Selectboard Meeting Minutes – November 21, 2016

TOWN OF NEWFANE

SELECTBOARD MEETING

MINUTES

NOVEMBER 21, 2016

BOARD MEMBERS PRESENT:    Gary Delius, Marion Dowling, Carol Hatcher, Todd Lawley

OTHERS PRESENT:  Deborah Luskin, Frank Suponski, Ralph Meima

CALL TO ORDER

The meeting was called to order at 6:01 p.m. by Todd Lawley, Chair.

ADDITIONS/AMENDMENTS TO THE AGENDA

Todd added discussion of the Town Office Bond under Old Business. There were no other additions or amendments to the agenda.

MINUTES

November 7, 2016:     The minutes were reviewed. A motion was made by Gary Delius and seconded by Marion Dowling to approve the minutes as written. The motion carried unanimously.

November 14, 2016 (Budget):  The minutes were reviewed. A motion was made by Gary Delius and seconded by Marion Dowling to approve the minutes as written. The motion carried with three in favor and Todd Lawley abstaining.

ROAD BUSINESS

Road Foreman’s & Road Commissioner’s Report:  See attached report.

A motion was made by Gary Delius and seconded by Marion Dowling to accept the report.

Discussion: Carol Hatcher asked for an update regarding brush cutting and clarification on repairs to the Baker Brook Road bridge. Discussion ensued regarding bridge repairs.

The motion to accept passed with three in favor and Todd Lawley abstaining.

SCHEDULED MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC

Deborah Luskin:  Deborah thanked the Board for the white line striping.

Deborah was present to propose a community discussion with townspeople regarding the town office.  This would be a circle of people interested in solving the problem of space at the Town Office.

Deborah would facilitate the meeting, and ask each participant to answer a series of open-ended questions.  the process

Discussion ensued.

Deborah noted that she was seeking approval from Board to work with the Town Office Committee. Deborah noted she would speak with the Secretary of State’s office to ensure that all public meeting laws are followed.

Shannon will let the Town Office Committee know to go ahead and work with Deborah.

Ralph Meima, Green Lantern Solar:  Ralph was present to report back about the work they’ve done regarding community solar on the landfill and to request that the Board consider negotiating a lease with Green Lantern. He noted that the lease would be contingent on obtaining the necessary permits.

Discussion ensued regarding details of a lease and another company that is interested in pursuing a lease. Ralph noted that Peter from Soveren Solar did contact him.

Ralph gave an overview of how the community solar works and what the town would gain from leasing the land to them.   He also noted that the Town would be better off taking a lease payment and utilizing credits from the Windham Solid Waste Management District solar project, which has a much better rate.

A question and answer period ensued.

Soveren Solar will present at the next meeting and then the town will seek proposals from both.

Shannon will ask other towns for proposals that they used.

UNSCHEDULED MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC

Frank noted that he changed two doors at the town garage, which were only 20 years old. He noted that the Board needs to budget for maintenance of buildings. He recommended a 3-foot over hang above the garage doors and a small roof over the door that’s used most.

OLD BUSINESS

Petition for Bond Revote:  Todd Lawley read a statement to the public:

The Selectboard received an email from Gary Katz notifying us of a petition that may be circulating to revisit the Town Office Bond question for a third time.

The Selectboard confirmed with the bond attorney, Paul Giuliani that the same question cannot be presented to the voters more than twice in any 12-month period.

Therefore, if a petition is presented to the Selectboard to revisit the same question any time within the next 12 months, it will not be accepted, in accordance with 24 VSA Section 1755(B).

CORRESPONDENCE

  • Letter from Rock River Preservation letter regarding the shoulder on Depot Road. Gary Delius will contact Tom and let him know that the section of road is actually in Dummerston.
  • Planning Commission – notice of public hearing and update to the Board.

PAY ORDERS

The pay orders were reviewed. A motion was made by Gary Delius and seconded by Marion Dowling to approve the pay orders as follows:

  • Accounts Payable Warrant No. 17013 in the amount of $2541,442.21
  • Payroll Warrant No. 11/23/16 in the amount of $4,868.57
  • Payroll Warrant No. 11/16/16 in the amount of $4,125.19.

The motion carried unanimously.

ADJOURN

A motion was made by Gary Delius and seconded by Carol Hatcher to adjourn at 7:37 p.m. The motion carried unanimously.

Respectfully Submitted,

Shannon Meckle

 

ROAD FOREMAN’S & ROAD COMMISSIONER’S REPORT

NOVEMBER 21, 2016

  1. Roads: The roads are in good shape. Some of them need grading if the weather warms up again. The crew is still cutting some dead trees and brush.
  1. Equipment: We have put winter tires on most of the trucks we have tires on order for 2013 Mack front tires. The plow frames and plows are all on the trucks two of the dump trucks have wings on them now. All the equipment should be ready for winter.
  1. River Road Bridge: I have met with Marc Pickering and VTRANS and also with Mike Renaud about the bridge and its condition. They say it should be moved up on the list as they felt it is critical need of repairs. Right now it needs new beams and possibly a new deck. It is posted at 16000 lbs and they all said that no trucks should be going over it with any more than what it is posted at. We will not be able to take our trucks, grader, or loader over it as well.  I will have to plow River Road from Radway Hill to the bridge and turn around at the bridge and plow back, and we will have to plow the bridge itself off with one of the two one tons.  Marc is going to work with Windham Regional and try to get them to push the state to come up with some emergency funding to get it rebuilt. Mike Renaud is going to give Marc a quote on replacing the beams and reusing the wooden deck and a price on new beams and a new concrete deck.  Marc said we need to put an article in the newspapers so that the trucking companies and fire departments know that they will have to enter River Road from Radway Hill Road. They said it would be good if the oil company’s could be notified.
  1. Williamsville Hall: I called Barrows Oil Company to come fill the oil tanks. They won’t be able to fill them once it snows because the fill pipe is on the lower level and once it snows they would have to get down over the bank to fill it.

Bridge #38: I met with Scott Jensen from Dept. of Watershed Conservation Management and he issued a permit so that Daniels can start work on the bridge. Daniels has been notified that they can start. I except that they will start anytime now.

Thank you,

Todd Lawley, Road Foreman

Christopher Williams, Road Commissioner