Monterey Select Board
Minutes of the meeting of 1/31/11
Meeting Opened at: 7:00pm
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, Stanley Ross (Finance Committee), Daniel Moriarity (Finance Committee), Josh Allentuck (Parks Commission) and Donald Torrico (Building Commissioner)
The board reviewed Director of Operations, Maynard Forbes’ weekly report for the week ending 1/29/11 which included:
1. Pushing back snow drifts, intersections & banks, checking roads.
2. New shoes installed on 2005 – 550
3. Plow repaired on Osh Kosh and a new side window was ordered.
4. Plowed, salted and sanded.
5. Wing installed on grader.
6. Submitted bills & payroll to Accountant for 4 weeks as requested due to Accountant being on vacation.
7. Checking town hall heat on Sunday & Monday.
8. Filled out MEMA papers for reimbursement of Jan. 11 and 12 snowstorm.
The board reviewed Police Chief, Gareth Backhaus’ weekly report for 1/23-1/30/11 which included:
Calls:
1. Assisted a citizen on Tyringham Rd; vehicle stopped running and needed to be towed.
2. Traffic control on Main Rd; oil truck broke down
3. Assisted citizen on Main Rd.
4. Suspicious activity reported on Blue Hill Rd; ongoing investigation
5. Suspicious activity reported on New Marlboro Rd: tractor trailer attempting to go up Harmon rd (tractor trailers are not allowed) to log. The resident/logger has not been issued a permit to log from the Director of Operations as stated is required in our bylaws.
6. Assisted with a lockout at the transfer station.
7. Complaint received about cars parked on both sides of Fox Hill Rd; vehicles were removed from one side of road.
False Alarms:
1. Fairview Rd
Traffic stops: 8
Miscellaneous Select Board Items Reviewed:
1. Stanley Ross and Daniel Moriarity of the Finance Committee reviewed the following FY12 budget items with the Board:
a. Insurance proposal from Wheeler & Taylor for the town’s liability and workman’s comp coverages. The proposals are identical to what we currently have but at a savings of approximately $10,000. The Finance Committee still needs to review this proposal as well as MIIA’s renewal proposal. They are also waiting on a proposal from Gary Kobran for health insurance.
b. Stanley stated that the Finance Committee has voted 2 to 1 against giving any raises (COLA or merit). The Select Board agreed. Stanley stated that the Board of Assessors voted to give their clerk a 10% raise and explained that she will be doing much more work as it is a revaluation year. He felt that this one raise was ok to approve.
c. Building Department budget requests: Don has proposed changing the compensation for the Plumbing & Gas Inspector and Electrical Inspector from an annual salary position to a per inspection position. Account numbers 243 & 245 would be zeroed out and the inspectors would be paid $45.00 of the $55.00 inspection fee collected. Don stated that most of the surrounding towns pay per inspection. Lee and Monterey are the only ones that pay an annual salary. This would also eliminate the inspectors collecting mileage reimbursement. This would require the inspectors submitting a monthly bill that would be cross referenced by the town accountant and building commissioner before payment would be made. Everyone agreed to try this method for one year.
There was a concern that this gives the appearance that the inspectors have free range to require more inspections that might be necessary. If there are any concerns they should be referred to the Building Commissioner to look into.
d. Don requested permission to get a cell phone dedicated to Monterey residents (which would be on his voicemail message here) that need to contact Don when he’s not in the office. He has a family plan that he could add a line to for $30/month if the town was agreeable. This would add another $360.00 to his expenses, since it’s on his family plan there wouldn’t be a bill which might be a problem for the Accountant. The Finance Committee stated that cell phone bills have a detailed printout for each line and that lines bill could be submitted. Jon didn’t feel that this was necessary since Don checks his office voicemail pretty regularly. He also noted that contractors have to give him 24 hours notice and he has 48hours respond as per the building
code. Jon suggested a “Go Phone” which would be a minimum of $100/year and would have an invoice plus an initial $50 for the phone. The Board agreed to Don’s suggestion only if he could produce an invoice to the town.
e. Health and Dental splits for surrounding towns. Michael Storch was sick and couldn’t make it tonight but asked that the Board review what other towns do compared to Monterey. Monterey and Otis do not offer dental, Tyringham, Sheffield, Stockbridge, New Marlborough, Egremont and Richmond do. Health Insurance splits are as follows: 75/25 Tyringham, Sheffield, Otis and Stockbridge. 65/35 in New Marlborough, 90/10 in Monterey, 86/14 for existing employees and 75/25 for new employees in Egremont and 80/20 in Richmond. Michael suggested not touching the employee/town contribution since raises were not being given and Fin Comm and the Select Board all agreed.
2. The minutes from 1.24.11 were approved as written.
3. Inter-Departmental Secretary’s weekly report reviewed.
4. Mail was reviewed which included:
a. A letter of interest from Kyp Wasiuk for the alternate ZBA position.
5. At the request of the Cultural Council, a motion was made to appoint Dr. Pat Salomon to a 2 year term on the Monterey Cultural Council. The motion was seconded and unanimously approved.
6. Don provided the Board with an email reminder from the Massachusetts Office on Disability regarding snow removal obligations. Curb cuts should remain clear and sidewalks need to be cleared as well. There should be a Community Access Monitor appointed in Monterey and it should be someone separate from the Building Official. Don stated that Mary Makuc is interested in this position. Don will provide the Board with the information on if this is an appointable position, who makes the appointment and what the responsibilities of the position are.
7. Don asked if Monterey was going to increase the mileage reimbursement from $0.40/per mile. The Board and Finance Committee wondered if the new fuel monitor being installed would allow other departments to use it (such as the Building Inspector) and where we are in the process of it being installed and up and running. Jon asked what the state rate was and he’d be agreeable to raising it to the state’s rate. The Board asked M. Noe to find out what the current state rate is. A motion was made to change the current mileage reimbursement rate to whatever the state’s rate is and to have it change as the state’s does. The motion was seconded and approved unanimously.
8. The Board discussed the date to hold a special town meeting for the Wired West article to vote on a co-op which would allow towns to be bonded to borrow money to install an infrastructure. A motion was made to hold the special town meeting on Thursday, March 3rd at 7pm. The motion was seconded and unanimously approved.
9. The Board discussed the ZBA hearing held on the 19th for the dog park. Jon reviewed with the Board his conversation with Town Counsel advising the Select Board of their options. 1 – the Board can request that the ZBA amend the original permit to include all recreational uses, 2 – the Board could accept the ZBA chairmen’s legislative interpretation or 3 – the Board could say that since they can not secure the proper permits, it’s not allowed and the Select Board is within their right to do this. Town Counsel recommended that the original permit should be amended to include recreational uses by right. There is a 60 day appeal period of the ZBA’s decision on the 19th. Town Counsel will work with M. Noe on the procedure.
Abutters would have a chance to attend the hearing and voice their concerns. The Select Board would then have the authority to regulate the dog park. Josh Allentuck, Chair of the Parks Commission asked which department would handle the oversight and maintenance of the dog park. Jon stated that this is part of the issue right now and the Board is going to attempt to resolve these issues. Josh stated that the Parks Commission has been noted in a lot of emails as the department to oversee the dog park and the Parks Committee has agreed that they do not want to be responsible for it. It was also agreed that the current dog bylaw does need to be cleaned up at the annual town meeting. Wayne noted that he spoke to the Lindsay’s (an abutter of the property) and they are not happy about the proposed dog park and the way the ZBA handled the recent special permit request.
10. Jon noted that whoever is logging on Beartown by the bridge is dangerously close to the river. The Board asked M. Noe have Con Comm look into this.
11. Scott asked M. Noe to ask the Highway Crew to go to RT 23 and Corashire, there is a driveway there (#190 Main Rd) that has a lot of snow piled there blocking visibility looking westward. He would like the town to remove the 2 snow banks. All Board members agreed with this request.
A motion was made and unanimously approved to adjourn the meeting at: 8:25pm
Submitted by:
Melissa Noe, Inter-Departmental Secretary via audio recording
Approved by:
Monterey Select Board
Select Board Members
Minutes Book
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