Town of Warwick Selectboard April 14, 2014 Minutes Members present: Dawn Magi, Patricia Lemon Member Absent: Nick Arguimbau Others present: Town Coordinator David Young, Town Secretary Rosa Fratangelo Calcari, Interim Highway Superintendent Larry Delaney, Police Chief David Shoemaker, Brad Hurlbert, Michelle Hurlbert, Brian Miner, Buildings and Energy Committee Members Janice Kurkoski and Steve Kurkoski, Jim Barry (Massachusetts Department of Energy Resources) Jon Calcari I. Call to Order Chair Magi called the meeting to order at 6:00 pm in Town Hall. Public Comment Young showed the Board five submissions of artwork from WCS 6th graders. The drawings were being considered for the cover of the FY 13 Annual Town Report. There was a consensus of the Board that the drawing submitted by Josh Kirley will be the cover of the report. Young said that black and white versions of the other four drawings will be incorporated into the report as well. Minutes Lemon MOVED to approve the minutes of the March 26, 2014 and March 31, 2014 meetings as printed. Magi SECONDED. Motion CARRIED 2-0-0. Young pointed out that absent Board member Arguimbau had a difference of opinion on the Gas Pipeline Joint Meeting minutes of March 26, 2014, but that he stood by the minutes as he wrote them. There was a consensus of the Board that Young's minutes were accurate. IV. Presentations and Discussions 1. Chapter 268:20D Exemption--Young said that John Bradford now serves as both a Broadband installer and First Alternate to WiredWest. He requested that the Board grant Bradford a MGL 268:20D exemption so that he may hold both positions. Lemon MOVED to grant John Bradford a Mass General Law Chapter 268 Section 20D Exemption to serve as a Broadband Installer and as First Alternate to WiredWest. Magi SECONDED. Motion CARRIED 2-0-0. 2. Execute Chapter 90 Reimbursement Paperwork --Young gave the Board members present paperwork to sign for a $34,147.00 one-time contract for eligible projects. The Hurlberts arrived and this issue was continued later on in the meeting. 3. Gale Road Use--Magi said that a previous Selectboard vote had granted the Hurlberts permission to use a portion of Gale Road for exercising their draft horses. Brad Hurlbert said that they had done this every year since 1998. Young noted that due to the tree hearing last year people were looking and noticed the soft edge of the road and a tire or weight on the side of the road and raised concerns about the condition of the road. He said that the Hurlberts were asked to stop using the road on a certain date in October 2013, which they did. He noted that former Highway Superintendent Tim Kilhart wrote to the Board stating that there was no extra cost associated with grading Gale Road last Fall. Young inquired about the old stub of Athol Road, which had been suggested as a possible alternative to Gale Road for exercising the horses. Hurlbert said that there was oil and stone under there that would need to be ripped up, along with trees that had grown up through the road surface. He said that someone had wanted them to use a wagon instead of the sled, but he explained that this would cause damage to the road and cause them to travel further down the road and to use both sides of the road. Hurlbert said that it was better to stay on the one section of road that they have always used. He also said that they had stopped pulling tires behind the sled, and had sold the big horses so smaller horses would be exercised in the future. Police Chief Shoemaker said that the section of Gale Road used by the Hurlberts is in no better or worse shape than any other dirt road in Town. Magi suggested allowing the Hurlberts to exercise their horses on Gale Road for another year and see how it goes. The Hurlberts agreed that they would help if the Conservation Commission wants something done to guard the wetlands. Magi MOVED to give permission to the Hurlberts to continue to use Gale Road to exercise horses for one year, subject to input from the Conservation Commission, and review in one year. Lemon SECONDED. Motion CARRIED 2-0-0. 4. Enterprise Fund Budgets --Young said that the Board needed to vote to approve enterprise fund budgets in order for them to be included in the ATM warrant. He said that we have no free cash numbers yet, but that the Transfer Station Enterprise Fund budget was lower then last year. Lemon MOVED to approve the $38,000.00 Transfer Station Enterprise budget. Magi SECONDED. Motion CARRIED 2-0-0. Young said that at the request of the Finance Committee, Town departments will not be charged for broadband in FY15. This would include the Town Hall, Library and Highway Department. Young noted that this budget does not use retained earnings from prior years. Lemon MOVED to approve the $102,000.00 Broadband Enterprise Fund budget. Magi SECONDED. Motion CARRIED 2-0-0. 5. Green Communities Designation--Buildings and Energy Committee members Steve and Janice Kurkoski had invited Jim Barry to come and speak to the Board about how Warwick could become a Green Community. Mr. Barry works for the Massachusetts Department of Energy Resources Green Communities Division. Mr. Barry provided copies of his "Green Communities Division Programs & Resources for Municipalities" handout. This handout consisted of five criteria which municipalities must meet in order to qualify as a green community. Barry began by explaining that there is up to $100,000.00 in grant funding available to municipalities for use to improve municipal buildings once they have become a green community. The five criteria include: #1 As-Of Right Siting; #2 Expediting Permitting Process; #3 Energy Use Baseline; #4 Purchase Only Fuel Efficient Vehicles; #5 Require new buildings to be more Energy Efficient. Barry said that the Town can comply with the criteria and keep control by changing zoning. It was noted that the capped landfill would be an excellent application for criteria #1 and 2. He said that criteria #3 required a reasonable five-year plan to reduce and energy usage by 20%. He explained that in criteria #4 vehicles with a gross vehicle weight of over 8500 lbs were exempt, which would include Highway Department and emergency response vehicles. Criteria #5, which deals with the stretch code, was also discussed. Barry explained that the stretch code allows for the goal of increased energy efficiency to be achieved by a variety of ways. He said that the current code is prescriptive, that things must be done a certain way. He said that the stretch code takes buildings as a whole to build smarter, and provides for performance testing. He said that the current code prescribes things that must be done, while the stretch code gives a variety of options and choices. Barry explained that new residential construction requires performance tests. He noted that while renovations, repairs and additions do not need performance testing, energy star doors and windows are required. Under the stretch code a homeowner does not have to retrofit the house, but an addition must be energy star compliant. Lemon said that she wanted to formally ask the Planning Board to draft a proposal to rezone a portion of the capped landfill. She said that the Buildings and Energy Committee could deal with criteria #3, and criteria #5 would be a matter for a Town Meeting vote. Barry offered to come back and speak to a larger audience about all five criteria or just the stretch code. He pointed out that if a municipality becomes a green community and adopts the stretch code there is a minimum of $125,000.00 and a 10% bonus plus $1 per capita bonus if they meet criteria #1. Barry said that he would meet with the Planning Board about criteria #1 and zoning a capped landfill for solar renewable energy. He would also give a comprehensive informational presentation in advance of a Town meeting and a concise presentation at the town meeting. Young suggested meetings and community discussions before holding a Special Town meeting. The 2014 Annual Town Meeting is just three weeks away and contains 40 articles. Lemon MOVED to direct David Young to send the Planning Board a letter asking them to develop a plan for as-of right siting for solar or wind power. Magi SECONDED. Motion CARRIED 2-0-0. There was a consensus of the Board that a meeting should be scheduled with Jim Barry to provide information, that the Buildings and Energy Committee and Planning Board need to be involved as well. 6. WCS Roof Replacement Debt Exclusion Ballot Question--Young said that there is a $155,000.00 borrowing article on the ATM warrant that requires a 2/3 vote and is subject to a prop.2 and a half debt exclusion override. He explained that the Board must authorize the language of any ballot question before it can be placed on the Annual Town Election ballot. Young proposed the following and read it aloud: "Shall the Town of Warwick be allowed to exempt from the provisions of proposition two and one half, so-called, the amounts required to pay for the debt issued to pay for the Warwick Community School roof replacement and related expenses?" Lemon MOVED to approve the language David Young just read and to designate that this language will be on the ballot. Magi SECONDED. Motion CARRIED 2-0-0. J. Kurkoski spoke about the insulation currently in the WCS roof over the stage and gymnasium. She said that it is R25 insulation in 20-foot panels tat are 4 feet wide butted up against each other, glued and screwed to steel. She said that a blower door test and the use of an infrared camera showed how cold air is pouring in and the hot air goes out the roof. J. Kurkoski pointed out that by current code, the backstage and gym are under-insulated. She said that this warrants further investigation, and added that an energy audit by National Grid will be performed at WCS on April 25th. She noted that Town Hall, the Library, the Police station and the Highway barn would also be included in the energy audit. Lemon wanted it on the record how very much appreciated the work done by Steve and Janice Kurkoski and the Buildings and Energy Committee. She said that they were a Town treasure; Magi concurred. 7. Execute Chapter 90 Reimbursement Paperwork (cont'd)--This paperwork was for a $34,147.00 supplement to Chapter 90. Lemon MOVED to authorize the Chair to sign the Mass DOT Winter rapid Recovery Road Program contract. Magi SECONDED. Motion CARRIED 2-0-0. 8. Highway Superintendent Position--Magi said that she had received many more positive comments and fewer negatives on the winter road conditions. She said that Interim Highway Superintendent Larry Delaney had definitely proven himself and submitted that he should be made the permanent Highway Superintendent. Magi MOVED to make Larry Delaney the permanent Highway Superintendent at the annualized pay rate of $49,000.00. Lemon SECONDED. Motion CARRIED 2-0-0. Fratangelo Calcari read aloud the motion prior to the vote. It was noted that the annualized pay rate was for regular time only; overtime for snow and ice is time and a half. 9. Highway Department Budget--Young said that he favored continuing the winter practice of three full-time workers and a part time/on-call fourth worker as a seasonal employee on an as-needed basis. He also advocated using some Chapter 90 money for employee wages. Lemon MOVED to authorize Larry Delaney and David Young to explore cost allocation for Highway Department expenses. Magi SECONDED. Motion CARRIED 2-0-0. There was a consensus of the Board that no further hiring process was needed, as Larry Delaney is happy with the work done by Brian Miner. It was noted that both Delaney and Miner had previously gone through the hiring process. 10. Proposal to Record and Publish Selectboard Meetings--Young recommended the Board vote to place Bill Lyman's proposed article on the ATM warrant and let the voters decide. Lemon MOVED to place this on the Annual Town Meeting warrant as proposed Article 40. Magi SECONDED. Motion CARRIED by a vote of 2-2-0-0. 11. Selectboard Reports--There were none. 12. Coordinator Report--There was nothing further outside of his printed report. 13. New and Other Business Not Reasonably Anticipated Prior to Posting Notice-- None. V. Adjournment At 7:53 pm, Lemon MOVED to adjourn the regular session of the meeting and go into Executive Session. Magi SECONDED. Motion CARRIED 2-0-0. Minutes taken by Rosa Fratangelo Calcari