Shutesbury Board of Selectmen Monday, February 8, 2010 Meeting Minutes Members present: Chairwoman Elaine Puleo and Al Springer. Also present: Town Administrator Rebecca Torres and Administrative Secretary Leslie Bracebridge. Meeting opened at 5:05 P.M. Topics 1. Selectmen unanimously voted to sign a letter to the Franklin County Cooperative Inspection Program regarding zoning set backs and enforcement. 2. FY 11 Budget discussion including comments on Saturday February 6th’s 4-town meeting: * Senator Rosenberg suggested at Saturday’s meeting that it might be possible to lock in a local aid figure earlier than the final completion of the state budget so that towns could more easily plan their local budgets. * Sales tax revenues are up for the December 2009/January 2010 time period. * Elaine praised Senator Rosenberg’s efforts to hang on to Chapter 71, regional transportation funds. * The Shutesbury FY 11 budget is still being built cautiously with a 10% cut to Chapter 70. Al reminded those present of this year’s Governor’s 9C cuts. * Becky went down 20% on lottery revenues after speaking with Representative Kulik. * Selectmen speculated as to how Governor Patrick was able to fund everything that his budget provides. Perhaps he is: o Counting on casino money coming in. o Counting on the federal “Race to the Top” funds. o Counting on $100 million in federal funds for broadband which he didn’t get this year. * Last year’s Shutesbury revenues came in short and probably will come in short again this year. Fortunately the town under-spent last year. * Elaine expressed concern that Saturday’s meeting did not fully discuss what would happen if Amherst’s override doesn’t pass. * Elaine: Some Amherst people did not want the override until May 1. Elaine tried to ask what will the people of Amherst would reasonably support? * The $1.9 million over-all Amherst over-ride provides an additional $1.1 million to Amherst’s assessment to the Regional school budget. * Amherst needed repeated assurance from the three other towns that the three smaller towns could support their corresponding contributions if Amherst increases its assessment by $1.1 million. * The regional school committee needs to finalize their budget. * Becky will contact Kristen Luschen, Shutesbury’s representative to the Regional School Committee to make sure she understands to press for funding as high as she can at tomorrow night’s meeting. * Elaine will send an email to Regional School Committee Chairman Farshid Hajir. 3. At 6:27 PM a motion was made to go into executive session for reason number 3 and not to resume open meeting: Springer – aye, Puleo – aye. Select Board Action Items 1. James Hasselbeck from Waterline Industries (solar array installer) would like the town to sign a Commonwealth Solar II Rebate Program Commercial Application. Becky has concerns because within the application there is language that suggests that the state will have ownership of projects that they give money toward. This would include potential future ownership of any Solar Renewable Energy Credits (SREC), the energy credit market place where utilities, owners and investors will all come together. Selectmen reviewed a spreadsheet over the 30 year lifetime of the program and were satisfied that regardless, the town would come out ahead by signing on to the rebate program. The Energy Committee advised Becky to move forward, that there are enough communities involved with SREC that those communities could band together and exert pressure to keep their SREC income. Selectmen unanimously voted to sign the Commonwealth Solar II Rebate Application with a net cost to the town of $6598.80 for the installation of the just less than 5 kilowatt solar array behind town hall. 2. Selectmen unanimously voted to make the Town Clerk position and at this time Leslie Bracebridge as Liaison to the Ethics Commission. 3. Selectmen unanimously voted to approve the February 2, 2010 dog hearing minutes as written. 4. Selectmen unanimously voted to sign the letter to the FCCIP as detailed under Topics above. New Topics 1. Selectman Springer has been monitoring four dogs on Farrar Road, which are subjects of an anonymous complaint of excessive barking. He has made multiple visits to the area and heard nothing. He has spoken with a number of neighbors, none of whom have expressed a complaint. Selectmen therefore will take no action at this time. 2. Becky reported on the Broadband meeting that she attended in Northampton on Saturday, 2/6: o People present from Vermont were “strong-willed.” o A coalition of 44 towns is being formed, led by David Greenberg from Colrain: o Becky volunteered to be on the Coalition’s Finance Committee, one of many sub-committees, in order for Shutesbury to “stay in the loop.” o Becky described this work as “very important.” o Representative Kulik was at the meeting. o The longtime Massachusetts Broadband Committee members are interested in being independent of the major utilities because of years of frustration with major utilities’ non-response to last mile projects.. o The bulk of people are frustrated from up to ten years’ effort and no results. o People are disappointed that the Massachusetts Broadband Institute (MBI) did not receive the $120,000,000 American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) broadband grant. o Now is the time for the private sector to “jump on board.” o The coalition would create Municipal Utility Districts (MUD). Each district would have the capacity to take in money, go out to bid and build its own system. o There would be no use of town funds, involvement of town boards, or affect on a town’s bond rating. o If a model works and the fees could go back to municipal utility districts instead of the utilities; think of the money spent on broadband, telephone and broadband services. o Elaine advised Becky to be wary of the work involved in such a venture. o Becky – early on we had good technical volunteers on the Broadband Committee. o Becky sees it as a potential source of income to the town that should not be ignored. It could create offsets so that the town wouldn’t have to be as dependent on 2.5 overrides. 3. Becky interpreted the Hampshire Power spreadsheet report for January 2010 averaging 8.5 cents per kilowatt hour. The fixed price would have been 8.2 cents per kilowatt hour. Selectmen expect to come out ahead in future months. The contract just ended was 7.4 cents /kilowatt hour. 4. Selectmen discussed comparisons of school costs in local towns and regions. Selectmen adjourned to executive session at 6:27 P.M. Respectfully submitted, Leslie Bracebridge Administrative Secretary 100208 Selectboard 1