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SELECTMEN’S MEETING FEBRUARY 3, 2003 5:30 P.M.
In attendance: Marion V. McEttrick, Chair; James G. Mullen, Jr., Secretary, Charles J. McCarthy, Member; David Owen, Town Administrator and Annemarie Fagan, Assistant Town Administrator.
The Board approved the minutes of the January 21, 2003 meeting, as amended.
James G. Mullen, Jr., moved, Charles J. McCarthy, seconded and the Board voted unanimously to accept a grant in the amount of $31,000 for the Milton Fire Department from the Executive Office of Public Safety.
A conference was held with David A. Colton, Director of Public Works. Discussed was a Department of Public Works Snow Plow Policy and the Truman Highway Pump Station Replacement.
Following discussion, James G. Mullen, Jr., moved, Charles J. McCarthy, seconded and the Board voted unanimously to approve the Department of Public Works Snow Policy as follows: It shall be the policy of the Town of Milton to treat by the application of sand, salt, and other appropriate methods, and plow snow in all ways in the Town that are freely utilized by the traveling public in accordance with the Town of Milton Snow Plow Route Plan. This shall include accepted and unaccepted public streets, but expressly excludes private driveways, right of ways across private property, so-called driveway subdivisions and any other surface on which the use thereof is restricted in any way. A copy of the route plan shall be on file at the Department of Public Works, the Town Clerk’s and Board of
Selectmen’s offices and shall be updated from time to time as new streets become accepted.
James G. Mullen, Jr., moved, Charles J. McCarthy, seconded and the Board voted unanimously to award the construction contract for the Truman Highway Pump Station Replacement to Waterline Industries, Corp., in the amount of $206,113.
4 A conference was held with Emily Keys Innes, Chair, Warrant Committee. Discussed was the State’s budget cut to the Town in the amount of $366,081 for fiscal year 2003 and its impact on Town budgets and the anticipated fiscal year 2004 State budget cuts. Also discussed was the request of the Warrant Committee that all Departments consider an immediate hiring freeze on nonessential personnel and nonessential spending. Mrs. Innes informed the Board that it was not the intent of the Warrant Committee to decide which positions are considered “essential/nonessential”. The Warrant Committee feels that Department Heads, along with the Board of Selectmen and Town Administrator should make that
determination.
5 James G. Mullen, Jr., moved, Charles J. McCarthy, seconded and the Board voted unanimously to approve and forward to the Warrant Committee the following Departments’ final proposed budgets for fiscal year 2004:
Accounting Department $ 163,057.00
Audit $ 54,000.00
Building/Plumbing Department $ 172,822.75
Council on Aging $ 147,748.00
Election and Registration $ 32,300.00
Employment Security $ 150,000.00
Historical $ 1,900.00
Insurance General $ 593,040.00
Group Insurance $6,011,048.00
Information Technology $ 144,776.00
Law $ 93,500.00
Mema $ 7,051.00
Selectmen’s $ 309,363.00
Wire/StreetLights/TrafficLights $ 406,027.46
Town Office Building $ 200,354.00
Town Reports $ 6,300.00
Veterans $ 18,257.00
James G. Mullen, Jr., moved, Charles J. McCarthy, seconded and the Board voted unanimously to authorize the Town Administrator to apply to participate in MIIA’s Loss Control Credit Program.
6 A conference was held with Donald Neal, Chair, Conservation Commission. Discussed was the Commission’s request to increase the Conservation Administrator’s hours from eleven to twenty-five hours per week, effective July 1, 2003, due to the increased work load of the Commission. Following discussion, Charles J. McCarthy moved, James G. Mullen, Jr. seconded and the Board voted unanimously to approve and forward to the Personnel Board and Warrant Committee the request of the Conservation Commission to increase the Conservation Administrator’s hours from eleven to twenty-five hours per week, effective July 1, 2003, and the fiscal year 2004 Conservation Commission budget in the amount of $24,955. The Board
requested that the Conservation Commission furnish the Warrant Committee with a proposal on raising fees and a proposal on how the Commission would fund the additional hours requested.
7 A conference was held with Malcolm Larson, Fire Chief. Discussed was the fiscal year 2004
Fire Department budget and the impact of a 7% reduction, reserve fund transfer requests and the Chief’s request to employ two firefighters. Following discussion, James G. Mullen, Jr. moved, Charles J. McCarthy seconded and the Board voted unanimously to approve and forward to the Warrant Committee the Fire Department fiscal year 2004 budget in the amount of $3,554,872.
James G. Mullen, Jr., moved, Charles J. McCarthy, seconded and the Board voted unanimously to forward to the Warrant Committee a Reserve Fund Transfer Request in the amount of $3,550 for a field survey and preliminary design and cost estimates for the replacement of the emergency generators at all three fire stations.
James G. Mullen, Jr., moved, Charles J. McCarthy, seconded and the Board voted unanimously to approve a Reserve Fund Transfer Request in the amount of $7,500 to repair Fire Engine No. 1. This request was approved by the Warrant Committee at its meeting on January 29, 2003.
James G. Mullen, Jr., moved, Charles J. McCarthy, seconded and the Board voted unanimously to recommend the Personnel Board approve the request of the Fire Chief to employ two new firefighters in order to control overtime spending and adhere to the Town’s desire to maintain the staffing levels in each of the Fire Stations.
8 A conference was held with Kevin J. Mearn, Chief of Police. Discussed was the impact a 7% budget reduction would have on his Department for fiscal year 2004, his revised fiscal year 2004 budget which includes the Youth Counselor, a reserve fund transfer request and cadet appointments. Following discussion, James G. Mullen, Jr. moved, Charles J. McCarthy seconded and the Board voted unanimously to approve and forward to the Warrant Committee the Police Department fiscal year 2004 budget in the amount of $5,258,687.
James G. Mullen, Jr., moved, Charles J. McCarthy, seconded and the Board voted unanimously to forward to the Warrant Committee a Reserve Fund Transfer Request in the amount of $6,900 for the Police Department to send three recruits to the Police Academy.
James G. Mullen, Jr., moved, Charles J. McCarthy, seconded and the Board voted unanimously to approve and forward to the Personnel Board the Police Cadet conditional appointments of William J. Baker, III, 23 Orchard Road, Milton; Joan M. Shea, 11 Franklin Street, Weymouth; and Kristen L. Hart, 35 Standard Street, Mattapan, subject to successful completion of psychological, medical and background investigations.
9 A conference was held with David A. Colton, Director of Public Works. Discussed was the impact a 7% budget reduction would have on the DPW Department, three water main breaks, the recent snow storm over the weekend and the sewer rate adjustment. Following discussion, James G. Mullen, Jr., moved, Charles J. McCarthy seconded and the Board voted unanimously to approve and forward to the Warrant Committee the Department of Public Works fiscal year 2004 budget in the amount of $11,022,001.
James G. Mullen, Jr., moved, Charles J. McCarthy seconded and the Board voted unanimously to adjust the minimum sewer charge from the current $2.25 to $2.75 per 100 cubic feet of water.
10 James G. Mullen, Jr., moved, Charles J. McCarthy seconded and the Board voted unanimously to approve a one day liquor license to the Hoosic Club in conjunction with a Winter Dance Fundraiser for the Captain Forbes Museum between the hours of 6:30 p.m. and 11:30 p.m. on March 1, 2003.
11 James G. Mullen, Jr., moved, Charles J. McCarthy seconded and the Board voted unanimously to approve and sign a proclamation declaring February 9, 2003 as Lincoln Day, a day of celebration and recognition of a president and a people who gave the full last measure of devotion to their country.
12 The Town Administrator reported the following:
The State of the Town event at Curry College on Tuesday, February 4, 2003 at 8:00 a.m.
Status report on the Local Emergency Planning Committee (LEPC). The Board supports the Town Administrator representing the Board at the LEPC meetings.
13 James G. Mullen, Jr., moved, Charles J. McCarthy seconded and the Board voted unanimously to approve and forward to the Personnel Board the employment of Christopher Chisholm, 42 Park Street, Milton, MA, for custodial services at the Town Office Building.
14 Charles J. McCarthy moved, James G. Mullen, Jr. seconded and the Board voted unanimously at 8:50 p.m., with Marion V. McEttrick voting yes, James G. Mullen, Jr. voting yes and Charles J. McCarthy voting yes to enter into Executive Session for the purpose of discussing real estate and to return to public session only for the purpose of adjournment.
Meeting adjourned at 10:00 p.m.
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