Town of Hull - 8/13/01 Minutes

8/13/01 Minutes


	Hull Open Space and Recreation Committee Monday, August 13, 2001; 7 p.m. Meeting Minutes Present: Lynda Mooney co-chairman, Charlie Santos co- chairman, Tom Burns, Linda Beres, Don Ritz, Mark Bornheim, Sarah White, Jim Linville Not present: Member, yet to be designated, Hull Recreation Board Public: Phil Lemnios, John Reilly, Patriot Ledger reporter Meeting called to order: 7:05 p.m. Santos: Reviewed meeting agenda: • Weir River • OSR Mission statement • Ground rules • Park and Recreation Department • Newsletter information • Budget • Main Street project - Phil Lemnios to give an overview Review of meeting minutes July 30. Discussion to amend. Burns: Motion to approve meeting minutes of OSR July 30 meeting as amended Linville: second Vote: Unanimous in favor {Phil Lemnios gave overview of the Main Street project} Santos: Main goal for town is to secure funding first for Main Street and work out details later. OSR members raised questions about the project including: • Is parking available at the bait shop? • Are provisions being made for pickup and drop off? • What is the distance of the handicapped parking? • Where is the picnic area located? • Will utilities be depressed? • Where is the bike path going? Will lanes be reconfigured? • Will Cleverly Park be widened? • How many trees will be removed? • What's going on at Cross Street? • Can't more green space be made along seawall and parking are spaces reduced? Burns and Santos: Pointed out that most of the OSR discussion on Main Street are as Point of Interest and acknowledged it Other points made: Beres: If 10 parking spaces were eliminated that would make for 33 feet of open space Burns: A Change of Order could be made later as a way of addressing Pemberton area issues. Let Main Street project go forward then do a change of order. White: Could the last section of parking be left green but still be used for over flow parking like the HRA that way it could still accommodate vehicles as an over flow area and be kept as green space? Linville: Commenting on Hull as a gateway to the Harbor Islands: Hull should be a destination point not a jumping off point {Discussion turned to OSR meeting procedures} Mooney: Would like to see things tightened up. OSR members should follow basic ground rules. {Discussion on use of email}: Mooney: Email should not be substituted for meeting discussion. Do not send letters over email. Linville: Email ok as long as everyone included Lemnios: Email discussion could possible violate open meeting law. Someone could FOI email. Should not conduct business over email. Bornheim: The public has a right to know what the committee is talking about Mooney/ Burns: Email should be used only for published materials Beres: Said she would preview email from Weir River group, print out and bring to the meeting Santos: Can we get a code for the town hall copy machine? Lemnios: Nancy Allen will do mail in advance {Discussion turned to OSR Mission Statement} Burns: OSR should look at three plans (Open Space, Harbor Management and Railroad Study} Take time to review over the next month or two. Plans are a product of the planning board. OSR effort will not usurp the planning board. OSR should look at recreational and open space issues. Prioritize, rank and weigh issues as a committee. Bring forward to Board of Selectmen as a committee so selectmen can act. The Hull Times characterized OSR as something that it is not. OSR speaks with one voice. Beres: If OSR becomes aware of something that is outside the scope (of the three plans) is it appropriate to bring up to the Selectmen? Burns: (Yes) If there is an addendum or concern beyond the three plans Santos: We're here to help implement and make suggestions and recommendations to help implement. Keep the process moving forward. Burns: Primary task of the OSR is to implement the three plans. We are not here to make new rules. Outside the scope urgent issues may be looked at. Mooney: How does OSR want to approach implementation of the plans? Bornheim: We have three plans in front of us. Let's set up a time line. Accomplish smaller goals and objectives. Look at a single plan or work in pairs or take small bites. Beres: OSR should look at what town is currently implementing - it makes sense for OSR to deal with town Santos: Mass. Highways (Main Street) project is first. Burns: Any input (from OSR) on plans should come rapidly. Beres: Committee needs make a list of projects related to these plans. Lemnios: Open Space and harbor Management are the primary plans. Railroad Bed study was done in the 1990's. Linville: OSR should follow the action plans that are described within the Harbor Management, Open Space and Railroad Bed Study Lemnios: OSR can assist town boards with implementation of goals. Linville: OSR should concentrate on plans it can give input on such as Nantasket Pier and the HRA. Beres: Main Street project- vote and make a recommendation Bornheim: Get knowledge. Listen to what is being proposed Beres: Tom Burns can update the Board of Selectmen Burns: Old Business. Motion made and voted on last meeting to present a memo to Board of Selectmen to notify town of Main Street. This may no longer be necessary. Should OSR pursue that course of action or revote. Linville: OSR made a motion to ask selectmen for a town meeting- the meeting at the library may take care of this. {Discussion about request for public meeting for Main Street memo} Mooney: Motion to revoke last weeks memo. Burns: Second Vote: seven in favor; one opposed {more discussion} Reilly: Railroad bed study should be used for background. Nantasket Pier should report back to selectmen. Board of Selectmen can dissolve the committee. More educated and encouraged by what he's hearing. {Discussion on media coverage. Hull Times editorial was not representative of the committee} Beres: Main Street was an immediate concern. OSR was not trying to stop the project. The information in the Hull Times editorial was not correct. Burns: Motion that OSR vote in favor of the Main Street project. Issue a statement to selectmen that project should move forward. Beres: Second Santos: Committee should discuss project in more detail before giving our blessing Ritz: Suggested a no action vote and reconvene on August 27 after getting more information from the engineer. Linville: Rescind request for public meeting, Would like to see more open space. Burns: add an addendum-OSR would like to see additional green space Bornheim: Revisit open space aspects later- do not hold up project Mooney: What's the urgency? Burns: To reestablish OSR's credibility. Linville: Substitute motion: would like to see more green space and would like to see Main Street project move ahead. Mooney: Second Vote: seven in favor; one abstained {agenda items for next meeting} Ritz: Formation of subcommittees Mooney: Motion to meet at 7:30 pm (instead of 7:00 pm) for next OSR meeting Bornheim: Second Vote: three in favor; five against. Motion defeated. Next meeting Monday, August 27, 2001; 7 pm Selectmen's Meeting Room 9:50 pm Meeting Adjourned