Stoneham Board of Selectmen – Minutes of Meeting of May 18, 2010
Chairman R. Paul Rotondi called the meeting to order at 7:00 p.m. Also present were Selectmen John F. DePinto, Richard S. Gregorio, Robert W. Sweeney, Frank Vallarelli, Town Administrator David Ragucci, and Town Counsel William H. Solomon.
Pledge of Allegiance
Moment of Silence
The Board of Selectmen observed a moment of silence in honor of former Superintendent of Schools Dan Hogan, former Selectman Jack Biggio, and Stoneham businessman Sam Gregorio, the father of Selectman Gregorio.
Annual Appointments/Continued
Selectman Vallarelli moved to move Item #10 up, seconded by Selectman Gregorio. Motion was unanimously voted. Selectman Vallarelli moved to appoint Jeanne Craigie to the School Building Committee. Motion was seconded and unanimously voted.
Annual Heritage Award/Historical Commission
Stephen Rotondi, Chairman of the Historical Commission, presented the 2010 Heritage Award to the Stoneham High Class of 1982 Beautification Committee. Selectman DePinto moved to close Central Street to just south of the Fire Station for Memorial Day at Buckley Park, seconded by Selectman Vallarelli. Selectman Sweeney added as long as Police and Fie have been notified. Selectman DePinto added subject to approval of Police, Fire, and DPW. Motion was unanimously voted.
MWRA Water Tank
Fred Laskey, Executive Director of MWRA, Lisa Marks, Planning Department, and Fred Brandon, the engineer working on the Projects being planned for the Town of Stoneham, were present. Mr. Laskey said that pump station will provide redundancy to the Gillis Pump Station. He said the pump station and two covered storage tanks will be in there. Chairman Rotondi said he is personally upset. He said when they came before the Board and asked the Board to support it, the Board had reservations. He said it takes low income housing out of Stoneham's tax base. He said the Board said they would like to get some soccer fields, now they're not. Mr. Laskey said the people responsible for water quality disliked that idea. Speaking on the second project, Mr. Laskey said they have a serious
lack of redundancy in the service area. He said Stoneham has been services by two meters down by Friendly's. He said the concept is to get spokes. He said there will be a major disruption to Stoneham's streets. He said Stoneham will take the brunt of the disruption. He said they have negotiated about a $1 million upgrade to Stoneham's infrastructure, so Stoneham would get some benefit from the disruption. Ms. Marks said one of the modifications is to go through the Senior Center and soccer fields and they could bring a soccer field up to a higher standard. Mr. Laskey said that would leave you with a brand new, state-of-the art soccer field. Selectman Sweeney asked if there any plans of looking at Lindenwood. Bob Grover told them they have a trunk line down the railroad right-of-way. He said they have submitted a plan to the MWRA for an alternate line. He said they are looking for sewer relief in the Cottage Street
area. Mr. Laskey said their system was full and on one could get in. He said they need to look at the entire
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system. He said they are looking at some areas to see if they can get hydraulic relief and they could look at this. Selectman Sweeney said this area seems to be getting worse with less rain. Mr. Laskey said it could be a siphon or something collapsed in the pipe. He said they have high-tech camera equipment that can look at it. Selectman Sweeney asked if Bob Grover could contact Mr. Laskey's office. Mr. Laskey replied absolutely. Selectman Vallarelli said that, in replacing the pipe to Reading, there is nothing of that size now. He asked what happens when they hit ledge. Mr. Brandon said there are different routes that could be taken. He said if there is rock there could be associated blasting. He said the bottom of the trench will be 9 feet.
Selectman Vallarelli asked if that includes full resurfacing of the street. Mr. Laskey said that is something they would work out as they went along. He promised they would leave it better than they found it. Selectman DePinto asked how long. Mr. Brandon said a minimum of two years. He said it could take up to 4 years. Selectman Sweeney asked the route. Ms. Marks said they will start at Gillis and up Pond to Summer, Bow to Green to Elm, Broadway to Rte 28 to go underpass. The alternative is to come out by the 99 Restaurant. She said they are at concept design now. The next stage is to work with the final design and Stoneham. Then, two years after, the construction begins. Selectman Sweeney asked when will the shovel go in the ground. Mr. Brandon said 2 ½ years from now. Selectman Vallarelli asked about the tanks. Mr. Brandon said they are scheduled to go in next year.
Selectman DePinto said one-third of Stoneham's land is state-owned and now they are taking more land. He asked Mr. Ragucci if he were comfortable with that. Mr. Ragucci said they haven't concluded negotiations. Mr. Laskey said they have to consider the other communities. He said they are paying for what they do. Selectman DePinto said to Mr. Laskey that he could have had the land for free but that he is paying for the land. Chairman Rotondi said 90 affordable housing units come off the market. He asked Mr. Laskey to go back to his Board of Directors. He said he doesn't want to be promised a lot of things and not get it. Selectman Gregorio said he would like to go back to what Selectman Sweeney brought up. He said Cottage Street is a priority. Chairman Rotondi said they can't say more strongly that they feel Stoneham deserves something. Mr. Laskey said Mr. Ragucci and he will get their heads together and
see what they come up with.
Liquor Licensing Authority
Selectman DePinto moved to go into Liquor Licensing Authority and then back. Motion was seconded, and a roll call vote was taken.
Voting in favor:
Selectman Gregorio
Selectman DePinto
Selectman Vallarelli
Selectman Sweeney
Chairman Rotondi
Motion was unanimously voted.
Meeting recessed at 7:38 p.m. to go into Liquor Licensing Authority.
Meeting reconvened at 7:48 p.m.
NStar/Continued
This was continued until the next meeting.
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Request for New Livery License/Integrated Health Systems LLC d/b/a Integrated Trans/103 Hill St #2
This was rescheduled until after the excise tax has been paid.
Selectman Sweeney moved to move #8 up so that Bob Grover doesn't have to wait, seconded by Selectman Vallarelli. Motion was unanimously voted.
Water Billing Policy/Chairman Rotondi
Chairman Rotondi passed the gavel to Vice Chairman Vallarelli. Chairman Rotondi then moved that the Town of Stoneham have a water policy that they do not charge public buildings for water or sewer, with the exception of public buildings that are rented. Selectman Sweeney seconded the motion. Chairman Rotondi added that, for the present, youth groups still will pay and that this is just for Town government departments. A roll call vote was taken.
Voting in favor:
Selectman Gregorio
Selectman DePinto
Chairman Rotondi
Selectman Sweeney
Vice Chairman Vallarelli
Motion was unanimously voted.
Chairman Rotondi took back the gavel.
Gutierrez Company Gift Allocation
Town Administrator Ragucci gave the Board a handout with his recommendations: a cruiser for $37,000; QED software for $5,000; veterans sign for $5,000; Unicorn deck for $10,000; Jaws of Life $25,000; Scuba gear for $10,000; Library fire alarm system for $8,000; Computers for school $10,000 plus $40,000 from water savings; Balance of $90,000 will pay off the taxable portion of the bond issuance for the Arena roof and boards due 6/18. Selectman DePinto moved to accept the recommendations, seconded by Selectman Vallarelli. Motion was unanimously voted.
Discussion of FY11 Budget
Town Administrator Ragucci said he received a call from the financial advisor. The Town has bonds due 6/18 that they have been treating as BANs. When they convert them to long-term notes they need a Moody's rating. He informed her of the Town Meeting vote. She asked how they will address the structural deficit. He told her with free cash. She asked what if they don't make $800,000 in free cash. He said he was not quite sure how to respond. He said she has been in this business for 30 years and she was quite surprised at the actions of Town Meeting. She asked if he explained it to Town Meeting. She told him she's never seen a Finance Board advance a structurally unbalanced budget. He said that, in the last Moody's rating, there was a warning to Stoneham
about protecting its reserves. He said he has to make a call to Moody's and he would like some direction. He said Stoneham has an AA2 rating that allows Stoneham to have 60 competitors. When they drop to A, they will have three people bidding on it.
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Chairman Rotondi said they took the $130,000 so that drops the $800,000 to $670,000. He said Town Meeting did appropriate more money for departments under the Town's control than the Selectmen's budget did. He said they can instruct the Town Administrator not to spend that money. He said that will reduce it by $160,000. He said they can recommend 50% of free cash go into stabilization and the other 50% to fund unbalanced budgets in other departments, and what's left they could recommend cuts. Selectman Gregorio said he would tell Moody's that they will address the remainder at the October Town Meeting. He said they will have a balanced budget at the October Town Meeting if Town Meeting votes in favor of it. Chairman Rotondi agreed they can try that.
Approve New Entertainment License/Bacci's/316 Main St
Selectman Vallarelli moved approval of the new Entertainment License for Bacci's and to amend the time so that it is from 8:00 p.m. to midnight, seconded by Selectman DePinto. Motion was unanimously voted.
Approve Block Parties: Bonad Road/Gerry Street
Selectman DePinto moved approval of the Block Parties at Bonad Road and Gerry Street on 6/19/10, seconded by Selectman Gregorio. Motion was unanimously voted.
Approve Minutes
Selectman DePinto moved approval of the 5/3/10 minutes, seconded by Selectman Vallarelli. Motion was unanimously voted. Selectman DePinto moved approval of the 4/27/10 minutes, seconded by Selectman Sweeney. Motion was unanimously voted. Selectman DePinto moved approval of the 4/20/10 minutes, seconded by Selectman Vallarelli. Motion was unanimously voted. Selectman Gregorio moved approval of the 4/20/10 executive session minutes, as amended with Selectman Gregorio voting, and not to publish, seconded by Selectman Sweeney. Voting was 4-0-1, with Selectman DePinto abstaining. Motion carried.
Miscellaneous Correspondence
Selectman Sweeney suggested meeting with the restaurants and the Chamber about getting KENO. He said it could be a carrot if they impose a meals tax, which could affect some of the businesses. Town Counsel asked to have a public hearing on Comcast on 6/29.
Addendum: Approve Common Victualler License Renewals
Selectman DePinto moved to go to the addendum, seconded by Selectman Vallarelli. Motion was unanimously voted. Selectman Gregorio moved approval of Common Victualler Renewal Licenses for CK Andrea's Pizza, Inc. d/b/a Andrea's House of Pizza/498 Main Street and Jagat Enterprises, Inc. d/b/a Rang Indian Bistro/6 Central Square. Motion was seconded by Selectman DePinto and unanimously voted.
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Town Administrator Reports
Mr. Ragucci said the Treasurer sent out to taxpayers that if they can pay by 5/28 they won't have to pay late fees and interest. Selectman Sweeney asked if they will get a refund if they pay the bottom line. Selectman DePinto said they would have to send a refund or give a credit on the next bill. Chairman Rotondi and Selectman Gregorio volunteered for the Financial Summit.
Executive Session
Selectman DePinto moved to go into executive session, pursuant to Chapter 39, Section 23B, to discuss Stockwell Trust and not to return as the Board of Selectmen. Motion was seconded, and a roll call vote was taken.
Voting in favor:
Selectman Sweeney
Selectman Vallarelli
Selectman DePinto
Selectman Gregorio
Chairman Rotondi
Motion was unanimously voted.
Meeting adjourned at 9:08 p.m.
Respectfully submitted,
Muriel Doherty
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