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MONSON BOARD OF SELECTMEN
TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 6, 2007
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 Richard E. Guertin and Kathleen C. Norbut. Edward S. Harrison was absent. Also present were the Town Administrator and the media.
The Pledge of Allegiance was recited.
Acceptance of Meeting Minutes:
Ms. Norbut made a motion to accept the meeting minutes of January 23, 2007 – open session. Mr. Guertin seconded and it was so VOTED.
Peter LePoer, d/b/a Main Street Liquors Re: License Information:
Mr. LePoer approached the Board of Selectmen. Mr. Guertin explained there are two authorities overseeing liquor licenses; the Alcoholic Beverages Control Commission on the state level and the Board of Selectmen on the local level. Mr. Guertin said the Board of Selectmen follow the guidelines for the Massachusetts liquor laws set forth in the Blue Book issued by the State. Mr. Guertin added back on October 27, 2006 he attended a regional Alcoholic Beverages Control seminar where the state expressed how they expect local government to monitor liquor establishments and everything happening within their city/town, which is what prompted this meeting tonight. The liquor license for Main Street Liquors was recently renewed, whereupon it was noticed they now had an LLP. The Board of Selectmen had no prior knowledge of this
transaction taking place. Mr. Guertin explained in approximately January 2004, when Mr. LePoer purchased the liquor store; the liquor license was taken out in his name alone. At that time the Selectmen were surprised he was doing this due to the potential for liability issues. Mr. LePoer stated at that time he planned on doing an LLP at some point. Mr. Guertin said recently it came to the Boards attention that an LLP had been done, however with the LLP, new paperwork must be filled out, reviewed by the Board of Selectmen and Town Counsel and then filed with the ABCC in Boston prior to that happening, and this wasn’t done. Also if and when there is a change in managers, the new managers meet with the Board of Selectmen and a CORI check is done. Mr. LePoer said he did the LLP shortly after acquiring the liquor license a few years ago and had been unsuccessful in contacting the attorney for the ABCC. Mr. LePoer stated he is still the owner of the property and is in the store
fifty-four hours a week. The day clerk is in the store for forty hours a week and the other two partners are in the store on an average of twelve hours each per week Mr. Guertin stated there was an incident a short time ago at the store where it was discovered the door to the store was unlocked with no one around. Mr. LePoer stated there is an apartment upstairs and someone was up there and that the door just didn’t latch right when it was shut. Ms. Neggers explained when transferring from one entity to another, forms may be downloaded on line at www.mass.gov, and that this process needs to be done. Mr. LePoer stated he would be out of the country until February 25th but agreed to return the forms to the Selectmen’s office this week. Ms. Neggers said by providing the Selectmen’s office with the forms, a public hearing could be posted and advertised, the application reviewed by Town Counsel, with the
public hearing scheduled for March 13th.
Valley Human Services – Re: Funding Request:
Executive Director Kathleen Damon of the Carson Center for Human Services and the Director/Program Manager Jane Simonds of Valley Human Services approached the Board of Selectmen. Mr. Guertin said this meeting came about following the reading of the correspondence list at the last Selectmen’s meeting. There was a request from Valley Human Services for a donation, as the town has been making a donation each year. This year, Valley Human Services is requesting $3,000.00. This is the same amount as last year and the Selectmen wondered just what the town was receiving for this money. Ms. Damon and Ms. Simonds were invited to attend this meeting to explain the services provided by the Carson Center for Human Services and Valley Human Services.
Ms. Damon explained the merger of the two organizations, Valley Human Services and the Carson Center for Human Services. Both are old non-profit organizations which were started some time ago to assist communities. Their total budget is $10 million. They have a variety of funding resources. One of the major resources is the contract with the state for the Department of Mental Health, Department of Mental Retardation, Department of social Services, State Wide Head Injury Program, Department of Public Health, and the Early Education Care program. The second largest resource is the revenues from third party insurances. As funding gets more difficult, the Carson Center has turned to communities for support grants and contributions for the free fund pool, from the communities they are serving. They are also doing a lot more in
the way of fundraising activities. Ms. Damon added there are still many residents who do not have health insurance or are under insured.
Mr. Guertin asked how the $3,000.00 was generated. Ms. Neggers responded this figure has varied slightly over the years. Back in 1981, $3,600.00 was donated. In 1985 this figure peaked at $4,000.00. In 1990 it dropped to $2,000.00 and in the mid 1990’s the figure rose to $3,000.00. Ms. Neggers added this has been funded at the amount requested.
Mr. Guertin asked if there are any Monson residents using services offered through this organization. Ms. Damon said they do have Monson clients. Ms. Norbut questioned just why Monson tax dollars were funding an out of town private agency and wondered about how the services are affecting Monson residents and just how many residents receive their services. Ms. Damon said they are based in Ware and provide services to clients whether they have insurance or not. Ms. Simonds added the Carson Center is now a licensed mental health and substance abuse clinic, providing services primarily in the Westfield area. The outpatient mental health substance abuse services offer a 24 hour emergency service including a 24 hour crisis stabilization unit which is a short term residential program in the greater Westfield area. They have a
specialized program that provides metal health services for adults in both the greater Springfield and Westfield areas for adults with mental retardation. They also provide rehabilitation services for adults with traumatic brain injuries all around western, and some in central Massachusetts. They have programs based in Greenfield as well as in Ware, servicing this area.
Ms. Norbut wondered how these services are benefiting Monson residents and the number of residents receiving them. Ms. Simonds responded some of the current programs and incentives are they operate seven programs that fit broadly into two service areas. They have community mental health and early childhood education and care. They have the full service community mental health outpatient facility located in Ware across from Mary Lane Hospital that provides a full range of mental health services to children, adolescents, adults and families including psychiatric evaluation and medication services. They also offer specialized mental health services for children and adolescents with developmental disabilities, and soon, outreach services for adults with serious mental illnesses. This includes the areas of Monson,
Ludlow, Palmer and Belchertown. Over this past year, Valley Human Services assisted, counseled and managed medications for eighteen residents from the Town of Monson providing one hundred units of services. The age range was 11 to 78 years of age. Valley Human Services also runs a child and adolescent therapeutic recreation program after school and on weekends serving troubled at risk children and youth from Ware, Palmer, Belchertown, Ludlow and Monson with a program capacity of 21 youths referred largely by the Department of Mental Health, DNH or the DSS. They are currently servicing two youths from Monson. Each youth is scheduled to receive eight to twelve hours of activities a week. They help with troubled youth and their families to help prevent permanent out of home placements. This program capacity is fifteen children and youth. This past year they serviced two children from Monson with in home visits. They also offer school based services which Ms. Simonds thought Monson
might be interested in, in each of the three school levels. They are currently providing this service in the Ware district schools, counseling students, extending the reach of the school counseling staff and making it easier for families or parents to access services for their children. They would be interested in exploring this service in Monson as well if the school district or town were interested. Mr. Guertin said he felt there might be an interest there although he can’t speak for the school. Valley Human Services also have an Under Five incentive which is partly funded by the Community Foundation of Western Massachusetts. This program lifts children under five out of poverty in the Quaboag Valley by helping their young parents ages 16 to 25 successfully complete a GED. They help with transportation to the GED classes and with childcare while attending these classes
Mr. Guertin reiterated the original request, which was for an article to be placed on the warrant for the next Town Meeting seeking approval for a $3,000.00 donation to Valley Human Services to help defray costs. Mr. Guertin added he was impressed with the services being offered and said there are services you hope you never need but is very sympathetic to the plight of people of today and sensitive to their needs. Ms. Norbut added Monson financially has many pockets and holes and needs not getting met, but was also happy for this discussion, but it is up to the voters to decide on.
Accept Request to Determine Right-of-First Refusal – Elliot Property – Butler Road:
Both the Conservation Commission and the Planning Board voted to recommend that the Town waive its Right of First Refusal with regard to 37 acres of land on Butler Road owned by Richard Elliott.
Ms. Norbut made a motion the Town not exercise its Right of First refusal on the aforementioned property. Mr. Guertin seconded and it was so VOTED.
Correspondence was read and completed.
At 8:05 p.m., Ms. Norbut made a motion to adjourn. Mr. Guertin seconded and it was so VOTED.
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Kathleen C. Norbut, Clerk
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