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Leverett
Massachusetts
Town of Leverett
9 Montague Road
Leverett, MA 01054
Town Clerk: (413) 548-9150
Tax Collector: (413) 548-9666
Assessor: (413) 548-4945
Town Hall Fax: (413) 548-1035
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Select Board

Tuesday, August 22, 2017, 7:00 pm until 9:00 pm
Town Hall, 9 Montague Rd
A meeting of the Selectboard

Meeting of Selectboard

Members: (Quorum)

  • Present: Peter d'Errico, Chair, at 7:00 PM
  • Present: Tom Hankinson, at 7:00 PM
  • Present: Julie Shively, at 7:00 PM

Also Present:

  • Rob
  • Montague Reporter

See original Agenda Final Minutes

Meeting opened: 7:00 PM

Meeting closed: 8:25 PM

  1. Meeting Preliminaries

  2. 7:00 Colonial Energy with Energy Committee

    • Discussion

      General Discussion...
      Colonial Energy’s Mark Cappadona and Denise Allard and the Energy Committee met with the Select Board to discuss details about the newly approved electricity aggregation. The program offering will be finalized when Colonial sees the WMECO January rates—sometime in November. Residents should be able to purchase aggregated electricity by January. Pittsfield’s aggregation was just accepted and they will use 25% SREC 2. Brooke remembered wanting to buy Class 2 RECs from Maine hydropower. There is a new, optional, “Smart Program” that for SREC solar with a discount dependent a 20 year contract and all risk is borne by supplier. Customers/Leverett residents may expect to save about 10% with green options. The program and its scheduling will be announced in the October Newsletter.

  3. 7:30 Jim Perkins, Leverett Alliance

    • Discussion

      General Discussion...
      Jim Perkins and Pat Fiero came in to discuss the Leverett Alliance’s plan to have a contingency from Whitesburg, Kentucky, (whose per capita income is the 2nd lowest in the country) , whose election results were the opposite of Leverett’s in the 2016 Presidential election, visit Leverett. The object is to compare similarities among the two towns in terms of what is important/valuable to individuals—consensus building. The Alliance has been working with Ben Fink, a community organizer in Whitesburg. So far 7 people have committed to come; they are hoping for 12. They will be arriving the last weekend in October. They will stay with members of the Alliance, who also have a weekend of activities planned, including a presentation by the Select Board.

  4. 8:00 Scott Minckler, update

    • Discussion

      General Discussion...
      Scott has spent the last 8 months evaluating the department. He is updating the Police polices and procedures, getting the template from the Massachusetts Police Association and tailoring it for Leverett. One major change he would like to see is a change in the use of force policy that would allow officers to carry Tasers. He prefers them as a non-lethal alternative to use of deadly force. Scott said that there has been a rise in physical disturbances and that many towns in MA (including Shutesbury) allow the use of Tasers. He told of a recent occasion on Shutesbury Rd. of a machete-wielding resident… Scott has a training video on Taser use at the office if board members are interested in watching it. The board will review the new policies and procedures and meet with Scott again.
      The new cruiser is being built and will be ready in January(?). Scott would like it to be “semi-marked” and would like it to be his vehicle. The Select Board would like news coverage so residents know about the vehicle.
      Scott is still having trouble filling part-time shifts. He is sending police logs to the Montague Reporter. New dispatch center radios are being tested with all departments. John Ingram and Scott are setting up recertification training as first responders for both departments—training will be sometime in October. Police can now take dogs to the Franklin County Regional Dog Shelter; if dog has bitten someone it is still Roberta Bryant's issue to deal with as Dog Officer.

  5. New business:

    • Accept ADA public notice?

      General Discussion...
      The ADA notice for policy of Town to assist vision/hearing/ other impaired persons with Town business was accepted.

    • Approve minutes of August 8

      MOTION, moved by Julie Shively, seconded by Peter d'Errico: .

      Pass: Aye: Julie Shively, Peter d'Errico, Tom Hankinson.

      To approve the minutes of August 8.

    • Dog Officer/ACO update

      General Discussion...
      Roberta Bryant has no working phone numbers at this time.

    • Mail

    • Promote Annette Herda as Supervisor @ TS as per Ananda

      MOTION, moved by Julie Shively, seconded by Peter d'Errico: To promote Annette Herda as Supervisor at the Transfer Station.

      Pass: Aye: Julie Shively, Peter d'Errico, Tom Hankinson.

    • Sign: MOU for Household Hazardous Waste Day and third party inspection of TS

      General Discussion...
      Signed.

    • Water system info from John

      General Discussion...
      Postponed to future meeting. TBA.

  6. Mail

    • Response from Jeff Wulfson re: Pelahm charter tutition calculation

    • Water report from ATC re: landfill testing

  7. 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 prepared by Lisa Stratford

Minutes approved on Monday, Sep 25, 2017