4:30 p.m. Call Meeting to Order at Colrain Municipal Building,  55 Main Road (Meeting will be audio-recorded.)
Meet jointly with the Colrain Selectboard to hear presentation of findings from the 2 Districts 8 Towns Sustainability
Study.
5:30 p.m. approximate, meeting adjourned for Select Board to reconvene in Heath at:
6:00 p.m. Reconvene Heath Select Board meeting, Jacobs, Review Agenda, Public Comment, Review Minutes: 10/8/2024
Resignations with regrets:
Dennis Peters from the Veterans Memorial committee after many years of service.
Don Freeman, a long time volunteer in many roles,  from library Trustees.
6:15 p.m. Police Department: Police Chief John McDonough, mid-year update

• Administrative tasks handled: tasks associated with distribution of pay from National Grid for details, resident calls, firearms renewals, fair detail went well, training started in September in-service training, working with Rowe in sharing  training costs such as firearms training, police car is in good shape.
• Had break-ins on South Rd and Avery Brook Rd, but it doesn't appear anything was taken. Both were vacation homes and break-ins found by care takers.  R
• Trunk or Treat at Jabobs Road
•  Robyn remarked that there is too much speeding in town, unregistered vehicles
• Call John if you have noticed times in particular when there is speeding, seems t people going to and from work
• Route 8A is a particular problem

6:30 p.m. Trail Easement—vote anticipated

• Working to achieve a Deerfield River to Hoosic River, multiday trail
• All trail work is funded through grants, Trowbridge land will enable public access to connect existing trails.

Other Business
Highway Department Update

• The new superintendent will be at the Highway Dept tomorrow to meet with Steve and crew. Will and Robyn will also be there to greet him.
• Elissa took items to bulky waste day for the highway department, Steve said it was a big help.
• There is a beaver creating a problem with a culvert on Rt 8A, a professional has been brought in.
• Plows are ready, things are in great shape.

Salt Shed Progress Update

• Floor has been patched
• Have 100 tons of salt, 250 tons of sand
• We have a site plan from the architect
• Robyn's recommendation is to get a proposal for the shed itself, and a separate one for the site work to help determine how much the Highway Dept can take on.
• Will be using ARPA money, the $100,000 already set aside, and other sources.

FY 2024 year-end financial reports

• Hilma and Robyn are still putting this together, and there are no significant issues yet
• Making sure money has been posted and in the right category in preparation for moving to a VADAR reporting system, https://vadarsystems.com/solutions/fund-accounting/

Community Hall Projects—vote anticipated

•  Painting is preceding well
• Hilma to get quotes for replacing the doors.
• Window replacement - waiting on Mass Historical Commission approval because it's an historical building

Mail

• Don LeBreux wrote a letter expressing his interest in being on the Parks & Recreation Committee. The Select Board voted to appoint Don.
• Looking into cemetery repairs
• Robyn attended a meeting last week at FRCOG and expressed her support for a Regional Zoning Enforcement Officer.  Erving got a grant to update their Zoning Bylaws, Robyn asked Hilma to find out more and would like Heath to be able to do the same. At a minimum Heath could review Erving's zoning laws for to see what might be helpful to the Town.

Agenda Items
5:00 p.m. Call Meeting to Order (Meeting will be audio-recorded.), Review Agenda
5:05 p.m. School Committee Update: Representative Budge Litchfield
Budge Update:
School Safety

• all external doors are locked during school hours,
• video cameras are at the main entrance, persons must state business before access
• all classroom doors have locks and shades,
• here video cameras in "unsupervised spaces.
• besides fire drills there are now lockdown drills: doors get locked, shades go down.
• there is a meeting place in the event that the building needs to be evacuated
• there is a sweeper in the event of an evacuation to ensure that all persons are out of the building
• staff meets with the Resource Officer in order to know how to work together
• all critical staff are carrying walkie-talkies
• all classroom phones now can call 911 directly
• build a social and emotional community where there is an awareness if someone is having a hard time. Social media can be a catalyst for problems. 

Public Comment - none
Review Minutes: 9/24/2024
6:00 p.m. Meeting Municipal Costs of Fiber Cable Relocation: Charlemont Select Board, Heath & Charlemont Municipal Light Plant Boards. Charlemont Representatives:  Bob Handsaker, Cheryl Handsaker, Val Reed. Heath MLP Representatives: Art Schwenger, Sheila Litchfield. Estimated cost due for Whip city to attach wires to new poles: $23,000.  Also National Grid is replacing poles that already have  three-phase wire. A question was raised about residents paying for poles twice since we already replaced approx. 242  for broadband.   Robyn from Heath and  Val Reed from Charlemont will lead an effort to contact the Department of Public Works (DPU) and Paul Mark regarding the justification for the process and the costs. Both Municipal Light Boards will be engaged with them.
[My comment:  Eversource does not require towns to pay for poles and  is sensitive to such things as the marring of an exceptional view we enjoy going down Burrington Hill Road.
It would be worthwhile to listen to the clip of the tape that covers that meeting:
National Grid portion: SB_2024-10-08_Audio_NGridPortion.mp3
National Grid has a page for the Heath to Charlemont.
Heath to Charlemont Improvement Project. It's light on information, but does list the route that will be taken.]
7:30 p.m. Highway Superintendent Interview: Tyson Howard, applicant—from Colrain, interested in community involvement, has been a fireman, has a lot of experience.  SB voted to make an offer to Tyson Howard for the Highway Superintendent position, Tyson accepted the offer.
Other Business

• Appliance Disposal Permits—Lee would like to sell special permits for appliances rather than send people down to the PO to get the permit.  SB voted and approved.
• Highway Department Update with Review of Temporary and Modified Positions— 
• Highway Superintendent Position Update - Grading is done for the year, ditching has been successful. New leaf blower is working well, plow truck is being outfitted for snow.  Steve Thane has been extended for three months or less depending on status of of potential hire.  They are anticipating a grant due in October. Every culvert on No. 9 Road ( 42) has been inventoried. 
• Rental Licenses—vote to approve a license to rent a room in Sawyer Hall to C D Davenport Trucking for office use while they are constructing a bridge on Cyrus Davis Road in Rowe. Lease cost is $400 a month. SB approved a license to rent the former Accessors office. Potential 2- year license. 
• Hilma met with Wanda Mooney who agreed to write up a statement of value for Sawyer Hall.
• State Election Warrant—review warrant for November 5th state election—Mary Sumner has a warrant ready to be signed. There are 5 questions. SB approved the signing of the warrant. 
• Police Chief, John Doherty, said a check came from the County Opiate Task Force.  John would like to know how the money should be applied.
• Community Hall - is being painted by the Sheriff's Department, interior work is completed.  

Mail

Other business that could not be anticipated 48 hours in advance.