November 13, 2007
Regular Session 7:30 pm
Mr. Riley, Ms. Burns
Voted - to approve minutes of October 16, 2007
Greenbush Update
Chief Mills and Chief Duff updated the Board on issues regarding the recent reinstatement of Greenbush Rail service. Chief Mills characterized the grade crossing issues as malfunctions rather than people being unused to rail service. The police department has identified a number of issues such as platform gaps, train heights, grade crossings, etc. The issues of highest concern are those surrounding grade crossings, particularly the one at South and Hersey Street. The police chief explained the proposed fix whereby the gates would remain up while the train is in the station at West Hingham and go down and remain down from the time the train leaves the West Hingham station until it clears the Hersey & South Street grade crossing. Hingham has a bypass that allows trains to pass each other. It is possible to have a train traveling in one direction and then have another train going in the other direction a minute or two later. If for any reason someone gets stuck between the gates they should just drive through - the gates will bend out of the way.
Public Hearing/Grant of Location for Hingham Municipal Light on Fottler Road
Mr. Tokadjian explained that the existing infrastructure on Fottler Road does not have sufficient space and guying to allow the extra line for the Shipyard circuits. Mr. Riley noted that this was the second time that the Light Plant has been in for a project on Fottler Road and asked if this was a design as you go program. Mr. Tokadjian explained that initially there was a different plan that did not work out as anticipated. This is the result of the unexpected problem with the previous plan.
Voted - to approve the following Grants of Location on the petition of the Hingham Municipal Lighting Company to locate two new poles on Fottler Road:
Pole #3A approximately one hundred and nineteen feet in the northwesterly direction from Pole # 3 Fottler Road and fifty-five feet in the westerly direction from Pole #2A Fottler Road in accordance with plan marked HMLP, No. 10A, dated October 23, 2007.
Pole #3B approximately one hundred and five feet in the southerly direction from Pole #1 Fottler Road and sixty-nine feet in the westerly direction from Pole #2 Fottler Road in accordance with plan marked HMLP, No. 10B, dated October 23, 2007.
Voted - to grant request for counsel as submitted by the Board of Appeals.
Interviews for Police Lieutenant
Sgt. Olsson said he had been on the department for 27 years and a sergeant since 1999. He has enjoyed working with management and the responsibilities that came with the promotion to sergeant. In the past few years he has earned his bachelors degree and taken management courses as well as a course offered by the International Chiefs of Police Association. He has learned that it takes a fair amount of work behind the scenes to fix problems and that leadership is something you have to work at in order to earn respect. The position of lieutenant would be the next step in his development. Sgt. Olsson said he had faced many difficult situations but always felt prepared to deal with them. One very difficult aspect of the job is to keep up morale and be there for the officers. Family Fun Day is a great opportunity to get families involved. Mr. Riley commented that he had been told that Sgt. Olsson had been very good as a traffic control sergeant.
Sgt Phillips advised the Board that he had been the first school resource officer, masters degree in Criminal Justice and is currently working on business management degree. He said that lieutenant is a very important leadership role. On any given night or weekend the lieutenant is the highest ranking officer on duty. Sgt. Phillips said he has worked hard and initiated programs. Community policing is important the more we can relate with the community the better off the community and the better off the police department is. During his first 90 days as lieutenant his greatest concern would be the lack of manpower. He said he would recommend permanent intermittent officers to solve the manpower problem.
Sgt. Campbell said he has been a member of the police department since 1982 and a sergeant since 2001. He has also been filling in for the lieutenant on the relief shift since May. Community policing program is a great program and it is quite a tool to allow the public to see what happens behind the scenes. Would like to see the program expanded into the high school. During the first 90 days as lieutenant Sgt, Campbell said he would establish the rules for the shift and he would sit down with each officer and they would talk about his strengths and weaknesses. The area of least concern would be training. The new officers have been well taken care of by the way the department is set up. Sgt. Campbell said the most important quality for a lieutenant is trust that you are there for the officers if they need it. If you lose honesty and the trust, you have lost control of the shift.
Sean Cavanaugh a graduate of Suffolk with a degree in Criminal Justice, said he has done much work within the department to get to this point. As a patrol officer he has been assigned to traffic division is one of five officers on the METROLEC team and responds to search and rescue incidents etc. .He also serves as a field training officer when the recruits come out of the academy. Prior to working in Hingham he worked in the Boston Public Schools, DYS and the Norfolk County House of Corrections. The most important quality for a sergeant is to think fast on your feet, handle stressful situations and be decisive. Mr. Cavanaugh said he looks forward to being a sergeant and lieutenant but is not particularly interested in the detective position because he likes to be on the street. Community policing on the whole is whatever the community needs - Greenbush, skateboarding in the Square, etc. all come under the umbrella of community policing. Ultimately you tailor community policing to what the community needs. Mr. Cavanaugh said he had invested quite a bit in the community and invested in the police department. He feels he has the judgment and common sense to be a sergeant.
Steven Dearth has been a patrol officer in Hingham for 15 years and a field-training officer for seven years. He has been assigned to the 4-12 shift for the majority of his career. Mr. Dearth said he has a bachelor's degree from Curry College and a certificate in criminal justice management. He feels integrity is the most important quality for a sergeant because it sets example for other officers and gives them something to shoot for as a role model. The position of sergeant would allow him to move forward to his career goal of lieutenant or higher. During the first 90 days as sergeant he would get to know the officers to try to specialize jobs to match interests to the jobs. He said there is a lot of common sense in police work and there is a need for experience. The majority of officers have less than 10 years experience. Mr. Dearth said that the academy does a good job but it is no substitute for the field training program department. He said that the department will accomplish what needs to be done but it will be a challenge.
Chief Mills said that although the department may be understaffed we are deep with talent.
Selectmen's Goals
Property Tax Relief: Ms. Burns advised that there are a number of property tax exemptions which are controlled by the state. Some of these exemptions are not currently being used to the maximum. There is also an exemption called the residential exemption currently in effect in 12 or 13 towns. It is intended to ease the property tax burden on homeowners of modest means. The town can choose to exempt up to 20% of the average home value. This would take some property off the rolls but the same tax dollars would be spread over the remainder of the properties. Some towns have a 10% exemption; some have 20%. If the town were to implement this, the Selectmen could do
this when they set the tax rate. This would not be for the current fiscal year. In a year when the voters are being asked for a large override for school building, this may be the time to see what can be done for people who are having a hard time making ends meet. Ms. Burns also noted that many of the communities with the residential exemption are more urban. Mr. Cristello said that in Watertown there was an annual discussion on where to set the exemption. The Assessor gives the options and the impacts. Approximately 5800-5900 homeowners would pay less tax and 1100 would pay more. The drop off in the taxes at the lower end of the spectrum is more dramatic depending where the exemption is set.
Public safety communications: This goal centers around improving interoperability of communication between public safety departments. The departments are seeking grant funding using regional approaches to seek federal homeland security funding.
Large development vetting: Due to the present market there has not been much action in this area.
Traffic issues: Route 3A rotary markings are in place. In all likelihood if there is to be a change there the Town will have to take the design on. The capital outlay budget will contain a proposal for funding to have a traffic consultant work with us on a design. As far as Exit 15 is concerned, the developer of the Naval Air Station does not seem to be making any progress on this.
Televised Meetings: The Town of Hull will allow the Town to borrow equipment this week to film a combined Zoning/Planning Board meeting.
Design Landfill Closure: The dates are slipping, as DEP is not responding in a timely fashion.
Underground Utilities Master Plan It is the big users such as Tosca's that are presenting some problems as far as changing service from overhead to underground service. Mr. Rabuffo has been made chair of the committee.
The Bare Cove Corridor stakeholders met to discuss which issues need to be addressed. The first meeting was in July and the plan is to have quarterly meetings. The site work has begun on the fields and there are coordination issues to make sure the School Department can continue to access their buildings while things are being worked on. There is an email list so that people can be notified of projects.
Shade Tree Committee: Mr. Riley has a plan for governance and has made an attempt to put some names together on who could be on the committee.
Sidewalk Inventory is in process.
Benchmarking on the Police Department is complete and the Department of Public Works will be the next department to be reviewed.
Selectmen/Town Administrator Reports
Mr. Cristello noted that Ms. Parnell had submitted her resignation from the Recreation Commission. She is unable to remain on the commission due to her new job responsibilities. Letters of interested will be accepted until the end of the month and a joint meeting will be scheduled in early December. The person will be appointed to serve until the next election. Ms. Burns attended a climate action rally in Hull sponsored by Sustainable South Shore at the Life Saving Museum. It was well attended by representatives of Hull, Cohasset and Hingham. She also noted that Cohasset is thinking about geothermal heat for the town hall. The Town Forum provided a lot of food for thought. The Veterans Day observance here at Town Hall paid tribute to all veterans.
Meeting adjourned 9:50 pm. Betty Foley, Clerk