Present: Selectmen Grimes, Ward, Chairman Angley, Town Administrator LaFond and A.T.A. Bouchard. Absent: Selectmen Casey and O’Donnell.
Angley opened the meeting at 6:40 PM with the Pledge of Allegiance.
Angley announced openings on the following committees: Finance, IDC, Marcus Atwood House Trustees, Open Space and Recreation Plan Update
Redevelopment Authority – CPC Support Letters:
Will Sinclair and Laura Trepanier of the Redevelopment Authority requested the Board write a letter of support for two CPC Applications they are submitting for FY09:
• Buckman Park: $25,000 to hire a landscape architect to revamp Buckman Park in the Bates Pond Area.
• Grange Hall at 17 Green Street: $32,000 for an assessment for the historic preservation of the Grange Hall.
Motion by Grimes to write letter of support for both projects, second by Ward. Vote unanimous.
Minutes of September 22 and 25, 2007:
Motion by Grimes, second by Ward to accept as written. Vote unanimous.
Lakenham Green Preservation Committee:
Motion by Grimes second by Ward to appoint the following associate members:
Kevin T. Tracey (present) and Maureen Fuller. Vote unanimous.
North Carver Landfill – License Agreement:
Motion by Ward second by Grimes to approve license agreement between the Town and Landowner Gary Randall to give permission for the Town to install groundwater monitoring wells for the North Carver Landfill. Vote unanimous.
Cornerstones – Entertainment License:
Cornerstones Restaurant has requested an Entertainment License for a D. J. Motion by Grimes to grant, second by Ward. Vote unanimous.
DiPlacido Gift of Land to Conservation Commission:
Motion by Grimes second by Ward to accept ten acre gift of land to be under the control of the Conservation Commission. Land is located on the southeasterly side of Wenham road, Parcel 6 on a Plan of Land in Carver, MA, prepared for Thomas W. & Annmarie DiPlacido dated December 4, 2006 prepared by Vautrinot Surveying, Inc. Vote unanimous.
Charles Silva asked to be recognized by the Board and presented a check in the amount of $10,000 for legal service expenses. This was part of a judgment ordered by the Court.
Legal Services:
Grimes stated he would prefer that all Board members be present to discuss this issue. Ward and Angley agreed to postpone discussion.
Plymouth-Carver Aquifer Action Plan:
Ward stated that he went to the last committee meeting and that this is a very comprehensive document. Since Sarah Hewins had to cancel her appointment this evening, he recommends waiting for Hewins to present plan.
Executive Session:
Cancelled due to the illness of one of the attorneys.
Citizen’s Participation:
Dawn Padovani stated she had talked to several elderly people in Town regarding the CPA exemption, and they were unaware of this. Would like to see this in the COA newsletter as well as assistance for them to fill out the application. LaFond asked if she had spoken to Board of Assessors, and she replied she had not. LaFond stated he is sure that the CPA exemption issue can be placed in the COA newsletter. Padovani also brought up the issue of the personal property tax bills the cranberry bog owners received as one of her co-workers had received one and stated she had never received one in the past. LaFond stated he did was not familiar with the methodology, and she should speak to the Board of Assessors. Padovani stated she had not been to the Board of Assessors.
Padovani then asked about the Police Chief’s contract and referred to an e-mail received from DOR in answer to questions presented on the length of contract and various state statutes. LaFond stated he will get definitive answers to her questions. Resident Bobbi Frugoli made comments from the audience and Angley stated that he has gone out of his way to get answers in a reasonable time frame, and if people had questions please bring the information in.
Resident Paul Johnson asked for an update on the BATG dog shelter issue. LaFond stated BATG had made a request to meet with us and Town Counsel to go over this issue. Unfortunately, BATG cancelled two times. As of last week, Town’s attorney sent last offer to settle amicably. Johnson praised Dick Ward for his work with the Farmer’s Market, and that it was a nice addition to the Town.
Angley asked Director of Assessing, Ellen Blanchard, who had just entered the room to speak on the personal property tax issue as well as the CPA exemption issue. Angley did indicate that he as a cranberry grower had been paying personal property taxes for years. Blanchard stated that all businesses must fill of a Form of List that lists their personal property with the Assessors by March of every year. If a business does not file they use their best knowledge for each type of business. It is the responsibility of the taxpayer to submit to this to the Board of Assessors, just as it is their responsibility to do their 61A application. On the issue of CPA exemptions Blanchard stated they have put this in the newspapers, and they have reached out to the COA. She herself went their one day
and nobody came out. The Assessors make house calls and will assist residents in filling out the application.
Will Sinclair asked the Board to contact Town Counsel to draft an article for next year’s warrant regarding the Town being the sole purveyor of water that will satisfy the Attorney General’s Office. He stated there are developers seeking to set up water companies, and would also sell the water to other municipalities. LaFond stated that maybe through zoning this could be accomplished. Johnson complained that Town Counsel went over warrant, and now we would be paying them again to write article. LaFond stated that Town Counsel did not write the article, but reviewed it and provided us with their opinion pointing out some potential problems. Ward suggested we get our State Representatives involved due to the importance of the aquifer. Motion by Ward to charge the IDC and Board
of Selectmen to set up a meeting with State Representatives to follow through on this issue, second by Grimes. Vote unanimous.
Frugoli stated residents should know the CPA abatement is also for those of particular income threshold. She also asked when Gerry Farquharson is coming back. LaFond stated he is meeting with Gerry at the end of the week but that he would not discuss his medical situation.
Robert Reynolds spoke on the letter he left for Jack Angley on the makeup of the Earth Removal Committee not conforming with the by-law. He further stated that any three citizens can file a complaint with the D.A.’s office on a violation. He is asking for Town Counsel’s opinion in writing. Angley and Ward agreed we should get Town Counsel’s opinion in writing on this issue.
Will Sinclair brought before the Board a letter from the IDC requesting that the Board of Selectmen replace the current Board Members on the IDFA. He stated since the creation of the Redevelopment Authority there is no reason to have an IDFA. He did praise the work that the IDFA did in the past. The Decas Company is expanding their operations in South Carver and is looking for funding through Mass. Development rather than conventional financing. The IDFA voted and wrote a letter to Mass. Development that this funding must go through them. This would cost Decas an additional point besides the point that Mass. Development gets. Sinclair further pointed out the Carver’s IDFA is only one of five in existence in the State. Ward stated that Decas is looking for $4.5 million of the
$11.5 million cost through Mass. Development. Decas is one of the largest commercial businesses in this town and will add 80 to 125 full time employees at that facility. Ward had asked Jack Franey and John Egan, members of the IDFA, to join in a meeting with Mass. Development and Decas to discuss this matter and allow Mass. Development to finance this project. Both Franey and Egan refused to show up. Residents in the audience protested the removal of the current members from the IDFA as they where not here this evening.
Franey arrived and took exception to sitting beside Sinclair. Franey stated they invited Mass. Development and Decas to come before their Board this week and they chose not to attend. Franey further stated he felt like he was being put on the “hot seat”.
After further discussion it was agreed that another meeting with the IDFA, Mass. Development and Decas along with other interested parties would meet as soon as possible.
Selectmen Notes:
Ward stated the Plymouth County Selectmen’s meeting is on November 1st and he will be attending.
Angley stated his thoughts and prayers are with the people in California suffering the effects of the fires around the San Diego Area.
Grimes had nothing other than the legal issue discussed previously.
Town Administrator Notes:
LaFond stated that the Governor had filed the Casino legislation, 79 pages, and it is available electronically. There are several issues to deal with, one establishing an authority. The Gaming Authority would review application and mitigate needs and impact studies. No discussion on Indian Gaming, specifically in relation to the three the state is looking to license. The Mass. Tax Payers Foundation released its’ own study on the financial benefits of casino gambling. It is a skeptical view of the proposal and what revenue is available to the State. Chairman of the House Committee reviewing the legislation is an outspoken critic of casino gambling. There is no hearing until January 1, 2008.
Meeting adjourned at 9:20 PM.
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