Monterey Select Board
Minutes of the meeting of 7/17/06
Meeting Opened at: 8:35am
Select Board Members Present: Michael Storch, Chairperson, Jonathan Sylbert (left at 11:00am), and Wayne Burkhart
Also in attendance for the meeting: Laurily Epstein for the Monterey News
8:35am – 9:15am The board met with the Director of Highways, Maynard Forbes and reviewed the following items:
1. The bridge on River Rd was closed on Friday and the project was started
2. Alpert project on Mt Hunger Rd – The Select Board will inform the owner and contractor that work must cease until the public earth removal hearing has occurred
3. The agenda for tonight’s Winter Maintenance meeting was reviewed
4. The work on Corashire Rd was complimented
5. The time frame to take a ride and look at salt sheds was discussed; M. Storch and W. Burkhart plan to attend with Maynard. The future needs for a salt shed (size, style, etc) were also discussed.
6. A one day permit for beer/wine and food was requested for the Steak Roast on July 29
7. Condition of Fairview Rd was mentioned and discussed, this project will begin in mid-August
8. Sandisfield Rd project will be started within the next week
9. Hupi Rd washouts were discussed.
10. The tree on Alice O’Howell’s property and the call received by M. Storch was discussed
11. Daytime running light on the Chevy has been fixed
12. An A/C was purchased for Maynard’s new office to replace the one installed at the town meeting room
9:15am – 9:30am The board met with Building Inspector, Donald Torrico and reviewed the following items:
1. Issued building permits were reviewed
2. Alpert project on Mt Hunger was reviewed and the procedure for the earth removal hearing
3. Enforcement letter was sent to a resident on Hupi Rd for building a garage addition with a connector 25 feet from the sideline, as built was requested and has not been provided and the contractor that performed the project was released
4. Bill Johnson from the Building Department Committee came in to discuss the new software to the building department. Mr. Johnson asked if he could be the authorized signer on the software contract and one day training, the board decided that they would prefer to review the contract and sign it. Mr. Johnson is going to set up a meeting with Stan Ross to discuss what is needed to extract data from the Assessor’s computer. D. Torrico will set up a time for a software presentation with D. Torrico, M. Noe, the Select Board and Assessor’s Department from this software firm before deciding if this fits the needs of the building department
and if it integrates easily with the Assessor’s software.
9:30am – 10:30am The board met with Melanson & Heath, Barbara Gauthier (Accountant), Pat Mielke (Treasurer), Linda Thorpe and D. Mielke (Finance Committee) about our recent audit
1. The recommendation of more security in the Tax Collector’s office was discussed.
2. Kevin Fox, of Melanson & Heath stated that the recommendations made by his audit firm are just that, recommendations. In general things went very well with the audit and ran very smooth. The staff responded very well to all requests made. The board will review the audit draft recommendations in depth on July 31st and has asked that all departments that have had recommendations made for them respond by this date. Practical Solutions will be contacted to improve the Accounting/Treasurer’s Office current system backup. The Audit Firm reviewed the differences between running a town and running a business.
The board commented that they were very impressed with the audit firms service as well as our Town Accountant and Town Treasurer’s service to the town.
The board met with Fire Chief, Ray Tryon and reviewed the following items:
1. Past pamphlets that were handed out at previous Memorial Day celebrations in Monterey Town Hall, J. Sylbert will give this to L.Smyle, a member of the Memorial Day Committee
10:40am – 11:10am The board met with Finance Committee Chair D. Mielke, and reviewed the following items:
1. The recent Assessor Department purchases that went beyond what they needed and what was approved by the Select Board when it was requested to transfer leftover funds from their Assessor Clerk fund.
2. Resident Murray Bodin commented that the extra unapproved computer could be returned at a probable 10% restocking fee
3. The board, Finance Committee and Town Accountant, reviewed the actual bills of what was spent on the 2 computers and furniture. B. Gauthier needs to know today if the Select Board and Finance Committee are going to sign/approve the appropriation transfer for these purchases. The Finance Committee does not agree with the circumvention of the budget process that occurred and does not feel this was necessary as an emergency need. This money came from two salary accounts and if it wasn’t used should have gone to General Funds not the purchase of equipment. The Select Board voted unanimously that they will not approve/sign the
appropriation of the funds for the above purchases and Barbara Gauthier will notify the Board of Assessors of the Board’s decision.
Stanley Ross came in at 11:26am to discuss the call he received from Barbara Gauthier about the unanimous vote to not sign/approve the appropriation of funds. He wanted to make sure that this was correct. S. Ross states that the money from the Assistant Assessor’s account was not a salary account but a contractor’s account and between that account and the Assessor’s Clerk account there was $8300 available that would’ve gone to free cash. The original conversations and request for one computer and furniture was reviewed and that the board had requested that the computer purchased should be comparable to the recent ones purchased for the Tax Collector and Town Secretary which totaled approximately $800. The Board of Assessors actually purchased 2 computers at $1700, each which
was not what the Select Board approved. S. Ross stated that he feels this is being driven by the Accountant wanting the funds for free cash and S. Ross feels that their department drives the revenue into the town and they should be able to spend money as they see fit. The Select Board stated that this was not approved because what was presented to the Select Board for approval/purchase was not what occurred.
11:40am – 12:05am The board met with Police Chief, Gareth Backhaus to review the following items:
1. This report includes calls back to June 27th:
a. Request from Fire Department for traffic control at the boat launch for a drill
b. Assisted Fire Dept with a Medical Call on Tin Can Point
c. Disabled MV on Main Rd; Another disabled MV on flats which was towed because the owner did not remove it and it posed a safety problem
d. Bear on Cronk Rd.; Another complaint at Beartown Mtn Rd about a bear in the trash can
e. MV Accident on Main Rd/Sandisfield Rd; no injuries but vehicle was towed; Another MV accident on Main Rd person left the scene
f. False Alarm at Bidwell House, Bidwell Rd, North East Cove, Town Hall, Main Rd and Heron Pond Park
g. Missing Person at Gould Farm; found and returned to the farm
h. Lost dog found and returned to Mtn Laurel Way owners
i. Domestic at Williams Lane; restraining order was served by Stockbridge PD
j. Abandoned 911 call at Benedict Pond; this property is believed to be in Gt. Barrington and M. Forbes the 911 coordinator is looking into this; Another abandoned 911 call at Camp Half Moon Main Building
k. Mutual Aid call in New Marlborough
l. Dog bite at Greene Park (where dogs are not allowed). This is the same dog from Hupi Rd that has bitten several others in the past. A hearing with the Select Board is going to need to held regarding this particular dog and the non-compliance of the owners with past requests from the Town. Town Counsel will be made aware of the situation
m. Abandoned MV on RT 23 and River Rd, driver was located and car was moved
2. KEMP plan has been completed and submitted
Miscellaneous Select Board Items Reviewed:
1. The board reviewed their mail
2. The Assessors requested a meeting with the Select Board and Cartographics to review the new maps. Stan or Don will let us know a date that works for everyone. They also provided the updated info that the Berkshire Eagle was requesting.
3. Town resident Murray Bodin came in to discuss document headers especially when posting on websites.
4. Pat Mielke asked if anyone had an objection to the sale of tax collection properties being held on a Saturday in the fall.
5. A unanimous vote was taken to appoint Pat Mielke as the custodian of the title tax collection properties.
6. W. Burkhart expressed that he’d like the monthly night meetings to allow a specific amount of time for the public to address concerns before discussing that nights agenda. Time limits for public concerns were discussed to keep these meetings to their original agenda.
7. Maggie Leonard, Planning Board Chair came in to update the board on the interview’s held for a new appointed member to replace W. Burkhart and to discuss the residents of West Rd and Steepleview Realty’s Preliminary Plan for a potential development in this area. Steepleview has purchased several lots in this area but if a development is planned approval has not been given under the subdivision guidelines to date nor has a final plan or Form C been submitted to the Planning Board.
8. Town resident, Richard Sheridan came in to discuss where he dumps waste wood. The Select Board informed him that it can’t go anywhere he wants at the dump, it has a specific spot and has to be paid for.
9. Town Accountant, Barbara Gauthier asked if the board would like a printout of what has been paid for Winter Maintenance, the board agreed that this would be helpful.
10. The transfer station attendant informed the M. Storch over the weekend that he will not pick up the garbage from the town hall any longer because he was concerned that in the sealed trash bags there was glass. After speaking with M. Storch he agreed to continue picking up the trash and a note will be distributed to everyone in the town hall that trash must be separated (glass, paper, etc)
11. The minutes from 7.10.06 were approved as corrected.
The meeting adjourned at: 12:25pm
Melissa Noe, Town Secretary
Town of Monterey
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