Board of Selectmen

Meeting of September 26, 2006

Bourne Veterans Memorial Community Center

239 Main Street

Buzzards Bay, MA 02532

6:45 p.m.

 

Town Administrator:

Thomas M. Guerino

 

Board of Selectmen

Linda M. Zuern, Chairman

Stephen F. Mealy, Vice Chairman

Jamie J. Sloniecki, Clerk

Judith W. Conron

John J. Harrington

 

Call to Order

 

A Moment of Silence for our Troops

Salute the Flag

 

6:45 PM – 7:15 PM CanalSide Discussion 

TA Guerino presented a follow-up from last week’s motion presented by Selectman Harrington.   TA Guerino was meeting with staff and putting together specifications and  will have a draft RFP or Bid for the Board depending on the time-frame.  The draft specification will not be based on the mitigation bylaw, but look at development as an issue.  The parameters can be used for any type of development that comes in.

 

Selectman Conron spoke with people who thought it was a great idea and that it should be done as quickly as possible to be effective and yet she doesn’t think they necessarily want to take the lowest bidder.

 

TA Guerino said the RFP will take at least 4-6 weeks.   

 

Chairman Zuern said they have not talked amongst themselves as far as what each one would want to see done in the process.  

 

Selectman Conron asked for the workshop, but did not have in mind that she would give her personal views.  She was still searching for information they need to be the fiduciary people for the town, i.e. is the project compatible, is the project consistent with Bourne’s Affordable Housing Action and Local Comprehensive Plan.  She would like to see the Housing Partnership Committee and Local Comprehensive Planning Group appear before the Board to discuss how their plans work with CanalSide.

 

Chm. Zuern said the Selectmen have no real jurisdiction over what goes at CanalSide be it housing or retail.  She further stated they could have the meetings for information purposes, but nothing they could make a decision on. 

 

Selectman Conron raised the issue “is the project consistent with our plans, or isn’t it.”

 

Selectman Sloniecki thought it was a good idea. 

 

Selectman Harrington said it raised a question for him ..there are areas that are not the Selectmen’s purview, but that it does not keep the Selectmen from taking a leadership position in gathering groups together and coming to a consensus.  

 

Selectman Mealy said they always have options relative to any action they can take:

 

  1. Do nothing continue as they have for the last 9 years of not interfering with the CCC or the Developer. (Development without input)
  2. Purchase the property.  Actively pursue the purchase of the property to prevent any development. (The alternative to #1).
  3. Work with the developer to enhance the characteristics that would most benefit the Town. (Open space, municipal operations, recreational use)

 

The only unacceptable alternative is the first – do nothing.

 

He further said that undertaking the investigation of purchasing the property does not preclude working with the developer for the best interests of the Town.

 

He said they must start communicating and start a dialogue with the developer, CCC, Planning Board and local and state representatives and residents.

 

He said the Board of Selectmen must initiate the communication to insure that the town of Bourne is heard, as a community.  This is a bigger project that the Sagamore Rotary and a growing problem that will only worsen unless mitigation is included with the proposed development. 

 

He requested the Board of Selectmen to continue with workshops, bringing in experts and undertaking independent analysis and working with the state to explore all avenues to make this the best for the Town of Bourne. 

 

Selectman Conron made a MOTION, SECONDED by Selectman Harrington to invite the Housing Partnership Committee in to discuss the Affordable Action Housing Plan  and the members of the LCP to discuss the Local Comprehensive Plan and in each case to know how are these plans are compatible or not compatible with the project.    UNANIMOUS VOTE

 

There was further discussion on CanalSide and Selectman Mealy’s presentation by Board members.

 

TA Administrator Guerino said as they move forward with the economic fiscal impact study and that they will have to find a source of funding for the study.  He asked the Board for suggestions on funding. 

 

Discussion on whether they should look to a reserve fund transfer or from the developer to fund the study. 

 

School Department 

School Superintendent Ed LaFleur presented an update through a power point presentation on the early childhood and elementary school project. 

 

2 Building Project –  Elementary School and Early Childhood Center

  Did not want to loose “safe school environment” that exits in Hoxie & Otis Memorial

    Schools

  School Building Assistance Program put Bourne #1 on the list in January 2003.

  May 2003 Town Meeting voted debt exclusion of $26.85 million (estimate, not firm

     bid)

  Project Manager hired in 2005 – completed design drawings in early summer showing

     escalating costs to between $5-6 million.

  Project estimate in 2006 -  now $32.2 million.

  Bids opened on September 18 $40.1 million -$13 million over 2003.

  If approved at the STM on October 3 and the Town election on October, another town

    meeting will be held on October 16.  

  Construction to begin in the late fall of 2007 with school opening in the fall 2008.

  Low bid was $32,987,000.00 with added projected expenses it will be a total cost of

    $40,100,850.00 an increase of $13,250,850.00 over the estimate of 2003.

● Side projects – MassHighway safety project – lighted intersection at Scenic Highway

   and Edgehill Road with a cost of $5.5 million paid for by MassHighway.   New school

   access road through a land swap at a savings of $1.6 million to the Town with a total of

   $7.1 million that the town will not have to pay.

● The cost over 27 years to a house assessed $350,000.00 would be $2,110.76 adding in

   the $13.25 million brings the total to  $40,100.00 million the total cost will now be

   $2,779.03.  $138.95 per year for 20 years.

 

If the project fails, the Town will loose the 62% reimbursement for school financing, the Scenic Highway Safety Project could be at risk, the access road to the Town owned land could be landlocked. 

 

The Finance Committee voted 10-1 in favor of the school article going forward with the increased costs. 

 

There is a Special Town Meeting to be held on Tuesday, October 3, 2006 at 7:30 p.m. and they will be discussing the school issue.  The ballot question will be on October 4, 2006 election.  If the ballot question passes, another town meeting will be held on October 16 for a positive vote on the school. 

 

Selectman Mealy spoke on Campus 2000 where they were to build all the schools for $40 million and now they are looking at building 2 schools for the same amount of money.  He said they cannot be built later for the same money.  He said they didn’t have an alternative choice and something that needs to be done.  He asked that this be looked at and support the project.  

 

Jim Mulvey asked if additional staffing would be required? 

 

Supt. LaFluer said staffing in the elementary school is sufficient; they will apply for a kindergarten grant to assist as they go to all day kindergarten and custodial staff will move over.  The furnishings are included in the “soft costs”.

 

Selectman Conron made a MOTION, SECONDED by Selectman Harrington to support the increase of $13 million for the new school.  UNANIMOUS VOTE 

 

Jim Mulvey questioned why “Public Comment” was not on the Agenda.

 

Chm. Zuern explained that this was originally to be a workshop and then it turned into 2 workshops and because there were a couple of items that needed to be addressed, public comment and correspondence were not included.  She said anyone wishing to make a comment could.

 

Jim Mulvey then commented on the private roads plowing and access by the public.  He went on to say that there were 422 private roads and the vast majority were plowed because they allow public access.

 

7:30 PM – 8:45 PM Landfill Discussion

Chm. Zuern announced that this was a workshop with the Finance Committee.

 

Business Manager, Troy Clarkson and General Manager, Brent Goins presented a power point presentation on where they are today.

 

The power point presentation went over the General Fund Contributions, Revenue Trends, Net Asset Contributions, Budget Snapshot – Spending Trends, Waste Stream Trends, Recycling Update and Moving Forward.

 

            Discussion on the Host Community Fee, the administrative fee going down in FY07 and the revenue trends over the last few years. 

 

          C & D comes in at $85.00 per ton and backhauled at $65.00 per ton and will be

raised to $87.50 per ton as of October 16, 2006. 

 

          The town is paid $2.88 for every ton that enters the landfill whether it stays or not.

 

          DEP has placed a ban on certain types of waste that can be brought in to the Landfill.

 

          C & D comes not only from the Cape and but as far away as Scituate.

 

Any money ISWM makes as a department in excess of expenditures to run the Department is kept in a fund and used for capital improvements, closure, and post closure.  In FY01 there was a deficit of $233,000. estimated net assets as of year-end on June 30 will be in excess of $2 million.

 

General Manager, Brent Goins reviewed the recycling revenue over the last 3 years and reviewed the remaining graphs in the powerpoint presentation.

 

There was a discussion on the new baler and its capabilities and what is shipped out of the country, when and where.

 

He announced the “America Recycles Day” on November 18th from 9:00 a.m. to 12 Noon with tours of the facility.

 

A question was asked as to how much is the Town actually recycling in percentage figures?  The recycle rates is approximately 35% and 65% goes elsewhere.

Bourne is on the national level and above for the state in recycling.

 

Another question was raised on recycling number 5 & 6 plastics.  Mr. Goins said there is no market for it.  Recycling markets for 1 & 2 are well established. 

 

1 & 2 plastics represent about 95% of the waste stream of plastic and 3 –7 are the other 5%. 

 

Chm. Zuern asked if were possible to store the plastic.  Mr. Goddard said it is expense, with fuel costs, pickup and storage. 

 

Hal DeWaltoff, Chm. Of the Finance Committee said they need to talk about how much more revenue they want to generate, how much longer they want to keep the landfill open, what are the capital needs, etc.   

 

TA Guerino said this was the last of three workshops to bring people up to speed on where they’ve been and where we are today.  TA Guerino thought it was the intent of the Selectmen to now put together another ISWM guidance group to look at the market trends, capital needs, alternative uses of the waste to increase the life of the landfill, maintain the revenue stream and divert the waste another way. 

 

There was discussion on why the Town was still accepting gypsum wallboard, the odor (gypsum board) and setting a policy.  Mr. Goins said they have been working on trying to get it out of the waste stream.  It has been a difficult issue with haulers sneaking some in under the MSW.  They are now working on a pilot program where they are collecting the wallboard putting it into a container and taking it off site.

 

The last of the gas extraction wells were installed in a capped portion of the landfill.  Piping is also being put in the “active” area to help control the odor issue. 

 

 

Licenses/Permits

Dunkin Donuts 

TA Guerino said that many of the Burger King’s on the Cape will be changed to Dunkin Donuts.  The Dunkin Donuts now located at the Ocean State Job Lot building will close when the lease expires.  The proposed new location will be include a drive-thru.  All requirements have been met. 

 

Selectman Mealy made a MOTION, SECONDED by Selectman Sloniecki to approve the request for a Common Victualer License.  UNANIMOUS VOTE

 

 

Liquor License transfer Bay State Liquor Mart was opened at 7:15 p.m.   Selectman Conron made MOTION, SECONDED by Selectman Sloniecki to recess the hearing until 8:45 p.m.  UNANIMOUS VOTE  

 

Selectman Mealy made a MOTION, SECONDED by Selectman Harrington to reconvene the liquor hearing at 8:45 p.m.  UNANIMOUS VOTE

 

Chm. Zuern read the legal notice that appeared in the newspaper transfer ownership of the Package Store from SoGood Enterprises, Inc. to FPJ Enterprises, Inc., d/;b/a Bay State Liquor Mart, Phyllis W. Jones, Mgr., 4 Barlow’s Landing Road, Pocasset, MA 02559 with a pledge of the license, inventory and all assets to Cape Cod Five Cent Savings Bank.

 

The Jones’ plan on running the business as the previous owner did.  It will be a family run business run by the wife, husband and 2 daughters.  A family member will be present at all times. 

 

Some of the staff currently working at the establishment will remain employed by them.  They have taken the Alcohol Awareness Course and they intend on purchasing a scanner for identification purposes.

 

The Routing Slip is complete and CORI was received.  Selectman Sloniecki made a MOTION, SECONDED by Selectman Mealy to approve the transfer as presented.  UNANIMOUS VOTE

 

 

 

Review Special Town Meeting Warrant 

 

The Board previously reviewed Articles 2, 4, 5 & 6. 

 

The previous vote taken by the Board was to accept the warrant as presented. 

 

There was discussion on Article 4 sponsored by the Board of Selectmen regarding Meeting of Minutes of Boards, Commissions and Committees. 

 

Selectman Mealy hoped that in future town meetings, the Board would have an opportunity to review and make recommendations just as the Finance Committee does.  Selectman Mealy made a MOTION, SECONDED by Selectman Conron to indefinitely postpone the Article.

 

Selectman Mealy went on to say the “intent” was admirable, but would like to see if they could do it, based on education, with the Boards and that if they are still not seeing compliance to take the next step.  He said he hates to pass rules and regulations if they can be done without them.

 

Selectman Zuern said that in a conversation with Town Counsel he recommended that the Board put it on the Warrant and have the Town Meeting vote on it and that it should be a bylaw of the Town. 

 

Selectman Sloniecki said it may not seem important in the big picture, but he thought it was important and down the road it will not amount to a lot of work after the Committee’s get used to it.  He didn’t feel that having the Executive Session minutes available was too much to ask and saw nothing wrong with the Article and was in support of it. 

 

Selectman Zuern said one of her main reasons for the Article was because the Executive Session minutes on the CanalSide Task Force Committee were not available. 

 

Selectman Conron said at the next CanalSide meeting, the minutes of the Executive Session were approved and then voted to encumber them because of the ongoing nature of the land and what the developer was going to do.  She went on to say that every member had a copy of the minutes and could not have been changed.

 

Lucia Fulco spoke on the process used in Barnstable for filing Executive Minutes.

 

Selectmen Harrington felt that the Town Clerk should keep a closer watch over the filing of Executive Session minutes in his office and if there is a problem to let the Board know.

 

There was a lengthy discussion on the proposed article and whether they should support the article.

 

On Selectman Mealy’s MOTION, and SECONDED by Selectman Conron it was VOTED 3 –2 (Selectmen Sloniecki and Zuern voted NO) to indefinitely postponed Article 4.

 

Article 6.   TA Guerino said there was an issue with the CanalSide Article as presented and with the assistance of Town Counsel, Moderator and Chm. Of the CanalSide Task Force an article was drafted in the proper format and would accomplish what the Task Force was looking for in the Article.  The Article is a Resolution and non-binding. 

 

There was a spot open for the Article with the understanding that once the wording came back from Town Counsel, it would be inserted as approved by Town Counsel and agreed to by the CanalSide Task Force.

 

Chm. Zuern said the wording was different than what was originally presented and asked if they wanted to take a stand on the Article.

 

There was further discussion on the wording and intent of the Article.

 

Charlie Miller felt the only way to obtain a true consensus of this project is through a ballot vote. 

 

Selectman Mealy made a MOTION, SECONDED by Selectman Harrington to endorse Article 6.  SO VOTED (Selectman Zuern opposed).

 

Sign Special Town Meeting Warrant for October 16th

Selectman Mealy made a MOTION, SECONDED by Selectman Harrington to accept the Warrant for October 16, 2006 as presented.  UNANIMOUS VOTE

 

Jill Delkamp expressed her displeasure with the expense of having to hold a separate town meeting.

 

TA Guerino explained the reason for the STM.  The Warrant Article for October 4th was based on a bond counsel approval of the ballot question.  The Moderator said the Article did not provide for an appropriation.  It provided for an exemption from proposition 2 ½ without the words “by appropriating”.   A meeting was held and bond counsel concurred that we needed to add “appropriate” in the article as well as the motion and that to alleviate a challenge to the vote.   It would be more appropriate and legal to repost the meeting for 2 weeks with the appropriate the wording to alleviate any possibility of a challenge to the vote.  Had this been communicated to the Moderator a few days earlier, there would have been time to change the article to meet the 14 day posting of the Warrant. 

 

Selectman Mealy said that they need to look at, review and make recommendations themselves and meet with the Finance Committee and Moderator to eliminate this problem in the future.

 

TA Guerino said from now on every draft article and intent will be passed on to the Moderator and will be setting up meetings with the individuals involved in Town Meetings process again.

 

Town Administrator Report  

TA Guerino reported on the temporary repair at Monument Beach on the seawall.

 

They are moving on a grant to MEMA relative to moving the Police & Fire Stations out of the Flood Velocity Zone. 

 

TA Guerino recommended that appointment of Linda Ann Marzelli to the position of Director of Finance after a statewide/national and local search.   The Search Committee (Finance Committee Chm., Hal DeWaltoff, Yarmouth Town Administrator Bob Lawton and himself) reviewed 20 resumes and after conducting interviews unanimously recommended Ms. Marzelli to the Board for their approval.

 

Town Administrator Guerino thanked Hal DeWaltoff and Bob Lawton for the work they did.

 

Selectman Mealy made a MOTION, SECONDED by Selectman Conron to accept the recommendation of the Town Administrator to appoint Linda Ann Marzelli as Finance Director for the Town of Bourne.  UNANIMOUS VOTE

 

Selectman Sloniecki made a MOTION, SECONDED by Selectman Mealy to waive the 15-day waiting period.  UNANIMOUS VOTE

 

Selectmen’s Reports    

Selectman Conron ran down the October 10th agenda; goals, snow plowing policy with Town Counsel, affordable housing, LCP group & update on the ISWM Working Group. 

She asked if her policy on snow plowing would be adopted after the meeting? 

 

She suggested that the Town Administrator and Finance Director bring the Worker’s Compensation proposal to the Finance Committee for discussion.

 

TA Guerino said that in addition, Selectman Harrington’s request on how Policy’s are done and the LCP.

 

Selectman Mealy reminded citizens that the Buzzards Bay Village Association is holding its annual meeting on October 11, 2006 at the Beachmoor starting at 5:00 p.m. and is open to the public.

 

Selectman Zuern noted that a Senior Management Board Meeting on Wednesday, September 27th at 6:30 p.m. at the Best Western in Bourne.

 

Selectmen Sloniecki and Harrington – no reports.

 

Other Selectmen Business  

Selectman Conron congratulated and thanked Marie Oliva on the successful Scallop Festival and the Bourne Financial Development Corporation for their annual meeting.

 

 

Selectman Sloniecki made a MOTION, SECONDED by Selectman Mealy to adjourn at 10:30 p.m.  UNANIMOUS VOTE