Weathersfield Select Board

Special Meeting

July 27, 2005

                                    Daniel Boyer

                                    Henry C. Cobb

                                    Patricia Daniels

Others:                        Larry Melen, Town Manager

                                    Sonny Grover, Chief WWVFD

                                    Dick Ballentine

                                    Mark Knight

                                    Chris Callahan, Town Attorney

                                    Barbara Thomas

Mr. Cole called the special meeting to order at 7:06 p.m. at the Martin Memorial Hall on July 27, 2005.

Mr. Arrison joined the meeting by teleconference at 7:40 p.m.; the connection was lost and regained a few times before Mr. Arrison remained connected through the end of the meeting.

Mr. Cole said Attorney Callahan had reviewed the bid process and the Towns purchasing policy.  He explained that the Town has adopted a purchasing policy and the Select Board is bound by this policy not by the recommendations of other committees.

Attorney Callahan summarized the policy to the public present at this meeting.  He mentioned he was surprised quality wasn’t analyzed in the bid process.  Mr. Boyer said quality didn’t get a number but it was discussed. 

There was discussion about Valley not bidding the chassis.  Attorney Callahan said if Valley is awarded the bid the Select Board would have to send out bids for the chassis or purchase the chassis from the State contract. 

Mr. Cole said that we need to follow the policy and protect the reputation of this Town when awarding the bid.  He then read a letter that was submitted by Mr. Arrison since he was not able to be at the meeting in person.  In summary the letter asked the Board to consider the following before awarding the truck bid and stated he could not vote yes for the following reasons:

• Lack of letter of Non-Collusion
• At the July 21st meeting he didn’t hear any reason why the high point bidder should not be awarded the bid.
• Valley choosing not to bid a chassis price was as big of an omission as E-One bidding an aluminum body.
• Valley chose not to price the extended warranty.
• There was never any previous discussion the decision would be up to the department.  He feels the Fire Commission and Truck Committee neglected their duties. 

Mr. Cobb voiced his frustration as a Board member that is trying to do what is right for the Towns people and in return hearing despairing remarks.  He would like the same group of people to compare the two companies now again getting a fair bid for a chassis. 

Mr. Boyer said they did it the way they felt it should be done.  It came down to two bids, one without a chassis.  He said it’s been almost a year already, time and money is being wasted. 

Mr. Cobb asked if the price of the truck had gone up.  Mr. Boyer said the 2006 models are coming out and we need to start making a decision. 

There was a lot of discussion on how to obtain a chassis and what the price would be and how it would figure into the purchase price. 

There was discussion about the extended warranty and what it would cover.  Mr. Melen read the information on warranty that Dingee included in their bid.

Mrs. Daniels said she feels there were good proposals submitted by several different companies and she will not vote in favor of using any extra money.  Mr. Cole confirmed with Chief Grover that the department would give the extra money to the Town..

Mr. Arrison said the Town of Weathersfield owns vehicles from both manufacturers with no complaints with either manufacturer and he feels it is unfair to go through this process and not honor the process. 

Mr. Boyer said the Fire Commission and Truck Committee did what they felt was best and gave their recommendation to the Board and it bothers him he gets the feeling the Board is saying it wasn’t done right.  He said they were given guidelines and they added their personal feelings.  He explained why the bids that were eliminated were eliminated.  He said they continued to look at Valley’s bid without the chassis included because they were down to two bids. 

Mr. Cobb said he was not criticizing what had been done, they did a great job.  He was wrestling with the fact that there were eight criteria’s to be met and Dingee came out on top. 

Mr. Boyer said West Weathersfield is willing to pay the difference that is why he went with their recommendation. 

Mr. Arrison said he would like someone to make a motion.

Mr. Cole said he won’t make a motion but he would like to have a motion made with conditions.  There was discussion about what the conditions would be.

Mr. Boyer made the motion to grant the proposal to Valley Fire Equipment, with the following conditions:

• Valley Fire Equipment will execute a “Certificate of Non-Collusion;”
• The Town will retain ten per cent (10%) from the final purchase for a period not to exceed sixty (60) days, during which the West Weathersfield Fire Department will be verifying that all terms and conditions of this bid have been met.  Upon certification by the Fire Department, the retained funds will be paid to the manufacturer;
• The Town of Weathersfield will expend no more than Two Hundred Twenty Thousand dollars ($220,000.00), and the West Weathersfield Volunteer Fire Department will gift the Town, in advance of signing the contract, an amount making up the difference between the bond value and the total purchase price of the vehicle.  The gift will state, “These funds are a gift to the Town of Weathersfield, and the West Weathersfield Volunteer Fire Department will have no ownership interest in the vehicle;”
• The parties will execute a mutually acceptable written contract for the purchase and delivery of the vehicle; and
• Valley Fire Equipment will be responsible for procuring a chassis compliant with the Town’s specification, at a price that shall not exceed the pricing under the current Vermont State contract.

Mr. Cobb seconded the motion.  Mr. Cole, Mr. Cobb and Mr. Boyer voted in the ‘affirmative’ on the motion; Mr. Arrison and Mrs. Daniels voted in the ‘negative.’  The motion passed three to two. 

            Mr. Cobb made the motion to adjourn.  Mr. Boyer seconded the motion, which passed without dissent.  The Weathersfield Select Board Special Meeting was adjourned at 9:05 p.m. on July 27, 2005.

                                                                                    Respectfully Submitted,

                                                                                    Lisa Sargent