SELECTMEN=S MEETING

MINUTES

BOARD OF SELECTMEN MEETING

Tuesday, October 4, 2011

7:00 p.m.

The meeting of the Board of Selectmen was held at 7:10 pm in the Sharon Town Hall with Chairman Richard A. Powell, Selectman Walter Joe Roach, Selectman Heitin and Town Administrator Benjamin Puritz

SARAH WINDMAN: CANDIDATE FOR APPOINTMENT TO THE WATER MANAGEMENT ADVISORY COMMITTEE (WMAC)

Ms. Windman said she has lived in Town over 10 years and worked professionally as a consultant specializing in Project Management She holds an MBA from Boston University and a degree in marketing from Babson College. She said she films for Sharon Community television and while filming many of the meetings she found that she is most interested in the WMAC. She said she would like to have a voice in determining how to charge for water and in other decisions regarding water in our community and believes she has the skills to do so.

CHUCK LEVINE, CHAIR CABLE ADVISORY COMMITTEE: CABLE LICENSE RFP

Mr. Levine discussed the Cable License RFP process and the role of the Cable Advisory Committee. Mr. Levine said the Committee has some control over customer service in terms of information given to consumers, response time to complaints and the amount of money that is received by Sharon Community Television. He said the RFP is basically a boiler plate from the previous RFP. He said Comcast has 45 days to respond and then the Town has several months to respond. The contract is up in March 2012.

VOTED: (Heitin/Roach) Voted unanimously issuance of Cable License RFP as discussed this evening

Mr. Levine said he is interested in continuing as Chair of the Cable Advisory Committee

MARGARET MARDER: CANDIDATE FOR APPOINTMENT TO THE RECREATION ADVISORY COMMITTEE

Ms. Marder said that she has lived in Sharon for the past 18 years. She said all her children are involved in sports and she has been very involved as well. She also delivers Meals on Wheels. Ms. Marder holds a BA from Dartmouth College. She has been a volunteer for the past 21 years in sports, the PTO and other town organizations. She feels increased communication would be her goal on the Recreation Advisory Board.

TED TYE & SHERRY CLANCY, NATIONAL DEVELOPMENT CO. – EPOCH SENIOR LIVING WARRANT ARTICLE

Ted Tye explained that the Epoch Nursing Home would like to add an addition the existing building to house 48 units of Assisted Living. The project project would include Epoch and National Development. However, at this time the Town’s current zoning does not allow Assisted Living. He said National Development is based on 40 different communities. He said his firm is a pioneer in Assisted Living and helped write the regulations in the State and have completed 19 Assisted Living projects. He said the program will fulfill a need with little traffic generation, no burden on Town services, and will provide tax revenue. He said the building will contain 48 studio units on one floor without any kitchen facilities as the residents will eat together. He said the Warrant Article defines Assist Living as a use and allows it in certain districts. Mr. Tye said the project would be subject to a special permit meaning that all setbacks and other requirements are subject to the district. Ms. Clancy said this is about the use not the project. The by-law does not put any restriction on whether the project is for profit or not-for-profit. Chairman Powell said he is concerned about these projects becoming not-for-profit which would limit the Town’s ability to collect revenue. Mr. Tye said that currently Assisted Living cannot count towards a community’s housing stock and will therefore not impact affordable housing numbers. Mr. Tye also said they plan keep one of the houses currently located on the site.

ART STEIN, CHAIR TRANSPORTATION ADVISORY BOARD – COMMUNITY BUS TRANSPORTATION

Chairman Powell said Mr. Stein has come before the Board to disucss in-town transportation. Mr. Stein said that currently improvements are planned to improve the process train station parking. These improvements include: 1 – Automated payment 2 – License plate readers for more efficient monitoring of parking 3 – Reallocation of fee basis between quarterly parking and daily parking. Currently there are 550 spaces available. Even with overselling of the parking spaces the DPW is running 90 – 100 passes short of demand. In order to utilize the Council on Aging busses Mr. Stein is proposing two runs in the morning and afternoon from outside locations to the train station. The Council on Aging is in agreement with the proposal. The two outside locations would be Crescent Ridge and Heights Shopping Plaza. Each bus would hold 18 passengers. Potential passengers would have to reserve their space in advance though the internet or on the phone. Passengers would pay in advance and the fee would not be refundable. The Council on Aging has indicated that they will be able to staff the busses with drivers. Mr. Stein said that seed money is needed to begin the program. They do not know how much seed money they need. He said they have not received permission from the property owners as of yet. Mr. Stein said this would be available to Sharon residents only. Selectman Heitin said he felt that this initiative was worth trying as the lack of parking is an issue. Mr. Stein said Crescent Ridge and Heights were chosen because of their access to different sides of Town. Selectman Roach asked if Mr. Stein felt that the revenues received will cover the expenses. Mr. Stein said he felt it would. He asked the Town to reach out to the two locations and to begin to think about seed money to begin the program.

FY 13 BUDGET: TOWN REPORT – TOWN ADMINISTRATOR BEN PURITZ

Town Administrator Puritz said the level funded budget is $12,450 with $12,699 as an up budget.

FY 13 BUDGET: VOCATIONAL TUITION – TOWN ADMINISTRATOR BEN PURITZ

Items included in this budget are the Southeastern Vocational payment and the Norfolk Aggie tuition. Mr. Puritz said it will be some time before the Town receives the FY ’13 assessment from both of these schools. At this point the budget does not reflect an increase in assessment.

DPW SUPERINTENDENT ERIC HOOPER – WATER DEPARTMENT BORROWING ARTICLE

Superintendent Hooper said the funding for these two projects – the Pond Street and Massapoag Street water main replacements were approved at the May 2011 Town Meeting. He said the funding is through water department borrowing. He said the process was not through the Capital Outlay Committee. Superintendent Hooper said in the future he will utilize the traditional capital process – Selectmen, Capital Outlay, Town Meeting. The debt payments for this project will be coming out of the Water Enterprise Fund. Selectman Heitin said he believes the Water Management Advisory Committee (WMAC) have the opportunity to review the proposed expenditures. Selectman Powell said he is in agreement as is Selectman Roach. Chairman Powell said this project has already been approved by Town Meeting and the article at the November 14^th Town Meeting would authorize the borrowing. Superintendent Hooper said the Water Management Advisory Committee has approved the projects but they have not approved the borrowing though they did endorse the budget which includes the borrowing. Superintendent Hooper will speak to the WMAC prior to Town Meeting. The projects will cost more than $900,000.

APPROVAL OF INCREASED WATER RATES

VOTED: (Heitin/Roach) Voted unanimously to continue the water hearing.

Chairman Powell said that the proposal includes a base fee with several blocks. Selectman Heitin said that he looked at average users in the community and calculated out some of the costs. He said some of the increases were larger than he expected. He changed the tier levels to minimize the impacts and met with Mr. Hooper who informed him it would lessen the revenue by about $28,000. He presents this as an alternative. He also said he would like to institute a program for residents unable to afford the increase. All were in agreement. Gordon Gladstone who was in the audience said his annual water bill would increase 41% under the proposed new price structure. He believes the base fee should be increased more and the tiers less. Selectman Heitin said he was in agreement.

After much discussion the Board agreed to move forward Selectman Heitin’s proposal.

VOTED: (Heitin/Roach) Voted unanimously that this Board implement the following rates effective Jan. 1, 2012: quarterly base fee of $155 per household and Summer Rates of $4.00 per gallon for 0 – 7500 gallons, $7.00 per gallon 7500 – 15000 gallons, $9.00 per gallon 15,000 – 22,500 gallons, and $13.50 per gallon 22,500 – 28,130 and Winter Rates of $3.00 per gallon for 0 – 7500 gallons, $6.00 per gallon 7500 – 15000 gallons, $8.00 per gallon 15,000 – 22,500 gallons, and $12.00 per gallon 22,500 – 28,130 gallons that the Town of Sharon will implement an abatement program for qualified program to alleviate any financial hardship based on the trash removal program

VOTED: (Heitin/Roach) Voted unanimously to close the water hearing.

APPROVAL OF MINUTES

VOTED: (Heitin/Roach) Voted unanimously to approve the Regular and Executive Session Minutes of September 6, 2011 and September 20, 2011

APPOINTMENT TO COUNCIL ON AGING BOARD

VOTED: (Heitin/Roach) Voted unanimously to appoint Mindy Kempner and Richard Gordon as regular members of the Council on Aging Board with a term to expire December 31, 2014

SIGNING OF WARRANT FOR NOVEMBER 14, 2011 TOWN MEETING

The Board asked that Article 1 (Assisted Living) 1 be moved to Article 3 (Paul Vitali petition article) and Article 9 be moved to Article 4.

VOTED: (Heitin/Roach) Voted unanimously to sign the Warrant for the Special Town Meeting on November 14, 2011

SUPPLEMENTAL AGENDA

APPROVAL OF ONE-DAY LIQUOR LICENSE

VOTED: (Heitin/Roach) Voted unanimously to approve the one-day liquor license for Kelly Ugarde and Kurt Simpson at the Sharon Community Center on October 15, 2011

APPROVAL OF SHARON LIONS CLUB WHITE CANE DAY

VOTED: (Heitin/Roach) Voted unanimously to approve the request of the Sharon Lions Club to hold White Cane Day on Saturday October 15, 2011 between 9am – 1pm pending Town of Sharon Police Approval

POSITION ON ARTICLES

1. Acquire or take by eminent domain land on South Main Street by Gavins Pond Road for highway purpose	BOS	Yes - U
2. Elderly and Disabled Taxation Fund – To accept voluntary donations to assist low income, elderly and disabled pay their property taxes.	COA & Commission on Disabilities	Yes - U
3– Amend Zoning by-laws – New definition of Assisted Living Facilities	Epoch Senior Living	Yes - U
4 –Citizen’s petition to convert management of a parcel that the Town owns at the end of Oakland Road from Board of Selectmen to Conservation Commission	Paul Vitali	No – U
5. Zoning by-law change – PO Square Uses, Site Plan approval and Definition	Planning Board	Hold - U
6 – Zoning by-law change – PO Square Dimensional Standards	Planning Board	Hold - U
7 – Zoning by-law change – PO Square Off-street Parking and Loading	Planning Board	Hold - U
8 – Zoning by-law change – PO Square Affordable Housing	Planning Board	Hold - U
9 – Edit scenic road by-law to include a $300 fine for cutting down each tree	Planning Board	Hold - U
10 – Rescind authorizations to borrow on assorted items	Finance Director	Yes - U
11 – Zoning Amendment Petition – Route1 – Change of zoning to allow Landscaping/Nursery Business (675 General Edwards Highway) use in Light Industrial District	Martha Raider	Yes - U
12 – Zoning by-law change –Lot Shape	Planning Board	Yes - U
13 – Authorization to borrow for water department projects	DPW	Hold - U
14 – Accept local motel/hotel rooms tax	Finance Director	Yes - U
15 – Community Preservation Funding Request – Purchase Antique Fire Truck	CPA	Yes - U
16 – To accept deeds in lieu of foreclosing on certain parcels	Finance Director	Yes - U

VOTED: (Heitin/Roach) Voted unanimously to move into Executive Session to discuss Collective Bargaining: AFSCME update and MP’s and Pending Litigation re Glassman The discussion of these items in open session would be detrimental to the position of the Town and at the end of Executive Session to adjourn for the evening.

The Board adjourned to Executive Session at 8:25pm

Powell: Aye

Roach: Aye

Heitin: Aye