Monterey Select Board
Minutes of the meeting of 5/21/07
Meeting Opened at: 8:30am
Select Board Members Present: Jonathan Sylbert, Chairperson, Wayne Burkhart and Scott Jenssen
The board met with Police Chief, Gareth Backhaus to review the following items:
1. The Chief asked the board to request through town counsel that all Police Department items are returned from Officer Whalley. The board requested a written list from the Chief of all items that belong to the town.
2. Chief Backhaus informed the board that one of his part time officers is available on a temporary basis to cover the shifts that will be unfilled due to the recent situation concerning the full time officer and asked the boards permission and opinion in writing in case of any resistance. The other two part time officers are available as well but not for as many shifts due to other jobs held by those officers.
3. 2 alarms – (1) Mt Hunger Rd and (1) at the Town Hall.
4. Loose cows on Blue Hill Rd.
5. Lockout at Gould Farm.
6. Dumpster fire at Transfer Station.
9:30am: Joe Baker to discuss Wilson McLaughlin House items:
1. Town Counsel’s preliminary hardship petition to change Edith Wilson’s will and the WMH board comments (provided in a separate document). Joe will send a copy to town counsel and the board. The board will write a letter to town counsel asking them to attend the 6/4/07 Select Board meeting.
2. J. Baker mentioned that the WMH Committee is fully on board with constructing a building to be used as the new Monterey School when the future Community Center is built.
10:00am: Crispin Tresp of WiSpring to discuss the following:
1. Updating the town on their progress. Since the last meeting they’ve been working with Alford and Egremont. During this process his company had learned some of the obstacles and wanted to let Monterey know what those were now to start preparing for them and the possibility of getting broadband into Monterey. Crispin recommended appointing a broadband committee to get things started.
Miscellaneous Select Board Items Reviewed:
1. Sample employee evaluation forms were given to S. Jenssen to review.
2. The board asked M. Noe to make a list of all appointed employees that need to be reviewed/evaluated yearly.
3. Gerry Shapiro came in as she was worried about some trees that were marked to be cut after a recent pole hearing that she feels shouldn’t be cut. G. Shapiro was given the name and number of Donald Nutting of National Grid to call.
4. The board asked Chief Backhaus and Barbara Gauthier, Accountant to come in to discuss the email received from Officer Whalley’s attorney regarding his requested resignation. The town is asking for Officer Whalley’s resignation due to the fact that he cannot meet the 15-mile residence requirement and with this letter of resignation the town has offered to pay him for an additional 2 weeks. Officer Whalley’s attorney is asking for more time to weigh his client’s options. The board unanimously agreed to contact town counsel to contact Officer Whalley’s attorney with the board’s response that if the resignation
letter is not received by the end of the workday today, the additional two weeks pay offer will be rescinded and Officer Whalley will be terminated with cause.
5. The board discussed whether or not their would be a conflict of interest with Scott Jenssen signing payroll warrants that have the Building Commissioner on it because of his full time job as a contractor. Scott Jenssen will contact the Ethics Commission for a formal response, the other two Select Board members and Accountant do not believe it will be an issue.
6. Stanley Ross, Board of Assessor Chair asked the board to sign an LA4 Form for the Lake Garfield Association.
7. The Berkshire Mediation Services report was reviewed and Jon Sylbert will contact BMS about their concerns:
8. Memorial Day Festivities and Select Board duties were discussed.
The meeting adjourned at: 12:20pm
Submitted by:
Melissa Noe, Inter-Departmental Secretary
Town of Monterey
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