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TOWN OF WILLIAMSTOWN MEMBERS: Larry Hebert – Chair, Bill Ashe – Vice Chair, Rodney Graham, Francis Covey, Scott Vaillancourt TOWN
MANAGER – Jacqueline Higgins SELECTBOARD MEETING
CALL TO ORDER: L. Hebert called the meeting to order at 7:00 p.m. SET THE AGENDA: R. Graham made the motion to approve the agenda as presented, seconded by F. Covey, and so voted. REVIEW OF OPEN PUBLIC COMMENT: available for viewing at all meetings. OPEN PUBLIC COMMENT AND ANNOUNCEMENTS: 1. A. Kramer wanted it noted that the current Town Manager has collected over $70,000 in delinquent water & sewer charges since she came on board a year ago. 2. M. Sprano questioned the use of barriers on Class IV roads. It was clarified that it wouldn’t be all Class IV roads, but certain ones, and more specifically the bottom end of Winchester Hill. 3. C. Peloquin wanted to know if the culvert inventory (of newly installed culverts without headwalls) had been done. E. Farnham has been given that task. C. Peloquin asked that it be placed on the next agenda. 4. C. Peloquin wanted to know who is overseeing the Stone Road project besides the road foreman. L. Hebert stated that he had been out once. F. Covey lives at the construction area and has seen it daily. SELECTBOARD ANNOUNCEMENTS: None. REVIEW & APPROVAL MINUTES: R. Graham made the motion to accept the minutes of the September 4, 2012 meeting, seconded by S. Vaillancourt, and so voted. REVIEW & APPROVAL WARRANTS: R. Graham made the motion to accept the payroll warrant 8/26 – 9/08/12, SB152, seconded by F. Covey, and so voted. R. Graham made the motion to accept warrant, SB151, seconded by F. Covey, and so voted. C. Peloquin asked how SB151 – a check to Hebert Excavating wasn’t a conflict of interest. He wanted to know if we hired them just because the owner was also on the Selectboard. B. Ashe noted that the invoice was for 2 different jobs, each under $5,000 which made it under the jurisdiction of the Town Manager. She is doing a fine job. R. Graham feels that the Town Manager has been fair in doling out jobs to local businesses. B. Ashe stated that he is satisfied that the Town Manager is handling this effectively. TOWN MANAGER REPORT: Delinquencies update as of 9/04/12 – taxes $111,849.26 (down $11,055.92 since last meeting) , water $29,417.80 (down $1,059.85 since last meeting), sewer $28,040.38 (down $422.06 since last meeting), and so voted. Town Manager listed what work was done in the past two weeks by the road crew, and what work will be done in the next two weeks. Gary Sheridan, from the Baptist St side of Young road is requesting $1,000 of Class IV funds. R. Graham made the motion to approve up to $1,000 for materials only to Gary Sheridan for Young Road, seconded by F. Covey, and so voted. B. Ashe made the motion to approve the expense of $25 per meeting for Video Vision to supply us with a digital link of the meeting, which we then place on our website, seconded by F. Covey, and so voted. C. Peloquin asked why we didn’t pave Depot St, and why did we pave Amanicki, because he doesn’t remember seeing that on the list. There is a water project that needs to be done on Depot St before we pave it. NEW BUSINESS: #1 – LISTERS ERRORS & OMMISSIONS - a. Parcel ID 010/008.00 – Decrease in value from $228,700 to $215,500 – difference of $13,200 (land transfer not processed in a timely manner) b. Parcel ID 010/020.01 –Increase in value from $0 to $45,800 – difference of $45,800(land transfer not processed in a timely manner) c. Parcel ID 209/037-00 – Decrease in value from $20,900 - $0 – difference of $20,900. (listing not removed from computer) d. B. Ashe made a motion to accept the above changes, which amounts to an increase in the Grand List of $11,700, seconded by R. Graham, and so voted. #2 – WALLY ROBERTS – SOLAR PROJECT – W. Roberts would like to approach the Williamstown Solar Farm about possibly finding a way to fund a project for the town to use solar power. The Board told W. Roberts that he could go forward in researching this project and to report back to the Board. #3 – PAYROLL – We currently use PayData, and if we want to move it back in house they need a 90 day notice, if we do by October 1, we could start doing in house by January 1. After much discussion each Selectboard member said that they would like to keep it the way it is for more, but to look at it again in the future. OLD BUSINESS: #1 – Treasurer Committee - B. Ashe gave an update. They are working on the job description. At their next meeting on September 24, they will have a draft job description, and possibly set up interviews. C. Peloquin asked if the Selectboard if they have empowered the committee to set a wage. It was reported that no they haven’t, nor has the committee requested it yet. F. Covey stated that they are still deciding on things like how many hours a week, hourly vs salary, etc. The meetings are open to the public, but interviews will be done in executive session #2 – OLD TOWN WATER TANK – Some research has been done on the small town owned parcel between the Southworth and the Graham property. M. Graham’s water comes from there and to put her onto the town system we would need to bore under VT RTE 64. We are still doing research on this piece. AROUND THE TABLE: R. GRAHAM – None B. ASHE – None F. COVEY – None S. VAILLANCOURT - None L. HEBERT - None EXECUTIVE SESSION – Not needed. ADJOURN - B. Ashe made motion to adjourn at 8:15 p.m., seconded by F. Covey and so voted. Respectfully submitted, Cora Grandfield |