2002-04-BOS-min - Laserfiche WebLink

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Selectmen's Meeting Minutes April 1, 2002 A regular meeting of the Board of Selectmen was held on Monday, April 1, 2002 in the Library at the National Heritage Museum at 7:00 p.m. Mrs. Krieger, Mr. Enrich, Mrs. McKenna, Mr. McSweeney, Mr. Kennedy; Mr. White, Town Manager; Mr. Lahey, Town Counsel and Ms. Smith, Executive Clerk were present. Center Traffic Signals Town Engineer Peter Chalpin reviewed the bids for the Center Light Project. The bids exceeded anticipated amounts. The low bid was $119,000 and when added to contingency costs, design administration and police detail the project is anticipated to cost $180,000 rather than the $150,000 we had originally projected. Mrs. McKenna asked about the construction schedule. We would not want to see a good portion of the center disrupted during the holiday season. Mr. Chalpin replied he had talked to the low bidder and his scheduled plan is to come in as soon as possible and do the underground conduit work. The existing signals will be in place and functioning. They will stop work the 15 of November and start again the first of January. Upon motion duly made and seconded, it was voted to increase the amount under Article 8c by $30,000 and increase the borrowing by $30,000 to $685,000. Minutes Upon motion duly made and seconded, it was voted to approve the minutes of the meeting of February 25, 2002 as amended. Special Town Meeting Mr. White said with the court decision on the PAYT Program, it is clear the Town has to address the issue of the bylaw or identify budget reductions to make up and offset the costs savings associated with the PAYT program. Short by $66,736, the numbers are close enough for 2002 because of the nature of the decision. That is not the case for 2003. We have talked to five other towns that eliminated a PAYT program. It is not unreasonable to expect for us to lose the reduction in volume. With weekly recycling the deficit is $430,000 and without weekly recycling it is $357,000. The Board has two options. It can cut budgets and balance the budget and present it to Town Meeting at $430,000 lower or cure the crux of the legal issue by removing the word free. Board members discussed the consequences of the court decision on the PAYT Program, the loss of $430,000 and the solid waste coordinator position and the $750,000 of tax relief coming out of the revenues of the program.