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HomeMy WebLinkAbout2005-01-10 Board of Selectmen Minutes BOARD OF SELECTMEN MINUTES JANUARY 10, 2005 CALL TO ORDER: Rosemary Connelly Smedile called the meeting to order at 7:00 PM at Town Hall Meeting Room. ATTENDANCE: The following were present: Rosemary Smedile, Chairman; Wendy Wakeman; James Xenakis; Donald B. Stewart; Mark J.T. Caggiano; Mark Rees, Town Manager; Ray Santilli, Assistant Town Manager. EXECUTIVE SESSION: Wendy Wakeman made a MOTION, seconded by Donald Stewart, to move into Executive Session to discuss. Vote approved 5-0. The Board of Selectmen was individually polled and each voted to move into Executive Session. Donald Stewart yes; James Xenakis yes; Mark Caggiano yes; Wendy Wakeman yes, and Rosemary Smedile yes. Vote approved 5-0. APPROVAL OF MINUTES: Wendy Wakeman made a MOTION, seconded by Donald Stewart, to approve the Minutes of the following meetings: November 22, 2004, Executive Session as written and Open Session as written; December 6, 2004, Executive Session as written and Open Session as written; December 20, Executive Session as written. Vote approved 5-0. COMMUNICATIONS,ANNOUNCEMENTS, AND PUBLIC COMMENT: Rosemary Smedile said that Helen Tacy member of the Board of Registrars passed away. The Board sends condolences to her family. CONSENT ITEMS: Wendy Wakeman made a MOTION, seconded by Donald Stewart, to accept the following donations from Schneider Electric. The Fire Department received a donation of$1,000 that will be used to purchase a replacement computer for the Deputy Fire Chief. The Police Department received a donation of$500 that will be used for materials relating to the Student Police Academy scheduled for latter this month. Vote approved 5-0. LICENSING COMMISSIONERS: Wendy Wakeman made a MOTION, seconded by Donald Stewart, to move into Licensing. Vote approved 5-0. PUBLIC HEARINGS: Mango Grill and Limbo Bar Transfer of Owner. Wendy Wakeman made a MOTION, seconded by Rosemary Smedile, to open the public hearing. Vote approved 5-0. Megan Finn requested the transfer of all alcohol beverage licenses on premises W.J. Phelan, Inc. dba Mango Grill and Limbo Bar to SHBC, Inc. dba Mango Grill and Limbo Bar, 585 Chickering Road. Wendy Wakeman made a MOTION, seconded by Mark Caggiano, to close the public hearing. Vote approved 5-0. Wendy Wakeman made a MOTION, seconded by James Xenakis, to approve the Transfer of all alcohol beverage licenses on premises W.J. Phelan, Inc. dba Mango Grill and Limbo Bar to SHBC, Inc. dba Mango Grill and Limbo Bar, 585 Chickering Road. Vote approved 5-0. Board of Selectmen Meeting January 10, 2005 2 James Xenakis made a MOTION, seconded by Wendy Wakeman, to approve the following one-day licenses. Vote approved 5-0. Laurie Fennelly, Stevens Estate, 723 Osgood Street, requests the following one-day licenses. 1. William Cunningham, North Andover Youth Hockey League Fundraiser, Saturday, January 22, 2005, at 7:00 PM — 12:00 AM, full liquor bar. 2. Laurie Fennelly, Comedy Theater Productions Mystery Dinner, Saturday, January 29, 2005, at 6:30 PM — 11:00 PM, full liquor bar. Wendy Wakeman made a MOTION, seconded by Mark Caggiano, to approve the following one-day license. Vote approved 5-0. Maryellen Colliton, Merrimack College, 315 Turnpike Street requests the following one-day license. 1. Merrimack College Alumni Hockey Event, Saturday, January 15, 2005, at 3:00 PM —6:30 PM, Beer and Wine Bar. Wendy Wakeman made a MOTION, seconded by Mark Caggiano, to move out of Licensing. Vote approved 5-0. OLD BUSINESS: Town Counsel recommended that the Board of Selectmen open the Warrant and vote to add an article for transferring the land on Chickering Road for the purpose of building a new Public Safety Center. Wendy Wakeman made a MOTION, seconded by James Xenakis, to open the Warrant. Vote approved 5-0. Wendy Wakeman made a MOTION, seconded by Mark Caggiano, to see if the Town will vote to transfer the care, custody, management and control of land on Chickering Road shown as meets and bounds. Beginning at a point, on the westerly sideline of Route 125 also known as Chickering Road, at the intersection with the northerly sideline of Phillips Brook Road; Thence S88'47'1 5W, along the northerly sideline of said Phillips Brook Road, 280.00 feet, to a point, on the remaining land owned by the Town of North Andover; Thence N01'02'1 1"W, along the easterly line of said, land of the Town of North Andover, 173.00 feet, to a point; Thence S68°59'45"E, along the southerly line of said, land of the Town of North Andover, 28.00 feet, to a point; Thence N20°55'56"E, along the easterly line of said, land of the Town of North Andover, 291.06 feet, to a point, on the southerly side of Beacon Hill Boulevard, so-called; Thence N88°47'16"E, along the southerly line of said, Beacon Hill Boulevard, 84.24 feet, to a point; Thence N84°25'35"E, along the southerly line of said, Beacon Hill Boulevard, 52.57feet, to a point; Thence N84°14'15"E, along the southerly line of said, Beacon Hill Boulevard, 50.48feet, to a point; Thence N88'47'1 5E, along the southerly line of said, Beacon Hill Boulevard, 99.36feet, to a point; Thence Easterly, along the southerly line of said, Beacon Hill Boulevard, along a curve to the right with a radius of 318.17 feet, and an arc length of 36.43 feet, with an included angle of 6°33'37"to a point, on westerly sideline of said Route 125, so called; Board of Selectmen Meeting January 10, 2005 3 Thence S21'00'1 5"W, along the said, westerly sideline of said Route 125, 473.03 feet, to the point of beginning. Containing 138,708 square feet or 3.1843 acres from the School Committee to the Board of Selectmen for purposes of construction of a police station by January 1, 2008, or take any other action related thereto. Wendy Wakeman made a MOTION, seconded by Mark Caggiano, to close the Warrant. Vote approved 5-0. NEW BUSINESS: Grade and Salary Schedule Revision. Assistant Town Manager Ray Santilli recommended making adjustments to the Town's By-law personnel salary ranges to maintain a competitive wage scale and to retain and/or recruit qualified staff. The last time the schedule was adjusted was in FY02. Adoption of the revised schedule would not result in any pay increases for current employees except for six employees who will fall below the minimum pay level for their respective grades. Changes would be a consideration in the development of the FY06 budget. Wendy Wakeman made a MOTION, seconded by Donald Stewart, to make the recommended changes to the By-law personnel salaries. Vote approved 5-0. Appointment of Director of Finance and Administration. Upon the recommendation of the Board of Selectmen sub-committee, Town Accountant, and Consultants, and after several interviews the Town Manager would appoint Linda D. Casey to the position of Director of Finance and Administration. The Board was asked to approve the appointment. Wendy Wakeman made a MOTION, seconded by Donald Stewart, to approve the appointment of Linda D. Casey to the position of Director of Finance and Administration. Ambulance User Rates. Annually the Board is asked to set ambulance user charges. The Fire Chief recommended setting the fees 30% above the Medicare rate. The effect of the higher rate is so the Town could receive additional revenue from insurance companies that customarily pay more than Medicare pays for those covered by private insurance. Chief Dolan said that in the past he had been working with the Finance Director to determine the cost of the service and how the revenue is calculated. James Xenakis made a MOTION, for the Town Manager to make it a priority to take a comprehensive look at setting up a revolving fund account for Ambulance services and reporting back to the board in 45 days. Motion failed for lack of a second. The Town Manager said that another priority of the Board is the Stevens Estate lease. Rees would like direction from the Board as to what is the priority, because both would be a considerable amount of work during the budget season. Chairman Smedile suggested tabling this item to a future meeting. Mark Caggiano made a MOTION, seconded by Wendy Wakeman, to TABLE this until a future meeting. Vote approved 5-0. Wendy Wakeman made a MOTION, seconded by Donald Stewart, to accept the Chief's recommended fee schedule for Ambulance Rates. Vote 5-0. Board of Selectmen Meeting January 10, 2005 4 Stevens Estate Cell Tower. Currently there are two antennas on the Stevens Estate Cell Tower for which the Town receives a total of $56,000 per year in rent payments, with the capacity to add a third antenna. The Town has been contacted by Sprint Wireless to add their antenna to the tower at the Stevens Estate. In order to begin the process of adding the third antenna, Town Counsel has recommended the Board authorize a letter to be sent to Sprint and to include a warrant article on the spring Town Meeting warrant allowing the additional lease. Wendy Wakeman made a MOTION, seconded by Mark Caggiano, to authorize a proposed letter to be sent to Sprint and to include the following warrant article on the spring Town Meeting: To see if the Town will authorize the Board of Selectmen to enter into a lease and grant an easement on the Stevens Estate, on terms and conditions the Selectmen deem in the best of interest of the Town, for a third telecommunications carrier on the tower at the Stevens Estate, or take any other action related thereto. Vote approved 5-0. Reserve Officer Appointment Process. The Police Chief with the assistance of Assistant Town Manager Ray Santilli reviewed and is recommending ten new police reserve officers. Selectmen Caggiano wanted to review the background summaries on the reserve police officers before voting on the motion. Wendy Wakeman made a MOTION, seconded by Mark Caggiano, to call for a five-minute Recess. Vote approved 5-0. Donald Stewart made a MOTION, seconded by Wendy Wakeman, to accept the recommended ten reserve police officers and add two more to the list bringing the list from ten to twelve. The officers are Noonan, Boettcher, Faye, Bonenfant, Diminico, Sewade, Shola, Lawlor, Gallagher, Page, Wedge, and Ferguson. This is a conditional offer of employment are on the contingency of the passing of medical and psychological testing. There was a discussion about the process of hiring of police officers. Mark Caggiano made a MOTION, seconded by Wendy Wakeman, to accept the recommended 12 police officers after the Chief's approval of candidates 11 and 12. Vote approved 4-0-1. Rosemary Smedile abstained. Polling Locations for March 29, 2005 Annual Town Election. The Board was asked to advise and establish the polling locations for the upcoming March 29, 2005 Town Election. The Board was given a report prepared by the Town Manager with the pros and cons on having the election at the one location. The Board discussed alternative options using other public buildings and schools, but Mark Caggiano said using the high school is the only viable way to ensure that polling places comply with state regulations and spreading out voters would not necessarily be an improvement over using only the high school. Rosemary Smedile and Wendy Wakeman anticipated more traffic problems since this election would have an override question on the ballot. The last election in 2002 with an override question drew about 48% of voters. Mark Caggiano made a MOTION, seconded by Donald Stewart, to use the high school as the only polling place for the upcoming March 29, 2005 Town Election. Vote approved 3-2. Rosemary Smedile and Wendy Wakeman opposed. Board of Selectmen Meeting January 10, 2005 5 FY06-10 General Fund Capital Improvement Plan. The Town Manager requested the Board to review the recommended capital budget FY06 through FY10 (CIP)to be in compliance with the Town Charter. At the Board's next meeting they would have to accept, reject, or modify the CIP. The CIP would then be submitted to the Finance Committee for their review and recommendations. Selectman Wakeman would like more information of the School Technology System Improvements requests for$250,000 and asked if someone from the school department could provide an in-depth report at their next meeting. Selectmen Wakeman said the town probably should not move on to another major building project such as the design and engineering costs associated with the relocation of the Main Street Fire Station with the Police Station project already in the works. Selectmen Xenakis echoed Wakeman and said that the Board has to demonstrate doing everything possible to ease the burden on taxpayers. The Town has only one shot at this and should make it as palatable as possible. Wendy Wakeman made a MOTION, seconded by James Xenakis, instructed the Town Manager to make adjustments of the line item of$646,000 in the CIP for the design and engineering costs of the Main Street Fire Station be changed to offset costs to the Police Station building project. Vote approved 5-0. TOWN MANAGER'S REPORT: The Superintendent of Schools submitted his recommended Budget for FY06. The Community Preservation Committee will be conducting a Public Information Hearing on Thursday, January 13, at 7:00 p.m. in the Selectmen's meeting room at Town Hall to receive input on possible uses of CPC funds in FY06. The deadline line for submissions of requests is February 20, 2005. On December 23, 2004 the Town Manager met with GLSD Director Rick Hogan and the Town's representative of the Board Len Degnan to discuss current issues at the facility including their efforts to comply with a federal consent order to reduce or eliminate storm water from entering into the system. The Board has been invited to march in the City of Lawrence St. Patrick's Day Parade scheduled for March 13, 2005. On Friday, January 14, 2005, at 10:00 AM three new recruit officers will graduate from the Lowell Police Academy. On Wednesday, January 19, 2005, Senator Baddour will be hosting a Business Roundtable for Secretary of Economic Development Ranch Kimball from 9:00 AM — 10:30 AM at the Merrimack Valley Hospital Auditorium. Mr. Kimball will also tour the facilities at 1600 Osgood Street from 11:00 AM — 1:00 PM. The Board of Selectmen is invited to attend these events. ADJOURNMENT: Wendy Wakeman made a MOTION, seconded by Mark Caggiano, to adjourn the meeting at 9:00 PM. Vote approved 5-0. Adele J. Johnson Administrative Secretary Wendy D. Wakeman, Clerk of the Board