HomeMy WebLinkAbout2024-11-20 Select Board Minutes
NORTH ANDOVER SELECT BOARD MINUTES NOVEMBER 20, 2024
Pursuant to Section 20 of Chapter 20 of the Acts of 2021, this meeting of the North Andover Select Board
will be conducted via remote participation. For this meeting, members of the public who wish to watch the
meeting may do so on their televisions by tuning to Comcast Channel 8 or Verizon Channel 26 or online at
www.northandovercam.org. Every effort will be made to ensure that the public can adequately access the
proceedings in real time, via technological means. In the event that we are unable to do so, despite best
efforts, we will post on the Town of North Andover website an audio or video recording, transcript, or other
comprehensive record of proceedings as soon as possible after the meeting.
Call To Order: Chair Brian Roache called the emergency remote meeting to order at 8:32AM.
Select Board in Attendance: Chair Brian Roache, Janice Phillips, Laura Bates, Clerk Rosemary Smedile
and David Kres were present
Non-Board Members in Attendance: Town Manager Melissa Murphy-Rodrigues, Deputy Town Manager
Denise Casey, Assistant Town Manager Laurie Burzlaff, and Executive Assistant Nicole Civitarese were
present.
NEW BUSINESS
Confirm Town Manager’s declaration of State of Emergency due to Fires
Ms. Murphy-Rodrigues stated as of last night, there is approximately 530 acres of fire within the Boxford
State Forest, and around 186 of those acres are in North Andover. Ms. Murphy-Rodrigues stated they are
working with their partners in Middleton and Boxford as well as the State on trying to fight those fires with
mutual aid. Ms. Murphy-Rodrigues stated in meeting with those Town Administrators as well as the Town
Manager of Danvers, they do believe at this point it is prudent to call a State of Emergency. Ms. Murphy-
Rodrigues stated there is a real chance they will have a deficit spent based on the overtime costs and
damage to equipment. Ms. Phillips thanked Ms. Murphy-Rodrigues for her diligence regarding this matter.
Ms. Murphy-Rodrigues mentioned that she checked in with the Lt. Governor yesterday. Ms. Murphy-
Rodrigues stated there is mutual aid from New Hampshire and Maine making it a multi-state issue. Ms.
Bates thanked Ms. Murphy-Rodrigues for her quick action. Ms. Bates asked what a State of Emergency will
allow the Town to do. Ms. Murphy-Rodrigues stated it allows us to petition the Department of Revenue for
deficit spent, it will allow us to amortize that over three years, and it allows us to give assignments, use
emergency procurement and coordinate our services among different departments and agencies. Ms.
Murphy-Rodrigues mentioned she did consult with the Emergency Management Director, Jeff Coco. Ms.
Smedile stated this seems to be an appropriate decision for the Town. Ms. Murphy-Rodrigues reminded
residents to not light fire pits, not to use charcoal grills, and to not throw cigarettes out the window or into a
bush or into mulch because a lot of the time it is humans causing these fires. Ms. Murphy-Rodrigues stated a
local disaster account was created this year by the legislature. Mr. Kres thanked Ms. Murphy-Rodrigues, her
staff, and the Fire Department. Mr. Roache asked if there was a sense of what the magnitude is in terms of
dollars. Ms. Murphy-Rodrigues stated it is too early to tell. Ms. Murphy-Rodrigues stated she tried to break
out the overtime yesterday, but it will not even give a free picture. Ms. Smedile asked if police were on
scene. Ms. Murphy-Rodrigues stated the first few days we had a police detail, but right now the Mema
bunker is at the entrance of the forest. Ms. Murphy-Rodrigues stated DPW went in yesterday and dug new
fire roads. Ms. Murphy-Rodrigues stated Middleton voted last night, Danvers has already signed through the
Town Manager Authority, Boxford is meeting on Thursday, and North Reading is meeting on Friday.
MOTION: Mr. Kres motioned to approve the Town Manager’s declaration of State of Emergency due to fires.
Ms. Smedile seconded. Roll Call Vote: Roache-yes, Phillips-yes, Bates-yes, Smedile-yes, Kres-yes.
NORTH ANDOVER SELECT BOARD MINUTES NOVEMBER 20, 2024
ADJOURNMENT
MOTION: Ms. Smedile made a MOTION, seconded by Mr. Kres to adjourn the Select Board emergency
remote meeting at 8:45AM. Roll Call Vote: Roache-yes, Phillips-yes, Bates-yes, Smedile-yes, Kres-yes.
Respectfully submitted,
Nicole Civitarese
Executive Assistant
__________________________________
Rosemary Connelly Smedile, Clerk of the Board
Documents used at meeting
Declaration of Emergency