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HomeMy WebLinkAboutBOS MINUTES 7-24-1985M BOARD OF SELECTMEN MINUTES OF MEETING JULY 24, 1985 AUG - 8 1985 PRESENT: Chairman D'Onofrio; Selectmen McNair, Mahana, Dunn; Acting Town Man- ager; Selectman Levine arrived at 7:50 P.M. 1. The meeting was called to order at 7:30 P.M. and the Flag saluted. 2. Minutes of July 10, 1985 MOTION: To approve the Minutes of July 10, 1985. McNair /Mahana VOTED: 4 -0 3. Camp Dresser & McKee Charlie Loveridge and Bill Mackey were present to discuss progress being made in regard to the Wastewater Treatment Plant. They said there was a need to resolve the fire alarm system question. The State Building Code has been reviewed at the State and local levels and it has now been deter- mined that a fire alarm system is required at the plant. Bill Mackey re- minded the Board that CDM had designed a system in January and suggested that they now write a Change Order to install a fire alarm system as pre- viously approved, not to exceed $100,000. He said it will be eligible for State funding. MOTION: To approve a Change Order, not to exceed $100,000, for the instal- lation of an alarm systen as required by the State Building Code, subject to State and Federal funding at 90 %. McNair /Mahana VOTED: 4 -0 Asked how long before the alarm system would be installed, Charlie Lover - idge estimated six to eight weeks. Charlie Loveridge then advised the Board that he had given Joan Cutillo a letter today advising that the two loaders had been delivered to the site; one did not have working lights front and back. They have been assured it was a slip -up and the lights will be delivered by the end of next week. CDM recommends payment of the invoices, but withholding the cost of the working lights and the testing and training. He said he just wanted the Board to have this information; no vote required. 4. Warrants #4 and #5 MOTION: To approve Warrant #4 in the amount of $697,194.15, dated July 16, 1985. McNair /Mahana VOTED: 4 -0 This was a hand written warrant with no breakdown. It was signed July 17, 1985. ii BOARD OF SELECTMEN MINUTES OF MEETING ( JULY 24, 1985 PAGE 2 MOTION: To approve Warrant #5 in the amount of $664,364.06, dated July 24, 1985, broken down as follows: General Fund - $329,932.56 Revenue Sharing - 7,472.00 School Lunch - 7,277.27 Special Revenue - 56,095.49 Sewer Enterprise - 182,228.74 Water Enterprise - 3,493.03 Electric Enterprise - 77,864.97 McNair /Dunn VOTED: 4 -0 5. Licenses and Permits a) Sewer Connection Permit Application for Richard Pedro, 456 Fruit Street; Wallmark will install sewer to this lot; single residential. * MOTION: To approve the Sewer Connection Permit for Richard Pedro, 456 Fruit Street. McNair /Dunn VOTED: 4 -0 b) Sewer Connection Permit Application for John Domirad, James Street, for a residential single. * MOTION: To approve the Sewer Connection Permit for John Domirad, James Street. McNiar /Mahana VOTED: 4 -0 c) Sewer Connection Permit Application for Lewis Gambale, 255 Pratt Street, residential single; DPW Director specifies minimum slope of 1% must be maintained. The DPW Director was present and explained that he had ap- proved it with changes so that it will meet minimum requirements. There was brief discussion concerning who would be responsible should there be problems in the future. * MOTION: To table until the matter is cleared up; to have Town Counsel review legality of who would be responsible. McNair /Mahana VOTED: 5 -0 d) Sewer Connection Permit Application for Shirley Gonsalves, Blake Place off East Street, residential multiple. * MOTION: To approve the Sewer Connection Permit for Shirley Gonsalves, ( Blake Place. Dunn /McNair VOTED: 4 -0 Mahana out of the room BOARD OF SELECTMEN MINUTES OF MEETING JULY 24, 1985 PAGE 3 Walter Chicoine /Social Security Office Mr. Chicoine had asked to come before the Board to promo Security 50th Anniversary and their hope to promote its said that President Reagan's plan is to close down some would lay off some 21,000 people. They are asking towns Social Security Week the week of August 18. He said one Americans presently collect Social Security benefits. T the prepared Proclamation of the Town of Mansfield. to the Social continuance. He 400 offices, which to proclaim a out of every seven he Clerk then read MOTION: To adopt this Proclamation. Mahana /McNair VOTED: 4 -0 Levine out of room 7. Finance Committee Interview and Appointment James Fontes was present for an interview for an unexpired term,on the Finance Committee to run to January 1, 1987. Each Selectman asked him pertinent questions, after he had given a brief run -down of his interests and qualifications. The Chairman and Board thanked Mr. Fontes for his interest in serving the Town and for coming in tonight. The Chairman then advised the members of the Board that Robert Whitney and Steven Chapman, applicants interested in serving on the Committee who were interviewed last May, have expressed a continued interest. Nominations for the unex- pired term were: *Robert Whitney James Fontes *Indicates appointment 8. Library Trustees The Board had received a letter from The Chairman of the Library Trustees requesting a time to discuss the Assistant Librarian's salary, which they feel is not adequate for what she does, or in proportion to other increases given. They feel the position is classified wrongly; it is one of four Town positions required to hold a Master's Degree. They recommend moving the position from the scale it is presently on to Step 1 of Level F, and a sal- ary of $19,627; the Library has budgeted enough for it. The Library Director, Dinah Amsden, said she feels the job description does not reflect what the position encompasses; she is the Children's Librarian. There was some discussion over whether the job description should be re- vised. Selectman Dunn pointed out that if the job description accurately shows what the person does, it will then indicate the point value to place the position in the correct classification. The Trustees will work on up- dating the job description. In the meantime, the Chairman said the fact that an employee is on the top step of a classification does not mean that employee can't move beyond it, BOARD OF SELECTMEN MINUTES OF MEETING JULY 24, 1985 PAGE 4 and thus receive a higher salary. A department head can make any appropri- ate increase he /she feels is justified. The meeting ended with the stated consensus of the Board that it is the Library Trustees purview to make any adjustment within their budget that was authorized by the Town Meeting. 9. Correspondence a) Letter from Commission Against Discrimination re: State -elide Civil Ser- vice examination for public safety positions. b) Letter from Chaulk Ambulance Service re: Possibility of ambulance work going out to bid. - The Board decided to put this in the file of issues for the new Tom Manager to consider. c) Notice from SRPEDD re: New location in Taunton. d) Letter from Mass. Municipal Auditors' & Accountants' Association re: Mansfield Town Accountant receiving a certificate designating her a CERTIFIED GOVERNMENTAL ACCOUNTANT. - The Clerk read the letter. * MOTION: To send Barbara Hagg a letter of congratulations and place the letter from the Association in Barbara's personnel file. Mahana /McNair VOTED: 4 -0 Levine out of room e) Memo from SRPEDD re: Projects eligible for EDA funding. f) Letter from County Commissioners of Bristol County re: Poll regarding State assumption of County corrections; - The letter offered three options which were discussed. * MOTION: To approve Option #2, subject to verification that there is a control mechanism exercised by the Selectmen through the County Commissioners. Dunn /McNair VOTED: 4 -0 Mahana abstained g) Bulletin from Cooperative Extension Service re: Economics of Groundwater Quality; referred to Board of Health and Conservation Commission. h) Memorandum from Executive Office of Environmental Affairs re: Urban Self - help Regulations; referred to Recreation Commission, Conservation Com- mission and Planning Board. i) Copy of letter from DPW Director to DEQE re: Answer to Notice of Viola- tions at Landfill. BOARD OF SELECTMEN MINUTES OF MEETING ( JULY 24, 1985 PAGE 5 j) Informational Guideline Release from Dept. of Revenue re: Guidelines for Annual Determination of Levy Percentages by Class. Q Area Local Letter from Mass. Civil Defense Agency re: Hurricanes; referred to Civil Defense Director. 1) Letter from Town Manager applicant, Dan Doyle, re: Board's consideration of his application and his disappointment, but appreciation. - The Chairman asked that a copy be sent to appointed Rande Wilson. m) Notice of Public Hearing by Planning Board re: Subdivision of parcel of land located on northerly side of Brown Ave. n) Copy of State Ethics Commission Bulletin, July 1985. o) DEQE's July 1985 Environmental PROFILE publication. p) MMA notice of nomination of officers for the coming year. q) Copy of H -6280 Bill showing passage July 11, 1985; this allows Foxboro to construct an interceptor sanitary sewer line, etc. for the purpose of tying into the sewage system of the Town of Mansfield. r) Letter from Executive Office of Communities & Development re: Incentive Aid Program. s) Memorandum from Associated Industries of Mass. re: Workers' Compensation Costs and Needed Reforms. t) Copy of Comparison of Police Contracts from Sharon, Mass. Board of Selectmen. - The Chairman felt this was a very good study and asked the members of the Board to look at it. u) Notice of Bristol County Selectmen's Assoc. Annual Clambake, August 8th, at Francis Farms, Rehoboth. v) Letter from Rep. Barney Frank with copy of a "statement" he inserted in the Congressional Record about recent successes in Mansfield. w) Reports from Police Department re: Radar citations and.Disburbances Re- lated to Licensed Liquor Establishments, July 3 -23. x) Letter from Attorney Robert P. Rasmussen representing Mr. & Mrs. J. St. Don re: Complaint with Building Inspector's lack of action on the Morse pit situation; this has been given to Town Counsel. l BOARD OF SELECTMEN MINUTES OF MEETING j JULY 24, 1985 PAGE 6 10. Old Business a) Joan Cutillo had the deed for property on East Street which was sold by the Town at public auction; the deed required the Selectmen's sig- natures. She reported that the land had been paid for, including; cost of the auction and advertising for same. Also, the Planning Board had asked for an easement in order to maintain the slope on proposed Shannon Lane; this has been included in the deed. b) Selectman Dunn brought up the public hearing on the proposed Foxboro Terminal, which he had attended July 17th. He said he is concerned about truck traffic on East Street, concerned for safety in that area. He would like the Board, as Road Commissioners, to convey such con- cern for both public safety and traffic flow to the Planning Board. He suggested the possibility of making Oakland Street one -way. Sel- ectman Mahana raised the question of an environmental impact study on the State level, which the Board thought was an excellent idea. Sel- ectman Dunn then proposed that the Town develop a truck traffic pat- tern for through trucking; identify primary roadways for them, which he felt the DPW Director could do in a matter of a couple of weeks. The Board would then go to the State DPW for approval. The Board felt this should be pursued. c) Selectman Dunn then reported that at the last 5 -year Planning Commit- tee meeting, although there were only 3 members present, they did get some good information, and he feels things are moving forward. 11. New Business a) Selectman Levine reported she has received a couple of calls about changing the name of West Street because it is broken up and alot of trucks are using it, particularly coming off Rt. 140, because they are not familiar with the area. She suggested putting block numbers on the West Street signs. Although the Board thought this might be helpful, Selectman Mahana felt before doing it for just one street, it should be considered town -wide and should include input from the DPW Director and public safety officials. b) Selectman Levine then passed out copies of two Articles which she was proposing to put on the next Town Meeting Warrant (see attached). Article I, concerning adopting the newly passed law which would allow the Town to raise the Hotel & Motel Tax from the present 5.7% to up to 9.7% and retain the revenue. Article II suggested a possible first use of the fund. Selectman Levine said this is not a tax on the tax- payers, but will benefit the Town of Mansfield. There was some discussion about how the money would be handled, with Joan Cutillo saying she had talked with the State which indicated the .. I move that the Mansfield Board of Selectmen insert the following articles at the earliest of the next Special Town Meeting, or the next Annual Town Meeting, and that the articles contain the follow- ing, subject to the proper wording being set up by Town Council: ARTICLE I 11 That the Tnwn of Mansfield adopt the newly passed Chapter f145 of the Massachusetts General Law of 1985 which allows the cities and towns the option to raise the Hotel & Motel Tax from the present 5.7 percent to up to 9.7 percent and to retain the rev- enue. 2) That the Town of Mansfield adopt the maximum of 4% on top of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts 5.7 percent and that this tax be paid at the same time to the Town of Mansfield as it is paid to the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. 3) That such collected tax revenue from the Hotel & Motel Tax be set aside in a special Hotel & Motel Tax Fund to fund major capital expenditures. ARTICLE II 1) That the first use of the special Hotel & Motel Tax Fund be used only to pay for the yearly implementation and construction of the proposed Memorial Park /Hutchison Property Recreational Master Plan for recreational facilities or to repay any bonding for such Project if the Town Meeting should decide that the Project should be done at one time and should be paid for by bonding. 2) That the details and scope of such Memorial Park /Hutchison Prop- erty Recreational Master Plan be approved by Town Meeting. 3i That at the completion of payment for this Project, that the Town Meeting decide what future Capital Project or Projects this Special Hotel & Motel Tax Fund should be used for. .. SHERATON MANSFIELD No. of Rooms = 202 Group Rates = Single = 66 D6iiUie - 73 202 (Rooms) X $66 (Single Group Rate) $13,3311 X .04 (Tax Rate) $533.28/Day (Tax Income) X 365 Days $194,647.20 /Year (Tax Income) 60% Occupancy Rate = $116,788.32/Year 807 Occupancy Rate = $155,717.76 /Year 100% Occupancy Rate = $194,647.20/Year MANSFIELD QUALITY INN No, of Rooms = 126 Group Rates = Single = 46 51- 126 (Rooms) X $46 (Single Group Rate) $5,796 /Day X .04 (Tax Rate) $231.84 /Day (Tax Income) X 365 Days $84,621.60 /Year (Tax Income) 60% Occupancy Rate = $50,772.96 /Year 80% Occupancy Rate = $67,697.28/Year 100% Occupancy Rate = $84,621.60/Year issible Combined Tax Income for 1 Year @ 60% Occupancy Rate = $167,561.28 ossible Combined Tax Income for 1 Year @ 80% Occupancy Rate = $223,415.04 Possible Combined Tax Income for 1 Year @ 100% Occupancy Rate = $279,268.80 BOARD OF SELECTMEN MINUTES OF MEETING JULY 24, 1985 PAGE 7 4% tax will go to the State and come back to the Town at the end of the year. She would like the Town to participate in a movement to per- mit the towns and cities to collect the money, not the State. * MOTION: I move that the Mansfield Board of Selectmen insert the fol- lowing articles at the earliest of the next Special Town Meeting, or the next Annual Town Meeting, and that the arti- cles contain the following, subject to the proper wording being set up by Town Counsel: (see attached) Levine /Dunn There was discussion with each member of the Board having their own idea as to what the money should go toward, as stipulated in Article II. The suggestion was then made that the two Articles be voted sep- arately, as there seemed to be unanimity -on Article I. Chairman D'Onofrio suggested accepting the Motion, then tabling it until more information is available about the revenue development concept. * MOTION: To postpone until such time as all Articles are discussed. Dunn /Mahana VOTED: 4 -1 Levine opposed c) Selectman Dunn briefly covered a MMA special public sub - committee he had attended which dealt with emergency resources. He said there are funds available for emergency projects which towns are not taking ad- vantage of; also help in applying for them. d) Selectman Mahana passed out copies of suggested policies for the Board to adopt which he and Selectman McNair have been working on; their in- tent is to have such policies in place when the new Town Manager takes over. He said there are more coming. He then read each suggested policy, and there was brief discussion over some. Board members are to review all of them for discussion at the next Board meeting. 12. Executive Session and Adjournment * MOTION: To go into Executive Session to discuss contract negotiations and Board of Health pending litigation, infraction of Mass. Gen- eral Laws; only to come out to adjourn. McNair /Mahana POLLED: 3 -0 Dunn abstained; Levine out of room Executive Minutes typed separately. The meeting adjourned at 11:40 P.M. BOARD OF SELECTMEN MINUTES OF MEETING ( JULY 24, 1985 PAGE 8 Date signed For the record, on July 16, 1985, the following jurors were picked by members of the Board: a) Fall River Superior Court, Civil Session, August 5, 1985 - Lillian Dee, 128 Church Street, Apt. #3 b) Fall River District Court, Criminal Session, 6 -man jury, August 5, 1985 - Robert Brunelle, 52 Gilbert Street c) New Bedford Superior Court, Criminal Session, August 5, 1985 - S. Levine, 46 Spring Street - Joseph F. Gonsalves, Jr. 137 Mill Street - Jean 14. Magro, 11 Curtin Street - victor J. Narciso, 11 Williams Street, August 5, 1985