Town of Chester
Board of Selectmen
Minutes of Meeting –July 14, 2008
Members Present: John Baldasaro, Michael W. Crochiere, Clerk
Robert N. Tingley
Others Present: Gail Tingley, Town Administrative Secretary
John Baldasaro called the meeting to order at 6:10 p.m. in the Chester
Town Hall.
First order of business was to reorganize the Board. M. Crochiere made a
motion to nominate J. Baldasaro as chair, R. Tingley seconded the
motion. J. Baldasaro will be chairman of the Board for FY09. J.
Baldasaro made a motion to nominate M. Crochiere as clerk, R. Tingley
seconded the motion, and M. Crochiere will be clerk for FY09. R. Tingley
replaces J. Andrew Myers as the newest Selectmen.
The Selectmen reviewed and sign minutes for June 23, 2008 and June
30, 2008. They also reviewed payroll and the warrants for accounting
and signed them.
New Business
1. 6:15 WMECO Mark Gag came before the Selectmen to see about the
placing of telephone poles by the Littleville Fair Grounds Smith Road and
explained how the process will take place. The Selectmen all approved.
2. 6:30 MIIA, Chuck Winn representing MIIA Insurance came before the
Board because Gail had questioned the fact that MIIA rep. Mick had
previously told the selectmen that the bill would be $32,500.00 and the
bill came in at $34,695.00. Because G. Tingley went out to bid and it
became a competition of which the Town would pick for insurance MIIA
dropped the amount to match the bidding company. J. Baldasaro said if
Gail did not look into having another company bid we would be paying
the higher amount of $42,000.00. Mr. Winn agreed that was true. J.
Baldasaro asked that a breakdown be provided to the Town. Mr. Winn
said he would send it right out tomorrow.
3. Treasurer/ Lisa wanted a clarification if new employees get 2 personal
days to off set the insurance cost. J. Baldasaro said yes, all full
time and part time regular employees get the 2 days. Lisa also sent
out a notice that no military time will be accepted on time cards. J.
Page 2 Selectmen’s Minutes July 14, 2008
Baldasaro said that military time has been accepted for years and it will
be continued to be acceptable. The police department operates in
military time. Military time is not required but will be accepted by
the treasurer.
4. Cell Phone use by Chester Employee’s was raised by the Town
Accountant, Beth Sorrell. The Selectmen said they did not see a
problem with Frank Noel using the cell phone to make personal
calls because it did not cost the town any more money. So many
minutes are purchased and as long as he isn’t going over his
minutes it is alright for him to call personal people. J. Baldasaro
said that the accounting department is looking for something that
is wrong all the time and it has to stop. The selectmen said it can
be in stead of a stipend as long as it does not exceed the monthly
rate and it would not be taxable.
5. The Selectmen appointed Art Lindberg for the Senior work Program.
6. The following Town Appointments were approved by the Selectmen.
ADA Coordinator / Jerry Sargent
Assistant Treasurer/ Mary Provost,
Assistant Town Clerk/ Carol A. Stenico,
Building Inspector/ Jerry Sargent,
Burial Agent Tino Cardarelli, Cemetery Commissioners, Selectmen,
Conservation Commission/James Zimmerman
Constable, Tino Cardarelli, Council on Aging / Barbara Sanderson,
Zoning Board of Appeals
Dennis Bolduc,
Barbara Jameson,
James Gilman,
Florence Bolduc ZBA Secretary,
Cultural Arts Council
Gail Tingley,
Donna Sakaske, Penny Nicholas, Kathy Stone, Jolene Sakaske,
Custodian/ Peter Stroganow, Chief Procurement Officer/ Gail Tingley,
Electrical Inspector/ Bernard Battles,
Emergency Management Director/ Richard Small, Fire Chief / Richard
Small, Forest Fire Warden/ Richard Small,
Gas Inspector/ Thomas Broga,
Historical Commission
Edward J. Carrington
Fay M. Piergiovanni
Grace B. Oppenheimer
Page 3 Selectmen’s Minutes July 14, 2008
Janice A. Brown
Planning Board
Marc Newkirk
Richard Holzman
William Guazzo
Harold Jameson
William Morrissey
Plumbing Inspector/ Thomas Broga
Police Chief / Ronald Minor
Police Officers
Erik Loiko
Jason Desclos, Steven Gibson
Phil Lanier, Jessica Sorrell
Daniel Ilnicky, Todd Allman, John Baldasaro
Westfield River Wild & Scenic Advisory/Robert E. Thompson, David
Pierce
Town Counsel / Brackett and Lucas
Town Administrator/ Acting: Gail Tingley,
Town Accountant/ Beth Sorrell - 3 Years,
Principal Assessor/ Pamela Anderson,
Zoning Enforcement Officer/ Jerry Sargent,
Assessor’s Clerk/ Connie Urbanski
Recreation Committee / Eric Freniere
Library Trustee / Paula Beck, Mary Ann Sullivan
Highway Superintendent had two applicants John Hoppe and Rene
Senecal, Also the Dog Officer and Animal Inspector Bob Jackman and
Janelle Medina. The Selectmen asked that they be notified to come to the
next meeting July 28th. J. Baldasaro said we need to look at both
candidates for the Highway Superintendents position. Both guys are very
good workers but there has been internal and external problems.
8. J. Baldasaro accepted the FRTA appointment.
9. John Hoppe / Highway Superintendent came before the Selectmen
about hiring a forth man seeing J. Baldasaro has left. The Selectmen
want to know more about what it would cost to have substitutes plow in
the winter. They said they would continue this discussion at a later date.
J. Hoppe gave the Selectmen a list of what he is going to be doing.
J. Hoppe also told the Selectmen that a cycle bar would cost $4,000.00
to $4,500.00 with a hydraulic lift and he is still looking at new trucks.
Page 4 Selectmen’s Minutes July 14, 2008
10. R. Tingley brought up the clear wells at the Water Plant. They have
no railings and they are 12 foot deep and they are open a lot. A man
could fall into the well and that could be a real liability to the Town. R.
Tingley suggested putting a safety bar around it to stop the risk. J.
Baldasaro thought that was a very good idea. Also R. Tingley was told
there was no monitoring the plant for flooding. J. Baldasaro said there
was an alarm system but someone must have disconnected it. J.
Baldasaro said that needs to be back up and running.
Water Department/ A bill came in for $3,000.00 from Pioneer Controls
for monitoring the clear wells. Bernie St. Martin was told not to use them
except for physical control changes. Monitoring the wells is B. St.
Martin’s job. The Highway Superintendent should be keeping track of
what is going on up there. It is his job J. Baldasaro said. This is a
management issue. J. Baldasaro said they should have had the pipe out
to deeper water by now, which has not been done. R. Tingley said Hoppe
told him they were going to put it in at the end of the month. J.
Baldasaro said it can’t wait that long. The meeting with DEP and
everyone concerned was May 30, 2008 and DEP said to move on
improvements immediately.
Documents Reviewed and Signed
1. Frank D. Hamilton Scholarship Fund: Available $4,000.00
Applicants: Brittany Castagna, Adam Simonowicz, Joshua St. Onge,
Camilla Brett
T. Stienhard Scholarship $400.00 Caleb Stone.
J. Baldasaro made a motion to award the scholarships as stated,
M. Crochiere seconded, all in favor.
2. Notification of Wage Increase for Assunta Criscio, Gale Andrade, Gale
La Scala
3. One Day Liquor License for the Chester Hill Winery, Inc
4. PVPC, Huntley invoice # 2008-0649
5. COA, Paper for Executive Office of Elder Affairs.
Informational Mail
1. Palmer Paving protest to bid for Bromley Cold in Place Recycling Type
2 Attorney General Meeting Hoppe will attend.
2. Water Analysis Report which showed the THM’s were under control
but testing would continue for a year.
Page 5 Selectmen’s Minutes July 14, 2008
Old Business
1. James Parolo / Requests that Highway department redo 200 feet more
of Sylvester Hamilton Road. Hoppe is to look into that. He is to measure
and see if the road goes the extra 200 feet Mr. Parolo is talking about.
2. Carolyn Mills 52 Sunnyside Road Southwick MA 01077 / Request to
have Town Insurance pay for her new glasses from accident on Main
Street. Irregular sidewalks caused her to fall. Gail submitted the bill to
MIIA Insurance and they paid it.
With no further business before the Board, M. Crochiere made a
motion to adjourn at 8:05 p.m. J. Baldasaro seconded, all in favor.
Respectfully Submitted,
Gail D. Tingley,
Town Administrator
APPROVED by the BOARD OF SELECTMEN
___________________________
J. Baldasaro, Chairman
________________________
Michael W. Crochiere, Clerk
__________________________
Robert N. Tingley