WILLIAMSTOWN SELECTOBARD MEETING

WILLIAMSTOWN MIDDLE/HIGH SCHOOL LIBRARY

JULY 18, 2011 MONDAY – 7p.m.

 

MEMBERS:          LARRY HEBERT – CHAIR

                                RODNEY GRAHAM

                                FRANCIS COVEY

 

TOWN MANAGER - GARRETT EARLS

 

VISITORS:  Jackie Higgins, Mike Sprano, Ivan LeBlanc, Kathleen Lott, Art Kramer, Barbara Graham, Horace Duke

 

 

Water/Sewer Commissioners

F. Covey motioned to go into Water/Sewer meeting, R. Graham second.  All passed by voice vote 3-0.

 

1.                   Edward and Jennifer Dwinell – Abatement

They are on the warrant for $2,122.20 which is what they paid they paid the Town of Williamstown for the last six years.  G. Earls has a letter from Barre Town and they will determine their amount of abatement during their Selectboard meeting on August 18th.  Mr. Dwinell has been contacted and knows about the decision.  R. G. made a motion to abate the amount of $2,122.20 for sewer payments made, second by F. Covey.  R. Graham reviewed why there is an abatement to the visitors.  L. Hebert said that the Town of Williamstown is paying the Dwinells and the Town of Barre will reimburse Williamstown.  F. Covey said that this was not hooked up to the Town of Williamstown sewer system but it was thought to be on the Barre Town sewer system.  All passed by voice vote 3-0.

 

Selectboard Meeting

 

L. Hebert announced Selectboard meeting at 7:10pm.

 

ANNOUNCEMENTS:  None

 

VISITOR’S COMMENTS:  None

 

REVIEW AND APPROVAL

  1. WARRANTS

R. Graham made a motion to approve SB107, SB108 & SB109, and F. Covey second.  Motion passed by voice vote 3-0.

R. Graham made a motion to approve payroll warrant, June 19th to July 2nd, F. Covey second.  All passed by voice vote 3-0.

  1. MINUTES

R. Graham made a motion to approve minutes from July 5th, 2011, F. Covey second.  R. Graham pointed out that the minutes should be corrected; Water and Sewer should be moved to the top of the page.  L. Hebert asked to have that changed to three on page 3 second line, under item 3.  All passed by voice vote 3-0.

 

 

 

MANAGER’S REPORT:

Completed upgrading the computers and the server is new.  The Treasurer has requested to have the old server, which is still operating.  G. Earls is asking permission from the Board to give the old server to the Treasurer after the hard disk had been cleaned off.  R. Graham agreed and F. Covey concurred.

L. Hebert and G. Earls attended a transportation meeting on July 6th to appeal the decision not to lower the speed limit on the southern end of Town.  Once there they realized that a study should be done for a longer distance as far out as Chelsea Road.  The Transportation committee will extend the study to include that end of the Town.  G. Earls said the Town is petitioning to have the speed limit lowered to 35mph.  L. Hebert said that the committee seemed to be receptive to reviewing it further. 

G. Earls had a structural engineer, Chris Templey, over to the Town Hall to examine the beams in the attic.  He explained that in order to have the beams raised in the attic columns would have to be run down all the way to the foundation in order to do this.  As they were examining the attic Mr. Templey noticed that the walls are bowed out from the load of the snow.  G. Earls just wanted to make the Board aware so that between now and November something should be done about it.

 

UNFINISHED BUSINESS:

  1. TOWN MANAGER SEARCH

L. Hebert thanked the selection committee for their efforts, Horace Duke, Kathy Cormier, Ivan LeBlanc, Art Kramer, Rodney Graham, Garrett Earls and himself.  In total they received 20 applications, ten were in state and 10 were out of state.  The committee narrowed it down to four interviews, two in person and two by conference calls.  By unanimous decision a candidate was selected who has experience in all phases of Municipal government.  A special meeting was held July 14th to make a decision.  L. Hebert welcomed the new Town Manager, Ms. Jackie Higgins starting August first.  She said that she is excited to start working in this area of Municipal government again.  L. Hebert said that she will have a week to spend with G. Earls before he leaves.  Everyone welcomed her.

 

NEW BUSINESS:

  1. MAPPING CHANGES – LISTERS

G. Earls said that these were corrections to the map, boundary line adjustments.  R. Graham made a motion to approve the mapping changes, F. Covey second.  All passed by voice vote 3-0.

 

  1. PAVING BID RESULTS

G. Earls solicited three local companies, only two responded.  Pike Industries made the lowest bid.  He requested formal approval to award them the project.  This will be around $175K which will leave $383K in the reserve.  R. Graham made a motion to give Pike Industries the job as stated on the quote for 77.80 per ton, F. Covey second.  M. Sprano asked if the work will be done this year.  L. Hebert added to the motion to have the work done soon.  G. Earls said that the work will be starting within two weeks.  The dip in Graniteville road will be fixed also.  R. Graham restated his motion, adding the work on Graniteville Road and to be finished by October 15th.  R. Graham would like to have the guard rails on Chelsea road above Mr. Barney’s are hanging again.  G. Earls said that he will check it out.  All passed by voice vote 3-0.

 

  1. GENERAL LEDGER ADJUSTMENTS

G. Earls asked if there were any questions about the fiscal yearend adjustments.  These are mostly ambulance and fire department diesel use, salary adjustments, and flood adjustments.  F. Covey motioned to approve, R. Graham second.  All passed by voice vote 3-0.

 

  1. RACHAEL’S GARDEN

Last week Martha Stone asked L. Hebert if she and her daughter could take over the supervision of Rachael’s garden.  They will work with the Planning commission.  L. Hebert didn’t think the Board would have any objections.  F. Covey and R. Graham agreed that it would be fine.

 

VISITOR’S COMMENTS:

M. Sprano asked what the new server cost was.  G. Earls said that in total $2,500.  B. Graham asked for an Executive Session to discuss a personnel issue.  L. Hebert said that there wasn’t a quorum to make a decision during an Executive Session.  He is aware of the issue and it can be taken care of without an Executive Session. 

A. Kramer thanked everyone for their help with the Community yard sale, pie and plant sale.

R. Graham said that the parade planning is going smoothly.  There will be several vendors, activities, music and fireworks.  A shuttle will be provided to and from parking.  Budget started with $6,796.00; so far they have spent $6,100.  Sales from the shirts, glasses and 50/50 will leave at least $3 to $4k for next year’s event.  The firemen have done a tremendous job of fundraising.

 

AROUND THE TABLE:

None

 

At 7:35pm F. Covey made a motion to adjourn, R. Graham second.  All passed by 3-0. 

 

 

 

_________________________                            ______________________________

Larry Hebert - Chair                                                         Bill Ashe – Vice Chair

 

 

 

_____________________________                     _______________________________

Art Stone                                                          Rodney Graham 

 

 

                       

_____________________________                                

Francis Covey