September 24, 2007
Present was Jonathan P. Smith, Ramesh H. Advani, James C. Lehan and Jack Hathaway, Town Administrator.
Jonathan called the meeting to order at 7:30 p.m. Jack Hathaway read the agenda contents.
EARTH REMOVAL HEARING – HUGO EQUIPMENT, 240 Dedham St.
Jonathan Smith opened the hearing at 7:31 p.m., and read the hearing notice in the newspaper. Mr. DiMartino, owner of Hugo Equipment was not in attendance. Ramesh Advani moved to recess the hearing until 8 p.m. Jim Lehan seconded, and it was so voted.
ACTION ITEMS
Ramesh Advani moved to proclaim October 24, 2007 as United Nations Day. Jim Lehan seconded, and it was so voted. Jonathan Smith read the proclamation that the Board signed that will be forwarded to the State House.
Jack asked the Board to approve the Chapter 90 project request to overlay Seekonk Street from Cleveland Street to Noon Hill Avenue per the request of Remo Vito. Ramesh questioned this request and had numerous questions regarding Chapter 90 funding. The Board discussed this at length.
The Board stopped this conversation as it was 8 p.m. and they returned to the earth removal hearing.
EARTH REMOVAL HEARING – HUGO EQUIPMENT, 240 Dedham St.
Hugo DiMartino apologized for being late. Mr. DiMartino is before the Board to request extending his earth removal permit which expired September 15, 2007. He explained to the Board that he has meetings scheduled with Planning Board, Conservation Commission and Zoning Board of Appeals.
Jonathan read the letter from Bob Bullock, Building Commissioner into the record. Jim asked if he could get this completed in two months. Hugo said he hates to have deadlines. Jim said that there are deadlines that applied to the previous permit. Jim said if you don’t do the work by winter, it won’t get moved. He wants this removed as soon as possible. Hugo said he did not get to the as-built plan, and he’s been concentrating on the new plan. Jim said there is an obligation here, especially since you are asking for a new permit.
Hugo said he is really behind this year. Jonathan said the second condition said he would loam and seed if not done by September 15. Jim said he can understand that, but the as-builts are an insurance to us. Jim wants to see those completed before he agrees to an extension. Ramesh agreed, and in the fall town meeting we are proposing a town bylaw which will address unstabilized land that beyond a certain time period, will need to be loamed and seeded. Ramesh doesn’t want to agree to extend it for a few months, but he would want the area loamed and seeded rather than have him wait. There are too many ifs and he wants to see something being done. He would agree to have the as-built plan and have the area loamed and seeded. Hugo said most of the excavation is done; he is getting the
sub-grade established, and he is really behind and he hasn’t gotten there yet.
The Board agreed instead of a two month extension, we would just extend it further. It would depend on how severe the weather is on determining how much he can get done over the winter months. Hugo showed the Board what he plans to do on a plan. He needs to do some excavation before he does the plan, but he would do the plan if necessary. Jim agreed with Ramesh that he would agree to a longer period of time if he complies to the two prior considerations.
Jonathan asked if any abutters need to speak.
Dave McClean, 8 Sharon’s Avenue, asked if he were only moving piles around. The answer was yes.
Jonathan stated the validity of the permit is conditioned upon plans submitted by – we will decide on a date - and if we go the second step, some kind of stabilization whether it’s loaming and seeding, or loaming contingent upon time of year, if those two things aren’t done, then the permit is immediately void. Jim asked if he could do the loaming and seeding within 60 days. Hugo said yes. Jonathan said he was going to say 30 days because 60 days is the end of November. Ramesh suggested 45 days as that would be reasonable. The Board agreed on 45 days.
Jim Lehan moved to extend the Earth Removal permit to Hugo Equipment, Inc. through May 1, 2008 conditioned upon the completion of the conditions set forth in the original Earth Removal permit that the area will be loamed and seeded and as-builts will be provided by November 1, 2007. No earth removal is to take place until those two conditions are met. If the conditions are not complied with, this permit shall immediately become null and void. Ramesh Advani seconded, and it was so voted.
Jim Lehan moved to close the hearing. Ramesh Advani seconded, and it was so voted.
ACTION ITEMS – Continued
The Board revisited the Chapter 90 issue. Ramesh still asked for clarification. After much discussion, the Board took no action until they receive further information from Mr. Vito.
Ramesh Advani moved to award the salt bid to American Rock Salt Company, LLC of Mount Morris, NY at $50.20/ton for CC delivered, with an alternate supplier of Eastern Minerals, Inc., Lowell, MA at $52.68/ton for CC delivered. This is a joint bid with the Town of Medfield. Jim Lehan seconded, and it was so voted.
WARRANT
Advisory Board members Marc Waldman, Jim Tomaszewski, and Arlie Sterling were present for the discussion of the Fall Town Meeting Warrant.
Marc talked about debt exclusion for police/fire station. Jonathan said people have a hard time voting for something without knowing what it is. They need information and a certain comfort level.
Jim agrees with their theory but is unsure how to sell it to the public. He doesn’t know how people will buy into it, but is sure we will save the town money. Marc said the debt exclusion vote has no weight. You can do nothing with a debt exclusion vote. Only a town meeting can spend money. It’s New England government. You need people at town meeting.
Ramesh and Marc discussed the wastewater treatment plant. Jack said that there may be grants available.
They want Articles 9 and 10 contingent on a debt exclusion.
Jim Lehan moved to reopen the warrant. Ramesh Advani seconded, and it was so voted.
Jim Lehan moved to substitute a new article 6 for old article 6. Ramesh Advani seconded the motion. The Board considered changing language, and discussed substituting managers. This was to clarify if there were two managers in a department, such as public safety where there are two managers – Fire Chief and Police Chief. It was suggested adding the word “senior” in front of manager. It was suggested removing the Enterprise Fund language or deletion of that statement. It was agreed to add (s) after senior manager and remove managers. This was so voted.
Jim Lehan moved to close the warrant. Ramesh Advani seconded, and it was so voted.
OLD BUSINESS
Jack reviewed the old business items with the Board.
Jack announced that we have scheduled Sgt. Adam Kennedy’s memorial dedication on November 11th.
Jack said that regarding Buckley & Mann, the owner has had a survey done as far as cleaning up hazardous waste and safeguard the property by razing the public safety hazards – some old buildings and transformers with carcinogens, etc. We will get a copy of the report.
Jonathan wanted to go on record with a resolution that we want no through truck traffic on Everett Street and that we notify the Walpole Board of Selectmen to that effect.
Ramesh Advani moved that we want no through truck traffic on Everett Street and that we notify the Walpole Board of Selectmen to that effect. Jim Lehan seconded, and it was so voted.
NEW BUSINESS
Jack mentioned that he and Butch Vito will be meeting with EDC chair Bob Nicodemus to look at the work for the B-1 district and potential buildout.
Jack discussed the letter regarding signage on Medway Branch. Residents don’t like the sign for the DPW/Transfer Station/Senior Center and don’t want it put back up. Jack feels there should be a sign at least for the Senior Center. Jonathan would like to let them have their say, but has serious problems with what they want to do. We will have them in the first week of November and we won’t put the sign back up until we meet with them.
Jack discussed Franklin threatening to shut off our water. Legally they can’t do that. We have an Agreement that they are going to break. Jim said it is terribly wrong for them to put citizens in either community in the middle of this. That isn’t fair over water services. Ramesh said that the Selectmen should write a letter.
Jim would like some representatives from the Norfolk School Committee in to talk about what we read in the newspaper, and status of a new school.
Jonathan wants to know when site plan approval for 220 Main Street from Planning Board happens.
BIWEEKLY CALENDAR
Jack read the calendar.
ACCEPTANCE OF MINUTES
Ramesh Advani moved to accept the minutes of August 13 and 27, regular and executive session. Jim Lehan seconded, and it was so voted.
At 11 p.m., Ramesh Advani moved to go into executive session for the purposes of land purchase and contract negotiations. Jim Lehan seconded, and it was a roll call vote: Jim Lehan, aye; Jonathan Smith, aye; and Ramesh Advani, aye.
The Board will not return to open session except to adjourn the meeting.
At 11:35 p.m., Ramesh Advani moved to adjourn the meeting. Jonathan Smith seconded, and it was so voted. No votes were taken in executive session.
This is a true and accurate report of the Selectmen’s Meeting of September 24, 2007.
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Ramesh H. Advani, Clerk
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