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HomeMy WebLinkAbout1981-11-14-MCSA-min.pdf Minutes 6249/ ANNUAL MEETING - November 14 , 1981 711/11, Middlesex County Selectmen' s Association Dunfey' s Hyannis Resort Hyannis, Mass . Pres Jeanne Kangas brought the meeting to order at 5: 30 PM and welcomedthe many selectmen assembled . Article 1 . Gregory Jarboe, Chairman of the Nominating Committee, gave his committee' s report. The following amended slate was presented: President: Ann F. (Beth) Sutherland, Lincoln Vice-President: Gregory M. Jarboe, Acton Secretary: Judith A. Barber, Bedford Treasurer: Paul R. Boire, Hudson Executive Board: Francis X. O'Sullivan, Concord Sophie Jurga, Shirley Patrick Jordan, Stoneham Jeanne S. Langas, Boxborough (immediate past President) Advisors (past Presidents) Margery M. Battin, Lexington Alfred F. Steinhauer, Acton It was moved, seconded and voted unanimously to accept the report of the Nominating Committee as amended . Article 2 . A motion asking the Chairman of the Nominating Committee, in the absence of the Secretary, to cast a single vote for the entire slate was seconded and approved unanimously . Article 3 . Pres . Kangas referred members to the Treasurer' s Report, copies of which had been distributed. The report indicated a bank balance of $690 as of Nov. 12 , 1981. Ten towns were also cited as not having paid their annual dues. Prompt payment thereof was urged. The President presented her annual report, a copy of which is attached. Acceptance of the two reports was moved seconded and voted unanimously . Article 4 . Beth Sutherland moved the article and explained that dues had not been changed for many years despite spiraling costs . After a brief discussion, the motion "To establish the following schedule of annual dues: for active members, ten dollars, for senior members, ten dollars; and for life members, fifty dollars or take any other action relative thereto , " was approved unanimously . The dues change will take effect in 1982 . Article 5. Beth also moved Article 5, "To see if the Associ- ation will voted to amerld Article III , Section 3 .A. of the By-Laws by changing the comma after the word "dues" to a period, and deleting the phrase "which payments shall be retained in a fund from which interest only shall be applied to current operating expenses: " so • Lvov 14 , 1981 p,inutes 3 . Article 9 . Resolutions . The resolution "That the Associ- ation support efforts of the Middlesex County Advisory Board to obtain adequate funding for staff, not to exceed one cent per capita of the county' s population, " was moved and seconded. After some discussion centered on the amount of funding needed the resolu- tion was favorably voted . A second resolution, which had not appeared on the warrant, was moved by Beth Sutherland: "Resolved that the Association go on record in vigorous op- position to current law and practice permitting spending by coun- ties at the monthky rate of 1/12 of the previous year' s appropri- ation when the budget for the current fiscal year has not been timely approved; and that the executive boatd communicate this resolution to the House and Senate leadership . " The resolution passed unanimously and selectmen were urged to bring pressure to bear on their senators to assure passage of the iu?iddlesex County budget. Pres . Kangas then turned the meeting over to in-coming Presi- dent Beth Sutherland. Gordon McCouch thanked Jeanne for her bery capable leadership and hard work. Beth announced formation of the group "Change Middlesex County" and asked that selectmen "spread the word . " The meeting was adjourned at 6: 30 PM. Respectfully submitted, inn F. (Beth) Sutherland Secretary pro tempore Middlesex Countv Selectmen' s Association PRESIDENT'S REPORT 1980-81 Annual Meeting, November 14 , 1981 Hyannis , Massachusetts It has been a very good year for the Association and for local control over county spending. The MCSA bill to get the legislature out of the county budget process was not adopted, but our idea was . During testimony on our bill, Charles Fla- herty and Sharon Pollard (title House and Senate chairs of the Joint Committee on Counties) even admitted that they were quoting us on television: "He who pays , says . " I 've been telling them that for several years, and the Boston Globe quoted us in the headline of their report on the hearing on the Middlesex County budget: "No 1,1ore Money Tree in Middlesex. " I had testified that the voters chopped it down with Proposition 2i. Selectman Patricia Walrath of Stow, who chaired our legis- lative committee this past year, did a fine job . She helped pre- pare testimony and presented it for us . She wrote all of you in theLearly spring to get your help in sending letters and tele- phoning your representatives and senators . And you deserve a lot of credit. You came through. Your letters and lobbying pressure helped provide the platform and the impetus for change in county spending control . The fight is not over. We have some changes to make in the new law. Some of them are article on tonight' s warrant, but, working together, we will succeed . One particul,,r matter: at cur last meeting held in Maynard you voted to urge the MOAB to seek funding for professional staff so it could better do its job . I Proposed a resolution to the IVICAB at its meeting the next night in Newton, and it was adopted . It would provide 74 per capita for the CAB in the county budget. e should lobby for it. I don' t mean to suggest by all the foregoing that this Asso- ciation limit its focus to county issues and problems our goals and actions must address the larger constellation of issues con- fronting selectmen, from hazardous waste facility siting to man- aging in the second year of Proposition 2i . But this has cer- tainly been the year for counties . In closing, I thank you for your continued support and en- couragement . It has been a pleasure to serve with my board; Vice-President Beth Sutherland of Lincoln, Treasurer Bob Stru- thers of Townsend, Secretary Dennis Ready of Chelmsford , Gordon 1,.cCouch of Concord, Sallyann Macintosh of Hopkinton and former President Fred Steinhauer and Greg Jarboe of Acton. Respectfully submitted , atCUvvi..ut Sfg. len-- Jeanne S . hangas President litibblesex Tituntu 1.rierititetiCB 11/400m-intim 4 1 ORGANIZED 1926 Grasshopper Lane Lincoln, MA 01773 November 19, 1981 The Honorable William Bulger Senate President The State House Boston, Massachusetts Dear Senator Bulger: At the Annual Meeting of the Middlesex County Selectmen' s Association on November 14, 1981 the following resolution was passed unanimously: Resolved that the Association go on record in vigorous opposition to current law and practice permitting spending by counties at the monthly rate of 1/12 of the previous year' s appropriation when the budget for the current fiscal year has not been timely approved; and that the Executive Board communicate this resolu- tion to the House and Senate leadership . It was the consensus of the selectmen assembled that the Executive Board should also urge the leadership to act im- mediately to assure passage of the county budget and halt any further spending under the 1/12th provision. Upon return to their respective towns the selectmen received the unpleasant news that the county had issued esti- mated assessment bills . This association has in the past gone on record urging selectmen and mayors to withhold payment of assessments pending receipt of certain reports . The Execu- tive Board will consider similar action in regards to the esti- mated assessments at its next meeting. We trust, however, that the budget will have been approved in the interim. We strongly urge you to initiate immediate action to assure passage of the budget by November 30, 1981 at the very latest . Very truly yours , Ann F Sutherland Selectman from Lincoln President cc Sen Carol Amick MCSF Executive Board Senator Snaron Pollard Comr,i ss nncrs