West Brookfield Town Hall Notebook

By Jonathan Cook

Turley Publications Reporter

WEST BROOKFIELD – At Tuesday’s selectmen’s meeting, the board voted to execute a regional agreement to centralize purchasing, negotiated with the police union in executive session, and finalized an ad for the position of Highway Superintendent, among other business.

Purchasing agreement begins

After much talk at many lengthy meetings between representatives of West Brookfield, Brookfield, East, Brookfield, North Brookfield and Warren, a first step has been taken to regionalize services. Each town will decide if they will appropriate $500 to support the work of West Brookfield’s Executive Secretary Johanna Barry in the establishment of a centralized purchasing system for items such as cleaning materials and office supplies. West Brookfield voted to do so. Brookfield was also scheduled to vote Tuesday evening.

Selectman David Eisenthal, who worked as the point person with Stephen McGoldrick of the Collins Center for Public Management at UMass Boston said, “I’m very pleased that we’re at this point with the help of the Collins Center.” He added that “there will be some cost associated with this, but we foresee the savings through bulk purchases of cleaning supplies, office supplies and the like should far outweigh the cost of this effort.”

Chairman Long, who attended his last regular meeting before retirement after 40 years of service on various public boards, said “we’re starting out by walking into this and doing the various town halls, but it may at some time include the regional school systems which will really give everybody a bang for the buck and down the road we’re talking about several other regional agreements.”

State Representative Anne Gobi was in attendance for the occasion. She said, “I want to congratulate the board. I thank you for taking advantage of the Collins Center. I know Steve McGoldrick was a big help, but you can only do something if towns are willing to go for it, if you have people within the towns that have the vision and have the go-to attitude. So I congratulate this board and the other boards in the area. You’re doing a wonderful thing. It’s going to show up in people’s pocketbooks. This is going to be savings far into the future. And I think, Mr. Chairman, as you mention this could obviously lead to other regionalization agreements down the road to benefit the communities.

Thank you Tom, for your years of service. I appreciate that you’re getting ahead with this. That’s fantastic.”

The approval is contingent upon approval by town counsel, but it is anticipated only minor changes may arise.

Ad for Highway Super

The board agreed to set the salary range for Highway Superintendent within $55,209 to $69,858. However, salary will be adjusted commensurate with experience. Selectman Barry Nadon, Jr. said he wants to add a minimum educational requirement of a four year civil engineering degree or 15 year equivalent experience in a municipal setting.

But Long thought that might preclude applicants from the current highway department.

It was agreed the educational and experience requirements would be preferable, but not required.

There was also mention of creating a Department of Public Works, but Eisenthal said that would require special legislation to merge the water and highway departments. The ad being placed hopes to bring in applications before the contract of current Highway Superintendent Jason Benoit expires June 30.

Other business . . .

The board voted to require the Highway Superintendent leave the town’s truck in town at all times. Nadon said that it was in New Braintree that night.

Also, Ye Olde Tavern got a one day liquor license to host a Relay for Life Poker Run on May 22 from noon to 9 p.m.