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Select Board
Minutes of the meeting of 3/29/17
Meeting Opened at: 9:08am
Select Board Members Present: Kenn Basler, Chairperson, Steve Weisz and Carol Edelman
Also in attendance: Shawn Tryon, John Szablowski, Stanley Ross, Don Clawson, Barbara Gauthier, Dennis Lynch, Scott Jenssen, Ray Tryon, BJ Johnson, Julio Rodriguez, Stephen Beverly, Rebecca Wolin
Miscellaneous Items Reviewed:
- Warrants were signed.
- Mail was reviewed which included:
a. OML violation complaint filed by Carl Stewart against Kenn Basler for an email distributed. Kenn is drafting a response to the AG.
b. Michael Banner’s resignation effective March 24th from the board of the Friends of Wilson McLaughlin House.
c. Thank you letter from the New Marlborough Fire Department for our assistance on March 3rd.
- Kenn distributed a draft letter for the Board to review and approve to be sent to the SBRSD school committee. All approved, and it was signed by the Board and 2 members of the Finance Committee to be mailed today.
- Saturday, April 22nd: there will be open houses at the new transfer station, Community Center and the Library.library. More details to follow.
- Community Center and MOU: The Finance Committee thought there was a MOU that specified the operations once the building is finished and the town takes over. This does not exist, but the Board is working with town counsel to draft one.
- Dennis Lynch, Grant Writer came in to suggest that the town place a special article on the warrant for approximately $38,000 to pay for an engineering study of the library dam to determine what will be necessary to repair it, and to assist in requesting grant monies for the project.
- The Board discussed hiring Baystate Municipal Accounting Services on an interim basis to perform accounting duties and help us to train a new permanent accountant. The Board unanimously agreed to retain Baystate as soon as possible.
- Minutes from 3/15, 3/20 & 3/22 were approved.
- Administrative Assistant’s weekly report was reviewed.
- Police Chief’s weekly report was reviewed.
The Board met with members of the Finance Committee and Barbara Gauthier to discuss the following FY18 proposed budget items:
- Select Board expenses lowered by $1,000.
- Grant Writers – the Board is proposing funding for 2 grant writers at $25/hour for up to 6 hours/week.
- Computer software and supplies dropped by $4,000 based on what we have actually spent over the last 2 years.
- Broadband services – the Board anticipates this line item being reduced significantly at town meeting based on current negotiations with Broadband providers.
- Fire Inspector – the Board has been researching and speaking with Shawn Tryon. It currently is a large liability to the town and Shawn personally. The state says we can only charge a maximum of $50, when it actually costs about $150-200 per inspection. Shawn is looking into having one of the trained inspectors from Gt. Barrington perform inspections for Monterey. We should have the proposal by town meeting.
- Animal Inspector – the Board needs to do more research on this to determine if $900 is an accurate figure.
- Education monies – Discussion ensued about the Finance Committee’s suggestion to move the capital, operating and transportation budgets on the warrant as they feel it has nothing to do with the direct operations of the town. It was agreed to move them to a special article as long as there is a note showing the increase from last year.
- Transfer station operations – The Board has decided to drop this by only $5,000 instead of the $10,000 originally recommended.
- Memorial Day has been increased $ 300 as we have run a deficit for the last few years.
- Accounting software – Lowered. Last year’s figure was an estimate based on incorrect information.
- Finance Committee Clerk – no bills have been submitted to date, she will be putting in her time in one lump sum at the end of the year.
- The Board provided the Finance Committee with an official opinion from the Department of Revenue with regards to carrying forward special article monies; For those appropriations made for some special purpose, such as the acquisition of capital equipment or large scale repair projects, rather than for a particular year's operating expenses, it has always been clear that the appropriation should be held open [carried forward] until the purpose for which the appropriation was made has been accomplished.
- Retiree group health/life stabilization – the Board is recommending putting more money in this fund each year. They also recommend having an updated actuarial study performed. The Finance Committee concurred.
- Stan questioned why we weren’t putting $200,000 into stabilization as we put on our capital estimates worksheet. Kenn countered that we are putting a total of $180,000 ($150k in general and $30k into a bridges, roads and culverts fund). The Finance Committee would like to see the balance in the stabilization account near $1.2million. The Finance Committee is recommending putting $150,000 from free cash into stabilization and another $50,000 raised and appropriated into stabilization to make it $200,000. After discussion it was agreed to put in $190,000 from free cash.
- The Town Hall driveway repair article will be raised and appropriated instead of using free cash.
- Lake Garfield Weed Harvesting special article – BJ has spoken with members of the Lake Garfield Working Group and they are willing to speak to this request at town meeting. BJ has concerns that this method is difficult to prove its working. Don was of the opinion that this request for monies was putting the cart before the horse.
- Community Center Operations – A new agreement is being drafted that will have the Friends of Wilson McLaughlin House run the programs for the first year, and the town will be responsible for paying for building operations. All fees collected by the Community Center will be returned to the town coffers. The Board requested that the Finance Committee reconsider their original vote to not support this article.
- Updated sheets will be provided to the Finance Committee today, they will have a meeting this weekend and will provide their recommendations.
At 10:30am the Board interviewed Stephen Beverly for the position of Town Accountant. He has a Bachelor’s degree in Accounting and is currently the assistant town accountant for the Town of Lanesboro.
At 10:45am the Board interviewed Rebecca Wolin for the position of Town Accountant. Rebecca has been an accountant in the private sector for 30 years, but does not have experience in municipal accounting. Rebecca is running for Treasurer but decided to interview for this position in case the Treasurer position does become appointed.
A motion was made and unanimously approved to adjourn the meeting at: 11:57am
Submitted by:
Melissa Noe, Administrative Assistant
Approved by:
Monterey Select Board
Select Board Members
Minutes Book
Town Clerk
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