Monterey Select Board
Minutes of the meeting of 10/5/09
Meeting Opened at: 4:00pm
Select Board Members Present: Scott Jenssen, Chairperson, Jon Sylbert and Wayne Burkhart
Also in attendance for parts of the meeting: Sue Protheroe for the Monterey News, Linda Thorpe (Town Clerk), Stephen Enoch (Board of Health), John Makuc (Board of Health) and Robert Annelli (Board of Health)
The board met with Inter-Departmental Secretary, Melissa Noe to review the following items:
1. Weekly report was reviewed.
2. Time off request approved.
3. Our School Committee Representative, D. Mielke asked M. Noe to request that the Select Board provide coffee, bottled water and cookies for the school committee meeting to be held at the Monterey School on Thursday, October 15th at 6pm. Jon noted that this meeting is being held on the same night as the Selectmen’s Association dinner and he asked M. Noe to inform the school committee that there will be no Monterey Select Board representation and to see if the meeting date can be changed.
Miscellaneous Select Board Items Reviewed:
1. Scott informed the other Board members that he was approached at the transfer station over the weekend by Maryellen Brown of the Finance Committee about the overrun on the cemetery project (to the tune of $14k). Scott informed Maryellen that the Select Board has not been made aware of this to date.
2. Linda Thorpe came in to discuss the following with the Board:
a. The new Ethics Law. A senior official needs to be designated to be sure that all town employees have taken the ethics online test and been provided with a copy of the ethics laws. The test (25 questions) needs to be taken every 2 years. The Board made a motion to designate Linda Thorpe as the liaison under the new ethics requirements. The motion was seconded and approved unanimously.
b. Linda needed a letter from the Select Board that she had been elected as the Town Clerk to be sent to the State. She provided a copy for the Board to sign.
c. Overrun on the cemetery; Linda hasn’t heard back from the Finance Committee yet but she explained that because of the torrential rains we had it caused water to run to the Nourse property which would’ve destroyed their property, a new wide swale that can be mowed and maintained was created and seems to have solved the issue. The project was done through the Highway Department which hired an independent special employee contractor. Linda stated that $14,630 was the total overage on the project.
3. The minutes from 9.14 & 9.21.09 were approved as written.
4. Warrants were signed.
5. Mail was reviewed which included:
a. A letter from Virginia Funk stating she no longer wished to accept the appointment of “Election Inspector”
b. A disclosure of appearance of conflict of interest form as required by MGL C. 268A §23(b)(3) from Cynthia Weber with regards to the upcoming WMH ZBA change of use hearing
c. A recommendation from M. Forbes to accept the proposal submitted from Foresight with regards to engineering services on the RT 23 repaving project. He felt comfortable with any of the firms that submitted a proposal but thought that Foresight’s proximity to us would be advantageous. The Board will ask M. Forbes to contact Town Counsel to find the written procedures and obligations for the process.
d. A complaint from a recent visitor to Monterey, she stated that while at the dump she requested assistance from the attendant and his wife due to physical limitations to which they refused and then heckled her when she removed a small bag of garbage from her car. The Board will send a letter to the Transfer Station Manager to inform the Master Garbologist that the new policy to be followed by the attendant is that if assistance is requested by a properly stickered resident the attendant is to help. The Board has received several complaints that the attendant has refused and even heckled residents.
e. Invitation to the Selectmen’s Association dinner.
6. The Board of Health members were asked to come in to discuss a recent situation with the Animal Control Officer and a resident on Main Rd. The situation has caused some hard feelings between the homeowner and the ACO and the ACO and the Police Chief. There was a situation about one year ago that started the animosity between the ACO and the homeowner. A complaint was recently received about the homeowner’s dogs not being properly cared for while staked outside (no water or shelter), a site visit was made by the ACO and John Makuc, Alternate Animal Inspector. The ACO had asked the Police to assist her in serving the paperwork to the homeowner and she did not feel that they were supporting her. The homeowner feels they are being singled out and harassed. John stated that
the ACO has to respond to any complaints called in. John stated that the dogs did not look unhealthy and documentation was faxed to the town hall from the homeowner’s veterinarian stating as much. The Boards discussed that a different, less over-zealous approach could be taken and noted that this is not the first complaint the town has received on the ACO’s lack of “bedside manner”. The Select Board inquired about complaints that have come in about Nora hosting dog training classes on the lawn of the Monterey Library. The Select Board was concerned about liability issues, if someone were to get bit during a class being held on town property. The classes are not a town sponsored function; it would be private lessons and not part of her official capacity as the ACO.
7. Jon informed the other Board members that he spoke with Smitty Pignatelli who informed him that it will not be the Governor personally approving the ARRA Rt 23 paving project but rather the Berkshire Regional Planning Commission. Jon has requested that Wayne and Maynard speak to Nat Karns.
8. Town Counsel is unable to attend Wednesday’s ZBA WMH hearing because he will be in court. The Board asked M. Noe to ask Town Counsel for a recommendation on a substitute attorney to represent the Town.
At 5:16pm a motion was made to go into executive session to work on employee reviews and not return to an open meeting. Roll call was taken and all members were present.
A motion was made and unanimously approved to adjourn the meeting at: 5:17pm
Submitted by:
Melissa Noe, Inter-Departmental Secretary
Approved by:
Monterey Select Board
Select Board Members
Minutes Book
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