Coordinator Report Feb 10, 2017

I will have a draft by meeting time following up on the board voted
letter regarding the Federal executive order banning refugee and
immigration from certain countries. The matter is in the courts.

Due to weather events the School budget hearing has been twice postponed
and is now set for 7 pm during our meeting Monday. I scheduled Chief
Shoe early and the board will need to decide whether and if so when to
cut me loose. The vote of the budget by SC is now Tuesday evening.

The District agreement and state law since 1993 Education reform are
inconsistent with the latter giving school committees until 4/30 to
finalize a budget and submit an assessment. I request that the Warwick
Selectboard vote the district some forbearance, I suggest a month to
complete the budget task. Things I'd like to see in the budget are $100k
per year for technology upgrades; at least $50k per year of kitchen
employee expense funded from the budget as the past practice of funding
everything from lunch revenues is building a deficit; a contingency line
item that is like a reserve fund. As it stands the budget lowers
assessments by almost 1%, lays off 10.5 teachers and creates 2 - 4 new
positions supporting distance / on-line learning.

You may recall that we were successful in getting a grant funding from
MIIA for Police body cameras and a dash camera for our second cruiser.
Before deploying the department must promulgate policies and procedures.
They are included for your review. You may at the meeting approve them
or annotate or otherwise indicate any problem areas for the chief to
rework. What I am saying is this is a case of advice and consent.

Rec Committee will be in to make and appearance and share their plans
and broader vision.

You have had two weeks to consider appointment of a Records Access
Officer. If you do nothing the Town Clerk is RCO by default. Your
package contains examples of some of my work-product over my time here.

I have nothing to report with respect to an update on Town Forest
Management and planned harvest except that site work including marking
is under way.

We need to make an appointment to PVRSD study committee. I have provided
a great deal of documentation to Dr. Alan Genovese who has indicated an
interest in assisting us with reworking the district agreement. He is a
signatory along with Ms. Whipple and Ms. Kilhart on the original 1991
document and has experience twice as a School Superintendent rewriting
district agreements.

Following a hearing in Boston, Barn Owl was advised to change the
manager. I request the board approve change of beer/wine manager from
Jim to Andrea Kilroy.

Doc at the previous meeting indicated a desire to send a letter to state
government regarding the state's implementation of legalization of
marijuana. You have an agenda item and a copy of the letter MMA, our
trade association sent to state government leadership which is contrary
to the voted ballot measure.

Highway Super Delaney requests the board vote to authorize deficit Snow
and Ice spending for FY17. His reports state we have expended $88k of
our $102k appropriation through Warrant 15.

An outcome of the personnel policy hearing is that a highway employee
should see restoration of 3 vacation days from prior year. At Mr.
Erviti's request this is on the agenda. Recommend the motion state that
this is to be paid from current highway wage line.  Note that due to
running a three rather than four man crew this cost can be met without
further budgetary action as we have a source of funds.

I request the board authorize a pay raise for Broadband installer and
programmer Jason Cook from $16 to $20 which will bring him closer to our
$25 hourly rate for senior employees. 

Getting ready for the 2020 Census is underway. The program, LUCA asks
our participation and identification of designee. They have mined our
chairman's contact information and with your blessing I will confirm our
participation and Dawn as contact.

We are close to being able to sign a contract / grant agreement with
MBI. I am updating the budget, work plan and schedule which are part of
the agreement.

The Broadband committee is moving forward with cell phone mapping. We
got a favorable opinion from IG and AG on our desire to hire Westfield
Gas and Electric to set our broadband masts and "dress" the poles under
an inter-municipal agreement.