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11/18/2014 BOS Meeting Minutes
                                           Minutes Accepted and filed with the Town Clerk on  12/2/2014  by a vote of  5-0                                                                   
                                                7:00 p.m. – November 18, 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 October 21, 2014; Selectman Hebert seconds passes 5-0

*Public Hearing* Pole Hearing Torrey Road: Selectman Chizy reads as posted in the Nov. 6th 2014 Millbury Sutton Chronicle. Present from NGrid is Steve Soucy and property owner of 78 Torrey Road Steven Kroll. Highway, and Police have no issues. Mr. Soucy states this is to provide service to a house to be built by Mr. Kroll. Hearing no concerns, Selectman Chizy motions to close the Public Hearing, Selectman Maynard seconds passes 5-0. Selectman Hall motions to approve the request by National Grid to install 1 new Solely Owned (SO) pole on Torrey Road as shown on National Grid Plan # 16594536 Selectman Hebert seconds passes 5-0
 
*Public Hearing* Transfer of Off premises Beer & Wine Liquor License: Selectman Chizy reads as posted in the Nov. 6th Millbury Sutton Chronicle. Present is proposed new owner Ganesh Bohra and his Attorney. Mr. Bohra has no plans in changing the store it will be left as is. Selectman Chizy offers good luck to Mr. Bohra and hopes he stays for a long time. Selectman Hall asks if he ever ran a facility with the sale of alcohol and asks if he lives in town. Mr. Bohra replies he lives in Framingham and has managed retail stores without alcohol. Selectman Maynard asks if he will be hiring local people, Mr. Bohra responds he is keeping the employees that are currently there. Chairman Stuart offers his welcome and says you have big shoes to fill; this is a very popular place in town. Hearing no further comments, Selectman Chizy motions to close the Public Hearing, Selectman Hebert seconds passes 5-0. Selectman Hebert
motions to approve the Transfer of a Beer & Wine off-premise Liquor License from William Connor to proposed new owner & manager of the Sutton Center Store, Ganesh Bohra, Selectman Hall seconds passes 5-0  
       
*Public Hearing* Tax Classification with the Board of Assessors: Selectman Chizy reads as posted in the Nov. 11th T&G. Present from the Assessor’s office is Joyce Sardagnola and Robert (Knick) Nunnemacher. Knick says this is a yearly meeting before the BOS as the BOS have the choice of keeping a single tax rate or a split rate for residential and commercial.  Historically it has always been a single tax rate. The tax rate is based on debt exclusions and new growth. This year’s new growth figure submitted to the DOR is $259,603.00. The total new value of the town is $1,206,958,210.00; the levy limit for FY15 is $20,125,201. If the DOR approves the tax rate it will decrease by $.21 from FY14. Knick states home values are up slightly and land values are down. In 2018 there will be a full revaluation of the town. This will require a full measure and listing of every property. The cost to the town will be $100,000. paid over a two year period. Selectman Chizy would like to keep the single tax rate, split tax rates are not as attractive to new businesses coming in to town. Selectman Hebert is happy to see the decrease in taxes, he states our borrowing has decreased and our tax rate is decreasing, he supports a single tax rate. Selectman Hall continues to support the single tax rate. Selectman Maynard says he agrees with staying at a single rate, Knick and Joyce are doing a good job. Chairman Stuart says it makes sense to stay at a single tax rate and mentions last week’s ground breaking by Price Chopper, a new business in town. Hearing no further comments Selectman Chizy motions to close the Public Hearing Selectman Maynard seconds passes 5-0. Selectman Hall motions to adopt a single tax factor for Fiscal Year 2015 Selectman Hebert seconds passes 5-0

Energy Manager Doreen DeFazio: TA Smith introduces Doreen, a Grafton resident as the Energy Manager that we share with Millbury. Doreen was instrumental in the pay as you throw program in Grafton. She is in the Masters of Public Administration Program at Clark. Doreen briefs the BOS on her 1st 2 months here and says she is excited to be part of Sutton success in energy management. She has already been to a few energy conferences and is surprised at how Sutton is with the big fish. Doreen in the past specialized in Public Communications.  TA Smith and Doreen are currently looking into the possibility of purchasing the street lights from NGrid and then possible replacing the bulbs with LED bulbs. Selectman Chizy welcomes Doreen and says the BOS have been on an energy kick the past 7-8 years but have gone to a new level the past 5-6 years. We expect a lot from you. Selectman Hebert looks forward to her hard work. Selectman Hall welcomes Doreen to this new position; she will bring a lot of energy to this position. Selectman Maynard has met Doreen through his position as Emergency Management with the town. Chairman Stuart says he  is supportive of this role, and asks what some of the projects she has been working on. Doreen responds Green Community Grant projects, the cost benefit analysis on street lights and site visits to other town offices.

Holiday Opening Schedule for all alcohol license holders: as read by Selectman Chizy. TA Smith says this is the annual approval of holiday hours. Selectman Hebert motions to approve as presented the 2014 Holiday opening schedule for all alcohol license holders Selectman Maynard seconds passes 5-0

1 yr extension on Nursing IMA with Webster: TA smith says this has been a good IMA, last year the town profited a little over $10,000.  He recommends the BOS approve. Selectman Chizy and Hebert are both happy and say this has worked out very well. Selectman Hall says this is a good example of a town taking creative steps in bringing in additional revenue. Selectman Maynard says this is working well and agrees this is a creative way to maintain resources in town and share with other communities. Chairman Stuart has no issues as long as Cheryl is fine. Selectman  Maynard motions to approve a 1 year extension for Nursing Services between the Town of Webster and The Town of Sutton for the period from Oct. 26, 2014 to Oct. 26, 2015 Selectman Hebert seconds passes 5-0
 
Villa’s @ Pleasant Valley Bond Expenditure: TA Smith says this is to authorize payment of $3,765. for replacing 11 guardrail posts on Clubhouse way. Hearing no comments Selectman Hall motions to approve payment out of the Bond Expenditure Fund for the Villa’s at Pleasant Valley in the amount of $3,765.00 for replacement of 11 guardrail posts along Clubhouse Way Selectman Maynard seconds passes 5-0
   Town Administrator update:
  • Jingle Jaunt- 2nd annual scheduled for 12/13/14 @ 10:30am/rain date 12/20/14. Organized by Howard Bottomly
  • Goddard Lodge RFP due 11/20/14/1 firm attended the voluntary site visit
  • So. Sutton Cemetery- thanks to Sheriff Evangelidis for having inmates paint fence & sign/requested by Selec. Maynard
  • Flood light at Wilks. Fire Station thanks to Larry Morris done prior to general election
  • Net Metering- 2 companies asking if we would like to purchase net metering credits from a solar farm in Palmer. This would require a town meeting vote per K&P. TA Smith is checking out various prospects
  • Ken Bergeron with the Lions Club dropped off a 200.00 donation for allowing them to hold the Haunted Hallows Hayride at Marion’s Camp.   
     Announcements/Correspondence:  
  • Selectman Chizy thanks the Sr. Center for a Veterans appreciation luncheon, it was attended by 80-90 people
  • Selectman Chizy reminds people there are 7 days left before Thanksgiving, the Food Pantry is in need of turkeys.
  • Selectman Hall announces Davagian Tree Farm on Merriam Lane will host the kickoff of the Christmas tree selling season the Friday after Thanksgiving.
  • Selectman Hall says the Haunted Hallows Hayride event went well. Thanks  to the Highway Dept. for assisting in storage of props   
  • Selectman Hall was impressed and appreciative of the Price Chopper ground breaking last week as well as the Tri-board meeting with the School Committee, Fin Com and the BOS to discuss Special Ed funding concerns.
  • Selectman Maynard asks for donations of food to help with the Thanksgiving Day food baskets.
  • Chairman Stuart comments on the fantastic job done by Market 32 (price chopper) last week, the amount of work to get to this place in time in our town, we are lucky to be on this board. This is the start of new renovation of the entire business and it is in Sutton. This is a win win
Correspondence: Chairman Stuart sys they are in receipt of a letter from Mr. James Dwyer.
Chairman Stuart 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 Hall  seconds, passes  5-0     8:01  Roll Call Taken
               8:35 pm enter back in to regular session, Selectman Chizy motions to adjourn, Selectman Maynard seconds passes 5-0