Monterey Select Board
Minutes of the meeting of 1/14/08
Meeting Opened at: 8:30am
Select Board Members Present: Jonathan Sylbert, Chairperson, Wayne Burkhart and Scott Jenssen
Also in attendance for parts of the meeting: Michael Storch, John Makuc, The Raffas, Monica Webb, Adam Goodman, Karen Schreefter, Kenn Basler and Dan Moriarity
The board met with Building Inspector, Donald Torrico and reviewed the following items:
1. D. Torrico and the Raffas (representatives of the potential buyers of the Seven Stones property). They are planning to purchase the boathouse and large house on the lake as well as all the camp buildings (38 acres with options for another 60). The Select Board and Building Inspector are aware of a Form A being filed with the Planning Board. D. Torrico is currently reviewing land use with the Raffas.
During his investigation he has found that a camp permit had been issued to a Camp Machne through the Board of Health that expired in July of 2005 which in Mr. Torrico’s eyes was illegally issued since a state camp inspection was not applied for or performed. D. Torrico feels that since that was not a legally issued permit it is actually an abandoned property (which would change the use). D. Torrico stated that the last legally operated camp with proper permits and inspections was in 2000.
The new owners plan to open it as a children’s residential summer sports camp. The camp would have approximately 80-90 staff and 280 children. Their ultimate goal is to open up year round (which is not allowed by the Town).
D. Torrico said that the only building permit that has been issued in the last 4 years according to what is on file has been a demolition permit.
The new owners initially came in to ask about mobile homes being brought in to house their workers, our bylaws do not allow this unless it’s for new construction of a single family home and this would need to be applied for as a special permit before the Zoning Board of Appeals. The first order of business will be to determine if it has been abandoned or not. The Select Board suggested that D. Torrico check with Town Counsel on the issues that have been raised.
2. D. Torrico returned later in the morning to discuss the above-mentioned situation. He provided the Board with a copy of the State Regulations that he is required to follow regarding camp inspections and CI’s. The bylaws were reviewed and it was determined that there was incorrect information in the bylaws and that the Town Clerk needs to be notified. The Board instructed M. Noe to not sell anymore copies of the bylaws until it is corrected.
3. There was a meeting last week with the owners of record for the Blue Heron Landing apartments and their attorney. They are going to begin work on rectifying the situation to the satisfaction of the Building Commissioner, the court date is still set for the end of this month.
4. D. Torrico has a hearing in Boston tomorrow regarding a residence on Eaton Rd.
The board met with Police Chief, Gareth Backhaus to review the following items:
1. SBREPC request for $500.00 from all towns to support hiring a secretary part time; G. Backhaus recommends putting the money on the warrant to help fund this position. The person hired for this position will help keep all towns current and organized.
2. Domestic call at Williams Lane, Gt. Barrington assisted. Restraining orders were issued.
3. Well being check.
4. MVA on Saturday morning; no injuries.
5. The (2nd) new transmission has been installed in the cruiser.
6. Problems with the radio in the 4WD cruiser, it was pulled out and another was put in.
The board met with Town Accountant, Barbara Gauthier to review the following items:
1. Town warrants were signed.
Miscellaneous Select Board Items Reviewed:
1. The Board approved the minutes as amended from 1.7.08.
2. John Makuc, Board of Health member came in to discuss the following:
a. Mutual Aid agreement from BRPC; John stated that we shouldn’t need to put it on the warrant, it just needs to be signed and filed with the BRPC. There are several mutual aid agreements out there and there has been some confusion about how many a town should have and in what order they should be signed. The Board of Health has been told that once you sign the Homeland Security one it trumps all others so that one needs to be signed first. John confirmed that no agreements have been signed yet, the town voted at town meeting that the town could enter into mutual aid agreements. John will make a few more phone calls and will advise
the Select Board once he has a definitive answer. Town Counsel will also be asked to review the agreement.
b. John asked for the Select Board’s help to get volunteers to help open the EDS site if ever needed and to get some volunteers for the Medical Reserve Core. Jon Sylbert suggested that we need to have a Monterey Emergency Management meeting as it’s been awhile since the last one.
3. Members of the Broadband Committee came in to update the Board on the following:
a. Review the press release to be sent out.
b. Survey that was sent out (survey is through Berkshire Connect).
c. Verizon update.
d. Broadband Forum agenda (March 1st).
e. No broadband access really hurts the kids; they are unable to remain competitive in their research and studies when their only option is dial-up.
f. K. Basler stated that Verizon, Smitty Pignatelli and Ben Downing need to be asked to our meetings. Calls will be made today.
g. K. Schreefter thanked M. Webb and made the Select Board aware that the Broadband Committee wouldn’t be where they are right now without all of the efforts that M. Webb has made.
4. An email from the Town of Egremont was read announcing that all school mediation sessions (1/26/08, 2/2/08 and 1/17/08 meetings) have been cancelled.
5. S. Jenssen and W. Burkhart filled J. Sylbert in on their meeting with the Town Clerk that occurred on Wednesday evening. The basis of the investigation was questioned by S. Jennsen and it was determined that it would be to investigate complaints received about the Town Clerk’s Office which would result in a report to be printed in the Town Report that would inform the voter’s and help them make an educated decision when at the polls. B. Swann doesn’t see the need to apologize (which was the reason for the meeting on Wednesday) but agreed to write down a list of all of her grievances. J. Sylbert explained that the Board only
has a few options to deal with a problem concerning an elected official and opening an investigation is one of the options (as advised by Town Counsel); this isn’t a witch hunt and no one is being asked to resign. The Board noted that this investigation isn’t being done just because of M. Noe’s problem’s with this office; that is a minute percentage of the problem. W. Burkhart did not agree with opening the investigation, J. Sylbert and S. Jenssen both agreed to open the investigation.
6. D. Moriarity of the Finance Committee came in to discuss the following with the Board:
a. Budget schedule: The Finance Committee received the schedule created by the Select Board. The Select Board noted that it is basically the same as last years but with the current dates.
b. The Finance Committee is meeting tonight to make changes to the budget request forms and once that is done they will send them to the Select Board to review and approve and then distribute them.
c. D. Moriarity asked the Board if there was another spot in the Town Hall that could be used for the Finance Committee’s meeting tonight. When they scheduled their meeting at 3:30 on Friday 1/11/08 they were informed that the meeting room was already taken but the Finance Committee members all still agreed they wanted to hold the meeting at the same date and time. It was suggested to ask the Police Chief for use of his office (due to confidentiality issues that may not be an option) or use the Monterey General Store.
7. Janet Cathcart resigned from the Employee Compensation Committee and the Board unanimously appointed Michael Storch to replace Janet.
A motion was made and unanimously approved to adjourn the meeting at: 12:03pm
Submitted by:
Melissa Noe, Inter-Departmental Secretary
Approved by:
Monterey Select Board
Select Board Members
Minutes Book
| 
