Monterey Select Board
Minutes of the meeting of 3/17/08
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: Dan Moriarity, Maryellen Brown, Storrs Olds, Laurily Epstein, Raymond Tryon and Lisa Smyle
The board met with Donald Torrico, Building Commissioner and reviewed the following items:
1. D. Torrico reviewed his recommendation for the Plumbing and Gas Inspector with the Select Board; a 4% COLA increase is sufficient.
The board met with Police Chief, Gareth Backhaus to review the following items:
1. A walk in reported an attack on her calves by either a German Shepard or wolf.
2. Concerned citizen called in about people walking on the ice on Lake Garfield.
3. Abandoned 911 call
4. False alarm on Hupi Rd.
5. Peaceful demonstrations were held in Town on Saturday morning.
6. Threatening phone call received is being investigated.
7. Trees across the wires on Main Rd. – National Grid was called and took care of the issue.
8. Transformer smoking on Hupi Rd.
9. A representative from DEP met with the Chief regarding the transformer noise complaint on Art School Rd.
The board met with Inter-Departmental Secretary, Melissa Noe to review the following items:
1. Weekly report was reviewed.
The board met with Finance Committee members, Dan Moriarity and Maryellen Brown and Town Accountant, Barbara Gauthier to review the following FY09 budget items:
1. The Board and Finance Committee reviewed all salary requests that were more than the previously discussed 3% increase. The Finance Committee recommended using a 4% COLA increase across the board for all appointed employees salaries, which was approved and the requests for Police Chief, Full Time Officer, Director of Operations, Foreman, Highway 2 member, Highway 3 member, Inter-Departmental Secretary, and Building Commissioner were all adjusted up/down from their initial request to a 4% increase.
a. Board of Assessors have asked for a $6000 increase in salary split among the 3 members due to an increase in field work because of it being a re-evaluation year. The Board and Committee agreed to level fund the Assessors Elected salaries and create a new line item called Assessors Field Work and put the $6000 increase that was requested there and suggest that when the Assessors work in the field they would be paid hourly from this line item.
b. The Overtime Supplies and Fuel line was separated into 2 line items Supplies and fuel and Overtime at the recommendation of the Finance Committee.
c. The Cemetery Commission’s budget request should be turned into the Finance Committee tomorrow. They were waiting on estimates for creating a new road at the cemetery.
d. D. Torrico, Building Commissioner requested in writing that the Town raise the mileage reimbursement from $0.40/mile to $0.50/mile for all Town employees. He also discussed the new trenching regulations and additional duties that will be required.
Miscellaneous Select Board Items Reviewed:
1. The minutes from 3.10.08 were approved as written.
2. Mail was reviewed.
3. Memorial Day Festivities – L. Smyle came in to inform the Board that she will be resigning as the coordinator. The Board has asked M. Noe to take over the letter writing. The other duties (organizing food, setting up the PA system, arranging someone to cook the food, etc.) will need to be designated to someone else or multiple persons.
4. The Board gave a copy of the letter from SBRSD requesting that the proposal be placed on a printed ballot for the Town Meeting to the Town Clerk.
5. The Board created a newly appointed position, Veteran Service Officer as required by the Department of Veteran’s Services under MGL Chapter 115. A motion was made to appoint Dean Amidon which was seconded and unanimously approved. An appointment letter will be mailed today.
6. Laurily Epstein and Storrs Olds of the Monterey Preservation Land Trust came in to discuss the following with the Board (J. Sylbert disclosed that he is a member of the Land Trust):
a. The Land Trust would like to propose Monterey adopt the Community Preservation Act which is a state law that enables cities and towns to create a dedicated fund for local open space, affordable housing, historic preservation, and recreation projects.
b. The Land Trust would like to organize a meeting to inform everyone of the benefit. There would be speakers from communities that have already put this in place.
7. The Board submitted their fire station use request form to the Fire Department (through the inter-office mailbox) for the annual town meeting.
8. A motion was made to send in a letter of intent to again participate in the Hazardous Household Waste program for FY09.
A motion was made and unanimously approved to adjourn the meeting at: 11:50am
Submitted by:
Melissa Noe, Inter-Departmental Secretary
Approved by:
Monterey Select Board
Select Board Members
Minutes Book
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