HOLDEN BOARD OF SELECTMEN
MEETING MINUTES
FEBRUARY 1, 2010
6:30PM Memorial Hall
Present: Chairman Kimberly Ferguson, James Jumonville, Anthony Renzoni, David White, Kenneth O’Brien (arrived 6:50PM)
Others Present: Nancy Galkowski, Town Manager, Elizabeth Helder, Recording Secretary
Chairman Ferguson opened the meeting at 6:30PM. The Board participated in the Pledge of Allegiance.
Selectmen Subcommittees
Sel. Renzoni: Master Plan/Implementation: Next meeting is scheduled for February 25th.
Sel. O’Brien: Water/Sewer: Met January 21st. Next meeting is scheduled for February 11th. Joint meeting with Selectmen will be determined at the February 11th meeting.
EDC: Has not met.
Sel. Jumonville: Memorial Day Parade: Met January 27th. Next meeting is scheduled for February 23rd.
Civil Service: Met January 26th. February 9th will be the last meeting. Will present to the Board in late February or early March.
Sel. White: PSBC: Met January 20th. The Committee continues to review FF&E and technology/
communications options. A public opening is anticipated for Public Safety Day in October 2010. Next meeting is scheduled for February 3rd. Selectmen conducted a walk through on February 1st. Press tours are available through the Public Safety Building Chairman.
Sel. Ferguson: Affordable Housing:
Town Manager’s Miscellaneous
The Manager announced that the Holden Board of Health would hold a H1N1 Flu Clinic for Holden Residents on Wednesday, February 3, 2010 from 4PM-7PM at the Holden Senior Center. The clinic will be open to all Holden residents older than six months of age including persons over 64 years. The clinic will be held on a first-come first served basis. Additionally, there will be a Seasonal Flu Clinic held at the Senior Center on Wednesday, February 10, 2010 from 4PM-7PM. The clinic will be open to all Holden residents older than six months of age including persons over 64 years. The clinic will be held on a first-come first served basis. Further information may be found at www.townofholden.net.
The Board reviewed year-to-date revenue and expenditure reports.
MMA Follow-up
Sel. Renzoni attended conferences regarding Effective Evaluation of a Town Manager, and the New Open Town Meeting Law. Sel. White attended conferences on Labor Law Update, Alternative Energy and Energy Efficiency in Municipal Buildings, and Quinn Bill Funding Update. He was able to discuss cuts to the District’s Special Education “Circuit Breaker” funding at the Municipal Selectmen’s Business meeting. Chairman Ferguson presented an amendment on unfunded mandates regarding regional transportation and circuit breaker funding which was originally passed, but later changed to reflect no specific mandates for presentation to Governor Patrick. All the Selectmen attended the MIIA meeting where the Town and Former Town Manager Bullock were recognized. Sel. O’Brien attended conferences on
Alternative Energy and Health Care. Sel. Jumonville attended conferences on Chapter 70 State Aid Formula, Quinn Bill Funding Update, and Public Safety Appointments Subject to Civil Service. Sel. Ferguson commented that Verizon/FIOS did not have a booth at the MMA conference this year. The letter requesting Verizon services in town will be forwarded to Verizon. The Chairman said that the Administration is looking into conducting another Open Meeting Law conference. The new Open Meeting law takes place July 1, 2010. Ms. Galkowski said that she would be willing to coordinate a training conference on the subject for the regional towns.
Karen Halley – H.E.L.P. at Home Update
Ms. Halley, Co-Chair of HELP at H.O.M.E provided an update on the activities of the committee. She reported that to date, twenty thousand dollars has been disbursed to Holden Families. In total, forty thousand dollars has been donated to the fund. Twenty families are currently being helped through this funding and several new families are completing applications for services. A Resource Fair will be held on March 20th from 10AM-2PM at the Senior Center. A flyer will be sent home through the HMLD bills in late February. The fair will have a canned food and clothing drop-off, tax advice, Senior Center Services, and Emergency Planning will be available. Approximately 45% of people served at the Food Pantry are Holden residents.
Mr. Joe Sullivan, Highland Street, spoke about the “CAPE Bag” project: Carry All Personal Essentials is a program to help senior citizens who need to be prepared for an emergency trip to the hospital. HELP at H.O.M.E. is preparing these bags to distribute to senior citizens. The bag should contain a list of medications, copies of Medicare/insurance cards, a list of emergency contacts, Living Will/Power of Attorney/Health Care Proxy, pajamas, toothbrush/toothpaste, and anything else that might be required for a hospital stay. Residents who are interested in serving on the “CAPE Bag” project should call the Holden Senior Center at 829-0270.
Citizens’ Address
No one came forward to address the Board.
Revisions to Backflow Prevention Device Policy
Ms. Galkowski recommended that the Board hold a public hearing on the proposed revisions to the backflow prevention device policy prior to making a final decision. The public hearing will be scheduled for the second meeting in February.
Mr. Jim Shuris, DPW Director reviewed the changes to the proposed policy. He said that part of the change to the policy would allow the DPW to test each device. It is important for the DPW to actually test each device and see the mechanism at work. This is an important mechanism to protect the Town’s water supply. Currently, a private contractor is testing the backflow devices in town. There are 372 residential devices in town.
Mr. Shuris said that the DPW was not looking to change the fees ($70 per test), but to streamline the testing process by neighborhood, and to allow the DPW to have more control over the testing process. Mr. Shuris said that currently the DPW annually notifies each customer that it is time to test their backflow device.
Sel. O’Brien said that the Water/Sewer Advisory Board was in favor of the policy revision.
Motion by Sel. O’Brien, seconded by Sel. Jumonville, it was UNANIMOUSLY VOTED TO HOLD A PUBLIC HEARING ON BACKFLOW PREVENTION DEVICE POLICY ON FEBRUARY 16, 2010.
Selectmen Miscellaneous
Sel. Jumonville: Has received several residential concerns regarding Verizon construction surcharges on their Verizon bills. Ms. Galkowski said that in May of 1996, the town borrowed 1.6M to fund its portion of the Main Street Project and also adopted an Underground Utilities Bylaw in accordance with MGL Chapter 166, Section 22A. This bylaw required those private utilities, such as Verizon, place their overhead wire and facilities underground. The cost estimate for Verizon’s portion of the project was approximately $418,000. The bylaw allowed the utility to recover its costs for under-grounding their facilities by collection of a billing surcharge in an amount not less than two percent of its gross revenues from Holden customers. Subsequently, each Verizon customer in Holden receives a Construction
Surcharge on their monthly utility bill. In March of each year, Verizon reports to the Town the amount of its total revenue and the amount of the surcharge for the year. The surcharge will continue until the costs are recovered. At the time, it was suggested that Verizon’s costs would be recovered in five to seven years. The Town has requested a copy of the Town’s cooperative agreement with Verizon. Ms. Galkowski said that once the Town receives this agreement, it would be able to determine the total cost of Verizon’s underground utility portion and the year the surcharge began.
Sel. Renzoni: 1. Reported that Dylan Seymour is battling rare form of leukemia. A fundraiser will be held at the West Boylston America Legion Post on Sunday, February 7th from 4PM-8PM.
Sel. Ferguson: 1. A Regional Board of Selectmen’s Meeting is being considered for the end of February.
2. Margaret Watson, Chair of Wachusett Regional School Committee reports that the return of assessment money from the school transportation appropriation will be returned once the District receives the money from the State. Sel. White inquired what would be the difference if the District held on to the money and reduced the Town’s assessment for next year or returned it to the town? Ms. Galkowski said it was more than just a financial answer to his question and said she would research it further and forward an answer to the Selectmen.
Sel. O’Brien: 1. Thanked Sel. White for arranging the tour of the Public Safety Building.
Approval of Previous Minutes
Motion by Sel. O’Brien, seconded by Sel. Renzoni, it was UNANIMOUSLY VOTED TO APPROVE THE MEETING MINUTES OF JANUARY 19, 2010.
Adjournment
Motion by Sel. White, seconded by Sel. Renzoni, it was UNANIMOUSLY VOTED TO ADJOURN THE FEBRUARY 1, 2010 MEETING AT 7:45PM.
APPROVED: February 22, 2010
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