Town of Princeton, Mass., Selectboard Meeting Minutes
– June 25, 2018 – 7:30 PM– Town Hall
Present: Chair Richard Bisk, Karen Cruise & Edith Morgan w/ TA Nina Nazarian.
Minutes – 7:30 PM Richy opened the meeting in the Town Hall and he and Karen C. voted all in favor to approve minutes for June 11 and approve but not release exec. session minutes for June 11. Edith arrived at 7:40 PM.
Cemetery Superintendent, Appoint Mr. William “Bill” Bergstrom – Bill Bergstrom was in attendance. Bill has submitted an application and resume which outlined experience with almost all levels of a funeral director’s duties, as well as skills in turf management and landscaping. He said he’ll need to learn detail about plot and cemetery locations.
ACTION: S.B. voted to appoint Mr. Bergstrom as cemetery superintendent effective June 27, 2018.
Charter update – Group discussed 12-month construction period promised by Charter, and if it covers infrastructure only or also connections to homes—will need to check licensing permit and speak with Charter further.
Update on MBI Board Meeting on June 15th – Nina and Richy met with MBI to further consider the Town of Princeton’s request for $192k in reimbursements. Although members seemed positive they postponed any decision until their next meeting in July.
Staff Appointments – Nina recommended several staff appointments.
ACTION: S.B. voted all in favor to appoint Richard Breagy to the position of inspector of buildings through September 30; to appoint Gary Harrington as asst. inspector of wires; Robert Janda as asst. gas & plumbing inspector and Jeremy Pierce as gas & plumbing inspector; Michele Powers, Mike Trafecante and Ricky Thebeau as constables and Lynne Grettum as the burial agent—each for a term through June 30, 2019. They voted all in favor to appoint Police Chief Michele Powers, Police Sgt. Ricky Thebeau, police officers Robert Sargood, Hasnain Ali, Fawne Russell, Travis Russell, Holly Doyle; Tree Warden/Moth Supt. Chris Courville and the T.A. Nina Nazarian for a term through June 30, 2021.
Board/committee appointments – With two openings on Advisory Cmte. and three applicants, S.B. opted to choose two members at a July 2nd S.B. meeting at 10 AM in the Annex, after contacting individuals that the members were not as familiar with. Applicants were Krista Penning, Rick McCowan and MaryJo Wojtusik. Some discussion ensued on residency requirements, as Sue Mitchell is up for Conservation Commission and that she may not be living in town. The S.B. agreed that it would be important to know if there was a residency requirement in the general laws for Conservation Commission members. Also, S.B. decided to wait on appointing COA members until the new director is on board.
ACTION: S.B. voted all in favor to appoint Lar Greene for 3 years on ZBA; Jim Hillis for 3 years on BOH; Brian Keevan for 3 years on ConsComm; Susan Mitchell for 3 years on ConsComm contingent upon being a registered voter as well as residing in Princeton; Walter Gowey for 3 years on Agr. Comm.; Lou Trostel for 3 years on Cemetery Comm.; Corey Burnham-Howard, Claire Golding, Phoebe Moore, Christine Samoiloff for 1 year on Env. Action Cmte.; Larry Todd for 3 years and Carl Soderberg (alternate) for 1 year on Historical Comm.; Jacob Roczniak and John Zimmatore for 1 year on IT Strategic Pl. Cmte.; Kelton Burbank and Rick Gardner for 2 years on Open Space Cmte.; Jim Shuris for 3 years on Personnel Bd.; and, Bill Holder and Terry Thompson for 3 years on Road Adv.
Cmte.
Assistant Town Clerk – Nina recommended that the town post an Assistant Town Clerk position to be able to fill in when the Town Clerk is out or on vacation, as well as to provide additional hours to the Town Clerk’s office (i.e. Thursday afternoons).
ACTION: S.B. voted all in favor to authorize the T.A. to advertise the position of assistant town clerk.
Accept Resignation – Nina reported receiving a resignation notice from Jami Deloge, Temporary Highway Laborer.
ACTION: S.B. voted all in favor to accept resignation of Jami Deloge, effective June 28.
Cemetery Burial Rates, Proposed Changes – Group reviewed a recommendation by the Cemetery Commission to update prices for burial services.
ACTION: S.B. voted all in favor to approve rate changes for cemetery and burial services as listed.
MIIA Health Benefits Trust Agreement – Board discussed transition of health insurance employee benefit, from Fallon to insurance broker MIIA.
ACTION: The board voted all in favor to sign the Trust Agreement contract with MIIA.
Service Agreement with E.L. Harvey & Sons, Inc. – Waste removal contractor is changing, based on a lower price option – the town considered several options for waste removal and will switch from Waste Management to E.L. Harvey & Sons.
ACTION: Board voted all in favor to authorize the T.A. to sign a contract with E.L. Harvey & Sons to collect trash from town buildings effective June 8, 2018.
Minuteman Road Club Gran Fondo & Medio Fondo Ride on July 28, 2018 – Minuteman Road Club plans a cycling race on and around the mountain on June 28.
ACTION: S.B.voted all in favor to approve use of town common and town roads with condition that all trash will be collected from the course after the race.
Mechanics Hall – Group reviewed a letter Nina drafted with advice from town counsel, identifying how much time Dick Stuart has to disengage his water service from the town-owned well in Mechanics Hall—find another water source by Dec. 31st. The letter will be forwarded to Mr. Stuart shortly. It outlines reasons why town must take action and discontinue the well from servicing Stuart’s building, including town liability and threat of non-compliance from DEP, which is insisting on separate wells for the two properties.
ACTION: S.B. voted all in favor to forward the letter and notify Mr. Stuart about the Dec. 31 deadline.
Executive Session 9:36 PM – In accordance with M.G.L. c. 30A, §21:-- Richy moved and Edith seconded to go into executive session, and not return to regular session: in accordance with M.G.L. c. 30A, §21: A. Exemption Two – To conduct strategy sessions in preparation for negotiations with non-union personnel -- Classification & Compensation Study and Exemption Three - To discuss strategy with respect to litigation if an open meeting may have a detrimental effect on the litigating position of the public body and the chair so declares. In roll call Edith voted “Aye,” Karen voted “Aye” and Richy voted “Aye.”
Adjourned from Executive Session 10:06 PM
Respectfully submitted, Marie Auger, Admin. Asst.
S.B. Referenced Documents: Applications and resumes from staff and board/committee members for appointments and re-appointments; Resignation letter from Jami Deloge; updated price sheet for burial services; MIIA Health Benefits Trust Agreement; Minuteman Road Club request; letter notifying Mr. Stuart about the Dec. 31 deadline.
| 
