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HomeMy WebLinkAboutBOS 03/06/2019Select Board Meeting Minutes March 6, 2019 Present: Mr. Michael Trowbridge, Chairman; Mr. Jess Aptowitz, Vice-Chairftn_" eve Schoonveld, Clerk; and Mr. Neil Rhein. Mr. Frank DelVecchio was not present TN httCLERKS OFFICE Also Present: Mr. Kevin Dumas Town Manager was also present. 1919 MW 2 1 A 8: 23 1. Call To Order Select Board Meeting- Pledge of Allegiance � �At�5FIELD Chairman Trowbridge called the meeting to order at 6:35PM. He reminge �V,JCh t tie meeting was being broadcast live and taped for future broadcast on Mansfield Cable. He asked if there were any members of the audience recording, to which the Chairman acknowledged that Mansfield News would be recording. 2. Discussion of Animal Control Officer's Report on Dangerous Dog Complaint The Chairman stated the Board needed to set a date for a public hearing. Mr. Aptowitz felt this should be on the agenda as soon as possible. Motion: To accept the report of Animal Control Officer Jeff Collins on the dangerous dog complaint and set the public hearing date for March 20, 2019 at 7PM of incident 19 -78 -OF. (Schoonveld/Aptowitz) Passes 4:0 3. Discussion of Town Manager Evaluation Process Chairman Trowbridge asked that by the next meeting each Select Board member turn the evaluation in to the Chair The forms will then be tabulated and each member at the April meeting will need to read out loud the numerical rankings. The Board members were in agreement. 4. Discussion of Fire Apparatus Mr. Stanbrook, Finance Director and Neil Boldrighini, Fire Chief were present for this agenda item. Mr. Dumas stated that the reserve engine that is borrowed from the Town of Norton has become a front line engine with loss of engine two in the recent fire. The insurance money will be used to replace that engine and it can be available in September along with the other engine that was purchased through capital improvements last year to replace engine one. The company has offered to put another engine in the que. There are not a lot of options for a reserve engine, but the Town has identified a demo model for $560,000 which is $100,000 less than a brand new one. This engine could be used as a front line engine until September and then be the reserve engine and Norton's engine could be returned. Chief Boldrighini explained that the Norton engine is a 1995 apparatus that the Fire Department is putting an incredible amount of wear and tear on the vehicle by using it as a front line engine. He explained that the Town would not want to have to replace the engine. He has already had to make some repairs and it has been on loan from Norton for over a year. The current wait time for a replacement engine is a 400 day wait period and they are willing to add a second engine in the que and have them ready at the same time. He added that engines are customized for the Towns specific needs and therefore the production time is longer. The Select Board asked a few questions. Mr. Aptowitz felt there was a need to buy these vehicles and find a way to pay for them. Mr. Schoonveld asked where the reserve transfer was coming from to pay for the engine. Mr. Stanbrook answered that there are a few options that he and the Town Manager were working on. Mr. Rhein asked if there are additional costs because the engine has not been customized for Mansfield. The Chief answered there are some minor changes needed like adding the Jaws of Life, but the cost is inclusive of those costs. Chairman Trowbridge agreed with Mr. Aptowitz that the Town needs to find a way. Chief Boldrighini thanked the Board for their support and the community for all the donations during the difficult time. Chairman Trowbridge asked for a moment of silence for Chris Cornetta the fire fighter in North Attleboro who passed away. Select Board Meeting Minutes March 6, 2019 S. Discussion of North Main Street Fire Station and West Street Police Station Use Mr. Dumas stated that Mr. Ahern was wrapping up the feasibility process and will issue an RFP by June 30tH 6. SEMRECC Update from Town Manager Mr. Dumas stated that the State Delegation has been invited to the regional meeting being held on April 101n 7. Budget Update Mr. Stanbrook provided a general overview stating that the gap is down to $687,000. Mr. Stanbrook stated that the plan to close this would be to increase the hotel and motel tax from four percent to six percent; he noted that this has not increased since 1985 and would require a Town Meeting vote. The cannabis excise tax was removed with the recommendation of the Finance Committee because it was still unclear if that business would be started within the fiscal year. He then stated that full time employees in FY20 goes down by one person overall. This includes both School and Town and factors the new positions added and removes the nine dispatchers because of SEMRECC. Mr. Dumas talked about the opportunity to add a marketing firm for help with economic development. Mr. Stanbrook stated that because the Town left SMHG the Town received $1,936,000 back and there are two options proposed for using that money and closing the budget shortfall. The first option was to give employees a two week holiday on their insurance and to use it for mitigation expenses for FY20 and not use the stabilization fund for the $687,000. The second option was to use the stabilization fund to cover the $687,000 shortfall and replenish that amount at Fall Town Meeting if there is free cash and use the SMHG funds for the OPEB trust fund. The Board discussed these options and asked questions. The budget would have been balanced if the retirement assessment had not gone up $500,000. The budget was expected to go up due to an increase in insurance premiums, but that number came in much lower at 0.06%. Mr. Schoonveld preferred option two and believes the premium holiday will not go over well with taxpayers who will also want a tax holiday. Mr. Rhein preferred option two that seemed less "gimmicky." Mr. Aptowitz was not in favor of adding any staff and was concerned about the operating costs of the new buildings being less because the square footage was much larger. Mr. Dumas confirmed that the costs are estimated at a best guess in the budget based on similar buildings that have been constructed. Chairman Trowbridge stated that he was in favor of the positions being added and did not want to take money out of stabilization. Mr. Dumas stated that he could do a rate reduction to the health insurance if the word tax holiday was a problem because it would essentially have the same result. 8. Resident Questions and Comments There were no resident questions or comments. 9. Review and Approve Consent Agenda All items on the Consent Agenda may be adopted with a single motion. Any member of the Select Board may request that an item be withdrawn from the Consent Agenda for separate consideration in which case that item will be voted on separately from the remainder of the Consent Agenda. All licenses have been routed through Town Hall Departments and any conditions have been noted below. a) Approval of Select Board Meeting Minutes for: • February 20, 2019 b) Vote To Approve Warrants: • Town Vendor Warrant No. 19035T in the amount of $377,361.31 • Electric Vendor Warrant No. 19035E in the amount of $37,441.82 • School Vendor Warrant No. 190355 in the amount of $629.35 • Town Vendor Warrant No. 19036T in the amount of $344,325.32 • Electric Vendor Warrant No. 19036E in the amount of $104,114.80 • School Vendor Warrant No. 190365 in the amount of $362,842.24 c) Permits and License Select Board Meeting Minutes March 6, 2019 • Consideration of 2019 Drainlayer's License for G. Lopes Construction Inc. • Consideration of 2019 Drainlayer's License for Peter DeGirolamo & Sons, Inc. d) Proclamations Motion: To approve the consent agenda. (Schoonveld/Aptowitz) Passes 4:0 10. Consideration and Approval of Town Payroll Warrants: • Town Payroll/Town Medicaid Payroll 19035PT in the amount of $415,148.87 Motion: To approve Town Payroll/Town Medicaid Payroll 19035PT in the amount of $415,148.87. (Schoonveld/Rhein) Passes 3:0:1 (Aptowitz Abstained) • Town Deductions Vendor Payroll 19035TV in the amount of $127,552.58 Motion: To approve Town Deductions Vendor Payroll 19035TV in the amount of $127,552.58. (Schoonveld/Aptowitz) Passes 4:0 • Town Payroll/Town Medicaid Payroll 19036PT in the amount of $405,611.39 Motion: To approve Town Payroll/Town Medicaid Payroll 19036PT in the amount of $405,611.39. (Schoonveld/Rhein) Passes 3:0:1 (Aptowitz Abstained) • Town Deductions Vendor Payroll 19036TV in the amount of $122,744.98 Motion: To approve Town Deductions Vendor Payroll 19036TV in the amount of $122,744.98. (Schoonveld/Aptowitz) Passes 4:0 • School Payroll/School Medicaid Payroll 19036PS in the amount of $1,616,553.94 Motion: To approve School Payroll/School Medicaid Payroll 19036PS in the amount of $1,616,553.94 (Schoonveld/Aptowitz) Passes 4:0 • School Deductions Vendor Payroll 19036SV in the amount of $524,994.83 Motion: To approve School Deductions Vendor Payroll 19036SV in the amount of $524,994.83. (Schoonveld/Aptowitz) Passes 4:0 11. Correspondence • Letter from Xfinity of TV Channel Updates Mr. Schoonveld read a summary of the above correspondence. 12. Town Manager's Report Mr. Dumas stated that yesterday an item came up for the Town Meeting Warrant that he would like the Select Board to sponsor for the School Department. The School Department is rolling out an initiative to have a device per student and in order to do so they need a four year lease which requires approval at Town Meeting. He stated that the cost is on school side and has been allocated as part of their budget. Motion: To support a warrant article for the School Department to enter into a four year lease agreement for Chrome Books. (Schoonveld/Aptowitz) Passes 4:0 Mr. Dumas then updated the Board on several items. First, he stated the Town is $88,000 in the negative for snow and ice after the two most recent storms. He then stated that Mr. Azinheira signed the contract with Simply Recycling and that will begin May 1't. He stated that on behalf of Shaun Burke there will be a parking study open house Tuesday, March 19, 2019 from 6-8pm in Meeting Room 3A/B and is open to the public. Lastly, Mr. Dumas also updated the Board that the Town will be featured in a National Business Magazine. 13. Select Board Member's Questions and Comments Mr. Rhein stated that he and Mr. DelVecchio were at the MMA discussion on recycling and all towns are getting hit with the same costs. He stated there are grant opportunities through MASS DEP and the deadline to apply for them is June 12th. He then stated there was a great meeting of the Downtown Committee and that he was looking forward to parking study open house. Select Board Meeting Minutes March 6, 2019 Mr. Schoonveld asked if at the Downtown Committee discussed putting a Welcome to Downtown Mansfield sign on the train bridge that goes across Route 106. Mr. Dumas stated that Mr. Sollecito has discussed getting an electronic message board on that bridge to avoid having to do the banners that get hung across the road. Mr. Dumas confirmed that the Town owns the pedestrian bridge on both sides. Mr. Schoonveld then asked if there was a warrant article for increasing the senior tax relief increasing and Mr. Stanbrook confirmed there was. Mr. Schoonveld then asked for a draft of the warrant. Mr. Aptowitz stated there is a one day delay on trash for this week. He also asked if there was an update on the Chocolate Factory and Chairman Trowbridge asked that it could be a future agenda item. He then stated the need to spend every dollar in the budget wisely and appreciated the work that has been done so far on the budget. Chairman Trowbridge stated that there will be a Ribbon Cutting Ceremony for MFN on May 11, 2019 at 10am and there will be tours of the facility. 14. Any items not anticipated by the Chair 48 hours prior to this meeting There were no items. 15. Adjourn Motion: To adjourn the March 6, 2019 Select Board meeting at 8:20PM. (Schoonveld/Aptowitz) Passes 4:0 "VV IA)� Si nature Minutes prepared by Carrie Champagne Select Board Meeting Minutes March 6, 2019 `3 -2e (zo Date