Town of Warwick Selectboard September 25, 2017 Minutes Members present: Dawn Magi, Lawrence Pruyne, James Erviti (arrived at 6:02 p.m.) Others present: Town Coordinator David Young, Town Secretary Rosa Fratangelo, Town Accountant Janice Barrett, Jared Robinson (Athol Daily News) I. Call to Order Chair Pruyne called the meeting to order at 6:00 p.m. in the Town Hall. II. Minutes Magi MOVED to approve the minutes of September 11, 2017 as printed. Pruyne SECONDED. Motion CARRIED 2-0-0. Erviti arrived just after the vote was taken, and said that the minutes looked fine to him. III.Presentations and Discussions 1. Outsourcing Accounting --Young told the Board that included in their meeting packets was a scope of services desired for providing services to the Town of Warwick as Town Accountant. He said that some fine tuning still needs to be done, including not to specify the exact type of software to be used but be sure that what is proposed would be comparable to what we have specified. In part, the scope requires that someone be physically present on-site a minimum of 1 hour of onsite office hours per month with scheduling options for peak times, thirty (30) hours per week of work offsite including support and processing, and provide phone and email support during the business week from 8am to 4pm.Erviti said that he spoke with Colrain Town Manager Kevin Fox who said that his town adjusted to the changes quickly and well when they went with Bay State Municipal Accounting Group (BMAG). He explained that as a Selectman it is his job to try and save the Town money wherever possible, and that the FY 18 Accountant budget is over $18,000.00 and BMAG could provide all of the same services for around $3,000.00 less per year. Erviti noted that he first contacted FRCOG and was told that they would be unable to provide services to Warwick without first hiring another accountant and therefore be more expensive. BMAG was mentioned to him during his conversation with FRCOG and his contact there gave him the figure of $15,500.00 to provide us with accounting services. Erviti said that he has twice Emailed someone at a firm in sagamore Beach, and has yet to hear back so he plans to telephone them. He noted that the distance between here and there could be a factor and might be more than they want to travel when needed. Young said that outsourcing would increase the availability by telephone, Email and via scanned documents at a lower cost to the town. Erviti said that he believed BMAG would provide someone on-site for 8 hours per month. Young said that the current Town Accountant works in the office 8 hours per week but not all work can necessarily be done in 8 hours, and outsourcing provides an additional 30 hours per week of off-site support. Pruyne asked current Town Accountant Janice Barrett for her input. Barrett said that the Board needs to know what's going on and that they are doing their due diligence by obtaining information and talking about what they find. She told the Board that they need to consider where the paperwork will be kept and that the firm will need to know what the original documents say when providing a report. Barrett said that direct contact with the senders of documents is crucial, especially if a document is illegible or has missing information. She asked if all departments will use one computer for Emailing documents, and pointed out that every document must have the correct account number and a signature. Barrett said that an on-site person knows if mistakes are made, whereas a remote person may not. In other words, as in-house accountant, Ms. Barrett recognizes if an account number has been entered incorrectly, whereas an outside firm will use the account number provided even if incorrect. She said that hours for payroll must be reviewed to ensure that an employee is paid correctly and neither overpaid nor underpaid. Erviti suggested that if any Board members have other questions to give Kevin Fox a call; Young said he would take any questions form the Board and contact Mr. Fox. Erviti said that BMAG's $15,500.00 figure includes software. Young noted that anyone with a bill to be paid or questions about the Town's finances will be able to contact the off-site accountant directly. Magi asked if someone from BMAG could appear before the Board; Erviti said that he will ask. 2. Special Town Meeting Warrant --Young went over the draft warrant with the Board. He said that Article #1 will read either $46,000.00 or a sum of money and the exact figure will be given on Town Meeting floor when the article is moved. Young noted that Town Counsel's legal opinion is that there is no need to first vote to rescind the $75,000.00 appropriation from the May 1, 2017 Annual Town Meeting. The only vote needed is to amend the appropriation amount. Article #2 is a ban on feeding Canada Geese on Moore's Pond. Young pointed out that enforcement needs to be worked out; a fine or community service (i.e. scooping the goose poop) was discussed as possible option. Article #3 may need to be broken into two separate articles: one for an environmental clean-up fund for the Wendell Road McKnight property and other similar situations and one for disposal costs incurred by the Transfer Station for tires, furniture, and other items. The figures discussed were $10,000.00 for the environmental clean-up and $1,000.00 for the Transfer Station. Article #5 would be for the purchase of real estate for the Town forest. Young explained that we have been awarded and accepted a $100,000.00 (one hundred thousand dollar) grant from the State to buy the land, but authorization to acquire the land requires a Town Meeting vote. Young noted that we cannot pay more than the appraised value of the approximately 100-acre parcel of land. He pointed out that the Selectboard makes the final decision on whether or not to execute the purchase but Town Meeting vote to authorize the purchase must come first. Article #6 is a placeholder article in the event that any prior year bills are found. At this point, no such bills have been identified. Article #7 is a herbicide ban of 2-4D/Roundup. Young said that there is a question of enforcement for this matter as well. Pruyne said that his main reason for the proposed ban was the health concerns cause by 2-4D/Roundup, especially for children. Young said that we need to get to work on it and that the Board can go forward with it now, put it off until the 2018 Annual Town Meeting, or try it now and if it fails provide further research and information for the ATM. There was a consensus of the Selectboard to go forward with the article at the STM. Young brought up the road salt issue and pointed out that the Board oversees the Highway Department and could set a policy for this winter season. Erviti said that this might be the most appropriate way to proceed for this winter, with Highway Superintendent Larry Delaney reporting back to the Board on how winter 2017-18 differs from years past. Pruyne mentioned forming a Cannabis Advisory Board. Erviti said it's best to wait until the regulations are written. Young said that the Planning Board should be brought into this. Young reminded the Board that the STM warrant needs to be closed to petition articles with sufficient time to certify any that might come in. The STM warrant must be posted by 7 p.m. on Friday, October 6th. Erviti MOVED to close the Special Town Meeting warrant at 5 p.m. on Monday, October 2, 2017. Magi SECONDED. Motion CARRIED 3-0-0. 3. Highway --Young said that Larry Delaney had advised him that the water level is too high to make any repairs to the Gale Road bridge. Young estimated it will be July or August of 2018 before work can begin as there is no way to manage the pond level. Young said that there may be a change in full-time Highway Department employment before winter and suggested that a part-time employee be hired for snow removal. Erviti wanted more information from Delaney and wanted him to determine what he would do if someone does leave. Another possibility discussed was to hire an additional on-call 1-ton truck and part-time drivers for the Town trucks. 4. Follow-Up: Marijuana --Young said that Pruyne will attend the Selectmen's Association meeting on Thursday, September 28th where the major topic of discussion will be marijuana grows and dispensaries. 5. PVRSD--Young said that this Wednesday night there will be a PVRS Budget Subcommittee meeting and a full School Committee meeting on Thursday where the Auditors will give a report. He noted that the Auditors are concerned that there could be structural deficit of which the committee is not yet aware. Young said that the deficit likely stands at $300,00.00. He noted that the lunch fund may be able to run on budget this year, and said that he was hopeful that the committee will stop trying to restore items cut and seek additional required cuts. 6. Selectboard Reports --None this meeting. 7. Coordinator Report--There was nothing to add to the written report. 8. Public Comment--None. 9. New and Other Business Unanticipated at Time of Meeting Posting--None. IV.Adjournment At 7:34 p.m. Magi MOVED to adjourn. Erviti SECONDED. Motion CARRIED 3-0-0. Documents consulted at this meeting: *Draft Minutes of September 11, 2017 Selectboard meeting *Coordinator Report dated September 22, 2017 *Solicitation for Quotes to provide accounting services as the Town Accountant to the Town of Warwick *Email from David Young to Jim Erviti dated September 22, 2017 Re: Monday (9/25/17) Selectboard Meeting *Draft Warrant for October 23, 2017 Special Town Meeting *Wireless Tech Expo in Scranton, PA September 13-14, 2017 Report by David Young *MassDOT Chapter 90 Formula *Email from Mark Williams to David Young to David Young dated September 19, 2017v Re: 911 Grant for Dispatch Regionalization Study Update *5-Year Annual Enrollment Trend and 5-Year Annual Enrollment Trend Relative to Current Enrollment for area schools including PVRS