Board of Selectmen
Meeting Minutes
March 9, 2009

Present: Selectman Huber, Selectman Martin, Finance Committee Chairman John Trickey, Fred VanDerbeck, D. Goldin, A. Suprenant, Mary Carey, K. Leahey, Rick Adamcek and others.

Absent: Chairman Martell absent while on vacation in Florida.

Meeting called to order by Selectman Martin at 6:01 p.m.

Approval of Minutes: 

Selectman Huber motioned to accept the minutes of the meeting held on February 23, 2009; Martin seconded; motion passed unanimously.

After some discussion between Huber and Martin regarding an apology from the Board to the personnel board for not including them in the discussion and noting that they approved of the motions re:Thomann, Selectman Huber motioned to accept the minutes of the Executive Session held on February 9, 2009; Martin seconded; motion passed unanimously.

Liaison Reports:

Fire Department: Martin noted that the department will be submitting a Warrant Article for the May Town Meeting for approximately $76,000 for the purchase of Self-Contained Breathing Apparatus. Finance Committee chairman Trickey inquired if that was an updated figure, noting that Chief Murphy told him that the cost had increased since his first proposal. After Martin replied that the quote was dated November of 2008, Trickey said that he would confirm the increased price with Murphy and put it on the agenda of the next Capital Planning committee meeting.

Trickey also noted that the Capital Planning Committee is expecting Warrant Articles for the following

• A new police cruiser
• to pay off the Police Chief’s cruiser (Ford Expedition) [$27,000]
• Air packs for the Fire Department
• a tractor for the DPW
• Software for the police department

These Articles represent approximately $165,000.

Energy Committee: Huber assured Trickey that the committee would have a Warrant Article regarding the recommendations made in the recent audit of Town buildings ready for the next Capital Planning meeting.

Subsequent discussion revealed that it is believed that Joe Larson is confident that grants being applied for will cover the painting of the Old Town Hall. Trickey noted that, if that does happen, then the amount requested in the Warrant could be reduced by $30,000. Rick Adamcek noted that he felt the energy concerns are more pressing than a new coat of paint.

Huber let the room know that there are copies of the energy audit at the Library.

Police Department: No report in anticipation of Acting Chief Thomann being present later during the meeting. Thomann was not able to attend and his agenda regarding the hiring of a new part-time officer was put off until the next Selectman’s meeting.

Library: Huber had attended the last meeting of the Trustees; they discussed ‘where they are at’ with all Library programs. Huber also said the Director Adam Novitt had approached him again about getting a credit card for the Library’s use. Huber told him to look to the Trustees for that as the Town does not want to set a precedent by securing credit cards for various departments.

Schools: Huber reported that the committee had met with Pelham Elementary School principal Rena Moore to discuss FY10’s budget. He said that Moore had prepared four different ‘tiers’ of cuts, the use of which will be dependent upon the final outcome of the State’s budget. Huber also met recently with the K-6 committee. He said that they had determined that in order to maintain level services, the town would have to have more school choice students than Pelham students by 2011. The talk therefore centered on the idea of reducing school choice students; possibly by combining different grade levels in one classroom. Huber noted that the committee was trying to “think outside the box” for solutions.

Finance Committee Chairman John Trickey spoke of attending a recent K-6 regionalization meeting. He reported that it was a “positive” meeting of the four area towns (Amherst, Pelham, Shutesbury and Leverett). The committee is looking at a one-year timeline for developing a plan and, then to perhaps implement it within the following year. There was also talk of possibly sharing curriculum between the towns so that the transition to a regional school system would be relatively effortless.  Trickey noted that Leverett and Shutesbury are a little more reticent to involve themselves in the discussion because they are members of the Union 28 contract and it would be difficult to get out of that commitment; he also mentioned that he believes that they do not want to relinquish “control” of their own district(s).

DPW:  Superintendent Adamcek reported that the department was running smoothly.

Town Hall: Martin reports that the Hall is running smoothly.

New Business:

• Finance Committee Chairman John Trickey said that he would be attending a breakfast held by the MMA in Belchertown. Representative Stan Kulik will be present.

Trickey suggested that Selectmen hold off on Article 4 (the budget) until the “numbers are clear” from the state’s budget and after we have a sense of how the stimulus package will “filter down”.

Selectman Huber motioned to postpone Article #4 and to hold a Special Town Meeting specifically for the purpose of addressing Article #4 on Saturday, June 13, 2009 at 9 a.m. at the Pelham Elementary School; Selectman Martin seconded; motion passed unanimously.

• Office Supplies: Selectmen and administrative aide Leahey discussed office supplies. Leahey said that she has begun to look into the State contract for office supplies and will also look into the HCOG contract also. Selectmen suggested that she call Pelham Elementary School principal Rena Moore to inquire where they bought their supplies.
• Acting Chief Thomann was detained and did not meet with Selectmen. That meeting will happen on March 23rd. Trickey cautioned Selectmen regarding a grant that Thomann is applying for. Trickey felt that to promise, as is expected by the grantor, to maintain a granted position for one year beyond the grant-paid three years  may become difficult to impossible and the Town should be looking at the long term effects and expectations, not just the short-term benefit.

Old Business:

• Amherst Road: Selectman Huber made a motion to have a meeting regarding Amherst Road on Thursday, April 2, 2009 at the Pelham Elementary School at 7 p.m.; Martin seconded; motion passed  unanimously.
• Administrative Assistant Leahey will mail letters to every owner of property on Amherst Road, letting them know of the proposed changes to their easements and of the meeting explaining the same.
• Leahey will also call Principal Rena Moore to be sure that the school is available for the date proposed and DPW Adamcek will get tables to set up to lay out the map for viewing. 

Martin motioned to adjourn at 6:45 p.m.; Huber seconded; meeting adjourned.

Respectfully submitted,
Kim Leahey
Administrative Aide