Monterey Select Board
Minutes of the meeting of 2/7/11
Meeting Opened at: 6:58pm
Select Board Members Present: Jonathan Sylbert, Chairperson and Wayne Burkhart
Also in attendance for parts of the meeting: Sue Protheroe for the Monterey News, Monica Webb, Robert Lazzarini (ZBA Chair), Ruth Green (Wilson McLaughlin House Committee), Michael Storch (Finance Committee), Stanley Ross (Finance Committee), Linda Thorpe (Town Clerk), Eugene Bounous, Joe Baker (Wilson McLaughlin House Committee) and Shaylan Burkhart (Wilson McLaughlin House Committee)
The board reviewed Director of Operations, Maynard Forbes’ weekly report for the week ending 2/5/11 which included:
1. Checking roads.
2. Raking off the roofs at Bally Gally and Town Hall
3. Pushing back roads, resalting and sanding.
4. Blades changed on the Kenworth.
5. Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday and Saturday: salting, sanding and plowing.
6. 4500 sent to dealership, no power and check engine light on.
7. Load cover repaired on Oshkosh.
8. Logging operation problems on Harmon Rd.
The board reviewed Police Chief, Gareth Backhaus’ weekly report for 1/30 – 2/6/11 which included:
Calls:
1. Complaint received on Laurel Banks of neighbors plowing snow into their driveway. Since this is a private way the neighbors would need to talk to housing court.
2. Responded to a complaint of a no trespass order.
3. Assisted with a disabled motor vehicle.
4. Assisted a citizen with snow removal from roof ready to collapse.
5. Rear car bumper found on Tyringham Rd.
6. Assisted with a missing person complaint; person returned when police arrived.
7. MVA on Pixley Rd/West Rd
8. Suspicious activity reported on Blue Hill Rd; complaint unfounded
9. House check on Hupi Rd.
10. Assisted with a complaint of the smell of leaking gas.
11. Complaint of cars parked on Art School Rd blocking the town plows.
12. Assisted with a medical call on Wellman Rd
13. MVA on Sandisfield Rd.
False Alarms:
1. Steven’s Lake
Abandoned 911 calls:
1. Brett Rd.
Traffic stops: 11
Miscellaneous Select Board Items Reviewed:
1. The minutes from 1.31.11 were approved as amended.
2. Inter-Departmental Secretary’s weekly report reviewed. M. Noe reminded the Board about vacation time she will be using next week.
3. Linda Thorpe came in to witness the Board sign the special town meeting warrant. The special town meeting will be on March 3, 2011 at 7pm to discuss and vote on the following warrant article: To see if the Town will vote to authorize the Board of Selectmen to take all necessary and appropriate action to establish and to maintain, in accordance with the provisions of Chapter 164 of the General Laws and in accordance with the rules, regulations and orders of the Department of Public Utilities and the Department of Telecommunications and Cable, a municipal lighting plant for all purposes allowable under the laws of the Commonwealth, including without limitation the operation of a telecommunications system and any related services, or to take any other action relative thereto. Linda will take the
warrant to be printed and mailed.
4. Linda reminded the Board that there will need to be an article on this year’s meeting warrant to change the town election from the same day as town meeting.
5. Mail was reviewed which included:
a. A notice that the adoption for the school budget will be on March 16th at 6pm.
b. A carbon copied letter from the BRPC (original was sent to the Town Treasurer) notifying Monterey of it’s assessment for FY12 which will be $593.89.
c. A reminder/request from the Town of Egremont to place a proposed amendment to the district agreement on our annual town meeting warrant.
d. A letter for the SBRSD advising the Board that the School Committee voted unanimously to authorize the borrowing of $300,000 to pay for planned renovations and improvements to the district’s various buildings and for necessary equipment purchases for those buildings.
6. The Board met with Michael Storch and Stanley Ross of the Finance Committee to discuss the following:
a. The Finance Committee is still waiting to hear a proposal on health insurance from Wheeler & Taylor. The Select Board asked about the GIC insurance that the Governor is pushing all towns to adopt. No one has made a presentation to the town about this option.
b. Michael asked for a recap on the meeting last week with the Building Commissioner and the inspector budget changes.
c. An updated FY12 budget sheet was reviewed.
d. Line #945 “Bonds and Insurance” will be changed to $55,000. Pat Mielke provided Stanley with a sheet describing what this line item is for.
e. School capital (line item 310) will be $12,189 and the operating will be $1,058,764.
f. Stanley asked if the issue of raises will be revisited. Jon summarized the proposed budget by category: General Government is going up $4500, Protection, Persons and Property is up $14,000, Education is up $9,500, Public Works and Facilities is up $3,300, Human Service is down $300, Culture & Recreation is up $6,500 and Misc. Expenses is up $16,400. Special Articles right now total $326,440. It was noted that the large amount of special articles requested and the increase to the Fire Dept. Compensation budget is most likely the cause of why we aren’t in better shape. The Board agreed to discuss raises again at next week’s meeting once the numbers have been updated on the budget sheet.
7. Eugene Bounous provided a rebuttal in the form of an “OET Bulletin 56 fourth edition” by the FCC in support of cell towers. The Boar will pass it along to the Planning Board.
8. Members of the WMH Committee came in to discuss the future driveway. Since there still seems to be quite a bit of discussion about the location of the driveway, it was suggested to have a committee separate from the Select Board and WMH members to determine the best placement of the driveway with consideration given to the master plan/future of the property. The community garden is considering installing a well since there are issues with the town water supply. Several people have complained recently that the proposed location off Rt 23 is unsafe. It has also been noted that there is a water line located under the current driveway. The WMH Committee feels that it would be beneficial to all parties to open up the decisions of the master plan and future of the property and driveway to
more members of the community.
The WMH Committee prefers the driveway to come off of RT 23. Jon stated that the two issues right now are is a traffic study necessary to determine which location is better and what is the cost of each of the proposed locations. BRPC will be asked to advise us on the safest location for a driveway. Maynard will be asked to provide firmer prices. Once we have enough information, the Board will hold a public hearing for the community to provide their input.
9. Robert Lazzarini came in to discuss the following with the Board:
a. The first application submitted to the ZBA for the community center was a real problem for the ZBA. Everyone was for the center but they didn’t like the idea of offering anyone carte blanche under the municipal and town building use. The condition was made to exclude other uses other than a community center and community garden to protect the neighborhood, limit where on the property activities could be conducted and what sort of uses could be granted under the municipal and public service building use of our zoning bylaws. The Select Board can (and will) request that the ZBA amend the special permit #10-01 to add recreational uses by right to the accepted uses or alternatively remove the wording “no other municipal uses allowed”. This will allow
abutters the chance to voice their opinions on allowing the dog park use. The Select Board will then be charged with regulating the dog park. The Select Board is awaiting the proper wording from Town Counsel before proceeding. The Board has been advised that if they feel that they can not responsibly enforce the regulations, it doesn’t have to be built even if the money has been allocated. Jon stated that the Parks Commission has made it clear that they do not want any part of the responsibility of the dog park.
b. Mark Bobrowski provided a copy of his proposal to revise our bylaws which the Board has not had a chance to review. Robert summarized his proposal.
10. The Board agreed to continue their participation in the Southern Berkshire Regional Household Hazardous Waste (HHW) Collection Program. A letter of intent was signed and will be mailed. A motion was made to continue our participation in the HHW program which was seconded and approved.
A motion was made and unanimously approved to adjourn the meeting at: 8:30pm
Submitted by:
Melissa Noe, Inter-Departmental Secretary via audio recording
Approved by:
Monterey Select Board
Select Board Members
Minutes Book
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