Monterey Select Board
Minutes of the meeting of 2/28/11
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, Officer Johnson, Anthony Corsi, National Grid and Jules Dahlman
The board reviewed Director of Operations, Maynard Forbes’ weekly report for the weeks ending 2/19 & 2/26/11 which included:
1. Checking roads.
2. Patching pot holes on Main Rd by Brett Rd.
3. Opening up basing and water runs with the loader on Main Rd, Tyringham Rd and Sandisfield Rd.
4. Pushing back snow banks.
5. Remove dump body from 2000 – 550 and ready it for transfer to the Fire Department.
6. Repair 2005 – 550 plow shoes and wipers.
7. Trees down on Main Rd, Tyringham Rd and Brett Rd.
8. Service the 2011 – 550
9. Plowed, salted and sanded on President’s Day and a few other days.
10. Met with MIIA Insurance building inspector.
11. Dealt with logging issues on New Marlboro and Chestnut Hill.
12. Met with the new superintendent of Sandisfield.
The board reviewed Police Chief, Gareth Backhaus’ weekly report for 2/13 – 2/27/11 which included:
Calls:
1. House check on Beartown Mtn Rd. x2; nothing found to be out of the ordinary.
2. Assisted with a medical on Tyringham Rd.
3. Wires down on Mt. Hunger Rd.
4. No Trespass Order brought to Barrington to be served.
5. Investigating fraudulent credit card charges made.
6. Vehicle towed on Pixley Rd as per our winter parking policy.
7. Trees down on Tyringham Rd, Camp Half Moon Rd (across wires), Laurel Banks (across wires), Chestnut Hill, New Marlboro Rd (across wires), between Stevens Lake and Brett and Eaton Rd.
8. Well being check on Seven Arts. x2
9. Suspicious activity reported on Pixley Rd.
10. Injured deer in driveway on Hupi Rd, owner requested that the deer not be put down.
11. Traffic control on New Marlboro Rd bridge; logging trucks over the bridge limit. Logger agreed to make loads smaller to meet the weight limit of the bridge.
12. Complaint of cars harassing a resident on Blue Hill; police investigated and found nothing unusual.
13. Abandoned MV on Swann Rd, owner found and informed he couldn’t park there.
14. MVA at the General Store. One vehicle left the scene.
15. The Chief also responded to the Board’s request to explain the $3,233 increase to his expense budget. The increase consists of $1,920 for salaries (not pay raises but actual amount of hours needed to maintain a fully staffed department) and $1,313 for expenses (software $210, fuel $500, phone service $403 and dues $200).
False Alarms:
1. Tyringham Rd.
2. Main Rd.
3. Hupi Rd.
Traffic stops: 15
Miscellaneous Select Board Items Reviewed:
1. At 7pm the Board opened the joint pole hearing for National Grid and Verizon New England to install 5 joint owned poles on Tyringham Rd and to relocate 2 joint owned poles on Tyringham Rd. This is being done to upgrade electrical service along Tyringham Rd. Anthony Corsi of National Grid was present to answer any questions. A letter was received from Maynard Forbes, Director of Operations requesting that all new poles be set back 8 feet from the traveled way for safety, as is our guidelines. He also requested that poles 48, 49 and 50 be moved back off the road to 8 feet from the traveled way, currently they are 16 – 18” from the traveled way and are very dangerous. He also requested that the number of poles to be replaced be moved back to the 8 foot mark as well.
The request was actually made by Verizon but it is National Grid’s responsibility to upgrade them through mutual agreements. Jules Dahlman was present to express his concerns and request that the Tree Warden also be consulted. The Board felt that the Director of Operations determines where a safe location is and that National Grid should contact him to review the proposed locations. The Board made a motion to continue the hearing until Anthony and Maynard can address homeowner concerns and safety issues. The motion was seconded and unanimously approved.
2. The minutes from 2.14.11 were approved as written.
3. Inter-Departmental Secretary’s weekly report reviewed.
4. Jules Dahlman stated that everyone should know that if you have a cell phone and an emergency situation and there isn’t cell service where you are, dialing 911 on that phone will still work as required by law. The Board is going to confirm that this is true with the Chief of Police.
5. Officer Johnson was present to have the Select Board Chair sign a MEMA Emergency Preparedness grant application. A motion was made to sign the grant (which is a matching fund grant up to $2,000). The motion was seconded and unanimously approved. Officer Johnson stated that the Police Department has applied for 5 grants in the last 2 weeks. One was a bike helmet grant which we can hopefully incorporate with a bike rodeo. The Department has applied to enter the 1033 program (reinstated by the Governor) which is the surplus program to receive surplus military hardware. Click it or ticket funding is also being applied for as well as the state surplus.
6. Scott noted that a couple on Camp Half Moon Rd expressed that Officer Johnson went above and beyond and was extremely professional at a recent situation there when some power lines came down.
7. The Board reviewed Leigh Tryon’s request to renew his earth removal permit for 2011 for Tryon Construction. Wayne recused himself from the discussion. A motion was made to approve the renewal which was seconded and approved.
8. The Board reviewed the DRAFT Monterey Natural Hazard Mitigation Plan in preparation for Brian Domina’s visit next week.
9. The Board asked again why we have not heard an explanation from MIIA as to why our health insurance is going up approximately 20% this year. M. Noe will send another request Mick Garrold of MIIA to attend an upcoming Select Board meeting. On 2/18 Mick responded that MIIA hasn’t issued the renewals yet so it would be premature to schedule a visit.
10. Jon reminded the rest of the Board that there is a special town meeting this Thursday at 7pm to vote on the Wired West article.
11. Mail reviewed which included:
a. Check (given to treasurer) for our 2010 Rebates from Waste Management in the amount of $2,900.14.
b. A warrant article from the school committee to be placed on the annual town meeting warrant.
c. Letters from Roger Kohler, Emma Micklewright, Stephen and Mari Enoch, Amy McMeekin and Jacob and Bridget Krans expressing how pleased they are with the Monterey Kindergarten teacher and aide and the education their children are receiving there. All requested that this be kept in mind when considering the future of the Monterey Schoolhouse. Letters are available for viewing at the town hall.
12. The Board reviewed a DRAFT copy of the 2011 annual town meeting warrant and moved some articles around.
13. The Board asked M. Noe to contact Dana Bixby to find out if there is any way to get a copy of the plans she drew up for us approximately 14 years ago for the redesign of a transfer station.
14. The Board discussed the resignation of Al DeVerry, Electrical Inspector. An ad will be placed in the Shopper’s Guide if the alternate, Rick Chase isn’t interested in the position.
A motion was made and unanimously approved to adjourn the meeting at: 8:15pm
Submitted by:
Melissa Noe, Inter-Departmental Secretary via audio recording
Approved by:
Monterey Select Board
Select Board Members
Minutes Book
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