Coordinator report April 11, 2013

We have been contacted by the housing authority regarding our interest
in participating in a new multi town CDBG housing rehabilitation
application.  If you say yes we will need to fast track our project list
and other planning documents.

The actual surplus available from transfer station operations is
slightly lower than I budgeted for. The Commissioners voted to revise
the revenue budget with $3,237 in taxpayer support for operations in
FY14. Action approving this budget change to the transfer station budget
is requested.  Selectboard action is a necessary step which has to be
approved by town meeting.

Mr. Toth has agreed to participate in the upcoming perambulation. I put
the parties together via email and they expect to conduct the exercise
soon.

Mass towns received a provisional Chapter 90 funding letter.  Ours was
dated 4/1 awarding Warwick $341,974 for fiscal year 2014. This amount is
subject to enactment of a 50% increase over last year. This is not a
contract unless the legislature passes the proposed bond bill and budget
revenue.

Gail Healy, assistant to the superintendent, will attend the meeting to
ask the board to over-rule my denial for reimbursement for repairs to
the WCS water system, specifically a submersible water pump. We ought to
begin with a discussion of capital versus operating costs. Total cost
including snow plowing, labor and parts is about $4,800 for this repair.
I denied the request because we were not consulted to provide prior
approval, because it is a repair and not a capital item, and because it
does not meet a $5000 threshold. Your packets include the district
agreement, a copy of the expired lease, the request and my response, and
my email to Mr. Raymond on the topic. The BEC is interested in this
discussion which was topic of interest with our performance contracting
consultant who advised that some of the district's operating costs were
being considered capital by the District.  Periodic balancing of the
HVAC system was one example.  I asked Mr. Raymond to contact
Bernardston's auditors and I have sought concurrence with my opinion
from our auditors.  Finally we can discuss the proposed regional school
budget which as it stands increases Warwick's cost by $102,000. An email
from the Superintendent is attached. I have represented to the District
that we can handle at most a 4% increase though it was reported in the
Recorder that we can go 4.5% which isn't the case. As a consequence of
new union contracts the proposed District budget increase is $800k and
Warwick gets 10% of that.  Leyden's minimum contribution is decreased so
most of the increase we can afford is consumed by reallocation of what
was previously their cost. Building and Energy Committee will meet next
week to develop their plan to insulate the equipment shed at the highway
department.  I suggested they use $3.80 as a fuel oil cost for modeling
the project. Rather than hit the tax levy I propose the project be
funded from Stabilization Fund.

I propose a special Selectboard meeting for 3:30 pm on Thursday April 25
to sign the Annual Town Meeting Warrants. I am not comfortable waiting
until the regular meeting on the following Monday as the warning must be
posted by 7 pm Monday the 29th of April.

The Selectboard needs to undertake the evaluation of the fire chief.
This was supposed to happen at the six month juncture and I don't think
it did. As a first step the chief has undertaken a self-evaluation using
the tool Ms. Magi developed.

I also have the Association and Public Safety building update on the
agenda as we did not get the report last meeting.

You will be closing the annual town meeting warrant at this meeting. The
Selectboard may add articles right up to the signing and posting of the
warrant which must be done at least seven days in advance of the Annual
Town Meeting which is Monday May 6 at 7 pm.

Town departments and committees who want their reports published in the
Town report need to submit them.

This year, by vote of the Selectboard, the town election is being held
in combination with the special statewide election on April 30. We have
candidates for all offices with exception of a two year position on the
Transfer Station Board of Commissioners. There are no races for office
except for the US Senate primary elections. We will be running two
parallel elections and the warrants have been posted. I will get the
postcards noticing voters of Annual Town Meeting and of the election
sent out.

I have advertised the collector position in the Daily News and posted
the job opening as required under our personnel policy. To date Terry is
the lone applicant. He has retired and is available to be re-employed
effective the 20th.  I recommend you reappoint so we have a collector to
deal with tax title and other aspects of the job.

We have a dedicated local phone number for broadband. For service or to
report an outage call 978-633-9544. Installation cost is now only $100.

Public safety and other town officials met with Pat Smith of the FRCOG
planning department to finish our Hazard Mitigation Plan to submit it to
FEMA so we can apply for financial support to address issues we identify
as possible future problems.  The step will be to make the document
available for review by the public at the town clerk office, library,
and webpage. I will send postal letters to neighboring towns. This is a
FEMA requirement or I'd send email notice.

To check the Town's on-line long range calendar go to this Internet
address. Some folks find it helpful to bookmark the URL in a browser as
it is not an intuitive address. Or go to the Town web site and click on
the link. This link has changed in the past two weeks.
https://cid-c0dbb3e127216945.calendar.live.com/calendar/private/bace8178
-feca-446f-8081-9002e8712f43/18dca1c2-4835-4b8e-9383-1ac154f6f912/index.
html#

David Young Administrative Coordinator