SB Meeting Notes Mon, Aug 21, 2023

Tonight's Topics
6:00 p.m. Call Meeting to Order, Review Agenda
6:01 p.m. Appointment—Joe Saladino re: snow plowing services
Highway Department—update with Superintendent

• Jeff has created a weekly update form to better assess what tasks are being performed.  
• Joe S to take over one of the routes replacing one truck
• Need at least $1500 to bring the 2003 International truck up to winter conditions—fixing seals, welding, wiper assembly. Need $5000 in addition if the motor is repaired/replaced. 
• The 2012 has been parked for safety issues and repair costs.
• Chapter 90 funds may be available by Sep/Oct timeframe. Usually about $200,000. South Rd to be blacktopped from center to fork for $80,000.  Scheduled for Oct 11.
• Biggest problem for roads is undersized culverts which can't handle the heavy rains which causes washouts.  Have 54 primary culverts and many others.
• Need a master plan for the road care.
• Wait on truck repairs until ARPA review is finalized. Hilma needs an ARPA contact and will be in an ARPA seminar tomorrow.
• Saladino also does cemetery work. Some stones in North Cemetery are chipped, may by caused by mowers.
• Trying to do some patching of potholes and ditching.
• FinComm recommends using half ARPA funds for truck ($103,000).

6:45 p.m. Public Comment, Review Minutes: 8/8/23

• Phones
  • There are no usable phones in the town garage due to the change over to internet phones.
  • May need to put the Verizon line back in.
  • We need a working phone for the fire alarm. We must to have 2 phones (one as backup). Could make use of the line at the transfer station.
• AT&T Tower status—it was reported that engineers have been fine tuning discussions with intervenors

Other Business
Employee holding more than one paid position—review documents and vote. Request from Alice Wozniak for determination that this is allowable. SB voted to approve the request.
Heath Historical Society—review of license

• Concern about the length of a 10 year lease/license to the town for use of the former  assessors office for $100/month.
• Legal Council has said the SB can not have a payback clause for improvements done by the HHS in a lease to the HHS if there is an early termination. This could be done at ATM (Annual Town Meeting).  Some type of fund similar but not the same as a stabilization fund was suggested as an alternative which Bob Viarengo thought was a good idea.
• HHS is concerned that some portion of money they expend will be lost if the:  
  • town decided to move offices back to Sawyer
  • town was to use building for another purpose or sale

Community Hall—floor repair update

• Sept 18 start, plumber coming in the week before, Tim needs to do 3 coats of wax after and the plumber needs to come back in. Total of 3 weeks expected for work.

Recording of meetings—update

•  Recordings have been tested and are viable.  SB needs to announce availability.

Review of appointed Boards and Committees—FY24 appointments

• PO Appointment has been made—Laura Holdsworth.

Unfinished Business—review list and revise as needed

• Meeting to take place regarding unsafe and/or, unregistered vehicles storage.
• Robyn feels this should not be addressed by complaint, but by policy or procedure. 

Salt Shed—update on feasibility study

• Study is not complete and when done, it will cover both properties, existing and Bray Road.
• Discussion of whether we need a master plan for all municipal services—(1) do we need to just address the salt shed or  (2) all our long term needs.
• Discussion of a possible modified plan for Bray Road, but  more than just the salt shed,

Study of ADA access to Sawyer Hall—discuss resident offer

• Offer from a resident to fund a feasibility study for Sawyer Hall. Includes getting the individual qualified to do the study and then getting a report which they would share with the town. Goal towards making the building self supporting.
• Robyn felt this could be the CDBG (Community Development Block Grant) piece needed by  Brian McHugh, to get funds for Sawyer Hall.

Special Municipal Employees—review of process needed to designate a special municipal employee

• Designation goes with the position not the employee.
• Designation can allow some exemption from aspects of conflict of interest.

Late Bus for Mohawk students -

• Town of Heath got a letter from Rowe about the late bus for students from Heath, Rowe, and Charlemont. 
• Rowe has been paying for all of it for years and would like the cost shared between the 3 towns.
• $6550 is one third of the cost which Rowe would like Heath to pay.
• This can't be done at this time as the budget is set.