Regional Selectmen’s Meeting
Feb. 15, 2012
Tolland Emergency Management Complex, Rte. 57
7:00 p.m.
Attendance:
Sandisfield
- Patrick Barrett
- Jeffrey Gray
- Rhee Kacky
- William Cohn
- Bob Greenfield
- Debbie Harris
- Stephen Harasyko
- Richard Campetti
Tolland:
- Eric R. Munson, Jr.
- Thomas Paine
- Steve Della Giustina
- Wayne Carr
- Mira Munson
Tyringham
- Alan Wilcox
- Peter L. Curtin
- Les Beebe
Otis
- Brian Crandall
- Donald Hawley
- Chris Bouchard
- Roberta Sarnacki
The meeting was called to order at 7:00 p.m.
#1 The Highway Superintendents discussed sharing resources: They seem to all share some resources already – both information and equipment. They discussed the possibility of sharing trucks, excavators (Otis) , roller etc. They put forward the idea of towns paying a share of specific equipment when purchased.. It was agreed that each town needs to develop a list of equipment they have and bring it to the next meeting. The idea of putting together one bid for several towns who share a road i.e. Route 57 was suggested by Patrick Barrett. No one was sure if you could share Ch. 90 money and do a project. The idea of 5 towns bidding out a project like line painting was suggested. Wayne Carr felt the State Bid would still be better.
A discussion of the difficulties in working with FEMA after “Irene” was carried on. It seemed FEMA was overwhelmed and staff assignments were too large. Otis has not received FEMA funds to date for the storm. The idea of drafting a letter to FEMA did not materialize as a meeting with FEMA was to occur in a week or so.
#2. Senior Citizens Tax Reduction Program was next discussed. Details on how this program ran in each town were not clear. No one had definitive information on “work for tax reduction”. Patrick Barrett was going to look at it further in Sandisfield where the COA had recently made a request of the Selectmen for this program.
#3 A short discussion of how towns are handling solar permitting was held. Tolland reported working with it now. They are treating the application as a special permit through their Planning Board. They have a by-law that the state is reviewing that would treat solar farms as special permits.
#4 Grants were discussed. As grant applications are based on a point scale, our small towns do not do well. The point was made that perhaps we could work together on a grant request. This issue was another one that could be discussed further at our next meeting.
#5 The final item was Discussion/Approval of a draft letter to our State representative.
Patrick Barrett went through a letter he had drafted to go to our State Representative. It covered the idea of lowering the gas tax as with the higher price of gas, a lower tax would still realize the income the state budgeted for gas tax. The letter also addressed the fact that Ch. 70 is still too low. It also included the fact that the purchase of Spectacle Pond by the state had still not brought any money to Sandisfield for state owned land. Tolland reported once the state purchases land, the town will not see money for state owned land for three years. It also addressed Strap Grants – requesting a grant of this type for smaller towns( qualifications now require a population of 7,000). This request would also come before a meeting with our representative. It was suggested (for the letter)
that notification of Ch. 90 funds needed to be timely – summer notification is too late to start some projects and the Hilltowns as they have such a short work season. Finally it was suggested that the names of all the Selectmen should be added to the letter and that it should be sent to our State Senator, the representative for the 4 towns and Knapnik, Tolland’s representative.
#6 Next Meeting:
- Otis will host, April 18, Town Hall
- Bring list of equipment that could be shaared with other towns
- Bring list of Town Salaries
- Send agenda items to Patrick. Patrick will share lists of equipment or salaries if they are e-mailed to him.
- Patrick will invite Richard Neal, Knapik, Wm. Pignatelli, and Benjamin Downing to this meeting.
Respectfully submitted, Mira K. Munson, Tolland
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