Monterey Select Board
Minutes of the meeting of 8/19/13
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, Brendan Fletcher, Chief Backhaus, Shawn Tryon, Maynard Forbes, Emily Johnson, Linda Hunt, Alice Berke, Stanley Ross and Robert Lazzarini
The board met with Police Chief, Gareth Backhaus to review the following:
1. Lost bike rack – if anyone has any information on this please call the Police Dept.
2. Continuous auto alarm reported – owners were out of town. Police disabled the alarm.
3. Branch hanging over Bidwell Rd – Highway Department was contacted and a tree crew was called in to take care of it.
4. Assisted with a medical call at KSA.
5. Continued “suspicious activity” on Blue Hill Rd.
6. False alarms at Tyringham Rd, The Chief wanted to remind everyone that if your alarm does go off and you are aware that it is false please call your alarm company to report it and cancel the police response.
7. Lost dog on Carrington Battelle
8. MVA at the Post Office. The Chief reminded everyone to use caution when pulling in and out of the Post Office.
9. MVA on Main Rd.
10. Missing person reported from the MA and NY State Police, cell phone was “pinged” to our area. Police searched the area.
11. Assisted GB with an abandoned 911 call at the State Park.
12. Bicycle and car accident – bicyclist was at fault and was transported to the hospital.
13. Person on Corashire Rd reported a suspicious van that knocked on their door claiming to be lost. The van had no markings (which is required) it was found and it was determined that it was a legitimate cleaning crew.
14. Call from Mt Hunger Rd reporting a suspicious vehicle, person was found and it was determined they were visiting someone in the neighborhood.
15. Complaining of continuous barking dogs, 2 officers responded at 2 separate times and the owners were not home. A 2nd number was found for the owners and they were contacted – the person responsible for watching their dog was leaving them outside and the owners were unaware.
16. Medical call on Sandisfield Rd.
17. Complaint of excessive piles of cow manure on Blue Hill Rd – the farm owners were spoke to about it.
18. Medical call at the playground.
19. Report of a woman leaving garbage outside of a residence, by the time the police located the vehicle the person returned and had picked up the garbage.
20. Complaint of a dog chasing a person – the owners stated the dog was in “training” and that they would try to get their dog to not do this in the future.
21. Muriel commented that she got a tour of the new cruiser and found it very impressive.
22. The Board asked the Chief’s opinion on changing the current transfer sticker system from license plate numbers to addresses. The Chief stated that his biggest concern is that people that live in town share stickers with people that do not live in town and he has caught several people doing this. The police are able right now (and do) to verify the license numbers and where they live. He also stated that everyone needs to put the sticker on their vehicle; recently there have been 3 incidents of people verbally assaulting the attendant when told they need to have the sticker on the vehicle. Maynard noted that there are only 2 rules: 1 that you recycle and 2 that the sticker be affixed to your car and he has been verbally assaulted as well when informing residents that it needs to be
on the vehicle. Muriel suggested that we could alter the fee structure and continue the charge of $60 for 2 stickers and charge, for example, $75 for 4 stickers. This should help the summer residents with extended families that share their houses. If an alteration of the fee structure is adopted the town would then require the stickers to be on the automobiles with no exceptions when using the dump. It was also suggested that people who rent their houses should include the cost of a transfer sticker in the rent for their tenants.
23. Vacation request approved.
The board met with Fire Chief Shawn Tryon and Assistant Fire Chief Maynard Forbes’ to review the following:
1. Muriel stated that today’s meeting was really just to clarify everything so when budget time comes around it again it will be much easier.
2. Detailed clarification of all general expenses that the town pays for with copies of entire bills: Muriel stated that the budget as a whole (from the town’s side) would answer a lot of their questions. They want to know exactly what the rent paid covers. Shawn stated that right now the town pays for the phone and the company pays for oil and electric. He suggested that a lease be written and that the Fire Company pay for all of the utilities, including the phone. In addition to the $10,000 that the town currently pays in rent we will estimate the annual cost of the phone and add that to the rental. The Fire Company will then pay for the utilities as they arise during the year. All of this comes out of the Fire Department expenses line item of $49,800. The rest
of the money goes toward servicing of the trucks ($10-15k), the remaining money goes toward testing and certifying equipment. Shawn will work on a lease agreement for the Board to sign.
3. As far as set up for town meetings, it has never been included in the rent and is charged on a per use basis. Set up for town meeting includes 100+ chairs and tables and is $100 each time, elections are a little less but that is charged to the town clerk. The check is made out personally to Shawn because he is/was the one that performed the setup.
4. Training and calls being separated out into 2 line items: this will be separated out on the warrant so that training is a fixed amount. The Board asked the Accountant to find an average of the expense for calls for the last few years so that we’d have a better idea of how much should be budgeted.
5. The 2004 ATM minutes it was noted that the town wanted a clear policy written for out of control/unpermitted brush fires and asked if Shawn and Maynard had any recollection of this. Maynard stated there is a state law already in effect for fining someone with an unpermitted brush fire and it was not necessary for the town to create their own policy.
6. As recommended by Town Counsel we will be amending/cleaning up the fire department real estate exemption to have it read more accurately. The other item that will need to be reviewed (not abolished) is the retiree real estate exemption offered to retired firemen to make sure it is budgeted for like the retiree health insurance is.
7. Shawn wanted to make the Board aware that the Fire Department is working on how to address private roads that aren’t being maintained properly and it is getting harder and harder to get a ½ million dollar fire truck on them. 2 roads right now that are a big problem are Sylvan and Point Roads.
Miscellaneous Select Board Items Reviewed:
1. Brendan Fletcher, Town Accountant came in to observe the meeting and stated that training is going well and he’s enjoying it so far.
2. The minutes from 8.12.13 were approved as written.
3. Maynard stated that he listened to the tape of last week’s meeting and felt that some disparaging remarks were made about our highway department and he’d like an apology. Scott clarified his comments which were personal were about another town. Maynard stated that our highway shouldn’t be compared to other highway departments. Scott apologized and stated he did not mean for his comments to reflect on our department and he is a strong advocate of paying our highway departments more for the experience and work they are doing.
4. Alice Berke came in regarding the beavers on Brewer Pond; she owns 2 properties that abut the pond. She stated that last year she came upon someone trapping and euthanizing the beavers and she stated that she didn’t understand why as the beavers do not cause any problems at Brewer Pond. She wants the Town to discontinue trapping the beavers on Brewer Pond. She claims the traps were not checked as required by law every 24-48 hours. The Board will follow up with the Highway Department to find out why the town traps on Brewer Pond.
5. Maynard noted that the patching of the town owned portion of Sylvan Rd has started and is almost finished.
6. Town Clerk Emily Johnson and her assistant Linda Hunt came in about the following:
a. Email responses from Barbara Swann and Linda Thorpe (attached) with regards to the Town’s request to return the OmniForm software that the Town reimbursed Barbara for back in 2008 as well as missing town records. Linda Hunt noted that the only reason we are requesting the records is because they are stuck right now and need those missing records to move forward. The Board will take of responding to both of the emails. lthorperesponsetownclerk.pdfbswannresponsetownclerk.pdf
b. The Board asked Linda Hunt and Emily to clarify what documents are missing and what problems it is causing. The files missing mainly have to do with marriage licenses that appear to have not been filed with the State (originals have to be filed with the State and what has been found in the cabinets have been originals). Linda and Emily are working with the State right now to determine how to correct these issues. Linda Thorpe did state in her email that when she has time she will copy the 2011 and 2012 files she has at her home.
c. Emily informed the Board that she has found the Constable’s posting with regards to amended bylaws from 2011 that were never sent in to the AG’s office. The AG’s office has been sent all the necessary documents and we are now awaiting their response (they have 90 days).
d. Linda and Emily stated that at this point they cannot pinpoint what exact files are missing as the further they delve into files they are learning more and more documents are missing.
e. The Board took this opportunity to thank Linda for coming in after retiring to assist us in cleaning up the office.
f. Emily stated that the State has installed the new computer and printer and she is slowly reorganizing the office into a more functional setting.
7. Muriel reviewed the following:
a. She has received a response from Attorney Collins (attached) which was distributed regarding contracts and MOU’s. Muriel requested that a copy of this be given to Maynard as well. The Board will review the response and will meet again with M. Noe to continue the discussions on the contract she is allowed to have by statute. There was discussion of the needs for contracts and the concern that employees have their benefits could be cut on town meeting floor. Muriel asked that any further questions with regards to Attorney Collins’ response be emailed to her.
b. Response from Town Counsel regarding the Town Beach was reviewed. The Board is going to ask the Parks Department and Police Chief to weigh in on what they’d like to see happen with the beach (make it private or keep it public) and any enforcement issues. Scott suggested that perhaps we could hire an additional lifeguard to be on duty the days that any buses would be scheduled to come and for the busy weekend days as well.
c. Retiree Stabilization Fund: The Board asked M. Noe to follow up with the Accountant to see if there is another type of account that could be set up as a savings for the retiree’s health insurance premiums that would not require a 2/3 vote to withdraw from.
d. Septic loan program: Muriel is going to follow up with the Accountant on the additional questions that have been raised from the Treasurer’s response.
e. Muriel received a call from Michael Banner regarding the WMH. Michael stated that the grass needs to be cut and it was his understanding that the Town is supposed to do this. Wayne stated that this was always done by Bob Heath gratis in the past. The lease does state that the lessor is responsible for snow removal and property maintenance. The Board asked M. Noe to request that the highway mow the grass and field this week.
f. Julio’s letter regarding Sylvan Rd submitted at last week’s meeting: The Board is going to respond that the Highway Department has begun the patching and the Select Board has asked the Highway Department to pave the town owned portion of Sylvan Rd next year. The Board will continue discussions regarding the snow removal on the town owned portion next week.
g. MMA legislative breakfast meeting in Becket. Muriel will attend and asked that M. Noe pre-register her.
8. Scott stated that he has been in touch with David Quissenberry who is currently on vacation but will send a new, updated package when he returns to the office. Scott requested a prevailing wage sheet from M. Noe.
9. Mail was reviewed which included:
a. Notice from the Town of Lenox regarding the What’s Out There Weekend Berkshires, hosted by the The Cultural Landscape Foundation to be held on 9/21 & 9/22.
b. Thank you letter from the Southern Berkshire Regional Emergency Planning Committee for its continued support.
10. Warrants were signed.
11. Inter-Departmental Secretary’s weekly report reviewed.
a. M. Noe reported that there is now a DSL guest access set up at the town hall which does not require a password to access the internet. The Board asked M. Noe to email Carol Ingher and let her know as she had requested this last week.
b. M. Noe informed the Board that there is someone interested in working at the Swap Shack but she didn’t meet the criteria for the senior tax abatement program. They stated if she is interested in volunteering she is more than welcome to. M. Noe will email her.
A motion was made and unanimously approved to adjourn the meeting at: 11:45am
Submitted by:
Melissa Noe, Executive Secretary
Approved by:
Monterey Select Board
Select Board Members
Minutes Book
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