Board of Selectmen Minutes
Meeting date:
Friday, February 10, 2012
Board of Selectmen Present: Stanley Wysocki
February 10, 2011 Curtis Plante
David Lindsay
Don Lowe, Town Administrator
Linda L. Day, Town Secretary
The Board of Selectmen met at the Town Hall at 7:00 p.m.
Mr. Dinjian, Chairman of the Advisory Committee was present.
Mr. Wysocki announced that he will be running for re-election to the Board of Selectmen.
STRETCH CODE ARTICLE
Present: Martha Broad, Paul Vasington, Stu Malmburg and Burt Shnitzler, members of the Energy Committee
The Energy Committee met with the Board of Selectmen to discuss the article being placed on the Annual Town Meeting warrant to adopt the Stretch Code. Adopting the Stretch Code is one of the requirements to qualify for Green Community designation. In 2012, the State will incorporate the Stretch Code into the building code, and if Bolton has not already adopted the Stretch Code, the Town will be required to comply with the code at that time.
Although Mr. Plante thought the stretch code was a great idea, he felt it was poor timing given today’s economy. Mr. Plante stated that the Massachusetts Builders Association was not in favor of the stretch code.
The Energy Committee provided a list of towns that have already adopted the Stretch Code.
The Energy Committee will review the Massachusetts Builders information and assumptions, and gather more information in preparation for the public hearing to be held.
INTERNATIONAL GOLF COURSE
Present: Brian Lynch, General Manager for The International Golf Course
Mr. Lynch met with the Board of Selectmen to request a change to the existing liquor license for The International Golf Club (IGC) at 159 Ballville Road. Currently the IGC holds a “club” liquor license which restricts the facility to the members and their guests. The request is to obtain a “full” liquor license which would allow the flexibility to create more opportunity for more people to utilize the facility.
The proposed change would require an article on the Annual Town Meeting warrant asking the town to vote to authorize the Board of Selectmen to file Home Rule Legislation to issue the license pursuant to Massachusetts General Laws, Chapter 138, Section 12.
Mr. Lowe confirmed that if the full liquor license was granted it would be tied to the address. Any proposed expansion of IGC facilities at the address would require a special permit and site plan review with the Board of Selectmen.
The Board of Selectmen was in favor of the request and will officially vote on the article when they review the entire warrant at a future meeting.
PMC BOLTON KIDS RIDE
Present: Kristen Keane
On a motion made by Lindsay and seconded by Plante, the Board of Selectmen voted to approve the 6th annual PMC Bolton Kids Ride to be held on Sunday, May 22, 2011 at the Florence Sawyer School. (Wysocki – yes, Plante –yes, Lindsay – yes)
The PMC Bolton Kids Ride has been approved by Chief Alfano and the School Administration.
The appropriate insurance liability has been obtained.
TOWN ADMINISTRATOR
Budget Update: The Advisory Committee met Tuesday, February 8, 2011 and reviewed the budgets for the Ambulance, Fire and Police Departments, as well as a new budget account 200, which is for the building expenses for the Public Safety Center that totaled $153,923. Because of time constraints, the Communications budget was not reviewed and will be rescheduled for the Advisory Committee’s March 8, 2011 meeting along with other departmental budgets that need to be revisited.
Budget Spreadsheet Summary: Mr. Dinjian provided an updated FY12 Budget Summary Spreadsheet that showed a Version A (baseline level funded) budget with a surplus of $19,690 and a Version B (3% department reduction) budget with a surplus of $35,979. The summary reflected a 13.9% increase in health care, which is an estimated $15,000 increase, and a 0.3% increase in the Version A budget and a 1.9% increase in the Version B for the NRSD budget.
Mr. Lowe complimented the Advisory Committee on their hard work. The Committee continues to look at every line item very closely and have also been very fair in suggesting increases when they felt as though a particular line item may be under-funded.
Snow and Ice: The Advisory Committee at their meeting on Tuesday, February 3, 2011 authorized the DPW Director to expend $100,000 over the $180,000 budget for snow and ice. Mr. Lowe will provide the Board of Selectmen with the expenditures for snow and ice thus far.
FYFESHIRE DAM
Present: Edith Ablavsky and Susan Tripp
The Board of Selectmen received a citizen’s petition from residents of Bolton and surrounding towns, asking that the Board of Selectmen not vote in agreement with the Conservation Commission to remove the Fyfeshire dam.
Mr. Lowe stated that the Conservation Commission has submitted an article for the Annual Town Meeting warrant for the removal of the Fyfeshire Dam, and there is a placeholder for a citizens’ petition for repair of the Fyfeshire Dam.
Many expressed their disappointment with the Conservation Commission for voting to remove the Fyfeshire Dam at the end of their meeting on November 16, 2010, when at that same meeting, earlier in the evening, they had indicated they would not be taking a vote.
Medicare Issue: In May of 2007 the Town voted to accept the provisions of Massachusetts General Laws, Chapter 32B, Section 18 which required all senior retirees, their spouses and dependents to enroll in the Medicare health benefits supplement plan offered by the Town. Bolton said it would pay 100% of the Medicare Part B cost for these and subsequent senior retirees who were employees of the Town at the time of the 2007 Annual Town Meeting. The issue now is that an individual, who converted to Medicare, is incurring an additional Part B surcharge due to his/her above-average income level.
Mr. Lindsay stated that he initiated the program and, at the time of the decision to require senior retirees to participate in Medicare, the high income level surcharge was not considered. He believes it was the intention to pay only the basic premium. Mr. Lindsay did not feel that the Town should be asking taxpayers who collectively have an average income equal to or lower than senior retirees subject to the higher income Part B surcharge to be subsidizing the surcharge of those that are enjoying an above average income. Although Mr. Wysocki and Mr. Plante were in agreement with Mr. Lindsay, the Selectmen agreed to have Town Counsel review the issue and provide an opinion for the next Board of Selectmen’s meeting on February 24, 2011.
REVIEW OF DRAFT ANNUAL TOWN MEETING WARRANT
The Board reviewed the draft annual town meeting warrant that contains 32 articles at this point.
Article 1: Unpaid Bill for Fiscal Year 2010;
Article 2: Accept Annual Reports;
Article 3: Fiscal year 2012 Operating Budget;
Article 4: Tax Title Transfer;
Article 5: Tax Title Transfer;
Article 6: Reauthorization of a Revolving Fund for Web-based Municipal Software Services;
Article 7: Fyfeshire Dam;
Article 8: Purchase of Pagers for the Ambulance Department ($36,346);
Article 9: Purchase of Weatherbee Land;
Article 10: Central Massachusetts Mosquito Control Project ($44,000); - Article 11: Acceptance of Section 1.22 – Stretch Energy Code Bylaw;
Article 12: Amendment of the Zoning Bylaws – Line of Sight at Intersection;
Article 13: Granting of Liquor License for the Nashoba Valley Winery;
Article 14: Granting of Liquor License for The International Golf Course;
Article 15: Amendment to the Zoning Bylaws, Section 2.5.3.1;
Article 16: Amendment to the Zoning Bylaws, Section 2.5.3.2;
Article 17: Amendment to the Zoning Bylaws, Section 2.5.3.3;
Article 18: Amendment to the Zoning Bylaws, to Add Section 2.5.3.4;
Article 19: Amendment to the Zoning Bylaws, to Add section 2.2.4;
Article 20: Amendment to the Zoning Bylaws, Section 2.4.2.2;
Article 21: Amendment to the Zoning Bylaws, Section 2.5.5.5(h);
Article 22: Amendment to the Zoning Bylaws, to Add Paragraph (j) to Section 2.5.5.6; Article 23: Amendment to the Zoning Bylaws, to Add Paragraph (k) to Section 2.5.5.6; Article 24: Amendment to the Zoning Bylaws, to Add Paragraph (l) to Section 2.5.5.6;
Article 25: Amendment to the Zoning Bylaws, to Add section 2.5.5.7 Design Review;
Article 26: Adoption of Maps Issues by the Federal Emergency Management Agency;
Article 27: Purchase of a 6-Wheel Dump Body Sanding Truck for the Department of Public Works ($154,184);
Article 28: Funds to Obtain Professional Services for Traffic Study;
Article 29: Citzens’ Petition – Traffic Survey for Installation of a Crosswalk Across Route 117 ($16,500);
Article 30: Fiscal year 2011 Budget Transfer;
Article 31: Citizens’ Petition – Repair of Fyfeshire Dam;
Article 32: Authorize Town Election
Of the 32 articles, there are 14 zoning bylaw articles. Town Counsel provided comment on the warrant and suggested that some of the zoning bylaw articles be combined into one. The Planning Board will host a public hearing to discuss the zoning bylaw articles.
The question was raised as to whether or not the Emergency Management had grant funds that could be used for the purchase of pagers for the Fire and EMS Departments.
A public hearing will be held Thursday, February 24, 2011 to discuss the option of the Town to become a member of the Central Massachusetts Mosquito Control project. Mr. Lindsay would like to see this article written as an override although Mr. Plante disagreed.
Mr. Lowe reported the Town Hall is in need of a new boiler and Mr. Brown, DPW Director agreed to forego the purchase of a “new” truck so that a new boiler could be purchased. The boiler is estimated to be approximately $20,000. The Board of Selectmen suggested that Mr. Brown might want to request funds for the purchase of a “used” truck.
Mr. Plante questioned who would be paying for the improvements as a result of the traffic study for the Spectacle Hill and Century Mill Roads area impacted because of the Century Mill Road subdivision.
There are two citizens’ petitions. One is to conduct a traffic survey for the installation of a crosswalk across Route 117 in front of the Nashoba Regional High School, and the second one is for the repair of the Fyfeshire Dam.
The warrant will continue to be finalized for the Board of Selectmen’s review and recommendations on each article at an upcoming meeting.
MINUTES
On a motion made by Plante and seconded by Lindsay, the Board of Selectmen approved the minutes of January 13 and January 27, 2011. (Wysocki – yes, Plante –yes, Lindsay – yes)
On a motion made by Plante and seconded by Lindsay, the Board of Selectmen voted to adjourn at 9:05 p.m. (Wysocki – yes, Plante –yes, Lindsay – yes)
Respectfully submitted by Linda L. Day