Select Board Meeting Minutes
Hinsdale Select Board
Meeting Minutes
Wednesday, September 28, 2022, 7:00 pm
Community Room, Downstairs, Town Hall
39 South Street, Hinsdale MA
Present:
Earl Peck, Chairman
Bart Collins, Selectman
Ray Huntoon, Selectman
Robert Graves, Town Administrator
Clarissa Mitchell, Administrative Assistant
At 7:00 pm, Earl opened the meeting. Next, the Select Board needed to approve the previous meeting minutes from 9/14/22 and 9/22/22. Earl Peck motioned to accept the minutes as presented, and Bart Collins seconded it. All said, Aye.
Communications and Reports from Department Heads, Boards, and Chairs:
Shaun Galliher- Finance Committee:
Finance is having a meeting next Thursday.
Robert Graves- Town Administrator:
The tax bills are due in early November. The tax rate was set at the tax rate hearing last Thursday night. The fiscal year 2023 tax rate is $13.49 per thousand, a drop of $0.17. However, just so people are aware, the average bill will go up about $114, so they’ll go up more because the property value is based on the overall valuation. The bills should go out on Monday at the latest.
A couple of years ago, the Town was cited for the water creeping over the vernal pool around the DPW garage. Conservation Agent Caleb Mitchell has taken this on since he started back in the Town. We had Foresight Engineering come in and engineer the plan. They documented it, marked the entire thing, and then Eversource came in to do the environmental restoration work. The project saved the Town between $15,000 and $20,000.
Next, the MVP report is up on the website. We had our meeting last Tuesday night. They took the feedback from that meeting and incorporated it into the report. They finalized the report. The Select Board needs to accept the information tonight. The report is an appendix to the 2019 Hazard Mitigation Plan. Every five years, the town has to do a hazard mitigation report or an uptake to that report. Because of climate change, the State has started the MVP process to dole out grant money. You must do this step to qualify for any of these grants. We have to get certification from the State and apply for engineering grants and project grants. TA Graves noted that he intends to apply for the Plunkett Spillway and engineer that next year and get funding for it. Then apply for the Maple Street Bridge project.
Finally, the transfer station work is progressing very well. There have been concerns when they are driving the trucks. Initially, they told us they were going to drive up Pittsfield Road and then onto Plunkett Ave Ext. and into the transfer station. Over the past week, they have been doing more local stuff because they have taken the gravel stuff out of Nichol’s Sand and Gravel. The workers have been using Michael Road. In the next couple of weeks, we will have grass around the area.
The next item on the agenda was to re-visit the purchase of the fire truck to discuss and vote on it because the Select Board was not supposed to sign an agreement at the previous meeting. Bart Collins motioned to accept the Fire Truck purchase, and Ray Huntoon seconded it. Earl Peck abstained from voting because he thought the people should vote on it. Bart voted yes, and Ray voted yes. The vote was 2/3. Earl said motion passes.
Cemetery volunteer Dan Kaufman wanted the Town to recognize her and her husband's incredible work on the Maple Street cemetery sign. They gave the Town a break on some costs, and the Select Board signed a letter thanking them for their hard work.
Next, Chairman Peck motioned to accept the Hazard Mitigation Plan; Ray seconded it. All said, Aye. The next item on the agenda was to set a date and time for the Special Town Meeting regarding the Wahconah Track. We set the Special Town Meeting date for October 19th at 7:00 pm at Kittredge School. Collins motioned to have the Special Town Meeting on October 19th; Peck seconded it. All said, Aye.
Any new business not reasonably anticipated before posting the agenda
Transfer Station Attendant Barry O’Keefe asked if the Select Board would consider solar panels at the town dump. TA Graves said we could have a consultant look into it. Shaun Galliher noted mowing the transfer station should be included in next year’s mowing bid. Bonnie Conner pointed out that the windows should be cleaned at the Town Hall. TA Graves said we would look into it.
Lastly, Selectman Ray Huntoon voiced concerns regarding Jamie Callahan’s position as Interim DPW Superintendent. TA Graves noted that Jamie is doing an excellent job in the role, and we will see how he does during the winter. If the Select Board wants to post the position, we can look into it.
Meeting Adjournment: Earl Peck motioned to adjourn the meeting at 7:31 pm, and Bart Collins seconded it. All said, Aye.
Respectfully submitted,
Clarissa Mitchell
Earl Peck- Chairman Bart Collins- SB Member Ray Huntoon- SB Member