Select Board Meeting Minutes 10/18/22
Minutes of the meeting 10/18/22
Meeting date: Tuesday October 18, 2022
Meeting Opened at 5:01pm
Select Board Members Present: Justin Makuc, Chair, Susan Cooper
Select Board Members Absent: Scott Jenssen
Also Present: Frank Abbott, Michele Miller, Ilene Marcus, Melissa Noe, Mickey Jervas, Laurie McArthur (secretary)
Also Present Remotely: Seth Jenkins, Tom Sawyer, Don Coburn, Jeff Zimmerman
Meeting with Finance Committee
New Business
- Winter road watch policy
This is a proposal about rotating weekends and holidays for who would be watching the roads and working with the director of operations to determine when to call in people for plowing, or sanding, or salting. The compensation portion is made up of two parts, there is a winter travel stipend that runs for 6 months and there is a request to raise that from $150 per month to $200 per month. This is paid for out of the account: snow and ice, salt and sand. The second monetary component holds a proposal for a minimum of a 3 hour call in time rather than a 2-hour call- in time, which only comes into effect if someone is called into work either before or after a shift or outside of their shift for a lesser amount of time. If an individual is called in for 1 or 1.5 hours then the minimum call time would come into effect due to inconvenience; however, if someone was called in for 5 hours the call-in-time order would not be in effect.
Justin said that the stipend would go to all five members of the highway department. The proposed stipend would be an increase of $50 per month for 5 members with a total of $250 per month for 6 months. Justin said that the minimal call-in time can be difficult to assess because it is not always immediately obvious if it would have kicked in or not. Justin requested a list of minimum call in times for surrounding areas in Berkshire county. Justin commented that in regard to the minimum call in time, 2 hours is not really competitive, and there was concern that individuals may be deterred for Monterey being stingy with minimum call in time. Other towns were identified for the following stipends: Sandisfield- 3 hours, Tyringham- 3 hours, Alford-4 hours, Sheffield- 3 hours, New Marlboro- 3 hours. Justin said that 3 hours would be better in keeping up with the market rate.
Justin asked if it would be better to incorporate a stipend into an hourly wage. Melissa said the hourly was already approved at a town meeting through the operating budget. It was reported that Jim is going to propose for a 2024 hourly rate increase in addition to the stipend. Justin said that the rate increase would be more attractive rather than a hidden bonus that is not necessarily seen at the start of employment. This would spread it out over the entire year, and may fluctuate (for example $200 over the course of 6 months). The $200 would come out of the snow and ice, salt and sand account, but it is not as transparent as putting it into the highway fund for over time. Incorporate the stipend into a raise for the highway dept: Melissa said that they would not be able to do this until 2024, but will address it when budget talks begin.
Michele said that she had nothing more to say about it and was in favor of increasing the stipend. Michele said she wanted to confirm the $539 for 3 hours of the whole team being here. The director does not get overtime because he is a salaried exempt employee, but he does get the stipend. The director is looking for an approval tonight. Michele makes motion for the Finance Committee to approve the highway dept stipend and 3 hour call in time: Frank yes, Michele yes, Ilene yes. Motion carries.
After clarifying what is being accepted, Michele makes a motion to accept the proposal of the director of operations in regard to the winter road watch proposal with the following amendments: stipend will be $200 per month and applies to all employees listed below, and that we accept the 3 hour minimum call-in time compensation for all of the 4 employees excepting for the director: Foreman and Highway 2, 3, 4. Michele makes the motion: Ilene, yes, Frank, yes, Michele yes. Motion carries.
Justin supports increasing call in time to 3 hours. Compensates people to get up and leave what they are doing and take care of roads. Justin feels strongly that the stipend needs to be incorporated into wages. This would need to wait until next year. He does not think it is appropriate to take money from snow and ice, salt and sand for this purpose. He said that he thinks the Town is hurting itself by having hidden bonuses.
Susan spoke in favor of the winter bonus rather than including the stipend in the wages. Susan said workers may prefer to see the bonus for the particular work rather than have it spread across the year. Melissa said the way it is phrased, (ie. This is your salary, plus you get a stipend, and this), it may appear as a perk and seem more special.
Ilene said that it is a management issue. She said that the guys like to get over time or when they are called to come in during the winter for the extra money. If it is smoothed out and they do not feel the bump up in the winter if it is spread across the year, then they will have to increase again the following year. This is going to make the guys happy, and they are going to want it during the season in which they are working.
Melissa said this is an on-call stipend from November to April specifically for being on call. Justin asked what the actual name of the stipend was, and what other towns have a stipend and how much it is for? Melissa said that Stockbridge offers $300 each for Saturday and Sunday, the town of Egremont offers $200 per week on a rotating schedule between- November 15-april 15, and no other information was available. Melissa stated that the stipend guarantees that the guys will be in town during a storm and will be available since it is on-call pay. She said that this is no different than what the police get for their on-call stipend. It is just called on-call pay. Susan asked how many events there have been on average over the past 5 years. Melissa said that Jim has that information.
Justin moves that Select Board increase on-call pay winter stipend for all 5 members of the highway department to $200 per month from $150 per month (the stipend continues to be offered 6 months a year), and increase minimum call in time from 2 hours to 3 hours, while accepting the winter road watch proposal for weekends and holidays. It was clarified that there is no call-in time or overtime for the salaried Director of Operations. Susan seconded the motion. Justin calls for a vote on motion: Susan votes yes, Justin votes yes- motion carries.
- Capital plan process
The Finance Committee wanted to share with the Select Board what they have been doing to show the realistic needs of the town. Starting with a list and looking for input to add to the list. Michele said that additional items may be added after the feasibility summary is complete, and the items listed have not yet been ranked in order. This is a very preliminary list in which the Finance Committee would like the Select Board to identify if they believe something that should be on the list may be missing.
The Finance Committee was also inquiring about the means in which the listed items can be funded, along with consequences of funding vs not funding certain items. Michele identified that it would have to be taken into consideration as to whether or not everything will be funded annually, or if some projects may take precedence over others due to the budget. Michele said that the Finance Committee does not have a plan beyond presenting, collating and making info available to citizens. The Finance Committee is also trying to develop criteria for evaluating each of the listed items. Three criteria were identified, which include: fiscal responsibility (the likelihood of being funded, obtaining grants, and can we afford it), administrative efficiency, and community impact.
Ilene said that we really need the feasibility study prior to making a decision to tend to something on the list in order to determine priorities. Some items have an order that they should be completed in.
Susan asked about the cost of a 2025 F550 for $180,000. At this year’s Annual Town Meeting, $160,000 was approved for a similar F550 truck. Justin responds that it is a fully loaded truck with plows, a wing plow, a salt and sand spreader, and heavy towing power.
Susan asked about the Chapter 90 funds. The Chapter 90 funds are for roads and equipment for roads.
Justin asked about cruisers 1260, 1261, 1270. It was listed that they are replacing 1270 in 2024, replacing 1260 in 2026. Justin said they asked the police dept if 1270 was available and he was told that it would be used for defensive driving and classes, along with being used as a part time vehicle if needed as a backup. Melissa said that the current thinking is that they will keep all 3 vehicles, one will be the chiefs’, one will be the part-time vehicle, and one will be the defensive driving vehicle or back-up vehicle if one of the cruisers has to go into the shop. Justin said his understanding was they were going to hold on to it for the time being but were not going to replace it. There was discussion about whether the Police Department is going to have two or three cruisers in the long-term.
Melissa asked the Select Board to look through the digital files to see if things were missing so the Finance Committee could add this information in.
Michele said we need the town hall feasibility study, need to deal with furnace, storage issues, wet downstairs. In regard to the storage issues, does this mean physical space storage or digital record investment.
Tom Sawyer with the Planning Board asked how the Planning Board can help. He said hopefully a report will be finished by June and included in that report will be recommendations based on feedback, including some financing avenues that might be available to the town. He thought that would be the best time to start adding those things to the list to see the viability and how they will fit into the budget. Tom asked how they see the process going? Susan said there is a difference between people imagining appealing ideas and researching the reality, complexity and cost of carrying them out. She is not sure if it should go onto the capital plan prior to investigating it. Frank said that they need the plan and feedback and they need to stay focused on the plan and information they have now. Tom and Seth offered to assist in the meeting if needed.
Tom said they are working on the master plan. Tom said the purpose of Master Plan is to judge the temperature of the town and let them decide what is beneficial. Getting some results onto a list is beneficial to keep visibility of Master Plan. He said they will have spent a year’s worth of time putting this list together. Melissa requested that Seth send the current version of the Master Plan survey. Susan said that for some projects that come out of Master Plan, she would like to see people form a committee to see what commitment would have to go into this (ie how much would this cost, what would need to be done, etc). When they come back with a plan of where the money would come from and how it would be financed, she would be willing to put it on the table and talk about it, as opposed to it being dumped in the Select Board’s lap.
Justin commented we had a capital plan that the Select Board and Finance Committee agreed upon. He thinks that this fall or winter, the goal should be a document that can get approved by Select Board and Finance Committee. Michele is optimistic that the document will be cleaned up and presentable in time for the budget meeting.
The Financial Committee is asking the Select Board to review the list and give feedback.
Correspondence, minutes, public comment
- Comments & questions from the public
Mickey said that she had some additional business about the time clock. She would like an answer from the Finance Committee soon so they can get moving on with this. There was a lot of discussion about it, so she came to ask at the meeting.
Melissa said that if you have not been paying staff for time they are not working then they can sue for triple damages. Susan said that they should be paying individuals for their work. Mickey said that they do not have the money in their budget.
Susan said that people need to be paid for their work and that given the modest increase she believes we can find a way to cover the overage if necessary. Susan said that as soon as Scott is back then they can discuss it since Justin has to recluse himself. Susan said they will have to look at the budget lines and see where they can move funds around.
Mickey agreed that if they are going to do this, they have to have money for it.
Michele said that it was not known that Mickey had not been paying her staff for services rendered, and it raises several issues that need to be addressed. Mickey said that it used to be that individuals were being paid for their shift. If someone comes late and is stuck there they should be paid for that.
Frank asked about the $450. Mickey said it would add $450 for attending monthly meetings.
Don asked if there was a moderator for the meeting, and Justin said he had recused himself from the meeting, and suggested Susan moderate. Susan said that we are going to sort this out. Not sure where the $450 came from, but Melissa, Susan, and Scott will look into where money can be taken from to ensure that everyone is being paid for their time.
Michele said that she would like to suggest that they table the request. The Select Board can discuss tomorrow night at the meeting and the Finance Committee can discuss it next week at their meeting. Susan said they might have to wait one more week for Scott to return.
Michele motioned to adjourn the meeting of the Finance Committee. Frank yes, Ilene yes. Finance Committee adjourned at 6:08 pm.
Melissa requests the Board approve an increase in the spending limit at Balley Galley by $785.28 for the purchase of a new refrigerator today. Susan asked if Melissa can put together some numbers for the revolving limit. Melissa requested an email with the questions about the revolving fund to be able to discuss tomorrow in the meeting. The Select Board will take up the request to increase the spending limit of the Balley Galley revolving fund at tomorrow’s meeting.
Susan asked Frank that if a department consistently maintains that it does not have enough hours to maintain work needs, what kind of information would you be looking for to document that need, what level of precision would you expect. Frank said he would ask what is getting completed, and what is not getting completed and how important is it that that task is put off. What is attendance of that staff (sick leave, treatment, etc). I would ask to breakdown the priority of work and what happens on things that are delayed periodically. Susan- what kind of time line would you want to see per week, per pay period. Frank would start with a general conversation, then determine what he would like to see. Frank said he would say tell me some incidents this has resulted in. Have a conversation to learn about the whole picture and gather detail as you go. Look at breaks, lunch, other time off. Start broad and narrow your scope.
Motion to adjourn Susan-yes, Justin- yes. Meeting adjourned at 6:14pm.
Documents used at the meeting:
- Winter Road Watch proposal
- Draft revised Capital Plan