Monterey Select Board
Minutes of the meeting of 1/22/07
Meeting Opened at: 8:30am
Select Board Members Present: Michael Storch, Chairperson, Wayne Burkhart and Jonathan Sylbert
Also in attendance for the meeting: Maggie Leonard for the Monterey News
The board met with the Director of Highways, Maynard Forbes and reviewed the following items:
1. M. Forbes went to an EPA conference about storing chemicals on site.
2. A gate is going to be put up on Beartown Mtn Rd by snowplow turnaround.
3. The work done on Fairview Rd seems to be holding up well.
The board met with Building Inspector, Donald Torrico and reviewed the following items:
1. Certificate of Occupancies and Building Permits issued were reviewed.
2. The amount of information released and it’s exposure in the Monterey News and Select Board minutes was discussed and how much of the resident’s personal information should be released when there are building issues in town. 2/3 of the Select Board agreed that names and addresses should not be released to protect the resident from negative interactions but the issue will be discussed more fully at a future Selectboard meeting.
3. Last week there were 2 State Officials in town to review 2 locations in town where manufactured homes were set.
The board met with Police Chief, Gareth Backhaus to review the following items:
1. Loose cows on the road again.
2. Trespass on the bridge; it is a secured building area and no one is allowed to be there.
3. Abandoned 911 call at the Town Hall from the elevator. The emergency phone line had been lost somewhere along the line and when Verizon came to fix it a 911 call was accidentally placed.
4. Assisted with an MV lockout on Pixley Rd.
5. Branches on Main Rd at Hupi Rd intersection were removed.
6. 2 false alarms; Beartown Mtn Rd and Steven’s Lake Way.
7. There was a situation over the weekend in the Town Hall where the heat went out. The alarm to notify the Town of the heat loss never occurred and G. Backhaus will check into why it didn’t work.
8. M. Storch requested an updated copy of the Town Hall alarm entry report.
The board met with Town Accountant, Barbara Gauthier to review the following items:
1. The Berkshire Mediation Services contract was reviewed and the request to receive half of the payment up front was discussed and this was approved.
2. The Board asked if a bill had been received yet for the completion of the ballpark light so that the amounts can be totaled and Cardan can be notified.
3. B. Gauthier reviewed some of the budget requests for the Select Board.
4. B. Gauthier asked about the money set aside for the retirement benefit ($1000). The auditor recommended that the account it’s currently in should be deleted at the end of the year and that a stabilization account should be created in place of it. This will need to go to a town meeting vote.
5.
Miscellaneous Select Board Items Reviewed:
1. Steve Poulin, representative of the Monterey Water Company came in to discuss the following with the Select Board and Town Accountant; Annual Fees, Base Fees and policies. The Water Company’s 501c12 status was discussed and the Board of Assessors is going to contact the Department of Revenue about the possibility of granting an abatement to the Water Company on their local taxes.
2. The minutes from 1.8.07 were approved as corrected.
3. J. Baker of the LCC came in to discuss the following with the Select Board; Photo Contest is being organized for Memorial Day weekend. The LCC inquired if the Town would be interested in sponsoring the contest and if one of the Select Board members would be interested in being a judge. The board unanimously agreed to be a sponsor and to have representation in the judge’s circle with one Select Board member.
4. D. Amidon came into to suggest that we immediately start to refill Lake Garfield now rather than waiting until February. The Select Board will speak with M. Forbes.
5. J. Cathcart came in to make sure that the Select Board signed the contract for the consultant to write the NOI for Lake Garfield.
6. It was decided by the Selectboard that Wayne Burkhart will liaise between Barbara Swann and the Selectboard in matters pertaining to the 2010 Local Census. Barbara Swann will be the Liaison to the State Attorney Generals office.
7. K. Basler came in to discuss with the board about the ongoing issues around the store and that after reviewing his finances, it appears to be more of a seasonal store vs. a year round store. K. Basler is still reviewing his options and is open to suggestions, support and comments and will be making the decision over the upcoming year regarding opening for only 9 months out of the year.
8. Crispin Tresp of WiSpring Wireless Internet Service Provider came in to present the following to the Select Board; Wireless Access in Monterey and the surrounding communities and to encourage more dialogue with the town. The board is going to review the current bylaws and Crispin will have the Egremont Select Board fax a copy of their current telecommunications bylaws.
9. M. Leonard suggested using one of the night Select Board meetings to host a Community Conversation about the future of the Monterey School. February 12th in the evening was suggested as a potential date. M. Leonard will organize announcing the meeting.
The meeting adjourned at: 12:17pm
Submitted by:
Melissa Noe
Inter-Departmental Secretary
Town of Monterey
cc: Website
Select Board Members
Minutes Book
| 
