Monterey Select Board
Minutes of the meeting of 8/11/08
Meeting Opened at: 4:00pm
Select Board Members Present: Wayne Burkhart, Chairperson and Jon Sylbert
Also in attendance for parts of the meeting: Sue Protheroe for the Monterey News, John Campetti and Mike Therien of Foresight Services, Deborah Mielke (School Committee Rep.), Peter Chait, Michael Storch (Finance Committee and Broadband Committee), Raymond Tryon (Fire Chief), Michael Singleton (Interim Superintendent) and Anne Marie Enoch (Tax Collector)
The board met with the Director of Highways, Maynard Forbes and reviewed the following items:
1. Fairview Rd: not holding up well during the heavy rains. Basins were pumped out twice last week. Right now it’s a losing battle especially with the large amount of thunderstorms. This will be placed on the agenda again to discuss and come up with a permanent solution. The Montgomery’s haven’t yet responded to Maynard’s letter sent last week regarding their open driveway permit.
2. Mowing: J. Sylbert asked about Wellman Rd being mowed. M. Forbes stated that Wellman Rd hasn’t been mowed in 15 or more years after a letter was written by the Select Board at the time to the then Director of Operation Donald Amstead stating that the town shouldn’t mow there because Mr. Scheffey would take care of it (at his request). Another mower is coming in September and if the Board wants it to be mowed again they can send a letter and it can be done then.
3. M. Forbes saw in the Monterey News the conversations about the Employee Compensation Committee and that the Select Board was removing G. Backhaus and M. Forbes as members and making them advisory members instead because of a complaint that came in. The Board explained that they wanted to add more members and make the employees advisory members so that the lines of communication were still open between the committee and the employees. M. Forbes was concerned that this decision was made without first consulting with the employees after signing an agreement with the employees several years ago. M. Forbes stated that the employees don’t
make or decide their own salaries, the Employee Compensation Committee works together to research surrounding towns and positions and then a recommendation is made to the Select Board and Finance Committee and then it’s voted on at Town Meeting. M. Forbes and G. Backhaus stated that it’s not only the employees giving input, there are 3 other members on the committee and a lot of research is done. The Board would like to talk about this more when all 3 Select Board members are present and clarified that their main intention was to remove the perception of a conflict of interest. It was stated that if there were a union present the employees would be directly involved.
4. Salt shed: the board is writing a letter to Governor Deval Patrick prior to August 14th requesting that the money be authorized.
5. Sinkhole on Main Rd: will be inspected this week.
The board met with Police Chief, Gareth Backhaus to review the following items:
1. Call regarding an intoxicated person trying to enter a house. Police responded and placed the individual under protective custody due to his level of intoxication. Later in the day it was learned that he had allegedly broken into 2 homes in Monterey and had items on his person that were reported missing from these homes, and also allegedly stole a bike from Berkshire Bike & Blade in Gt. Barrington at this point the individual was placed under arrest and charged. The State Police Crime lab was called to take samples left at the scene. The intruder is currently in jail being held on $25,000 bond. The Police Department is urging
residents to improve their security and lock their windows and doors.
2. Many calls for loose cows from Woodburn Farm due to fencing issues, the cows were found from West Rd to Stevens Lake.
3. Disturbance on Main Rd.
4. Assisted with a flat tire.
5. Complaints of raccoons on Point Rd.
6. Check fraud on Hupi Rd: cleaning company allegedly stole and forged several checks and attempted cashing them at a bank in Pittsfield. The Pittsfield Police are handling the attempted cashing of the checks.
7. Abandoned 911 call on Mt Hunger Estates.
8. Lockout at the Town Beach.
9. One of the cruisers needs a new universal joint which will be repaired this weekend and it will be traded in on Thursday in Marlborough, Ma for the new cruiser.
4:30-5:15pm: The Board met with John Campetti and Mike Therien of Foresight Services to discuss the progress of the Town Beach and surrounding properties currently being done. They aren’t 100% done with the survey yet but came in as they had questions for the Board. An overlay of the 2008 survey was placed over the original state layout plan. Foresight has researched the deeds back to the 1800’s. Some discrepancies and unanswered questions were brought up and the history of that area and the projects were cleared up by those present. The original locations of the spillway, drain, original road and channels were reviewed and discussed. The right of way width and the original width of the road are going to be investigated.
5:15pm – 6:00pm: The Board met with the Interim Superintendent, Michael Singleton and Monterey’s School Committee Representative, Deborah Mielke to discuss the following:
1. The Board congratulated Mr. Singleton on his recent appointment as the interim superintendent and thanked him for his work to date.
2. Monterey expressed their hopes for the district.
3. The Board discussed briefly the difficulties that Monterey has encountered (and was working on with the former Superintendent) with regards to transportation, the Monterey School building and getting representation on certain sub-committees (after-school and sports), maintenance of the Monterey School (trash, shoveling, mowing, etc) and a presence from Monterey in the central administration building.
4. Mr. Singleton assured that he is listening to all of the outlying town’s concerns. He also wanted to express that he is an interim superintendent and that means that he is here for a year unless the school committee chooses to offer the position to him at a later date. At this point in time, Mr. Singleton feels it would be premature to ask if he was interested in applying for the permanent position.
5. With regards to Monterey’s concerns about the assessment method, Mr. Singleton feels at first blush but didn’t want to be held to this opinion as he hasn’t been able to properly research the issue that the assessments should be on total student population.
6. Mr. Singleton stated that his take on the school committee members now being elected is that it is refreshing and has a potential to bring positive changes to the school. Mr. Singleton feels that as it stands right now there will be 10 members elected at the same time for the same length of time (4 years) and they should be staggered (which can be done through an amendment). Mr. Singleton is in the process of certifying who is running for the school committee positions and will be sending out information. Right now nobody knows for sure who is running.
7. Mr. Singleton was asked what the main issues were that he was facing and he stated that his Special Education Director position is vacant and an interim special education director is being sought. Mr. Singleton feels that it is not outside the realm of possibility to share a special education director with the Berkshire Hills Regional School District if it were well supported. The current director at BHRSD is retiring and is currently in the position as an interim. There are also other discussions in the works about other services that can be shared between the two districts. A study may be performed to look at all of the possibilities
and the advantages and disadvantages of each possibility.
8. The Board asked about the current budget process and past problems of enormous changes being made to the budget at the final hour. Jon explained that for the last 2 years 2 meetings were held to discuss the budget and then discuss the proposed changes to the budget made from the first meeting. The Board was questioning whether or not there was enough input coming in from the surrounding towns prior to a final budget being presented. Mr. Singleton stated that his philosophy with regards to budget development is based on the needs of the school and what is needed to operate the school system and its programs (academic and support) not on a
number. He also shared that he doesn’t develop a budget alone; he does it with a tremendous amount of input from the staff.
Miscellaneous Select Board Items Reviewed:
1. Town warrants were signed.
2. The Board approved the minutes as written from the 7.28.08 meeting. The minutes from 8.4.08 could not be approved as Scott Jenssen was not present tonight and Jon Sylbert was not present at the 8.4.08 meeting.
3. Michael Storch of the Broadband Committee gave a brief summary of the Southern Berkshire Technology Committee’s recent actions. A letter is being sent to the Governor asking that one of the unassigned seats on the board be assigned to Brian Killeen of the Southern Berkshire Chamber of Commerce.
A motion was made and unanimously approved to adjourn the meeting at: 6:05pm
Submitted by:
Melissa Noe, Inter-Departmental Secretary
Approved by:
Monterey Select Board
Select Board Members
Minutes Book
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