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HomeMy WebLinkAbout1995-03-27 Board of Selectmen BOARD OF SELECTMEN MINUTES March 27, 1995 CALL TO ORDER: John P. Savastano, Chairman, called the meeting to order at 7: 00 PM. ATTENDANCE: The following were present: John P. Savastano, Chairman; Kevin Foley; John Leeman; Donald Stewart; (Kenneth C. Crouch not present) James P. Gordon, Town Manager; and Kevin Mahoney, Director of Finance & Administration. HOLIDAY DECORATING COMMITTEE - PERMISSION TO HANG FLAGS: Kevin Foley made a MOTION, seconded by Donald Stewart, to authorize the Holiday Decorating Committee to hang flags on Main Street and the Old Center Area during holiday events; vote approved 4-0. NORTHEAST SOLID WASTE COMMITTEE (NESWC) - GENERAL UPDATE: Steve Rothstein, Executive Director, presented the Board with a general update of NESWC over the past year. NESWC is in their 10th year of a 20 year contract with Wheelabrator. Tipping fees are increasing. Mr. Rothstein explained that NESWC has negotiated a $ 14, 000, 000 agreement between Wheelabrator and New England Power to reduce costs with Wheelabrator by purchasing power at a higher price. This agreement has allowed tipping fees to be to be $ 5 per ton less, which will slow down the tipping fees increases. NESWC has been working with the State Legislature and was successful in getting a state line item in the amount of $ 350, 000 to help municipalities deal with recycling mandates. Mr. Rothstein and John Merritt, also of NESWC, discussed the Board' s concerns related to the waiting in lines to dump refuse at the facility. NESWC is working with Wheelabrator to allow for NESWC members to take priority in lines over spot haulers, as well as worked with Wheelabrator on improving operations to decrease the number of outages in the plant. The outages are the major cause of the waiting in lines. Mr. Merrit stated that Wheelabrator is presently in compliance with emission tests but will not be in compliance with the Clean Air Act. Wheelabrator must be retrofitted with scrubbers in order to be in compliance with the Clean Air Act, and that will be a cost which will be born by all member communities. The Board then discussed moving into Executive Session to discuss NESWC' s strategic plans. EXECUTIVE SESSION: John Leeman made a MOTION, seconded by Donald Stewart, for the Board of Selectmen to move into Executive Session for the purposes of discussing specific findings of the Strategic Plan directly related to negotiations relating to acquisition of real property by NESWC; the Board was individually polled and voted unanimously to move into Executive Session. There were no votes to report while in Executive Session. ANNUAL TOWN MEETING WARRANT ARTICLE RECOMMENDATIONS: The Board of Selectmen reviewed the following warrant articles for the May 1995, Annual Town Meeting and the following actions were taken: Article 3. Compensation of Elected Officials - Kevin Foley made a MOTION, seconded by John Leeman, to make the compensation of all elected officials Board of Selectmen Minutes March 27, 1995 Page 2. $ 0. 00 per annum; vote failed 2-2 (Donald Stewart and John Savastano opposed) . No further action was taken on this article. Amend Source of Funding on Capital Improvements Plan Appropriation for FY 1995 - Donald Stewart made a MOTION, seconded by John Leeman, to favorably recommend this article; vote approved 4-0. Authorization of Massachusetts General Laws Chapter 90 - Highway Funds - John Leeman made a MOTION, seconded by Donald Stewart, to favorably recommend this article; vote approved 4-0. Reserve Fund Appropriation - Donald Stewart made a MOTION, seconded by John Leeman, to favorably recommend this article; vote approved 4-0. Expenditure of Grant Funds - John Leeman made a MOTION, seconded by Donald Stewart, to favorably recommend this article; vote approved 4-0. Authorization to Expend Contributions to Mitigate Sewer System Infiltration - John Leeman made a MOTION, seconded by Donald Stewart, to favorably recommend this article; vote approved 4-0. Authorization to Enter Into intermunicipal Agreements For The Temporary Use of the Fire Safety Trailer - Kevin Foley made a MOTION, seconded by Donald Stewart, to favorably recommend this article; vote approved 4-0. Authorization to Establish Revolving Fund for Use of Fire Safety Trailer - Kevin Foley made a MOTION, seconded by John Leeman, to favorably recommend this article; vote approved 4-0. Authorization to Operate Osgood Hill - Donald Stewart made a MOTION, seconded by John Savastano (after passing the gavel to John Leeman) , to favorably recommend this article; vote failed 2 - 2 (Kevin Foley and John Leeman opposed) . Mr. Leeman discussed his concerns that if there is any surplus of funds that it should go directly to the facility and not into the General Fund. The Town Manager will look into this situation and report back to the Board. Senior Tax Relief Fund - The Town Manager discussed that the approval of this article requires the identification of funds and recommendation of this article should indicate such. Donald Stewart made a MOTION, seconded by John Leeman, to favorably recommend this article; vote approved 4-0. Designation of a Joint Economic Opportunity Area - Kevin Foley made a MOTION, seconded by John Leeman, to favorably recommend this article; vote approved 4-0. Acquisition and Renovation For a Youth Center Facility - The Town Manager discussed his recommendation that the acquisition of this facility be funded outside of a Proposition 2 1/2 override and the Town should fund $ 250, 000. 00 and any further funds needed should be provided for through grants and fund Board of Selectmen Minutes March 27, 1995 Page 3. raising efforts. The article submitted needs to be amended to not require an override vote. Sign Bylaw - John Leeman made a MOTION, seconded by Donald Stewart, to favorably recommend this article; vote approved 4-0. Adoption of Provisions of Chapter 30B, Section 12 - John Leeman made a MOTION, seconded by Kevin Foley, to favorably recommend this article; vote approved 4-0. Amend Town Code - Prohibit the Use of Silly String - Donald Stewart made a MOTION, seconded by John Leeman, to favorably recommend this article; vote approved 4-0. Authorization to Reconstruct, Remodel, and Construct Additions to the Middle School - Barbara Hagerty and Others - Donald Stewart made a MOTION, seconded by John Leeman, to recommend unfavorable action on this article; vote approved 4-0. Authorization to Reconstruct, Remodel, and Construct Additions to the Middle School - Barbara Hagerty and Others - Donald Stewart made a MOTION, seconded by John Leeman, to recommend unfavorable action on this article; vote approved 4-0. EXECUTIVE SESSION: John Leeman made a MOTION, seconded by Donald Stewart, for the Board of Selectmen to move into Executive Session for the purposes of discussing price negotiations for the purchase of the proposed Osgood Street Youth Center Building; the Board was individually polled and voted unanimously to move into Executive Session. The following vote was reported to have taken place while in Executive Session. The Town Manager has been authorized to offer $ 350, 000. 00 for the proposed Youth Center Facility building on Osgood Street. The Board then took this vote in public session: John Leeman made a MOTION, seconded by Donald Stewart, to authorize the Town Manager to prepare an offer for the Osgood Street property for the Youth Center in the amount of $ 350, 000. 00; vote approved 4-0. The following articles were discussed and will be discussed again at a later date with more information to be provided: Supplemental Budget Article for FY 96; Authorization to Apply for Grants - Stevens Memorial Library; Amendment of Personnel Bylaw. (Kevin Foley requested a narrative on the gratuitous system and John Leeman requested more time to review the proposed article; Relocation of Town Hall. Board of Selectmen Minutes March 27, 1995 Page 4. Authorization to Enter Into Lease Agreement - Textile Museum. Construction of a Fire Station - Discussion regarding this article will be rescheduled for a meeting, when Mr. Crouch is present. Authorization to Reconstruct, Remodel, and Construct Additions to the Middle School - Board of Selectmen' s Article - Mr. Leeman requested an opinion from Counsel regarding residency requirements for a percentage of the laborers. SUBCOMMITTEE TO ORDER WARRANT ARTICLES: Kevin Foley and Kenneth Crouch will be the subcommittee to order the warrant articles. Mr. Gordon will arrange for this meeting with members of the Finance Committee. ANNUAL TOWN MEETING FISCAL MATTERS: Supplemental Budget - The Town Manager discussed fiscal matters, which need to be addressed by a Proposition 2 1/2 override. The School Department will need an additional $ 600, 000 in order to avoid layoffs and to fund programs. The Town Manager has been told that if the School Department must layoff employees, they want General Government to have to lay off, as well. The General Government needs an additional $ 150, 000 to meet the priority needs. He also warned the Board that if the Board does not back the override, it will never pass an election, and he fears that the School Department will walk away from Town Meeting with and additional $ 653, 000. 00 more than budgeted and the budget will be unbalanced, leaving the Town in as bad of a financial situation, as in the 1980s. Major Facilities Plan - The Town Manager discussed his intention to move forward with the proposed plan and emphasized the need to establish a Debt Service Reserve Fund. NORTH ANDOVER POLICE DEPARTMENT - REQUEST TO EXPEND FUNDS - The Police Department has requested authorization to spend approximately $ 3,500 from the Community Policing Fund to provide computer training to 15 members of the Police Department. The exercise will be to train personnel in the implementation of a master names file that will be on loan from a vendor to the Police Department. John Leeman made a MOTION, seconded by Kevin Foley, to approve the Police Department' s request expend funds, as indicated above; vote approved 4-0. EXECUTIVE SESSION - POLICE DEPARTMENT UNION ASSOCIATION NEGOTIATIONS: Mr. Leeman stated that at the last meeting, he expressed displeasure with an article. He also stated that he believes the Board of Selectmen should get involved with what is going on with the Police Department, and he wants to discuss negotiations. John Leeman made a MOTION, seconded by Kevin Foley, for the Board of Selectmen to move into Executive Session for the purposes of discussing negotiations with the North Andover Police Department Union. The Board was individually polled, and they unanimously voted to move into Executive Session. Melissa Powers, Admin. Secretary , Clerk