Summary of the Monday, February 2 meeting of the Board of Selectmen

The Board met in joint session with the Library Board of Trustees to interview Thaddeus Thompson to fill the vacancy on the board created by the death of Perry Hagenstein on December 26, 2008. Mr. Thompson has extensive experience in fund-raising, institutional non-profit management, and perspective as a patron of the library along with his wife and two children. He was unanimously appointed to serve until the April 7th town election, when he stands for election to serve the remainder of the term.

The Board also interviewed and appointed Jerry Boos to serve on the WayCAM board of directors. Mr. Boos, currently a member of the Zoning Board of Appeals, has extensive accounting and finance experience that will help WayCAM address some internal financial control issues.

Resident Woody Baston, speaking on behalf of most of the property owners connected to the wastewater treatment facility, asked the Board of Selectmen to explore ways to reduce the potential assessments that will be levied on all users for the cost of constructing a replacement wastewater treatment facility. Mr. Baston and others have questioned the fairness of requiring other users to fund a replacement plant they believe is required to support the Town Center development. However, engineers for the Wastewater Management District Commission have confirmed that the existing 47 year old facility would not be able to handle wastewater generated by the current office use at the Town Center project site. Users asked the town to explore whether elements of the plant such as siding and landscaping required by Town Center zoning could be charged to the developer rather than shared by all connectees to the system. In addition, Mr. Baston asked the WWMDC to consider alternative methods for allocating the estimated $1,590,000 share of the construction cost not paid by Town Center developers among the remaining users.

Selectmen discussed the informal work to date of citizens volunteering to provide perspective on energy conservation efforts, alternative energy initiatives, and the idea of integrating green building concepts into future municipal construction projects. The Board agreed to appoint at their next meeting the group of eight volunteers to a temporary citizen advisory committee and assign specific projects and tasks for review that could benefit from their expertise and experience.

The Finance Committee voted a proposed FY10 budget that requires approximately $1 million from free cash, but does not require an operational override. The budget reflects reduced state aid levels, savings from refinanced debt, savings from implementation of the DPW, and sufficient funds for higher employee benefit costs and contractual obligations. The capital budget includes a recommended debt exclusion ballot question to fund a full list and measure of real property, various town and school building repairs, design and consultant fees to bring the high school rehabilitation and renovation project to schematic design for the Massachusetts School Building Authority, and a replacement ambulance. The proposed debt will replace retired debt so there will be no change in property taxes in order to fund the purchases. The selectmen will hear a presentation on the capital proposal on February 9th and must decide by March 3rd whether to place the question on the April 7th election ballot. Residents will consider both the operating and capital budgets at the Annual Town Meeting beginning April 13th.

Fred Turkington
Town Administrator
508.358.3620

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