Date of Meeting: Monday, January 23, 2012
Location: Town Hall, 221 Main Street
Time: 6:30 PM – 7:12 PM
Members Present: Chairman Kenneth Sydow, Members Roger Deal and James Wood
Others Present: Stephen Madaus, Town Counsel Nancy Colbert Puff, Town Administrator; Lori Esposito Administrative Assistant to the Board of Selectmen; others as noted on attached sign-in sheet
Ken Sydow called the meeting to order at 6:30 PM.
Interim Town Administrator:
Lori Esposito offered a memorandum to the Board of Selectmen to cover various tasks as Interim Town Administrator. This additional workload (finance/budget; Annual Town Meeting/Warrant; primary daily contact; review and find information as necessary preparation for the Board; handle Twn Counsel correspondence might add up to ten additional hours per week and she has requested a weekly stipend of $300.
Roger Deal made a motion, seconded by Jim Wood and voted all in favor to appoint Lori Esposito Interim Town Administrator at an additional $300/week.
Meeting Minutes: The meeting minutes for August 3, 2011, September 6 and 26, 2011 were presented to the Board for approval.
Motion was made by Roger Deal, seconded by Ken Sydow and voted all in favor, to approve the minutes of August 3 and September 6.
The September 26 minutes were approved with the following change re Gough House: “…when money is approved, no cost to the Town.”
Motion was made by Roger Deal, seconded by Ken Sydow and voted all in favor, to approve the minutes of September 26.
Town Administrator Search Committee:
Motion was made by Jim Wood seconded by Roger Deal and voted all in favor to appoint seven people to the search committee.
- A list of residents interested in serving on the committee was presented. The Board of Selectmen chooses to waive having volunteers present before appointment. The following were appointed:
- Finance Committee: Herb Cronin Motion was made by Roger Deal, seconded by Jim Wood and voted all in favor to appoint Herb Cronin to the committee.
- Fire Chief: Joe Flanagan. Motion was made by Jim Wood, seconded by Roger Deal and voted all in favor to appoint Joe Flanagan to the committee.
- Resident Matt Mecum. Motion was made by Roger Deal, seconded by Jim Wood and voted all in favor to appoint Matt Mecum to the committee.
- Town Moderator Dennis Pojani: Motion was made by Roger and seconded by Ken Sydow to appoint Dennis Pojani to the committee. Jim Wood passed; Roger and Ken voted in favor.
- Personnel Board: Dick Prince. Motion was made by Roger Deal, seconded by Jim Wood and voted all in favor to appoint Dick Prince to the committee.
- Resident Michael Healy: Motion was made by Jim Wood, seconded by Roger Deal and voted all in favor to appoint Michael Healy to the committee.
- Resident Brian Gaucher: Motion was made by Jim Wood and seconded by Ken Sydow to appoint Brian Gaucher to the committee Roger Deal abstained.
- If any of the appointees is not willing to serve, the Board has additional volunteers to call on. Ken will meet with Dick Prince to confirm those appointed are able to serve.
Motion was made by Roger Deal to appoint Town Administrator Search Committee members as Special Municipal Employees under M.G.L.c.268A. The motion was seconded by Jim Wood and voted all in favor.
Report of the Town Administrator to the Board of Selectmen:
Draft FY’2013 Budget:
a. The School Dept. requests project a 6.6% increase for the Elementary School and a 4.5% increase for Tahanto.
b. The Worcester County Retirement pension decreased due to a change in method of calculating annual assessments. Prior year assessments were based on the proportion of our salaries to the system’s total salaries. An actuarial method will be used in the future.
c. No budget requests were received from the Assessors, Highway Dept. and Board of Health. Their budgets have been filled in with level-funding and a minus two percent, based on last year’s budget.
d. The TA presented copies of capital requests by the Library and School Departments. The balance in free cash is $325K. The TA suggests the Finance Committee make recommendations on these requests to the Board.
Health Insurance Reform Proposal:
It was the unanimous opinion of the IAC to keep the existing health plan and change the premium split to allow a savings equivalent to the GIC savings. This would change from a 70/30 to a 63/37% split. Jim Wood said all IAC members were willing to stay with the current plan. At the current year’s rate, a family plan would be up $400 but there would be no deductible. The Board needs to notify the unions of its intent to discuss health insurance with them. The Board of Selectmen’s representative would meet with each union.
Motion was made by Jim Wood, seconded by Roger Deal and voted all in favor of the TA notifying the bargaining unions of the Town’s intent to change the employee contribution and enter discussions.
Motion was made by Ken Sydow and seconded by Roger Deal and voted all in favor to appoint Jim Wood as the Board of Selectmen’s representative in the insurance negotiations.
Memorial on Central Street:
Nancy Puff presented a draft policy regarding roadside memorials:
“Roadside memorials may be removed by the Town by order of the Board of Selectmen after 60 days, upon request of a Town official, resident petition, or by the Board’s own initiative. In the event that the memorial poses a safety hazard, the Board may order immediate removal.
Prior to removal, the Board, or its designee, shall contact the family of the deceased, and inform them of the intended removal. Items will be held by the Town for a period of 10 days to afford the family the opportunity to retrieve the items.”
Roger Deal asked who would determine a safety hazard. Ms. Puff said the Board has the authority but would likely get a recommendation from the Police Chief. It is all at the Board’s discretion.
Motion was made by Jim Wood to adopt the above policy. Motion was seconded by Roger Deal.
Town Counsel offered a suggestion to make the following change: “…memorials within a right of way may be removed….” And ”…shall make a documented effort to contact the family….”
The original motion was amended as such and voted all in favor.
Based on its previous request, the Board will ask the Chief of Police to contact the family; the DPW will hold the memorial items in storage. Ms. Puff is to contact the Chief.
4. Ice Storm Reimbursement: The final payment of the State’s share of reimbursement from the 2008 storm, in the amount of $44K, has been received.
5. Dispatchers’ Contract: It is necessary for the Board to appoint a member to lead negotiations on contract renewal for the dispatchers.
Motion was made by Roger Deal and seconded by Jim Wood to appoint Ken Sydow as the Board of Selectmen’s representative in contract negotiations. The motion was voted all in favor.
Hillside Restoration Committee:
- Nancy Puff attended a meeting of the committee. Patrick Healy volunteered to take over management of the existing Gough House grant. He would also complete any necessary federal reporting.
Motion was made by Ken Sydow, seconded by Roger Deal and voted all in favor to appoint Patrick Healy as designee of managing grant.
- Gough House: The architect requested a change for an additional $3,125 for revisions to construction drawings with a resulting design change. The money is to come from the grant; no Town money is involved. The Hillside Restoration Committee is in agreement.
Motion was made by Jim Wood, seconded by Roger Deal, and voted all in favor to approve the request.
Liberty Mutual: An offer for an insurance affiliation discount on certain plans (auto, etc.) has been made by Liberty Mutual.
Motion was made by Roger Deal to approve the offering by Liberty Mutual of employee discounts to Town employees. Motion seconded by Jim Wood and voted all in favor.
At 7:20 PM a brief recess was called. The meeting was reconvened at 7:25 PM.
FY’2013 Budget Draft: Nancy Puff said the numbers had been updated from the first draft:
- State aid is likely to be level (=$20K additional, due to supplemental aid last year)
- Very slight revenue increases.
- Insurance premium number is not available until the second week of February. Currently planning a ten percent increase (on general insurance as well).
- The retirement contribution is down due to the calculation method being changed by the Worcester County Retirement System using an actuarial method.
- The School Dept. budget was submitted; now waiting for final State aid numbers. Expenditure number, not assessment number, included at this time.
- The Assessors, DPW, Board of Health budgets have not been submitted. The TA filled in level-funding and a minus two percent budget for them.
- Capital requests have only been received from the School Department and the Library.
- Ms. Puff explained the 32B law change regarding health insurance and the GIC model plan with a savings of $77K.
- Eric Brose of the Finance Committee said he is not sure what money is coming in yet for Tahanto to offset expense. Roger asked the gross increase on Tahanto. Nancy Puff said 4.52% (expenditure, not assessment). We budget for assessment so there could be a difference in percentage, plus or minus. The changes are not directly proportional. The assessment is based upon how many children go to Tahanto from Berlin and Boylston. If additional revenue or Chapter 70 money is received, that could impact the assessment in a good way. Jim Wood asked why we don’t have an assessment, if the student numbers were known as of October. Nancy Puff said we need to wait for the revenue numbers.
- Roger asked what would be the bottom line impact on the taxpayers if we needed to fund this budget as presented: $334K increase for Tahanto and $200K for Elementary. A $535K increase would impact the tax rate about .89 cents per thousand. Roger said we cannot support that; we need to go back to them to demand level-funding.
- Nancy Puff said, based on the current estimate in this year’s budget increase of roughly $200K for the Elementary School, the average household increase would be $112 (based on a $335K valuation). Tahanto’s increase of $158K would result in a $90 increase for that same $335K home.
- Jim Wood said we don’t know what our assessment is yet but the expenditure increases are out of control.
- Roger said it’s no secret we needed a level-funded budget. If we don’t start taking control now, the taxes will be out of sight once the school is completed.
- Ken said that what’s troubling is we have Town budgets at zero and with school budgets coming in the way they are we need a tax increase or we need to make cuts to the municipal side, which is already level. Nancy Puff said we are within about $220K of our 2.5% tax cap; otherwise an override is needed.
- Ken said we cannot keep going to the taxpayers for more money. Herb said he thought an override would be DOA. As he recalls, they haven’t suffered any major cuts, such as layoffs, etc. We need to go to them and tell them the bottom line is to reduce expenditures.
- Eric Brose said that, even if we were to use money from our “rainy day” fund, it only delays the gap in the operating budget to be filled. It’s not money replenished yearly. It delays additional tax payments. Ken agrees completely.
- Roger said that in the past ten years, 77% of the overall budget increase has gone directly to fund the schools. We also gave them $80K plus out of free cash in December. Do we agree to ask them to recalculate? Eric said we need to see what the budget is like with the final numbers.
- Karen said that in the past, we calculated total additional revenue and then split it between the Town and the schools to use. Why didn’t we do it this year? Ken said that is the intent. Eric said for the last few years we had a budget meeting with the School and Finance Committees together. Roger said he would like to have a meeting as soon as possible.
- A meeting was set for Monday, January 30 with both committees, Mike, Courtney, based upon availability.
Capital Requests: Eric Brose said dollar amounts need to be reviewed by the Board of Selectmen.
Veterans’ Appreciation:
- Jim Wood would like to establish a Veterans’ Appreciation Committee. Volunteers would send packages to those serving in the military. Roger said the purpose of the committee would have to be clarified. Jim said recognition and appreciation of military personnel currently serving, previously served and will serve. For example, a list could be maintained of those leaving and volunteers should collect donations. The intent would be to show appreciation in various ways.
- Town Counsel said there is some concern regarding soliciting funds by governmental bodies; there is also the open meeting law. “Friends of ....” can be separate from Town. Michael Kane of The Banner asked what the Board’s intention for recognition is. Ken said separate from this committee. Mike asked what the Board of Selectmen would do with the information. Ken said we might recognize them at a meeting, but would not be involved in the volunteer committee. Jim said the idea is to be a direct contact but not as a Selectman, as a Town resident.
MDC Pilot:
- This is used to review the contribution every five years. It appears they keep taking land but are paying the same amount for the PILOT program. Perhaps the Assessors could come in to explain the status. The Board would be in favor of taking Counsel to Boston and requesting more money in court.
At 8:40 PM Roger Deal made a motion, seconded by Jim Wood and voted all in favor, to adjourn.
The meeting was adjourned at 8:40PM.
Respectfully Submitted,
Lori Esposito, Administrative Assistant
| 
