Board of Selectmen
February 6, 2008
Minutes
Members present: William Cavanaugh, Doug Walter
John Murray-absent
Others Present: Richard Furlong, Colleen O’Connor, Beth VanNess, Cynthia Grippaldi
7:04 PM Meeting opened. Reviewed minutes. Doug motioned to accept the minutes of January 2, 2008, Bill seconded. Motion passed.
Public Input: Colleen O’Connor asked the Selectmen why it is taking so long to do something about her house. She said she is getting very tired of having to drive out of town to take a shower because she cannot use her water. She just wants to leave town but she cannot because nothing is being done about her house. She wants the Selectmen to call her lawyer and negotiate it because it is only going to get worse. Bill explained that they would have liked to have had the school septic system checked out to see if there was a problem but she would not let anyone on her property to check it out. He feels that the only thing to do now is have the courts handle it.
The Selectmen reviewed letter from the Berkshire County Plumbing and Gas Inspectors Association regarding inspection fees. Briefly discussed the fee amounts and the amount the inspector gets paid for doing inspections. Currently the inspector gets $30.00 per inspection. This association feels that the inspector should get $70.00 since that is the rate that a plumber would get per hour. Richard does not feel that the inspector should get that because he is not using tools to do any work, he is just checking the work of another plumber. He will check with Al Meyer when he comes back from Florida. Richard advised that they had checked to see what other towns charge and we were in the same area as most other towns. He also advised that the inspectors get paid for mileage above the
inspection fee.
The Selectmen reviewed letter from the Executive Office of Transportation regarding culvert replacement on McNerney Road. Briefly discussed the letter. The State has approved the project to replace the culvert but they currently do not have funding to complete the work. Bill will be going to the meeting and try to get this project moved up on the TIP list.
7:15 PM Cynthia Grippaldi, from the Center for Ecological Technology, addressed the Board with information and updates regarding the Southern Berkshire Solid Waste Management District programs. The SBSWMD and CET are implementing a program for the safe collection and disposal of sharps (needles, syringes and lancets). Currently sharps are entering the recycling facilities which put the recycling workers at risk of infections and diseases. The new program would have sharps containers located within each town in the district for residents to dispose their sharps safely. The sharps collection pilot program would not cost the Town anything. Briefly discussed this program and also discussed the vacancy of a Becket representative on the Southern Berkshire Solid Waste Management District. Nina
will put something on the website to see if we can find someone interested in being on the SBSWMD.
The Selectmen reviewed letter from Madeleine Swindlehurst regarding bridge at Yokum Brook and State Route 8. She is concerned with the bank erosion by the bridge near her house. She wrote to Mass Highway Department on October 30, 2005 asking them to have this bridge repaired and Mass Highway sent her a letter stating that this would be done in the near future. She has sent another letter to Mass Highway imploring them to do something before there are serious consequences to not only her property but also to her neighbors to the south and vehicle traffic on Route 8. Madeleine was hoping that the Selectmen would send a letter to Mass Highway about this situation. The Selectmen will send a letter to Mass Highway asking for their assistance with this matter.
The Selectmen reviewed the monthly reports of the Building Inspector and the Ambulance Department.
Any other business: Colleen advised the Board about her accident on Yokum Pond Road where the bridge is closed to one lane of traffic. She explained that she was blinded by the sun and thought that the town could put up signs with high contrast so that motorists could see better in the sunlight. Richard will have Lenny check it out.
Richard advised that the septic system at the town hall backed up during the Presidential Primary and it had to be pumped out. There is a problem with the septic pump and he is in the process of having it repaired. Briefly discussed the ramp in the front of the building. This ramp is not up to code and it will be an expensive project to have this corrected. Bill asked Richard to make a list of all things that need to be repaired at the town hall.
Richard advised that the new website will be up and running some time this week.
Mike Falk sent an email regarding the Wahconah Building needs for the Selectmen to take home and read.
The Selectmen initialed the Ambulance Department Write-Off Report.
Reviewed correspondence.
7:50 PM Doug motioned to adjourn, Bill seconded. Motion passed.
Reviewed payroll/expense warrants.
Respectfully submitted, _______________________________
Nina Weiler, Secretary William F. Cavanaugh, Chairman
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