TOWN OF ACTON SELECT BOARD MEETING
August 31, 2022

6:00pm

CALL MEETING TO ORDER / PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE

Kimberly Stacy–Horn is absent.

2.      WARRANTS/BILLS: Signed

3.      APPROVAL OF AGENDA: David Winchell Jr. made a motion to approve the agenda, Tom McGurty seconded the motion. All in favor, motion carried, 2-0.

4.      MINUTES OF LAST MEETING: Tabled

5. TOWN ADMINISTRATOR WEEKLY UPDATE:

The Town Administrator worked on the RSMS with Will Langley and Adam Doliber.

The Town Clerk recieved a petition for increasing the Select Board to 5 members, although originally short the required amount, they were subsequently gathered and verified..

The Office cleaning lady has resigned. The staff at the Town Offices will help keep the area clean. The Town Administrator will post the position.

Town Report letters are due on Friday August 19, 2022.

The Rec Director will be on the Agenda for the next meeting.

The Conservation and Forest Committee has a concern regarding conflict of interest which the Liasion will work on and bring back to full Board.

O’Donnell and Associates have been out in the community starting to gather information for the townwide revaluation.

A member of the Warrant and Finance Committee questioned the title of the Town Administrator. The Town Administrator reviewed a legal opinion in 2017 which MMA stated the Board had the authority to create the position. Further comments were given to W/F and public that Committee Meetings were not the place to discuss such personnel issues and persons should bring it to the full Board.

6.    DEPARTMENT HEAD / COMMITTEE CHAIR UPDATES

A. Mary Grant Committee:

The Town wide community picnic has been planned for September 10, 2022. There will be a Pumpkin Carving Festival on Sunday October 23, 2022 with a picnic. The Mary Grant has been gifted a cord of wood. It will be raffled off, 100 tickets at $10.00 a ticket. An idea was that the proceeds could be shared with Neighbors Helping Neighbors, but the Town Administrator stated that there were enough funds with N. H. N., and the Committee should keep the proceeds for the Mary Grant.

David Winchell Jr. made a motion to approve the Wood Raffle, Tom McGurty seconded the motion. All in favor, motion carried, 2-0.

B. District 1 Road Commissioner:

Will Langley stated that his paving budget was $328,294.00. His current bill is $333,430.00 from Carroll Paving for the roads only. There were 90 hot top driveways that required aprons to meet the new paved road surface. This will increase the price by approximately $20,000.00. Will is seeking funds to finish the project and needs to see if the monies can be used from his winter/summer maintenance funds where there were $393,674.00 appropriated. Will also reported that there was a drainage problem on West Shore Drive and Willow Street, where the water and sediment was going across a citizen’s property. David Winchell Jr. inspected the site and spoke with the citizen regarding this matter. Two 3 foot catch basins were installed and a culvert was run to cross the road. The catch basins will hold the sediment and prevent the run off.

7. LIASION UPDATES

Tom

Warrant & Finance Committee: meeting with the liaison

Transfer Station: no meeting

Fire Department: Fire Chief Search

Capital Improvement: Joyce Bakshi communicated by email

Kim

Recreational Committee, School, APAT, Cemetery Committee

David

Roads & Road Committee, Code Enforcement and Land Use, Mary Grant Committee,

Conservation / Forest Committee

8. OLD BUSINESS

A. Website Proposal:

Dan Krampetz created an RFP, will meet with companies and will assist with the transition. The cost would be for 84 hours of work, at $20.00 an hour, for a total of $1700.00.

David Winchell Jr. made a motion to approve the proposal as read, Tom McGurty seconded the motion. All in favor, motion carried, 2-0.

B. Water Bids: To be reviewed next week.

9. NEW BUSINESS

A. Sand Bids: Sealed bids were opened and read aloud by the Town Administrator for winter sand.

Landscape Depot : $10.00 a yard

Seth McCoy: $14.50 a yard

Curtis Sand and Gravel: $13.00 a yard.

Will Langley stated that Landscape Depot was used last year, and it was good sand.

Adam Doliber, although not present, indicated to Will, that he wanted to go look at the sand.

The Select Board stated that a decision would be made next week.

B. Fire Chief Commission:

The Warrant and Finance Committee selected Margarita Borgal to be the representative for the Committee. Tom McGurty will be the representative from the Select Board.

Active duty members of the Fire Department have volunteered. The applications for the Fire Chief have been received. The Town Administrator will work on the next step.

C. West Shore Drive Culvert:

The Engineering Report from Ransom has been received. The Select Board has set up a timeline:

The Road Committee would be informed via email.

The plans would be released via email to the public on the Town website.

The Select Board will set up the next steps regarding a public hearing with the engineer and the Road Committee to discuss the three options for the bridge.

Leslie Berlan inquired if the Army Corps of Engineers and Inland Fisheries should be present. Tom McGurty replied that the Town should talk before involving the State and Federal agencies.

David Winchell Jr. stated that the public should be able to ask the Army Corps and Inland fisheries questions.

D. Tax Rate 2022-2023

The Town Administrator reviewed the proposed tax rate and asked the Board to review the revenues and she hoped we would be able to commit next week.

E. Local 130, LLC Liquor License

The Town Administrator presented a one day liquor license request for a wedding at Blueberry Hill. All fees and documents were in order. Motion made by David Winchell Jr., seconded by Tom McGurty - motion carried. Document signed.

F. Order for November Election

The Town Administrator presented a draft for the November Election and discussed ensued regarding a non-binding poll for the voting method to be used in the future.

G. Executive Session 405 6.A.-1; Personnel

David Winchell Jr. made a motion to go into Executive Session, seconded by Tom McGurty, motion carried.

10. PUBLIC COMMENT

Unavailable due to video glitch.

11. PENDING

A. Town Report Letters due - August 19, 2022

B. Sand / Salt Shed Roof - Work To Be Done on October 12, 2022

C. New Bridge Fence - Awaiting Owner Signature

D. Fire Chief Applications - August 31, 2022

12.  ANNOUNCEMENTS

Can be found on Town's website.

13.     MEMBERS PRESENT: Tom McGurty, David Winchell Jr.

14.     ATTENDANCE: Richard Neal, Lynn Bostrom, Peter Bostrom, Adam Brock, Robin Ham, Will Langley, Terri Ball, Mark Rautenburg, Scott Matthews, Beth Ann Brown, Brian Morrisroe, Kristan Waitt, Mary Ann and Lee Robator, Leslie Berlan, Deborah Lopez, Ramiro Lopez, Dennis Long, Joyce Bakshi, Rollin Waterhouse.