Finance Committee Meeting Minutes 3/17/21
Finance Committee Minutes for 3-17-21
Attendees – Rebecca Wolin - Chair
Jon Sylbert
Michelle Miller – for only part of the meeting as she left shortly after the meeting started
The meeting started at 5:30 pm
Agenda
Budget discussion
Items not on the agenda that come up
Meeting minutes
Rebecca started the meeting by asking Jon to start off with a list of letters he wanted to read and have an vote on if the finance committee would send those letters out. Michele objected as she only wanted to discuss the budget. Jon explained that we had to address the OML complaint, as well as, other letters which were time sensitive.
Michele disagreed and left the meeting.
We received an email from Karen Williams a part time resident of Monterey
- Jon read the letter, Jon made a motion to send the letter to the select board, Rebecca second, both voted yes
Karen’s letter
My parents built the house on 39 Cronk Rd in 1967. The house is a very important hub for us. My parents who are in their late 80's still try to spend weekend in holidays at the house unless the weather is very bad. I live in Sweden now but travel back almost every Christmas. Our son has grown up with the house as his anchor in the US.
With that being said, as a quasi resident, not from a 175 year old lineage, but stakeholders from before it was fancy to be in the Berkshires, I try to keep up with local issues and lend support if I can from afar.
I watched the replay of the, in my perception, toxic meeting on March 3. I commend Jon S for staying on point and focused, I commend Rebecca for not tolerating being "man-splained" and talked over.
We support that the Finance committee drive ensuring that the town entities are in compliance with the relevant authorities.
If there is anything we can do to support orderly budgeting and meetings (it was pretty horrible to be honest) please let me know.
Kind regards,
/Karin Williams
2 Jon then read a letter to the board of assesors from the finance committee
Jon made the motion to read the letter and have it sent to the board of assesors, Rebecca second the letter, motion passed
This is the letter
Email to BoA Dear Board of Assessors, The Finance Committee is requesting copies of the Monterey Fire Company, Ltd.’s FY2020 State Tax Form 3ABC, or, if this form has not been submitted, copies of the Monterey Fire Company, Ltd.’s written request for an extension to file and the Board of Assessors written response granting the extension. Thank you for your attention in this matter.
3 Jon made a motion to read the response to the OML complaint and have it sent to Mx Noe. Rebecca second the motion and the motion carried
Here is the letter which was sent
[Response to OML complaint] Dear Ms. Noe,
the Finance Committee has received your Open Meeting Law complaint dated March 11, 2021. We find no merit in your OML complaint. Our Finance Committee meetings are all accessible to the public. The Chair requests that attendees provide their names so that the meetings are not subject to “bombing.” Neither Ms. Noe nor Sgt. Fahey provided their names using Zoom at any point in the meeting. Both Ms. Noe and Sgt. Fahey, though he never identified himself, were granted access. Zoom software provides a procedure for attendees to identify themselves by name. If Ms. Noe was not aware of this procedure, that does not indicate in any way that the Chair was refusing to admit her. As soon as the Finance Committee was made aware of who the caller was, access was granted. Again, if Ms. Noe could not hear the meeting, this is not due to any action by the Chair. In fact, the Chair made a note of this in our public meeting notice as follows: Due to Zoom bombing, to be let into the room please change your tag line to your name. if using a phone there are specific bu9ons on your phone you can use to accomplish this or please email me through the website with your number so I will know it is a real person. It is obvious the Chair was making every effort to provide appropriate access to the meeting. There is no remedial action needed. The Finance Committee always gives as much technical support to attendees as we can, but attendees must learn how to use the software. As required by law (see below), the Finance Committee is notifying the Attorney General that the Board has responded to the complainant and provided a response. We have copied the Attorney General's Division of Open Government email address on this email: openmeeting@state.ma.us Sincerely, Relevant text of the OML: Step 2. The Public Body’s Response
4 Jon made a motion to read and send the following letter to chief Tryon – Rebecca seconded the motion and it carried.
This is the letter
Dear Chief Tryon,
The Finance Committee would like to put to rest the ongoing question of when the Monterey Fire Company, Ltd. received quotes for the ramp railing installed at the Firehouse and what the final cost was to the taxpayers. Ms. Noe, in an email dated 3/3/21, stated that you did not receive a quote for the railing until June of 2020: Copy of the email below about the fire company railing. I got my aug and sept dates mixed up on the mee;ng but all monies were spent in FY21, the gentleman that did the railing the MFC never even met un;l the June annual town mee;ng in 2020 which I have a copy of a text if you’d like to see it. This email references another email dated 12/30/20: So with regard to Rebecca’s claims that the fire company paid for their railing with last year’s money: that statement is en;rely false. Town mee;ng approved the $32k on June 30, 2020. On July 7, 2020 an es;mate was received from the contractor. On July 23, 2020 the fire company sent a down payment and the materials were ordered and work began in August. In both cases, Ms. Noe claims that you did not receive a quote until June 2020, and that you did receive a quote on July 7, 2020. But on June 16, 2020, I received an email from you stating that you had received a quote for the railing a year before: Jon, I was asked for proof of the cost and provided it aPer a discussion about budgets for this year. That’s how it ended up there and it’s a year + old quote so I doubt that it will s;ll be at that number. I’m not happy with how much it costs either to be honest with you and I tried finding lower es;mates but no one could touch it. Clearly there is a discrepancy here. The best way to resolve this question is for the Fire Company to provide the dated, paid invoice(s) and a canceled check or checks for any expenses paid toward the railing. This should be a simple matter. We look forward to having this issue resolved.
At this time Rebecca made a motion to go into executive session. Don became very upset and asked to know what the meeting was about. Rebecca explained that it was confidential. When Don asked for the reason Rebecca mentioned that it was regarding a criminal matter.
Jon made a motion to adjourn the meeting from the executive session, Rebecca seconded and the motion passed.
Don then said we would be very sorry for this. –
Rebecca and Jon went into executive session.