Coordinator Report February 11, 2016

Meeting Tuesday because Monday the 15th is President's Day observed.

Town Clerk requests that the Selectboard appoint Calvin Fellows as
Constable for the March 1, 2016 Presidential Primary Election and
appoint Dianne Suller as an Election Worker for a term to expire August
31, 2016.  She will also have the Presidential Primary Election Warrant
for your signature.
	
The Road Preservation Bylaw under development by the Planning Board has
received some comments from the Farm Bureau and Forest and Landowner's
Association so the Planning Board is making modifications to lower the
impact on agriculture and forestry.

Kinder Morgan / Tennessee Gas Pipeline has submitted a petition to the
MA Public Utilities Commission to survey 17 parcels of land that the
owner is denying them access to. The simple answer I think is no, FERC
hasn't granted the project the go ahead so what basis is there for this
intrusion. Ted Cady submitted extensive comments.

Warwick Broadband is trying to fix a throughput problem on the cell
tower and are working with our ISP to isolate the problem. Mr. Goldstein
is modeling 5, 3.65, 2.4 GHz and 900 MHz and TV whitespace and testing
whether we really need anything as expensive as LTE. A copy of his
report for Hawley describes the similar work he is doing for us.

Meanwhile Governor Baker has told MBI that appropriated Bond Bill Funds
are temporarily frozen he works to keep the state below the
legislature's debt limit. That may extend the decision deadline. The
board should consider how it wants to address the decision making. Do we
bring the million dollar plus fiber project before the voters as has
been promised or make an executive decision based on recommendations of
town boards.

How we provide for Ambulance is under study. I met with Northfield Town
Administrator and we agreed to work on toward agreement between the
towns. Northfield Selectboard would have to agree. His analysis is that
the Northfield ambulance service pays its way except that it doesn't
generate enough revenue to both pay debt service on a new ambulance and
fund a sinking fund so they won't have to borrow the next time they need
one. They would look to Warwick for a contribution to the service's
capital fund. They currently need a new ambulance and the taxpayers will
pay for this out of the general fund and borrowing.  Meanwhile the
Northfield Ambulance service will begin to fund a stabilization type
fund for future vehicles to which we would need to contribute.

A group of us attended another meeting of Orange Ambulance towns and
there wasn't any interest in my challenge to the basis of the cost model
which has the outside town's covering average cost not marginal cost. I
asked that a scenario be developed without Warwick. My objection is we
are being made to pay for what Orange would do even if we were not
involved. The proof is that of the $17,500 subsidy Warwick is asked to
provide in the FY17 bad compromise that has been agreed to by the
majority (we were $8,800 in this year) $13,000 of it is moved to
Orange's column without us in the mix, and less than $5000 to the
remaining other four towns. In FY 18 we are looked to for a hefty
$25,000 subsidy and more than $20,000 of that amount becomes Orange's
when we aren't included. 

The basis used is to take the total cost claimed to operate Orange
Ambulance allocate it by average number of rides over three years minus
the insurance revenue collected to determine subsidy. In FY18 we add
more support to reach a level of $25,000 for Warwick to cover vehicle
replacement cost.  I calculate a contribution of $7,000 to $10,000 to
Northfield would cover our "share" of capital cost on a $250,000
ambulance on a five to seven year amortization schedule. 

The next thing I need to consider is the effect of a change on response
times. I have opened the door with Northfield and have yet to confer
with Winchester NH and Athol. FRCOG staff have been helpful with my data
requests for which I am grateful.

I have begun work on the next year budgets and town report. I have a
draft going of a capital plan. I am modeling a token 1.25% wage increase
and plan to repeat the Chapter 90 projects using our workforce again.
The weather has been kind on the snow and ice front and the frost
minimal so grant funded work has been able to continue.