TOWN OF WILLIAMSTOWN
Board of Selectmen Meeting
January 3, 2012
7:00 PM
Williamstown Middle/High School

MEMBERS: Larry Hebert – Chair, Bill Ashe – Vice Chair, Rodney Graham, Francis Covey, Art Stone

TOWN MANAGER – Jacqueline Higgins  
ADMINISTRATIVE ASSISTANT – Cora Grandfield

Visitors – Robert Cleaves, Horace Duke,  Mike Sprano, Chris Peloquin, Earl Everheart, Kim Siner, Mark Siner, Marvine Lasell, Kamala Chouinard, and Kathleen Lott – Northfield News.

L. Hebert called to order the Selectboard meeting at 7:00pm.

Announcements:  
    None.
Visitor’s Comments: (maximum of 3 minutes per person, per topic)

C. Peloquin brought up the organizational flow chart again.

Budget Review
  1. L. Hebert announced that they would be going over the budget except for personnel issues (i.e. salary), no the final budget would not be decided tonight.
  2. J. Higgins reviewed the entire budget, except for salary lines.  Bottom line to date has the General Fund increasing $10,250 and the Highway increasing $4,500.

Review & Approval:
  1. Warrants – R. Graham made a motion to approve SB126 warrant, VSP warrant dated January 2012, and payroll warrants dated 12/4 -12/17/11 & 12/18 – 12/31/11 seconded by B. Ashe, and so voted, with R. Graham recusing himself from the vote.  C. Peloquin is questioning the legality of R. Graham approving payroll warrants that include the salary for his wife.  
  2. Minutes – B. Ashe made a motion to approve December 19, 2011 minutes, seconded by F. Covey, and so voted.

Reports – Manager Report    

Completed Speed survey on VT Rte 14 at 7:45 a.m to 9: a.m.

New Sander received and installed.

Grader repairs should be completed by end of week.


HIGHWAY –


Work completed in past two weeks.

Brush Cutting on Birch Road

Maintenance on Trucks

Street Signs replaced on Henry, Clark, Palmer, Stellar and Windy Acres

Winter Road Maintenance


Work to be done next two weeks.


Brush Cutting – Boyce, Birch (another 2 to 3 days) and Weir

Winter Maintenance


Unfinished Business
  1. Reiterate decision made on 12/5/11 – re: Town Clerk Salary - tabled

New Business:
  1. Vacation Policy – New policy states that all vacations for the Highway Department will be scheduled by January 31st of each year, with preference given to more senior employee or person expressing the greater need.  There will also be a mandatory shut down the week of July 4th, in which everyone will take one of the vacation weeks then.  B. Ashe made the motion to accept the new policy as prepared, seconded by F. Covey and so voted.

Visitor’s Comments

E. Everhart asked about the sign on Route 64. It says something about a lawsuit.  The Board said they aren’t going to discuss the lawsuit at this time.  C. Peloquin commented that information could be found on the Orange County Courthouse website.

C. Peloquin asked if the Board had read over the Simon’s contract.  J. Higgins is addressing concerns with Simon’s.

C. Peloquin asked about the Open Meeting Law, and had information from the Deputy Secretary of State which he gave to J. Higgins and she will research further.   


Around the Table:

        A. Stone – nothing
 

R. Graham -  Would like to review the Highway program.  Roads not being taken care of properly.


F. Covey –  nothing


L. Hebert  - nothing.


B. Ashe  -  nothing.



Adjourn

F. Covey made a motion to adjourn at 8:55 p.m., seconded B. Ashe, and so voted.



Respectfully submitted,

Cora Grandfield