MINUTES
BOARD OF SELECTMEN
July 22, 2008
Present at the meeting that was held at the Town Building were Chairman Thomas Ruggiero and Selectmen Stephen Dungan, Kathleen Farrell, Jason Robart, and Ellen Sturgis.
Also present were Town Administrator William Wrigley and Administrative Assistant Susan McLaughlin.
Chairman Ruggiero called the meeting to order at 7:02 p.m.
Public Input
Ms. Farrell announced that Hale School Drama presentation was this weekend and urged residents to attend.
Chairman’s Comments
Mr. Ruggiero said it was good to have everyone back. (Ms. McLaughlin had been out on sick leave.)
Town Administrator’s Report
Mr. Wrigley reported on the following topics:
· A draft contract was sent to the Montachusett Area Regional Transportation (MART) agency describing both the present scope of services being used by Stow, as well as possible future services. Stow was being charged twice, once by MART and also by the MBTA. This has now been resolved. Mr. Wrigley thanked Bob Walrath and COA Director Alyson Toole for their help with the contract.
· Mr. Wrigley executed the engineering contract for design services for the Snow property. He also signed the Town’s EOEEA grant application which requests $500,000 toward the design and development of the Snow recreation facilities.
· The search team for hiring new Fire Chief Mike McLaughlin will have regular ongoing meetings with the Chief, beginning this week. The group will look at fire / rescue issues that affect the town.
· Mr. Wrigley met with Ms. Sturgis and NRSD Superintendent Michael Wood to finish the Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) on financing the new elementary school. The MOA is required by the Mass School Building Authority.
· Oral arguments for the Parker v. Town of Stow case will be made on July 28. The Town is asking for a summary judgment with dismissal. The Board of Selectmen had agreed earlier to proceed with the case, in order to have a legal decision on permissible uses of Pine Bluffs.
· In the Kunelius case, while the Town is a co-defendant with the Trust for Public Land, the charges are different. The Town is requesting a dismissal by summary judgment for its charges and is waiting to hear from the court. The oral arguments were made in May.
· In the Collings case, the Town is requesting a summary judgment with dismissal, as well. The judge has asked the Planning Board and Mr. Collings to try to settle but Mr. Wrigley said it is not likely to occur.
The Boston Post Road Cane
Karen Gray and Linda Stokes of the Historical Commission visited the Board to request that the selectmen award the Boston Post Road Cane, which honors Stow’s oldest resident, to Donald Freeman Brown of Red Acre Road. Mr. Brown will celebrate his 100th birthday in November.
Ms. Gray and Ms. Stokes described the history of the cane, one of which was given to each municipality in the Commonwealth for this purpose.
Ms. Farrell read a presentation and Mr. Ruggiero read the official proclamation dedicated to Mr. Brown. The cane and the proclamation will be presented to Mr. Brown at the Council on Aging picnic in August. COA Director Alyson Toole is Mr. Brown’s daughter.
Appointment to the Stow Historical Commission
The Board appointed Linda Stokes, an associate member of the Commission, to the position of voting member. Ms. Stokes replaces long-time member and Chairman John Makey, who retired from the Commission this year.
Mr. Robart moved to appoint Linda Stokes to the Historical Commission; Ms. Sturgis seconded; and all voted in favor.
Appointment of Deputy Gas Inspector
On the request of Building Commissioner Craig Martin, Ms. Sturgis moved to appoint Adam Sahlberg as Deputy Gas Inspector; Mr. Robart seconded; and all voted in favor.
Stow Conservation Trust “Ride for the Woods” Permit
On the recommendation of Public Safety Officer Sgt Lima and SCT’s submission of a Certificate of Insurance, Mr. Dungan moved to approve the Ride for the Woods permit for August 24, 2008; Ms. Sturgis seconded; and all voted in favor.
Assabet River and Wastewater Discharge Permits
Ingeborg Heggeman Clark, Conservation Commission member, visited the Board to present her recommendation regarding the EPA’s draft permit modification to allow Marlborough to increase its effluent discharge into the Assabet River.
Ms. Clark explained the current state of the river and need to control effluent discharge. She is working with the Organization for the Assabet River (OAR) to comment of the proposed permit modification by the August 13 deadline.
It was agreed that the Board of Selectmen and Conservation Commission would send a letter with the Town’s comments to the EPA. Ms. Clark will draft the letter for review by both boards, OAR, and Town Counsel.
Liaison Assignments and Goals for FY 2009
Using the FY 2008 liaison and committee membership list as a starting point, Board members discussed the various communication needs they had with different committees. They decided to identify contact people for some committees and more formal liaisons for others, as appropriate. They also explained the duties of their committee memberships and decided who would serve on the committees for the upcoming year.
Ms. McLaughlin will update the liaison and committee lists for the Board’s review, after which it will be distributed to all the Town departments and committees.
After Ms. Sturgis expressed interest in being the Selectmen’s representative to the Metropolitan Area Planning Committee (MAPC), Mr. Dungan moved to appoint her to the position; Mr. Robart seconded; and all voted in favor.
As to setting upcoming goals, it was agreed that, instead of having lists of multiple goals for each member, the selectmen focus on their role implementing the Town’s Master Plan. How to drive the implementation and turn the current document into an action plan was discussed, noting that members are already assigned to various aspects of the plan. Mr. Dungan, the Board’s representative on the Master Plan Committee, will bring the question of how to facilitate the hand-off of the plan for implementation to the next Master Plan meeting.
Liaison Reports
Elementary School Building Committee: Looking at the Town’s ability to accept donations via fundraising.
Snow Recreation Project: Joint Boards heard impressive presentation by the design firm. The state grant application was submitted on time.
Public Safety: Chief Trefry would like the Board’s approval to fill the patrol officer vacancy. The Board approves.
At 8:45 p.m., Mr. Dungan moved to adjourn; Ms. Sturgis seconded; and all voted in favor.
Respectfully submitted,
Susan McLaughlin
Administrative Assistant, Board of Selectmen
Approved as written, August 26, 2008
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