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HomeMy WebLinkAbout2021-12-13 Board of Selectmen Minutes SELECT BOARD MINUTES DECEMBER 13, 2021 Call To Order: Chairperson Laura Bates called the meeting to order at 6:00PM in the Town Hall Select Board Meeting Room. The open session meeting was recorded. Attendance: Chair Laura Bates, Janice Phillips, Clerk Rosemary Smedile, Richard Vaillancourt, Chris Nobile, Town Manager Melissa Murphy Rodrigues, Director of Administrative Services Laurie Burzlaff and Deputy Town Manger Denise Casey were present. EXECUTIVE SESSION Chair Bates stated the Board will enter Executive session to conduct strategy with respect to litigation, to discuss strategy with respect to collective bargaining, to consider purchase of real estate and declared an open meeting will have a detrimental effect on the litigating position of the Board. MOTION: Mr. Nobile motioned the Select Board enter into Executive Session pursuant to Massachusetts General Laws, Chapter 30A, Section 21(a)(3) and (6) to discuss strategy with respect to collective bargaining and to consider purchase of real estate and to review and approve Executive Session minutes. Ms. Phillips seconded. Motion approved 5-0. Mr. Vaillancourt recused himself from the Executive Session. The Board returned to Open Session at 6:30PM. Public Comment None LICENSING MOTION: Ms. Philips motioned to open a meeting of the North Andover Licensing Commission. Mr. Vaillancourt seconded. Motion approved 5-0. 2022 License Renewals Mr. Nobile mentioned Smolak Farms will be getting their entertainment license in 2022. Suzanne Egan, Town Council, explained that one business currently was not in good standing and had outstanding taxes. Ms. Phillips asked if not completed by December 31, 2021, would the license fail. Ms. Rodrigues stated yes. Ms. Rodrigues stated the Town would work with businesses to make payment plans for financial obligations but not with any safety violations/corrections. Mr. Vaillancourt asked if it would be voted as contingent. Ms. Rodrigues stated yes. MOTION: Ms. Phillips motioned to approve and renew the licenses for all of the establishments listed in the Assistant Town Clerk’s memorandum dated December 13, 2021, subject to payment by the license holders of all outstanding taxes due the Town no later than December 31, 2021, Certificates of Good Standing received no later than December 31, 2021, and fire and building inspections certificates issued no later than December 31, 2021. Mr. Vaillancourt seconded. Motion approved 5-0. MOTION: Ms. Bates motioned to close a meeting of the North Andover Licensing Commission. Ms. Phillips seconded. Motion approved 5-0. Vote to ratify contract with New England Police Benevolent Association (NEPBA) Local 2A Ms. Rodrigues stated Union President Robert Barter was present at the meeting. Mr. Vaillancourt recused himself for this agenda item. Ms. Rodrigues stated the items of the contract. MOTION: Mr. Nobile motioned to approve the contract between the Town and New England Police Benevolent Association Local 2A for the contract term July 1, 2021 through June 30, 2024. Ms. Smedile seconded. Motion approved 4-0. 1 SELECT BOARD MINUTES DECEMBER 13, 2021 CONSENT ITEMS A. Accept donation to the Senior Center in the amount of $250 from the Newcomers Club of the Andovers B. Accept grant in the amount of $11,700 from the Department of Environmental Protection for the food waste recycling program MOTION: Ms. Smedile motioned to move that the Select Board approve and accept all consent items. Ms. Phillips seconded. Motion approved 5-0. APPROVAL OF OPEN SESSION MINUTES OF NOVEMBER 29, 2021 MOTION: Mr. Nobile motioned to approve the Open Session minutes of November 29, 2021. Ms. Phillips seconded. Motion approved 5-0. MOTION: Ms. Phillips made a MOTION, seconded by Ms. Smedile to recess to join Tri-Board meeting at 6:50PM. Motion approved 5-0. JOINT MEETING WITH SELECT BOARD, SCHOOL COMMITTEE AND FINANCE COMMITTEE Select Board MOTION: Ms. Phillips motioned to move out of recess at 7:00PM. Ms. Smedile seconded. Motion approved 5-0. School Committee MOTION: Ms. Mabley motioned to open the meeting of the School Committee at 7:06PM. Ms. Lynch seconded. Roll call for School Committee attendance: Lynch-yes; McDevitt-yes; Mabley-yes; Pietrowski-yes; Pickard-yes (remote). Motion approved 5-0 Finance Committee MOTION: Ms. Allen motioned to open the meeting of the Finance Committee at 7:07PM. Ms. Kean seconded. Roll call for Finance Committee attendance: Allen- yes; Silk- yes (remote); O’Connell- yes; Luz- yes (remote); Kean- yes; Pastor- yes; Sarro- yes. Mr. MacMillan and Ms. Stetson were not present. Motion approved 7-0 Town Manager Presentation of Five Year Financial Forecast Ms. Rodrigues gave the presentation of the Five Year Financial Forecast. Ms. Rodrigues gave a presentation of the recommended Capital Improvement Plan FY23-27. Mr. Nobile asked what has been the average increase in residential taxes for the last 5 years. Ms. Rodrigues stated she would look into it. Ms. Pickard asked if an operational override will not be needed for Kittridge. Ms. Rodrigues stated that is correct an operational override will not be needed for Kittridge. Ms. Smedile asked if extremely low rates are being used as the rate seems pretty low. Ms. Rodrigues stated 3% is the rate being used with an average of 25 years. Ms. Phillips asked if North Andover would continue to apply for MSBA for all projects, now and going forward. Ms. Rodrigues and Dr. Gilligan both stated yes. Mr. McDevitt mentioned the concern of how long some of the projects will take to complete. Ms. Rodrigues stated the reasons to 1) get the work done, 2) maintain fiscal responsibility and 3) making it realistic and possible to pass at Town Meeting. Mr. McDevitt stated that slide 13 had Franklin auditorium written when it should have stated Franklin gymnasium. Ms. Rodrigues agreed and noted the change. Ms. Kean asked about slide 13 if the order of the projects were done based on need and financials or financials and size. Ms. Rodrigues stated all of the above. Ms. Rodrigues stated the Middle School is number one priority, Kittridge is the most expensive project and ABECC was last since it is the newest building. Ms. Kean asked if the Town said no to a project would the order change. Ms. Rodrigues stated the plan would be revisited. Dr. Gilligan stated MSBA has 58 applicants and 2 SELECT BOARD MINUTES DECEMBER 13, 2021 Kittridge has made it to the top 20 so far and will find out in March. Mr. Nobile mentioned accelerating the time to get the school projects completed due to the need of repairs and compliance. Ms. Pickard asked if the multi year budget that the school administration presented was put into the financial forecast. Ms. Rodrigues stated the following, the FY23 and FY24, the 2 years not tied to building needs, are implemented in the plan and the rest of the 5 year plan takes into account all of the school’s requests in their 5 year plan. Mr. Nobile and Ms. Allen mentioned to get the parents of the school aged children to go to Town Meeting. Ms. Rodrigues stated Laurie Burzlaff is the lead on the Town side for the Facilities Master Plan II and she will be working with the contractor to finalize the program. Ms. Rodrigues stated the final plan will be presented to the public and a Q&A session will be scheduled. ADJOURNMENT- SCHOOL COMMITTEE MOTION: Ms. Pickard made a MOTION, seconded by Ms. Mabley to adjourn the School Committee meeting at 8:30 PM. Roll call vote: Pietrowski-yes, Lynch-yes; McDevitt-yes; Mabley-yes; Pickard-yes. Motion approved 5-0. ADJOURNMENT- FINANCE COMMITTEE MOTION: Ms. Allen made a MOTION, seconded by Ms. Pastor to adjourn the Finance Committee meeting at 8:31 PM. Roll call vote: Allen-yes, Silk-yes; Pastor-yes; O’Connoll-yes; Luz-yes; Foley-yes; Kean-yes; Weinreich-yes. Motion approved 7- 0. ADJOURNMENT- SELECT BOARD MOTION: Ms. Phillips made a MOTION, seconded by Ms. Smedile to adjourn the Select Board meeting at 8:32 PM. Motion approved 5-0. Respectfully submitted, Jillian A. Brothers Executive Assistant _______________________________ Rosemary Connelly Smedile, Clerk of the Board Documents used at meeting: License Renewals Memorandum Contract Letter Donation Minutes Presentations 3