TOWN OF WILLIAMSTOWN MINUTES PRESENT: Stan Corneille – Chair, Chris Peloquin, Rodney Graham Not Present: Larry Hebert, Art Stone Town Manager: Garrett Earls
VISITORS: Kathleen Lott - Northfield News, Mike Sprano, Dave Delcor- The Times Argus, Tom Bailey, Horace Duke, Jr., Becky Watson, Earl Everhart, Irvin Stephenson, Ray Duff, Ivan LeBlanc, Jill McKeon, Larry Ellison, Bob Cleaves - Treasurer Selectboard Meeting Stan Corneille, Selectboard Chair at 7:00 p.m. called the October 5, 2009 Williamstown Selectboard Meeting to Order. Chris motion to move into Water & Sewer Commission. Second by Rodney and the motion passed by voice vote 3-0. Water & Sewer Commission David Farnham - Permission of Removal of Old Water Shed David was not in attendance as he asked to table this till the next meeting. Chris moved to table this to the following meeting if that works for David Farnham. Second by Rodney and the motion passed by voice vote 3-0. Ray Duff – Billing Request Stan read Ray’s letter which explained his request: to have the Town bill his tenants with a duplicate bill sent to Ray. If the bill is not paid in 30 days a delinquent notice should be sent to tenants with a copy to us. He has never received any bills for his tenants. Bob explained the software doesn’t allow sending two bills only one going to the landowner. The Clerk’s office has prepared a list of all the mobile home owners and will be updated for the next billing cycle going to the land owner. The only way to send two is someone having a special tickler files that would tell you who to send a second bill to. We would need to make that second copy. We would need the land owner to give us this tenants list and keep it updated. Stan said it would be the landowner’s responsibility to keep the list updated. Bob suggested adding the change to the water ordinances. An amendment to the Water Ordinance and investigate how many properties there are. Stan asked for a motion to come out of Water & Sewer Commissioners, so moved by Chris and second by Rodney. Motion approved by voice vote 3-0. Selectboard Meeting Stan opened the regular Selectboard meeting at 7:15 pm. ANNOUNCEMENTS: Rodney asked for an Executive Session at the end of the meeting for Personnel. Chris asked to add legal to the Executive Session. Becky Watson has an invitation from the Historical Society, Tuesday, October 13th for a pot luck dinner meeting and featuring fiddling for a final program at 7:30 p.m. The Historical Society T-shirt logo design being used was designed by
Brian Carrier. VISITORS COMMENTS: Mike Sprano asked if the computer people came in last Tuesday. He went to Town Hall and found out if was canceled. He was told it was canceled after the special meeting. Ivan asked if any nice progress was made since the Special Selectboard Meeting. Stan said some progress had been made but the issue has not been completely resolved. Chris said this Board decided at the last special meeting to invite some people to inform us more, he thought that should happen and we should move on to the next agenda item. WARRANTS: Chris moved to approve Selectboard Warrants 18, 19 and 20. Second by Rodney. A discussion followed and the motion passed by voice vote 3-0. MINUTES: Stan said we have minutes of September 14th regular Selectboard Meeting and September 9th a Special Selectboard Meeting. Rodney motion to approve the minutes of September 9th and 14th. Second by Chris. After a discussion and a correction to the September 19th minutes, the motion passed by voice vote 3-0. Manager’s Report: NEMRC demonstration is for 5:30 p.m. at the Town Hall on October 8th. An F.Y.I. for the next meeting will be bids for the replacement for the boiler at the fire station. We have a failed sewer downtown and he solicited three bids for directional drilling a new sewer service. From Al Days’ property to the manhole at the corner of Meadow Street and Route 14. The low bidder was $5700. from Bore-Tech from St. Johnsbury. Comment about the good job the highway crew did at Tower, Robar and McCarthy Roads from Mr. Canas. Mr. Carrier asked for another resident that lives on Young Road if the Town would plow it. It is a Class 4 Road and the resident that plows it is ill at this time. Chris asked if Ed or Garrett had an opinion. Garrett says it’s a little narrow. Rodney said plowing up through is a pretty good bank on the right hand side. If we get much snow then you can plow it once or twice, then you would need a truck to go up and remove it. Chris said there are issues with clearances and tolerances. Waiting two weeks is waiting too long for them if changes to the road need to be done. Do they have additional plan. Rodney asked if found who owned the trash the town pick up. Garrett was still waiting for Orange County Sheriff‘s Office to get back on that and some other issues. Rodney asked if the old dump truck is ready to go to the state auction. Chris said the Board’s plan was to sell one truck. The Board discussed it and decided not to use it and advertise the truck for sale now. UNFINISHED BUSINESS: Amendment to Highway Policy – Emergency Situations This amendment was brought up by an emergency of a broken water line in the road and the manager needed to get three Board members approval for a Permit to Work in the Town Right of Way. The amendment will allow the Manager in an emergency situation to make the decision to issue the permit without locating the Board Members. Chris moved to approve this amendment for discussion purposes. Second by Rodney. Chris thought there should be additional wording. Added working: in accordance with the Town of Williamstown Highway Policy. Chris withdrew his present motion. Stan read the motion to read as follows: In the event of emergency the Town Manager is authorized to issue a permit to work in the Town right of Way in accordance with the Town of Williamstown Highway Policy. Chris stated that is the motion. Second by Rodney and the motion passed by voice vote 3-0. Fire Department Committee Update Stan said included in the Selectboard packet was a letter by Becky Watson, her thoughts on why the vote for fire department failed and other suggestions on how we can maybe do a better job between the Selectboard and the Fire Department. Stan volunteered to speak to Ed Eaton the Fire Chief, to looking to the future for a new Fire Station. Ed mentioned the heating system is a problem, under insulation in it, problems with the exhaust system and questioned how long and how much money we should put into this building. He said they need about a minimum of 61 hundred square feet which would include the ambulance. They also have been considering sites. Ed said he would serve on a committee. Some suggestions for committee members were a fire person, ambulance person, a Selectboard member and the Chief. Chris said they are certainly moving in the right direction and suggest someone from the Planning Commission. Rodney said a committee is they way to go but worries about loading it with people that are opinionated with their own ideas. We should form a committee and then invite anyone to share their ideas at a meeting. Rodney said the committee should work very hard on public relations between the firemen and the town. They could be a very big part of the center of the community. The firemen in this Town seem to have gotten away from that. Rodney volunteered to be the representative from the Selectboard. The Board continued with forming the committee. NEW BUSINESS: Fire Department Painting Chris had this put on the agenda because they had a volunteer to paint the exterior of the fire department to discuss it further. A discussion followed with the repairs that need to be done before painting. The painting is looking to be a spring project. Hiring IT Services Stan put this on the agenda since there is less than a month to hire a new service. Garrett will send out the bids which will be due October 16th. F.Y.2011 Budget Meeting/Resident Finance Committee Stan put this on to get people to start thinking about the 2011 budget. His thinks it would be good to have a 3 member finance committee. They would sit in on Selectboard meetings, with Garrett and Bob, helping to put the budget together. They would be an asset at Town Meeting. Chris would support in seeing if there is any interest from Williamstown Residents and agreed with the number three. ADOPTION PRE-DISASTER MITIGATION PLAN Rodney moved to adopt the Pre-disaster Mitigation Plan. Second by Chris. Garrett explained it’s a plan you need to have in place to be allowed to file for FEMA grants. Motion passed by voice vote of 3-0.
AROUND THE TABLE Is there a plan in place for the edges of the Graniteville Road. Garrett said Fairpoint needs to move the poles so they can pave a swale. If any shoulder that have eroded further up will be fixed. Clark Road can be very dangerous in the weather that’s ahead. Garrett has not gotten to it. Chris understood two mobile homes being dismantled with back taxes on them. Garrett said moving one of them was a $300.00 fine and the other Ray Duff paid the back taxes under protest. Rodney: Nothing at this time Stan: Nothing at this time Visitor’s Comments (maximum of 3 minutes per person, per topic) Mike Sprano asked what was going on with property taxes. Garrett said they are scheduled around November 2nd. Horace Duke, Jr., asked if would be possible to fix the pot hole on Construction Hill. Garrett will look into it. Jill McKeon asked if at the next Selectboard meeting you would be talking about road classification. Garrett explained there is a meeting for re-classifying three roads from a Class 4 to a Class3 Road. Stan entertained a motion to go into a 10 minute recess and then go into Executive Session. At 9:11 pm the Board entered Executive Session for a personnel and legal issues and came out at 9:36 pm. Motion made by Rodney, 2nd by Chris to adjourn the Board of Selectman
meeting at 9:37 pm. Approved 10/19/2009
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