Monterey Select Board
Minutes of the meeting of 12/12/11
Meeting Opened at: 6:00pm
Select Board Members Present: Wayne Burkhart, Chairperson, Scott Jenssen and Jonathan Sylbert
Also in attendance for parts of the meeting: Maggie Leonard for the Monterey News, Maynard Forbes, Peter Murkett, Gareth Backhaus, Michael Johnson, Dan Moriarity, Michael Storch and Stanley Ross
The board reviewed Director of Operations, Maynard Forbes’ weekly report for the week ending 12/10/11 which included:
1. Checking beaver dams
2. Pick up the 2005 – 550 in Sandisfield
3. Gravel and grade Cronk Rd
4. Put up delineators on Main, River and Tyringham Rds.
5. Clean out ditch on Mt Hunger Rd
6. Signs on Main Rd
7. Put wing on grader for winter
8. Plow, salt and sand for Thursday storm
9. Cut up and remove trees on Cronk, Hupi, Brett, Beartown Mtn, Griswold, New Marlboro, Main and Mt Hunger
10. Wash trucks
11. New blade on 4500 snowplow
12. Complete reimbursement paperwork for River Rd project
13. Driveway issues on Sandisfield Rd
The board reviewed Police Chief, Gareth Backhaus’ weekly report for 12/5 – 12/11/11 which included:
Calls:
1. Stolen property reported on Sandisfield Rd.
2. Motor vehicle off the road; called tow truck
3. Attempted to serve a warrant for CHINS
4. House check on Main Rd
5. Suspicious activity reported on Main Rd; police investigated and did not find anything
6. Motor vehicle stop that ended in an arrest.
7. House check on Tyringham Rd
False Alarms:
1. Main Rd
2. Gould Rd
Miscellaneous Select Board Items Reviewed:
1. The minutes from 11.28 & 12.5.11 were approved as written.
2. Peter Murkett came in to deliver a letter (which was also read into the record) to the Board regarding wind energy development in the Berkshires and Ben Downing’s summary of the law. The Board revised their letter to Senator Downing which states: “Having heard from a number of Monterey residents concerned about the current wind siting bill, the Select Board would like to convey our hope that you will not support any bill that limits local control over the siting of wind turbines in the Berkshires. Quite apart from our individual views on the pros and cons of wind power, we do all feel that local control is an essential component of any siting bill.” The Board instructed M. Noe to send it in the morning.
3. Mail was reviewed which included:
a. A letter of commendation for Officer Johnson. The author of the letter stated that Officer Johnson was patient and sympathetic which added to his professionalism and also that she was impressed with his kindness and felt he was an asset to the Monterey Police Department.
b. Memo from BRPC regarding available technical assistance. A copy was sent to the Planning Board as well.
c. Letter from the Town of Irving requesting that Monterey share its opinion that all Massachusetts voters would be provided a stronger voice in Presidential elections if our current system were replaced with a system of Congressional district apportionment of Presidential electors and requested their support of House Bill No. 00200.
4. Warrants were signed.
5. Inter-Departmental Secretary’s weekly report reviewed.
6. The Board of Assessors and the Select Board held a hearing classification/tax allocation for FY12. The Board of Assessors recommends that we have one tax rate for residential, commercial, industrial and personal property. Our total class 1 total valuation is $482,769,472.00 up $9 million from last year. Our excess levy capacity is $263,735.56, up $50,000 from last year. The gross value of our town is $500,000,557.00. A motion was made to accept the Assessors recommendation for a single tax rate which was seconded and approved unanimously.
7. The Board reviewed the flag submissions that received the highest votes and the Board wants to check with the flag company first to see if the submissions will be transferrable. The vote will be continued to next week.
8. Maggie asked if the Select Board wanted to hold a special town meeting for the bylaw revisions or if they wanted to have it at the annual town meeting. The Board felt they’d like the Planning Board to advise them of what they would prefer.
Members of the Finance Committee, the Select Board and the full time employees met to continue discussions on the full time employee’s benefit package. Several documents (all available at town hall) were reviewed which included an updated employee proposal cost estimate, updated comparison of surrounding towns and benefits offered and the salary schedules created by the Salary Committee (Michael Storch) in 2002. There was a lot of discussion on if scheduled increases should be termed “COLA”, “scheduled increases” or “advancement increases”.
The Board and Finance Committee agreed that the salary survey reviewed tonight should not be used and that going forward we’ll need to negotiate the percentage increase and create a spreadsheet that shows salary and benefits totaled together for each full time employee totaling what their “actual” compensation is.
The two town boards and the employees agreed to keep negotiating after the New Year. Maynard also inquired if the negotiations could take place in executive session. The Board thought it had to be in open session but agreed to check on this with Town Counsel.
A motion was made and unanimously approved to adjourn the meeting at: 8pm
Submitted by:
Melissa Noe, Inter-Departmental Secretary via audio recording
Approved by:
Monterey Select Board
Select Board Members
Minutes Book
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