Board of Selectmen 3/4/2025

(Episode Description is AI generated and may be errors in accuracy)

Join us for a heartfelt conversation about local politics, focusing on the complex issue of school budgets that has sparked passionate debates in our community. As we dive into the emotional narratives from various residents, we aim to bridge gaps of understanding amidst differing viewpoints. The podcast highlights the significance of compassion and dialogue, urging listeners to not only recognize their neighbors' perspectives but to also engage in supporting community initiatives that foster unity.

Explore the stories of residents navigating budget discussions, touching upon the personal effects of fiscal decisions on families and children. We tackle the concerns around a potential budget override with a focus on the importance of elevating community voices over confrontation. 

In each segment, you’ll find encouragement to engage respectfully, considering the heart behind every opinion shared. Tune in to discover solutions driven by collaboration and mutual respect, creating a path forward for our community. Don’t forget to subscribe and join the conversation – let’s work together for a brighter future!

Chapters

• 3:15 Meeting Opening and Pledge
• 5:55:05 Concerns Over Upcoming Budget Override
• 10:17:03 Discussion on School Community Initiatives

Transcript

Speaker 1: 0:03

All right, good evening. Call the meeting to order at 7 pm. Inform the public we are being both broadcast live and recorded by the Radio Channel and I would ask those with us to join us in the pledge, please. What intentions do you have for the United States and America?

Speaker 2: 0:19

This is a republic, for which it stands. What intentions do you have for the United States and America? What intentions do you have for the nation of Illinois, indivisible?

Speaker 1: 0:26

with a name and justice for all. All right, I will entertain a motion on the minutes.

Speaker 3: 0:32

I'll make a motion that we accept the minutes of the regular meeting of February 25th and we table the minutes of the special meeting of February 26th and also table the executive sessionBRUARY 25TH.

Speaker 4: 0:46

I ALSO SECOND THIS MOTION.

Speaker 1: 0:47

ALL IN FAVOR, all IN. Approved UNANIMOUSLY DEPARTMENT HEADS, our POLICE CHIEF DAVEL PLANNED CHIEF.

Speaker 2: 0:55

GOOD EVENING, good EVENING, chief. So FOR THE MONTH, the police department we had a total of eighteen hundred twenty three calls, 412 of those were emergency 911 calls and of those, 117 were emergency medical dispatch calls. There were six arrests and several criminal summonses. We had no significant events last month. I just want to thank patrolman Nicholas pool for volunteering this time to read to the students at the Merrill school on February 28th as part of raves read across America initiative. I also want to recognize the side and Joshua O'Brien and si road yet Jennifer Lane who read the students at the Liberty School this morning. Grateful to all the officers who continue to volunteer in the community.

Speaker 3: 1:49

We currently have one officer thank you, mr Chairman and Chief. You were also part of that initiative in the school yeah, I signed up for it. They stepped up and volunteered, so I acknowledge them Well you all did a great job and really appreciate the support. And thank you, as always, to everything you and the members of your department do to keep us safe.

Speaker 1: 2:12

Thank you, mr Riley. Mr Collins, your questions, mr Chief. Thank you, yes, sir, all right, no appointments or public hearings. Is this my old business, ms Riley? I have none. Discussion and vote on non-union employment agreement extension for Deb Dooney, executive assistant to the board. It's a one-year 2% increase. What's the board's pleasure?

Speaker 3: 2:34

I'll make a motion to approve. He's approved. Second All in favor, aye.

Speaker 1: 2:39

Approved unanimously. Discussion and vote. Non-union employment agreement extension for Michael Soas, health inspector, Again one year, 2% of no other changes.

Speaker 3: 2:49

I'll make a motion to approve.

Speaker 1: 2:50

Second All in favor.

Speaker 3: 2:52

Aye.

Speaker 1: 2:52

That is approved unanimously and discussion of going on a change of order involving Loria Construction. This is actually a decrease in the town's favor through some savings and it comes with the recommendation of the town administrator and our highway department, so savings definitely approved.

Speaker 3: 3:10

All in favor.

Speaker 1: 3:12

Aye, approved Any other new business, ms Riley? Aye, mr Collins, no new business, all right.

Speaker 2: 3:17

Town administrator's report we have Aye, I find it's a direct affiliate, not tonight, all right, thank you.

Speaker 1: 3:22

Thank you. Selectman's report Ms Riley, yeah, yeah and a couple of things.

Speaker 3: 3:26

As mentioned last week, we are celebrating Read Across America's Week in our Rainham schools. We were at Merrill last Friday, the Liberty Elementary School, today, as the Chief mentioned, and Thursday we will wind up at Rainham Middle School. A total of 42 celebrity guest reader slots to fill with an equal number of RAID hosts and hostesses, and everything has been going great. As always. There's a great community effort supporting our schools. One especially thank our rave read across America co-chairs, jen Rodriguez and Katrina Fisher and, of course, rave coordinator Becky George for coordinating all of that.

Speaker 3: 4:06

I also attended the monthly breakfast for the seniors at the Council on Aging last Wednesday, which is always an enjoyable event in addition to being a great breakfast. The excitement is growing there about the long-awaited renovation of the restrooms. The project is due to start this month. There will be a porta-potty on hand. There will be very few a couple of cancellations. The monthly luncheon, monthly movie and monthly breakfast. There will be very few a couple cancellations. The monthly luncheon, monthly movie and monthly breakfast for March will be canceled.

Speaker 3: 4:34

But most of the activities and events are still happening, many of them at the Senior Center. Some are being moved to the Lions Club and some will be held at the Gymkhana Club. So I want to thank Erin Medeiros, a Senior Center and Park and Recreation Department, and Lions Club for working together to accommodate those senior activities. And lastly, our Economic and Business Development Commission held their monthly meeting last night and announced plans to present their 2025 Community Pride Awards at their next meeting, and you're all invited. It will take place at 5 o'clock on Monday, april 7th, right here in the municipal meeting room. The public is invited to attend the award ceremony. The award recipients for 2025 will include a new schuelers for the new construction award, barrels and boards and SS service group HVAC Services for Remodeling Awards, and Skip Crossman, chad Gregory and Luca Chico for the Citizen Awards. And lastly, just to remind everybody out there in our viewing audience that next Wednesday, march 12th, is the important public hearing on the school department budget.

Speaker 1: 5:48

So that's important, thank, you, ms Rapp, mr Collins I actually have a statement, please.

Speaker 4: 5:54

As much as I don't like written prepared statements, I'm going to read from the paper, because this is a very touchy subject with a lot of people. We're going to talk about people's money and we're going to talk about politics, so I didn't want to offend anybody. I'd like to make this a statement expressing my concern around the possible override. I'm not usually one to read prepared statements, as I explained, but this is a sensitive subject. We are entering into discussions about your money and politics and I need to pursue with utmost caution. Being one of three selectmen, I believe it's imperative. I do all I can to keep our community together.

Speaker 4: 6:30

My main goal is to get out ahead of what I believe is taking place. We're beginning to see friends, neighbors, colleagues all of the same community turning against each other. The political arena at the federal level was spilling over into our town. When I campaigned for this seat, I did so on a message that I was not a politician and I was concerned that the visceral fear-mongering style of politics at the federal level would hit our local community, and I believe that has started started. If this trend continues, we stop working together, we pick a side and we look for someone to blame. Regardless of which way this possible override vote may go, what is most important to me is representing all the views of our residents equally and, in turn, keeping us a close-kn To be honest with you.

Speaker 4: 7:14

I'm lost because I can't, as I can, relate to and empathize with both sides. I have great friends and family who believe many government entities can't be trusted. I have friends and family who help anyone at any time, with no regard or concern of how much it costs. Friends who make decisions with their brains and friends who make decisions with their hearts. Who's right, who's wrong, I don't know, but what I do know is yelling and criticizing my friends who are prioritizing their finances is wrong. I know yelling and criticizing my friends who are prioritizing the care of their children and their education is wrong. We all have different perspectives. We all come from different backgrounds and upbringings. What makes one feel comfortable may bring panic and concern to another. This is a fact. Two truths can exist at the same time. I can feel compassion for someone. At the same time, you feel concerned for your finances, or vice versa. I can be concerned about my fan is, as I may be, on the brink of bankruptcy.

Speaker 4: 8:09

Well, you're more concerned about providing a better education for your kids again. We are all neighbors, we are a community and we don't have to insult one another or talk anybody or talk down to one another. Talk down to anyone who disagrees with us in an effort to force our views on one another. I've said it before, I'll say it again force equals failure. I tussled greatly with whether or not to post this statement on social media, but decided to wait for this recorded open meeting. I wanted to get my message out as soon as possible. I heard and read the concerns on social media but, to be completely honest with you, I was afraid of the comments section. Social media, in my opinion, is a brutally tough place to talk about sensitive issues and it's certainly not somewhere I want to govern from.

Speaker 4: 8:56

I was hoping to have a little bit more to say regarding the override and the mention of the audit, but we still don't have hard numbers yet and I just don't want to get ahead of myself. I think it would be irresponsible of me to go into any further without hard numbers, so I'll leave it at that, but I just ask everybody just to tone it down a little bit if they can. It's just counterproductive to be insulting one another and we have to remember that we're all in the same community again, regardless what side you're on. We can all agree. I think in the past 20-25 years the federal government probably can run a little bit more efficiently, regardless of who's in office. I don't care if it's a Republican or Democrat.

Speaker 4: 9:32

I think in the past 20, 25 years the federal government probably can run a little bit more efficiently, regardless of who's in office. I don't care if it's a Republican or a Democrat. Like we can all agree that they can be run more efficiently. We can make the same argument for the state. I will argue in defense of this town and how we run our business, our town as a business and again I'll get into that further Once we get more numbers. I don. We're all neighbors and regardless how this goes, there's gonna be a lot of people upset and you have to treat those people with compassion. Thank you, mr Collins.

Speaker 3: 10:10

I think the one thing that is beyond question is that we all care about our schools and what's best for our schools. And again, as Mr Collins said, we're waiting for those numbers and hopefully we'll get more information at that important meeting next Wednesday thank you, and just one final comment on the schools.

Speaker 1: 10:30

Chairman Fitzgibbons reached out to me. He is looking to form ad hoc subcommittee comprised of the school committee, members of the school committee, rain him and Bridgewater and rain him. Seat would be our finance chair, a designee, and selection chair, a designee. It miss Riley. You've always been our school liaison. You don't mind you putting you on the spot publicly. I'd like to have you thank you all right, we have no correspondence this evening. No press time. Emergency business, miss Riley, mr Collins loser citizen the community input.

Speaker 3: 11:09

Okay, performance of the administrative duties, miss Riley and payroll and invoice warrants for the state March 4th 2025.

Speaker 1: 11:23

Thank you, and if there is nothing else from the board, I'll entertain a motion for adjournment.

Speaker 3: 11:27

I'll make that motion Second.

Speaker 1: 11:29

All in favor.

Speaker 3: 11:30

Aye.

Speaker 1: 11:30

We are adjourned. Have a great evening, thank you.