes.
I can't say that.
What was the new price on a $70,000 trade in at seven years?
Trying to get some depreciation.
I mean, if we want to, you know, we're at the 26, we're at, and then, again, the inflation was up there,
pretty supreme here.
Yeah, yeah, we know that, yeah.
But, you know, a six-wheeler,
from five years ago did not go for $28,000.
I mean, it was $230,000.
Okay.
You know, so, and that truck is coming to trade at $7,000.
That's probably all relative, though, because...
Okay, but it gives us spent parks, you know?
When you, when they bought the truck, they get this one to sell you to $7,000.
So it's like, it's a little relative.
Okay.
Okay.
When you buy these trucks do, I lose a warranty.
We put a seven-year.
warranty on this unit right here, on the 26 that's coming in.
So that's, so for, for, for, on the dealership side, that is the chassis.
So that's the engine, transmission, after treatment, everything that's, you know, kind of involved with that.
It's not brakes, you know, it's not tires, it's not, you know, you know, you're wearing items,
but it's the, it's the, the, the, um, the, the, um, the, the, um, the, the, um, the, the, um, the, um, the, the, um, the, the, um, the,
bulk of it, you know, the heavy hitter stuff said.
Right.
Yeah, injectors, burgos, you know, your heavy hitter items are covered for,
for, I think it was seven years, 100,000 miles.
Because we're not putting over 100,000 miles in seven years.
We're doing, we're doing 10,000, maybe 12,000 miles a year on these units.
So at that time, you're going to trade that thing, seven years,
you might have 76 feet.
Right.
thousand or somewhere in that area. Right. Um, and, you know, that's at the end of its
warranty. But at the end of that warranty, if the dealership chooses or the purchaser chooses,
you can put extended coverage on that, you can do an extended next coverage. So, say, for
the next owner, you can put another 30,000, 40,000 miles in their four years, five years,
whatever we want, and that's the time of the purchase of the unit. So the customer can come in and
come in and purchase a truck that's a limited seven-year warranty,
provided it's not expired, they can extend to that.
Right.
So to me, it makes sense that, I mean, we just need to plan a flag somewhere,
and I think seven years is probably just, just short of seven years is probably the right place to plan it,
and then put the pressure on our huge highway department to, uh, to, to,
to keep it up properly. And, you know, all indications are that we're doing a relatively good job of doing that, and luckily we have you taking care of our trucks.
So, you know, I don't know. To me, that that kind of seems like where we ought to start.
What show you want?
I think that's a good thing that when you get to six or seven years, you know.
They love the truck so much, you can't get them out, then you keep it, you keep it, you know?
You make the decision.
Just another, the 2017, we're not even replacing the 2017, we're replacing the 2010.
That's to consider the new truck.
Yeah.
And, hey, I'll operate that truck this winner.
And it's got like left to live, you know.
I mean, there's some things that, you know, are getting there, but to ask another seven years out of that truck is...
Here's what I want to hear is after our first big storm, I hear
I hear one of our employees come in and say,
oh, I didn't have a heater or a windshield wiper.
And, you know, number one, that's dangerous,
and we need to make sure that we have safe equipment
for our guys to work.
And I think, you know, I think at this point,
that's my biggest concern because we have old equipment now.
And you don't discover it's not,
it's not functioning properly until it's that first big ice storm or whatever.
And now, and now we're dangerous.
I can speak for the current.
I came in, I actually came in to CBA as I transitioned from service to sales
to be in my car and I just want to pique my curiosity a little bit.
You know, if I'm getting a little bit older and age, you know, I'm starting to worry,
you know, I'm in a pack there, and I'm thinking about, all right,
like, what's this fleet going to look like?
walk in and take a close.
And I was pleasantly surprised that now they're undercoded,
which is big, that's all done in-house,
I've been up keeping them.
And I think if this system was able to start fresh
and continue that, yes, I knew it would be worth more to me
as a trade-in than I think 10 years ago
if it came in, or even earlier five years ago if it came in
to trade, I probably wouldn't, you know, it's huge, you know, it doesn't even, like again,
it doesn't matter if it's a piece of equipment, a class six truck, or your one-time four,
it all depends on, we're not going to run through the woods, hopefully,
if maintaining them, it's possible, they get to have, and go through the big items.
Because you're going to have this, you're going to have this .6 truck, and it's likely that you're going to get a
bill for service, but hopefully it's just a bill for service and not, you know, a non-enanceable issue.
And that's what you're getting with all of our units that we have burned on the ground is,
I think it's warrantable because it's out of warranty and it's a great.
It's pretty good on some of the large equipment.
Yeah. You've done pretty well in the last six, eight years,
replacing some of that, which is, but at least good.
Too good for filming if you're out there.
you're out there where it rings like at all.
No, I mean, you can quit, aren't you?
The takeaways I'm hearing is that we can factor in.
You mentioned buying something at $230,000.
In seven years it's worth $70,000.
So that's 30% for a truck.
Maybe that's a good number for our estimates.
We can start plugging that number in.
I don't know about graders and things like that.
Is that the same timeframe or percentages?
That's, you can talk about the, you know, the head of
be trucked but now you get some other stuff here too.
Yeah, those.
I think you get some of those projections.
I can tell you that all the dealership are going
to spend the same time than I am.
It's going to depend on what type of...
Well, yeah, there's a million depending.
We're dealing with the world of averages here.
How do you...
Yeah.
Project the budget for the next five or ten years.
Well, we've got to get reasonable averages.
Yeah.
Did they do you much for trading and trade in the world?
Mine?
Yeah.
They didn't give you into that?
They're still running goat deals.
Hmm?
I didn't know.
Still waiting for 10.
Mine up.
This is right.
Now you have less them all red.
That's a same.
We can't have that.
That's a town, right?
We can't.
We, you know, the last grader, we were like 25 years old.
Yeah, 25, 26.
26 year old?
Exactly.
A couple of that one.
A couple of years.
I would say a 26-year-old unit is considered old.
For what it's job is, right?
I'm not sure, you know, what, our grader, you see it out on the bell.
It looks pretty good.
You know, and how old is that?
Yeah, the first page, yeah.
I don't know.
I don't see any reason for 15 years, maybe.
Finish playing that.
Yeah.
Yeah, for sure.
Well, $2,000 wouldn't even buy tires for it.
We don't.
We don't need to have the white balls.
We don't need to have the white walls.
If we get it, we should turn.
Yeah.
You didn't even get raised by the winner.
Loader.
Loader.
Yeah.
That runs in pretty high hours per year.
Overall, overall the equipment.
Oh, year.
Yeah, I think, what did I figure?
What did I figure out?
It was like 250 hours a year, I think, is what that thing runs.
It's in the elements the most, too.
It's in the salt.
It's the one scoop in the salt.
Yep.
Yep.
Picking me out to get the sign.
Yeah, going up to the dump and doing projects up there.
I wondered about your jump
description you're doing the Spider-Man stuff.
We get a small town.
They didn't do that.
We can do that.
What's the lifespan of the load?
What's the lifespan of the load?
I'd say 20.
20 years.
20 for the 30 years.
15 to the load.
Which is
accurate, that's it.
Well, and the trigger thing about all the equipment
these days is the electronics in them.
The electronics is what
becomes an issue, especially if you can't get parts for them.
You put, you get the loader that, you know, let's say it's 20 years old.
It's going to be harder to get parts for it.
It's one of the things that they just, they, the electronics are not.
You know, you got fly-by-wire, throttle.
It's just...
Well, it's like a computer.
At a certain point, the hardware can't handle the software.
Yeah.
updates, right?
Right.
Right.
Every piece of equipment in today's world is all, you know, 708 models and then it's all computers.
And you can't get the birds, you know.
It's just like their cars and everything else.
It's all involved into, you know, communication via can.
You know, there's no more arteries that are really going.
It's all.
It just goes to one computer and then that's dispersed.
and that's dispersed through that way.
You know, they all, you know, they have a common power drink controller,
with all of your different models you're talking to,
you can get technical in it all, but it is,
there's the needs of, you know,
going out there with a hammer and a cocaine arm,
very nice, it's kind of over.
There's a lot of stuff where you need software for us,
proprietary as well,
where, you know, only dealers can work on things.
work on things and diagnose things.
There is software out there that there still is a rate for care,
but it's not, you get by just fine, he does great,
but for the most part, it's type of software
or not really diagnosed.
So if you have one left cycle for trucks and another for heavy equipment,
would that be reasonable?
If you had, for example, if you had the loader,
and we bought it and saved $200,000,
and we ran it for $20,000.
20 years, what will we get for that?
Scrap?
20 bucks.
Are you shaking?
2,000.
No, that's a fair question.
It's a fair question.
It's a fair question.
It is all based on the market value.
Okay.
But if you're trying to sell it at seven years.
If you were the selectmen, what would you do?
Sell it up 20 years?
Selectmen or a town?
Pay?
You know, I...
Well, that's the next question.
Yeah.
keeping in mind it's flicking our taxpayers.
And really, honestly, I hope that I'm not selling truck for $518,000 for a six-wheeler in 2041,
but I guess it's very possible that it will be, you know.
And that's just what we use for the current market and sort of what we're going through.
Yeah.
Okay.
So we got out of, we got to, we got to.
We've got a plan for it at least.
Right.
The property that we were having was that.
That's $600,000,
2009, we paid $65 grand for that,
2010, Cabin chassis.
And what year did you pay it?
2010, you bought that $75,000,
$75,000 for $65,000 for $65,000 for
$65 for cabin chassis.
Yeah.
In 2020, we paid 65 grand for that Ford F-600.
Right.
So you're talking, you're talking about having a used to cover,
except that's what we're looking at.
That's what we're looking at.
I mean, it's really, you get a pickup truck down to $100,000.
Oh, yeah.
Yeah.
You should go back to those projections here with adding 4% every year.
It didn't seem unreasonable.
double negative.
You know, we had to have something that was a starting point of these discussions.
Well, what we were running into was we first started putting,
I mean, when I started in 2022, we were putting $10,000 a year into the CRF.
Yeah.
We up that to 20.
Basically that means we take probably four grand of the 20, and probably seven grand of the 20,
probably seven grand of the 20, go to the 20.
to the increase in price of inflation that next year.
So we're putting 20 away, but we're only getting about 13,
somewhere between 12 and 15,000, say,
value for the money that we put away last year.
Anyway, it's the catcher.
Well, I think that's what's kind of amazed me since I've become a selectman
is that we all understand inflation.
You know, we've all gone out and bought cars and stuff for houses.
houses. And the fact is we constantly are trying not to raise taxes here, but the real
problem is inflation. And if we don't set a certain amount for the budget every year to take,
to make up for inflation, you know, we're constantly falling behind. And I think that's
the challenge. And it's going to be a bitter pill to swallow if we walk in,
and say we need $150,000 in our Capital Reserve Fund, which I think is reasonable.
I mean, I do, because otherwise we're going to constantly be behind the power curve on this thing.
Did we look at Alstead that was doing something like that?
We've seen that already in other towns that are similar to size,
that they're already putting that in.
Yeah, I mean, you had a thousand dollars.
I didn't realize until I went over to Chesterfield and saw what they had and what they were doing.
And then I thought,
come back and I haven't really been involved in the budget until this year.
And I just, I looked at what we were doing, I think, this is, this isn't even putting a finger in the die care.
This is because there's like 40, 40 leaks.
Yeah.
And so we're never going to get ahead. Now it's easy to sell that lower number.
And that's not selling what it is.
Well, I mean, yeah, based on what you're, the numbers, I'm getting,
from now, I mean, that's really what it is.
It's just keeping, it's putting Band-Aids on everything, that's what it's doing.
Yeah.
But we're looking at right now is putting, say, 160 into the Capital Reserve Fund.
Metamity.
And that is what all our entire warrant are usually equal.
Yeah.
Where does that money go?
Capital Reserve Fund?
I'm one of the trustees of the trust ones.
to take that money from the more money.
We've got several accounts.
I state regulations, it's all for the, you know, U.S. security, things like that.
So it's CDs.
We have the New Hampshire public deposit insurance pool.
Is this good work?
The towns put money into that.
And that's running about 3.5%.
Okay.
And that's based on U.S. treasuries and really safe.
No equities in that particular.
Right, right.
Okay.
you get in the back.
What's that?
Oh, yeah, you're getting a half a percent there.
You know, the CDs are, we're getting about three and a half percent.
And a little bit more with this other account.
What can actually put it?
You can't.
It's ultra-conservative.
Right.
They only can't.
There's the private money, the private trust.
We have a little more flexibility going to equities,
but we're not going to be buying Bitcoins and design it.
Yeah.
Right.
taxpayer money is ultra-conservative.
Sure.
It's secured.
Yeah.
That's better than just a savings account.
Oh, yeah.
That's so far.
Yeah.
This is excellent work.
Yeah.
That's excellent work.
This is the type of thing that we were hoping that you would come back with,
giving us an idea as to what we need to
realistically consider to be able to run a highway department.
It's a little bit of all over a highway department.
but it's all converging on, we've got to get a lot more money in the bank to get ahead of it.
Whether you want to finance the next one or two purchases or you try to get enough to pay it out of that bank,
is the catch-up process and I'm not sure how to advise on that.
There's a catch-up process that we'll have to consider.
One of the things that would like you to look at with us,
and I think you can do this based on information that we've gotten,
if you're willing, to do with this, would be to start figuring in the money
that we get for the used equipment.
Because that is going to make a,
and use it as a, don't do it in a third, do it less.
Let's underestimate what we're going to do.
Yeah, worst case scenario.
Yeah, we're a lot of worst case off of this.
So that we, when we look at things, we get a chance to see, okay,
I don't want to anticipate that we're going to get $100,000 for this truck in five years
when we find out that we got 42.
42.
Sure.
Because that's going to...
Yeah, I'd be anxious to kind of recook the numbers with some of the stuff I've
weren't today.
Kind of came in high at 30% so you could maybe...
Go 20%.
Yeah.
It's like, knock it down, cut it and half, whatever you want to do, but let's put something back in there
because right now if we have to go to the town and say,
every year for now on, you're going to be...
You're going to have to put it in 160 to 10080 to 80.
$80,000. We're going to get some serious feedback.
You have to figure out realistically how many trucks and pieces and put it out in years.
One is it not even one?
Well, in real...
That's the tricky part because you will always have the same amount of revenue as you might have money you're wishing to put in Castle Reserve.
Right.
Well, and realistically, we won't have a real system until we get rid of everything we have now.
everything we have now and we are in the process and we have bought this new and
now we can figure out what the lifespan of that is because right now we really can't do that
because we're driving old crap.
But at the same time we still have to make some reasonable estimates and move forward.
So here...
I'm thinking about March, okay, and I would just ask you all to think about this because in essence
we're going to have to sell this to the town.
All right.
And it would be extremely helpful if we could have guys like you
who actually do this for a living saying,
here's what you're going to get at this point
for this vehicle that was new
and at the end of seven years
and it's still functional and safe to operate
as opposed to we're not going to do anything
and just...
And I think it would be
it would be, I mean, to me, that's very helpful to, because for us to try to explain what you all have just told us,
number one, we're not experts.
Yeah.
So.
I think when it does roll out, you know,
person, the taxpayer, the first question that comes in mind is how much of our taxes are going?
That's the only question.
That's the only question ever.
And they don't even ask what services they get for the money.
It's just.
Yeah, nobody cares. I just don't want my taxes to go up. And I'm like, well, neither do I.
We'll try to reduce them.
The school will go up.
Yeah.
You always chasing something.
I see a big bottom of hot tarons and bags of feathers.
I'm not going to the town meeting.
But if you can say, you know, if we use 50% as a trade in value,
you know, really a 2019, a 21 grader, like some of these,
Some of these units that are on the ground right now,
and if there's fine, the lower is fine,
we can introduce that program into there.
Are two trucks, do we want three trucks or, you know,
aside from the one time, you know, I'm talking heavy to the trucks?
Do we want three functional newer model trucks in our fleet?
Or do we want a 26 to 17,000?
the 16 and the 13, what if we're essentially going to have now.
And how long would we let that go for?
But how much also to replace the 17 and the 13?
If we want three newer model gear units in our fleet,
that needs to kind of, that needs to be answered, I think.
Let me put words in your mouth, too.
Back for the heavy equipment, if there's 20 or 15 years.
At the end of that, that's worth scrap, right, $1,000.
And it can't do the 15% for that, because that's a,
the 15% is going with the seven-year trade-in scenario for the vehicles,
the trucks rather, not the heavy equipment.
Right.
So to me, it's, you pretty much sucked all the value out of it in 20 years.
Yeah, I'm going to think it gets to take care of it.
Right.
Yeah, well, it keeps it going, but at the end of 20 years, even if you...
20 years, if you're playing at the water,
I will all the pro,
all the pressure on you guys.
Go ahead.
You've got to wash the little shit after and clean it up.
Yeah.
You've got a reset.
Some of them walks in.
Well, it's beautiful, let's start.
How many hours are on Graves, big loader up there?
Timmy?
Graves, big loader.
20,000?
You know?
I mean, the rigs can go, as long as you take care of them,
way up there on hours.
You know, a long as you take care of them.
of these pieces of equipment, the reason we did a 20-year plan and a 15-year plan,
you know, 20 years on the greater, the backhoe, and a 15-year plan on the loader,
was we kind of factored in, what was it, 10,000 hours, replacement.
So, you know, 10,000 hours, you could, in my opinion, if you have that grader and it had 10,000 hours on it,
and it was 15 years old, you could probably still get 20,000.
20, 30 grand for it. Because contractors, you know, like an S-U-R, or, you know, smaller than them, of course, because they buy new, but, like, smaller businesses that need a unit to, you know, do this big project and get a fine grade down, they'll spend 30 grand on a used loader, a grater, just to be able to use it for that project, and then they might hold on to it for a little bit longer, or, you know, and then they could sit there and turn around and sell it.
it after another, you know, 500 hours.
Okay.
And still make their money.
We're still doing the world of averages, not the pristine one because that's not the
average.
I mean, I bought, a few years ago, I bought a 97 backo, pretty much the same exact thing as this, just John Deere.
And I bought it for $21,000, and when I sold it, I sold it for 18 after two, three years of use.
So I don't have, I'm mechanically declined.
And so, yeah, I can change you all in my car, and that's about it.
But when I was in the military, and this is why I started asking you for the monthly, what are we doing with the vehicles,
every time you went out and we still had jeeps back then, four guys were looking that over.
They're doing the pre-operation checks.
They're going out for three or four days, and then they come back, and you've got three or four guys.
They're washing it.
They're checking the fluid.
they're getting it back ready to go the next time.
That's great, but we don't have four people per vehicle, right?
And there's just no way that we can ask two folks to do that all the time.
But I think if you're conscious of what needs to be done, and I think you are,
then I think we're in a good position, and part of our selling point is that we have a crew that does take good care of our equipment.
And we're monitoring it on a monthly basis.
So when we get through this complete cycle, then we'll prove that this is a good system that we've got going.
But again, I mean, it's like you said, it puts a lot of pressure on two folks, unless you can drag Harry down there to power wash the truck every once in a while.
You know, maybe it's fire training.
I don't know, bring the bumper out there and hose it down and save it for other things.
The tendest graders on fire.
One thing I don't know is because working with the budget a lot,
even if you finance, you're only sort of kicking it down because you're still,
the finance the numbers are still calculated in.
It might look better for your capital reserve, but over here on your real budget,
you know, so it all kind of goes like this.
Yeah, it's all about you.
Yeah, I mean, you can get out slightly, but it doesn't really.
But it's way better than doing not.
Oh, for sure, for sure.
But I mean, whether you're financing it or whether you're saving and buying it outright,
the town is still going to get the same cart, basically, per year.
Because you're going to have $40,000 over here or you're going to have $40,000 over here.
It's, I mean, we've had to do it that way because we didn't have the money.
We don't have the money.
And I agree with it.
And it works.
I would think a hybrid between A and B might be, hey, you might have to finance the money.
the next one yeah maybe the one after that but after that try to get out of
that way from it a little bit so that you're there there should be enough money in a
capital reserve we don't have to take that and that's great that would be great
we have to just get to that point but yeah and
I think the the most painful time is going to be the next five of years
yes I mean that's really and we just need to be up front with that
because if we don't we're just going to be constantly buying
someone else's 10 or 12 year old truck and then spending tons of money to keep it on the road.
And I think that's what we need to get rid of because that's just bad management on our part.
What do you want to do for the next steps here?
Well, I think we need to take some time and look at this, the four of us,
because you've given us a lot of really good information and then we just need to sit down and kind of
come up with some options of how we want to, or what other information we need also.
I think like what John said, if you could add in the, you know, what we expected to tell.
Yeah, I was going to crank that out pretty quick and turn it around for the group.
You see, you know, all of this stuff is fluxes, so you can change percentages, you can do whatever you want, and then take it from there.
Adam, talk to me about what you're thinking.
Hmm? Talk to me about what you're thinking.
I'm not going to get here because you have them over here.
It's a waste of time.
Right.
Just being ruled, but it's a waste of God.
You can figure in how we hope we get 10%?
No, I'm thinking about going forward.
You know?
I'm not giving nothing because you know what happens to get around.
I mean, if you do it on a seven-year plan, you will get it.
You won't yourself in it.
Yeah.
We're looking at it.
We'll keep these two guys.
And everything is good.
If you go down one guy, this is all out of the window.
window. This is not even real.
I agree with this.
Right now.
You might get $7,000,000, might get $10,000.
It's trying to find.
You think it's more important to have a good system and count on it than it is to, like you said,
in essence, we're gambling although we're getting them.
And quite frankly, we don't know.
Correct.
And take gun a little bit like you said.
Yeah.
If we don't know if we're going to get a dime, a nickel, or if we're actually going to get good one,
or are we going to actually train in a seven years?
Are we going to look at it?
Six years?
It's like, okay, this thing is going to bring us to get rid of it?
Is it still okay?
Well, I think that's the issue.
We come at six, six and a half years, and if it's a rust bucket,
then we start having a discussion because that's, that's ruining the system.
I don't think that's going to happen because of it.
going to happen because I think we've got some pretty dedicated guys working down there.
But we won't know until we get there.
And once again, I think what we're going to have to sell in March is the process that we come up with.
That's what we're going to have to sell.
And it's right now, I can just tell you, whether it's 120, 150, or it's 75,000, it's going to be paid because nobody wants to pay that.
pay that. But if we know that going in, we just understand it. Well, it's going to be root now,
and we're just going to suck it up.
Well, in a rosy world, with these projections, how many years would it take to get
to where we want to be, you know, even on our program?
You know, we're going to try to sell this.
So people don't want to know.
Is this going to take us five years of hurt and then we're in a good position in?
with the position or more?
No, it's going to be forever.
I won't answer to that today, but I think that's the answer we've got to come up with,
because people will ask that.
Right.
It's just getting to a normal basis, yeah.
And then we're on double base.
I mean, I feel like if you look at this B,
that's the more buying them outright,
the first five years, you're going to get hurt,
because you've got 40,000 payments on top of what we're trying to put in for
capital reserve.
So if you're trying to put in for capital reserve.
we're saying we're going to try to do 175 or 162 or whatever it is we also have the 40,000 payments right now.
Right. So you kind of double different a little bit, but you can't help it if you're trying to get to where you want to get.
And then after that you actually ease up because you don't have its payments.
And I would say the blue column is the job of the select board.
What do you want to do?
And we can put whatever stuff and I'll give you the spreadsheets that you can play with it all you want.
So I think the other thing that
we need to make sure everybody in town understands is the very first page is how much does a 26 Western Star cost in five years and in five years and in 10 years because again I mean I'm not a mathematician but those lines aren't going the way they're supposed to be going and as a taxpayer I'm going to go are you kidding me we're going to pay a half a million dollars for a truck and the answer is yeah
Yeah.
We're going to do that.
Yeah.
So to my earlier point that we've been putting $20,000 away, let's use that 2026 Western Star.
In five years, we're going to put $100,000 away to that capital reserve fund.
In five years, that truck goes from 288 to 350.
Right.
So we just took $62,000,000, which is 62% of what we put in there just $62,000,000, which is 62% of what we put in there, just
away inflation.
Yep.
Yep.
So it's like too many, yes.
You also need to make three groups.
Yeah, the investments aren't as fast as the inflation.
Well, I, I think we haven't spent it.
I think what we need to do is, number one, thank you all for really very much great work.
Number two, thanks for educating me.
This is this is, this is.
very enlightening and then we're going to take a look at this and then we'll in the next
couple weeks we'll get back with you guys I don't think we could have found six
better people to sit down and do this for us yeah and we're going to be sat in there
27 bucks a pretty quick yeah yeah basically three months yeah yeah this is
is beyond what we had hoped for this gives us a
really good shot outside the head.
You know it was coming.
I actually thought $160,000.
You know, yes, it goes up from there,
but compared to what some of the other towns,
I mean, if Alstead's putting away $160,000,
we're putting in 20.
Does Alset have a sum of her next week to us?
Where is the census?
This is.
The problem is it's how everything has been handled in town,
the town hall, the highway department, not having water that you could actually drink as a faucet at the highway.
It's been done.
It's all stuck that it's like, no, we don't want to spend money, we don't want to spend money?
Yes.
Absolutely we don't want to spend money.
But you have to.
We made great strides.
from the last five years.
Who's the purpose?
Yeah.
Yeah.
Well, I think one of the things we need to make sure we do as a town better is make the folks
aware of the fact that it's amazing that we have drinking water down the highway department.
I'm betting if we went around town and asked people, you know, where are they getting their water?
And we told them it was from the stream.
They would think we were smoking dope.
Right.
I also think that over the years, from what I've gathered,
there's been a lot of, you know, we'll talk about the problem.
That's where I think is where we're...
Oh, yeah, it's cost.
It's just sweeping over.
You can be in line to the problem.
I think players of disconnect all over everywhere.
It's like everybody always wants to complain about something,
but coming up with a solution is that it takes work.
It takes work, you know, and I think that people just don't want to put in that word.
They'd rather just complain about it, and then it falls on the case.
Well, it's basically two months.
You guys did the work that would have taken us the better part of a year.
And you're more accurate when you did than what we would have been.
Well, and quite frankly, I've only got four years left,
and I'd really like to get this in a direction of it.
needed to go because we the three of us and you've been through all of them we accepted what what was handed to us and we spent at least the last two years i've been on the select board we've accepted that and said here's where we want to go and this is one of the big ones so if if we can get this heading in the right direction then that'll be a real plus for the town.
and for our employees too.
So that that's the goal.
Now, we may all get tarred and feathered after the town me, but, you know,
what's the hell number?
I'm retired.
I got time to spend in the hospital.
We always said we've done a hundred apartments.
It's clean one, right?
Okay.
We'll look to hear from you on this, but we'll make tweaking this a little bit too, but
thank you.
But heartfelt thanks.
pick your hands out well it was a lot of work and greatly appreciate the time and the effort
yeah and um i have one question maybe it's feralta maybe it's for i don't know but when we get work and
spending on this how much do you think we'll be able to reduce the repair budget that's a
great question when you're finding if the trucks all cycle through then that will jump like
crazy because trying to get all the rest of the old stuff to get released and fix the
and fix this and beat the pins and beat this and get this apartment
we'll hold that together it's ungodly it's not in paris
because we got everybody here at the shot or and I almost trust
I think the things like this won't think we spent out for the torch and he had a lot for us
yeah he just won't have a lot for us I'm thinking uh
that point with the budget committee things like that you know i'm not a sales
person but no one selling this to the town at the town meeting you know starting with this
first page document here's here's the reality of the numbers at the same time you have all these
other budgetary items and stuff and if they can be offsetting some of the repair budget
those are good talking points too yeah we need to start capturing some of these thoughts
then pushing them out a little bit well we do sad in the last meeting yeah we reduce the
her budget by $10,000 and took it from repair and put it into the down payment on the 26th truck
well i mean to do some other show game too but yeah you know we had to you know we're stuck
yeah well i think a good example is the the the uh the transfer station i mean people didn't want to
do what we did last year but we're saving money now because we're not paying as much to haul stuff away
the vocal minority but yeah yeah i mean that that's the thing
that's that's what i'm talking about you need a system where you're actually getting ahead as opposed to
just spending money i mean you're in essence throwing money away we somehow got to take all this stuff and
somehow present that and that's that's kind of a harder job than just figuring out what to do and how do you
how do you package it yeah changes how you're used to one thing i'm going to suggest something different
but how many capital reserve funds are there anybody know yeah i do
there's at least a dozen or so i'm guessing i'm guessing to pull over
you know they may not have to do any major if there's no breaks no breaks no
so basically yeah so basically yeah so they're not even then it's not meeting then just
yeah she'd have to do the breaks in all the stuff so put me out there so basically
that's a good number all given that the whole stuff is 17
there's 11 capital if there's 11 capital was here if you look at the time before
if you look at the time before time yeah that's time here
yes if you look at the town report it's all in the town report that he's handed out every year too
each capital reserve funds that's not that budget is and then servicing is just for inflation
and then you're going to add money to keep it up all we do is try to get the most
investment income we can on it within the guidelines we have no i mean when the budget time comes around
uh well that's that's this brain trust here right well that's why we've been
that that that's what we've already said it's like yeah that 20 2026 truck
20 000 a year for the next five years 60 percent of that is gone to inflation right
so we've already gained you know 40 grand towards that truck right put away 100 so i'm going to end this
so you guys can go when we
get some dinner and stuff and again really appreciate the time and effort you put into
it and it's very helpful so thanks and if you'd like to stick around and watch the grass grow
you're more than welcome thank you thank you thank you we appreciate it gentlemen excellent
discussion so jody new business new business you have stuff we need to sign
i do i have you i have a word dog warrants the town town clerk is required by the state to do
do you ever use for people who have registered for dogs it's one of the things it's one of the
we have to do it um so this is the warrant for him to be old 70 certified letters and to
impress these fun fun okay so i just got to sign that account i've got a few quick things to sign
watch oh no no let me break that oh okay um yeah that's that's the dog warrant is the top
oh okay there there's a pistol permit there's a pistol permit
Yeah.
Right there.
Yeah.
Seems who's getting pistol from the first though.
Not on yet.
He's got more fissile permits.
You may not want to.
To read.
And then this is Maria and Berks with the town and the city's, um, forestry land.
We have to do this and we get about eight something dollars.
But she's got a sign in.
Ooh.
Can that go in the capital reserve?
Yeah.
Well, we do put it in our revenue so it.
So it helps.
And by a sandwich for that.
Okay.
Speaking of sandwiches, has anybody seen the new owners of Friamundas yet?
No.
Because they still need to get an O seat from that for me.
And they're supposed to open tomorrow.
I haven't seen even a free-delivered trucks, so I have no idea what's going on.
So I don't know if that's still on.
I kind of look every day to see if they're there and going to say, hey, you need a no seat from that for me.
I don't know.
And I think Kathy told me.
I don't know.
Does Johnstone?
Yes, we want our $8.
Yes.
Two, four, six, eight.
We need to get $2.
Though we won't accept it because that has to go where the state says it's supposed to go
as I look into the camera.
I think they're all dogs in a lot.
I think so.
I think so.
You've had to see people coming.
people come in, but yeah, it's quite a lot of them.
And what's the PA?
PA 16?
That was what you just signed.
Oh, okay.
All right.
You're the sprinkler man.
Yes.
The Jody forward me, I think it was Derek.
Derek stopped by here, saw Jody, Jody, Jody Ford.
To me, I met with Derek and Justin, I think it was a week ago yesterday.
They looked at the sprinkler system.
system at the firehouse and came here.
And they give us a quote of doing an annual inspection which is required.
And FPA 25 is required to do annual strength of the systems.
So they give us a quote for both, for the firehouse, it's $1,100 to do the building down there, and $860 to do the building down there.
to do the town hall and I probably because why the town hall is cheaper to do is because it doesn't have its pump in the pump there is down the firehouse.
So total of $1,990 for both buildings.
That price is good for three years.
So we have to pay, do they want it all at once?
Nope.
Nope.
Nope.
So I talked to Derek today so we can schedule.
if you want to go ahead and do this, we can have them come anytime.
And why was it those particular people?
They just, I just, well, first of all,
HONCOR is, they bought capital fire who did the fire sprinkled system at the firehouse,
and they bought life safety who did the sprinkler system .
Encore now owns.
Therefore.
So they're the ones to put the stuff in, and therefore they're going to be the ones that's
better, which makes sense.
Yep.
So are there other companies out there?
I'm sure there are.
If you want me to go and get prices from them.
I would rather work with the people.
They're the ones that did the systems.
They took the time to stop by and say, hey.
I just wanted to run the right after why.
So it's all like.
I gave a copy to Jody.
It's all, everything is all explained on what they do.
You wanted to know if we wanted to do a biannual,
like every six months coming and expect the system.
I talked to Jody about that.
It's not really required for us,
like from nursing homes, hospitals where they got high,
occupancy load.
That's required.
It's not required for us.
So it would be once a year.
once a year, October, November, whenever we want,
come here and do it.
If people decide to do it.
I mean, we have to do it.
Yeah, there's no choice.
We put a sprinkler system in and sort of one of those...
Yeah, we've got to...
Yeah.
Now, every month, I run a pump on the firehouse,
but I don't, you know, I don't flow water through the system.
I just run the pump.
Just lubricates the backings and stuff.
So that's all I do.
they'll do a visual, they'll pump the system,
it's all about that in this, it's all spelled out.
So...
Cool.
All right? Excellent.
So, it's all like that.
That's a good one.
All right, well, we will be in compliance.
Yes.
Yeah, and like I said, it's...
And at 825, it's just five for us.
We've got to do it.
If you guys play this system, they've got to meet.
So.
I know.
Sorry.
Let me know what you want to do, discuss it.
There is a, there is a, you've got a sign for, you know, that you want to do it.
We'll put it on the agenda for the next meeting, I would suggest.
Yeah, yeah, so we can take a look at it and...
Yeah, we'll get a chance to do it.
Yeah, I'll call you Eric come out and say, you know...
We got it, we'll read it.
Yeah.
Ask them if they give an alternatively discount because we're all hoars.
And this building is old.
Yeah.
Don't do that.
You might go the other directions.
All right. Thanks, Harry.
Thank you. Appreciate it.
Lord Cemetery Road.
Hey, Harry.
Do you care a sec, please?
Would you mind joining us for this discussion?
discussion on Lord Cemetery Road?
Sure.
Yeah, actually, I have my first, it's probably the same question you're going to have.
Have you been up there lately?
Uh, no.
I think the last time I was up there, I was, we, when I worked a day, ditching the road.
So, um, my, I went up there, was that last week when I went up to talk to the resident up there?
Yeah.
So that's the first time I've been up there in a year.
And I, I was shamed.
I was shocked at how narrow that road is because of all the crap, the vehicles and other stuff.
So if you could look at it and let us know whether you think you could safely get up to that.
There's only one house up at the end of the road, right?
Right.
That's the guy that was going to have all those.
Right.
Just let us know if that's an issue for you.
So when I found the days this winter, that was part of my group.
In order for me to plow it, I had to, I couldn't plow it with the wing.
I had to pick the wing up and I had to make sure that the nose plow was as prior as it could go to get through.
So, I mean, I'm sure we can, you know, right now you can get through with the fire truck if we had to.
You know, I'm sure there's plenty of going to get through.
But at the same times where it hasn't been.
So given the fact that we have an order to,
about no street parking.
And also given the fact that we have an ordinance about number of unregistered cars on a piece of property.
And given the fact that we have spoken to other landowners, property, let's say, property owners,
about lesser things, lesser violations on their property, this property keeps being mentioned.
as why is it why you coming here when this exists?
Well, just so folks know if they happen to be watching this,
the select board can choose when and who they want to discuss something with,
and we look at it based on an order of importance.
Looking at the fact that I, too, have been up there.
there and looking at the fact that you've had to make adjustments to your plow, to
plow that road, and it is such a obvious violation of the ordinance.
I would like to suggest that we actually put this at the top of our list.
It's something that we want to speak to the landowner about.
Yeah, I agree. Like I said, I was shocked.
Yeah, I really was. I mean, it's, you know, and I can't imagine it's not a fire hazard,
because how many of those vehicles still have petroleum products in them?
Well, it's just environmental hazard, you know, in addition to the fire hazard, obviously.
But I think it's just well worth our, we just need to,
need to handle this this. This has gotten significantly out of hand. And if you're having
to do special manipulations with the plow and everything else for what you should not
happen to be doing at 2 o'clock in the morning and a snowy night.
That makes some of a narrow crew there when you have the snow that it can't move.
Yeah, where are you putting the snow?
You know, on top of cars.
Right.
You know, so.
Yeah, let's, yeah. I mean, at a minimum, what we need to do.
is draft up a letter and say, here, here are the issues.
I see these.
Thank you.
Thank you.
Appreciate.
You think we might want to have it?
Just talk them first about it, maybe?
I think he's been a question.
I've mentioned it already.
Yeah.
I've mentioned it already.
And I'm happy to go and have that conversation again.
again, but I think it's just as easy at this point to ask him to come in and meet with us.
I'm going to make some suggestions here.
Change settled and numerous.
I didn't put a whole lot of time into it.
I just kind of jumping something together.
Yeah, well, I think really
I would, this second to the last paragraph,
failure to comply may result in further.
and further, I would say will result in further enforcement action.
I put it through AI.
Yeah.
It said that using May and things like that is better legally.
Okay.
My AI will read will.
That's what I had.
And its suggestion was to use.
The problem is we're thinking alike.
That's kind of scary, so.
And this, I just told him he could.
But.
Well, Bill, I've got no problem if you want to hand-deliver this.
Just to still don't do it.
But again, it's only happened twice now.
And running up there and dropping the documents off that you gave me,
and then because they weren't at home, I took my card out, I put a note on there saying,
please call me and stuck it in his card.
and stuck it in his door. And the guy called that night and we had about a 10 or 15 minute discussion.
Yeah. And it was very reasonable. He understood exactly what we were concerned with.
And he didn't realize that posting on Facebook may have opened up a can of worms that he wasn't prepared for.
And quite frankly, I think I did explain to him, having been up on his property, when he said they would probably have less than 50 people.
even in my mind, I'm looking at it going, where are you going to put them?
Because if you're parking cars for 50 people, you've just taken up all the open space around his house.
You know, that sort of thing.
So, and then I ended it by saying, if you want to do this next year, come in and talk with us and we'll help you get through this process and all that kind of stuff.
And he was, and he was, yeah, and he was perfectly fine with that.
So. I think that's all over the weekend.
You know, I don't know. I was going to drive up there, and then I got caught up and doing all this other stuff, so I didn't do it.
But I didn't hear anything.
I know his neighbor didn't complain.
I didn't know. I mean, hopefully people just know when you met him and had a good time. I don't know.
I haven't met before. He was a really nice guy.
Well, I probably should make the whatever revisions.
All right.
so they're not made you have to come in or I have to just change it to on behalf of the select one and sign it myself.
I wasn't really excited about doing that.
No, we'll do it.
Yeah, just go put all three of us on there and we'll sign it, and then you can take it up.
That has to be tomorrow.
Okay.
All right.
Unless you'll let me revive it quickly.
locally, you'll leave.
Oh, that's possible.
There's not very many things that you need me to do that.
Okay.
That way.
You'll have to just need whatever friction you want me to put on.
there and then do that. Yeah, actually, because I'm going to be up at the VA all day tomorrow.
So, yeah, I'll just stick around until you're done with this. Okay.
That's a little quick.
Right, tomorrow.
No, you don't have to do it. We need to sign it. We just need to sign it, yeah.
The investment pool?
I sent everyone this application that I filled out.
Because I emailed back and forth with
Beth and you have to start by doing the application and something of an account there
and then you make sub-accounts, which they want you to at least have a couple sub-accounts, which we would,
because my thoughts are we talked about doing this investment pool, which is one of the things
that Phil was just talking about as well, where you get better interest in what's the check-in-account.
So I'm checking it out that has conservation and broadband, we only get about a half percent.
So if we are able to be about 3%, being that conservation currently has 70,000,
and we'll be putting another 2530 in this year because we split the current use with conservation.
So by the end of this year, they're going to have very close to
$100,000 in there, and 3% is 7.5%.
Yeah, yeah.
And an account that doesn't get used a lot, so it would be better somewhere work and just make interest.
And then we also have the broadband account, which now we are beginning to see some income from,
we always see income going against the expense.
but we are gaining money in our account.
So currently we have 35,000 in there after we've paid the bond for this year.
So that will continue to increase.
And again, it would be better off than a higher percent.
And it's only something we have to take from twice a year.
So it's easy to access the money.
And they want you to set everything up for ACH, so that's something
we would do immediately so when we said, hey, we need to have this that same day and they'll just send it to us.
Which I hope we could give them better notice than that.
But anyways, if it's something you want to do,
first of all, you need to make a motion to move those accounts, I guess, and we use it for that.
But then you also would need to make a motion for, like, the treasurer and the select board members to be authorized signs on the account.
on the account, I hope we have a T-E mic.
Because they would need that motion in the minutes too.
I make a motion that we transferred the broadband and the conservation accounts
to the NHPDF, PIDF.
And then...
Does these need be separate motions?
Okay, then I'll second that motion.
All in favor?
Aye.
I also make a motion that the treasurer and the select board members are eligible to sign, to withdraw or deposit money within the new accounts.
I'll second that.
One of the favor?
Say aye.
Aye.
The reason that we're getting money in the broadband account is because Consolidated is
paying the full amount for 20 years of the first year's bond.
So they're giving us $90,000 a year for 20 years.
Whereas the bond payment itself, like a mortgage,
goes down over the 20 years.
Right.
So we're going to be making serious money with that over time.
Right.
But that's why we're starting.
Right.
starting to have a difference.
Just because rather than just pay, at first they were just going to pay the bond payment.
For some reason, they said, well, what if we just paid you the $90,000 a year?
And we very quickly said, that sounds fine.
Well, to me, this is exactly what we were talking about before.
We've established a system that's going to be better for us in the long term.
Right.
I mean, if we just continue to try to do these sort of thing, I think it's a smart way to do it.
And it's one of those things, as they pointed out, or Bill pointed out, this is the sort of thing we need to let the town know we're doing,
as opposed to going in and saying, well, we need $160,000 every year for the fund, you know, the...
Well, and these are the kinds of things here that, because the income is higher than the expense, it is helping offset.
Right, right. Which is great. So, I mean, it's just one more thing that's...
Yeah, by doing this, we'll get...
At 35,000 and 3% will get $1,050 in the interest of share.
And it all adds up.
Versus half a percent.
Right.
You know, it's, well...
It's a lot better than 20 bucks in all.
Yeah.
So, yeah, anyways, I have a lot of places for this that needs to be signed.
Each of you will have the sign in the signature.
the signature block and then a bunch of other signatures.
So we'll just do that after meeting while I'm revising this.
Okay.
I have a money mark, so.
Use the other pen.
There you go.
I'm sorry.
I've signed enough today.
Yep.
Yeah.
Yes.
West Malander article.
So Kathy called me and asked last week if we were interested in putting in an article.
an article to the Westmander for the September edition.
And I said, I don't know.
Let me check.
So I think it's a good idea, personally.
Two articles come to mind.
One would be, I was asked a question by a resident probably at least a month ago.
It was right about when tax bills went out.
Actually, it was right as tax bills went out.
bills went out. Why is it that the December bill often is more than the June bill?
And so working with Jody and Melissa, I wrote a response to that that actually would make a very good article.
And with just a little bit of tweaking at the beginning, which I'm happy to do.
which I'm happy to do.
That's one opportunity.
If you liked the article, I did attach it to the emails that I sent about this.
The other one would be, we're going through the assessment right now.
And you wrote an article already for that.
Did you not?
Where did I see that?
Is it on the...
I think I did.
I think I took what?
I think I threw it together, but I don't know what I did with it so I can do it.
We probably still have it, right?
Probably.
It was very good, I thought.
So one of those two, I guess my thought is because we're currently going...
I think I already did that for them.
I think I already did that for them.
It just did it in the last one?
Yeah.
Yeah, I believe it was.
Because I think that's where I said.
That's probably why you did it because...
I thought I did it, but, you know, I don't remember.
Yeah.
Good.
So we would have one.
We still have one.
one in the can, if you will.
And if you wanted to use the one that I sent today.
So take a look at it.
Can I make a suggestion that instead of either one of those,
that would do something about preparing people for this
highway and truck thing?
That would, I think, be something that would be good for
maybe December, as we're getting into the
budget.
One, because at that point, will have more information.
more information and have it in our head in a better way as well.
Yeah, because I mean, I feel like the more times you can get it up
so people kind of get a handle on it, because it is,
like, why do we suddenly need so much more?
It's like, well, it's not sudden, really.
Right.
I think at some point, we just need to understand or we need to make clear
that based on where the town was when we all got involved in this,
and I know it's a hard thing to say,
a hard thing to say, but we looked at what we had and what we've done is we're trying to establish
a way that we can both take care of the town and that we're very sensitive to the cost
to the residents.
I think that's, you know, I'm going to stop talking.
Well, we'll...
I guess I'm sure you understand what I'm saying here.
I'm saying here is that, yeah, it's just...
We have to make hard decisions and now's the time to do it
because inflation isn't going to go the other way.
And, you know, we're not all...
The whole town's not going to get rich all of a sudden.
And the problem is we have a lot of facilities and equipment
that need to be taken care of.
And we just need to...
We need to get the...
town to the position where we can actually start taking care of it,
you know, and it may be painful for the next couple years, but...
We have a $4 million of firehouse that could have cost under two.
We have a bridge that's going to be 5.6.
Luckily, the state's going to pay 80% of that, if that's the decision that comes out of all...
As opposed to when the study was written and it said, what, two-point something rather...
It was 1.8, I think, at that point.
Yeah.
So...
The can has been kicked as far as it can go.
You know, the, as we say, inflation is really the issue.
And what we heard tonight, and they've already commented on,
is in five years, putting $100,000 away,
$60,000 of that goes to inflation.
It doesn't stay...
Well, part of the two is, you know,
used to be about a truck and you can run that thing forever.
But now when all the electronics,
you're sort of like, it's a race between the rust and the electronics,
which is going to crack out first time.
Yeah, which is going to go.
You know, it's...
Well, unfortunately, it's the cost of doing business is what it is.
And we just, I think, I think,
write in an article in December,
so people have time to chew on it before we get into March.
I think it's the kind of come to Jesus time.
And we just do that, so.
Now, I'll read your article.
I've got a lot of sitting on my ass time on my butt today, tomorrow,
but the VA, so I'll take care of a lot of that then.
I am gone just, I'm gone Friday to this Friday for eight days.
So the town is closed.
The town is closed.
For us, it's going to be, it's our 50th anniversary celebration.
celebration. So we're running a house of the lake for a little bit of time.
Cool.
I am gone from Thursday this week through the Thursday next week.
It could be a little bit longer.
Yeah, we've got house sitters coming in and all the rest of it, so.
We're giving the baby outside it should come out and join us.
Good luck with that.
Everything's all well before.
I'm waiting about that's the goal.
All right.
Get a property option.
The option is set for August 8th.
They will come here and set up, I believe it's like 930 in the morning,
and then they will start taking, registering people who want to bid on the properties.
They will handle on the advertising, if somebody wants to look at properties,
anything to do with that option they handle.
What's supposed to be there?
August 8.
And what properties are there?
There are four properties, three of which are on Daggett and one of which is on Route 12.
So they will probably be retiring on the sale of these properties, but fortunately they're willing to help us out and do this because otherwise we'd have to put them out.
You don't do as well because the town, we don't have an advertising budget for what.
budget for one thing.
And I mean, advertising something like this doesn't do a lot.
And hopefully it'll do a little better.
And we can at least maybe get the taxes back and the expenses.
That's basically our goal.
And John said he would come and let them in and out because I were wedding that day,
which I might be alone in, but I won't be alone out.
I'll just leave McKee.
key that he can put it in the you know, in a lot of box.
But I actually have to stay.
Yeah.
Depending on it takes him to wrap at the end.
Yep.
And then, you know, whatever, this is at no cost to us because the buyers pay a premium.
So this is all just done.
It's like go-deals.
Yep.
You know, it results.
It results.
all of that.
Yeah.
And to be fair, like I was saying how the greater worth for a couple thousand dollars.
If it had been all got the deal demand for more money, if more people see it.
Where in a little town you put it in the newspaper, you get four bits maybe.
Yeah.
So that's the auction.
And the first in...
For this and waiver is ready for approval and it's approved.
It'll just need to be signed.
They need to provide proof of control.
proof of insurance, which they have, so that's not an issue.
They'll just have to sign it.
You'll have to sign it.
I just have to notify it.
Okay.
I don't know if you have any changes in there.
This was a template might gave me or attorney.
So...
I thought it was fine.
And like I said, I think, you know, my only concern is for the historical background,
also it's in the file, the property file, and I know it will be there.
That's right.
That's it.
That's it.
So...
It'll go through to Cheshkana Registry Deeds.
And it gets filed here.
You may or may not ever make a difference in life, but it's just something that the state asks us to do with these cases.
But we don't sign it until we see that it's in the registry of deeds.
No.
You have to sign it for it to go there.
They have to sign it and have already proven that they have insurance.
They have to sign it.
Once that's done, they've made it.
done and they've made this agreement, we can, we'll file it with the registry
it's just simply.
Okay, we won't do it, okay.
And so what we'll do is, I'll just calculate the cost of what it's going to be,
and they can give me a check, it's probably $20.
And then it'll get filed with the registry.
Okay.
We just need to make sure that it actually is filed.
So if we do it, that's better.
Okay, good.
I'll do it just like we do any of our other transactions.
Just give me a check for the cost and then we're up.
Okay.
So.
In which case, I have no issue with the letter?
Basically, I filled in the blanks.
Right.
So, and now we have that template that we can use again.
And then the community power?
They gave us the new rates.
I think I sent them to you.
Yeah.
Well, I don't know if you all saw.
you all saw the governor has basically come out and said because apparently the New England
power supply people have overcharged by $1.5 billion.
And so she's, she, since we're in New England, she's saying we want some of that money.
And that kind of sounds a lot like whatever source got caught up in.
Right.
What was it?
Two years ago?
Two or three.
Yeah.
But again, these rates are.
I mean, 14 and 15 cents per kilowatt hour.
I thought I said that resource would go off or something.
Yeah.
So.
Is that better or worse than our resource at this point?
Well, I think it's a hair higher.
But if I read, I'm still on their mailing list.
And I think if I remember correctly,
Henry set out an email basically saying we're getting our accounting.
accounting and some other stuff squared away.
So they, the way I understood it, they believe it's going to, there's going to be a downward trend
on the rates in the future.
But again, we won't know until it actually happens.
And then Primax, I'm going to call them because that email that they sent out,
I understand what they're saying, but then they only gave us Primax.
gave us Primax points of contacts.
So I'm going to call what's his name?
Corey.
Corey and say, because I need to adjust the response plan.
And the way I read it was I shouldn't be calling Corey first.
I should be calling the new person first.
The way I read it was we still call Primax.
Right.
They were just letting us know that it would not
the primax that would be handling it that would be the other group.
Yeah.
But it was really obtuse to the way it was written.
It was like, because I wanted the same thing.
Well, that's what, I mean, where's the number of the guy to call?
That's the whole point.
In a response plan, you don't want to be thinking.
What you want to just do it, right?
And so I'll call Corey and say, what do we do here?
Yeah.
I mean, they currently have someone else that does it too.
does it too. And they will say, I'm, they would be called.
Right.
So it's...
Quite frankly, we don't care.
Probably it won't be different than what it is now.
We probably call our insurance and then they can put us through the...
Right.
But I'm not sure.
Oh, speaking of insurance, it's not on the list, but did you get a call back from Primex on the bridge?
No.
No.
They were irritated.
We needed that we had started repairs on it prior to their engineer coming,
and I said, well, your engineer had no,
and we need to have a bridge because we have a nursing home.
We have people that need to get to the other side of town,
and the bridge needs to get fixed immediately.
So, um, they get it down.
They're just doing whatever they're doing.
Bill, you get anything?
John?
Make a motion to return.
All in favor, say aye.
Aye.
All right.
Now, I've got to wait.
Thank you.