So it it's very much appreciated and and hopefully hopefully you feel like it's reciprocated too. So good. Um, okay. We good? >> Well, um, I I will Well, let's just check in real quick here. Um, I've got some more data that I'll put as part of my budget document once we get uh everything all put together. I just need to I just need time to do it. Um, I usually don't talk about how much time I spent on things. I spent um from 400 am to 7 pm on Saturday uh on that and then another eight hours the next day. I just needed to get it done and you guys needed it. So hopefully you feel like you've got data um that will help you make um make m make your decisions and the direction that you want to go in. >> Yep. So I just want to say thank you for doing that because I think one of the things that at least me I can I can't speak for anybody else but coming out of tri board and we've had this discussion >> um >> we've talked a bit >> a little bit there's been a few few few conversations but um this the presentation that you did tonight some of the other data that you sent to us like that was sort of the missing piece that was sort of what >> made it like real and and the thought behind it and the reasoning behind it that clicked for me and I probably others here too, but um I just wanted to say thank you for for um putting that together and thank you to everybody that's been here tonight because I think I think it speaks volumes that you all are here in support of one another.
So it's it's pretty special. But um but yeah, no, so from my perspective, I feel comfortable with with what the needs are for the town. >> And you know, I think the next step for me is we need to talk about. Um there's a couple other moving pieces like the stabilization fund and things like that that I think we need to have a a a good discussion on. Um I'm I'm in a good place with with the proposed um 755 number that you're you're putting forward. So >> okay, if I feel like that's a decent baseline and Yolanda, to your point, and I think um you know, I saw some head nods, I'll also go back and see uh what what I can refine too. >> Yeah, I would appreciate that. And you know, I want to apologize that I was not able to be at the tri board meeting.
It's one of those things that I had something else on my calendar months ago and it's hard to get everyone together. >> But I guess, you know, as I got this information, we had been talking about 750 and now the number is 755. Granted, that's only 5K, but I want to reciprocate, you know, you know what Brandy said, I appreciate this detailed information. Unfortunately, that tells me that maybe it had not been as detailed and thought through two months ago when we thought about the 750. >> So, thank you for for doing this because now, you know, for we had been talking two months that we were going to shift the 750, which you know, as you said at the beginning of your presentation, it was difficult to get people to understand and why are we doing this and are we going back on a promise and that kind of thing.
>> But now the number 755. So, >> I did that just for you, Yolanda. Well, I knew you'd pick that up. But maybe if I came in at 7:45, would that be better? >> You It just Anyway, again, we don't always, you know, hindsight is 2020, but for me, some of this I appreciate the the, you know, you're saying, you know, you then worked Saturday so long. I appreciate that. >> Um, could some of that been done sooner? That's all. So, >> the answer is no. I think what we need to come together on is that, >> you know, if we're able to, we can fund um some these requests tonight from stabilization, right, with without a tax impact. But we are looking at a $2.75 million override that will support the schools who, in all fairness, have eliminated to get to that number 13 positions.
So they, as we've been talking about future planning, they have restructured to try to minimize the impact, but that's a $2.75 million override that we need to come together on, right? Um, and and then if there's some movement that needs to happen in the in the other area, that's fine. I I think it it's less challenging than what we need to propose to the community. So, I really think we need to give that some attention. >> Yeah. And Claudia, I I would also say um that 2.75 million is is not just for the schools, it's for the community. Um I the ABA had a forum yesterday. And um so we talked about a lot of things and and they asked me what I thought was the most um important thing on the warrant. And I said uh the warrant and the ballot, it's about the budget.
And I said, "You'll see an override and it'll say Ashland Public Schools on it, but the last thing I want anybody to think of when they see that is that it's just for Ashlin Public Schools." And I told the business community, I said, "This is just as important to you as it is to the school quote unquote department. Um, you want a a welleducated community that um appreciates um appreciates the community that they're in and and what what it offers. Um I think uh well I kind of lost my train of thought but um there was a um the superintendent makes a makes a good makes a lot of good points sometimes but just you know I think the inter relationship uh between a commercial sector and um you know the municipal end of things and the schoolhouse of things, school side of the house uh we're all interrelated.
We're all dependent upon each other. And so it's just like I said at the beginning, an investment in the schools is an investment in us and an investment in the municipal departments is an investment in the schools. >> Chair motion to go past 10:00. >> Is there a second? >> Second. >> All those in favor? >> I and Yolanda, to your point, this this has been thought out. We've talked about this uh some of these pieces for a while, >> you know. Um, I've had kind of all of this. Just needed to find a time to sit down and just hammer it out. And guess what? I was motivated. So, >> it's amazing what a little motivational do. >> It is. It is. As I told as I told Brandy and Joe, I think um I and I know there's some concerns. Look, I'm all in.
>> I I I'm I'm spending a lot. I mean, I I think my staff knows how much time I spend on this stuff. It's just different than what I was spending my time on at at the very, you know, beginning of my tenure. I was a lot more in the community. Um, but yeah, I feel good about where we are right now and I feel like we're together and I feel like we really need to do this for the community and we need to move uh start thinking about the forum on the 26 and what we're going to present and how we're going to present it together and um yeah, >> thank you Michael. >> Thank you. Um before we before we leave this discussion I just want to reiterate everything that uh my other board members uh made comment about with respect to supporting other departments.
Uh when I bleed, I bleed blue and it's royal blue ashine colors. Um I see people that um I watch grow up in this community. There's a gentleman out back that has stripes on his sleeve and hey, he has a beard. used to chase that little kid around the around the around the neighborhood years ago um when he was in school. No, no, it wasn't you. U and then there was somebody that used to come over my house all the time with my daughter and um she now has stars on her on her shoulder. So committed in this town? Absolutely. Without a doubt. There's no there's no one that doesn't love this town any more than I do. And um what we've done this past couple of days and couple of weeks has been nerve-wracking to say the least. But we're all in this boat together.
We're all going to work together and we're going to ride it. We we sink or swim together. That's the way it is. And uh hopefully we swim and not sink. But it's it's up to us to get that message out there and provide the information to everybody, especially with the forum that's coming up. And um people need to be prepared for it. And that's what we have to do. And just talk to people about it, you know, not not using scared tactics, but just this is it. This is what we need. And just and just move along. Just move it along. So you all are appreciated. >> Oh, sorry. I just wanted to just make have a question about the forum. Um Michael, I know I had talked to you and we had said something about like you having the ability of of the residents to be able to like send in questions.
Um I don't know if you guys had talked about that and and maybe is there like a mechanism for that or should one of us be like the point people for questions that come in or what do you think? Well, what I was going to do is I was going to put something in the in the newsletter like if they want to send in questions ahead of time, ahead of the 26 um to go ahead and I was going to have them send it to Clara as the communications person. I'm happy to change that if that's fine. I don't want them I mean I do want but we are going to allow people to be there either in person or via Zoom and ask questions as well as information gets presented. Yep. Okay. Just clarifying. >> Oh yeah, absolutely. That's like the main point of the the the forum is really it's not >> we'll present information but I don't think it's going to be like an extensive presentation on both ends.
It's really a chance for everybody to ask questions and >> and hopefully they're not u the same questions just in a different frame. >> Well, I think everybody's going to have I honestly I think we're going to see a lot of the same questions because because everybody has the same concerns expressed differently. But >> anyway, I just I just want to make sure that I I'm sorry. I just want to make sure that I know you're going to get that out in your newsletter, but I want to make sure that there are other means or other channels that we're putting out the opportunity for people to submit questions on. >> So, you know, if it's on the website or, you know, however we can disseminate that, I think that would be helpful because not everybody gets the newsletter. >> Okay. like social media um any other things in particular website a PDF that can go up on WACA TV >> something at the senior center I mean flyers that can go places >> flyers would be helpful like anything basically to say give make sure that people can reach out beforehand so we can get those questions so we're prepared to answer them >> absolutely >> when they when they come.
>> Okay. we have detail, you know, if we need detail, we'll have that detail for them. >> So, I know the next thing on our agenda, sorry, I don't mean to >> move forward, but it's 10 o'clock and we're >> we're on to item B. So, >> Blackstone Valley Tech won the >> hockey game in Rhode Island. >> That's the team of the young man who lost his family. >> That's good. >> Hey, thanks everybody. >> Thank you guys. >> Thank you. >> Um, so I know we still have school committee members here. Um, and one of the things that was a was a takeaway from the tri board meeting was um the delta that we had we talked about um potentially making up if if the override didn't pass, how we might use stabilization funds. So, one of the things that I had asked Michael for um following that tri board meeting was um a very detailed list of the stabilization funds, how much since inception, how much we put in, how much we've taken out, why we've taken money out, our current balance, and have a discussion about how do we utilize the stabilization fund.
You know, we're looking at 755ish,000 for this upcoming town meeting. What else do we need to look at to make sure that we meet all the needs from everybody? >> Yeah, we were going to need like around 600,000 just to balance the budget anyway. So, you add the 750 on top of that, you're at the 1.3. And then I believe at the tri board meeting, we talked about uh 1.4 4 million I believe was the um was the additional amount for the school department. So um so you know if you add those up it can uh it can be pretty substantial but you know to point out we we took out almost 2.3 last year and put a chunk in. Um, >> so one question for you because looking at the >> there's a couple numbers on our stabilization spreadsheet that Yeah. >> So, >> and I think you talked about the tri board that the balance of the account was 10.4 million >> and then there's another line item under here that says that there's a transfer that we're is it like we're waiting to transfer out 2 million 2.2 2 million.
And so the real the real number we're working with is 8.1. Is that accurate? >> Yeah. And oh, Steph left. Um the best u Yeah. The best way to look at is if if you looked at a snapshot in the account, right? It's going to say the 10.1 million, but we also have to remember that we had scheduled a transfer u to help support the budget. And so that'll probably happen at the end of the year. >> Okay. >> And so we wanted to make sure that we're accounting for that. So really the balance is around that $8 million figure. >> Okay. So 8 8 point So say 8.1 minus the 2.7. So we're talking like 5.4 potentially at the end of >> Yes. And then um hopefully we would replenish some of that with cash. >> Actually really hoping we don't have to do the 1.4 and >> same here.
Yeah. >> Same here. So, I mean, because for for a thousand reasons, hopefully. Yeah. So, okay. But worst case scenario, we're looking at a at a $5.4 million um >> balance on our stabilization fund if we have to we have to and I'm I'm okay with that. >> And the policy is that the most I think I copied you on a link for the policy. Is that the most updated policy that's on the website? >> Yeah, the one that's on the website. I also sent it around as part of the packet, too. >> Um, >> hold on. Let me Yeah, hold on. I didn't get it. >> It's in there, but it's just it's there's a lot of stuff. >> Yeah, it's towards the back. >> Is the stabilization information that you emailed to us, is that in the drive as well? >> And if not, >> if it's not, we can make it available to the drive.
I think it's in the I think >> well my this computer I can't do download Excel and stuff >> I don't have um >> full office suite >> it's in the back of the com this this document that that Michael sent the >> and it's so basically the the reserves policy we need to maintain 5% the general fund as a target >> with 10%. Yeah. With a 10% as as like the optimal, which would put us at >> like >> eightish give or take. Yeah. >> But um >> but then when So the if we would drop to say 5.4, we're still above that 5%. >> Oh. >> Yeah. Yep. >> So that that's a good that's a good thing. Okay. Um and then let's talk just quickly about what the mechanism is to replenish it which is that um basically it's replenished by um our free cash.
>> Mhm. >> Which um just for folks who don't understand what free cash is because it took me a while. Um so it's basically >> So it's basically fun. It's not free. >> It's not free. That's damn sure. >> But it's basically um basically when when the the revenue we've collected is more than the the budget estimates and basically our expenditures are are less than what we appropriate and um so like if if there's a vacancy in a position that we had expected to fill and things like that then that becomes part of free cash. >> Yeah. or if we get a grant uh to do some work that we had appropriated money for, you know, so that money doesn't get spent. >> Um >> Yeah. >> And then we have a policy. So if we are between 5% and 10% of budgeted revenues for our stabilization balance, 60% of free cash goes to the general stabilization, 10% goes to OPED stabilization, 15% to capital, and 15% to our um special education stabilization fund.
Um >> so, you know, we do have a policy in place to be able to replenish it. we probably won't end up with as much free cash on a go forward basis, right? >> I I would hope not. Um, again, one of the things that we will try to do consistently is try to like get grants and and everything like that so we wouldn't have to spend the money that's appropriated, but you just never know, you know, what's going to be available and what you're going to get. >> Okay. Everybody comfortable with if there is a worst case scenario and we have to go down to 5.4 to basically plug our gaps, plug the school. >> Okay. I just want to make sure we're clear as to like >> Yeah. on the page there. >> Okay. >> That works for me. >> Good. We don't need >> You will you will when you go um do the warrant.
>> Okay. Because we have to >> Yep. You and your you're um it's your warrant. So you know what you choose to put on there or not. Okay. Good. Done with that. All right, let's move on. Discuss, review, and vote on housing production plan. I'm sure everybody's had the opportunity to read the revised version of the housing production plan. We discussed and had questions about changes were made. Some changes weren't made. So, I'll just open it up for general discussion. board members with respect to that. One of the things that I did see with respect to the housing production plan that had to do with land plots, which is one part of the discussion that we had prior to, there were still some land plots that still bother me, especially when it comes to sites for building affordable housing housing units, period. >> You got to put it closer, Joe.