Board of Selectmen’s Meeting
June 19, 2006
A meeting of the Board of
Selectmen was called to order by Chairman Charles Ampagoomian at 7:00 PM,
Northbridge Town Hall, 7 Main Street, Whitinsville, MA. Present: Messrs. Audette, Davis, and Marzec. Chairman Ampagoomian noted that Selectman
Montecalvo would be present later in the meeting.
The Pledge of Allegiance was recited by those present.
Approval of Minutes.
A motion/Mr. Davis, seconded/Mr. Audette to approve
the June 5, 2006 minutes as presented with the readings omitted. Vote
yes/Messrs. Davis, Audette, Marzec, and Ampagoomian
July 25, 2005 [Executive Session]
A motion/Mr. Davis, seconded/Mr. Audette to approve
the July 25, 2005 amended Executive Session minutes as presented with the
readings omitted. Vote yes/Messrs. Davis, Audette, and Ampagoomian.
Abstain/Messr. Marzec
September 26, 2005 [Executive Session]
A motion/Mr. Davis, seconded/Mr. Audette to approve the September 26, 2005 amended Executive Session minutes as presented with the readings omitted. Vote yes/Messrs. Davis, Audette, and Ampagoomian. Abstain/Messr. Marzec
Annual Appointments/By the Town Manager. A motion/Mr.
Audette, seconded/Mr. Marzec to affirm the FY 06 annual reappointments by the
Town Manager [as indicated on the list provided in the agenda packets]. Vote yes/Messrs. Marzec, Davis, Audette, and
Ampagoomian.
Selectman Davis asked if
all individuals that submitted a Talent Bank application had been
contacted. Town Manager Coughlin
explained that it would be up to the Board of Selectmen to decide whether or
not they should interview [at the next Board of Selectmen’s Meeting, July 10,
2006] for the 2 vacant Board of Health positions. The Board agreed that they would interview
for the 2 vacant positions. Selectman
Davis asked that Town Manager Coughlin present the names of the individuals
interested in the Board of Health vacancies to the Board of Selectmen for
review and consideration.
Revised Agenda Outline/Vote to
move Citizens’ Comments/Input after Decisions.
Chairman Ampagoomian clarified that the motion was
to place the Citizens’ Comments/Input category on the agenda following
Decisions [not before the Decisions]. That said, a motion/Mr. Marzec, seconded/Mr.
Davis to revise the order of business on the Selectmen's agenda by moving
Citizen’s Comments/Input after Appointments but before Decisions. Vote yes/Messrs. Davis, Marzec, and Audette. Vote no/Mr. Ampagoomian.
Chairman
Ampagoomian asked that the record show that Selectman Montecalvo joined the
Board of Selectmen’s meeting.
FY ’07 Water and
Sewer Rates. Present: Richard Sasseville, DPW Director. Mr. Sasseville gave a PowerPoint presentation
on the current water and sewer rates and provided his recommendations for FY
’07 water and sewer utility rates. With
respect to the FY ’07 water rates, Mr. Sasseville recommended no change. As far as the FY ’07 sewer rates, he
recommended a 10% rate increase over FY ’06 rates. Based on Mr. Sasseville’s
presentation the following motions were offered; Water Rates: A motion/Mr. Davis, seconded/Mr. Marzec to set the FY ’07
water rates as recommended by the DPW Director [no increase] with the
understanding that if and when the Whitinsville Water Company increased their
rates that the Town would revisit this issue.
Vote yes/Unanimous. Sewer Rates:
A
motion/Mr. Davis, seconded/Mr. Marzec to increase the FY ’07 sewer rates by 10%
as recommended by the DPW Director. Vote
yes/Unanimous.
WATER
SYSTEM
SCHEDULE
OF RATES FOR WATER SERVICES
Effective
Date: July 1, 20012006
RATES
FOR METERED SERVICE
QUARTERLY METER RATES
Subject to the minimum quarterly charges as
specified below, the meter rates for water sold quarterly will be:
Per
Hundred
Cubic
Feet
For the next 14,000 cubic
feet per quarter 2.786
For all in excess of
15,000 cubic feet per quarter 1.3011.561
SCHEDULE
OF RATES FOR WATER SERVICES
EFFECTIVE
DATE: JULY 1, 2006
Minimum Quarterly Charge Per Meter:
Size of Meter Water
Allowance Minimum
Charge
(Inches) (Cubic
Feet) Per Quarter
5/8 1,000 $ 28.90
¾ 2,200 55.37
1 3,600 86.26
1-1/4 4,500 106.11
1-1/2 7,000 161.26
2 11,500 260.53
3 27,800 510.67618.75
4 50,000 810.59965.29
6 110,000 1,621.191,901.89
8 180,000 2,566.892,994.59
10 265,000 3,715.244,321.44
Each meter shall be billed in accordance with the
above rate schedule. Whenever a customer
is served by more than one connection to the Town’s mains, the consumption as
shown on the meter on each service connection will not be added together under
one billing, but will be billed separately in accordance with the above rate
schedule.
MINIMUM
CHARGE FOR SHUTTING OFF OR TURNING ON WATER SERVICE
$25.00
RATES FOR PRIVATE FIRE SERVICES
AVAILABILITY
These rates are available to customers of the
Northbridge Water System for Private Fire Service. For purposes of this rate, the term fire
protection valve shall mean and include either:
a) any gate valve attached to any
pipe that has the purpose of delivering water to one or more sprinkler heads;
and/or any post indicator valve.
RATES Per
Quarter
A
connection fee for a new service connection to Residential, Commercial or
Industrial premises will be charged by the Northbridge Water System at the time
application is made for service, as follows:
Meter
Size Fee
The
connection fee for a new service connection for an existing residential premise
occupied prior to July 1, 1997 is $150.00.
SCHEDULE
OF RATES FOR WATER SERVICES TO MUNICIPAL OR DISTRICT WATER SYSTEMS
Effective
Date: July 1, 20012006
RATES
FOR METERED SERVICE
This rate schedule is applicable to the sale of
water by the Northbridge Water System to other municipal, public or private
water systems located outside the limits of the Town of Northbridge.
Subject
to the minimum monthly charges specified below, the meter rates for water sold
monthly will be:
Per
Hundred
Cubic
Feet
Minimum
monthly charge per meter:
The minimum monthly charge per meter shall be
$139.30 which will include an allowance of 5,000 cubic feet of water per
month. This minimum shall apply
regardless of the size of the meter.
Each meter shall be billed monthly in accordance
with the above rate schedule. Whenever a
customer is served by more than one connection to the Town’s mains, the
consumption as shown by the meters on each service connection will not be added
together under one billing, but each meter will be billed separately in accordance
with the above rate schedule.
SEWER
SYSTEM
SCHEDULE
OF RATES FOR SEWER SERVICES
QUARTERLY
BILLING CYCLE
Effective
Date: July 1, 2006
QUARTERLY RATES
For each additional 100
cubic feet thereafter 3.79
For residential customers
only, the rate for each additional 100 cubic feet used in excess of 4,000 cubic
feet shall be reduced by 25-percent to 2.84
Each sewer service shall be billed in accordance
with the above rate schedule. Quarterly
usage shall be determined using 100-percent of the quarterly metered water
consumption figure to arrive at sewer usage.
A connection fee for a new service connection to
Residential, Commercial or Industrial premises will be charged by the
Northbridge Sewer System at the time application is made for service, as
follows:
Type of Connection Fee
The term “fixture” as used above is defined as: water closets, urinals,
lavatories, service sinks, laundry sinks, washing machines, dishwashers,
garbage disposal units, etc.
The term “existing residence” as
used above is defined as one that was occupied prior to July 1, 1997.
Whenever a commercial or industrial premise is served by more than one connection to the Town’s mains, the connection fee schedule above shall apply to each connection. The total number of fixtures will not be added together to determine the connection fee.
Ms.
Kristoff mentioned that Eastern Bank was awarded the bid since they came in at
the lowest rate of 3.844%. A motion/Mr.
Davis, seconded/Mr. Audette to authorize the Board of Selectmen to sign the
above bond anticipation notes for the purposes and amounts stated. Vote yes/Unanimous.
Policy
Regarding Selectmen’s Concerns. Chairman
Ampagoomian mentioned there was no policy at this point in time regarding
Selectmen’s Concerns, and he would like Board members to submit their ideas to
him in writing. The Board
concurred. Chairman Ampagoomian stated
that this would be put under “decisions” at the next Board of Selectmen’s
meeting.
Update
on the 4-Town Committee. Present: Paula
Brouillette, Douglas Board of Selectmen, advised that the objective of the 4-Town
Committee [Douglas, Sutton, Northbridge, and Uxbridge] was to standardize
zoning among the four Towns. She stated
that the group recently hired a consultant to help decide the best use of land
along Route 146. She also noted that
Gary Bechtholdt has been excellent to work with.
Selectmen’s
Concerns. Selectman Audette/1) mentioned he spoke to Mary
Frances Powers, Chairman of the Finance Committee, and she suggested that a
meeting be set up with the School Committee, Town Manager, Superintendent and
Finance Committee to discuss the budget. In response to Selectman Audette’s
concern, the Town Manager recommended that he, Superintendent Soojian, and the
Chairman of the Finance Committee meet initially to discuss the magnitude of
the Town’s financial situation. 2) he also pointed out that a rumor was going around
about there being another override vote. Selectman Marzec/1) indicated that a number of
citizens had contacted him regarding the override vote and mentioned the lack
of information given to individuals in the town. A suggestion was made that the Town Manager
and Board of Selectmen publicize such events better. 2) inquired about the Sutton
Street sewer reconstruction project and when the project would begin. 3) Union Street issues. Selectman Davis/ 1) mentioned the submission
of the USDA packet for the roofs; 2) Weinberg letter be placed on the agenda for the
next meeting under discussions and that the Town Manager present a report on
where in either State law or the policy manual he was allowed to keep a letter
from members of the Board of Selectmen.
Town Manager’s
Report. Town Manager Coughlin advised that the Town’s
deficit currently stands at 1.4M. He
also noted that the School Department would take responsibility for $400,000 of
the deficit.
Items For Future
Agenda. July 10, 2006
I. Appointments: 1)
Building, Planning & Construction Committee
2) Town Attorney
3) Board of Health
4) Independent Auditors
A motion made and seconded to
adjourn the meeting. Vote yes/Unanimous.
Respectfully
submitted,
James
Marzec, Clerk
dg/