Select Board/Finance Com. Budget Hearings

Tuesday, February 6, 2018, 7:00 pm until 9:00 pm
Town Hall, 9 Montague Rd
A meeting of the Selectboard

Meeting of Selectboard

Members: (Quorum)

  • Present: Peter d'Errico, Chair, at 7:00 PM
  • Present: Tom Hankinson, at 7:00 PM
  • Present: Julie Shively, at 7:00 PM

Also Present:

  • Margie M.
  • Lisa S.
  • Jeff S. (Montague Reporter)
  • Tom P.
  • and Phil C.
  • for the Finance Com.

See original Agenda Final Minutes

Meeting opened: 7:00 PM

Meeting closed: 9:45 PM

  1. Meeting Preliminaries

  2. Appointments

    • 7:00: Elementary School Budget Hearing

      General Discussion...
      Hearing (also present: Margot L., Jennifer H., Bruce (School Admin.), Audra G., Tara A., Bethany S. (School Com.), teachers, parents
      Tom Powers, Finance Committee, laid the groundwork for the hearing as an information-gathering meeting. The school presented their budget drivers and a budget with an increase of 7%. The Finance Committee and Select Board asked if they could have a list of cuts that the School Committee would make if the presented was what was asked for, a budget with a 2% increase. Some attendees made comments about the importance of the school and its programs, heartfelt comments were also made about the financial position the town is in. The School Committee will email the requested list to the board and attend the March 6 budget hearing.
      Also discussed the lack of heat at the school on Monday, Feb. 5. Oil supplier agreed it was their fault, should not happen again.

    • 7:45: Garrett Connolly, Cannabis Cultivation

      General Discussion...
      Marijuana Cultivation (Nicholas Pettipas)
      Nicholas represents a company called Gnani. The company is looking for an indoor space of about 7-10,000 square feet in which to grow cannabis. He was mostly feeling out if the Town intended to pass a moratorium or limit the cannabis business in Town. The Board said that the process for Gnani would be the same as for any other business and that if they needed a special permit or variance to run the business in Town that the Planning and Zoning Boards are competent to guide them.
      Nicholas outlined the benefits to the Town: employment of 10-15 local people, tax payments, and a “host” agreement including impact fee.

    • 8:00 : Highway Dept. Budget Hearing

      General Discussion...
      Hearing (David Finn and Matthew Munson also present)
      David introduced Matthew, who had worked for two days on trial, to the board and asked that he be appointed to the Highway Dept. Matthew has all the licenses required to perform the job. The Board asked a few questions. Motion: To appoint Matthew Munson to the Highway Dept. at $17.00/hour pending a satisfactory physical. Vote: 3-0 in favor. The board discussed that the department is in transition and were not sure how long the position would be funded.
      David came in with a budget within the 2% requested. Some changes were made within the budget and a line item for uniforms was added.
      One unsigned letter came to the board and one from Brian and Nancy E. concerning the use of salt on the roads. The board asked David to address this. He gave an explanation of his method for treating the roads using only salt and calibrating the trucks. Margie will reply to Brian and Nancy.

      MOTION, moved by Julie Shively, seconded by Peter d'Errico: Motion: To appoint Matthew Munson to the Highway Dept. at $17.00/hour pending a satisfactory physical. Vote: 3-0 in favor.

      Pass: Aye: Julie Shively, Peter d'Errico, Tom Hankinson.

  3. Business

    • - Vote with Finance Committee: COLA

      MOTION, moved by Julie Shively, seconded by Peter d'Errico: Motion: To support the COLA of 2% for non-union town employees as recommended by the Personnel Board. Vote: Carter, aye; Nagy, aye; Powers, aye; d’Errico, aye; Hankinson, aye; Shively, aye.

      Pass: Aye: Julie Shively, Peter d'Errico, Tom Hankinson.

    • - Deputy Collector update

      General Discussion...
      Margie updated the board on the issue of the Deputy Collector. The Treasurer/Collector has the authority to choose a Collector. Kevin Bolduc’s appointment expired in 2017 and Leverett’s Tax Collector/Treasurer plans to appoint a new one. The board agreed to support him in his decision.

    • - ADA Grant Update

      General Discussion...
      Margie may have found someone to conduct the American’s With Disabilities Transition Plan Self-evaluation. She will be working with the Donahue Institute with the $23,000 grant.

    • Assessors update

      General Discussion...
      Rural Resource Group, the assessing company providing services to the Town would like to set up a kiosk for answering assessing questions in the Leverett Town Hall since our fiber makes it possible. It will probably be up sometime in July. It is interactive in that there will be a live person answering questions during “kiosk hours.” Board would like to see a demo of it.

    • IT Grant update

      General Discussion...
      IT Grant project is mostly complete. Will install a switch for the school from the grant.

    • Sign Thank you's

  4. Mail

    • Early Voting under-funded

    • FRCOG: refund of a portion of FCCIP balance

    • Letter @ concern for amount of salt being used on roads

    • MA DOT Bridge Inspection Report

  5. Other Business

    • Unanticipated business

      General Discussion...
      Police Chief asked Margie to pass on that they had a traffic stop recently that yielded 52 bags of suspected heroin and that the police chief is hosting some high school students as interns.
      Thank you’s were signed.
      The board decided that it would be helpful to meet with Margot, Bethany, and Audra in executive session to discuss contract negotiations. Lisa or Margie will set up for the next meeting on Feb. 20.

  6. Meeting Wrap-up

The listing of matters is those reasonably anticipated by the Chair which may be discussed at the meeting. Not all items listed may in fact be discussed and other items not listed may also be brought up for discussion to the extent permitted by law.

Minutes prepared by Lisa Stratford

Minutes approved on Wednesday, Feb 28, 2018