MINUTES
BOARD OF SELECTMEN MEETING
Tuesday, January 24, 2012
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 Richard A, Powell, Selectman William A. Heitin, Selectman Walter Joe Roach and Town Administrator Benjamin Puritz.
Discussion Regarding the After-Prom/After-Graduation Party - Janice Moran AND HEIDI KOZIKIS
Heidi Kozikis came before the Board to request a fee waiver for the Senior Class After-Prom/After-Graduation party to be held at the Community Center. It was mentioned that there is money left from the donation Rodman (Ride-for-Kids) gave last year for this event. They said there is no change in the format and that the party has been very successful in the past with the vast majority of the senior class attending. The goal of the party is to keep the graduates safe by providing food, games and musical entertainment.
VOTED: (Heitin/Roach) Voted unanimously to approve the request of the Sharon High School PTSO to hold the After-Prom/After-Graduation Party in the Sharon Community Center June 3-4, 2012 and to waive the rental fee except for the custodial fee.
WATER MANAGEMENT ADVISORY COMMITTEE – DAIVD CROSBY
David Crosby, Chair of the Water Management Advisory Committee came before the Board of Selectmen to discuss how to fund capital projects through water rates. Due to the current rate structure, larger households are paying a disproportionate share of water revenue. Even though the average large household uses water much more efficiently in terms of gallons per person per day, the household pays more per gallon than the single person household. Different rate payers pay different amounts for the same gallon of water. The block system doesn’t seem to be working re the water rates. Ascending blocks do not address the issue of conserving since a household of one, even if it doesn’t do any conserving could not use enough water to go into another block.
Another issue with water usage is the irrigation system used by homeowners. It was brought up that maybe a second meter could be installed in the homes (either at the homeowner’s or Town’s expense) for reading how much consumption of water is being used through the irrigation system.
Selectman Heitin would like to see a phasing plan go into effect within the next 4 to 5 years. WMAC requested to provide to the Board of Selectmen an analysis of water conservation efforts.
Selectman Roach asked what happened with the evaluation on Well #6 water quality. It was mentioned that in the summer of 2010 the Water Department had to pump Well #6, which is high in iron and manganese that makes the water brown, in order to meet peak demand. Homeowners in the vicinity of Well #6 reported stained laundry, dishes and plumbing fixtures.
DISCUSSION REGARDING RAILROAD PARKING – DPW SUPERINTENDENT ERIC HOOPER
Eric R. Hooper, Superintendent of Public Works, discussed with the Board of Selectmen the subject of the Railroad Parking Lot and the Quarterly Parking Fee. Mr. Hooper proceeded to identify the problem of parking space, quarterly passes and daily passes. The current method of securing the passes are quarterly fees by mail and walk-in and daily fees by paying cash. The Sharon DPW is requesting the Board of Selectmen to increase the quarterly fee from $50 to $100/quarter. This is expected to result in a shift in parking to the underutilized daily spaces and relieve some of the demand for the quarterly parking passes. The method of payment for the quarterly passes will be processed online by using a credit card, debit card or smart card. If anyone does not have access to a computer he/she can go to the Library or go to the DPW and use their computer. Daily fees will be processed by a kiosk machine (pay station) at the station by paying by means of a credit/debit/smart card. This would replace the current payment board. The kiosk machine (pay station) is able to use both credit cards and cash. Preference not to handle cash. Mr. Hooper said that he hopes to get the pay station up and going for March 1, 2012.
Mr. Hooper presented a concept plan re a second parking deck on the outbound. It was acknowledged that construction of a deck was a complicated matter and would require several years of planning.
APPROVAL OF MINUTES
VOTED: (Heitin/Roach) Voted unanimously to approve the Regular Session of January 10, 2012 and Executive Session Minutes of January 3, 2012.
APPROVAL OF BANNER REQUESTS
VOTED: (Heitin/Roach) Voted unanimously to approve the banner request for the Friends of the Sharon Public Library from May17-20, 2012 for the Annual Used Book Sale – First position
VOTED: (Heitin/Roach) Voted unanimously to approve the banner request for the Sharon High School PTSO Auction from April 2-9, 2012 (and if available through April 21, 2012) – First position
VOTED: (Heitin/Roach) Voted unanimously to approve the banner request for the First Congregational Church of Sharon from November 23-December 2, 2012 for the Annual Evergreen Christmas Bazaar – Second position
APPOINTMENT ON BOARD OF HEALTH
This item was held
DRAFT WORKING LIST OF ARTICLES FOR 2012 ANNUAL TOWN MEETING
Chair Powell read off the Draft Working List of Potential Articles for the 2012 Annual Town Meeting as follows:
1 – Accept, adopt and implement FEMA Flood Maps
Richard Singletary – issued into Town Ordinances
2 - Lessen number of seats for on-premises liquor licenses from 50 to 20 in certain districts
3 - Recreation Department – Reevaluate purpose, number of members etc… for Recreation Advisory Committee
4 – Sacred Heart Committee - Appropriation to knockdown Sacred Heart
5 – Lake Management - Article to ban dogs from Veteran’s Memorial Park and Beach
6 – Conservation Commission - The Commission desires to have Town Meeting appropriate $130,000.00 to purchase approximately 5.49 acres of land adjacent to Beaver Brook (55 Richards Avenue) for Conservation purposes. The Commission will seek all or a portion of the purchase price from funds available under the Community Preservation Act.
7 – The Planning Board would like to create an Adult Use Zoning district in order to prevent the forcible location of adult uses in inappropriate locations.
8 – Finance Department - Special within the Annual with three articles. Article 1 - rescinds old articles, Article 2 - rescinds and reallocates funds Article 3 - for debt budget appropriation. 9 – COA – To allow eligible people who are homebound to participate in the work-off program by allowing another individual to take their place in the work-off program.
10 - COA – Would allow the maximum reduction of the real property tax bill to be based on 125 volunteer service hours in a given tax year, rather than $1,000.(??)
11 – Water Department – Purchase of Diesso Property for $10,000 - for Water Department purposes.
12 - Permit all Alcohol package stores in certain districts, Shaw’s, Sharon Commons and Route 1???
13 – Change General By-Law Article 8 – Hawkers and Peddlers
CORRESPONDENCE
Chair Powell read the following correspondence from Richard A. Gelerman, Esq. re Brickstone
Ben: The Brickstone principals have approved the following explanation of the current status of their project:
"Counsel for the developer has advised me that due to changed market conditions, the present development proposal has been reconsidered. The developers are therefore anticipating a different use of the property from the senior living project previously considered by the Town. That use will include approximately 12 Form A lots on Mountain Street. They are also considering a number of alternatives, including a 40B development and one or more subdivisions for single-family use. The alternatives are being reviewed by the developers lenders and are, therefore, not final. However, all of the discussions I have had with counsel reflect the developer's understanding that portions of the land may be available for purchase and to be gifted to the Town for open space use. Other than the Form A lots which may be developed as of right, all proposed uses will require permitting as any other similar project in Town.
I would, however, caution the Town that the foregoing has not been committed to in writing, and awaits the developer’s actual proposal.”
VOTED: (Heitin/Roach) Voted unanimously to move into Executive Session to discuss Collective Bargaining - Fire Department negotiations, Police Dispatcher 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 9:10 p.m.
Powell: Aye
Roach: Aye
Heitin: Aye