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HomeMy WebLinkAboutmin brd of selectmen 03/21/01 Present: RECEIVED Tm~JN CLERI~S OFFICE Board of Selectmen Minutes of 0 I APR -3 PM Z: 56 March 21, 2001 ~"',""'"11-LD "¡Ar"i::>r c.. MASSACHUSETTS Chairman David W. McCarter; Clerk Bradford E Wills; Selectmen Louis P. Amoruso, Amos M. Robinson, and Daniel Donovan. John O. D'Agostino, Town Manager (' The meeting was called to order at 7:00 p.m. Motion: To go into Executive Session for the purpose of considering the purchase, exchange, taking, lease or value of real property and to reconvene in open session at the conclusion of the discussion (Amoruso-Wills) Roll Call Vote: Robinson, aye; Amoruso, aye; Wills, aye; Donovan, aye; McCarter, aye 5-0 Passes The meeting reconvened in Open Session at 7:54 p.m., followed by the Pledge of Allegiance to the Flag. r . Minutes of March 14, 2001 Motion : To approve (Amoruso-Robinson) 5-0 Passes Warrant No. 39 in the amount of $642,884.50 (Amoruso-Robinson) 5-0 with Selectman Robinson abstaining from School Department payroll and Chairman McCarter abstaining from Municipal Building Committee payroll r . Warrant for Annual Town Meeting and Annual Town Election - The actual date is April 10th. It will then be continued to the date decided by the Board, April 24th. The Town Manager asked the Board to reconsider and move it to May 1st in order to allow more time for completing the budget. A Saturday meeting, April 28th, was suggested by Selectman Donovan. Chairman McCarter suggested doing a questionnaire regarding voters willingness to meet on a Saturday. Selectman Robinson spoke of his concern in changing the Town Charter and then not meeting the intent of the charter change. Town Manager D'Agostino noted we could still complete Town Meeting prior to the election. The Special Town Meeting is set for Board of Selectmen Minutes of March 21, 2001 1 r Wednesday, April 25th. Town Manager D'Agostino suggested the Annual and Special be done at the same time. Motion: To sign and post the Warrant for the Annual Town Meeting and Annual Town Election (Wills-Amoruso) 5-0 Passes Motion: To reconsider the vote of continuing the Annual Town Meeting to April 24th (Donovan-no second) · Application of Charles Meszoely for reappointment as Special Constable for Conservation Land - approved by Police Chief Motion: To reappoint Charles Meszoely as Special Constable for Conservation Land for a term ending January 1, 2004 (Wills-Amoruso) 5-0 Passes ,r · Application of Mansfield Little League for their annual parade Saturday, April 21st at 11:00 a.m. from North Main Street to Church Street to Memorial Park Motion: To approve (Amoruso-Wills) 5-0 Passes · Memorandum from Shaun P. Burke, Director of Planning and Development, regarding street acceptances for Annual Town Meeting · Vote of Intention to Lay Out a Town Way - Vote to layout streets on attached list and hold a public hearing on Apri/l1, 2001 at 8:30 p.m. - Town Manager signs form Motion: To hold hearing April 11, 2001 at 8:30 p.m. (Wills-Amoruso) 5-0 Passes · Memorandum from Town Clerk Helen P. Christian re: schedule of dates for posting the Special Town Meeting on April 25th or May 1st Motion: To open the Warrant for the Special Town Meeting on April 25th (Amoruso-Wills) 5-0 Passes r · Memorandum from Catherine Salisbury, Regional Administrator for Southeastern Regional Services Group, requesting she be designated and classified as a Special Municipal Employee - need to vote to designate and Board of Selectmen Minutes of March 21, 2001 2 r classify the Southeastern Regional Services Group's (SERSG) Regional Administrator a Special Municipal Employee and sign authorization letter Town Manager D'Agostino noted he believes we're over the population limit that would allow us to do so. Motion: To table until next meeting and have Town Counsel take a look at it. (Amoruso-Wills) 5-0 Passes Chairman McCarter called for questions and comments. There were none forthcoming. Present on behalf of the Town were DPW Director Lee Azinheira, Police Chief Arthur M. O'Neill, and Parking Enforcement Officer Richard Paulsen. Clerk Wills read the Notice of Public Hearing that appeared in the Sun Chronicle on r March 7, 2001. Motion: To open the Public Hearing (Amoruso-Wills) 5-0 Passes DPW Director noted this is a follow up to a meeting held over a month ago to update the parking areas designated in 1997. He presented a map of the area, on which areas were designated as various parking zones. A meeting with the residents was held previously and their comments were incorporated into the revised plans. Their complaint at that time was the number of signs that were put up in residential neighborhoods. The signs will be placed at intersections and on every other pole. Public Works does not have the budget to sign the entire area. In areas where signs are now on every pole, some of them will be removed and placed elsewhere. Chairman McCarter noted residents' concern about the 2-hour parking on Saturday. In strictly residential areas, it will now be Monday through Friday only. In the downtown area it will be Monday through Saturday. Mr. Paulsen noted if we don't plan for parking restrictions, the residents and r downtown businesses will have a difficult time with the decrease in available parking for commuters during the Train Station construction. It was noted that Mr. Board of Selectmen Minutes of March 21, 2001 3 r Paulsen is enforcing the regulations judiciously at the current time and is not ticketing residents who are parked in front of their homes. Residents of the Grain Mill or employees of businesses in the area have special stickers allowing them to park for more than two hours. Ezzat Zackary of Mansfield House of Pizza expressed concern about parking in the area of his store and noted meeting with the Parking Enforcement Officer, Chief O'Neill and the Town Manager. He's having a problem with a lack of parking on Thursday, Friday and Saturday nights with patrons of other downtown restaurants parking for long periods of time. He suggested the need for some 30-minute parking in the area and the ability to enforce it. He asked for 6-7 spots on the east side of North Main Street in the area of his business, Mansfield Travel, and Town News. He also suggested the possibility of having a couple of spots in the back of the buildings on Old Colony Way for 30-minute parking. Another suggested solution was one spot per building marked for 30-minute parking. He noted about 50 percent of his customers come in to pick up take-out orders. Chairman McCarter recalled the owner of the Italian restaurant saying he would encourage his customers to use the municipal lot when parking was discussed during his licensing process. He does not know if that's being done. The signs in that area r currently allow 2-hour parking from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Saturday. Chief O'Neill noted he does not disagree with what Mr. Zakhary has stated, but noted the need for a balanced, considered approach. He noted the business in the area contributes to keeping the downtown viable; however, he believes different problems will be created in implementing the proposed solution. Selectman Amoruso pointed out many of the businesses in that area have rapid turnover and noted the need for parking for their patrons. He suggested there is ample evidence of the need for some short-term parking in the area and noted with two restaurants and a function facility in close proximity, most of the parking spaces in that particular area are utilized for long periods. He suggested a trial of four spaces to see how it works out, with the 15 minute parking limitation being imposed later in the day. Chairman McCarter stated the result would be reserving public parking spots for private businesses. Selectman Amoruso disagreed, noting the need for spaces for rapid turnover. Chairman McCarter stated his fear that too many parking restrictions would discourage people from going downtown. Clerk Wills agreed with the statements made by Selectman Amoruso, noting Mr. Zakhary's business was there prior to the new restaurants. Mr. Zakhary stated his willingness to share those spots with the patrons of other businesses in the area r for their patrons who are there for a short period of time. Board of Selectmen Minutes of March 21, 2001 4 r Chief O'Neill suggested that were it to be done, 30 minutes would be more reasonable than 15 minutes. Town Manager D'Agostino asked if perhaps the hours for two hour parking be extended until later in the day. Concern was expressed about having too many layers of restrictions and the possibility of it having a negative effect on the downtown. The two-hour restriction was aimed at the commuter parking that was taking place downtown. Motion: To close the public hearing (Amoruso-Donovan) 5-0 Passes Motion: To accept the parking plan as presented by the DPW Director (Wills-Amoruso) 5-0 Passes DPW Director Lee Azinheira, Water Operations Manager Kurt Gaffney, and Consultant Chris Woodcock of Woodcock and Associates were present for the discussion. Mr. Azinheira noted 37.510 of their current budget is for debt service for thirteen r different bond issues. Most of this occurred prior to the establishment of the Enterprise Account, when long-term borrowing was employed. None of them will be retired during the next five years. One of the bond issues was for thirty-nine years. He is currently reviewing the debt and considering debt consolidation. Chairman McCarter questioned why we need to raise the rates again when it was just done last year. Mr. Woodcock noted the rate last year was only set for a year, and again it will be set for one year. He noted last summer was cool and wet and not as much water was used, resulting in decreased revenue. It is also the beginning of the enterprise fund and no reserve has been built up. The increased rates did not take effect until August, with revenue not being received until September. Another factor was revenue had been anticipated from Great Waves and the project proposal has been withdrawn. Chairman McCarter asked if there are funds in the Water Capital Account. The money was transferred to the Enterprise Account when it was established. Mr. Gaffney noted the various revenue sources. The 15 percent increase is based on expectations for a more normal summer this year, but noted there are also more residential wells than in the past. The decrease in water use helps our water supply, but has to be balanced in the rates. r Board of Selectmen Minutes of March 21, 2001 5 r Town Manager D'Agostino recommended a PILOT program (payment in lieu of taxes) be phased in to stabilize the rates. Mr. Woodcock suggested that 15.1'Yo is probably not enough. Mr. Gaffney said the increase would go into effect July 1st. Chairman McCarter suggested they go through the Finance Committee review and find ways to review their budget before requesting a 15'0 increase. Town Manager D'Agostino noted the budget is less than it was last year and they anticipate a $300,000 deficit. Selectman Robinson asked how much was in the Water Capital Account that got transferred to the Enterprise Account. The funds were used for capital projects and were not transferred. He noted most residents will not see a 15'Yo increase in their paychecks and asked where we went wrong. Mr. Gaffney noted putting in new wells and replacing pipes and water mains costs money and it has to come from the water customers. Maintenance and operational costs are not free. Prior to the Enterprise Account there were reciprocal subsidies taking place between water and sewer that masked the true costs of the service. Selectman Amoruso noted we also have a water system that has not received as much attention as it needed and we are now paying the price to catch up. Mr. Woodcock noted a 15% increase in rates does not necessarily mean a 15'0 increase people's water bills because people cut back on water use. Many people had only a 1 'Yo increase when a 9'Yo increase in r rates was instituted. A water meter reader is needed to be dedicated to that function to obtain consistent readings. Radio devices are being installed with the goal of getting monthly readings and providing a history of water usage. Mr. Gaffney noted with an enterprise account people are paying for improvements in the water and the quality of their water. Town Meeting gives them the opportunity to choose what they want to spend their money on. The 15'Yo increase in rates is assuming there is a 5'Yo increase in water use. If it is a wet summer, we will be about 4'Yo short. What we really need is a 19'Yo increase. Motion: To keep the water rates at their current level until we know more (Wills-no second) Motion: To increase the water rates as recommended (Donovan-Amoruso) Selectmen noted reluctance to raise the rates, but noted not doing so would create an even bigger problem in the future. Selectman Amoruso asked what was cut from the capital budget and what is left in. The projects were reviewed, with it being noted we need to have the funds in place to do the work that is necessary. Vote: 3-2 with Robinson and Wills opposed Passes r DPW Director Azinheira brought up a job description for Public Building Tradesman that was previously approved and needs to have minor changes prior to posting and Board of Selectmen Minutes of March 21, 2001 6 r advertising the position. He requested the Board's action on the amended job description. Selectman Robinson stated his belief that an individual should have the required licenses prior to being hired. Motion: To approve the amended job description as presented (Donovan-Amoruso) 4-1 with Selectman Robinson opposed The Town Manager reported on the following: · The Rail Safety meeting is scheduled for March 27th at 1:00 p.m. at South Station. Communities abutting the right of way have been asked to attend. Selectmen Robinson and Donovan indicated they would attend. r · Was notified by Dan Garson of Woodard and Curran that we're reaching resolution on our water withdrawal permit for the Morrison Well. Both DEP and DEM believe it will be issued after the monitoring plan has been signed off on. Natural Heritage issues remain, but baseline data will be collected and submitted for one year to DEP and DEM until March 1, 2002. We could be operational for the summer of 2002. He spoke of further modifications of the conditions and concessions. The issue may be resolved prior to the meeting scheduled on March 28th. · The Board needs to start reviewing the Town Meeting Warrant. It will become an agenda item beginning next week and continuing to Town Meeting or until the review is completed. · Street acceptances were discussed, with the suggestion that the articles be postponed to the Fall Special Town Meeting with the understanding that signatures would not be required again. Chairman McCarter: · Asked about the dirt pile on East Street. It's on School Department property and they will look into securing it. They plan to use the material for the construction of the East Street field. r Clerk Wills: Board of Selectmen Minutes of March 21, 2001 7 r · Asked the Board to review the draft Tweeter license and put it on as an agenda item next week. Selectman Donovan: · Asked what's happening with the compost facility off Fruit Street. The Town Manager will get additional information · Complimented Mike Ahern on the work done at the landfill that was featured in a magazine article Selectman Amoruso: · Reminded everyone of the change in white goods collection starting today. Selectman Donovan asked if it would be possible to send the announcement out with the Light bill. It has been advertised on cable and in the newspapers. · Announced that Rotary is holding an art auction at Holiday Inn on Friday r Chairman McCarter: · Noted the cars on South Main Street are parking too close to the intersection since the new restaurant has opened and visibility is being obstructed at the intersection. Town Manager D'Agostino noted there is also a potential problem with people parking in the Town Hall parking lot when they cannot find on-street parking. Clerk Wills: · Asked if the goals and objectives workshop for Tuesday, April 3rd, is acceptable to everyone. Selectman Robinson will be away, but will submit his goals and objectives for the Town Manager. All others indicated their intent to be present. r Motion: To adjourn at 10:48 p.m. ¿};onO_-WillS~O ¡)Þ Siæ Board of Selectmen Minutes of March 21, 2001 8