Board of Selectmen

 August 25, 2008

 

 

A meeting of the Board of Selectmen was called to order by Chairman Joseph Montecalvo at 7:00 PM, Northbridge Town Hall, 7 Main Street, Whitinsville, MA.  Present:  Messrs. Ampagoomian, Marzec, Nolan and Melia.  Also Present: Theodore D. Kozak, Town Manager. 

 

The Pledge of Allegiance was recited by those present.

 

Senator Richard Moore announced that many cities and towns in the Commonwealth are struggling with growing operating costs and sluggish economies.  He remains confident that in the spirit of cooperation, state and local governments can work together to ensure we continue to provide the high quality of services our constituents have come to expect.  Senator Moore recognizes that Local Aid is an essential part of our state budget and as in past years, he will be hosting several forums on that topic in FY 2010, and encourages everyone to attend.  He mentioned that Northbridge is currently receiving 13.28% above its target aid percentage based upon the Chapter 70 formula.  The goal of Chapter 70 formula is to ensure that every district has sufficient resources to meet its foundation budget spending level, through an equitable combination of local property taxes and state aid. The target local contribution is based on a municipality’s wealth. That said, Senator Moore provided highlights on the following areas: Health Care Costs, General Government, Transportation, Environmental Bond Bills, Local Access to Group Insurance Commission, Expansion of Child Protections, Dairy Farm Preservation, Consumer Protections for Gift Certificates, ID Theft Protection, Senate Sessions on Internet, Tax-Free Weekend, MA Highway Department Projects and the Initiative Petition to Repeal State Income Tax.

 

Appointments/By the Town Manager.  Town Manager Kozak recommended the reappointment of Mr. Wiersma [Gas & Plumbing Inspector] and Mr. Harper [Asst. Gas & Plumbing Inspector] for one-year terms.  Though one-year terms, he explained that their terms would expire on June 30, 2009, to coincide with the expiration of all other terms.  1)  Larry Wiersma, Gas & Plumbing Inspector.  A motion/Mr. Melia, seconded/Mr. Marzec to reappoint Larry Wiersma as the Gas & Plumbing Inspector until June 30, 2009.  Vote yes/Unanimous.  2) Peter Harper, Asst. Gas & Plumbing Inspector.  A motion/Mr. Melia, seconded/Mr. Marzec to reappoint Peter Harper as the Assistant Gas & Plumbing Inspector until June 30, 2009. Vote yes/Unanimous

 

Citizens’ Comments/Input.  None.

 

2008 Greenway Challenge [Charles Thompson]/Request to use a portion of town-owned property to conduct the 2008 Greenway Challenge bike ride on Saturday, September 27, 2008.  Mr. Thompson provided a brief overview of the race to the Board and gave them a map of the course indicating where it begins and ends.  He mentioned that there will be approximately 75 teams participating in the mountain bike portion of the race and that each team will send one mountain biker from Plummer’s Landing along the Blackstone Canal.   Mr. Thompson stated that they are currently designing a 6-mile route, a portion of which will cross town land near the back of the sewer beds before going into the woods and rejoining state park lands and ending at Tri-River Health Center in Uxbridge and that he was requesting permission for that.  Mr. Thompson assured the Board that a Certificate of Insurance will be provided to the town by the organization for protection. There being no further discussion, a motion/Mr. Ampagoomian, seconded/Mr. Marzec to conduct the 2008 Greenway Challenge on Saturday, September 27, 2008 and for the group to traverse a portion of town-owned property at the rear of the Town's sewer beds subject to providing a Certificate of Insurance naming the Town as an additional insured.  Vote yes/Unanimous.

 

Housing Rehabilitation Program/Request for Waiver of Lien.  A motion/Mr. Melia, seconded/Mr. Nolan to table this discussion to a later date.  Vote yes/Unanimous.

 

FY ’07 Management Letter/Present: Tim Harrison, Auditor-Borgatti Harrison & Co. and Neil Vaidya, Town Accountant.  Mr. Harrison mentioned that this was his firm’s first audit for the town and felt the audit when smoothly.  He then provided the Board of Selectmen with an overview of the results of the audit and prior year recommendations: 1) Reconciliation of the Detail Receivable Ledgers to the Collector’s Control Accounts; 2) Budgeted Estimated Revenues and Other Financing Sources; 3) Tailings; 4) Town Clerk’s Office Pre-numbered Documents; 5) Statement No. 45 of the Government Accounting Standards Board; 6) Develop a Disaster Recovery Plan; 7) Implement a Risk Assessment Program.  Continuing, Mr. Harrison then went through the current year recommendations:  1) Improve In-House Asset System; 2) Strengthen Procedures over Ambulance Accounts Receivable; 3) Obtain Formal Lease for Church Street Property.  The complete Management Letter can be found on file in the Town Manager’s Office.  On a different topic, Mr. Vaidya mentioned that Beth Desmarais, Retirement Board Administrator for Northbridge, attended a PERAC meeting at which Northbridge received an award.  The award went to the entire Northbridge Retirement Board in recognition of their exemplary operation of the system for the audit period of January 1, 2004 through December 31, 2005.  He mentioned that Northbridge is almost 85% funded which is great compared to most communities.

 

Water Meter Issue/Present: Richard Sasseville, DPW Dir. and Randy Swigor, Manager of the Whitinsville Water Company.  Mr. Randy Swigor introduced himself and provided the Board of Selectmen with a synopsis of his accomplishments and achievements.   Chairman Montecalvo explained to Mr. Swigor that several residents are looking to add a second water meter to monitor their usage of sewer vs. water.  The Town of Northbridge owns and operates a sanitary sewer system, which consists of a collection system serving approximately 70 percent of the Town’s population, businesses and a wastewater treatment plant, which processes the sewage and ultimately discharges the treated effluent to a tributary stream of the Blackstone River.  At the end of December 2007, there were 3,125 Sewer System Accounts and of these, approximately one-half or 1,566 were customers of the Whitinsville Water Company with nearly an equal number being customers of the Northbridge Water System.  Since the late 1990’s the annual operating budget for the Sewer System has grown dramatically. The total operating expense for the Sewer System in FY 99 was $431,241.08 and FY 07 was $2,025,494.09.  Residents in town are now questioning the rate structure, which charges them for sewer usage based on metered water consumption.  Their position is that water used for irrigation and other outdoor activities does not go into the sewer system and therefore should not be included in their sewer charges.  They have proposed as a remedy, the installation of “irrigation” water meters that would account for outdoor water usage and allow these uses to be deducted from their sewer charges.  That said, should the Town and the Whitinsville Water Company allow the installation of second “irrigation water meters”?  If so, the loss in sewer revenue resulting from this change would have to be made up.  While there are a number of ways to modify the current sewer rate structure to make up the difference, it is estimated that an across the board rate increase of about 7% would be required to make up the lost revenue.  The Whitinsville Water Company would concur with whatever the Town of Northbridge decides to do.  Selectman Marzec would like to know why the previous Board voted to change the process.  Both Selectman Ampagoomian and Montecalvo mentioned that after a lengthy discussion, they went with the recommendation of the DPW Director, Richard Sasseville.  Chairman Montecalvo mentioned that residents are complaining about their water and sewer bills because the sewer rates are based upon the usage of water used in a home.  The usage of water being used is outside their home, and the residents are upset they are paying for it in their sewer bill.  After a lengthy discussion, the Selectmen, DPW Director Richard Sasseville and WWC Manager Randy Swigor decided to gather more facts and information before making any decisions.

 

Responsibility for Maintenance of Sewer Service.  Present:  Richard Sasseville, DPW Director. Chairman Montecalvo mentioned that a business owner had a problem with sewer backing up into his business.  The owner contacted a company called “GEM” and had the sewer pipes cleared from the building to the end of his property.  The company then sent a camera through the line and found that a tree root infiltrated the sewer pipe from his property line to the center of the road and there was a possible misalignment of that pipe.  The company then informed the business owner that the main problem is with the sewer line on Town property.  Mr. Sasseville informed the Selectmen that the “Building Sewer” shall mean the extension from the building drain to the public sewer or other place of disposal.  That said, if there is a problem in the sewer line between a building/house and the main line, it is the responsibility of the owner of the building/house.  Chairman *Selectman Ampagoomian asked if the problem within that line was caused directly/indirectly by a town-owned tree.  Mr. Sasseville mentioned that it’s not the tree that is the cause of the problem; it's the defect in the pipe that allows the roots to enter it.  If the pipe didn’t have a defect, the roots could not get into it, regardless of who owns the tree.  Selectman Nolan inquired as to how often this type of problem occurs.  Mr. Sasseville replied that this issue occurs a couple times a year and in the past, the ownership has always been on the property owner.  Mr. Steve Asadoorian mentioned that he owns the property located at 3 Cottage Street, where the sewer has backing up into his building.  He provided the Board with a copy of the report he received from the Company that performed the work on his property.  He then went on to say that the roto-rooting is not working anymore and something needs to be done.  He doesn’t feel that it is his responsibility to fix the collapsed pipe and is appealing to the Town for assistance.  The cost to fix this is roughly $6,000.00.  Chairman Montecalvo mentioned that the Board of Selectmen would have to review the situation further and get back to him with an answer.

 

Playground & Recreation Commission:  Request to reduce number of committee members from 7 to 5.  Chairman Montecalvo stated that this topic would be deferred to the next meeting.

 

Lodging House License/Present:  Attorney Henry Lane.  Attorney Lane mentioned that he is speaking on behalf of Pegasus Holding as to who acquired the Northbridge Nursing Home.  His client is proposing to rezone the parcel of land from an R-2 zone to an R-3 zone so that they can receive a lodging house license.  The majority of the building is in the R-2 side of the line and in order to rezone it, they would need to move the R-2 zone line about 100 feet to 200 feet north.  This would allow multiple occupancies and a permit would be required from the Board of Selectmen to operate a temporary housing facility.  After their situation is resolved with the Building Department, a formal application would then need to be submitted.  Attorney Lane is asking the Board for their support in this project.  That said, the facility would be as such to attract higher end clientele such as business executives.   He also mentioned that there has been some interest from Tufts University and UMASS Medical for temporary housing needs.

 

Town Manager’s Report.  1) Fall Annual Town Meeting – reminder that the warrant articles are due on Friday, September 12th by noontime.  Town Manager Kozak mentioned that one article requires a small correction from the Spring Annual Town Meeting because we overspent free cash by $36.00.  He also mentioned that there shouldn’t be many articles for the Fall Annual Town Meeting.  2) Aldrich School Update – spoke to some companies regarding stabilizing the loose paint at the Aldrich School Building and the estimated cost is $5,000 to $10,000.  3) High School Fields & Track – both contracts have been awarded and the company will begin work within the next couple of weeks.  4) Community Standards Review Board (Cable Board) – Selectmen’s Representative – the Board of Selectmen are still looking for individuals to come forward to be on this Board. 5) informed the Board of Selectmen that he joined the International City Management Association by applying for a grant to attend their annual meeting in Virginia and received it.  That said, he will be attending their meeting on September 22nd through September 24th. 

 

Selectmen’s Concerns.  Selectman Marzec 1) mentioned that there was an incident that occurred at Look Out Rock, Quaker Street, on August 23rd, a 9-year old girl and her father were walking in the woods and the girl was hit in the head with an object.   The girl was seriously hurt and the Police Department is investigating the incident;  2) someone brought to his attention that a former plumbing and gas inspector for over 29 years “Chick Lachapelle” was never given a plaque or certificate for all his years of service to the Town. Chairman Montecalvo mentioned that a policy would need to be put in place and then everyone will receive one.  Selectman Melia 1) Asked if all departments could start producing monthly reports like the Senior Center—especially the larger departments.  Selectman Nolan 1) status of the St. Patrick’s lease; 2) Regarding a new fire facility, he requested clarification on whether there is one or two parcels of land located on Main Street.  Chairman Montecalvo mentioned that he thought it was only one but will talk to the Planning Board to be sure.  Selectman Ampagoomian 1) status on the Superintendent Search Committee;  2) marquee in front of the middle school – he would like for someone to contact the Principal of the Middle School [Mike Gauthier] and see if the board could be used for advertising all school functions; 3) follow-up with the Building, Planning and Construction Committee for cost projections on installing an elevator in the Aldrich School.

 

A motion/Mr. Marzec, seconded/Mr. Nolan to adjourn the meeting.  Vote yes/Unanimous.

 

Meeting Adjourned:  10:30 P.M.

 

                                                            Respectfully submitted,

 

 

 

                                                            Daniel Nolan, Clerk

 

dg/

 

*At their regularly scheduled meeting of October 6, 2008, the Board of Selectmen voted to amend the August 25, 2008 minutes as follows:  Under the topic Responsibility for Maintenance of Sewer Service, line 10, strike out the word "Chairman" and insert the word "Selectman".