Select Board Meeting
Otis Town Hall
Conference Room
October 13, 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.
Attendees: Chair Bill Hiller, Selectmen Larry Southard, Heather Morgan, Brandi Page, Celeste Watman, iPad (2), Lyn Obrien, Terry Gould, William Taft, Chris, Sonia Morrison, Hal Kobrin, Rona Knight, Nick from Eversource, Diane Provenz
Call to Order
7:00 PM
Approval of Select Board Minutes from September 22, 2020 & Oct 01, 2020
Meeting minutes from 9/22/2020 were approved with the exception of the sentence regarding Larry in the any topics not reasonably anticipated section of the minutes needs to be removed. The October 01 minutes will be tabled because Larry Southard did not attend the October 1st meeting and Gary is absent.
Review and Approval of Warrants
On the table for review.
Approval and Signature of Election Warrant
The Election Warrant was approved.
Eversource Pole Hearing, Dimmock Road 6B030526
Nick from Eversource explained that Eversource will be clearing some brush and installing the poles as submitted on the petition. The Board wanted to know if the property lines had been checked and if all abutters had been notified. Nick stated that all the poles will be in Otis and all the abutter cards have been mailed. Bill and Larry unanimously approved the petition.
Appointment of Pamela Saia and Brandi Page as Poll Workers
Bill and Larry unanimously approved.
Recreation Commission change in member titles. Jen Catolane to full member, Bill Dyer to alternate member.
Bill and Larry unanimously approved.
Permit Eyes, BOH Module
The Permit Eyes Board of Health module will be paid for through the CARES Act but there will be a yearly maintenance cost. The yearly user fee will be covered by the cost of the permits. Applicants will be able to do all of the Board of Health permitting online and the Town will have real time communication with applicants when the need arises. Jim Wilusz, our Health Agent has been in support of this and most towns in Berkshire County are already using this. The Select Board unanimously approved.
Planning Board to Present Update on the Complete Streets Grant
Hal Kobrin presented an update on Complete Streets. The final documents are ready to go Mass DOT. Rona and Hal are both point people but the Planning Board needs a contact person at Town Hall. Brandi agreed to be the contact person. Once Mass DOT signs the document the BRPC will start the work.
Any topics not reasonably anticipated by the Chair at the time of the original posting.
Larry Southard would like Taft’s pole hearing on the next BOS agenda. Brandi will contact Eversource. Larry Southard wanted to know if there will be a catch basin for the Norton Road culvert. There will be a catch basin. Bill stated Derek might get to it this season, weather permitting, but it may be next spring.
Brandi updated the Board that she received some documents from Berkshire Engineering in regard to the Reservoir Road Culvert Project on previous work that had been done and she is hoping to pick up more tomorrow.
Adjournment
7:22 PM
Respectfully submitted by,
Heather Morgan
Selectmen Secretary, Town of Otis
List of Documents
Complete Streets Technical Assistance Proposal – BRPC – FLS
Pole Petition Dimmock Road
Support from Jim Wilusz for Permit Eyes
Permit Eyes documentation
Draft of minutes from 9/22 and 10/1/2020