HomeCATNews UpdatesLocal GovernmentAction Taken at Board of Selectmen Meeting, Dec. 13

Action Taken at Board of Selectmen Meeting, Dec. 13

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TOWN OF WESTFORD

BOARD OF SELECTMEN TOWN HALL

55 Main Street WESTFORD, MA 01886

Telephone (978) 692-5501 Fax (978) 399-2557

ACTION TAKEN MEETING AGENDA Tuesday, December 13, 2016 7:00PM Town Hall, Meeting Room, 55 Main Street Selectman Don Siriani was absent

1. 7:00PM Call to Order 2. 7:01PM Executive Session 1. To discuss the litigation strategy in the matter of Town of Chelmsford v. Town of Westford and in the matter of Andrea Gauntlet v. Town of Westford as an open meeting may have a detrimental effect on the litigating position of the town 2. To consider the payment of compensation to property owners for the Main Street, Plain Road, and Concord Road Improvements Project, as an open session may have a detrimental effect on the negotiating position of the Town

Return to Open Session

3. 7:45PM Pledge of Allegiance

4. 7:47PM Open Forum/FAQ/Announcements a. Recognize Sandy Collins for her 30 years of service to the Westford in the Board of Health department b. Congratulate Daniel Measer, William O’Neal and Matthew Prentice of Troop 159 for earning the rank of Eagle Scout c. Congratulate Westford Jr Ghosts D Team as Pop Warner New England Regional Division III championship winners d. Recognize Andrea Knowles for her service as Community Garden Coordinator e. Recognize performers, directors and staff from Westford Academy for this year’s presentation of “Westford Take Back the Night” f. Announce receipt of Complete Streets Tier 3 Construction Funding award from the Massachusetts Department of Transportation for a total of $399,860 for Fiscal Year 2017

5. 8:00PM Discuss FY2017 tax assessment of 66 Boston Road -Paul Plouffe, Principal Assessor -Diane Holmes, Board of Assessors.
Approved 4-0

6. 8:10PM Request approval to exercise Right of First Refusal for the affordable housing Approved 4-0 resale of 11 Sandstone Road in the Villages at Stone Ridge Development -Paul Teixeira, Executive Director, Westford Housing Authority
7. 8:15PM Request approval of letter in response to the Massachusetts Housing Finance Agency (MassHousing) in review of a proposed Chapter 40B development at 2 Robbins Road known as the “Two Robbins Apartment Homes” -Chris Kluchman, Dir. of Land Use Management

Approved 4-0

8. 8:20PM Discuss raising the minimum wage to $11.00/hour for town employees  -Pat Savage, Director, Parks, Grounds, Cemetery and Recreation Director

Approved 3-1

MK opposed

9. 8:25PM Request approval of the Request for Proposals for the disposition of 12 North Main Street -Rob Downing, 12 North Main Street Task Force

Board gave input and Task Force will release RFP shortly

10. 8:40PM Request approval for proposed town common bandstand accessibility improvements -Eric Heideman, Assistant Town Manager Approved 4-0 the proposed bandstand American with Disabilities Act (ADA) compliant walkway, and to submit to the Community Preservation Committee for funding. In the meantime Ellen Harde will pursue a waiver from the Massachusetts Architectural Access Board and the state Department of Public Safety to “grandfather” current lift.

11. 8:55PM Presentation of recommendations from the Public Works Initiative Committee (PWIC) regarding the operation and maintenance of wastewater assets and oversight of the maintenance of town lands -John Cunningham, Chair, PWIC See Item 16.01 TM Goals

12. 9:15PM Old/New Business

1. Request to approve FY18 Annual Town Meeting timeline for meeting scheduled for March 25, 2017 and vote to open the warrant Changed 04/11/2017 meeting date to 04/13/2017 because of Passover

Approved 4-0

2. Request to approve 2017 Board of Selectmen meeting schedule Changed 04/11/2017 meeting date to 04/13/2017 because of Passover and cancel 12/27/2017 meeting

Approved 4-0

3. Review Board of Selectmen/Finance Committee joint FY2018 budget hearings schedule

4. Appoint a Board of Selectmen member to the Recreation Feasibility Study Task Force

Appointed Mark Kost

5. Request from the Dog Park Task Force to appoint Michele Pilotte as a full member with a term to expire June 30, 2018

Approved 4-0

6. Request from the Public Works Initiative Committee to appoint Avery Adam as School Committee representative with a term to expire June 30, 2019

Approved 4-0

7. Vote to renew annual Board of Selectmen licenses

Approved 4-0

13. 9:25PM Consent Agenda- Request to approve the following Town Common Request Event: Annual Chanukah Celebration Organizer: Rabbi Zalman, Chabad of Nashoba Valley, 26 Tadmuck Road Date: December 25, 2016 Times: 4:00PM to 5:00PM Additional Request: Placement of menorah from December 23 to January 2, 2016

Town Common Request Event: Night of the Arts 2017 Organizer: Maryam Mullenix, Advocates Reversing Mental Stigma (ARMS) Date: March 3, 2017 Times: 7:00PM to 10:00PM

Street Closure Request Event: Live Nativity Scene Organizer: David Welsh, United Methodist Church of Westford, 10 Church Street Date: December 18, 2016 Times: 4:00PM to 9:00PM Streets: Vicinity of the intersection of Church Street and Broadway Street

Approved 4 to 0

14. 9:30PM Minutes for Approval For Release October 25, 2016- Regular Session November 1, 2016- Regular Session

Approved 4 to 0

Not For Release September 27, 2016- Executive Session

Approved 3-0-1

SH abstained

November 1, 2016- Executive Session November 14, 2016- Executive Session November 15, 2016- Executive Session
Approved 4 to 0

15. 9:35PM Board Reports/Updates New center fire station not required to have traffic light on Boston Road -Scott Hazelton

16. 9:40PM Town Manager’s Report 1. Request to approve 2017 Board of Selectmen / Town Manager Goals a. Assigned multi-year goal related to management of wastewater asset oversight and maintenance b. Deferred recommended goal of oversight and maintenance of town- owned land to 2018 2. Discuss response from Pan Am Railways regarding derailment on November 1, 2016
BoS Action Taken 12/13/16 Page 4

Approved 4-0

3. Announce change of corporate management over town’s Community Electricity Aggregation program from ConEdison Solutions to Constellation New Energy, Inc.

4. Request to approve the following contracts: a. MDM Transportation Consultants, Inc. for traffic monitoring services for the Commerce Way driveway serving 540 Groton Road (Newport Materials) in the amount not to exceed $9,500 -Chris Kluchman, Director of Land Use Management

Approved 4-0

b. Agreement with the Massachusetts Housing Partnership for a Chapter 40B Technical Assistance Grant to receive consultant services worth $10,000 to review of the proposed development known as the “Residences at Westford West” -Chris Kluchman, Director of Land Use Management

Approved 4-0

c. Metaxas, Brown, Pidgeon LLP for legal counsel to the Board of Health with respect to Newport Materials, LLC and 540 Groton Road, LLC and any subsequent enforcement action or litigation arising relating thereto with a required initial retainer in the amount of $10,000

Requested scope of services and removal of contract item #5 related to litigation

d. Onsite Engineering, Inc. for engineering services for Westford Academy Treatment Facility Modifications in the amount of $30,000 -Stephen Cronin, Superintendent, Water Department e. Tighe & Bond for engineering services for the Prospect Hill Storage Tank Replacement Project in the amount of $142,700 -Stephen Cronin, Superintendent, Water Department f. Willow Tree and Landscape, Inc. at $87/hour and Brookview Irrigation at $82/hour for snow plowing and snow removal -Richard Barrett, Highway Superintendent

Approved 4-0

17. 9:50PM Correspondence

18. 9:55PM Adjournment
BoS Action Taken 12/13/16 Page 5
Board of Selectmen Correspondence December 13, 2016

Incoming Correspondence: 17.01 10/19/2016 Agreement for Judgement in the case of Merrill v Plouffe et al from Jonathan M. Silverstein, KP Law

17.02 11/09/2016 Eagle Scout announcement for William R. H. O’Neal of Troop 159

17.03 11/12/2016 Letter from Chris Yule regarding 35 Town Farm Road Request for Proposal evaluation

17.04 11/14/2016 Letter from Paul Alphen requesting renewal of On Premises All Alcoholic Restaurant License for “Belle’s Bistro” at 2 Powers Road

17.05 11/14/2016 Xfinity notice of television channel changes

17.06 11/14/2016 Request for donations to Megan’s House Residential Treatment Home 17.07 11/14/2016 Letter of project eligibility for “The Residences at Westford West” by Massachusetts Housing Finance Agency (“MassHousing”)

17.08 11/15/2016 Message from John Murphy, Stantec, of 2016 Annual Groundwater monitoring notification

17.09 11/17/2016 Notification to abutter under the MA Wetlands Protection Act for 1000 Princeton Way by Princeton Development, LLC

17.10 11/17/2016 UMass Lowell Newsline for November 2016

17.11 11/18/2016 Request for donations to Community Teamwork

17.12 11/18/2016 Announcement of price changes from Xfinity

17.13 11/21/2016 Reminder of 2017 Annual Meeting for the Massachusetts Municipal Association

17.14 11/21/2016 Court Notice to appear for hearing on preliminary injunction for Amos v Town of Westford on November 22, 2016

17.15 11/21/2016 Letter from Kaitlin Maher, Office of the Attorney General, Massachusetts, regarding review of Open Meeting Law Complaint by Richard Yurko dated November 16, 2016 17.16

11/23/2016 Landfill Gas Monitoring 4th Quarter 2016 report by Stantec Consulting Services, Inc.

17.17 11/28/2016 Notice of Environmental Sample at 169 Plain Road by the MA Dept. of Environmental Protection

17.18 11/28/2016 Invitation to Holiday Open House at the Samuel Fitch House 17.19 11/28/2016 Comcast Connections newsletter for Q3 2016 MA edition

17.20 11/29/2016 Approval letter of Tier 3 Complete Streets Construction Funding Application for FY2017 by MA Dept. of Transportation

17.21 11/29/2016 Municipal Electricity Aggregation Plan Annual Report to the MA Dept. of Public Utilities 17.22 11/29/2016 Westford Council on Aging Newsletter for December 2016

17.23 12/01/2016 Announcement of Eagle Scout rank for Matthew Taylor Prentice 17.24 12/01/2016 Massachusetts Municipal Association The Beacon December 2016

17.25 12/01/2016 Notice of channel expirations from Comcast

17.26 12/02/2016 Letter from MA Dept. of Housing and Community Development regarding available services

17.27 12/05/2016 Groundwater Monitoring Report 2016 for 1,4-Dioxane former Westford Landfill by Stantec Consulting Services, Inc.
BoS Action Taken 12/13/16 Page 6

17.28 12/05/2016 Public hearing notice of conduit bond financing from MassDevleopment from project by Bridgewell, Inc.

17.29 12/05/2016 Notice of Appeal regarding Town of Chelmsford et al v Westford Planning Board et al

17.30 12/05/2016 Notice of Appeal regarding Gauntlett et al v Town of Westford et al at Middlesex Superior Court

17.31 12/05/2016 Notice of preparation for final payment in response to March 2010 storm from the Federal Emergency Management Agency and the MA Emergency Management Agency

17.32 12/08/2016 Memorandum from Richard Barrett, Highway Superintendent, regarding update on National Grid Tree Trimming and Hazardous Tree Mitigation Program

17.33 12/08/2016 Notice from Paul Haverty of Summons by Town of Chelmsford et al v Westford Planning Board et al

17.34 12/08/2016 Message from Shankar Hegde regarding Roudenbush Rehabilitation

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