Minutes
May 3, 2007
Present: Henry C. Cobb
Daniel Boyer
C. Peter Cole
Norman John ArrisonPatricia Daniels
Others Present: Larry Melen, Town Manager
Lisa Sargent, Recording Secretary
Edith Stillson
Betty Adams
Mel Wadleigh
Barry Newton
Timothy Watkins
Wes Hazeltine, Road Superintendent
Wendy Henderson
Bradley Litchfield
1. Call to Order by Chairperson: Mr. Cobb called the Weathersfield Select Board meeting to order at 7:00 p.m. at Martin Memorial Hall.
2. Comments from Citizens: Mr. Newton thanked the Highway Department for their work on Old Bow Road.
3. Review Minutes from Previous Meeting (s): Mr. Boyer made the motion to approve the minutes dated April 5, 2007. Mrs. Daniels seconded the motion which carried 3 – 0 with two abstentions.
4. Weathersfield is Togethersfield: Mrs. Adams gave a little history of Weathersfield is Togethersfield and said there are currently only two members that have been involved since the beginning. She said she does not wish to continue on the committee at this time. She said that Kelley Selmar of WRAPP is interested in continuing with the calendar and potluck lunches, which is the only two things that the committee is currently doing.
Mr. Cobb asked if this meant that it was disbanding. Mrs. Adams said she believes so as there are not enough active members. Mr. Cobb asked if she of others that were interested in joining the committee. Mrs. Adams said Mrs. Fran Wright is very enthusiastic and supportive but she is the only other active member.
Mrs. Daniels said she would like the potluck lunches to continue as they are need in the community. Mrs. Adams said she agrees and said she is willing to continue to help with this and round up enough other people to do one potluck a month.
Mr. Cobb suggested to the Board that they continue to encourage the Towns people to continue wit the potluck lunches and leave Weathersfield is Togethersfield as is for now and hope people come forward and show an interest. The consensus of the Board was to encourage social events such as potlucks and let Weathersfield is Togethersfield sit idle for now.
5. Application for Large Gathering Permit
Antique Flea Market on Route 5 in Ascutney: Ms. Henderson said whatever is needed she will try and provide. Mr. Melen said the permit requires having drinking water, adequate toilet facilities and adequate parking. It also states that no advertising will be permitted before the permit is approved and the permit is not transferable.
Mr. Arrison asked how many people were expected, Ms. Henderson said she has no idea, maybe 10 but hopefully 100.
Mr. Cole asked if this event would be repeated and Ms. Henderson said that is her hope.
Mr. Boyer made the motion to approve the Application for Large Gathering Permit to Ms. Wendy Henderson, Mrs. Daniels seconded the motion. Mr. Arrison said he would like to be sure there are toilet facilities and that she talk with the Chief to be sure she is all set with traffic control. Mr. Boyer amended his motion to include that toilet facilities are provided and that Chief Brown is consulted again to be sure he is comfortable with the traffic control, Mrs. Daniels seconded the amendment.
Mr. Cobb asked if there would be food or alcohol serviced, Ms. Henderson said she is not serving either.
Motion carried unanimously.
Mr. Arrison said the Board should look at the Large Gathering Permit Ordinance again.
6. New Hampshire Antique Tractor Club
Parade and Event on Thrasher Road and Route 5 in Ascutney: Mr. Wadleigh explained that they are having a food drive to benefit Windsor food shelf and they would like to come through Ascutney. He said they will not stop anywhere in Town nor will they be going through the Route 5/Route 131 intersection.
Mr. Cobb asked what the Select Board’s responsibility was. Mr. Melen said traffic control in areas with poor visibility.
Mr. Cobb asked Mr. Wadleigh if he had talked with Chief Brown. Mr. Wadleigh said yes, he is ok with the traffic but told him he should contact the State of Vermont, which he has done. Mr. Cobb said he is concerned with the junction of Route 5 and Thrasher Road. Mr. Wadleigh said the tractors would keep going if vehicles got in-between them and then just all catch up with each other later.
The consensus of the Board is they are ok with this event but asked that Mr. Wadleigh touch base with Chief Brown again and be sure he is ok with the traffic issues.
Mr. Melen asked to move ahead to #8 b
8. Old Business
Old Bow Road Classification Request: Mr. Watkins asked the Board to abandon the end of Old Bow Road from his property border to the interstate fence. Mr. Cole asked if he owned both sides of the road. Mr. Watkins said no, Erin Wheeler owns the other side of the road and Chief Brown has talked to him and he is ok with this but does not want to get involved with the situation that is happening up there right now.
Mr. Melen suggested splitting it down the middle as a private driveway. Mr. Cobb asked the process of abandoning a Class IV road. Mr. Melen said hold a Public Hearing etc.
Mr. Newton said he has lived there for two years and no one ever went on that part of the road until Tim (Watkins) moved down there.
Mr. Melen said he recommends abandoning it at Tim’s driveway so his property still has frontage on the public road.
Mrs. Daniels made the motion to begin the process of abounding the Class IV road from the interstate fence south to north of Mr. Watkin’s driveway on Old Bow Road, Mr. Boyer seconded the motion.
Mr. Cole suggested the Town Manager and Highway Superintendent look at this section to be sure it is accurate and doesn’t need to be modified slightly.
Mr. Watkins if this process would be quicker if it was turned into a trail. Mr. Melen said it is the same process. Motion carried 5 – 0.
Mr. Litchfield asked the Town to look at reclassifying Upper Falls Road by his and his daughter’s house. The Board explained the process to him and asked him to send a letter (petition) to the Town and then the Town would have to hold a Public Hearing.
Back to #6
6. Monthly Reports
A. Associates in Municipal Property Tax Assessment, L.L.C. Mr. Cobb asked Mr. Melen if he has had a discussion with Sandra Costes about a key to the offices. Mr. Melen said no, she has not asked him for this directly.
Mrs. Daniels asked how much extra time the Lister’s have put in. Mr. Melen said their budget is way under budget at this time.
Mr. Cobb asked Mr. Melen to have the Appraiser’s come meet with the Board in person and give them an update on how everything is coming along.
F. Fire Commission: Mr. Boyer said that they talked about Haz Mat fees and feel that it is time to increase them. The Board asked for this to be an agenda item at the next meeting.
7. Policies/Ordinances
A. Policy prohibiting harassment (second reading): Mr. Boyer made the motion to move ahead to the third reading. Mrs. Daniels seconded the motion, which passed without dissent.
B. Smoking and smokeless tobacco policy (second reading): Mr. Boyer made the motion to move ahead to the third reading, Mrs. Daniels seconded the motion. Mr. Arrison asked Mr. Hazeltine if this would be a problem with the road crew, Mr. Hazeltine said no. Motion carried unanimously.
C. Ordinance regulating the disposal of solid wastes (second reading): Mr. Boyer made the motion to move to the third reading. Mrs. Daniels seconded the motion, which passed without dissent.
D. Sewage ordinance for the Town of Weathersfield: Mr. Melen said he does not recommend taking over enforcement and he recommends to start the Repeal of Ordinance at the next meeting. The Board agreed to start this process at the next meeting with the first reading.
Mr. Melen asked to move ahead to #8 b
8. Old Business
Thrasher Road Paving: Mr. Melen said there is a copy of the standard bid for finishing Thrasher Road in the packet. The bid packets have already been sent out to the standard bid list. He said bids are due on May 23rd so the Board will look at them during the first meeting in June.
Purchase of New Motor Grader: Mr. Melen said a copy of the bid packet he and Mr. Hazeltine have prepared for the grader was in the packet. He said the bids have not been sent out yet but they’ll scheduled to be opened on June 21.
There was discussion that if the dealer does not give us time for payment we are buying at a bad time for cash flow. Mr. Arrison asked what the delivery time was. Mr. Hazeltine said one dealer said they might have one in stock. Mr. Cole suggested structuring the bid so we can make the payment after September 1. After discussion it was decided that Mr. Melen would revise the bid to include language that said the payment would be negotiable and also ask for the bid to include a price with a trade and without a trade.
Mr. Cole asked if we had to put this out to bid at this time. Mr. Hazeltine said he would like to put the bid out now, award the bid and then discuss when we can take delivery and make payment.
Mr. Cobb asked where the bid requirements came from. Mr. Hazeltine said from three different dealers and then he and Larry went through them.
The consensus of the Board was to send the bid request out after adding the provision of the trade in information and the payment schedule.
Municipal Highway Mutual Aid Agreement:Mr. Arrison said this was tabled at the last meeting for a full board. Mr. Cobb asked how this would be activated. Mr. Hazeltine said each town would have a contact person. Mr. Cobb asked Mr. Hazeltine what he thought about this. Mr. Hazeltine said we’ve done it before in small incidences, we’ve borrowed a generator before, a line striping machine etc. Mr. Melen said employees of the Town would drive their own equipment.
Mrs. Daniels made the motion to direct the Town Manager to sign the mutual aid agreement; Mr. Boyer seconded the motion. Mr. Cobb asked how many Towns are participating, Mr. Melen said ten if everyone signs on. Motion carried unanimously.
Mr. Cole made the motion to schedule a Public Hearing for May 17, 207 for the purpose of restricting travel on Town Highway #20 (Upper Falls Road) for restoration of the bridge. Mr. Boyer seconded the motion, which passed without dissent.
9. New Business
A. Highway: Mr. Hazeltine said he has had a few calls asking when we were going to pave Tenney Hill Road. Mr. Melen noted there was discussion on this about three years ago but there is not any money available for it at this time. Mr. Cobb said the response is it is next line on the paving list.
Chief Brown arrived so Mr. Cobb asked him what the communication problem was during the last storm. Chief Brown said the problem is that he can’t talk to the Fire Departments or Highway crew from his radio. He said the whole Town needs to be able to talk to each other on the same radio system. Mr. Cobb asked who was looking at this problem, Chief Brown said he is not sure. Mr. Cobb asked Mr. Melen to get in touch with Mr. Mike and asked him to come to the Select Board with his recommendation to solve the communication problem.
8. Old Business
A. Strategic Planning for Calendar Year 2007: Mr. Cobb said he would like to post this on the website. He said tonight he would like to be sure the language is ok and the priorities are in order. Mr. Cole asked to move the Highway Policy discussion to M.
Mrs. Daniels made the motion to approve the Strategic Plan as written, with the one correction Mr. Cole noted. Mr. Cole seconded the motion, which passed unanimously.
Mr. Melen said there isn’t enough space on the website to put this power point presentation. There was discussion to post it as a word document if that would work better. Mr. Cobb asked Mr. Melen to have Melissa post on the website the most efficient way possible.
B. Discussed previously
C. Proctor Library Septic System Replacement: Mr. Cole made the motion to waive the Town purchasing policy and solute bids from Neil Daniels, Inc., Wileys Earth Moving, E.E. Packard, Bazin Brothers and Pine Hill Construction, Mr. Boyer seconded the motion. Mr. Arrison asked what about Jarvis & Sons Construction. Mr. Cole amended his motion to include Jarvis & Sons Construction, Mr. Boyer seconded the amended motion. Motion carried unanimously.
9. New Business:
Vermont Rapid Response Plan: Mr. Boyer said the Fire Commission talked about this last night with Mr. Thomas and they need to add the American Red Cross phone number. It was noted that not all pages have complete information, this needs to be redone and discussed again on May 17, 2007.
10. Appointments: It was noted the Planning Commission meets two times a month and they are in need of volunteers. Mrs. Daniels asked if there were any volunteers for the budget committee, Mr. Melen said no.
11. Sign Treasurer’s Warrants: Mr. Arrison made the motion to approve the Treasurer Warrants as follows:
General Fund Payroll $13,782.57
General Fund Operating Expense $25,488.92
Highway Fund Payroll $16,523.36
Highway Fund Operating Expense $13,793.82
Solid Waste Management Fund Payroll $ 1,947.15
Solid Waste Management Fund Operating Expense $ 2,857.48
Library $ 536.35
Reserves $ 6,196.50
Mrs. Daniels seconded the motion. Mr. Arrison asked Mr. Melen to talk to Mr. Hazeltine about the Highway Departments overtime. Motion carried unanimously.
12. Next Meeting’s Agenda Items: Fire Commission fees, Public Hearing, Communication, Final readings on policies, first reading on repeal, strategic planning, pound keeper, three grant issues.
13. Adjourn: Mr. Arrison made the motion to adjourn. Mr. Cole seconded the motion, which passed without dissent. The Select Board meeting was adjourned at 9:42 p.m.
Respectfully Submitted,
Lisa Sargent
Approved by the Weathersfield Select Board on May 17, 2007
____________________
Henry C. Cobb
______________________
Norman John Arrison
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Daniel Boyer
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Patricia Daniels
Appendix
Dispatch contract – completed?
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) – completed?
Select Board agenda items/procedures for calendar year 2007
1) Capital asset inventory
No Parking Signs by Thomas residence-completed?
Dry Hydrant bid - completed
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
05/03/07 Emergency communication
05/03/07 Radio Station designation for emergencies