Jeff Johnston, HWY Department

• Approved request to purchase a tow behind roller for $3,000. Jeff has funds in his budget.
• Roadside ditching on Flag Hill Road was completed and is working. HWY Department is staying with town right of way.

 
Axon Properties—Ryan Jundt

• Select Board asked question regarding traffic, wetlands, Hosmer Road
• CCC requires a community outreach meeting
• Ryan asked if this be combined with a community information meeting?
• Axon asked about source of required permits.

 
COVID-19 Municipal Protocol, Concerns

• Office relocation of Town Coordinator and Town Clerk to the office space area.  Voted to make that move.
• Brian wants to work on moving the financial people in with assessors.
• Need office space for BoH, maybe Tim’s former office.
• Police Chief wants room 118. Brian supports this. Motion was made and passed.

[These are my personal notes from attending the meeting, and may contain errors.]
 
Public Comments - none
 
Town Coordinator Report

1. Northeast IT – all buildings are wired, we have two guest links, HeathGuest, with a user agreement required, but no password; and a HeathTown account with a secure PWD for employees.
2. Regionalization grant reviewed and approved. Heath can apply for unspent balance of initial grant which for Heath is $34,370.
3. Attended STAM (Small Town Admins) meeting
   1. Time spent on wrapping up CARES act funds spending by Oct 31. Final availability is Dec 31.  
   2. Four infrastructure needs such as roadways, sidewalks, and streetscapes are now combined under one application.
   3. There were a lot of questions on the level of Chapter 90 funding. Towns get the same annual amount while construction costs increase. Towns are limited to do less and less each year.  Plea for legislators to look at that and possibly increase Chapter 90 funds.

[“https://www.mass.gov/chapter-90-program.]

1. MVP (Municipal Vulnerability Preparedness) Meetings – Oct 25, 27 meetings to work on infrastructure, environment. 

Link to MVP:  https://townofheath.org/p/95/Municipal-Vulnerability-Prep-MVP

1. Met with fire chief, Nick Anzuoni, and firefighters assoc. regarding the purchase of a used vehicle with association funds for transporting firefighters to other towns.

 
6:15 p.m. Axon Properties Presentation—Ryan Jundt

• Presentation by a cannabis-growing interest that has contracted to purchase Tommy Flynn’s property at 136 Hosmer Road.
• They will be seeking a host agreement to grow, not process, marijuana. Once the plants flower, the intent is to ship them to a facility for processing.
• A video of their presentation is available at  https://townofheath.org/p/110/Meeting-Video-Presentations​

My notes, my errors, my omissions.
 
The main focus of the meeting was the report by the Heath Regionalization Study Team, HRST. It was a thorough presentation that addresses the question:
 
“Is it in the interests of Heath to regionalize with Hawlemont (K-6) or is it better to remain a full K-12 member of Mohawk Trail?”
 
These findings represent a tremendous amount of work and will allow us to make an informed decision at town meeting.
 
Robyn had an unplanned absence, so items put on hold are listed below. ]
 
Notes:
Hawlemont Regionalization Study Team Findings, Budge Litchfield, Barbara Rode, Bob Gruen, Ken Rocke, Sarah Carleton (working with HRST).
Guests: Evelyn Locke, Suzanne Crawford, Martha Thurber, Beth Clarity of Hawlemont-Heath Study Committee
[Rather than try to capture this effort accurately, I suggest you view the video on the HRST page,  https://townofheath.org/g/81/Heath-Regionalization-Study-Team]
Items on hold

• COVID-19 Municipal Protocol, Concerns, Review
• Protocol review
• Hold for next meeting
• Office relocation
• Fire House mold and mildew issue

Review of BoH mask requirement

• Previously exempted private party renting a public space must now mask per new mandate
• No other changes for town buildings, masking still required

Updates:

• Filling BoH member vacancies – need to complete resume review.
• Salt Shed - Robyn waiting on figures from one of the contractors.
• Hilltown Theatre long-term lease request - still under review and negotiation
• Green Communities Update
  • Brian meeting scheduled with Roger Harris from Rise Engineering needed to be canceled due to Carson Ovitt not being available.
  • Payment of bill for solar feasibility study needs to be submitted [to the state?]

Town Coordinator’s Report

• Kris Nardowicz started at Treasurer position.
• NE IT – quote for central server equipment and installation reviewed, all covered under IT grant. SB accepted the quote.
• IT began installation of proper equipment for broadband hookup in town buildings.
• New mapping program available for transportation infrastructure (status of roads, can use for grant applications, has reporting capability.
• Robyn and Hilma met with J Diamond. More discussion and negotiation needed.
• Attended MVP kickoff meeting went well. Promoters would like involvement by many persons, open to anyone, looking for broad cross-section participation. Would like to involve school-age youth.
• Hilma to attend a SAM? (System for Award Management), conferencehttps://federalcontractorregistry.com/sam-ccr-status-check/) conference with primary focus on American Recovery Plan funding.
• Charlene has no mask concerns, people are coming in masked.
• Vehicle idling regulation, state law prohibits idling vehicles.
• Assessed value of Ledge Road. HHS rental or lease agreement needs to be worked out. What is in best interest of town?

Mail & Email

• State guidance on mask policy
• MTRSD rural round table with Senator Hynes and Representative  Natalie Blay, Co-chairs of Mass Rural Commission to highlight issues facing rural schools, September 23. Hilma to see if anyone from HRST would like to go.
• The foot clinic grant of $1500 starts Oct 1, 2021. Sue volunteered to attend.
• Building Use Policy, Requirements, Division of Responsibilities approved.
• Planning to continue the two-week meeting cycle.