SB Notes, Tue Feb 1

 Public Comment – 40 minutes

• Mostly regarding the AT&T tower
• Some concerning a possible move of the library to Jacobs Road

Senior Program Director job classification

• All agreed on the job description as written
• The position needs rating per job description to give the position a pay grade
• The proposed grade needs to be reviewed in relation to other positions in town that require more skills and in relation to employees who have been in their position for a significant period.

Parks & Recreation Committee charge 

• tabled

Council on Aging Request for room

• Needs to be part of a larger conversation about building use
• MLB has requested office space
• A survey done by the COA was submitted to the SB to assist in making choices regarding space

Special Town Meeting possibility

• Legal fees – voted $10,000 at ATM, only $1000 left
  • Some monies have been spent on small matters
  • Legal cost for the AT&T law suit so far Nov - $4500,  Dec - $5380.
  • We do not have money to pay the current bill
  • $9880 has been spent on the lawsuit as of Dec 31
  • The remaining $1000 is not enough money to pay the current invoice for December. 
  • Thousands more will be needed by July 1.
  • We either need a Special Town Meeting to allocate more money or overspend
• Long term lease of land on Royer Road to Historical Society would need to be voted on and could be done at a special town meeting.
• Have requested input from the Finance Committee

COVID-19 Municipal concerns

• Board of Health has submitted a letter with positive news on COVID
  • Number of cases have gone done in Franklin County
  • Based on the Heath zip code we have 80% vaccination rate

Colrain—Heath Capital Expense agreement

• Hilma gathered information on shared capitol expense agreements used by Buckland-Shelburne and Ashfield-Plainfield.
• The recommendation would be to use the same method between Heath and Colrain.
  • First year it goes by percentage of students in each town.
  • Second year would use the average of the first two years together and then the percentage of students.
  • Continuing this method for year 3 and 4.
  • On the 5th year it goes into an ongoing 5-year average and percentage of students.
• This has already gone through many districts and should not cost much in legal.
• Recommended by the Heath School Committee members.
• Select Board to meet with Colrain on the agreement

 
Green Communities update: Brian

• Asked Roger Harris, project engineer for Rise Engineering, for estimates on the remaining energy projects
• Met with Alison Gage at FRCOG and others for input on prioritizing our remaining DOER (Dept of Energy Resources) approved energy projects.
  • Possibilities are  insulation and air sealing at Jacobs Road
  • Lighting at Jacobs Road for which the tech school gave an estimate. The school may not be able to do the work given COVID has cut them back to 50% capacity.

Scheduled an Executive Session on a personnel matter. 

• In person meeting
• Looking at  Wed, Feb 16, 3:30 PM or later

Salt Shed

• Facilities Task Force identified the salt shed repair/rebuild as the most critical town project
• Sue asked if the Building Facilities Committee could help.
• Robyn will pass the material already gathered by Jeff  Johnston and herself to that committee.

E911 Enhanced Services

• Provided by the Commonwealth of Mass, Communications section of State Police
• It is time for the town of Heath to decide if it wants to continue to be serviced by 911 enhanced service
• Heath needs to extend the agreement  which is 5-year memorandum of understanding with no cost to Heath.
• Heath has had this service since 2006.
• Select Board voted to accept the agreement.

Mail Not Covered Above

• Letters from residents in favor of cell tower in Heath.
•  Sue Lively feedback from meeting she attended on on meeting on Animal Control.  Bernardston and Leyden expressed interest in joining. Heath increases will be minimal.
• Sue Lively email on visit to Colrain Central School.
• BUC email with questions on ventilation in Community Hall.
• Mass DOT inspection report for review.
• Town nurse report from January

7:30 Trustees of the Library Meeting
           Deb Porter, Maureen O'Malley, Emily Cross

• Trustees have had a lot of questions about the possibility of moving the library
• A move requires a lot of thought and planning
• Consideration of move came from discussions on what kind of place was needed some of which were a place where everybody could meet, learn, share ideas, and for everyone to have access.
• Needs trustees have been committed to right along: ADA accessible space, a space for families and children, and to accommodate an aging population.
• Trustees cannot do it alone, would need help of townspeople.
• Have not reached out to the community yet.
  • Have not expressed vision yet or invited the community into the conversation.
  • Have scheduled an informational meeting for Feb 10.
  • May have letters and a survey to send out as suggested by Friends of the Library.
  • Have not done a full cost assessment yet of the cost of changes needed in Sawyer Hall or to move to Jacobs Road.
  • Have $50,000 to spend—any location will have financial considerations.
• Trustees will continue to use Jacobs Road library as an annex at this time.
• Need a better understanding in the long run of how all our buildings will be used.
  • Jacobs Road: Would library have use of the open space and storage.
  • Jacobs Road: How would library fit in to the overall use of the building.
  • Sawyer Hall: What would be the plans to upgrade to meet fire codes and become ADA compliant.
• Robyn:
  •  Select board would like to have an open meeting on what the plans are for all the buildings.
  •  Would like an opportunity to do some needed work on our center buildings.
  • We cannot keep putting off repairs and renovations for fire egress and ADA compliance.
  • Building space planning will be a step by step process.
• Nick Anzuoni:
  • Egress at Jacobs Road from the library would require a second door and a paved path to the parking lot.
  • Egress at Sawyer Hall does not empty onto a ramp, no way for a wheelchair to exit if front door is blocked.
  • Use of upstairs room in Sawyer Hall for expansion would require an upgrade to the fire escape.
• Would like to consider a presence in both buildings.

 
Town Coordinator Work Not Already Discussed

• A lot of time spent with town council.
• Repair to RT 8A Branch Brook bridge just before Sumner Stetson Road – Thanks to Jeff Johnston who has been working with Mass DOT, Nick Anzuoni, and Mohawk School Transportation office to limit the impact on school transportation.
  • The work will be done during school vacation week (week of Feb 20th)  so bus routes will not be impacted
  • Bridge will be closed  3 to 4 days – possibly Tuesday thru Friday, Feb 22 thru 25.
  • Detour will be up Number 9 Rd to VT  and down 8A . It’s a 10-mile detour.
• Jeff has problems getting salt mix for paved roads. The problem is not with Highway Dept. The company supplying the salt mix cannot get drivers to deliver the salt.  Jeff has had to use sand because that’s all he has.
• Attended a webinar on final rules with officials from DOR attending on COVID relief money.   
• Town has received the first half of funding - $106,000 of $213,000.
• Second half to be released this summer.
• Senator Hines has filed a promising bill on behalf of all towns to recoup funds spent on road repair from July storm.  Many small towns did not spend enough to meet FEMA requirements. Hilma followed up with Senator Hines to determine if Heath is included.