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January 21, 2003
SELECTMEN’S MEETING     TUESDAY, JANUARY 21, 2003    5:30 PM

In attendance: Marion V. McEttrick, James G. Mullen, Jr., Charles J. McCarthy, Town Administrator, David Owen and Executive Secretary Paula Rizzi

The Board approved the minutes of the January 6, 2003 meeting as amended.

The Board met with Deputy Chief Richard Wells regarding the acceptance of monies for the police department.  Deputy Chief Wells reported the award of a grant from the Executive Office of Public Safety for homeland defense in the amount of $31,000 and a gift from the Copeland Family Foundation for the D.A.R.E. program in the amount of $10,000.  James G. Mullen, Jr. moved, Charles J. McCarthy seconded and the Board voted unanimously to accept a grant of $31,000 from the Executive Office of Public Safety’s Public Safety Equipment Program for Homeland Defense.  James G. Mullen, Jr. moved, Charles J. McCarthy seconded and the Board voted unanimously to accept a gift of $10,000 from the Copeland Family Foundation to support the Police Department’s D.A.R.E. program.

The Board met with DPW Director David Colton to discuss engineering service contracts.   In signing the two contracts put forward for signature, the Town’s sewer rehabilitation program will accelerate from a 16-year cycle to a 10-year cycle.  James G. Mullen, Jr. moved, Charles J. McCarthy seconded and the Board voted unanimously to approve and sign contract No. SR0301 with Weston & Sampson Engineers, Inc. in an amount not to exceed $45,000 to complete the design of sewer improvements to the Town’s sewer system that were identified in the 2002 Town-Wide Sewer System–Year One Report, dated August, 2002.  James G. Mullen, Jr. moved, Charles J. McCarthy seconded and the Board voted unanimously to approve and sign contract No. SR0302 with Weston & Sampson Engineers, Inc. in an amount not to exceed $250,000 to inspect, evaluate, and clean approximately 48,000 linear feet of sewers and 300 manholes.

James G. Mullen, Jr. moved, Charles J. McCarthy seconded and the Board voted unanimously to approve and sign Change Order No. 1 to the contract number W00-3 with McLaughlin Brothers Contracting Corporation in the amount of $23,561.75.

The Board had a conference with Peggy Sullivan, Manager of Government Affairs for AT&T Broadband/Comcast and Eleanor McGrath and Bernie Lynch, III of the Milton Broadband Monitoring Committee regarding rate increases and offerings in cable T.V. services in Milton.  Ms. Sullivan reported that programming fees are subject to increase each year in January and are a reflection of increased costs in doing business and investments in new products that will be passed on to the consumer soon.  Other issues that were discussed were the need for improved customer complaint processing, the need for a larger type size for public cable notices and the quality of reception.  Ms. Sullivan committed to having a representative from AT&T Broadband/Comcast appear on a local cable talk program to address the concerns that Milton residents may have about their cable service.  

The Board met  with Emily Keys Innes, Chair of the Warrant Committee to discuss the Town’s financial situation.  Ms. Innes reported that the Town’s FY ‘04 budget is projected to be $ 4.8 million out of balance and that Town Departments should assume that their FY ‘04 budgets will be their FY ‘03 budget with a 7% decrease.  Also discussed was the procedure for evaluating budget cuts and potential new sources of revenue for the Town.  Ms. Innes reviewed a letter co-written by chairs of the Warrant Committee and the Board of Selectmen to the Governor and legislators.  The letter is appealing for no cuts in this fiscal year and for a decision on what cuts will occur for the next fiscal year as soon as possible.  James G. Mullen, Jr. moved, Charles J. McCarthy seconded and the Board voted unanimously to approve the letter as presented by Ms. Innes.

The Board met with Everett Hayward, the Chair of the Milton Village/Central Avenue Revitalization Committee regarding that committee’s concerns related to the current Hood project and the Milton Yacht Club.  Overall, the committee supports the Yacht Club being there but has concerns about boat storage and its willingness to produce a plan that meets the needs of the Town.  The committee encouraged the Board to push for a DEP decision so that groundbreaking can occur at the earliest possible date.  The committee would like to see a more permanent easement with Hood regarding the Condo Association and would like to see a consistency of fence detail between the new waterfront park and the Town Landing.

James G. Mullen, Jr. moved, Charles J. McCarthy seconded and the Board voted unanimously to approve the request of the School Department for a street light at 1372 Brush Hill Road and the request of neighbors on Longmeadow Road for a new street light at the dead end of their street.

Selectmen Mullen presented a proposal to the Board regarding the renovation of the old section of Milton High School into office space with his goal being to generate tax revenue for the Town.  Because this is a jurisdictional issue it was agreed that the first step should be to send a letter to the School Committee seeking its support of such a project.  James G. Mullen, Jr. moved, Charles J. McCarthy seconded and the Board voted unanimously to send a letter to the School Committee.

James G. Mullen, Jr. moved, Charles J. McCarthy seconded and the Board voted unanimously to approve the following:

A one-day liquor license to St. Agatha’s School in conjunction with an auction and dinner to be held in the St. Agatha School Gym between the hours 7:00 p.m. and 12:00 midnight on March 1, 2003.
A one-day liquor license to the Milton Hoosic Club in conjunction with a fund raiser for Milton Pride Day to be held betwen the hours of 7:00 p.m. and 12:00 midnight on January 25, 2003.
A one-day liquor license to Milton Academy’s Straus Library in conjunction with a cocktail party for First Parish in Milton from 7:00 p.m. to 10:30 p.m. on February 1, 2003.
The request of Milton Hospital to erect a total of 25 banners commemorating the hospital’s 100th birthday on Town-owned light posts in East Milton Square and Lower Mills.
The request of Sunshine School, Inc. to display their annual enrollment banner on sign posts at the East Congregational Church for the month of February.
To approve the request of the Village School to post three banners in conjunction with their annual Village School Fair, as follows: (1) on the front lawn of St. Michael’s Church; (2) on the front lawn of Cunningham Park; and (3) at the intersection of Randolph Avenue (Route 28) and Reedsdale Road.
The request of the Friends of the Milton Public Library to hang a banner at the East Milton Fire Station to promote the Boston Bruins Alumni Benefit Hockey Game at Ulin Rink on January 27th.

The Board voted at 8:35 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 contract negotiation, and to return to public session in approximately thirty minutes.

11.     The Board discussed the Town Administrator’s performance.  Town Administrator David Owen reviewed his goals and objectives for the next calendar year.  Charles J. McCarthy moved, Marion V. McEttrick seconded and the Board voted 2-0-1 with Marion V. McEttrick voting yes, Charles J. McCarthy voting yes and James G. Mullen, Jr. voting no to extend the Town Administrators’s contract for another year.  Charles J. McCarthy moved, Marion V. McEttrick seconded and the Board voted unanimously to increase the annual compensation of the Town Administrator by 3 % as set up in his contract.  Charles J. McCarthy moved, Marion V. McEttrick seconded and the Board voted unanimously to change the method of payment for the  Town Administrator’s Deferred Compensation plan from a lump sum annual payment to a weekly payroll deduction.  Charles J. McCarthy moved, Marion V. McEttrick seconded and the Board voted unanimously to extend the Town Administrator’s vacation time by one week for a total of three weeks annually.  Charles J. McCarthy moved, Marion V. McEttrick seconded and the Board voted unanimously to approve the remaining terms of the Town Administrator’s contract.

12.     The Town Administrator pointed out the wireless telecommunications device that Nstar is requesting to install on certain utility poles along Randolph Avenue.  He also made an appeal to anyone who might have an appropriate photograph for the cover of this year’s Annual Report and reported that the first round of interviews for the Town Engineer position have been completed.

13.     Selectmen McEttrick requested a list of upcoming events so that pre-planning can be done for events that need attendance by the Board.

The Board  voted at 10:00 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.

The meeting was adjourned at 11:20 p.m.