TOWN OF SWANSEA
2019 Annual Report
2019 ANNUAL REPORT
TOWN OF SWANSEA
MASSACHUSETTS
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TABLE OF CONTENTS
Accountant ...... 26 Appointments ...... 33 Beach Committee ...... 38 Board of Assessors ...... 39 Board of Health/Animal Control ...... 41 Board of Registrars ...... 3 Building Inspector ...... 42 Electrical Inspector ...... 42 Plumbing Inspector ...... 43 Gas Inspector ...... 43 Cemeteries ...... 43 Community Preservation Committee...... 44 Conservation Commission ...... 45 Council on Aging ...... 46 Elected Officials ...... 4 Elections Annual Town Election – April 8, 2019 ...... 24 Emergency Management Agency ...... 49 Fire Department ...... 51 General Information ...... 3 Highway Department ...... 62 Library ...... 65 Planning Board ...... 66 Police Department ...... 67 Public Access Oversight Committee ...... 75 School Department ...... 77 Selectmen ...... 85 Solid Waste ...... 86 SRPEDD ...... 87 Treasurer / Collector ...... 89 Town Clerk ...... 5 Town Meetings Annual Town Meeting – May 20, 2019 ...... 6 Special Town Meeting – May 20, 2019 ...... 19 Special Town Meeting – November 18, 2019 ...... 20 Veterans Agent ...... 90
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TOWN OF SWANSEA - GENERAL INFORMATION
Settled 1667 Incorporated 1785
Swansea was established on October 30, 1667, when Pastor John Myles, Captain Thomas Willett and their neighbors petitioned the Court at Plymouth to establish a town. The fourth town founded in Bristol County, Swansea originally extended from the boundaries of Taunton and Rehoboth to Mount Hope Bay. The area was reduced three times, first by the incorporation of Barrington as a town in 1717, then by the annexation of Warren by the state of Rhode Island in 1747, and finally by the incorporation of Somerset as a separate town in 1790. The first state census taken in 1765 showed Swansea's population to be 1,840. The 1965 state census showed a population of 11,767.
AREA - 22.12 sq. miles ELEVATION - 42' above MSL 2018 POPULATION - 16,166 REGISTERED VOTERS - 11,811 2010 FEDERAL CENSUS - 15,865
OFFICES: DEPARTMENTS: Selectmen 508-678-9389 ext. 1 Police Department 508-674-8464 Town Clerk 508-678-9389 ext. 2 Fire Department 508-672-4305 Town Accountant 508-678-9389 ext. 3 Highway Department 508-678-5615 Tax Collector 508-678-9389 ext. 4 Building Department 508-674-5731 Board of Assessors 508-678-9389 ext. 5 Board of Health 508-324-6704 Council on Aging 508-676-1831 Animal Control 508-679-6446 Library 508-674-9609 Town Nurse 508-324-6742 Planning Board 508-324-6730 School Department 508-675-1195 Conservation Commission 508-673-6467 Veterans 508-673-9814
ANNUAL TOWN ELECTION is the second Monday in April
ANNUAL TOWN MEETING is the third Monday in May
VOTING PRECINCTS AND LOCATIONS: Precinct 1, 2, 3, 4 & 5 are located at the Joseph Case Sr. High School, 70 School Street.
QUALIFICATIONS FOR VOTER REGISTRATION: Applicant must have reached their 18th birthday, be an American citizen and a resident of Swansea and have registered to vote prior to the election deadline.
2019 REPORT OF THE BOARD OF REGISTRARS
The Board of Registrars were involved in the following events which took place in Swansea during 2019.
April 08, 2019 Annual Town Election May 20, 2019 Special Town Meeting May 20, 2019 Annual Town Meeting November 18, 2019 Special Town Meeting
Each of the above events require hours of preparation and follow up work which is required by State Law. The Board of Registrars along with the Town Clerk and the Town Clerk's office staff work very diligently to make Town Elections, Town Meetings, Early Voting, State Primaries and State Elections run smoothly and according to State law.
In addition to the preparation and follow up work, many hours are spent certifying petitions, nomination papers and making accommodations for additional voter registration hours.
The State is constantly mandating new requirements and procedures, which poses new challenges each year. The Board of Registrars and Town Clerk's Office work constantly to meet these new demands.
Board of Registrar Members: Jean R. Bolton (D) - 2021 - 3 -
Jacquelyne Bates (R) - 2022 Theodora Gabriel (R) - 2020 Diane Pelland - Clerk Respectfully submitted, Diane Pelland, Town Clerk & Board of Registrars Clerk
TOWN OF SWANSEA ELECTED OFFICIALS – 2019
SELECTMEN Steven H. Kitchin term expires 2020 Christopher R. Carreiro term expires 2021 Derek Heim term expires 2022
TOWN CLERK Diane Pelland term expires 2021
TREASURER/TAX COLLECTOR Elizabeth B. Leonardo term expires 2022
ASSESSORS OF TAXES Timothy F. Cabral Sr. term expires 2020 Wayne W. Gray term expires 2021 Thomas M. Silvia term expires 2022
SCHOOL COMMITTEE Eric Graham term expires 2020 Joseph Salpietro term expires 2020 Albertina Bell term expires 2021 James J. Carvalho term expires 2021 Scott Rowland term expires 2022
DIMAN REGIONAL SCHOOL COMMITTEE Jeffrey J. Begin term expires 2021
MODERATOR Paul C. Burke term expires 2020
TREE WARDEN Wayne Dias term expires 2020
TRUSTEES OF PUBLIC LIBRARY Brian Lowney term expires 2020 Maureen E. Pacheco term expires 2020 Judithe Carey term expires 2021 Bonnie Braga term expires 2021 Jo Ann H. Johnson term expires 2022 Susan McMullen term expires 2022
COMMUNITY PRESERVATION COMMITTEE Joshua Robinson term expires 2020 Matthew Beane term expires 2021 Robert F. Silveira term expires 2022
CONSTABLES - 4 -
Christopher R. Carreiro term expires 2022 Robert K. Furtado term expires 2022 Jonathan Furtado term expires 2022 Jordan J. Khoury term expires 2022 Matthew Beane term expires 2022 Susan E. Taveira term expires 2022
HOUSING AUTHORITY Matthew Beane term expires 2020 Richard J. Ryan, Jr. term expires 2022 Ronald R. Silvia term expires 2024
PLANNING BOARD Timothy F. Cabral, Sr. term expires 2020 Robert C. Medeiros term expires 2021 Gregory Denis term expires 2022 Scott Adams term expires 2023 James M. Hanley term expires 2024
PARK COMMISSION Stephen Almeida term expires 2020 Joseph D. Santos term expires 2021 Albert D. Dias term expires 2022 Stephen Purdy term expires 2024 (vacancy)
TOWN CLERK'S REPORT YEAR ENDING DECEMBER 31, 2019
VITAL STATISTICS: 77 Births recorded 165 Birth-Certified Copies Issued 65 Marriage Intentions 65 Marriages recorded 276 Marriage-Certified Copies Issued 171 Deaths recorded 495 Death-Certified Copies Issued 80 Burial/removal permits issued
DOG LICENSES: 1214 Dog licenses issued 6 Kennel licenses
SHELLFISH PERMITS: 331 Shellfish Licenses – Family (156) & Senior (175) 9 Shellfish Licenses – Non-Resident Taxpayer 27 Shellfish Licenses – Non-Resident 7 Shellfish Licenses – Commercial (10) & Junior (0) 1 Shellfish Licenses – 14 Day 1 Shellfish License – Duplicate 1 Shellfish License - Veteran 31 Shellfish Gauges
MISCELLANEOUS: 68 Copies 198 Certified Copies of any Records 73 DBA Business Certificates & Changes/Withdrawals 17 Gas Storage Registration 1 Pole Location - Certified 16 Planning Applications - 5 -
58 Public Records Requests 4 Raffle permits issued 1 Records Correction 5 Street Lists 48 Zoning appeals received and forwarded to Board of Appeals CENSUS FORMS MAILED: 7,026
FEES TURNED OVER TO THE TOWN: $ 91,514.55
The Town Clerk's Office, in addition to handling the above mentioned items, also maintains the Town's Bylaws, Ethics/Open Meeting Laws, Records Management and some of the Town's historic documents and the sale of cemetery lots. Our office is also responsible for overseeing the Town Election and Town Meetings, State and Federal Elections, Primaries and Early Voting, Annual Census and Voter Registration.
This past year brought several training seminars in various locations throughout the State, which my office staff and I attended. These trainings offer information on how to handle various situations/problems and how to disseminate the various State and Public information we receive. We also attended the Spring Conference in Plymouth, MA for the Massachusetts Town Clerks Association (MTCA); a very informative three days providing useful tools for the Town Clerk's Office.
After more than 20 years, we were given the news that our voting machines were no longer being serviced and there would be no parts available for repair. Under the guidance of Town Administrator John McAucliffe, a properly executed Bid Process was conducted and we were able to procure new ImageCast Precinct (ICP) Voting Machines and Voting Booths, using state funds. We have taken delivery of both machines and booths and look forward to a very busy election year in 2020 with new updated technology. Once again, training will take place to familiarize our election workers and office staff on the new machines. I would like to take this opportunity to thank School Superintendent John Robidoux, HS Principal Brian McCann and Asst. Principal Chris Costa for their cooperation of allowing the storage of our new voting booths and ballot boxes at the High School, making setup for elections a much easier task and eliminating the transport of our equipment during inclement weather, which should lead to keeping our equipment in good condition for another 20+ years. I would also like to thank Highway Director William Anderson and the Swansea Highway Department personnel for being available for the transport and setup of equipment for each Town and State election(s) and Town Meeting(s).
During 2019, Assistant Town Clerk Colleen O'Brien-Lemelin left the Town Clerk's Office to become the Sr. Clerk in the Conservation Office. We wish Colleen the best in her new position. The Town Clerk's Office also welcomed a new Assistant Town Clerk, Stacey Moniz and new Sr. Clerk, Celine E. Brown. Both of these ladies exhibit professionalism in their duties and a loyalty to serving in Swansea.
In closing, the Town Clerk's Office will continue to strive to provide Swansea residents with a level of service we can be proud of. Respectfully submitted, Diane Pelland Swansea Town Clerk Annual Town Meeting May 20, 2019
The Annual Town Meeting held in and for the Town of Swansea, MA on May 20, 2019, was held in accordance with the General Laws of Massachusetts and the By-Laws of the Town of Swansea, with the rules of the meeting further governed by Town Meeting Time and Robert's Rules of Order, the Warrant and the Advisory & Finance Board recommendations duly posted, a quorum present, and all procedural requirements being met.
The meeting held at the Joseph Case High School, 70 School Street, Swansea, MA was called to order by the Moderator Paul C. Burke at 7:30 PM. The assembly stood for the Pledge of Allegiance to the Flag and a moment of silence was observed for Law Enforcement and Service People. At the opening of the meeting, there were 339 voters present.
Moderator Burke explained the ballots to be used, the warrant, and the budget book. Moderator Burke stated should there would be a ballot vote, the following Ballot Collectors would be Anita McGee, Michael Donais, Donald Morrissette and Susan Hajder.
A motion was made and seconded to waive the reading of the warrant. - Unanimous vote. - 6 -
ARTICLE 1: VOTED: That the Town vote to hear the report of the Advisory and Finance Board. - Unanimous vote.
ARTICLE 2: VOTED: That the Town vote to accept the reports of the Town Officers and all Town Committees, and that the reading of such reports be waived. - Unanimous vote.
ARTICLE 3: VOTED: That the Moderator appoint members of the Advisory and Financial Committee pursuant to Town of Swansea General By-Law, Article III Section 2-88 and Motion to Confirm appointments. - Unanimous vote. Appointments for three (3) years, to expire in 2022 were made as follows: Sarah P. Carlson 1205 Gardner Neck Road Douglas Fiore 291 Warhurst Avenue Christopher Howard 757 Stevens Road Mark Brooks 151 Pearse Road Michele Paul 1 Susan Drive
ARTICLE 4: VOTED: That the Town vote to fix the salaries of all Town Officers for the fiscal year beginning July 1, 2019 and ending June 30, 2020 as follows:
Selectmen: Chairman $ 5,000.00 Vice Chairman $ 5,000.00 Clerk: $ 5,000.00 Town Clerk $65,430.00 Treasurer/Collector $77,475.00 Assessors: Chairman $ 2,000.00 Vice Chair $ 1,000.00 Clerk $ 1,000.00 Moderator: $ 500.00 Tree Warden: $ 500.00 - Unanimous vote.
ARTICLE 5: VOTED: That the Town vote to appropriate such sums of money as may be deemed necessary to defray the charges of the Town Budget for the fiscal year beginning July 1, 2019 and ending June 30, 2020 based on the Advisory and Finance Committee recommendations for the Line Item Numbers 1 through 108 inclusive in the May 20, 2019 Annual Town Meeting Budget Book and that said sums be raised by direct taxation. - Unanimous vote.
Budget for NO. Department FY'20
114 MODERATOR 1 SALARY $ 500.00 2 EXPENSE $ 50.00 TOTAL $ 550.00
122 SELECTMEN 3 SALARIES (SELECTMEN) $ 15,000.00 4 SALARIES $ 243,071.10 5 EXPENSE $ 16,950.00 6 EQUIPMENT TOTAL $ 275,021.10
123 PUBLIC BUILDINGS AND PROPERTIES MAINTENANCE - TOWN HALL - 7 -
7 SALARY $ 50,477.85 8 EXPENSE $ 77,000.00 TOTAL $ 127,477.85
131 ADVISORY & FINANCE COMMITTEE 9 SALARY 10 EXPENSE $ 2,550.00 TOTAL $ 2,550.00
132 RESERVE FUND 11 RESERVE FUND $ 100,000.00 TOTAL $ 100,000.00
135 ACCOUNTANT 12 SALARIES $ 149,712.71 13 EXPENSE $ 33,095.00 TOTAL $ 182,807.71
141 TAX ASSESSORS 14 SALARIES (ELECTED) $ 4,000.00 15 SALARY $ 93,116.00 16 CLERICAL SALARIES $ 64,545.50 17 EXPENSE $ 54,250.00 18 INTERIM ADJUSTMENT & CYCLICAL REVAL TOTAL $ 215,911.50
145 TREASURER/COLLECTOR 19 SALARY $ 77,474.10 20 CLERICAL SALARIES $ 81,334.34 21 EXPENSE $ 35,000.00 TOTAL $ 193,808.44
151 LEGAL & RISK MANAGEMENTSERVICES 22 EXPENSE $ 125,000.00 TOTAL $ 125,000.00
155 MANAGEMENT INFORMATION SYSTEMS 23 EXPENSE $ 94,048.00 TOTAL $ 94,048.00
161 TOWN CLERK 24 SALARY $ 65,429.72 25 CLERICAL SALARIES $ 81,384.34 26 EQUIPMENT 27 EXPENSE $ 10,730.00 TOTAL $ 157,544.06
162 ELECTION EXPENSE 28 EXPENSE $ 39,417.00 TOTAL $ 39,417.00
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163 REGISTRAR OF VOTERS 29 SALARIES $ 1,591.33 30 EXPENSE $ 7,575.00 TOTAL $ 9,166.33
171 CONSERVATION COMMISSION 31 SALARY (AGENT) $ 62,220.00 32 CLERICAL SALARY $ 15,443.82 33 LONGEVITY $ 960.00 34 EXPENSE $ 6,112.00 TOTAL $ 84,735.82
175 PLANNING BOARD 35 SALARY $ 76,685.64 36 CLERICAL SALARY $ 30,532.17 37 SALARIES (OTHER) / LONGEVITY $ 935.00 38 EXPENSE $ 12,321.81 TOTAL $ 120,474.62
176 ZONING BOARD 39 SALARIES 40 EXPENSE $ 7,500.00 TOTAL $ 7,500.00
41 177 WATER AQUIFIER $ 410.00 TOTAL $ 410.00
192 BEACH EXPENSE 42 EXPENSE $ 28,000.00 TOTAL $ 28,000.00
193 WATERFRONT - PUBLIC BUILDINGS AND PROPERTIES MAINTENANCE 43 EXPENSE $ - TOTAL $ -
195 PRINTING TOWN REPORT 44 EXPENSE $ 1,200.00 TOTAL $ 1,200.00
210 POLICE DEPARTMENT 45 SALARIES $ 3,818,229.18 46 EXPENSE $ 357,614.00 47 EQUIPMENT $ 80,765.00 48 SPECIAL INVESTIGATIONS $ 1,500.00 49 TRAVEL EXPENSES $ 1,000.00 TOTAL $ 4,259,108.18
220 FIRE DEPARTMENT 50 SALARIES $ 599,185.48 - 9 -
51 EXPENSE $ 231,200.00 52 EQUIPMENT $ 20,000.00 53 OUT-OF-STATE EXPENSES TOTAL $ 850,385.48
241 BUILDING DEPARTMENT 54 SALARY (DEPT. HEAD) $ 74,460.00 55 CLERICAL SALARY $ 40,717.17 56 SALARIES (OTHER) $ 72,000.00 57 EXPENSE $ 17,100.00 58 EQUIPMENT / CLOTHING ALLOWANCE $ 500.00 TOTAL $ 204,777.17
244 SEALER OF WEIGHTS 59 SALARY $ 6,800.00 60 EXPENSE $ 500.00 TOTAL $ 7,300.00
291 EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT 61 SALARY $ 2,000.00 62 EXPENSE $ 11,150.00 63 EQUIPMENT $ - TOTAL $ 13,150.00
300 SWANSEA SCHOOL DEPARTMENT 64 SALARIES & WAGES $ 7,547,476.00 65 MAINTENANCE & EXPENSE $ 4,119,380.00 66 EQUIPMENT & OUTLAY $ 235,000.00 TOTAL $21,901,856.00
390 BRISTOL COUNTY AGRICULTURAL SCHOOL ASSESSMENT 67 EXPENSE $ 44,023.00 TOTAL $ 44,023.00 390 DIMAN REGIONAL SCHOOL ASSESSMENT 68 EXPENSE $ 1,590,520.00 TOTAL $ 1,590,520.00
422 HIGHWAY DEPARTMENT 69 SALARIES & WAGES $ 693,614.00 70 OPERATING EXPENSE $ 278,450.00 71 SNOW REMOVAL $ 150,000.00 72 STREET LIGHTING $ 180,000.00 TOTAL $ 1,302,064.00
73 425 WASTEWATER MANAGEMENT PLAN EXPENSE $ 500.00 TOTAL $ 500.00
429 TREE WARDEN 74 SALARY $ 500.00 75 EXPENSE $ 49,500.00 - 10 -
TOTAL $ 50,000.00
491 CEMETERIES RECORDS CLERK 76 SALARY $ 1,420.86 77 EXPENSES $ 150.00 TOTAL $ 1,570.86
493 CARE OF SOLDIERS GRAVES 78 EQUIPMENT $ 2,000.00 TOTAL $ 2,000.00
510-512 BOARD OF HEALTH 79 SALARIES & WAGES $ 256,835.00 80 EXPENSE $ 43,265.00 TOTAL $ 300,100.00
541 COUNCIL ON AGING 81 SALARIES $ 136,125.33 82 EXPENSE $ 99,180.00 TOTAL $ 235,305.33
543 VETERANS 83 SALARIES $ 101,952.17 84 EXPENSE $ 7,500.00 85 BENEFITS $ 276,682.00 TOTAL $ 386,134.17
610 LIBRARIES 86 HEAD LIBRARIAN $ 79,560.00 87 SALARIES $ 162,800.83 88 EXPENSE $ 105,931.00 TOTAL $ 348,291.83
630 RECREATION COMMISSION 89 EXPENSE $ 27,675.00 TOTAL $ 27,675.00
650 PARK COMMISSION 90 SALARY $ 51,531.00 91 SALARY (MINUTES CLERK) $ 510.00 92 EQUIPMENT (CLOTHING ALLOWANCE) $ 650.00 93 EXPENSE $ 30,990.00 TOTAL $ 83,681.00
680 MEMORIAL DAY CELEBRATION / SPECIAL EVENTS 94 MEMORIAL DAY PARADE $ 2,800.00 TOTAL $ 2,800.00
691 HISTORICAL COMMISSION 95 EXPENSE $ 295.00 TOTAL $ 295.00 - 11 -
699 ARTS COUNCIL 96 EXPENSE $ 340.00 TOTAL $ 340.00
710 / 751 NOTES AND INTEREST LONG TERM 97 FIRE DEPARTMENT / SCHOOL RENOVATION $ 158,400.00 98 POLICE / COMMUNITY CENTER $ 453,585.00 99 CPA LAND PURCHASE - BAKER FARM $ 106,000.00 100 WPAT/CWMP $ 20,280.76 101 MULTI-PURPOSE LOAN of 2016 $ 251,370.00 102 WATERFRONT $ 115,280.00 SUBTOTAL $ 1,104,915.76
752 SHORT TERM 103 INTEREST SHORT-TERM $ 17,430.00 104 PRINCIPLE SHORT-TERM 105 BORROWNING COSTS $ 10,000.00 SUBTOTAL $ 27,430.00 TOTAL $ 1,132,345.76
900 BRISTOL CTY. RET. FUND/PENSION 106 EXPENSE $ 2,096,087.00 TOTAL $ 2,096,087.00
913 UNEMPLOYMENT COMPENSATION FUND 107 EXPENSE $ 20,000.00 TOTAL $ 20,000.00
951 SOIL CONSERVATION 108 EXPENSE $ 164.00 TOTAL $ 164.00 TOTAL OF ARTICLE #5 $ 36,626,096.21
ARTICLE 6: VOTED: That the Town vote to authorize the Board of Selectmen to accept and to enter into contracts for the expenditure of any funds allotted or to be allotted by the Commonwealth of Massachusetts and/or the County of Bristol for the construction, reconstruction and improvement of Town roads, bikeways and waterways. - Unanimous vote.
ARTICLE 7: VOTED: That the Town vote to appropriate the sum of $7,480,000.00 to meet the expense of the insurance needs of the Town of Swansea and its employees and that said sum be raised by direct taxation. - Unanimous vote. ARTICLE 8: VOTED: That the Town vote to appropriate the sum of $46,000.00 to meet the expense of the annual audit and that said sum be raised by direct taxation. - Unanimous vote.
ARTICLE 9: VOTED: That the Town vote to appropriate the sum of $10,000.00 to meet the Town’s expenses for Tax Title purposes and that said sum be raised by direct taxation. - Unanimous vote.
ARTICLE 10: VOTED: That the Town vote to authorize the Board of Selectmen to renew and continue the use of the Revolving Fund Accounts for certain town departments, boards, committees, agencies or officers under - 12 -
Massachusetts General Laws Chapter 44, § 53E½, as illustrated in the table attached herein, or take any other action relative thereto. Unanimous vote.
Section 2-387 (§ 20-11) REVOLVING FUND TABLE
(A) (B) (C) (D) (E) (F) (G) Revolving Department, Fees, Program or Restrictions Other Fiscal Year Fund Board, Charges or Activity or Conditions Requirements/ Committee, Other Expenses on Expenses Reports Agency or Receipts Payable Payable from Officer Credited to from Fund Fund Authorized Fund to Spend from Fund Social Day Council on All receipts Social Day Disbursements COA may FY2021 and Care Aging and fees Care may not authorize subsequent Programs received by Program exceed disbursements years COA for $158,000.00 participation in fiscal year in Social Day Care programs Fire Alarm Fire All receipts Conduction Disbursements Board of FY2021 and Inspections Department and charges of fire alarm may not Selectmen may subsequent from inspections exceed authorize years conducting $35,000.00 in disbursements fire alarm fiscal year; inspections 2021 Boat Ramp Harbormaster Boat ramp Functions Disbursements Board of FY2021 and fees and may not Selectmen may subsequent maintenance exceed authorize years of John B. $12,000.00 in disbursements Heywood fiscal year Boat Ramp Shellfish Police All receipts Operation of Disbursements Chief of Police FY2021 and Department and charges the shellfish may not may authorize subsequent from the program exceed disbursements years shellfish $40,000.00 in program fiscal year
ARTICLE 11: VOTED: Mr. Moderator, I move that the Town vote to appropriate the sum of $20,000.00 to meet the expense of the Medicaid Reimbursement Account and that said sum be raised by direct taxation. - Unanimous vote.
ARTICLE 12: VOTED: That the Town vote to appropriate the sum of $124,762.00 to meet the expense of purchasing three (3) police cruisers with equipment including radios and that said sum to be raised by direct taxation. I further
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move that the Town vote to authorize the Board of Selectmen to trade in or otherwise dispose of three (3) used police cruisers. - Unanimous vote.
ARTICLE 13: VOTED: That the Town vote to appropriate the sum of $45,000.00 to meet the expense of providing for the cyclical revaluation, certification, and other consulting services, of all real and personal property located within the Town of Swansea and that said sum be raised by direct taxation. - Majority vote.
ARTICLE 14: VOTED: That the Town vote, pursuant to Massachusetts General Laws Chapter 44 Section 53F ½ to appropriate the following sums to operate the Solid Waste Enterprise: Hazardous Waste Collection Day $ 40,000.00 Expense $ 1,284,350.00 Salaries $ 8,500.00 Total $ 1,332,850.00 and further that the Town vote $1,332,850.00 be expended from the Solid Waste Enterprise Fund Receipts Account, including the transfer in the sum of $107,520 to be transferred from the Solid Waste Enterprise Fund Retained Earnings Account. - Unanimous vote.
ARTICLE 15: VOTED: That the Town vote to appropriate or reserve from the Community Preservation Fund annual revenues, the amounts recommended by the Community Preservation Committee for administrative expenses, community preservation projects, payment of debt service and other expenses to be incurred in Fiscal Year 2020 with each item to be considered a separate appropriation.
Proposed Fiscal Year 2020 Community Preservation Budget Appropriations Purpose Recommended Amount Community Preservation Administrative Expenses: $17,044.00 Community Housing Reserve: $34,088.12 Historic Resources Reserve: $34,088.12 Payment of Debt Service on Herbert Baker / Raymond Wood Farm Open Space Purchase: $106,000.00 Fiscal Year 2020 Annual Budgeted Reserve: $149,660.96 - Unanimous vote.
ARTICLE 16: VOTED: That the Town vote to appropriate the sum of $51,540.00 from the Historic Resources Reserve of the Community Preservation Fund to fund the restoration of the interior of the Historic Martin House at 22 Stoney Hill Road. - Unanimous vote.
ARTICLE 17: VOTED: That the Town vote to appropriate the sum of $225,000 from the Community Housing Reserve of the Community Preservation Fund to fund the replacement of electrical panels for the Swansea Housing Authority, for buildings located at 100 Gardner Neck Road, and to include labor, equipment, and costs incidental thereto. - Unanimous vote.
ARTICLE 18: VOTED: That the Town vote to appropriate the sum of $90,000 to install a Geographic Information System and a Geographic Positioning System for the Swansea Fire Department, to increase operational efficiency and firefighter safety, and that said sum be transferred from certified free cash. - Unanimous vote.
ARTICLE 19: VOTED: That the Town vote to appropriate the sum of $30,000 to purchase and install Building Permitting Software, including equipment and related technology, and that said sum be raised from direct taxation. - Majority vote.
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ARTICLE 20: VOTED: That the Town vote to appropriate the sum of $50,000 for the purchase and equipping of a pick-up truck and plow for the Swansea Highway Department, and that said sum be raised from direct taxation. - Majority vote.
ARTICLE 21: VOTED: That the Town vote to amend Article #33 from the Annual Town Meeting Warrant held on May 18, 2015, to expand the scope of the original article and allow the Highway Department to purchase a Snow Pusher Attachment and for the costs of extraordinary maintenance for the loader, and to fund these costs through the funds remaining in this Article, in the amount of $15,273.33. - Unanimous vote.
ARTICLE 22: VOTED: That the Town vote to appropriate the sum of $17,000 for the Swansea Highway Department, and other Town Boards and Committees, to purchase a large-scale format printer, also known as a Plotter, and to include the necessary technology and equipment to update and improve town mapping systems, and to provide for the update of the current Geographic Information System, and that said sum be raised from direct taxation. - Unanimous vote.
ARTICLE 23: VOTED: That the Town vote to appropriate the sum of $13,547 for the Swansea Parks Department to purchase attachments for the Kubota tractor, including a Backhoe Attachment and a Loader Attachment, and that said sum be raised from direct taxation. - Unanimous vote.
ARTICLE 24: VOTED: That the Town vote to appropriate the sum of $55,000 for the purpose of meeting the permitting requirements for the National Pollution Discharge Elimination System, and to include all of the requirements to meet the Stormwater Management Permitting Requirements and Program, and to meet the requirements of the Illicit Discharge Detection and Elimination Plan, and to fund the engineering and consulting services for this purpose, and to purchase a Geographic Positioning Sub-meter Survey system and all related equipment, software, and technology, and further to perform extraordinary maintenance and storm management improvements at detention ponds and structures, and that said sum be raised from direct taxation. - Unanimous vote.
ARTICLE 25: VOTED: That the Town vote to appropriate the sum of $115,000 for the purpose of replacing the furnace at the Swansea Library, and to perform extraordinary maintenance and replacement of existing HVAC equipment, and that said sum be transferred from a previously approved article, account number; 01-210-59- 52028, ‘Repairs to Police Station HVAC System’, as voted at the Annual Town Meeting held on May 15, 2017. - Unanimous vote.
ARTICLE 26: VOTED: That the Town vote to appropriate the sum of $75,000 to make extraordinary repairs to the HVAC system at the Swansea Council on Aging / Community Center, and for the costs of engineering services, construction documents, and bid preparation for the evaluation of and/or the replacement of the existing HVAC system or related components, and that said sum be raised from direct taxation. - Unanimous vote.
ARTICLE 27: VOTED: That the Town vote to appropriate the sum of $2,500 to meet the expenses of purchasing a ‘vaccine’ refrigerator for the Swansea Board of Health and the Town Nursing Program, and that said sum be raised from direct taxation. - Unanimous vote.
ARTICLE 28: VOTED: That the Town vote to (i) accept the “payments in lieu of taxes” agreement, pursuant to M.G.L. c. 59, section 38H (b), or any other enabling authority, for real and/or personal property taxes with the owner of a renewable energy facility installed and located at or about 788 Wood Street, and shown on Assessor’s Map as parcel Map 7, Lot 13, and as Personal Property Account Number 200054, as written and agreed to on such terms and conditions, and for such term of years, as determined by the Board of Selectmen as being in the best interests of the Town, and (ii) to take any actions necessary or convenient to accomplish the foregoing and to implement and administer such agreement. - 15 -
- Unanimous vote.
ARTICLE 29: VOTED: Mr. Moderator, I move that the Town vote to (i) accept the “payments in lieu of taxes” agreement, pursuant to M.G.L. c. 59, section 38H (b), or any other enabling authority, for real and/or personal property taxes with the owner of a renewable energy facility installed and located at or about 1788 GAR Highway, and shown on Assessor’s Map as parcel Map 38, Lot 16, and as Personal Property Account Number 200053, as written and agreed to on such terms and conditions, and for such term of years, as determined by the Board of Selectmen as being in the best interests of the Town, and (ii) to take any actions necessary or convenient to accomplish the foregoing and to implement and administer such agreement. - Unanimous vote.
ARTICLE 30: VOTED: That the Town vote to appropriate the sum of $99,000 to purchase a parcel of land consisting of 41,527 square feet +/- of land depicted on Assessor’s Map 72, Lot 3, as set forth in the exhibit on file with the Warrant at the Office of the Town Clerk, and to purchase an easement on land depicted on Assessor’s Map 8, Lot 3-B, and attached herein, for the purpose of Town Hall and Library parking, Village Park parking, and for future Library expansion or any other municipal purpose, and to authorize said purchases by the Board of Selectmen, and further to authorize the Board of Selectmen to take any and all actions necessary or convenient to finalize the said purchases and to effectuate all necessary instruments to transfer said purchases of property and property interests, and that said sum be raised from direct taxation. - Unanimous vote.
ARTICLE 31: VOTED: That the Town vote to appropriate the sum of $50,000 to make improvements and to extend the parking layout for the Town Hall, Library, and Village Park parking area, and to fund the costs for engineering, drainage structures, labor and materials, and any related physical improvements, and that said sum be raised from direct taxation. - Unanimous vote.
ARTICLE 32: VOTED: That the Town vote to appropriate the sum of $1,310,000 for the purchase of a parcel of land consisting of 33 +/- acres and as depicted on Assessor’s Map 7, Lot 7, attached herein, and as set forth in the exhibit on file with the Warrant at the Office of the Town Clerk, for the future use as a school expansion project, or any other municipal purpose, and to authorize said purchase by the Board of Selectmen, and further to authorize the Board of Selectmen to take any and all actions necessary or convenient to finalize said purchase and to effectuate all necessary instruments to transfer and acquire said property, and that said sum be transferred from certified free cash. 9:16 PM Following discussion on this article, Moderator Burke announced that because this is a land purchase, it will require a ⅔'s vote and based on the debate, a ballot vote will be taken. Moderator Burke called for the Ballot Collectors and for the Police to close all doors. Moderator Burke stated Ballot #6 will be used; if anyone is in favor of the article, use the Ballot #6 - YES; if anyone is opposed to the article, use the Ballot #6 - NO; if any other ballot is used, it will not be counted. Again, Moderator Burke stated that if anyone leaves before there is a ballot count, they will not be able to re-enter. Total voters present: 430. Total votes cast was 422 - 1 ballot was eliminated because it was submitted incorrectly. Moderator Burke stated 280 votes would be needed for a ⅔'s vote: YES - 365 NO - 56. - Declared 2/3 Majority vote - article passes.
ARTICLE 33: VOTED: That the Town vote to petition the General Court to increase the quota of liquor licenses by adding an additional six (6) non-transferrable All Alcohol - To Be Drunk on Premise licenses, for the purpose of creating targeted economic development and redevelopment opportunities, said licenses to be issued only along Route 6 from Gardner Neck Road to Milton Reiser Road, and from Route 6 and Route 118 in a northerly direction 3,900 feet +/- to the northerly most point of the Swansea Mall, so called, and to declare this area as the “Swansea Mall Redevelopment Area”, and to further authorize the Board of Selectmen to take any and all actions necessary or convenient to submit this petition as authorized by this vote, and further that a petition to the General Court, accompanied by a bill for a special law relating to the Town of Swansea to be filed with an attested copy of - 16 -
this order be, and hereby is, approved under Clause (1) of Section 8 of Article 2, as amended, of the Amendments to the Constitution of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, to the end that legislation be adopted precisely as follows:
AN ACT AUTHORIZING THE TOWN OF SWANSEA TO GRANT ADDITIONAL ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGE LICENSES
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court assembled, and by the authority of the same, as follows. A motion was made to waive the reading of the Special Act, Sections 1 through Section 8. SECTION 1. Notwithstanding the numerical limitations for such licenses that are imposed upon the Town of Swansea pursuant to Section 17 of Chapter 138 of the General Laws, the Swansea licensing authority may grant up to six (6) additional licenses for the sale of all alcoholic beverages to be drunk on the premises under Section 12 of said Chapter 138. SECTION 2. The additional Section 12 licenses that are allowed pursuant to this Act may be granted by the Swansea licensing authority only to persons, corporations, organizations, and entities located on the property known as and comprising the “Swansea Mall Redevelopment Area”; this property being identified as the area located on the northerly and southerly parcels along Route 6 from the westerly boundary of Gardner Neck Road to the westerly boundary of Milton Reiser Road, as contained in the Town of Swansea Zoning Map, Business B District, and from Route 6 and Route 118 in a northerly direction 3,900 feet +/- to the northerly most point of the Swansea Mall, so called, as contained in the Town of Swansea Zoning Map, Business B District. SECTION 3. Any additional Section 12 license that is allowed pursuant to this Act and is granted hereunder by the Swansea licensing authority shall not be transferable to any other person, corporation, or organization for a period of five (5) years from the date of original issuance or five (5) years from the enactment of this Act, whichever is later. Nor may any such license be transferred in violation of Section 2 of this Act. Any transfer in violation of Sections 2 or 3 of this Act shall render said license null and void. SECTION 4. Notwithstanding Sections 12 and 77 of Chapter 138 of the General Laws, the Swansea licensing authority may restrict the grant of such licenses to holders of common victualer licenses. SECTION 5. Whenever an additional Section 12 license that is allowed pursuant to this Act and is granted hereunder by the Swansea licensing authority is subsequently revoked by said licensing authority or determined by said licensing authority to no longer be in use at the location of original issuance, then said license shall be returned physically, with all of the legal rights and privileges pertaining thereto, to said licensing authority. SECTION 6. No additional Section 12 license that is allowed pursuant to this Act may be granted hereunder by the Swansea licensing authority unless the applicant files with said licensing authority both a letter from the Department of Revenue and a letter from the Division of Unemployment Assistance indicating that the applicant is in good standing with those entities and that all applicable taxes, fees, and contributions have been paid. SECTION 7. Except as otherwise provided in this Act, the additional Section 12 licenses that are allowed hereunder shall be subject to all provisions, restrictions and requirements of said Chapter 138. SECTION 8. This Act shall take effect upon its passage.
VOTED: That the General Court may make clerical or editorial changes of form only to the bill, unless the Board of Selectmen approves substantive amendments to the bill before enactment by the General Court. The Board of Selectmen is hereby authorized to approve such substantive amendments, provided that they are within the scope of the general public objectives of this petition, or take any other action in relation thereto. - Majority vote.
ARTICLE 34: VOTED: That the Town vote pursuant to the provisions of M.G.L. c. 121B, sec. 4, as amended, to establish a Redevelopment Authority, and to establish the need for a Redevelopment Authority; and further to determine that there exists in the Town decadent, substandard, or blighted open areas which constitute a serious and growing menace, injurious and inimical to the safety, health, morals and welfare of residents, and that the menace of such decadent, substandard or blighted open areas is beyond remedy and control solely by regulatory process in the exercise of the police power and cannot be dealt with effectively by ordinary operations of private enterprise; and further determine that a Redevelopment Authority is needed for the acquisition, planning, clearance, conservation, rehabilitation or rebuilding of such decadent, substandard and blighted open areas for residential, governmental, recreational, educational, hospital, business, commercial, industrial, or other purposes; and further that there be organized and established in the Town a Redevelopment Authority pursuant to the provisions of M.G.L. c. 121B, sec. 4, as amended. - Majority vote.
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ARTICLE 35: VOTED: That the Town vote to appropriate the sum of $50,000 to establish an Urban Renewal Plan, and to provide for any related consulting services for the Redevelopment Authority, and that said sum be raised from direct taxation. - Unanimous vote.
ARTICLE 36: VOTED: That the Town vote to appropriate the sum of $13,000 to meet the expenses for operational ‘start- up’ costs and for costs associated with the first year of operating the new ‘Waterfront Revitalization Beach House’, and that said sum be raised from direct taxation. - Majority vote.
ARTICLE 37: VOTED: That the Town vote to appropriate the sum of $2,500 to meet the expenses for the ‘2019 Holiday in the Village Celebration’, and that said sum be raised from direct taxation. - Unanimous vote.
ARTICLE 38: VOTED: That the Town vote to appropriate the sum of $400,000 for the continued funding of town reserve accounts, by adding $200,000 to the Stabilization Fund and by adding $200,000 into the Capital Stabilization Fund, and that said sum be raised from direct taxation. - Unanimous vote.
9:28 PM - Point of Order - Nancy Martin Bernier, 494 Sharps Lot Road - stated that having voted in favor of Article 32, she moved to reconsider Article 32. Moderator Burke asked to see Ms. Bernier's ballot to verify her vote; it was verified that she voted on the prevailing side. Moderator Burke stated there is a motion on the floor to reconsider Article 32. A second was received. Moderator Burke explained to reconsider an article, it is a simple majority vote; if the vote passes, we will go back to Article 32, have discussion and revote the article. If it does not pass, we will move on to the next article. Moderator Burke stated that within our bylaws, there is a provision to reconsider; it is very clear; anyone has one hour from the time the vote is taken to call for a reconsideration of that vote. Discussion ensued on the motion to reconsider. A voice vote was taken. - Motion was defeated by a Majority vote.
ARTICLE 39: VOTED: That the Town vote to appropriate the sum of $200,000 for the Other Post Employment Benefits Liability Trust Fund, and that said sum be raised from direct taxation. - Unanimous vote.
At this time, Moderator Burke announced he had a perceived conflict of interest with Articles 40 and 41, so he asked for a Motion to appoint a Temporary Moderator. VOTED: That the Town appoint a temporary Moderator, Mrs. Susan Taveira of 909 Bark Street, Swansea, for the purpose of acting on Articles 40 and 41. - Unanimous vote. Ms. Taveira was sworn in by the Town Clerk.
ARTICLE 40: VOTED: That the Town vote to amend the Town of Swansea Zoning Map by rezoning a parcel of land situated at 358 GAR Highway, and depicted on the Assessor’s Map as parcel - Map 63, Lot 5, to expand the Business B District beyond 500 feet from the centerline of GAR Highway to a southerly point, as further depicted on the attached herein. - Declared 2/3 Majority vote - article passes.
ARTICLE 41: VOTED: that the Town vote to amend the Town of Swansea Zoning Map by rezoning a parcel of land depicted on Assessor’s Map as parcel – Map 64, Lot 6, to expand the Business B District 550 feet from the centerline of GAR Highway beyond the existing Business B District an additional 50 feet, as further depicted on the attached herein. - Article is indefinitely postpone by Majority vote.
(FY 2020 Enterprise Funds: $1,332,850.00) (FY 2020 Community Preservation Funds: $617,420.00)
TOTAL APPROPRIATIONS BY DIRECT TAXATION: $45,409,405.00
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A motion was made and seconded to adjourn the Annual Town Meeting at 9:51 PM. - Unanimous vote.
SPECIAL TOWN MEETING May 20, 2019
The Special Town Meeting held in and for the Town of Swansea, MA on May 20, 2019, was held in accordance with the General Laws of Massachusetts and the By-Laws of the Town of Swansea, with the rules of the meeting further governed by Town Meeting Time and Robert's Rules of Order, the Warrant and the Advisory & Finance Board recommendations duly posted, a quorum present, and all procedural requirements being met.
The meeting held at the Joseph Case High School, 70 School Street, Swansea, MA was called to order by the Moderator Paul C. Burke at 7:00 PM. At the opening of the meeting, there were 235 voters present.
A motion was made and seconded to waive the reading of the warrant. - Unanimous vote.
ARTICLE 1: VOTED: That the Town vote to appropriate the sum of $306.28 to meet the expenses of prior year bills, including $119.95 for Schecter Electric, Inc., and for $186.33 for KP Law, P.C., and that said sum be transferred from certified free cash. - Unanimous vote.
ARTICLE 2: VOTED: That the Town vote to appropriate the sum of $8,500 for the purpose of performing extraordinary repairs to the plumbing and flooring at the Council on Aging / Community Center Building, and for costs of the maintenance and repairs for interior damage, and that said sum be transferred from certified free cash. - Majority vote.
ARTICLE 3: VOTED: That the Town vote to appropriate the sum of $7,500 for the purpose of performing extraordinary repairs to the Swansea Animal Shelter, including for the costs of upgrading flooring, animal enclosures, plumbing, and HVAC repairs, and that said sum be transferred from certified free cash. - Unanimous vote.
ARTICLE 4: VOTED: That the Town vote to appropriate the sum of $35,000, pursuant to Chapter 44, Section 53F ½, to meet the operating expense of the FY – 2019 Solid Waste Enterprise Fund, and that said sum be transferred from the Solid Waste Enterprise Fund Retained Earnings account. - Unanimous vote.
ARTICLE 5: VOTED: That the Town vote to appropriate the sum of $15,000 to meet the expenses for tree removals and maintenance, and that said sum be transferred from certified free cash. - Unanimous vote.
ARTICLE 6: VOTED: That the Town vote to appropriate the sum of $7,500 to perform a site conditions survey, including but not limited to geotechnical evaluations, percolation tests, storm-water assessment, boundary survey, topography delineation, soils analysis, landscape architecture, and other site services for the Milford Pond Dam, and that said sum be transferred from certified free cash. - Unanimous vote. ARTICLE 7: VOTED: That the Town vote to accept Massachusetts General Laws, Chapter 44, Section 53F ¾, to establish a special revenue fund known as the Public Educational and Governmental (PEG) Access and Cable Related Fund, to reserve cable franchise fees and other cable-related revenues for appropriation to support PEG access services, and oversight and renewal of the cable franchise agreement, to begin operation for Fiscal Year 2020, beginning on July 1, 2019, and to further authorize the Swansea Cable Access Committee to expend and appropriate such funds for Fiscal Year 2020.
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- Unanimous vote.
ARTICLE 8: VOTED: That the Town vote to amend Article 32 of the FY – 2019 Annual Town Meeting, to include for the codification of Traffic Regulations, Wetlands Regulations, and other such regulations, and further to appropriate the sum of $3,500 to meet the additional expenses for performing the continued review and codification of the Town’s existing General By-Laws, Swansea Zoning By-Laws, and Town Regulations, and that said sum be transferred from certified free cash. - Unanimous vote.
A motion was made and seconded to adjourn the Special Town Meeting at 7:16 PM.
SPECIAL TOWN MEETING November 18, 2019 The Special Town Meeting held in and for the Town of Swansea, MA on November 18, 2019, was held in accordance with the General Laws of Massachusetts and the By-Laws of the Town of Swansea, with the rules of the meeting further governed by Town Meeting Time and Robert's Rules of Order, the Warrant and the Advisory & Finance Board recommendations duly posted, a quorum present, and all procedural requirements being met.
The meeting held at the Joseph Case High School, 70 School Street, Swansea, MA was called to order by the Moderator Paul C. Burke at 7:00 PM. with 277 voters present.
A motion was made and seconded to waive the reading of the warrant. - Unanimous vote.
Moderator Burke asked all to stand for the Pledge of Allegiance. Selectmen Chair Steven H. Kitchin called for a moment of silence for all those have served Swansea and in foreign wars who have perished.
7:10 PM
Moderator Burke stated everyone should have received a copy of the warrant and the attachments; and the ballots which are green for tonight's meeting. Moderator Burke explained the rules and procedures of the meeting and then read the Guest List; voters present: 333
ARTICLE 1: VOTED: That the Town vote to amend the Zoning Bylaw, for the purpose of creating a Swansea Mall Redevelopment Overlay District, by adding “Except where otherwise specifically and expressly provided in the Zoning Bylaw,” to the beginning of the fourth sentence of Section 4, such that it reads:
“Except where otherwise specifically and expressly provided in the Zoning Bylaw, in all districts only one principal use is authorized per lot.”
And further, to amend the Zoning Bylaw by adding the following definition to Subsection 4.1.1:
Multifamily Residential Development – A development consisting of one or more multi-dwelling unit residential buildings. Dwelling units in such buildings shall be accessed by interior common hallways. Such buildings may include management offices and integrated podium parking. Recreational facilities may not be included in any such development, whether as part of a residential building or as a separate facility appurtenant thereto.
And further, by amending the Zoning Bylaw by adding a Subsection 9.1 (B) (4) as follows:
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4. Multifamily residential developments.
And further, to amend the Zoning Bylaw by adding a new Section 19 as follows:
Section 19 Swansea Mall Redevelopment Overlay District 19.1 Purpose of District The purpose of the Swansea Mall Redevelopment Overlay District is:
A. To provide an opportunity for residential and mixed-use development within a distinctive, attractive and livable environment in the Town of Swansea. B. To promote development and redevelopment in the Town that is pedestrian friendly. C. To ensure high quality site planning, architecture, and landscape design that enhances the distinct visual character and identity of the Town and provides an environment with safety, convenience and amenity. D. To promote efficient use of land and existing parking supply and limit expansion within the district by encouraging shared parking. E. To encourage adoption of energy efficient building practices and sustainable construction methods.
19.2 Applicability The Swansea Mall Redevelopment Overlay District is an overlay district that is superimposed on the underlying zoning districts of the Town, and the boundaries of which the Overlay District are shown on the official Swansea Zoning Map. The zoning of all underlying districts shall remain in effect and shall not be impacted or modified by this Section 19.0 or the existence of said Overlay District.
19.3 Additional Uses The following principal uses shall be allowed as of right in the Swansea Mall Redevelopment Overlay District, in addition to the as of right and permitted uses of the underlying zoning districts as provided in the Table of Principal and Accessory Uses in Section 4.0:
A. Multifamily Residential Development.
19.3.1 Multiple Principal Uses Multiple principal uses may occur on the same lot within the Swansea Mall Redevelopment Overlay District; provided that only one principal use may occur within or at any given building or structure.
19.4 Dimensional Requirements The dimensional requirements of Subsection 5.1 for the relevant underlying zoning district shall apply in the Swansea Mall Redevelopment Overlay District, except as follows:
A. Multifamily residential developments may contain multiple buildings, provided that the following limitations are not exceeded for any given development: 1. Buildings may not be taller than 60 feet; 2. Buildings may not have more than 4 stories, excluding a ground floor parking podium; 3. Buildings may not contain more than 72 dwelling units; and 4. The development may not contain more than 2.3 units per acre of the total land area, both developed and undeveloped, of the Assessor’s lots that comprise the development.
19.5 Parking Requirements The requirements of Section 6 shall apply in the Swansea Mall Redevelopment Overlay District, except as follows:
A. Notwithstanding Subsection 6.1.3(C), the parking space ratio for multifamily residential developments in the Swansea Mall Redevelopment Overlay District shall be 1.75 per dwelling unit.
B. The provisions of Subsection 6.2(A) and Subsection 6.2(B) shall not apply to multifamily residential developments in the Swansea Mall Redevelopment Overlay District.
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And further, to amend the Zoning Map by creating a Swansea Mall Redevelopment Overlay District, comprised of those portions of the Business B District and the Rural Residential District consisting of Lots 1 & 15 of current Assessor’s Map 7, as set forth in the exhibit on file with the Warrant at the Office of the Town Clerk.
Speaking on article: John Vasconcellos - 746 Old Warren Road Richard J. Ryan - 205 Pinehurst Avenue James C. Davol, Jr. - 502 Old Fall River Road Sarah Carslon - 1205 Gardner Neck Road Evan Colbert - 19 Logan Avenue
7:36 PM - Moderator Burke stated this article requires a 2/3's vote to pass. Mr. Burke called for a voice vote and declared it a 2/3's majority vote in favor. At this time, a challenge to the voice vote was received by several registered voters. Moderator Burke stated this would now go to a ballot vote. Mr. Burke explained the procedure for a ballot vote. The count of voters as of 7:30 PM was 346. Moderator Burke called for Ballot # 1 to be used. A "yes" ballot was in favor; a "no" ballot was against.
Moderator Burke announced the Ballot Collectors: Anita McGee, Susan Hajder, Donald Morrissette and Michael Donais.
Ballot (#1) - Total Ballots case: 342. Votes cast: YES – 267; NO – 75 (228 required votes to pass). Moderator Burke declared the vote carried by a 2/3's majority. - 2/3's Majority vote - article passes.
8:00 PM
ARTICLE 2: VOTED: That the Town vote to raise, appropriate, or transfer a sum of $9,000.00 to meet the expenses related to the required update of an actuarial report as required by the Governmental Accounting Standards Board, Statement Number 74/75, and that said sum be transferred from Certified Free Cash. - Unanimous vote.
ARTICLE 3: VOTED: That the Town vote to accept the gift of an addition to the Animal Control Facility, 68 Stevens Road. - Unanimous vote.
ARTICLE 4: VOTED: That the Town vote to raise, appropriate, or transfer a sum of $60,000.00 to meet the expenses related to replacing and/or repairing the roof and windows at the Animal Control Facility, and to provide for extraordinary maintenance for the building envelope, mechanical systems, and interior improvements, and further, to provide for any unforeseen costs with the site work or linking of the new construction with the existing facility, by adding these funds to account # 01-512-59-52004, and said sum be raised through Direct Taxation. - Unanimous vote.
ARTICLE 5: VOTED: That the Town vote to raise, appropriate or transfer a sum of $40,000.00 to account # 01-610-59-52211 for the purpose of adding additional funding for the replacement of the furnace at the Swansea Library, to allow for a combined HVAC system and to perform extraordinary maintenance and replacement of existing HVAC equipment, and that said sum be transferred from Certified Free Cash. - Unanimous vote.
ARTICLE 6: VOTED: That the Town vote to raise, appropriate, or transfer a sum of $1,250,000.00 to meet the expenses related to the replacement of the Town Hall roof, and any related repairs, and to take any other such steps necessary for the waterproofing of the building envelope, and to provide for the costs associated with engineering, bidding, contract administration, and construction management, and to perform any other - 22 - improvements deemed necessary for completion of this project, and that said sum be raised by Direct Taxation.
Speaking on article: John Vasconcellos - 746 Old Warren Road - Majority vote.
ARTICLE 7: VOTED: That the Town vote to raise, appropriate, or transfer a sum of $60,000.00 to meet the expenses related to the replacement of the roof at Fire Station #4, and any related repairs, and to take any other such steps necessary for the waterproofing of the building envelope, and to provide for the costs associated with engineering, bidding, contract administration, and construction management, and to perform any other improvements deemed necessary for completion of this project, and that said sum be transferred from Certified Free Cash. - Unanimous vote.
ARTICLE 8: VOTED: That the Town vote to raise, appropriate, or transfer a sum of $70,000.00 to meet the expenses related to the replacement of the ‘rear cradle boom mower’ for the Swansea Highway Department, and that said sum be transferred from Certified Free Cash. - Unanimous vote.
8:15 PM
ARTICLE 9: VOTED: That the Town vote to authorize the Board of Selectmen to utilize existing funds in account #01-122-59-51197, ‘Nuisance Properties’, so called, to include for the use of these funds for the costs associated with the failure of septic systems.
Speaking on article: John Vasconcellos - 746 Old Warren Road - Majority vote. RTICLE 10: VOTED: That the Town vote to raise, appropriate, or transfer a sum of $16,000.00 from the Historic Resources Reserve of the Community Preservation Fund to fund the repairs and replacement for the gutters for the Swansea Library, and that said sum be transferred from the Historic Resource Fund of the Community Preservation Fund. - Unanimous vote.
ARTICLE 11: VOTED: That the Town vote to raise, appropriate, or transfer a sum of $20,000.00 to account # 28-170-59-5926 from the Historic Resources Reserve of the Community Preservation Fund to supplement previously approved funds for the replacement of the roof at the Luther Museum with a historically appropriate material. This request is being made by the Swansea Historical Society. - Unanimous vote.
ARTICLE 12: VOTED: That the Town vote to raise, appropriate, or transfer a sum of $27,000.00 to meet the expenses related to upgrading the Assessing Software, and to provide for the costs related to the implementation, including any licensing, data conversion, and training costs, and that said sum be transferred from Certified Free Cash. - Unanimous vote.
ARTICLE 13: VOTED: That the Town vote to raise, appropriate, or transfer a sum of $20,000.00 to meet the expenses related to the surveying, site work, and extraordinary maintenance for public access to the waterways, and that said sum be transferred from Certified Free Cash. - Unanimous vote.
ARTICLE 14: VOTED: That the Town vote to raise, appropriate, or transfer a sum of $25,000.00 to meet the - 23 - expenses of creating a Recreational Master Plan for Veteran’s Memorial Park, and that said sum be transferred from Certified Free Cash. - Unanimous vote.
ARTICLE 15: VOTED: That the Town vote to accept the action of the Board of Selectmen in laying out the Maia Way Subdivision, as further depicted upon the plan attached to the warrant and filed with the Town Clerk. - Unanimous vote.
ARTICLE 16: VOTED: That the Town vote to accept the action of the Board of Selectmen in laying out the Idlewoods Estates Subdivision; including Idlewoods Drive, Brito Circle, and Darling Court, as further depicted upon the plan attached to the warrant and filed with the Town Clerk. - Unanimous vote.
A motion was made and seconded to adjourn the Special Town Meeting at 8:24 PM.
Annual Town Election April 8, 2019 The Annual Town Election was held on April 8, 2019 at the Joseph Case High School, 70 School St., Swansea, MA with five polling places opening at twelve noon with the following results:
There were Two-Hundred Eighty-Two voters checked in at the polls by precinct:
PREC. PREC. PREC. PREC. PREC. 1 2 3 4 5 TOTAL 66 59 49 57 51 282
SELECTMAN - Three Years (Vote for One) BLANKS 11 8 8 13 11 51 DEREK W. HEIM 54 49 40 44 39 226 WRITE-INS 1 2 1 0 1 5 T O T A L S 66 59 49 57 51 282
TREASURER / TAX COLLECTOR - Three Years (Vote for One) BLANKS 11 10 11 11 8 51 ELIZABETH B. LEONARDO 55 49 38 46 43 231 WRITE-INS 0 0 0 0 0 0 T O T A L S 66 59 49 57 51 282
ASSESSOR OF TAXES - Three Years (Vote for One) BLANKS 16 14 13 11 12 66 THOMAS M. SILVIA 50 44 36 45 38 213 WRITE-INS 0 1 0 1 1 3 T O T A L S 66 59 49 57 51 282
SCHOOL COMMITTEE - Three Years (Vote for ONE) BLANKS 16 10 16 9 13 64 SCOTT ROWLAND 50 49 32 48 38 217 WRITE-INS 0 0 1 0 0 1 T O T A L S 66 59 49 57 51 282
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TRUSTEE OF PUBLIC LIBRARY - Three Year (Vote for not more than TWO) BLANKS 37 19 31 31 29 147 JOANN H. JOHNSON 49 51 35 43 37 215 SUSAN T. McMULLEN 45 48 32 40 36 201 WRITE-INS 1 0 0 0 0 1 T O T A L S 132 118 98 114 102 564
COMMUNITY PRESERVATION COMMITTEE - Three Year (Vote for ONE) BLANKS 14 7 11 12 13 57 ROBERT F. SILVEIRA 51 52 38 45 38 224 WRITE-INS 1 0 0 0 0 1 T O T A L S 66 59 49 57 51 282
CONSTABLE - Three Years (Vote for not more than SIX) BLANKS 258 215 178 215 186 1052 CHRISTOPHER R. CARREIRO 43 47 37 33 36 196 ROBERT K. FURTADO 44 41 37 42 35 199 JORDAN J. KHOURY 39 39 31 37 32 178 MATTHEW BEANE 2 4 3 4 5 18 SUSAN E. TAVEIRA 2 4 3 5 5 19 JONATHAN FURTADO 5 1 2 5 3 16 WRITE-INS 3 3 3 1 4 14 T O T A L S 396 354 294 342 306 1692
HOUSING AUTHORITY - Five Years (Vote for One) BLANKS 22 12 13 12 14 73 RONALD R. SILVIA 44 47 35 45 37 208 WRITE-INS 0 0 1 0 0 1 T O T A L S 66 59 49 57 51 282
HOUSING AUTHORITY - One Year (Vote for One) BLANKS 23 9 11 12 17 72 MATTHEW BEANE 42 50 38 45 34 209 WRITE-INS 1 0 0 0 0 1 T O T A L S 66 59 49 57 51 282
PARK COMMISSION - Five Years (Vote for One) BLANKS 16 10 13 12 13 64 STEPHEN R. PURDY 50 48 36 45 38 217 WRITE-INS 0 1 0 0 0 1 T O T A L S 66 59 49 57 51 282
PARK COMMISSION - Three Years (Vote for One) BLANKS 7 2 5 4 4 22 ALBERT D. DIAS 48 30 31 31 33 173 JORDAN J. KHOURY 11 27 13 22 14 87 WRITE-INS 0 0 0 0 0 0 T O T A L S 66 59 49 57 51 282
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PLANNING BOARD - Five Years (Vote for One) BLANKS 19 13 14 12 15 73 JAMES M. HANLEY 47 45 35 45 36 208 WRITE-INS 0 1 0 0 0 1 T O T A L S 66 59 49 57 51 282
ANNUAL REPORT OF THE TOWN ACCOUNTANT
The government-wide financial statements are designed to provide readers with a broad overview of the Town’s finances, in a manner similar to a private-sector business. Both of the government-wide financial statements distinguish functions of the Town that are principally supported by taxes and intergovernmental revenues from other functions that are intended to recover all or a significant portion of their costs through user fees and charges (business-type activities). Governmental activities include general government, public safety, education, public works, health and human services, culture and recreation, and debt service – interest. Business-type activities include solid waste operations.
A fund is a grouping of related accounts that is used to maintain control over resources that have been segregated for specific activities or objectives. The Town, like other state and local governments, uses fund accounting to ensure and demonstrate compliance with finance-related legal requirements. All of the funds can be divided into the following categories.
1. Governmental Funds 2. Proprietary Funds 3. Fiduciary Funds
Governmental Fund financial statements focus on near-term inflows and outflows of expendable resources, as well as on balances of expendable resources available at the end of the fiscal year. Such information may be useful in evaluating a government’s near-term financing requirements. The changes in fund balances provide a reconciliation to facilitate the comparison between governmental funds and governmental activities.
The Town maintains two types of proprietary funds.
The Enterprise funds are used to report the same functions presented as business-type activities in the government-wide financial statements. The Town uses an enterprise fund to account for its solid waste operations, which is considered to be a major fund.
Internal service funds are an accounting device used to accumulate and allocate costs internally among the Town’s various functions. In the past, the town was self-insured and used an internal service fund to account for its employees’ health insurance.
Fiduciary funds are used to account for resources held for the benefit of parties outside the government. Fiduciary funds are not reflected in the government-wide financial statements because the resources of these funds are not available to support the Town’s programs.
Financial Highlights
The assets of the Town exceeded its liabilities at the close of the fiscal year by $10,727,974 (net position). The Town’s total net position increased by $4,595,916. At the end of the fiscal year, unassigned fund balance for the general fund totaled $13,132,346 or 24.9% of total general fund revenues and transfers in. The Town’s total bonded debt decreased $938,309 during the fiscal year; no new debt was issued during the fiscal year.
General Fund Budgetary Highlights The original general fund budget of $46,107,940 increased $42,306 (0.1%) during the fiscal year. The following table summarizes the increase: - 26 -
Purpose of Increase Amount Funding Source
Tree Removals 15,000 Unassigned fund balance COA Community Center 8,500 Unassigned fund balance Swansea Animal Shelter 7,500 Unassigned fund balance Milford Pond Dam 7,500 Unassigned fund balance Regulations Codification 3,500 Unassigned fund balance Unpaid Bills 306 Unassigned fund balance
Total Increase $ 42,306
During the year, revenues and transfers exceeded budgetary estimates while expenditures and encumbrances and continuing appropriations were less than budgetary estimates, resulting in a positive budget to actual variance of $3,717,951.
Capital Assets
The Town’s investment in capital assets for its governmental activities at the end of the fiscal year totaled $32,336,483 (net of accumulated depreciation). This investment in capital assets includes land, construction in progress, land improvements, buildings and improvements, machinery, equipment and vehicles, and infrastructure. The investment in capital assets for the current fiscal year increased 11.6%.
Major capital asset events that occurred during the current fiscal year include:
Road construction and infrastructure projects ($222,000) Waterfront Revitalization ($1,956,000) Brown School project ($732,000)
Long-Term Debt
At the end of the current fiscal year, total bonded debt outstanding was $6,984,459.
2019 2018 General Obligation Bonds $6,853,181 $7,774,192 MCWT notes 131,278 148,576
Total bonds and notes $6,984,459 $7,922,768
The town’s total bonded debt decreased $938,309 during the current fiscal year. No new long-term debt was issued during the fiscal year.
The following Financial Statements are provided for your information;
-Statement of Net Position -Statement of Activities -Balance Sheet Governmental Funds -Statement of Revenues, Expenditures and Changes in Fund Balance -Statement of Net Position- Enterprise -Statement of Revenues, Expenditures and changes in Fund balance Budget and Actual
Respectfully Submitted, Tracy Jo Anderson Town Accountant - 27 -
STATEMENT OF NET POSITION June 30, 2019
Primary Government Governmental Business-type ASSETS Activities Activities Total Current assets: Cash and cash equivalents$ 20,508,154 $ 594,358 $ 21,102,512 Restricted cash and cash equivalents 18,269,207 - 18,269,207 Receivables, net of allowance for uncollectible amounts: Real estate and personal property taxes 1,049,184 - 1,049,184 Tax & Trash liens 3,019,918 24,686 3,044,604 Motor vehicle and other excise taxes 248,536 - 248,536 User charges - 157,940 157,940 Intergovernmental 591,260 - 426,048
Total current assets 43,686,259 776,984 44,463,243
Noncurrent assets: Restricted cash and cash equivalents 142,494 - 142,494 Receivables, net of allowance for uncollectible amounts: Real estate tax deferrals 30,226 - 30,226 Tax Foreclosures - - - Capital assets not being depreciated 7,130,330 - 7,130,330 Capital assets, net of accumulated depreciation 25,206,153 - 25,206,153 Total noncurrent assets 32,509,203 - 32,509,203 Total assets 76,195,462 776,984 76,972,446
DEFERRED OUTFLOWS OF RESOURCES Related to OPEB 7,468,514 7,468,514 Related to pension 3,574,175 3,574,175 Total Deferred Outflows of resources 11,042,689 - 11,042,689
LIABILITIES Current liabilities: Warrants payable 756,007 119,585 875,592 Accrued payroll 1,982,504 698 1,983,202 Tax refunds payable 1,195,266 - 1,195,266 Other liabilities 52,751 - 52,751 Accrued interest 75,525 - 75,525 Compensated absences 81,444 - 81,444 Net OPEB Liability 1,099,919 1,099,919 Short-Term Notes Payable 700,000 700,000 Long-term bonds and notes payable 933,660 - 933,660
Total current liabilities 6,877,076 120,283 6,997,359
Noncurrent liabilities: Compensated Absences 732,994 - 732,994 Net OPEB Liability 61,473,635 61,473,635 Net Pension Liability 17,938,404 - 17,938,404 Long-term bonds and notes payble 6,050,799 - 6,050,799
Total noncurrent liabilities 86,195,832 - 86,195,832 Total liabilities 93,072,908 120,283 93,193,191
DEFERRED INFLOWS OF RESOURCES Related To OPEB 5,319,776 5,319,776 Related To Pension 230,142 230,142
Total Deferred Inflows of Resources 5,549,918 5,549,918
NET POSITION Net Investment in Capital Assets 25,766,435 - 25,766,435 Restricted for: Community preservation 1,564,365 - 1,564,365 Debt service 142,494 - 142,494 Permanent funds: Expendable 870,641 - 870,641 Nonexpendable 8,815,872 - 8,815,872 Other specific purposes 5,281,377 - 5,281,377 Unrestricted (53,825,859) 656,701 (53,169,158)
Total net position$- 28 (11,384,675) - $ 656,701 $ (10,727,974)
STATEMENT OF ACTIVITIES FOR THE FISCAL YEAR ENDED JUNE 30, 2019
Program Revenues
Operating Capital Net Charges for Grants and Grants and (Expense)/ Functions/Programs Expenses Services Contributions Contributions Revenue Primary government: Governmental activities: General government$ 2,950,701 $ 247,981 $ 599,041 $ - $ (2,103,679) Public safety 8,148,462 620,892 94,650 - (7,432,920) Education 40,316,740 1,001,784 16,425,624 - (22,889,332) Public Works 2,081,241 101,485 12,157 1,959,859 (7,740) Health and human services 1,744,930 299,345 287,462 - (1,158,123) Culture and recreation 1,027,258 316,151 32,995 - (678,112) Debt service - interest 195,175 - - - (195,175)
Total governmental activities 56,464,507 2,587,638 17,451,929 1,959,859 (34,465,081)
Business-type activities: Solid Waste 1,293,390 1,321,936 11,000 - 39,546
Total primary government$ 57,757,897 $ 3,909,574 $ 17,462,929 $ 1,959,859 $ (34,425,535)
Primary Government
Governmental Business-type Activities Activities Total Changes in net position: Net (expense)/revenue (from above)$ (34,465,081) $ 39,546 $ (34,425,535)
General revenues: Real estate and personal property taxes 33,865,074 - 33,865,074 Motor vehicle and other excise taxes 2,644,577 - 2,644,577 Penalties and interest on taxes 217,869 - 217,869 Payments in Lieu of Taxes - - - Grants and contributions not restricted to - specific programs 2,125,701 - 2,125,701 Unrestricted investment income 168,230 - 168,230 Transfers, Net - - -
Total general revenues and transfers 39,021,451 - 39,021,451
Change in net position 4,556,370 39,546 4,595,916
Net position - beginning of year (15,941,045) 617,155 (15,323,890)
Net position - end of year$ (11,384,675) $ 656,701 $ (10,727,974)
- 29 -
GOVERNMENTAL FUNDS BALANCE SHEET JUNE 30, 2019
Waterfront Nonmajor Total Community Joseph Case Reviitalization Brown School Governmental Governmental ASSETS General Preservation Trust Project Project Funds Funds
Cash and cash equivalents$ 20,507,103 $ - $ - $ $ $$ 20,507,103 Receivables, net of allowance for uncollectible amounts:$ - Real estate and personal property taxes 1,049,184 - - - - -$ 1,049,184 Real estate tax deferrals 30,226 - - - - -$ 30,226 T ax lien s 3,019,918 - - - - -$ 3,019,918 Motor vehicle and other excise taxes 248,536 - - - - -$ 248,536 Community Preservation surcharges - - - - -$ - Intergovernmental 131,416 - 459,844 $ 591,260 Tax foreclosures - $ - Restricted assets:$ - Cash and cash equivalents 142,494 1,564,365 8,188,784 689,144 791,255 7,035,659 $ 18,411,701
TOTAL ASSETS$ 25,128,877 $ 1,564,365 $ 8,188,784 $ 689,144 $ 791,255 $ 7,495,503 $ 43,857,928
LIABILITIES , DEFERRED INFLOWS OF RES OURCES AND FUND BALANCES
LIAB ILIT IE S : Warrants payable$ 530,651 $ - $ - $ - $ - $ 225,356 $ 756,007 Accrued payroll 1,914,379 - - - 68,125 $ 1,982,504 Tax refunds payable 1,195,266 - - - - - $ 1,195,266 Short-Term Notes payable 700,000 Oth er liab ilities 52,751 - - - - - $ 52,751 TOTAL LIABILITIES 3,693,047 - - 700,000 293,481 $ 4,686,528 $ - DEFERRED INFLOWS OF RESOURCES - - $ - Unavilable Revenue 4,152,836 - $ 4,152,836 $ - FUND BALANCES : $ - Nonspendable - - 8,162,100 - 653,772 $ 8,815,872 Restricted 142,494 1,564,365 26,684 689,144 91,255 6,548,250 $ 9,062,192 Committed 3,465,037 - - - - -$ 3,465,037 Assigned 543,117 - - - - -$ 543,117 Unassigned 13,132,346 - - - $ 13,132,346 $ - TOTAL FUND BALANCES 17,282,994 1,564,365 8,188,784 689,144 91,255 7,202,022 $ 35,018,564
TOTAL LIABILITIES AND FUND BALANCES$ 25,128,877 $ 1,564,365 $ 8,188,784 $ 689,144 $ 791,255 $ 7,495,503 $ 43,857,928
- 30 -
GOVERNMENTAL FUNDS STATEMENT OF REVENUES, EXPENDITURES AND CHANGES IN FUND BALANCES FOR THE FISCAL YEAR ENDED JUNE 30, 2019
Waterfront Nonmajor Total Community Joseph Case Revitilization Brown School Governmental Governmental General Preservation Trust Project Project Funds Funds REVENUES Real estate and personal property taxes$ 33,134,700 $ - $ - $ - $ - $ - $ 33,134,700 Motor vehicle and other excise taxes 2,664,961 - - - - -$ 2,664,961 Tax liens 226,204 - - - - -$ 226,204 Payments in lieu of Taxes - $ - Community preservation surcharges - 328,895 - - -$ 328,895 Charges for services - - - - - 1,222,214 $ 1,222,214 Intergovernmental 15,299,008 60,893 - - 551,343 3,883,706 $ 19,794,950 Penalties and interest on taxes 216,744 1,125 - - - -$ 217,869 Licenses and permits 484,339 - - - - -$ 484,339 Fines and forfeitures 59,249 - - - -$ 59,249 Departmental and other 554,683 - - - - 429,967 $ 984,650 Contributions - - - - - 14,455 $ 14,455 Investment income 168,230 - 1,196,441 - - 41,536 $ 1,406,207
TOTAL REVENUES 52,808,118 390,913 1,196,441 - 551,343 5,591,878 60,538,693
EXPENDITURES Current: General government 1,747,149 84,942 - - - 174,743 2,006,834 Public safety 5,058,826 - - - - 246,061 5,304,887 Education 27,980,608 - 1,252,642 - 731,594 2,581,037 32,545,881 Public works 1,521,060 - - 956,280 - 1,982,875 4,460,215 Health and human services 980,797 - - - - 256,086 1,236,883 Culture and recreation 468,838 - - - - 257,702 726,540 Pension benefits 1,894,351 - - - - - 1,894,351 Employee benefits 6,507,954 - - - - - 6,507,954 Property and liability insurance 448,494 - - - - - 448,494 State and county charges 751,800 - - - - - 751,800 Debt service: - Principal 832,298 100,000 - - - - 932,298 Interest 200,043 9,000 - - - - 209,043
TOTAL EXPENDITURES 48,392,218 193,942 1,252,642 956,280 731,594 5,498,504 57,025,180
EXCESS (DEFICIENCY) OF REVENUES OVER EXPENDITURES 4,415,900 196,971 (56,201) (956,280) (180,251) 93,374 3,513,513
OTHER FINANCING SOURCES (USES) Premium from Issuance of Bonds & Notes - - Proceeds of refunding bonds (current) ------Transfers In 18,056 - - - 700,000 - 718,056 Transfers Out (700,000) - - - - (18,056) (718,056) Payments to refunding Bond Escrow Agent ------TOTAL OTHER FINANCING SOURCES (USES) (681,944) - - - 700,000 (18,056) -
NET CHANGE IN FUND BALANCES 3,733,956 196,971 (56,201) (956,280) 519,749 75,318 3,513,513
FUND BALANCES AT BEGINNING OF YEAR 13,549,038 1,367,394 8,244,985 1,645,424 (428,494) 7,126,704 31,505,051
FUND BALANCES AT END OF YEAR$ 17,282,994 $ 1,564,365 $ 8,188,784 $ 689,144 $ 91,255 $ 7,202,022 $ 35,018,564
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PROPRIETARY FUNDS STATEMENT OF FUND NET POSITION JUNE 30, 2019
Business-Type Acitivities - Governmental Enterprise Fund Acitivities- Internal ASSETS Solid Waste Service Fund Current assets: Cash and cash equivalents$ 594,358 $ 1,051 Receivables, net of allowance for uncollectible amounts: Trash liens 24,686 User charges 157,940 -
Total assets 776,984 1,051
LIABILITIES Current Liabilities: Warrants payable 119,585 - Accrued Payroll 698 -
Total liabilities 120,283 -
FUND NET POSITION Unrestricted$ 656,701 $ 1,051
- 32 -
GENERAL FUND SCHEDULE OF REVENUES, EXPENDITURES AND CHANGES IN FUND BALANCE BUDGET AND ACTUAL FOR THE FISCAL YEAR ENDED JUNE 30, 2019
Prior Year Current Year Actual and Encumbrances Supplemental Encumbrances Encumbrances Variance and Continuing Original Appropriations Final and Continuing and Continuing Positive / Appropriations Budget and Transfers Budget Actual Appropriations Appropriations (Negative) REVENUES Real estate and personal property taxes$ - $ 32,883,633 $ - $ 32,883,633 $ 32,641,207 $ - $ 32,641,207 $ (242,426) Motor vehicle and other excise taxes - 1,467,277 - 1,467,277 2,664,961 - 2,664,961 1,197,684 Tax liens - - - - 226,204 - 226,204 226,204 Payment in Lieu of Taxes - - - Intergovernmental - 10,357,905 - 10,357,905 10,441,335 - 10,441,335 83,430 Penalties and interest on taxes - 103,000 - 103,000 216,744 - 216,744 113,744 Licenses and permits 201,000 201,000 484,339 - 484,339 283,339 Fines and forfeitures - 17,500 - 17,500 59,249 - 59,249 41,749 Departmental and other 102,000 102,000 554,683 - 554,683 452,683 Investment income - 14,000 - 14,000 139,551 - 139,551 125,551 TOTAL REVENUES - 45,146,315 - 45,146,315 47,428,273 - 47,428,273 2,281,958 EXPENDITURES Current: General government 885,800 1,840,295 (28,463) 2,697,632 1,747,149 824,294 2,571,443 126,189 Public safety 371,650 5,161,518 7,000 5,540,168 5,058,826 258,861 5,317,687 222,481 Education 815,830 23,004,610 - 23,820,440 23,122,935 475,007 23,597,942 222,498 Public works 171,384 2,136,314 37,500 2,345,198 1,521,060 792,194 2,313,254 31,944 Health and human services 24,327 1,142,098 46,079 1,212,504 980,797 210,207 1,191,004 21,500 Culture and recreation 41,399 512,549 9,765 563,713 468,838 47,591 516,429 47,284 Pension benefits - 1,929,697 (29,575) 1,900,122 1,894,351 - 1,894,351 5,771 Employee benefits - 7,151,506 - 7,151,506 6,507,954 - 6,507,954 643,552 Property and liability insurance - 448,494 - 448,494 448,494 - 448,494 - State and county charges - 739,518 - 739,518 751,800 - 751,800 (12,282) Debt service: - - - Principal - 832,298 - 832,298 832,298 - 832,298 - Interest - 309,043 - 309,043 200,043 - 200,043 109,000
TOTAL EXPENDITURES 2,310,390 45,207,940 42,306 47,560,636 43,534,545 2,608,154 46,142,699 1,417,937 EXCESS (DEFICIENCY) OF REVENUES OVER EXPENDITURES (2,310,390) (61,625) (42,306) (2,414,321) 3,893,728 (2,608,154) 1,285,574 3,699,895
OTHER FINANCING SOURCES (USES) Transfers in - - - - 18,056 - 18,056 18,056 Premium from issuance of Bonds & Notes - - - Transfers out - (900,000) - (900,000) (900,000) - (900,000) TOTAL OTHER FINANCING SOURCES (USES) - (900,000) - (900,000) (881,944) - (881,944) 18,056 NET CHANGE IN FUND BALANCE (2,310,390) (961,625) (42,306) (3,314,321) 3,011,784 (2,608,154) 403,630 3,717,951
FUND BALANCE AT BEGINNING OF YEAR 12,943,204 12,943,204 12,943,204 12,943,204 12,943,204 - 12,943,204 - FUND BALANCE AT END OF YEAR $ 10,632,814 $ 11,981,579 $ 12,900,898 $ 9,628,883 $ 15,954,988 $ (2,608,154) $ 13,346,834 $ 3,717,951
APPOINTMENTS
ADVISORY AND FINANCE COMMITTEE TERM ROBERT ALFORD II MEMBER 5/16/2021 MARK BROOKS MEMBER 5/16/2022 SARAH CARLSON MEMBER 5/16/2022 DOUGLAS FIORE MEMBER 5/16/2022 CHRISTOPHER HOWARD MEMBER 5/16/2022 RICHARD LOOKER MEMBER 6/15/2020 JASON OLLERHEAD MEMBER 5/17/2021 MICHELE PAUL MEMBER 5/16/2022 JOHN SALZILLO MEMBER 5/17/2021 ROBERT SPARROW MEMBER 5/17/2021 THOMAS TRIPP MEMBER 6/15/2020
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AMERICAN WITH DISABILITIES ACT ERIC HAJDER MEMBER 6/30/2020 BRUCE SUTHERLAND JR COORDINATOR 6/30/2020
BEACH COMMITTEE TIM HALEY MEMBER 6/30/2020 JAMES HETHERSON MEMBER 6/30/2020 BERNADETTE HUCK MEMBER 6/30/2020 CAROLE HYLAND MEMBER 6/30/2020 GEORGE JENKINSON MEMBER 6/30/2020 FRANCES KELLEY MEMBER 6/30/2020 MICHAEL KELLEY MEMBER 6/30/2020
BOARD OF HEALTH SETH BAKER TOBACCO CONTROL DIRECTOR 6/30/2020 BRIAN BARBOZA ALTERNATE 6/30/2021 JAMES CARVALHO CHAIRPERSON 6/30/2020 DEREK HEIM MEMBER 6/30/2022 ROBERT MARQUIS MEMBER 6/30/2021 JOYCE MOORE MEMBER 6/30/2020 ARLAN THOMAS ALTERNATE 6/30/2022
BUILDING DEPARTMENT PAUL BOUCHER ALTERNATE 6/30/2020 TIMOTHY CABRAL SR ALTERNATE ELEC. INSP. 6/30/2020 BRIAN CLARK PLUMBING & GAS INSPECTOR 6/30/2020 MARC LAPOINTE ALTERNATE 6/30/2020 EDWARD MAJEWSKI PLUMBING & GAS INSPECTOR 6/30/2020 J. MICHAEL MEDEIROS WIRING INSPECTOR 6/30/2020
CEMETERY RECORDS CLERK BETTY ENOS COSTA EMPLOYEE 6/30/2020 SUSAN TAVEIRA EMPLOYEE 6/30/2020
CHIEF PROCUREMENT OFFICER JOHN MCAULIFFE DEPARTMENT HEAD 6/30/2020
CITIZENS FOR CITIZENS JAMIE BEANE MEMBER 6/30/2020
COMMUNITY PRESERVATION COMMITTEE TIMOTHY CABRAL SR MEMBER 4/13/2021
COMMUNITY RESPONSE COORDINATOR ERIC HAJDER MEMBER 6/30/2020
CONSERVATION COMMISSION CHARLES ASHLEY CHAIRPERSON 6/30/2021 RICHARD FINLAW MEMBER 6/30/2022 ROBERT HUMPHREYS MEMBER 6/30/2020 - 34 -
ROBERT LEMOI CLERK 6/30/2022 JOHN MARTELLY CO‐CHAIR 6/30/2022
CONSTABLES JOSEPH LATIMER 6/30/2020 DANIEL LOWNEY 6/30/2020 ANDREW MARTELLY 6/20/2020 SHERRY PARE ACTING 6/30/2020 ROLAND RICHARD 6/30/2020 HERVE VANDAL JR 6/30/2020
COUNCIL ON AGING CYNTHIA FURTADO MEMBER 6/30/2021 MARITA GRAY BOARD MEMBER 6/30/2022 BERNADETTE HUCK MEMBER 6/30/2022 WANDA PELOQUIN MEMBER 6/30/2021 MARGARET RILEY MEMBER 6/30/2020 MARY ANNE TUTTLE MEMBER 6/30/2020
CULTURAL COUNCIL ALBERTINA BELL MEMBER 10/30/2022 DEBORAH FIORE MEMBER 10/30/2022 JO ANN JOHNSON MEMBER 10/30/2021 KIMBERLY ODONOGHUE MEMBER 10/10/2022 CHARLENE ORTON MEMBER 10/30/2021 MARYBETH RODRIGUEZ MEMBER 10/30/2021 JENNIFER SALPIETRO MEMBER 10/30/2022
EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT AGENCY GEORGE ARRUDA MEMBER 6/30/2020 JOSEPH BOUTIN MEMBER 6/30/2020 PETER BURKE MEMBER 6/30/2020 NANCY CORDEIRO MEMBER 6/30/2020 ERIC HAJDER MEMBER 6/30/2020 GARY HUNTRESS MEMBER 6/30/2020 FRANK MCLEOD MEMBER 6/30/2020 MICHAEL MEDEIROS MEMBER 6/30/2020 ANTONE MIRANDA MEMBER 6/30/2020 CARL SAWEJKO MEMBER 6/30/2020 JEFFREY SAWEJKO MEMBER 6/30/2020 RICHARD SMITH MEMBER 6/30/2020 ANTONE SOUZA III MEMBER 6/30/2020
FAIR HOUSING COMMITTEE BERNADETTE HUCK MEMBER 6/30/2020 CAROLE HYLAND MEMBER 6/30/2020
HARBOR ADVISORY COMMITTEE HENRY ELLIOTT MEMBER 6/30/2020 LORRAINE MORTON MEMBER 6/30/2020 NANCY PAQUIN MEMBER 6/30/2020 MICHAEL RAPOZA MEMBER 6/30/2020 JOHN VENTURINI MEMBER 6/30/2020
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HARBORMASTER HARRY DEISS ASSISTANT 6/30/2020 GUY STEWART ASSISTANT 6/30/2020
HISTORICAL & CULTURAL ASSETS COMMITTEE RONALD ANDRADE MEMBER 6/30/2020 CARL BECKER MEMBER 6/30/2020 CHERYL BOGLE CHAIRPERSON 6/30/2020 COLLEEN BROWN MEMBER 6/30/2020 RAYMOND LYNCH MEMBER 6/30/2021 PATRICIA REDFEARN MEMBER 6/30/2022 BRANDON TRAVERS MEMBER 6/30/2021
KEEPER OF THE LOCK UP GEORGE ARRUDA MEMBER 6/30/2020
PERSONNEL BOARD KAREN HETHERSON MEMBER 6/30/2020 RUSSELL MALONE MEMBER 6/30/2020 JANICE REGO MEMBER 6/30/2020
PUBLIC ACCESS OVERSIGHT COMMITTEE CHRISTOPHER CARREIRO MEMBER 6/30/2020 ERIC HAJDER MEMBER 6/30/2020 DEBORAH KELLEY MEMBER 6/30/2020 FRANCES KELLEY MEMBER 6/30/2020 LAURIE PIMENTEL MEMBER 6/30/2020
RECREATION COMMISSION CHRISTINE CESTODIO MEMBER 7/1/2022 AMY HUBBARD MEMBER 6/30/2020 JOSE MOTA JR MEMBER 6/30/2020 BECKY ROSEN MEMBER 6/30/2020 CHAD ROSEN MEMBER 6/30/2020
REGISTRARS JACQUELYN BATES MEMBER 3/1/2022 JEAN BOLTON MEMBER 4/10/2021 THEODORA GABRIEL MEMBER 3/1/2021
SEALER OF WEIGHTS & MEASURES RAYMOND WHITE 6/30/2020
SELECTMEN'S OFFICE JANET HELLEY PARKING CLERK 6/30/2020 MADELEINE LOPES MINUTES CLERK 6/30/2020 JORDAN REMY ASSISTANT PARKING CLERK 6/30/2020
SHELLFISH WARDEN DONALD DIBIASIO DEPUTY 6/30/2020 THOMAS EATON DEPUTY 6/30/2020 SHANE MELLO WARDEN 6/30/2020 JOHN SOUZA DEPUTY 6/30/2020 KYLE STONE DEPUTY 6/30/2020
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SOLID WASTE/HAZARDOUS WASTE COMMITTEE TRACY JO ANDERSON MEMBER 6/30/2020 WILLIAM ANDERSON MEMBER 6/30/2020 COLLEEN BROWN MEMBER 6/30/2020 PETER BURKE MEMBER 6/30/2020 ERIC HAJDER MEMBER 6/30/2020 NUNO JORGE MEMBER 6/30/2020 JOHN MCAULIFFE MEMBER 6/30/2020 GAYLE SIRCELLO MEMBER 6/30/2020
SOUTHEASTERN REGIONAL TRANSIT AUTHORITY BERNADETTE HUCK MEMBER 6/30/2020
SRPEDD GEORGE HOVORKA MEMBER 5/22/2021
SWANSEA POLICE DEPARTMENT ROBERT FURTADO RESERVE 6/30/2020 ASHLEY LEVESQUE DISPATCHER 6/30/2020 RICHARD LOOKER RESERVE OFFICER 6/30/2020 DANIEL LOWNEY RESERVE OFFICER 6/30/2020 JENNIFER OTERO RESERVE OFFICER 6/30/2020 ANDREW PELLETIER RESERVE OFFICER 6/30/2020 GREGORY RYAN RESERVE OFFICER 6/30/2020 RICHARD TOWNSON RESERVE 6/30/2020 CARL WINDLE RESERVE 6/30/2020
SWANSEA REDEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY CHRISTOPHER HAJDER MEMBER 4/12/2021 MICHAEL MOORE VICE‐CHAIR 4/12/2021 SUSAN NEDAR SECRETARY 4/12/2021 PAUL TRELOAR CHAIRPERSON 10/7/2022 GINA WEYLAND MEMBER 4/12/2021
TOWN PROPERTIES COMMITTEE JOHN HANSEN JR MEMBER 6/30/2020 ELIZABETH LEONARDO MEMBER 6/30/2020 RUSSELL MALONE MEMBER 6/30/2020
VILLAGE PARK COMMISSION CARL BECKER MEMBER 6/30/2020 COLLEEN BROWN MEMBER 6/30/2020
ZONING BOARD OF APPEALS MICHAEL BACKUS JR CLERK 6/30/2020 PAUL GRILLO CO‐CHAIR 6/30/2021 CRAWFORD KIRKPATRICK CHAIRPERSON 6/30/2020 PAUL TRELOAR MEMBER 6/30/2022
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Swansea Beach Committee
Committee Members
Barry Hetherson, Chairman George Jenkinson Frances M. Kelley Carole Hyland Bernadette Huck Tim Haley Michael Kelley
As the revitalization construction got underway, the Beach Committee was faced with challenges and uncertainty in 2019. To accommodate the on-going construction of the bath house, the main entrance to the beach facility was, once again, located at the westerly end of the parking lot. Along with accommodating parking for fin fishermen and limited parking at the easterly end due to construction, Committee members were concerned with parking capacity as increased attendance was anticipated with the completion of the long-awaited dredge project. Members measured and mapped out existing capacity and concluded the lot could accommodate approximately 125 vehicles. Given the growing attendance at the facility over the years, the Committee drafted a “Lot Full Policy” to be prepared for instances when the lot may be full and patrons would arrive, some with season passes, and would not be able to enter. The Policy was shared with the Board of Selectmen, Town Administrator, and Swansea Police Department. Committee members were concerned that overflow vehicles would flood the neighborhood where parking is at a premium every day. The policy needed to be imposed on a couple of occasions without major difficulty.
With the ‘unofficial’ beach season beginning with beach clean-up activities in early May 2019, just as residents visiting the beach increased with the warmer spring weather. Gates to the facility are open daily no later than May 30th and parking fees are collected beginning in June with the release of school for the summer, in 2019, fee collection started on June 15th. Pre-season annual maintenance work included minor repairing of ramps leading to the beach (particularly the Accessibility Ramp), trimming of overgrowth along the beach parking lot, repairing and replacing signs, replacing most snow fencing, and returning picnic benches. The Swansea Highway Department was, once again, instrumental in taking care of these, and other, maintenance items on the beach. Also, the Swansea Harbor Master took care of the warning buoys off shore at the beach warning boaters of the restricted ‘Swim Area’. The invaluable support of Bristol County Sheriff’s Pre-Release Program once again provided preseason support in raking and bagging mounds of seaweed from the shoreline prior to opening, assisting with installing snow fencing, along with planting thousands of beach grass plants to control erosion.
The Committee maintained the same entrance fee schedule collecting $5.00 per week day admission, $8.00 per day on weekends while season passes remained at $15 for residents and $35 for non-residents. Opening on June 15th and planning to be open through Labor Day, Life Guards were on the beach only through August 15th with Guards having school commitments. Although the Committee has, at times struggled to keep staff on board through the Labor Day weekend, this is the first year such problems shortened the short beach season by 2 weeks. The Committee is working on strategies to address this issue for 2020.
Parking fees are not collected after Life Guard coverage stops but the beach gate remains open to residents during the day through the end of October. In late fall, access to the beach is shifted to the westerly entrance of the facility (the current temporary fin fisherman lot) by the Boat Ramp which allows access throughout the winter.
The beach was operational and staffed for 66 days and impacted by inclement weather closing the facility for some, or all of 11 days in 2019, eight less than 2018. Life Guard shortages have presented a challenge to the Committee for a number of years which many public swimming facilities face each year. Adequate Guards were employed in 2019 through Committee recruitment efforts. For the fourth straight year, the beach was not closed a single day by the Board of Health due to water quality issues. Water testing is overseen and managed by the Swansea Board of Health. Beaches in surrounding communities experienced long periods when swimming was restricted due to poor water quality. The beach operated 66 days which saw 4,469 cars entering the facility during business hours, a increase of 309 from 2018, even with only counting cars through mid-August. Operating hours for the beach are from 9:00 AM to 4:00 PM. Beach gates remain open until 8:30 PM and then closed by the Swansea Police Department. In 2019, 643 Season Passes were sold up 42 from 2018 with many from surrounding communities.
Most of the staff from 2018 returned for the 2019. Detailed ‘Daily Logs’ catalogue the day to day operation of the beach including incident reporting, police support, weather conditions, and a host of other information. These Logs guide the Committee’s work for planning purposes for the upcoming season. The Committee believes 2019 was another successful season.
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Board of Assessors
The following are elected members of the Board of Assessors: Wayne Gray, Chairman Thomas Silvia, Vice-Chairman Timothy Cabral, Secretary
Staff and office operations The Board of Assessors is located at the Assessor’s Department in Town Hall. The office is operated by Thomas Welch, MAA, Principal Assessor. Mr. Welch is an accredited assessor with the Massachusetts Association of Assessing Officials (MAAO). The office has two clerks to support the office operations. Doreen Martin is the Assistant Assessor in the office in charge of Motor Vehicle abatements, Real Estate abatements processing, Personal Exemptions, and other assessment duties. Elizabeth Medeiros is our part time Junior Clerk and assists with property deed entry, building permit entry, and general office duties to support operations.
Five Year Revaluation with Department of Revenue The town went through the final 3-year certification of values with the Department of Revenue (DOR) in 2017. The next certification period will be on a 5-year certification period in 2022. This process involves a rigorous review of all values to attain full and fair cash value for the town. It includes a field review of properties and a review of sales and income statistics to derive accurate values for the town. The process includes a public disclosure of all values so that appeals can be made if requested by property owners. The office is currently working on certification directives to meet DOR requirements and prepare for the next certification.
Data Collection The office is supported by consultants to collect building permit information through inspection every year. In addition, consultants also collect personal property information every year reviewing the state Form of List of business personal property submitted by local businesses. In addition to these inspections, Principal Assessor Thomas Welch, has implemented a sales inspection/questionnaire program to review new sales and complete an inspection on those returning the new Sales Questionnaire. He has also implemented a required cyclical inspection program to visit each property once every 10 years as required by DOR. He is completing a portion every year as well as consultants to accelerate the program with the goal to complete 600 inspections per year for 10 years. The number of inspections will be dependent on funding but will establish a system to complete these inspections both in-house and with consultants. This program was put into place to assist the office in determining qualified sales and developing annual values for the town. Mr. Welch completes these inspections along with abatement and various cyclical inspections every year. The inspection involves someone knocking on doors and attempting a full inspection if someone is home. If not, at a minimum full measurement on the exterior of the property will be performed. For calendar 2019 the town completed 1,127 inspections towards our 10-year cyclical inspection goal. 808 inspections were completed by consultants, and 305 were completed by the Assessor. This program was beyond the required 600 because the Department of Revenue indicated we were behind schedule to meet our 2022 certification goals. For 2020 the town will again complete a more aggressive schedule to meet this goal. The town utilizes Vision Appraisal 6.5.8 software to manage all the data in the CAMA system (Computer Assisted Mass Appraisal). This system contains all the real and personal property values and allows for manipulation of the data on an annual basis. The software was in the process of being updated in December 2019 as listed in last year’s annual report to Vision 8. This software should allow the Assessor’s office to continue to provide full and fair cash valuation for the town with the added feature of GIS in the software to complete abutter’s lists.
Commercial Valuation These values are developed by our consultant and reviewed with the Assessor every year to determine full and fair cash valuation. Annual review of land values and sales are done to make adjustments as needed. We also gather information annually from the Income and Expense forms sent to local business. These forms help form the basis for income valuation looking at how much income is being produced by the local business.
Value Generation Property values for the town are derived through the three approaches to value: Cost, Income, and Sales Approach. The residential class is valued by a process known as market adjusted cost approach combining an inspection when possible with an adjustment of the market and sales. Commercial and industrial class is valued by the income approach to value. Massachusetts assesses real property at 100% market value.
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Classification Hearing The hearing was held on November 20, 2018 to set the FY19 tax rate. The hearing resulted in a split tax rate of $14.06 residential, and $23.66 commercial. In addition, the Swansea Water District held a separate hearing on November 27, 2018 and set a FY19 tax rate of $1.45. The Board of Selectmen determined the residential factor and shifted the rate by 1.53 onto the commercial class. This is down from FY18 of 1.55 shift.
Abatement Reviews Property owners are allowed to appeal their taxable value every year during the abatement period per state law. The burden is on the taxpayer to prove their value is wrong and support it with data and evidence. This period runs the month of January and requires applications are received by the office by February 1st. There were 50 abatement applications for FY19 on 7,798 parcels. This is less than 1% of all parcels. These applications were reviewed by office staff and resolved as needed based on the evidence. A valuation discrepancy is resolved by inspection, reviewing the data and finding any errors that may or may not exist resulting in granting or denying the abatement application.
Town Assessment Summary The total for the town values are listed below. In addition, the new growth totals are included for reference. This refers to the total amount of additional revenue that the town can use beyond the normal 2.5% increase to the levy. Town Taxable Valuation FY2019 Real Property – $2,121,047,350 Personal Property – $65,236,633 Town Valuation – $2,186,283,983 Total Levy (FY19)- $33,810,010 New Growth (Tax dollars) Residential - $420,978 Commercial - $22,036 Personal Property $238,490 Total New Growth - $681,504
Personal Exemptions
There are several categories of exemption applications that residents can apply for to reduce taxes. These require an application process and to meet certain requirements related to income, assets, age and veteran disability etc. The town also offers a fire fighter, CPA (community preservation act), blind, and senior workoff program. The following were the total approved applications in FY19.
Type Number Approved Veteran 186 Senior 114 Blind 14 Deferral 0 CPA 131 Firefighter 36 Senior Workoff Program 23
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Board of Health Animal Control
In 2019 much was changed in the Swansea Board of Health, which consist of the Health Agent/Director, Town Nurse, and the Animal Control Officer, and one secretary for the department.
With the expected continuous growth of the town of Swansea, both in residential and commercial, the demands for our services in this department have increased greatly and the town continues to grow each year. We have asked Mr. Zackary Seabury, Agent, and Ms. Lynn Berube, Assistant to the Health Agent to take on additional duties, so that there is no holding up existing construction, new construction, as well as the many other duties this department deals with on a daily basis.
We are very fortunate to have Mr. Zackary Seabury as our Health Agent/Director, to enforce all Town Board of Health regulation. His dedication for the health department and the town has been greatly appreciated by this board. Ms. Berube’s efforts and total dedication to health department and to the residence of the Town of Swansea, has been sincerely acknowledged by this board.
During this year the office has taken complaints daily, which included septic complaints, housing complaints, restaurant complaints, pest control complaints and neighbor disputes. Each complaint was handled with care and respect of both parties in a timely manner with proper documentation. There have been multiple repairs and new constructions projects in the town, commercial and residential, which required plan reviews, inspections, and filings. The Health Department has also updated the Poultry Regulation and added a few new requirements for Title 5 septic systems. The Board of Health webpage has been updated with all regulations, applications and many recourses ranging from drug and alcohol rehabilitation to suicide prevention.
The board would like to thank Ms. Emily Lachance, Town Nurse for the hard work she completes with each day. This year, the town’s public health nurse took over 350 blood pressures, gave just under 800 flu shots, over 100 routine injections (such as B12 injections), and performed over 30 tests for tuberculosis. Over 300 communicable diseases were notified to the department, and disease reports were completed on any of those required by the state to help prevent any outbreaks. Numerous sharps containers were distributed and collected to decrease the number of used needles in the community. Community outreach was continued through participation in the Fire Department’s Safety Day, as well as the coordination of multiple blood drives and car seat check events. Emergency preparedness for public health emergencies was done in conjunction with the Bristol County Emergency Preparedness Coalition, Fire Department, Police Department, and Town Administration. Multiple conferences and trainings were also attended to further the nurse’s knowledge of current events in public health. The Board would also like to acknowledge the Animal Control Department which consists of Lisa White the full-time animal control officer/ inspector, Joan Stuart the assistant animal control officer /inspector, 2 on-call animal control officers/inspectors and all the volunteers at the Swansea Animal Shelter
The Animal Control responded to approximately 735 calls in Swansea and Somerset for the year. These calls consist of cruelty investigations, injured animals (domestic & wildlife) deceased animals, dogs running at large, stray dogs in custody, assisting emergency personnel, animal bites, issuing & releasing quarantines for quarantined animals state barn inspections and numerous types of animal complaint calls. These calls are responded to throughout the normal business day and after hours, as they are on call 24/7.
The shelter took in approximately 230 animals from Swansea and Somerset, to which 60 of those animals were returned to their owners. The remaining intakes consist of, 132 animals adopted to new homes, 23 transfers and 4 that were euthanized due to illness/aggression and 2 that died during hospital treatment. The shelter also transferred numerous injured or orphaned wildlife to rehabilitators. Beside the daily animal control duties, the Animal Control Officers also spend a significate amount of their time on animal/shelter care, adoptions, spending time with visitors and attending adoption events we are invited to throughout the surrounding communities.
The Department has worked fantastically with all other departments to make sure each resident receives the support and acknowledgement they are looking for and deserve.
It is in fact our goal to continue to provide the Town of Swansea as we to do each and every year with the best health, and safety measures that meet the Town of Swansea’s needs.
Respectfully Submitted, James Carvalho Board of Health Chairman - 41 -
BUILDING INSPECTOR’S REPORT
There were 722 building permits in 2019. These permits included:
58 New Residential Dwellings 29 Sheds/Barns 19 Signs 05 Demolitions 29 Pools 09 Garages/Car Ports 26 Decks/Porches 148 Roofing/Siding 84 Residential additions, renovations and alterations 81 Windows/Doors 00 New Commercial Buildings 46 Commercial additions, renovations and alterations 188 Miscellaneous permits (includes: Woodstove, Pellet Stoves, Tents, Sprinkler Heads, Fire Sprinkler System, Fire Alarms, Antennas on Existing Towers, Solar Roof Mounted, Solar Ground Mounted, Insulation/Weatherization, Air Sealing, Residential Storage Building, Roof Pavillion, Chicken Coop, Chicken Runs, 60x40 Metal Residential Building, Accessory Apartment, Replace Bulkhead and Install New Door, Gutters & Fascia Repairs, Remove Above Ground Pool and Deck, Chimney Repair, Temporary Mobile Homes, Steeple on top of Existing Structure, Replace Railings, Remove Shed, Fence Around Pool, Knee wall Foam Board, Replace concrete stairs with pressure wood, Window glazing, After the Fact Permit, Retaining Wall and Change of Use.
Approximate cost of construction for 2019 $ 20,144,979.05
Total Building Permit fees collected for 2019 $ 149,749.07
Certificates of places of assembly total 61 fees amounting $ 3,380.00
108 Occupancy Certificates were issued. Total fees collected $ 6,800.00
90 Sheet Metal Permits were issued. Total fees collected $ 10,466.76
Total Fees collected and turned over to Town Treasurer $ 170,395.83 Respectfully Submitted, Scott Barbato Building Commissioner/Zoning Enforcement Officer
ELECTRICAL INSPECTOR’S REPORT
J. Michael Medeiros, Electrical Inspector Alan Audet, Electrical Inspector Timothy Cabral, Electrical Inspector
There were 563 electrical permits issued in 2019. All work covered by these permits were inspected, corrected when necessary and approved when completed. These permits included: New Residential and Commercial Construction, New Services, Washers, Dryers, Electric Heating, Electric Water Heaters, Cable TV, Telephone, Burglar Alarms, Fire Alarms, Solar Ground and Roof Mounted and call back fees.
Fees collected and turned over to the Town Treasurer $ 58,452.26
Respectfully Submitted, J. Michael Medeiros Electrical Inspector - 42 -
PLUMBING INSPECTOR’S REPORT
Brian Clark, Plumbing Inspector Edward Majewski, Alternate Plumbing Inspector
There were 317 Plumbing Permits issued in 2019 for New Construction Residential and Commercial, Alterations for Residential and Commercial, Gas Water Heaters, septic pipes.
Inspections were conducted and installations were approved, except for those in progress.
Fees collected and turned over to the Town Treasurer: $ 36,113.00
Respectfully Submitted, Brian Clark Plumbing Inspector
GAS INSPECTOR’S REPORT Brian Clark, Gas Inspector Edward Majewski, Alternate Gas Inspector
There were 547 gas permits issued in 2019 for New Construction Residential and Commercial, Alterations for Residential and Commercial, Gas Hot Water Heaters and Boilers, Gas Roof Top Units.
Inspections were conducted and installations were approved except for those in progress.
Fees collected and turned over to the Town Treasurer: $ 37,925.00
Respectfully Submitted, Brian Clark Gas Inspector
CEMETERIES ANNUAL REPORT
The Town of Swansea has two town owned cemeteries under its jurisdiction, the Mount Hope Cemetery on Hortonville Road and Vinnicum Woods Cemetery on Vinnicum Road. The statistics for the two cemeteries are as follows:
Mount Hope Cemetery: Mount Hope Cemetery – footings: 15 Mount Hope Cemetery – interments/openings: 41 Mount Hope Cemetery – sale of cremations lots: 0 Mount Hope Cemetery - disinternment: 0
Mount Hope Cemetery Fees turned over to the Town: $ 7,850.00
Betty Enos Costa Mount Hope Cemetery Records Clerk
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Vinnicum Woods Cemetery: Vinnicum Woods Cemetery – footings: 14 Vinnicum Woods Cemetery – interments/openings: 15 Vinnicum Woods Cemetery – sale of lots: 25
Vinnicum Woods Cemetery Fees turned over to the Town: $ 19,590.00
Susan E. Taveira Vinnicum Woods Cemetery Records Clerk
COMMUNITY PRESERVATION
The Community Preservation Act, M.G.L. c 44B ( “the CPA” ) allows Massachusetts cities and towns to raise monies through a surcharge of up to 3% of the real estate tax levy on real property. These funds are to be used to acquire, create and preserve open space; and acquire and preserve historic resources; create, preserve and support community housing; and acquire, create and preserve land for recreational use. The Act also provides a significant state matching fund received from a portion of the transaction fee from the Registries of Deeds throughout the Commonwealth. In addition to Swansea, 134 other cities and towns across the state have adopted the CPA to date.
The Community Preservation Act was approved by Swansea voters at the May, 2008 Town Meeting and at the November 4, 2008 election. In Swansea, voters elected to fund the CPA account through a 1.5% surcharge on all real estate property tax bills with two exemptions: residential property owned and occupied by any person who qualifies for low-income housing, or low or moderate income senior housing. $100,000 of taxable value of residential real property.
Ten percent of the monies collected must be used or set aside for future use for each of the three purposes: open space, historical preservation and community housing. Five percent may be set aside for administrative expenses. The balance of 65% of the monies may be used or set aside for any or all of the three purposes.
The Community Preservation Committee Bylaw was adopted at Town Meeting at the August, 2008 Town Meeting and the Committee has been formed to administer the CPA. There are nine members of the Committee. Six of the members are appointed as representatives of their respective boards: Conservation Commission, Planning Board, Parks Commission, Housing Authority, Historical Commission and the Finance and Advisory Board. The other three members of the Committee are elected for three-year terms.
In FY 2019, receipts from the Town under the CPA were $328,895.51. The state match was $60,893 .00 for total receipts of $.389,788.51
During 2019, the members of the CPC have worked to prepare projects for funding. In 2012, the CPA was amended to allow project funding for recreational purposes, even if the land was not purchased with CPA funds.
CPA funded projects for 2019 included:
1. Replacement of recalled electrical panels at the Swansea Housing Authority Martin Court $225,000.00 using Affordable Housing Reserve Fund
2. Historically accurate restoration of interior of the Martin House Museum owned by the Colonial Dames of America at 22 Stoney Hill Rd. $51,540.00 from the Historic Reserve Fund
3. Replacement of gutters at the Swansea Public Library with historically accurate fixtures: $16,000 from the Historic Reserve Fund
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4. Additional funding of $20,000.00 for repair of the roof at the Luther Museum owned by the Swansea Historical Society from the Historic Reserve Fund.
The CPC will continue to work on projects which will seek funding in the future for preservation of the assets of our community.
I wish to thank the members of the Committee for their hard work and efforts in preserving Swansea’s future and I look forward to working with them in the future.
Colleen M. Brown Linda Lescault Robert Alford Historical Commission Conservation Commission Advisory and Finance CPC Chairman
Matthew Beane Joshua Robinson Robert Silveira Elected member Elected member Elected member
Ronald Silvia Swansea Housing Authority
SWANSEA CONSERVATION COMMISSION
During 2019, the Swansea Conservation Commission addressed the following projects:
NOTICES OF INTENT: 51 Septic repair: 10 Inground Pool : 0 SFD: 18 ANRAD/wetland Delineation 5 Demolition.: 1 Garage: 1 Seawall: 2 Addition: 1 Grading: 1 Pool: 1 Commercial: 3
CERTIFICATES OF COMPLIANCE: 33
REQUEST FOR EXTENSION: 1
ENFORCEMENT ORDERS: 23
REQUESTS FOR DETERMINATION: 0
The Commission conducted 88 public hearings and collected $15,202.00 in Notices of Intent fees. It also collected $75.00 for Requests for Determination fees which were turned over to the general fund.
In 2004, the Commission amended its rule and regulations, by adopting MG. Ch. 44 sec. 53G, which allowed the use of consultants by the Commission. These consultants, which work for the Town, are paid for by the proponents of the project.. $7640.00 was collected in 2019 for resource area delineation, design and construction review. This money is kept in separate accounts and any monies not used for the reviews are returned to the project proponent.
The Commission members and I attended several seminars, including sea level rise, recycling issues, construction in flood zones, solid waste disposal, review of DEP regulations and new stormwater regulations, municipal vulnerability plans, as well as several of the Massachusetts Association of Conservation Commission seminars for new members. .
The Commission worked with William Anderson, Director of Engineering and Highway Supervisor developing Swansea’s Stormwater Report, Notice of Intent and regulations, which is required by the EPA to report the Town’s efforts and accomplishments in attaining its goals defined in the Town of Swansea’s Notice of Intent for its NPDES stormwater permit.
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The Commission has continuing to revise the Open Space and Recreation Plan which is required by the state. The Open Space Committee has reached out to the Recreation Commission and Parks Department as well as other town committees and boards for input to the plan.
I wish to thank the members of the Swansea Conservation Commission, Charles Ashley, Chairman, Vice Chairman, Linda Lescault, clerk, Robert Lemoi, and members , John Martelly, Richard Finlaw and Robert Humphrey for their dedication and numerous hours of volunteered time serving the Town of Swansea protecting its wetlands and other natural resources. .
I also wish to give special thanks to our secretary, Colleen O’Brien Lemolin, and minutes clerks, Jennifer Howard, and Karen Lomas who served the Commission for the year so capably and dependably.
Respectfully submitted,
Colleen M. Brown Conservation Agent
COUNCIL ON AGING
I. INTRODUCTION The Swansea Council on Aging provides assistance to our senior population and their families. As senior advocates, our objective is to enhance the quality of life of our seniors to allow them to live (with dignity) as valued members of our community. Assistance is offered directly whenever possible. We are also trained to make referrals to a network of federal, state and local support services. By educating our seniors and providing them with access to the tools and information they need, we hope to keep them safe and avert crisis situations.
Informative seminars and educational workshops are offered on many topics, including personal safety, healthy living and planning for the future. Recreational activities, which can make a huge difference in the lives of those suffering from loneliness and/or depression are also offered to encourage a sense of community. Seniors living on fixed incomes struggle to make ends meet. Increased costs in utilities, groceries, skyrocketing health care and medication costs etc., bring many financial challenges to our seniors. Understanding these financial burdens allows us to focus and explore ways in which assistance can be provided while minimizing costs. Staff members are trained to identify public benefits and a variety of programs that may help offset some of these costs.
II. COUNCIL ON AGING PROGRAMS We offer a wide variety of activities, services and programs, including:
Blood Pressure & Glucose Screening Community Education Emergency Assistance Entertainment File for Life Fitness Programs Fuel Assistance Health Insurance Counseling – SHINE Income Tax Preparation (AARP Tax Aid) Lawyer Referral Meals on Wheels Medical ID Cards Medical Loan Closet Silver Alert Registration Special Needs Registration *Supportive Day Care for seniors **Transportation Yellow Dot Program …and much more. - 46 -
*Our Supportive Day Care Program provides essential services to participants and their caregivers. The demands of caregiving can be overwhelming, especially if you feel you have little control over the situation or that you're in over your head. The stress of caregiving may not only lead to burnout, it can damage both your physical and mental health. It is imperative that caregivers connect with someone who understands the stress and hardships they experience day in and day out. It’s important to remember that for every person participating in the Supportive Day Care program, we are serving at least one additional person - the caregiver(s). Special attention is given to the activities that are offered in the Day program. They are carefully planned to educate, mentally stimulate and physically motivate each client. This program truly provides a “home away from home” atmosphere with caring and compassionate staff and volunteers offering assistance to these honored guests. (See additional information below.)
**Our Transportation Program is offered FREE of charge to Swansea seniors and individuals with a documented disability. This service is available for medical appointments, grocery shopping, nursing home visits and more. All COA vans are handicapped accessible. The importance of this program should not be minimized, given that seniors will often times outlive their ability to drive. Think about your life and examine your “To Do” list. How many personal errands do you complete over the course of a week? Did you stop for groceries or a gallon of milk on your way home? Did you keep your doctor/dentist appointment, make it on time for your haircut appointment? Is it election time – Did you vote? Now think about accomplishing any of that without your ability to drive. Transportation is key to maintaining independence. Seniors may stop driving but that does NOT mean they stop living. Swansea’s rural community setting, while lovely, offers little alternate transportation. Losing the ability to drive and being left with little or no other means of transportation compromises independence and makes daily living nearly impossible. (See additional information below.)
III. PROGRAM STATISTICS Health Blood Pressure Clinics and Glucose Screening are offered through the Council on Aging but are conducted by the Swansea Ambulance Corps. The File of Life is a small plastic pouch that is kept on a person’s refrigerator so that medical problems and the name of medications may be available and easily found by emergency personnel or others. The Yellow Dot Program allows you to place important medical information in your vehicle to provide immediate access of this information to emergency responders should they respond in an emergency. Our Medical ID cards now enable us to provide our seniors with laminated cards they can carry in their wallet, making health information (Physicians, medication list etc.) easily accessible for emergency responders or to serve as a convenient way to provide other physicians with an updated list of medications, allergies etc.
Health Screening and Programs – 107 Health Education – 53 Community Education – 165 Podiatry – 387
Nutrition Congregate Meals – 2,355 (Closed Mondays) Farmers’ Market – 50 Holiday Dinners - 11 The Nutrition Program has been a tremendous success since its inception. The Lunch Program is open to all Swansea Seniors and is held Tuesdays through Fridays at 11:30 AM. Housing The Council on Aging attempts to assist Swansea adults whenever possible. This category includes home repairs problems, rental problems, those seeking information on Nursing Home, Assisted Living placement, respite care etc. Monthly Newsletter The Swansea Senior Scoop is a monthly newsletter filled with important information affecting seniors and provides a scheduled of upcoming events. The Swansea Senior Scoop is distributed to area stores and businesses. They are mailed to homebound elderly upon request. The Senior Scoop is also available through our website, which can be accessed at: https://www.town.swansea.ma.us/council-on-aging/pages/senior-scoop-monthly-newsletters-calendars-menus. We would like to thank area businesses for allowing seniors easy access to our monthly publication by allowing our Senior Scoop in their businesses/facilities. Community Services * Fuel Assistance – 32 ** Income Tax Assistance – 151 Health Benefits Counseling (SHINE) – 446 (BC/BS, Medicare A/B/C/D, Medicaid and Referrals) Volunteer Service Hours – 2,891 * Fuel Assistance
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Applications are available and completed at the Swansea Council on Aging. Any senior citizen may call for an appointment. Our trained staff will be more than happy to assist with the application process. ** Income Tax Assistance This service is provided through the IRS and Senior AARP volunteers. This program is held February, March and April to assist seniors in their tax preparation. We thank the hard-working volunteers for their assistance. Supportive Day Care Program This program provides social and supportive activity for seniors who need daytime supervision due to physical, social or emotional problems that impair their capacity for a rich and full life. The Supportive Day Care program is open Tuesdays – Fridays and has provided 1,964 units of service, providing much needed relief to caregivers and helping prevent or delay premature placement in long- term care facilities. We are very fortunate to have a professional, caring and dedicated staff who provide emotional support, lift spirits, motivate and encourage all clients that we have the privilege of serving. The program saw the departure of Program Coordinator, Cristina Camarao and the retirement of Assistant Nancy DeMello. We wish them both well. We welcomed Judy Dempsey as our new Supportive Daycare Coordinator. She is doing an outstanding job working with our seniors and their caregivers to be sure all needs are met whenever possible. This program welcomed a new Nutrition Coordinator and new volunteers. Our volunteers, old and new are exceptional! They exhibit great work ethic and have shown our participants kindness and compassion at every turn. They and all of our Supportive Day staff provide an invaluable service to our participants. This program could not function as successfully as it does without their assistance. I am extremely proud of our Supportive Day staff and volunteers. I sincerely thank them for all their hard work. This program is successful because of their commitment.
Transportation – Van Service The van service continues to offer Swansea Seniors a viable transportation alternative. The van is available for use to all Swansea residents, regardless of income as long as they meet program guidelines. The Council on Aging has three (3) vans, to provide for the increased use due to added services and provided 5,275 trips. Tiffany Branco continues to serve as our Transportation Coordinator. Her kindness and compassion toward our clients are well recognized by our participants. For that, her work ethic and so much more, I appreciate all she does for me, the Swansea COA and all our. Our van drivers are Arthur Allard and William Correia, Raymond Kardosz, & Eileen Guzier. These outstanding drivers treat each client with respect, compassion, and dignity. I applaud their dedication and hard work and thank them for a job well done.
Noteworthy This year the Swansea Council on Aging introduced new fitness programs including Meditated Movement (a form a Tai Chi), Low Impact PT and Osteoporosis Strengthening classes. Upon hearing that our Swansea Mall was closing, we introduced our Steppers program. Seniors are able to get out from the elements (heat/cold) and do a two-mile indoor walk. Acknowledgements The Council on Aging would like to thank all who have come together to assist and support the COA over the past year. It would be impossible to offer our seniors all we do without the help of our dedicated volunteers. These individuals work tirelessly and contribute many hours of service to the COA in many different areas of our organization. They serve our patrons on many levels. Volunteers give of themselves to assist in our day care program, lead exercise programs, head recreational activities, deliver meals to shut-ins during the holidays, provide entertainment and so much more. On behalf of all of us at the Council on Aging, I thank each of you for all you have done and all you continue to do.
I would like to personally thank the COA Board of Directors Marita Durkin-Gray, Wanda Peloquin, Margaret Riley - Chairperson and Mary Anne Tuttle, for their dedication and commitment. They are the eyes and ears of our senior community and assist in bringing the concerns of our seniors to the forefront. Although all Board members work with the COA Executive Director to see that the concerns voiced by our senior population are addressed, Mrs. Riley leads that charge, working particularly closely with the Council on Aging Director to make sure needs are met. Each of these Board members recognizes the difficulties facing our seniors and they have committed themselves to making a difference. This year, the Swansea Council on Aging welcomed Cynthia (Cindi) Furtado, Bernadette Huck and Frances Kingsley as new Board members and we look forward to all they have to contribute to our Board and our seniors. I would especially like to thank Mrs. Furtado for additionally volunteering her time to lead an Osteoporosis strengthening fitness class for several months. It was well attended and much appreciated.
Our facility not only houses the Swansea Council on Aging but serves as a Community Center as well. As such, it requires much attention and those building needs are met by our custodian, Jeremy Beaudette. His custodial care of our building has been outstanding and I am extremely appreciative to him for all he does.
Meeting the needs of our seniors as well as caring for the building we are privileged to be in are not tasks we can accomplish alone. It takes a group effort. I am most grateful to our Town Administrator John McAuliffe and his staff (Janet Helley and Jordan Remy) who always make themselves available to assist us whenever called upon to do so. I would like to express my thanks to the Honorable - 48 -
Board of Selectmen Christopher Carreiro, Derek Heim and Chairman Steven Kitchin for their continued support. Our Police and Fire Departments have been of great assistance to the Council on Aging and our seniors by providing educational workshops geared toward keeping seniors safe. I appreciate the hard work performed by all Town Departments, especially those with whom we work with throughout the year: the entire staff from the Swansea Highway Department, our Building Inspector and Board of Health agent (for helping tend to facility needs); our Town Clerk and Town Accountant (along with their staff members) for helping us meet our departmental needs. I am thankful and so proud to work with you and all of our town departments.
Area businesses have also been very kind and supportive to us and we thank them for their generosity – Simply Simons has been generous by providing holiday meals to Swansea shut-ins, Dunkin’ Donuts (Wilbur Avenue) has provided refreshments for special programing and trainings and many others area businesses and donors who prefer to remain anonymous. You have all played an important role in the success of our Department and I greatly appreciate it.
I would like to thank my Assistant Julie Dallaire. It is a pleasure to work with someone so dedicated to our seniors. Her attention to detail and compassion are among the assets for which I am most grateful for. The success of our Council on Aging (the programs we offer and the services we provide, the needs we strive to meet) can only be achieved when we work together. The Swansea Community should know, as I do, how incredible this team at the Council on Aging is and how grateful I am to work with you all.
Last but certainly not least, I would also like to express my sincerest appreciation to our Swansea seniors. As your advocate, I am committed to keeping you safe and providing you with quality programs and services. As your needs change, so must we. I am committed to ensure that the level of services we provide continues to meet your growing needs. I am grateful for the trust you have placed in me and am humbled by the honor and privilege to serve as your Executive Director. I look forward (with great enthusiasm) to serving you in the year ahead.
Respectfully submitted, Laurie A. Pimentel Executive Director
EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT AGENCY
The Emergency Management Agency (EMA) has experienced another very productive and busy year. Attached to the Police and Fire Departments, the Office of Emergency Management works with appropriate municipal departments as well as various volunteer, private, state and federal agencies to respond quickly and effectively, providing continuity of services to the public. The primary mission of the EMA is to provide assistance to our first responders and all town departments and agencies as necessary.
In addition to this, the Emergency Management Agency is charged with the overall Emergency Preparedness Planning for the Town of Swansea. This includes the coordination of all resources of the town, public and private, professional and volunteer, to avert or combat the effects of disaster. A pool of trained volunteers is provided to the town for both emergency and non-emergency situations. Emergency Management as a discipline has been shaped by historical events, both nationally and internationally over the past years.
The possibility of exposure to many hazards is very real and has the potential for disrupting the community, causing damage, and creating casualties. Natural hazards include earthquakes, floods, severe weather and fires to name a few. Threats of terrorism are also a consideration in preparation and response. Our community also faces threats of hazardous materials and accidents involving the transportation, shipment, and storage of these materials.
To address these potential threats, the EMA publishes the town’s Comprehensive Emergency Management Plan. This plan provides the framework upon which the Town of Swansea prepares for, responds to and performs its emergency response functions during times of natural or man-made disasters or national emergencies. This plan is based on the four phases of Emergency Management, which are:
Mitigation - Activities that reduce or eliminate the probability of disaster or damage.
Preparedness - Activities that government, organizations and individuals develop to save lives and property.
Response - Actions that minimize the loss of life and property and provide emergency assistance.
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Recovery - Short and long-term activities that restore town operations and help return the community to a normal state.
Over the years, we have worked closely with the communities of Somerset, Fall River, Westport, Taunton, Rehoboth, Fairhaven and North Attleboro Emergency Management Agencies in providing and receiving mutual aid for various emergency situations, drills and events. News articles about our EMA programs, events and our Field Operations Unit and Shelter Operations Trailer were the subjects of stories published in editions of the South Coast Today, The Spectator and The Herald News along with regional television and Internet coverage.
Now that our national weather pattern is becoming more active, MEMA officials offer Hurricane and Winter Preparedness Tips that can be found here: http://www.ready.gov/winter-weather http://www.ready.gov/hurricanes
Additional information on Emergency Preparedness can be found here: https://www.town.swansea.ma.us/town-nurse/pages/emergency-preparedness
Information on Swansea Emergency Management Public Safety Alerts can be found here: https://www.town.swansea.ma.us/swansea-police-department/pages/swansea-public-safety-alerts
Here are some highlights of our activities:
On January 13th 2019 we participated in a Swansea Fire Dept Ice Rescue Drill at the Swansea Dam. Our Field Operations Unit and personnel provided assistance and served as a canteen / rehab for the participants.
On January 21st 2019 EMA personnel were dispatched to a house fire at 1096 Gardners Neck Road. We provided drinks and light refreshments along with rehab services for firefighters and emergency responders.
On February 27th 2019 EMA personnel were dispatched to a house fire at 28 Second Street. We provided drinks and light refreshments along with rehab services for firefighters and emergency responders. More information along with a video can be found here: https://www.heraldnews.com/news/20190227/swansea-home-heavily-damaged-by-fire-in-basement
On March 31st 2019 our Field Operations Unit was dispatched to a house fire at 75 Collins Ave. Our personnel on scene provided drinks and light refreshments along with rehab services for firefighters and emergency personnel. More information along with a video can be found here: https://www.heraldnews.com/news/20190331/basement-fire-extinguished-in-swansea-home
On April 1st 2019 our Field Operations Unit was dispatched to a brush fire on Wood Street. We provided drinks and light refreshments along with rehab services for firefighters and emergency responders.
On May 27th 2019 our EMA personnel assisted the Swansea Police Department with traffic control for the town’s Memorial Day Parade. A video can be found here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V7ASY1QPUPY
On June 15th 2019 our Emergency Management Agency and Fire Dept assisted Wal-Mart with their nationwide safety preparedness day at the Swansea Mall location. We were on site with our Field Operations Unit along with fire apparatus to provide safety information and to demonstrate to the public some of the equipment we use along with the services we provide.
On August 25th 2019 EMA personnel conducted an Emergency Shelter Drill deployment exercise at the Joseph Case High School. We utilized our new EMA Shelter Operations Trailer and went over the detailed setup of the shelter on the high school campus.
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On October 6th 2019 we participated in our Fire Department’s 28th annual Public Safety Day. Our Field Operations Unit was available for viewing. Public awareness pamphlets along with children’s activity books were provided by FEMA and MEMA to assist our residents in emergency preparedness. More information can be found here: https://www.swanseacabletv.com/2019/10/28th-annual-public-safety-day/
On October 8th, 2019 EMA personnel provided mutual aid to Somerset for a fire at the Brayton Point Power Plant Facility. We provided drinks and light refreshments along with rehab services for firefighters and emergency responders. More information and a video can be found here: https://www.heraldnews.com/news/20191008/firefighters-tackle-blaze-at-brayton-point-site-in-somerset https://turnto10.com/news/local/fire-reported-at-brayton-point https://www.abc6.com/story/41154943/reported-structure-fire-at-brayton-point
On November 8th 2019 our Field Operations Unit and personnel provided lighting for the parking lot at the annual Veteran’s Dinner located at the Olde White Church at 1113 Grand Army Highway.
On December 7th 2019 our EMA personnel provided assistance for the Town’s 4th Holiday in the Village Celebration along Main Street. Our personnel also provided a mobile sound system for public / safety announcements and Holiday Music for those in attendance. A video and information about the event can be found here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xzyz87CdbjA https://www.facebook.com/holidayinthevillage/
On December 16th 2019 our Field Operations Unit along with several EMA members responded to a house fire at 999 Bark Street. EMA personnel on scene provided drinks and light refreshments along with rehab services for firefighters and emergency personnel. More information can be found here: https://turnto10.com/news/local/swansea-fire-displaces-3-families
As you can see with each passing year, our agency is constantly raising the bar in the level of services we provide to our town and the surrounding area. We constantly look for new and creative ways to enhance our agency in order accommodate the ever changing needs of the future. Through all of this, we remain dedicated to finding additional ways to serve, prepare and protect our community and its citizens in the years ahead.
I would like to take this opportunity to thank all of our EMA volunteers who work tirelessly throughout the year and are always available at a moment’s notice. I would also like to thank our Board of Selectman, Town Administrator, Police & Fire Departments, Board of Health, Highway Department, Swansea Ambulance Corps, Swansea Water District and many others too numerous to mention here for their continued support of our agency and its mission.
It has been an honor to serve as your Coordinator of Emergency Management and I look forward to many more productive years in assisting the citizens of our town and the surrounding area. Respectfully Submitted, Carl F. Sawejko Coordinator
SWANSEA FIRE DEPARTMENT REPORT
The Swansea Fire Department continues to provide for the fire protection and public safety needs of our diversified and growing community through fire prevention, public education and fire suppression.
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The Fire Department responded to 500 emergency calls during the year. The Fire Department dispatched 2,620 medical emergencies in 2019. Accident/Potential Accident 6 Alarm Investigations 169 Animal Related 1 Brush Fires 11 Carbon Monoxide Responses 59 Electrical Emergencies 23 EMS Incidents 42 Extrications 11 Hazardous Materials 29 Illegal Burning 18 Investigations 25 Marine / other Water Related Incidents 2 Misc. Responses 31 Outside and Special Fires 9 Public Assistance 18 Structure Fires 33 Vehicle Fires 13
The Fire Department completed 1,674 inspections and issued 1,296 permits during 2019. The inspections identified 724 hazards and resulted in the correction of 271 hazards. In addition, fire protection acceptance tests, quarterly inspections and yearly inspections were conducted. Burning Permits 752 Fire Alarm Permits/Inspections 8 Flammable Gas Permits 20 Gun Powder/Ammunition Permits 1 Liquid Propane Permits/Inspections 41 Occupancy Inspections 34 Oil Burner Permits/Inspections 18 Overnight Parking Permits 1 Quarterly Inspections 27 Smoke Detector/CO Permits/Inspections 339 Sprinkler Permits/Inspections 17 Storage Tank Permits 25 Tank Removal Permits/Inspections 10 Tank Truck Inspections 3
Ninety-four emergency calls were received through the Fire Department radio box system. An additional nine-two signals that required Fire Department response were received through the radio box system. These additional responses were handled by the Chief, the Deputy Chief or the Fire Inspector and, as a result, did not require a response by volunteer firefighters.
On January 2, Michael J. Patterson was sworn in by the Town Clerk as Deputy Chief of the Swansea Fire Department. With his appointment, Deputy Patterson became the department’s first full-time Deputy Fire Chief. In addition to fire prevention responsibilities, the Deputy is charged with overseeing training and dispatch operations along with assisting with numerous administrative functions. As a result of Deputy Patterson’s promotion, Captain Bruce Antone was appointed to fill the role of Fire Inspector effective January 22. Both gentlemen bring a wealth of experience, a strong work ethic and an eagerness to assist our members while providing the best possible service to the residents of Swansea.
Fire prevention continues to be a crucial component of the department’s mission. The number of commercial buildings continues to increase and the technology for fire alarms continues to change. New construction, renovations and upgrades of systems and the corresponding acceptance tests, require time and expertise. The importance of these tasks being performed correctly cannot be overstated. The assistance provided by the Deputy Chief’s addition will help to ensure that the safety of the residents of Swansea and the members of our department remains a priority as the town’s growth continues.
Inspections of existing businesses to identify hazards, as well as code violations, continue each year. The cooperative efforts between building owners and the Fire Inspector have resulted in many hazards being corrected and buildings being in compliance with code. - 52 -
The inspections have also allowed the department to upgrade its computer-aided dispatch, providing responding firefighters current information to properly fight a fire. Deputy Patterson and Captain Antone have embraced the roles and work tirelessly to improve their knowledge and continue the long- standing tradition of excellence we have come to expect.
The Fire Department dispatchers continue to complement the volunteer system. They complete all state reports, town reports and other required reports. The administrative and clerical work they perform, in addition to dispatching and updating the computer-aided dispatch, are vital to the department. There are many facets of the Fire Department that the dispatchers assist with and their extra efforts have enhanced the department in many ways. Swansea firefighters provided 2,390 hours of emergency response and 2,948 hours of training for a total of 5,338 hours of commitment by volunteer firefighters in 2019.
Firefighters responded to thirty-three reported structure fires in 2019. In many instances, these responses required the use of multiple hose lines, supply lines, various power and hand tools, ladders and other equipment to bring these fires under control. Firefighting is extremely labor intensive and physically exhausting work. Firefighters must be prepared to react quickly in hazardous and often life- threatening conditions. Their training and professionalism have kept fire loss to a minimum. They fight each fire with the same determination and skill we have come to expect.
On January 21 at 21:43 Car 1, Car 2, Engines 1,2,3, Ladder 1 and Rescue 1 responded to Gardner Neck Road for a report of a possible building fire. Upon arrival firefighters found a chimney fire that had extended to the adjacent walls of a single-family home. Firefighters worked for more than an hour removing exterior sheathing and blown-in insulation to extinguish the fire in the chimney and walls.
On January 28 at 11:43 Car 1, Car 2, Engines 1,2,3, Ladder 1 and Rescue 1 responded to Sgt. Harrington Drive for a call reporting a possible building fire. Firefighters arrived to find an occupied single-family home with a heavy smoke condition in the basement. After a brief investigation, firefighters found a fire burning in a pile of discarded painting materials. The fire was quickly extinguished and the home was ventilated to remove smoke. Fortunately, properly functioning smoke detectors had alerted the occupants and allowed them to safely evacuate.
On February 27 at 08:19 Car 2, Engines 1,2,3, Rescue 1 and Ladder 1 responded to a call reporting smoke in the residence. Upon arrival firefighters found a fire burning in the basement of a single-family home. Firefighters ensured the safe evacuation of the occupants prior to entering the home. Limited access to the basement and live electrical wires in the area of fire origin significantly hampered firefighting efforts. Firefighters were able to control the fire in twenty minutes but remained on scene for more than two hours performing overhaul functions and returning fire apparatus to service. Investigators from the State Fire Marshal’s office were called to the scene to assist with determining the origin and cause of the fire. Firefighters on Mutual Aid from Warren, RI provided station coverage while Swansea firefighters worked the scene.
On March 31 at 15:44 Car 1, Car 2, Engines 1,2,3, Rescue 1 and Ladder 1 responded to a call reporting smoke in a residence on Collins Ave. Upon arrival firefighters encountered a heavy smoke condition from a fire burning in the basement of a single-family home. Firefighters ensured the safe evacuation of the occupants prior to entering the home. High heat levels along with a large volume of content limited access to the basement and the area of fire origin. Despite difficult conditions, firefighters were able to rescue the family pet and control the fire in under thirty minutes. Personnel remained on scene for nearly three hours performing salvage and overhaul functions and returning fire apparatus to service.
On May 7 at 12:28 Car 1, Engines 3, 2, 1, Ladder 1 and Rescue 1 responded to Pond Street after a call was received reporting smoke in the basement of a residence. Upon arrival firefighters found a moderate smoke condition in the basement of single family. After a brief investigation, firefighters found the smoke was a result of a fire still smoldering in the home’s basement. The fire was quickly extinguished. Firefighters remained on the scene for more than an hour while conducting extensive overhaul and ventilating high levels of HCN gas as a result of the large quantity of plastic that had burnt.
On December 16 at 14:43 Car 2, Engines 1,2,3,4, Ladder 1 & Rescue 1 responded to a call reporting a building fire on Bark Street. First arriving units found a multi-family home with fire burning through the roof of the structure. Firefighters quickly evacuated the residents and began to aggressively attack the fire on both the first and second floors of the home. Due to the extent of the fire, mutual aid was requested from both Rehoboth and Warren to cover vacant Swansea fire stations. The fire was brought under control in under forty minutes but firefighters remained on scene for nearly three hours performing extensive overhaul operations.
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In addition to building fires, Swansea firefighters responded to numerous calls for assistance that required a substantial commitment in 2019. Some of the more significant calls included:
On January 26 at 08:52 Car 1, Car 2, Engine 1 and Rescue 1 were dispatched to the Birchcrest Funeral Home on Gardener Neck Road to investigate a report of a possible natural gas leak. While enroute personnel were advised that a car had struck the building causing a gas leak. Upon arrival firefighters found the occupied building heavily damaged with a vehicle resting in the main lobby of the funeral home. The vehicle had jumped a curb stop and crashed through two sets of doors, coming to rest against an interior partition wall and gas-fed fireplace. Firefighters quickly secured the natural gas feed and determined that no occupants were injured as they assessed the structural stability of the building. Fire department personnel, working in conjunction with funeral home staff, relocated the ongoing funeral service to another facility and then stood by as the vehicle was removed from the structure.
On April 1 at 16:08 Car 1, Car 2, Engine 1, Forestry 1 & Forestry 2 responded to Wood Street in the area of Reed Street to investigate multiple calls reporting a brush fire. First arriving units found a fast-moving fire burning in the woods and threatening a nearby home. A crew of firefighters quickly placed hose lines between the home and the approaching fire as additional crews entered the wooded area to begin extinguishing the stubborn blaze. In all, twenty-nine firefighters spent nearly two hours fighting the fire as it consumed more than two acres.
On April 18 at 15:48 Car 1 and Engine 1 responded to Bryant’s Way to investigate a reported lawnmower on fire. First arriving personnel found a lawn tractor fully involved in fire outside the home. The fire was extinguished without incident.
On April 22 at 19:49 Car 1, Car 2, Engine 4 and Ladder 1 responded to a call reporting a possible chimney fire. Firefighters arrived to find a fire actively burning in the upper portions of the chimney of a single-family home. Fire department personnel, working off the aerial ladder, removed the chimney cap and quickly extinguished the fire.
On May 1 at 18:42 Car 1, Engine 4 and Ladder 1 responded to Bushee Road for a reported chimney fire. Firefighters arrived to find a fire actively burning in the upper portions of the chimney of a single-family home. Fire department personnel, working off the aerial ladder, removed the chimney cap and quickly extinguished the fire.
On May 26 at 19:35 Car 2 and Engine 1 responded to Sailmaker Ct to investigate an outside fire. Upon arrival firefighters found an LP supplied fire pit that had malfunctioned as a result of a faulty supply. Fire department personnel quickly secured the propane cylinder and checked to ensure that no further hazard existed.
On June 3 at 14:25 Car 1, Car 2, Engines 2 & 4, and Forestry 1 & 2 responded to Interstate 195 West to investigate multiple calls reporting a series of brush fires along the side of the highway. Upon arrival firefighters encountered numerous areas of brush burning along the highway edge between exits 4 and 2. Mutual aid apparatus from Rehoboth and Warren assisted Swansea firefighters as they extinguished fires in three separate areas.
On July 20 at 13:18 Car 1, Car 2 and Engine 4 responded to James Reynolds Road to investigate a fire alarm received. First arriving firefighters found that the alarm was caused by an activation of the fire suppression system for the fuel pumps. After a brief investigation it was determined that the suppression system had apparently dumped due to a malfunction. The resulting discharge covered numerous vehicles and patrons using the facility. Fire department personnel were able to secure the area and gather all parties exposed to the extinguishing agent. Two ambulances were called to the scene to evaluate the parties, eventually transporting two to the hospital for further evaluation.
On July 22 at 21:33 Car 2 and Engine 4 responded to Mount Fair Circle to investigate a report of a lightning strike. Upon arrival, firefighters determined that lightning had struck a tree near the home, traveled underground along wiring for an electric fence and entered the home. After a thorough investigation, firefighters determined that the damage was isolated to a power supply for the fence.
On August 1 at 15:15, Car 1, Car 2, Engines 1 & 4 responded to GAR Highway to investigate a report of a truck fire. Upon arrival firefighters found a large dump truck, parked adjacent to a garage, fully involved in fire. Firefighters were able to quickly control the fire and kept it from spreading to the nearby building.
On August 3 at 11:19, Car 1, Car 2, Engines 1 & 2 responded to the Super Walmart to investigate calls reporting a vehicle fire. Firefighters arrived to find a fire burning in the front end of a pick-up truck parked adjacent to multiple vehicles in the crowed parking lot. Firefighters acted quickly to extinguish the fire while limiting damage to other cars.
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On September 2 at 12:50 Car 1, Car 2 and Engine 2 responded to Interstate 195 West after numerous reports of a vehicle accident were received. Upon arrival, fire department personnel found a multi-car accident with numerous injured parties. Firefighters rendered aid to those in need as they awaited the arrival of multiple ambulances. In all, five individuals were transported via three ambulances to local hospitals.
On September 20 at 08:54 Car 1, Car 2, Engine 4 and Rescue 1 responded to a call from the Hoyle School reporting an odor of gas in the building. Firefighters arrived to find a slight odor inside a classroom and the adjacent hallway. After a lengthy investigation, firefighters determined that the odor was due to an HVAC air intake that had captured the exhaust of a generator running outside the building on a windy day.
On September 21 at 14:54, Car 1, Engines 4 & 3 responded to Thomas Lane to investigate a report of a truck fire. Upon arrival firefighters found a large tree pruning truck, parked adjacent to multiple vehicles and a storage garage, heavily involved in fire. Firefighters were able to quickly control the fire and kept it from spreading to the nearby vehicles.
On October 26 at 02:15 Car 1, Car 2 and Engine 4 responded to Interstate 195 East in the area of the town line after reports of a vehicle accident were received. While responding, Swansea firefighters from Engine 4 encountered a single-car accident on Interstate 195 West and rendered aid to those involved while awaiting EMS. As Engine 4 worked the first accident scene, Car 1 & Car 2 continued to two additional single-vehicle accidents in the area. Additional resources were called from Rehoboth to assist at the second and third incidents. In all, firefighters from Swansea, Seekonk and Rehoboth simultaneously worked four separate accidents scenes on both the East and Westbound sides of the highway.
On December 3 at 08:05 Car 1, Car 2, Engine 1, Engine 2 & Rescue 1 responded to a reported gas leak at 580 GAR Highway. Upon arrival firefighters found that the building’s gas meter had been sheared off after being struck by a snow plow. Firefighters immediately took action to disperse the leaking gas and gained entry to the unoccupied building to ensure that there was no migration of gas into the structure. Fire department personnel stood by on scene for more than an hour as crews from Liberty Utilities shut down the gas supply and secured the broken meter.
On December 18 at 16:36 Car 2, Engine 4 and Ladder 1 responded to Walker St. to investigate a call reporting a possible chimney fire. Firefighters arrived to find a fire actively burning in the chimney of a single-family home. After placing salvage covers to limit property damage, firefighters began to extinguish the fire. Working from both the interior and the exterior via aerial ladder, firefighters were able to contain the fire to the chimney to limit damage.
Carbon Monoxide Firefighters responded to fifty-nine carbon monoxide related alarms in 2019. In several instances, firefighters found high levels of carbon monoxide. On January 23 at 08:07 Car 1, Car 2, Engine 1 and Rescue 1 responded to Milford Road to investigate CO alarms sounding in a residence. Upon arrival firefighters found elevated levels of CO and began to search for the cause. After a lengthy investigation, the source of the CO was found to be from a malfunctioning heating unit in the home’s attic. Firefighters disabled the unit and ventilated the home prior to allowing the occupants to re-enter. On April 28 at 14:34 Car 1 and Engine 2 responded to O’Bannon Place to investigate a CO detector sounding. Upon arrival firefighters encountered elevated levels of CO in the residence. After a brief investigation, personnel found that an improperly vented gas fire place was the cause.
Extrication / Technical Rescues On February 24 at 11:34 Car 2, Engines 1, 2 and Rescue 1 responded to investigate multiple calls reporting a motor vehicle accident with possible entrapment on Interstate 195 West. First arriving units found a single vehicle accident with multiple patients trapped in the vehicle. Swansea Fire and Swansea Ambulance, working with Somerset Fire personnel who had also been dispatched, provided care to two children that had self-extricated. Firefighters, using multiple sets of Jaws of Life along with several other hydraulic rescue tools, worked for over twenty minutes to free a front seat passenger. The heavily entangled driver of the vehicle was freed after nearly forty-five minutes.
On March 18 at 07:51 Car 1, Car 2 & Engine 2 responded to investigate multiple calls reporting a motor vehicle accident on Interstate 195 West. First arriving units found a single vehicle accident resulting in a vehicle fire. Firefighters were able to quickly extinguish the fully involved vehicle while also tending to the injured driver who had been assisted from the car prior to FD arrival.
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On June 19 at 13:04 Car 1, Engine 1 and Rescue 1 responded to the intersection of Main St. and Elm St. for a two-car motor vehicle accident. Firefighters, using the Jaws of Life, freed the driver of one vehicle as additional personnel assisted EMS with a second patient.
On July 6 at 16:00 Car 2, Engines 1, 4 and Rescue 1 responded to Interstate 195 East for a two-car motor vehicle accident. Firefighters, using a truck mounted winch, pulled the damaged vehicles away from each other to gain access to a trapped occupant.
On August 19 at 13:19, Car 2, Engine 1 and Rescue 1 responded to Swansea Mall Drive to investigate calls reporting a person trapped in an elevator. After a brief investigation, firefighters made contact with the occupant, secured the elevator controls and safely removed the frightened building resident from the elevator.
On October 10 at 17:05 Car 1, Car 2, Engine 2, Engine 4 and Rescue 1 responded to Interstate 195 East for a report of a motor vehicle accident with entrapment. Upon arrival firefighters found a single vehicle that had left the roadway and struck a tree in the median. Firefighters, using multiple rescue tools, worked for nearly twenty minutes to free the two victims trapped in the vehicle.
On October 24 at 20:32 Car 1, Car 2, Engine 2, Engine 4 and Rescue 1 responded to the area of 1738 GAR Highway for a two-car motor vehicle accident with entrapment. Firefighters arrived on scene to find the badly injured drivers of two heavily damaged vehicles pinned in their cars. Fire department personnel used multiple rescue tools, including two sets of the Jaws of Life, to free the victims from the twisted wreckage.
On November 30 at 07:56 Car 1, Car 2, Engine 1 and Rescue 1 responded to Swansea Mall Drive for a report of a motor vehicle accident with entrapment. Upon arrival firefighters found a single vehicle that had left the roadway and struck a tree and rolled over onto its roof. Firefighters used multiple rescue tools to free the single occupant trapped in the vehicle.
Firefighters responded to several hazardous material incidents during the past year. Some of the spills required the use of absorbent materials and dikes to minimize the potential environmental impact. In these cases, the Department of Environmental Protection was notified, and environmental cleaning companies were called to clean up the large spills. Other incidents required outside resources, frequently from the Department of Fire Services, to mitigate. On February 28 at 18:29 Car 1, Car 2 & Rescue 1 responded to assist Swansea Police with a possible hazardous materials incident after a minor motor vehicle accident. Upon arrival personnel noted a possible fentanyl exposure issue in a vehicle and notified the MA District Hazardous Material Team. Haz Mat team members confirmed the presence of fentanyl and took steps to neutralize the danger. After confirming the scene was safe, Swansea Fire personnel released the vehicle to Swansea PD officers.
On June 27 at 16:30 Car 1 and Engine 1 responded to Wood Street to investigate a report of a strong odor in a residence. After a brief investigation, firefighters found the odor to be a result of chemicals mixing after the occupant attempted to clear a clogged drain. A Hazardous Materials response team from the Department of Fire Services was called to the scene to evaluate the potential hazard. After conducting a series of tests, Haz Mat technicians determined that the mixture posed a significant inhalation hazard. Technicians were able to neutralize the reaction and remove the chemical mixture from the home.
The Swansea Fire Department responded to fifteen mutual aid calls from eight cities and towns including Fall River, MA, Rehoboth, MA, Seekonk, MA, Somerset, MA, Bristol, RI, Little Compton, RI, Tiverton, RI and Warren, RI. On January 1 at 12:08 Car 1, Car 2 and Rescue 1 responded on mutual aid to the City of Fall River to assist at the scene of a structure fire. Swansea firefighters worked the fire scene for nearly three hours filling SCBA bottles for multiple departments using the portable cascade system on Rescue 1. On March 8 at 13:39 Car 1 and Engine 1 responded on mutual aid to Rehoboth for assistance at the scene of a structure fire. Upon arrival Swansea firefighters, in conjunction with Rehoboth crews, stretched multiple handlines to control a fire that had consumed a detached garage and extended to an adjacent home. Swansea personnel remained on the scene for nearly two hours assisting with salvage and overhaul operations.
On May 10 at 09:46 Car 1, Car 2, Engine 2 and Ladder 1 responded to Warren, RI on mutual aid to assist at the scene of a building fire. Swansea firefighters worked together with firefighters from Bristol and Warren to extinguish a fire in a multi-family home.
On May 19 at 15:12 Car 2 and Engine 3 responded to Somerset after a request was made for mutual aid. Swansea firefighters provided coverage to the town while Somerset firefighters worked at the scene of a structure fire.
On June 8 at 11:58 Car 2 and Engine 3 responded to Tiverton after a request was made for mutual aid. Swansea firefighters provided coverage to the town while Tiverton firefighters worked at the scene of a structure fire. - 56 -
On July 10 at 14:20 Car 2, Engines 3 & 4 responded to a mutual aid request from the Town of Bristol, RI. Swansea firefighters manning Engine 3 responded to assist Bristol firefighters, along with firefighters from multiple surrounding communities, at the scene of residential structure fire. Swansea firefighters manning Engine 4 provided coverage for a vacant Bristol fire station.
On August 12 at 10:39, Car 1, Engine 2 and Forestry 1 responded to a request for mutual aid from Warren, RI as they battled a structure fire. Upon arrival Swansea firefighters supplied water from Forestry 1 and then established a water supply using a “tanker shuttle” from the nearest hydrant just over the town line on Barton Avenue in Swansea. Firefighters remained on the scene for several hours, along with firefighters from many nearby communities, assisting Warren personnel.
On August 30 at 18:34, Car 1, Car 2, Engine 2 and Ladder 1 responded to a request for mutual aid from Somerset firefighters working at the scene of a fire at the former Brayton Point power plant. Firefighters from Engine 2, along with apparatus from multiple departments, established a water supply as Ladder 1 personnel set up an elevated master stream. Swansea firefighters remained on scene for nearly two hours using Ladder 1 to apply water to a large pile of burning scrap metal.
On October 8 at 10:18 Car 1, Engine 2, Ladder 1 and Forestry 1 responded on mutual aid to assist Somerset firefighters on the scene of a fire at the former Brayton Point power plant. Swansea firefighters, along with personnel from multiple surrounding communities, established a tanker shuttle to supply water to Somerset apparatus working to extinguish a large pile of burning debris.
On November 13 at 00:29 Car 2 and Rescue 1 responded on mutual aid to assist Little Compton firefighters on the scene of a residential structure fire. Swansea firefighters provided air supply for SCBA and worked with personnel from multiple surrounding communities to extinguish the fire.
On November 22 at 20:40 Car 2 and Engine 2 responded on mutual aid to Fall River. Swansea firefighters provided station coverage while Fall River firefighters worked at the scene of a building fire.
The Fire Department continues to devote a tremendous amount of time to training. Throughout the year, firefighters attend a variety of both company and department-wide drills along with numerous fire academy courses. Thirty-seven firefighters took part in the annual ice and surface water rescue training held during the month of January. The three hours practical skills portion of the training was held in the area of the Swansea Dam after firefighters spent nearly an hour reviewing equipment and procedures. Members rotated through various positions to review and refresh skills associated with victim removal both on shore and in the icy water. First responder re-certification training was completed in February. Members practiced CPR/AED and reviewed basic lifesaving skills commonly used on the various emergency scenes they respond to.
In March, twenty-two Swansea firefighters attended 16 hours of flammable liquids training. The training, conducted by the MA Fire Academy, was held over the course of two days both locally and at the MFA Stow campus where firefighters conducted nearly eight hours of live fire training.
Twenty-one Swansea firefighters attended eight hours of Hazardous Materials training during the month of April. The training, conducted by the MA Fire Academy, was held over the course of two days at Station 4 where firefighters reviewed basic principles, reference materials and decontamination procedures. In June, firefighters reviewed fireground safety and survival skills. Department members spent multiple nights reviewing the personal escape systems carried by each of our firefighters. The “bail out” training simulated a firefighter trapped on an upper floor and provided an opportunity for firefighters to perform a controlled decent from a second story window.
Additionally, firefighters completed the annual testing of nearly 16,000 feet of fire hose. All fire hose from the department’s six engines, two brush trucks and ladder truck must be removed from the apparatus, inspected and pressure tested to ensure that it meets minimum requirements and complies with national standards. The time-consuming process is often used as an opportunity to train less experienced pump operators on the function of the department’s fire apparatus. In total, one thousand and fifty feet of hose was removed from service after leaks were noted during testing.
In October, nine Swansea firefighters attended a four-hour Hazardous Materials refresher class conducted by the MA Fire Academy and four senior fire officers attended an eight-hour vehicle extrication course.
On December 27, Fire Inspector Bruce Antone completed his certification as a MA Fire Prevention Officer Level II. The certification was awarded after more than eighty hours of in-depth study of numerous MA Laws, Codes and Standards governing plan review, - 57 - building construction and fire and life safety protection and the successful completion of the State exam. With the Inspectors certification, the Department now has three fully credentialed Fire Prevention Officers as he joins both the Chief and Deputy Chief whom had been previously certified.
The Fire Department received three grants totaling $15, 557.97. Grants for Student Awareness and Fire Education (SAFE), along with a Senior SAFE (focused on senior citizen fire safety) totaled $6,923. Additional grant funds in the amount of $4,460 and $4,174.97 were designated for emergency preparedness.
The annual Swansea Fire Department Installation of Officers dinner was held on January 25th at the Venus de Milo restaurant. The event provides the department with an opportunity to thank firefighters for their commitment while recognizing the many individual achievements and milestones that occurred during the previous year.
In early April, work began on the installation of the new FD/EMA communications tower located in the rear of Fire Station 2. Site work was started and concrete foundation piers were poured to ready the site for installation of the tower.
Twelve members of the Fire Department assisted members of the Solid Waste Committee with the Hazardous Waste Day that was held on April 13. Members worked for nearly seven hours to set up the site, direct arriving residents and remove items that were placed in various piles for disposal. Despite the inclement weather, the event was well attended and highlighted the need to continue to provide this valuable service to town residents.
Twenty-six Swansea firefighters attended events associated with Memorial Day. The Fire Department Honor Guard took part in Saturday’s memorial service at the Veteran’s Memorial Green and were joined by department members from the four stations as they walked the parade route during the annual parade on Monday, May 27.
On June 15, members of the fire department along with members of Swansea EMA assisted the Swansea Walmart store in highlighting the need for emergency preparedness in the community. Firefighters gave tours of fire apparatus and answered questions about public safety as EMA members assisted with registering residents on the RAVE emergency notification system. The “safety day” was the culmination of the store’s month-long effort to educate patrons about emergency preparedness.
On June 27, three Swansea firefighters graduated from the Massachusetts Call/Volunteer Fire Academy after completing more than 250 hours of training. The newly certified firefighters are Nathan Bettencourt, Jesse Stimson and Travis Winters. Their training commenced in January and concluded in June. The recruits attended training sessions two nights each week and two Saturdays each month. The curriculum, taught by the Massachusetts Firefighting Academy, meets Firefighter I/II standards in accordance with the National Fire Protection Association. Recruits passed a written exam, a practical exam and live fire evolutions at the conclusion of the course. Our members put forward a tremendous effort and distinguished themselves throughout the program. For his efforts, Firefighter Bettencourt was selected as the recipient of the Martin H. McNamara Award. The award is given to the outstanding student of each class based upon achievement in both academic exams and practical skill applications. We proudly welcomed these dedicated individuals to our ranks and look forward to working with them for years to come.
On July 28, teams of firefighters representing several area fire departments, joined Swansea firefighters for a “Firemen’s Muster” held at the Brown School field. During the competition, teams competed in multiple events designed to display firefighting skills as they rolled hose, knocked down targets and carried “victims” through a challenging obstacle course. In all, seven teams competed and helped to keep an important fire service tradition alive.
Throughout the month of August, an inmate work crew from the Bristol County Sheriff’s Office assisted with maintenance projects at Swansea fire stations. The crews prepared and painted the exterior trim at Stations 1 and 2 along with the entire exterior of Station 3.
In mid-August, prior to the opening of schools, Fire department personnel along with the building code official, conducted inspections of each of the town’s public-school buildings. The safety inspections, completed prior to school opening, test emergency systems at each building to ensure proper function of egress doors, secondary lighting and warning/detection systems.
On August 2, several Swansea firefighters assisted staff from the Swansea Recreation summer camp with their annual “egg drop.” Groups of campers joined together to engineer egg delivery devices made from simple supplies provided to them by the staff to protect an egg from a fall. The contraptions were dropped from the top of the fire department aerial ladder and then compared to see which survived the drop.
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On August 26, the long-awaited communication tower was erected in the rear of Fire Station 2. The tower construction was the most visible phase of the on-going project to improve communications for multiple town departments. New cable and antennas will be added along with microwave equipment that will eventually allow for the phasing out of aging phone lines used to connect repeater sites around town.
After placing the new Car 1 in service in late October, the former Car 2 (2004 Ford Expedition) was taken out of service for much needed repairs. The vehicle was brought to Diman Regional Vocation Technical High School for work on the body and mechanical systems in hopes of extending its life for use as a support vehicle.
On September 11th, members of the Swansea Fire Department attended the 9/11 ceremony held at Battleship Cove in Fall River. The somber event highlighted the horrific attacks on the United States on 9/11/01 and underscored the impact on society today. Later that afternoon, department members traveled to Boston to take part in the 2019 Fallen Fighters Memorial Service. The annual event commemorates the passing of fire service personnel from across the state and recognizes the sacrifices made by firefighters during the attacks on September 11, 2001.
Fire department personnel assisted both the Swansea Police and School Departments with conducting armed intruder drills in each of the public schools during the month of September. The drills are an excellent opportunity for first responders to work with School Department staff to exercise existing plans while identifying potential shortcomings that may arise when dealing with incidents within the schools.
Swansea firefighters spent the second week of October commemorating the Great Chicago Fire during Fire Prevention Week. Firefighters traveled to each of the town’s four elementary schools providing information, answering questions and giving tours of fire apparatus to more than 950 students. As always, the firefighters were enthusiastically welcomed and were able to share valuable lessons about fire prevention.
On Sunday, October 6th the Swansea Fire Department hosted our 28th annual Public Safety Day. The day’s festivities kicked off with a parade of fire apparatus that began at the Junior High School and ended at Station 2 where a large crowd had gathered. Representatives from the town’s public safety agencies were joined by National Grid, Liberty Utilities, MA Department of Fire Services, MA State Police and many others answering questions and providing information to town residents. Light refreshments were provided along with numerous raffle prizes graciously donated by area businesses. The many displays and demonstrations kept the eager crowd actively engaged and once again made the day a success.
In October and November, the Fire Department, in conjunction with the COA, replaced batteries and replaced smoke/carbon monoxide detectors for elderly residents in town. Fire department personnel changed more than two hundred batteries and replaced nearly forty detectors.
On Sunday, November 3rd and Sunday, November 10th Swansea firefighters hosted two “Open House” events at Station 1 and Station 4 respectively. The events gave department members the opportunity to speak to prospective members about the membership process while showcasing their stations and apparatus. Firefighters conducted station tours, answered questions about the volunteer fire service and provided snacks and refreshments. As always, our firefighters went above and beyond the call of duty as they gave their time in hopes of bolstering their ranks.
On Monday, November 11th, members of the Swansea Fire Department joined a large crowd gathered at the Veteran’s Memorial Green to honor the town’s military veterans.
On December 7, twenty-one Fire Department members took part in the annual “Holiday in the Village” stroll along Main Street. As in past years, department members manned fire apparatus during the Touch-a-Truck event and served nearly one thousand cups of hot chocolate, made and donated by fire department members, to the large crowd that gathered at Fire Station 1. In addition, firefighters used the opportunity to staff a recruitment booth and spent more than three hours answering questions from town residents while explaining what it means to be a volunteer firefighter.
The seventh year of the tax incentive program is complete. Thirty-two firefighters met the established minimum standard. The program continues to pay dividends as many firefighters have increased their numbers of both fire responses and training hours.
The Fire Department responds to hundreds of emergencies at all hours of the day. The commitment of businesses that have allowed their employees to respond to these emergencies has, in part, enabled the Fire Department to remain a volunteer department. Firefighters are sometimes away from their jobs for hours at a time, several times each year. The cost to businesses in lost production - 59 - or services is substantial. The willingness of these businesses to assist the Swansea Fire Department and the community is greatly appreciated.
Swansea firefighters willingly respond to emergencies at a moment’s notice, go without sleep, spend countless hours training and risk their lives twenty-four hours a day, three hundred sixty-five days a year. They respond within seconds and work tirelessly until the emergency is over. They are highly motivated, extraordinary individuals who willingly put themselves in harm’s way to protect the lives and property of their fellow citizens. They are dedicated public servants who work as a team to provide a priceless service to the community.
I would like to extend my heartfelt thanks to the wives, significant others and family members whose support and understanding allows our firefighters to be the very best they can be. Many of the emergency responses come at the worst possible time and without their support a volunteer fire department would not be possible. They are the backbone of the fire department who often carry a significant burden that should never go unnoticed. I truly appreciate their sacrifices and applaud their efforts.
Lastly, I would like to thank Deputy Chief Patterson, the officers and the firefighters of the Swansea Fire Department for all of their hard work and devotion to duty. Their commitment to training, fire prevention and emergency response is beyond exceptional. Our member’s dedication to each other, to the department and to the citizens of Swansea is truly remarkable.
Swansea firefighters continue to go above and beyond the call of duty and allow the Swansea Fire Department to meet its ever- expanding mission. I thank them for all that they continue to do to support our department and our community. Respectfully submitted, Eric S. Hajder Chief of Department
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FIRE DEPARTMENT ROSTER
Chief of Department Eric S. Hajder
Deputy Chief of Department Michael J. Patterson
Fire Inspector Bruce J. Antone
Captains Lieutenants Jordan Amorin Scott Farrell Safety Officers Bruce Antone Christopher Hajder Garrett Medeiros Nicholas Emard Thomas Hydrick Benjamin Lambert Brett Medeiros Richard Mello
David Barata Dale Dellicker Tyler Beaudry* William Domingos Nathan Leonardo Joel Beaulieu Benjamin Emard Mark Mackenzie* Devin Beaulieu* Edward Flaxington Michael Medeiros Nathan Bettencourt Joseph Foley David Miranda Daniel Boardman Nicole Foley Andrew Moniz Timothy Boardman Christopher Furtado Timothy Moreira Nicholas Brillo James Furtado John Nelson Patrick Burke Alexander Greene Kevin Nunes David Cantin Grant Hajder Jonah Perry Matthew Caron Gary Irons Richard Rego Christopher Carreiro Scott Johnson Wyatt Rego Richard Carreiro Timothy Johnson Michael Rodrigues Michael Carvalho Zachary Jones Caitlyn Silva Edward Cellemme Francis Kelly Jared Sousa William Chadwick Michael Kelly Jeremy Souza Donald Charron Michael Kent Jesse Stimson Winston Cobb Alan Kocak Christopher Street Matthew Coffey Justin Lachance Timothy Teves Tyler Cookson Michael LaFleur Paul Thibault Pamela Crombie Jacob LaFleur* Lewis Walton* Marc LaPointe Travis Winters
Dispatcher/Admin. Assistant Sarah M. Lopes Dispatchers Nancy Cordeiro, Richard Rego, Torie Thomas Relief Dispatchers Jordan Amorin, Ashley Levesque, Leslie Pavao, Miranda Silvia
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Highway Department
The Highway Department provides numerous services to the residents of Swansea. Calendar year 2019 was another extremely busy one for the Department. The following routine operations were conducted: patching potholes & pavement defects; saw cutting and pavement removal/replacement; driveway apron repairs; catch basin repairs; drainage repairs and extensions, cutting brush along the roadsides; cemetery grass mowing/trimming; street sign replacement; sidewalk repairs and sweeping; litter pickup; painting roadway markings; mechanically cleaning catch basins; sweeping all Town streets at least once with some trouble spots and main roads receiving additional sweeping as needed; materials and project bidding, contracting and supervising roadway resurfacing and crack sealing vendors; managing the solid waste (trash) and recycling collection and disposal vendor contract, spring and fall beach cleanup and closure assistance; and assisting other Town Departments with numerous tasks. The Highway Department also provides snow and ice control during winter storm events to allow safe passage on Town owned roadways.
PAVEMENT MARKINGS The application of new double yellow centerline pavement markings and single white shoulder pavement markings was applied during the calendar year on newly paved roads and highly traveled areas. HiWay Safety Systems, Inc. applied 47,585 linear feet of 4” double yellow and 53,900 linear feet of 4” single white markings. The pavement markings were applied on Stephen French, Maple, Cedar, Old Warren, Oak, Reed, Bushee, Locust, Vinnicum, Peter’s Community lane, and Cousineau Drive. Pavement markings will resume again in 2020.
The Highway Department also paints stop lines at all intersections, crosswalk markings at all town crosswalks, handicapped parking symbols, arrows and parking lot lines on public roadways and the following municipal parking lots: Town Hall/Library, Police Station, Highway Department, Town Hall Annex, Fire Stations 1, 2 and 4.
STREET SIGNS The names of streets in Swansea are designated by Town Meeting at the time of their acceptance or as approved by the Board of Selectmen. The Highway Department erects and maintains all street name signs at intersections. The Highway Department completed the update of all street name signs to the new guidelines at the end of 2018. Upgrading of all street cautionary signs to the new MassDot guidelines was conducted during the 2019 calendar year. This project will be continuing into 2020.
TRAFFIC LIGHTS The Highway Department maintains signalized intersections that are located on Town-owned roadways only, such as the intersection of Main Street at Gardners Neck Rd, Swansea Mall Drive at Swansea Crossings, Wood Street at Oak Street, Oak Street at Locust Street, Bark at Buffington Street, and Sharps Lot at Marvel Street. Maintenance of this equipment is performed using the Highway Department operating budget through a third-party vendor, Bell Traffic. Maintenance of these signalized light fixtures was conducted on the majority of them in calendar year 2019.
DRAINAGE Drainages system repairs/installations were made at catch basin and drainage swale locations on the following streets:
Sherbourne Ave Sharps lot Road Maple Ave Smokerise Circle (4) Macomber Ave Milne Ave Nike Site Road Reservoir Road Ocean Groove Jamie Lynn Lane Ash Road Rowley St Main St behind Library Bark Circle Bryants Way Burning Tree Rowkley @Bark Bourne Rd Wendell St Sawyer Ave
New yard drains and roadway drop inlets with connections into the existing Town drainage network are being installed to help reduce the effects of sump pumps causing icing conditions on Town roadways. During 2019, the Department corrected six (6) problem locations with new drainage installs including Smokerise Circle, Reservoir Ave, Nike Site Road, Kimberly Drive, and Maple Ave. This activity will be continuing into 2020 as there are numerous locations throughout Town where sump pumps discharging to the roadways are causing safety hazards. This work was funded and will continue to be funded out of the operating budget.
Drain line flushing performed by an outside vendor was conducted on the following Town Roads:
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Ocean Groove Ave Rolfe Street Cliff Ave Stevens Road Ridge Puffer Macomber Mildred Maplewood
In addition, the Department cleaned three (3) detention ponds that were completely overgrown located off of Reservoir Rd, Oak Hill Drive, and Maia Way. Highway Department staff mechanically cleaned 95% of the Town’s nearly 1,650 catch basins during the year. This activity generally takes nearly 6-8 months to complete due to its time-consuming task.
ROADWAY MAINTENANCE Fiber reinforced roadway crack sealing (funded by MassDOT Chapter 90) was not conducted during the 2019 calendar year. Crack sealing of roads will begin again in the spring of 2020.
Grading and patching of Cummings Road (disputed section) was conducted in the spring and fall of 2019 and during additional intervals when the road warranted it, to try and keep the roadway passable and prevent plowing damage to Town Owned Equipment.
ROADSIDE MOWING The Highway Department utilized its tractor with a boom arm mounted mower to routinely cut the roadsides along town-owner roadways. During the 2019 Calendar year, the roadside mower was down due to ta transmission/clutch issue for two (2) months during the spring. This keeps the growth to a minimum for better visibility along the roadways.
SNOW & ICE CONTROL One of the most important tasks of the Highway Department is keeping the roadways clear of snow and ice during winter conditions. The Department’s policy has been an evolution of materials, process and timing over the past years. Experience has shown that pretreating the municipal roads with a salt/magnesium chloride mixture prior to the winter event is cost effective and reduces the time necessary to fully clean-up the event.
Rock salt (sodium chloride) that has a liquid accelerator consisting of magnesium chloride and molasses that is sprayed and mixed on the salt is the primary way the roads are treated during a storm event. This additive brings down the effective melting temperature for the combined material to approximately the low teens. It has been demonstrated that the pretreating application will melt ½” to 1” of the first falling snow.
Once a snow depth of 2 – 3 inches is reached during a storm event, plowing contractors are typically called out to supplement the town’s 9 plowing vehicles to clear the snow from roadway surfaces. As the triggering of plowing contractors starts the clock on paying out typically more than $2,000 per hour for their services, the timing of this function is tightly controlled by the Highway Director & Foreman.
The timing and choice of tools in the snow fighting arsenal is dependent upon numerous factors that are variable from storm to storm: whether there is all snow or a mixture of rain; how long the storm will last; how the timing of snowfall relates to school opening or closing; how it relates to commuting hours; whether the storm on a weekend or weekday; is it a daytime or night-time storm; what are the air and roadway temperature before and after the event; will there be strong winds with the potential of downed trees; and are there truck or equipment breakdowns during or before the event.
Once the plowing of all streets and public safety parking lots has been completed, a post storm treatment may be necessary. It may be of the mains and hills, or include all streets, or may be omitted entirely. Also, before opening of municipal facilities (Town Hall, COA, Annex, etc.), parking lots need to be plowed and treated.
CEMETERIES Swansea has two municipally owned cemeteries – ‘Mount Hope Cemetery’ on Hortonville and Milford Roads in the village center and ‘Vinnicum Woods Cemetery’ on Vinnicum Road. The Highway Department’s tasks in maintaining the cemeteries are as follows:
Conduct internments at both municipal cemeteries Install footings and foundations for monuments Install veterans markers Cut and trim grass Apply fertilizer when necessary Prune existing trees - 63 -
Maintain entrance plantings Maintain irrigation and water systems Collect leaves and trash
The Highway Department provides some maintenance for nineteen (19) ‘historical outside’ cemeteries as the time and workload allows.
SOLIDWASTE / RECYCLING The Highway Department currently oversees the Town’s Solid Waste Collections vendor, Waste Management. 2019 was an interesting year where Waste Management bought Howland Disposal and assumed the solid waste and recycling collections for the town. It was a long transition period lasting well over four (4) months but the collection activity issues seem to have returned to normal level.
The Highway Department has undertaken Recycling Inspections through out the town. Two rounds of four (4) week inspections were conducted in 2019 as a result of recycling downgrades that were affecting the Town’s Recycling Program. This will be a continued effort going forward in 2020.
ROADWAY REPAVING and Repairs The Highway Department managed the contractor that repaved the following streets using MassDOT Chapter 90 funds during the Summer 2019:
Stephen French – 1490 lf Mandy’s Place – 530 lf Cheryl Drive – 700 lf Peter’s Road – 1780 lf Jason Lane – 480 lf Community Lane – 880 lf Maple Ave – 1925 lf Cousineau Dr – 565 lf Reed Street – 3950 lf Brook Ridge Circle – 960 lf Locust Street – 2780 lf Old Reed Rd – 540 lf Vinnicum Rd – 6020 lf Total – 4.3 miles Total Cost - $621,600.00
The Highway Department also repaired numerous driveway aprons, and installed asphalt berms to control drainage at numerous properties. The department spent $9,300 for approximately 125 tons of asphalt to repair pot holes and roadway depressions during the calendar year.
TOWN OWNED DAMS Staff from the Swansea Highway Department assisted the hired contractor with the removal of vegetation along the footprint of the Milford Pond Dam and the Route 6 dam as required by the Town’s engineering consultant and Massachusetts Office of Dam Safety. The Highway Department managed the consultant engineer’s Phase I inspection and reporting on the conditions of both dams as required every 10 years for a low hazard dam by Mass office of Dam Safety. The consultant will continue to work with the Town to make improvements to both of these dams.
TOWN PROJECTS Highway Department staff assisted the Town Administrator with many of the Swansea Anniversary events including Holiday in the Village.
The Highway Department worked with an outside vendor to repair sections of Peck Street and to complete the defunct subdivision off of Maia Way.
The Highway Department worked with the Beach Committee to install new walkways from the beach to the parking lot. Worked with the waterfront Committee with numerous aspects of the Bluffs building site construction including fence and guard rail install.
The Highway Department Staff removed the Town Docks and repaired and cleaned the necessary sections. Prior to 2018, the docks had not been removed in a number of years for maintenance.
The Highway Department removed the overgrown islands on Jason Lane and Cheryl Drive to accommodate paving operations.
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The Highway Department worked with the Fire Department to install fencing and bollards around the new Fire radio Tower and worked with the police department to install a new parking meter system at the town docks.
The Highway Department Staff began the drainage improvement project to correct safety hazard areas created by residents pumping sump pumps to Town Roadways. There are a number of identified areas throughout the town that consistent required salting trucks on a frequent basis. Our goal is to install corrective actions or try and work with homeowners to eliminate the pumping to town roadways and hopefully stop the unnecessary continuous salting which occurs at a considerable expense.
The Highway Staff worked with the Swansea Historical Society to install historical significance signs throughout the Town.
The Highway Staff worked with the Parks Department to repair field fencing, playgrounds, and helped with field lighting.
The Highway Staff worked with the Recreation Department to setup the summer recreation program, including the tent setup and picnic table maintenance.
I would like to thank the residents of Swansea for the opportunity to serve you. I would also like to take this time to thank the hard- working members of the Highway Department who performed the tasks listed above and for their dedication and support, and a thank you also goes to the Town Administrator John McAuliffe and the Board of Selectmen for their guidance and support.
Respectfully Submitted, William M. Anderson, PE Director
LIBRARIAN'S REPORT
LIBRARY BUILDING FACILITY: The director, staff, and trustees of the Swansea Free Public Library (SFPL) have continued to maintain our beautiful historic building in the heart of the Swansea Historic District. This year, special attention was given to the Youth Services area in the basement of the building, by making it a healthier and appealing environment for youth and families to visit. After mitigating the water incursion to the basement, the entire public youth services area was re-carpeted and repainted, at minimal cost, with much work done by library staff and community volunteers. For those who have not had a chance to see the beautiful murals in the youth services rooms, it is definitely worth a visit.
ONLINE PRESENCE: In 2019, the SFPL launched our new website, which has given our online visitors a more attractive and functional site that provides access to current library programming, information, and resources. The website, swansealibrary.org, also offers patrons easy access to the library’s electronic resources, including research databases, as well as free electronic downloadable books, audiobooks, magazines, movies, and television shows. SFPL’s Facebook page has also been revitalized with a variety of new content added each day. The library will also be increasing its presence on Twitter and Instagram in order to reach more constituents of various age groups.
NEW SERVICES: The library now includes a staff member certified as Notary Public, permitting the SFPL to offer free notary services to the public. We have also grown our Library of Things – adding a metal detector and ukulele to our collection that includes dozens of museum and other regional destination passes, a circulating laminating machine, a telescope, binoculars, and fishing poles. SFPL now also circulates Internet Hotspots, which enable Swansea residents to “borrow the Internet” for free.
FINE FREE: On May 1, 2019 the SFPL went “fine free,” no longer charging overdue fines for items checked out at our library location. The trend of public libraries becoming “fine free” has become nationwide, and SFPL was proud to be a trailblazer in this movement for our region. We believe that eliminating fines has improved customer service and the patron’s library experience, increased access for patrons who had not been able to currently use our library’s materials, and helped avoid a burden on families who depend upon the materials that libraries offer and where fines can be a prohibitively expensive penalty. Late fees still apply on special items such as our Library of Things items, and charges for lost and damaged items will also still apply. This policy has been greeted with enthusiasm by our library patrons.
PROGRAMS: In 2019, the Library continued to offer a wide array of programs for all ages. Adults enjoyed our weekly hobby clubs, including genealogy, scrapbooking, knitting, crafting, adult coloring, and the coupon/recipe clubs. We also offered four different monthly book clubs for adults, as well as several local author nights, our ongoing monthly adult writers group, and a new German
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Conversation group. Children’s ongoing programs included Preschool Story Hour, Tiny Time (for birth – three years), The Write Club! for young writers, the Anime Club, and our growing Homeschoolers group and STEAM Clubs. Monster Squad and the Pokémon Club continue to be immensely popular with school-age patrons, and SFPL’s Third Annual Haunted Library brought in hundreds residents for treats, games, and a creepy, ghoulish tour of the library. Swansea Librarians visited our local elementary schools to promote the Summer Reading Program, a yearly program designed to help students improve reading skills, increase desire to read and reading comprehension, improve self-esteem, and help neutralize summer learning loss. Summer 2019 kicked off with Fishing at the Swansea Dam – an extremely well-attended, all-ages program, led by Massachusetts Fisheries & Wildlife and library staff. SFPL also offered a variety of programs order to engage readers and to bring families into the library – from our Watermelon Games to a Ukulele workshop to a live animal program, and culminating in the SFPL’s Annual SwanCon “ComicCon” event at the Swansea Community Center.
INCREASED COLLABORATION WITH COMMUNITY PARTNERS: Grants from the Swansea Cultural Council and ongoing financial support from the Friends of the Swansea Library, enabled SFPL to offer additional special programing not covered by our operations budget. Due to the small size of the library facility, we are reliant upon community partners to host many of the library’s larger events. SFPL brought Iditarod Musher, Karen Land, and her sled dog, Noggin, to the “White Church,” and collaborated with our neighbors at Christ Church to offer “First Fridays in the Village,” as well as a Summer Concert Series. SFPL hosted programs at Swansea Community Center including the global folk fusion band, “The Gnomes,” as well as a number of humanities lecture series for Council on Aging members and the community at large. The library was thrilled to again participate as one of the hosts of the Annual Holiday in the Village festivities.
STRATEGIC LONG RANGE PLANNING: In early 2019, the Library Board of Trustees formally re-established the Long Range Planning Committee and charged it with the development of a Long Range Plan for the Swansea Library. The Planning Committee Members selected represented a cross-section of the community and included library users, school officials, parents, business owners, and community leaders. The committee designed a survey to elicit both library and non-library user feedback, which was distributed at the library and via the library web site and Facebook page, at the May 2019 Town Meeting, at community centers, senior housing, through the school department’s newsletter to parents, and via direct email to SFPL cardholders. Additionally, the Library retained consultant, Elizabeth Hill, CFRE, to conduct two focus groups and administer staff and trustee surveys. Information gathered from 756 library survey responses, staff and trustee surveys, and focus groups guided the committee in its selection of Library Service Priorities and helped to identify priorities and goals for the Library for the next five years. Of particular note is that 83% of survey respondents indicated that they would definitely or probably would support the Library Construction project. For detailed information, Swansea residents are encouraged to read the SFPL’s entire Long Range Plan 2020 – 2024 on the library website, swansealibrary.org.
LIBRARY EXPANSION PROJECT: The Library Building Committee (LBC) reconvened in December 2018, to review the State library construction grant awarded to us in 2017 in the amount of $6.875M for an expansion and renovation project for the library to better serve our community. Over the course of 2019, the LBC met four times to review the results of the survey and focus groups as they pertained to the expansion of library services and facility expansion, and discussed and voted on a plan to move forward with the project. We are optimistic about the future of our building project and will continue our efforts to work with an OPM and architect on a design that will be brought to the voters for approval. The LBC and the Library Board of Trustees support efforts to provide a facility that is appropriate for a town of our size, and that may offer quality traditional and emerging library services to all members of our community.
Respectfully submitted, Eileen A. Dyer Library Director
SWANSEA PLANNING BOARD
In 2019, the Swansea Planning Board conducted eighteen (18) regularly scheduled meetings and one (1) special meeting. The Planning Board reviewed one (1) subdivision plan; seven (7) commercial site plans and thirteen (13) Requests to Endorse Approval Not Required (ANR or Form A) plans, one (1) of which was withdrawn. The Planning Board also approved two (2) applications for a Special Permit for a Hammerhead Lot. A total of $19,020 in filing fees was collected and transferred to the General Fund.
The Planning Board applied for and obtained District Local Technical Assistance from the Southeastern Regional Planning and Economic Development District (SRPEDD) for the development of a Redevelopment Authority (RDA) to examine the Swansea Mall site and defunct properties on Route 6. The RDA was subsequently approved at Town Meeting. The Board also held a public hearing - 66 - for the rezoning of two properties along Route 6 and the establishment of an overlay district at the Swansea Mall that were approved Town Meeting. The Board also hired two consulting engineering firms for the review of site plans and subdivisions.
The Planning Board continued to represent the Town of Swansea as a member of the SRPEDD, the regional planning commission, whose monthly meetings are attended by the Town Planner. The Planning Board also made the following appointments:
James Hanley was appointed to the Soil Conservation Board;
Tim Cabral was appointed to the Community Preservation Committee
Robert Medeiros continues to serve as the Planning Board representative to the Waterfront Revitalization Committee.
Thomas Cabral, the Planning Board’s representative, resigned from the Recreation Committee. Jose Motta was appointed in his place.
As always, the Planning Board offers its thanks to the Town’s many departments, boards and commissions for their cooperation throughout the year and looks forward to its continued service to the residents of Swansea to address the important issues of land use and commercial and residential development.
Respectfully submitted, Scott Adams Chairman
SWANSEA POLICE DEPARTMENT ANNUAL REPORT FOR THE YEAR 2019
NALYSIS BY CALL REASONS FOR 2019:
Rape 0 Weapons Violations 11 Assaults 60 Prostitution 1 Burglary/B&E 23 Sex Offenses 70 Burglary/B&E Attempted 22 Drug Law Violations 11 Larceny 73 Protective Custody 0 Larceny/Attempted 9 Operating Under the Influence 13 Larceny License Plate 6 Disorderly/Disturbing the Peace 10 Motor Vehicle Theft 8 Threats 44 Unauthorized Use MV 0 Neighbor Complaint Non-Criminal 51 Recovered MV 1 B&E Motor Vehicle 11 Lewd & Lascivious Behavior 2 Recovered License Plate 3 Forgery/Counterfeiting 3 Arrest/Warrant 27 Fraud 82 Missing Person/Runaway Return 3 Embezzlement 1 Public Drinking 1 Stolen Property Offenses 31 Trespassing 30 Vandalism/Wil/Mal Dest. Prop 68 Civil Complaint 88
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Runaway/CHINS 14 Serve 209A 50 Shoplifting 58 Disabled Auto 305 Disperse Group 6 Hazardous Condition 437 Violations of Town By-Laws 30 Officer Injured on Duty 2 Missing Person 29 Illegal Shell fishing 4 Property Lost/Found 91 840's 18883 Domestic 72 Parking Violations 146 Violations of 209A 16 Harassment 56 Domestic/Non-Violent 79 Motor Vehicle Stop 2242 Stalking 4 DUI/Speed Patrol Stop 199 Loud Noise Complaint 48 Radar Assignment 1052 Annoying/Threatening Phone Calls 12 Hunters/Illegal Hunting 7 Suspicious Person/Auto/Activity 1700 Juvenile/Truant 5 Illegal Dumping 22 Wires Down 37 Continued Investigation 486 Transport Prisoner 26 Officer Wanted/Keep the Peace 64 CJIS/NCIC Query 165 Officer Wanted 339 911 Unfounded Emergency 255 Escorts (all) 10 VIN Check 10 Transport Citizen 56 Child Restraining Check 15 Lockout/Auto 45 Papers Service & Attempt 212 Illegal Burning 5 Fireworks Complaint 29 Notification 46 Administrative 1618 Animal Complaint 254 Shell Fish Warden Duties 95 Loose Cows 23 GRAND TOTAL 34678 Medical/Overdose 20
Sudden Death/Natural Causes 11 Medical Emergency 1712 Mental/Incapacitated/Section 12 75 Suicide & Attempts 21 Check Welfare 242 Disturbance 81 Fire - Brush/Structure/Auto 101 Fire Alarm Investigation 157 Alarm Burglar/Hold-up 157 Alarm Test 1 Assist Another Agency 102 Assist Another Police Department 250 Motor Vehicle Complaint 309 Open Door/Window 152 Public Service Other 406 Dirt Bike Complaint 21 Accident Hit & Run 81 Accident with Personal Injury 114 Accident No PI/Property Damage 446 Accident Under $1000 NRN 90 Abandoned Motor Vehicle 7 - 68 -
GRANTS: FY19 State 9-1-1 Department Support & Incentive Grant Program ………………….…….………… $46,786.00 FY19 Traffic Enforcement (Click it or Ticket, Distracted Driver & (Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over) ……………………………………………….……………………. $10,000.00
GRANT TOTAL: ...... ………..$ 56,786.00
TRAINING
Training for the month of January 2019 included the following:
Detective Jonathan Boyd and Patrolman Zachary Sousa trained with SEMLEC SWAT two (2) days during the month. These officers covered CQT tactics and all SOP’s as they relate to room clearing, hallway intersections and stairwells. The training was done at the Minot Elementary School located at 63 Minot Avenue in Wareham, Mass. These officers also did active shooter with force on force scenarios. This training was performed at the Mitchell Elementary School located at 500 South Street in Bridgewater, Mass.
On January 8th, 2019, Sgt. Richard Roussel and Officer Amy Gallant attended monthly training for SEMLEC/CISM (Critical Incident Stress) in Middleboro, Mass.
Patrolmen Kyle Stone, Jared Ulak and Detective Keith Chomka all attended Managing and Conducting Background Investigations at the Grafton Police Department. This was sponsored by the Municipal Police Institute.
The entire department started annual in-service training sponsored by S.E.M.P.T.A.
Detective Jonathan Boyd attended Dust & Bust at the Sharon Police Department. This training was sponsored by the Municipal Police Institute.
Detective Jonathan Boyd and Patrolmen Kyle Stone, Shane Mello, Donald DiBiasio, Thomas Eaton and Zachary Sousa, as well as Lieutenant’s Marc Haslam and Joseph Martin, attended a two (2) day boat safety class sponsored by the Massachusetts Environmental Police.
Training for the month of February 2019 included the following:
Detective Jonathan Boyd and Officer Zachary Sousa trained with SEMLEC SWAT for 2 days this month. On February 6th, 2019 firearms training at the East Bridgewater range was held from 8:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m. in order to maintain proficiency at essential tasks and on February 20th, 2019 CQT Tactics in relation to Active Shooter was held in Wareham. Massachusetts.
On February 19th, 2019, Sgt. Richard Roussel and Officer Amy Gallant attended monthly training for SEMLEC/CISM (Critical Incident Stress) in Middleboro, Massachusetts.
The entire department continued annual in-service training sponsored by S.E.M.P.T.A..
On February 20th, 2019 Lt. Joseph Martin attended a training class for Autism Awareness at the Swansea Ambulance Corps
Training for the month of March 2019 included the following:
Detective Jonathan Boyd and Patrolman Zachary Sousa trained with SEMLEC SWAT on March 6th, 2019 from 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. Topics covered included tactical medicine, officer down, close quarter tactics (CQT), force on force, building clearing, simunitions and officer down drills.
On March 20th, 2019 from 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m., sniper-initiated vehicle and bus assaults utilizing live fire, rook and bearcat training was held at the East Bridgewater outdoor range, 65 Franklin Street, East Bridgewater, Massachusetts.
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On March 12th, 2019, Sgt. Richard Roussel and Officer Amy Gallant attended monthly training for SEMLEC/CISM (Critical Incident Stress) in Middleboro, Massachusetts.
On March 25th & March 26th, 2019, Sgt. Richard Roussel and Officer Amy Gallant attended suicide prevention intervention and prevention training for SEMLEC/CISM (Critical Incident Stress) in Middleboro, Massachusetts.
Training for the month of April 2019 included the following:
Patrolman Zachary Sousa and Detective Jonathan Boyd attended the following training for SEMLEC SWAT during the month of April, April 3, 2019 (4PM-12AM) K9 tracking, woodland formations, near and far ambushes training. Immediate action to officer down drills, self-aid, buddy PMTs and K-9 were available. April 17th, 2019: (8AM-4PM) Range, Firearms Sustainment, Training (Rifle and Pistol). Training was held at the East Bridgewater outdoor range, 65 Franklin Street, East Bridgewater, Massachusetts.
April 28th, 2019: Patrolman Shane Mello completed the Captain’s class for his OUPV license.
April 9th, 2019: Patrolman Amy Gallant and Sgt. Richard Roussel attended monthly SEMLEC CISM training in Middleboro, Massachusetts.
April 16th, April 17th, April 18th, 2019: The entire department completed Active Shooter/MV stops training using simunitions at Joseph Case High School.
Training for the month of May 2019 included the following:
Patrolmen Zachary Sousa and Detective Jonathan Boyd attended the following SEMLEC SWAT training, May 1st, 2019 from 8AM-4PM at 500 South Street in Bridgewater, MA for Yearly Gas and Distraction Device Training. May 19th, 2019 from 8AM-4PM at BSU Moakley Auditorium, 100 Burrill Avenue in Bridgewater, MA where Attorney Eric Daigle covered SOP’s and Use of Force issues.
On May 9th, 2019, Patrolmen Christopher Ball, Sheila Valero, Daniel Walsh and Sergeant Patrick Mooney attended a one-day seminar at Whites of Westport on Domestic Violence sponsored by the Bristol County DA’s office.
On May 22nd & May 23rd, 2019, Patrolmen Shane Mello and Kyle Stone attended Taser Re-Certification Training sponsored by Axon.
On May 22nd, 2019, Sgt. Mark Foley attended a one-day Firearms Legal Update sponsored by MPI in Milford, MA.
Training for the month of June 2019 included the following:
Patrolmen Zachary Sousa and Detective Jonathan Boyd attended the following training for S.E.M.L.E.C. SWAT during the month of June, 2019, June 6th, 2019 from 8AM-4PM school lockdown drill (Rochester, MA) and Close Quarter Tactics (CQT) with simunitions, force on force at the Mitchell School in Bridgewater, Massachusetts. June 19th, 2019 from 8AM-4PM Range Training (Gas Mask Qualifications and Shield Work) held at the S.E.C.C. in Bridgewater, Massachusetts.
June 24th, 2019-June 28th, 2019: Patrolmen Kyle Stone attended an IPTM class at Norwood Police Department. This class was for Pedestrian/Bicycle Crash Investigation Level 1.
June 3rd –June 7th, 2019: The entire department did annual Firearms and Taser qualifications at the Somerset Sportsmen Club on Baker Road.
Training for the month of July 2019 included the following:
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Patrolman Zach Sousa and detective Jonathan Boyd attended the following training for SEMLEC SWAT during the month of July. July 10th, 2019 from 8AM-4PM, range training, tubular assaults, sniper initiated tubular assault and room entries at the East Bridgewater range. July 24th, 2019 from 8AM-4PM, close quarter tactics (CQT) using night vision goggles, dry run, 2D targets, and force on force with simunitions at the old Westport Police Station on Main Road in Westport, MA.
Lt. Joseph Martin attended a one-day training for Instructor Development at the Plymouth Academy, sponsored by the MPTC.
Patrolman Shane Mello attended a one-day training on Effective Youth Management/SRO at the Westport Police Department.
Patrolman Michael Mulhern and Macaila Saunders attended Next- Gen 9-1-1 school at the State 9-1-1 headquarters in Middleboro, MA. Training for the month of August including the following:
Patrolman Zachary Sousa and Detective Jonathan Boyd attended the following S.E.M.L.E.C. SWAT training, August 7th, 2019 from 8AM-4PM – High Risk Wide Area Outdoor Searches. The training took place at Noquochoke Wildlife Reserve, 845 Hixville Road, Dartmouth, MA. August 21st, 2019 from 10AM-6PM – Team/Moral Building Exercises, Debrief of Middleboro call-out.
The entire Department completed on-line Law Enforcement training for Autism Awareness through The Scott Center for Autism Treatment.
Training for the month of September included the following:
Patrolman Zachary Sousa and Detective Jonathan Boyd attended the following training for SEMLEC SWAT, 9/4/2019 from 8AM-4PM, Range training (point/snap shooting, moving and shooting, transition from primary to secondary weapons). This training took place in East Bridgewater at the East Bridgewater Police Department range. September 18, 2019 from 8AM- 4PM, Annual Physical and Firearms Qualifications. The Physical qualifications took place at Bridgewater State College and the Firearms qualifications took place at the East Bridgewater Police Department range in East Bridgewater.
Chief Arruda attended the Massachusetts Chiefs of Police Chief’s Annual 3-day Mandated MPTC In-Service training program 9/17-9/19 in Norwood.
The entire department completed an on-line training on First Amendment Audits.
Training for the month of October, 2019 included the following:
Patrolman Zachary Sousa and Detective Jonathan Boyd attended the following S.E.M.L.E.C. training, 10/16/2019 from 8AM- 4PM: Range training annual qualifications all weapons. This training took place in East Bridgewater at the E.B.P.D. range.
10/9/2019: Patrolman Jared Ulak attended a basic tracking class as part of the S.E.M.L.E.C. Search & Rescue Team.
10/8/2019 & 10/9/2019: Sgt. Richard Roussel, Patrolman Amy Gallant and Patrolman Keith Lake attended a Critical Incident training “The Trauma behind the Badge” sponsored by NESPIN and COPS in Wareham, Massachusetts.
10/22/2019: Lt. Marc Haslam attended a one-day class on Public Records sponsored by M.P.I.
10/9/2019: Sgt. Mark Foley and Detective Keith Chomka attended a one-day firearms law updated sponsored by MPI.
Reserve Officers Roberts, Stanley, Pelletier, Carvalho, Bouchard and Patrolman Monchique and Ashley Motta attended Taser Certification class at SPD instructed by Officer Shane Mello and Officer Kyle Stone.
Training for the month of November 2019 included the following:
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Patrolman Zachary Sousa and Detective Jonathan Boyd attended the following S.E.M.L.E.C. training on November 6th, 2019 from 8AM-4PM (8 hours), Explosive Breaching with MSP Bomb Squad. All aspects of SWAT included pre-planning, rehearsals, movement to target, explosive/mechanical breaching/entry/shots fired/officer down/hostage rescue/subject down and all contingencies associated with SWAT operations. This training took place at 323 Bedford Street in Lakeville, Massachusetts. On 11/20/2019 from 8AM-4PM (8 hours), Annual Full Mission Profile utilizing all aspects of SEMLEC to include SWAT/PMT’s/K9/CNT’s/PCSD/MSP BOMB SQUAD in order to maintain proficiency at essential task. This training took place at 323 Bedford Street in Lakeville, Massachusetts.
From 11/5 through 11/7/2019, Lt. Joseph Martin attended FTO Coordinator Seminar at Roger Williams University.
On 11/6/2019 from 9AM-3PM (6 hours), Homeland Security Investigations (HIS) conducted training at SPD on Human Trafficking: Hidden in Plain Sight. Sgt. Mark Foley, Detective Keith Chomka, Patrolman Jonathan Furtado and Patrolman Rob Wilson attended.
Training for the month of December 2019 included the following:
Patrolman Zachary Sousa and Detective Jonathan Boyd, attended the following SEMLEC Training on December 4, Tactical EMS (TEMS) as it relates to Close Quarter Tactics (CQT) and all elements of SWAT. Operators were trained in understanding the rationale for immediate steps for hemorrhage control including external hemorrhage control, direct pressure and wound packing. Early use of tourniquet for severe hemorrhage, internal hemorrhage control by rapid evacuation and transport was covered. Topics discussed in conjunction: Blood, Tourniquets, Quick Clot Packing, and Rapid Evacuation Techniques. Patrolman Sousa attended the following SWAT training on December 18, 2019, Close Quarter Tactics (CQT) sustainment training utilizing all SOP's of SEMLEC to include, approach to target, breaching, flash bang deployment, entry, room clearing, target engagement and all aspects as they relate to CQT in order to maintain proficiency at essential task. The training took place at 296 Bedford Street in Lakeville.
The entire department did SIMUNITIONS Tactical training covering building searches and MV stops at the Swansea Mall, December 10,11,12, 2019.
SCHOOL RESOURCE OFFICER REPORTS:
During the month of January, S.R.O. Mello was assigned to patrol due to staffing issues. One (1) report was taken from Case High School for Assault & Battery on a school teacher (see Report #19-20-AR).
During the month of February, S.R.O. Mello was assigned to patrol due to staffing issues and responded to the schools if contacted by building staff. On February 14th, 2019, S.R.O. Mello responded to Brown School for the reported student who fled the building and was in the woods. The student refused to return to the building with school staff and Officer Mello had to carry the male student back into the building. The student’s parents were contacted, and this student was dealt with through the school department policy.
The month of March was a relatively quiet month in the schools. S.R.O. Mello had one incident involving a student from the Jr. High School involving Class D (see Report #19-233-OF for further details). During the month while assigned to the schools, he attempted to maintain a highly visible and professional manner with both the faculty and the student body. He also monitored all three (3) lunches and hallways throughout the day. The month of April was a quiet month in the schools. S.R.O. Mello assisted with traffic each morning at the Jr. High School. He then met with the building principal Mr. Silveira to go over any issues pertaining to the school. S.R.O. Mello would then spend the remainder of the day in the High School to monitor the halls and all three lunches and assist Mr. Costa, the Assistant Principal with any issues pertaining to the students.
The month of May was a relatively quiet month in the schools. On May 16th, 2019, S.R.O. Mello, with the assistance of S.E.M.L.E.C. K-9 unit, conducted a search of the Jr. High School. Nothing was located; however, a K-9 did indicate on one student’s locker (see 19-393-OF) for further details. During the month, while assigned in the schools, S.R.O. Mello attempted to maintain a highly visible and professional manner with both the faculty and the student body. He also monitored all three (3) lunches and hallways throughout the day.
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The month of June was a relatively quiet month in the schools. During the month while assigned in the schools, S.R.O. Mello attempted to maintain a highly visible and professional manner with both the faculty and the student body. He also monitored all three (3) lunches and hallways throughout the day.
The opening of school was on August 27th, 2019 and went without any incidences. S.R.O. Mello checked in with all the school principals and none reported any major problems. On the first day of school, S.R.O. Mello assisted Mr. Silveira and Mr. Kelly at the Jr. High School with their assemblies and getting each grade settled into their rooms. S.R.O. Mello then went to the High School and assisted with the 9th and 10th grade assemblies. S.R.O. Mello monitored all three (3) lunches and assisted with traffic at the end of the school day.
At Case High School, S.R.O. Mello was contacted by the main office regarding a student and mother non-violent domestic (see report #19-727-OF) for further details. S.R.O. Mello also assisted the Fire Department with the initial fire drills at each school in the district.
During the month of September, S.R.O. Mello conducted armed intruder drills in all the schools and assisted with traffic at the Jr. High School and High School, as well as monitoring the hallways and all three (3) lunches.
S.R.O. Mello had several small incidents at the high school during the month with ongoing vaping issues in the bathrooms with both a male and a female. One female student was sent to St. Anne’s Hospital for a Section 12 (see report #19-796-OF) for further details.
The month of October was a very busy month in both schools. During the month we had several calls for service. On the 3rd, S.R.O. Mello responded to the Jr. High School for the reported out of control student (see 19-852-OF for further details). On the 13th, a party contacted the station regarding a welfare check on two students (see 19-873-OF for further details). S.R.O. Mello also assisted Officer Nolan at a motor vehicle accident in which a school bus was involved. The school bus was empty at this time and there was very minor damage.
While S.R.O. Mello was assigned in the schools, he maintained a highly visible and professional standard with both faculty and the student body. He monitored the halls and all three lunches each day and assisted Mr. Costa at the High School with traffic at the end of the day. The month of November was a very busy month with several calls for service in the schools. S.R.O. Mello received several student attendance reports from the Jr. High, Brown School and Hoyle School. After making several contact attempts with the parents, one issue was resolved, and the other two issues will be filed for Child Requesting Assistance in Juvenile Court. This month we have had an increased issue with vaping in the boy’s bathroom. After several meeting with administration, new protocols have been put into place to resolve this issue.
Mr. Palladino, the new Athletic Director, requested a meeting with S.R.O. Mello in regard to the Thanksgiving Day football game and officer assignments. Due to this being his first year as Athletic Director, he wanted to be familiarized with the procedures of what was going to take place on the police department’s part.
Mr. Costa, the Assistant Principal, requested S.R.O. Mello to investigate on-going parking issues at the end of each school day in the teacher’s parking lot. The complaint was several vehicles were parking on both sides of the road way, making it difficult for vehicles to enter or exit the school.
S.R.O. Mello worked the homecoming dance. While assigned to this dance, Mr. McCann, the building Principal, informed Officer Mello that a student was let in through the rear entrance near the boy’s locker room. S.R.O Mello located the student and removed him from the dance. Officer Motta transported the student back to his residence on Oak Street (see Report #19- 183-OF) for further details. This student will also be trespassed from any further school events for the remainder of the school year.
The day before Thanksgiving, S.R.O. Mello assisted the Jr. High School with the annual turkey trot event. Following this event, S.R.O. Mello then returned to the High School to monitor the pep rally. At the request of Lt. Martin, Officer Mello posted School Street with no parking signs blocking the rear lot for the motorcycle ride and requested all the barrels to block the road way once parking lots at the school were filled. The football game went off without any incidents.
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Each day while S.R.O. Mello was assigned in the schools, he assisted with traffic exiting the school each day, as well as monitoring all hallways and lunches. S.R.O. Mello attempted to maintain a highly professional manner with both the faculty and the students.
The month of December was a relatively quiet month at the schools. Each morning this officer would assist with traffic at the Jr. High School and then meet with the building principal to discuss and issues pertaining to the school. The S.R.O. would then go to the High School and meet with the Assistant Principal to discuss any issues pertaining to students or faculty that may have occurred in or out of school.
The S.R.O. met with several students to discuss issues throughout the month. Some students would speak with the S.R.O. regarding career choice matters and some would discuss personal issues they may be having. No incident or arrest reports were taking in December, The S.R.O. had one court matter involving a student from Brown School. The case has been turned over to DCYF for further intervention. The S.R.O. while assigned to the schools maintained a highly visible and professional manner with both the faculty and students. The S.R.O. attended some gym classes and woodshop classes to interact with the students. At the end of the day, S.R.O. Mello would monitor traffic on Cardinal Way for any motor vehicle problems.
CORRESPONDENCE
On Saturday, August 31st, 2019, this Department was called to the Town Beach for an unresponsive male. When Officers arrived at the Town Beach, they immediately went down to the shoreline where C.P.R. was being performed by bystanders. Swansea Paramedics then took over life saving measures.
It was later relayed that the 55-year-old male, then identifying as a town resident, Christopher R. Johnson, had passed away at Charlton Memorial Hospital.
Our condolences go out the Mr. Christopher Johnson’s entire family.
On Thursday, September 19th, 2019, Officers were dispatched to 60 Deborah Lane for an unknown medical situation. The Dispatcher Nichole Costa reported that the homeowner had a Tree Company working at his home and heard someone say call 9-1-1.
Swansea E.M.S. and Officer Thomas Nolan arrived on scene at the same time and observed on the side of the home a yellow and red bucket truck parked next to the home. The front end of the truck was facing west and had a green chipper attached to it. As E.M.T. Kyle Rego and Officer Nolan made their way to the truck, they observed a male’s legs hanging off the top portion of the truck. The male was later identified as Taylor Bowen. They then observed a female now known to them as Carolyn Pederson, performing chest compressions on Taylor. With Carolyn was Taylor’s father, Paul Bowen. E.M.T. Rego and Officer Nolan climbed the truck and took over care for Taylor.
Once Taylor was removed from the truck, Swansea E.M.S. Paramedic Jennifer Carrita took over care for Taylor with the assistance of Paramedic Supervisor Martin. Taylor was transported by Swansea E.M.S. to Rhode Island Hospital and was pronounced deceased upon arrival there.
Our condolences go out to the entire Bowen family during this difficult tragedy.
HARBORMASTER REPORT
During the 2019 boating season there were several new changes to the operation of the Boat Ramp and the waterways for the Town of Swansea. First, put into service was the new Police Department Patrol Boat. The 21’ patrol boat was used by the officers of the department to conduct patrols on the river and bay area. The department also assisted in Fall River for the 4th of July Celebration on the Taunton River. During this assignment the officers were able to assist a stranded boater who was taking on water. The officer assisted the boater and towed him to the Fall River Boat ramp. Also, during this event the Harbormaster Units were called to the Braga Bridge for a reported jumper, this was unfounded. The second addition was the new Electronic Parking meter at the entrance to the Boat Ramp. This replaced the honor system box that had been in place for many years. The Electronic Parking meter allows the citizens to use cash, debit card or credit card. - 74 -
Officers assigned to the harbormaster Program were also responsible in marking the waterways, by placing buoys in the channel and along the beach area. Officers also conducted boat inspections and enforced waterway rules. The officer also assisted during the oil spill recovery drill with the Swansea and Somerset Fire Departments. Officer Shane Mello is the Harbormaster and he is assisted by Officer Donald DiBiasio, Officer Thomas Eaton and Officer Kyle Stone. The officers go above their regular assigned duties to make sure the waterways are safe for everyone.
Shellfish Warden Report for 2019: The 2019 shellfish season was busy for the shellfish department with an early contaminated relay of 150 bushels re-seeded in the Lee’s River for both the Commercial and Recreational fishermen. The department was involved in monitoring of the Contaminated Relay for the Commonwealth. The relay supplies Towns throughout the State with quahogs to re-supply their waterways. The two relay boats, Ocean rancher and Blackjack supplied over 14, 000 bushels for reseeding. There has been a decline in Commercial Shellfish permits being purchased. In an effort to increase the purchase of this permits, the fee was reduced to $400.00.
Commercial Permits purchased ……… … 7. Recreation Permits purchased ……….. 302. Non-Residents permits…………………. 14.
Officers assigned to the Shellfish program were tasked with conducting shellfish harvest inspections at random locations throughout the waterway areas. The officers also regulated the fishing of blue shell crabs and several other species fished from the waterways of the Town. Officer Shane Mello is the Shellfish Warden and he is assisted by Deputy Shellfish Wardens, Officer Donald DiBiasio, Officer Thomas Eaton and Officer Kyle Stone.
MONIES TURNED OVER TO THE TOWN TREASURER:
Accident Report Fees: $ 245.00 Alarm By-Law Fees: $ 6,140.00 F.I.D. Card Fees: $ 312.50 Gun Permit Fees: $ 9,150.50 Court Fines: $ 1,780.00 Motor Vehicle Violations: $ 61,072.30 Parking Fines: $ 1,580.00 Gasoline Usage Fees: $ 15,893.20 Detail Administrative Fees: $ 38,739.40 TOTAL FEES: $134,912.90
Respectfully submitted, George Arruda Chief of Police
SWANSEA PUBLIC ACCESS OVERSIGHT COMMITTEE
FINANCIAL REPORT FROM JANUARY 1, 2019 TO DECEMBER 31, 2019 CAPITAL ACCOUNT Balance as Jan. 1, 2019 $ 124,571.32
Expenses - 20,861.23 ______Ending Balance as of Dec 31, 2019 $ 103,710.09
OPERATIONAL ACCOUNT Balance as of Jan. 1, 2019 $ 307,879.08 Income + 181,314.42
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Operational Expenses - 121,114.74 ______Ending Balance as of Dec. 31, 2019 $ 368,078.76
SWANSEA CABLE ACCESS TELEVISION c/o Joseph Case High School 70 School St, Swansea, Ma. 02777 Hours of operation are Monday through Friday 8:00am – 4:00pm Evening and weekends are by appointment only The Cable access Coordinator can be reached during business hours at (508) 675-7483 ext. 5 We are always looking for members of the community to produce their own programs. We are also searching for volunteers to assist in our programs. Free training is offered on the use of the broadcast equipment to all residents who either live or work in the Town of Swansea.
CHANNEL 09 EDUCATION: Any programs with an educational value geared to students of all ages. All School related programming will air on this channel. Channel 9 is geared towards content produced by students of the Swansea School District. EX. Case High Graduation, Luther School Graduation, Band Concerts High School sports etc. Community Bulletin Board will have all school related announcements as well as the complete schedule of programs that will air on the channel
CHANNEL 15 GOVERNMENT Any programs that relate to the Town of Swansea or any organizations within the Town of Swansea. Ex. Selectmen’s Meeting. Community Bulletin Board will have all Town related information. Posted meetings, cancellations etc… Completed schedule of programs that will air on the channel. Also, Channel 15 airs the school committee and the Diman Regional School committee meetings.
CHANNEL 98 PUBLIC ACCESS: Any program produced by people who live or work in the Town of Swansea. Non residents may get a Swansea resident to sponsor a program. Free training on the use of the broadcast equipment is provided. Complete schedule of programs on this channel as well. Community Bulletin Board is for all non profit organizations to list their events.
Respectfully submitted: Public Oversight Committee Chris Carreiro, Chair Frances M. Kelley Laurie Pimental Eric S. Hajder Debbie Kelley
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ANNUAL REPORT OF THE SWANSEA SCHOOLS
E.S. Brown School
Elizabeth Stevens Brown School, which opened in January 1956, is currently in its 64th year of providing quality education to young people of Swansea. The school was named after Elizabeth Stevens Brown, who was a Swansea elementary teacher and eventually became the Principal of Brown School. Originally the school was built as a Jr. High School to serve students in grades six through eight, later expanding to include students in grades three through eight. Over the years the school has transformed to meet the student’s educational needs.
Today Elizabeth S. Brown School serves students in grades three through five, with four classes per grade level, for a total of 12 classrooms. Our enrollment remained consistent this year with a current population of 275 students with class sizes ranging from 21 students to 24 students. This is the fourth year all students have been heterogeneously grouped within each homeroom while we continue to provide individualized services for students on IEPs in both inclusion and pull-out models. Currently there are 28 Special Education students (10%) who receive academic support from two Special Education teachers, and three paraprofessionals in these settings. We continue to qualify as a Title I school, which allows us to provide additional reading support via a Reading Specialist Teacher for students to strengthen basic reading and comprehension skills that are vital to improved academic achievement. Additionally, we offer Math support services via a Math Specialist Teacher for our third, fourth and fifth grade students. We also have an Academic Interventionist that supports students directly within their classrooms. This offers the ability to provide direct, short-term intervention to any struggling students. We have a School Adjustment Counselor who is available half of the week to support students and is shared with Gardner School. This Adjustment Counselor assists students to develop social skills and peer relationships, mediation and peer conflict.
Our teaching staff is committed to providing effective strategies and skills to incorporate instructional technology in the classroom. Incorporating technology into daily lessons enhances our student’s 21st Century Skills and prepares our students in becoming career and college ready. All students in grades three, four, and five are assigned Google Accounts which allows them the ability to create and share documents and electronic projects with peers and their teachers. Being web-based, students have access to these accounts from any internet device. To support this increased student use of technology, we have nine Chromebook carts, each containing 30 ChromeBooks. These carts are utilized daily by the students within the school. Our Technology Teacher meets with each class weekly and focuses instruction on the Digital Literacy Standards, as well as developing proficient use of the Google Suite. Technology also plays an integral role in our continued efforts to strengthen communication between home and school. Families can easily access staff contact information, forms and upcoming events as well as stay up to date with their child’s progress and assignments via the teacher’s Google Site. Teachers are also utilizing Google Classroom for creating, distributing, and grading assignments in a paperless way. We also maintain an active school Twitter page with school updates and event news. Our technology plan identifies technology and equipment currently at E. S. Brown Elementary inclusive of nine Chromebook carts, projectors, digital cameras, interactive smart boards, interactive Smart TVs.
Our students’ reading ability and effective teaching strategies for reading remain our focus. We continue to challenge ourselves as well as our students; our curriculum and assessments, inclusive of Common Assessments, have been fully aligned with the Common Core Standards at all grade levels across the district. Brown School students are participating in the 2020 fully computer-based MCAS assessment in Reading and Mathematics. The fifth grade students will continue to also be assessed in Science, Technology and Engineering, also computer-based.
Our use of common planning time has supported the teachers in our efforts to raise the bar for learning expectations for our students. Our ELA Teachers collaborate weekly with the district-based Reading Specialist to strengthen our teaching strategies enabling us to effectively reach all levels of readers. The focus of implementing the Lucy Calkins Units of Study helps teachers provide their students with instruction, opportunities for practice, and concrete goals to help them meet and exceed any set of high standards. We use the Fountas and Pinnell Benchmark
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Assessment System as a tool to measure student reading levels and comprehension periodically. Each student is assessed a minimum of 2 times per year with more frequent progress monitoring occurring for struggling readers.
We offer music to students beyond the regular general music instruction that is held weekly. Beginning in grade three, students have the option to play a stringed instrument. The third grade string students meet as a group before school every Tuesday or Thursday and the fourth and fifth grade string students have their lessons during the school day. All fourth grade students are introduced to recorder lessons provided by the elementary music instructor during regular music classes. This exposes students to our music program and builds the foundational skills which are continued into grade five. E. S. Brown School also has a Fifth Grade Band as well as a Chorus. Instrumental music lessons are provided for these students during the school day every Monday and Friday.
Our enhanced offerings extended past the school day with a variety of activities for students to participate in after the regular school hours. This year we expanded the after school clubs run by parents and staff volunteers. This year, two 5-week sessions were held, for 1 hour per week after school. We offered 18 clubs ranging from Lego Club to Art Journaling Club. There were a total of 172 students enrolled in these clubs. For the second year in a row, we have a Drama Club. The Drama Club and Props Crew prepared “Seussical Kids” for a performance in March and enrolled 45 students. In addition to these clubs, back by popular demand were the Mad Science classes. The Mad Science classes challenged students using hands on activities and experiences and required paid attendance. The partnership with Bay Coast Bank also continues to provide our students access to participate in Savers Club, where students can deposit money into their accounts monthly during the school day.
The events for students transitioning to third and sixth grade afford an opportunity for students and parents alike to acclimate to their new school come opening day in August. We have a Parent Night and a student visit for our incoming third graders each June. Our outgoing fifth graders also participate in a school visit to JCJHS as well as a Parent Night. Our Step Up Day is held on the last day of school and has been an exciting event for all of the third and fourth graders. Each current third and fourth grader spends time on the last day of school with their new classroom and teacher. In this way, students will leave for the summer knowing who their teacher and classmates will be as well as seeing their learning space for next year.
Parental and community involvement are instrumental in creating a safe, supportive environment at Brown School. The Swansea Police Department in collaboration with the School Department foster healthy relationships with children while teaching them valuable lessons. Officer Saunders, our new elementary School Resource Officer, began in January 2020. She has acclimated quickly to our school and spends several days per week in classrooms connecting with students.
As part of our Community Outreach efforts, funds and donations were raised for local programs with activities such as Holiday Food Drives for local community food banks, the Warm Feet, Happy Hearts Drive and Hoops for Hearts for the American Heart Association. Our fifth graders are also participating in a Community Service Program where they are required to complete 10 hours of community service between March and May.
We have a new PTO Board this year that has been instrumental in developing many community building events. They have sponsored events including a Holiday Craft Night, Plank Party Night, P-Bruins Game, Bingo Night, Get Air Family Nights, various assembly programs, and two Book Fairs. The PTO funds field trips for students in each grade level that allowed authentic application and concrete experiences for our students. Third graders spent the day at the Freetown Historical Society and the Lloyd Center, fourth graders will visit the Biomes Marine Biology Center and the Luther Store Museum, and our fifth graders experienced history first hand by visiting the Martin House and will visit the Museum of Science in June.
We continue to strive to create a positive environment that reduces bullying in our school. Our faculty and staff have been trained annually; the policy and steps to report bullying incidences can be accessed electronically on the district and school website. Students receive anti-bullying instruction through Health classes, while parents receive information via Open House and Parent Conferences as well as electronically with email and website notices. With the efforts of all involved, we maintain a climate where bullying is unacceptable and everyone is treated with respect.
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The Brown School Council continues to strive for improvement of our school; focusing on the existing school improvement goals and developing action plans for improving the overall climate and enhancing academic achievement for our students. The School Council was instrumental in determining the direction for the School Improvement Plan, inclusive of the budget, curriculum, and programs that drive instruction at Brown School. Faculty, parents and family members were given the opportunity for input in determining the direction and development of our goals by participating in surveys again this year.
The energy and efforts of our community and staff are reflective of the District’s motto of “Children Come First” that will continue to be fostered at E. S. Brown School.
Gardner Elementary School
Gardner School, located at 10 Church Street, has a population of 275 students in grades K-2, with four classes at each grade level. Gardner staff plant the seeds for students to become lifelong learners who are engaged in learning and value their education. Students at Gardner are taught to believe in themselves and to support others as we are one community.
The staff at the Gardner School is dedicated to the success of all students. At least one teacher at each grade level is trained in how to instruct English language learners. One reading specialist implements the Title I program, which supports students in need of additional assistance in developing their reading skills. One special education teacher, one academic interventionist, one school nurse, three para-professionals, and our school secretary complete the staff at Gardner.
The PTO is an integral part of the Gardner School community. In addition to raising funds to support student activities, the group has also focused on community building events such as the Halloween “Spooktacular”, Holiday Shoppe, and the annual Sweetheart Dance. Through the efforts of this dedicated group of parents, our school library has over 600 books and counting. In addition, book fairs, organized by parent volunteers, continue to put books into our children’s homes.
Gardner School has been a Feinstein Leadership School for the past four years. As a recognized school, we are committed to teaching all of our students to be caring of others by demonstrating “Good Deeds.” As a Feinstein Leadership School, we follow the message of philanthropist Alan Shawn Feinstein, “Every time you do something good for someone, you make the world a better place.” The Gardner School Community has taken this message to heart and the students, staff, and families have been extremely generous with their time and other resources in supporting people and animals in need. The Gardner School Community has participated in many positive activities and events such as but not limited to: Sponsoring The Great Pajama and Book Drive where we donated hundreds of pairs of pajamas and books to children in need Annual Feinstein Food Drive –over 1,000 non-perishable food items were collected and donated to the Veteran’s Association of Bristol County for area Veterans Partnering with the Swansea Police Department to raise money for gifts for needy families of Swansea during the holiday season A collection of food and other pet supplies donated to the Swansea Animal Shelter Monthly “Feinstein Friday Days” where all students and staff wear Feinstein Jr. Scholars T-shirts on designated days and support various charities by donating monetary offerings to places such as the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society, St. Jude Children’s Hospital, Juvenile Diabetes Research Fund, Gloria Gemma Breast Cancer, National Kidney Foundation, The Chris Herren Project, and The Alzheimer’s Association, The Fly Foundation, Wiggle Kids, Spaulding Rehabilitation Hospital
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Maintating a Storybook Trail for the Gardner School playground with help from local sponsors for the students to actively read while being physically active outdoors Making and sending cards to veterans
A focus of the 2019 – 2020 school year has been on continuing to develop effective reading practices, based on the needs of the readers within our classrooms. All teachers have been implementing Lucy Caulkin’s units of study for reading again this year. Our effectiveness working our young readers improves each year as we reflect, collaborate, and grow professionally. Dr. Jessica Hedges continues to lead faculty in their competence towards teaching the units of study through a workshop model. Our instruction is directed at helping students learn how to decode challenging text while developing strong comprehension and critical thinking skills simultaneously.
The use of technology has drastically increased over the past three years. With leadership from Dr. Tammy Greene, Gardner staff have transitioned to being technology literate and competent. In three short years, staff have moved from primarily using email and projectors to incorporating document cameras, Google Suite, communication apps, online learning programs, “Screencastify”, and more! More importantly, our students are engaged in learning opportunities that meet both their primary age needs as well as the innovative needs of a learner in the year 2020.
Gardner School provides a safe, nurturing learning environment where students always come first. This year we implemented our Gardner Cardinal Traits, which is a positive behavior intervention strategy aimed at building character among our students. Each month students are recognized for one of the following traits: Grit, Awesomeness, Remarkable, Discipline, Noble, Empathy, Respect. We are proud to say that as of this writing, over 60% of our students are recognized for each trait each month.
Our students at Gardner are a reflection of our community. We believe in relationships and modeling the behaviors we wish to see in our students. Gardner staff are kind, empathetic, intelligent, and possess a growth mindset. They impact our students organically through their daily interactions in and out of the classroom. Each day students are told, “You’ve made this day a special day by just your being you, there’s no person in the world like you, and we love you, just the way you are.” (Fred Rogers). We believe it is essential our students know just how special they are.
Hoyle Elementary School
The Mark Hoyle Elementary School stands in tribute of a young man who inspired a community. Located at 70 Community Lane, in Swansea Massachusetts, the Hoyle School currently serves 264 students. The Hoyle School opened its’ doors in 1992 and has been providing a quality public education ever since. The Hoyle School educates students from pre-k through second grade.
Currently, there are four, half-day sessions of integrated preschool, and one session of full-day preschool.
One language-based classroom serves students from kindergarten through grade two and offers support that mainstream classroom settings cannot. This year this classroom has eleven students. Due to the many special needs programs at Hoyle School, 18% of our students receive some type of special needs services.
The current population breakdown warrants three full day kindergartens, three first grades and three second grades. This is our ninth year with full day kindergarten and it has been a huge success.
The rest of the professional support staff consists of one reading specialist, one academic interventionist, and two special needs teachers. Eight para-professionals help support the programming at the Hoyle School as well as a full time nurse and a secretary.
All grades receive specialized reading services from our reading specialist. This supportive grouping has worked out extremely well for all students. Instruction is differentiated throughout the day. Students who are independent
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are able to work at a faster pace, allowing for more abstract, independent work. Students who are less independent are able to receive the support that they need to be successful. We are fortunate to have a kindergarten teacher who has her S.E.I. endorsement and is certified as an English Language Teacher from the state. All grade levels now have a teacher with the S.E.I. endorsement. Teacher collaboration is an integral part of student success within the groups. All teachers are afforded common planning time to discuss the students, their needs and the best approach to teaching them.
A strong emphasis has been placed on early literacy. The reading specialist is a key component to instruction. The specialized reading program supports our more needy students.
The Hoyle Elementary School has adopted new literacy and math programs that align perfectly with the Common Core Massachusetts State Frameworks. Technology is weaved throughout the daily instruction and all students receive an integrated curriculum. This year we began teaching the new social studies and digital literacy standards.
The school improvement plan mirrors the district improvement plan. All teachers are highly qualified and certified in their area of instruction. The school improvement plan, as developed from the school council addresses the six main areas of quality schools as outlined but the state.
The climate at the Hoyle School is one of mutual respect, support, teamwork and character. All staff and faculty are committed to excellence for all students. Everyone works together resulting in a team approach to teaching. Respect, responsibility, tolerance and kindness are character development traits that we live by every day. We have developed a nice mutual partnership with the Bay Coast Bank, Council on Aging, Country Gardens Nursing Facility, Swansea Historical Society, Junior Achievement, and the Swansea Garden Club.
The Hoyle School has a very strong and supportive Parent Teacher Organization. We have many volunteers who put many hours into fundraising and programming for our students. Through their work each class is able to attend two field trips a year as well as participate in numerous on site programs.
The Hoyle School continues to be an exciting, respectful, learning environment that not only teaches academics, but also instills a lifelong love for learning in its’ students.
MISSION: At the Mark G. Hoyle Elementary School, every child will be given the opportunity to develop to his or her full potential of social, emotional & academic abilities so that he or she may become a well integrated member of society. The Swansea Public Schools are committed to ensuring that all of its programs and facilities are accessible to all members of the public. Swansea Public Schools prohibits discrimination on the basis of sex, race, color, age, national origin, religion, disability, marital status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, pregnancy, or veteran status. The content of all Swansea School publications is available upon request in other languages other than English.
JOSEPH GARDNER LUTHER ELEMENTARY SCHOOL
The Joseph G. Luther Elementary School was built in 1930 and opened its doors for students in 1931. Luther School, as it is most commonly known, was named after Joseph Gardner Luther, a successful local businessman, town clerk/treasurer and collector of taxes for the Town of Swansea. The school was originally built to serve the educational needs of students in grades one through eight. At that time, classroom teachers would provide instruction for students enrolled in two different grade levels.
In 1963, Luther School was expanded to serve the increasing number of Swansea students. The Luther School today, with approximately 207 diverse students, is one of two elementary schools serving students in grades three
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through five. The school participates in the Surround Care Program and provides before and after school care to approximately twenty students throughout the school year. There are twenty-one teachers, four paraprofessionals, one school nurse, one school adjustment counselor, one school secretary, one full time custodian, one part time custodian and one administrator presently employed at Luther School. Luther School continues to offer Title I services for reading intervention as well as services in school counseling, speech therapy and occupational therapy. Luther School has continued to increase classroom technology through the purchase of additional Chromebooks and an interactive television in order to provide faculty members and students with a technology-rich learning environment. Students also have access to a computer lab, several mobile laptop carts, iPods, iPads, document cameras, digital projectors and SMART boards.
Luther School students participate in the Massachusetts Comprehensive Assessment System (MCAS) in grades three through five for mathematics and English language arts. Grade five students continue to participate in the Massachusetts Comprehensive Assessment System in science as well. State testing at Luther School continues to be computer-based for most students with a small number of students participating in the MCAS Alternate Assessment in the form of a portfolio. The Luther School faculty participates in ongoing professional development in order to effectively prepare students for these assessments. Luther School was identified by the Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education as a 2019 School of Recognition for high student growth in mathematics and English language arts.
During the 2019-2020 school year, there has been a major focus on finalizing common writing rubrics in grades three through five. A second major focus of the 2019-2020 school year has been creating computer-based assessments in all core subject areas. Luther School faculty members have continued to implement growth mindset activities throughout the school year to help students believe that through effective effort, they will be able to meet high expectations. Luther School continues to move towards a more inclusive model of special education programming with an increase in courses that use a co-teaching model of instruction and an increase in common planning time. New for the 2019-2020 School year was the creation of the Luther Pride Team, which has provided grade five students with numerous opportunities to volunteer at our school. In regards to the school building, Luther School has received window upgrades in one classroom and two offices as well as the addition of exterior security cameras.
The citizens of Swansea continue to provide Luther School with the resources and support for our students, staff and administrators to live up to our school mission statement: The Luther School community will provide a safe, caring, and technology-rich environment that will challenge and support students to continually improve their ability to read, write, problem solve, and work with others.
JOSEPH CASE JUNIOR HIGH SCHOOL
In the 2019-2020 school year, Joseph Case Junior High School continues to meet the many challenges associated with education today. The administration, faculty, and staff of Joseph Case Junior High School continually provide opportunities for learning and improving student achievement while offering a safe and nurturing environment for all students. We seek to foster a growth mindset in our entire educational community.
The dedicated and highly qualified faculty and staff at Joseph Case Junior High School strive for excellence and are dedicated to providing the best possible learning experience for all students while ensuring 21st century readiness. Joseph Case Junior High School is a progressive middle/junior high school of six-hundred, forty-seven teachers, two guidance counselors, a school adjustment counselor, a school nurse, four paraprofessionals and three secretaries. Our largest class sizes are twenty-eight students and average class size is twenty-five in grades six, seven, and eight.
Meeting state standards and our goals for improvement continue to drive our curriculum and instruction. We continue to direct our remediation and intervention in all content areas to provide our students with every opportunity to be successful. We remain committed to addressing areas of concern and focusing our efforts towards
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continued improvement in all areas as we continue to implement the 2016 Massachusetts Curriculum Frameworks with continuous curriculum review. The 2019-2020 school year is our eighth year teaching Spanish in grades seven and eight. These courses will assist our students in all areas of study and further prepare them for the global society in which we live.
The improvement of 21st century teaching and learning is the goal of our district and Joseph Case Junior High School. Our focus in professional development continues to be in the area of instructional strategies and instructional technology to achieve 21st century student outcomes. This school year, we have continued our focus on social and emotional learning (SEL) to help our students be successful in all aspects of life. Over sixty percent of our faculty is trained by Research for Better Teaching, Inc. which employs strategies for instruction which are supported by the most recent research and data. Our staff is also committed to the learning and development of strategies and skills to incorporate instructional technology in the classroom. This year, as in the past, our school has received tremendous support from the district in the area of instructional technology. We recently added new Chrome Book carts and all math and science teachers have these devices dedicated to their classroom. Information, media, and technology skills are an important part of our global society and we strive to incorporate development of these skills into every lesson.
Our school continues to value our students’ participation in extra-curricular activities and athletics. We offer many opportunities for student participation in activities beyond the classroom. These activities provide our students with the opportunity to experience positive enrichment and growth after school hours and develop socially, emotionally, and academically. We offer six interscholastic athletic programs, two intramural programs and two unified sports programs. We are particularly proud of our unified sports programs as we seek additional ways to include all students.
In addition to athletics, students participate in a faculty/student variety show, a faculty/student basketball game and a faculty/student volleyball game. Other clubs and activities include: Student Council, Student Leadership and Peer Mentoring, National Junior Honor Society, Debate Team, Math Team, Yearbook, School Newspaper, Creative Writing Club, Case Cardinals Care, Photography Club, Running Club, Walking Club, Movie Club, Regional- District-State Science Fairs, Marching Band, Concert Band, Pep Band, Color Guard, and Chorus.
This year is the tenth year of our Drama Club at Joseph Case Junior High School. Drama had been missing from our school for fifteen years until a dedicated group of teachers and volunteers resurrected the program ten years ago. The Joseph Case Junior High School Drama Club presented three performances of Alladin Jr. in January of this year. Educational theater of this type teaches students to work collectively and respectfully in a group; it teaches the value of shared responsibility and working together to meet a common goal. These are also important skills for students in the 21st century. We plan to continue this group in the future to present educational theatre to our students.
We are proud to have a student advisory in all grades. Each student has been assigned a faculty or staff member as an advisor. Students meet with their advisor monthly in a small group of ten or eleven students. The plans for each session are developed by faculty volunteers and include issues relative to middle level students such as peer relations, stress and anxiety, and effective use of time. We have also incorporated SEL lessons throughout our advisory this year. This program helps to create a greater sense of community in our school and will no doubt increase student achievement. It is our hope that this program will have many overarching benefits that will assist students throughout their time at our school and beyond.
This year, we continue to address the challenges of combating bullying in our schools. With the support of the superintendent and assistant superintendent, we have made great strides in this area. Our faculty and staff have been educated on this issue and the steps to take not only to intervene in a suspected case of bullying but what can be done in the classroom on a day to day basis to address this problem. A representative from Bridgewater State University’s Massachusetts Aggression Reduction Center (MARC) visits our school on a yearly basis to educate students about issues around bullying and cyber bullying. With the efforts of all involved, we are moving toward a climate where bullying is unacceptable and everyone is treated with respect.
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At Joseph Case Junior High School, we believe in interacting with the community and recognize the importance of collaboration, cooperation, and communication between the school, the community, and parents. Our students continue to be involved in activities of community service and supporting the elderly and less fortunate of our community and abroad. For the thirteenth straight year, every member of our school community participated in our Thanksgiving Turkey Trot. Proceeds from this event were donated to the Bristol County Veterans’ Association to assist them in their efforts to provide meals for veterans in need. We are proud of the successes and achievements of our students, faculty and events at Joseph Case Junior High School. We look forward to continued support for Joseph Case Junior High School in the future, which will enable us to continue to grow as a school and a community and prepare our students for the challenges of high school and beyond.
Joseph Case High School
Relationships and relevance are two keys to the continued success at Joseph Case High School. For the second consecutive year, the high school was included in U.S. News and World Report as one of America’s Best High Schools in 2019.
In terms of capital improvements, one project came to closure while another started during the 2018-2019 school year. The long-awaited upgrade of the track was completed in the fall. Subsequently, Case High was able to host its first South Coast Conference track meet in more than a decade. The high school also was able to host regional Unified Track meets. This program partners students with and without disabilities in a collaborative, congenial and empathetic venue. Spring began the transformation of three first-floor classrooms in the former business wing to house the school’s digitally focused classes, including two Advance Placement classes in computer science. In looking for ways for students to connect with authentic learning opportunities outside of the building, Joseph Case High School sponsored DECA after a year-long pilot in 2017-2018. Formerly known as Distributive Education Clubs of America, DECA is part of more than 3,500 high schools across America and describes its focus as "DECA prepares emerging leaders and entrepreneurs for careers in marketing, finance, hospitality and management in high schools and colleges around the globe." Case competed last January in a District A competition with other Massachusetts high schools at a two-day event on Cape Cod. Four students qualified for the state tournament held in Boston in March. The high school is grateful for the coordination, facilitation and guidance of teacher Adam Palmisciano to evolve this Swansea pilot program into a success!!
Connecting more with our community at large was a focus of this school year. In addition to being more inclusive beyond the school day with younger Swansea students in athletics and fine arts, the high school partnered with the Swansea Council on Aging to build relationships on the other end of our community spectrum. Students visited the Council on Aging on two occasions in the winter and integrated some digital learning via Chromebooks in these Techno-Tuesday events. In return, the high school hosted a Valentine’s Day luncheon complete with visits from preschoolers from Case’s Little Faces as well as a musical performance from theater students. With the pilot year so successful, we hope to continue this venture of Bridging the Generation Gap.
Joseph Case High School was connected to the rest of the country (and beyond) in January when the high school was highlighted on National Public Radio (NPR) because of our in-house “snow day” videos. First broadcasted in 2018, these videos were a true collaboration of the high school administration, its technology students, and our high school’s thriving theater program. Prior to the NPR story, the YouTube video had about 17K hits. Within one day of its publication, we exceeded 70K views that celebrated some of the innovation within our small high school. Technology and fine arts continue to be one of the high school’s strengths with four mainstage productions, assorted musical groups, an annual Arts Night, Dancing with the Teachers, and our annual Tweets Awards that celebrate local student filmmaking.
In June, Joseph Case High School graduated 130 students, with 100 percent of the Class of 2019 CPR certified. This was the fourth cohort to meet the newest graduation requirement from the Swansea School Committee. Our CPR certification is a collaborative effort in Year 5 between Swansea Public Schools, the Swansea Ambulance Corps, and the American Heart Association.
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For the third consecutive June, Case High concluded the school year with passion. After replacing midyear and final exams in 2017 with four profound and common quarterly assessments, Case High again used the final two days of school to continue building relationships with students. Approximately 40 teacher-led passion projects were offered to grades 9-11 to ignite interest in a variety of areas, including community service, visual and performing arts, classic technology, sports, and the return of fishing. This year we included some student-driven passion ideas that were sponsored by a building staff member.
Finally, retiring at the end of long Case High careers were three educators who have touched the lives of thousands in Swansea: Peter Brock, David Trudeau and Janet Blair.
BOARD OF SELECTMEN
2019 was another busy year for the Board. First, we want to welcome Derek Heim back to the Board after his re- election for a second term. Derek previously served on the Recreation Commission and the Town Administrator Search Committee, and has tremendous experience in community involvement as well as youth services in his professional life.
The Swansea Mall was the biggest headline of 2019. After more than a decade of commercial decline and deteriorating infrastructure, the last remaining anchor stores left the mall and it went up for auction. To help the mall find a buyer, voters at the Annual Town Meeting authorized the creation of a Redevelopment Authority. After the successful vote, the mall was purchased by a well-known developer. Subsequently, voters at the fall Special Town Meeting approved the creation of the “Swansea Mall Overlay District”, which allows for residential housing on the mall land. Additionally, the Town was granted six additional liquor licenses by the Massachusetts General Court to be used on Swansea Mall Drive and along Route 6. The new owners have begun their ambitious transformation of the mall, 2020 will be an exciting year in the redevelopment of the mall!
The Waterfront Revitalization Project continued to be one of the Town’s most exciting projects. After years of designing and planning, the waterfront bathhouse was finally constructed and accepted by the Town. The dredge was completed, restoring many cubic yards of sand back onto the beach. We were also fortunate to have received a very generous gift from the Munro family to build a playground on the site. The Waterfront Revitalization Committee and Chairman Chris Sampson’s enthusiasm and dedication have been remarkable throughout this process, and we commend them for their extraordinary perseverance!
The voters at the Annual Town Meeting approved the purchase of a 33-acre parcel of land on Wood Street. Known to residents as the former Delmac Orchard, this parcel of land is important for the future of Swansea and its citizens.
The home at 72 Main Street, known as the “Wellington House”, was successfully sold to a local developer through a Request for Proposals. This home once belonged to Elizabeth Stevens and was most recently rented by the library. The developer has remodeled several homes in the historic Swansea Village, and we’re hopeful the Wellington House will look as great as the other homes they’ve done.
The Animal Shelter building received an addition thanks to a gift from Vera Sypko. The extra room will be much appreciated by both the staff and dogs alike. The Town’s Bond Rating remained steady at AA+, which is the second highest rating obtainable. We are truly grateful for the work of our financial team, especially our Town Accountant, Town Treasurer, Town Administrator, and our Advisory & Finance Committee. Swansea has come a long way in the last decade, and we should take great pride in our continued success.
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The Holiday in the Village Committee has now coordinated four amazing events in a row, Swansea owes a big thank you to Joyce Moore and the committee for their tireless efforts and dedication. 2020’s celebration is looking like it will be better than ever!
Lastly, we want to thank our staff, Town Administrator John McAuliffe, Janet Helley, Jordan Remy, our department heads, volunteers, and all of the people who have supported us and supported our community. Respectfully Submitted, Swansea Board of Selectmen
SOLID WASTE REPORT
Weekly curbside collection of trash, recyclables and yard waste is offered to Swansea Residents. Participating residents pay an annual fee as set by the Board of Selectmen as well as paying for the trash bags used in the disposal. The annual fee is set at $120.00 with the cost of bags set at $2.00/each for the 30 gallon large bags and $1.00/each for the smaller 15 gallon bags. Trash bags are sold at local grocery and convenience stores in Swansea and adjacent communities. Recycling is collected in 65 gallon or 96 gallon wheeled carts by an automated collection truck.
Participants in the Town’s curbside program may also dispose of other bulky items (TV’s, large appliances, furniture, scrap metal, etc.) by purchasing a tag (current cost is $10.00) at the selected locations. One bulky item per week with a tag attached may be set out for pickup with a resident’s household trash to be picked up by appointment. The resident must call the Town’s vendor (Waste Management) at (800)-972-4545 to schedule a pickup.
Yard waste is collected for eight months from the second week in April to the second week in December.
The actual tonnage figures for collection in Calendar year 2019 were:
Yard Waste 1,158.23 Solid Waste 3,171.81 Recycling 1,814.95
During the Christmas season of 2019, the pickup of Christmas trees was continued as in years past, over a two-week period.
Recyclable loads that were downgraded (contaminated loads) during the 2019 calendar year resulted in about 56.1 tons of material at an additional cost to the Town of $10,054.80.
We had two (2) hazardous waste collection days on April 13, 2019 and November 19, 2019. Typically, these events are conducted every other year at the junior high school. However, the Town had not had a hazardous waste collection event in four (4) years prior to the April 13th event. As a result of an unexpected large volume of town participants in that event, the Committee concluded another event was needed in November. The next hazardous waste collection event will be scheduled for April 2021.
We thank you the residents of Swansea for your participation and support of this program
Respectfully submitted,
Colleen Brown Tracy-Jo Anderson Gayle Sircello Chief Eric Hajder Nuno Jorge John McAuliffe William Anderson
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REPORT TO THE TOWN OF SWANSEA FROM THE COMMISSIONERS OF THE SOUTHEASTERN REGIONAL PLANNING & ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT DISTRICT (SRPEDD)
The Town of Swansea is a member of the Southeastern Regional Planning and Economic Development District. Originally founded in 1956, SRPEDD (pronounced “sir-ped”), is one of 13 regional planning agencies (RPAs) across the state and one of approximately 550 across the country.
SRPEDD serves 4 cities and 23 towns in southeastern Massachusetts. Through our work, we address common issues facing the region, including economic development, growth and land use, safe and efficient transportation, environmental stewardship, municipal partnerships, and general planning. A Commission of local mayors, selectmen, planning board members, and at-large members govern SRPEDD. Federal and state grants, local assessments, and local contracts fund our activities. In 2019, the Town of Swansea paid $2,899.33 to SRPEDD, based upon an assessment of 18.275 cents per capita.
SRPEDD also functions as the region’s staff for the Southeastern Massachusetts Metropolitan Planning Organization (SMMPO) and the regional Economic Development District (EDD) with the U.S. Economic Development Administration (EDA).
Please visit SRPEDD’s website at www.srpedd.org to review Highlighted Projects (www.srpedd.org/highlights), including our Regional Data Center, Drone Program, and various municipal projects, such as community master plans. Our website also includes departmental web pages, a calendar of events, and recent news.
Please do not hesitate to contact us with any questions, concerns, or project ideas.
Local citizens/officials representing Swansea in SRPEDD activities:
George Hovorka and John P. Hansen, Jr. on the SRPEDD Commission.
There are currently no Swansea representatives on the Joint Transportation Planning Group (JTPG).
In 2019, SRPEDD provided technical assistance to Swansea in the following areas; please note that funding sources are indicated in parentheses:
In partnership with town officials, SRPEDD provided direct technical assistance to advance the town’s creation of a Redevelopment Authority (DLTA). SRPEDD conducted traffic counts on the following roadways: Barneyville Rd. south Warren Ave., Gardner’s Neck Rd. north of Wilbur Ave., Gardner’s Neck Rd. south Wilbur Ave., Mason Rd. south of Route 6, New Meadow Rd. at Rhode Island Line, and Warren Ave. at the Seekonk town line (FHWA, MassDOT).
Highlights from SRPEDD’s general 2019 Work Program include the following:
SRPEDD updated the Comprehensive Economic Development Strategy (CEDS) for Southeastern Massachusetts, a regional document maintained by SRPEDD and certified by the U.S. Economic Development Administration (EDA). The CEDS maintains eligibility for the region’s cities and towns to receive EDA funding. SRPEDD completed the Transportation Improvement Program (TIP), which sets regional priorities for federal transportation funds. The Southeastern Massachusetts Metropolitan Planning Organization (SMMPO) endorsed the FY 2020-2024 TIP. SRPEDD completed numerous local technical assistance projects through direct local contract, our Municipal Assistance (MA) program, and the District Local Technical Assistance (DLTA) program. 87
Projects include, but are not limited to, Master Plans, Economic Development Plans and Guides, Housing Production Plans, Complete Streets and Green Communities Program Participation, interactive mapping, and assisting with Community Compact Cabinet (CCC) Best Practices. SRPEDD continued work under year 2 of our Drone Program. SRPEDD continues as the lead agency for the Resilient Taunton Watershed Network (RTWN). The RTWN is a collaborative of local, non-profit, regional, and state and federal government representatives interested in the future health and resilience of the Taunton River Watershed. The RTWN provides information, conducts outreach and educational efforts, resources and tools to protect existing natural resources, reduce flooding, promote restoration, and develop sustainability (EPA). In partnership with UMass-Dartmouth and the Cape Cod Commission, SRPEDD is working to develop a Marine Science and Technology “super cluster” through a three-year U.S. EDA-funded effort. Year one (2019) includes an assessment of the sector; year 2 (2020) includes the development of a formal Industry Alliance comprised of leaders in business, finance, government, and academia; and year 3 includes the development of a marketing plan. UMass-Dartmouth is administering the project. Staff continued to work with the Taunton Pathways Committee and provided a review of the draft Scope of Work for the new rail trail segment along the Taunton River. SRPEDD provides fiduciary support services to the Southeast Regional Homeland Security Council (SRAC), compromised of 96 municipalities and the Wampanoag Nation. SRPEDD conducts a district-wide traffic-counting program and maintains a database of available traffic count data throughout the region. SRPEDD undertook 130 traffic counts at various locations this past year. SRPEDD continued to provide administrative and technical support to the Taunton River Stewardship Council (TRSC) through a Cooperative Agreement with the National Parks Service. The Council is a multi- community, multi-agency collaborative established through the designation of the Taunton River as a Federal Partnership Wild & Scenic River in 2009. In partnership with the TRSC, SRPEDD provides public education and stewardship opportunities to Taunton River Watershed communities, as well as access to local project funds through its Mini-Grants Program. SRPEDD is a member of two National Estuary Programs (NEP) including the Narragansett Bay Management Committee and Buzzards Bay Steering Committee, created to protect the resources and promote the stewardship of their respective watersheds. The Buzzards Bay and Narragansett Bay Watersheds together encompass the entirety of the SRPEDD area. As a member of these oversight committees, SRPEDD participates in the development of their respective Management Plans for both programs. SRPEDD worked with partners from the DEP, Buzzards Bay Coalition, USDA, Cape Cod Cranberry Growers Association, and the Cranberry Experiment Station to address nutrient reduction in the Wareham River. SRPEDD worked with the MA Division of Ecological Restoration to provide education and outreach materials and a regional workshop on the restoration of abandoned cranberry bogs. SRPEDD presented a workshop on agricultural vulnerability to the impacts of climate change for regional Agricultural Commissions at the 13th Annual SEMAP Agriculture and Food Conference at Bristol County Agricultural High School. SRPEDD provides technical planning to two regional transit authorities, SRTA and GATRA, including route evaluations, rider surveys, performance standards and federal reporting. SRPEDD continues to operate the Pavement Management Program, evaluating pavement conditions on federal-aid eligible roadways in the region’s cities and towns. SRPEDD maintains a comprehensive database of all 380 signalized intersections in the region. SRPEDD conducted 48 turning movement counts at various locations this past year during the AM, Midday and PM peaks SRPEDD continues to assist communities under the Regional Bicycle Plan addressing infrastructure needs and recommendations on how to improve connectivity throughout the region. SRPEDD completed the Regional Pedestrian Plan to promote recommendations to improve pedestrian connectivity within and between municipalities.
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SRPEDD continues work on the Regional Bus Stop Capital Investment Plan following the completion of the Regional Bus Stop Inventory in 2016. The inventory of data collected for GATRA and SRTA bus stops is available to assist on proposed capital improvements. SRPEDD maintains an extensive Geographic Information System (GIS) mapping program. The mapping program contains a number of data layers including, land-use, zoning, water resources, soils, habitats, transportation network, economic development, priority protection and priority development areas, and other data and information. SRPEDD operates the Southeastern Massachusetts Data Center, providing information to businesses, cities and towns, and individuals.
Treasurer / Collector
The Treasurer/ Collector's Office is pleased to provide the following billing and collection information for the fiscal year 2019. The billing for Real Estate, Personal Property and Trash occurs completely within the fiscal. The 2019 Motor Vehicle Excise bills continue to arrive from the Registry of Motor Vehicles long past the close of the fiscal year and into fiscal year 2020. The result of this is additional tax revenue billed and received after the close of the fiscal year.
Preliminary tax bills were mailed timely according to guidelines set by Massachusetts General Law. The August and November preliminary tax bills were mailed together in June 2018. The Actual tax bills, due in February and May were also mailed timely, in December, 2019.
Fiscal Year 2019 saw the continued use of a Lock Box payment service. This service, which is provided free of charge to the residents of Swansea by Webster Bank, has enabled this office to increase the speed and efficiency of payment processing without cost to the taxpayers. Timely payments received at the lock box facility in Hartford, CT are electronically processed within hours of receipt and payments are deposited directly into the Swansea Tax Receipt Depository Account. Residents who prefer to bring their payments to the town hall are welcome to continue to do so.
On-line payments became available in January, 2012 and continue to be available to those residents who prefer that method. On-line bill payments are accessible through the Town of Swansea’s official web site. ACH, credit and debit cards are acceptable methods of payment when utilizing the on-line option. Fees associated with on-line payments are the responsibility of the taxpayer and no such fees are assessed or collected by the town. The on-line option is only available for current Real Estate, Personal Property and Excise tax bills. Past due bills are not payable on-line. There continues to be an increase in the number of taxpayers who prefer to use the on-line payment option.
I would like to take this opportunity to recognize Stephanie Pavao, Assistant Tax Collector, and Lisa Majewski, Assistant Treasurer, for their continued support and service to the residents of Swansea.
Respectfully, Elizabeth B. Leonardo Treasurer/Collector
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TREASURER/COLLECTOR’S SUMMARY OF BILLING/RECEIPTS 2019
Ending Rate of Tax Type Commitment Receipts Abatements Refunds Balance Collection $ Real Estate $ 31,319,721.36 $ 31,319,496.36 $ 448,422.05 (196,612.96) $ 380,452.17 99.% Personal Property $ 1,543,498.75 $ 1,513,111.18 $ 0 $ 0 $ 27,150.57 98.2% M. V. Excise $ 2,362,412.25 $ 2,186,394.71 $ 46,493.99 $ (18,023.93) $ 147,547.48 93.8% Boat Excise $ 12,087.00 $ 8,914.00 $ 307.00 $ $ 2,866.00 76.5% 2019 Trash $ 723,960.00 $ 656,245.77 $ 11,374.63 $ - $ 56,339.60 92.2%
*The information provided is a summary of the amount of tax that was billed in fiscal year 2019 along with the dollars collected, the tax amount abated and dollars refunded. The amounts listed reflect a cut-off date of June 30, 2019. Real Estate 2019 taxes that were committed to tax title $368,944.88.
VETERANS BENEFITS & SERVICES DEPARTMENT
Swansea’s Department of Veteran Services operates under the direction of The Secretary of Veteran Services, pursuant to Massachusetts General Law Chapter 115, and Commonwealth of Massachusetts Regulation (108 CMR). The Veterans office is staffed by a certified Veteran Service Officer and certified Assistant (Per MGL CH 115) requiring intensive training by both the Secretary of Veterans Services and by the Massachusetts Veterans Service Officers Association.
The Department provides numerous services for Swansea’s veterans, from assisting with forms to more complex cases of representing clients at VA Hearings and assisting with medical appeals as well as legally assuming Power of Attorney.
The caseload in Swansea includes those at the federal level pertaining to VA pensions and compensation. Extensive time is spent conducting investigations, visiting with clients or agencies and generally taking care of business that might ordinarily overwhelm the clients.
A considerable amount of administrative time is spent processing and monitoring Federal Medicare plans and supplemental insurance. The Massachusetts Prescription drug plan coupled with the Medicare D Federal program has resulted in a substantial savings for both the Town and Commonwealth.
The Veterans office also provides transitional assistance for veterans being released from active military service. We process applications for upgrading discharges, issuing of awards and medals, medical and educational benefits. Monuments are provided for veteran’s graves and final arrangements are made including burial in VA National Cemeteries.
Survivor Benefits and Dependents Indemnity Insurance claims are prepared for widows and dependents. Client information is processed and maintained in a professional and confidential manner.
Since January 1st through December 2019 this department conducted frequent face to face interviews with resident veterans requiring various services.
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Swansea’s Department of Veteran Services provides services for 2,448 veterans/dependents and spouses resulting in Federal revenue in excess of 4,293,742.40 brought into our community at no cost to the Town.
The office is generally open the same hours as the Town Hall offices. The policy of the Veterans Department is to provide prompt, courteous and confidential services to our veterans, their dependents and widows at the time of need.
Respectfully submitted, Kevin Serpa Veterans Service Officer/Director
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