Monterey Select Board
Minutes of the meeting of 6/30/08
Meeting Opened at: 9:00am
Select Board Members Present: Wayne Burkhart, Chairperson, Scott Jenssen and Jon Sylbert
Also in attendance for parts of the meeting: Sue Protheroe for the Monterey News, Gerry Shapiro, Julio and Pat Rodriguez (Friends of Lake Garfield), Michael Storch (Fin Comm and Broadband Committee), Maggie Barkin, Kenn Basler, Rodney Palmer and Stanley Ross (Board of Assessors)
The board met with Fire Chief, Ray Tryon and reviewed the following items:
1. R. Tryon inquired about who the alternate Plumbing/Gas Inspector was for the Town. Ray was referred to the Plumbing and Gas Inspector, Robert Krupski regarding scheduling inspections and his availability and the alternate’s availability.
2. R. Tryon reported that the gazebo has been painted and the 3 overhead sections of the garage doors are being replaced as they were beginning to rot.
The board met with Inter-Departmental Secretary, Melissa Noe to review the following items:
1. Weekly report reviewed.
2. The Board discussed and supported M. Noe’s decision to resign as the Zoning Board of Appeals Secretary.
The board met with Town Accountant, Barbara Gauthier to review the following items:
1. Warrants were signed.
2. B. Gauthier requested that the Board require that all full time employees request in writing to the Select Board permission to use their vacation days (especially when carrying them over from one fiscal year into another). A memo will be sent to all full time employees.
Miscellaneous Select Board Items Reviewed:
1. Gerry Shapiro came in looking for M. Forbes to discuss a beaver problem near her property.
2. S. Jenssen was asked by the Friends of Lake Garfield to speak at their upcoming annual meeting regarding policies for docks and ice damage, drawdown, etc.
3. W. Burkhart asked if the Board had any issues with sending condolences to Mr. Fields on the loss of his wife. A letter is being drafted.
4. The Board read aloud a letter from Valley Mill (which was sent to the Inspector General’s office and cc’d to the Board) protesting the Town of Monterey Transfer Station bid awarding.
5. The Board approved the minutes as amended from 6.23.08.
6. S. Jenssen was approached by Richard Tryon inquiring as to how he can go about getting an electrical inspection; Mr. Tryon stated that he has been trying for 3 weeks with no response from the Inspector. The Board will discuss this with the Building Commissioner at next week’s meeting.
7. The Board discussed a complaint received regarding the Transfer Station Attendant turning away a resident even though she had a valid sticker. The resident stated that after a verbal dispute she was allowed to dump but stated she was worried about her elderly parents (who both suffer from heart conditions) being treated in this manner for no appropriate reason. S. Jenssen suggested that the Board should be completing an Employee Review form for the Attendant as is done for Town appointed employees. It was also noted that as of July 1 the Transfer Station will no longer be charging for bulky waste items.
8. Julio & Pat Rodriguez came in to discuss the study from the drawdown; part of the Order of Conditions included a baseline plant study and they feel that needs to be done now and they are inquiring as to whether or not funds were put aside for that. The Board stated that they wouldn’t have put funds aside unless asked to by a Town Committee or Board. The Board referred them to the Conservation Commission and the gentleman who prepared the NOI to find out whether or not this was necessary and the timeframe and costs involved.
9. Pat and Julio Rodriguez also requested a mailing label list to mail out information to residents regarding Lake Garfield. The Board unanimously voted to cover the cost of the labels through their Select Board account.
10. Maggie Barkin, owner of 439 Main Rd which borders the Town Hall property stated that the border between her property and the playground needs some attention; tree clean up, planting, etc. Ms. Barkin wanted to make sure that what she intends to do is ok. She intends to put in shrubbery for a privacy screen from families using the Town playground. W. Burkhart stated that he believed that under zoning there were no issues however due to it’s proximity to the river/stream she would need to discuss her plans with the Conservation Commission as it would be within 200ft of a river/stream. The Board asked Ms. Barkin if she has had a survey
done to determine the property lines, she concurred that to date she has been unable to get someone out there. The Board suggested waiting until a survey was done and enlisting the help of our Parks Commission and Tree Warden and to have the Town do the planting and cover the planting costs. The Board was going to ask the Assessors if there was a current survey of the Town Hall (since the renovation was done recently).
11. The Board discussed changing their meeting times due to a time conflict with one of the Select Board members full time job. It was suggested to change the meeting times from Mondays during the day to Mondays from 4pm-6pm and to change meeting with the appointed employees from every week to once a month. Another suggestion was made to meet once during the day and once during the evening but it was noted that when this was tried in the past there was very low attendance at the meetings. A survey of the surrounding town’s select board meeting days and times were reviewed. A motion was made, seconded and approved unanimously to change the
Select Board meeting times to every Monday from 4pm-6pm beginning July 7th. This move will also require a change in the Inter-Departmental Secretary’s schedule to Mondays 8:30 – 6:30 (which will be split between working with the Building Commissioner from 8:30 – 9:30, Town Offices from 9:30 – 4 and 4-6:30 for the Select Board), Tuesday, Thursdays and Fridays 8am – 4pm and Wednesday 8am – 11:30am. This change was also approved unanimously.
12. The Board discussed the Employee Compensation Committee make up and the appearance of a conflict of interest having 2 employees appointed to the committee making suggestions on their salaries. It was suggested in order to still have valuable input from the employees to appoint 2 employees as advisory members to the committee in addition to one select board member, one finance committee member and one Monterey citizen. An ad will be placed in the August Monterey news looking for interested citizens.
13. K. Basler of the store came in for guidance regarding questions he’s been getting regarding the boat launch, the appearance of a locked gate and when and where residents can launch a boat on Lake Garfield. The Board instructed Mr. Basler to refer people to the Harbormaster of Deputy Harbormaster.
14. Rod Palmer also came in to discuss the future of a public boat launch at Lake Garfield. The Board intends to speak with Town Counsel regarding its options once the survey results of the Town Beach and surrounding properties has been received.
15. Letters will be written to each committee regarding their vacancies and if they have any recommendations for appointees.
The Board made the following appointments/reappointments for the term as noted (Letters will be sent to all appointees and cc’d to the Clerk’s office):
Department |
Appt Length |
Members |
Appt Exp |
Agricultural Commission |
2 years |
Laurily Epstein |
2010 |
Agricultural Commission |
2 years |
Brian Puntin |
2010 |
Berkshire Regional Transit Authority (BRTA) Advisory Board Representative |
1 year |
Wayne Burkhart |
2009 |
Broadband Committee |
1 year |
Karen Schreefter |
2009 |
Broadband Committee |
1 year |
Monica Webb |
2009 |
Broadband Committee |
1 year |
Will Marsh |
2009 |
Broadband Committee |
1 year |
Michael Storch |
2009 |
Building Commissioner |
2 years |
Donald Torrico |
2010 |
Local Inspector |
2 years |
Gary Danko |
2010 |
Civil Defense Coordinator |
3 years |
Peter Brown |
2011 |
Conservation Commssion |
3 years |
Christopher Blair |
2011 |
Conservation Commssion |
3 years |
Judith Bach |
2011 |
Council on Aging |
3 years |
Cynthia Weber |
2011 |
Council on Aging |
3 years |
Dean Amidon |
2011 |
Council on Aging |
3 years |
Fran Amidon |
2011 |
Cultural Council (max: three terms) |
2 years |
Marion Simon (6/30/08) |
2010 |
Cultural Council (max: three terms) |
2 years |
Catherine Roberts (6/30/06) |
2010 |
Cultural Council (max: three terms) |
2 years |
John Heffernan (6/30/08) |
2010 |
Cultural Council (max: three terms) |
2 years |
Neil McGinnis (7/14/04) |
2010 |
Cultural Council (max: three terms) |
2 years |
Joel Schick (10/6/03) |
2010 |
Cultural Council (max: three terms) |
2 years |
Dianna Downing (10/6/03) |
2010 |
Cultural Council (max: three terms) |
2 years |
Maureen Banner (9/26/05) |
2010 |
Director of Operations for Highways Buildings and Town Property |
1 year |
Maynard Forbes (6/18/01) |
2009 |
Election Clerk |
1 year |
Linda Thorpe ( R) |
2009 |
Election Clerk, Deputy |
1 year |
John Bodnar ( R) |
2009 |
Election Inspector |
1 year |
Ruth Champigny (D) |
2009 |
Election Inspector |
1 year |
Virginia Funk (D) |
2009 |
Election Inspector |
1 year |
Jane Thorn ( R) |
2009 |
Election Inspector |
1 year |
Barbara Tryon ( R) |
2009 |
Election Inspector, Deputy |
1 year |
Estella Bodnar (I) |
2009 |
Election Warden |
1 year |
Raymond Tryon (D) |
2009 |
Election Warden, Deputy |
1 year |
Joel Schick (D) |
2009 |
Historical Commission |
3 years |
Barbara Tryon |
2011 |
Historical Commission |
3 years |
Raymond Tryon |
2011 |
"I Love Monterey Day" Committee |
3 years |
Jonathan Sylbert |
2011 |
|
|
|
|
Inter-Departmental Secretary |
1 year |
Melissa Noe |
2009 |
Materials Recycling Facilty (MRF) Advisory Board Representative |
1 year |
Rudolph Gero |
2009 |
Memorial Day Coordinator |
3 years |
S. Jenssen |
2011 |
Network Administrator |
1 year |
Tom Roy |
2009 |
Police Department |
1 year |
Gareth Backhaus, Police Chief |
2009 |
Police Department |
1 year |
Thomas Martin, Part Time Officer |
2009 |
Police Department |
1 year |
Rudolph Gero, Part Time Officer |
2009 |
Police Department |
1 year |
Reena Bucknell |
2009 |
Public Boat Ramp Committee |
1 year |
Scott Jenssen |
2009 |
Public Boat Ramp Committee |
1 year |
Rodney Palmer |
2009 |
Public Boat Ramp Committee |
1 year |
Pat Rodriguez |
2009 |
Public Boat Ramp Committee |
1 year |
Brian Puntin |
2009 |
Public Boat Ramp Committee |
1 year |
Steven Aronson |
2009 |
Records Liason Officer for Select Board |
1 year |
Melissa Noe |
2009 |
Registrars of Voters |
3 years |
Fran Amidon ( R) |
2011 |
Southern Berkshire Solid Waste Mgmt District |
1 year |
Wayne Burkhart |
2009 |
Town Counsel |
1 year |
Jeramiah Pollard, Esq |
2009 |
Town Report Committee |
3 years |
Melissa Noe |
2009 |
Transportation Advisory Committee (Berkshire MPO) |
1 year |
Wayne Burkhart |
2009 |
Veteran's Agent |
1 year |
Peter Saunders |
2009 |
Veterans Memorial Committee |
2 years |
Frank D'amato |
2010 |
Veterans Memorial Committee |
2 years |
Georgiana O'Connell |
2010 |
Wilson McLaughlin House Committee |
1 year |
Joe Baker |
2009 |
Wilson McLaughlin House Committee |
1 year |
Nora Hayes |
2009 |
Wilson McLaughlin House Committee |
1 year |
Georgiana O'Connell |
2009 |
Wilson McLaughlin House Committee |
1 year |
Shirley Olds, Chair |
2009 |
Wilson McLaughlin House Committee |
1 year |
Lewis Scheffey |
2009 |
Wilson McLaughlin House Committee |
1 year |
Susan Sellew |
2009 |
Wilson McLaughlin House Committee |
1 year |
Gerry Shapiro |
2009 |
Wilson McLaughlin House Committee |
1 year |
Evelyn Vallianos |
2009 |
Wilson McLaughlin House Committee |
1 year |
Cynthia Weber |
2009 |
Wilson McLaughlin Scholarship Committee Representative |
1 year |
Jonathan Sylbert |
2009 |
A motion was made and unanimously approved to adjourn the meeting at: 12:00pm
Submitted by:
Melissa Noe, Inter-Departmental Secretary
Approved by: Monterey Select Board
Select Board Members
Minutes Book
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