Monterey Select Board
Minutes of the meeting of 11/3/08
Meeting Opened at: 4:00pm
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, Larry Klein (Planning Board), Eric Pedersen, Anne-Marie Enoch and Richard Piepho
The board met with the Director of Highways, Maynard Forbes and reviewed the following items:
- Reports for the last two weeks was reviewed.
- M. Forbes recapped the meeting that took place last Thursday regarding Fairview Rd. M. Forbes was asked to formalize what would be an adequate solution and the Board will then write a letter to the homeowner(s). It was agreed that whatever M. Forbes proposes can be done by the Monterey Highway crew. The Select Board will also handle filing with the Conservation Commission as is required.
- The crew had to sand and salt the roads last Wednesday morning. One truck’s computer wasn’t working properly and there may have been more salt used than would’ve been if the computer had been working properly (these were roads west of the town hall).
- Work is being performed on the beach parking lot.
- J. Sylbert stated that he went over the bridge on Carrington-Battelle Rd last week and confirmed that there is a hole by the bridge that leads to a very steep drop. M. Forbes stated that this is not located on Town property. J. Sylbert stated that the “drop” is in the right of way and asked that the highway crew fill in the hole.
The board met with Police Chief, Gareth Backhaus to review the following items:
- Chief Backhaus gave the Board a copy of a letter to be signed that enters the Town into a local hazardous mitigation plan which will require the Town to match $1,500 unless the Town personnel collect the data that is needed about our Town and then it will be a lesser amount. It is a federal requirement that towns have a hazardous plan. The letter also states that the Town commits to forming a committee (which is currently made up of M. Forbes and G. Backhaus). A motion was made to sign the letter; it was seconded and passed unanimously. The money would be due July 1st; it was suggested to create a separate line item for this.
- The Board requested more of a police presence on Fairview Road to address the many speeding complaints that have recently come in.
- Report of an open garage door; owner was contacted and contents were verified.
- Noise complaint on Art School Rd; the owners are complaining that Verizon and National Grid are disturbing the peace.
- Fender bender in Town.
- False alarm on Main Rd.
- Well being check on Hupi Rd.
- Domestic on Pixley Rd; this is an ongoing situation; person was later arrested in Gt. Barrington for DUI. Monterey will be summonsing her for damage done to the complainant’s home during the domestic call.
- Complaint of stolen political signs.
- Dog complaint; ACO was called and couldn’t be reached so the Police responded. The ACO followed up with the Police today. The ACO was also informed of a dog that was picked up 2 weeks ago which was brought to Marge Gulick’s, the owner of the dog was contacted has stated they do not want the dog any longer; the vet has been given permission to find a new home for the dog.
- Deer put down on Rt 57 that had been hit by a car.
- S. Jenssen asked G. Backhaus to check on his NIMS status. G. Backhaus will look into the matter.
The board met with Inter-Departmental Secretary, Melissa Noe to review the following items:
- M. Storch, Finance Committee member informed M. Noe a few weeks ago that their meeting held on 10/6/08 was done so without proper posting (not 48 hours in advance of the meeting) and the advice from the Town Clerk’s office (according to M. Storch) was that Finance Committees are able to follow less stringent open meeting law guidelines than other committees and boards. An email was sent to the District Attorney’s office requesting the section of the law that states what the Clerk has told M. Storch, they deferred the question to Town Counsel. Town Counsel called on Friday 10/31, and he asked her to convey to Michael and any other Boards that there are no special exceptions for finance committees.~ The Open Meeting Law Guidelines apply to everyone the same and any meeting held needs to be posted and minutes need
to be taken.~ Town Counsel also stated that the Town Clerk should not be the one that anyone (board or committee) goes to for advice; they should ask it of Town Counsel.
- Town Counsel responded to the Select Board’s inquiry on the conflicting dates (date submitted to the Town Clerk (9/9) and date signed by the ZBA Clerk (9/13)) on the Levy final documents and did not feel that they would cause any future problems.
- A disclaimer for the website was written and submitted to the Board to review and approve; it was approved unanimously and will be put online.
Miscellaneous Select Board Items Reviewed:
- A voicemail left by a resident expressing their unhappiness at an Obama/Biden sign being posted at the intersection of Routes 57 and 23 was listened to. The resident felt that it was Town property there and shouldn’t have political signs on it. The Board will look into the matter.
- Warrants were signed.
- The minutes from 10.27.08 were approved as amended.
- Larry Klein came in to discuss the Fairview Rd meeting that was held last week and questioned how the meeting was posted. (It was posted through the Clerk’s office and was put online on the Town meeting calendar.) The Board confirmed since it was not a public hearing they did not notify the abutter’s. Mr. Klein has only one concern and that is that if it is ever paved it will make it almost impossible to see oncoming cars on a few of the blind crests and because of the current narrowness of the road; he’s worried that there will be an increase in accidents and possibly a fatality. He requested that in the future the abutters be notified about any meetings concerning the future of Fairview Rd. He also requested “blind driveway” signs be posted before his driveway as both
he and his wife have almost been hit coming out of their driveway. The Board will speak with M. Forbes, Director of Operations at their November 17th meeting.
- The board reminded everyone that they will not be meeting next Monday (November 10th)
- The board held interviews with Eric Pedersen, Richard Piepho and Anne-Marie Enoch for the Zoning Board of Appeals alternate position. Applicants were given the opportunity to explain why they are interested and were given a job description. The Board is going to wait a few more weeks to see if any other interested applicants apply and hope to make a decision by the end of the month.
- Mail was reviewed.
- The Board discussed whether or not they should respond to the Clerk’s letter printed in the Monterey News and unanimously agreed not to respond. They all agreed that the Monterey News was not the proper forum for this type of response. They understand what is involved in the certification of the documents and have never said otherwise. They are not disputing that the Clerk’s office holds that duty (certification of official documents). The Board has instructed M. Noe to continue with the retyping and placing of the Zoning and Town Bylaws on to the Town’s Website. The Board was unable to decide on what action to take (if any) regarding how the Clerk acquired an unapproved copy of the Select Board minutes.
- Sue Protheroe asked if the minutes from the Lake Buel District meetings can be posted on the Town website.
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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