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Notes for Tues, Oct 21

10/21/2025

5:00 p.m. Call Meeting to Order
Review Agenda
5:00 p.m. Appointment: Colrain Selectboard—discussion for possibly forming a district police & fire district

Police work has different levels: Chief, policing, admin.
What should be the priority in these three levels? The Towns have similar issues in determining this.
Robyn asked "Can some of the administrative tasks be done by other than the chiefs." Response from both Colrain and Heath chiefs, yes, permitting and payroll could be done by an administrator, but not higher level report [to the state?]
Colrain chair: we need to look at the needs in totality to help determine what makes sense.
Manpower and staffing is the hardest thing to fill during the day. How to you keep a person in the office all day.
State requirements are something that causes additional work.
Both towns are interested in going forward to investigate possibilities.

6:00 p.m. Highway Department Updates—Superintendent Tyson Howard

Product to go into salt shed next week.
Electrician will be out to see about tying all the electricity together
Separate service for the salt shed, may only need one generator.
Preparing summer equipment for winter storage. Road side mower has problems that need fixing. Will Emmet and Tyson looking into other more cost effective options.
Three quarters of street signs have been installed.
Grants available for hydroseeding which is better than than lining ditches with rocks.
Looking for call-in drivers for storms
Have been working on upgrading the interior—adding insulation and repairing equipment . Having a licensed technician come to work on brakes.

6:30 p.m. Appointment: Mia Francesconi, applicant for Town Coordinator position

Has a lot of municipal experience, Elissa has very impressed with her.
A lot of her family have been involved with the Town of Cheshire so she has been around it all her life.
Executive assistant for the Town working with many boards.
Feels comfortable with grant writing.
The screening committee interviewed 6 applicants and choose 3 as possible candidates. Mia had the most municipal experience, but was lacking in the financial area.

Review Minutes: 10/07/2025
Public Comment - Community Hall dehumidifier is not sufficient, there is still a mold issue. HYPA has not followed through with assurances made.
Other Business
Hilltown Youth Performing Arts—review of lease—vote possible

The Select Board voted to approve the lease as amended to be sent to HYPA.

Town Coordinator Transition Plan update
Spyglass Telecommunications Analysis

Select Board chose to not move forward, but rather contact Verizon to investigate the situaction with 4 phones on separate billing.

FY 2025 Special Account
Select Board voted to approve changes to special accounts

Special Revenue Deficit Accounts to Move to Raise & Appropriate
29-123-3590-29016 COVID-19 Related— $13,821.98
29-123-3590-29044 I-191 School Regionalization— 2,321.00
29-123-3590-29017 MIIA Insurance Grant— 1,850.00
29-421-3590-29062 Small Bridge Grant— 7.00
29-433-3590-29066 Rowe Rd Washout— 0.20
29-434-3590-29021 DEP Small Scale Initiative Grant— 993.68
29-541-3590-29032 FCHC Medi Mgmt 2008— 100.00
Total Amount: $19,093.86

Facilities Report—review and planning

Robyn to consolidate reports on facilities to include a submitted accessibility report.

JRMC Gym Roof Update

Only have a single quote, need another. Titan quoted, and waiting on a Vermont company.
Will Emmet investigated replacement tiles for the ceiling. Found Armstrong tiles at Lowe's that were not too expensive.

Council on Aging

Wishes to create a Health and Wellness Fair and COA is seeking permission to form a committee or working group. Want it to be a Community orientated, Educational, and Multi-generational event.

STM, tentatively on Nov 17 at 6:30
Discussion about the possible need for a Special Town Meeting for permission for an employee to work past 65 and to vote on the warrant to change all designations of roads, byways, private roads, ways to "street".
Mail
Request to use the Hall for the Art Show in September 2026 and wave the fee. SB voted to approve.

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Notes for Tue, Oct 7 2025

10/7/2025

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5:00 p.m. Call Meeting to Order (This meeting may be recorded.)
Review Agenda
5:05 p.m. Pole Hearing to set new pole on Bellor Road
Purpose - new house on 29 Bellor Rd. SB voted to grant permission to install the pole.
Review Minutes: 9/23/2025
Public Comment

Resident asked about the completion date for the remaining windows and will there be money left for storm windows.
Hilma read a thank you note for the highway dept for the fine job they did grading Flag Hill Rd.
Police Chief called to say that Friday, Oct 10, the 8A bridge where the work is being done will be closed intermittently for 10 or 12 minutes at a time between 10 AM and 1 PM.

6:30 p.m. Appointment: Mike Cucchiara, Parks & Recreation update on projects

P & R is working on the signs which were delayed due to an error.
P&R needs a warrant article adopted by Town meeting which is required by the PARC grant.

7:00 p.m. Appointment: Hilltown Youth Performing Arts—review of lease—vote possible

Lengthy discussion of lease and addendum. A vote was not taken on the lease.

Other Business
ATM 2025, Art. 21 (zoning bylaw changes)—determination of corrective action—vote possible
[This zoning change was voted on at the last ATM, but needs to revoted due to a procedural issue.]

We need a warrant article for spring ATM regarding the designation of all roads and ways as streets.
SB voted for the Town to proceed with corrective action and request use of the FinComm funds to pay for additional cost of redoing the article..

Town Coordinator Transition Plan update

Not sure if this was discussed, I had to leave to attend another meeting

Spyglass Telecommunications Analysis

The company reviews current telecommunications services to determine is there can be savings. We have Grant Communications for the majority of service, but still have some Verizon charges for some phones. If no problems are found, there is no charge. If there are problems the savings is split between the Town and Spyglass for a predetermined time.

Highway Dept. Updates

The Highway Dept is going back to a 5-day week starting the day after Columbus Day.
Robyn asked that other SB members and Hilma to look over the project costs for the Salt Shed.
Police Chief, John McDonough, and Tyson Howard, Highway Superintendent, need to contact residents that park on the road side to remind them about winter plowing.

JRMC Gym Roof Update

Tim Lively is getting quotes for various roof repairs in targeted areas.
Robyn is looking into a full roofing/repair plan. Will will get square footage for this.

Other Business

Police Chief noted that companies are starting to cut trees on Avery Brook Road on Wednesday, Oct 8. The work may last up to 3 weeks.
Robyn requested the companies turn their signs parallel to the road when the work is done as signs are facing drivers are misleading once the work day is over.
Trunk or Treat will be from 4 to 5 PM and the indoor activities will go on after.

Incident Report

An employee felt threatened in the workplace on Friday when someone was verbally abusive. The Police Chief was called into the SB meeting to consult on the matter. He noted that persons being abusive can be asked to leave. There is also the issue on 1st Amendment Rights.
It was stated that the person was asked to leave and refused, so the employee left rather than call the police.
SB must be sure employees feel safe in their work environment.
There will be an in-person follow up by the Police Chief.
There needs to be a Code of Conduct. Robyn to speak with legal.

Security Camera

There are security cameras outside the building but not inside the building.
One option is Blink . Hilma and Will to look into it.

Mail

Colrain is looking for a representative regarding shared services.
Email from resident regarding the dirt on the gym floor and damage to pads.
Communication regarding ticketing and speeding in town. There has been some concern about speeding, especially in the center.
Communication on Tech school regarding long bus trips for Heath school kids [19 attend Tech] some of whom are picked up 2 miles from their home and then have an hour and a half ride. Robyn to follow up.
Senator Mark office hours.
Bulky waste day is coming up.

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