Board of Selectmen, December 17, 2018
HOLDEN BOARD OF SELECTMEN
MEETING MINUTES
December 17, 2018
6:35PM Memorial Hall
Present: Chairman Geri Herlihy, Anthony Renzoni, Tyler Gibbs, Robert Lavigne
Not Present: Jeremy Kurtz
Others Present: Peter Lukes, Town Manager
Liz Fotos, Town Recorder
Chairman Herlihy called the meeting to order at 6:30PM. The Board stood to recite the Pledge of Allegiance.
- Appointments, Licenses, and Permits
None
- Annual License Renewals
Mr. Lukes stated that the first page in front of the Board was applicants that had submitted the proper paperwork and the businesses on the orange paper was the applicants that had not yet been renewed and the reason why they were not ready for renewal. He stated that some of the businesses on the orange paper were businesses that were no longer in business and others were missing things such as fees or other documents. Mr. Lukes stated that in the past the Board had approved the white list as it stood and approved the orange list provided the missing portion of the application was submitted in a timely manner.
Sel. Lavigne stated that there were a few outstanding tax debts owed to the Town with the company closing; he asked what the Town did in those cases.
Mr. Lukes replied that they intended on collecting what was outstanding although the businesses were not being renewed.
Motion by Sel. Renzoni, seconded by Sel. Gibbs, it was UNANIMOUSLY VOTED TO APPROVE ALL COMPLIANT BUSINESSES FOR RENEWAL(WHITE PAPER) AND APPROVAL ALL NON COMPLIANT BUSINESSES AS SOON AS THE ISSUES WERE RESOLVED(ORANGE).
- 2019 BOS Meeting Schedule (January through June)
Mr. Lukes stated that based on a discussion last meeting and working with the Chair, the attached schedule was what was best for the Board.
Motion by Sel. Renzoni, seconded by Sel. Gibbs, it was UNANIMOUSLY VOTED TO ADOPT THE 2019 BOS MEETING SCHEDULE (JANUARY THROUGH JUNE) AS PRESENTED.
- Selectmen Minutes
Motion by Sel. Renzoni, seconded by Sel. Gibbs, it was UNANIMOUSLY VOTED TO APPROVE THE SEPTEMBER 10, 2018 BOARD OF SELECTMEN MEETING MINUTES AS AMENDED.
Motion by Sel. Renzoni, seconded Sel. Lavigne, it was UNANIMOUSLY VOTED TO APPROVE THE SEPTEMBER 17, 2018 BOARD OF SELECTMEN MEETING MINUTES AS AMENDED.
Motion by Sel. Renzoni, seconded by Sel. Lavigne, it was UNANIMOUSLY VOTED TO APPROVE THE OCTOBER 15, 2018 BOARD OF SELECTMEN MEETING MINUTES AS PRESENTED.
Motion by Sel. Renzoni, seconded by Sel. Gibbs, it was UNANIMOUSLY VOTED TO APPROVE THE NOVEMBER 5, 2018 BOARD OF SELECTMEN MEETING MINUTES AS PRESENTED.
- Selectmen Subcommittee
Sel. Renzoni: none.
Sel. Lavigne: none
Sel. Gibbs: none.
Sel. Herlihy stated that the DPW will meet January 14, 2019 at 7:00PM. She thanked everyone that turned out for the Special Town Meeting and voted and who passed the ballot for the project as well. She stated they will continue the work at their next meeting.
- Selectmen Miscellaneous
Sel. Renzoni stated that he wished to ask administration to check in with Chief Armstrong to brief the Board on the protocol with drugs in the schools and how it is handled. He stated that he has a lot of concerned residents and parents and that he understands that it is a school issue however the drugs turns it into a police/town issue as well.
Mr. Lukes stated that he will review and discuss this with the Chief and get back to the Board at a future meeting.
Sel. Lavigne thanked the Town and employees for hanging the wreaths on Main Street. He stated that it looked amazing. He asked if the Goal Setting was formalized at this point or I there were still some outstanding questions.
Mr. Lukes stated that it had not been formalized but that he had sent out the latest draft.
Chairman Herlihy replied she would send that out to the Board.
Chairman Herlihy stated that she was reading through the meeting minutes and wondering if the fields would be addressed in the budget.
Mr. Lukes stated that it would be moving forward and would be submitted with the budget. He stated that he was not sure how much would be available but the IIF was available for 18 Industrial and they were working to get the plans together.
Chairman Herlihy stated that she was speaking more to fields like Mayo being taken offline.
Mr. Lukes replied that something was in the works.
Sel. Lavigne thanked the Town Manager for going above and beyond and working with the heads of different sports in Town. He stated that it was well received by youth sports and he thanked him for doing that.
- HMLD Calendar Year 2019 Budget and Capital Plan
Jane Parenteau, HMLD General Manager, was at the meeting to present the Board with the Capital and Operating Budget. She provided the Board with slides to review.
Sel. Lavigne thanked Ms. Parenteau for the slide show. He stated that he knew that some of the revenue in “other” came from the Virgin Islands; he asked what the rest of it was.
Ms. Parenteau stated that she was still trying to figure that out. She stated that in doing the actual budget nothing showed up. She stated that “other” was mutual aid and that she would have to work with the auditors and get an answer to that question.
Chairman Herlihy interrupted HMLD Calendar Year 2019 Budget and Capital Plan for Citizens Address.
- Citizens Address
None
HMLD Calendar Year 2019 Budget and Capital Plan Cont.
Sel. Lavigne stated that he knew that the HVAC project had been something that had been discussed in the past; he asked if anything had been done to her knowledge.
Ms. Parenteau replied that the service company had been out frequently.
Barry Tupper, Assistant General Manager, HMLD was present at the meeting. He stated that they had done some minor upgrades but there was a major piece that needed to be replaced and they had decide to hold off until the new HMLD Director (Parenteau) was in place.
Mr. Lukes stated that the HVAC had been band aided for some time and that Mr. Kaczmarek had a good handle on it.
Sel. Renzoni stated that the HVAC system had been in the budget for several cycles but was not done in prior years when the funds were allocated.
Mr. Lukes stated that prior to this, it was the general feeling that it was mostly working so small fixes were appropriate.
Sel. Renzoni asked if the feelings had changed now.
Mr. Lukes stated that it was at the end of its life at this point and they had to do something.
Chairman Herlihy asked how old the building was.
Ms. Parenteau replied it was built in 2000 she believed.
Sel. Renzoni asked if the cost of service was a contract or handled in house.
Ms. Parenteau replied it was a contract.
Sel. Renzoni asked what the cost was.
Ms. Parenteau replied about $10,000- $15,000.
Sel. Renzoni stated that in 2019 budget it was mentioned transferring funds from rate stabilization. He stated that we are currently at about 31% and that would drop us to 27.5%. He asked what her goal for the rate stabilization fund was.
Ms. Parenteau stated that she spoke with an auditor last week and it varies from organization to organization. She stated that in her professional experience she thinks that they should target a range of $3 million to $3.5 million. She stated that they can develop a policy where that can be targeted and then use it when necessary.
Sel. Renzoni stated that they have rate reserve and now were increasing it to increase the rate of return.
Ms. Parenteau stated that the purpose has been to benefit the customer. She stated that if it was taken and used for capital projects, reducing rates, etc it would be allowable because that all benefits the customer.
Sel. Renzoni replied that he did not disagree. He stated that traditionally they have rate stabilization earmarked for spikes in rates as opposed to for using things like capital investment. He stated that it was put there to offset and emergency rate increase and while he doesn’t disagree that they can do this, it was not how it was handled in the past.
Sel. Lavigne asked if this was going to be a one time thing.
Ms. Parenteau replied that when you have such a small profit it effects your ability to sign deals and do other things. She stated that HMLD was rated and this would help the financial status of the light department.
Motion by Sel. Renzoni, seconded by Sel. Gibbs, it was UNANIMOUSLY VOTED TO APPROVE THEY CY2019 HOLDEN MUNICIPAL LIGHT DEPARTMENT OPERATING BUDGET AS PRESENTED.
Motion by Sel. Renzoni, seconded by Sel. Gibbs, it was UNANIMOUSLY VOTED TO APPROVE THE CY2019 HOLDEN MUNICIPAL LIGHT DEPARTMENT CAPITAL BUDGET, AS PRESENTED.
Sel. Lavigne stated that he wanted to point out that the HMLD Advisory Committee met and unanimously recommended to approve the operating and capital budget as presented.
Mr. Lukes stated that he wanted to point out and thank HMLD as they were the ones that hung the wreaths in Town and they also purchased the wreaths. He stated that they look beautiful and he thanked HMLD for doing so.
Chairman Herlihy called a recess at 7:08PM until the 7:15PM Public Hearing.
The Chairman called the meeting back to order at 7:15PM.
- Public Hearing- Amendment to License to Store Flammables at Mobil
Sel. Renzoni read the Public Hearing notice into record.
Motion by Sel. Lavigne, seconded by Sel. Renzoni, it was UNANIMOUSLY VOTED TO OPEN THE PUBLIC HEARING FOR AMENDEMNT TO LICENSE TO STORE FLAMMABLES AT MOBIL.
The Board invited the representative from Mobil up to explain what they wished to do.
Steve Bariki, representative for Global Montello Group Corporation, Mobil, 1175 Main Street Holden was present at the meeting.
He stated that they wished to have a change in use for the 6000 gallon regular unleaded to a diesel prime storage tank.
Chairman Herlihy asked if that was the construction that they had been doing.
Ms. Bariki replied it was not; that was environmental work but while they were re-piping the station they would also like to sell diesel.
Chairman Herlihy asked if everything was presented and in order.
Mr. Lukes stated that he had spoken with the Director of DPW and that there were no traffic concerns.
Chairman Herlihy opened it up for public comment; no members of the public stepped forward.
Motion by Sel. Renzoni, seconded by Sel. Gibbs, it was UNANIMOUSLY VOTED TO CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING FOR AMENDEMNT TO LICENSE TO STORE FLAMMABLES AT MOBIL.
Motion by Sel. Renzoni, seconded by Sel. Lavigne, it was UNANIMOUSLY VOTED TO APPROVE THE AMENDED LICENSE TO STORE FLAMMABLES AT MOBIL AS PRESENTED.
Motion by Sel. Renzoni, seconded by Sel. Lavigne, it was UNANIMOUSLY VOTED TO ADJOURN THE DECEMBER 17, 2018 BOARD OF SELECTMEN MEETING AT 7:19PM.
APPROVED: __January 7, 2019__________