HomeMy WebLinkAboutSELECTMENminutes02272008-20080320144733
Town of Mansfield
Board of Selectmen
Minutes of February 27, 2008
Present:
Chairman Louis Amoruso, Vice Chairman Sandra Levine, Clerk Ann Baldwin,
Selectman David McCarter, Selectman George Dentino,
John D'Agostino, Town Manager
The Board of Selectmen's meeting was called to order at 7:30pm followed by the Pledge of
Allegiance.
TGI Frid
Donald Willyard is present and is to be the new manager for the restaurant.
Mr. Willyard is currently manager at another TGIF's and is moving to the Mansfield one.
He is TIPS certified and has been in the restaurant business for many years.
They will be open for business on Monday, March 3,2008.
Motion: Grant approval for change in manager. (Levine/Baldwin) 5:0 passes
Train Station parking
Mr. D'Agostino provided an overview of the proposed train station parking structure where
the private lot owners would pay a percentage of the costs based on the total percentage
of the parking space that they provide. These cost estimates are for FY09 based on
existing figures and projections for next year.
Five 4 hour detail shifts are proposed for train traffic direction. Selectman McCarter
suggested that the private lots be billed quarterly so they don't have to come up with
thousands of dollars by next month.
Selectman Dentino asked why the detail schedule has changed so much over time. Chief
O'Neill stated that budget cutbacks and staffing shortages have played a part in this but
they are proposing a new detail schedule to better utilize the police staff. Under the
enterprise account setup only the people that use the parking lots would be paying for the
details. Under the current system, detail payments are a drain on the police dept. and
general government budgets.
Selectman Levine asked if under this new plan if only the patrolmen would be doing detail
shifts. Chief O'Neill said no as the Sergeants get the opportunity per contract to work
detail as their names comes up.
Board of Selectmen Minutes of February 27,2008
Residents often have difficulty entering and exiting the train station side streets during
peak commuter times so having the extended details is vital to the safety of the area.
Joe Kane, Ditchman rep. asked if the moratorium would be lifted at this time. No.
Mr. Kane stated that the public safety fee would be quite a financial hit. As an addition of
this public safety fee it would cost thousands of dollars more a year for the license. They
would have to charge more to the parking customer to recoup some of this expense.
Chief O'Neill states that, for the record, the police dept. is opposed to any parking
expansion in the train station area. The area is already quite congested and hazardous
for all involved. The board has sent a letter to planning board opposing Ditchman
expansion plans that are coming up.
Bill Clemmey, Foundry St. parking lot manager made a short presentation.
Private lot owners shouldn't have to pay for public safety fee as they are not the only ones
contributing to the traffic congestion in the area. They also pay property taxes to the
town that entitles them to a measure of public safety coverage. Current there are two
detail shifts at the train station. Five shifts is quite the increase to ask the lot owners to
pay for. The town already charges $50 fee plus $6 per space. Which equals out to over
$1,000 already. Those fees are currently not put into the enterprise account but perhaps
they should be to cover some of these expenses.
Mr. Clemmey stated that no other stations in this area have traffic details for their
stations. The town currently provides two 4hr. detail shifts a week (plus 3 regular shifts)
And Foundry had previously agreed to share the costs of those 2 shifts, certainly not the
5 shifts that are now being proposed.
Selectman Baldwin asked what the possibility would be of getting a traffic light at the
detail site. It would be $100k plus and a number of years to get a light installed. It is
possible that the other train stations have lights to control traffic and if and when
Mansfield gets one, the details will not longer be needed.
Selectman Levine stated the only reason for the detail officers present on Rt. 106 is for
the train station parking lots and the traffic congestion that they cause during peak
commuter train arrival times.
Selectman McCarter stated that he felt that the fees were reasonable.
Steven McCaffrie, Mill St. spoke up and stated that he had also done a spreadsheet for
this situation last year and the costs were not as high. He also calculated for the current
number of shifts, not 5.
Board of Selectmen Minutes of February 27, 2008
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Selectman Dentino stated that there certainly is a problem with train station parking and
traffic. However there has always been 2 detail and 3 regular shifts, now the Chief wants
5 detail shifts paid for out of the enterprise account.
Selectman Baldwin suggested that Chief O'Neill start the proceedings to request an
installation of a traffic light and when the town gets it, we can phase out the details and
public safety fee.
Motion: To implement the public safety fee starting July 1, 2008 for FY09 and to sent a
letter to the lot owners (that the fee will not be greater than current amount) and that it
will be phased in quarterly. (McCarter/Levine) 4:1 passes (Dentino nay)
Discussion: Selectman Dentino feels that passing this tonight is not fair to the lot owners
as 5 shifts was not discussed before. It was always 2 shifts that were detail.
Selectman McCarter stated that 5 shifts has been discussed in the past and the Police
Chief and Board as a whole have been advocating for 5 shifts for quite some time.
Motion: To approve amendments to parking regulations providing changes. (Baldwin/Levine)
4:0:1 passes (Dentino abstains)
Chief O'Neill discussed implementing a new parking space payment system.
Thecurrent parking payment system is archaic and just plain doesn't work.
Currently the parking officer collects the money from the parking collection boxes but
can't always tell which parking space the money is paying for providing difficulty in
enforcement. A card payment system would be much more effective and it would provide a
receipt for your payment. This expenditure would be a capital improvement item.
Selectman Levine asked how the parking officer determines who to give tickets to if there
is a question in missed box payment. Steve Simmonds, Parking Officer, stated that if
there were two payments in one box and none in the adjacent boxes he tickets them both
and they have to go to a hearing to resolve it.
Motion: To authorize Chief O'Neill to put out an RFP for a collection system (three to five
systems). (McCarter/Baldwin) 5:0 passes
Overview of what the Board will be hearing from Dept. heads tomorrow night at the
budget meeting. It will be starting at 7pm and most likely ending at lOpm. This will give
each dept. 20 minutes in which to present and have a short discussion.
Board of Selectmen Minutes of February 27, 2008
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Selectman Dentino would like the Dept. heads give their priorities and any Capital
improvement plans during the meeting.
~Ue$tlorrs .dt'lQ
Bill Clemmey, questions about the budget. As we know, 8010 of the budget is made up of
salary and benefits costs. He would like to see the true bottom line cost of that expense
listed in the town report. That goes for the school budget as well.
Steve McCaffrie, Mill St. Affordable housing plan questions. Affordable trust fund is a
complicated document and it is a long process to utilize the funds. Request for transfer of
money to the Housing Corp. so they can utilize the funds. He would also like to see Fales
Oil property transferred to Housing Corp. The Housing Corp. also needs a Secretary as
they haven't been keeping minutes of their meetings and/or giving them to the Town Clerk.
Mr. McCaffrie then stated that the Mansfield affordable housing plan is also not currently
being followed.
. Resident Steve Passinisi has worked with Amtrack to get Mansfield designated as a
quite zone.
. Trench safety officer designation. New law this year. Article at town meeting that
would authorize the BOS to name an officer. It can be structured several
different ways. Two officers named, a primary and an alternate, ect.
. Highland Ave and Rt. 106 safety issues letters sent to Mass Highway from John
Sullivan, Chief O'Neill and the BOS asking for reconsideration of temp. traffic
light.
. Monday night's clean up Mansfield meeting was huge success. Several people and
organizations were represented. Fund raising and volunteer recruitment are
ongoing. Big thanks to committee members who have pulled this project together.
. The Town has received the waiver from Dept. of Telecommunications regarding the
waiver for Verizon FIOS requirements. Verizon will be invited to a meeting to
discuss this in the near future.
. Notification from DHCD about increase of affordable housing in town.
. March 20th at lOam is the TM coffee hour at the COA
. March 3rd light commissions meeting next week.
. Letter from Atty. Mangiaratti about public release of legal bills. Selectman
Dentino wants copies of bills to review instead of reviewing bills in the Town
Managers office. Atty. Mangiaratti gave an opinion that the bills should not be
released due to Atty. /client privilege. Selectman Dentino does not feel this is
correct and is being stonewalled in his quest for the truth.
Board of Selectmen Minutes of February 27, 2008
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Chairman Amoruso is not comfortable with copies of legal invoices being given out.
Selectman McCarter stated that the BOS appoints the Town Accountant and she
has already given the board a breakdown of the bills that he requested. Selectman
Dentino would like to see the cost of town employees being interviewed with counsel
included in the total cost of the suit.
Weekly Business
. Warrant No. 35 in the amount of $883,073.81
Motion: To approve warrant No. 35 in the amount of $883,073.81
(Levine/Baldwin) (Mr. McCarter abstaining from check # 30733)
4:0:1 passes (Dentino abstains)
· Agreement between the Town of Mansfield and Atty. August for Verizon
contract work.
Motion: To approve contract as written and authorize signature.
(McCarter/Baldwin) 5:0 passes
. Application for Constable from Harold March. Approved by Chief O'Neill.
Motion: To have Mr. March come in for interview.
. Request for transfer from reserve fund to cover unanticipated election costs in the
amount of $9,450.37 from Town Clerk Helen Christian.
Motion: To support transfer and send to FinComm. (McCarter/Baldwin) 5:0 passes
. Bond anticipation notes from Treasurer/Collector Roxanne Donovan.
Motion: To approve the amount requested and listed on memo. (Levine/Baldwin)
5:0 passes
. Letter from Gerry Buckley of Comcast regarding channel line up changes. Copies
have been sent to subscribers.
. Old business from Chairman Amoruso: None
. Old business from Selectman Dentino: Is conservation land on Essex St. on clean
up list? John will look into.
Board of Selectmen Minutes of February 27,2008
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Questions about enterprise accounts. These are a way to help the general budget
and assign specific expenses. Some of the line items in the parking enterprise
account seem to be excessive and he would like to review these.
· Old business for Selectman McCarter: None
· Old business for Selectman Baldwin: Friday night she went out snow plowing with
the DPW staff and it was educational and fun. She would like to go again.
· Old business for Selectman Levine: None
· New business from Selectman Baldwin: None
. New business for Selectman McCarter: None
. New business from Selectman Dentino: None
. New business from Selectman Levine: None
· New business from Chairman Amoruso: None
Motion: To adjourn at 1O:50PM
(Levine) 5-0 Passes
~~~~e::( $IfJf;Utvin-
Signature of Clerk
~~d I~ 2tJtJcY
Date of Approval
Board of Selectmen Minutes of February 27, 2008
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