HomeMy WebLinkAbout1980-12-08 Board of Selectmen MinutesThe Board of Selectmen held their regular meeting on this date with all member
present; Selectmen Charles A. Salisbury, Ralph R. Joyce, John W. Graham, R.
Louis DiFruscio with Chairman Thomas J. McEvoy presiding. The minutes and
warrant were approved as submitted.
7:00 P.M. Hearing:
A hearing-was held on the closeout of
Grants.
the Town's
1978 and 1979 Community Block
7:30 P.M. Hearing:
Approved: Petition to install direct buried cable on'Berkeley Rd.
REVENUE~SHARING:
Letter received from the Office of the Secretary of the Treasury re Revenue
Sharing payments for Entitlement Period 12. Chairman was authorized to sign
the Statement of Assurances. This will insure payment of one quarter of the
Town's entitlement for Period 12 on January 8, 1981.
RECEIVED:
Letter from County Commissioner§ re meeting December 10th on a task force to
reduce government costs.
Letter from Merrimack Valley Regional Transit Authority re the Elderly and
Handicapped transportation service to the Town.
ADVISORY BOARD:
Letter'from Advisory Board suggested that, in view of Proposition 2 1/2 and
the uncertain financial situation, the Board advise all department heads:~to
institute a hiring freeze and postpone .all non-essential projects. Selectman
Graham stated that all hiring and firing was the responsibilt~ of the Depart-
ment heads. Selectman Salisbury stated that, in his opinion, it was the
responsibility 0f.the Board to come to some'kind of a consensus ef policy
decisions re cutbacks...policy must come from the Board .... that the situation
may end'up.transferring employees to different departments. It is imperative
that the 'Board haver~ore meetings with the de..~artmen6 heads. No action taken
on the Advisory Board's suggestion.
CONSERVATION COMMISSION:
Letter received from the Canservation Commission requesting permission to
have Town Counsel represent them in court re the cease and desist order that
hadntt been carried out by Steve Breen, and was, subsequently, in violation.
of the Wetlands Act. Steve Breen appeared before the Board stating that he
would like to be treated the same as anyone else; that he would like an out-
side.opinion on whether he is building on Wetlands or not. He inferred that
it wasn't the unanimous vote of the Conservation Commission that he be brought
into court, that it wasn't in the minutes.( It was the vote of the Board that
Town Counsel be authorized to proceed subject to contacting the Conservation
Commission Chairman whether or not the Breen vote was a majority vote or n~.)
Selectman Joyce said the C. C. should spend $200. to determine whether the
area in question,s Wetlands or not. If it is, Breen should file a Notice of
Intent. Selectman Salisbury stated that Breen should ask the Conservation
Commission re their findings. Selectman Joyce reiterated that the C.C'. confe!
with a consultant I.E.P. to avoid a costly law]suit. Selectman Graham said to
refer Steve to the C.C. and ask them to review the situation and come to some
solution without a case in court.
TOWN FARM:
Chairman McEvoy stated that he had asked Susan Miller to appear before the
Board to state why she was not occupying the Town Farm. She stated that she
hadn't been able, to date, to raise the necessary funds to repair the water
pipes and correct the electrical system which is a fire hazard. (She has
thrown out the filthy rugs, put up storm windows and cleaned up the shrubbery
in front and around the house that was growing wild) She keeps the lights on
in the house and a telephone both of which she pays for. Although she doesn't
sleep there, she is upi. there two or three times a day and once at night
8 and 11 P.M. Gayton Osgood, who wants to have the ~mrmcfor the elderly,
stated that the Town would be liable if Susan were allowed to live there now
in the condition the farm is in. Board unanimously voted to serve notice to
Miss Miller to vacate the farm,