Stoneham Board of Selectmen – Minutes of Meeting of December 19, 2006
Chairman Robert W. Sweeney called the meeting to order at 8:35 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.
Approve Minutes
Motion was made and seconded to approve the 12/12/06 minutes. Motion was unanimously voted. Motion was made and seconded to approve the 11/8/06 minutes. Motion was unanimously voted.
Accept Donations
Motion was made and seconded to accept the donations from Patricia Dale and Joy and David Deguzman for the Recreation Department. Motion was unanimously voted.
Retirement Board Discussion
Town Accountant Ronald Castignetti spoke about televising the Retirement Board meetings. Mr. Castignetti said the excess salaries and excess staffing of the last five years will cost the Retirement system $8 million over the next 50 years. He asked the Board of Selectmen to authorize the Town Accountant or the Asst. Town Accountant to videotape the Retirement Board meetings and provide the tape to Community Access. Chairman Sweeney asked Mr. Castignetti to explain his mentioning Hawaii. Mr. Castignetti said they worked on budgets at the Retirement Board meeting today. He said there was a seminar last May in Naples, Florida. He said it was a NCPERS conference. He said that May of 2007 is the next NCPERS Conference and that will be in Hawaii. He said the website for NCPERS has
no details, but that at least two Stoneham Retirement Board members want to go, and a third member is on the fence. He said last year the travel budget was $10,000 and they only spent $5,000, but that this year they are making it $15,000. Selectman DePinto said that even though it is the Retirement Board budget, it is the taxpayers paying it. Town Administrator Florino said the Town took out-of-state travel out of the Town’s own budget years ago. Mr. Castignetti said the cost per system member in the last four years ran double compared to 17 comparable communities. He said if the meetings were held on TV it would be in those meetings. Chairman Sweeney said they will check with Town Counsel Solomon and get back to Mr. Castignetti.
Valet Parking Discussion/Selectman DePinto
Selectman DePinto said they may have a few restaurants opening in town that will require valet parking. He asked how a business will reserve two spaces for valet parking if they don’t have a sign there. He said they have to have rules if they are going to have valet parking. He said they pay a fee in Boston. Chairman Sweeney asked if they could work out a deal with the restaurants to utilize the municipal lots. Selectman DePinto agreed, saying it would only be after 5:00 p.m. Fred Puorro, of Felicia’s, said they could do it two ways. He said they could hire a company and they provide the insurance or the restaurant would have to get insurance and would hire people to park the cars. Town Counsel Solomon suggested looking at bylaws and regulations across the State
and elsewhere. He said he can put that together. He said they can sponsor a warrant article to allow it to be used for business purposes when not needed for public purposes and he said
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it needs approval by the Board of Selectmen. Selectman Rotondi asked if they can give permission to put a sign out now. Town Counsel said they can do something in January
on that. Mr. Puorro said they need public parking in the Square. Selectman DePinto said Selectman Kennedy is talking to someone about parking. Selectman DePinto added that he is talking to a developer about building a garage.
Miscellaneous Correspondence
Selectman Seibold said he met with the Mayor of Woburn today about the bikepath. He said Stoneham’s concerns outweigh Woburn’s. Selectman Seibold said he will get the Police reports from communities that have it and get back to the Board.
Chairman Sweeney read the letter from Edie Previdi concerning gathering on the Common to support our troops. He asked Mr. Florino if it is possible to put the big flag up. Mr Florino said it will be up, weather permitting.
Town Administrator Reports
Town Administrator Florino said he contacted the Wakefield Town Administrator. He said their Board of Selectmen did not take any action on Mr. Florino’s letter concerning a land swap. Chairman Sweeney asked if they can look at selling the parcel they were going to trade Wakefield. Town Counsel said yes, they go to Town Meeting. He suggested the Town Administrator put a committee together of the DPW Director, Town Counsel, and the Assessor to look at potential uses and report back to the Board of Selectmen.
Selectman DePinto moved to adjourn, seconded by Selectman Rotondi. Motion was unanimously voted.
Meeting adjourned at 9:30 p.m.
Respectfully submitted,
Muriel Doherty
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