MINUTES OF THE SELECTMEN’S MEETING
MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 21, 2009
PRESENT: Arthur P. Boyle, Jr. (Chairman), Donal P. Anderson (Vice-Chairman), Lewis W. Stone (Selectmen), Daniel W. Trabucco (Selectman), Edwin J. Thorne, Town Administrator, Diane M. Tobin (Executive Assistant), Becca Manning (Pembroke Express), Steve Annear (Reporter/Mariner), John Mattinson (Cable), Chester Drown, Matt McNeilly, and others. Selectman Boulter was absent this evening due to illness.
The Chairman opened the meeting at 6:30 p.m. Mr. Anderson moved, seconded by Mr. Stone, to go into executive session for strategy purposes on pending litigation.
Roll Call Vote: Lewis Stone, yes – Donal Anderson, yes – Arthur Boyle, yes
Executive session commenced at 6:30 p.m. in the Selectmen’s Office and was adjourned at 7:20 p.m. with a unanimous roll call vote to go back into public session.
Public session resumed at 7:25 p.m. The Pledge of Allegiance was recited.
ANNOUNCEMENTS:
DPW: An announcement from the DPW was read to explain why residents may be experiencing blue-ish colored water. They explained that there was an imbalance in the pH of the groundwater and they have been working to correct the problems. In the meantime, residents are encouraged to flush water through their internal plumbing to help purge the blue water from their household plumbing prior to use.
BONNEY STREET: The DPW Water Division notified residents of the Bonney Street area that new water mains and hydrants, some drainage improvements, and hot mix asphalt will be applied to the area. These improvements will be made as soon as some funding comes through for these unaccepted roads.
MINUTES: The Selectmen voted unanimously to approve the minutes of August 31, 2009 and further, to approve the minutes of September 14, 2009 as amended to reflect that it was Mr. Trabucco, not Mr. Anderson, who suggested a permanent sign with changeable letters to the manager of the 99 Restaurant.
AFFORDABLE HOUSING COMMITTEE: The Selectmen accepted with regret the resignation of Tony Shaw from the Affordable Housing Committee.
VETERANS’ AGENT: Mr. Anderson moved, seconded by Mr. Stone, to keep the Veterans’ Agent a Pembroke part-time position. So voted.
Mr. Boyle suggested a tighter job description and would like to appoint Donal Anderson and Dan Trabucco to work with Town Administrator Thorne to interview 4 or 5 of the applicants and bring the finalist forward for appointment by the Board. Mr. Stone would also like to see the reporting of that department under the Town Administrator and working hours established.
Mr. Stone moved, seconded by Mr. Anderson, to appoint Mr. Anderson and Mr. Trabucco to evaluate applications for the Veterans’ Agent job and to bring back the best qualified candidate or candidates for approval by the Board. So voted.
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SEPTEMBER 21, 2009 – PAGE TWO
Despite the hiring freeze, Mr. Anderson noted that he wholeheartedly supports the replacement of the Veterans’ Agent. A decision will be made at the Selectmen’s meeting on October 5, 2009.
ARTICLE FOR SURVEY OF TOWN-OWNED PROPERTY: Mr. Anderson suggested submitting an article to appropriate a sum of money to survey the acreage of town-owned land to be able to turn the property over to the Pembroke Housing Authority for future affordable housing needs. A place holder will be kept for this article. Mr. Trabucco said that the GIS that the Assessors are working on will have the information the Mr. Anderson is looking for. He also reminded that the Pembroke Housing Authority is telling us that there is not much call for any more affordable housing at this time. Mr. Anderson is concerned about a future need for this.
ADVISORY COMMITTEE: An email letter was received from Moderator Stephen Dodge endorsing and supporting the appointment of Mr. Pugliese to the vacant seat on the Advisory Committee. Matt McNeilly, Chairman of the Advisory Committee motioned to nominate Thomas J. Pugliese to serve a 3 year term on the Advisory Committee. Arthur Boyle, Chairman of the Selectmen, seconded. Voted unanimously in favor. Mr. Pugliese will fill the vacant seat left by the resignation of Stephen Curley for a term to expire on June 30, 2012.
SIGN PERMIT APPLICATION:
The Board voted unanimously in favor to approve a temporary sign for Zanelli Cabinet at 201 Oak Street, as per application and sketch submitted.
CASH MANAGEMENT; There will be a meeting of the Cash Management Committee on Tuesday, Sept. 29th at 7 p.m.
YARD SALE: Mr. Thorne approved a benefit yard sale to be held on Saturday, September 26th from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. on the Town Green.
CAPITAL PLAN: Mr. Thorne developed a draft of the capital items requests Mr. Boyle suggested a line item designated for Capital Plan items. It was noted that the DPW chose not to obligate any of their money from their budget to do the capital items that were approved last year.
WATER ISSUES: Mr. Stone talked about the water issues in town lately. He believes that a big problem is that the DPW does not have money to maintain the water tanks properly. Lew found that the High Street tank is closed and that the Elm Street tank needs money to repair it. The Oak Street tank experiences freezing water which causes brow water in residents’ homes. He asked the Board to consider getting involved with protecting the water quality.
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SEPTEMBER 21, 2009 – PAGE THREE
The DPW Commissioners will be invited to the October 5th Selectmen’s meeting to discuss the maintenance of water tanks. This would be an informational meeting and solution suggestions could be made. It is hoped that they may have some cost estimates to tell what it would take to correct the issues. This would also provide a forum for the DPW to speak to the public via the Selectmen’s meeting.
EXECUTIVE SESSION: At 8:08 p.m., upon conclusion of the public business on the agenda, Mr. Anderson moved, seconded by Mr. Stone, to go into executive session to discuss contract negotiations and pending litigation and upon conclusion of executive session to adjourn with no further public business to be discussed.
Roll Call Vote: 4-0 Trabucco, yes – Anderson, yes – Stone, yes – Boyle, yes
Declared Unanimously in Favor.
The meeting was adjourned at 8:10 p.m.