Selectboard Meeting Minutes
Otis Town Hall
Conference Room
Tuesday, September 28, 2021, at 6:300 PM
This meeting will be held in person at the location provided on this notice. Members of the public are welcome to attend. A remote option is offered via zoom with the link provided below. Please note that while an option for remote participation is being provided as a courtesy, the meeting will not be suspended or terminated if technological problems interrupt the virtual broadcast, unless otherwise required by law. Anyone with interest in any specific item should plan in person attendance.
Topic: Selectboard Meeting
Time: Sep 28, 2021 06:30 PM Eastern Time (US and Canada)
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https://us02web.zoom.us/j/84231035944?pwd=VHJPT2ZFdGJHVUhyRDlnTUJQTFFCUT09
Attendance: In person: Larry Southard-Chair, Terry Gould, Brandi Page, Jim Higgins and Steve Schultze. Via Zoom: Gary Thomas, Ann O’Donnell, BJ O’Brien, Kathleen R., Sue Brofman, Sonia Morrison, Phil McGovern, Dan Hamill & Diane Provenz.
Call to Order: 6:30 PM
Approval of Minutes: Motion made, seconded and passed to approve minutes from 9/14 as written.
Memorial Day Parade: Jim Higgins and Steve Schultze were present to discuss the direction of future Memorial Day events in Otis. Jim gave a history of events in the years since he has been participating. The format was a parade including veterans and military and was usually attended by the Lee High Band. The Town supported the parade and offset some costs. Some years there were over 50 veterans in attendance. A number of years back we began coordinating and including Sandisfield. This last year was a wave parade due to COVID. Jim and Steve want to stress that they cannot support a wave parade for Memorial Day in the future. Memorial Day is meant to honor fallen military and is a solemn time of reflection and ceremony not celebration. They would like the Town to consider their thoughts and think about what the future of the Holiday should be. The Board thanked them both for coming and asked them to put together a suggestion of what they envision the ceremony being going forward.
Trick or Treat: Recreation asked the Board if the Town was supporting door to door trick or treat in light of COVID again this year. The Board felt that Trunk or Treat is very popular and well attended and that it would be best for that to be the event for Halloween.
Clark & Green: Steve McAllister from Clark & Green submitted a proposal for bid work and construction oversight at the East Otis Schoolhouse. This is a second phase to the design work already performed. The Board made a motion to approve the agreement, motion seconded and all approved.
Review & Approval of Warrants: Payroll and vendor warrants are on the table for signature.
Any Other Topics: The Library Trustees asked for formal approval of the Erbe Building site as the proposed site for the Library Grant application. Motion was made to earmark the Erbe lot for the grant application, seconded and all approved.
Diane spoke to congratulate Tom Ragusa on being recognized in the “Berkshire 25”. She reminded listeners that the site visit and initial assessment work at St. Paul’s was scheduled for Thur. Discussion then led into the money OPT had transferred to the Town for the obligated work so far. The final amount expected was 30,000 for the contract with Clark & Green and the assessment visit. OPT had transferred 24,500. OPT agreed to transfer the remaining 5,500 next week.
Larry made a motion to convene into Executive Session for the purpose of contract negotiations with non-union personnel. The Board did not intend to re-convene in open session.
Adjournment: 7:18 PM