On Dec 29, 2020, at 10:48 PM, Heath Connects <[email protected]> wrote:

Thank you to those who showed support tonight, it continues to have a positive effect. There was only 1 public comment and it was civil.  That said, the show of support was especially needed due to an apparently malignant email sent to the Select Board. Brian strongly expressed his offense and was supported by both Robyn and Gloria. I have seen one of this type of email and it makes me wonder why our Select Board keeps working for us in the face of this type of communication.  
Here are my personal notes from the meeting:
·       The railings are up for the Sawyer Hall stairs, they just need time to set before use.
·        COVID Safety for Sawyer Hall was discussed at length and beyond (for those who hung in there):
§  Work was done to finalize list of essential employees
§  There was discussion of the difficulty to get people to comply to COVID safety rules in Sawyer Hall.
§  Robyn pointed out that these are government mandated COVID safety rules,  and Gloria offered to call two persons not complying.
§  There was a looong brain storming discussion about how to make the  second floor town offices COVID safe with the following being implemented:
§    Town committee and employee mail slots will be moved to the office counter,
§  The town office door on the second floor will be locked.
§   People will be required to call ahead for items to be picked up.
§   Bathrooms will be locked.
§   More signage to be put up.
·       Brian indicated that the safest location for the town offices would be Jacobs Road, due to the space, ventilation, the staggered use, accessibility, the ability to keep the doors locked (unlike Sawyer Hall where they must stay open for the PO). Robyn appeared to agree but was willing to try measures at Sawyer Hall first, but that failing, a decision needed to be made.  Gloria was unable to see the possibility that Jacobs Road would be safer.
·       Post Office Congestion
§   If the Post Office continues as a problem, then perhaps there would be a need to start ticketing. This would be a cost to the town for police duty
§  Brian feels we should discuss safety practices with other Post Offices. Gloria offered to visit Charlemont and Colrain lobbies.  There was talk of putting boxes outside. There is a concern that any change might cost us the Post Office.

• Green Community Grant project: the insulation bid for Community Hall is out  
• Town Coordinator Report:
  • Northeast IT went to Jacobs Road to check internet wiring. The conclusion was that for a temporary move it’s fine, but for longer term use new cables might be needed so that people would not experience a slowdown in internet speed.
  •  Doug Mason had proposed doing landfill inspection with a drone. This is pending a decision by another agency.
  • Heath was awarded a grant jointly with Hawley for low to moderate income housing renovations

Email:
Apparently, there was a very abusive email thread included in the email for review.  It cast a pall over the end of the meeting with all Select Board members commenting.
Fortunately, it was offset by a very positive contribution from Bob Viarengo.

Let's look forward to a new year where we all work together for the common good the way Heathans used to.
Pat McGahan on behalf of Heath Connects
[email protected]
HeathConnects.org

On Dec 17, 2020, at 5:40 PM, Heath Connects <[email protected]> wrote:
Hi Folks,
It was wonderful to see so many of your faces at the Select Board meeting and I am certain that it kept the public comment period more civil than it would have been otherwise.
Some items to come out of the meeting:

• Town employees do not feel safe from COVID in the building. The cost for setting up a work-from-home environment will be explored, cost of additional use at Jacobs Road will be explored as well as ensuring the space can be used safely.  Pam addressed concerns about safety explaining that protocols in place for remote learning have assured public safety in the building.  
• The board received emails regarding safety in the Sawyer Hall vestibule and the hallway. The Heath Post Office has put some practices in place for greater safety, but that does not solve the congestion.  Initially folks were respecting the one-at-a-time rule in the vestibule, but it appears that has become too relaxed now. Our Town Nurse said that 5 feet with a mask is sufficient for safe social distancing, but the CDC recommends 6 feet.
• There is NO suggestion to move the post office from the center, but perhaps to move the boxes outside.  Brian felt there needed to be a conversation with the Charlemont PO, but Alice felt we should not draw any attention to our PO that could be used as an excuse to close it. 
• Brian reported that progress is being made on the insulation project for Community Hall. It was decided to leave it up to the contractor whether to remove the inside paneling for that work or remove exterior siding sufficient to do the job. Whichever way it is done that is included in the cost.
• There is also some progress on railings for the stairs at Sawyer Hall.
• Emails in favor of moving town offices exceeded those opposed. Thank you to those who responded and if you haven’t sent an email in yet to support the move, please do so. It is not too late to be counted.
• The Select Board members had planned to take next week off, but the need to meet to solve town employee COVID concerns that must be addressed so they will meet next week.

I’ll forward the meeting minutes when they become available.
Thank you again for your emails to the Select Board and your presence at the Select Board meeting which made a big difference in the tone of the public comment period.