Present: Selectmen Grimes, Casey, O’Donnell, Ward, Chairman Angley, Town Administrator LaFond and A.T.A. Bouchard
Angley opened the meeting at 7 PM with the Pledge of Allegiance.
Angley announced openings on the following committees: Finance, IDC, Marcus Atwood Trustees and Open Space and Recreation Plan Update.
Angley also announced the upcoming Community Forums. Angley asked Sarah Hewins to speak regarding the upcoming Regional Summit on the Plymouth/Carver Aquifer hosted by DEP at the Pinehills in Plymouth on November 29, 2007. Grimes stated he was looking forward to attending.
Angley announced that the Town received the $1 million CDAG Grant for the Cole Property water infrastructure. This is crucial to the financial success of the project. He congratulated Jack Hunter for his work in securing the grant. Hunter stated that he did not do it alone. There was a lot of help from SRPEDD, Norfolk Ram Group, Cole Working Group, IDC and Board of Selectmen. This grant will help fill the gap. The Town had been promised $2 million from the big three developers and that is down to $1.25 million presently. The Town has already received grants of $100,000 and $50,000 from DEP with an expectation of receiving a rural development grant in the amount of $1.25 million once the legislature approves the legislation creating the North Carver Water District. The Town
will apply for the $1.25 million once this is done. Dick Ward congratulated Jack and everyone else. The Cole Working Group has met over 40 times in the past 1 ½ to 2 years. He also complimented the IDC on all their work over the past five years. Jack Franey questioned Hunter’s figures presented at Town Meeting and stated they were not accurate. He is concerned with possible impact on the operating budget for ’08 and ’09. Hunter stated he checked the PowerPoint he presented at Town Meeting and his figures were accurate. LaFond stated that he hopes that someday the water district can reimburse the general fund for any money expended on this project, and that the Town is trying to keep borrowing costs to a minimum. He also stated that Hunter has born the brunt of the work on this project and deserves to be commended for a job well done. Casey also wanted to congratulate Hunter publicly, and complimented him on
his ability to bring groups together and keep them focused. The Town is fortunate to have him.
Mark P. Rasmussen, Executive Director of the Coalition for Buzzards Bay:
Rasmussen along with C. Peterson of the Coalition addressed the Board regarding the state of the Bay. Carver is 85% in the Buzzards Bay Watershed with both the Weweantic and Wankiko Rivers emptying into the Bay. The Bay continues to experience nitrogen pollution, with the biggest contributor from septic systems. He stated that Carver has two crucial things in its’ favor: 1. It has approved the CPA in regards to Open Space Preservation, and 2. The Conservation Commission’s 65 ft. setback is a regional model. We need to do two things going forward: 1. Raise grant funds for Open Space, and 2. Cape Cod Cranberry Growers Association’s joint project to work with the cranberry growers to reduce nitrogen use on the bogs. Ward stated as a grower he
knows the importance of water. Grimes commented they do great work and that the Town looks forward to working with them in the future.
Acceptance of gift to the Fire Department from the IDFA:
Jack Franey, IDFA, explained the $3,500 gift to the Fire Department for the purchase of three 911 call boxes for emergencies. Motion by Ward to accept gift, second by Grimes. Vote unanimous.
Renewal of Annual Licenses:
The following licenses were reviewed for renewal for Calendar Year 2008: Liquor; Class I, II, II; Commercial Garage; Common Victualler; Automatic Amusement and Entertainment. Bouchard explained to the Board the issues on Brother’s Best, Little Red Smokehouse, Low Key Auto Sales and Plymouth Auto Sales. Motion to approve all licenses with the exception of the above four conditionally on receiving required paperwork by Grimes, second by Ward. Vote unanimous. Motion by Grimes to approve Liquor License renewal of Little Red Smokehouse condition on receiving a check for $112.50, second by Ward. Vote unanimous. Motion by Grimes to renew for a period of three months the liquor license of Brothers Best Café, Inc. conditioned on them applying to the ZBA for a Special Permit as
recommended by the Zoning Enforcement Officer, Michael Mendoza. Vote unanimous. Motion by Grimes to approve renewal of Class II license to Low Key Auto and Plymouth Auto subject to compliance on vehicle limit and all other conditions, and upon follow up report from Sergeant Miksch, second by Ward. Vote unanimous. Motion by Ward, second by Grimes for Bouchard to send a letters to the four licensees outlining the conditions under which their licenses were approved for renewal. Vote unanimous.
Minutes of November 13, 2007:
Motion by Grimes, second by Ward to approve as written. Vote unanimous.
Citizen’s Participation:
Angley stated the Board will be setting up an executive session with Town Counsel for a litigation update and will report back to residents on the BATG matter.
Resident Rod Forrester gave the Board a newspaper clipping that he stated showed the annual average water bill in Halifax is less than what Cranberry Village Residents pay. He also stated that Piper is going up on the monthly rate in January. LaFond told Forrester he is welcome to come into the office and sit down with the Town Accountant and himself to go over expenses of the water system to better understand how the rate is structured.
Franey brought up the subject of creating a South Carver Water District. Hunter stated the Town has a South Carver Water Study Committee. Currently the S. Carver wells have a capacity of 300,000 gallons and we have to go through permitting process to increase the capacity, however the radius is not there. There is also a real problem to expand the customer base with access as there are two land owners who do not want to give up property. The wells in Myles Standish Forest under the jurisdiction of the Department of Recreation have a lot of capacity, but they do not allow wells on their property. Myles Standish could open up some economic development opportunities.
Selectmen Notes:
O’Donnell - nothing
Ward stated that the Green Committee is looking for applicants. The Town also received its first check from the cranberry bogs at the Cole property in the amount of $254. It has been decided not to lease out the bogs as we have the resources to run it, and the Town can use it as an educational tool. He also was looking at the water budget for the S. Carver Wells and in ’07 the budget was $42,000 and in ’08 it was $52,700. LaFond stated that for five years we did not include a depreciation figure for the system, and enterprise funds are supposed to capture costs and set aside an amount for depreciation on the assets. There was a deficit and we had to overcome this.
Casey – nothing
Grimes ask about Gerry Farquharson. LaFond stated he still is going through P.T, and he fully intends to come back in some capacity. Grimes stated he looks forward to legal discussion.
Angley congratulated Jack Hunter and other parties on receiving the CDAG Grant.
Town Administrator Notes:
LaFond stated he will be working on meeting with the School Committee in the next couple of weeks to go over the Town’s financial outlook. He is working on a five year forecast now and it is in draft form. Budget packages will be sent out to departments by the end of the week. It was his pleasure to be invited to an event that was a very important date for Randy Webster who was awarded a lifetime achievement award by the Massachusetts School Committee Association. It was certainly a nice thing for Randy and the Town.
Bouchard stated that Jean McGillicuddy had requested that Lynn Doyle and Doris DeHay be appointed to the Board of Registrars. Motion by Grimes, seconded by Casey to appoint the two individuals. Vote Unanimous.
Motion by Ward, second by O’Donnell to adjourn at 8:30 P.M. Vote unanimous.
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