Select Board Notes Tue April 23 2024

6:00 p.m. Call Meeting to Order, Review Agenda, Public Comment (none), Review Minutes: 4/16/24
Select Board waived the rental fee at Jacobs Road for a Meet the Candidates event
6:15 p.m. BroadBand Update—MLP Manager, Sheila Litchfield, with MLB members

• Funds received from Wired West $78,821
• MLP Contribution to the Town $30,000
• Transfer from Buildout $40,000
• CAF II (Connect America Fund Phase II)
  • ​$168,000 is due in July of 2024 from this fund. MLP would like it to be used for broadband debt. This decision falls under the purview of the Select Board per DLS Bulletin 2024-3
• Discussion of pros and cons of Wired West versus going directly to Westfield Gas & Electric
  • There is a  benefit of shared administrative cost

7:06 p.m. MTRSD Agreement Articles—discussion with Finance Committee & Ken Rocke, vote possible

• The meeting with the district tomorrow is Heath's meeting even though taking place at the high school in Shelburne.
• Ken's Position on the response from the district:
  • We presented our questions in October, but now it's close to Town Meeting when the district finally responded.
  • Felt the district response was argumentative. Feel we have very different agendas for this meeting.
  • Heath wants to be able to tell residents how much the amendment will cost them.
  • "If we can't agree on the method for getting the numbers and the numbers themselves then there is not much to talk about."
  • Ken has not been able to set up a meeting where he can go over the numbers on the district spreadsheets.
  • Ken' s Goal: (1) It would be helpful if it was settled that Ken and Bill can sit together to go over their spreadsheet together.  Their spreadsheet does not contain formulas so Ken can does not have what he needs to do all the calculations.  (2) Would like to address the fairness issue. Rather than have winners and losers, Ken would like to a broader view. (3) Ken would like to see one district and not three.  We need to redirect our energy.  (4) Ken would like to vote it down at Town meeting. Dislikes how the Town has been characterized as only looking out for themselves.
  • There is a sustainability study taking place now  that should be completed before there is an amendment.

FY 2025 Budget Planning—with Finance Committee
Operating Budget (Article 3) -  FinCom approved Article 3 with 1 small change amounting to $1000 on Community Hall Maintenance & Utilities
Capital Expenses - Part of the Warrant
Annual Town Meeting Warrant Articles—vote possible

• Articles in questions are 4, 11, 13, all having to do with the school district.
• Article 4. FinCom did not recommend articles related to MTRSD at this time as there seem to be problems  related to how it is calculated.
• Article 11 Late Bus, not recommended by FinCom until we know how many average Heath students use the bus. No recommendation by the SB.
• Article 13 MTRSD Assessment Error payment. FinCom would like to split it from 1 to 2 payments.

Other Business
Grants --Approved by the Select Board

• Heath Woodlands Partnership—grant application support letter
• Woodlands Partnership--EOEEA grant application support letter
• Deerfield River Watershed Assoc.—grant application support letter

FRCOG--MVP grant application support letter, vote possible
Town Nurse Job Description—Not done
Community Hall Windows Fundraising—update: $14,302 on donations so far
New Items
Accountant has submitted a letter of resignation.  
Marie Forester resigned from the BUC due to a change in her schedule.
Heath Arts Exhibition requested to close the road in front of Community Hall for the Sunday of the Exhibition. SB approved.