Board of Selectmen Minutes

Board of Selectmen                                          Present:            Stanley Wysocki

September 28, 2017                                                                 Jonathan Keep                        

Town Hall                                                                                Don Lowe, Town Administrator

                                                                                                Linda L. Day, Town Secretary

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

Mr. Keep thanked Thomas Frain and his family for their service to the Town of Bolton.

PRESENTATION ON COMMUNITY PRESERVATION ACT

Representative Kate Hogan wanted to offer the Town another opportunity to discuss the Community Preservation Act (CPA) and invited Alison Leary, Associate Director, for the Community Preservation Coalition to give a presentation. 

The CPA creates a dedicated fund for Recreation, Open Space, Community Housing and Historic Preservation.  The CPA is state legislation that allows communities to elect to put a surcharge on their property taxes up to 3% and receive a state match.  There are 172 CPA communities.  Over 9,000 projects have been approved and $1.75 billion raised. 

The Coalition is a state-wide organization that works with the communities to adopt and implement the CPA.  They also have a great website and hotline that is very helpful.

Mr. Wysocki was an advocate for the CPA both times it came before the Town but unfortunately the town opted not to move forward with it.  Mr. Keep agreed that it would be a good way to save for the projects we know are coming up. 

Representative Hogan was very pleased with the projects in Maynard, Stow and Hudson as a result of the CPA.  Projects included a community park in Stow, fire station in Hudson and repairs in historic buildings.  

Mr. Wysocki suggested that public hearings be held to re-educate the residents about the CPA before placing it on the next annual town meeting warrant.

Ms. Leary stated that the Community Preservation Coalition has been lobbying at the State House to increase the state match and is very confident that they will be successful in the next couple of years.

HALLOWEEN PARADE AND PARTY

The Halloween parade and party is scheduled for Saturday, October 28, 2017 from 3:00 to 5:00 p.m.  The parade will start at Memorial Field and turn east on to Main Street to Mechanic Street, ending at Emerson School.  Police Chief Nelson has approved the event.  On a motion made by Wysocki and seconded by Keep, the Board of Selectmen voted to approve the event as requested by Ms. Laura Roberts, Parks and Recreation member.  (Keep – yes, Wysocki – yes)

PERSONS PARK

On a motion made by Wysocki and seconded by Keep, the Board of Selectmen voted to authorize Ms. Remington to have the stone mason seal the chimney at Persons Park. There will be no charge for this work to be done. (Keep – yes, Wysocki – yes)

Ms. Remington stated that there has been some water damage on the west side of the cellar because of the rain this past year.  The repair is estimated at $12,000 and she may be back to ask the Board of Selectmen for permission to make some repairs.

SIGN REQUEST – 683 MAIN STREET

Mr. and Mrs. Kurt Cassidy requested permission to hang a sign on their barn advertising Mr. Cassidy’s furniture refinishing business.  The sign will be two feet by eight feet and be hung directly over the barn doors.  On a motion made by Wysocki and seconded by Keep, the Board of Selectmen voted to approve the sign contingent on the necessary approvals of the Building Inspector.

ONE-DAY LIQUOR LICENSE – SCHARTNER FARM, 211 WEST BERLIN ROAD

The Board of Selectmen reviewed the request of Mr. Eric Schartner for a one-day liquor license for the “Taste of the Maze” event to be held on Sunday, October 22, 2017 from 10:00 to 5:00 p.m. at the Schartner Farm, 211 West Berlin Road.  Chief Nelson didn’t have any concerns regarding this event.  On a motion made by Wysocki and seconded by Keep, the Board of Selectmen voted to approve the one-day liquor license.  (Keep – yes, Wysocki – yes,)  Mr. Schartner was informed that any signs posted in the Town of Bolton advertising the event required prior approval from the Board of Selectmen.

TOWN ADMINISTRATOR REPORT

Update on Minuteman:  The building project is moving along and they are preparing to pour the foundation.  The Building Committee has authorized the Superintendent to approve change orders up to $25,000 and is sorting through permitting issues they are experiencing with Lincoln to try to limit the impact of fees on the project.

Update on the MMA Legislative Breakfast:  An update was provided on the Marijuana Law rewrite and Mr. Lowe will pass this information on to Town Planner Erica Uriarte.  The highlights of the rewrite includes expanding the Cannabis Control Commission (CCC) from three to five members; expanding the Cannabis Advisory Committee (CAB) intended to advise the CCC, from 15 to 25 members; permits anyone 21 years or older to legally possess up to 10 ounces and cultivate up to 6 plants per individual and up to 12 plants per household; gives the local governments limited authority to determine zoning and other ordinances to regulate marijuana; raises the total effective tax rate from 12% to 20 %; prohibits smoking marijuana wherever smoking cigarettes is prohibited; requires the state to construct the regulatory framework for the commercial marijuana industry by the time retail stores begin to sell recreational marijuana in June of 2018; and requires CCC to begin accepting applications on April 1, 2018. 

Update on Cruiser Bid:    Two firms responded to the request for bid for the 2017 cruiser.  They were MHQ, Inc. 401 Elm Street, Marlboro, MA - $39,228.05 and CMG Colonial Municipal Group, 40 Holman Road, Plymouth, MA - $43,458.30.   The bid will be awarded to the lowest bidder which is MHQ. 

Update on Heating Oil Bid:  Three firms responded to the request for bid for the heating oil for the various municipal buildings.  They included:  Fraticelli Oil Company, Inc., 239 Litchfield Street, Leominster, MA 01453 - Bid: $1.899/gallon ; Peterson Oil Service Inc., 75 Crescent Street, Worcester, MA 01605 - Bid: $2.050/gallon; Devaney Energy Inc., 177 Wells Avenue, Newton, MA 02459 - Bid: $2.149/gallon.  The bid will be awarded to lowest bidder which is Fraticelli Oil Company.

BOARD OF SELECTMEN BUSINESS

Appointments:  On a motion made by Keep and seconded by Wysocki, the Board of Selectmen voted to appoint Robert Kalagher to the Economic Development; Michael Keller to the Public Ways Safety Committee and Emily Winner to the Conservation Commission. 

On a motion made by Wysocki and seconded by Keep, the Board of Selectmen voted to appoint Doug Neuschafer, Chris Lineberry, Christopher Little, Mark Ayotte, Fred Van Bennekom and Patrick Mahoney to the Town Roads Strategic Planning Committee. 

Warrant for 2017 State Primary - November 7, 2017:  On a motion made by Wysocki and seconded by Keep, the Board of Selectmen voted to execute the warrant for the 2017 State Primary to be held on November 7, 2017.  (Keep – yes, Wysocki – yes)

Warrant for the Special Town Election – November 7, 2017:  On a motion made by Wysocki and seconded by Keep, the Board of Selectmen voted to execute the warrant for the Special Town Election on November 7, 2017.  (Keep – yes, Wysocki – yes)

Special Town Meeting:  The Board of Selectmen reviewed a calendar that provided a tentative date for a Special Town Meeting on October 30, 2017, and the Special Election to be held on November 7, 2017 which has already been called.  Mr. Lowe confirmed that he doesn’t have any formal requests on his desk for the Board of Selectmen to call a Special Town Meeting.

Mr. Troup stated that the two town boards most likely to sponsor the article for Camp Virginia don’t meet until the end of October which was too late.  He pointed out that the Board of Selectmen approved the PARC grant and hoped that they would be willing to sponsor the article.

Mr. Wysocki stated that the fact that the Board of Selectmen approved the PARC grant was to provide the ability to merely keep all options open.  He stated that the project still has a variety of unknowns and based on the forestry management plan it looked more like a development project.  Mr. Wysocki couldn’t support calling the Special Town Meeting for Camp Virginia, but it could be called by a citizen’s petition, which in this case he felt was very important so that the citizens could weigh in. 

Mr. Keep agreed that the tree cutting was upsetting but there are a lot of young trees that will grow back.  Mr. Keep was in favor of the Camp Virginia project and stated it was an opportunity that the townspeople should be allowed to vote on. 

A motion made by Keep to call a Special Town Meeting for October 20, 2017 was not seconded.

Therefore, Mr. Troup will seek the 200 signatures to call a Special Town Meeting. 

School Resource Officer Rules and Regulations:  On a motion made by Wysocki and seconded by Keep, the Board of Selectmen voted to approve the School Resource Officer Rules and Regulations as proposed.  (Keep – yes, Wysocki – yes)  Mr. Keep pointed out that “Section D.  Necessary Follow-Up” didn’t appear in the School Resource Officer Rules and Regulations or the Memorandum of Understanding.  Police Chief Nelson proposed the language be included in the MOU.

Town Common Purchase and Sale Agreement:  On a motion made by Wysocki and seconded by Keep, the Board of Selectmen voted to execute the Town Common Purchase and Sale Agreement.  (Keep – yes, Wysocki – yes)

Bills/Payroll Warrants:  On a motion made by Wysocki and seconded by Keep, the Board of Selectmen voted to approve the bills/payroll warrants W18-06, W18-06A, W18-07 and W18-07A.  (Keep – yes, Wysocki – yes)

Executive Session:  The agenda item to go into executive session pursuant to MGL c. 30A, §21(a)6 to consider the purchase of Camp Virginia was passed over.

On a motion made by Wysocki and seconded by Keep, the Board of Selectmen voted to adjourn at 8:40 p.m.  (Keep – yes, Wysocki - yes)

Respectfully submitted by Linda L. Day