Select Board
Minutes of the meeting of 4/5/17
Meeting Opened at: 9am
Select Board Members Present: Kenn Basler, Chairperson, Steve Weisz and Carol Edelman
Also in attendance: Gareth Backhaus, Matt Bodnar, Shawn Tryon, Barbara Gauthier
Miscellaneous Items Reviewed:
- Chief Backhaus presented applicant Matt Bodnar for a part time officer position. Matt recently passed the part time academy; Monterey was his sponsor. A motion was made to appoint Matthew Bodnar as a part time officer. The motion was seconded and unanimously approved.
- Transfer station: Compactors should be installed this week and electrical will be done as well. Work has begun to level the shed. M. Noe and Kenn have been working with DEP on all the grants we have been approved for. Staffing: Ben has been unresponsive as to his return date. Dave and Beth have proposed Beth assuming Ben’s position to run the transfer station; discussion needed on whether she would still receive the stipend for running the swap shack outside of transfer station hours. Steve suggested that there should be a letter written to formally request Ben to respond to the Town, before relieving him of his duties. Steve also mentioned that the attendants are requesting support on regulations that state residents must separate out (recycle) your garbage so they have the authority to refuse
to take unsorted trash. Copies of our town bylaws (approved in 1989) which require mandatory recycling and fines for violators were reviewed by the Board. The Board will publicize these bylaws in the next Monterey News.
- Shawn Tryon reported that grant writer Dennis Lynch has spoken with GZA Engineering regarding the necessary study for the library dam and the cost is down to $35k. Shawn is also proposing to start accepting refrigerators (with doors removed) and a/c’s at the transfer station at $30/each (going rate). Valley will charge us $20 to remove them and take care of the freon. It was suggested that it would be an eyesore to stockpile them until they are picked up and fencing was suggested to mask it. The Board agreed if there is space enough to do it and will not create any extra work for the attendants (they will not be moving them) it was acceptable.
- The Board is going to review the warrant articles for the annual town meeting today, it will be sent to counsel for review and signed and posted next week.
- The Board approved the seepage study being placed on the website at the Lake Garfield Working Group’s request.
- RT 57 – Steve inquired about the group that had been assembled about fixing RT57 with all the towns affected. Kenn reported that the group fizzled after MassDOT got involved.
- Counsel is working on a new lease for the Community Center.
- The Board revisited the discussion of a study of the police department which they opted to not place on the March special town meeting warrant (approx. $10k).
- The Board discussed the agenda for tonight’s meeting with the Town Administrator resume review committee.
- The Building Commissioner has requested that Jeffrey Clemons be appointed as a local inspector. A motion was made to appoint Jeffrey Clemons as a Local Inspector which was seconded and approved.
- Warrants were signed.
- Minutes from 3/29 & 3/31 were approved.
- Administrative Assistant’s weekly report was reviewed and time off requests was approved.
- Police Chief’s weekly report was reviewed.
- The Board reviewed the proposed FY18 budget and warrant:
a. Kenn is proposing that the transfer station operations line item (433) be lowered to $75k, after reviewing the spending for this year after getting a handle on controlling the trash. After discussion it was agreed to lower it to $78k.
b. The Board discussed the Clerk and Treasurer salaries and whether or not 2% COLA’s should be included since there may be new people in the positions. It was agreed to level fund them. Discussion also ensued about whether this should be changed to an hourly position rather than salaried; it was agreed to keep it as salary.
c. Reserve fund line item – this line item is an amount set aside annually within the budget of a town (not to exceed 5 percent of the tax levy for the preceding year) to provide a funding source for “extraordinary and unforeseen” expenditures. In a town, the Finance Committee can authorize transfers from this fund. Over the past 3 years we have only spent around $19k, it was agreed to lower this to $25k.
d. Line 197 Broadband services may be lowered dramatically on town meeting floor depending on the Broadband options the MLP is currently negotiating.
e. Line 147 Animal Inspector – there is a new person in this position, the Board will request that an accounting of time spent be kept for this year.
f. After doing research it appears that our school committee representative was not paid the $1,200 stipend due for FY16. This will be placed on the warrant as a special article to be paid from free cash.
g. The Board is still concerned about the Finance Committee’s recommendation to appropriate $190k to stabilization and would be more comfortable with $175k but decided not to pursue it.
h. The Finance Committee did not present recommendations, approvals or comments for today’s meeting on the proposed budget as was requested last week.
- Town Accountant: The Board discussed the email recommendation/analysis sent by the Treasurer with regard to the 2 applicants for Town Accountant after speaking with them as was requested by the Board. It was suggested to confer with the accounting firm coming in to get their interpretation of our situation, and ask how they may be able to handle our accounting needs going forward. The 2 applicants will be notified that we are still researching options and a decision has not yet been made.
A motion was made and unanimously approved to adjourn the meeting at: 12:30pm
Submitted by:
Melissa Noe, Administrative Assistant
Approved by:
Monterey Select Board
Select Board Members
Minutes Book
Town Clerk
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