Selectmens Meeting Minutes 09/04/2018

Board of Selectmen                                                                                                                   September 4, 2018

Chairman Marie Smith called the meeting to order at 7:03 p.m., after returning from an Executive Session, under Mass. Gen. Law Chap. 30A, Sec. 21 with nothing to report.  Present were Joseph Pacheco, Marie Smith and Patricia Riley.

Ms. Riley opened the meeting with our Pledge of Allegiance. 

Acceptance of the Minutes

Mr. Pacheco made a motion to accept the minutes of the August 21st meeting as printed, Ms. Riley seconded, and Mrs. Smith made it unanimous. 

Department Heads & Committees

Mr. Matt Tanis, Health Agent, was present to give his first report. Notification was received from the Mass. Dept. of Public Health declaring that they have changed the threat level to moderate for West Nile Virus through the end of September as samples from Easton, Bridgewater and Raynham tested positive for the virus.  The risk for EEE is low.  Aerial spraying is not being done currently but Bristol County Mosquito Control is doing ground spraying and will do residential spraying as well.  He is working on business inspections and should be done in a week or two.  He has gone to 4 nuisance inspections: 3 are now in full compliance and 1 will be an ongoing issue as the State and the Dept of Agriculture are involved. 

Mr. Ed Buckley, Highway Superintendent, was present to give his monthly report.  They are utilizing the new excavator that they received and are now in the process of working on the winter equipment to get ready for the season. One of the older sanding trucks needs to be repaired as it’s a safety issue and he will have it done.   They have assisted the Town Clerk in getting the voting booths ready for the primary.  They are also working at the South School on some improvements outside the building.  The contractors should be done on the side walk on White Street in the Fall.  Parks and Grounds got the schools ready for the first day back and continue working on the athletic fields.  The Solar Farm construction is moving along. 

Public Hearing 7:10 – 2 Joint Pole Locations for TMLP on Pine Street in Raynham

Mrs. Smith called the Public Hearing to order at 7:10 for the joint pole locations on Pine Street.  No one was present to speak for or against the matter.  Mr. Pacheco made a motion to approve, Ms. Riley seconded, and Mrs. Smith made it unanimous. 

Completion of Old Business

Mr. Pacheco wanted to know if the Board still had any concerns with the Assistant Town Administrator’s posting. Ms. Riley said she thought there was an ethics stipulation whereby if someone has a current paid municipal position, in order to be appointed to a second position, there would have to be a public posting, and the position was only posted internally. She also questioned whether all of the duties and job responsibilities detailed in the job description could be accomplished in 2 – 3 hours per week and if someone would do the job for 100-150 hours per year for a stipend of $2,000. She also noted that the job description for the Administrative Assistant to the Town Administrator includes performing the administrative and managerial duties in his or her absence. She also stated that the Town Administrator has at his disposal town officials and town boards to assist with budgetary and financial matters including the Finance Committee, Capital Planning Committee, Town Treasurer, and Town Auditor, as well as resources through MMA and other State Agencies.  She stated, “I think providing a Human Resources Director would better serve the town and there is a critical need for that position.  Therefore, my recommendation would be that the Selectmen place a hold on the position of Asst. Town Administrator and refer it to the proposed Government Study Committee to look into the needs of the Town, consider increasing some of the responsibilities listed in the Administrative Assistant’s position, and go forward in taking whatever steps necessary to create a Human Resources Director’s position on a part-time or full-time basis.” Mrs. Smith stated that she was in favor of the Government Study Committee and waiting to see its recommendations before adding positions. Mr. Pacheco stated, “I hear your perspective Ms. Riley. I don’t dispute the need for a Human Resources Director, but a couple of things to keep in mind.  There’s no position as such yet, and there’s no budget for it either, so we couldn’t post for a position we don’t have a budget for.  We do have a budget for an Asst. Town Administrator. We’ve always had an Asst. Town Administrator, and the reason why I advocate for it is the key role it plays, not just in assisting the Town Administrator, but in having somebody with a supervisory role who directly reports to the Board. When Mr. Flaherty was our Asst. Town Administrator, there was one incident in particular, when Mr. Buckner was out of town on vacation, and Mr. Flaherty stepped up and coordinated it for the Town. Had it not been for having the Asst. Town Administrator, in that instance, talk about a situation that really could have gone badly and cost the Town money. You need a chain of command.  We have no clear number two person in all of Town, acting on the board’s behalf when Mr. Flaherty is on vacation, and he is entitled to vacation or to be out sick. This Board is not meant to micromanage. We set policy. We issue directives and it takes two votes to pass something, but we need somebody here to follow our directive, and when Mr. Flaherty’s out, there’s nobody in Town Hall to fill that void.  Every other department has an assistant’s position, the Treasurer/Collector’s Office, Town Clerk’s Office, Police and Fire Departments, Highway Department, Sewer Department, and the Water Department all have an assistant’s position because you need that succession plan.” Mr. Pacheco further stated, “My suggestion is that we fill this position because we haven’t appointed a single member to the Government Study Committee.  As you said, we haven’t approved the Government Study Committee yet, so it’s going to take time to approve it, to assemble it, and for them to meet and issue a report.  You could realistically be talking about a year, and that’s a year of keeping an extremely vital and inexpensive position vacant. When you asked who would want to do it, we had four people apply for it, so clearly there’s an interest for it.  I’m just trying to get the Town moving in a good direction here because we’ve had so many positions vacant, in my opinion way too long, this being one of them.” Ms. Riley pointed out that the job description for the Administrative Assistant to the Town Administrator states that he or she performs municipal management duties in the absence of the Town Administrator. She stated, “We already have someone who is onboard and who is certainly capable of filling that role and it’s in her job description right now.” Mr. Pacheco said to Mrs. Smith, “It’s obvious you and Ms. Riley don’t want to move forward with this and that’s fine, but I want the record to reflect that I have significant concerns, leaving this position vacant, and this could be detrimental to this Town and sound municipal government.” Mrs. Smith said that she would suggest tabling the matter and referring it to the Government Study Committee and allowing the Administrative Assistant to “go on just the way she does, fulfilling the job description she already has.” Ms. Riley made a motion to approve the Government Study Committee. Mr. Pacheco seconded, and Mrs. Smith made it unanimous.   

Town Administrator’s Report

Mr. Flaherty reviewed the Town Administrator’s Report. 

The final painting should be done at the North School and the cleaning will be done next week for the entire building. 

The MDPH Air Quality Division has not sent in the report for the building.  Mr. Flaherty discussed the HVAC situation, explaining that it has been recommended by contractors to insulate the Town Hall for better efficiency.  He will get quotes as it may be as high as $20,000. 

The Capital Planning Committee Meeting is scheduled for next Tuesday, Sept. 11th, at 5:00 p.m. and they will have a preliminary report for the Selectmen.   Mr. Flaherty wished Mr. Loftus a speedy recovery and he will not participate in the Planning Committee Meeting at this time. 

Mr. Flaherty discussed the matter of residents not getting emails.  People will have to sign up again to receive email notifications. 

The new ACO vehicle that was purchased is having lettering done and shelving installed next week. 

The Raynham Historical Commission needs 2 more members. Contact Pat Riley or the Selectmen’s Office. 

The next Selectmen’s meeting will be held on September 11th at 7:00 p.m.

The next Dept. Head Meeting will be held on September 20th at 9:30 a.m.

The SMHG Meeting will be held on September 13th in Seekonk.

The next SERSG meeting will be held on September 19th at 9:00 a.m. in Mansfield.  

Mrs. Smith asked for clarification on the handicapped bathroom stall for the North School and if the door should swing in or out. Mr. Iafrate came in later and read from the building code manual to clarify the matter.. 

Selectmen’s Report

Mr. Pacheco wanted to encourage people to vote who haven’t done so. 

Ms. Riley wanted to thank the School Department for postponing the opening of school for one day due to the primary election. She also wanted to welcome back the school administration, faculty, students and volunteers for the new school year. She also noted that the RAVE Organization is starting its 38th year of providing volunteers and volunteer programs for the schools, and anyone who would like to volunteer can contact any of the Raynham Schools or Volunteer Coordinator Becky George at ravevolunteercoordinator@gmail.com. 

Mrs. Smith wanted to remind everyone that Raynham Pride Day will be held on September 16th from 1:00 – 4:00 and the entrance fee is a canned good for the food pantry.

Correspondence

A Tag Day request was received from the Norton Youth Football Team for Nov. 24th and 25th.   Mr. Pacheco made a motion to approve, Ms. Riley seconded, and Mrs. Smith made it unanimous

A Tag Day request was received from the House of Home in New Bedford for the following days:  Sept. 4th ,  5th , 6th , 11th , 12th , 13th , 18th , 19th , 20th , 25th , 26th , 27th.  Mr. Pacheco made a motion to approve, Ms. Riley seconded, and Mrs. Smith made it unanimous. 

Citizen & Community Input

Ms. Kathy Kenny of Broadway had a question. She noted that at the last meeting there was discussion of the proposed Rt. 138 rezoning and the Board had suggested that Mr. Donahue would moderate a meeting and Mr. Iafrate would coordinator the process. She asked if anything had been done to work on this. Mr. Iafrate, Building Commissioner, has reached out to the members that were on the committee whose proposal was on the Annual Town Meeting warrant and they will have a preliminary meeting at which time they’re going to brainstorm and figure out how many new members they would like and reorganize in terms of a chair. She also would like to know about the meetings that were held regarding a grant to study Rt. 138.  Planning Board Member John Teixeira added that the committee Mr. Iafrate will reconvene is going to meet on the 11th before the Selectmen’s meeting, discuss what they want to do, and then attend the Selectmen’s meeting to ask for direction. 

Adjournment 

At 7:41 p. m., Ms. Riley motioned, and Mr. Pacheco seconded to adjourn for the performance of administrative duties, signing of Bills and Warrants with no business to be conducted afterwards.  Mrs. Smith made it unanimous. 

Respectively submitted, 

Janet Murphy, Recording Secretary