Town of Hudson - Board of Selectmen
Minutes –March 25, 2013
78 Main Street 2nd Floor 7:00 PM
Present were Mr. Vereault, Yates, Durant, McGourty, Lucy and Mr. Blazar. Attorney Cipriano and Ms. Santos were also present
Public Session: March 11, 2013
On a motion by Mr. Lucy, seconded by Mr. Durant the Board voted by a margin of 4-1 to approve the minutes. Mr. Yates opposed.
Sue Dunnell, 76 Parmenter Road requested that the Board get a second opinion before moving forward with the Finance Committees recommendation regarding the water filtration at the Kane and Cranberry Wells. Ms. Dunnell noted that the Finance Committee had a long and technical report which the Board of Selectmen did not have when making their decision. She cited concern that the decision was based solely on one report by one engineering company. The amount of money that recommended was based on the options given by that engineering firm.
Mr. McGourty made a motion that the Board hires Comprehensive Environmental Inc, of Marlboro, MA to give the Town a second opinion with a cap of $15,000 and that the report be completed by April 22, 2013.
Mr. Vereault asked Mr. Blazar what his thoughts are regarding a second review. Mr. Blazar stated that there has been no money appropriated for this and is unsure where it would come from. He also noted that this is an approved article on the May Town Meeting warrant which has already been reviewed and recommended by the Finance Committee. The timeframe for this is also an issue as Town Meeting is six weeks away. Mr. Blazar feels that the existing study has been done by a reputable firm and there is no evidence to suggest that the study is unreliable or the conclusions unreasonable.
Mr. Yates seconded the motion.
Mr. Parent, Finance Committee Chairman, noted that the Committee recommended 3.8 million dollars, this is sufficient to accomplish option one of AP Associates proposal.
Mr. Durant stated that he is vehemently against getting a second review and that the proposals of Mr. Marques and AP Associates are more than sufficient. He questioned where the funds would come from and what would happen if the review is not complete before Town Meeting. Mr. Durant asked if it is the Boards intention to hold up the article at Town Meeting if the review is not complete.
Mr. Lucy stated that he does not want to hold up this article and he explained that this is creating an air of uncertainty which may make it easier for the voters to vote no. He did state that even though they may be some advantages to a second opinion he feels that the detriment may be stronger.
In order to obtain the funds for the review a reserve fund transfer would have to be recommended by Mr. Blazar and approved by the Finance Committee.
On a motion by Mr. McGourty, seconded by Mr. Yates the Board voted by a margin of 4-1 to have a peer review of the report by AP Associates to be conducted by Comprehensive Environmental, Inc. of Marlboro MA with a cap of $15,000 and a due date of April 19, 2013. Mr. Durant opposed.
On a motion by Mr. Lucy, seconded by Mr. McGourty the Board voted by a margin of 4-1 to have Mr. Blazar take the appropriate steps to appropriate the $15,000 for the peer review. Mr. Durant opposed.
- Meetings and Public Hearings - 7:00 PM:
Licenses:
Selectmen to consider approval of a one-day Alcohol Pouring License to Lynne Johnson, Executive Director of the Arts Alliance for a function to be held at Hudson Town Hall Auditorium on April 26, 2013 between 6:00 PM and 7:00 PM.
On a motion by Mr. Lucy, seconded by Mr. McGourty the Board voted by a margin of 4-0-1 to approve the license. Mr. Yates abstained.
Selectmen to consider reappointment of Gladys Beaudette to the Board of registrars to a term ending on March 31, 2016.
On a motion by Mr. Lucy, seconded by Mr. Durant the Board voted by a margin of 5-0 to approve the reappointments.
Selectmen to consider nomination of Leslie Boardman and Jennifer Condon as Inspectors of Animals pursuant to MGL Chapter 129 § 15 & 16.
Mr. McGourty motioned and Mr. Vereault seconded to pass over this item and to invite Mr. Boardman and Ms. Condon to attend the next meeting. The Board voted by a margin of 2-3, motioned failed. Mr. Lucy, Mr. Durant and Mr. Yates opposed.
The State deadline for receiving nominations is prior to the Board’s next meeting.
On a motion by Mr. Lucy, seconded by Mr. Durant the Board voted by a margin of 3-2 to nominate Mr. Boardman and Ms Condon as Inspectors of Animals. Mr. Vereault and Mr. McGourty opposed.
Mr. Lucy stated that he would not be opposed to having Mr. Boardman and Ms. Condon attend the next meeting to answer Mr. McGourty’s questions. They will be asked to attend the Board’s next meeting to answer questions.
Selectmen to consider approval of appointment of Holly Budrewicz as Social Services Advocate at the Council on Aging at Grade 11 Step 2 effective April 16, 2013.
On a motion by Mr. McGourty, seconded by Mr. Lucy the Board voted by a margin of 5-0 to approve the appointment.
Selectmen to consider approval of promotion of Shawn Marques from Part-Time to temporary Full-Time Communications Dispatcher.
On a motion by Mr. Lucy, seconded by Mr. McGourty the Board voted by a margin of 5-0 to approve the promotion.
Selectmen to consider authorizing the signing of a contract with Arrow Fence Co. Inc. in the amount of $16,821 for approximately 700 feet of fencing at the Community Garden at Apsley Park.
On a motion by Mr. Lucy, seconded by Mr. Vereault the Board voted by a margin of 5-0 to approve the contract.
Selectmen to begin discussion of the process by which to select a new Executive Assistant.
Mr. Parent asked that the Board consider hiring a professional search firm to conduct the search for a new Executive Assistant (EA). The Selectmen would have the final say in the appointment however the search firm would help to narrow the pool of candidates. Mr. Lucy agreed to proceed with this type of search. He would like that Mr. Yates be the Board of Selectmen representative on this Committee.
Mr. McGourty volunteered to contact communities that have recently gone through the process of hiring an EA and ask them to give us a composite of how they carried this out.
Mr. Lucy stated that would like the search committee to be comprised of at least one Department Head and six or seven community members as well as one member of the Board of Selectmen. Mr. Durant noted that the process should be done expeditiously as there is not a lot of time. He also stated that he thinks that two Selectmen should be on the Committee.
Linda Shea, 68 Cottage Street asked if the Board has considered utilizing an interim or acting EA.
Mr. McGourty would like a search firm to be chosen by a search committee who would ultimately dwindle down the amount of candidates for consideration by the Board of Selectmen. Mr. Lucy stated that this approach would take longer than to already have the search firm in place. Mr. Durant believes that the BOS select the search firm. He went on to say that the Committee should only be formed after the search firm has provided its input.
On a motion by Mr. Durant, seconded by Mr. Lucy the Board voted by a margin of 2-3 to create an RFP that the Board will deliberate and vote on its next meeting based on criteria submitted by the members of the Board to the Executive Assistant. Mr. Vereault, Mr. Yates and Mr. McGourty opposed.
On a motion by Mr. McGourty, seconded by Mr. Yates the Board voted by a margin of 4-1 to create an RFP that the Board will deliberate and vote on its next meeting based on criteria submitted by the members of the Board to the Executive Assistant by April 2, 2013 and have the EA share all the submitted criteria to each Board member. Mr. Durant opposed.
Selectmen to consider approval of Snow & Ice Overdraft authority in the amount of $25,417 for Salaries and $47,258 for Expenses.
On a motion by Mr. Yates, seconded by Mr. McGourty the Board voted by a margin of 5-0 to approve the snow and ice overdraft.
Selectmen to consider signing their 2012 Annual Report.
On a motion by Mr. Lucy, seconded by Mr. McGourty the Board voted by a margin of 4-0-1 to sing the 2012 annual report. Mr. Vereault abstained.
Selectmen to consider supporting the Mosquito Control Budget for Fiscal Year 2014.
On a motion by Mr. Lucy, seconded by Mr. Vereault the Board voted by a margin of 5-0 to support the Mosquito Control FY 14 Budget, noting that $35K to be deducted from the states’ reimbursement.
Selectmen to sign warrant for the Special State Primary to be held on Tuesday, April 30, 2013.
On a motion by Mr. Lucy, seconded by Mr. Durant the Board voted by a margin of 5-0 to sign the Special State Primary.
Mr. Vereault thanked the Internal Traffic Committee members for their recommendation regarding Glendale Road, he has received positive feedback from citizens.
- Correspondence to be Noted by Clerk:
On a motion by Mr. Lucy, seconded by Mr. Vereault the Board voted by a margin 5-0 to note correspondence.
Selectmen to meet in Executive Session to discuss the proposed Executive Session minutes from the meeting of February 25, 2013 as well as the release of previously unreleased Executive Session minutes.
The Board voted unanimously by roll call by a margin of 4-1 to enter into executive session, not to return to public session, to obtain advise of Counsel, to discuss the executive session minutes of 2/25/13 and the unreleased executive session minutes, as s the discussion of these matters in open session may have a detrimental effect on the bargaining position of the town. Mr. Durant opposed.
Document List 3-25-13
Document |
Location |
Public Session Minutes: March 11, 2013 |
BOS Office |
One-day Pouring License application from Arts Alliance |
BOS Office |
Memo re: reappointment of Gladys Beaudette to the Board of Registrars |
BOS Office |
Nominations documents for Leslie Boardman & Jennifer Condon as inspectors of Animals |
BOS Office |
Memo re: appointment of Holly Budrewicz as Social Services Advocate |
BOS Office |
Memo re: promotion of Shawn Marques to Full Time Communications Dispatcher |
BOS Office |
Contract for Arrow Fence Co. for fencing at the Community Garden |
BOS Office |
Snow & Ice Overdraft memo |
BOS Office |
Board of Selectmen’s 2012 Annual Report |
BOS Office |
Mosquito Control Budge for FY14 |
BOS Office |
Warrant for Special State Primary: 4/30/13 |
BOS Office |
Unreleased Executive Session Minutes |
Unreleased BOS Office |
Letter from Town Counsel re: 173 Washington Street |
BOS Office |
Chapin Road bridge Report from MassDot and DPW response |
BOS Office |
Kane & Cranberry Wells Treatment Evaluation Report |
BOS Office |
Copy of Ad for request for proposals for Alcohol Licenses |
BOS Office |
Comcast notices of Price and Cable packages adjustments |
BOS Office |
Resignation Notice from George Luoto as the Rep. to the Assabet Vocational Technical High School. |
BOS Office |
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