Westport News

6:00 P.M.    Tsunami Victims Letter

6:00 P.M.    Furtado – 1813/1815 Main Road - RE: Status Report by Building Inspector Ralph Souza.

6:15 P.M.    Jane Duarte d/b/a Overtime Sports Pub - RE:  Public Hearing on an application request of J. Duarte Limited Company d/b/a Overtime Sports Pub, 549 American Legion Highway, Westport, MA–Jane Duarte, Manager/Owner for an Entertainment, Automated Amusement and        Juke Box Licenses. Entertainment will consist of TV, Disc Jockey, karaoke, live music performances and patron dancing.  Automated Amusement will consist of not more than two automatic amusement devices (pool tables, foosball tables, etc.).

6:30 P.M.    Thomas & Sharon Cardoza - RE:  An application request for a six-month seasonal trailer permit for recreational purposes on property located at 238 East Beach Road also known as Assessor’s Map 76A, Lot 129.

6:45 P.M.    Adhoc Committee on Town Government Structure - RE:  Warrant Articles for Executive functions.

7:00 P.M.    The Trustees of Reservations - RE:  Conservation Restriction for the Herb Hadfield Conservation area addition.

Question and Answer Period 

Correspondence Requiring Action and/or Reading

Issues:

A. FY 12 Budget Update

I will update the Board of the status of the FY 12 Budget.   Of note,  the School Committee voted on a Preliminary Budget last week adding $150,000 to the level funded budget submitted by the Superintendent.  As I noted at our last meeting, legislative leaders are urging caution on local aid figures (Attachment A).

B. Draft Town Meeting Warrant

Enclosed as Attachment B is the draft Town Meeting Warrant that was submitted to the Finance Committee.   I presented the Budget Overview to the Finance Committee at their March 8 meeting and as follow up presented the Draft Warrant at their March 15th meeting.   Both the Finance Committee and the Budget Subcommittee voted to advise the Board to postpone the Annual Town Meeting to Tuesday May 24th.   This date has been cleared by the Superintendent and the Town Moderator.  With respect to the Draft Warrant,  I also attached the Budget and Warrant Preparation Guidance issued to all Town Department Heads noting that all Warrant Articles be submitted by February 10th.   The Board has not formally voted to close the ByLaw.   Many articles submitted on the Draft ByLaw were submitted after the ByLaw date.  In taking action on the Draft Warrant,  the Board should address this issue.

C. Town Hall Style Bond Marketing

Last Friday,  at the suggestion of Finance Committee member John Miller,  the Town Treasurer and I met with representatives of Janney Montgomery Scott on their unique program to market bonds to members of the community so to enable citizens to directly invest in their town.   If after due diligence,  this would be deemed something that the Board would be interested in,  we would look at whether this process could be used to market the $250K that would be issued under the Agricultural Open Space Bond as part of the acquisition of the Oscar Palmer Farm.

D. Wind Turbine Subcontract

The Energy Committee met last week and approved a rental agreement with Second Wind, Incorporated for a wind monitoring system.   The Clean Energy Center which is providing the grant to the town has been apprised of this and is in agreement that this system would actually provide a more cost effective approach to provide the data needed to complete the feasibility study.

1. Westport United Youth Soccer – stone walls and warrant article.
2. Friends of Westport Library, Friends of COA and Westport Educational Foundation.
3. Outstanding Water Bills.
4. Discussion of forming a committee regarding bike/pedestrian pathway.
5. Setting Board of Selectmen Schedule.  
6. Approval of Seasonal Liquor License Renewals.
7. Approval of the Warrant for Annual Town Election – April 12th.
8. Approval of Regular Meeting Minutes of April 5, 2010, August 23, 2010 and March 7, 2011.

1. Collective Bargaining.
2. Personnel Matter.
3. Town Administrator’s Contract.
4. Approval of Executive Session Minutes of April 5, 2010, August 23, 2010, March 7, 2011 and March 14, 2011.