Hull Board of Selectmen
Minutes
October 8, 2002
The Hull Board of Selectmen meeting was called to order at 7:34pm on Tuesday evening, October 8, 2002 at the Hull Municipal Building, 253 Atlantic Avenue, Hull, Massachusetts.
Present: John Reilly, Chairman; Thomas Burns, Vice Chairman; Regina Burke, Clerk; Leonard Hersch, and Gerald McLaughlin, Members. Also present were Christopher McCabe, Town Manager, and James Lampke, Town Counsel.
Reilly and the members offered a warm welcome to Hull's new Town Manager, Christopher J. McCabe, who was present for his first Board of Selectmen's meeting. McCabe had once served in Hull as the Selectmen's Executive Secretary.
Reilly and the Members gave their heartfelt thanks to Town Counsel, who served as Acting Town Manager in the interim.
Lampke said he especially wanted to thank the staff and all the other employees without whom he could not have done the work.
McCabe thanked the Board and said his first priority is to get a handle on the finances, and is pleased to be serving a Town that has such capable people.
Reilly said that the Board, understanding that McCabe needs some time before the Board holds policy discussions, will wait four or five weeks to do so.`
7:45pm - Leonard Colten-re: Retirement System
Colten presented an actuarial study of the Hull Retirement Plan completed by Stone Consulting, Inc.
The study shows that the Town's obligation to be fully funded by 2028 has a funding schedule increase of 4.5%; 161 active members; 132 retired members; a 2001 asset growth of -3.27% with a market value of $13 million, an increase from 2001 of $1 million.
The funding schedule of payments to make up the unfunded liability of $18,331,751 by 2028 has annual payments running from $1,633,711 in 2002 increasing each year to $5,659,927. in 2028.
Colten said the Hull Retirement Board will not make a recommendation on early retirement as that is a decision for the Board of Selectmen.
Colten also said there is a veterans extended buyback coming up within the next six months, which will be an added cost to the fund. He also said Hull's unfunded portion of the system is the lowest in the State.
Members asked various questions about the pension fund.
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Selectmen Minutes, 10/8/02
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Burns said that he understands the legislation was passed initially for cities and towns with budgetary problems who might need to layoff employees.
Reilly said the next meeting on early retirement is October 15, 2002.
8:00 pm - Janet White and Jo Anne Rose - re: Applicant to the South Shore Recycling Co-op
Janet White and Jo Anne Rose, Town employees at the Sewer Treatment Plant were present seeking an appointment to the South Shore Recycling Co-op and cited their experience working for and involvement in the recycling program.
The Board received a letter of recommendation from Nancy Kramer, which listed their many volunteer achievements among which was networking with each representative from other towns saving our Town valuable time and money.
MOVED-Burke: To appoint Rose and White to the South Shore Recycling Co-op to be voting representatives and to declare their positions as a Special Municipal Employee position.
SECOND-Hersch
VOTE: Unanimous in Favor.
8:15pm - Bill Golden
Attorney William Golden, representing Hull in the Hull vs Massport lawsuit, which challenges the placement of the new proposed runway t Logan Airport, to give a status report on the pending case. He said the trial is expected on October 25th and he feels Hull has a good case. One reason he cited was what he alleges are falsehoods in some of Massport's documents.
Golden told the Board that a Hull High teacher was forced on 14 occasions to stop teaching because of planes overhead between 8am and 9:07am which adds an additional witness to noise pollution.
Golden also said he has located an expert witness Stephen Hockaway, a Professor of Civil and Environmental Engineering at California Polytech Institution.
Hersch said that year after year Massport has not responded to Hull's complaints and that all Hull has gotten are more planes.
Correspondence
Noted with thanks, the resignation of John Boyd from the Conservation Commission effective October 15, 2002.
Unanimously approved blocking off six spaces on Main Street during construction at the High School as shown in the submitted drawing and under direction of the Police Chief on a request from Management Construction Inc., Frank MacDonald dated October 4, 2002.
Correspondence continued
Selectmen Minutes, 10/8/02
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Tabled a request from Nicholas Russo, former Fire Chief to be appointed to the Government Study Committee as a promise had been made not to make new appointments until the first phase was completed.
Requested an appointment be scheduled for Wayne Yarus, applicant for the Sewer Commission.
New Business
Reilly read a Letter of Commendation #1849 from Acting Hull Fire Chief Robert Hollingshead praising the actions of Captain Robert Breen and Firefighter Robert Rozzi for their actions above and beyond the call of duty on December 11, 2001 in rescuing a male who had fallen into the water at the Waveland Marina during extremely windy and hazardous conditions.
Members congratulated the two and asked that they be invited to a meeting for recognition.
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MOVED-Hersch: To invite District Attorney Cruz to discuss his implementation of a High Tech Computer Crime unit to work against the use of the internet to prevent the luring of children for illicit purposes.
SECOND-Burke
VOTE: Unanimous in Favor
Hersch said he is not happy about executive sessions and thinks the public should know what is discussed.
MOVED-Hersch: To arrange for the recording secretary to be present for minutes.
SECOND-Reilly who added an amendment: “to be released when appropriate”.
The recording secretary with thanks to the members for their confidence, indicated she would rather not.
SUBSTITUTE MOTION-Reilly: To have the Town Manager work with Town Counsel to standardize written procedures and format for all Boards in regard to releasing executive session minutes.
SECOND-Burns
Lampke said that everyone agrees the minutes should be released but that is where the problem is. He listed nine exceptions under the Open Meeting Law and said once the exception is no longer valid the minutes can be released.
All motions and seconds were withdrawn and are to be discussed at the next meeting.
Burns presented a written amendment to the Selectmen's Policy and Procedures that resulted from the last meeting when Burns objected to the Chairman reading some correspondence aloud without approval of the board.
Continued
Selectmen Minutes, 10/8/02
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MOVED-Burns: To amend the policy and procedures by adding in Section 6. Miscellaneous the following: i. All correspondence which is directed to the Board of Selectmen will only be read if voted upon and approved by the Board. Department heads as well as board and committee chairman are encouraged to present their opinions in person before the Board.
Second-Burke
Hersch said that we represent the constituency which is apt to write to the Board of Selectmen and we cannot allow only certain letters to be read. He added that some use the meetings, some letters and some use the telephone.
Burke said that every letter does not need exposure at a meeting.
McLaughlin said he understands the need, but would be more comfortable if there were some controls on what is read.
Hersch said that the Board should trust the Chairman to use his judgment.
McLaughlin said that people have a right to express their opinion and that he has reservations about the motion.
Reilly reminded the members that they receive a package on the previous Thursday and could bring an issue up, if they see a problem, prior to the meeting.
VOTE: Two, Ayes; Two Nays;(Reilly & Hersch) One abstention (McLaughlin)
MOTION FAILS
In other business, McLaughlin thanked the Police Chief for an excellent job on the problem of kids behavior in a neighborhood and offered his compliments to Officer Shea.
MOVED-Burns: To go into executive session to discuss strategy in litigation and disposition of real property
SECOND-McLaughlin
ROLL CALL VOTE: Aye, McLaughlin; Aye, Burns; Aye, Reilly; Aye, Burke; Aye, Hersch.
The Board moved into executive session at 9:51pm and thereafter adjourned.
____December 17, 2002___
APPROVED
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