Board of Selectmen, October 3, 2016 5:50 p.m.

HOLDEN BOARD OF SELECTMEN

MEETING MINUTES

October 3, 2016

GOAL SETTING - CONTINUED

5:50PM                                                                                                           Memorial Hall

Present: Chairman Anthony Renzoni, Jeremy Kurtz, Geri Herlihy, Tim Ethier, Erik Scheinfeldt

Others Present:            Jacquelyn Kelly, Town Manager

                                    Peter Lukes, Assistant Town Manager

                                    Stephen Madaus, Town Counsel

                                    Liz Fotos, Town Recorder

Chairman Renzoni called the meeting to order at 5:50PM.

$150,000 Capital Improvement at the Three Elementary Schools

Ms. Kelly stated that she is on-board with this goal but she wanted the Board to be mindful that the Superintendent would determine and then implement the capital projects at the schools.  She stated that Sel. Scheinfeldt had mentioned security improvements at the elementary schools as a possible project, but the Superintendent is in charge of the schools and that is not something she can necessarily facilitate.

Chairman Renzoni stated that he understood that and that he had met with both the Superintendent and with Ken Mills, School Committee and that they were open to the capital improvements and to working with Ms. Kelly.  He stated that they were receptive to the conversation.

Sel. Ethier stated that he felt the goal was more about getting additional money to the schools rather then a goal about exactly how to spend it.

Chairman Renzoni stated that they wanted to improve the education for Holden students.  He stated that there is no impact on town revenue because it is allocated from free cash.

Sel. Scheinfeldt stated he was for allocating money to the schools and one area that he would be interested in discussing would be security at the elementary schools.  He stated he was a part of the facilities subcommittee and there were significant improvements that could be made but it would require getting the Police and Fire Chiefs involved as well.

Motion by Sel. Ethier, seconded by Sel. Scheinfeldt, it was UNANIMOUSLY VOTED TO SET A GOAL FOR THE TOWN MANAGER FOR FY 18 TO ALLOCATE SOME OF THE RESERVE FUNDS FROM THE BUDGET TO CONDUCT CAPITAL IMPROVEMENTS AT THE THREE TOWN ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS.

Conduct a Population & Growth Study

Chairman Renzoni stated that this idea had come up outside of the conversation of the school districts.  He stated that there were big projects coming up in Town everywhere and if you don’t know where you are going, how do you get there.  Chairman Renzoni stated that government is very reactionary and he wants to conduct a population and growth study in order to put the Town in a better position going forward.

Ms. Kelly stated that she spoke to Superintendent McCall and that he had a different idea that was geared towards schools called a Pupil Population Study.  She stated that the study that Chairman Renzoni is discussing that addresses the whole town is the Master Plan and they are updated every ten years.  She stated that the Town is at about year 8 of their pervious Master Plan so there are still a few years before another update is due.  She stated if the Board wanted to spend the Town’s money doing this it was their choice but that it would not update the Master Plan population projections, necessarily.  A pupil population study would be geared for school redistricting. 

Chairman Renzoni stated that Holden is about 40 share of the entire district and that it is hard to make a plan without an idea of what is going to happen down the line.  He stated that other towns are ready to go to full day kindergarten but that Holden does not have the space.  He stated when he spoke to Superintendent McCall, the idea of the study was bought up with regards to the student population but that he understands that Holden would go outside the student population and look at houses and other things as well. Chairman Renzoni stated he thought that they should hire a professional that could understand and analyze the many components that will effect the Town.

Sel. Ethier stated that when speaking about redistricting, people don’t like it but that it may have to be handled at overcrowded schools.

Chairman Renzoni stated that when the district starts to speak about temporary solutions, it makes more sense to spend a little more money upfront rather than put money towards portable classrooms.

Ms. Kelly stated that what the Board is discussing is a population and growth study that is aimed at schools and redistricting, she stated that they would need to justify the cost of this to the town.

Chairman Renzoni stated he felt that there would be support at Town Meeting for education.

Sel. Scheinfeldt stated his hesitation is to say do a population study, but no one really knows what that means.  He stated that he thinks that it is premature to do and he thinks the goal should be to have the Town Manager report back on the intended results of the study and the cost associated with it.

Ms. Kelly agreed with Sel. Scheinfeldt.  She stated her goal would be to see that it was reflected in the budget but it would be the Superintendent that would conduct the study.

Sel. Kurtz stated he was against this as a goal for the Town Manager.  He stated the Town will be conducting a Master Plan update in two years that will encompass this question.  He stated to duplicate it would be a waste of funds.

Chairman Renzoni stated he did not feel as though they should hold off for two years.  He said that he thinks this is something that you spend a little money for now to know where you are going. 

Sel. Kurtz stated that the Master Plan is accurate.  He asked what more this study would answer in order to solve the problem.

Chairman Renzoni replied that the Master Plan was right but that this would be a more in depth analysis of students by age, location, available housing, lots, and more.  He stated that the Master Plan would tell you population but this is more in depth.

Sel. Scheinfeldt stated that the study may not only guide redistricting, it would give other options as well.

Chairman Renzoni stated all options were on the table.

Motion by Sel. Ethier, seconded by Sel. Herlihy, it was VOTED TO SET A GOAL FOR THE TOWN MANAGER FOR FY 18 TO EXAMINE THE POSSIBILITY TO FUND A POPULATION AND GROWTH STUDY BY A VOTE OF 4-1(Kurtz: no)

DPW Project

Chairman Renzoni stated that without objection, the Board wanted the Town Manager to move forward with the DPW project.

Open Space

Open Space was a Goal from FY 17 that will continue to be built upon.

Budget

Sel. Kurtz stated that as the Board continues to be fiscally responsible, they have to do what they can to rein in spending where they can but allow the Town Manager the room to grow where she sees fit.  He stated that he would like to offer a motion to limit raising taxes no more than 2%.

Sel. Ethier stated he disagreed and he felt that prop 2.5% was very limiting and that the Town Manager needed flexibility.

Ms. Kelly stated that she was okay with that goal and that she had achieved it in the past.

Motion by Sel. Kurtz, seconded by Chairman Renzoni, it was VOTED TO SET A GOAL FOR FY 18 TO DEVELOP A BUDGET THAT HAS A BUDGET INCREASE OF LESS THAN A 2% INCREASE BY A VOTE OF 4-1 (Ethier: no).

Review of Goal

Goal 1: Move forward with DPW Facility.

Goal 2: Examine the Possibility to fund a population and growth study.

Goal 3: Capital Improvements to the Three Elementary Schools

Goal 4: Develop a Budget that has an increase of less than 2%.

Chairman Renzoni called for a recess to the regular Board of Selectmen Meeting at 6:28PM.

APPROVED: __November 7, 2016 (as amended)________