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Home My WebLink About2011-03-08 Board of Selectmen Minutes BOARD OF SELECTMEN MINUTES March 8, 2011 CALL TO ORDER: Chairman Daniel Lanen called the meeting to order at 7:30 PM at Town Hall Meeting Room. ATTENDANCE: The following were present: Daniel Lanen, Chairman; William F. Gordon, Clerk; Tracy Watson, Licensing Chairman; Rosemary Connelly Smedile, Mark Rees, Town Manager; Ray Santilli, Assistant Town Manager. Note: Richard Nardella was absent PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE COMMUNICATIONS,ANNOUNCEMENTS, AND PUBLIC COMMENT: Certificates of Accomplishment The Board of Selectmen recognized the North Andover High School Wrestling Team for winning the Division 2 State Champions and presented them with Certificates of Accomplishments. Representative James Lyons presented the Team with a Resolution from the House of Representatives congratulating them on their win. Appointments The Town Manager announced his recommendation for the appointment of Cathy Darby as the Human Resources Director. William Gordon made a MOTION, seconded by Rosemary Smedile, to approve the appointment of Cathy Darby as the Human Resources Director. Vote approved 4-0. The Town Manager requested to add an Acceptance of Grant Award under Consent items. CONSENT ITEMS: Town Election Warrant Town Clerk Joyce Bradshaw requested the board to approve and sign the Warrant for the Town Election of March 29, 2011. Affordable Housing Unit Resale The Board was requested to not exercise its right of first refusal for 1 Harvest Drive, Unit 201 at Oakridge Village. Rosemary Smedile made a MOTION, seconded by William Gordon, to not exercise its right of first refusal for 1 Harvest Drive, Unit 201 at Oakridge Village and to authorize CHAPA to find a new owner who will maintain the unit's affordability designation. Vote approved 4-0. Drainage Easement, 254 Great Pond Road The Board was requested to accept a grant of easement on to the Town for drainage to the Town from Nancy Leland of 254 Great Pond Road. The Board was requested to sign the original easement so that it can be recorded at the North Essex Registry of Deeds. Rosemary Smedile made a MOTION, seconded by Tracy Watson, to accept from Nancy Leland of 254 Great Pond Road, the Grant of Easement shown as "Drainage Easement," area 9963 sq. ft. + or-, on "Easement Plan of Land located in North Andover, MA, prepared for Nancy Leland, 254 Great Pond Road, North Andover, MA date August 9, 2010, scale: 1"= 40', drawn by Christiansen & Sergi, Inc. Haverhill, Massachusetts. Vote approved 4-0. Board of Selectmen Minutes March 8, 2011 2 Underage Alcohol Enforcement Grant Award- Police Department Note: Daniel Lanen recused The Board was requested to accept the Police Department Grant Award of$10,000 for Underage Alcohol Enforcement. Rosemary Smedile made a MOTION, seconded by William Gordon, to accept the Underage Alcohol Enforcement Grant Award for$10,000 from the Executive Office of Public Safety and Security to the North Andover Police Department. Vote approved 3-0. Note: Daniel Lanen returned LICENSING COMMISSIONERS: William Gordon made a MOTION, seconded by Rosemary Smedile, to move into Licensing. Vote approved 4-0. All Alcoholic Beverage Restaurant License, Cedar Crest Restaurant, Inc. to Shadi's, Inc. Michel Asmar owner of Shadi's Inc. submitted an application for a Retail Alcoholic Beverage License at 585 Chickering Road. The current license is held by Mary Claire Kennedy of the Cedar Crest Restaurant and this is a transfer of the license and will be subject to approval by the ABCC and compliance with all applicable laws, bylaws, rules and regulations. Rosemary Smedile made a MOTION, seconded by William Gordon, to approve the transfer of an All Alcoholic Beverage Restaurant License. Cedar Crest Restaurant, Inc. to Shadi's Inc. 585 Chickering Road and the appointment of Michel Asmar as manager, subject to approval by the ABCC and compliance with all applicable laws, bylaws, rules and regulations. Vote approved 4-0. Rosemary Smedile made a MOTION, seconded by William Gordon, to move out of Licensing. Vote approved 4-0. NEW BUSINESS: Redistricting of Precincts Town Clerk Joyce Bradshaw presented an overview packet of the process and procedures necessary to redistrict voting precincts in North Andover. This redistricting was made necessary by the results of the 2010 Federal Census. Part One outlines how local districts (precincts and wards) are drawn by local officials subject to approval by a state commission called the Local Election Districts Review Commission. Part Two describes how legislative districts for electing members of Congress, State Senators, State Representatives and Governor's Councilors are drawn by the State Legislature. Special Counsel Services for Comcast Cable TV franchise renewal The Town has started the three year process of renewing the franchise agreement for Comcast Cable TV. In the past the Town has used the services of Attorney William August to assist the Town and the Cable Advisory Committee in these negotiations. The Board was requested to approve the services of Special Counsel William August. Tracy Watson made a MOTION, seconded by Rosemary Smedile, to approve the services of Special Counsel William August for the purpose of renewing the franchise agreement for Comcast Cable TV. Vote approved 4-0. Board of Selectmen Minutes March 8, 2011 3 Note: Richard Nardella arrived at 8:30 p.m. OLD BUSINESS: FY12 Operating (General and Enterprise Funds) Capital Improvement Plan Budgets The Town Manager described the projected revenues increase by a meager 1.5% or approximately $1.2 million and financing sources of$78.8 million as insufficient to pay for expected non-departmental/fixed cost increases, primarily in employee health insurance and retirement expenses, of$1.5 million or a 6.5%. In order to maintain a balanced budget it would be necessary to decrease municipal and school operating budgets by 1% or$507,000 over FY11 levels. Chief Richard Stanley, Chief Andrew Melnikas, Department of Public Works Director Bruce Thibodeau and Director of Technology Matthew Killen were present to discuss their department's requested budget and the cuts recommended by the Town Manager because of the projected revenue shortfall in the fiscal year 2012. Each department head provided the Board with information and requested that the Board reconsider some of the suggested cuts in their proposed budgets. Selectmen said that Public Safety was a priority in the Town of North Andover and would try to take a look at the figures and work with the Town Manager as to how to restore some of the funds in those budgets. TOWN MANAGER'S REPORT: Major Contracts The Assistant Town Manager Ray Santilli provided a memo with a list of contracts recently issued or about to be executed as follows: Stabilization of Gate House (Stevens Estate); Combination Pumper Fire Truck; 1 00'Aerial Ladder Fire Truck; Granular Activated Carbon; Bituminous Concrete Paving; Sewer Rehabilitation; and Energy Performance Contracting. Snow& Ice Deficit The Town has a snow& ice removal deficit of$550,000 and the Town Manager is requesting a slight cut in the FY11 departments' budgets to help pay for the deficit. The Town Manager also said that he received notice from the Governor's office that Federal Funds for reimbursement would be available for one major snow storm on January 12, 2011 to help pay for this deficit. PUBLIC COMMENT Firefighter Barry Sullivan asked the Board various questions on the Fire Truck bids and why it took the Board and the management so long to make an announcement on the Bidder. The Board said that there was a protocol and procedure to do their due diligence for the bids and that everything was on schedule. The Town Manager would be doing a letter of intent on March 9, 2011. ADJOURNMENT: William Gordon made a MOTION, seconded by Tracy Watson, to adjourn the meeting at 10:50 p.m. Vote approved 5-0. Adele J. Johnson Administrative Secretary William Gordon, Clerk of the Board