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HomeMy WebLinkAboutBOS MINUTES 2-26-1997Board of Selectmen Minutes RECEIVED February 26, 1997 `tj ` !` nrEIC� Present: Chairman Madan, Clerk Mahana, and Selecirneir�`�olella Pasquale, and Robinson . f ', =1 E L D P °S SAS A c IISETTS William F. Williams, Town Manager 1. The meeting was called to order allegiance. A. Warrant No. 36 - $979,607.28 MOTION: So moved. (Mahana - Colella) All in favor. at 7:30 PM followed by the pledge of PASSES. B. Minutes of Febr uafy S & 19, 1997 MOTION: So moved on the minutes of February 5 & 19, 1997. (Colella- Pasquale) All in favor. Clerk Mahana abstained on the minutes of February 19. PASSES. C. Correspondence • Memorandum fiom Shaun Burke, Director of Planning and Development, to William F. Williams, dated February 24, 1997, regarding Street Acceptances for the Annual Town Meeting MOTION: To sponsor the streets as listed. (Pasquale - Mahana) All in favor. PASSES. • Memorandum from Shaun Burke, Director of Planning and Development, to William F. Williams, Town Manager, with proposed special permit filing fee amendments for cluster developments and residential compounds MOTION: To advertise for a public hearing. (Pasquale- Robinson) All in favor. PASSES • Memorandum fi-om Judith Scott, Town Clerk, to the Board of Selectmen concerning Town Election Polling Hours and Proposed Special Town Meeting Dates MOTION: So moved to open the warrant for the Special Town Meeting. (Robinson - Colella) All in favor. PASSES. • Letter to Diane and Mark Malcuit from Dan Clifford, DPW Director, concerning the oak tree in front of their home • Letter from Beatrice A. Kearney, Town Accountant, to M. A. Campisano concerning her request for copies • Letter from Lorilee Fish, Recreation Director, to the Rails to Trail Committee concerning an update and sitewalk for the Rails to Trails project 2. 7:40 PM Discussion with YMCA Representatives Present for this discussion were: Dave Scarchelli, Robyn MacDonald, Jay Burrows, and Ed Hurley. Ed Hurley thanked the Board of Selectmen for its support and provision of the John Berry School for their Mansfield location. Renovations to the school have been completed and the YMCA is open. Mr. Hurley requested the Selectmen's consideration of his proposal to lease the Mystic Club, adjacent to the YMCA, to the YMCA, to be used for parking. Selectmen Questions Members of the Board of Selectmen asked questions concerning ownership of the lot the Mystic Club is located on, consulting with other community organizations about their interest in the parcel, and whether or not the YMCA's neighbors were notified of its new location. It was suggested that should the YMCA lease the Mystic Club from the Town neighborhood meetings should be held. MOTION: To send out RFPs for the Mystic Club. (Pasquale - Colella) All in favor. PASSES. 3 8:00 PM Discussion and Slide Show with Chris Riley, Amtrak High Speed Rail Project, and Kirk Nassetta, Balfour Beatty -Mass Electric Construction Chris Riley presented a slide show explaining infrastructure upgrades,equipment to be used, electrification, older electrification structures, and future train sets and electrification structures. Kirk Nassetta, Environmental and Permits Manager of Balfour Beatty, explained the day to day operations of the project while presenting a slide show. Amtrak will permit on track work during evening hours only, 7:30 PM to 5:30 AM, one block per evening. On track work should effect individual homeowners for only one evening. Their may be circumstances where there will be disruptions for two evenings. All calls should be directed to either Chris Riley or Kirk Nassetta, who will work with residents. A construction notification will be given to the Police Department listing the areas of construction and contact numbers for Mr. Riley and Mr. Nassetta. Construction will occur in Mansfield in approximately eight weeks and again a year from then to hang wires. Chris Riley stated Amtrak Police Officers will be making safety presentations to Schools on the new system. Selectmen Questions Members of the Board of Selectmen asked questions concerning the length of inconvenience to residents during the evening, train stops, project funding, reservation requirements, distance between substations, electo magnetic fields (EMF), increase in EMF levels in Mansfield with the current EMFs, current and resulting EMF levels, ( number and sources of electricity, anticipated speed -safety measures, increase in noise levels, additional public hearings scheduled, amount of fencing, public school safety zones, high speed crossovers, power substation locations, substation location rationale. Public Questions George Johnson of Day Avenue expressed concern about the fencing issue and stated he feels the Day Avenue area should have hack fencing. Clerk Mahana suggested anytime the tracks are near residential areas, fencing should be installed. Chairman Madan stated he would like to have a high speed rail project public hearing with project representatives present. Marianne Macdonald, Gilbert Sheet resident, requested fencing in the Gilbert Sheet bridge area, stated she does not feel the trains will be quieter, and questioned plans for noise mitigation. Chris Riley will be responding in writing to questions asked this evening and will inform Dave Carol of Amtrak of the Selectmen's interest in holding an informational meeting. 4. Town Manager Report A. Woodard and Curran, Water Consultants Doug Reed and Bob Chapel of Woodard & Curran were present, as was Bob Morrison, Acting Assistant DPW Director, and Lee Azinheira, Town Engineer. Doug Reed reviewed the status of Mansfield's water supply with Mansfield reviewing points such as public awareness of water supply status, ability to meet water expectations, why Mansfield is in the water business, the responsibilities of running a water business, how Mansfield rates at running the business, the manner in which funds are spent for the system, and the appropriate business strategy that maximizes most out of the facility and controls the demand for water. Mr. Reed also reviewed the status of source approval for the Witch Pond Well stating well locations are being researched and well rehabilitation is ongoing, a report for which will be presented within a couple of weeks. Board of Selectmen Questions Members of the Board of Selectmen asked questions concerning manganese in the Dustin well, the cost of having a study done of the Water Department showing how a private firm would run the Water Department, effect of well rehabilitation on water output, confidence in automated devices, pumping capacity anticipated increases, opinion on the SCADA system, sufficiency of water for future growth, inclusion of Witch Pond and Walsh wells and results of pipe relining in this evening's graphed presentation data, quantity of water used for the flushing program, consideration of private wells for large commercial water users, inclining vs. declining water rates, locating additional water sources, possibility of undertaking a comprehensive hydrogeological study, need to request an increase in Mansfield's water withdrawal permit, effect of Attleboro withdrawing water from a well within Mansfield's boundaries on Mansfield's withdrawal limit and the possibility of Mansfield doing same with another community, possibility of using surface water in Town, development of the Van Gernert well for emergency back up, sodium level, amount of water pumped by the school complex pumps, use of the Plymouth Street Recreational Facility and Memorial Park wells as emergency back ups, and sandblasting vs. pressure washing the Oxford Tank prior to painting. Lastly, Acting Assistant DPW Director, Robert Morrison inquired about the rental fee paid by cable at the Oxford tank. B. Route 106 Improvements Lee Azinheira, Town Engineer, reviewed Route 106 improvements and his recommendations for same as outlined in his memorandum to the Town Manager dated February 19, 1997. MOTION: So moved to proceed as recommended by Toim Engineer Azinheira. Pasquale - Robinson All in favor PASSES. C. Mill Pond and Fulton Pond Danis Lee Azinheira, Town Engineer, recommended the Town send a letter, a draft of which he distributed dated February 26, 1997, to the Executive Office of Massachusetts Department of Environmental Management requesting additional funding for the Mill Pond Dam project, as the actual bids came in much higher than the estaimated cost of $60,000 for the project. Mr. Azinheira also proposed the Town include in the letter a request for confirmation of ( when the Town would receive already approved funding in the amount of $60,000 for the Fulton's Pond Dam. Lastly, Mr. Azinheira suggested the letter include funding alternatives for the two projects as outlined in his draft letter dated February 26, 1997, from Mr. Williams. MOTION: So moved to direct to go forward with the letter to Executive Office of Massachusetts Department of EnWronmental Management dated February 26, 1997. (Pasquale - Robinson) All in favor. PASSES. D. Policy Detail Policy MOTION: So moved to approve the detail payment policy as listed, dated January 1997. (Pasquale- Robinson) All in favor. PASSES. Selectman Pasquale stated as of this date $17,600 in detail payments is overdue, of which, 9,324 is over sixty days past due. E. Smoking Policy Mr. Williams requested the Board of Selectmen adopt the smoking policy proposed by him in his memorandum to the Selectmen dated February 26, 1997. Chairman Madan stated the description of Town Hall's designated area is confusing. Mr. Williams responded a sign would be posted. In response to a letter received from the Historical Commission in opposition to employees smoking in the gas house at Town Hall, Mr. Williams stated it was never an intention to use the gas house for this purpose. Chairman Madan questioned the historical commissions jurisdiction in this issue. MOTION: So moved to institute the designated smoking area policy for town buildings. (Pasquale - Mahana) All in favor. PASSES F. MMA Regional Meeting Mr. Williams informed the Selectmen that Mansfield has been asked by Massachusetts Municipal Association to host their regional meeting on March 27 at 6pm in the Selectmen's meeting room. MOTION: So moved. (Robinson - Pasquale) All in favor. PASSES. G. Recycling Mr. Williams announced that the Town improved its recycling grade to a B and will be the recipient of a composting grant. Selectman Robinson asked how educational material u1ourld be distributed in town and stated he would still like to see increased recycling participation. H. FY98 Budget Mr. Williams asked the Selectmen if they would be in favor of his recommendation to include a word processing budget high -light level summary, which would include personnel summaries and salaries for each department. A consensus of the Board was in favor of Mr. Williams' reconrnrendation. Mr. Williams stated originally he budgeted $133,000 for the Southeast Regional Vocational Technical School assessment but that this date he received a revised budget from Mansfield's Southeast Regional Vocational Technical School's representative, Bill Flannery, reflecting Mansfield's assessment as $0. Mr. Williams stated his recommended budget is under 2 1/2 as proposed and he is recommending, due to the finance committee's concerns, consideration be given toan initial first year freeze on wages as part of the collective bargaining strategy. Mr. Williams noted that he has proposed other amendments to his budget which have been distributed to the Selectmen this date. Selectman Pasquale asked if the Town Manager could distribute a list high - lighting the amendments to the Selectmen by Monday for review at the Selectmen's March 5 meeting. Chairman Madan questioned the funding proposed for the Special Services line item, $15,000, when the Town has already expended $13,500 at this point. Chairman Madan also asked why the Assistant to the Town Manager is still in budget even though the employee vacation, sick, and personal records, stated he does not keep Department Head's compensatory records. • Status of Council on Aging/Library roof • Update of the 1985 Police and Fie Vehicle fees • Status of reimbursement by GATRA for surveillance cameras at the MBTA station; Clerk Mahana requested a copy of the cable contract. • Why the Town Manager did not inform the Selectmen of the Capital Improvements February 22, 1996, policy vote that the fast year only would be paid out of the capital budget for lease purchases. Clerk Mahana would like this years payment for the sweeper to be funded through the DPW operating budget. B. Neiv Business Chairman Madan stated he would like to discuss a proposed senior citizens' tax break at next week's meeting. Selectman Pasquale stated the Board of Assessors' memorandurn concerning the program did not address the income tax issue for seniors. Selectman Pasquale noted a memorandum received from Fire Chief recommending ambulance fee increases. Whether or not the proposed increase would need to be advertised was discussed. If it does not have to be advertised the recommendation could be acted on next week. Clerk Mahana stated he would like to find out the maximum fees charged by private ambulance set-vices. Selectman Colella inquired about and/or requested the following: • 'No Parking" signs on Gladiola Terrace be replaced • Asphalt be placed in the hole in the sidewalk in fiont of 26 Pratt Sheet • Whether or not money is available to clean the Rumford River • The driveway is starting to crack at 107 Charles Street because a large hole was left when Telephone Pole No. 7 was installed. Selectman Pasquale requested a notice be placed on cable concerning discharging of sump pumps into the Town's drainage system, as he has noticed a couple of homes that have their sump pumps going right into the drainage 6. Adjournment 11:15 PM MOTION: To adjourn. ( Colella- Robinson) All in favor. PASSES. Clerk's Signature ffa—te ofApprolpa"I