Rowley Board of Selectmen
March 1, 2010
APPROVED
- Ratified the declaration of a state of emergency for the town of Rowley from Friday, March 26, at 1 a.m. to Saturday, March 27, at 8 a.m. Selectmen Chairman Dave Petersen outlined the process taken in town to deal with the power outages of the Thursday, March 25, storm, indicating town departments would soon review what went right or wrong to aid in future emergency situations. "I just want to thank the town workers for doing a fantastic job, working all hours and dealing with the many calls and wide range of emotions from residents," Petersen said. "Everybody pitched in to help and worked together effortlessly, and considering the amount of damage the town suffered, restored the town to pre-storm conditions as quickly as possible."
- Two zoning bylaw amendments, one regarding restricting the maximum number of units that can be accepted in multifamily developments and the other to repeal the soil suitability requirement. Brent Baeslack, Rowley's conservation agent, noted that while the criteria of the bylaw is still very important, the soil suitability regulation, which became a bylaw in 1972, has become redundant because of environmental legislation that has passed since that time. The criteria for testing soil suitability is now included as part of other regulations. These two items will go on the town warrant for Town Meeting approval.
- The town of Rowley investment policy statement.
- Designating $33,000 of Community Preservation Committee funds to go toward the restoration and preservation of the town clock, and replace it with a new clock.
- Authorizing Town Administrator Deb Eagan to go forward to get an "as built" plan made for Christopher Road.
- Authorizing $200 for JRM Hauling, the new recycling company in town, to build a ramp to a new, larger waste receptacle for paper collection at the town recycling center.
- Authorizing a site survey to be done on town property on Fenno Drive to accurately assign boundary lines.
HEARING
For the acceptance of the street layout for Emily Lane, off Dodge and Daniels Road. The Planning Board and light and water departments all indicated that the road is ready to be accepted as a town road. The road's acceptance will be added to the town warrant for the Town Meeting for residents' approval.
SIGNED
- An all-liquor license for the Rowley Veterans Association under new manager David Leavitt.
- Two proclamations recognizing local Scouts of Rowley Scout Pack 15 — Nicholas Michel and Thomas Kuczun — for earning Eagle Scout status.
DISCUSSED
- An expanded proposal to construct two public skating rinks in town on the soccer fields behind the Pine Grove School. There was great concern about the project being rushed through with ever-increasing costs and supplies noted (the estimate has gone from an approved $33,000 to over $100,000), as well as concern for enlisting enough volunteers to manage the project. Selectman Dick Cummings, who is heading the project with Parks and Recreation Committee member Glen Fougere, will revise the proposal to provide more detail and present it to the board for review again.
- An invitation received to the 375th celebration of the First Parish Church in Newbury during Memorial Day weekend. Selectmen will decide at a later date if anyone will attend.
- Four bids have been received for supplying video equipment for the town to televise selectmen and other department meetings, and they will be discussed at the next selectmen's meeting.
- Local Girl Scout troop asked the town for a list of community service projects that need to be done in town, pledging two full hours per 140 Scouts of free service. The selectmen will ask town departments for suggestions and get back to the Girl Scouts.
- That the fiscal year budget would be level-funded, and the plan was to save about $100,000 by reducing the police budget by cutting the deputy chief position, who is now acting chief, and a sergeant's position, open due to a retirement. The extra funds will go toward equipment needs for the police and fire departments.
- In light of the recent storm and power outage, Selectman Stu Dalzell Sr. suggested examining once again the purchase of a generator for the Pine Grove School so that in emergency situations, residents would have somewhere to go. The suggestion is cost-prohibitive at this time, but the owner of the Seaview Retreat, who was present at the meeting, offered his generator to the town in a couple of years when he gets a new one for his facility.
POSTPONED
- A decision on whether to go forward with updating the town's signage bylaw. Planning Board chairman Cliff Pierce was asked to work on a draft of a rewrite and bring it before selectmen at a later date.
- The review of changes to the town's earth removal bylaw.
