Date Time Location
1. Call to Order
2. Salute the Flag/A Moment of Silence for Our Troops
3. Approval of Minutes
4. Public Comment – Non Agenda Items
5. Correspondence
6. Public Health Mutual Aid Agreement
7. Local Comprehensive Planning Committee
8. Town Administrator’s Report
9. Selectmen’s Reports
10. Adjourn
Selectmen
Minutes
January
17, 2006
Bourne
Veterans’ Memorial Community Center
239 Main
Street
Buzzards
Bay, MA 02532
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Attendance:
Town Administrator
Thomas M. Guerino
Board of Selectmen:
Carol A. Cheli, Chairman
Galon “Skip” Barlow,
Vice Chairman
Richard E. LaFarge,
Clerk
Linda Zuern
W. Thomas Barlow
Selectman Zuern made a MOTION, SECONDED by Selectman G. Barlow to approve the minutes of January
11, 2006 as presented. UNANIMOUS VOTE (4-0). Selectman W. Barlow abstained since he did not attend that meeting.
Selectman LaFarge read
the correspondence. He said that a
piece of correspondence sent by County Commissioners establishing a
collaborative and inviting us to participate was missing.
Selectman W.T. Barlow
addressed the Pilgrim Nuclear Power Plant re-licensing letter. He stated that Pilgrim is one of the worst
in the nation and he asked that the Local Emergency Management Planning
Committee reach out to Plymouth and the towns surrounding the plant regarding
their position on the plant’s re-licensing and provide information to the Board
and the position that the Town of Bourne should be taking in order to protect
its citizens.
Selectman W. Barlow MOTIONED
and SECONDED by Selectman LaFarge to direct the Local
Emergency Management Planning Committee to reach out to the towns surrounding
Plymouth and start communicating. UNANIMOUS.
Reporter Paul Gately
asked who sought Bob Troy’s opinion on the Whitehouse Lane buildable lot. Roger Laporte sought it.
Selectman W.T. Barlow MOTIONED to recess
the Board of Selectmen’s meeting for the Sewer Meeting. Selectman Zuern SECONDED, UNANIMOUS.
Meeting
reconvened at 8:35PM
Jim Sullivan addressed
the Local Comprehensive Plan draft that was started three years ago and was
recently completed. Town-wide workshops
contributed to this draft. This draft
is available on the town website and public comment is encouraged. Chairman Cheli observed how much work there
is yet to do and thanked Mr. Sullivan for all the work done so far. Selectman Zuern thanked him as well and
asked what the recommendations were from the Canalside
Taskforce Report. Planner Coreen
Moore said that since these recommendations are not adopted yet they need to go
through the approval process. Selectman
Zuern asked about an item on page 52: “…most importantly, capital gains must be
included in Bourne’s budget process and finance plans...” Is that the authority
of the Town Administrator? Mr. Peter
Meier said these issues were reviewed relative to the capital plan, and that
this was a way to get the capital plan and the finance committee to work
together to get that capital plan established.
Selectman G. Barlow said this is a long-range plan; it’s not a Charter
review document. Mr. Sullivan said that
it is just a draft. Selectman Zuern
agreed that long-range plans need to be looked at but that we should delete the
phrase about the finance committee since it’s in the Charter. Mr. Sullivan reiterated that it’s just a
draft. Planner Coreen Moore explained
that capital figures could be changed to reflect projected numbers, so it
doesn’t lock you in. It’s a projection so people can plan for the future. Selectman Zuern thanked Mr. Sullivan
again. Mr. Locke said he doesn’t want
to see all the work done so far go to waste.
Follow-up is needed and updates are necessary to keep it going.
Selectman W.T. Barlow
added that the committee is reflecting the political thoughts and ideas of the
time. Priorities change. Plans are constantly moving, so it is
necessary for the town to have a master plan to reference so the history can be
looked at, see where things are and where people would like to go. It’s important to monitor it, review it and
see if the community has changed its priorities. He congratulated everyone who participated in this. Selectman G. Barlow said it is a good plan,
but there are some pointed issues in this plan that don’t belong there. The draft is excellent, the amount of work –
tremendous. He expressed a wish that people from communities other than
Pocasset had joined this committee. There may have been a different outcome had
other communities participated at a greater level. Jim Sullivan said there is
plenty of opportunity in the next couple of months to amend the draft so please
keep an open mind. The first public
meeting will take place in a couple of weeks and revisions to the draft based
on tonight’s meeting will be made prior to the meeting.
Reporter Paul Gately
asked what the population figure included.
Town Planner Coreen Moore explained that a lot of the information is
based on the 2000 census. 19,516 is the
total population. Selectman LaFarge
noted that jail inmates are included in the count.
Selectman Zuern noted
that Jim Sullivan, Peter Meier, Renee Ziegner, Caprice Schaeffer, Michael
Bradley, Wesley Ewell, John Johnson and William Locke attended this Selectmen’s
meeting. Jim Mulvey acknowledged the
broad input into the draft.
Town Administrator’s Report
TA Guerino began by stating his focus on the
budget for the next couple of weeks and how the target will be met. A resignation was tendered from Sandra
Ferolito, and TA Guerino asked for recognition for her contributions. The Board needs to set up a four-hour time
block in order to undertake NIMS emergency training. It can be done on-line, and we are required to do it to be eligible
for various sources of funding. He
asked for a commitment from the Board to take the training.
TA Guerino asked about
changing the regularity of the Selectmen’s meetings in order to make some
adjustments internally while still providing the Board with the best service
possible. Selectman W.T. Barlow asked
for a MOTION for the Board to put this on next week’s agenda for discussion. Selectman G. Barlow SECONDED the motion. The option could be left open for the
Chairman or a member of the Selectmen to call emergency meetings or to meet as
necessary. Chairman Cheli says we are
one of few towns that meet every week – we’re in a minority. It needs to be definitive. UNANIMOUS
Selectmen’s Reports
Selectman Zuern: Attended Mr. Frank Sylvia’s 100th birthday party celebration. He still drives and gardens. Mentioned Spotlight on Bourne and the Selectmen’s Task Force on Local Pollution. Attended National Marine Life Center fundraiser which was very successful and fun. She and Chairman Cheli attended the MMA classes in Boston. One of the meetings distributed a book called “Revenue Sharing” a report on what is happening to the state of Massachusetts. We have a standard of living higher than New York, but have difficulty in retaining businesses. There’s nothing the state can do to attract new business so it’s up to the local community to do it. The NIMS course can be downloaded, read, and the exam taken afterward. Went to the Charter Review Committee meeting. Anyone with comments should get them to the committee. Last Thursday she attended a goal-making session and a potentially good night was wasted.
Selectman G. Barlow: He thanked Coreen Moore, Ann Gratis, and Martha Trombley for all their hard work on the Local Comprehensive Plan. Last Thursday’s goal-making session was less frustrating for him. He went to the Polar Bear Ball in support of the National Marine Life Center, and went with four Selectmen to the Monument Beach Pier with MEMA, DCR and the DNR Director to look at the damage. On Tuesday there was another Capital Outlay meeting. He is frustrated because they don’t have the money to do everything and the Finance Committee is very critical of how it’s done. It’s frustrating to chair the committee and see the things that need to be done, have no money to do anything, and then get criticized. The Finance Director and the TA found some very creative ways to finance as many of these projects as possible without raising taxes. He thanked Carol for picking up all the handouts for him at the MMA meeting.
Chairman Cheli: Attended Polar Bear Ball. Attended an MMA workshop put on by the Ethics Commission called “The Good, The Bad & The Ugly,” about how to deal with disruptive people during public meetings and censuring Board members. It was an amazing afternoon. Received several calls regarding Mr. Cubellis. A caller told her that if Mr. Cubellis had gotten his approval for his original plans we wouldn’t have needed the override since we’d have had our $1.5 million in taxes. He’s tentatively scheduled to go before the Board on January 31st.
In reference to a promise made to bring in more
revenue into the town after the override, SEMASS was bought up. Selectman W. Barlow said SEMASS has
approached the Board but their request has been denied since they haven’t met the
necessary criteria so far. If they are allowed to come before the Board, it
needs to be clear from the beginning that this is not a proposal we can accept;
it is just to see if what’s being presented has any interest to the board.
Selectman Zuern said a decision hasn’t been made one way or another and privatizing sends mixed messages. Allowing SEMASS to make their pitch opens the door for other companies to do the same thing. Selectman G. Barlow said that if the plan is for long term, we should let them come before us to see how it would be accomplished. They’ve been put off for a long time but we owe it to the community to see if this will help the town. Selectman LaFarge said that other people have made the same pitch, but SEMASS seems to have garnered the favored position. He thinks we’re looking for trouble and need an opinion from the Town Counsel. Chairman Cheli said that we have Town Counsel’s written opinion that it is allright to bring SEMASS in even though we do not bring in the other companies which have asked to make a presentation to the Board. Selectman Zuern stressed that we need that advice in writing.
Conservation Officer Heidi Marsella asked if hearing SEMASS would create a bias against other engineering companies. Chairman Cheli said no. A bid was originally put out and several people were contacted as to the value of the landfill. Town personnel and their abilities were looked at but the environmental concern was too great to privatize. Selectman G. Barlow said that years ago an extremely high bid was made on the landfill, which the town turned down, and it would be interesting to see what the value would be now. Reporter Paul Gately asked why SEMASS couldn’t come in. Selectman W.T. Barlow said a lot of information has come forward on the RFP. Chairman Cheli is now more encouraged than ever about privatization.
Selectman
W. Barlow made a MOTION for SEMASS to come before the Board. Selectman G. Barlow SECONDED. Voted 3-2, Selectmen G. Barlow, W.T.
Barlow and Cheli voted YES, Selectmen Zuern and LaFarge voted NO.
Chairman Cheli received a letter from a citizen who overpaid his taxes. Can he be reimbursed? Only for some of it. Further, 60,000 people left the state of Massachusetts.
Selectman W.T. Barlow MOTIONED to adjourn at 9:43 PM, Selectman G. Barlow SECONDED, UNANIMOUS.