2026-09-14 - DEIB Committee

00:06Alrighty. Good evening everyone. My name

00:08is Luis Rodriguez. I'm the vice

00:10chairperson of the DIIB committee and

00:12I'm calling this meeting to order at

00:137:46 um a.m. Um one second. Let me pull

00:18up the agenda real quick. I was not

00:20ready for this.

00:26All righty. Um the first thing on our

00:28agenda is any announcements to make.

00:33No. Okay. As a reminder, if you guys

00:36want announcement, feel free to reach

00:37out to me um prior to this meeting and

00:40we can see how we can um make the

00:43announcement fit in our agenda.

00:46Um moving on to the next item of the

00:48agenda is to review an act to approve

00:50the minutes of August 10th. Um does

00:53anyone have a chance to review the

00:55minutes? If you guys don't have any

00:57questions or edits, I will request a

01:00motion to approve the meetings of the

01:02August 10th meeting.

01:07>> Second.

01:08>> Um, all those in favor signify by saying

01:10I.

01:11>> I. All righty. Minutes approve. Moving

01:14on to new business. We're going to

01:16restructure the committee's leadership.

01:18Um

01:20so

01:22first one second

01:29we have to choose a chair and a vice

01:30chairperson every year. U we have not

01:32restructured our committee since the

01:34last person Dr. Flossen had resigned

01:37back in June. So let's start off by

01:40nominating a chairperson.

01:44I nominate Samantha Golden.

01:48>> I

01:50>> Is this something you want to

01:52>> uh as the chair?

01:54>> Yep.

01:55>> Um with the support of the committee, I

01:58accept.

01:59>> Awesome. Okay. So, um we got a second.

02:03All those in favor to appoint Samantha

02:05Golding as our new chair signify by

02:07saying I.

02:08>> I.

02:08>> I.

02:09>> All righty. So, we have a new

02:10chairperson. Congrats, Sam. Thank you

02:13guys for the support.

02:15>> Now you have to take over for this

02:16meeting.

02:17>> Oh, I do.

02:17>> Yes.

02:21>> Okay. Um,

02:23>> we have to choose a vice chair now.

02:24>> Oh, okay. Uh, how did you introduce that

02:26again?

02:27>> Um,

02:29nominations for vice chair.

02:30>> Okay. So, now we must nominate a vice

02:32chair um for the committee. Uh,

02:37do we have any nominations?

02:42I accept the nomination.

02:44>> I will definitely second that.

02:46>> All right.

02:46>> All in favor say I.

02:48>> I.

02:49>> I.

02:49>> Okay. Congratulations, Luis.

02:51>> Congratulations to you, Mr. Chair.

02:54>> Now, we have our chair and vice chair

02:56selected. Um,

02:58>> no.

02:59>> Okay. So, Safa will continue.

03:01>> She will continue to be the clerk. Yes.

03:02>> Okay. Perfect. Um, all right. Well, then

03:06we'll move on to the next uh item on the

03:09agenda.

03:10um

03:12review and discuss welcoming community

03:14recommendation outcome. Um so uh I know

03:19that we had some updates regarding that.

03:22Um and Louise uh do you have if I

03:27remember correctly you had some

03:29information that you wanted to share

03:31with us?

03:31>> Yes. I'm wondering if you guys want to

03:34talk about it first. I do have some

03:36remarks, but um you know, we were there,

03:40Martha and I, we were there on 85th

03:43when the select board um voted on this.

03:47Um I'm just going to start reading and

03:49then we can just start the conversation

03:50from there. Um so the select board had

03:53the opportunity to showcase their

03:55commitment to fostering inclusion and

03:57equity by simply voting in favor of

03:59working on working on the recommendation

04:02we had sent them. We had two members

04:04voting in favor of this. So, thank you,

04:06Miss Connling and Mr. Garcia for showing

04:08up for those who can't. Um, the other

04:11three members voted against it. Uh, Miss

04:13Flynn, Mr. Richards, and Mr. Chararma.

04:15Um, they all claim that the Protection

04:17Act covers what the recommending

04:19document asks, but that is simply not

04:22true. Um, the Protects Act specifically

04:24is baring law enforcement from asking

04:26immigration status unless there is a

04:28valid judicial warrant. Um the protect

04:32act signed into law by the governor does

04:35not restrict all municipal employees

04:36from asking about immigration status. U

04:39myself and Martha well I attended sorry

04:41I attended the public workshop that the

04:44select board had when they were

04:45discussing this. So I was not surprised

04:47that Mr. Richards or Mrs. Flynn voted

04:49against but I was very disappointed that

04:51Mr. Chararma voted against this. um you

04:55know he even our conversation he had

04:58stated that he has faced some type of

05:00different mistreatment from other town

05:01officials. So for him to say that he was

05:04in favor of this recommendation back in

05:06June or July is completely false. Um

05:09during the workshop he stated that he

05:12has not faced any discrimination.

05:14Therefore there's no need that the

05:16select board should even entertain

05:18responding to this committee. Um Mr.

05:21Richard was very surprised of his answer

05:23and he directly asked if he thinks that

05:26the select word should ignore the DEIB

05:28and he Mr. Chararma doubled down and

05:30said yes. You know I get that you know

05:33he's a politician but he's also an

05:36immigrant and he turned his back on his

05:38community so I don't know where the

05:40disconnect was. Um, also the town

05:44manager shared a memo to the select

05:45board um the same day where he gives

05:48them a strategic sorry strategic

05:51governance recommendation if the select

05:54board choses or chooses to um instead of

05:57moving forward with the process of the

05:59recommending

06:01um the recommendation of using NAT's

06:03current welcoming committees policy as a

06:05blueprint to enact a policy here in

06:08Shrewsbury. The town manager suggests

06:10the select were to pass a formal

06:12resolution on equal access to municipal

06:15services declaring chbury's vision as an

06:18inclusive community and to direct the

06:20town manager to ensure all policies and

06:22procedure of the town are fully aligned

06:25with this resolution. The town manager

06:27also said that there were no reports of

06:29the town employees asking for such

06:30information and he might be right. There

06:33might not be um uh sorry there might not

06:36be a reading a written um report. Um

06:41sorry I lost my train of thought. There

06:44not might be a written report. As you

06:46know immigrants are under reportport or

06:48rarely report discrimination for fear of

06:50retaliation, language barrier or lack of

06:53awareness of their rights and obviously

06:55due to distrust in government agencies.

06:58Um, so again, the majority of the select

07:00board voted against our recommendation,

07:02but maybe they will vote in favor of

07:04passing a resolution like the time

07:06manager has suggested. So I think that

07:08we should uh move forward with sending

07:11another recommending letter to the

07:12select board to see if this something

07:14that they want to do. Um, I'm not sure,

07:17but I'm I'm also eager to see their

07:19commitment to the EI principles just

07:21like they stated in their meeting.

07:23>> One of the things that I heard um

07:26certainly from Mr. Richards and um Miss

07:28Conland.

07:30I'm not I don't have a clear memory of

07:33Mr. Charas um but they said clearly that

07:37they don't feel like adding another

07:40policy that has to be enforced

07:44um is helpful at this point in time. So

07:47they that's how they kind of rounded

07:49this out for themselves is that it's

07:51additional policy that maybe we don't

07:54really need because the state has all

07:56these other policies. So

07:58>> I'm sorry Martha. It was not Miss Colin.

08:00It was Miss Flynn. Miss

08:01>> Thank you. Sorry Miss Colin voted for

08:03us. Yes, Miss Flynn. Thank you for

08:05correcting me.

08:07>> I do have one question. You know the

08:09reasoning for both of those individuals

08:12reasons for saying no. Um and you

08:14touched on Mr. Chararma's

08:17um reason for staying there. Would you

08:19be able to elaborate on that a little

08:21bit about

08:24why he said it?

08:26>> So it was three people who voted against

08:29um and Mr. Chararma's reasoning was that

08:34he has never faced any discrimination in

08:36the town. Therefore, there's no need to

08:38do any of this. And then he stated that

08:41the protects acts will do whatever the

08:45recommending letter had asked but the

08:48recommending document that we sent does

08:50not state any of that. Um and also it

08:53was a recommendation to use the native

08:55policy as a blueprint and they were

08:58trying to say that we were trying to

09:00send them a policy for them. We are not

09:03a body who has the power to write a

09:05policy. So therefore, we would never be

09:08able to send them a policy per se.

09:11>> Basically, and this I did hear Mr.

09:14Sharma say that um he is an immigrant.

09:17He thinks that what we're doing is

09:19important, but that he was agreeing with

09:23Miss Mr. Richards and Miss Flynn about

09:26the policy aspect. Do we really need

09:29another policy when other things are

09:31covered?

09:33>> In fact, there is no policy in town. So

09:36>> just want to be clear and the towner

09:38also reiterated that.

09:43>> Okay. Um well was that everything that

09:48we had gleaned from that uh from you

09:51guys attending the meeting and they

09:53discussed it?

09:54>> I encourage people to you know go back

09:56into the recording and see what it was

09:58said. I don't want to put words in

10:00anyone's mouth. Um, but it's documented

10:04so you clearly can see and hear.

10:07>> And Louise spoke and three other uh

10:09community members also spoke in favor.

10:12>> And they receive multiple emails um

10:15asking for them to um pass this or pass

10:19some sort of resolution regarding this

10:22as well.

10:23>> Okay. Um well I mean thank you to the

10:26members of the community that did come

10:28out and uh you know wanted to speak uh

10:31from their own perspective uh why uh a

10:36policy such as that being recommended or

10:39even the efforts that we took as a

10:42committee to bring this recommendation

10:44to the select board uh is important for

10:47all of us and just ensuring that Shbury

10:49is a safe place to live. Um

10:54the important part is that you know we

10:57we don't need to focus potentially on

10:59just the outcome of what has occurred.

11:02>> In fact, it's not going to stop the work

11:04that we have been charged to do since

11:06we've all been appointed by the select

11:08board um to be here and to ensure that

11:13we are facilitating our charge. So uh as

11:17we move forward, I'm sure as we put our

11:21heads together as a committee, we will

11:23find additional ways in which we can

11:25strategically identify barriers and make

11:28recommendations that are in line with

11:30our charge since we want to operate

11:32within that full scope.

11:34>> I did get some feedback um a woman who

11:38is at the at the voting here in town um

11:42said, "Why didn't it pass? Can you send

11:44me a copy of that?" which I did.

11:46>> Um, a gentleman at the 300th committee

11:49meeting said, "I was so disappointed

11:50that that didn't pass. What was wrong?"

11:53So, clearly there is a feeling that we

11:55need something.

11:57>> Mhm.

11:59>> 100%.

12:01Um, sorry, Madam Chair. Um, Safa, who's

12:05not here today, unfortunately, um, she

12:07did send us her thoughts. Is it okay for

12:10us to read her thoughts?

12:11>> Yeah, absolutely.

12:12>> All right. Um so the first bullet that

12:16she stated is um the state law that

12:19protects already protects immigrants

12:21quote unquote. Um her thoughts are that

12:24the state law sets the legal floor for

12:26police but it doesn't build local trust.

12:29More residents don't read um state

12:31statues. Um a plain language town policy

12:35tells residents directly that the town

12:37hall, the library and public services

12:39are safe space for them. Her second

12:42bullet is um quote unquote we already

12:45had we already act this way in practice

12:49so we don't need it written down which

12:50was one of the things that the town

12:52manager um had not said but in other

12:55words um I believe one of the members

12:58did say this um her thoughts are

13:01informal practices depend on current

13:03staff and change when people leave um

13:06putting into an official policy makes it

13:08permanent more importantly residents who

13:10fear government do not know our

13:13unwritten practices. Writing it down is

13:15how we communicate it to them. Um and

13:18her third bullet is uh quote unquote a

13:22board policy over steps into town

13:24manager's authority. The committee

13:26suggested a blueprint not a rigid

13:28rulebook. Um the select board can set

13:31high level policy vision and task the

13:33town manager with writing the specific

13:35staff procedures. I think collaboration

13:38not overstepping.

13:40Um those are her thoughts.

13:44>> Thank you so much Safa for sharing your

13:46thoughts with us. Um so considering

13:50everything that we have been presented

13:52with uh the outcome as well as uh for

13:55instance I need to go back and watch uh

13:59that recording. Um

14:02would we like to continue the

14:04conversation on this topic? Um, or would

14:07we like to like how would we like to

14:09move forward as a committee?

14:12>> Um, I mean, I do have one question. If a

14:15bill fails, um, is there another time

14:19that we can vote on it? Does it get a

14:20second chance to be voted on ever or

14:22does it is is there is that a

14:25possibility?

14:27>> Yeah. So, it's not necessarily a bill.

14:29Um it's more so a proposal from from

14:33this committee for a an action taken by

14:36the town.

14:38>> Um and we're again as as Luis said

14:41earlier, we're not um charged with, you

14:44know, dictating or recommending policy.

14:46Um the the guidelines typically go that

14:50there has to be an amendment to what's

14:52being proposed with a significant and

14:55notable sort of change to the proposal.

14:59So, you can't like change one word and

15:01then reintroduce it. I mean, that's sort

15:04of my understanding, but um I don't know

15:07the exact rules for the select board and

15:09their receptiveness receptiveness to

15:13these sort of updates or amendments to

15:15things that have been proposed before.

15:17So, in my opinion, if the select board

15:22voted against a recommendation,

15:24it means that they don't fully support

15:26it. So there is no point in us

15:28reintroducing the same um recommendation

15:31but like I said um you know the town

15:34area had suggested a different route

15:36that we did not recommend that. So they

15:38did not actually voted that down. They

15:41voted using the native policy as a

15:45blueprint to enact a policy. So I

15:48believe that we can go back and ask them

15:50to um you know um see if the this

15:54passing a resolution is something that

15:56they want to do. If obviously this body

16:00also wants to send them another

16:01recommending letter requesting that.

16:04>> Okay. So then in that instance, may it

16:07it could potentially be beneficial for

16:09us to review our process of putting the

16:12recommendation together and likely

16:15looking closely at the feedback that we

16:17received from the select board. Um, so

16:20that then we can because since we did

16:23have community members show up and they

16:26provided their own take on the

16:28recommendation, we now have that as

16:30information, valid information as well

16:33as a feedback from the select board as

16:35well as our efforts and we can look at

16:38what did or did not work

16:40>> and then we can always decide as a

16:42committee how to move forward from that

16:44point on because again as I said I I

16:47want to ensure that we are fostering a

16:50space where we are not technically

16:53attacking you know the select board or

16:55attacking you know the nature of how

16:57this may have been handled because

16:59that's not why we're here. The point is

17:01we would like to ensure that we are

17:04identifying barriers and also making

17:06sure that they are properly addressed.

17:08So the recommendation comes from a place

17:10of just ensuring that we facilitate our

17:12charge properly. So to continue in that

17:16same vein, it would be beneficial for us

17:18to kind of look at everything and then

17:22from a more informed space after we have

17:25reviewed what's in front of us, we can

17:27then decide how to move forward and if

17:29we want to make potentially a revised

17:31recommendation or you know drop it all

17:34together

17:36>> and the board may

17:36>> I think we have to look at it as

17:38something other than policy because

17:40that's where a lot of the push back was.

17:41So if we talk about resolutions or we

17:43talk about

17:44>> elaborate statements or you know other

17:47other kinds of things that way I think

17:49we will have a better

17:51>> a better chance of getting some

17:52movement.

17:53>> Yeah.

17:54>> John.

17:54>> Yeah. And the board made no

17:55recommendations for amendments.

17:57>> No. They didn't actually want to

17:59entertain any of it.

18:00>> Okay.

18:00>> Mr. Garcia actually asked if they even

18:04wanted to take

18:06>> um the town manager's um recommendation

18:09>> and the by the chairwoman was like this

18:13is not what is in front of us. We're not

18:14voting on this and again I'm this is

18:17just recorded. I'm not putting anyone's

18:19words in anyone's

18:21>> Yeah.

18:24>> All right. Um so then we'll keep it as

18:26an agenda item for now

18:28>> if you guys want to. this body wants to

18:31continue move forward. Yeah.

18:33>> Okay.

18:33>> Good.

18:34>> Yeah.

18:34>> Okay.

18:35>> All right. So, we will come back to

18:37that. Um, thank you both for attending

18:39the meeting as we said and to the

18:41individuals in the community that

18:43attended as well. Um, all right. Now, we

18:46will move on to the next item, which is

18:48the Shrewbury Cultural Council grant

18:50application. Um from uh my previous

18:55experience uh the application is due in

18:59September or in October October.

19:02>> October 14th. Okay.

19:04>> So um we have partnered with Shbury

19:08Cultural Council in the past and the

19:09goal would be to submit this grant

19:11application so that we can continue to

19:13do so. Um, is there any relevant

19:17information that we should consider?

19:19Otherwise, it's just a matter of

19:21selecting who would like to Okay, so

19:24would anyone like to assist with um

19:28submitting that grant application?

19:31>> Do we have templates for it in the past?

19:34>> Yeah.

19:34>> Yeah. Yeah.

19:36>> Um, if I remember correctly, Tanner

19:38helped us Yeah.

19:39>> Yeah. complete that last year.

19:41>> Sandra, you were interested.

19:43>> Interested. Okay,

19:45>> fantastic.

19:45>> Okay,

19:46>> it's yours.

19:47>> Congratulations.

19:49>> Well, um I'm

19:49>> happy to help.

19:50>> Yes, I was just about to say that we're

19:52definitely happy to help. Um it wouldn't

19:54be for you to just, you know,

19:55>> it's super easy. It seems very

19:58>> definitely

19:59>> I'd love to contribute.

20:00>> Yeah, perfect.

20:00>> Perfect. Thank you so much for

20:02volunteering.

20:03>> All right, so then we will move on to

20:06the next item. Uh item D. Uh so review

20:102026 to 2027 events and initiative and

20:14we just discussed this during our

20:16workshop. Um

20:20so far we have

20:24quite a few items. Um we would like to

20:28host forums which we've done in the

20:30past. We spoke about know your the know

20:33your rights forum. Um doing that

20:35virtually and potentially in person as

20:38well. Um, additionally, the immigration

20:41forum,

20:42um, since that is reflective of our

20:45community.

20:46>> I'm sorry, I don't mean to. Is it not

20:48the same one or is it separate? I'm want

20:51to clarify. Is it two different forums

20:54or one forum?

20:57>> Well, that's a good question. So, we all

21:00felt that it was necessary for them to

21:03potentially be separate in the past, but

21:06I know we also discussed another panel

21:08forum uh

21:11idea, which was to do the know your

21:14neighbor forum. Um, and that would be an

21:17opportunity to highlight all of the

21:19different um individuals that are

21:21currently in our community. Um, so I am

21:26I'm I'm fine with keeping them combined

21:28um since they kind of go hand inand um

21:32since we will have another forum

21:34potentially in the spring uh for the

21:37know your neighbor

21:39panel.

21:40>> I think given the number of things that

21:42we have discussed as as having

21:44involvement in I think it's better to

21:46kind of put those in one.

21:48>> Okay.

21:48>> So we don't spread ourselves too thin.

21:50>> Okay.

21:52I like that idea. Um, additionally,

21:55there is the 300th anniversary um,

21:58event. Martha, uh, I know you noted uh,

22:03some information about that you were

22:04able to attend one of their meetings.

22:06>> Yes, I and I will reach out to John Leau

22:08about seeing if we can set up a table at

22:11one of their events.

22:13>> Okay.

22:14>> I'm not sure which one, but I will find

22:16out.

22:17>> Awesome. Um we also have uh we've

22:21expressed a desire to host an interfaith

22:24event um just to kind of highlight all

22:27of the different uh religions and faiths

22:30that exist in Shrewsbury. Um, and just

22:34so everyone is aware as we go through

22:36the different events throughout the

22:37year, feel free to volunteer or um I

22:41know in the past we enacted

22:42subcommittees so that we were able to

22:45plan and execute everything

22:47appropriately. So, uh, would it be I

22:51imagine it would be beneficial for us to

22:55divide ourselves up again just to ensure

22:57that we're able to

22:59>> host these events and follow through

23:01with these initiatives.

23:02>> Um, so let's see. We also wanted to

23:07partner with Jennifer Stern Robbins and

23:10potentially hosting another Haitian Day

23:12event. Um, as well as partnering with

23:15the India Society. Um Melissa mentioned

23:19that uh she would be open to reaching

23:21out um to individuals on the board. Uh

23:26we also have our Hallmark events, the

23:28Pride event and the Junth event.

23:31And

23:32I mentioned the Know Your Neighbor

23:34event. Oh, also partnering with or

23:37having a table at the Spirit of Shbury

23:39next year in 2027.

23:41And then, oh, potentially

23:44uh having resources in our announcements

23:48each month so that we can highlight

23:51everything that the town has to offer to

23:54our neighbors.

23:55>> Did I miss anything? I think there was

23:58that one element of expanding what our

24:00committee means by DEIB and that would

24:04include veterans and those with

24:06disabilities and mental health problems

24:08and bringing in the elderly bringing in

24:11the whole community that way.

24:13>> Yes. Yes. And I believe that was I

24:16notated that under the know your

24:17neighbor panel,

24:20>> right? Um that's in line with kind of

24:22what you were thinking with that event.

24:24>> Yeah.

24:25um because we wanted to highlight what

24:27DEIB actually looks like in the town of

24:29Shrewsbury.

24:31>> Um

24:33let's see.

24:36Um we were in the process of

24:39brainstorming

24:41uh ways in which we could give back to

24:44the community. Um I know Luis you

24:46brought up the I cannot remember

24:49>> wardrobe on wheels initiative.

24:50>> Wardrobe on wheels initiative. Um, I

24:53know that we've attempted to partner

24:55with different organizations in the

24:57past. So, uh, as we consider what we

25:03could do to give back to the community,

25:05uh, we can leave this item on the agenda

25:07so that, you know, while we have some

25:10time to think about it, we may have more

25:12to offer. Um so we can come up with a

25:15plan to formalize the 2026 to 2027

25:19events and initiative lists.

25:22Um anyone have anything to add

25:25to that? Okay. All right. So now moving

25:29on to the next item. Uh we need to set

25:33next month's meeting agenda for October

25:3513, 2026.

25:38Let me just double check.

25:40Oh,

25:41>> it's October 13 because the 12 is a

25:43holiday.

25:44>> Yes. Okay.

25:46>> Yeah,

25:49definitely need to make a note of that.

25:52>> If that date does not work, we can

25:54obviously find out different day. I

25:56always put the date after, but

25:58>> does not have to be the case.

26:00>> Okay. Um if for instance the day does

26:03not work then uh feel free to reach out

26:07and let us know or let me know. Um

26:12all righty then moving on to the

26:17>> we just need to confirm that we have a

26:18meeting space.

26:20>> Yeah. If we don't have we probably don't

26:22have space in the select board room. So

26:24we have to police the police department

26:27or

26:28>> the conference room.

26:29>> Okay. So in that instance, do we need to

26:32reach out to to?

26:34>> Okay.

26:36>> Meeting.

26:38>> And then as far as for next month

26:40agenda, I would ask that we put um

26:45working on a second recommendation for

26:48the select board if this is something

26:50that this body wants to do. If not, then

26:52obviously we do not have to.

26:58>> Okay. All

27:02right. Thank you for that. Um, any

27:05anything else we'd like to add to next

27:08month's meeting agenda?

27:09>> Um, I think we need to do the update on

27:12the book club.

27:13>> Okay.

27:14>> Yes. Um, let's see.

27:19Update

27:21on book club.

27:28Okay. Uh, did we want to talk about how

27:31this last meeting went? I unfortunately

27:33missed it,

27:34>> but um the one that we had on Saturday

27:37for the book club.

27:38>> Oh, um, sure. Um, should I do that right

27:42now because

27:43>> it's not on the agenda. So,

27:45>> Right. That is true. So, then we'll add

27:47it to the agenda for next time.

27:50>> Okay. Um, and by then I believe we will

27:53have had

27:57by then.

27:59Yeah. So by then we will have had the

28:01October uh meeting as well too.

28:05>> Do we want to begin to

28:08double down on some of the committees

28:11and who is going to be heading up what?

28:16>> Yeah. So the subcommittees.

28:17>> Yep. Develop subcommittees. Oh. Um, can

28:19we also add the I voted sticker

28:22initiative?

28:23>> Yes.

28:24>> All right.

28:26>> And that's something that I would like

28:28to partner up with Shbury High School.

28:30>> Um, like a contest where we have the

28:33students submit their, you know, logo

28:36ideas of and I'm sorry, not logo idea,

28:39but I vote a sticker idea um, showcasing

28:42Shbury or something like that. Um

28:45>> this is one that the 300th committee had

28:49made. So that can give you a sense of

28:51including the town somehow.

29:02>> So I have a question. Would these like

29:04would it just be like one winner um or

29:06would it like be

29:08>> We can develop the guidelines later. We

29:10can talk about that a different time.

29:12>> Oops. That's okay. They gave me they

29:16gave me two and I don't quite know what

29:17to do with them. So,

29:21>> okay. Um All right. So, I've added that.

29:24Was there anything else we wanted to add

29:26to the agenda for next month?

29:29>> Um I think at least

29:32discussing the potential of like um

29:36promoting like the book club at SHS

29:39specifically as well. Um or any like

29:42workshops or announcements as well as

29:44like a potential as well like about

29:48social science class like um encouraging

29:52days about learning about the

29:53curriculum. Um those those three things.

29:57Um

29:58>> okay. Encouraging days to learn about

30:00the curriculum.

30:02>> Um just to revisit the last item, the

30:05question about like I voted stickers. So

30:09our next meeting is October 13th. The

30:11election is on November whatever.

30:15>> Is that a sign is that sufficient time

30:17to

30:19>> So I don't anticipate it for the state

30:21election. It was more for the town

30:23election in May.

30:24>> In May. Okay. Yep. Perfect.

30:29>> Which I'm sure we'll get more detailed

30:31since we still need to discuss the

30:33guidelines. Okay. Got it.

30:35>> But that's a really good point though.

30:39Um,

30:40all right.

30:42Anything else?

30:46Okay. Excellent. Uh, we will now move on

30:50to item number six, review and act on

30:53the following correspondence.

30:55It's an email dated September 9th, 2025

30:59from Janice Machado.

31:01Uh,

31:03and the subject reads, "Thank you for

31:06your work." It says, "Hi, thank you so

31:09much for your work. I'm so disappointed

31:11the welcoming community did not pass.

31:14What can I do? I shouldn't be this

31:16shocked. Will there be other meetings I

31:18can attend? Can I write to members of

31:20the select board? Can I collect

31:22signatures? Thanks, Janice.

31:25Um Janice is an uh speech language

31:28pathologist and uh she's provided us

31:31with her contact information. So in

31:33instances such as these uh

31:38going forward uh do we need to nominate

31:41someone to follow up or we pretty much

31:44come together as a body to decide how to

31:47respond?

31:48>> Yes, we come together and discuss this.

31:50>> Okay.

31:50>> And also we do not have the power to

31:53>> individually respond. You have to go two

31:54town with the chairperson.

31:56>> Okay.

31:57>> But I do think she can be added to the

31:58volunteer committee.

32:00>> Yes, that is true. Um

32:03>> well, we can offer her a spot. She has

32:06to opt in on that. So, we can't

32:08automatically add her.

32:12>> Okay. Um well, how would we

32:17using the proper channels, how would we

32:19like to uh respond?

32:24Can you can I see that real quick?

32:27>> Um so um right now there's nothing that

32:30we can do. You know the initiative was

32:32voted down so there's we can't move

32:35forward with this.

32:37>> Um if we again send another

32:40recommendation that's something that the

32:42you know not just her but anyone in the

32:44community can reach out to the select

32:45board um and the town's office they can

32:47send an email. they can, you know, they

32:49also host um office hours, I believe,

32:53every Tuesday if I'm not mistaken. I

32:56could be wrong about that. Um, but they

32:58do have office hours where they have two

33:00select board members each, uh, time. Um,

33:04you can sit down with them and talk

33:06about any topics. Um, so that's al

33:09something that you can do as a

33:11community. You can also reach out to

33:12them prior to their meetings and request

33:15um a time slot for public comment as

33:19well.

33:20>> Okay.

33:21>> Yeah, we can recommend any publicly

33:23available resources or avenues through

33:26which that she wants to pursue whatever

33:29action she feels are appropriate. So,

33:33she's certainly welcome to collect

33:34signatures for a petition. She's

33:37certainly welcome to reach out to her

33:38local representatives and select board

33:40members.

33:43You know, we can direct her and point

33:45her towards resources that are available

33:47to her. So, that's about it.

33:51I think it's also worth noting maybe

33:54send an email back saying that um the

33:56bill or the proposal does have a

33:58potential if we have significant

34:00amendment to it. So if she would like to

34:02like suggest an

34:04um proposal that she thinks

34:08>> that's a great point

34:09>> and then obviously the volunteer

34:11committee and things like that.

34:13>> Okay. Um all right so then uh we will

34:18work on

34:21drafting that response to then send to

34:24the prop send through the proper

34:26channels um to direct her towards the

34:28resources as well as uh provide the

34:31updates in terms of uh the significant

34:36amendment that may need to be made and

34:38so on and so forth. Okay.

34:41All right, that makes sense. Um

34:45Okay. Well, thank you so much, Janice,

34:48for sending in that email.

34:49>> Thank you so much.

34:50>> We really appreciate it. Um, all right.

34:54So then, uh, if that is everything, um,

35:00I move to adjourn the meeting,

35:04uh, those in favor.

35:06>> Second.

35:07>> Oh, someone has Okay.

35:08>> Second.

35:09>> Second. Thank you.

35:11>> Those in favor say I.

35:12>> I.

35:13>> I.

35:16You meet

35:17>> I the meeting has been adjourned at um

35:208:21 p.m.