Meeting Items
Added to agenda

• State requires there be a right of way before the Branch Bridge replacement can start. The work is being done with government money. Abutters must be notified and there needs to be a hearing.

6:05 p.m. Joint Meeting with Finance Committee/FY24 Budget— discussion

• Accountant: requested $10,000 increase, suggestion is to give him a $5000 increase.  We have an issue with proprietary software that needs to be addressed.
• Added 5 hours a week for building maintenance.
• Animal inspection stipend, need to increase stipend as more work has been added, taking over rabis duties.
• Vehicle gas & oil stays at $40,000.
• BoH overpaid Mosquito Control by $4000, so the BoH expense line should be reduced by $1000 as this year is considered pre-paid, also the next 3 years. Attempts to get the overpayment have run into administrative problems.
• Discussion of highway department workload, better time tracking is needed, possible reduction of 1 crew member to reduce expenses.  Other towns with more roads have fewer crew.  It may mean adding contract labor at certain times, but should be a savings overall if done.
• Discussion of the expense for broadband MLP manager position which was supposed to be finite. There is a concern that Heath broadband overhead is higher than comparable  towns.
• Discussion of FRCOG payment of approx. $5000 for nursing services which are not fully utilized and how to better manage this.

o Financial picture—present and immediate future outlook

• With the significant increases in education costs, broadband payments coming due, and the normal increases in costs of everything, the Finance Committee and the Select Board are looking at some hard decisions to cut expenses.

o Review of ATM articles—amend legal posting locations, creation of new revolving fund.

• Jacobs Road added as posting site.
• There was a lengthy discussion on the revolving account and I am not sure of the outcome.

Other Business
o Highway Foreman position—evaluate and regrade for additional duties

• Regraded with a salary increase.

 Mail

• ​KP Law rate increase of $10/per hour

Robyn absent.
Meeting items
There was high praise from the SB, Hilma, and meeting attendees for the work of the highway department on the recent storm.
6:05 p.m. Appointment: Age- and Dementia-Friendly Initiative presentation with Meg Ryan, Mngr.

• LifePath is the lead on this project
• 65 plus population is escalating
• LifePath Movement targets: safe, walkable streets; access to needed to services; age friendly housing and transportation options; opportunities to participate in community life
• A survey done by LifePath had only 37 responses from Heath residents.
• COA members at the meeting  were Margaret Freeman, Cathy Talen, Victoria Burrington, Sue Lively and Coordinator, Lyra Johnson-Fuller
• COA and SB did not commit to joining the initiative at this time as they  (1) did not feel that the survey was representative, (2) some offerings were not relevant to Heath seniors, and (3) some offerings are already being provided in Heath through the Town Nurse and the COA Senior room.

o CEC Change Order to Continue Monitoring Tri-Town Landfill—vote on 3-yr. agreement

• ​SB voted to continue agreement

o Smith Vocational School—student tuition and transportation

• Awaiting on invoice from Smith vocational for student switching there mid year.  [Heath will have to pay Smith for the half year without any indication that MTRSD will reimburse for 50% of the  full year already paid to the district  for this student.]

o Annual Report—review written report

• No review, the report is currently in process

o FY24 Budget—general discussion

• The Broadband principal payment is approx. $104,000 and interest $45,000, which is about $70,000 more than last year. Discussed whether broadband MLP [Municipal Light Plant]  could help.
• Discussion of auditor's request for additional compensation. Robyn planned to discuss with him.
• The Town may need to increase building maintenance hours by 5.
• FRCOG owes the Heath BoH $4000 which needs to be credited to future invoices.
• Discussed an increase in hours for the Town Coordinator assistant position with a plan toward training for succession in future years.

o Financial picture—present and immediate future outlook

• $1,018,000 Mohawk assessment for Heath for next year

o Proposals for ATM articles—amend legal posting locations, creation of new revolving fund

• Proposal to add Jacobs Road to the legal posting locations
• Community Hall Function Fund should be redesignated as a revolving fund

o Meeting Public Attendance & Public Comment Period Policy—update

• An updated policy is to be sent to legal for review. [I believe initiated by a recent personal attack on the SB in the guise of public comment.]
• The advice of legal at KP Law has continually been to not hold a public comment period [email and letters are other means for residents to communicate].

o Community Hall—update on water damages & insurance claim

• Insurance adjuster emailed asking for price estimate on floor repair and testing for asbestos
• Square dance took place in the hall and was attended by approx. 40  people

o Farmland of Local Importance—review and vote for acceptance​

• No clear need for this designation
• SB voted not to accept

o  Naming Jacobs Road 

• Postponed until Robyn is available

o  SB voted in favor of  2 requested road closings in front of CH for events in May and September.
o  Discussed possibility of random drug testing 

6:00 p.m. Meet with State Representative Natalie Blais

• Blais asked to hear from the town as to what it needs from the state.  Among things mentioned was the cost of Broadband, the need for building maintenance, the residents' tax burden.
• She spoke about working on rural schools and infrastructure.
• Introduced a bill to establish an Office of Rural Policy staffed with a full time person to assist towns.
• To know when there is a hearing on the bill, signup for alerts at: https://malegislature.gov/
• Link for Blais sponsored bills 

Municipal Light Plant Backhaul Agreement, Appendix 2—SB voted to approve
Other Business
o Auditor’s Report (Tom Scanlon)

• FinComm reviewed the report and had some concerns, some of which Robyn is already addressing.
• SB voted to create a subcommittee  with one SB member, one FinComm member, and Hilma for  setting benchmarks to respond to weaknesses found by he auditor's report.

o FY24 Budget—general discussion with Finance Committee

• Missing budget for Planning Board, Treasurer to update insurance number as rates have gone up, final figures from FRCOG, the accountant wants a $10,000 increase over 12 months (claims Heath does not pay for software update expenses).
• Need to allow for MTRSD $44,000 assessment in the budget, need to determine how to pay.
• MTRSD operating budget to increase by $30,000

o Highway Department

• SB approved updated position descriptions
• Robyn is drafting a letter to summarize meetings she has had with Jeff J. on highway department functions. 

o Community Hall

• No update on water damages, waiting on insurance adjuster estimate.
• March 18 event scheduled, second floor is ok, but lower floor is not. SB feels the square dance can be held if tiles on lower floor tiles that have come up can be covered.

o Donation for Community Hall Window Renovation

• SB voted to accept $180 for CH Window Renovation and and  the establishment  of an account for this purpose.

o Farmland of Local Importance—Robyn to contact promoter
o Naming Jacobs Road property

• Eliminated  names with words Campus, People's names, School, Branch, Jacobs, Serenity, and possibly a late comer, Heath Hub at Jacobs Road.

o ​Smith Vocational School—Superintendent Stanton, said a Heath student at MTRSD was over looked when vocational schools were chosen. The student was allowed to switch mid year in which case Heath owes all charges.  Transportation cost is $4554, tuition for full year is $20,000 so Heath would be responsible for the  $10,000 remaining.
o Salt Shed

• Feedback on independent study for salt shed—Bray Road has enough room. Heath should not spend money on existing salt shed location if rebuilding is not feasible.  [Walter Cudnohufsky Associates, Inc?]
• Letter to McGovern to include Salt Shed, Broadband, shared services with other towns, highway dept needs, and 2 items more I didn't catch.