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Date: 6/15/2022
LONGMEADOW – The Longmeadow Select Board debated renting the Adult Community Center for private events where liquor was to be sold.
At the June 6 Select Board meeting, Select Board member Mark Gold said that liquor sold at events at the Adult Community Center left the town liable in case there were problems. He specifically referred to events hosted by the Longmeadow Adult Community Center Fund (LACCF), a private non-profit organization that raises money for programming and equipment for the center. The LACCF has hosted a few events at the center at which alcohol was served.
Select Board member Thomas Lachiusa said that if there had been issues, the Select Board would have been made aware. So far, neither the Council on Aging director nor the town manager had reported any problems.
Furthermore, Lachiusa told his colleague that not allowing private events on town property opened a “Pandora’s box,” because organizations and teams use fields and parks in town.
Gold said his objection is specifically about alcohol at these events. While he admitted that renting the use of town property brings in revenue, he said, “Is the $50 or $75 worth it to the town,” if there is an issue from which lawsuit results.
Mary Beth Bergeron, chair of the LACCF, objected to the events hosted by the group being referred to as “fundraisers,” as some of the board members had said. She noted that the art shows hosted so far have been free of charge and the charge for the “international dinners” only covers the cost of food.
“This really is a courtesy to the Council on Aging to sponsor events that would be of interest to the community at large,” Bergeron stated.
Gold insisted that he doesn’t understand the relationship between the LACFF and Council on Aging. He said that if the Adult Community Center staff is not running the events, then they are not Adult Community Center events, but LACCF events.
Despite the hesitancy on Gold’s part, the board unanimously approved the liquor license.
Another person sought a liquor license, this time for a graduation party at the Adult Center. Select Board Clerk Josh Levine said the presence of underage people at the event gave him pause. Gold agreed and said he had received an email from a resident with concerns about underage people having access to alcohol at Adult Community Center events.
The petitioner said worries about underage drinking is why she did not want to host the party at her home. She referred to the death of Longmeadow High School senior Katarina Boskovic who was involved in a motor vehicle accident in May. “I can’t be that parent that had some kids come to my house that I couldn’t watch,” the petitioner said.
There would be a limit of six people under age 21 invited to the party at the Center and there would be a bartender on site, she explained.
“You may be responsible, but the next person may not be,” Levine told the petitioner.
Gold told her that if people came uninvited to the event on town property and an incident occurred, the town would be liable. The risk is “through the roof,” he said.
The license was denied. The petitioner said she understood and would have to find somewhere else to host the party on short notice.
Facilities Usage
Continuing on the topic, a facilities usage policy was brought before the Select Board to approve the fee schedule. Town Manager Lyn Simmons explained that the policy, which would apply to the Adult Community Center, the Greenwood Center and the Community House, was based on the school department’s rental policy.
Rental of the town facilities was divided into four categories with weekday, weeknight and weekend prices, except category four which excludes weekend rentals. Category one, which incurs the least cost, is for municipal or town-sanctioned uses. Category 2 is for Longmeadow-based non-profits or local organizations with mainly Longmeadow members. Category three includes other non-profits and non-commercial uses. Finally, category four, which has the highest prices, is for private and for-profit organizations.
The highest cost for a weekday rental is $150 per hour, while a weeknight rental could cost as much as $200 per hour and a weekend rental as much as $210 per hour.
Gold expressed apprehension that people renting the Adult Community Center would damage the building. Leydon said a program assistant would be on hand during events to make sure there were no problems. Despite this, Gold asked if people from outside the area could be excluded from renting the space. He said Longmeadow taxpayers paid for the building and there will be wear-and-tear on the building due to renting the space.
Simmons told Gold that this was a “pilot year” and if needed, the policy could be adjusted. Lachiusa said it would be easier to start more restricted and then allow more uses later. Levine commented that he understood Gold’s concerns, but that he was “not terribly worried.”
The board approved the fee schedule for facility rentals.
EMS Rates
Fire Chief John Dearborn came before the board to discuss EMS rates. He said costs were increasing “exponentially,” and cited fuel and medical supplies. He said he had concerns about the operating budget lasting through the end of the year.
The rate for EMS calls increases an average of 3 to 4 percent annually. This year, the rate will be increasing by 8 to 11 percent, primarily because of operating costs, Dearborn said. He said rates for patients without private insurance are capped at Medicare reimbursement levels and the town must absorb costs past that threshold. If the patient has insurance, he said, “You’re on the hook for the whole amount. Of the $420,000 in EMS charges over the past six months, Dearborn said the department will not be able to recoup $217,000.
Dearborn said the Fire Department’s administrative assistant works with patients to find insurance programs that will help pay their bill. Despite this, Dearborn noted, private ambulance companies charge 35 percent more for emergency services.
The Select Board voted to approve the EMS rate increases.
Rate Changes
The rates for water, sewer and stormwater usage were adjusted by the Select Board. The new water rate of $3.69 per hundred cubic feet, known as CCF, is an increase of 2.51 percent over the previous rate.
Gold explained that the cost of the water, purchased from the Springfield Water and Sewer Commission, was increasing by 11 percent. “Water’s getting more and more expensive,” he said, adding that Longmeadow’s rates are among the lowest in the state. He said the meter charge, which covers the cost of infrastructure, has not changed from $15.60 per residential meter, but it may in the future as infrastructure demands increase.
Gold went on to say that despite 900,000 units of water being used in town, only 799,000 are being accounted for by meters, and therefore being paid for by customers. He suggested the town figure out where the extra water is going.
The sewer rate was raised to $2.75 per 100 CCF with a cap at 100 CCF, after which customers will not be charged. Gold said the cost of sewer usage will increase for most customers when the winter average metering is implemented, but the new bills will more accurately reflect how much water each customer uses.
Finally, the cost for an “equivalent residential unit of stormwater is increasing 15 percent from $66 to $76.93. The stormwater rate is gradually increasing to reflect the cost borne by the town.
Pipeline Update
Levine informed the rest of the board that Eversource had filed their proposal for the Longmeadow-based pipeline and metering station with the Massachusetts Environmental Policy Act (MEPA) Office and the Energy Facilities Siting Board (EFSB). He assured everyone that residents and officials would have the opportunity to address MEPA, although he did not have a timeline for that. He also said the EFSB process would begin later.
Simmons Evaluation
Simmons’s job evaluation was completed, and the reviews of the town manager were “on the whole, very, very positive,” said Levine. “We were all very impressed with you, Lyn.” Lachiusa agreed, “Everyone I talk to about your work has positive things to say.”
Gold motioned for Simmons to be given a raise of “between 2 percent and 2.5 percent, in keeping with the cost-of-living-adjustment for non-union employees.” She also received an extra week of vacation time as added compensation.
Miscellaneous Issues
Electric vehicle (EV) chargers have been installed in town, one at the Department of Public Works (DPW) and two at the Adult Community Center. More are expected to be installed at the high school and at Wolf Swamp Fields if grant funding is made available. The chargers will become operational once the Select Board sets a policy for them.
Simmons explained that the town is not paying for people to charge their vehicles. The chargers run on a system in which drivers swipe a card or use their phones to pay for electricity. She also emphasized that the chargers were paid for with a combination of grants, private funds and donations and not from the town’s general fund.
Simmons told the board that there is a lifeguard staffing shortage for the summer season at Greenwood Pool, despite a pay increase of 15 percent from the Recreation Department Revolving Fund. A total of 14 job offers were made, but only eight individuals accepted the jobs. Staffing is an issue nationwide, Simmons said. As a result, beginning June 17, the pool’s days of operation will be cut to six days per week and closed on Wednesdays. Until then, the pool is open on the weekends. Simmons said that if the empty lifeguard positions are filled, the pool will reopen seven days per week.
Several town fees are set to increase as of July 1. These include the Annual Street Listing Book going from $15 per book to $25. The books have not increased in price in over a decade. Public Hearing Notification requirements for the Zoning Board of Appeals are doubling to $300. The cost to run legal notices in the newspaper and mail notification to abutters has increased to an average of $315. A new $10 advertisement fee and a $5 notice posting fee have been added to the Collector’s Office to prepare ads for a sale or taking.
Longmeadow Country Club will have fireworks on June 17 and Twin Hills Country Club will host them on July 3. While both are private events, Simmons said the light shows could be seen from several locations in town.