Monday, September 20, 2021 Selectboard Minutes

Zoom Meeting   https://zoom.us/j/97227911757?pwd=TEd4YmdKMzJUd3NaTERhVUFOWWsydz09

Meeting ID: 972 2791 1757   Passcode: 352680

One tap mobile +13017158592, 97227911757#, *352680# US (Washington D.C)

BOARD MEMBERS PRESENT: 

   Angela Sanborn, Ann Golob, Katy Johnson- Aplin, and Shelly Huber.

Absent: Mike Fitzpatrick

OTHERS PRESENT:

In-Person: Ken Estey, Burt Picard, Dan Dewalt, Wannetta Powling & Janice Chaillou from BCTV,

On Zoom: Jay Wilson, Lauren Shockley, Jane Douglas, Jeryl Julian -Cisse, Melissa & Mike Masters, Thomas Abbott, Deborah Luskin, Lynn Forrest, Christine White, Juliette Carr, Bahman Mahdavi, Kate Gehring, Eli Coughlin- Galbraith, Alyssa Schmidt, Thomas Ely, Gloria Cristelli, Timbo (Brookline.)

CALL TO ORDER:

The meeting was called to order at 6:03 pm by Selectboard Chair Angela Sanborn.

ADDITIONS/AMENDMENTS TO AGENDA: 

Shelly Huber made a motion to move the Executive Session to after New Business. Katy Johnson-Aplin seconded.

Motion passed 4/0

APPROVAL OF MINUTES:

September 7, 2021, Regular Meeting

        Shelly Huber made a motion to accept the Minutes of the September 7 regular meeting.

        Ann Golob seconded the motion. 

       Motion passed 4/0.

 ROAD FOREMAN’S & ROAD COMMISSIONER’S REPORT:

  1. The work on the Dover Rd. bank slide has begun.
  2. We have bids to open for Grout Rd. repair.

Selectboard Chair opened the sealed bid for Grout Road repair; Bids were from Daniels Construction, Wright Maintenance & Beattie Property Maintenance.

Scope of work was read into the record for added clarification

  • Daniels Construction                                 Bid  $89,845      will not be able to meet the deadline
  • Wright Maintenance                                 Bid $60,000
  • Beattie Property Maintenance                 Bid $47,800

Discussion ensued with recommendations asked for from the Road Foreman. The suggestion was that Jake is capable; his father also has years of experience.  The low bid is part of Newfane’s Bidding Policy; with other agencies paying for the cost of repairs, we should go with the low offer.

Ann Golob made a motion to accept the bid from Beattie Property Maintenance with an amendment to require proof of Insurance.  Shelly Huber seconded.     Motion passed 4/0

Shelly Huber made a motion that if Certificate of Insurances is not provided within seven (7) business days, Selectboard will need to go with the next lowest bid from Wright Maintenance.

Ann Golob seconded. Motion passed 4/0

 3. I have a call in to the company that comes to the garage and does the undercoating. I’m hoping to do that again this year—dump truck @$400 smaller trucks @$200.

 Shelly Huber made a motion to authorize expense for Undercoating of Town Equipment. 

Katy Johnson- Aplin seconded. Motion passed 4/0

4. I have the Winter Sand bid ready to go out.

  1. We are still working on repairs from the July 29 storm.

Katy Johnson-Aplin made a motion to approve the Road Foreman’s report. Shelly Huber seconded.

Motion passed 4/0

 ADMINISTRATIVE ASSISTANT’S REPORT: 

  • Budget Season will begin next month – Committees & Departments should have received the forms for budget requests in their email today. These need to be submitted before our first budget meeting on October 25; Budget meetings will be on the alternate Monday from Selectboard Meetings through December. 
  •  I have started booking appointments for agencies to submitting their Appropriations Requests. They will need to demonstrate how the funds they request will & have benefited Newfane, Williamsville, South Newfane, and Brookside residents.   
  •  On Friday, I received an email from Bob Thompson, State Conservation Engineer. He has requested the necessary funds from USDA- NRCS (Natural Resources Conservation Service) in Washington DC to pay for the work @ 65 Baker Brook Road. He is asking if the Town of Newfane will act as a sponsor of this project. Newfane would be responsible for receiving the funds, soliciting bids, and hiring the contractor and any O& M for the project’s design (life estimated 20 years.)

Shelly Huber made a motion that the Town of Newfane will act as a sponsor for this project.

 Ann Golob seconded.  Discussion:

Gloria Cristelli asked if this agreement was asking for a percentage payment from the landowner regarding repairs.

Ann Golob indicated that the information provided to the Town was that NRCS was covering the entire cost of 100% repairs. Chair called for Vote.

Motion passed 4/0.

 Katy Johnson-Aplin asks for details on the project length of the Budget Season. 

Katy Johnson-Aplin made a motion to move the first date for Budget Season to Tuesday, October 12. 

Shelly Huber seconded. Discussion Ensued

Motion Passed 4/0

Shelly Huber noted that the WCSD Report included details of traffic stops and tickets issued, with sufficient revenue.

Ann Golob made a motion to accept the Administrative Assistant’s report. Katy Johnson-Aplin seconded.  Motion passed 4/0.

COMMITTEE REPORT: 

 DV Fiber – Jane Douglas Reported that things are moving along – a grant was submitted to the state for 1.4 Million Dollars along with a report of the different ways that the internet is currently available to Newfane area residents.  Newfane will not be on the list for new service next year; those towns currently without internet service will be the first to get connected.

 Planning Commission – Ken Estey ARPA survey letter will be mailed by September 28th or 29th. In addition to the letters, the survey will be available on the Newfane Town website thru “Survey Monkey.” Front Porch Forum.  There will be prizes for the first 50 people completing the survey. The Planning Commission meeting is this Thursday @ 6 pm; anyone wishing additional information may contact Planning Commissioners.

SCHEDULED MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC:  

None

UNSCHEDULED MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC:

  1. Gloria Cristelli

 Japanese Knotweed, Gloria, asked if there was any additional information on assessing the knotweed problem at the Town office. It was explained that testing of the Town septic system for any possible damage from the Japanese Knotweed is planned and Jay has made contact attempts with the relevant business in Dummerston.

Southern Vermont Watershed Alliance (SeVWSA), working with the Connecticut River Conservancy, is sponsoring its annual Source to Sea River cleanup.  The event is being held this Saturday at 9 am.  We will be meeting at the Dummerston Covered bridge to register and assign volunteers to areas of the river that will be needing clean up.

OLD BUSINESS:

American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) –Consultant Job Description -Ann Golob

The new changes we shared with Windham Regional Commission and incorporated their recommendations into the document.  A copy of the final version is here for you tonight, and I would like to post the application and send it to some people I know to start to get some responses back.

Discussion ensued.

Ann Golob made a motion to Submit this Contract and post it on the VLCT website, and send it out to known applicants. Shelly Huber second.

Motion passed 4/0

 VLCT Racial Training Follow Up – Ann Golob & Katy Johnson-Aplin

 

A discussion was held regarding people’s opinions of the VLCT training on diversity, equity, and inclusion. Katy Johnson -Aplin noted that she felt the training was not appropriate for the general public but could benefit those who were familiar with state legislation.  Ann Golob commented that she felt the last day of the training was beneficial but did not feel the first two were as productive as they could have been.  Shelly Huber noted that there is not a requirement to provide this training and felt that there was no need to further discuss the topic.

Juliette Carr, representing the West River Valley Mutual Aid group, commented that they sent a letter to the Selectboard and many would like to hear the Selectboard’s feedback on the resources provided.

A request was made to the letter (which is included in the Correspondence section of the agenda.)

Katy Johnson-Aplin made a motion to move the Correspondence to this portion of the meeting; Ann Golob seconded. Motion passed 3/1; Shelly Huber opposed.

[Note: Correspondence is available at the Town Office.]

Regarding the letter and the resources included in the letter, Ann Golob said she would like to continue to look into this issue but at a later time; there are many other big issues that the Selectboard needs to focus on now as the budget season is upon us and town-wide discussions regarding ARPA funding are beginning.  Ann suggested putting off the topic until next year and she volunteered to look into the recommendations made by WRVMA, to contact some of the people suggested in the letter. She also added that she is interested to see what other resources will be made available at the state level and by VLCT since this is a topic of interest to all of those groups.

Kate Gehring requested that the Selectboard take a vote to affirm that they will reopen the topic next year. The Selectboard declined to do so.

NEW BUSINESS:

None

EXECUTIVE SESSION:

Shelly Huber made a motion to go into Executive Session at 7:40 pm.

1V.S.A. 313(a)(2) The negotiating or securing of real estate purchase or lease options;

Ann Golob seconded the motion.

Dan Systo, Wannetta Powling, and Jay Wilson were invited to attend.

Motion passed 4/0

 

Ann Golob made a motion to leave Executive Session at 7:52 pm. Katy Johnson –Aplin seconded.

Motion passed 4/0

 Decision:

Ann Golob made a motion to appoint Katy Johnson-Aplin as an authorized agent to sign a Letter of Intent to Purchase Real Estate for the Town of Newfane on Tuesday, September 21, 2021. Shelly Huber seconded.

Motion passed 4/0

CORRESPONDENCE:

Christine A. White- Personal views from Sept. 7th Selectboard Meeting

WRVMA –Resources for additional training available

 PAY ORDERS:

  1. Payroll Warrant   No #11532                                   Amount $ 4,519.00
  2. Payroll Warrant No #11533                                     Amount $  4,417.27
  3. Account Payable No # 22006 6                                Amount $ 62,493.76

Ann Golob made a motion to approve pay orders. Katy Johnson-Aplin seconded the motion. Motion Passed.4/0

ADJOURN:

Ann Golob made a motion to adjourn. Meeting adjourned at 8:02 pm

Respectfully Submitted,

Administrative Assistant

Wannetta Powling