Members present: Mark Karlberg, William Elovirta, Jeanne Pryor
Others Present: Joseph Kellogg, Beth VanNess, Maria Wallington
10:00 AM Meeting opened.
Mark asked if anyone was recording the meeting. Beth VanNess is recording the meeting.
Mark announced that this would be a working meeting so there would be no public input for the duration of the meeting.
Joe explained how other towns work on their budgets and gave the Select Board the FY14 budget that he has been working on so far. Attached to the budget is a cover sheet that is the financial summary of the FY2014 Budget. This is a simple spreadsheet that DOR supplies all of the towns which is modeled after the recap sheet. Joe explained this spreadsheet to the Select Board. He explained how he changed the budget spreadsheet from last year. Briefly discussed the assistant tax collector salary increase. Also discussed the highway department budget. George has some issues that Joe will be working with him to resolve. Joe advised that he would be speaking with the town staff about the possibility of going to a bi-weekly payroll system. This would save the town some money. Briefly discussed changing the tax title account to an article instead of having a line item since funding for an article carries over until it is expended. Briefly spoke about the individual articles
submitted for the annual town meeting. Joe advised that the Select Board has the power to remove or place any article unless it was petitioned to be placed on the warrant. Briefly discussed the 250th Anniversary Committee expenses. Joe feels that a revolving account could be set up so that anyone wishing to donate could and it would be earmarked for this committee. Joe advised that he would speak with the board at a later time about the Board of Assessors expense account. Next year is a reval year and there may be more expenses associated with this.
The Select Board discussed appointing a town administrator search committee. Joe advised that Jeanne had spoken with the Ethics Commission about whether she could second a motion to appoint her to this committee. The Ethics Commission advised that as long as she was not being compensated to do this then she could. The second question was could she vote to appoint this committee if she was one of the people that was being considered to be appointed. The answer was if she was not being compensated then she could. Jeanne wanted the Board to know that they should be thinking about having a committee that is more diverse. She feels they should do this to all boards and committees that they appoint. Bill motioned that the top five out of the eight candidates being Richard Furlong,
Jeanne Pryor, Josh Lombard, Amy Perlmutter and Robert Gross be appointed to the Town Administrator Search Committee, Jeanne seconded. All in favor.
Briefly discussed holding a special town meeting for one article to cover the increased town counsel fees. Joe advised that they could have the meeting on the same night they have a Selectmen’s meeting. Bill motioned that the Special Town Meeting be set for Wednesday, March 20, 2013 at 7:00 p.m. at the town hall, Jeanne seconded. All in favor. The Select Board meeting will be at 7:30 p.m. that night.
Any other business to come before the Board: Joe advised that he spoke with Len Tisdale about the culvert on Bonny Rigg Hill Road. Len told him the town was approved for MEMA funding but Joe has not been able to track this down. He will check to see if he needs to go out to bid for engineering for this project and if he does not need to he would like to get Foresight Land Services to do the engineering work. Bill advised that years ago an engineering firm from Boston completed the engineering work for Bonny Rigg Hill Road and this should be at the highway department. The Select Board is okay with Joe getting Foresight Land Services to do the engineering if it is okay with the FEMA regulations.
Joe advised that there was a deed that the Select Board signed in December for property that the prior Select Board voted to sell the Becket Land Trust for property off of Quarry Road. This property was taken by tax title in the sixties. This property was on the land auction that the town had back in 2010 but was taken off the auction and the Select Board voted to sell it to the BLT. Joe advised that if a property is taken for taxes the only way the town could put it back on the tax roll would be to auction it off. The Select Board cannot sell it to any organization unless it goes for a vote at a town meeting. There has since been a man that was inquiring about this property. Joe advised that the Select Board could put restrictions on this property to keep it forever as conservation
land which could make it less valuable. If the property is valued less than $25,000, the town could vote to have the Select Board sell it to the BLT. If it is valued over $25,000 than the town would need to go through the procurement process.
Joe advised that he has been in contact with the representative from MIIA about what the cost for health insurance would be. He said that he seems to be getting the runaround from him because he was told the increase would be anywhere from 0-10 percent. He feels this is unacceptable. He would like the Select Board to consider adopting the provisions of the Health Insurance Reform law that would give the Select Board the authority to change the plan design of the town’s health insurance. Joe advised that the Town of Lee voted to adopt this provision and all of a sudden MIIA advised that there would be no increase in the cost of health insurance. If the Select Board votes to adopt this, it does not mean they have to do it.
Joe advised that it was found that Bill Girard was never re-appointed as building inspector/zoning enforcement officer back in June so the Select Board should appoint him now for a three year term. The Select Board would like to request that the Town Clerk give them an updated list of their current appointments because they have not seen one in a while. Nina will ask the town clerk to prepare this list. Bill would like a list of all boards and committees with their phone numbers so he could contact someone if he needs to. Once Nina receives the list from the town clerk she can update the information that Bill is looking for. Jeanne motioned to reappoint Bill Girard as building inspector/zoning enforcement officer term to expire June 30, 2015, Bill seconded. All in favor. Briefly
discussed code enforcing in town. Bill advised that the building inspector/zoning enforcement officer told him he could not act on any violations unless he gets a written complaint. Joe does not think it has to be in written form; someone could call and advise of violations. The Select Board would like to have the building inspector come to one of its working sessions to discuss the handling of code violations.
Briefly discussed the new dump truck that was approved at the last annual town meeting. Joe advised that the company that is completing the cab and chassis is asking that the town pay a partial amount of the truck before it is delivered to the town. He also advised that Craig had written the company and told them if they gave the town a discount of $800 they could get the check for the truck before it is delivered to the town. Joe is asking the Select Board’s permission to call the company to tell them that they would not receive any money until the truck was delivered and the highway superintendent makes sure it meets specifications. The Select Board agreed to have Joe do this.
Nina advised that the ambulance department had its inspection from the state the other day and there were no deficiencies and they had a perfect inspection.
Briefly discussed an issue about the heating system over at the ambulance garage. Joe advised that someone proposed to repair the issue for $250 and he feels they should go ahead and have the system repaired.
Jeanne advised Joe that the Parks and Recreation Committees want to join together but she was not sure if the town could do that. Joe advised that they should just vote at the annual town meeting to combine the two committees.
The Select Board will be having another working meeting on Friday, March 1, 2013 at 10:00 a.m.
Briefly discussed changing the structure of the Select Board meetings.
Briefly discussed the issue of double poles around town. Bill feels that at the pole hearing on Wednesday, the board should ask Verizon for a plan to remove the double poles throughout the town.
The board reviewed and approved the Select Board’s annual report for 2012.
11:40 AM Bill motioned to go into Executive Session under G.L. c. 30A, sec. (a) (3) with respect to litigation as discussing the matter at an open meeting may have detrimental effect on the position of the public body; votes may be taken, Jeanne seconded. Roll call vote: Bill-aye, Jeanne-aye, Mark-aye.
Respectfully submitted, _______________________________
Nina Weiler, Secretary Mark L. Karlberg, Chairman
Documents discussed at meeting:
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