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09/13/2016 BOS Meeting Minutes
Town Of Sutton
Board of Selectmen
                                                        Meeting Minutes
  
                                           Minutes Accepted and filed with the Town Clerk on 10/4/2016 by a vote of  4-0              
                                                                                 (Selectman Kenney absent)
7:00 p.m. – September 13, 2016
                                       Sutton Town Hall, Selectmen’s Meeting Room
Members in Attendance:                           
         Chairman John L. Hebert, Vice Chair Paul Maynard, Clerk Jesse Limanek and Selectmen David Hall    
 (Selectman Kenney absent)
       Town Administrator James Smith & Deb Jacques, secretary   

Chairman Hebert calls the meeting to order at 7:00pm followed by the Pledge of Allegiance.
Forum: no comments
Selectman Hall motions to accept minutes from August 16, 2016 Selectmen’s meeting, Vice-Chair Maynard seconds passes 4-0  
                                                                                        (Selectman Kenney absent)

Joint Meeting with the School Committee called to order for vacant seat appointment. Present from the School Committee is Nate Jerome, Paul Brennan, Bruce Edwards and Robert Tufts. TA Smith begins by saying this meeting is to fill a recent vacancy per Town Charter article 3 which lays out the procedures. There is one candidate that has expressed a letter of interest. Kristin Feifert Clark was a former School Committee member and is looking to be reappointed to this seat. Kristin is present at tonight’s meeting and says she had previously sat on the School Committee board for 6 years. The Selectman as well as the School Committee all feel her experience and willingness to volunteer again is great. Selectman Hall motions to appoint Kristine Feifert Clark to the Sutton School Committee until the next Town Election, Selectman Limanek seconds passes 8-0. School Committee adjourns meeting

Ratification of new Police Officer: Present is Police Chief Dennis Towle and new Officer Derek Morton. Chief Towle says Derek recently went through the Municipal Police Academy and previously served 6 years in the Army as Military Police. Selectman Hall welcomes Derek and says we are proud of our Police Department. Vice Chair Maynard says you are joining an outstanding Police Dept. Selectman Limanek thanks Derek for his service to our country and welcomes him to Sutton, Jesse goes on to say you are joining an excellent dept. and Sutton is a tight knit community. Chairman Hebert states this should be one of the proudest days of your life we wish you well. At this time Derek Morton thanks his family and the officers here tonight.  Vice Chair Maynard motions to ratify the appointment of Derek Morton to the position of full time Police Officer, Selectman Limanek seconds passes 4-0
Officer Morton is sworn in by Town Clerk Laura Caruso at this time.

Sutton Housing Authority appointment: TA Smith refers to the letter from John Slocum the Housing Authority director. John is requesting Barbara Wade be appointed to fill a vacancy on the Housing Authority. This appointment will be until the next town election. Barbara was before this board in October of 2015. Seeing no issues Selectman Limanek motions to appoint Barbara Wade of 5 Church Street to the vacancy on Sutton Housing Authority until the next Town Election in May 2017 Selectman Hall seconds passes 4-0.

Military Order of the Purple Heart: TA Smith states this was brought up at the Goals Meeting in July by Selectman Limanek. Since that time, TA Smith has worked with Tony Payne who is the Dept. Adjutant of MA for the Military Order of the Purple Heart. Once the proclamation is signed it will be forwarded to Mr. Payne who will forward on to his Commander. Selectman Hall asks Selectman Limanek to read the proclamation. Selectman Limanek states that as an educator at Quinsig. College he sees many veterans return from service and take classes. There are only 4-5 communities that are Purple Heart communities, one being Westborough. Jesse goes on to say with the history in the Town of Sutton we should do this. Selectman Limanek motions to approve and sign the Purple Heart Proclamation naming the Town of Sutton as a Purple Heart Community, Vice Chair Maynard seconds passes 4-0

Draft fall Town Meeting Warrant: Present to discuss Planning Board articles is Planning Director Jen Hager. TA Smith begins with Article one which is budgetary then goes on to an article which relates to the cell tower on Town Farm Road. Wireless Edge recently filed with the ZBA and have asked for a few variances. Town Counsel believes the telecommunications act will provide the variance if needed but this is an additional tool for the ZBA.  TA Smith also asked who the BOS would like to sponsor this article Planning Board or the BOS. Some of the other key articles are using $500,000. For the architectural design of the new Police Station, a request to allow the town to conduct a feasibility study of the sewer extension up Boston Road to the School, and a vote to accept the schematic design for the new Sutton Library. Jen Hager went on to review the remaining articles which fall under the Planning Board, some relating to the recent sports complex that had submitted plans in town that was denied through the ZBA. Chairman Hebert says he would like the Cell Tower article sponsored by the Selectmen. All are in agreement.

 TA Update:
  • 530 Central Turnpike: Town recently acquired through tax title for unpaid taxes. The town has hired Paul Zekos to auction the property. The person acquiring this property will be responsible for the common drive.
  • Cell Tower at Town Farm Road: Hearing scheduled for Oct. 6th with the ZBA.
  • Municibid auction: the town recently sold 2 former police dept vehicles, the Chiefs car sold for $2800.00 and the black Ford Explorer sold for $2600.00. The Chief is now driving a fusion hybrid.
  • Green Community projects: 2 projects out to bid, the boiler due tomorrow at 11am and the insulation due Sept. 22.
  • Gypsy Moth study to be conducted with Bio-Forest. This will take place on Hough Road where they will do an egg mass survey and a fall injection trial.    
  • MMA Legislative Breakfast will be held in Sutton on Sept 30th at 8am in the BOS meeting room.
  • 2nd Annual Energy Fair to be held on Sat. Oct 1 at 10am at the Auburn High School.
  • Fall Town meeting Oct 17th @ 7pm in the Middle school/High school
  • Police Dept. design will be an article at the Fall Town meeting. Tecton will be present at the meeting
  • Precinct 1 moved from the ELC to the Middle /High school Auditorium. It was not a good change. TA Smith and Laura Caruso are meeting with the Superintendent and 2 principles on Thursday to see about using the middle school auditorium, this may be a better fit.
Announcements/Round Table/ Correspondence/Business Topics:

Vice Chair Maynard reads the needs of the Mike Chizy food pantry

Selectman Limanek mentions the Unibank prizes recently awarded to local programs. Jesse also thanks the Sutton Board of Assessors for the meeting held Monday with the Finance Committee to review how properties are assessed.

Chairman Hebert says we are in receipt of a letter from the Town of Southbridge.  

 

8:50    Vice Chair Maynard motions to adjourn, Selectman Hall seconds passes 4-0