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, January 14, 2025, 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.
  • Jed P.
  • Margie M.
  • Lisa S. for the Select Board. Also present: Isaiah R.
  • Nancy G.
  • Phil C.
  • and Bethany S. for the Finance Committee. George Brace for the Montague Reporter was present as were several members of the community.

See original Agenda Final Minutes

Meeting opened: 7:00 PM

Meeting closed: 8:45 PM

  1. Meeting Preliminaries

  2. 7:00-7:15 Public Comment

    • - There were no comments from the public so Jed went ahead with the first order of business which was describing the MMA resolutions to be voted on at next week’s meeting. The topics were improving PFAS monitoring; modernization and efficiency in government; transportation; and fiscal partnerships. Jed was in support of all the resolutions as were the two other board members.

  3. Appointments

    • 7:15: Transfer Station Budget Hearing

      General Discussion...
      Annette will reschedule with Lisa.

    • 7:30: Library Budget Hearing

      General Discussion...
      Library Budget Hearing (Hannah in attendance)
      Hannah presented a budget with a 2.5% increase with increases only in the materials line item and a request to increase library open hours and support the increase in hours by paying the staff member/s additional compensation. Hannah has an appointment to meet with the personnel board later this month on that topic. The Library Trustees are in favor and willing to support the extra hours with library aid money.

    • 7:45: Jya Plavin, School Accts. Update

      General Discussion...
      School accounts update (Jya Plavin)
      Jya asked to meet with the board to discuss the remaining unresolved accounts. The larger of the two was the in the school choice account where $185,000 was credited to the town’s general fund when it should have gone into the school choice account. The board agreed to put an account transfer from free cash on the ATM warrant. The other was for @ $19,000 deficit in the school lunch account where benefits were taken from the account during Covid when the program was not active and an employee absorbed into regular school operations.

      MOTION, moved by Patricia Duffy, seconded by Tom Hankinson: . Motion: To transfer $19,000 into the school lunch account at ATM. Vote: 3-0 in favor.
      Phil Carter made a motion to adjourn the Finance Committee. All were in favor.
      .

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

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

    • Approve minutes of December 17

      MOTION, moved by Patricia Duffy, seconded by Tom Hankinson: Motion: To approve the minutes of December 17. Vote: 3-0 in favor.

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

    • Energy Mgr. Grant

      General Discussion...
      Margie suggested that the board consider hiring an energy auditor to look at and recommend how to make the town buildings more efficient. The FRCOG is applying for the same grant regionally. The board agreed to use the FRCOG.

    • MMA Meeting Resolutions

    • Next Steps: Kitteridge Property

      General Discussion...
      Kitteridge Update: (also present: Atty. Adam Costa)
      Tom stated that the board has hired Atty. Adam Costa as special legal counsel for the Kitteridge topic. Tom reviewed the meeting the board had with the Town of Amherst at which they told Leverett about their policy to not extend their utilities into another town without the support/vote of the Select Board. Josh Wallack has asked to meet with the Select Board and will be invited to a meeting but no new information has been received by him. The board allowed several attendees to speak.
      Margie will be the primary contact concerning the possible development.

    • Sign Coop License/set or waive fee, Sign Class II Auto License

      General Discussion...
      The Class II Auto License was signed.

      The Coop’s Beer and Wine license will wait until the next meeting. There was some discussion about whether or not waive their fee.

    • Sign mutual aid agreements for Fire Dept.

      General Discussion...
      A mutual aid agreement was signed for the Fire Department.

    • Surplus declaration for Dodge Truck, discuss sale options

      MOTION, moved by Patricia Duffy, seconded by Tom Hankinson: Motion: To declare the Dodge truck surplus and sell it in a bid process. Vote: 3-0 in favor.

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

  5. Mail (Mail is not read or discussed during meetings. Copies are available by request.)

    • Transfer Station Inspection Report, DPU: Energy Burden

  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 approved on Wednesday, Feb 19, 2025