===OCR macOS Vision===
===PAGE 1===
Also present: Heather Lemieux, Town Manager
The meeting opened at 7:00 p.m. with the Pledge of Allegiance.
PUBLIC COMMENT:
There was none.
ANNOUNCEMENTS:
Mr. Ebersole reported the Board held an Executive Session following the Town Manager's one year
performance evaluation/review and as a result, Ms. Lemieux has been awarded a 3% pay increase.
APPOINTMENTS
Appointment to Historical Commission- Bill Lakso, 30 Prospect St. - term to expire June 30, 2021
Mr. Lakso introduced himself and stated he has lived here 43 years. He has been on the Lunenburg Historical
Society for about six years. He saw the posted vacancy and believed he was a good fit.
Motion: P. Bertram
2": P. Luck
To appoint Bill Lakso to the Historical Commission with a term to expire June 30, 2021
Vote: All in Favor
Town Manager Appointment- James E. Barrett, COA Van Driver
Ms. Lemieux reported Mr. Barrett lives in Fitchburg and is a former chauffeur and would be driving on Fridays
and filling in as needed.
Motion: P. Bertram
To ratify the appointment of James Barrett as Council on Aging Van Driver
2nd: P. Luck
Vote: All in Favor
Cultural Council Festival Request-Laura Brzozoski
Cultural Council Chair Laura Brzozoski, 21 Francis Avenue, presented a request to host an Arts Festival on
Saturday, June 9 from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Memorial Drive. The primary function of the festival is to support
local artists and provide a venue for them to display and sell their work, as well as support the town's sense of
community, civic pride and the local business community. They would like to make this an annual event. Also
featured will be live music and demonstrations as well as a food tent provided by the Turkey Hill Lion's Club.
Motion: P. Bertram
2nd: P. Luck
To approve the request to hold the Lunenburg Arts Festival on June 9, 2018 from 10 am to 3 pm on
Memorial Drive with the condition that all public safety departments approve the request
Discussion: Is there a rain date? Ms. Brzozski stated it will occur rain or shine. Dave Passios, Board of Health
member asked the motion include the Board of Health for approval due to food being served
Ms. Bertram amended her motion to include the Board of Health. Ms. Luck seconded the amendment.
Vote: All in Favor
Powers & Sullivan- Audit for Year ending June 30, 2017
Frank Serreti introduced Elizabeth Stevens, a senior accountant, who perfomred the majority of the audit work.
Preliminary work was done in early June and year end work was done in October 2017. Draft reports were
issued in early December with the final reports being issued in late December. He stated we were able to issue
===PAGE 2===
He ta co be tige beller puce was gova progress made on ine previous year s
comments. Items addressed were Management of Student Activity Funds, Password Security, Old Receivable
Balances, Uncollectable Ambulance Receivables, Fraud Risk Assessment, Documenting Key Financial and
Administrative Functions, Fixed Assets, Developing a Formal Reimbursement Policy and Procedures and
Centralization of Procurement Documents. Mr. Serreti moved on to Current Year Comments.
1) Documentation of Internal Controls over Federal Grants
We recommend management follow the best practice for establishing and documenting their internal control
system over federal grants using the COSO Internal Control Framework which consists of:
a) CONTROL ENVIRONMENT
b) RISK ASSESSMENT
c) CONTROL ACTIVITIES
d) INFORMATION & COMMUNICATION
e) MONITORING
2) Future Government Accounting Standards Board (GASB) Statements for Other Post-Employment Benefits
(OPEB)
The Town should expect to record significant OPEB liabilities in the future. Mr. Serreti explained how the
Town's bond rating could be affected by the manner of funding for OPEB. Mr. Serreti moved on to the
Financial Statement. The Town has a large receivable on the books in excess of $6.8 million; the majority of
that relates to sewer betterments. There are no issues with that. There is $3.7 million worth of receivables from
the Massachusetts School Building Authority (MSBA); $2.6 million of that was for the Primary School. That
project was being funded under an old method where they reimburse a fixed fee for the life of the bond; around
$4/0,000 per year. That will be fully paid off in 2023. The Town also had a receivable for $1.1 million on the
Middle/High School project. That is a $73 million project being reimbursed at 59% by the MSBA. The project
was substantially completed by the end of June 2017.
Mr. Serreti moved on to tax liens and foreclosures. That balance has increased by $360,000 since 2014 and
represents uncollected free cash. He noted that balance has been going up and is at $1.2 million now. This is a
significant balance. You may want to look at what your options are for trying to collect that money. He noted
some clients are working with collection agencies and they are selling the receivables and getting good money
for them. He did see the Town had sold some foreclosure properties over the last few years, which is great.
He did note the Town had a 98% success rate of collecting real estate taxes.
Mr. Ebersole congratulated the Finance Director and Town Manager for all the work involved to have a clean
audit. Ms. Bertram agreed as well and thanked Mr. Serreti for his work.
CURRENT BUSINESS:
Grant of Utility Easement to Fitchburg Gas & Electric Light Co. & Verizon New England at 1079
Massachusetts Avenue Ms. Lemieux stated this is a follow up to Town Meeting approval for placement of a
Verizon cell tower at the Middle/High School field. The grant of easement has been reviewed by legal counsel
and the site plan was reviewed by the Land Use Director. The Board signed the easement.
===PAGE 3===
Motion. I. bertram
L: f. Luck
That the sidewalk on Mass. Ave. be plowed for the remainder of this season while continuing to discuss
with MassDOT and Town Counsel
Vote: All in Favor
QUARTERLY FINANCIAL REPORT:
Finance Director Karen Brochu wanted to clarify some items on the Management Report from Powers &
Sullivan covered earlier in the evening. Concerning Fraud Risk Assessment; she noted just because we don't
have a written policy, we do have safeguards in place. She will have a written reimbursement policy in place
for next year.
Ms. Brochu reported we are right where we should be at this time of year for both revenues and expenditures.
We have collected 50.86% of estimated revenues through December 31, 2017. We have expended 49.4% of
budgeted expenditures through December 31, 2017. We have a few local receipt categories that are higher than
estimated. One is Departmental Revenue -Schools (93.77%), Fees (60.11%), Fines & Forfeits (72.95%), and
Penalties and Interest (70.95%). You should see an increase in motor vehicle excise revenue in the 3rd quarter.
The only department head who has expressed her budget will go over is the Town Clerk due to increased
elections in 2018. The Board thanked Ms. Brochu for her report.
Minutes/ Warrants/ Action File Issues
The Board signed an accounts payable warrant in the amount of $179,416.05; a payroll warrant in the amount of
$740,748.41, a payroll deductions warrant in the amount of $164,198.14 and a school warrant in the amount of
$1331.20. Minutes of February 6 and February 13, 2018 were approved.
TOWN MANAGER REPORT:
Business-Town Partnership Meeting: The next scheduled meeting between the Business Community and
town officials will be on February 26th at 10:00 a.m. at the Library.
MART (Montachusett Area Regional Transit): The COA Director and I attended the last MART meeting on
February 15th and MART has changed the reimbursement model for dispatching back to 33% of "direct costs"
to operate the van but now the time the spent by the dispatcher on scheduling transportation will be considered
part of the direct cost. MART will be providing a uniform reimbursement form and will be addressing
reimbursements on an individual basis if they seem disproportionate. The Transportation Service Contract is
still in draft form and will be discussed again at their next meeting on March 27th. At the last public forum a
resident of Tri-Town Landing expressed interest in adding a MART shuttle stop at that location. In light of the
proposal by Tri-Town to construct the last housing unit as senior housing, adding an additional stop at this
location could potentially increase ridership. Selectman Luck and I will be looking into this option with MART.
Special Events Permit: As a result of the recent discussion on public events on private property and the impact
it has on public health and public safety, a meeting with the Land Use Director, the Building Commissioner, the
Local Inspector, the Board of Health Regional Agent, the DPW Director, and the Fire Chief was held on
February 14th. (The Police Chief submitted his comments for our discussion but was unavailable due to
attendance at another meeting.) In order to address events that are open to the general public that would require
any permits from the Town, such as an Entertainment License, the Land Use Director and the Building
===PAGE 4===
FY 2019 Budget Message and Preliminary Budget Documents: The Town Manager's Fiscal Year 2019
Budget Message and Preliminary Budget Proposal are on the town website, as well as can be requested through
the Selectmen's Office or Town Clerk's Office.
Town Facilities Information: Information that relates to the discussion on Town Facilities is on the town
website. The Property Condition Assessments were uploaded the day after our last meeting and more
information that has been presented at the various meetings that relate to this topic will be added to the website
under the Town Facilities link on the homepage.
Committee Reports:
Ms. Luck reported she attended the Town Manager's budget presentation to the Finance Committee and
believed it was very well articulated. The School Committee met February 14"
It was announced that
Superintendent Loxi Calmes will be retiring at the end of the school year. Part of the February 28" School
Committee meeting will be to discuss what qualitications people would like to see for the new Superintendent
Ms. Luck attended a Baystate Koads Program stormwater management workshop on February 15"
Representatives from the Environmental Protection Agency and the Department of Environmental Protection
were there and it was led by engineering consultants from VHB. The City of Woburn described how they use
high school and college interns for doing fieldwork. Newton Tedder, of the EPA, who wrote the new MS4
general permit, offered any assistance to anyone filling out the permit. Several communities reported they no
longer use sand for winter storms and instead use technological advances to reduce the amount of salt they use
on the roads. The EPA and the Consensus Building Institute announced a four-session training for municipal
leaders on reaching community consensus on stormwater funding solutions on March 6 and 30th and May 35d
and 24 at different locations to be announced.
Ms. Bertram reported the Montachusett Planning Organization (MPO) is meeting tomorrow. She will be talking
to Transportation Project Director Brad Harris about the impact of the reduced cost of the Summer Street
project. The Conservation Commission meets on February 215 and Gary Gouldrup of New England Forestry
Consultants, Inc., Will be conducting a question and answer session on the recent Small Town Forest logging.
Action Items: there were none.
PUBLIC COMMENT:
Dave Passios, 56 Whiting Street, congratulated the Cultural Council for bringing forward the arts festival.
He asked Ms. Lemieux when the property condition assessments for Turkey Hill Elementary and Eagle House
would be available. She did not have a timeline yet.
Mr. Ebersole announced the Citizens Party Caucus would be on Monday, March 12'" at 7:00 p.m. at Turkey Hill
Elementary School.
Mr. Ebersole reviewed the upcoming Board meeting schedule: March 6, 13, and 20. The Board does not meet
next week.
===PAGE 5===