Board of Selectmen Present: Mark Sprague
April 14, 2016 Stanley Wysocki
Town Hall Thomas J. Frain
Don Lowe, Town Administrator
Linda L. Day, Town Secretary
Mr. Sprague called the Board of Selectmen’s meeting to order at 7:00 p.m.
POLE HEARING – HUDSON ROAD
Iris Price, representative of National Grid and Mark Caisse, Tree Warden were present for the meeting.
The Board of Selectmen opened the public hearing on the petition of National Grid to install one solely-owned pole and an anchor beginning at a point approximately 260’ feet west of the centerline of the intersection of Hudson Road to provide service to a new home on Main Street.
Mr. Caisse stated that the pole would not have any impact on the trees and wouldn’t interfere with snow removal.
On a motion made by Wysocki and seconded by Frain, the Board of Selectmen voted to approve the request. (Sprague – yes, Wysocki – yes, Frain –yes)
PUBLIC HEARING – FOTINI’S RESTAURANT
The Board of Selectmen opened the public hearing on the application of Anastasios Kessaris, owner of Fotini’s Restaurant at 544 Wattaquadock Hill Road requesting approval to transfer the existing annual, all alcoholic beverages, restaurant liquor license for Fotini’s Restaurant from “doing-business-as” to a “corporation”. Mr. Kessaris stated that there wouldn’t be any other changes to the Restaurant including the Manager and food.
There haven’t been any complaints filed with the Board of Selectmen regarding Fotini’s Restaurant.
On a motion made by Wysocki and seconded by Frain, the Board of Selectmen voted to approve the request. (Sprague – yes, Wysocki –yes, Frain – yes) The Board of Selectmen executed Form 43 to be forwarded to the Alcoholic Beverages Control Commission for their approval.
DAMAN PROPERTY
Mr. Brian Berube, Chairman of the Conservation Commission met with the Board of Selectmen to discuss two parcels of land being gifted by the Daman Family. One parcel is 13 acres on Whitcomb Road and backs up to conservation property to form one contiguous parcel. The other parcel is half an acre on Corn Road.
A deed search was done that included an environmental study with no evidence of any environmental issues.
On a motion made by Wysocki and seconded by Frain, the Board of Selectmen voted to accept the two land gifts from the Daman Family. (Sprague – yes, Wysocki – yes, Frain – yes)
SIGNS – 626 MAIN STREET
Mr. Frain recused himself for this discussion and left the meeting room.
Bolton Bean: Mr. Frank Patterson requested approval for the placement of a sign on the building at 626 Main Street for his coffee shop, the “Bolton Bean”. On a motion made by Wysocki and seconded by Sprague, the Board of Selectmen voted to approve the sign request. (Sprague – yes, Wysocki – yes)
The Ewings Photography Studio: Mr. Ben Ewings requested approval for the placement of a sign on the building at 626 Main Street for his business, The Ewings Photography Studio”. On a motion made by Wysocki and seconded by Sprague, the Board of Selectmen voted to approve the sign request. (Sprague – yes, Wysocki – yes)
TOWN ADMINISTRATOR REPORT
Update on Minuteman: Mr. Lowe reported that if any of the Minuteman district member towns reject the building project the Minuteman administration has the option to hold a district-wide ballot which they have scheduled for Saturday, June 18th at their expense.
Dispatch Center: Mr. Lowe reported that the planned date for the transfer of Bolton’s dispatch centers to the Nashoba Valley Regional Dispatch in Devens is April 19, 2016.
BOARD OF SELECTMEN BUSINESS
Revision to the lease agreement between the Town of Bolton and the Nashoba Regional School District: On a motion made by Wysocki and seconded by Frain, the Board of Selectmen voted to authorize Town Administrator Don Lowe to execute the Addendum A to the above-mentioned lease agreement. (Sprague – yes, Wysocki –yes, Frain – yes) The revision will include language to allow the district to use the third floor of the 22 section, except for one storage room that will be used by the Town of Bolton. The town and the region shall meet once a year in June to review the arrangement.
Appointment of Police Chief: In October of 2015 the Board of Selectmen voted to appoint Lt. Warren Nelson as Acting Chief until they evaluated his performance at the end of March, 2016. The Board of Selectmen and Town Administrator Don Lowe conducted a performance evaluation that rated Mr. Nelson in the high 3’s, 4’s and 5’s.
The Board of Selectmen received a letter from the Police Union unanimously supporting Mr. Nelson as Police Chief. Former Police Chief Vincent Alfano stated that in his lifetime he has never met anyone as ethical, professional and morally good as Acting Chief Nelson and encouraged the Board of Selectmen to appoint Mr. Nelson as Police Chief. Panny Gerken, a former Selectman and resident also complimented Mr. Nelson and supported the appointment. On a motion made by Wysocki and seconded by Frain, the Board of Selectmen voted to appoint Warren Nelson as the permanent Police Chief for the Town of Bolton. (Sprague – yes, Wysocki – yes, Frain –yes)
CONTRACT WITH METRO WEST COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT
Kevin O’Brien, along with the Board of Selectmen who are all members of the Affordable Housing Partnership Trust Fund Committee discussed the third year regional contract and scope of services with Metro West CD. The last two years Metro West monitored and addressed the affordable housing issues in town, specifically the houses on our list of subsidized houses. On a motion made by Wysocki and seconded by Frain, the Affordable Housing Partnership voted to renew the contract with Metro West for one year, not to exceed $2,000, with the expense being funded out of the Board of Selectmen’s Purchase of Service account. (Sprague – yes, Wysocki – yes, Frain – yes, O’Brien – yes)
ACCEPTANCE OF GIFT – THE PRESERVATION OF FYFESHIRE PONDS
Ms. Martha Remington met with the Board of Selectmen to request they accept a gift from the Group for Preservation of Fyfeshire Ponds to repair the gateway and wall at the entrance of the Fyfeshire Conservation Area. On a motion made by Wysocki and seconded by Frain, the Board of Selectmen voted to accept the gift. (Sprague –yes, Wysocki – yes, Frain –yes)
EXECUTIVE SESSION
On a motion made by Wysocki and seconded by Frain, the Board of Selectmen voted 3-0 by roll call (Sprague – yes, Wysocki – yes, Frain - yes) to enter into executive session at 7:43 p.m., pursuant to Massachusetts General Laws, Chapter 30A, 21(a) 3 to discuss strategy with respect to collective bargaining for the Fire Union, as the Chair finds that an open meeting may have a detrimental effect on the Board’s bargaining position.
The Board announced it will not reconvene to open session. (Sprague – yes, Wysocki – yes, Frain – yes)
Respectfully submitted by Linda L. Day
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