MONTEREY SELECT BOARD
MINUTES OF THE MEETING OF DECEMBER 12, 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 Director of Operations Maynard Forbes to review Highway Department items, as follows:
o Snow removal: Forbes reported a snowfall of 13.8 in. during the storm of Dec. 9
o Fairview Road: Miller suggested that a portion of the road be closed for the winter in light of the difficulty of maintaining safe passage
· The Board met with Town Secretary Melissa Noe to review Town Office items.
· Selectman Jonathan Sylbert presented an update of the To Do list for the Town’s application for a Commonwealth Capital Grant.
· The Board met with Chief Gareth Backhaus to review Police Department items, as follows:
o Dog-biting incident
o Speeding violations: Storch recommended the use of official warning tickets
o National Incident Management Service (NIMS) training session: Backhaus advised that there is an online version of the certification training
· The Board met with Building Commissioner Don Torrico to review building department items, as follows:
o Letter from Planning Board member Janet Cathcart: Discussion of whether the open meeting law applies to consultations between individual Planning Board members and the Building Commissioner; discussion of Town policy on board and committee access to Town Counsel (statement defining policy was sent to all boards on July 18, 2005)
o Zoning maps: Request that a new zoning map be developed to delineate the lakeshore district
· Town Accountant Barbara Gauthier advised the Board regarding a transfer of monies from Free Cash at the Special Town Meeting scheduled for January 27, 2006.
· Planning Board chair Maggie Leonard met with the Board to discuss several items, as follows:
o Sign permit bylaw: Requires the Planning Board to issue permits, but the permit form itself is issued by the Building Commissioner; the Select Board saw no problem, since the Building Commissioner is the Town’s zoning enforcement officer. Building Commissioner Don Torrico joined the discussion in this regard. It was decided that
no change is required in the wording of the sign bylaw. The procedural policy for a sign permit will be as follows:
§ Application submitted to Planning Board for its review
§ Application forwarded to Building Commissioner for review and issuance
o Zoning Bylaws: Leonard asked that more copies of the bylaws be made available; Leonard will consult with Town Clerk regarding printing
o Town Counsel policy: Requires that queries to Town Counsel be made through or after consultation with the chair of that board
· The Board met with Michael Garrold of MIIA to discuss the cost of Town insurance; also present was Town Treasurer Pat Mielke. Garrold provided a detailed list of the Town’s current coverage and indicated which item costs have been reduced. The Board asked for the breakdown value of each category on the list, which Garrold agreed to provide. Sylbert commented that the Town’s insurance should be put out to bid on an annual basis, in which case the Town would not sign a two-year contract. Garrold stated that he would withdraw the two-year offer. Mielke stated that MIIA’s representation has been very beneficial to the Town because of its broad experience in municipal insurance. The Board expressed dissatisfaction with the “reward” program, which focuses most often on issues that have no relevance to a small Town like Monterey.
· At 11 a.m. Wilson McLaughlin House Committee members Shirley Olds (chair), Joe Baker, Gerry Shapiro, Gige O’Connell, Nora Hayes, Lew Scheffey, Susan Sellew and Cynthia Weber were present for the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding and lease of the Wilson McLaughlin House with Friends of Wilson McLaughlin House Inc. The lease was signed, a $1 check was received, and photographs were taken of the event for the Monterey News. Storch commended the committee for its hard work in achieving a successful conclusion to the long process. There was discussion of various fund-raising activities for the Wilson property, including a
community tag sale at Monterey Day.
· The Board noted for the record that the following property owners have received Interim Approval from the Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) under the Chapter 91 Waterways Amnesty Authorization to maintain a dock on Lake Garfield or Lake Buel:
Judith Freedman
Steven J. Schwartz
Daniel Moriarty
· Highway and Treasury Warrants were signed.
· The clerk was given instructions regarding correspondence.
· The Minutes of December 5, 2005, were approved as written.
· It was unanimously voted that the meeting be adjourned (12:10 p.m.).
Judith Kales, Clerk
Monterey Select Board
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