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3S4 Selectmen's Meeting January 3, 1974 Mr. O'Connell: I would point out that what is happening here is that the Capital Budget approach is breaking down when Dr. Kessler proceeds with the Appropriation and Capital Expenditures Committees. We have to have it before a certain time and that is the message I am trying to have understood. Conservation land will not be a major issue for 1975. The Commission emphasis will be on cleanup. Hillside Avenue will be a modest -size project under Capital Budget procedure, we have received no information from Conservation at any time, and you haven't submitted -`the $300,000 for the stabilisation fund. The first 1 heard was when I saw the sixteen articles in the Selectmen's office. Dr. Kessler: Mr. O'Connell's account is exactly right. At that time when we talked, we had very little in the way of positive land acquisition. However, what he hasn't told you was that when I left him it was with the understanding we would approach finance committees to seek the help of these people in the Town to develop the physical attitudes - approaches to Tong -range bonding for acquisition purposes. It was not the intent of Conservation to subvert the process. -We ore amateurs without professional help. We couldn't give you an Idea, even in July, as it is nebulous. Chairman Kenney: I won't buy it. If you were talking a major $300,000 item, you should have told us. The only figures we had from you were nominal. Dr. Kessler: We are talking about $3 million bonding over 10 years, which is $300,000. Mr. O'Connell: The Conservation plan for bond issue is not new; 1 endorse it but it could have been in two years. If it is nebulous, it is not ready for Town Meeting. It is the absence of any Indication, o and no figures have been mentioned tme. You can still have a bonding plan but it cannot have a bearing on the coming year. Chairman Kenney: You have circumvented the budget procedure. Mr. Bailey: We know it is our responsibility. To makesure:It is in, get it in writing. Mr. O'Connell: For the record, the Conservation Commission, to my knowledge, has made no capital requests in 1973. We have to operate in some organized system, not on the basis that he has talked to people. We have operated in previous years with a letter from Conservation Commission. Dr. Kessler: 1 made a mistake and I will accept full responsibility for doing so but 1 would Tike to know why somebody couldn't have picked up the telephone. • Chairman Kenney: We went on the basis of the Manager's report. Dr. Kassler: Why do we have Dave Hughes? Don't you have any feed- back? • Mr. O'Connell: 1 would point out that we had no awareness until the Selectmen's office received the articles. Dr. Kessler: Don't you read our minutes and don't we have your administrator? 1 1 1