Minutes
March 15, 2007
Present: Henry C. Cobb
Norman John Arrison
C. Peter Cole
Daniel Boyer
Patricia Daniels
Others Present: Larry Melen, Town Manager
Lisa Sargent, Recording Secretary
Edith Stillson
Deb Ostrum, SAPA
Lynn Esty
Roland Whitney
Nat Whitney
1. Call to Order by Chairperson: Mr. Cobb called the meeting to order at 7:00 p.m. at Martin Memorial Hall.
2. Comments from Citizens: None
3. Review Minutes from Previous Meeting (s): Mr. Boyer made the motion to approve the minutes dated March 1, 2007, Mr. Cole seconded the motion. Corrections were noted. Motion passed unanimously.
Mr. Cobb convened the Board of Liquor Commission.
4. Board of Liquor Commissioners
A. Coco Mart, Inc./dba Colonial Deli Mart: Mr. Boyer made the motion to grant Coco Mart, Inc./dba Colonial Deli Mart a Class II Liquor License, Mr. Arrison seconded the motion. Mr. Melen said there are no violations on file. Motion carried unanimously.
Mr. Arrison made the motion to grant Coco Mart, Inc./dba Colonial Deli Mart a tobacco license; Mr. Boyer seconded the motion. Mr. Melen said there are no violations on file. Motion carried unanimously.
B. JDS Hospitality Corp./dba Inn at Weathersfield, The: Mr. Arrison made the motion to grant a Class I Liquor License to JDS Hospitality Corp./dba Inn at Weathersfield, Mr. Cole seconded the motion. Mr. Melen said there are no violations on file. Motion carried unanimously.
C. PetroStores, Inc./dba PetroStores, Inc.: Mr. Melen said they had one suspension for tobacco, which has been resolved. Mr. Cole made the motion to approve the Class II Liquor License for PetroStores, Inc./dba PetroStores, Inc. Mr. Arrison seconded the motion, which passed without dissent. Mr. Cole made the motion to grant a tobacco license to PetroStores, Inc./dba PetroStores, Inc. Mr. Boyer seconded the motion, which passed without dissent.
Board of Liquor Commissioners adjourned.
5. Executive Session
Personnel/Appointments and Contractual Negotiations: Mr. Arrison made the motion to go into executive session with the Town Manager and Lynn Esty to discuss Personnel/Appointments and Contractual Negotiations. Mr. Cole seconded the motion, which passed without dissent.
Moved ahead to #12
12. Appointments
(i) Animal Control Officer: Mr. Arrison made the motion to appoint Rick Adams the Animal Control Officer. Mrs. Daniels seconded the motion, which passed unanimously.
(viii): Constable: Mr. Boyer made the motion to appoint Lynn Esty the Constable. Mrs. Daniels seconded the motion, which passed unanimously.
Back to #6
6. Monthly Reports:
General Fund: Mr. Melen said we are getting back on track
Highway Fund: Mr. Melen said we are in real good shape
Solid Waste Management Fund: Mr. Melen said we are under budget. Mr. Arrison questioned the numbers for Reading and West Windsor, Mr. Melen will check into them.
Cash Flow Comparison: Mr. Melen said we are ahead and we finished 2006 with a surplus of $30,000.
7. Fire Commission
Burning Ordinance: Mr. Boyer said Chief Spaulding and Chief Stapleton would like to adopt the Vermont Town Fire Warden Handbook as our Town ordinance. Mr. Melen said if we do this then it is the Town’s ordinance not the State’s. He said that would mean the Fire Wardens would have to go to court where as now it is a State law and it is the States Attorney that goes to court.
It was noted that if there is a violation of air pollution we are to call the State Investigator.
After discussion it was the consensus of the Board to have Mr. Melen draft a Town policy that states the Fire Wardens are to follow the Vermont Town Fire Warden Handbook.
Dispatch Agreement: Mr. Boyer said he talked to Mr. Don Howard and he is willing to drop the request for insurance and also the hold harmless agreement information from the dispatch contract.
Mr. Melen said he would get with Mr. Howard and get a clean copy of the contract.
Mr. Boyer said the members of the Fire Commission would like to award the dry hydrant bid to the sole bidder. Mr. Melen said six bid packages were sent out and Daniels Construction is the only one that submitted a bid. Mr. Cobb said this should be an agenda item and asked to discuss this at the next meeting.
8. Highway
Proposal for Stormwater Permitting Services-Riley Drive: Mr. Melen said last fall when we acquired Riley Drive we acquired an orphaned storm water system. He said he and Mrs. Bearse have talked to the State and we are required to obtain a permit to operate the system every five years. He asked Otter Creek Engineering for a cost and was quoted $1,500.
Mr. Boyer made the motion to direct the Town Manager to enter into an agreement with Otter Creek Engineering not to exceed $1,500 as amended by Mr. Melen, Mrs. Daniels seconded the motion.
Mr. Cole asked if it was reasonable to assume five years from now we may be able to copy this contract and pay an engineer to come up there for an hour or so, Mr. Melen said he hopes so.
Mr. Arrison said he is opposed to this and feels we should approach another firm for a competitive bid. Motion carried 3 – 1 with one abstention.
9. Old Business
A. Redetermination of 2007 Equalized Education Grand List Vermont Department of Taxes: Mr. Melen said we appealed the equalized education grand list and they approved our appeal. Mr. Cole made the motion to accept the redetermined equalized education grand list. Mr. Boyer seconded the motion, which passed without dissent.
10. New Business
A. 2007 Vermont Legislative Sessions, Ancient Roads Bills: Mr. Melen said two separate bills are out there and they include three provisions. They would change the date from 2009 to 2011, the automatic termination date would go to 2017 from 2015 and they would appropriate $400,000. Mr. Cobb said we already submitted a proposal, Mr. Melen said we would need to resubmit our proposal. Mr. Cobb said we should let them know we endorse this but we have concerns how they will allocate the $400,000. The consensus of the Board was to have Mr. Melen said an email tomorrow.
B. Emergency Medical Services Contract: Mr. Melen asked the Board if they wanted to rewrite the contract with our current provider or turn this out to bid. Mr. Arrison said Golden Cross has provided us with excellent service for over twenty years and he feels we should continue with them. Mrs. Daniels agreed. Mr. Cole said we could end up spending a lot of time and energy with new firms, Mr. Boyer agreed. Mr. Arrison made the motion to begin negotiations for a new three-year contract with Golden Cross Ambulance Inc., Mr. Boyer seconded the motion. Mr. Cole asked if there were any issues with the Fire Departments, Mr. Boyer said no. Motion carried unanimously.
11. Personnel
A. Sign Agreements for Town’s Section 125 Program: Mr. Cole made the motion to direct the Town Manager to sign the Section 125 Program Agreement with Future Planning Associates. Mr. Boyer seconded the motion, which passed without dissent.
B. VLCT Employee Wellness Program: Mr. Melen shared a letter from Michelle Gould with the Board regarding improvements that should be made for the Employee Wellness Program. Mr. Melen said our biggest claim sources for Workers Comp are the two fire departments. Mr. Cobb said we need active participation with the Fire Commission and the two Fire Chiefs. The consensus of the Board was to go forward with this.
C. Revised Pharmaceutical Benefits; Mr. Melen asked the Board if they wanted to stay with what we currently have which is co-insurance or go back to what we used to have which is co-pay. He said the co-pay is much easier on the employee, he said it would increase the budget about $8,000 a year. Mr. Cobb said he feels we should go back to co-pay, our wages may be less than other Towns but our benefits are good and it is important to keep our employees.
Mr. Boyer made the motion to instruct Mr. Melen to go back to co-pay, Mr. Arrison seconded the motion. Motion carried 4 – 0 with one abstention.
12. Appointments
Mr. Cobb asked Mr. Melen to include the Veterans Memorial Committee in the appointments.
(iii) Annual Report Committee Chairperson: Mr. Cole made the motion to appoint Mrs. Daniels the Chairperson of the Annual Report Committee, Mr. Arrison seconded the motion. Motion carried 4 – 0 with one abstention.
(x) Fence Viewer: Mr. Arrison made the motion to appoint Mr. Boyer and Mr. Holtorf fence viewers, Mr. Cole seconded the motion. Motion carried 4 – 0 with one abstention.
(xi) Martin Memorial Hall Trustees: Mr. Boyer made the motion to appoint Mrs. Stillson, Mr. Cross and Mrs. Daniels Martin Memorial Hall Trustees, Mr. Arrison seconded the motion. It was decided that each Trustee should be appointed separately. Mr. Boyer withdrew his motion and Mr. Arrison withdrew his second. Mr. Arrison made the motion to appoint Mrs. Stillson a Trustee for Martin Memorial Hall. Mr. Boyer seconded the motion, which passed without dissent. Mr. Arrison made the motion to appoint Mrs. Whitney a Trustee for Martin Memorial Hall. Mr. Boyer seconded the motion, which passed without dissent. Mr. Arrison made the motion to appoint Mrs. Daniels a Trustee for Martin Memorial Hall, Mr. Boyer seconded the motion. Mr. Cole asked Mrs. Daniels why she wanted to be a Trustee. Mrs. Daniels said she is interested in this position after reading the deed. After discussion Mrs. Daniels withdrew her name. Mr. Arrison made the motion to appoint Mr. Cross a Trustee for Martin Memorial Hall. Mr. Boyer seconded the motion, which passed without dissent.
(xviii) Surveyor of Wood and Lumber: Mr. Cole made the motion to appoint Mrs. Daniels the surveyor of wood and lumber, Mr. Boyer seconded the motion. Motion carried 4 – 0 with one abstention.
(xix) Town Service Officer: Mr. Cole made the motion to appoint Mrs. Betty Adams the Town Service Officer. Mrs. Daniels seconded the motion, which passed without dissent.
(xx) Tree Warden: Mr. Boyer made the motion to appoint Mr. Hazeltine the Tree Warden. Mr. Cole seconded the motion, which passed without dissent.
(xxi) Weathersfield Fire Commission: Mr. Cole made the motion to appoint Mr. Ronald Alflen to the Fire Commission for a two-year term. Mrs. Daniels seconded the motion, which passed without dissent. Mr. Cole made the motion to appoint Mr. Boyer to the Fire Commission as the Select Board Representative. Mr. Arrison seconded the motion which passed 4 – 0 with one abstention.
(xxii) Weathersfield Highway Committee: Mr. Cole made the motion to appoint Mr. Arrison the Select Board Representative to the Highway Committee. Mr. Boyer seconded the motion, which passed without dissent.
(xxv) Weigher of Coal: Mrs. Daniels made the motion to appoint Mr. Arrison the weigher of coal. Mr. Boyer seconded the motion, which passed without dissent.
(xiv) Southern Windsor/Windham Counties Solid Waste Management District: Mr. Cole made the motion to appoint Mr. Melen as the alternate to Southern Windsor/Windham Counties Solid Waste Management District. Mr. Boyer seconded the motion, which passed without dissent.
13. Sign Treasurer’s Warrants: Mr. Arrison made the motion to approve the Treasurer’s Warrants as follows:
General Fund Payroll $14,520.88
General Fund Operating Expense $22,795.56
Highway Fund Payroll $16,142.23
Highway Fund Operating Expense $22,199.09
Solid Waste Management Fund Payroll $ 1,844.38
Solid Waste Management Fund Operating Expense $ 9,600.75
Reserves $ 6,496.50
Mrs. Daniels seconded the motion. The Board questioned the Fairfield payment and the payment to H.O.P, Mr. Melen explained. Motion carried unanimously.
Mr. Arrison made the motion to ratify the actions taken by the Select Board during the reoganizational meeting on March 8, 2007. Mr. Cole seconded the motion, which passed without dissent.
14. Next Meeting’s Agenda Items: burn ordinance, status of mobile home and truck behind Bow Church, dispatch contract, hydrant bid, Ascutney Fire District meeting, Gretel Schuck (Mr. Cobb asked Mr. Melen to have her bring comprehensive safety and security plans).
15. Adjourn: Mr. Arrison made the motion to adjourn. Mr. Boyer seconded the motion, which passed without dissent. The Weathersfield Select Board meeting was adjourned at 9:31 p.m. on Thursday March 15, 2007.
Respectfully Submitted,
Lisa A. Sargent
Approved by the Weathersfield Select Board on April 6, 2007
______________________
Daniel Boyer
______________________
C. Peter Cole
_______________________
Patricia Daniels
Appendix
Dispatch contract
Mobile Home (and truck) behind Bow Church
Fire District letters and meeting-completed?
Tenney Hill
Visit from Michael Smith
Name of chairpersons of various committees
Internet policy
Disposal certification application, VT AOT
Procedure on utility easements
Beaver Dams
Collection of taxes-completed?
Property tax rebate system-completed?
Ancient roads (continue working on)
Sign posting policy
Use of Perkinsville Elementary School
Town Manager search (July, 2007)
Ambulance contract (May, 2007)
Select Board agenda items/procedures for calendar year 2007
1) Capital asset inventory
No Parking Signs by Thomas residence
Dry Hydrant bid
No Parking signs on Route 131 near exit 8 and Tenney Hill
Review and increase of land use fees
Chief Spaulding look at Old Bow Road
Martin Memorial Hall/Town Office Building (where one ends and the other begins)
02/27/07 New Map for Town Report
03/08/07 Procedure for handling of complaints and citizen inquiries