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MONSON BOARD OF SELECTMEN
TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 25, 2003
The regular meeting of the Board of Selectmen convened at 7:00 p.m. in the Conference Room at 110 Main Street. In attendance were Richard E. Guertin, James R. Manning and Kathleen C. Norbut. Also present was the Town Administrator and the Media. Town Counsel did not attend this meeting.
Ms. Norbut made a motion to accept the meeting minutes of November 5th and 10th, 2003 open session and October 14th, 28th and November 10th, 2003 executive session. Mr. Manning seconded and it was so VOTED.
A Public Hearing was held at 7:05 p.m. regarding the Town of Monsoon’s application to the EPA for the Brownfield Cleanup Funds at the South Main Street School, a/k/a Dan Wesson Arms. Jim Gray approached the Board of Selectmen. Ms. Neggers reiterated that this was discussed at the last meeting, held on November 10th, regarding the concept of applying for the EPA for Brownfield Cleanup money at the South Main Street School located at 293 South Main Street and working with the Pioneer Valley Planning Commission. Mr. Gray specifically will be preparing the grant on behalf of the town. The Board of Selectmen authorized at the last meeting for that action to go forward, and tonight is the Public Hearing. Ms. Neggers added the Selectmen have received letters of support and words of encouragement from HAP
(the organization the town might possibly have a joint venture with). The State sent a letter of acknowledgment from the DEP to the EPA. There is a letter of support from the Quaboag Valley Community Development Corporation. A letter of support was received today from the Monson Historical Commission signed by Dennis Swierad, the Chairman, and Ms. Neggers read a portion of this letter into the record. Jean Bailey, Chairperson of the Monson Tourism Association also submitted a letter of support on behalf of that organization and Ms. Neggers read part of this letter into the record. Chief McKenzie submitted a letter of support on behalf of the Police Department and Ms. Neggers read a portion of this letter into the record. The Fire Department submitted a letter of support signed by Chief Marshall Harris and a portion of this letter was read into the record as well. Ms. Neggers stated she had a conversation with Rolland Desrosiers, President of Monson Savings Bank, who stated he is
pleased, on behalf of the Bank, to submit a letter in support of this grant application as well and is aware of the need to create affordable housing.
Ms. Neggers stated Susan Rutherford, the Director of Quaboag Valley CDC, was unable to attend this meeting due to an illness, but did drop off a presentation outlining the project, proposed costs and potential commercial uses, that Ms. Neggers presented for her. The total project cost is $334,300.00. This Public Hearing is putting forward a proposal to seek $200,000.00 in funding from the EPA combined with a loan from the Pioneer Valley Regional Brownfield Cleanup Revolving Loan Fund. This is a very generous low cost loan program.
Mr. Gray said the first consideration is for the cleanup activity itself. Currently, under the Federal Tax Law, the cost to cleanup the property is eligible as a tax exemption/deduction, dollar for dollar. On the State side, it is fifty cents on a dollar. The building is not on the National Register, but would be eligible for the National Registration and as such, investment tax credits could be available for the building. Mr. Gray said this could be tricky and the intent would be to have HAP and the CDC, if they continue to be involved, establish an organization or a firm of ownership that would allow the tax credits, specifically the investment tax credit, to pass through to the end users.
There was no one in the audience to speak for or against this project. Ms. Neggers added what is being put forward is a sound plan that will result in a positive end use. The Planning Commission, Mr. Gray, the Board of Selectmen, the Building Inspector, DEP, EPA, all of the layers of local, the state and the federal government would not recommend a proposed end use that wouldn’t be safe, acceptable and positive for everybody involved. Ms. Neggers added this is a well thought out and documented. The town and the CDC
were able to use CDBG money, Mass. Development money and hopefully some EPA money and a lot of different funding sources.
Ms. Norbut made a motion that the Chairman of the Monson Board of Selectmen be authorized to secure the assistance of the Pioneer Valley Planning Commission with the preparation and submission of an application for financial assistance under EPA’s FY 2004 Brownfields Cleanup Program for environmental cleanup of the South Main Street School. If funded, the PVPC will be asked to assist with the implementation and completion of the cleanup project. Mr. Manning seconded and it was so VOTED.
Ms. Norbut made a motion that the Chairman of the Monson Board of Selectmen be authorized to request and process a loan application for up to $150,000.00 from the Pioneer Valley Regional Brownfields Cleanup Revolving Loan Fund to partially underwrite the cost of the environmental cleanup project at the South Main Street School. The loan and loan amount would be predicated upon the success of the town’s EPA application and the actual cleanup cost of the project. It is anticipated that once the school cleanup project has been completed, the school will be developed, converted to a new use through a joint venture between HAAP, Inc. and the Quaboag Valley Community Development Corporation. Mr. Manning seconded and it was so VOTED.
Jonathan Miller who is the Local Emergency Management Director and Chief McKenzie approached the Board of Selectmen regarding an update on the Local Emergency Program. Ms. Norbut said on November 13th at the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame, there was a 2003 Local Emergency Planning Committee Conference. Ms. Norbut was able to attend a couple of the morning sessions with Mr. Miller who stayed for the whole day. Ms. Norbut was very impressed with the level of professionalism and the amount of the information. She was able to learn more about the Local Emergency Planning Committees and the work they do. Mr. Miller said the basic overview of what the Local Emergency Planning Committee is, is that every city and town in Massachusetts has this committee set up. The committee consists of an Emergency Manager, Town
Administration, the Police, Fire and EMT’s, the Board of Health, School systems, transportation, etc. The conference showed them they should go beyond this group to involve community groups, industrial groups, etc. Their goal is to come up with a disaster plan and prepare for that. Some types of disasters might be floods, hurricanes, earthquakes, but they are more geared for the things that are more likely to happen such as chemical and biological agents as far as the chemicals on the train tracks, roadways and the pipeline. Monson is at level three. The committee works out the bugs and continues to up-date the plans. Some of the things the committee has been doing recently is at the Fire Department they held a hazmat awareness training. This is held every year to identify hazards and how to deal with situations that might happen. Last week the six Hampden County hospitals met with the Hampden County Local Emergency Planning Committees to present what they have for their
local emergency plan. Mr. Miller said he has also worked on a couple of surveys recently. One very lengthy, very technical survey was conducted by the Department of Public Health. He also worked on a Homeland Security Assessment and a strategy program survey. Mr. Miller said Monson has an excellent plan and they have been slowly preparing for a drill this year at the Monson Developmental Center. Ms. Neggers added they did do an evacuation of Colonial Village in the past. Chief McKenzie added he and Chief Harris have set up two or three trainings in the past at different times of the year and at different locations in town allowing the Police and Fire Departments to work more closely together. Chief McKenzie said this is relatively new ground they are breaking, but they are making decent progress. Ms. Neggers noted there have been several mock disasters. At the mock disasters something usually happens that wasn’t anticipated and the plan is amended. Ms. Neggers added she feels
Monson is much further along as a community than we have ever been in the area of planning, the accuracy of our documents that are in place, the surveys, the cooperation between all of the people, the diversity of the membership on the LEPC and the ability to get them all together for regular meetings. Chief McKenzie said what the LEPC is focusing on here in town are the tractor-trailer trucks passing through town with some very nasty chemicals. This also goes for the railroad as well. There is also the possibility of a plane crash here in town and things of that nature. Chief McKenzie said the town does the best it can with the equipment we have and tries to accumulate a little more each year.
In other business to come before the Board, Ms. Neggers said she had a request from the Water/Sewer Department. Several months ago, the town was approached by a group of attorneys, who are pursuing a
consolidated action suit regarding water contamination within the Commonwealth. The Town of Monson has trace amounts of MTBE in our water supply and Monson does show up on the list. The Water/Sewer Commissioners voted and have requested the town to authorize participation in this consolidated action suit for MTBE contamination. This is nothing to worry about, as it is a very trace amount.
Ms. Norbut made a motion to authorize the Water/Sewer Commissioners to enter into the consolidated action suit for MTBE contaminates as presented by Richard Sandman and his firm. Mr. Manning seconded and it was so VOTED.
In other business to come before the Board of Selectmen, Mr. Manning mentioned the Electrical Inspectors position. He feels Gerald Weston could fill the Inspectors position until next July, which would be the end of the cycle. The Assistant was needed due to any conflict between David Beaudoin and Raymond Beaudoin, as they are brothers, and also for any work Raymond did. This position hasn’t been solicited for since the resignation was given. Ms. Neggers said the proposal put forward by Chip Lapointe, the Building Inspector, was to utilize Mr. Weston for a period of approximately three months to see how this works out. Ms. Neggers also suggested the Board of Selectmen seek the input of the Building Inspector as he supervises the inspectors. Mr. Guertin suggested maybe having a search committee made up of qualified
people who could make a judgement and then bring their recommendations to the Board of Selectmen. Ms. Norbut said she would feel comfortable with a recommendation from Mr. Lapointe. It was agreed to ask Mr. Lapointe to initiate something after the first of the year, as everything is going well right now.
Ms. Neggers announced the Board of Selectmen would be holding a Special Meeting on Monday, December 1st, at 6:00 p.m. The purpose of this meeting is a joint meeting with the Monson Board of Assessors to hold the tax classification public hearing.
Correspondence was read and completed.
At 8:25 p.m., Ms. Norbut made a motion to adjourn from open session to go into executive session for the purpose of discussing Collective bargaining not to return to open session. Mr. Manning seconded and it was so VOTED.
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Kathleen C. Norbut, Clerk
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