TOWN OF PROVINCETOWN - BOARD OF SELECTMEN

 

  REGULAR MEETING - MONDAY, JULY 28, 2008

 

   JUDGE WELSH HEARING ROOM


Chairman Michele Couture convened the meeting at 6:18 PM noting the following Board of Selectmen attending: Michele Couture, Mary-Jo Avellar, Austin Knight, Elaine Anderson, David Bedard

 

Other attendees: Town Manager Sharon Lynn, Asst. Town Manager David Gardner, Municipal Finance Director Alix Heilala

 

Recorder:  Vernon G. Porter

 

The following are meeting minutes, in brief:

 

1A       JOINT MEETING WITH RECYCLING & RENEWABLE ENERGY COMMITTEE

 

Recycling & Renewable Energy Members Present:  Michael Leger, Elizabeth Patrick, Lee Bartell, Amy Germain

 

Michael Leger gave a brief overview of where the Committee is at this point.  They are very much interested in recycling, and the process they have been going through for the wind turbine at the Transfer Station.   

 

Open discussing ensued. Check into AmeriCorps to see if they can help with picking up recyclables around town and at the transfer station.  Board would like the committee to pursue solar power for our municipal buildings and report back with their findings. 

 

Amy asked that the Board move forward with the discussion of the Cape and Island Cooperative that was passed by Town Meeting. 

 

MOTION: Move that the Board of Selectmen vote to take Agenda Item #4 out of order.

 

Motion by:  Mary-Jo Avellar        Seconded by: Austin Knight           Yea  5    Nay  0

 

4.         APPOINTMENTS

 

MOTION: Move that the Board of Selectmen vote to appoint Amy Germain of 150 Commercial St., as Provincetown’s Representative on the Cape Light Compact Governing Board.

 

Motion by: Mary-Jo Avellar        Seconded by: Austin Knight              Yea  5    Nay  0

 

1B       IMPROVEMENTS AT GRACE GOUVEIA - UPDATE

            DPW Director David Guertin

           

At the Board of Selectmen’s meeting on Monday, July 14, 2008, Selectman Knight requested that DPW Director David Guertin appear before the Board of Selectmen to explain, in person, the improvements that were made at the Grace Gouveia premises during 2007 and 2008.

 

Austin Knight -Who is paying for it – as it is town property?  The town should be responsible and not the sewer users.  It’s about the payment.  I need clarification on that.  Citizens came forward and asked questions.  That was my question. 

 

Answers - Yes, wastewater paid for it.  Payback to sewer users will be through rate relief. 

 

Town Manager Sharon Lynn gave a detailed explanation of the process that was involved.

 

1C       PARKING STICKERS REVISITED

           

            Open discussion ensued.

           

MOTION: Move that the Board of Selectmen vote to amend their motion and vote of Monday, April 14, 2008 to read as follows: “As of July 29, 2008, any resident who has a vehicle that is registered in the Town of Provincetown and pays vehicle excise taxes to the Town of Provincetown and who has a valid drivers license is eligible to purchase a residential parking sticker”.

 

Motion by:  Mary-Jo Avellar        Seconded by: Austin Knight           Yea  5    Nay  0

 

Austin Knight requested that the Town Manger have the parking regulations posted on the town website, and updated on a yearly basis.

 

2.         PUBLIC STATEMENTS

 

George Bryant – 1) Furniture donated by family in Fairfield Connecticut and painted by Peter Hunt.  I do not know where it is.  I’ve asked the family if they wanted to donate it to the Pilgrim Monument and they said no.  2) Pier Corporation – According to Duane Steele, the Pier is costing the Town a great deal of money, it seems to me to be an unnecessary part of government and it should be regionalized.  Sooner or later you are going to have to do something about it. They are not running it properly. Lights were out last Friday.

 

Candace Nagle - I agree with George Bryant, regionalizing the Pier makes sense.   

 

Barbara Rushmore  - 1) Passed out the memorial tree planting plan of the Memorial Waterfront Park.  2) Respectfully ask that the Board of Selectmen do something to please stop the Cape Cod National Seashore  proceeding with their plans to redesign  Route 6 and Moors Road.

 

Susan Rohrbach – Representative Senator O’Leary’s Assistant. A lot has happened this year and some things that are in the works are:  1) Wasterwater Legislation was passed and attached to the Environmental Bond Bill, and we’re in hopes that it will be signed soon.   2) Homeowner’s Insurance Reform - some amendments – looking at modeling data to advise the Insurance Commissioner.  We’re hoping that what is in the Senate will pass in the House.  3)  Repeal of 1013 Law – we’re hoping that we’ll know by next week.

 

3.         SELECTMEN STATEMENTS

               

Austin Knight

 

Regarding Route 6 – To Barbara Rushmore - I will get the name to you of the Congressman who is on the appropriations Committee which takes up the funding of the Seashore, and I will let Mr. Delahunt’s office know that I have done this.

 

Pier Corporation – we will be meeting with them once the FinCom has finished their review.

 

Heritage Collection – Maybe the Town Manager can find out where the collections are.

 

MOTION: Move that the Board of Selectmen vote to have a report from the Town Manager as to where the Peter Hunt Collections are.

 

Motion by: Mary-Jo Avellar        Seconded by: Austin Knight        Yea  5    Nay  0

 

Bring to the attention of Rep. Sarah Peake that Joel Macara, our local paramedic, saved the life of the Conductor on the Barnstable Cape Cod Dinner Train from Buzzards Bay.  Conductor had a pulse but was not breathing. 

 

MOTION:  Move that the Board of Selectmen vote to send the name of Joe Macara to Representative Sarah Peake for the Good Samaritan Award.

 

Motion by: Austin Knight         Seconded by: Mary-Jo Avellar         Yea  5    Nay  0

 

Mary-Jo Avellar

 

Would like to know by the next meeting how many people have renters certificates (short term rentals).   We need to be more vigilant on this.

 

Ms. Rushmore’s idea of referring Route 6 to the Cape Cod Commission is a good idea. 

 

MOTION:  Move that the Board of Selectmen vote to contact Glenn Cannon of the Cape Cod Commission to see what our options are regarding the CNNS proposal to reconstruct Route 6 & Moors Road. cc: Our Congressmen.

 

Motion by: Mary-Jo Avellar        Seconded by: Austin Knight        Yea  5    Nay  0

 

David Bedard

 

Want to thank Ron Gamella and the DPW for fixing the sidewalk between the Methodist Church and Bradford Street. Great job.

 

I am very upset over the circumstances that were surrounding the presumed sale of 2 Commercial Street and how that all transpired over the past two weeks, if not the last month.

I feel the buyer was blind sighted and not properly informed on the ANR.

 

Open discussion ensued on the process of the various boards handling this matter.

 

MOTION:  Move that the Board of Selectmen vote to revisit it’s decision of Monday, July 14, 2008 concerning the ‘reserve comment’ to the Cape Cod Commission regarding the property located at 2 Commercial Street and replace it with, “asking the Cape Cod Commission to dismiss the referral without prejudice and return all jurisdiction back to the Town of Provincetown and its authorizing boards.”

 

Motion by: David Bedard        Seconded by: Mary-Jo Avellar           

                           Yea  3    Nay  2  (Elaine Anderson / Michele Couture)

 

 

 

Elaine Anderson

 

Katrina Van was well received.

 

Lots of good comments on the Police walking the Streets. Good communications.

 

r Family Cruise people  – they seem to have a good time while they were here.

 

Community Housing Specialist – would encourage re-advertising for this position.  This person could also work on Rental Certificates.

 

MOTION:  Move that the Board of Selectmen vote to place Ms. Rushmore’s Memorial Tree drawing on the town website.

 

Motion by: Elaine Anderson         Seconded by: Austin Knight              Yea  5    Nay  0

 

Michele Couture

 

MOTION:  Move that the Board of Selectmen vote to send a letter to the Pier Corp’s chair advising them that their lights are malfunctioning.

 

Motion by: Michele Couture       Seconded by: Austin Knight                

                              Yea  4    Nay  0   Abstain 1 (Mary-Jo Avellar)

 

To Ms. Susan Rohrbach - Fuel assistance program. Are there any programs in place?  Answer:  Senator O’Leary was in a meeting this morning with the Housing Assistance, and there is going to be a workshop this September to advise people.

 

Thanks to Senator O’Leary and to Rep. Sarah Peake – she is doing an outstanding job.

 

MOTION:  Move that the Board of Selectmen vote to send a letter to Senator Kerry asking him for his assistance in securing money for the restoration of Town Hall.

 

Motion by:  Mary-Jo Avellar         Seconded by: Elaine Anderson               Yea  5    Nay  0

 

Article in Cape Cod Times regarding Police Officers – not happy with this article and wish they would have contacted us about our officers here in Provincetown.  We are very proud of officers here.  Sgt. Tobias has done an excellent job and the whole department has done a wonderful job. 

 

4A       APPOINTMENTS

 

MOTION:  Move that the Board of Selectmen vote to reappoint Barbara Prato of 70 Snail Road, PO Box 332, as Town Constable with a term to expire June 30, 2011.

 

Motion by: Mary-Jo Avellar         Seconded by: Austin Knight              Yea  5    Nay  0

 

5A1      AIRPORT COMMISSION  

            Independent Fee Estimate for EA/FEIR/DRI PHASE II

 

MOTION:  Move that the Board of Selectmen vote to execute a contract in the amount of $3,000.00 with URS Corporation, 26 Corporate Drive, Clifton Park, New York for the Independent Fee Estimate of the Environmental Assessment (EA) Final Environmental Impact Report (FEIR) and Development of Regional Impact (DRI) Phase II (Work Order No. 3) for the Provincetown Municipal Airport.

 

Motion by:  Mary-Jo Avellar        Seconded by: Austin Knight                Yea  5    Nay  0

5A2      AIRPORT COMMISSION

            Reconstruct Terminal Apron – Award Contract

 

            MOTION:  Move that the Board of Selectmen vote to execute a contract in the amount of $360,126.00 with Lawrence-Lynch Corporation of Falmouth, MA for the Reconstruction of the Terminal Apron at the Provincetown Municipal Airport