Meeting Minutes
Minutes Accepted and filed with the Town Clerk on 10/21/14 by a vote of 5-0
7:00 p.m. – October 07, 2014
Sutton Town Hall, Selectmen’s Meeting Room
Members in Attendance:
Chairman Kenneth Stuart, Vice Chair David Hall, Selectmen Mike Chizy, John Hebert and Paul Maynard
Town Administrator James Smith & Debbie Jacques, secretary
Chairman Stuart calls the meeting to order at 7:00pm followed by the Pledge of Allegiance
Public Forum: no comments
Selectman Maynard motions to accept as submitted BOS minutes from September 23, 2014; Selectman Hebert seconds passes 5-0
Public Hearing** 61A property Right of 1st Refusal: Selectman Chizy reads the notice as it was advertised in the Sept. 17th 2014 Telegram & Gazette. Present is property owner of 6 & 10 Hathaway Drive Patrick Lundgren. TA Smith informs the BOS the Planning Board and Conservation has recommended the town pass over the option to purchase. Jacqueline Breault of 10 Fuller Rd. asks for clarification on 61A and would like to see a map. (the board at this time passes out the maps from their packets) John Knox of 241 Mendon Rd. has an old plan from 2000 showing his property abutting Gravison property. Chairman Stuart tries to clear up confusion as to what 61A means (property put in to agriculture /forestry use and the town has the 1st right of refusal. Selectman Chizy states if
this land was not under 61A it would not be before the BOS. Selectman Hall feels the town has no interest or need of the land.
Donald LeClaire of 9 Fuller Rd. asks if it comes out of 61A can it be developed. Joyce Sardagnola, Principle Assessor says these 2 properties are attached; they can never be broken up. Hearing no further comments, Selectman Chizy motions to close the Public Hearing, Selectman Hebert seconds passes 5-0. Selectman Hebert motions to not exercise the town’s option under MGL Chapter 61A for property located on 6 Hathaway Drive, Map 31 Parcel 124 and 10 Hathaway Drive, Map 31 Parcel 125, Selectman Hall seconds passes 5-0
COA Director Update: Michelle Edelstein is present to offer an update on the Sutton Food Pantry. Michelle offered answers to frequently asked questions; how many people does the Food Pantry serve, the answer is currently over 200 households with an average household being 4 people. How do families in need find out about the Food Pantry, they are referred by the school, the Town nurse, food stamp recipients are given the names of Food Pantries in the area. To get assistance you must prove you are a Sutton resident (light bill/phone bill). To donate, please drop off at 19Hough Road or cash donations can be paid in the form of check made out to the Town of Sutton with Food Pantry in the memo. The needs change and are listed on the suttonma.org web site. Michelle says hunger knows no time of year. It is run by
volunteers but offers special thanks to Mike Chizy, Barbara Bessette and Ann Kennedy for volunteering and always getting the word out there. She goes on to request local organizations, schools & businesses to hold Food Drives. Chairman Stuart thanks Michelle for the update and says Mike Chizy is the Food Pantry’s biggest cheerleader. Selectman Chizy says he cannot thank Michelle and the volunteers enough, Selectman Hebert thanks Michelle for her hard work, Selectman Hall says it is a pleasure to have Michelle here but it is a serious topic. Dave asks Michelle if she has seen an increase over the years, she replies 9 years ago there were maybe 9-11 households, now there are 200. Selectman Maynard asks the average age of the user, Michelle responds mid 40’s. They all offer her thanks for coming in and updating the BOS and the residents.
Administrative Consent order-School Dept. Roger Raymond Facility Mgr. for the schools is present. TA Smith says this is a consent order with penalty from MassDEP. This goes back to May 2014 when glycol was released into the Wastewater Treatment Facility. The situation was resolved and the penalty of $5,750. has been suspended by MassDEP. Roger states that the previous contractor TLT had moved some pipes and they were never reconnected which may have created the issue. DEP has requested a floor drainage plan as well as a discharge monitoring plan which White Water is helping draft. Selectman Hall asks if the new management plans will be costly, Roger is not sure of the cost. Selectman Maynard says with Rogers’s background and knowing him personally Paul trusts everything will be fine. Selectman Hebert
says this is one more reason it is important to get sewer up to the center and down to the school. It may not be today or tomorrow but it is important to press forward with this. When asked if TLT is responsible for this, Roger responds it is uncertain as there were many issues at that time. Selectman Maynard motions to authorize Chairman to the Board of Selectmen Ken Stuart to sign an Administrative Consent Order with Penalty (ACOP-CE-14-1G004)) with MassDEP, Selectman Hall 2nds passes 5-0
Appointment of Custodian of Property: TA Smith is requesting Lisa Troast, Treasurer/Collector (present) to be appointed under MGL Ch. 60 section 77B as a way to clean up the tax title liens. Lisa Troast approaches the BOS, she says currently there are 88 properties in town in tax title, and half are land to low value properties. Lisa states this is a common practice in area towns. Selectman Chizy states Lisa is very well qualified, he has nothing but praise for her, she was a very good choice. Selectman Hebert says she is a hard worker; he is pleased to have her. Selectman Hall says she has answered all his questions, good luck, congratulations and thank you. Selectman Maynard says this is under MGL 60 77B, it’s been done before. Chairman Stuart says he asked after the last meeting if there is an advantage
going in this direction, why this makes sense for the town. TA Smith says this clears the plate for the treasurer, the town will receive bids, companies cannot pick and choose, it is all or nothing and the town will receive every dollar of taxes owed to the town in one lump sum. Selectman Chizy motions to appoint the Town Treasurer, Lisa Troast, as Custodian of Property for the Town of Sutton, Selectman Hebert seconds passes 5-0
ABCC change of Sunday opening time: T Smith says this is a change by the ABCC, beginning October 23rd all off premise liquor licensees can begin selling alcohol at 10am. Hearing no issues, Selectman Hall motions to approve the off - premises retail alcohol licensees; Crossroads Variety, Sutton Wine & Liquors, Sutton Center Store, Nick’s Variety and Xtra Mart; Sunday opening time of 10AM beginning October 23, 2014 per the Alcoholic Beverages Control Commission, Selectman Chizy seconds passes 5-0
BOS Meeting schedule for 2015 reviewed, no comments
Town Administrator update:
- DEP Grant- Highway Superintendent Matt Stencel applied for and was granted a $1400. Grant for efforts at the Transfer Station. He would like to purchase recycling bins for residents to purchase.
- Atlas Box Preconstruction meeting held 10/1/14 with town depts. Construction on additional storage facility to begin.
- Galaxy Development- clearing has begun; groundbreaking should take place within next few weeks.
- Tuesday, Sept. 30th Fin Com met and did not recommend article 10 (energy efficiency. They did not like the wording “state of the art”. TA Smith asks if the BOS would like to reword to “best available energy efficient system as determined by the BOS”
Selectmen are disappointed that Fin Com. chose to not back, the new language TA Smith has, should satisfy everyone. Selectman Hall feels the language presented was vague to cover the changes in what is energy efficient for that time period; “state of the art” is in the eye of the beholder.
- Multi group meeting: Wed. Nov. 12th BOS, Fin Com & School Committee
- 6th annual Town Golf Tournament: raised $1500. For the Food Pantry. Special thanks to Laura Caruso for organizing.
- Thurs. Oct 9th 10AM: Whittier Farms is going to Fire Station 1 to present with a basket of Cabot Farm products as a thank you during Fire Appreciation week organized by Sam Whittier.
Announcements/Correspondence:
- Selectman Hebert says the route 146 project may be done by winter
- Selectman Chizy reads an article naming Dave Suprenant as Lawyer of the Year in America; he sits on the Bylaw Review Committee. Congratulations to Dave
Round Table:
- Selectman Hall says there was 1 good day of weather at Waters Farm
- Dave questions the glycol release at the school asking if it was TLT, TA Smith replies it was a crazy spring, many changes occurred. It is hard to go after anyone. We are focused now on bringing the plant into compliance with DEP.
- Housekeeping: Chairman Stuart mentions the 2 letters received by the Sewer Commissioner’s under correspondence.
Hearing no further comments Selectman Chizy motions to adjourn Selectman Hebert seconds passes 5-0
Adjourned 8:07pm
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