Select Board

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Tuesday, April 23, 2024, 6:00 pm until 8:00 pm
Town Hall
A meeting of the Select Board

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:

• John Craine
• Alan Singer
• Tom Donavan
• Roy Cohen
• Jessica Corwin
• Rhyanna McLeester
• Veronique Blanchard and Adam Reed

See original Agenda Final Minutes

Meeting opened: 6:00 PM

Meeting closed: 8:18 PM

0. Meeting Preliminaries

   • Meeting Opened / Attendance Taken (see above).

   • Minutes Approved: Tue, Apr 16 - Select Board

1. Warrants

   • - Vote to approve the Accounts Payable Warrant W24-23 int the amount of $141,562.22; the Payroll Warrant PW24-23 in the amount of $139,024.31, Payroll Deduction Warrant PDW24-23 in the amount of $34,798.27 and W24-SAF-03 in the amount of $937.00.

     MOTION, moved by Philip Kantor, seconded by Christopher Waldo: .

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

2. Meetings Attended by Select Board Members

   • General Discussion...
     Chris spoke with the Superintendent of Schools regarding upgrading technical issues at the school.
     Phil attended a Festival of the Hills meeting. The Selectboard had an emergency meeting regarding a burial at South Part Cemetery.

3. Public Comments. None

   • Public

     General Discussion...
     Jessica Corwin came to discuss allowing 16-18 year old town citizens to be able to vote at Town Meeting and local elections. This citizen's petition will be presented at this year's Annual Town meeting. If it passes it will go to the state for approval.

4. Unfinished Business.

5. New Business

   • - Vote to appoint Michael A. Kociela as the Town Accountant for a three year term commencing July 1, 2024, all in accord with Massachusetts General Laws Chapter 41, Section 55.

     MOTION, moved by Christopher Waldo, seconded by Erica Goleman: .

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

   • - Vote to close the warrant.

     General Discussion...
     The warrant will be voted on at the next meeting.

   • - Discussion and vote to sign a letter of support for the Resilient Deerfield River Watershed Partnership MVP project through the FRCOG.

     MOTION, moved by Philip Kantor, seconded by Erica Goleman: .

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

   • - Discussion and vote on supporting the establishment of a Conway on-demand senior transportation service.

     MOTION, moved by Christopher Waldo, seconded by Erica Goleman: .

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

   • - Discussion and update on the Festival of the Hills becoming a town committee.

     General Discussion...
     Festival of the Hills would like to come back to being a town committee. This is currently not possible because a revolving fund can't be used by the town in the way that it would accommodate the festival's needs. There will have to be special legislation enacted to move forward. It looks as if this will be a year long process. The Festival of the Hills Committee voted unanimously to rejoin the town.

   • - Discussion and vote to sign a letter of support for Conway’s FY25 MVP application.

     MOTION, moved by Philip Kantor, seconded by Erica Goleman: .

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

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

   • none

     General Discussion...
     A charity group is having a biking fundraiser this coming Saturday. They asked the board for permission to place a porta potty at the bottom of Chapel Hill Road.

     MOTION, moved by Erica Goleman, seconded by Christopher Waldo: .

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

7. Town Administrator update

8. Selectboard member comments/concerns

9. Mail

   • - none

10. Announcements

11. Joint Selectboard and Finance Committee.

    • - Budget, salary and COLA review and vote. Warrant review and votes.

      General Discussion...
      Article 3. Finance called a motion as read by Alan, John seconded. Passed 5,0,0. Phil called the same motion, Erica seconded. Passed 3,0,0.
      Article 4. Finance called a motion as read by Alan, Tom seconded. Passed 5,0,0. Phil called the same motion, Erica seconded. Passed 3,0,0.
      Article 7. Finance called a motion as read by Alan, Tom seconded. Passed 5,0,0. Phil called the same motion, Erica seconded. Passed 3,0,0.
      Article 9. Finance called a motion as read by Alan, Tom seconded. Passed 5,0,0. Phil called the same motion, Erica seconded. Passed 3,0,0.
      Article 10. Finance called a motion as read by Alan, John seconded. Passed 4,1,0. Phil called the same motion, Erica seconded. Passed 3,0,0.
      Article 11. Finance called a motion as read adjusting the amount to up to $85,000 by Alan, Tom seconded. Passed 5,0,0. Phil called the same motion, Erica seconded. Passed 3,0,0.
      Article 15. Finance called a motion as read by Alan, Tom seconded. Passed 5,0,0. Phil called the same motion, Erica seconded. Passed 3,0,0.
      Article 24. Finance called a motion as read by Alan, John seconded. Passed 5,0,0. Phil called the same motion, Erica seconded. Passed 3,0,0.
      Article 25. Finance called a motion as read by Alan, John seconded. Passed 5,0,0. Phil called the same motion, Erica seconded. Passed 3,0,0.
      Article 26. Finance called a motion as read by Alan, John seconded. Passed 5,0,0. Phil called the same motion, Erica seconded. Passed 3,0,0.
      
      Alan made a motion to set the COLA at 5%, John seconded, it passed 4,0,1.
      
      Chris made a motion to accept all the salary increases in the budget, minus the overtime for the superintendent in account 423 snow and ice, Erica seconded, it passed unanimously.

12. Meeting Wrap-up

    • Next Meetings:
      1. Fri, Apr 26, at 5:00 PM "Select Board" -- Town Hall
      2. Mon, Apr 29, at 6:00 PM "Select Board" -- Town Hall
      3. Mon, May 6, at 6:00 PM "Select Board" -- Town Hall

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 29, 2024