January 24, 2006
Regular Session 7:30 P.M.
Mr. MacIver, Mr. Edmundson Ms. Tully
Mat announced the death of retired Fire Chief C. Warren Lincoln and expressed sympathy to his extended family on behalf of the Board.
Questions from the public
Russell Reeves asked to read his questions without being interrupted. He requested that the Selectmen initiate a one-year stop on non-essential spending which would be in the best interest of the Town. Mr. Reeves suggested that this moratorium be imposed in view of the predictable and dramatic analysis of the state forcing cities and town to begin funding for their own school building projects. He questioned where the monies would come from. He thought the Board of Selectmen should be fully accountable to where we are going to get the monies. How is the Town going to deal with unfunded liability for long term health care for retirees? He also requested that all major projects including the planned fire station addition and the new Department of Public Works facilities be halted. He wanted to know how we get these monies without burdening the taxpayers any further. Robert Greene backed up Mr. Reeves advising these projects are hurting the people that least afford it and resulting in residents no longer being able to afford to live in Hingham.
Rotary Club
Ginny Gray and other members of the Rotary Club presented a check to Town to be used for the July 4th Parade in the amount of $4,238.65. The money was raised from selling buttons along last years parade route. The Board of Selectmen and Mary Ann Blackmur, on behalf of the July 4th Committee, thanked the Rotarians for their continued support.
Selectmen's Reports
Mr. MacIver attended a ground breaking last Sunday at Hingham Community Nursery School and reported that there was a broad cross section of community people looking for these services, many active participants in the community attended. The ribbon cutting ceremony will be in August.
Mr. Edmundson attended the Planning Board meeting discussing Linden Ponds Retirement Home. Some progress has been made as the Department of Housing and Community Development decided to count 25% of units as affordable housing. However, Mr. Edmundson pointed out that the Selectmen firmly believe that 100% of the units should be counted as affordable housing and that the DHCD should come up with further clarification, as this is the only Retirement Community that has been permitted under the 40B permit process. Mr. Edmundson advised that the Selectmen were considering legislation to have this matter resolved and that it would be further discussed in Executive Session at end of tonight's meeting.
Grant of Location/Pubic Hearing - Kilby Street
Robert Regolino, engineer for Verizon New England explained that this is a revised petition that had been voted on at the December 8, 2005 meeting. Verizon New England had requested this petition to accommodate the MBTA to allow clearance for the installation of railroad gates for the Greenbush Line. However, after the hearing was over, Mr. Bleidorn, 57 Kilby Street, a direct abutter came into the meeting, and objected to the siting of Pole #16. Mr. Regolino, at the request of the Selectmen, met with Mr. Bleindorn, to see if the plan could be reconfigured to a placement that would be agreeable to all. Mr. Regolino reported that this was accomplished by moving Pole #16 approximately 35' away from the front of Mr. Belidorn's residence. No one appeared in favor or opposition.
Voted - approve the Grant of Location request on the petition of Verizon New England Inc., No. 1/06-1, dated 1/4/2006, to locate one new pole, Pole #16 on Kilby Street approximately 161 feet easterly of existing Pole #14, and also to relocate Pole #17 approximately 12 feet westerly of its existing location.
Voted - to rescind the Grant of Location on the petition of Verizon New England Inc., No. 11/05/21, dated 11/22/2005, that was previously granted on December 8, 2005, to locate one new pole, Pole #16 on Kilby Street approximately 126 feet easterly of existing Pole #14, and also to relocate Pole #17, approximately 12 feet westerly of its existing location.
The Selectmen expressed their appreciation to Mr. Regolino for his willingness to reconfigure this location and also for being so accommodating Mr. Bleidorn.
Grant of Location/Public Hearing - French Street/Fresh River Avenue
Panos Tokdjian of the Hingham Municipal Light Company advised that this petition is being submitted at the request of the Board of Selectmen to illuminate the new stretch of roadway at the grade crossing. Four-pole locations are proposed. Pole 52/2 and Pole 11/2 will be the only poles that will have lights. The other poles are necessary to carry the wires. An abutter had called to question if the light would be shining in their windows, but did not call the Light Plant, or appear at the hearing. Ms.Tully questioned if a shield could be placed over the lights. Mr. Todjkian explained that the Light Plant does not use the cone shields. The lights will be placed on either side of the tracks and would be sodium, which is not a bright light. The poles would be 30 feet above ground with an arm extension at approximately 22 feet to 25 feet and the light would be directed downward. If any abutters have a problem he could certainly address the direction of the light and work out a solution. No one appeared in favor or opposition. The Selectmen agreed there was a definite need in the interest of public safety for these lights. The subject was brought up about what this roadway would be called. Mr. Cristello mentioned that the Fire Department is considering naming it French Street, as it joins French Street. The Fire Department is also considering ending Fort Hill Street, just before this roadway begins, and right after the roadway, in a westerly direction, change the street name from Fort Hill Street to Fresh River Avenue. This would eliminate the division of these streets and avoid confusion for emergency vehicles. Only a couple of homes would be affected and the Fire Department is planning to address this issue with these residents and report back to the Board.
Voted - to approve the Grant of Location request on the petition of Verizon New England Inc., Plan #1, and Plan #2, dated 1/10/06 to locate four new poles:
French Street - Pole #52/1 approximately 125 feet in the Westerly direction towards Commercial Street in Weymouth from existing Pole #52
French Street - Pole #52/2 approximately 250 feet in the Westerly direction towards Commercial Street in Weymouth from existing Pole #52
Fresh River Avenue - Pole11/1 approximately 125 feet in the Southeasterly direction towards French Street from existing Pole #11
Fresh River Avenue - Pole #11/2 approximately 225 feet in the Easterly direction towards French Street from existing Pole #11 and 70 feet in the Southerly direction from the southern corner of #38 Fresh River Avenue.
Late Warrant Article for the 2006 Annual Town Meeting - submitted by Susan Hoffses and others to rescind the Town Meeting Votes adopted under Article 20 and 21 of the April 25th, 2005 Annual Town Meeting and Article 18 of the April 26th, 2004 Town meeting along with all remaining monies. This petition calls for the removing the funding and support for the Fire Station renovations and the construction of a DPW facility. The Board explained that at their last meeting that it wasn't in favor of accepting late articles and didn't want it to become a common practice. Articles would have to be considered on individual merit. The proponents argued that if slots were held for town boards that citizens should be accorded the same privilege. They also argued in view of the early closing of the Town Hall on Friday, there was the assumption that Articles would be accepted Monday morning. Due to the unusual circumstance of the deadline the Board agreed to accept this Article.
Voted - to include a petition article submitted by Susan Hoffses and others in the warrant for the 2006 Annual Town Meeting.
Voted - to grant a Common Victualler's License to Red Peppers Pizza, 6 North Street, Judith Gaspar, Mgr., subject to approval of the Board of Health.
Voted - to appoint Darrell Baker as an alternate to the Weir River Estuary Park Committee.
Voted - to support pending House Bill 4809, which proposes to eliminate the state gas tax for municipal vehicles.
Voted - to support fully the Resolution in Support of Increased Funding for the Commonwealth Sewer Rate Relief Fund based on the established formula, minimally including $25 million in FY 2007 and also the Rate Relief Fund based on the formula by fiscal year 2011.
Budget Line Items - to correct errors in several departments in calculating the utilities budgets. One reclassification in Bare Cove Park budget was omitted and an error in the GAR Hall budget.
Voted - to amend the line items in the following budgets as follows:
Bare Cove Park - part time salaries to $13,949
Elder Services - Vehicle Fuel to $ 5,901
Public Works - Vehicle Fuel to $63,480
Public Works - Heating Oil to $ 2,535
Public Works - Electricity to $10,500
Public Works - Natural Gas to $24,125
Landfill/Recycling - Electricity to $11,845
Landfill/Reycling - Water to $ 3,765
Police Vehicle Fuel to $97,711
Library - Natural Gas to $36,670
Library - Electricity to $88,500
GAR Hall - R & M to $ l,631
Warrant Articles - Discussion of the following 2006 Town Meeting Warrant Articles
Article 10 - Chapter 90 appropriating the sum of $407,524
Voted - to support Article 10 as read.
Article 11- appropriate the sum of $30,000 for Harbor Dredging
Voted - to support Article 11 as read.
Article transferring the proceeds of $397,143.54 from the former Police Station to the Stabilization Fund.
Voted - to support Article as read
Article13 - transfer from available reserves the sum of $111,486 from the Stabilization Fund for the purpose of reducing the fiscal year 2007 tax rate.
Voted - to support Article as read
Land Acquisition - Fisheries and Wildlife property - acquire a portion of the former Naval Ammunition Depot.
Voted - to support Article as read
Retirement Credit Article - Enact Special Legislation to grant Donald Lincoln credit for service time as a permanent call firefighter.
Voted - to support Article for Retirement Credit for Donald Lincoln as read
Retirement Credit Article - Enact Special Legislation to grant Glenn Shaw credit service time as a permanent call firefighter.
Voted - to support Article for Retirement Credit for Glenn Shaw as read.
Article 9 - Building Department Revolving Fund authorizing the Building Commissioner to spend monies limited to $250,000 for FY 2007 for assistant building inspectors.
Voted - to support Article as read .
Reserve Fund Article - Voted to take no action on this Article.
Article 8 - DEM Liability for Damages - Chapter 91, Section 29, to assume liability for damages that may be incurred by work performed by the DEM. (The Selectmen noted this has never been exercised but is in place in case of an emergency.)
Voted - to support the Article as read.
Article 7 - Transfer from the Light Plant receipts, the sum of $451,474 to the General Fund to reduce the tax rate.
Voted - to support the Article as read
Long Range Strategic Planning Committee Report - Mr. Edmundson announced that the Board concluded that some of the report is not too controversial but there are some items that require consideration and an opportunity to meet with the Light Board to discuss this
report should be provided. Mr. MacIver mentioned that some items were found to be of material concerns to the taxpayers/rate payers and should be addressed. These items consist of studying if there be a change in governance form, sharing expenses with other town departments, and develop employment practices consistent with other town departments. Ms. Tully would like to see quarterly meetings with the Light Board and an annual report to rate payers including some measurable where we compare with other municipalities rates.
Voted - to write a letter to the Light Board, requesting them to address the above listed items of concern at their next meeting.
Former Weymouth Naval Air Base - Mr. MacIver informed the Board that the Secretary of Environmental Affairs is presently accepting public comments, for the Environmental Impact Review Statement, relating to the use of the proposed public access roadway. The Board delegated Mr. MacIver this assignment.
8:45 PM Voted - by roll call vote to go into Executive Session to discuss real property and pending litigation. The Board announced it would not return to Open Session.
Mr. MacIver - yes
Mr. Edmundson - yes
Mrs. Tully - yes
Clerk pro tem