Town of Princeton, Mass. – Sept. 18, 2017 – 7:30 PM
Board of Selectmen – Regular Meeting
Present: Chair Jon Fudeman, Richard Bisk, Edith Morgan plus TA Nina Nazarian. Also, PBMLD/Cable Adv. Cmte. members John Rowell, Darcy Rowell and John Kowaleski
7:30 PM The chairman opened the meeting and board voted all in favor to approve minutes for September 5 incl/ exec. session (not to be released), 7, 11, 13, and 14 with minor edits from Richy for Sept. 5 and 14.
Selectmen voted all in favor to appoint new p/t IT coordinator Peter Cummings. He will be starting on Wednesday.
Group noted Charter Cable franchise update, as all pole licenses have been complete by Verizon (and PMLD) and just need to be transferred to Charter.
Jon reported on fact that Mass Broadband Institute and Baker Administration had promised that underserved towns (including Princeton) would be able to get broadband through Comcast or Charter at no cost to the towns. As part of a group consisting of Jon, John Rowell, Marty Dell’Erba and Nina, they have communicated with MBI head Peter Larkin about Princeton’s reimbursement claim, as Princeton is the only town that spent its own funds—almost $1 million--on make-ready work. Jon understood from MBI a possible figure of $50-70,000 in reimbursement but nothing definitive as yet. Selectmen want to take their case to legislators H. Chandler or K. Ferguson. John Rowell said his PBMLP group will defer to BOS in pursuing any reimbursement, noting that his group has offered help on
this issue but selectmen didn’t take advantage of it. Edith and Richy were unaware of this lapse and Edith apologized. Jon admitted that he had promised to provide a spreadsheet to PBMLP but it was never done.
7:50 PM Facilities Steering Committee has received five proposals as a result of a request for RFQs, but one was two minutes late of the bid deadline. As this is only an RFQ it could be considered an informality and Nina will consult town counsel on how to proceed.
Selectmen voted all in favor to accept whatever decision Fac. Steering Cmte. makes on the issue, contingent on advice from counsel.
The board then voted all in favor to ratify the vote taken in exec. session for wage of Cemetery Foreman Jami Deloge (working out of grade) to be raised from $17. To $17.50/hour effective July 1, 2017, through the end of the cemetery season.
8 PM Selectmen voted all in favor to approve use of the Common for the Town Wide Yard Sale on Saturday, Sept. 30. They voted all in favor to retroactively approve the letter of support sent by the Town Administrator, as presented, for Wachusett Greenways to DCR’s Partnership Matching Funds Program. The Greenway’s Rail Trail is celebrating its 20-year anniversary at 10 AM on Sept. 30 at the Thomas Street trailhead in West Boylston, and Richy offered to attend on behalf of Princeton; Edith also might attend.
8:10 PM Jon began a conversation about what he feels is a need for a Town Financial Plan—for operations, crunching numbers on financial needs--not a capital plan. He spoke about looking for savings, such as regionalizing some services, or using free labor from Monty Tech or the sheriff’s office. The Collins Center website has samples of what a financial operations plan looks like. He also said any data analysis would not be the T.A.’s job but be done by board members or volunteers. Edith pointed out that it sounded like a big study and it was all over the place, plus it was recently suggested that Collins Center be engaged for an operational study of Town Hall. She stressed that the BOS list of goals and tasks was already full and items needed to be completed one at a time; prioritized. She also asked
how this would tie into the Advisory Committee Study Cmte. Richy noted that a financial plan should involve the Adv. Cmte. Jon insisted this would be a continuing conversation and he wanted the rest of the board to discuss it and decide on any action going forward.
The group will meet later this this week to consider this one subject. They later decided to set the meeting at 3 PM Thursday, Sept. 21 in the Annex, and ask the Advisory Cmte. to attend if they wish.
8:30 PM John K. stated that Princeton already has no lack of plans, it’s the execution that’s lacking. Boards keep postponing any action on any decisions they make. He said there’s no follow-up action regarding the P.C. since the vote to close it. After some discussion about costs of heating an empty building, Richy pointed out that selectmen decided to secure the building and heat it at minimum 50 degrees through this winter and wait for further action until after the report from the Building Study Cmte.
8:40 PM Selectmen voted all in favor to accept the resignation from Michael Crowley on Parks & Rec Commission and Nina reported the position has been posted on the website, recommending a period of at least 3 weeks before filling the position.
Nina reported on various correspondence: a form for grant-funding opportunities from the U.S. House of Representatives which the group reviewed and will be forwarded; an invitation to a breakfast from Montachusett Home Care; a notice from DEP to the Kwik Stop in East Princeton about the shared well that’s under Mechanics Hall—in violation; and, an inquiry from Beth Mellor about a standing Facilities Advisory Committee that would replace the Princeton Ctr. Mgmt. Cmte.
The PBMLP is considering selling the equipment huts which PBMLP would have used for fiber-optic, or possibly keep one as a temperature-controlled storage vault, for digital/electronic backup storage. The town paid approx. $27,000 for all three and they are still shrink-wrapped on shipping pads. John K. stated there is a ready market for them, but the PBMLP wanted to know if there was interest by the Town to use one of these buildings as a conditioned records storage building. Nina suggested that this could be decided after they have been solicited for sale and we know the potential sale price(s). The Bagg Hall chimney liner and re-pointing project has been completed and the Route 62 resurfacing job will be getting underway. Employees have received the Classification & Compensation Study
job descriptions they must review and return.
Nina will set up a date for a joint meeting with the BOS, the Adv. Cmte. and the Collins Ctr. She then noted the State Ethics form had been filled out for a Disclosure of Gift up to $49.99, for the BOS Goal-Setting session and dinner being donated by John Bomba at Harrington Farm. The Board’s disclosures will be filed with the Town Clerk, and the Board voted to accept Nina’s disclosure.
9:10 PM Selectmen voted all in favor to adjourn.
Respectfully submitted, T.A. Nina Nazarian & Marie Auger, admin. assist.
BOS Referenced Documents: Resume from Peter Cummings; request for Town Wide Yard Sale; Wachusett Greenways letter of support and invitation to 20-year anniversary; resignation from Michael Crowley; form for grant-funding opportunities; DEP notice on well violation; invitation from Montachusett Home Care; an inquiry from Beth Mellor; Disclosure of Gift to selectmen.
Marie Auger
Administrative Assistant
Planning Department
978-464-2100
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