Town of Warwick Selectboard March 20, 2017 Minutes Members present: Dawn Magi, James Erviti Member absent: Lawrence Pruyne Others present: Town Coordinator David Young, Town Secretary Rosa Fratangelo, Fire Chief Ron Gates, Finance Committee member Steve Ruggiero, Jon Calcari, Jared Robinson (Athol Daily News) I. Call to Order Chair Magi called the meeting to order at 6:00 p.m. in the Town Hall.. Magi called for a minute of silence for the Seago family. Magi noted with great sadness the passing of members of the Seago family and of Joann Shatos Shepardson. II. Minutes Erviti MOVED to approve the minutes of March 2, 2017 as printed. Magi SECONDED. Motion CARRIED 2-0-0. III.Presentations and Discussions 1. MGL 268:20D Exemptions--Young said that the position of School Council member had already been designated special municipal employee but a MGL 268:20D exemption needed to be granted to Sue O'Reilly McRae as she has been appointed to the PVRSD School Committee to finish the term of David Shoemaker, who recently resigned. Erviti MOVED to grant MGL Chapter 268 Section 20D exemption to Sue O'Reilly McRae permitting her to serve on the PVRSD School Committee, HEART Study Committee and the School Council. Magi SECONDED. Motion CARRIED 2-0-0. 2. Recommendation to HEART Committee--Magi said that this had basically been covered at the last HEART Committee meeting. She noted that while our PVRS assessment may decrease slightly we are facing an increase in the Tech School assessment and we cannot afford to keep having the assessments rise. Magi said most towns are in agreement that the continued increases in assessments are not sustainable. Young said that the PVRSD School Committee between $500,00.00 and $600,000.00 has been cut out of the overall budget. 3. Conservation Commission--Young said that due to the current snow cover and the fact that Karro Frost needed to meet with the Highway Superintendent Larry Delaney, this will be placed on a future agenda. He noted that the water issues near the cemetery may fall under the purview of the Cemetery Commission rather than the Selectboard. 4. Update on Tow Forest Management and Planned Harvest--Young said that he thought this project will happen in two stages. He said the cutting plan had been approved and interest in bidding exists, including one by a horse logger. 5. Gale Road Bridge Grant Update --Young said that the small bridge grant announcement event had been cancelled due to a major snowstorm. He said that even though we have yet to see a grant letter, he was optimistic that we will receive funding, and that he anticipated official notification within the next couple of weeks. 6. Selectboard Reports--Erviti said that he had checked on two references for the Westfield Gas & Electric. He noted that one reference had done business with Westfield for 34 years, and that both references were exceptionally happy with them. Erviti explained that both references said that Westfield gas & Electric provides more services than expected, are always on time and always on budget. Erviti was satisfied with the references. 7. Coordinator Report -- Young said that the State had sent out the nomination form for the Inspector of Animals and recommended the Board vote to nominate current Inspector of Animals Rosa Fratangelo. This nomination is done annually, and the official appointment is made by the Massachusetts Department of Agriculture (MDAR). Young asked the Board to once again vote to authorize him to work with FRCOG to obtain bids for diesel and heating oil as they have done in the past. Young said that he had received a report on FCRHA housing rehab portfolio, and that the Town has outstanding housing rehab mortgages totaling $750,000.00. He said there would be an article for Town Meeting to decrease the tax levy somewhere between $11,000.00 and $13,000.00. Magi read aloud a letter sent by the Town of Royalston Selectboard: "To the Seago family, the Select Board, the Fire Department, and all the people of Warwick: Know that the hearts of your neighbors in Royalston ache with you. To the firefighters of Warwick, who not long ago gave service at a tragedy in Orange, we honor you - your job is never easy, but recently it has been heartbreaking. Stay strong - your community and your neighbors need you. To all the residents of Warwick, you have lost good people. Our people mourn with you. To the family who has suffered unimaginable loss - your town came to help and grieves immensely that they could not save you all. Your town - and all the people from across Franklin County who answered the call, all the people in Royalston and Keene and Richmond and Orange and Athol and Northfield who woke the next day in sorrow - we all want to tell you what words can't say, we all want to hold your hands. Individuals, families, towns, broader communities - they are living entities, and they stand with each other in love, respect and grief. They stand with you. Yours truly, Christine Long Chair, Royalston Select Board and Linda Alger Clerk, Royalston Select Board Young said that he anticipates a 2-year contract with MBI for the last mile grant will be signed in the first week of April. 8. Public Comment--Fire Chief Ron Gates thanked Young and the Selectboard for support and the card and for supporting the Fire Department through the recent tragedy. He noted that he thought that the Finance Committee had agreed the FY 17 Fire Chief pay would be raised from $1,000.00 to $1,500.00. Young explained that we are a Strong Chief town but the Selectboard sets pay rate and establishes the Chief's pay. There is a line item in the Fire Department budget for stipends, band the Chief's pay is figured in that figure. Chief Gates confirmed that the funds are in the account. Finance Committee member Steve Ruggiero noted that one of the Police cruisers was snowed in on Town farm Road in Orange and therefore unavailable to the Town from March 14th to the 17th . He said that the cruiser should be parked at the Police Station when not in use rather than at Officer Stewart's house in Orange. There was a consensus of the Board that Ruggiero should speak to Police Chief Shoemaker before bringing this before the Selectboard. Young said that it is more efficient to have the cruiser at Stewart's house when he is on call. Both Magi and Erviti wanted Ruggiero to speak with Shoemaker about PD policies regarding where cruisers are parked when not in use. Ruggiero also wanted to speak on behalf of two elderly people who wanted to complain to him rather than attend a meeting. The issue involved people parking in front of the mailboxes outside Town Hall, and the inconvenience it causes older residents. Ruggiero suggested posting a sign by the mailboxes that there be No Parking allowed Monday - Fridays between 8a.m. and 6p.m. Ruggiero inquired about the report from the firm that audited the Town's books. He said that the Board had previously agreed that someone from the firm should come before the Board to discuss the auditors' findings and recommendations. There was a consensus of the Board to have someone from Scanlon be contacted to appear at a future meeting. 9. New and Other Business Unanticipated at Time of Meeting Posting --None. IV.Adjournment At 6:34 p.m., Erviti MOVED to adjourn. Magi SECONDED. Motion CARRIED 2-0-0. Documents consulted at this meeting: *Draft Minutes of Selectboard meeting of March 2, 2017 *Coordinator Reports dated March 1, 2017 and March 9, 2017 *Emails from Conservation Commission member Karro Frost to David Young dated March 6, 2017 Re: Selectboard Meeting *Notice of Timber Showing: Spring Lot Town of Warwick Hockanum Road/Wendell Road Draft 1 Dated March 7, 2017 by Michael Mauri, Forester *Locus Map Land of Town of Warwick 89 acres Town of Warwick *Forest Stand and Boundary Map Land of Town of Warwick, MA 89 acres *Newspaper article from Greenfield Recorder dated March 7, 2017 by Recorder Staff entitled "Towns hear broadband service pitch" *Emails from David Young to Jim Erviti and from Aaron A. Bean to David Young dated March 2, 2017 Re: Warwick Wireless poles *Letter from Town of Royalston Selectboard dated March 7, 2017 to the Seago family, the Selectboard, the Fire Department and all the people of Warwick