BOARD OF SELECTMEN
TUESDAY, OCTOBER 11, 2011
The regular meeting of the Board of Selectmen convened at 7:00 p.m. in the Conference Room at 29 Thompson Street. In attendance were Dr. Richard M. Smith, John F. Goodrich II and Edward A. Maia. Also present were Town Administrator Gretchen E. Neggers and the media.
The Pledge of Allegiance was recited.
Acceptance of Meeting Minutes:
Mr. Goodrich made a motion to accept the meeting minutes for September 29, 2011 – open and executive sessions. Mr. Maia seconded and it was so VOTED.
Set Halloween “Trick or Treat” Hours:
President of the Monson Rotary Club Mike O’Grady, Public Relations Coordinator of the Monson Rotary Club Dorothy Jenkins, and Manager of Westview Farm & Creamery Rose DeLand approached the Board of Selectmen.
Mr. O’Grady explained this year the annual Halloween event sponsored by the Monson Rotary Club will be different due to the inaccessibility of Memorial Hall following the June 1st tornado.
Mr. O’Grady stated this year the Monson Rotary Club is seeking approval from the Board of Selectmen to hold their annual Halloween parade and costume contest, solely for Monson residents and their families, on Sunday, October 30, 2011 from 3:00 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. at Westview Farm and Creamery on East Hill Road. The parade will be led by the Quaboag Highlanders Pipe & Drum Band beginning promptly at 3:30 p.m. on the grounds of the Farm and will proceed to the “Sugar Shack” where the judging of the costumes will be held.
Westview Farm & Creamery will provide free hayrides for the children only; small children on the hayride must be accompanied by an adult, and free ice cream cones and/or cider donuts will be served. The Monson Rotary will also be handing out their traditional bags of goodies to the children. Mr. O’Grady noted all the employees of Westview Farm are volunteering their time for this event.
Mr. O’Grady noted they will have a tent in case it rains and said he will speak with Police Chief Stephen Kozloski regarding any police coverage. All the parking will be in the parking lot located at Westview Farm.
Mr. Goodrich made a motion to fully endorse this event. Mr. Maia seconded and it was so VOTED.
Mr. Goodrich made a motion to set the formal “Trick or Treat” hours for the Town of Monson on Monday, October 31st from 4:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. Mr. Maia had left the room briefly and Dr. Smith seconded the motion.
Community Development Block Grant Application Discussion:
Community Development Planner at the Pioneer Valley Planning Commission Erica Johnson approached the Board of Selectmen.
Ms. Johnson explained the Community Development Strategy for 2012 as attached, and noted she is looking for input from the public and the Board of Selectmen.
Mr. Goodrich suggested placing this on the town’s website for the residents.
Ms. Johnson explained the Community Development Block Grant and left pamphlets as attached, which explain the construction activities, just what the CDBG is, how it benefits our community, the rehabilitation activities, planning and design activities, and the public service activities along with the benefits of working with the PVPV, and costs for services for anyone interested in knowing more about it.
Ms. Neggers said it’s a great program and she hopes it’s successful.
Ms. Johnson noted the Pioneer Valley Planning Commission is conducting the Visioning Workshop here in town and said they had a good turn out at the first session. The second phase will be a discussion on the outcome of the first workshop and is scheduled for October 26th at 6:30 p.m. in the cafeteria at the Monson High School.
The Board of Selectmen thanked Ms. Johnson for coming in.
Approve Fire Chief Contract:
Fire Chief George Robichaud approached the Board of Selectmen and noted he feels they have reached a fair contract.
Mr. Goodrich said he felt it was a good, respectful process on both sides.
Mr. Goodrich made a motion to accept the Fire Chief’s contract as negotiated. Mr. Maia seconded and it was so VOTED.
Scheduling of Special Town Meeting – Discussion:
Ms. Neggers explained we generally have a fall Special Town Meeting, usually for general bookkeeping. This year there are some funding needs that need to be appropriated for, but nothing urgent. Ms. Neggers added the Special Town Meeting just needs to be held prior to setting the tax rate.
Ms. Neggers said the Finance Committee is proposing scheduling the Special Town Meeting for the Monday November 21st just before Thanksgiving.
Mr. Goodrich wondered if the week prior to that would be better due to residents who travel for the Holiday and suggested Monday, November 14th.
Dr. Smith said we could even hold it a week later on November 28th.
Ms. Neggers said November 28th would be hard for the Town Assessor Ann Murphy who must hold a classification hearing very early in December to set the tax rate.
Town Clerk Nancy Morrell was in the audience and said November 14th would be okay with her.
Mr. Goodrich made a motion to post the Special Town Meeting for Monday, November 14, 2011 at 7:00 p.m. at Granite Valley Middle School in the auditorium. Mr. Maia seconded and it was so VOTED.
Designation of New Polling Location – Continued Discussion:
Town Clerk Nancy Morrell approached the Board of Selectmen. Ms. Neggers explained the Commonwealth Division of Elections sent a representrative to Monson to tour various options for polling locations. On the tour were Ms. Neggers, Ms. Morrell, and School Superintendent Pat Dardenne. Ms. Neggers noted they basically looked at Quarry Hill Elementary School and the Hillside Building.
Ms. Morrell said she received a report from the State noting they recommended using Quarry Hill Elementary School as the polling location. The polls will be set up using half of the gymnasium. Ms. Morrell noted Quarry Hill Elementary School is handicapped accessible and voters will be allowed to park by the pool entrance.
Ms. Morrell said the Hillside Building required work as a curb cut would be needed at each door to make the entrances handicapped accessible, plus two handicapped parking spaces would have to be identified and the approach to the door has a lip to get over that would need to be eliminated somehow. The High School wasn’t looked at due to the parking area and Granite Valley Middle School wasn’t looked at as the voters would have to go through the building to get to the gymnasium while school was in session.
The next election is in March, then April, September and November.
Mr. Goodrich said he would like to change the Town Election, to after a Town Meeting instead of before, and suggested have it on a Saturday where more residents might be able to attend. Ms. Morrell said she would check tomorrow to see if this could be voted upon at the Special Town Meeting or if it needed a regular Town Meeting.
Mr. Goodrich suggested placing signs on the former Town Office Building the day of the elections for residents who aren’t sure where to go, directing them to Quarry Hill Elementary School.
Ms. Morrell said all the voters will be notified of the change in the polling location with a mailing, and an ad will be placed in the newspaper stating this as well.
Mr. Goodrich made a motion to designate Quarry Hill Elementary School as the new polling location for the Town of Monson until further notice. Mr. Maia seconded and it was so VOTED.
Tornado Recovery Status
a. Update on Long Term Recovery Group
Hope Bodwell approached the Board of Selectmen and reminded everyone case work is still being done at the Senior Center. The telephone number to call for an appointment is 267-4143. The case workers are trained and certified to assist with emotional and mental help, clothing, food and any other unmet needs. This is separate from FEMA, however anyone participating will be asked to bring any paperwork they may have from FEMA along with any paperwork from their insurance company, with them.
b. Visioning Process – Next Meeting Date – 10/26/2011
A follow-up to the first Visioning session and will be held on October 26th at 6:30 p.m. in the cafeteria at the High School.
c. Award of Tornado Planning Assistance Grant ($75,000)
Ms. Neggers said last week we received official notification through the Department of Housing and Community Development the Town of Monson was awarded a $75,000 Tornado Recovery Planning Assistance Grant. This grant will help offset our costs with the downtown visioning, updates to our Master Plan, and any costs associated with looking at our bylaws to see if there are things in there that need to be changed as we move forward.
Ms. Neggers thanked the Planning Commission for assisting in this grant application and also thanked the Department of Housing and Community Development for administering it, and the Legislature for funding it.
d. Upcoming Events – Tree Planting Event 10/15/2011; Hazardous Waste Disposal Day 10/22/2011; Financial Recovery Workshop 10/22/2011; Rebuilding Home Show 10/15/2011
- Ms. Bodwell explained the Replanting Monson Tree Committee will be holding an event on Saturday, October 15, 2011. The tree planting event will be held at Veterans and Cushman Fields along the Chicopee Brook to provide some shade to the brook area and to keep the brook from warming up too much. Shrubs will be planted around Cushman Field to keep the balls from going outside the field. A few trees will be planted along State Street by the playground. The DCR (the Department of Conservation Recreation) will be donating 20 to 30 trees and 30 shrubs. Planting will be from 9:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m., stopping at 10:00 for a press conference with State dignitaries and DCR representatives. Anyone interested in volunteering to assist with the plantings should call the Selectmen’s Office at 267-4100 or Leslie Duthie at 267-4859 to reserve a
spot, and all volunteers should bring their own shovels and gloves.
- Ms. Neggers recognized the Department of Conservation and Recreation who has been very helpful to the Town of Monson as we recover from the damages caused by the tornado, along with Secretary Sullivan, Eric Seaborn, and Ms. Duthie. Ms. Neggers noted DCR will be bringing a crew into town in early November to remove some of the trees at Flynt Park, from upper Dr. Rogers Field to Mount Ella, clearing out the vista.
- Ms. Neggers said Norcross Wildlife Foundation has made some funds available and noted the Norcross Wildlife Foundation will be working with Ms. Duthie on some pretty significant wetlands restoration projects in the northwest corner of Cushman Field and a little way down along the brook, removing invasive species and planting native wetland species.
- Ms. Bodwell said on October 15th, “Ask the Experts Day” will be held from 11:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. at Granite Valley Middle School in the Cafeteria. Historic preservation and energy efficiency specialists will be available to answer questions and provide guidance for repair projects. Experts range from architects, woodwork, windows and stain glass repair craftsmen, and more. Almost twenty vendors will have tables set up. This is sponsored by Preservation Massachusetts.
- On October 22nd at the Keep Homestead Museum in the barn from 1:00 to 3:00 p.m. a Financial Recovery Workshop will be held sponsored by Monson’s Long Term Recovery Group. Residents can learn about financial preparedness and recovery from disasters as well as how to prepare for another disaster from Isaac Seigel, Vice President of Financial Advisory Services and Investment Executive, Infinex Financial Group. He will speak first and then take questions.
e. Report on Tornado Losses – Current Estimate Town Losses/Expenses; Status of Supplemental State Budget and Reimbursement for Tornado Expenses
- Ms. Neggers said she did a drive around with Highway Surveyor John Morrell. Ms. Neggers explained the bulk of the roads on the public infrastructure repair list have been completed. On Ely Road the water way was replaced and improved; work has been completed on a retaining wall between the parking lot at the Senior Center and Main Street; Washington Street had work done on the sidewalk, a new pipe rail fence was installed and a retaining wall was rebuilt; drainage work has been completed on State Street along with sidewalk repairs; Bethany Road was repaired near the bridge that goes over a culvert; the chain link fence was repaired on Stewart Avenue along with the stone wall and sidewalk; and repair work was done on Gates Street.
- Ms. Neggers said last week the House and Senate reached an agreement regarding funding for the supplemental budget; $10 Million will be used on tornado relief for the region. This will essentially pay the 25% costs that were incurred, which is the balance left over after the 75% reimbursement from FEMA. Ms. Neggers said she extended thanks on Friday on her behalf and the community, to Senator Brewer for all of his assistance in this. Ms. Neggers noted this will make a huge difference to the taxpayers and what the town will be able to afford in moving forward in terms of town services.
f. Any Other Updates
- In regards to the Town Office Building, Ms. Neggers said Town Counsel has contacted the insurance company, and we are in the process of scheduling a meeting between the insurance company and the Board of Selectmen.
- Dr. Smith reminded the listening audience of the up-coming Hazardous Waste Day scheduled for Saturday, October 22nd from 9:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. at the Highway Department.
Vote to Adopt M.G.L. c.32B Sec. 19 to Initiate Process to Transfer Employees’ Health Care to the Group Insurance Commission:
Mr. Goodrich made a motion the Board of Selectmen accept M.G.L. c. 32B, § 19 (as amended) for the purpose of transferring all subscribers for whom the Town provides health insurance to the Group Insurance Commission pursuant to M.G.L. c. 32B, § 19(e).
And further, to authorize the Town Administrator to: notice forthwith the initial meeting of a Public Employee Committee for the purpose of M.G.L. c. 32B, § 19(e); bargain with such Public Employee Committee for the purpose of M.G.L. c. 32B, § 19(e); enter into a tentative agreement with such Public Employee Committee for the purpose of M.G.L. c. 32B, § 19(e) which shall be subject to final approval by the Board of Selectmen; and take all such other steps as are reasonably related to the transfer of all subscribers to the Group Insurance Commission. Mr. Maia seconded and it was so VOTED.
Other Business to Come Before the Board of Selectmen:
Correspondence was read and completed.
At 8:17 p.m., Mr. Goodrich made a motion to adjourn from open session to go into executive session to discuss strategy with respect to collective bargaining and litigation – MGL c.30A, Sec.21 (3), not to return to open session. Mr. Maia seconded and it was so VOTED.
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Edward A. Maia, Clerk
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