MINUTES OF THE SHAFTSBURY SELECT BOARD
March 10, 2008
COLE HALL
SHAFTSBURY, VERMONT
Board Present: Wynn Metcalfe. Bill Pennebaker, Lon McClintock, Karen Mellinger, Cinda Morse
Others Present: William Jakubowski, Phyllis Jakubowski, James Weber, Mike Gleason (Bennington Banner), Aaron Chrostowsky (Town Administrator), Susan Swasta (Recording Secretary)
1. Call Meeting to Order:
Chairman Wynn Metcalfe called the meeting to order at 7:00 PM. He stated that the first order of business is Board reorganization.
2. Board Reorganization:
Bill Pennebaker made motion to appoint Lon McClintock Select Board Chairman. Karen Mellinger seconded.
Cinda Morse made motion to appoint Wynn Metcalfe Select Board Chairman.
Ms. Morse stated that Mr. Metcalfe has brought a standard of respectful public discourse and of doing business at the table to the Board. She said she had received a call from Mr. Pennebaker this afternoon concerning a change of Board leadership, and that she believes doing public business at the public table is important.
Wynn Metcalfe seconded Cinda Morse's motion.
Mr. Pennebaker stated that his call to Ms. Morse had not been to announce a fait accompli, but to give her a sense of what was happening so she was not blindsided. He does not see this as not doing business at the table.
The first motion, to appoint Lon McClintock Select Board Chairman, passed 3-2-0. (Mr. McClintock, Mr. Pennebaker, Ms. Mellinger for; Ms. Morse, Mr. Metcalfe against)
3. Public Comments:
William Jakubowski stated that he wants to discuss salting and sanding of highways but will wait to bring it up at the appropriate time in the meeting.
2. Board Reorganization (cont'd.):
Ms. Mellinger made motion to appoint Bill Pennebaker Select Board Vice Chairman. Mr. McClintock seconded. Motion carried 3-2-0. (Mr. McClintock, Mr. Pennebaker, Ms. Mellinger for; Ms. Morse, Mr. Metcalfe against)
Chairman McClintock asked if any Board member needed to recuse himself or herself from discussion of any topic on tonight's agenda. None did.
4. Minutes:
March 3, 2008 Select Board minutes
Ms. Morse made motion to approve March 3, 2008 minutes. Mr. Pennebaker seconded.
Ms. Morse said that the minutes state that the discussion of cutting back highway department overtime until the end of the winter season will be followed up at the next meeting. She thought they had agreed to the cutback at the March 3 meeting. Chairman McClintock replied that they had agreed by consensus but had not voted on it.
The following correction to the March 3 minutes was requested:
On page 2, under item 5B (Large High Definition Flat Panel Television for Fire Station), in second paragraph, third sentence, the comma after "once" is removed.
Motion to approve March 3 minutes as amended carried 5-0-0.
Chairman McClintock will check to see if the February 18 and 25, 2008 minutes have been approved by the Board.
5. Warrants:
The following warrants were presented for approval:
AP Warrant #40: $ 35,938.53 (includes sand and gravel, fire department television)
Payroll Warrant #36: $ 7,849.52
Ms. Morse made motion to pay warrants. Ms. Mellinger seconded. Motion carried 5-0-0.
2. Board Reorganization (cont'd.):
Mr. Chrostowsky stated that as part of Board reorganization members should read and reapprove the Select Board Rules of Procedure. It was agreed to take this up next week. It was also agreed to continue meeting every Monday night, and to cancel meetings when there is not enough on the agenda to justify a meeting.
Mr. Pennebaker made motion to appoint Susan Swasta as Recording Secretary. Ms. Morse seconded. Motion carried 5-0-0.
6. Swap Shed:
Mr. Pennebaker distributed a Solid Waste Committee list of acceptable items for the proposed Swap Shed. He said this could be modified as they go along.
Mr. Pennebaker said that Lissa Stark of the Bennington County Regional Commission (BCRC) needs to get Board approval before the BCRC can move on this. Mr. Chrostowsky stated that they estimate about $1000 for electrical work and $1200 for shelving. He will meet with Gary Burgess tomorrow. The other work needed will be closing in the ends and adding doors and window. Volunteers might be able to help out.
Mr. Metcalfe asked where the money is coming from, and Mr. Pennebaker replied that it is from the TAM special environmental project funds. Ms. Morse asked if there will be a budget presented at some point, and Mr. Pennebaker replied that there will be.
Ms. Mellinger said that the Board needs to make a formal motion to authorize the BCRC to make a final presentation to the state. Ms. Morse and Mr. Metcalfe were not comfortable doing so without a budget. Chairman McClintock agreed there should be a budget and operating plan. After further discussion it was agreed that Mr. Chrostowsky will ask Ms. Stark what the BCRC administrative fee will be and pull together the pieces of information for next week's meeting.
2. Board Reorganization (cont'd.):
Mr. Chrostowsky stated that they need to talk about the Liaison List. Mr. Metcalfe explained how the liaison process had developed and had been used in the past, and said there is no need to continue it if the Board does not want it.
After discussion, Chairman McClintock said that he thinks the liaison process makes a difference in implementing what the Board is trying to do, so he supports it. The Liaison List will be taken up next week. Mr. Chrostowsky said he had also put a list of last year's goals in Board members' packets, and it would be good to go over them for discussion.
7. Bridge Inspection Reports:
Mr. Chrostowsky said that each year the state looks at a couple of Town bridges. The report indicates that they are in good shape. He said that Road Foreman Ron Daniels has read the reports, and would like permission to reline one bridge channel with stone. Mr. Pennebaker asked which bridge channel needs work, but it was not clear from the report which one it is.
Chairman McClintock, Mr. Chrostowsky, and Mr. Daniels will discuss this on Wednesday. Chairman McClintock would like any work to be incorporated into the road plan. It will be on next week's agenda.
8. Other Business:
Ms. Morse asked if there has been an assessment of road damage from the storm, and whether the Town qualifies for any assistance. Mr. Chrostowsky replied that he has been out on the roads and taken pictures. There were some severe washouts. Most have been looked at by the road crew and some have already been fixed. He left a message with the VTrans district office and will show them the pictures.
James Weber stated that a section of Shaftsbury Hollow Road had been a river Saturday night and might qualify for state funding. Mr. Chrostowsky said that the graders had been out there and will be there again. Chairman McClintock said they will reprioritize that section of road as a safety hazard.
Mr. Jakubowski passed around pictures of erosion and other problems on Timber Trail Road. He said that he appreciates what the Highway Department does with a limited budget, but that the Town always cuts maintenance. Ditches, culverts, and overgrown brush and trees along roads are not taken care of.
Mr. Jakubowski said they may want to consider some engineering to deal with some of these issues, like the end of Myers Road. Mr. Chrostowsky said that the highway budget does have some money for professional services. Mr. Jakubowski said that they should look into getting a road roller, and Mr. Chrostowsky replied that one had been used in the past but he had heard it was not effective.
Chairman McClintock stated that Mr. Daniels had canceled an order of salt and had agreed to be careful about allocation of hours. He said that they need to look at other Town departments for savings as well. Mr. Metcalfe said that a discussion of the budget should be on next week's agenda.
Mr. Metcalfe reported that he had talked to Rick Mattison about a storage unit for the stuff on the Cole Hall balcony, and that it would be $80 a month. He also said that the current Board meeting setup is terrible for TV, and that it may be possible for Gary Burgess to cut a V in the table, or for there to be a different setup.
Mr. Pennebaker stated that he had received a call from John Brown of Orbit Energy concerning energy recovery for the landfill. They had agreed that it is not suitable.
Mr. Pennebaker announced that Craig Bruder is the new Planning Commission chairman, and Chris Williams is the vice chairman.
Mr. Pennebaker stated that he had attended a broadband conference and will send a copy of his trip report to Board members. The state has an aggressive broadband plan, and Rex Burke of BCRC is very interested.
Mr. Morse made motion to adjourn. Mr. Pennebaker seconded. Motion carried 5-0-0.
The meeting adjourned at 8:17 PM.
Respectfully Submitted,
Susan Swasta