SHERWOOD FOREST ROAD DISTRICT

Prudential Committee Meeting

January 8, 2005 Minutes

Committee Members Present: Richard Tallberg, Chairman; Bill Brownhill, Vice Chairman; David Bonney; Robert Ronzio; Gerard Grondin

Staff Present: Chuck Andrews, Road Superintendent; Maryellen Lake, Clerk/Treasurer

Public Present: See sign-in sheet

The meeting was called to order at 10:35 a.m.

Reading of the Minutes: The minutes of the previous meeting were distributed to all present. Bill moved to accept the minutes as presented. Bob noted that the minutes should reflect the tax rate as $13.3 (added dollar sign) and seconded the motion; motion passed.

Treasurer’s Report: Bill moved to accept the Treasurer’s Report; Dave seconded; motion passed.

Reading of Warrant #12: The Warrant was read as follows: Staples, Office Supplies, $62.27; Donovan Brothers, Winter Roads, $7,008.57; Peoplepc.com, December, $10.95; Quarterly stipends: Richard Tallberg, Prudential Committee Exp., $100.00; William Brownhill, $120.00; David Bonney, $120.00; Robert Ronzio, $120.00; Gerard Grondin, $40.00.; Benton Egee Excavating, Winter Roads, $12,525.00. Total of Warrant #12, $20,107.19. Bill moved to pay the bills as read; Gerry seconded; motion passed.

Road Superintendent’s report: Sanding and salting is ongoing as needed. One complaint was received from Linda Shaw that the snow plow had turned around on her front lawn. Chuck said that at that location there is no place to turn around. The snow plow may need to back out. Gerry asked if there had been any problems with parking in the roads. Chuck replied that he had gotten a call about a car on Will Scarlet, but by the time he got there the car was gone. Gerry moved to accept the Road Superintendent’s Report; Dave seconded; motion passed.

Communications: A complaint was received from Harold Tranghese, 25 Will Scarlet Drive, that he had never received a response to his many calls regarding the fact that his road had not been graded and the condition of the steep hill. The Clerk/Treasurer was instructed to compose a letter apologizing to Mr. Tranghese and informing him that his road will be graded in the spring. Maryellen informed the meeting that the final tax commitment for FY2005 has been received from the Assessors in the amount of $225,655.78. Letters were also written to Suzanne Lagoy, Fireside Lane, regarding her dumpster and propane tanks which may interfere with plowing operations and to Harry Sykes asking that he remove several logs from the District right-of-way.

OLD BUSINESS

Contractor Status - Dick reported that the matter is still with the District Attorney By-Laws - Dick reported that this item also is still in the hands of our attorney Road District website - Bob reported that Mike McEnerney was going to be here but couldn’t make it due to bad weather. Bob has put together a map outlining which roads need work. A few roads people brought up about not being plowed and complaints were reported to him. This needs to be worked out. The game plan has always been to stagger plowing the roads. He hasn’t had a chance to put the website together.

NEW BUSINESS

Bob responded to someone on the Message Board who asked about moving the meetings to the Town Hall. According to the By-Laws they can be amended to move the meetings. It requires a special meeting to take a vote on it. Dick noted that a message on the Message Board would not be sufficient. A formal request in writing is needed to move the meetings. Blanche Lennington then submitted a request in writing. Bob moved to prepare a warrant item to be posted and a legal notice put in the paper for a special meeting. The motion was seconded and passed.

Maryellen read from the enabling legislation regarding Town contributions to the Road District. Bob asked if we should try to change the $25,000.00 figure to reflect inflation. Chuck noted that we should hold on to that as a consideration because we need to change the legislation anyway. Dick said it was supposed to be seed money as far as the Town is concerned. Bob: We have time to get this on the warrant for the town meeting in May if we have enough people to request it. We can do a letter from the Board or do it by petition. Chuck: If you could get $50,000.00 out of the Town each year we could rebuild the roads. The infrastructure this year has cost the Town nothing. Bob moved that a letter be drafted to the Board of Selectmen requesting that they consider granting the Road District a sum not greater than $25,000.00 for the use and benefit of the District. Discussion on the motion: Dick: We need to ask for something specific, i.e. waterways, some dangerous areas along some of the roads, etc. Chuck: Be careful on earmarking. Last time it was waterways, the Town wanted all kinds of restrictions, like wage laws, etc. Request it for the General Fund. Dick: Leave it open-ended. If they want dspecifics they can ask. Ron Boucher - get a petition and get everyone to sign. Send a card to registered voters. Bill seconded the motion. Motion pased. Bob moved to prepare a letter to be sent to all registered voters in the District notifying them that they should attend a meeting to sign a petition to be sent to the Board of Selectmen. Blanche: Get a list of voters and make phone calls. Bob: the letter should explain that they would be contacted by an individual and asked to sign a petition. Bill seconded the motion. Motion passed.

Public Participation

Blanche requested copies of the agenda be made available to the public at meetings. Question: When the roads were designed were there cul-de-sacs planned? Bob: One down by Excalibur, Mystic Isle Way, Lady of the Lake. Ron: Get the roads fixed first. Chuck: Egee informed him he did not plow Minstrels Way on the south side or Carriage. Chuck: Problem is that the infrastructure needs to be managed by someone. Road District is doing maintenance, SFNA holds the roads. Someone has to manage the affirs of Sherwood Forest. Dick: Logical answer is the Town of Becket. But they don’t want to do it. Logical answer is to change the legislation to incorporate it all in one body. Bob: There are a lot of issues and things that the Forest would require. Chuck: Becket Woods District is in control of the development. Bob: Committee report partly covers that. It’s a matter of the two organizations getting together and ironing this stuff out. Howard Lerner: People can write things down, but until you sit down with them and come to some agreement nothing will be resolved. You have to decide what you want done and then tell the attorneys what you want - make it happen. Bob: We have to take the initiative because it’s not coming from the other side. Have to look again at what we did and come to some decision as to becoming a lake district or what. Decision in 1996 turned over the common lands, roads, etc. to the SFNA. We have to deal with them. They became the managers of that property. Our deeds say that we have rights to it. The issue is that they own it. Couldn’t pay taxes so the Town right now has control of it. Bob will contact SFNA and TBOF and set up a meeting. Blanche: There is a meeting set up for the 15th with John Novakowski.

Jim Griffin: Omission in minutes of first meeting in December. There was a question whether Prudential Committee members have to have paid their taxes in order to be on the Committee? The answer was no. He raised this issue because there was a rumor that there were members of the Prudential Committee who were not paying their taxes. Bill moved to adjourn the meeting; Bob seconded; motion passed. The meeting was adjourned at 11:50 a.m.

TRUE COPY ATTEST

Maryellen Lake Clerk/Treasurer