BOARD OF SELECTMEN
SEPTEMBER 28, 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 Edward S. Harrison and Dr. Richard M. Smith. John F. Goodrich II 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 for September 15, 2010 – open session. Mr. Harrison seconded and it was so VOTED.
Special Town Meeting – Finalize and Close Warrant:
Leslie Duthie approached the Board of Selectmen representing the Community Preservation Committee and explained the CPC has received a number of requests for CPC funds. The Committee will be brining three of the requests before the town this year at the Special Town Meeting next month.
Ms. Duthie explained the first request is for $5,915.00 to assist with the start-up costs for a community garden at the Keep Homestead Museum. The Keep Homestead Board of Directors will be responsible for implementing this project and garden plots will be available to all the citizens for $25 per year. The funds will allow for the following purchases: a small shed, a permanent port-o-potty, tools, soil amendments such as lime and manure, soil testing, trash receptacles, and aluminum markers for the individual plots.
Ms. Duthie explained the second project is a request for $50,000.00 to the Conservation Commission Land Acquisition Fund. This money is used for the acquisition and preservation of Open Space in town. Ms. Duthie explained the Conservation Commission must act quickly when land becomes available as it’s not always possible to ask the land owners to wait for a Special Town meeting and approval from the residents (which led to the Land Conservation Fund being created). The three proposed projects include preservation of 70 acres of rare species habitat; matching funds for grant money to create historic or handicapped accessible trails on the Flynt Quarry land; and matching funds for grant money to protect working forest land in Monson from development. $30,000.00 will be transferred to the Open Space Account and
$20,000.00 will be transferred to an undesignated account under the Community Preservation Program for the preservation of Open Space and recreation. These funds will be expended under the direction of the Community Preservation Committee.
The third project is $115,000.00 for the restoration of the Monson Unitarian Church to repair, restore and preserve the church located at 177 Main Street. It was noted this building is an outstanding example of Victorian eclectic architecture which could never be duplicated today. The church is built of Monson granite from the former Flynt quarry and funded by the Ellis family. Ms. Duthie explained the church is an integral part of the Main Street historic district and without this restoration and preservation process, the front wall of the building is in danger of collapsing. Ms. Duthie noted restoring the Unitarian Universalist Church to structural stability is a priceless gift to maintaining the historic buildings of Monson. Ms. Neggers explained a petition was passed around town and turned into the Town Clerk’s Office today containing the signatures of 157 registered voters, automatically qualifying this article for placement on the warrant for the Special Town meeting.
Dr. Smith made a motion to approve the placement of articles on the Special Town meeting warrant as requested for, $50,000.00 for the Conservation Commission Land Acquisition Fund and $5,915.00 for the Community Garden at Keep Homestead Museum. Mr. Harrison seconded and it was so VOTED.
Ms. Neggers explained there are two other article requests. The first one is a request from the Planning Board for a bylaw to address Large-Scale Ground-Mounted Photovoltaic Installations and the associated Definitions on the warrant. Ms. Neggers noted the Planning Board held a public hearing last Tuesday, September, 21st, regarding this issue and added the Planning Board will support this article at the Special Town Meeting.
The second request is to place an article on the Special Town Meeting warrant from the Legal Department Encumbered Account to the Legal Department Operating Account.
Dr. Smith made a motion to place the two aforementioned articles on the warrant for the Special Town Meeting. Mr. Harrison seconded and it was so VOTED.
Dr. Smith made a motion to close the warrant for the Special Town Meeting. Mr. Harrison seconded and it was so VOTED.
Cushman Street Road Closure – Update:
Building Inspector Pat Leaming approached the Board of Selectmen and explained the attached letter stating on September 5, 2010 at approximately 7:00 a.m. the dormer on the southern side of the former M & M Chemical building collapsed onto Cushman Street, which is a public way. Due to the collapse causing a public safety hazard, that portion of Cushman Street was closed to the public. The street remains closed with the risk of further collapses or falling debris. This has led to an inconvenience to some of the local residents. Mr. Leaming explained the owner has been very cooperative and a plan had to be submitted to the Building Department by an engineer, due to the size of the building and the proximity to the street. This has taken approximately two weeks and Mr. Leaming noted he granted a permit last Monday and
contractors are currently in the process of repairing the damaged roof. The architect plans on removing the three remaining dormers and reinforcing the roof panels. The project should take about three weeks to complete. Once this has been done, Cushman Street will be re-opened.
Gifts to the Town Funding Request – Household Hazardous Waste Disposal Event:
Ms. Neggers explained there hasn’t been a household hazardous waste day event since 2007. The Board of Health was trying to hold this event every two years in the past, but when the town began making budget cuts due to constraints, the Hazardous Waste Day was one of the first items cut.
Ms. Neggers noted the Board of Health is looking at changing some of the wording at the up-coming Annual Town Meeting on the Revolving Fund to try to give them some more flexibility and allowing them to have a recurring source of revenue. Currently the Board of Health is seeking funding from the Gifts to the Town Account. Ms. Neggers said she looked at the Gifts to the Town Account, and noted the Town has been trying to reserve these funds due to the budget cuts, but added the town is now at a point where the Selectmen need to consider expending some of these funds on good town projects. Ms. Neggers noted the Gifts to the Town Account has a balance of $45,000.00.
Ms. Neggers also noted Monson is issued a permit from the EPA annually to operate its Storm Water Discharge System. One of the things the EPA looks for is that the Town provides a legal alternative for disposal of household hazardous waste. The disposal event will benefit the Town in this process.
Dr. Smith said the Board of Health found holding the event in the spring worked best for the residents responding.
Dr. Smith made a motion to approve the expenditure of up to $10,000.00 from the Gifts to the Town Account for a Household Hazardous Waste Day event with the date to be determined by the Board of Health. Mr. Harrison seconded and it was so VOTED.
Appoint PVPC Alternate Commissioner:
Ms. Neggers said seeking volunteers to fill the vacancies as a PVPC Commissioner and an Alternate Commissioner were solicited via newspapers and the website. The Commissioner is appointed by the Planning Board and the Alternate Commissioner is appointed by the Board of Selectmen. Ms. Neggers explained approximately six meetings are held a year where both the Commissioner and/or the Alternate may attend, however only one may cast votes. The votes would be cast by the Commissioner if present or in the Commissioners absence, the Alternate would vote.
Ms. Neggers stated two letters of interest were received. The Planning Board appointed someone at their meeting this past Tuesday. The remaining applicant is Marilyn Gorman Fil who previously served on the Monson Master Plan and Zoning Bylaw Committee.
Dr. Smith made a motion to appoint Marilyn Gorman Fil as a PVPC Alternate Commissioner effective immediately through June 30, 2011. Mr. Harrison seconded and it was so VOTED.
Ms. Neggers thanked both people for volunteering to help out the Town as we haven’t had any one representing us for several years.
OLD BUSINESS:
Siemens Energy – Investment Grade Audit – Status Report:
Ms. Neggers explained they are still trying to figure out how to proceed with the Net School Spending issues, and said she did receive a response from the contact at the DOER (Department of Energy Resources) who stated Monson is now at the top of the list to receive a free state energy audit. Ms. Neggers noted this audit is nowhere near as comprehensive as the Siemens energy audit. The concern is the Net School Spending and the solution of using the extraordinary maintenance line, as it’s only for the principal and any interest would have to be absorbed by the General Fund, which she doesn’t feel confident in doing right now. Ms. Neggers added her understanding is they are proceeding in speaking with the Board of Education to seek changing the regulations to allow performance contracting to be a part of the
Net School Spending.
Mr. Harrison and Dr. Smith agreed to move forward with the free audit pending resolutions on financing concerns for the Siemens Energy Audit, even if just for comparative purposes, since there aren’t any strings attached.
Sign Collective Bargaining Agreement – I.B.P.O. Local #423:
Ms. Neggers said they have been trying to find a time when all three Selectmen are present to sign the agreement. Dr. Smith will not be present for the next meeting scheduled for October 12th but said this doesn’t have to be deferred and agreed Mr. Harrison and Mr. Goodrich may proceed without him. Ms. Neggers noted an agreement has been reached and the Board of Selectmen are all aware of the decisions agreed upon.
In Other Business to Come Before the Board of Selectmen:
- Ms. Neggers said she has been contacted by Western Mass. Connect Inc. on behalf of the Massachusetts Broadband Institute. There are $45 million in stimulus funds for working on developing a robust broadband network for Western Massachusetts and they are looking for someone to be a community representative to work with them. Mr. Harrison said he would be willing to volunteer to fill this position as he has knowledge of this from serving on the Cable Advisor Committee.
- David Pelletier and his daughter approached the Board of Selectmen. It was reiterated Mr. Pelletier’s daughter had submitted a letter (attached) to the Board of Selectmen in their correspondence at their meeting held on July 27, 2010 to bring to the Selectmen’s attention people were discarding trash in the back of the former landfill on Margaret Street and abusing the field using vehicles. The Board of Selectmen discussed this at their meeting held on August 10, 2010 and agreed to have the Highway Department install guardrail, boulders and a gate to block vehicle access to the former landfill property. Mr. Pelletier was here tonight to request a key to the lock placed on the gate so he could mow the approximately 16,000 square foot portion of the field they use for flying their airplanes. Pelletier said he has been flying
airplanes for five years and he has been mowing the area for three years.
Mr. Pelletier also suggested a combination lock if the Board of Selectmen didn’t
want to hand out keys, as he mows on weekends or in the early evening, both of
which are after working hours of town employees.
Dr. Smith said he was opposed to the suggested combination lock, and was
leaning more toward Mr. Pelletier having a key. Mr. Harrison noted issuing keys
could be a problem as there are other people who also might want access. Mr.
Harrison said he had no objection to Mr. Pelletier having access to the key if it
was through the Police Department. Ms. Neggers noted the Police Department no
longer wants to provide key service and felt this would have to be discussed with
Chief Kozloski.
The Board of Selectmen agreed to defer this item for a couple of weeks to allow
time for speaking with Police Chief Kozloski.
Correspondence was read and completed.
At 8:55 p.m., Dr. Smith made a motion to adjourn from open session. Mr. Harrison seconded and it was so VOTED.
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Dr. Richard M. Smith, Clerk
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