Select Board Minutes

Minutes of the meeting of 5/15/19

Meeting Opened at: 4pm

Select Board Members Present: Donald Coburn and Steven Weisz

Also in attendance: Cheryl Zellman, Julio Rodriguez, Shawn Tryon, Kay Purcell, Dennis Lynch, Maryellen Brown, Jon Sylbert, Rebecca Wolin, Andrew Shaw, Mickey Jervas, Peter Chait, Steve Moore, Linda Thorpe, Mary Makuc, Adam Chait, Francie Leventhal, Kyle Pierce, Joe Baker, Laurie Shaw, Ben Krupka, Derek Geser

Miscellaneous Items Reviewed:

• Residents were present to express their concern about the cancellation of the Memorial Day parade and ask that the decision be reconsidered.  With regard to Board’s decision to cancel the parade at last week’s meeting had been due to concerns that there wasn’t enough time to properly plan a parade, the construction fencing and potential for danger at the library, the potential for staging and construction at the general store and lack of participation.  The lack of willing participants to volunteer to be on a Memorial Day committee to help plan was also discussed.  Don said he owed everyone an apology for making a quick decision and waiting until the last minute to attempt to plan. Steve made a motion to establish a Memorial Day Parade Committee comprised of Mary Makuc, Andrew Shaw, Dennis Lynch, Cheryl Zellman, Kay Purcell, Linda Thorpe, Francie Leventhal and Steve Weisz.  The motion was seconded and unanimously approved.  Don made a motion to reinstate the campaign to have the parade and ask the newly formed committee to work with Melissa to plan for this May.   The motion was seconded and unanimously approved.
• Fiber Connect internet service at town hall.  M. Noe provided the current prices and speeds Fiber Connect offers and the costs we are currently paying.  Don made a motion to switch the town’s internet to Fiber Connect’s services at town hall.  The motion was seconded and unanimously approved.
• Fiber Connect’s request to begin negotiations on the proposal submitted in response to our RFP was discussed.  Ben Krupka, a resident, expressed concern that the residents of Monterey want internet and it appears that the Select Board is making Fiber Connect jump through hoops to make it happen.  Rebecca Wolin, Finance Committee member noted that any future monies for this will require a special town meeting and the Finance Committee should be a part of any discussions and negotiations.  The Board is working on scheduling a joint meeting with the Town of Egremont to discuss MBI’s suggestion that we move forward together.
• The Board met with members of the Friends of Wilson McLaughlin House (FWMH) to discuss the transition of the management of the Community Center.  As of June 30the the agreement with the FWMH will expire and the FWMH have decided not to continue management as a group, they provided a list of interested parties willing to continue assisting with operations and programming.  After much discussion a motion was made to appoint the following 13 people, Laurie Shaw, Mary Makuc, Christine Goldfinger, Wendy Jensen, Elaine Lynch, Kyle Pierce, Roz Halberstadter, Wendy Germain, Joann Bell, Doug McTavish, Libby Wolf, Susan Cain and Dorene Beller for a one year term to the Monterey Community Center Committee which was seconded and unanimously approved. A motion was made to appoint Dennis Lynch as an alternate on this committee which was seconded and unanimously approved.  The Board agreed to discuss appointing a select board liaison to the committee to assist with the transition and the reporting and items the Community Center will be responsible for at their next meeting.  The FWMH confirmed they will not be dissolving their 501c3.
• Caroline Massa of Berkshire Regional Planning Commission came in to explain and have the Board sign the REPA MOU which will allow for BRPC to provide free technical assistance to Monterey with regard to the Green Community Grant for a 2 year period.  A motion was made to accept the MOU and apply for the new grant.  The motion was seconded and unanimously approved.
• Don made a motion to change the Select Board meetings to twice a month on alternate Wednesdays at 7pm.  The motion was not seconded and failed. Steve explained that we should wait until there was a full Board present to discuss any changes to meeting times to ensure proposed changes work for everyone.
• The Board met with members of the Finance Committee and our Town Accountant to review the following:
  1. Everyone reviewed the terms and scope of the Collins Center proposal received last fall.  It was agreed to move forward with the current proposal, a contract will be requested.  The Collins Center has said they would be able to start in July and be finished in November.
  2. IT department: Jon is concerned that the current setup isn’t adequate and we should have an IT department as well as an IT steering committee.  The Finance Committee will work on a proposal for next year’s budget.
  3. 319 grant: Dennis Lynch came in to inform the Board that the 319 grant for Lake Garfield requires $125,000 to be available as the town’s match for the application.  Dennis is requesting the Board hold a special town meeting, the request was not approved.  Dennis also requested $1,800 to pay for the engineer to do the preliminary work.  The Finance Committee expressed that you can’t enter into any contracts/work without approval from the Board.  It was agreed that this grant would not be pursued.
  4. Jon reported on the very productive chat he had with Derek and Justin a few weeks ago.  Memos are being drafted to send out to all departments clarifying everyone’s responsibilities and deadlines to do we can to ensure the schedule a and free cash certified are completed no later than late October of each year.  A year-end memo will be going out soon with the deadlines for FY19 bills and such.
  5. M. Noe informed the Boards that the auditors are currently working on the FY18 audit and plan to be in the office in the beginning of June.  Once the FY18 audit is done we are going to immediately begin working on the FY19 books.
• Warrants were signed.
• Minutes from 5/8/19 were approved.
• Mail was reviewed.

A motion was made and unanimously approved to adjourn the meeting at: 6:02pm

Submitted by:

Melissa Noe, Administrative Assistant

Approved by:

Monterey Select Board

cc: Website (www.montereyma.gov)

Select Board Members

Minutes Book

Town Clerk