Special March 6, 2009 Shutesbury Board of Selectmen Meeting Minutes
Members present: Ralph Armstrong and Al Springer. (Former Chairman Rebecca Torres resigned from the Board of Selectmen on March 3 to be available to apply for the future Town Administrator vacancy.)  
Also present: Town Administrator David Dann and Administrative Secretary Leslie Bracebridge, recording.
Meeting opened at 7:00 A.M.
Topics
1. Selectmen unanimously voted to sign an up-dated Town Administrator job description.
2. Selectmen reviewed a draft newspaper advertisement for the position of Town Administrator and accepted it after changing “computer management” to “knowledge of Microsoft Office” and changing the salary range from “$47,000 - $52,000” to “$47,000 - $50,000.”  Ralph volunteered to be the Select Board representative to the Search Committee and was sworn to faithful and impartial duty by the Town Clerk.  David explained that the final interviews and selection timeline of May 11 to 15 was to allow the selected candidate the opportunity to provide notice of resignation to a former employer and to provide for some overlap with the current Town Administrator.  The Gazette and Recorder ads will run for 4 to 6 weeks.  An ad will also be placed on the Massachusetts Municipal website advertisement section but not in the Beacon.  The application deadline will be April 24.  David will review the previous Town Administrator search folder for the list of questions previously used.  
3. The first meeting of the Regionalization Study Committee is Saturday, March 7.  Al will represent the Select Board on this committee.  The group did not receive a $25,000 grant for an in-depth study, but there still may be a future opportunity to do so.  As long as there is only an interim Superintendent, it is not expected that the group will be very active. 
4. Ralph will represent the Select Board on the Personnel Board.
5. All will participate in the weekly morning meetings with the Police Chief.
6. Selectmen unanimously agreed to Co-Chair the Select Board.  Ralph will pick up the administrative details and Al will check in with the Town Administrator on a daily basis.
7. Selectmen unanimously voted to hold a special election on June 23 from 12 to 8 PM to fill Becky’s unexpired term.
8. There will be a special Select Board mailing near the end of March to announce such things as the special election, the rabies clinic, and the next steps toward an Agricultural Commission. 
9. Al reported that only Donald Wakoluk, Joanne Sunshower, Al and 2 out of town parties showed up for the March 4 Agricultural Commission organizing meeting.  Joanne Sunshower was tasked with preparing a warrant article for the town meeting warrant.
10. Currently the Finance Committee has a balanced FY 10 budget.  David cautioned that there is still “fluidity” in the Regional and the Elementary School budgets.  Shutesbury could still get less state aid and there will be a need to cut more.  While there is verbal promise that Chapter 70 will not be cut, Al pointed out that if other aid lines are cut, it’s still the bottom number that counts.  The Finance Committee will continue to meet every two weeks as town meeting approaches.  David promoted unanimity between the Select Board and Finance Committee.
11. The water at Lake Wyola is back to the winter level.
12. Environmental Consultant Alan Weiss will attend the April 14 Select Board meeting to discuss next steps regarding the soil contamination.
13. Finance Committee openings can be filled as soon as a Moderator is sworn to duty after the May 2 election.
14. Selectmen adjourned at 8:45 AM.
Respectfully submitted,

Leslie Bracebridge
Administrative Secretary