Board of Selectmen’s Meeting
August 20, 2007
A meeting of the Board of
Selectmen was called to order by Chairman William Audette at 6:00 PM, Northbridge Town
Hall, 7 Main Street, Whitinsville, MA. Present:
Messrs. Montecalvo, Marzec and Ampagoomian. Also
present: Theodore D. Kozak Town Manager.
Executive Session. A motion/Mr. Montecalvo,
seconded/Mr. Ampagoomian to go into Executive Session under M.G.L. Chapter 39,
S. 23B #3 (Litigation) and (Negotiations) and to reconvene in open session. Roll
Call Vote: Mr. Marzec/Yes, Mr. Montecalvo/Yes, Mr. Ampagoomian/Yes, and Mr.
Audette/Yes. Selectman Davis was absent and is duly noted.
Open Session Adjourned: 6:01
PM
Executive Session Convened: 6:02 PM
*Selectman Davis
arrived at 6:04 P.M.
Executive Session Adjourned: 7:05 PM
Open Session Reconvened: 7:06 PM
The Pledge of Allegiance was recited by those present.
Public Hearing. 7:05 PM Steve Tran d/b/a North Main
Variety/1) Application for Change of
Location from 205
North Main Street, Whitinsville, to 206 North Main Street, Whitinsville; 2) Application for Change of DBA from North Main Variety to 1Quikstop. Chairman
Audette read the public hearing notice aloud.
A motion/Mr. Marzec, seconded/Mr. Montecalvo to open the public hearing. Present: Attorney Kevin Quinlan, Lane &
Hammer and Steve Tran, Owner. Attorney
Quinlan announced that due to an earlier discussion, with Sharon Susienka from
the Town Manager’s Office, Mr. Steve Tran would need to go before the Board of
Health and Safety Committee before the Board of Selectmen could approve the
change in location. A motion/Mr. Davis, seconded/Mr. Montecalvo to continue the public
hearing on September 24, 2007 after Mr. Tran has had time to meet with the other
boards to go over some concerns/issues. Vote yes/Unanimous.
Approval of Minutes.
July 9, 2007
Selectman
Ampagoomian asked that the minutes be amended as follows: In the section titled Appointments/Cable Advisory
Committee, Amendment #1 [Paragraph 3, Line 25], insert the following language: “Selectman
Davis also questioned Mr. Berkowitz on his TV show “3 on 11” and not airing the
tape developed by Sal D’Amato for the Election bid”. Amendment #2 [Paragraph 3, Line 30], insert
the following language: “and further stated that Selectman Davis should
separate his issues in respect to the cable advisory committee versus the cable
shows”. Amendment #3 [Paragraph 3, Line
41], insert the following language: “He mentioned that the Board of Selectmen
should not have reappointed the Conservation Commission position for they to
had an applicant applying for a position”.
A motion/Mr. Montecalvo, seconded/Mr. Ampagoomian to approve the July 9, 2007 amended minutes as presented with the readings
omitted. Vote yes/Unanimous.
July 23, 2007
Selectman
Ampagoomian suggested the minutes be amended by adding the following verbiage, Paragraph
12 [Funding Full Day Kindergarten], Line 14; add the following sentence “He
also stated that the Town Manager should not have gone before the School
Committee about this issue without the full consent of the Selectmen. Selectman
Davis further amended it as follows: “Selectman Davis
stated that Mr. Kozak appeared before the School Committee at his request”. A motion/Mr. Davis, seconded/Mr. Marzec to approve the July 23, 2007 minutes as amended with the readings omitted. Vote
yes/Unanimous.
Citizens’ Comments/Input. Representative
George Peterson, Jr. appeared before the Board of Selectmen to see if they had
any concerns or questions he could answer.
With that said, he mentioned there hasn’t been much activity going on at
the State House, however after Labor Day things would be picking up. Chairman Audette asked Representative
Peterson about a letter that the Board of Selectmen/Town Manager received by the
Group Insurance Commission and is wondering why cities and towns are only
having a couple months to deal with this situation. Representative Peterson responded that the
Governor just signed the bill a couple weeks ago and there would be
informational meetings scheduled within the next few weeks to discuss the bill. Selectman Montecalvo asked if the vetoes
would be taken up again. Representative
Peterson mentioned the veto overrides would be taken up again after Labor Day. He further stated that Selectman Montecalvo could
contact the Speakers office or the Chairman of Ways and Means, Representative
Bob DeLeo, because they make the primary decision on what veto’s are being
taken up. Selectman Davis inquired about a letter received from Mass Highway on the bridge project [Mumford River].
Representative Peterson mentioned that the plan was not accepted by the
State but the bridge replacement program has reviewed it however, the program would
not allow them to use the Building, Planning and Construction Committees
plan. Selectman Marzec mentioned that a
number of citizens in town are expressing concerns on the conditions of our
roads and asked if he could assist the town in anyway. Representative Peterson asked that the town
submit specific roads and projects to him and he will look into moving them up
on the list. He then mentioned
contacting our representative on the Central Mass Regional Planning Committee [Richard
Sasseville, DPW Director]. Mr.
Sasseville spoke up, informed Representative Peterson that he is the contact,
and asked if he could help move the Sutton Street project along.
The original bid/design work was higher than expected so Mass Highway was going to talk with the engineer and firm to
renegotiate a price. Chairman
Ampagoomian thanked Representative Peterson for attending the Armenian Church
Picnic. With that said, he mentioned if
the Governor decides to mandate full day kindergarten he hopes the State will
also pay for it.
Joseph Baldwin/Request to use the Rockdale Common for
his wedding on August 25,
2007 from 10 AM to 11 AM. A motion/Mr. Ampagoomian,
seconded/Mr. Davis to approve Joseph Baldwin’s request to use the Rockdale
Common for his wedding on August 25, 2007 from 10 AM
to 11 AM. Vote
yes/Unanimous.
Northbridge Fire Department/Requests permission to
conduct a “Fill the Boot” drive for Muscular Dystrophy Association on Saturday, August 25, 2007 from 9 AM to 12
PM, at Memorial
Square.
A motion/Mr. Davis,
seconded/Mr. Ampagoomian subject to the Town’s Boot Drive policy. Vote
yes/Unanimous.
Forsythe Farm Road [Quaker
Ridge Development]/Vote intent to lay out Forsythe
Farm Road as a public way. A
motion/Mr. Ampagoomian, seconded/Mr. Davis to lay out Forsythe Farm Road as a public way and notify the planning board of this
vote. Vote yes/Unanimous.
Rosemary Scrivens [Central
Mass. Metropolitan Planning Organization]/Vote to appoint
Second Delegate and Alternate. Ms. Rosemary Scrivens mentioned she was
present to discuss a new advisory committee that is being formed for the
Central Mass. Metropolitan Planning Organization. She mentioned they are looking for an array
of experts to join this committee and have limited the amount of people to 20.
These folks will be making recommendations/decisions on how the federal dollars
that come to the region for transportation will be spent (Transportation
Improvement Program).
Sealer of Weights & Measures [Lou Sakin]/Vote to
approve fees. Present:
Lou Sakin. Town Manager Kozak
mentioned Mr. Sakin has reviewed our current fee structure and noted that they
have not changed in 4 to 5 years. With
that said, Mr. Sakin made some suggestions/recommendations and they were placed
in the Selectmen’s packets for their review.
After a brief question and answer period, a motion/Mr. Davis, seconded/Mr. Montecalvo to approve the fee schedule
as presented by Mr. Lou Sakin as of September 1, 2007. Vote yes/Unanimous.
Fall Annual Town Meeting –
DRAFT #1 [October 23,
2007]/Vote to place articles 1-6 on warrant. A motion/Mr. Davis, seconded/Mr. Marzec to place articles 1-6 on the
Fall Annual Town Meeting Warrant. Vote yes/Unanimous. The Chairman of the Finance Committee, Mary Frances Powers asked that the articles be read aloud so that the committees
and residents of Northbridge know what is being placed on the warrant. Chairman
Audette read aloud each article. Town
Manager mentioned the agenda was incorrect and the Board should vote on placing
articles 1-7 on the warrant. A
motion/Mr. Davis, seconded/Mr. Marzec to amend Draft #1 and place
articles 1-7 on the Fall Annual Town Meeting Warrant. After a brief discussion about the articles,
the Board of Selectmen decided to hold a Special Meeting on September 5, 2007 @ 6 PM
to discuss further and then they will vote to place articles 1-7 on the
warrant.
Klocek Property/Donation of land to Town [Present:
Attorney Michael Zinni]. Attorney Zinni presented the Board of
Selectmen with a plan design on a parcel of land that his client Mr. Klocek
would like to donate to the town for use of the public. The approximate size of
the property is 2 to 3 acres. Town
Manager Kozak mentioned that Mr. Klocek should contact the Conservation
Committee and Planning Board to make them apprised of what’s going on and
eventually it will have to be placed on a warrant for town meeting.
China Pacific Restaurant/Return of Liquor License.
Present: Chief Warchol and Manager of the China Pacific,
Mr. Lee. Chief Warchol advised the Board of Selectmen that
he met with Mr. Lee last Wednesday, August 15, 2007, and noted, that Mr. Lee complied with the conditions
that were set forth by the Board of Selectmen.
Selectman Montecalvo mentioned to Mr. Lee that if this happens again his
liquor license would most likely be revoked for good. Mr. Lee understands and further mentioned
that he has fired the two bartenders and would be handling the bar area himself.
Announcements by Richard Sasseville, Director of
Public Works. DPW Director, Richard Sasseville discussed three items: 1) Department of Public Works will be
sponsoring a Household Hazardous Waste Collection on Saturday, September 8th
from 9 AM to 1 PM
at the High School parking lot [Linwood Avenue]; 2) Acknowledged a gift received by Georgette Bishop
to the Department of Public Works for the purchase of tools. Mr. Sasseville then mentioned that the Board
of Selectmen would need to vote to accept the donation by Georgette
Bishop. A motion/Mr. Montecalvo,
seconded/Mr. Davis to accept the cash donation to purchase tools for the
Department of Public Works. Vote
yes/Unanimous. 3) National Security Act
of 1947, on September 17, 2007, the United States Air Force will celebrate their 60th
Anniversary. In recognition of that, Mr.
Sasseville presented the Town of Northbridge with a plaque [Flag of the United
States Air Force] to be displayed at the Veteran’s Hall on Hill Street and the
United States Air Force flag. With that
said, he requested for the month of September, the flag of the United States
Air Force be flown below the Prisoner Of War flag on the flag pole at the Town
Hall. A motion/Mr. Davis, seconded/Mr.
Ampagoomian to accept the gifts from Mr. Sasseville. Vote yes/Unanimous.
Town Manager Kozak 1) Town Manager Kozak provided an update on the School fields
to the Board of Selectmen. The school
fields have been cut and look good. Town
Manager Kozak spoke to Don Bunker at the Whitinsville Water Company to see if
they would donate some water to irrigate the fields. Mr. Bunker will send a representative from
his company to meet with someone at the School Department with respect to the use
of their sprinkler system. With that said, the prisoner’s from the Sheriff’s
Department will be coming out to work on the fields from August 21st
through August 24th. 2) Met with the Senior Center to see how they were doing and mentioned things are
going well pending their low funding. That
said, if anyone would like to help volunteer please contact the senior center
as they are always looking for help. 3) Met with the Building, Planning and
Construction Committee to discuss projects they are working on. Town Manager Kozak mentioned the BPCC are
working on the school field specifications, Plummer’s Corner, Skate Park and still looking at the sites for the DPW and Fire
Station.
Selectmen’s Concerns.
Selectman Ampagoomian 1) inquired
if a letter went out to Mr. David
DerMugrditchian thanking him for building the bulletin board for the
town. 2) received a phone call
regarding the Aldrich School system and asked if the tuition was returned back to
the parents since the full day kindergarten failed. 3)
update on the Management Letter from Powers and Sullivan. 4) send a “Thank You” letter to Georgette Bishop thanking her for
her contribution to the DPW. 5) mentioned he received a request from
an individual asking if the DPW could cut the curb grass on North Main Street [village]. Selectman Marzec 1) suggested that Mr. David DerMugrditchian be present at a Board
of Selectmen’s meeting so the Board can formally say ‘thank you”. 2)
did the Town Manager get in touch with a woman he referred to him regarding the
purchase of fuel? Chairman Audette 1) mentioned he was at the Senior Center and Ocean State Job Lot showed up with a large pallet
of food and materials for their food bank.
He thanked Ocean State Job Lot and the Senior Center personally for doing such a great job at the Food
Bank. 2) received a letter from a resident in town asking about the Aldrich School and why the school isn’t being turned into an
Administration building.
Items for Future Agenda. 1) Articles for a new DPW and Fire
Station. 2) Goals and Objectives
meeting on September 5th @ 6 P.M.
3) Division of an override for
Municipal side and override for the School side.
Executive Session. A motion was made and seconded
to go into Executive Session under M.G.L. Chapter 39, S. 23B#3 Negotiations and
Litigation and not to reconvene in open session. Roll Call Vote: Mr. Montecalvo/Yes, Mr. Davis/Yes, Mr.
Marzec/Yes, Mr. Ampagoomian/Yes, and Mr. Audette/Yes.
Meeting adjourned: 8:30 PM
Respectfully
submitted,
Joseph
Montecalvo, Clerk
dg/