BOARD OF SELECTMEN’S MEETING TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 19, 2013
In attendance: Denis F. Keohane, J. Thomas Hurley, Kathleen M. Conlon, Annemarie Fagan, Town Administrator and Paula Rizzi, Executive Secretary
1. Chairman Keohane convened the meeting at 6:30 p.m. in the Cronin Conference Room of the Town Hall.
2. J. Thomas Hurley moved, Kathleen M. Conlon seconded and the Board voted unanimously to approve the November 4 and November 7, 2013 meeting minutes as written.
3. The Board confirmed November 21, December 3, 10 and 17 as future meeting dates.
4. During Citizen Speak, Margaret Donovan of 41 Central Avenue addressed the Board regarding the bid for the purchase of the town-owned property at 0 Central Avenue.
5. The Board met with Joan Clifford, Executive Director of the Milton Art Center and representatives from her Board to discuss their request to extend the year three reduced rental rate for an additional six months. (Chairman Keohane recused himself from this discussion and vote).
After discussion, Kathleen M. Conlon moved, J. Thomas Hurley seconded and the Board voted to extend the reduced rental rate of $500 per month for the Milton Art Center property at 334 Edge Hill Road through April 14, 2014, forgiving $3,000 and adding $1,000 to each of the last three years of the ten year lease agreement when the Center should be more established and can afford the increase in rent.
Kathleen M. Conlon moved, J. Thomas Hurley seconded and the Board voted to approve the display of hand-made ornaments on the Christmas tree located on the East Milton deck that will be created by the children of the Art Center.
6. Chairman Keohane read the following statement regarding the RFP process for the sale of the Town-owned land on Central Avenue:
“In August, 2013, the Milton Board of Selectmen issued a Request for Proposals (RFP) for the sale of the Town of Milton property at Central Avenue and Eliot Street, sometimes described as 0 Central Avenue. The deadline for submission of proposals was October 7, 2013. The minimum asking price was $240,000, which is the appraised value of the property. The property would be sold with the following conditions: 1. The property would be restricted against any use not authorized by zoning, or, with the express consent of the Selectmen and the Planning Board, by a variance issued by the Board of Appeals or by a special permit issued by the Planning Board; and 2. If the property were to be combined with
the abutting parcel(s), the combined site shall be developed by a special permit issued under Section III.J of the Zoning Bylaw (the Planned Unit Development Bylaw), the existing structure shall be demolished within sixty days of the closing, and the property shall be developed by the purchaser or his successor as a mixed-use development with a minimum of 4,000 square feet of street level retail/commercial use and substantially permitted within nine (9) months of the Purchase and Sale Agreement.
One proposal was submitted in response to this RFP. Carrick Realty Trust proposed to purchase the property for the sum of $1,000.00. The proposal was effective for 180 business days, subject to two conditions: ‘1. The signing of a mutually acceptable Purchase and Sale Agreement. 2. The issuance of a Special Permit by the Town of Milton Planning Board authorizing the submitted proposal by 11/30/2013.’
The Board of Selectmen attempted in good faith to reach an agreement with Carrick Realty Trust. The negotiations were extensive and difficult. The Board of Selectmen extended the time to award a contract from November 7, 2013 until November 12, 2013. Ultimately the parties were unable to agree upon a Purchase and Sale Agreement which the Board of Selectmen felt was consistent with the RFP and in the best interest of the Town of Milton.”
After a brief discussion, J. Thomas Hurley moved, Kathleen M. Conlon seconded and the Board voted unanimously to reject the $1,000 bid received from Carrick Realty Trust for the purchase of the Town-owned property at 0 Central Avenue.
7. J. Thomas Hurley moved, Kathleen M. Conlon seconded and the Board voted unanimously to approve a grant in the amount of $500 from the Mary L. Peabody Fund for the purchase of Christmas gifts for needy Milton residents.
8. Kathleen M. Conlon moved, J. Thomas Hurley seconded and the Board voted unanimously to appoint Richard Neely, Leroy Walker, Marvin Gordon and John Cronin to the Town Government Study Committee to serve through November 2014.
J. Thomas Hurley moved, Kathleen M. Conlon seconded and the Board voted unanimously to appoint Thomas Callahan, Julie Creamer, Philip Murphy, J. Thomas Hurley and Frank Davis to the Affordable Housing Trust Committee to serve through November 2014.
9. Kathleen M. Conlon moved, J. Thomas Hurley seconded and the Board voted unanimously to approve the request of the Friends of Milton Crew to display a banner on the Town green acknowledging a 2013 championship win.
Kathleen M. Conlon moved, J. Thomas Hurley seconded and the Board voted to approve a request to display two A-frame signs, one at Adams/Granite on the East Milton deck and one in front of Pierce School from November 16 through December 7, announcing an Artisan Fair on December 7 at the Milton Arts Center. (Chairman Keohane recused himself from this vote).
10. Kathleen M. Conlon moved, J. Thomas Hurley seconded and the Board voted unanimously to approve and sign a letter of recognition to Mary Ann Dirrane, former van driver for the Council on Aging.
11. J. Thomas Hurley moved, Kathleen M. Conlon seconded and the Board voted unanimously to approve the promotion of Assistant Town Engineer John Thompson to the position of Town Engineer in recognition of the attainment of his Professional Engineer License subject to Personnel approval.
12. Kathleen M. Conlon moved, J. Thomas Hurley seconded and the Board voted unanimously to approve a request from the Milton Fruit Center for two, one-day liquor licenses for cooking demonstrations at the Marketplace Café on November 19 and December 3, 2013 from 6:30 p.m. to 8:00 p.m.
13. The Board interviewed Police Cadet Travis Weekes for a Patrolman position that became vacant when Brian Caccamo, who had been approved for conditional employment by the Board, accepted employment with the State Police. The Board also met with Police Chief Richard Wells, who recommended Mr. Weekes for the position.
J. Thomas Hurley moved, Kathleen M. Conlon seconded and the Board voted unanimously to approve the recommendation of the Police Chief to appoint Cadet Travis Weekes (as a cadet preference) to the position of patrolman to fill a vacancy created by the withdrawal of Brian Caccamo from a conditional offer of employment, contingent upon approval by the Personnel Board and a successful psychological exam, medical exam and background check.
14. J. Thomas Hurley moved, Kathleen M. Conlon seconded and the Board voted unanimously to approve and forward to the Warrant Committee the FY15 Inspectional Services budget in the amount of $372,312 (level dollar), $387,139 (level service).
Kathleen M. Conlon moved, J. Thomas Hurley seconded and the Board voted unanimously to approve and forward to the Warrant Committee the FY15 Fire Department budget in the amount of $4,771,090 (level dollar), $4,852,767 (level service).
Kathleen M. Conlon moved, J. Thomas Hurley seconded and the Board voted unanimously to approve and forward to the Warrant Committee the FY15 Police Department budget in the amount of $6,171,367 (level dollar), $6,359,609 (level service).
Kathleen M. Conlon moved, J. Thomas Hurley seconded and the Board voted unanimously to approve and forward to the Warrant Committee the FY15 MEMA budget in the amount of $10,615.
Kathleen M. Conlon moved, J. Thomas Hurley seconded and the Board voted unanimously to approve and forward to the Warrant Committee the FY15 Consolidated Facilities Department budget in the amount of $6,22,634 (level dollar), $705,069 (level service).
J. Thomas Hurley moved, Kathleen M. Conlon seconded and the Board voted unanimously to approve and forward to the Warrant Committee the FY15 Law budget in the amount of $261,000 (level dollar), $264,000 (level service).
Kathleen M. Conlon moved, J. Thomas Hurley seconded and the Board voted unanimously to approve and forward to the Warrant Committee the FY15 General Insurance budget in the amount of $950,647.
15. The Board met with representatives from the School Department to discuss the establishment of a committee to explore the consolidation of school and town functions. It was suggested that the committee consist of the Town Accountant, the Town Administrator (or her designee), the Town Treasurer (or his designee), Glenn Pavlicek, one School Committee member and a resident. The Boards targeted the beginning of January as a date to schedule a meeting and to approve a charge.
16. The Town Administrator announced that Standard & Poor’s has assigned a rating of AAA to the Town’s general obligation bonds to be issued soon. She also announced the appointment of Michael Blanchard as the new Assistant Town Administrator who will begin his new appointment on December 2, 2013. The Town Administrator acknowledged the recognition of World AIDS Day on December 1 by the Concord Baptist Church.
17. The Chairman updated the Board on the Mayor-Elect’s awareness of the excessive airplane activity in Dorchester and Milton and his willingness to participate in meetings to discuss airplane noise.
Denis F. Keohane moved, J. Thomas Hurley seconded and the Board voted unanimously with Denis F. Keohane voting yes, J. Thomas Hurley voting yes and Kathleen M. Conlon voting yes at 9:05 p.m. to enter executive session to discuss the deployment of security personnel or devices, or strategies with respect thereto (School Resource Officer) and Collective Bargaining (Consolidated Facilities Memorandum of Agreement), believing that having these conversations in open session would compromise the bargaining position of the body and to return to open session to adjourn.
18. J. Thomas Hurley moved, Kathleen M. Conlon seconded and the Board voted unanimously to adjourn at 10:25 p.m.
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