>> So you're telling me we have not been doing the oil changes. >> Two years ago we started doing a preventative maintenance program for the first time in the town of Ashlin for the HVAC HVAC systems which is awesome. It's great. We need to continue it >> that and and also with the with the new public safety building with all those new units and with all amount of >> right Doug talked about those three buildings that we know came online 20 years ago. Um, so for some reason decisions were made to not do the oil changes per se, >> right, >> on these three buildings and now we're seeing, >> right? >> Yeah. I I can be very clear about that. The we didn't make a decision. The decision was made for us, >> right? Um, I think when when you have um the roof leaking um and you have to choose between doing that and preventive maintenance and stuff, you you have to you have to do the emergency first and um we're very reactive.
Uh that's how that's the resources that we have invested right now is that it's a very reactive department. >> Plus, Ashen has the right people in place. Yeah, we have good people in place >> to think of preventive means. They weren't people before us weren't thinking about preventative maint. >> That's true. There there really wasn't it was a resource issue and I think >> what's wrong putting out buyers to >> to think about what do I need to do 10 years down the road when I'm just, you know, I've got to put out the fire today. You know, I I don't want to be sitting there and have the roof um and the ceiling fall onto Katherine and me and Joe. Maybe you too, Brandy. Um yeah, because we have an issue here um that needs to be addressed. And um >> No, absolutely. No, I um I just had a couple other just um I guess housekeeping questions.
Um so this um this department would that report up to um like the director of DPW or would that report to you Michael? How what would the view of the report >> right now? It would it would report to me. Um and that's because I I think we have an opportunity through this to think more in the future as well in line with what the comprehensive plan um is in line and that is part of this um of this uh buildings and grounds department is to start looking at okay what are our bigger facilities needs in the future number one and then number two how are we going to expand athletic fields here in town we haven't even touched that I get more calls about that. Jay Culverwell, God bless him. Uh Ashlin youth soccer and uh and McDonald and lacrosse and u the Gormans in youth baseball and softball.
They're very passionate and um and uh they uh they they don't have enough space. Um Doug, you can speak to this so much better than I can. >> Thanks, Michael. I've been living this quite a bit the last two weeks. Right now, the two artificial turf fields that we have, we have two, okay? Both are booked Monday through Friday from 3 in the afternoon until almost 10:00 every single night. Monday through Friday. Saturdays and Sundays, it starts at 8:00 a.m. 8:00 a.m. up until 5:00 p.m. and then a little bit after that. Both artificial field I haven't even gotten to the grass fields yet. It's insane. It's crazy. We have all these private people trying to get on to use the fields and I I'm like sorry. I'm like sorry we don't have the space. >> But the youth sports soccer alone there's over there are over 500 kids in Ashlin youth sports and the school department the school >> they have a lot of participants now and they continue to add new sports on top of it.
So it just the window of you know field space in Ashlin is is dwindling so fast. It it's it's amazing. And eventually I can see that the school fields just being school and youth sports because >> so thank you. I appreciate that. Yeah, because I because I know it's it's it's tough to find space anywhere in town. So um one other question be based on this slide that we have up here. Um the last line item on here um it says explicit year one deliverable. Can you talk a little bit about that and sort of what what that looks like? >> Yeah, I I mean part of this I think there's going to be some explicit deliverables. Uh one is a work order system and making sure our vendor the second would be our vendor warranty management. And then the third thing that you're talking about is a a five-year uh facilities plan.
Okay. Uh an actual, you know, proactive uh plan. And uh this is going to be um this is going to be a good a big lift. As Doug has told you, we've been built um very lean. And I think um the buildings and grounds really kind of the first mission is just kind of to stand it up and figure out, okay, exactly what do we need to to fully complement this? Um we're going to be building the car as we're driving it to a certain extent. Um, but I I'm really confident in the people that we can get to do this. >> I would I would also just make a request for me, not for the rest of the board, but I think >> as this gets built >> that um I would be really interested to see what that five-year plan looks like and and also just, >> you know, checking in on the success of it because I think, you know, we really don't we don't we don't talk about the successes of that enough.
So, like I would be really interested in seeing what that what that plan looks like and >> and just if we're meeting the needs of of the community at, you know, with this with this shift that we're doing. >> Yeah. Um I I can tell you that we're across the board I got to word this carefully. Um we're doing a miraculous job. Makita, you said it best one day. I and I really liked it. Um, we're like alchemists. We turn lead into gold. Um, and and that's really to our staff members, but we're You know what, Brandy? We don't know what it's like to have a compliment of staff to to do more proactive work. It's going to be a shift in thinking. It's something that we need to do. Um, I think one of the things that I've learned throughout this whole process is just I've got to do a better job of making sure that you're connected with these folks and what they do on a regular basis.
I haven't done a good job of that. And um, you know, I am so proud of this group. Um, I was really proud of of Ashland 1.0 know and this group has a really special um feeling in my in my heart um because I've known a lot of them and they're in new positions and they've had to step up in ways that a lot of people shouldn't have to step up at the same time but they've done it and you know I and to a certain extent the board really benefited um look when I started I said yes to everything um and it was easy for me and it was um a lot of people liked the fact that I said that and you know what everybody who had to pick up the pieces weren't they weren't the people saying yes they were these folks and um I benefited greatly personally um you know reputationally by saying yes and having other people just kind of pick up the pieces and so I guess I feel really um bad that I haven't done a good enough job of advocating for Um, there's such a special, you know, this, I say it all the time and I get a big smile on my face.
This is a special crew. Ashlin is a special place. We do more with less in a way that, um, other communities really envy and I hear that from other communities. Um, you really are a special group. Um, and and I've really grown to think so much of you. Um, and just who you are as people and as professionals. Gosh, Kevin, I'm going to call you out, too. The relationship Kevin, uh, Piers and I had a few years ago. Frosty, is that a good way to say it? >> Um, I'm so proud of him and to be frosty with him. >> Yeah, I I am so proud. He's really been just kind of a a good um symbol of what it's like when you feel supported and um you enjoy coming to work. Um we have a hard job and um but we enjoy each other.
Gosh, is Dave still here? >> No. >> I give Dave a hard time um a lot and as I should, but you know what? I I hate to say this, but Dave Irusi is known more around this town than you or I combined. Um because David is at people's homes and he is making people feel better in their times of of their worst times. And um gosh, I I'm there's not a better group of people I would like to see do that. I'd say that about the school department, too. I'm really proud of our school department and what they do. Um I hated being in a position where we had to kind of start competing with each other because I feel so strongly about the work that we all do. Um is deserves better than that and to the extent I I started to do that myself.
I apologize. So let's let's concentrate on moving forward together >> in regards to that moving forward. Um, I I want to say I mean DPW does a great job. This has been a great thing for us to look at. Um, but I'm going to ask the question, right? Uh, a new director at $144,000, you know, the other positions I get. Is this the year with everything else going on? And I know it's your budget, Michael, but our job is to question and to make sure. >> Absolutely. >> And I'm wondering, can we do this without the new director? Can we can we create a department as part of public works for at least a year, right? Rather than looking at having to do the 750 from stabilization this year, could we adjust that a little bit for this year and then, you know, see what just adding those two positions plus the contractor would do to that department and to what needs to get done.
And again, for me, it's for me, I feel it's partly my job to ask that question. >> And it is and it's your and you deserve to have um as much information as you can um to help you to help you ask those questions and make those decisions. And I think um for me, a director is the key because part of the problem is is that we've got fragmented leadership right now. And what I wouldn't want to do is invest. I don't want to say it's good money a out of after bad, but I wouldn't necessarily want to put more resources into something that doesn't have a direction associated with it. And so I'm happy to look at that and and look at different things. Um uh but I do think the the director, yeah, it's it's the high ticket item and yet it's probably the most important, but let me see what I can do.
>> Okay. Again, I don't want to take anything away from our DPW and our staff and everyone does a great job, but in my mind, as we're looking at things and we're questioning, we have to question everything. Yeah, absolutely. >> And the idea again, you know, could it be, you know, keep the current director and you have someone else under him and then look at creating the new department in a whole. >> Yeah. Let me let me take a look at at a couple different formulations. >> Yeah. >> Right. like if a phased but if a phased approach looks looks like it might >> might make more sense okay you know as opposed to all at once or something like that I think you know to see to understand what that would mean would be helpful I think is that what you think >> that's that's good feedback >> yep >> okay anything else >> I I you know we're all in the same boat together and uh I I see the uh chair of the school committee here and it's it's been enlightening for me as well I'm sure enlightening for her.
Um, and we all support one another. >> That's what we do. We all support one another. So, uh, >> Lori, before you speak, I just I want to say something too, okay? Because I I feel like I I should have said it earlier when everybody was still here, >> but you know, um, just sort of I thought a lot about all this, right? It it's we all live in families or some kind of a group, right? that um and we make hard decisions all the time and we have to decide what's important and sometimes someone in the family has to sacrifice and and I just want it to be very clear that that I and I don't think anybody on this board um and perhaps we haven't always expressed it to some departments but I don't think anybody on this board doesn't think that everyone in this room does a tremendous job that all of our employees do a tremendous job.
Um I know I've talked about crossing the line to Southboro when it was the roads were awful and we're I you know we I've had Chief uh Rossi at my house because somebody sent me a letter with some stuff in it. I my family unfortunately has called um the fire department um many times to support my family members. So I I there's no one that could feel well I mean people can feel strong but I feel very strong okay about our community and the people in it and I also feel very strongly about the schools and how well you have articulated for the children in our community. I want, you know, public safety um is critical in a community and so is in public education. And I want you to know that I have never, just because I might embrace um the values of of great education, it it it doesn't take away from the other things that I value in our community.
And I just want you to know that I've never been offended by anything that anyone um in on the school board has said or and I appreciate that you advocate and and boy, we live in a in a world where we all need to advocate all the time for things that are important and and that and and the ability to do that in a positive way is what allows us to have the best outcomes. So, you know, I just wanted to be clear about that because I I just feel as though it has been it's been a rough week and um and and nobody everybody needs to feel respected and um their opinions valued and then we go forward >> and heard. C can I just add to that because you said you weren't going to speak for us so I'm going to say something.
No, but I'll just I I will I will ditto that, but I will also say that, you know, we are one community, right? And I don't think I'm going to speak for the board, but I don't think anyone here sees any sort of uh adversarial relationship between, you know, municipal or education needs. We have to make these decisions together as a community. We are one Ashlin full stop. And that's how I've been going through this process. I'm relatively new. Some of you all have been through this before, but this is one of my first times. So that's and but I feel like that's I think that's the sentiment here. So I don't think there's I I just wanted to clarify that uh on my behalf as well. But >> thank you. >> Not yet. I looked at my clock. >> Um I know we have 10 minutes.
Sorry. >> I'll try to be brief. I just wanted to first of all thank everybody, the select board, the finance committee, the school committee, the superintendent, the town manager, all the department heads, the chiefs, anybody who's participated in this process of budgeting. I I mean it's difficult and an easy year and this has not been an easy year. Um this is my 15th year doing this and my last year doing this and um I'm having a lot of fun in my last few weeks here. But um with there have been a lot of conversations and a lot of feelings and people um feeling maybe misunderstood or left out or um and I have been an advocate the entire time that I've been on school committee. I've understood that to be my job is to advocate for the needs of the school. But I live in this town and the only thing I want to say tonight because you've all heard at other meetings what the needs of the school are and the impacts that this budgeting season has on our students and families and will have.
But I want everyone to know that I heard a lot of compelling things in this room tonight from the other departments and on behalf of the entire school committee because I've worked with these folks now some for a decade or more. or I know them really well and um you had our unwavering support before I heard anything in this room. I mean that was not ever a question or a problem and we are focused on the and and not it it does get stressful when we heard um the Senate president tonight talking about what's happening with federal funding. We've already experienced that we're losing some funding that we really counted on. um chapter 70 is not what it needs to be and that's affecting us and the costs as we know are rising faster than the 2 and a half% that we can claim. So what happens is what's happening you know there's a shrinking pool of money and increasing needs from from all of us and um whenever I'm advocating for the schools it's never at in my mind at the expense of anybody else.
I'm doing my job. But I I do want you to know how much that we support you. Um we're here to fight for the best way to get as many of all of our needs met as we possibly can. Some of you I've known for a long time um before any of us even had these roles. We live here. Um we want these services. Um we've some of us have worked together in other roles at other points in time. And I think at the end of the day, we all want the same thing. So, I just want to be very clear about um our appreciation and support for the police department, the fire department, the DPW, and anybody who's putting any time and effort into making this town a better place. Thank you. >> Thank you, Madam Chair. And and I just want to say that message has been heard loud and clear by um by me and our departments and uh very much appreciate all the effort that you've taken over the last week just to make sure that that we knew there was that support.