ANNUAL REPORT TOWN OF NORTHFIELD 2012 Annual Report Town of Northfield Year Ending December 31, 2012 69 Main Street Northfield, MA 01360 www.northfield.ma.us P: 413‐498‐2901 F: 413‐498‐5103 Cover Photo: “The Campus” located on upper Main Street. Federal, State & County Officials President of the United States Barack H. Obama (D) The White House 1600 Pennsylvania Ave. Washington, DC. 20500 202‐456‐1111 United States Senators Elizabeth Warren (D) *Mo Cowan (D) 2 Russell Courtyard 365 Dirksen Senate Office Building Washington, DC 20510 Washington, DC 20510 202‐224‐4543 202‐224‐2742 *interim, election to be held June 25, 2013 Representative in Congress John Olver (D) 1st District 111 Longworth HOB Washington, DC 20515 202‐225‐5335 Massachusetts State Legislation Governor Lt. Governor Deval Patrick (D) Tim Murray (D) State House State Office Building Office of the Governor, Rm 360 436 Dwight St. Ste. 300 Boston, MA 02133 Springfield, MA 01103 413‐784‐1200 State Senator Representative in General Court Stanley C. Rosenberg (D) Paul W. Mark (D) State House Rm 320 State House Rm 473F Boston, MA 02133 Boston, MA 02133 617‐722‐1532 617‐722‐2210 Attorney General Franklin Regional Council of Government Martha Coakley (D) Linda Dunlavy 1350 Main St. 4th Floor Executive Director Springfield, MA 01103 425 Main St. Ste. 40 413‐784‐1240 Greenfield, MA 01301 413‐774‐3167 TOWN HALL OFFICE HOURS Accounting Tuesday & Wednesday 9:00 am - 5:00 pm Friday 9:00 am - noon Administrative Assistant Monday - Thursday 9:00 am - 5:00 pm Friday 9:00 am - Noon Assessor’s Office Monday-Thursday 9:00 am - 3:00 pm Wednesday evening 6:00 pm - 8:00 pm Friday CLOSED Building Inspector Tuesday & Thursday 6:00 pm - 7:30 pm Tax Collector/Treasurer Monday 9:00 am - 3:00 pm Wednesday 9:00 am - 3:00 pm 6:00 pm - 8:00 pm Town Clerk Monday, Tuesday, Thursday 9:00 am - 3:00 pm Wednesday 9:00 am - Noon pm 5:00 pm - 8:00 pm Thursday & Friday CLOSED Town Secretary Monday through Thursday 8:00 am - 4:00 pm Friday 8:00 am – Noon TOWN HALL CLOSES AT NOON ON FRIDAY Elected Constables Appointed by Moderator David Brassor Moderator Fredd Fuller Nathan L’Etoile James O’Shea John Ware Board of Selectmen PVRS Northfield Finance Committee Kathleen F. Wright, Chair Patricia Shearer, Chair Lois Stearns, Chair Dan Gray William Wahlstrom Anthony Matteo John G. Spanbauer Jed Proujansky Dan Campbell, Vice Chair *Bonnie Tucker L’Etoile Chad Glover Jason Platek Bonnie Tucker L’Etoile *Gail St. Clair *John G. Spanbauer Board of Health Recreation Commission Franklin County Technical School District Robert MacEwen, Chair Melissa Gamache, Chair Scott Milton Flora Sadri Suzanne Handren, Treasurer *Gail V. Zukowski Thomas Walker Jeremy Underwood Dan Gray Susan Fuller Non Partisan Caucus David Balk Joe Stacy Susan Lloyd Kim Farmer Planning Board Sewer Commission Nina Sibley Richard Fitzgerald, Chair Tom Walker, Chair Robert D. Hall, Jr. Paul Prest James Holloway Raymond Zukowski, Vice Chair Tammy Pelletier *Charles Shaw *Jerry Wagener Board of Assessors Treasurer Thomas Shearer, Chair Barbara Brassor Michelle Milton Robert MacEwen *Alice Lord *Doris Balk Board of Trustees of Veterans Memorials Tax Collector Daniel Ryan, Chair Barbara Brassor Denis Brennan John Williams Robert D. Hall, Jr. Raymond Zukowski *Mark Remillard Town Clerk *Resigned/Retired/Term Expired/Other Gail V. Zukowski Agricultural Commission Conservation Commission Appointed by the Board of Selectmen William Ames Hunter Swanson Eugene L’Etoile Joan Deely William Llewelyn, Chair Mike Barry William Roberts Charles Blanker Dave Kalinowski William Llewelyn, Chair Building Use & Planning Chadwick Glover Alan Stone William Roberts Jerry Wagener David Gorzocoski Dave Brown Council on Aging Cultural Council Election Officers Barb Brassor John Blazejewski Amy Boyden Carol Holden Amy Brown Shirley Nelson Beth Reynolds Ruth Gallagher Celine Chabot-Hall Mary Jane Porter Bruce Kahn, Chair Linda Leavis Dianne Cornwell Eleanor Goodman, Chair Karina Berenson Helen Monroe Robert Hall, Jr. Ruth Gallagher Marianne Wilkenson Nina Sibley Bridget Hammond Genevieve Clark Charlie Davis Elizabeth L’Eoile Amy Hendricks Rhoda Yucavitch *Crystal McNeill Kay Snow Louise Hoff Elizabeth L’Etoile *Eliot Huniwell Jessie Wiggin Bruce Kahn *Irene Jurkowski *Deb Potee Ed Finch Bobbie Martineau Alice Fortier Eric Meals Betty Gibson Joann Newton Jane Abbott Al Stone Bethany Walker Patricia Stone Rosalind Tufts *Irene Hoisington Pam Veith *Bob MacEwen Electronic Communications & Cable TV Advisory Committee *Resigned/Retired/Term Expired/Other Brian Brault Bruce Kahn Appointed by the Board of Selectmen *Resigned/Retired/Term Expired/Other Emergency Services Facility Committee Historical Commission Northfield Board of Registrars Floyd Dunnell *Mary Jane Porter Susan Lloyd Mark Fortier Joel Fowler Kim Farmer Chad Glover Marie Ferre, Chair *Kathleen Wright Sue Ross *Raymond Zukowski Robert Hall *Jason Platek Jessie Wiggin *Len Crossman Ruth Potee Energy Committee Northfield Campus Collaborative Fred Wells Will Trustee Maureen Spaulding Ed Finch Theodore Penick Robert Pasteris, Chair Kathleen Wright Peter Talmage Nathan Tufts Annie Chappell Susan Ross *Walton Congdon Alexander Stewart, Chair *Rich Fitzgerald Erin Jaworski Bruce Kahn *Carol Lebo Lois Stearns Barbra Richardson Sara Hoffman Susan Wright *Randy Foster *Chadwick Glover *Nick Fleck *Marguerite Lentz Appointed by the Board of *Resigned/Retired/Term Expired/Other Selectmen Open Space Committee Trust Fund Committee CEDS Joanne McGee Ruth Gallagher Jerry Wagener Sue Ross Jessie Wiggin Mike Barry Mary Jane Porter Kate Rossiter Andrea Dale Veteran Graves Officer Jen Tufts Ed Doolittle Jerry Wagner, Chair *Ruth Gallagher Master Plan Steering Committee Zoning Board of Appeals Community Preservation Committee Brian Brault Edward Shearer, Chair Dan Campbell Dianne Cornwell William Forrest Ruth Potee Jack Spanbauer Erin Jaworski Ruth Gallagher Steve Malsch Al Dietrich Rhoda Yucavitch Kevin Leger Shawn Foster Eleanor Goodman Gwendolyn Trelle Jennifer Cox Joan Deely Rich Fitzgerald, Chair *Sam Richardson Robert Hall, Jr. MP Roundtable *Raymond Clark *Charles Blanker Alex Stewart *Marguerite Lentz *Tammy Pelletier Jill Fortier Sue Ross Joe Stacy Community Profile Population: 3032 Population change 2000-2010: 81 Land area: 35.4 sq miles Land Use Summary: 75.4% forest, wetlands, open space 12.5% agriculture 5.1% residential 2.4% commercial, industrial, mining, transportation 3.3% water 0.5% recreational 0.7% other Watershed Summary: 87% Connecticut 13% Millers Population data from the 2010 census; Land use data MassGIS 2005 Table of Contents Federal, State & County Officials Town Hall Office Hours Boards, Committees & Commissions Community Profile General Administration, Public Safety, Public Works & Community Services 1 Reports 2 Selectboard & Town Administrator 2 Assessors 4 Board of Health 5 Dickinson Memorial Library 6 Planning Board 7 Sewer Commission 8 Accountant 9 Tax Collector 22 Treasurer 26 Town Clerk 30 Conservation Commission 67 Council on Aging/Senior Center 68 Energy Committee 69 Historical Commission 70 Open Space Committee 71 Fred Wells Will Trustees 72 Zoning Board of Appeals 73 EMS 74 Highway Dept., Town Cemeteries & Tree Warden 75 Police Department 77 School Reports 80 Superintendent 81 Pioneer Valley Regional School 82 Elementary School 83 SPED 84 Northfield School Board Representatives 84 Franklin Regional Council of Governments 85 Recreation Commission 87 General Public Public Community Services Administration Safety Works Town Administrator *Police Chief Len Crossman Superintendent of Streets & Building Maintenance Senior Center Director Thomas Hutcheson Acting Police Chief Tom Walker Suzanne Travisano Robert Leighton Town Secretary Acting Police Sergeant Foreman Outreach Coordinator Sandra L. Wood Scott Minckler Kevin Steiner Jeanette Tessier Town Accountant Patrol Officer Truck Driver/Laborers Library Director Deb Mero William Kimball Mike Sibley Deb Kern Kris Black Mike Mankowsky Tax Collector/Treasurer Fire Chief Administrative Assistant Circulation Barbara Brassor Floyd “Skip” Dunnell *Gail V. Zukowski Jane Lyle-Jaworski Sarah Monette Assessor’s Clerk EMS Chief Wastewater Treatment Facility Programming Bethany Walker Mark Fortier Eric Meals, Lead Operator Halie Theoharides Ryan Henderson, Operator Town Clerk Building Commissioner Circulation Assistant Gail V. Zukowski James Hawkins Jessica Robinson Town Counsel Animal Inspector Library Custodian Kopelman & Paige Dan Gray Dan Morgan Finance Committee Administrative Assistant Plumbing & Gas Inspector Bethany Walker Frank Turner ZBA & Police Electrical Inspector Administrative Assistant Devin Lockley Vivien Venskowski Conservation & Planning Board Administrative Asst. Dog Officer Sarah Monette Don Thornton Recreation Committee Administrative Assistant Bridget Hammond Town Hall Custodian Tammy Pelletier *Resigned/Retired/Term Expired/Other 1 Board of Selectmen In early 2012, most residents of town were caught up with the Hobby Lobby process of ceding the former NMH campus to a Christian organization. There was extensive press coverage of the process, visits by many organizations and in July the announcement that the campus was offered to Grand Canyon University, of Phoenix, Arizona. Although we were pleased the campus would again be occupied by an educational institution, there were immediate concerns that Grand Canyon’s vision of a 7,000 student campus would change the town forever. However, in the fall, Grand Canyon withdrew its acceptance of the campus