Board of Selectmen Minutes
Meeting date:
Thursday, February 5, 2009
Board of Selectmen Present: Curtis Plante
February 5, 2009 Kenneth F. Troup
Stanley Wysocki
Michelle Ciccolo, Interim Town Administrator
Linda L. Day, Town Secretary
The Board of Selectmen met at the Town Hall at 7:00 p.m.
FRIENDS OF BOLTON SENIORS
Present: Terry Abdalian, Brenda Evans, Mary Ciummo, members of the Friends of the Bolton Seniors, and Sheila Chmielowski, Director of the Council on Aging
Ms. Abdalian asked for and received the Board’s support in designating the month of May as “We Love Our Seniors” month. Ms. Abdalian stated that we have over 700 seniors in town and they would like to think of them as the roots of our community and show them how much we love, respect and honor them. This is an opportunity to bring the community together to schedule a month of activities for the seniors. They hope to organize many activities during the month of May to convey this message to the seniors. Activities being discussed include luncheons, a small parade, events focused on grandparents and grandchildren, etc. May Day, Mother’s Day, Memorial Day ties in nicely with the idea also.
On a motion made by Wysocki and seconded by Troup, the Board of Selectmen voted to approve a banner across Main Street with the understanding that the Fire Department must be in agreement with putting the banner up when they take down the Annual Town Meeting banner. (Plante – yes, Troup – yes, Wysocki – yes)
The Selectmen will be kept informed of the planned activities and the banner design. Information will be posted to the website. The Board of Selectmen suggested that Ms. Abdalian contact Daniel Teague, to coordinate any activities and avoid any conflicts.
RULES AND REGULATIONS
Present: Sheila Chmielowski, Director of Council on Aging
The Council on Aging (COA) requested the Board of Selectmen adopt the Rules and Regulations for the Council on Aging. The COA voted and approved the rules and regulations at their meeting on December 2, 2008. Ms. Chmielowski stated that the only discrepancy is that the rules and regulations refer to 12 meetings when the bylaw refers to 10 meetings. It is the Selectmen’s view that the 10 meetings referred to in the bylaws is a minimum and that does not prevent them from having more meetings.
On a motion made by Wysocki and seconded by Troup, the Board of Selectmen voted to approve the rules and regulations for the Council on Aging. (Plante – yes, Troup – yes)
RED CROSS LINK
Holly Camero, Editor of the Bolton Common asked for permission to put a Bolton Common link on the Town of Bolton website. The Selectmen deferred discussion of this to allow for an assessment of the website and consideration to have a community page for links of local newspapers and other organizations.
A suggestion was also made to have Red Cross link on our Town of Bolton website that would be helpful to residents in preparing for an emergency. The Selectmen suggested that an Emergency Management page be created to include informational links such as this.
VERIZON CELL TOWER HEARING
The Board agreed that it would make sense to schedule the site plan and special permit hearing with the Board of Selectmen prior to the applicant going to the Board of Appeals for the required variances. This would eliminate the need to go back to the Board of Appeals a second time if the site plan were to be altered in anyway possibly changing the need for proposed variances.
STEPHENSON PROPERTY – CERTIFIED APPRAISAL
Ms. Atwood Burney, Town Planner provided the Board of Selectmen with four estimates to obtain a certified appraisal of the Stephenson property at the intersection of Manor Road and Wattaquadock Hill Road. On a motion made by Wysocki and seconded by Troup, the Board of Selectmen voted to approve the estimate received from Central Mass Appraisals in the amount of $450.00. (Plante – yes, Troup – yes Wysocki – yes)
LIBRARY
Present: Roland Ochsenbein, Panny Gerken, and Pam Czekanski, Library Construction Committee members, Ann Hurd, Campaign Committee member and Burt Shnitzler, Advisory Committee member
Monthly construction management report: The Board of Selectmen was provided with a monthly construction management report dated February 5, 2009 for the Bolton Public Library. The total amount expended to date is $938,075.47. The report also included a progress report for January 2009 and photos of the project. The Library Construction Committee was informed of some fees that were expended out of the Planning Board budget and the Committee was asked to contact Jenny Atwood Burney, Town Planner to determine if the fees should have been covered by the project budget.
The Board of Selectmen were also informed of a license agreement and a pole hearing that will be required for the change in overhead services at the library which will include the installation of two new utility poles on the site.
Mr. Shnitzler was provided with a copy of the monthly construction management report dated February 5, 2009 for the Advisory Committee.
Abandonment of well at library: Mr. Ochsenbein, Library Trustee and Library Construction Committee, and Mr. Rogers, Board of Health member confirmed that the well located on the library property had been abandoned. On a motion made by Wysocki and seconded by Troup, the Board of Selectmen voted to execute a letter to Mr. Brookings, Nashoba Associated Board of Health, informing him that the well on the library property had been abandoned. (Plante – yes, Troup – yes, Wysocki – yes)
EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT COORDINATOR
The Board reviewed the previous ad used when advertising for an Emergency Management Coordinator for the town. The Board would like to add a requirement the coordinator would represent the town when feasible at regional meetings and would oversee the emergency response plan. This position will be advertised on the website and in the Bolton Common noting that a full job description can be obtained from Ms. Day, Town Secretary. Mr. Lowe stated that there are funds available to communities that are willing to put together a regional plan and extended the concept of Clinton, Bolton and a third community working on a regional plan. Mr. Troup will act as the Emergency Management Coordinator until the Board of Selectmen has appointed someone to fill the vacancy.
SNOW REMOVAL DISCUSSION
Present: Harold Brown, DPW Director
Mr. Brown met with the Board of Selectmen to discuss snow removal this winter which has been a very difficult year so far. Mr. Brown stated that last year there were approximately 52 inches of snow, 7 plowable storms and his crew was called out 22 times. This year there has already been 61 inches of snow, 9 plowable storms and his crew has been called out 61 times. When you add the December 11, 2008 ice storm cleanup to this winter you can see why the budget is where it is.
Mr. Brown explained that his crew makes 4 passes on a road, with the first pass being to push the snow back and then a second pass to push the snow back even further. There are no circumstances that require more than 4 passes. It takes approximately 2-1/2 hours for a truck to complete a route. In response to complaints from residents about snow plows pushing snow into their driveways Mr. Brown stated that he pushes the snow back to widen the roads and prepare for the next snowfall. Mr. Troup asked when the residents could expect to plow their driveway and not be worried about being plowed in again. Mr. Wysocki stated that he did not think any resident should have the expectation that once they clear their driveway no more snow will be deposited back at the end of their driveway. Mr. Brown reiterated his main concern is the safety of the roads.
Mr. Brown uses his crew and 10 subcontractors for the plowing of the roads and without the subcontractors his crew is working without any rest.
The Board reviews the snow reports submitted on a regular basis and did not realize until Mr. Brown mentioned it that the snow reports only show the materials and overtime but does not show the regular time. Mr. Brown agreed to revise the reports to show both regular time and over time. So that we would have a complete picture of resources used in a storm.
Mr. Brown has been pleased with the communication between his department and the Police Department. The Board stated that this evening’s discussion with Mr. Brown was not only helpful to the Board but provided an explanation of the snow operations for the residents.
SHOVEL READY PROJECTS
The Board of Selectmen reviewed the consolidated and prioritized list of projects from Mr. Brown, DPW Director as follows:
Route 117 – including 117/Manor/Harvard intersection, 117/Wattaquadock intersection, 117/110 intersection, school zone flasher replacement, and resurfacing of Route 117 from the Lancaster Town Line to Route 495.
Culvert Replacement – including Spectacle Hill culvert replacement, East End Road culvert replacement and resurfacing of East End Road.
DPW Salt Shed – construction of a new salt storage shed
The Board agreed with Mr. Brown’s list with the exception that the Route 117 paving should not take place until the force main has been installed.
GREAT BROOK FARMS
On a motion made by Troup and seconded by Wysocki, the Board of Selectmen voted to approve the Common Victualer license for Great Brook Farms, 356 Main Street. (Plante – yes, Troup – yes, Wysocki – yes)
CAPITAL PLANNING COMMITTEE
On a motion made by Troup and seconded by Wysocki, the Board of Selectmen voted to appoint
Anita Scheipers, to the Capital Planning Committee, term expiration June 30, 2011. (Plante – yes, Troup – yes, Wysocki – yes)
LONG HILL ROAD
The Board is in receipt of a letter dated February 2, 2009 from Martha Remington regarding her displeasure with the decision by the Board of Health for a variance related to Long Hill Road.
LETTER DECLARING A STATE OF EMERGENCY
On a motion made by Wysocki and seconded by Troup, the Board of Selectmen voted to execute a letter to be sent to Mr. Gerry Perry, Director of Accounts requesting a deficit spending for the cleanup as a result of the devastating ice storm of December 11, 2008. (Plante – yes, Troup – yes, Wysocki – yes)
Meeting adjourned at 8:50 p.m.
Respectfully submitted: Linda L. Day