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Home My Public Portal About20121204 - Select Board - Meeting Minutes 1 Hopkinton Board of Selectmen Meeting Minutes December 4, 2012 TOWN OF HOPKINTON Board of Selectmen December 4, 2012 A meeting of the Hopkinton Board of Selectmen was held on Tuesday, December 4, 2012 at Town Hall, 18 Main Street, Hopkinton, Massachusetts. Selectmen present: Ben Palleiko, Todd Cestari, Michelle Gates, Brian Herr. Not present: John Mosher. Officials present: Town Manager Norman Khumalo, Operations Assistant Jamie Hellen. CALL TO ORDER: Chairman Palleiko called the meeting to order in Room 211. MOTION to go into Executive Session to discuss contract negotiations and litigation. REOPEN PUBLIC SESSION: Chairman Palleiko reopened the Public Session at 6:31 PM in Room 215 with the Pledge of Allegiance. PUBLIC FORUM: Residents were invited to share ideas, opinions, or ask questions regarding town government. There was no one present to participate in public forum. ACCOMPLISHMENTS: Chairman Palleiko announced Hopkinton has achieved Bio-Ready Gold status with the Mass Biotech Council. CONSENT AGENDA: 1. Public Session Minutes - The Board approved the following public session minutes: 10/29/12, 11/2/12, 11/8/12, and 11/26/12. 2. Proclamations – This item was withdrawn. 3. Marathon Fund Requests – The Board considered a request for 22 hockey bags for the varsity ice hockey team and funding for the 2013 post prom party. The Board considered acceptance of a gift donated in Joe Pratt’s memory for the youth of Hopkinton. 4. Resignation – The Board accepted the resignation of Caroline McManus as an Associate Member of the Sustainable Green Committee. Chairman Palleiko requested to break out item number 3. MOTION by Mr. Herr to approve items 1 and 4, SECONDED by Mr. Cestari. VOTE to Approve: Yes-4, No-0, Abstained-0. Chairman Palleiko thanked everyone who has generously made donations in memory of Joe Pratt for the youth of Hopkinton. He clarified that this donation is being made to the Marathon Fund account. MOTION by Mrs. Gates to approve item 3, SECONDED by Mr. Cestari. VOTE to Approve: Yes-4, No-0, Abstained-0. 2 Hopkinton Board of Selectmen Meeting Minutes December 4, 2012 TROPICAL STORM SANDY UPDATE: Fire Chief Clark, Police Chief Flannery, and DPW Director Westerling provided the Board an update on Tropical Storm Sandy and its financial impacts. Mr. Khumalo indicated the Town will be seeking potential reimbursement from MEMA and FEMA for the expenses incurred. MOTION by Mrs. Gates that the Board declare a local emergency to health and safety from October 28-30, 2012 as a result of the weather event known as Tropical Storm Sandy and further that the Finance Director make a request to the Department of Revenue to expend $41,754.23 in excess of appropriation to fund the costs associated with the storm under MGL Chapter 44, Sec 31, SECONDED by Mr. Cestari. VOTE to Approve: Yes-4, No-0, Abstained-0. HOPKINTON ARTS CENTER: Chuck Joseph of the Hopkinton Community Endowment and Henry Kunicki from the Community Preservation Committee provided the Board with a presentation on the Hopkinton Center for the Arts project. After discussion the Board stated it would be in everyone’s best interest to try to determine the complete cost of this project before moving forward and recommended working with the Permanent Building Committee to accomplish this. LAND CONVEYANCES: 1. Abbott Realty Trust – The Board reviewed and executed a Drainage Easement Agreement with Abbott Realty Trust, Kenneth and Margaret Weismantel, and Colin and Marilyn Stearman for property located on the westerly side of Ash Street across from Thayer Heights Road. Chairman Palleiko provided background information on this easement agreement, which will provide the Town access to a drainage pipe located on this property. MOTION by Mr. Herr that the Board of Selectmen approve the Drainage Easement Agreement as requested, without the stipulations directed by Town Counsel, SECONDED by Mr. Cestari. VOTE to Approve: Yes-4, No-0, Abstained-0. 2. Trust for Public Lands & Open Space Preservation Commission, Elmwood Farm Acquisition – The Board reviewed and executed a purchase and sale agreement and donation agreement with the Trust for Public Land to acquire approximately 70 +/- acres of real property consisting of portions of Hopkinton Assessor Parcels U20-30 and R25-47, in accordance with the vote taken on Article 40, Item G of the May 7, 2012 Annual Town Meeting. Tom Harrington, Town Counsel, reviewed the overall purchase and associated terms. MOTION by Mr. Cestari that the Board of Selectmen enter into a purchase and sale agreement and donation agreement with the Trust for Public Land to acquire approximately 70 +/- acres of real property consisting of portions of Hopkinton Assessor Parcels U20-30 and R25-47, and to convey to the Sudbury Valley Trustees and conservation restriction on the same land all in accordance with the vote taken under Article 40, Item G of the May 7, 2012 Annual Town Meeting, and to execute all documents necessary to effect this vote, SECONDED by Mrs. Gates. VOTE to Approve: Yes-3, No-0, Abstained-1 (Palleiko). Mr. Palleiko abstained from this vote as he is the designee to the Open Space Committee and had previously voted “yes” on this item. 3 Hopkinton Board of Selectmen Meeting Minutes December 4, 2012 3. Eileen M. McIntyre & Open Space Preservation Commission, Whisper Way Acquisition – The Board considered and executed a purchase and sale agreement with Eileen M. McIntyre to acquire approximately 6+/- acres of real property described in a deed recorded with the Middlesex South District Registry of Deeds in Book 23940, Page 286, in accordance with the vote taken on Article 40, Item E of the May 7, 2012 Annual Town Meeting. MOTION by Mrs. Gates that the Board of Selectmen enter into a purchase and sale agreement with the Eileen M. McIntyre to acquire approximately 6+/- acres of real property as described in a deed recorded with the Middlesex South District Registry of Deeds in Book 23940, Page 286, in accordance with the vote taken under Article 40, Item E of the May 7, 2012 Annual Town Meeting and to execute all documents necessary to effect this vote, SECONDED by Mr. Herr. VOTE to Approve: Yes-3, No-0, Abstained-1 (Palleiko). Mr. Palleiko abstained from this vote as he is the designee to the Open Space Committee and had previously voted “no” on this item. LIAISON REPORTS: Mrs. Gates stated she has been working with the 300th Celebration Committee and would like to have them attend a future Board meeting to outline where they are and what they will need to accomplish their goals. She attended a 26.2 Foundation dinner recognizing Guy Morris on his retirement from the BAA. She announced the Senior Center is holding its Christmas party on Saturday, December 8 at 3:00 p.m. Mr. Herr stated he has attended several meetings of the School Superintendent Search Committee and the process is well underway. He thanked Mr. Khumalo and Mr. Hellen for assisting in conducting a recent mock Board of Selectmen meeting with a group of local boy scouts. He announced the Chamber of Commerce is hosting a dinner on Thursday, December 13, to honor former selectmen Ron Clark and Mary Pratt. Mr. Khumalo stated he attended a meeting at the Mass School Building Authority to discuss Center School and he anticipates a joint meeting of the School Committee and Board of Selectmen in the future to discuss this. TOWN MANAGER’S REPORT: Mr. Khumalo outlined current staff vacancies within the Town. Debbie Hilton-Creek, Director of Human Resources, addressed the Board to provide an update on Human Resource initiatives she is working on. FUTURE AGENDA ITEMS: Mr. Herr stated he would like to have an update on the status of the hockey rink. Mrs. Gates stated she would like an update on a needle disposal plan, as residents are no longer allowed to dispose of needles in the municipal trash. She asked that consideration be given to a commemorative chair for Joe Pratt to be located at the Junior High School auditorium. She requested the Board schedule a discussion on medical marijuana dispensaries in light of the recent approval of Ballot Question 3. ADJOURN: MOTION by Mr. Cestari to adjourn, SECONDED by Mr. Herr. VOTE to Approve: Unanimous. Meeting adjourned. 4 Hopkinton Board of Selectmen Meeting Minutes December 4, 2012 Summarized Transcription by //Patricia McDonnell// Date: January 7, 2013 Patricia McDonnell Certified Transcriber, OfficeSolutionsPlusLLC.com //Elizabeth Tice// Date: January 7, 2013 Elizabeth Tice, President Office.Solutions.PlusLLC.com My commission expires August 26, 2016