Back to Board of Selectmen Meeting Minutes
March 23, 2010
Regular Session 7:08 pm
Ms. Burns, Mr. Rabuffo, Mr. Riley
Chief Duff thanked all the town departments for the response to the flooding issues. The Chief also reported that he had received a letter from a family on Water Street for services rendered to a three year old who was experiencing a severe allergic reaction and had to be transported to South Shore Hospital.
Public Hearing on the Fresh Market Retail All Alcoholic Package Store License Manager
Mr. Tocchio explained that Fresh Market has excellent procedures for all of their stores. The office is in the corner by the check out, the gating to control access to the area during off hours has been installed and the corporate trainers will complete a three-day training. This is the fifth new store that Mr. Black has opened. The store will be open on April 7th.
Voted - to approve Michael A. Black, as Manager of Retail All Alcoholic Package Store License of The Fresh Market of Massachusets, Inc. d/b/a The Fresh Market, 11 Essington Street.
Recognitions
Mr. Paicos reported that the morning the 1058th shipped off on deployment there was a large crowd to see them off at Town Hall. Dunkin Donuts heard what was going on and donated coffee and donuts for everyone who came down to see the troops off that cold morning. The Board awarded a certificate of appreciation to Dunkin Donuts on Whiting Street.
Chief Duff explained that through the Board of Appeals process the Town obtained a grant to upgrade the public safety radio system within the community, Linden Ponds funded $89,000 worth of improvements for both police and fire services and provided space to locate radios within the facility. The equipment that is being funded and installed by Linden Ponds. Chief Duff said this is a huge improvement to public safety and it will also serve as the back-up system to the Town. Chief Mills said that from the beginning Linden Ponds has been a friend to the community. Linden Ponds has supported the canine mission and the Citizens Police Academy. Nina Holt presented the Board with a check for $89,000 and said Linden Ponds is pleased and proud to be partners with the town. Ms. Burns presented representatives of Linden Ponds with a certificate of appreciation.
Budget Items
Mr. Paicos said that the interns the town has had this year have been particularly important. The departmental fee analysis will resulted in approximately $200,000 of incremental income. Mr. Alexiades explained that he recommended restoring hours to the IT department in order to use the server virtualization program approved by Capital Outlay. It is a six month project to install a whole new level of technology.
The Assessors have an every three year program of revaluating properties. The recommended $25,000 reduction would reduce the original department request of $50,000 to $25,000 because this provides a 20% increase over the last contract. Mr. Paicos said he had concurred with this recommendation with the caveat that if the Advisory Committee did not agree to entertain a reserve fund transfer for any shortfall he would withdraw his endorsement.
The Elder Services budget cuts were funded by tapping a gift account. This is a core operating expense of the department and should not be funded by gifts.
The Library increase of $19,000 will fund the reference librarian in the Children’s area. This restoration puts the library back to a 2.9% reduction to their budget. Mr. Rabuffo said this $19,000 solves another issue and that is the Hull Library and the desire of the Trustees to do as much as possible for the children of Hull. He also supported the other recommendations.
Mr. Riley concurred with Mr. Rabuffo and thanked all departments for stepping up to the plate and making the cuts that were requested. Ms. Burns said that in total this represents a swing of $15,000 in expenditures. She had asked that the Town Administrator and Chief Financial Officer to identify savings and new revenues. This amounted to about $300,000 in departmental positions in the Building Department, the Deputy Superintendent of Public Works and the Deputy Police Chief. The negotiation of a tipping fee with SEMASS is ongoing as is the regional dispatch project, both will result in multi hundred thousand dollars of savings.
Voted - To recommend the following amendments to previously voted budgets:
Board of Selectmen – an additional $5,000
Town Accountant – an additional $15,787
Assessors – a reduction of $25,000
Department of Elder Services – an additional $10,372
Library – an additional $19,000
Voted - to recommend/not recommend the warrant article that Town transfer the sum of $25,000 from the Receipts Reserved for Appropriation: Insurance Recovery in Excess of $20,000 for use by the Department of Public Works to purchase a replacement vehicle.
Light Plant Legislation
Mr. Tzimorangas explained that five years ago the Light Plant got a price of about $1 million to update the existing space on Cushing Street. The decision was made to locate all light plant facilities in one area. A combined facility would require a significant amount of land that people could access easily. Two years ago they began to look at town owned properties that were not restricted by conservation, etc. There was discussion of a piece of property currently under the control of the School Department. The cost associated with making this property suitable for their needs would be very expensive. The project became too expensive and the Light Plant decided it would not be cost effective. The Light Plant is looking at their own property on Cushing Street and the land under the control of the Board of Selectmen.
The Light Plant and several other departments are on a very old radio system which will be updated. The Light plant, the Fire Department and Police department will all be in the same bandwidth and it will be possible to talk to the various departments by changing channel instead of using three different radios.
Mr. Riley recommended a facilities study and an investigation to get a general idea of the cost of a new facility. And a look at what is currently available in town properties. Mr. Tzimorangas said the Light Plant is looking for approximately four acres in order to achieve their goal. Mr. Rabuffo said that there is a cost that is currently being incurred for the space the Light Plant is currently leasing – approximately $70,000. The Board said that in their opinion this article is not ready to take to town meeting. The Light Plant feels the lack of special legislation ties the Light Board’s hands because they cannot negotiate. Laura Burns said that Town Meeting will be looking for the same kind of study that was done by the School or the DPW Building Committees. Once this is done, if the special legislation is approved the Light Plant would not need to return to town meeting. Mr. Tzimorangas said he finds it highly inefficient to have a far flung base of operations.
Reports
The PWED for North Street has been extended to September 30 but it is necessary that the work be completed by then because all money will be taken back at that point. Mr. Riley explained that because of the narrower layout of lower North Street it is suggested that sidewalk treatment be all brick. The HDIC will be visiting the Board to present this soon.
Mr. Paicos said that he will be away for three weeks from April 11 until the beginning of May.
Mr. Rabuffo the Interim Audit Committee met this morning at 7 am. A draft of the responses to the management letter has come out. The auditors will be here next Thursday at 7 am. There were 14 findings that were found to be not material. Another issue to be considered is that signs about jake brakes need to be installed on Main Street – no engine breaking. The Beal Street raised crosswalks will be on the agenda soon. Flyers will be sent to Hingham Woods and and Beals Cove soliciting input from those residents.
Mr. Paicos said the School Department has four revolving funds right now. Two of those funds are created under special statute that specifically exempt the revolving fund from paying full time benefits. The statute on the school lunch revolving fund is silent on issue.
Mr. Riley has been working tirelessly to get support for the Harbor Overlay District and the South Hingham Overlay District. Mr. Riley went to a great Boy Scout presentation this past weekend. Ms. Burns, who also attended, said it was a long time since I had attended an Eagle Scout ceremony. The Board offered congratulations to Jack Sullivan.
The new equipment for cable tv is being installed and this will dramatically improve the broadcast quality of these meetings. In a week or two week there will be the opportunity to broadcast live.
Voted - to grant permission to the Recreation Commission to hold a road race from the Middle School to Hingham Square on July 4 beginning at 7 am.
Meeting adjourned 9:30 pm.
Betty Foley, Clerk