Select Board Meeting Minutes 1/30/24

Minutes of the meeting of 1/30/24

Meeting Opened at: 6pm

Select Board Members Present: Justin Makuc (Chair), Susan Cooper and Frank Abbott

Also present: Melissa Noe (Town Administrator), Shawn Tryon

Also present remotely: Mary Makuc

Items discussed:

1. Call to order 6:00pm
2. FY25 draft budget: An updated proposed budget was reviewed:
   1. Revised estimate provided for annual IT costs
   2. Parks has removed additional wish list items and Melissa is going to help apply for a grant for one of the items.
   3. The highway department has agreed to lower property services by $5k and supplies by $5k.
   4. The lease number for the fire company was lowered to $98k from $150k for now and Frank believes this will come down more after further discussion.
   5. Fire Truck replacement: Shawn has been notified that on February 1^st all truck prices are going up 4.5%. The increase would add approximately $50k in additional costs. The Company is offering to keep the lower price, which was quoted in December, if the Town intends to purchase the truck.The Board asked questions about the maintenance history, its age and the NFPA-1911 regulations. Shawn explained that you can get another 10 years on the NFPA guidelines by refurbishing it at 20 years, and it takes one year to do that properly for about $500k. The time between ordering and receiving a new truck is currently 24 – 28 months. Shawn and the SB reviewed the drawing of the proposed truck, and he explained the changes from the truck the currently use to the proposed truck. The Select Board unanimously agreed to direct Shawn to tell the sales company that the Town is seriously considering the tanker truck in order to hold the December price.
   6. Fire department compensation: We are waiting on Shawn to let us know if this figure can be phased in over 3 years. Once we have final numbers, a joint meeting with the finance committee and the fire chief will be scheduled.
   7. Susan will call the ambulance to discuss the fact that a 36% increase in untenable and will not be sustainable long term, and to inquire about the SBA’s financials and reimbursement rates.
3. Draft Special Town Meeting Warrant:
   1. Justin suggested ordering the articles from high to low
   2. It was discussed whether or not leftover special article monies should be used to pay for some of the smaller items on the warrant. Justin thought it is not good practice. Susan and Frank did not express the same concerns.  Susan also suggested that where possible, line items which may reasonably be expected to not be fully expended could be transferred to pay for items on the warrant.
   3. It was decided to put the recall article back on the annual town meeting warrant.
   4. The Board discussed putting an article on the Annual Town Meeting warrant regarding a second scheduled town meeting to take place each fall (if necessary) for substantive issues such as bylaw changes.  Susan noted that the length of current ATM’s has become excessive and people often leave exhausted even before important articles can be addressed.  Justin listed at least four pending issues before the Board, including the Dark Skies by law, a possible Short Term Rental by law, a Renumbering by law, and the revision of existing by laws undertaken by the ByLaw Review Committee.  Justin feels it is very important to give people plenty of advance notice of significant proposed changes in town bylaws, and both Susan and Frank agree.
   5. Town Administrator salary: Susan expressed concerns that if one of the reasons was to not repeat the errors of previous boards as members of the public perceived them to be then any suggested increase to the salary should be on this warrant. The higher salary may also involve some other associated costs if the current town administrator is not chosen for the position. Justin was opposed to placing an article on the Special Town Meeting Warrant for the Town Administrator salary because if there were to be any increase to this line as the result of recruitment and contract negotiations, this potential increase would not be known until after the Special Town Meeting date. Justin said that the Board has already acknowledged the possibility of using a reserve fund transfer to cover any minor increases in this line for the current fiscal year, and asking Annual Town Meeting for any significant and long-term increases to the line item.
4. Town Administrator position: The job has been posted on the Collins Center website. A copy was provided to M. Noe to place on the town’s website.
5. Finalize Town Administrator evaluation follow-up: After the Board approved the composite evaluation in November, Melissa had sent a response to the composite evaluation in December, and the Board had responded to Melissa’s comments. After inquiring in January, Justin learned that nothing had been placed in Melissa’s personnel file. Justin consulted Town Counsel on the issue and reported back with her advice. The Board agreed that the following will be placed into Melissa’s personnel file: the composite evaluation as approved by the Board, the individual evaluations completed by each Board member, Melissa’s responses to everyone’s evaluations, and Justin’s response to Melissa.
6. Monterey Schoolhouse: Counsel is working on this and will provide the Board with the process for selling it.
7. Current state of Bylaw Review Committee work: A draft was provided to everyone and it was suggested that the Board should schedule regular working meetings and try to tackle at least 5 – 10 pages at a time. The Board will plan to address this after the budget season is done.
8. Review of old executive session minutes for release: Justin noted that the 10/4 minutes are still labeled draft but Justin explained why. Susan and Justin suggested amending them by deleting the transcript and approving the amended version. Counsel suggested that sections could be redacted to protect confidential information. Justin thought that redacting would be the most reasonable way and would ask counsel for help in redacting. A motion was made to approve Justin’s amendment to the 10/4/21 executive session minutes which was to delete the transcript, and to have Justin work with Counsel to prepare redacted sets of 10/4/21, 11/4/21 and 11/17/21 executive session minutes for appropriate public release.  The motion was seconded and unanimously approved. Justin will work with Town Counsel to prepare redacted versions of these minutes for public release.
9. A motion was made to approve the minutes of 1/10/24. The motion was seconded and approved 2 – 0 with Justin abstaining as he was not present for that meeting.
10. Unanticipated business: none
11. Comments & questions from the public: none
12. Adjournment

A motion was made and unanimously approved to adjourn the meeting at: 8:24pm

Submitted by:

Melissa Noe, Town Administrator

Approved by:

Monterey Select Board

cc: Website (www.montereyma.gov)

Select Board Members

Minutes Book

Town Clerk

Any documents used in the meeting are listed below and are available by request at town hall.

1. Draft budget
2. Draft special town meeting warrant
3. Town Counsel’s advice regarding personnel evaluation
4. Final Town Administrator profile