Monterey Select Board
Minutes of the meeting of 8/21/06
Meeting Opened at: 8:30am
Select Board Members Present: Michael Storch, Chairperson, Jonathan Sylbert, and Wayne Burkhart
Also in attendance for the meeting: Laurily Epstein for the Monterey News
The board met with Building Inspector, Donald Torrico and reviewed the following items:
1. The septic permit application for the Ellenoff property has a retaining wall incorporated into the sewage disposal system that is not compliant with the town’s bylaws; it’s too close to the sidelines. M. Noe will inform the Board of Health at tonight’s meeting that the approval should be conditional and dependant upon the Building Inspector’s approval of the retaining wall.
The board met with the Director of Highways, Maynard Forbes and reviewed the following items:
1. Lakefest was successful.
2. Sandisfield Rd work was stopped on Friday, one culvert still needs to be put in that crosses the Water Company. This will be put in when the Water Company completes their project so the area is only dug up once.
3. Fairview Rd project will start after Labor Day.
4. Removal of stuff in the basement is on the schedule of things to be done.
5. River Rd project is moving along nicely.
6. Draw down: M. Forbes believes this year is a 6-foot year, he will check the paperwork. M. Storch wants to know if there is a possibility of doing 6 feet every year and M. Forbes stated that with permission from DEP it is possible. W. Burkhart inquired into who is responsible to pay for this process and the board stated the town is. The reason the NOI is being re-written is because the states regulations have changed. The consultant hired should be the one to advise the town on how far down you should go each year. R. Tryon asked about the possibility of a weed harvester. Joe Baker suggested getting rid of draw down,
harvest the weeds and reducing the natural nutrients, history of the draw down has not shown to reduce the weeds and maybe other options should be looked at.
7. Gerry Shapiro came in to discuss a beaver problem at Royal Hemlock; the problem is back further from the culvert that is clear. The Select Board contacted M. Forbes to look at. M. Forbes stated that the property in question is privately owned and that the owners need to solve the problem. The Select Board will confirm with the assessor’s that this is private property.
8. Larry Klein came in to complain about the condition of Fairview Rd. M. Forbes was made aware of the situation and stated that if there is time the highway department will go over there earlier than planned.
9. M. Forbes was asked to choose the 2 full time employees to be on the Employee Compensation Committee and to let the board know by next week.
9:00am – J. Sylbert made a motion to go into Executive Session to discuss a personnel matter this motion was seconded by W. Burkhart. Roll call was taken by the Chair. All Select Board members were present. A motion was made by J. Sylbert to go into executive session, seconded by W. Burkhart, and approved unanimously The executive session closed at 10:10am.
The board met with Police Chief, Gareth Backhaus to review the following items:
1. Reviewed police calls for last week.
2. G. Backhaus will call M. Forbes to remind him to pick up the trash in the basement that was removed from the Police storage room.
10:40am – 11:20am Joe Baker came in to discuss the Wilson McLaughlin Community Center Plans:
1. The official request for Select Board approval on the WMH Community Center conceptual plans was given to the board. J. Sylbert stated that the agreement would need to be changed to state that the Select Board first gives an approval on conceptual plans and then a final approval. As it is stated right now the Select Board would be giving a final approval in the beginning stages. J. Sylbert will not sign an approval as he has too many questions for the architect prior to giving a final approval and does not see why FWMH cannot present a conceptual plan to raise money without a prior board approval.
2. The board reviewed the plans and made some informal suggestions.
3. The Select Board will send a letter stating that the board approves the concept of an addition to the WMH for a community center.
4. Town Insurance: a question has come up about the organizations liability in a general sense when public events are held to start raising money. Are they covered to hold general events on the property under the General Liability? The board asked for a written request to be provided to the board so that the proper research may be done.
5. A conceptual approval letter was drafted and signed and will be mailed.
The board met with Town Secretary, Melissa Noe to review the following items:
1. Reminded the board that M. Noe will be out from 8/28-9/4 and that the town hall will be closed. Contact info for all departments will be on the phone system, on the website homepage and on the door to the town hall.
The board met with Town Accountant, Barbara Gauthier to review the following items:
1. Town warrant was signed.
Miscellaneous Items Reviewed:
1. The minutes from 8/14/06 were approved as corrected.
2. Kenn Basler came in to inquire about his alcohol permit and having private events at the store to serve alcohol. What is the procedure? M. Noe will check with the ABC. Kenn also inquired about the Thursday Night music nights and whether or not he needs a special permit. K. Basler will come to tonight’s Board of Health meeting to inquire with them.
3. Employee Compensation Committee: The Select Board made a motion and it was seconded to appoint M. Storch as the Select Board representative. A memo will be sent to the Finance Committee to appoint a member from their board to represent.
4. Town Hall Alarm System activation/deactivation report was reviewed.
5. Julio Rodriguez from the Lakefest Committee came in to thank the town for their cooperation and to thank the Fire Department for the excellent job they did.
6. W. Burkhart questioned the procedure for renting Bally Gally. W. Burkhart suggested talking with T. Lovett to find out if rental inquiries should be directed to him or to the town.
7. Trees on the burm: It was stated at the meeting last week that town trees were planted on private property and the owner does not want to be antagonistic with the town but he doesn’t want them on his property. A letter written to the Police Chief from Adam Lippes, owner of the above-mentioned property and his caretaker, was read into record formalizing the complaint and his request to remove the trees. The Select Board will respond to him publicly in a letter to let him know the situation will be investigated. The tree warden will be cc’d.
The meeting adjourned at: 12:15pm
Melissa Noe, Town Secretary
Town of Monterey
cc: Website
Select Board Members
Minutes Book
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