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HomeMy WebLinkAboutBOS MINUTES 10-24-1979BOARD OF SELECTMEN /LIGHT COMMISSIONERS AGENDA October 24, 1979 7:00 p.m. - Call to Order EXECUTIVE.SESSION- LYTIPATION,- Warrant Minutes - October 10, & 17, 1979 October 4, 1979 Correspondence Clerk's Folder 8:00 p.m. - Bi- Monthly Meeting Boards & Committees Finance Committee Appointment Attorney Santos - Article for Special Mrs. Merrigan Town Meeting Leon Grant - To read a letter of protest by him and other farmers in Town Elwyn Atherton - RE: Loose Cattle Board Reports PENDING ITEMS Traffic Lights at 140 & Forbes Back Bay Brook Phase 3- (Bid opening tomorrow) Water Rates Foxboro Mall Traffic Pattern Sanitary Landfill Railroad Station Parking Downtown Traffic Pattern Recreational Facility REMINDER- Selectman Colella and Caponigro- Annual Mass. Municipal Association meeting this weekend. BOARD OF SELECTMEN /LIGHT COMMISSIONERS Minutes of the Meeting October 24, 1979 Present: Selectman Robert M. DeLong, Lyman ;C. Avery and Norman Mahana. Selectman Antonino Caponigro, Jr. arrived during the Executive Session. Selectman Frank'Colella was absent and Town Manager William P. Metropulos is out of Town. The meeting was called to order at 7:00 p.m. for Executive Session. A motion was made by Selectman Mahana, seconded by Selectman DeLong that the Board go into Executive Session to discuss cases of litigation pending with the Town. The Board was polled: Selectman DeLong, yes; Mahana, yes; * and Avery, yes. Voted 3 -0 (Executive Minutes typed separately) The Board noted that they will return to open session. The Board returned to open session at 7:40 p.m. The weekly warrant in the amount of $385,476.44 was read. This was approved * on a motion by Selectman Mahana, seconded by Selectman Caponigro. Voted 4 -0. A Revenue Sharing warrant in the amount of $2336.73 was read. This was ap- proved on a motion by Selectman Mahana, seconded by Selectman Caponigro. * Voted 4 -0. The minutes of October 4, 1979 were noted. These were approved on a motion * by Selectman Caponigro, seconded by Selectman Mahana. Voted 4 -0. The minutes of October 10, 1979 were noted. These were approved with corrections made to page 4, first paragraph and page 5, last paragraph on a motion by Select- * man Caponigro, seconded by Selectman Mahana. Voted 4 -0. The minutes of October 17, 1979 were deferred for approval until next week on * a motion by Selectman Mahana, seconded by Selectman Caponigro. Voted 4 -0. Clerk's Folder An application was noted from the owners of the So. Main St. Variety Store, 213, So. Main St., Steve and Judith Waterhouse. The application is for a name change from So. Main St. Variety to the 57th Market. This change requires no hearing. A motion for the name change was made by Selectman Caponigro, seconded by Select- * man Mahana. Voted 4 -0. Bi- Monthly Meeting of Boards and Committees Airport Commission Rod Stearns reported for the Commission. Rough drafts are being typed for ap- proval of the Mansfield Airport Operating Rules and Regulations plus minimum standards and requirements for commercial and other aeronautical operations These new rules have also been reviewed by Town Counsel, Thb,Airport Master Plan has been accepted and forwarded to Washington for approval. -1- BOARD OF SELECTMEN /LIGHT COMMISSIONERS Minutes of the Meeting October 24, 1979 Page 2 The airport ramp construction has been approved by the Commission which is part of the Lessee's five year plan for improvements. The cost of the project is estimated at $500,000 with state and federal funding, 95% and the Town's share of 5% will be paid by Air Charter Service. The annual inspection of the Airport by FAA officials was done last;week, no major problems were noted, brush has to be lowered, and resurfacing some of the runways which they hope to be able to do in the next few years. The take off pattern for the N.W. runway which gods over the So. Main and Willow Street areas is being changed to try and reduce the noise in this residential area. A thirty degree left turn off the N.W. runway is being tried to have the planes take off over the Norton resevoir. All efforts to reduce noise and residential incon- vience are being done. The last item that Rod discussed was the recent plane accident in Norton. The plane was not from Mansfield and the airport was not at fault, it was pilot error. Selectman Avery asked Rod if the vandalism at the airport has decreased or in- creased. Leo LeFort, Manager of the airport spoke up and noted that it has taken a sharp decrease and attributes it to the great cooperation from the Mansfield and Norton police departments, the installation of a fence due to the I -495 con- struction and the increased activity now goinq on at the airport. Rod Stearhsnoted that Air Charter Service has been reinspected by the FAA and has been recertified. All airlines are under one set of guidelines now and they came through with flying colors. The FAA noted that we have a safe experienced opera- tion down there. 1 Board of Assessors - Assessor Al Turinese reported for his board. Al noted that the revised set of specs for revaluation went out this week to all the teams interested in the job. They hope to have all the bids in by December 1 with hopes of awarding a contract by December 15, 1979. Al noted that he attended Assessors School last week and the big issue is "Classification ". No one is sure how to go about it and open space seems to be the biggest problem, each community seems to have a different idea on what open space is. A lot of seminars are being planned for this in the future. Library Trustees - Clarence Morse represented the Trustees. Mr. Morse presented a book to each of the Selectmen with specific stories relating to each.of them. Selectman Caponigro's was on pigeons, Selectman Mahana's on streets, etc. In researching the history of the Library it was noted that the building was built in 1901 but have not yet found out who the architect was. They are beginning work on the 80/81 budget and are looking for guidelines. The Board told him that they still have to go with the 4%, however, Selectman DeLong noted that the Town Meeting did override this and this is something they can shoot for. Selectman Mahana sug- gested preparing two budgets one at 4% and one with the possibility over a Town Meeting override. Recreation Commission - Gino Cinelli noted that there was not too much to report, everthing is going well and vandalism at Memorial Park is down. Historical Commission - David Loving noted that his Commission has a lot of work in front of them. They are just beginning a survey of historical proper- ties, houses, buildings, etc. all properties in town dating back 50 years will eventually be surveyed. They are starting with the Library first and ran into a roadblock because they could not find out who the architect was. Selectman DeLong -2- BOARD OF SELECTMEN /LIGHT COMMISSIONERS Minutes of the Meeting October 24, 1979 Page 3 asked Dave if they will just pick certain buildings or will they survey all of them. Dave noted that they will do cursory examinations of all and make notes of them. Forms are provided to them from the State, a great deal of this information can be had from the Assessors department however, their records only date back to 1860. Selectman Mahana asked Dave if some arrangment can be made with the school to have students help and Dave noted that he has already looked into this. Selectman Delong asked if they have to start 50 years back and Dave noted that they have to follow the guidelines of the State, however it is requested that they go from 50 years but not required. Selectman Delong noted that it would seem to him that they would want to do the older homes first. Dave noted that this is true, the Library is 1900 but it is a significant bldg. Dave noted that they intend to carry out the survey for the whole town according to the State guidelines, doing the most significant ones first. Council -On -Aging - Linda Martinelli, met with the Board. Linda informed the Board that the Council has five employees, two are paid by CETA, one by the Elder Sercice Corp. and one through the Senior Aide Program. A food bank is set up at the DIC with food available to all residents of Mansfield where an emergency is indicated. The Hot Lunch Program is provided three days a week, with meals delivered to shut -ins also. The Fairfield Optical noted that they will not be able to assistin the delivery of the hot lunhhes to shut -ins anymore. A registered nurse is available at the DIC on Wednesdays, 1:00 to 3:00 for taking blood pressures. Recreation activities and educational programs on an on -going service at the DIC. The Jaycees are working towards the purchase of a calculator for the DIC and the Rotary Club continues to pay for the two lifeline telephone bills. Recent re- signations of Delores Benson and Edwedge McCausland were noted, new members George Young and Ruthanne Barr were also noted. Visitors at the DIC recently were Joyce McAteer, Field Representative from the Department of Elder Affairs to discuss the fuel problems expected this year from the elderly also ways in which'to discuss promoting a positive image of the COA. Esther Gold, Director of the Senior Aide Program spoke on the role of the senior aid and the possibility of the Town picking up the pay for the senior aide bus driver. Selectman Avery told her that this should be put in their budget. Linda noted that they have received a grant in the amount of $5000. and they plan to use this money to increase the hours of the Director from part -time to full -time. They are now in the process of advertising for a Direct6r Civil Defense - Director Bob Buttons noted that four of his people attended a seminar down the Cape and were given the plan on Community Shelters for the Bristol County. In case of an emergency in Mansfield under the Bristol County Plan residents are to to to the National Bisquit Co. at 150 Oakland St and under the plan for relocation, 106 is to be taken to Plympton. Bob noted that he would like some guidelines from the Board regarding the filing of minutes with the Town Clerk. They hold monthly meetings but they are more workshop meetings and no motions are taken so minutes are not recorded, but if they want general minutes they will start to to this. Selectman Avery asked how their budget is prepared and he noted that this is prepared with the executive officers and input from their men , but no record of this is kept. Selectman Avery feels that minutes of these meetings should be kept. Bob noted that the Town has 4000 sandbags which are the property of the Army but if there is an emergency we could loose them, we have never had any use for them so he has never stocked them. They liad 200 at one time which they ran out of. -3- BOARD OF SELECTMEN /LIGHT COMMISSIONERS Minutes of the Meeting October 24, 1979 Page 4 They do give sandbags to people who have a problem and ask that they return them. Bob noted that he is looking for a problem that they may have with fuel for their vehicles which is more a money problem than a allocation one. also problems with home heating fuel, this winter. Bob noted that his department is all set forHalloween, a man will be stationed out in the town hall parking lot to keep an eye on the cars and will work with the police department in various areas through- out the town. Computer Advisory Committee Howard Heaton reported for the Committee and noted that the light department is having a software problem because of the demand on the computer and that Joe McGonagle that the code will have to be rewritten. High tension is still not on computer but the work is being put through the machine, other than that every- thing else is on computer. The water department is half on -line but the work has stopped due to a shortage of manpower in that department. The Board of Assessors were at their last meeting to discuss going on computer for revaluation. They have had a fair mount of problems with the printer unit and it has been re- turned three times to be repaired. They are now using a loaner printer of the same make which they still have problems with. Diane Dubuc is in the process of preparing a down time report as the result if this and this will be forwarded to Data General. Howard noted that soon a computer coordinator will be needed to coordinate and set upstime schedules for using the computer. Selectman DeLong asked Howard if this has been discussed with the Town Manager as this would definitely be his responsibility. Howard said that this has not been discussed with him. Selectman Avery noted that his concern is...abbuta; the printer, the original one had trouble three times and now out again for repairs, it would be far better for them to replace it with one that will work, due also to the fact that the loaner does not work any better. Howard noted that another printer of a different type can be bought and plugged into the system. Selectman Avery also wanted to know if the Town Manager has been involved with this, and Howard said no, Selectman Avery feels that the Town Manager should be involved and definitely part of the whole picture so that we do not have to wait until the bi- monthly meetings to hear the problems. Audit Advisory Committee - William Flanmery noted that, his committee will have one final meeting with the auditor and a final presentation will be presented sometime in November. The Board will be advised of this. Finance Committee - Finance Committee Appointment David Clemmey, Roger Dotson and William Flannery met with the Selectmen repre- senting the Finance Committee. The list of applicants for the Finance Committee was read. John White, 152 Court St. was nominated by David Clemmey, Roger Dotson, William Flannery, Selectman Caponigro, Mahana, Avery and DeLong. The vote was * unamimous in favor of John White, Voted 7 -0. Dave noted that the committee has been fairly inactive, but has received some transfer request, many of them taken under advisement until the "0" account is down, they do not see a need to transfer money until the "0" account is out. Dave noted that regarding the board's vote to get out of the Bristol County U BOARD OF SELECTMEN /LIGHT COMMISSIONERS Minutes of the Meeting October 24, 1979 Page 5 Selectmen's Association, as a pastpresident, he disapproves and feels that you only get out of it what you put into it. Dave noted that they do have interes- ing speakers, at the last meeting a representative from the state records depart- ment was in and discuss how town could get rid of records they no longer need. Dave feels that the Board would be remiss in their duty to vote not to belong to the BCSA. Selectman Avery noted that he understands how Dave feels and it is true that you only get out of something what you put in, and some of the speakers are excellent but it's the same people that attend all the time. He cannot see that much value in a county association and has always felt that way. Selectman Caponigro noted that last year they never sent us a bill, also we have been informed that we have won the award for our town report and this is suppose to be presented to us by the President of the BCSA. The next meeting of the BCSA is to be held in Mansfield also. Selectman Caponigro noted that he would like to consider having the Board reconsider their vote of last week. This sug- gestion did not go any further. Selectman DeLong noted that on the transfer requests, the Town Mnager wants to know if these transfers are going to be approved because of the budget, he has to know now, not when the account gets down to zero and then be refused, now he is working in the dark. Dave suggested having the Town Manager attend their next meeting and they can discuss this. Helen J. Merigan, of Foxboro, met with the Selectmen and presented an article for the next Special to see if the Town will vote to authorize the Board of Selectmen to transfer a part of a parcel of land for $1.00 to Mrs. Merigan subject to the Town retaining an easement in such parcel for the maintaining of water pipe lines that Mansfield has for the purpose of carrying water from the reservoir in Foxboro. This article is necessary for Mrs. Merigan to complete the sale of a piece of land. Mrs. Merigan noted that it was thought that there was already an easment by the Town and it was not discovered until the day the sale was to be completed, and it was picked up by the bank's attorney. The Board noted they see nothing wrong with it but would like to hold off for another week and have the Town Planner read the article over. Leon Grant 440 Ware St. meet with the Selectmen and read a letter of protest regarding farms and farmers. However, after Leon was through reading the letter, it was noted that the letter was not signed by him or any of the other farmers who. supposedly support it. Selectman Avery noted that he would think the letter would be much more effective with signatures supporting it, and if it were him he would have gone all over town to get farmers to sign it and support it. Leon noted -that he went all over town but they did not want to come out, they felt that it wouldn't do any good. Selectman DeLong asked Leon other than the two ponds (his and David White's) what else is he complaining about. Leon noted, the pigs. Selectman DeLong noted that this was a town meeting vote. Selectman Caponigro noted that he (Leon) should get an article up and try to overturn the town meeting vote. Selectman Caponigro noted that he and Selectman Mahana attened a meeting here at the town hall last night on "water quality" and a woman from the DEQE spoke and noted that one of the things that the DEQE frowns on are "large ponds" but also noted that one of the things that she touched on is that boards and commissions must remember that their primary thing is the lava, not personalities. Leon noted that he will be back next week with the letter signed by all that sup- port it. -5- BOARD OF SELECTMEN /LIGHT COMMISSIONERS Minutes of the Meeting Octo -er 24, 1979 Page 6 Elwyn Atherton, East Street, met with the Board to discuss "loose cattle" Mr. Athereton noted that frequently in the East Mansfield area cattle run loose and he would like to be appointed as an honorary fence viewer to observe fences both in the Spring & Winter to make sure none are down. Mr. Atherton also noted that Mr. Souza of 1048 East St. also complained about the roaming animals and would be happy to volunteer as a "field driver" one who goes about rounding up the animals . Mr. Souza also has a barn to keep the animals he rounds up. Selectman Caponigro noted that the Town Charter does not call for "field drivers" and it would have to be amended. Mr. Atherton's request for a honorary fence viewer will be taken under advisement by the Board. Board Reports Selectman Avery asked Selectman.Caponigro if he has heard anything about the West Mansfield Memorial and he noted that he has not. Selectman Caponigro made a motion that a letter be sent to the Rock of Ages that the Board is not satisfied with the way the West Mansfield and World War 2 monuments are being handled. * Seconded by Selectman Mahana Voted 3 -0 (Selectman DeLong not present at the time of the vote.) Selectman Mahana noted that through the work of Senator McCarthy, $110,000. is being put in a a line item in the capital out -lay budget and his committee is planning a newsletter to all the commuters keeping them updated and asking that they support Mansfield's line item in the capital outlay budget. Selectman Caponigro moved that a letter be sent to Senator Locke asking him for his support and also inform him that Selectman Mahana tried to see him and could not get through ti him. This received no second. Correspondence A memo was noted from Diane Dubuc , Manager of the light department regarding a customer complaint and guarantee deposit. The customers were not present for the meeting as as it was thought they would be, so the Selectmen have taken this under advisement until next week and the customers will be asked to come to the meeting. Selectman Caponigro moved that we have both customers (roommates) come to the Selectmen's meeting next week and direct the light department to hold off discontinuing their sercice for another week. Seconded by Selectman DeLong * Voted 4 -0. A memo was noted from the Mass. Municipal Association that Mansfield has been presented the award for best Annual Town Report. A letter was noted from the DEQE regarding the 128 West Resource Recovery and noted that they are pleased that we support the concept, procedures and practices of the committee. A letter was noted from the Department of Public Health advising us that the Governor is proclaming the week of November 12 -18 EMS Week. Selectman DeLong at this time noted that he was talkingto someone from the Sturdy Memorial Hospital who had good comments to make about our firemen in their capacity as EMT's. On a motion by Selectman Mahana, seconded by Selectman Caponigro, the week of * November 12 through 18, 1979 is proclaimed as EMS Week in Mansfield. Voted 4 -0. BOARD OF SELECTMEN /LIGHT COMMISSIONERS Minutes of the Meeting Octo -er 24, 1979 Page 7 The weekly report from the police department was noted and there were two disturbances reported in liquor establishmentsfor the week. A letter from Margo Jellinek was read opposing the Selectmen's appointing of David C. White to the Planning Board. The Board voted the "No Right on Red " at any of the intersections in the Town of Mansfield. Motion by SElectman Mahana, seconded by Selectman Caponigro. * Voted 4 -0/ Two articles for the Special Town Meeting to be held November 19, 1979 were submitted,one on the increase for Fire Department wages and the other is a 6% increase for the Crossing Guards. A letter was noted from Malcom Post, President of Bristol Arms Apartments requesting a meeting before the Board of Light Commissioners.. A motion was made by Selectman Delong seconded by Selectman Mahana that Mr. Post be asked to * meet with the Board next week. Voted 4 -0. A memo was noted from Town Clerk Arthur Remillard of changes in the date for the Annual Town Election and Town Meeting. A letter was noted Peter F. O'Brien, Leon Grant's Attorney regarding his agricultural Pond. Selectman Delong noted that he would like to have the Board open the meeting at 7 :00 p.m. to go through the correspondence before the regular meeting at 7:30 p.m. A motion was made by Selectman DeLong that in the future the weekly Selectmen's meeting will be posted for 7:00 p.m. so that the Selectmen can go through the correspondence and discuss whatever is necessary in the open before the regular meeting opens at 7:30 p.m. Seconded by Selectman Mahana. Voted 4 -0. There being no further business, the meeting adjourned at 10:15 p.m. -7-