MONTEREY SELECT BOARD
MINUTES OF THE MEETING OF JUNE 5, 2006
The regular weekly meeting of the Monterey Select Board was opened at 8:30 a.m. with members Michael Storch (Chair), Jonathan Sylbert, and Wayne Burkhart all present.
In attendance for the meeting: Town Secretary Melissa Noe; Laurily Epstein of the Monterey News
· The Board met with Director of Operations Maynard Forbes to review Highway Department items, as follows:
o Road work updates: Sandisfield Road, Fairview Road, River Road
o Formation of Salt and Sand Committee: Discussion of public informational meeting on winter road maintenance, scheduled for Monday, July 17, at 7 p.m.; Epstein suggested a Monterey News article setting forth the issues
o Gould Farm: Cattle crossing road cleanup
· The Board met with Chief Gareth Backhaus to review Police Department items. There was discussion regarding the posting of a police officer on foot in the center of Town on weekends for speed control. Sylbert stated the opinion that an officer on foot is not a deterrent to speeding. It was decided that the officer will be on foot but the cruiser will be parked in a visible spot.
· Richard Sheridan of Main Road complained to the Board about the Transfer Station regulation regarding the charge for disposal of wood; the Board responded that it will contact the dump attendant in this regard.
· The Board met with School Representative Deborah Mielke and Valerie Spriggs, Superintendent of the Southern Berkshire Regional School District, to discuss several school issues, as follows:
o School buildings survey: Pittsfield company EDM has been hired to perform a survey of all buildings for safety; Spriggs stated that all repairs can be performed “in house”
o Monterey kindergarten: Only two children in Town are registered for Fall 2006; Spriggs asked for help in publicizing the availability of kindergarten spots
o School budget process
· The Board queried Fire Chief Ray Tryon regarding the removal of smoke detectors from the Town Hall elevator shaft. Tryon was also queried regarding a possible safety hazard posed by the storage of records boxes at Town Hall. In another matter, Tryon advised the Board that almost all members of the Fire Department have now passed
SELECT BOARD MINUTES - 2 - JUNE 5, 2006
the NIMS 200, the 16-hour test required for First Responders. There was discussion of the Fire Department budget.
· Town Accountant Barbara Gauthier met with the Board to resolve financial items, including account overages. Gauthier reported that the Town has received all the federal and state monies for flood damage.
· The Board noted for the record that Camp Half Moon on Lake Buel has received a Chapter 91 Waterways License, authorizing the camp to perform certain activities pursuant to M.G.L. c. 91, the Public Waterfront Act and its regulations 310 CMR 9.00.
· The Board announced that Town Hall will be closed on Monday, July 3, and there will be no Select Board meeting on that date.
· The Board met with Town Secretary Melissa Noe to review Town Office items, including her request for a job description. Building Commissioner Don Torrico joined the discussion regarding Noe’s compensation for the clerical work that she performs for the Building Department. The Board agreed that at the next Annual Town Meeting, there should be a single line-item compensation for the job of Town Secretary that includes work for other boards or departments. It was noted that recent legislation allows the Select Board, under certain circumstances, to transfer funds from one account to another at the end of the fiscal year. It was moved by
Burkhart, seconded by Sylbert, and unanimously voted to authorize, with the approval of the Finance Committee, the transfer of the balance of the Fiscal Year 2006 Building Inspector Clerk Account to the FY 2006 Town Secretary Account.
· Highway and Treasury Warrants were signed.
· The clerk was given instructions regarding correspondence.
· The Minutes of May 22, 2006, were approved as corrected..
· It was unanimously voted that the meeting be adjourned (12:30 p.m.).
Judith Kales, Clerk
Monterey Select Board
| 
