Monterey Select Board
Minutes of the meeting of 5/24/10
Meeting Opened at: 4:00pm
Select Board Members Present: Jonathan Sylbert, Chairperson, Wayne Burkhart, and Scott Jenssen
Also in attendance for parts of the meeting: Sue Protheroe for the Monterey News, Larry Klein, Joe Baker, Michael Storch and Stephen Enoch
The board met with Director of Operations, Maynard Forbes to review the following items:
1. The walls are up already on the salt shed.
2. There continues to be a problem at the swap shack at the transfer station. People are dumping items there that are not allowed. The town is trying to organize a swap shack committee to take care of the shed and keep it neat. M. Forbes is going to speak with the Master Garbologist about the current attendant. A notice will go in the Monterey News as well looking for volunteers, if none can be found the shed may have to be discontinued. Anyone interested in working there under the senior tax work off program should contact Pat Mielke (528-1443 x202).
3. The fence near the beach was fixed from Sylvan Rd over.
4. RT 23 project: M. Forbes is going to Boston DOT on Thursday to meet with the Planning Dept to find out why Monterey was denied a Strap Grant. Wayne asked about bike paths, M. Forbes stated that he researched the last 3 years worth of resurfacing projects and none of them were required to add bike paths.
5. Water fountain at the town hall will be installed by Gennari Plumbing, it’s going to cost around $900 and according to M. Forbes the Parks Department plans to come speak to the Select Board about paying for it or splitting the cost with them once the job is done.
6. The new Ford 550 has been ordered.
The board met with Police Chief, Gareth Backhaus to review the following items:
1. Chief Backhaus came in to request that the Board appoint Michael Alden as a part time officer for parking and traffic duty and training from today through June 30th. After interviewing Michael, a motion was made, seconded and unanimously approved to appoint Michael Alden as a part time officer for parking and traffic duty and training from today through June 30th.
The board met with Inter-Departmental Secretary, Melissa Noe to review the following items:
1. Weekly report was reviewed.
Miscellaneous Select Board Items Reviewed:
1. The minutes from 5.17.10 were approved as amended.
2. Warrants were signed.
3. Joe Baker came in to request that the Select Board waive the sign size requirements on a temporary sign for their one day seedling sale. The Board made a motion to waive the sign requirements as per the zoning bylaws (pg 23), which was seconded and unanimously approved. The Board was concerned about traffic and parking, Joe stated they would have staff and signs directing people. Joe stated he’d be back with other members of the Friends of the Wilson McLaughlin House about the driveway. Jon noted that the money can not be spent until after July 1st so there isn’t a rush on getting started. All agreed to a meeting on June 14th at 4:15pm.
4. The Board renewed their membership to the Southern Berkshire Chamber of Commerce.
5. A motion was made to appoint Monica Webb as the representative and Larry Klein as the alternate to serve on the WiredWest Organizing Committee.
6. A motion was made to appoint Roslyn Halberstadter to the Cultural Council. The motion was seconded and unanimously approved.
7. There were several discussions about who should take over the duties of the emcee at the Memorial Day parade since Dean has retired from the position.
8. Scott asked M. Noe to follow up with Chief Backhaus on the status of the permanent speed sign.
9. The letter from the SBRSD school committee requesting that the Select Board hold a special town meeting to consider closing the Monterey School was reviewed. S. Enoch stated that he was in favor of the Board doing all they could to keep the school open as the staff-to- student ratio is much better. The Board stated that they preferred to wait until October when Egremont votes on the amendment to the agreement. The Board also clarified that the decision regarding what program to run in the school is the purview of the administration, but that discontinuing the school is currently the purview of the town at town meeting. The Board asked M. Noe to ask L. Thorpe for 5-6 years out projections for school kids Monterey. Jon suggested having a community meeting about Monterey’s downtown area
as a way to talk about not just the school but all the activities in the village center. Scott suggested sending out a survey to the townspeople asking the questions that are plaguing our boards right now to help determine our course of action. A motion was made to write a letter to the administration stating that holding a special town meeting to close the Monterey School would be premature, and that we had just asked for such a vote two years ago. The motion was seconded and unanimously approved.
A motion was made and unanimously approved to adjourn the meeting at: 6:00pm
Submitted by:
Melissa Noe, Inter-Departmental Secretary
Approved by:
Monterey Select Board
Select Board Members
Minutes Book
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