So just so you know that that's a priority. So that's something we talked about. So that's that's kind of just the two. Yeah. I mean we also had higher class sizes in a lot of the other you know in some math classes too in science. So you know I really don't like any of the scenarios. I mean I feel like cuts and we go back to the drawing board. So and and if we go back to the drawing board I just if it's okay if I I did I know you didn't get around Wendy to everybody if we delay it is not the end of the world but Dr. man, can you talk about in terms of your supervision of HR and working with the principles and posting of jobs and hiring and appointments of veteran people given the reductions in reallocations the impact that that might have in terms of timing.
That's the one part in the in the bylaw that does not say from a public way. So, it broadens that. The whole the whole bylaw is only for those things visible from the public way. So if you've got something on the back of the building, you have a definition and then you have an application in another section that says it. So I'm just like I said that's that's just a concern. I don't think it was the intent but it the way it reads and and and again I'm just bringing that up as a uh so okay sounds like sounds like the intent is what I think the intent is but yes actually and I can say this is the standard this is the one that's been tested the standard bylaw that's been tested in court. So um legal counsel uh you know at the attorney general's office has found that those definitions and then the overall for the public way seems to have um is reconciled correctly.
Okay. I'm sorry Wendy. Thank you. Um Okay. So, um, like Rob, I I think, you know, I I would love to go with, you know, just taking a what I would consider to be a calculated risk. Not one that I just willingly go into like it's great. It's none of these scenarios are great, but that's what I would that would be my primary choice. But, you know, I do understand that having administrative support is um very important to making any plan work. Um, and so I value your feedback in in that regard. I would then lean more towards scenario A just for the simple fact that the cuts are diversified and they could be things that I could more easily envision coming back into the budget. You know, 45,000 15,000 even 100,000 or a position. Those are things that we have added to our budgets as investments in previous years.
Okay. Thank you for thanks for that answer. You want me to start the timer please? So my second question is to uh to the commission. You have a quorum set at four, which is unusual, and then you have uh your decision at a simple majority, which is again odd. And so, particularly when you have a time frame that you have set up and you have to then wrangle more members. Just wanted to understand the the reason for having a higher number. You have a supermajority for a quorum, uh, but then only have a simple majority for taking action. Yeah, I I wish I could speak to why that um has played out. That's um how MDL says so that's not the basis of MGL says simple majority for both. So why do why does ours say four for a quorum? Uh let's double check what it says.
Um, of course it delays the progress of other investments that we would want to make, but that's the nature of any budget cut is a delay in your progress. Um, and so for those reasons, I would lean more towards scenario A, the diversification of it. Okay. Thank you. Um, Stephanie. Yeah, I'm I am having a really hard time with it as well, but through this discussion, I think I'm leaning towards a as well. I feel like the point that Rose makes about sort of diversifying the the the cuts and where we can add back in in future years. I I really just have a hard time with permanent changes like going back to earlier start times and bus schedules and things we've only been we've only had for two years where there's a lot more um ability. I mean, again, none of it's great. all said we don't like any of it.
It says four for a quorum. It does in 324.3 it says excuse me 324.6 four members of the commission shall constitute. So let's not argue about what it actually been that's been what's been vetted by the attorney general's office. I I don't know is the answer. I don't know the answer. Okay. And then so the other component that I was going to say is uh we've talked about preserving the buildings. Uh just to be clear, this is any activity. So if you want to have a blank if so take where uh we do the farmers market, somebody wants to construct something, it also is there. So it has to be approved. All alterations or buildings have to be approved by this commission. I'm not saying that's good or bad. We just been spending a lot of time talking about preserving buildings. This isn't just about preserving buildings.
No one wants to cut, you know, sections from from classes and um yeah, that's where I'm at. Okay. Thank you. Just clarity, I just so for scenario A, that would increase class sizes at CLA, correct? Yeah, but it's still within the range that we have approved in a previous meeting at the recommendation of the class size committee. That's a very very very important point to make. Um because it will probably get you know communicated that we're voting to increase class sizes. It will still be within the board of education guidelines. So um and in the sheet I gave you earlier on class sizes, the purple shaded area to the very far right just shows an example for every grade if you were to reduce. So just so you can take a look at all of them are under the limit. Yep. I looked carefully at that.
You would need approval for any construction. Yes. Other than the exclusions that are set up like paint color and that and uh roof shingles and the exclusions that are set up. Yes. I am Lori Dudley from Chestnut Street and um I'm also a historical romance writer. So, I appreciate history, but I also have learned through history what happens when you give your rights of um public rights to just a few people. Um the these historical guidelines, I actually printed them out. They're 13 pages long. Um and it's not always what it says, but what it doesn't say to um these guidelines as they were written, it says that it doesn't involve paint as she had said in in roofing colors. However, that does invol uh the style the material, the type, if it's a prefinished product like vinyl siding or Everlast or fiber cement, it's already they end up having a say in what is being put on your house.
Yeah. Well, if we were going to vote right now, I would vote for scenario C. Um, I understand and respect the points that you're making. Um, I also am really hearing that AllStar has done their best. And I think that if we have if we take away buses, we're going to nullify um I mean, the routes will just get longer and that'll nullify the the um whole point of Well, they're not they're not changing any buses. I understand. I understand. But I'm putting more weight on the the the immediate instructional gets that happen with scenario C. Um, and I know that a point to French is not like it's just like one little piece there, but that's that's really great to hear that Mr. Band feels that he could move some things around to to ensure that because um we we have seen the the growth of the French program and we'd like to see that continue in a healthy way for students and teachers.
We these are people who have paid for these properties that had a vision for these properties and that now will not have any say on the front face of their property. What is the main view of what this looks like? Um what also happens is that these products tend to be historical products are very expensive. Typically if you are reverting back to something that is for a specific time period they tend to be more costly. Uh and what happens then is then is this the price goes up. People don't can't afford to have these repairs done and so then the property ends up deteriorating in value over time. It's also a ton of red tape. It's it's a lot of time period that passes before anything can be done. We already have permit processes and and everything. Um and also somebody had said something about a cohesiveness that they wanted for the town.
But I think that the benefits of scenario C for me for a pragmatist position those are um those are what we need those are the things that we many of the things we say we value I know we talked about adolescent sleep and brain science and it's it's rough but anyway that's that's my thinking that's why I can I make another clarifying point then to you sure so the 02 French which is $15,000 right if that were to come from other areas of the budget a general general haircut in every other area of that of discretion. Would that make this scenario more palatable? No, no, that that was just that was just a a point to add on. I think um seeing that the the climate coordinator position is in which we may not need next year, but I think we're going to need soon after to be compon.
We have a planning board already in place that provides a cohesiveness for our community. So um that's all. So I would prefer this not to pass. Thank you. Thank you. My name is Margot Ellsworth. I'm sorry, Margot. It's We're moving over here. Oh, sorry. No worries. She can go. That's fine. Kathy Rooney, 136 Fountain Street. So, before I went to the one of the hearings, so the historic commission, I ran into one of my new neighbors who owned a historic building on my street in town, and I started talking to him about what he was doing. This this property is not part of the historic district, but this property owner has been consulting with the historic commission already because they have lived in town for 30 years. They understand that they've bought a historic property and they understand the value of keeping that property, the facade, the front-facing facade looking historic because they understand what it does to the vistas in the town and what it looks like.
Um can we unless we need it now, why are I Not to say that we don't need it. I understand it's in the budget proposal. But though that is something that is more easily added back into the budget compared to I understand I I listen to to all of the arguments made tonight and over the course of many weeks of discussion and at the last meeting and this it's a difficult decision but that's where I land. I have one make one point of clarification on C that uh compliance teacher position would be re appropriated to a math interventionist at the at the middle school which was one of the asks from this board and also from the principal. So it would not be that that FTE would not be for any I understand okay but the position is can I make a suggestion um I it's important to talk about the the different budget scenarios.
So, I'm really confused. This is the that person's a business owner in town. I'm really confused when I hear all these other business owners saying they don't want to comply and that they think it's too expensive. We've had a lot of other bylaws passed where many of the same property owners have gotten up and complained about the HERS bylaw when it was first put into effect and they said it would be too expensive. And then at least one of them turned around and built one of the best developments in Ashlin that's still talked about. So old places matter because of economics. Old places are deeply beneficial to people because of the way they give us a sense of continuity, belonging. They inspire us with beauty, awe, and sacredness. And because they tell about history and learning, and because they foster healthy, sustainable communities. Numerous studies have been done by the World Bank, Ruckers University, the world in the United States, all over the United States.
I think it's also important to circle back to um how BNC came to be. Um and it wasn't because um you know the administration said let's find a way to to to you know reduce transportation costs and eliminate buses. Um rather it it was just the byproduct of the initial conversation about the start times. And so really scenario A may not be necessary to do depending on the board's you know decision on start times whereas scenario B and C may be the only options right if depending on the the decision on start times. So, um I think that like whatever that decision is on start times is going to inform what options you have to work with. And if start times were to change or or or were to remain the same, um certainly if there's things in scenario A that um the board is uncomfortable with or wants to see different variations of, we can go back and and do that and eliminate the the busing transportation costs in total.
And they all talk about how these districts improve towns. as if old places are only worth keeping for economic reasons or if they can justify themselves economically. Combined with the many other benefits, the benefits that are hard to measure economically, which are deeply beneficial for people, keeping and retaining old places seems like a no-brainer. I object to the notion that everything in life has to be reduced to an economic equation. But imagine if these studies could capture the full value of the benefits old places give people. The sense of identity and belonging, the awe of beauty, the creativity and imagination, the valuation would be, as Randall Mason put it, calculating the incal incalculable or pricing the priceless. Thank you. Thank you, Kevin. Margot. Hi, I'm Marggo Ellsworth, 22 High Street Extension here in Ashlin. been here 50 years. Uh came here because we had privacy, because we had space, because we had a great school system.
Right? if the if the firm position is that we are we're keeping the start times. Um so I just think that that decision point is is really crucial to even at this time figuring out which ones to my opinion is like that might have been a byproduct of that committee but it has become the sole focus of the conversation regarding start times. We if we want to have a conversation about what's more important adolescent sleep or sports we haven't had that debate. So that's my sort of sticking point with this is that we made this a budget conversation and the committee made it a budget conversation and so now that's what it is and the just I have to emphasize the start time decision really needs to be made tonight. Either we're staying the course or we're changing it because Allstar needs the time if we're going to change now to start doing that.
And it truly is a good school system. Um in the presentation of for this this change, I'm hearing a lot of iffy kind of dialogue. Hopefully the next committee when it's formed will do this. Hopefully, I don't want hopefully. You need to know when you vote on something like this this uh um ruling, this change, you need to have your absolutes lined up. Now, I have a deed on my property. And probably if you own a house out here in this town, you have a deed. You pay your taxes, you pay your insurance, you have control of your house or your condo. However, if you want to do a change on your property, you go through many tiers to be able to to bring that change about. Now, you're adding another tier. It may cost you more money. So now somebody else has control over your house.
That's one. Uh two, Dr. Man, can you share a little bit about the delaying on the budget decision tonight in deferring it for another couple of weeks? How that impacts our hiring process? Right. Going into the summer time, we have reduced in force, you know, these six positions because the instructional coaching model is gone. So, we have six tenure teachers in those positions. One of those people has retired, put in her retirement. So we need to find a place for five people who are guaranteed through tenure law a position. Um so that's one part of it. Um that if and we have posted some all of these positions that we have posted with the exception of we just got a resignation yesterday that we have to post. But um most of the postings that we have put out since March are anticipated because there's no decision made on this.
I don't want to have anybody else have control over my property. I pay the taxes. I pay the insurance. I maintain it. No one should be able to tell you what you can do with your home. So that is my there are enough controls as there are. And when I hear the word hopefully, it makes me nervous because you really don't know what you're voting for in absolutes. Thank you. I am against this measure. Thank you, Beth. Good evening. Thank you, Mr. Moderator. Uh my name is Beth Reynolds. I am the director of economic development and community outreach for the town um of Ashland. Um, over the past two years, I've closely followed this planning and discussions surrounding this proposed bylaw. I've watched public meetings, listened to community feedback, and sought out perspectives from those who would be directly affected. Let me be clear, I deeply value Ashlin's history and the character that makes our town unique.