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Board of Selectmen Minutes

Meeting date: 
Thursday, April 1, 2010
Board of Selectmen                              Present:        Kenneth F. Troup
April 1, 2010                                                   Stanley Wysocki
                                                                Curtis Plante
                                                        Don Lowe, Town Administrator
                                                Linda L. Day, Town Secretary


 

APRIL FOOLS DAY
After calling the meeting to order, Chairman Ken Troup said he had decided to run a write-in campaign for the selectman’s seat he is vacating.  Not too many people laughed at his April Fools joke.

 

CONTINUATION OF POLE HEARING FOR OLD BAY ROAD
The continued pole hearing from Thursday, March 25 for the petition of Verizon New England Inc. and Massachusetts Electric Company to install two new JO stub poles on Old Bay Road on the westerly sideline, approximately 26 feet west of existing Pole No. 13, place new stub Pole No. 13-1X, then place new stub Pole No. 14-1X approximately 18 feet west of existing Pole No. 14 was continued to Thursday, April 15th at 7:00 p.m.

 

TOLL BOOTHS
On a motion made by Plante and seconded by Wysocki, the Board of Selectmen voted to approve the request of Sarah Baum, Co-Captain of a Relay for Life team to hold a voluntary community toll booth on Route 117 on April 24th or May 1, 2010, and for the Bolton Lion’s Club to hold a voluntary toll booth on Route 117 on May 8, 2010.  (Troup – yes, Wysocki – yes, Plante –yes)

 

MUNICIPAL SPACE NEEDS COMMITTEE CHARGE
The Board of Selectmen reviewed the draft Municipal Space Needs Committee charge prepared by Mr. Troup:

 

Selectmen’s Objectives for Municipal Space Needs
  • Determine ways to house financial officers along with the town administrator and preferably all other municipal staff
  • Assure that all boards and committees have consistent space for required open meetings
  • Increase and improve storage of municipal files and records including provisions  for a town vault
  • Define building space needs of all municipal groups and investigate alternatives
  • Define short term uses of the Houghton Building, hopefully to partly address the above requirements
  • Update medium to long term school expansion requirements and investigate alternatives
Municipal Space Needs Desired Outcomes and Deliverables
a. Recommend short term personnel moves that can be made at little or no cost to address the objectives. No later than September 15, 2010
b. Recommend specific uses of the Houghton Building first and second floors and recommend an implementation approach.  No later than September 15, 2010.
c. Provide status report of short term findings to selectmen by December 1, 2010
d. Recommend articles for May 2011 town meeting by January 15, 2011
e. Report medium to long term recommendations by April 30, 2011

 

Charge to the Space Needs Committee
1. Organize to address the selectmen’s objectives and requested timeline.  Identify and estimate anticipated committee expenses for review with town administrator.
2. Review previous municipal space and school space needs efforts.
3. Interview key municipal officials who are not members of the committee.
4. Discuss needs and alternatives with affected boards and committees.
5. Provide monthly email updates to the selectmen.
6. Provide short term recommendations to selectmen in September and December.
7. Identify May 2011 town meeting article recommendations in December-January.
8. Provide medium to long term recommendations to selectmen in April including potential town meeting articles for future town meetings.

 

Mr. Troup will make minor revisions as discussed this evening.

 

Mr. Troup suggested that the balance of $10,000 in the article from the May 2006 not be released until the Space Needs Committee has the opportunity to meet and identify any expenses that they feel they will need.   

 

As a side note it was agreed that a notation will be made on the ATM calendar to include a date in which confirmation should be received from the sponsor of the article as to whether the balance should remain or can be released.

 

TOWN ADMINISTRATOR REPORT
Legal RFP:  Mr. Lowe reported that we received three responses to the request for proposal for legal services for the Town of Bolton.  The law firms included Murphy, Hesse, Toomey & Lehane, Brackett and Lucas, and Mirick O’Connell in regard to our Legal Services RFP.  The Law Committee will interview the three firms, discuss their recommendation for selection in April and a new contract will be prepared for July 1, 2010.

 

Drainage Issues:  The Board of Selectmen received letters from three residents of the Vaughn Hill Road and Nashaway Road area regarding flooding on their property.   Mr. Lowe discussed the issue with Mr. Brown, DPW Director who stated that a redesign of the drainage system would costly.  An assessment of options is necessary prior to identifying any alternatives.  Mr. Plante and Mr. Wysocki both agreed that many people are having problems with water after the recent rain storms and they did feel it was a town problem.  It was also noted that one of the residents admitted that this was the first time they have had water problems.  Mr. Troup stated that the difference he sees is that there previously have been discussions regarding the drainage problems on Vaughn Hill Road.  The Board of Selectmen will invite the residents to meet with them at their meeting on Thursday, April 15, 2010.   

 

MINUTES
On a motion made by Wysocki and seconded Plante, Board of Selectmen voted to approve the minutes of November 5 & 19, 2009 and January 26 & February 25, 2010 were read and approved.  (Troup – yes, Wysocki – yes, Plante – yes)


 

BEETLE BUG SITE VISIT, 492 SOUTH BOLTON ROAD
The Board of Selectmen conducted a site visit of the Beetle Bug III property located at 492 South Bolton Road.  Mr. Plante stated that he does not visit the area often but that he has seen an improvement in the clean-up of the property.

 

Mr. Trombetta will be asked to meet with the Board of Selectmen and provide a site plan of his property showing the town lines, etc.  Ms. Jenny Atwood-Burney will also be asked to attend the meeting.

 

REVIEW OF ANNUAL TOWN MEETING WARRANT
Article 1:  Fiscal Year 2010 Budget Transfer  
On a motion made by Plante and seconded by Wysocki, the Board of Selectmen voted to approve this article.  (Troup –yes, Wysocki –yes, Plante – yes)

 

Article 4:  Fiscal Year 2011 Operating Budget
Mr. Plante was not in favor of approving the budget because it includes a new cruiser purchase and a motorcycle lease.  Mr. Plante stated that the latest cruiser is a 2009 Dodge and the rest of the fleet is in good shape other than the Ford Taurus.  Without a fleet management policy in place, he thought the department could forego the $31,000 expense for the new cruiser.  Mr. Plante stated that he was not in favor of the motorcycle concept for the Town of Bolton noting that the motorcycle would not carry the required equipment.  

 

Mr. Troup suggested that Chief Alfano be invited to a meeting between now and town meeting to discuss his budget and make any agreed upon changes at town meeting.  Mr. Shnitzler, member of the Advisory Committee stated that his Committee did not all agree on the police budget but that they did however approve the overall budget.  

 

On a motion made by Wysocki and seconded by Troup, the Board of Selectmen voted to approve this article.  (Troup – yes, Wysocki – yes, Plante – no)  

 

“New” Article 17:  Funding for Oil Leak Reporting, Well Monitoring and Testing
The Advisory Committee proposed a new separate article for $45,000 for the one-time unforeseen costs of completing the reporting, well monitoring and testing associated with the oil leak at the new public safety center.  In addition, Advisory suggested that the funds be taken from the Stabilization Fund since these are one time and definitely unforeseen.  On a motion made by Wysocki and seconded by Plante, the Board of Selectmen voted to place a new Article 17 on the ATM warrant for $45,000 to fund the costs for the oil leak.  (Troup – yes, Wysocki – yes, Plante – yes)

 

Article 24:  Amendment to the Zoning Bylaws, Section 2.5.5.2, (j) Activity Regulations – Used Cars
Mr. Lindsay, Advisory Committee chairman stated that he was opposed to this article as it would result in more cars on properties around town.  

 

On a motion made by Plante and seconded by the Board of Selectmen voted to approve this article. (Troup – yes, Wysocki – yes, Plante – yes)
On a motion made by Plante and seconded by Wysocki, the Board of Selectmen voted to close and execute the warrant for the Annual Town Meeting on May 3, 2010.

 

PLANNING BOARD REPORT ON PROPOSED BYLAW AND AMENDMENTS TO THE TOWN’S ZONING BYLAWS
As required by Massachusetts State Law, the Planning Board provided a report to the Board of Selectmen regarding their recommendations related to the proposed bylaw and amendments to the town’s zoning bylaws which will appear on the Annual Town meeting warrant on May 3, 2010.   

 

The following articles were approved and will be sponsored by the Planning Board:

 

  • Section 2.5.5.6 Site Plan Approval to include non-residential uses in the residential district;
  • Section 2.5.7.6 Wireless Communication Bylaw to include the wireless overlay and residential districts from setbacks already established in the bylaw;
  • The appropriation of the remaining Master Plan funds in the amount of $7,067.84.
The Planning Board voted unanimously to support the following Articles that will be sponsored by the Board of Selectmen:

 

  • Section 2.3.4 Schedule of Uses to include the sale of used car in the residential district by Special Permit issued by the Board of Selectmen;
  • Section 2.5.5.2 Activity Regulations to allow by Special Permit by the Board of Selectmen the sale of used motor vehicles in the residential district with not more than 2 vehicles at a time.
Meeting adjourned at 9:35 p.m.

 

Respectfully submitted by Linda L. Day