April 28, 2008

By Kenneth J. Souza

A regular meeting of the Rochester Board of Selectmen was called to order on Monday, April 28 at 6:30 pm by Chairman Richard Nunes. Also present were Selectman Brad Morse, Selectman Dan A. McGaffey, Town Administrator Richard LaCamera, and Administrative Assistant Veronica Lafreniere.

The board first met in Executive Session to discuss pending litigation matters. Upon returning to Open Session at 7:22 pm, the board continued a hearing with the Joint Appointing Authority to the Old Colony Regional School Commitee to consider filling a vacancy on their board. Presiding member and Town Moderator Greenwood "Woody" Hartley noted they had received an application from one candidate, Fred Underhill, who previously served as a charter member of the Old Colony Regional School Committee.

"I'm very pleased that we not only have a candidate, but an outstanding one," Mr. Hartley noted.

With that, the joint appointing authority unanimously voted to appoint Mr. Underhill to the Old Colony Regional School Committee.

At 7:27 pm the board opened a Dog Hearing to consider a complaint against a dog known as "Spirit" owned by Lorne and Anne Estabrook. "We informed the owners to appear ... but at this time the owners have asked the board to continue the hearing because they don't have (legal) counsel present at this point," Chairman Nunes said.

Several abutters present asked why they weren't informed that the Estabrooks would not be in attendance at the hearing, and Chairman Nunes explained they were contacted by the Estabrooks through their attorney earlier in the day.

Chairman Nunes said the hearing would be continued to Monday, May 5 at 7:00 pm.

The board next approved the minutes of the April 14 meeting, then met with Thomas Skrutski to offer his opinion about the future direction Rochester's town government should take. Starting with a visual demonstration, Mr. Skrutski presented a thick bound 2007 copy of the town's current by-laws along with a copy of the 1963 town by-laws -- a small booklet in comparison to the current multi-page volume.

"If (today's) by-laws were in effect in 1963, none of us would be here today," he said.

"I'm here to voice my opinion as a taxpaying citizen of Rochester as to how I envision the future growth of town," Mr. Skrutski continued. "Gentlemen, we are in the midst of a recession. The question is: 'Do we give up and let the declining economy devour us? Or do we face it head on with strategic plans and formidable resources?' One strand of attack is growth."

The gist of Mr. Skrutski's argument was for the Board of Selectmen to establish a three- to five-member committee consisting of "no town officials" to include a local businessman, a tradesperson, a real estate pro, a banker, a lawyer, and/or any citizen that wants to serve. This committee would then be charged with identifying property in the center of town that could be sold and developed now and in the future. He also suggested they might look into what type of incentives could be offered to developers and to possibly reorganize the current by-laws to help control growth.

He maintained that the Town of Rochester needed to become more business-friendly in an effort to broaden the town's tax base.

"This great country was built on the back of small businesses owned by men and women who had vision, determination and the courage to risk it all for the betterment of our culture's economy," Mr. Skrutski said. "Through their perseverance was our country transformed into the most powerful in the world."

Mr. Skrutski also noted that resources such as water must be protected. "We must not let other towns use our water to promote their growth while neglecting our own needs," he said.

He also urged that the town identify potential problems at the town dump "before the monster wakes up," to secure more town jobs for town residents, and also that they proceed with the much-needed expansion project for Memorial School.

"When you were running for reelection, you told me you were for transparent government," Mr. Skrutski said to Chairman Nunes. "You've got the power now, the ball's in your court."

Selectman McGaffey pointed out that although the town's by-laws were a lot smaller back in 1963, so was the town's population back then. "With growth you need to update the by-laws," he said.

"In the eight years that I've been on the Planning Board, I don't think we've turned down many developments in town," noted Planning Board Chairman Arnold Johnson, who was also present at the meeting. "We kind of learn as we go along. I know there is probably room for cleanup in the Zoning By-Laws, but the problem is we had to get the rules and regulations (in place) first."

As for the proposed expansion and renovation to Rochester's Memorial School, as a member of the Building Committee Mr. Johnson noted they are currently in a holding pattern and they've already submitted all the necessary paperwork to the state's School Building Authority (SBA). "We're waiting for them to come back with a feasibility study proposal," he said.

"I just brought it to you guys, because you are the (town) leaders," Mr. Skrutski said. "I'm not saying anyone's doing a bad job, I just think we need to entice small businesses to come here ... because we'll be a whole lot better off."

Town Planner Randall Kunz noted one step in the right direction is the updated 2008 version of the town's Master Plan, which is just about finished.

"The Master Plan is close to complete in its final draft form," Mr. Kunz said. "It is up on the website at www.townofrochestermass.com ... just click on 'Master Plan.' It's all there and we'd be delighted to hear from anybody in the town about how it strikes them and what they think is supposed to be different."

The board next signed and approved the warrant for the Annual Town Meeting, to take place on Monday, June 2 beginning at 7:00 pm in the Rochester Memorial School cafetorium.

Under the Town Administrator's report, Mr. LaCamera noted the town's budget receipts through the remainder of the current fiscal year are "right on target." He also reminded the board that Town Hall employees are going to participate in the townwide cleanup on Friday. He also reported the window replacement project at Memorial School began during the previous school vacation week and they have now installed about 30 percent of the new windows. The project will be completed at the end of the school year.

In other matters, the board:

* Received a series of letters from sixth grade students at Rochester Memorial School asking that the area outside the school be posted as a "No Idling" zone due to the release of dangerous carbon monoxide from car exhausts. The student letters were from Samuel Resendes, Carly Pelissier, Allison Bateman, Jarred Reuter, Brooke Myers, and Kylie Fitzgerald. The board agreed to forward this request to the Board of Health for their input.

* Received notice of a hearing to discuss proposed cable rates for Comcast to be held at 10:00 am on Wednesday, June 25 at the Department of Telecommunications and Cable in Boston.

* Voted to appoint and/or reappoint various people as Part-Time Dispatchers; Part-Time Police Officers; Animal Control Officers; Electrical Inspectors; Gas/Plumbing Inspector; Oil Burner Inspector; Smoke Detector Inspector; Council on Aging; Veterans Services Director; Zoning Board of Appeals; Historic District Commission; Historical Commission; Conservation Commission; Certified Weighers at SEMASS; and District Water Committee.

* Advised the Continued Public Zoning Board of Appeals (ZBA) Hearing on the proposed Featherbed Lane development project will be on Wednesday, June 4 at 7:00 pm at the Rochester Senior Center.

* Noted the weeklong Town Cleanup is taking place through Monday, May 5.

* Advised the next regular Selectmen's meetings will be held on May 5, May 19, June 2, June 9 and June 23.

There being no further matters to discuss in Open Session, the board unanimously voted to adjourn for the evening at 8:17 pm.

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