Selectmen’s Meeting Minutes
April 1, 2003
Present: Robert Forte, Catherine Kuchinski, Stephanie McSweeney and Peter Jones. Also present were Executive Secretary E. Winn Davis and Executive Assistant Meredith Scozzari.
7:37 p.m. Chairman Kuchinski called the meeting to order and read the announcements and upcoming meeting schedule. Board members to attend the candle light vigil on April 6th.
I. Vote to Close Special Town Meeting Warrant – Mrs. McSweeney requested that the Roller Coaster Road article be added to the Special Town Meeting Warrant.
MOTION by McSweeney, second by Forte to close the Special Town Meeting Warrant. Voted 4 – 0.
II. Discuss renovations to the Board of Health office – Custodian Brian Clemons prepared a plan to redesign the Board of Health office, which Mr. Davis presented. The plan relocated the entrance to accommodate a awaiting area and service counter. The cost of the renovations is $265.00.
MOTION by McSweeney, second by Jones to approve plans to redesign the Board of Health Office. Voted 4 – 0.
III. Chief Hoyt – Discuss management plan – Chief Hoyt presented the Board with a Management Plan for the remainder of fiscal year 2003. He indicated that he has $13,893.75 available for overtime expenses, which at normal spending rates will take him to the town meeting. He is seeking a $16,700.00 transfer at Town Meeting. If he does not receive the transfer he will eliminate all recall of full-time and call personnel as of May 7th except for structure fires. Second and third calls will be handled by mutual aid. The response time could be 10 minutes or more. He explained that he would be meeting with area Fire Chiefs on Wednesday to discuss the problem, which affects all area departments. He offered to give the Board a
copy of his power point presentation, which he presented to the Finance Committee.
IV. Appointment – Insurance Committee Jeffrey Phelps 233 Gray Lane – Fill vacancy – Term to expire 6/30/04
MOTION by Forte, second by McSweeney to appoint Jeffrey Phelps to the Insurance Committee with a term to expire on June 30, 2004. Voted 4 – 0.
V. Request for Awareness Walk – Leanne Trigler of the Haven for Healing Foundation requested permission to conduct a walk on June 14, 2003 from Heidi’s Hollow to Rt. 27 & 58 and back from 8:30 – 1:00 p.m.
MOTION by McSweeney, second by Jones to approve a walk for the Haven for Healing Foundation on June 14, 2003 from 8:30 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. Voted 4 – 0.
VI. Vote to include a question on the Annual Town Election Ballot – Chairman Kuchinski read the suggested motion and question.
To place the following Proposition 2 ½ debt exclusion question on the May 17th Town Election Ballot.
Question 1: Shall the Town of Hanson be allowed to exempt from the provisions of proposition two and one-half, so-called, the amounts required to pay for the bonds to be issued in order to finance constructing an addition to and remodeling, reconstructing or making extraordinary repairs to the Police Station including original equipment and furnishing and landscaping, paving and other site improvements incidental or directly related thereto?
Yes _____ No _____
MOTION by Forte as read by Chairman Kuchinski, second by McSweeney. Voted 4 – 0.
VII. Vote remaining Annual Town Meeting Articles – The Board received a request from the Assessors to remove Article 22, as it was redundant.
MOTION by McSweeney, second by Forte to removed Article 22 per the Assessors’ request. Voted 4 – 0.
Article 33 – Joshua Lane – The Highway Surveyor has informed the Board that he has received complaints about the condition on Joshua Lane and does not recommend action at the May Town Meeting.
MOTION by McSweeney, second by Jones to remove Article 33 per the Highway Surveyor’s recommendation. Voted 4 – 0.
The Executive Assistant informed the Board that the Finance Committee requested on Wednesday, March 19th , that their article regarding health insurance for elected officials be moved to the Special. The article has been included in the Special.
VIII. Executive Secretary’s Report – Mr. Davis informed the Board that Congressman Lynch’s office called regarding Appropriation Requests from the Federal Government. Mr. Davis prepared a report on the Crooker Place environmental clean-up for submittal to Congressman Lynch. The Board discussed fencing the area to avoid additional dumping and littering. Suggested use of the property upon clean up could be a tree farm. Mr. Davis will keep to Board apprised of the funding. Mr. Davis indicated that the remainder of his report should be discussed in Executive Session.
IX. Approve & Vote Minutes – Regular and Executive session minutes of March 18, 2003, regular minutes of December 16, 2002 and January 22, 2003. Regular Minutes of March 29, 2003. Mr. Jones requested that the minutes of December 16, 2002 be tabled.
MOTION by McSweeney, second by Jones to approve the regular and executive sessions minutes of March 18, 2003. Voted 3 – 0 – 1 (Forte)
MOTION by McSweeney, second by Forte to approve the minutes of January 22, 2003. Voted 3 – 0 – 1 (Kuchinski)
MOTION by Jones, second by McSweeney to approve the minutes of March 29, 2003. Voted 3 – 0 – 1 (Forte)
Committee Reports – No Committee reports.
8:40 p.m. Brief Recess
8:45 p.m. Returned to Open Session –
X. Board of Health – Transfer Station Coverage – Board of Health members Gil Amado, Terrence McSweeney and Bill Scott and management assistant Karen Doucette were present to discuss the vacancy at the Transfer Station. Mr. Davis highlighted the problems with budget cuts and the no new hire policy. The Board of Health suggested closing the transfer station a few days and reduce the hours the operators work. The transfer station could open on Thursday, Friday and Saturday on an experimental basis only. Chairman Kuchinski pointed out that hiring a full-time operator would cost the Town several thousand dollars because they will have to lay off the employee on July 1st. The Board of Health indicated that the Finance Committee funded
the position for FY 2004. Mr. Davis pointed out that although the position is funded it still falls under the Highway Union, which has been informed it will lose one position. Board of Health discussed the SEMASS pickup schedule and discussed delaying the hiring until July 1, 2003 and negotiating the delay with the Highway Union. Mr. Davis to set up meeting with a member of the Board of Health and the union.
9:22 p.m. Board of Health Left
XI. Executive Session – Chairman Kuchinski announced that the Board would be going into executive session under Item #3 regarding pending litigation updates on Simonelli, Aghajanian, Dunham Farms, McMasters, Baran and Highway Union
MOTION by McSweeney, second by Forte to go into executive session under item #3. Roll Call – Jones aye, McSweeney aye, Kuchinski aye, and Forte aye. Voted 4 – 0.
9:25 p.m. Brief recess.
10:42 p.m. Return to open session – Two votes were taken. The first vote was to sign a consent for multiple representation in the McMasters matter and the second was to retain special counsel, David Thomas at his current hourly rate to review a potential law suit.
Mr. Davis presented the Board with a letter from Brendan Bizier regarding illegal dumping by his neighbor. Mr. Davis recommended that Mr. Bizier get determinations or decisions from the Board of Health and Conservation Commission before the Selectmen intervene.
MOTION by McSweeney, second by Jones to adjourn. Voted 4 – 0.
10:45 p.m. Meeting Adjourned.
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