BOARD OF SELECTMEN
TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 17, 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 and Edward S. Harrison. Kathleen C. Norbut was not in attendance. Also present were the Town Administrator and the media.
The Pledge of Allegiance was recited.
Acceptance of Meeting Minutes:
Mr. Harrison made a motion to accept the meeting minutes of February 3, and February 10, 2009 – open sessions. Mr. Guertin seconded and it was so VOTED.
Monson School Committee – Discussion Regarding Fiscal 2010 Budget and Possible Proposition 2½ Override Request:
The School Committee members approached the Board of Selectmen and explained they were previously considering two override questions, however after meeting earlier this evening they have agreed to rescind the question of asking for an override which would allow the restoring of positions lost over the past two years. The School Committee voted in favor of the second question requesting an override in the amount of $404,000 for textbooks for the Middle and High Schools and a literacy textbook series at the elementary school level.
It was noted on $404,000, the impact on the average homeowner would be less than $150.
Mr. Harrison made a motion to approve the following language for placement on the April election ballot:
Shall the Town of Monson be allowed to assess an additional $404,000 in real estate and personal property taxes to fund the school’s operating budget, including funding a literacy textbooks series at Quarry Hill Community School, textbooks at Granite Valley Middle School, and textbooks at Monson High School for the fiscal year beginning July 1, 2009?
Mr. Guertin seconded and it was so VOTED.
Discussion Regarding Fiscal 2009 Budget – Adjustments for Reductions in State Aid:
Finance Director Deborah Mahar approached the Board of Selectmen. Ms. Neggers suggested having a Special Town Meeting within the Annual Town Meeting and explained the proposed budget cuts listed in column three on the attached spreadsheet and suggested they be frozen until the Special Town Meeting, at which time they will be voted upon.
Fire Chief Robichaud approached the Board of Selectmen to explain his request for an override question which would allow him to maintain the ambulance second shift. Chief Robichaud noted the Fire Department currently has full-time ambulance coverage Monday through Friday from 7:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. with nighttime and weekends covered by on-call employees. There is a pool of 4 or 5 on-call employees available for the on-call shifts. The second shift covers 5:00 p.m. to 3:00 a.m. and one person has been placed on this shift with an on-call person. Chief Robichaud said if the override passes, he will have two people on the daytime shift Monday through Sunday from 7:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. and two people covering the second shift from Monday through Friday from 5:00 p.m. to 3:00 a.m. The third shift, from 3:00 a.m. to 7:00 a.m.
would remain the same as it has been for the past two years, covered by on-call employees. Out of the total number of EMS calls last year, half were done between the hours of 5:00 p.m. and 3:00 a.m.
Mr. Harrison made a motion to inform the department heads, their budgets to the extent listed in column three on the spreadsheets are frozen consistent with the recommendations made until the Special Town meeting to rescind them. Mr. Guertin seconded and it was so VOTED.
Approve Final Language – Ambulance Operating Proposition 2½ Override:
Mr. Harrison made a motion to approve the language for the Proposition 2½ override for Ambulance Operating for the April election ballot as follows:
Shall the Town of Monson be allowed to assess an additional $150,000 in real estate and personal property taxes for the purpose of funding salaries and associated expenses for emergency medical technicians for the fiscal year beginning July 1, 2009?
Mr. Guertin seconded and it was so VOTED.
Approve Change Orders and Use of Program Income – South Main Street School Demolition:
Ms. Neggers explained the demolition of the South Main Street School building was completed several months ago. The town has been doing the final computation of the soils removed, based on the estimated tons of contaminated soil. The change order in the amount of $22, 316.22 is based on the unit amounts in the contract originally, and they have now been verified and approved the engineering company and Pioneer Valley Planning Commission. The bulk of it was a grant from the EPA (Environmental Protection Agency) for approximately $200,000; also approximately $50,000 has been used so far from Program Income funds from the Community Block Grant. The town also entered into a loan agreement with the Pioneer Valley Planning Commission’s Brownsfield Revolving Loan Fund for $106,000, interest free and no payments for
approximately seven years, while the property is being marketed. The original contract to the demolition company was $293,960 and Ms. Neggers was requesting the approval for the additional amount of $22, 316.22 on the change orders and also to authorize the use of up to an additional $25,000 in Program Income to make up the difference.
Mr. Harrison made a motion to approve the use of up to $25,000 from Program Income and the approval of the change orders in the amount of $22,316.22. Mr. Guertin seconded and it was so VOTED.
In Other Business to Come Before the Board of Selectmen:
Ms. Neggers announced the Memorial Hall Committee, appointed by the Board of Selectmen, has been meeting fairly regularly with some accomplishments. Ms. Neggers said there is a need to establish a private non-profit organization, called “The Friends of Memorial Hall”, established to preserve the legacy of the building. The Memorial Hall Committee will be sponsoring the first meeting for the Friends of Memorial Hall on March 5th at 7:00 p.m. in the Selectmen’s Conference Room. Ms. Neggers added if anyone is interested in joining the group, the Memorial Hall Committee would be very interested in meeting with them.
At 8:00 p.m., Mr. Harrison made a motion to adjourn from open session to go into executive session for the purpose of non-union contractual bargaining, not to return to open session. Mr. Guertin seconded and it was so VOTED.
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Edward S. Harrison, Clerk
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