Hull Board of Selectmen
Minutes
January 20, 2004
The meeting of the Hull Board of Selectmen was called to order at 7:35 pm on Tuesday evening, January 20. 2004 he Hull Municipal Building, 253 Atlantic Avenue, Hull, Massachusetts.
Present: John Reilly, Chairman; Leonard Hersch, Vice Chairman; Christopher Olivieri, Clerk; Thomas Burns, and Gerard McLaughlin, Members. Also present were: Christopher McCabe, Town Manager and James Lampke, Town Counsel.
The Chairman observed a moment of silence on the passing of retired Police Chief Robert L. Shannon. Chief Shannon rose through the ranks to become the Chief and served with the Department for 34 years.
MINUTES
MOVED-Hersch: To accept the minutes of November 18 and December 2, 2003 as presented
SECOND-Olivieri
VOTE: Unanimous in Favor
MOVED-Hersch: To accept the executive session minutes of December 16, 2003 and January 6, 2004 as presented.
SECOND-Olivieri
VOTE: Unanimous in Favor
7:30 pm Alison M. Leonard - Candidate for Local Cultural Committee
Alison Leonard of Berkley Road told the Board that she had been attending the meetings on the invitation of Member Lynn Anastos and would like to serve the Committee.
MOVED-Hersch: To appoint Alison Leonard to the Local Cultural Committee
SECOND-Olivieri
VOTE: Unanimous in Favor
7:40 pm Chief Hollingshead & Michael Bruno (Keyspan) re: Gas Shut-off
Chief Hollingshead, who had submitted a written report, introduced Michael Bruno, Corporate Affairs, of Keyspan Gas Company, and said that the Emergency Management Team had notified all of the gas customers in the village of the gas shutoff on the 5 degree morning of January 16, 2004.
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Selectmen Minutes, 1/20/04
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Also present, and in the discussion, for the meeting from Keyspan were Joe Carwell, Manager of Community Affairs; Mike Smith, Field Operator; Dave Keane, Engineer; and Tricia Vigeant, Sr. Claims Investigator.
Bruno said that the company has a computer model that indicated that the 5 degree weather should not be a problem, but it did not allow for the extreme cold wind that lowered the temperature for all practical purposes to 15 degree's below zero and that caused a lack of pressure. He said that the Company sent scores of employees to the scene, provided housing at the hotel, purchased over 40 space heaters, and hired plumbers, locksmiths for those properties without anyone home to unlock the doors for safety purposes when gas service returned. He added that compressed gas was used to service the high school.
Hollingshead told the Board that the gas company had been prompt and very efficient. He said there were 28 streets and 325 houses involved, and that an emergency shelter was opened. Hollingshead added that the dispatchers were superb, and that there were so many gas trucks and employees around one could hardly open a front door without seeing them. He thanked the employees of the company; the Selectmen complimented the Emergency Management Team, and the Gas Company thanked the citizens for their kindnesses on that extremely cold morning.
Following a long discussion during which the Members asked several questions on behalf of their constituents, Reilly cautioned the gas company representatives to keep in mind that the Town is about to start an expensive construction project on Main Street and that if there is any piping that needs to be moved it must be completed prior to the start of that project.
7:45 pm Water Resource Committee - re: Results of Feasibility Study
David Irwin, Chairman of the Water Resource Committee, told the Board that $10,000. had been spent for a feasibility study; $37,000. for Woodward and Curran, Engineers, and $10,000 for Attorney Jake Diemert, a specialist in utility law, who was killed in a tragic accident. Irwin said that he has Diemert's report in writing. He added that he wanted to clarify that the Hull Municipal Light Plant (HMLP) did not spend the $60,000 illegally, but spending the next $250,000 he believes is still in the gray area.
The Board recessed at 9:00 pm and returned at 9:19 pm:
Selectmen Minutes, 1/20/04
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Hersch spoke about a letter from Attorney Scobo, a specialist in utility law, that addressed the issue of the spending of HMLP funds. His opinion, and Town Counsel Lampke's opinion coincided on the spending of the $250,000 as not being proper and that it must be used for light plant purposes.. The portion of Scobo's letter which addressed his opinion that spending the funds could be done in lieu of tax payments, met disagreement from both Hersch and Lampke.
Following a brief report from Curran and Woodward, four Members, Reilly, Burns, Olivieri and McLaughlin agreed that researching water desalinization was a priority.
Irwin and John MacLeod, Light Plant Operation Manager, said that they are looking at Department of Energy outright grants or matching grants.
CORRESPONDENCE
Noted a letter from Police Captain Donald DiMarzio on the award of a $19,500. Community Policing Grant.
Read aloud a letter from the Hull Planning Board requesting that the land at Nantasket Pier leased by Jake's not be sold until after the completion of the ongoing master planning process that includes that area.
Hersch then made the suggestion that Jake's be offered a new 25-yr lease predicated on $400,000 at 10% per year not including taxes. Olivieri stated that to be fair all future leases should be based on the assessed value.
NEW BUSINESS
Olivieri reported that the DCR is to issue bids for the MDC parking lots and recommended that they include within the bid a penalty for not maintaining public bathrooms and payment to the Town of Hull for the standard parking lot issue.
Olivieri also spoke about the terrible cell phone reception in Hull.
MOVED-Olivieri: To direct the Town Manager to look into the matter of having cell towers in Town
SECOND-McLaughlin
VOTE: Unanimous in favor
Selectmen Minutes, 1/20/04
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SUNDAY PACKAGE STORE LICENSES
Lampke told the Board that no public hearing is required, and that it is automatic approval if applied for by the applicant. He said that he and the Town Clerk are preparing a license application and asked the Board how it wished to have them issued.
MOVED-McLaughlin: To have automatic approval at the office level subject to the satisfactory completion of the application drawn by Lampke; the payment of a $20.00 fee, and that the establishment is in good standing.
SECOND-Burns
VOTE: Unanimous in Favor
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Moved-Olivieri To go into executive session to discuss strategy, relative to litigation and not to reconvene in open session.
SECOND-Burns
ROLL CALL VOTE: Aye, Reilly; Aye, Olivieri; Aye, Hersch; Aye, McLaughlin; Aye, Burns
The Board moved into executive session at 10:55 pm and thereafter adjourned.
February 24, 2004
APPROVED
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