MINUTES
BOARD OF SELECTMEN
January 24, 2006
Present at the meeting that was held at the Stow Town Building were Chairman Edward Perry and Selectmen John Clayton, Stephen Dungan, Carole Makary, and Janet Wheeler.
Also present were Town Administrator William Wrigley and Administrative Assistant Susan Flint Hosier.
Chairman Perry called the meeting to order at 7:02 p.m.
Town Administrator’s Report
Mr. Wrigley updated the Board on three legal issues:
· The Donahue v. Town of Stow and Otis Elevator case was dismissed on January 18.
· The Kunelius v. Town of Stow, Trust for Public Land, and Craig MacDonnell is waiting for the judge to issue his decision within a few weeks.
· The Cushing case is awaiting a pre-trial conference. The Town filed an injunction for relief, which was approved, allowing the Town to do due diligence.
The Town’s new fire truck arrived and firefighters will receive training on its use.
Mr. Wrigley reviewed a district-wide facilities lease agreement for the NRSD superintendent. A lease agreement between the three towns and the school district is new. The only existing agreement is one for Stow, which Mr. Wrigley negotiated with former superintendent Roland Miller to allow Stow to manage the Hale Middle School renovation.
Introduction of Abdoulaye Coulibaly
Former selectman Shirley Burchfield, in her professional role with World Education, brought a visitor from Mali (West Africa) named Abdoulaye Coulibaly to observe the meeting. Mr. Coulibaly is the mayor of a town about the size of Stow, with a Mayor/Town Council form of government. He is visiting the United States and France to learn more about mobilizing communities and our local forms of government. He wanted to see a US Town Council meeting in action, so Ms. Burchfield volunteered to accompany him to a Stow selectmen’s meeting.
Appointment of Registrar of Voters
At the request of the Republican Town Committee, the Board appointed Edward R. Perry, Sr. to the position of Registrar of Voters, representing the Republican Party. Mr. Dungan moved the appointment; Mr. Clayton seconded, and four selectmen voted in favor. Chairman Perry abstained, as Mr. Perry, Sr. is his father. The motion to appoint carried.
Eagle Scout Project
Boy Scout Andy Hogan presented his proposal for his Eagle Scout project to the Board: a display board to replace the sandwich boards used on the Town Hall lawn for announcements.
Selectmen were appreciative of the project and asked him to next contact the Town Clerk, Building Commissioner, and Historical Commission for their review and approval.
Annual Town Meeting Warrant
The Board voted the opening and closing dates of the warrant for the 2006 Annual Town Meeting in May, based on recommendations from the Town Clerk and Ms. Hosier. Mr. Clayton moved to open the warrant that evening, Jan 24, and close it on March 17; Ms. Makary seconded; and all voted in favor. Ms. Hosier was to inform the Town committees and departments and to coordinate the timing with the Finance Committee’s public hearing and recommendations.
Board of Assessors Visit
Chairman of the Board of Assessors John Bolton and Principal Assessor Dorothy Wilbur visited the Board for an update of assessors’ activities. Ms. Wilbur explained that this year all personal property will be re-evaluated, as well as the one-third of the land that the assessors re-evaluate each year. This results in a significant increase in the Assessors budget for fiscal year 2007.
Other budgeted items include purchase of a Windows-based software application for personal property data and the addition of an office clerk to handle the increased workload.
Municipal Relations Team Dissolution
The Board reviewed its recent decision to form a Municipal Relations Team, established to improve the working relationship between the Town and the Nashoba school district. Mr. Dungan, who originally proposed the team, said he had been persuaded the work was more suited to the Tri-Town group. Mr. Dungan moved to eliminate the Municipal Relations Team, as originally established for Stow; Ms. Makary seconded; and all voted in favor.
Building Department Visit
Building Commissioner Richard Roggeveen visited the Board for an update on the Building Department’s activities, including his fiscal year 2007 budget needs. He submitted a Facilities Manager job description, noting that he spends three to five hours a week of his 35 to 37 hours managing the Town buildings for which he is responsible. This is in addition to his work as Building Inspector, which now includes much new construction in Stow.
Mr. Roggeveen recommended increasing the Town’s fee schedule for building permits to be more in line with other towns. Mr. Wrigley said that departments can set their own fees, per Mass General Law, and advised that all Town fees should be reviewed. Chairman Perry requested a proposal on the fee increases from Mr. Roggeveen and Mr. Wrigley.
Stow TV and Local Access Channel Advisory Committee (LACAC) Visit
Chairman Edward Newman and Stow TV Coordinator Anne VanTine visited the Board to describe the accomplishments of the LACAC (formerly the Public Education and Government (PEG) Advisory Committee) and plans for Stow TV.
Mr. Newman said, in its four-year existence, LACAC had accomplished the objectives originally set forth, which included creating a process and organization for local cable operation, establishing governance, recruiting staff and volunteers, and acquiring space and equipment.
LACAC plans include acquiring “quick set-up/breakdown” equipment for on-demand, on-site use, additional studio space, and digital editing and server equipment. Funding from Comcast is expected to cover Stow TV expenses for the next 18 months, after which LACAC funding would seek funding from Town Meeting.
Rep. Pat Walrath Visit
Representative Pat Walrath made her annual visit to the Board, introducing five new pieces of legislation of interest to Stow. New laws include a local option to support Town employees in the armed services; mandatory Town inspections of carbon monoxide and smoke detectors; mandatory death benefits for call and volunteer firefighters; property-tax relief for seniors; and state reimbursement for school costs resulting from Smart Growth.
Rep. Walrath also said that Chapter 90 funding in the Governor’s budget could hold big changes and that state revenues were looking better. In response to a question on the new School Building Assistance program, she said that regulations were expected on July 1, 2006 and the moratorium would be lifted on July 1, 2007.
Hudson Light and Power Department Visit
Resident Edward Brown, the Town’s liaison to the Hudson Department of Light and Power, and two HL&P board members updated the selectmen on general energy trends and the Hudson power company.
Mr. Brown said that the cost of residential gas had doubled and oil had risen 72 percent in the same period, while Hudson residential rates rose only 18 percent. The modest rise was due to Hudson’s use of an “amelioration fund” to subsidize the increased fuel-adjustment charges.
The HL&P board members thanked the selectmen for appointing Mr. Brown as liaison, saying he is an excellent advisor and very effective contributor. Mr. Brown has a strong background in energy research and policy.
School Building Plans
The Board discussed the status of the School Building program, including expanding the size of the group; the need for diverse representation and ideas; and use of a facilitator to ensure progress and participation.
As to funding, Mr. Wrigley explained that Town Meeting had authorized only the existing five-member School Building Committee to expend funds and that this authority would not carry over to a new committee. It was agreed to submit a warrant article to Annual Town Meeting, asking voters to transfer the remaining funds to the new School Building group and, in the interim, to seek any necessary funds through a Reserve Transfer request to the Finance Committee. It was also agreed to post the position of facilitator.
Event Permit for Run for the Woods Race
The Stow Conservation Trust requested an event permit from the Board for its annual Run for the Woods road race, scheduled for May 14. Coordinator Kendra McDowell had submitted plans to the Board and Public Safety Officer, in preparation for the request. The Board issued the permit, contingent upon: 1) SCT providing an insurance certificate verifying the appropriate level of coverage and 2) agreement to meet the road safety recommendations, including the provision of police details, as specified by the Public Safety Officer, Sgt. Tim Lima.
The May 14 event permit was granted to the Trust on a motion from Ms. Makary, seconded by Mr. Clayton, with all voting in favor.
Municipal Land Purchase
Mr. Dungan recommended that the Board appoint a small working group to evaluate the Snow property on Old Bolton Road. At the Jan 10 meeting, the Board voted to assign the task to the newly formed Municipal Land Use Committee; however, committee chair Margie Lynch explained that technical land evaluation was not part of the committee’s charter. As a result, Mr. Dungan asked the Board to appoint a three-person working group composed of residents Eric Bachtell, Jim Wheeler, and a representative from the Recreation Commission. Mr. Bachtell is presently the chair of the Housing Partnership and its liaison to the Municipal Land Use Committee.
Ms. Makary requested that the Board issue a Request for Proposals (RFP) for property right away, while the preliminary land evaluation was being done. Mr. Wrigley stated that the Town must first set the conditions as to what the Town needs, in order to prepare an RFP.
Mr. Dungan moved to rescind the vote to give the Snow property land evaluation to the Municipal Land Use Committee and to give it to the three named individuals (Mr. Bachtell, Mr. Wheeler, and a Recreation representative); seconded by Ms. Makary; with four members voting in favor and Mr. Clayton abstaining. The motion carried.
Minute Man Realty/Chapter 61 Paperwork
The Board signed a form confirming its waiver of its option to purchase the Chapter 61 Minute Man Realty property. A letter confirming the same waiver had already been sent to the property owner; this form was an additional document requested by the landowner’s attorney.
Approve Minutes
A Board member requested that approval of the Jan 10, 2006 minutes be postponed until the next meeting, which was agreed to.
At 10:27 p.m., Mr. Clayton moved to adjourn, Mr. Dungan seconded, and four members voted in favor; Ms. Makary did not vote.
Respectfully submitted,
Susan Flint Hosier
Administrative Assistant
Board of Selectmen
Approved as amended, March 14, 2006
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