Town of Warwick Selectboard February 23, 2009 Minutes Members present: Patricia Lemon, Rick Abbott, Nick Arguimbau Others present: Town Coordinator David Young, Town Secretary Rosa Calcari, Miryam Williamson, Warwick Police Officer David Shoemaker, Jon Calcari, Richard Nalewski of National Grid, Scott D. Burns of Verizon, Barbara Whiting, Wendy Wirth I. Call to Order Chairman Lemon called the meeting to order at 5:56 p.m. at the Warwick Free Library. II. Minutes Lemon MOVED to accept the Minutes of the February 9 meeting as printed in the Agenda. Abbott SECONDED. VOTED UNANIMOUSLY. Shepardson Place Pole Hearing Lemon declared the Selectboard meeting recessed and CALLED the scheduled Shepardson Place Pole Hearing TO ORDER at 6 pm. Richard Nalewski of National Grid and Verizon's Scott Burns said that in their new proposal, poles had been resituated in accordance with the Shepardson's expressed needs. Lemon noted that Richard and Pat Shepardson were not in attendance, and Young said they had told him they were satisfied with the new proposal. Lemon Closed the Hearing at 6:03 p.m. and called the Selectboard meeting back into session. Lemon MOVED to accept the pole placements as outlined in the proposal. Abbott SECONDED. VOTED UNANIMOUSLY. III. Presentations/Discussions 1. Finalize Meeting Schedule through May - Young thought the board had formalized a schedule in October. Lemon suggested not meeting on May 18, the date of the Annual Town Election. It was agreed that continuing to conduct the meetings in the Library through April was more energy and cost efficient than meeting in the Town Hall. Lemon also asked everyone how they felt about moving the meeting time back to 6 p.m. Arguimbau noted his concern that the earlier time of 5:30 pm made it more difficult for commuters to attend. Lemon MOVED to change the meeting time to 6 pm beginning March 9. Arguimbau SECONDED. Lemon and Arguimbau: VOTED YEA; Abbott: NAY. 2. Transfer Station Issues - Lemon had expected Board of Health Chair Rita McConville in to discuss Transfer Station issues; McConville was not present, and the Board moved on to the next issue. 3. Comments to DTC re Regional Investigation of Verizon service - The Department of Telecommunication and Cable is looking into the possibility of conducting a regional investigation into the services provided by Verizon to Western Massachusetts communities. Warwick's response was due by 5 p.m., just prior to the Selectboard meeting. Young had emailed a letter in support of a regional investigation of telephone service quality, and copied it to all Board members. Lemon MOVED to approve David Young's letter as sent to Secretary Williams. Arguimbau SECONDED. VOTED UNANIMOUSLY. 4. FY 10 Budget - Young said to expect at least a $33,000.00 reduction in local aid for FY '10. He had attended the Finance Committee meeting the previous week, and reported that FinCom members preferred that a 3% increase be recommended to Town Meeting instead of the 5.4% agreed upon by the Selectboard at the beginning of the budget process. He handed out budget figures are largely based on the higher number for informational purposes. The Selectboard and FinCom will meet at some point in the future to discuss a recommendation supported by both entities. Young suggested a public meeting a couple of weeks before Annual Town Meeting, where voters could review and comment on the figures. 5. Surplus Property - Young told the board of Town property they can now declare as surplus property. Lemon MOVED to declare the Vodavi phone system recently removed from the Warwick Community School and the Norstar/Meridian phone system components not needed for spare parts or for a Town Hall phone system as Surplus Property. Arguimbau SECONDED. VOTED UNANIMOUSLY. 6. Broadband Enterprise Fund Budget Adoption - Young explained that under Massachusetts General Law the Selectboard must be presented with a proposed enterprise fund budget 120 days prior to the beginning of the next fiscal year. He noted that the amount proposed is not raised by taxation, and that ATM must vote to allow expenditures. Lemon MOVED to accept the recommended FY 10 budget of the Broadband Enterprise Fund in the amount of $110,500.00 and place that amount to be raised on the May 4 Annual Town Meeting warrant. Abbott SECONDED. VOTED UNANIMOUSLY. 7. Temporary Road Closings - Highway Superintendent Tim Kilhart had requested that a load limit be placed on unpaved roads during mud season, is the same request as was made and approved last year. Lemon MOVED to order the temporary closing of unpaved roads to vehicles over 10,000 pounds, excepting school busses and necessary delivery vehicles. Abbott SECONDED. VOTED UNANIMOUSLY. 7. Annual Town Meeting Warrant Lemon MOVED to open the FY 10 Annual Town Meeting warrant and it again on Friday, April 3, 2009 at 5 pm. Arguimbau SECONDED. VOTED UNANIMOUSLY. 8. Selectboard Reports - Lemon asked whether other board members planned to attend the MMA Legislative Breakfast to be held Friday, March 13 in Athol. She and Arguimbau will attend; Abbott is unable. 9. Town Coordinator's Report - Young distributed a written report and drew board members' attention to: * increased insurance company appraisals of Town Hall and the Library, with no premium increase this fiscal year. Town Hall is now valued at $1,100,000.00, the Library at $920,000.00. Young said that no more than a $1,000.00 increase in the premium for FY '10 is to be expected. All Town policies will be reviewed, but he anticipates no other increases, with the possible exception of workmen's compensation rate changes. * a discussion with Highway Superintendent Kilhart regarding the use of Chapter 90 funds to augment the FY '10 budget. While Kilhart was somewhat resistant to the idea, he nonetheless agreed look into it and identify possible ways to proceed. Chapter 90 funds may be used only on an approved project. 10. Police Department Report - Officer Shoemaker reported that the Wendell Depot Post Office had been broken into the previous week, and that the safe stolen from the Warwick Community School was later recovered in Winchester, NH. He also reported that stolen property from Winchester had been recovered in Warwick. Shoemaker noted that, historically, these types of crimes increase in recessionary times and strongly urged residents to pay attention to suspicious activity, take down license plates of unfamiliar vehicles, and report anything untoward to the Police. He advocated watching out for our neighbors. IV. Public Comment Barbara Whiting said that a Chase-Hill-and-Royalston-Road neighborhood watch has been functioning for some time. Participants have lists of everyone's address, telephone numbers, and vehicles. She suggested that residents in other areas follow suit, hosting block parties and meeting in small gatherings to form similar neighborhood watch groups. She also commented on road conditions, which have caused her considerable concern, citing a day when she had trouble on Route 78, which she reported was unplowed. She said that despite leaving an extra 90 minutes early, having four studded snow tires and traveling at just 10 mph, it was still treacherous travel on Route 78, even at 10:30 a.m.. She said she nearly slid off the road three times on that commute and that she did speak with Tim Kilhart, but feels that overall, the last two years has been the worst in recent memory for commuting to her second-shift job. Wendy Wirth agreed that she, too, is concerned about what she considers to be unsafe road conditions. She has spoken to Kilhart several times, in part to gather information from him, and will meet this Thursday with Young to discuss problems and possible solutions, preferring to offer solution rather than just complain. V. Adjournment Lemon MOVED at 6:57 pm. to adjourn the meeting. Arguimbau SECONDED. VOTED UNANIMOUSLY. Minutes taken by Rosa Fratangelo Calcari Patricia Lemon, Chair Frederick H. Abbott III, Nicholas C. Arguimbau Selectboard Chair Selectboard Vice-Chair Selectboard Member James David Young Rosa Fratangelo Calcari Town Coordinator Selectboard Secretary