HomeMy WebLinkAboutBOS MINUTES 10-7-1998Board of Selectmen
Minutes 1
October 7, 1998
. fi
Present: Chairman Madan, Clerk McCarter, Sglectmgn7.lvlahanan ; Robinson, and
( Royle
John D'Agostino, Town Manager l ` `
1. The meeting was called to order at 7:30 PM followed by the pledge of
allegiance.
A. Warrant No. 15 - $1,825,531.65
Motion: To approve.
(Robinson - Mahana) All in favor. Chairman Madan abstained on all
Building Department items; Selectwoman Royle abstained on all Board of
Health items; and Clerk McCarter abstained on the Municipal Building
Committee payroll.
B. Licenses and Permits
Special Town Meeting Warrant
Motion: To sign the Special Town Meeting warrant.
(McCarter - Mahana) All in favor. Passes.
C. Minutes
Minutes of September 23, 1998
i Motion: To approve with the correction that Selectwoman Royle was in attendance
not Selectman Robinson.
( Royle- McCarter) All in favor.(3 -0 -2) Chairman Madan and Selectman
Robinson abstained. Passes.
Minutes of September 30, 1998 tabled
Executive Session Minutes of September 23
Motion: To approve and not release.
(McCarter - Mahana) (3 -0 -2) Chairman Madan and Selectman Robinson
abstained. Passes.
Correspondence
Action:
Resident
Town Manager and Staff
Invitation from Lorilee Fish, Park & Recreation Director, to participate in and lead the
Annual Halloween parade on Sunday, October 25, at 2PM. Ms. Fish also extends an
invitation to the Selectmen to send a representative to participate in the costume judging.
Chairman Madan will judge the Hallowe'en costumes.
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Letter from John Moretti, Superintendent of Schools, requesting the Selectmen's
assistance with lowering the speed limit on Route 106 to 40 -45 MPH from the Christmas
Barn to the Easton town line Chairman Madan suggested the Town invite Mass
Highway to the bus stops on Route 106 so that they may experience the problem first
hand.
Miscellaneous
Letter from Greg Walkins, Troop 17 Tree Sale Chairman, requesting permission for Boy
Scout Troop 17 to use a portion of the South Common for Christmas tree sales from the
last weekend of November through the Tuesday prior to Christmas
Motion: To allow the sale of Christmas trees by Troop 17 in the same area as past
years.
(Mahana- Royle) All in favor. Passes.
Other
Town Manager and Staff
Memorandum from Bea Kearney, Town Accountant, designating Pat Metrano Acting
Town Accountant, from Tuesday, October 6 through Thursday, October 8, while she is
attending a computer conference in Maine
Memorandum from Steven Bishop, Acting Water Operations Manager, concerning a
water conservation poster contest
State and Local Government
Letter from Garth Patterson, Office Manager for Congressman Frank, concerning the high
speed rail project fencing and sound mitigation and stating that a meeting is being
scheduled with AMTRAK, the MBTA, and Congressmen Frank and McGovern, to
address safety issues with the high speed rail project Mansfield Officials will be invited to
the meeting.
Miscellaneous
Letter from Doug Whiting, Vice President and General Manager, Time Warner, with
attached "thank you notes in recognition of the contributions and efforts" of Time Warner
and its employees
Notification from Doug Whiting, Vice President and General Manager, Time Warner
Cable, of upcoming Sun Outages, brief outages created when the sun becomes aligned
with the orbital position of satellites and out satellite dishes
2. Questions and Comments
Joe Courtemache, 238 Branch Street, requested relief from Village at Willow Crossing
construction vehicles travelling on Branch Street creating an enormous amount of dust.
Motion: To prohibit any further crossing of the sewer line for the Village at Willow
Crossing and ask them to repair it back to its former condition.
(Boyle- Robinson) All in favor. Passes.
3. 7:50 PM Review of the Special Town Meeting Warrant Articles
Article I Appropriate $500,000 from Free Cash
Motion: To support.
(Robinson- Royle) All in favor. Passes.
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Article 2 Budgetary Shortfalls No Vote Taken
Selectwoman Royle asked what the town receives in return for the payment of $15,000 to
the ambulance billing company. Selectwoman Royle also requested an explanation of all
Police Department requests in this article in time for the Selectmen's joint meeting with
the Finance Committee Thursday evening.
Article 3 Prior Year Bills
Motion: To pay the bills.
(Robinson - Royle) All in favor. Passes.
Article 4 Qualters and Robinson School Debt Services
Motion: To support.
(Boyle- Robinson) All in favor. Passes.
Article 5 Old Colony Multi - Purpose Trail
Motion: To support.
(Boyle- Robinson) All in favor. Passes.
Article 6 Acquisition of Eames Property
Motion: To support.
(Boyle- Robinson) All in favor. Passes.
Article 7 Fire Department Washer and Dryer
Motion: To withdraw.
(Boyle- Tabled)
Article 8 Replacement Ambulance — tabled
Selectman Mahana asked if authorizing the ambulance purchase would in effect result in a
policy that the Town would run two ambulances. An explanation by the Fire Chief was
requested.
Article 9 Walsh Wellfield SCADA System
Motion: To support Article 9.
(Boyle- Robinson) All in favor. Passes.
Article 10 - Sidewalk Feasibility Study
Motion: To support Article 10.
(Robinson - Royle) All in favor. Passes.
Article 11 Two Marked Cruisers
Motion: To support.
(Boyle- Mahana) All in favor. Passes.
Selectman Mahana requested the Town Manager obtain a town -wide vehicle count.
Article 12 Prisoner Transport Vehicle
Motion Not to support Article 12.
(Boyle- Mahana) All in favor. Passes.
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Article 13 Road Improvement Funds
Motion: So moved.
( Mahana- Robinson) All in favor. Passes.
Article 18 Social Studies Text Books
Motion: To support Article 8 for $104,000 for social studies text books.
(Robinson - Royle) All in favor. Passes.
Article 15 Multiple Text Books
Motion: To support Article 15 for the sum of $91,905 for multiple text book
purchases.
(Robinson - McCarter) All in favor. Passes.
Article 16 Science Text Books tabled
Article 17 Special Education Expense
Motion: To support.
(Boyle- McCarter) All in favor. Passes.
Article 19 Charter Commission Expenses tabled
Motion: So moved to support the $6,000 for printing of charter revisions.
(Robinson- No Second) The Charter Commission will be presented their
request at the joint Finance Committee/Board of Selectmen meeting
Thursday, October 8, evening.
Article 20 Mansfield Municipal Airport Main Apron Reconstruction
Motion: To support.
(Robinson- Royle) All in favor. Passes.
Article 21 Council on Aging Outreach Position
Town Manger D'Agostino stated he feels there is an extenuating need to add this full -time
position due to the number of cases.
Motion: To support.
(Robinson - Royle) All in favor.
Article 22 Replacement of School, West, and Willow Street Culverts
Motion: To support.
(Boyle- Mahana) All in favor. Passes
Article 23 Screen -All Purchase
Motion: To support.
( Mahana- Royle) All in favor. Passes
Article 24 Engine No. 2 Refurbishment
Motion: To support Article 24.
( Mahana- Royle) All in favor. Passes
Article 25 Street Acceptances
Motion: To support Article 25.
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( Mahana- Royle) All in favor. Passes.
Article 26 Acquire Land for Well Protection
Motion: To support.
(Boyle- Robinson) All in favor. Passes.
Article 27 Quinn Bill
Motion: To support.
( Mahana- Royle) (4 -1) Clerk McCarter opposed. Passes.
Article 28 97 Charles Street Drainage Easement
Motion: To support.
( Royle- Robinson) All in favor. Passes.
Article 29 Lakeview Avenue Drainage Easement
Motion: To support.
(Boyle- Robinson) All in favor. Passes.
Article 30 Branch Street Small Sewer Extension
Town Manager D'Agostino recommended the Selectmen remove the article at this time
and revisit it in the spring.
Motion: To withdraw.
(Mahana- Royle) All in favor. Passes
Article 31 Memorial Park Basketball Courts
Town Manager D'Agostino recommended the Selectmen remove the article at this time
and revisit it in the spring or sometime thereafter.
Motion: To strike Article 31.
(Boyle- Robinson) All in favor. Passes.
Article 32 Computer Technology Position
Motion: To strike Article 32.
(Boyle- Robinson) All in favor. Passes.
Article 33 North Main Street Fire Station Construction
Town Manager D'Agostino recommended the Selectmen strike this article, as he will be
bringing forward a proposal for the Selectmen's consideration in the near future.
Motion: To remove.
(Boyle- Mahana) All in favor. Passes.
Article 34 Municipal Fire Alarm System Upgrade
Mr. D'Agostino recommended removal of this article so that a technical study could be
conducted and suggested the Selectmen may want to revisit the issue after hearing
presentations made by experts.
Motion: To strike.
(Boyle- Robinson) All in favor. Passes.
Article 35 Waterfowl By -Law
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Town Manger D'Agostino recommended removing this article and revisiting it in the
spring.
Motion: To strike.
(Boyle- Robinson) All in favor. Passes.
Article 36 Accept Land Located Off of Branch Street
Shaun Burke, Director of Planning and Development, recommended removal of this
article.
Motion: To remove.
(Boyle- Robinson) All in favor. Passes.
Article 37 Intermunicipal Agreement with Attleboro
Motion: To support.
(Mahana- Royle) All in favor. Passes.
4. Old Business
A. Town Manager
Town Manager D'Agostino reported the following:
• Based on the most recent data provided by DPW, comparing the months of July and
August for recylables collection, town -wide commingled plastics have increased by 10
tons and newspapers by 25 tons. The total municipal solid waste collected in August
was 649 tons, with 700 tons collected in July.
• The Selectmen should have a report from the DPW Billing Supervisor on the
Crawford's water billing inquiries for the next meeting.
• The Finance Committee approved the $10,000 reserve fund transfer request to correct
the sewage back -up problem on James Street.
• Mr. D'Agostino discussed with Doug Whiting the Selectmen's desire-to eliminate one
of two access channels. Mr. D'Agostino is in the process of scheduling meetings to
revisit the contract amendments and anticipates a counter offer from Time Warner.
• Mr. D'Agostino met with Frank Gay, Gatra, regarding train station development plans
and they would like to incorporate the Brownsfield grant with the architect VBB and
consultant Bob Atwood. A question remains, however, concerning compliance with
State procurement laws.
• A workshop between the Finance Committee and Board of Selectmen is scheduled for
Thursday, October 8, at 7:30 PM.
• Town Manager D'Agostino received a call from Chris Riley of Amtrak stating that
Amtrak would be considering additional fencing in Mansfield. Mr. D'Agostino asked
if the Selectmen would like fencing in any locations in addition to those specified in a
letter to the former Acting Town Manager Richard Boucher and Selectman Frank
Colella, dated September 1997.
B. Selectmen
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Selectwoman Royle reminded the public of the Thursday's Farmer's Market from 2pm to
6pm.
Motion: To concur with the Town Clerk and set the polling hours from lam to 8pm
for the next two elections.
(Robinson- Royle)All in favor. Passes.
Town Manager D'Agostino met with staff to develop a questionnaire regarding
government services to gauge the needs of the industrial park users. The survey is in
preparation of the October 29 breakfast with park users. A second survey will be
developed for all businesses in town.
5. New Business
A. Selectmen
Selectwoman Royle commended the Historical Commission on receiving a $7,000 grant to
study the Fisher Richardson House.
Selectwoman Royle stated she would like to make recommendations on two requests the
Town Manager received for additional sewer capacity from Norton and Foxboro. Mr.
D'Agostino stated that he already responded to the requests referring to a sewer capacity
policy previously adopted by the Board. Lastly, Selectwoman Royle asked if the Bristol
County Assessment of $243,766 was budgeted for.
Selectman Mahana responded to a guest article written in the Sun Chronicle by Norton
Selectman Bill Gouviea concerning Mansfield charging Norton a14% interest charge on
late water and sewer bills.
Clerk McCarter inquired about a letter in the Selectmen's reading folder from Tata &
Howard to Great Waves concerning conducting a water model study at Great Waves
expense. Clerk McCarter questioned the purpose of the study and how it evolved.
6. Adjournment 10:00 PM
Motion: To adjourn.
(Boyle- Robinson) All in favor. Passes.
erk's Signature Date of Approval
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