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Select Board Meeting Minutes 3/19/2020

Meeting date: 
Thursday, March 19, 2020

Minutes of the remote emergency meeting of 3/19/20

Meeting Opened at: 2pm

Select Board Members Participating Remotely: Kenneth Basler, Chair, Donald Coburn, Steven Weisz

Also in attendance: Evan Trifandopolis, Berkshire Record Reporter, Steve Moore, Monterey News Editor

The following items were discussed:

  1. COVID-19 brief/update:
    1. Overlashing: Fiber Connect sent an email to the Board about the FCC approving overlashing the MBI lines.  The Select Board will draft a letter to MBI supporting this and asking them to move as quickly as possible to allow Fiber Connect to rapidly deploy their fiber cable and provide 1Gbps broadband service to the unserved western side of Monterey.
    2. The Board discussed if declaring a state of emergency in Monterey to best prepare for what may lie ahead and to have access to FEMA, MEMA and other resources was necessary.  The Board was uncomfortable with declaring a state of emergency without knowing officially what it allows Monterey to do that they normally wouldn’t be able to do.
    3. Elections and terms:  Don is concerned that we might be unable to hold our elections due to the current precautions being taken to avoid large gatherings. Currently elections can only be postponed by filing a complaint in Superior Court or obtaining passage of a special act from legislature; no local board or official can postpone an election.  Smitty Pignatelli informed M. Noe this morning that he is requesting the Governor act on this immediately to allow for the towns to address this.
    4. Article/update for the Monterey News: The editor for the news has asked the Board to provide answers to several questions about COVID-19 for the April issue.  It was agreed that the chair would write the article on behalf of the SB.  An article will also be placed in the Select Board corner.

A motion was made and unanimously approved to adjourn the meeting at: 2:20pm

 

Submitted by:

Melissa Noe, Administrative Assistant

Approved by:

Monterey Select Board

 

cc: Website (www.montereyma.gov)

Select Board Members

Minutes Book

Town Clerk

 

Any documents referred to in the minutes are available by request at town hall.