Town of Princeton, Mass. – March 6, 2017 – 5 PM
Board of Selectmen –Regular Meeting Minutes
Chairman Stan Moss, Edith Morgan, plus TA Nina Nazarian. Jon Fudeman not present.
5:15 PM Following PBMLP meeting, Stan opened BOS meeting in the Town Hall Annex. Terry and Chad Steiner from Wheeler Road came in to request permission to use town common for farmers markets.
Selectmen voted all in favor to allow use of the common, as presented in their February 6th proposal, contingent on the T.A. receiving a satisfactory solution to the insurance issue.
The Cable Advisory Committee (CAC) had a quorum with Lane Ware, Phil Gransewicz, David Union and alternate David Hilton (acting as full member, given two full members were not present). Wayne Adams was in for the Advisory Cmte. Atty. Bill August (Special Counsel) was in to discuss protocol for the cable franchise public hearing. He suggested that the applicants—Comcast and Charter—should receive notice of any substantive meetings moving forward. The CAC group noted that all legal requirements/guidelines for meeting notices have been met. The hearing is set for Monday, March 13 at 6:30 PM at the TP School. The original plan was to limit each applicant to 30 minute presentation plus 30 minutes answering questions, however Counsel has advised that we should be flexible and equitable if it appears
additional time is necessary for the applicants to have a fair opportunity to be heard. Committee agreed to suggest sending both applicants questions ahead of time and asking them to answer them as part of their “presentation.” All agreed.
5:40 PM Lane shared a list of questions to be sent to both applicants from the CAC, including asking both applicants about provisional vs. final license options. The Committee included a question on that subject. There was discussion of a question about the construction grant from MBI and the amount of the funding.
Group then talked about a possible question about Public Education & Government Access TV (PEG) but did not include a question on that subject. There was Committee discussion and editing of questions on service area and cost of buried lines; access/easements on public/private ways; and servicing future “fill-in” building lots. They voted to delete other questions about service.
There was discussion about including a Question about each applicant possibly grouping Princeton in a regional project.
Lane had taken notes to edit the CAC list of questions and he will incorporate then and forward a revised list to Atty. August for legal review. The CAC meets again with BOS on March 27 after the hearing, where they may decide if another, interim meeting is needed.
7:40 PM The CAC adjourned and BOS resumed regular meeting. They voted all in favor to take no action on a “Cultural Corridor” being proposed by the state on Route 62. They voted all in favor to approve a senior citizen’s request for an abatement of $150 for an ambulance call, as per Fire Dept. recommendation. They voted all in favor to authorize the T.A. to enter into a contract with the lowest qualified bidder for the Fire Station #2 roof project. A likely cost -saving plan will result in the upper portion of the roof replaced with asphalt shingles and the lower part as metal roof. They voted all in favor to spend an additional $10,000 into deficit for snow & ice under MGL Ch. 44 sect. 31D to address the anticipated additional deficit.
7:50 PM Stan presented a plan for a study group for the changes proposed to the Advisory Committee, consisting of two Adv. Cmte. members, two selectmen and one citizen. He also suggests a warrant article for ATM that would dispose of underutilized town assets, mainly building lots, to fund the Infrastructure Stabilization Fund.
Stan discussed the T.A. evaluation and her goals list. He noted that her list of accomplishments for the year included about 50 items—of which five were on the goals list. He is suggesting a “management fellow” from a school or institution to assist the T.A.
An email from Jon F. noted that Atty. Tim Corcoran suggests getting state senator and representative and school committee members into the meeting with Jeff Wulfson to discuss Chapt. 70 educ. reimbursement—or lack of.
Board voted all in favor to authorize the T.A. to sign a contract with the state for a $20,000 grant from the Community Compact, to have the Collins Center devise a capital improvement plan for FY’19 including policy and procedure for funding all capital improvements.
Board voted all in favor to approve minutes of Feb. 21 and Feb. 27
It was noted that the town’s Moody’s Bond Rating is still Aa3, which is expected to be the best possible for town the size of Princeton with limited business/industry.
8:17 PM Selectmen voted to adjourn.
Respectfully submitted, Marie Auger, admin.assist.
BOS Referenced Documents: IARs from Comcast and Charter; CAC list of questions; email from Jon F.
Marie Auger
Administrative Assistant
Planning Department
978-464-2100
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