MONTEREY SELECT BOARD
MINUTES OF THE MEETING OF SEPTEMBER 19, 2005
The regular weekly meeting of the Monterey Select Board was opened at 8:30 a.m. with members Michèle Miller (Chair), Michael Storch, and Jonathan Sylbert all present.
In attendance for the meeting: Laurily Epstein of the Monterey News
· The Board met with Town Secretary Melissa Noe to discuss several items, as follows:
o Commonwealth Capital Grant application:
§ Community Preservation Act: Tax on real estate sales over a certain amount
§ Town bicycle trails
o Weekly Meeting with Town officials: Noe will attend the Select Board regular meeting each Monday from 8:30 a.m. to 9:30 a.m. and will not be available to the public during that time
o Selection of computer network administrator: Sylbert reported on his research of the available candidates and made his recommendation in this regard. The Board voted unanimously to accept the proposal of Practical Solutions of Great Barrington to oversee and maintain the Town’s computer network
· The Board met with Director of Operations Maynard Forbes to review Highway Department items, as follows:
o “Footprint” program for Route 23 reconstruction
o River Road Bridge review
o Municipal “floating” fuel oil bid: Board opted to “lock in” price at $2.28 per gal.
· The Board met with Chief Gareth Backhaus to review Police Department items. Backhaus advised that the Select Board has the power to nominate, but not appoint, candidates for the offices of Inspector of Animals and Dog Officer/Pound Keeper; these appointments are made by the Bureau of Animal Health, Department of Food and Agriculture.
· The Board met with Building Commissioner Don Torrico to review building department items. Torrico reported that he has been working an average of 12 to 13 hours per week and will no longer work more than the 10 hours per week for which he is being paid. There was discussion of scheduling a Special Town Meeting to increase the Building Commissioner’s salary. Torrico advised that he has been appointed to the State Board of Certification of Building Officials.
· Ray Tryon asked that Camp Half Moon be instructed to correct all building code deficiencies before a camp permit is granted for next year’s season.
· Laura Dubester, co-director of the Center for Ecological Technology, was present to award the Town a $3000 check for a solar energy project under the Massachusetts Clean Energy Choice program, representing the Town’s reward for achieving a 3% household enrollment. Dubester explained additional bonus awards for every new residential participant enrolled. Eligible projects include solar lighting, solar panels, solar-powered trash compactor, and a solar photovoltaic system. Dubester suggested that a committee be formed to research and select the Town’s project.
· Larry Klein addressed the Board on the subject of Fairview Road surface erosion. Miller has recommended seeding the banks, but there was disagreement among Board members regarding the efficacy of that remedy. The Board will instruct the Operations Director to perform maintenance work on the road.
· Gerald Green was present to complain about the problem of vehicles speeding on Beartown Mountain Road and requested more police surveillance of that road. Police Chief Gareth Backhaus was asked to join the discussion and was instructed to provide more coverage on Beartown Mountain Road.
· Janet Cathcart, representing Friends of Lake Garfield, was present to submit her report and final accounting on Lakefest. The Board approved Cathcart’s request that the remaining balance of $779.65 be retained in the budget as private contributions rather than the Town’s allocation. In another matter, Cathcart asked that the planned drawdown of Lake Garfield be changed from October 1 to October 15 to allow additional time for boating on the lake. The Board will contact the Conservation Commission in this regard. Additionally, Cathcart addressed the entire legal process for drawdown, including the roles of the Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) and the Department of Fisheries & Wildlife. The Board will initiate the process of filing a Notice of Intent with the Conservation Commission for next year’s drawdown.
· Deborah D. Mielke, the Town’s representative on the Southern Berkshire District School Committee, was present to remind the Board that the School Committee will meet on Thursday, Sept. 22, at 7 p.m. at the Monterey School.
· Town Accountant Barbara Gauthier submitted an end-of-the-year report for the fiscal year that ended June 30, 2005.
· The Board met with Board of Assessors members Stanley Ross, Bob Lazzarini and Bob Gauthier to discuss several items relating to the proper functioning of that Board, as follows:
o Computer equipment: Replacement
o Assessors Assistant: The Board of Assessors has hired Donald L. Clawson of Monterey as Assistant Assessor
o Relocation of Assessors files
o Fiscal policy: Assessors proposed an annual meeting of the Select Board, Board of Assessors, Finance Committee, Town Accountant and Town Treasurer to discuss fiscal policy; said meeting was scheduled for December 19, 2005, at 7 p.m.
· Highway and Treasury Warrants were signed.
· The clerk was given instructions regarding correspondence.
· The Minutes of August 22, 2005, were approved as written.
· It was unanimously voted that the meeting be adjourned (12:20 p.m.).
Judith Kales, Clerk
Monterey Select Board
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