Date of Meeting: Tuesday, September 6, 2011
Location: Town Hall, 221 Main Street
Time: 6:30 PM – 7:40 PM
Members Present: James Stanton, Chairman (arrived 7:00 PM); Members Roger Deal and Kenneth Sydow
Others Present: Nancy Colbert Puff, Town Administrator; Lori Esposito, Administrative Assistant to the Board of Selectmen; others as noted on attached sign-in sheet
Financial Warrants signed in approval.
Fall Harvest Festival: A request was made by the Fall Harvest Festival Planning Committee to use the Town Common on October 15 during the hours of 11:00 AM and 2:00 PM for festival activities coinciding with the Library and Parks and Recreation activities. Expenses are to be paid through corporate sponsorship and vendor fees. Chief Sahagian recommends two police details for the event.
Motion was made, seconded and voted all in favor to approve the request.
Vicious Dog Complaint: A hearing will be scheduled for the next meeting of the Board of Selectmen to address a formal complaint of an unrestrained dog biting another dog and causing injury. Any witnesses to the episode should also appear at the hearing.
Selectmen’s September 19, 2011 Meeting: Roger Deal will be unable to be present at this meeting. Meeting will be rescheduled (to September 16).
Report of the Town Administrator to the Board of Selectmen:
Green Street MassWorks Grant Application
The Town Administrator has prepared a grant application to the MassWorks program for reclamation and paving of Green Street. The request is for $146,960 and the Town Administrator requests she be authorized to submit the application along with a letter of support from the Board of Selectmen. Attached to her report is a letter of support from the town of Northborough. Don Parker feels the Town will be able to use Chapter 90 funds to finish the balance of Green Street.
The DPW Director of Northborough told the TA today that the project will be postponed another two to three weeks as they are busy with cleanup from Hurricane Irene. Jim Stanton said he has heard concerns about increased speed on the road once it is repaired. Ken Sydow said there should also be a two-way stop sign at the Mile Hill/Green Street intersection. The TA will review this with the Chief of Police.
Performance Evaluations
The Town Administrator met with John Stowe of the Personnel Board, who reviewed the forms. It was agreed that having employees set goals for their professional development should be emphasized. All forms have been distributed to supervisors and should be returned by September 30. The Supervisor’s form is attached for the Board and the TA requests each member prepare a review for each of the Board’s direct reports and return them to the Chairman for compilation. The review will then be discussed with each employee.
With regard to the Building Inspector, the Assistant Treasurer/Collector and the Town Accountant, the Board agrees the Town Administrator should complete the review and the Board will review it before it is presented to the employees. Each member of the Board will do a review of the Police Chief, Fire Chief and Highway Superintendent; the reviews will then be compiled by the Chairman.
The Police Chief told Nancy Puff that, in the past, he has never been requested or required to complete a review for his employees. She informed him that the union contract requires them to be done on an annual basis. Ken Sydow said that, regardless of what has been done in the past, they need to be done. Jim Stanton and Roger Deal are in agreement.
Treasurer/Collector Position
The Town Administrator has posted the Treasurer/Collector position and some resumes have been received. Michael Conrad will continue in his temporary role until replaced.
Tax Bills/Lockbox
Michael Conrad is implementing a lockbox system for bill collection which will result in increased efficiency. Beginning this month, payments should be made to Town of Boylston, PO Box 397, Fitchburg, MA 01420-0004.
Ken Sydow asked if someone would be able pay at the tax office at Town Hall and the TA said they would.
Parking Lot Paving
Mass Broken Stone will complete this work following the election, in mid to late September.
Gough House Bid
The bid deadline has been extended to September 13 upon the request of interested contractors who were affected by Hurricane Irene.
CMRPC Grant Application for Regional Sustainability Planning
The attached letter from CMRPC requests a letter of support from the Board for a grant application to the Dept. of Housing and Urban Development for a regional master plan. Part of this support would commit various members of the Boylston staff to an average of one hour per week, in total (not per person) of participation for a three-year period. I estimate this would be a $3,120 “in-kind” contribution, based on a $20/hour wage. This master plan might be useful to the Town in the event it seeks to prepare an update to its comprehensive plan. I recommend the Board consider authorizing me to sign the letter of support.
Motion was made by Ken Sydow and seconded by Roger Deal and voted all in favor to send a letter of support to CMRPC.
United Nations Date Proclamation
Attached is information on the 66th anniversary of the U.N. The Board is asked to consider issuing the attached proclamation.
Jim Stanton requested the TA retype the sample proclamation on Boylston letterhead to be read and signed at the next meeting.
Training/Workshops/Vacation
- Leon Gaumond, TA of West Boylston, invited the TA to attend training on the use and pitfalls of social media in public life.
- The TA attended an MMMA-sponsored training on changes to M.G.L.c.32B §21 (Healthcare reform).
- The TA was invited by CMRPC to participate in a brainstorming effort to use data to assess regional well-being.
- The TA is scheduled to participate on a panel at the MA Managers’ Association Boot Camp on October 6.
- The TA requested vacation time of Wednesday, September 28 through Friday, September 30.
Motion was made, seconded and voted all in favor to approve the Town Administrator’s vacation request for Wednesday through Friday, September 28 – 30, 2011 and Friday, October 7through Friday, October 14, 2011.
Regional Recycling: A recycling day for paint and chemicals will be held on Saturday, September 17, 2011.
WBAC-TV: Switch connected in Selectmen’s Room; cameras can only operate if that switch is on.
Regarding the Candidates’ Forum, the servers were down and the forum could not be recorded. Ken Sydow said the Board should look into the matter and demand that it immediately be corrected.
Cemetery Commission Vacancy: Vacancy due to recent death of member. Two members remain; vacancy needs to be jointly appointed by Selectmen and Cemetery Commission.
Finance Committee: Motion was made, seconded and voted all in favor to reappoint Steven Dorval to the Finance Committee.
Meeting Minutes: Motion was made, seconded and voted all in favor to approve the meeting minutes of May 2, 16 and 31; June 13 and 27 and July 11, 2011.
Upon motion by Roger Deal, seconded by Ken Sydow, and voted all in favor the meeting was adjourned at 7:40 PM.
Respectfully Submitted,
Lori Esposito, Administrative Assistant
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