NEWFANE SELECTBOARD
Budget Meeting Thursday, January 4th, 2024
https://us06web.zoom.us/j/97227911757#success
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: https//zoom. Us/join Meeting ID: 972 2791 1757 Passcode: 352680
BOARD MEMBERS PRESENT:
Angela Litchfield, Katy Johnson-Aplin, Ann Golob (Zoom), Jeffrey Chevalier, and Mike Fitzpatrick
OTHER PRESENT:
Jay Wilson (Road Foreman), Melissa Brown (Treasurer- Zoom), and Wannetta Powling (Administrative Assistant).
CALL TO ORDER and MEETING WARNING:
The meeting was called to order at 6:01 p.m. by Chair Angela Litchfield. Litchfield asked if the meeting was properly warned. Powling confirmed that it was.
ADDITIONS/ AMENDMENTS TO AGENDA:
The Hazard Mitigation Plan and the NRCS agreement will be added under Old Business.
REPORTS:
None
MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC:
None
OLD BUSINESS:
Town Report Design– Johnson-Aplin found a photo at the Wardsboro Town office. Powling and Chevalier will edit the photo for use on the cover of the Town Report.
Town Beautification- Chevalier
The Newfane invites artists and community members to the “Take a Seat” press release, ready to be submitted. Powling will forward this to Chris Mays at the Brattleboro Reformer and Jeff Plotter at the Commons. Applications are available, and the application submission deadline is February 15th, 2024.
Hazard Mitigation Plan
Windham Regional Commission made the necessary corrections to the Hazard Mitigation Plan.
Golob made a motion to adopt the HMP, and Chevalier seconded the motion.
Motion passed.
Natural Resources Conservation Services (NRCS)
Discussion ensued,
Golob agreed to contact the property owners at # 362 Dover Rd to discuss the construction sponsor’s share of $26,539 to be split with the town.
It was tabled until the January 16th Selectboard Meeting.
NEW BUSINESS:
Expenditures:
Social Appropriations:
The social appropriations appointments are completed; the Incorporated Village of Newfane could not make their appointment due to illness. The Selectboard wanted to confirm that the applications were what would appear in the report.
The Highway Department:
Litchfield and Fitzpatrick completed employee reviews for the Highway Department with Christopher Williams, a proposed pay increase of one dollar for all the road crew.
Administrative Assistant:
Johnson-Aplin and Chevalier completed the reviews and have recommended that Powling be given an additional one dollar (back pay) to be added to the current .45 cents raise to meet the cost-of-living increase.
Zoning Administrator:
Johnson-Aplin and Chevalier completed the review- information was not included in tonight’s discussion.
New Employee for the Road Crew
Discussion:
Golob recommended creating a clear explanation for the Town Meeting as to why you would need to increase our budget by $100,000 when the state and school budget already takes a substantial portion.
Articles: Deborah Luskin and Powling have been reviewing and editing the articles. The first draft of the report goes to the printers on January 19th.
ADJOURN:
Johnson-Aplin made a motion to adjourn. The meeting was adjourned at 7:40 P.M.
Respectfully Submitted,
Wannetta Powling,
Administrative Assistant