MANCHESTER-BY-THE-SEA

Transcription

1 MANCHESTER-BY-THE-SEA BOARD OF SELECTMEN TOWN HALL Manchester-by-the-Sea, Massachusetts Telephone (978) FAX (978) MINUTES OF THE BOARD OF SELECTMEN February 20, :30 p.m. Town Hall MEMBERS PRESENT: Chairman Boling, Mr. Kehoe, Mr. Steinert, Ms. Driscoll and Ms. Beckmann MEMBERS ABSENT: STAFF PRESENT: Mr. Federspiel, Town Administrator, Ms. Hunter, Clerk Finance Committee, Fire Department Chief Kramlinger, Mr. Creighton and Mr. Weld, Finance Committee, Bion Pike, Harbormaster, Mr. Starkey, Harbor Dredging Advisory Committee and Mr. Wilson, Town Moderator GUESTS: Ms. Bonneville, Longevity Bench Project PRESS: At 6:34 p.m., Chairman Boling called the meeting to order noting that the meeting was being video/audio-taped by volunteers from Cape Ann TV and audio-taped by Ms. Hunter and asked that if anyone in the audience was taping the meeting, they should let the Board of Selectmen know. 1. Longevity Bench Project Lisa Bonneville Ms. Bonneville presented a project to install benches along walking loops in Town. Ms. Bonneville is an advocate for aging in place and making homes and communities senior friendly. With the Longevity Bench Project, she aims to encourage walking by providing resting benches along defined walking routes. Her plan is to solicit private landowners who will agree to place and maintain benches on their property. Benches will be placed every half mile or less with a total of 30 benches. Benches are ADA compliant, on a flat pad and bolted to the pad. Mr. Kehoe asked who was responsible for overall care of the benches? Ms. Bonneville replied, benches will be the responsibility of the property owners. Plaques will identify the property owner and donors. Chairman Boling asked if Ms. Bonneville was requesting a permanent easement. She replied, if homeowners with benches sell at some time the Bench agreement will be renegotiated with the new owners. The benches are aluminum, do not rot and require little maintenance. Ms. Bonneville was informing the Board not specifically asking for help or a formal endorsement. Ms. Beckmann indicated she thought the Project was a great private initiative and inspiration to the community. 2. Harbor Dredging Advisory Committee Recommendation Board of Selectmen minutes Page 1

2 Mr. Starkey stated the Manchester Harbor was not a natural harbor but rather a mud flat and will return to a mud flat if not dredged on a regular basis. The Committee developed three different interlocking harbor models. The first focused on what the harbor would look like in any given year going forward. The second model developed by Seely Engineering estimated the costs of dredging tied into some hydrological models and the third model is a long-term a cash flow model of costs to maintain the harbor. The harbor was last dredged in 1984 and the Town is way past where we should be in the dredging process. Reliable state funding and the expensive lengthy permitting process are two challenges to maintaining a dredging schedule. The monies from mooring fees are not enough to cover the costs of dredging. The Committee has developed a recommendation to create a couple of deep draft sections of the harbor for sail boats with other sections shallower for motor boats. Mr. Starkey compares mooring locations to neighborhoods and although the boating community understands the economics of the plan it will not be easy for some to move moorings. Chairman Boling asked if there was anything different in the current plan compared to an earlier draft. Mr. Starkey replied that the recommendations were not changing. The Harbormaster has formally thanked state officials for their help with the recently completed dredging project and has received verbal assurances that state help will be available in the future. In FY 19 the Town is proposing funds to begin the engineering and permitting process for the next phase of dredging. Because of the grant received in FY 18 the Town has not borrowed funds for dredging just completed. This will allow the next phase to be done sooner. However, Phase 3 may have to wait longer than recommended due to possible increases in bond rates. 3. Annual Town Meeting and Budget Discussion with Finance Committee Review Draft Warrant: The Board quickly reviewed the Draft Warrant: Article 1: Town boards and committees reports in annual report Article 2: Salaries for Moderator, Chairman and Selectmen Article 3: Agricultural School Article 4: Town Operating Budget Article 5: Town Capital Budget Article 6: Capital Exclusion Article 7: MERSD Article 8: CPA Funding Article 9: OPEB Article 10: New Provision for Comcast Article 11: Parks and Recreation Revolving Fund Article 12: Conservation Commission (unspoiled wetlands) Article 13: Marijuana Citizens Petition Article 14: Marijuana BOS Petition Article 15: Marijuana BOS Petition Article 16: Flowers for Freedom Board of Selectmen minutes Page 2

3 Article 17: Article 18: Transfer Stabilization Fund balance money to reduce taxes if necessary Town Budget will be reviewed at the BOS meeting Monday, 2/26/2018. Fire Department Capital Requests: Chief Kramlinger is requesting funds from the recent auction of Fire Department surplus items (a total of $39,310.00) be used to purchase capital items for the Department. It is understood that the funds will be deposited in the General Fund. However, the Chief has developed a list of items he believes the Department needs. Ms. Driscoll indicated the voters will need to approve the purchase of additional capital items for the Department. Chairman Boling indicated the list of items the Chief is requesting appears to be an updated list of items previously discussed. He is not in support of the Department purchasing a UTV and suggested $20K of the total from the auction be applied to the list of items the Chief is requesting. Ms. Beckmann indicated the request for capital items was coming before the Board at the end of the budget process and would prefer that the full list of needs be presented at the beginning of the process. The Chief stated that some of the items on the list were in his first budget request but were removed in favor of the request for a new ambulance. The Board thanked the Chief and will consider the request further at the Monday, 2/26/2018 meeting in the full discussion of capital items. Marijuana Articles The Board reviewed and discussed the three proposed marijuana articles: o The three articles to be presented at Annual Town Meeting are citizens petition to amend the Town s Zoning Bylaw (ban), The BOS petition to amend the General By-laws (ban) and the BOS petition to limit recreational marijuana facilities to the Limited Commercial District in line with the current laws on medical marijuana. o Mr. Kehoe reported he attended listening sessions in Rockport and Gloucester and attended an informational meeting held by the Cannabis Control Commission in Danvers. o Questions arose about Camp and Child Care programs managed at the MAC and if it would be possible to have facilities within 500 feet of the MAC. To be resolved if necessary. o Mr. Wilson indicated despite his previously stated confidence the discussion and possible amendments to medical marijuana may get messy, he later concluded, this can be resolved by stating amendments to medical marijuana by-law are not open to discussion at this time. o Mr. Kehoe raised the issue of taxes and the need for an additional by-law change to collect the 3% sales tax. This issue is tabled to be resolved if marijuana facilities are not banned. Board of Selectmen minutes Page 3

4 o The Cannabis Control Commission is still developing final set of regulations. o The reason for the Zoning and General Bylaw articles is to cover the Town in the event a 2/3 vote is not reached on the Zoning Bylaw. The General Bylaw requires a simple majority. o There is an outstanding question regarding the Attorney General s approval of a General Bylaw change The Attorney General has 90 days to approve or reject a General Bylaw change. The Attorney General has stated she recommends Zoning Bylaw changes for Towns as the preferred way to ban marijuana establishments. o Chairman Boling would like the Moderator to open the discussion covering all three articles at the same time, to assure equal information is delivered at Town Meeting. o Mr. Federspiel will ask counsel to draw up 2 articles for Limited Commercial District facilities one based on medical marijuana and one stand alone. 4. Consent Agenda BOS Minutes 2/5/18 held to next meeting Overlay Surplus Report from Principal Assess Ginny Thompson accepted Surplus Property Request Fire Chief Kramlinger accepted Reserve Fund Transfer Request Chowder House Project The Board felt that working with the contractor a good resolution had been achieved. The contractor is charging an additional $46K for the additional work to the support flooring with $23K from CPA funds and $23K from the Reserve Funds. Comcast Form 500 Complaint Data will remain on file. Ms. Driscoll moved to approve the Consent Agenda without BOS Minutes 2/5/18, Mr. Kehoe seconded the motion the motion passed unanimously. 5. Correspondence Letter to the HDC Chairman from Manchester-Essex Rotary Chair: Re: Process for Hearings with HDC Chairman Boling indicated the Board had work to do on communications and interactions at Committee meetings. Mr. Kehoe proposed a meeting with the HDC Chairman and Chairman Boling agreed and asked if other Board members were interested in participating. Meeting to be scheduled. 6. Town Administrator s Report DIP and the possible round-about trial: Mr. Harris letter to the editor regarding the round-about is premature. The Board indicated a willingness to go forward with a trial run, but the understanding was the Board first wanted to review and approve a public outreach plan including layout details and costs. None of this has happened yet. Need to attend next DIP meeting or meet with Mr. Harris to review the process. Complete Streets Grant Award: The Town has received partial funding for projects submitted. Three intersections were accepted: School/Central, Beach/Union and Sea/Summer. Also, a new, wider sidewalk from Masconomo Park to Singing Beach was funded. The Town is responsible for final design funds for this are in the Capital Board of Selectmen minutes Page 4

5 Plan for FY 19. Public presentations of the designs will be part of the effort. Thanks to Sue Brown and Carol Murray for their work on the grant application. DPW Director: As second interview and visitation day was held Tuesday with our top candidate. Most of the panel members remain enthusiastic. I am following up on references and confirming we agree on salary. Hope to present for your ratification a new hire on March 5, Other Matters, as may not have been reasonably anticipated by the Chair (discussion only). Motion to adjourn was made by Ms. Beckmann and seconded by Ms. Driscoll. The motion passed unanimously. Gail Hunter, Clerk APPROVED: March 27, 2018 Board of Selectmen minutes Page 5