SB Notes for Tuesday, May 3

Budget items and  warrant articles that SB will need to be prepared to discuss:

• How to address MTRSD assessment error which is not part of Article 3. SB felt it needs to be part of Article 23 which is a non-voting article.
  • The Town plans to pay what it owes, but not until the SB understand the numbers.
  • Lack of confidence in the current numbers
• Need to clarify the reason for removing the pre-school support line.
  • State formula has changed, and now every child is given a half a day of pre-school.
  • Heath has been the only town in the district offering a full day
• Need to prepare the reasons for the Town Coordinator salary increase.
  • Additional hours needed to get the job done.
  • Adjustment to mid-grade based on job performance discussed at hiring time.
• COLA adjustment.
  • Cost of living has gone up significantly and town employees need to be given the salaries they deserve, and need to bring them in line with surrounding towns.
• Increase in legal fees will need to be explained.
• Flag Hill Road improvement

MTRSD Error Discussion

• Follow up letter was discussed to be sent to the district.
• Letter was discussed to be sent to the surrounding towns.
• Town of Heath intends  to pay their bills but we must understand what we are paying for.
• Budge Litchfield, School Committee, requested to see the letters as soon a possible to help with his interaction with the district.

Building Use

• SB has opened Community Hall, both floors, and Jacobs Road for Scheduled Use
• Sawyer Hall, second floor, remains closed.
• Returning library hours to pre-COVID is in the purview of the Library Trustees.  
• Public Safety Guidelines (not requirements):  25 people per 1000 square feet.
  Community Hall: 2200 sq ft upper level,  1800 sq ft lower level.
• Mask mandate remains in place in the buildings.

Building accessibility

• Independent report on Sawyer Hall was done and will be brought up after Town meeting.

Heath is to receive $173,745 from state for improvements in transportation network in response to past harsh winter.  Bray Road named as a good candidate.

Hilltown Youth open house at Jacobs Road on Sunday May 15 from  11 am to 1 pm. 

• Trapeze will be set up
• Dignitaries are scheduled to come
• Open to all

Board of Heath
Barbara Gordon will not seek reappointment at the end of her term of service in June. 

Request for individual responses to emails from SB members

• Members must respond as a board, not individually