An executive session and no decisions were made.

At 5 15, I asked John Potter if the meeting had been properly warned.

And he assured me that it had.

So as we convene, let me also ask him are there any adjustments to the agenda that are necessary?

None that I've heard of.

Great.

All right.

So then let's approve the minutes from July 22nd, 2025.

Do we have a motion I move to approve the minutes from the July 22nd, 2025 meeting?

Great.

All select board members in favor, please raise your hand and say aye.

That's 5-0.

And you may wonder why I always say 5-0.

And that's so Jessica doesn't have to watch the video.

Madam Chair, I think.

I think we're having a technical difficulty.

I'm just trying to reach out to BC TV right now.

It is not going to be a good one.

Oh, okay.

Sorry about that.

We'll just pause for a second.

Chair's remarks.

As I said last week, I'm redoubling my efforts to make sure that we all stick to our three minute uh public comment period.

And in order to do that, it's really helpful if I have the patience and understanding of the public as well.

And there are two events that I wanted to make sure everyone was familiar with.

The first is the um community night, and it's at the Harmony Parking Lot, and this is first responders.

And there are let's see.

On Thursday, August 7th from 6 to 8.

Visit the Covered Bridge at 500 Western Avenue, and you can see a film called Covered Bridges of Southern Wyndham County, a 30-minute film by Philip Gattenby.

And attendees are encouraged to bring their own chairs.

And so this is a really nice event by a number of organizations and people in our community.

And we want to thank the Vermont Cover Bridge Society, the Brattleboro Garden Club, the Bratterboro Elks Club, the Department of Public Works, the Recreational Park staff, the Vermont Country Delhi, Phil Gattenby, and Dick DeGray.

And that's all I have.

Do you have comments?

Yep, I do.

A few things.

So water and sewer bills were mailed out on July 15th.

Payment is due on or before August 15th, in order to avoid late charges of 1% interest and 8% penalty.

Tax bills were also mailed on July 15th with first quarter payments also due on August 15th with interest of 1% if the payments are not received by 5 p.m.

on August 15th.

An update as the state's paving project continues around town.

The milling operations taking up the old pavement within the downtown district will begin tonight, and uh work can be expected downtown for the remainder of the summer.

We ask for your patience during this period and encourage residents to stay informed through the state VTrans weekly project updates.

Please note that crews will be utilizing noise monitoring equipment to measure decibel levels during nighttime operations.

And then lastly, oh I wanted to mention that on Monday at around 7.30 a.m.

Uh police, fire, and DPW staff were picking up litter and debris along the whetstone walkway.

And they observed a man who was unconscious on a bench when trying to wake him up.

They determined that he didn't have a pulse.

Assistant fire chief Chuck Keir and Officer Cody Evans began medical intervention, including CPR.

They continue that until fire EMS personnel arrived and took over and transported this man to the uh Brattleboro Memorial Hospital.

And as of last night, this man has survived due to these actions taken by our police and fire EMS personnel.

So thank you to all of them that were involved in that.

It's great.

That's all I have.

Great.

Are there select board members who have other announcements?

No.

Oh, I have one announcement.

Yeah.

Tomorrow evening, um, so I this is um I'm wearing two hats here, so um, this is not my select board hat, but I am a select board member and I'm on film right now.

Um, and BCT is BCTV is recording this on our farm tomorrow evening from 5 to 7.

We're doing a fundraiser for Brattleboro Community Television and WVEW, our local independent radio station.

Um I'm sorry that it's conflicting with community night, but you can go to both.

Ours is from 5 to 7, and community night goes from 5 to 8.

Um and uh half of our ice cream sales are going to BC TV, and we're doing Pick Your Own Flowers by Donation.

802 Soul Kitchen is serving up food, and there's going to be live music and a live broadcast of the broadcast.

Well, farm is that I'm sorry.

It's Lilac Ridge Farm, 264 Amesill Road, Brattleboro.

Which what's what's the address?

264 Ames Hill Road, Brattleboro.

You can look on social media at BC TV or Lilac Ridge Farm or just walk down the hall to the BCTV uh Cork Board, and they have some signs, and we have signs around too.

Thank you, Aminda.

Are there any other select board members who have something?

Peter, are you sitting in a hole?

I am sitting in a hole.

I'm a little resentful.

You want to cut that out.

I can't.

I tried to fix it without making a lot of noise and then I'll fall and come like that.

All right.

We have we have come.

Tons of fun.

Tons of fun.

We have come.

There's a nice thing.

Let's get with it.

Um let's uh let's have some public participation.

Are there members of the public who'd like to speak on a subject that is not part of tonight's agenda?

I see a hand in the back.

And then Randy, and then Hello.

Hello.

Your name, please.

Oh, my name is Katie.

Hi, Pete.

Hi, Peter.

Hi, John.

It's me, Katie.

All right.

Um, hi everyone.

I know many of you, my name is Katie, and I am part of a community space in Brattleboro called 69A.

Katie, do you have a last name?

Yes.

My last name is Bachler.

And I'm part of a community space in Brattleboro called 69A, and I just wanted to share a little bit about it and myself and some of the things we're doing.

Um we rented a space in Brattleboro asking the question of what is needed in this town.

Just saying, what does it mean to throw open the idea that you know we all have things to share and what might be needed in town?

And we did that in January, and it has been this evolving beautiful space with people bringing their gifts and wisdom and art workshops and movement workshops and film and food and dance, and it's been really, really beautiful.

And as the motel programs have ended and more people are out in town, we've also become a really beautiful site of care and giving and have been meeting people's needs every day in a really basic, beautiful way, like food and water and rest and art making.

Like we are an art gallery, so and we are an art gallery for all.

Um we opened with that vision.

Like you don't have to buy anything there, just come in, be yourself, see what gifts you have to share.

There's a really amazing show up right now by a beautiful artist named Trish.

It's gonna be up for the next month.

We had her opening at gallery walk, and she is a person who found the space and is now like, I feel like I can be myself here.

Thank you, Lisa and Dave.

Our beautiful friends, Lisa and Dave run the space every day from 10 to 4 and offer just meet people where they're at and meet people's needs.

Um Trish goes there every day to make art and she's made these beautiful lamps, which are for sale, they're like one of a kind magical lamps, and paintings and picture frames, and and just as a story as an example of a person who has found 69A and really come into their own.

I think there's many stories like this.

People call it a haven because they feel cared for there, and it's really beautiful.

Um, and our mission is to take care of people, and our mission is to be a place for everyone to feel seen and heard and be able to be themselves in this world.

Um, you can see our mission like on our website.

We have a website and a Facebook and an Instagram.

We take donations.

A lot of people from the town have shown up and given donations.

And John came to our open house, and we appreciate it.

And Oscar came to our open house, and there's been a lot of support, and you know, it's it's open house, and we appreciate it.

Oh, sorry, I'm I'm not like you said, and and yeah, and we're just trying to find solutions together in in this town and meet perhaps like you know, we're it's hard, but we're all in it together.

Oh my gosh, that's like weird talking echoing.

It's a delay.

But so sorry, that's making my brain feel weird.

But I just I just want to say that we're we're here to figure out things going on in Brattleboro together.

And someone's gonna be able to do that.

Well, I'm sorry for the that feedback.

Katie, uh um, I don't want to cut you up.

Oh, you there you are.

There's your time.

Sorry, yeah, I'm sorry.

Let me, Katie.

While we have you here, let me ask you a couple questions.

Please do.

Um, are you a licensed social service provider?

Um, I'm an artist.

So this is an artist space.

This is an artist space, and we are definitely we definitely have the um the skills provided to listen to people and care for people and make art with people.

I've been an art teacher for 20 years.

Okay.

And I have a lot of history talking to people and listening.

And we're point of order, madam chair.

Yes.

If we want to interrogate people, members of the public, could we make maybe put on the agenda for the September meeting to have a conversation with folks who want to present if we want to speak to this?

Okay, I have a comment on the same subject, and I'm gonna speak to those questions.

Okay, thank you, Katie.

Uh please speak.

You want to talk about this subject?

Yeah, please continue.

Your name and address, please.

Hi, my name is Caitlin Baccom.

Um, I currently live in Wolpole and work in Brattleboro.

Um, I'm also gonna talk about 69A for a minute, and first I'm gonna briefly list my qualifications to talk about 69A.

Um I have a decade plus of experience as a community organizer.

Um, my work has been featured on Democracy Now in The Guardian and other publications like that.

I also have an MFA in performance art with a heavy focus in social practice, have taught social practice places, classes.

I mean, have um stewarded community centers that are also art spaces for at least a decade and a half.

Um very publicly, lots of records of those.

Um I've been at 69A in somewhere or another since it opened and have been there almost every day for the past few weeks.

And I wanted to, since this is a public record and also one of the places that functions as one of the town commons.

There have been so many rumors and speculations and accusations about 69A floating around.

So not worth addressing any of that.

So what I want to do today is say out loud what the space is based on those qualifications I just listed, including being there every day for weeks.

It is a sober space.

It is an art gallery, it is licensed as such.

It is zoned as such.

It is paid for privately by two artists with a long history of social practice, social practice, if you're not familiar with it, is the practice of art as you in the world with other people.

It is licensed for that, it is functioning as that.

It's a sober space.

Everyone in there is perfectly qualified to run what is happening there right now, which is a community center and an art gallery.

Once again, I have an MFA.

Katie has an art degree.

I am also Narcan trained, de-escalation trained, I'm a medic trained, I've done this work for decades.

Lisa has done this work for decades.

Dave has done this work for decades.

And again, this work is being neighbors with our neighbors.

There are complaints about emergency services being called there.

The only difference that I've observed in all of these instances, some of which are drug related, some of which are people having seizures and diabetic responses, is that these people are having medical emergencies in community who know them and know what is happening.

So basically, you're having a seizure in an art gallery, which also happens to be full of people who know you, know that your meds are in your pocket, or know that you need insulin versus a stranger who's gonna narc you or call an ambulance or do nothing.

That is 69A.

People are painting, taking care of each other, babysitting each other's babies, cooking three meals a day for free.

Okay, making art.

Your time's up.

Thank you very much.

Randy, do you have a comment?

Hi, Randy Blodgett, District 7.

Um just have two things.

The first one is um I want to express my sincere gratitude to nearly 500 voters in Brattleboro who have shown such overwhelming interest and support for the one-person one vote petition for the change governing by Australian ballot.

On Monday, the petition was officially certified by the town clerk, and it will now be subject to a vote by the town citizens in the near future.

I want to reiterate our deepest appreciation for all the unwavering support.

Remember, every vote counts, and it's crucial that we continue to exercise our right to vote.

Secondly, um I just want to say that um I feel after being here for like a year and a half, most meetings or online and following and interacting.

Um I want to extend my heartfelt appreciation to everyone in the town government, dedicated citizens who actively have participated at the select board meetings, committee meetings, RTM meetings, um, and other various committees that have that have met um either once or multiple times.

Um we have made significant strides in accounting and financial practices, even though it seems like we're still struggling.

I feel we made great gains.

Um I think that that we need to continue to strive for improvement in all our programs and plan for the future.

As Brattleboro, we have resilience, we have determination to overcome any challenge that comes our way, but we can always do better.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Yes, ma'am.

Hi, my name is Martha Noyce.

I'm a resident of Brattleboro and a homeowner of Brattleboro.

I would like to offer support to the board here, the Brattleboro Police Department, um, the traffic and safety committee, and I believe there's been a newly established panel or group that's evaluating the traffic issues problems in Brattleboro.

Um I would like to specifically bring light to the um issues on Western Avenue, the um area where exit two moves west until the Cream Ray Bridge.

Um I live on Orchard Street, and there seems to be an increase in cars that are parking on both sides of Orchard Street at that intersection.

I know there are two paper signs that are have been placed there by the police department temporary in hopes that there will be um some permanent signs put in those two locations, and I'm also addressing um the congestion on Western Avenue where the country deli is and the um backing into oncoming traffic.

Um I'll be interested in the findings, the suggestions, and um hopefully um some solutions in a timely manner to these few traffic concerns.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Um we have uh Mr.

Ozarlen, Mr.

Ozar.

Good evening.

Uh Bob Ozar Brattleboro.

Um people already talked about um 69A Elliott Street.

I'm not affiliated with 69 Elliott, but I've been there probably weekly for a while.

And uh I have to say it is an excellent place for connection.

And I really admire what the people there are doing.

I admire what Lisa Marie's doing and David.

And uh just you know, do a shout out to them.

Um it's it's it's it's a heavy lift.

And they are really trying.

And so if you're interested, you know, drop in there.

It's uh I think they have an email at 69a Elliott Street at gmail.com.

So if you want to email them first, or connect with me, and maybe we can find a time to go together.

Uh but thank you.

Thank you.

Um Dick.

Dick DeGra, Brattleboro, uh a few things.

Uh if John, you could give us an update on where we are with the railroad and the the right-of-way access.

Uh the second thing I would be looking for is have we contacted the DOT to get some light synchronization uh synchronization.

Uh I live at Morningside, and there are times when I can't even get through the bridge because the traffic is there, and when a light changes, there's nowhere to go.

So I end up turning and we're doing a U-turn there.

So uh that something needs to happen there, and we talked about this several months ago.

Uh and uh nothing has certainly gotten better.

It seems like it's gotten worse.

The last thing I want to say, I want to address the board, uh, especially the three new members of the board, uh, and what happened in March and then in May.

Uh the board, the the new board members talking talked a lot about when they were running a review of the budget process.

Here we are on August 5th, nothing on the agenda.

We haven't had anything on the agenda.

You're not going to meet until September 11th.

And I'm wondering what kind of review you're going to do in two months before you start the budget process.

People just got their tax bills, had John mentioned, and they were sticker shocked at what their tax bills look like.

I've had more people talk to me about that in the last couple of weeks than anything else.

And it was really disappointing because you did get a crack at the budget.

RTM got two cracks at the budget, and we had the final outcome of where we are.

So it is a little disappointing from you people not pushing to get this review done that you talked about and have it started.

You're not going to get much of re review done before you start the budget process.

And maybe you can address that question as to why it hasn't happened.

Thank you.

Uh just say that the increase from last year, the sticker shock was 2.9%.

Is that correct, John?

Yeah, for the property tax increase was 2.9% overall.

And uh we the select board had our our annual retreat yesterday, and uh the budget was I'd say what, 80% of our conversation?

It was up there.

Yeah.

So uh we talked about uh processes and structure for the upcoming FY27 budget.

Did you want to make a comment?

Just uh yes, that we did discuss it.

We've we agreed on some changes to the process already yesterday.

There will probably be more to come.

And certainly the agreement yesterday was that the process is gonna start earlier, it's gonna start as soon as possible, and we're gonna do some things differently.

So uh I see a hand in the back.

Oh, there you want comments from more?

Did we from John?

Okay.

Oh, do you want me to address the railroad railroad and uh v translate?

Uh sure.

Um so the I know on the the railroad right-of-way we we have been struggling to get in touch with the right person at the railroad, it's very difficult.

Um but we did make a contact with somebody there who uh I believe uh has put us on the right track there.

Uh uh on the right course there.

Um and then on the VTranslates, I know the lat the latest update that I have on on that was that uh we we've continued to try to tweak those.

We're working with VTrans on that, and we've been trying to tweak those, but every time you make a small adjustment it affects other things.

And I believe that the public works director told me that probably the best thing to do there would be a traffic study.

Of course, that uh that is expensive, and we don't have the funds to do that, so we've been having a conversation with vtrans to see if they can do do something in that uh to you know help us out.

I don't know if that's gonna happen or not, but um we we have been we are aware that it's a continued issue at certain times, and you know, hopefully we can continue to make micro adjustments that will result in a long-term fix there eventually or do a traffic study.

Yep.

So the woman on the second to last row, please.

Yes, you're gonna be able to do that.

Hi, my name is Jane Congleton, and I live in Brattleboro.

I grew up here.

And I just wanted to share a little story because the last related to 69A at the last gallery walk when um I was hanging out there and I've been going in there almost every single day.

Every time I'm in this space, I get like a boost.

I like usually go before my shift at work and I say hi to everyone.

I might bring like some boots that are excess somewhere else in town.

Um, and that's been the grounding of a lot of my like role in community care has just been like moving material around.

So like I'll take a box of clothes up sometimes, and everyone always like offers to help me bring stuff from my car.

I always can get some snacks or water.

I've been fed multiple times by this space.

And um on gallery walk last week, there was like teens in the space and like their parents coming in and old folks, older folks coming in to like check it out, and someone had a like this funny little guitar that wasn't a normal guitar.

It was like a four-string, but it wasn't ukulele, and it was really cool, and they started playing, and then I started singing with them, and then like these other young people with skateboards came in and started singing all together, and there was like multiple generations, and I wanted to share that because it really fed my heart, and then um there was like someone having a really hard night, like toward the end, and like with the music in the background, I was uh given feedback that like having like a sweet kind of thing going on as background sound as this other person was able to be in a safe space until some um a police liaison uh kindly like showed up to like help support them and just to like vent.

Like there was this other kind of piece of art happening, and like it took the like burden off of someone being the hyper focus of like uh being in crisis, and I thought that was really magical and a good like example of family and how like we can extend the sense of commitment to family that we might have with our immediate family or chosen family.

Um, and actually like a realizing that this is what it is to feel family, where uh it's hard to have a relationship and like move through conflict when you don't have a lot of time to spend with people just in the middle, um, like enjoying food or art.

And 69A has offered that type of space.

Um, and I don't have to pay money to be there, and I don't have to be anything except what I am.

And I have met so many people and made a lot of friends, and I'm really grateful and honored to speak to it.

Thank you.

Okay, Jane, thank you.

Thank you.

Uh Gary I just wanted to ask a quick question, I guess.

John since you're been basically in contact with B-Trans.

Um I read a lot of what they're saying and what they're doing, and what they're saying, what they build is seems to magic, and I thought canal three would be done by then.

But with the manhole coverage sticking up and these other things just mangled and ripped and going on to another side of town is and I thought canal street have been done already.

Is there any way a representative from BTRAN?

Could chime in or zoom in sometime next week or come in just to give us a a you know definitive answer to when they see this project being complete or what steps because there are a couple of days that they just didn't show up Thursdays or Fridays.

It says Monday through Friday on this end of town at this time they just never showed up.

And it's in canal three.

So is there any way we can get somebody down here to give us a definitive answer, more clarity of what where are they at?

What is it they're doing?

When do they see the end game of this project?

Thank you.

Um why don't we um talk about having that as an agenda item?

Okay, we can we can request that if you want.

Okay, thank you.

Okay, thank you for looking at the thing we got.

Hi, Abby Manukin, um resident of Brattleboro and District 8 Rep.

Um three quick points in my three minutes.

Um one is echoing um uplifting 69A Elliott and the much needed services it's offering just by existing as a space that people can go to for free.

Um something that hasn't been said yet about that space is that they have public bathrooms, which is something that has been a need in our town for years, and they have two very clean public bathrooms with systems in place to prevent drug use since it is a sober space.

And um I frequent 69A for many reasons, but using a bathroom is one of them, and I am grateful that it exists.

I'm grateful for the care, um, the community, the connection, and I hope that um community support grows.

Secondly, I want to uplift the mover.

Um, I know that that has also been a subject of conversation here, the micro mover and um contributions from the town towards funding.

I hope that um whenever there are opportunities for the town to fund the mover, they will fund it, and then some.

This is providing much needed services to so many.

And yesterday, my nine-year-old and I had a free date day together, and I asked her what she wanted to do, and she literally said ride the mover.

Um so we did.

That's what we did.

We looked at the schedule, we found a bus.

We hopped on at the transportation center.

We went up Putney Road, we hopped off near Hannaford so we could go to Whippersnappers, where she found adorable earmuffs for the winter.

Um, and then we hopped back on, um, stopped at other places on Penny Road.

It was very joyful, again, filled with community connection.

Dave from 69A was on both of our buses.

Everybody was like friendly, knew each other, calling each other by name, the drive they knew the driver by name, um, and it's just such an important part of our community.

I hope it's continued to be supported.

And my third thing before I run out of time is um oftentimes people talk about how the town can't do everything, and we need to look to other forms of um other services and also government for support.

Clearly, our federal government is really impacting um every level of support to the local level and now also our state.

Um Governor Scott just released data for SNAP benefit recipients to of 60,000 Vermonters.

I don't trust that the state is there to protect us, and so that leaves even more on local level to protect um all of us in community, and so I hope that you take that seriously.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Uh I just want to uh applaud you for talking about the mover.

I always feel that the mover is a huge um sustainability amenity in our town, and more people went on dates with their daughters that are uh are there any more comments from the public great.

Let's proceed.

Uh John, would you like to give us a thumbnail sketch of the consent agenda?

Absolutely, Liz.

We have four items on the consent agenda tonight.

If you approve this agenda, you'll be approving a second class liquor license for kinney drugs located at 499 Canal Street, which is where WrightAid was at Market 32.

You'll be awarding a 100,640 bid for the Melchin Road Slope Stay Stabilization Project to A.

S.

Clark of New Fain.

You will be awarding a 158,000 bid for the Oak Grove Sidewalk Replacement Project to Bernie LaRock and Son of Guilford, and you'll be ratifying a 10,800 adjustment to the previously awarded bid for the William Street retaining wall project to Michelle Bellurgeon Construction Services of Cornish, New Hampshire, now totaling 487,633.

Super.

Can we have a motion uh regarding the I move to accept the consent agenda as presented?

Great.

Oscar has moved to accept the consent agenda as presented.

All select board members in favor.

Please raise your hand and say aye.

Aye.

That's five zero.

Thank you.

All right, regular business.

John, you want to present the financial report?

Yes, actually, I'm going to ask Sally Cruz Nix and Bonnie Batchelder to join us at the table.

Great.

And you may have to bring a chair up.

Because I stole one of them for Peter.

Thanks.

And as a board, as you may know, since we we uh were not able to fill the finance director position.

Uh Sally has been covering uh for a lot of the uh oversight of staff in the finance department, and we've hired on Bonnie as our financial consultant and basically to serve as our CFO for the town.

And so I want to turn over to Sally and maybe you would introduce Bonnie and give a little bit of information on her background.

Let me welcome you both, but first let me just remind you what Shirley Chisholm said.

If there wasn't room at the table, bring your own chair.

And welcome, Bonnie.

It's really nice to have you here.

Thank you.

Again, thank you, everyone.

And like John had mentioned, we contracted professional services with Bonnie Bachelder from Bachelor of Associates back in April of 25.

Um 26th budget, which was approved at the RTM2 back in May of this year.

Um she's in our finance office one day per week or more if we need her.

She's always available, easy to contact, and she's involved with working in our town finances.

I was with working on our staff on the finances and budget development, especially as we're about to enter the fiscal 27 uh budgeting season.

She's been trained in OpenGov, she's really taking charge of the platform, and one of her short-term goals that she's currently working on is to implement the OpenGov budget portal, which will be available on our website hopefully pretty soon.

Um so she's here to present your year end uh for fiscal 25 and answer any questions you may have.

Thank you.

Well, Bonnie.

Thank you.

Please proceed.

So I know that you have the memo that was prepared, and I will just go over some highlights of it, which I'm sure will generate some questions.

Um please keep in mind that these are figures that we have accumulated as of current.

Um, and the town is on a modified accrual basis, which means that we still have a window through August 31st, 60 days, um, to continue to do adjustments that are required for uh proper presentation of the audit and the financial statements.

So these numbers um will in fact change.

Um the general fund revenues came in at approximately 108, 107.6 percent of the approved annual budget with expenses at 1012 percent.

The overall deficit within the general fund today is 927,000.

However, um in the 25 budget, there was a voted use of fund balance of 269,000, and then through Article 9, an approval of another 852,000.

Um and so taking those two approvals of the fund balance, you are covered uh in that 927,000 dollar deficit uh and actually have a bit of a buffer uh there.

Uh we do have, like I said, adjustments that still need to be made as of August 31st, so that may change, but currently that's where you stand.

The cash balance as of the end of June, which is uh final is 14,800,000, and revenues include approximately 1.8 million of receivables.

Now I understand that that has been a topic of discussion for the last couple months since I've added uh certain receivables, but I do want to remind you that all of those receivables, with the exception of the EMS receivables, have been in your financials all along.

Um so there is really nothing new other than the EMS receivable in your financials that you've been looking at on a regular basis.

Also, there's approximately 900,000 in accounts payable, which offset those receivables.

So we're talking about two different basis of accounting and presentation, and it's not cash in the bank, but it's more of an accrual where we're including the revenue and the expenses in the proper period for the budget purposes.

Just some revenue highlights uh in FY25 thus far.

In the 1.5 million, that includes a receivable at June 30th of 399,000.

That receivable just for clarification is only a very 38% of the total outstanding receivable of EMS because that was in the original plan as to how much they thought would be collected, and that's the figure I'm using.

And I also have done a reality check and taken the total charges and what we have received, and it's very close to that percentage.

So I'm comfortable with that 38%.

And looking at the highlights of the general fund expenditures, the bonds and notes exceeded budget because of an early payoff that was approved on the aerial ladder truck of 200,000.

Benefits and payroll taxes were over budget by 762,000 due to several factors, including overtime increases in the health insurance rates, and uh payroll tax calculations that were off in the FY25 budget.

The solid waste department is over budget by approximately 129,000 due to increased contractor fees that were not known at the time of the budget preparation.

Fire department was over budget by 420,000, primarily due to overtime, and police is over budget by approximately 600,000, largely due to the downtown safety and overtime hours.

But please don't forget that a portion of the overage is was covered by the Article 9 vote again to defray those costs.

In the utilities fund, uh the revenues represent 106% of budget and expenditures are 95%.

That's a great place to be, and utilities fund is in a surplus of 512,000.

Of that surplus, you can see that we have utility receivables of 1.5 million.

But please be reminded that in July of 25, we bill for the prior quarter, uh, and so we need to book those as receivables.

The parking fund, the revenues are 75% of the approved budget, expenditures are 90%.

We have a deficit of 219,000.

However, in that 219,000, we have 219,000 in depreciation.

Um so from a cash point of view, you're at break-even for the parking fund.

There's various other reports that are included in my memo that are standard that you've seen on a monthly basis.

Uh I think they're self-explanatory, but I would certainly field any questions that you might have about those that I could answer with the data in front of me.

Great, Bonnie, thank you very much.

Sure.

And how's the baby?

Wonderful.

Two weeks old.

Wonderful.

All right.

Um, let's open it up to select board members who might have questions.

Hi, Bonnie.

I just we're really grateful to have you doing this.

It's been really helpful.

And I think any for me personally, any um accounts receivable talk has just been because I find it very confusing.

Um I'm glad I think I've been getting to understand it better over the last couple months, but I'm really glad to have you here.

I have you know, there are there are notable things in the line items for me, but it's mostly been stuff that I feel like we've been tracking over the months, so I don't have particular questions there right now.

Um the 200,000, and some of these are for John.

Some of these questions.

The 200,000 accelerated payment.

That's that was the one of the items we chose to do to save the funds to save the payment as one of our budget reduction items, right?

Right, yes.

Um that uh that I think reduced the FY 27 budget by something like 50,000.

So in it's actually unexpected.

This is a cost that we were gonna have to pay later.

We now paid now, and it we were basically able to float that costs because revenues were up, which is a good thing.

Um John, I was wondering where are we in the process of um the audit.

Have we found a new person?

Um I'm gonna turn that over to these ladies to explain where we're at with that.

I do know that they have put together an RFP and I don't know the status of it.

Let me take it.

Sure.

Okay.

Um so we've sent out an RFP to auditors.

We did do a pre-screening to call auditors.

Um I am an auditor myself, so I will tell you that finding an auditor, especially that it specializes in government and single audit is extremely difficult.

Um and I was your auditor for many years.

Um but we have sent out RFPs for those who are interested, and we're gonna do a follow-up.

We have not received any responses yet.

What is our contingency there?

Yeah.

Uh good question.

We have to do an audit, right?

We will do an audit.

Yeah, I I can add a little bit to that.

Um I because I'm preparing all of the schedules the way I would want to see as an auditor.

Um, I will start calling people and and telling them this, and even if we need to draft the financial statements, we can also do that, which is actually a better control for auditors if we as the client draft the financial statements.

So we will find an auditor, it just may take some time.

And and you're gonna make sure that the all the auditors know how easy it's gonna be for them should they check.

That's and I did have one specific question, which is on page two, the employee contributions to benefits, the actuals are still zero.

I was just wondering if you know offhand, are those included as receivables already in the expectation that that will happen?

Um that number is not really accurate.

Um because when the budget was done, um a hundred, as you know, there's a portion that is paid by the town, a portion is paid by the employees.

And that revenue figure was calculated that it was going to come in from the employees, and that 100% was put in the expense.

It's really not a true revenue or f figure because only the portion the town pays should be in the expense.

So there really there is no revenue that is captured in that line item.

Okay, I see.

And and that has instead just been captured by the expense being lower on the other side?

Okay, great.

Okay, thank you.

Thanks.

Yep.

Uh other select board members?

Yes.

Well, thank you so much for being here.

We're so glad you're here.

Um I wanted to see if you could break this down for me.

I just um could use a little education about the difference between the revenue and the receivable.

I'm looking at the first page under general fund revenue highlights, where it talks about yes um EMS revenue um being one and a half million and the total total revenue including receivable of um nearly 400,000.

Can you you and if you said this already, forgive me, but what is the difference between the receivable and the revenue?

Um just figure out the best way to say this.

Um the receivable is is revenue that is particularly related to the FY25 talent or fiscal year um that has not been received.

So we are required to record that as revenue, which it is in this 1.5 million.

It just has not been received.

So it's not a cash basis revenue, it's a revenue that will be received hopefully within the next 60 days.

So in that case, we've we've actually had gotten about 900,000 dollars in actual in actual cash.

Uh closer to 1.1 million.

Okay, right.

Okay.

And then the other question that I had was wasn't there a certain amount of that that was actually um transfer from another fund or that's um because there was an understanding that at the beginning we weren't going to have, and John, you may have more background information about this.

Some of that being um rev uh actually funds that was transferred from another fund within our municipal government to account for the fact that there would be some delays in getting the full um being able to bill completely.

If do you follow what I'm saying?

Yeah, we had um set aside 250,000 in uh the special projects fund to be brought in as revenue here to cover the startup costs, and so that's within I believe that's within that 1.5 million.

Yes, yes, yeah.

Thank you.

Yes, and so and you'll notice too that even without that, we're well above the budget estimate for EMS reimbursements.

So it was a good year.

Other select board members wish to ask Bonnie some questions.

Maybe even Sally.

I just want to say thank you for coming.

It's great that you thank you for taking the time.

You're very welcome.

It helps us all, the general public on record to get a deeper understanding of where we are financially.

Sure.

All right.

So let's open it up to the public.

And uh I see that hand in the back.

And let me remind you that your questions are to me and I'll direct them to the presenters.

Please come up to the microphone and state your name.

Oh, I'm sorry.

My name is Brian, and I'm just wondering who I'm going to do.

Brian, you had a last name.

I don't feel any need to share that.

I just want to know who reimburses the EMS.

Where the reimbursements come from.

John, you want to use the question.

Is it is there a breakdown of what's the state insurance and what's actual private insurance is that are reimbursing it?

Where do you do you guys have somewhere where you can find that?

Um Yeah, we don't uh we can probably provide that information if the board was.

Yeah, I think the fire.

Well, I just mean is there a is there like a website that people can go to and see if it's private insurance that's reimbursing this money or if it's all state Medicaid that's coming back for it?

Um I when the fire department reports to us, which is monthly?

Uh quarterly.

Quarterly.

Uh they have that data and they share that with us when they could.

So they would have past data there if I wanted to go look at it for like the past however long they've been doing it for, they open to the public to go see that.

Would it be part of the last minutes from the last one?

It would be part of the last um packet from the last select board meeting.

And um, if you email the town manager, she'll he will direct you to that information.

Thank you so much.

Um went through all the line items.

I could ask a hundred questions, but they don't mean anything.

The the question that really concerns me is uh the benefits were over by 761,948.

And I had asked the question just when you came on in April when the board was redoing the budget, and they had found that in the budget that just was adopted in May and is now in place, had been underfunded in those in that area in terms of uh uh calculations for payroll and taxes.

And I'm trying to remember what that number was.

Was it somewhere around $400,000?

Uh it was a pretty significant number.

Um that the number the the area, the range that you just mentioned also included, I believe, three firefighter positions.

So that the Well, I I well I knew that number, but there was a significant number that when the board was pretty much set, John came back and told the board that our new finance person had run the numbers and we had a real huge deficit that after the board made several cuts, we had to add money back into the budget.

Right.

And so my question is here is who is responsible for those numbers that are actually part of this budget that we're looking at.

Some of it I can understand the overtime.

But the tax cal uh the calculations for the benefits and the taxes made the error uh in this budget, and they also made the error in the budget that we were putting together.

And that's a significant amount of money, and no one's asked that question.

Who's accountable who did that and who's accountable for that?

Because that was a huge financial mistake.

And so I'm going, doesn't anybody look at that?

And doesn't anybody wonder why or who made that mistake?

I don't know if it was the finance director, I don't know if it was the HR director, I don't know if it was the assistant town manager or the town manager.

But somebody should have to answer for what that mistake was because it was a huge financial impact here, and also in the budget that you were doing because it impacted the number that you had gotten to, and then we had to put money back in the budget.

So that's my concern.

And I'd like somebody to address it and at least try to answer the question if you could, please.

Thank you.

Well, I'm sure that that answer took place in all of our April budget meetings, but let's ask John if you could I I hate to get quoted on it.

I think it was it was between 100 and 200,000 uh that is the amount that Dick's referring to, I believe, um, which is about it's less than half a percent of our overall budget.

It's not a huge huge impact.

Um it it is significant though, and we don't like to make uh underestimates.

Uh and Bonnie has been extremely helpful in uh having us identify areas where we were underestimating in the budget.

I just want to remind everybody that budgeting is is an art, it's not a science.

It's something that we do the best we can.

And as soon as you have a plan in place, things change, and that's just that's just life, and you know, we do the best we can.

Uh Kate one, Kate O'Connor Brattleboro, and thank you, Bonnie.

I'm one of the neurotic people who read your finance reports.

So thank you.

Um I just want to clarify, and I appreciate uh um Isaac bringing up the 250,000 from the fund that was put into the EMS that is actually not EMS revenue.

And to clarify, and I'm happy about this, so I'm not complaining, but the amount to date that we've raised over what we expected is about $65,000.

And that's based on these figures and what the fire department told us.

So we have $65,000 more than anticipated.

My question about the EMS is because it's receivables, how, and we know that there's a time where we're not gonna bill, we're not gonna go actively try to collect the bills.

When does that cut off time?

And how does that impact what the we're going to actually really capture an FY25, get mixed up where we are in FY25.

So we're saying there's $399,000 worth of receivables.

How much of that do we expect to actually collect and when's the cutoff that for FY25 we will not be putting that money into our budget because we don't get that $399, that impacts our bottom line for FY25.

We've been asking, some of us have been asking now for two years for an aging report so we can understand when the bill was sent and when it was collected.

So I'm wondering if we're ever going to be able to get that information.

Um I also just want to point out looking at this, and this goes to the FY27 budget.

If you look at the financial report, pretty much everything stopped at a certain point in public works, because that's how we don't have the bigger deficit than we have.

Because if you folks look at the numbers, public works has not spent almost like half of its budget.

So I just want to point that out because that's a big deal when we're actually looking how we're spending our money, and it would actually be kind of nice as a taxpayer to know what has not been done so that we can actually have a kind of balanced budget, even though we're deficit spending.

So I know I just said a lot, and you probably forgot what I said already, but the EMS expenditures and receivables is the big question.

Um all the the questions that have been asked about the EMS receivables is detailed when the fire department comes to their meeting.

Um John, do you want to think about it Yeah?

I mean it's so great that we did very well on reimbursements.

I believe that the write-offs that Kate is referring to are already anticipated by the 38 percent that Bonnie described earlier.

So that's already been taken into account.

We're saying that um we expect 38 percent to come in, the rest may get written off or is not covered by insurance or by Medicare or Medicaid.

Yes, Oscar?

Yeah.

Just um just to acknowledge a couple things that Kate's saying.

And first of all, to say that we have been talking about the um aging report, John and I have talked about it.

We're trying to work that out.

Um I want to validate some of the things you're saying.

The 38 percent is an overall estimate you would expect over time that the claims remaining are ones that are less likely to be paid as time goes on.

There's probably some effect there.

That's a 400k in receivables at 38 percent is something like a million dollars in billings.

We're gonna get some of that.

We're we may not get 38 percent, but we may get 30 percent.

We may get more than 38 percent.

It's a little uncertain, but we're we're gonna get a good chunk of the 399K I'm I'm confident.

And then the other I think fair point, Kate, is that we we were on track uh for what looked like a pretty big deficit and then operationally um reeled it back in.

And I think it's a fair question to talk about how did we make that happen and did we do it in ways that are sustainable, et cetera, and that's a conversation we can have going forward.

Um you'd like to no, I mean we we saved in lots of areas across all departments, not just in DPW.

I think that's called management.

I have uh David Levenbach.

Mr.

Levenbach.

Thank you.

David Lovenbach, District 9.

I'm also on the member of the finance committee.

Um just a couple observations.

There are 19 pages of line items, and obviously some are uh in the positive direction, some are in the negative direction, and that's expected that will um that will happen.

Um observations were make do not concern the police fire or solid waste overruns and expenses because they're related to some big policy questions that were considered last year.

Uh but I did notice a couple patterns in smaller cases, and I think they're notable.

Uh I was for some reason unable to do a word search on the document that's in the backup materials, but it seems to be a couple of things that uh stuck out to me.

Um for some of the relatively minor revenue items, there are overestimates in a good number of them.

And so I think going forward, uh town might want to budget more conservatively for those revenues.

Um second, telephone expenses are underestimated in many cases.

Um gas and electric and utilities and and there are different ways that they're described are underestimated in many cases.

And I understand that those are very sensitive to uh market conditions, but they are still something to take note of.

And then finally, and this sort of goes back to uh the point that uh Mr.

Connor and Mr.

Heller just alluded to.

Um it looks like there was underspending in many equipment and maintenance lines.

And if those are deferrals, which I could understand those being made, um those could be costly in the future.

So those are just some things that I noticed in looking at the 19 page 19 pages of line items for which I'm very grateful.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Yes, Randy.

Hi, Randy Blodge at District 7.

Um I guess I I want to take the the way of going forward.

First, thank you that we you know have someone now that's giving us more information that's organizing more efficiently.

Um I just wonder if we can do some more trend analysis now that we're starting to get things organized, that monthly, you know, even weekly, I don't I'm not sure the capabilities of open gov, but that it gives the town manager, different employees and staff tools to see where different, you know, whether it's revenue, whether it's receivables, whether it's payable, what's the trends, where are they headed?

Um overall budgeting and stuff, it's all in my opinion, it's uh you need to watch the trends.

And if the trends are out of control, you need to rate them back in.

Um budgetary, but budget accuracy, I think is what David was just talking about.

Um so again, I think if we get all electronic, it's gonna be easier, hopefully, to see that and manage that because it didn't seem like that in the last year and a half.

Um cost controls.

Um I know with all the overtime problems we've had, um, that's a major thing.

So I don't know if we have anything new in place or we're planning to put new um things in place for that so that you can catch it sooner or address it or see if we need to make a change to to not have this as high in overtime, or at least explain why we're having it.

Um then uh basically I just see that when I went through that.

What I see is just it needs improved budgeting, improved cross control, um, and then whatever revenue we can collect sooner um would sure help us out with cash flow, it seems like.

Thank you.

Are there any comments you'd like to make?

No.

I have one comment I would like to make.

Just in the in uh the idea of forecasting.

Um so the line on page seven of tax abatements.

So we budgeted 10,000, but we've spent almost 29,000 in tax abatements.

Um what is that forecast?

Is that forecast that it's a bad year, or does that just forecast that that's a change in our future budgeting?

Um, I think I think that has to do with the um legislator.

Isn't that correct, John?

That um, it's it's page seven, it's right at the top.

I think 54013.

I I think that is the uh when we when uh listers give uh uh an abatement to somebody experiencing hardship, that's where where it comes out of that line.

So we had expected we would forgive ten thousand dollars worth of taxes and instead we forgave close to twenty-nine thousand dollars worth of taxes.

I I believe that's right.

And if you've ever been to an abatement hearing, you'll you'll know how shocking that that that is.

I have I have, but it's it's of note.

Yeah, yeah.

All right, anyone else?

Kate would like to ask another question or comment.

I'm only asking again because Bonnie's here and she's like smarter than I am.

I don't want to make comments about whether she's smarter than the rest of us, but my question is with the receivables on the EMS.

We have until August 30th, what I understand is to make changes to the FY25 budget.

Does after August 30th any money come in for EMS that was billed during FY25?

How is that accounted for?

Does that go towards FY26, or does it always just get backfilled to FY25?

If that makes my question makes sense.

That's an interesting question, Bonnie.

Can you answer that?

So just a point of clarification.

The August 31st um day is the date where we um finish the entries to make the financial statements within the modified accrual um the way we need to present the financial statements.

If the audit hasn't happened and we have not completely closed the books and we get a windfall of EMS money that is for FY25, we certainly can increase the revenue to FY25.

Um if the audit is taking place and we've closed the books and that money above and beyond the receivable would go into FY26.

Great, thank you.

Um, one thing maybe clarification.

Sure.

So I I don't know if everybody's followed everything that's gone on for so many meetings and uh such a long period of time.

But the money we're talking about EMS is very complicated because some of it is people have no insurance, so they're getting a cash bill.

Other people have Medicaid, Medicare, they're getting that, and it we're somewhere in what 34 percent, I believe is the number on that.

If you have made major insurance, blue cross, whatever, it's around 66 percent.

So a lot of people want to know what the mix is.

Well, the mix is a bouncing ball.

It depends on the week, it depends on the month, it depends on a lot of things.

So that's where these numbers are so convoluted is because unless we have it where it's being published, you know, more regularly, you don't know where we're at.

And that's why it's not easy to give an answer.

So I don't think a lot of people understand that.

Thank you very much, Randy.

All right.

Is there anything else?

Yes.

Uh uh, Gary.

You're our last comment or Gary.

I'm gonna make it real quick.

I was just curious to know.

I don't know either John or any of you might know Liz or Bonnie.

Do you also deal in risk management along with your many with your hat that you're wearing now as an auditor to determine you know certain factors and actualities of of where certain futures go with the money is to help you know guide in the future what's coming down now with you know increases in tariffs and taxes and things to that aspect that is curious if you also deal in that or anyone in your department deals in risk management.

Let's let's ask John that question.

I I would say that everything we do in municipal government is risk management, and it's trying to balance that all the time.

And uh it's it's very very challenging work, but you know, as you see, we've we've been able to um mitigate things in the course of the year, and hopefully we'll continue to do better and better at our budgeting process and taking risk into account um as we move forward.

Great.

Thank you.

You're welcome.

Bonnie, Sally, thank you very much for coming and reporting and for your work on the finances for the town.

Thank you very well.

All right.

Let's move back to the agenda and see where we are.

Which is we need a motion on that.

We do.

Oh, we do.

All right.

So I will motion.

Great, Peter.

Give us a motion.

To accept the finance department's June 2025 finance report as presented.

Great.

Select board members.

Uh would you like to vote to accept the finance department's June 25 Finance Report as presented?

Please raise your hand and say aye.

Aye.

All right, that's 5-0.

Now we have the board nomination for the Brattleboro Community Television BCTV board.

John, would you like to discuss that?

We we received a letter from uh Garrett Harkovick, the president of BC TV board, and uh he may be online.

Yep, here's may want to speak to that.

I'm here.

Oh, good.

Uh so Mr.

Harkowick, would you like to explain the request that is in the letter of the select board's packet?

Absolutely.

Um BCTV, I you're all aware of it, but who is recording this meeting currently.

And um we are a volunteer board, and so we're always on the lookout for new members.

And it was brought to our attention that historically the um select board of Brattleboro would nominate someone to be on our board.

So we'd always have a member of the board that was you know basically provided by the select board, um, whether it be a town employee or just you know, whoever wants to do it.

Um and I think that practice went on up until you know about 10 years ago.

I'm not sure exactly when it ended.

Um but uh we thought that'd be a great idea to um you know bolster our our board.

Um so we are asking that you uh you know take that practice back up again.

And in this case, uh Seth Thomas, who is an employee of the town of Brattleboro, um was you know very enthusiastic about BCTV, and um we reached out to him and he would he would love to join the board through this process.

So basically we're asking you to nominate him, and then at some point in the future when he has you know is no longer on the board, you would agree to uh find us a new person to serve on the board.

Um and that that is the gist of it.

Uh if you have any questions, I'm happy to answer them.

Great.

Thank you, Gary.

Um, well, board, this seems like an easy lift because uh Seth is uh enthusiastic about BCTB and a valuable member of our staff.

And uh would someone like to make a motion, Isaac.

I move to nominate communications coordinator Seth Thomas to the Brattleboro Community Television Board.

Great.

Um Isaac has nominated communications coordinator Seth Thomas to the Brattleboro Community Television Board.

All select board members in favor, please raise your hand and say aye.

Great.

That's five zero.

Thank you, Gary.

Thank you, Seth.

And um that is the end of our agenda.

Would someone like to make a final no you're going back in back in?

So guess what, people?

I have two more motions to make.

Um the first motion is because we are returning to executive session at this time.

I move to find that premature public knowledge regarding contracts would clearly place the town at a substantial disadvantage because the select board risks disclosing its strategy if it discusses the proposed items in public.

Uh would select board members like to vote on that motion.

All raise your hand and say aye.

Aye.

That's five-zero.

The second motion.

I move that we enter executive session to discuss the negotiating or securing of real estate purchase or lease options and contracts to which the public body is or may be a party to under the provisions of Title I, Section 303 A 1A, and Section 303A 2, and invited to the executive session are the town manager, the town attorney, the director of the Department of Public Works, the Assistant Director, Department of Public Works, a Solid Waste Consultant, and the Human Resource Director.

All select board members in favor of this motion, please raise your hand and say aye.

Aye.

And that's another 5-0.

Thank you all very much.