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HomeMy WebLinkAbout2011-01-10 Board of Selectmen Minutes BOARD OF SELECTMEN MINUTES JANUARY 10, 2011 CALL TO ORDER: Chairman Daniel Lanen called the meeting to order at 6:30 PM at Town Hall Meeting Room. ATTENDANCE: The following were present: Daniel Lanen, Chairman;William F. Gordon, Clerk; Rosemary Connelly Smedile, Mark Rees,Town Manager; Ray Santilli,Assistant Town Manager. EXECUTIVE SESSION: Rosemary Smedile made a MOTION, seconded by William Gordon,to move into Executive Session to discuss collective bargaining strategy, potential litigation strategy, and the purchase or value of real property. Roll Call vote: William Gordon yes, Rosemary Smedile yes, and Daniel Lanen yes. Vote approved 3-0. Chairman Daniel Lanen declared that an open session meeting may have a detrimental effect on the Town's negotiating positions and litigating position, and to discuss a complaint about an individual and to return to open session. Note: Richard Nardella arrived at 6:40 p.m. Note: Tracy Watson arrived at 6:55 p.m. PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE APPROVAL OF MINUTES: William Gordon made a MOTION, seconded by Rosemary Smedile,to approve the Open Session Minutes of November 8, 2010, as written. Vote approved 5-0. William Gordon made a MOTION, seconded by Rosemary Smedile to approve the Open Session Minutes of November 29, 2010, as written. Vote approved 5-0. William Gordon made a MOTION, seconded by Rosemary Smedile,to approve the Open Session Minutes of December 13, 2010, as written. Vote approved 5-0. William Gordon made a MOTION, seconded by Rosemary Smedile,to approve the Executive Session Minutes as amended during Executive Session of November 17, 2010. Vote approved 4-0-1. Richard Nardella abstained. William Gordon made a MOTION, seconded by Rosemary Smedile,to approve the Executive Session Minutes of December 13, 2010 as written. Vote approved 5-0. COMMUNICATIONS,ANNOUNCEMENTS,AND PUBLIC COMMENT: Certificate of Appreciation The Board of Selectmen presented a Proclamation to Steve Daly,who served on the Sustainability Committee for over twelve years. Certificate of Appreciation The Board of Selectmen presented a Certificate of Appreciation to Randy Chouinard, a Meals on Wheels volunteer who responded to an elderly woman in medical distress while delivering meals to her home Board of Selectmen Minutes 2 which most likely saved her life. The State House Representatives also presented him with a Citation for his actions. Recognition of Donors for new Police Station Ribbon Cutting Ceremony The Board of Selectmen recognized businesses that donated to the ribbon cutting ceremony on December 11, 2010. New Business Recognition: Buono Bistro 220 Sutton Street The Board of Selectmen presented Buono Bistro a Certificate of Achievement for locating their business in North Andover at 220 Sutton Street. Town Election Calendar The Town Clerk provided a calendar for the upcoming Annual Town Election on Tuesday, March 29, 2011. Review of letter to the Editor re: Quinn Bill At the request of Selectman Nardella,the Town Manager drafted a letter to the editor regarding the Town's handling of state cutbacks in funding their share of the police education incentive program known as the Quinn Bill. After a discussion about the content of the letter William Gordon and Rosemary Smedile did not support sending it to be published. Richard Nardella made a MOTION, seconded by Tracy Watson,to instruct the Town Manager to send the letter to the editor of the Eagle Tribune signed by the Selectmen in favor. Vote approved 3-2. William Gordon and Rosemary Smedile opposed. Announcements Selectman Smedile announced congratulations to Representative David and Sarah Torrisi on the birth of their son named Jackson David Torrisi in December. Assistant Town Manager Raymond Santilli announced that Verizon started removing the overhead wires on Massachusetts Avenue and Johnson Street and the work should be completed by tomorrow. Chairman Daniel Lanen commented on the tragedy in Tucson Arizona and the Woburn police officer Jack McGuire that was killed by a probation parole. He said that our state is soft on crime and it is about time that the state of Massachusetts reformed its legal system and passed Melissa's bill. Rosemary Smedile made a MOTION, seconded by Tracy Watson,to instruct the Town Manager to draft a letter from the Board of Selectmen to the Governor and the Town's constituents in the House of Representatives regarding the reforming of the state's legal system and passing Melissa's bill. Vote approved 5-0. CONSENT ITEMS: Donations to Police Department Rosemary Smedile made a MOTION, seconded by Richard Nardella,to accept the generous donations from Schneider Electric and Schneider Electric Buildings, LLC a total of$1,500 to be used by the Police Department to improve the community room at the new Police Headquarters and to instruct the Town Board of Selectmen Minutes 3 Manager to send an appropriate letter thanking them for their continued support of the Police Department. Vote approved 5-0. Donations to Fire Department Rosemary Smedile made a MOTION, seconded by William Gordon,to accept the generous donations from Schneider Electric and Schneider Electric Buildings, LLC a total of 3,000 to be used by the Fire Department for departmental needs and equipment and to instruct the Town Manager to send an appropriate letter thanking them for their continued support of the Fire Department. Vote approved 5-0. Rosemary Smedile made a MOTION, seconded by William Gordon,to accept the generous donation of Elizabeth Armstrong in memory of her husband William D. Armstrong a total of$500 to be used by the Fire Department in support of the Department's emergency response operations and to instruct the Town Manager to send an appropriate letter thanking them for their continued support of the Fire Department. Vote approved 5-0. Waiver of Fees Request by North Andover Housing Authority Tracy Watson made a MOTION, seconded by Richard Nardella,to approve that all building inspection related fees (but not sewer or water connection fees) be waived for the North Andover Housing Authority affordable housing project located at 22-24 Ashland Street. Vote approved 4-1. Rosemary Smedile opposed. Selectman Smedile suggested that the Board request the Affordable Housing Trust Committee to supplement the Town for these fees so that it does not come from the town's general fund. Rosemary Smedile made a friendly amendment to the MOTION, seconded by William Gordon,to request the Affordable Housing Trust Committee to in turn donate the lost fees to the Town's General Fund for the North Andover Housing Authority project located at 22-24 Ashland Street. Vote approved 5-0. Acceptance of Grant: Drinking Water Supply Protection Richard Nardella made a MOTION, seconded by William Gordon,to accept the$179,612 drinking water supply protection grant from the Department of Environmental Protection. Vote approved 5-0. LICENSING COMMISSIONERS: Rosemary Smedile made a MOTION, seconded by Richard Nardella,to move into Licensing. Vote approved 5-0. Change of Manager for Chipotle Mexican Grill, 93 Turnpike Street Richard Nardella made a MOTION, seconded by William Gordon,to approve the change of manager for Chipotle Mexican Grill at 93 Turnpike Street to Edward Andino as manager. Vote approved 5-0. Rosemary Smedile made a MOTION, seconded by Richard Nardella,to move out of Licensing. Vote approved 5-0. Board of Selectmen Minutes 4 OLD BUSINESS: Fire Department Mutual Aid Fire Chief Andy Melnikas gave an update as to the Mutual Aid provided to the city of Lawrence. The Town of North Andover will respond to a fire scene on a second alarm fire. This is the protocol in place at this time. Note: William Gordon recused Lease/sale of land on Hillside Road adjacent to Chestnut Green Raymond Santilli met with members of Property Management of Andover and resident abutters at a meeting on December 14, 2010. Mr. Hamel a resident at 591 Turnpike Street would be most affected by changes made to the parcel with adding additional parking spaces. Mr. Hamel objected to this change at this time but his intention is to sell his property in the near future possibly to the management company. The Board decided to take No Action at this time. Note: William Gordon returned NEW BUSINESS: Preliminary vote on General Fund Capital Improvement Plan Tracy Watson made a MOTION, seconded by Richard Nardella,to accept the Town Manager's Recommended General Fund Capital Improvement Plan for FY12-16 reserving the right to make changes as additional information is forthcoming". Vote approved 5-0. Town Manager's Recommended Water and Sewer CIP The Town Manager will present this at the joint Finance Committee/Board of Selectmen meeting on Wednesday,January, 12, 2011. TOWN MANAGER'S REPORT: • With the completion of the Edgewood Retirement housing expansion,the town received the final installment of$347,163 as required under the special permit granted by the planning board. This money, as well as other deposits into the Affordable Housing Trust fund has brought the balance of this fund to a total of$1,089,500. The Trustees of the fund will be meeting in the near future to continue their discussions on how best this money can be used to promote affordable housing in North Andover. In addition, at the request of the Chair, please see the enclosed report from Community Development Director Curt Bellavance on what happens when affordable housing units come on the market. • The Town's Health Insurance Trust Fund balance continues to decline as a result of three quarterly settlements totaling a negative$1,584,280. Based on six months of actual data and partial data from the month of January, the trust fund balance has declined from $3.3 million on July 1, 2010 to $2.1 million in January. Please the enclosed spreadsheet. • 1 recently signed a $250,000 contract to expand the size of the sanitary sewer line that runs parallel to Cochichewick Brook and which in the past has caused back- ups into businesses located in the former Davis and Furber mill complex. The work is expected to commence in March with completion done in by September of 2011. Board of Selectmen Minutes 5 • At the request of the Commission on Disabilities,the Department of Public Works has recently installed an audible signal for vision impaired users of the pedestrian cross walk located on Main Street in the vicinity of St. Michael's church. • The Town Manager will be a speaker at the Chamber of Commerce meeting on Friday,January 14, 2011 along with other city and town speakers. Return to Executive Session William Gordon made a MOTION, seconded by Richard Nardella,to return to a continuation of Executive Session and not return of Open Session. Roll Call vote: William Gordon yes,Tracy Watson yes, Rosemary Smedile yes, Richard Nardella yes and Daniel Lanen yes. Vote approved 5-0. ADJOURNMENT: William Gordon made a MOTION, seconded by Rosemary Smedile,to adjourn the meeting at 9:25 p.m. Vote approved 5-0. Adele J.Johnson Administrative Secretary William Gordon, Clerk of the Board