Board of Selectmen Minutes
Meeting date:
Thursday, July 11, 2013
Board of Selectmen Present:Stanley Wysocki
July 11, 2013 Lawrence Delaney
Mark Sprague
Don Lowe, Town Administrator
Linda L. Day, Town Secretary
The Board of Selectmen met at the Town Hall at 7:00 p.m.
POLE HEARING – MAIN STREET
Present: Mark Caisse, Tree Warden, Roland Ochsenbein, Abutter
The Board of Selectmen opened the public hearing continued from June 20, 2013 on the petition of Verizon New England, Inc. and Massachusetts Electric Company (NGRID) to place one (1) new stub Pole No. 3S on the southerly sideline of Main Street which is approximately 48 feet south of the existing Pole No. 3. Mr. Ochsenbein informed the Board of Selectmen that Verizon has agreed to place the stub pole in the location chosen by the abutters. The abutters and Verizon will work to finalize an easement. On a motion made by Delaney and seconded by Sprague, the Board of Selectmen voted to continue the hearing to August 15, 2013 at 7:00 p.m. (Wysocki – yes, Delaney – yes, Sprague – yes)
TOWN ADMINISTRATOR
Update on Minuteman: Mr. Lowe reported that the Building Committee is scheduled to meet with the School Committee at the end of the month for direction regarding the renovation project. It was also noted that Superintendent Bouquillon’s contract has been extended for one year.
Update on Emergency Management Co-Director: Mr. Moses was not available to attend the meeting. Discussion was deferred to August 15, 2013.
Bolton’s 275th Birthday Celebration: Mr. Lowe acknowledged the hard work done by the 275th Planning Committee on the Town parade and festivities to celebrate Bolton’s 275th Anniversary. Reverend Richard Jones, Town Secretary Linda Day and the entire Committee were congratulated on a job well done.
Department of Transportation: Mr. Lowe reported that he is working with the Department of Transportation to resolve the traffic back up situation on Route 117 from Stow to Bolton as a result of the lights not cycling correctly. Representatives of the Department of Transportation have walked the site and will work on the issue until there is a resolution.
POLE HEARING – HARVARD ROAD
Present: Mark Caisse, Tree Warden; Iris Geeston-Price, Representative of National Grid; Eileen Fitzpatrick, Realtor, and the buyers of 125 Harvard Road.
The Board of Selectmen opened the hearing on the petition of National Grid to install one (1) SO Pole and stub pole on Harvard Road beginning at a point approximately 2937 feet N/W of the centerline of the intersection of West Main Street (Route 117). The pole will service a new home at 125 Harvard Road.
Mr. Caisse, Tree Warden recommended that a push brace be installed to support the pole to avoid cluttering the roads with unnecessary stub poles. Ms. Price stated that although the push brace was an option, a stub pole was the best option. Ms. Price and Ms. Fitzpatrick, Realtor explained that there was some urgency to installing the pole so that the buyers could obtain an occupancy permit before their approved interest rate expired. Ms. Price encouraged the Board of Selectmen to approve the petition and agreed to work closely with Mark Caisse, Tree Warden in the future to avoid stub poles.
Building Inspector Mike Sauvageau agreed to issue a temporary occupancy permit if the buyers could provide temporary power to the house.
The Board of Selectmen was sympathetic to the situation but at the same time pointed out that this hearing was the first they were hearing of the petition.
Ms. Price agreed to do another site visit although she could not promise she would consider the recommended push brace.
On a motion made by Delaney and seconded by Sprague, the Board of Selectmen voted to continue the hearing to Tuesday, July 16, 2013 at 7:00 p.m. (Wysocki – yes, Delaney – yes, Sprague – yes)
POLE HEARNG – MAIN STREET
Present: Mark Caisse, Tree Warden and Mr. Steve Bigley, representative of Verizon
The Board of Selectmen opened the hearing on the petition of Verizon New England, Inc., and Massachusetts Electric Company (NGRID) to place one (1) New JO Stub Pole and one (1) JO Pole on the northeasterly sideline of Main Street.
The proposed poles are to service the solar farm at Bolton Orchards. Mr. Bigley stated that the poles are not visible from the homes and don’t interfere with visibility when entering or exiting the driveway.
On a motion made by Delaney and seconded by Sprague, the Board of Selectmen voted to approve the installation of the poles as requested (Wysocki – yes, Delaney – yes, Sprague – yes)
POST ANNUAL TOWN MEETING
Present: Jim Anker, Moderator; Pamela Powell, Town Clerk
Overall the Annual Town Meeting on Monday, May 13, 2013 went very well. Pamela Powell, Town Clerk, Linda Day, Town Secretary and everyone involved in preparing for town meeting were thanked for their efforts.
SPECIAL TOWN MEETING
A tentative date of Tuesday, October 15, 2013 has been set for a Special Town meeting. The meeting will allow voters to approve the final FY14 budget for the Nashoba Regional School District.
SOLAR RFP PRESENTATION (Energy Committee)
Present: Burt Shnitzler and Margaret Campbell, Energy Committee members and Martha Remington, Historical Commission Chairman
Energy Committee members met with the Board of Selectmen to provide an update on the efforts to solicit a request for proposal to lease land for a solar generating facility on town property. The request for proposal has been drafted and reviewed by Town Counsel. Four potential sites for the solar facilities include the capped landfill, the sheep field, the Florence Sawyer School parking lot and the cell tower site on Main Street. The landfill is 8 acres and the site that is preferred by Energy Committee. Ms. Remington suggested that the sheep field not be chosen because it is a historical site. Mr. Lowe confirmed that the Department of Environment Protection approved the capped landfill as a potential site based on the nature in which the landfill was capped.
ISSUANCE OF FINES
Mr. Michael Sauvageau, Building Inspector recommended that the Selectmen grant him the authority to enforce and issue fines for zoning bylaw violations for the Board of Selectmen. According to the current zoning bylaws, the Selectmen shall take all such action as may be necessary to secure full compliance with the bylaws. Mr. Sauvageau stated his approach would be to first speak with the violator to inform them of the violation, give them sufficient time to resolve the issue, followed by a revisit and if necessary a formal letter before any fine is issued.
On a motion made by Delaney and seconded by Sprague, the Board of Selectmen voted to adopt the policy authorizing the Building Inspector to enforce the bylaws on behalf of the Board of Selectmen including the issuance of fines for zoning violations. (Wysocki – yes, Delaney – yes, Sprague – yes)
REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL FOR THE HOUGHTON BUILDING EXTERIOR
Present: Harold Brown, DPW Director; Martha Remington, Historical Commission member and Tim Fiehler, Historic Society member and Roland Ochsenbein, abutter
The Board of Selectmen received correspondence from the Historical Commission recommending two different requests for proposal is solicited for the exterior work to be done on the Houghton Building. One proposal would be to replace the wood clapboards with fiber cement and the other proposal would be to strip and repaint the existing clapboards.
On a motion made by Delaney and seconded by Sprague, the Board of Selectmen authorized Mr. Brown to solicit two quotes for the Houghton Building to include the replacing of wood clapboards with fiber cement; and stripping, de-leading and repainting the existing clapboards. (Wysocki – yes, Delaney –yes, Sprague – yes)
BOARD OF SELECTMEN BUSINESS
Appointments: On a motion made by Delaney and seconded by Sprague, the Board of Selectmen voted to appoint Kay Stoner to the Board of Appeals, term expiration June 30, 2018. (Wysocki – yes, Delaney – yes, Sprague – yes)
Longevity: On a motion made by Delaney and seconded by Sprague, the Board of Selectmen voted to approve an additional $100 to Linda Day, Town Secretary and Donna Hathaway, Dispatcher who have accumulated over 20 years of service to the Town of Bolton. (Wysocki – yes, Delaney – yes, Sprague – yes)
Devens Regional Household Hazardous Intermunicipal Agreement: On a motion made by Delaney and seconded by Sprague, the Board of Selectmen voted to execute an amended Devens Regional Household Hazardous Intermunicipal Agreement accepting the Town of Ashby as a new member of the Regional Hazardous Waste Program. (Wysocki – yes, Delaney – yes, Sprague – yes)
Minutes: On a motion made by Delaney and seconded by Sprague, the Board of Selectmen voted to approve the minutes of June 20, 2013. (Wysocki – yes, Delaney – yes, Sprague – yes)
End of Year Budget Transfers for Snow and Ice: On a motion made by Delaney and seconded by Sprague, the Board of Selectmen voted to approve an end of year budget transfer in the amount of $92,259.01 from various departments and an end of year budget transfer in the amount of $63,000 from various departments to snow and ice. (Wysocki – yes, Delaney – yes, Sprague – yes)
End of Year Budget Transfer for Police Expenses: On a motion made by Delaney and seconded by Sprague, the Board of Selectmen voted to approve an end of year budget transfer in the amount of $5,000 from police wages to Police expenses. (Wysocki – yes, Delaney – yes, Sprague – yes)
On a motion made by Delaney and seconded by Sprague, the Board of Selectmen voted to adjourn at 9:10 p.m. (Wysocki – yes, Delaney – yes, Sprague – yes)
Respectfully submitted by Linda L. Day