Selectboard Minutes December 5th, 2022

Regular Meeting  December 5th, 2022
https://us06web.zoom.us/j/97227911757#success
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BOARD MEMBERS PRESENT:
Angela Sanborn, Ann Golob, Katy Johnson-Aplin, Jeffrey Chevalier, Mike Fitzpatrick (phone).

OTHERS PRESENT:
Tristan Johnson, Joan Weir (Williamsville School Preservation Society), Dan Dewalt (Restorative Community Practice of Southern Vermont), Brian Bashaw (Producer of BCTV), and Wannetta Powling (Administrative Assistant).

Zoom –Jay Wilson (Road Foreman), Henriette Mantel, Jane Douglas (DV Fiber), Karen Peterson (Aids Project of Southern Vermont), Amber Thibodeau (Southern Vermont Therapeutic Riding Center), Beckley Gaudette, Bobbe Ragouzeos (Moore Free Library), Christine Howe (The Moover) Steven Meyer (Leland & Gray Education Foundation) Melissa Brown (Treasurer).

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:  
Tristan Johnson asked for an amendment to the agenda to move Unscheduled Members of the Public to the beginning of the meeting.
Golob made such a motion. Johnson-Aplin seconded the motion. Motion passed 5/0.

Mr. Johnson wanted to bring awareness to “End Veteran Homelessness” in Windham County; the information bulletin provided has contact information, including a website and phone numbers to show how to support a homeless Veteran.  The program offers:

  • Guarantee Security deposit
  • Rental Assistance
  • Ongoing support
    The Selectboard thanked Mr. Johnson for his service and for coming to share this vital information.

APPROVAL OF MINUTES:

November 21, 2022, Regular Minutes.
Golob made a motion to approve the November 21 minutes. Fitzpatrick seconded the motion. Motion passed 5/0.

November 28, 2022, Budget Minutes.
Golob made a motion to approve the November 28 budget minutes. Johnson-Aplin seconded the motion. Motion passed 5/0.

 

ROAD FOREMAN’S & ROAD COMMISSIONER’S REPORT:

1.   We are working on the ANR permit, and the Corp of Engineers permit for the Depot Road box culvert.

2.   People seem to be getting used to the Arch Bridge traffic pattern again.  I have repainted one of the stop bars because the paint had worn down badly. They are planning on repainting in the spring.

3.  The sand/salt shed has nothing new to report.

4. We have installed a radar sign on Dover Rd. in South Newfane coming from the west.

5. The Monroe Bridge barrels of paint chips have been removed by the hazmat company.

  1. The Roy Brooks bridge replacement was finished on schedule. We will have to have the guardrail posts at both ends installed in the spring.

Fitzpatrick made a motion to accept the Road Foreman’s Report. Golob seconded the motion.
Motion passed 5/0.

ADMINISTRATIVE ASSISTANT’S REPORT:

  1. Town Office renovations:
    The current plan for renovations to the meeting room is to add walls between the Treasurer, Zoning Administrator, and Administrative Assistant, lay a new floor over the hardwood, improve the heating system, and additional upgrades to the security system.
  • Contractor Randy Leavitt’s remodeling is $23,750.
  • Jeffers Plumbing & Heating to install six or seven energy-saving mini-splits for heating and air conditioning is $37,000.
  • Electrician to install new wiring and hook up was estimated at $ 8,000 to 10,000.
  • Home Security Services to upgrade and expand the security cameras $3,232.84.

The total cost is $73,982.84. This money would come from the Town Office account. The current balance is $115,000.00. We are asking for Selectboard’s approval to proceed with these renovations.

  1. Rental Fees at Williamsville Hall.

Steve Levine and I have reviewed the rental fees that the Hall Committee presented to the Selectboard last fall. Charging a cleaning deposit for the use of the hall will help encourage and enforce that the hall is back in the same condition it was before renting. And there is no need to increase the fees currently.

  1. New England Municipal Consultants Contract (NEMC).

I have the annual contract for NEMC. This is the support given to the Listers all year,        services including

  • Field Inspections – includes all open permitted construction
  • Prepare Grand List
  • Supervise the Towns AssessPro Software
  • Assist the Listers with the grievance process

This will need to have the motion to approve and a motion to authorize a signer.

Johnson-Aplin made a motion to approve the New England Municipal Consultants Contract (NEMC) and to authorize the Chair to sign. Chevalier seconded the motion. Motion passed 5/0.

  1. Training
    VLCT provided training for Zoning Administrators (ZA). Merle Tessier, David Cotton, and I attended this training and found this to be an important review of the current Zoning laws and responsibilities. Nothing was mentioned regarding Cannabis, but we should expect this kind of information in 2023.

January 16th is a Federal Holiday. Would the Selectboard prefer to meet on Tuesday, January 17th? This is also the day scheduled for the Planning Commission to hold its public hearing.

Discussion ensued:
Johnson-Aplin made a motion to move the Selectboard meeting to Tuesday, January 17th, to follow the close of the Planning Commission Hearing. Golob seconded the motion. Motion passed 5/0.

 Golob made a motion to accept the Administrative Assistants Report. Johnson-Aplin seconded the motion. Motion passed 5/0.

COMMITTEE REPORT
None

SCHEDULED MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC
To qualify for Social Appropriations funds, the following list presented at the Selectboard meeting a brief explanation of how their organization has helped to benefit and enrich the residents of Newfane. (This information is available at the Town Office.)

  1. Karen Peterson, Outgoing Executive Director – Aids Project of Southern Vermont
  2. Joan Weir – Williamsville School Preservation Society
  3. Amber Thibodeau -Southern Vermont Therapeutic Riding Center
  4. Bobbe Ragouzeos- Moore Free Library
  5. Dan Dewalt- Restorative Community Practice of Southern Vermont
  6. Christine Howe- The Moover
  7. Steven Meyer – Leland & Gray Education Foundation

UNSCHEDULED MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC:
Previously amended (Tristan Johnson)

OLD BUSINESS

  1. Town Office renovations: a review of proposals (Administrative Assistance Report).
  2. Moving the monument located on Jail Street further back to protect it from snowplows. Sanborn stated that additional time was needed to hear from Judge Barnett.
  3. ARPA Updates: a review of documentation for the town website –

Golob mentioned that the ARPA information is now available on the Town website.
https://newfanevt.com/arpa-information-and-funding-status;

The Selectboard reviewed the two funding requests:

  • DV Fiber (Newfane Representative) Jane Douglas submitted a request for $ 15,000 in ARPA funds to help cover the cost of installation to those who would meet the application guidelines for assistance.

Golob made a motion to grant the request for DV Fiber. Chevalier seconded the motion. Motion passed 5/0.

  • Emergency Generators – (Emergency Manager Coordinator) Jay Wilson had submitted a proposal to replace the emergency generators at the NewBrook Fire Station for $ 36,415 and the generator at the Town Garage for $ 29,345.

Golob made a motion to grant the ARPA funds requested for the replacement of the Emergency Generators. Chevalier seconded the motion. Motion passed 5/0.

It was suggested to have Wilson resubmit a request for the AED.  (AED is an automated external defibrillator is a portable electronic device that automatically diagnoses life-threatening cardiac arrhythmias.)

  1. Cannabis Updates: (Johnson-Aplin)
    No Updates
  2. Flood Hazard By-law Update
    No Updates
  3. Traffic Calming, including finalizing membership of the new committee (Sanborn)
    Discussion ensued:

Traffic Calming will hold its first meeting at 6 P.M. December 14th at Town Office, Johnson-Aplin, to draft a letter for members.

  1. Town Beautification suggestions (Chevalier)
    Discussion ensued.
  2. Items raised at Budget Meetings to be reviewed
    • Review with the Williamsville Hall Committee rental fees for residents and non-residents; are the rental fees sufficient to cover the costs of cleaning the hall?
      Previously mentioned in the Administrative Assistance Report.
  • Does the Selectboard want to consider how to spend the $500 in the budget for board compensation?
    Tabled for another meeting.
  • Evaluate whether we should put oil purchases for heating out to bid to lock in a lower price.
    Tabled for a meeting when Wilson can give highway fuel usage information.
  1. Discuss ideas for a 250-year celebration of Newfane’s founding. Tabled for another meeting.
  2. Route 30 construction planned for summer 2023 and impact on parking for swimming holes.
    Sanborn and Wilson are to report at the December 19th meeting.

NEW BUSINESS  

Potential Tax Sales – Melissa Brown
Information was given to the Selectboard on the status of delinquent tax payments, with a list of payment plans and those that have not been keeping with the arrangements.
Discussion ensued.

The Selectboard made a recommendation to Brown that the Policy needs to be followed.  Brown agreed that she would keep the Selectboard informed of the situation.

Setting Tax Rate Procedures – Golob
Golob provided written procedures that were drafted, and these procedures follow a multi-step process to calculate the annual tax rate.  The Treasurer and the Listers Office reviewed the procedure for their input on the process to be followed when calculating the annual tax rate.

Discussion ensued.
Johnson-Aplin made a motion to adopt the procedures to calculate the annual tax rate. Chevalier seconded the motion. Motion passed 5/0.

CORRESPONDENCE
Newly elected Senator Nader Hashim offered to meet with the Selectboard to discuss Newfane’s concerns.

Powling was asked to send an email to invite Senator Nader to the December 19th meeting.

Fitzpatrick attended remotely and left the meeting at 8:10 p.m.

 PAY ORDERS

1.       Payroll Warrant No. #11597                         Amount $     5,018.75
2.       Payroll Warrant No. #11598                         Amount $     5,552.46
3.       Account Payable No. # 23012A                   Amount $   25,466.16
4.       Account Payable No. # 23012                      Amount $ 445,658.43

 Chevalier made a motion to approve Pay Orders. Johnson-Aplin seconded the motion. Motion passed 4/0.

ADJOURN:
Golob made a motion to adjourn. Johnson-Aplin seconded the motion.
The meeting adjourned at 8:21 p.m.

 

Respectfully Submitted,
Wannetta Powling
Administrative Assistant
A.L.S