Meeting Minutes
Minutes Accepted and filed with the Town Clerk on 9/17/2013 by a vote of 5-0
7:00 p.m. – September 3, 2013
Sutton Town Hall, Selectmen’s Meeting Room
Members in Attendance:
Chairman John Hebert, Vice-Chair Kenneth Stuart, Selectmen Michael Chizy, Richard Hersom & David Hall
Town Administrator James Smith & Debbie Jacques, secretary
Chairman Hebert calls the meeting to order at 7:00 pm followed by the Pledge of Allegiance.
No comments under Public Forum
Selectman Stuart motions to accept as presented August 20, 2013 BOS minutes as written, Selectman Hall seconds passes 4-0-1 (Selectman Hersom abstains, absent from 8/20/13 meeting)
PUBLIC HEARING: 61A property/Helgeson /Manchaug Road: Clerk David Hall reads the public notice to open the hearing. TA Smith informs the BOS this is property under 61A on Manchaug Road, all inter office departments have expressed no interest in purchasing the property. This property is owned by Wesley & Carol Helgeson. The purchase price for the property is $345,000. No public comments regarding this property. Selectman Stuart motions to close the public hearing, Selectman Hersom seconds passes 5-0. Selectman Hersom motions to not exercise the town’s option under MGL Chapter 61A for land located on Manchaug Road, Map #48, parcels 52, 53 & 54. Selectman Chizy seconds passes 5-0
Dudley Gendron Post #414: Manager Mary Krumsiek is present to request an outside beer and wine license for a Chicken barbecue which is to be held on Sunday, September 8, between the hours of 12:00 noon to 4pm. Hearing no concerns, Selectman Chizy motions to approve the request for a special one day outside Beer & Wine license at the Dudley Gendron Post #414 located at 156 Boston Road on September 8, 2013 between the hours of 12 noon – 4pm with a detail police officer on site, Chairman Hebert would like to add “to be paid within 30 days”, Selectman Stuart seconds passes 5-0
Lion’s Club Halloween event: Selectman Hall recuses himself to join John & Diane Greenlaw of 20 Newton Drive to address the BOS. Dave begins by saying the Lion’s Club is a charitable organization that raises funds to assist residents with fuel assistance, scholarships, the Food pantry. The typical fundraisers are golf tournaments or food tables at town events. This is a new event that they are hoping becomes an annual event. They are before the BOS to inform them of the event. John Greenlaw says it will be held across from Pleasant Valley CC, it will be a maze brought in by Chimera Enterprises out of Connecticut (fully licensed & insured) and a hayride over a 3 night period. Police & Fire will be contacted and detail police officers will be hired. They are anticipating over 500 people will attend
each night. Abutters to the area have been notified. Diane Greenlaw says high schools, colleges and local businesses have been notified. Selectman Chizy is glad to hear of the upcoming event, Selectman Hersom says great idea, good luck, Selectman Stuart welcomes John & Diane to the Lion’s Club and says great ideas add such an infusion to the club, Chairman Hebert thanks them for coming before the BOS and states his father was one of the founding fathers of the Lion’s Club, it offers good clean fun.
Planning & Design grant/Library: present is Library director Betsy Rajotte and library trustees, Liz Fritz-Keyes and Rachel Tufts. Betsy informs the BOS there is grant she would like to apply for that requires a Town Meeting approval. This is the 1st step in a long process. Once the grant has been applied for, the funding request of $25,000.00 would have to go on the spring town meeting. The grant is for $50,000.00 with a town match of $25,000.00. Betsy says the need for a larger library is huge; currently the library is approx. 3100 sq. feet, for the size of the town 18,000 to 20,000 sq. feet is suggested. They feel Shaw Farm would be a great location as it is close to the school. There is a deadline which is why they are looking for approval from the BOS. Selectman Chizy says he has mixed feelings about a
new library, he understands the needs but public safety comes ahead of a library. Mike goes on to say a Police Station is #1, Highway #2 and then a library. Selectman Hersom asks if we take the 1st step (grant) what happens next, how will it fiscally affect the town. Betsy states we can go ahead with the grant for planning & design, we are not obligated to do construction. TA Smith asks how often construction loans come around, Betsy replies every 10 years. Liz Keyes says this is getting the ball rolling on a new library; we are not locked in as it would go for a town vote. Selectman Stuart says if the proposition is put before the town the town’s people will make the decision. Selectman Hall agrees that public safety comes first but if there are other sources of funding for a new library, let the town decide. Chairman Hebert thanks them for coming before the BOS and says Public Safety comes 1st; it will be up to the town to decide.
Stonebridge Estates Bond Expenditures: TA Smith explains this is for improvements made at the intersection of Benoni Dr. and Wildflower Dr. It is for asphalt from Lynch and the rental of a roller. Hearing no comments or concerns, Selectman Hersom motions to authorize expenditures from Stonebridge Estates/Colonial Acres bond funds for 4 invoices totaling $2,827.00 for asphalt and equipment rental Selectman Chizy seconds passes 5-0
Intention to Layout easements/John Way: TA Smith informs the BOS this is going to be passed over as Planning Director Jen Hager spoke to Town Counsel and found that this step was taken in 2008. No further Town Meeting action is required for this.
TA Update:
- Open Meeting Law presentation: Kopelman & Paige will be holding a presentation on October 8th @ 7pm
- Middle School/High School: the High school is scheduled to open Sept. 9th, jrs. and srs. Will be bused to Life song Church on Gilmore Drive, freshman & sophomores will use additional classrooms in the modular units and classrooms in the elementary school. We are hoping that the High school students will be moving into the new middle school on September 23rd.
Access TCA: Jen Hager, John Hebert and Jim Smith visited their business in Northbridge; they are interested in moving to Commerce Park and building a 250,000 to 300,000 sq. ft. building. They are a 12 shift operation and are looking for a TIF similar to the Atlas Box TIF.
- Town Administrators Evaluation: blank forms are in the packets, please get back to office within next few weeks and it will be on the October 1st meeting
Announcements: N/A
Round Table/Correspondence:
Selectman Chizy reports that after Michelle made her presentation regarding the need at the Food Pantry there was a large check donated.
Selectman Hall thanks the school administration for the recent meeting he attended in regards to his daughter that is a Sr. at the High school and will be starting school at Lifesong Church. A lot of planning went into this and thank you also to Pastor Paine for allowing the use of his facility, it is very generous.
Chairman Hebert motions to enter into Executive Session under M.G.L., c30A, Sec. 21 #3 and enter back into regular session for the sole purpose of returning for adjournment only, Selectman Hersom seconds, passes 5-0 7:40 pm
Hearing no further comments Selectman Chizy motions to adjourn, Selectman Hersom seconds passes 5-0
Meeting adjourned 9:25 pm
| 
