Finance Committee Meeting
Minutes – October 4, 2004
Town Hall – 7:30 P.M.
Members Present: Michael Feldman, Kenneth Goldberg, Charles Goodman, David
Hearne, Jonathan Hitter, Ira Miller, Paul Pietal, Gloria Rose, Gregory
Sydney (Hamilton)
Absent: Brian Fitzgerald, David Fixler
1. OPEN WARRANT MEETING: Discussed Articles for Fall Town Meeting on October 18. This may be the last meeting here at Town Hall. We will be moving to the High School Library for meetings.
2. Public Service Announcements: Community Forum, October 17, at Heights Cafetorium. October 7 first Priorities Committee Meeting of the year at Superintendent’s office at 1 School Street. Everyone to attend or watch on TV.
3. ARTICLE 1. Transfer from School Department Account to Stabilization Fund or other municipal purposes. Spring Town Meeting appropriated an additional $550,000 to cover possible under funding of Special Education. State coming back with that amount, possibly more. Finance recommendation to use up to $550,000 to reduce overall tax burden. The Finance Committee feels that would be the best use
4. Discussion ensued on this topic by Finance Committee and residents in attendance.
5. ARTICLE 2: Community Center. Looking to raise and appropriate a sum of money for repairs. Thought minor damage, it had become an article talking about $1,000,000. At Capital Outlay estimates were up to $3,740,000+. Grown quite a bit since article in Sharon Advocate. No recommendation. It will be made at Town Meeting.
6. Continued discussion with Standing Building Committee member, Town Administrator, and residents in attendance regarding costs, use of building, stabilizing before winter, time involved when building could not be used, and possibility of rebuilding rather than repairing.
7. ARTICLE 3: Council on Aging—Free standing Senior Center. Started at Deborah Sampson winter of 2000. Project approved winter 2001, failed at Town election. Looked at using space at proposed Wilber School municipal building. Overall project stalled due to excessive cost. Looking at original site. Vote 9-0-0, $13,165.
8. ARTICLE 4: Wilber School Reuse Committee. More than municipal, commercial. Suggest action to fund that committee with existing funds. $52,602. Finance Committee in favor, 6-3 of using these monies.
9. ARTICLE 5: Regional Fire and Dispatch. Norfolk County not pursuing at this time.
10. ARTICLE 6: Teen Center. Under Board of Selectmen. In essence to fund the Sharon Teen Center until they become part of the Hockomock YMCA. Interested in assuming responsibility of Teen Center. Meet several times a week from September to June. Asking the Town to see if they can fund that for short term until next September. Finance Committee recognizes a need for a place for teens to congregate. Against this initiative by vote, 7-3. Many departments can find use for this money. Will provide private organization funds via Recreation Department. Municipal money going to private enterprise.
11. ARTICLE 7: Rattlesnake Hill. This initiative looks to add to the vote of 2003. The Town appropriated the potential of exempt bonds, $6,000,000, and the State would pay $7,500,000. The State would not move forward until commitment from the Town. The State is not willing to put up $7,500,000. Left with $6,000,000 and $1,500,000. Looking for matching funds: Conservation land trust; Matrix conservation. Different organization to help secure land. Organization may build a small number of estate homes. Nothing on table at this time. Owners of that property will do what it wants to with that land.
12. ARTICLE 8: Historical Commission. Initiative to amend General By-laws changing the words from six months to twelve months delay.
13. Shirley Schofield: Recommended by Massachusetts State Historical Commission. This does not involve money.
14. Finance Committee recommended indefinite postponement, 7-2.
15. ARTICLE 9: Initiative from Board of Selectmen and former member of Warrant Committee. Would like to bring back to Town Meeting those items: (1) comparative computation of tax rate; (2) comparative schedule of receipts; (4) schedule of reserve fund transfers; skipped (3). Voted 8-0-1 to enact 1,2,4 leaving out 3. School Department is directly responsible for school income and reimbursements.
16. ARTICLE 10: Illicit Discharge Detection. Required based on Federal regulations registering connection to storm water to storm water basin. In favor, 9-0-0. Question of sump pumps. Peter O’Cain said only sump pump directly connected to storm water basin.
17. ARTICLE 11: Storm Water Construction. Federal legislation Clean Water Act. No recommendation yet. Question on fees mentioned. Would try to help with fee structure. There may be some adjustment to the fee structure.
18. ARTICLE 12: Planning Board. No recommendation. Considering along with issue of 10 & 11, Storm Water. Didn’t vote only because Planning Board didn’t make their recommendation before Finance Committee needed to vote.
19. Planning Board missed this Article. They will meet and give an update to Finance Committee.
20. ARTICLE 13: Mixed Use Overlay District. From library to professional building at Chestnut Street. No recommendation. Haven’t heard Planning Board decision.
21. Gina Maniscalco: The multiple use overlay district is an attempt to add affordable housing while trying to revitalize the downtown area. Close to same zoning. Looking for 20% affordability. Negotiating setback, less open space. Design allows for three-story building, first floor retail, apartments above. Has to be public hearing process. Shared parking—commercial by day, residential by night. Parking across the street. 20% per unit or up to 50% if developer comes in with special plans. Defined by State: (1) median income of primary metropolitan PMSA Boston area: 80% of median income: $80,000 family of 4 would be making $64,000; (2) approximately money that no one would spend, 30% of income; (3) median housing stock would be to apply each one year, buy a home, $250-275,000; apartment $1,700 a month. Affordable here is still expensive. Town is penalized if 10% of housing stock is not affordable. Every committee should target some affordable housing. Lose certain funds by not having a concrete plan to do it. Penalized. Can’t find 40B’s coming in. Number of issues in terms of affordable housing.
22. ARTICLE 14: Planning Board: Flood Hazard District
23. Maniscalco: Planning Board vote was unanimous. Designating the flood hazard area on a map that Peter O’Cain and DPW will indicate at Town Meeting. More area than before.
24. Puritz: A National Flood Insurance Program. Every 10 years the government comes out and reviews our By-law that it is in accordance with the Flood Hazard By-law from beginning to end. These were the few variations that would bring the Zoning By-law into sync for flood hazard insurance.
25. ARTICLE 15: Board of Health initiative. Corrections that need to be made from Attorney General’s Office. Fee structure. Vote 9-0 in favor.
26. ARTICLE 16: Transfer a sum of money to Community Septic Management Program to the Septic System Improvement Loan Program Account. $22,000 transfer. Some bookkeeping matters. Voted 7-0-0.
27. ARTICLE 17: Street acceptance. Hearings have been held. If this is brought up to date, we will take up right before Town Meeting.
28. RECAP OF ARTICLES:
29. ARTICLE 2: MOTION was made by David Hearne for indefinite postponement and SECONDED by Jonathan Hitter
30. VOTED: 6-2-1, Feldman, Goldberg, Hearne, Hitter, Pietal, Rose, in favor; Goodman, Miller, opposed; Sydney, abstained.
31. ARTICLE 11: Waiting for fee schedule. Have to meet at 6 P.M. before Town Meeting at 7 P.M.
32. ARTICLE 12: Wait for Planning Board.
33. ARTICLE 13: Planning Board unanimously in favor of Mixed Use Overlay District on Pond Street.
34. MOTION made by Charles Goodman to amend By-law to Mixed Use Overlay District. Seconded.
35. VOTED: 7-0-2, Feldman, Goldberg, Goodman, Hitter, Miller, Pietal, Sydney, in favor; Hearne, Rose, abstained.
36. ARTICLE 14: Planning Board voted in favor.
37. MOTION made by David Hearne to approve Article 14 as indicated.
38. VOTED: 9-0
39. ARTICLE 2: Hearne writing recommendation.
40. ARTICLE 17: Waiting on
41. ARTICLE 13: Hitter. Posted to web
42. ARTICLE 14: Rose writing recommendation.
43. Next meeting at High School, Oct. 18 at 6 P.M. prior to Town Meeting at 7 P.M.
44. MOVED and SECONDED to adjourn meeting.
45. VOTED: 9-0-0.
46. Meeting adjourned at 11:25 P.M.
47. ACTION: On Article 2 need list of activities from Dave Clifton. Electronically—can be posted on Town web site as well as initiative.