BOARD OF SELECTMEN
NOVEMBER 22, 2005
The regular meeting of the Monson Board of Selectmen convened at 7:00 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 were the Town Administrator and the media.
The Pledge of Allegiance was recited.
Accept Meeting Minutes:
Mr. Guertin made a motion to accept the meeting minutes of November 8, 2005 – open and executive sessions. Mr. Harrison seconded and it was so VOTED.
Mr. Guertin made a motion to accept the meeting minutes of October 11, 2005 – executive session. Mr. Harrison seconded and it was so VOTED.
Carolyn Bedard – Discussion of Santa Train Event:
Carolyn Bedard and Bob Richardson approached the Board of Selectmen. Mr. Richardson explained the Santa Train will be held on Saturday December 17th starting in Palmer this year at 8:00 a.m., and in Monson at 8:30 a.m. The Town of Palmer will be paying for the cost of the insurance this year. This year, heated coach cars will be used instead of the non-heated cars. The only stipulation is, the cars must be cleaned professionally following the usage and reimbursement is required for what little fuel is used to heat the cars. This will result in an expense of less then $200.00 per town. Mr. Richardson said he will pick up the cost for the locomotion, fuel for the train and the conductor’s pay. The last load on in Monson will be at 2:30 p.m. Mr. Richardson said he is going to try to get in fourteen runs. Ms.
Bedard added, last year there were close to 600 people riding the train in Monson alone, with a combined total of 2,500 to 2,600 people between the two towns. Ms. Bedard said she has already contacted the Police Department and they are going to participate as they normally do.
Mr. Harrison made a motion to approve the expenditure, from the Gifts to the Town account, for a sum of money up to $200.00 to help pay for the cleaning of the train cars and the little bit of fuel needed for heat for the Santa Train. Mr. Guertin seconded and it was so VOTED.
Mr. Guertin made a motion to approve the Santa Train in Monson on December 17th from the hours of 8:00 a.m. until 3:30 p.m. Mr. Harrison seconded and it was so VOTED.
If anyone wishes to volunteer to help out, they are invited to meet Ms. Bedard and Mr. Richardson at the site on Washington Street that morning.
Monson Rotary Club – “Tree of Lights”:
The Monson Rotary Club will be holding their 8th annual Tree of Lights this year. Mr. Harrison said lights may be purchased In Honor of or In Memory of a loved one and an engraved ornament will be added to the Christmas tree located in the gazebo at Dave Grieve Park. The purchase price is $10.00 per light. On December 20th, at 7:00 p.m. there will be a brief service at the gazebo with refreshments following in the Unitarian Universalist Church across the street. Ms. Norbut said the tree is absolutely beautiful and that it is a wonderful, thoughtful way to come together.
Fire Department – Homeland Security Grant – Request for Matching Funds – “Gifts to the Town”:
Chief Harris approached the Board of Selectmen and explained last year the Fire Department was awarded the Federal Assistance to Firefighters Grant in the amount of $23,000.00 which was used to replace the pagers. The share from his department was much smaller and therefore he was able to take it out of his budget. This year he again applied for the grant in March for the purchase of eighteen self contained breathing apparatus and was awarded the grant. The total amount of the grant is $105,000.00. The Federal share is $99,750.00 (95%) and the Fire Department share is $5,250.00 (5%). However, the line item in the Fire Department’s fire truck operating account was budgeted at $5,000.00 and at the present time, has less than $4,000.00 in it. Therefore, Chief Harris was requesting $5,250.00 from the Gifts to the Town
Account, or wherever the financial components suggest, in assisting with funding his department’s share of the grant. The new self contained breathing apparatus will last approximately fifteen years. The breathing apparatus currently in use are fifteen to twenty years old and are in need of repair. The breathing apparatus is stored on the fire trucks and are used every time the Fire Department goes to a hazmat or any type of fire.
Mr. Guertin made a motion to approve the expenditure of $5,250.00 from the Gifts to the Town Account to support the self contained breathing apparatus grant of $105,000.00. Mr. Harrison seconded and it was so VOTED.
Mr. Guertin said this is a great situation as this will remove $100,000.00 from the Capital needs list and added that he feels very comfortable supporting this request. Ms. Norbut agreed this is an excellent plan.
Chief Harris said he met with two representatives from FEMA yesterday who were interested in getting the word out to the residents of Monson regarding a grant (not a loan) available to homeowners for the damage caused by the flooding which occurred in October. Chief Harris said he was told there was a gentleman who filled out the application on-line taking only 20 to 30 minutes to do. The next day someone from FEMA went to the man’s house to look at the damage caused by the flooding and two days later, the money was in his account. Ms. Neggers said the information and telephone numbers are posted on the town’s web site and that it was also published in the newspapers. Chief Harris said anyone who doesn’t have access to a computer may call him or stop in and he will gladly assist them.
Announce Winter Parking Ban:
Mr. Guertin read the winter parking ban into the record, which is in accordance with the town-bylaw and is the same every year.
Mr. Guertin made a motion to implement the winter parking ban. During the winter season there will be no parking on the streets between the hours of 1:00 a.m. and 6:00 a.m. starting with the first snowfall or December 1, 2005 through March 31, 2006, with parking permits for overnight parking at Dave Grieve Park available in the Town Collector’s office at a cost of $5.00. Mr. Harrison seconded and it was so VOTED.
Approve Contract Amendment – SEA Consulting, Inc. – Margaret Street Landfill:
Ms. Neggers explained approximately a year ago, the town was notified by the DEP of the need to complete an initial site assessment of the former Margaret Street landfill, which was a municipally operated landfill that was capped and closed in 1980. In July the Board of Selectmen executed a contract with SEA Consultant, Inc. to complete the site assessment on behalf of the town. This included a base price of $14,600.00 to do the initial research, mapping and associated tasks to create a scope of work for submission to the DEP. Over the course of the summer, Ms. Neggers met with the DEP a couple of times to negotiate and review different proposals on the scope of work and the DEP has verbally approved this draft. Essentially they will be:
· Installing a maximum of four groundwater monitoring wells. One will be within the landfill, two down-gradient, and one up-gradient.
· Perform one round of groundwater monitoring for the four wells.
· Install three gas probes along the west side of the road. Perform one round of gas monitoring.
· Review the laboratory data.
· Prepare a summary report of the field data.
· Attend up to two meetings with the Town and/or DEP.
The proposed sum for this is $41,800.00, which will bring the total liability to $56,400.00, which is still well within the appropriated limit. Ms. Neggers said there will be on-going testing as it will have to be continually tested.
Mr. Harrison made a motion to approve the contract amendment number one to the agreement for professional services dated July 2005 for the expanded initial site assessment of the former landfill by SEA Consultants out of Cambridge, Massachusetts. Mr. Guertin seconded and it was so VOTED.
The well drilling will commence the week of December 6th.
Correspondence was read and completed.
In Other Business to Come Before the Board of Selectmen:
Ms. Norbut announced a community forum is scheduled for next Wednesday evening, November 30, 2005 at 7:00 p.m. in the auditorium at the Monson High School. Craig Jalbert, Superintendent of the Monson Water/Sewer Department along with Rebekah McDermott, a Source Water Protection Specialist with the Massachusetts Rural Water Association, will give a presentation and hold a discussion on water protection in our community. The town’s residents are urged to attend this very informative meeting. Also, Ms. McDermott and Mr. Jalbert will visit fourth graders at Quarry Hill Community School in order to get the students thinking about water protection.
Mr. Guertin reminded everyone the Monson Arts Council’s 27th annual holiday craft fair will be held all day Saturday, November 26th from 9:00 a.m. until 4:30 p.m. and a half a day on Sunday, November 27th from 12:00 noon until 4:30 p.m. On Sunday, carol singing will start at 4:00 p.m. at Memorial Hall with Santa arriving at 4:30 p.m. The Christmas lights will be turned on along Main Street. Following that, hot chocolate and cookies will be served at the Fire Station.
The Board of Selectmen wished everyone a Happy Thanksgiving.
At 7:50 p.m., Mr. Guertin made a motion to adjourn from open session to go into executive session for the purpose of a non-union contractual discussion, not to return to open session. Mr. Harrison seconded and it was so VOTED.
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Edward S. Harrison, Clerk
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