Board of Selectmen’s Meeting

September 8, 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, Montecalvo, Marzec, Nolan and Melia. Also Present: Theodore D. Kozak, Town Manager.

The Pledge of Allegiance was recited by those present.

Approval of Minutes.

July 28, 2008

Selectman Ampagoomian requested the above minutes be amended as follows: under Cable Studio Location, Line #10, insert the following language: “Selectman Marzec should have contacted Selectman Ampagoomian at home to find out why he was not supporting Mr. Jerry Bagdasarian as a member of the Cable Committee". Selectman Ampagoomian informed Mr. Marzec that he did not call Mr. Bagdasarian at home but that he spoke to him at Walmart in Whitinsville.” A motion/Mr. Ampagoomian, seconded/Mr. Nolan to approve the July 28, 2008 minutes as amended. Vote yes/Unanimous.

August 11, 2008 [Executive Session]

A motion/Mr. Ampagoomian, seconded/Mr. Marzec to approve but not release the August 11, 2008 Executive Session minutes as presented with the readings omitted. Vote yes/Unanimous.

Citizens’ Comments/Input. Ronal Madnick, Director at American Civil Liberties Union of Massachusetts. Mr. Madnick mentioned that their lawyers are looking into new regulations regarding cable and once they make there determinations they will notify the Selectmen of their findings.

Appointments/By the Board of Selectmen. Playground & Recreation Commission [2 Vacancies]

a) Louis Bernard, Jr. b) Alicia Cannon and c) Cheryl Rocheleau. Present: Bruce Frieswick, Chairman - Playground & Recreation Commission. Chairman Montecalvo asked that each candidate provide a brief summary about themselves. Ms. Rocheleau was not present at the meeting because of a sick child. After a brief question and answer session, Chairman Montecalvo asked for nominations. A motion/Mr. Nolan, seconded/Mr. Marzec to appoint Alicia Cannon to the Playground and Recreation Commission. Vote yes/Unanimous. A motion/Mr. Ampagoomian, seconded/Mr. Melia to appoint Louis Bernard, Jr. to the Playground and Recreation Commission. Vote yes/Unanimous. Before the candidates left, Chairman Montecalvo informed them that they have to be sworn in by the Town Clerk’s office. 2) Community Standards Review Board/Selectmen's Rep. Applicants: Carrie Maynard & Anne Stefaniak. Chairman Montecalvo asked that each candidate provide a brief summary about themselves. After a brief question and answer session, Chairman Montecalvo asked for nominations. A motion/Mr. Ampagoomian, seconded/Mr. Melia to nominate Anne Stefaniak to the Community Standards Review Board. Vote yes/Messrs. Ampagoomian, Melia and Montecalvo. Vote no/Messrs. Nolan and Marzec. A motion/Mr. Nolan, seconded/Mr. Marzec to nominate Carrie Maynard to the Community Standards Review Board. Vote yes/Messrs. Nolan and Marzec. Vote no/Messrs. Ampagoomian, Melia and Montecalvo. Chairman Montecalvo informed Ms. Stefaniak that she needs to go to the Town Clerk’s office tomorrow to be sworn in.

Safety Committee Minutes [August 20, 2008]/Vote to accept recommendations.

Chairman Montecalvo provided the Board of Selectmen with a brief update on what was discussed at the August 20, 2008 Safety Committee Meeting. Items discussed were: residents leaving trash receptacles on the sidewalks, National Grid Expansion, McDonald's Redevelopment, streetlight requests, and a fire hydrant issue. A motion/Mr. Ampagoomian, seconded/Mr. Marzec to accept the recommendations of the Safety Committee. Vote yes/Messrs. Marzec, Nolan, Ampagoomian and Montecalvo. Abstain/Mr. Melia.

Sewer Service Policy. Present: Richard Sasseville, DPW Director. Mr. Sasseville mentioned that after further review of the Sewer Service policy, there is no benefit to the ratepayers to change the regulation and assume liability for an unknown number of future repairs, which have not been the responsibility of the ratepayers in the past. Selectman Marzec advised that the Board of Selectmen should really think about this before making a decision as they could be opening an assortment of problems. A motion/Mr. Melia, seconded/Mr. Ampagoomian to ask DPW Director Richard Sasseville, Sewer Superintendent Mark Kuras and Property Owner, Steve Asadorian to negotiate a shared cost for the problem with the sewer pipe located at 3 Cottage Street, Whitinsville, MA. Vote yes/Messrs. Melia, Ampagoomian and Nolan. Vote no/Messrs. Montecalvo and Marzec.

Mr. Sasseville spoke briefly about adding additional water meters. He suggested putting a notice on the sewer bills asking each sewer customer to call the phone number listed if they would be interested in adding an additional meter.

Fall Annual Town Meeting/Vote to place articles on the warrant. Chairman Montecalvo read aloud each article. Article 1. To see if the Town will vote to raise and appropriate and/or transfer from available funds the following sums of money and authorize the payment of miscellaneous prior year bills. Article 2. To see if the Town will vote to amend the vote taken under Article 6 of the 2008 Spring Session of the Annual Town Meeting (May 6, 2008), appropriations and transfers under the Omnibus Budget Article, as follows: NON-DEPARTMENTAL: Line 41: Employee Insurance Benefits; By reducing the amount previously appropriated from free cash $36.00. Line 44: Stabilization Fund; By raising and appropriating an additional sum of money $_________; or take any other action relative thereto. Article 3. To see if the Town will vote to transfer the custody and control of the Town owned property located off Driscoll Lane and shown on Assessors’ Map 24 as parcel 130 to the Board of Selectmen for the purpose of sale; to authorize the Board of Selectmen to convey such property and execute all documents and take all action necessary in connection therewith; and to authorize the Board of Selectmen to petition the General Court for any legislation necessary for such conveyance; or take any other action relative thereto. Article 4. To see if the Town will vote to transfer the custody and control of the Town owned property located off C Street and shown on Assessors’ Map 6A as parcel 136 to the Board of Selectmen for the purpose of sale; to authorize the Board of Selectmen to convey such property and execute all documents and take all action necessary in connection therewith; and to authorize the Board of Selectmen to petition the General Court for any legislation necessary for such conveyance; or take any other action relative thereto. A motion/Mr. Ampagoomian, seconded/Mr. Melia to place Articles 1 through 4 on the Fall Annual Town Warrant. Vote yes/Unanimous.

Verizon/Update [Ellen Cummings, Regional Director]. Ellen Cummings was not present at the Board of Selectmen Meeting.

National Grid [Mike Peterson]/Interstate Reliability Project. Present: Mike Peterson and Representatives from National Grid. Representatives from National Grid provided the Board of Selectmen with a fifteen-minute PowerPoint presentation addressing the Interstate Reliability Project that is going to pass through the Town of Northbridge. The project, which is a high voltage electric transmission line, will improve the reliability of power to the Blackstone Valley. The project will begin in 2009 and end sometime in 2013. Mr. Peterson mentioned that the overall project will cost over $400 million dollars once completed. That said, he mentioned that the Board of Selectmen would be invited to an open house sometime in October for further discussion on this project.

Employee/Volunteer Appreciation Policy. Chairman Montecalvo provided the Board of Selectmen with a copy of the Employee and Volunteer Appreciation Program that he and the Town Manager prepared. Town Manager Kozak suggested going back three years from now and provide a certificate or plaque to all employees/volunteers who retired from the Town. The Board of Selectmen agreed to place this item on a future agenda for decision.

Playground & Recreation Commission/Request to reduce number of committee members from 7 to 5. Present: Bruce Frieswick, Chairman of the Playground & Recreation and Committee Members: Cari-Lynn Fisher, Scott Macintosh and Francis Puda. Mr. Frieswick mentioned that he and other members on his committee would like to reduce the number of members needed on their board due to the lack of attendance at their meetings. Chairman Montecalvo mentioned that the Chairman of every Board should be keeping track of their members’ attendance. The Board of Selectmen will consider their request and then suggested to help the Playground & Recreation with maintaining a quorum if need be. At this time, Ms. Cheryl Rocheleau came forward and provided some information about herself and why she wanted to be on the Playground and Recreation Commission. The Board of Selectmen thanked her for coming forward, however, due to the Playground & Recreation appointments made earlier this evening they suggested she wait for another opening on the Board and/or apply to another committee.

Town Manager’s Report. UPDATES: 1) Winter Heating and Energy Meetings – mentioned the Commonwealth of Massachusetts would be holding a meeting in Worcester, September 9^th from 5-7 PM at Quinsigamond Community College. 2) Building, Planning & Construction Committee Update – provided an update on the fields, infiltration pond, DPW Study (interviewing 3 companies to do the study) and Aldrich School. 3) Superintendent Search Process – provided the Board of Selectmen with a schedule of focus group meetings. Everyone is welcomed to attend and express his or her views. 4) Department Head Meeting Update – discussed various topics such as: management letter, monthly reports, senior citizen tax work-off program, personnel, goals and objectives. 5) Whitinsville Water Company Bond Hearing scheduled for October 1^st in Boston. 6) State Primary [September 16, 2008] at the Northbridge High School from 7 AM to 8 PM. 7) MORE Meeting is scheduled for Thursday night, September 11^th at Union Station.

Chairman Montecalvo mentioned the next Selectmen's meeting would be September 15^th instead of September 22^nd as Town Manager Kozak will be away on September 22^nd.

Selectmen’s Concerns. Selectman Marzec 1) Updates on legal issues. 2) Asked Town Manager Kozak if has spoken to George Peterson regarding the causeway. 3) received a request regarding the lights on the Town Common during the Holiday season. 4) anyone interested in attending the Master Plan Committee, a Tentative Workshop Meeting is scheduled at Alternatives on September 30^th from 6-8 PM. Selectman Melia 1) read aloud a letter from Mary Bilodeau thanking the Northbridge Police Department, Paramedics and EMT’s for their rapid response on August 18^th. 2) Monthly Reports from Department Heads – very informative. 3) Thanked the Police Department for investigating and solving recent car break ins. Selectman Ampagoomian 1) letter from Jack Davis requesting public records. 2) letter from the Secretary of State to Jack Davis regarding Executive Session minutes (waiting to hear from Town Counsel). 3) Agenda’s should be on cable. Chairman Montecalvo 1) An ABCC Regional Seminar for Local Board’s on Training Regulations for Licenses is being held at Holy Cross on September 29^th from 1 PM to 3 PM. If you would like to attend, let Sharon Susienka know so that she can register you. 2) mentioned that the Library and Council on Aging are open full-time now and thanked the volunteers who gave their time (with no pay): Edna John, Marlene Bishop and Gloria Rauth.

A motion/Mr. Ampagoomian, seconded/Mr. Melia to adjourn the meeting. Vote yes/Unanimous.

Meeting Adjourned: 10:35 P.M.

Respectfully submitted,

Daniel Nolan, Clerk

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