Zoom Meeting
https://us06web.zoom.us/j/82923623115?pwd=Y8mwXFBz1EXkv5iWbOROTgAAO3PJ6z.1
Zoom Meeting ID: 829 2362 3115 Passcode: 974520
BOARD MEMBERS: Todd Lawley (Chair), Marion Dowling (Vice-Chair), Katy Johnson-Aplin, Chris Cleverly, Mike Fitzpatrick.
OTHERS PRESENT: Jay Wilson (Road Foreman), Melissa Brown (Treasurer), Alice Ryan, Barb Frank-Barber, Jane Douglas (Planning Commission), Carl Durham, Julian Klein, Elaine Lambert, Kate Gehring (Planning Commission).
CALL TO ORDER: The meeting was called to order at 6:00 p.m. by Chair Todd Lawley.
CONFIRM PROPERLY WARNED: Confirmed by Melissa Brown.
ADDITIONS/AMENDMENTS TO THE AGENDA: None.
APPROVAL OF MINUTES:
- June 16th, 2025, Regular Meeting Minutes
Fitzpatrick made a motion to accept the regular meeting minutes of June 16th, 2025. Cleverly seconded. The motion passed.
ROAD FOREMAN & ROAD COMMISSIONER’S REPORT:
- The pump for the town garage septic became disconnected. We got it pumped, and the plumber came and replaced some fittings.
- Colin from WRC was approved by Vtrans to be the MPM for the Newfane Village Sidewalk Project.
- We had a meeting last week for the Sand/Salt Shed project and they are going to advertise for a new engineer and try for a design that will fit the budget.
- ACT 250 review board came back with a list of questions for the engineers on the permit for the gravel pit. They have answered the questions and submitted them.
- The EWP stream bank repair on the Rock River at the Green Iron Bridge will begin in the next couple weeks. The meeting with Scott Jensen, NRCS, Evan from Fitzgerald Engineering and A.S. Clark will take place on July 16th.
Discussion:
- Wilson interviewed a person today for the position, and it will be discussed at the next since it must be in executive session.
- Wilson looked at the body of the truck, plow and wing in New Hampshire. The company is putting together the whole package of the mounting of the wing etc. They expect they should have a truck ready to start in December/ January. They have a buying group where they bid for you its all pre-bid. Process should be pretty easy.
- Town Garage computer had a glitch this week, the hard drive went and computer is not fixable. Melissa ordered a new one which should arrive this week.
Fitzpatrick made a motion to accept the Road Foreman and Road Commissioners Report. Cleverly seconded. The motion passed.
- Access Application/Right of Way permit for Mariano- 137 Steep Way Road.
Wilson states that Access for Mariano is okay the way it is, just needs to be less of an angle.
Fitzpatrick made a motion to accept the Access/ Right of Way permit for Mariano. Cleverly seconded. The motion passed unanimously.
ADMINISTRATIVE ASSISTANT’S REPORT:
The following administrative duties completed by Melissa Brown:
Social Appropriations Update: Katie Bristol and I updated all contact information and created a centralized Excel spreadsheet, along with an email group, to manage the FY 2026 appropriation requests that’ll be paid in FY 2027. We sent a group email with the appropriate attachments to all organizations. By starting the process early, we aim to have all necessary information organized and on hand in advance of budget season.
Contract Service Bridges: At the end of FY2025 there was a remaining balance of $49,026.30 in the Contract Service Bridges line item. Can we move these funds into the Capital Fund for future bridge-related expenses. (Will require motion and vote)
Cleverly made a motion to transfer the remaining balance of $49,026.30 from the Contract Service Bridges line item to the Capital Reserve Fund for Capital Bridges, Fitzpatrick seconded. The motion passed.
Dog Bite Incident – 13 Woodlands Lane
An incident involving a dog bite has been reported at 13 Woodlands Lane, Newfane.
Update: Animal Control Officer Ashley Pinger is currently investigating this incident. The dog has been quarantined at home for 10 days and is up to date on the rabies shots.
The Following administrative duties completed by Katie Bristol:
PACIF Binder (State of Vermont): New forms have been added, and the contract has been filed appropriately within the binder.
Drug & Alcohol Testing Manual: Successfully updated through the Vermont League of Cities and Towns (VLCT) to reflect the most current standards and procedures.
State of Vermont Website: Town Clerk information has been reviewed and updated to ensure accuracy and compliance.
Ongoing Work: Currently in the process of updating additional town binders and forms to maintain consistency and accuracy across documentation.
Katie Johnson-Aplin made a motion to accept the Administrative Assistant Report Marion Dowling seconded. The motion passed.
Cleverly made a motion to re-post the Administrative Assistant Job on Front Porch Forum and The Commons. Fitzpatrick seconded. The motion passed.
SCHEDULED MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC:
Alice Ryan Came in with an issue with water run- off on property. She sent a letter saying she needs the runoff from Newfane hill to go elsewhere and not on her pasture. It has been an issue for years, Ryan doesn’t know why the town can’t move it to the other side of the road. Ryan doesn’t think it should be her problem at this point.
Lawley asked if it was in the town right of way or not. Which it is not. Ryan says that when the town had FEMA money from Irene it should have been fixed then. Now Ryan is having massive flooding, a horse who fell in pasture due to the flooding from the road. Ryan states she put a drainage system in when she built the arena 10 years ago, but now it just can’t keep up.
Wilson says that he looked at it again, and he sees it coming from her own land and neighbors. Ryan is stating that it is coming from the top of the hill on the town road, not her land. Wilson recommended Ryan put another culvert on her land to move the waterway. Wilson states the only culverts which have been replaced in the area are the town culverts which were failing. The town can’t reroute the water for everything. Fitzpatrick said that if she has a pipe system, she might need to install a bigger pipe to work with the issue.
Wilson said they can go up and look at what Ryan is stating.
COMMITTEE REPORTS:
Kate Gehring made an announcement that the Planning Commission will hold a meeting on Saturday July 19th to discuss with the community and town life topics on the town plan.
Jane Douglas was here to discuss Short Term Rentals. Douglas wanted to know if the board wanted them to move forward with the registry for Air B and B. Douglas states that other towns make it a requirement to register Air B and B properties. She requests to have data collected to see how many properties in Newfane are rental properties. Johnson- Aplin said she feels this is needed for the local fire departments to know the maximum capacity of buildings. Douglas states that a basic registration form was created, mostly to get the name of the owner of the properties of which are short-term rentals.
A couple of public sessions have been held with the Planning Commission. Gehring says they can get the information for them for the next meeting to see what action if any will move forward.
UNSCHEDULED MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC: None
NEW BUSINESS:
Approval of 2025 Municipal Tax rate.
Tax Rate was given in the packet for selectboard.
Fitzpatrick made a motion to accept the 2025 Municipal Tax Rate, Cleverly seconded. The motion Passed.
FY 2026 Employee Wage Increase Approval.
Wage Increase was given in the packet for the selectboard.
Cleverly made a motion to accept the Employee Wage Increase, Johnson-Aplin seconded the motion. The motion passed.
Sullivan & Powers Contract for audit needed approval.
$20,100 for hiring Sullivan and Powers.
Cleverly made a motion to accept Sullivan and Powers Contract, Johnson-Aplin seconded the motion. The motion passed.
OLD BUSINESS:
- Housing grant Proposal- Review Housing Grant Application- None
- FEMA buyout of South Newfane General Store- (Brown)
- Brown said that it is almost done, another Soil test was done. FEMA will not pay for that, but the Brownfield grant will be paying for that additional testing. Johnson-Aplin asked about the flagpole being removed. No update on that. Reimbursements have been all paid back as of now.
- Personnel policy changes/recommendations- None
- Town Website Design- None
- Update to Animal Control Ordinance.
- Brown states that a unified ordinance is going to be worked on for all the towns to follow. The town will continue to use the same service.
CORRESPONDENCE:
Windham Regional Commission – Notification of Public Hearings on proposed Windham Regional Plan.
Cleverly read aloud the letter notifying the selectboard that WRC will hold two public hearings:
- Tuesday, July 22, 2025, at 12:00 p.m.
- Thursday, July 24, 2025, 6:00 p.m.
Both hearings will take place at the Windham Regional Commission’s Office located at 139 Main Street, Suite 505, Brattleboro, VT. Remote access available.
Windham County Animal Control – Scheduling a meeting with Sheriff Mark Anderson to discuss FY26 Animal Control Officer Services.
Sheriff Mark Anderson will host a zoom meeting for interested Town’s on July 10, 2025, 2:00 p.m. Lawley will attend the meeting from the Town Office via zoom.
Center for Solace (formerly Brattleboro Area Hospice) Thank you letter.
Cleverly read the letter expressing appreciation to the Town and the Selectboard.
Kenneth Deschaine, VT State Police/Dept. of Public Safety – Information on Iranian Homeland Threat Vectors
Cleverly read the highlighted portions of the letter. It was noted that there is no current cause for concern.
Pay orders:
- Payroll #11738 in the amount of $ 5,263.45
- Payroll #11739 in the amount of $ 7,371.60
- Payroll #11740 in the amount of $4,880.98
- A/P # 25025 in the amount of $16,848.48
- A/P # 26001 in the amount of $37,239.85
Johnson-Aplin made a motion to accept the pay orders, Cleverly seconded. Motion passed unanimously.
ADJOURN:
Cleverly made a motion to adjourn, Fitzpatrick seconded. The motion passed. The meeting was adjourned at 7:08 p.m.
Respectfully submitted,
Melissa Brown and Katie Bristol
Administrative Assistants