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Date of Meeting: Monday, August 6, 2012
Location: Town Hall, 221 Main Street
Time: 6:30 PM – 9:00 PM
Members Present: Chairman Kenneth Sydow, Vice Chair James Wood, Matthew Mecum
Others Present: Martin McNamara, Town Administrator; Lori Esposito, Administrative Assistant
Financial Warrants were signed in approval.
The meeting was called to order at 6:30 PM.
Temporary Sign Request: Saint Mary of the Hills church has requested permission to erect a sign at the intersection of Routes 70 and 140 to advertise their flea market on the weekends of September 8-9 and 15-16.
Motion was made by Jim Wood, seconded by Matt Mecum, to approve the temporary sign request. Voted all in favor.
Report of the Town Administrator to the Board of Selectmen:
- The TA met with the Superintendent of Schools regarding articles needed for the Special Town Meeting Warrant. It is still necessary to obtain approval for the date when the sixth grade will move to Tahanto. The School Department has set a date of August 2013. It will not be necessary to put the question of shared busing with Shrewsbury to Assabet on the warrant; it will not happen this year.
Construction on the new high school is progressing well. The Superintendent is hopeful that they can begin, in December, having teachers and other school personnel spend time in the new building to familiarize them with it as well as with the new technology. There is the possibility that some of the equipment from Tahanto which will not be used in the new school would be made available to the Town. The TA will stay on top of that.
- Matt Mecum suggested we have all forms and applications available online, giving people the opportunity to complete and submit the forms on line. On that subject, the TA contacted the Southeast Regional Planning and Economic Development Director and received some information regarding implementing E-permitting in 11 towns in the Southeast Region. They are using a CIC (Community Innovation Challenge) grant to fund the project. The TA has also been in touch with the CMRPC and has been advised they are seeking available funding to begin a similar program here in the Central Mass Region. The TA will continue to investigate.
- Official notification has been received that we have been awarded a $5,000 grant from MIIA for a Safety Trailer. It comes equipped with a variety of safety equipment. It will be used primarily by the Highway Dept. but will be available to Public Safety Departments if needed.
- The TA has conferred with Dick Prince regarding scheduling a meeting of the Personnel Board to discuss job descriptions, personnel policies and procedures and employee benefits. It is also necessary to work on an employee handbook.
- The TA will be attending a Design & Construction Contracting course at the IG’s office September 25-27. Lori Esposito and Steve Mero will attend the Public Contracting Overview course September 11-13. All courses will be held in Huntington, Massachusetts.
- Representative Harold Naughton had submitted a $100K earmark on a Transportation Bond Bill recently adopted by the House and Senate for economic development along Route 140 in Boylston. It has made it through both houses of the legislature and the TA will continue to follow up on it.
- Repaving of Route 70 began today, with most of it in Clinton and approximately one mile extending into Boylston. There will be delays along that route for about a week.
- The Gough House Restoration Committee has requested use of the restrooms below the Police Department where the Parks & Recreation Department is moving. This needs the approval of the Board.
Jim Wood made a motion to allow use of the restrooms.
Matt Mecum requested that be amended to have the TA check with the Police Chief. Ken Sydow said P&R is responsible for the facility—they have confirmed one person is responsible.
Motion (without amendment) to allow use of the restroom was seconded by Matt Mecum and voted all in favor.
- The TA has investigated various options for possible additional revenue to the Town. Information is attached to the TA’s report, including instituting a meals tax. The Department of Revenue estimates it would bring an additional $4,500 to the Town. Matt Mecum asked if beverages would also be taxed; Marty said he thought it was only applicable to food.
Gough House Project Change Order: Signed by the Chair.
Meeting Minutes: Motion was made by Ken Sydow and seconded by Jim Wood, with Matt Mecum abstaining, to approve the minutes of March 5, 19 and 28 and the April 17 minutes with edits.
Motion was made and seconded to approve the July 16 minutes with edits. Voted all in favor.
Special Town Meeting Warrant: The Town Administrator suggests the Warrant be opened on August 13 and closed on August 27.
Motion was made and seconded to approve opening the Warrant for the Special Town Meeting on August 13 and closing it on August 27. Voted all in favor.
Report of the Interim Highway Superintendent to the Board of Selectmen:
- The Department has been mowing the fields and keeping up with maintenance.
- They took care of the culvert on School Street; everything went smoothly.
- They have been doing a lot of work at the cemetery recently. New sections were added a few years ago and the Cemetery Commission wants to get the roads paved before winter. The Department has been prepping the roads. Mr. Stowe has his equipment there and they have been hauling away material.
- Steve Mero will attend a joint purchasing workshop in Worcester on Thursday with the TA .
- Steve Mero supplied a list of roads that need paving. His priority is School Street, then Green Street. He should have enough Chapter 90 money to do certain areas, although not the entire road. He also gave price estimates on all roads needing paving.
- Ken Sydow noticed Garfield Road is on the list; he thinks this may be a private road, therefore we should not be paving it. It is necessary to differentiate between public roads that we maintain and those that are private. Steve said he was unsure whether it is a private road; the Town plows it.
- Also, Edgebrook Drive needs attention but Steve did not add it to the list as the gas company seems to be constantly cutting into the road. Marty said it might be a good idea to notify the gas company that we will be paving and, if they cut through in the future, fees will be substantially larger. Perhaps then they will do the paving for us rather than pay increased fees.
- Matt Mecum asked what area of Green Street is to be paved. Steve said from Cross Street to Warren Street.
- Jim asked how much money we have. Marty said the balance of the Chapter 90 funds is $730K.
- Matt asked what the estimates are based on. Steve Mero said they are based on an outside contractor doing the paving. The Highway Dept. can only do minimal fixes in the road.
- Ken asked about the cost of doing all of School Street. Steve said it is estimated at $651K. Ken suggested possibly only doing the worst portions of School Street and then having money left to do other streets. Perhaps ask if the golf course will help out with the Green Street area. Steve said that if Marty wants to look into it that would be good.
Report of the Building Inspector to the Board of Selectmen:
- In June and July: 33 building, 11 plumbing and 19 electrical permits were issued.
- This is normal activity for this time of year in this economy; it is about the same as this time last year.
- Tony spoke with Ray Renzoni, inspector for the high school, who said the school is moving along and might be completed ahead of schedule.
- Tony spoke with the Principal of the Elementary School regarding the roof leak. He will have a structural engineer look at it.
7:00 PM Vera Kolias, Principal Planner, CMRPC Central Thirteen Prioritization Project: Housing and Economic Development/Mass Department of Transportation project.
- Originated from 32-community project; focused on commuter rail expansion. Communities identified individually their priority projects; those were then screened at the Regional level. This eventually evolved into Executive Order 525 from the Governor’s office (Central Coast Rail Plan).
- The Central 13 project was created after CMRPC was approached by Town Administrators and Town Managers within these 13 communities. This process helps to identify the unique nature of each community as part of a larger region. Priorities for each community have been defined and mapped. These can be changed/adjusted, but would need to be done sooner than later.
- A meeting will be held on Tuesday, September 11, 2012 at the Publick House in Sturbridge for community input.
- Mike May of the Planning Board asked what the translation into action for support and grants is; what is the timeframe. Vera said it can vary; money is now in the project from the 495 area that was just completed in March 2012. It also depends on what is going on at the local level with permitting, zoning, etc.
- Ken inquired if we would get information in writing of other communities’ input. If so, what already exists? For example, one of our priorities is Route 140 development; is that already noted? Vera said it is. Vera said another priority on the list, after previously speaking with Nancy Puff, is the Town’s goal to tie into Worcester’s sewer line on Route 70.
- Ken said we have the Planning Board here that helped redo the zoning and make it more “user friendly.”
- Bill Manter (Chairman of the Planning Board) said we interlock with the 495 Group on open space and preservation along with Northborough.
- Mike May said open space here is almost a penalty situation, since so much is DCR-owned land. It’s overweighting the tax base to residents, since there is not a lot of developable space. How can we turn that into a recreational asset versus a liability? Vera said this issue has come up in West Boylston as well as other communities. The purpose is to balance preservation area with development. A perceived imbalance could be articulated; she is not sure if there is a solution.
- Lori Levy asked what projects are currently being done in the completed area in communities near Boylston. Vera said she was not sure what is specific to Boylston’s neighbors.
- Howard Drobner (Selectmen’s CMRPC representative) said money is drying up and unless our plans and needs are part of a regional plan, it is very difficult to receive funding.
- Ken Sydow thanked Ms. Kolias for taking the time to meet with the Board and present the current map of plans.
8:00 PM Frank Zoll of Zoll Cellars Winery: Mr. Zoll has made application for a liquor license to sell wine at the Hillside Restoration Project’s Farmers Market from 10:00 AM to 2:00 PM August through October, 2012. All required paperwork was received by Mr. Zoll with his application.
Motion was made, seconded and voted all in favor, to approve Mr. Zoll’s request.
8:10 PM Sudbury Valley Trustees (Ashley Davies and Krista Collin, SVT)
- Krista said they are in the process of acquiring a piece of land that is landlocked. They are hoping to finish by the end of the year. Town-owned pieces of land are located to the south and east of SVT’s intended parcel purchase, “Summer Star Nature Preserve.”
- They need to find the status of Town-owned parcel (clear title) and if the Town is willing to place the land in conservation land status.
- Jim said if other land is acquired, would it become tax exempt? Krista said It would. It is currently in Chapter 61B (11.59 acres total).
- Ken asked if they are looking for a conservation restriction or an outright purchase of the town-owned property. Krista said probably to purchase.
- Jim asked what restrictions would be put on the property following their ownership. Krista said conservation restrictions would be in place, possibly passive recreation, forestry as needed. Specific restrictions could be discussed with the Town prior to a purchase.
- Ken asked Marty if he has done any research on this. Marty said he had not done a lot. Ken said we need to do research to find out what we own and then walk the property.
- Jim asked Krista how much land SVT owns in Boylston. Krista said about 2,000 acres in the watershed.
- Matt asked if there is currently any access to the property they are intending to purchase. Krista said a cart path that crosses abutting properties, but she is not sure of the current status of that path.
- Ken asked about their time line. Krista said they have no time line – possibly next summer or later.
- Ken said the Board will take the matter under consideration.
At 8:30 PM, motion was made by Jim Wood, seconded by Matt Mecum, to go into Executive Session under M.G.L.c.30A §21 ¶2 to discuss strategy with respect to non-union personnel. Roll call vote was recorded as follows: Ken Sydow: Yes; James Wood: Yes; Matthew Mecum: Yes.
At 9:00 PM, Matt Mecum made a motion, seconded by Jim Wood, to adjourn open session. Voted all in favor.
The meeting was adjourned at 9:00 PM.
Respectfully Submitted,
Lori Esposito
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