BOARD OF SELECTMEN
TUESDAY, JULY 8, 2014
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 Edward S. Harrison, Dr. Richard M. Smith and John R. Morrell. Also present were Town Administrator Evan Brassard and the media.
The Pledge of Allegiance was recited.
Acceptance of Emergency Meeting Minutes:
Mr. Harrison explained an emergency meeting was held by the Board of Selectmen with Mr. Brassard on June 6th. There was a Conflict of Interest with the Acting Town Clerk being in charge of the election, as her name was on the ballot running for the Town Clerk’s position. The Clerk for the Town of Ware offered to volunteer to fill in, and the emergency meeting was needed to appoint her for the day for all matters related to the June 10, 2014 Annual Town Elections in accordance with M.G.L. Chapter 41 §14.
Mr. Harrison made a motion to accept the meeting minutes for the emergency meeting - open session held on June 6, 2014. Dr. Smith seconded and it was unanimously VOTED.
Acceptance of Meeting Minutes:
Dr. Smith made a motion to accept the meeting minutes of June 17, 2014 – open and executive sessions. Mr. Morrell seconded and it was unanimously VOTED.
Keep Homestead Electrical:
EmmaLadd Shepherd approached the Board of Selectmen. Mr. Harrison congratulated Ms. Shepherd on being chosen the 2014 Citizen of the Year for the Town of Monson. Ms. Shepherd thanked the Selectmen and the Rotary for choosing her as the Citizen of the Year and said this is the highest honor in town, and she really appreciates it.
Ms. Shepherd explained the Directors for the Keep Homestead Museum hired an electrician, David H. Carney out of Springfield, to make sure there wasn’t any knob and tube wiring in the attic at the museum. The electrician did find some in the basement that wasn’t connected and this was removed. The electrician also found junction boxes with no lids and live wires in them, junction boxes that were completely rusted out, a 220 line that was live, two live bare wires hanging down from the ceiling with wire nuts on the ends, etc. and all of this was repaired by Mr. Carney.
Ms. Shepherd said back in March Carol Strum noticed the lights in one of the rooms at the museum wasn’t working, and it was found the outlet was dead. Mr. Carney also repaired this and while he was there they had him install a switch on the wall for the light rather than plugging it in and unplugging it every time it was needed, as they were doing. While repairing this, Mr. Carney was having a hard time keeping the breakers from tripping and it was discovered there was a two pole switch that should have been a one pole switch, and Mr. Carney replaced this as well.
Ms. Shepherd said when some of the volunteers came in one morning they found that there wasn’t any power in the entire north end of the building. Ms. Shepherd said a couple of the volunteers went down in the museum cellar and they found three breakers were off. Mr. Carney was called to look at it and he was unable to find what actually tripped the breakers. It was decided the breakers must have tripped during a recent storm. While there, Mr. Carney looked around and found the stove in the old kitchen from when the house was divided into two apartments, had two live 50 amp circuits coming from it, and he removed them. He also found some grounding issues, labeled the breakers and looked at the hot water heater. Mr. Carney found the hot water heater wasn’t grounded and there were two wires coming out
of the water heater that weren’t heavy enough to carry the current going into two breakers that were too heavy. Mr. Carney ran new wiring for this and installed a handle on the breaker so the museum can turn the hot water heater off in the winter.
Ms. Shepherd said she was just here tonight to inform the Selectmen what has been going on at the Keep Homestead Museum, and noted all this work has already been completed.
110 Main Street Construction Update:
Mr. Brassard said he has been having weekly construction meetings every Thursday morning with the Town Planner, Owners Project Manager, contractor, architect, Police Chief, and the Finance Director regarding the new Town Office/Police facility building.
Mr. Brassard said the building is on schedule to be turned back over to the Town on November 5th, barring any unforeseen occurrences. All the furniture and filing cabinets will be new, replaced by the insurance, and will already be there so it’s just a matter of emptying the things we have here and bringing them over there. The aforementioned group is currently trying to figure out the most effective and efficient way, as well as the least disruptive way of doing it. There will also be a grand opening for the new building to invite people in for a tour, and this will be discussed this week.
Mr. Brassard said the workers have been installing the dry wall on the lower level of the new building, and noted it is coming together really rapidly now.
Mr. Brassard explained there are three pipes on the front of the building on the roof that are double boiler flues that have been pretty controversial. Mr. Brassard noted the Building Committee, among others, is not very pleased with the look of the pipes since its right above the main door. The Committee has been working with the architect and the engineer to try to find different routing for the boiler flues, either out the back through the roof or out the back of the building horizontally, and doing it so it is still energy efficient.
Dr. Smith wondered if they could put some type of fake structure up there to conceal the pipes.
Mr. Brassard said in regards to Memorial Hall, we are moving forward to try to get the specs and bids out on four areas. Everything that wasn’t a health or safety issue has been completed, and we were able to do those our self. Now, we need to do the bigger items such as the alarms, ADA compliance, and sheetrock for the stage, which is beyond what we can do in-house.
Mr. Harrison asked Mr. Brassard if we were going to make the deadline for the Craft Fair, since we missed the expected deadline for the Summerfest.
Mr. Brassard responded this is the goal, and he is going to see if we can get this project moving quicker. Mr. Brassard added once the bids are out, we should be able to button it up in a month or two, it’s just a matter of getting the bids out for the contractors to come in and get the work done.
Mr. Morrell asked about the 110 Main Street building parking lot and the functionality and operational piece of it by the November 5th date.
Mr. Brassard said that’s the other piece of it they are still working on. The Police will have to move out first so the trailers can me moved off the premise prior to any work on the parking lot beginning. Mr. Brassard was unsure if that’s going to be the November 6th move or if the Police Department will be allowed to move in prior to this date; they are working on it.
Mr. Morrell replied it will be one big mess if we leave this building prior to the parking lot being all set at the new building.
Debris Behind House of Art:
Mr. Morrell showed the Board pictures of trash behind the House of Art and noted this has been going on for some time. Mr. Morrell noted thirteen tires have recently been added to the pile of trash and said the tires weren’t there on the last Bulky Day held in May. Mr. Morrell said besides the pile of trash not looking nice, he is afraid the pile will continue to grow if it isn’t taken care of soon.
Dr. Smith agreed to ask the Monson Arts Council to get rid of their stuff behind the House of Art.
Mr. Harrison asked about having a walk through, or having Mr. Brassard walk through Memorial Hall with Mr. DeMaio.
Discuss Double Utility Poles:
Mr. Morrell said the double utility pole problem in town has been going on for some time. Mr. Morrell noted Verizon owns very few poles in town; the majority of the utility poles are owned by National Grid.
Mr. Morrell said when a pole is being replaced Verizon, Comcast and National Grid all must transfer their lines from the old pole to the new pole. Mr. Morrell noted one double pole has been there for three years with just Verizon lines on it.
Mr. Morrell said the double utility poles are a safety hazard and he would like Mr. Brassard to invite the three companies in to see where they are with them. Mr. Morrell added when National Grid installs the poles on town property they have an agreement with the town to maintain them. Mr. Morrell stated a pole on Pleasant Street has been there for seven years now, with no wires whatsoever on it.
Mr. Harrison suggested having Mr. Brassard draft a letter to the three companies requesting an inventory and a plan. If we don’t get a reaction from the letter, it was suggested to invite them in. In the letter to the three companies, it was suggested to remind them it is their obligation to maintain the utility poles in our town.
Appointment of Temporary Building Inspector:
Mr. Brassard stated the current inspector for the Town of Palmer, Bonnie Weeks, is willing to enter a short-term contract with Monson to help us out while we are searching for a replacement for our Building Inspector who recently retired.
Mr. Brassard said he met with Ms. Weeks to go over the contract, and noted Town Counsel has also looked at the contract. The contract will be for 30 day intervals for as long as needed at $25 per hour. Certain things will take priority over others as far as inspections.
Mr. Brassard noted the alternate Building Inspector Lance Trevallion, has agreed to take on our new building and Ms. Weeks will do everything else.
Mr. Brassard said he is hoping to have candidates to be interviewed at the Selectmen’s meeting scheduled for July 22nd.
Dr. Smith made a motion to appoint Bonnie Weeks as the temporary Building Inspector for Monson until no longer needed. Mr. Morrell seconded and it was unanimously VOTED.
Correspondence was read and completed.
There wasn’t any other business to come before the Board.
At 7:45 p.m., Dr. Smith made a motion to adjourn from open session to go into executive session to discuss strategy with respect to collective bargaining or litigation – pursuant to M.G.L. C.30A §21 (3), not to return to open session. Mr. Morrell seconded and it was unanimously VOTED.
_____________________________
John R. Morrell, Clerk
| 
