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HomeMy WebLinkAboutBOS MINUTES 10-18-1989BOARD OF SELECTMEN MINUTES OF MEETING OCTOBER 18, 1989 7 4 OCT 2 6 10'9 TMAN CLE' ,v s PRESENT: Chairman Tartufo; Selectmen Sarro, Harrington, Markt; Town Manager Selectman Dunn arrived at 8:20 P.M. 1. The meeting was called to order at 7:37 P.M. and the Flag saluted. 2. Minutes of October 11, 1989 MOTION: To approve the Minutes of October 11, 1989. Markt/Sarro VOTED: 4 -0 3. Warrant #18 MOTION: To approve Warrant #18 in the amount of $696,943.57, dated October 17, 1989, broken down as follows: General Fund - $396,373.62 Special Revenue - 5,19.56 Capital Projects - 25,242.07 Sewer Enterprise - 10,763.07 Water Enterprise - 24,272.44 Electric Enterprise - 235,072.81 Markt /Harrington VOTED: 4 -0 Markt abstained on police items 4. Correspondence a) Letter to the Board from Chairman Bill Hardin, Easton Board of Selectmen re: Initiative Petition Drive as proposed by the MMA. - Chairman Tartufo explained that this would require 40% of State revenues be returned to the cities and towns. He suggested that possibly civic groups might circulate the petitions. MORION: To support the Initiative Petition. Harrington / Markt VOTED: 4 -0 b) Copy of Chamber Pulse, Sept. /Oct. 1989. c) Invitation to the Bristol County Agricultural School Fall Show Preview October 26th at 8:00 P.M. d) Copy of the September 1989 The Beacon. e) Letter from Dept. of Environmental Protection re: Mass. Contingency Plan. f) Communication from Mansfield Council on Aging re: Grassroots movement to unite the generations. g) Copy of Shirley MacPhee's letter of accreditation from Mass. Association of Assessing Officers, Inc. - Chairman Tartufo said he was in favor of support for additional com- BOARD OF SELECTMEN MINUTES OF MEETING OCTOBER 18, 1989 PAGE 2 pensation but not in an article for Town Meeting. He placed the burden on the Assessors to do their homework prior to the Town Manager's bud- get preparation. h) Letter from Executive Office of Communities & Development re: Special Legislative Commission and Proposed New Regulations Concerning M.G.L. Chapter 40B. i) Memorandum from Mayor Richard Johnson, SEED President re: SEED membership. * MOTION: To appoint Selectman Markt. Sarro / Tartufo Selectman Harrington suggested the Planning Director as an appropriate appointee. No vote was taken. j) Copy of Letter to Director of Planning & Development from Town Counsel re: Special Town Meeting Warrant Article 23. k) Letter to the Board from Scouting Coordinator, Rodney Dahlstrom, re: Permission to sell Christmas trees at their usual location. * MOTION: To approve the request. Harrington / Markt VOTED: 4 -0 1) Letter from Mansfield Housing Authority Executive Director re: Name for appointment to Fair Housing Committee. * MOTION: To appoint David Clemmey to the Fair Housing Committee. Harrington /Sarro VOTED: 4 -0 m) Letter to the Board from Supt. of Schools, Charles Lamontagne, re: Follow - up of Constitution Week by Qualters Middle School. n) Notice of SRPEDD Commission meeting October 25th at 8:00 P.M. - Chairman Tartufo reported that the Canoe River Aquifer group discussed a proposal to take the money paid SRPEDD to hire an administrator for the member towns to better handle the functions SRPEDD does. o) Copy of Division of Local Mandates REPORT. p) Memorandum to the Board from Dept. of Environmental Protection re: Desig- nation of a Local Water Resources Management Official. - The Town Manager said he feels this was already done; he will research it. q) Copy of Quarterly Complaint Forms from Cable Vision. r) Copy of Memorandum to Ptl. Richard Brown from Lt. Figueredo re: M.A.D.D. award. * MOTION: To send a letter to Ptl. Brown congratulating him. Harrington /Sarro VOTED: 4 -0 9 BOARD OF SELECTMEN MINUTES OF MEETING OCTOBER 18, 1989 PAGE 3 5. Public Hearing /New England Telephone Ken Carlson represented the Phone Company for hearings on the following petitions: Petition #88 -10, one (1) pole to be erected for an underground conduit on Eastman Street, northerly side approximately 45 feet easterly of East Street. MOTION: To approve Petition #88 -10. Harrington /Markt VOTED: 4 -0 Petition #89 -7, request to relocate one (1) pole which is presently on pri- vate property at 774 Ware Street. MOTION: To approve Petition #89 -7. Harrington /Markt Selectman Harrington said he senses that the Board does not wish to approve it because it wants the downtown cables placed under- ground. He recommended that the Chairman meet with the "senior most representative'of the phone company to discuss that issue. Select- man Dunn added, it is a State legal procedure which governs handling of underground installation. Ken Carlson suggested sending a letter to the Phone Company requesting a meeting. VOTED: 3 -2 Tartufo & Sarro opposed Petition #89 -9, request to lay underground conduits and manholes under the surface of Maple Street, beginning at intersection of Old Maple Street and Maple Street. The Board was aware of a former Maple Street Petition which it denied for location in the same area. Ken Carlson explained that to deny this would mean service would be delayed. The poles need to be on the street so that they are accessible for maintenance. Selectman Dunn said he would like to try to sit down with the Phone Company first; if this cannot be effective, then the Town do something else; justifi- cation must be submitted to the regulatory body. VOTED: 2 -2 Tartufo & Markt opposed; Sarro abstained Petition #88 -6 (Public Hearing not required for this one), to relocate poles along the westerly side of Franklin Street 263 feet southwesterly of Mans- field /Foxboro town line. MOTION: To approve Petition #88 -6. Dunn /Harrington VOTED: 5 -0 Petition #89 -8, to relocate one (1) pole on East Street, southeasterly side approximately 352 feet northeasterly of Main Street. MOTION: To approve Petition #89 -8. Dunn /Harrington VOTED: 5 -0 BOARD OF SELECTMEN MINUTES OF MEETING OCTOBER 18, 1989 PAGE 4 * MOTION: That the Chairman set up a meeting with New England Telephone in a public session; the purpose to clear up North Main Street situ- ation once and for all. Markt /Harrington VOTED: 5 -0 6. Chief Sliney /Delinquent Ambulance Bills The Town Manager had distributed information to each Board member prior to this meeting which he reviewed to open the discussion. Chief Sliney was present for questions and further information if needed. The information covered included Delinquent Ambulance Balances prior to 1/1/89 with a pro- posal to abate certain categories; another was an Ambulance Fee Collection Policy as of 1/1/89. These were explained and discussion followed. * MOTION: To abate outstanding bills of 3/1/81 - 12/31/86. Harrington /Dunn VOTED: 4 -1 Sarro opposed * MOTION: To authorize the Treasurer or Fire Chief to send a letter, accom- panied by a bill, to patients with accounts in arrears from Janu- ary 1, 1987 through December 31, 1987. If payment is not re- ceived as a result of this bill, the Treasurer or Fire Chief is authorized to abate the delinquent balances. No bills or letters will be sent to patients for whom payments have been made by Medi- care, Medicaid or Welfare, or to any deceased individual. Sarro /Harrington VOTED: 5 -0 * MOTION: To approve the 1/1/88 - 12/31/88 proposal as listed and amended (per attached copy). Harrington /Dunn VOTED: 5 -0 * MOTION: To adopt the new Ambulance Fee Collection Policy as of 1/1/89 with the additional request that the Fire Chief and Tosco Manager submit a quarterly report to the Board (add to list as #9 and make present #9 #10 (see attached). Harrington / Sarro VOTED: 5 -0 Selectman Harrington said he would also like the Treasurer to sub- mit monthly reports on excise taxes, etc. The Town Manager felt the monthly report the Town Accountant is now submitting includes this. 7. Old Business - Town Manager a) The Town Manager mentioned the surplus funds from the Oakland Street CDAG project, advising that it must be spent on the area around the Mans- ( field Depot projects which he had distributed information on previously. The information distributed included copy of a letter the Town Engineer AMBULANCE FEE COLLECTION POLICY AS OF JANUARY 1, 1989 1. The Town of Mansfield will enter into an agreement with a private billing service to handle the patient billing for the ambulance service. 2. The Fire Department will submit to the billing company the necessary information to proceed with the billing. 3. Up to four (4) bills will be sent by the billing service. After the fourth (4th) bill the billing company will send a letter to the individual urging payment before the Town of Mansfield exercises its right to collect payment (copy attached). If no payment is received after this letter, the billing service shall return unpaid bills to the Town of Mansfield for collection. These bills and letters shall have the date of each billing on them. 4. The Town shall consider as final and full settlement of an account payment received on behalf of an individual via Blue Cross /Blue Shield; Medicare; Medicaid; or any State, Federal or local government welfare payment. With the exception of Medicare and Medicaid, this shall not include any deductible for which an individual may be responsible. Any account balances arising from the application of the above payment procedure are automatically abated. 5. The Board of Selectmen authorize the Treasurer or Fire Chief to abate other accounts under the following circumstances. a) If the patient dies from the incident for which ambulance service was provided, unless a three - party payer is responsible for the bill. b) Bad Mail where all prior efforts have failed to locate the party and no other information is available from other sources available to the Town. 6. The Fire Department will send out a bill marked overdue (see attached sample letter). If not paid in fifteen (15) days, this bill will be submitted to Small Claims Court. 7. If no response is received, the Fire Department will type and file with Attleboro District Court a Small Claims Court form. These forms will be filed as necessary by the Fire Chief. When the court date is received, the Fire Department will send an officer to present the case(s). 8. If the responsible party fails to abide by the Small Claims judgment, additional follow -up will be pursued through the collection procedures of the Small Claims court. In addition, the Treasurer /Collector of the Town will send a letter (sample copy attached) demanding payment and reminding the responsible party that the failure to pay affects that party's credit rating. 9• Annually, the Fire Chief and Treasurer /Collector shall prepare for recommendation to the Board of Selectmen a list of accounts where payment can no longer be reasonably expected and all cost - effective methods of collection have been exhausted. The Board will then determine whether these accounts should be abated. DELINQUENT AMBULANCE BALANCES (Prior to January 1, 1989) March 1, 1981 - December 31, 1986 The Board of Selectmen authorize the Treasurer or Fire Chief to write off any unpaid ambulance bills which were accrued from March 1, 1981 through December 31, 1986. January 1, 1987 - December 31, 1987 The Board of Selectmen authorize the Treasurer or Fire Chief to send a letter accompanied by a bill to patients with accounts in arrears from January 1, 1987 through December 31, 1987. If payment is not received as a result of this bill, the Treasurer or Fire Chief is authorized to abate the delinquent balances. No bills or letters will be sent to any patients for whom payments have been made by Medicare, Medicaid or Welfare per the Board's policy of March 15, 1989 or to any deceased individual. (Town Clerk to certify Mansfield residents.) Bills will also not be sent to persons whose location cannot be ascertained (bad mail). January 1, 1988 - December 31, 1988 The Board of Selectmen authorize the Treasurer or Fire Chief to: 1: Abate the following amounts: o from Blue Cross /Blue Shield, except where deductibles remain for which the patient is responsible o from Medicare o from Medicaid o from State, Federal or local welfare agencies 2. Bill all remaining account balances after the abatement described above has been implemented. This will essentially consist of amounts due from patients who are not deceased•, Blue Cross /Blue Shield individual deductibles; Workers Compensation related cases; lawsuits; and private insurance companies. a) if a response is not received after 30 days, a second bill will be sent advising that the matter will be submitted to Small Claims Court in 15 days if not paid. b) if still not paid, the Small Claims collection procedure and subsequent steps as described in the Ambulance Fee Collection Policy as of January 1, 1989 (steps 7 through 9) will be followed. BOARD OF SELECTMEN MINUTES OF MEETING OCTOBER 18, 1989 PAGE 5 had written to the State proposing the work for the surplus funds to cover. The Town Manager asked the Board to approve this as they are anxious to get it into the State. Selectman Markt asked about inclusion of the drainage problem on Charles Street. Selectman Harrington said he would like to see the paving of Oak- land Street extended all the way to the Foxboro line. The Town Manager explained he and the Town Engineer want to get approval to do this work while the contractor is still working there. He said the State wouldn't approve any until a certain percentage of the work was done initially. * MOTION: To support the request of the Town staff and to send the letter to the State for the nine (9) items as listed. Harrington / Sarro Selectman Dunn voiced need for some kind of crossing from Hope Street across Pratt Street for school children. VOTED: 4 -1 Tartufo opposed b) Communication Systems Update - The Town Manager passed out some informa- tion showing a "Tentative Timetable" and "Other Related Issues ". He re- ported on the meeting last week with a consultant, Police and Fire Chiefs and Civil Defense Director. The consultant will advise his fee sometime next week for limited assistance consisting of: preparation of technical specifications, mechanism for economic and efficient handling of the Fire Department low.band frequency mutual aid, bid evaluation, and provide in- spection and supervision of vendor during installation. March 1990 is estimated as the date for a bid award and April to December 1990 for in- stallation. The Town Manager cautioned that the Town does not yet have a frequency assigned and advised that a decision would have to be made as to whether the $325,000 for the system should be within Prop 2z or not. There was further discussion when Selectman Sarro again brought up his concern for the amount of time which has lapsed without much progress, he felt. 8. Old Business - Selectmen a) Selectman Markt asked the Town Manager about the Copeland Street progress; the Tom Manager will check into it. He advised that the Construction Inspector has been overseeing it. b) Selectman Dunn asked about the landfill capping. The Town Manager re- ported he had just talked this week with a representative of the Shell Oil Company about their pipe line. c) Chairman Tartufo inquired about the communter parking lot project; is it finished? The Town Manager will look into it. BOARD OF SELECTMEN MINUTES OF MEETING OCTOBER 18, 1989 PAGE 6 d) Chairman Tartufo again brought up the suggested change of meeting night. MOTION 9. New Business To change the Selectmen meeting night to Monday starting with October 30th. Harrington /Markt VOTED: 4 -1 Sarro opposed a) The Town Manager informed Board members that the Mill Street bridge over the Canoe River had the east side wing wall sheared by a vehicle. The DPW made necessary temporary repairs. b) Chairman Tartufo had been asked by Mo Prasad, Cable Access Director, to report on House Bill #3635, a cable TV tax. If it is passed the Town would not receive its license fee. Chairman Tartufo said he would like to know if the Town could impose its own license fee. The Governor inti- ated the fee and the cable TV companies will receive their share still. MOTION: To oppose the bill. Sarro /Harrington VOTED: 5 -0 c) The Town Manager asked for the Board members thoughts concerning sale of the two vacant land Town -owned parcels, one on Webster Street, the other on Maple Street. Selectman Harrington asked what the appraisal fee was for them; the Town Manager said $1,500. Selectman Harrington felt that was an outrageous cost and asked the Town Manager to investigate. 10. Adjournment MOTION: To adjourn (at 11:15 P.M.). MINUTES APPROVED: erK to signe Sarro /Harrington VOTED: 5 -0