Selectmen's Meeting - October 11, 1994
Selectmen Attending: Judith Murdoch, Charles Flynn, Joseph
Frisoli, Chair; and Catherine Kuchinski, Clerk. Also
attending: Joseph Nugent, Executive Secretary to the Board of
Selectmen.
I. Opening: Chair Frisoli called meeting to order at 7:33pm to
sign the warrant and bills.
II. Announcements: (1) the Chair read Chief Berry's memo dated
10-4-94 noted Detective Larkin's completion of an 80 hour course
on Community Crime Prevention. Police department offers a free
security analysis to residents and businesses. Call 293-4625.
(2) Chair noted the excellent newsletters "Hansonian" put out by
Senior Council of Elder Affairs. For further info contact Angela
Erben or Doris Grindle. (3) UN Day: 10-24-94 is the kick-off
date of year-long celebration. Motion 10/11/94.1: move to
proclaim October 24, 1994 as United Nations Day in the Town of
Hanson. Motion made by Kuchinski with second by Murdoch. Motion
carried 4-0. Proclamation read.
III. School Building Committee Report: James Haggerty appeared
before the Board to give members an update on activity since he
is the Board's representative on the subcommittee. Also
attending were Peter Muise, School Committee member, and Linda
Wyman, FinCom rep to Subcommittee. Haggerty referred to several
documents which he left for perusal by the Board. HMFM Architects
were hired by the School Committee to study the school building
utilization and develop options for the committee and towns to
consider. The 13 options presented were studied by the
subcommittee and the option best liked by members is the option
to build a new high school (31-33+ million) on property to the
back of the present high school's fields and to renovate the
existing high school into a regional middle school for grades 7
and 8 (9+ million). The proposed design includes a pool because
the first idea was to make the plan the most desirable for
community use - however, since then it has been determined that
the annual maintenance costs (100,000) would be prohibitive.
Square footage of classroom and core facility state mandated
requirements were considerations for overall price development.
As part of their contract, HMFM was to do an independent
study of enrollment projections for 2005; develop options and
then to give a conceptual design of a possible building - but not
the actual design prints (separate contract needed). Keeping the
status quo today would require each Town to build a new middle
school shortly at a cost of 10 million more than what is
currently being discussed. Factors considered: overcrowding, the
desire to not use the 20 year-old relocatable classrooms; and
population projections for 2005 (1000 more high school students
with Hanson students at the lower grades increasing to 1800.
To proceed with the concept towards presenting the DOE with
an architectural building design to obtain a place on the list
for reimbursement, the School committee must contact each Board
of Selectmen to ask for a Special Town Meeting and a Town Special
Election. To qualify for the 81% reimbursement, the region's
plan must be on the list by June 1, 1995 (DOE deadline).
Overcrowding, community use and notation as a growth community
are factors which assist in upping a community on the list for
reimbursement. Time frame for reimbursement is unknown. Towns
need to appropriate and begin to pay and then the state pays on
the catch-up basis for the Cash Flow cycle.
HMFM will give school committee final report on November
9th; they will attend a needs assessment meeting with Town
officials at DOE. Wyman noted HMFM's 97% accuracy for projects.
Peter Muise requested time on the October 25 agenda for
further discussion of issues: funding, specific questions on
submitted report, cost estimates, etc. He noted that the current
facility maintenance costs could be eliminated from the operating
costs with more monies spent on education. It was noted that if
the concept of 7-8 regional school flies then the Regional
Agreement would have to be amended to allow the busing of
students. Communications Subcommittee has been put in place to
educate the citizenry to the need and to the process. A forum
has been set up for November 1, 1994.
IV. ADA Committee Update: Dave Mansfield, Committee Chair
reported that a second draft of the buildings survey has been
received; that the architect doing the report is scheduled to
meet with the committee on October 26th. The committee will
review recommendations at a following meeting. Members of the
ADA Committee would then meet with Selectmen to make
recommendations for consideration at Spring Town Meeting. He
noted ADA meetings have been attended by 2 people from CIC.
V. Executive Secretary Report: (1) Nugent apprised the members
that a former member of the Thomas Mill Committee was looking for
reappointment. Motion 10/11/94.2: move to appoint Kenneth
Sharland to a term on the Nathaniel Thomas Mill Committee which
will expire June, 1997. Motion made by Murdoch with second by
Kuchinski. Motion carried 4-0. (2) Rockland Landfill: a lengthy
DEP consent decree received in mail and outlined in newspaper
giving deadlines for action. Kuchinski asked Nugent to be in
touch with residents. Nugent noted DEP willing to meet with
Hanson and Hanover hopefully within next month. He'll follow up.
(3) DOR has set tax rate - $17.37/$1,0000. McCormack noted tax
bills to go out October 13th and due by November 14th. (4)
Nugent requested members submit items for Capital Improvement
Consideration. List will begin to be compiled after November 1
deadline; CIC to come back to Selectmen with recommendations in
the early Spring. Kuchinski again noted the need for action on
the Factory Pond Dam to occur especially in light of the proposed
upgrade of State Street Bridge planned for Spring/Summer 1995.
(5) Water Department Reimbursement billing by Town Hall: Nugent
stated this item was not an issue but should be brought to the
Board's attention because Selectmen are in charge of clerical
negotiations: that the Water department is not reimbursing the
proper amount of the Treasurer/Collector's personnel cost; that
$34.00 plus additional unpaid amounts might have to be placed on
the warrant as an unpaid bill. Kuchinski asked if Town Hall
staff has attended any water department meeting to address
concerns? No. McCormack looking for direction from the Board.
Flynn comfortable with directing Carole McCormack to attend Water
department meeting. Dahlberg noted that past misunderstandings
have occurred on payment responsibilities and suggested a
subcommittee set-up be discussed in order to request it to hammer
out an agreement to prevent further possible hostilities.
VI. Presentation on Police Lieutenant position: Chief Berry
stated he was attempting to establish a management team which
would have a definite second in command. This would fulfill a
past Board of Selectmen's mandate and would also facilitate
recreating a more efficient Civil Defense structure. Chief Berry
looking for the Board's vote tonight to go ahead with this
project. The format would be to convene a mini-assessment center
for prospective candidates with the idea of bringing candidate(s)
before Selectmen in January, '95. Kuchinski asked about budget
concerns: there is no cost for assessment center; the new
position could be absorbed in current budget figures; it might
also assist in addressing a few union grievance issues. Motion
10/11/94.3: move that the Board of Selectmen agree with concept
of Lieutenant as presented by Police Chief and that he be
directed to move along with process towards selecting candidates
to be presented to Board for Selectmen for selection. Motion
made by Murdoch with second by Flynn. Motion carried 4-0.
VII. Action Request for use of Town Counsel: Motion 10/11/94.4:
move to allow Emergency Communication Center Operations Committee
access to labor counsel for data review and advice on possible
corrective steps to take. Motion made by Murdoch with second by
Kuchinski. Motion carried 4-0.
VII. Eastern Utilities Petition for Joint Poles: Charles
Kosinski, Supervisor of Maps and Records for Eastern Edison
Company forwarded petitions for consideration for sole Edison
pole locations to become joint pole locations on Carriage Road
(eight poles), Sleigh Drive (eight poles) Surrey Lane (six poles)
and Wagon Trail (fourteen poles). Discussion included note of
some effort last year to remove the "double poles" in Town but
many remain and no status on this situation has been received.
Motion 10/11/94.5: move that the Board of Selectmen table this
request for Joint poles until reasonable effort is made to
address existing double pole situation. Motion made by Frisoli
with second by Murdoch. Motion carried 4-0.
VIII. Action Requests: (1) Flynn made comments on Route 58
status: looking for time frame to place traffic lights and to
complete the punch list items. Discussion included questions on
Todesca's lack of payment to subcontractors. Nugent noted that
the State was not being very helpful lately. Nugent to check out
amount of bond and will find out if it a diminishing bond.
Kuchinski asked status of crosswalk at Calvary Baptist Church.
Nugent noted the state refuses to address the issue. Kuchinski &
Murdoch suggest Senator Murray be brought into fray with a letter
from Nugent. (2) Flynn sent out request for people to attend
Town Meeting. (3) Kuchinski reported attendance at Municipal
Forum at JFK Library given by attorney general Harshbarger noting
the excellent presentation on conflict of Interest given by
Andrew Crane and info on municipal contracts given by attorneys
with Fair Labor Business Practices Division. Kuchinski requested
Nugent set up a meeting with State Ethics Commission for town
officials and residents. (4) Frisoli noted meeting @ Whitman Town
Hall re 477 telephone service. Rep. Mike Sullivan attending.
V. Adjournment. Motion 10/11/94.6: move to adjourn. Motion by
Murdoch with second by Kuchinski. Motion carried 4-0. Adjourned
at 9:50pm.
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