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HomeMy WebLinkAbout2009-02-23 Board of Selectmen Minutes BOARD OF SELECTMEN MINUTES FEBRUARY 23, 2009 CALL TO ORDER: Chairman Rosemary Connelly Smedile called the meeting to order at 7:00 PM at Town Hall Meeting Room. PLEDGE OF ALLIGIANCE ATTENDANCE: The following were present: Rosemary Connelly Smedile, Chairman; Mark J.T. Caggiano Clerk; Richard A. Nardella, Licensing Chairman; Daniel P. Lanen; Tracy M. Watson; Mark Rees, Town Manager; Ray Santilli, Assistant Town Manager. EXECUTIVE SESSION: Mark Caggiano made a MOTION, seconded by Richard Nardella, to move into Executive Session to discuss Collective Bargaining. Vote approved 5-0. COMMUNICATIONS,ANNOUNCEMENTS, AND PUBLIC COMMENT: Acceptance of Donations Richard Nardella made a MOTION, seconded by Daniel Lanen, to accept the donation in the amount of $8,200 from the Friends of North Andover Senior Center for the balance of the Senior Center Renovation Project. Vote approved 5-0. Daniel Lanen made a MOTION, seconded by Richard Nardella, to accept the donation in the amount of $500 from Converse Inc. to the Fire Department for the purchase of emergency equipment. Vote approved 5-0. Mark Caggiano made a MOTION, seconded by Tracy Watson, to accept the donation in the amount of $500 from Mrs. Elizabeth Armstrong in memory of her late husband William Armstrong to the Fire Department for the purchase of emergency equipment. Vote approved 5-0. Certificate of Appreciation A certificate of appreciation was presented to FirePro for locating their business in North Andover. Note: Daniel Lanen recused Appointments Mark Caggiano made a MOTION, seconded by Tracy Watson, to appoint Scott J. Janco as an Auxiliary Police Officer based upon the recommendations of the Emergency Management Director Jeff Coco and Police Chief Richard Stanley. Vote approved 4-0. Note: Daniel Lanen returned Mark Caggiano made a MOTION, seconded by Tracy Watson, to appoint Susan Almano Seaquist to serve on the North Andover Solid Waste Advisory Committee. Vote approved 5-0. Daniel Lanen made a MOTION, seconded by Mark Caggiano, to appoint Philip Pelletier as the Veterans Grave Officer. Vote approved 5-0. Proclamation "National Child Abuse Prevention Month" Richard Nardella made a MOTION, seconded by Daniel Lanen, to proclaim the month of April as National Child Abuse Prevention Month. Vote approved 5-0. Town Manager gave an update on Health Insurance and how the Town has been exploring ways to save on Health Insurance. The Town went out to bid and received information from several plans. Most of the Board of Selectmen Meeting February 23, 2009 2 plans were more expensive than what the Town already has with Blue Cross Blue Shield. The Town also compared what the (GIC) Group Insurance Commission offers and after reviewing and comparing all the plans, the Town decided to stay with the current plan for employees. CONSENT ITEMS: Prescribed Burn at Weir Hill and Boston Hill The Trustees of Reservations requested to conduct a prescribed burn at Weir Hill and Boston Hill. Sometime on a weekday between March 2 and May 31, two prescribed burn days are planned with one burn day for each property. These actions have proven successful in implementing a fire management program and managing fire-prone landscape. Richard Nardella made a MOTION, seconded by Mark Caggiano, to endorse and authorize the prescribed burn at Weir Hill and Boston Hill and the Fire Department to participate to for all abutters to be notified. Vote approved 5-0. Permission to Fill Vacancies In accordance with the Board of Selectmen's policy, approval was requested to fill the following vacancies. Head of Circulation, Stevens Memorial Library Mark Caggiano made a MOTION, seconded by Tracy Watson, to approve the request to fill the vacancy of Head of Circulation at the Stevens Memorial Library. Vote approved 5-0. Secretary Position Public Works Department Mark Caggiano made a MOTION, seconded by Tracy Watson, to approve the request to fill the vacancy of a secretary at the Public Works Department. Vote approved 5-0. Timothy P. Roberts Foundation Mark Caggiano made a MOTION, seconded by Daniel Lanen, to approve the requests to hold the third annual "Reeling in a Dream" Fishing Derby on Saturday, June 6, 2009, from 8:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. on Lake Cochichewick and the fifth annual "Tourney for Tim/Rockin for Roberts" on Saturday, August 8, 2009 at the North Andover Middle School fields. Vote approved 5-0. Police Station Project It was respectfully requested that the Board of Selectmen waive the Zoning Board of Appeals fee of$250 and the Planning Board fee of$614.48 for the Town financed project of the Police Station. Mark Caggiano made a MOTION, seconded by Richard Nardella, to waive the requested fees for the Town financed project of the Police Station. Vote approved 5-0. Town Election Warrant Town Clerk Joyce Bradshaw requested the Board to approve the Town Election Ballot with or without a non-binding question. Mr. George Vozeolas requested to place a non-binding question on the ballot for the upcoming town election, "Should the Town of North Andover replace Open Town Meeting with a nine member Town Council, with the provisions that any Town Council decision could be overridden by a citizen petition initiative followed by a special town election?" The Selectmen agreed that this was not a good idea, as the non-binding question did not give any other alternatives. The Selectmen said that the work and charge of the Government Review Committee was to make recommendations to the Board. John Simons of the Government Review Committee said that there was never a discussion about this non-binding question to other members of the Committee. This was just one man's idea. Board of Selectmen Meeting February 23, 2009 3 Town Manger Mark Rees suggested there are better ways to reach the public through a Town survey by having Merrimack College do a poll of residents in Town. The public also had to be educated on what other types of government would work in the Town. Mark Caggiano made a MOTION, seconded by Richard Nardella, to approve the Election Warrant without the non-binding question. Vote approved 5-0. OLD BUSINESS: Stevens Corner Housing Project Town Counsel Thomas Urbelis has reviewed the Agreement, Mortgage and Mortgage Discharge from Attorney John Smolak and requested the Board sign the necessary documents to release funds from the Community Preservation Act for the project of the Stevens Corner Housing Project. Tracy Watson made a MOTION, seconded by Mark Caggiano, to release the Community Preservation funds to NOAH for the Stevens Corner Housing Project and to send a letter to Tina Brooks, Under Secretary for Housing and Community Development. Vote approved 5-0. Information Technology consolidation On January 26, 2009, the Information Technology Consolidation Task Force presented their recommendations for the consolidation of the Information Technology between the school department and the municipal departments. The School Committee formally approved the recommendations at their February 5, 2009, meeting. The Board of Selectmen was also asked to formally approve the recommendations. Richard Nardella made a MOTION, seconded by Mark Caggiano, to affirm the Information Technology Consolidation between the Town and the School Department. Vote approved 5-0 Review of the Town Manager's Recommended FY10 Operation Budget The Board of Selectmen will hold a joint workshop meeting to discuss the FY10 Operating Budget with the Finance Committee and will invite Town Department Directors. This meeting will be held within the next week at a date to be announced. NEW BUSINESS: Investment Policy Town Treasurer/Collector Jennifer Yarid drafted an "Investment of all Municipal Funds Policy". This document has been reviewed and approved by the Finance Committee. It is requested that the Board formally approve the policy. The policy covers the following: Objectives, Safety, Liquidity, Yield; Investment Instruments, Massachusetts State pooled funds, U.S. Treasuries, U.S. Agency obligations, Bank accounts or Certificates of Deposit; Diversification; Authorization; Ethics; Relationship with Financial Institutions; and Reporting Requirements. Richard Nardella made a MOTION, seconded by Daniel Lanen; to approve the "Investment of all Municipal Funds Policy"Vote approved 5-0. Committee Charge for Town Common Improvements TABLED Articles for Annual Town Meeting The Town Manager asked the Board to vote on placing various articles on the Draft Annual Town Meeting Warrant. The Board is not voting to support, or not support, these articles at this time, only to place them on the Warrant. Mark Caggiano made a MOTION, seconded by Tracy Watson, to place the Articles A, B, C, D, E, F, G, H, I, J, K, L, M, N, O, P, Q, R, S, T, on the Warrant. Vote approved 5-0. Board of Selectmen Meeting February 23, 2009 4 Mark Caggiano made a MOTION, seconded by Tracy Watson, to place Article U on the Warrant. Vote approved 5-0. Tracy Watson made a MOTION, seconded by Mark Caggiano, to place Article V on the Warrant. Vote approved 5-0. Mark Caggiano made a MOTION, seconded by Daniel Lanen, to place Article W on the Warrant. Vote approved 5-0. Mark Caggiano made a MOTION, seconded by Daniel Lanen, to place Article X on the Warrant. Vote approved 5-0. Mark Caggiano made a MOTION, seconded by Tracy Watson, to place Article Y on the Warrant. Vote approved 5-0. Mark Caggiano made a MOTION, seconded by Tracy Watson, to place Article Z on the Warrant. Vote approved 5-0. Mark Caggiano made a MOTION, seconded by Tracy Watson, to place Article AA on the Warrant. Vote approved 5-0. Mark Caggiano made a MOTION, seconded by Tracy Watson, to place Article BB on the Warrant. Vote approved 5-0. Mark Caggiano made a MOTION, seconded by Richard Nardella, to place Article CC on the Warrant. Vote approved 5-0. Mark Caggiano made a MOTION, seconded by Tracy Watson, to place Article DD on the Warrant. Vote approved 5-0. Mark Caggiano made a MOTION, seconded by Tracy Watson, to place Article FF on the Warrant. Vote approved 5-0. Richard Nardella made a MOTION, seconded by Tracy Watson, to place Article GG on the Warrant. Vote approved 5-0. Mark Caggiano made a MOTION, seconded by Richard Nardella, to place Article HH on the Warrant. Vote approved 5-0. Mark Caggiano made a MOTION, seconded by Tracy Watson, to place Article II on the Warrant. Vote approved 5-0. Richard Nardella made a MOTION, seconded by Mark Caggiano, to place Article JJ on the Warrant. Vote approved 5-0. Mark Caggiano made a MOTION, seconded by Tracy Watson, to place Article KK on the Warrant. Vote approved 5-0. Mark Caggiano made a MOTION, seconded by Daniel Lanen, to place Article LL on the Warrant. Vote approved 5-0. Mark Caggiano made a MOTION, seconded by Richard Nardella, to place Article MM on the Warrant. Vote approved 5-0. Board of Selectmen Meeting February 23, 2009 5 Tracy Watson made a MOTION, seconded by Mark Caggiano, to place Article NN on the Warrant. Vote approved 5-0. Richard Nardella made a MOTION, seconded by Mark Caggiano, to place Article 00 on the Warrant. Vote approved 5-0. Mark Caggiano made a MOTION, seconded by Tracy Watson, to place Article PP on the Warrant. Vote approved 5-0. Richard Nardella made a MOTION, seconded by Tracy Watson, to place Article QQ on the Warrant. Vote approved 5-0. Mark Caggiano made a MOTION, seconded by Tracy Watson, to place Article RR on the Warrant. Vote approved 5-0. Richard Nardella made a MOTION, seconded by Tracy Watson, to place Article SS on the Warrant. Vote approved 5-0. Mark Caggiano made a MOTION, seconded by Tracy Watson, to place Article TT on the Warrant. Vote approved 5-0. Daniel Lanen made a MOTION, seconded by Tracy Watson, to place Article UU on the Warrant. Vote approved 5-0. TOWN MANAGER'S REPORT: The Town of North Andover will be hosting a tea reception to meet and greet visiting Chinese Vice Principal Jhang Wei on Tuesday, March 3, 2009 at 3:30 p.m. ADJOURNMENT: Mark Caggiano made a MOTION, seconded by Daniel Lanen, to adjourn the meeting at 10:00 PM. Vote approved 5-0. Adele J. Johnson Administrative Secretary Mark Caggiano, Clerk of the Board