Minutes of Meeting – February 5, 2014; meeting called to order at 6:00pm. Present: Ken Fowler; Ed Lane; Channing Gibson; Dave Roche; John McNinch.
By roll call vote, the Board voted to go into Executive Session to negotiate a contract for the new town manager and to reconvene in Open Session by 7:00pm.
At 7:00pm, the Board re-entered open session to begin their regular agenda.
Citizen’s Open Forum: None.
MOTION by KF, seconded by JM to accept the Minutes of January 22, as amended by CG, and 25 as presented. 5/0 vote.
Sign Appeal Hearing: Marc Aronoff from 33 St. Ann’s Avenue requested a hearing before the Board seeking approval to allow an address sign which he installed on public property. Section 5.2.1(1) of the Zoning By-laws states that the Selectmen may issue a permit for any sign of a permanent nature on public land. Chapter V of the Town By-laws, Section 4, Section 2 outlines the placement of numbers on properties. EL stated that this property has no frontage, and that he feels that the sign should be allowed, provided Mr. Aronoff pays the $75 fine. JM, DR, and KF all agreed. MOTION by EL, seconded by KF to grant permission for Mr. Aronoff to place an address sign in the front of the property per the Town By-law, provided he pays the $75 fine issued previously. 5/0 vote. JM clarified that
there is a Town By-law which stipulates no licenses, etc. are to be issued until all outstanding monies are paid to the Town.
MOTION by KF, seconded by JM to estimate the seasonal population of Lenox at 10,000 for the purposes of determining how many alcoholic licenses the Town is allowed to issue. 5/0 vote.
Due to the weather, no one from Studio Two was present to give their report. This item will be placed on the February 19 agenda. CG stated that he is anxious to hear the report and determine if the Town wishes to re-up with Google advertising or not.
Again, due to the weather, no one representing the inns was present to discuss the decision rendered by Joel Bard of Kopelman and Paige regarding short term rentals. DR stated that this decision states that the Town can continue on with the short-term rentals of single family homes. JM stated that the Board needs to have a discussion regarding safety concerns with this issue.
OPEB: DR stated that the Town currently pays 70% of health insurance costs for retirees, even though the state mandates 50%. He went on to say that all departments, except for the school department, agreed that the Roche Plan as a way to fund this expenditure, made sense. More discussion is necessary.
Proposed Draft FY15 Budget: EL stated that we are waiting to receive the liaison assignments from the FinCom. DR stated that the Finance Committee and Selectmen are on target with the budget process, and that the departments are slated to receive a 2% increase.
Consent Agenda: DR went through each item on the Consent Agenda, asking if any items needed a Hold placed on it. MOTION by JM, seconded by CG to approve the Consent Agenda which includes the following: a one-day W&M license to Close Encounters with Music at Ventfort Hall on 2/22 from 6-10pm; one-day A/A license to Laura Shack at The Kitchen o 4/12 from 6-8p; temporary banner to Essencials Spa from February 9-14; permission to the Tennessee Gas Pipeline Company to enter upon town land for the purpose of performing civil and environmental surveys and studies; permission for the LMMHS students to hold their annual Lenox Loop race on April 12 (request later withdrawn); a one-day W&M license to Larry Lane for 2/6 from 4-9pm at The Arcadian Shop. 5/0 vote.
BOS Reports: EL is waiting to receive from the FinCom the liaison appointments with the various department heads, and the Community Center project is moving along. KF stated that the Environmental Committee has slowed their investigation into banning Styrofoam and plastic bags to see how it works out in Great Barrington. He also mentioned that they missed a deadline to apply for a grant available to hire an energy manager. He stated that the Hopeline program has been a success, collecting 51 used cell phones. The Chamber is pursuing bringing the Lenox Motorcar Classic back on Father’s Day this year. CG brought up the issues with Broadway Electric, and explained that there is Broadway Electric, which is having the issues, and Broadway Renewable Strategies, which we are still working with. He
stated that the Planning Board is continuing to consider options for signage along Route 7 & 20, and that their board determined that there was a lack of information in order to grant a height waiver for the Toole hotel project. Also, he stated that there five applications are being vetted by the CPC Committee. The basketball court project at the Community Center poses a problem in that their request for funding includes money for design and engineering. However, it is a very worthwhile project, and since it is a Town project, the Board will be weighing in. Finally, he mentioned that the Historical Commission is working with the ZBA on their historical markers. JM mentioned that the Rest of River group recently met with state and federal officials and were informed that talks with GE failed because of minor details, and not animosity, and that they are willing to see the clean-up occur. He also mentioned that a student from the Conway School
of Design has agreed to make the needed changes to the Open Space Plan. Once completed, copies will be made and distributed. DR brought up two appointments that he would like to see the Board make: MOTION by JM, seconded by EL to appoint John Tansey to the Finance Committee. 5/0 vote. MOTION by JM, seconded by KF to appoint Andrew Lane to the Land Management Committee. 5/0 vote. DR stated that the Historical Commission is finishing up work on the cemetery stone project, and that the School Committee will be releasing their final report on their strategy group meetings shortly. He stated that the Library is on target and moving along. He stated that the Board had met in Executive Session at 6pm to discuss contract negotiations for the new Town Manager, and that another meeting to continue the process will be held on Saturday, February 8. KF asked if any Board members would be interested in collaborating with other
communities, i.e., perhaps two selectmen from Lenox and one or two from the various south county communities could get together to discuss items of interest. The Board agreed that this is worth pursuing. Katie Vaughn reminded everyone that the Library Read has begun.
Meeting adjourned at 7:50pm.
Minutes Taken By: ______________________ Minutes Accepted By: ______________________
Mary Ellen Deming Clerk
Interim Town Manager Board of Selectmen
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