BOARD OF SELECTMEN
TUESDAY, JUNE 8, 2010
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 John F. Goodrich II and Dr. Richard M. Smith. Edward S. Harrison was absent. Also present were Town Administrator Gretchen E. Neggers, and the media.
The Pledge of Allegiance was recited.
Acceptance of Meeting Minutes:
Dr. Smith made a motion to accept the meeting minutes of May 25, 2010 – open session. Mr. Goodrich seconded and it was so VOTED.
Recognition of former Town Moderator Fred Warman:
Fred Warman was invited to join the Board of Selectmen where Mr. Goodrich explained Mr. Warman had been the Town Moderator for 36 years, from 1974 to 2010, at which time he was defeated through the Town’s election by former Selectman Richard Guertin.
Mr. Goodrich noted Mr. Warman had presided over some historic meetings and said it was with extreme appreciation of himself, the Board, and the Community, that he presented him with an engraved gavel set and pin, and added he has set a fine example for the youth and everyone else in the community.
Mr. Warman said he really appreciated this and thanked everyone, adding it has been an honor.
Monson Summerfest – Various Requests:
Steve Slozak Chairman of the Monson Summerfest Committee and an unidentified person approached the Board of Selectmen. Mr. Slozak explained the Summerfest Committee is looking for a Beer & Wine license for the Summerfest Beer Garden, and noted everything will be the same as in the past.
Dr. Smith made a motion to approve the Beer & Wine license as presented contingent upon receiving the certificate of insurance. Mr. Goodrich seconded and it was so VOTED.
Mr. Slozak explained a skydiver will be jumping into Veterans Field at the end of the parade this year using a special flag which is weighted, for this purpose so there won’t be any problems with the flag touching the ground. The jumper will make the call if the weather is bad.
Mr. Goodrich noted he doesn’t know all of the flag etiquette but felt since this is a special flag for this purpose and it has been done before, felt it would be okay. Mr. Goodrich questioned the insurance and Mr. Slozak replied the parachutist is covered by his own insurance. Mr. Slozak said the parachutist is working on the landing site to make sure there is enough room, and said they are hoping the word of this event doesn’t spread ahead of time so there won’t be any spectators in the field.
Dr. Smith wondered if there will be enough room in Veterans Field for the landing and wondered if the jumper has looked at the site and suggested the skydiver might want to do a trial jump ahead of time just to make sure. It was also suggested to have a snow fence in place sectioning off the landing area or to have police clear the field.
Dr. Smith made a motion to approve the skydiver at the end of the parade on July 5th contingent upon receiving the certificate of insurance naming the Town of Monson, and the Summerfest Committee speaking with the Police Chief and the Fire Chief prior to the event taking place. Mr. Goodrich seconded and it was so VOTED.
Mr. Slozak said the Summerfest activities will be held on Monday, July 5th this year. The G.A.R. Hall will be open and Thomas the Train will offer rides around the Post Office and Adams parking lots for a fee of approximately $3.00. The shuttle buses will be operating as in the past. Fireworks will be held on Saturday, June 26th with the rain date of Sunday, June 27th at Quarry Hill School. A Neil Diamond Tribute Band – TBA will be performing prior to the fireworks.
Mr. Slozak said he has met with Chief Kozloski on the fees for the Police coverage as the event will be held the day after the 4th of July and not on the holiday. Mr. Slozak asked for a donation from the Gifts to the Town Account as has been done in the past.
Mr. Goodrich said last year $3,000.00 was donated from the Account to help with the costs as it was the 30th Anniversary of the Summerfest, and felt this year the figure should roll back to $2,500.00 as the town is entering into another difficult fiscal year.
Dr. Smith made a motion to allocate $2,500.00 from the Gifts to the Town Account to the Monson Summerfest Committee. Mr. Goodrich seconded and it was so VOTED.
Mr. Goodrich said the Summerfest Committee does a great job and wished them the best of luck with this year’s events.
Mr. Slozak noted the area around the Universalist Church will be kept open this year.
Commence Reappointments Effective July 1, 2010:
Mr. Goodrich read page one, containing reappointment requests from Finance Director Deborah Mahar into the record, as attached. Dr. Smith made a motion to reappoint the people as read. Mr. Goodrich seconded and it was so VOTED.
Mr. Goodrich read page two into the record. Dr. Smith made a motion to approve the reappointment as read, and as attached. Mr. Goodrich seconded and it was so VOTED.
Dr. Smith read page three into the record. Mr. Goodrich made a motion to approve the reappointments, as attached. Dr. Smith seconded and it was so VOTED.
Mr. Goodrich read page four into the record. Dr. Smith made a motion to approve the reappointments, as attached. Mr. Goodrich seconded and it was so VOTED.
Dr. Smith read page five into the record. Mr. Goodrich entertained a motion to approve the names as listed with the exception of his own name on the General Bylaw Committee until the next meeting so he would not vote for himself. Dr. Smith made a motion to approve the reappointments just read with the exception of Mr. Goodrich to the Bylaw Committee, as attached. Mr. Goodrich seconded and it was so VOTED.
Mr. Goodrich read page six into the record. Dr. Smith made a motion to approve the names as listed with the exception of Mr. Goodrich to the Local Emergency Planning Committee until the next meeting so as not to vote for himself, as attached. Mr. Goodrich seconded and it was so VOTED.
Dr. Smith read page seven into the record. The Long Range Financial Planning Committee and the Monson Developmental Center Transition Advisory Committee were deferred. Mr. Goodrich made a motion to approve the appointments as read with the exception of the two aforementioned committees, as attached. Dr. Smith seconded and it was so VOTED.
Mr. Goodrich read page eight into the record. Ms. Neggers said Judith White’s name should be taken off of the Tax Assistance for Seniors Committee and Lori Stacy’s name put on in her place. Dr. Smith made a motion to approve the reappointments as read, and as attached. Mr. Goodrich seconded and it was so VOTED.
Dr. Smith read pages nine and ten into the record. Mr. Goodrich made a motion to approve the names as read, adding the appointments of Matthew Carroll, James D’Amours and Dustin Summers as Auxiliary Police Officers effective immediately through December 31, 2010, to page nine, and as attached. Dr. Smith seconded and it was so VOTED.
Correspondence was read and completed.
At 7:45, Dr. Smith made a motion to adjourn from open session. Mr. Goodrich seconded and it was so VOTED.
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Dr. Richard M. Smith, Clerk
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