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HomeMy WebLinkAboutBOS MINUTES 9-3-1996BOARD OF SELECTMEN (� SEA 1986 MINUTES OF MEETING GI_ pa SEPTEMBER 3, 1986 'p sxS,,;> >Q- PRESENT: Chairman McNair; Selectmen D'Onofrio, Dunn, Harrington; Town Manager; Selectman Mahana arrived at 9:07 P.M. 1. The meeting was called to order and the Flag saluted at 7:32 P.M.* 2. Minutes of August 27, 1986 * MOTION: To approve the Minutes of August 27, 1986. Harrington /Dunn Selectman Harrington asked that the word "they" in Item 'i' on the last page be changed to read "Board of Health ". VOTED as amended: 4 -0 3. Warrant #12 * MOTION: To approve Warrant #12 in the amount of $724,720.22, dated Septem- ber 3, 1986, broken down as follows: General Fund - $637,465.40 Revenue Sharing - 11,808.83 School Lunch - 778.84 Special Revenue - 17,699.20 Capital Projects - 1,280.00 Sewer Enterprise - 7,721.19 Water Enterprise - 9,135.03 Electric Enterprise - 38,831.73 Harrington /Dunn VOTED: 4 -0 4• Correspondence a) Copy of letter to the Chairman of Norton Water & Sewer Commissioners from Mansfield's Town Manager re: Wastewater Treatment Agreement. b) Letter from District Highway Engineer Cronin re: Resident complaint concerning traffic cones and barrels on Rt. 140 during Great Woods con- certs. c) Letter from DPW District Highway Engineer re: State Aid - Highways Annual County Hearing, Bristol County, Sept. 15th. d) Copy of Mass. Division of Local Services Bulletin re: FY -87 Estimated Tax Notices Not Yet Authorized. e) Letter from Army Corps of Engineers re: Sept. 10th Progress Inspection of Wastewater Treatment Plant project. f) Copy of letter from Dept. of Revenue to Board of Assessors re: Prelim- inary review of revaluation program and proposed assessments. BOARD OF SELECTMEN MINUTES OF MEETING SEPTEMBER 3, 1986 PAGE 2 g) Copy of Memorandum to Chairman of all Boards and Committees from the Town Manager re: Security. h) Copy of letter to Nissan Motor Corp., Mansfield, from the Town Manager re: Acceptance of their offer of a Benwill Lift. - The Town Manager explained briefly and indicated it was something the Highway Garage has certainly needed. The Town is to take it down and put it up; that was all Nissan Motor Corp. asked. * MOTION: To issue a Certificate of Appreciation to Nissan Motor Corp. Harrington /D'Onofrio VOTED: 4 -0 i) Letter to the Board from MBC Chairman MacCaffrie re: Joint meeting for 7:30 P.M. September 15th. j) Copy of letter from Rep. Vernon to Recreation Commission Chairman Jack- son re: Home Rule Petition for Swimming Pool Trust Fund. k) Letter to Board from Chairman of Board of Assessors re: Joint meeting September 16th or 18th; subsequently changed to September 23rd, 7:30 P.M. 1) Letter from David J. Piccolomini, 86 Church Street, re: Estimated water bills. - The Town Manager explained that the Water Department expects to read the meter and straighten it out in the near future. m) Letter from Supt. O'Leary of S.E. Regional Vocation School re: Copies of Memorandums of Agreement for Equal Educational Opportunity Grant 1986 -87. n) Notice from Bristol County Retirement System re: Approved retirement benefits for Harvey Finlayson. o) Public Hearing Notice from Dept. of Public Utilities re: Metromedia, Inc. p) Letter from Director Brenda Reed, Mass. Dept. of Commerce & Development re: Regional workshop geared to provide a better understanding of how to deal with concerns and needs of various towns' areas, Saturday, Sept. 13th. 5. Dog Complaint Hearing The Clerk read the complaint of John and Edythe O'Connell, 1 Dean Street, concerning the constant barking of Dennis Mantia's dog, at 120 High Street. The Clerk also read the Dog Officer's report, indicatingthe neighbors tell him the dog does bark excessively, though they did not want to appear at the hearing. The Dog Officer reported he has spoken to Mrs. Mantia a number of times, asking her to put the dog inside when they are not home, etc. He BOARD OF SELECTMEN MINUTES OF MEETING SEPTEMBER 3, 1986 PAGE 3 recommended that either the Mantias keep the dog from annoying neighbors, or the dog should be removed from the property. He noted that at the time of his report the dog was not licensed for 1986. Mr. Mantia was present and said that had been taken care of. Mr. Mantia answered the complaint by saying the dog is never left out over night, or left unattended, but the dog will bark when people go by, but only then. He said his wife works until 2:30 P.M. Board members asked a few questions; Selectman D'Onofrio said neighbors do need some peace and tranquility, and he supports the Dog Officer's recommendation. Mr. Mantia agreed that they would try locking the dog in the garage when they are not home. MOTION: To support the recommendations of the Dog Officer. Harrington/ D'Onofrio VOTED: 4 -0 The hearing was closed with the observation that all the Board wants is a good faith effort shown. 6. AAARC /Helen Lachance Helen Lachance had asked to meet with the Board after the discussion of last week's meeting prompted by the Recreation Commission Chairman's Memor- andum to the Board concerning the $7,000.00 bill the Commission had re- ceived for the Tommy Mason Special Summer Camp attendees from Mansfield. Helen LaChance outlined the type camp and activities the AAARC runs, as well as the type of Special Needs children they accept. It is both recrea- tional and educational for such children, allows them to interact with others and also receive therapeutic swimming, etc. They have been running the camp for 27 years; Mansfield has been sending children for 20. Of course, costs do go up; this year the charge was $500 for the six week camp, which includes transportation and snack. She expressed dismay that after 20 years, she is now being asked, "Who authorized this expense for the Town ?" and expressed concern that this is an expense that has already been incurred. Both the Recreation Commission Chairman, Steve Jackson, and the Recreation Director, Paul Split, were present, as well as several parents of children who had attended the camp this summer and were in full support of it. Both Steve Jackson and Paul Split wanted everyone present to understand that they do not want to deny the children the opportunity to attend the camp; they just feel that some method of handling the expense, knowing what it will be, etc. should be addressed. The Selectmen supported this need, but assured everyone the bill will be paid this year and an attempt to set up a system for handling the number of children and funds in the future. Selectman D'Onofrio suggested there may be a way to subsidize this expense; Selectman Harrington reminded the Board the Jaycees had asked if there were BOARD OF SELECTMEN MINUTES OF MEETING SEPTEMBER 3, 1986 PAGE 4 any known projects they could help, so that is a possibility. Selectman D'Onofrio recommended that the School Committee consider amending their budget to encumber the funds for this camp in their budget. Selectman D'Onofrio also commended Steve Jackson for taking this problem on. Steve Jackson asked the Board to recommend to the Finance Committee that they fund the bill for this worthwhile service. While the parents of some of the children who had attended the camp this summer were contributing, it came out that some of them only learned of it through either the Office for Children, or other parents. Selectman Dunn suggested that the School Department have information "up front" for special needs children in the future. 7. Conservation Commiss The Town Manager said he had received a phone call from Paul O'Neill advis- ing that some Commission members had met with the Army Corps of Engineers in the afternoon and as a result of that meeting would like to postpone their meeting with the Board. 8. Old Business a) Selectman D'Onofrio asked for further information on the Town Manager letter to Norton's Sewer and Water Commissioners. - The Town Manager reviewed it briefly: The agreement'forsithe wastewater treatment plant was approved by both towns, the Commonwealth and the Federal Government; the Town Manager is to administer and enforce the agreement. He therefore has informed Norton that he will recommend termination of the contract by their entering into an agreement with another community; i.e. Flatley Co. has entered into an agreement with Taunton for the Norton Industrial Park. This means Norton's critical needs areas and septage, which causes Mansfield operational problems, will no longer be acceptable if the contract is terminated. Mansfield is currently accepting almost four times the minimum specified for septage. Selectman Harrington added that the Board was 100% behind the Town Manager on this. Selectman D'Onofrio said Mansfield is trying to bring the plant up to economic efficiency and be a good neighbor; Mansfield has incurred capital costs and now, by Norton's move, not being reim- bursed appropriately. b) Selectman Dunn asked the Town Manager if a decision had been made regard- ing use of the Chapter 90 funds, which roadway. He was told they have applied to the State for permission to use such funds, but are still looking at both the North Main Street continuation and Oakland Street. c) The Town Manager referred to the Town Accountant /Handicapped Coordinator Memorandum concerning Revenue Sharing - Handicapped Accessibility and BOARD OF SELECTMEN MINUTES OF MEETING SEPTEMBER 3, 1986 PAGE 5 the accessibility of funds from Rederal Revenue Sharing. He reported that some $13,000 was cut from the budget; he is not sure everything is really required or necessary. Selectman Harrington suggested con- tacting the School Department regarding this. New Business a) Selectman Harrington, as Clerk, read the Warrant for Elections Septem- ber 16, 1986. MOTION: To approve the Warrant for signing. Harrington /D'Onofrio VOTED: 4 -0 b) Selectman Harrington reported that he had attended the School Committee meeting the previous evening, not as a Selectman but as himself. He found it most informative and was permitted time to clarify the Town's financial status from his standpoint (and the Board's). c) Selectman Harrington said he had received a call from a resident who has a neighbor with junk cars. Selectman Harrington asked to have the Board of Health meet with the Selectmen to discuss this issue. Select- man D'Onofrio suggested asking for a report outlining what the regula- tions existing stipulate. The Town Manager will follow up on this. d) Selectman D'Onofrio suggested a Charter Review Commission be formulated towards the end of the month with an appropriate entity to explain the method for starting the process. e) The Town Manager reported a siege of dirty water and resultant complaints from residents over the weekend. He explained that the last flushing of mains /hydrants was 1977 and the system needed to be purged to get rid of resideue in the mains. He said the Town had made a few mistakes in the handling of the work, which would be corrected in the future. f) The Chairman advised the Board that a resident, Larry Mahoney on Hope Street, had asked him whether the Selectmen would sponsor an article on the Special Town Meeting Warrant for a piece of land he hopes to ac- quire. Chairman McNair had a description and map of the piece and told the Board members they could study it in the Town Manager's office. Sel- ectman Dunn said he thought the individual should sponsor the article himself; this would require him to secure ten signatures. g) The date for the Special Town Meeting then came up, but no decision was made. The Town Manager reminded the Board that he had promised the DPW Union he would try to have it by October 15th. It was decided that the Chairman and Town Manager would choose either October 6th or 20th before next week's meeting (October 13th, a Monday, being a holiday). BOARD OF SELECTMEN MINUTES OF MEETING SEPTEMBER 3, 1986 PAGE 6 10. The meeting was adjourned at 9:27 P.M. * Immediately following the salute to the Flag: * MOTION: To appoint Larry Harrington as Clerk for the evening. D'Onofrio /Dunn VOTED: 3 -0 MINUTES APPROVED: