Town of Warwick Selectboard May 12, 2014 Minutes Members present: Dawn Magi, Patricia Lemon, Nick Arguimbau Others present: Town Coordinator David Young, Town Secretary Rosa Fratangelo Calcari, Buildings and Energy Committee members Steve Kurkoski and Jack Cadwell, Board of Health member Nancy Lyman, Firefighter Bill Lyman, Jon Calcari I. Call to Order Chair Magi called the meeting to order at 6:00 pm in Town Hall. Public Comment Bill Lyman disclosed that he was making an audio recording of this meeting. He had posted a written notice to that effect on the doors leading into the room where the meeting was being held. III. Minutes Lemon MOVED to approve the minutes of the April 28, 2014 and April 17, 2014 meetings as printed. Magi SECONDED. Motion CARRIED 2-0-0. Magi and Lemon: AYE; Arguimbau ABSTAINED as he was absent from that meeting. IV. Presentations and Discussions Proposed Energy Agreement between Warwick and PVRSD--Buildings and Energy Committee members Steve Kurkoski and Jack Cadwell brought the most updated proposal for an agreement between Warwick and PVRSD that would allow for performance contracting to be implemented as a financing mechanism to pay for energy betterments with future savings. Kurkoski said that he wanted every town in the District could get savings back immediately through energy payback and hoped that all towns would accept the proposed energy agreement. He said that he expected to have to make changes a minimum of thirty times. Cadwell said that the Buildings and Energy Committee had been doing projects all around town and had gone through each one to evaluate the energy payback. Kurkoski said that he had spoken with members of Northfield's Buildings and Energy Committee, who agreed that this needed to be done but had not taken it on. He said that he had gone to PVRSD twice as well, but they were cool to the idea and said that the District agreement would have to be changed. Kurkoski handed out copies of the most recent proposal, version 6F, which included an agreement made between Gill and Montague. He pointed out a change from the version in the Board's meeting packets that had been titled "Agreement between the Town of Warwick and the Pioneer Valley Regional School District" and now is called "Agreement between the Town of Bernardston, the Town of Leyden, the Town of Northfield and the Town of Warwick and the Pioneer Valley Regional School District". Kurkoski explained that he wanted the Finance Committee, Buildings and Energy Committee and the Selectboard to sign off on a proposal that he would then take to Northfield as an example. He noted that the Buildings and Energy and Finance Committees had previously signed off on version 4F. Lemon said that she was willing to sign it today. Kurkoski said that three of Northfield's Buildings and Energy Committee members were in favor of the proposal but had no idea of the Northfield Selectboard's position on the matter. Young pointed out what a big undertaking this has been and that proving the savings obtained is important. Kurkoski said that electricity has increased about 9% per KwH per year over the past ten years. Arguimbau inquired as to how a baseline is established. Kurkoski said that Janice Kurkoski has been tracking electricity and heating oil usage for all Town buildings for the last seven years, and that her information has come from the District with respect to the school. He pointed out that all member towns will end up signing the same agreement. Arguimbau wanted Kurkoski to define "baseline parameters" and wanted to be sure that the number of years studied truly provides a representative sample. Magi said that we needed Town Counsel to review the proposed agreement. Arguimbau said that he needed to know that the calculations had been done in a rational way over a minimum of three years. Lemon asked Kurkoski to schedule a meeting with Arguimbau to discuss the parameters and practices. Young suggested being willing to capture less than 100% of the energy savings so the member towns can see the immediate results of reduced costs to the District's and the towns' operating budgets. Kurkoski said that he and Cadwell would meet with Arguimbau, and that he would get the answer to Lemon's question of whether or not the Gill and Montague agreement was brought before their Town meetings. 2. Selectboard Oversight of Warrant Article Spending --Young said that he had placed this item on the agenda. He said that warrant article spending that specifies "raise and appropriate" is put on the tax rate, and that he felt the Board could choose to be more involved with the timing and justification of expenditures. Young showed the Board the latest copy of the General Fund Expenditure Report that is compiled bi-weekly by the Accountant after each warrant cycle. He noted that this report shows the amount expended from each account and also the total percentage expended for each account. He explained that the current report shows $42,000.00 snow and ice deficit while his calculations for FY 15 had allowed for $24,000.00 of deficit spending. Young explained that it was his intent to absorb some of the snow and ice expenditures in the Highway budget to lower the deficit, and was looking to the Board for approval to see what could be done. He said that the Accountant would be expecting a memo from him on how to move the money around to cover the expenses. He also noted that there was a $32,000.00 grant for pothole and guard rail repair, as well as catch basin and culvert cleanout. He said that he and Highway Superintendent Larry Delaney have to come up with a comprehensive plan on how the money will be spent. The grant funds must be expended by the end of August 2014. Lemon MOVED that the Selectboard direct David Young to reallocate funds from the regular Highway Department budget to reduce the snow and ice deficit. Arguimbau SECONDED. Motion CARRIED 3-0-0. Young noted that while something is voted at town meeting to raise and appropriate, it is up to the Selectboard whether or not the funds are spent, except for the schools. He said that our tax situation is changing drastically. 3. Recording of Selectboard Meetings--Before Bill Lyman spoke to this issue, Young said that he wanted to disclose that he was recording Lyman speaking. Lyman then stood before the Board and read the following statement: "Dear Selectboard Members, I am here today asking for your Board's vote of sanction for the project of recording our town's open meetings. I am looking for your individual vote as publicly elected officials, as representatives of the people of Warwick, who have elected you to uphold Massachusetts Open Meeting Law in its definition and its intent, disclosure to the public about this Board's deliberations and actions. I am the beginning of hopefully many residents to record your meetings, as is our right. I am seeking your Board's sanction so that others following me are accepted graciously and without prejudice, as some may be students, and all will be concerned citizens actively involved in the democratic process. Please, if you would, speak on record in favor of this action as elected officials. That is what you are, especially in session. Please take a vote on this action, and verbally state your position. I appreciate your efforts in this matter, as do your constituents. Thank you, Bill Lyman" Magi said that this had been voted down at the Annual Town Meeting, and that she respected the ATM vote. Arguimbau stated that the $2,000.00 was voted down but that the concept was not. Young pointed out that it is legal as long as one discloses the recording and that with or without a Board sanction it is Lyman's right to record with full disclosure. Lyman said that this was a citizen's initiative for audio recording and asked each Board member to support the intent of open meeting and disclosing actions and deliberations. Lyman asked each member to state his or her opinion. Lemon said that she did not want people to be afraid to speak up for fear of a sound bite being replayed. Arguimbau said that this was a good idea unless people are intimidated by the idea of being recorded on camera, which would actually hurt the democratic process. He felt that Lyman should be encouraged to experiment with audio recordings at his private cost. Lemon said that Lyman has the perfect right to record the meetings and that she supported it as a worthwhile exercise. Lemon MOVED to encourage Bill Lyman to record meetings and do a pilot project of audio recordings on his own. Arguimbau SECONDED. Motion CARRIED 2-1-0. Lemon and Arguimbau: AYE; Magi: NAY. 4. Strategy for Surplus Property Sale of Fire Truck and Highway Truck --Young said that he wanted to sell both the Highway truck and fire truck before July 1, 2014 so as to make the funds from the sale available to be applied to FY 16 free cash. He noted that the highway truck would be most valuable to another town, and if the sale is from one municipality to another it does not involve formal procurement. Young said that the Board would have to approve the sale price to another town. He said that he could also list the trucks on eBay or Craigslist. There was a consensus of the Board that Young be allowed to use his best judgment in finding the most effective mode of sale. 5. Tuesday, May 13 Meetings-- Young said that he, Bill Foote, Jim Erviti and John Bradford will attend the follow-up technology meeting at Pioneer at 2pm on Tuesday, May 13th. He said that there would be a presentation from Kinder Morgan about the proposed gas pipeline, which would be held from 7pm - 8pm on May 13th in Town Hall. Magi will chair the meeting. Young said that Kinder Morgan had agreed to a one hour meeting with the first half hour being their presentation and the second half hour being opened up to questions. He suggested taking written questions and having Magi organize and prioritize them. Arguimbau said that there needed to be some mechanism to ask questions based on what the Kinder Morgan representative had to say. Young said that both meetings had been posted as Selectboard meeting in case a quorum of the Board is in attendance. 6. Selectboard Reports--Lemon said that FRTA was going to be holding hearings around the county, and wanted to take anyone's questions on public transportation. Arguimbau said that he was fascinated by the idea of leaving the school district, and with Bernardston considering doing the same. Arguimbau wanted to know where we go from here, and asked if we should discuss with Bernardston the idea of forming a mini district with our two towns. He felt it was necessary to meet with Bernardston for discussions on what it would mean for each town to leave the district. Young said that there could be financial ramifications such as a reduction in State aid, and noted that while he favored the concept of making WCS the best school around to attract school choice from other districts, this could prove financially difficult to achieve. Lemon suggested that the school could host child care for working parents; Young said that activities could be arranged to allow the students to stay at school until their parents could come pick them up after work. It was agreed that the next step is to enter into a dialogue with Bernardston. 7. Coordinator Report--Young said that he will run the Transfer Station on Saturday, May 17 because Transfer Station Attendant George Roaf needed to take time off. Young explained that he took today off and will be taking his nine remaining FY 14 vacation days "here and there" before the end the fiscal year. 8. New and Other Business Not Reasonably Anticipated Prior to Posting Notice--There was no new business. V. Adjournment At 7:13 pm, Arguimbau MOVED to adjourn. Lemon SECONDED. Motion CARRIED 3-0-0. Minutes taken by Rosa Fratangelo Calcari