Board of Selectmen  ♦  Meeting Minutes   ♦  March 24, 2008

Present: Selectmen; Bill Martell, Ed Martin and Rich Hall, Administrative Assistant Kim Leahey, Fred Vanderbeck, Dave Goldin and, Gazette reporter Mary Carey.

Meeting called to order by Chairperson Richard Hall at 6:03 p.m.  

APPROVAL OF MINUTES from March 10, 2008; Ed Martin made a motion to approve the minutes, Bill Martell seconded; motion passed unanimously.

LIAISON REPORTS

SCHOOLS – Ed Martin reported that there was no meeting of the school department.

LIBRARY- Ed also reported that he had recently attended a Library Trustees meeting; the Trustees are planning a Volunteer Appreciation Day in late April or early May. He reported that the library was also hosting a Dean’s Beans coffee tasting that evening.

POLICE – No report.

FIRE DEPT – Ed Martin reported that he had met with Ray Murphy, the fire chief, and Murphy is not happy with the Personnel Board’s recommendations. Murphy would prefer that firefighters are paid a stipend rather than an hourly wage. The Chief believes that he will have better ‘control’ of personnel hours/pay then.

In regards to a raise for the Fire Chief; Martin supports a $2000 raise but does not believe that the Chief should be required to work more hours. Martin expressed his opinion that the Chief ‘does a fine job’ currently and deserves the additional compensation.

The Board decided to support the Personnel Board recommendations re: firefighters’ pay with the exception that they will recommend that the Deputy Chief’s increase be increased to $1.50/hour so that his raise is in line with that of the call firefighters. Martin made a motion to support the Personnel Board’s recommendations regarding Firefighters’ pay with that exception and to approve the recommendation regarding an increase for the Chief, Martell seconded, Rich Hall, a member of the department, abstained. Motion passed.

Selectmen directed AA Leahey to write a letter to the Personnel Board with the information discussed.

HIGHWAY DEPARTMENT – Rich Hall reported that the department had ordered its last load of salt and sand for the season. It was also reported that the department has a deficit of $35,000.

.VERIZON 

A Public Hearing was scheduled for April 22nd for the purpose of discussion of the petitions which have been filed by Verizon regarding their proposals to install concrete pads and equipment on Amherst and Butter Hill Roads. Chairman Hall instructed Leahey to put the Hearing on the agenda for 6:15 p.m. Leahey will also send out the abutter’s notices which Verizon included with it’s communication to the Board and notify Al Bessette of Verizon of the date and time so that he can plan to attend.

OLD BUSINESS
Leahey presented to the Selectmen, for their signatures, the executed contract for Ambulance service from the Town of Amherst. The Selectmen signed two copies, Leahey will send out one and file the other.

OTHER BUSINESS
Bill Martell made a motion to use $10,000 of the Technology Account to pay for the Accounting Software needed to update the Town’s accounting system. The motion was seconded by Ed Martin and passed unanimously. Leahey was instructed to draft a warrant article for the May Town Meeting to appropriate the remaining $6000 for payment of the software purchase.

Bill Martell made a motion to adjourn, Ed Martin seconded; meeting was adjourned 6:40 p.m.

Respectfully submitted
Kim Leahey