MONSON BOARD OF SELECTMEN
TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 9, 2004
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 James R. Manning, Kathleen C. Norbut and Richard E. Guertin. Also present were the Town Administrator and the Media. Town Counsel was not present.
Mr. Guertin made a motion to accept the meeting minutes of October 26, 2004 – open session. Ms. Norbut seconded and it was so VOTED.
Pole petition #8060 – Munn Road – for the installation of two jointly owned poles. Mr. Guertin read the petition into the record. There was no public comment or input. The Water/Sewer and Highway Departments expressed no objection to the pole locations. Ms. Norbut made a motion to accept pole petition #8060 as presented. Mr. Guertin seconded and it was so VOTED.
Pole petition #8057 – Paradise Lake Road – for the installation of one new pole and the relocation of one pole. Mr. Guertin read the petition into the record. There was no public comment or input. The Water/Sewer and Highway Departments expressed no objection to the pole locations. Ms. Norbut made a motion to accept pole petition #8057 as presented. Mr. Guertin seconded and it was so VOTED.
At 7:10 p.m., Ms. Norbut made a motion to reconvene the public hearing that began on August 26, 2003, regarding the abandonment of maintenance on Howlett Hill Road. Mr. Guertin seconded and it was so VOTED. At 7:11 p.m., Ms. Norbut made a motion to close the public hearing on the abandonment of maintenance on Howlett Hill Road. Mr. Guertin seconded and it was so VOTED. Mr. Fred Markham, the sole abutter whose property consists of 220 acres stated he was worried that he would not be able to build there in the future if the maintenance was discontinued as he would no longer own any road frontage. Mr. Manning said he would work with Mr. Markham on this and would be in touch with him.
Hugh Campbell of Massamont Insurance Agency, based in Greenfield, Mass., approached the Board of Selectmen with a request to bid on the towns’ insurance coverage. Mr. Campbell explained what Massamont Insurance Agency has to offer. Mr. Manning thanked Mr. Campbell for coming in and stated that the town currently isn’t seeking bids and explained the town is content with our present insurance carrier.
The next item on the agenda was to complete the Special Town Meeting warrant. Mr. Manning and Mr. Guertin both stated they had no problem with the two requests submitted by the School Department, or with the explanation provided. Ms. Norbut stated she would like to discuss the process of why the Special Education is a budget that changes throughout the school year and would like more information on the accounting of the School Transportation.
Carol Woodbury and Judy Dion, of the School Department, approached the Board of Selectmen. As to why the Special Education budget changes throughout the year, Ms. Dion stated when the budgeting process was done in the spring, it was based on what they knew at that time. Since then, more students have moved in, and students participating in out of district placement have required additional services or a longer school year. The School Department also had to request a contract for assisted technology services for students unable to communicate and possibly needing devices. These are services required by the state and federal laws. Ms. Norbut asked if the school would receive some type of reimbursement from the state at the end of this fiscal year. Ms. Dion said the reimbursement would come in the ensuing year, so they are
always running one year behind. Ms. Dion explained the town is financially responsible for the remainder of the year for any student who moves out of town prior to April 1st. If a student moves out of town after July 1st, the town becomes financially responsible for the next year, at which time the next school district picks it up.
In transportation, Ms. Norbut said she had some concerns with the van costs. Ms. Norbut added it was a little over two years ago that the administration and the school department were looking into leasing the busses and to charging the riders in grades 7 through 12. Ms. Norbut said this is something she would like to see eliminated. Ms. Norbut stated she hasn’t seen any accounting of the Transportation Department. Ms. Woodbury stated they are trying to get the budget in the same format for everything so that people can understand it. Ms. Norbut stated she feels uncomfortable placing an article on the warrant without first seeing the history of accountability of the line item budget. There hasn’t been any spreadsheets showing just where the money has been going, which is what Ms. Norbut said she is looking for.
Ms. Woodbury said she has asked Michelle Loglisci for an accounting and her understanding was that Ms. Loglisci and Ms. Mahar were going to meet to set something up. Ms. Woodbury stated she understands how important this information is to a community and asked the Boards indulgence as this is the first time regarding the School Transportation Department. The vans are old and most were used prior to the School Department by the Council on Aging, in order to save the community money. Ms. Woodbury stated the vans are something the School Department can’t do without. Two used vans could be purchased for $10,000.00, which is cheaper then the cost of hiring an outside company to come in. Ms. Woodbury also added that the vans must be provided leaving no choices, and she would like to do this in the most cost-effective way. Ms. Norbut added she would still like to see accountability prior to placing this request on a Special Town Meeting warrant. Mr. Guertin said he supports the
$10,000.00 at this time. Mr. Manning questioned the portion of the request pertaining to the heating oil. Ms. Mahar who was in the audience, said a Reserve Fund will be set up for the utilities and would include the heating of the school buildings. This wasn’t needed for two years, but looks like it will be needed once again and Ms. Mahar feels this is the best way to handle this request.
Mr. Guertin made a motion to place on the Special Town meeting warrant an article for the items mentioned under non-net School Spending for the total request of $15,066.00 ($5,066.00 for diesel fuel for the buses and van replacement at $10,000.00). Mr. Manning seconded. Mr. Manning and Mr. Guertin VOTED aye; Ms. Norbut VOTED nay. Mr. Manning added he also agrees with Ms. Norbut, that if they know where funds are going, it makes it a lot easier.
Ms. Norbut made a motion to place on the Special Town meeting warrant an article for the School Department in the amount of $52,809.00. Mr. Guertin seconded and it was so VOTED.
Ms. Norbut made a motion to place on the Special Town meeting warrant an article to see if the Town will vote to raise and appropriate the sum of $1,000.00 to the Private Roads Account. Mr. Guertin seconded and it was so VOTED.
Ms. Norbut made a motion to place an article on the Special Town meeting warrant to see if the Town will vote to raise and appropriate and/or transfer a sum of money ($100,000.00) to a Utility Reserve Fund under the control of the Finance Committee. Mr. Guertin seconded and it was so VOTED.
Ms. Norbut made a motion to place on the Special Town meeting warrant an article to raise and appropriate and/or transfer a sum of money to the Health Insurance Town Share Account. Mr. Guertin seconded and it was so VOTED.
Ms. Norbut made a motion to place an article on the warrant for the Special Town meeting to raise and appropriate and/or transfer a sum of money to the Funds Balance Reserve for High School Debt. Mr. Guertin seconded and it was so VOTED.
Mr. Guertin made a motion to place on the Special Town meeting warrant an article to discontinue Howlett Hill Road, in its entirety, in accordance with Mass. General Law, Chapter 82, Section 21. Ms. Norbut seconded and it was so VOTED.
Ms. Neggers explained the need for the request of money for the Margaret Street Landfill site stating it is an assessment requested by the DEP. Ms. Norbut made a motion to place on the Special Town meeting warrant an article to raise and appropriate a sum of money for the Margaret Street Landfill site assessment. This was amended to include the wording “raise and appropriate and/or transfer and appropriate”. Mr. Guertin seconded as amended and it was so VOTED.
Ms. Norbut made a motion to close the Special Town meeting warrant. Mr. Guertin seconded and it was so VOTED.
Rebecca Jacobs approached the Board of Selectmen regarding a request to create a Master Plan Implementation Committee. Ms. Jacobs explained this committee would consist of four to eight members who would assist the Planning Board with the implementation of the Master Plan by determining, as a committee, just which by-laws they have the time, energy and/or resources to put forth into action. Mr. Guertin clarified the need for this committee, which is to help by doing the legwork in orchestrating the implementation. Ms. Jacobs has met with the Planning Board and they are fairly receptive. The Board of Selectmen agreed to have Ms. Jacobs come back to them with a list of members to be appointed to the committee. Ms. Norbut made a motion to establish a Master Plan Advisory Committee and to appoint Rebecca Jacobs as the Chair.
Mr. Guertin seconded and it was so VOTED.
Edward Harrison approached the Board of Selectmen regarding appointments to the Local Partnership for Economic Development. Mr. Harrison read the Mission Statement, as attached, into the record and added, several months ago he approached the Board of Selectmen with a request for revitalizing the Local Partnership for Economic Development Committee. At that time, Mr. Harrison was appointed Chairman and it was agreed Mr. Harrison would come back before the Board of Selectmen once he had a list of members he wished to appoint. Ms. Norbut made a motion to appoint Roland Desrochers, Jeannie Bailey, Dennis Duquette, Betty Faichney, Frank Kapsia and Gretchen Neggers to the Local Partnership for Economic Development effective immediately through June 30, 2005. Mr. Guertin seconded and it was so VOTED. Mr. Harrison said he would
update the Board of Selectmen on a quarterly basis.
A discussion was held designating South Main Street School as slums and blight area, allowing Monson to be eligible for use of Block Grant funding for remediation work in that area. Ms. Norbut made a motion to approve the attached resolution and incorporated into these minutes. Mr. Guertin seconded and it was so VOTED.
Mr. Guertin made a motion to approve the use of Program Income in the amount of $52,500.00, $50,000.00 of which would be used for EPA Cleanup Grant Matching Funds including the removal of the barrels at South Main Street School and $2,500.00 for two Emergency Housing Rehabilitation projects. Ms. Norbut seconded and it was so VOTED.
Ms. Neggers said the Priority Development Fund application is for a new grant program provided through the DHCD. This grant is to assist communities in planning and identifying ways to create affordable housing. This application is to apply for $50,000.00 to be used to hire an architect to spec out and to create a footprint of the South Main Street building and to determine how many units could be created there, and to lend some feasibility in converting this space into affordable housing. This process will also hopefully aid the town in receiving a realistic bid on this property. Mr. Guertin made a motion to approve the Priority Development Fund application. Ms. Norbut seconded and it was so VOTED.
In other business to come before the Board of Selectmen, Carolyn Bedard and Bob Richardson approached the Board of Selectmen regarding their request for the Santa Train. Ms. Bedard said the Santa Train will be the same as last year, and will be held on Saturday, December 18th from 8:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Ms. Norbut made a motion to approve the Santa Train in Monson on December 18th, roughly scheduled between 8:30 a.m. and 3:30 p.m. Mr. Guertin seconded and it was so VOTED.
Ms. Norbut thanked all the people in town who helped to make the recent election, held on November 2nd, go so smoothly, as it was a very busy day. Ms. Norbut read the names of the workers into the record.
Correspondence was read and completed.
At 9:00 p.m., Mr. Guertin made a motion to adjourn from open session to go into executive session for the purpose of discussing value of real property and collective bargaining, not to return to open session. Ms. Norbut seconded and it was so VOTED.
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Richard E. Guertin, Clerk
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