Board of Selectmen
Library Meeting Room
October 15, 2002
Minutes
The meeting was called to order at 6:27 p.m. by Chairman Roger L. Putnam, Jr. Selectmen present included Michael May, Dale Donovan, Michael Parlante and Jerry Houk. Town Administrator Tim Smith also attended.
On a motion by Parlante, seconded by Donovan, the Board voted unanimously at 6:28 p.m. on a roll call vote (Houk, Putnam, Parlante, May, Donovan - yea) to enter executive session to discuss strategy with respect to litigation and to reconvene in open session.
The meeting reconvened in open session at 6:55 p.m. On a motion by Parlante, seconded by Donovan, the Board voted unanimously to recess the meeting until 7:00 p.m.
Chairman Putnam called the meeting to order at 7:00 p.m.
The Board held a public hearing to consider the petition of Commonwealth Electric Company to set eight new poles on Old Kings Highway in Wellfleet to provide service to the new Wellfleet Senior Center. On a motion by Donovan, seconded by May, the Board voted unanimously to approve this petition.
The Board discussed:
a) NSTAR Letter of Intent - the Town Administrator explained that although Town meeting approval is necessary for an easement to cover the underground electrical system to serve the new Senior Center, at this time it will suffice for the Town to sign a letter of intent to grant such an easement to Commonwealth Electric Company. On a motion by Donovan, seconded by Parlante, the Board voted unanimously to accept the letter of intent for an easement from the last pole to the entry of the new Senior Center building.
b) Oyster Festival Update - Lisa Brown updated the Board on the status of plans for the Oyster Festival noting the following:
- Use of 10'x 20' tents for vendors - on a motion by Houk, seconded by May, the Board voted unanimously to grant permission to erect 10'x 20' tents on Town property for the Oyster Festival.
- Tent stakes - there was consensus that Ms. Brown speak to the DPW Director and consider alternate ways of securing the tents rather than inserting tent stakes into the pavement.
- Permission to close the Town Hall parking lot - on a motion by Houk, seconded by May, the Board voted unanimously to grant permission to close the west side of the Town Hall parking lot at 6:00 p.m. on Friday, October 18th for festival tent set up. Discussion included security of the tents; it was noted that the Festival Committee has insurance coverage for the event.
Ms. Brown thanked the Board for its support of the festival. Chairman Putnam thanked Ms. Brown for all her efforts.
c) Public Safety Review Committee - Committee members in attendance included Chair Matthew Frazier, Berta Bruinooge, Rick Townsend, John Ferro and Lisa Brown. Mr. Frazier distributed a document outlining the Committee's progress to date and its goals and objectives. Donovan moved and Putnam seconded a motion that the Public Safety Review
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Committee be discontinued and letters of thanks and appreciation be sent to members for their work to this point and that a broad statistically valid survey of the Town be conducted and reflect, to the extent possible, the concerns raised by the Public Safety Review Committee and those of other boards and committees of the Town.
Discussion included
The Committee's proposed survey and the delicate nature of the issues being addressed by the Committee. On the motion, the Board voted 2-3, with Houk, Parlante and May voting against. Donovan moved and Parlante seconded a motion that a broad statistically valid survey of the Town be conducted and reflect, to the extent possible, the concerns raised by the Public Safety Review Committee and those of other boards and committees of the Town. Lisa Brown suggested that the Board review the Committee's survey in its final form. Selectman Parlante suggested that
the Board hold off on this motion until after review of the final survey. Chairman Putnam indicated that the vote on this motion will be held in abeyance until after the scheduled Classification Hearing and possibly to the next Board meeting.
The Board held the annual Classification Hearing. Assessor Nancy Vail was in attendance and presented the Board of Assessors - recommendation to retain the unified tax rate for all classes of property. On a motion by Houk, seconded by Parlante, the Board voted unanimously to retain the one tax rate and to make the Residential Factor the numeric number 1 for Fiscal 2003.
The Board continued discussion:
d) Approval of Tax Insert Wording - on a motion by Donovan, seconded by Houk, the Board voted unanimously to approve the addition of the phrase suggested by the Town Collector of "Check out the Town of Wellfleet web site at www.wellfleetma.org." to the tax insert.
e) Harbor Engineering Services Contracts - Selectman May disclosed that he works at the Wellfleet Harbormaster's Office. On a motion by Houk, seconded by Parlante, the Board voted 4-0-1, with May abstaining, to approve the engineering services contracts with Bourne Consulting for Engineering Services for Phase II Harbor Improvements - Preliminary Design and Engineering Services Proposal for Phase II Harbor Improvements - Regulatory Approvals.
f) Appointment of Assistant Health/Conservation Agent - the Town Administrator indicated his appointed of Erik Mitchell as Assistant Health/Conservation Agent. There was consensus to take this matter under consideration until next week's meeting.
g) Grievance Hearing - grievant Building Inspector Richard Asmann requested that this hearing be held in executive session.
On a motion by Parlante, seconded by Houk, the Board voted unanimously at 7:44 p.m. on a roll call vote (Houk, Putnam, Parlante, May, Donovan - yea) to enter executive session for a grievance hearing and not to reconvene in open session.
Respectfully submitted,
Linda Smulligan
Administrative Assistant
Roger L. Putnam, Jr. Michael May Dale Donovan
Michael Parlante Jerry Houk
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