TA Blog: 2009-05-11 BOS

Below is the TA's summary of what transpired at the Board of Selectmen's meeting of May 11, 2009. Questions or comments? Contact the Town Administrator. Official meeting minutes will be posted when approved by the Board.

May 11, 2009 Board of Selectmen Meeting Summary 

1. Reorganization of the Board of Selectmen
- vote to elect Alex McCurdy as Chairman of the Board of Selectmen for a term of one year, commencing immediately [4-1]. 
- vote to elect Joe Knox as Vice-Chairman of the Board of Selectmen for a term of one year, commencing immediately [5-0].
- vote to elect Janet Wilkinson as Clerk of the Board of Selectmen for a term of one year, commencing immediately [5-0].

2. Read Mail/Sign Warrant

- invitation to Friends of the Council on Aging volunteer recognition luncheon on Tuesday, May 19th at noon.

- invitation to Council on Aging recognition ceremony on Monday, June 1st at 1:30 PM.

- Board of Selectmen of Littleton hereby makes the following declaration regarding the acquisition of the Lucy’s Land – Yapp Conservation Property. This acquisition is for municipal purposes and was approved at Special Town Meeting on May 4, 2009. The Board waives the advertising requirements of Chapter 30B, Section 16(d) of the General Laws. The Board has determined that such advertising will not benefit the governmental body’s interest because of the unique features and location of the property. The property includes the historic site of a 17th century Native American Village as well as woodlands, wetlands and a stream. It abuts conservation land owned by the Town of Littleton and the Littleton Conservation Trust. Said property is shown as Lots 2 and 3 on the plan entitled, “Plan of Land, Littleton, Mass., prepared for Lucy L. Yapp, September 2, 1992” by Clyde R. Wheeler and endorsed by the Littleton Planning Board on September 10, 1992, a copy of which is on file in the Office of the Town Clerk. To the Board’s knowledge, no public official has a beneficial interest in the property pursuant to Chapter 7, Section 40J of the General Laws. The contract price for this property is $930,000.00 [5-0]

3. Public Input

4. Medical Reserve Corps - Swine Flu Update - Ann Loree from the Littleton Medical Corps and Fire Chief Steve Carter presented an update to the Board of Selectmen. See today's update at http://www.mass.gov/dph/swineflu

5. Gary’s Farm Stand - state law requires a minimum of five acres in order to qualify for an agricultural exemption; Gary's only has three acres in Littleton, and so does not qualify. Without that exemption, agricultural property is then taxed as commercial property (Class Three) under the law-- rather than open space (Class Two). The Board requested that the TA ask our state senator and state representative to pursue some legislative relief for these circumstances.  

6. Veterans Agent - Memorial Day Parade – Monday, May 25, 2009

7. May 4, 2009 Town Meeting Follow-up

7A. 5/4/09 STM-4 Russell Street School repairs: DRA amendment - vote pursuant to Article 4 of the May 4, 2009 Special Town Meeting, and as chief executive official and “eligible applicant” under 963 CMR 2.02, to authorize execution of a contract amendment in the amount of $753,000 with Drummey Rosane Anderson, Inc (DRA) of Newton Centre, Massachusetts, for construction and bidding phase services for the Russell Street School Repair project [5-0].

• May 9, 2009 Annual Town Election voters approved a debt exclusion ballot question exempting from Proposition 2 1/2 the amounts required to pay for the bonds issued in order to repair and renovate the existing Russell Street School [Yes,1301; No, 684; blanks, 73 ]

7B. 5/4/09 STM-7 Roadway Improvements – Goldsmith Street water change order - vote pursuant to Article 7 of the May 4, 2009 Special Town Meeting to approve the Change Order from PJ Albert in an amount not to exceed $768,150 for repairs associated with the Goldsmith Street Water System.

7C. 5/4/09 ATM-22 TIF 151 Taylor Street – Curtiss-Wright Controls - vote, pursuant to Article 22 of the May 4, 2009 Annual Town Meeting, to: (1) adopt a Tax Increment Financing Plan designating the Economic Opportunity Area at 151 Taylor Street as a Tax Increment Financing Zone under M.G.L. c.40, §59, and to authorize execution of a 20-year Tax Increment Financing Agreement between the Town, Curtiss-Wright Controls Embedded Computing (lessee), and BHX LLC Trustee of 151 Taylor Street Trust (lessor), with year exemptions, as follows: FY 2010, 0.25; FY 2011, 0.20; FY 2012, 0.15; FY 2013, 0.10; FY 2014 through FY 2029, 0.05. (2) authorize the Town Administrator to prepare and submit the TIF Agreement, an Economic Opportunity Area Application, Tax Increment Financing Plan, and Certified Project Application to the Massachusetts Economic Assistance Coordinating Council (the “EACC”) all relating to the project proposal as described in the TIF Agreement and the Certified Project Application to be located in the 151 Taylor Street Economic Opportunity Area, and; (3) authorize the Town Administrator to make any determinations and representations required in connection with the certification of the project and take such other actions as may be necessary to obtain approval of the TIF Agreement, Certified Project Application, the Economic Opportunity Area Application, the Tax Increment Financing Plan and to implement the TIF Agreement [5-0].

7D1. Establish Crematory Study Committee - vote to establish a nine-member Crematory Study Committee to be comprised of three citizens at-large, and one representative each from the Board of Selectmen, Planning Board, Board of Health, Cemetery Commissioners, Finance Committee, and School Committee; with the charge of said committee to be to examine all public health, public safety, public works, operational, financial, and quality of life issues associated with locating a crematory within the Town of Littleton; and to submit a report with its findings and recommendations thereon to the Board of Selectmen by not later than December 1, 2009.

7D2. Overlay District planning process schedule - A public forum is tentatively planned for Wednesday, June 17, 2009. To prepare, the Planning Board meets on Thursday, May 14, 2009 at 8 PM with MAPC's Mark Racicot. Read more. See PowerPoint presentation on Overlay District.

• The Board of Selectmen will post Thursday, May 14, 2009 at 8 PM as a joint meeting with the Planning Board.

8.A1. Appointments - Constables - vote, pursuant to MGL C.41,§91A to appoint the following individuals as constables of the Town of Littleton for a term of three years: David Allen, Keith Leighton, Clark Paige, and Ronai Raffi.

8B. Minutes Approval - vote to approve the minutes of April 13, 2009.