Town of Warwick Selectboard April 28, 2014 Minutes Members present: Dawn Magi, Patricia Lemon Member Absent: Nick Arguimbau Others present: Town Coordinator David Young, Town Secretary Rosa Fratangelo Calcari, Conservation Commission Chair Karro Frost, Jack Cadwell, Constable A. George Day, Jr., Fire Chief Ron Gates(arrived at 6:30pm), Police Chief David Shoemaker (arrived at 6:57pm), Jon Calcari, Paula Lundgren Robinson (Athol Daily News) I. Call to Order Chair Magi called the meeting to order at 6:00 pm in Town Hall. Public Comment Conservation Commission Chair Karro Frost requested clarification of the April 14, 2014 Selectboard vote on the use of Gale Road to exercise horses. Frost said that the ConsComm had received no filings, and noted that the individuals permitted to use Gale Road had numerous violations on their own property. Frost explained that the filing of a notice of intent was required,; such filing is to be filed by the person or persons performing the activity. She said that the use of the side of the road to exercise the horses results in the filling of wetlands and vernal pools. Frost said that the ConsComm can issue a cease and desist order if a notice of intent is not filed. Magi noted that Nick Arguimbau had requested that logs be placed along the side of Gale Road; Frost said that she would be happy with guardrails or other protection to keep the fill from going into the wetlands. Magi said that there needs to be some clarification of what the Hurlberts can do, and Frost suggested that they attend the next ConsComm meeting for input. Magi said a letter should be written to the Hurlberts reminding them about obeying conservation principles and asking them to contact the ConsComm, or go to their next meeting on Tuesday, May 6 at 7pm in the Boards Room in Town Hall. Lemon MOVED to ask David Young to write a letter to that effect. Magi SECONDED. Motion CARRIED 2-0-0. III. Minutes Lemon MOVED to approve the minutes of the April 14, 2014 and April 17, 2014 meetings as printed. Magi SECONDED. Motion CARRIED 2-0-0. IV. Presentations and Discussions 1. Buildings and Energy Committee Appointment--Magi said that Buildings and Energy Committee member Janice Kurkoski had requested that the Board appoint Mary Humphries to the committee. Lemon MOVED to appoint Mary Humphries to the Buildings and Energy Committee. Magi SECONDED. Motion CARRIED 2-0-0. 2. Execute and Post Warnings for Annual Town Meeting and Annual Town Election --Young gave Magi and Lemon six copies of the Annual Town Meeting warrant and the Annual Town Election warrant for their signatures. Young noted that two Board member signatures were sufficient, so absent member Arguimbau's signature was not required. Young explained that the word "warning" was the old language and he had decided to respect that wording. After Magi and Lemon each signed all copies of both warrants, Constable George Day said that he was pleased to find out from the current treasurer that she had worked with an investment counselor so the Anderson Scholarship will once again be able to award funds. Day then left to post the warrants. Solar PV--Young said that Soltas has succeeded Pequoig and bought our contract and those of Adams Farm, the Town of Petersham, Athol Memorial Hospital and the Athol YMCA. He explained that Soltas then oversold its available power to the City of Lowell. As this is a breach of contract, Town Counsel is reviewing the agreement and Young said that he has asked Town Counsel to contact the Attorney General's office regarding Soltas' business practices. Young explained that our contract specifies 8.5 cents per kilowatt hour, but the Soltas CEO has proposed that instead we agree to deal in net metering credits at a 20% discount. Young said that Soltas sold our electricity to Lowell claiming it was theirs to sell. He noted that The Athol YMCA, Adams Farm and Town of Petersham have the same deal as we do, it may be advisable to work collectively with these three entities if a settlement cannot be reached to honor the original deal. Young spoke next about Seaboard Solar, saying that he had seen the paperwork submitted to the State for one half of the ten megawatt project for the reservation of solar net meter hosting project. He said that he would try to get another update on the matter. Young said that he had completed the paperwork in time for the April 25, 2014 deadline regarding solar renewable energy credits (SRECs) for the solar project on the Town Hall roof. Young concluded by speaking about the Hampshire Council of Governments (HCOG) power aggregation project. He said that a previous Town Meeting vote had approved that our petitioning the legislature to aggregate electrical demand. He said that HCOG lawyers are handling the public utility filings. 4. Preparation for Annual Town Meeting --Young said that the Moderator had requested specific instructions for Article 9 to make clear that a "yes" vote means "no" and a "no" vote means "yes". Young explained that for the PVRSD technology debt article our authority is to reject, not to approve. He noted that this was a totally new structure for voting on school debt. Young said that he, John Bradford, Bill Foote and Jim Erviti will attend the Technology Committee meeting on Thursday, May 1st at the PVRS Library. The meeting will be for the soley for discussing technology borrowing. Both Magi and Lemon said that they will also attend, so Young said that he will post the meeting. Young said that the ATM warrant articles can be moved by a Board member with each member reading every third article. He noted that Article 9 would be read aloud, and that he will make a sign that reads "Article 9: Yes vote means no, No vote means yes to the debt!" Young noted that there is a 9.6% increase in Warwick's assessment for the PVRSD budget. He explained that the recommended amount is $934,000.00, but PVRSD's requested amount is $984,000.00. The Board will move the lower amount which is the figure recommended by the Selectboard and Finance Committee. Young pointed out the upward trend of our assessments: $865,000.00 in FY 13, $934,000.00 for FY 15 and the FY 16 projected amount of $1,044,000.00. Young said that free cash has been certified in the amount of $35,922.00. 5. MBI 123 Update-- Young said that there is still no fiber to Mt. Grace or the cell tower at this time. 6. Pioneer District--Young said that Bernardston is considering dropping out of the Pioneer Valley School District, and recommended that Warwick also look into that option. Young cited out of control PVRSD costs, and noted that WCS is built for 125 students but currently has 40-something enrolled in the school. He suggested that we could make the school one that could actively appeal to tuition-paying, non-Warwick students. 7. Zoning Enforcement--Young said that the Building Inspector has issued a cease and desist order to the Wagon Wheel campground for illegally operating as a year-round RV/mobile home park. He explained that the issue is that the campground is zoned for recreational, not residential, use. People have been living there all winter, which made the use residential and not recreational. Young noted that an annual permit is required for a family campground, and that he expected an application for the license/permit to be forthcoming. Young broached the subject of billing the owners of the campground for the expense of teaching the students living there and attending our schools. Lemon said that we need to look into what is involved, such as how many students in what grades and at what cost, before making a decision on the matter. 8. Selectboard Reports--Magi said that she attended the FRCOG quarterly meeting, and that the question of the gas pipeline came up. She said that Sam Lovejoy of the Planning Board thinks that the pipeline will end up going down the Mass Pike, but other did not share this opinion. 9. New and Other Business Not Reasonably Anticipated Prior to Posting Notice--Fire Chief Ron Gates said that his department was getting two 5-ton military surplus trucks, one to be made into a new tanker with greater holding capacity for water, and the other to be used solely for parts. He said that the old brush tanker would be taken out of service once the new one is refurbished. Chief Gates said that he was still trying to get plans for the new Public Safety Building, and that there is only one copy of the latest drawing. He said that he had sent an Email to Steve and Janice Kurkoski to see if he can meet with the Buildings and Energy Committee later this week. Young said that the old Highway truck needed to be declared surplus property. Lemon MOVED to declare the circa 1999 International Highway truck as surplus property. Magi SECONDED. Motion CARRIED 2-0-0. Police Chief Shoemaker said that there has been a huge influx of illegal dumping. He said that someone had reported a recent dumping on Hastings Heights Road near the Orange line, and that he had been able to catch the perpetrator making a second dumping trip a few hours later. The Chief noted that charges had been filed in court. He said that mattresses, televisions and tires had been dumped. Young explained that there are costs associated with the removal of the dumped items: $40 per mattress or box spring; $15 per television; $3 per tire. If the items are dumped on public land it costs the town; if the items are dumped on private property, the responsibility falls on the property owner. Chief Shoemaker noted that the court could require the offender to assume the costs of removal and disposal of the illegally dumped items. 10. Coordinator Report--Young said that he favored looking at making WCS a really good school and make it an exemplary destination school that would be competitively the best school. Magi noted with sadness the recent passing of resident Joseph Rummel. V. Adjournment At 7:11 pm, Lemon MOVED to adjourn. Magi SECONDED. Motion CARRIED 2-0-0. Minutes taken by Rosa Fratangelo Calcari