Regionalization Conference - I attended the statewide regionalism
conference hosted by FRCOG and held at Holy Cross. The event was well
attended and the break out sessions I attended valuable even though both
of the ones I attended were re-plowing familiar ground. The plenary
session included analysis of municipal mergers. I attended a break-out
on group purchasing and included financial software sharing and the
FRCOG accountant service. While we currently are well staffed, I wanted
familiarity with this option for the future as some day our accountant
will retire.  Part of the session involved a CT counsel of government's
highway equipment sharing project where street sweepers and catch basin
clean out machines were purchased and shared by a group of eleven towns.
Each machine has a host community who are compensated to house, maintain
and repair the equipment. The answer to the problem of seasonality of
demand was to buy enough of the devices to meet demand. This meant
buying two sweepers at about $150k. Communities then paid $40 per hour
and supply their own operator.  In contrast, Warwick pays about $140 /
hour. But we only buy about 15 hours a year of outside sweeping. 
Another project involved a CT council of governments training and
certifying in house employees as appraisers for assessments reducing the
cost to member towns over that of consultants.

Fire Department Rangers - In addition to beating Northfield's youth at
Old Home Day in all but one event, Warwick's youth firefighters competed
at the Franklin County Fair.  Fire chief Lambert reported that they
competed against adult teams and received recognition for their spirit,
hustle and as well for their marching.

Our Big Dig - Foremost on our town-wide project list in my view has been
the failed town hall drain.  Informal estimates to use mole technology
or to specify and bid the job ranged up to $25,000.  We used "force
accounts" which is when we pay our own employees to supervise and do the
work. Highway superintendent Kilhart procured G & S Lyman as
self-employed contractors to excavate with their Caterpillar machine.
With the exception of paving the work was completed in two instead of
the budgeted three days. Total project cost will be less than $10,000
instead of the budgeted $12,500. And we will save $400 or more annually
on electric cost.

Town Hall Improvements:  About $4,000 remains in the improvement
account. The committee recommends we proceed with storm windows on the
office building. Next town meeting can consider funding chimney repairs
and more work on windows and making the elevator installation more
efficient.

Community School Building:  I'll be meeting with engineer and architect
regarding repair of the sprinkler system. I had been proceeding to
develop bid documents for repairs with the balance of the funds
remaining in the repair account.  It may be to our advantage to do a
request for proposals.  We would state the problem and solicit separate
proposals and price proposals from respondents. Many qualified installer
/ engineering firms can develop document but are not insured to do plans
they do not themselves install. This alternate proposal could bring to
the table solutions we might otherwise fail to consider.  Regarding the
building's trim, Bill Lyman made repairs to the exterior of the building
that we long neglected. We need to paint or stain the trim on the whole
building soon.

Pole Hearings - the continuation of the Hastings Pond Road hearing is
Friday the 18th at 10 am and convenes at house No. 100 under the maple
tree. Tree warden and the utility's arborist will attend. Many issues
have already been addressed. Lymans at #88 phoned to say they support
the proposed upgrade of the service. Tim met with the neighbor at the
Athol Rd location and agreed to remove the dying tree there.

Broadband insurance - Coverage of our tower and related investment which
is about $30k in value is under $250 per year for the premium with $500
deductible so I bound the coverage. Chance of a loss at both towers is
slight but given this premium it did not make sense to self insure.
Massamont is serving us well. I had to provide a list of the covered
property and copies of both contracts with tower owners. On insurance,
recall we saved over $10,000 in premiums when we switched from MIAA a
little over a year ago.

Town reports - there is a town email account called   townreports@town.warwick.ma.us
so we have a back-up of all submitted town reports should something
become lost during the process.

Broadband subscriber unit financing - I have begun research on the
financial and legal aspects. DOR's attorneys are busy getting ready for
a number of seminars so I may not get anything in writing on betterments
and municipal liens for a few weeks. I have stated our contemplated
action and will submit material located at the head of this report to
the Town's newsletter.  Town counsel says he can write an agreement that
allows us to enter private property upon nonpayment. He does not want
to. He says this is a bad, bad idea and wants to meet either by phone or
in person to advise the Selectboard against doing this. I am looking
into the option of accepting credit card payments either thru Paypal or
thru Unibank's municipal on-line payment system. This would get us the
money and let someone else be the lender. There is an unanswered
question whether we can as a municipality net, because of fees, less
than the amount due. This is true for taxes. I don't see why as a town
owned business this couldn't simply be an expense. I am checking on this
matter. Every credit card agreement I have ever seen says you can't
charge extra for taking the credit card.  The treasurer is questioning
the legality of letting town owned property out without payment. I have
a call into DOR lawyer of the day on that question as well.