MINUTES
BOARD OF SELECTMEN
Tuesday, January 31, 2006 at 7:00 P.M.
Town Hall Hearing Room,
PRESENT:
Chairman Claffey opened the meeting at 7:00 p.m. with the Pledge of Allegiance.
7:00 p.m. Frank Morrisino, East Longmeadow Emergency Management Director.
The Executive Secretary (ES) informed the BOS and F. Morrisino that Tom McGowan, School Committee Chairman and Trainer in the National Incident Management System (NIMS) was not able to attend the meeting as scheduled, and that he would be willing to meet with the BOS at any time in the future.
F. Morrisino presented the BOS with a NIMS fact sheet. A discussion was held relative to the responsibilities for training in the NIMS. The BOS considered writing to the Executive Office of Public Safety regarding the need for training and the time commitment; that the order to make elected officials and others serving as volunteers to take the training is unreasonable. An estimate of three days was given for elected officials, with the coursework and testing available via Internet.
APPROVAL OF MINUTES: January 17, 2006.
Motion G. DeLisle moved the BOS approve the Minutes of January 17, 2006 as presented.
J. Driscoll seconded. Motion approved 3-0.
Motion G. DeLisle moved the BOS approve the Minutes of the Executive Session of January 17, 2006 as presented. J. Driscoll seconded. Motion approved 3-0.
BOARD OF SELECTMEN
OLD BUSINESS:
Response from Board of Public Works re: approval for the
plowing of
Response from Sean Kelley, Project Manager DPW, re:
Hometown Hero’s Awards. Citations signed.
NEW BUSINESS:
For signature, Automatic Amusement Devise renewals, Pizza
Shoppe, Nick Guiggio, owner,
Page 2, Board of Selectmen,
January 31, 2006
(Board of Selectmen, New Business, continued.)
Police Sergeants list. A brief discussion was held with the BOS
instructing the ES to work with the Chief and keep the BOS informed.
Donation from the Friends of Pine Knoll
Recreation Area, in the amount of $2,876.58 to Pine Knoll Recreation Area. Item also discussed under Town Counsel.
The ES to speak with TC and Recreation Director John Whalen for recommendations as to where the money should be deposited. The BOS will send a letter thanking the Friends of Pine Knoll.
Appropriations Committee, meeting request.
The ES to ask the AC Chairman to schedule for 2/14 at 6:00 p.m. and to then post the regular meeting of the BOS for 7:30 p.m.
J. Claffey read a letter from the Police Chief recapping the arrest of a bank robber from the past weekend. The BOS lauded the officers.
BOARD OF HEALTH
OLD BUSINESS:
Discussion:
a) Tobacco Violation Hearings.
G. DeLisle recapped the efforts made by the three employers to address the problems; that he believes that employees are the ones not taking compliance with tobacco laws seriously. G. DeLisle suggested taking the first violations to be backed up; to let the fines be the penalty; that making sure all signs are in place and that all employees ask for identification. J. Claffey expressed concern over the first violation being only a verbal violation; that a letter be sent via certified mail going forward; that in these cases the violations would be treated as one less.
Motion G. DeLisle moved the BOH to consider the violations as one less, and that, in the case of Sunny’s Mart, to impose a one day suspension of its tobacco license effective Sunday, February 12, 2006; and that the owners of the establishments with violations and the employee that was on duty at the time of the violation attend the next session of merchant training. J. Claffey seconded.
Motion approved 3-0.
b) Sample letter to vendors, tobacco compliance. Items noted in discussion.
c) Letter from Health Inspector; re: Comments Tobacco Control Program. Item noted in discussion.
d.) e-mail from Sarah McColgan, Tobacco Compliance Coordinator, January 26, 2005 compliance checks. Item tabled for discussion at the next meeting.
e) Update from Sarah McColgan, Tobacco Control Services, re:
One-Year Review of the
f) Training notice for tobacco permit holders. Item noted.
g) Request from
NEW BUSINESS:
Letter from Warner Cross, Manager, Porter Road Pet Care Inc., re: new boarding rates. Item noted.
Letter from Meg Morris, VP Governmental Programs eco/Springfield, re: Information FY 2006 MSW Line Item Budget. Item noted.
Page 3, Board of Selectmen,
January 31, 2006
(Board of Health, New Business, continued.)
J. Driscoll recapped the
Notification of Public Notice from David Gromaski, Superintendent of Public Works, re: Drinking Water Program. Item noted.
J. Driscoll discussed the funding for the Dog Officer; he discussed issues of what the rules and regulations are for calls made by the Dog Officer; that the Town By-laws do not have enforcement provisions for compliance and suggested the BOH consider fees for infractions as pass-through costs for owners that do not comply. Further discussion was tabled.
J. Driscoll discussed the request from Central Mass Disposal
(CMD) for an increase of $450.00 per month for extra dumpsters that were not
part of the original RFP. He recapped a
meeting he had with Bob Stodalski, General Manager of CMD, when a discussion
was held to show that there were additional dumpsters for trash ordered for and
by the schools and one each for the Town Hall and
Motion J. Claffey moved the BOH approve the request by Central Mass disposal for an increase of $450 per month, retroactive to November 2005, for the additional dumpsters, pending TC advice.
G. DeLisle seconded. Motion approved 3-0.
CORRESPONDENCE
All items noted.
Thank you letter from Edward Flynn, Secretary of Public Safety to Police Chief Doug Mellis.
Correspondence from Richard LaRoche,
Owner, Dick’s Convenience, 173
Shaker Road
Letter from Kevin Donovan, Town
Administrator for the Town of Kingston
support to remove current cap on lottery
distribution.
Letter from Bruce Collingwood, Commissioner of Public Works & Utilities for the City of
MEETINGS/INVITATIONS/REMINDERS
All items noted.
Regional Selectmen’s Meeting scheduled for January 26, 2006 has been postponed.
Personnel Policy Committee Meeting, Mon., Feb., 6, 2006, at 7pm, Town Hall Hearing Room.
Invitation from Greater Springfield Chamber of Commerce, Annual Outlook luncheon,
Friday, February 10, 2006, at 11:45am, Chez Josef in
Local Emergency Planning Committee Meeting, February, 15,
2006 at 7pm,
Fire Department,
East Longmeadow Educational Endowment Fund annual
diner-dance for education, Saturday, March 4, 2006, Elmcrest Country Club,
Page 4, Board of Selectmen,
January 31, 2006
(Board of Selectmen, Appointment.)
8:00 p.m. Town Meeting Rules Committee. (J. Driscoll left the meeting at this time.)
Jim Sheils, Town Moderator, and Committee members presented
highlights of its recommendations to the BOS.
Recommendations include moving the Annual Town Meeting date to the third
Monday in May; to appoint a Deputy Town Moderator; to adopt Town Meeting Time
as the official rules of parliamentary procedure; that the Moderator will be
able to limit time that people speak to no more than twice on any given Warrant
Article up to three minutes (with exceptions for follow ups, etc.); and others. The Committee also recommends improving youth
involvement by allowing High School Seniors to act as checkers as part of the
“Senior and Senior” program; make better use of
The Town Meeting Rules Committee concluded its presentation by asking the BOS to include its recommendations as an Article on the Warrant.
TOWN COUNSEL
OLD BUSINESS:
WestMass land donation.
TC advised that he has received the deed, Title certification and vote from the Board of Westmass to donate the 23 acres to the Town. TC needs to record the deed and the certificate and then the Town will own the property.
For signature, Fibertech Contract. Item signed.
Cable Contract.
The ES to ask the vendor to submit an exact number for a cap on expenses.
Records Request.
A discussion was held relative to two letters from the Secretary of State’s office relative to a request for copies of Executive Session Minutes. G. DeLisle suggested that the ES should go through the records and send them out. J. Claffey questioned what rate the state feels is appropriate to charge for doing so, since the BOS had already established a good faith estimate and the state had rejected it without providing an amount it considers appropriate. J. Claffey instructed the ES to send a letter to the Secretary of State’s Office asking for an amount it believes is appropriate.
NEW BUSINESS:
Towing Vendor: Police Department.
No action taken. The ES to follow up with the Police Chief.
Correspondence from Office for Domestic Preparedness-Homeland Security; re: Clarifying Overtime & Backfill Policies for part-time Employees & Volunteers.
TC advised that it’s a policy statement about reimbursing employees that would go to and from a seminar and how they can get paid; that requirements to complete training can be paid out of the homeland security grant. The ES will work on finding out if these funds can be applied to volunteers and part-time employees to pay for their time to take the training.
Page 5, Board of Selectmen,
January 31, 2006
(Town Counsel, New Business, continued.)
Response from Planning Board, re: Correspondence from MassDevelopment; re: Revenue
Bond CeramOptec, Inc.,/Biolitec , Inc.,
Items carried over from the BOS Agenda.
Friends of Pine Knoll donation.
ES to follow up with the Town Accountant to see if a Trust Fund Account has been established.
CMD fee increase request.
TC advised that the trash contract is not subject to MGL 30B; that the BOS can approve the request subject to the Town Accountant certifying appropriations. It was noted that the vote to approve was made earlier in the meeting.
Police personnel issues. Item moved to Executive Session.
Council on Aging personnel issue. Item moved to Executive Session.
Assistant Executive Secretary contract. Item moved to Executive Session.
Motion G. DeLisle moved the BOS enter into Executive session for the purposes of discussing personnel issues and contract negotiations, to return to Open Session for the purpose of adjournment.
J. Claffey seconded out of necessity. A roll call vote was taken (“Yes,” DeLisle; “Yes,” Claffey) and the motion passed 2-0.
Motion G. DeLisle moved the BOS adjourn the meeting. J. Claffey seconded out of necessity. Motion approved 2-0.
Meeting adjourned at 9:50 p.m.
APPROVED: BOARD OF SELECTMEN’S MEETING, TUESDAY,
February 28, 2006.