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HomeMy WebLinkAbout2008-10-06 Board of Selectmen Minutes BOARD OF SELECTMEN MINUTES OCTOBER 6, 2008 CALL TO ORDER: Chairman Rosemary Connelly Smedile called the meeting to order at 7:00 PM at Town Hall Meeting Room. PLEDGE OF ALLIGIANCE ATTENDANCE: The following were present: Rosemary Connelly Smedile, Chairman; Mark J.T. Caggiano Clerk; Daniel P. Lanen; Tracy M. Watson; Mark Rees, Town Manager; Ray Santilli, Assistant Town Manager. Richard Nardella was absent. EXECUTIVE SESSION: Mark Caggiano made a MOTION, seconded by Tracy Watson, to move into Executive Session to discuss pending litigation, bargaining with union employees and bargaining with non-union employees. The Board of Selectmen was individually polled and each voted to move into Executive Session. Vote approved 4-0. APPROVAL OF MINUTES: Mark Caggiano made a MOTION, seconded by Tracy Watson, to approve the minutes of September 29, 2008, Open Session as written. Vote approved 4-0. Mark Caggiano made a MOTION, seconded by Tracy Watson, to approve the minutes of September 29, 2008 Executive Session as written. Vote approved 3-0-1. Daniel Lanen abstained. COMMUNICATIONS,ANNOUNCEMENTS, AND PUBLIC COMMENT: New Businesses Recognitions A Certificate of Appreciation was presented to "High Street Grill" and "In Control Advanced Driver Training"for locating their businesses in North Andover. Appointments The Board's subcommittee consisting of Rosemary Smedile and Tracy Watson recommend Tareq Rahman, George Koehler and Richard Nardella to the Capital Building Planning Committee. Tracy Watson made a MOTION, seconded by Mark Caggiano, to approve the appointment of Tareq Rahman, George Koehler and Richard Nardella to the Capital Building Planning Committee. Vote approved 4-0. Halloween Trick or Treat Date and Hours Daniel Lanen made a MOTION, seconded by Mark Caggiano, to approve Halloween Trick or Treat to be on Friday, October 31, 2008, between the hours of 5:00 p.m. —7:00 p.m. Vote approved 4-0. Temporary Relocation of Senior Center Programs Due to the renovation project at the Senior Center that will be commencing on November 3, 2008 and continue through January 2009, the Senior Center operations and programs will be temporarily relocated. A number of organizations and groups have come forward to donate space throughout the day for the programs and activities such as Ashland Farms, Bingham Way, Foulds Terrace, Fountain Drive, Library, Masonic Lodge, McCabe Court, St. Gregory Armenian Church, St. Michael's Church, Youth Center and Town Hall. CONSENT ITEMS: Town Clerk Joyce Bradshaw requested the Board sign the warrant for the November 4, 2008 Election. Mark Caggiano made a MOTION, seconded by Daniel Lanen, to approve and sign the warrant. Vote approved 4-0. Board of Selectmen Minutes October 6, 2008 2 Donation from Joseph N. Herman Youth Center, Inc. The Board is requested to accept a $10,000 donation,which will be used to fund a part-time administrative assistant at the Youth Center. Daniel Lanen made a MOTION, seconded by Mark Caggiano, to accept the $10,000 donation from the Joseph N. Herman Youth Center, Inc. Vote approved 4-0. LICENSING: Mediterranean Villa: Common Victualler and Wine & Malt License Daniel Lanen made a MOTION, seconded by Tracy Watson, to move into Licensing. Vote approved 4-0. Rosemary Smedile made a MOTION, seconded by Daniel Lanen, to open the Public Hearing for the Wine & Malt License. Vote approved 4-0. Arthur Skambas and Peter Skambas of DPS Ventures, Inc. Mediterranean Villa were present and applied for a Common Victualler, Wine & Malt License at 133 Main Street. Mr. Stergios Papadopoulos represented Jane C. DiPerri of 129 Main Street Reality &Trust with an objection vote against the granting of a Wine & Malt Beverage License and the Common Victualler License to the applicant because of two reasons. The Certified letters of notice were not sent out to abutters in a timely manner and an issue of insufficient parking. Counsel for the abutter also expressed objections. The owner of Kuman Math and Reading Center at 133 Main Street objected to the Wine & Malt Beverage License due to the fact that she has children ranging from 4 to 19 that attend the school. She was concerned with the use of alcohol so close to the school. Mr. Lappas and Karen Vrahliotis owners of 133 Main Street said that there should be sufficient parking available because one of their tenants, a limousine company, is no longer leasing. There will be only two tenants sharing eight parking spaces. Selectmen decided that this Public Hearing should be continued until the next meeting on October 20, 2008, and that this will be published in the newspaper and all abutters should be notified properly by Certified Letter with sufficient time. Rosemary Smedile made a MOTION, seconded by Daniel Lanen, to continue the Public Hearing for the Wine & Malt License at the next meeting on October 20, 2008. Vote approved 4-0. Rosemary Smedile made a MOTION, seconded by Daniel Lanen, to approve the Common Victualler License to Mediterranean Villa at 133 Main Street. Vote approved 4-0. Rosemary Smedile made a MOTION, seconded by Daniel Lanen, to move out of licensing. Vote approved 4-0. OLD BUSINESS: Revised Parking Proposal on High Street The owner of the East Mill, RCG North Andover Mills, LLC is requesting a modification of on street parking in front of their buildings on High Street. The Community Development and Fire Departments are recommending approval. The Police Department has raised some concerns relative to lack of consistency in the parking regulations in the neighborhood and color of the signs. The Police Department does not have any objection to extending the parking restriction until 9:00 p.m. and no objection to the 15-minute time limit spaces since some already exist. But they do not support a 90-minute limit as it is not consistent with the area and it is not a common time limit anywhere else. The Police Department is recommending 1-hour and 2-hour parking limits. Also the current signs need to be changed. They are improperly posted and need to be green and not red. The road also needs to be re- striped to make the travel lanes equal in width. Board of Selectmen Minutes October 6, 2008 3 Mr. David Steinbergh said that he acknowledges the Police Department's comments and says the 1-hour and 2-hour parking limits are acceptable and the signs will be fixed. He will be re-striping the street to make travel lanes equal. Daniel Lanen made a MOTION, seconded by Mark Caggiano, to grant the recommended 1-hour and 2- hour parking limits, changing the color of the signs and the re-striping of the road. Vote approved 4-0. Old Center Roundabout Landscape Design The Town commissioned the services of a landscape designer to develop some conceptual plans for landscaping the new roundabout in the Old Center. In addition to the comments from the Fire, Police, and Public Works Departments and the North Parish Church, the town is also soliciting input from the Friends of the Common. Friends of the Common spokesperson Mr. Ben Osgood of 69 Old Village Lane said that they had concerns about the conceptual plan. He suggested before anything was done there should be a discussion of what would be planted and who would maintain it. The Town Manager suggested to plant grass and hydro-seed because of time before the winter sets in. This would give sufficient time for discussion for any extensive designs and plantings for next spring and would make the center of the round about look attractive. Note: Selectman Caggiano left the meeting at 8:50 p.m. NEW BUSINESS: Merrimack Valley Planning Commission Presentation on Priority Growth Strategy MVPC President Dennis DiZoglio produced the Priority Growth Strategy. The presentation provided an overview of the challenges the Merrimack Valley region faces as we start the 21St century and a land use strategy that identifies where communities want to grow, where they want to discourage growth and how they can improve the transportation network that serves this land use strategy. The MVPC is looking for input from Selectmen, Town and City Managers and the public to accurately address the regions' challenges. As communities work together to face these challenges this is an opportunity to bring clout to the state when requesting more funding for infrastructure. TOWN MANAGER'S REPORT: The Town Manager provided a preliminary information packet to the Board regarding the town's migration to single stream recycling and financial information for the first two months of the town's FY09 operations. Rosemary Smedile suggested that the Town should inform the residents about the new recycling single stream system in the next Newsletter. The Government Review Committee had their first meeting on October 2, 2008. All the members are engaged in the project and are looking forward to getting to work. There is a possibility that they may ask for an extension of time to complete their charge. ADJOURNMENT: Daniel Lanen made a MOTION, seconded by Tracy Watson, to adjourn the meeting at 9:30 PM. Vote approved 3-0. Adele J. Johnson Administrative Secretary Mark Caggiano, Clerk of the Board