Shutesbury Board of Selectmen
September 22, 2009 Meeting Minutes as amended and approved on 9/29/09

Members present: Chairwoman Elaine Puleo, Al Springer and Eric Stocker. 
Also Present: Town Administrator Rebecca Torres and Administrative Secretary Leslie Bracebridge, recording.

Meeting opened at 6:30 P.M.

Topics
1.  Report on 5-Town Union 28 Meeting:
* All towns want more communication from the Union 28 office.
* The conclusion was that there should be more sharing of information between the Union 28 communities with an eye toward more meetings as needed.
2.  School Committee Report from Al:
* Selectmen hope school personnel respond positively to the letter concerning counting lunch money.

Updates
1.  Fire station Gasoline Spill RFP:  Not yet available.
2.  Solar Array RFP:  Not yet available.

Select Board Action Items
1.  Unanimously voted to approve the minutes of September 1st and 15th, 2009 as written.
2.  Select Board appointments:
* Unanimously voted to appoint David Green to the Lake Wyola Advisory Committee (LWAC).
* Neither the Planning Board nor the LWAC have yet selected representatives to the Water Resources Committee.  Selectmen unanimously voted to appoint William “Bill” Elliott to the Water Resources Committee.
* Selectmen unanimously voted to appoint Wm Levine, William “Bill” Wells, Sarah Shields and Mary Lou Ferro to the Farm and Forest Commission.  They join Rebecca Torres who was appointed in July, making it a fully appointed board.
  
New Topics 
1.  Selectmen discussed the 9/21/2009 Amherst-Pelham Regional Schools Superintendent meeting.

All Boards Meeting
In the presence of Finance Committee Chairman Patrick Callahan and Finance Committee members  William “Bill” Wells and Lori Tuominen, Town Accountant Gail Weiss and Town Treasurer Gabriel “Gabe” Voelker, School Committee member and Amherst-Pelham School Committee representative Kristen Luschen and School Committee member Martina Dooley-Carvalho, Library Director Mary Anne Antonellis and Library Trustees and Library Facility Needs Assessment Committee (LFNAC) Chairwoman Karen Traub, Town Buildings Committee Chairman Dale Houle, Recycling Coordinator Gary Bernhard, Conservation Commission, Recycling and Web Committee member Gail Fleischaker, and Board of Health Chairman and Lake Wyola Advisory Committee member William “Bill” Elliott, Select Board Chair Woman Elaine Puleo:  Sincerely thanked everyone paid and unpaid who work for the Town of Shutesbury before inviting people to speak:
Amherst-Pelham Regional School Committee representative Kristen Luschen:  
* Reviewed details of the reconciled FY 09 budget (dated June 9, 2009).
* The FY 10 budget is 3.3% below the FY 09 budget, with 82 fewer classes, 8.2 fewer teachers, and 15 fewer professional staff.  
* Instructional supplies were cut by 50% for the school and department supplies by 15%.  
* It is hoped to restore 30 of the 50 clubs that were cut through fund-raising.  
* It looks like in the next budget more will be cut, but from where?  Regional Schools Finance Director Rob Detweiller and Superintendent Rodrigues would like the next budget approved by March, 2010.  Superintendent Rodrigues wants an override (in Amherst.)   
* Student enrollment in the 5-year moving average has “flattened.”  
* The Superintendent’s hiring of consultants to prepare him may be part of his contract.  
* The Regional School Committee expects expenses toward hiring a middle school principal and hiring an assistant to the Superintendent for curriculum development/alignment.  There is a problem with curriculum and the assistant to the Superintendent position had been vacant.  The expense of the position will be shared between Amherst and the Region
* It’s Kristen’s guess that money will be “shifted around” to cover consultant expenses.  
* Becky will represent Shutesbury on the Strategic Planning Committee.  Superintendent Rodrigues is trying to have a wide range of folks: 2 from the School Committee, “folks from town government, and from the 5 colleges” and also inclusive of race and gender.  
* The reconfiguration discussion was a result of legislation coming down from the state.  (Union 28 Superintendent) Wickman thinks the push will settle now that no financial gain is seen to come of it.  
School Committee member Martina Dooley-Carvahlo offered some “general points” concerning the elementary school:  
* The school took some cuts this year.  Adjustments made in response to cuts included:  
o Families to pay for field trips, with funds available for families who can’t afford to pay.  
o Families have been asked to contribute to the instrumental programs.  
* Next year may look a little more challenging.  
* There’s lots of discussion concerning reorganization: 
o There is a potential that change will happen. We don’t know what it is yet.  We’re looking at all of our options. 
o Some changes will require town votes, so an October date will be set for a town-wide conversation, to include people who will be voting but don’t have children in the school.  
o Chances are that when a change is proposed, there will be a limited amount of time to approve it so it is important to get the conversation started.  
o Elaine has put out a Google calendar to evaluate the best date.  Once selected, it will be broadly posted around town.
Finance Committee Chairman Patrick Callahan:  
* The FY 10 budget went down by $30,000 and state aid went down by $10,000.  
* People got 1.5% raises for the coming year.  
* The (FY 10) budget was adjusted dramatically 2 weeks before town meeting. 
* The Capital budget dropped from $50,000 to $10,000.   
* This coming budget will be the same or worse.  
* We have $890,000 total between free cash and stabilization. 
* The state budget: revenues are down. This could prompt another round of mid-year budget cuts as soon as next month.  The state economy is not doing well.  
* We don’t know what is ahead; assume there will not be much money available.  
* We need to watch our own budget as well as the regional and state economies.  
Town Treasurer Gabriel “Gabe” Voelker: 
* Interest rates are around 1%.  
* The revenues are not coming in.  
* Right now our taxes are at a 99% collection rate.  We do not yet have citizens in trouble. UMass will be cutting staff.  We don’t know what people will do when they loose their jobs.  
* Right now we’re in awesome shape.  
Patrick continued:  
* The override of two years ago saved us last year.  We promised the town that we would not spend free cash to build the budget.  The impact of doing so could seriously impact the coming budget. 
Gabe:  By keeping in that mode, we don’t borrow.  The interest rates are low, but borrowing is still an expense.  You run smoother when you have the reserves.  
* You can’t be late on the regional assessment.  They will charge interest.  It “dominoes” in all areas.    
Becky:  Reserves:  We could loose the cash reserves from the gas spill:
* The phase one report was sent today.
* We’re going out to bid on phase 2 soon.  
Eric:  It will be hundreds of thousands of dollars to fix the problem.  
Al: We don’t even have the perimeter yet.  
Becky will ask again if there is any money for clean-up costs.  The Department of Environmental Protection said that there is some money out there, but we don’t have it.  We are on a “possible” list for $15-$20,000; not much.  
* Excise tax revenues are extremely down.  
* Free cash gained $40,000 from unexpended funds; mostly on insurance.  
* There was no excess revenue.  
Elaine:  We are working with a much more realistic budget, so no money goes back into free cash.  
Gabe:  House sales and receipts are down.  
* Tax titles are exhausted.  
* There are no more “pockets of money” to find.  
* Hopes to push the tax title property (5 Haskins Way) through land court and auction it in May.
Al: CPA money is down to a 29% state match.  

Library Director Mary Anne Antonellis:  
* Passed around fun fact sheets about the library which is busier than ever.
* Central/Western Massachusetts Automated Resource Sharing (CWMARS) - book deliveries 3 days/week.  Feels Massachusetts has the best statewide library and delivery system nation-wide.
* Shutesbury has a fabulous video and DVD collection.  
* Lots of programs funded through grants and Friends of the library.
* Weekend hours attract a lot of people.  Mary Anne would like to increase weekend hours.
* During challenging economic times libraries get busier.  Combined with the addition of the CWMARS services, activity is up.
* Lori Tuominen praised Mary Anne’s program.
* Movie nights.
* Three community-wide reads.
Doing it all for the same amount of money as last year.

Library Trustees and Library Facility Needs Assessment Committee Chairwoman Karen Traub:  
* More programs and more people make the Library the best bargain in town.
* Built in 1902 for $1,547.61, the Library is now considered to be too small.
* LFNAC just hired D.A. Sullivan & Sons’ Mark Sullivan, great grandson to the original builder as the Owner Project Manager.  
* LFNAC will hire an architect for an initial drawing and of the 14 that applied; LFNAC will interview two firms on 9/23 and two firms on 9/28.  
* LFNAC welcomes input from all community members.
* Two sites have been selected.  Wetlands delineations, surveys for boundaries, perk tests are being compiled.  
* The Massachusetts Library Commissioners recommend a library be visible from the road.
* Fund-raising:  
o Williamsburg raised $2 million.  Pelham raised $250,000.  
o Resistance is from people who don’t use the library and who don’t want taxes to go up.  
o The goal is to get people who love libraries. Al: We will need $800,000 (40% of $2 million.)  
Town Accountant Gail Weiss:  Pelham’s fund-raising occurred in an up-market and contributions were made as tax write-offs countering stocks going up.
Karen:
* Architectural drawings are due at the end of December.
* A request will be brought to the May 2010 Annual Town Meeting to apply for a Library Construction grant from the Massachusetts Board of Library Commissioners (MBLC).  
o Area towns have been through the program, a great opportunity.
o We’ll be responsible for 40% of the construction costs.
* To an earlier statement of the Select Board that all buildings try to have a zero-carbon footprint, one of the design firms has designed a zero-carbon footprint library.  
* LFNAC is going for a LEED (Leadership in Energy & Environmental Design) certified design.  Library Director Mary Anne Antonellis will investigate all sources of funding.  
* The MBLC anticipates funding another grant round in July 2010.  
o $23,000,000 has been returned to “the pot” from the last round, from towns that couldn’t go forward.  (Many reasons for sending funds back.  Bigger, smaller, wrong place. Some towns might not be able to come up with matching funds.)  Some towns will be back. 
o Once the MBLC calculates how much has gone back they will announce another grant round.  Once the new grant round is announced in July, 6 months is allowed to write the grant.
o We’ll know by annual town meeting 2011, the year of the town’s 250th anniversary if the grant is awarded, in keeping with the school loan going off the debt schedule.
* The debt schedule for the school and for the purchase lf Lot O-32 falls off in years 2012, 2013, 2014 and 2015.  The timing is not too bad for ground breaking in 2011.  
Mary Anne:  Feels 2011 may be “optimistic.”
* There is an opening on the Library Board of Trustees.  Interested persons should contact Karen.

As a member of the 250th celebration Karen reported that the committee is:  
* Watching Amherst and Hadley, which have been celebrating their birthdays all this year.
* Trying to get everyone involved.  One way will be to have annual events have a 250th theme.
* Looking for logos and slogans.  
* Looking at such things as a parade, historical re-enactment, photography geology, ball, and a town group photo.  
* Send suggestions to the committee.  
* See us at Celebrate Shutesbury.

Bill Elliott:  Lake Wyola Advisory Committee (LWAC) and the Dam Management Committee:
* Dam repairs were completed and were followed by a “great” re-dedication ceremony.  
* Both Senator Stan Rosenberg and Representative Steve Kulik were instrumental in procuring the state funds and were present at the dedication ceremony. 
* The Board of Health is required to take water samples at beaches:  
o They take samples at the state park, the Lake Wyola Association (LWA) beaches and the old town beach site.  
o This summer’s results were the lowest samples since testing began.  Every sample result was less than 10; the standard being 200.
* Monthly vertical profiles are also very clean, with nutrient levels so low the water quality is comparable to the water quality at Quabbin Reservoir. 
* Fortunately the Lake’s watershed in Wendell is un-developed.  
* Septic systems around lake are not contributing to the lake.
* Septic systems and wells are very close at the Lake: 
o The state recommendation is 100 feet separation.  
o State regulations won’t allow permits with less than 50 feet between wells and septic systems.  
o The Board of Health strongly recommends annual well water tests in the Lake area:
* The Lake Wyola Association headed up the water quality testing program this year.  
* A 5-year history is available on the well tests.   
* There was no “exceedence” on nitrates in private wells.

Bill Elliot spoke as Chairman of the Board of Health (BOH):
* Active in conducting normal business including building permit review.  
o It is a Board of Health regulation that all building permits in Shutesbury be reviewed by the Board of Health.  Most towns only review if a bedroom is added.
* The BOH oversees permitted repairs of septic systems, sometimes new systems, sometimes innovative systems.
* Shutesbury is part of the Eastern Franklin County Health District which:  
o Hires an agent to do site evaluations for new septic systems, evaluates plans and makes recommendations for the Board, does inspections for mice, and for mold.
* The Betterment Loan Program for failed systems:  
o A no interest loan is made to the town for 20 years to repair septic systems. 
o The town loans money to the home-owner at 5% interest.  
o Have $350,000 in loans out at the moment and 
o $50,000 available for additional loans.
Bill Elliot spoke as Chairman of the Board of Health (BOH) on Flu:
* Local BOH’s interface between the state Department of Public Health and individuals.  
* Shutesbury’s seasonal flu clinic was moved up to October 17 for this year.
* For the first time this year the town is a registered vaccine provider by the state Department of Public Health.  In previous years Bill has “scrounged” for vaccine from other towns.
* Resident Dr. Calhoun will be the Medical Director for our flu clinic.
* The “seasonal” flu is different from H1N1 with different at risk populations.  
* This year children are targeted as “primary vectors” for seasonal flu.
* Because of H1N1 the Select Board named a planning committee.
* The site of the clinic has been moved to the school due to space needs.
* It is run as an Emergency Dispensing Site.
* The symptoms of both flues are similar: fever in excess of 100 H1N1 may include fever, cough, diarrhea and nausea.  Differentiation between the two flues is “dicey.”
* H1N1 has remained almost constant through the summer, not dropping off as the seasonal does.  
* In the spring the state lab ran samples.  Once became statewide they gave it up.  That is also the federal system.  If someone gets flu now, it is considered H1N1 because seasonal flu hasn’t yet kicked in.
* The town web-site will be up-dated as more information becomes available.
* No H1N1 clinic has as yet been scheduled; the BOH will “be prepared.”
* By running seasonal flu early we will identify and train staff and practice for potential H1N1.
* We could staff a large clinic using nursing students with training, or may otherwise have multiple small clinics.
Newsletter Survey:
* The Board of Health and the Emergency Management Team sent out a survey in the newsletter.
* It is intended to identify people for emergency response.
* Looking for volunteers.

Town Buildings Committee Chairman Dale Houle:
* In the last 5 years the committee has caught up on a lot of projects.
* Therefore they didn’t ask much money this year and the town didn’t give much.
* This year the Committee will work with the Energy Committee on conservation.
* The Elementary School windows are rotting pretty badly:  
o Installed in 1993 reconstruction.  6 have a serious problem.
o Marvin has offered replacement sash that we would install ourselves.
o Buildings Committee member Bob Groves contacted the distributor who agreed to come out.  The distributor offered a deal to replace and do labor for all the windows that the Committee is looking into right now.
o Right now the Committee has $22,000; other money is available. 
o The Committee would like to take care of the problem right now.
o Marvin recommends replacing all sashes.
o Warranty on the glass was ten years.  Marvin is willing to assume some responsibility. 
* The Elementary School will also require re-painting this year and has outside carpentry needs:
o Gutters:  
* The problem is where and how they are installed on the building.  
* They would be better if located closer to the lip of the roof.
* Same gutters may be able to be re-used.
The Capital Plan Committee should be made aware that the School will need some money.
* Still moving forward with repairs and paint to the highway garage this fall.  
o Improve curb appeal by replacing the fence.  
* Energy audit:  Recommendations were made for the various buildings.
* The Energy Committee sponsored the energy audit and met with the Buildings Committee if want to put anything out to bid.  Becky:
o National grid ran out of money.  Their next pool of money will be competitive as it is for a small business group, not just municipal applicants.
o Much of our system has already been gone over:  Small fluorescents already accomplished.  Got new refrigerators.
o The biggest problem is to heat the Highway Garage office, not the whole building.
o The energy audit was used for a grant application for green communities.

Recycling Coordinator Gary Bernhard:
* Bulky waste day:
* Will take the old refrigerators.  
* Needs volunteers for bulky waste day.  Show up at 9:30 or give Gary a call.
* Shutesbury got a nice rating from the state: 48% recycling.
* Will do a composting survey when they hand out bags next year.  They can then apply for a grant for more compost bins at a reduced rate.
* Identifying a vendor for getting rid of bulbs and batteries.
* Talking to Principal about food waste at the school.  Have located a farmer to take it away.  Can’t compost at the school because it attracts animals.
Becky thanks Gary for taking on the Recycling Coordinator position, made possible by his retirement.

Becky:
* Recognized Gail Fleischaker who has added huge energy to three committees: 
o  Conservation Commission (which is down to 3 members and needs 2 more) 
o the Recycling Committee, and 
o Is proof-reading on the Web Committee.
* The Energy Committee is looking at a 4.8 kilowatt ground-mounted photo-voltaic system for behind Town Hall.  It:  
o Will be able to shift the angle of the units 4 times/year to receive to maximize collection reflecting the shifts in the angle of the sun’s light.  
o Should offset 1/3 of energy in the Town Hall will be hooked up to the grid.
o Will be funded through a grant awarded due to residents who signed up for green energy through their utility bills.  
o An almost identical system can be seen on the northeast end of Pelham Hill Road.
Karen Traub:  Has a similar system at her home and reports a maximum of 4.8 kilowatts only under ideal circumstances.
Becky:  Because the system will be ground mounted it will allow for better air circulation which improves by efficiency by 30% and the changing angles will also improve efficiency.  Becky hopes some work can be done by volunteers instead of fully funded.  

A motion was made, seconded and unanimously voted to adjourn at 9:02 P.M.

Respectfully submitted,


Leslie Bracebridge
Administrative Secretary
090922 Selectboard 4