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HomeMy WebLinkAboutmin brd of selectmen 02/16/00 Board of Selectmen Minutes February 16, 2000 Present: Chairwoman Royle, Clerk Wills, and Selectmen Amoruso and McCarter John D'Agostino, Town Manager 1. The meeting was called to order at 7:30 PM followed by the pledge of allegiance A.Weekly Business . Warrant No. 33 - $2,415,172.61 Motion: To approve the warrant (Amoruso-McCarter) All in favor. Passes. Chairwoman Royle abstained on all Board of Health items and Voucher No. 41677; Clerk Wills abstained on Voucher No. 41711; Selectman McCarter abstained on the Municipal Building Committee payroll . Certificate of Title for the sale of Town-owned land on Cottage Street as approved at Town Meeting Motion: To sign (Amoruso-Wills) All in favor. Passes . Warrant for the March 7th State Presidential Primary Motion: To sign (Wills-Amoruso) All in favor. Passes . Annual GA TRA Contract - current contract for current service Motion: To authorize Dianne Royle to sign as Chairwoman (Amoruso-Wills) All in favor. Passes . Minutes of January 26, 2000 Motion : To approve (Wills-Amoruso) All in favor. Passes Minutes of February 16, 2000 1 . Minutes of February 2, 2000 Motion: To approve (Wills-Amoruso) All in favor. Passes . Minutes of February 9, 2000 Motion: To approve as corrected (Wills-Amoruso) All in favor. Passes B. Correspondence . Letter from Allyson Anderson-Sterling of the Garden Club of Mansfield requesting permission to use Park Row on Saturday, May 13th from 7 AM to 1 PM for the Club's annual plant sale and to put up two 4x8 plywood signs on the North and South Commons from Saturday, April 22nd to Saturday, May 13th publicizing the plant sale The Selectmen requested the Garden Club coordinate the closing of Park Row with DPW Motion: To allow the signs on the North and South Commons as requested (Amoruso-Wills) All in favor. Passes . Letter from Council on Aging inviting the Selectmen to participate in a forum entitled "Healthcare and Health Insurance - What is an elder to do?" at the Highland Country Club in Attleboro on Friday, March 24th from 9:30 - 11:30 AM The Selectmen requested the event be listed on the Cable Community Bulletin Board . Letter from Sonia Walgreen, COA President, recommending the Town Manager negotiate with GA TRA for the direct provision of another contract provider for transportation services to the Seniors and persons with disabilities of Mansfield 2. Questions & Comments Colin Cauldwell of 842 East Street asked about the traffic signal at Franklin Street and Route 106. Town Manager D'Agostino said the problem is the tripping device is getting compacted with snow on Franklin Street and is tripping more than it should be. Mr. Cauldwell also assured the Selectmen that he is still interested in opposing Minutes of February 16, 2000 2 Great Waves and hopes the Town will expend the funding approved to begin litigation if and when a building permit is issued for the project. Dave Hammond of 48 Branch Street stated his belief that approval of the Great Waves project. is not possible if the Zoning By-Law is adhered to. Lou Andrews of 255 Fruit Street and like President of the Natural Resources Trust noted the NRT is part of the Great Waves appeal process. They intend to protect conservation areas in the Great Woods and will expend their resources to do so. Greg Cauldwell of 880 East Street advised the Selectmen the Wave Goodbye group's absence for the past several weeks is only a testimony of their faith in the Selectmen's memory. Selectmen McCarter reminded those present the Town has appealed the MEPA decision and that case was re-opened to address three other issues. Motion: To send a letter to Rackermann, Sawyer & Brewster asking for a status update, indicating the Board's intent to appeal in the near future if a building permit is issued, and suggesting the need to establish a meeting to develop strategies in relation to those matters. (Wills-McCarter) All in favor. Passes A. Other Business . Motion: To rescind the Board's two previous offers to the Foxboro Water Commissioners for both the short-term and long-term water hook-up and to request Town Counsel Mangiaratti to send a letter to Richard Gellerman, Foxboro's Town Counsel, advising him any future negotiations would be starting at "ground zero." (Amoruso-Wills) All in favor. Passes B. Report on Water Withdrawal Lee Azinheira reported the Town has been overdrawing the amount of water permitted in the Ten Mile Basin over the last five years. This was discovered by Kurt Gaffney, newly appointed Water Operations Manager, Minutes of February 16, 2000 3 in using the new SCADA system that allows for improved monitoring and management of the water system. Prior to the installation of the Walsh Well, the Town overdrew to keep up with demand. They have now shut off the well in the Ten Mile Basin to conserve water for future withdrawal when needed. They noted that although the overwithdrawal waS slight in proportion to the total number of gallons pumped, it is a DEP violation and will be corrected in the future. Motion: Any extension or expansion of the water system be approved by the Board of Selectmen as Water Commissioners as defined by Town Counsel. (Amoruso-McCarter) All in favor. Passes Selectmen pointed out they would not be voting on individual water users, but on extension or expansion of water pipes. DPW Director Azinheira said he would provide Selectmen with a monthly list of what they have approved for water hookups on streets. Chairwoman Royle asked when our water withdrawal permit will be increased. (Will be increased in 2000 and in 2010 we apply for a new permit.) 3. North Main Street Small Sewer Extension Public Hearing The public hearing was opened at 8:27 PM with Clerk Wills reading the Notice of Public Hearing as it appeared in the Sun-Chronicle on January 28,2000 and February 4,2000. Town Engineer John Sullivan reviewed the procedure established by the Rules and Regulations for the Extension of Public Sewer in Mansfield. The Costas of 718 North Main Street currently have a cesspool that needs to be pumped every two months and have applied for a small sewer extension, electing Option C. This option provides for the Town to contribute 37.5/0 of the cost, with the remainder split by a betterment charge to the residents along the extended sewer line. It would involve four individual assessments, with two-thirds of those residents having to vote favorably. Ballots were sent out, but have not yet been returned. Mr. Rossi of 15 Dane Street, brother-in-law of Joe Costa, questioned how Cannon Forge and people in Foxboro and Sharon were able to hook up. He was advised they were private projects funded entirely by those parties. Chairwoman Royle noted the Town has a lawsuit against them and the Minutes of February 16, 2000 4 Board could not discuss the matter. DPW Director Azinheira, Town Engineer Sullivan and Engineer David Field attempted without success to explain the procedure and regulations to the applicant. Mr. Sullivan noted the ballots are due back in two weeks; however Joan Costa noted her family has talked with the neighbors and they do not want to participate. Clerk Wills asked the Costas if they are able to put a septic system on the property. (They said they probably could) Town Staff also attempted to explain elevations in the area and the operation of a gravity system versus a force main. The Costas and Mr. Rossi left the public hearing, stating they were not interested in continuing with their application. Motion: To continue the Pubic Hearing until such time as the ballots are returned and to re-open the hearing if positive ballots are received. Also,to send another ballot by certified mail, return receipt requested, to each resident affected by the application. (Amoruso-Wills) All in favor. Passes 5. Morrison Well Update DPW Director Lee Azinheira, Water Operations Manager Kurt Gaffney, and Water Consultant Doug Reed of Woodward and Curran were present to update the Selectmen on the status of the Morrison Well. Mr. Reed detailed the application process with the Department of Environmental Management (DEM). He noted that after numerous requests for additional information, DEM ruled favorably on January 13th, accepting the application as being administratively complete. Two dates for public hearings have also been established in each of the two river basins. Following those hearings and dates set for the receipt of follow-up information, DEM will make a recommendation to the Water Resources Commission and another vote will be taken on the status of the application. He noted there could be operational restrictions attached to the finding, but he doesn't think the application will be denied. Mr. Reed explained the authorized budget was exceeded in reaching this stage due to additional efforts that were not anticipated. He stated his belief the estimate of $72,000 to conclude the permitting process is accurate and offered a $10,000 credit to the Town. Sources of additional funding were discussed. Motion: To approve the additional expenditure of $62,000 to complete the permitting process. Minutes of February 16. 2000 5 (Amoruso-Wills) All in favor. Passes 6. Board of Selectmen Business . Forbes Boulevard/West Street Intersection Clerk Wills requested the Board consider a motion to erect four-way stop signs at the intersection of Forbes Boulevard and West Street, noting another serious accident has taken place at that location. Issues relating to decreased sight distance and confusion that might result from a four- way stop were discussed. Suggestions were made regarding having the traffic stop on West Street instead of Forbes Boulevard, trying a four- way stop for 90 days, using high intensity stop signs, and putting up additional signage prior to the intersection warning motorists to stop ahead. Motion: To erect four way stop signs at the intersection of Forbes Boulevard and West Street on a 90-day trial basis, along with signs in each direction on Forbes Boulevard and West Street warning motorists to stop ahead. (Wills-McCarter) All in favor. Passes . Selectman Amoruso announced the subcommittee to review the Tweeter Center license will be meeting Tuesday, February 2.Td at 7'30 p.m. at Town Hall to hear any concerns that interested parties would like to see addressed prior to the license renewal. He also asked that the meeting be listed on the Cable Community Bulletin Board 7. Executive Session Motion: To go into Executive Session to discuss pending litigation regarding Great Waves and to reconvene in open session only to adjourn. (Amoruso-McCarter) Clerk Wills, Aye; Selectman McCarter, Aye; Chairwoman Royal, Aye; Selectman Amoruso, Aye. All in favor. Passes 7. Adjournment - 11 :22 PM Motion: To adjourn. (AmOrUSO;il~ J1):avor Passes Minutes of February 16, 2000 6