Town of Hawley 8 Pudding Hollow Road Hawley, MA 01339 (413) 339-5518 Town of Hawley, Massachusetts Minutes of a Selectboard / Board of Health / Zoning Board of Appeals via Conference Call & at Hawley Town Office December 8, 2020 Present: Hussain Hamdan, Bob Maclean, Bob Root - Selectboard Cass Nawrocki – Administrative Assistant Virginia Gabert, Pam Shrimpton, Gina Barnhart, Bernie Barnhart, Courtney Hoyt, Chris Tirone, Gary Mitchell, Suzanne Crawford. The meeting was called to order at 7:01pm. 1. Review and signing of treasury warrant. 2. Review and acceptance of prior meeting minutes. 8/18/20 SB and 8/18/20 SB Executive Session minutes reviewed and accepted. 3. Hawlemont School Committee & Assessor vacancies. Hussain moved to accept Bob Root’s resignation from the Hawlemont School Committee; Bob M. seconded; all voted in favor. Brief discussion that there is no need to immediately pursue a replacement, but publicize the vacancy through the website and e-news to see who comes forward. Suzanne Crawford has come forward with some interest. There is no update on the Assessor position vacancy. 4. Pond Road culvert/beaver issue revisited. Gary has looked at the situation and is not seriously concerned at this point, but will keep an eye on the situation. 5. Ad hoc Economic Development Committee. Passed over. 6. Charlemont Ambulance letter regarding future ambulance arrangement. Hussain read the letter from the Charlemont Selectboard dated 12/2/20 offering to provide ambulance service for a year period beginning in 7/1/”2020”(sic) (presumably 2021) for an annual cost of $7,080. The letter continues that Hawley may choose to pursue other options, but if the Town wants to continue to received service from Charlemont Ambulance, Charlemont would produce an agreement for signatures. If and when Charlemont were to purchase a new ambulance, a new agreement would include capital costs. Hussain next read an email regarding the matter from Michael Poirier, Fire Department Medical Coordinator. In sum, he feels that the basic premises of the Charlemont request are valid, but there would need to be a clear contract to proceed, with review by Town Counsel. Bob R. prefers a donation as opposed to a binding financial arrangement. Other outstanding issues still need to be ironed out, such as how calls from Berkshire East are handled and EMT reciprocity. Further discussion regarding the history of the issue, other options and their merits/limitations, the recreational tax impact, and the merits of having a larger, full-time regionalized paramedic level system in the path of South County and Highland. Discussions will continue. 7. Installation of security cameras at all town buildings. The Highway Garage has cameras but the Town Office and the Fire Station do not. Recent events have led to increased concerns and also shown the merits of having footage in resolving questions of what happened. All agreed a system at each building would be beneficial. Quotes will be gathered; there is $6000 in the Town building maintenance/renovation account presently and a portion could be used to fund the project. 8. Radio selection for FRCOG/CoMIRS procurement. Hussain shared that there will be a radio exposition for the models which are under consideration for procurement on Thursday, December 10, 5:00 at Franklin Regional Council of Governments in Greenfield. Hussain is planning to attend along with some other personnel from the Emergency Services. 9. Any other business not reasonably anticipated prior to adjournment. a. Biomass Alternative Energy Credits (AECP). Cass explained that Hawley can enter into an AECP Agreement with Hampshire Power for them to manage the sale of biomass credits being accumulated by the wood pellet furnace at the Highway Garage. Hampshire Power’s services will cost 10% of the Town’s credit, plus a $150 one-time fee to initiate the process. Bob M. moves to approve the application; Bob R. seconded; all voted in favor. b. Future Meeting location. Due to spiking numbers in the pandemic, the board will revert back to fully remote phone conferences for the time being for routine non-confidential business. All agreed. There being no further business, the meeting was adjourned at 8:13 pm. Respectfully submitted, Cass Nawrocki, Administrative Assistant ____________________ ___________________ __________________ Hussain Hamdan Robert Root Robert Maclean Appendix A - Relevant documents: * Letter dated 12/2/2020 from the Charlemont Selectboard regarding Ambulance Service; Email from Mike Poirier discussing the same. * Hawlemont School Committee Resignation letter from Robert Root dated 12/8/2020. * Hampshire Power Alternative Energy Certificates Purchase Agreement, dates 12/8/20. Town of Hawley 8 Pudding Hollow Road Hawley, MA 01339 (413) 339-5518 MEETING IN PERSON & via *TELEPHONE CONFERENCE: Pursuant to Governor Baker’s March 12, 2020 order suspending certain provisions of the Open Meeting Law and the Hawley Select Board and Board of Health’s efforts to mitigate risks associated with COVID-19 at a time when infection rates appear to be peaking, this meeting may be called into by telephone conference. INSTRUCTIONS: Meeting participants, along with anyone from the public who wishes to listen live should utilize a touch tone phone (landline or cellular) and Dial (978) 990-5151 to call in at the time of the meeting. (A toll-free number (844) 855-4444 is available should cost be a concern. PLEASE only use the toll free number if you do not have access to affordable long distance calling, as the Town gets the bill for the toll free calls. Finally, enter Access Code: 678027. To access via computer: go to freeconferencecall.com; click on "join meeting"; enter the online meeting ID: TownofHawley; and follow prompts. Please only speak if and when the Chair asks for public comments and identify yourself when speaking. Participants can also write or email questions/comments in advance of the meeting to the Town Office. Dial *6 to mute/unmute your phone during the meeting. AUDIO RECORDING NOTICE: This meeting (along with everything said by anyone on the call) will be electronically recorded and the recording is a matter of public record. It will be posted on the Town Website and a CD will be available from Town Hall for anyone without Internet access who wishes to listen later. There should be no expectation of privacy as to anything said on this conference call. Items to come before the Selectboard Board / Board of Health / Zoning Board of Appeals Tuesday, December 8, 2020 7:00 pm at the Hawley Town Office & *via conference call 1. Review and signing of treasury warrant. 2. Review and acceptance of prior meeting minutes. 3. Hawlemont School Committee & Assessor vacancies. 4. Pond Road culvert/beaver issue revisited. 5. Ad hoc Economic Development Committee. 6. Charlemont Ambulance letter regarding future ambulance arrangement. 7. Installation of security cameras at all town buildings. 8. Radio selection for FRCOG/CoMIRS procurement. 9. Any other business not reasonably anticipated prior to posting this agenda. Posted: 1