Board of Selectmen’s Meeting
December 18, 2007
Chairman Whitcomb called the meeting to order at 4:00PM with all members and Mr. Hinchey present.
Mrs. Bohman moved the Board of Selectmen vote to approve the minutes of the December 11, 2007 Board of Selectmen’s meeting. Mr. Bergstrom seconded the motion and the Board of Selectmen voted unanimously in favor.
Request for Outside Sales - Chatham Lightfoots
Mrs. Pamela Pawlina told the Board of Selectmen the Lightfoots have been sponsoring fund raisers in anticipation of traveling to the finals as they did last year. She told the Board of Selectmen the Lightfoots would like to sell cotton candy during the festivities for First Night Chatham. Ms. Connors moved the Board of Selectmen grant this request. Mrs. Bohman seconded the motion and the Board of Selectmen voted unanimously in favor. Mr. Whitcomb wished the lightfoots success for this season.
Introduction - Paul Niedzwiecki
Mrs. Florence Seldin, Chatham’s representative to the Cape Cod Commission, addressed the Board to introduce Mr. Paul Niedzwiecki, the new Executive Director of the Commission. Mr. Niedzwiecki said he is committed to strengthening the bonds between the commission and the Cape towns. Mr. Niedzwiecki thanked the Board of Selectmen for meeting with him. He noted Chatham is a prime example of village revitalization that is one mission of the Commission. He said the Task Force recommendations for the Commission have been finalized and the need now is to focus on those recommendations and implement changes. The Commission will be updating the Regional Policy Plan this year. It is his ambition to make the Commission less of a regulatory board and more of a planning agency. The staff
will be working on making more useful documents to help applicants understand the process. The Commission staff is reaching out to all the towns to prepare resource protection maps. They will be developing a new questionnaire for DRI’s to streamline the process and provide exemption for municipal projects and buildings. The Board of Selectmen welcomed Mr. Niedzqiecki and wished him will in his new position.
Mr. Niedzwiecki said he had been in Boston earlier to support Senator O’Leary’s bill to provide zero percent loans to Towns for Wastewater. Mr. Whitcomb asked if there will be other funding sources since this bill does not have enough money attached. Mr. Niedzwiecki said he feels this bill is just the beginning of attempts needed to help fund municipal wastewater projects.
Ms. Connors inquired whether or not the Commission could help us with one of our goals, underground utilities. Mr. Niedzwiecki said that they are studying this issue with regards to Route 6A study and would be happy to help if we contacted them.
Economic Development Overlay Districts Discussion
Principal Planner Terry Whalen told the Board of Selectmen the Committee considering our legislation to exempt Chatham from the quota provisions of Chapter 138 by two licenses are requesting boundary maps
After some discussion Ms. Connors moved the Board of Selectmen vote to move forward with the special legislation with the bounds that have been identified. Mr. Summers seconded the motion. The Board of Selectmen voted unanimously in favor.
Goal #7 Wastewater Project - Community Education
Mr. Hinchey presented the following to the Board of Selectmen:
Wastewater will continue to be one of our highest priority projects. This year the Board specifically wanted to consider expanding the Town’s efforts in the community education aspect of the project. Below you will find an update on what is currently being undertaken in that regard. Upon review the Board should be better able to specifically address how this community education effort may be expanded.
CAC
The representation on this oversight committee was specifically aimed at neighborhood information dissemination and involvement. Committee members have actively pursued this initiating. Monthly live broadcasts of CAC meetings in which all aspects of the Plan and its implementation have been on-going for several years.
Water and Sewer
Monthly project updates have been broadcast live as part of the Water and Sewer Committee meetings for quite some time.
Internet
The Town’s website offers live and archived screening of project related public meetings. The Project Plan Document is also available for review on the Town website.
Town Meetings
Presentations have been made on the project to Town Meeting as support for project funding requests.
Board of Health
Public discussions on the Plan have been held regularly at Board of health meetings during the entire project duration.
Outside presentations
Presentation by committee members and staff have been made on the Plan both to local and regional groups, specifically to:
- The Retired Mens Group
- The League of Women Voters
- The Council on Aging
- The Finance Committee
Outreach Education
Copies of Projects reports and supporting documents have been placed with the Eldredge Public Library. A project newsletter has been mailed to all Chatham residences (another Town-wide newsletter is currently in development). The CAC, staff and our consultant have held a series of public information/education workshops. More workshops are being planned now that the Draft CWMP has been completed. The MA Estuaries Program and DEP’s TMDL program have held public education meetings/hearings in Chatham on the release of their respective reports.
The State MEPA Office and CCC will hold public hearings as part of their review of both the Draft and Final CWMP.
With the completion of the Draft CWMP the CAC will be discussing with staff and our consultants, at their January meeting, the topic of further public education activities. Items to be discussed will include content and format of education materials, i.e. brochures, booklets, mailing flyers, etc.; use of channel 18 and the website i.e. development and production of an education broadcast; workshops; etc. The CWMP budget has funds for public participation/education and a public education sub-consultant is on retainer to assist in these efforts.
Ms Connors suggested some information be printed directly on the water bills to draw the user’s attention to what the Town will be asking of the voters.
Mrs. Bohman cautioned citizens not to accept hearsay as information but to call the staff or find the information for themselves.
Mr. Hinchey said more information about costs to the individual homeowners will be presented in the Spring.
In response to Mr. Whitcomb’s question, Dr. Duncanson said the current controversy will not affect Chatham. However, Dr. Duncanson said if MEPA uses Chatham as a model, it could cause some concern because we may have to make changes to the Plan as we progress.
Goal #9 Progress Updates
Mr. Hinchey presented the following for the Board’s consideration:
One stated goal of the Board this year is a different type of reporting and/or updates. This memo will delineate those mechanisms in place currently to assist the Board’s discussion regarding what specific changes can be made to improve upon what we are doing now.
Committee Updates
The Board appoints more than forty committees annually. These committees report to the Board either once or twice each year on their work. This past year, for the first time during these updates, progress of committees toward specific goals delineated in the Long Range Plan are quantified as part of this process.
Project Oversight Group
Most large town projects are co-ordinated through the Project Oversight Group. Quarterly reports are submitted to the Board for their consideration. On occasion, hearings on projects during conceptual design are held before the Board prior to funding by Town Meeting. A design review committee will expand upon this hearing concept.
Minutes
Committee minutes are regularly given to the Board of Selectmen for review. This enables the Board not only to stay informed, but to isolate specific tasks which the Board may wish to discuss with the committee.
Memos, Correspondence
A similar process to that above is followed by the Town Manager, to enable the Board to stay informed and highlight areas which need more thorough follow-up or explanation.
Goals Update
For the first time this year a mid-year progress update was afforded to the Board on their goals.
Water and Sewer Meeting
The Board meets as Water and Sewer Commissioners each month at which time a departmental progress report is presented.
Wastewater
Due to the magnitude of the project, an update is given to the Board each month by Dr. Duncanson on the Town’s wastewater project.
Annual Budget Presentation/Review
Each year a comprehensive budget presentation is made by the Town Manager. The Board’s review thereafter allows a comprehensive review of departmental funding, project funding, and an overall fiscal condition review.
Warrant Review
Each Article placed upon any Town Meeting Warrant must be placed upon a Selectmen’s Agenda for review, authorization, and recommendation.
Pre-hearing Hearings
Prior to any regulatory changes being made in instances not requiring a Town Meeting vote, a hearing is held before the Board of Selectmen prior to the formal committee/staff hearing at which a regulation change is presented.
Executive Session Updates
All land purchases and contract negotiations are discussed with the Board of Selectmen in Executive Session prior to Town Meeting action and/or ratification.
Town Counsel - Legal Updates
Written, legal updates are provided to the Board of Selectmen quarterly by Town Counsel for their review.
Mr. Whitcomb suggested the Board of Selectmen place quarterly reports of the Project Oversight Group on the Board’s future agendas.
Appointment - South Coastal Harbor Plan Committee
Mrs. Bohman moved the Board of Selectmen appoint George Olmstead to the South Coastal Harbor Plan Committee until their work is completed unless sooner revoked or his successor is appointed. Ms. Connors seconded the motion and the Board of Selectmen voted unanimously in favor.
Other Business
Ms. Florence Seldin suggested the Board of Selectmen keep the Comprehensive Plan in mind when developing their goals and discussing committee reports.
Mr. Whitcomb announced the next meeting of the Board of Selectmen will be January 8, 2008 and wished everyone a Happy Holiday. He also complimented the appearance of the Town tree and thanked Ms. Bassett for bringing attention to the LED lights.
The meeting adjourned at 5:15PM.
Respectfully submitted,
Ramona M. McDonald
Recording Clerk
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