MINUTES OF MEETING OF SELECTMEN/SEWER COMMISSIONERS
Date of Meeting: September 30, 2003
Date of Transcription: October 1, 2003
Transcribed by: Kelly Barrasso
I. CALL MEETING TO ORDER BY CHAIRMAN
Chairman Chamberlain called the meeting to order at 7:05 P.M.
A. Roll Call
Selectmen Present: Cindy Chamberlain, Chairman
Patrick G. Tropeano, Clerk
Mary Jane Pillsbury
Renee Fernandes-Abbott
Bruce Sauvageau
Present: Michael Hartman, Town Administrator
NOTE: The meeting proceeded w/ item III. Citizens Participation.
Present before the BOS: Lou Ferretti, Onset Bay Public Safety Committee
Winna Dean
Mr. Ferretti stated last October; the OBA requested a meeting w/ the Admin. & the Police Chief to discuss safety issues, drugs, loitering, etc. He stated the outcome of the meeting resulted in Chief Joyce becoming a liaison w/ the OBA which resulted in a Public Safety Committee. He stated the committee has since then held monthly meetings. He stated the committee would like to help the Police Dept. w/ a neighborhood crime watch program. He stated the OBA has sponsored such a program & 130 other communities have this program as well. He stated all members of this program are volunteers & there has already been success.
Mr. Ferretti stated there is concern re: public safety in Town, which Onset is a part of. He stated part of the concerns for public safety stem from the Town’s restricted police budget, but he understands a supplemental budget request for the Police Dept. for training of seasonal officers to provide foot & bike patrols has been placed on the Fall Special Town Meeting Warrant. He urged the BOS to approve this article in the Warrant. He expressed concern re: loitering, break-ins, drugs, & the fact that the Town is second, only to Brockton, w/ arrests & murders. He feels this is the wrong image for the Town.
Chairman Chamberlain stated there isn’t a BOS member that doesn’t support obtaining seasonal police, but it is ultimately up to Town Meeting voters.
Selectman Pillsbury stated that the BOS had spoken to the Admin., prior to the article submission, asking him to bring money into the budget to supplement the police budget.
Selectman Sauvageau stated when he was a member of the FinCom there had been concern re: losing seasonal officers & public safety issues, but there is a fiscal reality that needs to be recognized. He discussed the growth of the Police Dept. budget over the years & the financial problems the Town is facing.
Mr. Ferretti stated he understands the Town’s fiscal restraints, but if the crime rate is reduced, insurance rates for homeowner’s insurance & car insurance go down.
Present before the BOS: Franklin Smith
Mr. Smith stated he has offered to volunteer w/ three other citizens to help out the Town & help curb the Town’s expenses. He offered to check stickers at Little Harbor Beach & volunteer his time. He stated he had spoken to the Admin. about this earlier, but never heard back from him.
Chairman Chamberlain stated this is a matter the BOS can discuss, but there are issues such as liability.
Mr. Smith stated there are many retirees that would like to volunteer & help the Town. Admin. stated he told Mr. Smith prior that there would be no decision this season & he has referred this matter to the insurance company.
Mr. Smith stated he is very disappointed w/ the lack of police presence in Onset.
Present before the BOS: Kenneth R. Roche, Sr.
Mr. Roche stated he has been having problems w/ the Town Hall’s new phone system & in contacting the BOS office. Brief discussion ensued. Chairman Chamberlain stated that Data Processing would look into this matter.
Mr. Roche feels the BOS & the Admin. should be listed first on the Town Hall directory.
Present before the BOS: Marjorie Teitelbaum
Ms. Teitelbaum feels some tree branches need to be trimmed on Minot Ave. at the intersection of Indian Neck Rd. for safety purposes.
II. OPEN SPACE & RECREATION DRAFT
Present before the BOS: Nick Memoli
Ed Pacewicz
Marjorie Teitelbaum
Ann Campbell
Ted duMoulin
Mr. Memoli stated the Open Space Committee has revised the Open Space & Recreation Plan. He stated before it can be submitted to the State, comment letters are needed from the BOS, Planning Board, Conservation Commission, & SRPEDD.
Mr. Memoli stated figures have been updated & anything new has been added as well as new suggestions. He stated one difference is in the action plan in which more concrete goals have been implemented.
Mr. Memoli discussed a survey passed out at the last Town Meeting & the results were the basis of the new revision. He stated the committee met w/ various boards, as well as SRPEDD for input.
Mr. Memoli discussed the process that will be followed after the comments letters are received.
Selectman Pillsbury feels the BOS has to not only comment, but also approve the plan. She expressed some thoughts re: the Open Space Committee not speaking to the BOS re: the Wastewater Treatment Plant, obtaining maps from the Buzzards Bay Coalition when the Town maps are available, etc. She also expressed concern re: problems w/ the action plan. Mr. Memoli stated the Buzzards Bay Action Committee is a State agency & no costs were incurred.
Selectman Pillsbury again stated there are a number of problems w/ the action plan that the BOS may not be able to approve, for example, there are contradictions in statements, for example, the statement that there is slow growth, but the action plan is aggressive for growth. She stated she wished the BOS had had more input. She proceeded to discuss small issues that need to be changed.
The BOS concurred that more time is needed to discuss this plan & possibly hold a workshop to discuss.
Mr. Memoli stated the committee had much correspondence w/ many Town depts. w/ re: to the sewer issues. He stated they spoke to David Simmons at the Water Pollution Control Facility. He expressed surprise that there are so many inaccuracies because they had spoken to many dept. heads.
Selectman Sauvageau stated he was surprised to find the percentages of wetlands, recreation area use, growth, & coastal access. He expressed concern re: the lack of recreation area & non-recreation open space. He briefly discussed the growth rate in Town. He also expressed concern re: reported statements pertaining to employment. He discussed the Makepeace BDOD. He expressed concern that the report lays the burden of open space on one company (Makepeace).
Selectman Fernandes-Abbott expressed concern re: what was missing from the report. She discussed major changes that have occurred in Town that were not found in the report. She feels the report has a negative tone.
The BOS concurred to hold a workshop on 10/7 at 5:00 P.M. to discuss the report. The BOS commended the committee for their efforts.
III. CITIZENS PARTICIPATION
(DONE)
IV. CONSENT AGENDA
C1. Authorization to sign, bills, documents, etc.
MOTION: Selectman Tropeano moved the BOS approve a bill from Kopelman & Paige for professional services through 7/31/03 in the amount of $6,946.64. Selectman Fernandes-Abbott seconded for discussion.
NOTE: Selectman Fernandes-Abbott stated the Admin. has not applied his initials to this bill.
The motions were w/drawn.
C2. Appointment of Poll Workers.
MOTION: Selectman Tropeano moved the BOS appoint James B. Newman & Adam D. Boone as Poll Workers to terms to expire 6/30/04. Selectman Fernandes-Abbott seconded.
VOTE: Unanimous (5-0-0)
V. TOWN ADMINISTRATOR’S REPORT
1. Commercial Oyster & Soft Shell Clam Fisheries. The BOS is asked to approve the soft shell clam & oyster regulations for the coming season. The commercial oyster regulations are in effect 12/1/03 through 3/31/04 & no changes are being recommended this year.
The commercial soft shell clam regulations run 11/1/03 through 4/30/04. There are no recommended changes from last year.
MOTION: Selectman Tropeano moved the BOS approve, in accordance w/ the provisions of Chapter 130, Section 52 of the MA General Laws, the commercial oyster regulations from 12/1/03 through 3/31/04 & the commercial soft shell clam regulations from 11/1/03 through 4/30/04. Selectman Pillsbury seconded.
VOTE: Unanimous (5-0-0)
VI. LICENSES & PERMITS
A. Request for a one-day liquor license for Cromesett Tribe #156, Improved Order of Redmen, Inc., 745 Main St., Wareham, MA on 10/5/03 for an outdoor picnic.
Present before the BOS: Kenneth R. Roche, Sr.
Mr. Roche stated the bartender will be outside & someone will be patrolling the grounds.
MOTION: Selectman Tropeano moved the BOS approve the request for a one-day liquor license for Cromesett Tribe #156, Improved Order of Redmen, Inc., 745 Main St., Wareham, MA on 10/5/03 for an outdoor picnic. Selectman Fernandes-Abbott seconded.
VOTE: Unanimous (5-0-0)
VII. ANNOUNCEMENTS
1. Anyone who recently applied & has been accepted for a Town committee & have not been sworn in, need to do so.
2. The Zoning Re-Write Committee will meet on 10/2/03 at 6:30 P.M. at the Water Dept.
NOTE: Discussion ensued re: why the committee is meeting at the Water Dept. Selectman Pillsbury feels the committee should stick w/ their original meeting place on a regular basis.
VIII. BUSINESS
A. Discussion of Warrant articles.
Brief discussion ensued re: the Warrant.
B. Any other business.
Selectman Fernandes-Abbott stated representatives of the District would like to meet w/ the BOS. The BOS concurred to meet w/ the representatives after Town Meeting.
Selectman Fernandes-Abbott stated she received correspondence from the School Committee indicating that they have a legal opinion that they have purview over school transportation. She asked the Admin. to gather information negating this. Discussion ensued.
IX. SELECTMEN’S REPORTS
(NONE)
X. ADJOURNMENT
MOTION: Selectman Pillsbury moved at 8:15 P.M. to enter into Executive Session for the purpose of discussing strategy relative to litigation. Selectman Sauvageau seconded.
POLLED VOTE: Selectman Pillsbury - Yes
Selectman Fernandes-Abbott - Yes
Selectman Tropeano - Yes
Selectman Chamberlain - Yes
Selectman Sauvageau - Yes
VOTE: Unanimous (5-0-0)
Respectfully submitted,
Kelly Barrasso
Kelly Barrasso, Transcriptionist
The foregoing minutes were submitted to the Board of Selectmen/Sewer Commissioners for their approval on March 23, 2004.
Attest: Patrick G. Tropeano
Patrick G. Tropeano, Clerk
BOARD OF SELECTMEN
Date signed: March 23, 2004
Date copy sent to Wareham Free Library: March 24, 2004
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