Select Board
Minutes
January 5, 2006
Present: C. Peter Cole
Henry C. Cobb
Daniel Boyer
Norman John Arrison
Patricia Daniels
Others Present: Larry Melen, Town Manager
Lisa Sargent, Recording Secretary
Rolly Cann, Budget Committee
Rachel Frank, Budget Committee
Betty Adams, Budget Committee
Julia Lloyd Wright, Eagle Times
Mark Knight
Rick Butler
Phil Racine
Debbie Ostrum, SAPA
Rhona Morris
Steve Mungeon
Darrin Spaulding, Ascutney Fire Chief
deForest Bearse
Wes Hazeltine, Road Foreman
1. Call to Order by Chairperson: Mr. Cole called the meeting of the Select Board to order at 7:03 p.m. on Thursday January 5, 2006 at Martin Memorial Hall.
2. Comments from Citizens: Mr. Butler asked for an update on the land swap. Mr. Melen said he received a call from Gary Rapanotti yesterday and he will pin the property and do the plat this week.
Mr. Melen said there was one bid received on the loader that is for sale from a private individual but when he went to retrieve the bid today it was missing from the file folder. It was decided he should call the bidder and ask for him to re-submit the bid.
Mr. Melen said a number of employees have not yet filed Section 125’s, it was the consensus of the Board to allow them until March 31, 2006 to submit them.
3. Review Minutes from Previous Meeting (s): Mr. Cobb made the motion to accept the minutes dated December 8, 2005, Mr. Arrison seconded the motion. Mr. Cole, Mr. Cann and Mrs. Daniels noted corrections. Motion carried 4 – 0 with one abstention.
Mr. Cobb made the motion to accept the minutes dated December 15, 2005, Mr. Boyer seconded the motion. Mr. Melen gave information on who made the last motion. Mrs. Daniels noted corrections. Motion carried unanimously.
4. Joint meeting with Budget Committee: Mr. Cole asked to keep this discussion to forty-five minutes because the agenda was long. Mr. Melen said the Solid Waste budget is up 9.7%, there is no assessment increase or per ticket increase, the increase is in disposal cost and tipage cost. Mr. Cobb asked if we produced a list last year for how many punches for a truck load of leaves, etc. and if we need to change that information. Mr. Melen said yes, the list was created and it does not need to be changed as far as he knows. Mr. Arrison asked Mr. Hazeltine if the staffing and the direction of traffic flow was working out. Mr. Hazeltine said some people are being missed but they are trying to get everyone. Mr. Melen noted there are two part time attendant positions currently open.
Mr. Melen said there are changes in the General Fund budget, the Windsor County budget tax rate is going down but he doesn’t know the impact yet.
Mr. Melen said the paving projects this year include Thrasher Road and Stoughton Pond Road. It was decided that the section that was paved on Thrasher Road will be repaved. Mr. Melen said this should be completed right around July 1, 2006. There was discussion on the balance in the Leahy Fund, Mr. Melen said he would have to talk to the new project manager, Scott Gurley. Mr. Cobb suggested we let Scott Gurley know our strategy on Stoughton Pond Road. There was discussion on what part of Stoughton Pond Road would be paved this year and what work remains to be completed as well as having to do the work per the State specifications.
Chief Spaulding said the Fire Departments feel they have been locked into $15,000 stipend for several years and asked for this to be adjusted. He said one set of fire gear was $1500 when ordered in June, he was told last night that it will be $1900 in February. Mr. Cole pointed out that other costs related to the departments have increased and the Town has absorbed those costs. The departments have not had time to work together to decide how much they would like their fund increased but they will do this and report back to the Board.
Mrs. Frank asked Chief Spaulding if he submitted budget information to the Board, he said yes. Mr. Melen said he never received anything so nothing got passed onto the Board. Mrs. Frank said it would be helpful if they had this information.
Mr. Cann made a comment that he wishes we could determine if the Town Office personnel expenses and staffing levels were justified. He said he wished there were a way to be sure the work is being done as efficiently as possible. Mr. Melen reminded him there are four people that are staff, the others are elected officials. Mr. Arrison shared Vermont Municipal information with the Board and gave the book to Mrs. Frank to review. He said according to this, there is only one Town with a higher budget than us and only twenty two Towns with a higher Municipal tax rate than us (out of 252 Towns).
Mrs. Adams said she feels the Budget Committee should meet by themselves. It was discussed that the Budget Committee can meet anytime they want on their own.
Mr. Melen said the General Fund is down 5 ½ %, he said one problem is non-current tax revenue is going down.
Mrs. Adams said we need to be aware in the last four weeks the food shelf use has tripled, there are people who can’t pay higher taxes.
Mr. Melen said the only way to make a significant difference in the budget is to cut services.
5. Monthly Activity Reports: The Board received written reports that were submitted and they didn’t have any questions on them.
6. New Business:
A. Weathersfield Volunteer Fire Departments Hazardous Materials Response Fees: Chief Spaulding said the balance in their Hazardous Materials fund has not increased in some time. Mr. Melen said he hasn’t received any deposits. After reviewing information it was found that there was a deposit on April 5, 2004 that was not applied to the correct fund. It was also discussed that the auditors put the money into an undesignated fund balance at the end of the year. Mr. Knight asked the balance for West Side, Mr. Melen said $1,291. It was said that there would be an article on the warning this year so the departments can request these monies from the Select Board. Mr. Arrison asked if it would be a problem if there were one fund for both departments, Chief Spaulding and Mr. Knight said no.
Moved ahead to 6. I. 2. Annual Town Meeting Review first draft of Warning. Mr. Melen said he recommends redefining the Equipment Reserve Fund to say non-motorized equipment reserve fund to purchase fire equipment such as but not limited to turn out gear, hoses etc.
The Board asked Chief Spaulding to give a brief run down of the accident on the interstate involving the truck carrying hazardous materials. He explained the situation and the reason the interstate was shut down and the area was evacuated. Mr. Cole said that the Select Board feels the situation was handled properly.
B. 1 Agency of Transportation Sign Certificate of Highway Mileage, 2006. Mr. Melen said we have 100.166 miles of highway in Town as of June 30th. Mr. Cobb made the motion to approve and sign the 2006 Certificate of Highway Mileage. Mr. Boyer seconded the motion, which passed without dissent.
2. Department of Housing and Community Affairs, Sign 2006 Municipal Grant Agreement #0254/06MP: Mr. Melen said the Planning Commission received a grant for $5,000 for the purpose of updating the zoning by-laws. Mr. Arrison made the motion to authorize the Town Manager to sign the Grant Agreement number 0254/06MP. Mrs. Daniels seconded the motion, which passed without dissent.
3. Department of Taxes 2006 Equalized Education Grand List: Mr. Melen said the Listers’ have looked at this and feel we should appeal. Mr. Arrison made the motion to authorize the Chairperson to sign an appeal of the 2006 Equalization Study/Equalized Education Grand List determination. Mrs. Daniels seconded the motion, which passed without dissent.
Mr. Melen said he received a letter from the VT Department of Taxes and we can or can not issue new tax bills filed after November 30th and asked the Board their opinion. Mr. Boyer made the motion that after November 30, 2005 we will not be changing tax bills. Mr. Arrison seconded the motion, which passed without dissent.
C. Private water line on Tenney Hill Property: The Board received a letter from Sandra Chase regarding the private water line on Tenney Hill Road. Mr. Cole said we have already told the State to stay away from the water supply so does not know of any further action that should be taken at this time. Mrs. Daniels said she thinks we should look at water supply while doing reappraisals.
D. Request the Town Office to sell Weathersfield Tales. Mr. Melen said Steve Aikenhead has requested permission to sell Weathersfield Tales at the Town office, the charge is $5 or a donation of more than $5. Mr. Melen said we would have to deposit the money collected and then write him a check in order to keep track of money collected. The consensus of the Board was to try it for 60 days to see how it goes.
E. Advertising rates in local newspapers: Mr. Melen said Mrs. Bearse gathered rates from area papers, they still need to check the distribution within Town.
F. Request to plant a tree in Memorial Grove: Mr. Melen said Philip Yasinski has sent a letter to the Town asking to plant a tree at the Center Grove. Mr. Arrison said he has noticed that three trees along the main road are dying so he thought it would be appropriate place for Mr. Yasinski to plant one. It was also discussed that there is a small amount of money in the budget for Grove maintenance and a reserve fund should be created so work can be done on the trees. Mr. Boyer made the motion to have Mr. Melen send a letter to Mr. Yasinski saying there will be an open space among other maples near the road if he would like to plant a sugar maple. Mrs. Daniels seconded the motion, which passed without dissent.
G. Request to discontinue former Town Highway 46: Mr. Mungeon gave a brief overview of the survey he has done for Rhona & Clive Morris. He said the Morris’ are attempting to subdivide land and would like the Town to consider giving up Town Highway 46. Mr. Melen said a portion of this was given to the State for the interstate. It was discussed the section the Morris’ are asking to discontinue is only 2/10 of a mile but a full discontinuance would have to be done. Mrs. Daniels asked if snowmobiles or other people used this portion of road. Mrs. Morris said it was used up until about three years ago. Mrs. Daniels said she has a problem giving it up without making it a trail. Mrs. Adams said a lot of people in Town are working on trails to keep them open.
Mr. Cobb made the motion to schedule a Public Hearing for discontinuance of a portion of road formerly known as Town Highway 46, Mr. Arrison seconded the motion and amended the motion to include the property owners would pay for advertising. Mr. Cobb seconded the amendment. Mr. Cobb said he did not pay the advertising fees recently when he asked the Town to give up part of a State Highway Right-of-Way and he is opposed to charging the landowner. The Amendment carried 3 – 1, Mr. Cole abstained. The original motion carried 5 – 0. There will be a site visit and meeting on February 25, 2006 at 3:30 p.m.
H. Competitive Computers Server Service Contract CY06: Mr. Melen said the cost is $1,275, the same as last year. Mr. Cobb asked how they have done, Mr. Melen said they have done well. Mr. Cobb made the motion to have the Town Manager sign the server service contract for calendar year 2006 with Competitive Computers for $1,275. Mr. Boyer seconded the motion, which passed without dissent.
I. Annual Town Meeting
1. Vermont Municipal Equipment Loan Fund: Mr. Melen recommends we apply to this fund for funding and reduce the money we have to go to the voters for. This led to a discussion on Article 11 on The Warning. Mr. Arrison suggested rewording the article to include the amount that would be financed through this fund. Mr. Melen said he doesn’t think it is a good idea to do that. There was discussion on if the article should specify the total purchase amount no decision was made.
2. Review first draft of Warning: Mr. Melen said he would like to add an article to transfer $16,000 from the Highway Fund undesignated fund balance to the Solid Waste Management Capital reserve fund to repay the funds used to purchase a truck in 1999. The consensus of the Board is ok to add this article.
J. United States Army Corps of Engineers FY06 Contract for Police Services: Mr. Boyer made the motion to accept the Army Corp contract for calendar year 2006, Mr. Cobb seconded the motion. Mr. Cole asked if there was a way we could negotiate to cover our expenses. Mr. Melen said he has tried and this is what they sent back. Chief Brown said this is their offer and if we don’t accept it they will take it to someone else. Motion carried unanimously.
K. Excess Weight Permitting: Mr. Melen said that this is for information purposes only but there are permits out there that do not specify they should stay off certain roads so this updated permit form will be given to Mr. Hazeltine. He can specify no overweight travel permitted on certain roads like Amsden School House Road. It was decided to put this on the next agenda so Mr. Hazeltine can discuss what other roads over weight loads should not go on.
L. CY2007 Mileage Reimbursement: Mr. Melen said the IRS adjusted the rate effective 1/1/06, it dropped to 44.5 cents. Mr. Cole said he thinks we should go with the IRS. Mr. Cobb made the motion to adjust the mileage reimbursement for calendar year 2006 to 44.5 cents. Mrs. Daniels seconded the motion, which passed without dissent.
7. Personnel, Town Manager: Mr. Arrison said he called and talked to the Vermont Labor Relations Board and the Federal Labor Relations Board and was told that even though an employee holds a salaried position it is legal to request them to keep a log of their hours worked. Mr. Arrison said per conversation at the last regular meeting Mr. Melen is doing this and he encouraged him to continue to do it so the Board could review the log if they wanted to.
8. Appointments: Mr. Melen asked to table this since the Constable was not present.
9. Sign Treasurer’s Warrants: Mr. Cobb made the motion to approve the Treasurer’s Warrants as follows:
General Fund Payroll $18,670.28
General Fund Operating Expense $17,975.51
Highway Fund Payroll $16,417.63
Highway Fund Operating Expense $12,740.69
Solid Waste Management Fund Payroll $ 2,111.37
Solid Waste Management Fund Operating Expense $ 1,938.43
Mr. Arrison seconded the motion. Mr. Melen noted he did the payroll this week and it took seven hours. He and Chris did accounts payable together and they got about ½ way through. Motion carried unanimously.
10. Next Meeting’s Agenda Items: The next meeting is a budget workshop and to discuss the Warning.
Respectfully Submitted,
Lisa Sargent
Approved by the Weathersfield Select Board on January 19, 2006
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C. Peter Cole
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Henry C. Cobb
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Daniel Boyer
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Norman John Arrison
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Patricia Daniels