MINUTES

BOARD OF SELECTMEN MEETING

Tuesday, June 12, 2007

 

The Regular meeting of the Board of Selectmen was held at 7:30 pm in the Sharon Town Offices with Chair Walter Joe Roach, Selectman Richard A. Powell, Selectman William A. Heitin and Town Administrator Benjamin E. Puritz.

 

The meeting was called to order at 7:35 p.m.

 

Chairman Roach explained the Friend of the 4th of July committee is still looking for contributions and provided an address for people to send donations should they choose.

 

Candidate for Community Preservation Committee: Lois Miller

 

Ms. Miller said that her interest in becoming a member of the Community Preservation Committee began when as an applicant she attended all of the meetings and became familiar with the values and goals of the Committee.  She said she is concerned about the long-term and short-term goals of the Committee and feels it is important for the Community Preservation Committee and Capital Outlay Committee to work together. 

 

Candidate for Community Preservation Committee: Paul Sackley

 

Mr. Sackley said he has lived in Sharon for 21/2 years He said he decided to apply to be a member of the Community Preservation Committee because he believes in its goals.  He said he has never attended a meeting or watched a meeting on television as he doesn’t watch television.  He has a Bachelor’s Degree in Economics and a Mater’s Degree in Marine Biology.  Currently he manages a team of web developers. 

 

Planning for Town of Sharon’s  – 250th Anniversary

 

Robert Young, Chair of the Historical Commission explained that the Committee formed for Sharon’s 200th Anniversary was formed eight years prior to the actual celebration.  He said there was one central committee and 14 sub-committees that reported to the central committee.  Chairman Roach said that he is interested in learning how other Towns organize their Anniversary Celebration Committees.

 

Consider contract award for Engineering Services for High Pressure Service                                                             District Review

 

Superintendent Hooper explained that because of the recent zoning changes associated with the approval of the Brickstone project, the Water Department is requesting that the Board of Selectmen approve a contract with Environmental Partners to provide on-call engineering services to review the design plans as proposed by the Brickstone engineers prior to the Board of Appeals filings.  The Water Department’s goal is to be proactive in the design phase as opposed to reactive through the permitting process. Developers traditionally pay for a peer review once the design has been completed – this will allow the Town to have its own expert during the design phase. The $10,000 cost is being funded by the Water Department.  Superintendent Hooper added that a meeting with the Water Management Advisory Committee is included in the Scope of Services. 

 

VOTED: (Powell/Heitin) Voted unanimously to sign the contract with Environmental Partners for

not more than $10,000.00 for the scope of work as agreed to by Superintendent Hooper and

Environmental Partners

 

Fire Hydrant Access

 

At the meeting of May 29, 2007 a citizen came before the Board with photos stating that some of the fire hydrants in Sharon were unusable.  Superintendent of Public Works Eric Hooper and Fire Chief Dennis Mann were in attendance at this meeting to respond.  Superintendent Hooper explained that there is an annual inspection of all hydrants.  He also explained that most of the problems have been with non break-way hydrants which are on cast iron mains and are old.  The Town has a program whereby each time a water main is replaced all associated break away hydrants are replaced as well.  Superintendent Hooper also stated that when the Town winterizes hydrants each year it also makes make sure that the hydrants are working. Chairman Roach added that the “road inventory” that the Selectmen had authorized several weeks ago also included examination of fire hydrants. 

 

Chief Mann said that in the spring of 2006 he had spoken to the citizen who had brought the issue forward and the Chief had examined the hydrants that the person said didn’t work.  He said if there was a problem he made sure that there was a hydrant in close proximity that did work.  He further explained that most fires are put out by the water in the pumper truck on the scene and that the hydrant is a secondary service.  It was also noted that when a hydrant is changed that the surrounding residents have no water services for the entire day. The process costs $3,000 - $4,000.  for each fire hydrant that is upgraded.  Chairman Roach added that the accessibility of the hydrants in the front doesn’t always limit them from being used as there are side ports also.  Chief Mann added that a bigger problem is residents who plant bushes in front of the hydrants or residents who do not clear the snow from around the hydrants in the winter.   

 

Approve $50,000 from the Water Department Budget as matching funds for the Department of Environmental Protection Riverways Grant

 

Superintendent of Public Works Eric Hooper explained that this request is a follow-up to a presentation regarding the Riverways Grant made at a prior Selectmen’s meeting.  Selectman Heitin explained that the model that will be developed from the work associated with the grant will create a planning tool to be used for watershed management in order to best protect rivers, wetlands and quality of life and to evaluate effects of the large development proposals on the water resources of the Town and identify possible cost effective remediation efforts. . 

 

VOTED: (Powell/Heitin) Voted unanimously to approve the matching funds of $50,000 for the

Department of Environmental Protection Riverways Grant

 

Minutes of Regular Session of May 1, 2007, May 7, 2007,  May 16,                                                  

2007 and May 22, 2007 and Executive Session of May 1, 2007 and May 22, 2007

 

Selectmen Powell asked that in the minutes of May 7, 2007 (4th paragraph of the first page) that the

language that refers to a special permit be changed to refer to a site plan review.

 

VOTED: (Powell/Heitin) Voted unanimously to approve the Regular Session minutes of May 1,

2007, May 7, 2007 (with the above mentioned change), May 16, 2007 and May 22, 2007.

 

VOTED: (Powell/Heitin) Voted unanimously to approve the Executive Session minutes of May 1,

2007 and May 22, 2007.

 

Town Administrator Employment Agreement FY’08 Compensation

 

Chairman Roach asked that this item be held until the next meeting of the Board of Selectmen.

 

Award bid for Containerized Rubbish Disposal at 14 locations for the School, Recreation, and                               Public Works Departments as well as for cardboard recycling at 5 school locations

 

The Selectmen received a memo form Health Administrator Linda Rosen, regarding the opening of the rubbish bid for Town Containerized Rubbish Disposal at 14 locations for the School, Recreation, and Public Works Department as well as for cardboard recycling at 5 school locations.  There were four bidders with the lowest bidder being J.F. McNamara and Sons, Corp. who has been providing this service to the Town in a satisfactory manner for several years.  Ms. Rosen strongly recommends that the Board accept the J.F. McNamara bid for a three year contract.

 

VOTED: (Powell/Heitin) Voted unanimously to award the bid for containerized rubbish disposal at 14 locations and for cardboard recycling at 5 locations to J.F. McNamara for three years at a total cost of $237,465.05.

 

Letter from Town Clerk regarding Election Workers

 

Selectmen Heitin explained that according to MGL Ch54 – S12-14 the Democratic and Republic Party Committee Chairs were sent a letter asking for recommendations for elections workers.  Town Clerk Marlene Chused has notified the Selectmen that she has not received any recommendations and she is asking that the Board appoint the election workers that were provided by Ms. Chused.

on the page forwarding the memo.

 

VOTED: (Powell/Heitin) Voted unanimously to approve the list of election workers attached to the  memo as provided by Town Clerk Marlene Chused.

 

Appointment of Suzanne Howard and Patricia Bluestein to the Energy Advisory Committee

 

VOTED: (Powell/Heitin) Voted unanimously to appoint Suzanne Howard and Patricia Bluestein to the Energy Advisory Committee

 

Appointment of Nancy Fyler to the Economic Development Committee

VOTED: (Powell/Heitin) Voted unanimously to appoint Nancy Fyler to the Economic Development Committee

 

The Board also discussed making their appointment to the Community Preservation Committee.   Though it is not their traditional policy to appoint a person during the same night there are interviews, as the Community Preservation Committee will be having an important meeting prior to the next Selectmen’s Meeting, the Board decided to appoint one of the applicants to the open seat. The Board discussed the merits of the candidates and though they felt that all candidates were very qualified and impressive they felt that Mr. Garf’s experience stood out.

 

VOTED: (Powell/Heitin) Voted unanimously to appoint Allen Garf to the Community Preservation Committee

 

Banner Request: Square Jam.  July 23, 2007 – August 2, 2007. (1st position)

 

VOTED: (Powell/Heitin) Voted unanimously to hang a banner for Square Jam from July 23, 2007 – August 2, 2007 in the 1st position.

 

Banner Request: Unitarian Church of Sharon – September 3, 2007 – September 10, 2007

(1st position)

 

It was noted that this is the 55th Bean Supper being hosted by the Unitarian Church

 

VOTED: (Powell/Heitin) Voted unanimously to give permission to the Unitarian Church to hang a banner from September 3, 2007 – September 10, 2007 in the 1st position.

 

Banner Request: Temple Sinai Sisterhood – November 26, 2007 – December 3, 2007

(2nd position)

 

VOTED: (Powell/Heitin) Voted unanimously to give permission to the Temple Sinai Sisterhood to hang a banner from November 26, 2007 – December 3, 2007 in the 1st position.

 

Consider awarding regional paper procurement bid

 

The Town of Sharon belongs to the Southeastern Regional Services Group (SERSG) which results in the Town having lower procurement costs on many items including paper.  SERSG compiled the needs of all of the Town and sent them out to bid.  The low bidder was W.B. Mason.

 

VOTED: (Powell/Heitin) Voted unanimously to award the bid for paper through the SERSG contract to W.B. Mason for $48,998.43

 

Health Insurance Stop Loss Bids

 

Town Administrator Puritz explained that as the Town is self-insured at the point at which the bills for a certain claimant exceed $100,000 the Town has insurance called “health insurance stop loss” that absorbs the additional costs.  He also explained that all five bidders were A Rated and that the lowest bidder was American Stop Loss quoting with Standard Security at $23.70/Individual and $62.56/Family per month.  He further explained that the new coverage will result in an annual savings of $4,771.00 to the Town.

 

 VOTED: (Powell/Heitin) Voted unanimously to award the bid for Health Insurance Stop Loss coverage to American Stop Loss quoting with Standard Security at $23.70/Individual and $62.56/Family per month.

 

New Business/Other Business

 

There was discussion about the downtown road construction project.  Town Administrator Puritz stated that he had spoken to the contractor PA Landers and that six poles need to be relocated in order to install 14 crosswalks and then the “final” asphalt course.

 

VOTED: (Powell/Heitin) Voted unanimously to enter into Executive Session to discuss real property acquisition, matters of pending litigation, collective bargaining, personnel matter, and at the conclusion thereof to adjourn for the evening.

 

The Board of Selectmen adjourned at 8:45pm.

 

Roach: Aye

Powell:Aye

Heitin: Aye