Leverett Town Seal

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/Finance Committee

Tuesday, February 21, 6:00 pm until 8:30 pm
Town Hall
A meeting of the Selectboard

Join Zoom Meeting

https://zoom.us/j/94460276391?pwd=N294R3hyQzlyMUtsZ1ZkMTBjL3BPdz09

Meeting ID: 944 6027 6391

Passcode: 650146

Meeting of Selectboard

Members: (Quorum)

  • Present: Tom Hankinson, Chair, at 6:00 PM
  • Present: Patricia Duffy, at 6:00 PM
  • Present: Melissa Colbert, at 6:00 PM

Also Present:

  • Tom H. and Pat D. in person with Melissa C. remote. Margie M. in person. Several members of the public joined in person and remotely.

See original Agenda * * * DRAFT Meeting Minutes * * *

Meeting opened: 6:00 PM

Meeting closed: 8:45 PM

  1. Meeting Preliminaries

  2. 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. Selectboard will reconvene in Open Session after the close of Executive Session.

  3. Open Session--Appointments

    • 6:45: Martha Jane Corcoran--MLP issue

      General Discussion...
      Marth Jane Corcoran called into the meeting and read a statement about her recent bill increase due to the ISP change to South Hadley and her subsequent meeting with the Municipal Light Plant to discuss her bill change. While acknowledging that SHELD discovered she had been underbilled by MLP since 2017, she named Rob Brooks as have spoken to her inappropriately. She stated that she plans to request another meeting with the full MLP board.

    • 7:00: Transfer Station Budget Hearing

      General Discussion...
      Annette was not in attendance and no hearing was held.

    • 7:15: Capital Planning Bd.

      General Discussion...
      Kip Fonsh was present and said that he was new to the CIP. Margie reported that Ricky Roberts predicted that he would have to work due to the weather and called her with an update. The CIP has not met. They expect two requests for FY 24: a Fire Department truck and paving at the PSC and the Library. They will meet with those department heads to discuss those projects. The new fire truck being requested only was added to the Capital Plan last year, so only $6,000 has been saved for it.

    • 7:45: Jim Starros--Assessor Presentation

      General Discussion...
      Jim Staros attended and went through an explanation as to why some FY 23 tax bills increased more than the average of 2.2%. The Dept. of Revenue has a guideline that sale prices should be within 10% below or above assessed values. By researching arms length sales over three years, he learned that this guideline was followed for sales of houses below $450K, but over that amount and they were selling for more than 10% of their assessed value. He showed a line graph that illustrated how higher priced homes in Leverett were selling well above their assessed value indicating they were being undertaxed. The Assessing staff addressed this discrepancy in their valuation this year. Jim mentioned that anyone not happy with their assessed value can request an abatement from the Assessors and that there is a deadline for filing abatement requests.
      Jim also addressed why the tax bills were so late. He listed new staff, new software, illnesses, and an error that required two tax classification hearings as reasons. He also said that the new GIS mapping approved at town meeting last year should be up on the website soon.

    • 8:00: Matt Boucher, Highway Wages

      General Discussion...
      Matt Boucher called in to say that he was not feeling well and requested to postpone his meeting.

  4. Business

    • Appointment Michaela Silver as Transfer Station Attendent - Appoint Jennifer Thorton to Affordable Housing Trust.

      MOTION, moved by Tom Hankinson, seconded by Melissa Colbert: Motion made to refer Macaylla Silver’s appointment as a Transfer Station Attendant to the Personnel Board for a recommendation to avoid Conflicts of Interest on the Selectboard. Voted: 3-0 in favor.

      Pass: Aye: Tom Hankinson, Melissa Colbert, Patricia Duffy.

    • Approve minutes of March 31 and Feb. 7

      MOTION, moved by Tom Hankinson, seconded by Melissa Colbert: Motion made to approve the minutes to January 31 and Feb 7th meetings. Voted 3-0 in favor.

      Pass: Aye: Tom Hankinson, Melissa Colbert, Patricia Duffy.

    • Digital Broadband Regional Project Committee

      General Discussion...
      The Digital Broadband Regional Project. There was not much interest in this and the response deadline has passed.

    • Should Select Board ask BoH to weigh in on Regional School Turf question

      MOTION, moved by Tom Hankinson, seconded by Melissa Colbert: Motion made to ask the Board of Health if they are willing to weigh in on the artificial turf debate for the Amherst Regional High School. Voted 3-0 in favor.

      Pass: Aye: Tom Hankinson, Melissa Colbert, Patricia Duffy.

    • with FinCom: FY '24 COLA

      General Discussion...
      The Selectboard and Finance Committee discussed what COLA to give town employees for FY 24. CPI for 2022 is 7.0% and Personnel Board recommendation is 5%. Many opinions and reasons were expressed.

      MOTION, moved by Tom Hankinson, seconded by Melissa Colbert: Motion made to provide a 4.5% COLA for town employees for FY 24. Voted: 2 in favor and 1 opposed for the Selectboard; 2 in favor and 1 opposed for the Fin Com. Motion passed.

      .

      Pass: Aye: Tom Hankinson, Melissa Colbert, Patricia Duffy.

  5. 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.

Posted to: Select Board on 2023-02-01 12:32:10 (updated 2023-02-14 10:33:10).