03.03.13
March 6, 2013
13March06
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Archive for Uncategorized
12.04.12
Snow calls for ballot vote at Cohasset Special TM
Mary Snow, DPW Administrative Assistant, has written to the Town Moderator with a copy to the press and the Chairman of the Cohasset Board of Selectmen, asking for a ballot vote on Article 14.
Article 14 asks Dec. 10 Special Town Meeting to bring the Town Manager’s Act into conformance with the Town Manager’s illegal contract.
In her letter, Ms. Snow said:
Dear Mr. Evans,
I am respectfully requesting that Article 14 be voted on by a ballot vote. This article deals with changing the Town Manager Act which could potentially effect the current Acting Town Manager Mike Milonoski’s future employment with the Town of Cohasset and thus its employees.
There are many employees of the town that are also residents and feel that they will not be able to vocally vote on this article without fear of retribution. We are very much aware of the deviseness of this article and only look to preserve our right to vote.
I have spoken to the Town Clerk who has assured me that this has been done in the past with no extra effort. She is always prepared for this type of request and is comfortable with the process.
Thank you for your consideration of this request.
Yours Truly,
Mary L. Snow
11.14.12
...a press release from the Cohasset Board of Selectmen
The Cohasset Board of Selectmen unanimously approved this press release on Tuesday, November 13, 2012.
Two weeks ago the Massachusetts Department of Revenue certified Cohasset’s free cash as of June 30. The free cash is $958,000, a sharp turnaround from the $600,000 appropriations deficit the finance department was forecasting during the winter. While having free cash certified is important for many reasons including building our reserves up to municipal standards, there is a broader story here that bears telling.
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11.09.12
Send a card, a joke, to Richie Silvia..
Rich is in isolation at BIDMC getting a bone marrow transplant. He would enjoy cards, notes and e-mails: flathoze@comcast.net .
Here is his info:
Richard Silvia Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center
Feldberg Building
7th Floor – Room 783
330 Brookline Ave.
Boston, MA 02215
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10.22.12
Selectmen's Friday Night Special
Lots of puzzled e-mails asking what the Cohasset Selectmen’s strange, illegal Friday Night Special Meeting was all about.
It’s all about Michael. What else can we do for Michael?
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09.20.12
Cohasset's Code of Civility
This is such a joke.
Town of Cohasset
Code of Core Values for Civil Discourse
Mission & Values
The Town of Cohasset’s municipal government values hard work, honesty, respect, integrity and earnest desire to work collaboratively to best serve our residents. The town government, made up of town employees and elected and appointed volunteers, is committed to providing the public with the highest level of services delivered in the most efficient manner with the financial resources available.
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09.13.12
Chamillard steps down from Governance Committee
At the Cohasset Governance’s Sept. 13 meeting member George Chamillard stepped down from the committee saying he would continue to support the committee and its work as a non-voting citizen. Chamillard is a member of the advisory committee and by local bylaw cannot serve on another appointed board. Cohasset Selectmen were not not aware of this bylaw when Chamillard was appointed. We guess.
Town Clerk Carol St. Pierre will be invited to the committee’s next meeting to discuss whether her position should be appointed or elected. One of the concerns they have is that the assistant to the Town Clerk does not live in Cohasset and could not run for election as Town Clerk should St Pierre leave her position for any reason.
Other positions being discussed as possibly becoming appointed are recreation commission, board of health, and possibly housing authority – Acting Town Manager Mike Milanoski is checking into whether the position has to be elected. Milanoski noted that many towns are moving elected positions to appointed. Water and sewer commissions are still part of the discussion as to whether they should be a combined, appointed board under the direct management of the Acting Town Manager and the Selectmen.
Governance feels the Strong Town Manager’s Act needs some better definitions with regard to the role of the Selectmen and their agent, the Town Manager.
Milanoski and Selectman Chair Paul Carlson both opined that changes to the Act could be made in stages. Milanoski questioned the board if it might want more of a town administrator form of government and several times during discussion suggested that governance take something to Dec. 10th Special Town Meeting. “Take the low-hanging fruit now,” he said. “You can come back later and do a philosophical view.”
Governance said no, it wasn’t ready for Dec. 10th.
Later Milanoski urged: “You were appointed as a microcosm of the community. Bring (sic) some changes to Special. Bring (sic) other things later.”
Carlson disagreed, saying spring town meeting was soon enough.
Committee member Merle Brown (a former two-term selectman) took issue with Cohasset Selectmen’s recent move to appoint Acting Town Manager Mike Milanoski to an extended 3-year contract. “Appointments should not be more than 180 days for Acting Town Manager.”
Ralph Dormitzer noted that the committee had already recommended a change in the Town Manager’s Act that would if voted by Town Meeting permit the Acting Town Manager to be appointed Town Manager. Changes the committee discussed at the last meeting included dropping qualifications for that office such as that person would no longer have to have had full time professional experience as a Town Manager. Also, the person could be serving on an appointed and/or elected boards at the time of the appointment.
Governance discussed asking the Selectmen to extend the Sunset of the committee to Christmas 2013. Originally, it was due to sunset December 31, 2012.
09.09.12
Former Cohasset Selectman Frank England passes
Alex, Kara Frank and Maura – the girls are all daughters of
Terry (England) and Chris Duggan,
formerly of Lily Pond, Cohasset
Frank Wesson England, a former member of the Cohasset Selectmen and School Committee, died peacefully on September 4, 2012 in San Diego, CA. Frank was one of the first members of the town’s five-man board of selectmen.
He was born on May 12, 1920 in Ft. Benning, Ga. He graduated from Syracuse U in 1947 and served in the U.S. Army WWII. Also, he was a member of the US Army Reserve (Mass National guard). A long term Aetna manager he worked in the insurance industry well into his 80s.
He often remarked that his mother had lived until 103 and so he thought he had better stay employed. His wife Kay said as recently as last Sunday when asked if he were going to vote for Obama boomed “Hell No.!” Kay said she had an absentee ballot for him, but he was unable to sign it and so he will not be able to vote against Obama in November.
Frank leaves his wife, Kathleen V. England, four daughters, Deborah E. Zepnick (Glen), Kathleen J. England, Terese E. Duggan (Chris) and Janet M. England. Also, five grandaughters and two great grandsons.
A funeral mass will be celebrated at St. Gabriel’s Church in Poway, CA. Donations in his name made be made to the North Queensbury Firefighters Service., PO Box 61, Cleverdale, NY. People wishing to contact any of the Englands can do so by e-mail: Kay England (lgdragonlady@yahoo.com), Debbie England Zepnic, dzepnck@gmail.com, Terry England Duggan fearless41@aol.com, Janet England janetmengland@gmail.com. Or, visit http://www.powaybernardomortuary.net/ to share a memory of Frank with his family.
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09.07.12
Letter to Cohasset Board of Selectmen
Double click on letter to enlarge
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Cohasset ConCom votes for new Ford hearing
Acting Town Manager Mike Milanoski has solved his first problem that did not result in someone getting fired. Way to go Mike! We’re proud of you.
Conservation agent Paul Shea and Building Inspector Bob Egan are now good pals because Milanoski sat down with them and worked out forms and required check lists. HE SOLVED A PROBLEM! YAY! ConCom Chair Jack Creighton said “Yes, I believe I saw a miracle. Shea and Egan shook hands.” Creighton added that that the Conservation Commission was well served by Shea.
The Ford Brothers Hearing – 559 Jerusalem Road
Ok. Here’s the news.
Chris and Ted Ford told the Acting Town Manager and ConCom Chair Jack Creighton at a private meeting this week they were willing to stay their lawsuit until the conservation commission reconsidered its application for a storm water permit.
At last nights’ meeting all hell broke loose.
Commissioner Ed Graham said: “I was served by leaving summons in my door. Thought summons had to be handed to me. I was in N.H.” Other commissioners seemed stunned that they had gotten summoned. What really happened here is that Milanoski would not allow the ConCom to use Town Counsel who knows how to handle these things and the Ford’s attorney, Charles Humphreys, was forced to notify abutters the old-fashioned, but still very legal way. Only local abutters received notices and only they need to receive notices. Normally, Town Counsel, or a real Town Manager would have accepted the lawsuits and individual members of the ConCom would not have been served at their homes. Now they are all scared.
Humphreys said “We received negative determination on our notice of intent and and the bylaw affords us the right to appeal that part of procedure. We took that appeal as our only resource. If we are able to obtain a more favorable decision we will drop appeal.”
Milanoski- said: “Humphreys did provide an extension – am sure he would provide a longer extension if committee wishes to reconsider. The appeal they have right now, if they withdraw, would they not just be submitting the same appeal back?”
ConCom Vice Chair David Farrag said – “There would probably be a different set of factors – different counts.”
Associate Member Pat Kennedy said “The facts could be incorporated within the current lawsuit.”
Commissioner Ed Graham said: “In most of our cases, the general contractor is usually brought in. We haven’t asked who that would be (It’s Hap Pompeo, kids). During his statement, Graham also announced he was a member of the Straits Pond Association – which puts him in a conflict situation. Graham said he had serious questions about how get equipment in and out of the building area. “It could be an infraction of the 50-ft. zone.” Graham said he wanted assurances.
Abutter Peter DeCaprio said: -“You asked applicant to drop their suit and reopen the hearing; they want to retain all their rights but also want you to reopen the hearing.” (Actually – DeCaprio is wrong. DeCaprio’s attorney asked the Fords to drop their lawsuit before reconsideration. The ConCom never did. )
Your worthy blogger then asked: HOW DOES THEIR NOT WITHDRAWING THEIR SUIT HURT ANYTHING AT ALL? Great question. No answer.
ConCom Vive Chair David Farrag advised his committee that he worried what the judge would do regarding the current lawsuit. Would he remand the commission or orver-turn the decision? Farrag’s main concern was over the members of the committee who had not been present for all the hearings and who had voted anyway. We thought Ed Graham was a safe vote, now we discover he’s a member of he Straits Pond Association and he’s in conflict. Another arrow in the Ford Brothers’ quiver.
ConCom Chair Jack Creighton appeared to be the only member of the commission willing to deal. Everyone else was stunned because they were being sued. Of course, they’re all newbees – not used to the real world of regulatory boards being sued. Which is why in summer 2011 the board of selectmen should not have purged the board by replacing two thirds of its members.
Creighton said Greg DeCesar from DEP would hold off on issuing a decision until things could be worked out
DeCaprio predicted that DEP would issue favorably for the Fords.
Shea said that the DEP has so many appeals right now that they would be happy to back out. “The Applicant would like to work it out” as opposed to spending two years in Superior court
DeCaprio (an abutter to the property in question) said he felt ConCom should let Superior Court deal with the issue. “Why reopen the hearing with the threat of litigation hanging over your head?”
Farrag noted that the first issue a judge might consider would be the validity of the ConCom’s vote. Click here to see the problems.
DeCaprio said- “what’s the concern?”
Farrag said: “Not all members were at the hearing.”
Associate member Pat Kennedy said: -“One issue is legal expenses. Everyone here was served with a lawsuit.”
DeCaprio said “No sweat. After the Superior Court rules, the conservation commission change its vote.”
Humphreys said the purpose of reconsideration is to address questions raised by members.
Creighton said “Our role is to uphold the bylaw. I believe we will prevail in superior court.”
Out in the parking lot after the meeting, Chris Ford wasn’t sure what his course of action would be. How could he be? Milanoski has removed Town Counsel from the scene. The Boy Town Manager is running the show.
And it’s going to be a doozey.
If I didn’t live here I could enjoy this a whole lot more.
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