Stoneham Board of Selectmen – Minutes of Meeting of June 20, 2006
Chairman Robert W. Sweeney called the meeting to order at 7:00 p.m. Also present were Selectmen John F. DePinto, Anthony C. Kennedy, R. Paul Rotondi, George E. Seibold, Town Administrator Ronald J. Florino, and Town Counsel William H. Solomon.
Pledge of Allegiance
Whip Hill Trust Gift/Dan Towse
Dan Towse, Administrator of the WhipHill Trust, presented the Board of Selectmen with a check in the amount of $5,500. $500 of this was a match for the Garden Club gift. Mr. Towse said that, in addition to the $10,000 already given to the Town, sometime after the beginning of the new year, the Trust will make the check equal to the operating budget. He said ten weeks for a summer employee will be funded through the Trust, too.
Approve Minutes
Selectman Kennedy moved approval of the 5/23/06 minutes, seconded by Selectman Seibold. Voting was 3-0-2, with Chairman Sweeney and Selectman DePinto abstaining. Motion carried. Selectman Seibold moved approval of the 5/23/06 executive session minutes, seconded by Selectman Kennedy. Voting was 4-0-1, with Selectman DePinto abstaining. Motion carried.
Nomination to Essex Agricultural Board of Trustees/Selectman Kennedy
Selectman Kennedy moved to appoint Vincent Basile to the Board of Trustees of Essex Agricultural, seconded by Selectman DePinto. Motion was unanimously voted.
Approve 7 Livery License Renewals/Robert C. Pacy
Selectman DePinto moved approval of the 7 Livery License renewals for Robert C. Pacy, seconded by Selectman Kennedy. Selectman Kennedy added that the approval is contingent on them having paid the Sales Tax. Chairman Sweeney asked Town Counsel to look into it. Motion was unanimously voted.
Approve One Taxicab License Renewal/Robert C. Pacy d/b/a Town Taxi
Selectman Seibold moved approval of one Taxicab License renewal for Robert C. Pacy d/b/a Town Taxi, seconded by Selectman DePinto. Motion was unanimously voted.
Accept Donations
Selectman DePinto moved to accept donations from Weiss Farms, StonehamBank, and M.eE.L.D. for the Recreation Department. Motion was seconded by Selectman Seibold and unanimously voted.
Appoint Members to Committees
Town Operations/Structure Committee – Selectman DePinto moved to appoint Ben Caggiano, James Juliano, Sr., Stephen MacLeod, and Maureen Soley to the Town Operations/Structure Committee, seconded by Selectman DePinto. Motion was unanimously voted.
Business Climate Committee – Selectman Rotondi moved to appoint Ralph Barile, Alan Melkonian, Cheryl Walsh, Sharon Iovanni, and Janice Houghton to the Business Climate Committee, seconded by Selectman Kennedy. Motion was unanimously voted.
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Land and Building Use Committee – Selectman Rotondi moved to appoint John Bracciotti, James Juliano, Jr., Catherine Moore, Kristen Russo, and Marcia Wengen to the Land and Building Use Committee, seconded by Selectman Seibold. Motion was unanimously voted.
Selectman Rotondi said they were to appoint one Selectman to interface with those committees and Ron Florino will be the interface with the Operations and Structure Committee. Selectman Kennedy said he is interested in the Business Climate Committee. Selectman Rotondi will do the Land and Building Use Committee, and Selectman DePinto will do the State Relations Committee.
Beautification Awards Committee – Selectman DePinto moved to appoint Ronald Doyle, Thomas Doyle, Joanne Lamey, William Previdi, and Wendy Smith to the Beautification Awards Committee, seconded by Selectman Kennedy. Motion was unanimously voted.
Retirement Board Response to Letter/Selectman DePinto
This was placed on the 6/27/06 agenda.
Retirement Board Appointment/Selectman DePinto
Selectman DePinto moved to make a change in their appointment on the Retirement Board and advertise and vote at the July meeting. Motion was seconded by Selectman DePinto and unanimously voted.
Miscellaneous Correspondence
Selectman Kennedy asked about Mark Walsh. Town Counsel Solomon said the only means by which he could be appointed is a Special Act petition by Stoneham . Selectman Kennedy said he thought it would be appropriate if they attempted to get Town Meeting to approve this. Selectman DePinto moved that the Board of Selectmen submit a warrant article to enable Mark Walsh to be eligible for the Civil Service list for Police and Fire. Motion was seconded by Selectman Kennedy and unanimously voted.
Selectman DePinto congratulated Chairman Sweeney on receiving a Crystal Apple from the School Committee.
Selectman Seibold thanked Ron Florino for everything he has done. He said he was sorry to see the letter. He said that Ron wrote that he is giving a year’s notice. He told Mr. Florino that he personally felt that Mr. Florino did a great job. He said no other Town Administrator was on so many committees.
Selectman Kennedy referred to the letter from the woman who owns a two-family and occupies it as a one-family. Town Administrator Florino said there is no way for the Town to monitor it, because they could rent it next week.
Selectman Rotondi noted the letter from Comcast awarding a Leadership Scholarship. He asked if it is customary to send a thank you. Chairman Sweeney said the Board can send them a thank you. Town Counsel Solomon said he suggested to the Access Director that they invite them to tour the studio and give them a certificate. The Board agreed to do this and Town Counsel will invite them for July.
Selectman DePinto said he was pleased to see the Lt. Governor wants to bring the retirement systems into the State.
Selectman DePinto noted the recommendation to put a plaque in the Town Common thanking the banks for continued maintenance. Steven Born, Chairman of the Town Common Oversight Committee, said it would take 8 weeks lead time for this. Chairman Sweeney asked what the commitment of the banks is in the future. Mr. Born said they made a 5-year commitment at the beginning and the Committee’s feeling is they would probably continue. Chairman Sweeney said they just don’t want to get into the practice of
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granting this granite stone with a plaque and the bank doesn’t continue and others would discontinue and the Common would look like Lindenwood Cemetery. He said his personal view is the wooden signs that Gamit makes. Chairman Sweeney said that Selectman Seibold had the idea to take professional photos of the Common, with a nameplate and frame, and give it to the banks to hang in their lobbies. Chairman Sweeney said he doesn’t want to get into this practice, although they very much deserve it. Selectman Seibold said if they took the money and bought equipment, and had the committee do it, it would be more hands-on. Selectman Rotondi said he thought Chairman Sweeney’s idea is very good. He said he made some very good points and he liked the idea of the frames. He said
that maybe some time they could have some type of honor wall. He said it is important to thank the people and he liked Selectman Seibold’s idea for the banks. Steven Born said it was an ongoing discussion with his committee to not have a lot of plaques. Chairman Sweeney said they should sit down in a small group and hammer it out. Mr. Born said his only suggestion is that they try to address it as quickly as possible because, if they do go with it, they want to make sure it is in the ground for Town Day. Selectmen Kennedy and Seibold volunteered.
Town Administrator Reports
Town Administrator Florino said Mass Highway told them Stoneham was given the Franklin Street project and that was all the funds for Stoneham for now. They are not going to commit themselves to South Main Street. Town Counsel Solomon said Mass Highway wasn’t aware of the grant for Stoneham so the Town will get specifics from Cong. Markey and speak to the MAPC. Selectman Kennedy said he worked with MAPC to get a paragraph in a letter to Mass Highway that Stoneham would like the Stoneham project brought up to the top of the list.
Mr. Florino said the Town saved $21,000 on MIIA.
Selectman Kennedy said North Main Street and North Street is under design.
Executive Session
Selectman DePinto moved to go into executive session to discuss litigation, collective bargaining, and Stockwell Trust, pursuant to Chapter 39, section 23B, and not to return as the Board of Selectmen. Motion was seconded by Selectman Rotondi, and a roll call vote was taken. Voting in favor:
Selectman Rotondi
Selectman Kennedy
Selectman Seibold
Selectman DePinto
Chairman Sweeney
Motion was unanimously voted.
Meeting adjourned at 8:18 p.m.
Respectfully submitted,
Muriel Doherty
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