TOWN OF WILLIAMSTOWN
Board of Selectmen Meeting
December 5, 2011
7:00 PM
Williamstown Middle/High School

MEMBERS: Larry Hebert – Chair, Bill Ashe – Vce Chair, Rodney Graham, Francis Covey, Art Stone

TOWN MANAGER – Jacqueline Hhiggins  
ADMINISTRATIVE ASSISTANT – Cora Grandfield

Larry announced that the Moose club will be offering a free Holiday dinner on December 19, 2011 from 6-8 p.m.

None  

1. Warrants – R. Graham made a motion to approve SB124 warrant, payroll 11/6 – 11/19, and the VSP warrant, seconded by F. Covey, and so voted.  
2. Minutes - R. Graham made a motion to approve November 21 minutes, seconded by B. Ashe, and so voted.  

J. Higgins reported that L. Safford has completed the repairs to Getz Road that he agreed to do, and that the ledge has been removed by C. Beattie’s on RTE 64.

The Traffics Operations Unit from AOT has completed a speed limit study for RTE 14 and found that they recommend no change to the existing speed limit.  They studied from the 40mph sign just south of Pump & Pantry to the Chelsea Road, however the area we were interested in was from the 40 mph sign going north to the 35mph sign.  J. Higgins will follow up with AOT.

J. Higgins reported that we need a committee of 5 members to conduct a study of the streetlights in town, to see which lights should stay and which should go, and switching them out to LED lights to save energy.  E. Everheart volunteered.  The Board suggested asking the planning commission to help.

The dry hydrant on South hill has been found to have a split in the pipe.  

J. Higgins presented 2 errors & omissions from T. Knight:  #1 – 209/074.14 reduction of $12,200 still had a mobile home that had been removed from town.  #2 – 209/037.00 reduction of $11,300 still had a mobile home on it that had previously been burned by the fire department for a practice burn.  R. Graham made the motion to approve the errors & omissions as presented, seconded by F. Covey, and so voted.

Repairs to the grader were discussed.  There were 2 bids (approx. $9575 & $9800), both to replace the crank shaft.  After much discussion it was decided to have J. Higgins contact a local machinist to see if they can machine the harmonic balancer.  The Board is leery of putting another $10,000 into the grader.

We are having beaver problems again on Tripp Road and Industrial Lane.  B. Sprague has already trapped 2-3 on Tripp Road.  J. Higgins has contacted the Fish & Game.  We need to get permission from the owner of the last mobile home on Industrial Lane so that we can get in there and remove the dam.

HIGHWAY –

Work completed in past two weeks.

Stockpile Stone

Shoulder Work on newly paved roads.

Repaired potholes on Felicity

Replaced Signs

Winter Storm

Work Scheduled for next two weeks.

Cutting Brush

Service Volvo

Culvert Cleaning

Install new tires on trucks

Carpenter Road Repairs

Industrial Lane – replace culverts, ditching and Beaver dam

Tripp Road – Beaver dam

Getz Road – L. Safford asked the Board to send him a letter stating that the work he agreed to do has been completed.  J. Higgins will write a letter after she has been up to inspect the road, and will make reference to item #7 in the agreement which states that if anyone wants to add fill to the road that they need to get the Town’s approval.

CVEDC & CVRPC consolidation – R. Graham made the motion, seconded by F. Covey to support the merger, and so voted.

1. First budget meeting will be December 15, 2011 at 7 p.m. at the Town Hall.
2. Sander for 1-ton.  4 bids were received from 2 vendors.

Lucky’s stainless steel $6291.14 – steel $4868.30

Tenco stainless steel $6608 – steel $5325.00

The Town of Chelsea is interested in purchasing the old sander for $1500.  The old sander does not fit properly in our truck.  B. Ashe made the motion to accept the bid for the stainless steel sander from Lucky’s, seconded by R. Graham, and so voted.

3. Body bids for new truck. 2 bids received. H. P. Fairfield $56,590, Tenco $54,679.  This is for the body, plow, wing, and sander.  F. Covey made the motion to accept the bid from Tenco, seconded by R. Graham, and so voted.
4. Animal Control Officer service agreement.  Contract price for 2011/2012 is $15.50 per hour.  Price for 2012/2013 is $16.00 per hour.  We have been working without a contract since July.  R. Graham made the motion to accept the contract for the FY 7/1/11 – 6/30/12, seconded by A. Stone, and so voted.   

     C. Peloquin said that he heard J. Chouinard still had town equipment.  J. Higgins said that she has sent a letter asking for its return, and so has the town attorney.  B. Ashe made the motion to ask the Sheriff department to retrieve the equipment, seconded by F. Covey and so voted.

    C. Peloquin also asked the Board to familiarize themselves with the Simons Operating Service contract and that he would be coming back to talk to them about it in the near future.

    M. Sprano asked questions regarding grader repairs.

R. Graham -  None

1. Stone – The only thing he wanted brought up was the Beavers, and that was already discussed.

F. Covey – Thanked the town for the guardrail fix on Graniteville Road.  Mentioned roadside brush cutting again.

L. Hebert  - The benefit for B. Palmer Saturday night was a success, raising just over $2.000.

B. Ashe  -  None

    F. Covey moved to go into executive session at 8:30 p.m. to discuss legal issues, seconded by A. Stone, and so voted.

    B. Ashe moved to exit executive session at 9:35 p.m., seconded by F. Covey, and so voted.

    A motion was made by B. Ashe, and seconded by F. Covey, to set the current Town Clerk’s salary to be the same as the previous Town Clerk, effective with the next payroll, so voted, with R. Graham abstaining from the vote.

B. Ashe made a motion to adjourn at 9:36pm, seconded F. Covey, and so voted.