Hampden Selectmen talk building survey, fire department safety and town administrator

Sept. 24, 2020 | Sarah Heinonen
sarah@thereminder.com

HAMPDEN – The Board of Selectmen was approached by resident Rick Green regarding the establishment of a committee to assess structural integrity of and repairs to the town buildings. Green, who has experience of the planning board, said the assessment would survey the Town Hall, Thornton W. Burgess School and any other buildings the Select Board decide to include.

Selectman John Flynn recognized a need for such as assessment. He said at the nearly 100-year-old Town Hall, there are water issues, snakes getting into the building, bricks falling off the outside and tiles falling down inside. On the possibility of moving the municipal offices from their current location at 625 Main St., Flynn said, “If the Town Hall needs to relocate, we need to know what our options are.”

Selectman Mary Ellen Glover inquired why this committee was needed with the capital planning committee already formed. Flynn noted that the scope of this committee’s work would be narrowed to the buildings, while the capital planning committee is charged with reviewing and planning for all expensive projects for the town.

Green was asked to flesh out the idea further and return before the board.

Interim Town Administrator Bob Markel said that the price for a 20-foot office trailer for the Fire Department would be $834 to deliver and set up, plus $440 per month. This price includes electrical wiring and heating, ventilation and air conditioning. The office trailer was identified as a potential solution to the safety issue of diesel exhaust in the fire station.

Flynn opined that the board was overthinking the issue since the fire trucks are infrequently run inside the building. He suggested running a pipe to vent the exhaust outside.

Flynn did note that the trailer would help with the cramped office inside the building. Glover agreed. “This gives them space but it doesn’t address ventilation,” she said.

Board of Selectmen Chair Donald Davenport said it would “temporarily move them out of there to alleviate” the safety concerns.

The Fire Department is waiting to hear about a grant to address larger structural issues at the station.

At the beginning of the year, the board had interviewed two professional municipal search firms, Collins & Associates Executive Search and Community Paradigm Associates, but had since not moved forward with the search.

Flynn and Glover disagreed on the next steps in the town administrator search. Glover was adamant that the Board of Selectmen needed to conduct a self-assessment, set goals and define a role for the town administrator before looking for a candidate. She said that the board too often used Markel as a secretary. Flynn countered that the job of the town administrator was already laid out in a bylaw. Glover emphasized that the board was too “into the weeds,” and noted that Flynn liked to know what town employees are on vacation. The two argued before moving on.

The solar company Ameresco has been instructed by the state to pay for nine acres of land to be set aside with a conservation restriction. The land will protect and provide a home for an endangered species of turtle that lives on the parcel of land the company wishes to use for a large-scale ground-mounted solar array. The company will also contribute to a fund for the turtles in lieu of three more acres of land.

As of Sept. 21, 1,100 residents had requested mail in ballots for the Nov. 3 presidential election, Town Clerk Eva Wiseman told the board.

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