LIVE BLOG: Framingham Town Meeting - Night 8

Framingham Patch will be live blogging during tonight’s session.

Please excuse typos while the blog is in session.

I’ll try to refresh as often as I can.

Framingham Town Meeting will resume with article 15 - the FY16 budget at 7:30 p.m. or when a quorum is reached.

***

7:33 p.m. Quorum

7:35 p.m. Moderator banging gavel to get Town Meeting member to quiet down.

Moderator is explaining that she will do the budget by division.

Town Meeting members can pass on any line item.

Test question -- electronic devices

Are Magma and Lava the same thing?

23-33-30

Answer is no

***

Moderator request for politeness and civility

Article 15 - Budget

Retirement - $14.899 million budget

CFO reading the line items

Gerry Bloomfield passed on Retirement and OPEB

Bloomfield speaking -- TMM1 speaking -- meeting of the retirement board -- vote don COLA for retirees.

Results of the meeting for COLA increases

Moderator announced that cars parked in the work zone they will be towed.

CFO speaking - also sits on the retirement board - voted unanimously for a 3% COLA -- applies for first 412,000 of retirement - increase of $360 per retiree

hand vote -- passed

OPEB -- bloomfield speaking - state law was changed to allow us to go to 2040, why only 2030 on fully funding the liability?

CFO -- law applies to the pensions not to OPEB

Deborah Butler -- Precinct 7 speaking -- why difference between FY15 and FY16?

CFO -- contribution to OPEB is lower in FY16 -- run that as a formula from free cash. It is an allocation of free dash. 15% of free cash - voluntary contributions.

CFO -- we are not required to fund it ... for every $1 we contribute we reduce unfunded liability by a $1

hand vote -- passed

Total retirement division - total bottom line vote -- hand vote -- passed.

7:46 p.m.

DEBT - $11.9 million

Bloomfield -- pass on principal & interest

ASking about debt service override - example of full-erfarley project?

CFO speaking -- debt exclusion -- doesn’t appear on a tax bill until we borrow money.

hand vote -- passed

total debt division - passed - hand vote

7:50 p.m.

Fire department -- $13.5 million

Jim Pillsbury and Gerry Bloomfield passed

Jim Pillsbury - TMM6 speaking -- overtime more than $1million and thought sick time would have gone down.

Assistant Fire Chief John Magri -- figures not available -- yes we can get them.

Judy Grove - TMM15 - speaking -- questions relate to a business at 350 Irving Street - piles that sponteaneous combust - 3 fire hydrants not working.

how many fires are excessive for a business?

when best practice

how much does a fire cost? Fire struck on Irving street for a half hour.

14 reported fires.

why have they been allowd to do this for as many years

7:55 p.m.

Chief Gary Daughtery -- 12 different business in 350 Irving street - not all the same businesses

not sure what consider excessive. They were not all for Landscape Depot

The fire hydrants - since first zoning board meeting in January -- contractor under contract to restore the 3 hydrants.

Place is in compliance with our codes right now.

we don’t change any business or residence when respond to a fire.

Grove -- folo up question -- why was it that the fire hydrants not addressed until citizens asked about it.

Daughtery -- they are not required to be there. Not by code. voluntary

TMM1 - Bloomfield speaking -- Health and safety -- 2 cornerstone on what this town should be focused on.

Neighborhood health related issues.

Want to know how many times -- fires of this nature -- affect the health of citizens of this town?

Chief Daughtery -- we speak on a regular basis with other departments on a daily basis

Not all calls were fire calls some were medial calls as well.

We dodged a bullet a couple of weeks back on Eames Street. That house was an illegal boarding house.

How does this affect the safety of our firefighters?

Do we have an outreach program?

Do we talk to people about cultural and language issues - that we don’t allow illegal boarding houses?

Chief Daughtery -- concerns of firefighters everytime we go into a structure. Don’t know what is going on into we go in the house

We have bilingual firefighters - to work with the community.

We try to out reach to those folks.

8 p.m.

Framingham Town Manager Bob Halpin speaking -- Landscape Depot we will insit tomorrow they do to prevent spontaneous

no more than 10-12 feet tall

monitor for temperature

turned over before they reach a certain temperature

make sure they do these best practices -- in place before the end of the week.

George Lewis - TMM18 speaking -- requirement between each mulch pile - 25 to 30 feet in between and so much away from the lot line.

What was the estimate $$$ spend on this incident?

Chief Daughtery speaking -- need to be more specific Mr. Lewis. Each incident is different. I don’t know the quantity of water flower or how long fore department there.

Folo up question by Lewis - Moderator cuts him off.

Want to take one more stab Chief Daughtery says Moderator

8:05 p.m. Mike Cannon proposed to move the question 2/3rd vote -- hand vote -- passed

VOTE on fire department -- $13.5 million -- hand vote -- passed overwhelimingly says moderator.

POLICE VOTE

$14.9 million

Passes on police, animla control and streelights

Jim Rizzoli - TMM14 -- passed on the police budget

Police department is doing a good job - trying to do best they can.

Drug forfeiture money --

It is a $300,000 vehicle

Make a motion -- Rizolli -- drug forfeiture money -- if framingham needs a vehicle we can borrow state police vehicles.

Motion to sell the mobile command center and give it to the skate park -- Rizzoli.

Jim Pillsbury -- can we direct funds from one department to another

Moderator-- can I take a motion to sell a vehicle?

Chris Petrini -- it would be a resolution

Moderator will accept as a resolution

Pillsbury -- TMM6 -- last year asked about tasers used in police training. Pleased to announce that Chief has rescinded that.

Move to reduce the police budget by $54,000

NJ no longer uses tazers, Boston does not use tazers

policeman are suing police department over tazers

Tazers are considered by the UN as a weapon as terror.

Ask you to contemplate that while I talk about sick time - which is over $1 million.

William LaBarge -- TMM16 -- rise to oppose the amendment to reduce the police budget. I will defend the training to use tazers. I see tazers as far less lethal as service revolvers.

Gerry Bloomfield -- TMM1 -- police department -- crime -- we have some terrible statistics in town.

32% of all arrest are for violent crimes and 40% for driving

Opiates -- concern with heroin epidemic -- what is the town’s program

driving offenses -- safe on our streets? details on this please.

Moderator interrupting him again

Chief Ken Ferguson speaking -- one of major reasons we arrest are warrants

second major reason for arrests are domestics

unfortunately some domestics can be serious

required to arrest for domestics

8:18 p.m.

Heroin -- we have the response phase covered -- received a grant MW community health foundation to train public safety people in MW to carry Narcan

teen dating violence and opiate situation -- epidemic proportions looking for funding to reduce heroin related overdoses in Framingham and MetroWest

one of my priorities - was to be more proactive to driving offenses. - one community meeting. 5 minutes talk about crime and talk about traffic and driving issues for an hour.

we resurrected traffic unit - no longer 1 person now 4 person

crime analysts -- identify high accident sites

$150,000 grant to do traffic enforcement

8:20 p.m.

• Point of order - Deb Butler are we going to see presentaton on tasers
• Moderator does hand count and says people do not want to see the presentation
• Town Meeting members disagree
• now Chief making presentation
  

Taser technology saves live says Chief Ferguson

reduce number of police shootings

prevented death in more than 10,000 cases

11,000 world wide use tasers

Curent taser program at Framingham polce

28 tasers - 40+ offucers certified

using for 10 years

no lawsuits

intervened in 4 suicide attempts

no deaths related to tasers

6 deployments a year -- one year no deployment

about 50 in 10 years

when taser used -- collects time, date, duration and trigger pulls.

trained annually

submit report to the state 2X a year

***

8:25 p.m.

Bob Boyce - speaking - who developed the slides?

Kevin Crotty - TMM7 -- rise in support in full support of the police department

A police officer in this day in age ... don’t know what you will encounter

I think we should give the police department everything the CFo recomemnds.

Move the question

2/3rd - hand vote

First action on the amendment --

hand vote -- FAILS

Vote on the police vote -- hand vote -- passed.

8:29 p.m.

Animal Control -- Deb Butler - TMM7 - almost hit a pit bull puppy

call after hours

is there an answering service after 5 p.m.

Deputy Police chief Steven Trask speaking -- if outside - all dispatch - call officer McKenzie -- have 2 part-time animal control, More serious like a dog bite.

hand vote -- passed.

8:31 p.m.

STreetlights -- Deb Butler - TMM7 -speaking

Point of order -- Joel Winett -- people one speak one time.

Butler -- get clarification -- street light on old Conn Path -- near shell station

one near the bike path

Street lights - hand vote - passed

Rizzoli resolution - sell mobile command center -- hand vote - FAILS

Final police budget vote -- hand vote -- Passes

Point of information - Kathie McCarthy

Rise for couple of things - police appreciation week -- law enforcement week ...

Moderator interrupting her.

Moderator -- all in symppathy but dealing the budget here.

***

8:35 p.m. Public Works budget $10.1 million

Fleet & facilities line item -- passed Deb Butler speaking

DPW director Peter Sellers speaking

Folo up question --

Sellers -- this budget item is for just the fleet facilities

Butler - is there a central storage

Sellers- yes

Moderator hand vote -- passed

total budget -- hand vote -- passed

****

Framingham Public library - $3 million

Hand vote -- passed

***

Planning Board budget - $223,000 - passed hand vote

***

Town Clerk stipend -- $94,932 -- passed hand vote

***

Town Clerk elections - $371,000 total hand vote - passed

***

8:40 p.m.

General govenment - $3.8 million

passes on selectmen, legal, facility management

Selectman Town Manager/Jim Rizzoli speaking - TMM14 -- passed on this line item

Disussing the government channel

like to see government channel accept videos

Moderator - this is not a budget item

Rizzoli - it is a budget item as we are paying for this

MOTION -- government channel accept videos on government issues

Moderator -- it is a resolution

Rizzoli - whatever I can get in this town I am happy with

Town Counsel - Christopher Petrini -- cable programming -- F-PAC -- independent public cable access where diverse views can be done.

Best industry practice is for government channel not to have public positions

Government channel is funded by cable contributions and not tax dollars

Moderator -- not accept the amendment

Not accept the motion or resolution either says moderator.

TMM7 -- Jim Pillsbury -- people watching town meeting right now -- see a 4 by 6 inch picture. the first night of Town Meeting saw a 4 by 4 comprssed frame. This has been like this since HD channel.

Reflection of years and years of poor programming by government channel.

Framingham Today -- a comedy show -- taking up space on server and it is not a government meeting.

Management promotes poorest quality of TV

Moderator -- you have made your point.

Pillsbury -- motion -- make available all recorded government meetings be available on demand and quality.

Only government meetings aired.

Moderator -- Mr. Pillsbury you have made your point.

Motion on budget item hand vote -- passed

resolution -- pillsbury -- hand vote -- PASSED

8:50 p.m.

Legal budget -- Ted Anthony - TMM1 speaking -- question for town counsel on ethics.

Petrini speaking -- worth looking into - not seen that in other communities - but does not mean it does not exist

Anthony -- ask government study and rules committee look at this and make recommendation to fall TM.

hand vote -- passed

8:52 p.m.

Facilities management --

Deb Butler - TMM7 - speaking -- going toward maintenance of memorial building?

Mainetancne of pearl stret garage and danforth building

Answer - yes.

Bloomfield -- update on status on Mass Bay acquire town property

lease extension on farley building

TM Bob Halpin speaking -- we have unofficial reason to believe make a decision during the month of May - which may mean month of June. No insight on direction they are going.

In terms of farley school lease -- negotiation going on now -- 2 year extension - expect finalised in next two weeks.

Bloomfield -- folo up -- lease price -- was there a fair market independent appraisal

Halpin - Yes

hand vote -- passed

vote on total general budget -- hand vote - passed

***

8:55 p.m.

Moderator break for committee reorganization.

9:11 p.m. back from break

Parks & Recreation Budget -- $3.8 million

Pass on Loring Arena

Deb Butler - TMM7

Make resolution require department to itemize indirect expenses

Moderator hand vote -- she says not sure

calls for electronic vote

vote 62-22-9 PASSED

Vote on budget total - hand vote -- passed

9:18 p.m.

Finance department - $2.4 million

Motion Deb Butler on assessors - eliminate $100 stipend per meeting, etc

$12,000 paid to board of assessors

TManager Halpin speak in opposition to motion

short money to compensate 3 qualified individuals

Bloomfield - on fees? Commercial property owner intentional allows to be vacated and blighted - recouse the town has?

CFO-- levy on rate per $1,00 impact on this budget

petrini speaking -- forms submitted by commercial property owners. Why amount charged so low - state statute - no flexibility for the town to change

vacant property -- town manager working actively to properties (Nobscot Plaza) outreach to property owners certain rights by property owners.
Only nusiance and blight can be addressed

CFO kelley speaking -- estimated the tax rate -- at $18

that would be a function of the total certified value.

Norma Shulman - TMM5 -- raise concern about motion and resolution -- wondering if it out of order - change to the way we structure how we do business?

maybe review via government study?

Moderator -- accept motion to reduce budget by $12,000 but not remove the stipends.

Butler -- will accept as resolution as written

Andrea Carr Evans - TMM3 -- do assesors get benefits?

CFO -- Not eligible for benefits or retirement system either

9:28 p.m.

Vote on assessing budget - hand vote -- passed

vote on the resolution -- about 8 voted for it -- FAILED

total finance budget -- hand vote -- passed

Inspectional services budget -- $2.2 million

Passes on building inspections and health department

Kevin Gatlin - TMM1 -- speaking explain moving health to inspectional services 9-0-0

Michael Hugo -- chair of the Board of Health speaking .. quick history lesson

article 2.4 of the town bylaws and section 5 of the town manager act -- town manager as the power to reorganize and dissolve and division with concurrent with Town Meeting.

George King -- placed health under inspectional service in 1999

in 2006, Julian Suso decided board of health more functional on its own.

Hugo gives football analogy

Moderator says no need for that

9:35 p.m.

Ted Anthony - Tmm1 -- policy question - town of milford - illegal conversions and apartments

contact owner of property, bank and mortgage owner.

can we do that?

if not, why not?

Director of inspector services speaking engage with the state attorney general office -- receivership program

William LaBarge - TMM16 - speaking -- does the building inspector understand the job that the health inspector do? appropriateness?

Hugo -- inspectors will report to someone properly qualified who reports to Tusino.

gap has been closed between town Hall and the Board of health

We are moving forward --

Tusino will be given rights by Bd of Health to appear in court

Look forward to a smooth transition

very encouraged

Labarge - folo up question -- wish all involved the best of luck

George Lewis - TMM18 -- speaking - what can the town of Framingham? Town Meeting members do to help you - stronger enforcement?

Tusino speaking -- in a good place now with staff.

biggest thing we need right now is housing court.

TM members -- move the qustion -- hand vote - passed

Vote on building inspection -- hand vote -- passed

9:40 p.m.

Health Department -- Gerry Blomfield - TMM1 -- questions

Deb Butler discussing the 350 Irving Street property

hand vote -- passed

9:45 p.m.

Total Inspectional service budget -- hand vote -- passed

Economic development budget -- $508,000

Pass on community & economic budget line item

Deb Butler - TMM7 -- passed on the line item

Resolution present - move that department keep records and do not release original documents to third parties.

Butler -- did file a public records request

Halpin -- in future we should have kept the original and given them a copy

vote on the line item -- hand vote -- passed

Moderator reading the resolution - buy says she can not read the hand writing

and will NOT accept the motion

bottom line of the budget -- vote -- hand vote -- passed

9:50 p.m.

technological services budget

passed - hand vote

***

9:51 p.m.

Human resources budget

pass on HR -- Joel Winett speaking - report on the personnel board

Gerry Bloomfield - I passed

Moderator says she did not see Bloomfield

She said she already qualified for the motion on the budget and will not let him speak

and then decided to let him speak.

Bloomfield -- employee orientation -- handbook?

clear and concise on how deal with the public -- how respond and how don’t respond.

Is that in the handbook?

Hamilton -- speaking -- every employee signs off on it

hand vote -- passed

Veterans services - Butler - TMM7 -- speaking --

who file complaint?

halpin -- start with Veterans Services and then me.

Butler -- discuss the Paul Raffi fund - can you account for this $$$?

Halpin -- accounted for by the CFO

Crotty - TMM7 -- retired veteran

like to make a few comments

hope no veteran falls through the crack

placing of the flags at gravesites of veterans ..

Moderator -- interrupted Crotty speaking

Human services - hand vote - passed

veterans services budget -- hand vote -- passed

Ted Anthony --TMM1 -- table school budget and take up Keefe budget now.

As No SC and no supt present

CFO reading the line items

10 p.m.

Pass on both FPS and Keefe

Keefe Supt John Evans speaking

8 elected Framingham members -including chair John Kahn

accomplishments -- level 2 - on or above target for gowth in MCAS

51% - 2014 - plan to attend college - 23% 4 year 28% 2 year

FY16 budget -- $17.6 million

Framingham asessement - $8.9 million

2.76% increase

about 700 students -- 510 Framingham students

10:03 p.m. Committee reports

Finance committee chair report --

Educational Committee Dick Weader speaking

Harold Gellar ways & means chair speaking

***

ways & means resolution -- legislative action -- increase enrollment -- submit bill - vocational education to follow a student when in district student does not have ability 12-0-0

Town Meeting discussion 10:08 p.m.

Kathie McCarthy -- rise in support of budget and eefe tech

trades so important to our everyday life

one concern -- disability access - hope for a plan to be made.

Seen people fall -- way over due.

since it is a trade school - wonderful project for the students to work with the town to talk about this and to get the plan going.

Evans speaking -- discussed access point for voters ...

other issues not aware of -- happy to understand any issue that is a safety going into the building.

continue the conversation

10:10 p.m.

Patrick Dunne - TMM9 -- rise in support of keefe tech

question -- special needs students -- what is that percentage? 44% of students on an IEP

recruiting matters -- all 8th graders and charter school tour the building -- do the same with 4 out of 5 town in district. nearly all 8th graders tour.

have access to students who are considering us --

educate parents to opportunities - Supt

student not giving up if they plan to come here

out of district students -- supt -- focus on 5 member communities first -- if space available -- we would welcome applicants -- funding is a challenge.

10;14 p.m.

Bill McCarthy - TMM10 - rise in favor of the amount

appreciate down to 2.76 percent

thanks superintendent for showing up

didn;t thinking town’s supt didn’t think $116 million budget was important enough to show up.

That is a disgrace

Massad - move the question

hand vote - passed

vote on keefe tech -- hand vote -- passed

resolution by ways & means --

Moderator tried to do another line item

but motion to adjourn at 10:17 P.M.