TOWN OF WILLIAMSTOWN MINUTES PRESENT: Stan Corneille – Chair, Larry Hebert - Vice Chair, Chris Peloquin, Rodney Graham Absent: Art Stone Town Manager: Garrett Earls
VISITORS: Kathleen Lott - Northfield News, Mike Sprano, Dave Delcor- The Times Argus, Donald Thurber, Wayne Lawrence, Paul Anderson, Tom Bailey, Brent Duff, Lonny Wade, Frieda Hollyer, Chris Eaton, Melinda Gabree PUBLIC HEARING TO RECLASSIFY HIGHWAYS Stan called the Williamstown Selectboard meeting of October 19, 2009 to order. First the Board will be discussing the Public Hearing to Reclassify Highways. Village View Heights- Stan explained this is not really reclassifying but considering taking over the road and the water & sewer systems. Rodney made the motion to accept ownership of Village View Heights roadway and water & sewer. Second by Chris. Rodney asked if repairs to sewer covers and risers have been completed as requested, they had. A report from Simon’s Operations from 2002 showed deficiencies in the water & sewer system. With Mr. Duff’s permission to TV and flushing the pipes a camera was put through the pipes. Hartigan Company’s TV report is included in the packets showing the results. Larry is all right with taking over the road and the water & sewer but could not see how the Town could from what the report shows. Stan reviewed some of the deficiencies for the residents. One of the main problems are the joints showing separation. Mr. Wayne Lawrence spoke for Ray Duff, told the Board Ray has no problem with repairing the sewer lines. There are two main ways that could be done and is working with a contractor to see which the best way is. One way would be to reline the pipes or replace them. Rodney asked if the road would be dug up and would be replaced as before. Larry would like to see the cost allocated to the project. Larry suggested tabling this for information. Stan called for the vote and by voice vote of 4 nays, the motion did not pass. Larry motion to table it till next meeting or whenever we get numbers together of what it’s going to cost for the repair work and make a decision at that time. Rodney second and the motion pass by a voice vote of 4-0. Flint Road – reclassifying from a Class 4 to a Class 3 Road. Flint Road is a Class 4 Road from Cold Spring to the Poor residence .3 mile the upper portion. The Town has been maintaining and plowing it as they were not aware it was a Class 4 Road. Rodney made the motion to reclassify .3 mile of Flint Road from Cold Spring to the Poor residence Class 4 to Class 3. Second by Larry and the motion passed by voice vote 4-0. Ferno Road - reclassifying from a Class 4 to a Class 3 Road. Motion by Rodney to reclassify the portion of Ferno Road from Class 4 to Class 3. Second by Larry. A discussion followed and Rodney asked if the requirements the Board made to that road has been completed. Larry reported the road base is good, saw a ledge out cropping, the culvert is a little short and the banks drop off really steep. He spoke to Paul Anderson about adding 10 feet to that culvert, the Town will be doing more ditching in that area and they could dump a few loads of ditching material in that area. They did everything we asked. The previous motion and second was withdrawn. Larry made a motion we accept Ferno Road improvements on the condition that 10 foot be added to the culvert with more fill placed to flatten out the slope along with necessary seeding and mulching. Rodney second. Larry thought that road should be named Ferno Road from Route 64 right through to Flint Road. Garrett said we would need to warn the name change. Motion passed by voice vote of 3-1. Rodney motion to adjourn the hearing, second by Larry. Motion passed by voice vote 4-0. Selectboard Meeting Stan opened the October 19, 2009 at 7 p.m. Williamstown Selectboard meeting. Announcements: None Visitor’s Comments: Tom Bailey requested in Manager’s report to elaborate why they were stocking piling gravel instead of putting it on the roads. Warrants: Rodney moved to approve SB21 and SB22. Chris second. A discussion followed and the motion was voted by voice vote of 4-0. Minutes: Chris moved to approve September 28th, October 5 and October 8th meeting minutes. Second by Rodney. Larry abstained. A discussion followed with Stan and Larry clarifying page 1 of the September 28th Special Meeting, the Treasurer was not paid during the interim time for IT services. Motion passed by voice vote 3-0 1 abstained. Manager’s Report: Garrett addressed the stock pile of gravel. Pike was having a special on plant mix and he and Ed Farnham agreed to purchase it. Chris asked are we in a situation with our roads that we can save a dollar on material this close heading into winter. Garrett said we can’t grade in the morning because of the frost and we will be spreading that gravel as we are still ditching. Right now they are working in the pit to clean it up and were crushing asphalt. Grading in the afternoon. Garrett solicited IT services and has 4 proposals. Garrett recommended going with Orange North and will be contacting them. Unfinished Business: None at this time New Business: Moonshiners – Land Owner Permission Forms Mindy Gabree has presented a land owner permission form. Mindy said every year VAST requires every landowner to grant permission. Mindy explained this was for a little section of Flint Road a Town Road by the Poor sugarhouse. Larry asked about Tower Road issue and she has not had contact with the landowner. Larry thought she should apply for what she needs on Grandview and Tower Road. Go over the roads she would need with the Town Manager. Larry motioned to table this and have her come back when she figured out the list. Second by Chris. Motion passed by voice vote 4-0. Board of Listers – Errors and Omissions Chris made the motion to approve the Errors and Omissions as presented. Second by Rodney. Motion passed by voice vote 4-0. Around the Table: Chris: Chris asked if there was any change on the Young Road plowing. Garrett has not been able to contact the resident. What about the water policy on the trailer parks. Garret said we have the warning ready and will be following through with it. David Farnham was supposed to be placed on this agenda. Garrett said he spoke to David and at this time he is not pursuing it. Chris saw some chip sealant on the Graniteville Road. Garrett said they did crack filling on Pirie, Adams and Graniteville Roads. The edges are still a plan for this year. He asked about bids for the fire station boiler. Garrett reported he is looking to see if it has a steel firebox and it could be welded. Still in investigation. At the last meeting the Board was going to send a letter to the Treasurer requesting access to all reports. Stan replied he will write the letter and had fallen behind writing it. Chris asked if we changed the rules on building the agenda. He requested to the Manager an item be placed on for executive session. It is not there. Stan said there are things appropriate for executive session and thing that aren’t. We have not changed how we build an agenda. Chris asked how we place items on the agenda. Stan did not allow it placed in the agenda and said an executive session was not appropriate to talk about the sex offender’s registry. Stan said as chair he thought he does have the authority not to put something on the agenda. Stan read an email from Sheri Engler, Sex Offender Registry Coordinator, Department of Public Safety. In short to Garrett’s email of notification to residents she responded Town Government Officials are not obligated to do community notifications and does not indicate that Town Officials are even allowed to do notifications. Based on the email Stan made the decision not to go into executive session and talk about something we had no business to talk about. Chris said that should not have been removed from the agenda. Rodney said he thought Stan did the right thing for not allowing it as executive session but he thought it was a misunderstanding if Chris wanted it on the agenda as an open session. Larry said Stan made the right decision since the email from the Sheri Engler stated it’s not our place to be talking about it. Rodney didn’t think there was not problem discussing it. Resident Chris Eaton asked to make a comment; he lives across from the baseball field and has four young boys. We have a registered sex offender living next to the baseball field. How do they have more rights than a resident. Garrett will contact Sheri Engler and set up a Community Education forum. Rodney: A resident asked him if there are any plans for street lights on Brooks Street. Garrett will look into it. Rodney is the Selectman representing the Board on the Fire Department Committee. He prepared a chart to run by the Board. The charge is to explore options for a public safety building including the size and location possibilities and make recommendations to the Selectboard. He divided it up into 2 phases, first phase would be identify the needs of the public safety building, example fire, ambulance and police. Possible site. Phase two would be: time frame for financing and approving the project. Public relations to try and sell the project. He asked for input from the Board and they were pleased with the work Rodney had done. He is going to set up meeting to form the committee. Larry: Nothing at this time Stan: Stan thought Garrett’s addition to the journal entries was very well done which was included in the Boards packet. Visitor’s Comments: Tom Bailey asked if the operator of the excavator keeps a daily log of the hours the machine is in use. Garrett said the road crew keeps a time sheet of their time working on a project. Tom wondered how the machine hours matched the time sheets. Garrett said it should be relatively close. Other were questions about stock piling gravel and work on the road. Kathleen Lott – The Northfield News asked about the Errors and Omissions, Stan explained it was property reduction adjustment. Mike Sprano asked if the Town Manager and the Road Forman set the work schedule and then ask the Board if that is what they want. Garrett answered he depends of the Road Forman’s knowledge; they set up the projects and do the work. Stan entertained a motion to adjourn, so moved by Chris and second by
Rodney. Motion passed by voice vote 4-0 at 8 p.m. APPROVED – November 2, 2009 |