Select Board Minutes 7-16-2024

Select Board Minutes 7-16-2024

TOWN OF RUTLAND SELECT BOARD OPEN MEETING

RUTLAND TOWN MUNICIPAL TOWN HALL

181 BUSINESS ROUTE 4, CENTER RUTLAND, VT  05736

JULY 16^th, 2024

 

• The meeting opened at 6:00 P.M. with the pledge of allegiance.
• Board members present Mary Ashcroft, Joe Denardo, Sharon Russell, and Matt Getty
• Members of the public participating Collin Fingon

Approval of Orders

The Board approved the orders.

Approval of Select Board Minutes for June 18^th:

Selectman Getty moved to approve the minutes.  Selectwoman Russell seconded the motion. The motion passed 3 – 0. Selectman Denardo abstained.

Approval of Select Board Minutes for July 2nd:

A quorum of members attending this meeting are not present tonight. This will be added to the next agenda.

Question from the Floor / Public Comment

Don Chioffi, Town Delinquent Tax Collector reviewed the current status of Delinquent Tax Collections. $352,882 was collected in the last fiscal year. $32,699 of interest was also collected for a total of $385,581. Regular updates will be provided going forward.

John Paul Faignant Town Health Officer / 2^nd Constable / Public Safety Building Clerk

1. Discussed the reconfiguration of Route 7 North leaving the city as part of the road work. There is concern about traffic leaving a 1-lane configuration, entering a 2-lane configuration and excessive speeding to pass vehicles between the City / Town Line and the intersection of East Pittsford Road. Discussed working with VTrans to come up with options.
2. There are more than 25 unregistered vehicles on the Cortina Inn property currently. VT law considers more than 4 to be a junk yard. There are several campers on the property as well and are likely being used for drug use. The Town Attorney will be asked to provide a recommendation on how to proceed.
3. The back doors of The Cortina Inn are still not secure.
4. Reviewed the Public Safety Building project.
   1. A $250,000 contingency was included in the budget. The current balance is approximately $51,600 due to unexpected costs. Total site changes added another $82,275 to the project. A $70,000 grant application for building security was rejected. This totals approximately $152,000 in additional unexpected costs. Using the $51,000 balance in the contingency leaves approximately $100,000 in unbudgeted costs, with no funding source.
   2. There is a request to reduce the retainage amount. This will be discussed in the executive session at the end of the meeting.
5. Selectwoman Russell moved to reappoint Mr. Faignant as our Town Health Officer, and to authorize the Chair to sign the form on behalf of the Board. Selectman Denardo seconded the motion. Mr. Faignant has been the Health Officer for several years. He has performed the job well and competently. We would like to retain his good work. The motion passed 4 – 0.
6. Discussed the security expense for the Public Safety Building. Selectman Denardo moved to approve the security expense for the public safety building. Selectwoman Russell seconded the motion. The motion passed 4 – 0.

Barbara Pulling Rutland Town Planning Commission Chair:

1. The Planning Commission is working on River Corridor bylaw language again. It will eventually be mandatory statewide.
2. At the recent meeting, the commission discussed a temporary driveway which was recently installed on East Pittsford Road. Based on their discussion, they are extending an invitation to the Road Commissioner to come to one of their meetings and review the requests he gets. They would like permission from the Board to look at the Streets and Sidewalks ordinance, and the driveway access permit, and if the Planning Commission should be part of the approval process. Commissioner Sears discussed this specific scenario and his actions. The permanent driveway will come off Colonial Drive.
3. Discussed dwellings with long driveways and specifically ones which have a small bridge. The Commission will look at language in the ordinance for possible updates.

Mike Rowe Rutland Town Recreation Director:

1. The sign for the Town Wide Celebration is up at the park entrance.
2. The Senior luncheon is Tuesday the 23^rd at the pool starting at 11AM.
3. Soccer signups have started. The form is online. Paying for the program is done online when you register.

David Sears Rutland Town Road Commissioner:

1. The roadside mower is repaired. All the roads around town have been done once. A second mowing is planned for the second week of August.
2. 71 culverts, which is about 10% of ones in town, were cleaned last week.
3. Contacted the property owner of Gawet Marble about possible changes to the intersection of Simons Ave in front of his business. He is in favor of it. Discussed meeting dates with the State. A meeting will be warned for July 29^th at 9AM.
4. A large tree came down on Grove Street recently. Clean up is ongoing.
5. Work on the next section of the new Post Road sidewalk has started.
6. The paving on Post Road is nearly complete.
7. Discussed a letter sent to the Board regarding plow damage on Farnham Lane. After discussion, Commissioner Sears will take another look at it to see if anything more should be done.
8. Discussed an issue reported regarding brush which may be in the right of way near West Ridge Terrace. After discussion, a letter will be sent to the property owner asking him to remove the yard debris from the right-of-way.
9. A landowner along East Pittsford Road appears to have sprayed a chemical to kill vegetation in the Town right-of way. Chemicals cannot be sprayed in the right-of-way without an approved permit from the State. A letter will be drafted to the property owner regarding this.

Marcia Chioffi Rutland Town Head Lister

1. Town Lister Marie Faignant is also present.
2. The Grand List has been lodged and certified.
3. Grievance hearings are set on July 23^rd.
4. The Listers, and Selectman Getty, met with members of the Town School Board regarding a Town reappraisal. Due to a variety of factors, it is unlikely the Town could have a reappraisal done before 2027. The are some statue changes coming over the next few years which will have an effect on reappraisals as well. Everyone agreed this was a good meeting.

Chris Clark Rutland Town Fire Chief:

1. Presented an application for a new senior member. Selectman Denardo moved to approve the application. Selectwoman Russell seconded the motion. The motion passed 4 – 0.

Kari Clark Rutland Town Clerk and Treasurer:

1. The primary election will be on August 13^th. The State is not mailing out ballots to voters.
2. A date for setting the tax rate needs to be warned. Discussed a grant income line in the general budget. The source of this income was not clear. Board Chair Ashcroft will look into her notes. After discussion, July 23^rd at 530PM will be warned for the special meeting.
3. The consultant working with us on our personnel policy updates has asked the Board to approve changing the payroll cycle for the Police Department, so they align with all other Town departments. After discussion, Selectman Denardo moved to approve moving their payroll cycle. Selectman Getty seconded the motion. Discussed the details of how this will work. The motion passed 4 – 0.
4. Selectman Getty asked about the feasibility of being able to pay 2 new police officers, whose position would be grant funded. The town would receive reimbursement for them quarterly. There should not be an issue with this arrangement.

Mike Delehanty Town 1^st Constable

1. Met with the owner of 118 US Route 4 East recently. He has agreed to have the damaged wall repaired by next week and will be addressing all the other issues.

Ed Dumas Rutland Town Police Chief:

1. Recent calls for service were provided and reviewed.
2. Discussed on going challenges at The Cortina Inn.
3. Discussed the recent Police Committee meeting where there was extensive discussion on the request from CFAC to provide an officer to them.

Selectman Getty moved to authorize the Police Chief to interview a candidate to nominate to CFAC for their review with hiring contingent on approved grants to cover the position. Selectman Denardo seconded the motion. The motion passed 4 – 0.

Selectman Denardo moved to enter executive session for a personnel matter and to discuss a contract matter. Selectman Getty seconded the motion. 1^st Constable Mike Delehanty, 2^nd Constable JP Faignant, Police Chief Ed Dumas and Deputy Police Chief Ted Washburn to attend. The motion passed 4 – 0. The Board entered executive session at 8:07PM.

Upon leaving executive session at 8:42PM, Selectman Getty moved to authorize the Police Chief to hire for a grant funded direct patrol position. Selectmen Denardo seconded the motion. The motion passed 4 – 0.

Bill Sweet Town Administrator:

1. The work on the service road documentation project has been completed. The final invoice is included in the orders.
2. The contractor who did the electrical upgrade work removed the old generator transfer switch and meter socket as part of the project. They were supposed to be left on site but were not. They are not able to locate them. We are being offered replacements or a credit for their cost against our final invoice. After discussion, the Board elected for the credit.
3. Discussed some plans the library has proposed to relocate. The Town contributes toward operation, and not upkeep.
4. Prevent Child Abuse Vermont has asked for a donation. The Town has donated $100 in the past. Selectman Denardo moved to donate $100. Selectwoman Russell seconded the motion. The motion passed 4 – 0.
5. We had to order a replacement title for the Highway truck which was recently sold. The original could not be located. Discussed having each department head check for titles for their vehicles.

Discussed a possible change in the retirement benefit paid to qualifying Town employees. A decision needs to be given to VMERS by September 30^th for the change to take effect July of 2025.

The eighth-grade class may provide students again this year to help at the Town Wide Celebration.

We have been offered the use of the Killington Fire Department grill for the Town Wide Celebration. No decision was made.

Selectman Denardo moved to adjourn. Selectman Getty seconded the motion. The motion passed unanimously. The meeting adjourned at 9:03 PM.

Respectfully submitted, Bill Sweet, Town Administrator.

 

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Mary Ashcroft, Chair

 

_______________________________________________

Joseph Denardo, Clerk

 

_______________________________________________
Sharon Russell

 

__________________ABSENT____________________

Kurt Hathaway

 

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Matt Getty

 

Center Rutland, VT.