MINUTES

BOARD OF SELECTMEN MEETING

Tuesday, February 15, 2011

7:00 p.m.

 

The meeting of the Board of Selectmen was held at 7:05 p.m. in the Sharon Town Hall with Chairman Walter “Joe” Roach, Selectman, Selectman Richard A. Powell, Selectman William A. Heitin and Town Administrator Benjamin Puritz

 

ASCERTAINMENT HEARING FOR CABLE TELEVISION

 

VOTED: (Roach/Powell) Voted unanimously to open the ascertainment hearing

 

Please see attached stenographer’s copy of the minutes.

 

VOTED: (Roach/Powell) Voted unanimously to close the ascertainment hearing other than to hold the hearing open for 14 days in order to accept written testimony.

 

APPROVAL OF ONE DAY LIQUOR LICENSE FOR THE FRIENDS OF THE SHARON COUNCIL ON AGING

 

VOTED: (Powell/Heitin) Voted unanimously to approve the one day liquor license for the Friends of the Sharon Council on Aging and to waive the fee.

 

LARRY SEGGELIN: CANDIDATE FOR APPOINTMENT TO THE SACRED HEART REUSE COMMITTEE

 

Mr. Seggelin has lived in Sharon for 18 years and would like to see something done with the Sacred Heart site.  He has been very involved in the Boy Scouts and his son built the exercise park behind Sacred Heart.  He also has served as a youth sports coach.   He said he would like to use he property as a facility that would be family oriented that would keep the children of Sharon busy.  He said he would favor an indoor recreation use.

 

KAREN FRIEDMAN: CANDIDATE FOR APPOINTMENT TO THE SACRED HEART REUSE COMMITTEE

 

Karen Friedman said that she is in the disabilities field and works at UMASS Boston and heard about the proposed project at Sacred Heart.  She said she attended several meetings and read the proposal by Cornerstone. She was concerned about the proposal and then read the RFP and realized that the Cornerstone project was not consistent with the RFP and believes that the idea of recreation is preferable.   She has lived in Sharon for three years and said she is interested in getting involved.

 

CARL GLADSTONE: CANDIDATE FOR APPOINTMENT TO THE SACRED HEART REUSE COMMITTEE

 

Carl Gladstone said he has lived in Sharon for most of his life.  He is an IT Manager and has a daughter in the Sharon schools.  He believes that the property should be used as recreation space and in particular spoke about adding an indoor swimming facility.   

 

 

BOB LEVIN: CANDIDATE FOR APPOINTMENT TO THE SACRED HEART REUSE COMMITTEE

 

Bob Levin lives close to the facility as he lives on East Foxboro Street. He also is a member of the Library Board of Trustees.  He said he is not applying for this committee because of his position with the Library.  He said that several of his neighbors are concerned about what will end up on the property.  He mentioned his concern about the aquifer and the wetlands which are located in the nearby area.  He believes that there needs to be a compatible use that compliments the neighborhood and that won’t increase traffic in the neighborhood.  He also said it is important to put together a business plan so that the facility is one that is financially stable and viable.   

 

DAVID STRAUSS: CANDIDATE FOR APPOINTMENT TO THE SACRED HEART REUSE COMMITTEE

 

Mr. Strauss said he is on the Transportation Advisory Board and MBTA Advisory Board and would like to expand his involvement in the Town.   He lives on North Main Street. He said he would like the Town would to look at creating a year round sports facility.  He also would like to see if there are any groups that could partner with the Town.

 

Selectman Heitin said that he would potentially add more than one member to the Committee.  Chairman Roach said he was in agreement.

 

APPROVAL OF MINUTES

 

VOTED: (Powell/Heitin) Voted unanimously to approve the Regular and Executive Session Minutes of February 1, 2011

 

SIGNING OF ACCESS AGREEMENT BY TOWN ADMINISTRATOR PURITZ

 

Town Administrator Puritz said this is a swap out for a mechanical cable connection to a fiber-optic connection with the Town receiving $500.

 

VOTED: (Powell/Heitin) Voted unanimously to authorize Town Administrator Puritz to sign the access agreement with Comcast for the Massapoag Avenue Water Tank

 

FY ’12 BUDGET REVIEW AND ADOPTION

 

Town Administrator Puritz said the Board has the 31 budgets that comprise all the Town’s budgets from 7/1/11 – 6/30/12.  He reviewed the budget development process which will include review by the Finance Committee and then a vote at Town Meeting in May.  On February 8th the Priorities Committee met and voted a sector allocations and a  2.41% increase.  He said that FY ’12 looks to be a mirror image of FY ’11.  He said if revenues hold up there should be no tax increase for FY ’12 related to funding the operating budgets. 

 

All three selectmen said they were comfortable with the budget.

 

VOTED: (Powell/Heitin) Voted unanimously to adopt the FY ’12 budget as presented.

 

 

2011 ATM WARRANT ARTICLE 4 (NON-UNION PERSONNEL ONLY)

 

Town Administrator Puritz said this is a document that is based on the same premise as the total budget. 

Once the Board of Selectmen approves this document it will be sent to the Personnel Board for their approval. 

Selectman Powell said that by approving this document the Selectmen are “putting their cards on the table” for the bargaining units.  Selectmen Heitin said that the unions sometimes receive other changes to their contracts that result in a greater increase than the standard percentage.

 

VOTED: (Powell/Heitin) Voted unanimously to approve Article 4 (non-union personnel only) and move to the Personnel Board

 

AWARDING OF SIDEWALK CONTRACT TO LAL CONSTRUCTION

 

DPW Superintendent Hooper said that the Town provides the Southeastern Regional Services Group with an estimate of how much sidewalk material the Town will need.  If the Town exceeds or is below the estimate the unit cost does not change. The Town’s estimate includes all the projects that the Town anticipates for the upcoming building season including Chapter 90 funded. 

 

VOTED: (Powell/Heitin) Voted unanimously to award the sidewalk contract to LAL Construction as presented by the Superintendent of Public Works. 

 

SUPPLEMTNAL AGENDA

 

In a memo to the Selectmen, Chief Mann explained that the fire department had solicited bids for a new Ambulance and Tanker.  He said that Greenwood Motors of Attleboro was the only company that responded to the bid at a price of $231,489.00 delivered.  He further explained that the department had received three bids for the Tanker: Pierce Manufacturing/Minuteman Trucks for $168,724, Crimson Fire/C&S Specialty, Inc. for $169,539 and Pierce Manufacturing/Minuteman Trucks for $175,724.  He explained that both low bids do not meet the required specs that were advertised and additional funds would need to be spent to meet the needs of the Town’s specs.  He asked that the Board vote to allow him to enter into a contract with Greenwood Motors for the Ambulance and Pierce Manufacturing for the Tanker.

 

VOTED: (Powell/Heitin) Voted unanimously to enter into a contract with Greenwood Motors of Attleboro for the Ambulance at a price of $231,489

 

VOTED: (Powell/Heitin) Voted unanimously to enter into a contract with Pierce Manufacturing/Minuteman Trucks for the Tanker at a price of $175,724

 

VOTED: (Powell/Heitin) Voted unanimously to that the Board move into Executive Session for updates for the Firefighter and AFSME request for bargaining and non-presented personnel in order to go over the performance evaluation with Council on Aging Director, Town Engineer, Superintendent of Public Works, Information Technology Director and the Town Accountant.  Chairman Roach declared that all of these issues if discussed in public would have a deleterious impact on the Town. .At the conclusion of Executive Session the Board will adjourn for the evening.

 

The meeting adjourned at 8:20 p.m.

 

Roach:   Aye

Heitin:   Aye

Powell:  Aye