Date of Meeting: Monday, February 2, 2009
Location: Town Hall, 221 Main Street
Time: 6:30 PM – 8:20 PM
Members Present: Chairman James Stanton; Roger Deal; Ken Sydow
Others Present: Nancy Colbert, Town Administrator; Lori Esposito, Administrative Assistant; others as noted on sign-in sheet.
No financial warrant.
Town Counsel not present.
Licensing questions:
Class II Existing Transfer -- either transfer or a new application okay.
24-hour Fitness Club – no license from Board of Selectmen required.
Report of the Town Administrator to the Board of Selectmen:
1. FY’09 local aid cuts: The Governor released his local aid reductions for FY’09. Ch. 70 aid left intact but Town’s overall revenues reduced by $41,542. Town Administrator has proposed reductions totaling $41,819 in budget.
2. Discretionary spending freeze – memo drafted by Town Administrator from Board of Selectmen directing all Town departments to freeze all discretionary spending for remainder of fiscal year. Further recommended that all extraordinary purchases of $500 be brought before the Board of Selectmen for prior approval. Motion made, seconded and voted All in Favor to distribute the memorandum to all departments.
3. Revenue Study Committee – Town Administrator is working with Revenue Study Committee to finalize report for presentation to the BOS at its February 9 meeting. Invitations to attend will be extended to the Revenue Study Committee, John Roy, the Boylston Elementary School Principal, the Finance Committee and the School Committee.
4. FY’10 local aid revenue projection -- A copy of the Division of Local Services’ FY’2010 Estimates is attached. The TA has reviewed it with Dan Haynes (Town Accountant) and now projects $11,859,879 in total revenues for FY2010. The Town’s current level-funded budget exceeds the projected revenues by $467K, approximately.
5. “Shared Services” with West Boylston – Nancy met with the West Boylston Town Administrator, Leon Gaumond, regarding shared resources/services. The main focus was on dispatching (fire and police) and public works services. Mr. Gaumond stated that West Boylston indicated an interest to be included in a study, requested by the Town of Rutland, for a grant to study the feasibility of a regional emergency communications center. There is a possibility that the Town could join in at no cost. TA will explore it further with Fire Chief of Rutland.
7:00 PM: Commendations for work done during ice storm, December 2008 presented. Selectmen thanked departments and citizens for their extraordinary efforts.
7:15 PM: Meeting recessed for refreshments
7:35 PM: Meeting reconvened
Town Administrator’s Report, Cont’d:
6. Obama economic stimulus – the TA attended a breakfast meeting last week at which Lt. Governor Murray spoke regarding potential stimulus projects.
7. FEMA reimbursement process on-going Regular meetings have been held with FEMA representatives to pursue the up-to 75% reimbursement for ice storm damage. Don Parker has given the FEMA rep a tour of the Town’s damages. A centralized debris site for regulated and non-regulated has been proposed; then towns would partially reimburse for non-regulated debris that’s chipped.
8. Mosquito Control – FY’09 and FY’10 –Town has not yet been credited back for FY’09 charges; Nancy spoke with Lisa Juszkiewicz, from DLS who will look into it. We should have a FY2010 credit of $31,962 as Town withdrew from program as of June 30, 2008.
9. Wachusett Earth Day – Nancy spoke with Colleen Abrams regarding our $15K contribution toward the hazardous waste and recycling facility. The project has been delayed due to West Boylston’s objections to the site being located within its bounds. Ms. Abrams is optimistic that the situation will be resolved soon.
10. The Town received the resignation of Sonia Collins, former dispatcher.
11. A Teen Board is being formed by Parks & Recreation Department to “ …develop a foundation for volunteer opportunities, social interactions, and programming, teamwork, and leadership skills.” This Teen Board would advise the P&R Committee as to how best to serve teens in the community.
12. Authorize contract signatures – Nancy would like the Board to vote to authorize her to enter into grant contracts on behalf of the Town for 43D and the Gough House.
A motion was made by Ken Sydow to adjourn and reconvene at 8:00 PM. Motion seconded; voted All in
Favor.
8:00 PM: Meeting reconvened with Jim and Mike Venincasa in attendance:
Ø Jim and Mike Venincasa want to apply for a road opening permit; have come to get informal feedback from the Board of Selectmen.
Ø The Water Department wants them to go down to Abby Road; the bigger issue is paving the entire road. They feel they need to pave only what they disturb, not the entire road.
Ø Ken Sydow: who says “repave what’s disturbed?” Mike: from everything they have in their approvals, it seems that’s what they need to do.
Ø Ken: at one point there was an offer to repave only for their frontage. Mike: that was an arrangement that didn’t work out. Anything they do for repairs would be an improvement on the existing condition of the road.
Ø Jim asked if they are going to build houses. Mike: we hope to. With the change in the market, we’re building houses in the high $200s, low 300s (down from the 500s and 600s).
Ø Jim: are you all set with Conservation Commission issues? Mike: yes. The DCR has asked that the dam be removed as it is not needed.
Ø Jim Stanton: When Attorney Weinstein was here for the last road opening hearing there was a misunderstanding with Attorney Madaus regarding settlement and what was required. Ken: The lot lines in the development have changed. Ken would like to see the Conservation Commission, Planning Board, etc. is satisfied. Mike said he spoke with Attorney Madaus. He thought once ANR changed, the lots came out of subdivision. They need to go for a modification in the subdivision. If they do that, they’ll put in wells and not put in the line at all. They’re trying not to do that; they would rather work something out and compromise so that the Town is happy (working with the Water Dept, etc.)
Ø Ken: If wells are put on ANR lots, water still needs to be brought to the subdivision lots anyway. Mike: Yes, but they can do that at a much later date. If the market improves, they’ll build subdivision homes at that time.
Ø Nancy Colbert: Spoke with Attorney Madaus this afternoon. He feels the plans should go back to the Planning Board for subdivision modification before anything can be done since the Planning Board doesn’t have a covenant.
Ø Jim: We will leave this on the agenda for the 23rd but if the issues are not resolved by then we will move it to a March hearing.
Motion made to adjourn; motion seconded; voted All In Favor.
Meeting adjourned at 8:20 pm.
Respectfully Submitted,
Lori Esposito
Administrative Assistant
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