Monterey Select Board
Minutes of the meeting of 11/19/12
Meeting Opened at: 9am
Select Board Members Present: Scott Jenssen, Chairperson, Muriel Lazzarini and Wayne Burkhart
Also in attendance for parts of the meeting: Susan Gallant for the Monterey News, Emily Kramer, Berkshire Record reporter, Michael Singleton, SBRSD Superintendent, Bruce Turner, SBRSD Business Manager, Stanley Ross, Chief Backhaus and Maynard Forbes
The board met with Police Chief, Gareth Backhaus to review the following:
1. “Suspicious Activity” on Blue Hill Rd x 2
2. False alarms at Stevens Lake and Beartown Mtn Rd.
3. 3 separate complaints regarding an ATV on Norwalk Acres and Mt Hunger Rd – the ATV operator has been cutting trails on private property without permission from the landowners. The Police are investigating.
4. Complaint of shots fired on Hupi Rd. The person complaining was notified that there is a legal range on that road.
5. Loose dog on Pixley Rd.
6. Loose pig on Main Rd.
7. Lockout at the General Store.
8. Call from Mt Hunger Rd – someone yelling; police investigated and could not find the source.
9. Police are investigating an animal abuse complaint that occurred over the weekend.
The board met with Director of Operations, Maynard Forbes to review the following:
1. Chapter 90 reimbursement form was signed for engineering work on Main Rd.
2. Roadside drainage problem area will be fixed in the spring as the asphalt plants are closed for the season.
3. Weekly reports for the weeks ending 11/17, 11/10 and 11/3.
The Board met with the SBRSD Superintendent and Business Manager at their request to discuss the following:
1. Muriel asked Bruce about the child care program at the school; it is funded through the services, they use the facilities at no cost, the business is run through the school books as a special revenue account, the District pays nothing, the Director is hired by the Superintendent but approved by the programs board. The employees of the school have first option for availability with the program. Muriel inquired if another room could be given to them to expand the services so that there would no longer be the waiting list that there is.
2. Muriel also inquired who owned the New Marlborough school building – Bruce confirmed that New Marlborough owns it.
3. Bruce passed out copies of last year’s budget. He also passed out an outline of the highlights and lowlights for this year (attached outlineNov12.pdf). Due to the new pollution standards the prices for buses have gone up about $40,000 in the last 10 years. The current capital budget is $419,000 of which $370,000 is for the main campus. The current budget we are in was level funded and Bruce stated that to expect that for FY14 is unrealistic. They are hoping to
finalize all of the labor union contracts by the end of next week. The updated heating system funded through a grant is starting to pay off. The lighting is being updated.
4. Scott inquired as to what the “yellow house” was noted in the reports. Inquiries were made as to how the use was being used. Currently it is being used by the special needs department but it is a real topic of discussion right now because it’s not really being used but money is being put into it.
5. Bruce ran through a list of “to-do” items that need to be done to maintain or repair items on/in the campus.
6. Superintendent Singleton was not present for the conversations in #1 - #5.
7. Bruce is speculating a 2.5% increase to the budget which would give them about $400,000 to work with for the above-mentioned projects and variables such as fuel and health insurance. Superintendent Singleton stated that the School Committee agreed to a step (2.5%) + 1% increase for the next three years with the teacher’s union.
8. An updated budget calendar was distributed (attached FY14budget.pdf). Mr. Singleton stated that already they are behind because of the newly elected school committee’s previous obligations which are prohibiting a reorganizational meeting being held this week.
9. An updated enrollment sheet (Enrollment Statistics, 2001 -2012) was passed out for 2001 – 2012 they are anticipating a continuing drop for 2013. Updated Enrollment by School and Town and Enrollment by Grade reports were also distributed. (both attached enrollmentNov2012.pdf)
10. A six year historical district budget report was distributed which addresses operating, transportation and capital (attached 6yrdistbudget.pdf). When discussing capital Mr. Singleton stated that the district as a whole has not maintained the 3 outlying schools as they should have and he stated that the delay has come down to an ownership issue; if the towns own the buildings some feel that they should maintain them not the district. Scott felt that the district needs to better explain
to the constituents why more money is needed and to ask for it. Scott also mentioned that Monterey is looking into building a new school that they are intending to maintain themselves.
11. Scott suggested that the Administration should consider starting an endowment fund and seek money for projects from former students like Berkshire School has done.
12. A memo from the Superintendent’s Office listing their mission statement and 6 district goals was distributed and reviewed (attached SBRSDmission.pdf). Muriel inquired as to what “relationships” referred to in the mission statement, felt it was rather vague – no one had a better definition/explanation.
13. The possibility/status of combining SBRSD with BHRSD was discussed.
Miscellaneous Select Board Items Reviewed:
1. The minutes from 11.5.12 were approved as written.
2. Mail was reviewed which included:
a. Copy of the Enforcement Order issued to the Highway Department by the Conservation Commission.
b. Letter from the Municipal Unemployment Insurance (UI) Task Force informing the board of a report released reviewing the issues raised by municipalities.
c. Notification of public hearing in Sandisfield for M.J. Tuckers LLC and Wazoo Enterprise, LLC DBA Silverbrook Café both requesting All Alcoholic Beverage licenses.
d. Notice of filing and public hearing: Mass Electric and Nantucket Electric seeking approval by the Dept of Public Utilities of its Three-Year Energy Efficiency Plan for 2013 through 2015.
3. Wayne reported that he attended the 6th grade essay contest at Undermountain Elementary.
4. Muriel reported on the Task Force meeting she attended in Egremont.
5. The Board approved a one day beer & wine special event permit for the Bidwell House.
6. Warrants were signed.
7. Inter-Departmental Secretary’s weekly report reviewed.
A motion was made and unanimously approved to adjourn the meeting at: 11:20am
Submitted by:
Melissa Noe, Inter-Departmental Secretary
Approved by:
Monterey Select Board
Select Board Members
Minutes Book
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