MINUTES OF THE SELECTMEN’S MEETING

MONDAY, FEBRUARY 1, 2010

PRESENT: Arthur P. Boyle, Jr. (Chairman), Donal P. Anderson (Vice-Chairman), Willard J. Boulter, Jr. (Clerk), Lewis W. Stone (Selectman), Daniel W. Trabucco (Selectman), Edwin J. Thorne (Town Administrator), Diane M. Tobin (Executive Assistant), John Mattison (Pembroke Media Broadcast), Becca Manning (Pembroke Express), Steve Annear (Pembroke Mariner/Reporter), Ben Bastianelli, Julie Caruso and others.

The meeting was called to order by the Chairman at 6:30 p.m. in the Veteran’s Memorial Hall, Town Hall, 100 Center Street, Pembroke, MA. The Pledge of Allegiance was recited.

ANNOUNCEMENTS: Mr. Stone announced the passing of Joseph Collins who was a long time volunteer and senior aide for the Council on Aging. He helped to found the group known as the “Dull Men’s Club”. The Selectmen offered their condolences to his family and Mr. Stone noted that Mr. Collins will be sorely missed at the Senior Center.

PEMBROKE MILITARY SUPPORT GROUP: Julie Caruso, President of the Pembroke Military Support Group, requested permission to bring a travelling wall tribute called “Faces of Remembrance” to the Pembroke Town Hall. This is a display of the faces of all Massachusetts military members who have been casualties of the Iraqi War.

Mr. Boulter moved, seconded by Mr. Anderson, to allow the Pembroke Military Support Group to display the traveling wall presentation in the Veterans Memorial Hall in the Pembroke Town Hall on Saturday, March 20, 2010 from 8:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m.

So voted unanimously in favor.

TOWN MEETING WARRANT: Mr. Boulter moved, seconded by Mr. Stone, to open the warrant for the annual town meeting to be held on Tuesday, April 27, 2010 at 7:30 p.m. in the Pembroke High School and to close the warrant on Friday, February 12, 2010 at Noon, and to accept the proposed timeline for article review as proposed.

So voted unanimously in favor.

FIRST TIME HOMEBUYER PROGRAM: Mr. Anderson moved, seconded by Mr. Stone, to send a letter to the Neighborhood Housing Services of the South Shore indicating Pembroke’s support of the American Dream DownPayment Initiative Program funding through the Mass. Dept. of Housing and Community Development for first time homebuyers. This is a private non-profit group that offers educational seminars and works to obtain grants from the state to assist buyers.

CASINO CORRESPONDENCE: A letter was received from Jessie Powell encouraging a cost benefit analysis of casinos to be done before legalizing any expanded gambling in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. Selectman Trabucco is the Selectmen’s representative for the Board to the Casino Task Force. The Selectmen were in agreement with the need for a cost analysis and voted as follows:

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Mr. Anderson moved, seconded by Mr. Stone, to designate Town Administrator Ed Thorne to respond to Mr. Powell that this board is in favor of a cost benefit analysis of casinos. So voted unanimously in favor.

TRASH/ RECYCLING: Chairman Boyle relinquished the Chair to Vice-Chairman Anderson in order to speak on this issue. Mr. Boyle explained that since the supervision of the day-to-day operations in the Board of Health department has been taken over by the Town Administrator, he feels Mr. Thorne has been good overseer of that department.

Mr. Boyle moved, seconded by Mr. Stone, that the Board of Selectmen, as the Town’s Chief Executive Board, be empowered to enter into contracts for solid waste, landfill capping and recycling and further, that the Board appoint the Town Administrator to oversee and direct the employees in the Board of Health, as is currently the case, and that Town Administrator Ed Thorne be responsible for the day to day operation of the recycling center and the landfill capping operation, and the respective employees, and that the Board of Selectmen assumes responsibility for setting trash rates.

So voted unanimously in favor.

The Board of Selectmen will look into options for recycling practices, possibly the regionalization of rubbish pick up services, and will set fees. The Board of Health would help out as needed.

Mr. Thorne asked the Selectmen to form a Solid Waste/Recycle Study Committee to prepare a plan for the Town’s solid waste removal to be presented in the form of an article at the Annual Town Meeting. Mr. Bastianelli from the Advisory Committee is willing to be on this committee and it was mentioned that Anne Marie Stanton would also be interested. Mr. Boulter also expressed willingness to be on this committee. It was a consensus of the Board of Selectmen to allow Mr. Thorne to put this committee together and bring the names to the Board on Monday.

300TH ANNIVERSARY: Mr. Boulter informed that a logo has been chosen and plans are already in the works to incorporate the logo in pewter plates, mugs, jewelry, etc. The Pembroke Country Club has offered the use of one of their rooms for the monthly meetings of the 300th Anniversary Committee on the third Tuesday of each month until 2012.

RE-ELECTION ANNOUNCEMENT: Selectmen Donal Anderson announced that he will not be seeking another term of office on the Board of Selectmen.

MUSCULAR DYSTROPHY LOCK-UP: Selectman Boulter announced that he will be participating in the MDA Lock-Up at the Longhorn Steakhouse on Wed., Feb. 3rd and made a plea for pledges to bail him out.

ENERGY COMMITTEE: The committee will meet with school personnel to participate in a town-wide program that would go out on an RFP for about $4 million in capital

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improvements. Two articles will be coming from the Energy Committee for the annual town meeting and it is hoped that the Selectmen will lend their support in the committee’s efforts towards becoming a green community.

BUDGET DISCUSSIONS: The Board of Selectmen will meet with the Pembroke School Committee on Thursday, Feb. 4th at 7 p.m. at No. Pembroke Elementary to discuss the school budget.

PEMBROKE CENTER PLAZA: Mr. Thorne informed the Board that the Plymouth County Commissioners will be meeting tomorrow to discuss the Pembroke Center Plaza Development application for funding through Plymouth County. Mr. Thorne asked that the Selectmen send a letter of support to the County Commissioners to assist the developer in obtaining bonds through Plymouth County Commission. Mr. Thorne expressed his delight that the developer put together this application and noted that it was only the second in the county. Selectman Stone explained that he learned of this at a Regional Selectmen’s meeting and that Mr. Thorne was able to get the forms and move the process forward with the developer.

Mr. Anderson moved, seconded by Mr. Stone, to send a letter of support as requested by Mr. Thorne. So voted unanimously in favor.

Selectman Trabucco reported that the developer for the Pembroke Center Plaza worked hard with the Planning Board and the town to make this complex look the way the town would want it to look.

ASK THE SELECTMEN:

Trash/Recycling: A letter was received from a resident of Cranberry Lane regarding the recycling center and increase in trash fees. She noted the existence of a company that rewards people who recycle. This letter should be forwarded to the newly formed committee to be looked into.

Traffic Study: Mr. Stone is continues to track down the traffic study results reports.

Delinquent Taxes: Mr. Stone noted an article in the Globe South about people not paying municipal fees. He talked to the new Treasurer/Collector and found that Pembroke is diligent in its collection of property liens and municipal bills.

LITIGATION STATUS: Selectman Anderson requested a status report on the outstanding litigation with Town Counsel.

The meeting was adjourned at 7:30 p.m.