 |
BOARD OF SELECTMEN
TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 13, 2005
The regular meeting of the Monson Board of Selectmen convened at 6:00 p.m. in the conference room at 110 Main Street. In attendance were Kathleen C. Norbut, Richard E. Guertin and Edward S. Harrison. Also present was the Town Administrator. Town Counsel was not present. Mr. Guertin made a motion to go into executive session at 6:00 p.m. to discuss collective bargaining (AFSME) and non-union contractual strategy. Mr. Harrison seconded and it was so VOTED. At 7:00 p.m., Mr. Guertin made a motion to adjourn from executive session to return to open session. Mr. Harrison seconded and it was so VOTED. The media was now present.
The Pledge of Allegiance was recited.
Accept Minutes of July 26 – Executive Session and August 23, 2005 – Open Session:
Mr. Guertin made a motion to accept the meeting minutes of July 26, 2005 – executive session and August 23, 2005 – open session. Mr. Harrison seconded and it was so VOTED.
Friends of the Monson Free Library – One Day Special Wine License (10/14/05):
Hope Bodwell approached the Board of Selectmen. Ms. Bodwell said the Friends of the Monson Free Library would like to hold a wine tasting fundraiser on October 14, 2005 in the Sylvia DeSantis Community Room. Seventy-five tickets are available at the Library or from Friends of the Library for $20.00 each. The insurance is all taken care of. Tom Brown will offer different wines from around the country, for tasting only, and tell about them. Wine will not be sold at this event. Refreshments will be served. Anyone with questions may contact the Library. All the funds raised by the Friends of the Monson Free Library go to the library to help support the programs, as the library doesn’t have a line item budget. Mr. Harrison made a motion to allow the Friends of the Monson Free Library to have a one- day Beer and Wine
License on October 25th, from 7:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. in the Sylva DeSantis Room. Mr. Guertin seconded and it was so VOTED. Ms. Norbut suggested Ms. Bodwell contact Chief Kozloski to let him know there might be some additional traffic during this event.
Discuss FY 2006 Budget – Impact of Increased Fuel Costs:
Debi Mahar approached the Board of Selectmen. Ms. Norbut said both, Ms. Mahar and Ms. Neggers have been working together to bring estimates of the impact of increased fuel costs to the attention of the Board of Selectmen for discussion, as there are some serious concerns which need to be shared with the community. Decisions will have to be made regarding how the increases will impact services and if they do, carry on some further discussions and analysis on how to cope with those unforeseen changes. Ms. Mahar handed the Board of Selectmen revised fiscal revenue projections. The projections show the current budget as voted, with a $17,000.00 shortfall. Ms. Norbut explained the reason the deficit is there is not because the planning wasn’t done properly, but because the sequence in the calendar of when the numbers
come in from the state. The numbers from the state lag behind from when the town must put its numbers together to bring to the town meeting. Ms. Neggers added another number looked at when looking at revenue projections is new growth. New growth is not certified by the state until probably October, give or take, so this number is a good faith conservative estimate. Word from the Assessors office is they are estimating that new growth will be $55,000.00 higher then estimated. However, this amount hasn’t been certified. One account of concern is that which buys the gasoline and diesel fuels to fuel town vehicles, which include all the vehicles seen around town doing all of the work of the town from Parks and Recreation, Cemetery, Police, Fire, Water and Sewer to the Highway Department. This account was essentially level funded with what was expended last year. In August, it was identified that the town would be approximately $30,000.00 short in the fuel account. Last
year, the average price of gasoline the town paid was $1.72 per gallon and we are now paying $2.41 and the budget needs to be adjusted for this increase. Ms. Neggers has advised all of the departments of the pending shortfall and has encouraged them to conserve by making sure the vehicles are maintained properly, checking the tire pressure, and not leaving the vehicles idling. Ms. Neggers has projected a 40% increase in fuel costs, which would leave a deficit of $37,300.00 based on the August price of $2.41 per gallon. The $57,198.00 deficit in that account is based on $2.89 per gallon, which is a 60% increase. This does not include the fuel for the school buses. A 40% increase in diesel costs is based on $2.55 per gallon and 60% is based on $3.06. Ms. Neggers added the town’s bid doesn’t lock in the price, but merely locks in the margin. Ms. Neggers said this deficit would probably be in the area of 50% to 55%. The predicted shortfall for petroleum products, which
include the gasoline and diesel, will be approximately between $37,000.00 and $57,000.00. the School department did budget an increase in their diesel account. The School also budgeted for 25,000 gallons of diesel at $2.25 per gallon, which is an increase over last year. Ms. Neggers said she is projecting about a $7,300.00 shortfall here. Michelle Loglisci mentioned to Ms. Neggers they are currently looking at different revenue ways for funding the shortfall. Ms. Neggers said just looking at the range for fuel to operate the towns’ vehicles, you are looking at anywhere from a$43,000.00 to $65,000.00 shortfall. The other shortfall identified was in heating costs. What is in the current budget for heating costs is less then what was spent last year and is being compounded by a pretty dramatic spike in heating oil costs. In trying to analyze the heating costs, Ms. Neggers looked at costs for heating the Town Office Building, Memorial Hall, the Highway Garage, the Cemetery
Building, the dog pound, and the Fire Station. Ms. Neggers and Ms. Mahar calculated the natural gas at a 40% increase and calculated the heating oil costs at a 35% increase over what was actually spent last year. Between these two accounts, it would leave a $27,000.00 shortfall in heating costs. This does not include the School department, who started out the year with full tanks at last year’s price. The town is looking at a deficit, which needs to be funded, between $34,000.00 and $54,000.00. These are recurring expenses. There was $422,00.00 in free cash used to balance the budget of the annual town meeting. The prior year the town used $384,000.00. The town has already drawn greater and deeper into the reserves, into its non-recurring money, trying to keep things stable. Ms. Neggers said the financial people in town have discussed this and agree they need to revisit departmental budgets rather then trying to draw money from stabilization, making a bigger gap every year
and eventually using up all of the reserves. This would leave a catastrophic scenario, which could cause a widespread elimination of services and a reduction of services. Ms. Neggers said it is time to start making some modest cuts, phasing them in and getting people use to it. A town meeting will need to be scheduled to make budget reductions in the vicinity of $35,000.00 to $55,000.00. Ms. Neggers said the town desperately needs recurring revenue. A meeting will be set up to discuss this further in order to get this resolved by early October prior to a Town Meeting.
Stipulate Appointment Term – Chief of Police:
Chief Kozloski approached the Board of Selectmen. Ms. Norbut explained this is a procedural step the Board needs to take. On April 15th, Chief Kozloski was appointed Acting Chief having previously served as Acting Chief in the Community and as a Sergeant. At that time, Chief Kozloski was appointed as Chief with the stipulation that there would be a contractual agreement, which has been reached. The contract has already been signed and this meeting is to appoint the term.
Mr. Guertin made a motion to approve the appointment of Chief Kozloski from the period of July 1, 2005 through June 30, 2008. Mr. Harrison seconded and it was so VOTED.
Lee Williams – 2005 Monson Memorial Classic:
Lee Williams approached the Board of Selectmen regarding the annual Monson Memorial Classic Road Race. Ms. Williams said the date is tentatively set for Sunday, November 13th. This will be their 10th annual race. The race will start at noon. Ms. Williams was requesting use of Memorial Hall from 9:00 a.m. until after the clean up was completed. Ms. Williams stated the Army National Guard have contacted her about setting up a recruiting booth there during the road race and Ms. Williams said she has mixed feelings regarding that. The Army National Guard are approaching road races across the country with their request. Ms. Williams said the Monson Memorial Classic road race benefits the American Cancer Society and all the programs they have to offer. She has also welcomed any business that might want to
have something there as well. Mr. Guertin said recruiting wouldn’t fit with the theme Ms. Williams is trying to set. Ms. Norbut said she isn’t that comfortable with setting up a recruiting booth either as Kathy and Kelly are two Monsonites with local families and local sponsors. The Monson Board of Selectmen have supported the Army National Guard and Monson was one of the very first communities to sign the ERISA Agreement. Ms. Williams said there isn’t enough room inside Memorial Hall for the Army National Guard to set up and said the race is a fundraiser with the profits going to the American Cancer, American Lung and the Quaboag Valley Hospice. Ms. Norbut said it is okay to keep the road race pure in that sense. Mr. Guertin agreed if the Army National Guard set up, it would be a distraction taking away from the whole meaning and he would be inclined to pass on the booth requested by the Army National Guard. The web site for anyone interested is www.memorialclassic.com. Ms. Williams said in the town
pamphlet, which lists all the different events, her telephone number is listed incorrectly. It should be 267-5811.
Mr. Harrison made a motion to allow the Monson Memorial Classic folks to hold their races on Sunday, November 13th and to be able to use Memorial Town Hall, if available, from 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. with the major race starting at noon, the 5K at about 12:15 and the two mile walk following that. Mr. Guertin seconded and it was so VOTED.
Ms. Williams described the route and said she would coordinate with Chief Kozloski on the details. Registration forms are available everywhere as well as on line.
Discuss Special Town Meeting Needs:
No further discussion took place regarding this.
Community Relations Committee Banner Request: September 30th – October 8th and November 12th – November 20th:
Ms. Norbut noted the guest speaker; Robert Meeropol spoke last week at the Monson Free Library on September 7th. Ms. Norbut said she found Mr. Meeropol to be a very compelling, inspiring and very patriotic speaker. This was part of the fall forum series of the No Place for Hate Campaign®. John and Maggie Bish will also be coming to the Library to speak on behalf of the Bish Foundation and about the tragedy they endured with the abduction of their daughter Molly. The third speaker isYoko Kato from Northampton and will be coming in on November 17th. Ms. Kato is an advocate in the area of domestic violence, having been a survivor herself and then having lost her daughter and her grandson to her daughters domestic partner at that time. Ms. Norbut said the Community Relations Committee would like to
put up their No Place for Hate Campaign® banner between the dates of September 30th and October 8th for the Bish presentation week and the second banner request was for November 12th through November 20th for the Yoko Kato presentation. Mr. Guertin said the second set of requested dates is the same time in November the banner announcing the craft fair is displayed. Ms. Norbut said it would be possible to display the No Place for Hate Campaign® banner at the Library or the gazebo. Mr. Guertin said he would be willing to allow the Community Relations Committee to have the first week in November and that the craft fair could have the week prior and the week during Thanksgiving as the banner for the No Place for Hate doesn’t contain any dates. Ms. Neggers said the Arts Council has a previously approved request for October 8th to October 30th for their play. Ms. Norbut withdrew the request for displaying
the No Place for Hate Campaign® banner during the period requested in November.
Mr. Guertin made a motion to approve the Community Relations banner request from September 30th to October 8th. Mr. Harrison seconded and it was so VOTED.
Mr. Guertin made a motion to approve the Arts Council’s banner request from the period of November 10th through November 28th. Mr. Harrison seconded and it was so VOTED.
Hurricane Katrina Relief Efforts:
Ms. Norbut spoke about some of the local efforts regarding the relief from Hurricane Katrina in the south. Ms. Norbut said if anyone is looking for ways to be supportive financially and otherwise, she received a flyer today stating the Monson High School Student Council and National Honor Society have teamed up to coordinate the Monson Public School’s Hurricane Katrina Relief Fund. Ms. Norbut read the flyer into the record. Ms. Norbut also read Fax Facts into the record. Monson Savings Bank has also offered to match up to $5,000.00 the amount of funding the students raise for this effort. Ms. Norbut has also spoken with some of the Girl Scout leaders in the community and they are working with and coordinating with a Palmer Girl Scout Troop to assist a young woman whose mother is a worker in our school who basically
lost everything in this hurricane. Ms. Norbut has posted on MassLive.com and offered to the community, if anyone has a family member or know of somebody that has some specific needs, she would be happy to assist them with trying to connect with some of the service organizations that might be able to match up some of those specific needs. Ms. Norbut added MEMA has said it is important to go to the established agencies instead of trying to drive down to help out as this makes for more confusion.
Correspondence was read and completed.
Other Business to Come Before the Board of Selectmen:
Ms. Neggers said a request has been received from the Parks and Recreation Director for the use of the gymnasium on September 24th from 8:00 a.m. to 10:30 a.m. for team pictures in the event of rain. Mr. Guertin made a motion to allow the Parks and Recreation Department the use of the gymnasium on September 24th from 8:00 a.m. to 10:30 a.m. for team pictures in the event of rain. Mr. Harrison seconded and it was so VOTED.
At 8:20 p.m., Mr. Guertin made a motion to adjourn from open session to return to executive session to return to open session for the purpose of discussing collective bargaining. Mr. Harrison seconded and it was so VOTED.
_______________________
Edward S. Harrison, Clerk
| |
