Good evening, Salem, and welcome to the May 28th meeting of the Salem Town Council.

If you would join with Mr.

Pelletier and follow along for the Pledge of Allegiance, please.

I pleasure to the flag of the United States of America.

And to the Republic for which it stands under God, indivisible with liberty and justice for all.

Okay.

Okay.

This is gonna start quickly, hopefully.

First.

Let's see, where am I?

Minutes.

Oh, I should probably introduce the board.

You guys want to be introduced again?

You want to stay anonymous?

To my far left is Mr.

DJ Betancourt.

Good evening.

To his immediate right is Keith Stromalia.

Good evening.

To his immediate right is Paul Pelletia.

Good evening, Sale.

To his right is Mr.

Jeff Hatch.

Hello, Salem.

To his right and my immediate left is Joe Sweeney, our vice chair.

Good evening.

To my immediate right is Lisa Withrow.

She's our town council secretary.

Good evening.

Next to her on her right is uh former chair person several times.

Uh Kathy Stacy.

Good evening, Mr.

Chair.

Moving along to the right is Bonnie Wright.

Hello, Salem.

And all the way out to the end is our town manager, Mr.

Joe Devine.

Good evening.

We have the assistant town manager here and also some other staff.

So we're gonna get right to it and we're gonna do the uh meeting minutes.

If you would, Miss Whitrow.

I will.

First, I would like to move that we seal the minutes from tonight's non-public meetings under RSA 91A 32 L.

Second.

Second.

Motion been made and seconded by Mr.

Sweeney.

All those in favor.

9 to 0 further.

I move April 6, 2026, non-public session number one.

Second.

Seconded by Miss Stacey.

All those in favor further.

I move April 6, 2026, non-public session number two.

Second.

Seconded by Mr.

Sweeney.

All those in favor.

I move April 6, 2026, non-public session number three.

Second.

Seconded by Mr.

Sweeney.

All those in favor.

I move April 20th, 2026, non-public session number one.

Second.

Seconded by Mr.

Sweeney again.

All those in favor.

Do we do another one?

And that's 801 with uh Miss Withthrow.

Is it number four?

I did three.

Did she do four?

I think so.

Abstain.

Yes, I got that right.

So that's uh 801 with Ms.

Withrow abstaining.

I move April 20th, 2026, non-public session number two.

Seconded by Miss Stacy, all those in favor.

Abstain.

The same.

801.

I move April 20th, 2026, non-public session number three.

Second.

Seconded by Mr.

Sweeney.

All those in favor?

Abstaining.

Again, 801.

I move April 20th, 2026, non-public session number four.

Second.

Second.

Seconded by Paul Pelletia.

Another voice.

All those in favor.

Abstain.

I'm locked.

Same 801.

I move April 20th, 2026, non-public session number five.

Second.

Seconded by Mr.

Stromalia.

All those in favor?

Abstain.

801.

And lastly, I move May 18, 2026 public session.

Second.

Motion been made and seconded on May 18th.

All those in favor.

And that concludes our minutes.

Chairman comments.

There will be none.

That was a long enough list.

Approve the consent agenda.

Motion.

Mr.

Sweeney.

Mr.

Chairman, at this time I move to approve the June 1st, 2026 consent agenda.

Motion made and seconded by Miss Withrow.

All those in favor.

Up next, additions and requests by the public or council by vote.

There wasn't anybody on the list.

So we're all set with that.

And so okay.

Let's go down to the introduction of the human resource director.

If everybody would please follow along to number seven, and I will uh have uh Mr.

Devine do the introductions.

Sure.

So I'd like to take a moment to introduce and recognize our new human resources director, Rebecca McGuire.

Uh there's a council know Rebecca's been serving as our HR specialist and has been filling in as the role of interim HR director since October.

During the time she's an outstanding job leading the department supporting employees and managing recruitment efforts and overseeing benefits, personnel matters, ensuring continuity of operations during this time of transition.

She brings significant human resource experience both in the public and private sectors, holds a Sherm Senior Certified Professional Designation, has demonstrated a strong commitment to serving our employees.

After a thorough review, I am pleased to appoint Rebecca as our new human resistance director and invite her to say a few words.

Good evening, members of town council, um, town manager Devine and colleagues.

Um my name is Rebecca McGuire.

I'm really honored to be here tonight in front of you all.

Um looking forward to moving on to the director position.

Um I graduated from George Mason University down in the DC area, um, and I started my career in corporate HR working at Fidelity Investments and ADP.

Um, after that, I stayed home with my children to raise my children for a bit, and then I moved on into higher education and worked at Revier University in Nashua.

And then um, as town manager Devine said, I've recently for the past 18 months been serving as the HR specialist for the town of Salem, and I'm really looking forward to working with you all.

So thank you.

Thank you.

Welcome aboard.

Thank you.

Yeah, well, thank you very much.

All right.

Are we all set now?

Thank you, Mr.

Haggraves.

We just couldn't make this meeting move any further without you.

Um next up, number six.

We'll go back to presenting certificates of achievement to Eagle Scouts Chris uh Curtis Hall and Mike Tomaselli.

Mr.

Sweeney, would you do the honor?

Perfect.

I'll I will read both and then the Eagle Scouts can come on down.

This is the Town of Salem certificate of achievement in recognition of the achievement of the Eagle Scout Award presented to Curtis Hall.

The Salem New Hampshire Town Council wishes to recognize your outstanding accomplishment of achieving the rank of Evil Scout and your special project of building picnic tables and donating them to Silver Thorn Adult Daycare.

The town council also wishes to recognize your scouting career, which began in 2022.

You have received a notable 47 merit badges prior to receiving your Eagle Scout Award.

You have earned the ranks of assistant senior patrol leader, patrol leader, and instructor.

On behalf of the town of Salem, New Hampshire, the town council wishes to recognize your efforts and hereby salutes you on this 31st day of May 2026 for your special achievement of the rank of Eagle Scout.

That's for Curtis.

I'll read the one for John.

In recognition of the achievement of the Eagle Scout Award presented to John Michael Tomaselli, the Salem New Hampshire Town Council wishes to recognize your outstanding accomplishment of achieving the rank of Evil Scout Eagle Scout and your special project of refurbishing the military markers at Pine Grove Cemetery.

The town council also wishes to recognize your scouting career, which began in 2014.

You received a notable 24 merit badges prior to receiving your Eagle Scout Award.

You have earned the ranks of junior assistant coachmaster, senior patrol leader, and troop guide.

On behalf of the town of Salem, New Hampshire, the town council wishes to recognize your efforts and hereby salutes you on this first day of June 2026 for your special achievement of the rank of evil Eagle Scout.

Congratulations.

Congratulations.

Well done.

Come on, Tom.

Curtis.

You can go around and shake everybody's hand and all I want to congratulate you.

Congratulations.

Thank you.

Congratulations.

Not many people get this far.

That's right.

Thank you.

Congratulations.

Good job.

Thank you.

Sashical.

Congratulations, guys.

All right.

Thank you.

Congratulations.

And if you would back up there.

Come on up.

Do you want to come up with the front?

Patrick doesn't want to be in.

Everybody crowded together.

Well disappeared.

Somebody's disappeared.

These two switch.

There you go.

Yes.

Wait a minute.

Wait a minute.

Moms.

Moms, you can come down front and get a direct shot if you want.

You don't have to get them on the bad side or the big side.

Okay.

Congratulations, guys.

Good job, guys.

Thanks for making it.

Yep.

Fantastic.

Fantastic.

Moving swiftly along.

We will go to number eight.

First readable waiver, Mr.

Devine.

So this is the first re waiver on resolution 2016-10 from the finance department, which is to authorize the transfer of 281,635 dollars from the general fund to the capital funds for Route 11 Irma Road Intersection Improvements, including a packet with a staff report from Finance Director Nicole McGee, who's here to speak to that tonight.

Hello, my name is Nicole McGee, I'm the finance director, and I am looking uh to seek approval to transfer 281,635 dollars of the tax portion of the Irma Road project out of the general fund and into the Capital Project Fund so that the entire project can be accounted for in one fund.

Seeing no questions, I will go with Mr.

Sweeney.

Thank you, Mr.

Chairman.

At this time, I move that the Salem New Hampshire Town Council adopts resolution number 2026 10 relating to the transfer of 281,635 dollars from the general fund to the Capital Projects Fund for the Route 11 Irmer Road Intersection Improvements Project and further waives the requirement for a second reading.

This resolution shall take effect upon its passage as follows.

Whereas the town council is responsible for the fiscal stewardship of the town, and whereas the town council recognizes the value of structured financial review and public transparency, and whereas section 5.8 of the town charter provides the town council with the authority to transfer an appropriation, and whereas the Irma Road in Route 111 construction project will be accounted for in the Capital Projects Fund.

Now, therefore, be it resolved by the Salem Town Council that the Salem Town Council hereby authorizes the transfer of 281,635 dollars from the general fund to the Capital Projects Fund for the Irma Road Route 11 intersection construction project.

Second motion been made and seconded by Miss Stacy.

Any further questions?

Not seeing it at this time, all those in favor.

Nine zero.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Again, Mr.

Devine moving to number nine, another resolution.

This can be a first read and resolution 2026-11, which is from the assistant town manager, which is to consider outside human service agencies funding policy.

So including a package and a staff report from assistant town manager Colleen Mayu related to this provote proposed revisions to the outside human service agency policy, and Colleen's here to speak to that tonight.

Okay.

Um so Mr.

Chair, members of the council, um, as you know, during the um preparation of the 2026 budget, um, questions came up about the process and the policy for how outside human services agencies are included in the town's budget.

Um, the council at that time um what we heard seem to be looking for more of a um uh direct benchmarks and tying um the actual deliverables of services being provided to um residents of the town of Salem to the funding requests that are being provided.

So what you have in front of you is um for your review and to to seek some input from the council where we would be um establishing some general criteria for um human services agencies um to submit funding proposals for inclusion inclusion in the budget.

Um the the policy eliminates what had previously been that kind of three-year provision where if an agency um has submitted a citizen's petition for three years, then they can submit for the budget.

That that's not included in this policy.

What this is setting is that um setting criteria where an agency must serve Salem residents must provide a service that directly or indirectly reduces town expenditures or provides a service that is vital to the health and well-being of Salem residents, and they need to demonstrate a collaborative relationship with the human services department.

The proposal um or the process that we proposed here would require that the human services agencies submit uh in-depth proposal form letting us know exactly what services are being provided and at what increments in um in order for them to request funding.

So, for example, if it's meals on wheels, we would expect for them to tell us how many meals are being served to Salem New Hampshire residents, and then once they meet those um benchmarks, once they meet that threshold, that's when they can then submit a request for payment.

So if they are saying asking for five thousand dollars to serve five hundred meals, we would be um tracking and making sure that those thresholds are being met before uh payments are made.

Um, for other organizations for caregivers, it could be something like providing rides to X number of individuals.

So what we really are trying to change is from is instead of an application to really a proposal for services, and um and we're not this is not something that we're contracting for these services because of procurement requirements, um that sort of thing.

We can't do a contract for services, but we are looking to go towards more of this proposal model and uh making sure that the benchmarks have met before funds are um provided.

So I'm happy to answer any questions, take any input or feedback the council may have.

This is a first read.

We would um recommend umce we've heard any questions or comments you may have, we would recommend a um second read be scheduled for June 15th if the council is prepared to go that far.

Okay.

Questions?

I have the majority answer.

Questions for board members, please?

Questions?

I have an actual question.

Thank you, Mr.

Chairman.

So we we we go through this process, and an organization applies for or says they have a proposal for 10,000.

The town manager and then the town council then includes that $10,000 in the budget.

There's nothing that's stopping that organization from getting petition signatures or even outside members that just want to support them, also getting another amount of money on the warrant.

Correct.

There's not we could we could put language in here discouraging that, but we really can't, because any 25 citizens can submit a citizen's petition.

I think that this is a way that if folks are going through the process and they know this is the process that we're recommending they follow.

I think that in itself discourages um going through the citizens petition process.

And I think by making it very clear, they're submitting to the town manager.

We have in here language that the council may request they come to the budget meeting, but but if you have all the material in front of you and you don't have questions, then we can maybe make this process a little bit easier for the agencies themselves as well, so that they're not needing to attend multiple night meetings and go through.

So I I think that this will hopefully make it a bit more of a streamlined process where we're still getting all the information we need, making sure that this is really providing services for Salem residents, but is making the process a little bit simplified.

Thank you.

Mr.

Hatch, this may be more far, town manager.

These since we're talking about these organizations, the ones that are in the budget now, are they coming out of the budget?

So they would have to resubmit this following this process in order to be included in the 2027 budget.

Okay.

So they'd have to follow the same process as every other agency.

They would not be just guaranteed to be put into the budget, they would have to follow the procedures that are being outlined.

And we have met with all these agencies, so they're aware that this is coming, and they've also pretty much agreed to following this process as well.

So no surprises anywhere.

No.

Okay, good.

Anyone else?

Thank you.

Thank you.

Appreciate it.

Thank you.

Do we need to make a motion there?

Mr.

Sweeney.

Yes.

I can make a motion.

Mr.

Chairman, at this time, I move that the Salem Town Council hereby recognizes June 1st, 2026 as the first reading for consideration of resolution number 2026 11 to consider an update to the outside human services agencies funding policy as recommended.

We hereby recommend a second reading be scheduled for June 15, 2026.

Motion been made and seconded by Bonnie Wright.

She spoke the loudest.

Anything further?

Not seeing any.

All those in favor.

Bonnie.

You seconded it.

You didn't put your hand up.

I'm sorry.

I knew I'd catch it.

It's been a long day.

Yeah, well, we're gonna try to make it a little shorter here by going right to number 10.

Right to number 10.

So this is the development department.

Go for it, Mr.

Devine.

So this is one of your favorite things.

This is gonna be a public hearing for an application for tax exemption or saying commercial industrial property tax exemption program.

Uh this is for 142 Main Street.

I including your packet from was a memo from community development program manager Crane Brewbaker to talk about this, and he is here tonight to discuss it.

Hello, Mr.

Chair and members of the council.

Uh so this is an application for uh the conversion of the former Ride Aid building at 142 Main Street uh into a child care facility.

Uh this is under the 7281 program that the council adopted in June of 2024 and amended in November 2024.

Uh we got memos from the planning director and the chief assessor that uh recommend the approval of this application.

Um the three criteria and the program are the qualifying area.

Uh staff recommends that that be found uh to be in the qualifying area, which is all of Salem.

Um the proposed structure is uh consistent use with the uses in the program, and then uh staff finds that there recommends that there are three public benefits uh to granting the tax relief, which are outlined in the program, those being the enhancing the economic growth and increasing the tax base, preventing or eliminating blight, and then retaining local jobs, increasing the tax base, and or providing diversity in the job base.

Uh just a little bit of background about the the pro the project is it's uh an 11,000 square foot daycare facility with 142 students uh conditionally approved by the planning board in March 26.

Uh it also has a 4,000 square foot outdoor playground, landscape improvements, facade enhancements, uh, and re-established pedestrian connections and staff because of those three uh outlined items.

Uh staff recommends uh the approval of this tax exemption application.

Uh I think the applicant may be here to speak as well if you'd like them to do so.

Questions anybody all the way around?

Not seeing any.

I'll take a motion.

Mr.

Sweeney, please.

Mr.

Chairman, at this time I move that the town council approves the request for a tax exemption for Wellco Learning Center, gartered school, located at 142 Main Street as the building is located within a qualifying area, our qualifying uses, and the applicant has demonstrated that it satisfies three public benefit criteria in accordance with section 8.1 of the commercial and industrial tax exemption program as noted in the staff memorandum dating dated May 19th, 2026.

Second.

Motion made and seconded by Miss Wright.

Seeing no other hands, all those in favor.

9-0.

Close public hearing.

Oh closed the public hearing.

I don't get much for that.

That's one of the things that a blast tonight.

I know.

Under B for community development, Mr.

Creighton is still here, so let's go with Mr.

Creighton.

Crane is here to talk about um economic development committee bylaw change and updates.

Which is what you have for today.

Yep.

So the council whilst reviewed and approved these bylaws uh May of last year.

Uh these are just it's really just some cleaning up of some language, uh, the number of committee members going from eight to seven, removing the language for co-chairs, uh, adding language uh referring to the attendance policy that the council adopted earlier this year, and then clarifying the amendment procedure and the EDC unanimously recommended these changes to the bylaws.

Questions of the bylaws, Ms.

Wright.

This is a committee I work with.

If you if it pleases the chair, I would like to make the motion for this.

Anyone that wants to read besides Joe would be welcome.

So you're up.

I move that the town council hereby approves the amendments to the economic development committee, EDC bylaws as recommended by the Economic Development Committee at its May 19th, 2026 meeting.

Second.

Motion made and seconded by Miss Withrow.

Seeing no other hands, all those in favor.

Nine to zero.

Okay.

Under C.

Discussion on the South Fire Station, Mr.

Devine.

So including your packet was a staff report for Finance Director Nicole McGee.

The MBAC committee, which is the municipal building advisory committee has recommended the South Fire Reconstruction Project move forward for fiscal year 2027.

So she's here and Chief Lamir is here to speak to that tonight.

Oh, yes, he is.

Hello, Nicole McGee again, but this time speaking as the municipal building advisory committee chair, not necessarily the finance director.

This will probably be my last time coming to you guys as MVEC chair.

Our next meeting, we're going to do a new election of officers, so it's been great.

But I'm smiling, Nicole.

I can't keep a smile off my face.

Go get giddy now.

So tonight I'm here to talk about the South Station project and seek council approval if you want would be so interested in inclusion or you know, continuance of our pursuit on including this project for the 2027 ballot.

Um most of this information that I'm going to present to you tonight, you've probably heard throughout the years, but I just want to more make it more informative for any residents who are watching and may be new to this project.

Um, next slide.

So why action is needed?

Um the station was built for you know fewer members on staff.

The apparatus bay was built in a time when the apparatus was smaller.

Um it's going to address some operational and uh facility deficiencies.

Um there's a lot of it's a it's an old station, it's an outdated station.

A lot of the systems are old, you know, the roof needs replacement, the boiler system is I think 17 years old, the plumbing is insufficient, the electrical system is to the point where our iron our building inspector said it's unsafe.

So it's just it's time.

Um next slide, please.

The existing facility was constructed in 1974.

It's a two-story living quarters, single story apparatus bay.

Um, but again, it's aged, it's outdated, it's underside, and it's not compliant with modern standards.

Um of the operational shortcomings is again, you'll see you've heard this a million times.

No gender-specific restrooms or showers, the apparatus bay is too small.

They don't have office space, so the station officer's office is also their bedroom, which makes can make things uncomfortable if you have to have confidential conversations.

There is, you know, back in 1974, the technology needs were not what they are today, so there's a limited space for technology.

Um in the picture you'll see the EMS supplies and the cleaning supplies for the station are in one small closet.

You can see on the right, the cleaning supplies on the left is the EMS supplies, the kitchen's undersized, the uh the public entrance is not ADA compliant.

There's not there's not even a single handicapped parking space at the station.

It's just it's time.

Like said, the Apparatus Bay, it does not meet building standards.

The we have to custom order our engines because our bay is too small to fit normal size engines.

So the cost of an engine is more expensive because we have to custom order it.

A limited, there's a limited working space.

We can't lift the cab indoors.

So if they need to do work on the apparatus, they have to actually take it outside the garage bay, the apparatus bay to do work on it.

Restricted equipment access.

Renovation challenges when we looked at that, including we would need roof modifications, structural impacts to address the drift load concerns, and it was just going to be a very significant amount and actually more costly to renovate than do a new station.

From a safety and compliance issue, we know that there's asbestos in the flooring.

The picture on the bottom left, you can see we've covered it with duct tape, some of the asbestos covered tiles.

ADA, there is no elevator, so it's you can't access second floor.

There's no, like I said, no parking.

Um the entrance also has a lift, which you can see in the picture on the bottom right.

So someone in wheelchair could not enter through the entrance.

The bathroom, we do not have an ADA handicapped bathroom, or you know, or even the grab bars for someone who is wheelchair around in their bathroom.

The windows are not compliant, they're not egress windows, they need to be larger.

Um the bathroom, you'll see this is the first floor bathroom.

You can see that there's just a shower curtain that separates these the showers and the toilet area.

Um, and there is, I don't believe that there's a bath shower upstairs, so there's not a lot of privacy, especially if you're you know a female firefighter working with your male colleagues.

Um the electrical upgrades, the lighting is insufficient when you go in there, it's very dull in there.

The actually the emergency lighting doesn't work anymore.

We tried testing it, doesn't work.

Um plumbing is original, gener, and the generator only supports half of the station.

Um the PPE, their personal protective equipment to bring it to actually clean it, they have to go through their living area or an occupied living space.

Um to decant decontaminate their gear, it really should be away from where they're living.

Most modern facilities you'll see it in on the other side of an apparatus base, so that you're not bringing those contaminants into your living area.

Um so in this one, you have to walk through the building to get there.

It's right actually real really located right outside their um their kitchen area.

The outside of the building, the roof is deteriorating deteriorating, the flashing is deteriorating.

There is you know, signs of aging, wearing, you can see bent areas and their their gutters are some of the gutters are separating from the building.

Water drainage, there's there the water's draining towards the building in certain areas sides of the building.

Um, there's HVAC limitations, there's the flooring is very old, and um there's no there's improper ventilation, there's no insulation in the building, so we're losing a lot of heat both in the living quarters and in the apparatus bay.

The garage doors aren't sealed tight, so we're just there's just a lot of heat loss.

So, just a reminder of some of the key project dates.

This has been uh in May of 2024, we authorized the town council authorized ARPA money for the conceptual design.

Um in 2025, we discussed the new construction as the preferred option for this project as opposed to a teardown renovation due to it being less expensive, and the project itself would take a shorter amount of time to do.

In 2025, the town council authorized funding for the next phase.

So we're um currently starting schematic design and then we'll uh do design development with this money.

Um 2026, the town council received MBAC's presentation for its master facility plan, which includes the South Station construction project going forward in 2027.

Next slide, please.

Uh people may say, well, where would we, if it were going to tear it down, where will we be temporarily relocated?

It worked great with the police station, so we're looking to move fire also into where DPW is.

To be clear, our DPW staff will move into the where a temp PD is right now.

So once PD vacates, DPW will move in as planned, and the intent the plan for South the employees at South Station, we would get you know, like a manufactured home, put it in the parking lot of DPW, they would live there, they would have their apparatus both in the garage and in the warm storage area.

And we looked at this, the DPW is in the same district as South Fire, so the response area will be pretty similarly served.

Obviously, we're moving a little bit, but it is again, it worked once for our PD, and we thought, why why not try it again with South Fire?

So that would be our intended plan for where they would be relocated.

Um you may remember that there was a resident survey that the town put out to the residents, and overwhelmingly, people ranked public safety facility improvements as their first choice.

In this bar graph, you'll see that it's it's that blue bar.

So first chart are overwhelmingly beyond all the other projects.

It's listed as their number one, and you can see it starts to it just trickles down second, third, fourth, and fifth.

So of the residents that responded to the survey of what they found was their most important capital projects, public safety facility improvements.

So we feel that the public is saying they do want to see us start to invest in public safety facilities.

Looking at the funding sources for this project, um far, we've spent or we've committed 226,800 of public safety impact fees.

We do have more impact fees that we can help fund this project.

Uh there is the public safety improvement trust that you remember the first million was donated a couple years ago.

The balance right now is 1 million uh 1 million 13,574.

And the purpose of this trust fund is for public safety improvements, including public safety facilities.

We have not touched that money, but that is a funding source that we could use for this project.

And then you know the remainder would be bonded similar to what we saw with the police station.

Uh, impact fees, the principal purpose of the impact fee is to expand fire station space to support firefighting and ambulance service personnel and equipment.

And just a re for a reminder for the fire impact fees for every thousand dollar that we spend in fire impact fees, we must match it with 1,600 of other funding sources.

So prior to this, we were using ARPA as another the other financing source.

Impact fees.

We have an available balance right now of 1.3 million dollars of impact fees, and you can see each year when they're set to expire.

So we have a large amount of impact fees that are going to expire in the next six years.

Um, this to me is the biggest argument.

We can use 1.3 million dollars of really other people's money to help pay for this project.

This project is ready.

We've been in the making for this project for a couple years.

If we we have a very limited scope of what we can use this money for, this project qualifies for that.

And if we don't use this, we are returning this money to the developers or to the property owners who contributed this money to begin with.

So this money can either be spent for us or we're returning it.

I don't see of any project that is ready to go that would qualify for the use of these funds.

The cost right now is unknown because we are just entering schematic design.

So we have the conceptual design, we're starting schematic design, but right now we used um I asked our owners project manager manager Trident for an estimate, a rough estimate.

It came in, we're estimating high at around 10 million dollars.

I'm gonna go with 10 million dollars for my projection for you guys for tonight, just so you can understand what the financial what the impact would be from a tax rate standpoint to the taxpayer.

Um we'll have a better idea after schematic design is done.

We believe that'll be done sometime around August.

And once we have design development, likely sometime in November, we'll have a reliable cost estimate that we could bring, we would feel comfortable bringing putting on the ballot.

So with this, I looked at a 10 million dollar bond uh over our 20-year period with level principal payments.

At 10 million dollars, I was able to get it so that from 2027 to 2030 or the first four years, it would have either a zero or a penny tax rate impact.

After that, it we would range between four cents and five cents on the tax rate.

So that means the cost to a $500,000 home.

And I'm talking about today's tax dollars, and I just say that because we are going through a reval, and I just want people to know again when we talk about this later, if it is supported that I'm gonna use it with today's home values and today's assessed value so that there isn't any confusion.

Um for a half a million dollar home, it would range between $5.30 to $25 throughout the life of the bond.

So the total cost to a half million dollar home would be $421.35 over that 20-year period.

And that has the potential to be lower depending on how much more we collect in impact fees, because it we can keep using the impact fees that come in to help offset the debt service payment for this project.

The cost of delay, again, we will lose we have impact fees that are going to expire.

We have 1.3 million that will be returned if we don't have it committed towards a project.

Construction prices continue to rise.

We have operational limitations, ongoing maintenance, the roof again is end of life.

The electrical, the electrical concern from our building inspector is that it's not in a good situation.

It is dangerous.

We have drainage issues, we have cracked at asphalt.

Again, we have all these issues with this facility that will need to be addressed.

The boiler, I think is 17 years old.

We need to clean out the not the best term for the M back chair, but the whatever pipe connects the boiler to the heating system, it needs to get cleaned out.

It's it's in rough shape.

So it even if we don't move forward with this project, you will start to see large capital improvement requests for this facility.

And again, I just want to relay the history of our PD station.

We saw in 2004 a 28,000 square foot building was 7.4 million.

In 2008, 7.1 out of 26.

The cost is more than tripled for a similar size building.

You look from 2008 to 2015 in just seven years, it tripled in price.

So the cost is only going to go up, and we know that.

So let's try and not repeat what we did with PD.

Let's address this now when we again we have 1.3 million dollars of non-taxpayer dollars to help pay for this project.

Um so again, yeah, project benefits again with pretty much everything summarizing what we discussed today, and again, not just seeking guidance from the town council.

Are we heading down the right path for inclusion to the 2027, or do you want us to, you know, stop said Mr.

Sweeney?

Thank you, Mr.

Chair.

One one thing that I loved when we were going around and doing the television shows for the PD was showing the chart of the debt between the town and the school, and as the the especially the school debt was coming down post-2029, and I mean this would be a sliver of it on the chart, but I think that would be important to have an updated chart that shows the the PD debt and the current town debt, and then like the small bump that the fire station project would be for.

I just think would help help educate folks on what we're asking them.

I know.

Mr.

Hatch.

Yeah.

And that was gonna be one of my points because one of my questions are you know, we're talking about doing this on the ballot 2027.

So where would the police bond be at that point?

2027, so this year is supposed to be our highest year, correct?

I believe 27 will be our highest year.

So in 28, when the first bond payment for the fire station would be due, would be the first year that we start to see the decrease in the police station debt service payment.

And then and then the first and then the first bond payment for this would be in 2029 or 2028.

2028, and again, because we have such a high amount of public safety impact fees, we could really get that bond payment to be next to nothing from a taxpayer standpoint.

We can leverage our impact fees because we have to use that 1.3 million prior to them expiring.

And since the one to one to 1.6 ratio is on the entire project costs, we could really use those impact fees up front to so that the first few years it's not this big impact.

The police station bond will come down and the fire will start to kind of one more.

So where I have my biggest conflict with this is because to me now we have a uh a priority conflict, I I think, because we're talking about six years before we have to give that money back.

And if you go to six years, that brings us back now to the 2020 thirty-one, which now we have an issue with the water treatment plan.

Kathy.

Well, I would just make it a statement.

I didn't know if you were done.

I thought he was asking a question, right?

Sorry.

So um thank you, Mr.

Chair.

With regards to your comments about the 1.3, if you look look at that chart, certain ones every year starting this year are getting reduced.

So it isn't 1.3.

It's every year.

There's a certain dollar figure that if we don't do something, we lose it.

It gets bounced, and you're not even talking about 1.3 if you're pushing it off like that.

But all I can say is this I toured that station when we bought the new engine, right?

And I have to tell you, I couldn't believe the condition of that facility.

And this is well overdue.

It needs to be done.

It really does need to be done.

I think there's a lot of safety concerns there.

I mean, I can't even imagine working in that environment down there.

You know, just you know, a station that was built for two people to be occupying it on each shift, and now there's multiple people, and there's no place for anybody to be.

It just the whole the whole thing of it.

I just when you're thinking about where you go to work and what your place of um your daily regiment or sleeping there overnight or whatever, I think we can do better for these fire firefighters.

I really do.

Thank you.

There's the Pellets.

I agree with Kathy, 100% of the facility.

But my argument is this.

What happened 50 years ago, 30 years ago, or 58 years ago when the design of this building took place?

From the road, from the street, this building looks fine.

But if you go inside, if you look at it, I mean it's it looks like a stage building.

It's uh it's nice and wide in the front.

You go look at the side, it's it's narrow as a two pick.

It does come in.

And that's the problem, and that's the problem with it.

Where was the problem?

Where was the design?

How old is this building?

Seventy.

52 years for those of you who it should last a hundred years.

There are buildings in other towns that are structured to the point where they're hundred, they're a hundred and fifty years old and still going strong.

And I I brought this up before when we were talking about the early stages of the police station.

What happened with our forefathers back then?

Were they just cutting the budget enough where they built the building to only last until it's disintegrating itself?

And this is where I don't want to see happen now.

I pushed it on the on the police station to make to design that building for future uses so it could be added on, so additions could be put on that building.

And and they came through with that.

And this is what I'm I'm gonna be pushing for fire stations too in the future.

I mean, we don't build buildings the last 50 years and then they're they're they're gone.

All the all the issues in this building could have been resolved if it was designed better from the very from the very beginning.

And that that's I I have a true feeling about that.

Uh so we need to design this building, and I know we're in the early stages of design uh to allow this building so that we so when my granddaughter is sitting on this board, it looks like she might in the future.

Uh she doesn't have to go through this 20, 30 years down the road.

Uh and and the savings of the tax to the taxpayers would be astronomical, be tremendous of a savings if the buildings are built and structured right.

And you can't tell me the overkill is is uh is not a factor because you know I do that in my house.

I did a lot of overkill in my house, but it's gonna last and it's gonna last forever.

Well, as far as I'm gone.

And this is what uh this is the I'm gonna be fighting for for these buildings is longevity of these buildings, not skipping on it.

Mr.

Tremala, thank you.

Uh I agree with Council State.

We both toured it.

And the the bay is the engine bay is so small that if they have to check the back of the ambulance, they have to pull the ambulance out just to open the doors to get the gurney out to do a check.

The new engine designed for that, but it's still when you shut the when you shut the garage door, you got that much face.

Can't walk.

You can't walk in front of it.

Right.

And the culture, everything I wanted to say, I wrote notes.

I mean, I'm starting to talk more so.

But um the one thing I don't think she said was uh when the firefighters come back from a fire, they have their gear, they have to put the washer.

They have to walk through the living space to go to the washes.

No, the reason why they you know have to wash it because that stuff has cancer-causing agents on it.

And the last thing you want to do is walk through your living space with that stuff dripping wet.

So it's a no-brainer.

We need a new station.

So I just hope we all say yes tonight.

This was a question.

Useful.

I will agree it's a no-brainer we need a new station.

There's hundreds, probably thousands of reasons why.

My concern is money, my concern is the taxpayers, right?

So we barely got our budget passed, and now we're gonna be looking for more.

It's to your point with the debt going up and down.

Fantastic, looks great on a chart, right?

But is the spending going down?

You know what I mean?

So it's not, so there's no savings there.

So it's uh, you know, I I realize that debt is a little different than spending, but it's not to the taxpayers.

So if this if the debt's going down, but the spending's going up, or at least keeping it all level, there's no savings, which you know, there should be so we should be doing something so when bonds stock going down, we're not just adding right to to where we were beforehand, because it's not fair on the taxpayers.

So I'm concerned with the money.

I'm concerned with the taxpayers having an additional burden.

We just passed the police station.

We need we need the police station, we need this.

I'm not saying we don't, but my concern is the taxpayers.

So I have concerns.

Um you know, we but then you we have to weigh that against the the treatment plant coming down the road too.

And and then we haven't even talked about the west side, right?

Like I really want, if nothing else, an ambulance planted in the west side.

We can't do a fire station, whatever, but let's save some lives, maybe, and let's help save some lives.

I'm not saying we're not.

Um let's put an ambulance over there.

Let's let's get that housed over there somehow, maybe in the temporary police station, that's where it's housed to get to the west side something so that we're not ignoring them before we're doing other projects on this side of town again.

So I have real concerns with this.

Yeah, I just wanted to bounce off of what Councillor Palletier was saying, and I I fully agree with uh everything that everyone has said, right?

Because it is uh we are we all know what the end mission is, we all know what the goal is.

Uh from the from 1950 to 1980, we were a bit of a boom town.

Right?

Like 1950, we had 5,000 people living here, 1980 we had 28,000 people living here.

So the structures that were built during those 30 years weren't built just to, you know, we need to get something up off the ground or get rid of the wooden structures, build some bricks, and it was you know uh it was just done to to meet the moment, and then the moment was so quickly past them that it just kept growing and growing.

I think the approach that we have with MBAC and working with Trident and T gas makes it so that these buildings are gonna last for 50 to 100 years, if not more, as I and and what Councillor Hatch always harps on, making sure we maintain the new assets that we're putting money into.

Um but and I and I look to yes, we obviously need to protect the taxpayers, um, but with the impact fee situation of the schedule of how they're gonna go, we're in a limited window for a fire station to utilize the impact fees.

And and maybe over the next six years between now and 2032 when that 1.3 million has to be spent on impact fees.

We we we get creative with using it to pay down the debt service here so we can get a a zero cent or a one cent impact for the first few years, or maybe some of it goes towards you know an ambulance bay on the west side, right?

Like we have that discretion as a town council to keep seeing our needs, you know.

The big question there being land, and if we have a parcel that we can actually do it on, maybe we do, maybe we don't.

Uh, but we know we have this parcel here that needs a new upgraded station.

And uh the spending side is 100% accurate.

We need to do what we can to keep the discretionary spending limited, encourage our friends across the street or on this side of the street to keep their discretionary spending limited too, and as their debt service goes down, them not trying to just you know backfill it with other programs that they can fund, which you know that's the the danger, right?

We can show the debt coming down, but if they keep it uh the tax rate the same, then it there's no savings there.

So cooperation and coordination with them in any sort of ways that we can collaborate uh to make sure that the end of the day the the taxpayer that's approving our budget and their budget gets some relief as the debt picture switches over from the school side to the town side.

I think we just need to have try to have those conversations with them and have them in public so that the voters and the taxpayers can see that we we are considering it, and we want to make sure that you know all the elementary schools, the high school, the middle school, as that debt service comes down, it's going over to the town side for the public safety that the town wants to see us invest in.

So nothing that we can do to force them, but we can we can try.

Miss Wright.

Salem has a history of delaying projects, and it ends up costing us a lot more over the time.

We have the impact fees, we should use them.

It's a sin to let those impact fees not be used.

Okay.

Anything further?

Anywhere around?

Can I just I'll entertain.

Just briefly, I'm just I'm just so I can throw I'll support this tonight, but it doesn't mean I'm sold.

So when it comes to budget season, you know, we'll see.

But I agree we need it.

I'm concerned.

Yes, no, my intent is basically similar to how we did with um the police station project.

If there is support, then MBAC can go back and say, okay, we need to start a PR campaign, and what did we do for you know, police station.

So I I'm voting tonight is not yes, it's 100% going to the ballot, it's just if it was a no tonight, we wouldn't go through the exercise of doing a public outreach campaign.

Maybe you can outreach to the school department and have them look at things a little differently for a change.

Yes.

Had to put it out there.

Pleasure of the board.

Mr.

Tramalia.

Thank you.

Uh move that the town council endorses the South Fire Station reconstruction project for inclusion of the 2027 town meeting warrant ballot.

Excuse me.

And authorize the municipal building advisory committee, M back, and the fire department to begin planning and conducting public outreach related to the project.

So that's second.

Motion made and seconded by Miss Stacy.

Further, all those in favor.

Eight.

One.

I'm opposed.

I'm gonna make you change my mind.

So the vote is eight to one.

Seven to one.

Seven DJ's one.

Oh, he left.

Yeah.

Went to the bathroom.

Thank you to one of those.

Okay.

We're all set with that.

Tom manages reporting questions.

Thank you.

Uh just want to give a couple quick updates to the council.

Uh, first off, we have done a technology infrastructure network resiliency upgrade.

Essentially, what we did, we've added a second internet provider to give us redundancy.

Um, we've had some issues in the past with Fairpoint dropping, and because of that, operations basically has to cease.

So we've added a second provider in right now, and we're actually looking to move to a possible third to add um a satellite that would be able to pick up internet as well, so that we always have the ability to be online so that we don't have to stop operations at town hall.

It's also, you know, when the when it goes out, we lose fire, we lose PD, we lose different aspects of it.

Obviously, the communication side doesn't drop, um, but we do lose aspects uh of that piece.

So, you know, just like we invest in water, sewer, and public safety redundancy, that's what we're trying to do on the network side.

So we have added a second uh line into the town.

Uh 603 Food Truck Festival is gonna be on June 3rd, so if people are around uh on Wednesday, 10 to 2 at 81 Main Street, which is the old Tuscan kitchen right next to the Chamber of Commerce.

As of right now, there's over 15 food trucks coming to the event.

Um so if you want to go out, they're gonna have um six dollar and three cent specials for a lot of their items in honor of 603 day um so you can go out and get some good food.

Uh so we welcome that.

Uh the Salem Housing Authority um is receiving a three three million dollars in correctional congressionally direct spending from Senator Shaheen's office uh to work on the new Millville Arms location uh to add more workforce housing.

Um Senator Sheen will be in Salem on June 5th, which is Friday.

Um they have invited the council if you'd like to go over and and talk to her about what's going to be happening.

Um you're welcome to go with the um housing authority.

So that invitation is not I don't have a time yet right now, it's between 10 and 2.

Um I'm supposed to do on Wednesday get a firm time frame.

As soon as I get that, I'll send an email out to the council so that they're aware.

Um wanted to make you aware of that.

Um June 13th is a Salem town wide yard sale.

Um it's too late to register at this point.

The cutoff has happened, but the maps will be online.

If people want to go around and hit the yard sales, they'll be available for people.

Um speaking of the taxpayers, the 2026 property tax bills have been mailed.

Um first bill payments are due on July 1st.

So we encourage people to come in and make their payments.

Um if they need to contact the tax collector's office for questions, feel free uh or stop by town hall.

And then Hedgehog Park, we've delayed the opening until June 20th.

Um we are still doing construction over at Hedgehog.

Um, the new pavilion is up, but they're working on putting in the the base floor, the new ADA trail, things like that.

So we wanted to make sure that the construction crews were completely out of there before we started allowing people to access the park.

So people are still able to use the basketball courts and things like that right now, but the actual access to the pond is not available.

Uh but June 20th, they'll be ready to go.

So happy to answer any questions and questions of the town manager, Mr.

Sweeney.

Thank you, Mr.

Chairman.

Uh, one of the uh top topics online, Bridge Street Bridge.

Yeah.

Is that on time?

We are still on time.

That's good.

Perfect.

That's what I told them and just wanted to do.

We are we are on time.

Okay.

Cement's already been poured for the abutment, so that's all taken care of.

So things seem to be going.

And I know they're working on something that you've spoken about as far as the first vehicle ribbon cutting type thing.

So that is municipal services is working on that right now as well.

So that'll be coming.

That's good.

Thank you, Mr.

Chair.

Just a comment.

I want to thank public works individuals.

We I had a water main break right in my front yard uh a couple of Saturdays ago.

It was I've never experienced that.

I thought there was an airplane crashing.

Seriously, it was unbelievable.

They did an incredible job.

They were very professional.

Same thing for the two uh policemen who came and and directed traffic, make sure everything was safe.

So I just wanted to put that out there.

Thank you very much.

Stay with them.

They did a great job.

Thank you.

Anyone else?

I'll entertain.

Motion to adjourn.

Second.

Motion to adjourn.

Seconded by Mr.

Sweeney.

All those in favor?

Somebody wanted to speak, but that's okay.

Oh no, this eight.

I know somebody from the audience.

Well, we'll talk to I'll go out there and talk.

Since he's a kid.

Should have come out.

I know.

Is that you, Odin?

Yes.

Is there something really pressing?

No, no, not really.

What's it about?

Oh.

Hedgehog.

Are there lobbies?

Yeah, come to the mic.

Hi, I'm moving badly.

Um down at Hedgehog Park.

Do we I'm I'm a life scout here in 249 sale.

Yep.

I'm looking for an Eagle Scout project soon.

Is there any trails or any like service boards like a kiosk needed at Hedgehog or any who come up with keys?

Next Thursday at five.

We're gonna have a meeting across the street.

Okay.

Uh recreation.

Come down then, and you can come up and ask the we'll find one.

Yeah, okay.

We'll find something for you.

All right.

Thank you.

You good?

Yep.

Great.

That's wonderful.

Motion made second all in favor.

Thank you.

Eight to zero.

Thank you.

We're done.