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Town of Brewster
2198 Main Street
Brewster, MA 02631-1898
Phone: (508) 896-3701
Fax: (508) 896-8089
POLICY NO: 45
DATE APPROVED: 12-16-13
TOWN OF BREWSTER
REMOTE PARTICIPATION POLICY
Minimum Requirements for Remote Participation.
(a) Members of a public body who participate remotely and all persons present at the
meeting location shall be clearly audible to each other;
(b) A quorum of the body, including the chair or, in the chair’s absence, the person
authorized to chair the meeting, shall be physically present at the meeting location, as
required by M.G.L. c. 30A, sec 20(d);
(c) Members of public bodies who participate remotely may vote and shall not be deemed
absent for the purposes of M.G.L. c. 39, sec. 23D.
Permissible Reasons for Remote Participation. If remote participation has been adopted in
accordance with 940 CMR 29.10(2), a member of a public body shall be permitted to
participate remotely in a meeting, in accordance with the procedures described in 940 CMR
29.10(7), if the chair or, in the chair’s absence, the person chairing the meeting, determines
that one or more of the following factors makes the member’s physical attendance
unreasonably difficult:
(a) Personal illness;
(b) Personal disability;
(c) Emergency;
(d) Military service; or
(e) Geographic distance.
Office of:
Board of Selectmen
Town Administrator
Technology.
(a) The following media are acceptable methods for remote participation. Remote
participation by any other means is not permitted. Accommodations shall be made for any
public body member who requires TTY service, video relay service, or other form of
adaptive telecommunications.
(i) telephone, internet, or satellite enabled audio or video conferencing;
(ii) any other technology that enables the remote participant and all persons present at
the meeting location to be clearly audible to one another.
(b) When video technology is in use, the remote participant shall be clearly visible to all
persons present in the meeting location.
(c) The public body shall determine which of the acceptable methods may be used by its
members.
(d) The chair or, in the chair’s absence, the person chairing the meeting, may decide how
to address technical difficulties that arise as a result of utilizing remote participation, but is
encouraged, wherever possible, to suspend discussion while reasonable efforts are made to
correct any problem that interferes with a remote participant’s ability to hear or be heard
clearly by all persons present at the meeting location. If technical difficulties result in a
remote participant being disconnected from the meeting, that fact and the time at which the
disconnection occurred shall be noted in the meeting minutes.
(e) The amount and source of payment for any costs associated with remote participation
shall be determined by the applicable adopting entity identified in 940 CMR 29.10(2).
Procedures for Remote Participation.
(a) Any member of a public body who wishes to participate remotely shall, as soon as
reasonably possible prior to a meeting, notify the chair or, in the chair’s absence, the
person chairing the meeting, of his or her desire to do so and the reason for and facts
supporting his or her request.
(b) At the start of the meeting, the chair shall announce the name of any member who will
be participating remotely and the reason under 940 CMR 29.10(5) for his or her remote
participation. This information shall also be recorded in the meeting minutes.
(c) All votes taken during any meeting in which a member participates remotely shall be
by roll call vote.
(d) A member participating remotely may participate in an executive session, but shall
state at the start of any such session that no other person is present and/or able to hear the
discussion at the remote location, unless presence of that person is approved by a simple
majority vote of the public body.
(e) When feasible, the chair or, in the chair’s absence, the person chairing the meeting,
shall distribute to remote participants, in advance of the meeting, copies of any documents
or exhibits that he or she reasonably anticipates will be used during the meeting. If used
during the meeting, such documents shall be part of the official record of the meeting, and
shall be listed in the meeting minutes and retained in accordance with M.G.L. c. 30A, sec.
22.
Board of Selectmen
Appointments January 25, 2016
Abigail Archer, Ryan Burch, Matt Cannon, Alex Carlson, Ruth Courtnell,
Tom Devane, Max Dwyer, Bob Dwyer, James Goodrich, Claire Gradone,
Howard Hayes, Kyle Hinkle, Bud Johnson, John Lamb, Chet Lay, Stephen
McKenna, Mary O’Neil, Donald Poole, Chris Powicki, Henri
Rauschenbach, Jonathan Rice, Joe Rinaldi and Cindy Roth to the Brewster
Coastal Advisory Group for one year, expiring on December 31, 2016.
David Peterson as an alternate on the Brewster Coastal Advisory Group
for a term of one year, expiring December 31, 2016
Brewster Coastal Advisory Group
Advisory Group Representatives
Participant Primary Category Secondary Categories
Abigail Archer Coastal Committee other coastal users
Brewster Aquaculture
Association (TBD) Commercial Aquaculture
Ryan Burch Non-coastal Neighborhood young families, shellfishing
Matt Cannon Coastal Committee
Ruth Courtnell Coastal Committee
Tom Devane Other Coastal Users: Ocean Edge
Max Dwyer Non-coastal Neighborhood young families, shellfishing
Bob Dwyer Other Coastal Users: Cape Cod
Museum of Natural History
James Goodrich Coastal Committee
Claire Gradone Non-coastal Neighborhood accessibility
Howard Hayes
Real estate/economic development
coastal neighbors, seniors,
hospitality
Kyle Hinkle Businesses: Brewster Chamber of
Commerce
Bud Johnson Non-commercial Shellfishing seniors
John Lamb Coastal Neighborhood: East
Chet Lay Coastal Committee
Stephen McKenna Coastal Committee
Mary O'Neil Coastal Neighborhood: East
Donald Poole Non-coastal Neighborhood business, shellfishing
Chris Powicki Coastal Neighborhood: Central
Henri Rauschenbach /
David Peterson Other Coastal Users: Sea Camps
Jonathan Rice Coastal Neighborhood: West seniors
Joe Rinaldi Coastal Committee
Cindy Roth Hospitality
Advisory Group Liaisons
Category Representative
All Citizens Access Committee Claire Gradone
Bikeways/Pathways tbd
Conservation Commission Virginia Iannini
Council on Aging tbd
DCR Nickerson State Park tbd
Dog Park Development Committee tbd
Finance Committee tbd
Natural Resources Department Chris Miller
Open Space Committee tbd
Planning Board Scott Collum
Selectmen Pat Hughes
January 25, 2016
Action Items
Page 1 of 2
BREWSTER BOARD OF SELECTMEN
MEETING OF JANUARY 25, 2016
ACTION ITEMS
1. Request for Waiver of Fees – Habitat for Humanity is requesting a waiver of fees that
will be associated with the construction of the homes at the Tubman Road site. This would
including Zoning, Planning and Building department fees. The Town Planner supports the
waiver of Zoning and Planning Board application fees, but not abutter notices and
newspaper advertisements. The Building Commissioner is supportive of waiving building
permit fees, but not inspection fees.
ADMINISTRATIVE RECOMMENDATION
We recommend the Board vote to waive application and permit fees, but not abutter
notices, newspaper ad and inspection fees.
2. Apply for Grant – Chief Moran would like to apply for a Federal SAFER staffing grant.
The grant would provide funds for full wages, pension and medical benefit costs for two
years with no match required.
ADMINISTRATIVE RECOMMENDATION
We recommend the Board vote to approve this request
3. One Day Liquor License – The Brewster Chamber of Commerce requests a one day
liquor license for a member to member event at the Snowy Owl on Thursday, February 11
from 5:30pm – 7:00pm. Beer and wine will be served.
ADMINISTRATIVE RECOMMENDATION
We recommend the Board vote to approve this request
4. Suspend Activities of Coastal Committee – The Appointments Chair recommends that
the Board suspend the activities of the Brewster Coast Committee until August 1, 2016, so
that the members may participate in the Brewster Coastal Advisory Committee.
ADMINISTRATIVE RECOMMENDATION
We recommend the Board vote to approve this request
5. Reduce size of Government Study Committee – There has been another resignation
from the Government Study Committee, leaving 5 members on the Committee. The
Chairman requests that the Board reduce the size of the Committee to 5 members. This will
allow the committee to meet with a quorum of 3 members, rather than 4.
ADMINISTRATIVE RECOMMENDATION
We recommend the Board vote to approve this request
January 25, 2016
Action Items
Page 2 of 2
6. Waiver of Fees – The Brewster Conservation Trust is requesting a waiver of the
Recycling Center disposal fees as they will be demolishing two small houses on recently
purchased property. The DPW Superintendent is supportive of this request and BCT will
pay for the permits required for the demolition.
7. Declare Surplus Property - The IT Director has a list of computer equipment that she
would like to have declared surplus. All PCs have been stripped of usable parts and the
hard drives have been erased. Some of the items of no value will be disposed of, while
others will be placed on GovDeals as one lot for auction.
ADMINISTRATIVE RECOMMENDATION
We recommend the Board vote to approve this request
FYI – January 25, 2016
Page 1 of 1
FYI ITEMS (MAIL) JANUARY 25, 2016
A. 1st & 2nd Quarter report from Lower Cape Outreach Council
B. Invitation to Grand Opening of Maplewood at Brewster
C. Notice to abutters of filing with Conservation Commission for proposed work at
38 Saints Landing
D. Notice from Cape Cod Tech of Finance Consortium date; January 25, 2016
E. 1st & 2nd Quarter report from Gosnold
F. 1st & 2nd Quarter report from South Coastal Legal Services
G. 1st & 2nd Quarter report from Consumer Assistance Council
H. Report from Homeless Prevention Council
I. 2nd Quarter report from Independence House
J. Xfinity emergency reporting information
K. November 18, 2015 Conservation Commission meeting minutes
L. December 2, 2015 Conservation Commission meeting minutes
M. December 15, 2015 Conservation Commission meeting minutes
N. January 5, 2016 Conservation Commission meeting minutes