Date of Meeting: Monday, February 8, 2010
Location: Town Hall, 221 Main Street
Time: 6:30 PM – 8:55 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.
Report of the Town Administrator to the Board of Selectmen:
· Route 140 Corridor Study: The Town Administrator anticipates a substantially complete report to be submitted this evening. The remainder of the report, dealing with transportation, will be available by February 18. The corridor consulting team will report its findings to the Board at the February 22, 2010 meeting. The Planning Board will be invited to attend.
· Proposed Zoning Changes for Route 140 Corridor: The Route 140 consulting team met with the Planning Board in January to present conceptual changes to the zoning bylaw; precise language and map amendments will be presented to the Board at a future meeting. An initial draft of the proposals is attached to the Town Administrator’s report. Proposed changes which, it is anticipated, will make Boylston more competitive for economic development are:
o Allowing for a mix of uses along the corridor;
o Adjusting dimensional controls to meet “real world” development needs;
o Clarifying site plan review procedures and providing landscaping and design standards to assist developers in preparing plans that will enhance the corridor’s cohesiveness appearance and access;
o Adopting up-to-date parking requirements; and
o Ensuring larger projects retain special permit project review to mitigate any project-based impacts.
It will be necessary for the proposal to undergo the public hearing process before being presented
at Town Meeting.
· Business Marketing Committee (BMC): Drafts of a brochure and web site (www.town of boylston.com) presented for approval. The BMC would like to use to promote business expansion in Boylston. Ken Sydow indicated he is pleased with it and would also like to establish a line item in the future for printing costs. Ken Sydow made a motion to approve the brochure with edits subject to final approval by the Town Administrator with the BMC. Motion seconded, voted all in favor.
· Zekos Group Contract: Contract for the Zekos Group for the purpose of auctioning the Town’s nine tax title properties was submitted for the Board’s review. The contract is the same as that approved by Town Counsel for 30 Stockton Street auction. The Town Administrator requested the Board sign the contract during the meeting to enable the Zekos Group to begin marketing the properties for a spring sale. Paul Zekos will appear before the Board at 7:15 PM.
· Insurance Advisory Committee: Janet Wentzell requested appointment to the Committee as the representative for retirees. Motion was made to approve her appointment; motion seconded; voted All in Favor.
· Planning Board Assistant: Melanie Rich, presently working 32 hours for the Board of Health and the Conservation Commission, indicated her interest in taking over the vacancy for the Planning Board Administrative Assistant position. This would entail no more than eight hours a week of her time. Melanie has requested she be paid at the maximum of the compensation scale ($20.69/hour). Her current rate is at $19.20/hour. This would require approval of the Board of Selectmen. Jim Stanton indicated he has an issue with hiring someone in a Grade 8 position for a Grade 7 job. It was indicated that the Planning Board job is less complicated than the job she is now doing. Roger inquired as to what we were paying the present assistant.
The Town Administrator said it was $15.30/hour. Roger inquired as to why we should pay $5/hour more and it should be put out to bid. The Town Administrator said the previous assistant had less experience. Ken Sydow said he would want to keep it within the Grade 7 range, and pay Melanie the same amount she is currently earning. Jim Stanton said he has no problem paying her what she’s currently earning; we are adding volume (hours of work), not changing the complexity of the job, and her current rate is significantly above what Christine Webster (previous assistant) was earning. Richard Baker, Chairman of the Planning Board said Melanie offers more professionalism and quality of work than Christine. The Board of Selectmen agrees to offer an hourly rate of $19.20 (current rate of pay) to Melanie Rich.
7:00 PM Planning Board Vacancy: Bill Manter of 178 Main Street, Boylston, was present at the meeting and indicated his willingness to fill the vacancy on the Planning Board until the spring election. Mr. Manter is a retired teacher; did subdivision development; and runs his own small residential painting business. Ken Sydow made a motion to nominate Mr. Manter to fill the vacancy. Motion seconded and voted as follows:
Ken Sydow: Yes
Roger Deal: Yes
Jim Stanton: Yes
Richard Baker: Yes
Raymond Duffy: Yes
Julia Hucknall: Yes
Town Administrator’s Report, Cont’d:
· Hearts for Heat Program: The Town Administrator, along with Jane Meegan, Council on Aging Coordinator, attended a meeting to explore whether it would be beneficial for the Town to establish a heating program in Boylston, such as Princeton, Spencer, Leicester and North Brookfield have. This program would provide heating assistance to Boylston residents unable to obtain help through other programs. Jane has received several calls this winter for heating assistance; Sandy Bourassa, Town Clerk, will see if the Lions Club can assist and the pastor of the First Congregational Church has been contacted.
· GASB 45: We are required to complete an evaluation of our post-employment benefits liability and report it on our future financial statements. The Town Administrator is working with Nancy Nykiel, the Town Accountant, to obtain a cost estimate for this work. The cost will be shared with the Light Department.
· Housing Partnership Grant: West Boylston has invited Boylston and Sterling to participate in a regional discussion on housing involving a Local Assistance Grant through the Central Massachusetts Regional Planning Commission. This could help Boylston address affordable housing issues.
At 7:15 PM, on a motion made by Selectman Roger Deal and seconded by Selectman Ken Sydow, the following roll call vote was recorded to go into Executive Session under MGLL, c. 39 §23B, ¶6 to consider purchase, exchange, taking, lease or value of real property: James Stanton-yes; Roger Deal-yes; Ken Sydow-yes. The Board agreed they will return to open session.
At 8:00 PM, the Board returned to open session.
Town Administrator’s Report, Cont’d.
· Personnel Board and Subcommittee to Examine Bylaw: Dick Prince has been sworn in by the Town Clerk to serve on the Personnel Board. John Stowe and Larri Parker have not yet accepted their appointments. If they do not accept within the next week, the positions will be advertised on cable. The Board has discussed appointing a subcommittee consisting of one member of the Personnel Board, one Selectman, the Town Administrator, Town Labor Counsel Kim Rozak, and an “at-large” member of the community to look at the bylaw and the role of the Personnel Board.
· Special Articles: Town Administrator presented a list of open articles from prior years with balances for the Board’s review.
· Police and Dispatcher Union Contract Negotiations: One meeting has been held with the Police Union and a followup meeting with them will be held on Wednesday, February 10 at which time the first meeting with the Dispatchers will also take place.
Barnes Easement: The Town Administrator presented request to Board on behalf of Town Counsel Madaus (via email) to sign easement deed for Barnes property; counsel recommended signing. Motion was seconded and voted All in Favor.
Massachusetts State Ethics Committee On-line Training: All employees are required to complete this by April 2, 2010.
Zoning Board of Appeals Appointment: Motion was made, seconded and voted all in favor to appoint Brad Wyatt of 38 Glazier Street, Boylston to the Zoning Board of Appeals.
Workshop Meeting: A Workshop Meeting on goal setting is scheduled for Friday, February 19 at 2:30 PM.
Meeting recessed at 8:15 PM and resumed at 8:25 PM.
8:25 PM Brian McDermott, Superintendent of Schools, regarding Tahanto renovation:
· School Committee approval is needed before submission
· Not sure of the dollar amount at this time, still awaiting estimates. We need to submit to MSBA by end of the week.
· Anticipate a meeting/decision date with MSBA on March 31, 2010.
· Brian would like a Special Town Meeting at the beginning or middle of April. Jim Stanton said we can’t have a Special Town Meeting without a dollar amount and asked why it can’t be done at the Annual Town Meeting..
· Brian feels it needs a Special Town Meeting, but the ballot vote could be at the Annual Town Meeting.
· Jim stated that many things at the Annual Town Meeting are of mutual interest to residents (e.g., zoning changes, budgeting, etc.) Perhaps we could have a series of educational meetings prior to the Annual Town Meeting to inform the citizens of school issues.
· Ken Sydow stated that one issue is timing; another is ample time to get it out to the public and sell it to the taxpayer (dollar impact and new school versus renovation, etc.).
· Rebecca Dono-Healy (School Committee Member) said a Special Town Meeting is needed because discussion will take all night. Also, parents might not be able to be out that late at night. If the Board of Selectmen’s concern is zoning articles with the school, they could do those together.
· Jim Stanton said it is also an expense during a busy season. Who will pay the cost of a Special Town Meeting and what about the inconvenience of having residents attend two meetings within one to two weeks of one another.
· Brian inquired if makes sense from a voter perspective. They feel it deserves its own Special Town Meeting, therefore the request is being made; they feel it warrants consideration.
· Ken Sydow agrees that the issue deserves a certain amount of time, regardless of having a separate meeting. If it were to be so close to the Annual Town Meeting, perhaps we should just schedule the Annual Town Meeting for two nights.
· Jim Stanton said pre-work to educate and justify what they are asking for is more important than what night the meeting is held.
· Brian said that as soon as the numbers are received there will be enough time to educate before the Meeting but it will still take up a lot of time at the Annual Town Meeting. All information has been received from the architects and they are now awaiting the total from the estimators at the MSBA.
· Ken Sydow said the Board supports the success of their project, regardless of meetings and timing, etc., but we need to be together on it.
School Budget FY’11:
· Brian said Chapter 70 is level funded; they are working toward an assessment for Tahanto for each town and level funding. At this point, Boylston’s assessment for Tahanto is level; Berlin is at plus $136K (due to enrollment changes). The appropriation for the elementary school is still being worked on.
· Their commitment to the Town is to stay level funded. The only increase is the Assabet tuition payments.
o Regional School Committee budget hearing: 2/10/2010
o Boylston Elementary School budget hearing: 2/24/2010
· Roger Deal stated the budget needs to come in level funded for both the elementary school and Tahanto.
· Brian said the School Committee voted to present a level-funded budget.
· Eric Brose of the Financial Committee said, regarding a spring Special Town Meeting, he feels an informational meeting instead would provide time necessary to inform those wanting information. He does not feel that a Special Town Meeting would solve the problem because it’s still presented in the same meeting it is to be voted on.
· Ms. DonoHealy said they have held informational forums but they have not been well attended.
· Ken Sydow suggested some information (e.g., FAQs) could be printed to be handed out and left around Town for citizens to study.
Motion made to adjourn; motion seconded; voted All in Favor.
Meeting adjourned at 8:55 PM.
Respectfully Submitted,
Lori Esposito
Administrative Assistant
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