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HomeMy WebLinkAboutSELECTMENminutes11042009 Town of Mansfield Board of Selectmen Minutes of November 4, 2009 Present: Chairman Baldwin, Vice Chairman Moran, Clerk Jess Aptowitz, Selectman Dentino, Selectman Sandra Levine, Nick Riccio, Interim Town Manager Absent: Town William Keegan, Jr. has been Town Administrator for Dedham since 2002. He has 28 years experience consisting of various levels of municipal leadership and would like to continue his career with the Town of Mansfield as town manager. . Selectman Aptowitz asked Mr. Keegan to discuss his style of management. Mr. Keegan is a collaborative manager with an open door approach, team orientated in his management style. Being involved in the community and working closely with the schools is very important to him. · Selectman Aptowitz then asked Mr. Keegan what he felt would be important to establish in his first six months. Mr. Keegan stated that he would need to get to know the staff of the town hall, school administration, residents and business community as well. Reaching out to the people and and businesses around him are important to being an effective manager. . Selectman Aptowitz's last question was "how would you handle a difficult situation or employee?" Mr. Keegan responded that he has an open door policy and would encourage the employee to work with him in solving the situation. · Selectman Moran asked how do you collaborate with other groups around you? Mr. Keegan stated that he is part of several community groups, Chamber of Commerce, MMMA. · Selectman Moran also asked how do you work with other departments within your town? Board of Selectmen Minutes of November 4, 2009 Mr. Keegan responded that inter-collaboration within the municipal and school side is one of his points of pride. He has enjoyed a good working relationship with the school departments in both Dedham and Seekonk. He is now working with the school department on a joint facility maintenance program that can reduce collective operating costs, achieve high efficient energy improvements for both town, and school facilities. . Select Moran also asked about other specific collaboration between the schools and the municipal side. Mr. Keegan stated that he and the school superintendent work very closely together and the superintendent actually participates with his dept. head meetings. We have explored combining financing functions and human resources. Sharing of other resources with the schools has been very beneficial to all involved. . Selectman Dentino asked Mr. Keegan if he would be interested in being the MMED Manager if he were hired as town manager. Mr. Keegan stated he would. It is a great revenue generator for the town and he has some experience with a municipally owned electric dept. from his time in Shrewsbury. He has also had a role in purchasing lights and electrical services in Dedham. . Selectman Dentino also discuss the role of town manager in the dual role of MMED Manager and the conflicts that could result. He also feels that it can be troublesome for the Board of Selectmen to serve as Electric Light Commissioners as well. Mr. Keegan stated that while somethings do overlap, you need to be careful to keep MMED expenses and revenue separate from the general fund to avoid the appearance of any misappropriations. . Selectman Dentino then asked Mr. Keegan how he deals with large infrastructure projects and the use of TIFS in commercial development. Mr. Keegan responded with a summary of one of the latest and largest projects in Dedham, Legacy Place. This development was privately funded so the cost to the town was minimal and a TIF was not requested. . Selectman Levine welcomed Mr. Keegan to Mansfield and asked him how he rewards great performance in employees without monetary compensation. Board of Selectmen Minutes of November 4. 2009 2 Mr. Keegan stated that while he works with an exceptional group of people, when the occasion arises and he wants to reward an employee, he finds a way to let them know; such as advanced training or commendation. . Selectman Levine asked Mr. Keegan what he would do if a conflict arose where the Board of Selectmen overstepped in regards to setting policy. Mr. Keegan responded that while he respects the Board of Selectmen's authority, if something becomes a problem he likes to address it right away with the board, and get it resolved as soon as possible. . Selectman Levine asked why Mr. Keegan wants to come to Mansfield. Mr. Keegan stated that Mansfield is a growing community with a lot of economical growth potential. He sees great things in Mansfield's future and would like to be a part of it. Being the town manager is also the next step in his career growth as well; he is currently a town administrator and under Mansfield's charter the position of town manager has much more authority. . Selectman Levine's last question was: how involved are you in the Dedham community? Mr. Keegan explained how he is involved in several activities of the community in addition to governmental groups. . Chairman Baldwin asked Mr. Keegan how he would go about attracting business to the industrial park? A marketing plan is necessary to keep an area fresh and since Mansfield is a great location already, we just need to go the extra mile in getting the word out. IDC needs to be up and running again to really get the momentum going. . Chairman Baldwin asked why do you think we should hire you as the town manager? Mr. Keegan stated that he has been a municipal manager for many years with extensive Massachusetts based knowledge. He has served at every level of municipal government and is the former President of the MMMA. As the current town administrator for Dedham he has presented seven balanced budgets without an operating override and has reorganized and/or established six different operating departments within the community. He has also developed a close working relationship with the school committee and superintendent. Board of Selectmen Minutes of November 4, 2009 3 . Chairman Baldwin's last question is "what do you think is Mansfield's greatest challenge?" Mr. Keegan responded that the economy will turn around, however, we need to work together to not only keep residents and commercial/industrial clients but also to attract even more business vibrancy to town. Mansfield's industrial park is in a prime location and has space for growth. Providing level services with less funding is always challenging but can be accomplished at times when we all work together toward a common goal. Mr. Keegan asked the Board of Selectmen want they would like to see in a town manager? Selectman Dentino stated someone who gets along with the other departments, works collaboratively with the school side, strong fiscal management and budget preparation. Selectman Moran wants someone who can not only handle fiscal matters, but someone with vision on how to move Mansfield forward. Selectman Aptowitz wants a solid community leader. Collaboration with others is key. Selectman Levine is looking for someone who is smart, creative and will follow the town charter in his management of the town. Someone who is a leader in every sense of the word. Mr. Keegan had a few additional questions for the Board of Selectmen and then the board thanked him for his time. Tax assessment hearing Clerk Aptowitz read the public hearing notice into the record and Chairman Baldwin opened the meeting. The Board of Assessors and Nancy Hinote, Assistant Assessor are all present for meeting. Mrs. Hinote gave a brief overview of the tax classification system. They are broken down into five major classes. . Residential . Open Space . Commercial . Industrial Boord of Selectmen Minutes of November 4. 2009 4 . Personal Property Selectman Moran is troubled with the small business tax exemption. He agrees with the concept but does not feel it would be effective once applied. The owner of the building (that house) small business's will benefit, however not necessarily the small business itself. Selectman Aptowitz is also concerned about the present way we classify the tax rate. Taxes are going up, assessments are going down and town services are being cut due to the decrease in revenue. He does not support a 670 tax increase and is responsible for looking out for the residents. Selectman Levine stated that commercial and industrial customers are also tax payers and need to be treated fairly as well. They contribute to the tax base and she does not want the Town of Mansfield to be seen as unfriendly to business. Selectman Moran stated that while he sees where Mr. Aptowitz is coming from, we do need to be cognizant of what is good for the town in the long run. If commercial and industrial users see that Mansfield is not tax friendly, the town as a whole will suffer from that loss of income and base growth. Motion: To close the public hearing. (Aptowitz/Moran) 5:0 passes Motion: 1.06 split tax shift (Levine) no second, motion fails. Motion: expand tax split 1.1 (Moran) no second, motion fails. Motion: expand tax split 1.12 (Dentino/Baldwin) (Dentino, Aptowitz, Moran nay) 2:3 motion fails. Motion: 1.09 tax shift. (Levine) no second, motion fails. Motion: To accept 1.11 tax split. (Dentino/Moran) 4:1 motion passes (Aptowitz nay) Town Manager interviews William Ross, City Manager, Jackson Michigan since 2004. . Chairman Baldwin asked Mr. Ross for an overview of his municipal experience and asked why he wants to come to Mansfield. Mr. Ross recapped his vast municipal experience of almost 40 years. 32 of them as a manager. "Coming to Mansfield presents me with an opportunity to use my professional experience and expertise in a new and challenging environment to help the town prepare itself to meet the challenges and take advantage of the opportunities that are facing all communities in this economic climate." Board of Selectmen Minutes of November 4, 2009 5 . Selectman Levine asked Mr. Ross if he is familiar with MA law or town meeting style of government. While Mr. Ross has not worked in New England or attended a MA town meeting before, he has done some research on MA general laws and on how local towns operate. He noted that the school in his Ohio township operated in a similar manner to Mansfield. . Selectman Levine stated that the bos sets the policy and the tm carries their wishes out. How would you settle a discrepancy between what the bos wants and you see otherwise? Mr. Ross responded that while he would follow the Board of Selectmen's direction, however, if an issue came up and became a problem he would address it right away with the board, and work to get it resolved as soon as possible. . Selectman Levine asked Mr. Ross how he would handle praising an employee? Mr. Ross replied that he would publically praise the employee, put a letter of appreciation in the personnel file, and possibly take them out to lunch. . Selectman Levine asked how much he would be involved in community events. Mr. Ross stated he is a United Methodist and very involved in the church. He is also been active in several community groups such as rotary and the Jaycees over the years. . Selectman Aptowitz asked Mr. Ross to expand upon his style of management. Mr. Ross responded that he works with his staff to establish goals and objectives for the short and long term. He likes to give department heads the flexibility to implement the goals, he holds them responsible for the implementation but does not micromanage their departments. He feels the team approach to management is the most effective. . Selectman Aptowitz asked Mr. Ross how he would handle his first six months on the job. Mr. Ross responded he would first sit down with the Board of Selectmen to determine each of their goals and interests. He would then meeting with staff, first as a group then individual departments. He would also like to have additional meetings with the town accountant to review financial statements and the budget. Mr. Ross also feels it is important to meet with town counsel, the school committee and other advisory/citizens boards and groups. Board of Selectmen Minutes of November 4. 2009 6 . Selectman Moran stated that he has read up on Mr. Ross's experience and while it is primarily in city and township government, he also sees that his skill set is transferable. How would you promote collaborative planning in a smaller town such as Mansfield? Mr. Ross answered that he has dealt with several different types of government and management styles and has been able to work collaboratively with them in reducing costs and improving public safety services. . Selectman Moran asked Mr. Ross how he has worked with the school districts in his towns. Mr. Ross stated that while a city manager is S. Dakota he worked collaboratively with the school dept. to gain voter approval and implement a joint complex that housed several government services. I also worked closely with the school system manager while in Jackson to fund and operate a community recreation program. . Selectman Moran then asked Mr. Ross how he would balance the needs and wants of the town's younger population vs. the needs and desires of the growing elderly population? I have always worked toward what would benefit the community as a whole. While manager in both S. Dakota and Minnesota the emphasis was on projects such as libraries, community centers, recreation buildings, police and fire protection are department that all residents benefit from. . Selectman Dentino asked Mr. Ross what considerations he would have to address should he be offered the job of town manager. Mr. Ross stated that although he and his wife are ready to make a move, he would want to bring her to Mansfield for her to see the area before accepting the job. . Selectman Dentino asked what percentage of the budget in his prior towns went to salaries and benefits? Mr. Ross responded that it varied widely from place to place due to the government structure of the state, city or township. Some towns allocated anywhere from 35 - 7570 depending on that structure. Even so, he faces some of the same issues in health care costs and retirement benefits in his communities. Boord of Selectmen Minutes of November 4, 2009 7 . Selectman Dentino also mentioned the lengthy social/recreation accomplishments of Mr. Ross in the various communities he has worked in. Mansfield has very few of those things. How would you relate that experience to our community? Mr. Ross stated that he focuses on the needs and desires of the particular community he is serving so that skill set and level of dedication is transferable to Mansfield's needs. . Chairman Baldwin asked Mr. Ross how he would attract business to the industrial park? Mr. Ross summarized his various accomplishments at industrial/business development in his previous positions. . Chairman Baldwin asked what he feels Mansfield biggest challenge is at this time? Mr. Ross stated that fiscal management is key in these tight fiscal times and building your industrial base would be helpful. However, he would want to take a more in-depth look into the town needs and long term planning before devising a plan. Since Mr. Ross did not have any questions that were not addressed by the Board of Selectmen and the board thanked him for his time. John Yunits, Jr. Esq. Former Mayor of Brockton 1996 - 2006 and President of Yunits Associates, P.C since 2007. Attorney Yunits has worked in both the public and private sectors so he understands the needs of both segments of the community. . Selectman Moran asked how Mr. Yunits felt about regionalization of services? Mr. Yunits stated that, due to budget cuts and service costs, regionalization seems to be the wave of the future. When he was in Brockton they shared water and other services with surrounding towns. . Selectman Moran asked Mr. Yunits to provide an example of a capital planning project he managed. Mr. Yunits stated that he has had extensive experience in this area and feels the key to funding most of their capital projects was a mixture of creative budgeting and marrying that savings with Federal and State funding opportunities. Board of Selectmen Minutes of November 4. 2009 8 . Selectman Moran then asked Mr. Yunits how he has collaborated or consolidated services with the school system. Mr. Yunits stated that he is a firm believer in a quality education and has worked tirelessly in providing the best recourses he could for the city. He created the Brockton Blueprint Committee, which included school officials, DOE, HHS, police, DTS, and the DA, to set up tools for school and community programs such as mentoring and job training programs. . Selectman Moran then asked Mr. Yunits how he would balance the needs and wants of the towns younger population vs. the needs and desires of the growing elderly population? Mr. Yunits responded that is a difficult task. However, he has noticed that the towns master plan does address some of these concerns. . Selectman Dentino asked Mr. Yunits about Brockton's I&I water program and "pay as you throw" trash program. Mr. Yunits briefly recapped about how much water and funds were saved by the City of Brockton after these programs were implemented. . Selectman Dentino also asked a question about city bonding. Mr. Yunits was involved in the largest municipal bond sale on Wall Street in 2005. "A $ 100M Pension Obligation Bond sale required me to personally present before S&P and Moody's. In all, the City of Brockton financed and funded over $500,000,000 in capital projects and equipment purchases as well as infrastructure service projects." . Selectman Dentino asked Mr. Yunits what his financial strengths are. Mr. Yunits stated that budgeting is one of his strong suits. He actively participated in school budget preparation and was able to consolidate city and school financial administration by charging the city accountant with authority over C70 funds. . Selectman Aptowitz asked Mr. Yunits what his style of management is. Mr. Yunits responded that his style is to inspire, to listen and to be positive. He will not engage in public disagreements with the bos. He believes that it is important to make sure that all government transactions are transparent to the public. . Selectman Levine asked Mr. Yunits how he would handle praising an employee. Boord of Selectmen Minutes of November 4, 2009 9 Mr. Yunits recognizes employees that have gone far and above by issuing verbal and written praise. He has also granted compensation time for employees that have worked many long hours on a project or presentation. . Selectman Levine asked how much he would be involved in community events. Mr. Yunits believes that an active town manager should participate in local events, social and civic alike. He has heard of the great duck race however, he won't wear a duck suit at the event though. . Selectman Levine asked how he would handle a difficult employee. Mr. Yunits stated that he would deal with any disciplinary actions according to town or union policy. . Chairman Baldwin, how would you attract business to Mansfield? He would market what the town already has and could potentially have. Mansfield is an attractive community with lots to offer, we could reorganize a marketing campaign and rCD, chamber of commerce, down town business association could all be involved. . Chairman Baldwin asked: what qualities can you bring to the Town of Mansfield? Mr. Yunits responded that he would address the Board of Selectmen with full, open communication on all issues at all times. Policy debates should always be instructive and never confrontational, which is why, r believe, the city moved forward to fast. We all worked together for the greater good. . Chairman Baldwin asked: what do you see as Mansfield's biggest challenge? The regionalization of the waste water collaboration with Norton, Foxboro will be a big undertaking. Bio tech and life science development in Cabot Business Park will also require an aggressive development plan. The Board of Selectmen then thanked Mr. Yunits for coming in to interview. Bob Slavin then came to the table once the interviews were over to discuss the selection of a town manager with the Board of Selectmen. Mr. Slavin would like the bos to name a point person for the contract negotiations. He feels town counsel should be involved as well. Boord of Selectmen Minutes of November 4, 2009 10 The Board of Selectmen would like Mr. Riccio to be the contact person for them and involve Attorney Mangiaratti to draft the contract once an agreement is reached. Motion: To instruct Mr. Slavin to enter contract negotiations with Mr. William Keegan. (Aptowitz/Moran) 5:0 passes Weekly Business Warrant No. 10018T in the amount of $1,571,646.46 Motion: To approve. (Levine/ Aptowitz) 5:0 passes Warrant No. 10018E in the amount of $89,768.78 Motion: To approve. (Levine/ Aptowitz) 5:0 passes Warrant No. 100185 in the amount of $55,000.00 Motion: To approve. (Levine/ Aptowitz) 5:0 passes Warrant No. 10018PT in the amount of $277,725.46 Motion: To approve. (Levine/ Aptowitz) 5:0 passes Warrant No. 10018TV in the amount of $81,189.61 Motion: To approve. (Levine/ Aptowitz) 4:0:1 passes (Dentino abstain) Correspondence . Letter from John Hogan, Veterans Agent, regarding telephone solicitations. . Letter from Mansfield Women of Today requesting permission to display sign on S. Common and banner over rt. 106 for the holiday house tour. Display dates from 11-16 through 12-6-09. Motion: To approve signs. (Levine/Moran) 5:0 passes . Replacement bonds documents from Roxanne Donovan, Treasurer/Collector. Motion: To approve and sign bond documents. (Aptowitz/Moran) 5:0 passes . Warrants for December 8th election to replace Senator Kennedy. Motion: To approve and sign warrants. (Levine/ Aptowitz) 5:0 passes Board of Selectmen Minutes of November 4, 2009 11 Motion: Adjourn at 1O:30pm (Aptowitz) 5-0 Passes fe# ~U/~ Signature of Clerk l~ 2t?, 2tilti Date of Approval Board of Selectmen Minutes of November 4, 2009 12