Shutesbury Board of Selectmen Meeting Minutes November 28, 2006 Members present: Chairman Rebecca Torres, Debra Pichanick and Ralph Armstrong. Also Present: Town Administrator David C. Dann and Leslie Bracebridge, recording. Meeting opened at 7:04 P.M. Select Board Action Item #2: The Select Board unanimously voted to accept the November 21, 2006 meeting minutes as written. Selectmen unanimously voted to approve the November 14, 2006 minutes with a substitution of "has maintained" for "had" on page 3 in the Chesterfield bullet. Appointments Police Chief Harding: * Trained 8 school staff on Saturday in use of Automatic External Defibrillator (AED). The AED will be installed on a wall near the gym next Tuesday. * Discussed questions of unregistered vehicles. One vehicle is parked such that Haskins Way cannot be plowed if the vehicle is not removed. David will prepare a letter to the owner of that Haskins Way vehicle. * Discussed officer coverage in the next few weeks. * In answer to a question, the town gets half the money on money tickets. In the presence of Chief Harding, future President of the Shutesbury Athletic Club (AC) Paul Danielovich and present Treasurer Mari Vlach reviewed the AC’s application for a club alcoholic beverage license: * A big Christmas party coming up started as a member’s private party. * There will be staff change-over on January 1 to: Secretary - Eric Pietz, Treasurer - Lori Doubleday, and President and Manager - Paul Danielovich. * The AC is doing OK, paying the bills. It’s easier to meet the budget without having to pay salaries. Functions keep the AC going. * In the presence of Board of Health Chairman William "Bill" Elliott, a new condition (#9) on the Memo of Agreement concerning the addition of a smoke-free area was discussed. The AC will conduct a member vote on December 9 concerning whether or not they want smoking at the AC. The AC will schedule an appointment with the Board of Health to discuss the vote and reduction of exposure to second hand smoke. The Board of Health could have issued orders along the way but has been hesitant to do so. * Paul asked if condition # 8 on the memo of agreement that requires an extra person on premise for the extra hour on Friday nights, could be deleted because it is a financial burden to the AC. On ordinary Friday nights, one bartender can handle the guests. If there is a special function, they have two bartenders anyway. The original reason for #8 was so the AC could hold "karaoke night." "Karaoke night" has not drawn crowds and doesn’t happen very much. If an unexpected crowd showed up, Paul felt he or other Board members could be called to come in. AC members will monitor how many patrons are present between 12 midnight and 1 AM compared to earlier in the evening and report back on December 12. The Selectmen will give more thought to the wording on the memo. * Paul said the intent of the AC is to become a more community oriented facility. Members of the Lake Wyola Association (LWA) were present to discuss progress on their concern of water traveling from the west, across Locks Pond Road: * Town Administrator David Dann wrote to, and Highway Superintendent Tim Hunting spoke with the two property owners on Locks Pond Road concerning water run-off from their driveways. * Neither property owner was prepared to do more than allow for some swales to be installed on their driveways before winter. * A Quabbin engineer will tour the area with Highway Superintendent Tim Hunting, LWAC Chairman Bill Elliott, Lake Wyola Association President Tim McBride and member Bob Thompson, and Town Administrator David Dann. Lake Wyola Association Bob Thompson: * Thanked the town on behalf of the LWA for the efforts made. * Is hoping the engineer will give good advice on how to keep the water to stay on the west side of Locks Pond Road and go directly into the Sawmill River. * The LWA is looking for a way to create swales to channel water away from Great Pines Drive and Haskins Way. Highway Superintendent Tim Hunting: Thanked the LWA for their efforts in grooming their roads for winter plowing. Bill Elliot described the current status of the drawdown and the dam inspection: * There are two whirlpools on the lake side of the dam where there should only be one, when the gate is opened to lower water in advance of the storms. * The two whirlpools will be investigated at the December 7 inspection. There appears to be a sink hole that shouldn’t be there. Because the sluice bolts are not going to free up, the engineer will have to approach through the opposite opening, a confined and dangerous area. Fire Chief Tibbetts has been alerted. * The engineer will work on the Emergency Action Plan after the inspection. * The silt at Fiske Brook will require major dredging and the support of the Army Corps of Engineers. * During the drawdown, photos and a video are recording the volume of the silt that has been accumulating over the years. * Right now the elevation of the water is quite close to the original great pond. Bob Thompson voiced his strong appreciation of all the responsibilities that Bill assumes adding that a "Lake Manager" will be needed somewhere down the road. Becky spent 2.5 hours interviewing Bill and still doesn’t know all that he does. Lake Wyola Association members will next meet with the Board of Selectmen on February 13 at 7:30 PM. Selectmen met with Building Committee member Dale Houle: * Dale prepared plans and specifications for an addition to the town highway garage, and reviewed them with the Building Inspector. The addition will be used to store new "Magic Salt" ice melting materials. * It will be a wood frame building, 14 foot high walls, 2 X 6 framing, manufactured truss roof with diagonal bracing, an overhead door and a full foundation. * The addition roof will be slightly lower than the existing building allowing for future expansion. * The Conservation Commission will do a site visit Saturday. * Highway Superintendent Tim Hunting will do the site work. * It is hoped that construction can begin the week of December 11. * The bid came in lower than anticipated. * An impervious base (either blacktop or concrete with a rubber impervious material) will be installed before storing the "Magic Salt" so that no salt will leach into the ground. * Once the floor is "spec’d out," the Selectmen will receive a summary of the impervious nature of the selected floor material. * The existing salt and sand storage shed floor is showing signs of wear and will be patched in the spring. * FRCOG does not yet go out to bid on "Magic Salt." Currently Tim gets small amounts of the molasses-like distillery derivative from a landscape company. The company sprays the liquid while the Highway Department turns the salt. * If the town chooses to go "full force" with "Magic Salt," Tim proposes installing a tank for bulk storage of the fluid material. * 50% sand and 50% "Magic Salt" gives the best results, especially on hills. * It’s better for the trucks than straight salt. There is no report of it gumming up. * It’s environmentally friendly and it’s saving the town’s use of sand and salt. Dale described the "thrust for the Building Committee for 2007": * Improve the Library; improve on details of the Library plans. * Come up with a proposal for town meeting for what will be done at the Highway Garage, including repair of the salt storage shed roof. Becky: Thanked Dale for his personal efforts and for the efforts of the Building Committee on behalf of the town. David: Felt the town will need to spend $60,000 to $70,000 per year to continue a backlog of town building maintenance. Becky: Free Cash is not as strong as in other years and requests a summary of what has been done, what needs to be done A motion was made, seconded and unanimously voted to sign a contract with Innovative Services from Tolland, Connecticut in the amount of $22,925.00 for building a "Magic Salt" storage building. The Selectmen felt comfortable that all involved will prioritize the addition of an impervious floor for the shed either as a change-order or it could go out for a second bid. "Leftover" Topics Discussion following Bill Elliott’s concern that the Community Preservation Act (CPA) was being raised again after it was once voted down: * The state imposes constraints that go along with CPA. * Even with the CPA Shutesbury still wouldn’t have many points for the Commonwealth Capital Plan. * The state was providing 100% match, now the match percentage is down. * Selectmen haven’t heard "negative voices" in the recent discussions. * CPA funds can be used for affordable housing, land preservation and open space and historical improvements. * Concern that the amount of money generated from property taxes won’t justify the requirements for recording and book-keeping related to the CPA. * David will research the cost of software to run a program. * A committee would need to be formed to plan the funds with a town meeting vote and a ballot vote in order to approve any project. * While the state match is anticipated to go down, with a new administration that could change. If all 351 towns participate, the match would go down. Selectmen are not proposing at this point to bring the CPA question up at town meeting, and will let Bill know if the topic "moves to the front burner." Select Board Action Items 1. Unanimously voted to sign vendor warrants in the total amount of $82,148.89 and payroll warrants in the total amount of $86,229.81. 2. See approval of minutes above. 3. Selectmen will review the information sent by Chambers Advisory Group. 4. See award of the contract for the "Magic Salt" storage shed addition in "Appointments" above. New Topics David Dann will call David Kielson about the tax re-cap and report back. A motion was made, seconded and unanimously voted to adjourn at 10:06 P.M. Respectfully submitted, Leslie Bracebridge Administrative Secretary 061128 Selectboard 1