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Home My WebLink About2010-10-04 Board of Selectmen Minutes BOARD OF SELECTMEN MINUTES OCTOBER 4, 2010 CALL TO ORDER: Chairman Daniel Lanen called the meeting to order at 7:00 PM at Town Hall Meeting Room. PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE ATTENDANCE: The following were present: Daniel Lanen, Chairman; Richard Nardella,Vice Chairman; William F. Gordon, Clerk;Tracy Watson, Licensing Chairman; Rosemary Connelly Smedile, Mark Rees, Town Manager; Ray Santilli,Assistant Town Manager. APPROVAL OF MINUTES: William Gordon made a MOTION, seconded by Rosemary Smedile,to approve the Executive Session Minutes of September 20, 2010. Vote approved 5-0. William Gordon made a MOTION, seconded by Rosemary Smedile,to approve the Open Session Minutes of September 20, 2010. Vote approved 5-0. COMMUNICATIONS,ANNOUNCEMENTS,AND PUBLIC COMMENT: New Business Recognition The Board of Selectmen presented a Certificate of Appreciation to Off-Season Sports & Physical Therapy, 1820 Turnpike Street for locating their business in town. Jennifer Yarid; Certified Municipal Treasurer The Massachusetts Collectors and Treasurers Association announced that Jennifer Yarid had earned the designation of Certified Massachusetts Municipal Treasurer. Certification requires meeting stringent standards in regards to experience and education over a period of four years. A certificate will be awarded on November 17, 2010. Town Clerk; Elections Update Town Clerk Joyce Bradshaw gave an update on the upcoming logistics for the November 2, 2010 state election. Voting will be from 6:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. at the North Andover High School. If anyone is unable to get to the polls, request an absentee ballot from the Town Clerk's office. Selectmen requested that the Town Manager work with the Police and School departments to ensure the open access to the High School by Rte. 125. It was also requested that teacher's curriculum day be moved to the Middle School instead of meeting at the High School that day to insure plenty of parking for voters. CONSENT ITEMS: Approval of November 2, 2010 Election Warrant Richard Nardella made a MOTION, seconded by Tracy Watson,to approve and sign the November 2, 2010 election warrant as prepared by the Town Clerk. Vote approved 5-0. Approval of Alternative Voting Locations Tracy Watson made a MOTION, seconded by Richard Nardella,to approve the following locations for potential use as alternated voting locations should the designated site at the North Andover High School 430 Osgood Street not be available: Town Hall, 120 Main St.; Senior Center, 120R Main St., Youth Board of Selectmen Minutes October 4, 2010 2 Services, 33 Johnson St.; Merrimack College,Turnpike St.; Osgood Landing, 1600 Osgood St., Middle School,495 Main St.;Atkinson School, 111 Phillips Brook Rd.; Franklin School, 2 Cypress Terr.; Kittredge School, 601 Main St.; Sargent School, 300 Abbott St.; and Thomson School, 266 Waverly Rd. Vote approved 5-0. "Knight Lights" Fund Raiser Knight Lights is a North Andover Town wide celebration of the Arts and has raised over$7,000 for the North Andover Schools Enrichment Council. Kristen Hollenbeck, chair of the North Andover Schools Enrichment Council is seeking approval to hold the event on Saturday, February 5, 2011,from 5:00— 7:00 p.m. throughout town but particularly at Memorial Park and around the Library. Rosemary Smedile made a MOTION, seconded by Richard Nardella,to grant an event permit to the North Andover Schools Enrichment Council for"Knight Lights" on February 5, 2011 from 5:00—7:00 p.m. providing for the display of luminary bags throughout the Town but with primary locations at the Library and Memorial Park. Vote approved 5-0. Halloween Trick or Treat Day/Hours The Board of Selectmen discussed expanding the hours and changing the date of Trick or Treat. Rosemary Smedile made a MOTION, seconded by William Gordon,to approve the date of Sunday, October 31, 2010,for Trick or Treat and expand the hours to 5:00 pm -8:00 p.m. Vote approved 5-0. Creation of Special Revenue Account The Town Accountant Lyne Savage is requesting the Board's approval of the establishment of a special revenue account to accept proceeds from payments relating to an approved 40B project called Merrimack Condominiums. Conditions#39 from the comprehensive permit for the Merrimack Condominiums states that prior to each market rate unit getting their Certificate of Occupancy the developer must provide$5,000 to the Town (max. $195,000). The Condition further states that the funds should be used for the purpose of affordable housing or other valid public purpose. The Town has received two payments totaling$10,000. Richard Nardella made a MOTION, seconded by Tracy Watson,to approve the establishment of a special revenue account to accept payments pursuant to the comprehensive permit(40B) issued to Merrimack Condominiums. Vote approved 5-0. Request to Use Town Common—Orit Goldstein Mrs. Goldstein requested the use of the Town Common to display a menorah from November 28— December 12, 2010 and to conduct an event on December 1, 2010 from 7:00—8:00 p.m. Rosemary Smedile made a MOTION, seconded by Tracy Watson,to grant a permit to display a Menorah on the Town Common from November 28—December 12, 2010 and an event permit on December 1, 2010 from 7:00—8:00 p.m. subject to all applicable laws, bylaws, rules and regulations. Vote approved 5-0. LICENSING COMMISSIONERS: Rosemary Smedile made a MOTION, seconded by Richard Nardella,to move into Licensing and to open a public hearing. Vote approved 5-0. Board of Selectmen Minutes October 4, 2010 3 Millennium Eatery d/b/a Beijing Restaurant, request to change suspension dates David Young introduced himself as the new manager of the Beijing Restaurant and pleaded with the Board to modify the liquor suspension dates. Mr. Young stated that if the Board suspended liquor on all the major holidays,their business would suffer tremendously. He also requested that the Board consider 5 or more consecutive suspension days so that the restaurant could do some alterations to the bar during that time. After a discussion and reconsideration, the Board decided to modify the remaining 8 suspension dates. William Gordon made a MOTION, seconded by Rosemary Smedile,to modify the remaining 8 suspension dates to the following: November 24, 26, December 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 2010. Vote approved 5-0. Town Clerk Joyce Bradshaw said that the Beijing management needed to submit paperwork for alterations of premises to the Town Clerk's office and the ABCC and that this is time sensitive. Mr. Young assured the Town Clerk and the Board that the paperwork would be submitted promptly. Public Hearing: Class II Used Car License Application; Mary Ann McElhiney, Main Street Service Mary McElhiney of 77 Main Street is seeking to reinstate and upgrade a family business which has been in this location for over 20 Years and the number of vehicles (12) conforms to the Board's vote on December 10, 2007 to allow 12 vehicles. Richard Nardella made a MOTION, seconded by Rosemary Smedile,to approve the Class II Used Care License Application of Mary Ann McElhiney for Main Street Service. Vote approved 5-0. Public Hearing: Flammable Material Storage License; Energy USA Propane, 1820-1830 Turnpike Street Michael Smith of Energy USA Propane is requesting a special propane storage permit to store 5,000 gallons of propane at 1820-1830 Turnpike Street. All town departments recommended favorable action. William Gordon made a MOTION, seconded by Rosemary Smedile,to approve the request by Michael Smith of Energy USA Propane for a special propane storage permit to store 5,000 gallons of propane at 1820-1830 Turnpike Street. Vote approved 5-0. Richard Nardella made a MOTION, seconded by Rosemary Smedile,to move out of Licensing. Vote approved 5-0. OLD BUSINESS: Administrative Reorganization The Town Manager presented an administrative reorganization proposal at the Board's last meeting for review. The Town Manager is changing the position of Assistant Town Manager/Human Resources to Assistant Town Manager/Purchasing Director and proposing to hire a new Human Resources Director. The Board requested that the position of Human Resources be graded by the Town's classification consultant to determine a salary range and then give funding sources for the proposed reorganization. The Town Manager said the Human Resources Director should be graded as either a Grade 14 or a Grade 15 which would result in a salary range of($61,703 to$88,851). The estimated salary was reduced from $80,000 to $65,000. A budget proposal was also given for FY11 and FY12 showing the municipal budget and the joint support services budget. Board of Selectmen Minutes October 4, 2010 4 The Board asked various questions regarding the reorganization plan about joint support services position such as the purchasing director. The Board also made suggestions as to the organizational chart because as it stands now the Town Manager would have too many directors reporting to him. The Board also had questions regarding a Facilities Management Director. The Town Manager asked the Board to approve the first part of the reorganization in changing the role of Assistant Town Manger and hiring a new Human Resources Director and to give him three months to come up with an organizational chart for directors and who reports to him. Rosemary Smedile made a MOTION, seconded by William Gordon,to accept the present reorganization proposal submitted by the Town Manager with the proviso that over the next three months additional organization changes are made making sure that an acceptable reporting structure is in place by January 1, 2011. Vote approved 5-0. Fire Department Apparatus At a prior Selectmen's meeting, Fire Chief Melnikas informed the Board that two of his fire trucks were not fully operational and at risk for failure. Tonight the Town Manager presented options for the Board to consider whether to replace both the Ladder and Engine trucks or to repair the trucks and presented options for funding. Options for funding were Free Cash, Stabilization Fund, Leasing, or borrowing through the Capital Improvement Plan (CIP). The Town Manager went into detail about the different ways of financing and gave his recommendation to rehab ladder 1 and purchase a new engine with additional storage and transportation capabilities. Chief Melnikas said it would be wiser to replace both vehicles because it would be throwing money out the window to repair the ladder and then have something else go wrong in a couple of years. Selectmen unanimously agreed that the Town should borrow funds through the CIP (Option A) because interest rates are so low at this time and recommended to schedule a Special Town Meeting in the near future to ask residents to approve the purchase of a new ladder truck for$800,000 and a new fire engine for$500,000. Special Town Meeting The Town Manager said because the Board made a decision to move forward with purchasing two new fire trucks, a Special Town Meeting would be necessary for appropriations and approval from residents. The Town Clerk presented a Fall Town Meeting calendar with a recommendation to hold a Special Town Meeting on Wednesday, November 17, 2010. Richard Nardella made a MOTION, seconded by William Gordon,to hold a Special Town Meeting on November 17, 2010 at 7:00 p.m. at North Andover High School and to accept the calendar as proposed. Vote approved 5-0. Change of Selectmen Meeting Date Chairman Lanen suggested that the Board change one of their scheduled meetings on Monday, November 15, 2010 to Wednesday, November 17, 2010, at 5:30 p.m. before the Special Town Meeting starts at 7:00 p.m. Board of Selectmen Minutes October 4, 2010 5 TOWN MANAGER'S REPORT • Early Retiree Reinsurance Program: The town has enrolled and been accepted in the Federal Government's Early Retiree Reinsurance Program which may provide reimbursements to the town upwards to$180,000. • DPW Director Bruce Thibodeau briefly touched upon this matter when he appeared before the Board's last meeting, a proposal has been accepted from a firm that will be conducting a comprehensive survey and data base development of the Town's traffic control signs. This work is necessary to be incompliance with new federal regulations but will also ensure that all of our traffic signs comply with appropriate design and location standards. • The Town is currently working with the owner's of the cell tower located at Stevens Estate to extend the height of the tower an additional ten feet to accommodate an additional carrier. If successful,the town should be able to generate an additional $2,500 per month in rental income. • Continuing collaboration efforts with the School Department,the Youth and Recreation services has agreed to allow the school department to use one of their vans to transport students to job sites and the School Department has agreed to provide access to their ropes course and climbing wall at the High School. ADJOURNMENT: Richard Nardella made a MOTION, seconded by William Gordon,to adjourn the meeting at 9:15 p.m. Vote approved 5-0. Adele J.Johnson Administrative Secretary William Gordon, Clerk of the Board