Board of Selectmen, April 3, 2017 5:40 p.m.
HOLDEN BOARD OF SELECTMEN
MEETING MINUTES
GOAL SETTING
April 3, 2017
5:40PM Starbard Building
Present: Chairman Anthony Renzoni, Geri Herlihy, Tim Ethier, Jeremy Kurtz, Erik Scheinfeldt
Others Present: Peter Lukes, Town Manager
Liz Fotos, Town Recorder
Chairman Renzoni told the Board that he and Mr. Lukes had met a few times to discuss attainable goals. He stated that they grappled over some things that they needed to happen and they also worked to make sure the goals were challenging and able to be evaluated. He stated that looking at the timeline, after budget season, it would give Mr. Lukes 3.5 months of summer to accomplish some things. He stated that while the below list was not the goals it was a good jump off place for the Board to discuss.
-Growth and Population Study
-Move DPW Facility Plan Forward
-Develop Plan to Modernize/ Streamline Internal Operations
-IIF Actuarial Study
Growth and Population Study
Chairman Renzoni stated that the Growth and Population Study was looking to forecast for the schools and to see how to move the population around and if any new facilities were necessary. He stated that he had spoken with Dave White and that he (White) suggested that this would help the town plan for the future and understand the complete population and growth estimates. He stated that they would then be able to roll this study into a guiding document for the Master Plan.
Mr. Lukes stated that the cost of this study could be $100,000-$150,000. He stated the last one was completed was in 2004 by PKG Associates. He stated that he would be calling around and utilizing the MMA to see the best possible way to move forward and to obtain RFP’s for the work.
Sel. Ethier asked if Mr. Lukes had a copy of the last one that was done.
Mr. Lukes replied that he could get it.
Sel. Scheinfeldt asked if there was a scope that the Board was looking for. He stated that Ms. Kelly had seemed fairly adamant that the Board wanted it for educational purposes only, he asked what Mr. Lukes thoughts on that was.
Mr. Lukes stated that Ms. Kelly was concerned that it would be used to expand the schools rather than work on building a new DPW building. He stated that Ms. Kelly did not want to see that project put on the back burner. He stated that he thinks the study needs to be done and they need to have an understanding of types of housing the town would be seeing to gain a better understanding of the population.
Chairman Renzoni stated that these companies would be looking at the trends outside an industrial city and then make predictions based on that information and assign probability to different scenarios.
Sel. Scheinfeldt stated that the last one completed seemed to be a Pupil Population Study and this seemed like it was a little broader.
Sel. Ethier asked if there was a task force on this.
Sel. Scheinfeldt replied that there was and he was a member but that they had not met in a long time.
Sel. Ethier asked what made these companies experts on the town, he stated that the town knows where the buildable lots were and that he thinks the town could make predictions on their own.
Chairman Renzoni stated that when it was looked at internally previously, it was said that there was no more buildable lots and since then the population in town had increased by more than 6,000 homes.
Move DPW Facility Plan Forward
Chairman Renzoni stated that he wanted to make sure that the school conversation did not overshadow the DPW Building.
Mr. Lukes stated that there was a conference call this coming Thursday. He stated that the company initially was pushing for an April 1, 2017 closing date and now that the town had changed the language and it was agreed upon it seemed like it was slipping through the cracks. Mr. Lukes stated that it was such a large company that it was hard to nail someone down. He stated that they do have the conference call and that there is a place holder on for Town Meeting.
Chairman Renzoni stated that he thinks it should be a goal to coordinate the DPW Building moving forward. He stated that after Town Meeting one of two things will happen, they will begin to plan the building if they wont but that is committee work. He stated the Town Manager would be involved to steer the project and that if in September they were not in a good place with regards to the DPW Facility they could look to Mr. Lukes for answers.
Sel. Ethier stated that he thinks that would be the number one goal. He asked if Mr. Lukes was dealing with Berkshire Hathaway.
Mr. Lukes replied that he was working with PCC and that they own it because 4 companies ago someone owned it and now the companies and assets keep getting absorbed.
Sel. Ethier asked where they were based.
Mr. Lukes replied Seattle.
Sel. Ethier asked where the contracts were mailed.
Mr. Lukes stated that they were dealing with someone in Asset Management and then it went to legal counsel and up the ladder.
Sel. Ethier stated he did not want to lose the edge in the land for a signature on a document.
Mr. Lukes stated that they were pretty clear that they wanted to do this deal and it took a long time to develop the appropriate language. He stated that it seemed that they were interested and that he was hopeful the conference call would help
Develop Plan to Modernize / Streamline Internal Operations
Mr. Lukes stated that this was something that he had been thinking about since he began working in town. He stated that a lot of it will not cost any money it would be a matter of doing more things electronically regarding personnel and purchasing. He stated that it was something that was bought up in a meeting and that while there may be some push back, a lot of the Department Heads were all for it. He stated that he wanted to bring it in slow and steady to eventually reach the goal.
Chairman Renzoni stated that Mr. Lukes would come up with a plan to show how the town would get from point A to point B. He stated the expectation would be for Mr. Lukes to brief the Board on that plan.
Sel. Ethier asked if Mr. Lukes meant that they would be consolidating departments.
Mr. Lukes replied that it was not. He stated he wanted to waste less time dealing with paperwork and streamline the town in that manner.
IIF Actuarial Study
Chairman Renzoni stated that he thinks that conducting an IIF Actuarial Study is what is needed to move along with the question of the IIF. He stated that they could conduct a study to see exactly what it is that the IIF can and can not do. He stated that the argument is that you can not spend IIF money on debt services for some reason that is not ever explained. He stated that this study will dig into what the funds in the IIF can and can not do.
Sel. Ethier stated that he wanted to abolish the IIF and that it had been looked at for years.
Chairman Renzoni stated that without debating if they do not move to abolish the IIF this year then they can make a goal for Mr. Lukes to do the study so they can define with certainty what the IIF can and cannot do.
Sel. Ethier stated that he hopes it does fail but that if it does not then the study can be conducted.
Sel. Herlihy replied that until they know how to use the money and if you can pay debt services or not they do not know what the argument would be.
Sel. Ethier stated that they would need to bring it to the state.
Sel. Herlihy stated that they were not educated as to how or what the money could be used for.
Sel. Kurtz stated that they could have the debate later.
Chairman Renzoni stated that if the Board does not move to abolish the IIF then they should have an Actuarial Study done to get particulars surrounding this fund.
Sel. Ethier agreed.
Sel. Kurtz stated that regarding the DPW he thinks this needs to be a two faceted goal. He stated the first part to move forward with a site, Industrial Drive or elsewhere. He stated that the second part of the goal would be that if Industrial Drive moves forward there needs to be a working plan on how the site will be used until there is funding and the town approves the modification of the DPW facility.
Sel. Kurtz stated that his fear right now is that the buzz around town was about a tax increase and that if they go back to the tax payer in September with a Special Town Meeting with a debt exclusion vote it may get turned down and take a year or two to get passed. He stated that if they get Industrial Drive is it a useable site for vehicles to be stored or for office space to be used while they work through getting DPW passed.
Chairman Renzoni stated that they had budgeted a new line item to own and operate the facility. He stated that the Building Committee has indicated that they cannot use the building as it is.
Sel. Kurtz stated that the Town was going to acquire a building that is vacant and unusable. He asked why they should take ownership if they could not use it in some capacity.
Chairman Renzoni stated that this was the debate that the Committee had about having this done in one Town Meeting or two.
Sel. Kurtz replied that he understood but regarding the finances of the Town, the tax payer was going to see a 6-7% hike which is the most that has been seen.
Chairman Renzoni replied it was 9.1%
Sel. Ethier stated that this was a great time to obtain the land.
Sel. Kurtz stated it was the first part of the goal.
Sel. Ethier stated that even if they are not building the facility, it is a great land to own.
Sel. Kurtz disagreed.
Sel. Ethier replied they could use it for vehicles or other things.
Sel. Scheinfeldt stated that he agreed with Sel. Kurtz. He stated that he was asking for some sort of outline of what uses the land could have in the short term if it is acquired.
Chairman Renzoni suggested having the goal read “Develop a Plan for 18 Industrial Drive”
Sel. Scheinfeldt stated that it should be for short term and long term.
Sel. Herlihy replied that she thinks it is a general goal for Mr. Lukes and there is a lot encompassed in the goal.
Chairman Renzoni asked Mr. Lukes if there was any issue with splitting up the goal a little.
Mr. Lukes replied that he thinks there may be a timeline set for how long the town waits to approve the facility. He stated that there is no real working use for the building though. He stated that if after a period of time there is not approval for the facility they could always discuss things like a solar farm.
Sel. Scheinfeldt stated that people keep saying that regardless of what happens, it is a great piece of land, but he would like that teased out a little. He stated if it is not a DPW Facility what else could it be used for.
Sel. Kurtz stated that his proposal would be that the Town Manager develops almost a secondary purpose for the land that is not published. He stated that he believes that the town needs a DPW Facility and that he likes the site for it but he wants to make sure that if the Town takes over the tax bill of 18 Industrial Drive that the land is used in some way.
Chairman Renzoni asked if the Board wished to adopt these 4/5 items as goals for the Town Manager. He asked Mr. Lukes if he was comfortable with them.
Mr. Lukes replied he was comfortable with all of them.
Sel. Ethier stated that he was going along with all of them but that he wanted the Board to be careful not to overstate that the Board was looking at other ways to use the land. He stated that it would tell people that the Board thought it was going to fail and that they needed to be very careful with language used.
The Board agreed.
Motion by Sel. Kurtz, seconded by Sel. Ethier, it was UNANIMOUSLY VOTED TO ADOPT THE FIVE TOWN MANAGER GOALS AS LAID OUT.
Motion by Sel. Kurtz, seconded by Sel. Ethier, it was UNANIMOULY VOTED TO ADJOURN THE TOWN MANAGER GOAL DISUCSSION MEETING AT 6:13PM AND RECONVENE AT THE REGULARLY SCHEDULED AT MEMORIAL HALL.
APPROVED: __May 1, 2017____________