Town of Falmouth Massachusetts Annual Reports 2014 2014 Annual Reports Front Cover Theme: Web and CD design and Conversion: Entering Falmouth George Trudeau Cover Design: Printed By: J&R Graphics Inc. Mike Valliere Hanover, MA Report Coordinator: Diane Davidson Compact Disc Duplication: Office Manager, Selectmen’s Office Accurate Bit Copy, Bourne, MA Document Formatting and Assembly: This document may be viewed on Mike Valliere, George Trudeau, the Town of Falmouth web site: Andy Payne, Diane Davidson www.falmouthmass.us FalmouthMass.US TOWN OF FALMOUTH EMPLOYEES Town of Falmouth Annual Reports 2014 FalmouthMass.US Town Reports ELECTED TOWN OFFICERS 3 ELECTED TOWN OFFICERS 4 BOARD OF SELECTMEN AND ADMINISTRATION 6 BOARD OF SELECTMEN 7 WATCHMAN REPORT APRIL 2014 ANNUAL TOWN MEETING 9 TOWN MANAGER’S REPORT 12 PERSONNEL DEPARTMENT 14 TOWN COUNSEL 16 BOARD OF SELECTMAN APPOINTMENTS 20 INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY 28 G.I.S. (Geographic Information System) 30 FINANCIAL & ACCOUNTANT REPORTS 31 FINANCE COMMITTEE 32 ASSESSING DEPARTMENT 33 TOWN COLLECTOR 34 TOWN TREASURER 36 TOWN ACCOUNTANT 39 TOWN ACCOUNTANT EXPENSE STATEMENT 40 TOWN ACCOUNTANT REVENUE STATEMENT 46 PROGRESS SUMMARY OF TOWN MEETING ARTICLES 46 PLANNING AND DEVELOPMNENT 49 PLANNING BOARD 50 AFFORDABLE HOUSING COMMITTEE 51 ZONING BOARD OF APPEALS 53 FALMOUTH HISTORICAL COMMISSION 55 HISTORIC DISTRICTS COMMISSION 56 COMMUNITY PRESERVATION COMMITTEE 57 PUBLIC SAFETY AND PROTECTION 59 FALMOUTH POLICE DEPARTMENT 60 FALMOUTH FIRE RESCUE DEPARTMENT 64 HEALTH DEPARTMENT 69 BUILDING DEPARTMENT – INSPECTIONAL SERVICES & ZONING 71 DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC WORKS 72 DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC WORKS 73 ENGINEERING DIVISION 74 FACILITIES MAINTENANCE 77 HIGHWAY DIVISION 78 TREE WARDEN, PARKS & SCHOOL GROUNDS 80 UTILITIES DIVISION - WATER 81 UTILITIES DIVISION - WASTEWATER 86 ENVIRONMENT AND CONSERVATION 87 FALMOUTH CONSERVATION COMMISSION 88 MARINE & ENVIRONMENTAL SERVICES 90 BEACH COMMITTEE 93 ENERGY COMMITTEE 94 SOLID WASTE ADVISORY COMMITTEE 95 1 Town Reports CAPE LIGHT COMPACT 96 FALMOUTH AGRICULTURAL COMMISSION 98 COMMUNITY SERVICES 99 RECREATION DEPARTMENT 100 FALMOUTH HUMAN SERVICES 101 COUNCIL ON AGING 105 FALMOUTH SUBSTANCE ABUSE COMMISSION 108 VETERANS’ SERVICES 109 COMMISSION on DISABILITIES 110 FALMOUTH PUBLIC SCHOOLS 111 SUPERINTENDENT’S REPORT 112 FALMOUTH HIGH SCHOOL 117 LAWRENCE SCHOOL 119 MORSE POND SCHOOL 120 EAST FALMOUTH SCHOOL 122 MULLEN HALL SCHOOL 122 NORTH FALMOUTH SCHOOL 123 TEATICKET SCHOOL 124 UPPER CAPE COD REGIONAL TECHNICAL SCHOOL 125 FALMOUTH PUBLIC LIBRARY 126 BOARD OF TRUSTEES 128 FALMOUTH PUBLIC LIBRARY 129 WEST FALMOUTH LIBRARY 133 REPORT OF THE TOWN CLERK 134 REPORT OF THE TOWN CLERK 135 ANNUAL FALL TOWN MEETING – November 12 & 13, 2013 136 CERTIFICATION of APPROPRIATIONS 156 FALL ANNUAL TOWN MEETING November 12 & 13, 2013 156 ANNUAL SPRING TOWN MEETING– April 7 & 9, 2014 157 CERTIFICATION OF APPROPRIATIONS 172 SPRING ANNUAL TOWN MEETING April 7 & 9, 2014 172 SPRING SPECIAL TOWN MEETING – April 8, 2014 173 CERTIFICATION OF APPROPRIATIONS 179 SPRING SPECIAL TOWN MEETING April 8, 2014 179 ANNUAL TOWN ELECTION May 20, 2014 186 TOWN EMPLOYEE ANNUAL SALARIES - CALENDAR YEAR 2013 193 TOWN DIRECTORY 215 2 Town Reports ELECTED TOWN OFFICERS 3 Town Reports ELECTED TOWN OFFICERS Term Expires TOWN MODERATOR David T. Vieira 2015 BOARD OF SELECTMEN Susan Lynn Moran 2017 Samuel Patterson, Jr. 2017 Mary Pat Flynn, 2016 Rebecca Moffitt 2016 Douglas H. Jones 2015 TOWN CLERK Michael C. Palmer 2016 TRUSTEE OF PUBLIC LIBRARY Lindsay Hopewood 2017 Otis Potter 2017 Lysbeth A. Abrams 2016 Sylvia L. Szulkin 2016 Kathleen H. Murray 2015 Marilyn G. Zacks 2015 Jerome S. Fanger 2015 SCHOOL COMMITTEE Terri Ann Medeiros 2017 Donna Mattison-Earls 2017 Alan Jacobs 2017 Judith Fenwick 2016 Leah L Palmer 2016 Susan E. Augusta 2015 Laura Lorusso Peterson 2015 Kelly A Welch 2015 Heidi Marotta 2015 FALMOUTH HOUSING AUTHORITY Patti B. Haney 2019 Karen M Cardeira 2018 Florence F. Bodnar 2016 Claire M. Maguire 2015 PLANNING BOARD Ralph E. Herbst 2017 James E. Fox . 2017 Kenneth W Medeiros 2017 Paul C. Dreyer 2016 Patricia H. Kerfoot 2016 Douglas C. Brown 2015 Robert J. Leary 2015 MEMBER OF UPPER CAPE COD REGIONAL TECHNICAL SCHOOL DISTRICT COMMITTEE Edmund J. Zmuda 2014 Mark A. Mancini 2016 FINANCE COMMITTEE (Elected by Town Meeting) Charles Eastman 2017 Peter Giacommozzi 2017 Judith P. Magnani 2017 Deborah Maguire 2017 Megan English Braga 2017 Thomas F Brady 2016 Nicholas S. Lowell 2016 Joseph L. Drolette 2016 Frances S. Connolly 2015 Wendy L Vogel 2015 Stephen Fassett 2015 4 Town Reports Paul Sellers 2015 Susan P. Smith 2015 Mary Harris 2015 WATCHMAN OF THE WARRANT Gary Anderson 2015 5 Town Reports BOARD OF SELECTMEN AND ADMINISTRATION 6 Town Reports BOARD OF SELECTMEN Communication, closure and change were three significant themes for the Board of Selectmen during Fiscal Year 2014. The year began with change, as Selectman David Braga announced his decision not to run for re-election. Selectman Mary Pat Flynn won re-election alongside newcomer and former school committee member Rebecca Moffitt. A variety of steps were taken to improve communications between the Board and the general public. The agenda changed a little, with announcements and proclamations placed early when the largest number of people are present or watching. Likewise, the Summary of Actions was moved to an earlier slot on the agenda – instead of being placed last – so that individuals and organizations seeking simple approvals need not wait all night. Early in the year, the chair attempted to schedule a weekly, open comment period so the public could communicate their concerns directly to the Board. Unfortunately, this was resisted by a majority of the selectmen. At the fall town meeting, a successful petitioner's article asked the selectmen to reconsider, and the Board did, adopting a fixed, 10- minute period at the beginning of every meeting. It has been well received by the public and the selectmen. To give the public a better view of how town government works, the chair hosted a show on Falmouth Community Television, “Behind the Board,” which featured Town Manager Julian Suso, Vice Chair Doug Jones and Town Clerk Michael Palmer as guests. Although the show did not run as frequently as originally envisioned, it was well received and provided a blueprint for similar outreach endeavors in the future. Workshops were held once again, this time in the Hermann Meeting Room of the Falmouth Public Library to accommodate larger crowds. Following the defeat of the May ballot initiative to fund the removal of the turbines, the Board held a workshop to address the financial impact. An operating plan of 16-hours on and 8-hours off was adopted as a compromise between the need to fund the turbine debt, and the neighbors' concerns. Just a few months later, a judge would rule that – pending the outcome of one of the many court cases – the turbines were to be operated 12-hours on and 12-hours off, and to be off on Sundays and holidays. Although the Massachusetts Clean Energy Center announced that it would help with the financial shortfall created by this ruling, the future of the wind turbines remained unresolved at the close of the fiscal year. After years of talking about it, the Board finally adopted a committee handbook. The distribution was followed by a workshop to review the handbook with the various chairs of the boards, committees and commissions appointed by the selectmen. In addition to the workshops, the Board returned to other, prior practices that had fallen by the wayside. At the spring and fall town meetings, the chair presented the activities of the Board since the prior town meeting – something that hadn't been done for three years. A Special Events Policy was adopted to help manage the many annual events in town and address the corresponding issues with parking and traffic. There was a little controversy when some selectmen argued to move the Farmer's Market out of Peg Noonan Park. Public pressure swayed the Board, and the Market stayed for at least this year. There was also change and closure for the town water supply. At the annual fall town meeting, the Board recommended and town meeting approved the establishment of a water stabilization fund. This is the first step toward creating a water enterprise fund as recommended by the state and Falmouth's independent auditors. The 2010 boil water order and recent changes to federal and state water standards forced Falmouth to examine the need for a new water treatment system. Following an extensive study, the Board adopted the recommendation to build a filtration plant. Town meeting and the voters agreed, approving an override in the spring. 7 Town Reports Closure was finally achieved with the Ballymeade neighborhood. After a long mediation session between representatives of the Ballymeade Homeowners' Association and the town, including the chair, a settlement was reached which will finally resolve the water pressure issue. Town meeting will need to ratify the agreement in November 2014. One chapter of Falmouth's wastewater issue was closed when the state approved the Comprehensive Wastewater Management Plan. Town meeting and the voters subsequently approved funding expansion of the sewer plant and the construction of the Little Pond Sewer Service Area collection system. In the spring, the Board acknowledged Town Manager Julian Suso's good work, approving a new contract for him. The year closed as it began, with change amongst the membership of the Board. This will be my third and last report to the town, as I decided not to run for a third term. Selectman Kevin Murphy also decided to step away after three non- contiguous terms, so the May 2014 election brought two newcomers to the Board – Susan Moran and Samuel Patterson. The Board thanks the many town employees and volunteers for their efforts this year, and more importantly, for the results achieved by those efforts.