Present: First Selectman Woody Bliss; Selectman W. Glenn Major; Selectwoman Gayle Weinstein; Town Administrator Tom Landry; Administrative Assistant Judy DeVito, Residents and member of the press.

Mr. Bliss called the meeting to order at 7:32pm.

Mr. Major made a motion to reappoint Michael Ferullo as the Emergency Management Director for a term to expire December 10, 2009. Ms. Weinstein seconded and the motion passed unanimously.

Ms. Weinstein said that this has been a decision that they have taken very seriously and she would like to appoint a committee to determine where they should go with the Town Attorney. It would be a five member committee made up of attorneys in the Town who would take a look at what our options are, as well as what the fees are that we have been paying. She said that this was not to suggest that our Town Attorney skills are not qualified for the position. In fact, those who have spoken to them, who actually work with Mr. Bernhard and Ms. Sullivan on a day to day basis have expressed great

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satisfaction in their work. She said she felt this would be a prudent decision to make at this point.

Mr. Bliss asked Mr. Bernhard if he had any comments that he wanted to make. Mr. Bernhard read from a prepared statement which is attached to the minutes.

Mr. Bliss said the charter requires the Board of Selectmen to make a two year appointment. They are going to make that appointment with the understanding that they will use the study group committee to do a six month review or sooner depending on the work of the committee.

Mr. Mathews asked if any of the fees were recoverable. Mr. Bliss said some are recoverable. Mr. Bernhard said in a tax foreclosure matter at the end of the matter, they ask the court to award the Town attorney’s fees for having to pursue litigation in order to collect on a tax lien. The taxpayer writes a check to the Town and it is remitted to the Town. He said Weston has been very smart in its negotiations with the insurance companies and on many letters that he has seen from them, they indicate that they will reimburse the town up to $10,000 of legal fees spent per litigation.

Mr. Bernhard said that Cohen and Wolf does not represent the Town in bonding.

Mr. Donald Saltzman said that to put a panel of all lawyers in Town to judge this might not be the most efficient way. You should have a cross section of citizenry and also the people that can give testimony to that group of their experiences with the Town attorney. He also warned to be careful of the litigants in Town who have open cases or are under appeal.

Mr. Bliss said that he was inclined to have some attorneys, but also some non attorneys. He said there are many attorneys in Town, who for one reason or another would be disqualified. He explained how the process worked with the Insurance Advisory Committee.

Mr. Robert Walpuck said that they should ask someone else before they make any appointment of Mr. Bernhard, because if he is not appointed, he would have the same powers and just becomes a holdover. We would not be in violation. He said no one

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should be appointed until after this committee is put forth. Ms. Weinstein read the requirements from the charter.

Mr. Saltzman said we have to have absolute continuity. We have many on going issues in the land use boards and we cannot put someone else in as temporary care taker. If Mr. Bernhard eventually is not appointed and we start fresh with a new law firm that is a different story. Ms. Weinstein agreed and said right now to not be in violation of the Charter we do need to approve the motion.

Mr. Robert Machson asked if we were appointing for a two year period. Mr. Bliss said yes, but the charter gives us the ability to unappoint by a 2/3 vote of the Board of Selectmen.

The motion carried Mr. Bliss, Ms. Weinstein yes, Mr. Major recused.

Mr. Major said he did not know if anyone could tell us the real impact on the budget in any given year. He said the applications are to be made by May 15, which means that the budget would have already been approved and the mill rate established before we would know the applicants.

Ms. Weinstein asked if there was a way to send a survey in Town. Mr. Major said by the time, we get the parameters of the program, we are going to be so far into the process that if we do not set the cap, we are going to lose the year. He was more worried about setting the mill rate and having the mill rate be wrong.

Mr. Major asked if the Commission on Aging will make the full presentation at the public hearing. Mr. Bliss said yes. Mr. Major asked if we had a sense of how many people were going to participate. Mr. Bliss said no. Mr. Bliss said for the budget cycle we should present it with what we think the cap should be. We will get a lot of data out of the first year, so that we can go back in the second year and make adjustments.

Mr. Major said that it would be worth while for the Selectmen to send the proposal to the Board of Finance, so if they want to have meetings with the Commission on Aging that they could call that, but to ask for their comments to come back to the Board of Finance.

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Hal Matthews said by keeping these people here you are stabilizing the school population and saving substantially more money than you are putting out to keep us here.

Mr. Machson asked about the purpose of the public hearing was. He wanted to know if there was documentation that they would have for the public hearing. He asked that the material be available to the public at least a week or two before so that the public has a chance to review it so that there can be some debate.

Mr. Bliss explained that this was a program for senior citizens age 65 and older, who have an adjusted gross household income of less than $100,000. There are no thresholds with regard to net worth or house value whereas on the abatement program there are thresholds. There taxes would be frozen as of the previous year. Whatever you paid in 2007 would be the base of what your taxes are frozen. The increase in taxes would be frozen. You would pay the frozen tax amount when you sold the house or in 14 years, which is the state statue requirement. You have to reapply each year. If you suddenly had a win-fall in income, you would still carry those other protections, but you would have to start all over again the following year.

Mr. Major asked why someone would take the deferral program. Mr. Bliss said this only deals with the increase in taxes. The deferral program they can defer a much bigger portion of their taxes. Mr. Machson asked if they could present the total to the extent as possible projections of this program in light of the current programs as well.

The second thing they will be asked to do is that there are $250,000 to $275,000 still left and there is opportunities for additional funding to come back into that project and then there are other things that will draw down expenses including a couple of legal activities. Town meeting will be asked to authorize the Board of Selectmen and the Board of Finance that if need be to change money from one project to another, that those two boards would be authorized to do so.

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Mr. Major asked where the money was that was already reallocated from the Middle School Auditorium Project. Mr. Darling said that that was not included here because that project is far from completion. This resolution just considered and recognizes the original three questions and these are the three projects that are substantially complete. Mr. Major asked if we should not have a line item that says High School Auditorium/Roof with dollar number that is there.

Mr. Landry said Town Meeting in essence already did that. When it took that voted on March 22, 2007 to reallocate the third project, it created a fourth project. Mr. Major said that they are putting in a portion of the Middle School Auditorium project. If we give you the ability to use some of these dollars, if there are excess dollars to put back to that project as well should they be available. He said if we are trying to true the whole appropriation all the pieces should be there. Mr. Landry said they would talk to Bruce Chudwick about doing that.

Ms. Weinstein made a motion to approve the Board of Selectmen’s meeting of November 15, 2007. Mr. Major seconded and the motion passed unanimously.

At 8:46pm Mr. Major made a motion to enter into executive session. Ms. Weinstein seconded and the motion passed unanimously.

ATTENDANCE and DISCUSSION: The meeting was convened at 8:50 pm in the First Selectmen’s Office by Chairman Bliss, with Mr. Major and Ms. Weinstein present. Also present was Town Administrator Landry.

The first item of discussion in the executive session was to receive an update on the status of settlement discussions in the Liberty Mutual case (school construction project) and to review a proposed release for settlement of the claim.

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The second item consisted of review of the contract renewal between the Board of Education and the School Administrators.

After discussion of both items, the Board voted unanimously (Mr. Major, motion; Ms. Weinstein second) to end executive session and reconvene in open session. The time was 9:16pm.

LIBERTY MUTUAL SETTLEMENT: A motion (Mr. Major, Ms. Weinstein second) to approve a settlement in the amount of $50,000 in the Liberty Mutual/Nettleton claim, and to recommend such approval to the Board of Finance, passed by a 2-0-1 vote. Mr. Major, Mr. Bliss yes and Ms. Weinstein abstained.

WESTON ADMINISTRATORS ASSOCIATION: A motion (Mr. Major, Ms. Weinstein second) to approve the negotiated labor contract as presented, between the Weston Board of Education and the Weston Administrators Association, for the period July 1, 2008- June 30, 2011, passed by unanimous vote.

Further, the Board noted its pleasure at the progress reflected in the agreement concerning negotiated changes in the health insurance program, notably the new offering of a Health Savings Account option for the Administrators. The Board asked Mr. Landry to convey its commendation and appreciation to the Board of Education, as well as to Mr. Michael O’Brien, a member of the Board of Finance and the Insurance Advisory Committee, who participated in the negotiations, and provided technical assistance in this area.

ADJOURN: At 9:19 pm, a motion (Mr. Major, Ms. Weinstein second) to adjourn the meeting passed by unanimous vote.

Respectfully submitted

Judy M. DeVito

Administrative Assistant.

Approved 12/20/07