Board of Selectmen |
January 19, 2010 |
Regular Meeting |
Selectmen’s Hearing Room, Town Hall |
Present: |
Robert P. MacKendrick, Chairman |
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Arthur J. Bourque III, Selectman |
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Al Merritt, Selectman |
Chairman MacKendrick called the meeting to order at 7:00 p.m.
DPW budget presentation
Public Works Director Dennis Roy appeared before the Board to present his Fiscal Year 2011 budget proposal.
Before Mr. Roy began his presentation, Selectman Bourque read an e-mail he had received from Michael Polito of Liberty Lane commending Mr. Roy and the Department of Public Works (DPW) for their snow removal efforts. Mr. Polito oversaw snow removal operations as part of his duties while working for Polaroid. Mr. Roy commented that snow and ice removal is the toughest part of his job and that the department manages as best it can with existing resources.
Mr. Roy said there is little to discuss regarding his budget proposal (a copy of which is on file at the Selectmen’s Office, Town Hall). He said that he understands it is a tight year, and that the department would do its best with the appropriation it receives.
He presented an overview by division. He noted that the current fiscal year’s snow and ice expenditures were already $40,000 over the appropriation, and said he likely spent another $40,000 over the past weekend. He noted that the cost of operations was increased by the storms this season all falling on weekends, requiring the use of overtime and contractors. He said salt prices had fallen by 25 percent, which would result in an estimated $30,000 in savings this winter.
He noted that the rubbish collection contract expires on June 20, and said negotiations with the current contractor, JRM, will begin, and the Town may explore other vendors. He is hoping the cost will remain flat or be reduced. He said he may have a price quote in one month.
Mr. Roy said that there was nothing extraordinary in the Highway Dept. budget. He said the School Maintenance budget reflects moving one person into administration, with the head custodian position made assistant director of school operations. He said reorganizing the DPW into two divisions seems to be working out.
Mr. Roy brought the Board’s attention to breakdowns of the budget by various categories. Salaries make up 45.3 percent of the proposed budget, with expenses at 36.3 percent, fuel at 3.1 percent and heat and energy at 15.3 percent. He also broke down the budget by division.
The total DPW budget request is $5,247,628, resulting in a 0.02 percent reduction from the original Fiscal Year 2010 appropriation. He noted the DPW returned $25,000 during the fall special town meeting.
In the capital budget, Mr. Roy said that he did not prepare another full capital budget request, as he had done so as recently as this fall, as he assumes there will be little money to pay for capital requests. He said his chief needs are equipment, buses and trucks, and noted he has not received any new equipment in the past two to three years. Chairman MacKendrick asked Mr. Roy to prepare a list of his top needs.
Mr. Roy said that the Capital Facilities Maintenance Committee is looking at the condition of school buildings. In 2008, committee members went into every school and found they were in pretty good shape, although there are some issues that need to be addressed, including energy management. He said software and communication issues with the existing systems (three of the four schools have the same energy management system; the high school has a different system). He has received a quote from Burnell Controls for an extensive evaluation of these systems, and said the result is likely the need to install a web-based system to allow the existing systems to communicate more efficiently. He this would likely cost about $100,000, and suggested that funding could come from the Capital Facilities Maintenance Fund. Selectman Merritt
commented that the use of this fund would mean there would be no impact on the operating budget or tax rate.
Selectman Bourque said the public bidding law constraints on the awarding of such contracts, in which the Town is constrained to accept the low bid under most circumstances, has caused a problem in the past. Mr. Roy said that the system needed will not replace the existing systems, but will be software upgrades and improvements to the existing systems. Selectman Bourque asked if the Town should wait for the consultant’s report before purchasing the JACE (Java Application Control Engine) upgrade recommended by Mr. Roy, who said the JACE system is only one of two systems extant that addresses these issues, and that he is convinced that it is the proper choice.
Council on Aging budget presentation
Senior Center Director Linda Naccara said that the top priority request for the Council on Aging for Fiscal Year 2011 is expanding the cook’s hours from 20 to 30 per week, at a cost of $9,000. The job entails planning a menu, shopping, preparing, cooking, serving and cleaning up, which cannot be accomplished in the current time allotted to the position. She said Lynnfield’s senior center is the only one in the region with one person in the kitchen. (A copy of the Council on Aging budget proposal is one file at the Selectmen’s Office, Town Hall).
The center serves about 200 people a day, and 3,956 of the 12,219 residents of the Town are 55 and over. She said providing transportation and meals are the two most important services the Council on Aging offers. The center offers 16 programs per day as well as outreach programs. The Friends of Lynnfield Seniors organization fundraises every day and pays for the purchases of furniture, exercise equipment, computers, a refrigerator, a freezer, and other equipment. She said the past decade, the only capital request from the Council on Aging has been for a van.
Ms. Naccara asked that the Board consider the Council Aging as a “must” for the Town, much like the school, police, fire and public works departments.
Chairman MacKendrick commented that he would like to advise other departments to emulate the Council on Aging’s success in “bending arms” in order to raise funds for their missions. He said he is very sympathetic to the budget request. Selectman Merritt said that the Senior Center is “one of the gems of Lynnfield.” He asked how many seniors were participating in the meals program. Ms. Naccara said the center serves about 600 meals per month, or 30 per day. She said that seniors pay $2 and the Town bears the cost of the remaining $2 per meal. Selectman Bourque said the Town needs to find the money to fund this request, and Chairman MacKendrick agreed.
Snow and ice spending authorization
Town Administrator William Gustus told the Board that the Department of Public Works has already overspent its snow and ice account appropriation of $120,000 by $40,000, and that Mr. Roy has requested permission to spend an additional $100,000 beyond that appropriation.
On the motion of Selectman Merritt, seconded by Selectman Bourque, the Board authorized the spending of $100,000 beyond the original appropriation to the snow and ice account.
Banner request
The Board received a request from Lorraine Sacco on behalf of the Reid’s Ride event requesting that a banner advertising the event be placed across the common from July 5 through July 18.
On the motion of Selectman Merritt, seconded by Selectman Bourque, the Board approved the request.
Proclamations for Police Dept. personnel
Mr. Gustus told the Board the Police Chief Joseph Dunn had issued commendations to six members of the Police Department for their roles in the apprehension of a suspect in a series of break-ins after a vehicular and foot pursuit on January 5. Proclamations were prepared for the Board’s signature and approval for the same six members. They are:
Dispatcher Maura O’Brien and Paula Allen, secretary to the chief, who informed the officers at the beginning of the shift about the break-ins and who kept officers in Lynnfield and surrounding communities informed during the pursuit;
Patrolman Jonathan Burnham, who initially responded to the report of a suspicious motor vehicle, questioned the subject, and pursued the subject when he fled the scene;
Patrolman Nick Secatore, who assisted in the pursuit and apprehended the subject after a brief struggle and placed him in handcuffs and into the police cruiser;
Patrolman Matt LaBonte, who assisted in the pursuit and was instrumental in its successful conclusion;
Sgt. Sean Donovan, who also participated in the pursuit and interviewed the subject after his arrest.
Chairman MacKendrick commented that he was extremely pleased with the Police Department and its performance. Selectman Bourque said high-speed pursuits are the most difficult part of police work and congratulated the department and those involved. He said that the person apprehended is a suspect in housebreaks around the region.
On the motion of Selectman Bourque, seconded by Selectman Merritt, the Board approved the proclamations (see attached exhibit) and Board members signed the proclamations.
In other business
On the motion of Selectman Merritt, seconded by Selectman Bourque, the Board approved the minutes of the meeting of January 4, 2010 as presented.
Members of the Board signed documents related to the septic management program bonds, previously approved.
On the motion of Selectman Bourque, seconded by Selectman Merritt, the Board adjourned the meeting at 7:31 p.m.
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