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HomeMy WebLinkAboutBOS MINUTES 1-6-1999Board of Selectmen Minutes January 6, 1999 7 j Present: Chairman Madan, Clerk McCarter, Selectman Robinson; and'Se%ctwomhA% 3 Royle i T John D'Agostino, Town Manager 1. The meeting was called to order at 7:30 PM followed by the pledge of allegiance. A. Warrant No. 28 - $1,877,873.33 Motion: To approve. (Robinson- Royle) Chairman Madan abstained from all Building Department items; Clerk McCarter abstained on the Municipal Building Committee payroll; and Selectwoman Royle abstained on all Board of Health items. Passes. B. Licenses and Permits Request for a Transfer from the Reserve Fund in the amount of $25,900 to Data Processing to replace the Unix and Novel servers for the Town Hall and the Police and Fire Department servers. Both Betty Amicone, DPW Office Manager, and Mike Lawless, MIS temporary employee for the Electric Department, were present to answer questions concerning this request. Mr. D'Agostino explained that the Town would like to upgrade its servers and that they are not Y2K compatible. If the Town is not Y2K compatible by the Fiscal Year 2000, the Department of Revenue will not certify any of the Town's revenue. Both the Police and Fire Departments' servers are ready to crash. Board of Selectmen Questions Chairman Madan questioned the need for the Reserve Fund Transfer at this time and Selectwoman Royle asked why the servers were not budgeted for. Motion: To recommend approval of the Reserve Fund Transfer to the Finance Committee. ( Royle- McCarter) All in favor. Passes. Selectwoman Royle asked when the Town Manager would be advertising for the MIS position in the Electric Department, and Mr. D'Agostino stated this would be done after the Light Commissioners approve the job description. • Request from Tahana for Public Entertainment on Sunday, music and dancing, with attached memorandum from the Building Inspector stating music and dancing is not a specified use in the Zoning By -Law and is, therefore, not allowed. Motion: To deny Tahana's application for music and dancing on Sunday due to the fact that it is not allowed under the Zoning By -Law Section 3.1 Schedule of Principle Use Regulations. (Boyle- Robinson) All in favor. Passes. • Warrant for the Special Town Meeting to be held on January 25, 1999 Motion: To amend the warrant to read that the Special Town Meeting will begin at 7:OOPM not 7:30PM and sign it as amended. (Boyle- McCarter) All in favor. Passes. • Warrant for the Special Town Election on January 19, 1999 Motion: To sign the warrant for the January 19, 1999, Special Election. ( Royle- Robinson) All in favor. Passes B. Minutes of December 16, 1998 Motion: To approve. (Boyle- Robinson) All in favor. Passes. C. Correspondence Town Manager and Staff Memorandum from Lorilee Fish, Park & Recreation Director, informing the Selectmen that Tracy George has been hired as the new Assistant to the Director of Recreation State and Local Government Invitation to participate in the upcoming Joint Committee on Local Affairs Forum on Local Aid on Wednesday, January 20, 1999, beginning at 1I:OOAM in Hearing Room A -1 of the State House 2. 7:50 PM Questions and Comments Arthur O'Neill, Police Chief, announced that the police examination is scheduled for Saturday, May 8, 1999, with a deadline to file of January 29, 1999. The application fee is $35.00. 3. Plaque Presentation Chairman Madan presented Frank Colella with a plaque for his seventeen years of service I; to the Town of Mansfield while serving on both the Housing Authority and Board of Selectmen. 4. 7:55 PM Fire Department Budget Update with Fire Chief Sliney Fire Chief Sliney gave an update on the status of his budget stating because of extraordinary circumstances - -three employees on death leave, one firefighter on "injured on duty" status, a few second alarms, mutual aid provided to North Attleboro (all of which have resulted in additional overtime costs) - -and because there is no guarantee that funding will pass at the Special Town Meeting, beginning on Monday, the Fire Department reduced its manpower level to five men per shift on a trial basis, but found that it would not work. Fire Chief Sliney stated that he will most likely pull the second rescue out of service and that he decided late today to maintain the staffing level at six and that all calls would be handled by on -duty personnel. This may delay some responses on a trial basis for the next week. If this does not work, one station will have to be closed. Clerk McCarter stated that he does not feel overtime expenses can be foreseen and that another look should be taken at requesting a reserve fund transfer to cover overtime expenses within the Fire Department. Clerk McCarter also asked what effect maintaining the normal staff level until the January 25 Special Town Meeting would have on the 1 budget. Fire Chief Sliney expressed concern with waiting until the Special Town Meeting to take money saving measures and with the amount of time lost which could have been used to save money, should the overtime request not be funded or a quorum not reached at the Special Town Meeting. The Town Manager recommended the Fire Chief maintain a normal level of staff up until the Special Town Meeting and asked the Fire Chief how he feels is the best way to run his Department; Fire Chief Sliney responded six men per shift plus off duty personnel. Motion: That we support the Fire Chief in any of his decisions to sufficiently run the Fire Department in the best interests of public safety. (Royle- Robinson) All in favor. Passes. 5. 8 :15 PM Liquor License Training Public Hearing Clerk McCarter read the public hearing notice aloud, and Town Manager D'Agostino reviewed the proposed policy with the Selectmen as follows: • All license holders (managers or those designated by the Manager of said establishment) are required to attend TIPS training, or its equivalent, every two years. • At the time of renewal, the license holder must provide proof to the Board of Selectmen that either the manager or his designee has successfully completed TIPS Training. Each license holder (manager or his/her designee) must be re- certified every two years. • The Board may conduct training at a centralized location for all Mansfield businesses or require individual license holders to show proof of successful completion of an equivalent alcohol- training course in Massachusetts. In either case, a condition of license renewal in the Town of Mansfield will be the successful completion, and proof thereof, of TIPS Training or its equivalent has been satisfied. Public Comment: Peter DeTrolio, Rumrunner Wine & Spirits Owner, requested the Selectmen not overburden small business owners so that all burden is theirs and not those who break the law. Mr. DeTrolio also stated training should not be required of all employees. Police Chief O'Neill commented that he feels the proposed policy is fair as it only requires one person to be certified. Mr. DeTrolio asked if any of the Selectmen and /or the Police Chief have attended Tips training and suggested they attend. Board of Selectmen Questions and Comments Members of the Board and Police Chief suggested that rather then requiring recertification every two years that license holders should be required to "maintain valid certification" and rather than stating the "Board may conduct training at a centralized location", the policy should state the "Board may provide a qualified entity to conduct training at a centralized location." 8:40 Motion: To close the public hearing. (Royle- Robinson) All in favor. Passes. ( The policy will be voted on by the Selecmen once it is provided in a policy format. ( 6. 8:40 Discussion with the Literacy Center Executive Director, Kelly Coyne - Wilson, and her Assistant, Betty Vermette Ms. Coyne - Wilson reviewed the Literacy Center's statistics for Mansfield, gave a slide show presentation, and explained the Center's challenge of finding a permanent site in Mansfield and requested suggestions. 7. 9:00 PM Discussion with Great Woods General Manager, Bruce Montgomery, re: Notification of Last Drink Complaints Received from the Attorney Generals Office The Great Woods General Manager, Bruce Montgomery, stated he feels there has to be some recognition that during Great Woods' season they service over 600,000 patrons and have received what he believes to be only nine notices. Mr. Montgomery has been told by the ABCC that some bars receive thirty to forty such notices in one year. Chairman Madan complimented Mr. Montgomery on his establishment's service of alcohol but stated the notification from the Attorney General's Office and Mr. Montgomery's statement leads him to believe that people are drinking in Great Woods' parking lot and not inside the establishment. Clerk McCarter asked Mr. Montgomery if he ever follows up on the last drink complaints and with the persons making the statements and if he would possibly want to. Mr. Montgomery responded that he could check into conducting follow -ups and that Great Woods' Staff has, in the past, stopped cars entering the parking lot and confiscated alcohol. Selectwoman Royle stated that she is pleased with the manner Great Woods deals with alcohol at their establishment, however, Chairman Madan stated that he feels Great Woods has a long way to go. S. Old Business A. Town Manager • VHB, Gatra, and the Town will be meeting with property owners of potential eminent domain takings involved with the train station renovation and would like to meet with the Selectmen also. Selectwoman Royle asked the Selectmen if they have an idea of the number of acceptable parking spaces for the station before going any further with the plans. Sixteen hundred spaces was discussed. • The Village at Willow Crossing's grand opening is scheduled for January 25, 1999, and the Manager is awaiting confirmation of the Selectmen's January 11 tour of the facility. • A completed draft of the Personnel Policy will be available to the Selectmen for review and discussion by the end of January. Mr. D'Agostino will also be proposing a reorganization of the Department of Public Works on January 20, 1999, at 8;45 PM, and will make a brief presentation to DPW employees prior to that meeting. Mr. D'Agostino will be prepared to discuss the financial impact of the reorganization with the Selectmen and will also be meeting with union representatives concerning the reorganization. • Dr. Mullin and the Industrial Development Commission will make a formal presentation of Dr. Mullin's findings and his recommended actions steps also at the Selectmen's January 20 meeting. • The Selectmen have been provided with a list of Mansfield's Youth Sports organizations for consideration for the Rodman Ride for Kids' $2000 donation. Motion: That we divide the donation evenly among the six Mansfield youth sports organizations. ( Royle- Robinson) All in favor. Passes. The Department of Public Works does have funding left to purchase a plaque for the Bradford Pear Tree donated by the Garden Clubs for planting at the South Common. • Budget meetings with the Finance Committee, Finance Team, and Selectmen have been scheduled for Tuesdays and Thursdays, beginning January 19. A memorandum outlining the dates has been provided to each of the Selectmen. Mr. D'Agostino urged each of the Selectmen to attend the meetings. Mr. D'Agostino also stated that the revenue estimate he used for the FY2000 budget is conservative and that he may be back in September requesting additional funding for various departmental budgets. The budget package also includes an independent budget for the Water Department. Selectwoman Royle inquired of the revenue amount for the Water Department as of January 1, 1999. B. Selectmen • Selectman Robinson requested that the Town Manager place a copy of the Police Department's response to his memorandum concerning assisting School crossing guards, once he receives it. • Selectwoman Royle stated she thinks Gatra's request for the Selectmen's support of their application for a grant for subscription transportation service in Mansfield may have been read incorrectly. Selectwoman Royle thought the service would be provided from the train station to the industrial park and vice versa; however, a recent article in the newspaper stated transportation would be provided to both locations from Mansfield residences. Mr. D'Agostino suggested he could request Gatra's Administrator, Frank Gay, attend a Selectmen's meeting to explain the proposal. Selectwoman Royle stated that she couldn't support sixteen hundred commuter - parking spaces and also have minivans all over town transporting residents. 9. New Business A. Town Manager • The Town Manager's Office received a number of complaints regarding transition from the 1998 resident sticker to the 1999 sticker and that he would like the Selectmen to consider adopting a policy during the transition period. Mr. D'Agostino would like to allow a grace period and issue only warnings during the first four or five days. Motion: That we ask the Town Manager to send a letter to the Police Chief requesting that he send a letter to the Parking Clerk with the recommendation from the Selectmen that all tickets received for the first five business days from January 1, 1999, for not having a 1999 resident sticker should be waived. (McCarter - Royle) All in favor. Passes. • The Town is currently investigating a Channel 28 snafu, at which time inappropriate programming was televised. Lou Amoruso, in the audience, stated that the program came in over a satellite at the High School. Mr. D'Agostino stated that the Town would have to review how to prevent the incident from occurring again. • Selectman Robinson inquired of the date for the next Selectmen's Association dinner. • Selectman Robinson requested the Town Manager check with DPW to be sure that all streets school busses travel on are treated prior to the busses going out, including the entire left hand lane. • Selectwoman Royle asked if the Town Manager had received a response back from National Development concerning installation of a traffic light at the Forbes and West Street intersection. • Selectwoman Royle requested the Town Manager send a letter to a resident seventh grader, Shawn Cauldwell, who sent a letter to the Selectmen inquiring about the size of the flag at the train station. Selectman Robinson suggested the Manger contact Congressman Frank's office and they would send a flag to the Town. • Selectwoman Royle asked the Selectmen if they would like to take action on a memorandum from Steve Bishop, Water Operations Manger, asking the Selectmen to rename the Witch Pond Well No. 10 in memory Bob Morrison, former Assistant DPW Director. Chairman Madan stated the last time he spoke with Mr. Morrison he requested that the well be named after the former Selectman, Norman Mahana. Motion: To name the Witch Pond Well No. 10 and after Mr. Morrison and the Witch Pond Well No. 6 after Mr. Mahana. (Madan - McCarter) All in favor. Passes. 10. Adjournment 10:10 PM Motion: To adjourn. (Ro inson- Royle) All in favor. Passes. Clerks ignature Dat of pproval