Town of Warwick
Selectboard
January 28, 2008
Minutes
Members Present:  Patricia Lemon, Rick Abbott
Member Absent: Jim Toth
Others Present: David Young, Rosa Calcari, Terry Kemerer, Ted Cady,
Miryam Williamson, Janice Kurkoski, Jon Calcari, Chris Ryan, Keith Ross,
Janet Conover, Paula Lundgren (Athol Daily News)
I. Call to Order 
The Meeting was called to order at 6:10 p.m. at the Town Hall by
Chairman Lemon. 
II. Minutes
Lemon MOVED to approve the minutes of the January 16 meeting as printed.
 Abbott Seconded. VOTED.
III. Presentations/Discussions
1. Selectboard Budget Proposal - Young summarized the Selectboard
budgets, citing the Town Hall budget of $17,500.00 as the most
significant. Young pointed out the FY 08 appropriation for Town Hall was
$18,700.00. He commented that, based on actual costs from the prior
year, the proposed budgets for Streetlights, Interoffice Supplies, and
Selectboard Expense should be lower for FY 09 than the FY 08
appropriations. Level funded budgets include Copier, Legal Counsel,
Legal Reserve, Custodian, Fountains and Grounds, and Town Reports. Young
suggested that the Computer budget would need to be increased to
$3500.00. He also recommended that the Selectboard Secretary budget be
raised by $1248.00 to allow for an additional two hours per week.
Lemon stated that she wants to increase the Town Coordinator hours to 30
per week, to allow for grant writing that should bring in more revenue
than would be spent on the additional hours - although such revenue
would go into other budget lines. She plans to discuss her proposal with
the Finance and Personnel Committees.
Ryan inquired about the FY 09 legal budgets, reiterating his opposition
to putting aside $5,000.00 in the Legal Reserve Fund. He stated that he
still feels strongly that a Reserve Fund transfer could be made to cover
an initial emergency need for funds.
2. Proposed Zoning By-Laws for ATM Warrant - Cady was concerned that
Town Counsel had yet to return a written opinion on the Subdivision
Regulations. He said that the proposed Zoning By-Laws need to be sent to
Town Counsel for review and returned by March 1, 2008. Cady asked that
the Selectboard write a letter requesting Town Counsel to review the
By-Laws. Lemon asked Cady to Email her all relevant information and she
will draft a letter to Fred Dupere.
Cady went on to explain that the presentation for the 2008 Annual Town
meeting is currently 25 pages, but could be condensed to 20 pages. When
he asked the Board members if they had any preference, Lemon said she
wanted to review both versions before expressing a preference. Abbott concurred.
Young recommended vigorous publicity to allow the people to become
familiar with the proposed changes prior to ATM. Cady said he would
welcome a more aggressive strategy in terms of publicizing the issues.
Abbott inquired whether anything in the proposed By-Laws stands out as
being controversial. Cady said nothing was apparent to him, but
acknowledged that others might hold a different opinion.
3. National Grid Energy Audit Results - Kurkoski explained that the
audit, conducted in mid-November, 2007, was performed at the two Highway
buildings and the Warwick Community School. Warwick's 20% share of the
proposed lighting upgrades for the Highway Department buildings will
cost $634.00 if paid in one lump sum. Under this agreement, National
Grid pays 80%, which amounts to $2,982.00. The estimated annual savings
on energy costs is $1,333.00, and the payback period would be about
seven months.
Kurkoski reported that Highway Superintendent Tim Kilhart is concerned
that if this expense is met now, his budget will fall short in the
Spring. She noted that waiting could cause Warwick to lose its chance at
the contract, as other entities are waiting. Young recommended that the
Board direct Kilhart to go ahead. Kurkoski said she wanted to confer
with Toth and the DOER, to which Young replied that he has been speaking
at length with Toth about this matter, and that Toth is not in favor of
waiting.
Lemon MOVED to instruct Tim Kilhart to sign the contract with National
Grid. Abbott Seconded.  VOTED.
Lemon noted for the record that the Board acknowledges that this may
create a need for a reserve Fund transfer later on in the fiscal year.

4. Policy on Town Website Postings - The lively discussion began with
the Assessor’s Report as it appears in the Annual Town Report. Any
condensing or formatting would be done by Lemon, but would need approval
by the Assessors. Conover asked if any other reports are changed by the
Board, to which Lemon responded that information and data are not
changed, just fonts and spacing. Lemon emphatically stated that content
will not be changed without proof being approved by those who submitted
the report.
Lemon turned the focus to the discussion on the Town web site, observing
that there is no issue with reports submitted by entities under
Selectboard supervision, noting that these makes up the majority of what
is posted on the site.  Ryan said that the Assessors had not been
contacted or requested to post anything, which he attributed to a
miscommunication that can easily be remedied.  Lemon asked Young to
write a letter asking for input from all Departments, Committees, and
Boards.
Conover contended that the departments and boards should be their own
gatekeepers, and that neither the Selectboard nor the Town Coordinator
should post to the website without first checking with the appropriate
entity with necessary expertise in the subject matter. Young pointed out
the fundamental difference between Board of Selectmen appointees and
elected officials, specifically that elected officials are not employees
and therefore only they must be responsible for whatever they choose to
post.
Ryan pointed out that it is often an issue of privacy when things are
posted on the web, and reassured all present that social security
numbers are not in the assessor's records. Williamson stated that she
preferred personal information, including property values, not be posted
on the website and said postings should best be limited to informational
items such as forms, operating procedures, meeting schedules, events,
and the like.
Ross asked if there are currently any review procedures or criteria for
acceptable postings. Lemon replied that the Board voted to establish the
website but has not as yet addressed specific policies regarding what is
posted and by whom it is posted. Conover wanted to know what the Board
would post without first consulting those with expertise on the subject.
Young stated that the protocol would be to respect the wishes of the
Departments and Boards, and that in future, nothing would be posted
prior to conferring with the appropriate parties and resolving any
differences that may arise. As no policies were set, the subject will
need to be revisited at future Selectboard meetings.
5. Report of the Selectboard - Abbott reported on an FRCOG meeting he
had recently attended. He said that due to reassessments of property
values, Warwick's share of the overall county levy will increase from
0.9% to 1.1%. Abbott also gave Young an emergency response planning map
for Warwick's Emergency Management Director Jim Erviti.
6. Report of the Town Coordinator - Young first addressed ongoing
matters that will require more work, including: FY 07 Selectboard
Report; Selectboard budgets; development of an employee evaluation tool;
IT backup and documentation; capital planning and capital inventory; and
three working versions of the Town Hall Use Policy.  He went on to
detail tasks completed, which included a meeting with the Broadband
Committee, contact with iDirect regarding a robust, non-proprietary
internet system, and the acquisition of an unused Hughes commercial
dish, along with an agreement from Hughes to provide service for this
used equipment without a service contract.
Williamson recognized Young for having fulfilled the initial charge
given the Broadband Committee by the Selectboard - that of getting
reliable broadband internet in Town Hall.
Young broached the subject of increasing the mileage reimbursement from
its current 32 cents to the IRS rate of 48.5 cents.
Lemon MOVED to present to the Finance Committee for possible inclusion
in the FY 09 Budget an increase in the Town's mileage reimbursement in
the amount of 48.5 cents in accordance with the IRS rate.  Abbott
Seconded.
After a discussion on the potential impact on proposed budgets already
submitted and the historical precedent of voting on this matter at ATM,
Lemon withdrew her motion. NO ACTION TAKEN.
IV. Public Comment

None.

V. Adjournment

Lemon MOVED at 8:05 pm. to adjourn the meeting.  Abbott Seconded. 
VOTED.

Minutes taken by Rosa Fratangelo Calcari
				
Patricia Lemon,
Selectboard Chair
Frederick H. Abbott III,
Selectboard Member
James J. Toth
Selectboard Member
		
Rosa Fratangelo Calcari
Selectboard Secretary
James David Young
Town Coordinator