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Date of Meeting: Monday, June 13, 2011
Location: Town Hall, 221 Main Street
Time: 6:30 PM – 7:45 PM
Members Present: James Stanton, Chairman, Kenneth Sydow and Roger Deal
Others Present: Nancy Colbert Puff, Town Administrator; Lori Esposito, Administrative Assistant to Board of Selectmen
Report of the Town Administrator to the Board of Selectmen:
- Library Director – the Trustees have extended an offer of employment to Jenn Carrico. She has accepted and her start date will be July 11, 2011.
- BBRSD Lease Agreement – Dr. McDermott discussed the lease renewal with the School Committee. They expressed some concern regarding length of the lease and lack of an elevator. The TA said that other leases at Hillside contain an 18-month notice for termination to accommodate a full budget cycle. The TA also told Dr. McDermott that there is accessible meeting space in Town Hall. The TA has sent a draft lease (attached) for his consideration.
- Highway Equipment Operator/Laborer – Don Parker has hired Stuart Barber, a Boylston resident, to fill the position; his start date will be June 20.
- Parks & Rec (BPR)/Town House Use and Lower Soccer Field Mowing – the following are in response to questions from the previous Selectmen’s meeting.
- BPR plans to run 13 programs in the Town House during the 2011/2012 schedule; Some are single-evening events while others are run over the course of multiple weeks (schedule attached). Karen Barber advises that if each program has a minimum of ten participants, they expect to net approximately $1,000, after instructional fees are paid. They are agreeable to increasing participation fees to cover potential heating/electricity usage. The heating/electric bill averages $20/day. They could charge a $2 “facility fee” to cover this cost.
- Lower Soccer Field Mowing Solutions: It takes two men two hours to mow.
- Don Parker said he is concerned with the extra hours needed each week and the ability to complete the work on schedule.
- Jim said he understood that once the new field was in use, the Elementary School would not be used for soccer. Perhaps the Elementary School maintenance people could mow those fields.
- Ken said that if the High School needs to use these fields during construction, perhaps they could help out with the fields they need to use.
- Roger feels we should be charging and collecting money from Parks & Rec if our costs increase as a result. Parks & Rec collects money; they can help support the costs.
- Jim said everyone needs to be involved in deciding the maintenance of the fields globally.
- Roger said if we commit to supporting the fields, we should have access and Parks & Rec should be more open about their books (revolving account). Ken agrees; this should be for all programs (soccer, football, etc.).
- With regard to the mowing, the Board of Selectmen wants Don Parker to offer summer mowers additional hours to mow.
- Treasurer Disclosure – Attached memorandum from temporary Treasurer/Collector recommends the Town use “lock box” service to collect and reconcile tax receipts. The service will cost $780 annually, which covers the cost of a post office box. The service provider is Fidelity Bank, where his wife works. Michael Conrad has asked the Board to review the proposal and make a determination, as required by M.G.L. c. 268A §19.
- GIS Contract – A change order in the amount of $3,000 is attached for approval. Being added to the contract is a software tool which will enable the Assessors’ office to produce abutters’ lists automatically. The map will be posted on the web site by the end of the month.
- MIIA Rewards Program – We received approximately $10,250 in credits toward our workers’ compensation and property and casualty insurance premiums as a result of the Town’s participation in various safety and educational trainings and programs. We are approved to receive another four percent credit for additional activities applied at the end of May/early June.
- Household Hazardous Waste Collection – The next collection date is Saturday, June 18 at the Wachusett Regional Recycling Center.
Special Election Warrant:
- Ken Sydow inquired if we can change the date to September 12 from September 19 since the Board of Selectmen has a regularly scheduled meeting on the 19th.
Sandy Bourassa, Town Clerk, said September 12 should be fine. She will change the election calendar dates.
7:00 PM Sheriff Evangelidis: The new Sheriff briefly introduced himself.
- One of his goals is to reduce the rate of repeat offenders going to the jail.
- He wants an open relationship with the Town.
- He is considering putting in wind turbines to help provide power to the jail. They would go near the top of the hill in the area that the sanitarium was. He would be happy to work together with the Town on the project.
- Community Service Program – he is looking to double the crews. As a courtesy, Boylston takes priority as both a non-profit and as a host community. The flip side is that actual jobs inmates do are rehabilitative to them; the cost to the Town is minimal, being required to provide only lunch and materials.
- Another resource is the communications vehicle, available to any town that needs it. They can make reverse 911 calls related to public safety (no-school cancellations, etc.). He is committed to offering whatever he can as a resource.
- No major construction is planned in the near future at the jail.
- Roger stated he has heard positive things since Sheriff Evangelidis ha been in office.
- Police Chief Sahagian (present) said he appreciates the continued support of providing holding cells (“safe keeps”) and K-9 service when available. The staff is very accommodating.
Report of Police Chief Sahagian to the Board of Selectmen:
- May 10: “Run to the Beach” race came through Town.
- May 30 (Memorial Day): Two traffic accidents occurred; three parking tickets were issued.
- May 31: Called to Tahanto for a student in possession of prescription drugs.
- June 1: A breaking and entering on Main Street; nothing taken.
- June 5: An “Injured on Duty” occurred when Russell Parker, running up Central Street during storms, pulled a muscle in his chest.
- June 5: Another “Injured on Duty” occurred when Ron Bazydlo, responding to a sewer grate being dislodged, pulled a muscle in his back when he bent down and moved it. His PCP referred him to a specialist; he will potentially return to work on June 21.
- June 7: Final FY 2011 in-service police training.
Report of the Building Inspector (Tony Zaharaidis) to the Board of Selectmen:
- Plumbing: 7/$500
- Electrical: 9/$875
- Building: 21/$3,234
- Last week he and Ray met with the project manager on site at Tahanto.
- The Town Administrator said we are still in need of an Assistant Building Inspector. Tony said not many who are retired are keeping up with their certification. Ray, the Tahanto inspector, would be a good possible candidate
Selectmen’s Meeting Schedule:
Motion was made, seconded and voted all in favor, to approve the meeting schedule as presented to the Board.
Special Town Election: The Town Clerk revised the date of the special election; it is now September 12, 2011.
Motion was made, seconded and voted all in favor, to approve the date of September 12, 2011 for the Special Town Election.
At 7:45 PM Roger Deal made a motion to adjourn. The motion was seconded by Ken Sydow and voted all in favor.
The meeting was adjourned at 7:45 PM.
Respectfully Submitted,
Lori Esposito, Administrative Assistant
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