Coordinator Report April 15, 2010

The recently distributed House Ways and Means Local Aid reduction has
been in our projections for quite a while so required no change. We will
meet jointly with the Finance Committee at 6 pm on Tuesday April 20. I
hope the outcome is that both boards vote to recommend the budget and
warrant articles.

At 5:45 the Selectboard has a joint vegetation hearing with the Planning
Board and Tree Warden. Once that is adjourned during the regular meeting
the Selectboard can deliberate and vote any needed policies on the
matter.

The MA legislature voted significant changes to the open meeting law
which take effect July 1, 2010. Among the changes, the AG's office, not
the district attorney, has jurisdiction. The AG will make interpretations
and have enforcement authority. Meaningful agendas must be published as
part of a meeting notice. Saturdays in addition to Sunday do not count
toward 48 hour notice. What this means for the Selectboard is that 6 pm
Thursday is the notice deadline for a Monday night meeting. Posting must
be visible at all hours. E-mails are expressly included in the
definition of "deliberation" which is prohibited outside of open meeting
session. Minutes must contain more detail than required before including
summaries of matters discussed and a list of documents used in
deliberations. These shall be part of the official record though the
ruling that they be part of the minutes isn't decided. Chairs must
periodically review executive session minutes and take measures to
release unless still part of on-going confidential matters. Complaints
will be filed with the offending government body first who will respond
to the citizen and to AG office. Curiously, it is still legal in most
instances to meet on a Saturday, Sunday, or holiday.

I attended a STAM meeting with a presenter from the Kopelman-Page law
firm who in answer to a conflict of interest compliance question stated
that there isn't any intention by the State Ethics Commission to look
for or audit to find offenders. SEC is still a body that responds to
complaints. Jeannette and I are currently concentrating on getting all
committee chairs to lead the way in taking the on-line test. Several
chairs and board members who hadn't have completed on-line training in
the past two weeks.  Albert Alden who has served on Conservation,
Planning Board and Finance Committee submitted his written resignation
in response to this requirement.

Two firms attended the WCS Sprinkler Repair Project pre-bid conference
and walk-through. I expect proposals from both which are due April 26.
Proposers will be answering for repair of the system and we will need in
addition to the bid amount to include an amount for drywall repair and
for engineering supervision. I believe the dollar amount in the warrant
is sufficient to accomplish the repairs.

Town Forest Gate project is moving forward. Total installed cost is
$3010. All but $130 can be met from revolving account and a previous
appropriation. I propose to take the small balance from Selectboard
expense as the Accountant is opposed to using Mary Ann Hastings, seeing
this as outside the appropriation process.

I did my best to respond to the REPC Training Survey for Recertification
of a regional plan. Warwick was the lone non-respondent when I got
involved.

I coordinated: a lot number enumeration question; zoning question
regarding a temporary sign; a zoning question regarding a trailer
replacement; pole data request for WiredWest regarding utility poles;
investigated possible group procurement for landfill monitoring; joined
the small town administrators (STAM) e-mail list-serve; provided
historic data for Patricia for town report; began procurement for
transfer station attendant hiring; oversaw wired LAN connection on final
desktop town hall computer and got Cat 5 connection to the Historical
Society, and repaired the network printer connection in the boards room.
 Our previously injured highway worker returned to the job with doctor's
o.k.

I got our general liability and casualty insurance renewed at a 3% rate
increase which amounts to $900 premium increase. I judge this a good
deal since we had claims involving damage to the highway garage building
and to a highway vehicle in the past two years.  Once again police and
fire accident policy was noticed as cancelled. Our insurer is looking at
renewal options and I am as well. Cabot Risk is quoting this for us
among others.  We have $2k of budget room in this line.