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Date: 11/12/2020
HAMPDEN – The Hampden Board of Selectmen voted on Nov. 9 to approve the use of $30,000 of federal coronavirus relief funding to purchase supplies and services for the Hampden-Wilbraham Regional School District (HWRSD). The district has exhausted the majority of its coronavirus-related funding. The towns, however, have reimbursement funding that will not be used by the Dec. 30 expiration, and so have agreed to spend a portion of their funds on school district necessities due to the pandemic.
HWRSD first approached the town of Wilbraham for a portion of their coronavirus aid. The town decided to contribute $120,000 to pay for a list of needed items, including everything from sanitation supplies to a Dell laptop for remote instruction. Hampden agreed to pay $30,000 to do likewise, as the town makes up roughly one-quarter of the district’s enrollment.
On the issue of emergency dispatch regionalization, interim Town Administrator Bob Markel reported that the state 911 department has agreed to pay for the installation of a fiber-optic connection between Hampden and Wilbraham contingent upon the signing of an inter-municipal regionalization agreement. The project, which will cost an estimated $112,000, is necessary to facilitate a connection between the towns.
Hampden is expecting to receive figures back from Wilbraham regarding what the arrangement would cost the town. At that point, final negotiations will begin. Board of Selectmen Chair Donald Davenport said that he wanted a vote on regionalization, whether it be with Wilbraham or otherwise, by the end of the year. A vote on the issue was scheduled for Dec. 30.
While discussing the upcoming budget cycle, Selectman Mary Ellen Glover suggested that the town adopt a rotating schedule of departments on which to spend discretionary funding in a given year. Fellow Selectman John Flynn disagreed, saying that it is the board’s job to take all department projects and expenses into consideration and decide which projects best serve the town’s needs.
One of the upcoming projects is the Highway Department’s garage expansion. The project was approved at the town meeting in June and an amount of $300,000 was appropriated. Flynn noted that estimates have increased since then due to the pandemic. Any additional cost beyond the original amount will have to be approved separately.
This led to a discussion of a capital plan. Davenport said that he would like a concrete timeline of capital projects along with estimates. Glover noted that projects need to be prioritized, but said it is not uncommon for projects to stretch beyond the projected timeframe and flexibility was important.
“If you budget, budget, budget, you can get everything done at the right time,” Flynn said.
The board approved the PILOT (payment in lieu of taxes) agreement with Blue Wave Solar, a large-scale ground-mounted solar array at 296 Ames Rd. Hampden Town Attorney Rose Crowley had examined the document and found no issues.
Madison Pixley was appointed to the Planning Board to fill the seat left vacant by Ed Loiko’s resignation. Flynn said that Pixley had shown a “tremendous amount” of knowledge. Pixley, who works for Tighe and Bond and would have to recuse herself from projects with which they are involved, had the backing of the planning board’s other members. She will hold the seat until the next town election in May 2021.
Flynn praised all three candidates for their willingness to volunteer with the town and urged more member of the public to serve on boards and committees.
Flynn also thanked Town Clerk Eva Wiseman for the work she did conducting the presidential election on Nov. 3. Glover noted that about 3,400 people had voted, a record turnout for Hampden.