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HomeMy WebLinkAboutSelect Board 10/16/2019Select Board Meeting Minutes J October 16, 2019 6✓ Present: Mr. Jess Aptowitz, Chairman; Mr. Michael Trowbridge, Vice -Chairman; Mr. Frank DelVecchio and Mr. Steve Schoonveld. Mr. Kevin Dumas, Town Manager and Mr. John Stanbrook, Assistant Town Manager/FinRECpjrV�Dr were also present. Mr. Neil Rhein, Clerk was not present. TOWN CL FRKS OFFICE 1. Call To Order Select Board Meeting - Pledge of Allegiance 1014 Nov _, 121 Chairman Aptowitz called the meeting to order at 6:30PM. He reminded everyone that the meeting was being roadc s live and taped for future broadcast on Mansfield Cable. He asked if there were any members of the aud'yojr�FQEtjir[;, to which the Chairman acknowledged that Donna Whitehead would be recording. MA 2. Consideration of Troop 17's Annual Christmas Tree Fundraising Event Mr. Thomas Petrucci, Senior Patrol Leader of Troop 17 came forward and asked the Board for the permission to use the tree lot on West Street next to the former Police Department. Motion: To approve the Special Events application for Boy Scouts Troop 17 for use of the tree lot on West Street and waive the electric fee for their annual Christmas tree fundraising event beginning on Saturday November 16`h 2019 pending routing through Town Hall Departments. (Schoonveld/Trowbridge) Passes 4:0 3. Consideration and Vote to Approve the 2019 Special Town Meeting Warrant Chairman Aptowitz noted there was one citizen's position that the Board did not take a position on. Mr. Stanbrook read through the summary list of warrant articles for Special Town Meeting. The Select Board asked a few questions. It was also noted that this was the last meeting before Town Meeting. Mr. Schoonveld stated that he wanted to watch the hearing on the 5G before voting in support of that article. Motion: To approve and sign the 2019 Special Town Meeting Warrant. (Schoonveld/Trowbridge) Passes 4:0 The Board skipped agenda item number four because it was a public hearing that could not start until7PM. S. Discussion and Consideration of Warrant Articles Motion: To support all the Town Meeting Warrant Articles with the exception of deferring the vote of Article numbers 4, 12 and 13. (Schoonveld/Trowbridge) Passes 4:0 6. Discussion of North Main Street Fire Station and West Street Police Station Use Mr. Dumas stated that part of the Town Meeting Warrant is voting on making the North Main Street Fire Station available for disposition and the RFP is in draft form and he asked the Select Board for feedback before the next Select Board meeting. 7. SEMRECC Update from Town Manager Mr. Dumas stated that as of today they have one hundred and twenty six contractors who have requested plans to bid on the High Rock project. Mr. Trowbridge asked for a copy of the plans to be sent to the Board. Mr. Aptowitz asked what the savings is from moving to SEMRECC. Mr. Dumas answered that it was about $150,000 in FY20. 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: • September 11, 2019 • September 25, 2019 b) Vote To Approve Warrants: Select Board Meeting Minutes October 16, 2019 • Town Vendor Warrant No. 20015T in the amount of $699,666.82 • Electric Vendor Warrant No. 20015E in the amount of $17,480.79 • Town Vendor Warrant No. 20016T in the amount of $2,274,387.20 • Electric Vendor Warrant No. 20016E in the amount of $1,583,218.75 • School Vendor Warrant No. 200165 in the amount of $511,666.23 c) Permits and License • Consideration of Signage on Town Property for Annual Fire Truck Pull d) Proclamations Motion: To approve the consent agenda. (Schoonveld/Trowbridge) Passes 4:0 10. Consideration and Approval of Town Payroll Warrants: • Town Payroll/Town Medicaid Payroll 20015PT in the amount of $393,964.05 Motion: To approve Town Payroll/Town Medicaid Payroll 20015PT in the amount of $393,964.05. (Schoonveld/DelVecchio) Passes 3:0:1 (Aptowitz Abstained) • Town Deductions Vendor Payroll 20015TV in the amount of $120,696.80 Motion: To approve Town Deductions Vendor Payroll 20015TV in the amount of $120,696.80. (Schoonveld/DelVecchio) Passes 4:0 • Town Payroll/Town Medicaid Payroll 20016PT in the amount of $374,936.85 Motion: To approve Town Payroll/Town Medicaid Payroll 20016PT in the amount of $374,936.85. (Schoonveld/DelVecchio) Passes 3:0:1(Aptowitz Abstained) • Town Deductions Vendor Payroll 20016TV in the amount of $115,438.10 Motion: To approve Town Deductions Vendor Payroll 20016TV in the amount of $115,438.10. (Schoonveld/DelVecchio) Passes 4:0 • School Payroll/School Medicaid Payroll 20016PS in the amount of $1,711,741.16 Motion: To approve School Payroll/School Medicaid Payroll 20016PS in the amount of $1,711,741.16. (Schoonveld/DelVecchio) Passes 3:0:1 (Trowbridge Abstained) • School Deductions Vendor Payroll 20016SV in the amount of $550,377.85 Motion: To approve School Deductions Vendor Payroll 20016SV in the amount of $550,377.85. (Schoonveld/DelVecchio) Passes 4:0 11. Correspondence • Invitation from Park and Rec for the Halloween Parade • Notification from Xfinity TV Channel Update • Notice of Petition of Bay State Gas Company, dba Columbia Gas of Massachusetts, for approval of its 2016-2018 Energy Efficiency Three -Year Term Report • Letter from Planning Board Mr. Schoonveld read a summary of the above correspondence items. The Board then discussed the letter from the planning Board and voted to support the tree clearing at Mansfield Crossing. Motion: To support the tree trimming and clearing work for WS Development. (Trowbridge/DelVecchio) Passes 4:0 12. Town Manager's Report Mr. Dumas updated the Board on several items including grant updates, security assessment of Town Hall, the Master Plan Workshop invitation is arriving at homes today, the toiletry drive update, Tri-Town Chamber event and lastly noted the Ribbon Cutting at the Public Safety Complex Saturday. 4. In Accordance With Massachusetts General Law, Chapter 40, Section 56, The Select Board Will Hold A Public Hearing For The Purpose To Adopt The Percentages Of The Local Tax Levy To Be Borne By Each Class Of Real And Personal Property For Fiscal Year 2020 at 7:OOPM Mr. Schoonveld read the public notice for the record. Motion: To open the public hearing at 7:01PM. (Schoonveld/DelVecchio). Passes 4:0 Ms. Nancy Hinote, Tax Assessor and the entire Board of Assessors were present. Ms. Hinote commented that the assessed values have gone up four and a half percent and the median single family home price is $475,000 as a result of the sales. The Select Board Meeting Minutes October 16, 2019 Select Board asked a few questions and made a few comments. Mr. Walter Wilk, Chair of the Finance Committee also came forwod and stated that the Town needs to be consistent with its tax policy and focus on increasing the tax base and he -stated that he was concerned that new businesses have not come to Mansfield. In the short term, he believed the Town could benefit from the selling of more properties that were taken by tax title a few years ago. Once a home is built on these parcels each has the potential to add eight to nine thousand dollars to the tax base. Chairman Aptowitz asked if there was anyone from the public who wanted to speak and no one came forward. Motion: To close the public hearing at 7:14PM. (Schoonveld/DelVecchio) Passes 4:0 Chairman Aptowitz stated that currently the split was at 1.25 and the Board needed to decide what the split was going to be. He then read a statement from Mr. Rhein who was not present who was in favor of raising the split to 1.29 or 1.3. Mr. DelVecchio stated although there is not a set policy for setting the tax but over the past years the practice has been to spread the impact equally amongst the classes. He stated that over the long term the goal is to reduce the split to make the commercial base the bigger part of the tax base. Mr. Trowbridge agreed with Mr. DelVecchio and believed things were heading in the right direction and the burden should be shared. He also agreed with Mr. Wilk about having another auction. Mr. Schoonveld stated that the policy has been to ease the burden and he believed the Board has done that as he looked at the data from previous years. His concern was the anemic new growth the Town was seeing as it was not sustainable to the future needs of Mansfield. The Board then used the spreadsheet created by Mr. Stanbrook to decide on the tax split. Motion: To set the split to 1.29. (Trowbridge/DelVecchio) Passes 4:0 13. Select Board Member's Questions and Comments Mr. Schoonveld asked when Finance Committee interviews would happen as they have been down a member. Chairman Aptowitz answered it would be at the first meeting in November. Mr. Schoonveld then noted the Master Plan Workshop is Saturday and noted that he is there as a resident and not a Select Board member Mr. Trowbridge asked for the Budget Subcommittee to be scheduled and he then thanked the work for the toiletry drive. Mr. DelVecchio was excited about the draft RFP for the Fire Station. Mr. DelVecchio also agreed with Mr. Schoonveld that he is attending the Master Plan Workshop as a resident. He then stated that it was an interactive workshop for everyone to be involved and to go to the event and participate as much as possible as this creates the road map for the next ten years. Mr. Aptowitz reviewed the November meeting schedule and then noted the Ribbon Cutting Ceremony at the Public Safety Building on Saturday at 9am and the Master Plan Workshop at the High School starting as 11am. 14. Any items not anticipated by the Chair 48 hours prior to this meeting There were no items. 15. Enter into Executive Session and Not Return to Open Session under Exemption No. 2, M.G.L. Chapter 30A, Section 21- • To discuss strategy sessions in preparation for negotiations with non -union personnel or to conduct collective bargaining sessions or contract negotiations with non -union personnel. Motion: To enter into Executive Session and Not Return to Open Session under Exemption No. 2, M.G.L. Chapter 30A, Section 21 to discuss strategy sessions in preparation for negotiations with non -union personnel or to conduct collective bargaining sessions or contract negotiations with non -union personnel at 7:41PM. (Schoonveld/Trowbridge) Roll Call Vote: Mr. Schoonveld-Yes Mr. Trowbridge -Yes Mr. DelVecchio-Yes Chairman Aptowitz-Aye Passes 4:0 Signa ure Minutes prepared by Carrie Champagne i? 6 Date Select Board Meeting Minutes October 16, 2019