BOARD OF SELECTMEN
TUESDAY, MAY 22, 2012
The regular meeting for 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 and Edward S. Harrison. Edward A. Maia was absent. Also present were Town Administrator Gretchen E. Neggers and the media.
The Pledge of Allegiance was recited.
Acceptance of Meeting Minutes:
Mr. Harrison made a motion to accept the meeting minutes of May 8, 2012 – open session. Dr. Smith seconded and it was so VOTED.
Pole Petition #12626219 – Install one JO Pole on May Hill Road:
Mr. Harrison read pole petition #12626219 into the record. Both the Highway and Water/Sewer Departments had no objection to the pole location. There wasn’t anyone in the audience to speak for or against the pole petition.
Mr. Harrison made a motion to approve pole petition #12626219 as presented. Dr. Smith seconded and it was so VOTED.
Schedule Debt Exclusion Election; Approve Ballot Question:
Ms. Neggers stated at the Annual Town meeting, voters approved Article 18 appropriating $3.4 million to be put toward a new Town Office/Police facility, contingent upon a debt exclusion override. The suggestion put before the Selectmen tonight is to schedule that override election for Tuesday, June 26, 2012 at Quarry Hill Community School. Town Counsel has approved the language, in the motion below, to be placed on the ballot. This will be a single question within the elections.
Mr. Harrison made a motion to schedule an election at Quarry Hill Community School on June 26th to vote on the following language:
Shall the town of Monson be allowed to exempt from the provisions of proposition two and one-half, so-called, the amounts required to pay for the bond issued in order to pay for the construction of a new Town Office/Police Facility at 110 Main Street, Monson, MA, the demolition of the existing structure on that location, for original equipment and furnishings and any other legal purposes related and incidental thereto?
Dr. Smith seconded and it was so VOTED.
Disaster Recovery Status
a. Tornado Anniversary Ceremony – Update
b. Town Office Building Project – Discussion of Creation of Building Committee
c. Visioning Process – Next Meeting – 05/30/2012
d. Update on Disaster Recovery Manager Hiring Process
a. Tornado Anniversary Ceremony: Ms. Neggers reiterated next week is the one-year anniversary of the tornado which struck our town, along with four other towns.
Lori Stacy, on behalf of the Tornado Anniversary Committee, approached the Board of Selectmen to explain the type of ceremony and events that will be held in Monson on June 1, 2012.
Ms. Stacy noted the gathering will begin at 4:30 p.m. on the lawn at Memorial Hall. The ceremony will be positive and up-beat. Church bells will ring in each community along the 39 mile path at the exact time the tornado hit their towns. Following that there will be a moment of silence, followed by the speakers. Ms. Stacy read a list of speakers/guests into the record. Ms. Stacy said little notes were sent inside the invitations asking the speakers to limit their speeches to 2 or 3 minutes each. An on-going slideshow will be presented inside Memorial Hall focusing on thank-you signs and buildings being rebuilt. Refreshments will also be served inside. They are expecting a lot of press and a lot of representatives from all over the country. Ms. Stacy explained the parking for the event and said she has been in contact and
working with Police Chief Stephen Kozloski , Fire Chief George Robichaud and Highway Surveyor John Morrell.
Ms. Neggers encouraged everyone in the community to attend.
The Board of Selectmen thanked Ms. Stacy on the excellent work and for coming in.
b. Building Committee Creation for 110 Main Street: Ms. Neggers explained a Building Committee will be needed whether an override is approved to build a new building or whether we accept the insurance money and repair the Town Office Building at 110 Main Street. Ms. Neggers said she received an email from Peter Matrow expressing his interest in serving on the committee.
Mr. Harrison agreed a committee is needed for this, as when the schools were being built there was a committee like this and they made sure it was being built on time and kept under budget.
Ms. Neggers said she would do a press release seeking applicants to serve on the Building Committee.
c. Visioning Process: Ms. Neggers noted next Wednesday, May 30th, the Pioneer Valley Planning Commission will hold the final public workshop for the first phase of the tornado recovery planning, from 6:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. in the Selectmen’s Conference Room here in the Hillside Building.
Residents will be asked to give their opinions about downtown improvement options developed from input from previous workshops. These include better sidewalks, crosswalks, and recreation paths and connections; improvements to parking and driveways; streetscape improvements; and improved public gathering spaces.
This workshop will be an “open house” format. Participants are invited to come when they can and stay as long as they like. Refreshments will be provided.
Presentations and notes from earlier workshops are available on the town’s website.
Ms. Neggers said the decisions and recommendations coming forward in many ways will define our recovery, as well as our future, on the appearance of the downtown streetscape and recreation plans, etc.
Request to Exercise Right-of-First-Refusal – 18.47 acres – Cushman Street, Gates Street and Stewart Avenue:
Mr. Harrison made a motion to waive our right-of-first-refusal on a parcel of land, 18.47 acres, on Cushman Street, Gates Street and Stewart Avenue, as described in the document. Dr. Smith seconded and it was so VOTED.
In Other Business to Come Before the Board of Selectmen:
- Dr. Smith read a request into the record from Police Chief Stephen Kozloski for the appointment of auxiliary police officers.
Dr. Smith made a motion to appoint: Matthew French, Benjamin Woehlke, Allisa Radula, Michael Goldberg and Jason Mancuso as auxiliary police officers, contingent upon successfully passing a background investigation, through June 30, 2012. Mr. Harrison seconded and it was so VOTED.
- Mr. Harrison made a motion to change Marilyn Gorman back to an Alternate Commissioner representing the Planning Board at the Pioneer Valley Planning Commission through June 30, 2012. Dr. Smith seconded and it was so VOTED.
The Board of Selectmen and Ms. Neggers thanked Ms. Gorman for doing this.
- Ms. Neggers said a letter was received from a resident on Reynolds Avenue to have a streetlight turned back on.
It was agreed to ask the Police Chief, Fire Chief and Highway Surveyor to review this request as generally streetlights are placed for public safety, and make a recommendation back to the Board of Selectmen whether it would merit being put forth for public safety purposes, for action by the Board at their meeting on June 12th.
- Ms. Neggers explained some of the Town offices in the Hillside Building will have to be reconfigured by relocating them, as the environment isn’t working for some of the employees. The Treasurer’s Office will be moving to the front of the building where the Community Meeting Room is currently located. The Community Meeting Room will be moved to share the space currently used by the CPC and Historical Commission, located across the hall from the Selectmen’s Conference Room. If the CPC and Historical Commission don’t wish to share their room, they can move to the Treasurer’s former office. Ms. Neggers said she is hoping the insurance company will pay for the office switch which will primarily be the cost of moving the technology around (telephones and computers).
- Ms. Neggers noted Kathy Taft, a 30 year employee, is retiring. Ms. Taft will be coming back to say “Hello” to friends this Thursday from 1:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. Anyone who would like to stop in to see Ms. Taft is encouraged to do so. Light refreshments will be served. Ms. Taft will be greatly missed.
Correspondence was read and completed.
At 7:35 p.m., Mr. Harrison made a motion to adjourn from open session to go into executive session to discuss non-union contractual strategy – MGL c.30A, Sec.21 (2) not to return to open session. Dr. Smith seconded and it was so VOTED.
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Edward S. Harrison, Clerk
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