TA Blog: 2010-02-22 BOS

Below is the TA's summary of what transpired at the Board of Selectmen's meeting of February 22, 2010. Questions or comments? Contact the Town Administrator. Official meeting minutes will be posted when approved by the Board.

February 22, 2010 Board of Selectmen Meeting Summary

1A. Executive Session: Collective Bargaining Strategy - vote, pursuant to MGL C.39,§23B clause 3 to go into executive session to discuss strategy with respect to collective bargaining and to convene in open session thereafter [Roll call vote: 4-0]

1B. Police Appointment - The Board of Selectmen unanimously voted to appoint Terence Gardner of Littleton to a position as a part-time Communications Officer for the Littleton Police Department.

2. Read Mail/Sign Warrant

3. Public Input -

4. School Building Committee – Project Update - The Board of Selectmen voted, 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 accept the February 18, 2010 recommendations of the School Building Committee and approve (1) a contract amendment in the amount of $117,381 with Colantonio, Inc. of Holliston, MA for repairs to the Russell Street Elementary School. (2) an increase from $40,000 to $45,000 of the not-to-exceed figure for procurement of Voice-Over-IP phone system off the State Bid List.

5. Littleton Common Overlay District Update - MAPC's Mark Racicot made a presentation on zoning amendments contained in the Littleton Common Overlay District study. Planning Board to meet with MAPC on March 11, 2010 to finalize proposals for the May 3, 2010 Annual Town Meeting. 

6. Conservation Restriction: Monarch Drive - The Board of Selectmen voted, pursuant to MGL C.184,§32, to approve a Conservation Restriction for certain property on Monarch Drive, as follows: Parcels 1, 2A, and 2B from Frederick Daley, Manager of FPK Realty, LLC, and Parcel 2C from Eric D. Schlager, President of TBCI, LLC, Trustee of 151 Taylor Realty Trust, all as shown on a plan dated December 28, 2008 prepared by Hayes Engineering entitled, "Plan of Land in Littleton, Mass. Showing Conservation Restriction Easement Areas, Drainage Areas, and Septic Areas."

7A. Extend Crematory Study Committee deadline - The Selectmen voted to extend until March 15, 2010 the date for the Crematory Study Committee to report back its findings and recommendations to the Board of Selectmen.

7B. Extend Sign By-law Review Committee deadline - The Selectmen voted to extend until August 2, 2010 the date for the Sign By-law Review Committee to report back its set of written recommendations to the Board of Selectmen.

7C. Appointments - Applications are still being accepted for the Quarry Study Committee and Tercentennial General Planning Committee. Interested citizens should apply to the Board of Selectmen.

8. May 3, 2010 Annual & Special Town Meetings – Insert Articles - Schedule for the Board's next regular meeting on March 8, 2010 the matter of inserting articles onto the warrants for the May 3, 2010 Annual and Special Town Meeting.

9A. Financial Policy Adoption - The Selectmen voted to adopt a revised Financial Policy as unanimously recommended by the Finance Committee, including financial guidelines for management of Free Cash, the Stabilization Fund, and Debt Management; and for financial planning.

9B. MBTA Update - Nordblom Property for Littleton Commuter Rail Station - The Board of Selectmen unanimously voted to support the effort to obtain $2-million in federal and/or state funding for acquisition and development by MBTA of the 8.5-acre Nordblom parking lot for integration in the design of the Littleton commuter rail station, and to request the support of our state and federal legislative delegations.

• Improvements to the Fitchburg commuter rail line are a vital transportation strategy for meeting the economic development needs of this region. It would especially help the reverse commute needed for the I-495/Rt. 2 IT corridor’s employers, including IBM.  For dual tracking of the Fitchburg line, Littleton’s commuter rail station must be rebuilt/relocated, and this involves the loss of some existing parking spaces on MBTA property. MBTA is at the very preliminary stage of design Littleton’s new commuter rail station. If the 8.5-acre Nordblom property could be incorporated for parking, it would be an infinitely better station design providing more-- rather than less-- parking. The Nordblom property has 100 parking spaces, with Planning Board approval to build 100 more. Those 8.5 acres are now being offered by Littleton Development Trust to the MBTA for $1,500,000. MBTA estimates another $500,000 for development of the parking spaces, for a total of $2-million-- but MBTA has no funding for this component. 

10. Minutes Approval - vote to approve the minutes of February 8, 2010.