Select Board Meeting Minutes 6/10/2020

Minutes of the meeting of 6/10/20

Meeting Opened at: 9:05am

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

Also in attendance remotely: Roy Carwile, Dennis Lynch, George Cain, Rebecca Wolin, Hillel Maximon

The following items were discussed:

1. COVID-19 updates:
   1. Reopening town hall: Door shields have been constructed to maintain a 6 foot distance.  For the moment the town hall will still be locked.  Beginning Monday, June 15, 2020 offices will meet with the public by appointment only. 
   2. Park, baseball field and basketball field reopening: The baseball field is open but not to groups.  The playground and basketball court will remain closed for now until further guidance is received from the Governor’s office.
2. FY21 budget and warrants:
   1. The Finance Committee has voted to keep the $5,000 in for the fencing and shrubbery for the town hall parking lot.  It was agreed to add this back to the warrant.
   2. A motion was made to approve the letter to be sent with the warrants.  The motion was seconded and unanimously approved.
   3. A motion was made to approve the annual town meeting warrant.  The motion was seconded and unanimously approved.
   4. The finance committee requested that additional information be added to the warrant with regard to the monies used from free cash, stabilization and borrowing and a comparison from FY20 to FY21.  The Board felt that this information was more appropriate to be presented by the finance committee at their informational meeting to be held prior to the annual town meeting.
3. Broadband:
   1. The Board discussed the ad hoc members of the community organized committee and clarified that their role will be purely advisory (technical and support), this is not an officially appointed committee.  The town still needs to approve the MBI agreement and requests the ad hoc member’s technical expertise and guidance on whether an outside consultant should be hired.  Hillel Maximon reported on the last ad hoc meeting they had with Fiber Connect.  Fiber Connect is waiting for MBI to sign a contract with them and then the town signing a contract with them.  Once those items have been completed Fiber Connect will need National Grid and Verizon to act on the make ready applications that have not been acted on.
   2. Michael Baldino has requested a meeting with Monterey to discuss the proposed agreement.  M. Noe will schedule this for a future Select Board meeting.
4. VADAR accounting software contract: The current contract will expire on June 30, 2020.  The new contract for FY21 was approved and signed.
5. Town elections:
   1. The Clerk will be holding the elections at the pavilion with social distancing measures.  She has reported that she will be using a reduced staff and will provide them with all the proper sanitation materials.
   2. The Clerk would like to reduce the hours from 12noon – 7pm to 2 – 7pm.  A motion was made to reduce the polling hours to 2 – 7pm once confirmation has been received from counsel that this is allowable.  The motion was seconded and unanimously approved.
6. Town Meeting:  The precautions being taken to hold a safe town meeting were discussed.
7. 604b grant: Dennis Lynch presented a 604b grant for the Board to approve.  Since they did not have time to review the application this will be tabled to next week.
8. Fiber Connect shelter request: 2 new proposed locations have been approved on the highway property rather than the initial request to place it on Fox Hill.
9. Minutes of 6/3/20 were approved.
10. Steve provided an update he received from the owner of the Monterey General Store.  They are finishing up the permitting process for the outside deck and the final construction items are being finished.  Progress has not stopped.
11. Warrants were signed.
12. Administrative Assistant Items:
13. Mail was reviewed

A motion was made and unanimously approved to adjourn the meeting at: 10:31am

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

1. None