Select Board Meeting Minutes1/2/20

Minutes of the meeting of 1/2/20

Meeting Opened at: 5pm

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

Also in attendance: Berkshire Record reporter Evan Triantafilidis, George Cain, Jon Sylbert, Rebecca Wolin, Chris Blair, Dennis Downing, Peter Chait

Miscellaneous Items Reviewed:

1. The Board reviewed the condensed Code of Ethics draft.  The new version will be run by counsel for comments.
2. The Board discussed the recent office hour change requests received from the Town Clerk and the challenge it presents when the requests aren’t submitted to the Board in advance for approval so that the public can be made aware of any scheduling changes.  Don will meet with the Clerk to remind her that office hour changes and time off requests (non-emergency) need to be submitted to the Board for approval well in advance.
3. Department weekly reports:   It was suggested that all departments should be submitting a weekly or biweekly report to keep the Board informed of what is being done in the office and what the office envisions for the near future.  The Board will discuss which departments this would apply to and what type of information they would like to see in the reports at the next meeting.
4. Minutes from 12/10 & 12/18/19 were approved.
5. Warrants were signed.
6. Con Comm appointment: Town Counsel informed the board that he received a complaint from Counsel representing an applicant/member of the Conservation Commission that the appointment of Peter Close at the last meeting had not been listed on the agenda.  To rectify the concern the item was listed on today’s agenda and a motion was made to appoint Peter Close to a 3 year term to the Conservation Commission.  The motion was seconded and unanimously approved.
7. The Board discussed the need to have a conversation about the future of grant writing and how they are sought.  A memo will be sent to all departments inquiring about any departmental issues that may exist that a grant may help with.
8. Chris Blair came in to continue the ongoing discussions concerning Broadband in Monterey.  Don recapped his conversation with Michael Baldino of the Massachusetts Broadband Institute (MBI) and the options available.  Also discussed was the current status of negotiations between Fiber Connect and MBI after talking with.  A meeting will be scheduled with Fiber Connect to determine if there is an agreeable way forward. 

The Board met with members of the Finance Committee to discuss the following:

1. The Select Board expressed their concern about the way Finance Committee is scheduling the budget meetings without input on availability from the Select Board members and Administrative Assistant who have been a part of the process in years past.  The Finance Committee stated they plan to provide a list of dates and times to meet with the smaller departments in case anyone else wants to attend.  Don Coburn made a motion to proceed with the budget process as was done last year with the Administrative Assistant scheduling all the budget meetings to be held with one Select Board member, one Finance Committee member, the department head and the Administrative Assistant.  The motion was not seconded.  Discussion ensued.  Don made a motion that all the meetings with the smaller departments should be scheduled as non-public joint meetings with one member each from all members of the Select Board and from the Finance Committee and with Melissa in attendance. With respect to the meetings with the main departments Don agreed to those meetings being public with all Select Board and Melissa present.  Said meetings to be chaired by Kenn. The motion was seconded and unanimously approved by the Select Board without any disagreement being expressed by the Finance Committee.
2. The Finance Committee inquired as to what the cost of living increase would be for FY21 and suggested that 2% be used.  Don made a motion to table that decision pending further research by the Select Board.  The motion to table was approved and the decision will be made at a later date.
3. IT Steering Committee: The Finance Committee is proposing forming a committee to research an IT audit to determine our inventory, security risk, etc.  Jon asked permission to have a local company come it to provide an estimate for services, and the board granted permission.
4. M. Noe was asked to seek an additional written opinion from counsel on revolving accounts and setting spending limits since Jon insisted that the method suggested by the town accountant was improper.

At 7:16pm the Board discussed the need to go into Executive Session as per MGL c30A, Section 21 #6.  All agreed.  Roll call was taken.  Present: Chair, Kenn Basler, Don Coburn, Steve Weisz, Finance Committee Chair, George Cain, Jon Sylbert and Rebecca Wolin.  The Board agreed they would not return to open session.

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.