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Massachusetts

Leverett

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, February 5, 2019, 7:00 pm until 9:00 pm
Town Hall, 9 Montague Rd
A meeting of the Selectboard

Meeting of Selectboard

Members: (Quorum)

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

Also Present:

  • Margie M.
  • Lisa S.
  • and Rob from the MR
  • Residents: Isaiah R.
  • Nancy G.
  • Steve W.
  • Finance Com: Steve N.
  • Tom P.
  • Phil C.
  • Greg W.
  • and Ann D.

See original Agenda Final Minutes

Meeting opened: 7:00 PM

Meeting closed: 9:55 PM

  1. Meeting Preliminaries

    • Meeting Opened / Attendance Taken (see above).

    • No minutes to approve.

  2. Appointments

    • 7:00 : Elementary School Budget Hearing

      General Discussion...
      Elementary School Budget Hearing (also in attendance: Tara A., Bethany S., Audra G., Margot L. Principal, Bruce from U28, and Jennifer H. Supt. of U28
      Peter reviewed the budget process for those in attendance that were unfamiliar. Bethany, Chair, School Com. reviewed the budget highlights. The overall increase for the school was presented at 2.2%. They tried to get a 1.5% budget prepared but were unable. The School Com. was commended conducting some grant research and fundraising. There was a fairly lengthy discussion about the preschool which is accepting children outside of Leverett with tuition to offset some the costs. Phil C. reminded the School Committee that they were granted a $20,000 one-time appropriation from Town Meeting last year. Tara mentioned that she had done some research and talked to a grant-writer for a school district in Kentucky and that with grants she obtained she more than paid for her salary.
      Also discussed was the Tax Check-Off for the school account to be created. Peter had asked some questions at the Library Budget Hearing to determine the relationship between the Library and the Friends of the Library. The upshot of that conversation was that money taken in by the “Friends” is used for one-time expenses or expenses easily explained to donors. It was emphasized that money used from the fund should not have on-going budget costs associated.
      School also requested two special articles: a specific school stabilization fund and to get $2,000 of the Medicaid income to cover their cost to reclaim it.

    • 8:00 : Regional School Budget Hearing - Regional Formula

      General Discussion...
      Regional School Committee Budget Hearing (Sean Mangano)
      The Regional School, although the Town has little control over the budget came in close to a 1.5% increase largely due to a 5.4% reduction in health insurance costs. The Regional School Working Group is still meeting and working on a formula acceptable to all four towns so the budget is still in flux. The middle school needs a new roof; they have applied to MSBA for partial funding. Also being considered is a new $5,215,000 track, in the next couple of years, at the high school which met with mixed opinions of its necessity.

  3. Business

    • Approve minutes of January 8, 22

      General Discussion...
      The minutes of January 8 were approved; January 22 will wait until Julie returns.

    • Appt. Animal Control Officer

      General Discussion...
      Appointment of the Animal Control Officer was tabled until Peter talks to the current ACO.

    • Appt. new Cultural Council members

      General Discussion...
      New appointments to the Cultural Council will wait until Mitch replies about how many vacancies there are currently.

    • Eversource right-of-way

      General Discussion...
      The Eversource right-of-way was discussed. It was clear that the Conservation Commission was the board that had control of the easement, therefore they should be the ones to write to Eversource to decline the right-of-way. Isaiah will ask Miho to follow up with a letter to Eversource. (Isaiah, also present.)

    • FY '20 fuel award

    • HCOG Human Resources Project

      General Discussion...
      Margie wrote a letter of support for the HCOG Human Resource Project.

    • North Leverett Rd. street light removal request

      General Discussion...
      A couple of residents at 151 North Leverett Rd. have complained of light shining in their house due to the street light nearby. Margie will call Eversource to see if they can filter or put a shield on it. David has looked at the light’s location and feels that it is beneficial to the Fire Dept. because of where it is.

    • Update on water project - hydro-geologist proposal, contract for design work

      General Discussion...
      Water Committee (also present Skip F. and Pat D.)
      Since the last meeting there appears to be a third option for the water situation on Teawaddle Hill Rd. Geologists and Leverett residents Sheila Seamon and Mike Williams have had contact with a hydrogeologist that they think could help shed light on the underground water situation for a reasonable amount of money. A subsequent email from said, David Foss, outlined a scope of work for $1,500. All at the meeting thought this should be followed-up ASAP. As far as the design for the water line from Amherst the board would like to contract with Tata and Howard directly instead of having Amherst do so, and pay them.

  4. Dudleyville Rd.

    • - Dudleyville Rd. mud- Ray Bradley came to the meeting to tell the Select Board that he thinks Dudleyville Rd. needs to be rebuilt. He stated that the road was impassible in the morning by car and that he didn’t know if he was going to make it home. He requested a 5-year plan for the rebuilding of the road.

  5. Other Business

    • - The Select Board and Energy Committee will hold another information session about the Electricity Aggregation on Feb. 12 at the Elementary School. Margie will use CTY to advertise.

    • - Peter gave an update on the meeting he attended Shelburne Emergency Dispatch Communication System with Jim F., Scott M., John I., and Brian C. Basically the system was built with old parts and has failed. Searches are being conducted on E-bay for parts. The 2 options are to bond to rebuild a new one with FRCOG being the lead or to wait for the state system to be up and running.

    • - The make-up for the Hiring Committee for a new Highway employee will be David F., Scott M., Tom H., and Margie.

  6. 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 Wednesday, Mar 6, 2019