Monterey Select Board
Minutes of the meeting of 3/5/12
Meeting Opened at: 9am
Select Board Members Present: Wayne Burkhart, Chairperson and Scott Jenssen (left at 11:20am)
Also in attendance for parts of the meeting: Maggie Leonard for the Monterey News, John Mullen, Pat Salomon, Muriel Lazzarini, Shirley Olds, Stanley Ross (Finance Committee), Steven Pullen and Nancy Beach
The board reviewed Police Chief, Gareth Backhaus’ weekly report for 2/10 – 3/1/12 which included:
Calls:
1. Well being checks on Main Rd and Beartown State Forest.
2. MVA’s on Pixley Rd and Eaton Rd.
3. Building checks on Tyringham Rd, Beartown Mtn Rd, Hupi Rd, Art School Rd, Mt Hunger Estates, Mt Hunger Rd, Main Rd and buildings in center of town.
4. Summons served on Fairview Rd.
5. Assisted with a lockout on Pixley Rd
6. Assisted State Police with a MVA on the Sandisfield – Monterey town line.
7. Tree across road on Mt Hunger.
8. Provided traffic control for a medical emergency on New Marlboro Rd.
False Alarms: Hupi Rd
Miscellaneous Select Board Items Reviewed:
1. John Mullen interviewed for the Police Department to fill one of the part time officer vacancies. A motion was made to appoint John Mullen as a part time officer on a probationary basis until June 30, 2012 which was seconded and unanimously approved.
2. Pat Salomon & Shirley Olds came in to present a citizen petition for the annual town meeting warrant. They had the minimum number of required signatures to place the petition/resolution on the warrant. The petition supports a constitutional amendment to overturn the Citizens United v. FEC ruling, to make clear that corporations are not people with constitutional rights. Pat will forward the article’s wording via email to M. Noe.
3. Wayne and Scott summarized the School Committee meeting that they attended last Monday. Based on the discussions that took place at that meeting the Board felt that it was likely that next year the Monterey School will most likely become a town building again that will need to be maintained by the town. The Board wants to begin discussions and research now to proactively deal with the situation as it was made clear at the meeting that the Monterey School will be the most likely target to close next year. Stan mentioned an idea that they are talking about in CA which is to start kindergartener’s at the age of 3. Muriel and Stan both agreed that Monterey will need to get creative in trying to attract more children. The Board will also need to review all the issues such as parking
availability and items that need to be fixed. The Board suggested forming a sub-committee/study group to work on their own in co-ordination with members of the Board and School Committee to determine the best course going forward for the future of the Monterey School. Wayne discussed this further with the Town Accountant and asked if he would be interested in being a part of the committee once formed.
4. The Board discussed remote participation and the adoption of 940 CMR 29.10. After reviewing the CMR a motion was made to allow remote participation in accordance with the requirements of 940 CMR 29.10, as may be amended from time to time by the Attorney General. The authorization for remote participation shall apply to all subsequent meetings of all local public bodies in the Town of Monterey. The motion was seconded and approved unanimously. Attached is a copy of 940 CMR 29.10 which will also be distributed to all Boards and Committees which hold public meetings. 940CMR29.10.pdf
5. Stanley Ross of the Finance Committee met with the Board to review the following FY13 budget items:
a. Health Insurance rates went up 5.98% for FY13 up $7,250 from FY12 for the 7 full time employees and 1 Medex former elected official.
b. Line #945 “Bonds and Insurance” will remain the same as FY12 as we were locked in for 2 years.
c. School operating costs are proposed to go up approximately 2% (line #310). No word on the capital numbers yet. The School Committee will make a final decision on March 15th with regards to the school’s budget for FY13.
d. The Finance Committee recommends replacing the Inter-Departmental Secretary’s computer this year (which is approximately 6 years old). There is approximately $2,400 in the “Computer Software and Supplies” line (#197). The Board approved this purchase and instructed M. Noe to contact our IT person to assist her in purchasing the right machine.
e. Stan spoke with the Treasurer and both have agreed that the proposed tax title software is not a necessary expense right now and it has been removed from the FY13 Treasurer expense line item.
f. The Board is still waiting to hear back from Town Counsel on the proposal made by the full time employees but they did state that providing town counsel has no issues they are in favor of the proposed 4% increase for FY13 and 3.5% for FY’s 14 & 15.
g. Raising the transfer station sticker fees for FY13 was discussed. Scott stated that right now large items being thrown in the dumpster are not being packed in properly and it is costing us more. He felt that we could possibly lower our expenses by hiring a town employee to manage and operate the operations there. Suggestions were also made to only allow large items to be dumped on certain days and certain hours to make sure that items are placed in there correctly and efficiently. Stan will follow up with Maynard on what is making up the $4,000 increase (line #433).
6. The minutes from 2.27.12 were approved with one minor correction.
7. Mail was reviewed which included:
a. The Attorney General’s Office requested that the Board provide copies of any and all written correspondences, including emails, between members of the Monterey Select Board regarding the Board’s January 9, 2012 meeting, sent or received between and including December 19, 2011 and January 9, 2012 and copies of any and all written correspondences, including emails, between members of the Monterey Select Board and the Secretary of the Monterey Select Board regarding the Board’s January 9, 2012 meeting, sent or received between and including December 19, 2011 and January 9, 2012. M. Noe will send this out tomorrow.
8. Warrants were signed.
9. Inter-Departmental Secretary’s weekly report reviewed.
a. M. Noe requested that the Board instruct her on how to proceed with regards to getting this year’s town report printed in time for the annual town meeting as the Town Clerk, Cemetery Committee, School Committee, SBRSD and Select Board (J. Sylbert) have still not submitted theirs after several requests. Wayne will talk to the Town Clerk on what is holding up her report and the Board requested that M. Noe write the Select Board report in Jon’s absence if she didn’t mind.
b. Regarding the study that Dan Moriarity suggested last week to determine if central a/c was better/more efficient than what is currently being done and how much it would, save us; Maynard states that this would require hiring an engineer to determine heat/cooling loss (measure insulation, windows, etc)~to compare cost of single units to central air. He guesses $3000 maybe more to do and it is not practical option in his opinion. Scott suggested contacting S&A or Foster’s as he thought that they provided free heating loss analyses. M. Noe will follow up on this and get back to the Board next week.
c. M. Noe updated the Board on the further research on obtaining a town credit card.
i. Berkshire Bank; there is a card specifically for municipalities; however we don’t meet the minimum revenue qualifications. M. Noe requested that the Board tell her how to proceed - check with other local banks to see if we meet their qualifications or just forget it.
ii. According to town counsel towns are not supposed to have petty cash accounts at all. He stated that since municipalities are not a business there is no legal mechanism for a petty cash account to exist because all cash purchases are to be approved prior at town meeting. He stated that there is no basis for having such an account let alone increasing it.
iii. M. Noe called to find out how much it would be to have our own postage meter here as another option which could be refilled by a check for larger amounts and then M. Noe could run her own postage. You have to lease the machine at a minimum of $44/month plus your postage. M. Noe noted that this option only solves the postage issues she’s had it does not resolve the issues of when parts are needed from vendors where we do not hold an account which the Director of Operations has run into.
iv. A response from Pat Mielke, Treasurer regarding her objections to a town credit card were read into record. She suggested raising the petty cash limit from $50 to $150.
d. The Board asked M. Noe to follow up further on the postage meter and whether or not refilling it would require a credit card or if the town would be billed and able to pay by check.
10. Muriel Lazzarini asked the Board to confirm that voting will not take place at Town Meeting but rather on the following Tuesday. The Board stated that they believed this was true as it was voted on and passed at the last town meeting.
11. Shawn Tryon, Fire Chief came in to discuss the following:
a. A letter from the Berkshire County Fire Chiefs Association regarding the anticipated completion timeframe for the upgrading and enhancements to the communication towers throughout the county to meet the requirement deadlines of the FCC
b. Shawn would like to amend the current alarm system bylaw to include that any home that has an alarm system would be required to purchase a knox box so that the Fire Department would be able to gain access without having to knock the front door in which is more costly in the end than the knox box. He will work with the Police Chief on this as well.
12. Maggie Leonard stated that the Planning Board is planning on putting the town bylaw revisions on the annual town meeting warrant. The Planning Board is planning on a public hearing regarding the changes sometime in the beginning of April.
13. The Board agreed to cancel the 4/2/12 meeting as one Select Board member will be unavailable to attend the meeting.
A motion was made and unanimously approved to adjourn the meeting at: 12noon
Submitted by:
Melissa Noe, Inter-Departmental Secretary via audio recording
Approved by:
Monterey Select Board
Select Board Members
Minutes Book
| 
