MINUTES
BOARD OF SELECTMEN
July 10, 2007
Present at the meeting that was held at the Town Building were Chairman Stephen Dungan and Selectmen Kathleen Farrell, Jason Robart, and Thomas Ruggiero.
Selectman Ellen Sturgis joined the meeting at approximately 8:45 p.m., during liaison assignments.
Also present were Town Administrator William Wrigley and Administrative Assistant Susan McLaughlin.
Chairman Dungan called the meeting to order at 7:00 p.m.
Public Input
Town Clerk Linda Hathaway shared a magazine article on our Police Department’s new 911 system, featuring photos of Stow.
Steve Mong, speaking as a member of the Agricultural Commission, said that a Great Road landowner is considering an Agricultural Preservation Restriction (APR) for his land. His land is currently being farmed and abuts both the Snow property and Kettle Farm farmland (also under an APR). Mr. Mong said the Agricultural Commission is in favor of the Town pursuing this option and has sent a written request to the Board.
Chairman’s Comments
Mr. Dungan introduced a new agenda item, Action Item Follow-up, to review progress on follow-up assignments from the Board’s meetings. Ms. McLaughlin will distribute a list of items with the responsible person shortly after each meeting.
Town Administrator’s Report
Mr. Wrigley had just returned from vacation and had no report on Town activities.
Meeting Minutes
June 26, 2007 Open Session: Mr. Ruggiero moved to accept the minutes, as written; Ms. Farrell seconded; and all voted in favor. Mr. Robart abstained, not having attended the meeting.
June 26, 2007 Executive Session: Ms. Farrell moved to accept the minutes, as written; Mr. Ruggiero seconded; and all voted in favor. Mr. Robart abstained, not having attended the meeting.
Approval of Bond Renewal
Treasurer/Collector Pam Landry asked the Board to approve renewing a bond for the combined borrowing of Center/Pompo renovation and a fire truck. The renewal is for $355.0k purchased from Eastern Bank at 4.1 percent.
Ms. Farrell moved to approve bonding of the Center/Pompo renovation and fire truck; Mr. Robart seconded; and all voted in favor. The four Board members signed the bond and the Town Clerk certified the signing.
Appointments
Conservation Commission – two members
Based on letters of interest from the candidates and on the recommendation of the Conservation Commission: Mr. Robart moved to appoint Kathy Tarbi and Dennis Walsh to the Conservation Commission; Ms. Farrell seconded; and all voted in favor.
Historical Commission – one member
Based on Ms. McLaughlin’s letter of interest and on the recommendation of the Historical Commission: Ms. Farrell moved to appoint Susan McLaughlin to the Historical Commission; Mr. Ruggiero seconded; and all voted in favor.
Recreation Commission – two members
Based on visits from the candidates, their letters of interest, and support from the Recreation Commission chairman and director: Mr. Robart moved to appoint Bill James and Jim Henry to the Recreation Commission; Mr. Ruggiero seconded; and all voted in favor.
Affordable Housing Trust – four members
Mike Kopczynski, Karen Meyer, and Quince Papanastassiou visited the Board to discuss their interest in joining the new Affordable Housing Trust. Ruth Kennedy Sudduth, who also submitted a letter of interest, was unable to attend.
Ms. Farrell moved to appoint Mike Kopczynski, Karen Meyer, Quince Papanastassiou, and Ruth Kennedy Sudduth to the Municipal Affordable Housing Trust for a term of two years;
Mr. Ruggiero seconded; and all voted in favor.
Mr. Ruggiero moved to appoint Kathleen Farrell to the Municipal Affordable Housing Trust as the selectmen’s representative for a one-year term; Mr. Robart seconded; and all voted in favor.
Location Change for Stow Polling Place
The Board met with Town Clerk Linda Hathaway and School Superintendent Michael Wood to agree on the location of the town’s polling place for the September 4, 2007 primary election (to replace Marty Meehan). The election falls on the first day of school and creates a space conflict at the Center School.
Ms. Hathaway and Mr. Wood explained the available alternatives and reasons for and against moving the location, including the cost of relocating, voter notification, future construction at Center, and voter and student safety. Ms. Hathaway said she and Mr. Wood agreed that they could make Hale School work. Ms. Farrell asked if the school district could move the start of school one day later, so that the voting could stay at Center and not incur the cost of any change of polling place.
Following discussion, the Board decided to relocate the polling place to the Hale Middle School for an indefinite time.
Mr. Ruggiero moved to move the polling place from Center School to Hale School; Mr. Robart seconded, adding that he would support a Reserve Fund transfer in order to “do it right,” especially concerning public safety (adding police details, if necessary).
Mssrs. Dungan, Robart, and Ruggiero voted in favor; Ms. Farrell voted against. The motion carried.
The Board asked Ms. Hathaway to prepare a plan for the relocation as soon as was reasonable.
American Dream Down Payment Initiative
The Board agreed to support a resident’s application for mortgage down-payment assistance through a federal program, American Dream Down Payment Initiative, administered by the South Middlesex Opportunity Council. The Stow Housing Authority favored using the program.
Mr. Robart moved to support the resident’s application through SMOC [South Middlesex Opportunity Council]; Ms. Farrell seconded; and all voted in favor.
Standard operating procedures (SOP) for Selectmen’s Office
The Board agreed to a process for developing and implementing procedures for the office, Board, and staff. Mr. Wrigley suggested that setting expectations is important and that the outline needs to be pared down and prioritized. It will be a long-term project and exist as a working document. To develop the SOPs, Mr. Robart and Mr. Wrigley will produce drafts of the various procedures, which will then be reviewed and voted by the Board. For the next meeting, they will return with a prioritized list of topics.
Commonwealth’s Municipal Partnership Act
Mr. Dungan asked the Board to review some additional background information of this proposed legislation, to be discussed and decide whether to formally support the act at the next meeting.
The Commonwealth’s programs for health insurance and retirement were briefly discussed.
Action Item Follow-up
General Points on Liaisons
Mr. Dungan had collected information from other towns and asked the Board to discuss. These points on the purpose and process of communicating with other Town boards were made:
· Assignments need to be manageable, given the number of committees;
· The purpose is to keep in touch with all that’s going on;
· Liaisons in other towns fill a “go-to person” role. It was agreed that liaisons need not attend committee meetings; their purpose is for other committees to know whom on the Board to contact.
· Liaisons can work well, e.g. Public Safety and Recreation;
· Joint Boards or Quarterly Chairmen’s meetings have been used successfully in the past;
· Other boards could designate a liaison to the selectmen, instead of vice versa.
Mr. Wrigley suggested that the Board concentrate on land acquisition for the next few months in order to be prepared for a special town meeting.
Decisions on Selectmen’s Liaisons
· Land Use Strategy Committee: Decide after 7/24 Joint Boards.
· Assabet River Rail Trail: Mr. Dungan will check in with Stow’s rep, Don Rising.
Ms. Sturgis joined the meeting at this time.
· Conservation Commission: No liaison needed. Will handle on an as-needed basis.
· Finance Committee: Mr. Robart will continue as liaison.
· Housing Authority and Partnership: Ms. Farrell, being a Housing Trust member, will handle these.
· Lake Boon Commission: No liaison needed. Ms. Farrell said that a Joint Boards meeting on lake issues is needed to get the different parties together.
· Metro Area Planning Council (MAPC): Mr. Dungan will serve as alternate to Stow’s rep Donna Jacobs.
· Nashoba Regional School Committee: Mr. Farrell moved to appoint Ms. Sturgis as liaison to the NRSD Committee; Mr. Ruggiero seconded; and all voted in favor.
· Perambulation of Boundaries: No liaison needed.
· Planning Board: Mr. Robart will cover.
· Public Safety (Fire, Police and Highway): Mr. Ruggiero will continue as liaison.
· School Building Committee: Wait until later to decide. Will require a selectman.
· Tri-Town coordination for Stow (get input on agenda, book Town Hall, etc.): Ms. Sturgis will coordinate for Stow. The Board agreed to rotate attendance at meetings.
· Website: None needed.
· Board of Health and MRC: No liaison.
· Council on Aging: Mr. Dungan.
· Cemetery: No liaison.
· Recreation: Ms. Sturgis moved to appoint Mr. Ruggiero as Recreation liaison; Ms. Farrell seconded; and all voted in favor.
· Building/Zoning Enforcement, Cultural Council, and Veteran’s Services: No liaison.
· Community Preservation Committee: Ms. Sturgis.
· Agricultural Commission: Not yet but maybe later.
· Historical Commission: Ms. McLaughlin as a member can be a liaison for Board.
· Library: No liaison.
· Zoning Board of Appeals: Mr. Dungan.
Regional Transit Authority (RTA) Membership Follow-up
Mr. Dungan will invite Montachusett RTA director Mo Khan to a Board meeting. Montachusett uses a commuter shuttle and senior van.
Fish & Wildlife and Crow Island
F&W official Carl Melberg is coming for a site visit of Crow Island and will meet with Mr. Wrigley at that time.
Joint Boards on Snow and Land Use Strategy Committee
Mr. Wrigley said he doubts that October or November will work for a Special Town Meeting given that 35 days are needed beforehand to have final language for any ballot questions and the Recreation RFP deadline for proposals is August 31. That only allows five weeks for the due diligence required to evaluate the properties. Mr. Ruggiero will review timing with Recreation.
The joint boards will be held on July 24.
Affordable Housing Trust and Partnership Roles and Responsibilities
With the goal of assigning primary responsibility for driving the development of affordable housing, the Board compared the roles of housing trusts and housing partnerships. It was agreed that partnerships have more responsibility for driving affordable housing, while trusts have more fiduciary responsibilities.
Mr. Wrigley volunteered to contact DHCD for consulting help with structuring Stow’s organization.
MSBA Update
Two items were discussed: officially posting for members of a School Building Committee and requesting the School Building Authority’s permission for Stow to manage the building project.
Ms. McLaughlin reported on a phone call she was requested to make to Richard Gill at MSBA regarding project management and starting a building committee. Ms. Sturgis said she was frustrated that his advice contradicted her understanding of Director Craven’s position and that multiple contacts with MSBA were a problem. It was agreed that Superintendent Wood would continue to be the single MSBA contact; the letter would be revised to inform the MSBA that Stow was beginning to form a building committee; and Ms. Sturgis would finish the letter and a vacancy posting. The posting will not include the number of members being sought. The town and school district will bring their proposed representatives to the next meeting.
Correspondence
Red Acre Road speed zone letter: Mr. Ruggiero will confer with the Superintendent of Streets and Mr. Wrigley will check the statute and process.
Dunster Drive Chapter 61 land: Mr. Wrigley will review the statute relative to use and Ms. McLaughlin will check on interest with other boards.
At 10:12 p.m., Ms. Sturgis moved to adjourn; Mr. Ruggiero seconded; and all voted in favor.
Respectfully submitted,
Susan McLaughlin
Administrative Assistant, Board of Selectmen
Approved as amended, July 24, 2007
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