Loading...
HomeMy WebLinkAboutBOS MINUTES 10-30-13Board of Selectmen Minutes October 30, 2013 Present: Jess Aptowitz; Chairman, Doug Annino; Vice Chairman, Olivier Kozlowski, Kevin Moran; Clerk (participating remotely) and William Ross; Town Manager Absent: George Dentino Chairman Aptowitz called the meeting to order. Chairman Aptowitz reminded that this meeting is being broadcast live by Mansfield Cable Access and taped for future broadcast. Chairman Aptowitz noted that Selectman Kevin Moran is participating via remote this evening and that the only change to the process will involve takine a roll call. Mr. Ross reported that after hearing numerous concerns from residents regarding the lack of commuter rail parking and that the designated spaces for residents are fully occupied by 7:45am, the Town has been working to come up with ways to create additional spaces. The Town has been surveying the parking situation on side streets around the commuter rail area and in a couple of instances believed there were parking spots that could be converted /added to residential commuter rail parking. Mr. Ross reported that the Town is recommending the following: 1) Addition of approximately 13 spaces on the east side of Old Colony (from Thomas going south and east) stopping about four spaces north of Cottage Street. Mr. Ross noted it is a popular area at night but that the Town felt commuters would be out of those spaces prior to the restaurants' busy hours, 2) On North Oakland, the area adjacent to the North Main Street underpass on the west side of Oakland, it is believed that spaces could be added beginning with the fifth space north of Pratt Street on the west side and leave a few spaces in the area just north of Pratt for businesses (three to five) could be set aside for them as two hour, but from there north to where Mansfield and Oakland meet in an area that is reasonable the Town could add additional spaces (ten to twelve). 3) Currently at River and Howe Streets there are spaces marked for parking after 9:00am for commuters. The Town felt there was a need to reserve those for residents who may have later appointments in the city or perhaps elderly residents who travel to Boston for medical reasons but felt that since those spaces are quite a distance from the commuter rail the Town could temporarily change those to regular resident commuter rail spaces with the possibility of marking a few of the newer spaces as late arrival as they are closer to the commuter rail. These are short -term recommendations and Mr. Ross noted that in regards to long term the Town is looking to create additional 30 -35 spaces by moving Oakland Street back to two -way traffic and implement diagonal parking due to the truck traffic being eliminated /re- route. Mr. Ross noted that the cost to the Town is minimal. Mr. Moran reported that his initial concern was not forcing a resident to use a commuter space or have no parking space since the outlined two hour limit parking spaces would be converted to resident commuter spaces. Mr. Moran noted that after speaking with Mr. Ross and hearing that these two hour spaces are rarely utilized that he has no problem with the proposed recommendations. Mr. Annino felt Mr. Ross's recommendation was a good solution and supported Mr. Ross' recommendation. Board Of Selectmen's Meeting October 30, 2013 Page I of 5 Chairman Aptowitz asked if Steven Simmonds, Parking Enforcement Officer had seen Mr. Ross's recommendations to which Mr. Ross noted he had. The Chairman asked what the negative of this would be to which Mr. Ross noted that those short -term spaces will no longer exist but added that Officer Simmonds noted that these spaces are rarely utilized for short -term parking. Motion: To support Mr. Ross's commuter parking additions in a reasonable time period (Annino/Kozlowski) Kozlowski (AYE) Annino (AYE), Moran (AYE), Aptowitz (AYE) PASSES 4:0 Mr. Ross explained that he has reviewed the document thoroughly and noted that Town Counsel, Paul DeRensis is present before the Board to review a few items. Mr. DeRensis stated that he would like to put the Surrounding Community Agreement document into legal context for the Board. In essence, Mr. DeRensis recommended the Board sign the Agreement. He explained that the statute the Town is working with states that no applicant for a gaming license will be eligible to receive such license until it meets the following criteria: must provide to the Gaming Commission signed agreements with the surrounding communities and the applicant setting forth the conditions to have a gaming establishment located within the proximity to the surrounding community and documentation of public outreach. Mr. DeRensis explained that the establishment has reached out to the Town of Mansfield, which has been designated a surrounding community, and that by law there is a 30 day timeline to execute that agreement. Mr. DeRensis also explained that it is in the applicant's interest, in order to be competitive in getting the license, that they address the concerns of the community. Mr. DeRensis summarized by stating that if the Town enters into the agreement, it is not agreeing in respect to social purposes of gaming or that gaining is being endorsed by the Board, but that the Town is following a statutory mandate that says there must be an agreement between the Town and the applicant, where mitigation can be decided by the Town and if not done voluntarily then it will be done by the State. Mr. DeRensis finalized by stating an agreement has been reached through negotiations between the applicant and Mr. Ross which he felt protects the Town. Mr. Kozlowski asked what the intent of paragraph twelve was in terms of not using the name of the establishment in any marketing. Mr. DeRensis felt it was in part to prevent the applicant from marketing the facility until there was approval. Mr. Kozlowski asked that in regards to paragraph four what was the meaning of proportionate share and what is it based on. Mr. DeRensis explained it was based on per capita of a number based on surrounding communities plus the host community, bringing it to five. So the Town's share would be one -fifth, however if an additional community were to be designated then the Town's share would be one -sixth and so on. Mr. Kozlowski's final point involved the verbiage "commencement of operations of 1,250 slot machines ", which he noted was a milestone and questioned what would happen if there were only 800 slot machines. Mr. DeRensis explained that the Gaming Commission wants 1,250 and if Penn National's proposal is for 800 and there are other competitors with more, the chances will be not to award Penn National with the license. Mr. DeRensis explained the Town wanted the study to measure the major impact. Mr. Annino stated he has a philosophical problem with agreeing to something before studies have been completed and felt that the process was being conducted backwards. Board Of Selectmen's Meeting October 30, 2013 Page 2 of 5 Chairman Aptowitz invited Alex Stolyar, VP of Corporate Development for Penn National Gaming to join the discussion. Mr. Stolyar introduced Domenic Longobardi from Plaimidge Racecourse and Bill Ryan from Pilgrim Strategies. Mr. Stolyar explained that this process is unique in Massachusetts in terms of the Surrounding Community Agreements and is new to Penn National but what is not new is to Penn National is interacting with the community and that they take great pride in being a good corporate citizen and great neighbor. Mr. Stolyar explained that Penn National actually had an impact study done by Innovation Group out of Denver, CO, which determined that there would be no impact to surrounding communities given the size of the facility (1250 slot machines) and the size of the metropolitan area they are entering and the location of the facility. Mr. Stolyar noted that it is important to point out that they are highly regulated and that Massachusetts will be as well. Mr. Stolyar recognized that beyond this Surrounding Community Agreement, Penn National will still need the support of the surrounding communities as they go before the Gaming Commission each year for renewals, which he believed bonded them to the communities to have a positive relationship. Chairman Aptowitz asked if the facility would be able to expand if they were awarded the license to which Mr. Stolyar noted that they are capped at 1,250 by Massachusetts Gaming law but noted to the Chairman's point that the facility is capable of more. Mr. Stolyar Mr. Annino asked where Penn National's closest facility is located to which Mr. Stolyar noted Bangor, Maine with 1,000 slots, table games and a hotel. Mr. Annino asked if Mr. Ross had spoken to anyone in Bangor and he had not. Mr. Annino asked if Mr. Stolyar had spoken with the Cornetist Center to which Mr. Ross explained that the Comcast Center had answered that they felt it was a mutually beneficial relationship where cross promotion was possible. Motion: To sign the Surrounding Community Agreement as presented (Annino/Kozlowski) Discussion: Mr. DeRensis would like to see an amendment to paragraph one, as brought up by Mr. Kozlowski, to the Agreement stating "(or such lesser number as SF Gaming determines to be the final operating number) ". Mr. Kozlowski recommended "will open to the public with substantially all of its 1,250 slot machines in operation ". Motion: To sign the Surrounding Community Agreement with the handwritten amendment to paragraph one of "will open to the public with substantially all of its 1,250 slot machines in operation" (Annino/Kozlowski) Moran (AYE), Annino (AYE), Kozlowski (AYE), Chairman Aptowitz (AYE) PASSES 4:0 None. A. Approval of Warrants Town Vendor Warrant No. 14018T $1,697,731.73 Motion: To approve Town Vendor Warrant No. 14018T $1,697,731.73 (Annino/Moran) Moran (AYE), Kozlowski (AYE), Annino (AYE), Aptowitz (AYE) PASSES 4:0 Electric Department Vendor Warrant No. 14018E $24,551.63 Motion: To approve Electric Department Warrant No. 14018E $24,551.63 (Annino /Kozlowski) Moran (AYE), Annino (AYE), Kozlowski (AYE), Aptowitz (AYE) PASSES 4:0 Board Of Selectmen's Meeting October 30, 2013 Page 3 of 5 School Department Vendor Warrant No. 14018S $473,851.34 Motion: To approve School Department Vendor Warrant No. 140185 $473,851.34 (Kozlowski/Moran) Moran (AYE), Annino (AYE), Kozlowski (AYE), Aptowitz (AYE) PASSES 4:0 Town Payroll Town Medicaid Payroll Warrant No. 14018PT $289,147.37 Motion: To approve Town Payroll Town Medicaid Payroll Warrant No. 14018PT $289,147.37 (Annino /Kozlowski) 4:0 Moran (AYE), Annino (AYE), Kozlowski (AYE), Aptowitz (AYE) PASSES 4:0 Town Deductions Vendor Payroll Warrant No. 14018TV $93,656.27 Motion: To approve Town Deductions Vendor Payroll Warrant No. 14018TV $93,656.27 (Annino/Kozlowski) Moran (AYE), Annino (AYE), Kozlowski (AYE), Aptowitz (AYE) PASSES 4:0 B. Event/Permits • Consideration of Permit for Veteran's Day Parade November 11, 2013 Motion: To approve the permit for the Veteran's Day Parade (Kozlowski /Annino) Moran (AYE), Annino (AYE), Kozlowski (AYE), Aptowitz (AYE) PASSES 4:0 C. Proclamations • Proclamations For Girl Scouts of America Silver Award Winners: Emily Ann Francis, Emma Katherine Greenberg, Michaela Christine McIntire, Kristen Marie Ghazal Sy, Elena Rebecca Jacobson and Olivia Nafsika Courtney Motion: To approve the proclamations for the Girl Scouts of America Silver award Winners (Annino/Kozlowski) Moran (AYE), Annino (AYE), Kozlowski (AYE), Aptowitz (AYE) PASSES 4:0 Mr. Ross commended Guerrini Landscaping and the Keep Mansfield Beautiful Committee on the work done on the south side of the Route 106 underpass. Mr. Ross noted the sidewalks have been replaced around the South Common and that money came from a fund designated specifically for sidewalk work. Mr. Ross noted that VFW State Convention will be in Mansfield this year and there are telephone solicitations being conducted and is a legitimate campaign. Mr. Ross noted any questions to contact Heath Hobson or Jim Morrissey. Town Clerk Marianne Staples asked that Mr. Ross report that there is no election in the Town of Mansfield for November. Mr. Ross noted that Mike Ahern and his staff have been working diligently to repair equipment for sale at the Municipal Auction, which to date has Mr. Moran commented that in regards to the Surrounding Community Agreement that although he does not support this type of establishment they are becoming more common. None. Motion: To adjourn the BOS meeting at 8:05pm (Kozlowski /Annino) Moran (AYE), Annino (AYE), Kozlowski (AYE), Aptowitz (AYE) PASSES 4:0 Board Of Selectmen's Meeting October 30, 2013 Page 4 of 5 Signature of Clerk /Tracey Whalen Board Of Selectmen's Meeting October 30, 2013 Page 5 of 5 I a I g/-zdlj Date of Approval