Monterey Select Board
Minutes of the meeting of 8/27/07
Meeting Opened at: 8:30am
Select Board Members Present: Jonathan Sylbert, Chairperson, Wayne Burkhart and Scott Jenssen
Also in attendance: Deborah Mielke of the Monterey News
The board met with the Director of Highways, Maynard Forbes and reviewed the following items:
1. Sandisfield Rd update
2. Lock in price for oil for the Town Hall and Highway Garage is $2.36
3. The furnace has been installed and some errors in the original work were found, zones were wired incorrectly and one thermostat was not functioning.
4. W. Burkhart asked the Building Inspector and M. Forbes about any permitting requirements to have a tent put up for a special event he’s having this Saturday on Fairview Rd. He also asked M. Forbes and the Chief about traffic and parking, the highway department would be happy to lend orange cones.
The board met with Building Inspector, Donald Torrico and reviewed the following items:
1. The letters and calls from the owner concerning projects at 35 Mt Hunger Rd were discussed.
2. Gould Farm cabin project update; M. Forbes and the Fire Chief have approved the road changes.
The board met with Police Chief, Gareth Backhaus to review the following items:
1. Complaint about a threatening phone call on Wellman Rd.
2. Lockout at General Store
3. Section 12 on Chestnut Hill
4. Dog complaint on Main Rd
5. False alarm on Gould Rd
6. Complaint about a bus leaking diesel fuel through Otis and Monterey
7. Assisted New Marlborough with an arrest and statement from witness
8. An applicant came in today to interview for the open part time position. Chief Backhaus recommends appointing him as a part time officer. A motion was made, seconded and unanimously approved to appoint Thomas Martin as the part time officer.
9. Resident M. Storch asked where the 2nd cruiser will be located now that Officer Nourse has retired. Chief Backhaus stated that it’s currently at his house while he does some work on it and then it will be located at Officer Gero’s house and will be rotated in the driving schedule.
10. The speed sign has a moisture problem and several LED lights have burned out; the company has been contacted and a service person will be coming out to replace the entire display board and to reseal it (it is still under warranty).
11. Chief Backhaus asked that next year the “I Love Monterey Day” festivities not be scheduled for a 3 day holiday weekend as that tends to be the busiest time for traffic and closing off Main Rd for the parade becomes an issue.
12. The process has started to install a base radio in the Inter-Departmental Secretary’s office; Chief Backhaus asked if the board had any objections to mounting a tripod antenna to the roof of the Town Hall; the board did not have any issues with this.
The board met with Inter-Departmental Secretary, Melissa Noe to review the following items:
1. A resident called inquiring about town fireworks on Labor Day weekend; the Select Board confirmed that the town does not do a fireworks display on Labor Day weekend.
The board met with Town Accountant, Barbara Gauthier to review the following items:
1. B. Gauthier will not be available for the Special Town Meeting.
2. Warrants were signed.
Miscellaneous Select Board Items Reviewed:
1. The Select Board committed to participating in the MMA’s 2007 Statewide Essay Contest for 6th graders.
2. Resident M. Storch came in to discuss the article on the front page of The Berkshire Eagle this morning. M. Storch questioned the amount quoted in the article that the Town Clerk stated she earns ($17,000); the board confirmed that she actually makes more than that ($22,094 plus benefits for the Town Clerk and Board of Registrars Clerk (split with the Assistant Town Clerk) positions, both positions B. Swann holds). He also questioned why the issue in the Eagle was about her hours when the situation between the Clerk’s office and Inter-Departmental Secretary’s office is not about that.
3. W. Burkhart asked about the status of the claim made by a resident for damage done to his car by a tree. The insurance company is researching the validity of the claim; the Treasurer will be asked about the status as well. Mr. Vorck also came in later in the meeting to follow up on the claim. He stated he has pictures of the damage if the Town or insurance provider needs them. B. Gauthier spoke with P. Mielke and learned that the insurance company is still looking into it but their first opinion was that the Town was not liable since the town was not aware that there was a danger of the tree falling and that our deductible is so high it
wouldn’t help anyway but the matter is still under investigation.
4. The minutes from 8.20.07 were approved as amended.
5. The Zoning Board of Appeals recommendation for appointment as an alternate was discussed. The Select Board is the appointing authority and that the Zoning Board of Appeals makes a recommendation. A motion was made to appoint Susan Cooper who ran in the most recent election for the open spot on the board and received over 100 votes and has shown great interest in being on the board. The motion was seconded and unanimously approved. A letter was written to the Board of Appeals and Ms. Cooper.
6. Richard Tryon came in to express his gratitude for the recent emergency situation at his house. The Police Officer and EMT’s on the scene were very professional and he wished to express his appreciation.
7. Richard Tryon also came in to let the Board know that he knows where all the town road survey maps are (based on the old county survey) and they are readily available to the Town if they’d like to look at them. Mr. Tryon stated that his son-in –law has copies available. S. Jenssen will call Foresight Services to find out what is available and how to get copies.
8. Linda Thorpe came in to request that a member of the Select Board meet with her later this morning before the close of their meeting to go into the archives room and put the matter of the Select Board/Board of Health records to rest. The Board will meet with her at 11:30am. The Select Board met with Linda Thorpe at noon and was asked why she came back in this week when this matter was put to rest last week. She came in because of an email that was sent that was misunderstood.
9. Stanley Ross, Board of Assessors Chair came in to show the Select Board the Monterey Composite Map that has been created.
10. Gige O’Connell came in to discuss some Monterey memorabilia that she has been housing for several years. She’d like to arrange a table at the “I Love Monterey Day” to sell the items and donate the proceeds to the town. Anything that doesn’t sell would be turned over to the Town to store. The Board approved the request.
11. A letter was written to Representative Pignatelli and Terrance Smith of the Office of Fishing and Boating Access regarding the Public Access Boat Ramp Committee’s recommendation. A letter will also be written to the owners of Map 106 Lot 002 to request a meeting to discuss this further.
12. The ongoing issue between the Town Clerk and the Inter-Departmental Secretary’s office was again discussed with no satisfactory solution to the problem. S. Jennsen questioned the other Board members on what they were going to do about the Executive Session request. Town Counsel’s response dated 7/22/07 was reviewed by the Board. A decision was not made as to how the board would proceed.
13. Leroy Thorpe, Chair of the Parks Commission came in to let the Board know that the Town Beach may be closed this weekend as there aren’t any lifeguards available to work. If a lifeguard can’t be found all of the gear in the lake that ropes off the swimming area will be pulled out and it will be “swim at your own risk”.
14. There will not be any meetings held and the Town Offices will be closed on Monday, September 3, 2007 in observance of Labor Day.
15. The Select Board will submit an article to the Monterey News listing the warrant items and a short explanation of each.
16. Stanley Ross of the Board of Assessors let the Board know that there is a company requesting the flood plain information for Monterey for a United States mapping project they are working on. A Select Board member signed the approval form.
The meeting adjourned at: 12:15pm
Submitted by:
Melissa Noe, Inter-Departmental Secretary
Select Board Members
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