MINUTES

BOARD OF SELECTMEN MEETING

                                                                 July 9, 2013

                                                                    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 Richard Powell, Selectman William Heitin and Town Administrator Benjamin Puritz.

 

APPROVAL OF MINUTES

 

VOTED:  (Heitin/Roach) Voted to approve the Regular Session and Executive Session Minutes of June 25, 2013

 

APPROVAL OF 2010 AND 2012 REDACTED MINUTES

 

VOTED:  (Heitin/Roach) Voted to approve the redacted 2010 and 2012 Executive Session Minutes.

 

CRIMINAL OFFENDER RECORD INFORMATION (CORI) POLICY

 

Town Administrator Puritz said that the CORI policy was prepared by Labor Counsel and was before the Board for the purpose of a first reading.  He stated that he recommended that it be discussed and voted on at the next Selectmen’s meeting.

 

APPROVAL OF BANNER REQUEST

 

VOTED:  (Heitin/Powell) Voted unanimously  to approve the banner request of the Council on Aging from August 12 – 19, 2013 (1st position)

 

VOTED:  (Heitin/Powell) Voted  unanimously to approve the banner request of the Friends of the Sharon Library from May 12 – 19, 2014 (1st position)

 

LINDA SALON: CANDIDATE FOR COMMISSION ON DISABILITIES

 

Ms. Salon said that she is a 40 year Sharon resident.  She discussed her career with the School Department which culminated in Director of the Early Childhood Center. She retired several years ago and said that she wanted to make a contribution to the Town and felt this would be a good fit.  She also said that she has spoken to Jeff Jacobsen who is the Chairman of the Disabilities Commission.

 

JOHN GUYDER AND PETER CRUZ, MBTA; DISCUSSION REGARDING ACCESSIBLITY PROJECT AT THE SHAORN COMMUTER RAIL STATION

 

Mr. Cruz of Jacobs Engineering introduced the various attendees in the audience who are working on the project.  He reviewed the history of the project including the various non-compliance complaints that the MBTA had received regarding the inaccessibly at the station.  Issues included but not limited to: inaccessible path of travel on the sidewalks and walkways as well as uneven sidewalks and walkways which resulted in pooled water, excessive slope of the ramp as well as inaccessible parking.

 

He reviewed all of the pending improvements for the outdoor area and building including high and low drinking fountain, modifying existing counter at kiosk counter, altering restrooms so they are handicapped.  He also provided an approximate timeline for each item. 

 

Mr. Guyder spoke about the work that was going to be done on the platform to increase accessibility.  He said approximately one hundred feet on the platform would be out of service during the construction.  The one hundred feet encompasses two cars.  He said that six outbound parking spaces will be removed during the construction but they will be reinstalled at the completion of the project.  He said the bid has been awarded to Unified Construction. 

 

BOB LEVIN: CANDIDATE FOR REAPPOINTMENT TO THE CULTURAL ARTS COUNCIL

 

Mr. Levin said he has been on the Cultural Arts Council for at least ten years.  He said that the Council receives less than $4,000 from the state with local requests exceeding $13,000. He said that the Council works jointly with other groups to fund some of the programs.  Chairman Roach asked about the possibility of fundraising to increase the amount of funds available. Mr. Levin said he thought that was an excellent idea and would investigate the possibility.

   

RICHARD KRAMER: DISCUSSION OF DEBORAH SAMPSON PARK

 

Mr. Kramer said he lives near Deborah Sampson Park and said the he appreciated that with a shortage of Town’s financial resources he tries to pitch in and help clean up the park including picking up litter and branches and debris. He said he does this year round even if snow shoes are required for access.  He said most people think that the Town has been doing this clean-up but he has been doing this for over 25 years.   He said that the park includes an exercise and running trail and a very heavily used dog park which increases traffic on the pedestrian trails.   He said besides cleaning the trails of obstructions he also tries to employ good management practices that are normal for a park that sees this kind of heavy use by delineating trails to help guide people.  He said that people have been very happy with his work until last month when he received a phone call from Town Administrator Puritz telling him to cease and desist his work on the park based on an anonymous complaint.   He said he received a letter from Town Counsel ordering him to stop maintaining the park.  He said he stopped maintaining the park which included his use of tools use including axes and hatchets because he was ordered to do so.  He showed latest pictures of the park which he said included increased amounts of debris and trash.  Mr. Kramer questioned the motivation of the Town to send him this letter without speaking with him first.  The Board asked Mr. Kramer to stick to the topic. Selectman Heitin asked that Mr. Kramer come to the Selectmen if he wants to maintain the property with a formal plan.  Selectman Heitin also said that Mr. Kramer has been asked time and time again to stop maintaining the property.  Mr. Kramer said that he had not been asked to cease maintaining the property.   His first call regarding this matter came recently from Town Administrator Puritz.   Mr. Puritz said that he called Mr. Kramer to tell him he had received a complaint stating that there were obstructions on the trails which caused a trail user to fall and asked him to cease his activity at the Park.  He said that he received an antagonistic and vitriolic message from Mr. Kramer at 1:45 am.  Mr. Kramer then moved onto discussion about Monitoring Wells.  He feels that the letter about Deborah Sampson is retribution for his complaints in monitoring wells. Kurt Buermann said that he is President of Sharon Friends of Conservation though he is not speaking on their behalf.  He said they keep a list of people who want to work on keeping maintain trails and this is very common. Keevin Geller a member of the Conservation Commission though said he is speaking on his own behalf.  He said that Mr. Kramer was going on Town property in an unauthorized fashion.  He said like the Boy Scouts and other groups Mr. Kramer needs to come before the Board and obtain approval. Mr. Leo Waters also of the Friends of the Conservation Commission said that the Boy Scouts and other groups come before the Conservation Commission for capital improvements.  He said that this is maintenance and thinks it is ludicrous for the Board to ask people to come before them for maintenance.  He said he is bringing before the next Town Meeting an Article naming a park after Richard Kramer at the location of the recently demolished Sacred Heart Dormitory.  Mr. Finkelstein of Beach Street said that Mr. Kramer has saved the Town money with his actions – though he agrees Mr. Kramer should have received permission to do so.  He feels that the Board has been too hard on Mr. Kramer as Mr. Kramer is trying to help the Town.  

 

JOHN SHORTSLEEVE, BAY STATE CONSULTANTS: GREEN RENEWABLES SOLAR ENERGY POWER PURCHASE AGREEMENT

 

VOTED:  (Powell/Roach) Voted to sign the Energy Credit Power Purchase Agreement Services contract to Green Renewables Solar Energy for a 20-year term with projected first-year savings of $79,000.

 

HEARING: SELECTMEN AND DPW FEES

 

VOTED:  (Roach/Powell) Voted unanimously to open the hearing to discuss Selectmen and DPW Fees

 

Finance Director Fowler and DPW Superintendent Hooper reviewed the existing fee schedule for trench permits, street opening, contractor licenses and Title V Review. 

 

VOTED:  (Heitin/Powell) Voted unanimously to vote affirmatively for the following fees:

Trench permit:  $50

Street opening: $85

Contractor License: $100

Title V Review: $25

 

 VOTED:  (Heitin/Powell) Voted unanimously to vote affirmatively for the following fees:

Common Victualer: $60

Theater (Entertainment): $75 per movie screen

Taxi: $50 per taxi

Class I Auto License: $150

Class II Auto License: $150

 

VOTED:  (Roach/Powell) Voted unanimously to continue the DPW Fees at the next Board of Selectmen Meeting.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

WATER MAIN INSTALLATION FOR GLENDALE/GLENVIEW AND MASSAPOAGE AVENUE

 

In a memo date July 1, 2013 from Eric R. Hooper to the Board of Selectmen, the Water Department recommends that the Board of Selectmen award a contract in the amount of $1,064,561.49 to Gravity Construction, Inc. for installation of water main under Glendale/Glenview and Rob’s Lane and Massapoag Avenue from Arboro Drive to the Community Center entrance.

 

VOTED:  (Roach/Powell) Voted unanimously to award a contract in the amount of $1,064,561.49 to Gravity Construction, Inc. for installation of water main under Glendale/Glenview and Rob’s Lane and Massapoag Avenue from Arboro Drive to the Community Center entrance.

 

EXECUTIVE SESSION

 

VOTED:  (Roach/Powell) Voted unanimously to adjourn for the evening to discuss Collective Bargaining with the Police Superior Officers group, real property transfer, pending litigation re 411 East Foxboro Street cellular facility and at the conclusion thereof to adjourn for the evening. Discussion of these items in public session would be detrimental to the Town and at the end of Executive Session will adjourn for the evening. 

 

The meeting adjourned at 9:15 p.m.

 

Roach:  Aye

Powell:  Aye

Heitin:   Aye