Board of Selectmen Minutes

Board of Selectmen                                        Present:           Stanley Wysocki

September 14, 2017                                                                Jonathan Keep                       

Town Hall                                                                               Don Lowe, Town Administrator

                                                                                                Linda L. Day, Town Secretary

Mr. Keep called the meeting to order at 7:00 pm.

SITE PLAN REVIEW – TRINITY CONGREGATION CHURCH PARKING LOT RESURFACING

Mr. Gregory Roy, Ducharme and Dillis presented a site plan for the proposed resurfacing of the parking lot at the Trinity Congregation Church at 14 Wattaquadock Hill Road.  Also present were Mr. Dan William, House Committee Chairperson, along with Clyde Wheeler, Jim Byler and Tim Joiner. 

The existing parking area is in significant need of repair due to broken pavement which is becoming very difficult for the Church to maintain in the spring and winter months.  The plan is to resurface the parking area to get more efficiency out of the space and in doing so proposed a modest expansion of the parking lot.  The emergency access road that cuts through to Florence Sawyer School will be preserved and the existing swale system between the Church and the parking area will be maintained.   An order of conditions is required from the Conservation Commission.  The Planning Board submitted their comments to the Board of Selectmen (Attachment A) and recommended that the Site Plan be approved by the Board of Selectmen. Mr. Roy stated that they didn’t have any issues the Planning Board’s comments and would be providing replacement plantings for the existing plantings being removed.  Mr. Roy will work closely with the Conservation Commission to identify a designated location for snow removal.

On a motion made by Keep and seconded by Wysocki, the Board of Selectmen voted to approve the site plan contingent on full approval of the Conservation Commission.  (Keep – yes, Wysocki – yes)

WILDER CULVERT PLAQUE

On a motion made by Wysocki and seconded by Keep, the Board of Selectmen voted to approve the request of Ms. Martha Remington to place a plaque near the Wilder Road culvert site to commemorate the 1825 culvert and the repair.  (Keep – yes, Wysocki – yes)  The plaque will read “Wilder Road culvert built in 1825 at a cost of $530 by Benjamin Sawyer, S.V. S Wilder, Road Commissioner.  Rebuilt in 2017”.  The plaque will be paid for out of the Historical Commission budget.

SIGN REQUESTS

592 Sugar Road: On a motion made by Wysocki and seconded by Keep, the Board of Selectmen voted to approve the request of Nicole LeBlanc to place a sign advertising the Le Petite Photography Studio at the end of her driveway at 592 Sugar Road.  (Keep – yes, Wysocki –yes)

727 Main Street:  Ms. Robin Bonazzoli requested approval to place a colonial looking sign on her property at 727 Main Street advertising her business – Country Well Acupuncture – which is located at Bolton Corners at 563 Main Street.  Ms. Bonazzoli stated that the sign is very small and hard to read, and in the past 12 years she has only received one client as a result of the sign at 563 Main Street.  Ms. Bonazzoli will provide Ms. Day with a sign design for review by the Board of Selectmen at their next meeting.

UPDATE ON CAMP VIRGINIA

Mr. Kenneth Troup provided the Board of Selectmen with an update on Camp Virginia.  There are two appraisals that established the value of the Camp Virginia property.  The Town appraisal is $1,140,000 for 10 lots and the Girl Scouts appraisal is $1,450,000 for 11 lots.  The Board of Selectmen agreed to apply for the PARC grant and the application was prepared mostly by Ashley Davies, Land Protection Specialist for the Sudbury Valley Trustees (SVT) with input from the working group and was officially submitted in July.  The grant will reimburse 56% of the Town’s purchase price up to $400,000 and Bolton will receive the maximum amount of $400,000.  The grant requires a conservation restriction to be held by the SVT and will also require public access.  The grant application excluded 2 building lots, one on Hudson Road and one on Long Hill Road.  The lots were excluded from the application but not in the appraisal and the Girl Scouts agree with selling the 2 lots.

The Girl Scouts are conducting a Forest Management Plan which interfered with the open house scheduled for September 9, 2017 and it has therefore been rescheduled for Saturday, October 28, 2017.

The working group is in the process of seeking input from the Parks and Recreation Commission about the acquisition and management of Camp Virginia. 

The recommendation is – and the Board of Selectmen agreed - that the informal group continues as is but they would like to be appointed to the Subcommittee if the Board of Selectmen decide to do so.

Mr. Troup reviewed the timeline put together as follows:  A public information session will be held at the Library on Saturday, September 20, 2017 from 1:00 to 3:00 p.m.; A public information session is scheduled for Tuesday, October 17, 2017 from 7:00 to 9:00 p.m. and public walk at Camp Virginia has been scheduled for Saturday, October 28, 2017 from 10:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m.   The timeline included the recommendation that a Special Town Meeting be scheduled for Monday, November 20 or November 27, 2017 followed by a debt-exclusion override election in December.  The article would be written for the entire amount, to be reimbursed, by the PARC grant if awarded to the Town of Bolton.  The closing would take place as soon as funds are available in early 2018 assuming the Girl Scouts accept the Town’s offer. 

Mr. Lowe suggested that the Board of Selectmen schedule the discussion to call a Special Town Meeting for their meeting on September 28, 2017 and that an executive session take place to discuss the parameters of the negotiations before scheduling a meeting with Barbara Fortier, representative of the Girl Scouts.

Mr. Troup stated that the Parks and Recreation Commission didn’t discuss sponsoring the article and he came away from a discussion with the Conservation Commission that they would rather not but agreed to go back and double check with them.

Mr. David Wylie, 201 Green Road stated that it is a great opportunity to acquire Camp Virginia and hoped the Board of Selectmen would consider.

TOWN ADMINISTRATOR REPORT

Update on Minuteman:  No update.

Update on Berlin Road Culvert:  Mr. Lowe stated that he met with the contractor for the Berlin Road culvert repair on site, the company has done an excellent job and the culvert looks great.  He anticipates Berlin Road opening on Friday afternoon, September 14, 2017.  The announcement of the road opening will be posted on the Town website and facebook.  Mr. Lowe doesn’t know the financial impact at this time but is pretty confident there will be sufficient funds in the original article.

Update on Town Roads Strategic Planning Committee:  Mr. Lowe reported that four individuals have showed interest in serving on the above-mentioned Committee but would like to have at least one more volunteer to serve on the Committee before making any appointments.

Mr. Lowe referenced the Route 117 Prioritization Committee Final Report that recommends the town, including the Selectmen, the Advisory Committee, the Capital Committee, the Department of Public Works, town stakeholders, and “an outside consultant with documented experience in transportation planning, Massachusetts highway requirements, and highway maintenance,” undertake these two efforts forthwith. Mr. Lowe stated that funds have not been appropriated for a consultant and suggested tasking the Committee members with making their recommendations to the Board of Selectmen that in turn can be used as a basis for putting an article on the warrant for the next Annual Town Meeting for funds to accomplish recommendations of the Committee.

Mr. Wysocki suggested not moving forward with the effort until the new DPW Director is on board.  It was agreed to continue advertising for volunteers to serve on the Committee Town Roads Strategic Planning Committee.

EMT Cadet Program:   In 1987, the Nashoba Regional High School began a Cadet Emergency Medical Technician (EMT) program in which students completed a state-approved college level EMT course and state examinations to be certified Cadet EMTS at the age of 16-1/2.  Since state regulations stipulate that EMTs have to be 18 years of age, a Special Projects Waiver was approved by the State’s Office of Emergency Medical Services (OEMS) to allow certification under the age of 18, and this waiver is renewed every 5 years for the past 30 years.  Mr. Lowe attended a meeting in Harvard with Ambulance Director Margy Diaz, and 4 EMT’s, who were spectacular in their presentation and how they conducted themselves, to discuss whether the State will continue to issue the waiver.  Mr. Lowe stated that the ultimate goal is to maintain the existing program.  He will provide the Board of Selectmen with periodic updates. 

BOARD OF SELECTMEN BUSINESS

Appointment:  On a motion made by Keep and seconded by Wysocki, the Board of Selectmen voted to appoint Rona Balco to the Nashua Wild and Scenic River Study Committee.   (Keep – yes, Wysocki –yes)

Special Resource Officer – Rules and Regulations:  Police Chief Nelson prepared the “Special Resource Officer – Rules and Regulations” document based on information received from various towns.  Police Chief Nelson met with Principal Mr. Paul DiDomenico to review the document and Superintendent Brooke Clenchy has reviewed the document but hasn’t forwarded any official response. 

Mr. Wysocki was fine with the document as outlined and felt that tweaks could be made along the way if necessary.  Mr. Keep agreed with Mr. Wysocki but stated that he didn’t see any of the language he proposed at the last meeting when discussing the Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) and felt it was important language.

Police Chief Nelson will review the revised document and meet with the Board of Selectmen at their meeting on September 28, 2017.

Reserve Officers:  The Police Department received 60 applications for 4 Reserve Patrol Officers positions.  Police Chief Nelson introduced Mr. Maxwell Bressi and Mr. Jeffrey White and recommended that they be appointed as Reserve Patrol Officers for the Town of Bolton.  Mr. Bressi is employed with the Bentley University Police Department as a Communication Officer and volunteers as a Special Police Officer for the Waltham Auxiliary Police Department.  Mr. White is employed with the Fitchburg State University Police Department as a full time Police Officer and is an active member with the Massachusetts Army National Guard.  Both gentlemen are qualified candidates that will fit nicely in Bolton.

On a motion made by Keep and seconded by Wysocki, the Board of Selectmen voted to approve the recommendation of Police Chief Nelson to appoint Mr. Bressi and Mr. White.  (Keep – yes, Wysocki – yes)

EXECUTIVE SESSION

On a motion made by Keep and seconded by Wysocki, the Board of Selectmen voted to go into executive session under Chapter 39, Section 23B (6) at 8:20 p.m. to consider the purchase, exchange, taking, lease, or value of real property if such discussion may have detrimental effect on the negotiating position of the governmental body.  The Board voted not to reconvene to open session.   (Roll Call:  Keep – yes, Wysocki -yes)

Respectfully submitted by Linda L. Day