Town of Princeton, Mass. – March 21, 2016 – 5 PM
BOARD OF SELECTMEN – Regular Mtg. Minutes
5:03 PM Meeting was called to order at the Town Hall Annex. Present were Chairman Edith Morgan, Jon Fudeman, Stan Moss with T.A. Nina Nazarian plus Advisory Board members.
Eagle Scout candidate Sam Goodnow came in with revised plans for benches at Dingman Park, across from Prince of Peace Church. He had met with the Historical Commission and decided to rehabilitate the benches rather than replace them with a new design. The wood can be refinished and new mahogany armrests installed and new fasteners, Edith suggested moving them back from the road a bit, exact placement to be at Sam’s discretion.
Selectmen voted all in favor to approve the plan for bench renovation as presented.
5:15 PM Selectmen then considered Berube Food Trailer parked at Mechanics Hall. They had previously received a letter from John Wilson that outlined zoning violations: a non-conforming lot, the change of use on a municipal-owned lot and multiple uses on a single lot. Atty. Brian Foley from Sterling was in for the Berubes, noting that the process cannot begin without selectmen’s support, at this meeting. Edith listed major reservations of the board, mainly parking and traffic, and Foley pointed out that those issues would be addressed at site plan review or a variance hearing.
Jon F stated that his client is the town and the best interests of residents. He said costs are adding up, with staff and town counsel focusing on this issue; he doesn’t want to put the town in a difficult position, as both the building inspector and town counsel say there are zoning violations to address. He noted potential liabilities for the town, starting with the mistake on the zoning map that didn’t include Mechanics Hall in the Business Zone when the bylaw text did include it. Jon also said that with no financial hardship, there was no apparent reason for a variance. The traffic situation could become a liability for the town. If the property has real commercial value, the town may seek highest and best use for the property and not a food truck. He repeated the
question, “What’s in it for the town,” adding that rent from a trailer parked there would be minimal, taking years before it covered the attorney fees. He also asked who would cover costs for screening the site if a site plan required fencing or other buffer. Also, Jon said he wouldn’t want to see this approval open the door to other uses on town properties.
Foley stated that a permit for the food trailer can be conditional, and that in Sterling the selectmen granted a license for a food truck, circumventing the need for town meeting approval, and that the license is still subject to other state or local regulations. He insisted that a hardship doesn’t have to be financial and that strict enforcement can be a hardship, but Jon insisted he didn’t see a hardship. Stan echoed Jon’s concerns and said he’s worried about the neighbor next door, who has reported some problems. He mentioned all the work involved with legal requirements. A letter from town counsel recommends that a 2/3 vote at a town meeting is needed to change use of municipal property, and the warrant closes in one month for the ATM in May, allowing
no time for a bid process, site plan or a variance.
5:50 PM Selectmen then voted all in favor to disapprove the continued use of the Mechanic’s Hall property for several reasons, including but not limited to permission not being established for the use of the property prior to the start of the Berube Roadside Kitchen business operation, that permission has not been granted under M.G.L. c. 40, §§ 3-4 and § 15A, the Board of Selectmen’s inability to have previously solicited proposals in accordance with M.G.L. c. 30B (the Uniform Procurement Act), the various conflicts with the Zoning Bylaws, including the prohibition of multiple principal uses on a single lot and the lot being a non-conforming lot in terms of minimum acreage, and safety concerns related to access and egress.
Bob Berube asked if the trailer could continue operation at the site until another location was made ready. Selectmen told him it was now in the hands of the building inspector, who would issue a cease & desist.
5:55 PM Selectmen considered a request from Jesse Mills who is organizing the Marlene A. Mills Foundation Half-Marathon and 5K in a loop around Princeton and Westminster on September 10. Selectmen voted all in favor to approve the event subject to any requirements from fire or police departments being met. Mr. Mills said he would forward a copy of the group’s insurance to Nina.
Selectmen received a DRAFT policy for the use of the Town Hall Annex facility. This was crafted by Nina and Alex (the intern) because of concerns over policies and procedures for the use of the Town Hall Annex. There’s a plan to re-key the building as spare keys have not been returned. Selectmen decided to take the document home for study and edits.
The board also signed a letter of thanks to Ed Sweeney for his donation of a hockey goal and his work maintaining the outdoor ice rink at TP School.
6:08 PM Sue Shanahan was in to explain the budgets for Parks & Rec and Council on Aging—both of which are flat. She described drainage improvements that are needed around the ballfield at TP School, but the Highway Dept. had materials on hand, and offered to do the work, saving about $5,000, so no capital requests were needed this year for Parks & Rec. Sue noted that the basketball court at Krashes may need drainage repair and re-surfacing, but can wait until the next fiscal year.
6:15 PM Nina reported a discussion with a town center resident about clearing sidewalks in winter. Edith stated that many neighbors walk the loop out to Allen Hill Road. Enlisting volunteers seems like the best solution.
6:30 PM The group discussed the budget from WRSD. Nina explained that “level service” is the same level of service being offered now, which may include increased or decreased costs. The two boards want to get a copy of the budget in an Excel file that is workable and then format questions that may be addressed at the next joint meeting.
Selectmen agreed to meet in one week on March 28 at 4 PM for executive session with Fieldstone Farm working group and with Advisory Board at 5 PM.
It was noted that the town’s revenue projections exceed operating requests by about $800,000 before certain salary and other small increases, indicating that at this time the average tax bill is not anticipated to go up this year. Also, the town had approved a school budget last year that was ultimately accepted by the whole region at a lower total, so part of Princeton’s apportionment was approved but not spent. This sum may be used to repair the floor tile at TP School, estimated at about $115,000. Towns in the WRSD can make a voluntary expenditure in the infrastructure if they want to spend more on schools (Holden: case in point) than what is appropriated in the regional budget.
Nina presented a list of pending town expenditures which the Advisory Board may not be aware of.
7:30 PM Selectmen voted all in favor to appoint Craig Boissoneau for the DPW as heavy equipment operator/truck driver, subject to any pre-employment requirements. They also voted all in favor to appoint Terry Hart to the Memorial Day Committee for a term to June 30, 2016 and to re-appoint Claire Golding to the Board of Registrars for a term from 4/1/16 through 3/31/19. They voted all in favor to sign a cemetery deed to sell Lot 24 C&D in Woodland Cemetery to the Dano family.
The board considered contractors who bid on replacement of the water heater at TP School, and voted all in favor to expend up to $40,000 ($35,787 x ~10%) of the “Available School Debt Project” account # 30-5-300-005 (account contains $44,242.66), and award the contract to Aalanco Service Corporation and authorized the Town Administrator to sign the contract.
A book sale will be at Mechanics Hall June 2 – 5 and the Friends requested use of the interior. The board voted all in favor to allow the event, but decided to consider—at a future meeting—a policy for using the building’s interior considering possible code violations.
Selectmen noted a letter from Paul Bennett.reporting that the POW/MIA Flag on the Town Common was missing in action, and selectmen hadn’t realized it. Nina will look into replacing it and a volunteer will be sought to tend to flag-raising duties since the previous volunteer, Carrie Dolmat-Connell, has passed away.
Selectmen voted all in favor to approve use of a temporary mobile home at 44 Merriam Road for a period of up to one year in accordance with the Zoning Bylaws, pending the house being deemed uninhabitable (by the building inspector or other reasonable means) and under repair due to burst pipes.
7:40 PM Board voted all in favor to approve regular minutes and executive session minutes from March 7, 2016.
7:43 PM Selectmen went into executive session. Selectmen voted to enter into executive session to discuss salaries for non-union personnel, and not to reconvene into open session. Stan M. made a motion: “I move to enter into Executive Session pursuant to MGL Chapter 30, Section 21, to discuss town employee salaries and not to reconvene into open session” and Jon F. seconded the motion. Edith M. called for a vote and in roll call Jon voted “Aye,” Edith voted “Aye” and Stan voted “Aye.”
Respectfully submitted, Marie N. Auger, administrative assistant
BOS Referenced Documents: Sam Goodnow plan for bench renovation; Marlene A. Mills Foundation Half-Marathon map and materials; DRAFT policy for the use of the Town Hall Annex facility; Budgets for Parks & Rec and Council on Aging; Budget materials from WRSD; List of pending town expenditures; Letter from Paul Bennett.
Marie Auger
Administrative Assistant
Planning Department
978-464-2100
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