Minutes
May 18, 2006
Present: Daniel Boyer
Norman John ArrisonPatricia Daniels
Others Present: Larry Melen, Town Manager
Lisa Sargent, Recording Secretary
Wes Hazeltine, Road Foreman
K.P. Amison
Emery Morse
Joanne Morse
Neil Daniels
Susan Boyer
Julia Lloyd Wright, Eagle Times
Andre Ingalls
Martha Ingalls
Sandra Chase
Delbert Chase
Steve Aikenhead
Bernadette Burch
Robert E. Burch
Edward Barrup
Mark Ostrom, SAPA
Dwight Jarvis
Bonnie Jarvis
Shirley Harlow
Mary M. Harlow
Betty Adams
Jeanne Tremblay
Jacques Tremblay
John Ribeiro
Mary LeBrun
Leonard LeBrun
Erika Napsey
Mitchell A. Napsey
Jody Himebaugh
Polly Foley
Proposed uses for Tenney Hill Property: Mr. Arrison said the Eagle Times published the wrong date, they published May 1 but we will proceed anyway because this is not a required hearing. He said this will be a discussion on the possible uses of the property, no preliminary decisions have been made.
Mr. Melen said all residents of Tenney Hill received notice of this hearing via mail. Mr. Arrison said the Board has received a few emails supportive of retaining the property for public use.
Mr. Arrison read a petition that Mrs. Adams gave him and said there are two and one half pages of signatures. Mr. Morse asked how many signatures, Mrs. Adams said forty-six.
Mrs. Boyer said that in 2002 the Select Board asked the Parks and Rec Committee to look at the property, which they did. They met last week and their position is the same, to preserve the property as a recreation area with limitations. These are results of a survey that showed strong support for picnicking and walking areas within Town. This land connects to Wilgus State Park and has a pond as well as level hiking trails. She believes unauthorized uses may lessen if this is open to the public.
Mrs. LeBrun noted the following:
Mr. Boyer said there is a major hiking trail off Cascade Falls Road which is also a one way road and the trail is used extensively without a problem in the seven or eight years it has been there. Mr. Jarvis asked how many houses were on Cascade Falls Road, Mr. Boyer said seven or eight.
Mrs. LeBrun noted Mr. Neil Daniels mentioned four years ago that the Town took this property for a water source.
Mr. Napsey questioned who owns the pull off from Route 5 by Wilgus State Park. Mr. Melen said Vermont Department of Transportation owns it and it is classified as an emergency pull off only not a parking area.
Mr. Ingalls said at the far end of the parking lot (south side) there was a road into Tenney Hill many years ago. He also noted for the record he has a Right of Way, which passes over this property, and the Town could refer to book #39, page 10.
Mrs. Adams said she is speaking on behalf of Weathersfield is Togethersfield and as an advocate for the Senior Citizens in Town. She said they have very little opportunities in Town for them to use and they enjoy picnicing. She said they use Hoisington Field but there isn’t anything on this side of Town. Also they need handicap accessible which this would be. She noted a very large portion of our Town is Senior Citizens. Mrs. Adams said she does green-up year round and hundreds of people use the Weathersfield trail with very little litter so she does not believe litter would be a problem. Mr. Arrison asked if she was aware of any vandalism at Hoisington Field, Mrs. Adams said no in fact it there was talk about putting up a gate with a lock but it is not needed.
Mr. Neil Daniels said he was on the Select Board that started the original fire district and it failed because most people had their own wells so they didn’t see a need. He said that ten to twelve years ago he got permission to put a dry hydrant from the property owner at the pond site. He said that at this time the owner told him he would consider giving the land to the Town. Mr. Daniels said he believed this would help solve the Ascutney water problem, in order to move forward with a Fire District one of the best things we can have is a water source. He noted the pond is not a water source; the source is in the ground. Mr. Daniels said he thinks this is an asset to the town, which could be worth more in the future than can be imagined today.
Mrs. LeBrun had a few questions regarding comments that were made earlier. She asked what it meant when Mr. Ingalls said he had a deeded Right of Way and why would the school ask for the Hoisington Field to be gated and locked. Mr. Arrison said the Town would have to look at the book that Mr. Ingalls referenced and read the Right of Way information in the deed. Mrs. Adams said some parents wanted a gate put up due to vandalism but there has not been too much vandalism (other than a few picnic tables) so a gate is not necessary. Mrs. LeBrun then asked how a wheel chair would have access to the pond site. Mrs. Adams said they would be driven to the pond site and there would be room for their wheel chair.
Mr. Ingalls said there would have to be rest rooms available if the Public used it. Mrs. Boyer said Parks and Rec discussed renting a port-a-potty. Mrs. Boyer also said they have talked to Wilgus State Park and they have agreed Parks and Rec would pay a fee on a yearly basis to cover the expense of Town Residents that use the park. Mrs. LeBrun asked if this was in writing, Mrs. Boyer said yes.
Mr. Tremblay asked if the Town was making money from having the trees cut. Mr. Arrison said the State asked to do a forest study as they were looking at the State land that abuts Tenney Hill but this is still under negotiations. He noted this was not necessarily done for money, it was done for forest management.
Mrs. Chase said she has heard the Trails Association and Parks and Rec have been marking trails through the Wilgus Park entrance already. She said the Highway crew did a lot of work at the Hoisington field and the cost was $6,000 to $7,000 for that area and she doesn’t feel its right the Town crew is doing work for Parks and Rec. Mr. Melen said any work the Town crew does is billed to the department they work for. Mrs. Chase said she looked for minutes of the Parks and Rec meetings at the Town office and only could find copies of two meetings. Mrs. Adams addressed a few of Mrs. Chase’s questions and said the Hoisington field was done for the Townspeople not for the Parks and Rec committee. She said the shelter at Hoisington field benefits many people including the school and she is an advocate for the Senior Citizens and low-income people in Town. Mrs. LeBrun said even people not a fixed income are hurting for money.
Mr. Morse said there was already a problem with litter down there and questioned the way the budget works. Mr. Boyer explained the way the three budgets operate.
Mr. Ribeiro agreed the water source is important to have. He said he walks the area and picks up litter. He said he has seen traffic there and has called the State police. He questioned why we have to develop every piece of property and mentioned there was wild life down there and the land there is very fragile.
Mrs. Chase said she agrees with Mr. Neil Daniels, we should keep it as a water source. Mr. Arrison asked if anyone was using the spring there, a few people said yes.
Mr. Morse asked if this was just an introductory offer. Mrs. Boyer said Parks and Rec did not call this meeting, she got a letter like everyone else did twelve days ago. Mr. Boyer said Mr. Aikenhead asked for hiking trails through the area so the question was raised again what the Town was going to do with the land. Mr. Aikenhead said he just asked to put No Parking signs at Tenney Hill to try and direct people to park at Wilgus State Park or Park and Ride. People could walk the trials through Tenney Hill but not park there.
Ms. Lloyd-Wright read an email she had sent to the Town Manager earlier (that he had not seen) regarding Parks and Rec using the land and having them pay a group rate to use the Wilgus State Park area. Mr. Melen has a copy of her email for the record.
Mrs. LeBrun asked how they would pay the fee if they don’t have a lot of funds and who knows how much the fee would be on an annual basis? It was said Wilgus was giving a group fee and they did not feel that very many people would take advantage of this so the fee would not be too much.
Mr. Arrison reminded everyone the Hearing was warned for proposed uses of Tenney Hill. His personal thought is Parks and Rec use would include only a few people and if there are problems there he encouraged residents to call the police, the Town Office or a Select Board member to let them know the problem.
Mr. Morse asked if the Board was making a decision tonight. Mr. Arrison said no, there are two members not present tonight, hopefully they’ll be able to read the minutes and watch this on SAPA, and the Board will take the discussions into consideration before making a decision.
Mrs. Burch asked who didn’t have a back yard to have a picnic in, no one acknowledged they did not have one.
Mr. Boyer thanked the Trails Association and Mr. Aikenhead for working on hiking trails in Town and said it is very nice to be able to use well-marked trails.
3. Comments from Citizens: Mr. Melen said he would like to table #6, #7b and #7c. He also said he would like an executive session on active litigation at the very end.
4. Review Minutes from Previous Meeting (s): Mr. Boyer made the motion to approve the minutes dated May 4, 2006, Mrs. Daniels seconded the motion. Corrections were noted. Motion carried unanimously.
5. Request to Waive Application Fee for Zoning Board of Adjustment Hearing
Edward Barrup: Mr. Melen said Mr. Barrup brought information on his financial situation in the next day. Mr. Boyer made the motion to grant the request of a waiver; Mrs. Daniels seconded the motion. Mrs. Daniels said she visited with Mr. Barrup and looked at his property. She questioned where the septic tank is located. Mr. Barrup said no one knows. Mrs. Daniels questioned why the Select Board should hear this request. Mr. Melen said because the Select Board sets and abates fees and this is a request for a waiver of fees. Mrs. Daniels said we set fees to cover costs and then if we waive the fee it goes onto other taxpayers in Town. Motion failed 1 – 2.
7. Highway
(a) Request to Purchase Equipment Using Highway Equipment Reserve Fund: Mr. Melen said we need something to apply liquid chloride and Mr. Hazeltine has proposed to purchase a dump trailer and a tank. There is not any money budgeted but we do have a capitol reserve fund we could use. Mr. Hazeltine has received quotes for a five ton 12 X 8-dump trailer and they range from $6,325 to $7,500. The price of the tank it $1,080. Mr. Hazeltine said if we make this purchase the trailer could be used for moving the skid steer and trench box too. Mr. Boyer made the motion to authorize the Town Manager to purchase a dump trailer and tank not to exceed $8,500 and to expend it from the Highway Reserve Fund. Mrs. Daniels seconded the motion, which passed without dissent.
Mr. Melen said at the Town Meeting we were authorized to borrow funds for a new highway truck on July 1. He said the truck is in at Gateway Motors and they are looking for us to take delivery even though the purchase order stated we would take delivery on July 1. He asked if the Board would authorize him to pay for this now out of the Reserve Fund, if it is legal to do so, and then repay the Reserve Fund on July 1. The general consensus of the Board was yes, if it is legal to do so.
(d) Stoughton Pond Road
Denial of Class II Grant Application: Mr. Melen said we received a denial of the Class II Grant Application for Stoughton Pond Road. An alternative is to borrow a sum of money for the purpose of maintaining and performing necessary repairs to the Town Highway, which the Board can do without a vote. It was decided not to borrow funds at this time.
Causeway and Emergency Spillway Elevations: Mr. Arrison said Mr. Melen has drafted a letter, which he gave us a copy of. Mr. Boyer made the motion to have the Town Manager send the letter; Mrs. Daniels seconded the motion. Mrs. Daniels said she thought it was going to be stronger language. It was discussed to tell them if there is not a decision the Town will proceed; Mr. Melen will revise the letter. Mr. Boyer amended his motion to send the letter once revised, Mrs. Daniels seconded the amended motion. Motion carried unanimously.
8. Monthly Reports:
General Fund: Mr. Melen said we are at 81%. Mr. Melen noted West Weathersfield did pay the additional money on the fire truck.
Highway Fund: Mr. Melen said we are at 89%.
Solid Waste Fund: Mr. Melen said we are at 92% and this is due to token sales. We are not keeping up; Reading has sold less than 50% of what they sold last year.
9. Personnel Rules and Regulations:
(a) Pay Plan (continued from 04/20/06): The Board said ok to adopt at the next meeting.
(b) Holidays (continued from 04/06/06): The Board said ok to adopt at the next meeting.
10. Property Taxes:
(a) Request for Proposals for Town-wide Revaluation: Mr. Melen said there were not any comments from the Lister’s on the last draft of the bid proposal. Mr. Arrison suggested including a clause for a penalty for inaccuracies. The Board discussed the proposal, noted corrections and changes.
(b) Fiscal Year 2006 Delinquencies: Mr. Melen said $266,000 is outstanding, almost double as last year.
(c) Fiscal Year 2007 Tax Rate Changes: Mr. Melen said we received notice that the Legislature dropped the State wide education tax rate.
12. Sign Treasurer’s Warrants: Mrs. Daniels made the motion to approve the Treasurer’s Warrants as follows:
General Fund Payroll $ 12,717.53
General Fund Operating Expense $786,960.98
Highway Fund Payroll $ 13,150.91
Highway Fund Operating Expense $ 9,335.60
Solid Waste Management Fund Payroll $ 1,328.58
Solid Waste Management Fund Operating Expense $ 9,468.67
Grants $ 36,142.76
Mr. Boyer seconded the motion. It was noted the grant was our matching portion for the Tarbell Hill Bridge. Motion carried unanimously.
13. Next Meeting’s Agenda Items: The items tabled tonight will be discussed, report on Zoning By-laws, two abatement requests, pick up truck, Woodstock highway.
Mr. Boyer made the motion to go into Executive Session to discuss ongoing litigation. Mrs. Daniels seconded the motion, which passed without dissent.
14. Adjourn: Mr. Boyer made the motion to adjourn at 9:52 p.m. Mrs. Daniels seconded the motion, which passed without dissent. The Weathersfield Select Board meeting was adjourned at 9:53 p.m.
Respectfully Submitted,
Lisa Sargent
Approved by the Weathersfield Select Board on June 1, 2006
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Daniel Boyer
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Norman John Arrison
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Patricia Daniels