June 8, 2009 Post-Meeting List

Called to order - 6:30 p.m.; adjourned: 10:44 p.m.

Voted:

•  Unanimously to approve the revisions to Section 2.3 of the Appointed Committee Handbook, as amended

•  Unanimously to approve the revisions to Section 2.6 of the Appointed Committee Handbook, as amended

•  Unanimously to approve the April 27th minutes

•  Unanimously to approve the May 4th minutes as amended

•  Unanimously to approve the May Select Board Report as amended

•  Unanimously to approve the street closing and parking request for the Big Bothers/Big Sisters Artisan Craft Fair, per the motion sheet, with the changes:  at the end of the first bullet point, changing "7:00 p.m." to "9:00 a.m.," and adding "except for five meters which shall remain bagged from Spring Street south on Boltwood Avenue until 7:00 p.m."

•  Unanimously to approve the street closing and parking request for the Taste of Amherst, per the motion sheet

•  Unanimously to approve the Special Liquor License for Atkins Cruise Night, per the motion sheet

•  Unanimously to approve the Special Liquor License for a UMass event, per the additional motion sheet

•  Unanimously to appoint Vince O'Connor to the Nyeri Sister City Committee; Rob Kusner to the "Save Our Stop" Task Force (both effective immediately) and Mark Parent to ZBA as an Associate Member and Hilda Greenbaum to ZBA as a full member (both effective July 1) as per the motion sheet, amended to include the these start dates

•  Unanimously to reappoint starting July 1: Ellen Kosmer to CPAC; Laurie Nisoff to Amherst Cultural Council; Thomas Simpson as a Full member of ZBA, filling the unexpired term of Jane Ashby; Barbara Ford, as a Full member of ZBA; Thomas Ehrgood as an Associate member of ZBA; Albert Woodhull as an Associate member of ZBA, per the motion sheet, with the addition of the 7/1 start date

Warrant Articles:

•  Stephanie gave an introductory statement about budget process and collaborative efforts that brought us to this point

Article 22:Operating Budget
Library: Library Trustees and Library Director spoke in favor of their larger requested appropriation, explaining the risks of potential decertification, loss of State funds, loss of access to Federal funds, and inability for patrons to request inter-library loans; also explained that their budget cuts came from reducing new material purchases by 30%.  Finance Committee members explained the process of applying to the State for a waiver to maintain certification, preventing the loss of access to funds and inter-library loans; also explained the desire for parity of reductions across the different budget areas

•  VOTED:  Unanimously to recommend the lower appropriation, (the Fin Com's recommendation) for Article 22 - Library  Services, per the motion sheet

Schools:  Elementary and Regional Schools are in agreement with the Fin Com recommendations; there was discussion re: three of four towns needing to approve the Regional budget, and how Amherst can't be compelled to pay the higher amount approved by Leverett and Shutesbury because the Regional School Committee has subsequently voted a lower budget, which is now the determining factor

•  VOTED: Unanimously to recommend Article 22 - Elementary Schools budget, per the motion sheet

•  VOTED: Unanimously to recommend Article 22 - Regional Schools budget and appropriation, per the motion sheet

Municipal budget areas:  Considered whether SB should have input on where final $275K of personnel reductions should come from; majority sense was no, as the cuts do not represent changes in services provided by the Town (though they certainly affect delivery of those services and functioning of those departments); there was considerable discussion to clarify numbers and answer questions

•  VOTED:  4 in favor, 1 opposed (Weiss) to recommend Article 22 - Public Safety budget, per the motion sheet

•  VOTED:  4 in favor, 1 abstention (Weiss) to recommend Article 22 - Public Works budget, per the motion sheet

•  VOTED:  4 in favor, 1 abstention (Weiss) to recommend Article 22 - Planning, Conservation and Inspections budget, per the motion sheet

•  VOTED:  4 in favor, 1 opposed (Weiss) to recommend Article 22 - Community Services budget, per the motion sheet

•  VOTED:  4 in favor, 1 abstention (Weiss) to recommend Article 22 - General Government budget, per the motion sheet

•  VOTED: Unanimously to recommend Article 22 - General Fund Indebtedness, per the additional motion sheet

•  VOTED: Unanimously to recommend Article 22 - Water Fund budget, per the motion sheet

•  VOTED: Unanimously to recommend Article 22 - Sewer Fund budget, per the motion sheet

•  VOTED: Unanimously to recommend Article 22 - Solid Waste Fund budget, per the motion sheet

•  VOTED: Unanimously to recommend Article 22 - Transportation Fund budget, per the motion sheet

Article 13 - Gas Tax petition:  Gerry and Diana said they supported it; Alisa said she had expected to oppose it, but would support it because of the details it includes; Aaron said he would support it if the language is tweaked a bit; Stephanie said she wouldn't support it because she doesn't feel her personal opinions on broad taxation policies qualify her to offer an opinion in her official capacity

•  VOTED: 3 in favor (Weiss, Stein, Brewer); 1 opposed (O'Keeffe); 1 abstention (Hayden) to recommend Article 13

Article 14 -- FY09 Budget Amendments:  VOTED Unanimously to recommend Part D and to recommend dismissal of Part E
Article 26 -- Capital Program - Equipment:  VOTED Unanimously to recommend
Article 27 -- Capital Program - Buildings & Facilities: VOTED Unanimously to recommend
Article 29 -- Free Cash:  VOTED Unanimously to recommend Free Cash in the amount of $1,200,000
Article 30 -- Stabilization:  VOTED Unanimously to defer a recommendation


Agreed, without votes:

•  None

Requested:

•  For Town Counsel to advise on whether the small corrections to the ZBA charge can be made by the Select Board or requires Town Meeting action

·          That the Chamber be notified of the street closings and parking restrictions for the Taste and Big Brother/Big Sister event

Items to be added to the 6/15 agenda:

•  Town Manager's Report (postponed due to late hour)

•  Member Reports (postponed due to late hour)

•  Set Fall Town Meeting dates (postponed due to late hour)

Items to be added to a future agenda, not necessarily the next one:

•  Consider ZBA Charge alteration/correction, pending advice of Town Counsel

Materials to be brought back to the next meeting:

•  Possibly the ZBA charge info, pending advice from Town Counsel

•  Fall Town Meeting date memo from Kate

Items not resulting in actions, and other topics considered:

•  Diana announced a community celebration picnic sponsored by the Human Rights Commission to be held from noon to 4:00 p.m. on Sunday, June 14th at Groff Park

•  Larry announced that the SEIU said it is willing to seriously consider zero COLA for FY10

•  Stephanie reported that she had reached out to the Fourth of July Parade Committee Chair to see if progress might be made on the Select Board's desire for a compromise regarding parade participation that would allow use of Town equipment.  She and Alisa were invited to attend the Parade Committee's meeting, and had a productive and clarifying discussion.  She said an update or announcement about a mutually-acceptable resolution could happen soon.