TOWN OF WILLIAMSTOWN MINUTES PRESENT: Stan Corneille – Chair, Larry Hebert - Vice Chair, Chris Peloquin, Rodney Graham, Art Stone Town Manager: Garrett Earls
VISITORS:Kathleen Lott - Northfield News, Irvin Stephenson, Mike Sprano, David Bartlett, David Lamberti, Al Day, Allen Chouinard – Simons Operations, Joseph Kelly, Irvin Stephenson, Ed Farnham – Road Foreman Stan Corneille, Selectboard Chair opened the December 21, 2009 meeting of the Williamstown Selectboard at 7:00 p.m. WATER & SEWER COMMISSION Stan said the first item on the agenda is the Water & Sewer Commission to discuss the problem on Osterberg Terrace. Would someone make a motion for us to convene as the Board of Water & Sewer. So moved by Larry and second by Rodney. Motion passed by voice vote of 5-0. Osterberg Terrace Air Problem In Water Line. Garrett explained the residents are getting air surges and making the pressure gauges jump beyond what the static head pressure of the water line would be. David Bartlett spoke that Dave Lamberti and he either run out of water, or have just a trickle and other times spikes in the pressure. DuBois and King, Steve McKenzie has done tests on it, he did find the spikes did come up 100 psi often. Dave has a water softener and the rubber gasket is not made for that kind of pressure. The plumber said nothing was wrong with it. He found out his pressure gauge was not working, changed it and found it was spiking up to the pin every now and then. It is a Town problem. Dave Lamberti said last week it blew his water heater bottom out. They check it and he had over 120 pounds of pressure. What should they do. Allen Chouinard said it is not a water pressure spike but air pressure in the line. They have pressure reducing valves in the house and should not allow a water spike but air would. You have a small 1 inch line to service 10 houses. Garrett said they make air release valves and would the Board be willing to pay to have them put into these houses. This will be temporary till the first section of Brockway Hill is replaced and when the second section is replaced it will be a mute point. Rodney asked when would that occur and Garrett said they are anticipating it this summer. Rodney motion to install air release valves in the Bartlett and Lamberti house. Larry second. Motion passed by a vote of 5-0. Stan asked for a motion to come out of the Water & Sewer Commission. Rodney made the motion and Art second. Motion passed by voice vote 5-0. Selectboard Meeting Announcements: Larry announced he has a signed purchase sales agreement on land across from the Pump & Pantry. They want to break ground as soon as they can get the site plan approval permits. It is going to be a Dollar General Store going on lots 1 and 2 and possible onto lot 3. His second announcement is he has been approached by a developer in solar panels fields to generate power and is looking at possible sites in Williamstown. They should generate a good tax base, create jobs, and supply some construction jobs. Visitor’s Comments: None at this time Review and Approval of Warrants: Rodney motion to approve warrant SB27. Second by Larry. After a discussion the motion passed by voice vote of 5-0. Approval of Minutes: Stan entertained a motion to approve the December 7, 2009 minutes of the Selectboard. Rodney made the motion and Larry second. Motion passed by vote of 5-0. Stan asked for a motion to approve the December 14th meeting, Special Meeting. Larry made the motion to approve the December 14th minutes. Art second. A discussion followed and corrections were made. Motion passed by a vote of 3-0. Manager’s Report: Garrett said at the last meeting Milo Winters said he still had water coming up through the ground and Garrett went up to look and it wasn’t present. He will be in touch with Milo. Pot holes on Falls Bridge Road are done. Concerning High Street, Paul Gillies – Attorney, will have a written response for us at the next meeting. A question was brought up about how much time Garrett takes off and he thinks it is important the Board and taxpayers know what and how much time everyone takes off. He included a schedule of days he has taken. The spreadsheet showed he attends more meetings than he has taken time off. Maybe in the future he will come back and ask for some compensatory time off but not as of today. Chris asked who is accounting for his time off. Garrett keeps his own time. Chris’s understanding is the treasurer maintains the payroll records for the town. Garrett said when he first had a contract and asked when his vacation hours will show up on my paycheck, it has not happened. Chris asked his question again. Stan asked if he puts in a time sheet. He doesn’t, he is a salary employee. Unfinished Business: None at this time. New Business: Clark Road Plowing Stan moved to this topic first as the ACO had not arrived yet. Garrett said it was asked because of a shift change at Second Spring at 6:45a.m. and we have not be able to get there at that time. Garrett discussed it with the road foreman and it was decided to let the Board make the decision of changing the schedule as the priority roads. Chris said he is sure everyone was aware since this discussion came up a year ago. Chris plows their parking lot and they do have a shift change at 6:45 in the morning. They also have residents with multiple health conditions. He called the Town Manager if we could have that done in time for that shift change. If Second Springs have problems they call him and he does it anyway. We had this discussion before and the road crew managed to find the time because it was always done prior to my arriving after the Board discussion. It is not a question of is it going to get done because it will be done, because Chris will do it if the Town doesn’t. The taxes that are generated up there and funds the town receives for that Class 3 Road for that purpose. He was surprise it came to the Board for discussion. Garrett said they have more roads they are maintaining this year than last year. We have bus routes, we have Clark Road. Ed Farnham the road foreman said he has one truck goes up there with salt and the tandem goes up to Stone Road. The Tandem went up Clark Road last year and had problems; it’s too big of a truck for there. Chris asked if no 6 wheelers go up there. Ed said the 6 wheeler goes up there after, he bumped those roads up there a little earlier what they were last year. Rodney said there are a lot of people that pay taxes and you can’t be everywhere first. You have to accept the route that is all you can do. The Town Manager and Road Foreman have to set priorities and we may not like them. Chris said as he told the Manager he was surprise it came to the Board for discussion as he told him if they could not do it, it would get done. Larry thought the Road Crew is doing a good job and maybe they switch some routes around. He said it’s a tough deal, you have to wait for it to snow before you plow it, you never know when its going to snow or how much it’s going to snow. You guys have your hands full, see if you can tweak it for this if not you will need to make other arrangements. Stan said the Road Forman and Manager should do what they can. ACO-Review of Policy Justin Pickel – Animal Control Officer was asked to review the Williamstown Dog and Pet Ordinance. He suggested a couple of item for change to make it easier for him to explain the ordinances to residents. Sect 2 Running at Large: Now it has it set for animal can be off its leash on the owner property as long as it’s under immediate control. He would like to change it has to be on a leach, chain or tether or similar means of physical restraints. Sec 7 Redemption: After the animals have been impounded are the fees for the offenses. He suggested using the Humane Society Fees. And the animal will need to be vaccinated or license within the Town and that would be before the animal’s release. Town not to use any fees. He notice there was no definition of an animal control officer. He would like this added: Animal Control Officer designated duties: The Animal Control officer is designated to act upon and to enforce the provisions of this article. It shall be the duty of the animal control officer to investigate all complaints regarding animal nuisances and to enforce all provisions of the article. Justin said he was under the impression that cats are not in the contract for animal control. He has had numerous calls about stray cats being dumped and numerous calls about removing stray cats. Under vicious animals therefore if the cat bites, is it a vicious animal. Chris asked if other towns do cats also if you were called on a large animal in the other Towns can you do it. Justin answered if he got called for a large animal he could do it but would have to be accompanying by the Agency of Agricultural. It is out of my authority to do. Chris said but he would be the contact person. Justin said yes. Chris did not think we should limit our animal control to dogs and wolf hybrids. Stan asked how the Board felt about adding cats. Larry said the next time the person calls to tell him he can take them the Humane Society. Garrett also said we do have limited funds in the animal control officer’s budget. Chris said if bring a cat there they ask for a donation. If you state you live in Williamstown it gets bill back to Williamstown because of our contract. Larry said his personal opinion is we should just stay with dogs and leave it to the individual if they have cats to take to the Humane Society. Art felt the same. Stan agreed we should stay out of the cat business. Also Justin asked about animal bites, it says all reports must be filed in 24 hours any such incident to the Town in order for the vet bills to be covered by the attacking dog. If the report is done after 24 hours the person’s dog that attacked is not responsible for any vet bills. Al Day said that incident happened Saturday evening; he could not get in touch with someone in 24 hours. Larry said we could do 48 hours. Also Justin gave his cell number for weekends – 498-3808. The changes will be brought back to the next Board meeting after review. Al Day said he asked the person whose dog attacked his dog if he would pay for the vet bills. He said no which was still in the 24 hours. Then he called Justin Monday morning. Now he wonders what the town would like to do since he is out $368.18 cents. He did everything he was supposed to do. Would the Board sign a warrant for repayment to me for vet bills that I have already paid. Justin told Al the vet bills are a civil issue not a Town issue. Al said his idea on that is you’re an employee of the town and since you did not issue the other dog owner a ticket is nothing to do with me. If you issued him a ticket then Al could have gone against his insurance. Justin said the reason he didn’t issue him a tickets was conflicting stories from Al. Three different stories from you so it was unclear whose dog was at fault for the initial attack. Al told Justin he is mix-up: he has two tickets that he has to go to court to argue. Together they are like three hundred dollars, the complaint would be dog at large, there was one dog on a leash, that be mine and one at large not on a leach that would be his. Justin said the dog attack is not going to court. You are going to court for your dog at large from two years ago and tickets issued by another ACO. Chris said Justin you are not aware of no dog running at large in this matter. Justin explained the dog did come off his property. Chris said if you are aware of dogs at large and you ticket one but not the other, my belief is everyone should be treated fairly. Justin said therefore in the ordinance for running at large immediate control so it still has that gray area. Justin said to Al didn’t he give him a warning the first time his dog was at large. He has received numerous complaints about his dog running loose and defecating on people’s property. Correct , Al agreed. Justin said to enforce it daily I could have given you a ticket the first time. Al supposes that would be right. Justin remind everyone that the tickets that Al is going to court for are tickets issued by Newton two years ago. It has nothing to do with what happen two weeks ago. Stan thanked Justin for the suggested changes and coming tonight.
Around the Table: Chris: Chris said he would not be able to attend the budget meeting scheduled for the next night. He asked if we have received any feedback from Orange County Sheriff on the trash. Garrett said Sheriff Bohnyak has attempted to reach me but I was not in the office at the time of his call. Have we heard about the fire station furnace. Garrett said it’s in the building but not hooked up yet. Chris asked about delinquent taxes, you were looking for responses by December 16th. Garrett has received some and come January 1st will be the next step. He next asked if we have gained any information on remote access and security of accounts on the computer system, he is aware it’s on for the next meeting. Garrett has information for the next meeting. Any interest in the truck for sale. Garrett said none at this time. He asked for any information on Christmas lights. Garrett tried to call the Fire Chief and was not able to reach him. Chris said a resident call him about the lights and he forwarded the message to you. Rodney: None at this time. Art: None at this time. Larry. None at this time Stan. None at this time Visitor’s Comments: Al Day said he has a form that is going around with a bunch of figures from the school. He asked if it was legitimate. The Board said to check with the school. Joe Kelly a resident of Williamstown asked the Board concerning the Snow Ordinance for use of a Town Highway, Hebert Road. He sees the Ordinance allows us to drive five feet outside the plow portion of the roadway. But with ditching or tree line we are not able to do that to access the trails. Could the Board allow us permission to traverse the roadway for a short distance to access the trails. Chris asked if he measured the distance and Joe had using his vehicle 6/10 of a mile. After a short discussion Chris made the motion to grant Mr. Kelly permission to travel that short section that you referred to access the trail systems. Rodney seconded. Motion passed by voice vote 5-0. Stan entertained a motion to adjourn. So moved by Rodney. Second by Chris. Motion passed by voice vote of 5-0 at 8:20 A.M.
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