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MINUTES OF MARCH 02, 2010
Members Present: Kathleen Curley, Paul Casey, Terry Clarke, Kerry Ryan, and William Friend.
Others Attending: Jay McGrail, SSCC’s Director of Operations and Susan Sullivan, consultant to the CCMC were present for the entire meeting. Elio Ricci, Frank Ricci and John Mongeau, representatives of Raffael’s, the SSCC’s new food and beverage operator, were all present for the food and beverage tour segment of the meeting.
With a quorum present, the meeting was, called to order at 8:30AM by Cathy Curley.
Jay McGrail opened the meeting by reporting on the prior night’s Board of Selectmen (“BOS”) meeting concerning the proposed town meeting warrant article to authorize the sale of the SSCC. He advised the committee that, after a discussion during which the issues involved with a sale of the SSCC were reviewed, the BOS determined not to support the warrant article. He then explained that the town advisory committee must also review the warrant article and, even if they too decline to support it, the warrant article will still proceed to the town meeting, unless all of the individuals signing the initial request for the warrant article agree to withdraw their request.
Jay McGrail followed this warrant article discussion by reminding the committee that it must soon decide whether or not to proceed with the SSCC cell tower, because a decision to support the tower would require a town meeting warrant article and the deadline for commencing the warrant article approval process for this year’s town meeting was approaching. The committee members then opened their continuing discussion with regard to the cell tower, by asking Jay McGrail and William Friend to report on the additional information they had obtained with regard to the cell towers since the February 23, 2010 committee meeting.
As requested, Jay McGrail and William Friend reviewed their discussions with a second cell tower representative as well as their conversations with town officials and property owners in Hingham with cell towers. This resulted in substantial additional information regarding the financial and other terms of cell tower leases (a sample lease was also obtained). Town officials also provided additional information concerning set back requirements and “fall line” regulations, which was reviewed with the committee. Jay McGrail continued his report, explaining that he had examined potential sites on the SSCC property with cell tower representatives and that he and William Friend had staked out alternative locations for the tower and support building, in a remote area of the SSCC property (based on the set back and “fall line” information provided by the town). William Friend then suggested that the committee should examine all of these sites to consider whether there would be an adverse impact on golfers, the golf course or neighbors, caused by the installation of a cell tower and support building.
Following its tour of the potential cell tower sites, the committee examined pictures of possible towers and agreed that the only tower acceptable to them would be a flagpole tower similar to the examples examined. It was also agreed that the committee would not support a cell tower if it could not be located in the area that had been staked out because it was believed that a tower in this area would not be a bother to golfers or neighbors. Finally, the committee considered the RFP process and determined that there would be several opportunities during the course of the process for the committee to terminate the project It was agreed that the committee would take advantage of one of these opportunities and not proceed with the project, if its criteria and preferences for the cell tower could not be met or if there was resistance to the cell tower from golfers, neighbors or citizens of Hingham.
Based on the foregoing considerations, the committee voted to support a warrant article that authorizes the CCMC to issue an RFP and enter into lease of space in the agreed upon area of the SSCC for the installation of a flagpole cell tower.
Thereafter, Jay McGrail and William Friend were asked to work with the town administrators and other town officials to prepare the appropriate town meeting warrant article. It was understood that Kevin Paicos, Hingham’s Town Administrator had experience drafting and issuing cell tower RFP’s and would assist the committee with these tasks.
Following the cell tower discussion, Jay McGrail and Kerry Ryan updated the committee on their discussions concerning the preservation of the Litchfield house, explaining that it was estimated that $30,000 would be required to repair the roof and to do other things necessary to forestall further weather damage to the house. They also noted that it appeared that an agreement might be achieved that would allow equal sharing of theses costs among the CCMC, CPC and the Historical Commission. After a short discussion, the committee members acknowledged that the sharing of these costs would be a fair and appropriate arrangement and, on motion duly made and seconded the committee voted unanimously to authorize Jay McGrail to agree to the sharing arrangement on behalf of the CCMC and to contribute up to $10,000 (CCMC’s estimated share) toward the Litchfield house roof repairs.
Following this vote, the committee joined Elio Ricci, Frank Ricci and John Mongeau, representatives of Raffael’s, for a tour of the ongoing remodeling and improvement work on the SSCC food and beverage facilities.
Thereafter, on motion duly made and seconded, the committee voted unanimously to adjourn the meeting.
Respectfully submitted,
William k. Friend