Board of Selectmen’s Meeting

[Fall Annual Town Meeting]

October 23, 2007

 

A meeting of the Board of Selectmen was called to order by Vice-Chairman James Marzec at 6:30 PM, Northbridge Middle School Auditorium, 171 Linwood Avenue, Whitinsville, MA.  Present:  Messrs. Davis, Ampagoomian, and Marzec.  Chairman William J. Audette and Selectman Joseph J. Montecalvo were absent and it is duly noted.

 

Also present:  Theodore D. Kozak, Town Manager, and Sharon Susienka, Asst. to the Town Manager. 

 

Town Manager Kozak advised the Board that free cash was certified today in the amount of $1,200,000.  He said that a large part of it was made up of the $366,000 from the high school fields settlement and the approximate $640,000 held back from last year's Health Insurance deficit.

 

Selectman Davis suggested that the Town Manager say a few words to town meeting voters about the town's current financial situation.  Mr. Kozak remarked that he already informed the Town Moderator that he wished to say a few words this evening.

 

Fall Annual Town Meeting Warrant Articles/Revote positions on Articles 7, 8, and 9.

Article 7:  Town Hall security system and funding for ADA accessible doors at main entrance.

Mr. Kozak informed the Board that he contacted Ms. Jennifer Dulmaine, Community Development Program Manager, about any possible grant programs that may be available for doing the ADA and security work at Town Hall but that nothing was available for this type of work.  Selectman Ampagoomian stated that he was originally against this article; however, since free cash was certified at $1.2 million and there being such a small amount needed for this work, he had since changed his mind.   That said, a motion/Mr. Davis, seconded/Mr. Marzec to support Article 7.  Vote yes/Messrs. Davis, Marzec, and Ampagoomian.

 

Town Manager Kozak then read the Selectmen the opening statement he prepared to read to town meeting voters this evening.  Selectman Davis commented that it was good.

 

Article 8:  Acceptance of MGL c. 129, §15 changing appointing authority of Animal Inspector from Town Manager to Board of Health.  Discussed the appointment of the Animal Inspector.  Selectman Ampagoomian advised that he was against giving the Board of Health the authority to appoint the Animal Inspector noting that they do not have the authority to sign contracts.  Mr. Marzec stated that he thought it was a 1099 position and not a contracted position.  After discussion, the Board recommended asking the Board of Health to pass over this article.  A motion/Mr. Davis, seconded/Mr. Marzec not to support Article 8.  Vote yes/Messrs. Davis, Marzec, and Ampagoomian.

 

Article 9:  Update Town bylaw in accordance with Article 8.  For the record, the Board noted that if

Article 8 did not pass that Article 9 was not needed.  They also discussed upholding their original vote of

"No Position" on Article 9.  That said, a motion/Mr. Marzec, seconded/Mr. Davis to vote "No Position"

on Article 9.  Vote yes/Messrs. Marzec, Davis, and Ampagoomian.        

  

Selectmen's Meeting [October 29, 2007]/Vote to cancel.  Mr. Kozak asked the Board if they were in favor of cancelling next Monday's meeting.  He advised that there really was no business to conduct plus the fact that it would mean four consecutive weeks of Selectmen's meetings.  Therefore, a motion/Mr. Marzec, seconded/Mr. Davis to cancel the October 29, 2007 Board of Selectmen's meeting.  Vote yes/Messrs. Marzec, Davis, and Ampagoomian.

 

School Committee Vacancies [Joint Appointments].  Because this matter will be taken up at the next Selectmen's meeting on November 5th and because the last interview process was so lengthy, Selectman Davis suggested a different format by which to conduct the interviews.  * Selectman Ampagoomian voiced his disagreement with Selectman Davis’ recommendation on how to conduct the interviews with the School Committee applicants.  He stated that he would like to ask his own questions and any follow-up questions he felt were appropriate.  [Selectman Davis had suggested the following process--Candidates would be seated at the Selectmen's desks; The two chairmen would do the questioning from the table in front of the candidates; Allow each candidate a one-minute opening statement; To have five main questions (Chairs would solicit board members for a list of questions); In no particular order, ask each candidate one of the questions and allow all others to respond if they so choose; Limit the initial answer to approx. two minutes and each response to one minute.  Allow each candidate a one-minute closing statement; Accept nominations from the two boards with each vacancy to be voted on separately.]  Vice Chairman Marzec also recommended that the Chairpersons of the Board of Selectmen and School Committee get together to discuss and come up with a list of questions and suggested that the Town Manager send an email to both Chairpersons requesting a list of questions to ask the candidates.    

 

There being no further business at this time, a motion/Mr. Davis, seconded/Mr. Ampagoomian to adjourn the Board of Selectmen's meeting at the same time the Town Moderator adjourns Town Meeting.

 

Meeting adjourned:  9:55 PM

 

                                                                                    Respectfully submitted,

 

 

 

                                                                                    James R. Marzec, Vice-Chairman

 

s/

 

*At their meeting of November 5, 2007, the Board voted unanimously to amend these minutes as follows:  Under the heading entitled School Committee Vacancies, he would like the following comments added:  Selectman Ampagoomian voiced his disagreement with Selectman Davis’ recommendation on how to conduct the interviews with the School Committee applicants.  He stated that he would like to ask his own questions and any follow-up questions he felt were appropriate.  [Selectman Davis had recommended the following process--Candidates would be seated at the Selectmen's desks; The two chairmen would do the questioning from the table in front of the candidates; Allow each candidate a one-minute opening statement; To have five main questions (Chairs would solicit board members for a list of questions); In no particular order, ask each candidate one of the questions and allow all others to respond if they so choose; Limit the initial answer to approx. two minutes and each response to one minute.  Allow each candidate a one-minute closing statement; Accept nominations from the two boards with each vacancy to be voted on separately.]