BOARD OF SELECTMEN
TUESDAY, JANUARY 25, 2005
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 December 28, 2004 – open session, January 5, 2005 – open and executive sessions and January 11, 2005 – open and executive sessions. Ms. Norbut seconded and it was so VOTED.
At 7:00 p.m., a public hearing convened for the discussion of the proposed FY 2005 CDBG (Community Development Block Grant) application. Paul Bracciotti approached the Board of Selectmen. Mr. Bracciotti stated last year the grant process was put into a much more competitive category due to the improved conditions in town, which meant there was a lot less money available in the pool. Monson was not successful with the grant being approved last year, but has high hopes for this year. $800,000.00 is the maximum amount of funding from the grant that Monson could receive. Mr. Bracciotti explained the submission thresholds and added representatives of some of the proposed projects were here tonight as well to individually summarize the projects and activities they have planned if the funding is approved. Mr. Bracciotti spoke of
Housing Certification (Executive Order 418) which receives an extra 10% or 8 points. Mr. Bracciotti said four units of Housing Rehab would be paired with the Lower Wales Road Infrastructure, Mr. Bracciotti also went over the four public service requests.
Water/Sewer Superintendent Craig Jalbert and Highway Surveyor John Morrell approached the Board of Selectmen to give their presentation regarding the proposed Infrastructure Project on Lower Wales Road. Mr. Jalbert said the Water/Sewer and the Highway Departments are working together on this project so that a new road will not be installed over water lines that are over 100 years old. This is the oldest length of pipeline having been installed in 1895. The Water/Sewer Commissioners have agreed to contribute $30,000.00 from the Water/Sewer Department funds and Mr. Morrell said he has agreed to match the $30,000.00 using Chapter 90 funds. Mr. Morrell explained their hope is to repair or replace the water main, storm drainage, repair the street, construct new sidewalks which will be five feet wide to accommodate Highway
machinery for plowing the snow off them, and repave the roadway. They will begin at the intersection with South Main Street (Route 32) and go up Wales Road approximately 2,000 feet to the intersection with Munn Road. Mr. Jalbert explained they had originally hoped to extend the repairs up Wales Road for a total distance of 4,500 feet to the intersection of Old Wales Road, but don’t have the funds to do this. The costs came in at over $700,000.00 and the project had to be narrowed down. The new estimate is $436,000.00. If the bids come in low enough the Water/Sewer and Highway Departments would like to try to extend the reconstruction to include, as much as possible, past the intersection of Munn Road toward Old Wales Road. The deadline for the submittal of the Notice of Intent on this grant is February 15th.
Judy White of the Council on Aging approached the Board of Selectmen to explain the Elder Respite Care Program she is looking to sponsor. This program provides much needed breaks to the caregivers and allows the elder being cared for a change of scenery. This program also helps to provide jobs for a few of the low to moderate-income seniors giving them a small amount of extra money. Ms. White said caring for an elder is a very stressful responsibility. Mr. Guertin agreed there is a large need for this type of service.
Sue Hamlitt, of the Pre-school Enrichment Team approached the Board of Selectmen regarding the Child Care Subsidy Program along with Carol Bressette who is a child care provider here in town. Ms. Hamlitt explained the Childcare Subsidy Program helps the parents who fall through the cracks of other subsidy programs. They also help with the training for childcare and technical assistance. Ms. Bressette added single parents struggle with day care expenses and this program has been a big help to them. Ms. Hamlitt explained she has a database listing all the childcare providers in town and the ages that provider accepts and so on. Participants are notified by a flyer that is sent out to all the day care providers in town asking them if they know of someone who could benefit from this subsidy to please send them to Ms. Hamlitt.
Currently there is a waiting list with 32 children on it.
Hope Bodwell of the Library approached the Board of Selectmen to speak about the Youth Diversion Program since Community Service is a big issue right now in town. Community Service is a spontaneous situation and not organized so it is very difficult to sometimes find placements for them. Ms Bodwell would like to take this program out of the library and into the town and hire a coordinator. Through this program, hopefully the teens will be kept as first time offenders and not repeat offenders. The work done would be similar to the summer jobs performed by the Youth Enrichment Program.
Ms. Norbut spoke on behalf of the Family Violence Intervention Program. This is a new program which will be a long-range program working with Palmer District Court. There is a cap of 20% on this grant, which can be used on Social Services. The four programs that fall under the Social Services are trying to split this portion of the grant fairly. Ms. Norbut explained there are many calls in town for domestic violence and restraining orders. Part of the grant incentive is to bring training and education to the law enforcement, childcare, educators and personnel to identify when there are issues in a family and how to appropriately intervene. Ms. Neggers questioned if maybe the town was trying to compete with itself by having four Social Service programs being proposed instead of just the three programs normally requested.
Mr. Bracciotti said all four programs are very important and he would check on this. Mr. Bracciotti feels all four are legitimate cases and this is just a modification. Ms. Norbut questioned the high Administrative costs and felt that only 15% to 18% of this grant should be used for this and not the proposed 22.5% which she feels is too excessive and not equivalent to this type of budget. It was agreed to invite Jim Mazik of the Pioneer Valley Planning Commission, in for a discussion regarding the administrative costs.
There wasn’t anyone in the audience to speak for or against the proposed FY 2005 CDBG application.
Mr. Guertin made a motion to approve the programs just discussed tonight, in the amounts that are shown, with the caveat that if Mr. Bracciotti finds out within the next 48 hours that Monson has jeopardized to some extent, the potential approval by having too many Public Service programs, that the Board of Selectmen revisit the Public Service program portion of this grant application. Ms. Norbut seconded and it was so VOTED.
Mr. Manning closed the public hearing at 8:05 p.m. on the proposed FY 2005 CDBG application.
At 8:05 p.m. a public hearing was held regarding the FY 2002 and 2003 CDBG programs performance. Mr. Bracciotti said the activities that were funded under the town’s FY 2002 grant were improvements to approximately fourteen units under the Housing Rehab Program and Septic Repair Deferred Payment Loan Program. Also there was a down payment assistance for the First Time Homebuyers Program. There was also a planning project to devise means to prevent child abuse in the Child Abuse Prevention Program.
The activities that were funded under the town’s FY 2003 grant were the Green Street area improvements to the infrastructure. Public Social Services included Child-Care support, the Youth Enrichment Program and the Teen Advisory Board at the Library.
Ed Harrison, who was in the audience, asked in 2002, if any of the fourteen dwelling units had been sold and if so has any of the Program Income been returned. Ms. Neggers said she couldn’t give specifics on this grant, but on an ongoing basis, there have been returns to Program Income, which is money held in an account that can only be used for other programs or projects that meet Federal objective. An example would be the barrels, which were removed from the South Main Street School with the use of Program Income. The Pioneer Valley Planning Commission holds this information, they do all the financial accounting on this, maintain all the records on the liens and track that downward slide, reporting the information back to the town. Mr. Bracciotti added no more than $100,000.00 in program income is allowed. Ms.
Hamlitt added one family she helped did request her to thank the Board of Selectmen for them as the Child Care Support held them tremendously. There wasn’t anyone else in the audience to speak for or against the FY 2002 and 2003 CDBG programs performance.
Mr. Manning closed the public hearing at 8:13 p.m. on the FY 2002 and 2003 CDBG programs performance.
Hope Bodwell approached the Board of Selectmen regarding the approval of the invitation from the Boston Red Sox for the World Series Trophy visit. Ms. Neggers explained this is something that was recently released in conjunction with the Massachusetts State Lottery Commission. The Boston Red Sox team had made a statement after they won the World Series that they would be happy to bring the trophy to every city and town in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, if the community submits a written request. Ms. Neggers said after reading this article, she contacted Ms. Bodwell as she felt the Library would be an important community organization to involve in this. Ms. Bodwell has come up with a letter requesting the World Series Trophy visit Monson, and was here tonight to present this letter to the Board of Selectmen so that
Monson could get in line for the visit. Ms. Bodwell said she is just waiting to hear from the team as to how much time will be allotted for this visit. She has been given ideas ranging from parades to banners and everything in between. Ms. Bodwell added she is trying to tie this into the history of the Red Sox and the history of Monson and is thinking of using Memorial Hall as a venue. Ms. Norbut made a motion to send a letter of request. Mr. Guertin seconded and it was so VOTED. Ms. Norbut suggested Ms. Bodwell post a copy of this letter at the library. Ms. Neggers said she would also like to post the letter on the towns web site.
Ms. Neggers stated seven applications were received in response to the advertised position for a new Animal Control Officer. Chief McKenzie and Sargent Kozloski have forwarded to the Board of Selectmen their recommendation for the best candidate for this position following the four interviews, which were held within the past two days. Ms. Norbut made a motion to appoint Steve Hutchinson, as recommended, to the position of Animal Control Officer through June 30, 2005. Mr. Guertin seconded and it was so VOTED.
Mr. Guertin made a motion to appoint Sharon Rondeau and Phil Murray to the Insurance Advisory Committee through June 30, 2005. Ms. Norbut seconded and it was so VOTED.
Ms. Norbut made a motion to appoint Kristen Marciniec to the Community Relations Committee through June 30, 2005. Mr. Guertin seconded and it was so VOTED.
Ms. Neggers informed the listening audience that BFI is running a day behind schedule this week due to the recent snowstorm on Sunday. This information has been faxed to the newspapers. Ms. Norbut also noted BFI is planning on changing their name to Allied Waste with bright royal blue trucks this spring.
Correspondence was read and completed.
At 8:30 p.m., Mr. Guertin 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. Ms. Norbut seconded and it was so VOTED.
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Richard E. Guertin, Clerk
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