Selectmen's Meeting - November 7, 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.
Haggerty called the meeting to order at 7:30pm by announcing that
the Historical Commission had forwarded the contract for the
Selectmen Chair's signature to obtain the funding for this
contract to hire Claire Woodford Dempsey as the consultant for
the project approved by Town Meeting vote.
I. Visiting Nurse Association contract update: Due to some
miscommunicaton this item was not on the agenda; Nugent
instructed to request VNA officials to attend Selectmen meeting
to give the Board information on the new contract with Whitman.
II. Treasurer / B.A.N.s: Carole McCormack presented the Board
with paperwork to borrow the final $30,000 (at 4.5%) for the
repairs at the Indian Head School voted at the October 1992
Special Town Meeting. Motion 11/07/95.1: move to sign the
$30,000 BAN. Motion made by Murdoch with second by Jones.
Motion carried 5-0. McCormack alerted the Board to the
possibility that a T.A.N. may be needed within the next few
weeks; in case tax payments are not as prompt as they could be.
She also reminded tax payments are due by December 4, 1995 and
that the lock box address has been changed.
III. Public Hearing to sell automobile at 1 Liberty Street /
Spensley: Present were Virginia and Jeffrey Spensley requesting
the Board approve a license to sell used automobiles at this
location under the name, Automotive Depot, Inc. The Spensleys
intend to operate under the same site plan; garage no more than
14 used cars with 5 parking spaces for customers; no site storage
of gasoline or other chemicals; no repair work to be done on
site. Motion 11/07/95.2: move to approve the license for
Automotive Depot, Inc. (Virginia Spensley) to operate at 1
Liberty Street. Said license to be effective until January 1,
1996. Motion made by Murdoch with second by Flynn. Motion
carried 5-0.
IV. Selectmen Meeting Schedule: Haggerty referred to Nugent's
memo requesting definitive alternative weeks for meetings.
Kuchinski requested Board to post meetings for each Tuesday
evening and to cancel if not needed. She cited the need for more
time to discuss issues to reach consensus, that letters in the
out-going mail gave the impression that Selectmen had discussed
and made decisions on issues and given instructions to the
Executive Secretary to write letters and her displeasure at same;
and the need to concentrate on working toward building better
communications with other boards and departments to draw upon the
good will generated by a year celebrating the 175th anniversary
of the Town. Motion 11/07/95.3: move to schedule meetings every
other week. Motion made by Murdoch with second by Jones. Motion
carried 4-1 (Kuchinski). Cable Director present at this meeting
requested a copy of the letter addressed to her and not received.
V. Sunday Holiday Liquor Establishment Sales: Motion 11/07/95.4:
move to set the hours that liquor stores may be open on Sundays
on November 19, November 26, December 3, December 10 and December
17 as Noon until 11PM. Motion made by Murdoch with second by
Kuchinski. Motion carried 5-0. Motion 11/07/95.5: move to set
the hours that liquor stores may be open on Sundays on December
24, December 31 as Noon until 11:30PM. Motion made by Murdoch
with second by Kuchinski. Motion carried 5-0. Motion
11/07/95.6: move to set the hours that liquor stores may be open
on November 10 and November 22 until 11:30PM. Motion made by
Murdoch with second by Flynn. Motion carried 5-0.
VI. Solicitation Request - Booster Club: W-H Hockey Booster club
requesting permission for a bottle and can drive. Motion
11/07/95.7: move to approve a 9AM - 2PM solicitation as requested
for Saturday, November 11, 1995. Motion made by Murdoch with
second by Flynn. Motion carried 5-0.
VII. Fire Chief / Over time costs: Chief Huska gave members of
the Board a handout dated November 1995 and entitled "Hanson Fire
Department Re-Call Man-Hours Utilization - All Categories, July;
August; September; October 1992, 1993, 1994, 1995". His
presentation was made in response to Jones' notice on weekly
sheets that 40% of the fiscal year was over and two-thirds of the
budget monies have been spent. Huska shows how since 1992 there
has been a 30% increase in the number of incidents however,
there's a larger percentage increase in the man-hours used to
respond with a 80% increase seen in the medical calls received.
Noting that the department is "response driven" Jones asked if
the Chief knew of any further risk assessment steps to be taken
or any further methods the Chief could take to reduce costs.
Huska response included "mega-managed" call-back procedures are
in place. Haggerty requested the Chief prepare for Selectmen
review a second handout covering the last seven months of each of
the years 91 through 95 for budget planning as well as a history
of the ambulance fund over the last five years.
Recess at 8:40PM Back in Session 8:48PM.
VIII. Executive Secretary Report: Nugent reported: (1) Factory
Pond Dam: the dam specifications have been drafted and are being
reviewed this evening by the ConCom at their Joint Meeting and
they are also meeting to plan the next steps in the repair
process so that everything can move smoothly in the event of a
successful funding of the article at the upcoming Special Town
Meeting; (2) Potential consolidation of departmental space: his
conversations with a member of the Finance Committee who also
sits on the School Building sub-committee of the W-H School
Committee about the potential use of the Indian Head School as a
municipal center. Nugent believes that a planning meeting should
be held to consider just space issues. Motion 11/07/95.8: move
to set November 28, 1995 as a planning session of the Board of
Selectmen. Motion by Kuchinski with second by Jones. Motion
carried 5-0. (3) Financial Planning Session: Nugent requested a
planing session for all Boards and School Committee to be made
aware of the financial forecast for the upcoming fiscal year so
that everyone is informed going into the budget planning months
before the Annual Town Meeting in May. Haggerty requested that
this be an agenda item for December 5, 1995. (4) E-911 contact
from Whitman: Nugent reported that Tim Travers contacted him
today. Nugent requesting a study committee be formed. Kuchinski
noted that the Emergency Communications Management Committee had
met last week hoping to have had Whitman's information on what
scale of service desired as promised by November 1st. She
reported that no member of the Committee had been contacted and
that the Committee wanted the Chief Berry as the Committee's
Chair to prepare and communicate potential budget figures for an
additional dispatcher to be added to existing service. Chief
Berry called during the meeting and noted that he could attend
the meeting to clarify information being discussed by Murdoch
noted in the newspaper article this evening since he had been the
one to be contacted yesterday. Chief came and gave the update.
Motion 11/07/95.9: move that the Emergency Communications
Management Committee be requested to act as the information sub-
committee for this potential project. Motion by Murdoch with
second by Flynn. Motion carried 5-0. Chief Berry to send over a
copy of the presentation he forwarded to Whitman last Friday for
consideration.
IX. Selectmen Action Requests: (1) Accept Minutes: Kuchinski
noted no contact regarding changes to any sets of minutes.
Motion 11/07/95.10: move to accept as printed the minutes of June
20, 1995 Regular and Executive Sessions; July 11, 1995; July 25,
1995; August 8, 1995 Regular and Executive Sessions; August 22,
1995; August 25, 1995; August 26, 1995 Emergency Meetings;
September 5, 1995 Regular and Executive Sessions; September 26,
1995; October 2, 1995 and October 24, 1995. Motion by Kuchinski
with second by Flynn. Motion carried 5-0. Several more sets will
be reviewed by the Board shortly for acceptance. (2) Status of
Route 58: Kuchinski asked Nugent for status on the bounds,
plantings and State sign-off with Todesca. Bounds are in;
plantings will most likely not be done and not sure on State
sign-off. Kuchinski asked that he have that information to her
shortly. (3) Status of the State Street Bridge: upon question by
Kuchinski, Nugent reports, according to Dick Harris, the girders
are in place and work continues with a potential finish date of
end of November. (4) Status of MBTA: Kuchinski noted that she had
spoken prior to the meeting with ConCom Chair informing him that
she would be asking tonight for a regular written update on the
MBTA project as affected by ConCom issues. Nugent instructed to
request such a written report on a bi-weekly basis. (5) Open
Meeting Law - DA potential violation notice: Haggerty noted that
as he read the letters that he as the Chair "would cop a plea"
stating he was neglectful to post the meetings of October 23 and
25 regarding Selectmen attendance at the respective ConCom
(Factory Pond Dam) and Water Department meetings. Kuchinski noted
surprise that the issue is coming up since it was her impression
at the October 17th meeting she chaired that each of the upcoming
meetings were posted for the Selectmen. (6) Fire Apparatus:
Flynn noted that the last two fire trucks are now in Hanson and
the Fire Department would be holding an Open House shortly.
X. November 13, 1995 Special Town Meeting: meeting call for one
article - fund repairs to the Dam. 7:30PM at the High School.
Mary Pulieo of the ConCom came in and stated that the ConCom
would be moving to pass over the article based on the information
confusion tonight at their meeting. This untimely information
appeared to surprise all members. No one willing to accept this
statement based on the nature of the situation; the promises
made to residents to bring the matter to Town Meeting. Kuchinski
requested Pulieo have the Commission presentation at Town Meeting
include an update on all issues including status at DEP of
emergency draw-down, etc. Haggerty noted he would post a
Selectmen's meeting for 7PM on the 13th at the high school.
XI. Adjournment. Motion 11/07/95.11: move to adjourn. Motion by
Murdoch with second by Jones. Motion carried 5-0. Adjourned at
9:32pm.
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