TOWN OF WILLIAMSTOWN Present: Francis Covey-Chair, Chris Peloquin, Stan Corneille, Town Manager - Ed Magee Visitors: Irvin Stephenson, Mike Sprano, Al Day, Becky Watson, Vicki Roux, Lloyd Roux, Paul Anderson, Horace Duke, Jr., Arthur Kramer, Dan Martin, Dorothy Milne, John Milne, Beth Allen Water and Sewer Commission: The Water and Sewer Commission began with procedural issues that needed
to be followed. Chris explained the State Statutes, the Select Board appoints
the Board of Water & Sewer Commission. They have erred in the past
and need to correct this for the future. Chris made the motion to elect
the five (5) Select Board members to the Water and Sewer Commission. Seconded
by Stan. The motion passed by voice vote 3-0. Announcements: Welcome to Visitors and Comments: Becky mentioned Amanda Trum was hired for a month at a time to do an inventory of the collection for the Historical Society. Al said Art Kramer has ideas and work schedules for the re organization
of the Planning Commission. Al hopes the Board will be a part of that
process. Approval of Warrants: Managers Report: Fran said he doesn’t know why other Boards paid for the road in the past to be repaired but we don’t do that. It is a class 4 road and the Town does not maintain class 4 roads. Becky said in the past the paid repairs to the road were on the state’s part for water bars. It was done to prevent damage to the Town’s part of Winchester Hill Rd. Fran said then the Town should definitely not have paid for that. Dan Martin said that Winchester Hill Road washed onto his property. Beth Allen said that the Town doesn’t feel any responsibility for that. She said FEMA would be paying for the road repairs. The Board explained that FEMA will not pay for any class 4 road damage. Becky said it should be discontinued as a road. Stan said he can’t support to reimburse the cost. The Town does not work on class 4 roads. Fran said FEMA specifically said that they would not touch any class 4 roads or private property only class 3 and class 2 roads. Beth Allen said she wanted the contact person from FEMA. Ed said he and Chris will be meeting with FEMA on Thursday and will get the name and number of a contact for her. Chris said if Lotus Lake is willing to maintain the road, then throw up the road. Stan said throwing up the road is not in our policy. If you throw up the road then you lose control of it and we need to check statutes. Irvin Stephenson said he walked up the road and the mudders are tearing it up. Al Day said Becky may want to look to the state for funding as the brook caused the road to wash out. Paul Anderson gave Ed the State Statues for throwing up the road. Ed read you could ask the Select Board to do so or you would need to have a petition signed by 5% of the voters and present it to the Board. It would have to be posted and after 44 days the petition would be filed. Chris made a motion to throw up the road. No second. Stan was not in
favor of throwing up the road. Fran felt that it should be a complete
Board decision. Marie Frohlich was not present. Chris said he spoke to Jeff from the Youth Sports about taking over the Teen Center. Chris told him the funds left from the Teen Center could not be transferred to them because the voters voted at the Town Meeting to use those funds for the Teen Center. Ed said the Teen Center building was covered under the Town’s insurance. Chris said this should go on the next Agenda. Paul Anderson gave the Board a request to cut trees along his property that he is selling. Chris wanted to be sure Paul would only do what he asked and not more as in the past. Chris said the Plan for Ferno Road needs to be a mutual thing. Stan said Paul should bring a list of what he wants to cut and Ed will type a letter giving approval of the work requested. That way there is no misunderstanding of work that is to be done. Vicki Roux said that someone has rolled stumps and rolled boulders to the edge of where you travel. No ones know who did it. Vicki called Orange County Sheriff’s Department to report it. The Roux’s would like the Board to see it. September 3rd is a holiday so the Board changed the September 3rd Select Board meeting to September 4th, Tuesday. Irvin Stephenson asked the Board what about the flood damage to his property. He said the Town’s culvert was at fault as it was clogged. Ed, Stan and Art went to look at it and the owner of the property it drains on said it wasn’t clogged. Irvin said there was a big clog of brush and a small tree starting to grown out of it. He blames delayed maintenance as the cause of the damage to his antique cars and barn. Irvin said someone should check out the highway policy for family members being hired. He knew of two family members working for the Town. Stan said it is not in the highway policy, it would be in the personal policy. Chris can’t remember ever seeing it written and this has happened in the past. Chris feels everyone should practice nepotism. Irvin feels the Town should have time to clean out the culvert. Fran said the Town should shovel it out. Ed said absolutely. Irvin wanted Fran to come and look at it and Fran said he could. Ed said it would be done by Wednesday. Chris made a motion to approve the amendment to the personal policy. Seconded by Stan. Motion passed by voice vote 3-0. Chris explained the amendment, Section 23 of the personal policy, pay plan, changed the method of pay and overtime. The Board agreed road encroachments needed to address by the Board. Stan said this is a liability issue for the Town. Seaver Road residents need to move the obstruction, the wall and the visual obstruction, the fence. Chris said there is a need to pursue these that occur, we are clearly creating a history of damaging fences or things as such that are in the Town’s right of way. We need to not selectivity go after the ones on Seaver Road but all the ones we know of and any others brought to our attention. Ed said the State Statute states that anyone who wants to work in a right of way be issued a permit signed by the Selectman. We could have issued this to Paul and then he would have a copy of what he could do. Stan said it could be a labiality issue if someone gets hurt while working in the right of way. Ed said the Board needs to make decisions about encroachments as he does not have that authority. Chris said we need to have a conversation with the resident to give them the opportunity to present a solution to the problem. Fran said this opens the Select Board to other situations and created an awareness to do something before the snow starts. Chris felt that Ed should be allowed to reach a resolution with residents’ individuality and give them the right to visit the Select Board if he can’t. New Business: Chris made a motion to accept the revised budget of the Planning Commission. Second by Stan. After a brief discussion the motion passed by voice vote 3-0. Around the Table: Stan: nothing to report Chris: Chris asked Ed if the Planning Commission and the Economic Development positions were posted. Ed said yes and on the web page. Steve Mckenzie was not present and Chris asked why. Ed said he was not available for this meeting. Chris asked Ed if he contacted Velco yet and Ed said no but he went up to Baptist Street to see and there is definitely damage. Chris asked if Ed knew if Art contacted Dist. 6 yet. Ed has not seen or talked to Art this week. Visitors Comments: Paul said the Board needed to look at individual cases of road encroachments as some buildings were built before the roads were put in. Lloyd suggested a letter to residents acquiring a driveway permit to receive a letter reminding them of the 25 feet from center of the road. Horace said his mailbox was 8 feet from edge of the pavement when he put it in. After road reconstruction it moved in the right of way. He has a 1970’s survey that showed the original placement. Chris agreed roads do shift so we need to adopt a policy a certain distance from center of the road as a clear zone. Fran spoke about Seaver Road and the use of the standard 25 feet from the center of the road. He feels each case of encroachment should be treated on an individual case. A Motion made by Chris, seconded by Stan to adjourn the Select Board
meeting at 10:20 p.m. Motion passed by voice vote 3-0.
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