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TOWN OF SOUTHBRIDGE
SOUTHBRIDGE, MASSACHUSETTS
TOWN COUNCIL MEETING
COUNCIL CHAMBERS, TOWN HALL
December 2, 2013 – immediately following
6:30 PM Public Hearing
********************
AGENDA
1. Pledge of Allegiance
2. Roll Call
3. Consider and accept Town Council Meeting Minutes
of Monday, November 18, 2013.
(b) D.P.W.
(c) Education and Human Services
(d) Planning and Development
(e) Protection of Persons and Property
5. Chairman’s Announcements
6. Town Manager’s Announcements
7. Swearing In / Presentation
-
Overview by Board of Assessors (BOA) on tax classification and the tax rate –
Wil Cournoyer
8. Citizens Forum
9. Vote to appoint George (Gus) Steeves to the
Conservation Committee for a one-year term effective immediately through June
30, 2014 to fill the vacancy due to member resignation.
10. Vote to appoint Lorrie Jesky of Southbridge as
Constable effective immediately for a 3-year term to expire June 30, 2016.
11. Vote to appoint Lee Alton of Southbridge to the
Planning Board for a 3-year term effective immediately through June 30, 2016.
12. Vote to ratify the Memorandum of Understanding
between the Town of Southbridge and Southbridge Police Association, MCOP, Local
153 for 5 years effective June 30, 2011 through June 30, 2016.
13. Vote to appropriate $120,000.00 from the
Stabilization Fund to meet said contract obligations included in the Memorandum
of Understanding with MCOP, Local 153.
2/3 Vote Required
14. Vote to accept the Council’s intention to layout
the roadway know as Maggie Lane and refer to the matter to the Planning Board
for a non-binding recommendation
15. Vote to establish a tax classification factor of
1.0 for tax purposes (The BOA recommends a “Yes” vote for a single tax rate).
16. Vote to adopt varied classifications of property
for tax purposes, including open space discount and residential exemption (The
BOA recommends a “No” vote).
17. Vote to adopt a single tax rate for all classes
of property (The BOA recommends a “Yes” vote).
18. Vote to amend the FY 2014 Town of Southbridge
General Fund operating budget in the amount of $76,238.00 as follows:
- Southbridge Public Schools $24,502.00
- S.W.C.R.S.D. (Bay Path) 28,236.00
- Ambulance Billing Services (10,000.00)
- Town Manager Search and Interim Services 25,000.00
- Data Processing – Website Design and
Implementation 9,100.00
- Economic Development – Specialized Services
(600.00)
TOTAL
BUDGET REVISIONS $76,238.00
19. Vote to appropriate $375,000.00 from the
Landfill Royalty Receipts Reserved Account #6790 to the FY 2014 Contributory
Retirement Account as the second additional payment for FY 2014.
20. Vote that the sum of $125,000.00 shall be
appropriated from the Landfill Royalty Receipts Reserved Account #6790 as the
second payment into the OPEB Trust Fund for FY 2014.
21. Vote to appropriate $58,500.00 from Overlay
Surplus to reduce the FY 2014 tax levy.
22. Vote to raise and appropriate $200,000.00 to the
Stabilization Fund to cover anticipated additional costs in the FY 2014 Snow
and Ice Budget.
2/3 Vote Required
23. Vote to ratify the contract between the Town of
Southbridge and Virtual Towns and Schools for website design, implementation
and annual maintenance of the Town’s website in the amount of $8,500.00 for
design and implementation and $3,500.00 for annual maintenance and support
24. Vote to accept the Top 7 Town Manager Goals as
revised for FY2014.
25. Vote to approve the proposed Sign By-law changes
as prepared in memo dated August 8, 2013 from the Town Manager.
First Reading
26. Vote to amend a new Globe Village Economic
Target Area and include within it the following portions of Tax Maps as shown
on the map which is on file with the Town Clerk and the Town Manager’s office,
and to authorize the Town Manager to offer a Tax Increment Financing package
for qualified economic development projects undertaken within said economic
Opportunity Area:
Map
31 – Lots 39 and Lots 144 - 147
Map
32 – Lots 1 – 4 and Lots 47 - 50
Map
33 – Lots 1, 1A, 2, 2A, 2B, 2C, 3, 3A, and 3B, Lots 4 – 6, Lot 6A, Lots 7 – 13,
Lots 03 - 130, and Lots 132 – 139
Lots 03 - 130, and Lots 132 – 139
Map
34 – Lots 111 – 115, Lot 115A, Lots 116 – 117, Lots 120 – 125, Lots 127 – 144, Lots 146 – 147, Lots 150 – 163, and Lots 174 – 176
Map
49 – Lots 159 – 160, Lot 150A, Lots 161, 163, 164 and 184
27. Vote to approve the project certification
application submitted by Expert Laser Services, Inc., for a facility located
within the South Central Massachusetts Regional Economic Target Area at the
project site shown in the project certification application, and the tax
increment finance plan and tax increment finance agreement between Expert Laser
Services, Inc., and the Town of Southbridge.(see email attached with detail).
28. Vote to approve components for a new FY2014
Community Development Block Grant Application and authorize the Town Manager to
sign Grant documents.
29. Vote to recommend that a proposed amendment to
the Town of Southbridge Zoning By-Laws pursuant to MGL Acts 2012 Chapter 369,
“An Act for the Humanitarian Medical Use of Marijuana” be sent to the Planning
Board to receive public comment.
30. Vote to accept the 2013 updated Master Plan as
presented to Town Council.
31. .Councilors Forum
32. Discussion of next meeting date – Monday,
December 16, 2013 at 7:00 PM in Council Chambers
33. Adjournment
Thanks to Councilor Amelia Peloquin for making this available in lieu of it being on the town website.
ReplyDeleteagenda item #23......$12,000 for a new town website.....are you freaking kidding me???? $3500 for yearly maintinance???? sounds a tad pricey
ReplyDeleteThey can't even get the Town Council agendas up in a timely manner as it is -and where are all the changes to the town bylaws they want to make. If you can't use it, lose it!
DeleteItem 27. Vote to approve the project certification application submitted by Expert Laser Services, Inc., for a facility located within the South Central Massachusetts Regional Economic Target Area at the project site shown in the project certification application, and the tax increment finance plan and tax increment finance agreement between Expert Laser Services, Inc., and the Town of Southbridge.(see email attached with detail).
ReplyDelete- First they get the building for less than an earlier bid and now we're giving them a TIF?
That business belongs to former Council Chair Chernisky. Considering all he did for this Town, like the $108 Million landfill deal, doesn"t he deserve to get at least a rib or two from the proverbial fatted calf?
Delete24. Vote to accept the Top 7 Town Manager Goals as revised for FY2014.
ReplyDelete7. Finish plans for Sturbridge estate sale
6. Update references list for five years from now
5. Buy discounted town provided car
4. Finish getting Sturbridge home on register of historic sites
3. Thank you portraits for two town councilors
2. Finish negotiations with potential Southbridge town
Manager search consultant
1. Come up with three more to get on Letterman
That's pretty funny.
DeleteThe going design rate is $ 1000 per site, $100 per page, and approx $150 per month maintenance (this charge will increase depending upon how many updates (page changes) the town would require per month. The only other cost is the cost of the domain name which should not be more than $50 per year. The cost of hosting is calculated into the monthly maintenance charge.
ReplyDeleteTheir design fee is double what it should be. Especially since they will not be designing from scratch. They will use a design they already have and make some cosmetic adjustments of colors and images to fit Southbridge. The maintenance fee is about right. I can see the Town needing to update and ad pages with meetings and events.
Peanuts compared to what the school department is spending on legal fees, investigative costs, paid-administrative-leaves, unemployment for the many "terminated" employees; and of course, the $$$ given to two recent "resignations" of central office administrators. We are talking high six-figure costs.
DeleteHow about the council give the taxpayers a figure for the unemployment expenses that the school department has uncured since McLaughlin and Donovan have seized control? The district doesn't pay for unemployment costs; these costs are paid from town-side funds.