Conway

  • Town of Conway Massachusetts
  • 32 Main Street
  • 413-369-4235
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Selectboard and Finance Committee

Monday, March 27, 2023, 6:00 pm until 8:00 pm
A meeting of the Select Board

Selectboard Meeting - 5 Academy Hill Road, Conway - 6:00 p.m.
Meetings are now held every other Monday and are at this time accessible via Zoom.

Meeting of Select Board

Members: (Quorum)

  • Present: Christopher Waldo, at 6:00 PM
  • Present: Philip Kantor, Chair, at 6:00 PM
  • Present: Erica Goleman, at 6:00 PM

Also Present:

  • Jan Warner
  • Alan Singer
  • Laurie Lucier
  • Rick Martin
  • John Craine
  • Roxanne Dunn
  • Liz Bouchard
  • Russ Kaubris
  • Rhyanna McLeester
  • Cayte McDonough
  • Rachel Stoler
  • Véronique Blanchard and Adam Reed.

See original Agenda Final Minutes

Meeting opened: 6:00 PM

Meeting closed: 7:54 PM

  1. Meeting Preliminaries

    • Meeting Opened / Attendance Taken (see above).

    • No minutes to approve.

  2. Warrants

  3. Meetings Attended by Select Board Members

  4. Public Comments. None

    • - Cayte McDonough addressed the Select Board about Conway being a pollinator friendly community. She is putting forth a citizen's petition for a non binding declaration. Cayte along with others will be designing a pollinator friendly area at the vets memorial.

      MOTION, moved by Philip Kantor, seconded by Christopher Waldo: To adopt the non binding declaration of being a pollinator friendly community. .

      Pass: Aye: Erica Goleman, Philip Kantor, Christopher Waldo.

  5. Unfinished Business.

  6. New Business

    • - Interview with Police Chief candidate Don Bates.

      General Discussion...
      The Select Board and Don had in informal conversation about his commitment to the small town environment and eagerness to work here in Conway. The board voted to hire Don contingent upon contract negotiations to follow.

      MOTION, moved by Philip Kantor, seconded by Erica Goleman: To hire Don Bates to the position of Police Chief contingent on a finalized contract.

      Pass: Aye: Erica Goleman, Philip Kantor, Christopher Waldo.

    • - Rachel Stoler: Mass In Motion grant opportunity for Age & Dementia-Friendly initiatives

      General Discussion...
      Rachel Stoler came to discuss Conway setting up a committee to start working on the ageing and dementia initiatives in town. There is $4,000 that will help the committee get going and begin looking at the needs for Conway's seniors. Once the committee is formed and planning begun, then there will be other opportunities for grants in the future. The goal being to reach out to older folks in the greater community.

    • - Rep. Blais’s email request for municipal budget priorities, for one-time, “earmark” funding.

  7. Joint Meeting with Finance Committee, 6:30

    • 6:30: Joint Meeting with Finance Committee - Budget discussions: 320-Franklin County Technical School, 330-Other Vocational, discussion of a potential COLA, discussion of the budget as a whole. Excess and Deficiency Request letter from Frontier Regional school. Franklin Regional Retirement System added 2% COLA request and vote.

      General Discussion...
      Finance Committee began at 6:32 and adjourned at 7:08.

      The Franklin County Technical School presented their budget. The technical school has seen continual increases in enrollment over the past several years, although Conway has one less student for FY24. They are showing a 3% increase for the upcoming year. They have new programs such as the veterinary clinic and the new aviation program. Some concerns were brought up about the administration increases. It was pointed out that with more students and evening sessions that need to be supervised and coordinated there is a need for extra administrators.

      MOTION, moved by Erica Goleman, seconded by Christopher Waldo: To accept the additional 2% cola for the Franklin County Regional Retirement System.

      Pass: Aye: Erica Goleman, Philip Kantor, Christopher Waldo.

  8. Items Not Anticipated 48 Hours in Advance of the Meeting

    • None.

  9. Town Administrator update

  10. Selectboard member comments/concerns

  11. Mail

  12. Announcements

    • None

  13. Executive Session

    To conduct strategy sessions in preparation for negotiations with nonunion personnel or to conduct collective bargaining sessions or contract negotiations with nonunion personnel. Select Board will reconvene in Open Session after the close of Executive Session.

  14. Executive Session

    To consider the purchase, exchange, lease or value of real property if the chair declares that an open meeting may have a detrimental effect on the negotiating position of the public body. Select Board will reconvene in Open Session after the close of Executive Session.

  15. Meeting Wrap-up

The listing of matters is those reasonably anticipated by the Chair which may be discussed at the meeting. Not all items listed may in fact be discussed and other items not listed may also be brought up for discussion to the extent permitted by law.

Minutes approved on Monday, Apr 3, 2023

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