Town of Warwick
Selectboard
January 12, 2009
Minutes
Members present: Patricia Lemon, Rick Abbott, Nick Arguimbau Others
present:	Town Coordinator David Young, Town Secretary Rosa Calcari,
Miryam Williamson, Charity Day and Debra Little (Franklin County
Regional Housing and Redevelopment Authority), Jon Calcari, Dawn Magi,
Warwick Police Officer and Emergency Director Jim Erviti, Tax
Collector/Treasurer Terry Kemerer, Paula Robinson (Athol Daily News)
I.	Call to Order
The Meeting was called to order at 5:45 p.m. at the Warwick Free Library
by Chairman Lemon.
II.	Minutes
Lemon MOVED to accept the Minutes of the December 29, 2008 meeting as
printed in the agenda. Abbott SECONDED. VOTED UNANIMOUSLY. In reviewing
the Minutes of the November 17, 2008 meeting, Young and Lemon had
discovered an omitted "and" from a Motion passed under III.2. It was
recorded as: "Arguimbau Moved to accept the Community Development
Strategy Project List as presented". The Motion should have read
"Community Development Strategy and Project List".
Lemon MOVED the Minutes of the November 17, 2008 meeting be corrected to
include the missing "and".   Arguimbau SECONDED. VOTED UNANIMOUSLY.
III.		Presentations/Discussions
1.	Authorize Snow and Ice Deficit Spending - The Snow-and-Ice line
item is an account that can be deficit spent with Selectboard approval,
allowing the Highway Department to spend as needed for road crew
over-time hours, salt, sand, and fuel for snowplowing and sanding, once
funds appropriated by Town Meeting have been expended.  In his request
to the Board to be allowed to begin deficit spending, Kilhart noted that
this request comes two weeks later than last year's.
Lemon MOVED Highway Superintendent Tim Kilhart be authorized to begin
deficit spending for Snow and Ice.  Abbott SECONDED. VOTED UNANIMOUSLY.
2.	Transfer Station Issues - This brief discussion was informational,
as there had been public discussion on the Warwick-L over the recent
change in hours at the Transfer Station.  Several residents expressed
dissatisfaction over the new winter hours of 8 a.m. - 3 p.m., preferring
the standard hours of 7 a.m. - 2 p.m.  Lemon praised Board of Health
Chair Rita McConville for her handling of the negative Emails on the "L."
3.  Highway  Superintendent Kilhart had given the Board two Highway
Department work plans, a short-range list of six items and a long-range
list of 50 projects throughout Warwick.  Both lists are posted on the
town web site,  www.warwickma.org.
Young pointed out the map of the recently concluded Speed Study on
display in the Library for public examination and invited residents to
come and view it and offer any input they might see fit.  The
Selectboard will act on the study at its January 26 meeting.
4.	Schedule of Board Meetings - Noting that the Board had not yet
adopted a schedule of meetings for the remainder of FY '09, Lemon MOVED
for temporary purposes, that Board meetings be scheduled every two weeks
until the entire Board can review a proposed schedule for potential
conflicts. Abbott SECONDED. VOTED UNANIMOUSLY.
IV.  REPORTS
1.	Selectboard Reports - Lemon brought up an article from the
Greenfield Recorder detailing arrests of several individuals on
suspicion of involvement in area thefts.  Items recovered during the
execution of search warrants include those identified by victims as
being stolen from Warwick residents.  Lemon wanted it noted in the
Minutes that she strongly encourages anyone who observes any suspicious
activity or unfamiliar vehicle to report it to the Police so they will
have information from which to draw conclusions.  She gave the Dispatch
number as 978-544-2244.
At 6 p.m., Lemon declared the Selectboard meeting in recess and the CDBG
grant hearing open.
CDBG GRANT HEARING.
Charity Day and Debra Little outlined the Warwick Four-Town
Rehabilitation Program proposal to benefit low- and moderate-income
residents needing their homes rehabilitated to meet current safety and
sanitary code requirements. The Franklin County Regional Housing and
Redevelopment Authority (HRA) will submit an application for a 2009 CDBG
Grant on behalf of Warwick (as lead town), Leverett, Shutesbury, and
Whately. The application is due February 13, with notification of
Federal funding availability expected in June. Assuming the grant is
approved and funded, the towns will then contract with HRA to administer
the grant on their behalf.
After income verification and qualification for the program is
confirmed, homeowners are placed on a waiting list. If awarded, up to
six Warwick homeowners will receive deferred-payment loans (payable upon
sale or transfer of the property) to address all health and safety code
issues. An inspector will visit the property and identify all areas that
require rehabilitation, replacement, or repair. The homeowner is given a
list of approved licensed and insured contractors, and is free to choose
anyone on that list.
Lemon declared the Hearing Closed at 6:15 pm
RESUMED SELECTBOARD MEETING
2.	Town Coordinator's Report - In addition to the written report
emailed earlier and posted on www.warwickma.org, Young made mention of
four items:
* Broadband Project:  All approvals from the Commonwealth are in order
to proceed with antenna installation on the Mount Grace tower. As soon
as weather permits, likely this month, equipment installation will begin.
* Warwick Community School:  The new telephone system has been
installed, and Fire Chief Gunnar Lambert has issued an order to repair
the WCS sprinkler system.  The Town has begun its appeal of that order,
in hopes of receiving something equivalent to a waiver.
* FY '09 Tax Bills:  Tax Collector Kemerer has mailed out the second set
of bills, which reflect the 97¢ reduction from last year's rate.
* Old Highway Truck: Easthampton has paid for Warwick's old Highway truck.
III. 3.  Highway:  Speed Study
Statutory black and white signs may be placed only after a speed
study is conducted. Yellow and black warning signs, although they
can be erected without a speed study, are advisory and thus easier
to fight in traffic court.  The study determines the usual speed of
vehicles traveling along specific stretches of road. The 85th speed
percentile is determined, from which speed limits adjusted by plus
or minus 7 miles per hour may be proposed for state approval. 
Abbott expressed doubt, as he felt the proposed speed limits were
too high. Young pointed out that both Police Chief Brian Peters and
Highway Superintendent Tim Kilhart recommend the proposed speed
limits.
For purposes of discussion, Lemon MOVED to adopt Proposed Posted Speed
Limits as printed in Warwick Speed Zone Study. Arguimbau SECONDED. After
some discussion, Lemon WITHDREW her Motion, to give the citizens of
Warwick and the Board more time to consider the study's findings.
V.  PUBLIC COMMENT:
ICE-STORM EMERGENCY DEBRIEFING
Ice Storm Emergency - The Board had called an open meeting for 7 p.m. to
provide the public with an opportunity to share comments and suggestions
arising from their experiences in the December ice emergency. Erviti
said that he had been impressed with National Grid's response,
considering the severity of the December 11th ice storm. Lemon agreed
with individuals who suggested that an information sheet be prepared for
distribution before the beginning of next winter, October at the latest.
 Information included would be facts crucial in an emergency situation,
including the fact that the WCS is the designated shelter for
emergencies, and the facilities and services available there.  It was
noted that the Fire Department was able to check on most homes only once
during the power outage, and not every homes was visited. A telephone
tree was proposed as a remedy to this.  Lemon wants everyone to
telephone her at 978-544-7463 to speak with her directly and give all
pertinent contact information. Anyone without a generator, and those
with any medical issues such as respiratory illnesses requiring
treatments and/or oxygen which require power to operate should be
checked upon daily. The sharing of generators between neighbors was also
suggested.  (Making town-owned generators available could raise
liability issues.)
VI.	Adjournment
At 7:17 p.m., Lemon MOVED to adjourn the meeting.  Abbott SECONDED. 
VOTED UNANIMOUSLY.
Minutes taken by Rosa Fratangelo Calcari
Patricia Lemon, Selectboard Chair
Frederick H. Abbott III, Selectboard Vice-Chair
Nicholas C. Arguimbau, Selectboard Member
Rosa Fratangelo Calcari, Selectboard Secretary
James David Young, Town Coordinator