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MINUTES OF THE SHAFTSBURY SELECT BOARD
MARCH 20, 2006
COLE HALL     
SHAFTSBURY, VERMONT
 
Board Present: Wynn Metcalfe, Chairman, Karen Mellinger, Bill Pennebaker, Jim Mead
Board Absent: Cinda Morse
Others Present:   Ron Daniels (Road Foreman), Aaron Chrostowsky, Susan Swasta
 
1.         Call Meeting to Order:  
 
Chairman Wynn Metcalfe called the meeting to order at 7:09 PM. He asked those present to observe a moment of silence for recently deceased Shaftsbury resident Flora Bump.
 
Chairman Metcalfe noted that it is Shaftsbury’s year to put on the Memorial Day parade. Dennis McCarthy has resigned as chairman of the Veterans Committee, and volunteers are needed to join the committee to work on the parade.
 
Chairman Metcalfe thanked townspeople who attended the potluck preceding town meeting. He announced that the sixth grade spaghetti supper will be held this Friday.
 
2.         Minutes:       
 
            March 13, 2006 Minutes:
 
Approval of March 13 minutes was postponed until next week because the Board did not have the opportunity to review the minutes.
 
3.         Warrants:
 
The following warrant was presented for approval:
 
·  PR#37 –                       $   5,337.55  Payroll Warrant
·  AP#41 –                       $ 52,203.39  General Warrant (Includes equipment to be reimbursed by grant funds, town reports, gravel and sand)
·  Transfer Warrant –      $ 11,714.05 
 
Karen Mellinger made motion to pay the warrants. Jim Mead seconded.
 
Ms. Mellinger had questions about invoice numbers and signatures on TAM weight slips for recycling, and asked Aaron Chrostowsky to look into this matter. He will do so.
 
The motion to pay warrants carried 4-0-0.
 
4.         Public Comments:
 
There were no public comments.
 
Chairman Metcalfe announced that four CD’s are coming due and Treasurer Henri Billow needs renewal decisions on them. Two are for landfill closure funds, one for the highway emergency fund, and one for the grader reserve fund. Since the highway emergency fund will be used to pay for the new grader blade, it was decided not to renew that CD. The Board opted to renew the Chittenden Bank CD ($153,000 for landfill closure funds) for one month, the Bennington Bank CD ($135,000 for landfill closure funds) for 3 months, and the Bennington Bank CD ($20,100 for grader reserve fund) for 3 months.
 
Ms. Mellinger made motion to renew the three CD’s as described above. Mr. Mead seconded. Motion carried 4-0-0.
 
5.         Road Foreman’s Report:
 
Ron Daniels reported that two new trucks have arrived and that the grader blade has been replaced. The grader will be ready to go as soon as three new recap tires are put on, probably the end of this week or the beginning of next. The road crew has been cutting brush and doing some cold filling. They should be able to start grading next week.
 
Mr. Daniels stated that gravel funds have been used up and that it will be necessary to live with current conditions until the grader can get out next week. Chairman Metcalfe asked if there have been a lot of complaints about roads, and he replied that there have not. It has been a tough winter for roads.
 
Mr. Daniels stated that the town needs to get permission from landowners on Shaftsbury Hollow Road in order to start tree removal work there. Mr. Mead said that they will give Mr. Chrostowsky the names of those involved, and that it will be necessary to alert Tree Warden Mike Biddy before trees are cut.
 
6.         Access to Right of Way Applications:
 
Chairman Metcalfe reported that Peckham Industries wants to be able to occasionally run a large piece of equipment across Airport Road. Zoning Administrator Tony Zazzaro decided that this requires a town right of way. Mr. Daniels has no problem with it. Since the sight line on one side is not the best, Mr. Zazzaro suggests a road sign warning drivers to be alert for equipment crossing the road. Chairman Metcalfe said that Peckham will also have people out to stop traffic when the equipment is in use.
 
Mr. Pennebaker made motion to grant a right of way to Peckham Industries. Ms. Mellinger seconded.
 
Ms. Mellinger wanted to be sure that the right of way permission specifies that a warning sign is to be erected. Chairman Metcalfe said this will be included.
 
Motion carried 4-0-0.
 
Mr. Chrostowky stated that Verizon has requested access to the right of way to place an anchor and bury lines at this same site as the Peckham Industries application on Airport Road. This approval is related to the previous access to the right of way application approved tonight allowing Peckham Industries move large pieces of equipment across the road.
 
Mr. Mead made motion to grant a right of way to Verizon. Mr. Pennebaker seconded. Motion passed unanimously.
 
7.         Town Administrator’s Report:
 
Mr. Chrostowsky discussed the financials from Treasurer Billow that he had distributed to the Board, stating that the Town’s cash flow in need of grant reimbursement. The  $11,000 transfer warrant approved tonight is money owed (cash) to the General Fund from other Town funds.
 
Chairman Metcalfe stated that it will be virtually impossible for the road crew to get through mud season with no gravel. Since the gravel budget is exhausted, he asked Mr. Chrostowsky to look into the budget to see where funds for gravel might come from.
 
8.         Update Liaison List:
 
Chairman Metcalfe postponed updating the liaison list until all Board members are present.
 
He stated that the development review board (DRB) had met last week for the first time, setting down rules of procedure and electing Jim Carter as Chairman, Phylis Porio as Vice Chairman.
 
Chairman Metcalfe reported that Mr. Chrostowsky has placed notices in the Bennington Banner soliciting letters of interest for the positions of various boards, committees and town officers. Replies are due March 31. Mr. Chrostowsky stated that the Board will begin the appointment process April 3rd, 2006.
 
9.         Landfill Update:
 
Chairman Metcalfe stated that there is a lot going on regarding landfill closure, and he wants to clarify matters, getting down on paper what has been taken care of, what pieces are still missing, and who will be responsible for what.
 
Mr. Pennebaker reported on his visit with Markowski, a possible contractor. He stated that he thinks the Board should have clay from various sites, and soils for use with a possible geo-synthetic liner tested so that this information is available to contractors. The town will have to pay for this testing either directly or indirectly, and if done directly will own the information. It may be possible to get a bulk price if several specimens are tested at once.
 
There was a discussion of possible sources of clay and of soil that could be used with a liner. Mr. Pennebaker will work on getting samples of clay and soil for testing. Mr. Chrostowsky will contact Markowski to see if they want to come down to assess one nearby clay source. Mr. Mead will make some calls about possible sources of clay.
 
An added complication is that the KAS specifications on materials to be used with a liner may not be accurate. Mr. Pennebaker noted that there are real questions about various aspects of the KAS specs, which have yet to be finalized. There is still a need for a state certified closing plan. Mr. Pennebaker and Mr. Chrostowsky will send a letter to KAS on this. Mr. Pennebaker will also keep Buzz Surwilo informed on the process, as he has not been kept up to date by KAS.
 
Mr. Chrostowsky stated that Casella believes that the Reifenberg estimate was a good price and recommends that the town works with them. Casella suggested that spending $15,000 to redo the specifications prepared by KAS could save $50,000 in the landfill closure process. Casella will recommend several changes to the specifications and they suggested we present those changes to KAS. If KAS is not interested in working with those changes then Casella will recommend a firm they work with on landfill closure technical specifications. Board members discussed the need to devise financing for landfill closure, since it appears the costs will be much higher than originally estimated. Ms. Mellinger agreed to work with Ms. Billow and Mr. Chrostowsky to come up with financing options and costs for various options.
 
Chairman Metcalfe stated that the Agency of Natural Resources needs to know that the town is working very diligently on landfill closure. He thinks that Board members should go to Montpelier to make this clear to the Agency. Ms. Mellinger agreed to accompany him to Montpelier.
 
Chairman Metcalfe noted that state Representative Alice Miller has not been fully informed of the landfill closure progress, and that she should be brought up to date with full information. Ms. Mellinger volunteered to meet with Rep. Miller on this.
 
Board members discussed the need to have a local contractor oversee the landfill closure process to ensure that it is done correctly and the town is covered. Mr. Surwilo sent Mr. Chrostowsky a list of possible consultants who could be invited to submit proposals.
 
Chairman Metcalfe stated that Mr. Surwilo will be meeting with the Board this Monday at 10AM to discuss landfill recertification. KAS has been performing this service, and there was discussion on whether or not continue with them. They probably charge less than others would. It was decided to discuss this with Mr. Surwilo and decide at Monday night’s Board meeting.
 
 
 
10.       Other Business:
 
Ms. Mellinger announced that it may be possible to get a free Brownfield’s assessment for the town garage site. The Board agreed that this was worth looking into because the information would be useful for future planning.
 
Ms. Mellinger stated that Gerry Mattison informed her that required emergency management training for town personnel could be done in Shaftsbury if at least 15 people can be trained at once. Mr. Chrostowsky will contact the state police, who conduct the training, for more information.
 
Ms. Mellinger made motion to go into Executive Session at 8:25PM. Mr. Mead seconded. Motion carried 4-0-0.
 
 
Meeting adjourned at PM.
 
 
Respectfully Submitted,
 
Susan M. Swasta

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