MINUTES

BOARD OF SELECTMEN MEETING

Tuesday, November 29, 2011

7:00 p.m.

 

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

 

Candidate for reappointment to the recreation advisory committee: fred benjamin

 

Mr. Benjamin said he is finishing his seventh year on the Recreation Advisory Committee.  He said that he believes that the Community Center should be better utilized on the weekend and nights.  He said that the Recreation Advisory Committee recently voted a Chair and Vice-Chair for a term of one year.

 

Candidate for appointment to the council on aging: dr. kacker

 

Dr. Kacker has lived in Sharon for about two and one half years.  He has been a member of the Advisory Council of Hessco and through that learned of the Council on Aging. He has been attending many activities of the Council on Aging. He said he retired in 1990 and was on the faculty of Suffolk University in the Management and Marketing Department.  He also serves on the Executive Committee of AARP.  He discussed the various attributes of the Council on Aging and its benefit to the Town.

 

BUDGET REVIeW: animal inspector – edwin little

 

Mr. Little said that he oversees issues as they relate to horses, cows, chickens and other animals.  Once a year he inspects the animals and reports any issues to the Sharon Board of Health and the State Board of Health. He said there are 34 barns in the Town of Sharon.  Mr. Little said his Primary Budget request is 3,654.00.   He also said that he represents the Town of Sharon on the Norfolk County Advisory Board.   Mr. Little also thanked the Town and the Board of Selectmen for the support he received when there was a fire at his barn.

 

BUDGET REVIeW: insurance - town administrator ben puritz

 

Richard Weiner of Weiner Insurance was introduced. Town Administrator Puritz said that the Primary Budget is $8,136,854 which is a slight reduction of $25,000 from the current year.  Mr. Weiner said that the Workmen’s Compensation line item was increased.  He said the Life Insurance line item is staying flat and that that the Fire and Accident Insurance line item is increasing.   Town Administrator Puritz discussed the Town’s current position in the Health Insurance Claims Trust.  He said that Sharon is different from other communities in that we have held our rates for four years and in addition accruing a healthy balance available in the claims trust.

 

budget review and capital requests: eric hooper dpw superintendent

 

Superintendent Hooper said that the DPW Operating Budget is approximately $2,697,000.  He said the Option 1 budget increases overtime to 100% of the five year average. There was some discussion about the impact of increased use of the Community Center on the DPW Budget as the DPW is responsible for maintenance of all the Town buildings. The Water Budget is approximately $2,450,000 which includes the recently approved rate increase.  He said there will be no additional funds placed in the reserve account during this fiscal year.  

 

Mr. Hooper discussed his Capital Requests including the Water Department requests.  The DPW is asking for a pick-up truck, large dump truck and two trucks for the foremen He said his requests include paving a section of Massapoag Avenue and a section of Pond Street.   

 

Mr. Hooper presented a $75,000 request to replace the trailer behind the DPW which houses the Operations office.  There was discussion about a more permanent solution other than another trailer.

 

APPROVAL OF THE AFSCME AGREEMENT

 

Town Administrator reviewed the AFSCME Agreement which included a 2% agreement for FY 2011 and wage reopeners for FY “12 and FY ’13.  Also included was a small adjustment for the boot allowance.

 

VOTED: (Heitin/Roach) Voted unanimously to approve the AFSCME Agreement for July 1, 2011 – June 30, 2014 as discussed.

 

APPROVAL OF MINUTES

 

VOTED: (Heitin/Roach) Voted unanimously to approve the Regular Session and Executive Session Minutes of November 15, 2011

 

budget review: board of selectmen – Town adminstrator ben puritz

 

Town Administrator Puritz explained that the Selectmen budget is the final budget in the Selectmen sector to come before the Board other than the Animal Control Budget as the Animal Control Officer has been on medical leave.  He said that the Selectmen budget has had modest increases over the past three years with a 2.5% increase in FY ’10, 1.5 % increase in FY ’11 and a 1.43% in FY ’12.  That trend continues for FY ‘13 with a proposed budget which includes adjustment for centralization of the Town’s telephone bill. The primary budget which would reduce the Selectmen’ secretary’s hours from 25 hours to 19 hours.  He said this is a budget exercise as the staffing in the Selectmen’s office has been maintained at 2.67 FTE for over 30 years and is the lowest staffing of the comparable communities. The Option 1 proposed budget is $294,496 which is a 2.97% increase and allows for maintenance of the 2.67 FTE.  He said there would be a reduction in the copy machine maintenance account due to a new service contract.       

 

BANNER REQUEST APPROVAL

 

VOTED: (Roach/Heitin) Voted to approve the banner request by the Friends of the Library for March 5 – March 12, 2012  (1st position)

 

VOTED: (Roach/Heitin) Voted to approve the banner request by Temple Sinai from Jan. 9 – Jan. 16, 2012 ((1st position)

 

VOTED: (Roach/Heitin) Voted to approve the banner request for Temple Israel from Jan. 22 – Jan. 30, 2012 (2nd position)

 

BUDGET REVIEW: COMMISSION ON DISABILITIES chair jEFF JACOBSON

 

Chairman Jacobson explained that the revenue for violation of handicapped parking tickets has dropped 75% from $4,000 to $1,000.  He spoke about the scholarship program. 

 

VOTED: (Heitin/Roach) Voted unanimously to move into Executive Session to discuss Collective Bargaining: AFSCME and Fire Department negotiations, Health Insurance negotiation strategy, Pending Litigation re Glassman, Real Property negotiations re South Main Street eminent domain.  Discussion of these items in open session would be detrimental to the Town.  At the end of Executive Session the Board will adjourn for the evening.  

 

The meeting adjourned at 9:15 p.m.

 

Powell:  Aye

Roach:   Aye

Heitin:   Aye