Monterey Select Board
Minutes of the meeting of 10/29/12
Meeting Opened at: 9am
Select Board Members Present: Scott Jenssen, Chairperson, Muriel Lazzarini and Wayne Burkhart
Also in attendance for parts of the meeting: Dan Moriarity, Stanley Ross, Michael Storch, Mari Enoch, Robert Lazzarini and Emily Kramer, Berkshire Record Reporter
The board met with Police Chief, Gareth Backhaus to review the following:
1. Lockout on Tyringham Rd
2. Tree across wire on Hupi Rd
3. “Suspicious activity” on Blue Hill Rd x 2
4. Disabled MV on Main Rd – Chief changed the tire for her
5. False alarm on Main Rd
6. Disoriented resident on Wellman Rd
7. The Board discussed any concerns with the Chief regarding Hurricane Sandy. He met with the Fire Chief and Director of Operations on Friday and they made the decision to close the dam. Wind will most likely be the biggest issue. National Grid has personally given the Chief all the contacts he will need including a personal liaison for Monterey. Considering the fact that the Governor has already declared a State of Emergency for Massachusetts, Monterey felt it would be in their best interest to declare one for Monterey. A motion was made to declare a State of Emergency for Monterey which was seconded and approved unanimously. Chief Backhaus will fax the form to MEMA/FEMA.
Miscellaneous Select Board Items Reviewed:
1. The minutes from 10.22.12 were approved as written.
2. Mail was reviewed which included:
a. Determination from the Attorney General’s Office regarding the OML complaint filed against Wayne and Scott by Jon Sylbert. The AG’s office determined that no violation of the OML occurred and the matter is closed.
b. Recycling News newsletter
3. Warrants were signed.
4. Dan Moriarity presented copies of a FEMA document regarding “increased cost of compliance coverage” which offers up to $30,000 assistance to flood insurance policyholders in high-risk areas to help pay the costs to bring their homes into compliance with their community’s floodplain ordinance. The Board reviewed the documents later in the meeting and it requires that a community must determine a home is substantially or repetitively damaged as per the community’s floodplain management ordinance provision which Monterey doesn’t currently have. The Board felt that this issue should be directed to the Building Department and Planning Board. The Board will ask the Planning Board to attend a future meeting to determine how this would affect the town as a whole.
5. Members of the Finance Committee, Select Board and Mari Enoch, member of the Monterey School Study Committee (MSSC) (Scott also serves on this committee) met to discuss the following:
a. Long range capital planning with regards to a Monterey School facility. Copies of our estimated capital expenditures through FY25 were passed out for all to review.
b. Stan stated that we would first need to determine where we stand with regards to our Stabilization Fund. Stan suggested that the Town should start increasing the amount added to our Stabilization Fund each year.
c. The Finance Committee questioned what the future population of the school would be as Stan stated that every meeting he has attended has stated that there will be a decline in enrollment. Mari stated that the State has stated that there is a dip right now but it is expected to rise. Mari felt that in 20 years if enrollment for a school purpose declined the building if built could always be used for other purposes the town might need a building for. Right now the MSSC feels that a new Pre-K/K or K/1st grade building is necessary to keep a program in Monterey.
d. A local Architect has offered his service gratis to design a building if the Town determines that they want a school to remain in Monterey. His firm is familiar with Massachusetts requirements.
e. It was noted that if the Town requested any State aid for this proposed project that all of the building regulations must them follow State guidelines which will cost a lot more. Mari noted that Monterey is such a small community that a request for State aid would never make it to the top of any list to receive funds when up against whole districts and much larger schools.
f. The Finance Committee was in support of a constructing a town owned new multi-purpose building for a school if voters agree.
6. A memo was reviewed and approved to be sent to those departments that the Board is missing job descriptions for.
7. Inter-Departmental Secretary’s weekly report reviewed.
8. Wayne gave a summary of the presentation given at the Berkshire County Selectman Association dinner last week.
Muriel provided the Board with an email given to her from Maynard with the Health Agent’s opinions on the deer carcass issue and the Board’s directive to put any carcasses behind the firehouse. The Health Agent suggested that the Town request from DEP and Mass Wildlife a written response with recommendations on how to properly dispose of a 9. dead animal and where. He reminded Maynard in the email of the problems that the Mass Turnpike officials had with DEP when it was found out they were disposing of dead animals in a specific location. It was noted that there have been several more communications from Karen Shreefter regarding the handling of the carcass and it has been determined that she was incorrect in stating that there is a MGL requiring that carcasses be 500’ from a residence;
it was actually a figure noted in Cornell’s best practices. Muriel informed the other Board members that Dale Duryea has offered land he has for any carcasses.
10. The Board voted to accept using the IRS standard mileage reimbursement rate effective for travel from today forward. The current IRS rate is 55.5 cents per mile. Travel prior to today will be paid at the previous rate of $0.40/mile.
A motion was made and unanimously approved to adjourn the meeting at: 10:32am
Submitted by:
Melissa Noe, Inter-Departmental Secretary
Approved by:
Monterey Select Board
Select Board Members
Minutes Book
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