Board of Selectmen Minutes

Board of Selectmen                       Present:   Stanley Wysocki

May 6, 2015                                                   Lawrence Delaney

Town Hall                                                       Mark Sprague

                                                                      Don Lowe, Town Administrator

                                                                       Linda L. Day, Town Secretary

Chairman Delaney called the meeting to order at 7:00 p.m.

POST ANNUAL TOWN MEETING REVIEW

Moderator Richard Fly and Town Clerk Pamela Powell were present for this discussion.

The Board of Selectmen expressed their disappointment with the irresponsible action of a voter to suggest that the FY16 budget be rejected at the Annual Town Meeting on May 4, 2015.  If the Town doesn’t have a budget by July 1, 2015, the start of FY16, all town departments except for emergency services will have to be shut down.

The Selectmen discussed ways to modify the budget which included reducing the free cash target, reducing the contribution to Other Post-Employment Benefits (OPEB) and delaying some capital projects.  The Selectmen will schedule a meeting with the Advisory Committees in hopes of reaching a united front.

Mr. Lowe reviewed the calendar for a Special Town Meeting to be held on June 8, 2015, with the warrant being closed and signed by the Board of Selectmen on May 21, 2015.

The Board of Selectmen will attend the Advisory Committee meeting on Thursday, May 7, 2015.

The Board of Selectmen complimented Moderator Richard Fly on a job well done at the Annual Town Meeting.  

The Board of Selectmen reviewed the warrant for the Special Town Meeting called for Monday, June 8, 2015.

Article 1: Retroactive Detail Pay - Police Department:  On a motion made by Sprague and seconded by Wysocki, the Board of Selectmen voted to approve this article.  (Delaney – yes, Sprague – yes, Wysocki –yes)  

Article 3:  Reauthorization of a Revolving Fund for Web-based Municipal Software Services:  On a motion made by Sprague and seconded by Wysocki, the Board of Selectmen voted to approve this article.  (Delaney – yes, Sprague – yes, Wysocki –yes)  

Article 4:  Authorization of a Revolving Fund for the Cadet Program:  On a motion made by Sprague and seconded by Wysocki, the Board of Selectmen voted to approve this article.  (Delaney – yes, Sprague – yes, Wysocki –yes)  

Article 5:  Permitting and New Traffic Lights and Associated Hardware for Still River Road Intersection:  On a motion made by Sprague and seconded by Wysocki, the Board of Selectmen voted to approve this article.  (Delaney – yes, Sprague – yes, Wysocki –yes)  

Article 6:  Wilder Road Culvert Engineering:  On a motion made by Sprague and seconded by Wysocki, the Board of Selectmen voted to approve this article.  (Delaney – yes, Sprague – yes, Wysocki –yes)

Article 7:  Berlin Road Culvert Engineering:  On a motion made by Sprague and seconded by Wysocki, the Board of Selectmen voted to approve this article.  (Delaney – yes, Sprague – yes, Wysocki –yes)  

Article 8:  Truck and Plow Repairs:  On a motion made by Sprague and seconded by Wysocki, the Board of Selectmen voted to approve this article.  (Delaney – yes, Sprague – yes, Wysocki –yes)   

Article 9:  Department of Public Works Office Expansion:  On a motion made by Sprague and seconded by Wysocki, the Board of Selectmen voted to approve this article.  (Delaney – yes, Sprague – yes, Wysocki –yes)  

Article 10:  Department of Public Works Shop Improvements:  On a motion made by Sprague and seconded by Wysocki, the Board of Selectmen voted to approve this article.  (Delaney – yes, Sprague – yes, Wysocki –yes)  

Article 11:  Town Hall Parking Lot Lights:  On a motion made by Sprague and seconded by Wysocki, the Board of Selectmen voted to approve this article.  (Delaney – yes, Sprague – yes, Wysocki –yes)  

Article 12:  Patching the Driveway from Emerson School to Florence Sawyer School:  On a motion made by Sprague and seconded by Wysocki, the Board of Selectmen voted to approve this article.  (Delaney – yes, Sprague – yes, Wysocki –yes)  

Article 13:  Amendment to the Code of the Town of Bolton to Amend Division 1, Part 1, Administrative Legislation, Chapter 59 Meeting and Warrants, Subsection 59-2 Notice of Meetings:  This article will be revised to include the warrant being posted on the Town website and a town-wide mailing to all households will be done announcing the date of the town meeting.  On a motion made by Sprague and seconded by Wysocki, the Board of Selectmen voted to approve this article.  (Delaney – yes, Sprague – yes, Wysocki –yes)  

TOWN ADMINISTRATOR REPORT:

Update on Minuteman:  The Building Committee will vote on the preferred option regarding the building project at Minuteman and the vote will be forwarded to the School Committee.  Mr. Lowe will follow up with Mr. Kevin Mahoney regarding the question at town meeting regarding the more than usual increase to the Minuteman budget and what it included.

BOARD OF SELECTMEN BUSINESS

Request for signs for the TYRODS Club:  On a motion made by Sprague and seconded by Wysocki, the Board of Selectmen voted to approve the request of Mr. Maurer to place temporary signs along Route 117 advertising the Tyrods Annual Old Timers Reunion to be held at the fairgrounds in Lancaster on September 13, 2015.  (Delaney – yes, Sprague – yes, Wysocki –yes)  

Lion’s Club Toll Booth:  Dr. Amparo David met with the Board of Selectmen to request permission to hold the annual Lion’s Club tool booth on Main Street in front of Murphy Insurance on May 30, 2015 from 8:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. On a motion made by Sprague and seconded by Wysocki, the Board of Selectmen voted to approve the event on May 30, 2015 with a rain date of May 31, 2015. (Delaney– yes, Sprague – yes, Wysocki – yes)  

Eagle Scout:  On a motion made by Sprague and seconded by Wysocki, the Board of Selectmen voted to execute a letter to Tyler Hopkins congratulating him on his achievement of earning his Eagle. (Delaney – yes, Sprague – yes, Wysocki – yes)  Mr. Hopkins was thanked for his effort in designing and constructing the book drop box at the Houghton building for the Friends of the Bolton Public Library.  

EXECUTIVE SESSION

On a motion made by Delaney and seconded by Sprague, the Board of Selectmen voted 3-0 by roll call (Delaney – yes, Sprague – yes, Wysocki - yes) to enter into executive session at 7:52 p.m. pursuant to Massachusetts General Laws, Chapter 30A, Section 21(a)(3), to discuss strategy with respect to actual litigation by a group of abutters and residents of Route 117, as the Chair finds that an open meeting may have a detrimental effect on the Board’s litigating position.  (Delaney – yes, Sprague – yes, Wysocki – yes)

Respectfully submitted by Linda L. Day