Coordinator report March 14, 2013

Rosa has done some work on ethics exemptions allowed small towns like
Warwick so folks can hold more than one "job". I recommend the board
vote to make the list of positions she generated "Special Municipal
Employees".  Then you should vote the Section 20D exemptions to those
she has identified.

Early each spring the Commonwealth asks us to nominate an Inspector of
Animals. I recommend the board again nominate Rosa for appointment by
the state.

Clare Green is proposing to conduct a traditional May Pole event on the
last Sunday in April. She seeks Selectboard approval of $300 to pay a
band. To date these decisions have been by the 250th committee and not
the Selectboard.

FRCOG has updated the regional emergency radio inter-town agreement. A
copy is attached. Our emergency management director, Jim Erviti, has
reviewed it and recommends that the board sign it. It is a three-year
agreement with renewal clauses.

Highway Superintendent Kilhart has proposed what is the final stage of a
road project on Hastings Heights Road and a bit of Athol Rd where it
intersects Hastings Heights. This project will just about use up all our
Chapter 90 money awarded to date. The drainage work on the hill by
Bower's Farm has already been accomplished this past summer. We expect
the FY14 award to be announced in May. FYI, a good portion of that
funding will be for replacement of our older heavy IHC truck. That truck
has begun to cost us too much to repair having had a clutch, rear end,
and brakes replaced totaling > $10k in the past year. Town funds will
have to pay for the new truck plow, hydraulics, and frame, etc.

I have posted a Building and Energy Committee meeting concurrent with
the Selectboard's. The committee may not achieve a quorum and the
posting is just in case. Chairman Janice Kurkoski will share the
competed "framing statement" regarding proposed energy betterments at
the school, discuss the FD Association's building project and energy use
by town buildings and future treatments of Town buildings to make them
more efficient.

Chief Shoemaker has suggested revision of two by-laws and adoption of a
third. One change will bring us in line with current practices in
appointing police officers. Another would make alcohol open container
prohibitions more enforceable by making violations "arrest able".
Finally a by-law is proposed giving the highway superintendent authority
to close roads for mud conditions and granting the Selectboard power to
make exceptions provided that the road user is responsible for damage to
the road. The drafts are under review by legal counsel.

To clarify the FRCOG and FRRS matter discussed at the previous meeting,
it is the intent of FRCOG to get legislation allowing FRCOG to
participate in the State Retirement system rather than the regional one.
Folding the FRRS into the state system is not the intent. Linda
Dunleavy, executive director of FRCOG, says she will be asking for
letters of support from member towns once the bill is assigned a number.
Representative Kulik is the sponsor.

I have referred two complaints about conditions at rental units at 25
Winchester Rd to the Board of Health. I think the Town should consider
putting the property into receivership if the landlord remains
uncooperative.

We have our final 2012 audit and management letter. I co nsider it an
audit to be proud of and note that there are seven recommendations and
no findings.

Seaboard solar reports that the Brimfield project is not going forward
and they are looking for alternate site. In Ware the situation is the
opposite and that project may be approved for as much as eight megawatts
thought the original application was for six. National Grid is doing a
feasibility study of the Ware project at a cost of about $50k to the
developer. My contact at Seaboard assures me that the firm will come
through with the Town's entire 10 megawatt development.  I used the
Building and Energy Committee's report on energy use at town buildings
to provide the developer with data on the Town's anticipated electrical
energy use though we are already signed up to buy power from the Pequoig
project at Adams Farm in Athol.