The weekly meeting of the Board of Selectmen was held on Tuesday evening, February 4, 2008 at 6:30 p.m.
Present: David L. Walsh, Clerk; Peter A. Hamilton
George Samia, Town Administrator
Not Present: Theresa McNulty, Chairman
Karen Grabau, Adm. Assistant
M/Hamilton, s/Walsh, a unanimous vote, move to Open Meeting at 6:30 p.m.
Board met with Garrett Gibbling regarding energy purchases.
Board called a recess at 7:00 p.m.
Board reconvened meeting at 7:30 p.m.
Present: Theresa E. McNulty, Chairman; David L. Walsh, Clerk; Peter A. Hamilton
George Samia, Town Administrator
Karen Grabau, Adm. Assistant
M/Walsh, s/Hamilton, move to approve the minutes of the January 29, 2008 minutes.
VOTE: Yes – Walsh, Hamilton; Abstain – McNulty; a majority vote in favor.
M/Walsh, s/Hamilton, a unanimous vote, move to approve the Application for Use of the Town Common and Sachem Rock Farm by Junior Girl Scout Troop 496 on June 8, 2008 from 12:30 –3:00 p.m. for a Historical Trolley Tour.
M/Walsh, s/Hamilton, a unanimous vote, move to approve the Application for User of the sachem Rock Farm by Dale Julius on April 26, 2008 from 9:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m. for the annual Civil War Encampment.
Board went over the articles submitted for inclusion on the Special Town Meeting to be held on February 25, 2008 and Mr. Walsh read each article prior to the vote.
M/Walsh, s/Hamilton, a unanimous vote, move to approve the following article for the STM warrant:
ARTICLE 1 - To see if the Town will vote to raise and appropriate the sum of $10,236.72
for the payment of unpaid bills of prior years as listed below and to meet this appropriation the sum of $10,236.72 be raised from Free Cash:
FROM FY2008 ACCOUNT ACCOUNT # FOR BILL AMOUNT
SELECTMEN 01-122 W.B. Mason $ 307.06
ASSESSORS 01-141 Hap Jones Dist. Co. $ 25.00
TOWN COUNSEL 01-151 Copley Court Rpt. Inc. $1,974.00
PLANNING BOARD 01-175 John W. Delano & Assoc. $ 170.00
TOWN WIDE INSURANCE 01-193 Estabrook & Chamberlain $ 150.00
DPW-HLM DIV. 01-420 Aggregate Industries $ 89.20
SEWER COMM 01-421 Collins, Loughran &
Peloquin $3,442.50
Weston & Sampson $3,869.64
LIBRARY 01-610 Blackman Design $ 85.00
EMPLOYEE BENEFITS 01-910 Blue Cross/Blue Shield $ 124.32
Or take any other action relative thereto.
Request of the Board of Selectmen
Board of Selectmen -2- February 4, 2008
M/Walsh, s/Hamilton, a unanimous vote, move to approve the following article for the STM warrant:
ARTICLE 2 - To see if the Town will vote to amend the FY2008 Department Budget voted
at the May 14, 2007 Annual Town Meeting by raising and appropriating or transferring from available funds the sum of $12,234.12 to be added to the Sewer Review General Expenses Other Charges and Expenses Budget (Account Code 1-421-520-5790) line item; or take any other action relative thereto.
Request of the Board of Selectmen
M/Walsh, s/Hamilton, a unanimous vote, move to approve the following article for the STM warrant:
ARTICLE 3 - To see if the Town will vote to accept the provisions of Massachusetts General Laws Chapter 44 Section 53F½ for the purpose of establishing a DPW – Water Division Enterprise Fund effective Fiscal Year 2009; or take any other action relative thereto.
Request of the DPW Director
M/Walsh, s/Hamilton, a unanimous vote, move to approve the following article for the STM warrant:
ARTICLE 4 – To see if the Town will vote to amend the FY2008 Department Budget voted at the May 14, 2007 Annual Town Meeting by raising and appropriating or transferring from available funds the sum of $480.00 to be added to the EBAC (Arts Council) General Expenses Other Charges and Expenses Budget (Account Code 1-693-520-5790) line item or take any other action relative thereto.
Request of the East Bridgewater Arts Council
M/Walsh, s/Hamilton, a unanimous vote, move to approve the following article for the STM warrant:
ARTICLE 5 - To see if the Town will vote to amend the FY2008 Department Budget voted at the May 14, 2007 Annual Town Meeting by raising and appropriating or transferring from available funds the sum of $9,500.00 to be added to the Town Office Budget line items as listed below:
Expense Type Account Name Account Number $ Amount
Personal Services Custodial Salaries 01-192-510-5158 $2,250.00
Personal Services Custodial Overtime 01-192-510-5159 $3,000.00
Personal Services Custodial Sick Leave 01-192-510-5163 $3,250.00
Buy Back
Personal Services Custodial Cover 01-192-510-5166 $1,000.00
Sick/Vacation
Total $9,500.00
Or take any other action relative thereto.
Request of the Board of Selectmen
M/Walsh, s/Hamilton, a unanimous vote, move to approve the following article for the STM warrant:
ARTICLE 6 - To see if the Town will vote to appropriate the sum of $10,000 to the Library FY-2008 Budget Other Expenses- Supplies-Books and Periodicals Account #01-610-521-5511 and to meet this appropriation $10,000.00 be raised from the Library Fines Reserved for Appropriation Account or take any other action relative thereto.
Request of the Board of Library Trustees
M/Walsh, s/Hamilton, a unanimous vote, move to approve the following article for the STM warrant:
ARTICLE 7 – To see if the Town will vote to transfer the sum of $8,256.36 from Fund #22-171-841-10 Receipts Reserved for Appropriation Conservation Commission Wetlands NOI Fees to fund #23-171-841-10 Revolving funds Conservation Commission Wetlands NOI Fees or take any other action relative thereto.
Request of the Conservation Commission
Board of Selectmen -3- February 4. 2008
M/Walsh, s/Hamilton, a unanimous vote, move to approve the following article for the STM warrant:
ARTICLE 8 – To see if the Town will vote to transfer the sum of $13,250.00 from available funds to Line Item 01-433-520-5309 – Professional Services – Eng/Disposal Area for funding required monitoring and testing for FY2008 or take any other action relative thereto.
Requested of the Board of Health
M/Walsh, s/Hamilton, a unanimous vote, move to approve the following article for the STM warrant:
ARTICLE 9 – To see if the Town will vote to transfer the sum of $3,000.00 from Board of Health –Assistant Health Inspector Salary #01-510-510-5123 to Board of Health – Office Supplies # 01- 510-520-5420 for the purchase of a new desktop for the Public Health Nurse and a copy machine for the Board of Health office or take any other action relative thereto.
Request of the Board of Health
M/Walsh, s/Hamilton, a unanimous vote, move to approve the following article for the STM warrant:
ARTICLE 10 - To see if the Town will vote to raise and appropriate for the purpose of financing the following water pollution abatement facility projects; repair, replacement and/or upgrade of septic systems, pursuant to agreements with the Board of Health and residential property owners, including without limitation all costs thereof as defined in Section 1 of Chapter 29C of the General Laws; that to meet this appropriation, the Treasurer, with the approval of the Board of Selectmen is authorized to borrow $400,000.00 and issue bonds or notes therefore under Massachusetts General Laws Chapter 111, Section 127B1/2 and/or Chapter 29C of the General Laws; that project and financing costs shall be repaid by the property owners in accordance with the agreements authorized under those statutes and at 5% interest per annum, of which
the proceeds from such interest, as well as any amounts received from the homeowner for repayment of such loans, shall be credited to the “Reserve for Appropriation – W.P.A.T. Loan Repayment Account”, and shall, with approval of Town Meeting, be used to fund the repayment of any loans granted by the Water Pollution Abatement Trust under this authorization. Such bonds or notes shall be general obligations of the Town; that the Treasurer with the approval of the Board of Selectmen is authorized to borrow all or a portion of such amount from the Massachusetts Water Pollution Abatement Trust established pursuant to Chapter 29C and in connection therewith to enter into a loan agreement and/or security agreement with the Trust and otherwise contract with the Trust and Department of Environmental Protection with respect to such loan and for any Federal or State aid available for the projects or for the financing thereof; and that the Board of Selectmen, Board of Public
Works, or other appropriate local body or official is authorized to enter into a project regulatory agreement with the Department of Environmental Protection, to expend all funds available for the projects and to take any other action necessary to carry out the projects.
Request of the Board of Health
M/Walsh, s/Hamilton, a unanimous vote, move to approve the following article for the STM warrant:
ARTICLE 11 – To see if the Town will vote to transfer the following sum within the Police Department budget as follows:
FROM
ACCOUNT NO. BUDGET LINE ITEM AMOUNT TO TRANSFER
23-210-720-10 Insurance Recovery Revolving Acct. $10,020.91
23-210-845-10 Insurance Reimbursement less $13,278.52
than $20,000
TO
82-210-978-10 Law Enforcement Trust Fund $23,299.43
or take any other action relative thereto.
Request of the Police Chief
Board of Selectmen -4- February 4, 2008
M/Walsh, s/Hamilton, move to not approve the following article for the STM warrant:
ARTICLE 12 - To see if the Town will vote to raise and appropriate the sum of $32,000.00 for the purchase of one (1) police cruiser and to meet this appropriation, the sum of $32,000.00 be transferred from Free cash or take any other action relative thereto.
Request of the Police Chief
Board discussed the article; Mr. Samia stated that the Chief Cowan may be willing to hold on this article until the Spring STM; will talk to him regarding this when he returns to town. Board noted that the warrant should be closed tonight in order for the Town Clerk to post in time.
VOTE: Yes – McNulty, Walsh, Hamilton; a unanimous vote in favor.
M/Walsh, s/Hamilton, move to not approve the following article for the STM warrant:
ARTICLE 13 – To see if the Town will vote to raise and appropriate the sum of $85,923.00 for the purpose of purchasing a new reading program for the Central Elementary School and to determine if those funds should be raised from the Tax Levy, Free Cash, Borrowing, Overlay Reserve, Transfer from Available Funds or take any other action relative thereto.
Request of the School Committee
Board discussed article; Mr. Samia stated that he understood that the School Committee wants to discuss this with the Finance Committee, may pass over the article until the Spring STM.
VOTE: Yes – McNulty, Walsh, Hamilton; a unanimous vote in favor.
M/Walsh, s/Hamilton, move to approve the following article for the STM warrant:
ARTICLE 12 – To see if the Town will vote to appropriate an amount not to exceed $4,000,000.00 for designing, planning, constructing, originally outfitting and furnishing a Senior Center at Sachem Rock Farm, 355 Plymouth Street; to authorize the Treasurer with the approval of the Board of Selectmen to raise this appropriation by borrowing an amount not to exceed $4,000,000.00 under G.L. 44s 3A; and to authorize the Board of Selectmen and the Senior Center Building Committee to take all other action necessary to carry out this project; provided however that this appropriation and authority to borrow is specifically contingent upon the town voting to exempt from the limitation on total taxes imposed by G.L. c59, s21C (Proposition 2 ½), the amounts required to pay the principal and interest on the borrowing authorized by this vote;
or take any other action relative thereto.
Request of the Senior Center Building Committee
Board discussed article; it was explained that if this passes at the STM, it still goes before the voters at an election; a question was raised regarding the wording and whether the words debt exclusion should have remained in the article as originally presented; it was noted that Town Counsel had changed the wording; Mr. Samia was requested to speak to Atty. Feeley regarding wording and any changes be made before warrant is sent to Town Clerk. Mr. Walsh expressed his concerns regarding the cost of the project, management of property, etc. Mr. Hamilton stated that he felt that the article should go to the voters as it has been in the works for quite a while. Mrs. McNulty felt strongly that the article needs to move forward to the voters.
VOTE: Yes – McNulty, Hamilton; No – Walsh; a majority vote in favor.
M/Walsh, s/Hamilton, a unanimous vote, move to not approve the following article for the STM warrant:
ARTICLE 15 – To see if the Town will vote to raise and appropriate the sum of $50,500.00 for the re-roofing and necessary associated repairs to the DPW Highway Division garage and to this appropriation the sum of $50,500.00 be taken from Free Cash Reserves or take any other action relative thereto.
Request of the Director of Public Works
M/Walsh, s/Hamilton, a unanimous vote, move to approve closing the warrant for the Special Town Meeting to be held on February 25, 2008.
Board of Selectmen -5- February 4, 2008
TOWN ADMINISTRATOR REPORT
Budget Update
Explained the process started for budgets; all departments tasked with presenting a 3%
budget; initial budgets due December 15; all departments complied with exception of
Schools; at this time actual budget is 6.10% overall increase, 2.1 million; need additional one time revenues of $700,000 to balance budget.
Stated that he has concerns with statements being made by elected officials regarding budget process, etc.
Mrs. McNulty stated that the Finance committee is beginning their meetings with department heads; at this time it is premature to have a handle on department needs or what final budget will be.
REMINDERS
STM – February 25; meet with Town Clerk & Moderator on February 18
SE Regional Vo-Tech School Budget Public Hearing – February 26
CORRESPONDENCE
Taunton River Watershed Mini-Grant for local conservation – information to be forwarded
to departments
OPEN FORUM
No one was present
M/Walsh, s/Hamilton, a unanimous vote, move to adjourn meeting at 8:25 p.m.
________________________________Clerk
Board of Selectmen
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