HOLDEN BOARD OF SELECTMEN
MEETING MINUTES
MAY 10, 2011
5:30PM Starbard Building
Present: Vice-Chairman Anthony Renzoni, Robert Lavigne, James Jumonville,
Kenneth O’Brien, Kenneth Lipka
Others Present: Nancy Galkowski, Town Manager
Jacquie Kelly, Assistant Town Manager
George Balko, Town Moderator
Elizabeth Helder, Recording Secretary
Vice-Chairman Renzoni opened the meeting at 5:30PM. The Board participated in the Pledge of Allegiance.
Reorganization of the Board
Vice-Chairman Renzoni introduced Ken Lipka and Ken O’Brien, the two new newly elected members of the Board of Selectmen. He opened the meeting floor to nominations for Chairman, Vice-Chairman and Clerk of the Selectmen.
Motion by Sel. Lipka, seconded by Sel. Jumonville to nominate Jim Jumonville as Chairman of the Holden Board of Selectmen was discussed.
Sel. Lipka said he had nominated Sel. Jumonville because he was a senior member of the Board with a big constituency.
Sel. Lavigne said he would not support the motion. He said he wanted to nominate Sel. Renzoni for the position. He called the vote.
Motion by Sel. Lipka, seconded by Sel. Jumonville, it was VOTED 2-2-1 WITH 2 OPPOSED AND 1 ABSTAINED TO NOMINATE JIM JUMONVILLE AS CHAIRMAN OF THE HOLDEN BOARD OF SELECTMEN. (Opposed: Lavigne, Renzoni; Abstained: O’Brien.)
Motion by Sel. Lavigne, seconded by Sel. Renzoni to nominate Anthony Renzoni as Chairman of the Holden Board of Selectmen was discussed.
Sel. Lavigne said he nominated Sel. Renzoni because he thought Sel. Renzoni was a fair moderator, and a hard worker who has a passion and likes to serve his community.
Sel. O’Brien said he would not support either Sel. Jumonville or Sel. Renzoni as Chairman of the Selectmen. Sel. O’Brien said Sel. Jumonville previously served as Chairman and he was opposed to Sel. Renzoni because he is so new to town and displayed a lack of leadership. Sel. O’Brien said previous Boards have not been respectful of a minority voice on the Board and he was very resentful that he was never made Chair. Positions are earned and should be respected. He said he had little confidence that either candidate would respect his positions and work sincerely at developing consensus among Board members.
Sel. O’Brien made a motion to request that the Board revisit previous meeting minutes. The motion did not receive a second and failed.
Sel. Lipka said he supported Sel. Jumonville for his years of service and availability to town.
Vice Chair Renzoni said he would like to keep the conversation on track. He asked to keep the conversation relevant to the motion on the floor.
Sel. Jumonville pointed out several angry outbursts recently made in public by Sel. Renzoni. He said Sel. Renzoni speaks for himself. He said there are five people on the Board not just Sel. Renzoni.
Sel. Renzoni asked him to stay focused on the motion.
Sel. Jumonville said he was speaking to the motion. He said he had the proper temperament, and knew the ins and outs around town.
Sel. Lavigne said this was not a good start to the new Board. He said he agreed with some of Sel. O’Brien’s comments. However, the Board’s success within the last year worked well because the Board respected and worked with each other. Everyone had outbursts and disagreements, but in the end agreed to disagree. This is just mud slinging. The meetings are supposed to be productive and this type of behavior has to stop. The Brian Bullock stuff was two years ago and the petty stuff has to stop.
Sel. Renzoni apologized for hurting anyone’s feelings or saying something wrong in the last year and took responsibility for his actions. He agreed that this was not a good start. The goal of the Board is to keep taxes low. He moved the question.
Motion by Sel. Lavigne, seconded by Sel. Renzoni, it was VOTED 2-2-1 WITH 2 OPPOSED AND 1 ABSTAINED TO NOMINATE SEL. RENZONI AS CHAIRMAN OF THE HOLDEN BOARD OF SELECTMEN. (Opposed: Lipka, Jumonville; Abstained: O’Brien.)
Vice-Chairman Renzoni said the Board could not move on with business until a Chairman was established. He consulted George Balko, Town Moderator, who concurred it was important to establish a Chairman, Vice-Chairman and Clerk prior to conducting any town business. Sel. Renzoni was this was not about grudges but conducting the business of the Town.
Sel. Lipka pointed out that if Sel. O’Brien continues to abstain, the votes will be even and they’ll be there all night.
Vice Chairman Renzoni moved ahead with the remainder of the agenda.
Selectmen Licenses & Appointments
Motion by Sel. Jumonville, seconded by Sel. O’Brien, it was UNANIMOUSLY VOTED TO APPROVE A COMMON VICTUALER LICENSE TO STEVEN D’AAQUILA ON BEHALF OF TROOP 182 TO SELL PACKAGE ICE CREAM, SODA & WATER AT THE MEMORIAL DAY PARADE ON MONDAY, MAY 30, 2011 FROM 9AM TO 5PM. THE BOARD WAIVED THE FEE FOR THE APPLICATION.
Sel. Jumonville also asked that the Board approve any further licenses for the Memorial Day Parade and waive all application fees.
Motion by Sel. Jumonville, seconded by Sel. Lipka, it was UNANIMOUSLY VOTED TO APPROVE ANY REMAINING OUTSTANDING PERMITS RELATED TO THE MEMORIAL DAY PARADE AND AUTHORIZE THE TOWN MANAGER TO APPROVE THE PERMITS AND WAIVE ANY FEES ASSOCIATED WITH THE PERMITS.
Discussion of Warrant Articles
The Manager provided an update regarding Warrant Article 28 (Recall Provision) the Board voted 4-1 to oppose its endorsement at the Selectmen’s May 2, 2011 meeting. Since the vote was not unanimous and the Board is the motion maker of the article, the vote will have to be presented as “no action” by the Board on Town Meeting floor. Sel. Renzoni reviewed the events that led to the 4-1 vote taken by the Board on May 2, 2011.
Sel. Lavigne spoke as the dissenting vote. He said he would like to see this vote go forward on the Town Meeting floor to end discussion on the issue once and for all. He does not want to see this come back to Town Meeting year after year.
The Moderator explained the Board could vote to 1. Take No Action on the article. This would be the main motion on Town meeting floor and anyone could come forward and make a motion to amend the take no action and replace it with wording to accept the original wording or 2. The Board could make a motion to say they don’t support the article but feel that it should be voted on the Town Meeting Floor. Mr. Balko said he would recommend that the Town should retake the vote to present the recall provision as it was written and presented by the Charter Review Committee to Town Meeting.
Sel. Lavigne said he thought it looks bad that the Board is the one trying to prevent the motion from reaching the Town meeting floor when they are the ones whom the vote affects.
Sel. O’Brien said he felt the Board should vote to revote the motion because there are two new members on the Board. If the vote is not unanimous the Board should consider Mr. Balko’s option 2 at Town Meeting.
Sel. Jumonville said he understood Sel. O’Brien’s position. However, the Town is bringing the article forward not the Selectmen.
Mr. Balko said Sel. Jumonville’s statement was incorrect. The Warrant Article was originally brought forward to Town Meeting by a citizen’s petition which was then turned into a request to form a committee to review the Town Charter. If the Board were to change its position on the vote is there procedurally enough time to publicize the issue in the press to the people?
Town Manager Galkowski said all the background information for Town Meeting is posted on the Town’s website under Town Clerk.
Board agreed to let the decision be made by the people on the Town Meeting floor. Sel. Renzoni said he still did not support the motion but agreed to let Town Meeting decide.
Motion by Sel. Jumonville, seconded by Sel. Renzoni, it was UNANIMOUSLY VOTED TO MOVE TO RECONSIDER WARRANT ARTICLE 28.
Motion by Sel. Lavigne, seconded by Sel. Jumonville, it was UNANIMOUSLY VOTED TO PRESENT ARTICLE 28 AS WRITTEN BY THE CHARTER REVIEW COMMITTEE’S RECOMMENDATION AS SUBMITTED BY THE ADMINISTRATION AT THE ANNUAL TOWN MEETING.
The Selectmen discussed their position Article 28.
Motion by Sel. O’Brien, seconded by Sel. Lavigne, to not support Warrant Article 28 was discussed.
Sel. O’Brien said he was a great believer in the election process and felt this was ugly business and divisive for the Town.
Sel. Lipka agreed that the recall provision was messy business.
Sel. Lavigne said he had support the recall provision because it was going to be uglier to try to remove an elected official and there is no way to remove them. The recall provision is like an insurance policy: You need it but hope to never use it.
Sel. Jumonville said he did not support the article. The requirements to meet the provision for recalling an elected official will be very hard to achieve.
Sel. O’Brien said he felt that the citizen’s recall provision had been brought about by the events involving the previous Town Manager two years ago.
Sel. Renzoni said he too would support Sel. O’Brien’s motion.
Motion by Sel. O’Brien, seconded by Sel. Lavigne, it was VOTED 4-1 WITH 1 OPPOSED TO NOT SUPPORT WARRANT ARTICLE 28. (Opposed: Lavigne.)
Mr. Balko said technically motion the Board voted on should be to not support the motion for a recall provision.
The Board discussed Amendment of Town Bylaws Chapter 21 Article VIII entitled “Restraint of Dogs” by amending Section 1 by adding at the end of the sentence “unless within an officially designated Town Dog Park or Dog Run.
The Manager said the Town’s bylaw is that all dogs must be on a leash. If the Town designates a Town Dog Park/Run, these dogs would need to be allowed if leash and would be in violation of the leash law.
Motion by Sel. O’Brien, seconded by Sel. Lavigne, it was UNANIMOUSLY VOTED TO SUPPORT WARRANT ARTICLE 33 AS RECOMMENDED BY THE ADMINISTRATION.
The Manager said the Board votes to approve street acceptances would be taken prior to Town Meeting.
The Board agreed to wait and approve Warrant Articles 29, 30, 31 & 32 prior to Town Meeting.
Sel. O’Brien and Lipka were informed of the Warrant Articles they had been assigned to speak to on Town Meeting floor.
Sel. O’Brien said he did not want to speak to Warrant Article 21. Sel. Lavigne agreed to speak to the article instead.
New Business
The Town Manager provided the Board with a list of Executive Session minutes approved from years 2009, 2008 and 2007. The minutes have been reviewed, released and posted on the website.
The Manager informed the Board that the State has reorganized the town’s voting precincts. The Board agreed to discuss and vote on the new precinct boundaries at their first meeting in June 2011. The Board requested graphics to review prior to the meeting. The Town Engineer is currently reviewing all documentation to verify its authenticity.
All members of the Board received the Town Budget.
Reorganization Discussion (reopened)
Motion by Sel. Jumonville, seconded by Sel. O’Brien to nominate Sel. Lavigne as Chairman of the Board of Selectmen was discussed.
Sel. Jumonville said Sel. Lavigne was the best facilitator. Sel. O’Brien concurred and said Sel. Lavigne would work to achieve consensus among the Board. Sel. Renzoni agreed to support Sel. Lavigne.
Motion by Sel. Jumonville, seconded by Sel. O’Brien, it was UNANIMOUSLY VOTED TO NOMINATE SEL. LAVIGNE AS CHAIRMAN OF THE BOARD OF SELECTMEN.
Chairman Lavigne assumed control of the meeting.
Motion by Sel. Renzoni, seconded by Sel. Lavigne to nominate Sel. O’Brien as Vice-Chairman of the Board of Selectmen was discussed.
Sel. Renzoni said Sel. O’Brien worked to always keep the best interest of the citizen’s of Holden as his priority.
Sel. Jumonville asked Sel. O’Brien if he could make it to the meetings on time. Sel. O’Brien said he only missed one meeting during his last year as a Selectmen and was not late to any meetings in his last year. He said he objected to Sel. Jumonville’s statement.
Motion by Sel. Renzoni, seconded by Sel. Lavigne, it was UNANIMOUSLY VOTED TO NOMINATE SEL. O’BRIEN AS VICE CHAIRMAN OF THE BOARD OF SELECTMEN.
Motion by Sel. Renzoni, seconded by Sel. Jumonville, it was UNANIMOUSLY VOTED TO NOMINATE SEL. LIPKA AS CLERK OF THE BOARD OF SELECTMEN.
Executive Session
Motion by Sel. Renzoni, seconded by Sel. Jumonville, it was UNANIMOUSLY VOTED TO ENTER INTO EXECUTIVE SESSION AT PM TO DISCUSS POTENTIAL LITIGATION AND RETURN TO REGULAR SESSION FOR ADJOURNMENT PURPOSES ONLY. ROLL CALL: RENZONI: YES: LAVIGNE: YES; JUMONVILLE: YES; LIPKA: YES; O’BRIEN: YES.
Adjournment
Motion by Sel. Renzoni, seconded by Sel. O’Brien, it was UNANIMOUSLY VOTED TO ADJOURN THE MAY 10, 2011 MEETING AT 7:04PM.
APPROVED: June 6, 2011 as amended
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