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Date: 9/5/2022
BELCHERTOWN – The Belchertown Select Board considered a request from the Belchertown State School Friends Association, approved multiple employee appointments, accepted grant monies and discussed the terms of the new police chief’s contract during its Aug. 29 meeting.
The board also approved additional spending to contract a new town ambulance and discussed potential changes to job descriptions at Finnerty House.
New building reuse committee
Kate Anderson-Benson of the Belchertown State School Friends Association approached the board with a request to form a new committee to oversee the re-use of town-owned buildings at the former Belchertown State School. Members of the board noted that this has been a discussion for multiple years, and buildings that have already been repurposed are under the control of different town offices and non-profit groups.
Anderson-Benson said the Friends’ purpose in requesting the new committee was to “support looking into how to refurbish the building properly, manage them continuously and do so with the [town departments] and nonprofits who are already on the property.” The goals of the committee, according to Anderson-Benson, include “help with funding and feasibility studies” for building refurbishment.
Anderson-Benson presented a list of individuals who were interested in becoming part of the new committee, which included representatives from several town departments indicating the committee, if approved, intended to also solicit members from the community.
During the discussion board Clerk Ed Boscher inquired if there were “any other groups in town working on this?” and as the discussion evolved stated he felt “it makes perfect sense to create this committee.”
Select Board Vice Chair Jim Barry said he didn’t “have a problem with the need” but felt the board needed “a better understanding of what this committee is” and how/who will be appointed to join before approving the request. “We can’t have people going out and talking to contractors saying the represent the town,” Barry added.
Board member Ron Aponte opined that “once we have created the committee, it has to be a clearly delineated advisory board.” Board Chair Jen Turner closed the discussion saying “we can add all of that in there [later]” as this was just the first discussion on the topic.
The request was continued to the next meeting.
Police chief discussion
A discussion with new Police Chief Kevin J. Pacunas was added to the meeting last minute as Turner said the new chief wanted to “discuss some things.”
Pacunas came with a list of “goals and objectives” he saw for himself and the department going forward. “The first thing we need to do is bring the staff numbers up,” Pacunas said, adding he was looking to shift staffing from adding two lieutenants to create one lieutenant position and an administrative sergeant position, which would assist with accreditation and paperwork but still be available to fill patrol officer duties if needed. He said the lieutenant salary would “come out of line items” and the sergeant salary would come out of the full-time officers in the budget. Aponte opined this reorganization “doesn’t create a new vacancy, it’s the best of both worlds.”
The board voted to approve the chief’s request to create “one vacant lieutenant position and create one or more sergeant positions.”
Pacunas also discussed the trainings he has scheduled to fulfill his contract requirements. “Next week I have a 24-hour chief training in Norwood,” Pacunas said, as well as weekly Zoom meetings with other police chiefs, which also is considered training. “I put in the general statement that I plan to attend all trainings that will support me as chief,” Pacunas stated to the board.
When Boscher noted he hadn’t seen a plan to establish a timeframe for an evaluation of the new chief, Turner pointed out that that provision was “in the contract.” The board approved the objectives.
The board also approved the appointment of Hanna Sweet as a full-time police officer effective Sept. 9, contingent upon completion of the bridge academy and Daniel Welch as a full-time police officer effective Sept. 30, contingent upon his passing of a medical exam. The board also appointed Michelle Dukes as a full-time communications dispatcher.
Fire chief discussion
Belchertown Fire Chief John Ingram presented a request to the board for members of his department to “wear their uniforms to fundraise during the [Belchertown] Fair” to support the work of the nonprofit Belchertown Firefighters Association Inc. Monies raised are used to support training and equipment costs, according to Ingram. The board approved the request.
The board also accepted a gift from the association of $6,450 to be put toward the purchase of an updated rescue boat and trailer for the Fire Department. Ingram explained that the department had recently seen a demonstration of a new rescue boat, at a cost of $12,900 and the Association agreed to fund half the cost of replacing the department’s current boat, purchased in the 1970s. Ingram assured the board that he could fund the remaining cost of the new boat through his budget. Ingram said that he would be offering the boat trailer to other departments, but that the current boat, as well as a quantity of radio equipment from his department and the Police Department were beyond their useful life and he was requesting permission to dispose of the items. After some clarifying discussion, the request was granted.
Ingram next informed the board he received an email on Aug. 26 announcing that the Belchertown Fire Department was awarded a $9,961 grant from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) for equipment replacement.
He told the board that FEMA required a commitment from the town of $4,331.14 within 30 days to accept the grant. The board accepted the grant with plans to fund the $4,331.14 from existing budgeted funds.
Ingram then requested the board approve an expenditure of $51,000 to secure the order of a new ambulance for the town. The chief explained that the original order to replace one of the town’s two aging ambulances, placed in 2020, was put on hold by the board and the new expenditure was needed to “put our name on” one of two new ambulances with the vendor. He added that the vendor agreed to honor the original $376,291 price, already earmarked with American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funding, for the initial ambulance style, but could not provide a delivery date. The additional $51,000 would allow Belchertown to acquire an international design ambulance, which was expected to be available for delivery by January 2023.
Town Administrator Gary Brougham noted that the town’s oldest ambulance – with 180,000 miles on it – recently broke down on the highway while transporting a patient to Baystate Medical Center. “We need this ambulance; we need this service. Belchertown does not have a hospital … If we can get ambulance one in service, as a public office it is our responsibility to provide a safe environment” for the community, Brougham said. Barry opined, “I think $51,000 is a cheap price to keep our place in line” adding, “Do we need to write the check today?” Ingram indicated he just needed the commitment from the board that evening, not the funds.
The board agreed to authorize the funding with the provision it might be able to source the monies from another area than ARPA funds when payment was due.
New Executive Assistant
Acknowledging the retirement of Ann Marie Pittsley as executive assistant to the Select Board and town administrator, following an internal job posting and interviews, the board appointed current administrative secretary Melissa Shattuck to the position, effective Sept. 30.
In discussing filling the soon to be vacant administrative secretary position at Finnerty House, the board questioned the job descriptions for both positions, considering if either or both needed updating, and if either could include duties of public information officer, something the town lacks.
Turner reminded the board that it could not “have a job description amended without going to the personnel board.”
Aponte echoed Turner’s observation, indicating the board had already filled the executive assistant post and “accepted the current job description.” He added that if they decided to make significant changes to the job description” the board would have to “wait until after the Special Town Meeting.”
Turner said she “wants some space before we fill the second position and then change the job description.” The discussion was continued.
Election workers
The Select Board appointed Clair Partridge as precinct coordinator Sept. 30, 2022, to 2023. Appointed as precinct wardens were Teresa Adams, Benette Daly, Erica Morrison-Brazitis and Carol Walker.
The Belchertown Select Board next meets on Sept. 12.