BOARD OF SELECTMEN
MARCH 11, 2008
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 Edward S. Harrison and Richard E. Guertin. Kathleen C. Norbut arrived at 7:10 p.m. Also present were the Town Administrator and the media.
The Pledge of Allegiance was recited.
Acceptance of Meeting Minutes:
Mr. Guertin made a motion to accept the meeting minutes of March 4, 2008 – open and executive sessions. Mr. Harrison seconded and it was so VOTED.
Stephen Roy – Regarding Revenue Options:
Stephen Roy approached the Board of Selectmen and explained he has resided in town for 16 years. Mr. Roy has a daughter in the Middle School and became concerned with the school’s budget following the School Committee meetings.
Mr. Roy suggested placing a flat student assessment fee of $250.00 on residents with children in the Monson school system, rather than voting on a Proposition 2½ Override which he said would increase his property taxes by $900.00 if passed. Therefore, no matter how many children someone has, the fee would be the same as for people who only have one child in the school system. Mr. Roy added this fee could be adjusted on a yearly basis and felt this was the fairest way for the town to support the school’s budget, as everyone in his neighborhood lives on fixed incomes and can’t afford any more substantial increases in property taxes.
Mr. Guertin questioned if a proposal such as this would be legally viable. Mr. Roy stated he felt it would, if it were voted by the town at a Town Meeting and felt this would receive a better response than a Proposition 2½ Override. Ms. Norbut added there are fees already in place for students to ride the school busses and to participate in sports. Mr. Roy stated the school bus costs $90.00 a year. He drops his daughter off at the school in the morning, as do most of the parents, and she takes the school bus home in the afternoon. Ms. Neggers thought the town was obligated to provide free education, but said she would speak with the Finance Director, asking her to take this proposal and investigate it and have information available for the next Selectmen’s meeting. Mr. Maggie, who was in the audience said this
would still be free education; it would just be a school assessment fee or a student assessment fee. Ms. Norbut felt this was going to be a little bit more complicated from the States perspective and asked Mr. Roy if he could research other states which have been doing this and provide the information as it would be helpful. Mr. Roy added he is also trying to find the number of single family homes from the Assessors office to assist with the figures.
Announce Opening of Annual Town Meeting Warrant and Special Town Meeting Within the Annual Town Meeting:
Mr. Guertin made a motion to open the warrants for the Annual/Special Town meeting scheduled for May 12, 2008 in Granite Valley Middle School at 7:00 p.m. Ms. Norbut seconded and it was so VOTED.
Award Bid for Demolition of South Main Street School:
Ms. Neggers stated none of the funds expended for the demolition of the South Main Street School project will come from local tax dollars. Ten bids were received and it was agreed to go with the lowest bidder, Standard Demolition Services, Inc. with a base bid plus alternate A of $293,960.00. The alternate A option will allow for the removal and disposal of the building floor slab and foundation to a depth of 2.5 feet below grade. The base bid price without this option, solely for the demolition of the building, was $277,960.00. Mr. Guertin reiterated for the listening audience the building has been inspected and was found not to be structurally safe which resulted in the agreement to take the building down and have the site cleaned up.
Ms. Norbut made a motion to approve up to $50,000.00 in Program Income for the South Main Street School project. Mr. Guertin seconded and it was so VOTED.
Mr. Guertin made a motion to award the clean-up contract to Standard Demolition Services, Inc. with a base bid plus alternate A of $293,960.00 to clean up the concrete slab portion as well. Ms. Norbut seconded and it was so VOTED.
Ms. Neggers said many thanks to the EPA for all of their assistance.
Approve Agreement and Habitat and Open Space Conservation Covenants Pertaining to Land Donated to the Town by the McCray Realty Corporation:
Ms. Neggers explained the Board of Selectmen have received correspondence from the Conservation Commission. Mr. Guertin explained the correspondence pertains to 11.4 acres of land the McCray Realty Corp. has donated to the Town of Monson with a conservation restriction placed on it by Natural Heritage due to an endangered species found at this site. This land is considered a breeding habitat for the rare species and it will be maintained through an endowment of $55,000.00 provided by McCray Realty Corp. This was voted on and accepted at Town Meeting in May of 2007. The endowment pays for the annual mowing of the breeding habitat, annual monitoring of the breeding habitat bounds and the deed restriction bounds. It also requires a survey by a wildlife biologist every five years. The Conservation Commission will be
responsible to see that this work is carried out and that the proper reports are filed.
Mr. Guertin made a motion to accept this as presented. Ms. Norbut seconded and it was so VOTED.
Ms. Norbut thanked the Conservation Commission as well as McCray Realty Corp. for the thoughtfulness and amount of work that went into making this agreement work.
Discuss Creation of DPW Study Committee:
Mr. Harrison reiterated the discussion from the previous Selectmen’s meeting of the possibility of creating a Department of Public Works as a way to consolidate some of the business functions within Monson. Mr. Harrison added a lot of towns have DPW directors. This would include the Highway Department, Cemetery Department maintenance, Parks and Recreation Department maintenance and possibly some of the School maintenance.
Mr. Guertin explained the Board of Selectmen have been trying to find areas where the Town could save money, become more efficient, and consolidate functions. Last June or July, the Board of Selectmen invited the Cemetery Commissioners and the Parks and Recreation Commissioners to a meeting where it was suggested the two departments work together to try come up with some cost saving ideas. The two sets of Commissioners did meet back with the Board of Selectmen in the fall. At that time each department presented the Selectmen with lists of duties performed by their departments, how long it takes and just what kind of work is involved. However, Mr. Guertin added the two departments weren’t able to really come up with any cost saving ideas in the process. Therefore the Board of Selectmen are trying to take a different
approach to see if there is another way this could be structured to try to come up with ideas. Mr. Guertin further explained the Board of Selectmen don’t know if a DPW would be a good idea or not, but feel it needs to be explored by creating a committee who could speak with other departments in different towns to find out how they put a DPW together, how it works, what the plusses and what the minuses are and then seeing if something such as a DPW would fit in Monson.
Ms. Norbut said it would be similar to a feasibility study, as they don’t know where it will end up, if it would be changing organizational structure or just what in would involve, but thought residents who might have backgrounds in construction, engineering and organizational business management would be helpful on a citizens committee, putting their heads together and getting the perspectives from the Long Range Financial Planning, Water/Sewer and Highway Departments, to seek input from within the town as well as outside the town, and if other communities have gone through the process, were they satisfied with the changes made, or if they decided not to make a change, for what reasons.
Mr. Guertin added it is not just about efficiencies, but also about getting some things done that currently aren’t being done. If there were a so called “maintenance department”, employees working within that department could really focus on outside mowing, trimming of shrubs and picking up trash during nice weather and possibly in the winter months or inclement weather work inside town owned buildings doing such things as painting and whatever else is required to maintain them.
It was agreed a mission statement will need to be developed. Ms. Neggers suggested tabling this until the Selectmen’s next meeting as she has printed up some preliminary research information on creating DPW’s indicating what is involved and what it includes, that might be of assistance in drafting a mission statement. Ms. Norbut asked Ms. Neggers if she would propose a draft for the Selectmen’s next meeting for discussion.
Request for Gifts to the Town Authorization - $1100 – Solar Power Consultant Agreement:
Ms. Neggers explained she has been working with the Long Range Financial Planning Committee, looking at town wide capital issues relative to rolling over some bonds which are currently in our base operating budget. For the past twenty years or so this has been our only means really for funding capital needs. One of the almost mandatory items is the roof on the Town Administration Building, which was put on in 1981. Ms. Neggers added she and the Long Range Financial Planning Committee have discussed the concept of adding solar panels when a new roof is installed on the Administration Building. Mass. Technology Collaborative has $68 million in funding available for municipalities to do subsidies on solar panel projects, and this would be the time to do it if the roof were going to be done anyway. Ms. Neggers added she has
researched the feasibility of installing solar panels on the roof of this building and whether this building is sound enough to support it, which she believes it is as the entire attic is reinforced with steel. Solar Power Consultant is a consulting firm recommended by one of the vendors from Mass. Technology Collaborative. For $1,100.00 the firm will do a Phase One, which would include the feasibility study, the preliminary structural review, limiting factors for the system size, develop projections for the systems production, estimate an opinion of the total cost for each site of the system and develop a brief report on the results of that feasibility.
Mr. Guertin explained the solar panels would generate electricity for this building and any excess electricity would be sold to National Grid.
Ms. Neggers added she was contacted today by a local resident who has identified a possible grant for the town at the Federal level for the USDA for solar power projects and added she is just starting to investigate this.
Ms. Norbut said she would like to also think about the pool and school and wondered if the consultant would be able to expand that scope to include these. Ms. Neggers said if the town could proceed with this specific project, she would ask the consultant to prepare a more comprehensive proposal.
Mr. Guertin explained to the listening audience this project would not take additional funds out of the budget or require raising additional revenue as the town would just float a bond, as we have some which are finishing up, so the payments would remain pretty much what we have been paying right along.
Mr. Guertin made a motion to approve the withdrawal of $1,100.00 from the Gifts to the Town Account to finance the study of solar power in the Town Office Building. Ms. Norbut seconded and it was so VOTED.
Fiscal 2009 Budget Discussion:
Ms. Neggers said at the last Selectmen’s meeting a discussion took place regarding freezing some of the spending from Town departments in order to try to offset some expenses. Ms. Neggers explained $316,000.00 in Free Cash is built into the budget and shifted to the revenue side with $316,000.00 remaining in Free Cash. Ms. Neggers and Ms. Mahar (who was unable to attend tonight’s meeting) are proposing using $100,000.00 more from Free Cash, which would go into the reserves. The following accounts total $94,000.00 and will help to replenish some Free Cash for the following year:
· Selectmen’s expense account $800.00
· Finance Committee expense account $135.00
· Town Accountant expense account $600.00
· Treasurer’s Land Court expense account $6,000.00
· Planning Board expense account $1,300.00
· Conservation Commission expense account $1,200.00
· Zoning Board of Appeals expense account $600.00
· $23,000.00 from Police Chief and can be provided without impact to services.
· Dispatch salaries $1,300.00.
· $12,400.00 from Fire salaries based on reduced activity.
· Building Inspector $1,800.00 and $2,000.00 from his site clean-up account.
· Animal Control Officer $2,000.00.
· Parking fines $500.00.
· Board of Health salaries $1,000.00.
· Board of Health expenses $1,000.00.
· Veterans $8,000.00.
· Parks and Recreation $2,000.00.
· Historical Commission $150.00.
· Employees Assistance Program $2,400.00.
· Capital $10,000.00.
· Blanket Insurance $10,000.00.
· And Ms. Neggers said the Collector has also provided a couple thousand dollars as well.
Ms. Norbut made a motion to freeze the items Ms. Neggers just itemized. Mr. Guertin seconded and it was so VOTED.
Ms. Neggers thanked the Department Heads for really stepping up and doing their share to help out.
With the new budget, Ms. Neggers said she and Ms. Mahar have gone back and adjusted the numbers from what was presented to the Board of Selectmen about a month ago by Ms. Mahar and herself, and said these numbers will constantly change throughout the process. The shortfall was reduced to $1,028,019.00 from $1,040,000.00. They have developed additional scenarios that essentially accomplish two very important things. Ms. Mahar and Ms. Neggers have put together a scenario that will hold harmless police staffing, dispatch staffing and EMT staffing. Ms. Neggers explained these areas were established as priorities by the Selectmen, who were given several scenarios at their last meeting, there was also a general community reaction as well to protect these areas. They looked at a list of cuts that wouldn’t dig too deep into
public safety, police, fire, etc. and approved the idea of forwarding that list over to the Finance Committee to have them review it, and this is now at the discussion stage.
Ms. Neggers said the proposed menu is to cut or reduce hours for several positions as follows:
· Reducing the Collector’s Office clerk’s hours a savings of $1,875.00 along with funding from the Water/Sewer Department for an additional savings, saving $5,581.00.
· Finance Director – reducing four hours a week to save $6,030.00.
· Reducing the Custodian to twenty-five hours a week saving $3,400.00.
· Reducing the Building Department clerical by two and a half hours a week saving $2,108.00 and eliminating the overtime saving $1,400.00.
· Eliminate the Building Inspector site clean-up account saving $2,000.00.
· Salaries for the Selectmen were eliminated to save $5,005.00.
· Selectmen’s staff salary was reduced to save $1,875.00.
· Reducing the Legal Account by $9,000.00.
· Level funding the Town Report at $2,500.00.
· Level funding Police Department expenses at $10,000.00.
· Eliminate the Assessors salaries to save $4,486.00.
· Fire fighter salaries were reduced by $10,000.00 based on reduced fire activity.
· One Highway Department worker will be eliminated through attrition to save approximately $32,384.00 in salary with a saving of $4,400.00 in benefits.
· Level fund snow and ice at $23,250.00.
· Level funding the Emergency Road Repair Account at $2,000.00.
· Level funding the General Highways and Bridges Account at $43,540.00.
· Level funding the Tree Warden at $6,500.00.
· Cemetery seasonal help will be eliminated to save $11,500.00.
· Eliminate the part-time Cemetery clerk for a savings of $6,272.00 net unemployment leaving two full-time employees in the department.
· Eliminate the part-time Board of Health clerk saving $2,100.00.
· Hazardous Waste Day will be eliminated saving $6,200.00.
· Reduction of the Emergency Management Director salary by $1,000.00.
· The Council On Aging will be reduced by $17,000.00 with the impact to be determined by the Council On Aging. This will leave $126,751.00 for salaries and approximately $10,000.00 for expenses.
· A thirty-hour Parks and Recreation employee will be lost to save approximately $11,700.00 in salary and $9,600.00 in benefits, leaving two full-time employees in that department.
· Level funding the Library $7,800.00 with additional reduction in funding of $26,000.00.
· Eliminate the Valley Human Services Funding saving $3,000.00.
· Eliminate the mosquito control briquettes saving $1,000.00.
· Level funding the Council on Aging expenses saving $3,000.00.
Ms. Neggers added any reductions in salaries and hours are subject to further negotiations and the department heads have been invited to the March 25th Selectmen’s meeting to speak about how their departments will be affected by the proposed cuts.
Ms. Neggers noted the budget figures are constantly changing and this proposal will go before the Finance Committee and ultimately to Town Meeting in May.
A few teaching positions may be spared as well, as the Selectmen agreed to give the Schools an extra $180,000.00 above Net School Spending bringing the School’s shortfall down from $1.1 million to approximately $900,000.00. Mr. Guertin said the extra money for the schools may mean that three or four teachers, out of the 19 slated for cuts, can be spared.
Mr. Guertin made a motion to go with the middle column of the chart presented by Ms. Neggers, which is to level fund the School plus provide an additional $180,000.00 above Net School Spending, and to have the Finance Committee look it over. Ms. Norbut seconded and it was so VOTED.
Mr. Guertin shared information regarding the expense of the pool at the school with the listening audience stating the dehumidifier, which is the original, has shut down and is no longer working. The cost for replacement is $50,000.00. The damage done by not having a dehumidifier running would be greater than the cost of replacing it. The funds for replacing the dehumidifier will come from rolled over funds and not from the school budget. Some of the other expenses Mr. Guertin mentioned are as follows:
· $95,000.00 to $100,000.00 per year to run the pool, excluding any salaries.
· $35,000.00 to circulate the air and dehumidification per year.
· $30,000.00 to circulate the water.
· $ 1,600.00 to circulate the chlorine.
· $ 4,000.00 for chlorine.
· $ 4,000.00 to heat the pool.
· $ 3,800.00 to drain and clean the pool a couple times a year.
· $ 1,000.00 in general maintenance.
· $ 3,000.00 in lighting.
· $11,000.00 to clean the pool and locker rooms following use.
If the pool where shut down, maintenance would still be required resulting in approximately half the current cost of operating the open pool. Mr. Guertin explained different budget scenarios are being explored in trying to keep the pool open.
In Other Business to Come Before the Board of Selectmen:
· Ms. Norbut explained the town has an asset with longevity in department heads and felt this is very important to maintain. Ms. Norbut added the Town does the best it can to think and plan ahead, but just like many towns, Monson is also facing tremendous financial challenges. Monson still has resources and Ms. Norbut encouraged community members to come forward with any suggestions they might have to offer.
· In up-dating Mr. Goodrich’s appointment to the School Committee, spoken about at the last Selectmen’s meeting, Mr. Guertin noted the Board of Selectmen will be meeting with the School Committee in a joint session next week at 6:30 p.m. to discuss this.
· A banner request had been submitted this afternoon by the Summerfest Committee announcing the annual Summerfest festivities. Mr. Guertin made a motion to approve the banner request of having it displayed from June 15th to July 5, 2008. Ms. Norbut seconded and it was so VOTED.
Correspondence was read and completed.
At 8:35 p.m., Mr. Guertin made a motion to adjourn from open session to go into executive 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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