Draft Selectboard Regular Meeting Monday, April 3, 2023

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BOARD MEMBERS PRESENT:  Angela Sanborn, Katy Johnson-Aplin, Jeffrey Chevalier, Ann Golob (Zoom).  Absent: Mike Fitzpatrick.

OTHERS PRESENT:   Marion Dowling, Christine White, Mary Wiswall, Dennis Wiswall, Tiana Smith (Green MT Power), Mike Burke (GMP), Donald Mills (GMP), Candace Morgan (GMP), Austin Rice (BCTV), and Wannetta Powling (Administrative Assistant.)
Zoom:  Jay Wilson (Road Foreman), Kate Gehring (Planning Commission), Nolan Edgar (PC), Carol Hesselbach (Town Clerk).

CALL TO ORDER:
The meeting was called to order at 6:00 pm by Selectboard Chair Angela Sanborn.

CONFIRM PROPERLY WARNED:
Powling confirmed the meeting had been properly warned.

ADDITIONS/AMENDMENTS TO AGENDA:  

APPROVAL OF MINUTES:

  1. March 20, 2023, regular meeting minutes. (Tabled until April 17th).
    Johnson-Aplin made a motion to approve the March 20 regular meeting minutes, and Chevalier seconded.
    Motion failed 2/0/2. Sanborn and Golob abstained. (Tabled until April 17th).

ROAD FOREMAN’S & ROAD COMMISSIONER’S REPORT:

  1. I have sent over the intent to participate letter for the Grant-In-Aid program for a signature.
  2. We have started to partially grade some of the dryer dirt roads to smooth them up.
  3. Nothing new on Depot Rd. box culvert, it is still out to bid.
  4. I spoke with Ron Bell today about the sand/salt shed, and he is planning to come over Thursday afternoon to talk about it. He is also bringing plans for Eddy Rd. culvert.

Golob made a motion to accept the Road Foreman’s report, and Johnson-Aplin seconded.
Discussion:

Johnson-Aplin made a motion to authorize Chair Sanborn to sign the intent to participate letter for the Grant-In-Aid program, and Chevalier seconded. Motion passed 4/0.

Johnson-Aplin asked Wilson to explain the damage/repair to Depot Road, near the garage. Wilson informed the Board that the road sunk due to the culvert collapsing. A section of the culvert was replaced as a temporary fix until the box culvert replacement bids are reviewed on April 12 and repair work is awarded.
Motion passed 4/0.

ADMINISTRATIVE ASSISTANT’S REPORT: 

  1. In the past two weeks, I have attended the training offered by VLCT on ADA Compliance Training; this covered a broad array of information, including sidewalk access. And the Selectboard Essential training for new and returning Selectboard members.
  2. I have mailed 30+ letters for re-appointment to the various committees and organizations. Volunteer appreciation is a month-long celebration in April that aims to celebrate and thank volunteers for the time and hard work they have put in to help their communities. It is time for Newfane to acknowledge the volunteers who give their time to help the Town function. I want to make a recommendation to the Selectboard; for a “Newfane Appreciation Day” to celebrate our volunteers (and residents) the week of April 17-21.
  3. April is “Prevention of Child Abuse” month, and the pinwheels have come in. Would the members of the Selectboard be available to help plant these in front of the building Tuesday afternoon?
  4. The Personal Policies is available tonight for readopting and the Selectboard signatures.

Chevalier made a motion to accept the Administrative Assistant’s report. Johnson-Aplin seconded the motion.
Discussion:

  1. Golob asked about today’s Norther Board Grants and Aid Catalyst training. Powling agreed to share the information from the training with the Board.
  2. The Selectboard agreed to purchase a banner to hang between the pillars on the front of the Town Office, “Thank you to all the Newfane Volunteers,” and prepare certificates of appreciation for our volunteers.
  3. Sanborn, Johnson-Aplin, and Chevalier agreed to help plant the pinwheels in the garden Tuesday afternoon.
  4. Golob recommended tabling the Personnel Policy until VLCT could review the current policy to see if laws had changed and to allow time to make recommendations. (Tabled until April 17 Selectboard meeting)
  5. Golob mentioned that Maxwell Vandervliet was interested in the appointment to the Windham Regional Commission. Golob asked Powling to follow up with Vandervliet to confirm his interest in the WRC appointment and follow up with Selectboard.

The vote was called. Motion passed 4/0.

COMMITTEE REPORT
Traffic Calming Committee (TCC) updates (Johnson-Aplin) The next two meetings of the TCC will be on Tuesday, April 11th, at 6 pm and Wednesday, May 3rd, at 6 pm at the Town Office.

Golob reminded Johnson-Aplin that the Windham Regional Commission (WRC) had sent information from the VT Department of Health asking if there was an interest in being involved with a pilot project, Walk-ability in communities with pedestrian improvements. This information should be shared with the Newfane Calming Committee, and it was recommended that Johnson-Aplin contact Max at the WRC. This information will be shared at the next TCC meeting.

SCHEDULED MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC
Representatives from Green Mountain Power (GMP), Tiana Smith ( Communication), Mike Burke (Lead of Operations), Donald Mills (Brattleboro Operations Supervisor), and Candace Morgan (Communication and Critical Care) attended the Selectboard meeting to share with the public a PowerPoint presentation and discuss the difficult issues that GMP faced with the four major snowstorms that have affected us in Windham County. Mutual Aid came from VA, PA, RI, NJ, KY, and Canada to help restore the power during this outage. Burke explained how the electrical grid manages the power restoration to the transmission lines between the Substation and the Mainlines along Route 30 from Brattleboro to Bromley, moving out to the rural, residential areas. If the order is not followed, doing other areas would not make sense until these sources of power are online.

To help with climate change, GMP is implementing alternative resources, including the following,

  • GMP covers over 75% of the State of Vermont; GMP will be 100% renewable by 2030.
  • Extensive Outreach before, during, and after storms.
  • Planning and resources in place prior to storms, including partnering with communities and Emergency Management.
  • Plans to expand Microgrids and Resiliency Zones and upgrade infrastructure with undergrounding rural overhead lines “Storm Harding” to keep communities powered up between substations and areas along Route 100.
  • GMP is willing to return to a community education meeting to answer questions for the residents to prepare for power outages and alternative sources such as battery or solar power. It would be a shared resource for GMP to help cover the needs during peak hours.

UNSCHEDULED MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC
Having missed the last meeting, Dennis Wiswall wanted to address the Selectboard to offer support for the Administrative Assistant – including the issue of how the minutes are and what is legally required for committee/board minutes. Mary Wiswall and Marion Dowling wanted to add additional support.

OLD BUSINESS:
Cannabis Updates: (Johnson-Aplin) None

Town Beautification (Chevalier) None

Discuss ideas for a 250-year celebration of Newfane’s founding. (Johnson-Aplin)
Updates on future Newfane Anew meetings will be announced.

FEMA Buy-Out of the South Newfane General Store – (Golob)
No updates from FEMA.

ARPA: (Sanborn and Golob)
None

NEW BUSINESS
Follow-up items from Town Meeting

  1. Should Social Appropriation Articles be grouped together?

Discussion ensued:
 No decisions were made; the items will be added to future agendas to be addressed in future meetings.

  1. Write to the Moover to ask them to make a bigger effort to provide service along Route 30.

Chevalier made a motion to draft a letter to the Moover and cc: the State representatives requesting public transportation in the area. Johnson-Aplin seconded. Motion passed 4/0.

  1. Request to add a cover sheet about each organization asking for a social appropriation.

Discussion ensued: 
No decisions were made; the items will be added to future agendas to be addressed in future meetings.

  1. The debris on the corner of Route 30 from the recently burned home.

Discussion ensued:
Golob requested that Powling contact Valery to get additional information on whom she has spoken to regarding the property.
Golob requested that Powling contact Wilson regarding the construction fabric used to keep the debris from going into the stream.

  1. Opioids Settlement Action Required
    Johnson -Aplin made a motion to authorize Sanborn to sign the documents on behalf of Selectboard. Chevalier seconded.
    Motion passed 4/0.


CORRESPONDENCE:
Scotty Tabachnick Principal-NewBrook Elementary School -Thank you for NewBrook PTO support.

Nancy Rysz Letter to the Selectboard.
Johnson-Aplin made a motion to send a new letter to Ms. Rysz. Powling was asked to draft such a letter and send it to Sanborn.

EXECUTIVE SESSION:
 Executive Session to discuss a disciplinary or dismissal action against a public officer or employee under the provisions of Title 1, Section 313, Subsection (1)(4) of the Vermont Statutes.

Discussion ensued:
Dowling expressed concern over the wording used to go into Executive Session.

Chevalier made a motion to enter Executive Session. Golob seconded.
Golob, who attended via Zoom, withdrew and called to join the Executive Session.
Entered the Executive Session at 8:00 pm.

Johnson-Aplin made a motion to leave Executive Session, and Chevalier seconded.
Exited Executive Session at 8:18 pm.
The decision of the Board:
Chevalier made a motion to recall the termination letter given to Powling. Johnson-Aplin second.
Motion passed 4/0.        

Golob withdrew and left the meeting at 8:20 pm.

 PAY ORDERS

  1.  Payroll Warrant # 11614                               Amount $       5,439.14
  2. Payroll Warrant # 11615                               Amount $       5,559.37
  3. Account Payable # 23022                             Amount $             80.00
  4. Account Payable # 23023                             Amount $       32,149.82

Chevalier Johnson-Aplin made a motion to approve Pay Orders. Johnson-Aplin seconded the motion.
Motion passed 3/0.

ADJOURN:
Johnson-Aplin made a motion to adjourn. The meeting adjourned at 8:27 pm.

Respectfully Submitted,
Wannetta Powling, Administrative Assistant