TOWN OF WILLIAMSTOWN May 3, 2010 - 7 P.M. MINUTES PRESENT: Larry Hebert - Chair, Rodney Graham- Vice Chair, Bill Ashe, Francis Covey, Art Stone Town Manager: Garrett Earls
VISITORS: Mike Sprano, Kathleen Lott – The Northfield News, Kamala Chouinard, Allen Chouinard, Arthur Kramer, Attorney Paul Gilles, Deputy State Auditor Joe Juhasz, Robert McGlynn, Jr., Robert Cleaves, Treasurer
WATER & SEWER COMMISSIONERS Presentation & Questions: Rates & Proposed Projects. The Water & Sewer Committee represented by Arthur Kramer worked on
a presentation through visual boards to explain how the rates are established.
The committee members are Arthur Kramer, Larry Hebert, Richard Bottiggi,
Francis Covey Garrett Earls, Allen Chouinard and Bob McGlynn, Jr. The
goal was a long time stabilization plan. Arthur explained, take the things
we know (as far as usage) and try to work out a rate that would be able
to stay in effect for a year or two. So you would have some idea of what
funds you would have to spend. After the presentation Art directed questions
and answers to the Board. Larry explained the fix cost was not covering
the basic cost to run everything. So the fix rate was increased to $100.
He also reported the committee will be getting together to review funding
for the other projects: Brockway Hill, Osterberg Terrace, High Street,
Route 14, and the water plant. Rodney motion to approve the water rate
at $100 flat fee and $5.65 per thousand gallons and the sewer flat rate
of a $100. and $4.50 per thousand gallons. Seconded by Francis. Motion
passed by voice vote of 5-0. Larry thanked all the committee members for
their work and Arthur Kramer for the presentation. SELECTBOARD MEETING Announcements: Larry requested an Executive Session for legal issues. Williamstown Memorial Day Parade – Call the Town Hall for information. Parade starts at 5 pm. Bill asked to add to the Agenda under New Business –Review 2 draft policies from the Policy Committee. Visitor’s Comments: None at this time. Review and Approval of Warrants: Bill moved approval of SB46, SB47 and SB48. Seconded by Rodney. No discussion and the motion passed by voice vote 5-0. Approval of Minutes: Rodney moved to approve the minutes of April 17, 2010. Seconded by Francis and the motion passed by voice vote 5-0. Manager’s Report: Garrett reported on the Personnel Policy accrued vacation and sick time from an employee asking for compensation from vacation time. The policy states employees may accrue no more than five days, (40 hours) between fiscal years. Any hours over the five days (40 hours) they will be paid the difference. There is no compensation upon retirement or termination but you can accrue up to 90 days for sick time. Rodney asked about the Citizen of the Year. Garrett reported the candidate nominated came out to a tie. Larry asked if we should try and see if there is another candidate. The Town Report had some applications inserted and some did not so not everyone in Town got one. He said Terry Knight suggested including certain groups for nomination. Rodney suggested the committee/commission chairs should meet and select a person. By consensus the Board agreed and Garrett will set up the meeting. Rodney asked about the State Auction for the town trucks. Garrett reported two trucks are there and it will be held on this Saturday. Unfinished Business: Agenda Order Change. Larry reported someone suggested to him Around the Table should be the last item on the Agenda; the Selectboard should have the last comments. By consensus the Board all agreed. Larry looked at the application and did not think the site drawing was complete enough according to the application requirements. Bill also stated some of the questions were not completely answered or not at all. Francis said the four points Larry wrote down should give the person a better handle on what we would expect to see in the drawing. Rodney said there is a list on page five, number 19 of the application showing the critical distances needed to be shown. Rodney questioned if the Board had the right to require an engineer to prepare the site plan. Bill said the law language states, the new law grants municipalities very broad power to consider “any other condition the legislative body deems appropriate to ensure the protection of public health, the environment or safety or to ensure protection from nuisance conditions”. Rodney thought that answered his question. The drawing did not dictate any of those. Francis said in the Critical Distances it says in the second point: Wells and groundwater protection arrears: No hazardous fluid storage areas shall be located within 250 feet topographically up-gradient or side-gradient of a potable water supply or 75 feet down-gradient of a potable water supply or the protective radius (typically 400 feet) of public water supply wells. Rodney motion to deny the Salvage Yard application reason of being incomplete. Seconded by Bill. Motion passed by voice vote 5-0. Garrett will write a letter of what is expected. Petition Fairpoint – Lathrop Court and Flint Road: Location of Poles and Wires. Rodney moved to accept the petition for Flint Road and Lathrop Court. After a discussion the motion was seconded by Francis and the motion passed by a voice vote of 5-0. New Business: Draft Policies: Accounting, Auditing and Financial Reporting Policy and Credit Card Policy. Bill presented the Board with draft copies of two policies and gave an overview of them. Rodney said he received a budget report and balance sheet from the treasurer by computer. The question was for the Board to look at it and decided if that was the type of reporting they wish to receive. Bill said the current report is highly detailed, 18 pages long. Rodney said these would be in our Board packet instead of by email. Larry asked how we should do these policies and the Board agreed to review them as the drafts are ready. The Accounting, Auditing and Financial Reporting Policy and the Credit Card Policy will be brought to the next Selectboard meeting. Visitor’s Comments: None at this time Around the Table: Francis: Nothing at this time Bill: He had a taxpayer asked him about an odor off the town septic lagoon. Is there a problem? Garrett reported part of that is the sludge needs to be removed and the aeration needs to be updated. That will have a big impact to that odor. The sludge should removed by the end of the summer. The aeration will be done after. One of the aeration units broke but has been replaced and that should help for now. Larry asked if Garrett knew the cost for the sludge removal. The people that do this type of work is very limited and Allen is waiting for one company to give a price. Larry said the money is not in the line items so the quicker you get the price, we can look at where the money will come from. Art: Last Sunday there was an accident on Pleasant Street. A neighbor came over and wanted to know why six fire trucks went to a one car accident. Art was told the Barre Town/City Emergency crew was called up there because they have air packs to lift a vehicle. If he is not mistaken there is suppose to be two people in each fire truck, he didn’t know why they needed 12 people. Bill Ashe said he was there and there were two fire engines from Williamstown, Engine 3 and the tanker. Barre Town had their rescue vehicle and an engine. No fire apparatus from Barre City. The Williamstown ambulance was there. The situation was the gentleman was pinned under the vehicle and he needed to be air lifted to a hospital. One of the Williamstown Fire Engines that were at the scene established a landing zone at the Moose club parking lot. There were not six fire engines there they were four. Art said some ladies asked him about the donated money for Rachel’s Garden. Bob gave the figure of $785.00 in the fund. Larry said from a construction stand point it’s going to be a staging area for equipment. Nothing can happen there till the sidewalks are finished. Rodney: Rodney said more as an announcement the bid opening tomorrow morning for the sidewalk project at 10 a.m. at Town Hall. Garrett Where do we stand on the delinquent taxes from the people from the Board of Abatement, did they follow through. Garrett said 2 of the 3 have come in and made agreements. Tax and water & sewer notices will be going out this week. The bills will be following shortly. Tax sales for three years out will be going out before the end of the fiscal year. Larry: Larry said they are making progress as you can see with the Policy Committee work and Water and Sewer Committee work. There is still more to be done and we will keep moving forward. Thanks everyone for coming. Larry asked for a motion. Rodney motioned to recess till 8:30 p.m. Seconded by Francis and the motion passed by voice vote 5-0. Entered Executive Session at 8:30 p.m. and came out at 10:38 p.m. No action taken, Motion made by Rodney and seconded by Francis to adjourn the Williamstown
Selectboard Meeting. Approved May 17, 2010
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