Select Board Meeting Minutes 07/28/2020

By Otis Town ClerkBoard of Selectmen Minutes
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Select Board Meeting Minutes

Otis Town Hall

Conference Room

July 28, 2020

7:00 p.m.

 

*This meeting is being conducted remotely through Zoom. You must check back within 24 hours of the start time for a link to join.

Pursuant to the Governor’s March 12, 2020 order suspending certain provisions of the Open Meeting Law, G.L. c. 30A, Sec 18, this meeting is being held via remote participation to the greatest extent possible. Every effort is being made to ensure that any member of the public may access the meeting in real time, via technological means. Agendas will be amended to show the link and participation code to access the meeting no sooner than 48 hours before. Recordings and/or draft proceedings of the meeting will be available on our website as soon as possible.

 

Present: Bill Hiller, Gary Thomas, Larry Southard, Brandi Page, Heather Morgan, James Wilusz, Rich Phair, Filipe Cravo, Mike Kulig, Larry Gould and Terry Gould

 

 

  1. Call to Order

7:00 PM

  1. Approval of Select Board Minutes from July 14, 2020

Minutes were unanimously approved

 

  1. Review and Approval of Warrants
  2. Review Knox Trail Inn entertainment license renewal if needed in order to have a musician play while people are eating.

When the Covid 19 quarantine began in March their entertainment license was suspended because they could no longer have bands.  The Knox Trail Inn pays by the year for their entertainment license and not by the musician.  Rich Phair mentioned that they need to have a permit in case there is an emergency.  The Knox Trail Inn will need to fill out an entrainment permit.  Rich will visit the Knox Trail Inn to discuss it with them.  The entertainment license won’t need to be invoked.  All unanimously agreed.

 

  1. Forester for Forest Stewardship Plan

The Town received two proposals. One from Edward Denham and one from Jeff Jourdain.  Bill would like to recommend that the Town goes with Edward Denham’s quote.  Jeff Jourdain’s quote looks like the town would have to do what the Stewardship Plan covers as well as what the plan does not cover.  Edward Denham’s quote seems that he would complete what is covered under the Stewardship Plan first and then the rest can be discussed.  Bill recommends that the Town accept Edward Denham’s quote.  Garry and Larry agreed to accept Edward Denham’s quote

.

  1. Berkshire Engineering, Inc. on behalf of Violet L. Hyland, 47 & 52 Hayre Isle Rd., regarding replacement of a tight tank.

Mike Kulig from Berkshire Engineering attended the meeting.  The issue of replacing the septic system has been going on for the past couple of years due to missing information. The perk tests were done and filed with the Conservation Commission.  The owner asked permission from the Department of Conservation & Recreation (DCR) to have the septic field across the bridge to avoid the tight tank. Because the pipe would need to go over or through the lake the DCR did not approve it.  The property currently has a cesspool. There are no other options besides the tight tanks. The property owners are requesting to have two polly tanks installed.  The property will have a deed restriction for seasonal use only which is defined as six months a year.  They have exhausted all other options.  The Board unanimously agreed to allow the tight tank.

 

  1. Ziter Saloomey, well setback for 31 South Bay.

Filipe Cravo from R. LaBeck Associates attended the meeting.  They are proposing a new septic system that is replacing an older system that was already on the property.  Because of the size of the property they will need to install a jet tank and pump.  It will abut an easement and will not abut a residential property.  The Board unanimously approved the plan.

 

  1. Use of Town Beach by vacation rentals.

An owner of a vacation rental would like to give her renters the use of her town beach pass. Brandi felt this season with the COVID restrictions that allowing vacationers to use the Town Beach would overwhelm the situation. She asked the Board to weigh in as well.  The Board unanimously agreed that the town beach is only to be used by town residents this year.

 

  1. Any topics not reasonably anticipated by the Chair at the time of the original posting.

Hazard Mitigation Plan meeting is scheduled for August 12th at 6:00 PM and it will be a Zoom meeting.  Early voting will start on August 22nd to August 28th from 9:30 to 11:30.

The Town is looking for a volunteer to sit on a citizen advisory board for the Community Block Grant.  Sheffield is the lead town on this. Email Brandi if you are interested.

Larry Southard mentioned that a town member is upset because Eversource has put large poles in front of and guide wires on their property.  They are concerned about their property value going down and the humming noise.  The homeowners would like to know if there was a pole hearing and if it is related to the wind turbine.  Eversource has responded and it is funneling up through the chain for an answer.  Larry Gould joined the meeting.  The pole is on North Blandford Road.  Voltage regulators were installed to even out the current from the substation.  It has to do with keeping the voltage stable.  The equipment was so heavy that it was sinking poles.  They are replacing the poles that were there. Eversource has put in concrete caseins to stabilize the poles instead of having them put directly into the ground. Larry suggested talking to Eversource to see what the remedy would be.

 

  1. Adjournment

7:38 PM

 

Respectfully submitted,

Heather Morgan

Selectmen’s Secretary, Town of Otis

 

List of Documents

Forester Quotes

Knox Trail Inn Entertainment License Information

Town Beach Recommendation