Town of Chatham, MA - Selectmen's Meeting Minutes 10/23/07

Chairman Whitcomb called the meeting to order at 4:00PM with all members and Finance Director Jennifer Petit present. Mr. Hinchey was out of Town on this date.

Ms. Connors moved the Board of Selectmen vote to approve the minutes of the October 16, 2007 Board of Selectmen’s meeting. Mrs. Bohman seconded the motion and the Board of Selectmen voted unanimously in favor.

Ms. Norma Avellar asked the Board of Selectmen to consider replacement of the walk to the front door of the Community Center for purposes of aesthetics, safety, and Town meetings expectations of preserving the facade.

Mr. Coleman Yeaw announced that the October 24, 2007 Conservation Commission meeting at 3:00PM includes the draft report from Mapworks. He encouraged everyone to watch and noted the Town is going to have to appropriate adequate funds for maintaining the properties we have purchased.

Ms. Janet Daley, from the Chatham Housing Authority rebutted an editorial in the October 18 Chronicle which questioned the practices of Community Builders, the contractor for the Lake Street housing. She said the practices for irrigation and landscape maintenance were in keeping with the requirements of Town agencies who approved the project. She stressed the importance of maintaining the property to the highest standards.

Shellfish Constable Stuart Moore attended this meeting to ask the Board of Selectmen to open Scallop Season Thursday November 1, 2007 at 12:01AM. Ms. Connors moved the same. Mrs. Bohman seconded the motion and the Board of Selectmen voted unanimously in favor.

Ms. Connors moved the Board of Selectmen vote to proclaim October 24, 2007 United Nations Day in Chatham. Mr. Bergstrom seconded the motion and the Board of Selectmen voted unanimously in favor.

Ms. Connors said she likes the short term and long term goal format. She feels it is helpful in planning and to measure the Town’s accomplishments.

Ms. Connors said she feels the short term goal #10 of increasing the affordable housing by three units was successful inasmuch as the Town Meeting voted fifteen year leases to the Housing Authority. Ms. Connors noted on short term goal #13 - Zoning Bylaw Re-write - the Selectmen did set priorities for the Planning Board.

Ms. Connors also said she feels the Board of Selectmen needs input from the citizens concerning what they feel the goals should be for the Town.

Mr. Bergstrom updated the Board of Selectmen on shot term goal #8 Improved Bus Service. He said the Park Service has received 2.6 million dollars for transportation improvements. An improved Flex route in Chatham is being studied to include the Morris Island sanctuary area to mitigate traffic on the Dyke.

Mr. Bergstrom said he would like to have an update of the short term goal #13 Zoning Bylaw Re-write. Mr. Whitcomb said he will ask the Planning Board to come to a future meeting to report on their progress.

Ms. Connors referred to short term goal #6 - Improved Municipal Customer Service. She said she felt annual employee evaluations to be an important part of this goal as it could help to improve individual service or recognize accomplished service. Ms. Petit told the Board of Selectmen Town Manager William Hinchey is working on implementing annual evaluations and it will also be incorporated into the Personnel Policies.

Mr. Summers said the Board of Selectmen and administration need to be careful not to politicize the implementation of goals through the ranking system. He is concerned about rating process becoming the prioritization for implementation. He feels that part of the goals development needs to be changed. He also felt the goals of the individual Selectmen were incorporated into general goals that resulted in a loss of momentum for the individual goal. He used the example of his goal for private/public coordination being folded into a general affordable housing goal. Mr. Summers also agreed the Board of Selectmen needs to allow time to ask for public input.

Mr. Whitcomb suggested that that conversation take place under the next agenda item and asked if there was anymore discussion on the goals themselves.

Mr. Summers noted long term goal #3 - Avoid 2 ½ override has a note from the Town Manager that this will be a challenge if the Town still wants to take initiatives on new proposals. Mr. Summers said he wants to stay within the limits of Proposition 2 ½.

Mrs. Bohman commented that Proposition 2 ½ is a tool to meet the needs of the Town and should not be dismissed if it is necessary to meet other goals. She doesn’t feel that overall there should be a “goal” to avoid it.

Ms. Connors inquired as to #5 - Expansion of Sidewalks and the Bikeway. She would like to see where the connector to Volunteer Park from the bike trail could be locateed. Ms. Petit said the spur to Volunteer Park is the next project on the Mid-range Capital Plan. She explained this will be coming before the Bond for implementation in Spring of 2008. Mr. Bergstrom said he was at the Bikeways Committee meeting the previous day and they talked about the Bond issue. The next step will be engineering and he felt this project will be going ahead smoothly.

Mr. John Payson, from the West Chatham Association, said there is a perception by some people that the Board of Selectmen is not concerned with the needs or wishes of the people who live in West Chatham and he suggested the Board of Selectmen should meet with those citizens.

Ms. Gloria Freeman said the Larose property purchase is not a lost issue as suggested in the update. The West Chatham Association will continue to raise money to add to the $250,000 that has already been raised and will be applying to the Community Preservation Committee for more funds for the purchase of the 1.7 acres in the back portion of the Larose property. She also encouraged the Board of Selectmen to meet with the Association.

Mr. Bergstrom noted active negotiation is mentioned in long range goal update even though in one area of the report the Land Bank has said the negotiations have been dropped.

Ms. Connors asked the Board of Selectmen how much time they think should be allowed for citizens input before the Board discusses the goals for FY09. Mr. Whitcomb said the goals are scheduled to be on the agenda in two weeks.

Mr. Bergstrom praised the format with the updates and noted the goals process has improved over the last few years. He also feels the short and long term goals should be kept separate.

Mr. Summers agreed and said he still has concerns about the prioritization and the ranking and wanted to discuss how this could be done differently. Also, since most goals are followed-up through the budget process, how is follow-up done on goals that do not have monetary implications? He felt there should be a process set up for efforts on accomplishing a goal. He thought as a practical matter staff could report to the Board of Selectmen on what is being accomplished.

Mr. Whitcomb suggested the Board of Selectmen could build consensus on priorities since sometimes they have the a majority of the Board with the same goals. Mr. Bergstrom agreed, he felt that general discussion could accomplish the priority without a numbering process.

Mr. Whitcomb thought perhaps if the Board established the goals and gave specifics on how those goals could be accomplished it would help the process along.

Ms. Connors felt that each member giving their goals to the Manager before discussion resulted in some goals being merged when an individual may have had a different prospective on how the goals should be accomplished. She suggested the Board of Selectmen should individually present their goals at the meeting and begin their discussions without developing a list beforehand.

Mr. Yeaw, from the gallery, suggested defining short term goals by a certain time limit. He also suggested the Board of Selectmen solicit public comment after the goals are developed.

Mrs. Bohman said she felt it would be advantageous to have public input before and after the goals are set. She said it should be a mutual effort between the Board of Selectmen and the citizens.

Mrs. Avellar rose to express concerns about the Town spraying toxic chemicals on its properties. Ms. Petit said the Town is not paying for the maintenance at Lake Street. That is handled by The Community Builders.

Mr. Bergstrom would like to have Health and Environment Director Robert Duncanson come to a Board meeting to explain the use of chemicals and the effects on ground water.

Ms. Connors referred to a list of interviews for October 30 for applicants to the Charter Review Committee. She does not want to appoint employees to the Review Committee because she feels the Charter effects all departments.

Mr. Whitcomb asked the Board of Selectmen if they wanted to have the Charter Review Committee appointments on the Agenda after the interviews. The Board agreed they would like to wait another week to make the appointments.