Preview of March 8 Board of Selectmen Meeting

The following was submitted by Town Administrator Fred Turkington:

The next meeting of the Board of Selectmen will be held on Monday, March 8 in Town Building. After convening the meeting, selectmen will hear a presentation by Director of Public Works Don Ouellette regarding two projects funded within the capital budget proposed for FY2011. The first project is to cap the remaining area of the Town Landfill (now transfer station) recently having reached capacity in accordance with state DEP regulations. The second project is a program to install eletronic water meter reading devices to allow for more efficient collection of water use data.

At approximately 7:30 p.m., as part of the Board's efforts to meet with impacted boards and committees on Annual Town Meeting Warrant articles, selectmen will meet with members of the Recreation Commission and the Community Preservation Committee. One element of a "house-keeping" article to update references to former water, parks and highway positions to public works terminology throughout Town By-Laws is clarification of membership on the Community Preservation Committee (CPC). State law requires representation on a local CPC from town boards responsible for the three project areas funded by CPA tax receipts – parks, historic preservation and open space. The authority under state law accorded to "park commissioners" was transferred from the board formerly known as the Park & Recreation Commission (now Recreation Commission) to the Board of Public Works, and with it, the seat on the CPC. Selectmen will consider suggestions by some to expand the membership of the CPC as part of the proposed article to address concerns that the Recreation Commission continue to have representation on the CPC as advocates for recreational facilities and the impact of such an expansion on the balance of interest among the three areas subject to funding.

After reviewing correspondence, considering the consent calendar, and discussing projected meeting agenda items for the next several meetings, the Board will convene a joint meeting with the Personnel Board, Finance Committee and School Committee in executive session to discuss strategy related to negotiations for successor collective bargaining agreements with town and school unions.

The meeting begins at 7:00 p.m. in the Selectmen's Meeting Room.