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Board of Selectmen Minutes 04/10/2013
Date of Meeting:        Wednesday, April 10, 2013
Location:               Town Hall, 221 Main Street
Time:                   6:30 PM –  8:20 PM
Members Present:        Chairman Kenneth Sydow, James Wood, Matthew Mecum; Martin McNamara, Town Administrator; Steve Madaus, Town Counsel; Lori Esposito, Administrative Assistant  (Others as listed on attached sheet.)

The meeting was called to order by the Chairman at 6:30 PM.

Katie’s 5K Road Race:    A request to place signs at Routes 70 and 140, as well as the center of Town, to be up from May 1 through May 27 advertising the race was made in writing.

Motion was made by Jim Wood, seconded by Matt Mecum and voted all in favor to grant the request to place signs.

Reach the Beach Relay:  Request has been made to allow this bicycle race to come through Boylston on May 17 between the estimated hours of 2:00 and 8:45 PM.   A certificate of insurance was included with the request.

Motion was made by Jim Wood, seconded by Matt Mecum and voted all in favor to grant the request to ride through Boylston on May 17.

Alzheimer’s Association Memory Ride:    Request has been made to allow this bicycle race to come through Boylston on Saturday, July 13, 2013.   A certificate of insurance was included with the request.

Motion was made by Jim Wood, seconded by Matt Mecum and voted all in favor to grant the request to ride through Boylston on July 13.

Library Renovation Contract:    The contract for library renovations was signed by the Board of Selectmen.

Boylston Light Dept:  (Mark Barakian, General Manager, present.)    The Light Department requested permission to install two poles, extending Stiles Road to tie into Longley Hill.   This would have dual feed for backup.

Motion was made by Jim Wood, seconded by Matt Mecum, and voted all in favor to grant the Light Department’s request.

F’2014 Budget Review:  (Present:  Eric Brose, Dave Butler, Herb Cronin and Steve Dorval.)
The total of the proposed budget is $12,693,309, up  0.8%, not including the school reduction from last year.  Otherwise up  1.2%.
Major changes:
  • 2% salary increase for Town employees
  • Police union contract still under negotiation
  • 2% increase includes dispatchers
Board of Selectmen:  Town Administrator mileage moved to Selectmen’s General Expense
Board of Assessors:  Triennial revaluation for $25,500 added (insufficient money in overlay account)
CMRPC Assessment:  A small increase from $966 to $1,250

Public Safety:
  • POLICE:   
  • Zero percent increase in salaries and wages – contract in process –
  • 3% increase in expenses to allow proper maintenance of equipment; typically overspent
  • FIRE:
  • Expenses plus $6K for ambulance/equipment maintenance
  • BUILDING INSPECTOR:
  • Salary decrease due to eliminating position of temporary Tahanto inspector.  Includes a $3K/year increase for the Building Inspector.  Clerical increase due to hours.
  • DOG OFFICER:
  • If Warrant Articles pass, we need to add money for Dog Officer’s wages and expenses.  Nothing is in place at this time.
Schools:
  • Elementary:             down    10%
  • Tahanto:                up      10%
  • Vocational Education:    up       2%
  • Net increase                   <          1%    (0.5%)
        
They are using several hundred thousand from E & D account to reduce next year’s budget.   Also shift in assessment to 59/41 from 60/40 due to population shift.

Department of Public Works:
  • down 3% in salaries/wages due to $15K transfer to snow/ice removal overtime line.   Ken Sydow asked if this can only be used for snow and ice removal and the answer is yes.
Human Services:  Board of Health clerical wage down due to change in hours; picked up by Building Inspector clerical.

Library:  Salaries /wages up 4% (= 2% additional) for added programming, using Pages (part-time workers) to fulfill the additional work.   
  • One Senior Page
  • One Junior Page   Increase from four hours to 6 hours.
Parks & Recreation:  $1500 salary added due to problems in past.  Moved from expense line.  Net change = 0%

Maturing Debt Interest down 20% due to principal balance decreasing.  Includes only Hillside for approximately another two to three years.

Employee Benefits:  
  • Pension up 5% (mandatory)
  • Unemployment up 500% (potentially to cover Elementary teachers not moving to Tahanto).  Worst case scenario budgeted.
  • Group Health down 5% (decrease is due to Elementary teachers leaving)
Warrant Review:
Special Town Meeting:    
  • Article 1:  Transfer balances from FY2013.
Annual Town Meeting:    
  • Articles 1-14 recurring yearly; no changes.     FINANCE COMMITTEE RECOMMENDS APPROVAL
  • Articles 15 and 16:  personnel schedules
  • Article 17:  Hillside Reserve Account:  Steve Madaus is okay with one article or should it be two separate articles?  Either way is approved.  FINANCE COMMITTEE APPROVED.
  • Article 18:  OPEB:  FINANCE COMMITTEE APPROVED.
  • Article 19:  $53K (additional money for 599 Main Street septic system)
  • Article 20:  $45K  for Ford F350 pickup truck replacement
  • Article 21:  $67K for Ford F550 pickup truck replacement.   Jim Wood noted that the Highway Dept. rebuilt a truck for $10K that would be $160K to replace.  Ken said the used vehicle market is very scarce for trucks.   With the current economy, the best way to go is to purchase both new.
  • Article 22:  $95K for repaving at 599 Main Street after the septic system is replaced.
  • Article 23:  $11,435 reimbursement for Gough House.   Bid bond was collected and returned to the General Fund; it should have been used to help pay difference between low and second lowest bidder.
  • Article 24:  Ambulance receipts:  $82,150
  • Article 25:  $5K  Planning Board revolving transfer to General Fund
  • Article 26:  Steve Madaus said a Planning Board member has approached him with reservations regarding a Planning Board Bylaw.   The Town Administrator said that several years ago a revised Planning Board Bylaw was started but never finished.  He and Dick Prince worked together to redraft the Bylaw and had it reviewed by Mirick O’Connell.  Dick Prince also forwarded it to previous Personnel Board members.   The only response Marty McNamara received was from Greg White, who was happy with it.  He recently learned that John Stowe has some issues with the proposed bylaw.  Matt Mecum said it is up to members of the Town to vote; it should be on the Town Warrant.  Ken said he would like Marty to find out what the issues are and report back to the Board.
  • Article 27:  Sign Bylaw sponsored by Planning Board.  Steve Madaus said that zoning bylaws regarding signs are a bit more stringent and held to higher standards applied by the Attorney General’s office due to the right to free speech involved.   A two-thirds vote is required.  Also, to insure approval from the Attorney General’s office after Town Meting, Mirick O’Connell will have a revised version for a public hearing.   Any revisions at the hearing can only be less restrictive.  Mirick O’Connell is working on it but it was received fairly late.        
  • Article 28:  Citizens’ Petition:  leash law.
  • Article 29:  Citizens’ Petition:  enforcement/fines of leash law.   Dave Butler said the Finance Committee has concerns but first wants to hear from residents/proponents at Town Meeting before making a recommendation.
  • Article 30:  Elementary School Phase II roof repair
  • Article 31:  Regional Agreement Amendment:  School will be prepared to speak at Town Meeting.  This just reinforces what has been done since 1973; the State is requiring a Town Meeting vote.   A housekeeping issue.
  • Article 32:   $50K for Town House for upkeep, maintenance, housekeeping, etc.   The Town has been approached about offering free/reduced labor if the Town can provide materials.  This would be seed money for those projects.  Dave Butler said it is a heavily-used building and needs work.   This would be a good start for refreshing the building.   Herb Cronin said there are approximately 300 bookings a year and many are paid bookings.
  • Article 33:  $150K to reduce the tax rate.   Dave Butler said this Article funds the entire budget increase; taxes will not increase next year.
  • Article 34:   TAKE OUT
  • Article 35:   $100K to Stabilization, bringing the total to $1.2M   This helps achieve low bond rates; the ten percent requirement is met.
  • Article 36:  Budget articles.   Frank Reale (in the audience) directed a question to Dave Butler:  Last year’s Warrant reflected a reduction after a motion for a Building Construction Assessment.  Is this number reduced every year and does it reflect the correct amount from previous years?  Dave said:  Yes.  It has been reduced by three percent this year.  Ken Sydow thanked Frank for offering information and for all the homework he has done.  He is glad Frank participates and asks questions.   Frank said they are using extra teachers for School Choice kids when the School Department said it did not affect the number of teachers.
Dave Butler re:  School Budget Meeting.   He attended a presentation recently at a School Committee meeting looking for ways to save money.   The Administration Office is currently the most inefficient they have ever seen.  Every single expense in Administration is paid with three different checks:  50% / 25% / 25%.   The recommended format was to pay expenses through the Region.  Often two towns are billed for payback that can be done with just a School Committee vote.  Hopefuly, this will be enacted by the new fiscal year.  Voted by Regional Committee only.

Also, there is the possibility of an inter-town agreement with Berlin to combine employees under one contract and then bill the second town for benefits/payments.  E.g., Boylston employee:  Boylston pays all; then bills Berlin.  K-12 regionalization has pros and cons.  Grant money is available to study the issue and see if it makes sense to do.  Interviews will be conducted for a new Financial Director; interviews start next week.

Report of the Town Administrator to the Board of Selectmen:

MCJTC Lease:   The TA made contact with David Devine at the Division of Capital Asset Management regarding the lease by the Police Academy.  Mr. Devine indicated that, because of budget restraints, they are able to enter into a one-year extension but nothing longer at this time.   They are requesting the same terms.  The Board is in agreement.
U. S. Cellular:  Would like to extend their present lease for one year on a parcel at Mile Hill Road.   In the spring they plan to file for necessary permits to erect a cell tower.  Ken and Jim are in agreement.  Matt said he would like to se some research done first to avoid a repeat of the 599 Main Street opposition and any possible legal costs.   Ken said perhaps they should first go to the Planning Board to define what, if any, variances are required for that site.   Jim asked if that had not been done prior to the lease being signed.  Ken said it had, but not much.  Steve Madaus said the bidders’ determination was both sites were acceptable which is why the lease was approved at Town Meeting.  Permitting and approvals are a separate process, not involving the Board of Selectmen.   Steve said that once they file with the Planning Board, FCC Acts allow timely placement if they can prove a gap in coverage.  The Town made revenue-generating land leases available once they were aware of the need for additional service coverage.  Matt said he wants to be sure that, for the record, this covers all future land-generating revenue
Stormwater Management:  The TA received the final Intermunicipal Agreement for the CIC Grant of $115K and forwarded it to Town Counsel for review.  As a result of cuts in the program we received less than applied for and need to agree to a matching share of $2,833 to make up the difference.

At 8:17 PM  on a motion made by Selectman Matthew Mecum, and seconded by James Wood, the following roll call vote was recorded to go into Executive Session under MGL c. 30A §21 ¶3 to prepare for negotiations with union personnel.   James Wood:  Yes; Matthew Mecum:  Yes.  Kenneth Sydow:  Yes.  The Board agreed they would possibly reconvene in open session, pending the results of the Executive Session discussion.

At 8:20 PM James Wood motioned to adjourn Executive Session and reconvene in open session only to adjourn.  Roll call vote recorded as follows:   Jim Wood:  Yes; Matt Mecum:  Yes.  Ken Sydow:  Yes.

The meeting was adjourned at 8:20 PM.

Respectfully Submitted,

Lori Esposito, Administrative Assistant