Shutesbury Board of Selectmen November 11, 2008 Meeting Minutes Members present: Chairman Rebecca Torres, Ralph Armstrong and Al Springer. Also Present: Town Administrator David C. Dann and Administrative Secretary Leslie Bracebridge. Meeting opened at 7:05 P.M. Appointments Police Chief Harding: * Reviewed reductions of state payments for police departments: o Community policing funds will be reduced from $11,299 to about $7,580 next year. o With the Quinn Bill the town puts out the full amount and then the state reimburses the town by ½ in the following year. The state is talking about eliminating their ½ of the Quinn Bill. Officer Wall will be eligible for the Quinn Bill. Reduced state reimbursement would not affect the town in January 2009 but it would affect the town in January 2010. Town Treasurer Voelker will be consulted as to whether or not the town would be responsible for the ½ that the state doesn’t contribute. * Since other state programs are being cut, and the Highway Safety Grant may also be cut, Chief Harding is not going to pursue it this year. In previous years, the state has not reimbursed promptly causing the town to have lost out on some reimbursement funds. * Graduation exercises from the Police Academy for Officers Wall and Chandler are at 3 PM on November 21 in Worcester; all Selectmen are invited to attend. * Officer Wall will begin full time work in Shutesbury in the following week. Chief Harding reviewed the projected department schedule. Fire Chief and Emergency Management Director Tibbetts: * Everyone on the department has just completed a First Responder and CPR recertification program, with the new recruits being initially trained in First Responder and CPR. New recruit Sean Sawicki is taking an EMT course at GCC in addition to the First Responder and CPR. Chris Hasbrouck, George Davies and Chief Tibbetts have just completed a course at Greenfield Community College on the smoke detector installation code. This is a first step for Chris and George to be able to assist Chief Tibbetts in smoke detector installation inspections. * On Monday, Nov. 3 Chief Tibbetts and the New Salem Fire Chief participated in a simulated fuel oil spill on Route 202 sponsored by the Department of Conservation and Recreation (DCR). The Massachusetts Water Resources Association (MWRA) also participated in the exercise. Within 2 hours of the simulated event, they had oil containment booming at the mouths of the brooks feeding into the Quabbin Reservoir and on the brooks near the source of the spill. There was excellent cooperation between the DCR and the towns of New Salem and Shutesbury. As a result of the exercise, Shutesbury may receive additional equipment useful in fuel oil containment, including equipment for use with the rescue boat. * The older vehicle transferred from the Police Department to the Fire Department following the purchase of a new police cruiser has been cleaned, the lettering removed and the new lettering added. The blue light bar has been switched to red. The radios need to be switched, and then the old police vehicle will be in service for the Fire Department. * The retired Fire Department vehicle matches the replacement Fire Department vehicle. If not much money is to be gained by auctioning off the old vehicle, Chief Tibbett’s suggests it might be prudent to store the old vehicle for parts. Selectmen authorized Chief Tibbetts to ask Highway Superintendent Hunting if room is available to store the retired vehicle in the garage on Lot O-32. If so, someone will need to check the vehicle periodically to monitor for vandalism. * Update on Connect CTY: o A recent update to the CTY database using 4 different local databases led to close to 200 additional households being added to the system, mostly from the Amherst zip code areas. o 15 or so households are still not in the system due to unlisted numbers; one unlisted number has already been resolved and resolution of the others will be worked on. o 30 numbers listed with incorrect addresses were sent to E-911 Coordinator Michael Friedman, which Michael is reconciling with Verizon. o The October 22 test put successful deliveries at ~89% and unsuccessful deliveries at ~11%. * 85% of the unsuccessful calls were due to “no answer,” 4 of which were fax machines or modems and 6 were lines that had a “busy” signal. o Only 6 attempted calls came back as “bad” phone numbers. o CTY will be notified that several people reported the message volume was extremely low, while other recipients, when asked, reported they received normal volume messages. o A few people living in the first or second house over the town line in Leverett, on North Leverett Rd. have requested inclusion in Shutesbury’s notification system. Becky noted that even a slight delay waiting for Shutesbury’s message to get to the Leverett emergency system, received and re-broadcast to those people through Leverett’s CTY system could be critical in the event of a dam emergency. She said that it may make sense to include those people in Shutesbury’s CTY system for emergency messages for that area. * Pagers: Shutesbury previously received between $6,000 and $8,000 in communications equipment. Now, in addition reimbursement check in the amount of $1295 has been sent for the return of the old pagers. Being NIMS compliant has netted the town the equivalent of at least $8,000. * Review of the June 19, 2007 letter from Fire Chief Tibbetts to the Shutesbury Athletic Club (SAC) regarding SAC activities that allow the SAC to remain in business without a sprinkler system: o Requiring installation of a sprinkler system would likely be so expensive as to put the SAC out of business. o If the Club has strictly musical events they become more like a night club and need a sprinkler system. o If SAC events are centered around a meal with some entertainment after, that seems to be OK for the SAC to operate without a sprinkler system. o Becky wonders if the Select Board should add something to the Memo of Agreement to be in line with the state fire marshal or is it separate? Chief Tibbetts feels his requirements are strictly about whether or not the facility is to be sprinklered; if activities go beyond the allowed uses, and then the SAC has to be sprinklered. o Entertainment after a dinner should only be for attendees to the dinner. If the SAC opens its doors to the public after, that’s more night club. o Chief Tibbetts carefully checked the concepts with the legal department at the Department of Fire Services (DFS) before composing the letter to the SAC. * Discussion of how the budget lines for fuel use by the Highway, Fire and Police departments are being handled: o Fire Department usage as reflected in the budgets went from nothing to 100% of budget line and is now back down again. o The meter used previously, before the tanks were changed, that automatically tracked use by department is still available. This keyed system would also offer a layer of security. o In the interest of saving staff time, it would be preferred to use the keyed metered system. * Al and Walter: Reported on the new water supply line to 50 Leverett RD. The old water tank was removed from the house and the Fire Station pump provides the water at 50 Leverett RD. At 7:30 PM Selectmen met with Lake Wyola Association (LWA) President Norene Pease and members Carol Samuels, Gary West, Kathy Salvador, Henrietta Kocot, Charlie Lehane, Thad Dabrowski and Joseph Salvador Norene described the nature and activities of the LWA: * The Association of homeowners in the Lake Wyola area has an all volunteer membership. * It is a social organization founded in 1960. * Members are in the process of trying to up-grade many services. * They try hard for consensus but many different opinions are held amongst members. * Of the 185 households around the lake meeting the definition of eligibility only 105 belong. * Income: Annual member dues of $100 brings in $10,500/year. * Six, soon to be seven events each summer bring in additional funds. A new fund raising event for the coming year will be a car show. * Expenses: Property taxes on the Association building 7 miles of roads to maintain 3 beaches to maintain * Residents pay $690,000 in property taxes to the town each year. * This year the Association has been busy re-grading roads including excavating efforts and the efforts of civil engineers with a goal of minimizing sediment deposits into the lake. * Two estimates of the cost to address corrections detailed in the annual letter from the town in order for the private lake roads to be plowed by the town are between $20,000 and $75,000. * The Association took part in a storm-water improvement study which helped them to learn a lot about storm water run-off and sedimentation into the lake. * The Association is working toward the betterment of Great Pines and Lake Drives. * Currently the Association is improving West Beach which hasn’t been done in 20 years. * The Association has considered a dues increase but must balance that against only 55% participation. Increasing dues could decrease membership with no mandate to pay. Chair Torres: It’s staggering that there are no deeded mandates to contribute to the up-keep to the roads. Norene: * Many deeds date back to 1938. * The Association would love to dialogue with the town about compelling residents to join the Association, at least when properties turn over. Chair Torres: Will ask legal Town Counsel how to implement such a thing tomorrow. It would have to be in the zoning bylaw. The zoning bylaw already has requirements for shared driveways for new construction. The town couldn’t deny an electrical permit if a property owner is not in the Association. Any creative way to achieve 100% participation must be legal. Al Springer: Have the 80 (non-participating) houses been approached to contribute? Thad Dabrowski: We want good roads, not court cases. Carol Samuels: Historically road repair has been “patchwork.” Norene: The priority is to develop a plan so the LWA is not reacting to a “punch list” each year. Joseph Salvador: Since the Association has a limited amount of funds, is there any equipment available for use if the LWA pays for materials? Chair Torres: It sounds really nice; the problem is that the lake roads are not the only private roads in town. Other private roads would want the same. Maintenance of the roads was never grandfathered in. Chair Torres: Can you draft people from other parts of town to join the LWA to raise funds? Norene: Would be concerned about liability insurance increasing and there would be problem of beach access with no parking at any of the beaches. Thad Dabrowski: Condition of roads needs only to be appropriate for 15 mph. Answer: The concern is with the trucks’ height and width getting through and not breaking springs. Dabrowski requests more specifics. Resolved that the Town Administrator, the Highway Superintendent and Al Springer will take a walk with Thad and Charlie Lehane to review what still needs to be done for Lake and Great Pines Drives to be plowed this winter. Chair Torres: Read the 2001 plowing of private roads policy and gave a copy to Norene and others. The wording of the policy states that “approved roads must be adequately maintained throughout the year by the homeowners abutting the road. A letter could be sent to the residents of Great Pines and Lake Drs. containing the paragraph of the policy citing that the abutters of the road are responsible for the maintenance. In the letter there will be the specifics of what still needs to be done so that the neighbors know what is expected. Enforcement is that the plow will not go down the roads that are not properly prepared. Figure out what the individual costs would be if the town wasn’t plowing the roads. We had an estimate in 2001 of $20,000 if the homeowners were to pay for plowing. Norene summarized: The Highway Superintendent will be in touch with Charlie Lehane for a walk. David will draft a letter and shared with Thad Dabrowski. Carol Samuels: Promotes more communication between the town Lake Wyola Advisory Committee (LWAC) and the Lake Wyola Association. LWAC Chairman Bob Thompson told Carol the three things the LWAC is pursuing is cell phone service, community septic and clean-out of the north cove and he understands they are not necessarily the 3 issues that the LWA is interested in. Becky recommended that an LWA member attend the LWAC meetings. Norene: Bob did come to an LWA meeting. Amherst Pelham Regional School Committee Representative Marianne Jorgensen met with the Selectmen and Finance Committee Chairman Eric Stocker and members: William “Bill” Wells and Elaine Puleo and School Committee Chairman Michael DeChiara: * The regional school committee would like to sponsor a 4-town meeting in Amherst. * Marianne distributed 6 funding scenarios compiled by Interim Co-Superintendents Helen Vivian and Al Sprague and Director of Finance and Operations Rob Detweiler: o Level service, level funding (requires cuts), worst case scenario, minimal, adequate and with optimal enhancements * Marianne reviewed the budget process and responded that the region would “absolutely” consider what the 4 towns can do. * Eric: For level services, budgets must increase by 11+%. We can’t consider a 12% increase. Marianne: “So there’s a section that describes cuts. That’s it in a nutshell: There’s no money.” * Discussion of the state’s effort to find hidden efficiencies in education. The next regional meeting is a GCC next Thursday. Stan Rosenberg’s advice: The sooner they pull something together locally, the more they can counter act something from Boston being thrown at us: Michael DeChiara: If it comes from Boston it won’t meet the needs of Western Mass. So they are trying to “get ahead of it.” In June the Governor released its readiness project. It brought forth a slew of ideas. The main driver is finances. Two different realities: The superintendent of Hadley suggests that with the consolidation of small schools: Year one you save money in years 2, 3, 4 it grow back due to needed middle management. There aren’t really savings; you loose local control and “custom ability.” Public Management Associates completed the first phase to identify cost saving recommendations with a “Study of Potential Efficiencies” available on line at http://groups.google.com/group/franklincounty education). The New England School Development Council (NESDEC) is conducting a second phase with their report due out in March of 2009. The extreme would be making Franklin County one school district. The state’s ideal would be 5,000 students per district. In all of Franklin County there would be 3,000 students. If you are in a region you don’t have local control. A Union is different. Pelham and Amherst is Union 19. “We want to retain our autonomy, but it’s important to consider reestablishing our dance partners” Marianne: This conversation is not being had at the regional level. It would be interesting to her to know when this conversation sooner than later. Becky: Described the Oct. 17 meeting for Selectmen that she attended in Sunderland. Franklin Regional Council of Governments was represented by Linda Dunleavy who created the footprint road program and Boston listened. This is an issue to pay close attention to. The Readiness Project is a large list of what can be done to change education, from teacher contracts to community college education. Michael: Has created a website called franklincountyeducation.info and has created a Google group that he can put the selectmen on. 4-town meeting discussion: Amherst and Pelham do not have a lot of money. Amherst is looking at an override. Pelham does not have money. There will definitely be pressure to keep the budget low. Discussion of what caliber of town the region benchmarks itself against: Eric: How do you do it without any money? Marianne: A very vocal group that would like to benchmark the region against higher achieving academic towns. Elaine: Their website is very impressive. Marianne: we can’t make a million dollars of cuts and maintain the goals of the “ACE Group.” Discussion: over 100 Amherst homes are owned by Amherst College tax free. They house professors and families whose children are educated by the public school system of Amherst. Michael DeChiara: Lack of high speed Internet for 23 boxes on West Pelham Road from Baker Road to the Pelham line: “Universal Service” requires all telephones to have adequate telephone service. Michael emailed Rep. Kulik that they need better telephone service (which if they got it, would include the high speed. The Lake is the biggest chunk without high speed right now. Weatherwood doesn’t have it. Michael thinks houses close to Leverett on January Hills get it. Not 100% sure about the side roads. Topics 1. Selectmen signed kudos letters for the members of the Community Preservation Act Study Committee and discussed how appointments would be made to the Community Preservation Committee. 2. There was no discussion of the 4-day work week as listed on the agenda. 3. Selectmen received complete packets of information concerning the annual re-licensing process for the Shutesbury Athletic Club alcoholic beverages license and the annual Clark Auto Class III license renewal. Select Board Action Items 1. Selectmen unanimously voted to accept the meeting minutes of September 30, 2008, including the executive session, as written. 2. Selectmen signed vendor warrants totaling $124,107.40 and payroll warrants totaling $79,006.14. 3. Selectmen unanimously voted to appoint Susan Rice, Robert Creed, Karen Traub, Frank Citino, Narda Wakoluk, as election officers retroactive to November 4, 2008 through August 15, 2009. 4. Selectmen unanimously voted to sign a Chapter 90 Project Reimbursement Request number 50975 in the amount of $205,137.26 for repaving the western end of Leverett Road between Pratt Corner Road and the Leverett Town Line. New Topics 1. Selectmen reviewed a letter Becky had prepared to Governor Patrick thanking him for the $150,000 in funding for the dam repairs in the case that the funding comes through. 2. Selectman Springer summarized work being done at the dam. At the end of the week the sleeves will be put in and they will start the access road off to the side. 3. Becky: The waterline (to 50 Leverett Road) is in and tested thanks to Walter Tibbetts and Al Springer. Meeting adjourned at 10:00 P.M. Respectfully submitted, Leslie Bracebridge, Administrative Secretary 081111 Selectboard 1