June 6, 2006
The regular meeting of the Board of Selectmen was held at 7:00 P.M. in the Sharon Town Offices with Chair William A. Heitin and Selectmen Walter Joe Roach and Richard A. Powell and Benjamin E. Puritz, Town Administrator.
The meeting was called to order at 7:10 P.M.
Executive Session
VOTED: (Roach/Powell) Voted unanimously to enter into Executive Session to discuss a Workers’ Comp matter and negotiations with non-union personnel.
The Board adjourned to Executive Session at 7:10 P.M.
The Board reconvened in Open Session at 8:18 P.M.
Approve Minutes
VOTED: (Roach/Powell) Voted unanimously to approve the Minutes of May 23, 2006, including Executive Session.
VOTED: (Roach/Powell) Voted unanimously to approve the Minutes of May 30, 2006, including Executive Session.
Public Hearing - Increase in Dog License and Retrieval Fees
VOTED: (Heitin/Powell) Voted unanimously to Open a Public Hearing re increases in dog license and retrieval fees as required by Article 36 of the 2001 Annual Town Meeting:
That any Board of officer empowered to issue a license, permit certificate, or render a service or perform work for a person or class of persons be required to have a public hearing advertised at least 3 weeks prior on public cable television before the imposition of any increase in such fees or charges presently imposed.
It was stated that these increases within Article 32, as sponsored by FINCOM, as well as Article 32, as sponsored by the Animal Control Officer, were approved by Town Meeting.
The Notice for Cable TV posting, dated May 11, 2006, is as follows:
NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING - BOARD OF SELECTMEN
There will be a Public Hearing re increase in Dog License & Retrieval Fees as voted by Article 32 & Article 33 of the Annual Town Meeting, at 7:45 P.M., June 6, 2006, in the Selectmen’s Second Floor Meeting Room, Sharon Town Offices.
"As of January 1, 2007, the annual fee for every dog license, except as otherwise provided by law, shall be twenty dollars ($20.00) for a male dog and twenty dollars ($20.00) for a female dog, unless a certificate of a registered veterinarian has been shown to the Town Clerk indicating that such male or female has been spayed or neutered, in which case the fees shall be fifteen dollars
($15.00)."
"As of January 1, 2007, the fee for kennel licenses shall be thirty-five dollars ($35.00) if no more than four dogs over the age of three months are kept in said kennel; sixty dollars ($60.00) if more than four but no more than ten dogs over the age of three months are kept therein; and one hundred and twenty-five dollars ($125.00) if more than ten dogs over the age of three months are kept therein."
and,
Article 17, Section 2A of the General By-laws, relative to the mandatory leash law will be amended to read:
"Said dog shall not be released to that owner or keeper, until a pick-up charge of twenty dollars ($20.00) per dog shall have been paid to the Town of Sharon for services rendered in addition to a per day boarding fee which is determined by the shelter for the care and keep of each dog impounded."
The Board reviewed a survey information of current licensing fees in its comparison communities as well as a Cost Analysis re fees within the Town Clerk’s Office and the Animal Control Office’s as prepared within the Selectmen’s Office.
Procedural problems with having hearing after Town Meeting voted were discussed.
Diane Malcolmson, Animal Control Officer, was present to discuss Article 33 which increases retrieval or pick-up fees from $10 to $20.
VOTED: (Heitin/Powell) Voted unanimously to accept the recommendations to increase the fees for dog licenses, kennels and retrieval fees as approved by Town Meeting.
VOTED: (Heitin/Powell) Voted unanimously to close the hearing.
Wilber School RFP
The Board reviewed the Draft Wilber School RFP. David Gordon, David DePree and Marcia Liebman Members of the Wilber School Redevelopment Committee were present. Items discussed included:
minimum lease payment of $10,000 per annum;
advertisement/timeline;
ability for developers to enter building;
the RFP for abatement;
request Town Counsel prepare waiver to enter building;
pre-proposal conference;
fall town meeting warrant article placeholder for lease;
process of tracking bidders; and,
lease escalator.
Approve Fall Special Town Meeting Schedule
VOTED: (Roach/Powell) Voted unanimously to close the Warrant for Petition Articles on July 5, 2006 at noon.
VOTED: (Roach/Powell) Voted unanimously to close the Warrant for all others on July 17, 2006, at noon.
VOTED: (Roach/Powell) Voted unanimously to approve the following Fall Special Town Meeting Schedule:
May 30 (Tuesday) Announce Opening and Closing of Fall Town Meeting Warrant
July 5 - Noon (Wednesday ) Closing of Warrant for Petition Articles
July 17 - Noon (Monday) Closing of Warrant for All Articles
August 15 (Tuesday Warrant Articles approval (in substance) by Town Counsel
September 1 (Friday) Warrant Articles final approval by Town Counsel
September 5 (Tuesday) Signing of Warrant
September 11, 18 (Monday) Finance Committee meetings to review articles
September 25 (Monday) Finance Committee meeting to vote recommendations
October 11 (Wednesday) Finance Committee recommendations to Selectmen photo ready preparation.
October 16 (Monday) Warrant with recommendations photo ready to printer.
October 24 (Tuesday) Warrants from printer for mailing.
October 30 (Monday) Last Date for posting Warrant
October 30 (Monday) Warrants mailed
November 6 (Monday) Open Warrant Meeting
November 7 (Tuesday) Pre-Town Meeting
November 13 (Monday) Special Town Meeting Business Session
Approve Summer Schedule
VOTED: (Roach/Powell) Voted unanimously to approve the 2006 summer schedule:
July 6 - Thursday
July 18 - Tuesday
August 1 - Tuesday
August 15 - Tuesday
August 29 - Tuesday
September 12- Tuesday
Action Items
The Board reviewed its list of Action Items. Items discussed included:
Chair Heitin reported on meeting re buyback of bonds for early reimbursement for School Building projects from the State, to include borrowing costs.
Proclamation for Leonard Bernstein
Selectman Richard Powell read a Proclamation in honor of Leonard Bernstein proclaiming June 24, 2006 as Leonard Bernstein Day. The Board reviewed the list of activities in honor of Leonard Bernstein to take place at various sites on June 24 and June 25.
Certify the Maximum Useful Life of Departmental Equipment
The Board reviewed Memo from Robert J. Uyttebroek, Town Treasurer, dated June 2, 2006, recommending that the Board use certain terms as the maximum useful life of Capital Projects voted at the Annual Town Meeting.
VOTED: (Heitin/Powell) Voted unanimously to accept the recommendations of the Town Treasurer to certify the useful life of departmental equipment as capital items voted by Town Meeting and to authorize the Clerk of the Board to sign the Certification forms.
Request for Banner & Waiver of Fees - Sharon Independence Day Celebration Committee
VOTED: (Roach/Powell) Voted unanimously to approve a banner for the dates of June 26 - July 3 in the first position and to waive the Banner Fees.
Acceptance of Conservation Restriction - Lot A-1, Route 1
The Board reviewed a Request for Acceptance of Conservation Restriction for Lot A-1 Restriction Plan 1075 General Edwards Highway (Route 1), from Gregory Meister, Conservation Administrator, dated June 6, 2006.
VOTED: (Roach/Powell) Voted unanimously to accept the Conservation Restriction of approximately 6.192 acres from a 14-acre parcel at 1075 General Edwards Highway as part of negotiations through a ZBA Special Permit process from Senior Operations, Inc., Bartlett, IL.
New Energy Group
The Board noted letters of interest and requested that interviews be set up for Thomas D’Avanzo and David McCabe to participate in the new Energy Group. The three, who initiated this group, have been invited to attend the June 15 Staff Meeting.
Sharon Day Events
Selectman Roach listed the schedule of Events for June 12.
Request for Banner - Islamic Center of New England
VOTED: (Roach/Powell) Voted unanimously to approve a banner for the Islamic Center of New England for the dates of June 16 - June 18, 2006 in the first position and to waive the banner fee.
Executive Session
VOTED: (Roach/Powell) Voted unanimously to enter into Executive Session for the purpose of discussing items of Real Property Acquisition, Collective Bargaining, and Pending Litigation, and, at the conclusion thereof, to adjourn for the evening.
Roach, aye; Powell, aye; Heitin, aye.
The Board recessed to Executive Session at 9:15 P.M.
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