HomeMy WebLinkAboutBOS MINUTES 12-30-1998Board of Selectmen
Minutes
December 30 1998
Present: Acting Chairman McCarter, Acting Clerk Royle, Selectmen Robinson and - Boyle;
John D'Agostino, Town Manager
1., The meeting was called to order at 7:30 PM followed by the pledge of
allegiance.
A. Acting Chairman McCarter called for a moment of silence for the recent passing
of two Town employees, Robert Morrison and Donata Campanile. Selectman
Robinson read a poem in honor of Mr. Morrison, and Selectwoman Royle spoke
of the recent losses the Town has experienced and the effect on Town Hall
employees.
B. Warrant Nos. 26 & 27
• Warrant No. 26
Motion: To approve
(Boyle- Robinson) All in favor. Acting Chairman McCarter abstained on
the Municipal Building Committee payroll and Selectwoman Royle
abstained on all Board of Health items. Passes.
( • Warrant No. 27
Motion: To approve.
(Boyle- Robinson) All in favor. Acting Chairman McCarter abstained on the
Municipal Building Committee payroll and Selectwoman Royle abstained
on all Board of Health items. Passes.
C. Licenses and Permits
• Request from Peter K. Y.Chan for an extension of Tahana's liquor license from IAM
until 2AM on New Year's Eve
Motion: To approve the one -hour extension provided that Tahana restaurant hires a
police detail.
(Robinson - Royle) All in favor. Passes.
• Request from Fire Chief Sliney for a waiver of the permit fee for the generator pad at
the North Main Street fire station
Motion: To waive the Town's portion of the permit fee for the generator pad at the
North Main Street fire station.
(Boyle- Robinson) All in favor. Passes.
• Certificate of Determination of Uniqueness for the Purchase of the Phil Eramo
Property on East Street in the amount of $50,000
t Motion: To sign the certificate of determination as read.
(Boyle- Robinson) All in favor. Passes.
:i
D. Minutes of December 9, 1998
Motion: To approve.
(Boyle Robinson) (2 -0 -1) Selectman Robinson abstained. Passes.
E. Correspondence
Action:
Town Manager and Staff
Memorandum from John D'Agostino, Town Manager, with attached draft sample letter of
support for TDP funding to provide limited transportation services to MBTA riders to and
from the Industrial Park on a pilot program basis
Motion: To support the TDP grant regarding Gatra ridership from the MBTA
commuter rail station to the industrial park and allow the Acting Chairman
to sign the letter of support.
( Royle- Robinson) All in favor. Passes.
Miscellaneous
Letter from Chaitali Das, Mansfield Garden Club, stating the Club would like to plant a
Bradford Pear tree on the Common for Arbor Day and requesting a plaque funded by the
Town to name the tree, similar to the plaques beside the other trees on the common
Motion: That we fund a plaque for the Bradford pear tree to be donated by the
Mansfield Garden Club, and send a letter of appreciation for their donation.
( Royle- Robinson) All in favor. Passes.
Other
Resident
Letter from Laurence Rose, 82 Ware Street, thanking the Town for Steve Bishop's and
the Water Department's quick response to his request for assistance in determining the
cause of his extremely low water pressure
Board and Committee
Letter from H. Thomas French, Chairman, Planning Board, commenting on the proposed
Charter changes
Miscellaneous
Letter from MMA stating Mansfield will not receive an award this year for the 1997
Annual Report
2. Questions and Comments
Joe West, 19 Fieldstone Drive, inquired about the hours of operation for transportation to
and from the industrial park and funding for the venture.
3. Qualters Middle School Project Update with MBC members David Young
and Jim Liddick
Mr. Liddick submitted the Municipal Building Committee's 1998 Annual Report to the
Selectmen, which was then reviewed by Mr. Young.
Board of Selectmen Questions:
Members of the Board asked questions concerning ability to recoup legal fees involved in
some of the projects, change order amounts vs. reserves, whether or not present projects
are on budget, quality of soils at the Qualters School, plans on fiber optically wiring the
Town Hall, Clerk of the Works for the High School renovations project, and involvement
of Walter Parker, School Department Buildings and Grounds, with the project.
4. Board & Committee Appointments
Acting Chairman McCarter suggested the Selectmen table the Board and Committee
appointments until a full Board is present, however Selectmen Royle and Robinson
expressed an interest in moving forward with the appointments this evening.
A. Board of Library Trustees (Three -Year Term) — One Vacancy /One Applicant:
Leonard Epstein, 151 Rumford Avenue
• Selectwoman Royle nominated Leonard Epstein to the Board of Library Trustee, who
received a unanimous vote.
B. Planning Board (Five -Year Ternz)Two Vacancies/Four Applicants: Scott
Frank, 31 Rumford Avenue; Mark Cook, 28 South Walnut Street; Ralph Penney,
( 336 Maple Street; Michael McCabe, 12 Judy's Lane
• Selectwoman Royle nominated Mark Cook, who received two votes from Selectmen
Robinson and Royle.
• Selectman Robinson nominated Scott Frank, who received two votes from Selectmen
Robinson and Royle.
• Acting Chairman McCarter nominated Ralph Penney.
C. Finance Committee — (Three -Year Perin) Two Vacancies/Three Applicants:
Walter Wilk, 9 Megans Way; Frank DelVecchio, 38 Old North Trail; Andres Gazzolo, 25
South Street
• Selectwoman Royle nominated Andres Gazzolo, who received two votes from
Selectmen Robinson and Royle.
• Selectman Robinson nominated Frank DelVecchio, who received two votes from
Selectmen Robinson and Royle.
D. Conservation Commission — (Four -Year Term) Two Vacancies / Two
Applicants: William Ottaviani, 230 Union Street Extension; Carolyn Matthew, 108 Elyse
Road
• Selectwoman Royle nominate William Ottaviani, who received two votes from
Selectmen Robinson and Royle.
Selectman Robinson nominated Carolyn Matthews, who received two votes from
Selectmen Robinson and Royle.
E. Council on Aging — Three -Year Term Three Vacancies/Four Applicants:
Frank G. Nilson, 15 Bungay Road; Donna Harrington, 136 Highland Avenue; Mary
Butler, 395 South Main Street, Steven Greco, 271 Ware Street
Selectwoman Royle inquired why three terms on the Council on Aging are expiring in the
same year.
• Selectman Robinson nominated Donna Harrington, who received two votes from
Selectmen Robinson and Royle.
• Selectwoman Royle nominated Frank Nilson, who received two votes from Selectmen
Robinson and Royle.
• Selectwoman Royle nominated Mary Butler, who received two votes from Selectmen
Robinson and Royle.
• Acting Chairman McCarter nominated Steven Greco
5. Old Business
A. Town Manager
• Town Manager D'Agostino toured the Village at Willow Crossing last week and
stated that it would be a worthwhile tour for anyone who had not already done so. A
majority of the Board would be available to tour the facility on January I 1 at 1:30 PM.
• Mr. D'Agostino would like to make a formal presentation on the reorganization of
DPW on Wednesday, January 20, during the Selectmen's meeting. Overheads will be a
part of the presentation as will material dealing with finalization of proposed
descriptions and the rationale for the reorganization.
• The Assessors Office provided the Selectmen with comparable tax rate figures for
surrounding communities. Acting Chairman McCarter asked if the Planning Board
could be invited to the Selectmen's January 20 meeting, during Professor Mullin's
presentation. Mr. D'Agostino stated that the IDC would be inviting all Boards and
Committees to a separate meeting to hear Professor Mullin's presenation.
• Town Manager D'Agostino reported that he would be out of the office on Thursday
and Monday, December 31, 1998, and January 4, 1999, to attend to personal family
matter.
• Town Hall will close on New Year's Eve at 12Noon in observance of the New Year.
B. Selectmen
• Selectman Robinson inquired about the status of the assistance provided by the Police
Department to crossing guards during the high school construction projects.
• Selectwoman Royle asked if a Mass General Law, rather than the Building Code,
would apply to a fee waving policy for the Selectmen and suggested the Manager
inquire of the Mass Municipal Association.
• Selectwoman Royle began a discussion concerning allocation of a $2000 donation
received from the Rodman Ride for Kids. Two requests have been received to date,
one from the Recreation Department to fund two to three counselor positions for
sports pick -up program for 13 -17 year olds during the summer, and the other from
Girls Youth Softball to fund a backstop and /or equipment shed for the new sports
complex and /or to reduce registration fees. During the discussion, it was suggested
that the Selectmen split the donation among all the youth sports programs in Town.
Action was tabled until the Selectmen's January 6 meeting.
• Special Town Meeting
Town Manager D'Agostino reviewed the proposed Special Town Meeting warrant with
the Selectmen. Selectwoman Royle asked if the Manager would be obtaining quotes from
the two insurance companies, and he will be. Selectwoman Royle also inquired about the
status of the Morse appeal; Acting Chairman McCarter inquired about the cost of the
appeal, and both requested a breakdown of the $40,000 being requested at the Special
Town Meeting for the Well Acquisition Account.
Town Manager D'Agostino reported that although funding totaling$54,759 has been
requested for inclusion in the Warrant by the Police Department for two marked cruisers,
no additional money exists in the overlay account to fund the request. The Chairman of
the Finance Committee also expressed his desire not to entertain this article at this time.
This request is not included in the draft Warrant.
Motion: To schedule the Special Town Meeting for Monday, January 25, 1999, at
7:30 PM.
(Robinson - Royle) All in favor. Passes.
Motion: So moved to open the warrant for the January 25, 1999, Special Town
Meeting.
(Robinson - Royle) All in favor. Passes.
Motion: To close the warrant for the January 25, 1999, Special Town Meeting.
(Robinson - Royle) all in favor. Passes.
6. New Business
A. Town Manager
• The beautiful podium in the Selectmen's Meeting Room has been refurbished by
Vinnie Tighe, a Mansfield resident, who donated his time for the project. The
Selectmen requested a letter of appreciation be sent to Mr. Tighe.
B. Selectmen
• Acting Chairman McCarter reminded that the Women of Today would be hosting first
night on New Year's Eve from 4 -8pm .
• Selectwoman Royle requested the Manager share a newspaper article concerning
North Attleboro's plans for cable with the Electric Department Director and schedule
it for discussion at the January 11 Light Commissioners meeting.
• Acting Chairman McCarter stated a conflict may exist with the Light Commissioners
January 11 meeting in that candidates debates are scheduled for that evening in the
same room.
• Referring to a newspaper article concerning a water problem Franklin is experiencing,
Acting chairman McCarter asked if Mansfield's problem is at all similar. Town
Manager D'Agostino responded that Mansfield's water situation is not. Selectwoman
Royle and Acting Chairman McCarter requested progress updates on both the Walsh
Well and Witch Pond Well sites sometime in February. Selectwoman Royle also
requested a list of the top five to ten water users in Town, including Great Waves
usage projection.
7. Adjournment -9:30 PM
Motion: To adjourn.
(Robinson - Royle) All in favor. Passes.
Ark's Signa ure Dale of ppr al