Town of Warwick Selectboard February 16, 2016 Minutes Members present: Dawn Magi, Lawrence Pruyne, Nick Arguimbau Others present: Town Coordinator David Young, Town Secretary and Town Clerk Rosa Fratangelo, Fire Chief Ron Gates, Fire Department Lieutenant Bill Lyman, Broadband Committee Chair Tom Wyatt, Planning Board Chair Ted Cady, Emergency Management Director Jim Erviti, Steve Ruggiero, Jon Calcari, Derek Drown (Athol Daily News), Rachel Rapkin (Greenfield Recorder) I. Call to Order Chair Magi called the meeting to order at 6:00 pm in the Town Hall. II. Minutes Pruyne MOVED to approve the minutes of February 1, 2016 and February 9, 2016 as printed. Arguimbau SECONDED. Motion CARRIED 3-0-0. III. Presentations and Discussions 1. Town Clerk Action Items--Town Clerk Rosa Fratangelo presented the Board with six copies of the March 1st Presidential Primary Election Warrant for each of them to sign. Coordinator Young took the warrants and will give them to Constable George Day for him to sign and post. Fratangelo explained that the Board may appoint someone as a Constable for the purposes of serving at a particular election. She requested that Calvin Fellows be so appointed for the March 1, 2016 Presidential Primary. Also, she asked that the Board appoint new resident Dianne Suller as an Election Worker. Arguimbau MOVED to appoint Calvin Fellows Constable for the purposes of the March 1, 2016 Presidential Primary Election. Pruyne SECONDED. Motion CARRIED 3-0-0. Pruyne MOVED to appoint Diane Suller an Election Worker for a term to expire on August 31, 2016. Arguimbau SECONDED. Motion CARRIED 3-0-0. 2. Pipeline --Planning Board Chair Ted Cady gave the Board members copies of the modified draft of the Town of Warwick Road Preservation Bylaw, the purpose of which "is to maintain the safety and general welfare of the residents of the Town of Warwick by regulating high frequency and high impact commercial transportation activities that have the potential to adversely impact local roads, safety and public property." The proposed bylaw targets overweight, high impact truck traffic "that generates ten (10) or more one-way truck trips in any one week over the life of the permit over Local Roads, involving trucks that exceed twenty (20) tons (combined truck and load)". He noted that forestry and agriculture will be exempt from this bylaw. Cady highlighted proposed changes included in this draft, including Police Chief Shoemaker's addition of over-wide trucks. Cady explained that the High Impact Use Permit fee would be $150.00 and that the protection of our roads during mud season is a primary concern. He said that this bylaw is designed to protect our roads in the event of Tennessee Gas Pipeline construction. When Steve Ruggiero and Jon Calcari raised questions about Route 78 because it is a State numbered road, Cady said that he would check with Mass. DOT and report back to the Board at a future meeting. Young said that we have received legal notice that Kinder Morgan is seeking permission from the Massachusetts Public Utilities Commission (MPUC) for permission to survey lands when the owner has denied them access to the land. Pruyne gave his comments to Cady on Cady's testimony before MPUC. 3. Broadband Reports--Young said that Warwick Broadband System (WBS) is using Fred Goldstein as a consultant. He said that Mr. Goldstein is seriously questioning the wisdom of going with LTE due to it being quite expensive. He is modeling 5, 3.5, 2.4 GHz and 900 MHz and testing to see what works best and identify our best options. Young said that the Governor's office has told MBI to slow down because borrowing authorization for the appropriated Bond Bill funds have been temporarily frozen. He explained that the State Legislature voted a limit on bond debt and presently that level is close to being reached. Young posited that the cash flow issues may result in an extension of the decision deadline for the WiredWest project. Young noted that Eric Nakajima has left MBI, and that Elizabeth Copeland is currently serving as Acting Executive Director. Tom Wyatt arrived and joined in the discussion. He said that WiredWest's negotiating meetings with MBI have stopped, the last having been held late last month. Wyatt said that WiredWest continues to sharpen its focus on the financial model and ownership in an effort to look at ways to make it better. He noted that feedback from towns including Wendell, Colrain and Worthington is that the current model will not work for them, as it would not be financially feasible. Wyatt said that there was a strong possibility that the June 2016 deadline could be extended. Orange Ambulance Report--Young said that no one at the recent meeting of Orange Ambulance towns agreed that the cost analysis methodology using averages rather than marginal cost was in error. He said that there was a consensus that call volume was the way to assess costs. Warwick's FY 17 assessment could be $17,500.00 and it could reach $25,000.00 in FY 18. Young said that he asked that a cost scenario be developed that would not include Warwick. Of the estimated $17,500.00, $14,000.00 would go back to Orange with the other three towns splitting the $3,500.00. He noted that assessments are separate from funds collected from insurance carriers. Young said that he had met with Northfield Town Administrator and that they agreed to work towards an agreement between the two towns. He said that response times would have to be looked at. He said that Winchester has EMT's but no paramedics, and that he had not yet conferred with Athol. He noted that some towns contract with a private ambulance service at no cost to the town. Ruggiero said that we should examine other options that might not cost as much and that all services will get the patient to the hospital. Fire Chief Ron Gates said that Orange can get here much faster because they are fully staffed whereas other towns at times have to call people in. Ruggiero said that Athol is close and also fully staffed. Young said that Northfield is staffed some of the time but not around the clock the way Orange is. Fire Department Lieutenant Bill Lyman noted the preparedness and professionalism of the Orange Firefighter/Paramedic with respect to the level of expertise, training and intuitive capabilities. He pointed out that timing is critical and lives could be put in danger with slower response times. Lyman said that Athol is no less professional but they often take longer to get5 here. He stressed the nature of medical emergencies makes rapid response time crucial. He said that people's medical health is paramount and dollars are not most important by comparison. Ruggiero noted that costs are rising everywhere while incomes are not, and that we must draw a line somewhere. Chief Gates said that we must make sure that the ambulance arrives quickly with qualified paramedics, admitting he did not like Orange's assessment figure. Wyatt inquired whether a private ambulance service was a viable option; Gates replied that because they are out of Greenfield response time would be longer. The Chief noted that we have EMT's on our Fire Department but no paramedics. Pruyne said that we must serve the need and pointed out that our median age is 59 and health issues become chronic with age. Arguimbau asked the Fire Chief about Northfield. Gates said that Northfield has great paramedics, some of whom also work for Orange, but because they are not fully staffed 24/7, a slower response time could result. Young noted that even if the Selectboards of Warwick and Northfield come to an agreement, Orange might still be part of the solution because they might have to cover for Northfield. Young said that more information is needed and asked the Board for direction. Magi told Young to keep digging. Chief Gates suggested sticking with Orange for FY 17 and continue to explore other options for FY 18. Young said that the proposed FY 17 Orange Ambulance assessment would raise our tax rate about 15 cents. Chief Gates reiterated that having an ambulance there when you need it is most important. Wyatt said that it was our due diligence to investigate Athol for comparative response times. Young said that he would put the $17,500.00 in the requested column and a lower number in the recommended column of the FY 17 omnibus budget for Annual Town Meeting vote. 5. Selectboard Reports--Pruyne said that he attended a meeting on February 13th for people from Warwick and Northfield for the purpose of making an application to the Solarize Mass project. He said that the application deadline is May 15, 2016. Pruyne said that he, Steve Kurkoski and Elaine Reardon took positions of responsibility within the group, and that Gregory Brodski was setting up a website. He noted that Wendell will most likely need to join in because Northfield and Warwick do not meet the 1,000 household minimum required. Pruyne said that lower than usual cost for solar energy may result from being a part of the Solarize Mass project. 6. Coordinator Report--Young reported on the PVRSD budget hearing held last week. He said that the five member Budget Subcommittee had voted unanimously in favor of the budget submitted by District Superintendent Ruth Miller with a 1.57% increase over last year. Young said that the Vice Chair of the twelve-member Budget Committee made a motion for a budget with an increase of between 4 and 5 percent over FY 16. Young himself amended it to the subcommittee's 1.57% and got a second but the amendment was voted down. A 2.5% increase amendment passed and the full committee voted the 2.5% because it claimed that a preliminary number cannot be raised once it is voted on. Young said that it was not over yet because two-thirds of the twelve member school committee must vote in favor and he is not sure that number was met. He thought that those classrooms slated to lose Instructional Assistants were driving the proposed larger increase to the budget. Magi said that she was impressed by Superintendent Ruth Miller, saying that her budget was realistic and well explained. Young concluded by saying that he was suggesting a 1.25% wage increase for employees when departments compile their FY 17 budgets. There was a discussion of mailing the proposed FY 17 omnibus budget to all households, but no consensus or decision was reached at this meeting. 7. Public Comment --None. 8. New and Other Business Unanticipated at Time of Meeting Posting --Jim Erviti spoke about a recent Deerfield Board of Health hearing. He said that Kinder Morgan was invited to attend but refused, saying they only have to deal with FERC. Erviti said that the Board of Health held the hearing due to concerns over potential negative impact to the health and safety of Deerfield residents that could result from the gas pipeline. He said that Deerfield ordered that any Kinder Morgan people that come to survey on people's land to survey without express permission from the landowner will be arrested. Cady said that no Warwick landowners have denied permission for Kinder Morgan to survey their property; Young said that Mary Neville Wall has. Pruyne noted that fracking has been outlawed in many places by virtue of Board of Health orders due to health and safety concerns. IV. Adjournment At 7:56 p.m., Pruyne MOVED to adjourn. Arguimbau SECONDED. Motion CARRIED 3-0-0. Documents consulted at this meeting: *Draft Minutes of February 1, 2016 and February 9, 2016 Selectboard meetings *Town Coordinator Report dated February 11, 2016 *Testimony Before the Massachusetts Department of Public Utilities Opposing Granting Access for Surveying to Tennessee Gas Pipeline by Ted Cady, Warwick Planning Board Chair *Draft of Town of Warwick Road Preservation Bylaw *Town of Deerfield Comments Tennessee Gas Pipeline Company, L.L.C., Petitioner Department of Public Utilities Docket Number 16-03