Board of Selectmen Minutes October 25, 2018
Board of Selectmen Present: Jonathan Keep
October 25, 2018 Robert Czekanski
Town Hall Stanley Wysocki
Don Lowe, Town Administrator
Linda L. Day, Town Secretary
Mr. Keep called the Board of Selectmen’s meeting to order at 7:00 p.m.
TAX CLASSIFICATION HEARING
Pursuant to Massachusetts General Laws, Chapter 40, Section 56, the Board of Selectmen held a public hearing regarding the property tax classification to discuss the option of a single or split tax rate for fiscal year 2019. Mr. David Manzello, Regional Tax Assessor, Mr. Jeff Nichols, Chairman, Charlotte Johnson-Zembko and Wendy Rogers, members of the Board of Assessors were present for the hearing.
The Board of Assessors recommended that the Board of Selectmen adopt a single tax rate.
On a motion made by Wysocki and seconded by Czekanski, the Board of Selectmen voted to approve a single tax rate in the Town of Bolton, in accordance with M.G.L. Chapter 40, Section 56, as amended, the percentage of local tax levy which will be borne by each class of real and personal property, relative to seeing the fiscal year 2019 tax rates and set the residential favor a 1.000, with a corresponding CIP shift of 1.000, pending certification of the Towns annual tax recap by the Massachusetts Department of Revenue. (Keep – yes, Czekanski – yes, Wysocki - yes)
The Board of Selectmen executed the LA-5 form as requested by Mr. Manzello.
On a motion made by Wysocki and seconded by Czekanski, the Board of Selectmen voted to close the hearing at 7:18 p.m. (Keep – yes, Wysocki – yes Czekanski - yes)
INCREASE IN BUILDING, ELECTRICAL, PLUMBING AND GAS PERMIT FEES
Mr. Michael Sauvageau, Building Inspector and Ms. Jennifer Jacobsen, Health and Permitting Assistant requested approval to increase certain building, electrical, plumbing and gas permit fees.
The proposed increase in the new dwelling fees is based on the International Code Council Building Valuation Data and the other proposed miscellaneous increases will put the Town of Bolton in parity with other communities of our size.
On a motion made by Wysocki and seconded by Czekanski, the Board of Selectmen voted to approve “proposal II” for the building permit fee schedule and the proposed increase in electrical, plumbing and gas permit fees as recommended, effective December 3, 2018. (Keep – yes, Czekanski – yes, Wysocki – yes)
VETERANS DAY CELEBRATION AND HOMETOWN HEROES UPDATE
Ms. Karen Regan informed the Board of Selectmen that funding has been completed for the design and printing of 25 Hometown Heroes banners and brackets. The Hometowns Heroes Day will be combined with the Veterans Day Luncheon. On Veterans Day, Sunday, November 11, a procession will start at the Bolton Office Park and proceed down Main Street, left onto Manor Road, and right onto Wattaquadock Hill Road to the Nashoba Valley Winery, where Richard Pelletier donated the use of the pavilion for the luncheon that will be catered by Il Camino Restaurant from Leominster.
ONE DAY LIQUOR LICENSE – BOLTON ORCHARDS
Ms. Sarah O’Toole, owner of Bolton Orchards requested approval for a one-day liquor license for a movie debut and Harvest Festival on October 28, 2018 from 12 noon to 6:00 p.m. On a motion made by Wysocki and seconded by Czekanski, the Board of Selectmen voted to approve a one-day liquor license contingent on receiving confirmation from Ms. O’Toole regarding the local brewery participating and the appropriate insurance certificate. (Keep – yes, Czekanski – yes, Wysocki – yes)
COMPLETE STREETS PRIORITIZATION PLAN PROJECT ROLL-OUT
DPW Director Joseph Lynch met with the Board of Selectmen to review the roll-out of the Complete Streets Prioritization Plan project. The Board of Selectmen congratulated Mr. Lynch on receiving the grant.
Mr. Lynch stated that the plan looks holistically at the entire town. The public and stakeholders will have the opportunity to provide comments and pin their concerns to a WikiMap that will be available on-line. Notices will be put out to the public via newspapers, Facebook, the Town website, Bolton Access Television, and there will be a public meeting the second week of November. The data will be compiled and a draft plan will be prepared and presented to the Board of Selectmen by March 1, 2018 with the final submission to MassDOT by April 1, 2019 which will make the Town of Bolton eligible for a tier 3 grant of up to $400,000.
TOWN ADMINISTRATOR REPORT
Update on Minuteman: Mr. Lowe didn’t have any new news.
Update on Portico Project: Mr. Lowe reported that the portico project is a couple weeks away from getting started. During the initial inspection of the portico, the contractors found some structural issues they are dealing with but there is no concern.
Update from the Fire Chief Screening Committee: Mr. Lowe read aloud a letter from John Petrin, Chairman of the Fire Chief Screening Committee (FCSC) that described their actions for bringing forward three candidates for the Board of Selectmen to interview.
The FCSC met on October 2nd to organize and develop a plan. On October 16th, 2018 the FCSC reviewed the applications received, selected candidates to be interviewed, and finalized questions to be asked of each candidate.
The FCSC voted unanimously to interview five candidates that best met the qualifications of the position as advertised. Four of the five candidates were interviewed on October 23, 2018 with the fifth candidate dropping out the day of the interviews because of accepting a position in another community.
Upon completion of the interviews, the FCSC voted unanimously to recommend William Choate, Timothy Kelly and Jeffrey Legendre be interviewed by the Board of Selectmen.
The Board of Selectmen scheduled interviews for Thursday, November 15, 2018.
Update on moving the Board of Selectmen’s meetings: Mr. Lowe received a positive but not definitive response from the leadership at Trinity Church regarding use of the parking lot by those attending the Board of Selectmen’s meetings if they were moved to the Public Safety Building. It would cost approximately $30,000 to install a walkway on the left had side of the Library leading to the Public Safety Building for those parking at the library. The Ambulance Department meets on the 2nd and 4th Thursday of each month and sometimes the 3rd Thursday for a special meeting. The estimated cost to equip the training room for broadcasting is approximately $12,000. There are a couple of open issues that still need to be addressed.
Mr. Czekasnki’s observation is that there is often two Thursday’s a month that the training room is available and the walkway between the Library and the Public Safety Building is not something that has to be done immediately. Mr. Czekanski suggested that when the intersection of Wattaquadock Hill Road and Main Street is upgraded as part of the grant a sidewalk be installed that extends from the Library to the Public Safety Building without crossing any streets.
Mr. Wysocki stated that no one has answered, to his satisfaction, why the Board of Selectmen meetings should be moved and it seems to be the desire of one Selectmen for no reason.
Mr. Czekanski reiterated that when the discussion took place about moving the Board of Selectmen’s meetings from the Houghton Building to the Town Hall he thought there were better solutions to pursue. The Town Hall is uncomfortable, poorly ventilated and in warmer weather it is an issue because you either have to listen to the noisy air conditioner or turn it off which makes it even more uncomfortable. Accessibility can also be an issue if you park behind the town hall and have to walk down the hill. The Houghton building is a bigger meeting room, better ventilated but parking is an issue.
Mr. Lowe stated that there are logistical issues that can be dealt with but the biggest concern is that he doesn’t want to displace the Ambulance Squad and the Board of Selectmen agreed.
Update on the MassWorks Grant Award: Mr. Lowe reported that he attended a ceremony in Tolland, MA to accept the MassWorks Grant in the amount of $975,000 from Lieutenant Governor Karyn Polito and Secretary of Housing and Economic Development Jay Ash.
Secretary Ash would like to hold a ceremony in Bolton. Mr. Lowe reported that it was a team effort spearheaded by DPW Director Joseph Lynch and couldn’t be more proud of his staff and all the people that helped with the grant. The Board of Selectmen congratulated Don and his staff.
Appointment: On a motion made by Czekanski and seconded by Wysocki, the Board of Selectmen voted to appoint Mr. Joseph Lynch, DPW Director as the Transportation Improvement Program representative for Bolton. (Keep – yes, Czekanski – yes, Wysocki – yes)
Performance Evaluation: Mr. Keep suggested that the Board of Selectmen do a performance evaluation on Mr. Lowe now to make up for the evaluation missed last April and then do an another performance evaluation in April, 2019.
Mr. Czekanski stated that according to the Town Administrator contract annual goals are supposed to be set for the following year by March 1. He didn’t see any value in doing a performance evaluation now and then in April based on the same set of goals.
Mr. Wysocki’s opinion was that the goals should be set outside of the contract and therefore suggested that the contract be re-opened.
Mr. Keep thought it was unnecessary to open the contract until the term of the contract has been completed, but would like to do a performance evaluation now.
Mr. Lowe welcomed a review whenever the Board of selectmen decided.
In the end, the Board of Selectmen agreed to do Mr. Lowe’s next performance evaluation in March, 2019.
Bills/Payroll Approval: On a motion made Wysocki and seconded by Czekanski, the Board of Selectmen voted to approve the bills/payroll warrant W19-08 and W19-08A. (Keep – yes, Czekanski – yes, Wysocki – yes)
On a motion made by Czekanski and seconded by Wysocki, the Board of Selectmen voted to adjourn at 8:30 p.m. (Keep – yes, Czekanski – yes, Wysocki – yes)
Respectfully submitted by Linda L. Day