Chilmark Board of Selectmen September 24, 2013 Meeting Minutes
Present: Warren Doty, Bill Rossi, Jonathan Mayhew, Tim Carroll, Jonathan Revere,
Rodney Bunker, Frank Yeomans, Adam Wilson, Ann Wallace, Jim Feiner, Christine Flynn,
Marina Lent, Brett Sterns and Remy Tumin.
Minutes:
Draft minutes from the Selectmen’s September 10, 2013 meeting were reviewed, corrections were made. Mr. Rossi moved to approve minutes as corrected. Mr. Mayhew seconded the motion. SO VOTED: 3 Ayes
Housing Needs Assessment:
Committee Chairman of the Housing Needs Committee Adam Wilson presented the final draft of the Housing Needs Assessment Study. Mr. Wilson thanked Ann Wallace for her commitment to the process. Ann is the Chilmark representative on the Housing Needs Committee.
Discussion about the Housing Needs Study ensued. Mr. Wilson said that rentals verses homeownership is the recommended way to go in this economy.
Mr. Mayhew said that this study does not reflect the efforts that Chilmark has made for affordable housing since 1978. Mr. Mayhew referred to over 30 sites committed to affordable housing. Mr. Doty said that creating rental units is more difficult than the resident home sites that Mr. Mayhew is referring to. Mr. Doty said that from the research that Mr. Mayhew has done that 28 of the 30 + home sites in Chilmark still have the original families living there.
Mr. Doty said that the Middle Line Road rental units have been filled since they were completed. But that this scope of a project cannot be done for another 10 years or so. The debt needs to be paid down.
Jim Feiner Chairman of the Chilmark Housing Committee spoke about the need to look at our zoning laws and make possible changes. Mr. Feiner also recommended thinking about two tier taxing like the town of Tisbury does, and applying the revenue to affordable housing.
Mr. Doty said that there is a need to have elder housing in Chilmark. Ms. Wallace said that the Housing Committee will look into State and Federal subsidies to aid Chilmark in our efforts in affordable housing.
Molly Flender Housing Trust:
Marina Lent the administrative assistant to the Housing Committee has a final list of members to be appointed by the Selectmen to the Molly Flender Housing Trust. The recommended members are as follows;
Board of Selectmen member: Bill Rossi, Housing Committee member: Jessica Rody,
Planning Board member: Janet Weidner, Financial Advisory Committee member: Dr. Bruce Golden, and at large member: Andy Goldman.
Mr. Mayhew moved to appoint the list of members to the Molly Flender Housing Trust as recommended. Mr. Rossi seconded the motion. SO VOTED: 3 Ayes
Molly Flender Housing Trust Continued…
Discussion turned to the management of funds collected from the rental units at Middle Line Road. Some of the funds need to be going into a replacement reserve fund for future repairs. Some of the funds will be used to paying down the debt to the Town of Chilmark to build the MLR rental units.
Wampanoag Tribe / TTA Agreement for LUCAS Machines:
Brett Sterns representing the Tribe and also an EMT presented the Selectmen the final agreement for a loan of two LUCAS Machines from the Tribe to the Tri Town Ambulance.
Mr. Sterns explained that the grant the machines were purchased with specified that the units could not be donated but loaned. Mr. Sterns demonstrated how the LUCAS worked. The demonstration showed that a patient can be receiving life saving compressions during transportation out of a building or site were the EMTs used to have to stop CPR to maneuver the patient.
Mr. Yeomans said that by seeing this demonstration he noticed that there is a limit as to the size of a patient. If a person is obese the machine would not fit around them. Mr. Sterns said he did not know the limit but if it can not fit around patient it can not be utilized.
Mr. Mayhew moved to accept the loan of 2 LUCAS Machines from the Tribe for the Tri Town Ambulance. Mr. Rossi seconded the motion. SO VOTED: 3 Ayes
Mr. Doty said that the chairmen of Selectmen of the three up island towns are to sign this agreement. Mr. Doty signed the agreement.
Mr. Carroll said that town counsel advised to not use this as a model agreement in the future years.
Chilmark School:
Mr. Doty said that the Selectmen reviewed the proposal that Susan Stevens Principal of the Chilmark School sent concerning parking spaces.
Mr. Doty said he wants to maintain a grass strip of six feet wide along the concrete walk to front door of School. Mr. Rossi moved to approve a 30’ x 20’asphalt area for parking but prior to work being done making sure the area is staked out and the 6’ grass strip maintained.
Mr. Mayhew seconded the motion. SO VOTED: 3 Ayes.
Selectmen’s Meeting Time Change:
Mr. Rossi moved to change the meeting time for Selectmen’s Meetings from 7:30 PM to
7:00 PM, starting at the October 1, 2013 Selectmen’s meeting. Mr. Mayhew seconded the motion. SO VOTED: 3 Ayes
D.A.S. Update:
Mr. Carroll said that American Tower would like to build out the DAS System and upgrade the existing nodes to a slightly different style.
D.A.S. Update Continued…
There will also be an additional box added to each node. Mr. Doty said that he is in support of improvements to the service as he is not satisfied with the service yet.
Town Accountant:
Mr. Carroll said that the Town Accountant Ellen Biskis has completed her six month evaluation and that the increase in her salary that selectmen reviewed previously should be considered. Discussion was postponed for Mr. Carroll to retrieve the proposal.
Solar Array at Landfill Update:
Mr. Carroll reported on his meeting with the DEP concerning the landfill project. The DEP will inspect the landfill one more time prior to granting the permit to install the solar array. Vineyard Power’s counsel is reviewing their Power Purchase Agreement and Lease and will send these to Chilmark counsel to review.
Mr. Carroll said this agreement will save the town 12% off the electric bill for the town buildings excluding the School. The estimated construction completion date is March 17, 2014.
Special Town Meeting:
Special Town Meeting planning was postponed to the Selectmen’s next meeting.
Chilmark 320:
Mr. Carroll said that Chilmark will be 320 years September 14, 2014, and that we should think about what we might do to celebrate.
Town Custodian Request:
Town Custodian Rodney Bunker presented the Selectmen with building up keep proposals. The first item discussed was to shingle and paint the front of Town Hall. The estimate that Mr. Bunker is requesting the Selectmen approve is $22,500.00 for the front of the building only. There is a warrant article for $24,000.
Mr. Rossi moved to approve this spending as presented by Mr. Bunker. Mr. Mayhew seconded the motion. SO VOTED: 3 Ayes.
Second item for repairs was the Police Station. Mr. McCloud has bid $1,200.00 for the shingle job needed at 15 State Road. With additional work as needed to be done up to $4,000.00.
Mr. Rossi moved to approve this spending as presented by Mr. Bunker. Mr. Mayhew seconded the motion. SO VOTED: 3 Ayes.
Human Resource Board:
Mr. Rossi said that the HRB has rewritten the job description for the Highway Laborer but the grade will remain grade 4, instead of the Selectmen’s recommended grade 5.
Mr. Rossi moved to approve the HRB recommendation. Mr. Mayhew seconded the motion.
SO VOTED: 3 Ayes.
Town Accountant:
Mr. Carroll retrieved the proposal from his office concerning the pay grade and step for the Town Accountant Ellen Biskis. Grade 9 step 4 is the pay grade and step proposed in the plan. Mr. Carroll asked if the Selectmen would consider the grade and step pay be retroactive to her hire date and to consider the hours worked at 40 hours per week to now. Mr. Carroll said Mrs. Biskis would not have 40 hours in the future but 37.5 starting in October.
Mr. Rossi moved this recommendation proposed by Tim Carroll. Mr. Mayhew seconded the motion. SO VOTED: 3 Ayes
Tax Collector Certification:
Mr. Mayhew requested that the Selectmen’s office write Jessica Bradlee a letter congratulating her on accomplishing the certification as Tax Collector.
At 9:20 PM Mr. Rossi moved to adjourn. Mr. Mayhew seconded the motion.
SO VOTED: 3 Ayes
Minutes respectfully submitted by Diana DeBlase. Approved 10/
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