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HomeMy WebLinkAboutmin brd of selectmen 03/08/00 Board of Selectmen Minutes March 8, 2000 , " Present: Chairwoman Royle, Clerk Wills, and Selectmen Robinson, Amoruso and McCarter John D'Agostino, Town Manager The meeting was called to order at 7:30 PM followed by the pledge of allegiance. · Warrant No. 35 in the amount of $2,160,661.26 Motion: To sign the warrant. (Robinson- Amoruso) All in favor. Passes. Chairwoman Royle abstained on Board of Health payroll; Selectman Robinson abstained on School payroll and all of Electric Department; Selectman McCarter abstained on the Municipal Building Committee payroll · Bond covering the Town Clerk in the amount of $8,000 Motion: To approve and authorize the Chairwoman to sign (McCarter-Amoruso) All in favor. Passes · Request for Reserve Fund Transfer to Buildings/Special Projects in the amount of $22,951.00 for the demolition and clean up of the former Homestead Restaurant property off Plain Street. Included in the amount is an around-the- clock Police detail. A lien in the amount of the contract will be placed on the property. Motion: To approve the request (Robinson-Amoruso) All in favor. Passes · Request for Reserve Fund Transfer to Board of Selectmen Expenses in the amount of $38,391.51. Unforeseen legal and advertising expenses have depleted all line items within the account and a transfer is necessary to pay current bills and anticipated expenses for the balance of the fiscal year. Motion: To approve the request (Wills-Amoruso) All in favor. Passes · Letter from MassHighway requesting a fee waiver for electrical work done at the Route 95 Information Center Motion: To waive the Town's portion of the associated fees. Minutes of March 8, 2000 1 (Amoruso-Robinson) All in favor. Passes · Request of Mansfield Little League for a Parade Permit for Sunday, April 16, 2000 at 11:00 a.m. for the Mansfield Little League and Mansfield Girls Softball League with approximately 400 to 500 marchers Selectmen were supportive of the parade, but were not in favor of allowing a parade through the downtown at that time of the day on Sunday. Motion: To send a letter to Little League, approving the parade for Sunday, April 16, 2000 with a start time of 1:00 p.m., subject to approval by the Police Department. (Amoruso-Wills) All in favor. Passes · Letter from Foxfield Taxi Corporation requesting a rate increase Paula Savill and her daughter Tara were present to explain why the rate increase is necessary, noting the increased cost of gas and all other related expenses Motion: To approve the rate increase as follows: from $2.50 to $3.50 for the first mile from $.20 to $.30 for each additional 1/10 mile $.50 Senior Citizen Discount per trip to continue (Wills-McCarter) All in favor. Passes · Minutes of March 1, 2000 Motion: To approve (Amorouso-Robinson) All in favor. Passes · Executive Session Minutes of March 6, 2000 Motion: To approve, but not release (Amoruso-Wills) All in favor. Passes · Memorandum from John Sullivan, Town Engineer, regarding the Application for Sewer Extension at 718 North Main Street. Put on the agenda for March 15, 2000 at 8:00 p.m. for action as recommended by the Town Engineer. · Letter from Arthur M. O'Neill, Chief of Police, informing Selectmen the Mansfield Police Department has received a grant in the amount of $7,500 from the Governor's Highway Safety Bureau Minutes of March 8/ 2000 2 · Letter from MassHighway regarding the intersection of Forbes Boulevard and West Street · Notice from the Water Resources Commission of Public Hearing to be held on the Interbasin Transfer Application for the Morrison Well on Monday, March 20,2000 at 7:00 p.m. at the Mansfield Town Hall. Written comment will be accepted until 5:00 p.m. on March 23rd. The following residents commented and asked questions regarding the status of the Great Waves proposal. · Lou Andrews of 255 Fruit Street · Dave Hammond of 48 Branch Street · Colin Cauldwell of 842 East Street · Sarah Forbes of 1 Clinton Street · George Dentino of Gladiola Terrace · Leonard Flynn of 102 Jewell Street Residents speaking - noted their belief that negotiating with Great Waves goes against the Town Meeting appropriation of funds to fight the proposal asked about the Board's intent to let the public know what's going on expressed their disappointment that public input is not being received and considered suggested the Board is in violation of the Open Meeting Law in the conduct of the meetings with Great Waves asked that the issue be put before the Townspeople and allow them to make the decision reitereated their belief that Great Waves can be defeated Karl Clemmey of 750 South Main Street - commented on the intersection of Forbes Boulevard and West Street and suggested the Planning Board should allow directional signs within the Cabot Business Park to eliminate the confusion that is contributing to the dangerous intersection. - noted there will be a large number of people at the Planning Board's public hearing next week on their zoning amendments and asked if the Selectmen could switch meeting rooms with them so the meeting can be televised Minutes of March 8, 2000 3 The Selectmen will ask for the Planning Board's opinion regarding directional signs in the Business Park and will request cable coverage for the Planning Board's public hearing. Water Operations Manager Kurt Gaffney brought the Selectmen up to date on the following water projects: 1. New Water Garage and Office Operations Building - the MBC has done a request for proposal to perform a site feasibility study. Once the study is completed, it will be determined if the building should be built at the Cate Springs location or included at the site of new DPW Garage on Route 106. 2. Foolish Hill Storage Tank - reviewed repairs to be made as the result of the completed Woodard & Curran structural condition assessment and advised Selectmen of a $94,500 capital request submitted for Town Meeting approval. 3. Walsh Well Water Treatment Wellfield #2 - reviewed plans to replace the existing PVC pipe with 2 t inch galvanized pipe and 8 inch mechanical joint fitting and estimated cost and funding for other work to be done. 4. Water Main Replacement - scheduled for Jewell Street and Angell Street 5. Large Meter Replacement - meters will be replaced as the result of the flow evaluation so the meters will be the proper size for the flow in actual use. 6. Water Meter Replacement of 5/8-3/4 Inch Meters - 8 to 10 meters are being replaced daily and appointments are presently booked up to the middle of May. 7. Water Services Without Meters - as of January ¡st there were 35 unmetered properties hooked up to the water system. Meters have been installed at 18 of theses properties and attempts are underway to set up appointments for the balance of them. 8. Water Conservation - reviewed and explained various water saving devices available to residents free of charge. Selectmen asked that this information be included in the ''Live Wire" to make residents aware of their availability . 9. Floor Drain Regulations and Inspections - Prism Environmental has been contracted to perform these inspections required of 32 business located with in the Zone II water resource area as defined by 310 CMR 22.02 10. Backflow Testing and Cross Connection Survey - All 125 devices are tested twice per year. There were 8 violations last year. Minutes of March 8, 2000 4 11. Iron and Manganese Study - an engineering agreement has been awarded to Woodard & Curran to perform the first phase of a water quality improvement study. 12. SCADA System - reviewed adjustments to be made in the system during its first full year of operation. 13. Morrison Well - has been advised the Water Resources staff will be recommending approval of the interbasin transfer with some conditions. 14. Water Rate Study and Connection Fee Study - Woocock and Associates will be completing a review of present water rates and the connection fee structures by May 1, 2000. 15. Year 2000 Water Main Work - reviewed work to be done by the Water Division on Highland Avenue, Fulton Place, and Myrtle Street Chief Sliney noted this is the annual ambulance rate increase made when Blue Cross/Blue Shield and Medicare notify providers of the increase in the allowable charges. The increases range from $.22 to $5.90. The Chief also advised the Selectmen of over $100,000 in accounts receivable and discussed collection methods . Motion: To approve the ambulance fee increases as listed in the Fire Chief's memorandum of February 11, 2000. (Wills-McCarter) All in favor. Passes Town Manager D'Agostino noted the paramedics were the last group hired and if there are lay-offs necessary as the result of budget shortfalls, they would be the first affected because their salaries are paid from revenue. The Chief suggested salaries should come from the Fire Department budget and the only thing from revenues should be expenses and overtime associated with extra calls or late calls. Selectman Amoruso suggested a rate study should be considered to see if the present method of funding the positions is appropriate. The Chief explained the provisional lieutenant appointment is requested until such time as it is determined if the disabled lieutenant's disability is temporary or permanent. If the disability is determined to be permanent, the Chief would file to make the provisional appointment permanent full-time. Chief Sliney reported the support for the radio system has been great. There is a problem getting through to the school system. Using phone lines would work on a temporary basis, with modifications costing approximately $11,000. It was suggested that Jack Beliveau be contacted to get an estimate for fIber optics. Minutes of March 8, 2000 5 Mr. D'Agostino reported on the following items: · It's been reported the Water Resources Commission will act favorably on the Town's interbasin transfer application with some restrictions or limitations. It's anticipated they will require monitoring of Cedar Swamp that could cost $250,000 per year for several years that will have to be included in water rates. · He's sent a letter to Representative Hyland outlining pending funding projects the Town has before the State. He understands she will be meeting with the Chairman of the Ways and Means Committee to establish funding priorities and will push for funding for Route 106 and the Williams Street Bridge. · He is revisiting the operating budget and there is a considerable gap to close. All increases in personnel have been cut and many capital items have been eliminated. There's still $320,000 to go and the budget challenge will be hard to meet, as this year's budget will include the highest debt cost for the building projects. Costs for operating the schools have increased and the growth of the town has also affected the budget for maintaining roads and sidewalks. He reported the last round of cuts are more than he's comfortable with and some departments may not have enough money to operate. It will be very difficult to meet the budget without layoffs unless some concessions are received from the Schoo I Department. · New England Power Company just settled an agreement between Mansfield Electric and NEPA which has resulted in the receipt of $257,961. · The Jordan-Jackson Journal reports third grade students are involved in a Jeopardy Tournament and four teams will advance to the finals on March 16th. They are raising money for Dana Farber and last year raised over $4,500. They currently have $3,200 and people may pledge by calling 261-7525. Selectmen indicated the Jeopardy Tournament was started by three boys, who are now Middle School students, to raise funds for a students mother who has since succumbed to cancer. They asked that the three boys be invited to the next Selectmens meeting to publicly encourage pledges and support. · A Local Law Educational Block Grant in the amount of $25,035 has been received by the Police Department. Safety Programs are being planned and anyone with suggestions is encouraged to call Officer Crickard. · The job description for the Assistant to the Recreation Director has been revised and needs Selectmen approval. The revisions are supported by Recreation Director, Lorilee Fish, who also reports with regret that her present assistant, Tracy George, has accepted a higher paying job with greater responsibilities in a nearby community. Selectmen expressed regret at seeing Tracy leave. The job description was amended under "duties" for the purposes Minutes of March 8, 2000 6 of clarification to read, "Prepares Schedule of Payments to the Town Treasurer/Collector for the Recreation Department ." Motion: To approve the revised job description as amended for the Assistant to the Recreation Director. (Robinson-McCarter) All in favor. Passes Selectman McCarter: The Tweeter Center subcommittee will be meeting again next Wednesday at 6:00 p.m. prior to the Selectmen's meeting and wants responses from Department Heads. Chairwoman Royle: Has spoken to some of Selectmen regarding their availability to meet Tuesday, March 14th at 8:00 p.m. with the Police Chief. The previously scheduled meeting had to be cancelled. She suggested the Town Manager's evaluation could be done the same night at 7:30 p.m. Selectman Amoruso noted he would be at the Zoning Board meeting at that time and would do his best to get to the meeting. Motion: To go into Executive Session at 10:02 p.m. to discuss strategy for pending litigation and reconvene in open session only to adjourn. (Amoruso-Robinson) Roll call vote: Robinson - aye; Amoruso - aye; Royle - aye; McCarter - aye; Wills - aye. Adjournment gmen reconvened in open ession and adjourned at 11:13 p.m. , I ~ ',- / . ~ //6 /i}'O I' , Clerks 5 nature Date of Approval Minutes of March 8, 2000 7