Monterey Select Board
Minutes of the meeting of 11/18/13
Meeting Opened at: 9am
Select Board Members Present: Muriel Lazzarini, Chairperson, Wayne Burkhart and Scott Jenssen
Also in attendance for parts of the meeting: Susan Gallant for the Monterey News, Maynard Forbes, Stanley Ross, Mari Enoch and Emily Johnson
The board met with Director of Operations, Maynard Forbes’ to review the following:
1. Maynard has received written confirmation that our RT 23 project has been approved.
2. Maynard recapped his meeting with Mass Highway regarding the RT 23 project.
3. Update on the library dam: Maynard is waiting on a large machine to build the sides back up with large rocks.
4. Weekly reports were reviewed.
5. The new grader is in Baltimore waiting on release from customs before it can be delivered here.
Miscellaneous Select Board Items Reviewed:
1. Don Clawson expressed to Muriel that he was concerned about a few meetings he had set up with the Accountant to work on setting the tax rate and Brendan never showed. Muriel is going to speak with Brendan this morning to make sure if they are both in the office today their number one priority should be closing the FY13 books so that free cash can be certified and the tax rate set; the payables warrants can wait until this has been completed.
2. Special Town Meeting Warrant:
a. Muriel read an email she received from Jon Sylbert regarding the proposed amendment to clean up the firemen tax abatement article. Jon stated that he interprets the current retiree tax abatement was only intended to be for one fireman not going forward for any firemen that reaches age 60. He reads it that only the current retiree meeting the age requirement and service requirements in 2004 when the article was passed would be eligible. The current bylaw can be found here: http://www.montereyma.gov/Public_Documents/MontereyMA_WebDocs/townbylawdocs2/fireexempt The Select Board sent the 2004 ATM warrant and the ATM warrant minutes to town counsel for his interpretation who stated, “My interpretation is that anyone retiring is eligible, as the language suggests that "[a]ny retired member . . . shall be eligible" and it then goes on to afford incentives for retirees who work for the fire department based on years of service.~ Accordingly, the fair reading is that it is for all retirees and it creates an incentive for firemen to stay with the department in years to
come.” Muriel noted that the Select Board and Town Counsel aren’t the only ones interpreting this as any retiree meeting the eligibility requirements is eligible for the abatement as the Assessors are currently offering this to a second retired firemen, not just the one that retired in 2004. Jon Sylbert also stated in his email to Muriel that it is his opinion that this amendment shouldn’t be done at a special town meeting as the fire department could fill the firehouse with firemen and their significant others, stacking the vote. The Board disagreed with Jon as this article was just cleaning up a current article that is now incorrect; the policy itself is not being changed. If there are any residents that are unhappy with this bylaw they are more than welcome to submit suggested changes for the ATM warrant.
b. Stanley stated that Don spoke to Jim Podolak at the State regarding the septic loan program and gave him a contact to find out what the payoff is. Wayne suggested that if we are going to consider paying off the loan that this should be an article on the ATM warrant. It was agreed that this article will be taken off for now and be dealt with at the special town meeting before the annual if needed so that the Finance Committee can investigate this further.
c. The library provided the necessary wording for two articles to be included on the warrant with respect to a grant that they are seeking.
d. 7 copies of the warrant were signed in front of the Town Clerk which she will have the Constable sign and distribute. M. Noe will place a copy on the website. M. Noe will fold and address them and mail them to each registered voter household sometime this week.
3. The minutes from 11.18.13 were approved as written.
4. The Board signed a reminder letter to Linda Thorpe to return the town records that she has at her house to town hall no later than January 6th.
5. The Board reviewed the intro paragraph for the school survey that Scott composed and asked Mari Enoch to review this as well as the proposed questions and offer any suggestions. The final survey questions were approved and the Board agreed to pay for a survey monkey membership for 3 months (at $24/month) to allow us to use skip logic and receive more than 100 responses (the free version is limited in its capabilities). The revised intro paragraph will be reviewed next week.
6. Mari Enoch is on the early childhood taskforce and gave an update on the progress to give an opportunity to all four year olds to attend some form of a free educational program. The committee is hoping to make recommendations to the school committee next month.
7. Don Clawson came in and stated that he spoke with Jim Podolak and if Brendan calls him today he will walk him through closing the FY13 books enough so that the tax rate can be set.
8. Mail was reviewed which included:
a. Email from the Chair of the Planning Board commending M. Noe for her intelligence and efficiency in her job duties. The Board stated that this should be put in her personnel file.
b. Update from WiredWest.
9. Warrants were signed.
10. Executive Secretary’s weekly report for 11/1 – 11/14/13 was reviewed.
11. At 10:30am the Board adjourned to hold a ceremony to recognize Mike Ordyna’s life-saving event that took place over the summer on Lake Buel.
A motion was made and unanimously approved to adjourn the meeting at: 10:30am
Submitted by:
Melissa Noe, Executive Secretary
Approved by:
Monterey Select Board
Select Board Members
Minutes Book
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