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Select Board
Minutes of the meeting of 1/9/19
Meeting Opened at: 3:30pm
Select Board Members Present: Carol Edelman, Chairperson and Donald Coburn
Kenn Basler participated remotely via phone
Also in attendance: Clark Rowell, Mickey Gervas, Mark Makuc, Don Torrico, Stephen Moore, Alice Boyd, Kay Purcell, Dawn Lemon, Melissa Vincent, Ian, Lisanne Finston
Miscellaneous Items Reviewed:
- Warrants were signed.
- Clark Rowell of Unibank came in to discuss the upcoming note for the library construction project. He reviewed the projected note schedule. Bids for the first 1 year note will go out tomorrow or Friday, then reviewed and accepted by the Treasurer and then signed by the Board at the meeting on the 23rd. The projected date that the monies would be available will be February 5th.
- Don Torrico, Building Inspector came in to continue the discussion around his request to change his office and inspection hours to evening only. Torrico proposed having another Building Inspector (Jeff Clemons) in the office for posted hours from 7:30 – 9am on Mondays in addition to Torrico’s office hours of Tuesday and Thursday 4:30 – 6pm. He proposed taking $4k from his salary to pay the alternate ($38/hr but proposed as a salary). Carol and Kenn prefer that the morning hours be on a day other than Monday as there are 9 Monday holidays over 12 months. Carol and Kenn suggested a 6 month trial period for this change and to add a disclaimer on the computer permitting site that any questions, comments or concerns regarding the new hours or the manner in which any inspection was done should be
directed to the Administrative Assistant. After an objection from Don C to Kenn's proposal that homeowners or builders be encouraged to respond to a written survey and to do so anonymously, the Board unanimously agreed to use the disclaimer rather than a survey. Discussion also ensued that with changes being proposed, this would also be the time to address re-classifying the positions in order to pay them properly under federal guidelines (Exempt, non-exempt, hourly or salary). A motion was made by Don C to try the proposal made by Torrico including the $4k reduction in his salary without setting a probationary period because that was unnecessary. Discussion ensued. A member of the audience, Stephen Moore, began asking a question without asking to be recognized by the Chair. Don C objected to and made a motion to not allow the public to speak until the time allowed later for such to occur. The motion was not seconded. Carol made a motion to allow
the public to speak then as they would be contributing to the discussion and decision making. Kenn seconded the motion. A vote was called. Kenn voted in the affirmative, Carol voted in the affirmative and Don C voted against. Residents Stephen Moore and Scott Jenssen were each allowed to speak and offered their support of the change. The proposed probationary period was raised again. Don C rejected the idea and then made a motion to call the vote of the 1st motion he had made. The motion was restated as before. Kenn seconded the motion. Kenn, Carol and Don all voted in the affirmative.
- Torrico submitted to letters of commendation he received to the Board and asked that they be put in his personnel file.
- Torrico inquired about a residents request to waive the re-permitting fee for a project that didn’t begin within the 6 month period afforded by law. According to Torrico we have never had this happen in Monterey before. Kenn made a motion to put 75% of the original permit fee toward the new permit. The motion was seconded. Don C, Carol and Kenn all voted in the affirmative.
- Torrico requested that Owen Wright (the conditional appointee, non-certified building inspector in New Marlborough) be appointed as an additional Building Inspector in Monterey to cover any absences. A motion was made to appoint Owen Wright as an alternate local inspector. The motion was seconded. Discussion ensued. Don C wanted to meet him and see his resume first because he is not yet certified by the State as a building inspector. Don T noted that Wright still had to take and pass an exam. The motion was tabled.
- Torrico asked about sharing the expense for his cell phone which is used for personal and business calls. He requested that the town pay $35 each month of the approximately $50 bill. A motion was made to approve the request which was seconded. Don C, Kenn and Carol all approved the request.
- Alice Boyd of Bailey Boyd and Associates came in to hold the Community Development Block Grant hearing for the FY19 regional grant. While here she notified the Board that we are eligible to apply for up to $1.3million for a regional grant. However, in order to do this we would need to give back approximately $200,000 of the original grant that was awarded to only Monterey. A motion was made to apply for the FY19 CDBG grant and allow the Select Board Chair to sign all necessary contracts and documents. The motion was seconded. Kenn, Don and Carol all voted in the affirmative. A motion was made to return the excess funds of the FY17 grant contract. The motion was seconded. Carol, Don and Kenn all voted in the affirmative.
- Alice Boyd also introduced Melissa Vincent and Dawn Lemon of TRI which is the company administering the FY18 Community Development Block Grant.
- Carol made a motion to adjourn the meeting which was seconded by Kenn. Don C inquired “What for?” and listed items that we still had to address from a printed copy of an agenda he was looking at. Carol and Melissa both pointed out that the items he noted were all addressed last week and that he was looking at an older version of the agenda..
- Don C then inquired about the email from counsel stating that he would be attending the meeting tomorrow at 4pm and he asked who invited him. Carol replied that when she called him for advice on the complaints that had been filed it was decided that it would be best if counsel attended. Don disagreed and felt that Carol did not have the authority to make this decision without input from the other Board members.
A motion was made and unanimously approved to adjourn the meeting at: 5:01pm
Submitted by:
Melissa Noe, Administrative Assistant
Approved by:
Monterey Select Board
Select Board Members
Minutes Book
Town Clerk
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