Selectmen's Meeting - September 19, 1995
Selectmen Attending: Judith Murdoch, Charles Flynn, James
Haggerty, Chair; Peter Jones; and Catherine Kuchinski, Clerk.
Also: Joseph Nugent, Board of Selectmen's Executive Secretary.
I. Announcements: At 7:38PM Chair Haggerty opened the meeting
stating the following: A) Executive Session results - Board voted
5-0 by roll call to settle a lawsuit with Travi contractors at
the Library Senior Center for $7,000. B) 175th Anniversary
Parade - September 24 1PM - disregard reporting error in the
Enterprise for the parade having been the 17th.... C) E-911
Meeting with Whitman Selectmen set for 9/20/95 at 7PM in Whitman.
II. United Nations Day - October 24, 1995: Board received a
letter from Michael Dukakis, the Massachusetts Chair for the UN
50 Celebration requesting the Town make a special proclamation to
commemorate the 50th birthday of the United Nations. Motion
9/18/95.1: move to proclaim October 24, 1995 as United Nations
Day in the Town of Hanson. Motion made by Murdoch with second by
Kuchinski. Motion carried 5-0. Nugent to prepare document.
III. Presentation to Eagle Scout Matthew Spencer: For the second
time the Board had a chance to give special honors to Matthew for
his achievement in attaining Eagle Scout status. Haggerty
presented Matthew with his framed Certificate of Appreciation and
recognized his parents Roberta and Fred Spencer as well.
At 7:45PM, Kuchinski excused herself to attend another meeting of
a Town Board noting she would return as quickly as possible.
Selectman Murdoch graciously took over the Clerk duties.
IV. Classification Hearing: Chairman Haggerty read the Public
Hearing Notice with the full Board of Assessors present with the
Assessor/Appraiser Cynthia Long explaining the chart before the
Board. The Chair of the Assessors, Susan Thornton explained why
the Assessors were recommending a uniform tax classification for
the Town. Motion 9/19/95.2: move to maintain a uniform tax
classification for the Town of Hanson. Motion made by Jones with
second by Flynn. Motion carried 4-0. Motion 9/19/95.3: move not
to adopt the small commercial exemption for the Town of Hanson.
Motion by Flynn with second by Jones. Motion carried 4-0.
V. Housing Authority - L.Z. Thomas School Project: Chairman
Haggerty rad the Public Hearing Notice for this project. The HUD
grant is $599,400 but the cost estimate came in higher than this
amount. EOCD, office of private housing G.A.P. funding. up to
$325,000 grant request for the Board to sign in order to make it
a good project versus a "bare bones" project. Also, Mrs.
Kitchenham suggested that Noreen O'Toole be designated as the
Town's agent for administering this project (see page 4 of the
Narrative for project cost, HUD grant amount and G.A.P. amount.
Motion 9/19/95.4: move to submit a grant to COM for up to
$325,000 for G.A.P. funding for the L.Z. Thomas School project.
Motion made by Murdoch with second by Flynn. Motion carried 4-0.
Motion 9/19/95.5: move to appoint Noreen O'Toole as the Town's
representative to administer the grant subject to approval by the
Planning Board. Motion made by Flynn with second by Jones.
Motion carried 4-0. Motion 9/19/95.6: move to appoint Carol
McCormack as the Town's Financial Agent for this project. Motion
made by Flynn with second by Jones. Motion carried 4-0.
VI. Board's Recommendation on Articles for the October Special
Town Meeting Warrant: For streamlining purposes only, motions
will be to recommend the article by Haggerty with second by
Flynn. Discussion occurred out of order for Article Fourteen:
transfer of funds for computer purchase. Motion 9/19/95.7:
carried 4-0. Article one: $415 for Fern Hill Cemetery unpaid
bill. Motion 9/19/95.8: carried 4-0. [Kuchinski returned to the
Selectmen Meeting at 8:40PM for discussion] on Article two:
proposed by Wage and Personnel Board for By-law housekeeping
amendments. Motion 9/19/95.9: Motion carried 5-0. Article
three: proposed by Selectmen for amendment of Article 2-12.
Motion 9/19/95.10: carried 5-0. Article four: proposed by
Selectmen to further amend By-law Article 2-12. Motion
9/19/95.11: carried 4-1 (Kuchinski). Article five: for $1000 to
further fund Building Inspector FY96 line. Motion 9/19/95.12:
Motion FAILED 2-3 (Murdoch, Haggerty, Kuchinski). Motion
9/19/95.13: move to pass over Article Five at Town Meeting.
Motion made by Kuchinski with second by Murdoch. Motion carried
5-0. Article Six: $1928 to further fund Sealer of Weights
position for FY96. Motion 9/19/95.14: carried 4-1 (Kuchinski).
Article Seven: Building Inspector requested article be passed
over. Article Eight: $10,000 to article for firefighter
training. Motion 9/19/95.15: carried 5-0. [Haggerty stepped out
of the room for a short break, meeting continued] Article Nine:
proposed by the WHRHS and Police Dept for $17,000 to the DARE
Officer position. Motion 9/19/95.16: was made by Murdoch with
second by Flynn. Motion carried 4-0. [Haggerty returned for
discussion for Article Ten: petition article to refund disposal
station fees. Brasill gave reason for the article. Sutter voiced
objection to Haggerty voting on issue. Article 9/19/95.17:
carried 3-2 (Murdoch, Flynn). Article Eleven: $4,000 for
unemployment line. Motion 9/19/95.18: Motion carried 5-0.
Article twelve: proposed by the Town Clerk for $2,732 to clerical
line for Assistant Town Clerk position. Motion 9/19/95.19:
motion FAILED 0-5 unanimously. Article thirteen: proposed by the
WHRHS $40,471 for non-mandated busing. Motion 9/19/95.20: Motion
carried 4-1 (Kuchinski) with other members saying they
reluctantly voting in favor of article for the children's safety
but wanted message of inequity for monies sent to the Committee
through Mr. Muise and Mr. Sweeney present this evening to give
information. Article fourteen: (discussed earlier this evening).
Article fifteen proposed by the Hanson Historical Commission for
an short-term loan of $5,000 to complete survey work. Motion
9/19/95.21: carried 5-0. Mr. Vess and Mr. Young would gladly meet
with FinCom to give them a presentation. Article sixteen
proposed by the Selectmen to negotiate with Habitat for Humanity.
Motion 9/19/95.22: carried 5-0. Article Seventeen: proposed by
the Water Commissioners to transfer $40,000 for water sleeve.
Motion 9/19/95.23: carried 5-0. Article eighteen: $50,249
proposed by the Water Commissioners for purchase for vehicle with
a potential trade-in of current 1992 car. Water Department will
be meeting with the Capital Improvement Committee; sent out three
bids. Motion 9/19/95.24: carried 5-0. Article Nineteen:
$110,000 transfer proposed by the Water Commissioners for
continued water exploration. Motion 9/19/95.25: Motion carried
5-0. [balance in water surplus is $273,447.] Article twenty:
proposed by the Water Commissioners for 1,529 in Water Clerical
Wages. Contract not complete by previous Town Meeting. Monies
to be transferred. Motion 9/19/95.26: carried 5-0. Article
twenty-one: proposed by the Board of Water Commissioners Water
Superintendent Wages to transfer $3,000 because of wrong
information presented before. Motion 9/19/95.27: FAILED 1-4
(Murdoch, Flynn, Haggerty, Jones) Article twenty-two: proposed
by the Recreation Commission for $1000 land purchase (between two
cabins at Camp Kiwanee). Motion 9/19/95.28: carried 5-0.
Article twenty-three: proposed by the Library Trustees $11,419
for Children's Librarian. Motion 9/19/95.29: Motion FAILED 0-5
unanimously. Article twenty-four: proposed by the Library
Trustees to restore custodial hours. Motion 9/19/95.30: MOTION
FAILED 0-5 unanimously. Article twenty-five and Article twenty-
six proposed by the Veteran's Agent will be passed over. Article
twenty-seven: proposed by the Council Elder Affairs $1.080.15 to
restore custodial hours. Motion 9/19/95.31: Motion FAILED 0-5
unanimously. Article twenty-eight: proposed by the Highway
Surveyor to borrow $214,955 for State Aid construction for Public
Highways (for more road work). Motion 9/19/95.32: carried 5-0.
Article twenty-nine: proposed by the Conservation Commission $843
for an old engineering bill. Kuchinski voiced concern about
procedure and source of monies to be considered for payment.
Motion 9/19/95.33: carried 4-1 (Kuchinski).
Haggerty declared a break at 11PM. Board returned at 11:07PM.
VII. Arts Lottery Council Appointment: Motion 9/19/95.34: move to
appoint Judith MacLaren to the Arts Lottery Council position with
her term to expire on June 30, 1997. Motion by Murdoch with
second by Jones. Motion carried 5-0.
VIII. Council on Aging Appointment: Motion 9/19/95.35: move to
appoint David (Dale) Kennerdell to the Council on Aging with a
term to expire on June 30, 1998. Motion by Murdoch with second by
Kuchinski. Motion carried 5-0.
IX. Capital Improvement Committee Appointment: Motion 9/19/95.36:
move to appoint Angelo Nuby to the Capital Improvement Committee
with a term to expire on June 30, 1997. Motion by Murdoch with
second by Jones. Motion carried 5-0.
X. Budget Tracking: Sheets are all in and questions will be
addressed at the October Meeting with a quarterly review given.
XI. Executive Secretary Report: (1) Gasoline Bid: paper work
finally complete for the Town to take care of the taxes and
Ferry's to supply the Town with gasoline as previously outlined
to the Board. Members signed the contract. (2) Travi Settlement:
Members signed the settlement papers from the attorney on this
case. (3) Industrial Park land: Assessor/Appraisal has given a
value to the land in question in order to assist Board members in
assessing a recent offer to purchase Town owned land.
XII. Action Requests: Kuchinski requested that the MBTA matter be
discussed in more detail and action taken to support the Planning
Board's attempt to be updated with the proper set of plans.
XI. Adjournment. Motion 9/19/95.37: move to adjourn. Motion by
Murdoch with second by Jones. Motion carried 5-0. Adjourned at
11:17pm.
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