Washington Planning Board
Working Meeting Minutes - DRAFT
November 17, 2016
0.0 Assembly: 9:30 AM
0.1
Members
present: Crandall, Kluk, Schwartz and Russell
0.2
Members and
Alternates Absent: Hatch, Dulac, Terani and Williams
0.3 Visitors:
Shawn Atkins and Jed Schwartz
Crandall asked Russell to sit in
for Dulac.
1.0 Discuss the
F/R offer: Crandall opened
the meeting and updated Russell who hadnÕt attended a meeting in a while. We
had received a letter from F/R saying they wanted to stick with their original
plan. They sent a subsequent letter saying they were willing to work
with the PB towards a new concept that includes using the current station for
administration and connected to the barn.
Kluk went to the BoS and asked for funds to work on this alternate plan. Her
notes of the meeting are as follows:
ÒI am sad to report that despite the
agreement letter from the Fire and Rescue leadership, a majority of the
Selectmen will not release $1,500 in order for the Planning Board and the Fire
Department to pursue the latest building concept. This concept, as you
know from the letter, included utilizing the current station for administration
and connecting a new barn to the old station, which is a substantial compromise
that aligns with our PB motion.
A majority of the Selectmen do not accept
some of the conditions in the agreement - 1) that the connection would be
functional space and 2) that the barn is the 2015 plan barn (which they had on
the warrant last year). In addition to taking issue with these conditions,
certain Selectmen stated that the letter does not say/suggest that the Fire
Department is Òwilling to have an open conversationÓ with the Selectmen.
Instead, the Selectmen have placed their own set of conditions,
i.e. the connection must be an open breezeway and there needs to be further
definition of layout/use of the old station beyond what was provided by me in
the meeting.
The architect is the person who needs to
determine how a connection can be designed and what the impact will be on snow
loads/placement, building code upgrades and costs. Until we have that
input, we do not know the viability of any solution or possible compromise.
The Selectmen are still unwilling to release the money in order for the
architect to make these determinations.
They prefer that there is a
conference call with Kyle (architect) for him to provide his initial thoughts
on the viability of a Òfree standingÓ connection and how this would affect snow
loading/management, building codes, and placement of the new barn. Under
their scenario, the architect would provide nothing in writing and have spent
no time fleshing out connection options/costs that might yield a compromise
between a Òfree standing breezeway connectionÓ and a Òconnection that is
functional space.ÓÓ
She felt that the BoS minutes did not reflect what was said at the
meeting. At the F/R meeting on Monday night they voted to spend their own
building fund money to work with he architect and develop plans for using the
existing building and a barn with a functional connector. Crandall looks on
this as a cooperative effort between PB and F/R. J. Schwartz said their goal is
to come up with a plan and the associated costs and go before the town. He said
with a feasibility study and cost analysis they will compromise. They feel that
if the original plan is better and less costly the PB should back it. He talked
about the Town Hall plan and the F/R support for it.
Crandall would like to shoot for a community meeting on December 10th
or 17th. J. Schwartz suggested at meeting at the Town Hall, he would
expect 50 people or more. Kluk asked if we want to do a weeknight or a
Saturday. We decided a weeknight (Wednesday) would be best Kluk said that for
this meeting we need plans and cost estimates. We need to drum up support for
both projects, maybe have a questionnaire and ask for volunteers. J. Schwartz
said that in terms of volunteers, the F/R is willing to invest their time.
Atkins said that it is easier to use volunteer labor on a new construction
rather than a renovation.
Crandall said the F/R letter opened the door and the BoS thought it set
too many conditions, the PB doesnÕt see it that way. He said the next step is
to meet with Kyle Barker. J. Schwartz said he contacted Kyle and told him they
are a go, he will contact him today to set up a meeting. We will go to Concord
to save money. Kluk said get him going and we will meet with him. J. Schwartz
wants to keep the group small – Shawn, Jed, Jean, and Nan. Crandall said
that Kluk will be in charge for the PB and maybe he or Dulac could be involved
occasionally. Kluk said community outreach is important; we need the revisions
and ballpark numbers to present. She shared a printed piece she had designed to
hand out at the Christmas Craft Fair. Crandall said the Historical Society has
a table and we can give them some to hand out too. Schwartz said we need to be
there handing them out. We made decisions on the date, time and location and
approved the wording for the piece. Kluk will send the draft to Schwartz and
she will put it together for getting it printed.
Crandall said that he and Kluk are meeting with the BoS this afternoon
about updated estimates on the TH. We discussed getting good clear plans before
the public. We discussed a joint warrant article for the projects.
Kluk asked if we needed a vote. She made a motion for the PB to work
collaborately with the F/R building committee on an alternate plan and get cost
analysis for the alternative plan as compared to the original plan. Schwartz
seconded the motion and all voted in favor.
Kluk made a motion to hold a community meeting to update the public on
the revised plans for F/R and Town Hall and Schoolhouse to be held in December
on a date and time we agree to, Crandall seconded the motion and all voted in
favor.
Crandall said he wants to get numbers for the original TH plan.
Kluk, Crandall and Schwartz worked to come up with ideas for a
questionnaire for the community meeting.
We decided we would print up a packet for people attending and not do a
PowerPoint presentation.
2.0 Adjournment: Time: 10:40 am
Respectfully Submitted,
Nan Schwartz