Shutesbury Board of Selectmen
January 13, 2009 Meeting Minutes
Members present: Chairman Rebecca “Becky” Torres, Ralph Armstrong and Al Springer.
Also Present: Town Administrator David C. Dann and Leslie Bracebridge, recording.
Meeting opened at 7:10 P.M.
Topics
1.  Al Springer reported on his research to find the plans for the Lake Wyola Dam gate installed in 1992, as the height of the stem of the gate is blocking the contractor’s ability to move the gatehouse for the final concrete pour. Once the gatehouse can be moved, the last concrete pour will be done below where the gatehouse sits.  More rip-rap needs to be added on the lake side of the dam.  There will be very little left for the contractor to come back to do in the spring.  There were few cost over-runs.

At the January 19 Emergency Management Team meeting Selectmen will discuss safe recreational use on the ice when the Lake is re-filled.  David will contact Engineer Morris Root in advance of the meeting for his opinion of what to expect.  Al reports that the annual ice fishing derby may be moved to a different pond or lake this year.

2.  Town Counsel advises towns including Shutesbury to have an outside attorney negotiate police union contracts and not the Chiefs.  The 30 to 60 hours of attorney time involved could cost $4,900 to $10,000.  Becky would like to bring this matter to the Personnel Board meeting and get their feedback for middle ground alternatives.  One alternative would be to invite the Personnel Board Chairman to participate (in place of the Chief.)  The dollars are important, but the tone would also be different in nature with an attorney over-seeing the negotiations.  An alternate approach would be to try first to negotiate with local appointed officials (Finance Committee, Personnel Board and Select Board representation and the Town Administrator) and only bring in an attorney if needed.  Selectmen unanimously voted to appoint Al Springer to serve as the Select Board representative on the police union negotiating team.  Becky would be interested in sitting in on some of the meetings if that is allowable.
3.  Ralph and Al voted to appoint Becky as the Select Board Representative to the Amherst-Pelham Regional Schools committee being organized to consider the question of regionalizing the elementary schools, and/or wider collaboration as was discussed at the December 4-town meeting.  Selectmen discussed possibilities:
* Approach Hadley and/or Wendell and New Salem to make an even larger region. 
* Reconfigure the funding mechanism of charter schools
* Look at other scenarios not yet even imagined.
* Becky will consult with Linda Dunlavy concerning the Franklin Regional Council of Governments (FRCOG) 139 page document that seems as if it would give the school system to FRCOG.
New Topics 
1. Selectman reviewed Massachusetts Emergency Management Agency (MEMA) recommendations for frigid weather safety precautions.  Selectman Springer described his experience with hypothermia when he fell 50 feet into the Connecticut River from a construction project on the Memorial Bridge in Springfield.  He observed the fish while waiting for a rescue boat, was treated in the hospital emergency room and returned to work that same day.  Ralph requested this extraordinary experience be recorded in the minutes.
2.  Selectmen agreed to sign warrants after 1/20/09.  Subsequently vendor warrants came in totaling $743,933.28 and payroll warrants totaled $86,696.12.
A motion was made, seconded and unanimously voted to adjourn at 8:41 P.M.
Respectfully submitted,

Leslie Bracebridge
Administrative Secretary
090113 1 Select Board 1