Monterey Select Board
Minutes of the meeting of 7/26/10
Meeting Opened at: 4:45pm
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, Michael Storch (Finance Committee), Daniel Moriarity (Finance Committee) and Sarah Hudson
The board met with Town Accountant, Steven Pullen to review the following items:
1. Steve met with the Board and Finance Committee to go over:
a. a small amount of transfers ($1,000) to be made between FY10 funds to cover accounts that went over in their budgets.
b. The use of about $20k from the reserve fund and
c. encumbrances that were paid in this FY but should’ve been paid out of last year’s funds (approx. $400).
d. Steve asked what authorities he had to question and approve/deny Department Head’s expenditures. He brought attention to the $400 that the Building Commissioner spent on clothing with the remainder of his FY10 budget; he felt this was a costly expenditure and unecessary. The Board reviewed the purchases (15 shirts with custom embroidery, 4 pants and a nylon jacket). The Accountant confirmed there was money is his budget but as a taxpayer felt this was not an expense that the town should pay for. The Board is going to hold on paying for the clothing and will speak with Don.
e. The Board and Finance Committee both reviewed the transfers: $23.50 for soldier’s graves from the disposal area, $57.20 for machinery and tools transferred from the disposal area, $493 for fire department expenses transferred from the police budget, $19.15 for treasurer’s expenses taken from the planning board clerk’s salary and $400 for the accountant stipend (training) from planning board clerk. The Finance Committee and Select Board all approved the transfers.
f. Steve stated he hopes to give the Board and Committee more detailed reports on what departments are spending their line items on.
g. The following will be transferred from the reserve fund to the noted accounts: $1,661 for the interest on the loans on the trucks, $12 to state assessment fees, $800 to treasurer’s tax titles, $15,000 to firemen’s education and calls (the Board and Finance Committee did not approve this transfer and discussed the history of this line item) Steve noted that the members have already been paid. If this transfer is not approved a special town meeting will be need to approve the transfer. The Fin Comm and Board will meet with the Fire Department to discuss this further. The Board felt that when the Fire Department was aware that they were close to going over their budget line they should’ve modified either the per hour pay or number of people to initially
respond to calls. The also stated that no warrants should be signed and Steve should make the Board aware when any department is near to going over their expenditures.
h. Dan asked how much was in free cash, Steve thought there was approx. $600k plus the surplus from this year.
i. It was noted by the Finance Committee that the Fire Company makes money on their steak roasts and other events held and the Town never sees any of this and maybe the income earned at these events should cover the $15k that they went over on their town budget line items.
j. The Board would like a 3 year history on calls, number of people that show up to calls, split of pay for calls and education, etc. This information will be requested from Maynard Forbes.
k. A suggestion was made that maybe the firemen should be paid for calls at the end of their year versus throughout the year; take the amount of the line item divided by the number of firemen and how many calls they showed up for. It was also suggested that maybe there should be a roster which states for example: these 15 guys respond to calls on these 5 days and the other 15 guys respond on these 2 days and the following week it’s alternated.
l. $1,500 to CHP as they were mistakenly paid twice. Steve will contact CHP.
The board met with Inter-Departmental Secretary, Melissa Noe to review the following items:
1. Weekly report was reviewed.
2. The Board approved M. Noe’s time off request.
3. M. Noe informed the Board that she has been summonsed for jury duty on October 12th.
Miscellaneous Select Board Items Reviewed:
1. The minutes from 7.19.10 were approved as amended.
2. Warrants were signed.
3. The Board met with Michael Storch and Daniel Moriarity of the Finance Committee to review the final draft of the Building Commissioner’s terms of employment/job description which was approved by all including Don Torrico. An updated copy will be given to Don and placed in his personnel file. The Finance Committee commended M. Noe for all of her help with the matter.
4. The Board approved the one day alcohol permit for the Monterey Fire Co. for July 31st from 5 – 10pm.
5. Sarah Hudson came in on behalf of the Tyringham Select Board to request that the Monterey Select Board show their support for the Lee TIP project that is in the running with 4 other projects. The Board will review the documents provided at a later meeting and make their decision then.
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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