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MINUTES OF THE SHAFTSBURY SELECT BOARD

AUGUST 14, 2006

COLE HALL     

SHAFTSBURY, VERMONT

 

Board Present: Wynn Metcalfe, Chairman, Cinda Morse, Bill Pennebaker, Jim Mead, Karen Mellinger

Others Present:  Aaron Chrostowsky, Susan Swasta

 

1.         Call Meeting to Order:  

 

Chairman Wynn Metcalfe called the meeting to order at 7:05 PM. He asked if any Board member needed to recuse himself or herself from discussion of any agenda topic scheduled for tonight. None did.

 

2.         Warrants:

 

The following warrants were presented for approval:

 

·   PR#5  -  $   7,538.88     payroll warrant

 

·   PR#6  -  $   5,989.17     payroll warrant

 

·   AP #6  - $ 33,235.00 

 

·   AP #7  - $ 15,870.68 

 

·   W#7    - $ 10,000.00 (Harrington for fill material)

 

·   W#8    - $  (postage paid for by Board)

 

 

Cinda Morse made motion to pay warrants. Bill Pennebaker seconded. Motion carried 5-0-0.

 

Mr. Chrostowsky asked whether it would be appropriate for the fire company to pay for hats and parade gear and a post-Memorial Day parade party rather than the town. Chairman Metcalfe replied that it was the town’s party, and the town has always paid for it and for uniforms.

 

Ms. Mellinger asked if the two dust control invoices were for a couple of months and was told that they were. She asked why the town is already over its fuel budget, and Mr. Chrostowsky replied that Treasurer Henri Billow had decided that pre-buying fuel was the best option, and this is reflected in the budget figures. Ms. Mellinger asked whether solid waste removal costs were for both June and July, and Mr. Chrostowsky answered that he thought so, but will check invoices to be sure.

 

3.         Minutes:

 

            July 24, 2006 Minutes:

 

Ms. Morse made motion to approve July 24, 2006 minutes. Mr. Mead seconded.

Motion carried 4-0-1. (Ms. Mellinger abstained because she had not attended that meeting.)

 

            July 31, 2006 Special Town Meeting Minutes:

 

Ms. Mellinger made motion to approve July 31, 2006 minutes. Ms. Morse seconded. Motion carried 5-0-0.

 

4.         Public Comments:

 

There were no public comments.

 

5.         Sidewalk Project Update:

 

Mr. Chrostowsky reported that he needs to submit a letter from the Board to the state designating him as sidewalk project manager.

 

Ms. Morse made motion to approve Aaron Chrostowsky as sidewalk project manager. Ms. Mellinger seconded. Motion carried 5-0-0.

 

Chairman Metcalfe said that he and Mr. Chrostowsky will talk to Jim Secor about donating engineering design costs. Mr. Secor has donated his services in the past. Ms. Mellinger noted that if all services are not donated then it needs to be put out to bid. Ms. Morse advised coming up with firm numbers before meeting with Mr. Secor so that they are sure of the dollar amount of services being requested for donation.

 

6.         Landfill Closure Update:

 

 Mr. Pennebaker reported that there has been a lot of progress. He has been trying to visit the site twice a day and has taken hundreds of photographs. Rifenberg is ready to put on the geo-synthetic membrane but will be delayed until next week because of problems with a project in Potsdam. Work has gone faster than expected because the fill material from the Harrington pit has required no screening.

 

The only minor sour note has been evidence of a four-wheeler going up the landfill. Once the liner is put down, it will be especially important to avoid disturbances. Mr. Pennebaker expects Rifenberg will make this go as fast as possible.

 

Mr. Pennebaker stated that Trevor Mance had asked if the town will be buying sand from him. He told Mr. Mance that it depends on Rifenberg. Mr. Mance stated that if Rifenberg wants the sand, he will clear the overburden from the sand bank.

 

Chairman Metcalfe brought up price and location of topsoil. He stated that Art Whitman would transport it from Cambridge for a reasonable price. Bennington does not have enough material, but Cambridge does. Mr. Chrostowsky said that 1100 cubic yards will be needed if it is mixed with pond fill; 3300 cubic yards would be needed of unmixed topsoil.

 

Ms. Mellinger asked if the town will be saving $45,000, and Mr. Chrostowsky replied that this may be so. Everyone thanked Mr. Pennebaker.

 

Mr. Chrostowsky read a letter from West Mountain Engineering stating that services of a  technician who will submit weekly reports will cost $4500. Chairman Metcalfe said that KAS’s engineering estimate is $25,850. Mr. Pennebaker noted that this is an estimate, and that having someone on site could lower KAS’s price. John (from West Mountain Engineering) is the town’s “insurance,” reporting solely to us. The Board asked Mr. Chrostowsky to send a copy of the West Mountain letter to KAS and to Buzz Surwilo.

 

7.         Highway Planning Update:

 

Chairman Metcalfe reported that Buck Hill Road paving is underway and that Mr. Chrostowsky and Highway Foreman Ron Daniels have been meeting. Mr. Chrostowsky has a preliminary highway priority list.

 

Mr. Chrostowsky said that Mr. Daniels will start writing a highway operations plan that will deal with chloride treatment, mowing, grading, and sanding. The two of them are working on the road priority list and will come up with a five-year road plan that will be a budget document with prices.  A road inventory worksheet for each road will be filled out by Mr. Daniels; this will include culverts and condition of culverts. The priority classification method is based on condition, number of homes on the road, and level of traffic. The priority list will include all roads with a summary of their information.

 

Chairman Metcalfe stated that Mr. Daniels is being asked to survey ten roads each week. Board members agreed that it would be a good idea for other highway employees to contribute to the process, but that everything would go through Mr. Daniels.

 

8.         Other Business:

 

Ms. Mellinger thanked Chairman Metcalfe and everyone who has been working on the sock hop. Chairman Metcalfe reported on progress for the event and encouraged Board members to sign up for the dunking booth.

 

Ms. Mellinger thanked Susan Swasta for doing a good job on minutes.

 

Board members noted some recent deaths and asked Mr. Chrostowsky to get cards.

 

Chairman Metcalfe reported that the fire department won a best of show for fire truck at the state convention.

 

Chairman Metcalfe said that the state has asked the Board to send Town Attorney Rob Woolmington and two others to Rutland to discuss the fine to be levied on the town for the landfill tonnage violation. He suggested that he and Mr. Pennebaker go, along with Mr. Chrostowsky. Board members agreed.

 

Chairman Metcalfe stated that it would be good for the Solid Waste Committee to discuss a project that the fine would be used to finance. Board members suggested possible projects, including a container for tires, a swap shed, sprucing up of the transfer station, and updated educational material on recycling.

 

Chairman Metcalfe reported that the Grandview Cemetery, located on Main Street in North Bennington but part of Shaftsbury, has asked to be included in the town’s insurance policy. They have a modest endowment fund that is used to privately maintain the property. It was pointed out that the town does not own the land or have any oversight of the trustees, so it does not seem appropriate for the town to cover them. It was agreed to discuss the matter with Mr. Woolmington. Since Chairman Metcalfe does work for the cemetery, it was decided that it would be better for another Board member to deal with the matter. Ms. Morse volunteered to act as liaison.

 

Mr. Pennebaker asked if there had been any thought of grading Townline Road. Chairman Metcalfe replied that there has, and that Mr. Chrostowsky will take pictures and Mr. Daniels will do an observation with a surveyor’s pole. The road will be dropped three inches. The town has not heard from the judge, but this is the suggestion of the man in Bennington.

 

8.         Executive Session (Personnel):

 

Ms. Morse made motion to go into Executive Session (Personnel). Ms. Mellinger seconded. Motion carried 5-0-0. Board went into Executive Session at 8:15 PM.

 

 

Meeting adjourned at 11 PM.

 

Respectfully Submitted,

Susan M. Swasta

 

 

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