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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Previous Meeting Next Meeting

Select Board

Tuesday, May 7, 7:00 pm until 9:00 pm
Town Hall/remote
A meeting of the Selectboard

The Selectboard is meeting in person and making this meeting available via Zoom for the convenience of the public. Since we are meeting in person, we will not be responsible for any technical difficulties, so if you would like to be sure of participating, please attend in person.

Join Zoom Meeting

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

Meeting ID: 944 6027 6391; Passcode: 650146

Meeting Agenda:

Protocols for Public Address to the Board: During meetings, the Selectboard will attempt to find a balance between hearing from members of the community and conducting required business. All public address is at the discretion of the Chair.

When speaking, please identify yourself by name or the company/institution you represent. Please make your comments are concise (less than 2 minutes); avoid repeat statements made by others; address your comments to the Board Chair.

Audience members may not interrupt a recognized speaker nor the discussion of the Board. Please be cordial and respectful of others.

The Selectboard will generally listen to comments rather than respond immediately. If a topic comes up that is not on the agenda yet further action is required by the Board, the Chair will add the matter, as appropriate, to a forthcoming agenda. Depending on the comment, the Board may, if they are able within the confines of the Open Meeting Law, respond with information as opposed to needing to deliberate on the matter.

This meeting agenda is being posted in compliance with Massachusetts’ Open Meeting Law. The agenda may change to reflect unforeseen business.

Meeting of Selectboard

Members: (Quorum)

  • Present: Tom Hankinson, Chair, at 7:00 PM
  • Present: Jed Proujansky, at 7:00 PM
  • Present: Patricia Duffy, at 7:00 PM

Also Present:

  • Tom H.
  • Pat D. and Jed Proujansky in person. Margie M. and several others in the audience. No one participated online.

See original Agenda Final Minutes

Meeting opened: 7:00 PM

Meeting closed: 8:23 PM

  1. Meeting Preliminaries

  2. Appointments (open to the public after initial conversation)

    • 7:00 : Forest Committee Update

      General Discussion...
      Town Forest Committee
      The Board met with Eva Gibavic and Eric Donnelley of the Forest Committee who explained that the original Charge of the Committee was to expire at the April 2024 Annal Town meeting and the Committee requested another year to finish their task. The Committee has been meeting regularly. They do not want any change in the content of their Charge, just a time extension. The Board granted the year extension. The Committee will submit a list of members for reappointment for FY 25 to Lisa.

    • 7:30: Steve Weiss-Recruitment for town positions

  3. Business (public participation is at the discretion of the chair)

    • Approve minutes of 4/23/2024

      MOTION, moved by Patricia Duffy, seconded by Tom Hankinson: Motion made to approve the minutes to April 23rd and April 26th meetings as drafted. Voted 2-0 in favor (Jed abstained).

      Pass: Aye: Patricia Duffy, Tom Hankinson, Jed Proujansky.

    • Discuss inviting the Field Bld. Committee to next meeting

      General Discussion...
      Tom announced that the Field Building lot passed a perc test and could accommodate a septic system and well for up to a three-bedroom house. This information provides a basis on which other decisions can be made about the building. A group of volunteers also wants to paint the building, which has lead paint on it. He requested that the Selectboard meet with the Field Building Committee at an upcoming meeting to make some decisions. Richard Nathhorst agreed that the perc test information was good to have.

    • Follow up o Mellissa's projects on committee appointments

      General Discussion...
      The Board discussed appointments and projects vacated by Melissa. Jed would like to take over the mosquito project; Pat would like to be appointed to the Affordable Housing Trust; it was agreed that the elder study program is running independently at this point. Pat would like to be the liaison to the public safety departments and she is on the Police Advisory Committee. Jed would like to be the School Committee liaison. Tom will stay on Personnel Board and Emergency Management Team.

    • Meetings with other boards/depts

      General Discussion...
      Pat suggested that the Board meet with other boards, committees and dept heads of large depts, maybe 2 at a time, throughout the year to ask what their upcoming issues/projects are and how the Selectboard can support them. All agreed. Committees to reach out to include the School Committee; the CPC, Police Chief, Fire Chief, Highway Supt, Con Com and COA. She would like this to begin in September to be done by budget hearing time in January.

    • Paving bid award

      General Discussion...
      Paving Bids – Margie reviewed the bids received and requested an award to Northeast Paving as the lowest qualified bidder. A resident asked if their bid could be rejected because they are felt to produce a lower quality end result. Disqualifying a bidder would require written documentation of bid specifications not met on a previous project, which was not produced.
      The appropriation for this is $140,000. Two sections included in the original bid will be removed and concreted and a negative change order will be sought. If the change order does not bring the price to $140,000, Matt Boucher was present to commit the needed funds from his FY 24 Highway Dept. budget.

      MOTION, moved by Patricia Duffy, seconded by Tom Hankinson: Motion made to award the Public Safety Complex (PSC) and Library Parking Lot Paving project to Northeast Paving as the low bidder for the contract price of $142,445. Voted 3-0 in favor. .

      Pass: Aye: Patricia Duffy, Tom Hankinson, Jed Proujansky.

    • Permission to use town hall parking lot May 18 while Ashram does peace walk

      General Discussion...
      The Board discussed a request from the Village of Light Ashram to use the TH parking lot for a peace walk. No one was present who knew any more about the request. The parking lot is a public space.

      MOTION, moved by Patricia Duffy, seconded by Tom Hankinson: Motion made to allow the Ashram to use the parking lot for their peace walk. Voted 2-0 (Pat abstained).

      Pass: Aye: Patricia Duffy, Tom Hankinson, Jed Proujansky.

    • Reorganize and discuss Select Board meeting format

      MOTION, moved by Patricia Duffy, seconded by Tom Hankinson: Motion made to have Tom be the Selectboard Chair for another year and Pat to be Vice Char. Voted 2-0 in favor (Tom abstained).

      Pass: Aye: Patricia Duffy, Tom Hankinson, Jed Proujansky.

      MOTION, moved by Patricia Duffy, seconded by Tom Hankinson: Motion made to started meetings with a “Citizens Concerns” section at the beginning of each meeting for 15 minutes, during which people can speak for 2 minutes (which can be extended at the discretion of the Chair) if they choose. Voted 3-0 in favor.

      Pass: Aye: Patricia Duffy, Tom Hankinson, Jed Proujansky.

    • Sing Green Communities Grant Application

      General Discussion...
      The Green Communities application for insulation and air and duct sealing at the TH, Library and School was signed.

    • Town Hall copier

      MOTION, moved by Patricia Duffy, seconded by Tom Hankinson: Motion made to purchase a new Town Hall (TH) Ricoh copier from the state contract for the price of $4,556. The PSC wants the old copier so that will not be returned to Ricoh.

      Pass: Aye: Patricia Duffy, Tom Hankinson, Jed Proujansky.

      MOTION, moved by Patricia Duffy, seconded by Tom Hankinson: Motion made to purchase a new Town Hall (TH) Ricoh copier from the state contract for the price of $4,556. The PSC wants the old copier so that will not be returned to Ricoh.

      Pass: Aye: Patricia Duffy, Tom Hankinson, Jed Proujansky.

  4. Mail (mail is not read or discussed during meetings. Copies are available)

  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.

Minutes approved on Tuesday, Jun 25, 2024