Location: Town Hall, 221 Main Street
Time: 7:10 PM – 10:20PM
Members Present: James Stanton, Roger Deal, Ken Sydow
Others Present: Suzanne Olsen, Town Administrator; Lori Esposito, Administrative Assistant; Others as listed on attached sign in sheet.
Executive session was adjourned and open session was called to order at 7:10pm.
Police Chief Sahagian: Monthly report to the Board and proposed FY08 budget discussion.
.. End-of-year stats presented and distributed to board members and Town Administrator.
.. Car 3 transmission blew last week (2004 with 60K miles). Replaced transmission with 3-year/75K warranty; will be keeping car.
.. Chief’s car (2003 with 65K miles) will be replaced (grant money will cover total cost of vehicle). Will get $2K for trade-in, but Chief is willing to give car to the Town instead, if they want it. Board appreciates the offer, and would like a couple of weeks to decide. Jim would like Sue Olsen to look at amount being reimbursed to Building Inspector for mileage; perhaps use of town-owned car would be less.
.. Guest speaker at Congregational Church 2/6
.. Will be away for training 1/22-1/25 in New Jersey.
.. BMW bicycle donated by Wagner Motors.
.. Central St. graduation party with underage drinking: Parents’ continued for 2 months, and then dismissed. $300 restitution.
.. During Christmas break, someone allowed Worcester S&G to begin work at Compass Point at 7:30am; although no school buses due to break, it interfered with traffic. The dispatcher received numerous complaint calls. Chief believes someone from Planning Board or Earth Removal Board allowed the change in hours.
.. Ken Sydow asked the Chief why there is no stop sign on Green St. at Mile Hill Rd. Chief responded that Mile Hill is a ‘feeder’ road, which is where the stop sign should go. He also has no accident data for that intersection, doesn’t see justification for stop sign. Ken believes a 2-way stop sign is needed – one on Mile Hill and the other on Green St. Chief Sahagian says it’s at the Town’s discretion to decide where the stop signs go, and again, doesn’t see the need for two. Ken asked what the process is to make it a legal sign there; Chief says since it’s not a state highway, the Board of Selectmen would decide. Ken motioned to place a stop sign on Green St. at Mile Hill; Jim Stanton wants to first look at intersection before deciding. Chief Sahagian
suggested maybe a yellow caution sign (coming from Northboro side) could be tried first.
Fire Chief Flanagan: Monthly report to the board.
.. FEMA grant for $135K (for new breathing apparatus) looks good, all approvals passed.
.. In the process of writing a Fire prevention and safety grant for FY08 (would fund an “explorer” program, similar to D.A.R.E. program, but for older students).
.. New emergency generator installed at fire station; will power station and Town House in the event of a power failure.
.. Received CERT grant for $3300 for equipment for local CERT members.
.. Engine 2 was involved in MVA on 12/30/06. Operator (Paul Lombardi) did not stop, was cited; he is a 25-year veteran. Chief Flanagan gave him a 6-month driving suspension and he will be required to complete a driver safety course.
.. FD responded to MVA on 1/2/07 on Rte. 140 (tractor trailer truck vs. car, head-on). The crash punctured the truck’s diesel tanks and about 100 gals. spilled into the catch basin at
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the reservoir. DEP and FD deployed booms, lots of cooperation among agencies to contain the spill.
.. Budget:
o Expenses level-funded.
o Ambulance stipend for weekends unfilled for months due to pay being only $60/day. Changed FY08 request to $12.00/hr. for 2 8-hour shifts, hoping to get the weekends covered. Jim Stanton asked if there is still money left in the FY07 stipend account – yes. Jim says begin paying $11.80/hr immediately to fill the weekend shifts. Board was in agreement.
o Board wants the FY08 budget to clearly show the second firefighter position that is funded out of the ambulance fund...want it to be clear there are 2 full time positions in addition to the Chief. Show that the billing clerk is funded out of the ambulance fund as well.
o Jim Stanton wants 25% of the second position funded out of the operating budget over the next 4 years, to phase it out of the ambulance fund and into operating.
o Jim also asked Chief if he knew anything about a 10% surcharge that some towns charge for their detail rate. This is done to recoup administration costs for the detail work. Chief Flanagan is not familiar with it, will look into.
Cabco Consult: Justin Dufresne and Paul Miner were present to review their findings in the DPW site evaluation study.
.. 3 sites were looked at:
o Elmwood Place (Site “E”)
o Down the hill behind MOB (Site “F”)
o Up top of hill near cell phone tower and Paul X. Tivnan Drive. (Site “G”)
.. Zoning is not an issue on any site.
.. Soil testing was done; high ground water found near site G, but all sites could support a septic system.
.. There is a wetlands issue at site F, as well as grading issues, so that site was eliminated as a possibility.
.. Site E (Elmwood Place):
o Mr. Miner visited Westford’s DPW facility recently, which cost about $15M and took many years of planning. He took knowledge from that plan (efficiency, flow, etc.) and incorporated it into this sample plan. Same building plan was applied to site G.
o Facility would use about 9 acres at this site.
o The road at Elmwood Place would need to be widened to about 30ft.
o Access road crosses wetlands.
o Biggest obstacle would be grading at this site.
o Most central location (vs. Site G)
.. Site G (area near cell phone tower / Paul X. Tivnan Drive):
o High ground water, may need perimeter drains, detention pond, etc, which adds some cost.
o Gas/water lines are a long run and would add significantly to cost.
o Facility would use about 10 acres at this site.
o To build from Paul X. Tivnan Dr., a right-of-way easement would be required from the State (property owned by jail).
o Overall cost is comparable to site E.
.. Mr. Miner says cost estimate for plan as shown with sample facility is about $7-8M total.
Highway Superintendent, Don Parker: Monthly report to the Board.
.. Brief discussion regarding proposed FY08 budget; 3% wage increase, expenses level-funded.
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Nancy Baker: Requested to meet with the Board due to concern about lack of reinforcement for dogs that are not licensed in Town.
.. Ms. Baker asked why people are not fined when they do not license their dogs. Jim Stanton says perhaps the Town Clerk would know, since she issues the licenses.
.. Ms. Baker says fines do not exist; she would like to see the Town incorporate fines for failure to register a dog. She recently had to obtain a kennel permit because she owns more than 4 dogs. She paid several thousand dollars in legal fees and fencing for her yard, yet many people in Town don’t even bother registering their dogs, and there is no recourse.
.. She worked as a dog officer in Texas, and would like to update the Town bylaws. The Town should have more of the State bylaws incorporated into the Town bylaws.
.. Steve Golas (dog officer) says a fine could allow 21 days to pay, then if not paid, take to court. Mr. Golas gave the Board a copy of Shrewsbury’s violation notice as an example.
.. Leash law applies to all Towns in Worcester County (Ch. 40, s.173), yet there is nothing in place in Boylston to enforce this law.
.. The Board thanked Ms. Baker and Mr. Golas, and will refer to Atty. Angelini for further discussion.
Horizon Partners / Mike Borsuk (Affordable Housing Comm.): Further discussion re: Wood Turtle habitat buffer zone that is adversely affecting the 40B housing project and the sale of Sewall Street gravel pit. Present with Mr. Borsuk were Alan Perrault (Horizon Partners) and Larry Greene (Thompson-Liston Associates). Horizon Partners has asked the Board to accept a lower sale price of around $360K, due to a reduced number of units on reduced acreage.
.. Roger Deal asked who would have verified this turtle and how do we get the records. The turtle has not been sighted since 1983, and he wants to know who filed the sighting. Mr. Greene also noted the map was just updated on October 2006. Sue Olsen says the Dept. of Fish and Wildlife has no record of the individual who identified the turtle, rather the habitat is determined and verified by a biologist.
.. Jim Stanton asked if the validity of the designation is not solid, can it be challenged. It doesn’t make sense to him, since it doesn’t seem to be based on scientific facts that can be identified.
.. Alan Perrault says Larry Greene has had many conversations with the agency, and unfortunately, they have jurisdiction and final say. Mr. Greene says he doesn’t mind doing further research, but the cost iis more time and money.
.. Sue Olsen has a call into the AG’s office to see if the RFP can be adjusted (acreage size and change in sale price).
.. Jim Stanton would like Sue Olsen to call Senator Harriet Chandler’s office to explain the problem and see if she can assist.
Howard Drobner, Earth Removal Board: The Board invited Mr. Drobner in to discuss the fine billed to Mr. Clark for an ERB fine on Brooke Road.
.. At the ERB’s 12/6/06 hearing for lot 5, Brooke Road (Derek Clark), a permit was granted beginning 1/1/07 for 6 months. The permit is still being held per check not received for the bond and fee. As Mr. Drobner understands, Mr. Clark is not planning on doing any work until spring.
.. The Clarks told the ERB that they brought in approximately 700-800 cu. yards of fill, screened it on site, then trucked out the excess. The ERB permit is for 700 cu. yards. The ERB then referred Mr. Clark to contact the Board of Selectmen to determine if fine still stands.
.. Jim Stanton asked if they violated the ERB bylaw. Mr. Drobner said yes.
.. The fine of $1500 was based on $300 per day for 5 days. The Building Inspector observed fill being removed from August 15-21st. Mr. Stanton suggests since bylaw violated, fine remains; Sue Olsen to re-bill Mr. Clark with 10 days to pay. Board is in agreement.
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Turf Links: Brief discussion re: Kelly Cardoza of Turf Links contacted Mr. Drobner about steps to obtain an ERB permit, but never got back to him. Also, the Board of Health septic plan was approved last November, but no further action taken. Roger Deal has heard rumors that the President of Turf Links is extremely upset about cost for ERB permit ($20K +, based on Mr. Drobner’s estimate of 20-50K cu. yds. to be removed). Jim will contact Turf Links president this week to be sure they are continuing forward without any problems.
E. Temple St. driveway: Sorenson’s property at 140 / E. Temple St. is being developed with plans to add a driveway cut onto E. Temple St. Quinn Engineering needs permission from BOS, per Planning Board. There is a process in place that was established as a Selectmen’s Regulation just prior to October 2004. Quinn Engineering will need to come before the Board for permission.
Meeting adjourned 10:20pm.
Respectfully Submitted,
Lori Esposito
Administrative Assistant
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