Weathersfield Select Board
Minutes
April 20, 2006
Present: Daniel Boyer
Henry C. Cobb
Peter Cole
Norman John Arrison
Patricia Daniels
Others Present: Larry Melen, Town Manager
Lisa Sargent, Recording Secretary
Edith Stillson
Nathalie Whitney
Roland Whitney
Peter Korbet
Leonard LeBrun
Jason Rasmussen
Rick Butler
John Esty
Gary Snide
David French
Joseph Fletcher
John E. Allen
Ray Stapleton
Barry Newton, Constable
Gary Davis
Westley Hazeltine
Bruce Johnson, SAPA TV
Chief Brown
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: Mr. Butler asked for an update on the land transfer. Mr. Melen gave Mr. Butler the lease and purchase agreement for the piece that is being transferred and a lease agreement for the second piece of land. Mr. Cobb asked if this was a ninety-nine year lease. Mr. Melen said the State law only allows a five year lease with a renewal clause. Mr. Melen said the first piece of land will be a transfer (the lease will become a deed) and the second piece of land will be on a revolving five year lease agreement. Mr. Melen said Mr. & Mrs. Butler are authorized to make changes and additions to the land and that Mr. Butler should apply for the permits needed.
Mr. Korbet asked if the water and sewer group is not going to meet a 6:00 to please post they are not meeting. Mr. Melen said that needs to be talked about. There is a staffing issue.
Mr. LeBrun asked about having the Town grade the road from Dwight Jarvis’ house to his house (off Tenney Hill Road). He said there are three houses out there and the road has been graded for years in the past but not recently. There was discussion on if the road was private or public. Mr. Cobb suggested looking at the deeds. Mr. Melen will look for a survey. Mr. LeBrun asked if it was a private road who owns it? Mr. Melen said it should be in the deed, it should list the right-of-way. Mr. Cobb said he thinks the deeds will describe the road and who owns it since the property abuts the road. Mr. Cobb said we will discuss again at the next meeting. Mr. Hazeltine said when the road was graded in the past it was done under the direction of the Town Manager.
Mr. Newton said he met a few people that are willing to put a stone wall around the culvert that needs to be replaced at the corner of Gravelin Road and Beaver Pond Road. They are willing to do this free of charge as they are doing work in the area. Mr. Hazeltine said there is a culvert there that needs to be replaced; it is scheduled to be fixed sometime. Mr. Cobb asked Mr. Hazeltine to pursue the offer if it fits.
3. Review Minutes from Previous Meeting (s): Mr. Arrison made the motion to approve the minutes dated April 6, 2006, Mr. Boyer seconded the motion. Mrs. Daniels and Mr. Cobb noted corrections. Motion carried 3-0, Mr. Cole and Mrs. Daniels abstained.
4. Personnel Rules and Regulations, Consultation with Highway Department Personnel: Mr. French requested to go into executive session for personnel discussion. Mr. Arrison made the motion to go into Executive Session for negotiations with employees to include the Town Highway Employees, their supervisor and Chief Brown. Mr. Boyer seconded the motion which passed without dissent.
Following the executive session, Mr. Boyer made the motion to change the wording on D. Overtime of the personnel policies and procedures manual to include sick leave hours. It should read: For the purposes of determining the number of hours worked, holidays, annual leave, and sick leave hours shall be considered time worked. Mr. Arrison seconded the motion, which passed without dissent.
5. Monthly Reports:
General Fund: Mr. Melen said the loan paperwork has been concluded on the truck for West Weathersfield Volunteer Fire Department. He said the revenues for the General Fund are up at 110%.
Highway Fund: Mr. Melen said the budget is down to 80%, the revenues are up at 101%.
Solid Waste Management Fund: Mr. Melen said the revenue is at 90%. The Construction and Demolition materials is at 134%.
Mr. Melen said the trial balance for the reserve funds has two problems. One is because of the West Weathersfield Fire Truck (we haven’t been paid back by the department yet) and the other is because the Department of Public Safety made us pay them back for the 2002 grant.
Mrs. Daniels asked if the date has been set for the tax sale. Mr. Melen said Town Tax Counsel has the list to do a full title search.
6. Old Business
A. Upper Falls Covered Bridge Project Vermont Agency of Transportation: Mr. Jason Rasmussen, the Transportation Planner for the Regional Planning Commission said the project is still there, the Agency says that it is scheduled to be advertised in September, 2007 with a completion date the same year. Mr. Cole said he heard the Town has lost the funding. Mr. Rasmussen said the funding is still there. Mr. Boyer said we were told the bid was going to be going out three years ago. Mr. Rasmussen said the abutments are the issue. He said the Agency has hired a consultant to recommend what to do with the abutments. Mr. Rasmussen said it makes sense for the Select Board to send a letter expressing the importance of this project to the Town. Mr. Melen asked if there was a way to find out information on the accounting. Mr. Rasmussen said he will try. Mr. Melen said the grant was supposed to be the bridge itself not aimed at the abutments. We have paid for drilling already and we’ve paid two years worth of project management. Now, we are paying for the consultant, how much money do we have left. The consensus of the Board was to send a letter to Secretary Terrill and copy our Representatives and Senator to express our concern about the lack of program management, the amount of money that exists and the delay and impact this is having on a small town. Mr. Cobb asked Mr. Rasmussen if he was willing to come to our next meeting to discuss this again and he said yes.
Mr. Korbet said we should not lose sight of the fact that they may need to work in the stream. They would need a stream permit which usually allows work to be performed from June to October.
Mr. Arrison asked Mr. Hazeltine if he had checked the condition of the bridge. Mr. Hazeltine said yes he has checked it twice so far this spring and has not noticed any changes.
B. West Weathersfield Volunteer Fire Department Fire Apparatus Extended Warranty: Mr. Hazeltine said he talked to Scott Reed and the only extended warranty worth anything right now is the towing package. He recommends purchasing the towing package for $230.
Mr. Boyer made the motion to purchase the towing warranty for 60 months for $230, Mr. Arrison seconded the motion. Mr. Cobb asked who pays for this; Mr. Melen said the Town does. Motion carried unanimously.
7. New Business
A. Transfer Station Proposed Fees: Mr. Hazeltine asked the Board to eliminate the disposal fee for metal. Mr. Boyer made the motion to drop the scrap metal fee effective immediately. Mrs. Daniels seconded the motion which passed without dissent. Motion carried unanimously.
Mr. Hazeltine said they are trying to watch Construction and Demolition materials more closely but we may need to increase the price for this. There was discussion on the cost of removing Construction and Demolition material and the fact that once the container is full we need to empty it where as before Mr. Hazeltine could get the best price for it.
Mr. Hazeltine said there needs to be a policy for the transfer station as people are coming in taking stuff several times a day and they are in the scrap metal and construction and demolition areas. It was decided to put signs up that say no scavenging and if people are there to ask them to leave.
B. Award Bids
1. Paving: Mr. Arrison made the motion to award the paving bid for Town Highway 37 to Springfield Paving for $51.75 per ton, Mr. Boyer seconded the motion. Mr. Cobb asked Mr. Hazeltine if this is his recommendation, Mr. Hazeltine said yes. Motion carried unanimously.
Mr. Arrison made the motion to award the paving bid for Town Highway 6 to Lane Construction for $51.40 per ton, Mr. Boyer seconded the motion. Mr. Cobb asked Mr. Hazeltine if this is his recommendation, Mr. Hazeltine said yes. Motion carried unanimously.
2. Reclamation: Mr. Arrison made the motion to award the reclamation bid for Town Highway 6 to All States Construction for $1.64 per square yard, Mrs. Daniels seconded the motion. Mr. Arrison proposed to go across the Dam area. There was discussion on this and Mr. Melen said it is possible we will not get reimbursed for this if we do it. It was said that the Corp has not signed off on the work that Gary Rapanotti did. Mr. Cobb asked Mr. Melen to contact the Corp regarding the contract between them and Gary Rapanotti and also to have a conversation with Fred Nicholson the water resource person with the State. Motion carried unanimously.
3. Town Grounds Maintenance: Mr. Arrison made the motion to award the Grounds Maintenance bid to Richard Strobel for $225 for mowing, $175 for spring clean up and $500 for fall clean up, Mr. Boyer seconded the motion. Mr. Hazeltine said that the spring clean up would be more because the fall cleaning was not done. The budget contains money from last falls clean up since it was not done. Motion carried unanimously.
C. Weathersfield Trails Group, Hiking from Wilgus State Park to Tenney Hill Road: Mr. Cobb said it is a poor idea to encourage people to walk through the I-91 intersection. Mr. Boyer said they should park on Tenney Hill. Mr. Cobb said he recommends we remain silent on parking at Park & Ride. There was discussion about the previous meetings in which it was decided that the Tenney Hill Pond area is an attractive nuisance and would not be used for recreation use. Mr. Cobb said we should have another Public Hearing to re-discuss. Mrs. Daniels said it is ok to reconsider and if we get the same reaction we should take it to the voters and sell it. It was decided there would be a Public Hearing on May 18, 2006 to discuss this again.
8. Select Board 2006 – 2007 Goals: Mr. Melen said the list is water and sewer, ancient roads, personnel policies, website policy and Town inventory. Mr. Cobb asked if there was a priority. Mr. Boyer said he thought ancient roads should be a priority. It was decided ancient roads would be put on the agenda for the next meeting
9. Town Service Officer Appointment:
Ruth E. Adams (Betty): Tabled this item to confirm Mrs. Adams knows what the position consists of.
10. Pound Keeper
Springfield Humane Society Inc or Springfield Animal Hospital: Mr. Newton explained the differences between the two and said his recommendation is Springfield Humane Society. Mr. Cole made the motion to designate the Springfield Humane Society as the Town Pound, Mr. Arrison seconded the motion. Mr.Melen asked that Mr. Newton add information to his monthly report as to if the animal went back to the owner or stayed at the pound. Mr. Cobb asked if Mr. Newton knew of any management issues at the Springfield Animal Hospital. Mr. Newton said Sandy was brought in from NH, she is new there. He said there was a gentleman running it previously but the Board of Directors recognized a problem so they have turned it around. Motion carried 4 – 0, Mr. Cobb abstained.
11. Appointments:
(i) Animal Control Officer: Mr. Arrison made the motion to appoint Derek Gurney to the position of Animal Control Officer. Mr. Boyer seconded the motion which passed without dissent.
(viii) Constable: Mr. Arrison made the motion to appoint Barry Newton to the position of Constable. Mr. Boyer seconded the motion which passed without dissent.
(xv) Surveyor of Wood and Lumber: Mr. Arrison made the motion to appoint Mrs. Daniels to the position of Surveyor of Wood and Lumber. Mr. Boyer seconded the motion which passed without dissent.
(xiii) Southern Windsor/Windham Counties Solid Waste Management District: Mrs. Daniels made the motion to appoint Barry Newton the representative to the Southern Windsor/Windham Counties Solid Waste Management District. Mr. Arrison seconded the motion which passed without dissent.
12. Sign Treasurer’s Warrants: Mr. Arrison made the motion to approve the Treasurer Warrants as follows:
General Fund Payroll $13,107.67
General Fund Operating Expense $15,123.26
Highway Fund Payroll $13,719.53
Highway Fund Operating Expense $23,065.52
Solid Waste Management Fund Payroll $ 1,579.21
Solid Waste Management Fund Operating Expense $10,036.79
Grants $ 857.18Mrs. Daniels seconded the motion, which passed without dissent.
13. Next Meeting’s Agenda Items: Highway priorities, ancient roads, constable impoundment fees, Stoughton Pond causeway, Town Service Officer, Upper Falls Bridge, McAllister subdivision.
14. Adjourn: Mr. Arrison made the motion to adjourn. Mr. Boyer seconded the motion, which passed without dissent. The meeting of the Weathersfield Select Board was adjourned at 10:58 p.m.
Respectfully Submitted,
Lisa Sargent
Minutes approved by the Weathersfield Select Board on May 4, 2006
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Daniel Boyer
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Henry C. Cobb
_______________________ Peter Cole
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Norman John Arrison
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Patricia Daniels