Towns take initial steps toward combined police station

By Jonathan Cook
Turley Publications Reporter

WARREN – After many years of sharing a middle/high school, Warren and West Brookfield may now be on the way to sharing a police station.
At their regular meeting March 31, the Board of Selectmen, minus Chairman David Delanski who was out with the flu, hosted their West Brookfield counterparts for a meeting on the possibility of sharing a police station, possibly along Route 67 near the town border.
The conversation opened up with the ongoing effort to purchase an emergency generator for the school building the towns already share and intend to use as an emergency shelter. West Brookfield’s Chief Thomas O’Donnell suggested that funding be sought from the Regional Homeland Security Council.
That bit of business completed, the discussion moved to the possibility of sharing a police station – a project that Warren Selectman Bob Souza has said may be a first of its kind in the state.
As such, West Brookfield Selectman David Eisenthal said he thinks the project may require special legislation.
While other communities, such as Wales, Holland and Brimfield, have moved toward combining police departments, that is not the intent of this project. That much was made clear by every board member present. As West Brookfield Chairman Barry Nadon, Jr. put it, “we’re looking for a shared building, not a regionalized police force.”
Warren Police Chief Bruce Spiewakowski said “our biggest concern, and Chief O’Donnell and I have spoken, is that of location. I know that for a police department to be effective, it must be centrally located.” If the Warren PD were to operate out of a building near the West Brookfield line, Spiewakowski said, the location wouldn’t meet that criteria.
Souza responded. “I understand the chief’s point,” he said, “but for me that’s not as big of a concern because I do feel that up on the area of Route 67, that’s sort of centralized for both of our communities.”
As for O’Donnell, he is ready for anything. “We’ve been living in 765 square feet for so long that I’d be looking for a Quonset hut on a corner lot somewhere at this point.”
All kidding aside, O’Donnell said most of his questions about matters such as the size of the building that would be needed couldn’t be answered until the project entered a design stage.
It’s nowhere near that point yet. “Rather than poke a stick at it any longer,” said West Brookfield Selectman Tom Long, “I think we really need to start looking at a time table.”
The boards agreed that they would work towards meeting three objectives for a Special Town Meeting in the fall. Nadon summed them up this way: knowing the cost of the land, having rough building estimates, and a coming to a regional agreement to get the job done.
The boards have asked the two chiefs to discuss their building requirements in the next few weeks. They also agreed to meet with various property owners before convening another joint session April 21 in West Brookfield to continue discussions including the make-up of a building committee to devote full attention to the project.

Re-invigorating Elm Hill

By Taryn Plumb
Turley Publications Reporter

BROOKFIELD – If all goes as planned, the Elm Hill historic property will finally become what its late benefactor long envisioned: A flourishing, all-purpose resource for people of all interests and abilities.
With the recent acquisition of the Blanchard Means Foundation by Rehabilitative Resources, Inc. (RRI), of Sturbridge, Elm Hill Farm is poised for such a reinvigoration.
“The property is very much a community property,” said Bonnie Keefe-Layden, chief executive officer of RRI and, now, the Blanchard Means Foundation, a charitable entity that operates Elm Hill Center. “It’s not just a farm in the Brookfields, it is a very historic site.”
The late philanthropist Louise Chandler Means set aside the Elm Hill property as an historic farm and wildlife sanctuary in the 1990s. The history-studded farm had been in her husband Blanchard Means’s family since the 18th century, and it has since been listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
Today, more than 1,000 acres of the original property is in wildlife preservation. On the roughly 30 acres comprising the farm’s buildings and stables, meanwhile, the foundation has established horticulture, horsemanship and arts programs catered to all people, but especially those with special needs.
Serving this community was of particular importance to Means, whose daughter, Louise Blanchard “Weesie” Means, is disabled. Weesie, as dictated by her mother, now lives in a home with other special needs individuals on the property.
RRI, which took over operation of the foundation and the center Jan. 17, plans to carry on and enhance Means’ mission to emphasize nature, history and tolerance for all people. With more than 400 employees, the Sturbridge-based non-profit specializes in care for people with special needs through both residential and day programs.
“Finally, there are the resources to add to this gift to make it the unique place that we envisioned,” said Mississippian Karlyn Stephens, foundation chairman.
The first order of business? Establishing an operations plan and developing strategies to replenish the foundation’s “dwindled” endowment, Keefe-Layden said.
Already, the RRI-led foundation has formed several committees and is seeking volunteers. It has also established a $500 scholarship for a graduating Brookfield senior at Tantasqua Regional High School who has an interest in history and preservation.
It will hold its first fundraiser, a pasta dinner, at the Brookfield Congregational Church Friday, May 1.
Right now, programs such as Saturday riding lessons and summer riding are being rolled out, Keefe-Layden said. Groups have also started to visit the property to interact with animals and clean the grounds.
“We’re already moving,” she said.
The eventual goal is to have on-site staff manage programs, but that development is about a year away.
For RRI’s community, in particular, the farm opens up the opportunity for animal therapy — goats, donkeys, miniature ponies, horses and chickens now roam its grounds. The non-profit would eventually like to implement animal husbandry programs and perhaps an adopt-an-animal initiative that would instill discipline and responsibility, Keefe-Layden said.
Simple interaction with the animal kingdom, she said, is beneficial for people of all ages, and particularly for those with special needs.
“People sometimes relate better to nature than they do to human beings,” she said.
Beyond this, the property has opportunities with raised garden beds, a campfire pit, a swimming pool and walking trails.
Then there’s the historical aspect: At its peak, Elm Hill was one of the largest working farms in the region; it comprised 1,300 acres, eight houses, apple orchards, horse stables and was home to a purebred cattle operation.
All told, it represents the original re-settlement of Brookfield, and, most famously, it bred Borden’s first mascot, Elsie the Cow — one of the most recognizable bovine faces of the 20th century, gracing milk and cheese containers everywhere.
In all aspects, RRI is eager to see the center flourish.
“Mrs. Means had a vision for this property, and we are going to ensure that it is realized,” Keefe-Layden said. “It is treasured property in our region, and we intend to make sure that it is a place that can be enjoyed by everybody, regardless of age or disability.”
For more, visit www.rehabresourcesinc.org.

Brookfield selectmen limit public speaking time

By Taryn Plumb
Turley Publications Reporter

BROOKFIELD – Selectmen have temporarily implemented a process that will allow residents to speak only during designated periods at the board’s bi-weekly meetings.
“This is a meeting of the board of selectmen,” said Selectman Rudy Heller last week, who proposed the measure two weeks ago. “By allowing others to speak, we are, in essence, making them selectmen.”
Under the new process, the meeting would incorporate “public access” periods at the start of business and again before adjournment. These would be the only times audience members could participate, unless they appear on the agenda or are asked to speak by the board. Those who raise their hands without being asked would be allowed to speak only if the board takes a vote in favor. Comments in either case would be limited to three minutes.
Heller and Selectman Chairman James Allen voted in favor of the change; Ronald Dackson voted against. With the board’s vote, the new process will be in effect through the end of the fiscal year – July 1.
Dackson said he objected to the three-minute time period and the “limitations” put on residents.
“You might lock individuals from speaking entirely,” he said.
“We are the selectmen,” Allen disagreed. “It behooves us to decide who speaks and who doesn’t.”
He added that he isn’t comfortable making decisions when people are “in the mix” with their own agenda.
“There are people among us who are more interested in their own agenda than ours,” he said.
In other news:
– Selectmen put off a discussion about a controversial sign on Route 9 operated by John David Holdcraft. Two weeks ago, the board began an investigation of the permitting process – as well as the town’s legal options – for the large yellow billboard, which is located across from the elementary school and broadcasts Holdcraft’s thoughts about the town and its government. Selectmen also plan to study the sign’s content and explore options for mitigating it, such as speaking with town counsel and even possibly striking an agreement with Holdcraft. Heller suggested the board create a timeline and itemize all issues brought up through research. “At this point I don’t think we’re ready to address it because the amount of information we’re gathering is significant,” he said. The board plans to discuss the issue at its next meeting Tuesday, March 24.
– Selectmen authorized Bill Scanlon, formerly of the Central Massachusetts Regional Planning Commission, to look into a Brownsfield grant for the former mill site on Mill Street. Scanlon explained that the site has undergone testing and analysis, and it is not heavily contaminated. Brownsfield grants require 20 percent matches from the town, whatever the amount. Scanlon said the town could probably do about half of that match in in-kind contributions, or physical labor completed by the highway department. Scanlon would charge the town $2,000 to do the grant application. Selectmen are still determining uses for the site. “How much it’s cleaned up is related to what we do with it,” Allen said. “If people have suggestions, they might as well bring them up to us.”
– Cliff Fontaine has been temporarily appointed to the Planning Board. Because he will be filling a seat vacated mid-term by Kermit Eaton, his appointment required approval of both the Board of Selectmen and the Planning Board. Fontaine will serve until May; then he will be on the town ballot to fill out Eaton’s term until 2012.

Town to vote on zoning change for wind mills

By Jonathan Cook
Turley Publications Reporter

WEST BROOKFIELD – One item on the May Town Meeting warrant asks voters to support changes in the zoning bylaws that will allow small wind turbine installations to be handled by the building inspector. Currently any size wind turbine is referred to the Zoning Board of Appeals for a special variance.
Erasing that hurdle is the main objective, says Planning Board Chair Tim Morrell. He reports that his board continued a public hearing for three meetings on the proposed changes because “people really don’t know what it’s about.”
At the Special Town Meeting in January, Morrell even handed out flyers promoting the hearings. “We got some people at the second meeting,” he says. The public awareness is important to Morrell because the 11 pages of zoning changes cover three categories of wind turbines.
Already “people have inquired,” he says. He has also said, “everyone should have one.” The technology has changed enough, he says, that turbines could start popping up in different sizes and shapes, including turbines that have no propellor blade. Morrell described one new look as a “cylinder that spins.” He said that one day small wind turbines could appear on roof tops just like the TV antennae of old.
In other words, people need to get used to the sights and sounds of wind mills.

A wind mill at work
“It will be a good thing,” says Dexter Newton of New Braintree about the prospect of wind mills going up on residential property. Newton is the proud owner of an 80 foot tall, ten kilowatt wind mill. But he adds that he wishes he’d installed a 100 foot tall five kilowatt turbine. He says that because the industry is just starting out, estimates were off. Way off.
According to the company that installed his turbine, he was supposed to get 1,200 kilowatt hours per month, he reports. His turbine generates only 390 kilowatt hours. Another 20 feet would have made a big difference, he laments, saying increasing the height would be costly at this point, requiring the tower to be widened at the base.
Still, Newton is happy with his wind mill, especially this time of year because the winds are blowing strong. He says on a good day he can watch his electric meter spin backwards as excess power is sent out onto the grid.
“We like the way it looks,” he adds. The sound is subtle, he says, comparing it with a nearby waterfall. Another benefit he has realized is that “these things make you conscious of electricity.” He says he shuts the lights off more and never uses the clothes dryer when the weather is good for line drying.
“It’s ground floor stuff,” he says of the residential wind mill industry. But he thinks as more experience is gained, wind mills could become more efficient and more popular.

Opening the door
“We’re going to see more and more,” turbines, Morrell agrees. He says the proposed changes will be accompanied by an Executive Summary that is still being written. In the mean time, he urges people to visit the web site of the American Association of Wind Energy (awea.org) for details on the latest technology and news about the wind industry.
Morrell points to guidelines recently implemented in Brookfield and Charlton as examples.
The first category in the proposed changes covers turbines up to 100 kilowatts, enough to power a household, he says. Another category would cover turbines big enough to power a home and a working barn or small business, but would still be used by the owner. A third category would “open the door for a wind farm to come in,” he says.

Holyoke versus Taconic Division 3A final

Good evening everyone and thanks for tuning into today’s blogcast of the Western Massachusetts Division 3A final between top-seeded Taconic and your Holyoke Purple Knights. Game time is set for 6:00 p.m. between the 20-1 Braves and the sixth-seeded Knights.

Holyoke is making its first appearance in a championship game since winning the state title in 1979 as a Division1 school. The Knights defeated Agawam 5-3 and Chicopee 6-4 to reach the finals here at the Mass Mutual Center in Springfield.

Check back around 5:45 p.m. for a look at this important game here. The winner advances to the Division 3A state championship on Thursday right back here in Springfield against the Central Mass. champion (TBD).

Yellow Journalism?

I am totally appalled at the way the local press and tv stations are going along with promoting David John Holcraft’s attack on local officials and don’t even see, or want to see, his form of “Yellow Journalism.”
In these days of layoffs, Madoff and numerous other serious news stories, the “press” seems to use a bully’s rants to lead the news. Have you come to use “Yellow Journalism” too? Are economic times so bad for the press that you’ll stoop this low for readership? Where’s your news integrity?
He’s had his day in the sun. I didn’t see you report on the fact that the constant “badgering” of selectmen at meetings and the fear of being on the “Yellow Sign” has caused good citizens to leave positions and townspeople not to volunteer for committees. You have never written on how the sign got there in the first place, or its original approved intent.
I didn’t see the press ask why was this business given approval by the ZBA of Brookfield when over 45 people showed up at the ZBA meeting, with a vast majority against the issuing of a business permit for this site. A site that is actually the back yard of property he pays residential taxes on and not business taxes on. A site that was approved by the ZBA, but the address on the application and approval isn’t even on the tax rolls.
I didn’t see the press follow through on the requirements given to him by the ZBA, those of which are in the minutes of the approval of July 17, 2003. Look it up. And see how many items have been followed. See how many conditions are met. Then ask the questions why? How did he get this approved sign in the beginning? It was approved as a business sign. What is the name of this business he is running? What type is it?
Is his business being a bulletin board for the town? If so, look up the ordinance for billboards in the town. Even free speech has size limitations. What are his hours of operation? Can he leave items outside the building? Is the sign in conformance with the ZBA approval as far as to the conditions set forth in his approval? How long is this Special Permit approved for? Has it been re-approved?
Have you talked and interviewed the chairman and members of those who were on the board at the time the ZBA approved the application? The chairman is now the town moderator. They went against an overwhelming disapproval, why? Was it the cost of possible litigation if not approved? Ask for the records of correspondence and recommendations from legal counsel on this application. What did they say? Let’s get some journalistic answers.
Has the press asked where this free giveaway stuff comes from? Is it from out of town? If so, is it legal to bring it into town? Is it a case of one town’s trash another town’s treasure? It leaves one town as trash and arrives as useable items in another. If so, why isn’t this a recycling business? Is it because there would need to be stricter requirements? Ask questions, check the layer beneath. That’s good journalism!
Doesn’t the press have a duty to check this out and the integrity to follow through before they back up a person declaring the sanctity of the First Amendment?
Our forefathers met with tremendous hardships to be free. They had the wisdom to make freedom of speech the very First Amendment. We have good people working and even dying to defend and preserve this right. These rights aren’t meant to be used for someone’s personal agenda. Let see the press do a little work in getting to the truth. Go look it up.

Ron Couture
Brookfield

Animal officer in doghouse

By Jonathan Cook
Turley Publications Reporter

WARREN – Fed up with a lack of responsiveness from Animal Control Officer (ACO) Chris Blood, the Board of Selectmen has seized on an offer by assistant ACO Jesse Berard to take over the job.
In a letter that came before the board Feb. 3, Berard formally requested the position.
“I bring with me one year of experience as Assistant Animal Control in the town of North Brookfield,” he wrote. “I have also taken and passed the 80 hour Animal Control Academy.”
Berard has been assistant ACO in Warren since Oct. 2008. “There have been approximately 90 calls since my appointment,” the letter states. “I have responded to 30. Out of the remaining 60 calls, 45 did not require action, or a message was left with ACO Blood’s voicemail.”
The selectmen have repeatedly tried to get Blood to return to a meeting since they had him in late last year. At that meeting Selectman Bob Souza urged Blood to return all calls.
But at the most recent selectmen’s meeting Souza said, “we can’t get a response back from the present animal control officer (Blood).”
Blood did reply to the board’s request for a meeting, according to Administrative Secretary Jean McCaughey.
“He called yesterday and said he can’t ever come to a meeting on Tuesday night,” she said. “He’s not available during the day either. He seems to be getting more difficult to work with.”
Demands of the part time job may be on the rise due to incessant animal complaint calls to police, suggested Sergeant Joseph LaFlower when previously asked. Perusing police logs reveals at least one animal complaint on almost every page, often several calls each day.
“It’s a part time job,” LaFlower said.
Reportedly, Blood also has a full time job. At the 2008 meeting, he told selectmen he had only half a day per week available to perform his ACO duties. He also had his own complaint about incessant phone calls.
He described getting calls about barking dogs as early as 6:30 a.m.
Indeed, barking dog complaints constitute a large portion of all animal complaints according to LaFlower. Recently selectmen ordered one resident to keep 10 dogs from barking at the next door neighbor for more than 10 minutes. The executive board also requested that Blood crack down on unlicensed dogs.
“At this time, I am aware of a minimum of 298 dogs in town that are currently unlicensed,” Berard said.
Selectmen Bob Downing said he was in favor of removing Blood and installing Berard.
“We’re paying this man $12,000, for what? I don’t know of any service, we’ve received to date,” he said.
On the other hand, Berard wants to get to work. According to the letter, “I believe I can bring a lot to your town. I believe in taking a pro-active approach to Animal Control, instead of the additional reactive approach.” He went on to state that he wants to implement a trap, neuter, return plan to tackle the “the numerous feral cat colonies that need attention. . . to help limit the huge population explosion that these kinds of colonies often reach” in spring and summer.
Chairman David Delanski asked that a letter be sent to Blood informing him that “his failure to attend the hearing at our request would indicate to us that he has submitted his resignation and is no longer interested in the position.”

Financial task force confronts issues, takes no action

By Ruth M. Lyon
Turley Publications Reporter

SPENCER- David Prouty High School Superintendent Ralph Hicks appeared to bear the brunt of critical questions in a meeting held Saturday at Spencer Town Hall. Meeting a barrage of questions from selectmen and finance committee members from both towns, he presented figures reflecting efforts to hold the line on school costs, but expressed his own frustration with questions that appeared to have no answers.

A financial task force organized last year by Spencer Town Manager Paul Guida met Saturday to confront joint issues regarding the David Prouty High School (DPHS) District, which encompasses the school systems of Spencer and East Brookfield. The group comprises members of the towns’ boards of selectmen, school and finance committees.

DPHS Committee member Peter Rock of East Brookfield, chair of the committee, had in December sent a letter to all members, recommending that the task force publish a point of view, a statement of intended behavior or action plan, or disband.

In that letter, Rock suggested that the committee develop a budget which assumes that state aid for FY10 remain funded at the FY09 level, demonstrating how obligations would be met. He further recommended the committee develop a second budget assuming a state aid reduction of 10 percent in all categories. Finally, noting the general financial climate in both towns, he said, “we should do all in our power to minimize reductions in community services and do so without placing an excessive financial burden on our citizens.”

He requested the budget format be completed and reported to the committee by mid-January in order to move forward with the task force’s action, or disband.

In the weeks following receipt of that letter, amidst the reality of crippling storms and holiday breaks, each town’s finance and school committees and boards of selectmen have faced increasingly bleak reports and prognostications from state and other officials.

Rock called Saturday’s meeting of ten members from the two towns to order at 9 a.m. In the audience were East Brookfield’s Selectmen Chair Leo Fayard and Spencer Selectman Donald Berthiaume; few others were present, although local access TV was available at the time.
East Brookfield’s Finance Chair John Rossi presented his town’s position. Explaining that East Brookfield had made extensive budget cuts in FY08 in order to compensate for its school assessment, he said a 10 percent cut for FY09 would amount to $45,000 from the town’s total budget of $3,800,000.

“In order to balance our budget last year, we cut $100,000 from our budget, used $100,000 from free cash and $8,000 from the overlay fund,” he said. “We’ve had to adjust for increased costs for fuel, electricity, such items as paper goods. We have, and anticipate to have, less revenue from new growth, excise taxes, any growth-related revenues. We’ve already cut positions in departments as low as we can cut them and provide the minimum of services we need. We have four highway and four police personnel. We have two EMTs; if we lose one, we lose our state certification. A salary freeze for town employees is likely. If we can level-fund we can make it, if not, we’ll have to cut services. We cannot afford any additional school assessments.”
Spencer Town Manager Paul Guida reported much the same outlook.

“We took a tax override last year to maintain town services,” he said. “The state budget today cut Spencer by 10 percent. When the people suffer, the state suffers. The capital gains fund, rainy day fund, income taxes, down, down, down. This has been a bad winter, the town is hard pressed to maintain services. We’re doing everything we can, asking everyone for ideas. If we don’t have it, we can’t print it, like the Feds. The stimulus package will amount to about $3,000 per person in the country – we’re mortgaging our future.

“We’re not looking at level funding, but hoping to level-fund education. We haven’t yet heard the figures from Bay Path; that assessment will probably be increasing, as more pupils will be going there. Everything is on the table. We’re working with Dr. Hicks…”
Superintendent Hicks, in his turn, remarked that “this is the first year we’ve had any substantial surplus.” (That surplus had been referred to by Peter Rock in a recent newspaper interview, in relation to Spencer’s 2008 override.)

“This is not unusual in a school district,” Hicks said. “Other school districts have as much as $2 million. The state now picks up 65 percent of school funding; but that’s due to change. We’ll be required to pay 50 percent.”

Hicks went on to list cuts in his current budget, including cuts in cleaning staff, a guidance counselor retiring without replacement, re-allocating staff.

“We’ve gone from 320 employees to 294,” he said, listing student enrolment of 551.
As has been the commentary from town officials in most communities, the subject of insurance benefits for school employees became foremost.

According to Hicks, health insurance for school employees and retirees amounts to $4 million. He maintains that contractual obligations require that retirees from the DPHS system pay only 10 percent of insurance costs. Rock and Guida refute that allegation, saying this is not state law.
Guida, Rock and Fayard individually confronted Hicks on the current state of contractual issues with DPHS employees, maintaining that the proportion of insurance costs borne by the towns could and should have been addressed in years past.

“You people are insulated from the real world,” Fayard said. “This has been a problem for several years. Did you people just learn of this crisis? You’re dealing with smoke and mirrors here. What revenues other than reduction of teaching staff are you coming up with? I’m no economist, but even I know you know you don’t use your savings to pay your bills.”
Fayard went on to suggest that numerous companies are re-examining contracts and re-negotiating terms, in the light of current economic conditions. He also commented that, in recent years, the school district has done nothing to explore reducing operating costs.

“Every company is doing what they can, including bigger insurance co-pays,” he said.
Hicks’ response was that a three-year contract is in force, and that it is enforceable unless negotiators are willing to reopen it.

“What upsets me is that when you talk about cuts you speak always of teachers,” Fayard said. “Why do we always look first at teachers – why not support staff or other places? I think you should look deeply, as we had to do last year. East Brookfield had to cut $100,000 from our budget. You’re playing on the heartstrings of the people.”

Spencer’s Seth Thatcher, a selectmen and former finance committee member, and Tony Pepe, finance committee member, spoke in favor of lesser taxpayer contribution to teacher insurance, and also in support of stronger school committee and taxpayer action in curtailing such costs. “We can’t ask the taxpayers to give up pay raises and other benefits without a quid pro quo,” Thatcher said.

He went on to comment that he feels it is the function of the legislature to be leading, to do the right thing even if it is not the popular thing. He suggested that board members come up with a draft.

Rock stated it is his wish that each board come up with a draft of a resolution to result in positive action on the problems jointly faced by members of the two communities.

As lunchtime approached, with no definitive action having been taken, Tony Pepe said, “this committee is going to cobble together a resolution. The iron is hot.”

Guida responded with a motion to re-convene Saturday, Feb. 28 at Spencer Town Hall. It was so voted.

In later conversations, Guida and Fayard stated their disappointment with the meeting, but expressed hope that the next meeting would produce positive action. Rock remained less sanguine.

“These are complicated issues; there’s the D word – depression,” he said. “There’s greed and corruption everywhere. Small greed and big. I’m the veterans’ agent in three towns. I see veterans in need, more of them looking for help every week. I’ve been bringing up these issues for some time. The school committee in the past would not address them. You need the full support of all school committees to deal with the insurance issues. I’ve had no support – couldn’t get a second to my motions.”

Spencer selectmen added their voices.

“I’m a contractor, with only three weeks’ work ahead of me,” Berthiaume said. “I own two houses, trying to figure out which one I’ll lose if I have to.”

“I have no appetite at all for new taxes,” Thatcher said. “Hotel and meals taxes still come out of peoples’ taxes. We need to look carefully at how we spend our money.”

Guida, stating that “it’s not a one-year problem,” made that following promises:

“I will not retire; I’m going to see this through. I will not take a raise. I will meet with GIC (General Insurance Corporation) regarding our insurance problems. I will continue to cut costs and develop means of cutting costs. I will save wherever I can.”

Prouty financial task force to confront bleak budget

BY Ruth Lyon
Turley Publications Reporter

EAST BROOKFIELD – Peter Rock, David Prouty High School Committee member, has announced a meeting of a financial task force to be held at 9 a.m. Wednesday, Jan. 31 in the selectmen’s office of Spencer Town Hall.

The task force, organized by Spencer Town Manager Paul Guida last year to study budgetary concerns related to the school district shared by Spencer and East Brookfield, is composed of representatives from the towns’ boards of selectmen, school and finance committees.

Last month, Rock, in a letter addressed to all members, recommended that certain measures be taken by all three political entities by mid-January to enable the task force to take action, or the committee be dissolved. Story Blog of the Week: What do you think is the best method to save school dollars?

Those measures included developing budgets level-funded for 2010 at 2009 figures, and assuming reductions in state aid. How would you meet your contractual obligations; show exactly where you would access new monies or operate without them.

What, specifically would you do to save your organization’s framework and continue to provide an acceptable level of service?” In the weeks subsequent to the towns’ receipt of Rock’s letter, crippling storms engulfed the area, with power outages and further storms, followed by holiday interruptions. In a phone conversation earlier this week, Rock said the Jan. 31 meeting, an open public meeting, is for the task force to hear reports from the Spencer- East Brookfield school committees, including proposed school budgets prepared with anticipated 10-15 percent reductions in state aid.

“These are to be preliminary budgets, with a goal of cutting costs while saving all programs. All of the towns are doing this. The towns are much more efficient in managing their finances (than the schools) ” he said. “The schools tend to look for an override (of Proposition 2 1/2) to cover increasing costs or cuts in state aid. Or they lay off teachers. We’re hoping they’ll look for and find other avenues.”

He went on to state, as have members of various boards in surrounding towns, that the high cost of insurance coverage for school staff as a major concern and annual headache. “But overrides are not the thing to do in this financial climate. What’s wrong, once in 50 years, in teachers not taking a raise for a year.

He explained that the school is a separate entity from the town, though funded by the town, and “I’d like to see them be more accountable the way money is spent, stop looking for overrides, and use what they have to provide the best for the kids.”

Additionally, he voiced his frustration with a DPHS Excess and Deficiency account holding $500,000 at the end of 2007, while the town of Spencer voted at town meeting for a $500,000 override “to give the library, police and school departments everything they asked for.” He urges townspeople to attend the meeting. “This is important to everyone,” he said emphatically.

New fire station roof leaks for 18 months

By Jonathan Cook
Turley Publications Reporter

WARREN – All the old adages seem to apply. You get what you pay for. If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it. But at least the roof of the fire station only leaks when it rains.
It all adds up to a fire chief at his wits end with the problem that has caused one of his EMTs to slip and break her ankle, he says. Subsequently that EMT has missed months of work. Meanwhile, water still streams along the walls in several places and collects on the floor when it rains.
The problem began in 2006 when the capital improvement budget had funds to do some “proactive” work, as Chief James Dolan described it. The old gravel roof, while still functional, was beyond its life expectancy. The decision was made to remove the old roof and apply a modern Verisco TPO (Thermoplastic Polyolefin) roof membrane.
But when Five Star Remodeling out of Easthampton was awarded the job for the lowest bid, as is required by state regulations on public bidding, the fire station was soaked the first weekend after work began, said Dolan.
“They tore up the roof and then left for the weekend. Well it poured that weekend” and Fire Station A got wet on the inside, he said. That was 2007. Since then, Dolan has documented leaks in the kitchen, radio alcove, engine bays, office, and from the roof drain on the second floor roof.
The roof is on two levels. Both levels leak. Water stains can be seen streaking the walls in several places. Insulation has been ruined. The chief worries about mold problems.
One specific cause of the leaks Dolan has identified is that the three roof drains are too narrow and do not meet the plumbing code requirements. He has also identified and photographed shoddy flashing installation. Dolan stated in a letter that damages from one June 4, 2007 leak alone amounted to $2,262 in clean up costs and $3,668 in equipment damage.
The original bid for a new roof was $20,850. Fire Station B was also done for a cost of $17,129. Dolan has stated “There were apparently no significant problems with the reroofing at Fire Station B.”
The Board of Selectmen has taken action, but so far, to no avail.
First of all, they are wrangling with Five Star in the courts over shoddy work. Second, they have hired architect Roy Brown to submit a description of work and estimated cost to repair the roof. That was done and voters appropriated $17,000 to fix the roof at the October 2008 Special Town Meeting.
The fix-it job went out to bid but nobody wanted the job for that price. The job went out to bid again. This time the only bids returned came back at $29,000, and $31,000 – far more than the original cost of installation.
Perhaps the town didn’t pay enough to have the job done right the first time. Dolan thinks “this whole low bid thing should be reevaluated.”
Brown points out another rule that might be wise to reconsider. Jobs under $100,000 don’t require a roofing license to get. As Brown says, “So roofers, who are bonified roofers. . . are losing roofing bids.” The reason he explained is that “anyone can do those projects.”
However, Brown contacted licensed roofers and personally asked them to look into the fire station project.
Soon he expects to hear a bid closer to the budget. Meanwhile, precipitation looms in the forecast.