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Date: 1/26/2022
LONGMEADOW – Town Manager Lyn Simmons updated the Longmeadow Select Board on Jan. 18 on the Department of Public Works (DPW) organizational study, which had been underway for several months, and released its report.
There were “quite a few recommendations,” Simmons said, including increasing trash bag fees, accelerating the timeline for the Stormwater Enterprise Fund’s self-sufficiency by increasing the tax, a DPW reorganization and salary classification study and either reducing DPW services or privatizing them. The entire report is available on the Town Manager’s page of the municipal website.
Some of the recommendations have already been considered and adopted or rejected. The rest of the recommendations will be reviewed and prioritized.
Lachiusa said he was “impressed” with some of the water conservation recommendations and acknowledged residents are “not doing enough” to cut down on water usage. That said, Lachiusa commented that Longmeadow residents water their lawns and trees to keep their property values high.
The recommendations of the grant-funded study will be discussed in more depth at the board’s next meeting.
Retirees honored
Two town retirees were honored with citations from the state Legislature, presented by offices of state Rep. Brain Ashe and state Sen. Eric Lesser. Wayne Buck was the Department of Works (DPW) Yard Foreman for 31 years and had 42 years of total service to Longmeadow. Bruce Covalli was the water meter reader for 22 years and worked for the town for a total of 43 years. The pair retired at the end of 2021.
“I wish we could be there in person to shake your hand and tell you how proud and grateful we are for your years and what you’ve brought to Longmeadow,” Ashe told the two retirees.
Jennifer Metsch, constituent services director for Lesser’s office, who attended the meeting in Lesser’s place, said of the jobs the men did for the DPW, “It is not work that goes unnoticed.” She said Lesser, as a resident of Longmeadow, has personally benefited from their hard work.
Public Comment
During the public comment period, high school student Ben Buckovitch urged the Select Board to continue to discuss the Eversource pipeline and metering station proposal and consider the concerns of residents.
Buckovitch told the board, people on the Facebook open forum have expressed confusion around the pipeline with many mentioning that it was voted down at a previous Town Meeting. In 2019, voters acted to change the town’s zoning bylaws to prohibit “the installation and use of meter stations, take stations, city gates and connected facilities.” Under state law, however, the utility can apply for zoning relief and bypass municipal bylaws.
He also said other students were unaware of the proposal, which concerned him, as they are the next generation of voters and decisions made now will impact their future.
Windows
Select Board Vice Chair Steve Marantz spoke to his colleagues regarding the Center School windows, a project that is expected to cost roughly $1.2 million in funding from the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funding. The more he considered the issue, Marantz said, “the less sense it makes.” He argued the windows would not be opened during the winter for ventilation and the school’s heating, ventilation and air conditioning system should be able to handle that job in the summer months.
Select Board Clerk Josh Levine corrected Marantz, telling him the heat is “blasted” in the mornings and the windows are opened once students arrive. Levine also said he was not sure the school’s “aging infrastructure” can use HEPA filters to scrub the air.
Legal Costs
Simmons reviewed the town’s fiscal year-to-date attorney fees. The fees, totaling $25,065, include works done by attorneys on the cable licensing matter, Eversource’s natural gas, and police and fire on-duty injuries. The two most expensive legal matters were the Department of Public Works lawsuits over eminent domain and asbestos remediation, which cost $122,015, and fees for the town counsel at $52,204. A full breakdown of the town’s FY22 legal expenditures can be found on the Town Manager’s page of the municipal website.
Other topics
As of Jan. 19, Simmons told the board there were 262 active cases of COVID-19 in town, with 30 percent of them breakthrough cases. Simmons said the numbers were trending down and there had been over 300 when previously checked.
The fire at the Maple Center Shopping Center in November 2021 has been reviewed by the Small Business Administration and the businesses involved are eligible for the Economic Injury Disaster Loan. The ones that have already applied have been approved.
On a related note, Armata’s has requested a longer-term arrangement to use the kitchen at the Greenwood Center until a new, permanent home can be found. Simmons recommended approving the request and said the business’s presence has not had a negative impact on any town services.
Gas main replacements will be ongoing through mid-April on Windsor Place, Hillcrest Avenue, Field Road and Wildflower Lane. Eversource has contracted with the company Feeney Brothers to do the work.
Lastly, citizen petition articles must be submitted to the town clerk’s office by Jan. 31 to appear on the Annual Town Meeting warrant.