January 13, 2004
The regular meeting of the Board of Selectmen was held at 7:30 P.M. in the Sharon Town Offices with Chair Norman Katz, Selectmen Walter Joe Roach and David I. Grasfield and Town Administrator Benjamin E. Puritz.
The meeting was called to order at 7:35 P.M.
Minutes
VOTED: (Roach/Grasfield) Voted unanimously to approve the minutes of January 6, 2004 as presented.
Setting the Tax Rate - Board of Assessors
Mark Mazur, Assistant Assessor as well as members of the Board of Assessors, Paula Keefe, Ellen Abelson and Richard Gorden were present to discuss the process used in setting the tax rate. Items discussed included:
Recap Sheet prepared from data from Town Clerk, Accountant and State;
Tax Levy is amount voted at town meeting to raise;
Assessed Values;
Effect of overrides and debt exclusions on tax rate;
Overlay, Excise Tax and New Growth numbers provided by Board of Assessors;
Debt Exclusion impacts tax rate until project is paid off;
Money put aside for abatements, i.e., Veterans, Disabled, Elderly;
Abatements can be filed up to 30 days after the first tax bill;
Personal Property Taxes assessed on businesses and second homes;
Doubling of Veteran’s Exemptions - consistently done for about ten years;
State Clause 41C - proposed change in criteria - additional exemptions available for the elderly; and,
End of February - last date to apply for exemptions under Clause 41C (contact Assessors or Council on Aging to explain qualifications).
Property Tax Regulations - Board of Selectmen
Mark Mazur, Assistant Assessor as well as members of the Board of Assessors, Paula Keefe, Ellen Abelson and Richard Gorden were present to discuss changes in Property Tax Regulations as referred to within an article by the Worcester Business Journal. Mr. Mazur discussed its use to assess utilities’ assets within the Town. It is expected that this will be litigated by the utilities and may be reversed.
Mr. Mazur discussed the Board of Assessor’s decision to withdraw an article for the Annual Town Meeting to raise the minimum fair case value required for a personal property account to be taxed and to keep it at $600.00.
Approve Banner - Temple Israel Brotherhood
VOTED: (Roach/Grasfield) Voted unanimously to approve a banner for Temple Israel Brotherhood for the dates of February 2 - February 9, 2004.
Zoning Board of Appeals - Accept Resignation
The Board declined to accept the resignation of Edward S. Hershfield per his letter of January 5, 2004, until the Board finds a replacement.
VOTED: (Roach/Grasfield) Voted unanimously to not accept the resignation from Edward S. Hershfield until there is a successor appointed.
Request to Place Markers and/or Buoys on Lake Massapoag - Massapoag Yacht Club
The Board reviewed the annual letter from the Massapoag Yacht, dated January 1, 2004, requesting permission to place navigational aids on the lake.
VOTED: (Roach/Grasfield) Voted unanimously to grant permission to the Massapoag Yacht Club to place Markers and/or Buoys on Lake Massapoag.
Wilber Municipal Project - Capital Outlay Request
Ben Puritz presented a report as prepared by STV Incorporated, the architects involved with the design of the Wilber Municipal Building project for Town Offices, Library and Senior Center. This Hazardous Material Abatement and Selective Demolition Cost Estimate in the amount of $952,650 and dated January 5, 2004 was prepared as an alternative project to moving forward at this time with the entire building project at a projected cost of $20 - $23 million.
This proposal would include removal of hazardous materials, furniture, equipment, etc. and selective demolition necessary to “button up” and preserve the building. It was stated that this work would increase the value of the building regardless of its future use and would help to prepare it for such time as the Town could move forward on this entire project. Mr. Puritz recommended that this proposal be forwarded to the Capital Outlay Committee for its review.
Chair Katz stated that this building project would be a benefit to the community and that the space for municipal use is very much needed. He further stated that we have a responsibility to the future in preserving this building . Selectman Roach expressed his full support for the stabilization of the building and removal of hazardous waste. Selectman Grasfield suggested that he would support the request for funds to just “button up” the building without the removal of hazardous material and not expend money for the other items - not spend 1 million. Selectman Roach invited Selectman Grasfield to tour the building with him.
Shirley Schofield, Chair, Historical Commission, spoke on behalf of the Commission, to request that the facade of the building be preserved. She stated that the Commission is drafting an article to create a third historical district to include this building, the Pleasant Street School Building and Morrell Park. Marcia Liebman, Library Trustee, spoke on behalf of the Library to move forward with this proposal as a first step toward a new Library in the Wilber School Building.
VOTED: (Roach/Grasfield) Voted unanimously to forward the proposal for Demolition Work and Hazardous Material Abatement to the Wilber Municipal Building to the Capital Outlay Committee for its deliberation.
Capital Outlay Request - Town Employee Identification
Chief Bernstein was present to discuss a Capital Outlay Proposal for software and equipment to make credit card style identification cards with pictures as Town Employee Identification cards to address security concerns. He stated that the Police Department would be able in the future to make the cards act as keys that would need to be swiped for access to Town Buildings. He stated that the costs to replace the locks on Town buildings would be considerable, but that he thought there may be grants for this use. Chief Bernstein stated that additional implementation of security locks would be part of the Local Emergency Planning Committee. In answer to the question by Selectman Grasfield, Chief Bernstein stated that these “official IDs” could be carried by those who go door to door within the
community.
VOTED: (Roach/Grasfield) Voted unanimously to submit the proposal for Town Employee Identification to the Capital Outlay Committee.
Collective Bargaining Agreement - Library Employees - Local 888
The Board reviewed the Memorandum of Agreement for a new Contract for Local 888 Library Employees Union for the period of July 1, 2002 - June 30, 2005. The agreement provides for a 3% Wage Agreement for FY’ 02, with a Wage Re-Opener for FY’03 and FY’04. Changes in the contract will reflect the changes made due to the separation of the library employees from the previous 925 Office Worker’s Union. Selectman Roach served on the negotiating committee with this group. Other changes call for restructuring of the formula for the Education Benefit. Selectman Grasfield said he is not prepared to vote for the full contract without seeing the agreement.
VOTED: (Roach/Katz) Voted 2-0 (Grasfield abstained) to accept the Contract between the Town of Sharon and the Service Employees International Union, Local 888, for the period July 1, 2002 - June 30, 2005.
Water Management Advisory Committee
Selectman Grasfield noted EMail, dated January 9, 2004 from Paul Lauenstein, member of the Water Management Advisory Committee (WMAC), addressed to the other members of his Committee. Mr. Lauenstein was present to state that the ideas expressed represented his own opinions and a different point of view re FY’05 capital spending priorities re water and that he hoped that they would be used as a basis of discussion within the WMAC.
Closing of the Annual Town Meeting Warrant
Ben Puritz announced that one petition article re absentee votes has been received. The deadline for petition articles was January 12.
Selectman Grasfield noted several articles by the Council on Aging for Property Tax Relief for the Elderly, several which were submitted but withdrawn from last year’s Annual Town Meeting.
Executive Session
VOTED: (Roach/Grasfield) Voted unanimously to enter into Executive Session for the purpose of discussing matters of Collective Bargaining and Pending Litigation, and at the conclusion thereof, to adjourn for the day.
The Board entered into Executive Session at 8:43 P.M.
Roach, aye; Grasfield, aye; Katz, aye.
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