BOARD OF SELECTMEN
TUESDAY, DECEMBER 8, 2009
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 Richard E. Guertin, Edward S. Harrison and John F. Goodrich. The Town Administrator was not present. The media was present.
The Pledge of Allegiance was recited.
Acceptance of Meeting Minutes:
Mr. Harrison made a motion to approve the meeting minutes of November 24, 2009 – open and executive sessions. Mr. Goodrich seconded and it was so VOTED.
Scholarship Fund Committee – Recognition of Community Sponsors:
Mike Kane approached the Board of Selectmen. Mr. Kane explained the Scholarship Committee was established as the result of a town meeting held in 1986. The first scholarship was awarded in 1988. Since that time, 235 scholarships have been awarded totaling $150,750.00 coming from various donations including those provided from residents when paying their real estate tax and excise tax bills, as well as through golf tournaments.
Mr. James Peters presented the first award to Monson Savings Bank for their leadership and commitment with the Golf Tournaments, and noted Monson Savings Bank is a lead corporation sponsor.
Sarah Malo presented the second award to Diversified Metal Specialties, Inc. for their twenty years plus years of support.
Robert Tucker presented the third plaque to head professional golfer Tom Sullivan. Mr. Tucker explained Mr. Sullivan started out at the golf club in Monson owned by the Sanderson family, and is now known as the Quaboag-Vahalla Country Club. Mr. Sullivan has since moved away, but remains a strong supporter of Monson’s Scholarship Fund.
Mr. Kane exhibited the display of recent scholarship recipients, which is hung in the hallway of the Town Office Building between the Conference Room and the Collector’s Office for everyone to view throughout the year, and congratulated them.
Mr. Guertin thanked everyone for everything they have done over the years.
National Grid – Presentation of Information on Reliability Project:
Mary Harmon (who was filling in for Margaret Neves, and who is the Community Relations manager for this project and is the person coordinating a lot of the contacts), Dena Champney who is the Engineering Project Manager for the project and Jim May who is the Account Representative Business Services Guide approached the Board of Selectmen to provide an overview of the project and where they see it headed over the next year or so.
Ms. Champney provided a technical overview, explaining National Grid is always looking for ways to reinforce or perfect transmissions. The project being presented for Monson will begin at the Palmer substation and follow the current right-of-way corridor, converting the current 69 kV power lines to 115 kV lines for five miles, to the Hampden town line. This line was developed in the 1940’s and is in poor shape, requiring pole and cross-arm replacements. Ms. Champney also explained the loading of equipment at the Palmer substation is projected to exceed its rating in the year 2011 under contingency conditions and the voltage levels are projected to be in violation of the planning criteria in the year 2011 under peak load conditions. Ms. Champney noted they anticipate the receipt of the necessary permits by late
Spring of 2011 with the completion of the project in the Fall of 2013.
Ms. Harmon said public notification will include mailing the project factsheets to landowners directly abutting, as well as within a 300 foot radius of the transmission corridor. Ms. Harmon also noted Stakeholder Relation field representatives will identify critical abutters and attempt to speak with them directly, either by knocking on doors or by telephone, and added National Grid is willing to work with them on any concerns they might have. It was also noted vegetation management might need to be done, as prior to this project the vegetation clearing was only done on a 30 foot right-of-way. The transmission corridor can be brought up on Google Earth by National Grid representatives to show homeowners what is planned within the easement rights, and added National Grid will have a web site which will have simulations of
before and after, and just what the clearing might look like. The web site is www.hampdencountyreliability.com and is expected to go live in January 2010. Mr. Goodrich had a map which Ms. Harmon provided to the Board of Selectmen and noted 80% of the lines are in fields and woods and not in people’s yards. It was noted the current corridor, which will be utilized, crosses Route 32, runs through the Arooth farm, and crosses Waid Road and Wilbraham Road.
Ms. Harmon stated studies have been done by UMass for any related health risks from the electrical lines and noted no risks were found. Mr. Harrison requested a copy of this study and Ms. Harmon replied she would get a copy to the Selectmen’s Office as soon as possible.
Monson 250th Steering Committee – Update on Status:
Hope Bodwell approached the Board of Selectmen. Ms. Bodwell noted the 250th Anniversary Steering Committee has held three meetings so far, with great interest, and twenty-two people in attendance, representing almost every organization in town along with residents. The next meeting will be held on Wednesday, December 16th at the Library from 6:00 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. and the public is encouraged to attend.
Ms. Bodwell said the committee has a post office box and noted the mailing address is P.O. Box 250, in Monson. They also have an email address, monson250@gmail.com along with a tax ID number which will allow them to set up a bank account.
Ms. Bodwell said a book committee is being formed to update the history of Monson. The book will be completed for 2011, as it will be created throughout the entire year of 2010. A lot of festivities are currently in the planning stage in celebration of the town’s 250th Anniversary. The Monson Bellmen are planning a Fireman’s Ball, the Keep Homestead will be planning events, the Lion’s Club is planning a fishing derby and the Summerfest Committee is tying the anniversary in with their theme for the Fourth of July Summerfest festivities, just to name a few events being planned. The kick off date will be in April with events running throughout the entire year.
The 250th Anniversay Steering Committee has a web site http://monson250.wordpress.com, which will list all the information associated with the Anniversary and host a calendar of events.
Ms. Bodwell requested a $5,000.00 donation from the Gifts to the Town Account. Mr. Guertin said he felt there were enough funds in the account to approve the request and added he feels this celebration is significant to the town, and felt although it is a sizeable amount it seems worthwhile. Mr. Goodrich felt this is very appropriate and added this is what he feels the funds are for. Ms. Bodwell noted merchandise will also be sold as a fundraiser.
Mr. Harrison made a motion to donate $5,000.00 from the Gifts to the Town Account to the Town of Monson’s 250th Birthday/Anniversary celebration. Mr. Goodrich seconded and it was so VOTED.
Anyone wishing to make a contribution should make the checks payable to: Monson 250th Anniversary Steering Committee and mail them to P.O. Box 250 in Monson.
Mr. Goodrich suggested possibly inserting a link for the 250th Anniversary Steering Committee’s web site on the Town’s web site.
Building Inspector Search – Update on Status:
Mr. Guertin reiterated the Board of Selectmen agreed a few weeks back to make the position of the Building Inspector/Zoning Enforcement Officer a part time position rather than maintaining it as a full time position. The position was advertised with ten applications being received, six did not have the local inspectors certification desired for the starting point. Three of the applicants are certified as local inspectors and one applicant is certified as a State Building Commissioner.
Mr. Guertin felt due to the advertising of the position as a part-time position rather than full-time, the pool of applicants to choose from doesn’t appear to be highly skilled, and wonder if the position were to remain a full-time position, felt it might possibly attract people who are more qualified.
Mr. Goodrich said he reviewed the four applications of the applicants who had their credentials and felt he wanted to speak with them prior to the possibility of going back to advertising this as a full time position, to get their perspective. Mr. Harrison agreed the applicants are worth interviewing to find out where they are coming from and to get their objectives. Mr. Guertin felt by moving ahead with these four applicants, it would delay the process of putting the full-time position out to the public in the hopes of acquiring a person a little more qualified for the position.
Mr. Harrison made a motion to interview the four candidates with the required credentials for the Building Inspector/Zoning Enforcement Officer in Monson as advertised. Mr. Goodrich seconded and it was so VOTED.
Approval of License Renewals – Various:
Mr. Harrison made a motion to approve the attached various licenses effective January 1, 2010 through December 31, 2010. Mr. Goodrich seconded and it was so VOTED.
Correspondence was read and completed.
In Other Business to Come Before the Board of Selectmen:
- Mr. Guertin said correspondence was read at the last Selectmen’s meeting relative to loud music at Elwood’s Restaurant and Pub from a neighboring resident. It was agreed at that time to see the Police reports relating to the incident. Mr. Guertin said the reports have been provided dating to October 10th, October 11th and November 14th highlighting what basically took place. It was noted this resident filed complaints on the former establishment known as Mustang Sally’s and when it was investigated by the Zoning Enforcement Officer the noise was found to be within a reasonable decimal range. It was noted the town currently doesn’t have anyone who could check this out at this time. Therefore the Board of Selectmen agreed unanimously to ask Ms. Neggers to draft a letter asking the
owner/manager of Elwood’s if he would try to keep the noise down.
Mr. Harrison made a motion to write a letter to the owner/manager of Elwood’s stating the Board of Selectmen have reviewed this complaint and could he try to be as careful as he can be to keep the noise down; and to send the complainant a letter advising him of what is being done. Mr. Goodrich seconded and it was so VOTED.
At 8:20 p.m., Mr. Harrison made a motion to adjourn from open session to go into executive session for the purpose of a collective bargaining discussion, not to return to open session. Mr. Goodrich seconded and it was so VOTED.
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John F. Goodrich II, Clerk
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